bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of motivational interviewing on postoperative mobilization in the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS®) pathway in elective colorectal surgery - a randomized patient-blinded pilot study
Authors: Wiesenberger Rico , Müller Julian , Kaufmann Mario , Weiß Christel , Ghezel-Ahmadi David , Hardt Julia , Reissfelder Christoph , Herrle Florian
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Early mobilization is an essential component of the Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS®)-pathway. However, a large percentage of patients fail to achieve the ERAS® recommended goal (360 min out of bed from post-operative day 1/POD1). Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based type of patient-centered consultation to promote intrinsic motivation. This study aims to evaluate if MI can improve postoperative mobilization.

Methods

This two-arm, patient-blinded pilot randomized controlled trial included ERAS®-patients undergoing elective bowel resections. Conversations were validated by MI Treatment Integrity. Two validated motion sensors (movisens) and self-assessments were used to measure mobilization (POD1–POD3: Time out of bed, time on feet and step count).

Results

97 patients were screened, 60 finally included and randomized. Cumulatively across POD1–3, the intervention group (IG) was longer out of bed than the control group (CG) (median: 685 vs. 420 min; p=0.022). The IG achieved the ERAS®-goal of 360 min/day more frequently across POD1–3 (27.4% vs. 10.61%; p=0.013). Time on feet was 131.5 min/day (median per POD) in IG vs. 95.8 min/day in the CG (p=0.212), step count was 1347 in IG vs. 754 steps/day in CG (p=0.298).

Conclusion

MI could be conducted low threshold and was well accepted by patients. MI can improve mobilization in the context of ERAS®. Despite better performance, it should be noted that only 27.4% of the IG reached the ERAS®-compliance goal of 360 min/day. The findings of this pilot study stipulate to further test the promising perioperative effects of MI within a multicenter superiority trial.

Registration

This study was registered prospectively in the German Clinical Trials Register on 25.02.2022. Trial registration number is “DRKS00027863”.
A catalytic membrane approach as a way to obtain sweet and unsweet lactose-free milk
Authors: Czyżewska Katarzyna , Trusek Anna
Published: April 2024

The growing need in the current market for innovative solutions to obtain lactose-free (L-F) milk is caused by the annual increase in the prevalence of lactose intolerance inside as well as the newborn, children, and adults. Various configurations of enzymes can yield two distinct L-F products: sweet (β-galactosidase) and unsweet (β-galactosidase and glucose oxidase) L-F milk. In addition, the reduction of sweetness through glucose decomposition should be performed in a one-pot mode with catalase to eliminate product inhibition caused by H2O2. Both L-F products enjoy popularity among a rapidly expanding group of consumers. Although enzyme immobilization techniques are well known in industrial processes, new carriers and economic strategies are still being searched. Polymeric carriers, due to the variety of functional groups and non-toxicity, are attractive propositions for individual and co-immobilization of food enzymes. In the presented work, two strategies (with free and immobilized enzymes; β-galactosidase NOLA, glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger, and catalase from Serratia sp.) for obtaining sweet and unsweet L-F milk under low-temperature conditions were proposed. For free enzymes, achieving the critical assumption, lactose hydrolysis and glucose decomposition occurred after 1 and 4.3 h, respectively. The tested catalytic membranes were created on regenerated cellulose and polyamide. In both cases, the time required for lactose and glucose bioconversion was extended compared to free enzymes. However, these preparations could be reused for up to five (β-galactosidase) and ten cycles (glucose oxidase with catalase).

Graphical abstract
Typische Gesundheitsüberzeugungen, Copingstrategien und Gesundheitskompetenz in hochgesunden Kindern und Jugendlichen
Authors: Weiler-Wichtl Liesa J. , Kollmann Alina , Fohn-Erhold Verena , Schwarzinger Agathe , Pletschko Thomas , Hansl Rita , Herzog Kristina , Leiss Ulrike , Schneider Carina
Published: April 2024

Gesundheitskompetenz spielt eine entscheidende Rolle für pädiatrische Patient:innen und bedeutet, Gesundheit bzw. Krankheit zu verstehen, zu erhalten und zu verbessern. Sie ist assoziiert mit effektivem Coping und Lebensqualität. Eine adaptierte Version der Gesundheitskompetenzskala wurde genutzt, um Gesundheitsüberzeugungen und Copingstrategien von 197 hochgesunden Kindern und Jugendlichen und deren Eltern zu erfassen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen hohe Einschätzungen seitens der Eltern und soziale Einschränkungen (90,1 %) im Fall einer eigenen Krankheit bei den meisten Kindern. Anhand des biopsychosozialen Modells wurden verschiedene Dimensionen (aus 283 genannten Assoziationen wurden 61,5 % der biologischen, 16,6 % der psychologischen und 21,9 % der sozialen Dimension zugeordnet) der Gesundheitskompetenz identifiziert, was wichtige Erkenntnisse für die Entwicklung gezielter psychosozialer Interventionen liefert.
High-grade metamorphism of banded iron formations: the role of saline fluids in promoting the growth of pyroxene and garnet reaction textures along magnetite-quartz grain boundaries
Authors: George Paul M. , Harlov Daniel E. , Windley Brian F. , Satish-Kumar Madhusoodhan , Sajeev Krishnan , Zhai Ming-Guo
Published: April 2024

Metamorphosed banded iron formation (BIF) in granulite-amphibolite facies, tonalitic orthogneisses from a series of locations in the Kolli Massif of southern India are described and analysed with regard to their lithologies, whole rock chemistry, mineral reaction textures, and mineral chemistry. On the basis of their mineral reaction textures along magnetite-quartz grain boundaries these BIFs are grouped according to their predominant silicate mineralogy: 1) amphibole; 2) orthopyroxene; 3) orthopyroxene–clinopyroxene; 4) orthopyroxene-clinopyroxene-garnet; 5) clinopyroxene-garnet-plagioclase; and 6) Fe-Mg silicates are absent. Two-pyroxene and garnet-pyroxene Fe-Mg exchange thermometry, coupled with thermodynamic pseudo-section modelling of whole rock data from one of the magnetite-quartz-orthopyroxene-clinopyroxene-bearing lithologies, indicates that the magnetite-quartz-orthopyroxene-clinopyroxene-garnet assemblages formed at ~900 to 1200 MPa and 750 to 900 °C under relatively low H2O activities. Magnetite-quartz-orthopyroxene reaction textures were experimentally replicated at 800 and 900 °C and 1000 MPa in a synthetic BIF using isolated magnetite grains in a quartz matrix to which was added a hypersaline Mg- and Al-bearing fluid (approximately 1% by mass), which permeated along all the grain boundaries. The fact that Fe-Mg silicate reaction textures did not form in one of the BIF samples, which had experienced the same P-T conditions as the other BIF samples, suggests that, unless a BIF initially incorporated Mg, Al, and Ca during formation with or was infiltrated from the surrounding rocks by Mg-, Al-, and Ca-bearing saline fluids, these silicate minerals could not and would not have formed from the inherent magnetite and quartz during granulite-facies and amphibolite-facies metamorphism.
Structural insights into the potential binding sites of Cathepsin D using molecular modelling techniques
Authors: Kamble Subodh A. , Barale Sagar S. , Mohammed Ali Abdulmawjood , Paymal Sneha B. , Naik Nitin M. , Sonawane Kailas D.
Published: April 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent type of dementia caused by the accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides. The extracellular deposition of Aβ peptides in human AD brain causes neuronal death. Therefore, it has been found that Aβ peptide degradation is a possible therapeutic target for AD. CathD has been known to breakdown amyloid beta peptides. However, the structural role of CathD is not yet clear. Hence, for the purpose of gaining a deeper comprehension of the structure of CathD, the present computational investigation was performed using virtual screening technique to predict CathD's active site residues and substrate binding mode. Ligand-based virtual screening was implemented on small molecules from ZINC database against crystal structure of CathD. Further, molecular docking was utilised to investigate the binding mechanism of CathD with substrates and virtually screened inhibitors. Localised compounds obtained through screening performed by PyRx and AutoDock 4.2 with CathD receptor and the compounds having highest binding affinities were picked as; ZINC00601317, ZINC04214975 and ZINCC12500925 as our top choices. The hydrophobic residues Viz. Gly35, Val31, Thr34, Gly128, Ile124 and Ala13 help stabilising the CathD-ligand complexes, which in turn emphasises substrate and inhibitor selectivity. Further, MM-GBSA approach has been used to calculate binding free energy between CathD and selected compounds. Therefore, it would be beneficial to understand the active site pocket of CathD with the assistance of these discoveries. Thus, the present study would be helpful to identify active site pocket of CathD, which could be beneficial to develop novel therapeutic strategies for the AD.
Effect of electric pulse treatment on silver recovery from spent solar panel sheet by acid-leaching
Authors: Takaya Yutaro , Imaizumi Yuto , Koita Taketoshi , Mauricio Cordova Udaeta Edwin , Tokoro Chiharu
Published: April 2024

The number of spent photovoltaic (PV) panels is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades. Crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells contain materials, such as silver, copper, aluminum, silicon, glass, and resins. Approximately 600 g/t of silver is used as a current collector, so-called finger wires, in photovoltaic modules; therefore, silver recovery is an important issue. To establish an effective recycling process for spent photovoltaic panels, a wire explosion method using high-voltage pulsed discharge was investigated to expose and separate silver selectively. In this study, acid-leaching experiments were conducted on spent ground photovoltaic panels with and without electric pulse treatment to verify the effect of the pulse treatment on acid-leaching of silver. Electric pulse treatment improved both the maximum silver recovery rate and leaching speed. Leaching experiments were also conducted using photovoltaic samples from three different silver exposure states. It can be concluded that silver recovery was strongly controlled by the exposure state and that the electric pulse treatment could effectively promote silver exposure of spent PV panels, even in the region where the silver wires were not energized.
The relationship between numerical magnitude processing and math anxiety, and their joint effect on adult math performance, varied by indicators of numerical tasks
Authors: Szczygieł Monika , Sarı Mehmet Hayri
Published: April 2024

According to the hypothesis of Maloney et al. (Cognition 114(2):293–297, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2009.09.013), math anxiety is related to deficits in numerical magnitude processing, which in turn compromises the development of advanced math skills. Because previous studies on this topic are contradictory, which may be due to methodological differences in the measurement of numerical magnitude processing, we tested Maloney et al.’s hypothesis using different tasks and their indicators: numerical magnitude processing (symbolic and non-symbolic comparison tasks: accuracy, reaction time, numerical ratio, distance and size effects, and Weber fraction; number line estimation task: estimation error), math anxiety (combined scores of learning, testing, math problem solving, and general math anxiety), and math performance. The results of our study conducted on 119 young adults mostly support the hypothesis proposed by Maloney et al. that deficiency in symbolic magnitude processing is related to math anxiety, but the relationship between non-symbolic processes and math anxiety was opposite to the assumptions. Moreover, the results indicate that estimation processes (but not comparison processes) and math anxiety are related to math performance in adults. Finally, high math anxiety moderated the relationship between reaction time in the symbolic comparison task, reaction time in the non-symbolic comparison task, numerical ratio effect in the symbolic comparison task, and math performance. Because the results of the joint effect of numerical magnitude processing and math anxiety on math performance were inconsistent, this part of the hypothesis is called into question.
Designing a reliable-sustainable supply chain network: adaptive m-objective ε-constraint method
Authors: Sepehri Arash , Tirkolaee Erfan Babaee , Simic Vladimir , Ali Sadia Samar
Published: April 2024

In the current era emphasizing sustainability and circularity, supply chain network design is a critical challenge for making reliable decisions. The optimization of facility location-allocation inventory problems (FLAIPs) holds the key to achieving dependable product delivery with reduced costs and carbon emissions. Despite the importance of these challenges, a substantial research gap exists regarding economic, reliability, and sustainability criteria for FLAIPs. This paper aims to fill this gap by introducing a multi-objective mixed-integer linear programming model, focusing on configuring a reliable sustainable supply chain network. The model addresses three key objectives: minimizing costs, minimizing emissions, and maximizing reliability. A notable contribution of this research lies in elaborating on five levels of a supply chain network catering to the delivery of multiple products across various periods. Another novelty is the simultaneous incorporation of economic, environmental, and reliability objectives in the network design—a facet rarely addressed in prior research. Results highlight that varying demand levels for each facility lead to altered trade-offs between objectives, empowering practitioners to make diverse decisions in facility location allocation. The proposed mathematical model undergoes validation through numerical examples and sensitivity analysis of parameters. The paper concludes by presenting theoretical and managerial implications, contributing valuable insights to the field of sustainable supply chains.
Bradyrhizobium ontarionense sp. nov., a novel bacterial symbiont isolated from Aeschynomene indica (Indian jointvetch), harbours photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation and nitrous oxide (N2O) reductase genes
Authors: Bromfield Eden S. P. , Cloutier Sylvie
Published: April 2024

A novel bacterial symbiont, strain A19T, was previously isolated from a root-nodule of Aeschynomene indica and assigned to a new lineage in the photosynthetic clade of the genus Bradyrhizobium. Here data are presented for the detailed genomic and taxonomic analyses of novel strain A19T. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of genes of practical or ecological significance (photosynthesis, nitrous oxide reductase and nitrogen fixation genes). Phylogenomic analysis of whole genome sequences as well as 50 single-copy core gene sequences placed A19T in a highly supported lineage distinct from described Bradyrhizobium species with B. oligotrophicum as the closest relative. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values for A19T in pair-wise comparisons with close relatives were far lower than the respective threshold values of 70% and ~ 96% for definition of species boundaries. The complete genome of A19T consists of a single 8.44 Mbp chromosome and contains a photosynthesis gene cluster, nitrogen-fixation genes and genes encoding a complete denitrifying enzyme system including nitrous oxide reductase implicated in the reduction of N2O, a potent greenhouse gas, to inert dinitrogen. Nodulation and type III secretion system genes, needed for nodulation by most rhizobia, were not detected. Data for multiple phenotypic tests complemented the sequence-based analyses. Strain A19T elicits nitrogen-fixing nodules on stems and roots of A. indica plants but not on soybeans or Macroptilium atropurpureum. Based on the data presented, a new species named Bradyrhizobium ontarionense sp. nov. is proposed with strain A19T (= LMG 32638T = HAMBI 3761T) as the type strain.
Using Teacher Prompts to Increase Leadership Skills in Preschool Children
Authors: Dicarlo Cynthia F. , Dowell Margaret-Mary Sulentic , Fazio-Brunson Michelle , Gauthreaux Sarah W.
Published: April 2024

Background

Early childhood leadership leads to positive outcomes for young children, including social competence.

Objective

The purpose of the present study was to examine the leadership behavior exhibited by three preschool aged children and to determine if teacher prompting could increase the frequency of leadership behaviors exhibited by preschool children.

Methods

A single case research design was utilized; specifically, we employed a multiple baseline design across preschool children to measure child leadership behaviors and teacher prompting.

Results

Baseline observations revealed that children engaged in Parten’s original 1933 framework of both directing and following, reciprocally directing or sharing leadership, and directing the group at varying levels. Using Pigors (Leadership and domination among children, 9:140–157, 1933) definition of “guidance of others toward a desired goal,” Leadership Prompting Intervention was used to increase children’s leadership behaviors. Results indicated that both teachers increased their level of leadership prompting, and all three children increased the behaviors of directing the group.

Conclusions

Teacher prompting is a low cost, low labor-intensive intervention that can be easily integrated into the early childhood classroom routine to increase children’s leadership skills. This study adds to the limited research on early childhood leadership (ECL) by providing insight into how teacher prompts can influence children’s leadership behavior in a specific context and setting.
A new exposure protocol adapted for wild bees reveals species-specific impacts of the sulfoximine insecticide sulfoxaflor
Authors: Dewaele Justine , Barraud Alexandre , Hellström Sara , Paxton Robert J. , Michez Denis
Published: April 2024

Wild bees are crucial pollinators of flowering plants and concerns are rising about their decline associated with pesticide use. Interspecific variation in wild bee response to pesticide exposure is expected to be related to variation in their morphology, physiology, and ecology, though there are still important knowledge gaps in its understanding. Pesticide risk assessments have largely focussed on the Western honey bee sensitivity considering it protective enough for wild bees. Recently, guidelines for Bombus terrestris and Osmia bicornis testing have been developed but are not yet implemented at a global scale in pesticide risk assessments. Here, we developed and tested a new simplified method of pesticide exposure on wild bee species collected from the field in Belgium. Enough specimens of nine species survived in a laboratory setting and were exposed to oral and topical acute doses of a sulfoximine insecticide. Our results confirm significant variability among wild bee species. We show that Osmia cornuta is more sensitive to sulfoxaflor than B. terrestris, whereas Bombus hypnorum is less sensitive. We propose hypotheses on the mechanisms explaining interspecific variations in sensitivity to pesticides. Future pesticide risk assessments of wild bees will require further refinement of protocols for their controlled housing and exposure.
Fire Safety for Green Façades: Part 1: Basics, State-of-the-Art Research and Experimental Investigation of Plant Flammability
Authors: Engel Thomas , Werther Norman
Published: April 2024

This study is the first part of a larger investigation into the fire behaviour of green façades. In this study, the currently known international research status on this topic is presented and discussed. In addition, the flammability of green façades is investigated through 43 fire tests on a medium scale according to the SBI (Single Burning Item) test method EN 13823. The focus of the investigation was placed on climbing plants. A total of 25 different plant species were investigated. A comparison of the heat release rate of all the investigated vital plants shows similar behaviour. In the course of exposure, there are short peaks in the heat release rate. These peaks are “flare-ups” that occur when parts of the plants dry out due to exposure to the flame and then ignite. The plant species itself had no substantial influence on fire behaviour. Horizontal fire spread occurred to a very limited extent within the investigations of vital plants. They were self-extinguishing. The significant factor in the assessment of flammability is the moisture content of the plants. With dried plants, an abrupt heat release occurs at the beginning. Dried-out plants, as well as unmaintained plants with a high content of deadwood, represent the most critical case.

Graphical Abstract
Chemical and Thermal Exposure Risks in a Multi Compartment Training Structure
Authors: Horn Gavin P. , Stakes Keith , Neumann Danielle L. , Willi Joseph M. , Chaffer Ryan , Weinschenk Craig , Fent Kenneth W.
Published: April 2024

Providing NFPA 1403 compliant live-fire training can present thermal and chemical exposure risk to instructors and students. To reduce risk, training academies, fire departments, instructors, and standards setting technical committees need more information on how different training fuels used in common training structures can impact the environment in which firefighter training occurs. This study utilized a traditional concrete training structure with multiple compartments to characterize training environments with three different fuel package materials [i.e., low density wood fiberboard, oriented strand board (OSB), and wood pallets]. Exposure risks for a fire instructor located on either the first or second floor were characterized using measurements of heat flux, air temperature and airborne concentrations of several contaminants including known, probable, or possible carcinogens. It was hypothesized that utilizing a training fuel package with solid wood pallets would result in lower concentrations of these airborne contaminants [aldehydes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)] than wood-based sheet goods containing additional resins and/or waxes. Additionally, it was hypothesized that these concentrations would be lower than in the single compartment Fire Behavior Lab presented in a companion manuscript. For all measured compounds other than hydrochloric acid, airborne concentrations were 10 to 100 times lower than in the Fire Behavior Lab. OSB-fueled fires produced the highest median concentrations of total PAHs and VOCs such as benzene, while the pallet fuel package produced the lowest median concentrations of these compounds. These trends generally followed the qualitative visual obscuration created by each fuel. Additional tests were conducted on the OSB-fueled fires with increased ventilation and an alternate means of reducing visibility through smoldering smoke barrels. This OSB experiment with increased ventilation resulted in the highest temperatures in the fire room but the lowest impact on visibility throughout the structure, as well as the lowest overall concentrations of contaminants in this study. In contrast, the smoldering straw-filled smoke barrel created a highly obscured environment (with minimal impact on thermal environment) and some of the highest concentrations of the targeted contaminants of any test. These data may be useful in balancing obscuration for training with potential exposure to thermal stressors and contaminants.
On the energy decomposition in variational phase-field models for brittle fracture under multi-axial stress states
Authors: Vicentini F. , Zolesi C. , Carrara P. , Maurini C. , De Lorenzis L.
Published: April 2024

Phase-field models of brittle fracture are typically endowed with a decomposition of the elastic strain energy density in order to realistically describe fracture under multi-axial stress states. In this contribution, we identify the essential requirements for this decomposition to correctly describe both nucleation and propagation of cracks. Discussing the evolution of the elastic domains in the strain and stress spaces as damage evolves, we highlight the links between the nucleation and propagation conditions and the modulation of the elastic energy with the phase-field variable. In light of the identified requirements, we review some of the existing energy decompositions, showcasing their merits and limitations, and conclude that none of them is able to fulfil all requirements. As a partial remedy to this outcome, we propose a new energy decomposition, denoted as star-convex model, which involves a minimal modification of the volumetric-deviatoric decomposition. Predictions of the star-convex model are compared with those of the existing models with different numerical tests encompassing both nucleation and propagation.
Therapeutic potential of conduction system pacing as a method for improving cardiac output during ventricular tachycardia
Authors: Keene Daniel , Miyazawa Alejandra A. , Arnold Ahran D. , Naraen Akriti , Kaza Nandita , Mohal Jagdeep S. , Lefroy David C. , Lim Phang Boon , Ng Fu Siong , Koa-Wing Michael , Qureshi Norman A. , Linton Nick W. F. , Wright Ian , Peters Nicholas S. , Kanagaratnam Prapa , Shun-Shin Matthew J. , Francis Darrel P. , Whinnett Zachary I.
Published: April 2024

Background

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) reduces cardiac output through high heart rates, loss of atrioventricular synchrony, and loss of ventricular synchrony. We studied the contribution of each mechanism and explored the potential therapeutic utility of His bundle pacing to improve cardiac output during VT.

Methods

Study 1 aimed to improve the understanding of mechanisms of harm during VT (using pacing simulated VT). In 23 patients with left ventricular impairment, we recorded continuous ECG and beat-by-beat blood pressure measurements. We assessed the hemodynamic impact of heart rate and restoration of atrial and biventricular synchrony. Study 2 investigated novel pacing interventions during clinical VT by evaluating the hemodynamic effects of His bundle pacing at 5 bpm above the VT rate in 10 patients.

Results

In Study 1, at progressively higher rates of simulated VT, systolic blood pressure declined:

at rates of 125, 160, and 190 bpm, -22.2%, -42.0%, and -58.7%, respectively (ANOVA p < 0.0001). Restoring atrial synchrony alone had only a modest beneficial effect on systolic blood pressure (+ 3.6% at 160 bpm, p = 0.2117), restoring biventricular synchrony alone had a greater effect (+ 9.1% at 160 bpm, p = 0.242), and simultaneously restoring both significantly increased systolic blood pressure (+ 31.6% at 160 bpm, p = 0.0003). In Study 2, the mean rate of clinical VT was 143 ± 21 bpm. His bundle pacing increased systolic blood pressure by + 14.2% (p = 0.0023). In 6 of 10 patients, VT terminated with His bundle pacing.

Conclusions

Restoring atrial and biventricular synchrony improved hemodynamic function in simulated and clinical VT. Conduction system pacing could improve VT tolerability and treatment.

Graphical Abstract
Optimization of the ETL titanium dioxide layer for inorganic perovskite solar cells
Authors: Bulowski Wojciech , Szwanda Agata , Gawlińska-Nęcek Katarzyna , Panek Piotr , Lipiński Marek , Janusz-Skuza Marta , Szczerba Maciej Jakub , Majchrowicz Łukasz , Mahapatra Apurba , Prochowicz Daniel , Starowicz Zbigniew
Published: April 2024

Titanium dioxide layers are the most popular electron transport layer (ETL) in perovskite solar cells. However most studies focuses on mesoporous structure and application with organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite. In this study, the topic of ETL in planar structure of inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite solar cells was tackled, the presented approach will reduce production costs and improve cell stability, which is the greatest drawback of perovskite cells especially organic–inorganic perovskite. The potential application of these technology are greenhouses and building integrated PV sector. Here, the two TiO2 precursors titanium(IV) ethoxide in ethanol and titanium(IV) bis(acetylacetonate) diisopropoxide (Tiacac) were investigated, optimized and compared. TiO2 layers were deposited on high roughness FTO, without the use of a mesoporous layer, by spin coating method. The correlation between stock solution concentration and thickness of manufactured layers was tracked for both precursors as well as their difference in morphology of the final films and other properties. In particular, conformality and optical properties are better for Tiacac. Slightly lower refractive index of Tiacac-based titania reduced the reflective losses from 7.3 to 6.9% effectively. The obtained layers were used for inorganic solar cells of CsPbBr3 perovskite to finally settle the issue of optimal thickness and precursor. It is interesting that despite the supremacy in investigated properties of commonly used of the precursor Tiacac, the results of the cells pointed to the Tieth. The efficiency of the champion cell is 6.08% for Tieth, while 5.62% is noted for Tiacac. Trying to figure out this riddle, we shed a new light on the phenomena going on the ETL/inorganic perovskite interface investigating nanoroughness.
Submerged Fermentation and Kinetics of Newly Isolated Priestia megaterium for the Production of Biopolymer Curdlan
Authors: Aquinas Natasha , Bhat Ramananda M. , Selvaraj Subbalaxmi
Published: April 2024

In this study, a curdlan-producing bacterium was isolated from Cow pea soil and identified as Priestia megaterium based on 16 S rRNA sequencing. To identify the most suitable carbon and nitrogen sources for curdlan production, submerged fermentation studies with different sources was carried out. To enhance the curdlan yield, optimization by one-factor-at-a-time approach was conducted. The optimal fermentation media consisted of 15% (w/v) sucrose, 0.1% (w/v) urea, 0.1% (w/v) KH2PO4, 0.04% (w/v) MgSO4·7H2O, trace elements, initial pH of 7.0 with 10% (v/v) inoculum size and agitation speed of 180 rpm. Kinetics of growth, curdlan yield, sucrose and ammonia depletion were studied for a period of 168 h. Maximum curdlan yield (0.31 g/L) was achieved at 96 h of fermentation. At this point, the fermentation media had an optical density of 9.68, biomass concentration of 4.26 mg/mL, and viable count of 2.4 × 104 CFU/mL. Additionally, the maximum percentage consumption of sucrose and ammonia over 168 h of fermentation were 75 and 62.5%, respectively. Finally, the identity of biopolymer curdlan was validated through characterization techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Some characteristic features of curdlan such as the β-1,3-linkage was depicted by the absorption band at 890 cm−1 in FTIR, flaky granules with irregularities as seen in SEM, and thermal degradation between 235 and 350 °C by TGA. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on curdlan production from Priestia megaterium.
From MNIST to ImageNet and back: benchmarking continual curriculum learning
Authors: Faber Kamil , Zurek Dominik , Pietron Marcin , Japkowicz Nathalie , Vergari Antonio , Corizzo Roberto
Published: April 2024

Continual learning (CL) is one of the most promising trends in recent machine learning research. Its goal is to go beyond classical assumptions in machine learning and develop models and learning strategies that present high robustness in dynamic environments. This goal is realized by designing strategies that simultaneously foster the incorporation of new knowledge while avoiding forgetting past knowledge. The landscape of CL research is fragmented into several learning evaluation protocols, comprising different learning tasks, datasets, and evaluation metrics. Additionally, the benchmarks adopted so far are still distant from the complexity of real-world scenarios, and are usually tailored to highlight capabilities specific to certain strategies. In such a landscape, it is hard to clearly and objectively assess models and strategies. In this work, we fill this gap for CL on image data by introducing two novel CL benchmarks that involve multiple heterogeneous tasks from six image datasets, with varying levels of complexity and quality. Our aim is to fairly evaluate current state-of-the-art CL strategies on a common ground that is closer to complex real-world scenarios. We additionally structure our benchmarks so that tasks are presented in increasing and decreasing order of complexity—according to a curriculum—in order to evaluate if current CL models are able to exploit structure across tasks. We devote particular emphasis to providing the CL community with a rigorous and reproducible evaluation protocol for measuring the ability of a model to generalize and not to forget while learning. Furthermore, we provide an extensive experimental evaluation showing that popular CL strategies, when challenged with our proposed benchmarks, yield sub-par performance, high levels of forgetting, and present a limited ability to effectively leverage curriculum task ordering. We believe that these results highlight the need for rigorous comparisons in future CL works as well as pave the way to design new CL strategies that are able to deal with more complex scenarios.
The impact of brand equity on profit premium in an equilibrium framework
Authors: Sándor Zsolt , Szőcs Attila , Wildenbeest Matthijs R.
Published: April 2024

Recent research extends the estimation and analysis of structural demand and supply models to consider the concepts of brand equity and brand value and their role in product investment decisions. In this paper, we analyze data from the Dutch market for new cars to show that differences in brand equity may also entail significant differences in marginal costs. Next, we illustrate that ignoring the role of brand equity in marginal costs, as the existing literature has, ignores the possibility that investments in brand equity may actually reduce the marginal profits for the offering. This can change investment incentives and produce different market structures.
An Uneasy Peace: How STEM Progressive, Traditionalist, and Bridging Faculty Understand Campus Conflicts over Diversity, Anti-Racism, and Free Expression
Authors: Brint Steven , Webb Megan , Fields Benjamin
Published: April 2024

In recent years an uneasy peace has descended in U.S. academe between those who feel research universities have done too little to advance the representation of minority groups and women and those who feel that the administrative policies developed to improve representation can and sometimes do come into conflict with core intellectual commitments of universities. Using quantitative and qualitative evidence from interviews with 47 natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics faculty members at a U.S. research university, the paper examines the background characteristics of three sets of protagonists - academic progressives, academic traditionalists, and those whose views bridge the divide - and the way respondents discussed and justified their viewpoints. The paper draws on the theory of strategic action fields to illuminate the structure and dynamics of the conflict and suggests modifications to the theory that would improve its explanatory power for this case.
Unlocking the potential of adeno-associated virus in neuroscience: a brief review
Authors: Minetti Antea
Published: April 2024

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has emerged as a pivotal tool in neuroscience research, owing to its remarkable versatility and efficiency in delivering genetic material to diverse cell types within the nervous system. This mini review aims to underscore the advanced applications of AAV vectors in neuroscience and their profound potential to revolutionize our understanding of brain function and therapeutic interventions for neurological disorders. By providing a concise overview of the latest developments and strategies employing AAV vectors, this review illuminates the transformative role of AAV technology in unraveling the complexities of neural circuits and paving the way for innovative treatments. Through elucidating the multifaceted capabilities of AAV-mediated gene delivery, this review underscores its pivotal role as a cornerstone in contemporary neuroscience research, promising remarkable insights into the intricacies of brain biology and offering new avenues for therapeutic intervention.
Cluster Analysis as a Basis for the Development of an Application Assessing the Reliability of Transport Infrastructure
Authors: Trojanowski Piotr , Husár Jozef , Hrehová Stella , Knapčíková Lucia
Published: April 2024

Increased demand for transport services and increased mobility of citizens can lead to a reduction in the level of reliability of transport systems. This in turn increases the demand for ways to assess the reliability of road infrastructure by both transport companies and individual users. The article presents the substantive basis of an application used to determine the reliability of transport infrastructure. Our approach was based on grouping information into clusters – based on the author’s proprietary clustering method. Its basis is the detailed analysis of the road infrastructure in terms of errors occurring on it, divided into conceptual, design and operational errors. The methodology consists of three stages of clustering (1) creating a database of sections with assigned errors, (2) determining the initial clusters, (3) creating a final database of clusters, and then assessing the reliability of the road infrastructure of the transport system on their basis. The assumption is that the application will remain open-ended – i.e. the database will be developed by users. The proposed methodology was verified on the example of the selected route in Poland (between Kalisz and Szczecin). Based on the results obtained during the experiment on the selected route, errors in the road infrastructure were determined. This, in turn, allowed us to find that there are a number of errors in the road infrastructure, including errors with a high frequency of occurrence i.e. the so-called permanent errors, which further confirms the need to create an application to assess the reliability of the road infrastructure.
Beam modeling in a floating frame of reference for torsion dynamics of helicopter rotor blades
Authors: Weiss Felix , Merlis Joshua
Published: April 2024

In the ongoing development of DLR’s Versatile Aeromechanics Simulation Tool, an elastic-beam model is integrated into the multibody system based on the floating frame-of-reference formulation. Although the application of this formulation for one-dimensional beam models has already been addressed in the literature, the challenge remains to properly model the torsion dynamics of rotor blades – especially under high centrifugal loads. To this aim, this work suggests the consideration of rotational shape functions in the inertia shape integrals and in the application of gravitational, inertial, and external loads. This modified approach is validated based on the structural analysis of a rotor blade with complex geometrical properties.
What word-prosodic typology is missing: Motivating foot structure as an analytical tool for syllable-internal prosodic oppositions
Authors: Köhnlein Björn , Cameron Ian S.
Published: April 2024

A notoriously contested subarea of phonological typology is word-prosodic typology, which governs suprasegmental structure (such as tone, syllable structure and stress) at the word level. Within word-prosodic typology, it is widely recognized that some languages have so-called stress systems while others have lexical-tone systems. Other languages appear to have intermediate systems, with properties of both stress and lexically contrastive tone. Certain types of such intermediate systems are at the core of ongoing theoretical debates on the nature of word- prosodic systems, viz. language varieties with contrasts between two word tones that are restricted to the main-stressed syllables of a word, a phenomenon that is often descriptively referred to as tonal accent. In this paper, we aim to show that exploring tone-accent systems in detail has the potential to significantly contribute to word-prosodic typology, specifically concerning the foot as a tool for the analysis of syllable-internal prosodic contrasts. The phonology of tonal accent in Franconian (a variety of West Germanic spoken in parts of Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands) will be the main piece of evidence supporting our claims, with a focus on predictable interactions between segmental structure and accentuation. A central implication of our analysis is that tonal contrasts within syllables can sometimes derive from two types of feet being active in the same prosodic system. We support the Franconian evidence with analogous tone-segment interactions in Estonian and discuss the relevance of our claims in the broader context of word-prosodic typology.
Screening and surveillance recommendations for central nervous system hemangioblastomas in pediatric patients with Von Hippel-Lindau disease
Authors: Knoblauch Anna Laura , Blaß B.-I. , Steiert C. , Neidert N. , Puzik A. , Neumann-Haefelin E. , Ganner A. , Kotsis F. , Schäfer T. , Neumann H.P.H. , Elsheikh S. , Beck J. , Klingler J.-H.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is an autosomal-dominantly inherited tumor predisposition syndrome. One of the most common tumors are central nervous system (CNS) hemangioblastomas. Recommendations on the initiation and continuation of the screening and surveillance program for CNS tumors in pediatric VHL patients are based on small case series and thus low evidence level. To derive more robust screening recommendations, we report on the largest monocentric pediatric cohort of VHL patients.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis on a pediatric cohort of 99 VHL patients consulted at our VHL center from 1992 to 2023. Clinical, surgical, genetic, and imaging data were collected and statistically analyzed.

Results

42 patients (50% male) developed CNS hemangioblastomas, of whom 18 patients (56% male) underwent hemangioblastoma surgery (mean age at first surgery: 14.9 ± 1.9 years; range 10.2–17). The first asymptomatic patient was operated on at the age of 13.2 years due to tumor progress. Truncating VHL mutation carriers had a significantly higher manifestation rate (HR = 3.7, 95% CI: 1.9–7.4, p < 0.0001) and surgery rate (HR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.2–8.9, p = 0.02) compared with missense mutation carriers.

Conclusion

We recommend starting MRI imaging at the age of 12 years with examination intervals every (1-) 2 years depending on CNS involvement. Special attention should be paid to patients with truncating variants. Affected families should be educated regularly on potential tumor-associated symptoms to enable timely MRI imaging and eventually intervention, as CNS hemangioblastoma may develop before screening begins.

German clinical trials Register registration number

DRKS00029553, date of registration 08/16/2022, retrospectively registered.
Explaining differences in research utilization in evidence-based government ministries
Authors: Kelstrup Jesper Dahl , Jørgensen Jonas Videbæk
Published: April 2024

Studies of evidence-based policy have found that research often fails to influence policy-making and identify a number of barriers to research utilization. Less is known about what public administrations do to overcome such barriers. The article draws on a content analysis of 1,159 documents and 13 qualitative interviews to compare how and why evidence standards affect research utilization in two Danish ministries with available evidence, policy analytical capacity, and broad political agreement on key policy goals. The article finds support for the proposition that more exclusive evidence standards in ministries will lead to higher levels of research utilization by showing that average levels of research utilization are higher in the Ministry of Employment than in the Ministry of Children and Education in the period 2016?2021. In active employment policy the adoption an evidence hierarchy and the accumulating evidence in a knowledge bank has interacted with stakeholder support and a continued coordination with the Ministry of Finance to provide economic incentives for policy-makers to adopt evidence-based policies thus stimulating research utilization. Evidence for public education policy, by contrast, has been more contested and the Ministry of Children of Education retains inclusive evidence standards in an attempt to integrate evidencebased and practical knowledge from stakeholders, which has led to lower average levels of utilization in the period.
New data and descriptor for crowdfunding and renewable energy
Authors: Salerno Dario , Gatto Andrea , Russo Simona
Published: April 2024

This work exhibits an extensive panel dataset and data descriptor on the crowdfunding-renewable energy nexus. This new source of data may find large use in energy economics, econometrics and policy, as well as financial and microfinance analysis. The referred dataset is made of 4704 observations to related to crowdfunding campaigns from 2009 to 2021. Data can be used for diverse energy econometrics studies and data analysis, especially for socioeconomic and environmental aspects of energy innovation and efficiency investigations. The contribution offered by this paper is the correlation between two salient aspects for the first time. We have cross-referenced the data related to crowdfunding campaigns with the sustainable orientation of the countries. The extrapolated data from two datasets—i.e., Zephyr Bureau Van Dijk and the World Bank’s World Development Indicators—form a new dataset that serves as a tool, as well as a guide, for future studies related to renewable energy, fintech, economic, innovation and entrepreneurship issues. Moreover, this contribution may stimulate the development of new policies and strategies aimed at supporting the transition towards the circular economy and sustainable development by creating positive externalities on a large scale by increasing social welfare and resilience applications.