bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural optimization and parameter investigation of trapezoidal shape soft pneumatic actuator
Authors: Vellaiyan Venkatesan , Venkateshkumar R , Bijalwan Vishwanath , Singh Yogesh
Published: June 2024

This study investigates the effects of actuator design parameters on the performance of developed trapezoidal shaped soft pneumatic actuator, optimizes its geometric structure using the finite element method and validates its performance experimentally. To optimize the soft pneumatic actuator, the effects of structural parameters such as wall thickness, gap between the adjacent chambers, passive layer thickness, width of inside chamber and the bending angle of the actuator were evaluated. Finite Element Analysis is used to determine the displacement variation of actuator with different levels of applied pressures. A Global Analysis of Variance was conducted to determine the influence of variables affecting the displacements of soft pneumatic actuator was determined. The ANOVA results, a geometric actuator with a wall thickness of 1.5 mm, gap between chambers of 4 mm, passive layer thickness of 2 mm and the width of inside chamber of 4 mm is recommended for the actuator to be achieve maximum bend angle. The proposed actuator model can be used to select the suitable actuator for grasping soft objects without deformation. In addition, experiment was conducted to correlate the results with finite element analysis data.
Effect of β nucleating agent and rotational shear on morphology and mechanical properties of polypropylene pipes
Authors: Abudurezhake Aerman , Yang Minghao , Gong Jiawei , Zhong Ganji , Li Zhongming , Fu Qiang , Gao Xueqin
Published: June 2024

Herein, we report a new method of introducing circumferential shear to PP pipes via a self-designed Rotational Shear System (RSS) with the addition of a β-nucleating agent (TMB-5). The prepared PP pipes exhibited remarkable enhancement in toughening and tensile strength over conventional PP pipes: incorporating 0.025 wt% of the nucleating agent into the sheared sample increased the elongation at break to 243.30%. At 0.05 wt% nucleating agent content, an optimal tensile strength of 40.98 MPa was attained compared to 33.62 MPa for unsheared PP, and the elongation at break also reached 108.09%. In creep tests, the PP pipes prepared with nucleating agents and shear rotation exhibited a minimum displacement of 2.1 mm and the lowest creep rate of 3.23×10− 5 mm/s. In addition, the samples also showed a high resistance to crack growth compared to conventional PP pipes with a crack initiation time of 24 h and a crack growth rate of 0.08 mm/s.
Impact of learning burnout on emotional and behavior problems among returned migrant middle school students: the mediating role of childhood abuse
Authors: Ran Fengjiao , Wu Rong , Luo Yuan , Ren Pengyu , Liu Yu , Luo Xi , Yang Xiantao , Gu Manting , Tuo Anxie , Yan Zheng
Published: June 2024

Purpose To explore the mediating role of childhood abuse (CA) in the relationship between emotional-behavioral problems (EBP) and learning burnout (LB) for returned migrant middle school students in Guizhou province, China.Methods 2,020 returned migrant secondary school students were obtained as the subjects of this study. The Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ), Adolescent Student Burnout Scale (ASBI), and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF) were used to assess EBP, LB, and CA among returned migrant secondary school students. Analyses were conducted using multiple linear regression models, mediation effects, and structural equation modeling.Results The detection rates of EBP among returned migrant middle school students in Guizhou Province were borderline (17.1%), and abnormal (11.9%). After adjusting for confounding factors such as demographics, the multiple linear regression model showed that LB positively predicted EPB (β = 0.490, P < 0.001), and CA positively predicted EBP (β = 0.235, P < 0.001). The results of the mediation effect model analysis, the direct effect value of LB on EBP was 0.666 (P < 0.001), and the mediating effect value of CA was 0.065 (P < 0.001). CA played a partially mediating role in the effect of LB on EBP, with a mediating effect percentage of 9.0%.Conclusion LB could directly and positively affect the EBP of returned migrant middle school students and indirectly and positively affect the EBP of returned migrant middle school students through CA.
Analysis of olaparib-induced hyperglycemia during three-month therapy with consideration of BMI of ovarian cancer patients
Authors: Stanisławiak-Rudowicz Joanna , Szałek Edyta , Więckowska Barbara , Grześkowiak Edmund , Mądry Radosław
Published: June 2024

Introduction. Olaparib is a relatively new poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor administered to patients with ovarian cancer (OC) with a complete or partial response to first-line chemotherapy. One of the metabolic side effects of olaparib is disruption of glucose homeostasis, resulting in hyperglycemia
Aim. The aim of the study was the retrospective analysis of olaparib-induced hyperglycemia in OC patients with initial normoglycemia following I, II, and III cycle of olaparib treatment.
Methods. The study involved 32 OC patients, divided into three groups according to their BMI: normal BMI (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2; n=13), overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2; n=13), and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2; n=6). The fasting glucose (FG) levels were evaluated after I, II, and III cycle of olaparib treatment (a cycle means 28 days of olaparib treatment). The severity of observed hyperglycemia was assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE v5.0).
Results. In the group with normal BMI, the increase of glycemia was statistically significant after I (p=0.0032) and II (p=0.0195) cycle of olaparib treatment, in the group with overweight – after III (p=0.0375) cycle, and in the group with obesity – after III cycle (p=0.0152). There were no statistically significant differences in glucose levels among the groups following I (p=0.7741), II (p=0.9418) and III cycle (p=0.3431). During olaparib treatment, grade 1 hyperglycemia with impaired fasting glucose levels (5.6–6.9 mmol/l) was found in 15 patients ( normal BMI: n=4, overweight n=9, and obesity n=2). Glycemia typical of diabetes (≥7.0 mmol/l) was observed in 1 obese patients.
Conclusions. Regardless of the weight of OC patients, glycemic control in the course of olaparib treatment is indicated.
Assessment of steel moment end plate connections under blast loading
Authors: Ebadi-Jamkhaneh Mehdi
Published: June 2024

This study investigates the performance of steel frame connections subjected to blast loading using finite element analysis. The yield line theory was employed to design the connection end plate, and nine different connection configurations were created by modifying the base model. These configurations explored variations in end plate thickness, bolt diameter, and the presence of stiffeners, and doubling plates. The performance of each connection was evaluated based on failure modes, energy absorption patterns, and maximum frame displacement. The results revealed a brittle failure mode in the base model with bolt shearing and end plate rupture. Increasing the end plate thickness prevented end plate failure but resulted in bolt yielding. Implementing stiffeners improved energy absorption but caused undesirable stress concentrations in the column. Doubling plates effectively enhanced energy absorption in both the beam and column while mitigating bolt failures. Models 7 and 9 exhibited distinct energy absorption patterns compared to other models.
Implementation of an IoT-based Dip Coating System for The Fabrication of ZnO Thin Film
Authors: Hasan Md. Mahmudul , Prenon Mariful Islam , Hossain Md Faruk
Published: June 2024

The aim of this work is to develop an Internet of Things (IoT) based automatic dip-coating system for fabricating thin films. The main disadvantages of commercial dip-coating systems are their initial calibration complexity and the inability to handle operations through smartphones. The developed dip-coating system can be operated through smartphones and achieves dipping and withdrawal speeds ranging from 1 to 100 mm/min without disturbances caused by vibrations. The total expenditure for the IoT-based dip coater is below one hundred dollars, making it suitable for large-scale production. The structural properties, optical properties, surface morphology, and surface chemistry of ZnO thin films prepared by commercial, existing automatic, and developed IoT-based dip coating systems are investigated for performance comparison. ZnO thin films are successfully deposited on glass substrates, with the dipping process performed five times using a 1M concentration to achieve the desired film thickness. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that ZnO possesses a hexagonal Wurtzite crystal structure. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) inspections show uniform layers, and chemical properties are analyzed using Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). The thin films demonstrate over 80% optical transmittance in the 380 to 900 nm wavelength range. This inexpensive equipment supports scientific advancement for researchers unable to afford costly commercial systems, producing thin films with uniform thickness in the nanoscale range, revealing the effectiveness of the dip-coater.
Modelling Bluetongue and African horse sickness vector (Culicoides spp.) distribution in the Western Cape in South Africa using Random Forest machine learning
Authors: de Klerk Joanna N. , Tildesley Michael J. , Labuschagne Karien , Gorsich Erin E.
Published: June 2024

Background
Culicoides biting midges exhibit a global spatial distribution and are the main vectors of several viruses of veterinary importance, including bluetongue (BT) and African horse sickness (AHS). Many environmental and anthropological factors contribute to their ability to live in a variety of habitats, which have the potential to change over the years as the climate changes. Therefore, as new habitats emerge, the risk for new introductions of these diseases of interest to occur increases. The aim of this study was to model distributions for two primary vectors for BT and AHS (Culicoides imicola and Culicoides bolitinos) using Random Forest (RF) machine learning and explore the relative importance of environmental and anthropological factors in a region of South Africa with frequent AHS and BT outbreaks.
Methods
Culicoides capture data were collected between 1996 and 2022 across 171 different capture locations in the Western Cape. Predictor variables included climate-related variables (temperature, precipitation, humidity), environment-related variables (NDVI, soil moisture) and farm-related variables (livestock densities). Random Forest (RF) models were developed to explore the spatial distributions of C. imicola, C. bolitinos, and a merged species map, where both competent vectors were combined. The maps were then compared to interpolation maps using the same capture data as well as historical locations of BT and AHS outbreaks.
Results
Overall, the RF models performed well with 75.02%, 61.6%. and 74.01% variance explained for C. imicola, C. bolitinos and merged species models respectively. Cattle density was the most important predictor variable for both species, whereas sheep density was the second most important for C. imicola, and water vapour pressure was the second for C. bolitinos. In comparison to interpolation maps, the RF models had higher predictive power throughout most of the year when species were modelled individually, however, when merged, the interpolation maps performed better in all seasons except the winter. Finally, midge densities did not show any conclusive correlation with BT or AHS outbreaks.
Conclusion
This study yielded novel insight into the spatial abundance and drivers of abundance of competent vectors of BT and AHS. It also provided valuable data to inform mathematical models exploring disease outbreaks so that Culicoidestransmitted diseases in South Africa can be further analysed.
The Impact of Threshing Unit Structure and Parameters on Enhancing Rice Threshing Performance
Authors: Abdeen Mohamed Anwer , Wu Weibin , Salem Abouelnadar El. , Elbeltagi Ahmed , Salem Ali , Metwally Khaled A. , Elwakeel Abdallah Elshawadfy
Published: June 2024

Improving rice threshing unit performance and structure significantly optimizes the thresher's overall efficiency by raising production per unit time while lowering costs and power consumption. This study introduced a new threshing device for rice combine (drum-shaped). It evaluated the threshing device performance using two threshers' structures under different rotating speeds of 1100, 1300, and 1500 rpm and feeding rates of 0.8, 1.1, and 1.4 kg/s. The studied parameters were evaluated through statistical analysis regarding thresher throughput, efficiency, seed damage, and specific energy. The experimental parameters greatly affected the whole performance of the threshing unit as the throughput, seed damage, and threshing efficiency positively correlated with the thresher speed and feeding rate. Also, the specific energy is reduced while increasing the thresher rotating speed. The newly designed thresher increased the threshing throughput from 2304 to 2448 kg/h and maximized the efficiency from 98.6 to 99.07% at 1500 rpm rotation speed and 1.8 kg/s feeding rate. Moreover, it reduced the specific energy from 3.37 to 3.15 kW.h/ton for the experimental variables 1100 rpm speed and 1.4 kg/s feeding. The new thresher's lowest damage rate of 0.24% was recorded at a feeding rate of 0.8 kg/s and 1100 rotating speed. These results highlight the distinct effect of the new thresher structure and operating parameters on the rice threshing device's overall effectiveness for medium-sized combine harvesters.
Young Adults’ Desired Life Tradeoffs: Love First, Sex Last
Authors: Benenson Joyce F. , Markovits Henry
Published: June 2024

Every human and non-animal must make tradeoffs in investments in terms of time, energy, and resources. The aim of this study was to extrapolate from the types of investments in survival and mating that non-human animals make and translate these into human motivations. 16 potential goals were presented to 851 childless, 18-23-year-old adults from 11 world regions in an online study. Each young adult was asked to weight the importance of every goal to his or her ideal life. Weights had to sum to 100, requiring tradeoffs. Results revealed striking agreement across young adults with only four goals weighted above chance. The two most important goals were having a mutually loving romantic relationship and being healthy followed by earning money or resources, with lots of sexual partners the least important goal. Helping young adults achieve success requires understanding their goals, rather than focusing on popular media’s depictions of what young adults should desire.
Accuracy of digital image correlation system for compressive behaviour of wood
Authors: Teranishi Masaki , Matsubara Doppo
Published: June 2024

The digital image correlation (DIC) system is a powerful tool for measuring distributions of displacement and strain on the surface of a specimen. DIC systems are employed not only for homogeneous materials such as metals but also for heterogeneous materials such as wood. Although numerous validations of DIC system accuracy for metallic materials exist, accuracy verification for wood, especially under multiaxial stress conditions, is less common. This study investigated the accuracy of a DIC system equipped with a bilateral telecentric lens on wood (Douglas fir). The accuracy verification in uniaxial stress fields was conducted through full compression testing, while verification in multiaxial stress fields was performed through partial compression testing. Additionally, compression tests on A6063 (aluminium alloy) were conducted to examine the differences in DIC system accuracy between homogeneous and heterogeneous materials. The accuracy of the DIC system was assessed by comparing the results with those obtained from strain gauges. The results from the full compression tests indicate that the accuracy of axial strain measured by the DIC system was comparable for the specimens of A6063 and Douglas fir in the longitudinal (L) direction but was inferior for Douglas fir in the radial (R) direction. Furthermore, the differences in Young’s modulus obtained from the DIC system and strain gauge for the specimens of A6063, Douglas fir (L), and Douglas fir (R) were 2.3%, 2.4%, and 13.7%, respectively. In the partial compression tests, the accuracy of equivalent strain measured by the DIC system in the specimens of Douglas fir (R) was lower than that in A6063, attributable to a high strain gradient in the attachment region of the strain gauge. A novel variable was proposed using the standard deviation of strain to evaluate this strain gradient within the region. This variable demonstrated correspondence to the difference in equivalent strain obtained from the DIC system and the triaxial strain gauge, regardless of the material’s homogeneity or heterogeneity.
TSGH: Two Stage Graph Hashing for Supervised Cross-Modal Retrieval
Authors: Sun Weijun , Fang Yuhang , Liao Tao , Ni Haomin , Li Chaoye , Han Na
Published: June 2024

Hashing cross-modal retrieval methods aim to retrieve different modalities and learn common semantics with low storage and time cost. Although many excellent hashing methods have been proposed in the past decades, there are still some issues. For example, most methods focus on the Euclidean domain, ignoring the graph-structure information contained in data points, so outliers and noise in the Euclidean domain will cause a drop in accuracy. Some methods only learn a latent subspace, which may be unreasonable because the dimensionality of the modalities is not the same as the distribution. To address these issues, we propose a hashing technique called Two Stage Graph Hashing (TSGH). In the first stage, we first learn a specific latent subspace for each modality using Collective Matrix Decomposition and the proposed Graph Convolutional Network (GCN). Therefore, the learned subspace contains the features of Euclidean and non-Euclidean domains, which can eliminate the influence of noise and outliers in the dataset. And then, Global Approximation is used to align the subspaces of the different modalities, so that high-level shared semantics can be explored. Finally, discrete hash codes are learned from the latent subspace and their semantic similarity. In the second stage, we design a linear classifier as the hash function and propose Local Similarity Preservation to capture the local relationship between hash codes and Hamming spaces. To verify the effectiveness of TSGH, we conduct extensive experiments on three public datasets. We achieve the best results compared to previous SOTA methods, illustrating the superiority of TSGH.
DA-ViViT: Fatigue detection framework using joint and facial keypoint features with dynamic distributed attention video vision transformer
Authors: Deng Fangjie , Yang Chao , Guo Hui , Wang Yansong , Xu Lipeng
Published: June 2024

Fatigue driving stands as a primary contributor to severe traffic accidents. Despite notable advancements in fatigue monitoring techniques, current methods frequently overlook the utilization of shifts in drivers' body postures induced by fatigue. These postural changes can offer valuable indicators of drivers' levels of alertness and degree of fatigue. Therefore, a real-time system with the ability to process body information is needed. This study presents a novel framework that integrates facial fatigue characteristics with alterations in drivers' upper body postures to comprehensively monitor fatigue across multiple dimensions. The neural network architecture at the core of the proposed approach utilizes a video vision transformer framework, with the self-attention mechanism optimized to accommodate the magnitude of fatigue-induced posture changes. This optimization ensures high accuracy while simultaneously reducing computational expenses. This gives the approach the potential for embedded deployment. According to requirements, the standard DMD dataset captured in real-world driving scenarios has been selected for validating the proposed method. In terms of accuracy, compared to detection methods that solely rely on facial and upper body poses, the multi-feature fatigue detection approach has achieved an improvement of 3.4% and 11.9%, reaching 96.24%. Additionally, it has been observed that the adoption of the Dynamic Distributed Attention-based backbone has led to a significant increase in inference speed of over 30%.
Chronological and Subjective Aging on the Housing Spectrum in the City of Wrocław, Poland
Authors: Mokrzycki Paul Jan
Published: June 2024

Aging experiences are dependent on where an individual identifies on the housing spectrum. This research study examines a biopsychosocial marker of aging subjective age, among participants in a subsample of residents experiencing the energy crisis in the city of Wrocław, Poland. Survey questions included housing status, participant date of birth and how old participants felt. Their borough and districts of residence, as well as gender identities, were also recorded. From these results, mental differences were calculated. Regarding housing status, participants identified as home owners, home renters, temporarily housed, residents of social housing, and residents of communal housing. Descriptive and frequency data was analyzed. Inferential tests were conducted on survey responses to further examine the differences between housing status and aging differences. Findings revealed statistically significant differences among gender, housing status, borough, and aging results. The discussion identifies vulnerable populations, and recommends primary prevention and policy interventions.
RETRACTED: Whose Job Is It to Solve Climate Change? Perceptions of the Roles of Diverse Actors in Addressing Climate Change
Authors: Wang Xinran , Judge Madeline , Steg Linda
Published: June 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
DNA barcoding reveals mislabeling of endangered sharks sold as swordfish in New England fish markets
Authors: Eppley Madeline G. , Coote Thomas
Published: June 2024

Mislabeling of shark and swordfish meat poses a substantial challenge to conservation of rapidly declining pelagic shark populations in the North Atlantic, so routine market assessments are critical. New England’s southern region of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island has a historic reliance on fisheries and seafood consumption, including sharks and swordfish. The visual similarity of shark and swordfish meat is considerable, and as such, this study aimed to evaluate mislabeling of shark for swordfish meat collected from markets and grocery stores in New England in 2019. DNA barcoding was used on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene to determine unambiguous identification of 38 collected samples, which were either labeled as Shortfin Mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus), Common Thresher shark (Alopias vulpinus), or swordfish (Xiphias gladius) in market. Mako, an IUCN Red List Endangered species and Thresher, an IUCN Red List vulnerable species, are additionally listed on the CITES Appendix II List. Barcoding and phylogenetic analysis revealed four mislabeled samples for a total substitution rate of 10.5%. One substitution, labeled ‘Mako’ in the market, was identified as Thresher shark. Three further substitutions, labeled as ‘Swordfish’ in the market were identified as Mako, Alopias spp., and a Lamnid shark, all of which are endangered or threatened shark species. As samples were collected just before implementation of major import monitoring programs and a Mako fishing ban in the United States, this study has established a temporal baseline that can be used to determine if market mislabeling has decreased as a result of these conservation initiatives.
Exponential Stability of an Improved Dual-Phase-Lag Model for Ultrafast Heating of Materials
Authors: Sachan Satyam , Kumar Roushan
Published: June 2024

The goal of this work is to demonstrate the exponential stability of a recently proposed thermoelastic theory called the improved dual-phase-lag (IDPL) model given by Zarei and Pilla (2023), precisely to address the encounters posed by fast and ultrafast heating of materials. In order to obtain it, we consider the one-dimensional problem of the theory of thermoelasticity with an IDPL model. Then, using the Routh-Hurwitz criterion, we prove that when τ0 < τ1, the solutions are obtained exponentially stable, and when τ0 < τ1, there exist unstable solutions.
Parent-led Communication Therapy for Young Bilingual Autistic Children: A Scoping Review
Authors: Oudet Sarah , Howard Katie , Gilhuber Christina , Robert Marie , Zimmerli Joanna , Katsos Napoleon , Durrleman Stephanie
Published: June 2024

Purpose: A scoping review of the literature was undertaken using JBI guidelines to map the evidence of parent-led therapy (PLT) for young autistic children (£6 years) raised in bilingual environments. Methods: Databases were searched on 11 January 2023 (Medline – EBSCO, PsychINFO, ERIC, Web of Science, and ProQuest Dissertations). Eligible papers included peer-reviewed and grey literature that was empirical in nature documenting PLT targeted to parents of young autistic children in bilingual environments. Reviewers used Covidence to screen titles and abstracts of located sources, and to screen full-text papers. Results Sixteen papers met inclusion criteria. A strong acceleration of reports of PLT for young autistic children measured in bilingual environments was observed, with 93.8% of papers (n = 15) published since 2015. A large majority of these studies, 87.5% (n = 14) were conducted in North America. Diverse PLT programs and methodologies were identified. Reporting of participants’ language environments was inconsistent. Five programs are identified to be publicly available as a clinical service. Conclusion PLT is a rapidly emerging approach to addressing complex issues at the intersection of autism, bilingualism, and service accessibility. Measuring the feasibility and effectiveness of PLT in bilingual environments is relatively novel in research. The synthesised results of this review alert researchers, clinicians, and the autism community, alike, to different types of service and different delivery options for families of young autistic children in bilingual environments, and the evidence gaps in the literature.
Cost-effective phosphates redox-neutral transformation to bench-stable phosphorylation precursor
Authors: Quan Zheng-Jun , Tian Yaling , Chen Dongping , Chai Yao , Li Ming , Wang Xi-Cun , Du Zhengyin , Wu Xiaofeng
Published: June 2024

Modern synthesis methods of organophosphorus heavily rely on white phosphorus and its
(oxy)chlorination reagents. Phosphates have the potential to serve as the perfect natural building blocks, forming the basis for organic and biochemical syntheses. However, poor solubility, high stability, and low reactivity make it challenging for transformation of phosphates to active reagents under mild conditions. Here we show an efficient conversion in which various phosphate sources are directly transformed into the [TBA][PO2X2] (X = Cl, F) phosphorylation reagents through a redox-neutral process by using cyanuric chloride and 1-formylpyrrolidine in the presence of a tetrabutylammonium chloride at ambient conditions. Key features of this conversion involve the utilization of cost-effective and readily available chemicals, circumventing the need of redox reactions with high-energy and forming a reactive yet stable P(V)-reagent. In comparison with the known phosphorylation precursor, [PO2X2]- salts are bench-stable, easy to handle, affording the phosphorylation compounds with before challenging substrates.
High-throughput RNA-Seq and In-silico analysis of glioblastoma cells treated with cold atmospheric plasma and temozolomide.
Authors: Soni Vikas , Dawson Tyson , Lin Li , Crandall Keith , Sherman Jonathan , Keidar Michael
Published: June 2024

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most common and aggressive forms of malignant brain cancer in adults and is classified based on its isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation. Surgery, radiotherapy, and Temozolomide (TMZ) are the standard treatment methods for GBM. Here we present a combination therapy of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and TMZ as a key treatment for GBM. CAP works by increasing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and targets the spread of the tumor. In this study, we performed the transcriptomic analysis of U-87MG cells by high throughput deep RNA-Seq analysis to quantify differential gene expression across the genome. Furthermore, we studied various signaling pathways and predicted structural changes of consequential proteins to elucidate the functional changes caused by up or down-regulation of the most altered genes. Our results demonstrate that combination treatment downregulated key genes like p53, histones, DNA damage markers, cyclins, in the following pathways: MAPK, P53, DNA damage and cell cycle. Moreover, in silico studies were conducted for further investigation to verify these results, and the combination of CAP & TMZ showed a significant antitumor effect in the GBM cells leading to apoptosis and damaged key proteins. Further studies of the impact of TMZ on gene expression, biochemical pathways, and protein structure will lead to improved treatment approaches for GBM.
A Microphysiological HHT-on-a-Chip Platform Recapitulates Patient Vascular Lesions
Authors: Hughes Christopher C.W. , Fang Jennifer , Hatch Christopher , Andrejecsk Jillian , Trigt William Van , Juat Damie , Chen Yu-Hsi , Matsumoto Satomi , Lee Abraham
Published: June 2024

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare congenital disease in which fragile vascular malformations (VM) – including small telangiectasias and large arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) – focally develop in multiple organs. There are few treatment options and no cure for HHT. Most HHT patients are heterozygous for loss-of-function mutations affecting Endoglin (ENG) or Alk1 (ACVRL1); however, why loss of these genes manifests as VMs remains poorly understood. To complement ongoing work in animal models, we have developed a fully human, cell-based microphysiological model based on our Vascularized Micro-organ (VMO) platform (the HHT-VMO) that recapitulates HHT patient VMs. Using inducible ACVRL1 -knockdown, we control timing and extent of endogenous Alk1 expression in primary human endothelial cells (EC). Resulting HHT-VMO VMs develop over several days. Interestingly, in chimera experiments AVM-like lesions can be comprised of both Alk1-intact and Alk1-deficient EC, suggesting possible cell non-autonomous effects. Single cell RNA sequencing data are consistent with microvessel pruning/regression as contributing to AVM formation, while loss of PDGFB implicates mural cell recruitment. Finally, lesion formation is blocked by the VEGFR inhibitor pazopanib, mirroring positive effects of this drug in patients. In summary, we have developed a novel HHT-on-a-chip model that faithfully reproduces HHT patient lesions and that can be used to better understand HHT disease biology and identify potential new HHT drugs. Word Count: 213
Classification. Biological Sciences, Cell Biology
Navigating Ethical Frameworks to Mitigate Academic Misconduct While Leveraging Generative AI
Authors: Uddin Mohammad Mohi , Abu Stephen Emmanuel
Published: June 2024

The rapid advancement of Generative AI in academia raises ethical concerns about academic integrity. This study aims to delineate the key ethical concerns prevalent in academia and propose a theoretical framework that incorporates deontological ethics for learners and teleological ethics for evaluators. Employing a qualitative methodology and thematic analysis, this research undertakes a systematic scoping review of scholarly articles. The researcher searched various academic databases, following specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, and he selected a final set of 68 relevant studies out of 200 for review. The study found the lack of academic integrity, particularly in written assignments, due to the heightened risk of plagiarism, and to address them, the establishment of ethical guidelines was effective for learners' ethical awareness in using AI and inspiring educators to assess learners’ academic creation emphasizing learners’ own creativity. The study has the potential to inform the development of ethical guidelines for the use of AI in academia. As generative AI tools become increasingly prevalent, the risk of academic misconduct escalates, thereby threatening educational institutions' credibility and academic qualifications' integrity. The study will help to understand how ethical frameworks can mitigate the risk of plagiarism and foster a culture of ethical awareness among students and educators.
Temporal, Developmental, and Comparative Characterization of the Floral Volatile Emissions of the Famously Scented Violet Species, Viola odorata
Authors: Keene Shea A. , Sims Maeve , Kim Joo Young , Colquhoun Thomas A.
Published: June 2024

Violets (Viola) are potential candidates for aroma-focused breeding research. Though most Viola species and modern hybrids lack fragrance, the genus contains a famously scented species, Viola odorata L. This species and its cultivars are genetic resources of aroma traits that could be used to investigate the selection for and transmission of fragrance during the breeding process. Despite its famous scent, however, the floral volatile emissions of V. odorata have not been characterized using modern headspace techniques. Using static and dynamic headspace volatile collection methods and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, the floral volatile emissions of V. odorata were temporally and developmentally characterized. Floral volatiles were also sampled from 10 V. odorata cultivars, three Parma violet cultivars, five violet species, and one hybrid, and variation in scent among these violets was investigated. Total volatile emissions in V. odorata were highest from 0600 HR to 1900 HR, suggesting a diurnal pattern of emission. Volatile emissions also varied over the developmental lifespan of the flower, with the highest emission of individual and total volatiles occurring, in general, from stages 0 or +1 to stages +3 or +4. Floral scent qualitatively and quantitatively differed among assorted violets. The floral volatile emissions of V. odorata exhibit temporal and developmental variation. Compared with the other violet species in this study, sweet violets are intensely fragrant. The quantity and quality of floral scent differs among V. odorata cultivars, providing genetic variation from which selections could be made in a fragrance-focused breeding program.
BİR TUTAR(LI/SIZ)LIK ÖRNEĞİ OLARAK KENDİ KENDİNİ ÇÜRÜTEN VARSAYIMLAR (SELF-REFUTING IDEA)
Authors: Oğuz Kabadayı Ceren
Published: June 2024

Tümce veya metin boyutundaki ifadeler; dilin yapısına uygunluğunun yanında anlamsal olarak da bütünlük içindedir. Bu bütünlük, yapı özellikleri bakımından herhangi bir eksiklik veya yanlışlık barındırmasa da anlamsal olarak netlikten uzak olabilir. Bu muğlaklığın bir görüntüsü de önermenin ileri sürdüğü düşüncenin aynı zamanda kendisinin yanlışlığına işaret etmesidir. Bu tür ifadeleri karşılamak için self-refuting idea (kendi kendini çürüten varsayım) kavramı kullanılır. Bu kavramı çelişme, üçüncü hâlin imkânlılığı ve kendine gönderme gibi özellikleri temelinde paradoks kavramıyla ilişkilendirmek mümkündür. Bu tür ifadelerde tümcenin gönderimi kendisinedir ve bu gönderim neticesinde ortaya çelişki durumu çıkar. Dilsel açıdan ve metin boyutunda incelendiğinde bir ifadenin metnin iki ayrı yerinde, tümce boyutundaysa tümcenin ortaya koyduğu anlamda bir çelişki oluşturması, biçimsel olarak tutarsızlık gibi görünse de bu aslında bir anlam üretme çabasıdır. Bu çalışmada kendisine gönderimde bulunan, bunun neticesinde kendisiyle çelişen ve bu yolla örtük bir anlam ortaya koyan ifadelerin metinsellik ölçütlerinden tutarlılıkla ilişkisi incelenmiştir.
Teaching Reading Strategies Implemented on Student's Reading Comprehension at a Vocational High School
Authors:   Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education, Ghozali Muhamad Afifuddin , Adi Waskito ,   Universitas Brawijaya
Published: June 2024

Reading is one of the four necessary important language skills among those skills in learning English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL). Pressley & Afflerbach (1995) cited in Erlando (2017) states that good readers should not solely read the text to comprehend a text, but also it should be connected with past experiences. It will ease the students to understand reading material when the knowledge is absorbed first. The research reflects upon teaching reading strategies introduced by Vacca & Vacca (1999) in analyzing the teaching strategies implemented on studentsâ€™ reading comprehension at a vocational high school, SMK Negeri 2 Batu. A case study is used with the aim to describe teaching reading strategies applied by the teacher by conducting an interview with the English Teacher and observing teaching reading strategies implementation in class at SMK Negeri 2 Batu. The subject of the research is first-year students of AHP A, SMK Negeri 2 Batu consisting of 28 students. It is found that three teaching strategies, scaffolding strategy, question and answer relationship (QARs), and think-aloud strategy, are implemented sequentially.
Parents’ Perceptions of Their Parenting Journeys and a Mobile App Intervention (Parentbot—A Digital Healthcare Assistant): Qualitative Process Evaluation (Preprint)
Authors: Chua Joelle Yan Xin , Choolani Mahesh , Chee Cornelia Yin Ing , Yi Huso , Chan Yiong Huak , Lalor Joan Gabrielle , Chong Yap Seng , Shorey Shefaly
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Parents experience many challenges during the perinatal period. Mobile app–based interventions and chatbots show promise in delivering health care support for parents during the perinatal period.

OBJECTIVE

This descriptive qualitative process evaluation study aims to explore the perinatal experiences of parents in Singapore, as well as examine the user experiences of the mobile app–based intervention with an in-built chatbot titled Parentbot—a Digital Healthcare Assistant (PDA).

METHODS

A total of 20 heterosexual English-speaking parents were recruited via purposive sampling from a single tertiary hospital in Singapore. The parents (control group: 10/20, 50%; intervention group: 10/20, 50%) were also part of an ongoing randomized trial between November 2022 and August 2023 that aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the PDA in improving parenting outcomes. Semistructured one-to-one interviews were conducted via Zoom from February to June 2023. All interviews were conducted in English, audio recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was guided by the thematic analysis framework. The COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research) checklist was used to guide the reporting of data.

RESULTS

Three themes with 10 subthemes describing parents’ perceptions of their parenting journeys and their experiences with the PDA were identified. The main themes were (1) new babies, new troubles, and new wonders; (2) support system for the parents; and (3) reshaping perinatal support for future parents.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the PDA provided parents with informational, socioemotional, and psychological support and could be used to supplement the perinatal care provided for future parents. To optimize users’ experience with the PDA, the intervention could be equipped with a more sophisticated chatbot, equipped with more gamification features, and programmed to deliver personalized care to parents. Researchers and health care providers could also strive to promote more peer-to-peer interactions among users. The provision of continuous, holistic, and family-centered care by health care professionals could also be emphasized. Moreover, policy changes regarding maternity and paternity leaves, availability of infant care centers, and flexible work arrangements could be further explored to promote healthy work-family balance for parents.
Exploring feedback requirements for the design of technology enhanced vibrotactile feedback strategy for home-based physiotherapy exercises: An Interview Study Among Physiotherapists (Preprint)
Authors: Holzmeyer Kaya , Lüneburg Lisa-Marie , Oppici Luca , Flößel Philipp , Lachmann Doris , Krzywinski Jens , Narciss Susanne
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Effective treatment in physiotherapy requires hands-on therapy with therapists as well as hands-off treatment like home exercises. To compensate the lack of feedback for home exercising, various technical approaches are studied and developed. Well studied feedback strategies for this use case are missing, especially for tactile feedback.

OBJECTIVE

This paper combines principles of user-centered design and psychology of learning and aims to derive requirements for designing a vibrotactile feedback strategy for a wearable device for physiotherapy home exercises.

METHODS

The feedback behavior of nine physical therapists was observed in a simulated training session and recommendations for a technical feedback system were observed and collected in a guided interview. Data were analyzed along the categories of a deductively and inductively created category system. Frequency distributions of the quantified observation data were created, and qualitative interview data were evaluated using content structuring content analysis.

RESULTS

The present work highlights that reduced feedback frequency, differentiated feedback content, multimodal feedback, and trunk-proximal tactile feedback were recommended by physical therapists for a technical feedback system for the correct performance of physiotherapeutic home exercises in the treatment of unspecific low back pain

CONCLUSIONS

This paper offers approaches for the design of a vibrotactile feedback strategy. These approaches should be tested in hypotheses driven research. Further patient studies should be conducted.
Análisis de la competitividad del sistema extensivo de producción ovina de pequeña escala en el sureste hidalguense.
Authors: Posadas Domínguez Rodolfo Rogelio , Ávila Castillo Blas Rogelio , Ángeles Hernández Juan Carlos , Salinas Martínez Jesús Armando
Published: June 2024

El objetivo de este estudio, fue evaluar la ventaja comparativa del pastoreo en la competitividad del sistema de producción ovina de pequeña escala de Singuilucan Hidalgo, México. Para ello, se analizaron datos de 51 uni­dades de producción, elegidas a partir de un muestreo aleatorio simple. La información, se obtuvo por medio de una entrevista con 120 preguntas, organizadas en variables técnicas, aspectos económicos y aspectos sociales del productor. Para analizar el impacto del pastoreo sobre la competitividad, se utilizó la Matriz de Análisis de Política (MAP) en dos escenarios, en el primero, se estudió la estructura de costos bajo la forma tradicional de producción, la cual utiliza el pastoreo como base alimenticia, mientras que en el segundo, el costo fue simula­do al contabilizar la compra de alimento, así como la contratación de mano de obra. Los resultados revelaron que el pastoreo como base alimenticia (escenario real), en lugar de alimento comercial (escenario simulado), incrementa la rentabilidad del sistema ovino en 53%, lo que se traduce en una reducción de costo (32%) y un aumento en la utilidad de $10,830 (diez mil ochocientos treinta pesos promedio por granja) por cada ciclo productivo de cuatro meses. La alta dependencia del pastoreo y mano de obra familiar observada en el escenario simulado, indican que la producción ovina de pequeña escala en Singuilucan, podría ser vulnerable, si perdiera las ventajas microregionales que le aportan estos factores, lo cual, se traduciría en una reducción competitiva de aproximadamente 62%.
Medicamentos com defeitos estão entre nós! Uma análise do combate aos defeitos em embalagens de medicamentos à luz do Direito Administrativo Sanitário e do Consumidor
Authors: Figueredo Alexandre , Macedo Elizabeth Valverde , Costa Jorge Carlos Santos da
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Providing quality, safe, and effective medicine is the purpose of the production and supply chain; however, errors happen. This work addresses action against defects observed in medicines’ primary and secondary packaging from the perspective of health and consumer administrative legislation and their practical consequences in the consumer relationship. Objective: To demonstrate the contribution of health and consumer administrative legislation, with emphasis on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for medicines and the Consumer Protection Code, ensuring adequate and safe information to patients and how suppliers and consumers can influence the control of defects and safe administration of medicines, before, during, and after sale. Method: Adoption of descriptive and explanatory research, a documental nature bibliographical using checklist for direct observation register, about a qualitative and quantitative approach. Results: It was identified that current resolution about GMP applied at medicines have 34 control mechanisms that contribute to avoiding defects in packaging operations, an advance for patient safety. In addition, in all legislative frameworks analyzed, there was a protection of consumerist principles of transparency in information, objective good faith and security. However, there were gaps in the use and knowledge of information and safety devices in packaging materials. Highlighting the practice of changing medications without regulatory provisions as a problem for communicating product defects to the manufacturer and increasing health risk. Conclusions: Despite legislative evolution to combat defects, consumers and pharmacies need more knowledge, awareness, and adequate use of complaint channels. The return/exchange of medicines is a potential sanitary risk that needs to be confronted and perhaps better regulated.
Sequential Detection with Feedback Information for Two-way Cooperative Spectrum Sensing in Cognitive Internet of Things
Authors: Wu Jun , Su Mingkun , Bao Jianrong , Qiao Lei , Xu Xiaorong , Wang Hao , Zhu Gefei , Cao Weiwei
Published: June 2024

With the rapid growth of internet of thing (IoT) wireless
devices, cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS) has emerged as a promising
solution to leverage the spatial diversity of multiple IoT sensing nodes
(SNs) for spectrum availability. However, the cooperative paradigm also
incurs increased cooperative costs between each SN and the fusion center
(FC), leading to decreased cooperative efficiency and achievable
throughput, especially in large-scale cognitive IoTs (CIoTs). To address
these challenges, we present a sequential detection with feedback
information (SD-FI) approach in this paper. To achieve this objective,
we propose a two-way CSS model that formulates an optimization problem
of Bayes cost in a quickest detection framework with feedback. To solve
this optimization problem, we derive the structure of the optimal local
decision rule from the local decision function and determine the optimal
detection threshold in conjunction with the cost function. Following the
optimal threshold pair, we implement the optimal SD-FI and theoretically
demonstrate the uniqueness of the optimal threshold and optimal sensing
time. Simulation results demonstrate superiority of our proposed
approach in terms of cooperative performance (i.e., detection
performance and Bayes cost) and sample size. Notably, even with limited
sensing time, our proposed SD-FI exhibits high throughput, highlighting
its effectiveness in enhancing spectrum availability and utilization in
cognitive IoTs.