bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transoral robotic surgery in the diagnosis and treatment of primary unknown head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A preliminary single centre experience
Authors: Zhi Yinghui , Zhang Yabing , Zhang Bin
Published: June 2024

Background

Squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) in the head and neck is difficult to diagnose and treat. This report outlines 11 cases of CUP treated with transoral robotic surgery (TORS), aimed at investigating the diagnostic efficiency of primary tumour and radical resection effectiveness of TORS.

Methods

11 cases of CUP among 68 oropharyngeal cancer patients treated by TORS were analysed retrospectively.

Results

All the 11 cases received TORS with cervical lymph node dissection. Primary tumours were found in 8 cases (72.7%), 4 cases in the palatine tonsil and 4 cases in the base of the tongue. The average diameter of the primary tumour was 1.65 cm. All patients resumed eating by mouth within 24 h, no tracheotomy, no pharyngeal fistula and no postoperative death. The 3‐year disease‐free survival rate was 91%.

Conclusions

TORS can improve the diagnostic efficiency of primary tumour of CUP and achieve good oncology and functional results.
In Situ Transfer of Laser‐Induced Graphene Electronics for Multifunctional Smart Windows
Authors: Jing Tongmei , Nam Han Ku , Yang Dongwook , Lee Younggeun , Gao Rongke , Yoo Hongki , Kwon Soongeun , Kim Seung‐Woo , Yu Liandong , Kim Young‐Jin
Published: June 2024

The ascent of internet of things (IoT) technology has increased the demand for glass electronics. However, the production of glass electronics necessitates complicated processes, including conductive materials coating and chemical vapor deposition, which entail the use of additional chemicals. Consequently, this raises environmental apprehensions concerning chemical and electronic waste. In this study, a fast, cost‐effective, and simple approach are presented to meet the growing demand for glass electronics while addressing environmental concerns associated with their production processes. The method involves converting polyimide (PI) tape into laser‐induced graphene (LIG) and transferring it onto a glass substrate using ultraviolet laser direct writing technology. This process allows for the fabrication of LIG‐embedded glass without additional chemical treatments in ambient air. Subsequently, the residual PI tape is removed, resulting in LIG‐based glass electrodes with an electrical resistivity of 1.065 × 10−3 Ω m. These LIG electrodes demonstrate efficient functionality for window applications such as defogging, heating, temperature sensing, and solar warming, suitable for automotive and residential windows. The potential scalability of this eco‐friendly technology to IoT‐based smart and sustainable window electronics further underscores its adaptability to meet diverse user needs.
Transition to a Science Mega-Project, 2006–2012
Authors: Schilizzi Richard T. , Ekers Ronald D. , Dewdney Peter E. , Crosby Philip
Published: June 2024

Following the “Grass-roots” astronomer-led phase of global collaboration in the SKA project described in the previous Chapter, the transition of SKA to a science mega-project (the “Transition Era”) began in 2006. Three governance entities operated in conjunction in this period (i) the International SKA Steering Committee, (ii) the funding agencies acting collectively in a group, and (iii) the European Commission-funded SKA Preparatory Phase (PrepSKA) Board. This culminated in an Agreement at the end of 2011 amongst the funding agencies and governments to establish a legal entity for the project, the SKA Organisation (SKAO), in the UK in the form of a Company Limited by Guarantee, with governance vested solely in the company. The third phase of governance, the “Pre-Construction Era”, followed until January 2021 when a new governance arrangement, an Inter-Governmental Organisation, came into force for the construction and operation of the SKA Observatory.

In this Chapter, we describe the Transition Era in terms of its evolving governance, the major activities carried out, bumps along the road including the US decision at the end of 2011 not to join the SKAO, and the first year of the Pre-Construction Era in 2012. The first major decision of the new SKAO, in mid-2012—where the SKA telescope would be located—is described in Chap. 8.
Innovation Meets Reality: The SKA Design
Authors: Schilizzi Richard T. , Ekers Ronald D. , Dewdney Peter E. , Crosby Philip
Published: June 2024

This chapter is an account of the creativity of a host of engineers and scientists to build a groundbreaking radio telescope with the performance needed to extract the scientific treasures buried in weak radio signals from the distant Universe, of which there were previously only hints. Always moving forward, it describes the road from the ambition to overcome barriers and harness new technologies to the reality of thousands of difficult individual decisions that had to be made to successfully yield a realisable design in the available time. The global milieu in which this was done as an international project has set many precedents.
Human Dignity as a Global Common Good
Authors: Hasegawa Ko
Published: June 2024

This article tackles the question of what makes human dignity so central in human morality and law, focusing not on specific understandings of human dignity but rather on the concept's universal significance. It argues that of importance are the singularity of human existence in the universe and in life, the manifestation of individuality in ethics and morality in general, and the awareness of these characteristics as grounded in the fundamental natural and societal conditions for human beings. Further, this article maintains that such a status of human dignity is a foundational focus of the broader normative space that has evolved throughout human history; that normative points of human dignity can be globalized in the process of communicative networking; and thus that human dignity is a fundamental, universal, and shared human condition constituting a global common good.
Casting light on integer compositions
Authors: Blecher Aubrey , Knopfmacher Arnold , Mays Michael
Published: June 2024

Integer compositions of n are viewed as bargraphs with n circular nodes or square cells in which the ith part of the composition $$x_i$$

x
i

is given by the ith column of the bargraph with $$x_i$$

x
i

nodes or cells. The sun is at infinity in the north west of our two dimensional model and each node/cell may or may not be lit depending on whether it stands in the shadow cast by another node/cell to its left. We study the number of lit nodes in an integer composition of n and later we modify this to yield the number of lit square cells. We then count the number of columns being lit which leads naturally to those cases where only the first column is lit. We prove the theorem that the generating function for the latter is the same as the generating function for compositions in which the first part is strictly smallest. This theorem has interesting q-series identities as corollaries which allow us to deduce in a simple way the asymptotics for both the number of lit nodes and columns as $$n \rightarrow \infty $$

n
→
∞

.
Navigating the labyrinth of peritoneal and extraperitoneal anatomy: abdominal spread made easy with a case based review
Authors: Polamraju Praveen , Oliphant Michael , Aribindi Swetha , Ponnatapura Janardhana
Published: June 2024

Essential to understanding disease spread in abdomen is to separate the peritoneum from the extraperitoneum. These areas have distinct anatomy with well-define separate pathways. The peritoneum is comprised of connected recesses that are potential spaces, normally not imaged except when containing excess fluid or air. Peritoneal recesses are formed by the opposing peritoneal surfaces and subdivided by the attachments of the ligaments and mesenteries to the parietal peritoneum. Disease flows within the recesses by changes in abdominal pressure. This forms a distinct spread pattern. The extraperitoneum is traditionally stratified by the renal fascia into the anterior and posterior pararenal spaces and the perirenal space. The fascia contains and directs spread from the contained organs with the compartments. Each space has a unique spread pattern defined by the containing fascia. The extraperitoneum is connected to the mesenteries and ligaments forming the subperitoneal space. This space interconnects the extraperitoneum with the mesenteries allowing for the normal continuum of blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves but also forms the pathways for bidirectional spread of disease.
Card-based Cryptography with a Standard Deck of Cards, Revisited: Efficient Protocols in the Private Model
Authors: Nakai Takeshi , Iwanari Keita , Ono Tomoki , Abe Yoshiki , Watanabe Yohei , Iwamoto Mitsugu
Published: June 2024

Card-based cryptography is a secure computation protocol realized by using physical cards. There are two models on card-based cryptography: public and private models. We adopt private one that allows players to handle cards privately. While much of the existing works for card-based cryptography use two-colored cards, it is also a vital task to construct an efficient protocol with playing cards. In the public model, 2n cards are necessary for any n-bit input protocol since at least two cards are required to express a Boolean value. It holds true for both two-colored and playing-card settings. On the other hand, the private model enables us to construct a protocol with fewer than 2n cards. However, all existing protocols that achieve such properties are only in the two-colored setting. This paper shows that the private model enables us to construct a protocol with fewer than 2n cards using the playing cards. We first show two-bit input protocols with fewer than four cards for logical operations, AND, OR, and XOR. Furthermore, we show a three-input majority voting protocol using only three cards, which is constructed by combining our AND and OR protocols. Notably, our proposed protocols require no randomness. All operations are deterministic and depend only on players’ private inputs.
A Coarse Grained Molecular Dynamics Model for the Simulation of Lubricating Greases
Authors: Benois Anthony , Echeverri Restrepo Sebastián , De Laurentis Nicola , Hogenberk Femke , Giuntoli Andrea , Lugt Piet M.
Published: June 2024

The rheological properties of lubricating greases are determined by the viscosity of the base oil, the interaction between base oil and thickener, and the interaction between thickener particles. The contribution of the oil–thickener interactions to the viscosity is well known, but the contribution of the thickener–thickener interactions has not yet been studied by employing theoretical or computational frameworks. In this paper, we use coarse-grained molecular dynamics to simulate a fibrous microstructure, and we show that the experimentally observed viscoelastic/plastic behaviour can be well reproduced. A parametric study shows that the apparent viscosity increases with increasing fibre length, fibre stiffness and thickener concentration. This is as expected, showing that this modelling approach is useful to study effects on grease rheology that are not accessible experimentally, such as impact of fibre entanglement or agglomeration.
The organisational impact of agility: a systematic literature review
Authors: Nguyen Tien , Le Cat Vi , Nguyen Minh , Nguyen Gam , Lien Tran Thi Hong , Nguyen Oanh
Published: June 2024

This paper reviews the literature on agility and its relationship with organisational performance using a sample of 249 recent empirical studies from 1998 to February 2024. We find support for a relatively strong and consistent contribution of different aspects of agility to organisational performance. Our analysis highlights numerous salient issues in this literature in terms of the theoretical background, research design, and contextual factors in agility-performance research. On this basis, we propose relevant recommendations for future research to address these issues, specifically focusing on the role of the board of directors and their leadership in fostering organisational agility.
A Better Argument for Tawḥīd?: Philosophical Discussions of Divine Attributes in the Sharḥ Al-ʿaqāid Tradition
Authors: Arslan Mehmet Fatih
Published: June 2024

This study focuses on al-Taftāzānī’s discussion of the ontological status of divine attributes in his Sharḥ al-ʿAqāid and aims to demonstrate that al-Rāzī’s (d. 606/1210) reluctantly and ambiguously proposed formula that divine attributes are possible by themselves and necessary by God, which itself is an adaptation of Avicennian formula about the ontological status of the divine intellects, received much more recognition after a more sophisticated and advanced version of it was introduced to Sunnī kalām tradition by al-Taftāzānī (d. 792/1390). His improvements generated a considerable amount of intellectual interest within the subsequent commentary and super-commentary tradition and were then refined by the later commentators, a crucial development which has been almost entirely neglected in the modern scholarship. This study further argues that the orientation of post-classical kalām extends to the point where it embraces a specific formula promoted by the Falāsifa to refine Sunnī theory about the ontological status of the divine attributes. Consequently, Sunnī theology deliberately adapted a previously rejected theory to one of its most exclusive and core subjects, that is the discussion of the divine attributes. This study will also show that dramatic transformations in the approach and the structure indicate that Sunnī kalām, especially in Sharḥ al-ʿAqāid commentaries and super-commentaries, was significantly influenced by philosophical theories and was required to adopt both the vocabulary and the framework fashioned in philosophical debates on a greater scale after its first transformation due to al-Rāzī’s influence. Because of the voluminous commentaries and super-commentaries on Sharḥ al-ʿAqāid and their extended coverage of a variety of subjects, the current study limits itself to al-Taftāzānī’s Sharḥ al-ʿAqāid and its super-commentaries by Musa Khayālī (d. 862/1457) and Ramazan Efendi al-Ḥanafī (d. 1025/1616?).
Effects of planned training and music listened to before a cesarean section on surgical fear, anxiety and depression: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Guney Demet , Pinar Sukran Ertekin
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This research was conducted to determine the impact of a planned training program and music on fear, anxiety, and depression among women undergoing cesarean section.

Methods

The sample of the randomized-controlled experimental study consisted of a total of 120 pregnant women (music 40, training 40, and the control 40) scheduled for cesarean section at the Obstetrics Service. Instrumental music from the Turkish music modes (the Hejaz, Neva, and Acemaşıran modes) was played for the music group, a planned training was given for the training group (what a cesarean section is, why a cesarean section should be performed, breastfeeding, mobilization, etc.) before the cesarean section, and no additional interventions were made for the control group. The data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Surgical Fear Questionnaire, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

Results

After the planned training and listening to music applications, statistically significant differences were found between the music, training, and the control groups in terms of the short-term, long-term sub-scale scores and the overall score of the Surgical Fear Questionnaire and the anxiety sub-scale scores of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Listening to music before the cesarean section was effective in reducing women’s short-term and general surgical fears, and the training was also effective in reducing their short-term, long-term, and general surgical fears and anxiety levels. However, the applications did not change depression levels. According to these findings, listening to music and provision of training are recommended to reduce surgical fears and anxiety levels of women before a planned cesarean section.
The Utility of Socioeconomic and Remoteness Indicators in Understanding the Geographical Variation in the Regional Prevalence of Early Childhood Vulnerability in Australia
Authors: Baffour Bernard , Das Sumonkanti , Li Mu , Richardson Alice
Published: June 2024

The family lives of children and their early childhood development outcomes are attributable to the level of socio-economic disadvantage and relative isolation. This study aims to investigate how the disadvantage of the local area (i.e., socio-economic indexes for areas (SEIFA)) and the remoteness (i.e., accessibility/remoteness index of Australia (ARIA)) contribute to improved prevalence estimates of child development vulnerability in statistical areas level 3 (SA3) and 4 (SA4) across Australia. Data from the 2018 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) has been used. The study included 308,953 children involved in the AEDC 2018 where one-in-ten of them were considered to be developmentally vulnerable, nationally. We developed models in a hierarchical Bayesian framework at the SA3 level using SEIFA and ARIA indices as covariates to account for spatial and unobserved heterogeneity. The performances of developed models are examined based on the consistency at SA3, SA4, and state level. The results reveal that SEIFA makes a significant contribution to explaining the spatial variation in childhood development vulnerability across small domains in Australia. Further, the inclusion of the ARIA score improves the model performance and provides better accuracy, particularly in remote and very remote regions. In these regions, the spatial model fails to distinguish the remoteness characteristics. The chosen non-spatial model accounting for heterogeneity at higher hierarchies performs best. The utilization of socio-economic disadvantage and geographic remoteness of the finer level domains helps to explain the geographic variation in child development vulnerability, particularly in sparsely populated remote regions in Australia.
Effects of HIIT Interventions on Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Glycemic Parameters in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lazić Anja , Stanković Dušan , Trajković Nebojša , Cadenas-Sanchez Cristina
Published: June 2024

Background

Individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) face impaired cardiorespiratory fitness and glycemic control, increasing the risk of cardiovascular complications. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as a promising exercise modality with potential benefits for both aspects in this population.

Objectives

The primary aim was to investigate the effects of HIIT on cardiorespiratory fitness and glycemic parameters in patients with T1DM. The secondary aim was to examine the most effective HIIT protocol for cardiorespiratory fitness and glycemic parameters in patients with T1DM.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources

Two major electronic databases (Web of Science and PubMed) were searched up to February 2024.

Eligibility Criteria for Selecting Studies

Randomized and non-randomized trials involving adult patients with T1DM, free of complications and other diseases examining the effects of HIIT (HIIT pre vs. post; HIIT vs. control group or HIIT vs. moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT)) on cardiorespiratory fitness and glycemic parameters were included.

Results

A total of ten studies met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis revealed a significant improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness following HIIT interventions (pre vs. post) in patients with T1DM (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.16 to 1, p = 0.01). Furthermore, HIIT (pre vs. post) was associated with significant improvements in 24-h mean glucose control (SMD = − 0.44, 95% CI = − 0.81 to − 0.06, p = 0.02), but the results (pre vs. post) failed to identify significant improvements in fasting glucose (SMD = − 0.26, 95% CI = − 0.78 to 0.24, p = 0.3) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) values (SMD = − 0.28, 95% CI = − 0.61 to 0.05, p = 0.1). However, in comparison with a control group, HIIT showed significantly favorable effects on HbA1C (SMD = − 0.74, 95% CI = − 1.35 to − 0.14, p = 0.02). Finally, the meta-regression analysis did not find any moderating effect of any HIIT characteristics (i.e., intervention duration, session duration, work time, rest time, number of bouts, and intensity) on cardiorespiratory fitness and glycemic parameters.

Conclusion

Our systematic review and meta-analysis show that T1DM patients who performed a HIIT intervention significantly improved cardiorespiratory fitness and reduced their 24-h mean glucose levels, but not their HbA1C and fasting glucose. These findings support the application of HIIT interventions in T1DM patients. However, the guidelines for the most effective protocol remain unclear; hence, future studies are needed.
Why transfer fee systems improve market competition, and why the Bosman ruling was flawed
Authors: van der Burg Tsjalle
Published: June 2024

Over the years competitive balance has decreased in many football competitions in Europe. This means that the number of clubs with a realistic chance of winning important prizes has declined. Consequently, there is less choice for the many consumers who want to watch, or become fan of, a club from their own country that can win important prices. Put differently, in many national consumer markets competition has decreased. Unfortunately, the legal profession has paid insufficient attention to the effect of decreasing competitive balance on competition in consumer markets. This is also relevant for the Bosman ruling. The ruling prohibited transfer fees for out-of-contract players. This has led to a decrease in competitive balance. Therefore, the ruling has decreased the competition in national consumer markets. However, in making the ruling the European Court of Justice fully neglected the possibility of such a decrease. While it did apply the hard law concerning the free movement of workers, and it did take account of the specific features of the sport and the need for competitive balance more specifically (even though this was not decisive in the end), it neglected hard competition law as regards the competition in consumer markets. If it had not done so the ruling might have been different, and better for the football fans.
Mediation role of interpersonal problems between insecure attachment and eating disorder psychopathology
Authors: Carfagno Marco , Barone Eugenia , Arsenio Eleonora , Bello Rosaria , Marone Luigi , Volpicelli Antonio , Cascino Giammarco , Monteleone Alessio Maria
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Although insecure attachment and interpersonal problems have been acknowledged as risk and maintaining factors of eating disorders (EDs), the mediating role of interpersonal problems between attachment style and ED psychopathology has been poorly explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role of interpersonal problems between insecure attachment and ED psychopathology.

Methods

One-hundred-nine women with anorexia nervosa and 157 women with bulimia nervosa filled in the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) and the Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR) revised scale to assess ED core symptoms and attachment styles, respectively. Interpersonal difficulties were evaluated by the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-32). A mediator’s path model was conducted with anxious and avoidant attachment subscores as independent variables, ED core symptoms as dependent variables and interpersonal difficulties as mediators. The diagnosis was entered in the model as a confounding factor.

Results

The socially inhibited/avoidant interpersonal dimension was a mediator between avoidant attachment and the drive to thinness as well as between avoidant attachment and body dissatisfaction. An indirect connection was found between attachment-related anxiety and bulimic symptoms through the mediation of intrusive/needy score.

Conclusions

Social avoidance and intrusiveness mediate the relationships between avoidant and anxious attachment styles and ED psychopathology. These interpersonal problems may represent specific targets for psychotherapeutic treatments in individuals with EDs and insecure attachment.

Level of evidence

Level III: Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case–control analytic studies.
Gut microbiota and fecal volatilome profile inspection in metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity phenotypes
Authors: Calabrese F. M. , Genchi V. A. , Serale N. , Celano G. , Vacca M. , Palma G. , Svelto M. , Gesualdo L. , De Angelis M. , Giorgino F. , Perrini S.
Published: June 2024

Background

People with metabolically healthy (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) differ for the presence or absence of cardio-metabolic complications, respectively.

Objective

Based on these differences, we are interested in deepening whether these obesity phenotypes could be linked to changes in microbiota and metabolome profiles. In this respect, the overt role of microbiota taxa composition and relative metabolic profiles is not completely understood. At this aim, biochemical and nutritional parameters, fecal microbiota, metabolome and SCFA compositions were inspected in patients with MHO and MUO under a restrictive diet regimen with a daily intake ranging from 800 to 1200 kcal.

Methods

Blood, fecal samples and food questionnaires were collected from healthy controls (HC), and an obese cohort composed of both MHO and MUO patients. Most impacting biochemical/anthropometric variables from an a priori sample stratification were detected by applying a robust statistics approach useful in lowering the background noise. Bacterial taxa and volatile metabolites were assessed by qPCR and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, respectively. A targeted GC–MS analyses on SCFAs was also performed.

Results

Instructed to follow a controlled and restricted daily calorie intake, MHO and MUO patients showed differences in metabolic, gut microbial and volatilome signatures. Our data revealed higher quantities of specific pro-inflammatory taxa (i.e., Desulfovibrio and Prevotella genera) and lower quantities of Clostridium coccoides group in MUO subset. Higher abundances in alkane, ketone, aldehyde, and indole VOC classes together with a lower amount of butanoic acid marked the faecal MUO metabolome.

Conclusions

Compared to MHO, MUO subset symptom picture is featured by specific differences in gut pro-inflammatory taxa and metabolites that could have a role in the progression to metabolically unhealthy status and developing of obesity-related cardiometabolic diseases. The approach is suitable to better explain the crosstalk existing among dysmetabolism-related inflammation, nutrient intake, lifestyle, and gut dysbiosis.
Time-dependent gas dynamic diffusion process in shale matrix: model development and numerical analysis
Authors: Yang Rui , Ma Depeng , Xie Shuli , Chen Tai , Ma Tianran , Sun Chao , Duan Zhichao
Published: June 2024

Gas diffusion is a pivotal process during shale gas recovery, which is determined by diffusion coefficient to a large extent. In previous studies, the gas diffusion coefficient is generally assumed as a constant. However, increasing experiments prove that the diffusion coefficient of shale gas is strongly time-dependent. Therefore, to perfect the theory of shale gas diffusion, this paper proposes a time-dependent diffusion model for shale gas, which incorporates time-dependent gas diffusion coefficient, composing of the bulk diffusion coefficient for free gas in organic and inorganic pores, as well as the surface diffusion coefficient for adsorbed gas in organic pores. To validate the accuracy of the new theory, we calibrate the theoretical results against experimental data, and the results show that they have strong correlation, and the time-dependent diffusion model is superior to classical model. Finally, the numerical analysis of gas dynamic diffusion process in shale matrix is conducted. The results show that at the end of diffusion, a large amounts of shale gas remain trapped in the matrix core due to the attenuation of gas diffusion coefficient. In addition, neglecting the time-dependent nature of gas diffusion in shale matrix leads to a significant overestimation of gas production.
Production and modifications of biochar to engineered materials and its application for environmental sustainability: a review
Authors: Ravindiran Gokulan , Rajamanickam Sivarethinamohan , Janardhan Gorti , Hayder Gasim , Alagumalai Avinash , Mahian Omid , Lam Su Shiung , Sonne Christian
Published: June 2024

Biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from biomass waste through thermal conversion, holds great environmental promise. This article offers a comprehensive overview of the various feedstocks used in biochar production, the different types of thermal degradation processes, biochar characterization, properties, modifications to engineered materials, and their applications in the environment. The quality of biochar, including surface area, pore size and volume, and functional group formation, is significantly influenced by the specific conditions under which thermal conversion takes place. Each of the diverse processes employed to produce biochar yields a distinct set of properties in the final product. In recent years, biochar has gained widespread recognition and utilization in diverse fields such as wastewater treatment, carbon sequestration, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, biogas production, catalysis in biofuel industries, construction, and soil enhancement. In summary, biochar is a promising environmental mitigation tool to achieve a sustainable environment. In addition to its benefits, the application of biochar presents several challenges, including the selection of feedstocks, methods of biochar production, modifications to biochar, the properties of biochar, and the specific applications of biochar. The current review summarizes factors that could lead to significant advancements in future applications.

Graphical Abstract
Autonomy Orientation and Innovative Work Behavior
Authors: Papachristopoulos Konstantinos , Arvanitis Alexios
Published: June 2024

Abstract: Introduction: Innovative work behavior (IWB) has a built-in, definitional association with elements of creativity and the provision of benefits to others within the work context. Because of the properties of IWB and the nature of autonomy, as conceptualized by self-determination theory, we hypothesized that autonomy orientation would be positively associated with IWB through the mediating role of both creativity and prosocial motivation. Aim: The study examines the relationship of dispositional autonomy with IWB and offers evidence for potential explanatory mechanisms of how autonomous forms of motivation are associated with IWB. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Greece and Canada, wherein employees ( N = 528) completed assessments of causality orientations at work, prosocial motivation, creativity and IWB. Results: Autonomy orientation, creativity, and prosocial motivation were positively associated with IWB, whereas controlled and impersonal orientations were negatively associated with IWB. Mediation analyses showed that creativity and prosocial motivation mediated the relationship between causality orientations and innovative work behavior. Discussion and conclusion: Our findings extend prior research on the role of autonomy and prosocial motivation on innovative and creative behavior at work.
Predicting Deep Moonquake Source Regions Using Their Temporal and Spatial Patterns and Machine Learning
Authors: Majstorović Josipa , Lognonné Philippe , Kawamura Taichi , Panning Mark P.
Published: June 2024

In the near future, lunar exploration should be enhanced by deploying a new seismic station on the farside of the Moon, the Farside Seismic Suite (FSS), a package of two seismometers recently selected by NASA to fly on a commercial lander. The new data should provide us with new insights into Moon's seismic activity, its interior, and composition. To fully benefit from the new data, we need to take advantage of the data acquired during the Apollo missions. The problem of relating new and old data is complex due to the single‐station nature of the future deployment. In this study, we tackle this issue by developing a machine learning model in the context of the deep moonquake (DMQ) classification problem. The DMQs form the largest group of detected events from Apollo data, and their source regions have been located and are known to exhibit temporal and spatial patterns connected with the monthly lunar tidal periods. Therefore, we propose to utilize a machine learning (ML) algorithm named random forest to identify DMQs source regions without using waveform information and only using the lunar orbital parameters related to DMQs time occurrences. We show that ML models perform well (with an accuracy >70%) when they are trained to classify 4 or fewer different source regions. This approach gives us a good first location approximation of the DMQs source regions and opens up a new approach to their location estimate when captured by the future FSS single‐station seismometers.
Simulating Global Terrestrial Carbon and Nitrogen Biogeochemical Cycles With Implicit and Explicit Representations of Soil Microbial Activity
Authors: Wieder William R. , Hartman Melannie D. , Kyker‐Snowman Emily , Eastman Brooke , Georgiou Katerina , Pierson Derek , Rocci Katherine S. , Grandy A. Stuart
Published: June 2024

Nutrient limitation is widespread in terrestrial ecosystems. Accordingly, representations of nitrogen (N) limitation in land models typically dampen rates of terrestrial carbon (C) accrual, compared with C‐only simulations. These previous findings, however, rely on soil biogeochemical models that implicitly represent microbial activity and physiology. Here we present results from a biogeochemical model testbed that allows us to investigate how an explicit versus implicit representation of soil microbial activity, as represented in the MIcrobial‐MIneral Carbon Stabilization (MIMICS) and Carnegie‐Ames‐Stanford Approach (CASA) soil biogeochemical models, respectively, influence plant productivity, and terrestrial C and N fluxes at initialization and over the historical period. When forced with common boundary conditions, larger soil C pools simulated by the MIMICS model reflect longer inferred soil organic matter (SOM) turnover times than those simulated by CASA. At steady state, terrestrial ecosystems experience greater N limitation when using the MIMICS‐CN model, which also increases the inferred SOM turnover time. Over the historical period, however, warming‐induced acceleration of SOM decomposition over high latitude ecosystems increases rates of N mineralization in MIMICS‐CN. This reduces N limitation and results in faster rates of vegetation C accrual. Moreover, as SOM stoichiometry is an emergent property of MIMICS‐CN, we highlight opportunities to deepen understanding of sources of persistent SOM and explore its potential sensitivity to environmental change. Our findings underscore the need to improve understanding and representation of plant and microbial resource allocation and competition in land models that represent coupled biogeochemical cycles under global change scenarios.
Multiple omics levels of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Turk Aleksander , Čeh Eva , Calin George A. , Kunej Tanja
Published: June 2024

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a lymphoproliferative malignancy characterized by the proliferation of functionally mature but incompetent B cells. It is the most prevalent type of leukemia in Western populations, accounting for approximately 25% of new leukemia cases. While recent advances, such as ibrutinib and venetoclax treatment have improved patient outlook, aggressive forms of CLL such as Richter transformation still pose a significant challenge. This discrepancy may be due to the heterogeneity of factors contributing to CLL development at multiple -omics levels. However, information on the omics of CLL is fragmented, hindering multi-omics-based research into potential treatment options. To address this, we aggregated and presented a selection of important aspects of various omics levels of the disease in this review. The purpose of the present literature analysis is to portray examples of CLL studies from different omics levels, including genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, epitranscriptomics, proteomics, epiproteomics, metabolomics, glycomics and lipidomics, as well as those identified by multi-omics approaches. The review includes the list of 102 CLL-associated genes with relevant genomics information. While single-omics studies yield substantial and useful data, they omit a significant level of complex biological interplay present in the disease. As multi-omics studies integrate several different layers of data, they may be better suited for complex diseases such as CLL and have thus far yielded promising results. Future multi-omics studies may assist clinicians in improved treatment choices based on CLL subtypes as well as allow the identification of novel biomarkers and targets for treatments.
Enhancing mitochondrial proteolysis alleviates alpha-synuclein-mediated cellular toxicity
Authors: Zhang Xi , Ruan Linhao , Wang Hu , Zhu Jin , Li Taibo , Sun Gordon , Dong Yi , Wang Yuhao , Berreby Gil , Shay Ashley , Chen Rong , Ramachandran Sreekumar , Dawson Valina L. , Dawson Ted M. , Li Rong
Published: June 2024

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction and accumulation of alpha-synuclein (α-Syn)-containing protein aggregates known as Lewy bodies (LB). Here, we investigated the entry of α-Syn into mitochondria to cause mitochondrial dysfunction and loss of cellular fitness in vivo. We show that α-Syn expressed in yeast and human cells is constitutively imported into mitochondria. In a transgenic mouse model, the level of endogenous α-Syn accumulation in mitochondria of dopaminergic neurons and microglia increases with age. The imported α-Syn is degraded by conserved mitochondrial proteases, most notably NLN and PITRM1 (Prd1 and Cym1 in yeast, respectively). α-Syn in the mitochondrial matrix that is not degraded interacts with respiratory chain complexes, leading to loss of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), mitochondrial membrane potential and cellular fitness decline. Importantly, enhancing mitochondrial proteolysis by increasing levels of specific proteases alleviated these defects in yeast, human cells, and a PD model of mouse primary neurons. Together, our results provide a direct link between α-synuclein-mediated cellular toxicity and its import into mitochondria and reveal potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of α-synucleinopathies.
Smartphone-based study reminders can be a double-edged sword
Authors: Nobbe Lea , Breitwieser Jasmin , Biedermann Daniel , Brod Garvin
Published: June 2024

Reminders are a popular feature in smartphone apps designed to promote desirable behaviors that are best performed regularly. But can they also promote students’ regular studying? In the present study with 85 lower secondary school students aged 10–12, we combined a smartphone-based between- and within-person experimental manipulation with logfile data of a vocabulary learning app. Students were scheduled to receive reminders on 16 days during the 36-day intervention period. Findings suggest that reminders can be a double-edged sword. The within-person experimental manipulation allowed a comparison of study probability on days with and without reminders. Students were more likely to study on days they received a reminder compared to days when they did not receive a reminder. However, when compared to a control group that never received reminders, the effect was not due to students studying more frequently on days with reminders. Instead, they studied less frequently on days without reminders than students in the control group. This effect increased over the study period, with students becoming increasingly less likely to study on days without reminders. Taken together, these results suggest a detrimental side effect of reminders: students become overly reliant on them.
Holocene solar activity inferred from global and hemispherical cosmic-ray proxy records
Authors: Nilsson Andreas , Nguyen Long , Panovska Sanja , Herbst Konstantin , Zheng Minjie , Suttie Neil , Muscheler Raimund
Published: June 2024

Variations in solar activity have been proposed to play an important role in recent and past climate change. To study this link on longer timescales, it is essential to know how the Sun has varied over the past millennia. Direct observations of solar variability based on sunspot numbers are limited to the past 400 years, and beyond this we rely on records of cosmogenic radionuclides, such as14C and10Be in tree rings and ice cores. Their atmospheric production rates depend on the flux of incoming galactic cosmic rays, which is modulated by Earth’s and the Sun’s magnetic fields, the latter being linked to solar variability. Here we show that accounting for differences in hemispherical production rates, related to geomagnetic field asymmetries, helps resolve so far unexplained differences in Holocene solar activity reconstructions. We find no compelling evidence for long-term variations in solar activity and show that variations in cosmogenic radionuclide production rates on millennial timescales and longer, including the 2,400-year Hallstatt cycle, are explained by variations in the geomagnetic field. Our results also suggest an on-average stronger dipole moment during the Holocene, associated with higher field intensities in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Lifespan Disparity Dataset: An open repository on inequality and polarization in length of life (1950–2021)
Authors: Jorda Vanesa , Niño-Zarazúa Miguel , Tejería-Martínez Mercedes
Published: June 2024

Monitoring health is key for identifying priorities in public health planning and improving healthcare services. Life expectancy has conventionally been regarded as a valuable indicator to compare the health status of different populations. However, this measure is simply the mean of the distribution of the length of life and, as such, neglects individual disparities in health outcomes. In this paper, we use life tables from the UN World Population Prospects to develop the most comprehensive dataset of lifespan inequality and polarization for 258 countries and areas for the period 1950–2021. These extensive series on lifespan distributions provide access to crucial information for researchers, practitioners, and the general public, thus contributing to a better understanding of health differences within and between nations.
Stereoscopic video deblurring transformer
Authors: Imani Hassan , Islam Md Baharul , Junayed Masum Shah , Ahad Md Atiqur Rahman
Published: June 2024

Stereoscopic cameras, such as those in mobile phones and various recent intelligent systems, are becoming increasingly common. Multiple variables can impact the stereo video quality, e.g., blur distortion due to camera/object movement. Monocular image/video deblurring is a mature research field, while there is limited research on stereoscopic content deblurring. This paper introduces a new Transformer-based stereo video deblurring framework with two crucial new parts: a self-attention layer and a feed-forward layer that realizes and aligns the correlation among various video frames. The traditional fully connected (FC) self-attention layer fails to utilize data locality effectively, as it depends on linear layers for calculating attention maps The Vision Transformer, on the other hand, also has this limitation, as it takes image patches as inputs to model global spatial information. 3D convolutional neural networks (3D CNNs) process successive frames to correct motion blur in the stereo video. Besides, our method uses other stereo-viewpoint information to assist deblurring. The parallax attention module (PAM) is significantly improved to combine the stereo and cross-view information for more deblurring. An extensive ablation study validates that our method efficiently deblurs the stereo videos based on the experiments on two publicly available stereo video datasets. Experimental results of our approach demonstrate state-of-the-art performance compared to the image and video deblurring techniques by a large margin.
Relationships between students’ perceived campus walkability, mental health, and life satisfaction during COVID-19
Authors: Zhang Zhehao , Wang Jinyun , Wang Haiming , Wu Jinxin
Published: June 2024

Improving walkability in the campus environment and socio-psychological environments can promote students’ mental health and subjective well-being. This study aimed to propose a theoretical model to investigate the link of perceived campus walkability (PCW) with mental health and life satisfaction (LS), and to disentangle the mediating impact of socio-psychological environments and academic performance on this relationship, while simultaneously considering the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. We applied structural equation modeling to analyze the data collected through a questionnaire survey conducted at six universities and colleges in Yantai, China. PCW had both direct and indirect positive effects on mental health and LS. However, indirect effects are greater than direct effects. Walking attitudes, social capital, and academic performance were critical to the relationship between PCW, mental health, and LS. Academic performance had the strongest indirect effect on mental health, while social capital had the strongest indirect effect on LS. We also found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, body mass index and family income were significantly correlated with mental health and LS. The findings indicate that campus planners and policymakers should improve PCW and support the socio-psychological environment to promote students’ mental and social health during situations like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quantum error-correction using humming sparrow optimization based self-adaptive deep cnn noise correction module
Authors: Shinde Umesh Uttamrao , Bandaru Ravikumar
Published: June 2024

The error correction model’s main purpose in heavy hexagonal quantum codes is to improve their reliability for quantum computing applications. Existing challenges include finding the optimal decoder for quantum error correction in heavy hexagonal codes. This research propels the frontier of quantum error correction, with a specific focus on tailoring topological quantum error-correcting codes for the unique challenges posed by superconducting qubits in quantum computers. In response, this research harnesses the power of deep learning, presenting a Humming sparrow optimization based self-adaptive deep CNN (HSO-based SADCNN) model designed for heavy hexagonal codes. This decoder incorporates a Self-adaptive Deep CNN (SADCNN) Noise Correction Module, a sophisticated component to refine error correction. The proposed decoder’s efficacy is rigorously evaluated across varying code distances (three, five, and seven) using the Humming Sparrow Optimization (HSO) algorithm. HSO, intricately designed to fine-tune the SADCNN decoder, significantly enhances its error correction capabilities for heavy hexagonal quantum codes. The algorithm seamlessly integrates advantageous characteristics of herding and tracing from Humming Bird optimization and Sparrow search optimization, representing a critical stride in advancing the reliability of quantum computing applications, particularly within the intricate domain of heavy hexagonal quantum codes. Based upon the achievements, the Training Percentage (TP) 90 metrics demonstrate significant progress, boasting a commendable accuracy of $$97.35\%$$

97.35
%

, coupled with reduced logical error probability and a diminished bit error rate, marked at 5.51 and 3.72, respectively.