bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
OJUMP: Optimization for joint unicast‐multicast panoramic VR live streaming system
Authors: Pan Qing , Zeng Qimiao , Zhuang Yirong , Yin Zhifan , Hai Jinxia , Chen Ge , Liang Jie , Xiao Han , Yang Shujie
Published: December 2023

Virtual reality (VR) videos have garnered increasing attention due to their ability to deliver immersive multimedia experiences to users. Nonetheless, the demanding requirements of high bandwidth and low latency for VR services present significant challenges, especially in the context of network infrastructure. In this article, we introduce a novel system called OJUMP, aimed at Optimizing the transmission and distribution of Joint Unicast‐Multicast Panoramic video field of view live streaming using Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER). The proposed system encompasses a BIER‐based network transmission approach that enhances video transmission efficiency and facilitates large‐scale service deployment. Furthermore, OJUMP includes a dynamic disk‐state‐based tile slice distribution storage algorithm and a prefetch method designed for edge nodes to enhance the distribution efficiency of live streaming services. Experimental results illustrate that the proposed system offers distinct advantages over the baseline system in terms of bandwidth, latency, disk utilization, and central processing unit utilization.
Current trends and prospects in quinoa research: An approach for strategic knowledge areas
Authors: Flórez‐Martínez Diego Hernando , Rodríguez‐Cortina Jader , Chavez‐Oliveros Luis Fernando , Aguilera‐Arango Germán Andrés , Morales‐Castañeda Alexis
Published: December 2023

Currently, the demand for healthy consumption and the use of alternatives to dairy proteins for the development of foods with good nutritional value are growing. Quinoa has received much attention because it contains a high content of proteins, essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, dietary fibers, and bioactive compounds. Nevertheless, this content and the bioavailability of specific compounds of interest are related to the genotype, the agri‐environmental conditions, and management practices where quinoa is grown and postharvest management. This article aimed to analyze the research trends for three knowledge areas: quinoa plant breeding for nutraceutical properties, plant–soil relations focused on abiotic stresses, and postharvest and value‐added transformation activities. To this end, a specific methodological design based on bibliometrics and scientometrics methods was used. Through these analyses based on publications' keywords, titles, abstracts, and conclusions sections, for each knowledge area, the key research trends (scope and main topics), the classification of trends based on their development and relevance degree, and the core of knowledge were established. The trends comprise the current state of research. Finally, analyzing the conclusions, recommendations, and future research sections of key publications, a strong correlation among plant breeding research to obtain varieties with tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, nutritional and functional compounds of interest for food safety, and the development of products with higher added value established interest in further research on the potential bioactivity of quinoa and the verification of health benefits to humans.
Conditions for CaCO3 Biomineralization by Trichoderma Reesei with the Perspective of Developing Fungi‐Mediated Self‐Healing Concrete
Authors: Van Wylick Aurélie , Rahier Hubert , De Laet Lars , Peeters Eveline
Published: December 2023

Concrete, a widely used building material, often suffers from cracks that lead to corrosion and degradation. A promising solution to enhance its durability is the use of fungi as self‐healing agents, specifically by harnessing their ability to promote calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation on their cell walls. However, the ideal conditions for CaCO3 precipitation by the filamentous fungal species Trichoderma reesei are still unclear. In this study, the biomineralization properties of T. reesei in liquid media are investigated. Two different calcium sources, calcium chloride (CaCl2) and calcium lactate are tested, at varying concentrations and in the presence of different nutritional sources that support growth of T. reesei. This study also explores the effects on fungal growth upon adding cement to the medium. Calcium lactate promotes greater fungal biomass production, although less crystals are formed as compared to samples with CaCl2. An increasing calcium concentration positively influences fungal growth and precipitation, but this effect is hindered upon the addition of cement. The highest amounts of biomass and calcium carbonate precipitation are achieved with potato dextrose broth as a nutritional source. By identifying the optimal conditions for CaCO3 precipitation by T. reesei, this study highlights its potential as a self‐healing agent in concrete.
Making the World Safer and Fairer in Pandemics
Authors: Gostin Lawrence O. , Klock Kevin A. , Finch Alexandra
Published: December 2023

Global health has long been characterized by injustice, with certain populations marginalized and made vulnerable by social, economic, and health disparities within and among countries. The pandemic only amplified inequalities. In response to it, the World Health Organization and the United Nations have embarked on transformative normative and financial reforms that could reimagine pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPPR). These reforms include a new strategy to sustainably finance the WHO, a UN political declaration on PPPR, a fundamental revision to the International Health Regulations, and negotiation of a new, legally binding pandemic agreement (popularly called the “Pandemic Treaty”). We revisit the cavernous shortcomings of the global Covid‐19 response, explain potentially transformative legal reforms and the ethical values that underpin them, and propose actionable solutions to advance both health and justice.
Lockdowns, Bioethics, and the Public: Policy‐Making in a Liberal Democracy
Authors: Schroeder S. Andrew
Published: December 2023

Commentaries on the ethics of Covid lockdowns nearly all focus on offering substantive guidance to policy‐makers. Lockdowns, however, raise many ethical questions that admit of a range of reasonable answers. In such cases, policy‐making in a liberal democracy ought to be sensitive to which reasonable views the public actually holds—a topic existing bioethical work on lockdowns has not explored in detail. In this essay, I identify several important questions connected to the kind of influence the public ought to have on lockdown decision‐making, including how policy‐makers ought to handle misinformed or morally suspect viewpoints, and how policy‐makers ought to respond to minority viewpoints. I argue that questions like this, concerning the appropriate influence of the public on decision‐making, will be central to the field of bioethics as it increasingly focuses on policy and population‐level issues and therefore ought to be priorities for future work.
The Problem Is Not (Merely) Mass Incarceration: Incarceration as a Bioethical Crisis and Abolition as a Moral Obligation
Authors: James Jennifer Elyse
Published: December 2023

Mass incarceration is an ethical crisis. Yet it is not only the magnitude of the system that is troubling. Mass incarceration has been created and sustained by racism, classism, and ableism, and the problems of the criminal legal system will not be solved without meaningfully intervening upon these forms of oppression. Beyond that, incarceration itself—whether of one person or 2 million—represents a moral failing. To punish and control, rather than invest in community and healing, is antithetical to the values of the field of bioethics. This commentary, which responds to the article “Fifty Years of U.S. Mass Incarceration and What It Means for Bioethics,” by Sean Valles, considers abolition as a crucial form of justice that must be centered in the work of bioethics. Abolition is both an antiracist intervention and a means of considering the ways health care broadly and bioethics specifically have allowed for the perpetuation of carcerality in the United States.
Preventing Another Fifty Years of Mass Incarceration: How Bioethics Can Help
Authors: Venters Homer
Published: December 2023

In the article “Fifty Years of U.S. Mass Incarceration and What It Means for Bioethics,” Sean Valles provides an important reminder of the consequences of mass incarceration in the United States and identifies potential roles for bioethicists in addressing this system. My limited view—that of a physician who conducts court‐ordered investigations and monitoring of health services behind bars—is that the ongoing failure of most academic and professional organizations to be more effective in this much‐ignored area stems from the lack of leaders and staff who have been directly impacted by mass incarceration. As conditions behind bars worsen, and a new war on drugs recoils the spring of mass incarceration, there is a pressing need to train, recruit, and promote people who know the realities of the criminal (and immigration) justice system and its impact on health and well‐being. This step can bring a more powerful engagement of bioethics regarding housing, employment, and health care and policing, as well as the numerous and harmful elements of jails, prisons, and detention settings. I provide examples of partners I learn from in this arena, as well as some discrete and technical areas for possible investigation.
Educating students about volatile substance use in Australian schools: Is the current approach evidence‐based, and how should we do it?
Authors: MacLean Sarah , Cook Megan , Dillon Paul , Wright Cassandra
Published: December 2023

Australian national, state and territory school‐based drug education policies advise that volatile substance use (VSU) should be excluded from general drug education curriculum for fear of alerting young people to the intoxicating properties of substances such as petrol, sprays and glues. We review evidence from the United States and United Kingdom on the effects of including volatile substances in school‐based drug education, to argue that these policies are due for reconsideration. Nitrous oxide and nitrites are classified as volatile substances along with solvents such as those listed above, although their patterns of use, effects and harms are different. In an era of widespread social media access, more young people than in the past are likely to have heard about VSU. But because VSU is often short‐term, parents and teachers may be unaware when young people in their care consume volatile substances. The general silence about VSU in schools, difficulty in detecting use and the varying sets of risks associated with inhaling different substances mean that young people may be unaware of toxicity or harm reduction strategies when they consume volatiles as drugs. We consider some implementation challenges to be negotiated if VSU education were introduced in Australian schools.
The characteristics of Guillain–Barre syndrome in children in pre‐COVID‐19 and during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Javankiani Sepide , Nasrollahizadeh Amir , Gharib Behdad , Heidari Morteza , Memarian Sara
Published: December 2023

Background and Aims

In the pathophysiology of Guillain–Barre syndrome (GBS), inflammation and immunity are believed to play a key role. The neutrophil‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte‐lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been recently identified as potential markers of inflammation or immunity. This study aimed to investigate whether NLR, MLR, and PLR are associated with GBS characteristics in children. We also assessed the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the characteristics of GBS in Iran.

Methods

In this retrospective cross‐sectional study, we reviewed the records of all 150 children diagnosed with GBS in the Children's Medical Center hospital affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) from March 2017 until March 2022. The TUMS research ethics committee approved the study (Ethics code: IR.TUMS.CHMC.REC.1399.125). Patients' data including gender, age, clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, and electrodiagnostic study results were collected and analyzed.

Results

This study involved 150 children, comprising 93 boys and 57 girls, with an average age of 7.53 ± 3.75 years. The analysis demonstrated that the number of hospitalization days increased with an increase in NLR (p = 0.025). Moreover, patients with abnormal electrodiagnostic study patterns had a higher risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission (p: 0.027), although according to binary logistic regression, respiratory failure at admission time was the only significant factor increasing the risk of ICU admission (p = 0.035). The study also found that the pandemic has resulted in a shift from acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy to acute motor axonal neuropathy as the most common EMG‐NCV pattern in our patients (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

We found that higher NLR was associated with a longer hospitalization duration and could potentially distinguish between severe and mild cases of GBS. We have also shown that the COVID‐19 pandemic has changed our patients' most frequent electromyography and nerve conduction velocity (EMG‐NCV) patterns.
Bibliometric analysis of hot literature on neural circuit research
Authors: Du Ruo‐Lan , Mauki David H. , Zuo Zong‐Fu
Published: December 2023

Numerous brain diseases have been attributed to abnormalities in the connections of neural circuits. Exploration of neural circuits may give enlightenment in treating some intractable brain diseases. Here, we screened all publications on neural circuits in the Web of Science database from 2007 to 2022 and analyzed the research trends through VOSviewer, CiteSpace, Microsoft Excel 2019, and Origin. The findings revealed a consistent upward trend in research on neural circuits during this period. The United States emerged as the leading contributor, followed by China and Japan. Among the top 10 institutions with the largest number of publications, both the United States and China have a strong presence. Notably, the Chinese Academy of Sciences demonstrated the highest publication output, closely followed by Stanford University. In terms of influential authors, Karl Deisseroth stood out as one of the most prominent investigators. During this period, the majority of publications and citations on neural circuit research were found in highly influential journals including NEURON, NATURE JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, and so forth. Keyword clustering analysis highlighted the increasing focus on neural circuits and photogenetics in neuroscience research, and the reconstruction of neural circuits has emerged as a crucial research direction in brain science. In conclusion, over the past 15 years, the increasing high‐quality publications have facilitated research development of neural circuits, indicating a promising prospect for investigations on neurological and psychiatric diseases.
High‐throughput sequencing reveals the change of TCR α chain CDR3 with Takayasu arteritis
Authors: Zha Bowen , Pan Lili , Gao Na
Published: December 2023

Objective

Takayasu arteritis (TAK) is an inflammatory disease of blood vessels, and its pathogenesis is not clear at present. In this study, we explored the immunological characteristics of T cell receptor (TCR) α‐chain complementarity‐determining region 3 (CDR3) in patients with TAK.

Methods

Five untreated patients with TAK were collected from June 2019 to December 2019. Four healthy blood samples were matched as the control group. The blood mononuclear cells were separated, and RNA was extracted for reverse transcription to obtain complementary DNA. Then high‐throughput sequencing was performed. The quality of samples was evaluated by principal component analysis. We compared the diversity and expression of TCR α‐chain between TAK group and control group. R software was used for statistical analysis and drawing, and Mann–Whitney U test was used to analyze the differences between the two groups.

Results

The results showed that there was a significant difference in the diversity of TCR α‐chain CDR3 between the two groups. Three V region genes expression significantly higher in the TAK patients than in the control group. A total of 196 VJ rearrangement genes are significantly different between the two groups, of which 149 rearrangement genes in the TAK group are lower than those in the control group, and 47 rearrangement genes in the TAK group are higher than those in the control group.

Conclusion

Patients with TAK have a unique TCR α‐chain CDR3 library. These characteristic genes may be a marker for early diagnosis and provide a new theoretical basis for treating TAK.
A Nonsystematic Review of the Features of Pharmacotherapy in the Elderly at the Stage of Taking Medications
Authors: Yermukhanova Lyudmila , Kimatova Kerbez , Nazarbayeva Rysty , Dostanova Zhanar , Aimbetova Gulshara
Published: December 2023

The human body is subservient to the age‐related changes that affect not only the outer appearance but also organs and tissues. They also concern the processes of pharmacokinetics and dynamics. This means that the absorption, distribution, and metabolism of drugs used by an elderly patient will be slowed down. Therefore, it becomes necessary to prescribe a special dosing regimen for older people. An actual problem is also that, with age, many patients require more drugs than young people. This increases the risk of side effects because many drugs are difficult to combine with each other. Pharmacy of our time is a science that is constantly developing and modernizing, which allows changing therapy for the better: prescribing drugs in smaller quantities, with a smaller range of adverse reactions and a better effect. The aim of the work is to analyze the impact and relationship of older age on the pharmacotherapy of patients, as well as the risks of drug‐induced diseases. To carry out this work, such research methods as analysis, synthesis, comparative analysis, classification, analogy, abstraction, induction, and generalization were used. The features of the stages of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in the elderly were considered; we studied the data of clinical studies and literature in geriatrics; and the effects of a combination or increase in the dosage of drugs have been noted. After the collection of research data and the analysis, it turned out that it is real and necessary to avoid the negative consequences of pharmacotherapy in elderly and senile patients. Considering the natural age‐related changes in the condition and functioning of organs and systems, constantly monitoring the effectiveness of drugs and undesirable reactions of the body to them, adjusting treatment protocols will have a favorable result and help optimize pharmacotherapy for the elderly and reduce the risk of side effects and diseases caused by medications.
The temporal structure of goal‐directed and habitual operant behavior
Authors: Thrailkill Eric A. , Daniels Carter W.
Published: December 2023

Operant behavior can reflect the influence of goal‐directed and habitual processes. These can be distinguished by changes to response rate following devaluation of the reinforcing outcome. Whether a response is goal directed or habitual depends on whether devaluation affects response rate. Response rate can be decomposed into frequencies of bouts and pauses by analyzing the distribution of interresponse times. This study sought to characterize goal‐directed and habitual behaviors in terms of bout‐initiation rate, within‐bout response rate, bout length, and bout duration. Data were taken from three published studies that compared sensitivity to devaluation following brief and extended training with variable‐interval schedules. Analyses focused on goal‐directed and habitual responding, a comparison of a habitual response to a similarly trained response that had been converted back to goal‐directed status after a surprising event, and a demonstration of contextual control of habit and goal direction in the same subjects. Across experiments and despite responses being clearly distinguished as goal directed and habitual by total response rate, analyses of bout‐initiation rate, within‐bout rate, bout length, and bout duration did not reveal a pattern that distinguished goal‐directed from habitual responding.
Effect of transglutaminase on ovalbumin emulsion gels as carriers of encapsulated probiotic bacteria
Authors: Tian Yujuan , Wang Shurui , Li Tianyun , Lv Jiran , Zhang Xianli , Oh Deog‐Hwan , Fu Xing
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

The use of emulsion gels to protect and deliver probiotics has become an important topic in the food industry. This study used transglutaminase (TGase) to regulate ovalbumin (OVA) to prepare a novel emulsion gel. The effects of OVA concentration and the addition of TGase on the microstructure, rheological properties, water‐holding capacity, and stability of the emulsion gels were investigated.

RESULTS

With the addition of TGase and the increasing OVA, the particle size of the emulsion gels decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The gels with TGase exhibited greater water holding, hardness, and chewiness to some extent by forming a more uniform and stable system. After simulated digestion, the survival rate of Bifidobacterium lactis embedded in OVA emulsion gels improved significantly in comparison with the oil–water mixture as a result of the protective effect of the emulsion gel encapsulation.

CONCLUSION

By increasing the OVA content and adding TGase, the rheological characteristics, stability, and encapsulation capability of the OVA emulsion gel could be enhanced, providing a theoretical basis for the use of emulsion gels to construct probiotic delivery systems. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Sonographic Findings of Cervical Chondrocutaneous Branchial Remnants—A Comparison With Dermal Lesions/Cysts and a Literature Review
Authors: Hosokawa Takahiro , Tanami Yutaka , Sato Yumiko , Adachi Nodoka , Asanuma Hiroshi , Oguma Eiji
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Cervical chondrocutaneous branchial remnants (CCBRs) and dermal lesions, such as epidermoid cysts or brachial anomalies, including lateral cervical cysts/sinuses or dermal sinuses of anterior chest lesions, are usually located at the lower neck at the anterior or posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM). We aimed to demonstrate the usefulness of ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis and evaluation of CCBRs.

Methods

We evaluated 22 lesions of 20 pediatric patients, classified into CCBR and dermal lesion groups. We used Fisher's exact test to evaluate differences between these groups in terms of lesion shape (low‐echoic mass‐ or tubular‐like), whether the lesion was adjacent to/in contact with the SCM or not, and the presence or absence of a concave SCM caused by the lesion.

Results

Of the 22 lesions, 8 were CCBRs, and 14 were dermal lesions. We found a significant difference in the presence/absence of adjacency to or contact with the SCM (presence/absence of adjacency to or contact with the SCM in CCBRs vs that in dermal lesions: 6/2 vs 1/13, P = .002) and presence/absence of lesion‐induced concavity of the SCM (presence/absence of lesion‐induced concavity of the SCM in CCBRs vs that in dermal lesions: 3/5 vs 0/14, P = .036). The lesion shape (low‐echoic mass‐like/tubular‐like lesions) did not significantly differ between the two study groups (low‐echoic mass‐like/tubular‐like lesions in CCBRs vs that in dermal lesions: 5/3 vs 11/6, P = .624).

Conclusions

CCBRs have a strong association with the SCM. These sonographic findings may be useful in the differential diagnosis of dermal cervical lesions.
A Case of Nasopharyngeal Pleomorphic Lipoma
Authors: Rao Yuansheng , Wang Jianhong , Ni Xin
Published: December 2023

We describe the presentation and treatment of the first reported case of a nasopharyngeal pleomorphic lipoma. The mass was successfully treated with a combined endoscopic trans‐oral surgical excision approach by using low temperature‐controlled plasma technology, resulting in optimal patient outcomes. Laryngoscope, 134:2710–2712, 2024
Do Swimming Animals Mix the Ocean?
Authors: Dabiri John O.
Published: December 2023

The world's oceans are in constant motion, transporting the sun's heat from the equator to the poles, bringing marine life fresh supplies of oxygen and nutrients, and sequestering nearly half of our carbon dioxide emissions since the Industrial Revolution. Within this dynamic aquatic milieu exists another type of motion: the perpetual teeming of trillions of swimming animals. Are these organisms simply along for the ride, carried by the prevailing ocean currents and occasionally using their powers of locomotion to explore their surroundings; or could their propulsion result in dynamical feedbacks that influence the physical and biogeochemical structure of the ocean itself?
A Visible Light Responsive Smart Covalent Organic Framework with a Bridged Azobenzene Backbone
Authors: Qiang Liang , Bai Hao , Li Xin‐yi , Yang Hai‐lin , Gong Cheng‐bin , Tang Qian
Published: December 2023

Condensation of 3,3′‐diamino‐2,2′‐ethylene‐bridged azobenzene with 1,2,4,5‐tetrakis‐(4‐formylphenyl) benzene produces a visible light responsive porous 2D covalent organic framework, COF‐bAzo‐TFPB, with a large surface area, good crystallinity, and thermal and chemical stability. The results demonstrate that the elaborated designed linker can make azo unit on the COF‐bAzo‐TFPB skeleton undergo reversible photoisomerization. This work expands the application scope of covalent organic frameworks in photo‐controlled release, uptake of guest molecules, dynamic photoswitching, and UV‐sensitive functions.
Mediterranean diet intervention among World Trade Center responders with post‐traumatic stress disorder: Feasibility and outcomes of a pilot randomized controlled trial
Authors: Arcan Chrisa , Hou Wei , Hoffman Kathryn , Reichardt Amanda , Yang Xiaohua , Clouston Sean A. P. , Bromet Evelyn J. , Luft Benjamin
Published: December 2023

Objective

Responders of the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster suffer from co‐morbidities. A Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) nutrition intervention with physical activity was implemented among WTC responders with overweight/obesity and post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods

WTC Health Program members (N = 62), 45–65 years, males 87%, body mass index (BMI) 27–45 kg/m2 randomized to MedDiet (n = 31) or usual nutrition counseling (n = 31). The 10‐week intervention included online nutrition education, text messages, and group experiential cooking; both groups had three in‐person individual nutrition counseling. Anthropometrics, serum biomarkers, psychosocial factors, MedDiet score, and PTSD symptoms were assessed at baseline, post‐intervention, and 3‐months (follow‐up). The primary outcome was intervention feasibility and secondary outcomes were within‐ and between‐group changes of all measures at post‐intervention and follow‐up. Nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum tests for between‐group comparisons and Wilcoxon signed rank tests for pre‐post within‐group comparisons.

Results

A total of 58(94%) and 46(74%) participants completed the post‐intervention and follow‐up measurements, respectively. Both groups experienced significant improvements in anthropometrics, MedDiet score, oxidized low‐density lipoprotein, and PTSD symptoms. Baseline median (range) were weight 100.42 (73.66–135.17) kg, BMI 33.20 (27.50–41.75) kg/m2, and Waist circumference (WC) 109.22 (90.17–150.62) cm. Median % weight loss at post‐intervention was MedDiet: −3% (−11%–7%), p = 0.0002; Control: −1% (−13%–4%), p = 0.008 and at follow‐up MedDiet: −2% (−14%–12%), p = 0.07; Control: −2% (−20%–3%), p = 0.006. The overall BMI was reduced by −0.68 kg/m2 (−4.61–2.09) kg/m2 p < 0.0001 at post‐intervention and by −0.60 kg/m2 (−6.91–3.39) kg/m2, p < 0.0009 at follow‐up. Overall, median WC was reduced (p < 0.0001); post‐intervention −3.81 cm (−33.00–3.30)cm and follow‐up −4.45(−38.10–4.57)cm. There were group differences in HbA1c (p = 0.019) and serum ω6/ω3 (p = 0.029) at post‐intervention.

Conclusion

Online intervention with personal counseling was feasible in this population. Improvements in anthropometrics, MedDiet score, selected serum biomarkers and PTSD symptoms were found in both groups; group differences in HbA1c and serum ω6/ω3. A larger study with a delayed control is needed to better assess intervention effects.
A phase‐field model for hydrogen‐promoted fracture based on a mixed rate‐type variational setting
Authors: Diddige Vikas , Seupel Andreas , Roth Stephan , Kiefer Bjoern
Published: December 2023

Certain metals experience a substantial deterioration in mechanical properties when exposed to a hydrogen environment, an effect termed hydrogen embrittlement. To understand, predict, and counteract this hydrogen‐assisted material degradation, sufficiently accurate material models are needed. According to the current hypothesis, hydrogen diffusion is driven by gradients of concentration and hydrostatic stress. To capture this, a phase‐field model is formulated as a multi‐field problem coupling deformation, crack propagation, and diffusion to analyze hydrogen‐promoted fracture. Here, the displacements, a fracture‐related phase‐field, the hydrogen lattice occupancy, and the chemical potential are considered as primary field variables. Approaches proposed in the literature often use an extrapolation of the hydrostatic stress calculated at the material point level onto the nodes and later use the B‐matrix to compute the gradient of hydrostatic stress. In order to circumvent this potentially inaccurate extrapolation, the model is recast into a mixed rate‐type variational setting, where the chemical potential—whose gradient governs the hydrogen flux—is obtained from the numerical solution of a saddle point problem. A representative boundary value problem is presented to demonstrate the applicability of the developed numerical framework.
Fabrication of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) and Reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO)‐based thermoplastic polyurethane and polypyrrole nanocomposites for electromagnetic wave absorption application with a low reflection
Authors: Acharya Swatee , Swain Lopa Mudra , Samal Ritu Roumya , Parashar S. K. S. , Sahoo Bibhu Prasad
Published: December 2023

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) pollution is a serious concern in today's environment, causing problems not just for electronic gadgets but also for living society. The goal of this research is to fabricate thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and polypyrrole (PPy)‐based 95:5 blend nanocomposites using a simple solvent casting method at such a low concentration of rGO and MWCNT (0.3, 0.4, 0.5 php) (parts per hundred polymers), for electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption applications. The chemical interaction between the different phases and morphology of the nanocomposites is characterized by Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) techniques. The material properties, such as dielectric and magnetic properties, are analyzed in X‐band frequency (8.2–12.4 GHz). The total shielding effectiveness of (SETot) 0.5 rGO system is found to be 27 dB, whereas, for corresponding MWCNT nanocomposites, it is 26 dB. Interestingly, in 0.5 rGO nanocomposites, absorption shielding effectiveness (SEAbs) is approximately 25 dB, and reflection shielding effectiveness (SERef) is less than 2 dB, which indicates the absorption of 70% of the electromagnetic wave, and the rest gets reflected. Apart from that, the rGO‐based nanocomposites possess a greater extent of thermal stability than the corresponding MWCNT‐based nanocomposites.

Highlights

Fabrication of TPU‐PPy‐rGO and TPU‐PPy‐MWCNT nanocomposites by solvent casting.

Low reflection of TPU‐PPy‐rGO nanocomposites with a 70% absorption rate.

FESEM confirms the multilayer interface structures.

Tunable Dielectric and magnetic properties of nanocomposites in X‐band.

Excellent absorption dominant properties of the fabricated nanocomposites.
Preparation, testing, and design of a radar‐absorption polymethacrylimide foam
Authors: Song Shijun , Yuan Jie , Duan Rongxia , Xiong Chao , Yin Junhui , Zhao Fang , Han Chao , Yang Zhaoshu , Liu Lei
Published: December 2023

This article presents a new radar‐absorbing polymethacrylimide (RAPMI) foam, measures the electromagnetic (EM) parameters of the foam, and establishes mechanical prediction models. The reflection loss (RL) curves of foams with different thicknesses and absorbent weight ratios (wt%) were analyzed along with the shear and compression behaviors of the RAPMI foam. Gibson models of the RAPMI foam were then established. The parametric effects of the absorption performance of multilayered RAPMI foams were analyzed using multimedia transmission‐line theory. A numerically designed RAPMI foam exhibited excellent EM performance while retaining the outstanding mechanical properties of the original foam. The laminated foam can theoretically achieve a full‐band effective absorption (RL ≤ −10 dB) of 2–18 GHz with a minimal thickness of 33.1 mm.
Clinical features associated with pulmonary exacerbation diagnosis in infants and young children with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Corcoran Aoife , Faig Walter , Ren Clement L.
Published: December 2023

Rationale

Diagnosing cystic fibrosis (CF) pulmonary exacerbations (PEx) in very young people with CF <3 years (VY‐PwCF) is challenging because of the frequency of respiratory viral infections in this age group, and there are limited data on the clinical features associated with the diagnosis of PEx in this age group. The goal of this study was to identify clinical features associated with the diagnosis of PEx in VY‐PwCF.

Methods

We reviewed the medical records of VY‐PwCF followed at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia born between 2013 and 2019. We collected data from all encounters with respiratory symptoms. PEx was defined by treatment with oral or intravenous antibiotics. Clinical features of PEx and non‐PEx encounters were compared using descriptive statistics, and odds ratios of PEx diagnosis were calculated.

Results

A total of 78 patients were included in the analysis. The mean (SD) number of PEx per patient was 6.17 (5.88). The presence of a wet or nighttime cough and symptoms >3 days in duration were significantly associated with PEx diagnosis (p < .001). In contrast, symptoms such as sore throat or rhinorrhea were not associated with a higher likelihood of PEx.

Conclusions

The presence of a wet or night‐time cough and longer symptom duration are common features of PEx in VY‐PwCF, whereas symptoms suggestive of upper respiratory viral infection are not. Our results will be helpful in counseling families of VY‐PwCF in the signs and symptoms of PEx and in planning future research in PEx in this age group.
Residues within the LptC transmembrane helix are critical for Escherichia coliLptB2FG ATPase regulation
Authors: Cina Nicholas P. , Frank Dara W. , Klug Candice S.
Published: December 2023

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synthesis in Gram‐negative bacteria is completed at the outer leaflet of the inner membrane (IM). Following synthesis, seven LPS transport (Lpt) proteins facilitate the movement of LPS to the outer membrane (OM), an essential process that if disrupted at any stage has lethal effects on bacterial viability. LptB2FG, the IM component of the Lpt bridge system, is a type VI ABC transporter that provides the driving force for LPS extraction from the IM and subsequent transport across a stable protein bridge to the outer leaflet of the OM. LptC is a periplasmic protein anchored to the IM by a single transmembrane (TM) helix intercalating within the lateral gate formed by LptF TM5 and LptG TM1. LptC facilitates the hand‐off of LPS from LptB2FG to the periplasmic protein LptA and has been shown to regulate the ATPase activity of LptB2FG. Here, using an engineered chromosomal knockout system in Escherichia coli to assess the effects of LptC mutations in vivo, we identified six partial loss of function LptC mutations in the first unbiased alanine screen of this essential protein. To investigate the functional effects of these mutations, nanoDSF (differential scanning fluorimetry) and site‐directed spin labeling (SDSL) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy in combination with an in vitro ATPase assay show that specific residues in the TM helix of LptC destabilize the LptB2FGC complex and regulate the ATPase activity of LptB.
Inhibition behavior and heat transfer of flame spread over liquid fuel with the influence of a step obstacle in the gas phase
Authors: Yang Shenlin , Hu Peiyuan , Li Ranran , Li Manhou , Xie Quanmin , Li Jingchuan
Published: December 2023

The transportation of oil is an important aspect of chemical process safety. In the accidental leakage of oil and related products, the flame spread occurs occasionally when the liquid fuel is activated by a pilot flame. In the potential application of fire prevention, a step obstacle placed above the oil ditch may effectively hinder the flame spread. The effectiveness of the usage of a step obstacle depends on the size of the obstacle and the heat exchange mechanism. Therefore, the investigation of inhibition behavior and heat transfer of liquid flame spread with gas step obstacle is performed. The hot fluids flow inside the channel to carry out the convection heat to the initial cold oils on the opposite of the gas step obstacle. The flame configuration is blocked behind the step obstacle. The flame spread behaviors including flame morphology, inhibition time, and air entrainment are characterized and analyzed. The heat flows of flame radiation and liquid‐phase convection are theoretically calculated, and the primary heat transfer mechanism is determined. This work is helpful for the development of fire safety technology and the establishment of standard specifications for oil transportation.
Hysteresis‐Free, Elastic, and Tough Hydrogel with Stretch‐Rate Independence and High Stability in Physiological Conditions
Authors: Ji Donghwan , Kim Dong‐Yeong , Fan Ziwen , Lee Chang‐Soo , Kim Jaeyun
Published: December 2023

Many existing synthetic hydrogels are inappropriate for repetitive motions because of large hysteresis, and their mechanical properties in warm and saline physiological conditions remain understudied. In this study, a stretch‐rate‐independent, hysteresis‐free, elastic, and tough nanocomposite hydrogel that can maintain its mechanical properties in phosphate‐buffered saline of 37 °C similar to warm and saline conditions of the human body is developed. The strength, stiffness, and toughness of the hydrogel are simultaneously reinforced by biomimetic silica nanoparticles with a surface of embedded circular polyamine chains. Such distinctive surfaces form robust interfacial interactions by local topological folding/entanglement with the polymer chains of the matrix. Load transfer from the soft polymer matrix to stiff nanoparticles, along with the elastic sliding/unfolding/disentanglement of polymer chains, overcomes the traditional trade‐off between strength/stiffness and toughness and allows for hysteresis‐free, strain‐rate‐independent, and elastic behavior. This robust reinforcement is sustained in warm phosphate‐buffered saline. These properties demonstrate the application potential of the developed hydrogel as a soft, elastic, and tough bio‐strain sensor that can detect dynamic motions across various deformation speeds and ranges. The findings provide a simple yet effective approach to developing practical hydrogels with a desirable combination of strength/stiffness and toughness, in a fully swollen and equilibrated state.
Quantitative Characterization of Reaction Behavior between La‐Bearing FeCrAl Melt and CaO–SiO2‐Based Slags
Authors: Fan Lei , Wang Deyong , Qu Tianpeng , Liu Chengjun
Published: December 2023

The reaction behavior between La‐bearing FeCrAl melt and CaO–SiO2‐based slags is quantitatively characterized based on industrial sampling, slag‐steel reaction simulation experiment, mass balance calculation, and thermodynamic theoretical analysis. In the results, it is shown that compared with FeCrAl melt, [La] in La‐bearing FeCrAl melt not only reacts with SiO2 in slags, but also promotes the reaction of [Al] with SiO2 and Na2O. The percentage of mass change of [La] after reaction with CaO–SiO2–Na2O–Al2O3 and CaO–SiO2–CaF2–Al2O3 slag is the highest increased by 92.43 wt%, and that of [Al] is the highest increased by 4.68 wt%. The percentages of mass change of SiO2, Na2O, and Al2O3 are the highest increased by 9.48, 2.91, and 52.86 wt%, respectively. Thermodynamic analysis shows that in FeCrAl melt, La not only increases the activity of itself, but also enhances the activity of Al to a certain extent, which is conducive to increasing the reaction degree between [Al] and Na2O and SiO2 in CaO–SiO2‐based slags. Moreover, the reaction behavior of CaO–SiO2–Na2O–Al2O3 and CaO–SiO2–CaF2–Al2O3 slags is compared and the main reasons are analyzed. The results of slag‐steel reaction simulation experiment are consistent with the trend of composition change of the mold flux in industrial sampling.
Modification, Structural Characterizations, and Biological Activities of Sulfated Polysaccharides: A Review
Authors: Hao Zitong , Dai Shasha , Tan Jiaqi , Gao Yuchao , Sang Yumei , Xue Hongkun
Published: December 2023

Polysaccharides are another important class of bioactive macromolecules in organisms, in addition to proteins and nucleic acids. Numerous studies have confirmed that polysaccharides have various biological activities, including anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anticancer, and other activities, which have attracted the attention of researchers in the biomedical field. In the past decade, increasing researches have found that sulfation modification can improve many physicochemical properties of polysaccharides, significantly enhance their original biological activities, and even generate new activity. Hence, sulfated polysaccharides have attracted more and more attention. A systematic review of the latest research progress and future development prospects of sulfated polysaccharides is very essential to better understand them. Hence, the study has systematically summarized current knowledge about synthesis, structural characteristics, biological activities, and potential molecular mechanisms of sulfated polysaccharides. This review provides some valuable insights and important guidance for the further study of sulfated polysaccharides.
Facing neoliberalism in education: How English language teachers enact their critical identities
Authors: Guerrero‐Nieto Carmen Helena , Castañeda‐Trujillo Jairo Enrique
Published: December 2023

In the 1990s, Colombia embraced neoliberalism, and as a result, all public and private institutions and organizations have adhered to its principles. Following this ideology, the national government implemented an educational quality policy intending to standardize processes and measure outcomes to position the country favorably in the global market. These policy actions directly impact schools, further entrenching neoliberalism in education and consequently influencing the practices and identities of teachers. This article centers on the personal experiences of two female English teachers pursuing a master's degree in English teaching. Through semi‐structured narrative interviews and analysis using a narrative‐based analytical framework, the accounts of these teachers reveal the challenges they face due to neoliberal practices, which tend to belittle, exploit, and discredit them. Nevertheless, the narratives also highlight how these teachers overcame their fears and openly expressed their ideas, asserting their critical identities and aligning their actions with the knowledge they gained through their master's studies. Therefore, it can be concluded that despite the disparity between the critical emphasis in teacher education, particularly in public universities, and the expectations placed on educators, the critical identity of these teachers is effectively manifested.
Manganese induces oxidative damage in the hippocampus by regulating the expression of oxidative stress‐related genes via modulation of H3K18 acetylation
Authors: Chen Zhi , Ao Chunyan , Liu Yan , Yang Yue , Liu Ying , Ming Qian , Li Changzhe , Zhao Hua , Ban Jiaqi , Li Jun
Published: December 2023

Prolonged exposure to manganese (Mn) contributes to hippocampal Mn accumulation, which leads to neurodegenerative diseases called manganese poisoning. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear and there are no ideal biomarkers. Oxidative stress is the essential mechanisms of Mn‐related neurotoxicity. Furthermore, histone acetylation has been identified as being engaged in the onset and development of neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, the work aims to understand the molecular mechanisms of oxidative damage in the hippocampus due to Mn exposure from the aspect of histone acetylation modification and to assess whether H3K18 acetylation (H3K18ac) modification level in peripheral blood reflect Mn‐induced oxidative damage in the hippocampus. Here, we randomly divided 60 male rats into four groups and injected them intraperitoneally with sterile pure water and MnCl2⋅4H2O (5, 10, and 15 mg/kg) for 16 weeks, 5 days a week, once a day. The data confirmed that Mn exposure down‐regulated superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione level as well as up‐regulated malondialdehyde level in the hippocampus and plasma, and that there was a positive correlation between these indicators in the hippocampus and plasma. Besides, we noted that Mn treatment upregulated H3K18ac modification levels in the hippocampus and peripheral blood and that H3K18ac modification levels correlated with oxidative stress. Further studies demonstrated that Mn treatment decreased the amounts of H3K18ac enrichment in the manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2) and glutathione transferase omega 1 (GSTO1) gene promoter regions, contributing to oxidative damage in the hippocampus. In short, our results demonstrate that Mn induces oxidative damage in the hippocampus by inhibiting the expression of SOD2 and GSTO1 genes via modulation of H3K18ac. In assessing Mn‐induced hippocampal neurotoxicity, oxidative damage in plasma may reflect hippocampal oxidative damage in Mn‐exposed groups.
Potenzialanalyse industrieller Datenanalysen in der Produktion am Beispiel des Kunststoffschweißens
Authors: Beiß Tobias , Klapic Edin , Hardt Tina , Schwenken Jörn , Deuse Jochen
Published: December 2023

Das Kapitel beschreibt die Umsetzung der Datenakquise am Beispiel des Heizelementschweißens von Kunststoffen an einer Laborschweißanlage sowie an einer industriellen Produktionsanlage. Die Identifizierung der relevanten Datenquellen und die Verknüpfung des Expertenwissens über den Prozess sind Kernbestandteile der Realisierung. Dazu wurde zunächst er Schweißprozess in die relevanten Prozessphasen eingeteilt. Innerhalb der Phasen wurden wichtige und an der Maschine verfügbare Prozessgrößen identifiziert und mithilfe eines Datensammlers (ARENDAR) über die gesamte Prozesszeit aufgezeichnet. Im Anschluss wurden die Daten mittels KI-Methoden analysiert. Es zeigte sich u. a., dass der Prozessablauf in der Maschine Fehler enthielt. Auch der Prozessablauf war in den ersten Messungen mit falschen Parametern eingestellt, die über die Auswertungen identifiziert und korrigiert werden konnten. In weiteren Versuchsreihen wurden gezielt mit Fehlern präparierte Probekörper geschweißt und die Auswirkungen auf die erfassten Daten untersucht. Dabei stellte sich heraus, dass der Prozess sehr robust ist und die automatisierte Erkennung von Fehlern im Prozess im Labormaßstab nicht eindeutig möglich war. Weitere Messungen werden in einem industriellen Szenario durchgeführt, bei dem eine größere Anzahl an Bauteilen als im Labor geschweißt werden kann. Zusammenfassend zeigte sich, dass nur im Zusammenspiel von Datenquellen, Expertenwissen und einer geeigneten Interpretation mittels Data Science Methoden eine erfolgreiche KI-gestützte Inline-Prozessanalyse möglich ist.