bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and characterization of ureidopyrimidinone-functionalized polyurethane acrylates and their hybrid nanocomposites for UV coating applications
Authors: Çınar Mert , Çaylı Gökhan , Karataş Sevim
Published: March 2024

In this study, ureidopyrimidinone moieties (UPy), capable of physical crosslinking via quadruple hydrogen bonding, were successfully incorporated into UV-curable polyurethane acrylate prepolymers. First, a hydroxyl-terminated unsaturated ester monomer was synthesized and reacted with isophorone diisocyanate to create a hydroxyl-terminated UV-curable urethane oligomer (U–OH). Then, isocyanate-terminated building blocks (UPy moieties and an acrylate-based photosensitive monomer) were synthesized and used in various ratios to functionalize U–OH for the preparation of a series of UV-curable UPy-containing polyurethane acrylate (PUA) resins. The resulting products were structurally characterized using 1H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. Furthermore, organic–inorganic hybrid nanocomposites were obtained by introducing silane coupling agents into PUA resins using the sol–gel process. A series of UV-curable UPy-containing PUA coatings and hybrid nanocomposites were prepared, and their synergistic effect on coating properties was investigated. The dynamic mechanical analysis revealed that the Tg of the samples increased with increasing UPy content, although the mechanical properties remained largely unaltered, as shown by the stress–strain test. The studies also demonstrated that the hybrid nanocomposites exhibited higher decomposition temperatures and better thermal stability compared to pure PUAs. All the coatings exhibited good transparency in the visible region. An optical microscope was used to investigate the self-healing property by scratching the plexiglass panels with a razor blade. Among the other samples, the coating with the highest percentage of UPy content exhibited the best self-healing ability after heat treatment at 90 °C for 10 min.

Graphical abstract
AI performance by mammographic density in a retrospective cohort study of 99,489 participants in BreastScreen Norway
Authors: Bergan Marie Burns , Larsen Marthe , Moshina Nataliia , Bartsch Hauke , Koch Henrik Wethe , Aase Hildegunn Siv , Satybaldinov Zhanbolat , Haldorsen Ingfrid Helene Salvesen , Lee Christoph I. , Hofvind Solveig
Published: March 2024

Objective

To explore the ability of artificial intelligence (AI) to classify breast cancer by mammographic density in an organized screening program.

Materials and method

We included information about 99,489 examinations from 74,941 women who participated in BreastScreen Norway, 2013–2019. All examinations were analyzed with an AI system that assigned a malignancy risk score (AI score) from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) for each examination. Mammographic density was classified into Volpara density grade (VDG), VDG1–4; VDG1 indicated fatty and VDG4 extremely dense breasts. Screen-detected and interval cancers with an AI score of 1–10 were stratified by VDG.

Results

We found 10,406 (10.5% of the total) examinations to have an AI risk score of 10, of which 6.7% (704/10,406) was breast cancer. The cancers represented 89.7% (617/688) of the screen-detected and 44.6% (87/195) of the interval cancers. 20.3% (20,178/99,489) of the examinations were classified as VDG1 and 6.1% (6047/99,489) as VDG4. For screen-detected cancers, 84.0% (68/81, 95% CI, 74.1–91.2) had an AI score of 10 for VDG1, 88.9% (328/369, 95% CI, 85.2–91.9) for VDG2, 92.5% (185/200, 95% CI, 87.9–95.7) for VDG3, and 94.7% (36/38, 95% CI, 82.3–99.4) for VDG4. For interval cancers, the percentages with an AI score of 10 were 33.3% (3/9, 95% CI, 7.5–70.1) for VDG1 and 48.0% (12/25, 95% CI, 27.8–68.7) for VDG4.

Conclusion

The tested AI system performed well according to cancer detection across all density categories, especially for extremely dense breasts. The highest proportion of screen-detected cancers with an AI score of 10 was observed for women classified as VDG4.

Clinical relevance statement

Our study demonstrates that AI can correctly classify the majority of screen-detected and about half of the interval breast cancers, regardless of breast density.

Key Points

• Mammographic density is important to consider in the evaluation of artificial intelligence in mammographic screening.

• Given a threshold representing about 10% of those with the highest malignancy risk score by an AI system, we found an increasing percentage of cancers with increasing mammographic density.

• Artificial intelligence risk score and mammographic density combined may help triage examinations to reduce workload for radiologists.
Effect of smoking on the diagnostic results and complication rates of percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy
Authors: Lim Woo Hyeon , Lee Jong Hyuk , Park Hyungin , Park Chang Min , Yoon Soon Ho
Published: March 2024

Objective

To investigate the association of smoking with the outcomes of percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB).

Methods

In total, 4668 PTNBs for pulmonary lesions were retrospectively identified. The associations of smoking status (never, former, current smokers) and smoking intensity (≤ 20, 21–40, > 40 pack-years) with diagnostic results (malignancy, non-diagnostic pathologies, and false-negative results in non-diagnostic pathologies) and complications (pneumothorax and hemoptysis) were assessed using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results

Among the 4668 PTNBs (median age of the patients, 66 years [interquartile range, 58–74]; 2715 men), malignancies, non-diagnostic pathologies, and specific benign pathologies were identified in 3054 (65.4%), 1282 (27.5%), and 332 PTNBs (7.1%), respectively. False-negative results for malignancy occurred in 20.5% (236/1153) of non-diagnostic pathologies with decidable reference standards. Current smoking was associated with malignancy (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.69; p = 0.03) and false-negative results (OR, 2.64; 95% CI: 1.32–5.28; p = 0.006), while heavy smoking (> 40 pack-years) was associated with non-diagnostic pathologies (OR, 1.69; 95% CI: 1.19–2.40; p = 0.003) and false-negative results (OR, 2.12; 95% CI: 1.17–3.92; p = 0.02). Pneumothorax and hemoptysis occurred in 21.8% (1018/4668) and 10.6% (495/4668) of PTNBs, respectively. Heavy smoking was associated with pneumothorax (OR, 1.33; 95% CI: 1.01–1.74; p = 0.04), while heavy smoking (OR, 0.64; 95% CI: 0.40–0.99; p = 0.048) and current smoking (OR, 0.64; 95% CI: 0.42–0.96; p = 0.04) were inversely associated with hemoptysis.

Conclusion

Smoking history was associated with the outcomes of PTNBs. Current and heavy smoking increased false-negative results and changed the complication rates of PTNBs.

Clinical relevance statement

Smoking status and intensity were independently associated with the outcomes of PTNBs. Non-diagnostic pathologies should be interpreted cautiously in current or heavy smokers. A patient’s smoking history should be ascertained before PTNB to predict and manage complications.

Key Points

• Smoking status and intensity might independently contribute to the diagnostic results and complications of PTNBs.

• Current and heavy smoking (> 40 pack-years) were independently associated with the outcomes of PTNBs.

• Operators need to recognize the association between smoking history and the outcomes of PTNBs.
Tolerance to decentration of biaspheric intraocular lenses with refractive phase-ring extended depth of focus and diffractive trifocal designs
Authors: Cerviño Alejandro , Esteve-Taboada Jose Juan , Chiu Yi-Feng , Yang Chuan-Hui , Tseng Wen-Chu , Lee William
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the in vitro tolerance to decentration of biaspheric intraocular lens (IOLs) with refractive phase-ring extended depth-of-focus (EDOF) and diffractive trifocal designs.

Methods

This experimental study was carried out at the Department of Optics and Optometry and Vision Science, University of Valencia, Spain. The modulation transfer function (MTF) of the ETLIO130C EDOF and the TFLIO130C trifocal IOLs (AST Products Inc., Billerica, MA, USA) were determined at different levels of decentration for a given wavelength and pupil diameter using the PMTF optical bench (Lambda-X Ophthalmics, Nivelles, Belgium). The modulation transfer function (MTF) curves, the through-focus MTF curves, and the Strehl ratios were measured at 3-mm pupil aperture for 0.25-, 0.50- and 0.75-mm decentration.

Results

The optical design of the trifocal TFLIO130C IOL is robust to small decentrations, with virtually no change in MTF response for 0.25 mm decentration. For greater decentration levels, the MTF response is slightly reduced with increasing decentration. The ETLIO130C EDOF design is robust to decentration, as the MTF response is only minimally affected when increasing the decentration up to 0.75 mm.

Conclusions

MTF responses are slightly reduced with greater levels of decentration, but the range of focus provided by both trifocal and EDOF designs are preserved. The effects for average levels of decentration reported in the literature are minimum for both IOL designs.
A large deformation gradient theory for glassy polymers by means of micromorphic regularization
Authors: Hamdoun Ayoub , Mahnken Rolf
Published: March 2024

Cold forming of polycarbonate films results in the formation of shear bands in the necking zone. The numerical results obtained from standard viscoplastic material models exhibit mesh size dependency, requiring mathematical regularization. For this purpose, we present in this work a large deformation gradient theory for a viscoplastic isotropic material model published before. We extend our model to a micromorphic model by introducing a new micromorphic variable as an additional degree of freedom along with its first gradient. This variable represents a microequivalent plastic strain. The relation between the macroequivalent plastic strain and the micromorphic variable is accomplished by a micromorphic coupling modulus. This coupling forces proximity between the macro- and microvariables, leading to the targeted regularization effect. The micromorphic model is implemented as a three-dimensional initial boundary value problem in an in-house finite element tool. The analysis is performed for both uniaxial and biaxial specimens. The provided numerical examples show the ability of our model to regularize shear bands within the specimens and address the issue of localization.
Development and validation of the Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity Scale in Spanish children and adolescents
Authors: Montoro-Pérez Néstor , Martínez-González Agustín Ernesto , Infante-Cañete Lidia , de los Ángeles Martínez-González María , Hidalgo-Berutich Silvia , Andreo-Martínez Pedro
Published: March 2024

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are characterized by chronic or recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms (GS) that are not explained by structural or biochemical abnormalities. FGIDs are related to lower quality of life, increased demands on medical resources, and greater somatization and emotional instability. Furthermore, GS appears to be an indicator of dysbiosis in gut-microbiota, affecting the gut-microbiota-brain relationship. To develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a new instrument called the Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity Scale (GSSS) using a web-based survey in a sample of neurotypical children and adolescents from Spain. Instrument development and validation processes were applied to the GSSS following its administration as part of an online survey. The sample included 1242 neurotypical children and adolescents. The mean age of participants was 13.95 years, with a standard deviation of 1.37 years. Overall, 13.8% suffered infectious diarrhea, 12.6% suffered abdominal pain, 5% suffered dyspepsia and 2.6% suffered gastro-esophageal reflux. A single-factor model produced good fit indices. Furthermore, internal consistency and test-retest reliability outcomes were acceptable. The GSSS was found to have acceptable metric measurement invariance. Significant correlations with other instruments were produced and were of expected direction and magnitude, confirming scale validity for hypothesis testing.

    Conclusions: The GSSS shows promising psychometric properties for assessing GS in neurotypical Spanish adolescents and children.

What is Known:• To the best of our knowledge, instruments assessing the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms in children and adolescents are still too few.

What is New:• The GSSS shows promising psychometric properties for assessing GS in neurotypical adolescents and children. The GSSS may help improve understanding of GS involvement in the gut-brain microbiota axis in children and adolescents.
Intraoperative kidney replacement therapy in acute liver failure
Authors: Henderson Daniel , Gupta Anish , Menon Shina , Deep Akash
Published: March 2024

Paediatric acute liver failure (PALF) is often characterised by its rapidity of onset and potential for significant morbidity and even mortality. Patients often develop multiorgan dysfunction/failure, including severe acute kidney injury (AKI). Whilst the management of PALF focuses on complications of hepatic dysfunction, the associated kidney impairment can significantly affect patient outcomes. Severe AKI requiring continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) is a common complication of both PALF and liver transplantation. In both scenarios, the need for CKRT is a poor prognostic indicator. In adults, AKI has been shown to complicate ALF in 25–50% of cases. In PALF, the incidence of AKI is often higher compared to other critically ill paediatric ICU populations, with reports of up to 40% in some observational studies. Furthermore, those presenting with AKI regularly have a more severe grade of PALF at presentation. Observational studies in the paediatric population corroborate this, though data are not as robust—mainly reflecting single-centre cohorts. Perioperative benefits of CKRT include helping to clear water-soluble toxins such as ammonia, balancing electrolytes, preventing fluid overload, and managing raised intracranial pressure. As liver transplantation often takes 6–10 h, it is proposed that these benefits could be extended to the intraoperative period, avoiding any hiatus. Intraoperative CKRT (IoCKRT) has been shown to be practicable, safe and may help sicker recipients tolerate the operation with outcomes analogous with less ill patients not requiring IoCKRT. Here, we provide a comprehensive guide describing the rationale, practicalities, and current evidence base surrounding IoCKRT during transplantation in the paediatric population.
Effect of streamflow measurement error on flood frequency estimation
Authors: Velásquez Nicolás , Krajewski Witold F.
Published: March 2024

Significant errors often arise when measuring streamflow during high flows and flood events. Such errors conflated by short records of observations may induce bias in the flood frequency estimates, leading to costly engineering design mistakes. This work illustrates how observational (measurement) errors affect the uncertainty of flood frequency estimation. The study used the Bulletin 17 C (US standard) method to estimate flood frequencies of historical peak flows modified to represent the measurement limitations. To perform the modifications, we explored, via Monte Carlo simulation, four hypothetical scenarios that mimic measurement errors, sample size limitations, and their combination. We used a multiplicative noise from a log-normal distribution to simulate the measurement errors and implemented a bootstrap approach to represent the sampling error. Then, we randomly selected M samples from the total N records of the observed peak flows of four gauging stations in Iowa in central USA. The observed data record ranges between 76 and 119 years for watersheds with drainage areas between 500 and 16,000 km2. According to the results, measurement errors lead to more significant differences than sampling limitations. The scenarios exhibited differences with median magnitudes of up to 50%, with some cases reaching differences up to 100% for return periods above 50 years. The results raise a red flag regarding flood frequency estimation that warrants looking for further research on observational errors.
Preoperative fatty infiltration of paraspinal muscles assessed by MRI is associated with less improvement of leg pain 2 years after surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis
Authors: Banitalebi Hasan , Hermansen Erland , Hellum Christian , Espeland Ansgar , Storheim Kjersti , Myklebust Tor Åge , Indrekvam Kari , Brisby Helena , Weber Clemens , Anvar Masoud , Aaen Jørn , Negård Anne
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Fatty infiltration (FI) of the paraspinal muscles may associate with pain and surgical complications in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). We evaluated the prognostic influence of MRI-assessed paraspinal muscles’ FI on pain or disability 2 years after surgery for LSS.

Methods

A muscle fat index (MFI) was calculated (by dividing signal intensity of psoas to multifidus and erector spinae) on preoperative axial T2-weighted MRI of patients with LSS. Pain and disability 2 years after surgery were assessed using the Oswestry disability index, the Zurich claudication questionnaire and numeric rating scales for leg and back pain. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses (adjusted for preoperative outcome scores, age, body mass index, sex, smoking status, grade of spinal stenosis, disc degeneration and facet joint osteoarthritis) were used to assess the associations between MFI and patient-reported clinical outcomes. In the logistic regression models, odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for associations between the MFI and ≥ 30% improvement of the outcomes (dichotomised into yes/no).

Results

A total of 243 patients were evaluated (mean age 66.6 ± 8.5 years), 49% females (119). Preoperative MFI and postoperative leg pain were significantly associated, both with leg pain as continuous (coefficient − 3.20, 95% CI − 5.61, − 0.80) and dichotomised (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.17, 1.95) scores. Associations between the MFI and the other outcome measures were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

Preoperative FI of the paraspinal muscles on MRI showed statistically significant association with postoperative NRS leg pain but not with ODI or ZCQ.
Experimentally Closing the Balance of Progress of Reaction in Premixed Turbulent Combustion in the Thin Flame Regime
Authors: Zheng Yutao , Weller Lee , Hochgreb Simone
Published: March 2024

We investigate the possibility of determining the local turbulent flame speed by measuring the individual terms in the balance of a mean progress of reaction variable for the case of a low turbulence methane-air Bunsen flame in the thin flame regime. Velocity distributions and flame edge positions were measured by particle image velocimetry techniques at 3 kHz for a flame stabilized by a surrounding pilot of the same stoichiometry, for a turbulent Reynolds number around 66 and Karlovitz numbers of the order of 4. The conservation equation for mean progress variable was analyzed along different streamlines as a balance of terms expressed as velocities, including terms for convection, turbulent diffusion, mean reaction, and turbulent and molecular diffusion. Each term was estimated from local velocities and flame locations using a thin flame approximation, and their uncertainty was evaluated based on propagation of experimentally measured statistical correlations. The largest terms were the convective and reaction terms, as expected, with smaller roles for turbulent and molecular diffusion across the flame brush. Countergradient diffusion and transition to gradient diffusion were observed across the flame brush. Closure of the balance of terms in the conservation equations using independently measured terms was not consistently achieved across the flame brush within the reckoned uncertainties, arriving at a balance within 20–30% of the absolute value. Testable hypotheses are offered for the possible reasons for the mismatch, including the role of spatial filtering and 3D effects on the reaction rate term. Finally, the experiments identify the inaccuracies in measuring a true local turbulent flame speed, and suggest a consistent methodology to reduce errors in such estimations. This is the first time such a detailed experimental closure is attempted for any configuration. The results suggest that the significant improvements in spatial resolution are necessary for a full closure.
The effects of low HER2 expression on survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with CDK 4/6 inhibitors: a multicenter retrospective study
Authors: Guliyev Murad , Şen Gülin Alkan , Gültürk İlkay , Majidova Nargiz , Akdağ Goncagül , Ahadzade Ali , Turna Hande , Demirci Nebi Serkan
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Endocrine therapy (ET) in combination with CDK 4/6 inhibitors (CDK 4/6i) is the standard treatment modality for hormone receptor (HR)-positive and HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (mBC). There is uncertainty about the prognostic and predictive value of HER2-low status and whether HER2-low BC is an individual biologic subtype. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic effect of HER2 expression status on survival in mBC patients treated with first-line ET plus CDK 4/6i.

Methods

This multicenter retrospective study included patients with HR + /HER2-negative mBC cancer who were treated with first-line CDK 4/6i in combination with ET from January 2016 to March 2023. Patients were divided into two groups (HER2-low and zero), and survival and safety analyses were performed.

Results

A total of 201 patients were included in this study; of these, 73 (36.3%) had HER2-low disease and 128 (63.7%) had HER2-zero. There were 135 patients (67.2%) treated with ribociclib and 66 (32.8%) with palbociclib. Most of the patients (75.1%) received aromatase inhibitors as combination-endocrine therapy. Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. The median follow-up was 19.1 months (range: 2.5–78.4). The most common side effect was neutropenia (22.4%). The frequency of grade 3–4 toxicity was similar between the HER2-zero and low patients (32% vs 31.5%; p = 0.939). Visceral metastases were present in 44.8% of patients. Between the HER2-low and zero groups, median PFS (25.2 vs 22.6 months, p = 0.972) and OS (not reached vs 37.5 months, p = 0.707) showed no statistically significant differences.

Conclusion

The prognostic value of HER2-low status remains controversial. Our study showed no significant effect of HER2 low expression on survival in patients receiving CDK 4/6i plus ET.
Acetylation of cotton knitted fabrics for improved quick drying after water absorption
Authors: Onodera Satoru , Tanaka Chiaki , Isogai Akira
Published: March 2024

Quick drying after water or sweat absorption is an important function of underwear. In this study, the hydroxy groups of cotton knitted fabrics (CFs) were partially acetylated, maintaining the original fabric structure. The following three heterogeneous acetylation processes were used: Ac-I (Ac2O/H2SO4/toluene), Ac-II (Ac2O/H2SO4/AcOH/water), and Ac-III (Ac2O/AcONa) systems (Ac2O, acetic anhydride; AcOH, acetic acid; AcONa, sodium acetate). Acetylated cotton knitted fabrics (AcCFs) with degree of substitution (DS) ≤ 0.5 and yields of > 80% were prepared. AcCFs prepared with the Ac-III system gave high degree of polymerization (DP) values of > 1500, whereas those prepared with the Ac-II system exhibited low DP values of ≤ 400. The moisture contents of AcCFs at 20 °C and 65% relative humidity decreased from 7.1 to 4.7% with increasing DS value up to 0.46; introducing hydrophobic acetyl groups into the CFs decreased their hydrophilic nature. Quick drying similar to that of a polyester fabric was achieved for some of the AcCFs with DS values of < 0.2. When the acetyl groups in the AcCFs were homogeneously distributed across each fiber width (achieved for AcCFs prepared with the Ac-II system), quick drying was evident in the AcCFs. The crystallinities and crystal widths of cellulose I for the AcCFs with DS values of ≤ 0.28 were almost unchanged compared with those of the original CFs. However, neither the crystallinities nor crystal widths of cellulose I were directly related to quick drying after water absorption. Thermal degradation of the AcCFs varied between the acetylation systems, and depended on the DP values and/or the presence of sulfate ester groups in the AcCFs.

Graphical Abstract
Attention and Interpretation Bias Modification Transfers to Memory Bias: Testing the Combined Cognitive Bias Hypothesis
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Vrijsen Janna N. , Sanchez-Lopez Alvaro , Koster Ernst H.W. , Becker Eni S.
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study delves into the combined cognitive bias hypothesis in depression, exploring the interaction between negative attention, interpretation and memory biases. We aimed to assess whether modifying attention and interpretation bias would lead to congruent changes in memory bias, and to what extend and depth this causal effect can be.

Method

Ninety-nine undergraduates underwent either a positive (PT) or negative (NT) four-day attention and interpretation bias training. A set of well-established post-training assessments including free recall, recognition, autobiographic memory, and self-reference encoding tasks were used to evaluate memory bias. Affective states were measured pre- and post-training.

Results

Compared to PT, participants in NT correctly retrieved more negative trained stimuli, and falsely recognized more negative synonyms of trained terms. NT also exhibited an enhanced retrieval of negative autobiographical memory. No significant differences were found between NT and PT in self-referential encoding and retrieval bias, or affective states.

Discussion

The results suggested an extensive and strong transfer effect from attention and interpretation bias modification to different facets of memory bias, being found in retrieving trained emotional stimuli, in memory intrusion of negative synonyms, and in autobiographic memory recall. The findings underscored the causality between three biases, supporting the combined cognitive bias hypothesis. It might also suggest an effective new approach to modify memory bias via attention and interpretation bias training.
Game-based learning in metaverse: Virtual chemistry classroom for chemical bonding for remote education
Authors: Rahman Hameedur , Wahid Samiya Abdul , Ahmad Faizan , Ali Numan
Published: March 2024

Virtual classrooms based on the metaverse or virtual reality are useful and effective for imparting basic chemistry concepts. Interactive and immersive environments can effectively teach fundamental chemistry concepts, such as chemical bonding and formulas, thereby making these otherwise abstract and intangible ideas more accessible and understandable. With the outbreak of Covid-19, e-learning platforms have also been developed for chemistry education. However, these platforms are unable to make learning chemistry interactive and enjoyable. Therefore, there is a need to motivate students to learn basic chemistry concepts in an immersive and interactive environment. In this paper, we propose an immersive virtual reality-based Virtual Chemistry Classroom for Chemical Bonding (VC3B) to facilitate the learning of chemical bonding and formulas through a game-based learning approach. It includes two different games for learning chemical bonding and formulas. In the first game, molecule construction, students reconstruct the structure of molecules by rearranging the atoms in order to learn about chemical bonding. In the second game, chemical formula, students compose the chemical formula of a given compound to help them memorize chemical formulas. The study, conducted on 90 middle school students, employed a randomized controlled study design, dividing participants into three groups. Each group learned about chemical bonding and formulas through three different mediums. After conducting the experiment, the students were given a questionnaire to evaluate the usability of VC3B. The results of the study were positive, with participants finding the VC3B to be more interactive than traditional book and online lecture methods. Participants were also motivated to learn and enhance their knowledge of chemistry.
Area-Based Hedonic Pricing of Urban Green Amenities in Beijing: A Spatial Piecewise Approach
Authors: Liu Zhaoyang , Huang Heqing , Siikamäki Juha , Xu Jintao
Published: March 2024

This study explores a spatial piecewise approach for the hedonic valuation of the area of urban green space at different distances from a property, using a rich census dataset collected from Beijing. We explore three novel empirical strategies that improve the identification of the spatial boundary or threshold distance within which green space is capitalised into housing prices. We first delineated a series of concentric circles surrounding each property and measured the area of green space within each doughnut-shaped ring. We next estimated the hedonic price using three methods. The first is a regression spline model combined with a machine learning type of model selection procedure which objectively selects the exact location of the threshold distance that optimises the model’s predictive performance. The second is a novel matching algorithm that minimises covariate imbalance for a continuous treatment variable (i.e., the area of green space) to provide stronger causal evidence on the hedonic prices of green space at different distances. The third is a spatial difference-in-differences approach that further accounts for endogeneity bias associated with unobserved factors. For our dataset, we found that housing prices are more likely to be affected by green space within a 1 km radius.
Social life cycle assessment of the olive oil industry: a case study in Guilan Province, Iran
Authors: Safeie-Noghlbari Behzad , Amiri Zahra , Allahyari Mohammad Sadegh , Nikkhah Amin , Ben Hassen Tarek , Bacenetti Jacopo
Published: March 2024

Olive oil production has severe environmental consequences, including resource depletion, land degradation, carbon emissions, and waste generation. As a result, for over two decades, environmental life cycle assessment (ELCA) has been applied to the olive oil industry to identify environmental issues and reduce the environmental effects. However, little is known regarding the social sustainability of this industry. Social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) has been established as one of the most effective methodologies for assessing the social implications of products throughout their life cycles. Accordingly, based on the S-LCA approach, this study aims to assess the social impacts of the olive oil extraction industry in Roudbar County in Guilan Province in Iran, the major producer of olives and olive oil. The S-LCA model adopted in this paper is built in four major phases (UNEP/SETAC in Guidelines for social life cycle assessment of products, 2009): (1) Definition of Goal and Scope: outlines the intended use and the goal pursued and specifies the scope of the research. The research will then be defined to fulfill that purpose within any constraints. (2) Life Cycle Inventory analysis: is the phase at which data are collected, systems are modeled, and LCI results are generated. (3) Life Cycle Impact Assessment: a collection of steps to obtain data categorization, aggregation, and characterization based on performance reference points. (4) Life Cycle Interpretation: considers all important aspects of the research when drawing results, offering recommendations, and reporting. The findings suggested that the social conditions governing the olive oil extraction cycle in the study area are almost adequate. However, other categories of social impacts, such as cultural heritage, community development, and working conditions, were rated unsatisfactory by olive orchard workers and need improvement. Adopting the cause-and-effect chain in this study favors identifying specific indicators based on social issues in the study location. On the other hand, a scale-based assessment may result in the subjectivity of the results, which adds to the uncertainty. An impact-based assessment may be applied to analyze social impacts such as occupational health and safety, employment, pay, and benefits to get more credible social impact data. Consequently, integrating the scale-based approach with an efficient path-based method may improve its effectiveness.
Ambivalence in Environmental Care: Marine Care Ethics and More-Than-Human Relations in the Conservation of Seagrass Posidonia oceanica
Authors: Cañada Jose A.
Published: March 2024

Posidonia oceanicais an endemic seagrass from the mediterranean that provides key ecosystem services. A protected species, its presence is regressing due to anthropogenic pressures, some associated to the tourism economy that much of the Mediterranean coast depends on. In 1992, the European Union declared it a priority habitat, and since the early 2000s, it has occupied a central space in marine conservation debates in the Balearic Islands. Popularly known as Posidonia, this seagrass went from being considereddirtthat ruinedvirginBalearic beaches to become an emblematic species. This article takes this U-turn in policy and public perception as a study case to think of knowledge-making practices and restoration initiatives as a form of environmental care. The relational, situated and affective character of care ethics helps to understand the human and ecological labour embedded in knowledge-making and restoration practices and its inevitable engagement with the Balearic tourism industry. Drawing on those engagements, I reflect on environmental care practices of knowledge-making and restoration, arguing that they emerge ambivalently: they challenge management logics based on economic rationales while forced to develop and coexist inside those same rationales. I conclude by arguing that developing care-centric narratives for environmental conservation and restoration is essential to continue promoting more-than-human aquatic relations in which the needs of others are the ethical basis for action.
Bone formation by Irisin-Poly vinyl alchol modified bioglass ceramic beads in the rabbit model
Authors: Park Seong-Su , Farwa Ume , Kim Hai-Doo , Kim Yong-Sik , Lee Byong-Taek
Published: March 2024

In the aging society, slow bone regeneration poses a serious hindrance to the quality of life. To deal with this problem, in this study, we have combined irisin with the bioglass regular beads to enhance the bone regeneration process. For this purpose, highly porous bioglass was obtained as spherical beads by using sodium alginate. The bioglass was evaluated by various analytical techniques such as SEM, EDS, XRD, and pore size distribution. The results depicted that porous bioglass was prepared correctly and SEM analysis showed a highly porous bioglass was formulated. On this bioglass, irisin was loaded with the assistance of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in three concentrations (50 ng/ml, 100 ng/ml, and 150 ng/ml per 1 g of bioglass). SEM analysis showed that pores are covered with PVA. The irisin release profile showed a sustained release over the time period of 7 days. In vitro, biocompatibility evaluation by the MC3T3E1 cells showed that prepared bioglass and irisin loaded bioglass (BGI50, BGI100, and BG150) are highly biocompatible. Alizarin Red staining analysis showed that after 2 weeks BGI50 samples showed highest calcium nodule formation. In vivo in the rabbit femur model was conducted for 1 and 2 months. BGI150 samples showed highest BV/TV ratio of 37.1 after 2 months. The histological data showed new bone formation surrounding the beads and with beads loaded with irisin. Immunohistochemistry using markers OPN, RUNX, COL, and ALP supported the osteogenic properties of the irisin-loaded bioglass beads. The results indicated that irisin-loaded bioglass displayed remarkable bone regeneration.

Graphical Abstract
$$C^{\infty }$$-Regularization by Noise of Singular ODE’s
Authors: Amine Oussama , Baños David , Proske Frank
Published: March 2024

In this paper we construct a new type of noise of fractional nature that has a strong regularizing effect on differential equations. We consider an equation driven by a highly irregular vector field and study the effect of this noise on such dynamical systems. We employ a new method to prove existence and uniqueness of global strong solutions, where classical methods fail because of the “roughness” and non-Markovianity of the driving process. In addition, we prove the rather remarkable property that such solutions are infinitely many times classically differentiable with respect to the initial condition in spite of the vector field being discontinuous. The technique used in this article corresponds, in a certain sense, to the Nash–Moser iterative scheme in combination with a new concept of “higher order averaging operators along highly fractal stochastic curves”. This approach may provide a general principle for the study of regularization by noise effects in connection with important classes of partial differential equations.
Modelling Turbulent Flow of Superfluid $$^{4}$$He Past a Rough Solid Wall in the $$T =$$ 0 Limit
Authors: Doyle Matthew J. , Golov Andrei I. , Walmsley Paul M. , Baggaley Andrew W.
Published: March 2024

We present a numerical study, using the vortex filament model, of vortex tangles in a flow of pure superfluid $$^4$$

4

He in the $$T = 0$$

T
=
0

limit through a channel of width $$D = 1$$

D
=
1

 mm for various applied velocities V. The flat channel walls are assumed to be microscopically rough such that vortices terminating at the walls are permanently pinned; vortices are liberated from their pinned ends exclusively through self-reconnection with their images. Sustained tangles were observed, for a period of 80 s, above the critical velocity $$V_c \sim 0.20$$

V
c

∼
0.20

 cm s$$^{-1} = 20 \frac{\kappa }{D}$$

-
1

=
20

κ
D

. The coarse-grained velocity profile was akin to a classical parabolic profile of the laminar Poiseuille flow, albeit with a nonzero slip velocity $$\sim$$
∼
0.20 cm s$$^{-1}$$

-
1

at the walls. The friction force was found to be proportional to the applied velocity. The effective kinematic viscosity was $$\nu ' \sim 0.1\kappa$$

ν
′

∼
0.1
κ

, and effective Reynolds numbers within $$\mathrm {Re'} < 200$$

Re
′

<
200

. The fraction of the polarised vortex length varied between zero in the middle of the channel and $$\sim$$
∼
60% within the shear flow regions $$\sim D/4$$

∼
D
/
4

from the walls. Therefore, we studied a state of statically polarised ultraquantum (Vinen) turbulence fuelled at short length scales by vortex reconnections, including those with vortex images due to the relative motion between the vortex tangle and the pinning rough surface.
An ensemble of artificial neural network models to forecast hourly energy demand
Authors: Manno Andrea , Intini Manuel , Jabali Ola , Malucelli Federico , Rando Dario
Published: March 2024

We propose an ensemble artificial neural network (EANN) methodology for predicting the day ahead energy demand of a district heating operator (DHO). Specifically, at the end of one day, we forecast the energy demand for each of the 24 h of the next day. Our methodology combines three artificial neural network (ANN) models, each capturing a different aspect of the predicted time series. In particular, the outcomes of the three ANN models are combined into a single forecast. This is done using a sequential ordered optimization procedure that establishes the weights of three models in the final output. We validate our EANN methodology using data obtained from a A2A, which is one of the major DHOs in Italy. The data pertains to a major metropolitan area in Northern Italy. We compared the performance of our EANN with the method currently used by the DHO, which is based on multiple linear regression requiring expert intervention. Furthermore, we compared our EANN with the state-of-the-art seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average and Echo State Network models. The results show that our EANN achieves better performance than the other three methods, both in terms of mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and maximum absolute percentage error. Moreover, we demonstrate that the EANN produces good quality results for longer forecasting horizons. Finally, we note that the EANN is characterised by simplicity, as it requires little tuning of a handful of parameters. This simplicity facilitates its replicability in other cases.
Instant plastic waste detection on shores using laser-induced fluorescence and associated hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Mahmoud Alaaeldin , El-Sharkawy Yasser H.
Published: March 2024

Plastic pollution is a rising environmental issue, with millions of tons of plastic debris collecting in the world's seas and on its shores. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) has become increasingly widely used as a more precise approach that can identify targets in remote sensing aquatic missions. The interference from other beach materials, and the need for proper identification of litter types can make identifying dumped plastics on sand-surrounded beaches challenging. This study lays the groundwork for a physical laboratory setting for images captured by a hyperspectral (HS) imager. The suggested testing setup included the development of a fluorescence signature for the target theater of operations (low-density polyethylene (LD-PE) and wood surrounded by sand) for detecting polymers in a simulated beach environment using the laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) approach. Initially using broadband-spectrum light, strong sample diffuse reflectance contrast is observed in the imaging at wavelengths between 400 and 460 nm. Next, a dedicated LIF system for plastic litter discovery was developed using an ultraviolet (UV) laser source. Initial findings show that there is a distinct fluorescence signal for plastics at 450 nm and at 750 nm for wood. Our pilot studies support current efforts to determine the optimum spectral signature that these polymers will appear with clarity on shorelines using an inexpensive imagery combined with our UV LIF approach, which may have an impact on applications for the detection of beach pollution. The knowledge gained from this study can be used to construct reliable aerial conventional cameras for plastic waste environmental monitoring and management.
Population Dynamics and Policies in Europe: Analysis of Population Resilience at the Subnational and National Levels
Authors: Deimantas Vytenis Juozas , Şanlıtürk A. Ebru , Azzollini Leo , Köksal Selin
Published: March 2024

While previous research has focused on the relationship between population dynamics and policies in Europe, there has been scarce attention on dynamics at the NUTS-3 level. By looking at the population measures at subnational regions in Europe we seek to identify average population dynamics since year 2000. We group subnational regions by countries in terms of average population dynamics and assess the connection between population policies in 1996 and average population dynamics in 2000–2017 using data from World Population Policy database, the UN Population Division, the World Bank’s World Development Indicators and Eurostat. We find that urban areas and Western and Northern Europe exhibit population growth whilst rural areas and Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe have more depopulating regions. Our analyses also suggest a negative association between fertility policies and population growth.
The role of adult learning and education in the Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Grotlüschen Anke , Belzer Alisa , Ertner Markus , Yasukawa Keiko
Published: March 2024

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), launched by the United Nations in 2015, established ambitious targets to be achieved by 2030, including in education. SDG 4, which focuses on ensuring “inclusive and equitable quality education and promot[ing] lifelong learning opportunities for all”, attracted attention from the adult education sector for the role that adult learning and education (ALE) can play in its realisation, and the potential for the SDGs to boost the visibility and support of ALE. This article reports on a study that explored the role of ALE in lifelong learning in eight case study countries (Australia, Brazil, India, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa, Thailand and Ukraine). It explores the literature and examines the supports for and challenges of ALE to better understand its potential in helping to realise SDG 4, using a mega-, macro-, meso- and micro-level theoretical framework. Twenty-seven experts in ALE from across the eight countries were interviewed, and data analysis was undertaken using a grounded theory approach. The findings indicate that while SDG 4 was not a strong driver for ALE activities in these countries, initiatives were focused on the same issues targeted by SDG 4. The analysis also points to the unequal policy support given to formal and non-formal ALE activities, and the critical role that ALE networks and associations can play in addressing some of the most ambitious SDG 4 targets.
Surface Compositions of Trojan Asteroids
Authors: Emery Joshua P. , Binzel Richard P. , Britt Daniel T. , Brown Michael E. , Howett Carly J. A. , Martin Audrey C. , Melita Mario D. , Souza-Feliciano Ana Carolina , Wong Ian
Published: March 2024

The Jupiter Trojan asteroids are a key population for understanding the chemical and dynamical evolution of the Solar System. Surface compositions of Trojans, in turn, provide crucial information for reconstructing their histories. NASA’s Lucy mission will soon complete the first spacecraft reconnaissance of this population. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of Trojan surface compositions and looks ahead to expected advances in that knowledge from Lucy. Surface compositions of Trojans remain uncertain due to a relative lack of diagnostic absorption features, though dedicated observations have begun to provide some clues to compositions. Trojans have uniformly low albedos, with a population average of ∼5.3%, and red spectral slopes at ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths. A bimodality of spectral slopes has been detected and confirmed across all these wavelengths, and the ratio of “less-red” to “red” Trojans increases with decreasing size. A broad absorption at ∼3.1 μm in some less-red Trojans may indicate the presence of N-H bearing material. Mid-infrared emissivity spectra reveal the presence of fine-grained anhydrous silicates on the surfaces. The meteorite collection contains no identifiable analogs to Trojan asteroids. Among small body populations, some Main Belt asteroids, comets, irregular satellites, and Centaurs provide reasonable spectral matches, supporting some genetic relationships among some members of these groups. The cause of the observed spectral properties remains uncertain, but recent suggestions include a combination of volatile ice sublimation and space weathering or a combination of impact gardening and space weathering. The Lucy mission will provide detailed compositional analysis of (3548) Eurybates, (15094) Polymele, (11351) Leucus, (21900) Orus, and (617) Patroclus-Menoetius, a suite of targets that sample the diversity among the Trojan population along several dimensions. With these flybys, the Lucy mission is poised to resolve many of the outstanding questions regarding Trojan surface compositions, thereby revealing how the Trojans formed and evolved and providing a clearer view of Solar System history.