bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resistance training effects on pubertal children with a risk of developing pediatric dynapenia
Authors: Ruas Cassio V. , Ratel Sébastien , Nosaka Kazunori , Castellano Gabriela , Pinto Ronei S.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Many modern-day children are at risk of pediatric dynapenia (muscle weakness). We examined the effects of a 12-week resistance training (RT) program on neuromuscular function and body composition parameters in pubertal children with a risk of dynapenia.

Methods

Twelve children (13.4 ± 0.9 y) with dynapenia performed a progressive RT program consisting of knee extension and flexion, bench press, abdominal crunch, back extension, lateral pull-down, elbow flexion, and upright row (1–2 sets of 10–15 repetitions/exercise) twice/week for 12 weeks. Outcome measures included one-repetition maximum (1-RM) strength, maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) torque, rate of torque development (RTD), electromyographic (EMG) activity, muscle thickness (MT), muscle quality (MQ) assessed by echo intensity (MQEI) of the knee extensors and specific tension of MVIC torque to thigh fat-free mass (MQST), and total and regional body and bone composition assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Changes in the measures before and after the 12-week RT and associations among the measures were analyzed by linear mixed models.

Results

Significant (p < 0.05) increases in 1-RM (63.9 ± 4.5%), MVIC torque (16.3 ± 17.8%), MT (18.8 ± 5.5%) and MQ (MQEI: -25.9 ± 15.2%; MQST: 15.1 ± 18.8%;) were evident from pre- to post-training. Total fat-free mass (FFM) increased by 2.3 ± 3.2% from baseline (p = 0.01), but no changes (p > 0.05) in the other measures were observed. Significant (p < 0.05) associations between the changes in 1-RM and/or MVIC torque and the changes in quadriceps MT, MQEI, MQST and total body FFM were evident.

Conclusions

The 12-week RT was effective for improving neuromuscular and body composition parameters, and thereby reversed the risk of pediatric dynapenia.
Application of near infra-red laser light increases current threshold in optic nerve consistent with increased Na+-dependent transport
Authors: Lo Hin Heng , Munkongcharoen Tawan , Muijen Rosa M. , Gurung Ritika , Umredkar Anjali G. , Baker Mark D.
Published: February 2024

Increases in the current threshold occur in optic nerve axons with the application of infra-red laser light, whose mechanism is only partly understood. In isolated rat optic nerve, laser light was applied near the site of electrical stimulation, via a flexible fibre optic. Paired applications of light produced increases in threshold that were reduced on the second application, the response recovering with increasing delays, with a time constant of 24 s. 3-min duration single applications of laser light gave rise to a rapid increase in threshold followed by a fade, whose time-constant was between 40 and 50 s. After-effects were sometimes apparent following the light application, where the resting threshold was reduced. The increase in threshold was partially blocked by 38.6 mM Li+ in combination with 5 $$\mu$$
μ
M bumetanide, a manoeuvre increasing refractoriness and consistent with axonal depolarization. Assessing the effect of laser light on the nerve input resistance ruled out a previously suggested fall in myelin resistance as contributing to threshold changes. These data appear consistent with an axonal membrane potential that partly relies on temperature-dependent electroneutral Na+ influx, and where fade in the response to the laser may be caused by a gradually diminishing Na+ pump–induced hyperpolarization, in response to falling intracellular [Na+].
Ovarian endometrioid carcinoma with a sex cord-like pattern: a morphological, immunohistochemical, and molecular analysis
Authors: Travaglino Antonio , Arciuolo Damiano , Santoro Angela , Fulgione Caterina , Piermattei Alessia , Martinelli Manuela , Onori Maria Elisabetta , Minucci Angelo , Raffone Antonio , Inzani Frediano , Zannoni Gian Franco
Published: February 2024

Sex cord-like endometrioid carcinoma (SCLEC) is an uncommon entity which may constitute a diagnostic challenge. This study aimed to perform a clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular reappraisal of ovarian SCLEC. Consecutive ovarian SCLECs cases from a single institution were reviewed during a 13-year period. Twenty-three immunohistochemical markers were tested; 10 genes were analyzed by next-generation sequencing. Nine cases of ovarian SCLEC were identified. Mean patient age was 65.7 years; three cases showed extraovarian extension. Architectural pattern included sertoliform (n = 2), granulosa-like (n = 2), and mixed granulosa-like/sertoliform (n = 5). Eosinophilic changes accompanied by increased nuclear atypia were observed in four tumors. Endometrioid features (glands, squamous/morular differentiation) were observed in six cases. Most tumors were positive for cytokeratin-7 (8/9), EMA (9/9), estrogen and progesterone receptor (9/9), CD10 (7/9, including a luminal pattern reminiscent of mesonephric neoplasms), nuclear β-catenin (8/9), and CDX2 (8/9). A minority of cases showed block-type p16 pattern (2/9), PAX8-positivity (3/9), and non-diffuse positivity for WT1 (1/9), inhibin (1/9), chromogranin (1/9), and synaptophysin (2/9). All cases were negative for GATA3, TTF1, calretinin, and SF1. Ki67 range was 15–90%. Six cases showed CTNNB1 exon 3 mutation. Eight cases were of “no specific molecular profile” (NSMP) and one was p53-abnormal. In conclusion, SCLECs frequently exhibit a mixed sertoliform/granulosa-like architecture and express epithelial markers, hormone receptors, nuclear β-catenin, and CDX2, with luminal CD10 positivity and CTNNB1 mutations. PAX8 expression is often lost, while other mesonephric, sex cord, and neuroendocrine markers are negative.
Long-term mesh-related complications from minimally invasive intraperitoneal onlay mesh for small to medium-sized ventral hernias
Authors: Maskal Sara M. , Ellis Ryan C. , Mali Ouen , Lau Braden , Messer Nir , Zheng Xinyan , Miller Benjamin T. , Petro Clayton C. , Prabhu Ajita S. , Rosen Michael J. , Beffa Lucas R. A.
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Intraperitoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) placement for small to medium-sized hernias has garnered negative attention due to perceived long-term risk of mesh-related complications. However, sparse data exists supporting such claims after minimally invasive (MIS) IPOM repairs and most is hindered by the lack of long-term follow-up. We sought to report long-term outcomes and mesh-related complications of MIS IPOM ventral hernia repairs.

Methods and procedures

Adult patients who underwent MIS IPOM ventral hernia repair at our institution were identified in the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative database from October 2013 to October 2020. Outcomes included hernia recurrence and mesh-related complications or reoperations up to 6 years postoperatively.

Results

A total of 325 patients were identified. The majority (97.2%) of cases were elective, non-recurrent (74.5%), and CDC class I (99.4%). Mean hernia width was 4.16 ± 3.86 cm. Median follow-up was 3.6 (IQR 2.8–5) years. Surgeon-entered or patient-reported follow-up was available for 253 (77.8%) patients at 3 years or greater postoperatively. One patient experienced an early small bowel obstruction and was reoperated on within 30 days. Two-hundred forty-five radiographic examinations were available up to 6 years postoperatively. Twenty-seven patients had hernia recurrence on radiographic examination up to 6 years postoperatively. During long-term follow-up, two mesh-related complications required reoperations: mesh removed for chronic pain and mesh removal at the time of colon surgery for perforated cancer. Sixteen additional patients required reoperation within 6 years for the following reasons: hernia recurrence (n = 5), unrelated intraabdominal pathology (n = 9), obstructed port site hernia (n = 1), and adhesive bowel obstruction unrelated to the prosthesis (n = 1). The rate of reoperation due to intraperitoneal mesh complications was 0.62% (2/325) with up to 6 year follow-up.

Conclusion

Intraperitoneal mesh for repair of small to medium-sized hernias has an extremely low rate of long-term mesh-related complications. It remains a safe and durable option for hernia surgeons.
Pancreatic injury in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: a retrospective multicenterstudy
Authors: Nagao Kae , Sakai Arata , Tsumura Hidetaka , Iemoto Takao , Hirata Yuichi , Hori Hitomi , Ogisu Kyohei , Kakuyama Saori , Ikegawa Takuya , Hirata Tamaki , Ezaki Takeshi , Furumatsu Keisuke , Yamanaka Kodai , Kato Takao , Fujigaki Seiji , Tanaka Hidenori , Yagi Yosuke , Tanaka Takeshi , Kobayashi Takashi , Masuda Atsuhiro , Shiomi Hideyuki , Kodama Yuzo
Published: February 2024

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pancreatic injury (ICI-PI) is a rare occurrence, which has not been reported in detail. We conducted a retrospective multicenter study to determine the clinical characteristics, risk factors, and treatment of ICI-PI.

Methods

We reviewed the medical records of patients who received ICIs for malignant tumors between April 2014 and April 2019 at 16 participating hospitals. Patients with elevated pancreatic enzymes or pancreatitis were identified and classified using the Common terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) ver.5.0). The number of patients with pancreatic enzyme elevation was determined and those with pancreatic enzyme elevation of ≥ grade 3 according to CTCAE ver.5.0, or pancreatitis underwent detailed analysis for ICI-PI.

Results

The study enrolled 1069 patients. Nineteen patients (1.8%) had ICI-PI, 5 (0.5%) of whom also had pancreatitis. Four patients had mild pancreatitis, whereas 1 patient had severe pancreatitis, culminating in death. Steroid therapy was administered to 7 of 19 patients, which led to ICI-PI improvement in 5 patients. On the other hand, ICI-PI improved in 9 of 12 patients who were not administered steroid therapy. Six of the 14 patients with ICI-PI improvement were rechallenged with ICI, and ICI-PI relapse occurred in only 1 patient (16.7%), which improved with ICI discontinuation and steroid therapy.

Conclusions

ICI-PI is a rare occurrence, with a low incidence of pancreatitis, which followed a very serious course in one patient. Although the benefit of steroid therapy for ICI-PI is unclear, ICI rechallenge is acceptable after improvement of ICI-PI without pancreatitis.
Interactive responses to temperature and salinity in larvae of the Asian brush-clawed crab Hemigrapsus takanoi: relevance for range expansion into the Baltic Sea, in the context of climate change
Authors: Geißel Jan Phillipp , Espinosa-Novo Noé , Giménez Luis , Ewers Christine , Cornelius Annika , Martínez-Alarcón Diana , Harzsch Steffen , Torres Gabriela
Published: February 2024

We studied the potential of a recently introduced species, the Asian brush-clawed crab (Hemigrapsus takanoi), to expand its distribution range further into the Baltic Sea. H. takanoi has been documented in the southwestern Baltic Sea since 2014. The ability to persist and further expand into the Baltic Proper will depend on their potential to sustain all stages of their complex life cycle, including pelagic larvae, under the Baltic Sea's conditions. Range limits may be established by the tolerance to low salinity, which in addition may be affected by water temperature. A key question is whether local populations at the distribution limit (within the Baltic Sea) show increased tolerance to low salinities and hence promote further expansion. We quantified the combined effects of salinity (10–33 PSU) and temperature (15–24 °C) on larval development in four populations of H. takanoi (two from the Baltic and two from the North Sea). We found substantial differences in larval performance between the populations from the Baltic and North Seas. Larvae from the North Sea populations always showed higher survival and faster development compared with those from the Baltic Sea. Only weak evidence of elevated tolerance towards low salinity was found in the larvae from the Baltic Sea populations. In addition, larvae from the population located near the range limit showed very low survival under all tested salinity-temperature combinations and no evidence of increased tolerance to low salinity. There was no apparent genetic differentiation among the studied populations in the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit one gene (COI) implying high connectivity among the populations. In conclusion, the weak evidence of low salinity tolerance in Baltic Sea populations, and poor larval performance for the population located near the range limit, coupled with limited genetic differentiation suggest that subsidies are needed for populations to persist near the range limit. Alternatively, ontogenetic migrations would be required to sustain those populations. Monitoring efforts are needed to elucidate the underlaying mechanisms and document potential future range expansions.
A unified immersed finite element error analysis for one-dimensional interface problems
Authors: Adjerid Slimane , Lin Tao , Meghaichi Haroun
Published: February 2024

It has been known that the traditional scaling argument cannot be directly applied to the error analysis of immersed finite elements (IFE) because, in general, the spaces on the reference element associated with the IFE spaces on different interface elements via the standard affine mapping are not the same. By analyzing a mapping from the involved Sobolev space to the IFE space, this article is able to extend the scaling argument framework to the error estimation for the approximation capability of a class of IFE spaces in one spatial dimension. As demonstrations of the versatility of this unified error analysis framework, the manuscript applies the proposed scaling argument to obtain optimal IFE error estimates for a typical first-order linear hyperbolic interface problem, a second-order elliptic interface problem, and the fourth-order Euler-Bernoulli beam interface problem, respectively.
Spectral computed tomography angiography using a gadolinium-based contrast agent for imaging of pathologies of the aorta
Authors: Graf Markus , Gassert Felix G. , Marka Alexander W. , Gassert Florian T. , Ziegelmayer Sebastian , Makowski Marcus , Kallmayer Michael , Nadjiri Jonathan
Published: February 2024

Objectives

Especially patients with aortic aneurysms and multiple computed tomography angiographies (CTA) might show medical conditions which oppose the use of iodine-based contrast agents. CTA using monoenergetic reconstructions from dual layer CT and gadolinium (Gd-)based contrast agents might be a feasible alternative in these patients. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of clinical spectral CTA with a Gd-based contrast agent in patients with aortic aneurysms.

Methods

Twenty-one consecutive scans in 15 patients with and without endovascular aneurysm repair showing contraindications for iodine-based contrast agents were examined using clinical routine doses (0.2 mmol/kg) of Gd-based contrast agent with spectral CT. Monoenergetic reconstructions of the spectral data set were computed.

Results

There was a significant increase in the intravascular attenuation of the aorta between pre- and post-contrast images for the MonoE40 images in the thoracic and the abdominal aorta (p < 0.001 for both). Additionally, the ratio between pre- and post-contrast images was significantly higher in the MonoE40 images as compared to the conventional images with a factor of 6.5 ± 4.5 vs. 2.4 ± 0.5 in the thoracic aorta (p = 0.003) and 4.1 ± 1.8 vs. 1.9 ± 0.5 in the abdominal aorta (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

To conclude, our study showed that Gd-CTA is a valid and reliable alternative for diagnostic imaging of the aorta for clinical applications. Monoenergetic reconstructions of computed tomography angiographies using gadolinium based contrast agents may be a useful alternative in patients with aortic aneurysms and contraindications for iodine based contrast agents.
Lessons Learned from the Updated GEWEX Cloud Assessment Database
Authors: Stubenrauch Claudia J. , Kinne Stefan , Mandorli Giulio , Rossow William B. , Winker David M. , Ackerman Steven A. , Chepfer Helene , Di Girolamo Larry , Garnier Anne , Heidinger Andrew , Karlsson Karl-Göran , Meyer Kerry , Minnis Patrick , Platnick Steven , Stengel Martin , Sun-Mack Szedung , Veglio Paolo , Walther Andi , Cai Xia , Young Alisa H. , Zhao Guangyu
Published: February 2024

Since the first Global Energy and Water Exchanges cloud assessment a decade ago, existing cloud property retrievals have been revised and new retrievals have been developed. The new global long-term cloud datasets show, in general, similar results to those of the previous assessment. A notable exception is the reduced cloud amount provided by the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) Science Team, resulting from an improved aerosol–cloud distinction. Height, opacity and thermodynamic phase determine the radiative effect of clouds. Their distributions as well as relative occurrences of cloud types distinguished by height and optical depth are discussed. The similar results of the two assessments indicate that further improvement, in particular on vertical cloud layering, can only be achieved by combining complementary information. We suggest such combination methods to estimate the amount of all clouds within the atmospheric column, including those hidden by clouds aloft. The results compare well with those from CloudSat-CALIPSO radar–lidar geometrical profiles as well as with results from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) corrected by the cloud vertical layer model, which is used for the computation of the ISCCP-derived radiative fluxes. Furthermore, we highlight studies on cloud monitoring using the information from the histograms of the database and give guidelines for: (1) the use of satellite-retrieved cloud properties in climate studies and climate model evaluation and (2) improved retrieval strategies.
Understanding supply-side climate policies: towards an interdisciplinary framework
Authors: Newell Peter , Carter Angela
Published: February 2024

Once marginal in climate governance, supply-side policies which seek to restrict the production of climate warming fossil fuels are now gaining greater prominence. From national level bans and phase out policies to divestment campaigns and the creation of ‘climate clubs’ such as the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance, an increasing number of such policies are being adopted by governments, cities and financial actors around the world. But why would states voluntarily relinquish potentially profitable reserves of fossil fuels? How can we account for the rise of supply-side policies, the form they take and the sites in which they are being adopted? What conditions and contexts are most conducive to the adoption and sustainability of ‘first mover’ bans and phase out policies? This paper seeks to build an interdisciplinary account fusing insights from diverse theoretical traditions from international political economy, political science, sociology and the literature on socio-technical transitions in order to capture the interaction of political, economic and socio-cultural drivers in national and international settings which can provide the basis of a more integrated and multi-dimensional understanding of supply-side policies. Such an account, we suggest, helps to understand the origins and evolution of supply-side policies and, more critically, the conditions which might enable the expansion of supply-side climate policies to new sites.
Determinants of Net Transactions in TARGET2 of European Banks Based on Micro-data
Authors: Drott Constantin , Goldbach Stefan , Jochem Axel
Published: February 2024

This paper examines German and foreign bank factors that can explain net flows of cross-border central bank liquidity between Germany and the rest of the euro area. Using data from the German component of Eurosystem’s real-time gross settlement system TARGET2 and BankFocus for the period between 2009 and 2021, we provide empirical evidence that only few balance sheet items and profit and loss accounts affect net flows with Germany. We control for bilateral bank-specific relationships and time-varying macroeconomic country effects in our regressions. In general, German bank factors seem to be more important than characteristics of foreign banks. A German bank that exhibits relatively high claims against central banks seems to attract less additional central bank liquidity from abroad than a German bank with fewer existing central bank claims. Net claims against central banks, which also control for liabilities, have no effect on net transactions in TARGET2. However, higher overall liquidity of a German credit institution corresponds to additional net inflows. Foreign bank factors only matter for central bank payments and intragroup payments. We also document heterogeneities across different types of transactions which influence the German TARGET2 balance. While customer payments, interbank payments and central bank payments have increased net flows to Germany in sum, intragroup payments and ancillary systems’ transactions have led to net outflows.
Case Report: An Adult Case of Poretti-Boltshauser Syndrome Diagnosed by Medical Checkup
Authors: Ikeda Kensuke , Tamagake Ayane , Kubota Takafumi , Izumi Rumiko , Yamaguchi Tatsuo , Yanagi Kumiko , Misu Tatsuro , Aoki Yoko , Kaname Tadashi , Aoki Masashi
Published: February 2024

This report describes an adult case of Poretti–Boltshauser syndrome (PTBHS) and with novel variants of LAMA1. A 65-year-old Japanese woman with cerebellar malformation identified during a medical checkup was referred to our hospital. Subsequently, neurological examination, brain imaging, and genetic investigation via whole-exome sequencing were performed. The patient presented with mild cerebellar ataxia and intellectual disability. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed cerebellar dysplasia and cysts and an absence of molar tooth sign. Genetic analysis revealed a novel homozygous variant of c.1711_1712del in LAMA1 (NM_005559.4). Most cases with PTBHS are reported in pediatric patients; however, our patient expressed a mild phenotype and was undiagnosed until her 60 s. These findings suggest that PTBHS should be considered in not only pediatric cerebellar dysplasia but also adult cerebellar ataxia with mild presentation.
The first cetacean from the early Oligocene of the SW German Mainz Basin: a probable cheek tooth of a mysticete (Mammalia: Cetacea)
Authors: Hampe Oliver , von der Hocht Fritz
Published: February 2024

Despite two centuries of fossils collecting, no cetacean remains from the Oligocene marine deposits of the Mainz Basin (western Germany) have ever been reported. Here, we describe a possible mysticete tooth from the sand pit of Eckelsheim, which exposes high energy deposits belonging to the Rupelian Alzey Formation. The latter has yielded a rich assemblage of vertebrates and invertebrates, but so far, only one marine mammal in the form of the sirenian Kaupitherium. The whale tooth in some ways resembles the m2 of Llanocetus from the latest Eocene of Seymour Island, Antarctica. If the find from the Mainz Basin is not a regionally evolved form, Llanocetus, which is known from the South Atlantic, could have migrated through the Atlantic realm during the early Oligocene. It cannot be excluded that the tooth represents a more widely occurring lineage, neither endemic nor necessarily related to llanocetids, that—given the generally poor Rupelian record—has not been well documented yet.
Red Blood Cells in the Cerebrospinal Fluid Compartment After Subarachnoid Haemorrhage: Significance and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Soham , Schwendinger Nina , Jahromi Behnam Rezai , Lad Shivanand P. , Blackburn Spiros , Wolf Stefan , Bulters Diederik , Galea Ian , Hugelshofer Michael
Published: February 2024

Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is a subtype of stroke that predominantly impacts younger individuals. It is associated with high mortality rates and can cause long-term disabilities. This review examines the contribution of the initial blood load and the dynamics of clot clearance to the pathophysiology of SAH and the risk of adverse outcomes. These outcomes include hydrocephalus and delayed cerebral ischaemia (DCI), with a particular focus on the impact of blood located in the cisternal spaces, as opposed to ventricular blood, in the development of DCI. The literature described underscores the prognostic value of haematoma characteristics, such as volume, density, and anatomical location. The limitations of traditional radiographic grading systems are discussed, compared with the more accurate volumetric quantification techniques for predicting patient prognosis. Further, the significance of red blood cells (RBCs) and their breakdown products in secondary brain injury after SAH is explored. The review presents novel interventions designed to accelerate clot clearance or mitigate the effects of toxic byproducts released from erythrolysis in the cerebrospinal fluid following SAH. In conclusion, this review offers deeper insights into the complex dynamics of SAH and discusses the potential pathways available for advancing its management.
Flow characteristics and energy dissipation over stepped spillway with various step geometries: case study (steps with curve end sill)
Authors: Jahad Udai A. , Chabuk Ali , Al-Ameri Riyadh , Majdi Hasan Sh. , Majdi Ali , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Abed Salwan Ali
Published: February 2024

Stepped weirs are used in a wide range of applications, designed to increase energy dissipation. In this study, laboratory experiments were conducted in a flume on six stepped weir models, with a downstream angle of θ = 26.6°. The physical models used were on a scale of 10:1, and tests of discharges up to 0.055 m3/s were carried out. Several step geometries including traditional step, sill and curve geometries were used to study flow behavior and overall energy dissipation. The laboratory investigations were augmented by modelling numerically the within step flow and energy behavior using a 2-D CFD model, incorporating the k-ε model for turbulence closure. The results showed that energy dissipation was greatest for the curved steps by about 10.5%, where it was observed that the skimming flow regime was shifted to a higher discharge range. Numerical modelling results showed good agreement with the experimental results. An inspection of the modelled streamlines highlighted the increase in vortex intensity for the curve model, reflecting the strong circulation observed. The predicted stepwise energy dissipation showed the energy dissipation increase when the step number Ns increases. For the range of step height hs, tested, our results showed that energy dissipation increased with step height. The results from this study can be used to inform engineering design for steps with θ = 26.6° and provide estimates of the expected energy dissipation and residual energy.
Analysis of a class of completely non-local elliptic diffusion operators
Authors: Li Yulong , Çelik Emine , Telyakovskiy Aleksey S.
Published: February 2024

This work explores the possibility of developing the analog of some classic results from elliptic PDEs for a class of fractional ODEs involving the composition of both left- and right-sided Riemann-Liouville (R-L) fractional derivatives, $${D^\alpha _{a+}}{D^\beta _{b-}}$$

D

a
+

α

D

b
-

β

, $$1<\alpha +\beta <2$$

1
<
α
+
β
<
2

. Compared to one-sided non-local R-L derivatives, these composite operators are completely non-local, which means that the evaluation of $${D^\alpha _{a+}}{D^\beta _{b-}}u(x)$$

D

a
+

α

D

b
-

β

u

(
x
)

at a point x will have to retrieve the information not only to the left of x all the way to the left boundary but also to the right up to the right boundary, simultaneously. Therefore, only limited tools can be applied to such a situation, which is the most challenging part of the work. To overcome this, we do the analysis from a non-traditional perspective and eventually establish elliptic-type results, including Hopf’s Lemma and maximum principles. As $$\alpha \rightarrow 1^-$$

α
→

1
-

or $$\alpha ,\beta \rightarrow 1^-$$

α
,
β
→

1
-

, those operators reduce to the one-sided fractional diffusion operator and the classic diffusion operator, respectively. For these reasons, we still refer to them as “elliptic diffusion operators", however, without any physical interpretation.
Evaluation of the fatigue resistance of butt-welded joints in towers of wind turbines — a comparison of experimental studies with small scale and component tests as well as numerical based approaches with local concepts
Authors: Glienke R. , Kalkowsky F. , Hobbacher A. F. , Holch A. , Thiele M. , Marten F. , Kersten R. , Henkel K.-M.
Published: February 2024

Wind turbines must endure a high number of load cycles during their service lifetime. Therefore, the fatigue strength verification plays an important role. Butt-welded joints are one of the most common structural details in the tower structure of wind turbines. In general, the nominal stress method is used for their fatigue verification. The Eurocode 3 part 1–9 is the current design standard for this field of application and defines the fatigue resistance by pre-defined FAT-classes. This paper presents recent results of fatigue tests on small-scaled specimens and large components with transverse butt welds to discuss the validity of the FAT-class. In addition, results from numerical simulations for the verification with the effective notch stress and the crack propagation approach are used for comparison. For this purpose, macroscopic measurements of the weld seam geometry and a 3D scan were used for a realistic consideration of the notch effect in the simulation. Based on the consistency between the numerical results and the fatigue tests, the influence of the seam geometry on the fatigue resistance was worked out. Furthermore, a prediction of the fatigue strength of butt-welded joints with plate thicknesses up to 80 mm was carried out.
Deference or critical engagement: how should healthcare practitioners use clinical ethics guidance?
Authors: Davies Ben , Parker Joshua
Published: February 2024

Healthcare practitioners have access to a range of ethical guidance. However, the normative role of this guidance in ethical decision-making is underexplored. This paper considers two ways that healthcare practitioners could approach ethics guidance. We first outline the idea of deference to ethics guidance, showing how an attitude of deference raises three key problems: moral value; moral understanding; and moral error. Drawing on philosophical literature, we then advocate an alternative framing of ethics guidance as a form of moral testimony by colleagues and suggest that a more promising attitude to ethics guidance is to approach it in the spirit of ‘critical engagement’ rather than deference.
A Community-Based Reproductive Health Care Model Effectively Enhances Reproductive Health Among Lahu Women in Northern Thailand
Authors: Suratana Soontaree , Boonchiang Waraporn , Apidechkul Tawatchai , Naksen Warangkana , Mulikaburt Thanatchaporn , Chomsri Pimpisa , Matrakul Mullika
Published: February 2024

Background

Inadequate and delayed access to sexual and reproductive health services among the Hill Tribe population can be attributed to the intersection of socioeconomic challenges and distinct cultural practices. To address this limitation and create a tailored model capable of addressing it, this study assesses the effectiveness of the Community-Based Reproductive Health Care Model (CRHC) in enhancing reproductive health knowledge, attitudes, and practices among Lahu women, a prominent hill tribe population in Northern Thailand.

Methods

Implementing the CRHC model includes training programs for community influencers and subsequent education for Lahu women using culturally adapted courses. The effectiveness of the model is assessed through pre-test and post-test comparisons of knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to reproductive health care and analyzed using paired t-tests and repeated ANOVA.

Results

The scores for knowledge, attitudes, and practices among Lahu women changed from 8.92 ± 2.02, 52.99 ± 5.54, and 27.76 ± 6.67 to 10.47 ± 2.32 (p < 0.001), 56.61 ± 5.54 (p < 0.001), and 29.47 ± 6.76 (p = 0.030), respectively. Significant improvements are observed in these areas, particularly in maternal health practices among pregnant Lahu women (n = 11). This study additionally evaluates the model’s impact on the healthcare system by analyzing changes in government performance indexes, showing increased access to high-quality antenatal care and contraceptive usage. This study highlights the challenges faced by hill tribe populations in accessing healthcare, emphasizing the need for tailored reproductive health education and the importance of addressing health insurance barriers.

Conclusion

The CRHC model’s success illustrates the potential of community-based, culturally sensitive interventions in improving reproductive health outcomes, providing valuable insights for similar interventions in other indigenous or marginalized communities.
CL-BPUWM: continuous learning with Bayesian parameter updating and weight memory
Authors: He Yao , Yang Jing , Li Shaobo , Hu Jianjun , Ren Yaping , Ji Qing
Published: February 2024

Catastrophic forgetting in neural networks is a common problem, in which neural networks lose information from previous tasks after training on new tasks. Although adopting a regularization method that preferentially retains the parameters important to the previous task to avoid catastrophic forgetting has a positive effect; existing regularization methods cause the gradient to be near zero because the loss is at the local minimum. To solve this problem, we propose a new continuous learning method with Bayesian parameter updating and weight memory (CL-BPUWM). First, a parameter updating method based on the Bayes criterion is proposed to allow the neural network to gradually obtain new knowledge. The diagonal of the Fisher information matrix is then introduced to significantly minimize computation and increase parameter updating efficiency. Second, we suggest calculating the importance weight by observing how changes in each network parameter affect the model prediction output. In the process of model parameter updating, the Fisher information matrix and the sensitivity of the network are used as the quadratic penalty terms of the loss function. Finally, we apply dropout regularization to reduce model overfitting during training and to improve model generalizability. CL-BPUWM performs very well in continuous learning for classification tasks on CIFAR-100 dataset, CIFAR-10 dataset, and MNIST dataset. On CIFAR-100 dataset, it is 0.8%, 1.03% and 0.75% higher than the best performing regularization method (EWC) in three task partitions. On CIFAR-10 dataset, it is 2.25% higher than the regularization method (EWC) and 0.7% higher than the scaled method (GR). It is 0.66% higher than the regularization method (EWC) on the MNIST dataset. When the CL-BPUWM method was combined with the brain-inspired replay model under the CIFAR-100 and CIFAR-10 datasets, the classification accuracy was 2.35% and 5.38% higher than that of the baseline method, BI-R + SI.
TD-Net:tiny defect detection network for industrial products
Authors: Shao Rui , Zhou Mingle , Li Min , Han Delong , Li Gang
Published: February 2024

The detection of tiny defects in industrial products is important for improving the quality of industrial products and maintaining production safety. Currently, image-based defect detection methods are ineffective in detecting tiny and variously shaped defects. Therefore, this paper proposes a tiny defect detection network (TD-Net) for industrial products to improve the effectiveness of tiny defect detection. TD-Net improves the overall defect detection effect, especially the detection effect of tiny defects, by solving the problems of downsampling of tiny defects, pre-filtering of conflicting deep and shallow semantic information, and cascading fusion of multi-scale information. Specifically, this paper proposes the Defect Downsampling (DD) module to realize the defect information supplementation during the backbone downsampling process and improve the problem that the stepwise convolution easily misses the detection of tiny defects. Meanwhile, the Semantic Information Interaction Module (SIIM) is proposed, which fuses deep and shallow semantic features, and is designed to interact the fused features with shallow features to optimize the detection of tiny defects. Finally, the Scale Information Fusion Module (SIFM) is proposed to improve the Path Aggregation Network (PANet) for cascading fusion and information focus on different scale information, which enables further improvement of defect detection performance of TD-Net. Extensive experimental results on the NEU–DET data set (76.8$$\%$$
%
mAP), the Peking University PCB defect data set (96.2$$\%$$
%
mAP) and the GC10-DET data set (71.5$$\%$$
%
mAP) show that the proposed TD-Net achieves competitive results compared with SOTA methods with the equivalent parameter quantity.
Why is economics the only discipline with so many curves going up and down? There is an alternative
Authors: Dosi Giovanni
Published: February 2024

Even the most rudimentary training from Economics 101 starts with demand curves going down and supply curves going up. They are so ‘natural’ that they sound even more obvious than the Euclidian postulates in mathematics. But are they? What do they actually mean? Start with “demand curves”. Are they hypothetical ‘psychological constructs’ on individual preferences? Propositions on aggregation over them? Reduced forms of actual dynamic proposition of time profiles of prices and demanded quantities? Similar considerations apply to “supply curves” The point here, drawing upon the chapter by Kirman and Dosi, in Dosi (Dosi, Foundations of Complex Evolving Economies Innovation, Organization and Industrial Dynamics, Oxford University Press, 2023), is that the forest of demand and supply curves is basically there to populate the analysis with double axiomatic notions of equilibria, both ‘in the head’ of individual agents, and in environments in which they operate. Supply and demand “curves”, I am arguing, are one of the three major methodological stumbling blocks on the way of progress in economics, the other related ones being ‘utility functions’ and ‘production functions’. There is an alternative: represent markets and industries how they actually works, and model them both via fully fledged Agent Based Models and via lower dimensional dynamical systems.
Technology Use, Maize Productivity, and Weather in West Africa
Authors: Etwire Prince M. , Fielding David , Martey Edward
Published: February 2024

This paper presents estimates of the association between maize yield and weather using survey data from Ghana, Mali and Nigeria, allowing for the possibility that farmers’ choices about agricultural technology may themselves depend on weather. We find that the association between yield and weather varies substantially according to these choices. We then use our estimates to forecast the change in yield under alternative weather change scenarios. All of these scenarios envisage an increase in temperature, but some envisage a rise in rainfall while others envisage a fall. In almost all scenarios, there is a substantial fall in productivity. In the absence of adaptation measures, weather change is likely to substantially reduce farm income in all three countries.
Prediction and classification of IoT sensor faults using hybrid deep learning model
Authors: Seba Adisu Mulu , Gemeda Ketema Adere , Ramulu Perumalla Janaki
Published: February 2024

The quality and reliability of internet of thing (IoT) ecosystems heavily rely on accurate and dependable sensor data. However, resource limited sensors are prone to failure due to various factors like environmental disturbances and electrical noise in which they can produce erroneous and faulty measurements. These can have significant consequences across different domains, including a threat to safety in critical systems. Though many researches have been conducted, the existing literature primarily focuses on fault detection in the sensor data, while fault detection is useful, it is still a reactive approach that identifies the faults after they have occurred, meaning that actions are taken after the fault has already impacted the system, potentially leading to negative consequences. In this study, a proactive approach has been proposed by developing a two-stage solution. In the first stage, a hybrid convolutional neural network-long short term memory (CNN-LSTM) model was trained to forecast sensor measurements based on historical data, while in the second stage, the forecasted measurements were passed to a hybrid convolutional neural network-multi layer perceptron (CNN-MLP) model that has been trained to recognize different types of sensor faults and classify the new measurements accordingly. By passing the forecasted sensor values as input to the classification model and categorizing them as normal, bias, drift, random or poly-drift, anticipated the potential faults before they manifest. The publicly available Intel Lab data raw dataset is used, which has been annotated and fault-injected. For regression, gated recurrent unit (GRU), Long short term memory (LSTM), bidirectional long short term memory (BiLSTM), convolutional neural network-gated recurrent unit (CNN-GRU), convolutional neural network-long short term memory (CNN-LSTM), and convolutional neural network-bidirectional long short term memory (CNN-BiLSTM), were evaluated and compared their performance using root mean squared error (RMSE), mean squared error (MSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) with 2-split time series cross-validation. CNN-LSTM outperformed the other models with a Mean Absolute Error of 2.0957 for a 45 time steps forecast. For the classification task, convolutional neural network (CNN), multi-layer perceptron (MLP), and convolutional neural network-multi layer perceptron (CNN-MLP) evaluated using the metrics accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score with 5 and tenfold cross-validations. CNN-MLP outperformed the others with accuracy of 96.11% for bias, 99.33% for drift, and 98.61% for random and 98.81% for poly-drift. The average accuracy across the 4 faults is 98.21%, which is a 0.3% increase from the baseline work 97.91%. By adopting a proactive approach to sensor fault prediction and classification, this research aims to enhance the reliability and efficiency of IoT systems, allowing for preventive measures to be taken before faults have a detrimental impact.
Impact of transparent conducting substrates on structural and optical of Titanium(IV) phthalocyanine dichloride (TiPcCl2) thin films
Authors: Abdelhamid Sabrien M. , Dongol M. , Elhady A. F. , Abuelwafa Amr Attia
Published: February 2024

This study investigates the impact of transparent conducting substrates, specifically indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), on the structural and optical characteristics of thermally evaporated Titanium phthalocyanine chloride (TiPcCl2) thin films. The crystalline structure of TiPcCl2/quartz thin films was verified by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) patterns while amorphous phases were detected in TiPcCl2/ITO and TiPcCl2/FTO thin films. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images provided evidence that the morphology of TiPcCl2 thin films may be affected by a lattice mismatch between TiPcCl2 and substrates. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) also showed that the substrates did not change the molecular structure of TiPcCl2. UV–Vis-NIR spectroscopy demonstrated that the substrates had a significant influence on the optical gap, optical constants, dielectric constant dielectric loss functions and optical conductivity of TiPcCl2 thin films. Lastly, the nonlinear susceptibility χ(3), the nonlinear refractive index $${{\varvec{n}}}_{2}$$

n

2

and the nonlinear absorption coefficient β(c) for TiPcCl2/ITO, TiPcCl2/FTO, and TiPcCl2/quartz were obtained using a semi-empirical approach. The changes seen in optical properties could be due to changes in the crystal structure and morphology, which are closely connected to the properties of the substrate material. Overall, the results for TiPcCl2 thin films are promising, and they are appropriate for novel optoelectronic device applications.
Exploring the biochemical constituents, medicinal properties and potential commercialization of Ximenia caffra Sond. for enhancing human health: a comprehensive review
Authors: Maluleke Mdungazi K. , Boitumelo Lekoba , Marokane-Radebe Cynthia K.
Published: February 2024

In the realm of sustainable development, universal access to safe and nutritious food and medicine is paramount, particularly championed by the “Zero Hunger” initiative. This article comprehensively reviews the status of research on Ximenia caffra Sond, commonly known as Wild sour plum, an underutilized plant offering versatile applications in both food and medicine. The study delves into X. caffra’s phytochemistry, drawing from peer-reviewed articles sourced from Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. The findings illuminate the plant’s richness in diverse bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids, underpinning its multifaceted medicinal and nutritional properties. The nutritional and phytochemical abundance of X. caffra underscores a compelling case for advancing from sporadic tribal consumption to full-scale commercialization, necessitating further research to optimize cultivation techniques and extraction methods for commercial products.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Intelligent dynamic spectrum
access using fuzzy logic in cognitive radio networks
Authors: Kishore K. Krishna , Rajasekaran Arun Sekar , Keshta Ismail , Byeon Haewon , Bhatt Mohammed Wasim , Irshad Azeem , Ofori Isaac
Published: February 2024

Cognitive radio networks have emerged as a promising solution to the
growing problem of spectrum scarcity and inefficient spectrum utilization. By enabling
secondary users to opportunistically access underutilized frequency bands while avoiding
harmful interference to primary users, cognitive radio networks offer the potential for
more efficient and dynamic spectrum allocation. In this paper, we propose an intelligent
approach to dynamic spectrum access using fuzzy logic in cognitive radio networks. The
key challenge in cognitive radio networks lies in spectrum sensing, decision-making, and
channel selection, where uncertainties and variations in the radio frequency spectrum
are prevalent. To address these challenges, we employ fuzzy logic as a powerful tool to
handle the inherent imprecision and ambiguity in the decision-making process.
Fuzzy-based spectrum sensing algorithms allow for robust detection of spectrum
opportunities by considering the “fuzziness” in the received signal strength and noise
conditions.