bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dissolution Modulation of Formamidinium‐Based Perovskite for Regulated Crystallinity in Printable Mesoscopic Solar Cells
Authors: Qi Jianhang , Liu Jiale , Chen Kai , Ma Yongming , Cheng Yanjie , Wang Wei , Cui Zhaozhen , Wang Chaoyang , Su Yaqiong , Mei Anyi , Han Hongwei
Published: July 2023

The photovoltaic, luminescence, and detector fields have witnessed the robust application prospects of solution‐processed halide perovskites. Deep insights into solution can pave the way toward the precise crystallization control of halide perovskites for giving full play to the advantages of those materials. Herein, the dissolution behavior of formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) together with lead iodide in amide solvents with regulated coordination ability at increasing temperature and under different molar ratio between formamidinium iodide (FAI) and PbI2 is studied. The solvent coordination ability, temperature, and FAI/PbI2 molar ratio demonstrate equivalent influence on the dissolution, and increasing those factors tends to increase the solubility first and decrease it then for Pb compounds. It is proposed that there are interchangeable Pb solute forms including solvent‐containing lead complexes and solvated lead halide fragments in solution and the interconversion of both solutes driven by the above factors brings the solubility change. The modulated dissolution affects the crystallization behaviors of FAPbI3 when preparing single crystals, nanocrystal dispersions, and thin films, and allows for regulated crystallinity in printable mesoscopic solar cells which demonstrate a power conversion efficiency of 18.40%.
Abandon the idea of an “optimal economic path” for climate policy
Authors: Koomey Jonathan , Hausker Karl , Schmidt Zachary , Lashof Dan
Published: July 2023

Many economic modelers believe that there is an “optimal economic path” for solving the climate problem that exists independent of human choices. This belief rests on the notion that Integrated Assessment Models can determine the path that “maximizes global welfare” and, in turn, this path should drive climate policy. This commentary focuses on an under‐appreciated problem with that belief. We argue that the existence of pervasive increasing returns to scale, network externalities, learning curves, spillovers, and other nonlinear effects puts the idea of a single optimal economic path at odds with our current understanding of the most important forces driving the development of real economic and technological systems. We further argue that this idea is detrimental to rigorous understanding of climate solutions.

This article is categorized under:

Assessing Impacts of Climate Change > Scenario Development and Application

Climate Economics > Economics and Climate Change

Climate Economics > Economics of Mitigation
Nonsurgical rhinoplasty
Authors: Hall Suzel S. , Kontis Theda C.
Published: July 2023

Interest in liquid, or nonsurgical rhinoplasty, has increased in demand as patients pursue less invasive techniques to achieve their aesthetic goals. Improved filler technology and refinement in injection techniques have made liquid rhinoplasty a reasonable choice for well‐selected patients in both primary and revision rhinoplasty cases. This article reviews nasal anatomy, injection techniques, selected applications, and safety measures pertinent to performing nonsurgical rhinoplasty.
Design and synthesis of bioinspired nanomaterials for biomedical application
Authors: Tang Kai , Xue Jianmin , Zhu Yufang , Wu Chengtie
Published: July 2023

Natural materials and bioprocesses provide abundant inspirations for the design and synthesis of high‐performance nanomaterials. In the past several decades, bioinspired nanomaterials have shown great potential in the application of biomedical fields, such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, and cancer therapy, and so on. In this review, three types of bioinspired strategies for biomedical nanomaterials, that is, inspired by the natural structures, biomolecules, and bioprocesses, are mainly introduced. We summarize and discuss the design concepts and synthesis approaches of various bioinspired nanomaterials along with their specific roles in biomedical applications. Additionally, we discuss the challenges for the development of bioinspired biomedical nanomaterials, such as mechanical failure in wet environment, limitation in scale‐up fabrication, and lack of deep understanding of biological properties. It is expected that the development and clinical translation of bioinspired biomedical nanomaterials will be further promoted under the cooperation of interdisciplinary subjects in future.

This article is categorized under:

Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies
Notes on Spatial Implications of COVID-19. Evidence from Piedmont Region, Italy
Authors: Brunetta Grazia , Caldarice Ombretta , Mohabat Doost Danial , Pellerey Franco
Published: July 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has been studied by many scholars from a wide range of disciplines. Among these investigations, planners and regional scientists have researched the spatial spread of the contagion. Most of these studies tried to explore the spread of the disease in a fixed period, like annually, and analysed the spatial variables that are most influential on the COVID-19 spread over territories. On the same line, the chapter investigates the pattern of virus transmission in the 1.181 municipalities of the Piedmont Region during two years of the pandemic over different periods by providing 24 monthly and two annual hot spot maps using the Spatial Statistics Tools on ArcGIS. Consequently, the chapter analyses the correlation between the spread of contagion with three spatial variables (population density, annual average traffic flow, and the ageing index) by performing a statistical analysis on the municipalities which showed unexpectedly higher or unexpectedly lower numbers of contagion. The results show that the impacts of population density and annual average traffic flow are verified on the transmission rate of the cities with unexpectedly higher or lower exposure to COVID-19 contagion than their neighbours both in the first and the second year of the pandemic. For the ageing index, an association is noticed during the first year while not confirmed for the second. In conclusion, the chapter proposes that studying the disease’s variations—at different times and on a regional scale—uncovers the spatial dimension of the phenomenon and would suggest insights for both scientists and policymakers to enrich preparedness as the preferable approach in future planning policies towards transformative resilience.
The Role of the Minor Hydrographic System in Increasing the Ecological Network
Authors: La Riccia Luigi , Ferraris Stefano
Published: July 2023

This contribution describes the definition of the structure of the local ecological network. It was carried out as part of the support activities for the construction of the new urban plan of Mappano (Turin, Italy). The knowledge of the minor hydrographic system in Mappano allowed the construction of the structural map of the local ecological network, which contemplates the structural elements of the network (primary ecological network), the contiguous portions to the structural elements (areas with ecological functionality areas where it is a priority to intervene to increase ecological network), the areas of possible expansion of the network, i.e., areas with residual ecological functionality. However, there it is possible to carry out interventions useful for the protection of habitats and species of interest for conservation of biodiversity. Peripheral strips and connecting corridors, consisting of minor water canals, have therefore made it possible to better define the areas of possible expansion of the network: wetlands and marshes, in these relevant areas, represent steppingstones of fundamental importance for rest and reproduction of many species and which need to be safeguarded in the design of the new local urban plan.
Ecosystem Services and Territorial Resilience: The Role of Green and Blue Infrastructure
Authors: Giaimo Carolina , Giudice Benedetta , Pantaloni Giulio Gabriele , Voghera Angioletta
Published: July 2023

Responding to the new environmental, ecological, and social emergencies requires a shift in strategies and urban design models. In the contexts of sustainability and resilience, green and blue infrastructure (GBI) is a wide-ranging concept that can help overcome the usual dichotomies of urban growth versus green or the built environment versus nature. This provides different benefits, both environmental and ecological and social and economic. In urban contexts, green spaces play a strategic role due to the number of typologies and functions that vary from neighborhood spaces to green, play, and sports facilities to protected areas of territorial scale. In this way, the planning and design of GBI take on the triple objective of regenerating fragile and degraded ecosystems from an environmental, social, and economic point of view. Focusing on this assumption, we describe how the GBI that develops along the axe of the Stura di Lanzo river in a multiscalar mosaic of soils at both local and territorial levels can determine options for the ecosystem quality of the metropolitan area of northern Turin. We suppose that mapping ecosystem services (based on a correct land use/land cover design) can support designing new urban and regional plans to improve resilience.
Indicators and Scenarios for Sustainable Development at the Local Level
Authors: Borsari Alice , Lombardi Patrizia , Moghadam Sara Torabi
Published: July 2023

Cities around the world have faced the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with unprecedented speed, due to our hyper-connected society. As history teaches us, epidemics plague society because of the vulnerabilities generated by humans through their relationships with the environment, with other species and with each other. The recent pandemic is a stark reminder that urbanization has changed the way people and communities live, work, and interact, and it is even more necessary than in the past to adopt a multidisciplinary approach to the development of systemic operational skills that can address complex issues within cities. This work showed how many measures adopted during the emergency have now become part of daily life. The lesson of the pandemic is that people’s health is connected to and dependent on the health of the planet, and cities are at the center of this relationship. The objective of the research starts from the need to identify a selection of post-COVID indicators providing an analysis methodology suitable for the creation of its own final set with the identification of specific key performance indicators (KPIs) of the project, replicable in other urban contexts, on which to base the analysis of the level of local sustainability, especially at the neighborhood scale. The proposed methodological framework is developed in two phases: (1) indicator selection and (2) baseline scenario, set out to investigate the existing correlations between the urban environment and the neighborhood level of cities. On the basis of the assessment of the KPIs, selected on the basis of numerous comparisons with the project's internal and external stakeholders, thanks to the creation of an interactive dashboard with Tableau software, it was possible to analyze the basic scenario of proximity at the neighborhood scale for the City of Turin, highlighting weak points and priority areas on which to act, experimenting with the theme “Inhabiting proximity” as an urban response to the pandemic.
Towards Neighbourhoods as Minimum Units of Resilience?
Authors: Pede Elena , Scalas Mattia , Staricco Luca
Published: July 2023

COVID-19 restrictions have changed the perception of space: travel limitations and diffusion of remote activities have narrowed the spaces of everyday life, leading to a rediscovery of proximity. We are both witnessing a re-appropriation of the domestic environment and re-discovering the neighbourhood and those small portions of the city often neglected. This rediscovery is evident in the use of nearby public spaces and in transport, with the decongestion of many urban areas following the reduction of commuting. Even if this is a contingent situation, it is reasonable to think that part of these changes will persist at the end of the emergency. For these reasons, there is a need to focus on neighbourhoods’ quality, spatial organization and adaptive capacity towards both emergencies such as the pandemic and the great urban challenges towards resilience and sustainability. Essentially, sub-local scale must be rethought to meet not only the ordinary needs of its inhabitants but also health or other issues. In this sense, the potential of spatial units based in the concepts of proximity and walkability is explored, giving an interpretation that starting from the 15-min city and the superilla models explore the perspective of “minimum units of resilience” for facing pandemics.
NO2 Concentrations and COVID-19 in Local Systems of Northwest Italy
Authors: Sarzotti Ettore , Pignocchino Gianmarco , Pezzoli Alessandro , Besana Angelo
Published: July 2023

This paper aims to further investigate the relationship between the concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and the severity of COVID-19 by analyzing the data of three Italian Regions (Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta and Liguria) during the first wave of the pandemic (February–May 2020). The analyses were conducted at a local scale using Local Labor Systems of ISTAT. The annual average of NO2 concentrations, obtained from space satellite Sentinel-5P, was used to assess environmental data. While excess mortality data were used to estimate the severity of the pandemic, calculated as the percentage change in deaths recorded in 2020 compared to the average number of deaths of the previous five years (2015–2019). Using quasi-Poisson multivariate regression models, it was possible to estimate the correlation between the incidence rate of the pandemic and some risk factors, including in particular the concentration of NO2.
Venous 3D Phase Contrast Magnetic Resonance Angiography Increases Diagnostic Certainty in Children with Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt and Suspected Shunt Failure
Authors: Huhndorf M. , Peters S. , Cordt J. , Margraf N. G. , Salehi Ravesh M. , Jansen O. , Synowitz M. , Cohrs G.
Published: July 2023

Background

Clinical symptoms in children with suspected malfunction of ventriculoperitoneal shunt may not be specific and difficult to interpret. The presence or absence of ventricular enlargement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) does not reliably predict raised intracranial pressure (ICP) in these patients. Therefore, the aim was to investigate the diagnostic utility of 3D venous phase-contrast MR angiography (vPCA) in these patients.

Materials

The MR studies of two groups of patients at two different examination dates were retrospectively analyzed; one group without clinical symptoms on both examinations and one with symptoms of shunt dysfunction on one examination receiving surgery. Both MRI examinations had to have been performed including axial T2 weighted (T2-w) images and 3D vPCA. Two (neuro)radiologists evaluated T2-w images alone and in combination with 3D vPCA in terms of suspected elevated ICP. Interrater reliability, sensitivity and specificity were assessed.

Results

Compression of venous sinuses was seen significantly more often in patients with shunt failure (p = 0.00003). Consequently, evaluation of 3D vPCA and T2-w images increases sensitivity to 0.92/1.0 compared to T2-w images alone with 0.69/0.77, the interrater agreement for the diagnosis of shunt failure rises from κ = 0.71 to κ = 0.837. Concerning imaging markers, three groups could be identified in children with shunt failure.

Conclusion

In accordance with the literature, the results show that ventricular morphology alone is an unreliable marker for elevated ICP in children with shunt malfunction. The findings confirmed 3D vPCA as a valuable supplemental diagnostic tool improving diagnostic certainty for children with unchanged ventricular size in cases of shunt failure.
Pregnancy, folic acid, and antiseizure medication
Authors: Bjørk Marte-Helene , Vegrim Håkon , Alvestad Silje , Bjørke-Monsen Anne-Lise , Riedel Bettina Maria Ingeborg , Gilhus Nils Erik , Husebye Elisabeth Synnøve Nilsen
Published: July 2023

Background

Although some antiseizure medications (ASMs) are teratogenic, most people with epilepsy need treatment in pregnancy. The risk of ASM fetotoxicity may be mitigated with folic acid. High-dose folic acid supplementation has traditionally been recommended before and during gestation despite little evidence of efficacy and safety for this patient group. Several studies have investigated the potential benefits and risks of folic acid supplements.

Objective

To provide an updated overview of the risks, benefits, and rationale for use of folic acid supplementation in relation to pregnant people of childbearing age using ASM.

Materials and methods

This is a narrative review based on an unstructured literature search of PubMed. We also scrutinized neurological and obstetrical guidelines.

Results

Antiseizure medication can decrease folate concentrations. In children exposed to ASM prenatally, those born to persons using folic acid supplements periconceptionally had lower risk of adverse neurodevelopment and preterm birth. It remains unclear whether the risk for congenital malformations can be equally alleviated. In studies of the general population, high plasma folate concentrations and/or high-dose folic acid supplements were associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. This has not been seen in children of mothers with epilepsy. However, an increased cancer risk has been found in children of mothers with epilepsy using high-dose folic acid supplements in pregnancy.

Conclusion

The optimal folic acid dose is not clear for persons of childbearing potential with epilepsy using ASM. Both low and excess folate status during pregnancy have been associated with adverse neurodevelopment. We propose an individual folic acid supplement dose that should be titrated based on maternal plasma folate concentrations during pregnancy.
Exponentially fitted methods with a local energy conservation law
Authors: Conte Dajana , Frasca-Caccia Gianluca
Published: July 2023

A new exponentially fitted version of the discrete variational derivative method for the efficient solution of oscillatory complex Hamiltonian partial differential equations is proposed. When applied to the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, this scheme has discrete conservation laws of charge and energy. The new method is compared with other conservative schemes from the literature on a benchmark problem whose solution is an oscillatory breather wave.
Closed-loop supply chain decision considering information reliability and security: should the supply chain adopt federated learning decision support systems?
Authors: Wan Xiaole , Yang Dongqian , Wang Tongtong , Deveci Muhammet
Published: July 2023

The study considers the closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) decision using federated learning platform (FL platform), establishes a CLSC game model including one manufacturer, one retailer and one third party, analyzes the influence of FL platform on optimal decisions and revenues of CLSC system from the perspectives of information reliability, information security and investment cost, and establishes a cost-sharing and revenue-sharing contract (CSRS contract) to coordinate CLSC system. Results show that, the greater consumers' recognition of the remanufactured product, the higher its price and revenue; using FL platform can guarantee the degree of consumer information security, which in turn has a constructive effect on the CLSC; when the FL platform is not adopted, the manufacturer will raise more revenue by misrepresenting the manufacturing and remanufacturing costs; the FL platform would provide some incentive for manufacturers to disclose true cost information and improve the CLSC revenue; an increase in investment costs would lead to a reduction in revenue, so CLSC members would need to make investment decisions based on revenue comparisons before and after using the platform; finally, within the feasibility of the contract parameters, the CSRS contract both maximizes optimal revenue of CLSC system and improves revenue per member.
Real-Time Estimation of Jet-Surface Interaction Noise
Authors: Mancinelli Matteo , Jordan Peter , Lebedev Anton
Published: July 2023

Motivated by the growing concerns for the noise emissions generated by the interaction between the engine jet and the airframe surfaces consequent to the progressive increase of the engine by-pass ratio in commercial aircraft architectures, we study the estimation of the far-field noise radiated by a jet in an installed configuration based on sensor readings in the near field of the jet. We carry out an experimental investigation of the jet-surface interaction phenomena in a simplified set-up where a flat plate is installed parallel to the nozzle axis of a subsonic jet. Real-time estimation is performed using empirical linear transfer functions identified between near-field sensors and far-field observers. The transfer function and the accuracy of the noise estimation performed are characterised as a function of jet flow conditions, type and streamwise position of near-field sensors and radial distance between the jet and the edge. This analysis can guide the positioning of near-field sensors for the implementation of closed-loop control strategies for the jet-surface interaction noise.
Artificial Intelligence in K-12 Education: eliciting and reflecting on Swedish teachers' understanding of AI and its implications for teaching & learning
Authors: Velander Johanna , Taiye Mohammed Ahmed , Otero Nuno , Milrad Marcelo
Published: July 2023

Uncovering patterns and trends in vast, ever-increasing quantities of data has been enabled by different machine learning methods and techniques used in Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. Permeating many aspects of our lives and influencing our choices, development in this field continues to advance and increasingly impacts us as individuals and our society. The risks and unintended effects such as bias from input data or algorithm design have recently stirred discourse about how to inform and teach AI in K-12 education. As AI is a new topic not only for pupils in K-12 but also for teachers, new skill sets are required that enable critical engagement with AI. AI literacy is trying to close the gap between research and practical knowledge transfer of AI-related skills. Teachers' AI-related technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) are important factors for AI literacy. However, as teachers' perspectives, beliefs and views impact both the interpretation and operationalisation of curriculum. this study explores teachers' and teacher educators' understanding and preconceptions of AI to inform teacher education and professional development. To gain a comprehensive understanding of teachers’ conceptualisations regarding AI an anonymous questionnaire together with focus group discussions were employed. The qualitative content analysis underpinned by the theoretical framework Intelligent TPACK reveals that teachers' AI-related content knowledge is generally gained through incidental learning and often results in pre- and misconceptions of AI. Our analysis also revealed several potential challenges for teachers in achieving core constructs of Intelligent TPACK, examples of such challenges are vague and unclear guidelines in both policy and curriculum, a lack of understanding of AI and its limitations, as well as emotional responses related to participants' preconceptions. These insights are important to consider in designing teacher education and professional development related to AI literacy.
Aldose reductase and glutathione in senile cataract nucleus of diabetics and non-diabetics
Authors: Khare Kanishk , Mendonca Teena , Rodrigues Gladys , Kamath Manjunath , Hegde Anupama , Nayak Shyamala , Kamath Ajay , Kamath Sumana
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The aim is to evaluate the aldose reductase (AR) and glutathione (GSH) activity in the nucleus of senile cataract in type 2 diabetes and non-diabetic group of patients.

Methods

A total of 62 patients including 31 diabetics and 31 non- diabetics who were undergoing cataract surgery were included. Nucleus extracted was sent for analysis of AR and GSH activity while blood sample was taken for glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels.

Statistical analysis

Data were analysed using IBM SPSS 25. Comparison was carried out by unpaired T-test and correlations were established by Pearson’s correlation. The p value less than 0.05 was considered significant for all analyses.

Study design

This is a prospective cross-sectional comparative study.

Results

In this study, diabetic group patients showed earlier progression of cataract as compared to the non-diabetic group (p-value 0.0310). Mean HbA1c in the diabetic group was 7.34% compared to the non-diabetic group of 5.7% (p value < 0.001). AR in the diabetic patients was 2.07 mU/mg while the non-diabetic group was 0.22 mU/mg (p-value < 0.001). GSH in the diabetic group was 3.38 μMol/g and the non-diabetic group was 7.47 μMol/g (p value < 0.001). HbA1c showed positive correlation with AR among the diabetic group (p-value 0.028).

Conclusion

Elevated oxidative stress can be strongly attributed to high AR and low GSH activity among the diabetic group as compared to the non-diabetic group and can lead to early cataract formation.
In-situ porosity prediction in metal powder bed fusion additive manufacturing using spectral emissions: a prior-guided machine learning approach
Authors: Atwya Mohamed , Panoutsos George
Published: July 2023

Numerous efforts in the additive manufacturing literature have been made toward in-situ defect prediction for process control and optimization. However, the current work in the literature is limited by the need for multi-sensory data in appropriate resolution and scale to capture defects reliably and the need for systematic experimental and data-driven modeling validation to prove utility. For the first time in literature, we propose a data-driven neural network framework capable of in-situ micro-porosity localization for laser powder bed fusion via exclusively within hatch strip of sensory data, as opposed to a three-dimensional neighborhood of sensory data. We further propose using prior-guided neural networks to utilize the often-abundant nominal data in the form of a prior loss, enabling the machine learning structure to comply more with process physics. The proposed methods are validated via rigorous experimental data sets of high-strength aluminum A205 parts, repeated k-fold cross-validation, and prior-guided validation. Using exclusively within hatch stripe data, we detect and localize porosity with a spherical equivalent diameter (SED) smaller than $$50.00\,\upmu $$

50.00

μ

m with a classification accuracy of $$73.13\pm 1.57\%$$

73.13
±
1.57
%

This is the first work in the literature demonstrating in-situ localization of porosities as small as $$38.12\,\upmu m$$

38.12

μ
m

SED and is more than a five-fold improvement on the smallest SED porosity localization via spectral emissions sensory data in the literature. In-situ localizing micro-porosity using exclusively within hatch-stripe data is a significant step towards within-layer defect mitigation, advanced process feedback control, and compliance with the reliability certification requirements of industries such as the aerospace industry.
‘A Symptom of an Underlying Condition’. Law, the Humanities, and a Non-formalistic Approach to Brexit
Authors: Nicolini Matteo
Published: July 2023

The essay addresses Brexit as a constitutional and jurisgenerative moment. It provides an alternative reading to that traditionally used to assess its impact on the Anglo-British constitution. Politics and legalism have trapped Britain in a formalistic approach without offering innovative responses to the challenges posed by Brexit, persuading the public that there are no alternatives to an out-of-Europe approach. The essay adopts a different stance, exploring Brexit with less formalism and more attentiveness to its impact on British society. It uses novels and essays, political pamphlets, and other writings prompted by Brexit to examine the conditions underlying this event. Their analysis may nurture the productive imagination needed to support Britain’s constitutional creativity during the post-Brexit scenario.
Weak Edgeworth expansion for the mean-field Bose gas
Authors: Boßmann Lea , Petrat Sören
Published: July 2023

We consider the ground state and the low-energy excited states of a system of N identical bosons with interactions in the mean-field scaling regime. For the ground state, we derive a weak Edgeworth expansion for the fluctuations of bounded one-body operators, which yields corrections to a central limit theorem to any order in $$1/\sqrt{N}$$

1
/

N

. For suitable excited states, we show that the limiting distribution is a polynomial times a normal distribution, and that higher-order corrections are given by an Edgeworth-type expansion.
Meloidogyne arenaria candidate effector MaMsp4 interacts with maize (Zea mays L.) proteins involved in host defense response and cell wall modifications
Authors: Przybylska Arnika , Wieczorek Przemysław , Obrępalska-Stęplowska Aleksandra
Published: July 2023

Background and aims

Meloidogyne arenaria is an economically important root-knot nematode species. Successful plant infection by nematode is facilitated by parasite effectors. This study aimed to characterize a candidate M. arenaria effector, indicate its molecular partners from maize, and analyze its role during infection.

Material and methods

At first, we performed EST database mining to find candidate effector protein from M. arenaria. The expression of its coding gene in nematode developmental stages was assessed using digital droplet PCR. Candidate effector molecular partners were determined using yeast two-hybrid screening of maize cDNA library and interactions were confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation after co-expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. Candidate effector and its molecular partners were GFP-fused and localization in N. benthamiana leaves was observed under confocal microscope. Then, expression level of genes encoding interacting proteins from maize was measured.

Results

MaMsp4 protein was evaluated as candidate effector in M. arenaria and the highest expression level of its coding gene was observed in stage J2. MaMsp4 maize molecular partners were indicated, interactions with beta-galactosidase 11, pectinesterase, S-adenosyl methionine decarboxylase 2, and ethanolamine-phosphate cytidylyltransferase were confirmed, and all proteins fused with GFP were detected in the apoplast and/or cytoplasm. Genes of beta-galactosidase 11 and pectinesterase, playing role in cell wall modifications, were overexpressed at 24 hpi followed by down-regulation at 7 dpi, while S-adenosyl methionine decarboxylase 2 and ethanolamine-phosphate cytidylyltransferase, involved in plant defense response, were suppressed at 7 dpi, without preceding up-regulation.

Conclusions

We have found that MaMsp4 interacts with plant proteins involved in plant cell wall modifications and defense mechanisms related to polyamines biosynthesis.
Toward automated irrigation management with integrated crop water stress index and spatial soil water balance
Authors: Bhatti Sandeep , Heeren Derek M. , O’Shaughnessy Susan A. , Neale Christopher M. U. , LaRue Jacob , Melvin Steve , Wilkening Eric , Bai Geng
Published: July 2023

Decision support systems intended for precision irrigation aim at reducing irrigation applications while optimizing crop yield to achieve maximum crop water productivity (CWP). These systems incorporate on-site sensor data, remote sensing inputs, and advanced algorithms with spatial and temporal characteristics to compute precise crop water needs. The availability of variable rate irrigation (VRI) systems enables irrigation applications at a sub-field scale. The combination of an appropriate VRI system along with a precise decision support system would be ideal for improved CWP. The objective of this study was to compare and evaluate two decision support systems in terms of seasonal applied irrigation, crop yield, and CWP. This study implemented the Spatial EvapoTranspiration Modeling Interface (SETMI) model and the Irrigation Scheduling Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (ISSCADA) system for management of a center pivot irrigation system in a 58-ha maize-soybean field during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons. The irrigation scheduling methods included: ISSCADA plant feedback, ISSCADA hybrid, common practice, and SETMI. These methods were applied at irrigation levels of 0, 50, 100, and 150% of the full irrigation prescribed by the respective irrigation scheduling method. Data from infrared thermometers (IRTs), soil water sensors, weather stations, and satellites were used in the irrigation methods. Mean seasonal irrigation prescribed was different among the irrigation levels and methods for the 2 years. The ISSCADA plant feedback prescribed the least irrigation among the methods for majority of the cases. The common practice prescribed the largest seasonal irrigation depth among the methods for three crop-year cases. The maize yield in rainfed was found to be significantly lower than the irrigated levels in 2020 since 2020 was a dry year. No significant differences were observed in crop yield among the different irrigation methods for both years. The CWP among the different irrigation methods ranged between 2.72 and 3.15 kg m−3 for 2020 maize, 1.03 and 1.13 kg m−3 for 2020 soybean, 3.57 and 4.24 kg m−3 for 2021 maize, and 1.19 and 1.48 kg m−3 for 2021 soybean. Deficit level (50%) had the largest irrigation water productivity in all crop-year cases in this study. The ISSCADA and SETMI systems were found to reduce irrigation applications as compared to the common practice while maintaining crop yield. This study was the first to implement the newly developed integrated crop water stress index (iCWSI) thresholds and the ISSCADA system for site-specific irrigation of maize and soybean in Nebraska.
Linguistic and semantic characteristics of articles and peer review reports in Social Sciences and Medical and Health Sciences: analysis of articles published in Open Research Central
Authors: Perković Paloš Andrijana , Mijatović Antonija , Buljan Ivan , Garcia-Costa Daniel , Álvarez-García Elena , Grimaldo Francisco , Marušić Ana
Published: July 2023

We aimed to examine the differences in articles, peer review and editorial processes in Medical and Health Sciences vs. Social Sciences. Our data source was Open Research Central (ORC) portal, which hosts several journal platforms for post-publication peer review, allowing the analysis of articles from their submission, regardless of the publishing outcome. The study sample included 51 research articles that had Social Sciences tag only and 361 research articles with Medical and Health Sciences tag only. Levenshtein distance analysis showed that text changes over article versions in social science papers were statistically significant in the Introduction section. Articles from Social Sciences had longer Introduction and Conclusion sections and higher percentage of articles with merged Discussion and Conclusion sections. Articles from Medical and Health Sciences followed the Introduction-Methods-Results-Discussion (IMRaD) structure more frequently and contained fewer declarations and non IMRaD sections, but more figures. Social Sciences articles had higher Word Count, higher Clout, and less positive Tone. Linguistic analysis revealed a more positive Tone for peer review reports for articles in Social Sciences and higher Achievement and Research variables. Peer review reports were significantly longer for articles in Social Sciences but the two disciplines did not differ in the characteristics of the peer review process at all stages between the submitted and published version. This may be due to the fact that they were published on the same publication platform, which uses uniform policies and procedures for both types of articles.
Impactful COVID-19 discoveries from China are neglected in the media
Authors: Zhang Yinxian
Published: July 2023

Do the media and the scientific community often agree on what research is worth public attention? During the COVID-19 pandemic, I analyzed all COVID-related research articles (n = 665) published in 13 world-leading medical and science journals. I found that the media attention an article receives is positively associated with its scientific impact—proxied by citation counts. However, given the same level of scientific impact, an article from China, on average, would receive 5.25 times fewer media mentions per additional citation, compared to an article from other parts of the world. The articles being neglected feature timely and impactful discoveries including asymptomatic carriers of SARS-CoV-2, and the origins and transmission dynamics of the virus. The underrepresentation of Chinese articles persisted even after controlling for various factors, including the research team’s preexisting media sources and self-country citations, i.e., cites coming from the same country. Such media bias may come at the cost of global public health.
Lotus effect optimization algorithm (LEA): a lotus nature-inspired algorithm for engineering design optimization
Authors: Dalirinia Elham , Jalali Mehrdad , Yaghoobi Mahdi , Tabatabaee Hamid
Published: July 2023

Here we introduce a new evolutionary algorithm called the Lotus Effect Algorithm, which combines efficient operators from the dragonfly algorithm, such as the movement of dragonflies in flower pollination for exploration, with the self-cleaning feature of water on flower leaves known as the lotus effect, for extraction and local search operations. The authors compared this method to other improved versions of the dragonfly algorithm using standard benchmark functions, and it outperformed all other methods according to Fredman's test on 29 benchmark functions. The article also highlights the practical application of LEA in reducing energy consumption in IoT nodes through clustering, resulting in increased packet delivery ratio and network lifetime. Additionally, the performance of the proposed method was tested on real-world problems with multiple constraints, such as the welded beam design optimization problem and the speed-reducer problem applied in a gearbox, and the results showed that LEA performs better than other methods in terms of accuracy.
Conservation of skinks in New Zealand cities
Authors: Woolley Christopher K. , Hartley Stephen , Innes John G. , Shanahan Danielle F. , van Heezik Yolanda , Wilson Deborah J. , Nelson Nicola J.
Published: July 2023

Urbanisation dramatically alters ecosystems, disrupting key processes and threatening species persistence. Despite growing knowledge of the impacts of cities on wildlife, particularly for birds and mammals, there remains a paucity of research on how urbanisation impacts other taxa, including reptiles. We examined how urbanisation affects skink communities across multiple New Zealand cities by undertaking pitfall trapping surveys in a range of habitats. Of the 20 endemic species thought to have been present historically in the cities, only four were captured during surveys, Oligosoma aeneum in Hamilton; O. polychroma, O. aeneum, and O. ornatum in Wellington; O. polychroma in Nelson; and O. aff. polychroma Clade 5 in Dunedin. Our results reveal highly variable patterns of occupancy, abundance, and complex associations with key threats and habitat modifications. Sites in Nelson and Wellington were much more likely to record skinks than Hamilton and Dunedin, and modelling showed abundance of O. polychroma was positively related to rat tracking rates when grass cover was low but showed a negative relationship when grass cover was high. O. polychroma body condition was negatively associated with the proportion of urban land cover (built up areas or transport infrastructure). The low number of captures of several species is concerning and long-term monitoring is needed to assess the trajectories of these vulnerable populations. Effective conservation management of urban wildlife requires knowledge of where populations exist and how urban processes affect persistence. For understudied urban-dwelling taxa such as reptiles, the lack of this information may be putting populations at risk.
Topological non-Hermitian skin effect
Authors: Lin Rijia , Tai Tommy , Li Linhu , Lee Ching Hua
Published: July 2023

This article reviews recent developments in the non-Hermitian skin effect (NHSE), particularly on its rich interplay with topology. The review starts off with a pedagogical introduction on the modified bulk-boundary correspondence, the synergy and hybridization of NHSE and band topology in higher dimensions, as well as, the associated topology on the complex energy plane such as spectral winding topology and spectral graph topology. Following which, emerging topics are introduced such as non-Hermitian criticality, dynamical NHSE phenomena, and the manifestation of NHSE beyond the traditional linear non-interacting crystal lattices, particularly its interplay with quantum many-body interactions. Finally, we survey the recent demonstrations and experimental proposals of NHSE.
Perirenal fat stranding as a predictor of disease progression after radical nephroureterectomy for renal pelvic urothelial carcinoma: a retrospective study
Authors: Yanagi Masato , Terasaki Mika , Kiriyama Tomonari , Terasaki Yasuhiro , Akatsuka Jun , Endo Yuki , Nishimura Taiji , Shimizu Akira , Kondo Yukihiro
Published: July 2023

Background

To investigate the impact of Perirenal fat stranding (PRFS) on progression after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for renal pelvic urothelial carcinoma (RPUC) without hydronephrosis and to reveal the pathological findings of PRFS.

Methods

Clinicopathological data, including computed tomography (CT) findings of the ipsilateral PRFS, were collected from the medical records of 56 patients treated with RNU for RPUC without hydronephrosis between 2011 and 2021 at our institution. PRFS on CT was classified as either low or high PRFS. The impact of PRFS on progression-free survival (PFS) after RNU was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test. In addition, specimens including sufficient perirenal fat from patients with low and with high PRFS were pathologically analyzed. Immunohistochemical analysis of CD68, CD163, CD3, and CD20 was also performed.

Results

Of the 56 patients, 31(55.4%) and 25 (44.6%) patients were classified as having low and high PRFS, respectively. Within a median follow-up of 40.6 months postoperatively, 11 (19.6%) patients showed disease progression. The Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test revealed that patients with high PRFS had significantly lower PFS rates than those with low PRFS (3-year PFS 69.8% vs 93.3%; p = 0.0393). Pathological analysis revealed that high PRFS specimens (n = 3 patients) contained more fibrous strictures in perirenal fat than low PRFS specimens (n = 3 patients). In addition, M2 macrophages (CD163 +) infiltrating fibrous tissue in perirenal area were observed in all patients with high PRFS group.

Conclusions

PRFS of RPUC without hydronephrosis consists of collagenous fibers with M2 macrophages. The presence of ipsilateral high PRFS might be a preoperative risk factor for progression after RNU for RPUC patients without hydronephrosis. Prospective studies with large cohorts are required in the future.
Temperature field test and prediction using a GA-BP neural network for CRTS II slab tracks
Authors: Liu Dan , Su Chengguang , Yang Rongshan , Ren Juanjuan , Liu Xueyi
Published: July 2023

The CRTS II slab track, which is connected in a longitudinal direction, is one of the main ballastless tracks in China, with approximately 7365 km of operational track. Temperature loading is a very vital factor leading to slab track damages such as warping and cracking. While existing research on temperature distribution rests on either site tests in special environments or theoretical analysis, the long-term temperature field characteristics are not clear. Therefore, a long-term temperature field test for the CRTS II slab track on bridge-subgrade transition section was conducted to analyze the temperature field. A GA-BP (genetic algorithm optimized back propagation) neural network was trained on the test data to predict the temperature field. The vertical and lateral temperature distributions in four typical days were carried out. We found that the temperature along the track was distributed in a nonlinear manner. This was particularly distinct in the vertical direction for depths of less than 300 mm. The highest and lowest daily temperatures and the daily range of the temperature were analyzed. With the increasing depth, the daily highest temperatures and range of the temperature were smaller, the daily lowest temperatures were higher, and the time corresponding to this peak value appeared later in the day. Both the highest and lowest daily temperature could be predicted using the GA-BP neural network, though the accuracy in predicting the highest temperature was higher than that in predicting the lowest temperature.