bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tuberculosis Disease Among Nonimmigrant Visa Holders Reported to US Quarantine Stations, January 2011–June 2016
Authors: Vonnahme Laura A. , Shaw Kate M. , Gulati Reena K. , Hollberg Michelle R. , Posey Drew L. , Regan Joanna J.
Published: June 2024

US-bound immigrants and refugees undergo a mandatory overseas medical examination that includes tuberculosis screening; this exam is not routinely required for temporary visitors applying for non-immigrant visas (NIV) to visit, work, or study in the United States. US health departments and foreign ministries of health report tuberculosis cases in travelers to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Quarantine Stations. We reviewed cases reported to this passive surveillance system from January 2011 to June 2016. Of 1252 cases of tuberculosis in travelers reported to CDC, 114 occurred in travelers with a long-term NIV. Of these, 83 (73%) were infectious; 18 (16%) with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) and one with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB). We found evidence that NIV holders are diagnosed with tuberculosis disease in the United States. Given that long-term NIV holders were over-represented in this data set, despite the small proportion (4%) of overall non-immigrant admissions they represent, expanding the US overseas migration health screening program to this population might be an efficient intervention to further reduce tuberculosis in the United States.
Double layer silica antireflective films with high strength and rub resistance prepared by sol gel method
Authors: Shen Bin , Zhang Xu , Li Haiyuan , Xie Xinglong
Published: June 2024

The single-layer silica antireflective film with base catalysis prepared by sol gel method is an important part of the high-power laser facility for inertial confinement fusion, while the weak adhesion between the single-layer silica film and the substrate during the preparation process makes it susceptible to be contacted erasure and unable to be used. Double-layer silica antireflective (DLAR) films of different thicknesses were obtained using the base catalysis sol–gel method, in which the upper layer was coated with a relatively dense thin layer, and the performances of the films were characterized. The results showed that the transmittances of the DLAR films with different thicknesses were ˃99.0%, and in which one of the maximum transmittance peaks reached to 99.83% @ 1000 nm. The surface roughness of the DLAR films was < 2.0 nm, and the surfaces of the films were flat. The contact angles between DLAR films and water reached 118° and maintained stable in high humidity environment. The laser induced damage thresholds for different thickness DLAR films (peak transmittances @ 400, 600, 800, 1000 nm) were comparable to device requirements by 1-on-1 testing method, and the DLAR films exhibited high strength and good friction resistance.

Graphical abstract
Mapping Kansas City cardiomyopathy, Seattle Angina, and minnesota living with heart failure to the MacNew-7D in patients with heart disease
Authors: Senanayake Sameera , Uchil Rithika , Sharma Pakhi , Parsonage William , Kularatna Sanjeewa
Published: June 2024

Introduction

The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ), Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ), and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) are widely used non-preference-based instruments that measure health-related quality of life (QOL) in people with heart disease. However, currently it is not possible to estimate quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for economic evaluation using these instruments as the summary scores produced are not preference-based. The MacNew-7D is a heart disease-specific preference-based instrument. This study provides different mapping algorithms for allocating utility scores to KCCQ, MLHFQ, and SAQ from MacNew-7D to calculate QALYs for economic evaluations.

Methods

The study included 493 participants with heart failure or angina who completed the KCCQ, MLHFQ, SAQ, and MacNew-7D questionnaires. Regression techniques, namely, Gamma Generalized Linear Model (GLM), Bayesian GLM, Linear regression with stepwise selection and Random Forest were used to develop direct mapping algorithms. Cross-validation was employed due to the absence of an external validation dataset. The study followed the Mapping onto Preference-based measures reporting Standards checklist.

Results

The best models to predict MacNew-7D utility scores were determined using KCCQ, MLHFQ, and SAQ item and domain scores. Random Forest performed well for item scores for all questionnaires and domain score for KCCQ, while Bayesian GLM and Linear Regression were best for MLHFQ and SAQ domain scores. However, models tended to over-predict severe health states.

Conclusion

The three cardiac-specific non-preference-based QOL instruments can be mapped onto MacNew-7D utilities with good predictive accuracy using both direct response mapping techniques. The reported mapping algorithms may facilitate estimation of health utility for economic evaluations that have used these QOL instruments.
Actor-network theory as a new direction in research on educational dialogues
Authors: Schwarz Baruch B. , Tsemach Udi , Israeli Mirit , Nir Erez
Published: June 2024

We compare the scheme for educational dialogue analysis (SEDA) to the actor-network theory (ANT) for the analysis of educational dialogues. We show that ANT unearths the socio-material structure of classroom talk as networks in which human and non-human actors (texts, diagrams, instructions, etc.) exert power on each other. The application of ANT to classroom talk led us to identify (non-)dialogic networks when human actors are not subordinated (resp. subordinated) to other actors. Roles in networks are not predetermined but translated in interactions, and networks are often blackboxed, as the original process and circumstances of their creation might be ignored. We show then that the adoption of ANT (resp. SEDA) uncovers phenomena that SEDA (resp. ANT) did not identify. SEDA helps observe the co-construction of ideas and describe shifts from the dialogic to the non-dialogic but does not explain the mechanisms that lead to these shifts. ANT explains shifts from one network to another, as it conveys the change of power relations between the different actors, role of non-human actors, and shows how they shape the dynamics of networks in classroom talk. We draw from this comparison implications both for research and educational practice in dialogic education.
Soil history
Authors: Cummins Thomas
Published: June 2024

Proposal

Soil history can be included in formal soil records.

Application

Context information accompanying soil-profile descriptions can include an explicit text field “soil history”; soil-map polygon attributes can capture soil history; soil characteristics from points, transects and areas can include soil history as descriptors for points, features, areas, and landscapes.

Scope

Soil history can capture facts, knowledge and inferences about human interaction with earth materials, such as earthworks, drainage, irrigation, cultivation, liming, fertilising, construction and demolition, excavation and deposition, sealing, compaction, and contamination, while the purpose, meaning or social context of such actions can usefully support understanding. Sources contributing to soil history include soil management records, engineering and planning designs, documentary accounts of land use activities, maps showing building and pavement forms and topographic features, local knowledge and folklore accounts, public administration records, legal instruments, supported by interpretations from site and soil morphologies.

Potential

While soil genesis is often obscure when based on soil morphology, soil history built on independent sources helps understanding of soils, principally anthropogenic soils and human action in soils more broadly. Recording soil history supplements morphological soil characterisation, and can inform World Reference Base classification. Including soil history within formal and structured soil information is now possible and needed.
Combining Danmaku and Discussion Boards: Toward A Scalable and Sociable Environment for Mass Collaboration in MOOCs
Authors: Yang Bo
Published: June 2024

In online learning at scale, wherein instructional videos play a central role, interactive tools are often integrated to counteract passive consumption. For example, the forum or discussion board is widely used, and an emerging functionality, danmaku, which enables messages to be synchronized with video playback, has also been utilized recently. To explore how mass participation is accommodated and what categories of interaction learners implement, this study utilizes analysis of interaction and manual content analysis through learner-generated text data from two specific tools employed in a massive open online course (MOOC) setting: the discussion board (N = 739) and danmaku (N = 2435). Results of the analysis of interaction indicate that mass participation is managed differently by the tools: danmaku fosters a collective space for massive participants, while the discussion board organizes them into threaded small groups. In addition, results of the content analysis show danmaku primarily supports indirect interaction with a focus on the socio-emotional dimension, while the discussion board serves as a platform for direct discussions, particularly in the cognitive dimension. Furthermore, within the context of large-scale engagement, various levels of joint interaction, in addition to collaboration, are discerned and discussed in both socio-emotional and cognitive interactions. The findings offer insights for developing sociable and scalable socio-technical environments in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), addressing emerging educational trends. Practical implications for educational design based on these findings are also discussed.
MRI-compatible abdomen phantom to mimic respiratory-triggered organ movement while performing needle-based interventions
Authors: Vogt Ivan , Engel Katja , Schlünz Anton , Kowal Robert , Hensen Bennet , Gutberlet Marcel , Wacker Frank , Rose Georg
Published: June 2024

Purpose

In vivo studies are often required to prove the functionality and safety of medical devices. Clinical trials are costly and complex, adding to ethical scrutiny of animal testing. Anthropomorphic phantoms with versatile functionalities can overcome these issues with regard to medical education or an effective development of assistance systems during image-guided interventions (e.g., robotics, navigation/registration algorithms). In this work, an MRI-compatible and customizable motion phantom is presented to mimic respiratory-triggered organ movement as well as human anatomy.

Methods

For this purpose, polyvinyl alcohol cryogel (PVA-C) was the foundation for muscles, liver, kidneys, tumors, and remaining abdominal tissue in different sizes of the abdominal phantom body (APB) with the ability to mimic human tissue in various properties. In addition, a semi-flexible rib cage was 3D-printed. The motion unit (MU) with an electromagnetically shielded stepper motor and mechanical extensions simulated a respiration pattern to move the APB.

Results

Each compartment of the APB complied the relaxation times, dielectricity, and elasticity of human tissue. It showed resistance against mold and provided a resealable behavior after needle punctures. During long-term storage, the APB had a weight loss of 2.3%, followed by changes to relaxation times of 9.3% and elasticity up to 79%. The MU was able to physiologically appropriately mimic the organ displacement without reducing the MRI quality.

Conclusion

This work presents a novel modularizable and low-cost PVA-C based APB to mimic fundamental organ motion. Beside a further organ motion analysis, an optimization of APB’s chemical composition is needed to ensure a realistic motion simulation and reproducible long-term use. This phantom enhances diverse and varied training environments for prospective physicians as well as effective R&D of medical devices with the possibility to reduce in vivo experiments.
Investigating photosynthetic evolution and the feasibility of inducing C4 syndrome in C3 plants
Authors: Mukundan Nidhi S. , Satyamoorthy Kapaettu , Sankar Babu Vidhu
Published: June 2024

Plant physiologists set about comprehending the genesis of the C4 photosynthetic pathway after its discovery by Hatch and Slack. They discovered that a sophisticated combination of morphological and biochemical adaptations allowed the plant to concentrate CO2 around RuBisCO to achieve maximum efficiency. We categorize the evolutionary events leading to C4 photosynthesis, beginning with anoxygenic photosynthesis and the evolution of RuBisCO to the cooling of Earth by the Great Oxygenation Event that led to the oxygenic photosynthesis. The evolutionary descent of the C4 plants is a phenomenon that occurred around 30 million years ago. Due to industrialization and population growth, improved photosynthetic efficiency and carbon fixation of C4 plants could contest the current global scenario of rising CO2 concentration. C3 crops engineered with C4 traits, implemented on a large scale, could impact the climate globally. Here we discuss the various strategies used to introduce C4 traits in the C3 plants and the potential techniques to be considered for successful hybridization.
In Vitro Cell Surface Marker Expression on Mesenchymal Stem Cell Cultures does not Reflect Their Ex Vivo Phenotype
Authors: Cao Ye , Boss Anna L. , Bolam Scott M. , Munro Jacob T , Crawford Haemish , Dalbeth Nicola , Poulsen Raewyn C. , Matthews Brya G.
Published: June 2024

Cell surface marker expression is one of the criteria for defining human mesenchymal stem or stromal cells (MSC) in vitro. However, it is unclear if expression of markers including CD73 and CD90 reflects the in vivo origin of cultured cells. We evaluated expression of 15 putative MSC markers in primary cultured cells from periosteum and cartilage to determine whether expression of these markers reflects either the differentiation state of cultured cells or the self-renewal of in vivo populations. Cultured cells had universal and consistent expression of various putative stem cell markers including > 95% expression CD73, CD90 and PDPN in both periosteal and cartilage cultures. Altering the culture surface with extracellular matrix coatings had minimal effect on cell surface marker expression. Osteogenic differentiation led to loss of CD106 and CD146 expression, however CD73 and CD90 were retained in > 90% of cells. We sorted freshly isolated periosteal populations capable of CFU-F formation on the basis of CD90 expression in combination with CD34, CD73 and CD26. All primary cultures universally expressed CD73 and CD90 and lacked CD34, irrespective of the expression of these markers ex vivo indicating phenotypic convergence in vitro. We conclude that markers including CD73 and CD90 are acquired in vitro in most ‘mesenchymal’ cells capable of expansion. Overall, we demonstrate that in vitro expression of many cell surface markers in plastic-adherent cultures is unrelated to their expression prior to culture.

Graphical Abstract
Ambivalent Sexism Impacts Attitudes Toward Marital Surname Change Decisions
Authors: Palmwood Erin N.
Published: June 2024

Couples are making increasingly varied surname change decisions following marriage. However, despite this increased variability, cultural attitudes toward nontraditional surname choices remain rooted in sexism, with women who retain their maiden names often being viewed negatively as individuals and as partners within their marriages. The present study aimed to examine ambivalent sexism as a potential moderator of the link between women’s and men’s nontraditional surname choices and negative perceptions of those individuals and their marriages. To this end, participants (n = 129) viewed a series of vignettes describing heterosexual couples who made traditional vs. nontraditional choices regarding whether to change or retain their surnames following marriage, and participants’ levels of ambivalent sexism were measured. Results indicated that participants with higher levels of sexism perceived nontraditional surname choices, and the individuals who make those choices, more negatively relative to those who make traditional choices. These findings underscore the persistent role of sexism in cultural attitudes toward marital surname choices in an emerging adult population.
Nomograms incorporating hsa_circ_0029325 highly expressed in exosomes of hepatocellular carcinoma predict the postoperative outcomes
Authors: Yin Kun-Li , Sun Taiwei , Duan Yu-Xin , Ye Wen-Tao , Ming Li  , Liao Rui
Published: June 2024

Background

Liquid biopsies, for example, exosomal circular RNA (circRNA) can be used to assess potential predictive markers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients after curative resection. This study aimed to search for effective prognostic biomarkers for HCC in patients after surgical resection based on exosomal circRNA expression profiles. We developed two nomograms incorporating circRNAs to predict the postoperative recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) of HCC patients.

Method

Plasma exosomes isolated from HCC patients and healthy individuals were used for circRNA microarray analysis to explore differentially expressed circRNAs. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between circRNAs and clinicopathological features. Cox regression analysis was used to explore the correlation between circRNA and postoperative survival time as well as recurrence time. A nomogram based on circRNA and clinicopathological characteristics was established and further evaluated to predict prognosis and recurrence.

Result

Among 60 significantly upregulated circRNAs and 25 downregulated circRNAs, hsa_circ_0029325 was selected to verify its power for predicting HCC outcomes. The high expression level of exosomal hsa_circ_0029325 was significantly correlated with OS (P = 0.001, HR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.41–3.32) and RFS (P = 0.009, HR = 1.62, 95% CI 1.14–2.30). Among 273 HCC patients, multivariate regression analysis showed that hsa_circ_0029325 (HR = 1.96, 95% CI 1.21–3.18), tumor size (HR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.33–3.32), clinical staging (HR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.54–3.48), and tumor thrombus (HR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.12–2.7) were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in HCC patients after radical resection. These independent predictors of prognosis were incorporated into the two nomograms. The AUCs under the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival and recurrence curves of the OS and RFS nomograms were 0.755, 0.749, and 0.742 and 0.702, 0.685, and 0.642, respectively. The C-index, calibration curves, and clinical decision curves showed that the two prediction models had good predictive performance. These results were verified in the validation cohort with 90 HCC patients.

Conclusion

Our study established two reliable nomograms for predicting recurrence and prognosis in HCC patients. We also show that it is feasible to screen potential predictive markers for HCC after curative resection through exosomal circRNA expression profile analysis.
Real-world experience with venetoclax-based therapy for patients with myeloid sarcoma
Authors: Jian Xinyi , Cha Jie , Lin Zhijuan , Xie Siting , Huang Yueting , Lin Yun , Zhao Haijun , Xu Bing , Luo Yiming
Published: June 2024

Background

The treatment of myeloid sarcoma (MS) is challenging and has not markedly improved patient prognosis. The introduction of venetoclax (VEN) has changed the treatment of MS, and venetoclax-based therapy has been described as very promising in several case reports.

Methods

In this retrospective study, we analyzed the treatment outcomes of 14 patients with MS treated with venetoclax-based therapy at The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from January 2020 to October 2023

Results

The cohort consisted of 7 (50%) women and 7 (50%) men with an average age of 37.5 years. Four patients (28.6%) had isolated MS de novo, 2 (14.2%) were diagnosed synchronously with AML, and 8 (57.2%) had isolated extramedullary relapse. The most common sites for MS in our cohort were the skin and lung, followed by the spinal canal, soft tissue, bone and kidney. Five patients were affected at more than three sites. Nine patients received VEN in combination with azacytidine, and 5 patients received VEN in combination with other agents. The median number of venetoclax therapies administered was 2 cycles (range: 1–10 cycles). A response was observed in all patients included in the study, with 8 patients (57.2%) achieving a CR and 3 patients (21.4%) achieving a PR, corresponding to an ORR (including CR and PR) of 78.6%. The median follow-up time for all patients was 13 months (range 1–44 months), and the 1 year OS for all patients was 67.7%.

Conclusions

Venetoclax-based therapy shows excellent efficacy and safety in MS patients in the “real world” at a single institution, and a corresponding prospective study is needed to verify this conclusion.
Flow and sound fields of scaled high-speed trains with different coach numbers running in long tunnel
Authors: Li Qiliang , Sun Yuqing , Ouyang Menghan , Yang Zhigang
Published: June 2024

Segregated incompressible large eddy simulation and acoustic perturbation equations were used to obtain the flow field and sound field of 1:25 scale trains with three, six and eight coaches in a long tunnel, and the aerodynamic results were verified by wind tunnel test with the same scale two-coach train model. Time-averaged drag coefficients of the head coach of three trains are similar, but at the tail coach of the multi-group trains it is much larger than that of the three-coach train. The eight-coach train presents the largest increment from the head coach to the tail coach in the standard deviation (STD) of aerodynamic force coefficients: 0.0110 for drag coefficient (Cd), 0.0198 for lift coefficient (Cl) and 0.0371 for side coefficient (Cs). Total sound pressure level at the bottom of multi-group trains presents a significant streamwise increase, which is different from the three-coach train. Tunnel walls affect the acoustic distribution at the bottom, only after the coach number reaches a certain value, and the streamwise increase in the sound pressure fluctuation of multi-group trains is strengthened by coach number. Fourier transform of the turbulent and sound pressures presents that coach number has little influence on the peak frequencies, but increases the sound pressure level values at the tail bogie cavities. Furthermore, different from the turbulent pressure, the first two sound pressure proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) modes in the bogie cavities contain 90% of the total energy, and the spatial distributions indicate that the acoustic distributions in the head and tail bogies are not related to coach number.
Easily porting material point methods codes to GPU
Authors: Buckland Edward , Nguyen Vinh Phu , de Vaucorbeil Alban
Published: June 2024

The material point method (MPM) is computationally costly and highly parallelisable. With the plateauing of Moore’s law and recent advances in parallel computing, scientists without formal programming training might face challenges in developing fast scientific codes for their research. Parallel programming is intrinsically different to serial programming and may seem daunting to certain scientists, in particular for GPUs. However, recent developments in GPU application programming interfaces (APIs) have made it easier than ever to port codes to GPU. This paper explains how we ported our modular C++ MPM code to GPU without using low-level hardware APIs like CUDA or OpenCL. We aimed to develop a code that has abstracted parallelism and is therefore hardware agnostic. We first present an investigation of a variety of GPU APIs, comparing ease of use, hardware support and performance in an MPM context. Then, the porting process of to the Kokkos ecosystem is detailed, discussing key design patterns and challenges. Finally, our parallel C++ code running on GPU is shown to be up to 85 times faster than on CPU. Since Kokkos also supports Python and Fortran, the principles presented therein can also be applied to codes written in these languages.
Core Dimensions of Social Inclusion for Residents with Mental Health and/or Substance Use Challenges: A Qualitative Meta-synthesis
Authors: Ogundipe Esther , Sælør Knut Tore , Biong Stian , Gonzalez Marianne Thorsen
Published: June 2024

Promoting social inclusion of persons with mental health and/or substance use challenges is a political priority. Despite this, this group continues to face multiple obstacles to feeling socially included. Considering the importance of experiencing social inclusion for a person’s recovery process and quality of life, an in-depth understanding of what characterizes social inclusion for this group is warranted. This meta-synthesis aimed to synthesize the qualitative findings from original research papers addressing social inclusion in a supported housing context from the perspectives of residents with mental health and/or substance use challenges.. This meta-synthesis was designed according to the recommendations of Sandelowski and Barroso (2007). Systematic searches in databases were conducted in Ovid Medline, Embase, CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus. Fourteen papers met the inclusion criteria and were included. The extracted data were analyzed in line with Graneheim and Lundman’s (2004) descriptions of qualitative content analysis. The analysis resulted in three overarching categories describing core dimensions of residents’ experiences with social inclusion: having access to core resources, participating actively oneself, and being existentially anchored. All categories contained sub-categories. Based on the findings, a new multidimensional conceptualization of social inclusion in a supported housing context was developed.
Characteristics of waterproof failure and optimal width of narrow coal pillars under the coupled effects of mining, excavation and seepage
Authors: Chen Dingchao , Wang Xiangyu , Bai Jianbiao , Li Menglong
Published: June 2024

The failure of waterproof coal pillars under the coupled effects of mining, excavation and water seepage is a significant factor contributing to sudden water inflow accidents in underground roadways. Investigating the instability characteristics and optimal width of waterproof coal pillars holds vital significance for water control and resource protection in mines. This study focus on the rational width of waterproof coal pillar at Dongzhuang Coal Mine in Shanxi Province. Using FLAC3D, a fluid–structure interaction numerical model of waterproof coal pillar was established, revealing the coupling characteristics of stress fields, plastic zones, and seepage zones within coal pillars under the influence of mining, excavation and water infiltration weakening. Furthermore, the stability characteristics of waterproof coal pillars with different widths were compared. The results are as follows: (1) Under the combined action of overlying strata pressure and water pressure from the gob, the coal mass on the water-inflow side of coal pillar is the first to fail. Additionally, with the infiltration of water, the elastic modulus, cohesion, and friction angle of the coal mass in the seepage zone decrease. (2) The lifecycle of waterproof coal pillar can be divided into three stages: working face mining, water infiltration from the gob, and roadway excavation. Based on this, the connectivity between plastic zones and seepage zones serves as the critical condition for the stability of waterproof coal pillar was proposed. (3) When the width of waterproof coal pillar is 3 m and 5 m, plastic zones become connected, forming a water-conducting channel. When the width of waterproof coal pillar is 7 m, 9 m, and 11 m, seepage zones and plastic zones are not connected, and the coal pillar exhibits load-bearing and water-barrier properties.
Primitive algebraic points on curves
Authors: Khawaja Maleeha , Siksek Samir
Published: June 2024

A number field K is primitive if K and $$\mathbb {Q}$$
Q
are the only subextensions of K. Let C be a curve defined over $$\mathbb {Q}$$
Q
. We call an algebraic point $$P\in C(\overline{\mathbb {Q}})$$

P
∈
C
(

Q
¯

)

primitive if the number field $$\mathbb {Q}(P)$$

Q
(
P
)

is primitive. We present several sets of sufficient conditions for a curve C to have finitely many primitive points of a given degree d. For example, let $$C/\mathbb {Q}$$

C
/
Q

be a hyperelliptic curve of genus g, and let $$3 \le d \le g-1$$

3
≤
d
≤
g
-
1

. Suppose that the Jacobian J of C is simple. We show that C has only finitely many primitive degree d points, and in particular it has only finitely many degree d points with Galois group $$S_d$$

S
d

or $$A_d$$

A
d

. However, for any even $$d \ge 4$$

d
≥
4

, a hyperelliptic curve $$C/\mathbb {Q}$$

C
/
Q

has infinitely many imprimitive degree d points whose Galois group is a subgroup of $$S_2 \wr S_{d/2}$$

S
2

≀

S

d
/
2

.
Systematic review turning existing Egyptian residential buildings in green ones
Authors: Nassar Ayman , Abufarha Ali Gamal Elhosieny
Published: June 2024

Due to the continuous technological advancements, expensive utility bills became a major concern for the world residents as well as governments. As a result, energy consumption mitigation became a prominent target for modern researchers. Consequently, solutions were introduced, suggesting that green principles be applied to the construction field. However, even if newly built structures became completely green and emitted no harmful emissions, the net emissions of a given city's overall construction would still be in operation, harming and polluting the environment with all their might. Therefore, it is needed to work on the net green score and rather focus on the conversion of existing buildings into green. Using a questionnaire to create a hypothetical typical Egyptian home, this study aims to apply green solutions to existing buildings in Egypt. The questionnaire also tackles other areas of Egyptian society in order to better understand their awareness and understanding of green concepts. The study’s methodology is based on the collective data gathered from other researchers in the field with applied case studies in climates similar to Egypt’s due to its lack of these solutions applications and concepts. The solutions suggested included solar panels as a retrofitting solution, and windows orientation and window-to-wall ratio (WRR) as a renovating one. As a result, the "windows" solutions suggested in this paper happened to be the most effective.
Extending the concepts of response spectrum analysis to nonlinear static analysis: Does it make sense?
Authors: Ruggieri Sergio , Uva Giuseppina
Published: June 2024

The study presented in this paper aims to assess the recent novelties proposed by new generation building codes about the extension of some concepts at the base of linear analyses to the procedures of nonlinear static analysis. The nonlinear static analysis (pushover) is an extensively adopted approach by engineers and practitioners for purpose of assessing the seismic performance of new and existing buildings, although several drawbacks characterize this methodology, as evidenced by the existing scientific literature. In order to overcome the well-known limitations characterizing nonlinear static analysis, and to offer an alternative to nonlinear dynamic analysis, the recent upgrades of some building codes, such as the Italian one, provide different rules to employ in nonlinear static procedures. Among these new provisions, one regards the possibility to use a horizontal load profile proportional to the storey forces derived from a response spectrum analysis in all cases (i.e., also for irregular buildings). The main goal of this study is to demonstrate the reliability of this new load profile when strong irregularities arise. To this scope, the seismic behaviour of a sample of archetype buildings characterized by increasing in-height irregularity was investigated. The sample of buildings was subdivided in two subsets characterized by different design levels, one conceived by considering the prescriptions of the new Italian building code and one designed according to the oldest Italian building code (i.e., without considering anti-seismic details). The sample of buildings, simulating new and existing cases, was firstly modelled and after investigated through nonlinear static analyses by employing both traditional (i.e., inverse triangular- and uniform-like) and new (i.e., derived from response spectrum analysis) load profiles. After, nonlinear dynamic analyses were run, in order to assess the capacity of both traditional and new load profiles to capture the dynamic behaviour of the investigated archetype buildings. The performed analysis campaign demonstrated the efficiency of the new load profile proposed by the code, and the output of the work provided an answer to the main question posed by the authors: does it make sense to extend the concepts of response spectrum analysis to nonlinear static analysis?
Effects of Office-Yoga and Walking at the Workplace to Improve Health and Wellbeing: A Longitudinal Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Nath Alexander , Schimmelpfennig Sophia , Konradt Udo
Published: June 2024

Workplace physical activity interventions in office-based settings are considered essential components of occupational health management, aimed at reducing sedentary behavior and its associated adverse effects, while also promoting employees’ health and wellbeing. This study investigates the effectiveness of office-yoga and walking on employees’ prevalence and intensity of musculoskeletal complaints (MSC), as well as on activation, which encompasses vitality and vigilance. Using a three-month longitudinal randomized controlled trial design, 459 office workers from five organizations were randomly assigned to either the office-yoga intervention group, the walking intervention group, or to a waitlist control group. Participants in the intervention groups were instructed to individually engage in brief daily sessions of the prescribed activity at the workplace. Those in the office-yoga group received video tutorials to perform the exercises. Self-reported MSC and activation were assessed weekly. Bayesian structural equation modeling revealed small effects of office-yoga (d = − 0.26) and walking (d = − 0.31) in reducing the prevalence of MSC as well as a program-based effectiveness of walking over office-yoga in reducing the intensity of MSC (d = 0.23). Concerning longitudinal trends, latent growth modeling revealed an intervention-based effectiveness for both office-yoga and walking on prevalence (doffice−yoga = − 0.32; dwalking = − 0.30) and intensity of MSC (doffice−yoga = − 0.42; dwalking = − 0.35). Neither intervention showed improvements in activation. We found no indication of adverse effects of either intervention. While both office-yoga and walking can effectively improve employees’ MSC, our findings suggest that walking is more effective in reducing intensity of MSC compared to office-yoga.
Merkmale der Klassenzusammensetzung und der Unterrichtsgestaltung und die soziale Integration von Schüler*innen mit und ohne sonderpädagogischen Förderbedarf im gemeinsamen Unterricht
Authors: Kohrt Pauline , Gresch Cornelia , Henschel Sofie
Published: June 2024

Aktuelle Studien weisen darauf hin, dass Schüler*innen mit sonderpädagogischem Förderbedarf, die an allgemeinen Schulen unterrichtet werden, weniger sozial eingebunden sind als diejenigen ohne sonderpädagogischen Förderbedarf. Theoretisch wird dieser Befund unter anderem auf soziale Vergleichsprozesse und Kontaktmöglichkeiten der Schüler*innen sowie auf den Einfluss der Lehrkräfte durch ihren persönlichen Umgang mit den Schüler*innen zurückgeführt. Eine Schlüsselfunktion wird hierbei dem Unterricht zugesprochen: Dieser kann als soziale Situation betrachtet werden, in der sich die Zusammensetzung und konkrete Unterrichtsgestaltung auch auf die Entstehung sozialer Kontakte und damit die soziale Integration der Schüler*innen auswirken. Mit Daten des IQB-Bildungstrends 2016 (N = 9417) wurde untersucht, ob verschiedene Merkmale der Klassenzusammensetzung und der Unterrichtsgestaltung mit der sozialen Integration der Schüler*innen zusammenhängen und inwiefern sich diese für Schüler*innen mit (n = 899) und ohne (n = 8488) sonderpädagogischen Förderbedarf der Schwerpunkte Lernen, Sprache und emotionale-soziale Entwicklung unterscheiden. Unter Verwendung von Mehrebenenstrukturgleichungsmodellen konnte gezeigt werden, dass sowohl die Klassenführung als auch die konstruktive Unterstützung positiv mit der sozialen Integration von Viertklässler*innen zusammenhängen und sich dies für die konstruktive Unterstützung zwischen Schüler*innen mit und ohne sonderpädagogischen Förderbedarf unterscheidet. Die Studie liefert Hinweise darauf, inwieweit Lehrkräfte durch die Gestaltung ihres Unterrichts neben Lernprozessen auch das soziale Miteinander unterstützen.
Evaluation and Comparison of Rock Bolting Versus Steel Arch Support Systems in Thick Coal Seam Underground Galleries: A Case Study
Authors: Mesutoglu Mehmet , Ozkan Ihsan
Published: June 2024

This study investigates the feasibility of rock bolting support in an underground coal mine gallery with a thick coal seam. The Ömerler underground coal mine working area, owned by the West Lignite Enterprise (GLI) of the Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKI), was selected for this purpose. Longwall top coal caving (LTCC) is implemented as the production method in the Ömerler underground coal mine. Field and laboratory studies were conducted to determine rock mass and rock material properties, followed by experimental, empirical, and numerical analyses based on the acquired data. The obtained design results were evaluated using a resin-grouted rebar (RBR) rock bolting system and steel arch support (SAS) pilot application areas. The numerical modeling results conducted using the Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua 3D (FLAC 3D) (v6.0) program indicated less displacement and secondary stress change in the RBR-supported zone compared to the SAS-supported zone. In situ measurements also demonstrated that RBR provided more successful support to the roof during coal production activities. The findings suggest that RBR is a more effective solution when evaluating the feasibility of rock bolting support systems in underground galleries with thick coal seams at the Ömerler underground coal mine. This study emphasizes the importance of more sustainable and safe support systems to enhance operational efficiency in the coal mining industry.
High-efficiency remediation of Hg and Cd co-contaminated paddy soils by Fe–Mn oxide modified biochar and its microbial community responses
Authors: Sun Tong , Gao Ge , Yang Wenhao , Sun Yuebing , Huang Qingqing , Wang Lin , Liang Xuefeng
Published: June 2024

Fe–Mn oxide modified biochar (FMBC) was produced to explore its potential for remediation of Hg–Cd contaminated paddy soils. The results showed that the application of FMBC decreased the contents of bioavailable Hg and Cd by 41.49–81.85% and 19.47–33.02% in contrast to CK, while the amount of labile organic carbon (C) fractions and C-pool management index (CPMI) was increased under BC and FMBC treated soils, indicating the enhancement of soil C storage and nutrient cycling function. Dry weight of different parts of Oryza sativa L. was enhanced after the addition of BC and FMBC, and the contents of Fe and Mn in root iron–manganese plaques (IMP) were 1.46–2.06 and 6.72–19.35 times higher than those of the control groups. Hg and Cd contents in brown rice under the FMBC treatments were significantly reduced by 18.32–71.16% and 59.52–72.11% compared with the control. FMBC addition altered the composition and metabolism function of soil bacterial communities, especially increasing the abundance of keystone phyla, including Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. Partial least squares path modelling (PLSPM) revealed that the contents of Na2S2O3–Hg, DTPA–Cd and IMP were the key indicators affecting Hg and Cd accumulation in rice grains. These results demonstrate the simultaneous value of FMBC in remediation of Hg and Cd combined pollution and restoring soil fertility and biological productivity.

Graphical Abstract
Automated ethical decision, value-ladenness, and the moral prior problem
Authors: Peterson Clayton
Published: June 2024

Part of the literature on machine ethics and ethical artificial intelligence focuses on the idea of defining autonomous ethical agents able to make ethical choices and solve dilemmas. While ethical dilemmas often arise in situations characterized by uncertainty, the standard approach in artificial intelligence is to use rational choice theory and maximization of expected utility to model how algorithm should choose given uncertain outcomes. Motivated by the moral proxy problem, which proposes that the appraisal of ethical decisions varies depending on whether algorithms are considered to act as proxies for higher- or for lower-level agents, this paper introduces the moral prior problem, a limitation that, we believe, has been genuinely overlooked in the literature. In a nutshell, the moral prior problem amounts to the idea that, beyond the thesis of the value-ladenness of technologies and algorithms, automated ethical decisions are predetermined by moral priors during both conception and usage. As a result, automated decision procedures are insufficient to produce ethical choices or solve dilemmas, implying that we need to carefully evaluate what autonomous ethical agents are and can do, and what they aren’t and can’t.
Transcriptomic alterations in host parasitoid wasps resulting in extended lifespan due to PpNSRV-1 infection
Authors: Xue Cheng , Wang Fei , Fang Qi , Xiong Shijiao , Ye Gongyin
Published: June 2024

The parasitoid wasp Pteromalus puparum, a pivotal agent in agricultural ecosystem balance, experiences significant alterations in lifespan due to infection by the negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus PpNSRV-1. This study utilized RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to investigate the genetic mechanism(s) driving lifespan extension in response to this virus. Lifespan analysis, combined with RNA-seq of nearly isogenic lines of infected and uninfected wasps, yields a comprehensive temporal expression profile aligned with the P. puparum genome. Despite a modest overall impact of PpNSRV-1 on gene expression, notable effects were observed on specific gene families, such as the SPOP genes and the cytochrome P450 family. Through Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), we identified connections between the green and greenyellow modules to viral infection traits, with further functional analyses highlighting the pivotal roles of the Hedgehog, autophagy, AMPK, mTOR, p53, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. RNA interference experiment targeting the SPOP gene PPU06594-RA confirmed its role in lifespan modulation, underscoring the importance of Hedgehog pathway in the host’s adaptive response. These insights not only elucidate the complex genetic landscape of host-virus interactions but also open avenues for innovative biological pest control strategies.
Women Making Shakespeare in the Twenty-First Century
Authors: Solga Kim
Published: June 2024

This Element examines why women makers from equity-owed communities (Indigenous, of colour, Deaf, disabled, trans and non-binary communities among others) choose to work with Shakespeare and his contemporaries at a moment in time when theatres around the world are striving toward equity, inclusion, diversity, and decolonization. It details and explores these creators' processes to learn from them about how to transform plays we know all too well as patriarchy-affirming, ableist, and often racist into vehicles for community storytelling and models for radically inclusive and difference-centred ways of making.
The Production of Entheogenic Communities in the United States
Authors: Stoddard Brad
Published: June 2024

The rise of entheogenic religion – that is, religions that involve the use of psychoactive drugs – has captured the attention of scholars and journalists. These studies tend to advance the interests of practitioners who advocate for the legitimacy of entheogens and of entheogenic religion more broadly. This Element breaks with these approaches as it offers a historical and critical analysis of entheogenic communities. It examines the production of entheogenic groups in the United States and considers the historical factors that have contributed to the rise in psychedelics more broadly. It also explores legal considerations and the impact of the law as a curator of entheogenic communities. This Element recognizes that these communities – like all imagined communities – are culturally conditioned, socially constructed, and historically contingent. By exploring these contingencies, we learn more about the broader sociocultural, historical, and economic frameworks that underlie the burgeoning association of psychoactive substances and religion.
The Poetics of Performance Diagrams
Authors: Mirčev Andrej
Published: June 2024

This Element considers the concept of performance diagrams and shows their historical, epistemic and aesthetic functions in theatre and dance. In three sections, the author surveys the architectural model of theatre by Vitruvius, the woodcut of Marlow's Doctor Faustus, Aby Warburg's Mnemosyne-Atlas, the spells and drawings of Antonin Artaud, the performance Paradise Now (the Living Theatre) and the choreography I am 1984 (Barbara Matijević). Demonstrating that diagrams can be applied to multiply dramaturgical trajectories, the text reviews their relevance for performance-making, analysis and documentation. The author argues that diagrams provide new tools for theory, practice and archiving, while at the same time enabling reflection on the intersections between poetics and politics. Focusing on the potentiality of diagrams to cut through representation and dichotomies, this Element affirms the visual, corporeal and spatial dimensions of performance-making. In doing so, it elucidates the significance of diagrammatic thinking for performance studies.
Clean Break Theatre Company
Authors: McAvinchey Caoimhe , Bartley Sarah , Dean Deborah , Greene Anne-marie
Published: June 2024

Clean Break Theatre Company is a women-only theatre company that grew out of a prisoner-led drama workshop that took place between 1977–1979 in HMP Askham Grange. In addition to its considerable impact on criminalised women and public understandings of the socio-political impact of their experiences, Clean Break has had a significant but under-acknowledged impact on contemporary British theatre. We examine three areas of Clean Break's theatre making history and organisational practices: its origin stories; its education and engagement work; and how the company's performance practices have, across five decades, 'then' and 'now', adapted to directly intervene in carceral society. By highlighting Clean Break's distinct activist theatre making processes and practices, the book makes explicit the genealogical connections of the company's past work and its impacts on contemporary feminist theatre practices.