bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of fifty strains of Beauveria spp. (Ascomycota, Cordycipitaceae) fungal entomopathogens from diverse geographic origins against the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)
Authors: Reyes‐Haro Laura , Prince Gillian , Granja‐Travez Rommel Santiago , Chandler David
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

The diamondback moth (DBM) (Plutella xylostella) causes large losses to global crop production. Conventional insecticides are losing effectiveness due to resistance. Consequently, there is a growing interest in sustainable control methods like entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) in Integrated Pest Management. However, the field efficacy of fungi varies due to environmental influences. In this study, a group of 50 Beauveria strains sourced from different locations were characterized by genotype and phenotype with respect to their conidial production, temperature and UV‐B radiation tolerance, and virulence against DBM.

RESULTS

Phylogenetic analysis revealed two distinct species: Beauveria bassiana (84%) and B. pseudobassiana (16%). Most strains showed optimal growth between 25 °C and 28 °C, with germination severely affected at 10 °C and 33 °C. Notably, 44% displayed high resistance to UV‐B radiation (5.94 kJ  m−2), with germination rates between 60.9% and 88.1%. Geographical origin showed no correlation with temperature or UV radiation tolerance. In virulence experiments, 52% of strains caused mortality rates exceeding 80% in DBM second instars at 7 days after exposure to a 4 mL conidial suspension (107 conidia/mL).

CONCLUSION

Survival under environmental conditions is crucial for EPF‐based commercial products against DBM. Results suggest strain tolerance to environmental stressors is more tied to specific micro‐climatic factors than geographical origin. Each strain exhibited unique characteristics; for example, the most virulent strain (#29) was highly UV‐sensitive. Therefore, characterizing diverse strains provides essential genotypic and phenotypic insights, which are fundamental for understanding their role as biocontrol agents while facilitating efficient biopesticide product development and uptake. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Role of Substrate on the Fractal Characteristics of Nanostructure Surfaces of Electrodeposited Nickel Thin Films
Authors: Nasehnejad Maryam , Nabiyouni Gholamreza
Published: June 2024

This study investigates the structure, morphological, and roughness properties of electrodeposited nickel thin films grown on different substrates, that is, silicon, copper, and gold. X‐ray diffraction analysis reveals that the Ni coatings exhibit a face‐centered‐cubic phase, regardless of the substrate used, although the texture is mainly influenced by the substrate. Atomic force microscopy images show that larger grains are obtained with gold substrates, while smaller ones are observed with copper and silicon substrates, in agreement with scanning electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that both topological and fractal characteristics of the Ni thin films are significantly influenced by the type of substrate. Statistical parameters are quantified to compare the surface morphology of the different samples. Fractal analysis reveals that the fractal dimensions of all surfaces range between 2 and 3, indicating self‐affinity. Fractal succolarity and lacunarity are measured to assess the penetration of a liquid into the surface and the distribution of gaps in the Ni film surfaces, respectively. Minkowski functionals are utilized for topological analysis to characterize the internal structure of the Ni thin films. The observed differences in roughness characteristics provide evidence that the type of substrate affects the nucleation and growth of surface features during electrodeposition.
The therapeutic potential of typical plant‐derived compounds for the management of metabolic disorders
Authors: Roy Debajyoti , Kaur Prabhjot , Ghosh Maitrayee , Choudhary Deepika , Rangra Naresh Kumar
Published: June 2024

Obesity and Type 2 diabetes are prevalent metabolic dysfunctions that present significant health challenges worldwide. Available cures for these ailments have constraints with accompanying unwanted effects that persistently exist. Compounds originated from plants have recently been introduced as hopeful remedies to treat metabolic disorders because of their diverse pharmacological activities. This detailed observation gives an introduction into the treatment capacity of plant‐derived compounds regarding metabolic syndromes while analyzing various groups alongside their performance in this field despite unique mechanisms designed by nature itself. Interestingly, this study provides some examples including curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, berberine, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and capsaicin, which highlights potential therapeutic impacts for future testing. However, current clinical trials inspecting human studies investigating efficacies concerning metabolism challenge present limitations. Finally, the review weighs up bad reactions possibly inflicted after administering plant‐originated materials though suggestive insights will be provided later. Above all, it outlines the chance to identify novel therapies encapsulated within natural substances based upon recent developments could hold significant promise toward managing misplaced metabolisms globally.
Two prospective, multicenter studies for the identification of biomarker signatures for early detection of pulmonary hypertension (PH): The CIPHER and CIPHER‐MRI studies
Authors: Lawrie Allan , Chin Kelly , Fong Yiu‐Lian , Gargano Cynthia , Gitton Xavier , He Cheng , Kiely David G. , Zhou Li , Zhou Lihan , Maron Bradley A. , Quinn Debbie , Rosenkranz Stephan , Stamatiadis Dimitri , Toshner Mark , Wilkins Martin R. , Howard Luke , Preston Ioana R.
Published: June 2024

A blood test identifying patients at increased risk of pulmonary hypertension (PH) could streamline the investigative pathway. The prospective, multicenter CIPHER study aimed to develop a microRNA‐based signature for detecting PH in breathless patients and enrolled adults with a high suspicion of PH who had undergone right heart catheterization (RHC). The CIPHER‐MRI study was added to assess the performance of this CIPHER signature in a population with low probability of having PH who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) instead of RHC. The microRNA signature was developed using a penalized linear regression (LASSO) model. Data were modeled both with and without N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP). Signature performance was assessed against predefined thresholds (lower 98.7% CI bound of ≥0.73 for sensitivity and ≥0.53 for specificity, based on a meta‐analysis of echocardiographic data), using RHC as the true diagnosis. Overall, 926 CIPHER participants were screened and 888 were included in the analysis. Of 688 RHC‐confirmed PH cases, approximately 40% were already receiving PH treatment. Fifty microRNA (from 311 investigated) were algorithmically selected to be included in the signature. Sensitivity [97.5% CI] of the signature was 0.85 [0.80–0.89] for microRNA‐alone and 0.90 [0.86–0.93] for microRNA+NT‐proBNP, and the corresponding specificities were 0.33 [0.24–0.44] and 0.28 [0.20–0.39]. Of 80 CIPHER‐MRI participants with evaluable data, 7 were considered PH‐positive by cMRI whereas 52 were considered PH‐positive by the microRNA signature. Due to low specificity, the CIPHER miRNA‐based signature for PH (either with or without NT‐proBNP in model) did not meet the prespecified diagnostic threshold for the primary analysis.
Robust stabilization of uncertain switched nonlinear systems via saturated impulsive control
Authors: Pan Shiyao , Xie Xiangpeng , Gao Lixin
Published: June 2024

This article investigates the stabilization problem of uncertain switched nonlinear systems. Uncertainty and saturated impulses are first considered together in switched nonlinear systems. It appears that the considered systems are robustly locally exponentially stable under the fast average dwell time method and the designed saturated impulsive controller even though subsystems are unstable. At the same time, our conclusions cover some previous results. A step‐by‐step strategy for optimizing multiple objectives is designed to estimate the basin of attraction of the systems as large as possible. At last, the efficacy of our conclusions is illustrated by two given examples.
An enhanced coupling nonlinear control for quadrotor with suspended double‐pendulum payload
Authors: Yan Bing , Lin Hong , Cai Chenxiao , Shi Peng
Published: June 2024

In the field of logistics transportation, unmanned aerial vehicles are commonly utilized for cargo transport in a suspended manner, and the suspended payloads will exhibit the double‐pendulum dynamic characteristics (dPDC). However, due to the underactuation and load‐swing problems caused by the dPDC, it is challenging to design controllers for a quadrotor with a suspended double‐pendulum type payload. Existing related studies simplify the dPDC to a single‐pendulum dynamic characteristic, which results in degraded transient performance. To overcome the issue, this article presents a novel controller approach that considers the real dynamic characteristics, that is, dPDC. The proposed approach tackles the quadrotor position control and anti‐swing problem in two steps. First, a composite signal incorporating both the quadrotor position and the payload swing angles is introduced to restrain the payload swing. Second, a nonlinear controller based on the energy analysis method is proposed to overcome the coupling between rotation and translation, which addresses the underactuation problem. Theoretical analysis confirms the asymptotic stability of the system under this control strategy. Numerical and experimental results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller.
Anti‐modal‐asynchrony sliding mode control for semi‐Markov jump systems
Authors: Shen Feiyue , Qi Wenhai , Cao Jinde , Yan Huaicheng , Abdel‐Aty Mahmoud , Cheng Jun
Published: June 2024

This article investigates the issue of anti‐modal‐asynchrony sliding mode control (SMC) for discrete semi‐Markov jump systems with bi‐boundary sojourn time. Asynchronous mechanism refers to the mismatch phenomenon between the system mode and the controller mode, in which the modal lag is mode‐dependent to reduce some conservatism compared with traditional mode‐independent lag. In contrast to traditional semi‐Markov jump systems, the sojourn time of each mode in this article is considered to have upper‐and‐lower bounds, representing better characteristics than the upper bound. Based on the semi‐Markov kernel and the Lyapunov function related to the elapsed time of current mode, a sufficient condition is proposed to ensure that the mean‐square stability of the underlying system is achieved under an equivalent SMC mechanism. The conditions for the existence of the designed controller are obtained, which shows that the constructed SMC mechanism is effective against asynchronous mode jumps. An anti‐modal‐asynchrony SMC mechanism is constructed to achieve the reachability of discrete quasi‐sliding mode. Finally, the F‐404 aircraft engine model is given to validate the effectiveness of the control strategy.
Distributed finite‐time attitude coordination control of spacecraft formations with multiple constraints
Authors: Tang Yanling , Lai Bixia , Li Xiaoting , Zou An‐Min , Yang Xuerong
Published: June 2024

This paper addresses the issue of distributed finite‐time attitude coordination control of spacecraft formations with multiple constraints on angular velocities and control torques. First, the multiple constrained problem is transformed into a bounded issue by virtue of the nonlinear transformation technique and an input saturation model. Next, the nearest neighbor rule is applied to deal with the problem of the unavailability of the leader's information to all followers. Then, a distributed attitude coordination control algorithm is derived to enforce that all attitude tracking errors can converge to a neighborhood around the origin in finite time even when there exist multiple constraints and external disturbances imposed on spacecraft systems. Finally, several numerical simulation examples are presented to illustrate the efficiency of the derived method.
On the rank, Kernel, and core of sparse random graphs
Authors: DeMichele Patrick , Glasgow Margalit , Moreira Alexander
Published: June 2024

We study the rank of the adjacency matrix of a random Erdős‐Rényi graph . It is well known that when , with high probability, is singular. We prove that when , with high probability, the corank of is equal to the number of isolated vertices remaining in after the Karp‐Sipser leaf‐removal process, which removes vertices of degree one and their unique neighbor. We prove a similar result for the random matrix , where all entries are independent Bernoulli random variables with parameter . Namely, we show that if is the bipartite graph with bi‐adjacency matrix , then the corank of is with high probability equal to the max of the number of left isolated vertices and the number of right isolated vertices remaining after the Karp‐Sipser leaf‐removal process on . Additionally, we show that with high probability, the ‐core of is full rank for any and . This partially resolves a conjecture of Van Vu for . Finally, we give an application of the techniques in this paper to gradient coding, a problem in distributed computing.
Dynamics of founding team diversity and venture outcomes: A simulation approach
Authors: Sundriyal Vivek Kumar , Lévesque Moren , Wennberg Karl , Norgren Axel
Published: June 2024

Research summary

Entrepreneurship research overlooks the dynamics of changing diversity in founding teams. Our simulations calibrated from existing studies suggest that founding teams that change diversity exhibit greater discounted performance for their ventures due to being less diverse and thus their ventures surviving longer, compared to teams that maintain their diversity. Moreover, discounted performance is higher for teams changing diversity due to other teams' performance than due to their own poor performance. Simulating without membership changes the interdependence between team diversity, venture performance, and team disruption, we find that while team diversity is overall performance‐enhancing, this association differs across contexts and its impact varies as ventures mature. Founding team diversity should thus be seen as a continuum where moderate diversity can best serve teams in turbulent environments.

Managerial summary

We simulated the behavior of founding teams over time to show that compared to teams that do not change their diversity, those who do experience greater discounted performance for their business ventures. This improvement stems from the increased longevity, and thus greater accumulated performance, for teams that switch since they are more rather than less homogeneous. Our investigation also indicates that ventures led by teams that change diversity because they aspire to outperform other teams, tend to exhibit greater discounted performance than those that change diversity to outperform themselves. When we investigate the interconnectedness of teams' diversity, ventures' performance, and disruption, albeit without allowing for any changes in team diversity, we find that while diversity usually helps, teams moderately diversified tend to perform best in turbulent times.
Non‐parametric inference on calibration of predicted risks
Authors: Sadatsafavi Mohsen , Petkau John
Published: June 2024

Moderate calibration, the expected event probability among observations with predicted probability z being equal to z, is a desired property of risk prediction models. Current graphical and numerical techniques for evaluating moderate calibration of risk prediction models are mostly based on smoothing or grouping the data. As well, there is no widely accepted inferential method for the null hypothesis that a model is moderately calibrated. In this work, we discuss recently‐developed, and propose novel, methods for the assessment of moderate calibration for binary responses. The methods are based on the limiting distributions of functions of standardized partial sums of prediction errors converging to the corresponding laws of Brownian motion. The novel method relies on well‐known properties of the Brownian bridge which enables joint inference on mean and moderate calibration, leading to a unified “bridge” test for detecting miscalibration. Simulation studies indicate that the bridge test is more powerful, often substantially, than the alternative test. As a case study we consider a prediction model for short‐term mortality after a heart attack, where we provide suggestions on graphical presentation and the interpretation of results. Moderate calibration can be assessed without requiring arbitrary grouping of data or using methods that require tuning of parameters.
MXene/Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanosheet Scaffold Electrode toward High‐Performance Solid‐State Zinc Ion Supercapacitor
Authors: Chen Anli , Wei Huige , Peng Zhuojian , Wang Yuanzhe , Akinlabi Stephen , Guo Zhanhu , Gao Faming , Duan Sidi , He Ximin , Jia Chunjiang , Xu Ben Bin
Published: June 2024

While MXene is widely used as an electrode material for supercapacitor, the intrinsic limitation of stacking caused by the interlayer van der Waals forces has yet to be overcome. In this work, a strategy is proposed to fabricate a composite scaffold electrode (MCN) by intercalating MXene with highly nitrogen‐doped carbon nanosheets (CN). The 2D structured CN, thermally converted and pickling from Zn‐hexamine (Zn‐HMT), serves as a spacer that effectively prevents the stacking of MXene and contributes to a hierarchically scaffolded structure, which is conducive to ion movement; meanwhile, the high nitrogen‐doping of CN tunes the electronic structure of MCN to facilitate charge transfer and providing additional pseudocapacitance. As a result, the MCN50 composite electrode achieves a high specific capacitance of 418.4 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. The assembled symmetric supercapacitor delivers a corresponding power density of 1658.9 W kg−1 and an energy density of 30.8 Wh kg−1. The all‐solid‐state zinc ion supercapacitor demonstrates a superior energy density of 68.4 Wh kg−1 and a power density of 403.5 W kg−1 and shows a high capacitance retention of 93% after 8000 charge‐discharge cycles. This study sheds a new light on the design and development of novel MXene‐based composite electrodes for high performance all‐solid‐state zinc ion supercapacitor.
A blockchain‐based and microservices‐architected software composition analysis system
Authors: Zhou Xin , Xu Jinwei , Li Xiaokang , Cao Lingli , Li Lingjie , Wang Yanze , Li Shanshan , Liu Hui
Published: June 2024

“Shift To Left” is the cornerstone of the successful implementation of DevSecOps. By testing projects for vulnerabilities in the early stages of development, teams can save overall costs before security issues reach the build phase. As one of the popular practices in “Shift To Left,” the Software Composition Analysis (SCA) system aims to leverage the Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) to enhance software supply chain security. However, the SBOM lacks mature generation and distribution mechanisms, requiring incentive measures to drive industry consensus. Additionally, the data and tools associated with the SBOM lack effective record‐keeping and monitoring, making it challenging to ensure data integrity and tool security. Traditional SCA systems treat SBOM as a regular data format for external service provision, yet fail to solve problems such as lack of shared platforms, inability to guarantee data integrity and tool security, as well as issues with poor interoperation compatibility. This paper introduces blockchain technology into the SCA system, utilizing smart contracts to provide core SBOM tool services and microservices to improve the operational efficiency of smart contract deployment and maintenance. The proposed SCA system effectively provides a shared platform for SBOM with reliable data integrity, guaranteed tool security, and good interoperability.
Thin Film Magnetic Sensor for Magnetic Near‐Field Measurement in Wireless Power Transfer System
Authors: Tonthat Loi , Chakarothai Jerdvisanop , Suzuki Ryota , Fujii Katsumi , Yabukami Shin
Published: June 2024

In this study, we employed a high‐frequency‐driven thin‐film magnetic sensor to precisely measure the magnetic near field with enhanced spatial resolution, a challenge often faced by conventional loop antennas. Our study introduced an innovative approach utilizing this magnetic sensor to assess the magnetic near field in wireless power transfer systems, comparing its performance against that of a loop antenna. Our findings demonstrate that the magnetic sensor achieves its peak signal‐to‐noise ratio at a DC bias field of 4.7 Oe and carrier frequency of 0.5 GHz, boasting a detection limit for magnetic fields of ~0.4 A/m. Moreover, the magnetic field trend measured by the magnetic sensor closely aligns with simulation results, exhibiting sharper changes around the center compared to the loop antenna. These results highlight the superior sensitivity and spatial resolution of the magnetic sensor over conventional loop antennas. By enhancing the reliability of electronic systems across diverse applications, these sensors pave the way for advanced EMI/EMC evaluation techniques. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Comprehensive molecular evolutionary analysis of small heat shock proteins in five diploid Gossypium species
Authors: Fan Kai , Qian Zhengyi , He Yuxi , Chen Jiayuan , Ye Fangting , Zhu Xiaogang , Lin Wenxiong , Cui Lili , Lan Tao , Li Zhaowei
Published: June 2024

The small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are important components in plant growth and development, and stress response. However, a systematical understanding of the sHSP family is yet to be reported in five diploid Gossypium species. In this study, 34 GlsHSPs, 36 GrsHSPs, 37 GtsHSPs, 37 GasHSPs, and 38 GhesHSPs were identified in Gossypium longicalyx, Gossypium raimondii, Gossypium turneri, Gossypium arboreum, and Gossypium herbaceum, respectively. These sHSP members can be clustered into 10 subfamilies. Different subfamilies had different member numbers, motif distributions, gene structures, gene duplication events, gene loss numbers, and cis‐regulatory elements. Besides, the paleohexaploidization event in cotton ancestor led to expanding the sHSP members and it was also inherited by five diploid Gossypium species. After the cotton ancestor divergence, the sHSP members had the relatively conserved evolution in five diploid Gossypium species. The comprehensive evolutionary history of the sHSP family was revealed in five diploid Gossypium species. Furthermore, several GasHSPs and GhesHSPs were important candidates in plant growth and development, and stress response. These current findings can provide valuable information for the molecular evolution and further functional research of the sHSP family in cotton.
‘Living Well and Teaching Well’: Exploring How Beginning Teachers Enact Good Pedagogical Praxis in Their Everyday Practices in Historically Hard-to-Staff Schools
Authors: Garoni Stephanie , Lampert Jo , Hoff Lutz
Published: June 2024

The notion of pedagogical praxis underpins the work of La Trobe University’s Nexus program: a social justice oriented, alternative pathway into secondary teaching for historically hard-to-staff secondary schools in Victoria, Australia. This chapter maps the experiences of beginning teachers in the Nexus program as they live and work in a time of complexity and rapid change. It explores the meaning of ‘living well’ and its relationship to ‘teaching well’ through a practice lens, arguing that sometimes the enactment of ‘good pedagogical praxis’ can be difficult amidst the pressures associated with early career teaching. We use the theory of practice architectures to discuss these challenges as beginning teachers balance their commitment to creating socially just and equitable spaces for learning with the realities of contemporary schooling. We draw on stories from four Nexus teachers to examine the site-based arrangements that enable and constrain their ability to ‘teach well’. Ways in which they can enact morally and ethically informed practices while negotiating the changing conditions of their school environment are identified. This leads to a discussion of beginning teachers and a praxis-oriented view of pedagogy.
Potential of Students’ Voices to Contribute to Education for a Future World Worth Living In
Authors: Longmuir Fiona
Published: June 2024

This chapter examines the positioning and potential of students to contribute to the evolution of educational practices and arrangements that better reflect their needs and interests as they learn to be and become in a world worth living in for all. Historically, students’ voices are silenced through education with the imposition of schooling arrangements designed to meet the economic and social needs of the present. While students are often surrounded by messages that suggest their futures are in peril from environmental and social crises, their education remains confined to a focus on present imperatives. Although many educators are motivated to transform schooling, traditions and systemic objectives that hold conventional arrangements in place have proven to be difficult to disrupt. Bringing evidence from research that investigated the experiences of students who had disengaged from mainstream schooling in Melbourne, Australia, this chapter highlights possibilities for students to be seen as highly informed experts in their own education. I argue that along with enhancing student voice, a more explicit focus on a ‘capacity to aspire’ as a future-focused capability can counter limiting discourses that prevail and support students to shape a future world worth living in for all.
Democratic Practices with and for Our Youngest Citizens: Early Childhood Education, Agency, and the Education Complex
Authors: Salamon Andi , Gibbs Leanne , Cooke Mandy
Published: June 2024

Early childhood pedagogy in Australia is founded on rights-based philosophies that promote social justice, democratic communities, participation, and agency of societies’ youngest citizens. There are, however, significant challenges in realising these philosophies and enacting democratic, agentic early childhood education (ECE) for birth to five-year-old children. This chapter presents three research projects, viewed together through a lens of agency and aligned with the education complex (Kemmis et al., 2012), that highlight the interdependent practices of leading, teaching, and researching in Australian ECE contexts. The first project investigated the emergence and development of effective leadership practices and the arrangements that enabled and constrained them. The second project explored educators’ risk-taking practices, aligning with praxis as morally and ethically informed decision-making about what is ‘best’ for children and societies (Kemmis & Smith, 2008). The third project documented infants’ social and emotional communication and highlighted how the research practices helped enable infants’ participation and agency. Though the focus of each study was different, collectively they illuminate interdependent practices of an ‘ECE complex’, and how individual and collective agencies can optimise pedagogy with and for very young children to live well and help create a world worth living in (Kemmis et al., 2014).
Beschleunigte muskuloskeletale Magnetresonanztomographie mit Deep-Learning-gestützter Bildrekonstruktion bei 0,55 T–3 T
Authors: Vosshenrich Jan , Fritz Jan
Published: June 2024

Klinisches/methodisches Problem

Die Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) ist ein zentraler Bestandteil der muskuloskeletalen Diagnostik. Lange Akquisitionszeiten können jedoch zu Einschränkungen in der klinischen Praxis führen.

Radiologische Standardverfahren

Die MRT hat sich aufgrund des hohen Auflösungsvermögens und Signal-zu-Rausch-Verhältnisses (SNR) sowie des exzellenten Weichteilkontrastes als Modalität der Wahl in der Diagnostik von Verletzungen und Erkrankungen des muskuloskeletalen Systems etabliert.

Methodische Innovationen

Kontinuierliche Weiterentwicklungen in der Hard- und Softwaretechnologie haben eine bildqualitäts- und genauigkeitsneutrale Beschleunigung von 2D-Turbo-Spin-Echo(TSE)-Sequenzen um den Faktor 4 ermöglicht. Kürzlich vorgestellte, auf Deep Learning (DL) basierende Bildrekonstruktionsalgorithmen helfen, die Abhängigkeit zwischen SNR, räumlicher Auflösung und Akquisitionszeit weiter zu minimieren und erlauben die Anwendung höherer Beschleunigungsfaktoren.

Leistungsfähigkeit

Die kombinierte Anwendung fortschrittlicher Beschleunigungstechniken und DL-basierter Bildrekonstruktion birgt enormes Potenzial, um die Effizienz, den Patientenkomfort und die Zugänglichkeit der muskuloskeletalen MRT bei gleichbleibend hoher diagnostischer Genauigkeit zu maximieren.

Bewertung

DL-rekonstruierte beschleunigte MRT-Untersuchungen haben ihre Praxisreife und ihren Mehrwert innerhalb kürzester Zeit unter Beweis gestellt. Aktuelle wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse legen nahe, dass das Potenzial dieser Technologie noch nicht ausgeschöpft ist.

Empfehlung für die Praxis

Beschleunigte MRT-Untersuchungen mit DL-gestützter Bildrekonstruktion können zuverlässig in der Primärdiagnostik und Verlaufskontrolle muskuloskeletaler Fragestellungen eingesetzt werden.
The stability of government bond markets’ equilibrium and the interdependence of lending rates
Authors: Rodrigues Paulo M. M. , Sibbertsen Philipp , Voges Michelle
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we introduce test procedures for no fractional cointegration against possible breaks to a fractional cointegrating relationship in a segment of the data. We base the proposed tests on the supremum of the Hassler and Breitung (Econom Theor 22(6):1091–1111, 2006) test statistic for no cointegration over possible breakpoints in the long-run equilibrium. We show that the new tests correctly standardized converge to the supremum of a Chi-squared distribution and that this convergence is uniform. An in-depth Monte Carlo analysis provides results on the finite sample performance of our tests. We then use the new procedures to investigate whether there was a dissolution of fractional cointegrating relationships between the yields of government bonds of eleven EMU countries (Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Belgium, Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany and France) as a consequence of the European debt crisis and to understand the degree of interdependence of lending rates to non-financial corporations across these eleven countries.
Bisphenol A and its analogues: from their occurrence in foodstuffs marketed in Europe to improved monitoring strategies—a review of published literature from 2018 to 2023
Authors: Neri Ilaria , Russo Giacomo , Grumetto Lucia
Published: June 2024

In this review article, the research works covering the analytical determination of bisphenol A (BPA) and its structural analogues published from 2018 to present (February 2024) were examined. The review offers an overview of the concentration levels of these xenoestrogens in food and beverages, and discusses concerns that these may possibly pose to the human health and scrutinises, from an analytical perspective, the main biomonitoring approaches that are applied. This comes as a natural evolution of a previous review that covered the same topic but in earlier years (up to 2017). As compared to the past, while the volume of published literature on this topic has not necessarily decreased, the research studies are now much more homogeneous in terms of their geographical origin, i.e., Southern Europe (mainly Italy and Spain). For this reason, an estimated daily intake of the European population could not be calculated at this time. In terms of the analytical approaches that were applied, 67% of the research groups exploited liquid chromatography (LC), with a detection that was prevalently (71%) afforded by mass spectrometry, with over one-fourth of the research teams using fluorescence (26%) and a minority (3%) detecting the analytes with diode array detection. One-third of the groups used gas chromatography (GC)–mass spectrometry achieving comparatively superior efficiency as compared to LC. Derivatisation was performed in 59% of the GC studies to afford more symmetrical signals and enhanced sensitivity. Although the contamination levels are well below the threshold set by governments, routinely biomonitoring is encouraged because of the possible accumulation of these contaminants in the human body and of their interplay with other xenoestrogens.
Comparative transcriptomic analysis of the nodulation-competent zone and inference of transcription regulatory network in silicon applied Glycine max [L.]-Merr. Roots
Authors: Mansoor Sheikh , Tripathi Pooja , Ghimire Amit , Hamid Saira , Abd El-moniem Diaa , Chung Yong Suk , Kim Yoonha
Published: June 2024

Key message

The study unveils Si's regulatory influence by regulating DEGs, TFs, and TRs. Further bHLH subfamily and auxin transporter pathway elucidates the mechanisms enhancing root development and nodulation.

Soybean is a globally important crop serving as a primary source of vegetable protein for millions of individuals. The roots of these plants harbour essential nitrogen fixing structures called nodules. This study investigates the multifaceted impact of silicon (Si) application on soybean, with a focus on root development, and nodulation employing comprehensive transcriptomic analyses and gene regulatory network. RNA sequence analysis was utilised to examine the change in gene expression and identify the noteworthy differentially expressed genes (DEGs) linked to the enhancement of soybean root nodulation and root development. A set of 316 genes involved in diverse biological and molecular pathways are identified, with emphasis on transcription factors (TFs) and transcriptional regulators (TRs). The study uncovers TF and TR genes, categorized into 68 distinct families, highlighting the intricate regulatory landscape influenced by Si in soybeans. Upregulated most important bHLH subfamily and the involvement of the auxin transporter pathway underscore the molecular mechanisms contributing to enhanced root development and nodulation. The study bridges insights from other research, reinforcing Si’s impact on stress-response pathways and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis crucial for nodulation. The study reveals significant alterations in gene expression patterns associated with cellular component functions, root development, and nodulation in response to Si.

Graphical abstract
Re(de)fining degree-heating week: coral bleaching variability necessitates regional and temporal optimization of global forecast model stress metrics
Authors: Whitaker Hannah , DeCarlo Thomas
Published: June 2024

Tropical coral reefs are a critical ecosystem in global peril as a result of anthropogenic climate change, and effective conservation efforts require reliable methods for identifying and predicting coral bleaching events. To this end, temperature threshold-based models such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) degree-heating week (DHW) metric are useful for forecasting coral bleaching as a function of heat stress accumulation. DHW does not adequately account for regional variation in coral stress responses, however, and the current definition consistently underpredicts coral bleaching occurrence. Using a weather forecasting skill-based framework, our analysis cross-tested 1080 variations of the DHW-based bleaching occurrence (presence/absence) model against 22 years of contemporary coral bleaching observations (1998–2019) in order to optimize bleaching forecast skill at different levels of geographic specificity. On a global basis and relative to the current definition, reducing the current 1 °C warming cutoff to 0.4 °C, adjusting the accumulation window to 11 weeks, and defining a bleaching threshold of 3 DHW improved forecast skill by 70%. Allowing our new DHW definitions to vary across regions and ocean basins further doubled model skill. Our results also suggest that the most effective bleaching forecast models change over time as coral reef systems respond to a shifting climate. Since 1998, the coral bleaching threshold for the globally optimized forecast model has risen at a significant rate of 0.19 DHW/year, matching the pace of ocean warming. The bleaching threshold trajectory for each ocean basin varies. Though further work is necessary to parse the mechanism behind this trend, the dynamic nature of coral stress responses demands that our forecasting tools be continuously refined if they are to adequately inform marine conservation efforts.
Pharyngeal adaptation to bolus properties in patients with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Saleem Shakeela , Miles Anna , Allen Jacqueline
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Dysphagia is common in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Yet, literature describing swallow function in PD using high-resolution manometry is limited. This study explored swallowing pressure metrics for varied bolus conditions in people with PD.

Method

A solid-state unidirectional catheter was used to acquire manometric data for triplicate swallows (5 ml, 10 ml, 20 ml; IDDSI 0, 2 & 4). Penetration-aspiration severity was rated during videofluoroscopy. Patient-reported measures included PDQ-8: Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-8 and EAT-10: Eating Assessment Tool-10. Quantitative manometric swallow analysis was completed through Swallow Gateway™. Metrics were compared to published normative values and generalized linear model tests explored modulatory effects.

Results

21 participants (76% male; mean age 69.6 years, SD 7.1) with mild-moderate severity PD were studied. Two patients (9%) aspirated for single bolus thin liquid and paste trials and 15 patients (73%) scored > 3 EAT-10. Standardized PDQ-8 scores correlated with EAT-10 (p < 0.05). Abnormality in UES relaxation and distension was demonstrated by high UES integrated relaxation pressure and low UES maximum admittance (UES MaxAdm) values across varied bolus conditions. Participants demonstrated abnormally elevated pharyngeal contractility and increased post-swallow upper-esophageal sphincter (UES) contractility for thinner liquid trials. Alterations in volume and viscosity had significant effects on the bolus timing metric—distention to contraction latency. UES peak pressure measures were altered in relation to bolus viscosity.

Conclusion

This study identifies early pharyngoesophageal contractile changes in relation to bolus volume and viscosity in PD patients, associated with subtle deterioration of self-reported swallow scores. Manometric evaluation may offer insight into PD-related swallowing changes and help optimize diagnostics and treatment planning
Treatment demand for cannabis use problems: analyses of routine data from 30 European countries
Authors: Manthey Jakob
Published: June 2024

Cannabis use and treatment demand has risen in the past decade. Previous analyses of treatment demand are limited by methodological constraints or are outdated. Cross-country differences and trends in cannabis treatment demand are described using data from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Two novel indicators are employed: firstly, the cannabis-attributable treatment fraction (CATF) is obtained by dividing the number of treatment entrants for cannabis use problems by the number of treatment entrants for any substance use problem, accounting for possible changes in the reporting system. Secondly, comparing the number of treatment entrants for cannabis use problems to the number of people who use cannabis (near) daily yields the treated-user-ratio (TUR), which considers a proxy for treatment need (frequent use). Across 30 countries with available data, the importance of cannabis in European treatment facilities varies greatly (CATF: min = 3%; max = 65%), with lower estimates in Eastern European countries. Across 20 countries with complete data, the CATF has risen from 29.4% in 2013 to 37.1% in 2020. The TUR calculated on 26 countries suggests that about 3 in 100 frequent users have sought treatment for their cannabis use problems. Over time, treatment demand has increased at a slower pace than treatment need in most countries. One in three treatment entrants for substance use problems in Europe are due to cannabis, with large variations between countries. There are indications for a widening treatment gap for cannabis use problems. In countries liberalising cannabis laws, monitoring changes in treatment access and demand is warranted.
Pathological mechanisms and treatment of sporadic Parkinson’s disease: past, present, and future
Authors: Mochizuki Hideki
Published: June 2024

For a special issue, we review studies on the pathogenesis of nigral cell death and the treatment of sporadic Parkinson’s disease (sPD) over the past few decades, with a focus on the studies performed by Prof. Mizuno and our group. Prof. Mizuno proposed the initial concept that mitochondrial function may be impaired in sPD. When working at Jichi Medical School, he found a decrease in complex I of the mitochondrial electron transfer complex in the substantia nigra of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and MPTP models. After moving to Juntendo University as a professor and chairman, he continued to study the mechanisms of cell death in the substantia nigra of patients with sPD. Under his supervision, I studied the relationships between PD and apoptosis, PD and iron involvement, mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis, and PD and neuroinflammation. Moving to Kitasato University, we focused on PD and the cytotoxicity of alpha synuclein (αSyn) as well as brain neuropathology. Eventually, I moved to Osaka University, where I continued working on PD and αSyn projects to promote therapeutic research. In this paper, we present the details of these studies in the following order: past, present, and future.
Association of preterm birth and birth size status with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders in spontaneous births
Authors: Kong Linghua , Nivins Samson , Chen Xinxia , Liang Yajun , Gissler Mika , Lavebratt Catharina
Published: June 2024

Preterm birth (PTB) or small birth size are risk factors for certain neurodevelopmental disorders. The magnitude of these associations in spontaneous births, and of associations for combined PTB and birth size status on neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders is unexplored. We investigated whether PTB and small/large for gestational age (SGA/LGA), separately or combined, in spontaneous births, are associated with a wide spectrum of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. In this population-based registry cohort study, all singleton spontaneous births in Finland from 1996 to 2014 were followed until 2018 (n = 819 764). We show that PTB across gestational ages, and SGA, were associated with higher risks for anxiety disorders, intellectual disabilities, specific developmental disorders (SDD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) and other emotional and behavioural disorders (F98). Most of these associations were not attributed to familial factors. Larger effect sizes were observed with lower gestational ages. Extremely PTB was associated at highest risks with intellectual disabilities (HR, 10.70 [95%CI, 8.69–13.17]) and SDD (HR, 8.91 [95%CI, 8.18–9.71]). Moreover, very preterm birth combined with SGA was associated with a higher risk for SDD (HR, 7.55 [95%CI, 6.61–8.62]) than that of very preterm or SGA birth alone. Conversely, LGA birth lowered the risk for SDD and other emotional and behavioural disorders among individuals born very preterm. In conclusion, PTB along with SGA is associated with higher risks for SDD than one exposure alone, whereas LGA lowers the risks for SDD and other emotional and behavioural disorders in individuals born spontaneously.
Plant Multi-element Coupling as an Indicator of Nutritional Mismatches Under Global Change
Authors: Ochoa-Hueso Raúl , Piñeiro Juan , Morán Lidia Gómez , Serrano-Grijalva Lilia , Power Sally A.
Published: June 2024

Global biogeochemical cycles have been widely altered due to human activities, potentially compromising the ability of plants to regulate their metabolism. We grew experimental herbaceous communities simulating the understory of eucalypt forests from southeastern Australia to evaluate the effects of elevated CO2 (400 vs. 650 ppm) and changes in soil resource availability (high-low water and high-low P) on the concentration of fourteen essential plant macro- and micronutrients, and their degree of coupling. Coupling was based on correlations among all elements in absolute value and a null modeling approach. According to the ancient nature of Australian soils, P addition was the main driver of changes in plant tissue chemistry, increasing the concentrations of P, Mg, Ca, and Mn and reducing the concentrations of C, N, S, Na, and Cu. Most treatment combinations showed coupled patterns of plant elements, particularly under ambient CO2. However, under elevated CO2, elements in plant tissues became more decoupled, which was interpreted as the result of a lack of enough supply of a range of elements to satisfy greater demands. Across treatments, P, Mn, and N were the least coupled elements, while K, Ca, and Fe were the most coupled ones. We provide evidence that plant element coupling was positively related to the concentration and coupling of elements measured in soils worldwide, suggesting that plant element coupling is conserved. Our results provide compelling evidence that evaluating the coupling of a representative range of chemical elements in plant tissues may represent a highly novel and powerful indicator of nutritional mismatches between demand and supply under specific environmental circumstances, including in a resource-altered global change context.
Fractal discrete fracture network modeling of radon gas concentration in underground tunnels under Książ Castle in Poland
Authors: Fijałkowska–Lichwa Lidia , Ajayi Kayode M.
Published: June 2024

The numerical modeling of radon concentrations in the fault zone of the underground excavations at Książ Castle was conducted using a stochastic Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) model. Due to the difficulties related with obtaining the exact fractures in a rock mass, the novel approach used in this study incorporates the stochastic model with known site data. The analysis utilized a dataset comprising long-term measurements of 222Rn activity concentration and geodetic measurements for twelve faults in the Książ unit. The parameters considered in the DFN model are: fracture length, Peclet number (Pe = 0.1 and 1.0, respectively), advection velocities (from 10–8 m/s to 10–6 m/s and from range from 10–7 m/s to 10–4 m/s, respectively), radon diffusion (D = 2.1 × 10–61/s), radon decay constant (λ = 1/s), and radon gas generation (q) along the fractures within the range of 1.5 × 10–3 Bq/m3·s to 3.5 × 10–3 Bq/m3·s. The calibration process obtained the best fit when the radon generation rate was uniformly distributed through the rock mass in addition to incorporating a higher value of radon generation rate (q = 3.0 × 10–3 Bq/m3·s) where elevated radon concentrations have been measured. The modeling results also confirmed that the radon generation rate should always be higher where elevated radon activity concentrations were measured regardless of the measurement period. For the indicated “area” the radon generation rate should be higher from 25% to 37.5% between May–October and 18.5% to 40% between November–April. The influence of fracture zones on the recorded radon activity concentrations was noticeable up to a depth of 15 m. Within this range, the highest values of 222Rn activity concentration, ranging from 1,600 Bq/m3 to 2,000 Bq/m3, were consistently observed regardless of the season. However, as the depth increased, the values of 222Rn activity concentration decreased from 800 Bq/m3 to 400 Bq/m3 and became more dispersed.