bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extended duration of treatment using reduced-frequency dosing of anti-PD-1 therapy in patients with advanced melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma
Authors: Tachiki Lisa May Ling , Hippe Daniel S. , Williams Silva Karly , Hall Evan Thomas , McCamy William , Fritzsche Dane , Perdue Andrea , Majovski Julia , Pulliam Thomas , Goldstein Daniel A. , Veatch Joshua , Ho Joel , Nghiem Paul T. , Thompson John A. , Bhatia Shailender
Published: September 2023

Background

Optimal duration of treatment (DoT) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in metastatic cancers remains unclear. Many patients, especially those without radiologic complete remission, develop progressive disease after ICI discontinuation. Extending DoT with ICI may potentially improve efficacy outcomes but presents major logistical and cost challenges with standard frequency dosing (SFD). Receptor occupancy data supports reduced frequency dosing (RFD) of anti-PD-1 antibodies, which may represent a more practical and economically viable option to extend DoT.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of patients with metastatic melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), who received ICI at RFD administered every 3 months, after initial disease control at SFD. We evaluated efficacy, safety, and cost-savings of the RFD approach in this cohort.

Results

Between 2014 and 2021, 23 patients with advanced melanoma (N = 18) or MCC (N = 5) received anti-PD-1 therapy at RFD. Median DoT was 1.1 years at SFD and 1.2 years at RFD. The 3 year PFS after start of RFD was 73% in melanoma and 100% in MCC patients, which compare favorably to historical control rates. In the subset of 15 patients who received at least 2 years of therapy, total savings amounted to $1.1 million in drug costs and 384 h saved despite the extended DoT (median 3.4 years), as compared to the calculated cost of 2 years at SFD.

Conclusions

ICI administration at RFD can allow extension of treatment duration, while preserving efficacy and reducing logistical and financial burden. RFD approach deserves further exploration in prospective clinical trials.
Reproducibility of radiomics quality score: an intra- and inter-rater reliability study
Authors: Akinci D’Antonoli Tugba , Cavallo Armando Ugo , Vernuccio Federica , Stanzione Arnaldo , Klontzas Michail E. , Cannella Roberto , Ugga Lorenzo , Baran Agah , Fanni Salvatore Claudio , Petrash Ekaterina , Ambrosini Ilaria , Cappellini Luca Alessandro , van Ooijen Peter , Kotter Elmar , Pinto dos Santos Daniel , Cuocolo Renato ,   for the EuSoMII Radiomics Auditing Group
Published: September 2023

Objectives

To investigate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the total radiomics quality score (RQS) and the reproducibility of individual RQS items’ score in a large multireader study.

Methods

Nine raters with different backgrounds were randomly assigned to three groups based on their proficiency with RQS utilization: Groups 1 and 2 represented the inter-rater reliability groups with or without prior training in RQS, respectively; group 3 represented the intra-rater reliability group. Thirty-three original research papers on radiomics were evaluated by raters of groups 1 and 2. Of the 33 papers, 17 were evaluated twice with an interval of 1 month by raters of group 3. Intraclass coefficient (ICC) for continuous variables, and Fleiss’ and Cohen’s kappa (k) statistics for categorical variables were used.

Results

The inter-rater reliability was poor to moderate for total RQS (ICC 0.30–055, p < 0.001) and very low to good for item’s reproducibility (k − 0.12 to 0.75) within groups 1 and 2 for both inexperienced and experienced raters. The intra-rater reliability for total RQS was moderate for the less experienced rater (ICC 0.522, p = 0.009), whereas experienced raters showed excellent intra-rater reliability (ICC 0.91–0.99, p < 0.001) between the first and second read. Intra-rater reliability on RQS items’ score reproducibility was higher and most of the items had moderate to good intra-rater reliability (k − 0.40 to 1).

Conclusions

Reproducibility of the total RQS and the score of individual RQS items is low. There is a need for a robust and reproducible assessment method to assess the quality of radiomics research.

Clinical relevance statement

There is a need for reproducible scoring systems to improve quality of radiomics research and consecutively close the translational gap between research and clinical implementation.

Key Points

• Radiomics quality score has been widely used for the evaluation of radiomics studies.

• Although the intra-rater reliability was moderate to excellent, intra- and inter-rater reliability of total score and point-by-point scores were low with radiomics quality score.

• A robust, easy-to-use scoring system is needed for the evaluation of radiomics research.
Assessment of the level III of Inoue by preoperative endoscopic ultrasound and elastography: a novel approach to predict a periarterial divestment technique in borderline resectable (BR) or locally advanced (LA) pancreatic adenocarcinoma—How I do it
Authors: Alberti Piero , Pando Elizabeth , Abu-Suboh Monder , Masachs Miquel , Merino Xavier , Salcedo Maite , Macarulla Teresa , Balsells Joaquin , Charco Ramon
Published: September 2023

Background

Periarterial divestment is a surgical technique to approach borderline resectable (BR) or locally advanced (LA) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with arterial involvement. There are no reports in the literature regarding the role of endoscopic ultrasound and elastography (EUS-EG) in exploring the integrity of Inoue’s level III and its correlation with the periarterial divestment technique feasibility. Our research is aimed at exploring the role of EUS-EG in this scenario.

Methods

We describe our approach to Inoue’s level II by EUS-EG in patients with BR and LA pancreatic cancer patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Results

Between June 2019 and December 2020, four patients out of 25 were eligible to perform a preoperative EUS-EG. In all cases, Inoue’s level III integrity was corroborated by EUS-EG and confirmed posteriorly in the surgical scenario where a periarterial divestment technique was feasible. Vein resections were necessary in all cases, with no need for arterial resection. An R0 (> 1 mm) margin was achieved in all patients, and the histopathological assessment showed the presence of neurovascular tissue at the peripheral arterial margin.

Conclusion

Preoperatively, EUS-EG is a novel approach to explore the integrity of Inoue’s level III and could be helpful to preclude a periarterial divestment technique in borderline resectable or locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma with arterial involvement.
Estimating cucumber crop coefficients under different greenhouse microclimatic conditions
Authors: Nikolaou Georgios , Neocleous Damianos , Kitta Evangelini , Katsoulas Nikolaos
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to determine cucumber crop coefficients under different greenhouse microclimatic conditions, parameterizing the Priestley-Taylor reference evapotranspiration model. Crop evapotranspiration was directly measured with the use of lysimeters, and crop coefficients were computed following the two-step climate FAO 56 methodology. Greenhouse compartments (i.e., cooled or uncooled) showed reference evapotranspiration differences of up to 12% in an autumn-winter crop. The results presented cucumber crop coefficient values from the initial to the late-season growth stages from 0.45 to 0.94 depending on the greenhouse climate. Based on the greenhouse hourly microclimatic variation of KC, it is recommended not to apply a KC as a constant for transpiration estimation even at greenhouses located within the same region Regression analysis relating crop coefficients with leaf area revealed very high correlation coefficients for the equations tested. The results indicated that evapotranspiration can be modeled satisfactory based on a significant relationship between crop coefficient and simple measurements of the leaf area index (i.e., KC = 0.447 × LAI).
Von Leitfunktionen, Nutzungsmischung, Krisen und Chancen
Authors: Ribbeck-Lampel Juliane , Weidner Silke
Published: September 2023

Mit der Covid-19-Pandemie und ihren massiven Einschränkungen ist die Innenstadtentwicklung nicht nur medial, sondern vor allem wirtschaftlich und gesellschaftspolitisch erneut in den Betrachtungsfokus gerückt. Positionspapiere, Streitgespräche und Debatten sowie Förderprogramme auf Bundes- und Landesebene oder auch die Gründung neuer Netzwerke und Beiräte sind nur einige der Aktivitäten, die in den vergangenen drei Jahren zur Stärkung der Innenstädte initiiert wurden. Dabei zeigt die langfristig angelegte Betrachtung, dass die in der aktuellen Situation gesetzten Innenstadtthemen von Leitfunktionen und Nutzungsmischung keine „Neuen“ sind.

Der Fachbeitrag stellt in einem „Blitzlicht“ gegenüber, welche Themen die Ansätze zur Innenstadtentwicklung in den vergangenen 15 Jahren prägten. Er arbeitet Ansprüche und Haltungen zur Innenstadtentwicklung chronologisch auf und stellt die Themenzyklen der Innenstadtgestaltung und -steuerung übersichtsartig dar. Dazu werden vier strategische Dokumente aus dem Betrachtungszeitraum zwischen 2008 und 2021 in einer ersten Empiriephase ausgewählt, inhaltsanalytisch ausgewertet und ihre Schwerpunktsetzungen vergleichend gegenübergestellt.

Diese Zusammenstellung zeigt, dass die Funktionen der Innenstadt im Sinne des Europäischen Raummodells wiederkehrend als Schlüssel thematisiert und verhandelt werden. Lange Linien, Sprünge und neue Ausrichtungen bzw. Interpretationen werden abhängig vom Zeitkontext sichtbar und verdeutlichen zugleich, dass nicht alles aktuell Diskutierte, und als innovativer Ansatz Proklamierte, in Gänze neu ist.
Multiscale modeling of lubrication flows under rarefied gas conditions
Authors: Tatsios Giorgos , Gibelli Livio , Lockerby Duncan A. , Borg Matthew K.
Published: September 2023

We present a multiscale method for simulating non-equilibrium lubrication flows. The effect of low pressure or tiny lubricating geometries that gives rise to rarefied gas effects means that standard Navier–Stokes solutions are invalid, while the large lateral size of the systems that need to be investigated is computationally prohibitive for Boltzmann solutions, such as the direct simulation Monte Carlo method (DSMC). The multiscale method we propose is applicable to time-varying, low-speed, rarefied gas flows in quasi-3D geometries that are now becoming important in various applications, such as next-generation microprocessor chip manufacturing, aerospace, sealing technologies and MEMS devices. Our multiscale simulation method provides accurate solutions, with errors of less than 1% compared to the DSMC benchmark results when all modeling conditions are met. It also shows computational gains over DSMC that increase when the lateral size of the systems increases, reaching 2–3 orders of magnitude even for relatively small systems, making it an effective tool for simulation-based design.
Relationship Between Anxiety Sensitivity and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Trauma-Exposed Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chiu Henry Tak Shing , Chan Angel Hiu Tung , Meiser-Stedman Richard
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Given the high rate of trauma exposure among children and adolescents, it is important to understand the risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Anxiety sensitivity has been implicated in multiple anxiety disorders, and an emerging evidence base has explored the relationship between this construct and PTSD. The present review investigated the size of the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and PTSD symptoms among children and adolescents exposed to trauma.

Method

A systematic search on multiple electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and PTSDpubs) returned a total of 2916 records, among which six (n = 1331) met study inclusion criteria and were included in our random effects meta-analysis.

Results

Our results indicated a large effect size (r = .56, 95% CI = 0.47 − 0.64) for the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and PTSD symptoms; there was significant between-study heterogeneity.

Conclusion

This supported current cognitive models of anxiety and PTSD. Clinical implications, strengths and limitations of the review were discussed.
Developers talking about code quality
Authors: Börstler Jürgen , Bennin Kwabena E. , Hooshangi Sara , Jeuring Johan , Keuning Hieke , Kleiner Carsten , MacKellar Bonnie , Duran Rodrigo , Störrle Harald , Toll Daniel , van Assema Jelle
Published: September 2023

There are many aspects of code quality, some of which are difficult to capture or to measure. Despite the importance of software quality, there is a lack of commonly accepted measures or indicators for code quality that can be linked to quality attributes. We investigate software developers’ perceptions of source code quality and the practices they recommend to achieve these qualities. We analyze data from semi-structured interviews with 34 professional software developers, programming teachers and students from Europe and the U.S. For the interviews, participants were asked to bring code examples to exemplify what they consider good and bad code, respectively. Readability and structure were used most commonly as defining properties for quality code. Together with documentation, they were also suggested as the most common target properties for quality improvement. When discussing actual code, developers focused on structure, comprehensibility and readability as quality properties. When analyzing relationships between properties, the most commonly talked about target property was comprehensibility. Documentation, structure and readability were named most frequently as source properties to achieve good comprehensibility. Some of the most important source code properties contributing to code quality as perceived by developers lack clear definitions and are difficult to capture. More research is therefore necessary to measure the structure, comprehensibility and readability of code in ways that matter for developers and to relate these measures of code structure, comprehensibility and readability to common software quality attributes.
Impact of different levels of handling on Solea senegalensis culture: effects on growth and molecular markers of stress
Authors: Valcarce David G. , Riesco Marta F. , Martínez-Vázquez Juan Manuel , Villanueva José Luis Rodríguez , Robles Vanesa
Published: September 2023

Aquaculture routine practices may cause stress induction on the fish and compromise their welfare affecting the production. This experiment aimed to evaluate the potential links between handling during culture with stress responses and growth on Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis). We worked with two fish cohorts in terms of initial body weight and culture stage: Trial 1 included specimens in the fattening stage (226 ± 4.96 g) and Trial 2 animals in the pre-fattening stage (27.20 ± 0.44 g). The tested culture protocol, which lasted 6 and 4 months for Trial 1 and 2, respectively, mainly reduced handling-derived stressors in the experimental tanks via lowering routine samplings to a minimum. This decrease of the handling-derived stress was reflected in both trials with lower concentration of circulating cortisol in blood plasma from the experimental fish when compared to controls. Moreover, the proposed protocol promoted higher growth in the fish cultured in the less disturbing protocol in Trial 2. Higher specific growth rates and mean body weight and length were reported. In order to further explore the potential beneficial effects of our protocol, we studied the musculoskeletal from Trial 2 gene expression of key genes regulating glucocorticoid signaling pathway and apoptosis: glucocorticoid receptors 1 and 2 (gr1, gr2), heat shock protein 90 AA (hsp90aa), and caspase 6 (casp6). In line with the cortisol reduced level in this trial, gr1, hsp90aa, and casp6 genes showed lower expression in the samples coming from the experimental group. The findings of this study provide valuable information to the aquaculture industry for the management of Solea senegalensis stress and welfare.
Grasslands of cleared woodlands have lower invertebrate diversity and different assemblages to remnant woodlands in grazed landscapes of eastern Australia
Authors: Houston Wayne A. , Black Robert L. , Wormington Kevin R.
Published: September 2023

Clearing of woodlands is used by graziers to promote pasture production, even though understanding of impacts of clearing on native fauna is lacking. We evaluate impacts of clearing on biodiversity by comparing invertebrates associated with ground-layer vegetation of cleared woodlands (grasslands) to that of nearby uncleared woodlands. Two replicates of grasslands consisting of pastures dominated by introduced grasses were compared with two woodlands at each of four locations. The adjacent riparian forest to each grassland and woodland site allowed evaluation of the effect of woodland clearing on the adjacent riparian zone. All habitats were grazed. Invertebrates of ground-layer vegetation were sampled using three suction subsamples of 1m2 at each site. Grasslands had significantly lower order richness and abundance of herbivores, pollinators and macroinvertebrates (food for birds) than the woodlands, whereas the riparian forests closely resembled each other in all metrics. Invertebrate assemblages of grasslands also differed significantly from those of the woodlands. BEST analysis showed that groundcover and leaf-litter percentage cover correlated strongest with invertebrate composition. This study has demonstrated that grazing management relying on clearing of fertile grassy woodlands of the rangelands of Central Queensland alters invertebrate diversity and assemblage. Thus, tree clearing not only leads to biodiversity losses in the canopy layer, but also in the ground-layer vegetation.

Implications for insect conservation

Pastoralists have the capacity to improve outcomes for invertebrate biodiversity by maintaining groundcover (ground-layer vegetation and litter cover) above 80%, by encouraging native pastures over introduced species such as Buffel Grass and by retaining native woodlands.
Design and analysis of quad-band polarization-insensitive infrared perfect metamaterial absorber with a wide-incident angle
Authors: Abouelez Ahmed Elsayed , Abdulaleem Mohamed Nady
Published: September 2023

There is a pressing demand to design simple absorber structures that support optimal absorption in multi-band to meet different applications. In this work, a novel quad-band infrared perfect metamaterial absorber (QPMA) is proposed and numerically investigated. The structure of the QPMA is composed of coaxial multi-layer dielectric (SiO2) disks of circular shape with different diameters where each disk is surrounded by a gold ring. All disks are placed on a SiO2 dielectric spacer and an impermeable gold ground layer. Simulation results reveal that the proposed absorber has four absorption peaks around wavelengths of 1064 nm, 1550 nm, 2080 nm, and 3000 nm. Since these wavelengths correspond to commercially available laser sources, the structure under investigation can be used in different applications such as laser stealth, infrared photodetection, and medical applications. Additionally, the QPMA structure enjoys a good absorption performance for a wide range of incident angles for both TE and TM waves. It achieves absorption greater than 85% at incident angles up to 40° at 1064 nm, and absorption greater than 90% for the other bands at incident angles up to 50°. Moreover, due to the symmetrical shape of the structure, the absorption is insensitive to wave polarization changes.
The Effects of Centering Prayer on Well-Being in a Sample of Undergraduate Students: A Pilot Study
Authors: Eros Alejandro , Plante Thomas G.
Published: September 2023

Contemplative practices have likely been used for self-awareness, concentration, creativity, and well-being since the dawn of time. While practices such as yoga and Buddhist meditation have been extensively studied in recent decades, Christian contemplative practices have received less attention in empirical research. This study aims to investigate the effects of centering prayer, a Christian contemplative practice, on mental health and well-being. The research focuses on college students enrolled in a religious studies course that incorporates centering prayer into the curriculum. It is a pilot study because it is the first to explore centering prayer in an undergraduate setting. Using a comparison group from another religious studies course, the study examines whether practicing centering prayer regularly for seven weeks can lead to changes in anxiety, stress, depression, mindfulness, satisfaction with life, hope, and compassion as assessed by multiple questionnaires. Additionally, the study explores whether religiosity influences the impact of centering prayer on these variables. Participants were recruited through their course enrollment, and data was collected through online surveys administered at three time points during the study. Multivariate analyses of covariance indicated trends suggesting that centering prayer may contribute to decreased anxiety and increased hope and compassion. However, no significant changes in these outcomes were observed (p > .05). The study highlights the potential therapeutic benefits of centering prayer and the need for further research on Christian contemplative practices.
Regulator of G protein signaling-1 regulates immune infiltration and macrophage polarization in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Liu Kun , Xia Dian , Bian Hege , Peng Longfei , Dai Shuxin , Liu Chang , Jiang Chao , Wang Yi , Jin Juan , Bi Liangkuan
Published: September 2023

Objective

To better understand how to clear cell renal cell cancer (ccRCC) is affected by the regulator of G protein signaling-1 (RGS1), its effect on immune infiltration, macrophage polarization, tumor proliferation migration, and to explore whether RGS1 may serve as a marker and therapeutic target for ccRCC.

Patients and methods

In this study, a total of 20 surgical specimens of patients with pathological diagnosis of ccRCC admitted to the Department of Urology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from November 2021 to June 2022 were selected for pathological and protein testing, while the expression of RGS1 in tumors, immune infiltration, and macrophage polarization, particularly M2 macrophage linked to the development of tumor microenvironment (TME), were combined with TGCA database and GO analysis. We also further explored and studied the expression and function of RGS1 in TME, investigated how RGS1 affected tumor growth, migration, apoptosis, and other traits, and initially explored the signaling pathways and mechanisms that RGS1 may affect.

Results

RGS1 was found to be expressed at higher quantities in ccRCC than in normal cells or tissues, according to bioinformatics analysis and preliminary experimental data from this work. Using the TCGA database and GO analysis to describe the expression of RGS1 in a range of tumors, it was found that ccRCC had a much higher level of RGS1 expression than other tumor types. The results of gene enrichment analysis indicated that overexpression of RGS1 may be associated with immune infiltration. The outcomes of in vitro tests revealed that RGS1 overexpression in ccRCC did not significantly alter the proliferation and migration ability of ccRCC, but RGS1 overexpression promoted apoptosis in ccRCC. By in vitro co-culture experiments, RGS1 overexpression inhibited M2 macrophage polarization and also suppressed the Jagged-1/Notch signaling pathway.

Conclusions

RGS1 is highly expressed in ccRCC, while overexpression of RGS1 may increase immune infiltration in the TME and reduce the polarization of M2 macrophages while promoting apoptosis in ccRCC.
Memory in energy transitions: individual agency through historical narratives in the energy transition to gas and electricity in the Dutch household
Authors: ten Berge Gijs
Published: September 2023

Authors adopting socio-technical frameworks to study energy transitions argue that individual behavioural change and the uptake of social and technological innovations on higher-level scales are both imperative for sustainability transitions to come about. However, the way individuals are embedded in the larger system has remained largely unclear. To better understand individual embedment in energy transitions, this paper enriches sustainability transition research with the insights of memory studies. During energy transitions, social actors that enact these transitions change their identity. A core premise of memory studies is that individual and collective remembering cannot do without each other in the constitution of identity. To illustrate the role of memory in energy transitions, this paper conducts a historical case study of the role of housewives in the energy transition to gas and electricity in the Dutch household. By adopting a narrative approach, the historical narratives across the Monthly Magazine of the Dutch Association for Housewives (NVvH), published between 1913 and 1942, are explored. The results show how the master narrative prescribed the guiding principles of the historical narratives that emerged in the energy discourse. However, as part of the flexible nature of memory, a varied ‘menu of stories’ came forward that enabled individuals to identify with different historical narratives, incorporating differing energy sources and drawing on the transformative nature of memory by imagining different energy futures. It is concluded that individual agency in energy transitions moves beyond choices of use and consumption. It rests in the individuals’ ability to identify with a historical narrative that adheres to the way the individual makes sense of the world.
Influence of Gamma-irradiation on the Structural, Morphological, and Optical Properties of β-H2Pc Nanocrystalline Films: Implications for Optoelectronic Applications
Authors: El-Saady A. A. , Roushdy N. , Farag A. A. M. , Ashour A. H. , El-Nahass M. M. , Abdel Basset Dalia M.
Published: September 2023

In this study, the effects of gamma radiation with doses ranging from 0 KGy to 100 KGy on the structural and optical properties of the Beta Metal-free Phthalocyanine (β-H2Pc) powder and films were investigated. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope were used to examine the crystalline and morphological structures of the thin films. While Fourier transform infrared and absorption spectra were utilized to study the changes in molecular structure and energy absorption, respectively. The results showed that while γ-irradiation induced changes in the surface morphology and optical properties of β-H2Pc, the molecular structure remained stable except for the disappearance of the hydroxyl (OH) functional group peak. The irradiation dose was found to affect the dielectric constants, dispersion characteristics, and nonlinear optical susceptibility of the material. The β-H2Pc thin films exhibited high absorption coefficients and refractive index values, making them promising candidates for optoelectronic devices such as solar cells. However, careful consideration of the effects of gamma irradiation on other properties of β-H2Pc such as stability, toxicity, and cost-effectiveness is necessary.

Graphical Abstract
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Management of Diabetic Feet
Authors: Clayton Elizabeth O. , Njoku-Austin Confidence , Scott Devon M. , Cain Jarrett D. , Hogan MaCalus V.
Published: September 2023

Purpose of Review

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic medical condition affecting many individuals worldwide and leads to billions of dollars spent within the healthcare system for its treatment and complications. Complications from diabetes include diabetic foot conditions that can have a devasting impact on quality of life. Diabetic foot ulcers and amputations occur in minority individuals at an increased rate compared to White individuals. This review provides an update examining the racial and ethnic disparities in the management of diabetic foot conditions and the differences in rates of amputation.

Recent Findings

Current research continues to show a disparity as it relates to diabetic foot management. There are novel treatment options for diabetic foot ulcers that are currently being explored. However, there continues to be a lack in racial diversity in new treatment studies conducted in the USA.

Individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups have diabetes at higher rates compared to White individuals, and are also more likely to develop diabetic foot ulcers and receive amputations. Over the last few years, more efforts have been made to improve health disparities. However, there needs to be an improvement in increasing racial diversity when investigating new therapies for diabetic foot ulcers.
Medical grade polyamide 12 silver nanoparticle filaments fabricated with in-situ reactive reduction melt-extrusion: rheological, thermomechanical, and bactericidal performance in MEX 3D printing
Authors: Vidakis Nectarios , Petousis Markos , Michailidis Nikolaos , Mountakis Nikolaos , Papadakis Vassilis , Argyros Apostolos , Charou Chrysa
Published: September 2023

The development of bioactive, multi-functional, and cost-effective nanocomposite filaments for additive manufacturing (AM) is pivotal for the evolution of biomedical and healthcare sectors. Herein, an industrially scalable process is reported, to produce medical grade PA12/AgNP nanocomposites, through in-situ reactive melt-mixing, occurring within the filament extruder. Bactericidal elemental nanoparticles (Ag0) were formed by silver ions (Ag+) reducing from the Silver Nitrate (Ag2NO3) precursor, which was suitably added to the polymer melt. Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) was deployed in the compound melt, as a reducing macromolecular agent. The produced nanocomposite filaments were utilized to fabricate samples with Material Extrusion (MEX) AM. A total of sixteen (16) different tests were conducted on filaments and 3D-printed samples to assess their mechanical, rheological, thermal, and antibacterial characteristics, in accordance with international standards. The nanocomposites exhibited a significant mechanical reinforcement of up to 50% compared to PA12. Additionally, the Ag-based nanocomposites demonstrated remarkable antimicrobial behavior in the presence of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) microbes.
Synthesis and Antioxidant Activity of Some Benzoquinoline-Based Heterocycles Derived from 2-((3-Chlorobenzo[f]quinolin-2-yl)methylene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide
Authors: Asran Mahmoud , El-Helw Eman A. E. , Azab Mohammad E. , Ramadan Sayed K. , Helal Maher H.
Published: September 2023

A new series of benzoquinoline-based heterocycles was synthesized utilizing the building block synthon, 2-((3-chlorobenzo[f]quinolin-2-yl)methylene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide via the condensation of 3-chlorobenzo[f]quinoline-2-carbaldehyde with thiosemicarbazide. The titled thiosemicarbazone scaffold was conducted with some carbon-centered electrophilic reagents such as acetic anhydride, chloroacetyl chloride, chloroacetic acid, 2-bromo-1-(3-nitrophenyl)ethan-1-one, 2-chloro-N-phenylacetamide, and dimethyl but-2-ynedioate to achieve triazolethione, imidazolone, thiazolidinone, and thiazole derivatives. In turn, the hydrazinolysis of this substrate did not proceed as expected but it afforded the azine derivative. The antioxidant activity screening of the produced compounds revealed that thiazole and triazolethione derivatives were the most potent.
Adsorption of bisphenol A by granular activated carbon prepared with different silicates as binders
Authors: Mourão P. , Cassavela C. , Cansado I. , Castanheiro J. , Ribeiro L. , Pagnanelli F.
Published: September 2023

Nowadays, the emerging pollutants, such as bisphenol A, are object of increased attention by the citizens and the sectors of industry and academia, as a result of the problems they cause, particularly at the health level. In this study, a set of granulated samples was prepared from a commercial powdered activated carbon, aiming its application in the removal of bisphenol A via the adsorption process. The granulation allowed to obtain granulated adsorbents with higher adsorption capacity (37.0–54.8 mg/g) than the original activated carbon (32.2 mg/g). The samples were structurally and chemically characterised using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption at 77 K, Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy, point of zero charge and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques. The bisphenol A adsorption tests are carried out in kinetic and equilibrium modes, involving variables such as mass, pH and temperature. The results show that, using different commercial silica binders, it was possible to prepare mechanical, dimensional, chemical and structurally stable granulated adsorbents with a good capacity for bisphenol A adsorption, widening the potential and range of application for these materials.
Eilenberg–Maclane spaces and stabilisation in homotopy type theory
Authors: Wärn David
Published: September 2023

In this note, we study the delooping of spaces and maps in homotopy type theory. We show that in some cases, spaces have a unique delooping, and give a simple description of the delooping in these cases. We explain why some maps, such as group homomorphisms, have a unique delooping. We discuss some applications to Eilenberg–MacLane spaces and cohomology.
Dynamics and control of mpox disease using two modelling approaches
Authors: Collins Obiora Cornelius , Duffy Kevin Jan
Published: September 2023

Monkeypox (Mpox) is a serious illness that affects both humans and animals. Two modelling approaches are considered here to understand the transmission dynamics of mpox. A deterministic model that incorporates the major factors that influence mpox is developed and analysed. However, as more than one group can be infected by mpox, humans and animals, the results of a deterministic model do not always hold when at the outset the number of people infected is small. Thus, a stochastic model based on the assumptions of the deterministic model is also developed and analysed. By fitting the deterministic model to data on the 2022 mpox outbreak in Nigeria, essential parameters related to the mpox dynamics are estimated. Using these parameters the basic reproduction number is calculated as $$\mathcal {R}_0 = 1.7$$

R
0

=
1.7

and, as this is greater than unity, implies that without control mpox is likely to remain endemic in Nigeria. Consideration of the basic reproduction number for the different transmission routes and parameter sensitivity analyses indicate the importance of animals in the overall prevalence of the disease. Also, numerical simulations are used and show that controls of disease transmission from animals to humans and animals to animals are the most effective. The results of the stochastic model, where the initial number of infections is small, show that the disease can be eradicated in some situations where $$\mathcal {R}_0 > 1$$

R
0

>
1

. However, the probabilities of this occurring for the Nigerian epidemic are low. Overall, our model formulations could be useful for making decisions on the effective management of mpox outbreaks in any endemic area.
Wertigkeit von Ultraschall und Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) bei der Erstdiagnose von Hodentumoren
Authors: Deininger Susanne , Lusuardi Lukas , Törzsök Peter
Published: September 2023

In der Primärdiagnostik von Hodentumoren ist der konventionelle Ultraschall weiterhin Standard. Dieser zeigte in der Indikation eine gute Sensitivität und Spezifität und ist außerdem universell verfügbar und günstig in der Anwendung. Durch Hinzunahme von Ultraschallkontrastmittel oder Elastographie kann die Genauigkeit noch verbessert werden. Insbesondere kleine Läsionen sind mittels Ultraschall zumeist nicht endgültig einzuschätzen. Die Bedeutung der MRT in der Diagnostik von unklaren Hodenläsionen ist weiterhin unklar. Durch die Anwendung von Kontrastmittel und verschiedenen Phasen erwartet man sich einen Zugewinn an diagnostischen Informationen. Normales Hodengewebe, benigne und maligne Hodenläsionen weisen in der MRT unterschiedliches Kontrastmittelenhancement auf. Durch diffusionsgewichtete Sequenzen (DWI) kann die Korrektheit der MRT weiter gesteigert werden. Jedoch fehlen evidenzbasierte standardisierte MRT-Protokolle zur Untersuchung von unklaren Hodenläsionen. Eine eigene retrospektive multizentrische Studie [1] zeigte eine Sensitivität von 85,7 % bei einer Spezifität von 72,8 % für die MRT in der Diagnostik unklarer Hodenläsionen. Es zeigte sich jedoch, dass sich der/die Radiologe/In in bis zu 20 % nicht auf einen Befund festlegen konnte. Dann bleiben weiterhin nur die operative Freilegung und histologische Sicherung. Daneben zeigte sich, dass benigne Läsionen signifikant kleiner sind als maligne. Auch aus der Literatur ist bekannt, dass tastbare Läsionen zumeist maligne sind, während zufällig entdeckte, kleinere Läsionen eher benigner Natur sind. Sowohl MRT als auch Ultraschall sind gut in der Lage, die Größe von malignen Tumoren einzuschätzen, dies kann die Planung einer hodenerhaltenden Operation erleichtern.
Biochar reduces colloidal phosphorus in leachate by regulating phoD- and phoC-harboring microbial communities during drying/rewetting cycles
Authors: Wang Xiaochun , Ge Hongnuo , Fang Yunying , Liu Chunlong , Eltohamy Kamel M. , Wang Zekai , Liang Xinqiang
Published: September 2023

Drying and rewetting (DRW) events cause the release of colloidal phosphorus (Pcoll, 1–1000 nm) in leachate, and biochar is considered an effective inhibitor; however, the microbial mechanism remains elusive. In this study, three successive DRW cycles were performed on the soil columns to assess the effect of biochar addition on Pcoll content and its possible associates, including phosphatase-producing microbial populations (phoD- and phoC-harboring microbial communities) and alkaline/acid phosphatase (ALP/ACP) activities. Results showed that the biochar addition significantly decreased the Pcoll by 15.5–32.1% during three DRW cycles. The structural equation model (SEM) confirmed that biochar addition increased phoD- and phoC-harboring microbial communities and ALP/ACP activities, which reduces the release of Pcoll into leachate. In addition, the manure biochar was more effective than the straw biochar in promoting competition and cooperation in the co-occurrence network (2–5% nodes increased on average), and the key taxa Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria were identified as the dominant species of potential ALP/ACP activities and Pcoll content. Our findings provide a novel understanding of biochar reducing Pcoll loss from the phosphatase perspective by regulating the phoD- and phoC-harboring communities during DRW events.

Graphical abstract
The challenges and complexities of negotiating normative femininities and creating safe spaces in all-girl settings
Authors: Chiodo Linda , Morda Romana
Published: September 2023

Contemporary culture is increasingly characterised by postfeminist and neoliberal sentiment, presenting a very complex, and contradictory context for young women to navigate. Schools represent one of the key places in which young people can learn, enact and potentially resist sociocultural norms and inequalities in relation to gender. For young women these spaces provide opportunities to negotiate and challenge essentialist ways of ‘doing’ gender. Informed by social constructionism and feminist poststructuralist understandings, the current paper draws on findings of an ethnographic study conducted within an all-girls secondary school. This study explored the everyday practices and discourses related to normative femininities and successful girlhood embedded within this setting. Data was collected from eleven students (8 semi-structured interviews; one focus group) and three teachers (semi-structured interviews). Field notes and archival data were also collected. The safe space concept was used to interrogate and discuss the opportunities and limitations school settings present for young women in their negotiation of normative femininities. It was found that the girls-only context, the promotion and presence of feminist ideals and the valuing of student voice characterised this school setting as a potential safe space for at least some students. Findings also highlighted that the prevalent reinforcement of normative femininities and the focus on academic achievement had implications for the ways in which students participated within this space. The opportunities, challenges and limitations of educational settings as safe spaces for young women will be interrogated.
Incoherence and the balance of evidential reasons
Authors: Schmidt Sebastian
Published: September 2023

Eva Schmidt argues that facts about incoherent beliefs can be non-evidential epistemic reasons to suspend judgment. In this commentary, I argue that incoherence-based reasons to suspend are epistemically superfluous: if the subjects in Schmidt’s cases ought to suspend judgment, then they should do so merely on the basis of their evidential reasons. This suggests a more general strategy to reduce the apparent normativity of coherence to the normativity of evidence. I conclude with some remarks on the independent interest that reasons-first epistemology might have within an evidentialist framework.
The Antipodean Laboratory
Authors: Johnston Anna
Published: September 2023

In this compelling study, Anna Johnston shows how colonial knowledge from Australia influenced global thinking about convicts, natural history and humanitarian concerns about Indigenous peoples. These were fascinating topics for British readers, and influenced government policies in fields such as prison reform, the history of science, and humanitarian and religious campaigns. Using a rich variety of sources including natural history and botanical illustrations, voyage accounts, language studies, Victorian literature and convict memoirs, this multi-disciplinary account charts how new ways of identifying, classifying, analysing and controlling ideas, populations, and environments were forged and circulated between colonies and through metropolitan centres. They were also underpinned by cultural exchanges between European and Indigenous interlocutors and knowledge systems. Johnston shows how colonial ideas were disseminated through a global network of correspondence and print culture.
THE PRINCE OF HUAYUANZHUANG 花園莊, ZU JIA 祖甲, AND THE SUCCESSION OF WU DING 武丁: ALLIANCE AND CRISIS
Authors: Boileau Gilles
Published: September 2023

Analysis of the oracular data newly discovered in the Shang era Huayuanzhuang site opens a fascinating window in the political and ritual activities of a prince previously unknown. He is identified as the prince Zai, the future king Zu Jia. These new data shed light of the pre-royal career of Zu Jia, and the nature and the mode of his relationship with the king Wu Ding, his father, and Lady Hao, his mother. This article also examines the difficult accession to royal power of Zu Jia in a context of political crisis. It studies and clarifies some of the steps leading to the selection of royal princes as heirs to royal power. Finally, this article examines the importance of the relationship between those princes and their mothers in the specific context of royal polygamy.
Inertial solution for high-pressure-difference pulse-decay measurement through microporous media
Authors: Tian Zhiguo , Zhang Duzhou , Wang Yue , Zhou Gang , Zhang Shaohua , Wang Moran
Published: September 2023

We present a theoretical asymptotic solution for high-speed transient flow through microporous media in this work by addressing the inertia effect in the high-pressure-difference pulse-decay process. The capillaric model is adopted, in which a bundle of straight circular tubes with a high length–radius ratio is used to represent the internal flow paths of microporous media so that the flow is described by a simplified incompressible Navier–Stokes equation based on the mean density, capturing the major characteristics of mass flow rate. By order-of-magnitude analysis and asymptotic perturbation, the inertial solution with its dimensionless criterion for the high-pressure-difference pulse-decay process is derived. To be compared with experimental data, the theoretical solution involves all three related effects, including the inertia effect, the slippage effect and the compressibility effect. A self-built experimental platform is therefore established to measure the permeability of microporous media by both pulse-decay and steady-state methods to validate the theoretical solution. The results indicate that the relative difference between two methods is less than 30 % even for permeability at as low as

$48.2$

 nD

$(10^{-21}\,{\rm m}^2)$

, and the present theoretical solution can accurately capture the inertia effect in the high-pressure-difference pulse-decay process, which significantly accelerates the measurements for ultra-low-permeability samples.
Spreading of a thin droplet on a soft substrate
Authors: Tamim Saiful , Bostwick Joshua B.
Published: September 2023

A thin liquid droplet spreads on a soft viscoelastic substrate with arbitrary rheology. Lubrication theory is applied to the governing field equations in the liquid and solid domains, which are coupled through the free boundary at the solid–liquid interface, to derive a set of reduced equations that describe the spreading dynamics. Fourier transform techniques and the finite difference method are used to construct a solution for the dynamic liquid–gas and solid–liquid interface shapes, as well as the macroscopic contact angle. Substrate properties affect the spreading dynamics through the contact angle and internal droplet flow fields, and these mechanisms are revealed. Increased substrate softness increases the spreading rate, whereas increased viscoelasticity decreases the spreading rate. For the case of a purely elastic substrate, the spreading power-law exponent recovers Tanner's law in the rigid limit and increases with substrate softness.
Coalescence of immiscible sessile droplets on a partial wetting surface
Authors: Xu Huadan , Ge Xinjin , Wang Tianyou , Che Zhizhao
Published: September 2023

Droplet coalescence is a common phenomenon and plays an important role in multidisciplinary applications. Previous studies mainly consider the coalescence of miscible liquids, even though the coalescence of immiscible droplets on a solid surface is a common process. In this study, we explore the coalescence of two immiscible droplets on a partial wetting surface experimentally and theoretically. We find that the coalescence process can be divided into three stages based on the time scales and force interactions involved, namely (I) the growth of a liquid bridge, (II) the oscillation of the coalescing sessile droplet and (III) the formation of a partially engulfed compound sessile droplet and the subsequent retraction. In stage I, the immiscible interface is found not to affect the scaling of the temporal evolution of the liquid bridge, which follows the same 2/3 power law as that of miscible droplets. In stage II, by developing a new capillary time scale considering both surface and interfacial tensions, we show that the interfacial tension between the two immiscible liquids functions as a non-negligible resistance to the oscillation which decreases the oscillation periods. In stage III, a modified Ohnesorge number is developed to characterize the visco-capillary and inertia-capillary time scales involved during the displacement of water by oil; a new model based on energy balance is proposed to analyse the maximum retraction velocity, highlighting that the viscous resistance is concentrated in a region close to the contact line.