bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrical excitability of cancer cells—CELEX model updated
Authors: Djamgoz Mustafa B. A.
Published: July 2024

The normal functioning of every cell in the body depends on its bioelectric properties and many diseases are caused by genetic and/or epigenetic dysregulation of the underlying ion channels. Metastasis, the main cause of death from cancer, is a complex multi-stage process in which cells break away from a primary tumour, invade the surrounding tissues, enter the circulation by encountering a blood vessel and spread around the body, ultimately lodging in distant organs and reproliferating to form secondary tumours leading to devastating organ failure. Such cellular behaviours are well known to involve ion channels. The CELEX model offers a novel insight to metastasis where it is the electrical excitation of the cancer cells that is responsible for their aggressive and invasive behaviour. In turn, the hyperexcitability is underpinned by concomitant upregulation of functional voltage-gated sodium channels and downregulation of voltage-gated potassium channels. Here, we update the in vitro and in vivo evidence in favour of the CELEX model for carcinomas. The results are unequivocal for the sodium channel. The potassium channel arm is also broadly supported by existing evidence although these data are complicated by the impact of the channels on the membrane potential and consequent secondary effects. Finally, consistent with the CELEX model, we show (i) that carcinomas are indeed electrically excitable and capable of generating action potentials and (ii) that combination of a sodium channel inhibitor and a potassium channel opener can produce a strong, additive anti-invasive effect. We discuss the possible clinical implications of the CELEX model in managing cancer.
A Piezoelectric Electrospun Nanofiber mat (Kaolin/PVDF) for the Degradation of Methylene Blue in Water
Authors: Sam Simanye , Ojo Babatope O. , Malinga Soraya P. , Mabuba Nonhlangabezo
Published: July 2024

Organic compounds of various classes have been identified as major pollutants commonly detected in several environmental freshwaters. As a potential solution, electrospun mat-like nanofibers comprising polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofibers and kaolin clay composite were synthesized for the degradation of methylene blue dye in wastewater using piezocatalytic technique. The kaolin/PVDF composites were characterized with SEM, XRD, FTIR, Chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The poling of the piezoelectric charges of the electrospun mat-like nanofibers, enhanced by the presence of the crystalline nature of the kaolin clay occasioned the generation of reactive species upon exposure to ultrasonic vibration. Moreover, ultrasound waves in the system prevented passivation of the mat’s active surface during piezocatalysis through continuous cleaning action. A degradation efficiency of 100% was obtained from the degradation of methylene blue dye using the synthesized kaolin/PVDF composites during piezocatalysis. This result positions the nanofiber as an effective catalyst in wastewater treatment applications.

Graphical Abstract
Comparison of the Performance of Structural Break Tests in Stationary and Nonstationary Series: A New Bootstrap Algorithm
Authors: Çamalan Özge , Hasdemir Esra , Omay Tolga , Küçüker Mustafa Can
Published: July 2024

Structural breaks are considered as permanent changes in the series mainly because of shocks, policy changes, and global crises. Hence, making estimations by ignoring the presence of structural breaks may cause the biased parameter value. In this context, it is vital to identify the presence of the structural breaks and the break dates in the series to prevent misleading results. Accordingly, the first aim of this study is to compare the performance of unit root with structural break tests allowing a single break and multiple structural breaks. For this purpose, firstly, a Monte Carlo simulation study has been conducted through using a generated homoscedastic and stationary series in different sample sizes to evaluate the performances of these tests. As a result of the simulation study, Zivot and Andrews (J Bus Econ Stat 20(1):25–44, 1992) are the best-performing tests in capturing a single break. The most powerful tests for the multiple break setting are those developed by Kapetanios (J Time Ser Anal 26(1):123–133, 2005) and Perron (Palgrave Handb Econom 1:278–352, 2006). A new Bootstrap algorithm has been proposed along with the study’s primary aim. This newly proposed Bootstrap algorithm calculates the optimal number of statistically significant structural breaks under more general assumptions. Therefore, it guarantees finding an accurate number of optimal breaks in real-world data. In the empirical part, structural breaks in the real interest rate data of the US and Australia resulting from policy changes have been examined. The results concluded that the bootstrap sequential break test is the best-performing approach due to the general assumption made to cover real-world data.
The mediating role of mobile learning motivation in the relationship between pre-service teachers’ digital literacy and pre-service teacher identity
Authors: Bülbül Ayşe Eliüşük , Özelçi Serap Yılmaz
Published: July 2024

This study is significant as it seeks to establish the connection between the digital literacy levels of pre-service teachers and their teacher identities while also examining the mediating role of mobile learning in this relationship. Additionally, it explores the impact of pre-service teachers’ digital literacy and learning motivations on their professional success. This study’s findings can potentially transform the way we prepare pre-service teachers, emphasizing the critical role of digital literacy and mobile learning in their professional growth. The research was conducted meticulously using relational scanning, a method that allows for exploring relationships between variables, and Process macro analysis, a statistical technique for examining complex relationships. Data were collected using the Mobile Learning Motivation Scale (MLMS), Early Teacher Identity Scale (ETIM), and Digital Literacy Scale (DLS). Three hundred forty-four pre-service teachers participated in the study, ensuring a robust dataset. The study revealed several key findings. Firstly, a positive correlation exists between pre-service teachers’ digital literacy levels, teacher identities, and mobile learning. Secondly, an increase in digital literacy levels positively impacted teacher identity. Thirdly, mobile learning was identified as a mediator in the relationship between digital literacy and teacher identity. These findings underscore the potential of mobile learning to enhance the development of teacher identity and digital literacy, highlighting the importance of incorporating these skills into the pre-professional training of teachers.
Biotin-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles as a delivery system for quercetin and gallic acid for bacterial biofilm eradication
Authors: Hua Shu , Wang Yi , Li Yiwei , Liu Siyuan , Wen Juan , Walsh Laurence J. , Xu Chun
Published: July 2024

The effective management of biofilm-associated infections remains a pressing concern in clinical practice, necessitating the development of efficient eradication strategies. This study introduces biotin-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN-Biotin) designed to facilitate the delivery of phytochemical agents, including gallic acid and quercetin, for biofilm disruption. We elucidate the synthesis, characterization, and biofilm penetration ability of MSN-Biotin towards gram-negative E. coli biofilm and gram-positive S. mutans biofilms, emphasizing their potential in anti-biofilm drug delivery. Importantly, in vitro experiments demonstrate that MSN-Biotin loaded with phytochemicals achieved significantly better penetration into E. coli and S. mutans biofilms than traditional mesoporous silica nanoparticles and better biofilm eradication ability than free phytochemical molecules. These findings underscore the promise of MSN-Biotin as a potential efficient platform for delivering antimicrobial agents. This study introduces a novel surface modification approach for the development of antibiofilm nanoparticle systems and establishes their significant potential in biofilm infection management.
Microstructural analysis of titanium alloys based on high-temperature phase reconstruction
Authors: Lypchanskyi Oleksandr , Muszka Krzysztof , Wynne Bradley , Kawalko Jakub , Śleboda Tomasz
Published: July 2024

The microstructural evolution of titanium alloys under high-temperature conditions plays a key role in determining their mechanical properties and hot working behavior. This research presents an advanced method for calibrating β phase reconstruction software using in situ testing on Grade 2 titanium, which achieves accurate reconstruction of the parent β phase microstructure. In addition, unique microstructural observations in the forging of Ti-6246 titanium alloy are highlighted, demonstrating the influence of deformation parameters on the resulting β phase grain structures. Using advanced techniques such as electron backscatter diffraction and Burgers orientation relationship-based software, the research elucidates the behavior of these phases under varying thermal and deformation conditions. In Grade 2 titanium, significant grain growth and phase transformation dynamics were observed upon heating beyond the β-transus temperature during in situ calibration of β phase reconstruction software. The analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of the software in precise reconstructing the parent β phase microstructure based on the orientation of the inherited αs phase. Furthermore, the evaluation of hot forming parameters in Ti-6246 alloy shows the influence of deformation temperature and strain rate on the resulting microstructure. Finite element method analysis coupled with dynamic material modeling elucidates the distribution of temperature, strain rate, and effective strain during forging, which aids in the qualitative assessment of hot workability. Microstructural observations in Ti-6246 alloy forging highlight the presence of elongated colonies of αs phase precipitates, indicative of localized strain intensities and deformation temperatures. In addition, EBSD analysis coupled with β phase reconstruction reveals distinct microstructural features in different regions of the forging. In particular, regions subjected to higher strain rates exhibit elongated β phase grains with pronounced disorientation gradients, suggesting intense deformation. Conversely, optimal forging conditions lead to the appearance of unreinforced axisymmetric β phase grains, indicating dynamic recovery processes. Pole figure analysis further emphasizes the Burgers crystallographic relationship between the αs and β phases, confirming that deformation during forging occurs exclusively within the β phase. These results provide valuable insights into the microstructural evolution in titanium alloys under high-temperature conditions, which are essential for optimizing hot working processes and improving mechanical properties.

Graphical abstract
Functional distribution, personal income inequality, and top shares of income: do social classes still matter?
Authors: Giangregorio Luca , Villani Davide
Published: July 2024

This paper aims at providing new evidence about the link between personal and functional distribution and top-shares composition. We apply a novel class scheme based on two key features of contemporary capitalism i.e., individuals/households receiving multiple types of incomes, and the role of managers. The empirical application in Germany, Spain, and Italy over the period 2000–2017 reveals two main results. First, we observe a direct link between personal and functional distributions. A marginal increase in wages received by labourers would reduce inequality, whereas those received by capitalist households would increase it. Second, we find that a significant portion of labour income at the top of the income distribution corresponds to wages received by capitalist households. We conclude that although the linear correspondence between income source and class location is more blurred today than it was 200 years ago, a class divide is still clear and more prominent than what is often indicated in the literature.
A Comprehensive Investigation of Nanocomposite Polymer Flooding at Reservoir Conditions: New Insights into Enhanced Oil Recovery
Authors: Salem Khalaf G. , Salem Adel M. , Tantawy Mahmoud A. , Gawish Ahmed A. , Gomaa Sayed , El-hoshoudy A. N.
Published: July 2024

Recently, the polymer-nanoparticle combination has garnered significant interest in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) due to its promising experimental results. However, the previous research was mostly directed at silica, while alumina and zirconia nanoparticles have gotten the least consideration. Unlike previous works, this study aims to investigate the influence of three NPs: Silica (SiO2), Alumina (Al2O3), and Zirconia (ZrO2) on hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM). To this end, three nanocomposites were formulated: HPAM-SiO2, HPAM-Al2O3, and HPAM-ZrO2. Rheological evaluations were performed to examine the viscosity degradation of the three nanocomposites and HPAM under reservoir conditions. Furthermore, interfacial tension (IFT) at the oil–water interface and wettability studies were investigated. Moreover, sand-pack flooding was performed to examine the incremental oil recovery. The results revealed that the polymer viscosity was boosted by 110%, 45%, and 12% for HPAM-SiO2, HPAM-Al2O3, and HPAM-ZrO2 respectively under the investigation range of temperature. Moreover, the polymer viscosity was improved by 73%, 48%, and 12% for HPAM-SiO2, HPAM-Al2O3, and HPAM-ZrO2 respectively under the investigation range of salinity. Nanocomposites are also found to be a remarkable agent for reducing interfacial tension and changing the contact angle. The flooding experiments confirmed that the EOR by HPAM, HPAM-SiO2, HPAM-Al2O3, and HPAM-ZrO2, was 8.6%, 17.4%, 15.3%, and 13.6% of OOIP respectively. Moreover, the results of flooding experiments were well validated and matched by numerical simulation. Such findings of this work afford new insights into EOR and reinforce the promising outlook of such technique at the field scale.
Otherworldly Properties
Authors: Cunningham Alan
Published: July 2024

Despite the many differing perspectives possible regarding the concept of a property
right, one central aspect is, arguably, the primal exclusionary impulse and its special
connection to a particular form of subjectivity, especially in terms of how people feel
about space, enclosed space and any subsequent property rules applicable. Such
aspects limit speculative thought concerning the enactment of challenging housing
reforms. This essay therefore asks: Why is exclusion so relevant to spatial ethics, and
is it only a particular form of subjectivity that is involved in the phenomena of
exclusionary impulses? As a response, new speculative thoughts are proposed that
aim at challenging such specialised subjectivity, exclusionary impulses and spatial
engagement: re-sanctification of enclosed space, de-objectification of being and a call
to develop new or alternative subjectivities and modes of somatic thought.
“Because guess what? I don’t even want to speak English”: English as an obstacle for the development of multilingualism at a South African institution
Authors: Lasagabaster David
Published: July 2024

South Africa immediately springs to mind as the epitome of multilingual language policies. In fact, its Constitution granted official status to 11 languages in 1996, and the Language Policy in Higher Education passed by the Ministry of Education in 2002 required universities to develop and use the indigenous official languages as academic languages, in addition to Afrikaans and English. With this multilingual milieu in mind, this study aimed at giving students voice in an attempt to unveil their language ideologies and attitudes by analysing their views on multilingualism and the use of English as main medium of instruction. Eleven focus groups with a total of 30 university students from different degrees at Stellenbosch University (SU) were organized to delve into four main issues: students’ perceptions on the university’s multilingual language policy; the actual use of the three official languages (Afrikaans, English and Xhosa) at SU; the impact of the use of English as the main medium of instruction; and the implementation of translanguaging practices. Despite the multilingual language policy of SU, our results reveal that there is a neatly established language hierarchy, where English reigns supreme at the top of the pyramid, followed by Afrikaans, while Xhosa remains at the base. Therefore, the preponderance of English as the language of academia only contributes to consolidating it as a strong identity factor in our interviewees’ multilingual identities, to the extent that Xhosa home language speakers disavow their own language in the academic domain.
Fast linear model trees by PILOT
Authors: Raymaekers Jakob , Rousseeuw Peter J. , Verdonck Tim , Yao Ruicong
Published: July 2024

Linear model trees are regression trees that incorporate linear models in the leaf nodes. This preserves the intuitive interpretation of decision trees and at the same time enables them to better capture linear relationships, which is hard for standard decision trees. But most existing methods for fitting linear model trees are time consuming and therefore not scalable to large data sets. In addition, they are more prone to overfitting and extrapolation issues than standard regression trees. In this paper we introduce PILOT, a new algorithm for linear model trees that is fast, regularized, stable and interpretable. PILOT trains in a greedy fashion like classic regression trees, but incorporates an L2 boosting approach and a model selection rule for fitting linear models in the nodes. The abbreviation PILOT stands for PIecewise Linear Organic Tree, where ‘organic’ refers to the fact that no pruning is carried out. PILOT has the same low time and space complexity as CART without its pruning. An empirical study indicates that PILOT tends to outperform standard decision trees and other linear model trees on a variety of data sets. Moreover, we prove its consistency in an additive model setting under weak assumptions. When the data is generated by a linear model, the convergence rate is polynomial.
The linearized Einstein equations with sources
Authors: Hintz Peter
Published: July 2024

On vacuum spacetimes of general dimension, we study the linearized Einstein vacuum equations with a spatially compactly supported and (necessarily) divergence-free source. We prove that the vanishing of appropriate charges of the source, defined in terms of Killing vector fields on the spacetime, is necessary and sufficient for solvability within the class of spatially compactly supported metric perturbations. The proof combines classical results by Moncrief with the solvability theory of the linearized constraint equations with control on supports developed by Corvino–Schoen and Chruściel–Delay.
Why we should not “help bad choosers:” screening, nudging, and epistemic risk
Authors: Zameska Jay
Published: July 2024

One prominent line of support for nudging in screening programs is the claim that nudging can help ‘bad choosers’ — that is, it can help some patients make choices more in line with their own values and preferences. In this article, I argue that due to the presence of epistemic risk in many screening programs, the argument that nudging can help ‘bad choosers’ should be revised or rejected. Expanding on the work of Biddle, J. B. 2020. Epistemic risks in cancer screening: Implications for ethics and policy. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences 79: 101200.), I argue that epistemic risk undermines the argument that nudging can help to promote patient autonomy in the context of screening. Specifically, I argue that epistemic risk results in the inclusion of non-patient values and preferences in the screening process, which challenges the claim that nudging can help patients make choices more in line with their own values and preferences. I present four reasons to think epistemic risk undermines the argument in this way: (1) conflicting values; (2) lack of transparency; (3) limited autonomy in opting out; (4) unjustified manipulation. The presence of epistemic risk in screening programs means that nudging may not always be an effective means of promoting patient autonomy and informed consent. As such, epistemic risk poses significant challenges to at least one ethical justification of nudging in screening programs, and raises further questions about the role of nudging in promoting patient decision-making.
Research performance of higher education institutions in Türkiye: 1980–2022
Authors: Maral Muammer
Published: July 2024

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the measurement of research performance. These studies evaluate a country or groups of countries according to their research performance and make some inferences to improve their performance. This study analyses the research performance of Turkish higher education, which aims for higher positions in international rankings, in the context of publication productivity, impact and collaboration with data based on Web of Science and comprehensive indicators for the years 1980–2022. In addition, research area-based analyses were also made. In this way, by presenting Türkiye’s performance from past to present in a comprehensive manner, rich information has been provided to policy makers, decision makers, and practical implications have been made for the improvement of performance. According to the results of the study, Türkiye has been faced with low productivity for many years. Both the area-based analyses and the results for the overall publication impact revealed that although there has been an increase in publication impact in recent years, Türkiye’s publication impact has performed below the world average in all years examined. The results indicated that Turkish higher education has some problems in terms of quality. As for research collaboration, the results showed that Türkiye gives more importance to domestic collaborative publications rather than international collaboration, while industry collaboration continues to remain in the background. Based on the results of the study, practical implications for policy makers and decision makers were made.
Infproto-Powered Adaptive Classifier and Agnostic Feature Learning for Single Domain Generalization in Medical Images
Authors: Guo Xiaoqing , Liu Jie , Yuan Yixuan
Published: July 2024

Designing a single domain generalization (DG) framework that generalizes from one source domain to arbitrary unseen domains is practical yet challenging in medical image segmentation, mainly due to the domain shift and limited source domain information. To tackle these issues, we reason that domain-adaptive classifier learning and domain-agnostic feature extraction are key components in single DG, and further propose an adaptive infinite prototypes (InfProto) scheme to facilitate the learning of the two components. InfProto harnesses high-order statistics and infinitely samples class-conditional instance-specific prototypes to form the classifier for discriminability enhancement. We then introduce probabilistic modeling and provide a theoretic upper bound to implicitly perform the infinite prototype sampling in the optimization of InfProto. Incorporating InfProto, we design a hierarchical domain-adaptive classifier to elasticize the model for varying domains. This classifier infinitely samples prototypes from the instance and mini-batch data distributions, forming the instance-level and mini-batch-level domain-adaptive classifiers, thereby generalizing to unseen domains. To extract domain-agnostic features, we assume each instance in the source domain is a micro source domain and then devise three complementary strategies, i.e., instance-level infinite prototype exchange, instance-batch infinite prototype interaction, and consistency regularization, to constrain outputs of the hierarchical domain-adaptive classifier. These three complementary strategies minimize distribution shifts among micro source domains, enabling the model to get rid of domain-specific characterizations and, in turn, concentrating on semantically discriminative features. Extensive comparison experiments demonstrate the superiority of our approach compared with state-of-the-art counterparts, and comprehensive ablation studies verify the effect of each proposed component. Notably, our method exhibits average improvements of 15.568% and 17.429% in dice on polyp and surgical instrument segmentation benchmarks.
Road traffic noise exposure and its impact on health: evidence from animal and human studies—chronic stress, inflammation, and oxidative stress as key components of the complex downstream pathway underlying noise-induced non-auditory health effects
Authors: Arregi Ane , Vegas Oscar , Lertxundi Aitana , Silva Ana , Ferreira Isabel , Bereziartua Ainhoa , Cruz Maria Teresa , Lertxundi Nerea
Published: July 2024

In heavily urbanized world saturated with environmental pollutants, road traffic noise stands out as a significant factor contributing to widespread public health issues. It contributes in the development of a diverse range of non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic dysregulation, cognitive impairment, and neurodegenerative disorders. Although the exact mechanisms behind these non-auditory health effects remain unclear, the noise reaction model centres on the stress response to noise. When exposed to noise, the body activates the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system, leading to the secretion of stress hormones like catecholamines and cortisol. Prolonged exposure to noise-induced stress results in chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. This review underscores the role of inflammation and oxidative stress in the progression of noise-induced vascular dysfunction, disruption of the circadian rhythm, accelerated aging, neuroinflammation, and changes in microbiome. Additionally, our focus is on understanding the interconnected nature of these health outcomes: These interconnected factors create a cascade effect, contributing to the accumulation of multiple risk factors that ultimately lead to severe adverse health effects.
Workplace Violence Against Primary Care Clinicians: A Narrative Review
Authors: Tyau Nicholas D. , Swedish Kristin A. , Perez Hector R.
Published: July 2024

Workplace violence (WPV) is a commonly reported occupational hazard in healthcare and its prevalence is increasing. WPV occurs in all types of practice settings, but little is known about WPV in primary care settings in the United States (US). Because primary care practice settings differ from the inpatient settings, further examination of WPV in primary care is warranted. Our objective was to summarize the available literature highlight important gaps. We conducted a search using Pubmed and OVID for US studies of WPV in US-based adult primary care practices. Studies including only pediatric populations were excluded. Due to the lack of available literature conducted in US primary care settings, we expanded our search to include international studies. We identified 70 studies of which 5 were US based. Due to the lack of significant numbers of US-based studies, we opted to conduct a narrative review of all available studies. The evidence shows that WPV is a common occurrence in primary care settings in many countries and that the majority of primary care clinicians have experienced at least some form of non-physical violence in their careers. Most of the studies conducted were cross-sectional in design and reported on both non-physical and physical forms of WPV. There was not a consistent trend between genders in experiencing the major forms of WPV, but women were consistently more likely to be subjected to sexual harassment. Potential root causes for WPV could generally be categorized as patient-level, clinician-level, clinical encounter specific, and operational root causes. While most WPV was found to be non-physical, it still had significant emotional and job-related impacts on clinicians. These troubling results highlight the need for further studies to be conducted in the US.
TiO2 and Reducing Gas: Intricate Relationships to Direct Reduction of Iron Oxide Pellets
Authors: Cavaliere Pasquale , Sadeghi Behzad , Laska Aleksandra , Koszelow Damian
Published: July 2024

In response to the imperative for sustainable iron production with reduced CO2 emissions, this study delves into the intricate role of TiO2 in the direct reduction of iron oxide pellets. The TiO2-dependent reducibility of iron oxide pellets utilizing H2 and CO gas across varied temperatures and gas compositions is thoroughly investigated. Our findings unveil the nuanced nature of the TiO2 effect, underscored by its concentration-dependent behavior, revealing an optimal range between 1 and 1.5 pct TiO2, where a neutral or positive impact on reduction kinetics and diffusion coefficient is observed. Notably, the synergistic interplay of CO and H2 at 1000  °C emerges as particularly efficacious, suggesting complementary effects on the reduction process. The introduction of H2 into the reducing atmosphere regulated by CO not only extends the transition range but also markedly expedites the rate of reduction. Furthermore, our study highlights the temperature sensitivity of the TiO2 effect, with higher TiO2 content correlating with prolonged reduction time in a 100 pct H2 atmosphere at 900 °C. In a 100 pct H2 atmosphere, the non-contributory role of TiO2 stems from the water-gas shift reaction. Conversely, introducing H2 into a CO-controlled reducing atmosphere with TiO2 enhances the transition range and expedites the reduction rate. Additionally, our findings underscore the role of total iron content, revealing a direct correlation with the reduction process.
Coworking spaces for remote workers: an inclusive solution? Advantages and challenges from affiliated workers’ perspectives
Authors: Dell’Aversana Giuseppina , Miglioretti Massimo
Published: July 2024

Some companies are considering offering their affiliated workers external coworking spaces as an option to achieve both flexibility and inclusion, giving remote workers the chance to maintain a sense of community and have access to on-site support. However, the motivations, advantages, and problems associated with using coworking spaces for affiliated workers remain underanalysed. This study adopts a qualitative approach by conducting semistructured interviews with Italian affiliated workers who are coworking space users. Our analysis explores the benefits of using coworking spaces and the reasons that motivate affiliated workers to do so, as well as how relationships, social support, and collaboration with coworkers and colleagues are perceived. The results show that the perceived main advantages concern (a) flexibility and work efficiency and (b) relational opportunities, at both the personal and professional levels. The findings clarify the conditions under which workers sharing coworking spaces develop satisfying social relationships and collaboration, shedding light on the group dynamics of a mix of affiliated and unaffiliated workers across coworking spaces from the affiliated workers’ perspective. The study also discusses the role that affiliated workers’ organizations can play in addressing the challenges that coworking spaces pose for workers’ well-being and organizations.
A Global Study of the Wellbeing of Adolescent Students During the COVID-19 2020 Lockdown
Authors: Skrzypiec Grace , Wyra Mirella , Topcu-Uzer Cigdem , Sikorska Iwona , Sandhu Damanjit , Romera Eva M. , Olenik-Shemesh Dorit , Nery Miguel , Navarro-Rodríguez Christián Denisse , Khlomov Kirill , Kavuk-Kalender Melike , Heiman Tali , Guarini Annalisa , Didaskalou Eleni , Cefai Carmel , Brighi Antonella , Bravo-Sanzana Monica , Bochaver Alexandra , Bauman Sheri , Andreou Eleni , Amri Ulil
Published: July 2024

As the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) virus spread across the world, countries took drastic measures to counter the disease by requiring their citizens to home self-isolate i.e., lockdown. While it was not known how young people would cope with the social distancing restrictions, there was concern that the lockdown would have a debilitating effect on youth mental health. This study examined whether there was an association between adolescent subjective wellbeing and the amount of time spent in lockdown. Global Research Alliance researchers in 15 countries collected data using the Mental Health Continuum (Keyes in Am J Orthopsych 76:395–402, 2006) from over 7000 middle-school students aged 11–18. Findings show a decline in eudemonic wellbeing, particularly among females during the first 6 months of lockdown, which was most strongly associated with diminished psychological wellbeing, followed by social wellbeing, while emotional wellbeing remained relatively stable. An adaptation effect was noted after approximately 6 months. There was evidence suggesting females were slower to adapt to lockdown conditions compared to males. More attention should be paid to the wellbeing of students in lockdown to overcome languishing tendencies and educators should be cognizant of diminished student wellbeing, particularly among females, when students return to school. Positive school experiences, and positive relationships within the school community, may assist in reducing the risk of languishing in lockdown conditions, so schools should design interactive online activities for off-campus learning.
New indications for the life habits of long-legged aphidlion-like larvae in about 100-million-year-old amber
Authors: Kiesmüller Christine , Haug Gideon T. , Haug Carolin , Müller Patrick , Hörnig Marie K. , Haug Joachim T.
Published: July 2024

Larvae of lacewings (Neuroptera) are known to be fierce predators today. Most characteristic are their prominent piercing-sucking stylets, which are used for venom injection and sucking out the fluids of the prey. Among lacewing larvae, aphidlions (larvae of the groups Chrysopidae and Hemerobiidae, green and brown lacewings) are today highly specialised to feed on aphids and evolved strategies to not be detected and attacked by, e.g., aphid-protecting ants. Fossil relatives of modern aphidlions seem to have also employed other strategies. For the species Pedanoptera arachnophila from about 100-million-year-old Kachin amber, Myanmar, an interaction of its larvae with spiders has been assumed. We present here new specimens resembling these larvae, including one piece of Cretaceous Kachin amber with a syn-inclusion of an aphidlion-like larva and an immature planthopper, indicating planthoppers as potential prey of the group about 100 million years ago. The morphology of the lacewing larva, with a trapezoid head capsule (in dorsal view), simple, toothless stylets, very elongate legs, and a spindle-shaped trunk, indicates that it is conspecific or at least closely related to P. arachnophila. We reconstruct the possible ontogenetic sequence of Pedanoptera arachnophila and discuss its ecology.
S-allyl-cysteine triggers cytotoxic events in rat glioblastoma RG2 and C6 cells and improves the effect of temozolomide through the regulation of oxidative responses
Authors: Reyes-Soto Carolina Y. , Ramírez-Carreto Ricardo J. , Ortíz-Alegría Luz Belinda , Silva-Palacios Alejandro , Zazueta Cecilia , Galván-Arzate Sonia , Karasu Çimen , Túnez Isaac , Tinkov Alexey A. , Aschner Michael , López-Goerne Tessy , Chavarría Anahí , Santamaría Abel
Published: July 2024

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive form of cancer affecting the Central Nervous System (CNS) of thousands of people every year. Redox alterations have been shown to play a key role in the development and progression of these tumors as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) formation is involved in the modulation of several signaling pathways, transcription factors, and cytokine formation. The second-generation oral alkylating agent temozolomide (TMZ) is the first-line chemotherapeutic drug used to treat of GBM, though patients often develop primary and secondary resistance, reducing its efficacy. Antioxidants represent promising and potential coadjutant agents as they can reduce excessive ROS formation derived from chemo- and radiotherapy, while decreasing pharmacological resistance. S-allyl-cysteine (SAC) has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of several types of cancer cells, though its precise antiproliferative mechanisms remain poorly investigated. To date, SAC effects have been poorly explored in GBM cells. Here, we investigated the effects of SAC in vitro, either alone or in combination with TMZ, on several toxic and modulatory endpoints—including oxidative stress markers and transcriptional regulation—in two glioblastoma cell lines from rats, RG2 and C6, to elucidate some of the biochemical and cellular mechanisms underlying its antiproliferative properties. SAC (1–750 µM) decreased cell viability in both cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner, although C6 cells were more resistant to SAC at several of the tested concentrations. TMZ also produced a concentration-dependent effect, decreasing cell viability of both cell lines. In combination, SAC (1 µM or 100 µM) and TMZ (500 µM) enhanced the effects of each other. SAC also augmented the lipoperoxidative effect of TMZ and reduced cell antioxidant resistance in both cell lines by decreasing the TMZ-induced increase in the GSH/GSSG ratio. In RG2 and C6 cells, SAC per se had no effect on Nrf2/ARE binding activity, while in RG2 cells TMZ and the combination of SAC + TMZ decreased this activity. Our results demonstrate that SAC, alone or in combination with TMZ, exerts antitumor effects mediated by regulatory mechanisms of redox activity responses. SAC is also a safe drug for testing in other models as it produces non-toxic effects in primary astrocytes. Combined, these effects suggest that SAC affords antioxidant properties and potential antitumor efficacy against GBM.
Mismatch Resistance and the Problem of Evolutionary Novelty
Authors: Egeland Jonathan
Published: July 2024

In evolutionary medicine and other related fields, the concept of evolutionary mismatch is used to explain phenomena whereby traits reduce in adaptive value and eventually become maladaptive as the environment changes. This article argues that there is a similar problem of persistent adaptivity—what has been called the problem of evolutionary novelty—and it introduces the concept of mismatch resistance in order to explain phenomena whereby traits retain their adaptive value in novel environments that are radically different from the organisms’ environment of evolutionary adaptedness (EEA). The possible role of variability selection in the evolution of mismatch-resistant traits is discussed, and it is suggested that mismatch resistance provides a useful tool for making progress on certain issues related to evolutionary theory, such as the modularity debate, cases of adaptivity outside of organisms’ ancestral environment, and the viability of naturalism as an overarching philosophical framework for understanding the natural world.
Eco-friendly biogenic silver nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization and biological applications
Authors: Korkmaz N. , Ceylan Y. , İmamoğlu R. , Kısa D. , Şen F. , Karadağ A.
Published: July 2024

Recent developments in nanotechnology and nanoscience in all phases of human life have radically altered the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of numerous diseases. Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) have been among the most dynamic, and Several metallic nanoparticles developed for biological uses include some beautiful nanomaterials. Ag-NPs have played a pivotal role in nanotechnology and nanoscience, mostly nanomedicine. In this work, Ficus carica leaf extract was utilized to create silver nanoparticles using a straightforward procedure. This study explored the reduction of silver ions by F. carica leaf extract in the solution. UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRD analysis, and STEM characterize prepared biogenic Ag-NPs. Afterward, antibacterial and antibiofilm properties were investigated. The images obtained from STEM analysis surveyed that the NP sizes ranged from 11 to 20 nm. Ag-NPs demonstrated antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against all tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria strains. It has been indicated that Ag-NPs have inhibitory potency against collagenase activity. Ag-NPs exhibited anticancer activity in the HeLa cell line, and the IC50 value was calculated as 8.403 μg/mL. In this study, it has been shown that the synthesis method is environmentally friendly, fast, safe, and easy to use.
Unlocking Online Insights: LSTM Exploration and Transfer Learning Prospects
Authors: Tahir Muhammad , Ali Sufyan , Sohail Ayesha , Zhang Ying , Jin Xiaohua
Published: July 2024

Machine learning algorithms can improve the time series data analysis as compared to the traditional methods such as moving averages or auto-regressive approaches. This advancement has helped to unlock several challenging problems since machine learning not only helps to forecast the overall trend of the data, but it also helps to keep the historical track of changes in factors, influencing this trend. These predictions play a pivotal role in almost all areas of research where the observations are time dependent, such as problems ranging from challenges of finance to public health, environmental and climate change challenges. A key challenge of these domains is the higher number of attributes and predictors since managing and manipulating data from many attributes is itself a significant challenge for future forecasting. Addressing these challenges is possible with Recursive Long Short-Term Memory models. The application of such models is crucial, and their efficacy is further amplified when considering transfer learning. During this research, a detailed and comprehensive description of such models is addressed. Practical application is illustrated through an example, emphasizing that these models, when transferred to complex and large datasets using transfer learning, hold great promise.
When Learner-Centered Teaching and Learning Goes Online: Zooming into Linear Algebra Tutorials During the Pandemic
Authors: Wallach Miriam N. , Kontorovich Igor’
Published: July 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic shifted higher education online, drawing attention to synchronous learning and instruction on digital communication platforms. Learner-centered teaching practices in the tertiary level, such as mathematical discussions, have been shown to benefit student learning. The interactions involved in online synchronous mathematical discussions have been studied less. Most research taps into these aspects drawing on students’ academic outcomes and reflective interviews. This study explores instructional practices as they unfold online, with a focus on student-instructor and student-student interactions. We zoom-in to online synchronous teaching and learning processes on a popular communication platform by analyzing Linear Algebra tutorials in the first pandemic year. Using the commognitive framework, we characterize instructional interactions with the construct of a learning-teaching agreement. The analysis resulted in three interactional patterns, where in all cases, the tutorial transformed at some point to the one dominated by the instructor.
Impact of Transition Metal Layer Vacancy on the Structure and Performance of P2 Type Layered Sodium Cathode Material
Authors: Zhanadilov Orynbay , Baiju Sourav , Voronina Natalia , Yu Jun Ho , Kim A-Yeon , Jung Hun-Gi , Ihm Kyuwook , Guillon Olivier , Kaghazchi Payam , Myung Seung-Taek
Published: July 2024

This study explores the impact of introducing vacancy in the transition metal layer of rationally designed Na0.6[Ni0.3Ru0.3Mn0.4]O2 (NRM) cathode material. The incorporation of Ru, Ni, and vacancy enhances the structural stability during extensive cycling, increases the operation voltage, and induces a capacity increase while also activating oxygen redox, respectively, in Na0.7[Ni0.2VNi0.1Ru0.3Mn0.4]O2 (V-NRM) compound. Various analytical techniques including transmission electron microscopy, X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy, operando X-ray diffraction, and operando differential electrochemical mass spectrometry are employed to assess changes in the average oxidation states and structural distortions. The results demonstrate that V-NRM exhibits higher capacity than NRM and maintains a moderate capacity retention of 81% after 100 cycles. Furthermore, the formation of additional lone-pair electrons in the O 2p orbital enables V-NRM to utilize more capacity from the oxygen redox validated by density functional calculation, leading to a widened dominance of the OP4 phase without releasing O2 gas. These findings offer valuable insights for the design of advanced high-capacity cathode materials with improved performance and sustainability in sodium-ion batteries.
Negative Type and Bi-lipschitz Embeddings into Hilbert Space
Authors: Robertson Gavin
Published: July 2024

The usual theory of negative type (and p-negative type) is heavily dependent on an embedding result of Schoenberg, which states that a metric space isometrically embeds in some Hilbert space if and only if it has 2-negative type. A generalisation of this embedding result to the setting of bi-lipschitz embeddings was given by Linial, London and Rabinovich. In this article we use this newer embedding result to define the concept of distorted p-negative type and extend much of the known theory of p-negative type to the setting of bi-lipschitz embeddings. In particular we show that a metric space $$(X,d_{X})$$

(
X
,

d
X

)

has p-negative type with distortion C ($$0\le p<\infty $$

0
≤
p
<
∞

, $$1\le C<\infty $$

1
≤
C
<
∞

) if and only if $$(X,d_{X}^{p/2})$$

(
X
,

d

X

p
/
2

)

admits a bi-lipschitz embedding into some Hilbert space with distortion at most C. Analogues of strict p-negative type and polygonal equalities in this new setting are given and systematically studied. Finally, we provide explicit examples of these concepts in the bi-lipschitz setting for the bipartite graphs $$K_{m,n}$$

K

m
,
n

.
Expert Views on Communicating Genetic Technology Used in Agriculture
Authors: Hendricks Jillian , Weary Daniel M. , von Keyserlingk Marina A. G.
Published: July 2024

The use of genetic technology in agriculture is viewed by some as the next frontier of farming but others may view it as a threat. The aim of the current study was to describe the views of experts working in agricultural genetics regarding how best to communicate genetic technology with a broader audience (e.g., clientele, the public). We recruited 10 experts working in roles that involve communication about genetic technology in agriculture. Using semi-structured interviews, we asked participants to describe how they discuss this technology, who they discuss it with, and their thoughts on the involvement of various stakeholders in these discussions. Interview transcripts were subjected to thematic analysis and participant responses were organized into three themes: 1) Communicating and framing genetic technology, including discussing risks, benefits, and applications, distinguishing technology from other similar technologies, and engaging in value-based discussions; 2) Challenges of public communication, including misinformation and opposing opinions, conflation with older technologies, and balancing information provision; and 3) Stakeholder involvement in discussions, which included views on how different groups (e.g., activists, farmers, and scientists) should be included in discussions, and who is best suited to discuss genetic technology with the public. We conclude that leaders in agricultural genetics engage in a variety of approaches to communicate genetic technology, using different frames that they feel are likely to appeal to their audience, and differ in their opinions of who should be involved in these discussions.