bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High temperature mass spectrometric studies over Zr‐Al binary system: Thermodynamic properties over  and  biphasic regions
Authors: Venkata Trinadh Vinjavarapu , Bera Suranjan , Brahmananda Rao Cherukuri Venkata Siva
Published: September 2024

Vaporisation thermodynamic studies were performed over  and  biphasic region of Al‐Zr system by employing Knudsen Effusion Mass Spectrometry (KEMS) in the temperature range between 1,233 to 1,535 and 1,208 to 1,458 K, respectively. It was observed that these samples undergo incongruent vaporisation with Al(g) alone in the vapour phase. Following are the recommended p–T relations deduced in the present study:

log (pAl/Pa) = (−18,663 ± 132)/T + (12.23 ± 0.10) (1,233–1,535 K) < ZrAl3(cr) + ZrAl2(cr)>.

log (pAl/Pa) = (−18,982 ± 112)/T + (11.92 ± 0.08) (1,208–1,458 K) < ZrAl2(cr) + Zr2Al3(cr)>.

From the p–T and K‐T relations, based on the second and third law methods of thermodynamics, the enthalpy changes of the following reactions were evaluated: ZrAl3(cr) = ZrAl2(cr) + Al(g) and 2ZrAl2(cr) = Zr2Al3(cr) + Al(g). Subsequently, the enthalpies of the formation of ZrAl2(cr) and Zr2Al3(cr) were deduced.
Theoretical Model for Determining the Thickness and Optical Constants of Transparent Conducting Oxide Thin Films From the Measured Reflectance Spectra
Authors: Basnet Bijaya , Nepal Mahesh , Thapa Gaurab J. , Kafle Madhav , Kharel Ram P. , Karkee Rijan , Dhakal Tara P. , Kafle Bhim P.
Published: September 2024

Thickness and optical constants of transparent conducting oxide (TCO) of metal oxide thin films have been commonly estimated by invoking theoretical models based on measured optical reflectance or transmittance. One of such widely employed models is reflectance‐based Kushev model. However, the relatively higher value of the absorption coefficient at the absorption edge of TCOs of metal oxide thin films results in a large deviation of their thickness values estimated by this model. To address the underlying problems, in the present work, we have improved the Kushev model. Specifically, for minimizing the error in the estimated thickness values from the proposed model, we have employed t test for discarding outliers of a set of thickness values of a given thin film, which were calculated from nearby extrema of a reflectance curve. Then the thickness calculated from model was validated by comparing the value of ZnO thin transparent films extracted from ellipsometric measurement. Our model shows excellent agreement with the thickness values of ZnO films from ellipsometric measurement with only 1.2% deviation. Furthermore, observed values were also compared with the values from already established Cauchy model. The perfectly matching of the simulated reflectance spectra from the present model with the measured reflectance and excellent agreement of thickness values derived from the ellipsometric measurements with the values extracted from the model may infer us that the present model is suitable for fairly accurately estimating film thicknesses of TCO thin films.
Examining three distinct rheological models with flexoelectric effect to investigate Love‐type wave velocity in bedded piezo‐structure
Authors: Seema  , Singhal Abhinav
Published: September 2024

The transference of the surface seismic wave at the loosely bonded common interface of a visco‐piezo composite structure is examined in the current work. With the flexoelectric effect taken into account, the structure is composed of a viscoelastic layer embedded on a piezoelectric substrate. The shear stiffness of the upper layer is thought to be described by a Kelvin–Voigt model. An analytical separable of variable method is used to derive the complex dispersion relation for both electrically open and short circuit scenarios. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the significant influence of several influencing parameters on the wave's phase velocities and attenuation coefficients. Additionally, a graphic comparison of three rheological models – the Maxwell, Newton and Kelvin–Voigt models – is covered. Results indicate that the attenuation curve pertaining to the Maxwell and Newton model is lowest than on the Kelvin–Voigt model. Some major outcomes are highlighted here as: the prominent influence of bonding parameter is well‐proportional to the phase velocity and inversely proportional to the attenuation coefficient, and flexoelectricity has an intensive impact on both phase velocity and attenuation coefficient curves. This theoretical study leads to understanding the piezo‐flexo coupling and its potential application to design the sensors, actuators, energy harvesters and nano‐electronics.
Belenios with Cast-as-Intended: Towards a Usable Interface
Authors: Cortier Véronique , Gaudry Pierrick , Goetschmann Anselme , Lemonnier Sophie
Published: September 2024

In this work we consider Belenios-CaI, a protocol offering a cast-as-intended mechanism and building upon Belenios, a voting system used in about 7000 elections to date. We modify the design of Belenios-Cai from the user perspective without changing its core cryptographic mechanism. The goal is to increase its usability by letting the voter simply check whether two symbols are equal or different.

We conducted a user-study among 165 participants in a research center to evaluate the usability of our implementation of Belenios-CaI. Since the cast-as-intended mechanism assumes that voters make some random choices, we also evaluate whether the choices made by voters are sufficiently “random” to provide verifiability and whether it could affect their privacy. The study shows that, for our population, Belenios-CaI is considered as usable with the random choices of the voters seeming sufficient for verifiability and privacy.
Intelligo Ut Confido: Understanding, Trust and User Experience in Verifiable Receipt-Free E-Voting
Authors: Zollinger Marie-Laure , Rønne Peter B. , Schneider Steve , Ryan Peter Y. A. , Jamroga Wojciech
Published: September 2024

Voting protocols seek to provide integrity and vote privacy in elections. To achieve integrity, procedures have been proposed allowing voters to verify that their vote is correctly counted– however this impacts both the user experience and privacy. In particular, vote verification can lead to vote-buying or coercion, if an attacker can obtain a proof of the cast vote. Thus, some voting protocols provide mechanisms to prevent such receipts.To be effective, such receipt-freeness depends on voters being able to understand and use these mechanisms.In this paper, we present a study with 300 participants to evaluate the voters’ experience and understanding of the receipt-freeness procedures in the Selene scheme in the context of vote-buying. This is the first user study dealing with vote-buying in e-voting. While the usability and trust factors were rated low in the experiments, we found a positive correlation between trust and understanding.
Threshold Receipt-Free Single-Pass eVoting
Authors: Doan Thi Van Thao , Pereira Olivier , Peters Thomas
Published: September 2024

In 2001, Hirt proposed a receipt-free voting scheme, which prevents malicious voters from proving to anybody how they voted, under the assumption of the availability of a helping server that is trusted for receipt-freeness, and only for that property.  This appealing design led to a number of subsequent works that made this approach non-interactive and more efficient. Still, in all of these works, receipt-freeness depends on the honesty of one single server.

In order to remove this single point of failure, we design a new model in which multiple helping servers are available and propose a new security definition called threshold receipt-freeness. Our definition requires that receipt-freeness should be guaranteed even if some of the helping servers happen to be fully malicious and ensures that voters can express their votes even if the corrupted servers choose the content of their local view of the ballots.

Eventually, we propose a generic construction of a single-pass verifiable voting system achieving threshold receipt freenes with a mixnet-based tallying process. Our ballot submission process relies on the recently designed traceable receipt-free encryption primitive.
Improving the Computational Efficiency of Adaptive Audits of IRV Elections
Authors: Ek Alexander , Blom Michelle , Stark Philip B. , Stuckey Peter J. , Vukcevic Damjan
Published: September 2024

AWAIRE is one of two extant methods for conducting risk-limiting audits of instant-runoff voting (IRV) elections. In principle AWAIRE can audit IRV contests with any number of candidates, but the original implementation incurred memory and computation costs that grew superexponentially with the number of candidates. This paper improves the algorithmic implementation of AWAIRE in three ways that make it practical to audit IRV contests with 55 candidates, compared to the previous 6 candidates. First, rather than trying from the start to rule out all candidate elimination orders that produce a different winner, the algorithm starts by considering only the final round, testing statistically whether each candidate could have won that round. For those candidates who cannot be ruled out at that stage, it expands to consider earlier and earlier rounds until either it provides strong evidence that the reported winner really won or a full hand count is conducted, revealing who really won. Second, it tests a richer collection of conditions, some of which can rule out many elimination orders at once. Third, it exploits relationships among those conditions, allowing it to abandon testing those that are unlikely to help. We provide real-world examples with up to 36 candidates and synthetic examples with up to 55 candidates, showing how audit sample size depends on the margins and on the tuning parameters. An open-source Python implementation is publicly available.
A Framework for Voters’ Trust Repair in Internet Voting
Authors: Fel Leo
Published: September 2024

Research on voters’ trust in i-voting has been exclusively related to building trust in the process of i-voting adoption, with no work addressing the question of trust repair. This article introduces a framework for trust repair in i-voting by integrating insights from trust repair in other research areas, as well as concepts developed for and used in the e-voting literature. The article traces the process of trust repair from the different beliefs influencing voters’ trust in both the human and technological dimensions of an i-voting system, through the influence of the internal and external stakeholders, to trust violations and the i-voting organisers’ strategies for trust repair and the ‘arsenal’ of measures at their disposal. The article highlights the importance of detecting the emergence of events that may violate trust among voters, understanding the severity and dimensions of trust violation, and strategically navigating trust repair. It also outlines open questions and identifies avenues for future research.
Efficient Cleansing in Coercion-Resistant Voting
Authors: Giustolisi Rosario , Garjan Maryam Sheikhi
Published: September 2024

Coercion resistance is a strong security property of electronic voting that prevents adversaries from forcing voters to vote in a specific way by using threats or rewards. There exist clever techniques aimed at preventing voter coercion based on fake credentials, but they are either inefficient or cannot support features such as revoting without leaking more information than necessary to coercers. One of the reasons is that invalid ballots cast due to revoting or coercion need to be removed before the tallying. In this paper, we propose a coercion-resistant Internet voting scheme that does not require the removal of invalid ballots, hence avoids the leakage of information, but still supports revoting. The scheme is very efficient and achieves linear tallying.
Absentee Online Voters in the Northwest Territories:Attitudes and Impacts on Participation
Authors: Goodman Nicole , Hayes Helen A. , Dunbar Stephen
Published: September 2024

Despite being deployed in Canadian municipal elections since 2003, online ballots were not used in binding elections at higher levels of government until the Northwest Territories’ adoption of online voting for absentee voters in its territorial elections in 2019 and 2023. Municipal and Indigenous use of online voting in Canada are well studied, but implementation at higher orders of government have not yet been examined. Drawing on an original data set of online voters in the 2023 Northwest Territories territorial election, we examine who votes online in higher order elections, attitudes towards the voting mode, and its impact on engagement. Throughout our analysis, we simultaneously compare these data to original data from online voter exit surveys conducted during the 2022 Ontario municipal elections. We find that uncommitted voters outside of Yellowknife would not have voted without the online option. Similarly, for municipal voters, we find that age and past voting record correlate with whether the online option influenced electors to cast a ballot.
ZK-SNARKs for Ballot Validity: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Huber Nicolas , Küsters Ralf , Liedtke Julian , Rausch Daniel
Published: September 2024

Electronic voting (e-voting) systems have become more prevalent in recent years, but security concerns have also increased, especially regarding the privacy and verifiability of votes. As an essential ingredient for constructing secure e-voting systems, designers often employ zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), allowing voters to prove their votes are valid without revealing them. Invalid votes can then be discarded to protect verifiability without compromising the privacy of valid votes. General purpose zero-knowledge proofs (GPZKPs) such as ZK-SNARKs can be used to prove arbitrary statements, including ballot validity. While a specialized ZKP that is constructed only for a specific election type/voting method, ballot format, and encryption/commitment scheme can be more efficient than a GPZKP, the flexibility offered by GPZKPs would allow for quickly constructing e-voting systems for new voting methods and new ballot formats. So far, however, the viability of GPZKPs for showing ballot validity for various ballot formats, in particular, whether and in how far they are practical for voters to compute, has only recently been investigated for ballots that are computed as Pedersen vector commitments in an ACM CCS 2022 paper by Huber et al. Here, we continue this line of research by performing a feasibility study of GPZKPs for the more common case of ballots encrypted via Exponential ElGamal encryption. Specifically, building on the work by Huber et al., we describe how the Groth16 ZK-SNARK can be instantiated to show ballot validity for arbitrary election types and ballot formats encrypted via Exponential ElGamal. As our main contribution, we implement, benchmark, and compare several such instances for a wide range of voting methods and ballot formats. Our benchmarks not only establish a basis for protocol designers to make an educated choice for or against such a GPZKP, but also show that GPZKPs are actually viable for showing ballot validity in voting systems using Exponential ElGamal.
Direct and Transparent Voter Verification with Everlasting Receipt-Freeness
Authors: Mosaheb Rafieh , Rønne Peter B. , Ryan Peter Y A , Sarfaraz Sara
Published: September 2024

We present a new verifiable voting scheme based on the Hyperion scheme but providing everlasting privacy and receipt-freeness. As with Selene and Hyperion, it provides a direct form of E2E verifiability: voters verify the presence of their votes in plaintext in the tally. However, in contrast to Selene or Hyperion, the privacy of this protocol is everlasting. In addition, our protocol offers the novel feature of everlasting receipt-freeness and coercion mitigation.
Expanding the Toolbox: Coercion and Vote-Selling at Vote-Casting Revisited
Authors: Rønne Peter B. , Finogina Tamara , Herranz Javier
Published: September 2024

Coercion and vote-buying are challenging and multi-faceted threats that prevent people from expressing their will freely. Even though there are known techniques to resist or partially mitigate coercion and vote-buying, we explicitly demonstrate that they generally underestimate the power of malicious actors by not accounting for current technological tools that could support coercion and vote-selling. In this paper, we give several examples of how a coercer can force voters to comply with his demands or how voters can prove how they voted. To do so, we use tools like blockchains, delay encryption, privacy-preserving smart contracts, or trusted hardware. Since some of the successful coercion attacks occur on voting schemes that were supposed/claimed/proven to be coercion-resistant or receipt-free, the main conclusion of this work is that the coercion models should be re-evaluated, and new definitions of coercion and receipt-freeness are necessary. We propose such new definitions as part of this paper and investigate their implications.
Fasziokutane Brückenlappenplastik zur Defektdeckung im Komplikationsfall am Unterschenkel nach Kompartmentsyndrom
Authors: Borger Anton , Karge Tobias , Babeluk Rita , Zak Lukas , Semmler Lorenz , Hajdu Stefan , Radtke Christine
Published: September 2024

Wir berichten hier von einem komplizierten Fall eines Weichteildefektes mit einer herausfordernden Weichteildeckung am rechten Unterschenkel. Ein 29-jähriger Mann entwickelte nach einer Unterschenkelfraktur und Versorgung mit einem Tibianagel ein Kompartmentsyndrom aufgrund einer massiven Nachblutung mit einer Läsion des N. peronaeus communis sowie Muskelnekrosen im Bereich der Fibularisloge. Die initiale Deckung mit Spalthaut zeigte keine Heilungstendenz, sodass der Patient mit einem Weichteildefekt von ca. 25 × 10 cm am lateralen Unterschenkel mit frei liegender Tibia über 15 cm Länge in unser Krankenhaus übernommen wurde. Es erfolgte primär der Deckungsversuch mit einer Spalthauttransplantation nach sekundärer Granulation. Aufgrund einer vorgeschädigten Gefäßversorgung zeigte sich allerdings über 8 Monate eine frustrane Wundheilung. Zudem fielen im Röntgen eine Pseudarthrose und ein daraus resultierender Schraubenbruch der beiden distalen Verriegelungsschrauben auf. Hierbei wurde die Indikation für einen Revisionseingriff zur Frakturversorgung und zum Implantatwechsel gestellt. Im gleichen Eingriff wurde der Verschluss der kutanen Restdefekte durchgeführt. Bei einem bisher komplikationsbehafteten Verlauf und der schwierigen lokalen Durchblutungssituation war die Auswahl der Rekonstruktionsverfahren begrenzt. Es wurde in einem interdisziplinären Vorgehen eine Brückenlappenplastik vom medialen Unterschenkel durchgeführt. Der Hebedefekt wurde mit Spalthaut gedeckt. Die Wunde konnte auf diese Weise nach einem Jahr schließlich suffizient gedeckt werden.
Gesundheitsprobleme nach radikaler Prostatektomie
Authors: Klorek Tobiasz , Schlichte Anton N. J. H. , Peter Cornelia , Jahnen Matthias , Dinkel Andreas , Schiele Stefan , Lunger Lukas , Schulwitz Helga , Gschwend Jürgen E. , Herkommer Kathleen
Published: September 2024

Hintergrund

Die radikale Prostatektomie (RP) ist eine der häufigsten Therapiestrategien zur Behandlung des lokal begrenzten Prostatakarzinoms (PCa). Derzeit ist nicht klar, welchen Stellenwert postoperative funktionelle Einschränkungen im Langzeitverlauf für betroffene Patienten haben, insbesondere im Vergleich zu altersbedingten Komorbiditäten.

Ziel der Arbeit

Ziel dieser Analyse war es, die Prävalenz subjektiver Gesundheitsprobleme sowie funktioneller Defizite bei PCa-Langzeitüberlebenden nach RP und die erlebte Beeinträchtigung zu quantifizieren.

Material und Methoden

Mittels des deutschsprachigen „Self-administered Comorbidity Questionnaire“ (SCQ-D) bewerteten 3173 Langzeitüberlebende nach RP ihre Begleiterkrankungen in 13 vorgegebenen Kategorien sowie in 3 Freitextantwortfeldern. Die Beurteilung erfolgte anhand der Dimensionen „Problem“, „Behandlung“ und „Beeinträchtigung“.

Ergebnisse

Das Alter bei Befragung betrug im Mittel 79,5 (SD ± 6,4) Jahre, die Zeit seit RP 17,4 (SD ± 3,7) Jahre. Die drei am häufigsten als Problem angegebenen Komorbiditäten/der Anteil der Patienten, die sich beeinträchtigt fühlten waren: Bluthochdruck (62,2 %/8,5 %), Rückenschmerzen (44,1 %/54,5 %) und Arthrose (36,1 %/54,1 %). Am häufigsten waren unter dem Überbegriff der „urologischen Probleme“ (6,1 %/72,7 %): Inkontinenz (4,8 %/74,3 %), Blasenprobleme (1,1 %/61,8 %), erektile Dysfunktion (0,5 %/47,1 %).

Schlussfolgerung

Insgesamt wurden nicht-karzinombedingte Komorbiditäten im Langzeitverlauf nach RP zwar häufig als „Problem“ wahrgenommen, sie sind aber selten mit einer erlebten Beeinträchtigung verknüpft. Demgegenüber wurden tumortherapiebedingte, urologische Probleme selten als „Problem“ angegeben, sie werden allerdings sehr häufig als beeinträchtigend im Alltag erlebt.
From pen to algorithm: optimizing legislation for the future with artificial intelligence
Authors: Hill Guzyal , Waddington Matthew , Qiu Leon
Published: September 2024

This research poses the question of whether it is possible to optimize modern legislative drafting by integrating LLM-based systems into the lawmaking process to address the pervasive challenge of misinformation and disinformation in the age of AI. While misinformation is not a novel phenomenon, with the proliferation of social media and AI, disseminating false or misleading information has become a pressing societal concern, undermining democratic processes, public trust, and social cohesion. AI can be used to proliferate disinformation and misinformation through fake news and deepfakes; can AI also be used for beneficial purposes to develop the antidote legislation combatting these challenges? Leveraging the capabilities of LLMS, such as ChatGPT and others, can present a promising direction for optimizing legislative drafting. By proposing the methodological approach of an AI bun, this article explores an important approach in which LLMS can support lawmakers and policy experts in crafting legislation. The article contributes to the discourse through a nuanced understanding of the opportunities and challenges in harnessing LLM-powered tools for legislative innovation. Ultimately, it underscores the transformative potential of LLMs as a potential resource for lawmakers seeking to navigate decision-making while developing legislation on an example of navigating the intricate landscape of misinformation and disinformation regulation in the age of AI.
The Hydrophobic Stabilization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteriophage F8 and the Influence of Modified Bacteriophage Preparation on Biofilm Degradation
Authors: Szermer-Olearnik Bożena , Filik-Matyjaszczyk Karolina , Ciekot Jarosław , Czarny Anna
Published: September 2024

The bacteriophage F8 belongs to the Myoviridae group of phages and is a pathogen of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Since Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a multidrug-resistant opportunistic bacterium and can cause serious challenges for health services, studying the potential use of phages against them is a promising approach. Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be found on medical devices because bacteria can attach to surfaces and develop biofilms, which are difficult to eradicate because of their high resistance to environmental conditions and antimicrobial therapeutics. Phage therapy is becoming promising as an alternative for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections, but there is still a lack of standardized protocols approved by health organizations for possible use in the clinic. In our research, we focused on the potential use of 1-octanol, which was previously used by our team to develop a method for phage purification from bacterial lysate. 1-octanol is a fatty alcohol that is mostly used in the cosmetics industry, and its advantage is that it is approved by the FDA as a food additive. In this paper, we studied the protective properties of the addition of 1-octanol for storing phage liquid preparations. We demonstrated the stabilization effect of 1-octanol addition on F8 bacteriophage preparation during storage under various conditions. Interestingly, more effective biofilm reduction was observed after treatment with the purified bacteriophage and with 1-octanol addition compared to crude lysate.
Cognitive performance from childhood to old age and intergenerational correlations in the multigenerational Young Finns Study
Authors: Heiskanen Marja A. , Nevalainen Jaakko , Pahkala Katja , Juonala Markus , Hutri Nina , Kähönen Mika , Jokinen Eero , Laitinen Tomi P. , Tossavainen Päivi , Taittonen Leena , Viikari Jorma S. A. , Raitakari Olli T. , Rovio Suvi P.
Published: September 2024

Background

Cognitive performance changes during the lifespan, but the information is gathered from studies on separate age cohorts. Computerized neurocognitive testing enables efficient and similar assessments for all ages. We investigated (i) the effect of age at different stages of life and (ii) intergenerational correlations across cognitive domains in the multigenerational Young Finns Study.

Methods

Participants in three familiarly related generations (n = 6486, aged 7–92 years) performed the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Overall cognitive performance and domains representing learning and memory, working memory, information processing, and reaction time were extracted by common principal component analysis from the cognitive data with several age groups. Linear models were used to study the association of age, sex, and education with overall cognitive performance and in the cognitive domains. Age-adjusted intergenerational correlations were calculated.

Results

Learning and memory peaked earlier during the lifespan compared to working memory and information processing, and the rate of decline toward old age differed by domain. Weak intergenerational correlations existed between two consecutive generations but were nonsignificant between grandparents and grandchildren. There was no systematic sex-specific transmission in any cognitive domain.

Conclusion

This study describes the natural course of cognitive performance across the lifespan and proves that cognitive performance changes differently across cognitive domains with weak intergenerational transmission.
ctDNA responds to neoadjuvant treatment in locally advanced rectal cancer
Authors: Bürtin Florian , Elias Liema , Hinz Sebastian , Forster Michael , Hildebrandt Guido , Frerker Bernd , Bock Felix
Published: September 2024

Background

Liquid biopsy is a minimally invasive procedure investigating tumor mutations.

Methods

In our retrospective study, we investigated whether molecular therapy monitoring of patients receiving neoadjuvant radio(chemo)therapy on a daily routine is possible in 17 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Six patients received short-course radiotherapy (5 × 5 Gy) with subsequent surgery, six patients were treated according RAPIDO protocol with short-course radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy (FOLFOX4) and subsequent surgery and five patients received conventional neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy with 5-FU followed by surgery. Response was assessed by Dworak. Liquid biopsies were taken before and immediately after neoadjuvant radiotherapy to isolate and ultradeeply sequence cell free DNA with a panel of 127 genes. Somatic mutations were determined bioinformatically by comparison with normal DNA from leukocytes to distinguish them from germline variants or aging mutations.

Results

In 12 patients (71%) at least one somatic mutation was detected. In 8/12 patients a decrease and in 4/12 an increase or mixed response in ctDNA was seen. Statistical correlation between ctDNA analysis and clinical response could not be seen.

Conclusion

ctDNA is responding to neoadjuvant therapy and liquid biopsy is easily integrated into a daily routine. As part of translational research this protocol leaves room for further investigations.
Flash combustion prepared Sm and Co doped Sr hexaferrite for environmental applications
Authors: El-Masry Mai M. , Ramadan Rania
Published: September 2024

Nanotechnology is offering solutions to water contamination issues, as new techniques are needed to improve the removal of harmful compounds from water bodies. Despite previous reviews on this topic, nanotechnology is paving the way for more effective water treatment methods. Understanding the substitute influence of divalent Co2+ and rare earth elements Sm3+ on the structure, magnetic, and removal efficiency of hexagonal ferrites requires an understanding of a sequence of SrFe12O19, SrFe11.5Co0.5O19, Sr0.95Sm0.05Fe12O19, and Sr0.95Sm0.05Fe11.5Co0.5O19 M-type hexagonal ferrites were prepared using the flash technique. The XRD examination revealed that the crystallized material formed a single M-type hexagonal phase. The characteristics of M-type hexagonal ferrites include absorption bands with low wavenumbers in the FTIR curves between 400 to 1000 cm−1. There was a variation in magnetic characteristics with the replacement of Sm3+ and Co2+ doping, possibly due to the spin canting impact created by rare earth Sm3+ and Co2+ ions. The goal of the research is to explore the potential of doping magnetic hexaferrites and its influence in wastewater treatment. Various parameters, such as pH and contact duration, that influence the adsorption of lead ions from aqueous solutions were also examined. At pH 7 and 25 °C after 70min, the maximal removal efficiency of the Sr0.95Sm0.05Fe11.5Co0.5O19 was found to be 99%. Magnetic separation was carried out by applying an external magnetic field using a permanent magnet. The strong magnetization of the ferrites (51–58 emu/g) enabled the rapid separation of the magnetic particles from the solution, with over 95% of the ferrite particles being recovered within 10 to 70 min. The Freundlich isotherm model fitted all the isotherm data. Adsorption kinetics were explained by the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second order, and intraparticle diffusion models. The investigated samples’ adsorption capacity remained efficient till 5 cycles.
Shaping the causes of product returns: topic modeling on online customer reviews
Authors: Mor Andrea , Orsenigo Carlotta , Soto Gomez Mauricio , Vercellis Carlo
Published: September 2024

Product return is a common phenomenon in the online retailing industry and entails several inconveniences for both the seller, who incurs in high costs for restocking the returned goods, and the customer, who has to deal with product re-shipping. In this paper, we outline a data-driven approach, based on Natural Language Processing, in which a broad corpus of customer reviews of an online retailer is exploited with the aim of shaping the main causes of product returns. In particular, a variety of topic modeling techniques represented both by classic methods, given by LDA and variants, and more recent algorithms, i.e., BERTopic, were applied to identify the main return reasons across multiple product categories, and their outcomes were compared to select the best approach. The category-dependent sets of return causes inferred through topic modeling largely enrich the product-agnostic list of return reasons currently used on the e-commerce platform, and provide valuable information to the retailer who can devise ad-hoc strategies to mitigate the returns and, hence, the costs of the related logistic network.
Preschoolers’ Attentional and Behavioral Regulation: Differential Pathways through Poverty and Parenting
Authors: Liu Qingyang , Zhang Ying , Razza Rachel A.
Published: September 2024

This study explored specificity in the associations between early poverty and preschoolers’ behavioral and attentional regulation. In particular, there was an emphasis on delineating contextual factors (i.e., material hardship and household chaos) and parenting processes (i.e., maternal aggravation and maternal acceptance) as sequential mechanisms. The sample included 2850 families from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Results suggested that early poverty in infancy (age one) was associated with behavioral regulation and attentional regulation in preschool years (age five). Material hardship mediated the link between early poverty and behavioral regulation, while household chaos mediated the link between early poverty and attentional regulation. Additionally, maternal aggravation mediated the association between material hardship and behavioral regulation, while maternal acceptance mediated the associations between household chaos and attentional and behavioral regulation. Findings informed targeted interventions to alleviate hardship and chaos and promote positive parenting practices to bolster children’s self-regulation.
Transformation of dry dipterocarp to dry evergreen forests alters food webs of web-building spiders and their prey
Authors: Michalko Radek , Songsangchote Chaowalit , Saksongmuang Venus , Wongprom Prasit , Trisurat Yongyut , Košulič Ondřej
Published: September 2024

Anthropogenic habitat modification is a major contributor to global change. While the modification of natural habitats to agroecosystems attracts most of the attention, little is known about the conversion of one natural ecosystem to another. Dry dipterocarp forest is the key dry forest type across Southeast Asia. Moderate fire disturbance is essential for its regeneration, but humans often prevent fire in these forests. Consequently, dry dipterocarps can change to dry evergreen forests through succession. The consequences of this conversion on food webs are unknown. Using the network approach, we compared the food webs of web-building spiders and their prey in the understory between dry dipterocarp (open canopy, uniform understory) and dry evergreen forests (closed canopy, heterogeneous understory) in north-eastern Thailand. Overall, we collected 560 individual web-building spiders belonging to 37 genera. Further, we collected 1139 prey items from spider webs belonging to 16 arthropod orders. The composition of captured prey and the network structure differed between the forest types. Specifically, the web-building spiders were more specialized and their niches overlapped less in dry dipterocarps than in dry evergreens. The differences in food-web structure were driven mostly by trophic groups turnover rather than interaction rewiring. Implications for insect conservation: The transformation of dry dipterocarp to dry evergreen forests from the prevention of fire disturbance may lead to an altered ecological function of web-building spiders in forest understories. As trophic links and their strength are rewired, habitat modification may also lead to changes in nutrient and energy flow in forest understories.
Functional light diffusers based on hybrid CsPbBr3/SiO2 aero-framework structures for laser light illumination and conversion
Authors: Saure Lena M. , Lumma Jonas , Kohlmann Niklas , Hartig Torge , Teotonio Ercules E. S. , Shetty Shwetha , Ravishankar Narayanan , Kienle Lorenz , Faupel Franz , Schröder Stefan , Adelung Rainer , Terraschke Huayna , Schütt Fabian
Published: September 2024

The new generation of laser-based solid-state lighting (SSL) white light sources requires new material systems capable of withstanding, diffusing, and converting high intensity laser light. State-of-the-art systems use a blue light emitting diode or laser diode in combination with color conversion materials, such as yellow emitting Ce-doped phosphors or red and green emitting quantum dots (QD), to produce white light. However, for laser-based high-brightness illumination thermal management and uniform light diffusion are still major challenges in the quest to convert a highly focused laser beam into an efficient lighting solution. Here, we present a material system consisting of a highly open porous (> 99%) framework structure of hollow SiO2 microtubes. This framework structure enables efficient and uniform light distribution as well as ensuring good thermal management even at high laser powers of up to 5 W, while drastically reducing the speckle contrast. By further functionalizing the microtubes with halide perovskite QDs (SiO2@CsPbBr3 as model system) color conversion from UV to visible light is achieved. By depositing an ultrathin (~ 5.5 nm) film of poly(ethylene glycol dimethyl acrylate) (pEGDMA) via initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD), the luminescent stability of the QDs against moisture is enhanced. The demonstrated hybrid material system paves the way for the design of advanced and functional laser light diffusers and converters that can meet the challenges associated with laser-based SSL applications.

Graphical Abstract
Preface: functional nanocomposite materials
Authors: Ameri Tayebeh , Maçoas Ermelinda , Rizzo Aurora , Yadav Raghvendra Singh
Published: September 2024

Functional nanocomposite materials are hybrid systems combining nanoscale fillers with a matrix, resulting in enhanced properties such as mechanical strength, thermal stability, and electrical conductivity. These materials are highly versatile, finding applications across a broad range of fields, including aerospace for lightweight, strong components, electronics for flexible and high-performance devices, healthcare for targeted drug delivery and tissue engineering, and environmental sectors for water purification and pollutant sensing. Their tunable properties make them ideal for addressing emerging challenges in various industries. This special issue entitled as ‘‘Functional Nanocomposite Materials’’ of Journal of Materials Science is a remarkable collection of invited and contributed papers on this topic, showcasing outstanding recent research results in this field.

Graphical abstract
Revisiting the connection between variations in the Tsushima Warm Current and winter rainfall along the coast of Japan
Authors: Yokomatsu Cocoro , Kida Shinichiro
Published: September 2024

Enhanced autumn transport via the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) has been reported to increase winter rainfall along Japan’s northern coast. However, observations reveal a significantly weakened correlation after 2006. Although enhanced transport via the Eastern channel of the Tsushima Strait affects rainfall by enhancing latent heat flux along Japan’s northern coast, the role of oceanic flows in varying sea-surface temperatures has weakened since 2006. Stronger northwesterly winds co-occur with enhanced surface heat loss that overwhelms the impact of the TWC. Our findings imply that atmospheric conditions should be considered when using TWC transport as a precursor for winter rainfall.
Finite-Time Nonconvex Optimization Using Time-Varying Dynamical Systems
Authors: Nguyen Lien T. , Eberhard Andrew , Yu Xinghuo , Kruger Alexander Y. , Li Chaojie
Published: September 2024

In this paper, we study the finite-time convergence of the time-varying dynamical systems for solving convex and nonconvex optimization problems in different scenarios. We first show the asymptotic convergence of the trajectories of dynamical systems while only requiring convexity of the objective function. Under the Kurdyka–Łojasiewicz (KL) exponent of the objective function, we establish the finite-time convergence of the trajectories to the optima from any initial point. Making use of the Moreau envelope, we adapt our finite-time convergent algorithm to solve weakly convex nonsmooth optimization problems. In addition, we unify and extend the contemporary results on the KL exponent of the Moreau envelope of weakly convex functions. A dynamical system is also introduced to find a fixed point of a nonexpansive operator in finite time and fixed time under additional regularity properties. We then apply it to address the composite optimization problems with finite-time and fixed-time convergence.
The adverse effect of ciprofloxacin treatment can be related to the increased thermal stability of monomeric actin
Authors: Szatmári Dávid , Farkas Péter , Könczöl Franciska , Lőrinczy Dénes
Published: September 2024

Actin is a major component of all sarcomere and cytoskeletal systems and thus plays a crucial role in muscle and cellular movement. The molecular dynamics of actomyosin complexes are obtaining the central machinery of force generation during contraction. Nalidixic acid, discovered in 1962—the primary compound of the quinolone, fluoroquinolone-type antibiotics—in the forms of its improved derivatives are still widely used today. One of the most commonly used drugs in this class is ciprofloxacin (CF). It was observed that after the use of these drugs—during longer or shorter administration or even after their use—several side effects such as muscle pain (myalgia), muscle spasms, and muscle atrophy also occur, and muscle damage and rupture may be associated with muscle cell death (rhabdomyolysis). In medical cases, muscle weakness after CF treatment can be related to the CF-actin interaction. Here, we studied the effect of CF on skeletal muscle actin using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). We obtained evident data that CF binding increases the structural stability of G actin and slightly weakens the F actin filaments. The stability change of actin in myofilaments can lead to the adverse effect of CF.
Epicureanism and euthanasia
Authors: Skrzypek Jeremy W.
Published: September 2024

If Epicurean arguments for the harmlessness of death are successful, then they also successfully undermine a common justification for physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia, and the termination of hopeless pregnancies that I call the ‘Mercy Intuition', according to which, by ending the life of a suffering loved one for whom there is little to no chance of recovery, one is relieving that person of her suffering, and thus providing a great benefit to her. For, if death is not a harm to the person who dies, then it cannot be a benefit to her either, even in cases of intense and prolonged suffering. Along these lines, in this paper, I defend the claim that death cannot provide a benefit to those who are suffering. I begin by highlighting the Epicurean foundations of the argument, focusing on three main Epicurean arguments for the harmlessness of death and their no-benefit analogues. I then move on to explore several important limitations of the argument, which make available a number of strategies for avoiding its conclusion. Along the way, I respond to each of these avoidance strategies. I conclude that even granting several of its limitations, the argument still poses a serious challenge to the Mercy Intuition.
Machine Learning Approach to Investigate High Temperature Corrosion of Critical Infrastructure Materials
Authors: Muthukrishnan Ramkumar , Balogun Yakubu , Rajendran Vinooth , Prathuru Anil , Hossain Mamdud , Faisal Nadimul Haque
Published: September 2024

Degradation of coatings and structural materials due to high temperature corrosion in the presence of molten salt environment is a major concern for critical infrastructure applications to meet its commercial viability. The choice of high value coatings and structural (construction parts) materials comes with challenges, and therefore data centric approach may accelerate change in discovery and data practices. This research aims to use machine learning (ML) approach to estimate corrosion rates of materials when operated at high temperatures conditions (e.g., nuclear, geothermal, oxidation (dry/wet), solar applications) but geared towards nuclear thermochemical cycles. Published data related to materials (structural and coatings materials), their composition and manufacturing, including corrosion environment were gathered and analysed. Analysis demonstrated that random forest regression model is highly precise compared to other models. Assessment indicates that very limited sets of materials are likely to survive high temperature corrosive environment for extended period of exposure. While a higher quality and larger dataset are required to accurately predict the corrosion rate, the findings demonstrated the value of ML’s regression and data mining capabilities for corrosion data analysis. With the research gap in material selection strategies, proposed research will be critical to advancing data analytics approach exploiting their properties for high temperature corrosion applications.

Graphical Abstract
Altruism and self-interest in constitutional reform: the case of the British abolition of slavery and the slave trade
Authors: Meadowcroft John
Published: September 2024

Was the British abolition of slavery and the slave trade a triumph of altruism over pecuniary self-interest? Analysis of qualitative data reveals the importance of self-interested motives underlying this ostensibly other-regarding reform. The abolitionists worked to alleviate the suffering of enslaved Africans, but their campaign faced a collective action problem that was solved by the supply of the private benefits of status, esteem, and possible religious salvation to the leading figures. Abolition was also consistent with the desire of many ordinary Britons to eradicate the remnants of feudal society and move to a more liberal order. The payment of compensation to slaveowners on abolition also made reform consistent with their interests, and the interests of the individuals and financial institutions that processed and invested the payments. This analysis coheres with aspects of Eric Williams’ thesis that abolition took place because it benefited Britain’s ruling elite, although more Britons gained from abolition than Williams supposed. It is concluded that constitutional reform to remove oppressive and exploitative institutions does not follow from a sudden outpouring of societal altruism but requires the supply of private benefits to constitutional entrepreneurs able to make change consistent with the interests of the wider population and powerful groups who would otherwise lose from liberalization.
Subacute and long-term effects of COVID-19 on cardiac health and function in German elite athletes assessed by strain analysis: a speckle tracking echocardiography observational trial
Authors: Zacher Jonas , Joisten Niklas , Schmidt Thomas , Predel Hans-Georg
Published: September 2024

Introduction

During the COVID-19-pandemic, most elite athletes were infected with the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Initial worries of high rates of multi-organ complications including the heart and ending sporting careers were disproved by large studies. However, the effects of COVID-19 on the heart and its function in elite athletes remains unclear, especially in the prolonged post-infection follow-up and during and after return to competition.

Methods

In the year 2020, a cohort of 127 elite athletes (boasting an accumulated 58 Olympic and world championship medals) was recruited, 76 of them recently having undergone a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Echocardiography was conducted 1 (T0), 5 (T1) and 9 (T2) months after the infection in the infected cohort and at baseline for the control cohort. Left-ventricular global longitudinal, circumferential, and radial strain was compared cross-sectionally at baseline between athletes after a COVID-19-infection and control athletes, as well as longitudinally in the COVID-19-cohort.

Results

At baseline, global longitudinal strain (reported as absolute %-values) was significantly higher in the COVID-19-cohort in comparison to control-cohort (20.37 ± 1.98% vs. 19.41 ± 2.11%, respectively, p = 0.042). In the longitudinal assessment within the COVID-19-cohort the global longitudinal strain was significantly higher shortly after the infection (T0) than at the two follow-up measurements (T0: 20.37 ± 1.98%; T1: 19.34 ± 1.65%; T2: 19.30 ± 1.68% (p = 0.0052 and p = 0.0044, respectively)). No significant differences for any of the comparisons were found for circumferential or radial strain.

Discussion

The significantly elevated values in the COVID-19-cohort at T0 may be due to an affectation of the autonomic nervous system, which has previously been documented as a result of COVID-19-disease. No cardiac injury after COVID-19 was detected using strain analysis. All documented global longitudinal strain values were within the normal range for athletes. A return to training and competition had no deleterious effect on cardiac health in athletes after a COVID-19-infection in this trial.