bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is it time for a national strategy to attract international students?
Authors: Dennis Marguerite J.
Published: August 2024

A few years ago, I was asked by officials at the University of Alberta in Canada to give a workshop on trends in international education. When I began my research on the university, I was first taken to a site that promoted studying in Canada.
Tackling global crises with the humanities: ASU's new BA in culture, technology, and environment
Authors: May Rachel
Published: August 2024

Arizona State University recently announced their new BA program in Culture, Technology, and Environment, which “engages all three” of their “humanities schools to uncover how English, film, history, language, culture, religion, and philosophy can work together to solve the significant issues that societies and environments face.” ASU's is the first U.S. undergraduate program to combine culture, technology, and environment, and is available online or face‐to‐face.
Biogas production from Udara seeds inoculated with food waste digestate and its optimal output for energy utilities: Central composite design and machine learning approach
Authors: Iweka Sunday Chukwuka , Ighofiomoni Michael Oghale , Falowo Olayomi Abiodun , Oladunni Atilade A.
Published: August 2024

Anaerobic digestion of abundant feedstock from biomaterials is a good innovative fossil fuel alternative approach for the synthesis of green fuel (biogas). Rotatable central composite design (CCD) and machine learning (ML) via Python coding were successfully used to design, optimize, and predict the rate of biogas production from stew‐rice and eggs digestate with Udara seeds in an anaerobic unit. Two‐input parameters, such as inoculation ratio (S/I) and hydraulic reaction time (HRT) were considered, resulting in 13 experimental setups under mesophilic surroundings of 25–34°C. Mixture ratios of substrate/inoculum (S/I) of 0.98:1, 1.5:1, 2.75:1, 2.75:1, 4:1, 1.5: 1, and 4.52:1 were used against 30, 20, 44.14, 15.86, 40, 40, and 30 days HRT as modeled by CCD rotatable to optimize biogas production from crushed Udara seeds with spoilt stew‐rice and eggs digestate. From the results, it was observed that the coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9573 was generated via CCD rotatable whereas, the R2 of 1 was generated from the multivariate regression of ML approach. Also, the data and graphs derived via ML were superior to the ones derived from CCD rotatable. However, the maximum output of 4.84 L at 4 mixing ratio and 40 days HRT from CCD rotatable is close to the ML value of 4.89 L under the same input factors, yet ML yielded more. Thus, it is clear that the Python‐based ML algorithm approach has the potential to predict biogas output better than CCD rotatable. However, the Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry analysis of the highest output produced generated 63.29% biomethane and 26.71% CO2 by volume and produced a flashpoint of −167°C which is flammable. Thus, the generated biogas via an anaerobic unit can be transmitted into large‐scale commercial applications for the betterment of mankind.
Toward a smart forecasting model in supply chain management: A case study of coffee in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Thi Thuy Hanh , Bekrar Abdelghani , Le Thi Muoi , Abed Mourad , Kantasa‐ard Anirut
Published: August 2024

Forecasting is a crucial part of supply chain management. Accurate forecasts have a strong influence on supply chain performance. Many forecasting methods have been developed and adapted in various domains and industries. However, none are perfect in all contexts due to the data's characteristics and the methods' strength. Hence, we propose a new ARIMAX‐LSTM hybrid forecasting model that integrates ARIMAX and LSTM models to improve the ability to capture different combinations of linear and nonlinear patterns in time series. Our proposed model is validated in a case study of coffee demand in Vietnam. The case study results show that our proposed model outperforms the well‐known single and current hybrid models regarding performance measures and degree of association. Moreover, to prove the model's robustness, we test and compare our proposed model to the previous study for Thailand's agricultural products (pineapple, corn, and cassava). Computational results demonstrate that our hybrid model is superior in the majority of experiments. It has a strong capability of predicting complex time series data. Furthermore, our proposed method increases forecasting accuracy and enhances supply chain performance (measured by the bullwhip effect; net‐stock amplification, and transportation cost.
Forecasting USD/RMB exchange rate using the ICEEMDAN‐CNN‐LSTM model
Authors: Zhou Yun , Zhu Xuxu
Published: August 2024

Because the exchange rate is essentially a dynamic and nonlinear system, exchange rate forecasting has been one of the most challenging topics in the financial field. This paper proposes a novel idea of “decomposition‐reconstruction‐integration” to predict exchange rate. First, based on ICEEMDAN, the original sequences are decomposed into multifrequency IMFs. Second, we use t‐test to determine the high‐frequency IMFs, low‐frequency IMFs, and trend sequence and reconstruct the high‐frequency IMFs into a new component sequence. Third, we use CNN‐LSTM model to predict these components separately and finally get the final prediction result by integration. This paper takes the USD/RMB exchange rate as research object, and the experimental results show that (1) the fluctuations of USD/RMB exchange rate are mainly affected by the trend sequence and low‐frequency IMFs and are less affected by high‐frequency IMFs. (2) The evaluation criterions RMSE, MAE, and MAPE of the ICEEMDAN‐CNN‐LSTM model are relatively small, with values of 0.0156, 0.0112, and 0.1679, respectively, indicating that the predictive performance of the model is optimal. (3) This paper has conducted various robust tests, all of which indicate that the proposed model has high prediction accuracy and stability. In summary, this paper has certain theoretical significance and application value.
Representation of women in clinical trials supporting FDA‐approval of contemporary cancer therapies
Authors: Kalathoor Sujay , Ghazi Sanam , Otieno Beryl , Babcook Melissa A. , Chen Sunnia , Nidhi Neha , Bae Junu , Pierre‐Charles Jovan , Breathett Khadijah , Mazimba Sula , Johnson Amber , Brewer LaPrincess , Mohammed Selma , Carter Rebecca R. , Bonsu Janice M. , Ferdousi Mussammat , Kola‐Kehinde Onaopepo , McLaughlin Eric , Brammer Jonathan , Ruz Patrick , Khan Sarah , Odei Bismarck , Mitchell Darrion , Wei Lai , Patel Prem , Paskett Electra D. , Addison Daniel
Published: August 2024

Contemporary anticancer therapies frequently have different efficacy and side effects in men and women. Yet, whether women are well‐represented in pivotal trials supporting contemporary anticancer drugs is unknown. Leveraging the Drugs@FDA database, clinicaltrials.gov, MEDLINE, and publicly available FDA‐drug‐reviews, we identified all pivotal (phase II and III) non‐sex specific trials supporting FDA‐approval of anticancer drugs (1998–2018). Observed‐enrollment‐rates were compared to expected‐population‐rates derived from concurrent US‐National‐Cancer‐Institute's Surveillance‐Epidemiology‐and‐End‐Results (SEER) reported rates and US‐Census databases. Primary outcome was the proportional representation of women across trials, evaluated by a participation‐to‐prevalence ratio (PPR), according to cancer type. Secondary outcome was the report of any sex‐specific analysis of efficacy and/or safety, irrespective of treatment‐arm. Overall, there were 148 trials, enrolling 60,216 participants (60.5 ± 4.0 years, 40.7% female, 79.1% biologic, targeted, or immune‐based therapies) evaluating 99 drugs. Sex was reported in 146 (98.6%) trials, wherein 40.7% (24,538) were women, compared to 59.3% (35,678) men (p < .01). Altogether, women were under‐represented in 66.9% trials compared to the proportional incidence of cancers by respective disease type; weight‐average PPR of 0.91 (relative difference: ‐9.1%, p < .01). Women were most under‐represented in gastric (PPR = 0.63), liver (PPR = 0.71), and lung (PPR = .81) cancer trials. Sex‐based safety data was reported in 4.0% trials. There was no association between adequate female enrollment and drug efficacy (HR: 0.616 vs. 0.613, p = .96). Over time, there was no difference in the percentage of women recruited into clinical trials. Among pivotal clinical trials supporting contemporary FDA‐approved cancer drugs, women were frequently under‐represented and sex‐specific‐efficacy and safety‐outcomes were commonly not reported.
Long‐term patient‐reported values following cancer surgery: A global survey study
Authors: Joseph Edward A. , Abdullah Abiha , Maxwell Conor M. , Yellin Samuel , Chalikonda Sricharan , Bartlett David L. , Allen Casey J.
Published: August 2024

Background and Objectives

We evaluated the long‐term quality of life (QOL) and priorities of an international cohort of cancer surgery survivors.

Methods

Patients were surveyed through online support groups. We utilized the Short Form‐12 questionnaire to evaluate QOL and a novel survey to assess the relative importance of longevity, experience, and costs.

Results

A total of 592 patients from six continents responded. They were 58 ± 12 years old, 70% female, and 92% White. Patients averaged 37 months from their initial cancer diagnosis, with a maximum survivorship of 46 years. Across 17 disease sites, respondents generally ranked longevity, functional independence, and emotional well‐being most important, while treatment experience and costs were ranked least important (W = 33.6%, p < 0.001). However, a subset of respondents ranked costs as significantly important. There were no differences in QOL based on demographics, except patients with higher education and income reported better QOL scores. Despite improvements in QOL throughout survivorship, both physical‐QOL (41.1 ± 11.1 at 1 year vs. 42.3 ± 12.6 at 5 years, p = 0.511) and mental‐QOL (41.3 ± 13.4 at 1 year vs. 44.6 ± 13.9 at 5 years, p = 0.039) remained below that of the general population (50 ± 10; both p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Cancer survivors experience enduring physical and mental impairment throughout survivorship. Future efforts should aim to provide sustained support across varied socioeconomic groups, ensuring equitable care and enhancement of QOL postcancer treatment.
More than meets the eye: Augmented reality in surgical oncology
Authors: Prasad Kavita , Fassler Carly , Miller Alexis , Aweeda Marina , Pruthi Sumit , Fusco Joseph C. , Daniel Bruce , Miga Michael , Wu Jie Ying , Topf Michael C.
Published: August 2024

Background and Objectives

In the field of surgical oncology, there has been a desire for innovative techniques to improve tumor visualization, resection, and patient outcomes. Augmented reality (AR) technology superimposes digital content onto the real‐world environment, enhancing the user's experience by blending digital and physical elements. A thorough examination of AR technology in surgical oncology has yet to be performed.

Methods

A scoping review of intraoperative AR in surgical oncology was conducted according to the guidelines and recommendations of The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐analyzes Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA‐ScR) framework. All original articles examining the use of intraoperative AR during surgical management of cancer were included. Exclusion criteria included virtual reality applications only, preoperative use only, fluorescence, AR not specific to surgical oncology, and study design (reviews, commentaries, abstracts).

Results

A total of 2735 articles were identified of which 83 were included. Most studies (52) were performed on animals or phantom models, while the remaining included patients. A total of 1112 intraoperative AR surgical cases were performed across the studies. The most common anatomic site was brain (20 articles), followed by liver (16), renal (9), and head and neck (8). AR was most often used for intraoperative navigation or anatomic visualization of tumors or critical structures but was also used to identify osteotomy or craniotomy planes.

Conclusions

AR technology has been applied across the field of surgical oncology to aid in localization and resection of tumors.
Accuracy and consistency of publicly available Large Language Models as clinical decision support tools for the management of colon cancer
Authors: Kaiser Kristen N. , Hughes Alexa J. , Yang Anthony D. , Turk Anita A. , Mohanty Sanjay , Gonzalez Andrew A. , Patzer Rachel E. , Bilimoria Karl Y. , Ellis Ryan J.
Published: August 2024

Background

Large Language Models (LLM; e.g., ChatGPT) may be used to assist clinicians and form the basis of future clinical decision support (CDS) for colon cancer. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the response accuracy of two LLM‐powered interfaces in identifying guideline‐based care in simulated clinical scenarios and (2) define response variation between and within LLMs.

Methods

Clinical scenarios with “next steps in management” queries were developed based on National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Prompts were entered into OpenAI ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot in independent sessions, yielding four responses per scenario. Responses were compared to clinician‐developed responses and assessed for accuracy, consistency, and verbosity.

Results

Across 108 responses to 27 prompts, both platforms yielded completely correct responses to 36% of scenarios (n = 39). For ChatGPT, 39% (n = 21) were missing information and 24% (n = 14) contained inaccurate/misleading information. Copilot performed similarly, with 37% (n = 20) having missing information and 28% (n = 15) containing inaccurate/misleading information (p = 0.96). Clinician responses were significantly shorter (34 ± 15.5 words) than both ChatGPT (251 ± 86 words) and Copilot (271 ± 67 words; both p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Publicly available LLM applications often provide verbose responses with vague or inaccurate information regarding colon cancer management. Significant optimization is required before use in formal CDS.
Prognostic utility of circulating tumor DNA methylation analysis in stage IV colorectal cancer
Authors: Momose Hirotaka , Sugimoto Kiichi , Irie Takahiro , Nomura Sachio , Ro Hisashi , Ishiyama Shun , Takahashi Makoto , Pisanic Thomas , Sakamoto Kazuhiro
Published: August 2024

Background and Objectives

Our aim in this study was to investigate the usefulness of circulating tumor (ct) DNA methylation analysis for predicting long‐term outcomes after resection in Stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods

Methylation analyses were performed on 95 plasma samples from patients with CRC who underwent surgery. The methylation status (relative methylation value: RMV) of CpG within the promoter region of three genes (CHFR, SOX11, and CDO1) was assessed to quantitative methylation‐specific PCR (qMSP) analysis.

Results

In the patients who had undergone resection of the primary tumor and metastatic organs with curative intent, the CHFR‐RMV high group had significantly worse recurrence‐free survival (RFS) compared with the CHFR‐RMV low group (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that CHFR‐RMV was a significant independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio = 2.63 (1.29–5.36); p = 0.008). In the patients who had undergone resection of the primary tumor with metastatic organs with curative intent after neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy, the SOX11‐RMV high group had significantly worse RFS compared with the SOX11‐RMV low group (p = 0.004).

Conclusions

The current study showed the usefulness of ctDNA methylation analysis for predicting the possibility of curative resection and long‐term outcomes after resection in Stage IV CRC. A future prospective study is needed to obtain more conclusive results.
Oncogenic pathway signatures predict the risk of progression and recurrence in well‐differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
Authors: Mederos Michael A. , Court Colin M. , Dipardo Benjamin J. , Pisegna Joseph R. , Dawson David W. , Joe Hines O. , Donahue Timothy R. , Graeber Thomas G. , Girgis Mark D. , Tomlinson James S.
Published: August 2024

Background

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are genomically diverse tumors. The management of newly diagnosed well‐differentiated pNETs is limited by a lack of sensitivity of existing biomarkers for prognostication. Our goal was to investigate the potential utility of genetic markers as a predictor of progression‐free survival (PFS) and recurrence‐free survival (RFS).

Methods

Whole‐exome sequencing of resected well‐differentiated, low and intermediate‐grade (G1 and G2) pNETs and normal adjacent tissue from patients who underwent resection from 2005 to 2015 was performed. Genetic alterations were classified using pan‐genomic and oncogenic pathway classifications. Additional samples with genetic and clinicopathologic data available were obtained from the publicly available International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database and included in the analysis. The prognostic relevance of these genomic signatures on PFS and RFS was analyzed.

Results

Thirty‐one patients who underwent resection for pNET were identified. Genomic analysis of mutational, copy number, cytogenetic, and complex phenomena revealed similar patterns to prior studies of pNETs with relatively few somatic gene mutations but numerous instances of copy number changes. Analysis of genomic and clinicopathologic outcomes using the combined data from our study as well as the ICGC pNET cohort (n = 124 patients) revealed that the recurrent pattern of whole chromosome loss (RPCL) and metastatic disease were independently associated with disease progression. When evaluating patients with local disease at the time of resection, RPCL and alterations in the TGFβ oncogenic pathway were independently associated with the risk of recurrence.

Conclusions

Well‐differentiated pNETs are genomically diverse tumors. Pathway signatures may be prognostic for predicting disease progression and recurrence.
Assessment of Fetal Ventricular Size and Shape in Women With Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy Using Speckle Tracking
Authors: Li Rui , Wang Wan , Qiu Xia , He Ting , Tang Xiaoqin
Published: August 2024

Objective

To examine the effect of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) on fetal heart morphology.

Methods

This case–control study was conducted with 40 women with ICP and 54 pregnant controls. Fetal heart quantification based on speckle tracking technology was used to assess the morphology of the fetal right and left ventricles. Routine ventricular size parameters, global and 24‐segment spherical indices (SIs) were measured and compared between groups.

Results

The routine fetal cardiac parameters, global and right‐ventricular SIs did not differ between the ICP and control groups. The left‐ventricular apical (segments 16‐24) SIs were lower in the ICP group than in the control group (P < .05), with no significant difference in the other left‐ventricular segments.

Conclusions

Subclinical morphological changes were observed in the left ventricular apical segments of the fetal hearts in women with ICP, which indicates an intrauterine environment with high bile acid concentrations. Twenty‐four‐segment SIs can be used to effectively evaluate these changes.
Mindsets and mirrors: How growth mindsets shape anthropomorphism in AI‐enabled technologies
Authors: Chen Qian Qian , Yi Youjae
Published: August 2024

Across multiple studies, we found that people with a growth mindset (whose abilities are believed to be developable) are more likely to see artificial intelligence (AI) devices as human‐like. This effect holds for intelligent personal assistants, where growth‐mindset users attributed more human qualities to these AI helpers. Furthermore, people with a growth mindset were more open to new experiences and felt less threatened by AI, which in turn made them see AI as more human‐like. Interestingly, the more human‐like the AI features became, the less a growth mindset influenced how human‐like people perceived the AI. Our findings highlight the importance of designing AI that can be personalized and adapt to user needs. They also suggest a connection between how human‐like AI appears and how threatening people perceive it. This knowledge can be used to create AI technology that is user‐centered and fosters positive interactions.
Cross‐licensing or not: The optimal choices of competing ICT firms in a duopoly market
Authors: Liu Yifan , Li Minqiang , Feng Haiyang , Feng Nan
Published: August 2024

Cross‐licensing, which grants each party the right to produce products using the other's patents, is a prevalent strategy for information and communications technology (ICT) firms to improve product quality and respond to intense competition. This study focuses on the cross‐licensing choices of two competing ICT firms that engage in price competition with substitutable products of different quality levels. Using a game‐theoretical model, we find that each firm will have a higher (lower) profit as its competitor's product quality improves in a price‐sensitive (quality‐sensitive) market. Signing a cross‐licensing agreement is profitable for the two firms when their quality improvements are roughly symmetric or when customers are sensitive to the price difference but less sensitive to the quality difference. Furthermore, we examine the quality‐to‐price ratio, which reflects customer perceived value, and find that cross‐licensing may achieve a win–win–win situation for both firms and customers when there is no significant difference in quality improvements between the two firms or when the competition intensity is moderate. The rationale behind these results hinges on the integration of the quality improvement effect and the quality differentiation effect. The results explain the observations of ICT firms' cross‐licensing practices and provide managerial implications for ICT firms and policymakers.
A frequency reconfigurable microstrip antenna with radiation and scattering state switching
Authors: Zhang Lin‐Man , Ding Xiao , Bozzi Maurizio
Published: August 2024

This letter presents the theoretical investigation by a transmission line model and the physical implementation of a novel frequency reconfigurable microstrip antenna with switchable states. More specifically, by using voltage‐controlled PIN diodes, the antenna can be switched between a radiation state and a low‐scattering state. In the radiation state, the operation frequency of the antenna can be electrically modified between 1.5 and 2.3 GHz by acting on the voltage applied to the varactors. In the low‐scattering state, the antenna achieves a significant in‐band radar cross section reduction, with a maximum value of 26.7 dB. The proposed antenna is fabricated and measured. The validity of the proposed strategy is verified by the good agreement between simulated and measurement results. The antenna designed by the proposed approach has great advantages in the radiation performance, aperture size, profile height and design freedom. This work indicates the feasibility of employing the reconfiguration technique to mnipulate the scattering features of an antenna without deteriorating its radiation characteristics.
Effect of berberine combined with metformin on autophagy in polycystic ovary syndrome by regulating AMPK/AKT/mTOR pathway
Authors: Jin Ruiying , Chen Aixue , Ye Yongju , Ren Yuefang , Lu Jiali , Xuan Feilan , Zhou Weimei
Published: August 2024

The pathologic mechanism of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is related to increased autophagy of granulosa cells. Both berberine and metformin have been shown to improve PCOS, but whether the combination of berberine and metformin can better improve PCOS by inhibiting autophagy remains unclear. PCOS models were constructed by injecting dehydroepiandrosterone into rats, and berberine, metformin or berberine combined with metformin was administered to rats after modeling. Rats' body weight and ovarian weight were measured before and after modeling. Histopathological examination of ovarian tissue and estrous cycle analysis of rats were performed. Insulin resistance, hormone levels, oxidative stress, and lipid metabolism in PCOS rats were assessed. Expression of the AMPK/AKT/mTOR pathway and autophagy‐related proteins was analyzed by Western blot assays. Granulosa cells were isolated from rat ovarian tissue and identified by immunofluorescence staining followed by transmission electron microscopy analysis. Berberine combined with metformin reduced the body weight and ovarian weight of PCOS rats, increased the number of primordial and primary follicles, decreased the number of secondary and atretic follicles, normalized the estrous cycle, and improved insulin resistance, androgen biosynthesis, oxidative stress and lipid metabolism disorders, and increased estrogen production. In addition, berberine combined with metformin reduced the number of autophagosomes in granulosa cells, which may be related to AMPK/AKT/mTOR pathway activation, decreased Beclin1 and LC3II/LC3I levels, and increased p62 expression. Berberine combined with metformin could inhibit autophagy by activating the AMPK/AKT/mTOR pathway in PCOS, indicating that berberine combined with metformin is a potential treatment strategy for PCOS.
Improved visualization of intracranial distal arteries with multiple 2D slice dynamic ASL‐MRA and super‐resolution convolutional neural network
Authors: Suzuki Yuriko , Koktzoglou Ioannis , Li Ziyu , Jezzard Peter , Okell Thomas
Published: August 2024

Purpose

To develop a novel framework to improve the visualization of distal arteries in arterial spin labeling (ASL) dynamic MRA.

Methods

The attenuation of ASL blood signal due to the repetitive application of excitation RF pulses was minimized by splitting the acquisition volume into multiple thin 2D (M2D) slices, thereby reducing the exposure of the arterial blood magnetization to RF pulses while it flows within the brain. To improve the degraded vessel visualization in the slice direction due to the limited minimum achievable 2D slice thickness, a super‐resolution (SR) convolutional neural network (CNN) was trained by using 3D time‐of‐flight (TOF)‐MRA images from a large public dataset. And then, we applied domain transfer from 3D TOF‐MRA to M2D ASL‐MRA, while avoiding acquiring a large number of ASL‐MRA data required for CNN training.

Results

Compared to the conventional 3D ASL‐MRA, far more distal arteries were visualized with higher signal intensity by using M2D ASL‐MRA. In general, however, the vessel visualization with a conventional interpolation was prone to be blurry and unclear due to the limited spatial resolution in the slice direction, particularly in small vessels. Application of CNN‐based SR transferred from 3D TOF‐MRA to M2D ASL‐MRA successfully addressed such a limitation and achieved clearer visualization of small vessels than conventional interpolation.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that the proposed framework provides improved visualization of distal arteries in later dynamic phases, which will particularly benefit the application of this approach in patients with cerebrovascular disease who have slow blood flow.
Evaluating the effects of geographic adjustments on poverty measures using self‐reported financial well‐being
Authors: Larrimore Jeff
Published: August 2024

A central aspect of poverty measurement is identifying the people and places experiencing financial hardships. This paper explores this relationship using the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Financial Well‐Being Scale, which reflects individuals’ self‐assessments of financial challenges. Using this measure, for every 1 percentage point increase in a state's official poverty rate for working‐age adults, there is a 0.59 percentage point increase in the share with low financial well‐being. In contrast, the supplemental poverty rate is negatively correlated with the financial hardship using the CFPB measure. This reflects the supplemental poverty measure's geographic adjustment shifting poverty towards areas with lower rates of financial hardship.
A study on: Impact on novel clay dispersion on mechanical, thermal and vibration properties of glass fiber‐reinforced interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) hybrid composites
Authors: Naveen Kumar M. , Vijaya Kumar K. R. , Suresh G. , Chinnathambi Muthukaruppan Meenakshi , Vezhavendhan R. , Chandramohan P. , Rathinasabapathi G.
Published: August 2024

In this study, the effects of various weight percentages of montmorillonite nanoclay particulates (0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 9%) are fabricated using the hand‐layup technique, and their physical properties are thoroughly examined. To accurately extract the specific qualities of the matrix materials, the concept of interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) is implemented by blending 70% epoxy and 30% polyurethane, thereby achieving meticulous control over the individual matrix properties. Besides, E‐glass fiber (biaxial woven mat) is selected as the reinforcement to provide structural rigidity to the IPN laminate. As well, to comprehensively evaluate the mechanical properties of the nanoclay and E‐glass fiber‐reinforced composites, a series of tests are conducted according to ASTM standards. These tests included dynamic mechanical analysis (with a tan δ value of 0.171), tensile strength (345.71 MPa), flexural strength (312.67 MPa), impact strength (22 kJ/m2), heat deflection analysis (HDT at 88°C), and free vibration analysis (with natural frequencies of Mode I—25.12 Hz, Mode II—158.36 Hz, Mode III—424.87 Hz, and Mode IV—736.72 Hz). Out the study, reveals that, incorporating 5% nanoclay significantly enhanced all measured properties to their maximum extent. Additionally, to gain a better understanding of the micromechanics between the fiber, particulates, and matrix, the fractured specimens are thoroughly analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. Also, study aims to employ nanoclay‐incorporated composite materials in various advanced applications such as packaging delivery systems, military systems, magnetic shielding operations, detectors, and information technology industries.

Highlights

Utilization of nanoclay significantly enhances the strength of composites.

IPN laminates were fabricated with filler loads ranging from 0% to 7%.

Mechanical properties of IPN laminates have been comprehensively investigated.

DMA and vibration tests conducted to assess the aptness of the filler inclusion.

SEM analyses clearly revealed superior compactness with 5% nanoclay addition.
The mechanical and microstructure investigations of jute fabric epoxy reinforced with microfibers from banana and coconut
Authors: Al Mahmud Zobair , Chowdhury Shakil , Sarker Abdul Hannan , Rabbi S. M. Fazle , Rayhan Thohid , Reja Rafiqul Islam , Mobarak Hosne , Hossain Nayem
Published: August 2024

This study investigates the use of jute cloth epoxy reinforced with microfibers from coconuts and bananas to investigate bio‐inspired composite materials. The development and assessment of the mechanical qualities of two composite types—jute fabric containing 10% banana microfibers and jute fabric containing 10% coconut microfibers—were the main goals. These composites were made for the study, and then they underwent extensive mechanical testing (such as tensile, bending, and impact tests) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) microstructural examination. Jute cloth, which is renowned for its sustainability, was utilized as the foundation material, and epoxy was utilized as the matrix to improve structural stability. Fibers from bananas and coconuts were included because of their durability and low weight. The findings suggested that, maybe as a result of variations in density, the composite containing 10% coconut fibers performed better mechanically than the one containing banana fibers. These discoveries signify a substantial breakthrough in bio‐inspired materials and have potential uses in sectors looking for environmentally friendly substitutes. This research may help create green composites with improved mechanical properties by deepening our understanding of the interactions between jute, epoxy, and natural fibers.

Highlights

Banana and coconut fibers enhance the composite's tensile strength significantly.

The material's bending properties show promise for diverse load‐bearing applications.

High impact resistance makes the composite viable for impact‐prone environments.

SEM analysis confirms homogeneous integration of fibers within the epoxy matrix.
Hypothalamic cannabinoid signaling: Consequences for eating behavior
Authors: Lord Magen N. , Noble Emily E.
Published: August 2024

In parallel to the legalization of cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes, cannabinoid use has steadily increased over the last decade in the United States. Cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol and anandamide, bind to the central cannabinoid‐1 (CB1) receptor to impact several physiological processes relevant for body weight regulation, including appetite and energy expenditure. The hypothalamus integrates peripheral signals related to energy balance, houses several nuclei that orchestrate eating, and expresses the CB1 receptor. Herein we review literature to date concerning cannabinergic action in the hypothalamus with a specific focus on eating behaviors. We highlight hypothalamic areas wherein researchers have focused their attention, including the lateral, arcuate, paraventricular, and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei, and interactions with the hormone leptin. This review serves as a comprehensive analysis of what is known about cannabinoid signaling in the hypothalamus, highlights gaps in the literature, and suggests future directions.
Bayesian sparse regression for exposure–response analyses of efficacy and safety endpoints to justify the clinical dose of valemetostat for adult T‐cell leukemia/lymphoma
Authors: Fukae Masato , Rogers James , Garcia Ramon , Tachibana Masaya , Shimizu Takako
Published: August 2024

Valemetostat is an oral inhibitor of enhancer of zeste homolog (EZH) 2 and EZH1 approved in Japan for the treatment of adult T‐cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). To support the approved daily dose of 200 mg and inform dose adjustments in patients with ATLL, Bayesian exposure–response analyses were conducted using data from two clinical trials. The analyses included two efficacy endpoints, overall response by central and investigator assessments in patients with ATLL (n = 38, 150–200 mg), and six safety endpoints in patients with non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 102, 150–300 mg), which included grade ≥3 laboratory values for anemia, absolute neutrophil count decreased, and platelet count decreased; any grade ≥3 treatment‐emergent adverse event (TEAE); and dose reductions and dose interruptions due to TEAEs. A slightly positive relationship was observed between unbound exposure and efficacy endpoints. A steeper relationship was observed in safety endpoints, compared with efficacy. Candidate covariate effects, except intercepts of the baseline laboratory values, were regularized via spike and slab priors in a Bayesian framework; only the laboratory values for corresponding hematologic TEAEs were shown to be of substantial impact. The target exposure range was established by defining a modified region of practical equivalence (184–887 ng·h/mL), which was expected to provide satisfactory efficacy and acceptable safety within the range of available exposure data. The simulated exposure range considering inter‐individual variability showed that 200 mg could reach target exposure in the overall population and across subpopulations of interest, supporting the use of valemetostat 200 mg in patients with ATLL.
Structural elucidation of tramadol, its derivatives, and metabolites using chemical derivatization and liquid chromatography–high‐resolution tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Shamai Yamin Tamar , Shifrovitch Avital , Madmon Moran , Prihed Hagit , Weissberg Avi
Published: August 2024

Rationale

Tramadol (T) is a strong painkiller drug that belongs to the opioid analgesic group. Several accidental intoxication cases after oral administration of T have been reported in the past decade. Tramadol, its derivatives, and metabolites present information‐limited mass spectra with one prominent peak representing the amine‐containing residue; therefore, their structural determination based on both electron impact mass spectrometry (EI‐MS) and ESI‐MS/MS spectra could be misleading.

Methods

A novel analytical method for the structural elucidation of tramadol, its four homologs, and its two main phase I metabolites (N‐desmethyltramadol and O‐desmethyltramadol) was developed using chemical modification and liquid chromatography–high‐resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐HR‐MS/MS) with Orbitrap technology.

Results

After chemical derivatization, each of the investigated T series exhibited informative mass spectra that enabled better exposition of their structures. The developed method was successfully implemented to explicitly identify the structures of tramadol and its N‐desmethyltramadol metabolite in urine samples at low ng/mL levels.

Conclusions

An efficient derivatization‐aided strategy was developed for rapidly elucidating the structure of tramadol‐like compounds. The method is intended to assist forensic chemists in better diagnosing T and its analogs and metabolites in clinical or forensic toxicology laboratories.
Thermal alterations of hydro power: Modelling the effect on growth of juvenile salmonids
Authors: L'Abée‐Lund Jan Henning , Sægrov Harald , Skoglund Helge , Ugedal Ola , Vøllestad Leif Asbjørn
Published: August 2024

Hydropower (HP) has become the most important renewable energy source worldwide during the last century. However, the impacts on aquatic ecosystems may be considerable. In the Northern Hemisphere, salmonid fishes are often affected by hydropower‐related temperature alterations. As their metabolic processes are entirely dependent on water temperature, they are strongly affected when the HP development reduces the water temperature during summer by extracting water from below the thermocline of upstream reservoirs. We investigated juvenile growth of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and brown trout S. trutta in six Norwegian rivers where hydropower has considerably reduced the water temperature during summer. We used observed mass of 1+ juveniles sampled upstream and downstream the tailrace of the hydropower plant and compared these with simulated mass of 1+ juveniles based on daily recorded water temperatures and a bioenergetics model. Establishment of reservoirs have led to reduced growth of juveniles of both species on river reaches downstream HP tailraces. The hydropower development significantly altered the temperature regimes with the downstream reaches having lower temperatures than upstream reaches. Both observed and predicted masses of 1+ juveniles of both species were also lower downstream than upstream. Predicted mass were more similar to the observed mass for Atlantic salmon than for brown trout, indicating that the bioenergetics model for brown trout is not optimal.
Skewed Artificial Intelligence: Flagging Embedded Cultural Practices in Children's Stories Featuring “Alice and Sparkle”
Authors: Wandera David B.
Published: August 2024

We live in an age of artificial intelligence (AI). Open AI, an American artificial intelligence organization, claims that generative chatbots are here to stay. Although computer technology remains unevenly distributed, the presence of AI continues to be felt in many areas of daily life. Further, AI development happens in few countries whose cultural practices and beliefs tend to be embedded in AI output and functionality. Western and Global North perspectives tend to dominate conversations about AI. How might AI technology function equitably in an ethno‐racially and linguistically diverse world? This paper explores intersections of technology, coloniality, and bias to contextualize the user‐experience for individuals in groups characterized as high, medium, and low‐resourced languages. For whom does AI function in our globalizing world? Engaging with this question through a languacultural (Agar, 1994) lens, I employ a language and culture perspective to guide inquiry into AI’s output and impact, based on a children’s storybook. Specifically, I deploy Kenyan, Indonesian, and Taiwanese languacultural perspectives of three participants in a culturally cognizant reading (Washington, 2023) of a product of chatbot‐human composing, ‘Alice and Sparkle’, a children’s book illustrated by MidJourney and co‐authored by ChatGPT and Ammaar Reshi. Overall, through scrutiny of encoded cultural tropes and values inscribed within text and images, this paper proposes considerations for literacy pedagogy and research that stem from a pursuit of inclusive AI.
Development of a questionnaire on teachers' beliefs, preparedness, and instructional practices for teaching NGSS science with multilingual learners
Authors: Grapin Scott E. , Plumley Courtney , Banilower Eric , Sterenberg Mahon Alycia J. , Craven Laura , Malzahn Kristen , Pasley Joan , Schwenger Abigail , Haas Alison , Lee Okhee
Published: August 2024

The limited availability of research instruments that reflect the vision of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) restricts the field's understanding of whether and how teachers are making instructional shifts called for by the standards. The need for such instruments is particularly urgent with teachers of multilingual learners (MLs), who are called on to make shifts in how they think about and enact instruction related to both science and language. The purpose of this study was to develop and gather validity evidence for a questionnaire that measures elementary teachers' beliefs, preparedness, and instructional practices for teaching NGSS science with MLs. We report on the development of the questionnaire over three phases that elicited multiple sources of validity evidence: (a) domain specification and expert review, (b) item writing and cognitive interviews, and (c) piloting and final item selection. Data included feedback from experts in science and language domains, cognitive interviews with 48 teachers, and a pilot with 310 teachers. Results indicated that the questionnaire differentiates among teachers with different levels of the underlying constructs and also that teachers' scores relate to their characteristics (e.g., familiarity with the NGSS). We highlight two implications for emerging research on NGSS‐based instrumentation: (a) the difficulty of communicating with teachers about science and language instructional shifts while teachers are still developing their understanding of such shifts and (b) the potential of emerging NGSS‐based instruments to inform professional development. We close with future directions for our research project specifically and the field of science education broadly.
Can Africa–China cooperation influence African green growth to truly alleviate undernourishment? Evidence of the quadruple mediating effect
Authors: Ben Amara Dhekra , Qiao Jiajun
Published: August 2024

Climate change has significantly threatened the global economy and increased the risk of food insecurity. Despite humanitarian efforts, African countries continue to face huge challenges related to global warming and deep undernourishment to reach a sustainable future. In this respect, China and Africa engage in bilateral exchanges to overcome these difficulties. However, exploring sustainable partnerships between China and Africa is a complicated and multifaceted topic, notably in the green economy and treating undernourishment, which needs more pertinence scientific research. Accordingly, this paper aims to explore the combined effect of eco‐innovation, Chinese investment, and trade on green growth while simultaneously addressing the issues of undernourishment in the context of Africa–China cooperation. This study applies the generalized method of moments (GMM) to analyze a sample of 26 African countries over 11 years. This paper finds that eco‐innovations and FDI positively impact green growth, with p‐values below .046. The study reveals that Chinese exports have a detrimental effect on green growth, with p‐values below .033. This paper shows that green growth has a positive impact on undernourishment. This research finds a quadruple mediating effect of green growth between its driving factors and undernourishment. Therefore, our findings demonstrated that China's growing involvement in Africa, mainly through exporting natural resources, is likely to impede the attainment of sustainable development goals. However, countries can still gain from FDI and import sustainable products from China. Lastly, policymakers must consider the importance of the increasing interaction between China and Africa to achieve sustainable growth and reduce undernourishment.
Mesogen Organizations in Nematic Liquid Crystal Elastomers Under Different Deformation Conditions
Authors: Chung Christopher , Jiang Huan , Yu Kai
Published: August 2024

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) exhibit unique mechanical properties of soft elasticity and reversible shape‐changing behaviors, and so serve as potentially transformative materials for various protective and actuation applications. This study contributes to filling a critical knowledge gap in the field by investigating the microscale mesogen organization of nematic LCEs with diverse macroscopic deformation. A polarized Fourier transform infrared light spectroscopy (FTIR) tester is utilized to examine the mesogen organizations, including both the nematic director and mesogen order parameter. Three types of material deformation are analyzed: uniaxial tension, simple shear, and bi‐axial tension, which are all commonly encountered in practical designs of LCEs. By integrating customized loading fixtures into the FTIR tester, mesogen organizations are examined across varying magnitudes of strain levels for each deformation mode. Their relationships with macroscopic stress responses are revealed and compared with predictions from existing theories. Furthermore, this study reveals unique features of mesogen organizations that have not been previously reported, such as simultaneous evolutions of the mesogen order parameter and nematic director in simple shear and bi‐axial loading conditions. Overall, the findings presented in this study offer significant new insights for future rational designs, modeling, and applications of LCE materials.
Carbon Thin‐Film Electrodes as High‐Performing Substrates for Correlative Single Entity Electrochemistry
Authors: Cabré Marc Brunet , Schröder Christian , Pota Filippo , de Oliveira Maida A. Costa , Nolan Hugo , Henderson Lua , Brazel Laurence , Spurling Dahnan , Nicolosi Valeria , Martinuz Pietro , Longhi Mariangela , Amargianou Faidra , Bärmann Peer , Petit Tristan , McKelvey Kim , Colavita Paula E.
Published: August 2024

Correlative methods to characterize single entities by electrochemistry and microscopy/spectroscopy are increasingly needed to elucidate structure‐function relationships of nanomaterials. However, the technical constraints often differ depending on the characterization techniques to be applied in combination. One of the cornerstones of correlative single‐entity electrochemistry (SEE) is the substrate, which needs to achieve a high conductivity, low roughness, and electrochemical inertness. This work shows that graphitized sputtered carbon thin films constitute excellent electrodes for SEE while enabling characterization with scanning probe, optical, electron, and X‐ray microscopies. Three different correlative SEE experiments using nanoparticles, nanocubes, and 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene materials are reported to illustrate the potential of using carbon thin film substrates for SEE characterization. The advantages and unique capabilities of SEE correlative strategies are further demonstrated by showing that electrochemically oxidized Ti3C2Tx MXene display changes in chemical bonding and electrolyte ion distribution.