bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial stewardship and clinical pharmacist interventions in an Indian tertiary care hospital
Authors: Dawaiwala Idris , Raut Shrikant , Fuse Monika , Shaji Sharook , Chaudhari Piyush , Padbidri Vikram , Gill Satyajit S. , Patwardhan Vivek
Published: October 2023

Objective

Comprehensive antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are needed in Indian healthcare settings due to high rates of communicable diseases and excessive antibiotic use. However, the implementation of both ASPs and clinical pharmacists (CPs) into the system is still in its nascent stages in India. Therefore, our study aims to evaluate the type and acceptance rates of CP interventions in the implementation of ASPs and its impact on antimicrobial utilization.

Methods

A single‐center quasi‐experimental study was conducted at Jehangir Hospital, India, wherein prescribed antimicrobials were subjected to evaluation by CPs using the prospective audit and feedback approach. The antimicrobials were reviewed for loading dose, dosages as per creatinine clearance (CrCl), weight, suitability with site of infection, drug interactions, de‐escalations, and therapeutic duplications. Impact on antimicrobial utilization in pre‐intervention (April 2021 to March 2022) and intervention (April 2022 to March 2023) periods were compared using daily defined dose (DDD) per 1000 in‐patient days, following World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Results

During the intervention period, 485 out of 609 proposed interventions (79.6%) were implemented. Of these, 417 (85.9%) pertained to intravenous (IV) antimicrobials, while the remaining 68 (14.1%) involved oral formulations. Notably, interventions proposing antibiotic de‐escalations showed higher acceptance rates on Days 3, 5, 7, and 10 compared with other days (p = 0.027). Dosing based on CrCl yielded the highest acceptance rate (50/56, 89.2%). Significant reductions were observed in the DDDs of polymyxins by 58% (3.48–1.29), carbapenems by 7% (57.09–52.85), and glycopeptides by 10% (47.44–42.73). The reduction in these three classes combined was statistically significant (p = 0.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.3–7.0).

Conclusion

This study highlights the vital role of CP interventions within the healthcare team in optimizing antimicrobial pharmacotherapy. The noteworthy reduction in DDDs of restricted antimicrobials provides compelling evidence of the impact CPs can have on antimicrobial consumption and the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
Factors influencing the profit and choice of agribusiness for agricultural cooperatives in Thailand
Authors: Nuansri Anchalee , Datta Avishek , Tsusaka Takuji W. , Zulfiqar Farhad
Published: October 2023

Many agricultural cooperatives in Thailand do not conduct agribusiness and face declining profits. Therefore, this study examined the factors influencing their profit and agribusiness choices. The results reveal that operating capital, the presence of a trading business and average payback positively affect profit. In contrast, the number of cooperative members and the number of staff members have a negative effect on profit. In addition, the number of members, the presence of a manager, the presence of a cooperative office and the ability to raise funds have a significant positive impact on the likelihood of conducting trading and compilation businesses.
Impact of intra‐decadal variability of meridional heat transport on the rainfall over Southern Africa during austral summer
Authors: Pai Rahul U. , Parekh Anant , Halder Subrota , Chowdary Jasti S. , Gnanaseelan C.
Published: October 2023

The present study examines the impact of intra‐decadal variability of Meridional Heat Transport (MHT) associated with Indian Ocean Shallow Meridional Overturning Circulation (SMOC) on the rainfall variability over Southern Africa (e.g., Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, south‐eastern Congo, Zimbabwe, southern Tanzania and Madagascar) during austral summer (December to February). Century long ocean reanalysis, atmospheric reanalysis and rainfall observations are used for the study. Spectrum analysis of MHT index and rainfall anomaly displays intra‐decadal (5–7 years) variability significant at 95% confidence level. The oceanic and atmospheric conditions during strong and weak phases of intra‐decadal MHT variability are examined. Strong (weak) MHT years displayed reduction (increase) in Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in southwest Indian Ocean, which are out‐of‐phase with net heat flux but in phase with ocean circulation. The negative (positive) SST anomaly favours positive (negative) sea level pressure anomaly, which supports the low level moisture divergence (convergence) and anticyclonic (cyclonic) circulation in the lower troposphere. This circulation leads to anomalous subsidence (convection) and below (above) normal moist static energy over the study region resulting in below (above) normal convection, that causes negative (positive) rainfall anomaly over the Southern Africa. The association between intra‐decadal variability of MHT associated with SMOC and rainfall over Southern Africa during austral summer are reported for the first time. The study may pave the way for enhanced predictability of intra‐decadal Southern African austral summer rainfall.
General stability criteria for time‐delay systems using a new delay‐dependent reciprocally convex inequality
Authors: Arunagirinathan S. , Lee TaeHee
Published: October 2023

This study examines the improved stability conditions of a class of time‐varying delay systems. It has been demonstrated that a novel reciprocally convex inequality (RCI) depends on its order
, providing a more generalized form of various existing RCIs. Consequently, by considering different values of
, different expressions for the lower bound of RCI can be obtained. Furthermore, by utilizing appropriate Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals based on
, improved stability conditions have been achieved. After that, a new theorem has been presented, effectively addressing the shortcoming of existing stability conditions that have not been unified in a manner that covers the orders
and 3. The study concludes with numerical examples that illustrate how the derived stability criteria, using the proposed generalized RCI, exhibit less conservatism compared to existing approaches.
Modernization of safety environment for a dedicated beamline for proton ocular therapy
Authors: Jee Kyung‐Wook , Verburg Joost M. , Ruggieri Thomas A. , Bussière Marc , Trofimov Alexei V.
Published: October 2023

Background

Proton therapy is an effective treatment for ocular melanoma, and other tumors of the eye. The fixed horizontal beamline dedicated to ocular treatments at Massachusetts General Hospital was originally commissioned in 2002, with much of the equipment, safety features, and practices dating back to an earlier implementation at Harvard Cyclotron in the 1970s.

Purpose

To describe the experience of reevaluation and enhancement of the safety environment for one of the longest continuously operating proton therapy programs.

Methods

Several enhancements in quality control had been introduced throughout the years of operation, as described in this manuscript, to better align the practice with the evolving standards of proton therapy and the demands of a modern hospital. We spotlight the design and results of the failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA), and subsequent actions introduced to mitigate the modes associated with elevated risk. The findings of the FMEA informed the specifications for the new software application, which facilitated the improved management of the treatment workflow and the image‐guidance aspects of ocular treatments.

Results

Eleven failure modes identified as having the highest risk are described. Six of these were mitigated with the clinical roll‐out of a new application for image‐guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Others were addressed through task automation, the broader introduction of checklists, and enhancements in pre‐treatment staff‐led time‐out.

Conclusions

Throughout the task of modernizing the safety system of our dedicated ocular beamline, FMEA proved to be an effective instrument in soliciting inputs from the staff about safety and workflow concerns, helping to identify steps associated with elevated failure risks. Risks were reduced with the clinical introduction of a new IGRT application, which integrates quality management tools widely recognized for their role in risk mitigation: automation of the data transfer and workflow steps, and with the introduction of checklists and redundancy cross‐checks.
A tensor bidiagonalization method for higher‐order singular value decomposition with applications
Authors: El Hachimi A. , Jbilou K. , Ratnani A. , Reichel L.
Published: October 2023

The need to know a few singular triplets associated with the largest singular values of a third‐order tensor arises in data compression and extraction. This paper describes a new method for their computation using the t‐product. Methods for determining a couple of singular triplets associated with the smallest singular values also are presented. The proposed methods generalize available restarted Lanczos bidiagonalization methods for computing a few of the largest or smallest singular triplets of a matrix. The methods of this paper use Ritz and harmonic Ritz lateral slices to determine accurate approximations of the largest and smallest singular triplets, respectively. Computed examples show applications to data compression and face recognition.
An educational programme and patient‐reported outcomes using flash glucose monitoring and automated bolus calculation in type 1 diabetes
Authors: Raimond Linda H , Secher Anna L , Andersen Merete M , Linddal Adelaide EK , Skouboe Anne G , Nørgaard Kirsten
Published: October 2023

Introduction: Our primary aim was to describe the educational programme and user's guide for decision support for persons with type 1 diabetes who commence carbohydrate counting with automated bolus calculator (ABC) and flash (intermittently scanned) glucose monitoring (isCGM). The programme was developed for the ABC Flash trial, conducted in The Capital Region of Denmark in 2018–2020. We also aimed to evaluate the impact of the programme and the combined interventions on patient‐reported outcome parameters.

Methods: The programme and user's guide are described in detail. In total, 35 adults with type 1 diabetes and sub‐optimal HbA1c treated with multiple daily insulin injections completed the 26‐week educational programme on initiating ABC and isCGM. Patient‐reported outcomes were self‐evaluated before and after (Audit of Diabetes Dependent Quality of Life questionnaire, Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire, Problem Areas in Diabetes and Diabetes Empowerment Scale). Changes over time in the different sub‐areas of diabetes‐related burden on quality of life, treatment satisfaction, diabetes‐related distress and psychosocial self‐efficacy were analysed.

Results: During participation in the educational programme on initiating ABC and isCGM, diabetes‐related burden on work and sex life and several treatment satisfaction and psychosocial self‐efficacy sub‐areas improved.

Conclusion: Implementation of the educational programme and initiating combined intervention with carbohydrate counting with ABC and isCGM improve treatment satisfaction and different psychosocial areas among persons with type 1 diabetes. Copyright © 2023 John Wiley & Sons.
Probing macromolecular crowding at the lipid membrane interface with genetically‐encoded sensors
Authors: Löwe Maryna , Hänsch Sebastian , Hachani Eymen , Schmitt Lutz , Weidtkamp‐Peters Stefanie , Kedrov Alexej
Published: October 2023

Biochemical processes within the living cell occur in a highly crowded environment, where macromolecules, first of all proteins and nucleic acids, occupy up to 30% of the volume. The phenomenon of macromolecular crowding is not an exclusive feature of the cytoplasm and can be observed in the densely protein‐packed, nonhomogeneous cellular membranes and at the membrane interfaces. Crowding affects diffusional and conformational dynamics of proteins within the lipid bilayer, alters kinetic and thermodynamic properties of biochemical reactions, and modulates the membrane organization. Despite its importance, the non‐invasive quantification of the membrane crowding is not trivial. Here, we developed a genetically‐encoded fluorescence‐based sensor for probing the macromolecular crowding at the membrane interfaces. Two sensor variants, both composed of fluorescent proteins and a membrane anchor, but differing by flexible linker domains were characterized in vitro, and the procedures for the membrane reconstitution were established. Steric pressure induced by membrane‐tethered synthetic and protein crowders altered the sensors' conformation, causing increase in the intramolecular Förster's resonance energy transfer. Notably, the effect of protein crowders only weakly correlated with their molecular weight, suggesting that other factors, such as shape and charge contribute to the crowding via the quinary interactions. Finally, measurements performed in inner membrane vesicles of Escherichia coli validated the crowding‐dependent dynamics of the sensors in the physiologically relevant environment. The sensors offer broad opportunities to study interfacial crowding in a complex environment of native membranes, and thus add to the toolbox of methods for studying membrane dynamics and proteostasis.
Synthesis of SiO2/Graphene@TiO2 Composites for the Visible Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Wastewater
Authors: Li Yingying , Wang Jiafei , Wan Xiang , Qu Qishu
Published: October 2023

The use of TiO2/graphene composites as catalysts for photodegradation of dyes has been widely investigated. TiO2/graphene composites are usually obtained by coating TiO2 on the surface of pre‐prepared graphene. However, graphene is prone to curling and stacking, which makes it difficult to uniformly coat TiO2 on its surface, resulting in poor photocatalytic performance. In this paper, a non‐conventional approach to prepare TiO2/graphene nanocomposites based on the use of porous SiO2/graphene spheres as supports is presented. SiO2/graphene spheres with intercalated structure and dendritic pores were prepared as supports by a one‐step hydrothermal method. Then, TiO2 was coated into the pores of SiO2/graphene spheres by sol‐gel method to obtain SiO2/graphene@TiO2 composites (SGT). After 90 min of visible light irradiation, the degradation rate of RhB by SGT catalyst was 68.9 %, which was significantly higher than that of P25 by 39.3 %. A mechanism of the RhB removal by the SGT composites was proposed.
Pyrene‐based Fluorescent Probe for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of 2,4,6‐Trinitrophenol
Authors: Han Jinze , Wang Junxia , Li Ziyu , Nie Hailiang , Du Jianlong , Mu Yajuan
Published: October 2023

To rapid and efficient detection of TNP in water (TNP=2,4,6‐trinitrophenol), a pyrenyl‐based double‐charged probe PYPN was employed. The bright orange‐red emission of PYPN was seriously quenched upon the addition of TNP. The detection limit of PYPN for TNP is 0.218 μM. In addition, PYPN shows fast response rate (5 s) to TNP, good stability, excellent selectivity and anti‐interference (pH, anion, cation and other nitro compounds). Furthermore, PYPN can be used to rapidly detect TNP in various types of water samples. The rapid and efficient detection of TNP by PYPN may due to the electron and energy transfer as well as electrostatic interactions.
Recoverable Nanocatalyst for Regioselective Triazoles Synthesis: Lignin‐Copper(I) Nanomagnetic Composite
Authors: Rezaei Mohammad , Ali Jafari Abbas , Mahmoudi Hajar
Published: October 2023

In this paper, a novel efficient utilization of lignin‐based nanomagnetic copper (I) is presented as an eco‐friendly recoverable catalyst. We report a simple one‐pot synthesis of magnetic copper chloride (I) composite by using lignin as a reducing agent and heterogenized support. The copper (I) nanocomposite shows high catalytic potential in one‐pot three component click reaction for synthesis of 1,2,3‐triazoles, with excellent turnover efficiency even after 4 cycles in green conditions. The lignin‐copper (I) chloride magnetic nanocomposite catalyst demonstrates highly efficient, stable and recyclable copper (I), and cost effectiveness advantages. The catalyst is easily recovered by an external magnetic field, and therefore, time and energy are saved since there is no filtration or decantation technique. Also, the stable nanomagnetic copper (I) can be handily prepared and applied for large scale operations. Besides, due to totally clear of nanomagnetic copper (I) away from the reaction media, the desired highly pure products can be achieved in excellent yields. High thermal stability of nanomagnetic copper (I) turns its ability to be useable in organic reactions under high temperatures. According to high dispersibility in aqueous solvent, nanomagnetic copper (I) can be utilized as highly efficient catalyst. The prepared composite is characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, EDX, TGA, VSM and FT‐IR.
Synthesis of Bis‐Nicotinonitrile Derivatives and Investigations of Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activities
Authors: Tutar Uğur , Gezegen Hayreddin
Published: October 2023

In this study aimed to the synthesis of novel bis‐nicotinonitrile derivatives starting from 1,3‐bis‐chalcones and investigate their antimicrobial activity potentials. Bis‐nicotinonitrile derivatives were synthesized from 1,3‐bis‐chalcone derivatives reacted with malononitrile in ethanol in the presence of potassium carbonate. Characterization of the obtained compounds was carried out by spectroscopic methods. In total, 12 new 1,3‐phenylene‐bis‐nicotinonitrile derivatives were synthesized. Finally, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of synthesized 1,3‐phenylene‐bis‐nicotinonitrile derivatives were tested against 5 microorganisms. As a result, it was observed that the synthesized new nicotinonitrile derivatives were quite active especially in terms of antibiofilm activity.
A Comparable Study of Single Stranded DNA Sensing Using Track‐Etched Nanopore Sensors
Authors: Kececi Kaan
Published: October 2023

Detection of single‐stranded DNA (ss‐DNA) has great importance not only for decoding genetic information but understanding its role in DNA replication, recombination, and repair. Recently, its detection in body fluids and the development of its library brought new perspectives to diagnose cancer. Track‐etched nanopores are synthetic pores that can be used in several applications to sense and distinguish molecules. Biomolecules such as DNA have special importance due to their usage and applications. Even if most of the studies focus on double‐stranded DNA (ds‐DNA), nanopore sensing and discriminating single‐stranded DNA (ss‐DNA) is still of great interest. However, sensing ss‐DNA is relatively more challenging than ds‐DNA since it is more prone to ionic interactions which changes its translocation dynamics. In this study, single‐tracked poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) membranes were used to generate conical nanopores. Due to its chemical stability, ease of fabrication at various geometries, and tunable pore size with respect to other polymer nanopores, PET nanopores were preferred. By chemical etching, single nanopores were fabricated, surface modified, and used for ss‐ and ds‐DNA sensing. We presented our results in a comparative way relative to ds‐DNA. We observed shorter current‐pulse amplitude (for ss‐DNA) with similar duration with respect to ds‐DNA. Such behavior may indicate the conformational changes of single and double‐strand forms during translocation. We also report the effect of electrolyte concentration on the frequency of ss‐DNA translocation. Our results demonstrated the feasibility and performance of track‐etched PET nanopore for ss‐DNA sensing. It provided insight into the electrophoretic transport dynamics of ss‐DNA in solution such as linear current‐pulse frequency against concentration and applied potential. Additionally, the current‐pulse amplitude of ss‐DNA was relatively smaller than ds‐DNA which enabled to differentiate the DNA strands. Moreover, the results showed the capability and potential use of the track‐etched PET nanopore and the limits as a sensor. Finally, the results on electrolyte concentration and its effect on the translocation frequency provided additional insight into the possible non‐uniform DNA‐ion interactions.
Electrical stimulation of the cerebellum facilitates automatic but not controlled word retrieval
Authors: Petríková Dominika , Marko Martin , Rovný Rastislav , Riečanský Igor
Published: October 2023

Recent research has indicated that the cerebellum is engaged in language functions, yet the role of the cerebellum in lexical-semantic memory is poorly understood. In a double-blind randomized controlled experiment, we therefore targeted the cerebellum by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to assess and compare the contribution of the cerebellar processing to automatic and controlled retrieval of words in healthy adults (n = 136). Anodal cerebellar tDCS facilitated retrieval of semantically related words in free-associative chains, which was not due to a non-specific acceleration of processing speed. The stimulation had no influence on controlled word retrieval that employed inhibition or switching. The effect of cathodal tDCS was opposite to the anodal stimulation, but statistically non-significant. Our data show that the cerebellum is engaged extracting associative information from the system of semantic representations, established and strengthened/automated by learning, and indicates a domain-general role of this structure in automation of behavior, cognition and language.
Clinical features and treatment outcomes of Castleman disease in children: a retrospective cohort in China
Authors: Hu Shiwen , Li Zifeng , Wang Hongsheng , Chen Lian , Ma Yangyang , Zhu Xiaohua , Li Jun , Dong Rui , Yao Wei , Dong Chenbin , Zhang Huifeng , Li Kai , Dong Kuiran , Zhai Xiaowen
Published: October 2023

Castleman disease (CD) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder of undetermined etiology. Unicentric CD (UCD) and multicentric CD (MCD) are two phenotypes of CD diagnosed by the histopathology of lymph nodes. We attempted to describe a pediatric CD cohort to optimize the management of this disease. We reviewed the medical records of pediatric patients diagnosed with CD between April, 2004, and October, 2022, at the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University. Prognosis information was collected in January, 2023, by telephone inquiry. Twenty-two patients with UCD and 2 patients with MCD were identified, all with hyaline vascular (HV) type. The median ages at diagnosis were 10.75 years (IQR 8, 12.81) for UCD and 14.42 years (IQR 13.42, 15.42) for MCD. The most common lesion location of UCD was the neck (9/22, 40.91%) and abdomen (9/22, 40.91%). Systematic symptoms occurred on 10/22 (45.45%) patients with UCD and 1/2 (50%) patients with MCD, and abnormal laboratory indexes were detected in both. Resection and biopsy were performed on all patients. One out of two patients with MCD also received rituximab for upfront therapy. After a median of 4 years (IQR 1.5, 6) of follow-up time, the overall survival was 100% and the complete remission rate in UCD was 63%. There was no relapse or progression.

Conclusions: Our series demonstrated that HV-UCD was the most common type in children. Resection and biopsy were used for both deterministic diagnoses and treatments. Despite the high possibility to develop systematic inflammation, children with CD showed promising outcomes.

What is Known:• Castleman disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder with limited cohort studies, especially in pediatrics.• The ubiquity of delayed confirmations and misdiagnoses points to a lack of knowledge about etiology and characteristics, which is a prerequisite for novel therapeutics.

What is New:• We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed the clinical and pathological symptoms, laboratory and imaging features, and treatment outcomes of a Chinese pediatric cohort with Castleman disease.• Our work may improve the recognition and optimize the management of this rare disease in children.
Personalized treatment in localized pancreatic cancer
Authors: Neoptolemos John P. , Hu Kai , Bailey Peter , Springfeld Christoph , Cai Baobao , Miao Yi , Michalski Christoph , Carvalho Carlos , Hackert Thilo , Büchler Markus W.
Published: October 2023

The treatment elements used for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) include surgical resection, systemic cytotoxic agents, and targeted drugs. For second- and third-line therapies in PDAC, approximately 15% of patients have actionable mutations although only 2.5% receive matched targeted treatment but with a significant improvement in survival of around 16 months. For the majority of PDAC patients the current most effective strategy is surgical resection of the primary tumor and systemic combination chemotherapy. The chemotherapy regimens and the order of delivery relative to the resection reference point have been based to a large extent on randomized trials using a newly developed empirical staging (Em) system. Although the reductionist TNM based AJCC and UICC systems work well for pathology staging, they are less accurate and less manageable for treatment decision-making. This Em system defines locally resectable (EmR), borderline resectable (EmBR), and unresectable (EmUR) stages, plus the emerging entity of oligometastatic disease (EmOm). For EmR patients, 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy achieves 5‑year survival rates of 30–50%. In EmBR short-course (2 months) neoadjuvant plus 6‑month adjuvant chemotherapy increases 12-month survival rates to around 77%, compared to 40% for upfront surgery, despite resection rates of 64–85% and 75%, respectively. Longer-course (4 months) neoadjuvant chemotherapy has also been shown to achieve an 18-month overall survival of 67%. In EmUR, induction therapy (3–6 months) may result in resections rates of 20–60% with significantly improved survival rates compared to no resection. For all stages including the polymetastatic (EmPm) setting, patients with good performance status receive combination chemotherapies based on either oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX or NALIRIFOX) or gemcitabine (GEM-CAP, or Gem-NabP). Molecular subtypes (Moffitt, Collisson, Bailey, and Cheng-Sen-Yue) are shown to be associated with treatment responses. Transcriptomic signatures have also been developed as classifiers for determining either oxaliplatin- or gemcitabine-based therapies (PurIST, Tiriac, GemPred+, and ESPAC) and are being evaluated in various studies. Most notably the ESPAC transcriptomic signature is being used as the treatment classifier in the experimental arms of the randomized ESPAC6 adjuvant trial in EmR patients and the ESPAC7 induction therapy trial in EmUR patients. Genomic and transcriptomic profiling at baseline and over time is an integral part of ESPAC6/7 to deepen our understanding of tumor plasticity during the course of therapy, identifying the intrinsic (persister cell) and acquired (genetic) tumor plasticity evolving over time and in reaction to different therapies in order to enable a scientific approach to overcoming clonal-resistance clades.
Food justice in community supported agriculture – differentiating charitable and emancipatory social support actions
Authors: Parot Jocelyn , Wahlen Stefan , Schryro Judith , Weckenbrock Philipp
Published: October 2023

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) seeks to address injustices in the food system by supporting small-scale farmers applying agroecological practices through a long-term partnership: a community of members covers the cost of production and receives a share of the harvest throughout the season in return. Despite an orientation towards a more just and inclusive food system, the existing literature points towards a rather homogeneous membership in CSA. A majority of CSAs tends to involve (upper) middle-class consumers with above average education and income levels. Low income is still a major obstacle in joining a CSA. Membership diversification through social support actions is one possible way. Our main objective is to systematize and appraise social support actions of the CSA movement. Taking the CSA principles as a starting point, our main research question is: How do social support actions in CSAs operate in terms of social inclusion and what obstacles and challenges are associated with them? The theory of strategic action fields assists in describing how the CSA movement is positioning itself as an actor in and across neighboring strategic action fields. The CSA movement is clearly positioned in the Food Sovereignty field. By shifting the focus from justice to farmers to justice for members, the CSA movement is now also exploring the Food Justice field. Indeed, the CSAs’ contribution to the food justice movement is still largely uncharted. In our results, we identify both social support actions that are already implemented in the CSA movement in different countries, and the challenges that are associated with these actions. We pinpoint a classification of social support actions implemented by CSA organizers to increase access to their initiatives. We make a distinction between the emancipatory actions that empower beneficiaries and contribute to a systemic change, and punctual, charitable interventions that neither affect the structure of a CSA nor the food system.
How many people will live in poverty because of climate change? A macro-level projection analysis to 2070
Authors: Moyer Jonathan D. , Pirzadeh Audrey , Irfan Mohammod , Solórzano José , Stone Barbara , Xiong Yutang , Hanna Taylor , Hughes Barry B.
Published: October 2023

Fossil fuel-based economic development both causes climate change and contributes to poverty alleviation, creating tensions across societal efforts to maintain growth, limit climate damage, and improve human development. While many studies explore key aspects of this dilemma, few direct attention to the pathways from climate change through socioeconomic development to the future of poverty. We build on projections of global temperature change (representative concentration pathways) and country-specific economic development (economic growth and income distribution across the shared socioeconomic pathways) to model how climate change may affect future poverty with the International Futures (IFs) model, projecting poverty across income thresholds for 175 countries through 2070. Central tendency scenarios with climate effects compared with scenarios that do not model climate change show that climate change-attributable extreme poverty will grow to 25 million people by 2030 (range: 18 to 30), 40 million by 2050 (range: 9 to 78), and 32 million by 2070 (range: 4 to 130) though overall levels of global poverty decline. If climatic tipping points are passed, the climate-attributable extreme poverty grows to 57 million people by 2030 (range: 40–72), 78 million by 2050 (range: 18–193), and 56 million by 2070 (range: 7–306). To mitigate baseline effects of climate change on extreme poverty, an improvement of global income inequality of 10% is required (range: 5–15%).
Applying automated machine translation to educational video courses
Authors: Wang Linden
Published: October 2023

We studied the capability of automated machine translation in the online video education space by automatically translating Khan Academy videos with state-of-the-art translation models and applying text-to-speech synthesis and audio/video synchronization to build engaging videos in target languages. We also analyzed and established two reliable translation confidence estimators based on round-trip translations in order to efficiently manage translation quality and reduce human translation effort. Finally, we developed a deployable system to deliver translated videos to end users and collect user corrections for iterative improvement.
Differing field methods and site conditions lead to varying bias in suspended sediment concentrations in the Lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers
Authors: Murphy J. , Schafer L. , Mize S.
Published: October 2023

At sites that have been sampled for decades, changes in field and laboratory methods happen over time as instrumentation and protocols improve. Here, we compare the influence of depth- and point-integrated sampling on total, fine (< 0.0625 mm), and coarse (≥ 0.0625 mm) suspended sediment (SS) concentrations in the Lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers. Using historical field method information, we identified seven sites to test such differences. We found SS samples collected using point-integration tended to have higher concentrations than those collected using depth-integration. However, the presence and magnitude of the bias were inconsistent across sites. Bias was present at the site with less-than-ideal conditions (i.e., non-trapezoidal channel, non-uniform flow) and non-existent at the ideal site location, indicating the bias between sampling methods depends on site sampling conditions. When present, the bias is greater at higher concentrations and at moderate to high flows. At the less-than-ideal site, point-integrated samples can have 16% (total) and 34% (coarse) higher concentrations than depth-integrated samples. When flow effects are removed, this translates to a bias of 19, 9, and 8 mg per liter for total, fine, and coarse SS. When a change in field methods occurs, comparison samples and a rigorous evaluation of those samples are warranted to determine the proper course of action for a particular site. Often, the effect and solution will not be known until several years of comparison samples have been collected under a variety of hydrologic conditions.
Promoting Sustainable Well-Being Through Nature-Based Interventions for Young People in Precarious Situations: Implications for Social work. A Systematic Review
Authors: Obeng James Kutu , Kangas Katja , Stamm Ingo , Tolvanen Anne
Published: October 2023

Precarious situations disproportionately affect the well-being of young people. Social workers are concerned with sustainable ways to improve young people’s well-being, and nature-based interventions are proposed as sustainable solutions. We used a systematic review approach to identify how nature-based interventions can promote sustainable well-being. A literature search generated 1753 results, from which 49 peer-reviewed articles were selected for analysis. Young people in precarious situations (i) had underlying social, emotional, and mental health needs that put them at risk of disengaging from education or employment and (ii) were not in education or employment. The most common intervention was wilderness therapy, followed by animal-assisted interventions, outdoor adventure interventions, horticultural interventions, care farming, environmental conservation, surfing therapy, and sustainable construction. The reviewed literature indicates that nature-based interventions promote sustainable well-being by (i) ensuring that well-being was interconnected with environmental, social, and economic sustainability, (ii) fostering connectedness with nature, and (iii) producing enduring outcomes. We further used the Having-Doing-Loving-Being model of sustainable well-being to interpret well-being outcomes, concluding that nature-based interventions enhance young people’s relationship with society and nature. Implications for social work include collaborating with other experts to implement nature-based interventions to address well-being problems, advocacy for the introduction of nature-based activities into schools and recognition of nature-based interventions as alternative avenues for meaningful participation.
Problems with the determination of activation energy as function of the reacted fraction from thermoanalytical experiments
Authors: Várhegyi Gábor
Published: October 2023

The so-called compensation effect is well known between the activation energy, E, and the pre-exponential factor, A. The present work shows by examples that much higher compensation effects may arise when E and A vary with the reacted fraction. For this purpose, a set of five simulated experiments were constructed by first-order kinetics with E = 200 kJ mol−1 at a wide range of heating rates. These data were evaluated by the method of least squares assuming E and A as functions of the reacted fraction. Such E functions were found which highly differed from a constant E while described well the evaluated data. They included a linearly increasing E and several parabolic E functions. The observed effects may contribute to the contradictory kinetic parameters that were reported in the literature of the isoconversional (“model-free”) studies. It was found that the compensation effects between E and A functions can be 8–11 times higher than between E and A values.
Automotive fault nowcasting with machine learning and natural language processing
Authors: Pavlopoulos John , Romell Alv , Curman Jacob , Steinert Olof , Lindgren Tony , Borg Markus , Randl Korbinian
Published: October 2023

Automated fault diagnosis can facilitate diagnostics assistance, speedier troubleshooting, and better-organised logistics. Currently, most AI-based prognostics and health management in the automotive industry ignore textual descriptions of the experienced problems or symptoms. With this study, however, we propose an ML-assisted workflow for automotive fault nowcasting that improves on current industry standards. We show that a multilingual pre-trained Transformer model can effectively classify the textual symptom claims from a large company with vehicle fleets, despite the task’s challenging nature due to the 38 languages and 1357 classes involved. Overall, we report an accuracy of more than 80% for high-frequency classes and above 60% for classes with reasonable minimum support, bringing novel evidence that automotive troubleshooting management can benefit from multilingual symptom text classification.
Strong correlations in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides
Authors: Ruan Wei , Zhang Yuanbo
Published: October 2023

Since the discovery of graphene, the development of two-dimensional material research has enabled the exploration of a rich variety of exotic quantum phenomena that are not accessible in bulk materials. These two-dimensional materials offer a unique platform to build novel quantum devices. Layered transition metal dichalcogenides, when thinned down to atomic thicknesses, exhibit intriguing physical properties such as strong electron correlations. The study of strongly-correlated phenomena in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides has been a major research frontier in condensed matter physics. In this article, we review recent progress on strongly-correlated phenomena in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides, including Mott insulators, quantum spin liquids, and Wigner crystals. These topics represent a rapidly developing research area, where tremendous opportunities exist in discovering exotic quantum phenomena, and in exploring their applications for future electronic devices.
Hematopoiesis in the spleen after engraftment in unrelated cord blood transplantation evaluated by 18F-FLT PET imaging
Authors: Araie Hiroaki , Hosono Naoko , Tsujikawa Tetsuya , Kiyono Yasushi , Okazawa Hidehiko , Yamauchi Takahiro
Published: October 2023

Cord blood is an important donor source for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), with its unique composition and quality of hematopoietic cells. The proliferation site and potency of infused hematopoietic stem cells in humans may vary between stem cell sources. We investigated this possibility in a prospective, exploratory study to assess hematopoietic dynamics using the radiopharmaceutical 3′-deoxy-3′-18F-fluorothymidine (18F-FLT), a thymidine analog used in positron emission tomography imaging, before allo-HSCT and on days 50 and 180 after allo-HSCT. We evaluated 11 patients with hematological malignancies who underwent allo-HSCT [five with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) and six with unrelated cord blood transplantation (UCBT)]. Before allo-HSCT, 18F-FLT uptake did not differ between the two groups. At day 50, 18F-FLT uptake in the spleen was significantly greater in the UCBT group than in the PBSCT group (p = 0.0043), with no difference in whole-body bone marrow. At day 180, the differences in spleen uptake had diminished, and there were no differences between groups in whole-body bone marrow or the spleen, except for the sternum. The persistence of splenic hematopoiesis after engraftment in the UCBT group may reflect the complex systemic homing and proliferation mechanisms of cord blood hematopoietic cells.
Numerical analysis of tooling design for extruding wide aluminium hollow profiles using multi-container extrusion technology
Authors: Lv Jiaxin , Shi Zhusheng , Yu Junquan , Li Weishu , Lin Jianguo
Published: October 2023

Recently a novel multi-container extrusion method has been proposed and proved feasible to simultaneously extrude multiple billets for producing thin-walled wide profiles with reduced force by experiments. Due to its different die structure compared to conventional extrusion methods, the effects of tooling geometries on the multi-container extrusion performance should be comprehensively analysed as the base of die design optimisation. In this study, the original three-container extrusion design and six modified designs were established to investigate the influence of three key geometrical variables, including container diameter, upper die height and welding chamber height, on the extrusion performance through finite element simulation. The considered extrusion performances include metal flow uniformity, extrusion force, welding pressure, die lifetime and material yield. The drawbacks of the original die design were revealed after the primary analysis of the key influencing variables and a three-step way of design improvement was proposed accordingly. Container block and upper die were optimised for the first step; welding chamber height and die bearing length were modified during the second and third steps respectively. Compared with the original design, the final optimised design can decrease the unevenness of the extrudate front shape by 75% and double the material yield, while the extrusion force, die lifetime and welding quality were basically unchanged.
Generation of Connective Tissue-Free Microvascular Fragment Isolates from Subcutaneous Fat Tissue of Obese Mice
Authors: Meßner Friederike C. , Metzger Wolfgang , Marschall Julia E. , Bickelmann Caroline , Menger Michael D. , Laschke Matthias W.
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND:

Microvascular fragment (MVF) isolates are generated by short-term enzymatic digestion of adipose tissue and contain numerous vessel segments for the vascularization of tissue defects. Recent findings indicate that the functionality of these isolates is determined by the quality of the fat source. Therefore, we compared MVF isolates from subcutaneous adipose tissue of obese and lean mice.

METHODS:

MVF isolates were generated from subcutaneous adipose tissue of donor mice, which received a high fat or control diet for 12 weeks. The isolates were analyzed in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS:

Feeding of mice with a high fat diet induced obesity with adipocyte hypertrophy, resulting in a significantly lower collagen fraction and microvessel density within the subcutaneous fat depots when compared to lean controls. Accordingly, MVF isolates from obese mice also contained a reduced number of MVF per mL adipose tissue. However, these MVF tended to be longer and, in contrast to MVF from lean mice, were not contaminated with collagen fibers. Hence, they could be freely seeded onto collagen-glycosaminoglycan scaffolds, whereas MVF from lean controls were trapped in between large amounts of collagen fibers that clogged the pores of the scaffolds. In line with these results, scaffolds seeded with MVF isolates from obese mice exhibited a significantly improved in vivo vascularization after implantation into full-thickness skin defects.

CONCLUSION:

Subcutaneous adipose tissue from obese mice facilitates the generation of connective tissue-free MVF isolates. Translated to clinical conditions, these findings suggest that particularly obese patients may benefit from MVF-based vascularization strategies.
Driving behaviors and related factors on emerging adults: a narrative review
Authors: Gao Xiang
Published: October 2023

Recent studies have linked driving licensure, delay in driving licensure, and driving exposure to alcohol and drug use, parental monitoring, and peer influence. Early licensure and increased driving exposure were linked to higher alcohol and drug use, while parental monitoring knowledge may be associated with lower use. Health, education, and employment also may be affected, with early licensure and increased driving exposure linked to better outcomes. To reduce use among emerging adults, parents must equip them with effective prevention knowledge and be mindful of driving exposure and delay. Investing in programs to promote licensure and driving may help emerging adults obtain better health and prosperity, although the potential advantages of driving privileges must be balanced against earlier and greater driving exposure to alcohol and drug use.
Facilitating the discovery of diverse content: some notes from Sotheby's Institute of Art
Authors: Blake James
Published: October 2023

When the diversification of collections is a priority for a library, making diverse content in existing holdings more discoverable is a useful complement to the acquisition of new resources. Artists and authors from diverse groups, and material written from diverse perspectives, can be made more visible to patrons, either through enhancements to catalogue records or the creation of standalone indexes focussed on those groups. With the conscious, ethical diversification of collections a relatively new enterprise for many libraries, certain aspects of how best to proceed are not yet clear, meaning librarians need to make time to reflect on, and review, the methods they are using to improve discoverability.
Questioning legal personhood: a critique of the legal and jurisprudential underpinnings of EU immigration and asylum law
Authors: Velluti Samantha
Published: October 2023

Using the lens of immigration and asylum, this Article develops a new understanding of legal personhood on the basis of equal human dignity, as the interface between legal personhood, equality and human rights, in order to address the dual-faceted and opposing reality of immigrants and asylum claimants in relation to their equality as humans in the order of nature and their inequality within the social/political order of Europe, where they are subjected to a constant process of depersonification and reification. This reformulated approach to legal personhood not only seeks to remove the debasement and dehumanisation that has come to characterise European Union (EU) immigration and asylum law but also intends to address the limitations of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) as a valid platform for translating the EU’s own self-proclaimed commitment to human rights into justiciable normative claims.
An interview with Gérard Mourou
Authors: Chang Guoqing , Mao Yuanhao
Published: October 2023

Gérard Mourou received his PhD from Pierre and Marie Curie University in 1973. He and his student Donna Strickland co-invented chirped pulse amplification (CPA) technology and shared the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics. This technology made it possible to apply ultrafast lasers to many new areas, such as eye surgery, precision manufacturing, particle physics and nuclear fusion. Gérard Mourou is the founding Director of the Center for Ultrafast Optical Science (CUOS) at the University of Michigan and the initiator of the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) in Europe.