bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical activity and sleep changes among children during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Singh Karnika , Armstrong Sarah C. , Wagner Brooke E. , Counts Julie , Skinner Asheley , Kay Melissa , Li Jennifer S. , Shah Svati , Zucker Nancy , Neshteruk Cody , Story Mary , Suarez Lilianna , Kraus William E. , Zizzi Alexandra R. , Dunn Jessilyn
Published: March 2024

Daily routines, including in-person school and extracurricular activities, are important for maintaining healthy physical activity and sleep habits in children. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted daily routines as in-person school and activities closed to prevent spread of SARS-CoV-2. We aimed to examine and assess differences in objectively measured physical activity levels and sleep patterns from wearable sensors in children with obesity before, during, and after a period of school and extracurricular activity closures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. We compared average step count and sleep patterns (using the Mann–WhitneyUTest) before and during the pandemic-associated school closures by using data from activity tracker wristbands (Garmin VivoFit3). Data were collected from 94 children (aged 5–17) with obesity, who were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial testing a community-based lifestyle intervention for a duration of 12-months. During the period that in-person school and extracurricular activities were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, children with obesity experienced objectively-measured decreases in physical activity, and sleep duration. From March 15, 2020 to March 31, 2021, corresponding with local school closures, average daily step count decreased by 1655 steps. Sleep onset and wake time were delayed by about an hour and 45 min, respectively, while sleep duration decreased by over 12 min as compared with the pre-closure period. Step counts increased with the resumption of in-person activities. These findings provide objective evidence for parents, clinicians, and public health professionals on the importance of in-person daily activities and routines on health behaviors, particularly for children with pre-existing obesity. Trial Registration: Clinical trial registration: NCT03339440
An aligned framework of actively collected and passively monitored clinical outcome assessments (COAs) for measure selection
Authors: Campbell Christine Manta , Webster Courtney , Parisi Megan , Sherafat-Kazemzadeh Roya , Braid Jessica , Switzer Thomas , Alves Fávaro Marcelo , Sassano Caprice , Coravos Andrea
Published: March 2024

Regulators increasingly require clinical outcome assessment (COA) data for approval. COAs can be collected via questionnaires or digital health technologies (DHTs), yet no single resource provides a side-by-side comparison of tools that collect complementary or related COA measures. We propose how to align ontologies for actively collected and passively monitored COAs into a single framework to allow for rapid, evidence-based, and fit-for-purpose measure selection.
A signal transmission strategy driven by gap-regulated exonuclease hydrolysis for hierarchical molecular networks
Authors: Liu Xin , Zhang Xun , Cui Shuang , Xu Shujuan , Liu Rongming , Wang Bin , Wei Xiaopeng , Zhang Qiang
Published: March 2024

Exonucleases serve as efficient tools for signal processing and play an important role in biochemical reactions. Here, we identify the mechanism of cooperative exonuclease hydrolysis, offering a method to regulate the cooperative hydrolysis driven by exonucleases through the modulation of the number of bases in gap region. A signal transmission strategy capable of producing amplified orthogonal DNA signal is proposed to resolve the polarity of signals and byproducts, which provides a solution to overcome the signal attenuation. The gap-regulated mechanism combined with DNA strand displacement (DSD) reduces the unpredictable secondary structures, allowing for the coexistence of similar structures in hierarchical molecular networks. For the application of the strategy, a molecular computing model is constructed to solve the maximum weight clique problems (MWCP). This work enhances for our knowledge of these important enzymes and promises application prospects in molecular computing, signal detection, and nanomachines.
Ultrafast quantum control of atomic excited states via interferometric two-photon Rabi oscillations
Authors: Chen Yudong , Peng Sainan , Fu Zongyuan , Qiu Liyang , Fan Guangyu , Liu Yi , Wu Saijun , Xie Xinhua , Tao Zhensheng
Published: March 2024

Quantum-state manipulation through coherent interaction with a radiation field is a fundamental process with broad implications in quantum optics and quantum information processing. However, current quantum control methods are limited by their operation at Rabi frequencies below the gigahertz range, which restricts their applicability to systems with long coherence times. To overcome this limitation, alternative approaches utilizing ultrafast driving lasers have garnered great interest. In this work, we demonstrate two-photon Rabi oscillations in the excited states of argon operating at terahertz frequencies driven by ultrafast laser pulses. Leveraging quantum-path interferometry, we are able to measure and manipulate both the amplitudes and phases of the transition dipoles by exploiting the intensity and polarization state of the driving laser. This precise control enables femtosecond population transfer and coherent accumulation of geometric phase. Our findings provide valuable insights into the all-optical manipulation of extreme-ultraviolet radiations and demonstrate the possibility of ultrafast quantum control through interferometric multiphoton transitions.
Urban greenspaces and nearby natural areas support similar levels of soil ecosystem services
Authors: Eldridge David J. , Cui Haiying , Ding Jingyi , Berdugo Miguel , Sáez-Sandino Tadeo , Duran Jorge , Gaitan Juan , Blanco-Pastor José L. , Rodríguez Alexandra , Plaza César , Alfaro Fernando , Teixido Alberto L. , Abades Sebastian , Bamigboye Adebola R. , Peñaloza-Bojacá Gabriel F. , Grebenc Tine , Nahberger Tine U. , Illán Javier G. , Liu Yu-Rong , Makhalanyane Thulani P. , Rey Ana , Siebe Christina , Sun Wei , Trivedi Pankaj , Verma Jay Prakash , Wang Ling , Wang Jianyong , Wang Tianxue , Zaady Eli , Zhou Xiaobing , Zhou Xin-Quan , Delgado-Baquerizo Manuel
Published: March 2024

Greenspaces are important for sustaining healthy urban environments and their human populations. Yet their capacity to support multiple ecosystem services simultaneously (multiservices) compared with nearby natural ecosystems remains virtually unknown. We conducted a global field survey in 56 urban areas to investigate the influence of urban greenspaces on 23 soil and plant attributes and compared them with nearby natural environments. We show that, in general, urban greenspaces and nearby natural areas support similar levels of soil multiservices, with only six of 23 attributes (available phosphorus, water holding capacity, water respiration, plant cover, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and arachnid richness) significantly greater in greenspaces, and one (available ammonium) greater in natural areas. Further analyses showed that, although natural areas and urban greenspaces delivered a similar number of services at low (>25% threshold) and moderate (>50%) levels of functioning, natural systems supported significantly more functions at high (>75%) levels of functioning. Management practices (mowing) played an important role in explaining urban ecosystem services, but there were no effects of fertilisation or irrigation. Some services declined with increasing site size, for both greenspaces and natural areas. Our work highlights the fact that urban greenspaces are more similar to natural environments than previously reported and underscores the importance of managing urban greenspaces not only for their social and recreational values, but for supporting multiple ecosystem services on which soils and human well-being depends.
The effect of climate change on sources of radionuclides to the marine environment
Authors: Gwynn Justin P. , Hatje Vanessa , Casacuberta Núria , Sarin Manmohan , Osvath Iolanda
Published: March 2024

Climate change interacts with the sources and cycling of contaminants, such as radionuclides, in the environment. In this review, we discuss the implications of climate change impacts on existing and potential future sources of radionuclides associated with human activities to the marine environment. The overall effect on operational releases of radionuclides from the nuclear and non-nuclear sectors will likely be increased interference or prevention of normal operations due to weather-related events. For certain radioactive waste dumped at sea and sunken nuclear submarines, the impact of climate change and ocean acidification on the release of radionuclides and their subsequent fate in the marine environment should be considered further. Fluxes from secondary sources of radionuclides in the marine and terrestrial environment and cryosphere will change in response to climate change impacts such as sea level rise, warming and changes in precipitation patterns. In addition, climate change impacts may increase the risk of releases of radionuclides from operational and legacy wastes on land to the marine environment. Overall, our synthesis highlights that there is a need to understand and assess climate change impacts on sources of radionuclides to the marine environment to meet environmental and management challenges under future climate scenarios.
Unraveling weak and short South Asian wet season in the Early Eocene warmth
Authors: Abhik S. , Capitanio Fabio A. , Dommenget Dietmar , Goswami B. N. , Farnsworth Alex , Hutchinson David K. , Arblaster Julie M. , Lunt Daniel J. , Steinig Sebastian
Published: March 2024

The timing and causative factors underlying the Asian summer monsoon initiation remain contentious as recent proxy data and modeling studies suggested the existence of a wet-dry monsoon-like climate from the Cretaceous period. Leveraging an ensemble of deep-time climate simulations focused on the early Eocene (DeepMIP-Eocene), we show that the early Eocene Asian wet season was notably weaker and shorter than present-day in the absence of an elevated heat source like the Tibetan Plateau. The deficient upper-tropospheric meridional temperature gradient was insufficient to propel the seasonal northward migration of the rainband over South Asia. The weaker cross-equatorial moisture flow encountered obstruction of Gangdese mountain along the southern edge of Asia, leading to significant South Asian aridity. The enhanced greenhouse effect was inadequate to augment the seasonal circulation and rainfall variability to current levels. The altered wet and dry seasonality across South Asia during the early Eocene does not meet the criteria to be classified as a monsoon, suggesting that South Asian monsoon initiation is likely contingent upon a specific level of Tibetan Plateau upliftment.
100 years of monitoring in the Swiss National Park reveals overall decreasing rock glacier velocities
Authors: Manchado Alberto Muñoz-Torrero , Allen Simon , Cicoira Alessandro , Wiesmann Samuel , Haller Ruedi , Stoffel Markus
Published: March 2024

The rock glaciers of the Swiss National Park were the first in the world where in-situ measurements of surface displacement were undertaken, starting with the pioneering work of Chaix in 1918. Our research is focused on the four rock glaciers described by Chaix, bridging the historical data gap that existed between their early 20th-century measurements and the most recent observations. Through the application of photogrammetric techniques, we geomorphologically analyze the spatiotemporal evolution of rock glaciers in the region, and disentangle the interplay with their adjacent glaciers. We show that these rock glaciers are in different phases of degradation with a general trend of deceleration and loss of volume. Our findings reveal historical kinematic changes influenced by the hydrological contributions of adjacent glaciers, which were closely connected since the Little Ice Age but are now severely degraded. The observed hydrological control, suggests that ongoing climate-induced glacier degradation will likely result in a future scenario with limited new accelerations. Instead, a steady water flow from adjacent glaciers may sustain a gradual secondary creep, progressively slowing as permafrost degradation continues, driven by predicted warming and dry climatic conditions in the Alps.
The impacts of decarbonization pathways on Sustainable Development Goals in the European Union
Authors: Moreno Jorge , Campagnolo Lorenza , Boitier Baptiste , Nikas Alexandros , Koasidis Konstantinos , Gambhir Ajay , Gonzalez-Eguino Mikel , Perdana Sigit , Van de Ven Dirk-Jan , Chiodi Alessandro , Delpiazzo Elisa , Doukas Haris , Gargiulo Maurizio , Herbst Andrea , Al-Dabbas Khaled , Alibaş Şirin , Neuner Felix , Le Mouël Pierre , Vielle Marc
Published: March 2024

Climate action to achieve the Paris Agreement should respect the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Here, we use an integrated assessment modelling framework comprising nine climate policy models and quantify the impacts of decarbonisation pathways on Sustainable Development Goals in the European Union at regional and national levels. We show that scenario-consistent assumptions of future socio-economic trends and current climate policies would improve energy- and carbon-related aspects of sustainability and reduce inequalities. Ambitious net-zero emissions pathways would further improve health and agricultural productivity. Furthermore, countries currently lagging in achieving sustainable development goals would see the greatest benefits from ambitious climate action. Negative socio-economic impacts from climate action on poverty, hunger, and economic growth will require specific corrective policies. While our analysis does not quantify the negative effects of less ambitious climate policy, it demonstrates where co-benefits and trade-offs of greenhouse gas mitigation and sustainable development agenda exist and can guide policy formulation.
Lifestyle and demographic associations with 47 inflammatory and vascular stress biomarkers in 9876 blood donors
Authors: Kjerulff Bertram , Dowsett Joseph , Jacobsen Rikke Louise , Gladov Josephine , Larsen Margit Hørup , Lundgaard Agnete Troen , Banasik Karina , Westergaard David , Mikkelsen Susan , Dinh Khoa Manh , Hindhede Lotte , Kaspersen Kathrine Agergård , Schwinn Michael , Juul Anders , Poulsen Betina , Lindegaard Birgitte , Pedersen Carsten Bøcker , Sabel Clive Eric , Bundgaard Henning , Nielsen Henriette Svarre , Møller Janne Amstrup , Boldsen Jens Kjærgaard , Burgdorf Kristoffer Sølvsten , Kessing Lars Vedel , Handgaard Linda Jenny , Thørner Lise Wegner , Didriksen Maria , Nyegaard Mette , Grarup Niels , Ødum Niels , Johansson Pär I. , Jennum Poul , Frikke-Schmidt Ruth , Berger Sanne Schou , Brunak Søren , Jacobsen Søren , Hansen Thomas Folkmann , Lundquist Tine Kirkeskov , Hansen Torben , Sørensen Torben Lykke , Sigsgaard Torben , Nielsen Kaspar René , Bruun Mie Topholm , Hjalgrim Henrik , Ullum Henrik , Rostgaard Klaus , Sørensen Erik , Pedersen Ole Birger , Ostrowski Sisse Rye , Erikstrup Christian
Published: March 2024

Background

The emerging use of biomarkers in research and tailored care introduces a need for information about the association between biomarkers and basic demographics and lifestyle factors revealing expectable concentrations in healthy individuals while considering general demographic differences.

Methods

A selection of 47 biomarkers, including markers of inflammation and vascular stress, were measured in plasma samples from 9876 Danish Blood Donor Study participants. Using regression models, we examined the association between biomarkers and sex, age, Body Mass Index (BMI), and smoking.

Results

Here we show that concentrations of inflammation and vascular stress biomarkers generally increase with higher age, BMI, and smoking. Sex-specific effects are observed for multiple biomarkers.

Conclusion

This study provides comprehensive information on concentrations of 47 plasma biomarkers in healthy individuals. The study emphasizes that knowledge about biomarker concentrations in healthy individuals is critical for improved understanding of disease pathology and for tailored care and decision support tools.
In-sensor human gait analysis with machine learning in a wearable microfabricated accelerometer
Authors: Dion Guillaume , Tessier-Poirier Albert , Chiasson-Poirier Laurent , Morissette Jean-François , Brassard Guillaume , Haman Anthony , Turcot Katia , Sylvestre Julien
Published: March 2024

In-sensor computing could become a fundamentally new approach to the deployment of machine learning in small devices that must operate securely with limited energy resources, such as wearable medical devices and devices for the Internet of Things. Progress in this field has been slowed by the difficulty to find appropriate computing devices that operate using physical degrees of freedom that can be coupled directly to degrees of freedom that perform sensing. Here we leverage reservoir computing as a natural framework to do machine learning with the degrees of freedom of a physical system, to show that a micro-electromechanical system can implement computing and the sensing of accelerations by coupling the displacement of suspended microstructures. We present a complete wearable system that can be attached to the foot to identify the gait patterns of human subjects in real-time. The computing efficiency and the power consumption of this in-sensor computing system is then compared to a conventional system with a separate sensor and digital computer. For similar computing capabilities, a much better power efficiency can be expected for the highly-integrated in-sensor computing devices, thus providing a path for the ubiquitous deployment of machine learning in edge computing devices.
Multidrug efflux in Gram-negative bacteria: structural modifications in active compounds leading to efflux pump avoidance
Authors: Gurvic Dominik , Zachariae Ulrich
Published: March 2024

Gram-negative bacteria cause the majority of critically drug-resistant infections, necessitating the rapid development of new drugs with Gram-negative activity. However, drug design is hampered by the low permeability of the Gram-negative cell envelope and the function of drug efflux pumps, which extrude foreign molecules from the cell. A better understanding of the molecular determinants of compound recognition by efflux pumps is, therefore, essential. Here, we quantitatively analysed the activity of 73,737 compounds, recorded in the publicly accessible database CO-ADD, across three strains of E. coli – the wild-type, the efflux-deficient tolC variant, and the hyper-permeable lpxC variant, to elucidate the molecular principles of evading efflux pumps. We computationally investigated molecular features within this dataset that promote, or reduce, the propensity of being recognised by the TolC-dependent efflux systems in E. coli. Our results show that, alongside a range of physicochemical features, the presence or absence of specific chemical groups in the compounds substantially increases the probability of avoiding efflux. A comparison of our findings with inward permeability data further underscores the primary role of efflux in determining drug bioactivity in Gram-negative bacteria.
The association between raw garlic consumption and the risk of depressive symptoms: the TCLSIH cohort study
Authors: Wang Yaxiao , Li Jiaoyang , Li Li , Quan Shengxin , Meng Ge , Gu Yeqing , Zhang Qing , Liu Li , Wu Hongmei , Lai Sizhen , Chen Yinxiao , Liu Tongfeng , Sun Shaomei , Wang Xing , Jia Qiyu , Song Kun , Niu Kaijun
Published: March 2024

Garlic has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular improvement and other beneficial effects on human health. In a large general population, we demonstrate that moderate raw garlic consumption is associated with a reduced risk of depressive symptoms in females, but not in males.
Biocompatible, injectable and self-healable MOF-based anti-freezing eutectogels for higher encapsulation and sustained release of the anticancer drug curcumin
Authors: Parsana Nildhara , Ukani Hiral , Chauhan Dharmveer Singh , El Seoud Omar , Mehra Sanjay , Kumar Arvind , Raje Naina , Malek Naved
Published: March 2024

A MOF based eutectogel with antibacterial and antioxidant attributes, along with hemocompatibility, is used for the encapsulation and sustained release of curcumin.
Visible light-induced metal-free cascade denitrogenative borylation and iodination of nitroarenes
Authors: Li Jun-Wei , Duan Tian-Shun , Sun Bing , Zhang Fang-Lin
Published: March 2024

A simple, efficient, green method for converting nitroarenes into haloarenes and arylboronates under light irradiation.
HgBr2: an easily growing wide-spectrum birefringent crystal
Authors: Zhang Ming-Shu , Yao Wen-Dong , Pei Shao-Min , Liu Bin-Wen , Jiang Xiao-Ming , Guo Guo-Cong
Published: March 2024

The present work fully investigated the potential of mercury bromide as an excellent birefringent crystal.
A one-step immunoassay based on switching peptides for diagnosis of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) using screened Fv-antibodies
Authors: Kim Tae-Hun , Park Jae-Yeon , Jung Jaeyong , Sung Jeong Soo , Kwon Soonil , Bae Hyung Eun , Shin Hyun-Jin , Kang Min-Jung , Jose Joachim , Pyun Jae-Chul
Published: March 2024

In this study, a one-step immunoassay for porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) based on Fv-antibodies and switching peptides was developed, and the assay results of PEDV were obtained by just mixing samples without any further reaction or washing steps.
Sequence optimisation for compressed sensing CDMA MIMO radar via mutual coherence minimisation
Authors: Nagesh Saravanan , González‐Huici María A. , Bathelt Andreas , Heredia Conde Miguel , Ender Joachim
Published: March 2024

The authors focus on the waveform design for Code Division Multiple Access Multiple Input Multiple Output (CDMA‐MIMO) radar systems, with a specific emphasis on Compressed Sensing (CS) based target estimation. The selection of an appropriate waveform is a critical determinant in the effectiveness of estimation algorithms. Recent studies show the possibilities of optimising waveform parameters to improve the efficiency of CS based estimation. The authors introduce an optimisation framework designed to modify the phase components of code sequences used in CS‐CDMA MIMO radar systems. The objective of this optimisation is to minimise the l∞ norm of off‐diagonal elements within the Gramian matrix of the underlying sensing matrix, focusing on phase modulation of the waveform. Solving this optimisation problem requires dealing with a non‐convex, combinatorial and non‐linear scenario. Simulated Annealing is employed as the solution technique. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed optimisation approach, the resulting optimised sequence is rigorously compared against well‐established Hadamard and Gold sequences across various performance metrics. These metrics encompass correlation properties, ambiguity function behaviour, recovery percentage and recovery error. The study demonstrates that the generated poly‐phase sequences outperform existing sequences, leading to significantly improved target reconstruction results in the context of CDMA‐MIMO radar systems with CS‐based estimation.
The hardness of recognising poorly matchable graphs and the hunting of the d-snark
Authors: Zatesko Leandro M. , Carmo Renato , Guedes André L.P. , Machado Raphael C.S. , Figueiredo Celina M.H.
Published: March 2024

An r-graph is an r-regular graph G on an even number of vertices where every odd set X ⊆ V (G) is connected by at least r edges to its complement V (G) \ X. Every r-graph has a perfect matching and in a poorly matchable r-graph every pair of perfect matchings intersect, which implies that poorly matchable r-graphs are not r-edge-colourable. We prove, for each fixed r ≥ 3, that poorly matchable r-graph recognition is coNP-complete, an indication that, for each odd d ≥ 3, it may be a hard problem to recognise d-regular (d − 1)-edge-connected non-d-edge-colourable graphs, referred to as d-snarks in this paper. We show how to construct, for every fixed odd d ≥ 5, an infinite family of d-snarks. These families provide a natural extension to the well-known Loupekine snarks. We also discuss how the hunting of the smallest d-snarks may help in strengthening and better understanding the major Overfull Conjecture on edge-colouring simple graphs.
Die Bedeutung der Chronischen Fatigue in der Post-COVID-Sprechstunde
und ihre Konsequenzen für die ambulante Rehabilitation im Kontext der
gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung
Authors: Dalichau Stefan , Kordy Henrike , Klüver Janna , Brinkmeier Wibke , Rathmann Nadine , Yorke Lacy , Kleefmann Jesko , Möller Torsten
Published: March 2024

Ziel Die Post-COVID-Sprechstunde (PCS) wird im Rahmen eines umfassenden
Behandlungsangebotes der gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung für
Post-COVID-Patient*innen durchgeführt, um individuelle Empfehlungen für die
weitere Versorgung festzulegen. Ziel der Untersuchung war die Erfassung der
Hauptsymptome sowie die damit verbundenen Einschränkungen der sozialen und
beruflichen Teilhabe, um Konsequenzen für die ambulante Rehabilitation
abzuleiten.

Methodik Neben einer ärztlichen Untersuchung sowie einem psychologischen
Konsil wurden zahlreiche Assessments zur Evaluation des biopsychosozialen
Gesundheitszustands durchgeführt. 373 weibliche (82,2%) und 81 männliche
Patient*innen im Alter zwischen 40 und 60 Jahren aus den Berufen der
Gesundheits- und Pflegedienste, der Erziehung und Pädagogik nahmen seit April
2021 an der PCS teil.

Ergebnisse Nahezu alle untersuchten Patient*innen (98,2%) gaben Fatigue
als Kardinalsymptom ihrer Post-COVID-Beschwerden an, in über 73% der Fälle in
Kombination mit subjektiv erlebten Einschränkungen der Hirnleistungsfähigkeit.
Die Dauer der Symptomatik persistierte dabei sowohl bei den weiblichen als auch
männlichen Versicherten durchschnittlich seit 14–15 Monaten. Somit sind über 85%
der Gesamtstichprobe als Fälle chronischer Erschöpfung (Fatigue Skala)
einzustufen. Die Schwere der Fatigue beeinflusst zudem proportional die
Lebensqualität (SF-36), Gefühle von Angst und Depression (HADS), die psychische
Widerstandskraft (RS-13) sowie motorische Parameter wie die maximale Greifkraft
und die Ausdauerleistungsfähigkeit. 54,3% der Versicherten erhielten zudem eine
psychische Verdachtsdiagnose und 38,1% die Empfehlung zu einer weiterführenden
neuropsychologischen Diagnostik.

Schlussfolgerung Zur weiteren Behandlung des Leitsymptoms der chronischen
Fatigue ist eine multimodale und interdisziplinäre ambulante Rehabilitation zu
empfehlen, die sich an der Behandlung der Diagnose des Chronischen
Fatiguesyndroms (ME/CFS) und somit insbesondere an einem psychoedukativen und
weniger an einem kurativen Therapieansatz orientieren und Nachsorgestrategien
berücksichtigen sollte. Gesicherte psychische Störungen und neuropsychologische
Defizite sind begleitend zu behandeln.
A conceptual review of the higher education system based on open innovation (OI) perspectives
Authors: Mochnacs Amalia-Elena , Pirciog Speranta , Sigurjonsson Throstur Olaf , Grigorescu Adriana
Published: March 2024

The open innovation paradigm has evolved from its incipient form, namely Schumpeter’s new production function from 1912, to the current context of a global network of societies, including virtual communities that produce innovative ideas and industry applications through knowledge transfer. The role of industry-university cooperation and networks is widely recognized within the current academic approach. However, the context of higher education, its characteristics, and business application are not thoroughly explained from the Open Innovation (OI) perspective. The debate and further understanding of OI, industry-university cooperation, and the accurate application of academic knowledge to the business world and society are academics’ main concerns nowadays, our research being a beginning step. The research objective is to present the evolution of the innovation concept from the higher education perspective through a qualitative review of existing studies. The contribution of this paper is linked to the proposed higher education service life cycle framework for academics based on the current needs for innovation, accessibility, and global integration.
Evaluating financial fragility: a case study of Chinese banking and finance systems
Authors: Shang Li , Zhou Biao , Li Jiannan , Tang Decai , Boamah Valentina , Pan Zhiwei
Published: March 2024

Global financial systems are inherently fragile due to their complexities. Thus, it is of great interest to devise various methods to assess the dynamics of financial fragility. As such, this study builds a financial fragility evaluation index system. The study finds three major fluctuations in the trend of financial fragility due to the great recession in 2008, the huge financial volatility in 2015, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. It also tests the index system on the Chinese finance market from 2007 to 2022. Observations of capital adequacy, non-performing loans, and liquidity ratios, in addition to the average return on total assets, are used to assess banking fragility. The results attained show that amongst the tested banks, the Bank of Ningbo has the lowest vulnerability score, mainly due to its higher average return on total assets, capital adequacy ratios, and lower non-performing loan ratio. On the other end of the spectrum, China Minsheng Bank has the highest vulnerability score due to its lower capital adequacy and higher non-performing loan ratios. These findings provide valuable insights into the banking sector in China for policy formulation.
Formation of diffuse and spark discharges between two needle electrodes with the scattering of particles
Authors: TARASENKO Victor F , BELOPLOTOV Dmitry V , PANCHENKO Alexei N , SOROKIN Dmitry A
Published: March 2024

The development of a nanosecond discharge in a pin-to-pin gap filled with air at atmospheric pressure has been studied with high temporal and spatial resolutions from a breakdown start to the spark decay. Positive and negative nanosecond voltage pulses with an amplitude of tens of kilovolts were applied. Time-resolved images of the discharge development were taken with a four-channel Intensified Charge Coupled Device (ICCD) camera. The minimum delay between the camera channels could be as short as ≈ 0.1 ns. This made it possible to study the gap breakdown process with subnanosecond resolution. It was observed that a wide-diameter streamer develops from the high-voltage pointed electrode. The ionization processes near the grounded pin electrode started when the streamer crossed half of the gap. After bridging the gap by the streamer, a diffuse discharge was formed. The development of spark leaders from bright spots on the surface of the pointed electrodes was observed at the next stage. It was found that the rate of development of the spark leader is an order of magnitude lower than that of the wide-diameter streamer. Long thin luminous tracks were observed against the background of a discharge plasma glow. It has been established that the tracks are adjacent to brightly glowing spots on the electrodes and are associated with the flight of small particles.
Sex-dependent audience effect in foraging guppies
Authors: Tepox-Vivar Natalia , Lopez-Nava Guadalupe , García-Chávez Juan H , Guevara-Fiore Palestina
Published: March 2024

The presence of bystanders can influence the behavior of a forager, which has mainly been studied in primates and birds. We tested the effect of the absence and presence of an unfamiliar audience (females, males, and their combination) near or far from a food patch on the foraging behavior of guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Our investigation includes both males and females, recognizing that different social dynamics and reproductive strategies between the sexes could lead to varied responses to audience effects. For each focal fish, we measured the latency to start feeding, bite frequency, time spent near the audience, and overall mobility. Both males and females started feeding faster when food was close to any audience type. Specifically, females exhibited a faster feeding response in the presence of a female audience. Males reduced their feeding rate in the presence of male and mixed audiences, while both sexes increased their consumption when food was close to the audience. Focal fish, irrespective of their sex, spent more time in the vicinity of the audience zone when the audience was present, but surprisingly, females spent less time with a female audience compared to others. Only females increased their mobility when the food patch was far from any audience. Here, we show that guppies adjust their foraging behavior in the presence of an audience. The specific responses observed varied between the sexes, reflecting the distinct social trade-offs faced by each sex.
Symposium summary: epigenetic inheritance—impact for biology and society 23–25 August 2023, Zürich, Switzerland
Authors: Steg Leonard C , Jaspers Ellen , Alshanbayeva Anar , Arzate-Meija Rodrigo G , Dimitriu Maria A , Gapp Katharina , Kourouma Lola M , Uzel Kerem , Mansuy Isabelle M
Published: March 2024

The possibility that acquired traits can be transmitted across generations has been the subject of intense research in the past decades. This biological process is of major interest to many scientists and has profound implications for biology and society but has complex mechanisms and is therefore challenging to study. Because it involves factors independent from the DNA sequence, this form of heredity is classically referred to as epigenetic inheritance. Many studies have examined how life experiences and various environmental factors can cause phenotypes that are heritable and be manifested in subsequent generations. Recognizing the major importance and complexity of this research, the fourth edition of the Epigenetic Inheritance Symposium Zürich brought together experts from diverse disciplines to address current questions in the field of epigenetic inheritance and present recent findings. The symposium had sessions dedicated to epidemiological evidence and animal models, transmission mechanisms, methodologies and the far-reaching impact on society and evolution. This report summarizes the talks of speakers and describes additional activities offered during the symposium including poster sessions and an art competition on the topic of epigenetic inheritance.
The Demand for News: Accuracy Concerns Versus Belief Confirmation Motives
Authors: Chopra Felix , Haaland Ingar , Roth Christopher
Published: March 2024

We examine the relative importance of accuracy concerns and belief confirmation motives in driving the demand for news. In experiments with US voters, we first vary beliefs about whether an outlet reports the news in a right-wing biased, left-wing biased or unbiased way. We then measure demand for a newsletter covering articles from this outlet. Right-wing voters strongly reduce their demand for left-wing biased news, but not for right-wing biased news. The reverse patterns hold for left-wing voters. These results suggest a trade-off between accuracy concerns and belief confirmation motives. We quantify this trade-off using a structural model and find a similar quantitative importance of both motives.
Media influences on corn futures pricing
Authors: Zhou Xinquan , Bagnarosa Guillaume , Dowling Michael , Dandu Jagadish
Published: March 2024

Understanding agricultural commodity futures is crucial for efficient business operations. This study employs textual machine learning on 290,271 articles (2009–2020) focusing on corn markets, aiming to model the impact of news on corn futures pricing. Our novel approach enables the identification of seven distinct topics within corn news, offering a comprehensive view of the news coverage spectrum. Soybean biofuel news notably influences corn prices, while exports, weather and wheat news significantly impact pricing uncertainty. These insights deepen our understanding of factors shaping corn futures and highlight machine learning’s potential in agricultural economic analysis, enabling more accurate market predictions and policy decisions.
The community background alters the evolution of thermal performance
Authors: Westley Joseph , García Francisca C , Warfield Ruth , Yvon-Durocher Gabriel
Published: March 2024

Microbes are key drivers of global biogeochemical cycles, and their functional roles arey dependent on temperature. Large population sizes and rapid turnover rates mean that the predominant response of microbes to environmental warming is likely to be evolutionary, yet our understanding of evolutionary responses to temperature change in microbial systems is rudimentary. Natural microbial communities are diverse assemblages of interacting taxa. However, most studies investigating the evolutionary response of bacteria to temperature change are focused on monocultures. Here, we utilize high-throughput experimental evolution of bacteria in both monoculture and community contexts along a thermal gradient to determine how interspecific interactions influence the thermal adaptation of community members. We found that community-evolved isolates tended toward higher maximum growth rates across the temperature gradient compared to their monoculture-evolved counterparts. We also saw little evidence of systematic evolutionary change in the shapes of bacterial thermal tolerance curves along the thermal gradient. However, the effect of community background and selection temperature on the evolution of thermal tolerance curves was variable and highly taxon-specific,with some taxa exhibiting pronounced changes in thermal tolerance while others were less impacted. We also found that temperature acted as a strong environmental filter, resulting in the local extinction of taxa along the thermal gradient, implying that temperature-driven ecological change was a key factor shaping the community background upon which evolutionary selection can operate. These findings offer novel insight into how community background impacts thermal adaptation.
Alternative reproductive tactics and evolutionary rescue
Authors: Knell Robert J , Parrett Jonathan M
Published: March 2024

Almost all life on earth is facing environmental change, and understanding how populations will respond to these changes is of urgent importance. One factor that is known to affect the speed by which a population can evolve when faced with changes in the environment is strong sexual selection. This increases the adaptive capacity of a population by increasing reproductive skew toward well-adapted (usually) males who will, on average, be best able to compete for matings. This effect could potentially be disrupted when males pursue alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs), whereby males within a species exhibit qualitatively different behaviors in their pursuit of matings. ARTs are diverse, but one common class is those expressed through condition-dependent polyphenism such that high-quality, well-adapted males compete aggressively for mates and low-quality, poorly adapted males attempt to acquire matings via other, nonaggressive behaviors. Here, using an individual-based modeling approach, we consider the possible impacts of ARTs on adaptation and evolutionary rescue. When the ART is simultaneous, meaning that low-quality males not only engage in contests but also pursue other tactics, adaptive capacity is reduced and evolutionary rescue, where a population avoids extinction by adapting to a changing environment, becomes less likely. This is because the use of the ART allows low-quality males to contribute more maladaptive genes to the population than would happen otherwise. When the ART is fixed, however, such that low-quality males will only use the alternative tactic and do not engage in contests, we find the opposite: adaptation happens more quickly and evolutionary rescue when the environment changes is more likely. This surprising effect is caused by an increase in the mating success of the highest quality males who face many fewer competitors in this scenario—counterintuitively, the presence of males pursuing the ART increases reproductive skew toward those males in the best condition.
Identification of X chromatin is modulated by complementary pathways in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Makki Reem , Meller Victoria H
Published: March 2024

Drosophila melanogaster males have one X chromosome while females have two. This creates an imbalance in X:A gene dosage between the sexes. This imbalance is corrected by increasing transcription from male X-linked genes approximately 2-fold. This process involves the Male-Specific Lethal (MSL) complex, which is recruited to Chromatin Entry Sites (CES) and transcribed X-linked genes, where it modifies chromatin to increase expression. Repetitive sequences strikingly enriched in X euchromatin, the 1.688X satellite repeats, also promote recruitment of the MSL complex to nearby genes. Unlike CES, the 1.688X repeats do not recruit the MSL complex directly. The genetic architecture of recruitment by these DNA elements remains speculative. To facilitate dissection of the mechanism of recruitment, we developed a luciferase reporter system for recruitment of compensation to an autosome. The system was validated by knock down of genes known to participate in compensation. Knock down of factors genetically linked to X recognition reveals that 1.688X repeats recruit through a different mechanism than the CES. Our findings suggest that 1.688X repeats play a larger role during embryogenesis, whereas the contribution of 1.688X repeats and CES is equivalent later in development. Our studies also reveal unexpected complexity and potential interdependence of recruiting elements.
Opportunities and Challenges in Advancing Plant Research with Single-cell Omics
Authors: Rhaman Mohammad Saidur , Ali Muhammad , Ye Wenxiu , Li Bosheng
Published: March 2024

Plants possess diverse cell types and intricate regulatory mechanisms to adapt to the ever-changing environment of nature. Various strategies have been employed to study cell types and their developmental progressions, including single-cell sequencing methods which provide high-dimensional catalogs to address biological concerns. In recent years, single-cell sequencing technologies in transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and spatial transcriptomics have been increasingly used in plant science to reveal intricate biological relationships at the single-cell level. However, the application of single-cell technologies to plants is more limited due to the challenges posed by cell structure. This review outlines the advancements in single-cell omics technologies, their implications in plant systems, future research applications, and the challenges of single-cell omics in plant systems.
Temporary extracorporeal life support: single-centre experience with a new concept
Authors: Nersesian Gaik , Lewin Daniel , Ott Sascha , Schoenrath Felix , Hrytsyna Yuriy , Starck Christoph , Spillmann Frank , O'Brien Benjamin , Falk Volkmar , Potapov Evgenij , Lanmueller Pia
Published: March 2024

OBJECTIVES

The combination of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with a micro-axial flow pump (ECMELLA) is increasingly used for cardiogenic shock (CS) therapy. We report our experience with a novel single-artery access ECMELLA setup with either femoral (2.0) or jugular venous cannulation (2.1), respectively.

METHODS

Data from 67 consecutive CS patients treated with ECMELLA 2.0 (n = 56) and 2.1 (n = 11) from December 2020 and December 2022 in a tertiary cardiac center were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

The mean age was 60.7 ± 11 years, 56 patients (84%) were male. CS aetiology was acute on chronic heart failure (n = 35, 52%), myocardial infarction (n = 13, 19.5%), postcardiotomy syndrome (n = 16, 24%) and myocarditis (n = 3, 4.5%). Preoperatively 31 patients (46%) were resuscitated, 53 (79%) were on a ventilator and 60 (90%) were on inotropic support. The median vasoactive inotropic score was 32, and the mean arterial lactate was 8.1 mmol/l. In 39 patients (58%), veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was explanted after a median ECMELLA support of 4 days. Myocardial recovery was achieved in 18 patients (27%), transition to a durable left ventricular assist device in 16 (24%). Thirty-three patients (n = 33; 49%) died on support (25 on ECMELLA and 8 on Impella after de-escalation), 9 (13%) of whom were palliated. Axillary access site bleeding occurred in 9 patients (13.5%), upper limb ischaemia requiring surgical revision in 3 (4.5%). Axillary site infection occurred in 6 cases (9%), and perioperative stroke in 10 (15%; 6 hemorrhagic, 4 thromboembolic).

CONCLUSIONS

ECMELLA 2.0/2.1 is a feasible and effective therapy for severe CS. The single-artery cannulation technique is associated with a relatively low rate of access-related complications.
Paintings, Not Noise—The Role of Presentation Sequence in Labeling
Authors: Knaeble Merlin , Nadj Mario , Maedche Alexander
Published: March 2024

Labeling is critical in creating training datasets for supervised machine learning, and is a common form of crowd work heteromation. It typically requires manual labor, is badly compensated and not infrequently bores the workers involved. Although task variety is known to drive human autonomy and intrinsic motivation, there is little research in this regard in the labeling context. Against this backdrop, we manipulate the presentation sequence of a labeling task in an online experiment and use the theoretical lens of self-determination theory to explain psychological work outcomes and work performance. We rely on 176 crowd workers contributing with group comparisons between three presentation sequences (by label, by image, random) and a mediation path analysis along the phenomena studied. Surprising among our key findings is that the task variety when sorting by label is perceived higher than when sorting by image and the random group. Naturally, one would assume that the random group would be perceived as most varied. We choose a visual metaphor to explain this phenomenon, whereas paintings offer a structured presentation of coloured pixels, as opposed to random noise.
Too Close to Nature: On the Representational Problems of Death Masks and Life Casts
Authors: Berryman Jim
Published: March 2024

While historians of art have found death masks and life casts conceptually problematic, it is also noteworthy that these objects have received scant attention from philosophers of art. In this paper, I begin to redress this omission by offering examples of how the philosophy of art can help us understand these images. Two problems stand out: the problem of representation, for example, what type of representation a death mask is; and the problem of style and historicity, for example, whether images imprinted from nature can indicate styles, and whether these images can evolve and transform along art-historical lines. After considering these problems, I conclude that these images are constrained in what they can and cannot represent. While there is a long tradition of imprinting from nature, this practice shows little discernible change over time. An unchanging tradition cannot claim to exhibit a history, a least in a narrative sense familiar to art history. The following investigation opens a dialog between Arthur Danto’s philosophy of art and practitioners of theoretical art history, including Ernst Gombrich and Georges Didi-Huberman, both of whom offer differing views on how these images can be treated.