bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immunomodulatory effects of the induced pluripotent stem cells through expressing IGF-related factors and IL-10 in vitro
Authors: Bayati Paria , Taherian Marjan , Mojtabavi Nazanin
Published: August 2024

Background

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (IPSCs) represent an innovative strategy for addressing challenging diseases, including various rheumatologic conditions. Aside from their regenerative capacities, some studies have shown the potential of these cells in the modulation of inflammatory responses. The underlying mechanisms by which they exert their effects have yet to be fully comprehended. Therefore, we aimed to explore the gene expression linked to the IGF pathway as well as IL-10 and TGF-β, which are known to exert immunomodulatory effects.

Methods

A C57/Bl6 pregnant mouse was used for obtaining mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), then the IPSCs were induced using lentiviral vectors expressing the pluripotency genes (OCT4, SOX2, KLF1, and c-MYC). Cells were cultured for 72 h in DMEM high glucose plus leukemia inhibitory factor; Evaluating the gene expression was conducted using specific primers for Igf1, Igf2, Igfbp3, Igfbp4, Irs1, Il-10, and Tgf-β genes, as well as SYBR green qPCR master mix. The data were analyzed using the 2−ΔΔCT method and were compared by employing the t test; the results were plotted using GraphPad PRISM software. MEFs were utilized as controls.

Results

Gene expression analyses revealed that Igf-1, Igf-bp3, Igf-bp4, and Il-10 were significantly overexpressed ( p ≤ .01), while Igf-2 and Tgf-b genes were significantly downregulated in the lysates from IPSCs in comparison with the control MEFs. The Irs1 gene expression was not altered significantly.

Conclusion

IPSCs are potentially capable of modulating inflammatory responses through the expression of various anti-inflammatory mediators from the IGF signaling, as well as IL-10. This discovery uncovers a previously unknown dimension of IPSCs’ therapeutic effects, potentially leading to more advanced in vivo research and subsequent clinical trials.
Assessing lifetime occupational chrysotile inhalation exposure, respiratory symptoms, and lung cancer risk among brake maintenance workers in Malaysia
Authors: Yusof Muhammad Zubir , Zahaba Maryam , Mohd Aris Mohd Shukri , Shafiee Saiful 'Arifin , Abdul Hadi Hazrin , Maghpor Mohd Norhafsam , Noraini Nor Mohd Razif
Published: August 2024

This study aimed to estimate workers’ occupational lifetime exposure to chrysotile and examine the respiratory symptoms and lung cancer risk. A total of 112 workers were interviewed about their occupational histories. Exposure modeling using information on the determinants of exposure was used to estimate chrysotile emissions. The cumulative lifetime exposure was then assessed for each worker. Respiratory symptoms were obtained using a validated questionnaire. Lung cancer mortality rate was also predicted using a model. Almost all the workers were male and young (mean age = 30 years, SD = 7). The estimated lifetime occupational chrysotile inhalation exposure ranged from 0.0001 to 0.0486 f/mL.years (median = 0.0018 f/mL.years, IQR = 0.486). A high prevalence of cough symptom (11.7%), and low estimated cancer risk (<1%) were reported. In conclusion, the lung cancer risk among our cohort of workers was at a low level because of lower cumulative lifetime occupational chrysotile exposure.
One Health in two countries: The politics of transdisciplinary healthcare collaboration in Canada and the United States
Authors: Schrank Andrew
Published: August 2024

The One Health perspective highlights the potential synergies between the human, animal, and environmental health sciences, especially in an era of budget shortfalls, climate change, and emerging infectious diseases of zoonotic origin. Canadian physicians and veterinarians arguably lay the foundation of One Health in the late 19th century, when they pioneered the study of “comparative medicine” in Montreal, but they fell into disciplinary silos before World War I to the lasting detriment of the Canadian population. This article explores both the advantages and impediments to cross-disciplinary healthcare collaboration in Canada, highlighting the country’s vast size, sparse population, and political decentralization in particular, and offers a number of policy recommendations that would allow the country to reclaim its rightful role as a leader in the One Health movement.
Calcium phosphate graphene with tailorable phosphate and oxygen content for increased osteogenic activity
Authors: Orlando Jason D , Deng Chenyun , Arnold Anne M , Zhou Jing-yi , Vickery Walker , Sydlik Stefanie
Published: August 2024

The treatment of critical bone injuries using autografts and metallic hardware, though effective, carries drawbacks yet to be addressed by modern interventions. One way that researchers have sought to avoid these complications is using bioresorbable synthetic grafts. Ideally, these materials possess mechanical properties like that of bone and support the site of injury until absorbed and replaced by native bone. In this work we seek to continue the work of optimizing the synthesis of one synthetic graft candidate, calcium phosphate graphene (CaPG). CaPG is a functional graphenic material (FGM) made using the Arbuzov reaction to covalently seed polyphosphates on the graphenic backbone. This material releases calcium and phosphate ions and has been shown to induce osteogenesis. Herein, we investigate reaction conditions and demonstrate the ability to tailor the functionalization of CaPG. The differences in these properties were found to affect mechanical properties, ion elution, as well as calcium deposition of stem cells when measured via Alizarin Red S (ARS). These results continue to demonstrate the potential of CaPG scaffolds as tunable materials to promote bone regeneration.
China’s Taiwan integration policy: The limitations of top-level design in the Xi era
Authors: Lin Ruihua
Published: August 2024

Under Xi Jinping’s leadership, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has undergone a significant shift in its approach toward Taiwan, moving from a strategy characterized by economic concessions to one focusing on integration. Xi’s new strategic approach for the state’s united front work vis-a-vis Taiwan is characterized as ‘top-level design’ which divides such work vertically. The central government is responsible for developing policies and appointing competent functional agencies to collaborate with the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office on implementing China’s Taiwan policy while local governments are tasked with implementation. The CCP has designated Fujian Province an experimental site for policy trials towards realizing its Taiwan integration policy. Accordingly, this article examines the effectiveness of these united front operations in Fujian. Despite the provincial government’s diverse initiatives and substantial resources, implementation outcomes have fallen short of expectations. This study’s most salient finding indicates that, within the CCP’s top-level design framework, provincial officials lack both the willingness and capacity to implement policies on Taiwan. The incentive structure designed for government officials fails to motivate them, while their newly delimited authorization constrains them.
Will I Have to Be Reborn? Collective Sensemaking of Stigma among White-Collar Inmates
Authors: Arora Navdeep K , Harvey William S , Roulet Thomas J
Published: August 2024

We have a limited understanding of how individuals anticipate the experience of stigma, make sense of it as a group, and how such sensemaking trickles down to the individual level, especially for white-collar inmates who have experienced a drastic fall from grace. To address these issues, we draw on three waves of semi-structured interviews and focus group data with 70 inmates in a federal prison in the United States over a period of 16 months. Our findings reveal that following collective sensemaking, inmates use varying tactics to either select, borrow, contribute, reinforce, disguise or maintain the status quo, which variably impact on their perceptions of their ability to both reassure others of their soundness of character and adapt their professional identity. Our work contributes to the sociology of stigma and white-collar crime by showing how high-status professionals collectively prepare for stigmatization and implications for their individual responses to stigma.
Enhancing mechanical and thermal properties of blends with novel phenylethynyl-terminated siloxane-containing ortho-hydroxy polyimide
Authors: Zhu Guohao , Xu Jilei , Sun Huimin , Chen Ping
Published: August 2024

A novel phenylethynyl-terminated siloxane-containing ortho-hydroxy polyimide (O-SPI) was synthesized and physically blended with thermoplastic polyimide (PI) to enhance both the thermal and mechanical properties of polyimide, addressing the growing demand for high-performance materials in harsh environments. The blend underwent conversion to semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Networks ( semi-IPNs) and benzoxazole structures through thermal curing of reactive phenylethynyl groups and thermal rearrangement of ortho-hydroxy imide units. The trends in thermal and mechanical properties were investigated in relation to the chemical structures and varying mass fraction of O-SPI. The covalent incorporation of semi-IPNs and rigid benzoxazole structures restrict segmental motion while the backbone linkage confers the toughness of the blends. These synergistic effects insure the cured blends with high glass transition temperatures (472.51°C) and tensile strength (117.81 MPa) simultaneously, demonstrating their potential for applications in challenging conditions.
Online prediction of joint mechanical properties of FSW thick AA2219-T8 based on multi-source information fusion using 1DCNN
Authors: Yang Banghua , Lu Xiaohong
Published: August 2024

High strength AA2219-T8, Al-Cu alloy of 18 mm plate is welding by friction stir welding (FSW) technology and used for heavy-lift launch vehicles tank. During FSW thick AA2219-T8 plate, joint tensile strength and microhardness are affected by multiple interconnected variables including welding force, temperature, and geometric quantity of the butt face. The joint mechanical properties are difficult to predict and ensure. This paper proposed a hybrid predicting approach based on multi-source information fusion, called Down-Sampling and One-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (DS-1DCNN). Initially, FSW experiments were conducted to collect the axial force, welding surface temperature at advancing and retreating side, gap, and mismatch signals, which were fused through DS technology. To extract temporal information and features from signals, a 1DCNN prediction model was established, with the fused multi-source signals as input and the tensile strength and Vickers hardness as output. Subsequently, the optimal model architecture and hyper-parameters of 1DCNN were determined through experiments and grid search combined with K-fold cross-validation, and an online prediction system was developed. Finally, effective validation experiments were conducted and the experimental results agreed with the DS-1DCNN prediction results with an acceptable error of approximately 5%. Parameter sensitivity analysis revealed that the number of convolutional layers and learning rate were identified as critical parameters affecting the model performance. Additionally, time analysis showed that the calculation time of the prediction system was less than 200 ms which can meet the time requirements of real-time thick-plate FSW application. The research lays a foundation on the real-time quality monitoring in the process of FSW thick-plate butt joint.
Aerodynamic simulation on roof-mounted intelligent awareness system of intelligent vehicle
Authors: Shao Yu , Li Qiliang , Li Zhuoming , Yang Zhigang
Published: August 2024

With the rapid development of intelligent driving technology, it is urgent to conduct research on the distribution and motion characteristics of snow particles in the area of the intelligent vehicle awareness system under harsh snow and wind conditions. In this paper, the Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) was first used to conduct 1:12 scaled aerodynamic simulation of the intelligent vehicle. It is found that the error of aerodynamic drag coefficient between simulation and test is 5.6%, indicating that the current numerical simulation model can predict the aerodynamic characteristics of intelligent vehicle accurately. Based on this, URANS was used coupled with Lagrangian Multiphase Model (LMP) to investigate the snow accumulation near the roof-mounted intelligent awareness system under different vehicle speeds and snowfall intensities. The study found that with the increase of snowfall intensity from moderate to heavy and vehicle speed at 40 km/h, the incidence of snow particles on various components significantly increases, and the number of adhered particles also increased accordingly. The particle adhesion rate of the awareness system has decreased by 1.24%, while the number of adhered snow particles increased significantly at the back of the roof-mounted intelligent awareness system and the wake window. Under moderate snow condition, as the vehicle speed increased from 40 to 60 km/h, the number of incident particles and adhered particles in the awareness system have significantly decreased by 24,592 and 317,019, respectively, but the particle adhesion rate has increased by a significant 2.88%. Compared to the same snowfall intensity but low speed, the range of particle distribution is significantly reduced and more scattered.
Enhancing reactivity-controlled compression ignition engine performance: A response surface methodology approach with ammonium hydroxide-waste cooking oil biodiesel optimization
Authors: Sathiskumar S. , Priyanka E. B.
Published: August 2024

The focus on ammonium hydroxide, biodiesels and their combustion technology has garnered significant attention in pursuing carbon-neutral and carbon-free fuels to address greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and mitigate global warming. Low-temperature combustion (LTC) has been introduced as an alternative method to conventional compression ignition (CI) combustion. Reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) can be achieved by introducing highly reactive waste cooking oil methyl ester (WCOME) oil directly into the manifold in intervals of 10% energy and injecting low-reactive ammonium hydroxide at 20%–50%. Utilizing the response surface methodology (RSM) approach, it was determined that for optimal operation in RCCI mode, an ideal ammonium hydroxide energy sharing (AHES) of 43% would account for the varying parameters and their effects on emissions and performance. The results of the experiments predicted a brake thermal efficiency (BTHE) of 34.85% and a brake specific energy consumption (BSEC) of 10.69 MJ/kWh. Meanwhile, a notable decrease in exhaust emissions was observed for HC, CO, CO2, NO x and smoke by 41.54%, 38.89%, 48.89%, 51.27% and 65.80% respectively when compared to conventional biodiesel combustion (CBC). The experimental result at maximum load operation with an AHES of 50% indicates that RCCI combustion led to an increase in thermal efficiency from 30.36% to 35.42%, and the in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate dropped from 83.42 bar to 59.64 bar and 78.68 kJ to 60.92 kJ, respectively. There was a significant reduction in HC, CO, CO2, NO x and smoke emissions recorded as 58.76 ppm, 0.11%v, 1.61%v, 442 ppm and 6.64 N, respectively, compared to CBC.
Directing Attention Shapes Learning in Adults but Not Children
Authors: Tandoc Marlie C. , Nadendla Bharat , Pham Theresa , Finn Amy S.
Published: August 2024

Children sometimes learn distracting information better than adults do, perhaps because of the development of selective attention. To understand this potential link, we ask how the learning of children (aged 7–9 years) and the learning of adults differ when information is the directed focus of attention versus when it is not. Participants viewed drawings of common objects and were told to attend to the drawings (Experiment 1: 42 children, 35 adults) or indicate when shapes (overlaid on the drawings) repeated (Experiment 2: 53 children, 60 adults). Afterward, participants identified fragments of these drawings as quickly as possible. Adults learned better than children when directed to attend to the drawings; however, when drawings were task irrelevant, children showed better learning than adults in the first half of the test. And although directing attention to the drawings improved learning in adults, children learned the drawings similarly across experiments regardless of whether the drawings were the focus of the task or entirely irrelevant.
Cigarette Sales to Underage Youth in Seoul, South Korea: Findings From a Mystery Shopping Study
Authors: Park Ah-hyun , Park Jinbeom , Choi Jihae , Noh Songwhi , Choo Jina
Published: August 2024

This study aimed to identify the rates of cigarette sales to underage youth and the factors associated with these sales using a mystery shopping technique. Of the convenience stores selling cigarettes in Seoul, South Korea, 2600 were sampled in 2019 and 2020. Personal and environmental factors were independent variables. Cigarette sales to underage youth were the outcome variable, defined as cases where a seller sold cigarettes to a youth shopper. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed. Rates of cigarette sales to underage youth were 17.9% in 2019 and 16.3% in 2020, significantly higher when the seller was younger and the store was located in a central area. Administrative actions are needed to enforce strong warnings and training guidelines for convenience store sellers. Differentiation in surveillance intensity based on the location of convenience stores in Seoul is also recommended.
Conceptualizing Community Engagement for Mental and Brain Health Research in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Case of Kilifi County, Kenya
Authors: Bosire Edna N. , Khakali Linda , Shah Jasmit , Wambui Lucy , Aballa Andrew , Njoroge Willie , Ngugi Anthony , Merali Zul
Published: August 2024

Community engagement (CE) has increasingly been recognized as a critical element for successful health promotion and intervention programs. However, the term CE has been used to mean different things in different settings. In this article, we explore how CE has been conceptualized in the field of mental and brain health in Kilifi County, Kenya. We used ethnographic methods encompassing focused group discussions, key informant interviews, and observations with 65 participants, purposively recruited from Kilifi County. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed. Our findings show that community members and stakeholders had diverse perceptions of and experiences with CE. Factors such as trust between researchers and community members, sensitization, and awareness creation were key for acceptance of research projects. Partial involvement in research, lack of access to information, poverty and socio-economic challenges, and financial expectations from researchers hindered CE and led to resistance to participation in research projects. For effective CE, there is a need to work closely with community gatekeepers, create awareness of the research projects, use local languages, and ensure continuous engagement that promotes equitable research participation. Our findings suggest that tacit knowledge, context, and mechanisms for research are all critical features of CE and should be considered to enhance acceptance and sustainability of mental and brain health interventions in Kenya.
Exploring Misconceptions of Palliative Care Among Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Pilot Study
Authors: Abasseri Mostafa , Hoque Shakira , Caldwell Kim , Sheahan Linda , Kochovska Slavica , Agar Meera , Zekry Amany
Published: August 2024

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a burdensome form of liver cancer with an increasing global prevalence. Emerging evidence has shown that early palliative care introduction at diagnosis of any life-limiting illness improves patient and carer outcomes. Despite this, patients with hepatocellular carcinoma usually receive palliative care late. These patients are important stakeholders in the provision of palliative care, but their perceived barriers regarding its delivery are poorly defined.

Aim

This pilot study aimed to identify the barriers perceived by patients to integrating palliative care into the hepatocellular carcinoma treatment algorithm.

Design

Patients living with hepatocellular carcinoma undertook semi-structured interviews about their perceptions of palliative care. We compared these perceptions before and after providing a brief explanation of palliative care. Interview data was inductively coded in NVivo 12 (2018) and thematically analysed.

Results

Twenty-one patients were interviewed. 16 perceived palliative care to mean end-of-life therapy, and nine participants had no prior knowledge of palliative care. After hearing a definition of palliative care, 17 participants reported changed positive attitudes. Seven participants supported a name change, including four participants who continued to reject palliative care following the explanation due to the negative stigma associated with the term ‘palliative care’.

Conclusion

There is significant misperception about the purpose of palliative care among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, constituting a barrier to early integration. This can be feasibly addressed with a two-folded educational and renaming initiative to dispel patient misconceptions regarding palliative care. Effective strategies to achieve this should be developed and tested with relevant stakeholders, particularly patients.
Data-Driven Shelf Stocking: Robustness and Vertical-Location Effect
Authors: Zhao Jia , Wang Shuming
Published: August 2024

In this article, we study a shelf-stock allocation problem in a data-driven setting where the demand distribution is unknown. The retailer needs to decide which commodities to place on each level of the shelf (location decision), and determine the stock level for each selected commodity at the shelf (stock decision) that can be adjusted based on updated demand prediction, under constraints on allocation and capacity, so as to maximize total expected profit. Key issues of the problem include demand endogeneity on vertical-location effect and the demand ambiguity that may arise from the ever shorter life cycles of commodities and other complicated determinants. We address the problem in a rolling-horizon fashion and develop a two-phase data-driven robust optimization model leveraging a decision-dependent Wasserstein metric that incorporates time-series demand forecasts and captures vertical-location effect under demand ambiguity. We derive tractable solution schemes for the model, in which the phase-I model determines the optimal location decision by solving one instance of mixed-integer linear program, while the phase-II model admits an analytical solution for updating the optimal stock. Furthermore, we discuss the sensitivity implications on how the ambiguity aversion impacts the optimal stock, and prove the consistency of the model solution under regularity condition on the underlying demand process that well justifies the asymptotic performance of the proposed data-driven approach. Finally, we extend our model to incorporate substitution effect, and conduct sufficient numerical experiments with real-life data that demonstrate the performance of our model.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Treatment of Cancer Patients at a Hospital in Peru
Authors: Bravo Leny , Vizcarra Karla , Zavaleta Jenny , Paez Kevin J. , Morante Zaida , Limache-García Abel , Saravia César H.
Published: August 2024

Background

The appearance of the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in Wuhan - China, in 2019 led to the declaration of a COVID-19 pandemic by the World Health Organization. Peru confirmed its first case on March 6, 2020, prompting a significant change in medical care.

Purpose

Our objective was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer treatment in Peru.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of hospital data from the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases revealed substantial decreases in oncological treatments in 2020 compared to 2019.

Results

Oncological treatments involving bone marrow transplantation had a greater impact between the months of April and September, at -100% (p=0.003). However, treatments involving surgery in April (-95% [p≤0.001]), radiotherapy in May (-76% [p=0.002]) and chemotherapy in June (-71% [p≤0.001]) also showed significant impacts. Comparative analysis with international data revealed similar trends in cancer care interruptions in different countries. However, variations in the magnitude of the impact were observed, influenced by regional health policies and the severity of the pandemic.

Conclusions

The findings underscore the challenges cancer care providers face during public health crises, requiring adaptive strategies to ensure continued access to essential treatments. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive public health responses to mitigate the impact of future crises on cancer care systems.
Translation at Work in Climate Change Communication
Authors: Pi Qiang , Zhong Lanhua
Published: August 2024

This article explores the role of translation in climate change communication through an analysis of two typical climate change data visualizations. Drawing on the information theory of translation (ITT), it examines how translation operates not only in the linguistic transfer of climate science knowledge but also in the visual representation of climate data. By comparing the translation strategies employed in the visualizations by NASA and the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL), the study reveals how different agents interpret and represent the climate change phenomenon based on their background knowledge, cognitive functions, and aesthetic preferences. The findings highlight that climate visualizations are not purely scientific representations but are influenced by subjective interpretations and choices made by the translation agents. Recognizing translation as a fundamental component of climate communication enables scientists to critically reflect on their communication choices and experiment with new ways of translating scientific discoveries to the public.
Control of a building system with sudden nonlinearity using the sliding mode technique
Authors: Chakraborty Sanjukta , Sensy Kadeeja , Ji Xiaodong
Published: August 2024

In civil engineering application such as the seismic resistant structural design, a building system often enters into its nonlinear range to minimize the force transfer to the superstructure. An ideal control design should enhance the usefulness of the nonlinear behavior by diminishing its adverse effects at a minimal control input. This study developed a unified feedback mechanism based on the sliding mode control approach that fostered the multiple selected modal control of a structural system undergoing linear and nonlinear stages of hysteretic deformations. The ideal sliding surface for controlling a specific mode was designed based on the interaction characteristics between two modes at two different stages of deformation. An ′ S′ type functional form of the control force was developed on either side of the sliding surface based on the velocity feedback of the system by ensuring reachability to the ideal sliding surface. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the adopted control, a five-story shear building with uniform mass and initial stiffness distribution with concentrated nonlinearity at the base column was considered under 10 earthquake excitations. The system was studied under the proposed control along with the uncontrolled system. In addition to the adopted control, a popular and existing LQG control technique was also implemented based on the equivalent linearized structural system for comparison. The adopted control provided the desired performance of the structural system while keeping the effectiveness of the system’s nonlinearity under earthquake excitations. Considering the system’s responses and the input control force, the efficiency of the adopted mechanism outperformed the LQG control, which was found to amplify the unfavorable effects of the system’s nonlinearity.
A study of soft and hard impact effects in single-particle impact dampers
Authors: Akbar Muhammad A , Wong Waion , Rustighi Emiliano
Published: August 2024

Single-particle impact dampers (SPIDs) are simple, yet impactful devices that mitigate vibrations in various applications such as high-rise structures, machinery, and satellites. However, the high-intensity impact forces transmitted to the host structure pose a risk to older and vulnerable structures. Therefore, this study investigates the performance of SPIDs with soft impacts, employing viscoelastic materials to minimize the impact forces and noise levels without degrading the damping performance. Four different materials (rubber, ethylene-vinyl acetate, acrylic and poly-urethane foams) exhibiting different viscoelastic properties are studied and compared with hard impact. An approximate Voigt model for the stiffness and damping coefficient of viscoelastic material is used to conduct numerical simulations and to evaluate the damping performance of SPIDs. Dynamic mechanical analyser (DMA) tests are conducted to determine the dynamic properties of viscoelastic materials. An experimental rig which includes a single-degree-of-freedom host structure, and a prototype SPID is designed and manufactured. Experiments are conducted to determine the damping performance, impact force, and noise level with soft impacts and the results are compared with hard impacts. The results reveal a 40% reduction in vibration amplitude at resonance frequency, an impressive 96% reduction in impact force at resonance, an 11.55 dB reduction in the noise level using poly-urethane foam (softest impact) compared to steel (hard impact). Although viscoelastic materials may not be suitable in harsh environmental conditions, this study demonstrates that introducing a viscoelastic material in SPID can resolve its major drawbacks such as impact forces and noise leading to a simple, cost-effective, and safe SPID.
Bricks: A high-performance portability layer for computations on block-structured grids
Authors: Lakshminarasimhan Mahesh , Antepara Oscar , Zhao Tuowen , Sepanski Benjamin , Basu Protonu , Johansen Hans , Hall Mary , Williams Samuel
Published: August 2024

From partial differential equations to the convolutional neural networks in deep learning, to matrix operations in dense linear algebra, computations on structured grids dominate high-performance computing and machine learning. The performance of such computations is key to effective utilization of the billions of US dollar’s worth of GPU-accelerated systems such computations are run on. Concurrently, the end of Moore’s law and Dennard scaling are driving the specialization of compute and memory architectures. This specialization often makes performance brittle (small changes in function can have severe ramifications on performance), non-portable (vendors are increasingly motivated to develop their programming models tailored for their specialized architectures), and not performance portable (even a given computation may perform very differently from one architecture to the next). The mismatch between computations that reference data that is logically neighboring in N-dimensional space but physically distant in memory motivated the creation of Bricks — a novel data-structure transformation for multi-dimensional structured grids that reorders data into small, fixed-sized bricks of contiguously-packed data. Whereas a cache-line naturally captures spatial locality in only one dimension of a structured grid, Bricks can capture spatial locality in three or more dimensions. When coupled with a Python interface, a code-generator, and autotuning, the resultant BrickLib software provides not only raw performance, but also performance portability across multiple CPUs and GPUs, scalability in distributed memory, user productivity, and generality across computational domains. In this paper, we provide an overview of BrickLib and provide a series of vignettes on how it delivers on the aforementioned metrics.
Cognitive Task Analysis: Eliciting Expert Cognition in Context
Authors: Brown Olivia , Power Nicola , Gore Julie
Published: August 2024

Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) is a powerful methodological approach that can enhance the rigorous elicitation and documentation of complex cognitive processes within interview-based qualitative research. We provide insights into this set of semi-structured interviewing techniques that we contend have much to offer management researchers who wish to understand the complexities of expert cognition within specific work-related tasks. Distinct from traditional semi-structured interview methods, CTA is designed to identify the knowledge requirements underpinning expertise in complex work domains. First, we present CTA as a robust approach to eliciting complex cognition and note why, when, and where management scholars might best use its techniques. Second, we provide two examples of how CTA methods have been used to research management; specifically, using the Critical Decision Method to explore management in high-stakes environments, and Applied Cognitive Task Analysis to explore global leadership. In ending, we propose greater use of this pragmatic approach in management research and highlight potential avenues for future research that will advance understanding of complex cognition at work.
A finite element model for analyzing curved surface sandwich panel forming
Authors: Wang Ming-wei , Cai Zhong-yi , Gao Jia-xin , Zhang Zhao-rui , Su Xin
Published: August 2024

The article establishes a finite element (FE) model of sandwich panel (referred to as CSC FE model) using shell structure core and solid structure face sheet and provides a detailed derivation of the data transfer process between the shell structure and the solid structure in the FE model. In order to explore the application of CSC FE model in the curved surface sandwich panel forming, this paper studies the single curvature and double curvature sandwich panel forming in detail. Based on the maturity of the three-point bending theory, in order to facilitate theoretical verification, the article chooses the three-point bending process to study the single curvature sandwich panels forming. It is proved that the CSC FE model can be effectively applied to single curvature sandwich panel forming through three-point bending theory, numerical simulations and experiments of brazed aluminum honeycomb panel (BAHP). Low cost and efficient multi-point forming (MPF) process is used to analyze the double curvature sandwich panel forming. By MPF experiments and numerical simulations of saddle-shaped and spherical BAHPs, and with the help of 3D laser scanning technology, it is proved that the CSC FE model can accurately predict the curved surface shape of double curvature sandwich panel forming.
Prediction of the failure behavior of pseudo-ductile composites using a multi-scale finite element model
Authors: Abdellahi Behzad , Azhari Fatemeh , Nguyen Phu
Published: August 2024

The hybridization technique has recently been used to produce a new generation of composites called pseudo-ductile composites, which have shown higher failure strain compared to conventional composites, minimizing the risks of the occurrence of a catastrophic failure. The pseudo-ductility behavior in these composites is obtained by hybridization of fibers with high and low failure strains. In this study, a multi-scale finite element (FE) model incorporating micro and macro-scales is proposed to predict the failure behavior of pseudo-ductile composites. A micro-scale representative volume element (RVE), consisting of randomly distributed fibers, was generated using a Python code. Periodic boundary conditions (PBCs) were applied to the RVE generated with a periodic geometry. To account for fiber failure and ply fragmentation, the tensile strength of fibers was distributed based on the Weibull distribution function and a user-defined UMAT subroutine was developed. Tensile loading was then applied to the RVE to simulate the composite’s mechanical behavior. For validation, an RVE was developed based on experimental data from recent research on thinply and conventional thickness composites. Numerical results were compared to experimental data, demonstrating acceptable agreement. In the final step, following a sequential multi-scale modeling approach, a macro-scale model was constructed based on the outputs of the micro-scale model subjected to tensile and shear loads. The results were compared with experimental data, revealing good agreement. The proposed model allows for the optimization of pseudo-ductile composite structures to achieve a desired set of mechanical properties without the need for conducting extensive experimental material tests.
Association of macular pigment optical density with plasma macular carotenoids levels and serum lipids in South Indian healthy volunteers and patients with early age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Senthilkumari Srinivasan , Rajendren Anand , Panneerselvam Bala , Uduman Mohammed Sithiq
Published: August 2024

Purpose: The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and plasma carotenoids [(L) and (Z)] and serum lipids in South Indian young healthy volunteers and patients with early age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: Two hundred and fourteen ( N = 214) study participants (Healthy control group ( N) = 178; Early AMD group ( N) = 36) were enrolled after getting their written informed consent. The MPOD of the study participants was assessed using MPS II (Electron Technology, UK) after completing their routine ocular examination. Serum lipids were measured by the standard technique. Plasma levels of L, Z, lycopene and beta-carotene were estimated by high performance liquid chromatography with photo diode array detector. Statistical analysis used: Correlations among variables in serum, plasma and the MPOD were established using Spearman's rho correlation coefficient. Results: The overall mean MPOD in healthy control group and early AMD group were found to be 0.47 ± 0.16 ( N = 178; 317 eyes) and 0.35 ± 0.22 ( N = 36; 38 eyes) at 1° eccentricity respectively and were found to be statistically significant ( p < 0.001). A strong positive association was found between plasma L, Z and L + Z and MPOD. Serum HDL showed a strong negative association with MPOD and other lipids showed a very weak association. MPOD was unaffected by body mass index. Conclusions: MPOD is positively associated with plasma L,Z and L + Z, adding further evidence that additional intake of L/Z may be beneficial in delaying the risk of AMD in our population
Comparison of 5-year cup and stem migration between ceramic-on-ceramic and ceramic-on-polyethylene bearing in press-fit total hip arthroplasty: a randomised controlled trial using radiostereometric analysis
Authors: Klaassen Amanda D , van Loon Justin , Willigenburg Nienke W , Koster Lennard A , Kaptein Bart L , van der Hulst Victor P M , Haverkamp Daniel , Moojen Dirk Jan F , Poolman Rudolf W
Published: August 2024

Introduction:

The inelasticity of ceramic bearings might affect primary stability and migration of implants in press-fit total hip arthroplasty (THA). This randomised controlled trial compares migration patterns of the uncemented Delta-TT cup and H-MAX S stem between ceramic and polyethylene liners, up to 5 years follow-up.

Methods:

Patients receiving primary press-fit THA were randomly allocated to a ceramic ( n  = 28) or polyethylene ( n  = 25) liner. Migration was measured using model-based radiostereometric analysis (RSA) at baseline and 1.5, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 60 months postoperatively and compared between groups using mixed models statistical analysis. The focus of this study is on the 2- to 5-year migration of the Delta-TT cup and migration during complete follow-up of the H-MAX S stem up to 5-years.

Results:

At 5-year follow-up, mean (95% CI) proximal cup translation was 0.56 (0.37–0.74) mm in ceramic and 0.58 (0.25–0.90) mm in polyethylene ( p  = 0.729). The mean change in adduction was 1.05° (0.27–1.82°) in ceramic and 0.78° (−0.16–1.71°) in polyethylene. Mixed modelling showed that all between-group effects were ⩽0.20 mm for translation and ⩽0.22° for rotation at 5 years postoperatively ( p ⩾ 0.23). Mean cup migration between 2 and 5 years was limited (all parameters <0.17 mm and <0.30°). At 5-year follow-up, mean stem subsidence was 2.09 mm (0.89–3.29 mm) in ceramic and 2.55 (0.97–4.12) mm in polyethylene. The mean change in internal rotation was 3.69° (1.98–5.40°) in ceramic and 4.01° (2.20–5.81°) in polyethylene. Most stem migration occurred up to 1.5 months, stabilising afterwards. All between-group effects were ⩽0.75 mm for translations and ⩽1.41° for rotations ( p ⩾ 0.26).

Conclusions:

5-year migration patterns of press-fit cups and stems were similar between ceramic and polyethylene liners. The Delta-TT cup and H-MAX S stem showed secondary stabilisation and remained stable up to 5 years in both groups, which is promising for long-term survival with both liner types.

Clinical trial registration:

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03093038)
Overcoming Resistance in Cancer Therapy: Computational Exploration of PIK3CA Mutations, Unveiling Novel Non-Toxic Inhibitors, and Molecular Insights Into Targeting PI3Kα
Authors: Kandoussi Ilham , El Haddoumi Ghyzlane , Mansouri Mariam , Belyamani Lahcen , Ibrahimi Azeddine , Eljaoudi Rachid
Published: August 2024

Phosphoinositide-3-kinases (PI3 K) are pivotal regulators of cell signaling implicated in various cancers. Particularly, mutations in the PIK3CA gene encoding the p110α catalytic subunit drive oncogenic signaling, making it an attractive therapeutic target. Our study conducted in silico exploration of 31 PIK3CA mutations across breast, endometrial, colon, and ovarian cancers, assessing their impacts on response to PI3Kα inhibitors and identifying potential non-toxic inhibitors and also elucidating their effects on protein stability and flexibility. Specifically, we observed significant alterations in the stability and flexibility of the PI3 K protein induced by these mutations. Through molecular docking analysis, we evaluated the binding interactions between the selected inhibitors and the PI3 K protein. The filtration of ligands involved calculating chemical descriptors, incorporating Veber and Lipinski rules, as well as IC50 values and toxicity predictions. This process reduced the initial dataset of 1394 ligands to 12 potential non-toxic inhibitors, and four reference inhibitors with significant biological activity in clinical trials were then chosen based on their physico-chemical properties. This analysis revealed Lig5's exceptional performance, exhibiting superior affinity and specificity compared to established reference inhibitors such as pictilisib. Lig5 formed robust binding interactions with the PI3 K protein, suggesting its potential as a highly effective therapeutic agent against PI3 K-driven cancers. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations provided valuable insights into Lig5's stability and its interactions with PI3 K over 100 ns. These simulations supported Lig5's potential as a versatile inhibitor capable of effectively targeting various mutational profiles of PI3 K, thereby mitigating issues related to resistance and toxicity commonly associated with current inhibitors.
Beyond rate parity: Examining offer uniqueness and channel credibility in hotel pricing
Authors: Lee Sung W. , Sharma Amit
Published: August 2024

This study investigated how price and non-price content disparities on online travel agencies (OTA) and hotels’ direct booking websites affect consumers’ hotel booking decisions, focusing on the role of cancellation flexibility and OTA credibility. Price parity across channels can significantly shift consumer preference toward the direct hotel booking website. Conversely, price disparities can prompt further evaluation of non-price content attributes, particularly cancellation flexibility and OTA credibility. Two experimental studies showed that the uniqueness of an offer, cancellation flexibility, and the credibility of OTAs moderate the effect of price on consumers’ willingness to book. Maintaining price parity and managing non-price content disparities is crucial for fostering consumer trust and preference for hotel brands’ booking websites. This study expands the understanding of consumers’ hotel booking behavior beyond using price as the decision criteria, emphasizing the importance of holistic online content management and OTA credibility.
Examining change in the mental health of young people with epilepsy following a successful psychological intervention
Authors: Nizza Isabella E , Smith Jonathan A , Bennett Sophie D , Chorpita Bruce , Cross J Helen , Heyman Isobel , Moss-Morris Rona , Blackstone James , Coughtrey Anna E , Dalrymple Emma , Shah Mariam , D’oelsnitz Anaïs ,   MICE Study Group, Shafran Roz
Published: August 2024

Objective

Evaluate the cognitive, behavioural and affective processes involved in therapeutic change for young people with epilepsy and mental health difficulties receiving an integrated mental health intervention.

Methods

As part of a mixed methods convergent design, qualitative data were gathered in parallel to quantitative data at two timepoints in a randomised controlled trial testing the Mental Health Intervention for Children with Epilepsy in addition to usual care. Twenty-five young people and/or their families were interviewed before and after the intervention about the young person’s mental and physical health, and their experience of therapy. Interview data were analysed inductively, idiographically and longitudinally using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis combined with Framework Analysis.

Results

The young people’s emotional and behaviour problems improved, mirroring the trial’s quantitative outcomes. Their anxiety decreased and behaviour improved as they acquired tools and understanding through therapy. Problems, like aggressive behaviours and emotional outbursts, were also reduced, with young people gaining increased awareness and ability to self-regulate and parents learning to contain their child’s impulsive behaviours.

Conclusions

The qualitative findings complement the MICE trial’s significant positive quantitative results by providing insight and context to the therapeutic change, providing vivid insight into the mechanisms of therapy for individual families.