bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanically Robust Shape‐Memory Organohydrogels Based on Silk Fibroin with Organogel Microinclusions of Various Sizes
Authors: Bas Yahya , Okay Oguz
Published: May 2023

Organohydrogels (OHGs) are soft materials with antagonistic hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains that have great interest for many different applications. This study presents the preparation of mechanically strong OHGs with shape‐memory function by incorporating semicrystalline organo‐microgels within the pores of silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds. In the first step, SF cryogels with various pore diameters between 26 ± 8 and 17 ± 4 µm are synthesized by cryogelation of aqueous SF solutions at concentrations between 5 and 20 w/v%. In the second step, the pores of SF scaffolds are filled with an organogel precursor solution containing n‐octadecyl acrylate (C18A), acrylic acid, N,N'‐methylene(bis)acrylamide, and an initiator. Once the free‐radical polymerization took place inside the pores, OHGs containing organo‐microgels of various sizes are obtained. The incorporation of the organogel component in the cryogels generates crystalline areas due to the side‐by‐side packed C18 side chains. OHGs' melting temperature and crystallinity level can be varied from 42 to 54 °C and from 2 to 16%, respectively. The stiffness of OHGs increases from 5.9 ± 0.5 to 18 ± 1 MPa with increasing SF concentration from 5 to 20 w/v%, which is attributed to the decreasing pore size of the cryogels and increasing thickness of the pore walls.
Improve the Crosslinking Reactivity of Nitrile: Design of Nitrile‐Functionalized Pyrazine and its Hydrogen Bond‐Assisted Nucleophilic Enhancement Study
Authors: He Xian , Wu Hao , Chen Menghao , Lv Jiangbo , Xiao Hang , Salas Maria Nieves López , Wu Baile , Liu Pengqing , Zeng Ke , Yang Gang
Published: May 2023

In this study, molecular engineering and biomimetic principles are utilized to prepare highly effective nitrile‐functionalized pyrazine crosslinking units by exploiting pyrazine's unique nucleophilic strengthening mechanism and proton bonding ability. The curing behaviors of pyrazine‐2,3‐dicarbonitrile and phthalonitrile are investigated through model curing systems and molecular simulation. The results indicate that pyrazine‐2,3‐dicarbonitrile exhibits higher reactivity than phthalonitrile, promoted by amine. The cured products of pyrazine‐2,3‐dicarbonitrile predominantly comprise thermally stable azaisoindoline and azaphthalocyanine. This novel type of highly effective crosslinking unit, and the comprehended mechanism of action of pyrazine at the molecular level, significantly expand the application of pyrazine in materials science.
A Double‐Blind, Randomized, Placebo‐Controlled Trial of Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA) in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Payne Thomas , Appleby Matthew , Buckley Ellen , van Gelder Linda M.A. , Mullish Benjamin H. , Sassani Matilde , Dunning Mark J. , Hernandez Dena , Scholz Sonja W. , McNeill Alisdair , Libri Vincenzo , Moll Sarah , Marchesi Julian R. , Taylor Rosie , Su Li , Mazzà Claudia , Jenkins Thomas M. , Foltynie Thomas , Bandmann Oliver
Published: May 2023

Background

Rescue of mitochondrial function is a promising neuroprotective strategy for Parkinson's disease (PD). Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has shown considerable promise as a mitochondrial rescue agent across a range of preclinical in vitro and in vivo models of PD.

Objectives

To investigate the safety and tolerability of high‐dose UDCA in PD and determine midbrain target engagement.

Methods

The UP (UDCA in PD) study was a phase II, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial of UDCA (30 mg/kg daily, 2:1 randomization UDCA vs. placebo) in 30 participants with PD for 48 weeks. The primary outcome was safety and tolerability. Secondary outcomes included 31‐phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P‐MRS) to explore target engagement of UDCA in PD midbrain and assessment of motor progression, applying both the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS‐UPDRS‐III) and objective, motion sensor‐based quantification of gait impairment.

Results

UDCA was safe and well tolerated, and only mild transient gastrointestinal adverse events were more frequent in the UDCA treatment group. Midbrain 31P‐MRS demonstrated an increase in both Gibbs free energy and inorganic phosphate levels in the UDCA treatment group compared to placebo, reflecting improved ATP hydrolysis. Sensor‐based gait analysis indicated a possible improvement of cadence (steps per minute) and other gait parameters in the UDCA group compared to placebo. In contrast, subjective assessment applying the MDS‐UPDRS‐III failed to detect a difference between treatment groups.

Conclusions

High‐dose UDCA is safe and well tolerated in early PD. Larger trials are needed to further evaluate the disease‐modifying effect of UDCA in PD. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Few adults aware of 988 crisis line nine months after its implementation
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: May 2023

Nearly a year into implementation of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline that allows individuals to call, text, chat and have access to trained counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or a mental health crisis, only 13% of adults are aware of 988 and know its purpose, according to a nationally representative survey released last week.
Study probes environment of youth deaths by firearm suicide
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: May 2023

In a number of cases, youths who complete suicide using a family firearm are introduced to those firearms through family traditions, according to new research introduced during the American Psychiatric Association's (APA's) annual meeting last week in San Francisco. Additionally, families often do not recognize the danger family firearms pose to youth with suicide risk factors, according to the research.
Delineation of clinical target volume and organs at risk in cervical cancer radiotherapy by deep learning networks
Authors: Tian Miao , Wang Hongqiu , Liu Xingang , Ye Yuyun , Ouyang Ganlu , Shen Yali , Li Zhiping , Wang Xin , Wu Shaozhi
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Delineation of the clinical target volume (CTV) and organs‐at‐risk (OARs) is important in cervical cancer radiotherapy. But it is generally labor‐intensive, time‐consuming, and subjective. This paper proposes a parallel‐path attention fusion network (PPAF‐net) to overcome these disadvantages in the delineation task.

Methods

The PPAF‐net utilizes both the texture and structure information of CTV and OARs by employing a U‐Net network to capture the high‐level texture information, and an up‐sampling and down‐sampling (USDS) network to capture the low‐level structure information to accentuate the boundaries of CTV and OARs. Multi‐level features extracted from both networks are then fused together through an attention module to generate the delineation result.

Results

The dataset contains 276 computed tomography (CT) scans of patients with cervical cancer of staging IB‐IIA. The images are provided by the West China Hospital of Sichuan University. Simulation results demonstrate that PPAF‐net performs favorably on the delineation of the CTV and OARs (e.g., rectum, bladder and etc.) and achieves the state‐of‐the‐art delineation accuracy, respectively, for the CTV and OARs. In terms of the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) and the Hausdorff Distance (HD), 88.61% and 2.25 cm for the CTV, 92.27% and 0.73 cm for the rectum, 96.74% and 0.68 cm for the bladder, 96.38% and 0.65 cm for the left kidney, 96.79% and 0.63 cm for the right kidney, 93.42% and 0.52 cm for the left femoral head, 93.69% and 0.51 cm for the right femoral head, 87.53% and 1.07 cm for the small intestine, and 91.50% and 0.84 cm for the spinal cord.

Conclusions

The proposed automatic delineation network PPAF‐net performs well on CTV and OARs segmentation tasks, which has great potential for reducing the burden of radiation oncologists and increasing the accuracy of delineation. In future, radiation oncologists from the West China Hospital of Sichuan University will further evaluate the results of network delineation, making this method helpful in clinical practice.
Thirst in heart failure: A scoping review
Authors: Chen Yaya , Ding Jin , Xi Yingbo , Huo Minfeng , Mou Yingjian , Song Yu , Zhou Hailing , Cui Xiaoqin
Published: May 2023

Aim

The aim of this study was to summarise the overall picture of thirst‐related research in patients with heart failure.

Design

We conducted a scoping review following the Arskey and O'Malley methodological framework along with the PAGER framework.

Methods

PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Jonna Briggs Institute, ProQuest Database, Google Scholar, PsycINFO, PQDT, CNKI, Wan Fang, VIP and CBM. Additionally, grey literature including grey databases (Opengrey, OpenDoar, Openaire and BASEL Bielefeld Academic Search Engine), conferences or articles (Scopus and Microsoft Academic), graduate theses databases (eTHOS, DART Europe, Worldcat and EBSCO Open Dissertations) and government information media (UK guidance and regulations, USA government websites, EU Bookshop and UN official publications) were searched. The databases were searched from inception to 18 August 2022 for Articles written in English and Chinese. Two researchers independently screened articles based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, and a third researcher adjudicated disagreements.

Results

We retrieved 825 articles, of which 26 were included. Three themes were summarised from these articles: (a) the incidence of thirst in patients with heart failure; (b) the thirst‐related factors in patients with heart failure; and (c) the intervention measures of thirst in patients with heart failure.
Nursing workforce allocation in the intensive care units of COVID‐19‐designated hospitals: A nationwide cross‐sectional survey in China
Authors: Ren Hong‐fei , Liu Chang‐qing , Chen Feng‐jiao , He Ling‐xiao , Zhang Ming‐guang , Gu Bo , Zhu Hong , Jiang Yan
Published: May 2023

Aim

To explore the nursing workforce allocation in intensive care units (ICUs) of COVID‐19‐designated hospitals during the epidemic peak in China.

Design

A nationwide cross‐sectional online survey.

Methods

A total of 37 head nurses and 262 frontline nurses in 37 ICUs of COVID‐19‐designated tertiary hospitals located in 22 cities of China were surveyed. The self‐reported human resource allocation questionnaire was used to assess the nursing workforce allocation.

Results

The average patient‐to‐nurse ratio was 1.89 ± 1.14, and the median working hours per shift was 5 h. The top four majors of front‐line nurses in ICUs were respiratory (31.30%), lemology (27.86%), intensive care (21.76%) and emergency (17.18%). We also found that a smaller average patient‐to‐nurse ratio (odds ratio [OR]: 0.328, 95% CI: 0.108, 1.000), longer average weekly rest time per person (OR: 0.193, 95% CI: 0.051, 0.729) and larger proportion of 6–9 working years (OR: 0.002, 95% CI: 0.001, 1.121) decreased the occurrence of nursing adverse events.
A quasi‐experimental study of group counselling effectiveness for patient functional ability and quality of counselling among patients with hip arthroplasty
Authors: Rajala Mira , Holopainen Raisa , Kääriäinen Maria , Kaakinen Pirjo , Meriläinen Merja
Published: May 2023

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate effectiveness of group counselling for the patients with hip arthroplasty, self‐assessed functional ability, and quality of counselling.

Design

A quasi‐experimental study.

Method

The questionnaire included the Counselling Quality Instrument (CQI), Harris hip score and Oldwellactive self‐rated wellness profile. A Mann–Whitney U‐ and chi‐squared and t‐tests were used. A Wilcoxon singed rank test were used to evaluate changes in functional ability.

No Patient or Public Contribution

Patients and the public were not involved in the design, recruitment and implementation of this study.

Results

Fifty patients participated. Patients reported better results for limping (p = 0.000), walking distance (p = 0.000) and use of a walking aid (p = 0.001) in the follow‐up time point and they pain decreased. Patients were satisfied with interactions during counselling; gender (p = 0.000) and use of a walking aid (p = 0.044) were found to significantly affect. A lack of goal‐oriented counselling was in depressive symptoms (p = 0.016), worries (p = 0.010) and loneliness (p = 0.026).
‘Development and psychometric evaluation of the safety feeling scale in adult patients at hospital: Exploratory sequential mixed method’
Authors: Dabaghi Sahar , Zandi Mitra , Ebadi Abbas , Abbaszadeh Abbas , Rohani Camelia
Published: May 2023

Aim and Objectives

This study aimed to develop and examine psychometric properties of the safety feeling scale (SFS) in adult patients to assess their sense of safety during a hospital stay.

Design

Mixed methods design. A SQUIRE checklist was used.

Methods

This is a study with two phases of scale development and evaluation of the psychometric properties of the scale. In the first phase, the concept of ‘safety feeling’ was analysed using a hybrid model. Thus, a systematic review and then a qualitative study with hospitalized patients (n = 31) were conducted by conventional content analysis. In the psychometric phase, factorial validity, reliability, feasibility, and responsiveness of the scale were evaluated by different tests in various samples.

Results

After integrating the results of the systematic review and qualitative study, a scale item pool with 84 items was developed. In the psychometric phase, 12 items with four factors were specified; ‘effective care,’ ‘confidence in the healthcare team,’ ‘emotional enrichment’ and ‘hygienic facilities,’ explaining 51% of the total variance of the scale. They were confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency and stability of the scale were satisfactory. Feasibility and responsiveness were also acceptable.
Cortisol levels are related to neonatal pain exposure in children born very preterm at age 18 months in two independent cohorts
Authors: McLean Mia A. , Nakajima Lisa , Chau Cecil M. Y. , Weinberg Joanne , Synnes Anne R. , Miller Steven P. , Grunau Ruth E.
Published: May 2023

Exposure to pain‐related stress from frequent invasive procedures in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has been associated with altered physiological stress regulation, neurodevelopment, and behavior in children born very preterm (≤32 weeks gestation). Previously, in a cohort born 2003–2006 (Cohort 1), we found that, at 18 months corrected age (CA), children born extremely low gestational age (ELGA; 24–28 weeks) and very low gestational age (VLGA; 29–32 weeks), had higher pre‐test cortisol levels and a different pattern of cortisol output across a developmental assessment involving cognitive challenge compared to children born full‐term (FT; 39–41 weeks). Also, greater neonatal pain‐related stress exposure among the preterm children was related to higher pre‐test cortisol levels. Given the adverse long‐term effects of neonatal pain in preterm infants and the ensuing rise in clinical concerns to appropriately manage pain in the NICU in recent years, we aimed to examine whether our findings from Cohort 1 would still be evident in an independent cohort (Cohort 2) born 2006–2011 and recruited from the same tertiary NICU in Vancouver, Canada. We also compared the cortisol patterns, clinical and socio‐demographic factors, and their interrelationships between the two cohorts. In Cohort 2, our findings using multi‐level modeling support and extend our earlier findings in Cohort 1, demonstrating that children born ELGA display higher pre‐test cortisol levels than FT. As well, greater cortisol output across assessment was related to more anxiety/depressive behaviors in children born VLGA. Importantly, children born ELGA were exposed to less neonatal pain/stress, mechanical ventilation, and morphine in Cohort 2 than Cohort 1. In both cohorts, however, cortisol levels and patterns were related to neonatal pain/stress and clinical factors (days on mechanical ventilation, overall morphine exposure). Despite less exposure to pain/stress and adverse clinical factors in Cohort 2 compared to Cohort 1, cortisol levels and patterns across cognitive challenge in preterm children at 18‐month CA were consistent across the two independent cohorts. These findings highlight that, despite improvements to neonatal care, children born extremely preterm continue to display altered HPA axis activity, which is associated with their poorer neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes.
Programmable polymer materials empowered by DNA nanotechnology
Authors: Speed Sarah K. , Gupta Krishna , Peng Yu‐Hsuan , Hsiao Syuan Ku , Krieg Elisha
Published: May 2023

Over the past century, synthetic polymers have had a transformative impact on human life, replacing nature‐derived materials in many areas. Yet, despite their many advantages, the structure and function of synthetic polymers still appear rudimentary compared to biological matter: cells use dynamic self‐assembly to construct complex materials and operate sophisticated macromolecular devices. The field of DNA nanotechnology has demonstrated that synthetic DNA molecules can be programmed to undergo predictable self‐assembly, offering unparalleled control over the formation and dynamic properties of artificial nanostructures. Intriguingly, the principles of DNA nanotechnology can be applied to the engineering of soft programmable materials, bringing the abilities of synthetic polymers closer to their biological counterparts. In this perspective, we discuss the unique features of DNA‐functionalized polymer materials. We describe design principles that allow researchers to build complex supramolecular architectures with predictable and dynamically adjustable material properties. Finally, we highlight two key application areas where this biologically inspired material class offers particularly promising opportunities: (1) as dynamic matrices for 3D cell and organoid culture and (2) as smart materials for nucleic acid sequencing and pathogen detection.
Investigating the structure–sensitivity relationship of photosensitive polyimide formulated by using a photobase generator
Authors: Chang En‐Chi , Tseng Ling‐Ya , Liu Yu , Chen Chun‐Kai , Kuo Chi‐Ching , Ueda Mitsuru , Lin Yan‐Cheng , Chen Wen‐Chang
Published: May 2023

Photosensitive polyimides (PSPIs) have been widely used in the buffer coating layer and insulation layer due to their excellent thermal and mechanical stability. In this work, a series of negative‐type PSPIs based on poly(amic acid) (PAA) and a photobase generator (PBG) have been developed. Two diamines of 4,4′‐oxydianiline (ODA), 3,3′‐diaminodiphenyl sulfone (SDA), and four dianhydrides of pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA), 3,3′,4,4′‐biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA), 4,4′‐oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) and cyclobutene‐1,2,3,4‐tetracarboxylic dianhydride (CBDA) are copolymerized to PAA through polyaddition, and the PAA is further thermally imidized to polyimide (PI). Through scrutinizing the structure–sensitivity relationship of these PIs, we find that the rigidity and transparency of the PAA/PI backbone play an important role in the sensitivity and contrast of PSPI. Accordingly, PSPI (SDA‐ODPA), possessing high optical transparency and a low rigidity represented by the low glass transition point, is capable of providing good photosensitivity of 30 mJ/cm2, a high contrast of 2.46, and an excellent pattern resolution of 4 μm after optimizing the prebaking (100°C for 5 min), exposure dose (380 mJ/cm2), post‐exposure baking (130°C for 7 min), and development parameters. This work provides the concept of structural design for negative‐type PSPI in the microelectronic application.
Fruit in focus: A sampler platter of research
Authors: Migicovsky Zoë , Forrestel Elisabeth J. , Warschefsky Emily J.
Published: May 2023

Few plants have captured the imagination and palettes of the world like those which bear edible fruits, providing novel insights into the relationships between plants and people. This special collection of reviews and research highlights the unique challenges and opportunities we face when studying, breeding, and working to conserve these species. The 18 articles included here examine fruiting plants across diverse scales and topics, from the genome to global sustainability, and from fruit morphology to species' geographic distributions, yet they showcase only a fraction of the immense evolutionary, phenotypic, and genomic diversity present in fruit‐bearing plants. Across the special collection, our hope is to not only offer highlights of fruit diversity and importance but also provide a taste of future research in this area. We hope you enjoy the fruits of our labor.
…And the regulator clapped! New approaches to maximizing worker engagement in process safety management
Authors: Robinson Chris
Published: May 2023

Many industrial sites struggle to achieve consistently strong business performance in Process Safety Management (PSM). For these work sites, leading indicators may show that there is good participation in process safety activities, but unfortunately, the process safety incident rate remains above targets. Oftentimes, these sites must be very reactive as incident follow‐up consumes much of their available resources and incident avoidance continues to be elusive. This paper discusses new approaches used to break free from lackluster PSM performance. These new approaches are designed to maximize worker engagement which in turn will boost the culture and lead to a step‐change improvement in PSM performance. The new approaches incorporate the Swiss cheese model at the center of a framework that is easily understood by all workers. Workers' knowledge of PSM and how it pertains to their specific role is then strengthened through routine sharing of external events. Workers are then encouraged to apply learnings to their work and they are rewarded for breakthroughs in hazard identification or mitigation. These approaches have not only received applause from regulators but have also been successfully used to break out of mediocrity and attain “best‐in‐class” PSM performance, as measured by API RP 754 criteria.
Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to quantify the economic value of ecosystem services
Authors: Garcia Xavier
Published: May 2023

Modeling tools simulate the functioning of ecosystems and their interactions with human activities, helping decision makers understand how interventions impact ecosystems and evaluate management strategies. This leads to informed decisions that balance human development and environmental protection. Among these models, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) stands out for its ability to simulate multiple biophysical processes that can be linked to the provision of ecosystem services (ES). Although SWAT has been successfully applied for the evaluation of ES, the development of complementary approaches that translate the results of SWAT into monetary terms is still in its early stages. To narrow this gap, this review article aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the literature on the relationship between SWAT model results and economic analysis. Specifically, the review summarizes the research conducted on the use of SWAT model results to estimate economic values, including the different methodologies used and the types of economic values estimated. The review will also discuss the limitations and challenges of these approaches, provide a critical evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the research in this area, and provide recommendations to strengthen SWAT application for the economic evaluation of management strategies.
Cd2Nb2Te4O15: A Novel Pseudo‐Aurivillius‐Type Tellurite with Unprecedented Nonlinear Optical Properties and Excellent Stability
Authors: Wang Qiang , Dong Xue‐Hua , Huang Ling , Ok Kang‐Min , Lin Zhi‐En , Zou Guo‐Hong
Published: May 2023

Oxides are emerging candidates for mid‐infrared (mid‐IR) nonlinear optical (NLO) materials. However, their intrinsically weak second harmonic generation (SHG) effects hinder their further development. A major design challenge is to increase the nonlinear coefficient while maintaining the broad mid‐IR transmission and high laser‐induced damage threshold (LIDT) of the oxides. In this study, it is reported on a polar NLO tellurite, Cd2Nb2Te4O15 (CNTO), featuring a pseudo‐Aurivillius‐type perovskite layered structure composed of three types of NLO active groups, including CdO6 octahedra, NbO6 octahedra, and TeO4 seesaws. The uniform orientation of the distorted units induces a giant SHG response that is ≈31 times larger than that of KH2PO4, the largest value among all reported metal tellurites. Additionally, CNTO exhibits a large band gap (3.75 eV), a wide optical transparency window (0.33–14.5 µm), superior birefringence (0.12@ 546 nm), high LIDT (23 × AgGaS2), and strong acid and alkali resistance, indicating its potential as a promising mid‐IR NLO material.
Induced Production of Atypical Naturally Nonpreferred Metal–Organic Frameworks and Their Detachment via Provoking Post‐Mismatching
Authors: Lee Sujeong , Lee Gihyun , Oh Moonhyun
Published: May 2023

The structures of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are typically determined by the building blocks that compose them and the conditions under which they are formed. MOFs tend to adopt a thermodynamically and/or kinetically stable structure (naturally preferred form). Thus, constructing MOFs with naturally nonpreferred structures is a challenging task, as it requires avoiding the easier pathway toward a naturally preferred MOF. Herein, an approach to construct naturally nonpreferred dicarboxylate‐linked MOFs employing reaction templates is reported. This strategy relies on the registry between the surface of the template and the cell lattice of a target MOF, which reduces the effort required to form naturally nonpreferred MOFs. Reactions of p‐block trivalent metal ions (Ga3+ and In3+) with dicarboxylic acids typically produce preferred MIL‐53 or MIL‐68. However, the surface of UiO‐67 (and UiO‐66) template exhibits the well‐defined hexagonal lattice, which induce the selective formation of a naturally nonpreferred MIL‐88 structure. Inductively grown MIL‐88s are purely isolated from the template via provoking a post‐mismatch in their lattices and weakening the interfacial interaction between product and template. It is also discovered that an appropriate template for effective induced production of naturally nonpreferred MOFs shall be properly selected based on the cell lattice of a target MOF.
Laser‐Driven Transient Phase Oscillations in Individual Spin Crossover Particles
Authors: Hu Yaowei , Picher Matthieu , Palluel Marlène , Daro Nathalie , Freysz Eric , Stoleriu Laurentiu , Enachescu Cristian , Chastanet Guillaume , Banhart Florian
Published: May 2023

An unusual expansion dynamics of individual spin crossover nanoparticles is studied by ultrafast transmission electron microscopy. After exposure to nanosecond laser pulses, the particles exhibit considerable length oscillations during and after their expansion. The vibration period of 50–100 ns is of the same order of magnitude as the time that the particles need for a transition from the low‐spin to the high‐spin state. The observations are explained in Monte Carlo calculations using a model where elastic and thermal coupling between the molecules within a crystalline spin crossover particle govern the phase transition between the two spin states. The experimentally observed length oscillations are in agreement with the calculations, and it is shown that the system undergoes repeated transitions between the two spin states until relaxation in the high‐spin state occurs due to energy dissipation. Spin crossover particles are therefore a unique system where a resonant transition between two phases occurs in a phase transformation of first order.
Lipid Exchange Promotes Fusion of Model Protocells
Authors: Fan Ziyan , Deckel Yaam , Lowe Lauren A. , Loo Daniel W. K. , Yomo Tetsuya , Szostak Jack W. , Nisler Collin , Wang Anna
Published: May 2023

Vesicle fusion is an important process underlying cell division, transport, and membrane trafficking. In phospholipid systems, a range of fusogens including divalent cations and depletants have been shown to induce adhesion, hemifusion, and then full content fusion between vesicles. This work shows that these fusogens do not perform the same function for fatty acid vesicles, which are used as model protocells (primitive cells). Even when fatty acid vesicles appear adhered or hemifused to each other, the intervening barriers between vesicles do not rupture. This difference is likely because fatty acids have a single aliphatic tail, and are more dynamic than their phospholipid counterparts. To address this, it is postulated that fusion could instead occur under conditions, such as lipid exchange, that disrupt lipid packing. Using both experiments and molecular dynamics simulations, it is verified that fusion in fatty acid systems can indeed be induced by lipid exchange. These results begin to probe how membrane biophysics could constrain the evolutionary dynamics of protocells.
Fabricating and Laminating Films with Through‐Holes and Engraved/Protruding Structures for 3D Micro/Nanofluidic Platforms
Authors: Bae Juyeol , Wu Ronghui , Kim Taesung
Published: May 2023

Micro/nanofluidic devices have become popular for delicately processing biological, material, and chemical samples. However, their reliance on 2D fabrication schemes has hindered further innovation. Here, a 3D manufacturing method is proposed through the innovation of laminated object manufacturing (LOM), which involves the selection of building materials as well as the development of molding and lamination techniques. Fabrication of interlayer films is demonstrated with both multi‐layered micro‐/nanostructures and through‐holes, using an injection molding approach and establishing strategic principles of film design. Utilization of the multi‐layered through‐hole films in LOM allows reducing the number of alignments and laminations by at least two times compared to conventional LOM. Using a dual‐curing resin for film fabrication, a surface‐treatment‐free and collapse‐free lamination technique is shown for constructing 3D multiscale micro/nanofluidic devices with ultralow aspect ratio nanochannels. The 3D manufacturing method enables the development of a nanochannel‐based attoliter droplet generator capable of 3D parallelization for mass production, which implies the remarkable potential to extend numerous existing 2D micro/nanofluidic platforms into a 3D framework.
Do sovereign credit rating events affect the foreign exchange market? Evidence from a treatment effect analysis
Authors: Balima Hippolyte , Minea Alexandru , Vinturis Cezara
Published: May 2023

We estimate the effect of sovereign credit rating events on the foreign exchange market. Using entropy balancing—a treatment effect methodology that properly addresses the possible self‐selection and endogeneity biases related to rating events—we find robust evidence that a positive (negative) sovereign credit rating event significantly increases (decreases) on average exchange rates, with a larger magnitude for negative events. This effect remains significant under flexible (but not under fixed) exchange rate regimes, and displays asymmetries related to the size of the rating event: in particular, only negative large (i.e., above one notch) rating events trigger a significant response of exchange rates. Lastly, we unveil important nonlinearities related to the initial value of the rating, suggesting a possible amplification mechanism: the impact of positive (negative) rating events is stronger in absolute value if ratings are initially high (low).
Lily Starch—An Underutilized and Non‐Conventional Source: Properties and Applications
Authors: Bangar Sneh Punia , Ashogbon Adeleke Omodunbi , Whiteside William Scott , Chaudhary Vandana
Published: May 2023

Lily belongs to the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae. Starch is the main component of lily bulbs which accounts for 53–69% of their dry weight. Lily starch (LS) has B‐type X‐ray diffraction characterized by a peak at 5.6°, 17°, 22°, and 24°. The swelling and solubility of the LS are significantly higher than rice and corn starches. The gelatinization temperatures of the LS are much lower than maize but higher than wheat and potato starches. The pasting temperature, peak, breakdown, and setback viscosities of lily starches are falling within the range; 66.1–72.7 °C, 1409–3940 cP, 88–1206 cP, and 445–1952 cP, respectively. The range for initial temperature, gelatinization temperature range, and enthalpy for lily starches is also 56.5–64.0 °C, 3.8–10.3 °C, and 3.9–13.9 J g−1, respectively. This review focuses on the recent advances in the understanding of the composition, structure, and properties of lily starches. Furthermore, the limited modification associated with lily starches is also discussed. There is a bold attempt to compare the properties of lily starch with that of the commercial starches of corn and potato.
In‐Situ Production of Modified Starch and Pickering Emulsions by Planetary Ball Milling
Authors: González Luciana C. , Santagapita Patricio R. , Tolaba Marcela P.
Published: May 2023

Rice starches with different degrees of modification are obtained by high impact‐milling and evaluated as stabilizers of oil/water (O/W) Pickering emulsions. The objective is to produce in‐situ Pickering emulsions in a planetary ball mill (PBM), analyzing the effect of starch milling time (10, 40, 70 min) and starch concentration (3%, 9%, 15%, 21%, 27%) on emulsion attributes such as droplet size (D50, D[4,3]), oil retention (OR) capacity, creaming percentage (C), and stability time (ST). The traditional homogenization method using a rotor‐stator device is adopted as a reference. By homogenization in PBM, good quality emulsions (droplet size lower than 50 µm and 18 days stable period) are obtained by using 15% of rice starch milled during 40 min. In contrast, the emulsion cannot be obtained by traditional homogenization for the same process conditions. However, with 70 min of PBM and 21%–27% of starch content, a long‐term ST (60 days) is achieved by means of both homogenization methods. These optimal emulsions show a low droplet size (D50 ∼ 10 µm) and a great affinity of the milled starch toward the interface in optical microscopy images, which explains the significant contribution of starch particles aimed at controlling the droplet coalescence.
Taxonomy and nomenclature ofSphenopterisand allied fossil‐genera of Carboniferous seed‐plant fronds
Authors: Cleal Christopher J. , Thomas Barry A.
Published: May 2023

Most remains of Carboniferous lyginopteridalean seed‐plant fronds used to be classified in a single fossil‐genus (Sphenopteris) based mainly on pinnule morphology. By incorporating additional characters linked to frond architecture and rachial features a more natural taxonomy has now been achieved. Eight fossil‐genera of lyginopteridalean fronds are now recognised (Sphenopteris,Calymmotheca,Eusphenopteris,Karinopteris,Mariopteris,Palmatopteris,Spathulopteris,Sphenopteridium) for which the diagnostic descriptions, nomenclatural types and stratigraphical/chronological distribution are clarified. This provides a more natural and therefore robust means of recording these fossils, which will help improve studies on past plant diversity and floristics. A by‐product of this revision is that some fossil‐species of fern fronds previously placed inSphenopteriswill need to be reclassified into fossil‐genera that are defined on reproductive structures.
Surgical stabilisation of a traumatic comminuted vertebral fracture/luxation in a Patagonian mara (Dolichotis patagonum)
Authors: Rojas Viviana , Fitzmaurice Matilda , Po Eleonora , Freeman Paul
Published: May 2023

We report the case of a 1‐year‐old, male, entire Patagonian mara (Dolichotis patagonum) presented unable to walk as a result of a traumatic comminuted vertebral fracture/luxation and successfully treated with surgical stabilisation using pins and polymethyl methacrylate. The diagnosis was based on neurological examination and computed tomography. The surgery was performed the same day of presentation and the patient recovered well after surgery, eating, urinating and defecating within the next 24 hours. In this paper, we discuss the anaesthetic and peri‐anaesthetic management as well as the postoperative medical considerations, focusing on important anatomical aspects of the species and the surgical procedure that has not been described in maras before.
Deterioration of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome in a French bulldog following surgical stabilisation of atlantoaxial subluxation with concurrent atlas malformation
Authors: Perez Perez Maria C. , Renfrew Helen , Jack Malcolm , Bertram Simon
Published: May 2023

A 2‐year 10‐month‐old French bulldog presented with a history of intermittent yelping episodes and low head carriage. Examination revealed cervical hyperaesthesia and grade I brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography of the cervical vertebral column demonstrated a malformation of the atlas and atlantoaxial subluxation causing spinal cord compression. Ventral atlantoaxial stabilisation was performed, aided by three‐dimensional printed, patient‐specific drill guides, bicortical bone screws and polymethylmethacrylate. Four months later, the patient re‐presented being pain free but for deterioration of upper respiratory noise, distress and exercise intolerance. Grade III brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome was evident on examination. Assessment of the post‐stabilisation computed tomography images and recent radiographs suggested that the rapid progression of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome had been caused by the stabilisation construct causing further narrowing of the nasopharynx by ventral and rostral displacement of the dorsocaudal nasopharyngeal wall. A folded flap palatoplasty was performed leading to excellent short‐ and long‐term outcome.
The European Union’s Cooperation for Peace in Colombia: Achievements, Contributions and Limits with Respect to Guaranteeing Victims’ Rights
Authors: Gómez Correal Diana , Zugadi Bengoa Ainhoa
Published: May 2023

The chapter analyses the materializations, contributions and limitations of the European Union’s cooperation in guaranteeing the rights of the victims in Colombia. The text identifies the main programs and lines of intervention of the EU’s cooperation with Colombia since the start of the XXI century that contribute to the rights of the victims. It also analyses the transformations that the EU’s intervention has had in the midst of the application of transitional justice in the country, the peace process with the FARC-EP and the implementation of the Peace Agreement. Starting from a decolonial perspective, the chapter identifies structural limitations in the EU’s cooperation and the way that these affect the rights of victims and peacebuilding. The text concludes with some recommendations for the EU, aimed at guaranteeing the rights of victims in Colombia, transformative peacebuilding, and the structural changes that this requires.
The EU’s Peace Work in Colombia: Conclusions, Lessons Learned and Future Prospects
Authors: Pérez de Armiño Karlos
Published: May 2023

This chapter takes up some of the transversal ideas addressed throughout the book. In the first place, it formulates some conclusions on the support given by the EU to the peace process in Colombia over two decades and, in particular, to the implementation of the Havana Peace Agreement. It considers that a hybrid model of peacebuilding has been shaped, with objectives and principles of liberal peace, but with some innovative elements that go beyond the latter, above all in three fields: the commitment to strengthening civil society, the defence of human rights and the adoption of a territorial approach. In the second place, we extract some lessons from the accumulated European experiences and activities in the country that could enrich the EU’s normative framework and repertoire of peacebuilding instruments in the world. Finally, we reflect on the growing space and the opportunities that Gustavo Petro’s election as president in August 2022 has opened for the EU to continue acting as a firm supporter of the Peace Agreement. The chapter is based on a documentary analysis and interviews conducted with several actors.
The European Union’s Contribution to the Implementation of the Ethnic Approach Within the Colombian Peace Agreement (2016–2021)
Authors: Linares Quero Alba
Published: May 2023

The chapter examines to what extent the European Union is contributing to territorial peacebuilding through the implementation of the Peace Agreement’s ethnic approach. It is vital to support Colombia’s ethnic minorities—who are the main victims of the armed conflict and whose rights have historically been violated—in order to effectively contribute to reconciliation and positive peace. Likewise, ethnic communities have collective imaginaries and conceptions of territory that are different from those of modern society. As a result, territorial peace is in danger of replicating the liberal peace model if it does not effectively integrate these other perspectives when rebuilding governance. The conclusion of this research is that the European Union is sensitive to the situation and demands of ethnic peoples, and is supporting peace projects and initiatives with an ethnic aspect through cooperation programmes. However, in the first five years of implementation (2016–2021), it has not sufficiently supported the commitments adopted in the Peace Agreement with ethnic peoples, having underestimated the significance of the ethnic approach in its peacebuilding strategy in Colombia.
MetaCitta: Deep Meta-Learning for Spatio-Temporal Prediction Across Cities and Tasks
Authors: Sao Ashutosh , Gottschalk Simon , Tempelmeier Nicolas , Demidova Elena
Published: May 2023

Accurate spatio-temporal prediction is essential for capturing city dynamics and planning mobility services. State-of-the-art deep spatio-temporal predictive models depend on rich and representative training data for target regions and tasks. However, the availability of such data is typically limited. Furthermore, existing predictive models fail to utilize cross-correlations across tasks and cities. In this paper, we propose MetaCitta, a novel deep meta-learning approach that addresses the critical challenges of data scarcity and model generalization. MetaCitta adopts the data from different cities and tasks in a generalizable spatio-temporal deep neural network. We propose a novel meta-learning algorithm that minimizes the discrepancy between spatio-temporal representations across tasks and cities. Our experiments with real-world data demonstrate that the proposed MetaCitta approach outperforms state-of-the-art prediction methods for zero-shot learning and pre-training plus fine-tuning. Furthermore, MetaCitta is computationally more efficient than the existing meta-learning approaches.
A New Vision of Governance for the European Less Development Regions? Sustainability and Transition Management for a Modern Approach to Policy
Authors: Provenzano Vincenzo , Seminara Maria Rosaria
Published: May 2023

The challenge for the future of Europe and the entire planet is to direct development towards sustainability trajectories. The current period is a time of change in the direction of Ecological Transition. Managing these changes requires innovative governance models, a challenge identified by the 14 European Megatrends. Europe recognizes the need for multilevel governance that always involves a more significant number of actors. The article identifies the governance approach of Transition Management (TM) as a model that responds to the challenge of new governance models inclusive of the sustainable vision. Especially for the lagging areas, the TM could be a methodology that supports the institutional capacity, often strictly correlated to the development conditions.
A Methodology Toward a Just, Digital and Ecological Transition for Resilient and Sustainable Scenarios
Authors: Leuzzo Alessia
Published: May 2023

Climate change-related extreme events, like droughts and heavy precipitations, are increasingly leading to water-related problems, such as flooding, water scarcity, and disease spreading. Furthermore, it appears insufficiently effective working on the adaptation to some conditions, by merely reducing their impacts on the built environment. The current scenario rather suggests the necessity to produce positive impacts. In this paper, a methodology using the Advanced Resilient Design (ARD) approach is proposed. The ARD is a Regenerative Design that works on resilient scenarios to manage water resources and pieces of information, as a starting point to tackle climate change effects such as floodings and drought. The ARD applies to circular development models, focusing on “enabling water technologies”. In the first part of the paper, some literature will be discussed, from climate change scenario and water involvement to the necessity of organizing built environment spaces as “urban districts in transition”. Also, the need to reach resilience through sustainability and the critical role of water management for innovative and inclusive transitions are discussed. Then, three paradigms are presented: liminal scale, urban water districts, and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). These paradigms are considered critical to understanding the following presentation of a methodology based on the Advanced Resilient Design. Afterward, some research on the criticality of water management in the post-Covid19 is presented as examples for a first validation of the proposed methodology. Finally, the innovative aspects of the methodology, bottlenecks, and further research from the methodology application are discussed.
Data Driven Smart Cities and Data Spaces
Authors: Battistoni Pietro
Published: May 2023

Smart Cities are places where traditional networks and services are made more efficient through digital solutions, benefiting residents and businesses. Moving to digital solutions basically means applying a technological process that transforms various aspects of social or individual life into data that are subsequently transformed into information endowed with new forms of value, including economic value. In addition to economic value, in the digital age, access to data makes it possible to have transparent and open government, build trust, fight corruption, address inequality, and create more resilient democracies. This chapter describes how, for these purposes, data management and sharing are changing with the adoption of Data Spaces, a new approach that moves away from data integration to data coexistence.
Rural and Creativity HUB for the Vulture Regional Park: Making Community, Starting with the Construction of a Participatory LAB
Authors: Coppola Emanuela , Sica Giusy
Published: May 2023

The Vulture Regional Park is a unique territory for its geomorphologic and vegetation characteristics but also because of its strategic position between Basilicata, Campania and Puglia which preserves the signs of different ages, territorialization and deterritorialization that have affected it over the centuries. This territory represents a great scientific challenge for our Center that has proposed an innovative technical-operational methodology based on the territorialist approach [1] and on interpretation planning [2]. This tool allows one to recognise the relationships between the nodes of the identity of places, the development of society and the modification of the behaviors of consumption of resources. Our goal is to make the Vulture Regional Park a model of study and experimentation of a Rural and Creativity Living Lab, through a “place-based and people-oriented” approach. We strongly believe that the value and potential of the territory's resources must be considered as a driver for sustainable development and quality of life in an evolving society. It is necessary to highlight the importance of a broad knowledge of the resources that must be respected and defended.