bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genomic analysis of spermatocytic tumors demonstrates recurrent molecular alterations in cases with malignant clinical behavior
Authors: Gupta Sounak , Sholl Lynette M , Yang Yiying , Osunkoya Adeboye O , Gordetsky Jennifer B , Cornejo Kristine M , Michalova Kvetoslava , Maclean Fiona , Dvindenko Eugénia , Snuderl Matija , Hirsch Michelle S , Anderson William J , Rowsey Ross A , Jimenez Rafael E , Cheville John C , Sadow Peter M , Colecchia Maurizio , Ricci Costantino , Ulbright Thomas M , Berney Daniel M , Acosta Andres Martin
Published: October 2023

Spermatocytic tumor (ST) is a rare type of germ cell tumor that occurs exclusively in the postpubertal testis and typically affects elderly men. Most STs are benign, but rare cases exhibit aggressive clinical behavior, often in association with transition to sarcomatoid histology. Limited molecular analyses have been performed on STs; therefore, their genomic and epigenomic features remain incompletely described. Twenty‐seven samples from 25 individual patients were analyzed with a combination of DNA sequencing panels, genomic methylation profiling, SNP array, isochromosome (12p) [i(12p)] FISH, and immunohistochemistry. The series included five metastasizing tumors (three with sarcomatoid transformation, one anaplastic, and one conventional) and 20 non‐metastasizing tumors (14 anaplastic and six conventional). Anaplastic tumors comprised a monomorphic population of intermediate‐sized neoplastic cells, as previously described. Multiomic analyses demonstrated that there were two genomic subgroups of STs: one with diploid genomes and hotspot RAS/RAF variants and the other with global ploidy shift and absence of recurrent mutations. Relative gain of chromosome 9 was a consistent finding in both subgroups. A comparison of metastasizing and non‐metastasizing cases demonstrated that aggressive behavior was associated with the acquisition of pathogenic TP53 mutations and/or relative gains of 12p/i(12p). In cases with sarcomatoid transformation, TP53 mutations seem to underlie the transition to sarcomatoid histology. Genomic methylation analysis demonstrated that aggressive cases with gains of 12p cluster closer to pure seminomas than to STs without gains of 12p. In conclusion, STs include two genomic subgroups, characterized by global ploidy shifts without recurrent mutations and diploid genomes with RAS/RAF hotspot mutations, respectively. Biologic progression was associated with relative gains of 12p and TP53 mutations. The findings in STs with relative gains of 12p suggest that they may exhibit biologic characteristics akin to those seen in germ cell neoplasia in situ‐related germ cell tumors rather than non‐germ cell neoplasia in situ‐derived STs. © 2023 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Wilms tumor treatment protocol compliance and the influence on outcomes for children in Tanzania
Authors: Wesevich Austin , Mocha George , Kiwara Frank , Chao Colin , Shabani Idd , Igenge John Z. , Schroeder Kristin
Published: October 2023

Background

Standardized Wilms tumor treatment protocols exist for low‐ and middle‐income countries, but outcomes equivalent to high‐income countries are not achieved outside of clinical trials. As Wilms tumor treatment protocols in Africa shift with increasing resource capacity, it is not known how treatment compliance to each stage of therapy affects outcomes and where the critical breakpoints are for protocol adherence in clinical practice.

Procedure

We describe both treatment outcomes and treatment protocol adherence in a retrospective single‐center cohort study of pediatric Wilms tumor patients at a zonal cancer referral hospital in Tanzania from 2016 to 2019, treated per the International Society of Paediatric Oncology standard (2016–2017) or Tanzania adapted (2018–2019) therapy protocols.

Results

A total of 69 patients were evaluated. The two‐year overall survival and event‐free survival rates were 40% and 29%, respectively. Only 29% of patients completed recommended chemotherapy per protocol, and completion of preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy was predictive of two‐year overall survival (odds ratio [OR] 14.4, p < .001). There were delays at almost every stage of treatment, especially time from preoperative chemotherapy to surgery (56 days), from surgery to pathology report (30 days), and from surgery to initiation of postoperative chemotherapy (38 days).

Conclusions

Nonadherence with recommended Wilms tumor treatment guidelines due to key health system delays correlated to reduced overall survival rates, with chemotherapy nonadherence due to abandonment, lack of surgery, and deaths on therapy as the strongest contributors. Future interventions targeting health system delays and reducing deaths during therapy are critical to improving protocol compliance and increasing overall survival for pediatric Wilms tumor patients in low‐resource settings.
3D‐Architected low melting point alloys foam microstructure‐reinforced polymer composite with superior stiffness‐switchable for soft actuator
Authors: Liu Yahao , Wang Yuansheng , Yang Xue , Zheng Jian , Huang Wei , Zhang Yu , Zhang Xiao , Wang Xuan
Published: October 2023

Stiffness variable materials have aroused extensive research interest in smart devices, especially in soft actuators. However, achieving materials with high stiffness switch range remains challenging. Here, a novel three‐dimensional (3D) lightweight Field's metal (FM) foam was developed. Meanwhile, the polymer composite (SUFF) with superior stiffness switchable capacity was fabricated by embedding FM foam into a kind of designed stiffness variable polymer. The SUFF shows outstanding conductivity under relatively low FM volume fraction of 20.6%. Impressively, because of the extremely high modulus and fast transition of FM foam, the stiffness switch ratio of the SUFF are able to reach an ultra‐high value of 6987.5‐folds. Apart from its exceptional stiffness switchable capacity, the SUFF also possesses remarkable shape memory and self‐healing characteristics. Next, the SUFF was then fastened to a soft actuator as the stiffness changing units. The obtained actuator was able to exhibit a short heating–cooling cycle time of 44 s while using 10 A of current and 4°C water for cooling. Moreover, the actuator can reach remarkable values of 973 mN/mm and 4729 mN, respectively, for its stiffness and net force. Then, a soft robot gripper made up of three obtained actuators mounted on a base demonstrates its excellent load and stiffness switchable ability. It can lift a variety of objects with various forms with weights up to more than 3 kg. This study might provide a reference for application of stiffness variable materials in soft actuators.

Highlights

The FM foam were designed and synthetized by lost‐wax casting method.

The polymer composite exhibits large stiffness switching range.

The polymer composite achieves 6987.5‐folds rigid/soft stiffness ratio.

A 3D‐printing soft actuator was fabricated using obtained polymer composite.

The assembled robotic gripper can lift weights up to more than 3 kg.
Screen‐positive rate in cell free DNA screening for trisomy 21
Authors: Lüthgens Kai , Häbig Karina , Sonek Jiri , Kagan Karl Oliver
Published: October 2023

Objective

To assess whether the fetal fraction (FF) has an impact on the screen‐positive rate (SPR) in cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) screening for trisomy 21.

Methods

Retrospective analysis based on samples analyzed using the Harmony® Prenatal Test (Roche Inc). Due to the size of the data set, we focused on the SPR, which was stratified according to the maternal age, weight, gestational age, and FF distribution.

Results

The study cohort consisted of 364,881 patients, including 2614 with a high‐risk‐result. Median maternal and gestational ages were 34.6 years and 12.4 weeks. FF was dependent on maternal age, weight, and gestational age. SPR was 0.72% and it was independent of maternal weight but was dependent on maternal age. There was a positive but weak association between the FF and the SPR until the FF reached 20.0% (OR p = 1.021, p < 0.001, Nagelkerkes r2 = 0.001). This group included 357,800 pregnancies or 98.1% of the study population. In the group of pregnancies with a FF > 20%, the association was stronger (OR 1.099, p < 0.001, Nagelkerkes r2 = 0.042).

Conclusion

The SPR in cfDNA screening for trisomy 21 was relatively constant up to a FF of about 20%.
Disruptive behaviors in Tunisian physical education settings: Gender and school level can matter
Authors: Tounsi Olfa , Trabelsi Omar , Souissi Mohamed Abdelkader , Koubaa Abdessalem , Gharbi Adnene , Scharenberg Swantje , Bahloul Mourad
Published: October 2023

The objective of this study was to investigate how the gender and school level factors relate to disruptive behaviors during physical education (PE) classes in Tunisian schools. The study sample consisted of 632 Tunisian students aged 12−19 years, with 43.2% of them being boys and 56.8% girls. Among the participants, 64.9% were middle school students, while 33.1% were secondary school students. Self‐reported data was collected using the 20‐item “Physical Education Classroom Instrument.” Data was analyzed for a potential “Disruptive behavior × Gender” association, as well as a “Disruptive behavior × School level” association using the Pearson Chi‐square (χ2) test. The key findings signaled that boys were more likely than girls to behave aggressively, distract/disturb others, and demonstrate poor self‐management during PE classes. On the other hand, secondary school students are less likely than middle school students to behave aggressively and irresponsibly, disobey directions, distract others, and demonstrate poor self‐management. These findings suggest associations between gender and school level with disruptive behaviors among Tunisian students during PE classes. By recognizing these associations, educators and policymakers can develop targeted interventions and strategies to effectively manage and mitigate disruptive behaviors in Tunisian PE settings.
Release of tepary bean cultivar ‘USDA Fortuna’ with improved disease and insect resistance, seed size, and culinary quality
Authors: Porch Timothy G. , Rosas Juan Carlos , Cichy Karen , Lutz Graciela Godoy , Rodriguez Iveth , Colbert Raphael W. , Demosthene Gasner , Hernández Juan Carlos , Winham Donna M. , Beaver James S.
Published: October 2023

Tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray) is a viable and nutritious alternative to common bean (P. vulgaris L.) in areas with excessively high temperatures and/or chronic drought. Tepary bean is a traditional crop of the Tohono O'odham Indians of the Sonoran Desert in the Southwest United States and Mexico, as well as other Indigenous peoples of the United States, Mexico, and Central America. Despite its potential for broad applications for reduced water‐input agriculture or for hot, semi‐arid, marginal production zones, tepary bean remains an orphan crop. ‘USDA Fortuna’ (Reg. no. CV‐352, PI 698459) is an improved tepary bean cultivar with enhanced seed size, seed quality, tolerance to Bean golden yellow mosaic virus, and resistance to local strains of rust in Puerto Rico. It has leafhopper pest resistance, common bacterial blight resistance, and moderate resistance to powdery mildew. USDA Fortuna is a high‐yielding tepary bean with an attractive black speckled seed color and a quick cooking time. This cultivar was developed cooperatively by the USDA‐ARS, the University of Puerto Rico, Zamorano University, the Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF) of the Dominican Republic, Quisqueya University of Haiti, the National Seed Service of Haiti, Instituto Nacional de Innovación y Transferencia en Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) of Costa Rica, and Iowa State University.
Coping strategies as mediators of uncertainty and psychological distress in patients with advanced cancer
Authors: Obispo Berta , Cruz‐Castellanos Patricia , Fernández‐Montes Ana , Coca‐Membribes Sara , Rogado Jacobo , Antoñanzas Mónica , Castillo‐Trujillo Oscar A. , López‐Ceballos Helena , Rodríguez‐González Adán , Jiménez‐Fonseca Paula , Calderon Caterina
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Uncertainty in the context of advanced cancer diagnosis often incurs significant psychological distress. The aims were to evaluate the incidence of psychological distress upon diagnosis of advanced cancer and to analyze whether the relationship between illness uncertainty and psychological distress can be mediated by coping strategies.

Methods

A multicenter, prospective, cross‐sectional study was conducted in 15 medical oncology departments across Spain. Individuals with unresectable advanced cancer completed questionnaires on uncertainty (Michel Uncertainty of Illness Scale, coping strategies (Mental Adjustment to Cancer, M‐MAC), and psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory, BSI‐18) after the diagnostic and treatment appointment and before beginning systemic cancer treatment.

Results

841 patients eligible for systemic treatment with palliative intent were included between February 2020 and April 2022. A total of 71.7% had clinically significant levels of psychological distress. Univariate analyses identified that the groups with less psychological distress were male (ηp2 = 0.016), married (ηp2 = 0.006), and had a better performance status (ηp2 = 0.007). The most widely used coping strategies were positive attitude and cognitive avoidance. A positive relationship was found between uncertainty, coping strategies, and psychological distress (p < 0.05). Participants who responded with anxious preoccupation suffered more helplessness and psychological distress, while those who responded with cognitive avoidance displayed greater positive attitude and lesser psychological distress.

Conclusion

Patients with newly diagnosed unresectable advanced cancer frequently experience psychological distress in the face of uncertainty, potentially influenced by coping strategies like cognitive avoidance.
Prognostic factors for mental wellbeing in prostate cancer: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Vyas Neel , Brunckhorst Oliver , Fanshawe Jack B. , Stewart Robert , Dasgupta Prokar , Ahmed Kamran
Published: October 2023

Objectives

To evaluate the evidence base for patient, oncological, and treatment prognostic factors associated with multiple mental wellbeing outcomes in prostate cancer patients.

Methods

We performed a literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases including studies evaluating patient, oncological, or treatment factors against one of five mental wellbeing outcomes; depression, anxiety, fear of cancer recurrence, masculinity, and body image perception. Data synthesis included a random effects meta‐analysis for the prognostic effect of individual factors if sufficient homogenous data was available, with a structured narrative synthesis where this was not possible.

Results

A final 62 articles were included. Older age was associated with a reducing odds of depression (OR 0.97, p = 0.04), with little evidence of effect for other outcomes. Additionally, baseline mental health status was related to depression and increasing time since diagnosis was associated with reducing fear of recurrence, albeith with low certainty of evidence. However, few other patient or oncological factors demonstrated any coherent relationship with any wellbeing outcome. Androgen deprivation therapy was associated with increased depression (HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.41–1.92, p < 0.01) and anxiety, however, little difference was seen between other treatment options. Overall, whilst numerous factors were identified, most were evaluated by single studies with few evaluating masculinity and body image outcomes.

Conclusion

We highlight the existing evidence for prognostic factors in mental wellbeing outcomes in prostate cancer, allowing us to consider high‐risk groups of patients for preventative and treatment measures. However, the current evidence is heterogenous with further work required exploring less conclusive factors and outcomes.
The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of continuous infusion vancomycin in adult people with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Lindley Bryn , Bhakta Zubin , Leclair Laurie , Young David C.
Published: October 2023

Background

The American Thoracic Society Guidelines recommend vancomycin as first line option for treatment of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Two studies have described the pharmacokinetics (PK) of intermittent intravenous (IV) vancomycin in adult people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF). Currently, there have not been any studies describing the PK of continuous infusion vancomycin in PwCF. Our study aimed to describe the PK of continuous infusion vancomycin in adult PwCF.

Methods

Included patients were adult PwCF, who were admitted to University of Utah Hospital between May 11, 2014 and August 31, 2020, and received continuous infusion vancomycin for the treatment of an pulmonary exacerbations. The primary outcome was to describe vancomycin clearance rate (CLvanco) and total daily dose (TDD). Secondary outcomes included rates of acute kidney injury (AKI), liver injury, and infusion‐related reactions.

Results

Twenty patients were included in this study. The mean CLvanco was 5.08 L/h on Day 3 and 4.58 L/h on Day 7 (p = .04), and the TDD increased from 2444 mg on Day 3 to 2556 on Day 7, although not statistically significant (p = 0.26). Zero patients experienced an AKI, two patients experienced liver injury, and no patients experienced infusion‐related reactions.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that continuous infusion vancomycin PK, namely CLvanco, is similar to previously reported CLvanco for intermittent dosed IV vancomycin in adult PwCF. This study suggests that continuous infusion vancomycin is likely safe to use in adult PwCF.
Black Holes as Frozen Stars: Regular Interior Geometry
Authors: Brustein Ram , Medved Allan Joseph Michael , Shindelman Tom , Simhon Tamar
Published: October 2023

The authors have proposed a model geometry for the interior of a regular black hole (BH) mimicker, the frozen star, whose most startling feature is that each spherical shell in its interior is a surface of infinite redshift. The geometry is a solution of the Einstein equations which is sourced by an exotic matter with maximally negative radial pressure. The frozen star geometry is previously presented in singular coordinates for which and vanish in the bulk and connect smoothly to the Schwarzschild exterior. Additionally, the geometry is mildly singular in the center of the star. Here, the authors present regular coordinates for the entirety of the frozen star. Each zero in the metric is replaced with a small, dimensionless parameter ε; in both and thus maintaining maximally negative radial pressure. The authors also regularize the geometry, energy density and pressure in the center of the star in a smooth way. The frozen star solution presented here is a completely regular solution of Einstein's equations whose compactness is arbitrarily close to that of a Schwarzschild BH. It obeys the null energy condition, the universally agreed‐upon energy condition, and it is free of any known pathology. As far as it is known, this is the first solution that obeys all of these constraints and, in addition, as will be shown in a future publication, can mimic all of the thermodynamic properties of a standard BH. Our initial analysis uses Schwarzschild‐like coordinates and applies the Killing equations to show that an infalling, point‐like object will move very slowly, effectively sticking to the surface of the star and never coming out. If one nevertheless follows the trajectory of the object into the interior of the star, it moves along an almost‐radial trajectory until it comes within a small distance from the star's center. Once there, if the object has any amount of angular momentum at all, it will be reflected outwards by a potential barrier onto a different almost‐radial trajectory. Finally, using Kruskal‐like coordinates, the causal structure of the regularized frozen star and discuss its limit, for which the geometry degenerates and becomes effectively two dimensional is considered.
Mixed reality in primary retroperitoneal tumour surgery: Evaluation of preoperative and intraoperative application value
Authors: Shi Xiaoqiang , Guo Hainan , Zhu Chao , Qiu Guanglin , Liang Ting , Lian Jie , Ma Yanfei , Wang Shufeng , Li Xuqi
Published: October 2023

Objective

To evaluate the feasibility and application value of mixed reality technology (MR) in Primary retroperitoneal tumour (PRT) surgery.

Methods

From 276 patients who underwent PRT resection at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, we screened 46 patients who underwent MR‐assisted retroperitoneal tumour resection and 46 patients who underwent tumour resection without MR assistance. The intraoperative and postoperative recovery of the patients in both groups were compared, and the reliability and validity of the application of MR were further examined using the Likert scale.

Results

There was a significant difference in the mean intraoperative bleeding volume between the two groups, but it was reduced in the MR group. The results of the Likert scale showed higher scores in the MR group than non‐MR group.

Conclusions

MR can be used to assist PRT resection and has great potential to improve the rate of complete retroperitoneal tumour resection.
Design and implementation of shape‐adaptive and multifunctional robotic gripper
Authors: Aqib Muhammad , Imran Abid , Khan Khurram , Arsalan Muhammad , Manzoor Sajjad , Long Kang , Yi Byung‐Ju
Published: October 2023

This paper presents a multifunctional underactuated two fingered adaptive grippers for grasping a wide range of objects in different working scenarios. Two layered‐based novel multifunctional gripper design is proposed by stacking a multijointed closed‐chain mechanism over a multijointed double parallelogram mechanism to achieve a maximum number of grasping techniques. The multijointed closed‐chain mechanism is employed to perform power, shape‐adaptive grasping, and a multijointed double parallelogram mechanism is used to perform scooping, parallel, and pinch grasping. For stable shape‐adaptive/power grasping, the proposed design allows more contact points between the object and the contact surface of fingers as compared to previous gripper mechanisms. Moreover, a complete mathematical model relating the contact forces at the links of each finger to the linear actuation force and spring torque is developed to conduct stability analysis of the proposed gripper design. Finally, simulations and several experiments are performed using real objects in a reconfigurable environment to demonstrate and validate the stable grasping capabilities of the proposed gripper.
System Failure: Institutions, Incentives, and Collective Folly
Authors: Surowiecki James
Published: October 2023

Popular narratives blame bankers and other contemporary business elites for the Great Recession of 2007 for knowingly taking unsound risks or for corrupt insider trading, or financially illiterate consumers of loans and mortgages who took unwisely large debt and defaulted. This article argues that reality is far more complex and is a combination of unregulated systems of incentives and rewards for risky behaviors, conflicts of interests in rating and regulatory institutions, and collective folly across the spectrum of players, from the bankers to the consumers. This volatile combination led to a positive feedback, a bubble, of greater and riskier investments in complex deals and processes based on poorly understood or faulty mathematical models, resulting in the collapse of the system.
Greed Is Bad, Neutral, and Good: A Historical Perspective on Excessive Accumulation and Consumption
Authors: Oka Rahul , Kuijt Ian
Published: October 2023

Any investigation into the topics of greed and excess is necessarily hampered by the inability to frame and define these concepts for general application to human behaviors. These terms carry significant moral, social, political, and cultural weight, primarily used either as accusations of sin, vice, and social destruction or justified for their virtues, rewards, and social good. In trying to understand the social and economic underpinnings of the behaviors we may term as greedy and excessive, we recognize the need for also exploring why these topics have almost universally been addressed in religions, philosophies, and social rules across the world, whether in sanction and condemnation, or in tolerance or even encouragement. This article investigates the ways in which major philosophical traditions across the world have viewed greed and excess, their impacts on society, and how the meanings and connotations of these terms have changed through time, since the Bronze Age to the present. We suggest that these terms and behaviors are temporally and culturally dependent, and that any investigation into the larger topic of greed and excess must begin with understanding and accommodating the variation in their meaning and social impacts.
The Social and Economic Production of Greed, Cooperation, and Taste in an Ohio Food Auction
Authors: Cohen Jeffrey H. , Klemetti Susan M.
Published: October 2023

Monthly food auctions in Saint Mary's, Ohio, are events where individuals and their families have the opportunity to purchase a variety of foods at bargain prices. We might assume that the opportunity to fill the pantry while saving money would encourage greed and hoarding. An individual can bid strategically to amass resources (here defined as the supply of food available for consumption or resale) at the expense of others who are not as adept or willing to participate in the auction. We also might assume that the auction's suppliers and the auction house staff would look upon the event as a chance to earn a large return on their investments. Yet, the food auctions in Saint Mary's reveal an event where greed is managed and balanced against cooperation among bidders, suppliers, and auction house staff. In our article, we present data that confirm our assumptions of greed. Bidders do compete with each other, hoard purchases, and balance their bids against their ideas of what is good food and what that food should cost. Suppliers and auction house staff do manage bids to maximize their profits by encouraging competitive bidding. However, our data also demonstrate that the event as a whole works to check greed through community‐based expectations of the auction and its outcomes. The event allows us to examine what the auction says about the avarice and greed of the food industry and large‐scale, industrialized agriculture.
Folk and Scientific Concepts in the Study of Greed
Authors: Hunt Robert C.
Published: October 2023

The distinction between folk and scientific concepts in anthropology is reviewed in this article. As an Anglo‐European folk concept, greed is often a moral judgment; it is therefore the product of a folk system. As such, it is argued that greed is not a scientific concept. The assignment of greed to social and/or economic acts implies concepts of production, exchange, and accumulation. The scientific concepts for economic production and economic exchange are presented. Industrial production when combined with the market principle provides a distinctive context for the judgment of greed. Two sets of folk rules, which are applied to cases of accumulation, justice, and development, are suggested. A strategy for generating a scientific study of greed is proposed.
When does cognitive crafting matter more in enhancing employee thriving at work? The moderating role of skill variety and job autonomy
Authors: Wang Zhongjun , Wang Yiguang , Jex Steve M. , Liu Lidan , Cao Jiangyu
Published: October 2023

The job crafting literature has not devoted much attention to the effects of specific forms of job crafting, particularly cognitive crafting. The present study builds on Conservation of Resources theory to explain how cognitive crafting might influence work meaningfulness for employees, and in turn, increase their experienced thriving at work. Moreover, we hypothesise that the impact of cognitive crafting on these outcomes is influenced by two motivational job characteristics: skill variety and job autonomy. To test our hypotheses, we collected three‐wave survey data from 223 employees employed in a variety of occupations and industries in China. Results indicate that engaging in cognitive crafting enhances employees' work meaningfulness, resulting in thriving at work. Furthermore, skill variety and job autonomy are crucial moderators of these relationships. Specifically, when employees perceived low levels of skill variety or job autonomy, engaging in cognitive crafting was more likely to lead to enhanced work meaningfulness, which in turn resulted in higher levels of thriving at work. Implications for research, theory and practice are discussed.
Self‐Adaptive Liquid Film: Dynamic Realization of Dendrite‐Free Zn Deposition Toward Ultralong‐Life Aqueous Zn Battery
Authors: Diao Wan‐Yue , Xie Dan , Sang Yuan , Tao Fang‐Yu , Liu Chang , Sun Hai‐Zhu , Li Wen‐Liang , Wu Xing‐Long , Zhang Jing‐Ping
Published: October 2023

The poor reversibility and stability of Zn metal anode (ZMA) caused by uncontrolled Zn deposition behaviors and serious side reactions severely impeded the practical application of aqueous Zn metal battery. Herein, a liquid‐dynamic and self‐adaptive protective layer (LSPL) was constructed on the ZMA surface for inhibiting dendrites and by‐products formation. Interestingly, the outer LSPL consists of liquid perfluoropolyether (PFPE), which can dynamically adapt volume change during repeat cycling and inhibit side reactions. Moreover, it can also decrease the de‐solvation energy barrier of Zn2+ by strong interaction between C–F bond and foreign Zn2+, improving Zn2+ transport kinetics. For the LSPL inner region, in‐situ formed ZnF2 through the spontaneous chemical reaction between metallic Zn and part PFPE can establish an unimpeded Zn2+ migration pathway for accelerating ion transfer, thereby restricting Zn dendrites formation. Consequently, the LSPL‐modified ZMA enables reversible Zn deposition/dissolution up to 2000 h at 1 mA cm−2 and high coulombic efficiency of 99.8% at 4 mA cm−2. Meanwhile, LSPL@Zn||NH4V4O10 full cells deliver an ultralong cycling lifespan of 100 00 cycles with 0.0056% per cycle decay rate at 10 A g−1. This self‐adaptive layer provides a new strategy to improve the interface stability for next‐generation aqueous Zn battery.
Inference for joint quantile and expected shortfall regression
Authors: Peng Xiang , Judy Wang Huixia
Published: October 2023

Quantiles and expected shortfalls are commonly used risk measures in financial risk management. The two measurements are correlated while having distinguished features. In this project, our primary goal is to develop a stable and practical inference method for the conditional expected shortfall. We consider the joint modelling of conditional quantile and expected shortfall to facilitate the statistical inference procedure. While the regression coefficients can be estimated jointly by minimizing a class of strictly consistent joint loss functions, the computation is challenging, especially when the dimension of parameters is large since the loss functions are neither differentiable nor convex. We propose a two‐step estimation procedure to reduce the computational effort by first estimating the quantile regression parameters with standard quantile regression. We show that the two‐step estimator has the same asymptotic properties as the joint estimator, but the former is numerically more efficient. We develop a score‐type inference method for hypothesis testing and confidence interval construction. Compared to the Wald‐type method, the score method is robust against heterogeneity and is superior in finite samples, especially for cases with many confounding factors. The advantages of our proposed method over existing approaches are demonstrated by simulations and empirical studies based on income and college education data.
Computational Thinking for Science: Positioning coding as a tool for doing science
Authors: Krakowski Ari , Greenwald Eric , Roman Natalie , Morales Christina , Loper Suzanna
Published: October 2023

The role of computation in science is ever‐expanding and is enabling scientists to investigate complex phenomena in more powerful ways and tackle previously intractable problems. The growing role of computation has prompted calls to integrate computational thinking (CT) into science instruction in order to more authentically mirror contemporary science practice and to support inclusive engagement in science pathways. In this multimethods study, we present evidence for the Computational Thinking for Science (CT+S) instructional model designed to support broader participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pathways by (1) providing opportunities for students to learn CT within the regular school day, in core science classrooms; and (2) by reframing coding as a tool for developing solutions to compelling real‐world problems. We present core pedagogical strategies employed in the CT+S instructional model and describe its implementation into two 10‐lesson instructional units for middle‐school science classrooms. In the first unit, students create computational models of a coral reef ecosystem. In the second unit, students write code to create, analyze, and interpret data visualizations using a large air quality dataset from the United States Environmental Protection Agency to understand, communicate, and evaluate solutions for air quality concerns. In our investigation of the model's implementation through these two units, we found that participating students demonstrated statistically significant advancements in CT, competency beliefs for computation in STEM, and value assigned to computation in STEM. We also examine evidence for how the CT+S model's core pedagogical strategies may be contributing to observed outcomes. We discuss the implications of these findings and propose a testable theory of action for the model that can serve future researchers, evaluators, educators, and instructional designers.
Power Transformer Winding Deformation Diagnosis Based on the Sum of Two‐Way Shortest Distance
Authors: Dong Liang , Wang Gang , Qi Xin
Published: October 2023

Frequency response analysis (FRA) method has been widely used in the world, but the interpretation of its signatures is still a hard problem to solve. This paper introduces a method of the sum of two‐way shortest distance for transformer winding deformation fault diagnosis, which is based on trajectory similarity between FRA signatures. Compared with most existing methods, it does not need order preservation; however, it focuses more on the trajectory itself. The geometric principle of the sum of two‐way shortest distance is introduced and analyzed in detail. By using the circuit analysis software, the equivalent circuit model of the transformer is established, a group of the FRA signatures of three types of transformer winding fault, including axial displacement, radial deformation, and disk space variation fault, are obtained. The distribution of different type of faults is studied by using the sum of two‐way shortest distance to process the FRA signatures in three different frequency bands. Using the sum of two‐way shortest distance as input, the support vector machine (SVM) is employed to train a predictive engine for transformer winding deformation fault diagnosis. Result shows that the proposed method can well classify and diagnose transformer winding deformation fault. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Spleen tyrosine kinase facilitates the progression of papillary thyroid cancer regulated by the hsa_circ_0006417/miR‐377‐3p axis
Authors: Tan Guangmou , Zheng Shiyang , Zhou Boxuan , Mo Zhaohong , Zhang Qiong , Zhang Donghui , Li Aimin , Liu Xinhui
Published: October 2023

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is a prevalent malignancy worldwide. Spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) is a crucial enzyme that participates in various biological processes, including cancer progression. This study aims to uncover the biological function of SYK in PTC. SYK expression patterns in PTC were evaluated using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and western blot. Cell function assays were performed to assess the effects of SYK on PTC. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to identify intriguing microRNA (miRNA) and circular RNA (circRNA). Dual‐Luciferase Reporter or RNA immunoprecipitation assays were used to investigate the correlation among SYK, miR‐377‐3p, and hsa_circ_0006417. SYK was upregulated in PTC. Overexpression of SYK exhibited a positive correlation with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and unfavorable disease‐free survival. Functional assays revealed that SYK exerted tumorigenic effect on PTC cells through mTOR/4E‐BP1 pathway. Mechanistically, hsa_circ_0006417 and miR‐377‐3p regulated SYK expression, offering modulating its tumor‐promoting effects. Collectively, SYK acts as an oncogene in PTC through mTOR/4E‐BP1 pathway, which is regulated by the hsa_circ_0006417/miR‐377‐3p axis, thereby providing a potential alternative for PTC treatment.
Congenital hypovitaminosis A in dairy cattle
Authors: Sosa Emiliano , Morrell Eleonora L. , Llada Ignacio , Odriozola Ernesto R. , Cantón Germán J.
Published: October 2023

Hypovitaminosis A negatively impacts the health of ruminants feeding on low‐fresh forage diets for long periods of time. Although this disease is characterised by different clinical presentations, its congenital form is underreported. Here, we describe an outbreak of vitamin A deficiency that affected 30% of calves born in a dairy heifer herd. At birth, the affected animals showed weakness, ataxia, mydriasis, bluish coloration of the tapetum lacidum and blindness as the main clinical signs. The gross pathological findings at postmortem examination revealed cerebellar herniation, flattened gyri and narrowed sulci of the cerebral cortex in an affected calf. Histopathology showed squamous metaplasia of the efferent ducts in the parotid gland and hyperkeratosis of the ruminal mucosa. In addition, the plasma levels of vitamin A in the heifers and calves were below the reference values. These results confirmed the first reported case of congenital hypovitaminosis A in cattle in Argentina.
Famines in medieval and early modern Europe—Connecting climate and society
Authors: Ljungqvist Fredrik Charpentier , Seim Andrea , Collet Dominik
Published: October 2023

The article evaluates recent scholarship on famines in Europe during the medieval and early modern periods (c. 700–1800), synthesizing the state‐of‐the‐art knowledge and identifying both research gaps and interdisciplinary potentials. Particular focus is placed on how, and to what extent, climatic change and variability is given explanatory power in famine causation. Current research, supported by recent advances in palaeoclimatology, reveals that anomalous cold conditions constituted the main environmental backdrop for severe food production crises that could result in famines in pre‐industrial Europe. Such food crises occurred most frequently between c. 1550 and 1710, during the climax of the Little Ice Age cooling, and can be connected to the strong dependency on grain in Europe during this period. The available body of scholarship demonstrates that famines in medieval and early modern Europe best can be understood as the result of the interactions of climatic and societal stressors responding to pre‐existing vulnerabilities. Recent research has shown that societal responses to these famines, and the appropriation of their consequences, have been much more comprehensive, dynamic, and substantial than previously assumed. The article concludes by providing recommendations for future studies on historical famines.

This article is categorized under:

Climate, History, Society, Culture > Major Historical Eras

Climate, History, Society, Culture > Disciplinary Perspectives

Paleoclimates and Current Trends > Paleoclimate
Laser-induced alloy nanoparticles: Au–Sn thin film morphology influence on the dewetting process
Authors: Dzienny Paulina , Rerek Tomasz , Szczęsny Robert , Trzcinski Marek , Skowroński Łukasz , Antończak Arkadiusz
Published: October 2023

In this paper, the impact of thin Au–Sn layers morphology on the formation of laser-induced alloy nanoparticles (ANPs) is investigated. Also, the changes in composition observed over time in thin films are analysed. The influence of deposition rate and elemental composition was studied. The tests were performed on five sets of samples of varying atomic ratios of Au–Sn and film thickness, for which the optical parameters were measured with the spectroscopic ellipsometry technique (SE). The samples were dewetted with a nanosecond Yb:glass fibre laser. All fabricated surfaces were analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, the chemical composition of obtained structures was analysed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
Drug advertising in the German free-of-charge health magazine Apotheken Umschau (Pharmacy review): a critical analysis
Authors: Keuper Laura , Seifert Roland
Published: October 2023

In Germany, the Apotheken Umschau (Pharmacy review) is a very popular health magazine for lay people, which is available free of charge in pharmacies. In this study, drug advertising in the Apotheken Umschau was critically analyzed. To our knowledge, studies on drug advertisements in such magazines are scarce. For the analyses, a total of 123 different advertisements from all 48 issues of Apotheken Umschau in 2020 and 2021 were compared. Since 2021 is the first year that was completely characterized by the COVID-19 pandemic, it was thus also possible to work out pandemic effects. More preparations from the categories immune system, eyes and sleep were advertised in 2021. Accordingly, typical complaints home office workers were addressed. Advertisements provided only very modest scientific information, if at all. The Therapeutic Products Advertising Act (Medicines Advertising Law; Heilmittelwerbegesetz (HWG)) provides regulations regarding the handling of drug advertising. However, in various categories, we noted substantial deficiencies of the advertisements to comply to regulations, e.g. the disclosure of adverse effects and omission of the mandatory statement “For risks and adverse effects, read the package insert and ask your doctor or pharmacist (Für Risiken und Nebenwirkungen fragen Sie Ihren Arzt oder Apotheker oder lesen Sie die Packungsbeilage)”. Fifty-one of the 123 advertisements featured females to appeal particularly to this target group. Furthermore, a homogeneous ethnic (Caucasian) picture and a traditional image of German society were presented although this clearly deviates from reality. In conclusion, this study provides insights into the yet poorly studied mechanisms of drug advertisement for lay people. Pharmacological evidence plays a much smaller role than psychology, marketing and traditional societal models. It appears that drug companies intentionally use the “grey area” of the Medicines Advertising Law to optimally promote their products and ignore mandatory statements. This practice must be stopped by stricter legal control to protect the consumer from misinformation. In this way, drug safety will be increased.
The anisotropic Bernstein problem
Authors: Mooney Connor , Yang Yang
Published: October 2023

We construct nonlinear entire anisotropic minimal graphs over $\mathbb{R}^{4}$

R
4

, completing the solution to the anisotropic Bernstein problem. The examples we construct have a variety of growth rates, and our approach both generalizes to higher dimensions and recovers and elucidates known examples of nonlinear entire minimal graphs over $\mathbb{R}^{n},\, n \geq 8$

R
n

,

n
≥
8
.
Short-term heat stress assays resolve effects of host strain, repeat stress, and bacterial inoculation on Aiptasia thermal tolerance phenotypes
Authors: Dörr Melanie , Denger Julia , Maier Céline S. , Kirsch Jana V. , Manns Hannah , Voolstra Christian R.
Published: October 2023

The ongoing loss of corals and their reef ecosystems hastens the need to develop approaches that mitigate the impacts of climate change. Given the strong reliance of corals on their associated prokaryotic and microalgal symbionts, microbiome-targeted interventions in the form of probiotics or microbiome transplants are emerging as potential solutions. Although inoculation with beneficial microorganisms was shown to improve coral bleaching recovery, the mechanistic underpinnings and extent to which microbiomes can be manipulated are largely unknown. Research progress in this regard is often hindered by coral holobiont complexity and a lack of standardized diagnostics to assess physiological and phenotypic changes following microbial manipulation. Here we address these shortcomings by establishing short-term acute thermal stress assays using the Coral Bleaching Automated Stress System (CBASS) as a standardized and reproducible experimental platform to assess stress tolerance phenotypes of the coral model Aiptasia. We show that thermal tolerance phenotypes following acute heat stress assays are highly reproducible, host species-specific, and can exert legacy effects with consequences for long-term thermal resilience. We further demonstrate the ability to resolve phenotypic differences in thermal tolerance following incubation with the coral bleaching pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus, providing an avenue for screening bacteria for their ability to affect holobiont thermal performance. By employing acute heat stress assays in conjunction with a tractable model organism, we posit CBASS assays as a standardized experimental platform that allows functional screening for microbes that affect thermal stress tolerance. Such effort may accelerate the discovery of microbes and microbial mechanisms mediating thermal tolerance and our ability to harness them to increase stress resilience.
Feasibility and outcomes of living-donor liver transplantation utilizing the right hemi-liver graft with portal vein anatomical variations
Authors: Shehta Ahmed , Elshobari Mohamed , Salah Tarek , Sultan Ahmad M. , Yasen Amr , Shiha Usama , El-Saadany Mohamed , Monier Ahmed , Said Rami , Habl Mohamed S. , Adly Reham , El Ged Basma Abd Elmoaem , Karam Rasha , Khaled Reem , El Razek Hassan Magdy Abd , Abdel-Khalek Ehab E. , Wahab Mohamed Abdel
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Portal vein (PV) reconstruction is a key factor for successful living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Anatomical variations of right PV (RPV) are encountered among potential donors.

Methods

To evaluate a single center experience of reconstruction techniques for the right hemi-liver grafts with PV variations during the period between May 2004 and 2022.

Results

A total of 915 recipients underwent LDLT, among them 52 (5.8%) had RPV anatomical variations. Type II PV was found in 7 cases (13.5%), which were reconstructed by direct venoplasty. Type III PV was found in 27 cases (51.9%). They were reconstructed by direct venoplasty in 2 cases (3.8%), Y graft interposition in 2 cases (3.8%), and in situ double PV anastomoses in 23 cases (44.2%). Type IV PV was found in 18 cases (34.6%) and was reconstructed by Y graft interposition in 9 cases (17.3%), and in situ double PV anastomoses in 9 cases (17.3%).

Early right posterior PV stenosis occurred in 2 recipients (3.8%). Early PV thrombosis occurred in 3 recipients (5.8%). The median follow-up duration was 54.5 months (4 – 185). The 1-, 3-, and 5-years survival rates were 91.9%, 86%, and 81.2%, respectively. Late PV stenosis occurred in 2 recipients (3.8%) and was managed conservatively.

Conclusion

Utilization of potential living donors with RPV anatomic variations may help to expand the donor pool. We found that direct venoplasty and in situ dual PV anastomoses techniques were safe, feasible, and associated with successful outcomes.