bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Economic Alternatives for the Provision of URLLC and eMBB Services Over a 5G Network
Authors: Moreno-Cardenas Edison , Sacoto-Cabrera Erwin J. , Guijarro Luis
Published: May 2024

This research work analyzes economic alternatives for the provision of ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC) and enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) services by mobile network operators over the same fifth-generation (5G) network. Two business models are proposed to provide the two services to end users. Concretely, a monopoly is a single operator who offers both services, and a duopoly is two different operators that share network resources and offer one service each. In addition, two types of network scenarios for resource sharing are studied. Specifically, a shared network (SN) is a type of network scenario allowing resources to be shared between the two services without priority. A differentiated network (DN) is a type of network scenario that allows resources to be shared between the two services with a priority to URLLC service using network slicing (NS). Regarding the economic aspects, the incentive is modeled through the user’s utility and the operator’s benefit. At the same time, game theory is used to model the strategic interaction between users and operators, and queuing theory is used to model the interaction between the two services. We conclude that the monopoly social welfare (SW) is closer to the SW of the social optimum than the duopoly SW. In addition, the DN scenario to offer the services through NS is more suitable than the SN scenario since the point of view of service prices, user utilities, and operator benefit.
Different impacts of urbanization on ecosystem services supply and demand across old, new and non-urban areas in the ChangZhuTan urban agglomeration, China
Authors: Li Jiayu , Wang Jing , Zhou Weiqi
Published: May 2024

Context

Rapid urbanization has brought substantial changes in structure and function of ecosystems, significantly impacting ecosystem services (ESs) supply and demand, and thereby landscape sustainability.

Objectives

Revealing differences impacts of urbanization on ESs supply and demand across old, new and non-urban areas.

Methods

First, we quantified the supply and demand of four ESs, namely food production (FP), water retention (WR), carbon sequestration (CS), and habitat quality (HQ) within the ChangZhuTan urban agglomeration from 2000 to 2020. Then impacts of urbanization on ESs supply–demand ratio (ESDR)were investigated by OLS linear regression, alongside assessing sensitivities with Random Forest models. The differences in these impacts and sensitivities were compared across old, new, and non-urban areas, utilizing the proportional cover of construction land (CLP), population density (PD), and GDP density (GDPD) as urbanization indicators.

Results

(1) Urban expansion resulted in the increase of areas with low ESs supply but high demand, and thereby increased ESs deficits in urban edges. (2) CLP, PD and GDPD mostly had negative associations with ESDRs, especially in non-urban areas. Notably, they had positive impacts on ESDRs of CS and WR in old urban areas. (3) The sensitivity of ESDRs to urbanization differs in three areas. ESDRs were sensitive to GDPD and CLP in old and new urban areas, with only CLP emerging as the most sensitive indicator in non-urban areas, indicating the necessity for place-based strategies.

Conclusions

Urbanization exerted diverse impacts on ESDRs across old, new, and non-urban areas, and showed significantly negative impacts in new urban areas. This underscores the need for enhanced landscape management to balance ESs and urbanization. Results from this study can enhance understanding of relationships between urbanization and ESs, and provide insights for landscape sustainability in an increasingly urbanizing planet.
Elasto-viscoplastic model for rayon yarns
Authors: Moscatelli Marco , Pires da Costa Lucas , Caracino Paola , Agresti Simone , Novati Giorgio , Comi Claudia
Published: May 2024

In this paper we develop a new model for the simulation of the mechanical behavior of rayon twisted yarns, at macroscopic level. A yarn with its continuous filaments is represented by an equivalent three-dimensional solid of cylindrical shape, discretized by finite elements, with properly defined local anisotropic material properties. The new constitutive model, inspired by experimental results on rayon untwisted yarns, is formulated in the framework of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes and includes visco-elastic and visco-plastic dissipation mechanisms. The effect of twist is taken into account by including the direction of the fibers in the free energy definition. The overall model is validated comparing numerical and experimental results on twisted rayon yarns.
Exact formula for cubic partitions
Authors: Mauth Lukas
Published: May 2024

We obtain an exact formula for the cubic partition function and prove a conjecture by Banerjee, Paule, Radu and Zeng.
Enhanced energy recovery in municipal wastewater treatment plants through co-digestion by anaerobic membrane bioreactors: current status and future perspectives
Authors: Cengiz Ali Izzet , Guven Huseyin , Ozgun Hale , Ersahin Mustafa Evren
Published: May 2024

Today, the transition to renewable energy from conventional energy practices is more important than ever to establish energy security and mitigate climate change. The wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) consume a remarkable amount of energy and cause significant greenhouse gas emissions. The energy balance of WWTP can be improved by implementing energy-efficient applications such as anaerobic digestion. However, most of the existing WWTPs utilize only sewage sludge in conventional anaerobic digesters (CAD) which results in low biogas generation. Generally, co-digestion is indicated as an effective solution for the low biogas generation faced in mono-digestion. Moreover, recently, anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR) have been promoted as a prominent alternative to CADs. This paper overviews the current situation of co-digestion applications by AnMBRs for municipal WWTPs. Furthermore, the environmental and economic aspects of these applications were reviewed. Lastly, challenges and future perspectives related to the co-digestion applications by AnMBR were thoroughly discussed.

Graphical Abstract
Use of compost to improve Technosol properties and spontaneous plant-soil relationships of Mediterranean species potentially suitable for urban greening
Authors: Vitale Ermenegilda , Napoletano Pasquale , Colombo Claudio , Arena Carmen , De Marco Anna
Published: May 2024

Organic-based amendments are promising, eco-friendly solutions among soil requalification strategies. In this context, the current study explored the application of compost to Technosols (2 kg m-2) to improve soil quality, making the substrate suitable for plant growth. Changes in soil quality have been assessed before compost addition (time zero, T0) and plant transplanting and at 2, 4 and 11 months (T2, T4, and T11) after plant establishment. To test the soil suitability for plant growth, we monitored (at T2, T4, and T11) structural and functional ecological traits in the herbaceous spontaneous species Malva sylvestris L. and in transplanted Mediterranean sclerophyllous Phillyrea angustifolia L., and Quercus ilex L., often used in the urban greening, also considering plant and soil relationships. Our study demonstrated that compost increased soil nutrients availability over time, favoring M. sylvestris physiological performance in long-lasting, compared to sclerophyllous, since the beginning of the application. M. sylvestris exhibited high photosynthetic efficiency and carbon investment in photosynthetic tissues (higher leaf area and lower leaf mass per area) on compost-enriched soil. On the other hand, P. angustifolia and Q. ilex, even if they did not benefit from compost addition for photosynthetic efficiency, after 11 months, maintained higher leaf water content despite limited soil water availability. These results encourage the use of compost in ameliorating the quality of Technosols for urban greening, also evidencing that the species’choice is pivotal in obtaining benefits from plants and a period longer than one year is needed for sclerophyllous to see beneficial effects.
Cytology of a seminoma in a koi (Cyprinus carpio): a rapid diagnostic tool
Authors: Pigoli Claudio , Ghisleni Gabriele , Armando Federico , Grieco Valeria , Ghidelli Andrea , Brambilla Eleonora
Published: May 2024

Koi(Cyprinus carpio) is an ornamental variety of common carp frequently kept as pets. Given their long lifespan, neoplasia, albeit uncommon, may occur in these animals, and only a few studies have faced their cytological diagnosis. In the present case, a koi carp was referred to the clinicians due to coelomic swelling. The carp underwent surgery, which revealed an enlargement of both testes. Testicular samples were cytologically and histologically examined. The lesion was diagnosed as a seminoma since it was composed of round, large, atypical, and often multinucleated cells with round central nuclei and moderate cytoplasm. These tumors had the same appearance as seminomas in mammals and should be considered among differential diagnoses when coelomic swelling occurs in koi carp. Seminomas in koi carp are diagnosed histologically, but cytology, a rapid and cheap exam executable in all veterinary clinical facilities, could be a relevant preliminary diagnostic tool that may influence the entire diagnostic process.
Optimizing cardiopulmonary rehabilitation duration for long COVID patients: an exercise physiology monitoring approach
Authors: Szarvas Zsofia , Fekete Monika , Szollosi Gergo Jozsef , Kup Katica , Horvath Rita , Shimizu Maya , Tsuhiya Fuko , Choi Ha Eun , Wu Huang-Tzu , Fazekas-Pongor Vince , Pete Kinga Nedda , Cserjesi Renata , Bakos Regina , Gobel Orsolya , Gyongyosi Kata , Pinter Renata , Kolozsvari Dora , Kovats Zsuzsanna , Yabluchanskiy Andriy , Owens Cameron D. , Ungvari Zoltan , Tarantini Stefano , Horvath Gabor , Muller Veronika , Varga Janos Tamas
Published: May 2024

The presence of prolonged symptoms after COVID infection worsens the workability and quality of life. 200 adults with long COVID syndrome were enrolled after medical, physical, and mental screening, and were divided into two groups based on their performance. The intervention group (n = 100) received supervised rehabilitation at Department of Pulmonology, Semmelweis University with the registration number 160/2021 between 01/APR/2021–31/DEC/2022, while an age-matched control group (n = 100) received a single check-up. To evaluate the long-term effects of the rehabilitation, the intervention group was involved in a 2- and 3-month follow-up, carrying out cardiopulmonary exercise test. Our study contributes understanding long COVID rehabilitation, emphasizing the potential benefits of structured cardiopulmonary rehabilitation in enhancing patient outcomes and well-being. Significant difference was found between intervention group and control group at baseline visit in pulmonary parameters, as forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume, forced expiratory volume, transfer factor for carbon monoxide, transfer coefficient for carbon monoxide, and oxygen saturation (allp < 0.05). Our follow-up study proved that a 2-week long, patient-centered pulmonary rehabilitation program has a positive long-term effect on people with symptomatic long COVID syndrome. Our data showed significant improvement between two and three months in maximal oxygen consumption (p < 0.05). Multidisciplinary, individualized approach may be a key element of a successful cardiopulmonary rehabilitation in long COVID conditions, which improves workload, quality of life, respiratory function, and status of patients with long COVID syndrome.
Five years later, with double the demographic data, naked mole-rat mortality rates continue to defy Gompertzian laws by not increasing with age
Authors: Ruby J. Graham , Smith Megan , Buffenstein Rochelle
Published: May 2024

The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is a mouse-sized rodent species, notable for its eusociality and long lifespan. Previously, we reported that demographic aging, i.e., the exponential increase of mortality hazard that accompanies advancing age in mammals and other organisms, does not occur in naked mole-rats (Ruby et al., 2018), a finding that has potential implications for human healthy aging. The demographic data supporting that conclusion had taken over three decades to accumulate, starting with the original rearing of H. glaber in captivity. This finding was controversial since many of the animals in that study were relatively young. In the 5 years following that study, we have doubled our quantity of demographic data. Here, we re-evaluated our prior conclusions in light of these new data and found them to be not only supported but indeed strengthened. We additionally provided insight into the social dynamics of captive H. glaber with data and analyses of body weight and colony size versus mortality. Finally, we provide a phylogenetically proximal comparator in the form of lifespan data from our Damaraland mole-rat (Fukomys damarensis) colony and demographic meta-analysis of those data along with published data from Ansell’s mole-rat (Fukomys anselli). We found Fukomys mortality hazard to increase gradually with age, an observation with inferences on the evolution of exceptional lifespan among mole-rats and the ecological factors that may have accompanied that evolution.
Determining the quality level of ready to-eat stuffed mussels with Arduino-based electronic nose
Authors: Yavuzer Emre , Köse Memduh , Uslu Hasan
Published: May 2024

In this study, the performance of a pre-designed and low-cost Arduino electronic nose for determining the quality of stuffed mussels was analyzed. In addition, 1000 images were taken on each storage day in order to determine the quality levels of stuffed mussel groups with open and closed shells by machine learning. Freshness limit values of stuffed mussels were determined as 200 for MQ3 and MQ135 sensors and 100 for MQ9 on the 3rd storage day when the total viable count (TVC) value exceeded 3 log CFU/g. In the study, faster neural networks with lower prediction times, such as SqueezeNet and GoogLeNet, were compared with ResNet-50, ResNet-101 and DenseNet-201 neural networks, which have larger prediction times but better accuracy. Study data showed that residual network (ResNet) 50 and Teachable Machine (TM) had high success in determining the quality levels of stuffed mussels.
A question about generalized nonvanishing
Authors: Fontanari Claudio
Published: May 2024

Let $$(X,\Delta )$$

(
X
,
Δ
)

be a projective, $${{\mathbb {Q}}}$$
Q
-factorial log canonical pair and let L be a pseudoeffective $${{\mathbb {Q}}}$$
Q
-divisor on X such that $$K_X + \Delta + L$$

K
X

+
Δ
+
L

is pseudoeffective. Is there an effective $${{\mathbb {Q}}}$$
Q
-divisor M on X such that $$K_X + \Delta + L$$

K
X

+
Δ
+
L

is numerically equivalent to M? We are not aware of any counterexamples, but the answer is not completely clear even in the case of surfaces.
Late-Season Irrigation Influences French Fry Color
Authors: T. Francisco Gonzalez , Pavek Mark J. , Knowles N. Richard , Holden Zachary
Published: May 2024

Given the increasing challenges of water scarcity and the stringent quality requirements of the frozen potato-processing industry, this multi-year research trial aimed to determine whether reduced late-season irrigation on potatoes could improve French fry color. The study was conducted near Othello, WA, and was comprised of five irrigation levels: 40%, 60%, 80%, 100%, and 120% of modeled evapotranspiration (ET), and five potato cultivars: Alturas, Clearwater Russet, Ranger Russet, Russet Burbank, and Umatilla Russet. Irrigation treatments started 100 to 105 days after planting (DAP), approximately 1500 day degrees (at or near peak canopy growth), and ended at vine kill, 150 to 155 DAP. Fry color was assessed following storage durations of 45 and 90 days after harvest from three storage temperatures of 4.4 °C, 6.7 °C, and 8.9 °C, using a photovolt reflectometer, measuring percent light reflectance, in which higher values represented lighter fries. The study found that reducing late-season irrigation generally improved overall fry color. Fry color improvements were observed in four potato cultivars grown with 20% to 40% less irrigation than the control (100% ET); Ranger Russet exhibited no improvement. Reducing late-season irrigation by more than 40% resulted in darker fries for Clearwater Russet, Russet Burbank, and Umatilla Russet when tubers were stored at 4.4 °C and 6.7 °C. Excess irrigation, greater than 100% ET, generally darkened fries in Alturas, Clearwater Russet, Russet Burbank, and Umatilla Russet. These findings provide valuable guidelines for potato growers, indicating that while reducing late-season irrigation can enhance fry color, the effects may depend on a combination of cultivar, irrigation level, and storage temperature.
Organization and operation of multi particle therapy facilities: the Marburg Ion-Beam Therapy Center, Germany (MIT)
Authors: Zink Klemens , Baumann Kilian Simon , Theiss Ulrike , Subtil Florentine , Lahrmann Sonja , Eberle Fabian , Adeberg Sebastian
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The Marburg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (MIT) is one of two particle therapy centers in Germany that enables the treatment of patients with both protons and carbon ions. The facility was build by Siemens Healthineers and is one of only two centers worldwide built by Siemens (Marburg, Germany and Shanghai, China). The present report provides an overview of technical and clinical operations as well as research activities at MIT.

Methods

The MIT was completed in 2011 and uses a synchrotron for accelerating protons and carbon ions up to energies of 250 MeV/u and 430 MeV/u respectively. Three treatment rooms with a fixed horizontal beam-line and one room with a 45 degree beam angle are available.

Results

Since the start of clinical operations in 2015, around 2.500 patients have been treated at MIT, about 40% with carbon ions and 60% with protons. Currently around 400 patients are treated each year. The majority of the patients suffered from benign and malign CNS tumors (around 40%) followed by head and neck tumors (around 23%). MIT is actively involved in clinical studies with its patients. In addition to clinical operations, there is active research at MIT in the fields of radiation biology and medical physics. The focus is on translational research to improve the treatment of H & N carcinomas and lung cancer (NSCLC). Moreover, intensive work is being carried out on the technical implementation of FLASH irradiation for research purposes.

Conclusion

The MIT is one of two centers worldwide that were built by Siemens Healtineers and has been successfully in clinical operation since 2015. The service provided by Siemens is guaranteed until 2030, the future after 2030 is currently under discussion.
Probiotic Efficacy in Aquaculture: The Role of Technospore® (Bacillus coagulans) in Improving Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Performance and Disease Resistance: a Study on Gut Health, Immunological Response, and Gene Expression
Authors: Omar Amira A. , Gado Mohamed S. , Kandel Hamada E. , Farrag Foad A. , Shukry Mustafa
Published: May 2024

This study evaluated the effects of Technospore® (Bacillus coagulans) supplementation on intestinal health, immune response, and Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) growth performance. The experiment divided fish into four groups: a control group fed an unsupplemented diet and three experimental groups receiving diets supplemented with 0.2 g/kg, 0.4 g/kg, and 0.8 g/kg of Technospore®, respectively. Results indicated that Technospore® supplementation significantly enhanced growth rates and feed efficiency in all treated groups, with the most pronounced improvements observed in the group receiving 0.4 g/kg. Furthermore, the study revealed that B. coagulans supplementation markedly boosted serum immune responses, as evidenced by increased phagocytic activity, phagocytic index, and lysozyme levels, following a challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila. Histological analysis showed improved gut morphology, while gene expression analysis indicated upregulation of immune-related genes, including liver IGF-1, GHR, HSP70, IL-1β, and TNF-α, as well as spleen TNF-α and IL-1β and intestinal C-lysozyme and TNF-α, both before and after the bacterial challenge. These findings suggest that dietary inclusion of Technospore® can significantly improve gut health and immune responses in tilapia, potentially serving as an effective prophylactic alternative to antibiotics in aquaculture.
Effects of visual flow velocity on cycling experience in virtual reality
Authors: Luttmann Carla , Mayer Manuel , Siebertz Markus , Jost Leonardo , Henze Niels , Jansen Petra
Published: May 2024

Applying virtual reality to exercise has revealed mood- and performance-enhancing properties of immersive media. Social–cognitive theory and the Proteus effect suggest that avatar appearance contributes to this relation by eliciting behavioral changes. Attempting to influence exercise parameters without modifying the virtual avatar, the present study investigated the effects of differing visual flow speeds on physiological and perceived effort during aerobic exercise. Eighty-two university students participated in three separate experimental trials. During each trial, a virtual cycling track was presented at one of three velocities (16, 20, 24 km/h) in counterbalanced order, while participants cycled at a moderate intensity for 20 min. Objective and subjective measures of effort and affective states were recorded every five minutes. With increasing visual flow speed, a linear decrease of heart rate, perceived effort, and arousal and a linear increase of valence were expected. Mixed linear model analyses revealed no significant main effect of visual flow speed on any dependent variable. A nonlinear relation between visual flow speed and heart rate was identified through pairwise comparisons between visual flow conditions.
Testing Mindfulness Mechanisms of Action on the Stress and Burnout of Social Workers
Authors: Maddock Alan
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Growing evidence suggests that mindfulness-based programmes (MBPs) can reduce stress and burnout among social workers. How MBPs support changes in these outcomes is unclear. This study attempts to identify what some of these mechanisms might be, using the clinically modified Buddhist psychological model (CBPM) as a guiding framework.

Method

This study used data from two randomised controlled trials investigating the impact of MBP participation on social worker stress and burnout. The data from participants (n = 94) who completed a Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-Care (MBSWSC) programme, or a mindfulness and self-compassion programme (MSC) were combined. Structural equation models were constructed, and conditional direct and indirect effect models of changes in the CBPM domains (mindfulness, self-compassion, attention regulation, acceptance, non-attachment, non-aversion), mediating variables (rumination and worry) and outcomes (stress and burnout) were tested.

Results

The results suggest that CBPM models, through mediated effects on stress, depersonalisation, and personal accomplishment, as well as direct and mediated effects on stress, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalisation, can provide useful frameworks for explaining how MBPs reduce stress and burnout among social workers. This study also found several other significant conditional direct and indirect effects. The pattern of these relationships indicate that multiple outcomes could be improved through different CBPM domains.

Conclusion

This study provides initial evidence on the potential mechanisms through which MBP participation acts to reduce stress and burnout in social workers.

Preregistration

https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT05519267 and NCT05538650.
The acceptability and clinical impact of using polygenic scores for risk-estimation of common cancers in primary care: a systematic review
Authors: Dannhauser Faye C. , Taylor Lily C. , Tung Joanna S.L. , Usher-Smith Juliet A.
Published: May 2024

Background

Polygenic scores (PGS) have been developed for cancer risk-estimation and show potential as tools to prompt earlier referral for high-risk individuals and aid risk-stratification within cancer screening programmes. This review explores the potential for using PGS to identify individuals at risk of the most common cancers seen in primary care.

Methods

Two electronic databases were searched up until November 2023 to identify quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies that reported on the acceptability and clinical impact of using PGS to identify individuals at highest risk of breast, prostate, colorectal and lung cancer in primary care. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess the quality of included studies and a narrative synthesis was used to analyse data.

Results

A total of 190 papers were identified, 18 of which were eligible for inclusion. A cancer risk-assessment tool incorporating PGS was acceptable to the general practice population and their healthcare providers but major challenges to implementation were identified, including lack of evidence for PGS in non-European ancestry and a need for healthcare provider education in genomic medicine. A PGS cancer risk-assessment had relatively limited impact on psychosocial outcomes and health behaviours. However, for prostate cancer, potential applications for its use in primary care were shown.

Conclusions

Cancer risk assessment incorporating PGS in primary care is acceptable to patients and healthcare providers but there is a paucity of research exploring clinical impact. Few studies were identified, and more research is required before clinical implementation of PGS can be recommended.
Leveraging text mining and analytic hierarchy process for the automatic evaluation of online courses
Authors: Chen Xieling , Xie Haoran , Tao Xiaohui , Wang Fu Lee , Cao Jie
Published: May 2024

This study introduced a multi-criteria decision-making methodology leveraging text mining and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for online course quality evaluation based on students’ feedback texts. First, a hierarchical structure of online course evaluation criteria was formulated by integrating topics (sub-criteria) identified through topic modeling and interpreted based on transactional distance and technology acceptance theories. Second, the weights of the criteria in the hierarchical structure were determined based on topic proportions. Third, the AHP was employed to determine the overall relative advantage of online courses and their relative advantage within each criterion based on the hierarchical framework and criterion weights. The proposed approach was implemented on the datasets of 6940 reviews for knowledge-seeking courses in Art, Design, and Humanities (D1) and 44,697 reviews for skill-seeking courses in Computer Science, Engineering, and Programming (D2) from Class Central to determine ranking positions of nine courses from both D1 and D2 as alternatives. Results revealed common concerns among knowledge and skill-seeking course learners, encompassing “assessment”, “content”, “effort”, “usefulness”, “enjoyment”, “faculty”, “interaction”, and “structure”. The article provides valuable insights into the online course evaluation and selection processes for learners in D1 and D2 groups. Notably, both groups prioritize “effort” and “faculty”, while D2 learners value “assessment” and “enjoyment”, and D1 learners value “usefulness” more. This study demonstrates the efficacy of leveraging online learner reviews and topic modeling for automating MOOC evaluation and informing learners’ decision-making processes.
The Linkage Between Digital Transformation and Organizational Culture: Novel Machine Learning Literature Review Based on Latent Dirichlet Allocation
Authors: Reisberger Tobias , Reisberger Philip , Copuš Lukáš , Madzík Peter , Falát Lukáš
Published: May 2024

Organizational culture is a crucial component of innovation in company success, particularly in the setting of the information economy. The purpose of this research is to conduct a bibliometric analysis in order to identify dominant research topics, their potential shifts, and recent developments in the fields of organizational culture and digital transformation. It demonstrates a machine learning–supported method for identifying and segmenting the current state of this research field. The literature was identified from the Scopus database through a search query. The analyzed amount of papers (3065) was published in 1619 sources (journals, proceedings, books, etc.) with various research impacts. Identifying the dominant research topics resulted in eight topics: Social Media Connectivity; Digital Innovation Ecosystems; Socio-economic Sustainability; Digital Workforce Transformation; Digital Competence and Cultural Transformation; Knowledge, Culture, and Innovation; Data and Resource Management; and Digital Transformation Maturity. The results showed a shift in the research field on organizational culture related to digital transformation towards the subject area of business, management, and accounting, with increasing research interest and impact for the Digital Workforce Transformation as well as for the Knowledge, Culture, and Innovation topics.
Hydraulic-based optimization algorithm for the design of stormwater drainage networks
Authors: Anwer Amira A. , Soliman Ahmed H. , Radwan Hany G.
Published: May 2024

Stormwater drainage networks are designed to reduce the risk of rainwater damage to the served area. The purpose of optimizing a stormwater drainage system is to reduce overall construction costs and to meet hydraulic design requirements. Currently, designs that rely on software or manual calculations are limited by the available time and the designer’s capabilities. In fact, manual optimization for large networks consumes a lot of time and effort, and there is no guarantee that the optimal design is reached, also it is subject to human errors. In recent years, several researchers have focused on creating optimization design algorithms specifically for sewer and storm networks, such as genetic algorithm (GA), linear programming (LP), heuristic programming (HP),…etc. However, these studies were limited to covering one or two design parameters and constraints. Additionally, in some studies, the hydraulic performance of the designed network was not treated in a proper way, especially the water surface profile effects. So, the main objective of the study is to develop an effective hydraulic-based optimization algorithm (HBOA) that can dynamically get the optimal design with minimum total cost for a given storm network layout and meet all hydraulic requirements. To achieve this, a MATLAB code is created and coupled with SewerGEMS software that automatically simulates all expected optimization scenarios based on network hydraulic performance. The HBOA is validated economically and hydraulically using two benchmark examples from the literature. According to the economic validation, the total network cost generated by HBOA was the lowest when compared to the optimization methods found in the literature. During the hydraulic evaluation, it was observed that the optimization algorithm (GA-HP) used in the literature for the benchmark examples does not meet the hydraulic requirements where the networks are flooded, whereas HBOA meets the hydraulic requirements with minimal overall network cost. Also, the HBOA is applied to four real stormwater drainage networks that were already designed, constructed, and optimized manually. The four redesigned real cases using HBOA revealed a cost reduction of about 15% compared to the original designs, while consuming a few hours for the design and optimization processes. Finally, the developed HBOA is a robust, time-efficient, and cost-effective optimization and hydraulic design tool which could be used in the design of stormwater drainage networks with different design constraints with minimal human interference.
Hyperspectral imaging with machine learning for in vivo skin carcinoma margin assessment: a preliminary study
Authors: Parasca Sorin Viorel , Calin Mihaela Antonina , Manea Dragos , Radvan Roxana
Published: May 2024

Surgical excision is the most effective treatment of skin carcinomas (basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma). Preoperative assessment of tumoral margins plays a decisive role for a successful result. The aim of this work was to evaluate the possibility that hyperspectral imaging could become a valuable tool in solving this problem. Hyperspectral images of 11 histologically diagnosed carcinomas (six basal cell carcinomas and five squamous cell carcinomas) were acquired prior clinical evaluation and surgical excision. The hyperspectral data were then analyzed using a newly developed method for delineating skin cancer tumor margins. This proposed method is based on a segmentation process of the hyperspectral images into regions with similar spectral and spatial features, followed by a machine learning-based data classification process resulting in the generation of classification maps illustrating tumor margins. The Spectral Angle Mapper classifier was used in the data classification process using approximately 37% of the segments as the training sample, the rest being used for testing. The receiver operating characteristic was used as the method for evaluating the performance of the proposed method and the area under the curve as a metric. The results revealed that the performance of the method was very good, with median AUC values of 0.8014 for SCCs, 0.8924 for BCCs, and 0.8930 for normal skin. With AUC values above 0.89 for all types of tissue, the method was considered to have performed very well. In conclusion, hyperspectral imaging can become an objective aid in the preoperative evaluation of carcinoma margins.
Homogeneous isosceles-free spaces
Authors: Bargetz Christian , Bartoš Adam , Kubiś Wiesław , Luggin Franz
Published: May 2024

We study homogeneity aspects of metric spaces in which all triples of distinct points admit pairwise different distances; such spaces are called isosceles-free. In particular, we characterize all homogeneous isosceles-free spaces up to isometry as vector spaces over the two-element field, endowed with an injective norm. Using isosceles-free decompositions, we provide bounds on the maximal number of distances in arbitrary homogeneous finite metric spaces.
New piperazine derivatives helvamides B–C from the marine-derived fungus Penicillium velutinum ZK-14 uncovered by OSMAC (One Strain Many Compounds) strategy
Authors: Borkunov Gleb V. , Leshchenko Elena V. , Berdyshev Dmitrii V. , Popov Roman S. , Chingizova Ekaterina A. , Shlyk Nadezhda P. , Gerasimenko Andrey V. , Kirichuk Natalya N. , Khudyakova Yuliya V. , Chausova Viktoria E. , Antonov Alexandr S. , Kalinovsky Anatoly I. , Chingizov Artur R. , Yurchenko Ekaterina A. , Isaeva Marina P. , Yurchenko Anton N.
Published: May 2024

Four extracts of the marine-derived fungus Penicillium velutinum J.F.H. Beyma were obtained via metal ions stress conditions based on the OSMAC (One Strain Many Compounds) strategy. Using a combination of modern approaches such as LC/UV, LC/MS and bioactivity data analysis, as well as in silico calculations, influence metal stress factors to change metabolite profiles Penicillium velutinum were analyzed. From the ethyl acetate extract of the P. velutinum were isolated two new piperazine derivatives helvamides B (1) and C (2) together with known saroclazin A (3) (4S,5R,7S)-4,11-dihydroxy-guaia-1(2),9(10)-dien (4). Their structures were established based on spectroscopic methods. The absolute configuration of helvamide B (1) as 2R,5R was determined by a combination of the X-ray analysis and by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. The cytotoxic activity of the isolated compounds against human prostate cancer PC-3 and human embryonic kidney HEK-293 cells and growth inhibition activity against yeast-like fungi Candida albicans were assayed.

Graphical Abstract
Metabolism characterization and toxicity of N-hydap, a marine candidate drug for lung cancer therapy by LC–MS method
Authors: Lu Jindi , Liang Weimin , Hu Yiwei , Zhang Xi , Yu Ping , Cai Meiqun , Xie Danni , Zhou Qiong , Zhou Xuefeng , Liu Yonghong , Wang Junfeng , Guo Jiayin , Tang Lan
Published: May 2024

N-Hydroxyapiosporamide (N-hydap), a marine product derived from a sponge-associated fungus, has shown promising inhibitory effects on small cell lung cancer (SCLC). However, there is limited understanding of its metabolic pathways and characteristics. This study explored the in vitro metabolic profiles of N-hydap in human recombinant cytochrome P450s (CYPs) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), as well as human/rat/mice microsomes, and also the pharmacokinetic properties by HPLC–MS/MS. Additionally, the cocktail probe method was used to investigate the potential to create drug-drug interactions (DDIs). N-Hydap was metabolically unstable in various microsomes after 1 h, with about 50% and 70% of it being eliminated by CYPs and UGTs, respectively. UGT1A3 was the main enzyme involved in glucuronidation (over 80%), making glucuronide the primary metabolite. With a favorable bioavailability of 24.0%, N-hydap exhibited a higher distribution in the lungs (26.26%), accounting for its efficacy against SCLC. Administering N-hydap to mice at normal doses via gavage did not result in significant toxicity. Furthermore, N-hydap was found to affect the catalytic activity of drug metabolic enzymes (DMEs), particularly increasing the activity of UGT1A3, suggesting potential for DDIs. Understanding the metabolic pathways and properties of N-hydap should improve our knowledge of its drug efficacy, toxicity, and potential for DDIs.

Graphical Abstract
Dental management of long-term childhood cancer survivors: a systematic review
Authors: Seremidi K. , Gizani S. , Dahllöf G. , Barr-Agholme M. , Kloukos D. , Tsilingaridis G.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Critically review and summarise existing knowledge on prevalence of oral, dental, and craniofacial side-effects of antineoplastic treatment in childhood cancer survivors (CCS).

Methods

A literature search was conducted for studies reporting on children aged 4–19 years treated for any type of malignancy up to the age of 15 years and for whom, at the time of the examination, more than 8 months have elapsed since the end of treatment. Data regarding dental late effects on teeth and craniofacial complex were collected and mean prevalence of each defect was reported.

Results

From the 800 articles identified, 17 studies fulfilled inclusion criteria and were included. A total of 983 CCS were examined, with the total number of healthy controls being 1266 children. Haematological malignancy was the most prevalent diagnosis with the age at diagnosis ranging between 0–15 years. Multiple antineoplastic protocols were implemented with the elapsed time being 8 months up to 17 years. One-third of CCS experienced at least one late effect, with corresponding value for the control group being below 25%. Among the defects identified clinically, microdontia, hypodontia and enamel developmental defects were recorded in 1/4 of CCS. Impaired root growth and agenesis were the two defects mostly recorded radiographically. The effect on dental maturity and on salivary glands was unclear.

Conclusion

CCS are at risk of developing dental late effects because of their disease and its treatment and therefore, routine periodic examinations are essential to record their development and provide comprehensive oral healthcare.
Wastewater-Based Surveillance of Mpox (Monkeypox): An Early Surveillance Tool for Detecting Hotspots
Authors: Islam Md. Aminul , Kumar Rakesh , Sharma Prabhakar , Zhang Shuxin , Bhattacharya Prosun , Tiwari Ananda
Published: May 2024

Purpose of Review

This study aims to review recent literature reporting wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) with a major focus on sample collection, processing, and public health safety issues.

Recent Findings

Various studies revealed the presence of MPXV genetic markers in sewage, wastewater treatment plants, and drainage systems of hospitals in multiple countries.

Mpox (formally monkeypox) has been identified in more than a hundred countries, confirming at least 93,937 cases from 06 May 2022 to 03 February 2024. The MPXV, the causative agent for mpox, is a zoonotic virus having genome DNA. Major symptoms of the disease are rash, fever, headache, and chills with lymph pain. It has about a 10% case fatality rate, without any approved vaccine, but researchers are investigating the development of therapeutic vaccines. The virus DNA signature has been long reported in urine, stool, saliva, semen, and spit samples of clinical patients, make feasible for tracking the virus in wastewater. Furthermore, recent studies have reported MPXV DNA from environmental samples. As MPXV is a zoonotic virus with possible multiple hosts (e.g., small mammals and rodents), their detection in environmental samples might indicate the possible circulation of the virus including non-human hosts. The persistence of the infective virus particles in the ambient environment has not been fully investigated. Also, their possible risks of transmission through the contaminated milieu are unknown. The WBS can be an effective tool for identifying their hotspots and trends in communities.

Graphical Abstract
YS-SLAM: YOLACT++ based semantic visual SLAM for autonomous adaptation to dynamic environments of mobile robots
Authors: Li Jiajie , Luo Jingwen
Published: May 2024

Aiming at the problem of poor autonomous adaptability of mobile robots to dynamic environments, this paper propose a YOLACT++ based semantic visual SLAM for autonomous adaptation to dynamic environments of mobile robots. First, a light-weight YOLACT++ is utilized to detect and segment potential dynamic objects, and Mahalanobis distance is combined to remove feature points on active dynamic objects, also, epipolar constraint and clustering are employed to eliminate feature points on passive dynamic objects. Then, in terms of the semantic labels of dynamic and static components, the global semantic map is divided into three parts for construction. The semantic overlap and uniform motion model are chose to track moving objects and the dynamic components are added to the background map. Finally, a 3D semantic octree map is constructed that is consistent with the real environment and updated in real time. A series of simulations and experiments demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Adaptive local neighborhood information based efficient fuzzy clustering approach
Authors: Wu Ziheng , Zhao Yuan , Li Cong , Zhou Fang
Published: May 2024

The purpose of clustering is to partition data similar with each other into a same group and partition data dissimilar with each other into different groups. However, in most existing fuzzy clustering approaches, the membership degrees of an individual belonging to different clusters are relied on the different distances between the individual and different cluster centroids, the similarity between the individual and data in different clusters are ignored, besides, the outliers cannot be distinguished effectively. For improving the clustering performance and addressing the problems in most existing fuzzy clustering approaches, based on the concept that data close to each other should be grouped together and be assigned to a same cluster, in this paper, we present a novel efficient fuzzy clustering approach, in which the adaptive local neighborhood information of each data referring to different clusters is taken into consideration; an entirely new idea that the membership degree values of an individual referring to different clusters should not only depend on the distances between the individual and different cluster centers, but also rely on the distances between the individual and several nearest neighbor data in different clusters is put forward; a new scheme to search for the outliers is presented, a method for identifying the different importance of different features is introduced. Experiments on synthetic and publicly real-world datasets were conducted, the clustering results show that the approach put forward can yield consistently satisfying clustering performance and has significant advantages.
Rule of Law and the Criteria for Appointment of Judges: A Case for Judicial Virtues
Authors: Widłak Tomasz
Published: May 2024

This article seeks to develop a case for a virtue-oriented (or aretaic) approach to the criteria for appointing judges. It will argue for the usefulness of judicial virtue by showing its theoretical relevance for describing and explaining the criteria for selecting judicial candidates and claiming its advantage over the currently used syncretic sets of criteria used in European jurisdictions. The analysis will explore the connection between the criteria of judicial selection and the Rule of Law. If the Rule of Law is to be understood at its core as a process of tempering the arbitrariness of power, it requires certain personality traits of character on the part of the judiciary. This article argues that virtue is a context-relevant concept well-entrenched in legal culture that amounts to a personality aspect of the Rule of Law. In support of this point, the article discusses the two possible methods of establishing judicial virtues – using a targeted approach to virtue and an Aristotelian-inspired method of uncovering a catalogue of judicial virtues from the insights into the legal culture. The article concludes with policy-oriented advice on incorporating a virtue-centred approach to judicial selection processes.
A Systematic Review of the Facilitators and Barriers to Help-Seeking for Self-Harm in Young People: A Systems Thinking Perspective
Authors: Cox Jolene A. , Mills Lia , Hermens Daniel F. , Read Gemma J. M. , Salmon Paul M.
Published: May 2024

Young people who self-harm require support and resources to address their self-harm. However, they are often reluctant to seek help for their self-harm. Despite efforts to increase help-seeking, the rates of self-harm in this population continue to increase. A better understanding of the factors that influence help-seeking for self-harm in young people is necessary. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the existing literature on the known facilitators and barriers to help-seeking for self-harm in young people. Across the 33 studies included in this review, the age range of young people was 11 to 30 years. Facilitators and barriers to help-seeking for self-harm were extracted and mapped onto a systems thinking framework. The synthesis indicated that there were 17 known facilitators and twice as many barriers across the help-seeking system hierarchy. Most of these facilitators and barriers were related to lower levels of the system (i.e., service delivery and the social environment, and young people who self-harm). There was limited consideration of broader systemic factors that influence help-seeking for self-harm and the interactions between these facilitators and barriers in influencing help-seeking. Future research should consider the use of systems thinking frameworks and methods in understanding and addressing this complex problem.