bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automated tight Lyapunov analysis for first-order methods
Authors: Upadhyaya Manu , Banert Sebastian , Taylor Adrien B. , Giselsson Pontus
Published: February 2024

We present a methodology for establishing the existence of quadratic Lyapunov inequalities for a wide range of first-order methods used to solve convex optimization problems. In particular, we consider (i) classes of optimization problems of finite-sum form with (possibly strongly) convex and possibly smooth functional components, (ii) first-order methods that can be written as a linear system on state-space form in feedback interconnection with the subdifferentials of the functional components of the objective function, and (iii) quadratic Lyapunov inequalities that can be used to draw convergence conclusions. We present a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a quadratic Lyapunov inequality within a predefined class of Lyapunov inequalities, which amounts to solving a small-sized semidefinite program. We showcase our methodology on several first-order methods that fit the framework. Most notably, our methodology allows us to significantly extend the region of parameter choices that allow for duality gap convergence in the Chambolle–Pock method when the linear operator is the identity mapping.
Urine oxygenation predicts COVID-19 risk
Authors: Noiri Eisei , Katagiri Daisuke , Asai Yusuke , Sugaya Takeshi , Tokunaga Katsushi
Published: February 2024

Since February, 2023, the omicron variant has accounted for essentially all new coronavirus infections in Japan. If future infections involve mutant strains with the same level of infectivity and virulence as omicron, the government’s basic policy will be to prevent the spread of infection, without compromising socioeconomic activities. Objectives include protecting pregnant women and elderly persons, and focusing on citizens requiring hospitalization and those at risk of serious illness, without imposing new social restrictions. Although the government tries to raise public awareness through education, most people affected by COVID-19 stay at home, and by the time patients become aware of the seriousness of their disease, it has often reached moderate or higher severity. In this review, we discuss why this situation persists even though the disease seems to have become milder with the shift from the delta variant to omicron. We also propose a pathophysiological method to determine the risk of severe illness. This assessment can be made at home in the early stages of COVID-19 infection, using urine analysis. Applicability of this method to drug discovery and development is also discussed.
Swept Along: Measuring Otoacoustic Emissions Using Continuously Varying Stimuli
Authors: Shera Christopher A.
Published: February 2024

At the 2004 Midwinter Meeting of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, Glenis Long and her colleagues introduced a method for measuring distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) using primary-tone stimuli whose instantaneous frequencies vary continuously with time. In contrast to standard OAE measurement methods, in which emissions are measured in the sinusoidal steady state using discrete tones of well-defined frequency, the swept-tone method sweeps across frequency, often at rates exceeding 1 oct/s. The resulting response waveforms are then analyzed using an appropriate filter (e.g., by least-squares fitting). Although introduced as a convenient way of studying DPOAE fine structure by separating the total OAE into distortion and reflection components, the swept-tone method has since been extended to stimulus-frequency emissions and has proved an efficient and valuable tool for probing cochlear mechanics. One day—a long time coming—swept tones may even find their way into the audiology clinic.
Clinical and pathological findings of IgA nephropathy following SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Li Hongfen , Li Zhao , Wu Zhanfei , Wang Fanghao , Xing Yue , Liu Youxia , Jia Junya , Yan Tiekun
Published: February 2024

The features of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) after SARS-CoV-2 infection have not been well characterized. In this study, we compared the clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with IgAN who had experienced SARS-CoV-2 infection to those who had not. We conducted a retrospective study that enrolled 38 patients with biopsy-proven IgAN following SARS-CoV-2 infection with 4 months (post-SARS-CoV-2 infection group) and 1154 patients with IgAN prior to the pandemic (pre-SARS-CoV-2 infection group). Among the SARS-CoV-2 group cases, 61% were females. The average duration from SARS-CoV-2 infection to renal biopsy was 78.6 days. Prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the patients had different presentations of nephropathy. One patient had isolated hematuria, two had isolated proteinuria, twenty presented with both hematuria and proteinuria, and one patient had elevated serum creatinine. Additionally, there were eight cases with uncertain nephropathy history, and six cases did not have a history of nephropathy. Following SARS-CoV-2 infection, five patients experienced gross hematuria, one case exhibited creatinine elevation, and five cases showed an increase in proteinuria. The group of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 after the COVID-19 pandemic exhibited older age, higher hypertension ratio and lower eGFR values compared to the pre-SARS-CoV-2 infection group. As for pathological parameters, a higher proportion of patients in the post-SARS-CoV-2 infection group exhibited a higher percentage of sclerotic glomeruli and glomerular ischemic sclerosis. There were no significant differences observed between the two groups in terms of therapy involving steroids, immunosuppressants, or RAS inhibitors. IgA nephropathy patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 were generally older and experienced more severe kidney damage compared to those without SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Hans Berger und 100 Jahre Elektroenzephalogramm
Authors: Lemke Johannes R. , Kluger Gerhard , Krämer Günter
Published: February 2024

Hans Berger (1873–1941) verbrachte ab dem Studium der Medizin seine gesamte berufliche Laufbahn an der Nervenklinik der Universität Jena. Dort entwickelte er über viele Jahre eigenständig und nahezu für sich allein eine Vorrichtung zum Ableiten der physiologischen Hirnaktivität des Menschen, die er „Elektrenkephalogramm“ taufte. Er selbst datierte den Tag der ersten erfolgreichen und verlässlichen Ableitung auf den 06.07.1924. Berger mied die Öffentlichkeit und pflegte nur zu wenigen Vertrauten einen engen Kontakt. Hierzu gehörte u. a. sein Oberarzt Rudolf Lemke, der ihn während der gesamten 1930er-Jahre beruflich begleitete und ihm Jahre später als Klinikdirektor folgte. Rudolf Lemke erwirkte die Umbenennung der Klinik in „Hans-Berger-Klinik“ und verewigte seinen Mentor auch in Form von Portraits sowie einer Totenmaske, die er direkt nach Bergers tragischem Tod von ihm anfertigte. Aufgrund Bergers Tätigkeit am Erbgesundheitsobergericht wurde der Klinikname 2022 wieder abgelegt. Bergers Erfindung, das Elektroenzephalogramm (EEG) des Menschen, bleibt hingegen auch 100 Jahre nach seiner Entwicklung ein Meilenstein der neurologischen und epileptologischen Diagnostik.
Adhesive droplets made from plant-derived oils for control of western flower thrips
Authors: Bierman Thijs V. , Vrieling Klaas , van Zwieten Ralph , Kodger Thomas E. , Macel Mirka , Bezemer T. Martijn
Published: February 2024

Arthropod pests cause significant problems in agricultural crops all around the world. As chemical pesticide use becomes less desired, there is a need for alternative methods of pest control. Inspired by the natural adhesiveness of arthropod trapping plants, we examined the effectiveness of adhesive droplets made from oxidised and cross-linked plant-derived oils for control of western flower thrips. Two filter paper droplet adhesiveness assays and three detached chrysanthemum leaf assays were carried out to test efficacy against thrips. Suspensions containing adhesive droplets and other constituents were applied to filter papers and leaves via spraying or dipping. On filter papers, droplets made from oxidised rice germ oil (RGO) of different sizes caught 40–93% of thrips. Droplets made of a mixture of sunflower, olive, and linseed oil (MIX) caught up to 94% of thrips. Likewise, adhesive droplet-treated filter papers showed higher thrips mortality than untreated or control solution-treated filter papers. On chrysanthemum leaves, thrips were caught by both RGO (up to 40%) and MIX droplets (up to 20%) and thrips damage and reproduction were reduced. On MIX-treated leaves, thrips mortality was also increased. Within treatments, droplets of different size classes occurred and larger droplets were more effective at catching thrips in general. Droplets were also robust to rinsing with water, which is of importance for their application in horticulture. In conclusion, adhesive droplets made from edible plant oils show potential for use in control of western flower thrips.
Space-time analysis of the relationship between landslides occurrence, rainfall variability and ENSO in the Tropical Andean Mountain region in Colombia
Authors: Vega Johnny , Barco Janet , Hidalgo Cesar
Published: February 2024

According to studies by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), tropical mountainous areas are experiencing increasingly unfavorable climatic conditions regarding geohazards due to a heightened occurrence of intense rainfall events. These climatic shifts contribute to heightened geological risks, notably an elevated frequency of landslides, exacerbating the challenges faced by these regions. There is an urgent need to understand and measure how rainfall variability affects geo-hydrological hazards, which remain difficult to determine and predict. The complex and non-linear space-time relationships and dynamics of rainfall, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and landslides in the Tropical Andean Mountain region in Colombia require an adequate analysis and understanding of their link in terms of its spatial and temporal component at different scales. By evaluation in annual, seasonal, and monthly scales, additional insights on the relationships using a wavelet spectral analysis and a space-time permutation scan statistics method using SaTScan™ are provided. In this study, a space-time and frequency analysis of landslides using a 42-year (1981–2022) rainfall and Multivariate ENSO Index v2.0 time series is presented. According to the results, landslides closely aligned with rainfall patterns, exhibiting a bimodal annual cycle. The ENSO added complexity, with La Niña years leading to more frequent landslides throughout the year and El Niño years showing concentrated occurrences in specific months. This study highlights the influence of rainfall patterns and antecedent rainfall on landslide occurrence, the impact of ENSO phases on rainfall and landslides, and the increasing trend of landslides in Colombia.
The performance of priority rules for the dynamic stochastic resource-constrained multi-project scheduling problem: an experimental investigation
Authors: Melchiors Philipp , Kolisch Rainer , Kanet John J.
Published: February 2024

We consider the problem of a project manager of a matrix organization responsible for the timely completion of projects arriving over time and requiring the usage of a set of resources under his/her purview. A project is defined by a set of activities, precedence relations between activities, resource requirements, a customer due date, and a priority (a weight). Arriving projects are released to a flow control system that monitors the progress of activities and schedules the set of available activities, i.e., activities that are ready to be processed, as appropriate. A critical feature of such control systems is the decision process for choosing the next activity to seize a given resource. This is the focus of this paper. In the past several decades, various heuristic priority rules have been proposed in the literature to support this type of decision in differing settings such as the job shop problem and the deterministic resource-constrained project scheduling problem. A gap exists with respect to testing the various rules all together in the more realistic dynamic-stochastic multi-project environment when the objective is to minimize weighted project tardiness. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap. Results show that the priority rule “Weighted Critical Ratio and Shortest Processing Time” $$(\hbox {W}(\hbox {CR}+\hbox {SPT}))$$

(
W
(
CR
+
SPT
)
)

is the best performing rule with respect to minimizing weighted project tardiness. $$\hbox {W}(\hbox {CR}+\hbox {SPT})$$

W
(
CR
+
SPT
)

is shown to be a variant of the family of “Modified Due Date” rules first introduced by Baker and Bertrand (J Oper Manage 1(3):37–42, 1982). Repeated application of Duncan’s Multiple Range test demonstrates the robustness of our findings. For the environmental parameters (due date tightness, variation of expected activity durations, and utilization of resource), the $$\hbox {W}(\hbox {CR}+\hbox {SPT})$$

W
(
CR
+
SPT
)

rule is dominant with respect to weighted project tardiness among the eleven priority rules tested. Only when the number of resources is very modest (either 1 or 3 resources) or under a purely parallel resource network is $$\hbox {W}(\hbox {CR}+\hbox {SPT})$$

W
(
CR
+
SPT
)

not the dominant rule. In those cases, its variant $$\hbox {W}(\hbox {CR}+\hbox {GSPT})$$

W
(
CR
+
GSPT
)

is the best performing rule with respect to weighted project tardiness.
Geographical distribution of pyrethroid resistance mutations in Varroa destructor across Türkiye and a European overview
Authors: Erdem Esengül , Koç-İnak Nafiye , Rüstemoğlu Mustafa , İnak Emre
Published: February 2024

Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Acari: Varroidae) is of paramount significance in modern beekeeping, with infestations presenting a primary challenge that directly influences colony health, productivity, and overall apicultural sustainability. In order to control this mite, many beekeepers rely on a limited number of approved synthetic acaricides, including the pyrethroids tau-fluvalinate, flumethrin and organophosphate coumaphos. However, the excessive use of these substances has led to the widespread development of resistance in various beekeeping areas globally. In the present study, the occurrence of resistance mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the target-site of pyrethroids and coumaphos, respectively, was examined in Varroa populations collected throughout the southeastern and eastern Anatolia regions of Türkiye. All Varroa samples belonged to the Korean haplotype, and a very low genetic distance was observed based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences. No amino acid substitutions were determined at the key residues of AChE. On the other hand, three amino acid substitutions, (L925V/I/M), previously associated with pyrethroid resistance, were identified in nearly 80% of the Turkish populations. Importantly, L925M, the dominant mutation in the USA, was detected in Turkish Varroa populations for the first time. To gain a more comprehensive perspective, we conducted a systematic analysis of the distribution of pyrethroid resistance mutations across Europe, based on the previously reported data. Varroa populations from Mediterranean countries such as Türkiye, Spain, and Greece exhibited the highest frequency of resistance mutation. Revealing the occurrence and geographical distribution of pyrethroid resistance mutations in V. destructor populations across the country will enhance the development of more efficient strategies for mite management.
HIV-Related Stigma and Treatment Adherence Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men Who Use Crystal Meth in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City
Authors: Jiménez-Rivagorza Leonardo , Orozco Ricardo , Medina-Mora María Elena , Rafful Claudia
Published: February 2024

Internationally, HIV-related stigma and crystal methamphetamine (meth) use have been described as barriers to treatment adherence among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM). Crystal meth use has been increasing among gbMSM in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City (MAMC). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between HIV-related stigma and HIV treatment adherence among gbMSM who use crystal meth in the MAMC. This study was undertaken as part of an exploratory study of crystal meth use in the MAMC. The data were collected from September to December 2021 through an encrypted online survey. Participants (n = 89) were gbMSM adults living with HIV who reported crystal meth use in the past month that were recruited through an online snowball sampling. The online survey included questions about HIV treatment adherence, sexual behaviors, the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involved Screening Test, and the HIV-Related Stigma Mechanisms Scale. Logistic regression analyses assessed the association between HIV-related stigma and HIV treatment adherence. The multivariate logistic regression model showed that, controlling for health insurance [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.13; 95% confidence intervals (CI)  = 0.02–0.59] and educational level (AOR = 0.16; 95% CI = 0.02–0.88), non-adherence to HIV treatment was independently associated with higher HIV-related stigma (AOR = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.01–1.12). Public health policies must include HIV-related stigma and substance use in treating gbMSM with HIV.
Near-surface turbulent dissipation at a laboratory-scale confluence: implications on gas transfer
Authors: Yuan Saiyu , Lin Jiawei , Tang Hongwu , Zhu Yunqiang , Ran Qihua , Constantinescu George , Gualtieri Carlo
Published: February 2024

River confluences contribute to the outflux of saturated dissolved gases in the water resulting from high dam discharges. This process is related to gas transfer across the water–air interface, which is primarily controlled by turbulent dissipation near the water surface. However, the near-surface turbulence dissipation is rarely reported in confluence hydrodynamics studies. This study conducted experiments with different discharge ratios to investigate near-surface turbulent motions at a laboratory-scale confluence. The higher dissipation rate $$\varepsilon H/U_{m}^{3}$$

ε
H
/

U

m

3

of near-surface turbulence was mainly located inside the interfacial shear layer between the two incoming streams (~ 10–4) and the bank separation zone (10–4–10–3) where high shear was found in the mean flow. By contrast, the dissipation rates were much lower inside the incoming flows and outside the two regions of high shear (~ 10–5). The magnitudes of the dissipation rate inside the shear layer were comparable in experiments where the mixing interface was in the Kelvin–Helmholtz mode or in the wake mode. The dissipation rate was found to increase away from the free surface outside the shear layer, while it was more uniformly distributed over the depth inside the layer possibly due to the presence of strongly-coherent, vertically-orientated vortices. In the far field, the mean shear within the shear layer was largely weakened. Nonetheless, the effects of flow separation persisted and laterally expanded to occupy the entire cross section. The dissipation rate $$\varepsilon H/U_{m}^{3}$$

ε
H
/

U

m

3

of the confluent flow was more than 10–4 even at a distance of 10 times the channel width in the post-confluence channel.
Energy-oriented crane scheduling in a steel coil storage
Authors: Weckenborg Christian , Oetjegerdes Patrick , Spengler Thomas S.
Published: February 2024

In steel coil storages, gantry cranes store steel coils in a triangular stacking pattern and retrieve them to serve customer demand on time. The crane movements cause high energy consumption depending on the weight of the steel coils and the direction of the crane movement, which provides a starting point for more efficient crane operation in terms of energy consumption. However, current literature on crane scheduling in steel coil storages and neighboring domains mainly focuses on time-oriented objectives and neglects energy consumption. Therefore, we justify the problem of energy-oriented crane scheduling in steel coil storages and develop a mixed-integer linear programming model and a simulated annealing algorithm. The methods aim to minimize the energy consumed by crane movements while serving customer demand. We present extensive computational experiments comparing the energy-oriented approach against two popular alternatives from the literature. The energy consumption of crane movements can be reduced by 2–22% using energy-oriented crane scheduling compared to the alternatives with an identical customer service level. The simulated annealing algorithm solves instances of the size commonly found in the industrial practice of steel coil storage within an amount of time suitable for practical applications. Since extensive test instances for crane scheduling of steel coil storages have not been available thus far, we make our test instances accessible as a starting point for future research efforts.
Disobedience, (dis)embodied knowledge management, and decolonization: higher education in The Gambia
Authors: Johnson A. T. , Mbah Marcellus F.
Published: February 2024

In this work, we sought to uncover the key strategies and challenges to the integration of Indigenous knowledge as knowledge management practices at a public university in The Gambia. It is often axiomatic in the literature that the incorporation of diverse epistemologies is a key resource for sustainable development; therefore, activities associated with the management of knowledge, particularly in higher education, are worthy of elucidation. We discovered that knowledge management activities at a university in The Gambia were often informal and required the invisible work of faculty. It was through the implicit use of tacit knowledge and epistemic disobedience that faculty were able to build upon a colonized curriculum that denied the presence of other knowledge. However, in the end, faculty were dependent on the power of referents within and without the institution to formalize their knowledge management practices. This work fills an essential gap in the extant literature on how the work of university faculty and managers, when situated within a knowledge management perspective, can contribute to decolonization and foster sustainable development.
Sulfasalazine promotes ferroptosis through AKT-ERK1/2 and P53-SLC7A11 in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Zhao Chenyu , Yu Yunyuan , Yin Guangrong , Xu Chao , Wang Jiahao , Wang Liangliang , Zhao Gongyin , Ni Su , Zhang Haoxing , Zhou Baojun , Wang Yuji
Published: February 2024

Objective

Ferroptosis has been reported to play a role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Sulfasalazine, a common clinical treatment for ankylosing spondylitis, also exerts pathological influence on the progression of rheumatoid arthritis including the induced ferroptosis of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs), which result in the perturbated downstream signaling and the development of RA. The aim of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanism so as to provide novel insight for the treatment of RA.

Methods

CCK-8 and Western blotting were used to assess the effect of sulfasalazine on FLSs. A collagen-induced arthritis mouse model was constructed by the injection of collagen and Freund’s adjuvant, and then, mice were treated with sulfasalazine from day 21 after modeling. The synovium was extracted and ferroptosis was assessed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining.

Results

The results revealed that sulfasalazine promotes ferroptosis. Compared with the control group, the expression levels of ferroptosis-related proteins such as glutathione peroxidase 4, ferritin heavy chain 1, and solute carrier family 7, member 11 (SLC7A11) were lower in the experimental group. Furthermore, deferoxamine inhibited ferroptosis induced by sulfasalazine. Sulfasalazine-promoted ferroptosis was related to a decrease in ERK1/2 and the increase of P53.

Conclusions

Sulfasalazine promoted ferroptosis of FLSs in rheumatoid arthritis, and the PI3K-AKT-ERK1/2 pathway and P53-SLC7A11 pathway play an important role in this process.
Visual outcomes and patient satisfaction after bilateral implantation of an enhanced monofocal intraocular lens: a single-masked prospective randomized study
Authors: Giglio Rosa , Vinciguerra Alex Lucia , Presotto Marianna , Jonak Kamil , Rejdak Robert , Toro Mario Damiano , Nanavaty Mayank Ambarish , Tognetto Daniele
Published: February 2024

Purpose

To evaluate and compare the visual outcomes of an enhanced monofocal intraocular lens (IOL) with two different monofocal IOLs.

Setting

Eye Clinic, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.

Design

Prospective, single-center, single-masked, randomized controlled clinical study.

Methods

The study included patients undergoing phacoemulsification and IOL implantation. Patients were consecutively randomized by block randomization and assigned in a 1:1:1 allocation ratio to three study arms to bilaterally receive Tecnis Eyhance™ (model ICB00) or Tecnis® monofocal 1-piece (model PCB00) or Clareon® monofocal (model CNA0T0), respectively. Monocular and binocular (both corrected and uncorrected) visual acuities for far, intermediate and near were registered and compared among groups at 3 months. To track changes in patient quality of life, the Catquest-9SF questionnaire was administered to each patient before and after cataract extraction.

Results

Ninety patients (30 for each group) were enrolled. At 3 months follow-up, statistically significant differences for intermediate visual acuities were found between the three groups. Nonstatistically significant differences were observed for distance visual acuities and the changes in Catquest-9SF scores.

Conclusion

Tecnis Eyhance™ provided better results in intermediate visual outcomes without adverse effects on patients’ quality of life.
Common transversals and complements in abelian groups
Authors: Aivazidis S. , Loukaki M. , Sambale B.
Published: February 2024

Given a finite abelian group G and cyclic subgroups A, B, C of G of the same order, we find necessary and sufficient conditions for A, B, C to admit a common transversal for the cosets they afford. For an arbitrary number of cyclic subgroups, we give a sufficient criterion when there exists a common complement. Moreover, in several cases where a common transversal exists, we provide concrete constructions.
Assessing the potential of fluorescence as a monitoring tool for reproductive tissue in selected macroalgae species
Authors: Juhasz-Dora Thomas , Lindberg Stein-Kato , James Philip , Wang Xinxin
Published: February 2024

Biofluorescence in certain seaweed species has been studied in association with their respective chlorophyll type and concentration. However, there is a paucity of information on the biofluorescent signature of macroalgal species at different life stages. Here we document that hyperspectral imaging differentiates between the fluorescent signatures of 5 macroalgal species (Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus vesiculosus, Laminaria digitata, Palmaria palmata, and Saccharina latissima) collected from Tromsø, northern Norway (69-70 °N). Non-reproductive (NR) blades were collected for all species and reproductively mature blades (R) with sori were collected for three species. Hyperspectral imaging of collected blades was conducted under excitation lighting (~445 nm). We further assessed whether biofluorescence is reflected in the reproductive phenology of three selected species, L. digitata, P. palmata, and S. latissima. The spectral radiance of fluorescence emissions was found to be consistently different between R and NR blades. The greatest difference between R and NR blades was between the rhodophyte P. palmata (0.0075 W nm-1sr-1m-2 at 725 nm) followed by the phaeophytes L. digitata (0.03 W nm-1sr-1m-2 at 730-740 nm) and S. latissima (0.00225 W nm-1sr-1m-2 at 735-745 nm). Biofluorescence monitoring with hyperspectral imaging should be considered for further applicability in commercial seaweed operations.
Genetic profiling of azoospermic men to identify the etiology and predict reproductive potential
Authors: Cheung Stephanie , Ng Lily , Xie Philip , Kocur Olena , Elias Rony , Schlegel Peter , Rosenwaks Zev , Palermo Gianpiero D.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

To identify germline mutations related to azoospermia etiology and reproductive potential of surgically retrieved spermatozoa, and to investigate the feasibility of predicting seminiferous tubule function of nonobstructive azoospermic men by transcriptomic profiling of ejaculates.

Materials and methods

Sperm specimens were obtained from 30 men (38.4 ± 6 years) undergoing epididymal sperm aspiration for obstructive azoospermia (OA, n = 19) acquired by vasectomy, or testicular biopsy for nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA, n = 11). To evaluate for a correlation with azoospermia etiology, DNAseq was performed on surgically retrieved spermatozoa, and cell-free RNAseq on seminal fluid (n = 23) was performed to predict spermatogenesis in the seminiferous tubule.

Results

Overall, surgically retrieved sperm aneuploidy rates were 1.7% and 1.8% among OA and NOA cohorts, respectively. OA men carried housekeeping-related gene mutations, while NOA men displayed mutations on genes involved in crucial spermiogenic functions (AP1S2, AP1G2, APOE). We categorized couples within each cohort according to ICSI clinical outcomes to investigate genetic causes that may affect reproductive potential. All OA-fertile men (n = 9) carried mutations in ZNF749 (sperm production), whereas OA-infertile men (n = 10) harbored mutations in PRB1, which is essential for DNA replication. NOA-fertile men (n = 8) carried mutations in MPIG6B (stem cell lineage differentiation), whereas NOA-infertile individuals (n = 3) harbored mutations in genes involved in spermato/spermio-genesis (ADAM29, SPATA31E1, MAK, POLG, IFT43, ATG9B) and early embryonic development (MBD5, CCAR1, PMEPA1, POLK, REC8, REPIN1, MAPRE3, ARL4C). Transcriptomic assessment of cell-free RNAs in seminal fluid from NOA men allowed the prediction of residual spermatogenic foci.

Conclusions

Sperm genome profiling provides invaluable information on azoospermia etiology and identifies gene-related mechanistic links to reproductive performance. Moreover, RNAseq assessment of seminal fluid from NOA men can help predict sperm retrieval during testicular biopsies.
Sustainable geopolymers from polyethylene terephthalate waste and industrial by-products: a comprehensive characterisation and performance predictions
Authors: Haq Md. Zia Ul , Sood Hemant , Kumar Rajesh , Ricciotti Laura
Published: February 2024

Several researchers have recently worked to create sustainable building materials. One of the fundamental prerequisites for sustainable construction methods and environmental impact assessments is the use of green building materials and manufacturing processes. In this research study, geopolymer bricks were developed using polyethylene terephthalate waste and different industrial by-products (rice husk ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag, red mud, construction, and demolition waste) and investigated their performances. The polyethylene terephthalate waste was used as a replacement for sand filler in the geopolymer brick up to 100%. Key findings include a workability decrease of 14.75% and a compressive strength reduction of up to 75% with 100% plastic waste replacement, attributed to increased voids and weak geopolymer matrix interaction. Dry density consistently decreases, and water absorption rises to 13.73% with full sand replacement, indicating a porous structure. Impact resistance improves with plastic waste inclusion, enhancing ductility and thermal conductivity by 57% at full replacement. Microstructural analyses reveal correlations between physical–mechanical properties and changes in porosity, microcracks, and bond strength. Machine learning, especially linear regression, proves effective for strength parameter prediction (up to 100% efficacy, R-square of 0.998). The promising results obtained could offer a substantial environmentally friendly solution to the building and construction industry in line with Circular Economy principles.
Carbon fabric coated with nanostructured zinc oxide layers for use in triboelectric self-powered touch sensors
Authors: Petrushenko S. I. , Fijalkowski M. , Kopach V. R. , Shepotko Y. M. , Adach K. , Dukarov S. V. , Sukhov V. M. , Fedonenko A. , Khrypunova A. L. , Klochko N. P.
Published: February 2024

An environmentally friendly, low-cost, and lightweight biocompatible textile triboelectric material was made by in situ coating carbon fabric (CF) with nanostructured zinc oxide (ZnO) layers using the automatic Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method. Depending on the deposition mode, we created triboelectric CF/ZnO textiles with multidirectionally intergrown short ZnO nanorods or with arrays of ZnO nanosheets. The Raman spectra confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of both types of ZnO layers and the unique a-axis texture of the nanosheets. In the developed triboelectric CF/ZnO/PET/ITO sensors, the upper tribonegative part was made of a polyethylene terephthalate film coated with a thin layer of indium-tin oxide, and the lower tribopositive part was made of CF/ZnO textile. In tests with repeated hand tapping at low frequency 1.3–13 Hz and a force of ∼ 5 N (pressure of ∼ 33 kPa), the open-circuit voltage pulses were ∼ 15 V for short ZnO nanorods and ∼ 30 V for ZnO nanosheets, their duration did not exceed a few milliseconds. Due to the nanosheet morphology of the ZnO layer, the maximum touch-induced surface charge density for the corresponding triboelectric textile (0.7 µC/m2) was almost twice than for the CF/ZnO textile with intergrown ZnO short nanorods (0.4 µC/m2). The touch sensor with ZnO nanosheets showed an output voltage of 3.6 V, a current density of 1.47 µA/cm2, and a power density of 1.8 µW/cm2. It can be used as a dual-mode sensor due to ability to recognize the hardness of objects by analyzing the output current peaks.
Patterns of Mental Health Service Use in Australian Workers with Low Back Pain: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Gray S. E. , Di Donato M. , Sheehan L. R. , Iles R. , Collie A.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

To describe the volume, timing and provider of mental health services provided to workers with accepted low back pain (LBP) claims, and to identify determinants of service volume and time to first mental health service.

Methods

Using claim and service-level workers’ compensation data from four Australian states (Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria) for LBP claims with at least one mental health service lodged between 1 July 2011 and 30 June 2015. Mental health services occurring 30 days prior to 730 days following claim acceptance were examined. Outcomes were number of mental health services and time (weeks) from claim acceptance to first service, calculated overall, by provider and interaction type, and by independent variables (age group, sex, time loss duration, financial year of lodgement, jurisdiction, socioeconomic status, remoteness). Negative binomial and Cox regression models examined differences between service volume and time to first service by independent variables, respectively.

Results

Of workers with LBP claims who accessed mental health services, psychologist services were most common (used by 91.2% of workers) and 16% of workers saw multiple provider types. Number of services increased with time loss duration, as did time to first service. Victorian workers had the most services, yet accessed them latest.

Conclusions

Psychologist services were most common, longer duration claims used more mental health services but accessed them later, and there were a number of jurisdictional differences. Results suggest opportunities for workers’ compensation authorities to provide, to those who may benefit, greater and earlier access to mental health care.
The Role of Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and Relationship-Specific Features in Self- and Other-Perceptions of Conflict Frequency in Adolescent Relationships with Parents and Peers
Authors: Bleckmann Eva , Wieczorek Larissa L. , Wagner Jenny
Published: February 2024

Conflict frequency in adolescence has been linked to personality and relationship-specific features. However, an integrative investigation of both aspects is lacking. To address this gap, this study used data from 571 individuals in middle adolescence (Study 1; Mage = 15.86, SD = 1.23; 75.8% female) and 233 individuals in late adolescence (Study 2; Mage = 17.17, SD = 1.01; 75.5% female) in Germany, including participants’ self-reports on conflict frequency and other-reports provided by parents and peers. Across studies, multigroup models revealed that adolescents’ level of neuroticism predicted self- and other-perceived conflict frequency in parent and peer relationships more consistently than agreeableness, while providing no evidence for an interplay between both personality traits. Furthermore, relationship-specific features differentially accounted for individual differences in conflict frequency across relationship types, such that in adolescents’ relationships with parents, lower relationship quality related to more frequent conflicts. In peer relationships, higher contact frequency was linked to more frequent conflicts. The present findings highlight the contributions of both personality and relationship-specific features to conflict frequency in adolescence and offer practical guidance for the improvement of adolescents’ and their relationship partners’ social skills and experiences. All research questions, hypotheses, and analyses of this research were preregistered at the OSF and can be retrieved from: https://osf.io/xmvqd/.
Standard Deviation vs. Gini Coefficient: Effects of Different Indicators of Classroom Status Hierarchy on Bullying Behavior
Authors: Malamut Sarah T. , Fenneman Achiel , Garandeau Claire F.
Published: February 2024

Classroom status hierarchy (the degree to which popularity is unequally distributed in a classroom) has often been examined as a predictor of bullying. Although most research has relied on an operationalization of status hierarchy as the classroom standard deviation (SD) of popularity, other fields (e.g., sociology, economics) have typically measured resource inequality using the Gini coefficient. This multilevel study examines the concurrent and prospective associations of both status hierarchy indicators (referred to as SD-hierarchy and Gini-hierarchy) with peer-reported bullying, controlling for key variables (i.e., the structure of the classroom status hierarchy, average classroom level of popularity). The final sample included 3017 students (45.3% self-identified as a boy; T1 Mage = 13.04, SD = 1.73, approximately 93% born in Finland) from 209 classrooms. Concurrently, classroom SD-hierarchy was positively, linearly associated with bullying, whereas there was a curvilinear (inverted U) association between Gini-hierarchy and bullying. No significant longitudinal associations were found. The findings suggest that Gini-hierarchy provides unique information beyond the SD-hierarchy.
Microwave-assisted synthesis and 99mTc-radiolabeling of anti-inflammatory active curcumin derivatives for inflammation diagnosis and therapy
Authors: Shamsel-Din Hesham A. , Gizawy Mohamed A. , Attaallah Amany , Moustafa Kamel A.
Published: February 2024

Using a one-pot cyclo-condensation process under microwave irradiation, derivatives of curcumin have been created. Evaluation their anti-inflammatory efficacy showed that they had stronger properties than curcumin. Additionally, the most active derivative was radiolabeled with the diagnostic radioisotope technetium-99m and prepared with a high radiochemical yield (96.5 ± 0.09%) and in vitro stability of up to 6 h. The in-vivo study in inflamed mice showed that [99mTc]Tc-curcumin derivative accumulated with a high target to non-target ratio. The gathered information confirmed the efficacy of the [99mTc]Tc-curcumin derivative as a novel possible tracer for the identification and localization of inflammation.
Spatial planning constraints will mitigate the fragmentation trajectory of natural and semi-natural landscapes: a case of Lushan City, China
Authors: Zhang Zhiduo , He Geng , Cai Wenbo , Zhu Qing , Liu Xiao , Ding Fan , Cai Yongli
Published: February 2024

Context

The biodiversity faces an underlying threat from landscape fragmentation resulting from rapid urbanization. Examining the future trajectory of landscape fragmentation is imperative to understanding the impact of current spatial planning constraints on natural and semi-natural habitat preservation, ecosystem services, and sustainability.

Methods

We employed a Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model to simulate and predict the land use and landscape pattern changes in Lushan City under two distinct scenarios: “Planning Constraints (PC)” and “Natural Development (ND)”. We then identified an appropriate landscape fragmentation index (LFI) that effectively captured the fragmentation essence. To determine the optimal scale, we adopted an experimental approach using both the moving window (MW) method and the semi-variance function. By constructing a LFI spatiotemporal sequence and conducting trend analysis, we identified the potential fragmentation areas (PFA) with significant fragmentation tendencies.

Results

The spatial planning constraints will (1) prevent the encroachment of construction land into 2.14 km2 of cropland, 0.21 km2 of forest, and 0.13 km2 of grassland; (2) shift the highly fragmented area from the northeastern portion of Lushan to the planned area defined by the development boundary; (3) mitigate and decelerate the trend of landscape fragmentation in natural and semi-natural landscapes, decrease PFA by 7.74 km2 and preserve 15.61 km2 of natural landscapes. (4) still leave 29.42% of forest and 22.82% of grassland at risk of fragmentation.

Conclusions

Spatial planning constraints will effectively control the potential fragmentation in natural and semi-natural landscapes by changing the spatial distribution of LFI and PFA. This control mechanism will greatly exclude the anthropogenic impact and ensure the conservation of habitats. The habitats remaining within PFA should be focused in future eco-management optimization.
Citation Elites in Polytheistic and Umbrella Disciplines: Patterns of Stratification and Concentration in Danish and British Science
Authors: Kladakis Alexander , Mongeon Philippe , Bloch Carter W.
Published: February 2024

The notion of science as a stratified system is clearly manifested in the markedly uneven distribution of productivity, rewards, resources, and recognition. Although previous studies have shown that institutional environments for conducting research differ significantly between national science systems, disciplines, and subfields, it remains to be shown whether any systematic variations and patterns in inequalities exist among researchers in different national and domain specific settings. This study investigates the positioning of citation elites as opposed to ‘ordinary’ researchers by way of examining three dimensions of concentration (accumulation of publications and citations, specialisation, and institutional concentration) in biology, economics and physics in Denmark and the UK. Across all three dimensions, we put Richard Whitley’s bipartite theory to the test, suggesting a nexus between the intellectual structure of a discipline and the configuration of its elite. The study draws on a dataset of researchers who published most of their publications in either physics, biology, or economics over the 1980–2018 period and with at least one publication in 2017–2018 while affiliated to either a British or a Danish university. We find higher degrees of concentration in the UK compared to Denmark, and that physics and biology respectively display the greatest and lowest degree of concentration. Similar patterns in disciplinary differences are observed in both countries, suggesting that concentration patterns are largely rooted in disciplinary cultures and merely amplified by the national context.
DPR-GAN: Dual-Stream Progressive Refinement for Adversarial 3D Point Cloud Generation
Authors: Wang Xiangyang , Chen Jiale , Wang Rui
Published: February 2024

Point cloud generation aims to transfer a latent code to realistic 3D shapes through generative models. However, most of progressive generative methods ignore the spatial relationship among different stages and suffer from the loss of contextual information. To address this issue, we propose dual-stream progressive refinement adversarial network (DPR-GAN), which utilizes a dual-stream structure to establish the relationship between two adjacent stages. Such a mechanism can learn the spatial context and preserve more spatial details of point clouds at different stages. In addition, DPR-GAN adopts 3D gridding transformation to guide the shape deformation. In this way, 3D gridding transformation can learn a reasonable correspondence between the local regions of 3D shapes and latent codes. Benefiting from the uniformity and adaptability of the 3D grids, our proposed DPR-GAN can improve the quality and consistency of generated point clouds. We conduct comprehensive experiments to demonstrate that the proposed DPR-GAN is capable of generating pluralistic point clouds, as compared with state-of-the-art generation methods in terms of both visual and quantitative evaluations.
Offshore application of landslide susceptibility mapping using gradient-boosted decision trees: a Gulf of Mexico case study
Authors: Dyer Alec S. , Mark-Moser MacKenzie , Duran Rodrigo , Bauer Jennifer R.
Published: February 2024

Among natural hazards occurring offshore, submarine landslides pose a significant risk to offshore infrastructure installations attached to the seafloor. With the offshore being important for current and future energy production, there is a need to anticipate where future landslide events are likely to occur to support planning and development projects. Using the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) as a case study, this paper performs Landslide Susceptibility Mapping (LSM) using a gradient-boosted decision tree (GBDT) model to characterize the spatial patterns of submarine landslide probability over the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) where water depths are greater than 120 m. With known spatial extents of historic submarine landslides and a Geographic Information System (GIS) database of known topographical, geomorphological, geological, and geochemical factors, the resulting model was capable of accurately forecasting potential locations of sediment instability. Results of a permutation modelling approach indicated that LSM accuracy is sensitive to the number of unique training locations with model accuracy becoming more stable as the number of training regions was increased. The influence that each input feature had on predicting landslide susceptibility was evaluated using the SHapely Additive exPlanations (SHAP) feature attribution method. Areas of high and very high susceptibility were associated with steep terrain including salt basins and escarpments. This case study serves as an initial assessment of the machine learning (ML) capabilities for producing accurate submarine landslide susceptibility maps given the current state of available natural hazard-related datasets and conveys both successes and limitations.