bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrating Prime Editing and Cellular Reprogramming as Novel Strategies for Genetic Cardiac Disease Modeling and Treatment
Authors: Yao Bing , Lei Zhiyong , Gonçalves Manuel A. F. V. , Sluijter Joost P. G.
Published: September 2024

Purpose of review

This review aims to evaluate the potential of CRISPR-based gene editing tools, particularly prime editors (PE), in treating genetic cardiac diseases. It seeks to answer how these tools can overcome current therapeutic limitations and explore the synergy between PE and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) for personalized medicine.

Recent findings

Recent advancements in CRISPR technology, including CRISPR-Cas9, base editors, and PE, have demonstrated precise genome correction capabilities. Notably, PE has shown exceptional precision in correcting genetic mutations. Combining PE with iPSC-CMs has emerged as a robust platform for disease modeling and developing innovative treatments for genetic cardiac diseases.

The review finds that PE, when combined with iPSC-CMs, holds significant promise for treating genetic cardiac diseases by addressing their root causes. This approach could revolutionize personalized medicine, offering more effective and precise treatments. Future research should focus on refining these technologies and their clinical applications.
Insights into Uromodulin and Blood Pressure
Authors: Zhou Manshi , Mary Sheon , Delles Christian , Padmanabhan Sandosh , Graham Delyth , McBride Martin W. , Dominiczak Anna F.
Published: September 2024

Purpose of Review

We review the role of uromodulin, a protein exclusively expressed in the kidney, in blood pressure regulation and hypertension.

Recent Findings

The last few years have seen a shift of focus from genetic association to mendelian randomisation and uromodulin-salt interaction studies, thus confirming the causal role of uromodulin in blood pressure regulation and hypertension. This work has been complemented by phenome-wide association studies in a wider range of ethnicities. Important recent molecular work elucidated uromodulin trafficking and secretion and provided more insights into the pathophysiological roles of circulating and urinary uromodulin.

Uromodulin has a causal role in blood pressure regulation and hypertensin. Recent studies show utility of the uromodulin as a biomarker and a possible precision medicine application based on genetically determined differential responses to loop diuretics.
Synchronous Fluorescence Spectroscopy as a Green Method for the Prediction of Antioxidant Activity in Wine Brandy and Sweet Wine
Authors: Sádecká Jana , Hroboňová Katarína , Jakubíková Michaela
Published: September 2024

The official method for the determination of antioxidant activity in beverages is 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, which requires toxic reagents, is laborious, and produces waste. The aim of this work was to develop a more eco‑friendly method for the prediction of antioxidant activity in wine brandy and sweet wine using synchronous fluorescence spectra (SFS). In scanning of bulk and diluted samples, the excitation wavelength was varied from 250 to 500 nm and the wavelength interval was ranged from 20 to 100 nm. Partial least squares (PLS) regression was done on individual SFS, on unfolded SFS and on variables selected by the variable importance in the projection (VIP) algorithm, while the DPPH assay was the reference method. VIP-PLS modeling of the SFS of diluted samples led to better performance characteristics of the regression models. The best VIP-PLS model for wine brandy with relative predictive deviation (RPD) of 3.9 was based on 62 variables (the wavelength interval from 80 to 100 nm and the excitation wavelength from 290 to 320 nm). The best VIP-PLS model for sweet wine with RPD of 4.2 was calculated on 108 variables (the wavelength interval from 60 to 100 nm and the excitation wavelength from 260 to 290 nm). RPD values above 3.5 indicated very good prediction accuracy obtained by VIP-PLS models. Analytical GREEnness (AGREE) score 0.74 confirmed a high level of greenness of the proposed method.
Emotional Labor and the Problem of Exploitation in Roboticized Care Practices: Enriching the Framework of Care Centred Value Sensitive Design
Authors: Liedo Belén , Van Grunsven Janna , Marin Lavinia
Published: September 2024

Care ethics has been advanced as a suitable framework for evaluating the ethical significance of assistive robotics. One of the most prominent care ethical contributions to the ethical assessment of assistive robots comes through the work of Aimee Van Wynsberghe, who has developed the Care-Centred Value-Sensitive Design framework (CCVSD) in order to incorporate care values into the design of assistive robots. Building upon the care ethics work of Joan Tronto, CCVSD has been able to highlight a number of ways in which care practices can undergo significant ethical transformations upon the introduction of assistive robots. In this paper, we too build upon the work of Tronto in an effort to enrich the CCVSD framework. Combining insights from Tronto’s work with the sociological concept of emotional labor, we argue that CCVSD remains underdeveloped with respect to the impact robots may have on the emotional labor required by paid care workers. Emotional labor consists of the managing of emotions and of emotional bonding, both of which signify a demanding yet potentially fulfilling dimension of paid care work. Because of the conditions in which care labor is performed nowadays, emotional labor is also susceptible to exploitation. While CCVSD can acknowledge some manifestations of unrecognized emotional labor in care delivery, it remains limited in capturing the structural conditions that fuel this vulnerability to exploitation. We propose that the idea of privileged irresponsibility, coined by Tronto, helps to understand how the exploitation of emotional labor can be prone to happen in roboticized care practices.
Spaces of mathematical chemistry
Authors: Restrepo Guillermo
Published: September 2024

In an effort to expand the domain of mathematical chemistry and inspire research beyond the realms of graph theory and quantum chemistry, we explore five mathematical chemistry spaces and their interconnectedness. These spaces comprise the chemical space, which encompasses substances and reactions; the space of reaction conditions, spanning the physical and chemical aspects involved in chemical reactions; the space of reaction grammars, which encapsulates the rules for creating and breaking chemical bonds; the space of substance properties, covering all documented measurements regarding substances; and the space of substance representations, composed of the various ontologies for characterising substances.
Doxastic and Epistemic Sources of Offense for Slurring Terms
Authors: Gray David Miguel
Published: September 2024

Existing analyses of slurs emphasize how linguistic mechanisms make slurs derogatory. I will argue that, in addition to linguistic mechanisms, there are overlooked doxastic and epistemic features of standard slurring utterances that can be sources of offense. Additionally, I argue that the doxastic feature that distinguishes slurring utterances from other negatively valenced utterances is fundamental to understanding slurring terms. Clinical Trial Registration: Not applicable.
Localized translation on the mitochondrial surface
Authors: Bykov Yury S.
Published: September 2024

The proteins that are delivered to different organelles are synthesized on cytosolic ribosomes. Many of the ribosomes making these proteins are located in close proximity to the destination organelle. Except for the textbook example of co-translational protein targeting to the endoplasmic reticulum, the mechanisms and biological roles of such local translation remain unknown. On the mitochondrial surface, several conceptually new mechanisms were recently suggested to be in play.
Entschlüsselung der T-Zell-Antwort des Haushuhns
Authors: Früh Simon , Göbel Thomas
Published: September 2024

Chickens are an important species in veterinary sciences and a valuable immunological model. T cells are essential for adaptive immunity and memory responses in chickens, playing a crucial role in safeguarding poultry health. Next Generation Sequencing of T cell receptors (TCR repertoire sequencing) has emerged as a powerful tool to better characterize T cell responses. Here, we discuss approaches, applications, and findings regarding TCR repertoire sequencing in chickens.
Nomogram for the Therapeutic Efficacy of Apheresis Platelet Transfusion in Hematologic Patients
Authors: He Yiwen , Feng Huihui , Yu Lu , Deng Gang
Published: September 2024

This study aims to explore the factors that affect the efficacy of apheresis platelet transfusion in patients with hematologic diseases and construct a nomogram prediction model to predict the possibility of obtaining satisfactory platelet transfusion efficacy and guide scientific and rational platelet transfusion. The basic information of 2,007 hematologic patients who received apheresis platelet transfusions from June 2022 to April 2023 and the corresponding donor information and apheresis platelet data are collected. The risk factors that cause ineffective platelet transfusions are screened through a logistic regression analysis. Then, the risk factors are introduced into R software, and a nomogram prediction model is established and validated. The regression analysis shows that the independent risk factors for ineffective platelet transfusion are platelet count before transfusion, white blood cell count, hemoglobin content and mean corpuscular hemoglobin, cumulative platelet transfusion times, platelet antibody positivity, fever, splenomegaly, graft-versus-host disease, bleeding, and platelet storage days. These factors are included in the nomogram, and the calibration curve for predicting transfusion efficiency reveals good consistency between the nomogram-predicted results and the actual observations. The area under the curve obtained through internal repeated sampling is 0.756. This study comprehensively assessed the risks associated with factors leading to ineffective platelet transfusion and successfully constructed and validated a nomogram prediction model. This model provides an important predictive tool for assessing the efficacy of platelet transfusion in patients with hematologic diseases, with the potential to guide scientific and rational platelet transfusion practices.
Neighborhood Characteristics Related to Changes in Anthropometrics During a Lifestyle Intervention for Persons with Obesity
Authors: Brouwer Boëlle J. , Kuckuck Susanne , Meeusen Renate E. H. , Mohseni Mostafa , Lengton Robin , van Lenthe Frank J. , van Rossum Elisabeth F. C.
Published: September 2024

Background

Since obesity has emerged as a major public health concern, there is an urgent need to better understand factors related to weight gain and treatment success.

Methods

This study included 118 persons with obesity who participated in a multidisciplinary combined lifestyle intervention with cognitive-behavioral therapy at the outpatient clinic of the Obesity Center CGG at Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Neighborhood characteristics were assessed using a 13-item questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the association between perceived safety, social cohesion, and the availability of facilities on relative changes in body mass index and waist circumference changes, adjusted for corresponding neighborhood socioeconomic status scores.

Results

Higher total scores, indicating more unfavorable neighborhood perceptions, were associated with less relative improvements in BMI and waist circumference after 1.5 years (β = 3.2, 95%CI 0.3–6.0; β = 3.4, 95%CI 0.3–6.6, respectively). Also, more neighborhood unsafety was associated with less relative improvements in BMI and waist circumference on the long term (β = 3.1, 95%CI 1.1–5.1; β = 2.8, 95%CI 0.6–5.1, respectively).

Conclusion

The results indicate that living in a neighborhood perceived as less favorable may lower the chances of successful weight loss in response to combined lifestyle interventions in persons with obesity.
Distribution of moniliformin in industrial maize milling and flaking process
Authors: Terenzio Bertuzzi , Alessio Abate , Paola Giorni
Published: September 2024

Moniliformin (MON) is a widespread emerging mycotoxin often occurring in maize at significant levels. Few published studies investigated MON redistribution in maize-derived products for human consumption; to better understand this issue, 5 maize lots with different levels of MON contamination were processed following an industrial milling process to evaluate the redistribution of the mycotoxin in final products (grits), by-products destined to feed (bran and flour) and cleaning waste. MON was quantified by LC–MS/MS after the purification step through the SPE column; moreover, a confirmatory method based on MON derivatization with 1,2-diamino-4,5-dichlorobenzene was developed. Relevant MON reduction was obtained after sieve cleaning, scourer process, and optical sorting, achieving a decrement of the concentration level close to 70%. The following other milling procedures showed a limited reduction from cleaned maize to small and large grits; considering the entire industrial process, the reduction percentage of MON contamination in the final products was 80.9 ± 9.3% and 81.0 ± 6.7% for small and large grits, respectively. The flaking process showed a very limited reduction of MON, close to 10%. Considering the widespread of MON occurrence in maize, the study highlights the importance of cleaning steps to achieve a low risk of exposure for the consumer.
Microalgal and Cyanobacterial Biomasses Modified the Activity of Extracellular Products from Bacillus pumilus: An In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment
Authors: García-Márquez Jorge , Díaz Alba Galafat , Molina-Roque Luis , Domínguez-Maqueda Marta , de las Heras Verónica , Simó-Mirabet Paula , Vizcaíno Antonio J. , Martos-Sitcha Juan Antonio , Alarcón-López Francisco Javier , Moriñigo Miguel Ángel , Balebona María Carmen
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the postbiotic potential of extracellular products (ECPs) from Bacillus pumilus strains cultivated on microalgae-supplemented media. We assessed enzymatic and antimicrobial activities to select ECPs that enhance the digestive processes in gilthead seabream. Additionally, we explored the in vitro enzymatic capacity of the chosen postbiotics to hydrolyze macromolecules in microalgae. Finally, a feeding trial was conducted to determine the in vivo effects of the ECPs on Sparus aurata. In vitro enzymatic assays demonstrated diverse hydrolytic capacities among ECPs. All conditions exhibited antimicrobial activity against Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida, with variation in inhibitory effects against Vibrio harveyi and Tenacibaculum maritimum. Furthermore, in vitro assays revealed differences in protein hydrolysis and soluble protein concentration, influencing amino acid and reducing sugar release from microalgal biomass. These analyses facilitated a selection to test ECPs in vivo. Lastly, the in vivo experiment revealed no differences in the growth performance, nutrient utilization, and general metabolism of S. aurata fed the experimental diets. Dietary inclusion of postbiotics increased the activity of key digestive enzymes in fish compared to the control group, and particularly, values increased significantly when the fish were fed with the ECP-nanoparticulate-supplemented diet. In conclusion, the inclusion of microalgae in the culture media significantly influences the activity of extracellular products from B. pumilus strains, as evidenced in both in vitro and in vivo assays.
Transitive Inference over Affective Representations in Non-Human Animals
Authors: Srećković Sanja
Published: September 2024

The mainstream philosophical approach to inference, which insists on sentence-like representations and a linguistic capability, excludes non-human animals as possible agents capable of making inferences. However, an abundance of studies show that many animal species exhibit behaviors that seem to rely on some kind of reasoning. My focus here are the transitive inference tasks, which most species solve quite successfully. These findings put pressure on the mainstream views, and still lack a convincing explanation. I introduce the concept of affective representations, which satisfy the semantic and structural requirements for participating in inferences. I also argue for a broader conception of inference, and show how we can apply this view to explain the results of the transitive inference studies. Finally, I suggest it is more useful to think of flexibility of thought in terms of a continuous range, rather than a dichotomy of flexible vs. inflexible.
Skew two-sided bracoids
Authors: Malinowska Izabela Agata
Published: September 2024

Isabel Martin-Lyons and Paul J.Truman generalised the definition of a skew brace to give a new algebraic object, which they termed a skew bracoid. Their construction involves two groups interacting in a manner analogous to the compatibility condition found in the definition of a skew brace. They formulated tools for characterizing and classifying skew bracoids, and studied substructures and quotients of skew bracoids. As an application, they proved that finite skew bracoids correspond with Hopf-Galois structures on finite separable extensions of fields, generalizing the existing connection between finite skew braces and Hopf-Galois structures on finite Galois extensions. In this paper we study two-sided bracoids. Rump showed that if a left brace $$(B, \star ,\cdot )$$

(
B
,
⋆
,
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)

is a two-sided brace and the operation $$*: B \times B \longrightarrow B$$

∗
:
B
×
B
⟶
B

is defined by $$a *b = a\cdot b \star \overline{a} \star \overline{b}$$

a

∗
b
=
a
·
b
⋆

a
¯

⋆

b
¯

for all $$a, b \in B$$

a
,
b
∈
B

then $$(B, \star ,*)$$

(
B
,
⋆
,

∗
)

is a Jacobson radical ring. Lau showed that if $$(B, \star ,\cdot )$$

(
B
,
⋆
,
·
)

is a left brace and the operation is asssociative, then $$(B, \star ,\cdot )$$

(
B
,
⋆
,
·
)

is a two-sided brace. We will prove bracoid versions of this results.
Material Studies on Decorative Buttons from the Hallstatt Period Tumuli in Mitterkirchen, Marchland, Upper Austria
Authors: Haubner Roland , Strobl Susanne , Leskovar Jutta
Published: September 2024

The burial ground at Mitterkirchen belongs to the Early Iron Age, respectively, to the Hallstatt culture. A remarkable find from Mitterkirchen is approximately 3,000 buttons that were attached to a magnificent coat. Five of these buttons were provided for nondestructive material examinations using computed tomography (CT). Two of these buttons could be examined by metallography, light optical microscope (LOM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and X-ray fluorescence examination (XRF). Based on the results of the investigation, it can be assumed that the bronze buttons were manufactured by a casting process. The bronze alloys are very different, which suggests the use of various starting materials including recycled copper alloys. The microstructure of the bronzes is uniform and, depending on their compositions, contains precipitates like Pb and the intermetallic phase Cu41Sn11. The corrosion layers exhibit a pronounced Sn enrichment and contain malachite.
Development of functional materials based on new high content electron withdrawing groups terpolymer composites for potential applications
Authors: Al-Hussaini A. S.
Published: September 2024

Novel polymer composites with unique characteristics as new materials are essentially needed to meet future demands. Terpoly(anthranilic acid, m-aminobenzoic acid, and o-nitroaniline) emeraldine base (EB)/macro-microcomposites were generated from equimolar ratios of the corresponding molecules and different ratios of bentonite via in situ oxidative terpolymerization. Their spectral properties upon joining the m-aminobenzoic acid and the o-nitroaniline moieties in the skeleton of polyanthranilic acid were inspected. The spectral analyses were utilized to emphasize the results of both terpoly(o, m-aminobenzoic acid, and o-nitroaniline) (EB) and poly(o, m-aminobenzoic acid, and o-nitroaniline)/bentonite composites. The TGA analyses of the purified terpolymer with and without bentonite in the N2 atmosphere were investigated. Furthermore, the terpolymer composite morphology was investigated by the SEM technique with the micro-macrometric particle sizes 0.470–2.780 μm at different magnifications.

Graphical Abstract
Study on the estimation method for the mean stress effect on the fatigue strength of welded joints with various failure modes and joint types
Authors: Yoshihara Yukihide , Osawa Naoki , Murakawa Hidekazu , Dai Peiyuan
Published: September 2024

In compact box-shaped steel structures, partial penetration welds are frequently selected as the welding technique, and root fatigue failure might manifest in these joints. In order to ensure the structural integrity of steel structures, it is necessary to develop an assessment approach for evaluating the efficacy of post-weld heat treatment (stress relief) in enhancing the fatigue strength of root-failed welded joints. In this study, bending fatigue experiments employing stress ratios of R = 0 and − 1 have been carried out on as-welded and stress-relieved welded joint specimens. The test objects include root-failed plug weld specimens, as well as toe-failed out-of-plane gusset weld joint and T-joint specimens. The welding residual stresses near the root notch and weld toe are measured by X-ray diffraction technique. The assessment of the mean stress effect on fatigue strength has been examined through the utilization of the modified MIL-HandBook-5D equivalent stress range. The equivalent stress range is evaluated by using two fatigue assessment stresses: structural stress and elastic–plastic local stress. It has been confirmed that all fatigue test results, irrespective of the failure mode or the joint type, whether from the as-welded or stress-relieved specimens, can be closely approximated using a single S–N curve with either definition of the equivalent stress. This outcome indicates the accomplishment of assessing the mean stress effect on the fatigue strength of welded joints with various failure modes and joint types.
Association between pre-stroke frailty status and stroke risk and impact on outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 1,660,328 participants
Authors: Chen Shu-Fan , Li Hai-Han , Guo Zi-Ning , Ling Ke-Yu , Yu Xiao-Li , Liu Fei , Zhu Xiao-Ping , Zhu Xiaoping
Published: September 2024

The prevalence of frailty is increasing, and it is associated with increased risk of diseases and adverse outcomes. Although substantial research has focused on post-stroke frailty, understanding of pre-stroke frailty remains limited. Our aim was to synthesize literature on pre-stroke frailty and stroke risk to explore their relationship and impact on prognosis. A systematic search of multiple databases was conducted to identify cohort studies published until October 28, 2023. Meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed with the I² statistic, and publication bias was evaluated using Begg’s test. Finally, we included 11 studies (n = 1,660,328 participants). The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for stroke risk associated with pre-stroke frailty compared to non-frail individuals was 1.72 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.46–2.02, p = 0.002, I2 = 69.2%, Begg’s test: p = 0.536). The pooled HRs for mortality and the pooled relative risk (RRs) modified Rankin Scale (mRs) associated with pre-stroke frailty were 1.68 (95% CI: 1.10–2.56, p = 0.136, I2 = 49.9%, Begg’s test: p = 0.296) and 3.11 (95% CI: 1.77–5.46, p = 0.192, I2 = 39.4%, Begg’s test: p = 1.000), respectively. In conclusion, pre-stroke frailty is strongly associated with stroke risk and impacts its prognosis, irrespective of the measurement method. Future research should focus on prospective studies to assess the effects of early intervention for frailty. This has significant implications for primary healthcare services and frailty management.
The association between physical activity and delayed neurocognitive recovery in elderly patients: a mediation analysis of pro-inflammatory cytokines
Authors: Niu Junfang , Li Yanan , Zhou Qi , Liu Xiang , Yu Peixia , Gao Fang , Gao Xia , Wang Qiujun
Published: September 2024

Background

Delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNCR) can result in unfavorable outcomes in elderly surgical patients. Physical activity (PA) has been shown to improve cognitive function, potentially by reducing systemic inflammatory responses. However, there is a lack of supportive data indicating whether PA has a protective effect against dNCR.

Aims

To examine the correlation between dNCR and PA, and to further analyze if pro-inflammatory cytokines mediate this relationship.

Methods

This study is a prospective nested case-control investigation of elderly patients who had knee replacement surgery. dNCR was defined as a decline in cognitive function compared with baseline by using a battery of neuropsychological tests. PA was assessed with the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the serum concentrations of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between PA and dNCR. Mediation analysis was employed to evaluate whether pro-inflammatory cytokines mediate the relationship between them.

Results

A cohort of 152 patients was included, resulting in an incidence rate of dNCR of 23.68%. PA was associated with dNCR after full adjustment [OR = 0.199, (95% CI, 0.061; 0.649), P = 0.007]. Mediation analysis showed that the IL-6 mediated the statistical association between PA and dNCR, with mediation proportions (%) of 77.68 (postoperative concentration of IL-6) or 27.58 (the absolute change in IL-6 before and after surgery).

Conclusions

PA serves as a protective factor against dNCR, possibly through the reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine concentrations.

The Chinese Clinical Trail Registry

: www.http://chictr.org.cn, Registration No. ChiCTR2300070834, Registration date: April 24, 2023.
Identification of full-sibling families from natural single-tree ash progenies based on SSR markers and genome-wide SNPs
Authors: Krautwurst Melina , Past Franziska , Kersten Birgit , Bubner Ben , Müller Niels A.
Published: September 2024

Common ash, Fraxinus excelsior, is threatened by the invasive pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, which causes ash dieback. The pathogen is rapidly spreading throughout Europe with severe ecological and economic consequences. Multiple studies have presented evidence for the existence of a small fraction of genotypes with low susceptibility. Such genotypes can be targets for natural and artificial selection to conserve F. excelsior and associated ecosystems. To resolve the genetic architecture of variation in susceptibility it is necessary to analyze segregating populations. Here we employed about 1000 individuals of each of four single-tree progenies from potentially tolerant mother trees to identify full-sibling (full-sib) families. To this end, we first genotyped all 4000 individuals and the four mothers with eight SSR markers. We then used the program COLONY to predict full-sibs without knowledge of the paternal genotypes. For each single-tree progeny, COLONY predicted dozens of full-sib families, ranging from 3–166 individuals. In the next step, 910 individuals assigned to full-sib families with more than 28 individuals were subjected to high-resolution genotyping using over one million genome-wide SNPs which were identified with Illumina low-coverage resequencing. Using these SNP genotyping data in principal component analyses we were able to assign individuals to full-sib families with high confidence. Together the analyses revealed five large families with 73–212 individuals. These can be used to generate genetic linkage maps and to perform quantitative trait locus analyses for ash dieback susceptibility. The elucidation of the genetic basis of natural variation in ash may support breeding and conservation efforts and may contribute to more robust forest ecosystems.
Human-centered AI development in practice—insights from a multidisciplinary approach
Authors: Friedrich Julia , Brückner Anja , Mayan Jasmin , Schumann Sandra , Kirschenbaum Amit , Zinke-Wehlmann Christian
Published: September 2024

Industry 5.0 will focus on human-centered digitalization and put people at the center of manufacturing. To achieve this, it is necessary to consider employees throughout the transformation process. For this purpose, a practical approach to human-centered AI integration based on the Design Science Research method is presented in this article. The main requirements of the approach were evaluated in interviews with ten pilot companies, especially SMEs. The practical procedure was then examined in more detail for three application examples. The results show that there is still a lack of a uniform approach regarding the involvement of employees. Information on AI projects often reach those affected only during implementation. Even though the interdisciplinary approach is understood as a feasible approach for holistic AI development and implementation, there is still a lack of practical guidelines for adopting this multi-perspective approach. This work provides an initial starting point for a practice-oriented approach to the introduction of human-centered AI.

Practical Relevance: As a result of exponential digitalization and the associated in-depth use of partially to fully automated technologies such as AI, collaboration between humans and machines is becoming increasingly important. It is essential for companies to work according to human-centered approaches to consider motivation and satisfaction as well as aspects of data protection and personal protection for employees. The necessity for companies to adopt a human-centric and sustainable approach to digitalization will intensify in coming years. The work addresses the needs for operationalization of research findings for companies. Thus, the proposed guidelines can be understood as an approach to practical knowledge transfer from science to industry.
Pathway to work with AI: Testing the clAIr role development method in an industrial work environment
Authors: Langholf Valentin , Wilkens Uta
Published: September 2024

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in work processes requires the anticipatory change of work roles because areas of activity are shifting within job profiles, resulting in new interaction patterns between humans and AI and between employees. In order to avoid role conflicts, rejection of the AI system and other undesirable side effects of AI integration, organizations must support human-AI role development with suitable measures. This article presents a methodologically sound approach to role development (clarifying AI Augmented individual roles—clAIr) using the example of service technicians in a mechanical engineering company before and during the introduction of AI-based services. It illustrates how role clarity can be achieved in the interaction with AI when job profiles shift and how role development also includes collaboration with other departments and goal-oriented external communication with customers. The method results in six basic roles that are rooted in role theory in terms of role identity, role innovation, and role clarity. clAIr allows the anticipatory examination of human-AI work roles as a process-based approach.

Practical Relevance: Due to the rapidly advancing development of AI in work processes, there is a need in organizations for scientifically validated findings and examples of good practice for successful work with AI. A socio-technical approach with a focus on the changes in role identities of professionals is promising, as the anticipated development of tasks and professions resulting from AI use can only be countered with a comprehensive approach. Previous work refers to human-centered job designs but neglects the preceding process of role identification as a key challenge of implementation. This process support is made possible by the clAIr method for determining roles for working with AI. Its use requires an understanding of role theory and expertise in organizational development.
Productivity drivers and pro-productivity policies: G20 economies, India and South Korea
Authors: van Ark Bart , Pilat Dirk
Published: September 2024

In this article we look at productivity trends, drivers of productivity growth and pro-productivity policies across the G20 economies since 1970. We distinguish between three sub-groups of G20 economies: a “leading but slowing” group of the most developed economies, a “lagging but growing” group of economies that have shown rapid growth and a “muddling through” group of economies with no sustained improvement in productivity performance. We find distinctly different dynamics between the sub-groups regarding the contributions of capital deepening and total factor productivity (TFP) to labour productivity growth. The slowdown in labour productivity growth since the 2010s has been underpinned by lower TFP growth. India is the only G20 economy which has experienced a significant improvement in TFP growth over the past few decades. We develop a typology distinguishing five domains of pro-productivity policies (accumulation of the factors of production, markets and resource allocation, technological and structural change, internationalisation, and foundational policies) and explore how these have been applied across countries and over time. We also provide a more detailed analysis of productivity and related policies for two G20 countries: India and South Korea. We argue that a revival of productivity growth in the G20 requires a greater focus on policies which balance technological progress with knowledge diffusion; more investment in intangibles and public assets; and improvements in the quality of human capital.
Animal Suffering from a Buddhist Perspective: A Reinterpretation of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path
Authors: Valle-Lira María del Carmen , Noguera-Solano Ricardo
Published: September 2024

The suffering of non-human animals has been debated for a long time, given the challenge of understanding the subjectivities of other beings. A general Buddhist perspective allows us to have a new frame of reference to this phenomenon that is not only theoretical, but also provides us with practical guidelines. This paper is an essay on animal suffering that proposes a general Buddhist perspective with an ethical emphasis. It addresses the issue through a reinterpretation of the Four Noble Truths formulation and the Noble Eightfold Path using them as frameworks to reflect on human actions and their consequences for other animals.
Effect of potassium supply and plant density on maize (Zea mays L.) yields and nutrient contents: a case study in a Hungarian long-term field trial set up on calcareous chernozem soil
Authors: Csathó Péter , Szabó Anita , Pokovai Klára , Árendás Tamás
Published: September 2024

The effect of potassium supply and plant density on maize (Zea mays L.) was investigated in terms of the leaf weight in the flowering stage, grain yield components, grain and stalk yield and their potassium, calcium and magnesium contents, in a field trial set up in Nagyhörcsök, Hungary, on a calcareous chernozem soil with poor to moderate potassium supplies. Different potassium supply levels were achieved by the initial build-up application of 0-240-480-960-1440 kg K2O ha−1 in autumn 1989. Adequate nitrogen and phosphorus supplies were provided by yearly NP fertilization. The year studied was favourable for maize growth and development. The maize hybrid Pioneer SC 3732 (FAO 450) was sown at plant densities of 24-48-72-96 thousand plants ha−1. The plant density had a more pronounced effect on grain yield than the different K supplies. Stalk yields showed trends similar to those for grain yields, but plant density had the opposite effect on the leaf weight (g 20 leaves−1) in the flowering stage. K fertilization increased the K content to the greatest extent in the vegetative parts (leaf and stalk), while increasing plant density had a reverse effect. The K-Ca-Mg antagonism was also the most pronounced in the vegetative parts, i.e. maize leaves in the flowering stage. According to the results obtained in the field trial, it seems that a century ago, in our grandparents’ time, food contained more minerals than nowadays, due to the fact that plant density decreases grain mineral composition more than mineral fertilization can increase it.
Mitochondrial DNA reveals the impact of Pleistocene glaciations on a widespread palearctic bat species
Authors: Gojznikar Jan , Mayer Frieder
Published: September 2024

Today’s biodiversity was strongly impacted by glacial cycles during the Pleistocene. They generated species diversity and population structuring, which can easily remain undetected, if populations differentiation is not accompanied by divergence in external morphological traits. This phenomenon, described as cryptic diversity, has been intensively researched in bats, which are known to harbour cryptic phylogenetic lineages. Many studies however have a regional focus or suffer from geographical gaps. Widely understudied areas include Central and Western Asia, although they connect the western and eastern Palearctic fauna. These areas are characterized by topographic heterogeneity and therefore high ecosystem diversity. In this study we investigated the phylogeography of the Savii’s pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii), a bat species assumed to be widely distributed across the Palaearctic. We compiled published sequences from four mitochondrial genes (ND1, CytB, COI and 16 S), added new sequences especially from the Asian part of the distribution range and performed phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses. They indicate that H. savii is a taxonomic unit with extensive cryptic diversity, comprising at least four major mitochondrial lineages with allopatric or parapatric distribution ranges. Divergence time dating reveals the impact of Pleistocene glaciations on shaping highly structured populations of a highly mobile mammal across the Palearctic. Our study also revealed several zones of secondary contact among populations where hybridization and gene flow likely occur. This study highlights the necessity for studying biodiversity in Western and Central Asia in order to understand biogeographic patterns, evolutionary processes and conservation needs in the area that connects eastern and western Palearctic faunas.
Development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification technique for sex detection in Cervidae species
Authors: Zorkóczy Orsolya K. , Gyurcsó Adrienn , Ózsvári László , Lehotzky Pál , Sanil Raveendranathanpillai , Zenke Petra
Published: September 2024

Determining sex in Cervidae species is crucial for wildlife management, conservation, breeding programs, disease surveillance, and forensic investigations. While existing genetic sexing methods have proven effective, they often involve time-consuming and resource-intensive processes. In response to the growing need for a more efficient and cost-effective technique, this study aimed to develop a novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for sex detection in various deer species. We designed LAMP primers specific to Cervidae based on sex chromosome-located genes, AmelogeninX, and SRY. Analytical specificity was confirmed using 108 samples from red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer, and species specificity was also tested in other deer and mammal species. Sex determination results were fast (40 min) and accurate (100% reliability). This technique has the advantage of allowing researchers to identify the sex of different deer species using the same method. Using the isothermal amplification properties of LAMP, this new method provides a simple, quick, and accurate tool to help researchers, wildlife managers, and forensic investigators with important sex-related questions in cervid populations.
INTERPRETING MULTIPLE DISPUTE-RESOLUTION CLAUSES IN CROSS-BORDER CONTRACTS
Authors: Arzandeh Ardavan
Published: September 2024

Cross-border contracts often contain a clause which purports to reflect the parties’ intention regarding how disputes arising from their agreement should be resolved. Some such contracts might feature a “jurisdiction clause”, thus signifying the parties’ wish to subject their disputes to litigation before the courts in a specific state. Others may include an “arbitration clause”, meaning that claims arising from the contract should be subjected to an arbitral hearing. More unusual are cases in which the parties have included a jurisdiction and an arbitration clause in the same cross-border contract. This article seeks to assess English law’s approach to determining the parties’ preferred mode of dispute resolution in these more difficult cases. As it seeks to demonstrate, the current practice in this area is not always easy to defend. The article advances an alternative basis for determining which of the two competing clauses should prevail.
Exploring links between socio-ecological systems and psychological distress: a case study in rural Uganda
Authors: Pienkowski Thomas , Keane Aidan , Kinyanda Eugene , Knizek Birthe Loa , Asiimwe Caroline , Muhanguzi Geoffrey , Milner-Gulland E.J.
Published: September 2024

Poor mental health is a leading contributor to the global burden of disease but there is poor understanding of how it is influenced by people's interactions with ecological systems. In a theory-generating case study we asked how interactions with ecosystems were perceived to influence stressors associated with psychological distress in a rural setting in Uganda. We conducted and thematically analysed 45 semi-structured interviews with residents of Nyabyeya Parish. Poverty and food insecurity were the primary reported causes of ‘thinking too much’ and related idioms suggesting psychological distress. Households bordering a conservation area reported that crop losses from wildlife contributed to food insecurity. However, forest resources represented important safety nets for those facing poverty and food insecurity. Commercial agricultural expansion also emerged as a salient theme in the lives of residents, reportedly exacerbating poverty and food insecurity amongst poorer households but contributing incomes to wealthier ones. Our exploratory study suggests how two globally prevalent land uses, nature conservation and commercial agriculture, may influence social determinants of psychological distress in the study area. We highlight co-benefits and trade-offs between global sustainability goals that could be managed to improve mental health.
Dynamic modeling and simulation of a torque-controlled spatial quadruped robot
Authors: Teixeira de Paula Daniel , Godoy Eduardo Paciencia , Becerra-Vargas Mauricio
Published: September 2024

Evolution has shown that legged locomotion is most adequate for tasks requiring versatile movement on land, allowing animals to traverse a wide variety of environments ranging from natural terrain to artificial, man-made landscapes with great ease. By employing well-designed control schemes, this ability could be replicated for legged robots, enabling them to be used in critical situations that still pose great danger to human integrity, such as search and rescue missions, inspection of hazardous areas, and even space exploration. This work characterizes the quadruped robot and contact dynamics that will compose our in-house simulator to be used for prototyping locomotion control schemes applied to quadruped robots. The proposed simulator computes the robot dynamics using the Recursive Newton-Euler and Composite-Rigid-Body algorithms with a few modifications to make certain aspects relevant for contact detection and control more easily accessible; furthermore, a compliant contact force method alongside stick-slip friction modeled the contact dynamics. To allow the robot to move, a simple PD-independent joint controller was implemented to track a desired leg trajectory. With the same robot and controller implemented using the MuJoCo simulation software, this work evaluates the proposed simulator by comparing characteristic locomotion signals such as the trunk pose and the ground reaction forces. Results showed similar behavior for both simulators, especially with regard to the contact detection, despite the significantly different contact models. Lastly, final remarks to enhance our simulator’s performance are suggested to be explored in future works.
Catastrophe insurance decision making when the science is uncertain
Authors: Bradley Richard
Published: September 2024

Insurers draw on sophisticated models for the probability distributions over losses associated with catastrophic events that are required to price insurance policies. But prevailing pricing methods don’t factor in the ambiguity around model-based projections that derive from the relative paucity of data about extreme events. I argue however that most current theories of decision making under ambiguity only partially support a solution to the challenge that insurance decision makers face and propose an alternative approach that allows for decision making that is responsive to both the evidential situation of the insurance decision maker and their attitude to ambiguity.
Telehealth-delivered recovery-orientated well-being plan group program for bipolar disorder: a pilot randomised feasibility and acceptability study
Authors: Perich Tania , Kakakios Kelly , Fraser Isabel
Published: September 2024

Background:

Psychological interventions may assist in the management of bipolar disorder, but few studies have assessed the use of group therapy programs using telehealth.

Aims:

The present study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a well-being group program for people living with bipolar disorder designed to be delivered via telehealth (Zoom platform) using a randomised controlled pilot design.

Method:

Participants were randomly assigned to either the 8-week well-being plan treatment condition or the wait-list control condition. They were administered a structured diagnostic instrument to confirm bipolar disorder diagnosis followed by a set of self-report questionnaires relating to mood, quality of life, personal recovery, and stigma.

Results:

A total of 32 participants (16 treatment; 16 control) were randomised with 12 participants completing the intervention, and 13 the control condition. The program appeared acceptable and feasible (75% retention rate) with a mean attendance being reported of 7.25 sessions attended out of a possible 8 sessions. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction overall with the intervention, with a mean score of 9.18 out of 10.

Discussion:

Preliminary evidence suggests that delivery of the group program online is feasible and acceptable for participants living with bipolar disorder. As the program was designed to prevent relapse over time, further research is needed to determine if the program may be helpful in improving symptom outcomes over a longer follow-up period.