bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Artificial Intelligence Tools in Academic Article Writing: Is it a Tool or a Co-Author?
Authors: Dere Osman
Published: October 2023

Dear Editors,
I have read your editorials on the use of artificial intelligence in academic articles with great attention and enthusiasm [1,2]. In addition, in the comments made to your articles, I reviewed the ethical problems that may arise from the use of artificial intelligence in scientific articles and the contributions that the article will provide in the writing process [3-6].
Although technological developments and advances in artificial intelligence have gained great momentum in recent years, I believe they should be accepted as an accumulation of all humanity. As a matter of fact, in very old sources, there is information that the machines known as robots and automatons at that time were used for entertainment purposes in the centuries before Christ. Furthermore, sophisticated machines, water clocks, and programmable humanoid automatons invented by İsmâil bin er-Rezzâz el-Cezerî in the 12th century, which have an important position in our scientific history, have played a significant role in the development of today's robot technology and mechanical sciences.
Artificial intelligence applications are progressively being employed in agriculture, industry, military activities, health, art, and numerous other disciplines. Today, when we type "artificial intelligence" into the Google Scholar, we get 5,410,000 results, demonstrating how these developments have affected the academic world. As indicated in previous comments, I believe that applications such as ChatGPT in academic writings can be used for grammar corrections and abstract editing. Furthermore, these apps might be employed in the introduction section, where broad information about the topic under investigation is provided in the articles. However, since these applications do not only use academic databases during the literature review, the final version of the article should be evaluated by the relevant author. The primary ethical issue with these practices is that they are unable to accept responsibility in proportion to their authority. As a result, regardless of their contribution to the design of the paper, I think that these apps should not be deemed co-authors. However, it should be noted that these applications were used in the article.
In conclusion, I believe that in the not-too-distant future, artificial intelligence applications will make significant contributions to the writing of the article, particularly in academic studies involving quantitative data. We should use these technologies as a tool to contribute more to academic advancement.
Kind regards,
From the Guest Editor
Authors: Işık A. Feridun
Published: October 2023

Lung cancer is still a detrimental problem for physicians and surgeons. Because of having no standard treatment and poor survival, enforces us to find new approaches for its eradication. However, we have a so long way to this purpose. Genetic and cell researches to find out its real etiology and pathway are developing. But today, patients with lung cancer are waiting for some treatment methods which ease and give hope themselves immediately. Surgery is the most hopeful way for radical solution of lung cancer. Recently, new anesthetic and surgical technics give us some important advantages that were very frightfully before. In this issue, we aimed to emphasize the new researches, interventions and experimental studies about pulmonary carcinoma. All authors worked hard for this purpose. I appreciate all of them and the editor in chief Prof. Murat Sucu. I hope all articles will help us thinking and researching lung cancer in all ways.
Prof. A. Feridun Işık
The Virtual Writing Marathon Ecosystem: Writing, Community, and Emotion
Authors: Sassi Kelly , Martens Susan , Louth Richard
Published: October 2023

This empirical study of a virtual writing marathon (Write Across America) theorizes a dynamic online ecosystem in which the five realms—virtual place, design, writing, sharing, and emotion—interact in the process of writing. The study has implications for students and for the professional development of writing instructors.
First-Year International Students and the Language of Indigenous Studies
Authors: Thieme Katja , Marr Jennifer Walsh
Published: October 2023

We advocate for the inclusion of Indigenous studies within first-year writing and academic English courses, particularly those taught to multilingual, international students. We argue that asking international students to learn about local and international Indigenous issues productively intersects with coursework in academic English. Our pedagogical approach emphasizes metalanguage and allows Indigenous studies and explicit language instruction to work in tandem, thereby recognizing the agency of Indigenous scholars and guiding non-Indigenous students in relation to it.
The Student-Podcaster as Narrator of Social Change?
Authors: Choong Phil , Bjork Collin
Published: October 2023

Podcasting has been used by many scholars to teach ancient and contemporary rhetorical principles. We extend this conversation by examining narrative nonfiction podcasting and its potential to work toward social change. We suggest pedagogical principles that amplify the affordances of the genre and acknowledge its constraints for achieving social change.
Struktura zbioru wektorów cen równowagi w modelu rynku typu Gale’a-Shapleya
Authors: Świtalski Zbigniew
Published: October 2023

In the paper we compare market model of Gale (1960) presented in the book The Theory of Linear Economic Models (for finite set of indivisible goods) with the market model based on the college admission model of Gale and Shapley (1962). For the market model of Gale-Shapley type (which was presented in details by Świtalski, 2014) we characterize the set of vectors of equilibrium prices as a disjoint union of some n-dimensional rectangular parallelepipeds.
Triangular method of spatial sampling
Authors: Bąk Tomasz
Published: October 2023

In this paper a new adaptive method of spatial sampling - a triangular method of spatial sampling is presented. The theory of this method is developed. Benefits of decreased size of a sample, when this method is used, are discussed. Initial sampling of the first three elements is described and density of sampling at the initial stage is obtained by Monte Carlo method. The density is defined on the basis of the logarithm of inverse square of the Euclidean distance function. Simulation of the triangular method of spatial sampling is conducted. An example is research on a forest. The aim of this research is to approximate the ability of trees to absorb carbon dioxide. In this example the triangular method of spatial sampling is used at the strata sampling stage. Density of sampling in the simulated forest is obtained using Monte Carlo method.
A modified mixed randomized response model
Authors: Singh Housila P. , Tarray Tanveer A.
Published: October 2023

Socio-economic investigations often relate to certain personal features that people wish to hide from others in comprehensive inquiries, detailed questionnaires include numerous items. Data on most of them are frequently easy to procure merely by asking, but a few others can be on sensitive issues for which people are not inclined to state honest responses. For example, most people prefer to conceal the truth regarding their savings, the extent of their accumulated wealth, their history of intentional tax evasion and other illegal and or unethical practices leading to earnings from clandestine sources, crimes, trade in contraband goods, susceptibility to intoxication, expenditures on addictions of various forms, homosexuality, and similar issues which are customarily disapproved of by society. Open or direct queries often fail to yield reliable data on such confidential aspects of human life. Warner (1965) developed an alternative survey technique that is known as randomized response (RR) technique. Greenberg et al. (1971) presented a revised version of Warner's (1965) technique for qualitative variables. Later various modifications were given by several researchers [see Chaudhuri (2011)]. Kim and Warde (2005) and Nazuk and Shabir (2010) presented mixed randomized response models using simple random sampling with replacement sampling scheme which improves the privacy of respondents. In this paper we have suggested a modified mixed randomized response model to estimate the proportion of a qualitative sensitive variable. Properties of the proposed randomized response model have been studied along with recommendations. It has been shown that the suggested randomized response model is always better than Kim and Warde’s (2005) model while it is better than Nazuk and Shabbir’s (2010) model under some realistic conditions. Numerical illustrations and graphs are also given in support of the present study.
Application of the original price index formula to measuring the CPI’s commodity substitution bias
Authors: Białek Jacek
Published: October 2023

This paper examines a possibility to apply the original price index formula to measuring the commodity substitution bias associated with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Through simulation study the CPI bias values - calculated by using the original price index formula – is compared with those calculated on the basis of some known, superlative price indices.
Winsorization methods in Polish business survey
Authors: Dehnel Grażyna
Published: October 2023

One of the major problems involved in estimating information about economic activity across small domains is too small sample size and incompleteness of data sources. For instance, the distribution of enterprises by target variables tends to be considerably right-skewed, with high variation, high kurtosis and outliers. Therefore, it is not obvious that the implementation of traditional estimation methods meets the desired requirements, such as being free from bias or having competitive variance. Furthermore, the pressure to produce accurate estimates at a low level of aggregation or needs to substantially reduce sample size have increased the importance of exploring the possibilities of applying new, more sophisticated methods of estimation. The aim of the study was to test the usefulness of winsorization methods to estimate economic statistics from the DG1 survey.
Modelling of skewness measure distribution
Authors: Pihlak Margus
Published: October 2023

In this paper the distribution of random variable skewness measure is modelled. Firstly, we present some results of matrix algebra useful in multivariate statistical analyses. Then, we apply the central limit theorem on modelling of skewness measure distribution. Finally, we give an idea for finding the confidence intervals of statistical model residuals' asymmetry measure.
Deviations from tetrahedral four-coordinate carbon: a statistical exploration.
Authors: Rzepa Henry
Published: October 2023

An article entitled "

Four Decades of the Chemistry of Planar Hypercoordinate Compounds

"[cite]10.1002/anie.201410407[/cite] was recently reviewed by Steve Bacharach on his blog, where you can also see comments. Given the recent crystallographic themes here, I thought I might try a search of the CSD (Cambridge structure database) to see whether anything interesting might emerge for tetracoordinate carbon.
π-Resonance in amides: a crystallographic reality check.
Authors: Rzepa Henry
Published: October 2023

The π-resonance in amides famously helped Pauling to his proposal of a helical structure for proteins. Here I explore some geometric properties of amides related to the C-N bond and the torsions about it. The key aspect of amides is that a lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen can conjugate with the C=O carbonyl only if the lone pair orbital is parallel to the C-O π-system.
π-Resonance in thioamides: a crystallographic “diff” with amides.
Authors: Rzepa Henry
Published: October 2023

The previous post explored the structural features of amides. Here I compare the analysis with that for the closely related thioamides. Here is the torsional analysis around the C-N bond. The “diff” (difference) is that almost all the hits are concentrated into angles of 0° or 180°; the twist about the C-N bond from co-planarity is much less if S is present.
A tourist trip around London Overground with a chemical theme.
Authors: Rzepa Henry
Published: October 2023

Most visitors to London use the famous

underground trains

(the “tube”) or a* double-decker bus* to see the city (one can also use rivers and canals). So I thought, during the tourism month of August, I would show you an alternative overground circumnavigation of the city using the metaphor of benzene. Benzene you see is a ring, comprising three “HCCH” segments.
I am supporting RIO Journal. I think you should too
Authors: Mounce Ross
Published: October 2023

Today (2015-09-01), marks the public announcement of Research Ideas & Outcomes (RIO for short), a new open access journal for all disciplines that seeks to open-up the entire research cycle with some truly novel features I know what you might be thinking: *Another open access journal? Really? * Myself, nor Daniel Mietchen simply wouldn’t be involved with this project if it was just another boring open access journal.
ANÁLISE TEMPORAL DO USO DA TERRA NA BACIA DO RIO GRANDE NO ESTADO DE MINAS GERAIS
Authors: Gonçalves Lacerda de Gouveia Rogerio , Rodrigues Barbosa Gustavo
Published: October 2023

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar e quantificar o uso da terra na Bacia Hidrográfica do rio Grande no Estado de Minas Gerais, com área total de 86345,43 km², nos anos 1990, 2000, 2010 e 2020. Foram utilizadas as imagens do satélite LANDSAT com resolução espacial de 30 m, em que o projeto Mapbiomas processa os dados e disponibiliza um produto com várias classes de uso da terra desde  1985 até o momento. O grau de antropização foi verificado por meio do Índice de Transformação Antrópica. Foram identificadas dez classes de uso da terra na bacia do rio Grande no Estado de Minas Gerais: mata nativa, formação campestre, silvicultura, campo alagado, massas d´água, pastagem, agricultura, outras áreas não vegetadas, mineração e área urbanizada. Os resultados indicaram a diminuição nos percentuais das classes:  12,07% na mata nativa, 0,49% em campo alagado e 0,07% em outras áreas não vegetadas. Por outro lado, a área de uso da terra aumentou  4,88% na agricultura, 3,31% pastagem, 1,95% massas d’água, 1,66% silvicultura, 0,66% área urbanizada, 0,15% formação campestre e 0,01% mineração. Portanto, este trabalho evidenciou alteração drástica da paisagem e, por meio do Índice de Transformação Antrópica, verificou-se aumento de 4,55 para 5,14 entre os anos 1990 e 2020, ou seja, a área de estudo, que  se encontrava na classe regular, passou a ser degradada em decorrência, sobretudo, das atividades antrópicas associadas à expansão da agricultura e da pastagem.
Development of the veterinary expert system
Authors: Staroverova Natalia Aleksandrovna , Chmil Dmitrii Andreevich , Mukhamadiev Ruslan Rustamovich
Published: October 2023

Veterinary medicine is an area where modern technology can have a significant impact. The application of expert systems in this field has not yet been fully explored. Expert systems can process large amounts of data, including symptoms, disease history and other parameters to provide accurate and rapid diagnoses. This is especially valuable in situations where rapid intervention can save an animal's life. These systems can serve as a supportive tool for veterinarians, especially in complex or rare disease cases. They can provide recommendations based on the latest research and clinical practices. In agriculture, expert systems can analyze data on the health of the entire herd and identify possible problems or trends, helping farmers and veterinarians to take timely action. This article focuses on the development of a veterinary expert system that reflects current animal health needs. The authors perform a detailed analysis of existing veterinary systems, highlighting key functionalities needed by veterinary and agricultural professionals. One unique aspect of the paper is the use of symptom-complexity weighting and probability calculations of diagnosable diseases, which can make a significant contribution to the accuracy and efficiency of animal disease diagnosis. The paper can serve as a useful resource for veterinary specialists as well as software developers involved in the creation of intelligent systems in medical and agricultural applications.
Allosteric inhibition of the T cell receptor by a designed membrane ligand
Authors: Ye Yujie , Morita Shumpei , Chang Justin J , Buckley Patrick M , Wilhelm Kiera B , DiMaio Daniel , Groves Jay T , Barrera Francisco N
Published: October 2023

The T cell receptor (TCR) is a complex molecular machine that directs the activation of T cells, allowing the immune system to fight pathogens and cancer cells. Despite decades of investigation, the molecular mechanism of TCR activation is still controversial. One of the leading activation hypotheses is the allosteric model. This model posits that binding of pMHC at the extracellular domain triggers a dynamic change in the transmembrane (TM) domain of the TCR subunits, which leads to signaling at the cytoplasmic side. We sought to test this hypothesis by creating a TM ligand for TCR. Previously we described a method to create a soluble peptide capable of inserting into membranes and binding to the TM domain of the receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 (Alves et al., eLife, 2018). Here, we show that the approach is generalizable to complex membrane receptors, by designing a TM ligand for TCR. We observed that the designed peptide caused a reduction of Lck phosphorylation of TCR at the CD3ζ subunit in T cells. As a result, in the presence of this peptide inhibitor of TCR (PITCR), the proximal signaling cascade downstream of TCR activation was significantly dampened. Co-localization and co-immunoprecipitation in diisobutylene maleic acid (DIBMA) native nanodiscs confirmed that PITCR was able to bind to the TCR. AlphaFold-Multimer predicted that PITCR binds to the TM region of TCR, where it interacts with the two CD3ζ subunits. Our results additionally indicate that PITCR disrupts the allosteric changes in the compactness of the TM bundle that occur upon TCR activation, lending support to the allosteric TCR activation model. The TCR inhibition achieved by PITCR might be useful to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and to prevent organ transplant rejection, as in these conditions aberrant activation of TCR contributes to disease.
Tailoring Tfh Profiles Enhances Antibody Persistence to a Clade C HIV-1 Vaccine in Rhesus Macaques
Authors: Verma Anil , Hawes Chase E , Elizaldi Sonny R , Smith Justin C. , Rajasundaram Dhivyaa , Pedersen Gabriel Kristian , Shen Xiaoying , Williams LaTonya D , Tomaras Georgia D. , Kozlowski Pamela A. , Amara Rama R. , Iyer Smita S.
Published: October 2023

CD4 T follicular helper cells (T
fh
) are essential for establishing serological memory and have distinct helper attributes that impact both the quantity and quality of the antibody response. Insights into T
fh
subsets that promote antibody persistence and functional capacity can critically inform vaccine design. Based on the T
fh
profiles evoked by the live attenuated measles virus vaccine, renowned for its ability to establish durable humoral immunity, we investigated the potential of a T
fh
1/17 recall response during the boost phase to enhance persistence of HIV-1 Envelope (Env) antibodies in rhesus macaques. Using a DNA-prime encoding gp160 antigen and T
fh
polarizing cytokines (interferon protein-10 (IP-10) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)), followed by a gp140 protein boost formulated in a cationic liposome-based adjuvant (CAF01), we successfully generated germinal center (GC) T
fh
1/17 cells. In contrast, a similar DNA-prime (including IP-10) followed by gp140 formulated with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA)+QS-21 adjuvant predominantly induced GC T
fh
1 cells. While the generation of GC T
fh
1/17 cells with CAF01 and GC T
fh
1 cells with MPLA+QS-21 induced comparable peak Env antibodies, the latter group demonstrated significantly greater antibody concentrations at week 8 after final immunization which persisted up to 30 weeks (gp140 IgG ng/ml- MPLA; 5500; CAF01, 2155; p <0.05). Notably, interferon γ+ Env-specific T
fh
responses were consistently higher with gp140 in MPLA+QS-21 and positively correlated with Env antibody persistence. These findings suggest that vaccine platforms maximizing GC T
fh
1 induction promote persistent Env antibodies, important for protective immunity against HIV.
Interplay between charge distribution and DNA in shaping HP1 paralog phase separation and localization
Authors: Phan Tien M. , Kim Young C. , Debelouchina Galia T. , Mittal Jeetain
Published: October 2023

The heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) family is a crucial component of heterochromatin with diverse functions in gene regulation, cell cycle control, and cell differentiation. In humans, there are three paralogs, HP1α, HP1β, and HP1γ, which exhibit remarkable similarities in their domain architecture and sequence properties. Nevertheless, these paralogs display distinct behaviors in liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), a process linked to heterochromatin formation. Here, we employ a coarse-grained simulation framework to uncover the sequence features responsible for the observed differences in LLPS. We highlight the significance of the net charge and charge patterning along the sequence in governing paralog LLPS propensities. We also show that both highly conserved folded and less-conserved disordered domains contribute to the observed differences. Furthermore, we explore the potential co-localization of different HP1 paralogs in multicomponent assemblies and the impact of DNA on this process. Importantly, our study reveals that DNA can significantly reshape the stability of a minimal condensate formed by HP1 paralogs due to competitive interactions of HP1α with HP1β and HP1γ versus DNA. In conclusion, our work highlights the physicochemical nature of interactions that govern the distinct phase-separation behaviors of HP1 paralogs and provides a molecular framework for understanding their role in chromatin organization.Distinct interaction patterns of HP1 paralogs, in concert with DNA modulation, induce the organization of chromatin via liquid-liquid phase separation.
Scaling of an antibody validation procedure enables quantification of antibody performance in major research applications
Authors: Ayoubi Riham , Ryan Joel , Biddle Michael S , Alshafie Walaa , Fotouhi Maryam , Bolivar Sara Gonzalez , Moleon Vera Ruiz , Eckmann Peter , Worrall Donovan , McDowell Ian , Southern Kathleen , Reintsch Wolfgang , Durcan Thomas M , Brown Claire M , Bandrowski Anita , Virk Harvinder S , Edwards Aled M , McPherson Peter S , Laflamme Carl
Published: October 2023

Antibodies are critical reagents to detect and characterize proteins. It is commonly understood that many commercial antibodies do not recognize their intended targets, but information on the scope of the problem remains largely anecdotal, and as such, feasibility of the goal of at least one potent and specific antibody targeting each protein in a proteome cannot be assessed. Focusing on antibodies for human proteins, we have scaled a standardized characterization approach using parental and knockout cell lines (Laflamme et al., 2019) to assess the performance of 614 commercial antibodies for 65 neuroscience-related proteins. Side-by-side comparisons of all antibodies against each target, obtained from multiple commercial partners, demonstrates that:
i)
more than 50% of all antibodies failed in one or more tests,
ii
) yet, ∼50-75% of the protein set was covered by at least one high-performing antibody, depending on application, suggesting that coverage of human proteins by commercial antibodies is significant; and
iii
) recombinant antibodies performed better than monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. The hundreds of underperforming antibodies identified in this study were found to have been used in a large number of published articles, which should raise alarm. Encouragingly, more than half of the underperforming commercial antibodies were reassessed by the manufacturers, and many had alterations to their recommended usage or were removed from the market. This first such study helps demonstrate the scale of the antibody specificity problem but also suggests an efficient strategy toward achieving coverage of the human proteome; mine the existing commercial antibody repertoire, and use the data to focus new renewable antibody generation efforts.
Ice nucleation proteins self-assemble into large fibres to trigger freezing at near 0 ℃
Authors: Hansen Thomas , Lee Jocelyn C. , Reicher Naama , Ovadia Gil , Guo Shuaiqi , Guo Wangbiao , Liu Jun , Braslavsky Ido , Rudich Yinon , Davies Peter L.
Published: October 2023

In nature, frost can form at a few degrees below zero Celsius. However, this process requires the assembly of tens of thousands of ice-like water molecules that align together to initiate freezing at these relatively high temperatures. Water ordering on this scale is mediated by the ice nucleation proteins of common environmental bacteria like
Pseudomonas syringae
and
P. borealis
. However, individually, these 100-kDa proteins are too small to organize enough water molecules for frost formation, and it is not known how giant, megadalton-sized multimers, which are crucial for ice nucleation at high sub-zero temperatures, form. The ability of multimers to self-assemble was suggested when the transfer of an ice nucleation protein gene into
E. coli
led to efficient ice nucleation. Here we demonstrate that a positively-charged sub-domain at the C-terminal end of the central beta-solenoid of the ice nucleation protein is crucial for multimerization. Truncation, relocation, or change of the charge of this subdomain caused a catastrophic loss of ice nucleation ability. Cryo-electron tomography of the recombinant E. coli showed that the ice nucleation protein multimers form fibres that are ∼ 5 nm across and up to 200 nm long. A model of these fibres as an overlapping series of antiparallel dimers can account for all their known properties and suggests a route to making cell-free ice nucleators for biotechnological applications.
Uberização em Salvador/BA: uma análise acerca da regulamentação do transporte por aplicativo através da lei nº 9.488/2019
Authors: De Oliveira Nathália Silva , Ribeiro Mônica Matos
Published: October 2023

O fenômeno da uberização em Salvador/BA e a análise do conteúdo da Lei nº 9.488/2019 é o tema deste artigo. O objetivo proposto é analisar a referida Lei a fim de captar os instrumentos utilizados pela prefeitura da cidade de Salvador, na Bahia, para administrar e gerir essa modalidade de serviço de transporte urbano. A pesquisa esta ancorada teoricamente na perspectiva crítica acerca da relação capital-trabalho no contexto do neoliberalismo. A natureza da abordagem aplicada para o alcance dos objetivos foi qualitativa e o tipo de pesquisa quanto ao nível de aprofundamento se enquadra como exploratória. No que tange aos meios técnicos de investigação, o presente trabalho se enquadra como pesquisa bibliográfica e análise documental. Conclui-se que a regulamentação do trabalho uberizado torna-se extremamente necessária devido ao vácuo legal que cercam estas relações trabalhistas, no entanto, a implementação da Lei nº 9.488/2019 não provoca nem avanços nem retrocessos no que condiz com a redução da precarização do trabalho uberizado no Município de Salvador, Bahia, visto que as normatizações estabelecidas trazem elementos pouco incisivos e não entram no critério de proporcionar direitos, benefícios e/ou respaldo aos trabalhadores.
Application of Computer-aided Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Food Industry
Authors: Prakash Gyan , Mishra Rajesh Kumar , Meena Pukhraj , Pandey Devendra , Pandey Virendra Kumar
Published: October 2023

The incorporation of Computer-aided artificial intelligence (AI) into the food business has signaled the beginning of a new age of innovation and transformation. This review paper digs into the different applications of artificial intelligence in the food industry. AI is altering operations, increasing efficiency and transforming customer experiences in industries ranging from agriculture to food processing, manufacturing, supply chain management, delivery services and restaurants. The report delves into how AI is being used for precision farming, quality monitoring, supply chain optimization, individualized consumer interactions and other applications. While highlighting the advantages, the analysis also addresses problems such as financial constraints, a scarcity of experienced specialists and regional differences in adoption. It emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between AI and human knowledge, emphasizing that AI supplements human functions rather than replacing them. The report finishes by emphasizing AI's potential to move the food business toward greater sustainability, efficiency and consumer happiness.
Synthesis of CuO, ZnO and SnO2 Coupled TiO2 Photocatalyst Particles for Enhanced Photodegradation of Rhodamine B Dye
Authors: Kadem Amna Jwad , Tan Zhuang Min , Mohana Suntharam Nanthini , Pung Swee-Yong , Ramakrishnan Sivakumar
Published: October 2023

Environmental pollution is a global problem and dye pollution is one of the major factors. TiO2 shows promising photocatalytic properties that can degrade organic pollutants such as dye under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. However, TiO2 possesses some disadvantages such as a wide band gap and a high recombination rate of electron-hole pairs. Coupling TiO2 with various metal oxides can enhance photocatalytic properties. In this work, photodepositon (reduction of metal ions on TiO2) followed by the thermal oxidation method were used for the coupling of TiO2 with CuO, ZnO, or SnO2 under various methanol concentrations (25 vol% or 50 vol%) and deposition duration (1 h or 3 h) to observe the effect of these parameters on the photocatalytic degradation activity on Rhodamine B (RhB) dye (up to 90 min). The rate constant of the photodegradation reaction (k) has improved from 0.0141 min−1 (uncoupled TiO2) to 0.0151~0.0368 min−1. Overall, CuO/TiO2 and SnO2/TiO2 samples have shown similar photocatalytic properties (average rate constants of 0.0341 min−1 and 0.0327 min-1, respectively), and both performed better than ZnO/TiO2 in terms of RhB photodegradation (average rate constants of 0.0197 min−1). The difference in photocatalytic performance can be explained by the bandgap of metal oxides and their relative band positions with TiO2. Lastly, CuO/TiO2 (50 vol%, 3 h) and SnO2/TiO2 (50 vol%, 3 h) have shown the best photocatalytic properties respectively due to a longer deposition time and higher concentration methanol, resulting in more deposited materials. Copyright © 2023 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Magnetically Actuated Surface Microstructures for Efficient Transport and Tunable Separation of Droplets and Solids
Authors: Kravanja Gaia , Kriegl Raphael , Hribar Luka , Glavan Gašper , Drevenšek-Olenik Irena , Shamonin Mikhail , Jezeršek Matija
Published: October 2023

Efficient transportation of droplets (≈101–102 μL) and small solid objects (≈101–102 mm3) have important applications in many fields, such as microfluidics, lab‐on‐a‐chip devices, drug delivery, etc. A novel multifunctional surface consisting of a periodic array of micro‐lamellae from a soft magnetoactive elastomer on a plastic substrate is reported for these purposes. The physical origin of the propulsion is the bending of soft magnetic lamellae in nonuniform magnetic fields, which is also observed in uniform magnetic fields. The magnetoactive surface is fabricated using a facile and rapid method of laser ablation. The propulsion of items is realized using a four‐pole rotating magnet. This results in a cyclic lamellar fringe motion over the microstructured surface and brings an advantage of easy reciprocation of transport by rotation reversal. Two modes of object transportation are identified: “pushing” mode for precise control of droplet and solid positioning and “bouncing” mode for heavier solid objects transportation. A water droplet of 5 μL or a glass sphere with a 2.1 mm diameter can be moved at a maximum speed of 60 mm s−1. The multifunctionality of the proposed mechatronic platform is demonstrated on the examples of selective solid–liquid separation and droplet merging.
Selective Organ‐Targeting Hafnium Oxide Nanoparticles with Multienzyme‐Mimetic Activities Attenuate Radiation‐Induced Tissue Damage
Authors: Liu Dingxin , Cao Fei , Xu Zhifeng , Zhao Chunhua , Liu Zekun , Pang Jiadong , Liu Ze‐Xian , Moghiseh Mahdieh , Butler Anthony , Liang Shaoxia , Fan Weijun , Yang Jiang
Published: October 2023

Radioprotective agents hold clinical promises to counteract off‐target adverse effects of radiation and benefit radiotherapeutic outcomes, yet the inability to control drug transport in human organs poses a leading limitation. Based upon a validated rank‐based multigene signature model, radiosensitivity indices are evaluated of diverse normal organs as a genomic predictor of radiation susceptibility. Selective ORgan‐Targeting (SORT) hafnium oxide nanoparticles (HfO2 NPs) are rationally designed via modulated synthesis by α‐lactalbumin, homing to top vulnerable organs. HfO2 NPs like Hensify are commonly radioenhancers, but SORT HfO2 NPs exhibit surprising radioprotective effects dictated by unfolded ligands and Hf(0)/Hf(IV) redox couples. Still, the X‐ray attenuation patterns allow radiological confirmation in target organs by dual‐beam spectral computed tomography. SORT HfO2 NPs present potent antioxidant activities, catalytically scavenge reactive oxygen species, and mimic multienzyme catalytic activities. Consequently, SORT NPs rescue radiation‐induced DNA damage in mouse and rabbit models and provide survival benefits upon lethal exposures. In addition to inhibiting radiation‐induced mitochondrial apoptosis, SORT NPs impede DNA damage and inflammation by attenuating activated FoxO, Hippo, TNF, and MAPK interactive cascades. A universal methodology is proposed to reverse radioenhancers into radioprotectors. SORT radioprotective agents with image guidance are envisioned as compelling in personalized shielding from radiation deposition.
Data‐driven lifestyle patterns and risk of dementia in older Australian women
Authors: Dingle Sara E , Bowe Steven J , Bujtor Melissa , Milte Catherine M , Daly Robin M , Byles Julie , Cavenagh Dominic , Torres Susan J
Published: October 2023

INTRODUCTION

Many lifestyle factors have been associated with dementia, but there is limited evidence of how these group together. The aim of this study was to examine the clustering of lifestyle behaviors and associations with dementia.

METHODS

This population‐based study included 9947 older Australian women. Latent class analysis was employed to identify distinct lifestyle classes, and Cox proportional hazard regression compared these with incident dementia over 17 years.

RESULTS

Three classes were identified: (1) “highly social and non‐smokers” (54.9%), (2) “highly social, smokers, and drinkers” (25.1%), and (3) “inactive and low socializers” (20.0%). Women in Class 3 exhibited a higher risk of dementia compared to both Class 1 (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.19, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08 to 1.30) and Class 2 (HR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.25).

DISCUSSION

A lifestyle pattern characterized by physical inactivity and low social engagement may be particularly detrimental for dementia risk in older women and should be prioritized in preventive strategies.

Highlights

Latent class analysis was employed to identify distinct lifestyle clusters.

Three lifestyle‐related clusters were differentially associated with dementia risk.

Inactive and low socializers exhibited the greatest risk of dementia.

Targeting physical inactivity and low social engagement in prevention is vital.
Protective effect of Clinacanthus nutans in cisplatin‐induced nephrotoxicity on human kidney cell (PCS‐400‐010) elucidated by an LCMS‐based metabolomics approach
Authors: Mahmod Ilya Iryani , Ismail Intan Safinar , Normi Yahaya M. , Chong Siok‐Geok
Published: October 2023

Cisplatin‐induced nephrotoxicity has been widely reported in numerous studies. The objective of this study is to assess the potential nephroprotective effects of Clinacanthus nutans (Burm. f.) Lindau (Acanthaceae) leaf extracts on human kidney cells (PCS‐400‐010) in vitro using an LCMS‐based metabolomics approach. Orthogonal partial least square‐discriminant analysis identified 16 significantly altered metabolites when comparing the control and pre‐treated C. nutans cisplatin‐induced groups. These metabolites were found to be associated with glycerophospholipid, purine, and amino acid metabolism, as well as the glycolysis pathway. Pre‐treatment with C. nutans aqueous extract (125 μg/mL) for 24 h, followed by 48 h of cisplatin induction in PCS‐400‐010 cells, demonstrated a nephroprotective effect, particularly involving the regulation of amino acid metabolism.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and corporate environmental sustainability: A systematic literature review and avenues for future research
Authors: Mahran Karim , Elamer Ahmed A.
Published: October 2023

Environmental sustainability has gained significant importance for organizations, highlighting the crucial role of business leaders in addressing environmental degradation. However, the connection between chief executive officer (CEO) characteristics and environmental sustainability remains understudied in academic literature. Understanding this relationship is crucial, considering the significance of environmental sustainability in organizational strategies. This paper presents the first systematic literature review (SLR) on this topic, aiming to identify gaps and opportunities for future research. The SLR analysed 139 studies on the CEO–environmental sustainability relationship. The findings indicate a recent increase in research activity, particularly peaking in 2022 and focusing on China and the United States. Most studies employed upper echelons theory and examined the influence of CEO demographic characteristics on environmental performance. However, less attention has been given to CEO psychological traits, such as personality and ethical leadership, and environmental disclosure. Furthermore, qualitative aspects of environmental disclosure, including reporting tone, readability and specificity, have received less attention. The findings offer valuable insights for academics, practitioners and policymakers. Recommendations for future research include exploring the impact of CEO psychological traits and environmental disclosure on a firm's environmental sustainability. Additionally, studying cross‐country and cross‐industry differences in this relationship is encouraged. This study makes a significant contribution to the field by shedding light on the crucial and relevant topic of environmental sustainability and its association with CEO characteristics, providing valuable insights to guide future research and inform decision‐makers.
Investigations into the human metabolism of ecdysterone
Authors: Piper Thomas , Thevis Mario
Published: October 2023

The possible performance‐enhancing effects and medical benefits of ecdysterone (ECDY) have been discussed several times throughout the last decades. In 2020, the World Anti‐Doping Agency include ECDY in their monitoring programme and continued this prevalence study until now. Only little is known about the human metabolism of ECDY besides the first study performed on human subjects in the field of sports drug testing that was already conducted in 2001. Aim of this study was the in‐depth investigation on human ECDY metabolism to improve its detectability and to support the decision‐making processes as to how ECDY can be implemented most effectively into sports drug testing regulations. In a first trial, one male volunteer was administered with threefold deuterated ECDY to enable the detection and potential identification of all urinary metabolites still comprising the deuterium label by employing hydrogen isotope ratio mass spectrometry and high‐resolution/high‐accuracy mass spectrometry. Samples were collected for up to 14 days, and metabolites excreted unconjugated, glucuronidated, and sulphated were investigated. The detected deuterated metabolites were confirmed in a second administration trial encompassing two male and one female volunteers. After the administration of 50 mg of unlabelled ECDY, urine samples were collected for up to 7 days. Besides the already described urinary metabolites of ECDY, more than 20 new metabolites were detected encompassing all expected metabolic conversions including side chain cleavage at C21. A large interindividual variation in the amounts of excreted metabolites was visible, and considerable differences in abundances of early‐ and late‐excretion phase metabolites were observed.
Ethics of Adaptive Designs for Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Chongwe Gershom , Ali Joseph , Kaye Dan Kabonge , Michelo Charles , Kass Nancy E.
Published: October 2023

Over recent decades, adaptive trial designs have been used more and more often for clinical trials, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This rise in the use of adaptive RCTs has been accompanied by debates about whether such trials offer ethical and methodological advantages over traditional, fixed RCTs. This study examined how experts on clinical trial methods and ethics believe that adaptive RCTs, compared to fixed ones, affect the ethical character of clinical research. We conducted in‐depth interviews with 17 researchers from bioethics, epidemiology, biostatistics, and/or medical backgrounds. While about half believed that adaptive trials are more complex and may thus threaten autonomy, these respondents also expressed that this challenge is not insurmountable. Most respondents expressed that efficiency and potential for participant benefit were the main justifications for adaptive trials. There was tension about whether adaptive randomization in response to increasing information disrupts clinical equipoise, with some respondents insisting that uncertainty still exists and therefore clinical equipoise is not disrupted. These findings suggest that further discussion is needed to increase the awareness and utility of these study designs.
Translational Research and Communities
Authors: Doerr Megan , Yu Joon‐Ho
Published: October 2023

Impactful translational research requires new approaches to computational analysis and bioethics, both of which have been advanced by adoption of community‐engagement strategies. Community knowledge and experience will hone data collection, research, and insights and accelerate the impact of derived translational applications to improve individual health, medical decision‐making, and public health policy. In the context of translational research with big health data, meaningful community‐researcher engagement will require developing and deploying coengagement tools across the research life cycle and developing approaches for novel coproduction.
Cross‐border acquisitions by sovereign wealth funds: A legitimacy‐based view
Authors: Murtinu Samuele , Scalera Vittoria G. , Strange Roger
Published: October 2023

Research Summary

Drawing on institutional economics and the legitimacy‐based view of political risk, we investigate the factors determining the realization of cross‐border investments by sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), whose investments often suffer from a lack of legitimacy in host countries. Using matching models on all the realized and potential investments, we find that investments are more likely to materialize when the SWF home country and the host country enjoy cordial political relations or are involved in a trade agreement. Contrary to the theoretical predictions, SWF politicization does not per se represent an impediment to the realization of investments. Rather, it has a negative effect on the likelihood of an investment's realization only in the presence of trade agreements.

Managerial Summary

A recent trend in the global economy is the increasing cross‐border investment activity undertaken by sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), large investment vehicles where financial and political goals often co‐exist. On the grounds of possible financial or political destabilization, SWFs' cross‐border investments attract scrutiny and suspicion in host countries, hindering their realization. We analyze SWF‐ and country‐level factors that may determine the successful realization of SWFs' cross‐border acquisitions. We suggest that managers ex ante select target firms and host countries by considering their fund's governance and degree of independence from home‐country politics in interaction with bilateral (home‐host country) political and economic relations, so as to secure legitimacy for their investments and maximize the chances that cross‐border investment strategies may materialize.
Editors’ Statement on the Responsible Use of Generative AI Technologies in Scholarly Journal Publishing
Authors: Kaebnick Gregory E. , Magnus David Christopher , Kao Audiey , Hosseini Mohammad , Resnik David , Dubljević Veljko , Rentmeester Christy , Gordijn Bert , Cherry Mark J.
Published: October 2023

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform many aspects of scholarly publishing. Authors, peer reviewers, and editors might use AI in a variety of ways, and those uses might augment their existing work or might instead be intended to replace it. We are editors of bioethics and humanities journals who have been contemplating the implications of this ongoing transformation. We believe that generative AI may pose a threat to the goals that animate our work but could also be valuable for achieving those goals. In the interests of fostering a wider conversation about how generative AI may be used, we have developed a preliminary set of recommendations for its use in scholarly publishing. We hope that the recommendations and rationales set out here will help the scholarly community navigate toward a deeper understanding of the strengths, limits, and challenges of AI for responsible scholarly work.
Characterization of Calcium‐ and Strontium‐Polyphosphate Particles Toward Drug Delivery into Articular Cartilage
Authors: Nhan Jordan , Strebel Nicolas , Virah Sawmy Khushnouma , Yin Jordan , St‐Pierre Jean‐Philippe
Published: October 2023

Drug delivery into articular cartilage poses many challenges due in part to its lack of vasculature. While intra‐articular injections are effective for the local administration of drugs, small molecules are rapidly cleared from the synovial fluid. As such, there is a need to develop effective drug delivery strategies to improve the residence times of bioactive molecules in the joint and elicit a sustained therapeutic effect. In this study, calcium‐ and strontium‐polyphosphate particles are synthesized and characterized as potential drug carriers into articular cartilage. Physicochemical characterization reveals that the particles exhibit a spherical morphology, have a negative zeta potential, and are nanoscale in size. Biological characterization in chondrocytes confirms cellular uptake of the particles and demonstrates both size and concentration‐dependent cytotoxicity at high concentrations. Furthermore, treatment of chondrocytes with these particles results in a reduction in cell proliferation and metabolic activity, confirming biological effects. Finally, incubation with cartilage tissue explants suggests successful uptake, despite the particles exhibiting a negative surface charge. Therefore, from the results of this study, these polyphosphate‐based particles have potential as a drug carrier into articular cartilage and warrant further development.