bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Academics' motivation for joining an educational leadership training programme and their perceived effectiveness: Insights from an EU‐China cooperative project
Authors: Cheng Zhao , Caliskan Aysun , Zhu Chang
Published: October 2023

This study illuminates the motivation and learning experience of Chinese and European academic members who attended an educational leadership training programme. Data were collected through participants' registration forms and learning reflection reports. A qualitative content analysis research method by MAXQDA2022 is adopted in this research. The findings revealed European and Chinese participants' motivation for joining the leadership training programme and their perceived effectiveness of the training programme. Drawing from the study's findings, this research examines the components of a culturally appropriate methodology for a cross‐cultural professional leadership training programme and provides insights into the interplay of factors that impact the perceived effectiveness of such a leadership training programme. Additionally, recommendations for future program design are offered.
Desmitis of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon in the forelimb: A retrospective case study of 91 horses
Authors: Lynch Nicola , Taylor Camilla J. , McGilvray Tegan , Tucker Rachel , Bathe Andy , Elliott Christopher R. B. , Smith Roger K. W.
Published: October 2023

Background

Desmitis of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (ALDDFT) is a commonly reported injury. Despite the commonality of this injury, the literature is limited to small case series, with the reported success following treatment varying from 18% to 75%.

Objectives

To identify the prognosis and factors associated with a return to work following ALDDFT injury.

Study design

Retrospective case series.

Methods

Medical records of horses from four equine hospitals (January 2000 and December 2018) with a diagnosis of desmitis of ALDDFT were reviewed. Data retrieved included case detail, use, history, lameness treatment and follow‐up. Success was defined as returning to work. Backward stepwise logistic regression was used to identify variables significantly associated with return to work.

Results

Ninety‐one horses were included. The mean age was 13.5 years (standard deviation 4.9 years). Thirty‐four percent (28/91) of horses were sound at the initial presentation. Sixty‐eight percent (62/91) of horses were managed using controlled exercise alone, 28% (29/91) were treated with intra‐lesional injection, therapeutic ultrasound, extracorporeal shockwave therapy or desmectomy of the ALDDFT and 3% (3/91) were euthanased without treatment. Sixty‐four percent (54/85) of horses returned to work. Horses that were lame at follow‐up were less likely to return to work (odds ratio [OR] 107.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 20.06–580.61, p < 0.001) than those that returned to soundness. Identification of adhesions on ultrasonography was also associated with having reduced odds for return to work when compared to horses without adhesions (OR 0.10, 95% CI 0.01–0.76, p = 0.03).

Main limitations

Retrospective nature of the study, the potential of selection bias with regards to follow‐up.

Conclusion

Sixty‐four percent (54/85) of horses returned to work following injury of the ALDDFT. Persistence of lameness and adhesion formation were significantly associated with a poor outcome.
Are sustainability‐linked loans designed to effectively incentivize corporate sustainability? A framework for review
Authors: Auzepy Alix , Bannier Christina E. , Martin Fabio
Published: October 2023

This paper analyzes sustainability‐linked loans (SLLs), a new category of debt instrument that incorporates environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations. Using a large sample of loans issued between 2017 and 2022, we assess the design of SLLs by evaluating their key performance indicators (KPIs) using a comprehensive quality score. Our findings suggest that SLLs only partially rely on KPIs that generate credible sustainability incentives. We document that SLL borrowers do not significantly improve their ESG performance post issuance and show that stock markets are rather indifferent to the issuance of SLLs by EU borrowers, while SLL issuance announcements by US borrowers are met with significantly negative abnormal returns by investors. These findings call into question the beneficial sustainability and signaling effects that borrowers may hope to achieve by issuing ESG‐linked debt.
Use of Hydrogeochemistry and Isotopes for Evaluation of Groundwater in Qilian Coal Base of China
Authors: Zhao Chongqin , Li Xiangquan , Wang Zhenxing , Hou Xinwei , Ma Jianfei
Published: October 2023

The Jiangcang Basin is an important mining area of the former Qilian Mountain large coal base in Qinghai Province, and understanding the groundwater circulation mechanism is the basis for studying the hydrological effects of permafrost degradation in alpine regions. In this study, hydrogeochemical and multiple isotope tracer analysis methods are used to understand the chemical evolution and circulation mechanisms of the groundwater in the typical alpine region of the Jiangcang Basin. The diversity of the groundwater hydrochemistry in the study area reflects the complexity of the hydrogeochemical environment in which it is located. The suprapermafrost water and intrapermafrost water are recharged by modern meteoric water. The groundwater is closely hydraulically connected to the surface water with weak evaporation overall. The high δ34S value of deep groundwater is due to SO4 reduction, and SO42−‐rich snow recharge with lixiviated sulfate minerals are the main controlling factor for the high SO42− concentration in groundwater. According to the multivariate water conversion relationships, it reveals that the river receives more groundwater recharge, suprapermafrost water is recharged by the proportion of meteoric water, which is closely related to the mountainous area at the edge of the basin, while intrapermafrost water is mainly recharged by the shallow groundwater. This study provides a data‐driven approach to understanding groundwater recharge and evolution in alpine regions, in addition to having significant implications for water resource management and ecological environmental protection in coal bases of the Tibetan Plateau.
Engaging learners in online learning without external incentives: Evidence from a field experiment
Authors: Zhang Jiayuan , Yi Cheng , Zhang Jiayin
Published: October 2023

Online learning platforms increase opportunities for learners to participate in learning out of interest, without any external incentives such as fulfilling requirements for degree programmes or certificates. However, such forms of online learning often suffer from low sustained learning engagement. Building on theories related to normative influences, this study extends the literature by focusing on the effect of peer information on learning engagement and outcomes in an online learning setting without external incentives. A field experiment was conducted through a leading massive open online course platform in China, and information interventions were manipulated in social media groups associated with the course. Surprisingly, the results revealed that the presence of peers' active learning behaviour information did not always lead to enhanced learning engagement. Specifically, it had a positive influence only when question intervention was applied, that is, when the learners were also presented with questions related to the course content prior to learning. Moreover, question intervention alone was effective in enhancing learning engagement. Our results also showed that the learners with question interventions were more likely to pay attention to their peers' behaviour and align their learning pace with that of their peers. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Virtual reality environment in pharmacy education: A cyclical study on instructional design principles
Authors: Doğan Ezgi , Şahin Yusuf Levent
Published: October 2023

Background

It is crucial to use innovative tools to gain clinical reasoning skills through experiential learning in pharmacy education, and one of the most effective tools used in this is virtual reality. However, the lack of research that empirically demonstrates the instructional principles of virtual environment design, especially in the clinical setting, has resulted in a significant gap in the current literature.

Aim

In this study, it was aimed to determine the instructional design principles of a virtual environment for the clinical pharmacy.

Method

The study was conducted as a design‐based research. The data of the study related to three components of the developed virtual reality environment in pharmacy education (VRPE). These components, scenario development interface‐scenario development interface, virtual environment, and scenario, were collected through interviews, observation, document review, and a system usability scale. Instructional design principles for the VRPE were determined through analysis of the collected data.

Results

The prominent instructional design principles of the VRPE were revealed as immersion, interaction, diversity, flow, aesthetics‐ergonomic‐universal design, informing, and retest availability. The significance of the study was the adoption of a holistic perspective in the design of a virtual reality environment for pharmacy education. In addition, one of the most critical features of the study was eliminating the expertise barrier in virtual environment design. Thus, it was concluded that the VRPE is an extraordinary tool that can be used for pharmacy education to promote experiential learning.
Enhancing concrete structures education: Impact of virtual reality on motivation, performance and usability for undergraduate engineering students
Authors: Al‐Khiami Mohamad Iyad , Jaeger Martin , Soleimani Sayed Mohamad , Kazem Abdulhadi
Published: October 2023

Background Study

The research discusses the need for a paradigm shift in engineering education current practices to accommodate the digital native students. The paper emphasizes the importance of integrating disruptive technologies, namely Virtual Reality (VR) through Head Mounted Displays VR (HMD VR) and Desktop Based VR (DB VR) and comparing it with the traditional teaching methods. The research focuses on second‐year undergraduate students enrolled in a concrete structures course.

Objectives

The objective of the study is to analyse the impact of DB VR and HMD VR on students' motivation, performance and workload in comparison with traditional 2D drawings. The study also aims to investigate how simulation sickness and system usability could impact students' motivation and performance when interpreting concrete structures.

Methods

The study divided second‐year civil engineering students into three groups, 2D, DB VR and HMD VR. The performance and motivation levels of students were assessed based on the number of mistakes identified and an intrinsic motivation survey. Furthermore, data on system usability and simulation sickness were collected. Spearman rank correlation was conducted to analyse the relationships between the variables tested.

Results

The results have shown that students' motivation and performance were much higher when using VR in general and HMD VR specifically, students' efficiency and accuracy were also observed. On the other hand, usability was found to be moderately correlated with motivation, with students rating HMD VR as the most usable approach. A moderate inverse correlation was observed between simulation sickness and motivation, indicating that higher simulation sickness led to lower motivation levels.

Conclusion

The study concludes that integrating VR in general, DB VR, or HMD VR into a concrete structures course for undergraduate students can significantly improve students' performance and motivation. Furthermore, enhancing usability of any of the methods used can also improve the performance and motivation. On the other hand, simulation sickness inversely affects motivation and performance, therefore, VR developers and educators should not neglect it.
Thy‐1 knockdown promotes the osteogenic differentiation of GMSCs via the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway
Authors: Liu Gufeng , Zhu Guixin , Wu Xiaoyi , Tang Ziqiao , Shao Wenjun , Wang Min , Xia Haibin , Sun Quan , Yan Mingdong
Published: October 2023

Gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) are newly developed seed cells for tissue engineering owing to their easy isolation, abundance and high growth rates. Thy‐1 is an important regulatory molecule in the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In this study, we investigated the function of Thy‐1 in the osteogenic differentiation of GMSCs by reducing the expression of Thy‐1 using a lentivirus. The results demonstrated that Thy‐1 knockdown promoted the osteogenic differentiation of GMSCs in vitro. Validation by RNA‐seq revealed an obvious decrease in Vcam1 and Sox9 gene expression with Thy‐1 knockdown. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis suggested that the differentially expressed genes were enriched in the Wnt signalling pathway. We further demonstrated that Thy‐1 knockdown promoted osteogenic differentiation of GMSCs by activating the Wnt/β‐catenin signalling pathway. Therefore, Thy‐1 has a key regulatory role in the differentiation of GMSCs and maybe a core molecule connecting transcription factors related to the differentiation of MSCs. Our study also highlighted the potential of Thy‐1 to modify MSCs, which may help improve their use in tissue engineering.
Dose reduction of olaparib in older patients: Insights from an analysis of a National Database in Japan
Authors: Sato Masakazu , Goto Tadahiro
Published: October 2023

Aim

Although the advent of a poly polymerase inhibitors has greatly advanced the tailoring of cancer treatment, there is a dearth of real‐world evidence on the actual use of olaparib in aging populations, especially those using national‐level data.

Methods

We extracted and analyzed all prescriptions of olaparib in female outpatients from the National Database Open Data Japan (NDB Open Data) from April 2019 to March 2021. The recommended standard dose of olaparib is four tablets of the 150 mg formulation per day, while the 100 mg formulation of olaparib can be considered as an alternative dose in the occurrence of hematologic toxicity. We calculated the proportion of 100 mg compared to the 150 mg prescriptions across age groups. A Cochrane–Armitage trend test was used to examine the association of age groups with the proportion of 100 mg prescriptions.

Results

The total number of prescriptions of the 100 mg formulation and the 150 mg formulation were 1449 222, and 4233 625, respectively. Overall, 45.1% (2567 513/5682 847 prescriptions) of olaparib were prescribed for patients 65 years of age or older in females. Stratified by age group, the proportion of 100 mg compared to the 150 mg prescriptions significantly increased with age (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Given that the 100 mg formulation of olaparib can be considered as an alternative dose in Japan in the occurrence of hematologic toxicity, our observations indicate the dose reduction of olaparib in older patients in Japan. Further investigations are necessary to assess its efficacy and safety at a reduced dose.
Adjunctive use of omega‐3 fatty acids in combination with low‐dose aspirin in periodontitis: Systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Neprelyuk Olga A. , Zhad'ko Sergey I. , Romanenko Inessa G. , Kriventsov Maxim A.
Published: October 2023

Periodontitis is one of the most common dental diseases with a range of treatment approaches, including pathogenetically reasonable use of various host immune modulators. One such approach is the use of omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in combination with low‐dose aspirin. This systematic review and meta‐analysis were performed to compare the standard treatment alone and adjunctive use of omega‐3 PUFAs in combination with low‐dose aspirin with or without standard treatment in patients with periodontitis. A systematic review of the literature was performed using MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Central and Google Scholar databases. Selection criteria included the following: randomized controlled trials in subjects with periodontitis in the age group above 18 years old, with follow‐up periods ranging from 6 weeks to 6 months. The meta‐analysis was performed using standard methodological procedures according to Cochrane recommendations, including assessment of risk‐of‐bias and level of evidence (GRADE). Meta‐analysis was performed for such clinical outcomes as plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP) and bleeding index (BI) based on data from seven randomized clinical trials conducted between 2010 and 2020. It was shown that adjunctive use of omega‐3 PUFAs in combination with low‐dose aspirin results in significant clinical improvement in PD, CAL and GI during both short and prolonged follow‐up periods. The use of omega‐3 PUFAs and low‐dose aspirin in periodontitis patients may be promising as an adjunct therapy, however, due to a limited number of patients and significant heterogeneity, further studies need to be conducted.
Five‐year follow‐up of 96 weeks peginterferon plus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in hepatitis D
Authors: Anastasiou Olympia E. , Caruntu Florin A. , Curescu Manuela G. , Yalcin Kendal , Akarca Ulus S. , Gürel Selim , Zeuzem Stefan , Erhardt Andreas , Lüth Stefan , Papatheodoridis George V. , Keskin Onur , Port Kerstin , Radu Monica , Celen Mustafa K. , Idilman Ramazan , Heidrich Benjamin , Mederacke Ingmar , von der Leyen Heiko , Kahlhöfer Julia , von Karpowitz Maria , Hardtke Svenja , Cornberg Markus , Yurdaydin Cihan , Wedemeyer Heiner
Published: October 2023

Background & Aims

Until recently, pegylated interferon‐alfa‐2a (PEG‐IFNa) therapy was the only treatment option for patients infected with hepatitis D virus (HDV). Treatment with PEG‐IFNa with or without tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for 96 weeks resulted in HDV RNA suppression in 44% of patients at the end of therapy but did not prevent short‐term relapses within 24 weeks. The virological and clinical long‐term effects after prolonged PEG‐IFNa‐based treatment of hepatitis D are unknown.

Methods

In the HIDIT‐II study patients (including 40% with liver cirrhosis) received 180 μg PEG‐IFNa weekly plus 300 mg TDF once daily (n = 59) or 180 μg PEG‐IFNa weekly plus placebo (n = 61) for 96 weeks. Patients were followed until week 356 (5 years after end of therapy).

Results

Until the end of follow‐up, 16 (13%) patients developed liver‐related complications (PEG‐IFNa + TDF, n = 5 vs PEG‐IFNa + placebo, n = 11; p = .179). Achieving HDV suppression at week 96 was associated with decreased long‐term risk for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (p = .04) and hepatic decompensation (p = .009). Including complications irrespective of PEG‐IFNa retreatment status, the number of patients developing serious complications was similar with (3/18) and without retreatment with PEG‐IFNa (16/102, p > .999) but was associated with a higher chance of HDV‐RNA suppression (p = .024, odds ratio 3.9 [1.3–12]).

Conclusions

Liver‐related clinical events were infrequent and occurred less frequently in patients with virological responses to PEG‐IFNa treatment. PEG‐IFNa treatment should be recommended to HDV‐infected patients until alternative therapies become available. Retreatment with PEG‐IFNa should be considered for patients with inadequate response to the first course of treatment.

Clinical Trial registration: NCT00932971.
Zooplankton community and copepod carcasses and non‐predatory mortality in six tropical estuarine systems (Northeast of Brazil)
Authors: da Cruz Maria Mylena Oliveira , Lira Simone Maria de Albuquerque , de Melo Júnior Mauro
Published: October 2023

Copepod carcasses and non‐predatory mortality can occur due to natural senescence, disease, pollution, and physicochemical stress. Our objective is to evaluate and characterize the rates of non‐predatory mortality and the contribution of zooplankton community carcasses, represented by the copepods, in tropical estuarine ecosystems with different degrees of urbanization. During the study, there was a significant difference between environments and copepod carcasses, with Suape Bay (moderately urbanized) being the environment with the highest abundance of adult copepod carcasses (93.3%). The average non‐predatory mortality rate of adult copepods was 0.15 day−1: Santa Cruz Channel (sparsely urbanized) contributed the lowest values, with a mortality rate of 0.01 day−1, and Suape (moderately urbanized) had the highest rate (2.80 day−1). The families Paracalanidae (0.554 day−1) and Oithonidae (0.122 day−1) had the highest values, with an average carcass decomposition of 4.7 days. Among the environments studied, there was little differentiation between carcass percentages and mortality rate, not supporting the hypothesis that the higher rates of mortality among non‐predatory copepods were related to large urban centers. However, there was an almost proportional contribution of carcasses and non‐predatory mortality in all but a few areas, agreeing with the hypothesis that there is spatial variation with respect to carcasses in tropical estuaries. With our work, we show that estuaries can provide the estuarine food web with a significant portion of copepod carcasses, which may vary by family, and that it is not necessarily environments with a higher degree of urbanization that will have higher mortality rates.
The interaction of two Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici effectors modulates high‐temperature seedling‐plant resistance in wheat
Authors: Bao Xiyue , Hu Yangshan , Li Yuxiang , Chen Xianming , Shang Hongsheng , Hu Xiaoping
Published: October 2023

Wheat cultivar Xiaoyan 6 (XY6) has high‐temperature seedling‐plant (HTSP) resistance to Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). However, the molecular mechanism of Pst effectors involved in HTSP resistance remains unclear. In this study, we determined the interaction between two Pst effectors, PstCEP1 and PSTG_11208, through yeast two‐hybrid (Y2H), bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), and pull‐down assays. Transient overexpression of PSTG_11208 enhanced HTSP resistance in different temperature treatments. The interaction between PstCEP1 and PSTG_11208 inhibited the resistance enhancement by PSTG_11208. Furthermore, the wheat apoplastic thaumatin‐like protein 1 (TaTLP1) appeared to recognize Pst invasion by interacting with PSTG_11208 and initiate the downstream defence response by the pathogenesis‐related protein TaPR1. Silencing of TaTLP1 and TaPR1 separately or simultaneously reduced HTSP resistance to Pst in XY6. Moreover, we found that PstCEP1 targeted wheat ferredoxin 1 (TaFd1), a homologous protein of rice OsFd1. Silencing of TaFd1 affected the stability of photosynthesis in wheat plants, resulting in chlorosis on the leaves and reducing HTSP resistance. Our findings revealed the synergistic mechanism of effector proteins in the process of pathogen infection.
Chemical induction of hypocotyl rooting reveals extensive conservation of auxin signalling controlling lateral and adventitious root formation
Authors: Zeng Yinwei , Verstraeten Inge , Trinh Hoang Khai , Lardon Robin , Schotte Sebastien , Olatunji Damilola , Heugebaert Thomas , Stevens Christian , Quareshy Mussa , Napier Richard , Nastasi Sara Paola , Costa Alex , De Rybel Bert , Bellini Catherine , Beeckman Tom , Vanneste Steffen , Geelen Danny
Published: October 2023

Upon exposure to light, etiolated Arabidopsis seedlings form adventitious roots (AR) along the hypocotyl. While processes underlying lateral root formation are studied intensively, comparatively little is known about the molecular processes involved in the initiation of hypocotyl AR.

AR and LR formation were studied using a small molecule named Hypocotyl Specific Adventitious Root INducer (HYSPARIN) that strongly induces AR but not LR formation. HYSPARIN does not trigger rapid DR5‐reporter activation, DII‐Venus degradation or Ca2+ signalling. Transcriptome analysis, auxin signalling reporter lines and mutants show that HYSPARIN AR induction involves nuclear TIR1/AFB and plasma membrane TMK auxin signalling, as well as multiple downstream LR development genes (SHY2/IAA3, PUCHI, MAKR4 and GATA23).

Comparison of the AR and LR induction transcriptome identified SAURs, AGC kinases and OFP transcription factors as specifically upregulated by HYSPARIN. Members of the SAUR19 subfamily, OFP4 and AGC2 suppress HYS‐induced AR formation. While SAUR19 and OFP subfamily members also mildly modulate LR formation, AGC2 regulates only AR induction.

Analysis of HYSPARIN‐induced AR formation uncovers an evolutionary conservation of auxin signalling controlling LR and AR induction in Arabidopsis seedlings and identifies SAUR19, OFP4 and AGC2 kinase as novel regulators of AR formation.
A narrative review of pulsed radiofrequency for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome
Authors: Gupta Himanshu , Vance Colm , Bansal Vishal , Siva Ahilraj
Published: October 2023

Objective

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), which is the most common peripheral nerve entrapment syndrome, can commonly persist despite conservative treatment modalities such as wrist splinting or medications. Pulsed radiofrequency represents a minimally invasive pain intervention technique to alleviate pain. The literature was reviewed to establish the effectiveness of PRF therapy for CTS.

Study Design

This is a narrative review of relevant articles on the effectiveness of PRF for CTS.

Method

Four databases, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, OVID Emcare, and Web of Science, were systematically searched. 804 records were screened, and the reference lists of eligible articles were examined. For this review, eight extracted studies were narratively explored.

Results

One case report, three retrospective cohorts, one observational prospective study, and three randomized‐controlled trials were included. PRF likely provides both an analgesic and functional benefit in patients with mild to severe CTS, and it also shows benefit as an adjunct to carpal tunnel release surgery. Long‐term data is limited. It also appears likely that steroid injection may represent a comparable treatment modality to PRF, and there have been positive results when these modalities are used together. Notably, all studies differed in their methodology, making direct comparisons between studies challenging.

Conclusions

The evidence for PRF in the treatment of CTS, across the range of spectrum of severity or peri‐operative to CTS surgery, appears favorable and avoids known side effects of steroid injections. Potential mechanisms for PRF and future directions for research are explored.
Characterizing the cutaneous late effects of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A systematic review
Authors: Bourkas Adrienn N. , Sibbald Cathryn , Chan An‐Wen , Schechter Tal , Ali Muhammad , Pullattayil Abdul Kareem , Levy Rebecca
Published: October 2023

Background

There is a well‐documented risk of secondary cutaneous malignancies following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), but data on risk in pediatric populations are limited. The objective of this study is to perform a systematic review of reported features and outcomes of skin cancers in pediatric allogeneic HSCT recipients.

Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Web of Science were systematically searched (Prospero CRD42022342139). Studies reporting cutaneous cancer outcomes were included if the age at transplant was ≤19 years. Titles, abstracts, and full‐text articles were screened in duplicate.

Results

Out of 824 citations that were screened, 12 articles were selected for analysis. The final sample included 67 pediatric HSCT recipients, comprising 65 allogeneic transplant recipients and 2 cases of HSCT with an unknown donor type. The median age at transplant and skin cancer diagnosis were 7.4 and 13 years, respectively. Out of the 67 pediatric HSCT recipients, some patients developed more than one lesion, resulting in 71 lesions. The most common skin cancer type was cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (32 lesions), followed by basal cell carcinoma (25 lesions). The median latency period between HSCT and skin cancer diagnosis ranged from 0 to 29 years. Identified risk factors for skin cancers included younger age at the time of transplant, exposure to total body irradiation, prolonged post‐transplant immunosuppression, graft versus host disease, and sunburn.

Conclusion

Skin cancers are reported in pediatric allogeneic HSCT recipients, and the risk appears to be increased. More data are needed to better characterize this risk.
Understanding Iraqi society: Reading Ali Al‐Wardi (1913–1995)
Authors: Rabiei Kamran
Published: October 2023

The present article addresses Al‐Wardi's efforts to study Iraqi society and the foundations he set out to understand Arab society. Al‐Wardi is one of the pioneers of secular intellectuals in Iraq and one of the greatest social thinkers in the Arab world. Al‐Wardi's sociology is a kind of non‐Marxist conflict sociology whose roots can be found in the works of Ibn Khaldun. By reacting to the main issues of his society and conducting research and writing books about them, as a public sociologist, Al‐Wardi provoked many debates and controversies among people and intellectuals. He shows how the foundations of Bedouin culture continue and take on new forms in the modern urban and rural society of Iraq. He considers Bedouin culture to be the foundation of Arab culture. Political repression and censorship in the Baathist regime of Iraq prevented Al‐Wardi from continuing teaching and research and unable to establish a school of thought in Iraq. This issue is considered in the present article under the title of Tragedy of Discontinuity in Middle East sociology. Al‐Wardi's ultimate goal was to develop sociology at the national level and help create an Arab Sociology, which seems to have remained an idea and its future and feasibility cannot be judged.
A hierarchical spatio‐temporal object knowledge graph model for dynamic scene representation
Authors: Zhao Xinke , Cao Yibing , Wang Jiahe , Fan Xinhua , Chen Minjie
Published: October 2023

Spatio‐temporal knowledge is essential in understanding the dynamic aspects of complex scenes. However, existing knowledge graphs have limitations, such as inadequate time description, inflexible expression of semantic relationships, and difficulties in accessing GIS platforms. The article proposes the spatio‐temporal object knowledge graph (STOKG), consisting of the object concept layer, spatio‐temporal object layer, and dynamic version layer. To demonstrate the practical usefulness of the STOKG model, the Henan epidemic knowledge graph is created using epidemiological data from early 2020, which shows the dynamic evolution of the spatio‐temporal objects of cases from the geography and semantic perspectives. Finally, the STOKG model is compared with the existing models in terms of accuracy, completeness and repetitiveness. The experimental results show that the STOKG model provides a more flexible and comprehensive approach to representing spatio‐temporal knowledge, which is useful for applications in fields such as geography, epidemiology, and environmental science.
Preparing the Romanian National Archaeological Datasets for ARIADNE
Authors:   National Institute of Heritage, Bucharest, Șandric Bogdan , Streinu Marius , Matei Dan
Published: October 2023

The contribution of the Romanian National Institute of Heritage (NIH) to the ARIADNE catalogue consists of 22,298 cultural resources, 18,277 of which are archaeological sites and 4021 are fieldwork reports. The two types of data were extracted from the two repositories that INP manages: the National Archaeological Repertory and the Chronicle of Archaeological Research. In Romania, the legislation regarding the protection of archaeological heritage establishes the National Archaeological Repertory as the means of managing the scientific data relating to the archaeological heritage, and of mapping archaeological sites as well as the threats to them. In addition, the same legislation stipulates that preliminary excavation reports should be published in a volume edited by the National Archaeology Commission, if the research was financed by public funds. As a result, for better dissemination, the reports are uploaded to a database. Both the Repertory and the Chronicle are accessible online through the INP management web portal. In order to fulfil the NIH's obligations within the ARIADNEplus project, several corrections and changes were made to the structures of both repositories (RAN and Chronicle) and data had to be updated. First of all, a photo upload module that illustrates both an archaeological site, perceived as a landscape, and its various components was developed. At the same time, the NIH team carried out a campaign to map the archaeological sites using coordinates in the WGS84 system, using various cartographic resources, such as topographic maps, aerial photographs and satellite images. The third activity consisted of creating a hierarchical list of archaeological site types and their components to support a more accurate description and retrieval of database records. Conversion of the RAN archaeological records to AO-Cat compliant RDF data was the fourth activity conducted by NIIH in order to include the RAN records in the ARIADNE Knowledge Base. Subsequently, a hierarchical list of the archaeological periods used in Romanian archaeology was developed, where every period is described by three main components: name, time interval and geographical area. This list has been converted to the PeriodO format and will be imported into the gazetteer.
DB-HERITAGE Building Materials Data Aggregation in ARIADNE - challenges and opportunities
Authors:   National Laboratory for Civil Engineering, Correia M.J. , Santos Silva A. ,   National Laboratory for Civil Engineering
Published: October 2023

DB-HERITAGE provides open and free sharing of wide-ranging technical data on hundreds of samples of building materials from diverse periods, extracted from Portuguese built heritage all over the world. It has been developed to improve know-how for historic building materials and as a basis for developing best practices for built heritage conservation. It incorporates both physical and digital repositories for building material samples and related data, providing tools for the systematic recording of data concerning the history, properties, and performance of materials used in Portuguese built heritage. DB-HERITAGE targets different communities, researchers, and stakeholders involved in the preservation of archaeological and architectural heritage. It provides a systematisation of building assets, within their related environmental, social, and cultural contexts, as well as displaying technical and scientific information on structural elements, built components and their constituent materials. Although the rationale of the wide context sustaining the DB-HERITAGE concept, gathering communities and reduced time-to-value represent extra requirements for data quality, improved tools, and an efficient management plan. The participation in ARIADNEplus challenged DB-HERITAGE to get the most out of standardised procedures and the FAIR principles, strengthening its data management plan and practices. Data processing has been improved by deploying a common ontology and further developing standards, shared semantics, and identifiers. Updated protocols for data sharing and detailed information on provenance have also been developed to enhance data reuse. This article presents an overview of the aggregation process of DB-HERITAGE data into ARIADNEplus. It includes a summary of DB-HERITAGE’s strengths and of the challenges faced within the scope of the aggregation process, with examples of some of DB-HERITAGE’s major outputs. Additionally, it considers the benefits and opportunities provided by participation in ARIADNEplus.
Hybrid Optimal Control of a Flying+Sailing Drone
Authors: Yasini Taha , Pakniyat Ali
Published: October 2023

This paper studies the combined maneuver of flying and sailing for a robotic system which is referred to as a flying+sailing drone. Due to the emergence of hybrid systems behavior in tasks which involve both the flying and sailing modes, a hybrid systems formulation of the robotic system is presented. Key characteristics of the system are (i) changes in the dimension of the state space as the system switches from flying to sailing and vice versa and (ii) the presence of autonomous switchings triggered only upon the landing of the drone on the water surface. For the scenario in which the drone’s initial state is given in the flying mode and a fixed terminal state is specified in the sailing mode, the associated optimal control problems are studied within the vertical plane passing through the given points, hence the dynamics of the drone in the flying mode are represented in a five-dimensional state space (associated with three degrees-of-freedom) and in a three-dimensional state space in the sailing mode (associated with two degrees-of-freedom). In particular, the optimal control problems for the minimization of time and the minimization of the control effort are formulated, the associated necessary optimality conditions are obtained from the hybrid minimum principle (HMP), and the associated numerical simulations are presented.
Koopman Operator Based Predictive Control With a Data Archive of Observables
Authors: Loya Kartik , Buzhardt Jake , Tallapragada Phanindra
Published: October 2023

The control of complex systems is often challenging due to high-dimensional nonlinear models, unmodeled phenomena, and parameter uncertainty. The increasing ubiquity of sensors measuring such systems and increased computational resources has led to an interest in purely data-driven control methods, particularly using the Koopman operator. In this paper, we elucidate the construction of a linear predictor based on a sequence of time realizations of observables drawn from a data archive of different trajectories combined with subspace identification methods for linear systems. This approach is free of any predefined set of basis functions but instead depends on the time realization of these basis functions. The prediction and control are demonstrated with examples. The basis functions can be constructed using time-delayed coordinates of the outputs, enabling the application to purely data-driven systems. The paper thus shows the link between Koopman operator-based control methods and classical subspace identification methods. The approach in this paper can be extended to adaptive online learning and control.
Data-Based Stiffness Estimation for Control of Robot–Workpiece Elastic Interactions
Authors: McCann Lance , Gombo Yoshua , Tiwari Anuj , Garbini Joseph , Devasia Santosh
Published: October 2023

In manufacturing operations such as clamping and drilling of elastic structures, tool–workpiece normality must be maintained, and shear forces minimized to avoid tool or workpiece damage. The challenge is that the combined stiffness of a robot and workpiece, needed to control the robot–workpiece elastic interactions, are often difficult to model and can vary due to geometry changes of the workpiece caused by large deformations and associated pose variations of the robot. The main contribution of this article is an algorithm (i) to learn the robot–workpiece stiffness relationship using a model-free data-based approach and (ii) to use it for applying desired forces and torques on the elastic structure. Moreover, comparative experiments with and without the data-based stiffness estimation show that clamping operating speed is increased by four times when using the stiffness estimation method while interaction forces and torques are kept within acceptable bounds.
Analyzing the Sensitivity of Wave Frequency Responses of Floating Vessels to Uncertain System Variables Utilizing Polynomial Chaos Expansion
Authors: Radhakrishnan Gowtham , Leira Bernt J. , Gao Zhen , Sævik Svein , Han Xu
Published: October 2023

From a mathematical viewpoint, the frequency domain analysis of vessel motion responses due to wave actions is based on integration of system dynamics idealized in terms of response amplitude operators for six degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) rigid body motions and an input wave spectrum in order to obtain the response spectrum. Various quantities of interest can be deduced from the response spectrum, which are then used for deriving response-based operational limits for marine operations, also including extreme value and fatigue analysis. The variation of such quantities, owing to the uncertainties associated with the vessel system parameters, can be quantified by performing uncertainty propagation and consequent sensitivity analysis. This study emphasizes and proposes a computational-efficient way of assessing the sensitivity of the system model output with respect to the uncertainties residing in the input parameters by operating on a surrogate model representation. In this respect, the global sensitivity analysis was effectively carried out by deploying an efficient nonintrusive polynomial chaos expansion surrogate model built using a point collocation strategy. Successively, Sobol’ indices were obtained from the analytical decomposition of the polynomial coefficients. The indices, eventually, are employed to quantitatively measure the effects of input uncertainties on the output 6DOF vessel root-mean-square responses.
Accelerating quantum optimal control of multi-qubit systems with symmetry-based Hamiltonian transformations
Authors: Wang Xian , Okyay Mahmut Sait , Kumar Anshuman , Wong Bryan M.
Published: October 2023

We present a novel, computationally efficient approach to accelerate quantum optimal control calculations of large multi-qubit systems used in a variety of quantum computing applications. By leveraging the intrinsic symmetry of finite groups, the Hilbert space can be decomposed and the Hamiltonians block diagonalized to enable extremely fast quantum optimal control calculations. Our approach reduces the Hamiltonian size of an n-qubit system from 2n×2n to O(n×n) or O((2n/n)×(2n/n)) under Sn or Dn symmetry, respectively. Most importantly, this approach reduces the computational runtime of qubit optimal control calculations by orders of magnitude while maintaining the same accuracy as the conventional method. As prospective applications, we show that (1) symmetry-protected subspaces can be potential platforms for quantum error suppression and simulation of other quantum Hamiltonians and (2) Lie–Trotter–Suzuki decomposition approaches can generalize our method to a general variety of multi-qubit systems.
Multielectronic and multiatomic effects in the U O4,5 x-ray absorption spectroscopy of uranium dioxide
Authors: Tobin J. G. , Ramanantoanina H. , Daul C. , Yu S.-W.
Published: October 2023

In order to explain all of the spectral features observed in the U O4,5 x-ray absorption spectrum of uranium dioxide (UO2), it is necessary to include both multielectron effects and multiatomic effects. The 5d (core hole)-5f (electron) angular momentum coupling that gives rise to the giant resonance has been treated within ligand field density functional theory, and the electron scattering that generates the extended x-ray absorption fine structure has been included via the spectral simulation program FEFF: both within a UO8 fluorite cluster picture. An atomic model is insufficient to explain all of the observed spectral features.
Band-engineered LaFeO3–LaNiO3 thin film interfaces for electrocatalysis of water
Authors: Paudel Rajendra , Burton Andricus R. , Kuroda Marcelo A. , Farnum Byron H. , Comes Ryan B.
Published: October 2023

Iron and nickel-based perovskite oxides have proven promising for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline environments, as their catalytic overpotentials rival precious metal catalysts when the band alignment is tuned through substitutional doping or alloying. Here, we report the engineering of band alignment in LaFeO3/LaNiO3 (LFO/LNO) heterostructures via interfacial doping that yields greatly enhanced catalytic performance. The 0.2 eV offset (VBO) between the Fermi level in metallic LNO and the valence band in semiconducting LFO that we predict using density functional theory makes LFO a p-type semiconductor, resulting in significantly lower barriers for hole transport through LFO compared to the intrinsic material. Experimental band alignment measured with in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of epitaxial LFO/LNO heterostructures confirms these predictions, producing a measured VBO of 0.3(1) eV. Furthermore, OER catalytic measurements on these samples in the alkaline solution show an increase in catalytic current density by a factor of ∼275 compared to LFO grown on n-type Nb-doped SrTiO3. These results demonstrate the power of tuning band alignments through interfacial band engineering for improved catalytic performance of oxides.
Passive earplug including Helmholtz resonators arranged in series to achieve broadband near zero occlusion effect at low frequencies
Authors: Carillo Kévin , Sgard Franck , Dazel Olivier , Doutres Olivier
Published: October 2023

The use of passive earplugs is often associated with the occlusion effect: a phenomenon described as the increased auditory perception of one's own physiological noise at low frequencies. As a notable acoustic discomfort, the occlusion effect penalizes the use and the efficiency of earplugs. This phenomenon is objectively characterized by the increase in sound pressure level in the occluded ear canal compared to the open ear canal. Taking inspiration from acoustic metamaterials, a new design of a three-dimensional printed “meta-earplug,” made of four Helmholtz resonators arranged in series, is proposed for achieving near zero objective occlusion effect measured on artificial ear in a broadband frequency range (300 Hz to 1 kHz). For this purpose, the geometry of the meta-earplug is optimized to achieve a null occlusion effect target based on an analytical model of the phenomenon. It results from the optimization process that the input impedance of the meta-earplug medial surface approximately matches the input impedance of the open ear canal, weighted by the ratio of volume velocity imposed by the ear canal wall to the ear canal cavity between open and occluded cases. Acoustic properties of the meta-earplug are also shown to significantly improve its sound attenuation at the piston-like mode of the system.
Enhanced suppression of otoacoustic emissions by contralateral stimulation in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Moleti Arturo , Minniti Triestino , Viziano Andrea , Stefani Alessandro , Cerroni Rocco , Garasto Elena , Pierantozzi Mariangela , Sisto Renata
Published: October 2023

Dopamine depletion affects several aspects of hearing function. Previous work [Wu, Yi, Manca, Javaid, Lauer, and Glowatzki, eLife 9, e52419 (2020)] demonstrated the role of dopamine in reducing the firing rates of inner ear cells, which is thought to decrease synaptic excitotoxicity. Thus, a lack of dopamine could indirectly increase acoustic stimulation of medial olivocochlear efferents. To investigate that, here we studied contralateral suppression of distortion product otoacoustic emissions in a population of Parkinsonian patients, compared to an age-matched control group, both audiometrically tested. To rule out activation of the acoustic reflex, middle ear impedance was monitored during testing. The results show significantly stronger contralateral suppression in the patient group.