bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelling changes in glass transition temperature in polymer matrices exposed to low molecular weight penetrants
Authors: Baldanza Antonio , Loianno Valerio , Mensitieri Giuseppe , Scherillo Giuseppe
Published: November 2022

Polymer matrices, when placed in contact with a fluid phase made of low molecular weight compounds, undergo a depression of their glass transition temperature (
T
g
) determined by the absorption of these compounds and the associated plasticization phenomena. Frequently, this effect is coupled with the mechanical action of the compressive stress exerted by the pressure of the fluid phase that, in contrast, promotes an increase in the
T
g
. This issue is relevant for technological and structural applications of composites with high-performance glassy polymer matrices, due to their significant impact on mechanical properties. We propose an approach to model and predict rubbery-glassy states maps of polymer–penetrant mixtures as a function of pressure and temperature based on the Gibbs–Di Marzio criterion. This criterion establishes that a ‘thermodynamic’ glass transition does occur when the configurational entropy of the system vanishes. Although questioned and criticized, this criterion constitutes a good practical approach to analyse changes of
T
g
and, in some way, reflects the idea of an ‘entropy catastrophe’ occurring at the glass transition. Several polymer–penetrant systems have been analysed modelling configurational entropy by means of the Non-Random Hydrogen Bond lattice fluid theory, able to cope with possible non-random mixing and occurrence of strong interactions.

This article is part of the theme issue 'Ageing and durability of composite materials'.
An Automatized Workflow to Study Mechanistic Indicators for Driver Gene Prediction with Moonlight
Authors: Saksager Astrid , Nourbakhsh Mona , Tom Nikola , Chen Xi Steven , Colaprico Antonio , Olsen Catharina , Tiberti Matteo , Papaleo Elena
Published: November 2022

Prediction of tumor suppressors and oncogenes, also called driver genes, is an essential step in understanding cancer development and discovering potential novel treatments. We recently proposed Moonlight as a bioinformatics framework to predict driver genes and analyze them in a system-biology-oriented manner based on -omics integration. Moonlight uses gene expression as a primary data source and combines it with patterns related to cancer hallmarks and regulatory networks to identify oncogenic mediators. Once the oncogenic mediators are identified, it is important to include extra levels of evidence, called mechanistic indicators, to identify driver genes and to link the observed changes in gene expression to the underlying alteration that promotes them. Such a mechanistic indicator could be for example a mutation in the regulatory regions for the candidate gene or mutations in the regulator itself. In this work, we developed new functionalities and release Moonlight2, to provide the user with the mutation-based mechanistic indicator to streamline the analyses of this second layer of evidence. The function analyzes mutation information in a cancer cohort to classify them into driver and passenger mutations. Moreover, the function estimates the potential effect of a mutation on the transcriptional, translational, or protein structure/function level. Those oncogenic mediators with at least one driver mutation are retained as the final set of driver genes. We applied Moonlight2 and the newly developed function to a case study on Basal-like breast cancer subtype using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. We found six oncogenes (SF3B4, EBNA1BP2, KRTCAP2, ZBTB8OS, RUNX2, andPOLR2J) and ten tumor suppressor genes (KIF26B, NR5A2, ARHGAP25, EMCN, ARL15, PCOLCE, TPK1, TEK, KIR2DL4, andGMFG) containing a driver mutation in their promoter region, possibly explaining their deregulation. The Moonlight2R source code is available athttps://github.com/ELELAB/Moonlight2R.
AI-based Prediction of Imminent Primary Stroke on Claims Data Enables Accurate Patient Stratification
Authors: Hilbert A , Baskan D , Rieger J , Wagner C , Sehlen S , García-Rudolph A , Kelleher JD , Dengler NF , Kossen T , Madai VI , Frey D
Published: November 2022

Background

With an annual rate of 5.5 million cases, ischemic stroke is the second leading cause of death and permanent disability worldwide posing a significant medical, financial and social burden. Current approaches relax high-risk profiles of imminent stroke to mid- to long-term risk assessment, tempering the importance of immediate preventative action. Claims data may support the development of new risk prediction paradigms for better, individualized management of disease.

Methods

We developed a data-driven paradigm to predict personalized risk of imminent primary ischemic stroke. We used social health insurance data from northeast Germany (between 2008-2018). Stroke events were defined by the presence of an ischemic stroke ICD-10 diagnosis within the available insurance period. Controls (n=150,091) and strokes (n=53,047) were matched by age (mean=76) and insurance length (mean=3 years), resulting in a generally aged, high-risk study population.

We trained traditional and Machine Learning (ML) classifiers to predict the overall likelihood of a primary event based on 55 features including demographic parameters, ICD-10 diagnosis of diseases and dependence on care. Binary ICD-10 features were translated into temporal duration of diagnoses by counting days since the first appearance of disease in the patients’ records. We used SHAP feature importance scores for global and local explanation of model output.

Findings

The best ML model, Tree-boosting, yielded notably high performance with an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.91, sensitivity of 0.84 and specificity of 0.81. Long duration of hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes type 2 were most influential for predicting stroke while frequent dependence on care proved to mitigate stroke risk.

Interpretation

Our proposed data-driven ML approach provides a highly promising direction for improved and personalized prevention and management of imminent stroke, while the developed models offer direct applicability for risk stratification in the north-east German population.

Funding

Horizon2020 (PRECISE4Q, #777107)
Expression of NMNAT1 in the Photoreceptors is Sufficient to PreventNMNAT1-Associated Disease
Authors: Brown Emily E. , Scandura Michael J. , Pierce Eric A.
Published: November 2022

Nicotinamide nucleotide adenylyltransferase 1 (NMNAT1) is a ubiquitously expressed enzyme involved in nuclear NAD+production throughout the body. However, mutations in theNMNAT1gene lead to retina-specific disease with few reports of systemic effects. We have previously demonstrated that AAV-mediated gene therapy using self-complimentary AAV (scAAV) to ubiquitously express NMNAT1 throughout the retina prevents retinal degeneration in a mouse model ofNMNAT1-associated disease. We aimed to develop a better understanding of the cell types in the retina that contribute to disease pathogenesis inNMNAT1-associated disease, and to identify the cell types that require NMNAT1 expression for therapeutic benefit. To achieve this goal, we treatedNmnat1V9M/V9Mmice with scAAV using cell type-specific promoters to restrict NMNAT1 expression to distinct retinal cell types. We hypothesized that photoreceptors are uniquely vulnerable to NAD+depletion due to mutations inNMNAT1. Consistent with this hypothesis, we identified that treatments that drove NMNAT1 expression in the photoreceptors led to preservation of retinal morphology. These findings suggest that gene therapies forNMNAT1-associated disease should aim to express NMNAT1 in the photoreceptor cells.
Deregulation on branded and generic drugs price and its effect: a study of Chinese pharmaceutical market
Authors: Liu Lu
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This research studies the effect of deregulation of price cap in pharmaceutical market. Price regulation (either through price cap or reference price) is common practice in the pharmaceutical market but recently there are increasing voices calling for deregulation claiming that deregulation could help in lowering drug price and increase revenue of pharmaceutical firms. Upon those callings, Chinese government removed the price cap regulation in June 2015. The author uses this natural policy experiment to study this effect.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the author applied the interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) on the revenue data of nine categories of both generic and branded drugs in China from March 2011 to August 2016 (the time frame includes both before and after of the initialization of the deregulation) and analyzed the effect of deregulation.

Findings

The results showed that, whether the revenue of drugs will increase or decrease after the deregulation of price cap depends on the level of competition and the change of patterns of the branded and generic drugs are different. When HHI (Herfindahl–Hirschman index) is sufficiently low (competition is high), revenue does not change as a result of deregulation, when HHI is moderately low (moderate competition), revenue from generic drugs will decrease significantly and revenue from branded drugs will increase significantly, and when HHI is high (low competition), revenue from generic drugs will increase significantly and revenue from branded drugs will decrease significantly.

Originality/value

This is a unique study with a unique data set. Most previous studies focus on regulation of drug price and analyze how this may affect drug revenue; however, this is a natural policy experiment of de-regulation. Moreover, previously most studies focus on reference pricing regulation and this is price-cap, a different mechanism that is rarely studied. The originality/value is high of this article.
Agile project portfolio management as a strategic enabler in the Brazilian marketplace: five case studies and one substantive theory
Authors: Alves Eder Junior , Gonçalves Carlos Alberto
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present an empirical framework for changes, communication and team restructuring developed through a substantive theory that defines the relationships between Agile adoption and organizational strategies in the Brazilian marketplace, providing assertive propositions.

Design/methodology/approach

The research analysed five case studies of private companies in the Brazilian market, adopting the grounded theory (GT) method to examine the relationships between the categories. There was consistency in the reality of 22 participatory interviews with experts in Agile in the five case studies. The excellent integration between the chosen methodological approach and the organizations' characteristics reinforces a strategy focused on mixed methods.

Findings

As a result, the authors deploy an empirical framework, displaying new strategies that generate structural changes, obtaining Agile information technology (IT) project portfolio management (PPM) practices and strategies with superior performance. The necessary responses through organizational structural changes are observed, making it possible to notice changes in routines and contingencies.

Research limitations/implications

Some limitations should be pointed out for this study. The case studies were carried out in private companies in Brazil, and cultural aspects must be considered if one wants to generalize. Furthermore, to underline the effects of time, a longitudinal study would have to be employed to improve the interpretation of the results. Another limitation applies to the framework proposed in our study and its reality-simplifying nature. Models and theories with these visible generic characteristics compromise understanding specific situations.

Practical implications

The authors strongly recommend that teams focus on communication among stakeholders to increase the ability to adopt Agile and create valuable knowledge inside the organizations, architecting process innovation.

Originality/value

The forged strategic Agile substantive theory contributes to the competitive Brazilian IT company departments. The need for velocity in organizing teams, accomplishing changes and efficient communication challenges connecting value creation with project results.
Multiscale analysis of the complex interaction between uncertainty and the international commodity market
Authors: Liu Chao , Zhang Wei , Xie Qiwei , Wang Chao
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study aims to systematically reveal the complex interaction between uncertainty and the international commodity market (CRB).

Design/methodology/approach

A composite uncertainty index and five categorical uncertainty indices, together with wavelet analysis and detrended cross-correlation analysis, were used. First, in the time-frequency domain, the coherency and lead-lag relationship between uncertainty and the commodity markets were investigated. Furthermore, the transmission direction of the cross-correlation over different lag periods and asymmetry in this cross-correlation under different trends were identified.

Findings

First, there is significant coherency between uncertainties and CRB mainly in the short and medium terms, with natural disaster and public health uncertainties tending to lead CRB. Second, uncertainty impacts CRB more markedly over shorter lag periods, whereas the impact of CRB on uncertainty gradually increases with longer lag periods. Third, the cross-correlation is asymmetric and multifractal under different trends. Finally, from the perspective of lag periods and trends, the interaction of uncertainty with the Chinese commodity market is significantly different from its interaction with CRB.

Originality/value

First, this study comprehensively constructs a composite uncertainty index based on five types of uncertainty. Second, this study provides a scientific perspective on examining the core and diverse interactions between uncertainty and CRB, as achieved by investigating the interactions of CRB with five categorical and composite uncertainties. Third, this study provides a new research framework to enable multiscale analysis of the complex interaction between uncertainty and the commodity markets.
Working diagnosis: The medical labour process and the classification of suffering
Authors: Seim Josh
Published: November 2022

Medical sociologists argue that diagnosis is a critical component of medicine and that diagnosis is most obviously exercised by doctors. This scholarship, however, largely ignores other medical workers. I extend the concept of working diagnosis to help solve this problem. These are partial and preliminary medical classifications of suffering that are imposed between informal experiences of illness and formal classifications of disease. In a complex division of medical labour where doctoring is a minority practice, working diagnoses are critical forces that shape, and are shaped by, the relational conditions of medical production. To illustrate the analytical promise of this concept, I sharpen it through an ethnography of ambulance work in California. Working diagnoses in this case are officially referred to as ‘primary impressions’. I show how these impressions are deeply embedded in the relations of paramedical production. Three are specifically highlighted: the relations between ambulance crews and their patients, the relations between ambulance crews and their nurse and police counterparts and the relations between ambulance crews and their managers. I work towards a simple but rarely stated conclusion: medical sociologists should focus more heavily on how diagnostic processes influence labour processes and vice versa.
How Statistics Keeps the Lights on
Authors: Lenzi Amanda , Anitescu Mihai
Published: November 2022

Amanda Lenzi and Mihai Anitescu answer six key questions on the role of statistics in energy forecasting. Part one of a two-part series
Investigation on tolerance of Metarhizium flavoviride Ma130821 to environmental stress factors and responses on biological control of larvae of Potosia brevitarsis Lewis
Authors: Liu Si‐Yu , Lai You‐Peng , Du Guang‐Zu , Chen Bin
Published: November 2022

Entomopathogenic fungi of Metarhizium spp., are one of the candidates for eco‐friendly pest control instead of chemical control agents. But the development involved in producing a wide range of mycoinsecticides and application of biotechnology widely is restricted, usually due to the defect of slow action and sensitivity to environmental stresses. This study evaluates the tolerance of conidia of Metarhizium flavoviride Ma130821 to high temperature exposure, humidity level, ultraviolet radiation and the pathogenicity against larvae of Potosia brevitarsis Lewis under environmental stresses. Results showed that M. flavoviride Ma130821 had the higher tolerance ability to 40°C with continuous exposure for 24 h, the conidial germination rate was 54.00%, radial growth was 1.59 mm/day and sporulation was 9.37 × 106 conidia/cm2, the ability to desiccation with humidity of 53% (85.33%, 1.94 mm/d, 2.13 × 107 conidia/cm2), the ability of uvioresistant effect with 900 s radiation (98.11%, 0.91 mm/d, 8.87 × 106 conidia/cm2). The data of bioassay at artificial adverse condition had been fitted to the time–concentration–mortality (TCM) model. The cumulative mortality of P. brevitarsis larvae was 76.67% with conidial concentrations of 3.41 × 108 conidia/mL. The low lethal concentration (LC50) in 7 days after inoculation (DAI) and short lethal time (LT50) was 6.70 × 109 conidia/mL and 8.02 days, respectively. The mortality also reached to 73.33% at natural condition, with conidial concentration of 3.75 × 108 conidia/mL, but the LT50 delayed to 14.08 days. Our results demonstrate that entomopathogenic fungi M. flavoviride Ma130821, with significantly and superior antistress capacity and high virulence, could be considered a promising biocontrol agent against white grubs.
Group composition impacts reproductive output and population viability in captive white rhinoceros
Authors: Scott S. E. , Cain B. , de Kort S. R. , Johnson B. , Khayale C. , Versteege L. , Bettridge C. M.
Published: November 2022

Captive breeding programmes can play an important role in the conservation of species threatened with extinction in the wild. White rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simum, have suffered drastic declines due to illegal poaching across their range, and captive populations have the potential to safeguard this species from extinction. However, white rhinoceros birth rates in captivity have been extremely low, and there is substantial variation in breeding success between different institutions. A better understanding of the factors limiting their reproduction in captivity could improve their breeding management and conservation potential. This study used studbook data (n = 467) and comparisons with wild populations in Kenya (n = 236) to assess the breeding performance and viability of the European captive southern white rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simum simum, population. Our results show that the European population is declining 2% annually under current demographic parameters. On average, just 10% of females calved annually, in comparison to almost 40% across wild populations. To become self‐sustaining, this must increase to a minimum of 17%, though reaching this target may lead to additional management challenges. Further analyses using studbook (n = 134 individuals) and multi‐institutional questionnaire data (n = 20 institutions) suggest that modifying the social structure of captive groups could improve female breeding success. Institutions housing larger groups had proportionally greater breeding success, and females were more likely to copulate if housed with another breeding female, and more receptive to bulls if housed in a group with a lower mean age. These findings highlight the importance of considering social conditions in captive breeding programmes, particularly for species with complex social systems and low reproductive rates.
Favourable outcomes of conservatively managed acute abdomen associated with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Ardicli Burak , User Idil Rana , Tigli Tunc , Ozcan H. Nursun , Oguz Berna , Haliloglu Mithat , Kesici Selman , Ozsurekci Yasemin , Cengiz Ali Bulent , Ceyhan Mehmet , Ertugrul Ilker , Ekinci Saniye
Published: November 2022

Backgrounds

Abdominal pain is one of the most common symptoms of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS‐C). Abdominal pain can vary from mild to severe and may present as acute abdomen. Severe abdominal pain in patients with MIS‐C should be differentiated from surgical causes of acute abdomen to prevent unnecessary surgery.

Methods

The diagnosis of MIS‐C was based on WHO and CDC recommended criteria. Records of children treated for MIS‐C between September 2020 and January 2021 were reviewed retrospectively.

Results

In a short time, we encountered seven patients who were diagnosed with MIS‐C and showed acute abdomen findings. There were four male and three female patients. The median age was 9 years. Fever, abdominal pain and distension were present in all. The median duration of symptoms was 4 days. Five patients had general abdominal tenderness mimicking acute abdomen. Three patients had right lower quadrant tenderness mimicking acute appendicitis. After the initiation of immunomodulatory therapy and antibiotics, the physical examination findings were improved step by step in all. The median time to initiate oral feeding was 2 days. The median length of hospitalization time was 8 days.

Conclusion

Serial abdominal examinations performed by the same surgeon enabled us to follow these patients conservatively and thus avoid unnecessary surgical intervention.
‘Teach me how to look after myself’: What people with bronchiectasis want from education in a pulmonary rehabilitation setting
Authors: Lee Annemarie L. , Smith Rebecca , Burr Lucy , Chang Anne B. , Holmes‐Liew Chien‐Li , King Paul , Middleton Peter , Morgan Lucy , Smith Daniel , Thomson Rachel , Waterer Grant , Wong Conroy , McAleer Rachael
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Pulmonary rehabilitation is recommended for people with bronchiectasis. Various education topics are included in these programmes, but the content is largely guided by the needs of people with other respiratory conditions.

Objectives

With the education topics applicable to people with bronchiectasis unclear, we aimed to explore the perspective of adults with this condition on relevant educational topics in a pulmonary rehabilitation context.

Methods

Participants from the Australian Bronchiectasis Registry were invited to undertake a semi‐structured interview. Interview transcripts were coded independently, with themes established by consensus (two researchers).

Results

Twenty‐one people participated. The major themes were greater clarity on the underlying cause of bronchiectasis and prognosis. Most sought knowledge about self‐management strategies and treatments to address extra‐pulmonary symptoms. Participants requested more information on physiotherapy options and the role of exercise and physical activity outside of pulmonary rehabilitation. Preferences were mixed for the education delivery model.

Conclusions

We have identified unmet educational topics of interest for people with bronchiectasis. Our study provides a framework for education topics desired by adults with bronchiectasis within a pulmonary rehabilitation setting. The topics identified will guide development of an education curriculum for pulmonary rehabilitation that is more fit‐for‐purpose for people with bronchiectasis.
Immature permanent incisors with complicated crown fractures treated with partial pulpotomy using white mineral trioxide aggregate and IRoot BP plus‑a retrospective long‐term study
Authors: Hu Xiaoyan , Li Yuexiang , Xu Jianguang , Li Quanli , Wang Run
Published: November 2022

Background/Aims

Calcium silicate cements have been widely used for pulpotomies in immature permanent teeth with complicated crown fractures due to their superior properties. However, few studies have evaluated the long‐term outcomes of white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA) and iRoot BP Plus for partial pulpotomies. The aim of this study was to investigate the long‐term clinical and radiographic outcomes of WMTA and iRoot BP Plus for partial pulpotomies in immature permanent incisors with complicated crown fractures.

Materials and Methods

Children who had partial pulpotomies of immature permanent incisors with complicated crown fractures using WMTA or iRoot BP Plus as capping agents were enrolled. Eighty immature permanent incisors in 68 children (aged 8–13 years) were included. They were divided into two groups (WMTA and iRoot BP Plus) according to the capping agents. Clinical and radiographic information was collected during a 5‐year follow‐up period. Study data were analyzed using Chi‐square tests or Fisher exact tests.

Results

The clinical and radiographic success rates in the WMTA (n = 36) and iRoot BP Plus groups (n = 44) were 94.4% versus 97.7% and 88.9% versus 97.7%, respectively (both p < .05). The average observation period was 74.5 ± 13.2 months and 61.9 ± 1.6 months in the WMTA and iRoot BP Plus groups, respectively (p < .01). Five cases presented with periapical radiolucencies. The WMTA group had four cases of pulp canal calcification (11.1%), while the iRoot BP Plus group had two cases (4.6%). There was crown discolouration in all cases in the WMTA group, but none in the iRoot BP Plus group.

Conclusion

Both WMTA and iRoot BP Plus had favorable outcomes in promoting physiological development and maintaining the basic functions of immature permanent incisors with complicated crown fractures. As a partial pulpotomy material, iRoot BP Plus may be more suitable for the esthetic zone than WMTA.
Predicting mortality risk in dialysis: Assessment of risk factors using traditional and advanced modeling techniques within the Monitoring Dialysis Outcomes initiative
Authors: Chaudhuri Sheetal , Larkin John , Guedes Murilo , Jiao Yue , Kotanko Peter , Wang Yuedong , Usvyat Len , Kooman Jeroen P.
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Several factors affect the survival of End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) patients on dialysis. Machine learning (ML) models may help tackle multivariable and complex, often non‐linear predictors of adverse clinical events in ESKD patients. In this study, we used advanced ML method as well as a traditional statistical method to develop and compare the risk factors for mortality prediction model in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Materials and Methods

We included data HD patients who had data across a baseline period of at least 1 year and 1 day in the internationally representative Monitoring Dialysis Outcomes (MONDO) Initiative dataset. Twenty‐three input parameters considered in the model were chosen in an a priori manner. The prediction model used 1 year baseline data to predict death in the following 3 years. The dataset was randomly split into 80% training data and 20% testing data for model development. Two different modeling techniques were used to build the mortality prediction model.

Findings

A total of 95,142 patients were included in the analysis sample. The area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) of the model on the test data with XGBoost ML model was 0.84 on the training data and 0.80 on the test data. AUROC of the logistic regression model was 0.73 on training data and 0.75 on test data. Four out of the top five predictors were common to both modeling strategies.

Discussion

In the internationally representative MONDO data for HD patients, we describe the development of a ML model and a traditional statistical model that was suitable for classification of a prevalent HD patient's 3‐year risk of death. While both models had a reasonably high AUROC, the ML model was able to identify levels of hematocrit (HCT) as an important risk factor in mortality. If implemented in clinical practice, such proof‐of‐concept models could be used to provide pre‐emptive care for HD patients.
THE PROPERTIES OF DIGITAL HISTORY
Authors: ROBERTSON STEPHEN
Published: November 2022

This article offers a definition of digital history that focuses on the core affordances of the personal computer and the process by which those properties come to be exploited. I begin by outlining the two properties of computers that I argue define digital history: they process data and (as Janet H. Murray noted) provide an immersive and interactive medium. I then examine how digital historians in the United States have employed those affordances. That process has proceeded unevenly, with computers having been used as a medium before they were employed to process data, and has produced additive forms—digital archives, digital public history, data analysis published in print—that rely on existing formats rather than on the affordances of computers. While such forms are a necessary step toward a more fully realized digital history, their prevalence suggests that it will take some time for that process to play out. The final section looks to recently published and forthcoming long‐form digital arguments for the direction of that development. Examples from Stanford University Press's Digital Projects series point to some of the ways that the data analysis and the immersive and interactive medium of the computer might be combined.
Effects of Gd2O3 and MgSiN2 sintering additives on the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of Si3N4 ceramics
Authors: Fu Shi , Yang Zengchao , Li Honghua , Wang Liang , Li Yong , Li Jiangtao
Published: November 2022

Si3N4 ceramics were prepared by gas pressure sintering at 1900°C for 12 h under a nitrogen pressure of 1 MPa using Gd2O3 and MgSiN2 as sintering additives. The effects of the Gd2O3/MgSiN2 ratio on the densification, microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity of Si3N4 ceramics were systematically investigated. It was found that a low Gd2O3/MgSiN2 ratio facilitated the thermal diffusivity of Si3N4 ceramics while a high Gd2O3/MgSiN2 ratio benefited the densification and mechanical properties. When the Gd2O3/MgSiN2 ratio was 1:1, Si3N4 ceramics obtained an obvious exaggerated bimodal microstructure and the optimal properties. The thermal conductivity, flexural strength, and fracture toughness were 124 W·m−1·k−1, 648 MPa, and 9.12 MPa·m1/2, respectively. Comparing with the results in the literature, it was shown that Gd2O3‐MgSiN2 was an effective additives system for obtaining Si3N4 ceramics with high thermal conductivity and superior mechanical properties.
Alternative Service Methods Associated With Increased Participation in the School Breakfast Program
Authors: Yeh Lindsay B. , Butt Melissa , McDonnell Elaine T.
Published: November 2022

Background

School breakfast programs (SBP) play an important role in reducing food insecurity and helping provide children with adequate nutrition. Using alternative service methods such as breakfast in the classroom, grab and go, and second chance breakfast may increase student participation.

Methods

We compared the SBP participation of students in 194 Pennsylvania schools that received a mini‐grant to support the implementation of an alternative service method to participation in the academic year prior to implementation. In addition, we examined SBP participation in 90 schools that did not receive such a mini‐grant to determine the change in participation in these schools over the 2‐year period and compared this to the change in participation in schools that did receive a mini‐grant.

Results

Overall, SBP participation in schools that received the mini‐grant increased over the 2‐year study period, a change that was not seen in schools that did not receive the mini‐grant. The largest increases were seen in schools that implemented the breakfast in the classroom model.

Conclusions

Alternative service methods, particularly breakfast in the classroom, are associated with increased participation in the SBP and therefore increase access to adequate nutrition and food security for school children.
Community‐based legislative representation and postcolonial ethnic civil warfare in former British and French colonies
Authors: Jeong Tay
Published: November 2022

Recent research argued that the colonial policy of community‐based representation in the legislative assembly strongly increases the risk of postcolonial ethnic warfare in former British and French colonies. This paper delves deeper into the relationship by using an updated dataset that codes the receipt or non‐receipt of communal representation for nearly all ethnic groups in former British and French colonies. The results confirm the war‐inducing effect of this communalising colonial policy and additionally find that such an effect applies relatively uniformly to groups that benefited from this policy as well as those that were excluded from it. In addition, based on sociological theory and previous research, it was hypothesised that a combination of precolonial receipt of communal legislative representation and postcolonial political exclusion would make an ethnic group particularly prone to postcolonial ethnic warfare. This hypothesis, however, was not supported by the data. This null result has theoretical implications for our understanding of the conditions that give rise to conflict‐inducing psychological strain in the field of colonialism and ethnic warfare.
Transformations in contemporary Quebec nationalism, 1960–2020: A shift in the sources of collective animosities
Authors: Rocher François
Published: November 2022

This article is interested in the shift of the object of hostility, which historically fuelled Quebec nationalism. The main targets of discontent have long been the ‘rest of Canada’ and the lower socio‐economic status of Francophones. After the 1995 independence referendum, the feeling of dissatisfaction with Canada, and even resentment, gradually faded. This retreating within Quebec's borders has led many French‐speaking Quebecers to become concerned about the conditions that make possible the preservation of their cultural and linguistic heritage in North America. This shift has meant that the source of concern is now individuals and groups who do not share this heritage rooted in Western Judeo‐Christian values or who are perceived not to adhere to the concerns related to the preservation and development of the French character and the dominant values within the ‘Quebec nation’. The expression of these concerns has manifested itself primarily in debates about the place religion should occupy in public and civic spaces since the mid‐2000s.
Forming an anti‐imperialist national identity in Republican China: The Finnish interpretation
Authors: Airaksinen Tiina H.
Published: November 2022

This article focuses on Finnish national identities because they expressed the shared experiences of newly established Finnish communities, and they were crucial in constructing a new nation. It also explores created images of the Finnish and Finland, as well as community construction in Republican China, especially after Finland gained independence in 1917. Another aim is to examine those Finnish political, cultural and economic activities that supported their identity construction in China. The specific emphasis will be on analysing the largest and sometimes cross‐functioning Finnish groups in China: the governmental officials and the commercial community. By using qualitative methods, namely, discourse analysis and historical analysis, this study shows how the Finnish community created alternative, sometimes imaginative and frequently anti‐imperialist national identities in the new Republican China. Indeed, by signing the Treaty Principles of Reciprocity and Equal Treatment, it was agreed that Finland and China ‘shall enjoy same rights, privileges, favours, immunities and exemptions which [might] be accorded to similar foreign agents in accordance with the principles of international law’. This article argues that Finnish aspirations were positively regarded by many Chinese, and they respected this quite unique national connection with Finland.
Stress‐induced F‐Box protein‐coding geneOsFBX257modulates drought stress adaptations and ABA responses in rice
Authors: Sharma Eshan , Bhatnagar Akanksha , Bhaskar Avantika , Majee Susmita M. , Kieffer Martin , Kepinski Stefan , Khurana Paramjit , Khurana Jitendra P.
Published: November 2022

F‐box (FB) proteins that form part of SKP1‐CUL1‐F‐box (SCF) type of E3 ubiquitin ligases are important components of plant growth and development. Here we characterizedOsFBX257, a rice FB protein‐coding gene that is differentially expressed under drought conditions and other abiotic stresses. Population genomics analysis suggest thatOsFBX257shows high allelic diversity inausaccessions and has been under positive selection in somejaponica,aromaticandindicacultivars. Interestingly, allelic variation atOsFBX257inauscultivar Nagina22 is associated with an alternatively spliced transcript. Conserved among land plants, OsFBX257 is a component of the SCF complex, can form homomers and interact molecularly with the 14‐3‐3 rice proteins GF14b and GF14c.OsFBX257is co‐expressed in a network involving protein kinases and phosphatases. We show that OsFBX257 can bind the kinases OsCDPK1 and OsSAPK2, and that its phosphorylation can be reversed by phosphatase OsPP2C08.OsFBX257expression level modulates root architecture and drought stress tolerance in rice.OsFBX257knockdown (OsFBX257KD) lines show reduced total root length and depth, crown root number, panicle size and survival under stress. In contrast, its overexpression(OsFBX257OE) increases root depth, leaf and grain length, number of panicles, and grain yield in rice.OsFBX257is a promising breeding target for alleviating drought stress‐induced damage in rice.
Involvement of inflammation in the medial temporal region in the development of agitation in Alzheimer's disease: an in vivo positron emission tomography study
Authors: Yasuno Fumihiko , Kimura Yasuyuki , Ogata Aya , Ikenuma Hiroshi , Abe Junichiro , Minami Hiroyuki , Nihashi Takashi , Yokoi Kastunori , Hattori Saori , Shimoda Nobuyoshi , Watanabe Atsushi , Kasuga Kensaku , Ikeuchi Takeshi , Takeda Akinori , Sakurai Takashi , Ito Kengo , Kato Takashi
Published: November 2022

Background

The evaluation of 11C‐DPA‐713 binding using positron emission tomography for quantifying the translocator protein can be a sensitive approach in determining the level of glial activation induced by neuroinflammation. Herein, we aimed to investigate the relationship between regional 11C‐DPA713‐binding potential (BPND) and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in amyloid‐positive Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.

Methods

Fifteen AD patients were enrolled in this study. Correlations were evaluated between the 11C‐DPA713‐BPND and Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI‐Q) scores, including scores in its four domains: agitation, psychosis, affective, and apathy. 11C‐DPA713‐BPND values were compared between groups with and without the neuropsychiatric symptoms for which a relationship was observed in the abovementioned correlation analysis.

Results

A positive correlation was found between the severity of agitation and 11C‐DPA713‐BPND in the Braak 1–3 area, including the amygdala, hippocampal and parahippocampal regions, and lingual and fusiform areas. An increase in the 11C‐DPA713‐BPND was observed in AD patients with agitation. We did not find any significant effects of possible confounding factors, such as age, duration of illness, education, gender, Mini‐Mental State Examination score, cerebrospinal fluid amyloid β 42/40 ratio, and apolipoprotein E4 positivity, on either the 11C‐DPA713‐BPND or agitation score.

Conclusions

Neuroinflammation in the medial temporal region and its neighbouring area was shown to be associated with the development of agitation symptoms in AD patients. Our findings extend those of previous studies showing an association between some NPS and inflammation, suggesting that immunologically based interventions for agitation can serve as an alternative treatment for dementia.
Aerosol exposure of live bird market workers to viable influenza A/H5N1 and A/H9N2 viruses, Cambodia
Authors: Horwood Paul F. , Horm Srey Viseth , Yann Sokhoun , Tok Songha , Chan Malen , Suttie Annika , Y Phalla , Rith Sareth , Siegers Jurre Y. , San Sorn , Davun Holl , Tum Sothyra , Ly Sowath , Tarantola Arnaud , Dussart Philippe , Karlsson Erik A.
Published: November 2022

Live bird markets (LBMs) have been identified as key factors in the spread, persistence and evolution of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). In addition, these settings have been associated with human infections with AIVs of pandemic concern. Exposure to aerosolised AIVs by workers in a Cambodian LBM was assessed using aerosol impact samplers. LBM vendors were asked to wear an air sampler for 30 min per day for 1 week while continuing their usual activities in the LBM during a period of high AIV circulation (February) and a period of low circulation (May). During the period of high circulation, AIV RNA was detected from 100% of the air samplers using molecular methods and viable AIV (A/H5N1 and/or A/H9N2) was isolated from 50% of air samplers following inoculation into embryonated chicken eggs. In contrast, AIV was not detected by molecular methods or successfully isolated during the period of low circulation. This study demonstrates the increased risk of aerosol exposure of LBM workers to AIVs during periods of high circulation and highlights the need for interventions during these high‐risk periods. Novel approaches, such as environmental sampling, should be further explored at key high‐risk interfaces as a potentially cost‐effective alternative for monitoring pandemic threats.
Central command suppresses pressor‐evoked bradycardia at the onset of voluntary standing up in conscious cats
Authors: Ishii Kei , Idesako Mitsuhiro , Asahara Ryota , Liang Nan , Matsukawa Kanji
Published: November 2022

It remains unclear whether cardiac baroreflex function is preserved or suppressed at the onset of standing up. To answer the question and, if cardiac baroreflex is suppressed, to investigate the mechanism responsible for the suppression, we compared the sensitivity of the arterial cardiac baroreflex at the onset of voluntary and passive hindlimb standing in conscious cats. Cardiac baroreflex sensitivity was estimated from the maximal slope of the baroreflex curve between the responses of systolic arterial blood pressure and heart rate to a brief occlusion of the abdominal aorta. The systolic arterial blood pressure response to standing up without aortic occlusion was greater in the voluntary case than in the passive case. Cardiac baroreflex sensitivity was clearly decreased at the onset of voluntary standing up compared with rest (P = 0.005) and the onset of passive standing up (P = 0.007). The cardiac baroreflex sensitivity at the onset of passive standing up was similar to that at rest (P = 0.909). The findings suggest that central command would transmit a modulatory signal to the cardiac baroreflex system during the voluntary initiation of standing up. Furthermore, the present data tempt speculation on a close relationship between central inhibition of the cardiac baroreflex and the centrally induced tachycardiac response to standing up.
Prognostics in Custom-Build Electro-Hydraulic Variable-Speed Drive Applications
Authors: Bak-Jensen Terkil , Schmidt Lasse
Published: November 2022

Developments in the field of condition monitoring for hydraulic applications have gained interest and a solid foundation ofknowledge is largely established. The interest to further develop this into prognostics has increased, as the ability to predict outages and faults implies higher reliability and economical gain. This article presents a short review focusing primarily on the possibilities to enable prognostic control and identifies important features to enable prognostics. In addition, a definition of prognostic quality is proposed including aspects such as isolability, monitorability, cause, and predictability. This is followed by the modeling of an electro-hydraulic variable-speed drive, which is used to design an algorithm to predict maintenance and possible prognostic actions. This is done through monitoring different physical and artificial indicators utilizing the states measured in the system and using the information to predict future health conditions. Thus enabling the possibility to determine if a change in the control would be beneficial in order to extend the duration where the system can fulfill its design requirements. This creates a foundation for a possible methodology to obtain prognostic control for custom-build systems. The strategy proposal involves the identified methods and relates them to the covered topics in the review.
Autofrettage and Its Impact on High-Cycle Fatigue of Hydraulic Components
Authors: Rambaks Andris , Bauer Niklas , Knipper Paul , Schmitz Katharina
Published: November 2022

Aluminium alloys represent a cost-effective alternative to titanium alloys for hydraulic components in the aerospace industry. However, the inferior mechanical properties of these materials have limited their use at high pressures and hence prevented their wider adoption. Application of the autofrettage process overcomes these deficiencies and enables the use of aluminium alloys at high-pressures. In this paper, the impact of autofrettage on fatigue life is investigated by means of FEM simulations and application of the stress-life concept. Numerical calculations demonstrate that by subjecting hydraulic components to the autofrettage process significant increases in the number of cycles until failure are achievable.
Design and Modeling of Heave Compensation System Based on Secondary Regulation Technology
Authors: Wang Jingfu , Zhu Tianbao , Su Zhiyong , Tang Haodi , Zang Xu
Published: November 2022

The heave movement caused by the movement of the mother ship during the operation of the marine crane has great harm to the safety of equipment and personnel. In this paper, the structural model of the marine crane is established. According to the rigid-flexible coupling system existing in the marine crane, the Newton-Euler method and the Lagrange method are used to model the rigid part and the flexible part respectively, and the rigid part and the flexible part are modeled. The kinematics and dynamics are analyzed in this model, and the influence of the in-plane angle and out-of-plane angle generated by the swing of the hanging object cable on the heave direction of the hanging object is studied. Considering the influence of the in-plane angle and the out-of-plane angle, a heave compensation system based on the secondary adjustment technology is established, and the heave compensation is realized through the hydraulic secondary adjustment technology. The numerical simulation of the kinematic model of the marine crane is carried out, the inner loop and the outer loop of the secondary element double closed-loop speed control system model are simulated respectively, and finally the overall heave compensation system is simulated. The simulation results show that the marine crane model obtained by using the Newton-Euler method and the Lagrange method to model the rigid part and the flexible part respectively is effective, and the double closed-loop speed regulation of the secondary element is effective and the system model is also feasible. In addition, the heave compensation system can well suppress the displacement deviation of the hanging object in the heave direction.