bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring prognostic and immunological characteristics of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma through comprehensive genomic analysis of tertiary lymphoid structures and CD8 + T-cells
Authors: Hu Hao , Xu Yang , Zhang Qiang , Ai Xiangnan , Wang Tengfei , Li Huixing , Jin Changguo , Ouyang Caiguo , Wu Zhenyu
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) and CD8 + T-cells are potential prognostic indicators for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We established a novel scoring system for evaluating the risk for PDAC based on TLS- and CD8 + T-cell-related genes.

Methods

We analyzed single-cell sequence data from PDAC patients in the Genome Sequence Archive. Bioinformatics and machine algorithms established and validated a scoring method (T-C score) based on PDAC survival-related genes highly expressed in TLSs and CD8 + T-cells. Patients were stratified into the low- and high-T-C score groups. Differences in survival, pathway enrichment, mutation status, immune cell infiltration, expression of immune checkpoint-associated genes, tumor stemness, and response to antitumor therapy were compared through computer simulation methods.

Results

Overall survival differed significantly between the training and validation cohorts’ low- and high-T-C score groups. The low-T-C score group correlated with lower tumor mutation burden and lower levels of tumor stemness compared with the high-T-C score group. Patients with lower T-C scores exhibited advantages in immunotherapeutic responses and might be more sensitive to the chemotherapeutic regimen and multi-kinase inhibitors.

Conclusion

The T-C score could serve as an effective model for predicting the survival and therapeutic responses of patients with PDAC.
Biomarker conversion from primary breast cancer to synchronous axillary lymph node metastasis and neoadjuvant therapy response: a single-center analysis
Authors: Ding Mao , Li Mengyuan , Liu Qian , Xu Ling
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The biomarker characteristics of breast cancer plays an important role in predicting treatment sensitivity. The aim of the present study was to compare immunohistochemical profiles (ER, PR, HER2, and Ki67) between the primary tumor and synchronous axillary lymph node metastasis and investigate the subsequent effects on neoadjuvant therapy response.

Methods

A total of 358 patients with pathologically confirmed synchronous axillary lymph node metastasis at first diagnosis and treated by neoadjuvant therapy at Peking University First Hospital from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2022 were included in this retrospective study. Clinicopathologic data, especially receptor status in primary and metastatic foci, was collected for each case.

Results

Change of ER, PR, HER2, and Ki67 expression was observed in 5.9%, 8.7%, 12.6%, and 17.3% of patients, respectively. HR discordance was observed more frequently when the ER status (p = 0.023) or PR status (p = 0.010) of primary tumor was negative, while HER2 discordance seemed to be more frequent when the HER2 status of primary tumor was HER2-0 or HER2-low (p < 0.001). Patients with loss of HR-positivity (positive to negative) responded to neoadjuvant chemotherapy better compared to those with stable positive HR expression (50% vs. 11.1%, p = 0.0017). A significantly decrease in pCR rate was observed in patients with unstable HER2 status, but not in the HER2-0/HER2-low subgroup.

Conclusion

Receptor discordance between primary tumor and synchronous axillary LNM appears to already exist before any anti-tumor therapy. This instability has limited clinical impact on the choice of neoadjuvant therapy at current stage, but further investigation is warranted with the incremental application of endocrine drugs and ADCs in neoadjuvant therapy.
Comprehensive sensitivity analysis of repeated eigenvalues and eigenvectors for structures with viscoelastic elements
Authors: Łasecka-Plura Magdalena
Published: June 2024

The paper discusses systems with viscoelastic elements that exhibit repeated eigenvalues in the eigenvalue problem. The mechanical behavior of viscoelastic elements can be described using classical rheological models as well as models that involve fractional derivatives. Formulas have been derived to calculate first- and second-order sensitivities of repeated eigenvalues and their corresponding eigenvectors. A specific case was also examined, where the first derivatives of eigenvalues are repeated. Calculating derivatives of eigenvectors associated with repeated eigenvalues is complex because they are not unique. To compute their derivatives, it is necessary to identify appropriate adjacent eigenvectors to ensure stable control of eigenvector changes. The derivatives of eigenvectors are obtained by dividing them into particular and homogeneous solutions. Additionally, in the paper, a special factor in the coefficient matrix has been introduced to reduce its condition number. The provided examples validate the correctness of the derived formulas and offer a more detailed analysis of structural behavior for structures with viscoelastic elements when altering a single design parameter or simultaneously changing multiple parameters.
Combined assessment of lysine and N-acetyl cadaverine levels assist as a potential biomarker of the smoker periodontitis
Authors: Rashid Md Haroon , Yellarthi Sandhya Pavan Kumar , Yellarthi Pavan Kumar , Didugu Brinda Goda Lakshmi , Mamillapalli Anitha
Published: June 2024

Periodontitis is an inflammatory condition of supporting structures of teeth leading to attachment and bone loss. Cigarette smoking is the single most important and modifiable risk factor with 5 to 20-fold susceptibility for periodontal diseases. Reverse smoking is a peculiar habit of smoking where the lit end is kept inside the mouth, which is predominant in the northern coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh. Polyamines are biologically active amines involved in tissue regeneration and modulation of inflammation. The study aimed to evaluate polyamines and check their utility as a marker in detection of periodontitis among different groups. Total polyamine levels showed significant increase in reverse smokers with periodontitis when compared to the other groups. Qualitative analysis by thin layer chromatography showed three polyamine bands with varying intensity among the different groups. Mass spectrometric and NMR analyses of the three bands identified them as N1, N8-diacetyl spermidine, N-acetyl cadaverine and lysine. Most significantly elevated levels of lysine was observed in the smoker and reverse smoker periodontitis groups when compared to healthy and non-smoker periodontitis groups. The significantly elevated levels of N-acetyl cadaverine could be responsible for the more destruction of periodontium in the reverse smoker group. Antioxidant potential decreased significantly in different smoker periodontitis groups. The present study suggests that the quantitative analysis of salivary polyamines, lysine and N-acetyl cadaverine can aid as an easy noninvasive diagnostic method for assessing the periodontal status, especially in smokers.
TMEM205 induces TAM/M2 polarization to promote cisplatin resistance in gastric cancer
Authors: Fu Qiang , Wu Xuwei , Lu Zhongqi , Chang Ying , Jin Quanxin , Jin Tiefeng , Zhang Meihua
Published: June 2024

Cisplatin (DDP) is a basic chemotherapy drug for gastric cancer (GC). With the increase of DDP drug concentration in clinical treatment, cancer cells gradually became resistant. Therefore, it is necessary to find effective therapeutic targets to enhance the sensitivity of GC to DDP. Studies have shown that Transmembrane protein 205 (TMEM205) is overexpressed in DDP-resistant human epidermoid carcinoma cells and correlates with drug resistance, and database analyses show that TMEM 205 is also overexpressed in GC, but its role in cisplatin-resistant gastric cancer remains unclear. In this study, we chose a variety of experiments in vivo and vitro, aiming to investigate the role of TMEM 205 in cisplatin resistance in gastric cancer. The results showed that TMEM 205 promoted proliferation, stemness, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration and angiogenesis of gastric cancer cells through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In addition, TMEM205 promotes GC progression by inducing M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). These results suggest that TMEM205 may be an effective target to regulate the sensitivity of GC to DDP, providing a new therapeutic direction for clinical treatment.
Age, preoperative tumor volume and widening of the internal acoustic meatus are independent factors associated with poor preoperative hearing in vestibular schwannoma patients – results of a single-center retrospective analysis
Authors: Dörner Lorenz , Suhm Elisa-Maria , Ries Vanessa , Goncalves Vitor , Skardelly Marco , Schittenhelm Jens , Tatagiba Marcos , Behling Felix
Published: June 2024

Preoperative hearing function shows wide variations among patients diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma. Besides the preoperative tumor size there are other factors that influence the preoperative hearing function that are frequently discussed. A comprehensive analysis of a large cohort of vestibular schwannomas has the potential to describe new insights and influence the preoperative management. We analyzed clinical factors, imaging data and the expression of the proliferation marker MIB1 as potential influencing factors on the preoperative hearing function in a retrospective cohort of 523 primary sporadic vestibular schwannomas. The results of the preoperative audiometry were quantified using the Gardner-Robertson Score. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed. Serviceable hearing (Gardner-Robertson class 1 or 2) was documented in 391 patients (74.8%). Factors associated with non-serviceable hearing (Gardner-Robertson class 3–5) were patients of older age (p < 0.0001), larger preoperative tumor volume (p = 0.0013) and widening of the internal acoustic meatus compared to the healthy side (p = 0.0353). Gender and differences in the expression of the proliferation marker MIB1 had no influence on preoperative hearing. In the multivariate nominal logistic regression older age (OR 27.60 (CI 9.17–87.18), p < 0.0001), larger preoperative tumor volume (OR 20.20 (CI 3.43–128.58), p = 0.0011) and widening of the internal acoustic canal (OR 7.86 (CI 1.77–35.46), p = 0.0079) remained independent factors associated with non-serviceable hearing. Widening of the internal acoustic canal is an independent factor for non-serviceable preoperative hearing in vestibular schwannoma patients together with older age and larger preoperative tumor volume.
Identifying higher education students’ profiles of academic engagement and burnout and analysing their predictors and outcomes
Authors: Cano Francisco , Pichardo C. , Justicia-Arráez A. , Romero-López M. , Berbén A.B.G.
Published: June 2024

A review of research on the relationship between academic engagement and burnout reveals three research gaps as most of the research was conducted: i) without analysing all its multiple dimensions; ii) from a variable-centred perspective; and iii) in educational contexts other than higher education. We seek to address these gaps and thus enhance our understanding of the nature of the mentioned relationship. Adopting a person-centred perspective, a latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify how all the dimensions of academic engagement and burnout combine in different profiles of higher education students (n=430). Additional analyses were used to validate these LPA profiles by relating them to a set of auxiliary variables (i.e., predictors and outcomes), grounded on theoretical models relevant to higher education. LPA revealed three ordered profiles (burned-out, moderately engaged and engaged) and the additional analyses detected statistically significant associations between predictors (e.g., perceptions of academic quality, perceptions of stress) and profile membership; and between these and outcomes. The latter tended to be ordered from the least to the most desirable in learning strategies (e.g., self-regulation, deep processing) and learning outcomes (e.g., generic skills, satisfaction), with the most desirable generally being associated more with the two engaged profiles than with the burned-out profile.

Taken together, the findings i) expand our understanding of the nature of academic engagement and burnout in higher education, suggesting that they are related but independent constructs at different levels (high/low and weaker levels), and ii) hold implications for theory, methodology and educational practice (adjusted to the distinctiveness of the detected profiles).
Selective depletion of tumor-infiltrating regulatory T cells with BAY 3375968, a novel Fc-optimized anti-CCR8 antibody
Authors: Roider Helge G. , Hoff Sabine , Tseng Su-Yi , Berndt Sandra , Trautwein Mark , Filarsky Katharina , Gritzan Uwe , Camps Jordi , Nadler Wiebke Maria , Grudzinska-Goebel Joanna , Ellinger Philipp , Pesch Theresa , Soon Chai Fen , Geyer Marcel , Gluske Katja , Stelte-Ludwig Beatrix , Gorjánácz Mátyás
Published: June 2024

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are known to facilitate tumor progression by suppressing CD8+ T cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME), thereby also hampering the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). While systemic depletion of Tregs can enhance antitumor immunity, it also triggers undesirable autoimmune responses. Therefore, there is a need for therapeutic agents that selectively target Tregs within the TME without affecting systemic Tregs. In this study, as shown also by others, the chemokine (C–C motif) receptor 8 (CCR8) was found to be predominantly expressed on Tregs within the TME of both humans and mice, representing a unique target for selective depletion of tumor-residing Tregs. Based on this, we developed BAY 3375968, a novel anti-human CCR8 antibody, along with respective surrogate anti-mouse CCR8 antibodies, and demonstrated their in vitro mode-of-action through induction of potent antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and phagocytosis (ADCP) activities. In vivo, anti-mouse CCR8 antibodies effectively depleted Tregs within the TME primarily via ADCP, leading to increased CD8+ T cell infiltration and subsequent tumor growth inhibition across various cancer models. This monotherapeutic efficacy was significantly enhanced in combination with ICIs. Collectively, these findings suggest that CCR8 targeting represents a promising strategy for Treg depletion in cancer therapies. BAY 3375968 is currently under investigation in a Phase I clinical trial (NCT05537740).
Trichoderma metabolites 6-pentyl-α-pyrone and harzianic acid affect the reproduction and microbiome of Bactrocera oleae
Authors: Jesu Giovanni , Vinale Francesco , Lorito Matteo , Laudonia Stefania
Published: June 2024

Endosymbiosis is very common between bacteria and insects, and it has been deeply studied for over a century on model insects such as Bactrocera oleae, the key pest of the olives. It was demonstrated that “Candidatus Erwinia dacicola” is the main component of its midgut bacterial communities, acting a fundamental role in the fly’s nutrition process and thus on its fitness. In this study, Trichoderma secondary metabolites have been used to treat olive fruit fly in order to alter the “Ca. Erwinia dacicola” titer and to assess the subsequent effects on its host. The selected metabolites, 6-pentyl-α-pyrone and harzianic acid, directly affect the insect’s fitness also on the subsequent generation, but not always in a concentration-dependent manner. Aside from the direct effects, the treatments also showed a modification of the bacterial titer. Therefore, real-time qPCRs were carried out on wild individual flies highlighting natural variations of the symbiont presence and activity during the seasons. The data obtained suggest that bioactive fungal metabolites can be formulated for direct or indirect control strategies of B. oleae in integrated pest management programs.
Evaluating the Risk Landscape of Hawaiian Monk Seal Exposure to Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Robinson Stacie , Falinski Kim , Johnson Devin , VanWormer Elizabeth , Shapiro Karen , Amlin Angela , Barbieri Michelle
Published: June 2024

Toxoplasmosis is a disease of primary concern for Hawaiian monk seals (Neomonachus schauinslandi), due to its apparently acute lethality and especially heavy impacts on breeding female seals. The disease-causing parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, depends on cats to complete its life cycle; thus, in order to understand how this pathogen infects marine mammals, it is essential to understand aspects of the terrestrial ecosystem and land-to-sea transport. In this study, we constructed a three-tiered model to assess risk of Hawaiian monk seal exposure to T. gondii oocysts: (1) oocyst contamination as a function of cat population characteristics; (2) land-to-sea transport of oocysts as a function of island hydrology, and (3) seal exposure as a function of habitat and space use. We were able to generate risk maps highlighting watersheds contributing the most to oocyst contamination of Hawaiian monk seal habitat. Further, the model showed that free-roaming cats most associated with humans (pets or strays often supplementally fed by people) were able to achieve high densities leading to high levels of oocyst contamination and elevated risk of T. gondii exposure.
The Role of Anatomic Connectivity in Inhibitory Control Revealed by Combining Connectome-based Lesion-symptom Mapping with Event-related Potentials
Authors: Nono Alex S. T. , Anziano Marco , Mouthon Michael , Chabwine Joelle N. , Spierer Lucas
Published: June 2024

Inhibitory control refers to the ability to suppress cognitive or motor processes. Current neurocognitive models indicate that this function mainly involves the anterior cingulate cortex and the inferior frontal cortex. However, how the communication between these areas influence inhibitory control performance and their functional response remains unknown. We addressed this question by injecting behavioral and electrophysiological markers of inhibitory control recorded during a Go/NoGo task as the ‘symptoms’ in a connectome-based lesion-symptom mapping approach in a sample of 96 first unilateral stroke patients. This approach enables us to identify the white matter tracts whose disruption by the lesions causally influences brain functional activity during inhibitory control. We found a central role of left frontotemporal and frontobasal intrahemispheric connections, as well as of the connections between the left temporoparietal and right temporal areas in inhibitory control performance. We also found that connections between the left temporal and right superior parietal areas modulate the conflict-related N2 event-related potential component and between the left temporal parietal area and right temporal and occipital areas for the inhibition P3 component. Our study supports the role of a distributed bilateral network in inhibitory control and reveals that combining lesion-symptom mapping approaches with functional indices of cognitive processes could shed new light on post-stroke functional reorganization. It may further help to refine the interpretation of classical electrophysiological markers of executive control in stroke patients.
Sustainable Governance: Board Sustainability Experience and the Interplay with Board Age for Firm Sustainability
Authors: Collevecchio Francesca , Temperini Valerio , Barba-Sanchez Virginia , Meseguer-Martinez Angel
Published: June 2024

The growing emphasis on sustainability in the business landscape has prompted scholars and industry practitioners to explore the role of corporate governance, particularly the board of directors, in promoting corporate sustainability. Companies are called upon to operate ethically and to redefine their objectives beyond mere economic pursuits to create social impacts that contribute to sustainability challenges. Corporate governance plays a key role in this regard, as it defines the purpose and ethical orientation of the firm, thereby shaping its sustainability. While previous research has primarily focused on observable board characteristics, this study delves into a critical yet underexplored aspect of sustainable boards, i.e., the sustainability experience. Drawing on the upper echelon and resource dependency theories, our research examines how the sustainability experience of board members influences a firm’s sustainability performance, investigating the moderating effect of board age. We analyzed European listed companies from 2014 to 2020, and our findings show that the effect of board sustainability experience on firm performance is contingent on board age. Specifically, our results show that younger boards amplify the positive effect of sustainability experience, while for older boards, this effect diminishes, up to the point of being completely mitigated, highlighting a potential misalignment between sustainability efforts and ethical business conduct. This study is pioneering in investigating the joint effects of board sustainability experience and board age on a firm’s sustainability, thus, providing valuable contributions to theory and practical recommendations for firms in director recruitment, as well as recommendations for regulatory practices.
Models of sub-national U.S. quasi-governmental organizations: implications for climate adaptation governance
Authors: Nix Paul , Goldstein Adam , Oppenheimer Michael
Published: June 2024

The politicization of climate change and the difficulty of achieving multi-level or sectoral stakeholder coordination are common institutional barriers to effective climate change adaptation governance outcomes. In the U.S., quasi-government organizations (QGOs) were designed to overcome such barriers, albeit traditionally for non-climatic purposes. This study’s objective is to illustrate how the design characteristics of QGOs may be useful for overcoming the above climate adaptation barriers. Methodologically, this paper analyzes six case studies, selected to illustrate the major characteristics of QGOs, of climate-focused and non climate-focused QGOs at the sub-national level in the U.S. Non climate-focused examples are included for comparison with, and to supplement, the limited number of QGOs currently working on climate efforts. For each case, this study focuses on eight design characteristics: seven that represent measures of political and financial independence, and one focused on board composition, to illustrate the extent to which QGOs enable multi-level and multi-sectoral stakeholder coordination. This study finds that among the assortment of existing QGO designs some are particularly well suited to overcoming either the politicization of climate adaptation policy or obstacles to enhancing policy coordination, while some reduce both, albeit to a lesser extent. Broadly, this paper concludes that QGOs can strengthen effective action by depoliticizing informational sources and fostering cross scale coordination of planning and implementation.
The impact of variable ordering on Bayesian network structure learning
Authors: Kitson Neville K. , Constantinou Anthony C.
Published: June 2024

Causal Bayesian Networks (CBNs) provide an important tool for reasoning under uncertainty with potential application to many complex causal systems. Structure learning algorithms that can tell us something about the causal structure of these systems are becoming increasingly important. In the literature, the validity of these algorithms is often tested for sensitivity over varying sample sizes, hyper-parameters, and occasionally objective functions, but the effect of the order in which the variables are read from data is rarely quantified. We show that many commonly-used algorithms, both established and state-of-the-art, are more sensitive to variable ordering than these other factors when learning CBNs from discrete variables. This effect is strongest in hill-climbing and its variants where we explain how it arises, but extends to hybrid, and to a lesser-extent, constraint-based algorithms. Because the variable ordering is arbitrary, any significant effect it has on learnt graph accuracy is concerning, and raises questions about the validity of both many older and more recent results produced by these algorithms in practical applications and their rankings in performance evaluations.
Management of effective factors in increasing the resilience of rural settlements against drought a case study of Ilam province
Authors: Hatami Fazileh , Akbarpour Mohammad , Akbary Mehry
Published: June 2024

Drought is considered a potential natural disaster and threat. Despite all the scientific and technical advancements, in developing countries the management of this hazard is still complicated. Drought management is an important step toward reducing its adverse impacts. The main purpose of the research is to investigate the relationship between community capital and resilience against drought in selected villages in Ilam province, in south west of Iran. The research is applied in terms of purpose and is implemented quantitatively. The data have been collected using the library and field methods (questionnaire). Chalab (Mehran), Jihadabad (Dare-Shahr), Goluzeh (Dehlran) villages have been selected as sample rural settlement communities from the four geographical directions which had severe droughts in Ilam province. Using Cochran's formula, the sample size of the studied villages was 283 people, which reached 285 people after applying proportionality to the quorum of the questionnaire. In order to check the state of community funds before and after the measures were taken, the paired T-test was used, which showed the significance of the differences. The findings showed that the physical, human, financial and natural capitals are the most important factors in improving resilience; and social, political and cultural capitals have the least effect in the selected villages. It seems that executive programs in line with drought management in Ilam province show more tendencies toward top-down approach, the first result of which is the low rate of people's participation and less attention to the engagement of people's capacity for better management.
Zinc-alkaline phosphatase at sites of aortic calcification
Authors: Gomez Santiago , Millán José Luis
Published: June 2024

Zinc (Zn) is a normal trace element in mineralizing tissues, but it is unclear whether it is primarily bound to the mineral phase or to organic molecules involved in the mineralization process, or both. Tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) is a Zn metalloenzyme with two Zn ions bound to the M1 and M2 catalytic sites that functions to control the phosphate/pyrophosphate ratio during biomineralization. Here, we studied aortas from Tagln-Cre +/−; HprtALP/Y TNAP overexpressor (TNAP-OE) mice that develop severe calcification. Zn histochemistry was performed using the sulfide-silver staining method in combination with a Zn partial extraction procedure to localize mineral-bound (mineral Zn) and TNAP-bound Zn (tenacious Zn), since soluble Zn (loose Zn) is extracted during fixation of the specimens. Two synthetic bone mineral composites with different Zn content, bone ash, and rat epiphyseal growth plate cartilage were used as controls for Zn staining. In order to correlate the distribution of mineral and tenacious Zn with the presence of mineral deposits, the aortas were examined histologically in unstained and stained thin sections using various light microscopy techniques. Our results show that 14 and 30 dpn, TNAP is concentrated in the calcifying matrix and loses Zn as Ca2+ progressively displaces Zn2+ at the M1 and M2 metal sites. Thus, in addition to its catalytic role TNAP has an additional function at calcifying sites as a Ca-binding protein.

Graphical Abstract
A-B Transition in Superfluid $$^3$$He and Cosmological Phase Transitions
Authors: Hindmarsh Mark , Sauls J. A. , Zhang Kuang , Autti S. , Haley Richard P. , Heikkinen Petri J. , Huber Stephan J. , Levitin Lev V. , Lopez-Eiguren Asier , Mayer Adam J. , Rummukainen Kari , Saunders John , Zmeev Dmitry
Published: June 2024

First-order phase transitions in the very early universe are a prediction of many extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics and could provide the departure from equilibrium needed for a dynamical explanation of the baryon asymmetry of the Universe. They could also produce gravitational waves of a frequency observable by future space-based detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna. All calculations of the gravitational wave power spectrum rely on a relativistic version of the classical nucleation theory of Cahn-Hilliard and Langer, due to Coleman and Linde. The high purity and precise control of pressure and temperature achievable in the laboratory made the first-order A to B transition of superfluid $$^3$$

3

He ideal for test of classical nucleation theory. As Leggett and others have noted, the theory fails dramatically. The lifetime of the metastable A phase is measurable, typically of order minutes to hours, far faster than classical nucleation theory predicts. If the nucleation of B phase from the supercooled A phase is due to a new, rapid intrinsic mechanism that would have implications for first-order cosmological phase transitions as well as predictions for gravitational wave production in the early universe. Here we discuss studies of the A-B phase transition dynamics in $$^3$$

3

He, both experimental and theoretical, and show how the computational technology for cosmological phase transition can be used to simulate the dynamics of the A-B transition, support the experimental investigations of the A-B transition in the QUEST-DMC collaboration with the goal of identifying and quantifying the mechanism(s) responsible for nucleation of stable phases in ultra-pure metastable quantum phases.
A Mixed-Methods Process Evaluation of the Maastricht Work-Related Support Intervention for Healthcare Professionals in Clinical Care
Authors: Butink Maarten , Boonen Annelies , Boymans Tim , Baadjou Vera , Hazelzet Emmelie , de Rijk Angelique
Published: June 2024

Purpose

To perform the process evaluation of an intervention that aims to facilitate clinical healthcare professionals (HCP) to provide Maastricht Work-Related Support (WRS) to working patients with a chronic disease.

Methods

A mixed-methods approach was applied to address reach, efficacy, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM framework) as well as context of the Maastricht WRS intervention. Qualitative data included interviews with HCPs (N = 10), patients at two time points (N = 10 and N = 9), and field notes. Quantitative data included screening logbooks of HCPs, patient screening forms, and a questionnaire for patients. Content analysis or computation of frequencies was applied where applicable.

Results

Twenty-eight HCPs participated in the intervention (reach). They had a low attitude toward providing Maastricht WRS themselves (adoption). During clinical consultations, they addressed work for 770 of 1,624 (47%) persons of working age. Only 57% (437/770) had paid work, of which 10% (44/437) acknowledged a current need for support. Discussing work during clinical consultations by HCPs was hindered by other medical priorities and patients not disclosing problems (implementation). Over time, Maastricht WRS was less consistently provided (maintenance). Patients reported a positive impact of the intervention, such as fitness for work (efficacy). Context (e.g., lack of urgency, priority, time, and management support) played a pivotal role in the implementation.

Conclusion

This evaluation showed that HCPs had a positive attitude toward WRS in general, but their attitude toward provide Maastricht WRS themselves in daily clinical care was low. Recommendations include improving HCPs’ attitude, addressing WRS as a key policy point, and facilitating time.
Improving 6th Grade Students’ Creative Problem Solving Skills Through Plugged and Unplugged Computational Thinking Approaches
Authors: AYTEKİN Aydan , TOPÇU Mustafa Sami
Published: June 2024

In the digital age in which we live, one of the primary goals of education is to nurture individuals who are capable of thinking creatively, solving problems, and being innovative and productive. Computational thinking is an analytical process that requires defining problems and at the same time solving these problems by proceeding in creative ways. Based on this possible pattern of relationship between computational thinking and creativity, the aim of this study was to determine how two different versions of the computational thinking approach (plugged and unplugged) affect 6th-grade students' creative problem-solving skills (CPSS). Thus, two different teaching modules were designed on the circulatory system with a focus on plugged and unplugged computational thinking. A quasi-experimental design was used. Experiment group 1 utilized the plugged teaching module, experiment group 2 worked with the unplugged teaching module, and the control group in the Turkish middle school science curriculum's inquiry-based science activities. All three groups participated in 16 h of lessons over a 4-week period. We utilized the Creative Problem Solving Skills Inventory (CPSSI) for data collection. The results demonstrated that both the plugged and unplugged teaching modules were more successful at enhancing the CPSS than the inquiry-based science activities. Furthermore the unplugged teaching module was significantly more successful in developing CPSS compared to inquiry-based science activities. Hence, this empirical study demonstrated that both plugged and unplugged computational thinking approaches can enhance CPSS, but also reveals the greater effectiveness of unplugged approaches in fostering middle school students' CPSS.
Exact Lipschitz Regularization of Convex Optimization Problems
Authors: Beck Amir , Teboulle Marc
Published: June 2024

We consider the class of convex composite minimization problems which consists of minimizing the sum of two nonsmooth extended valued convex functions, with one which is composed with a linear map. Convergence rate guarantees for first order methods on this class of problems often require the additional assumption of Lipschitz continuity of the nonsmooth objective function composed with the linear map. We introduce a theoretical framework where the restrictive Lipschitz continuity of this function is not required. Building on a novel dual representation of the so-called Pasch-Hausdorff envelope, we derive an exact Lipshitz regularization for this class of problems. We then show how the aforementioned result can be utilized in establishing function values-based rates of convergence in terms of the original data. Throughout, we provide examples and applications which illustrate the potential benefits of our approach.
Role of gender match between students and teachers and students’ ethnicity in teacher–student relationships
Authors: Glock Sabine , Shevchuk Anna , Fuhrmann Christoph , Rahn Sylvia
Published: June 2024

In the educational context, male and ethnic minority students are at a higher risk of school failure than female and ethnic majority students. The mainly female and ethnic majority teaching workforce has been discussed as reasons for the lower success of these different student groups. The classroom climate and how teachers create the learning environment through their interactional behavior can also have an impact on students’ motivation and achievement. In this study, we investigated the combined effects of students’ ethnicity and a gender match between students and teachers on students’ perceptions of teacher interpersonal behavior assessed with the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI). For a sample of 3125 vocational students, we found relatively positive teacher–student relationships. Hierarchical linear modeling showed that ethnic minority students reported worse teacher–student relationships with male teachers and that female teachers were perceived as having more positive teacher–student relationships. Older students perceived more dominance and less oppositional behavior regardless of their ethnicity and gender. No evidence for positive effects of a gender match was found.
An “ethics of strangers”? On knowing the patient in clinical ethics
Authors: Björk Joar , Hirsch Anna
Published: June 2024

The shape and function of ethical imperatives may vary if the context is an interaction between strangers, or those who are well acquainted. This idea, taken up from Stephen Toulmin’s distinction between an “ethics of strangers” and an “ethics of intimacy”, can be applied to encounters in healthcare. There are situations where healthcare personnel (HCP) know their patients (corresponding to an “ethics of intimacy”) and situations where HCP do not know their patients (corresponding to “an ethics of strangers”). Does it make a difference for normative imperatives that follow from central concepts and principles in medical ethics whether HCP know their patients or not? In our view, this question has not yet been answered satisfactorily. Once we have clarified what is meant by “knowing the patient”, we will show that the distinction is particularly relevant with regard to some thorny questions of autonomy in healthcare (e.g., regarding advance directives or paternalism in the name of autonomy), whereas the differences with regard to imperatives following from the principles of justice and beneficence seem to be smaller. We provide a detailed argument for why knowing the patient is ethically valuable in encounters in healthcare. Consequently, healthcare systems should provide fertile ground for HCP to get to know their patients, and structures that foster therapeutic continuity. For this to succeed, a number of questions still need to be clarified, which is an important task for medical ethics.
Patient autonomy in the era of the sustainability crisis
Authors: Kovács Szilárd Dávid
Published: June 2024

In the realm of medical ethics, the foundational principle of respecting patient autonomy holds significant importance, often emerging as a central concern in numerous ethically complex cases, as authorizing medical assistance in dying or healthy limb amputation on patient request. Even though advocates for either alternative regularly utilize prima facie principles to resolve ethical dilemmas, the interplay between these principles is often the core of the theoretical frameworks. As the ramifications of the sustainability crisis become increasingly evident, there is a growing need to integrate awareness for sustainability into medical decision-making, thus reintroducing potential conflict with patient autonomy. The contention of this study is that the ethical standards established in the 20th century may not adequately address the challenges that have arisen in the 21st century. The author suggests an advanced perception of patient autonomy that prioritizes fostering patients’ knowledge, self-awareness, and sense of responsibility, going beyond a sole focus on their intrinsic values. Empowering patients could serve as a tool to align patient autonomy, beneficence, and the aim to reduce resource consumption.
Do trait-assessed valenced emotion motives predict valenced affective states in the daily lives of university students?
Authors: Jose Paul E. , Gamba Cathy , Bloore Becky , Roseman Ira J.
Published: June 2024

Although emotion motives have been proposed to predict momentary valenced affect experienced in everyday life, little research has been conducted on this issue. The present study examined whether trait-level hedonic and contra-hedonic emotion motives would significantly predict daily hedonic and contra-hedonic emotion goals and subsequent daily affective states. A sample of 268 university students self-reported levels of trait emotion motives in a single-occasion survey, followed by a 14-day daily diary study which assessed momentary emotion goals and affective mood states. Linear mixed model analyses showed that trait hedonic emotion motives (trying to experience positive emotions) significantly predicted corresponding daily hedonic emotion goals and subsequent higher levels of daily positive affect, while trait contra-hedonic motives (trying to experience negative emotions) evidenced an analogous pattern resulting in higher levels of daily negative affect. These findings support a bivariate rather than a bipolar relationship between hedonic and contra-hedonic motives.
Not all reconstruction effects are syntactic
Authors: Poole Ethan , Keine Stefan
Published: June 2024

This paper argues that not all reconstruction effects can be reduced to a syntactic mechanism that selectively interprets copies at LF. The argument is based on the novel observation that some but not all reconstruction effects induce Condition C connectivity in Hindi-Urdu. We contend that Hindi-Urdu requires the hybrid approach to reconstruction developed on independent grounds by Lechner (1998, 2013, 2019), where both copy neglect (a syntactic mechanism) and higher-type traces (a semantic mechanism) are available as independent interpretive mechanisms. We show that the interaction of these two modes of reconstruction derives the intricate reconstruction facts in Hindi-Urdu.
Investigating the dynamics of water–sand mixing inrush in viscous sand layers: insights from laboratory experiments
Authors: Yuan Kekuo , Yu Benhui , Zhang Min , Yang Yiran , Yu Hongdan
Published: June 2024

The geological hazard of water–sand inrush is a matter of concern for infrastructure construction and resource exploration activities in China, due to the complex interplay between groundwater dynamics and the stability properties of sand particles. This phenomenon is characterized by its intensity, hazardous nature, and unpredictable behavior. Following comprehensive analysis, this study identifies the critical factors influencing water–sand inrush processes as fissure width, water stress (waterhead height), in-situ sand ground stress within the sand stratum, and clay content. To investigate these factors experimentally, a custom-designed hydraulically coupled water–sand inrush test apparatus was used. The apparatus was equipped with a cylinder to apply ground stress, a pneumatic diaphragm pump to regulate water stress, and a bottom opening in the sand layer. Tests were conducted to investigate the dynamic response of water–sand inrush events under various combinations of factor levels. The findings revealed that the critical value for inrush is only present in the fissure width, which was observed to be 3 mm for the tested sand material. Unlike fissure width, the other factors do not have definitive critical values but instead modulate the intensity of the inrush process without determining its occurrence. The ‘inrush rate’ serves as a measure of the severity of water–sand inrush disasters and shows a linear increase with both increasing groundwater stress and fissure width, a negative exponential function relationship between the inrush rate and the clay content. Notably, ground stress does not exert a significant influence on the intensity of the inrush process itself. Under constant conditions, the inrush rate remains relatively constant across different levels of sand ground stress, for instance, in the experiments, the inrush rate was measured at 1.606 kg/s when the water stress was 0.1 MPa and the fissure width was 5 mm. Grey relation analysis was used to examine the sensitivity of each factor’s influence on the inrush rate. The results showed that water stress has the greatest impact on the intensity of water–sand inrush, followed by ground or soil stress, clay content, and the width of the fissures in the sand layer.
Integrated Transport Model for Controlled Delivery of Short-Lived Reactive Species via Plasma-Activated Liquid with Practical Applications in Plant Disease Control
Authors: Kaneko Toshiro , Takashima Keisuke , Sasaki Shota
Published: June 2024

Gas–liquid interfacial plasmas (GLIPs), specifically atmospheric-pressure plasmas (APPs) interacting with liquids, have garnered global interest for potential applications across various fields where reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in both the gas and liquid phases could play a key role. However, APP-induced gas- and liquid-phase chemical reactions display spatially nonuniform features and involve a number of species; thus, they are extremely complicated and have not been fully understood and controlled. Herein, our primary focus is centered on elucidating RONS transport processes in GLIPs without direct plasma-liquid contact to reduce the complexity of this mechanism. Firstly, this review delineates the simplified transport models commonly found in general GLIP systems, including: (1) the transport of remotely generated gas-phase RONS to the liquid phase; (2) liquid-phase diffusion governing dissolution into the liquid phase and volatilization loss to the gas phase; and (3) chemical reactions in the liquid phase governing the generation and loss of short-lived RONS. Second, we delve into RONS transport using our laboratory-built plasma devices, aimed at sterilizing plant pathogens, interpreting results in line with the relevant transport models to aid the comprehension of the heterogeneous transport of RONS. Third, we discussed the innovative control of the plasma reaction process in the gas phase required to selectively synthesize N2O5, which is highly reactive at the gas–liquid interface. Finally, future prospects for the efficient utilization of unique reactions at the plasma/gas–liquid interface are discussed.
Can Public Procurements Contribute to Fighting Trading in Persons?
Authors: Gellén Márton
Published: June 2024

Various forms of human exploitation, including human trafficking and forced labor are on the rise globally. The article proposes that governments have the means to act as end buyers, regulators, and law enforcers at the same time to contain and eliminate human trafficking from all supply chains they may reach. The article revisits three legislative models and examines the question whether the policies they represent can be rendered sufficient. The article finds that all regimes have their unique shortcomings. Furthermore, legislators tend to avoid rigor by applying back-door exceptions.
CATEcor: An Open Science, Shaded-Truss, Externally-Occulted Coronagraph
Authors: DeForest Craig , Seaton Daniel B. , Caspi Amir , Beasley Matt , Davis Sarah J. , Erickson Nicholas F. , Kovac Sarah A. , Patel Ritesh , Tosolini Anna , West Matthew J.
Published: June 2024

We present the design of a portable coronagraph, CATEcor (where CATE stands for Continental-America Telescope Eclipse), that incorporates a novel “shaded-truss” style of external occultation and serves as a proof-of-concept for that family of coronagraphs. The shaded-truss design style has the potential for broad application in various scientific settings. We conceived CATEcor itself as a simple instrument to observe the corona during the darker skies available during a partial solar eclipse, or for students or interested amateurs to detect the corona under ideal noneclipsed conditions. CATEcor is therefore optimized for simplicity and accessibility to the public. It is implemented using an existing dioptric telescope and an adapter rig that mounts in front of the objective lens, restricting the telescope aperture and providing external occultation. The adapter rig, including occulter, is fabricated using fusion deposition modeling (FDM; colloquially “3D printing”), greatly reducing cost. The structure is designed to be integrated with moderate care and may be replicated in a university or amateur setting. While CATEcor is a simple demonstration unit, the design concept, process, and trades are useful for other more sophisticated coronagraphs in the same general family, which might operate under normal daytime skies outside the annular-eclipse conditions used for CATEcor.