bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leaf litter breakdown phenology in headwater stream networks is modulated by groundwater thermal regimes and litter type
Authors: Hare Danielle K. , Helton Ashley M. , Cummins Carolyn S. , Bumpers Phillip M. , Tomczyk Nathan J. , Rogers Phoenix A. , Wenger Seth J. , Hotchkiss Erin R. , Rosemond Amy D. , Benstead Jonathan P.
Published: July 2024

Leaf litter dominates particulate organic carbon inputs to forest streams. Using data‐informed simulations, we explored how litter type (slow‐ vs. fast‐decomposing species), pulsed autumn litter inputs, groundwater‐mediated temperature regimes, and climate warming affect litter breakdown in a 3rd‐order stream network. We found that the time‐dependent interactions of these variables govern network‐scale litter breakdown phenology, with greater thermal sensitivity of slow‐decomposing litter for both current and future scenarios. Groundwater thermal inputs modified litter breakdown phenology by reducing spring and summer and elevating winter litter breakdown fluxes. Under future warming scenarios, the source depth of contributing groundwater influenced summer detrital resources; shallow groundwater‐fed streams had reduced summer resources compared to deep groundwater‐fed streams. Our results demonstrate that predicting in‐stream carbon cycling requires explicit consideration of the phenology of resource inputs and the seasonal timing of environmental factors, notably stream thermal regimes.
Schrödinger–Poisson systems with zero mass in the Sobolev limiting case
Authors: Romani Giulio
Published: July 2024

We study the existence of positive solutions for a class of systems which strongly couple a quasilinear Schrödinger equation driven by a weighted ‐Laplace operator and without the mass term, and a higher‐order fractional Poisson equation. Since the system is set in , the limiting case for the Sobolev embedding, we consider nonlinearities with exponential growth. Existence is proved relying on the study of a corresponding Choquard equation in which the Riesz kernel is a logarithm, hence sign‐changing and unbounded from above and below. This is in turn solved by means of a variational approximating procedure for an auxiliary Choquard equation, where the logarithm is uniformly approximated by polynomial kernels. Our results are new even in the planar case .
Financing constraints of firms: Is there political favoritism in the economic resources given by the central government?
Authors: Liu Xiaoqian , Cifuentes‐Faura Javier , Gao Ming , Yang Cunyi
Published: July 2024

Economic resources within the jurisdiction of local governments in China shape the external financing environment of enterprises. However, few studies have focused on China's unique political hierarchy, which results in differentiated access to economic resources for different levels of local governments and substantially affects local corporate financing constraints. This paper examines the impact of city political hierarchy on firm financing constraints among Chinese A‐share listed firms from 2004 to 2019. We use the 200,000 population criterion for delineating the political hierarchy of cities in 1927 as the cutoff for fuzzy regression discontinuity design to identify causal effects. The results show that the greater a city's political rank is, the lower its financing constraints are. The mechanism suggests that the central government provides more financial and political resources to high‐level cities, directly and indirectly influencing the financing constraints of firms. In addition, high‐level cities' government preferences, bank loans, debt financing costs, and business credit are vital channels at the firm level. However, this effect varies depending on the ownership and size of the firm.
Responsibility endowing power: A theoretical framework of health empowerment for Chinese older people with chronic illness
Authors: Zhang Heng , Zhang Hao , Peng Jie
Published: July 2024

Aim

To construct a health empowerment framework for the Chinese older people with chronic conditions.

Design

A Straussian grounded theory design was selected to generate the theoretical framework.

Methods

Data were collected from 53 community‐dwelling older people with chronic conditions in China between November 2017 and August 2019, via semi‐structured interviews and with participating observation. The constant comparative method identified the key categories.

Results

‘Responsibility endowing power’, the health empowerment core theme, was defined as initiating, performing and realizing responsibility towards health through the interaction between the self, family and society. The framework enriches the meaning of health empowerment, changing older people's nursing practice.
Validation of a Novel Mobile Application for Assessing Pediatric Tracheostomy Emergency Simulations
Authors: Tawfik Marc‐Mina , Schiff Elliot , Mosavian Roxanna , Campisi Christine , Shen Amanda , Lin Juan , Windsor Alanna M. , Weingarten‐Arams Jacqueline , Soshnick Sara H. , Nishisaki Akira , Je Sangmo , Maa Tensing , Harwayne‐Gidansky Ilana , Fortunov Regine M. , Yang Christina J. ,   for the International Network for Simulation‐based Pediatric Innovation, Research, and Education (INSPIRE) Investigators
Published: July 2024

Objective

Pediatric tracheostomy is associated with high morbidity and mortality, yet clinician knowledge and quality of tracheostomy care may vary widely. In situ simulation is effective at detecting and mitigating related latent safety threats, but evaluation via retrospective video review has disadvantages (eg, delayed analysis, and potential data loss). We evaluated whether a novel mobile application is accurate and reliable for assessment of in situ tracheostomy emergency simulations.

Methods

A novel mobile application was developed for assessment of tracheostomy emergency in situ simulation team performance. After 1.25 hours of training, 6 raters scored 10 tracheostomy emergency simulation videos for the occurrence and timing of 12 critical steps. To assess accuracy, rater scores were compared to a reference standard to determine agreement for occurrence or absence of critical steps and a timestamp within ±5 seconds. Interrater reliability was determined through Cohen's and Fleiss' kappa and intraclass correlation coefficient.

Results

Raters had 86.0% agreement with the reference standard when considering step occurrence and timing, and 92.8% agreement when considering only occurrence. The average timestamp difference from the reference standard was 1.3 ± 18.5 seconds. Overall interrater reliability was almost perfect for both step occurrence (Fleiss' kappa of 0.81) and timing of step (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.99).

Discussion

Using our novel mobile application, raters with minimal training accurately and reliably assessed videos of tracheostomy emergency simulations and identified areas for future refinement.

Implications for Practice

With refinements, this innovative mobile application is an effective tool for real‐time data capture of time‐critical steps in in situ tracheostomy emergency simulations.
Ergonomics of Various Modalities for Ear Surgery
Authors: Lin Matthew E. , Zhou Sheng , Kakeheta Seiji , Ito Tsukasa , Shibata Seiji B.
Published: July 2024

Objective

Evaluate ergonomic differences of various modalities for performing middle ear surgery.

Study Design

Observational study.

Setting

Two academic tertiary care centers.

Methods

Attending physicians and residents performing middle ear surgery were photographed intraoperatively. Intraoperative photographs were analyzed using the validated Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) tool to measure musculoskeletal disease (MSD) risk. Descriptive statistics and significance testing were used to characterize and compare ergonomic differences between surgical modalities. Multivariable ordinal regression was performed to assess factors associated with increased MSD risk, as determined by the final RULA score.

Results

Most of our 110 intraoperative photos featured attendings (82.7%) performing combined middle ear surgery and mastoidectomy (60.0%). Body angles and the final RULA score varied significantly among modalities. On subset analysis, microscopic surgery exhibited significantly worse wrist, trunk, and neck angles compared to endoscopic and exoscopic surgery. Exoscopic surgery had significantly lower final RULA scores than both endoscopic and microscopic surgery, indicating significantly lower MSD risk. Microscopic and endoscopic surgery final scores did not vary significantly. In a multivariable ordinal regression of factors associated with increased RULA score, exoscopic surgery had statistically significantly less ergonomic risk relative to microscopic surgery (odds ratio = 0.12, 95% confidence interval = [0.03‐0.43]).

Conclusion

Exoscopic, endoscopic, and microscopic surgery all featured low ergonomic risk, although exoscopic middle ear surgery demonstrated the lowest risk profile among studied surgical modalities. This demonstrates the importance of using each modality in combination with other ergonomic interventions to provide meaningful musculoskeletal benefits.
Exploring perceptions of inpatient hospital attire in children with cancer
Authors: Lucas Christy M. , Mack Molly C. , Majeski Jill , Maurer Scott H.
Published: July 2024

Background

Attire bolsters identity, self‐expression, and comfort. Hospital gowns are known to be distressing in adults. Attitudes of children with cancer toward hospital attire remain uninvestigated and may be a modifiable factor in overall well‐being.

Methods

A 39‐item mixed methods survey evaluated perceptions of patient attire in children with cancer. Children aged 7–18 years were recruited at an academic medical center. Data analysis included simple statistics and thematic analysis.

Results

Forty children with cancer receiving oncologic care participated. Participants’ mean age was 12.4 (SD = 3.0, range = 7–17) years, and 25 (62%) were male. Quantitative data revealed 81% of participants preferred their own attire when admitted to the hospital, feeling more comfortable in such when well (91%) or sick (75%). They did not feel like they “must” wear a gown when admitted (60%) and did not want to be asked about preferred inpatient attire (63%). Thematic analysis revealed that children had strong negative views of gowns and preferred to wear their own attire in the hospital, which provided physical and emotional comfort. Children worried wearing their own clothing could impede their care.

Conclusion

Children with cancer prefer wearing their own clothes in the hospital for physical and emotional comfort. They are willing to wear gowns for ease of care; however, they do not want to arbitrate when they need to make that choice. Providers may ease distress by considering a child's own clothes as default hospital attire with instructions for when a gown is necessary for good clinical care.
Research on reversible bonding of microfluidic chips based on stretch release adhesive strips
Authors: Wang Qingzheng , Feng Xin , Yang Shuo , Xu Fan , Chai Menghao , Fan Yiqiang
Published: July 2024

The reversible bonding of microfluidic chips has been developing rapidly with the requirement of reusable microfluidic devices or the need to obtain the samples inside the chip. Traditional bonding methods for polymer‐based microfluidics, e.g., thermal bonding, permanently attach the substrate and cover plate. Sometimes, once the chip flow channel is blocked, it is difficult to clean and affect the reusability of the chip. This study proposes a new reversible bonding method for poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microfluidic chips with the help of stretch release adhesive strips. The designed microchannels were fabricated on the surface of PMMA plates using CO2 laser irradiation. Then, stretch release adhesive strips were used as an intermediate layer between the substrate (with microchannels) and another flat PMMA/PS/PC plate to seal the microchannel. The assembled chip sets were bonded at room temperature with bonding strength comparable with other permanent bonding methods. Experimental results show that simply pulling the adhesive layer by applying a shear force can easily detach the intermediate adhesive layer from both the substrate and cover plate to separate the bonded chipset. The proposed reversible bonding method is simple, rapid and has low residue and high bonding strength. Bacterial culture experiments were also conducted to verify the biocompatibility of the proposed bonding method. The proposed reversible bonding technique can be used for polymer‐based microfluidic devices that require sample recovery or chip reuse.

Highlights

The stretch release adhesive strip can provide high bond strength.

It allows easy peeling for reversible bonding.

It bonds at room temperature with simple operation.

It has good transparency for easy observation of experiments.

It has good biocompatibility.
Investigation of lemon peel extract as a natural additive in polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan blend for advanced bioactive food packaging
Authors: Fakraoui Oumaima , Atanase Leonard Ionut , Salhi Slim , Royaud Isabelle , Arous Mourad , Ayadi Zoubir
Published: July 2024

Lemon peel (LP) was integrated into polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan (PVA/CS) to produce innovative active food packaging films via solvent‐casting method. PVA/CS/LP biocomposites were prepared with varying LP contents (1%, 3%, and 5% by weight) to investigate their impact on morphological, thermal, structural, biodegradability, solubility, mechanical, and bioactivity properties of the PVA/CS blend. Scanning electron microscope analysis revealed a uniform dispersion of LP within the matrix. Attenuated total reflectance ‐ fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR) study confirmed interaction between lemon peel and the matrix. The incorporation of LP enhanced thermal stability and enzymatic activity of PVA/CS films while reducing their UV–vis light transparency. Additionally, the biodegradability of the biocomposites increased, reaching 74% after 30 days of soil burial. Moisture content, water solubility, and swelling decreased with LP content, favoring food preservation. It can be asserted from the tensile test that blending PVA with CS enhances the Young's modulus by 17%. The incorporation of LP into the PVA/CS blend further enhanced the Young's modulus and tensile strength to 1322 and 193 MPa, respectively, attributed to the strong hydrogen bonding between the PVA/CS matrix and LP. Moreover, PVA/CS/LP biocomposites effectively reduced weight loss in cherry tomatoes and inhibited microbial growth, suggesting their potential as eco‐friendly bioactive packaging materials for food preservation.
Design, synthesis, antimicrobial activity, and mechanism of novel 3‐(2,4‐dichlorophenyl)‐[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4‐b][1,3,4]thiadiazole derivatives
Authors: Zheng Yuguo , Chen Mei , Zhang Renfeng , Xue Wei
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND

Plant pathogens cause substantial crop losses annually, posing a grave threat to global food security. Fungicides have usually been used for their control, but the rapid development of pesticide resistance renders many ineffective, therefore the search for novel and efficient green pesticides to prevent and control plant diseases has become the top priority in crop planting.

RESULTS

The results of bioassay studies indicated that most of the target compounds showed certain antimicrobial activity in vitro. In particular, compound X7 showed high inhibitory activity against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), with an EC50 value of 27.47 μg mL−1, surpassing conventional control agents such as thiazole zinc (41.55 μg mL−1) and thiodiazole copper (53.39 μg mL−1). Further studies on molecular docking showed that X7 had a strong binding affinity with 2FBW. The morphological change observed by scanning electron microscopy indicated that the surface of Xoo appears wrinkled and cracked under X7 treatment and a total of 2662 proteins were identified by label‐free proteomic analysis. Three experiments have elucidated the mechanism whereby X7 induced considerable changes in the physiological and biochemical properties of Xoo, which in turn affected the reproduction and growth of bacteria.

CONCLUSION

This work represents a pivotal advancement, offering important reference for the research and development therapeutics in combating plant pathogens. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Physical Modeling of Threshold Voltage Instability in GaN High‐Electron‐Mobility Transistors
Authors: Mao Ling‐Feng
Published: July 2024

The transient heat conduction equation for the 2D electron gas layer in GaN high‐electron‐mobility transistors is developed. The Schottky barrier height and the conduction band offset seen by electrons in the 2D electron gas layer will be reduced due to self‐heating in the 2D electron gas of GaN high‐electron‐mobility transistors via quantum coupling. Such a reduction will lead to a shift in the threshold voltage. To address this issue, an analytical physical model of self‐heating in the 2D electron gas of a GaN high‐electron‐mobility transistor via quantum coupling impacts on its threshold voltage instability is proposed. The proposed model forecasts that the threshold voltage can have an exponentially dependent relation with the reciprocal of the recovery time after the stress voltage is released, as well as dependencies on the square of the drift velocity, the gate voltage, and the surrounding temperature. The experimentally observed threshold voltage shifts of GaN high‐electron‐mobility transistors confirm such dependent relationships predicted by the proposed physical model. This article provides evidence that the combination of self‐heating in the 2D electron gas layer and quantum coupling may be a possible physical origin of the threshold voltage instability in GaN high‐electron‐mobility transistors.
Sustainable development through digital innovation: Unveiling the impact of big data comprehensive experimental zones on energy utilization efficiency
Authors: Xue Han , Cai Meng , Liu Baoliu , Di Kaisheng , Hu Jin
Published: July 2024

Efficient energy utilization stands as a linchpin for national energy security and sustainable development, particularly in developing countries. The transformative potential of big data in driving regional economic growth is pivotal for advancing the goals of sustainability and carbon neutrality. This study employs advanced Generalized Difference‐in‐Differences methods to investigate the enduring influence of establishing national Big Data Comprehensive Experimental Areas (BDCEAs) on energy utilization efficiency within the experimental zones from 2008 to 2020. Our findings underscore the significant role of BDCEAs in fostering sustainable energy practices and contributing to the global pursuit of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. Through rigorous analysis, we reveal regional variations, emphasizing the substantial impact of big data on energy utilization efficiency in specific areas, while also exploring the underlying mechanisms of industrial structure upgrading, technological innovation, and resource allocation optimization. This research enriches the understanding of factors influencing energy utilization efficiency, providing valuable insights for leveraging the digital economy to promote a greener and more sustainable future.
The effect of heat treatment and high‐pressure homogenization on the dispersibility and interfacial behavior of faba bean protein isolate and concentrate
Authors: Coker Oluwafemi Jeremiah , Shand Phyllis J. , Ghosh Supratim
Published: July 2024

The effect of hydrothermal treatments, high‐pressure homogenization (HPH) and their combined effects on faba bean protein isolate (FBI) and concentrate (FBC) dispersions was investigated. With HPH, a significant reduction in particle size was observed for FBI but not for FBC. For FBI, dispersion stability under accelerated gravitation was significantly improved by both hydrothermal and HPH. For FBC, hydrothermal treatment had a negative effect on dispersion stability unless it was combined with HPH. The protein dispersibility of FBI increased, and FBC decreased with increasing temperature. Upon HPH, the protein dispersibility of FBI dramatically improved, making it almost completely soluble. All FBI dispersions had a higher surface charge compared to FBC. SDS PAGE profile showed strong protein crosslinking in the original FBI, leading to a loss of legumin and vicilin bands, which were visible in a more native state of FBC. Physical modifications did not significantly affect the viscosities except for a significant increase in FBC heated at 75°C due to starch gelatinization. The equilibrium interfacial tension of the modified FBI was significantly lower than the FBC. Analysis of dynamic interfacial adsorption showed that FBI had a much faster initial diffusion (beyond detection limit) towards the interface than FBC. Physical modifications improved the surface hydrophobicity of the proteins, leading to faster interfacial adsorption. Overall, FBI dispersions had improved functional properties compared to FBC, and HPH had a more significant effect than hydrothermal treatments. Physically modified FBI could be a promising emulsifier in various food applications.
Investigating and Improving Microbial Desalination Cell Performance Using Potassium Ferricyanide as a Chemical Catholyte
Authors: Alismaeel Ziad T. , M‐Ridha Mohanad J. , Shamikh Mohammed G. , Abd‐almohi Hussein H.
Published: July 2024

The crisis of obtaining drinking water and electrical energy from clean sources has been the primary focus of researchers seeking ecologically acceptable and cost‐effective alternatives. The microbial desalination cell (MDC) has shown to be one of the most cost‐effective and promising ways for creating electricity, cleaning sewage water, and naturally desalinating water. In this work, the AEM (Anion Exchange Membrane) was used in the anodic chamber, and potassium ferricyanide in the cathodic chamber as catholyte solution. Meanwhile, SEM (Scanning electron microscopy) analyses was used to define the resulting surface morphologies. This study gave an optimization model by Central Composite Design model, where all the variables affecting the microbial desalination cell (the initial concentration of COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), the initial concentration of TDS (Total dissolved solids) and the operating time of the cell) were entered to obtain an equation for each response (electrical energy productivity, COD removal efficiency and water desalination efficiency) in addition to study the ANOVA (Analysis of variance) for each response and study the interactions of the variables with each other that affect the response. The variables were determined for the initial concentration of (COD) from (300‐1200 mg/L) and the initial concentration of (TDS) from (15–35 g/L) and the duration of the operating time was from (4–24 h) the maximum productivity was obtained. The power was 2.2 mW, and the maximum water desalination gave 42 %, and the optimum COD removal was 35 %. In addition to diagnosing the active sludge employed and defining the kind of bacteria controlling it, this research looked at the breakdown of the yield of ion exchange membranes, which had a negative impact on the desalination process and the productivity of electrical energy.
Preparation of Thermo‐Responsive Smart and Shrinkable Bio‐Composite Using Sugarcane Waste and Sustainable Polyurethane
Authors: Mukherjee Chandrapaul , Samanta Debasis , Sultan Nasar A. , Jaisankar Sellamuthu N. , Sarkar Jit
Published: July 2024

Smart materials that respond to external stimuli are useful for applications ranging from artificial skin to sensing to cosmetics. Inspired by natural phenomena (self‐healing, shape memory, and shrinking), this work develops a novel smart bio‐composite using sustainable polyurethane (PU) and sugarcane bagasse (SB) waste without using a solvent. PU is synthesized using polycaprolactone (PCL) diol, castor oil (CO) as a polyol, and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) as diisocyanate. Composites are prepared using PU and SB in the presence and absence of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and are denoted as PBA and PB, respectively. TGA and DSC analysis indicate the broad (−68.4 °C to 192 °C) thermal stability of these materials. PBA and PB composites exhibited relatively fast (20–30 min) self‐healing and high shape fixity ratio (Rf) (70–83%), and shape recovery ratio (Rr) (82–100%) at 60 °C in the air. Furthermore, PBA shows hot water‐responsive rapid 100% shape recovery and also exhibits thermoresponsive shrinkage properties like human skin. PBA lifts a material 13.3±2 % of its original length by utilizing its thermoresponsive shrinking property. These inexpensive materials with self‐healing, shape recovery, high thermal stability, and thermo‐responsive properties are attractive and may be useful in artificial skin, sensor, and coating applications.
Synthesis and Characterization of New Bulky α‐Hydroxy Ketones by N‐Heterocyclic Carbene‐Catalyzed Intramolecular Benzoin Condensation
Authors: Hasdemir Belma , Alhallak Abdurrahman , Yıldız Tülay
Published: July 2024

Intramolecular benzoin condensation, which is a powerful and useful method for the formation of carbon−carbon bonds from aldehydes, is also an advantageous method for the preparation of a wide variety of α‐hydroxy ketones. The α‐Hydroxy carbonyl groups are an important structure for natural products, industrial, and pharmaceutical materials. In this study, it was aimed to synthesize new bulky α‐hydroxy ketones that can be used both as pharmaceutical materials and can lead to the synthesis of new organocatalysts. An effective method was applied for the synthesis of bulky hydroxy ketones 2 a–l using intramolecular benzoin condensation catalyzed by N‐heterocyclic carbene (I) from 4‐arenoxybenzaldehyde 1 a–f or 4‐thioetherbenzaldehyde 1 g–l derivatives and 12 new bulky α‐hydroxy ketone compounds 2 a–l were synthesized in 70–87 % isolated yield. The synthesized compounds were characterized by spectroscopic and chromatographic methods such as FT‐IR, NMR, LC–MS, and CHN analysis. Additionally, compound 2 h selected as a model substrate was converted into 1,2 diol 3 h, 1,2‐diketone 4 h, and 1,2‐keto acetate 5 h derivatives, and structural analyses were performed. Moreover, chiral hydroxy ketone 2 h was obtained with 100 % ee due to the enzymatic hydrolysis reaction catalyzed by Lipase from Candida rugosa (CRL).
High Sensitivity Rotating Alternating Current Field Measurement for Arbitrary-Angle Underwater Cracks
Authors: Yuan Xin’an , Li Wei , Zhao Jianming , Yin Xiaokang , Li Xiao , Zhao Jianchao
Published: July 2024

Alternating current field measurement (ACFM) technology has been used for sizing underwater structure cracks. However, conventional ACFM is more sensitive to cracks perpendicular to the induced current than cracks with other angles. In this paper, a rotating alternating current field measurement (RACFM) method and underwater test system are present for the detection of arbitrary-angle cracks with high sensitivity. The RACFM is proved by simulations and experiments. Arbitrary-angle cracks detection results obtained from ACFM and RACFM have shown that the RACFM method overcomes the limitation of directional detection of ACFM and effectively achieves high detection sensitivity for arbitrary-angle cracks on underwater structures.
Inspection of Both Inner and Outer Cracks in Aluminum Tubes Using Double Frequency Circumferential Current Field Testing Method
Authors: Yuan Xin’an , Li Wei , Zhao Jianming , Yin Xiaokang , Li Xiao , Zhao Jianchao
Published: July 2024

Aluminum and alloy tubes are widely used in industrial fields because of the advantage of good corrosion resistance, high thermal conductivity and light weight. Due to the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and fatigue corrosion cracking (FCC), both inner and outer cracks generates in the aluminum tube. It is still a challenge to inspect all inner and outer surface cracks in the thick-wall aluminum tube in real time by one scan using the nondestructive testing (NDT) method. A double frequency circumferential current field testing (CCFT) method is presented for the inspection of both inner and outer cracks in the aluminum tube in a one pass scan. A simulation model is proposed to extract characteristic signals of inner and outer cracks at two excitation frequencies. The bobbin-type probe is developed and excited by the synthetic double frequency excitation signal. Both inner and outer cracks are tested by the double frequency CCFT system. Results show that both inner and outer cracks can be identified, distinguished and evaluated by the double frequency CCFT method in a one pass scan.
Novel Phase Reversal Feature for Inspection of Cracks Using Multi-frequency Alternating Current Field Measurement Technique
Authors: Yuan Xin’an , Li Wei , Zhao Jianming , Yin Xiaokang , Li Xiao , Zhao Jianchao
Published: July 2024

Aluminum and its alloys have been widely used in aerospace and other industrial fields. Aluminum and its alloy structures are prone to surface and subsurface cracks when they are used in harsh environments. In this paper, a novel phase reversal feature is found to classify and evaluate cracks using the multi-frequency alternating current field measurement (ACFM) technique. The theoretical model of the phase reversal feature is developed. The distorted electromagnetic field and response signals of surface and subsurface cracks are analyzed by the finite element method. The multi-frequency ACFM testing system is set up. The experiments are carried out to test surface and subsurface cracks. The results show that the response signals of the surface and subsurface cracks have distinct characteristic due to the phase reversal feature using the multi-frequency ACFM technique. The surface and subsurface cracks can be classified by the amplitude reversal phenomenon of the Bz signal caused by the novel phase reversal feature. The buried depth of the subsurface crack can be evaluated accurately by the reversal frequency component.
Iyer-Wald ambiguities and gauge covariance of Entropy current in Higher derivative theories of gravity
Authors: Kar Alokananda , Dhivakar Prateksh , Roy Shuvayu , Panda Binata , Shaikh Anowar
Published: July 2024

Abstract

In [1, 2] [arXiv:2105.06455, arXiv:2206.04538], the authors have been able to argue for an ultra-local version of the second law of black hole mechanics, for arbitrary diffeomorphism invariant theories of gravity non-minimally coupled to matter fields, by constructing an entropy current on the dynamical horizon with manifestly positive divergence. This has been achieved by working in the horizon-adapted coordinate system. In this work, we show that the local entropy production through the divergence of the entropy current is covariant under affine reparametrizations that leave the gauge of horizon-adapted coordinates invariant. We explicitly derive a formula for how the entropy current transforms under such coordinate transformations. This extends the analysis of [3] [arXiv:2204.08447] for arbitrary diffeomorphism invariant theories of gravity non-minimally coupled to matter fields. We also study the Iyer-Wald ambiguities of the covariant phase formalism that generically plague the components of the entropy current.
Steady electric currents in magnetized QCD and their use for the equation of state
Authors: Brandt B. B. , Endrődi G. , Markó G. , Valois A. D. M.
Published: July 2024

Abstract

In this paper we study the emergence of steady electric currents in QCD as a response to a non-uniform magnetic background using lattice simulations with 2 + 1 quark flavors at the physical point, as well as leading-order chiral perturbation theory. Using these currents, we develop a novel method to determine the leading-order coefficient of the equation of state in a magnetic field expansion: the magnetic susceptibility of the QCD medium. We decompose the current expectation value into valence- and sea-quark contributions and demonstrate that the dominant contribution to the electric current is captured by the valence term alone, allowing for a comparably cheap determination of the susceptibility. Our continuum extrapolated lattice results for the equation of state confirm the findings of some of the existing studies in the literature, namely that the QCD medium behaves diamagnetically at low and paramagnetically at high temperatures.
Impact of CYP2D6*2, CYP2D6*35, rs5758550, and related haplotypes on risperidone clearance in vivo
Authors: Størset Elisabet , Bråten Line Skute , Ingelman-Sundberg Magnus , Johansson Inger , Molden Espen , Kringen Marianne Kristiansen
Published: July 2024

Purpose

The CYP2D6 gene exhibits significant polymorphism, contributing to variability in responses to drugs metabolized by CYP2D6. While CYP2D6*2 and CYP2D6*35 are presently designated as alleles encoding normal metabolism, this classification is based on moderate level evidence. Additionally, the role of the formerly called “enhancer” single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs5758550 is unclear. In this study, the impacts of CYP2D6*2, CYP2D6*35 and rs5758550 on CYP2D6 activity were investigated using risperidone clearance as CYP2D6 activity marker.

Methods

A joint parent-metabolite population pharmacokinetic model was used to describe 1,565 serum concentration measurements of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone in 512 subjects. Risperidone population clearance was modeled as the sum of a CYP2D6-independent clearance term and the partial clearances contributed from each individually expressed CYP2D6 allele or haplotype. In addition to the well-characterized CYP2D6 alleles (*3-*6, *9, *10 and *41), *2, *35 and two haplotypes assigned as CYP2D6*2-rs5758550G and CYP2D6*2-rs5758550A were evaluated.

Results

Each evaluated CYP2D6 allele was associated with significantly lower risperidone clearance than the reference normal function allele CYP2D6*1 (p < 0.001). Further, rs5758550 differentiated the effect of CYP2D6*2 (p = 0.005). The haplotype-specific clearances for CYP2D6*2-rs5758550A, CYP2D6*2-rs5758550G and CYP2D6*35 were estimated to 30%, 66% and 57%, respectively, relative to the clearance for CYP2D6*1. Notably, rs5758550 is in high linkage disequilibrium (R2 > 0.85) with at least 24 other SNPs and cannot be assigned as a functional SNP.

Conclusion

CYP2D6*2 and CYP2D6*35 encode reduced risperidone clearance, and the extent of reduction for CYP2D6*2 is differentiated by rs5758550. Genotyping of these haplotypes might improve the precision of genotype-guided prediction of CYP2D6-mediated clearance.
The evaluation of kidney function estimation during lifestyle intervention in children with overweight and obesity
Authors: van Dam Mark J. C. M. , Pottel Hans , Delanaye Pierre , Vreugdenhil Anita C. E.
Published: July 2024

Background

Children with overweight and obesity are at risk for developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). During lifestyle adjustment, the first step in the treatment of childhood obesity, body proportions are likely to change. The aim of this study was to examine how lifestyle intervention affects creatinine-based kidney function estimation in children with overweight and obesity.

Methods

This longitudinal lifestyle intervention study included 614 children with overweight and obesity (mean age 12.17 ± 3.28 years, 53.6% female, mean BMI z-score 3.32 ± 0.75). Loss to follow-up was present: 305, 146, 70, 26, and 10 children were included after 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (about yearly) follow-up visits, respectively. Serum creatinine (SCr) was rescaled using Q-age and Q-height polynomials.

Results

At baseline, 95–97% of the children had a SCr/Q-height and SCr/Q-age in the normal reference range [0.67–1.33]. SCr/Q significantly increased each (about yearly) follow-up visit, and linear mixed regression analyses demonstrated slopes between 0.01 and 0.04 (corresponding with eGFR FAS reduction of 1.1–4.1 mL/min/1.73 m2) per visit. BMI z-score reduced in both sexes and this reduction was significantly higher in males. No correlation between change in rescaled SCr and BMI z-score reduction could be demonstrated.

Conclusions

Rescaled serum creatinine (SCr/Q) slightly increases during multidiscipline lifestyle intervention in this cohort of children with overweight and obesity. This effect seems to be independent from change in BMI z-score. Whether this minor decrease in estimated kidney function has clinical consequences in the long term remains to be seen in trials with a longer follow-up period.

Clinical Trial registration

ClinicalTrial.gov; Registration Number: NCT02091544.

Graphical abstract
Outcomes of Patients Living with HIV Hospitalized due to COVID-19: A 3-Year Nationwide Study (2020–2022)
Authors: Garcia-Carretero Rafael , Vazquez-Gomez Oscar , Rodriguez-Maya Belen , Gil-Prieto Ruth , Gil-de-Miguel Angel
Published: July 2024

Scientific reports on the association between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in patients with COVID-19 and mortality have not been in agreement. In this nationwide study, we described and analyzed the demographic and clinical characteristics of people living with HIV (PLWH) and established that HIV infection is a risk factor for mortality in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19. We collected data from the National Hospital Data Information System at Hospitalization between 2020 and 2022. We included patients admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of COVID-19. We established a cohort of patients with PLWH and compared them to patients without HIV (non-PLWH). For multivariate analyses, we performed binary logistic regression, using mortality as the dependent variable. To improve the interpretability of the results we also applied penalized regression and random forest, two well-known machine-learning algorithms. A broad range of comorbidities, as well as sex and age data, were included in the final model as adjusted estimators. Our data of 1,188,160 patients included 6,973 PLWH. The estimated hospitalization rate in this set was between 1.43% and 1.70%, while the rate among the general population was 0.83%. Among patients with COVID-19, HIV infection was a risk factor for mortality with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.25 (95% CI, 1.14–1.37, p < 0.001). PLWH are more likely to be hospitalized due to COVID-19 than are non-PLWH. PLWH are 25% more likely to die due to COVID-19 than non-PLWH. Our results highlight that PLWH should be considered a population at risk for both hospitalization and mortality.
ChatGPT adoption and its influence on faculty well-being: An empirical research in higher education
Authors: Cambra-Fierro Jesús J. , Blasco María Fuentes , López-Pérez María-Eugenia Eugenia , Trifu Andreea
Published: July 2024

Rapid technological advancements of recent decades have fueled, among other aspects, a global boom in the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) tools across a variety of areas. Higher education, like other domains, has embraced these innovations, with ChatGPT emerging as one of the latest additions. Faculty perception, ability, and willingness to adopt these new tools remain fundamental factors in understanding their proliferation and adoption. However, it’s equally important to strike a balance between reaping the benefits of technology and safeguarding the well-being of faculty members. Against this backdrop, this study assesses the impact of a series of factors on ChatGPT adoption among university faculty members, taking as reference the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Additionally, we analyze the impact of ChatGPT adoption on faculty well-being. All hypotheses are tested using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM). The findings highlight the positive influence of perceived usefulness, ease of use and enjoyment on ChatGPT adoption. Moreover, ChatGPT adoption seems to boost faculty’ happiness and energy, while diminishing their stress levels. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in the last section.
The effect of democracy and corruption paradox on economic growth: MINT countries
Authors: Tutuncu Asiye , Bayraktar Yasar
Published: July 2024

This study examines the impact of democracy and corruption on the economic growth of Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey over the 1975–2022 period. Utilizing the Fractional Frequency Flexible Fourier Panel Cointegration and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares coefficient estimator, two models are employed to test hypotheses regarding economic growth. The findings reveal that democracy plays an upgrading role in the economic growth of all MINT countries, while the effect of corruption varies. In Indonesia and Mexico, corruption has a positive impact on growth, reflecting the effect of democracy, whereas Nigeria and Turkey experience a negative impact. The democracy model supports the compatibility hypothesis for all countries, asserting a positive link between democracy and economic growth. However, the corruption model yields divergent results, with Nigeria and Turkey aligning with the “grease in the wheels” hypothesis, implying that corruption can facilitate economic growth by bypassing bureaucratic obstacles, while Indonesia and Mexico support the "sand in the wheels" hypothesis, indicating that corruption hinders economic growth. This highlights the need for governments to strengthen institutions through transparency, accountability, and credibility via robust oversight and governance mechanisms. Therefore, democratic advancement, streamlined bureaucracy, and anti-corruption policies are imperative for sustainable economic growth and welfare.
Multidecadal Ethnoarchaeological Comparisons of Livelihoods and Wild Meat Availability and Consumption in a Central African Rainforest Foraging and Farming Community
Authors: Schmitt Dave N. , Lupo Karen D. , Edwards Nicolette M. , Nguerede Lucien P.
Published: July 2024

We repurpose multidecadal ethnoarchaeological investigations of human hunting, prey availability, and socioeconomics in a rural Central African Republic village in the service of human ecology. Focusing on forest foragers in the village of Grima, initial 1999–2005 (Old Grima) data collection included documentation of hunting technology and offtakes, identification of wild meat bone assemblages, inventories of household material goods, and measurements of horticultural fields. Similar datasets were collected in 2021–2022 (New Grima) and longitudinal comparisons of prey remains and material wealth detected many significant differences. Old Grima house middens contained larger numbers of bones representing an array of wild meat taxa and inventories recorded diverse and abundant collections of material goods. The New Grima comparative data showed a reduction in the consumption of wild meat, increases in guns and especially metal cable snares, and marked declines in local wild meat (notably duiker) populations and forager material wealth paired with increases in debt. In 2022 the New Grima inhabitants were actively pursuing escargot for food and income and house middens were dominated by tortoise remains. All the data point to resource depression from overhunting and a community in jeopardy. The comparisons are also important because they include the transition from traditional nets and spears to more efficient metal cable snares and guns and provide information on the effects of hunting technology. The complexities of evaluating ecological perturbations and sustainability require multidisciplinary datasets and we propose ethnoarchaeology as a valuable tool to help identify subtleties in human food webs and biodiversity loss.
Conservation and management of chondrichthyans in the Mediterranean Sea: gaps, overlaps, inconsistencies, and the way forward
Authors: Giovos Ioannis , Pytka Jennifer M. , Barone Monica , Koehler Lydia , Loth Camille , Lowther Jason , Moutopoulos Dimitrios K. , Niedermüller Simone , Mazzoldi Carlotta
Published: July 2024

Over one third of sharks, rays and chimaeras (chondrichthyans) are threatened with extinction globally. In the Mediterranean Sea, more than half of chondrichthyan species face this risk, although a variety of international, regional, and national rules and regulations apply directly and indirectly targeting management and conservation for these species. In this work, we provide an overview of relevant legislation and policies in the region, which regulate, inter alia, commercial fisheries, while highlighting through cases studies how implementation in practice at national level looks like. Horizontal gaps and inconsistencies that hinder chondrichthyan management in the region are also illustrated. Furthermore, we present recommendations for improvement and additional tools that can be used, even if not originally or explicitly targeting chondrichthyans, for improving the management of these taxa in the Mediterranean.
Riverbed depth-specific microplastics distribution and potential use as process marker
Authors: Pittroff Marco , Loui Constantin , Oswald Sascha E. , Bochow Mathias , Kamp Jan , Dierkes Georg , Lensing Hermann-Josef , Munz Matthias
Published: July 2024

Riverbed sediments have been identified as temporary and long-term accumulation sites for microplastic particles (MPs), but the relocation and retention mechanisms in riverbeds still need to be better understood. In this study, we investigated the depth-specific occurrence and distribution (abundance, type, and size) of MPs in river sediments down to a depth of 100 cm, which had not been previously investigated in riverbeds. In four sediment freeze cores taken for the Main River (Germany), MPs (≥ 100 µm) were detected using two complementary analytical approaches (spectroscopy and thermoanalytical) over the entire depth with an average of 21.7 ± 21.4 MP/kg or 31.5 ± 28.0 mg/kg. Three vertical trends for MP abundance could be derived, fairly constant in top layers (0–‍30 cm), a decrease in middle layers (30–60 cm), and a strong increase in deep layers (60–100 cm). The dominant polymer types were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and PP were also found in deep layers, albeit with the youngest age of earliest possible occurrence (EPO age of 1973 and 1954). The fraction of smaller-sized MPs (100–500 µm) increased with depth in shallow layers, but the largest MPs (> 1 mm) were detected in deep layers. Based on these findings, we elucidate the relationship between the depth-specific MP distribution and the prevailing processes of MP retention and sediment dynamics in the riverbed. We propose some implications and offer an initial conceptual approach, suggesting the use of microplastics as a potential environmental process tracer for driving riverbed sediment dynamics.