bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Free‐water‐corrected diffusion and adrenergic/muscarinic antibodies in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
Authors: Kimura Yukio , Sato Wakiro , Maikusa Norihide , Ota Miho , Shigemoto Yoko , Chiba Emiko , Arizono Elly , Maki Hiroyuki , Shin Isu , Amano Keiko , Matsuda Hiroshi , Yamamura Takashi , Sato Noriko
Published: May 2023

Background and Purpose

Free‐water‐corrected diffusion tensor imaging (FW‐DTI), a new analysis method for diffusion MRI, can indicate neuroinflammation and degeneration. There is increasing evidence of autoimmune etiology in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). We used FW‐DTI and conventional DTI to investigate microstructural brain changes related to autoantibody titers in patients with ME/CFS.

Methods

We prospectively examined 58 consecutive right‐handed ME/CFS patients who underwent both brain MRI including FW‐DTI and a blood analysis of autoantibody titers against β1 adrenergic receptor (β1 AdR‐Ab), β2 AdR‐Ab, M3 acetylcholine receptor (M3 AchR‐Ab), and M4 AchR‐Ab. We investigated the correlations between these four autoantibody titers and three FW‐DTI indices—free water (FW), FW‐corrected fractional anisotropy (FAt), and FW‐corrected mean diffusivity—as well as two conventional DTI indices—fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity. The patients’ age and gender were considered as nuisance covariates. We also evaluated the correlations between the FW‐DTI indices and the performance status and disease duration.

Results

Significant negative correlations between the serum levels of several autoantibody titers and DTI indices were identified, mainly in the right frontal operculum. The disease duration showed significant negative correlations with both FAt and FA in the right frontal operculum. The changes in the FW‐corrected DTI indices were observed over a wider extent compared to the conventional DTI indices.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate the value of using DTI to assess the microstructure of ME/CFS. The abnormalities of right frontal operculum may be a diagnostic marker for ME/CFS.
Clinical performance of monolithic lithium disilicate hybrid abutment crowns over at least 3.5 years
Authors: Schubert Oliver , Goob Janosch , Schweiger Josef , Güth Jan‐Frederik , Edelhoff Daniel , Graf Tobias
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Hybrid abutment crowns (HACs) made from monolithic ceramics represent an efficient option for single restorations on implants. However, long‐term data are scarce. The purpose of this clinical trial was to evaluate the survival and complication rates of CAD‐CAM fabricated HACs over a time period of at least 3.5 years.

Materials and Methods

Twenty‐five patients with a total of 40 HACs made of monolithic lithium disilicate ceramic bonded to a titanium base CAD‐CAM abutment were retrospectively evaluated. All implants and screw‐retained restorations were placed and manufactured in the same department of a university hospital. Only crowns that had been in service for more than 3.5 years were included in the study. HACs were evaluated regarding technical and biological complications. Functional Implant Prosthodontic Scores (FIPS) were obtained.

Results

The mean observation time was 5.9 ± 1.4 years. Implant survival was 100%, and HAC survival was 97.5%. Over the observation period, one crown fracture was observed, necessitating refabricating of the restoration. Three minor biological complications were found. The overall mean FIPS score was 8.69 ± 1.12 points.

Conclusions

Within the limitations of this study, monolithic screw‐retained HACs milled from lithium disilicate ceramics and bonded to titanium bases appeared to be a reliable treatment option over more than 3.5 years due to their low biological and technical complication rates.
Self‐determination and quality of life of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Past, present, and future of close research paths
Authors: Mumbardó‐Adam Cristina , Vicente Eva , Balboni Giulia
Published: May 2023

In recent decades, research in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities has targeted self‐determination and quality of life constructs. Quality of life has been extensively studied within various theoretical frameworks. It has been used to guide the provision of appropriate support in daily life. In addition, a vast body of scientific literature has focused on the theoretical and practical underpinnings of self‐determination as a construct in itself. To understand how self‐determination is an essential supporting concept in the quality of life paradigm, this brief report unravels the complementary but unique role that each construct (quality of life and self‐determination) embodies. Furthermore, we discuss the role of self‐determination in the scientific literature and in the quality of life of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, reflecting on how both lines of research can converge and be aligned from a common approach. The aim is to drive attention to areas of future research development that strengthen understanding of quality of life and the self‐determination construct.
Association between sickle cell disease and periodontal disease: A systematic review
Authors: da Silva Brenda Batista , Pontes Ana Emília Farias , Lemos Cleidiel Aparecido Araújo , Ortega Rose Mara
Published: May 2023

Previous studies have evaluated the association between sickle cell disease (SCD) and periodontal disease; however, their effect on the periodontal parameters remains unclear. This systematic review aimed to investigate whether individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) increase the risks of periodontal disease more than those without. For the selection of eligible studies, an electronic search was conducted in the MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases. The meta‐analysis was based on the inversion of variance using the mean difference (MD) of the continuous outcomes. The quality assessment of included studies was performed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tools. In total, 13 studies and 2381 participants were included in the qualitative analysis, while 9 studies were considered for the meta‐analysis. The meta‐analysis indicated that patients with SCD present similar Plaque Index, Clinical Attachment Level, Bleeding on Probing, and Probing Depth when compared to healthy patients (p > .05). However, the Gingival Index was higher for patients with SCD (p = .0002; MD: 0.20). Compared to healthy patients, patients with SCD did not have an increase in periodontal parameters, except for the gingival index. However, further well‐designed studies are recommended to reassess the association between SCD and periodontal diseases.
Economy of Shadows: The Effects of Restrictive Regulation on Religiosity in China
Authors: Francis‐Tan Andrew
Published: May 2023

Religion is permitted in China, but its practice is tightly regulated by the state. This paper uses individual‐level longitudinal data to investigate the association between religious regulation and religious outcomes in China. Measures of regulation are constructed from instances of state action against Christians as well as Christian perceptions of unfair treatment by the government. In summary, as regulation increases, an individual is less likely to identify with a religion and less likely to say that religion is important. For those individuals without religious identification in either wave, regulation is negatively associated with religious importance. Yet, for those individuals with identification in one or two waves, regulation is either unassociated or even positively associated with importance. These findings contribute to research on regulation of religion and religion in China. More broadly, they demonstrate the state can wield considerable power over people's private lives but also that this power has limits.
Implicit function‐based continuous representation for meticulous segmentation of cracks from high‐resolution images
Authors: Chu Honghu , Long Lizhi , Guo Jingjing , Yuan Huaqing , Deng Lu
Published: May 2023

High‐resolution (HR) crack images offer more detailed information for evaluating the structural condition and formulating effective maintenance or rehabilitation plans. However, the meticulous segmentation of HR crack images has been a challenge due to the limitations of mainstream deep learning algorithms that extract features in a discrete manner, as well as the constraints of computing resources. To address this issue, a novel implicit function‐integrated architecture, called the crack continuous refinement network (CCRN), was proposed for meticulous segmentation of cracks from HR images using a continuous representation manner. First, a crack continuous alignment module with a position encoding function was proposed to encode the tiny crack pixels that are easily lost in the sampling process. Then, a lightweight decoder embedded with implicit functions was customized to recover crack details from the aligned latent features and continuous position encoding information. Afterward, the gap between low‐resolution training images and HR inference results was bridged by the proposed continuous inference strategy. Finally, the robustness and practicability of the well‐trained CCRN were demonstrated by a parallel comparison and an unmanned aerial vehicle‐based field experiment.
Bacterial membrane dynamics: Compartmentalization and repair
Authors: Bramkamp Marc , Scheffers Dirk‐Jan
Published: May 2023

In every bacterial cell, the plasma membrane plays a key role in viability as it forms a selective barrier between the inside of the cell and its environment. This barrier function depends on the physical state of the lipid bilayer and the proteins embedded or associated with the bilayer. Over the past decade or so, it has become apparent that many membrane‐organizing proteins and principles, which were described in eukaryote systems, are ubiquitous and play important roles in bacterial cells. In this minireview, we focus on the enigmatic roles of bacterial flotillins in membrane compartmentalization and bacterial dynamins and ESCRT‐like systems in membrane repair and remodeling.
The effect of food, vitamin, or mineral supplements on chronic constipation in adults: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: van der Schoot Alice , Creedon Alice , Whelan Kevin , Dimidi Eirini
Published: May 2023

Background

Over‐the‐counter supplements are commonly used to manage chronic constipation; however, their efficacy remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the effect of food, vitamin or mineral supplements on stool output, gut transit time, symptoms, and quality of life in adults with chronic constipation via a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods

Studies were identified using electronic databases, backward citation, and hand‐searching abstracts. RCTs reporting administration of food supplements (e.g., fruit extract supplements), vitamin or mineral supplements in adults with chronic constipation were included. Studies administering whole foods (e.g., fruits) were excluded. Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed with Cochrane RoB 2.0. Relative risks (RR), mean differences (MD), or standardized mean differences (95% confidence intervals [CI]) were calculated using a random‐effects model.

Key Results

Eight RCTs (787 participants) were included, investigating kiwifruit (n = 3 RCTs), senna (n = 2), magnesium oxide (n = 2), Ziziphus jujuba (n = 1), and Malva Sylvestris (n = 1) supplements. Kiwifruit supplements did not impact stool frequency (MD 0.24 bowel movements/week [−0.32, 0.80]; p = 0.40) or consistency (MD −0.11 Bristol points [−0.31, 0.09], p = 0.29). Overall, 61% responded to senna and 28% to control; however, this did not reach statistical significance (RR 2.78, [0.93, 8.27]; p = 0.07). Overall, 68% responded to magnesium oxide and 19% to control (RR 3.32 [1.59, 6.92]; p = 0.001). Magnesium oxide improved stool frequency (MD 3.72 bowel movements/week [1.41, 6.03]; p = 0.002) and consistency (MD 1.14 Bristol points [0.48, 1.79]; p = 0.0007).

Conclusions and Inferences

Magnesium oxide supplements are effective at improving cardinal symptoms of chronic constipation. Senna and kiwifruit supplements did not impact symptoms; however, findings were based on a small number of studies. Further research is required to investigate the effect of food supplements (e.g., kiwifruit supplements), as well as their whole food equivalents (e.g., whole kiwifruits) in chronic constipation.
The big four of plant taxonomy – a comparison of global checklists of vascular plant names
Authors: Schellenberger Costa David , Boehnisch Gerhard , Freiberg Martin , Govaerts Rafaël , Grenié Matthias , Hassler Michael , Kattge Jens , Muellner‐Riehl Alexandra N. , Rojas Andrés Blanca M. , Winter Marten , Watson Mark , Zizka Alexander , Wirth Christian
Published: May 2023

Taxonomic checklists used to verify published plant names and identify synonyms are a cornerstone of biological research. Four global authoritative checklists for vascular plants exist: Leipzig Catalogue of Vascular Plants, World Checklist of Vascular Plants, World Flora Online (successor of The Plant List, TPL), and WorldPlants. We compared these four checklists in terms of size and differences across taxa.

We matched taxon names of these checklists and TPL against each other, identified differences across checklists, and evaluated the consistency of accepted names linked to individual taxon names. We assessed geographic and phylogenetic patterns of variance.

All checklists differed strongly compared with TPL and provided identical information on c. 60% of plant names. Geographically, differences in checklists increased from low to high latitudes. Phylogenetically, we detected strong variability across families. A comparison of name‐matching performance on taxon names submitted to the functional trait database TRY, and a check of completeness of accepted names evaluated against an independent, expert‐curated checklist of the family Meliaceae, showed a similar performance across checklists.

This study raises awareness on the differences in data and approach across these checklists potentially impacting analyses. We propose ideas on the way forward exploring synergies and harmonizing the four global checklists.
Are seven amino acid substitutions sufficient to explain the evolution of high l‐DOPA 4,5‐dioxygenase activity leading to betalain pigmentation? Revisiting the gain‐of‐function mutants of Bean et al. (2018)
Authors: Guerrero‐Rubio M. Alejandra , Walker‐Hale Nathanael , Guo Rui , Sheehan Hester , Timoneda Alfonso , Gandia‐Herrero Fernando , Brockington Samuel F.
Published: May 2023

This work revisits a publication by Bean et al. (2018) that reports seven amino acid substitutions are essential for the evolution of l‐DOPA 4,5‐dioxygenase (DODA) activity in Caryophyllales. In this study, we explore several concerns which led us to replicate the analyses of Bean et al. (2018).

Our comparative analyses, with structural modelling, implicate numerous residues additional to those identified by Bean et al. (2018), with many of these additional residues occurring around the active site of BvDODAα1. We therefore replicated the analyses of Bean et al. (2018) to re‐observe the effect of their original seven residue substitutions in a BvDODAα2 background, that is the BvDODAα2‐mut3 variant.

Multiple in vivo assays, in both Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Nicotiana benthamiana, did not result in visible DODA activity in BvDODAα2‐mut3, with betalain production always 10‐fold below BvDODAα1. In vitro assays also revealed substantial differences in both catalytic activity and pH optima between BvDODAα1, BvDODAα2 and BvDODAα2‐mut3 proteins, explaining their differing performance in vivo.

In summary, we were unable to replicate the in vivo analyses of Bean et al. (2018), and our quantitative in vivo and in vitro analyses suggest a minimal effect of these seven residues in altering catalytic activity of BvDODAα2. We conclude that the evolutionary pathway to high DODA activity is substantially more complex than implied by Bean et al. (2018).
Cytokinin activity – transport and homeostasis at the whole plant, cell, and subcellular levels
Authors: Hu Yangjie , Shani Eilon
Published: May 2023

Cytokinins (CKs) are important plant hormones that regulate a variety of biological processes implicated in plant development and stress responses. Here, we summarize the most recent advances in discovering and characterizing the membrane transporters involved in long‐ and short‐distance translocation of CKs and their significance in CK signal activity. We highlight the discovery of PUP7 and PUP21 tonoplast‐localized transporters and propose potential mechanisms for CK subcellular homeostasis. Finally, we discuss the importance of subcellular hormone transport in light of the localization of histidine kinase receptors of CKs at the endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane.
Platform cooperatives and the dilemmas of platform worker‐member participation
Authors: Mannan Morshed , Pek Simon
Published: May 2023

Despite the surge of interest in platform cooperatives, we have a limited understanding of the dynamics of platform worker‐member participation in these cooperatives. Drawing on interviews with 21 senior leaders and founders of platform worker cooperatives, we investigate the dynamics of platform worker‐member participation, finding that these cooperatives experience some successes and many challenges. We then build theory about how four distinct features of platform worker cooperatives—the facilitation of multihoming, the physically untethered nature of work, the relatively high importance of scale as a strategic imperative, and the relatively low importance of initial platform worker‐member investment—influence these participation dynamics. We find that the platform and worker cooperative organisational models are in tension with one another when brought together within a platform worker cooperative, leading to positive and negative effects on participation.
Medical considerations in the ageing implant patient
Authors: Dave Manas , Tattar Rajpal , Patel Neil
Published: May 2023

Throughout adult life, there is a physiological decline in almost all body systems and with a greater proportion of population living to old age, dental practitioners will need to provide operative intervention in more medically complex patients. Dental implants are a common modality for the replacement of missing teeth; however, implant failure and associated disease present complex challenges to clinicians. Therefore, the aim of this narrative review is to discuss the cardiovascular, respiratory, haematological, endocrine, and musculoskeletal systems with respect to diseases affecting patients of an older age which can impact dental implant treatment.
Cryoneurolysis of alveolar nerves for chronic dental pain: A new technique and a case series
Authors: Cachemaille Matthieu , Geering Sébastien , Broome Martin
Published: May 2023

Background

Chronic neuropathic dental pain has a poor prognosis with a low chance of significant spontaneous improvement. Local or oral therapies may be efficient, however short in terms of duration with potential side effects. Cryoneurolysis has been described to prevent acute postoperative pain or to treat some chronic pain conditions; however, application to dental orofacial pain has not been reported so far.

Case Series

Following a positive diagnostic block on the corresponding alveolar nerve, neuroablation was performed using a cryoprobe on three patients suffering from persistent pain after a dental extraction and 1 after multiple tooth surgeries. The effect of treatment was assessed using a Pain Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and determined by changes in medication dosage and quality of life at day 7 and 3 months. Two patients experienced more than 50% of pain relief at 3 months, 2 by 50%. One patient was able to wean off pregabalin medication, one decreased amitriptyline by 50%, and one decreased tapentadol by 50%. No direct complications were reported. All of them mentioned improvement in sleep and quality of life.

Conclusion

Cryoneurolysis on alveolar nerves is a safe and easy‐to‐use technique allowing prolonged neuropathic pain relief after dental surgery.
Characteristics and outcomes of advanced melanoma patients with complete response and elective discontinuation of first‐line anti‐programmed death‐1 monotherapy: A real‐world multicentre observational cohort study
Authors: Ochenduszko Sebastian , García Sanchez Javier , Fita María José Juan , González‐Barrallo Inés , Herrero Colomina Julio , Mujika Karmele , Beveridge Roberto Diaz , Martínez Silverio Ros , Lafuente Blanca Sánchez , Tomas Alberto Cunquero , Jaime Alfonso Berrocal , Cerezuela Fuentes Pablo , Fra Pablo Luna , Peeters Alicia Gervás , Meana García José Andrés , García María Asunción Algarra , Altozano Javier Perez , Cancela Maria , Puchades Almudena Mateu , Roca Francisco Ferrando , Maiques Inmaculada Maestu
Published: May 2023

Anti‐programmed death‐1 (anti‐PD1) treatment has significantly improved outcomes of advanced melanoma with a considerable percentage of patients achieving complete response (CR). This real‐world study analyzed the feasibility of elective anti‐PD1 discontinuation in advanced melanoma patients with CR and evaluated factors related to sustained response. Thirty‐five patients with advanced cutaneous or primary unknown melanoma with CR to nivolumab or pembrolizumab from 11 centers were included. Mean age was 66.5 years, and 97.1% had ECOG PS 0–1. 28.6% had ≥3 metastatic sites with 58.8% having M1a‐M1b disease; 8.6% had liver and 5.7% had brain metastases. At baseline, 80% had normal LDH, and 85.7% had a neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio ≤3. 74.3% of patients had CR confirmed in PET‐CT. Median duration of anti‐PD1 was 23.4 months (range 1.3–50.5). 24 months after therapy discontinuation, 91.9% of patients were progression‐free. Estimated PFS and OS at 36, 48, and 60 months from the start of anti‐PD1 were 94.2%, 89.9%, 84.3%, and 97.1%, 93.3%, 93.3%, respectively. Antibiotics use after anti‐PD1 discontinuation increased the odds of progression (OR 16.53 [95% CI 1.7, 226.03]). The study confirms the feasibility of elective anti‐PD1 discontinuation in advanced melanoma patients with CR and favorable prognostic factors at baseline.
Volatile cinnamaldehyde induces systemic salt tolerance in the roots of rice (Oryza sativa)
Authors: Huang Chung‐Chih , Lee Yun‐Ting , Ly Thach‐Thao , Wang Chong‐Yue , Chang Yao‐Tsung , Hou Ping‐Fu , Liu Zin‐Huang , Huang Hao‐Jen
Published: May 2023

Cinnamaldehyde (CA) is a volatile plant secondary metabolite that exhibits strong anti‐pathogenic activities. Nonetheless, less is known about the effect of CA on plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. In this study, we delineated the effects of CA fumigation on rice roots (Oryza Sativa L cv. TNG67) under salinity stress (200 mM NaCl). Our result showed that CA vapor significantly alleviated salinity‐induced ROS accumulation and cell death. This CA‐induced alleviation appears to be mediated primarily by the upregulation of proline metabolism genes, the rapid proline accumulation, and the decrease of Na+/K+ ratio as early as 3 h after NaCl treatment. Of note, the activities of peroxidase (POD; EC 1.11.1.7) isozymes a and b were decreased by CA fumigation, and the activities of catalase (CAT; EC 1.11.1.6) and superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC 1.15.1.1) were not significantly affected. Our findings suggest that CA vapor might be useful for priming rice roots to withstand salinity stress, which is more prevalent due to the ongoing global climate change. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show modulation of macro‐ and micro‐elements as well as antioxidative factors after CA fumigation of salinity‐stressed rice roots.
Laguerre–Freud equations for three families of hypergeometric discrete orthogonal polynomials
Authors: Fernández‐Irisarri Itsaso , Mañas Manuel
Published: May 2023

The Cholesky factorization of the moment matrix is considered for discrete orthogonal polynomials of hypergeometric type. We derive the Laguerre–Freud equations when the first moments of the weights are given by the 1F2, 2F2, and 3F2 generalized hypergeometric series.
MultiscaleDTM: An open‐source R package for multiscale geomorphometric analysis
Authors: Ilich Alexander R. , Misiuk Benjamin , Lecours Vincent , Murawski Steven A.
Published: May 2023

Digital terrain models (DTMs) are datasets containing altitude values above or below a reference level, such as a reference ellipsoid or a tidal datum over geographic space, often in the form of a regularly gridded raster. They can be used to calculate terrain attributes that describe the shape and characteristics of topographic surfaces. Calculating these terrain attributes often requires multiple software packages that can be expensive and specialized. We have created a free, open‐source R package, MultiscaleDTM, that allows for the calculation of members from each of the five major thematic groups of terrain attributes: slope, aspect, curvature, relative position, and roughness, from a regularly gridded DTM. Furthermore, these attributes can be calculated at multiple spatial scales of analysis, a key feature that is missing from many other packages. Here, we demonstrate the functionality of the package and provide a simulation exploring the relationship between slope and roughness. When roughness measures do not account for slope, these attributes exhibit a strong positive correlation. To minimize this correlation, we propose a new roughness measure called adjusted standard deviation. In most scenarios tested, this measure produced the lowest rank correlation with slope out of all the roughness measures tested. Lastly, the simulation shows that some existing roughness measures from the literature that are supposed to be independent of slope can actually exhibit a strong inverse relationship with the slope in some cases.
A multi‐institutional epidemiologic study evaluating environmental risk factors for feline oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Noall Lucie , Lee Suhwon , Burton Jenna H. , Marquardt Taya M. , Cermak Justin , Thombs Lori A. , Rogic Anita M. , Bryan Jeffrey N. , Chu Shirley
Published: May 2023

Feline oral squamous cell carcinoma (FOSCC) is an aggressive cancer in domestic cats that has no effective treatment option when advanced. Preventative or early diagnostic measures are thus crucial. FOSCC is also a model for human head and neck SCC (HNSCC); strong risk factors in HNSCC include exposure to alcohol, tobacco, areca nut, and high‐risk human papillomavirus. Previous studies have identified flea collar and tobacco smoke exposure, feeding canned tuna, canned cat food and cat foods with chemical additives, living in a rural environment, and having outdoor access as risk factors for FOSCC but there was no overlap in the risk factors between studies. In our study, risks for FOSCC were evaluated in an online epidemiologic survey study in 67 cats with FOSCC and 129 control cats. Clumping clay cat litter and flea collar use were significant risk factors for FOSCC on multiple logistic regression with odds ratios of 1.66 (95% CI 1.20–2.30) and 4.48 (95% CI 1.46–13.75) respectively. Crystalline silica is a carcinogen that may be present in all clay cat litters and tetrachlorvinphos is a carcinogen that is present in the most commonly used flea collars in our study. We recommend further investigation into the association between FOSCC and clay‐based litter and/or flea collars containing tetrachlorvinphos.
A Method for Designing of Hydraulic Actuators Using Digital Hydraulic Pump and Multichamber Cylinder
Authors: Nostrani Marcos Paulo , Oliveira e Silva Dimitri , Krus Petter , De Negri Victor Juliano
Published: May 2023

Hydraulic actuation systems have a broad range of applications covering almost all areas of manufacturing and production and also the service industry. However, it is usual for systems to have low energy efficiency. In recent decades, due to global environmental concerns, research in the field of digital hydraulics to develop more efficient hydraulic systems has increased. In this paper, an analysis of the possible combinations of chambers in a multichamber cylinder is presented. A mathematical expression is derived to verify the total number of combinations of chambers that it is possible to achieve for a cylinder with four or more chambers and that result in different constant velocities without cavitation occurring. In addition, a digital hydraulic pump is considered a supply unit and, since it has discrete output flow rates, an analytical method to combine the pump with a multichamber cylinder is developed resulting in a total number of cylinder velocities with a required resolution. For application in a positioning system, design guidelines for an actuator using a cylinder with four chambers and a digital hydraulic pump with three fixed displacement units are presented in which an optimization algorithm for the calculation of the cylinder areas and the volumetric displacement of the pumps is applied. The proposed approaches were applied to design a proof-of-concept and the experimental values presented very good accuracy when compared with the results obtained with the model. Closed-loop position control responses show that the system can achieve the required setting time with a smooth movement and steady-state error of around 1 mm.
Examining the Intersection of Sport, Social Media, and Crisis Communication
Authors: Frederick Evan L. , Pegoraro Ann
Published: May 2023

The purpose of this commentary is to present the state of sport, social media, and crisis communication research. Existing crisis-communication research involving athletes and coaches; collegiate institutions; teams, leagues, and governing bodies; journalists; and other sport entities are discussed. The commentary concludes with a discussion of directions for future research, including (a) interviewing industry professionals, (b) employing survey design to examine user response, (c) employing experimental design with social media manipulations, (d) validating and developing frameworks, and (e) examining additional social media platforms.
Axial pullout behaviour of fusible PVC pipes and fusion weld joints assessed using distributed fibre optic sensors
Authors: Matymish J. , Moore I.D. , Woods J.E. , Hoult N.A.
Published: May 2023

Pipes are subjected to axial pulling forces that lead to shear stresses at the soil–pipe interface and axial strain distributions from various circumstances, including pulled-in-place pipe installation and permanent ground deformations. This study investigates the axial pullout response of fusible polyvinyl chloride pipes in dense sand. Three tests were conducted using a large-scale soil chamber to assess the development of axial resistance and the impact of non-continuous pulling and fusion weld joints. The measured maximum load response was significantly underpredicted by guidelines typically used in practice. Additionally, non-continuous pulling and changes to the pull rate had negligible impacts on the load–displacement response. Pipes were instrumented with distributed fibre optic sensors (DFOS) to capture the nonlinear development of strains along these flexible pipes and the mobilization of soil friction along the soil–pipe interface. Measurements have provided insight into the propagation of axial strains along the pipe, the additional longitudinal restraint provided by fusion weld joints, and their impact on the axial force distribution along pipes. The “locked-in” strains due to residual soil–pipe friction remaining after the axial pulling force is removed have also been measured using DFOS.
Gamma cascades in gadolinium isotopes
Authors: Grabmayr Peter
Published: May 2023

The compound nucleus model is employed to calculate the $$\gamma $$
γ
decay after neutron capture by the gadolinium isotopes $$^{155}$$

155

Gd and $$^{157}$$

157

Gd. The respective $$\gamma $$
γ
cascades are analyzed for possible use in rare-event searches like $$0\nu \beta \beta $$

0
ν
β
β

decay as neutron-veto for neutron energies in the range from 0.1 keV to 10 MeV.
Leptonic flavor changing processes ℓi → ℓjγ and ℓi → ℓjℓkℓl in the Twin Higgs models
Authors: Liu Guo-Li , Wang Fei , Wang Wenyu
Published: May 2023

Heavy neutrinos are usually introduced to accommodate tiny neutrino masses via seesaw mechanism, or to alleviate the cosmology problem, and there may exist charged Higgs which couple to the leptons with different flavors. These two features can appear in the Twin Higgs models. What interests us is that such new particles and interactions may lead to new contributions to the lepton flavor violating processes [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. We find that current experimental data can constrain the parameter spaces and certain lepton flavor violating processes can possibly be tested by the next generation experiments.
Conservation of boundary term for gravitational action
Authors: Debnath Shiladittya , Majumder Brajagopal
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we intend to establish a rigorous mathematical relation between the Gibbons–Hawking–York (GHY) boundary term and the conserved symmetric current which arises due to Noether’s second theorem. The GHY term is necessary to ensure that the equations of motion in general relativity are well-posed, and it is a key ingredient in the thermodynamics of black holes and the derivation of the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy. Noether’s second theorem on the other hand relates the symmetries of the action to conserved quantities of the system. In this paper, we prove that the connection between the GHY term and Noether’s second theorem can be established by considering a diffeomorphism that preserves the boundary condition of the surface integral. Additionally, we also derive the associated conserved current and charge.
Characteristic of thermal buoyancy and heat source on hybrid nanofluid stagnation-point flow under the action of convective boundary condition and induced magnetic field
Authors: Sharma Ram Prakash , Shukla Sunendra , Mishra S. R.
Published: May 2023

An analysis is presented for the stagnation-point two-dimensional fluid flow of hybrid nanofluid towards an expanding surface characterized by the induced magnetic field. Further, the consideration of thermal buoyancy and additional heat source enhances the flow phenomena with various physical parameters involved in it. This work has significant novelty due to the behavior of the convective boundary conditions. Besides, due to the convective term the nonlinear differential equations designed in this problem are incorporated and are resolved numerically by executing the Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg method. Additionally, three different classes of nanosized particle configurations named brick, cylinders, and platelets shapes are examined for the implementation of the Hamilton–Crosser thermal conductivity model. In the end, the influences characterizing the local Nusselt number and the coefficient of skin friction profiles have been discussed for unalike shapes of nanosized particles are discussed. In the above study, it is found that the platelet-shaped nanosized particle is more efficient in comparison to the other shapes considered herein. Further, particle concentration and particle shape are also favorable in enhancing fluid temperature in hybrid nanofluids in contrast to pure fluid.
Nonlinear convection of MHD radiative non-Newtonian power law fluid due to exponentially stretched surface with dissipation and Joule heating effects
Authors: Jagtap Harshal S. , Gupta Ashok Kumar , Rajput Govind R.
Published: May 2023

Present analysis deals with the impact of nonlinear convection on MHD non-Newtonian fluid flow considering exponentially stretched sheet through porous media. Additionally, the effects of radiation, Joule heating and energy dissipation have been taken into account. The considered flow situation of nonlinear PDEs is transmuted to nonlinear ODEs using similarity analysis. The numerical computations are derived using a fourth-order Runge–Kutta scheme with a shooting technique. Meaningful observations are discussed for velocity and energy profiles. Further, the impact of pertinent parameters considering pseudoplastic fluids [Formula: see text] and dilatant fluids [Formula: see text] is briefed through graphs. It is noted that the escalation in the values of the power-law index declines the velocity and energy profile. Higher values of the nonlinear parameter decline the energy profile.
Bio-convection flow of fractionalized second grade fluid through a vertical channel with Fourier’s and Fick’s laws
Authors: Abbas Shajar , Gilani Syeda Farzeen Fatima , Nazar Mudassar , Fatima Maryam , Ahmad Mushtaq , Nisa Zaib Un
Published: May 2023

This study is conducted to discuss the thermal transport of second grade nanofluid flowing through a vertical channel. The nanoparticles, alumina (Al2O3), and titanium (TiO2), are dispersed into the second grade base fluid to form a hybrid nanofluid. The governing equation prescribed model is constructed by applying the laws of conservation of mass and energy. It can be modified by converting the non-dimensional classical model to the fractional derivative model using Fick’s and Fourier’s laws. With the help of the Laplace transforms, the resulting dimensionless form of the governing equations and the closed form relations of temperature, concentration, and velocity are obtained. The physical behavior of the obtained result is judged graphically. The nanoparticle’s volume percentage increases the concentration and temperature distribution, but it has the opposite impact on the velocity profile.
Maximizing buckling load of metabeams via combinatorial optimization of microstructures
Authors: Chen Xiangjun , Li Meie , An Ning , Zhou Jinxiong
Published: May 2023

Design of mechanical metamaterials is typically realized by repeating microstructured building blocks or unit cells. Microstructures of these unit cells can be identical, whereas individual design of each cell and various combinations of unit cells definitely offer more freedoms and possibilities for combinatorial design of metamaterials. Unfortunately, this combinatorial design problem is prohibitively challenging, if not impossible, due mainly to its huge number of combinatorial cases. This paper poses and addresses the combinatorial optimization of a metabeam, aiming at maximizing its critical buckling load. The problem was conceptualized and solved by combination of ML accelerated surrogate modeling and optimization algorithm, and buckling and post-buckling performance of the optimal design was validated by high-fidelity simulations and experiments. The efforts provide efficient tools for combinatorial design of mechanical metamaterials. We publicly share all the data and codes for implementation.
Seamless Parametrization with Cone and Partial Loop Control
Authors: Levi Zohar
Published: May 2023

We present a method for constructing seamless parametrization for surfaces of any genus that can handle any feasible cone configuration with any type of cones. The mapping is guaranteed to be locally injective, which is due to careful construction of a simple domain boundary polygon. The polygon’s complexity depends on the cones in the field, and it is independent of mesh geometry. The result is a small polygon that can be optimized prior to the interior mapping, which contributes to the robustness of the pipeline.

For a surface of genus >0, non-contractible loops play an important role, and their holonomies significantly affect mapping quality. We enable holonomy prescription, where local injectivity is guaranteed. Our prescription, however, is limited and cannot handle all feasible holonomies due to monotonicity constraints that keep our polygon simple. Yet this work is an important step toward fully solving the holonomy prescription problem.
On the Ordering of Pooled Web Pages, Gold Assessments, and Bronze Assessments
Authors: Sakai Tetsuya , Tao Sijie , Chen Nuo , Li Yujing , Maistro Maria , Chu Zhumin , Ferro Nicola
Published: May 2023

The present study leverages a recent opportunity we had to create a new English web search test collection for the NTCIR-16 We Want Web (WWW-4) task, which concluded in June 2022. More specifically, through the test collection construction effort, we examined two factors that may affect the relevance assessments of depth-
k
pools, which in turn may affect the relative evaluation of different IR systems. The first factor is the document ordering strategy for the assessors, namely, prioritisation (PRI) and randomisation (RND). PRI is a method that has been used in NTCIR tasks for over a decade; it ranks the pooled documents by a kind of pseudorelevance for the assessors. The second factor is assessor type, i.e., Gold or Bronze. Gold assessors are the topic creators and therefore they “know” which documents are (highly) relevant and which are not; Bronze assessors are not the topic creators and may lack sufficient knowledge about the topics. We believe that our study is unique in that the authors of this article served as the Gold assessors when creating the WWW-4 test collection, which enabled us to closely examine why Bronze assessments differ from the Gold ones. Our research questions examine assessor efficiency (
RQ1
), inter-assessor agreement (
RQ2
), system ranking similarity with different qrels files (
RQ3
), system ranking robustness to the choice of test topics (
RQ4
), and the reasons why Bronze assessors tend to be more liberal than Gold assessors (
RQ5
). The most remarkable of our results are as follows: First, in the comparisons for
RQ1
through
RQ4
, it turned out that what may matter more than the document ordering strategy (PRI vs. RND) and the assessor type (Gold vs. Bronze) is how well-motivated and/or well-trained the Bronze assessors are. Second, regarding
RQ5
, of the documents originally judged nonrelevant by the Gold assessors contrary to the Bronze assessors in our experiments, almost one half were truly relevant according to the Gold assessors’ own reconsiderations. This result suggests that even Gold assessors are far from perfect; budget permitting, it may be beneficial to hire highly motivated Bronze assessors in addition to Gold assessors so they can complement each other.
Grazing Effects of Xenocypris davidi Bleeker (Cyprinidae, Cypriniformes) on Filamentous Algae and the Consequent Effects on Intestinal Microbiota
Authors: Tang Yongtao , Wang Chen , Jiang Hanjun , Zhao Liangjie , Qian Chen , Guo Xusheng , Sun Yunfei , Tang Boping , Xuan Fujun , Cheng Yongxu
Published: May 2023

Filamentous algae are present in seawater and freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Their growth poses a serious threat to water environments and fishery production, especially Chinese mitten crab and red swamp crayfish culturing. To explore safe and ecological treatment methods, we comparatively studied the grazing effects of Xenocypris davidi Bleeker on Cladophora (one species) and Spirogyra (two species) in indoor glass tanks and examined the intestinal microbiota related to digestion and absorption. The results showed that the fish was more receptive to Spirogyra than to Cladophora, and the intake rates of different species of Spirogyra varied. Fish weight increased slightly after feeding with Spirogyra, and the levels of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in water increased significantly (

p
<
0.05

) relative to the initial values. Intestinal microbiota diversity and richness varied after feeding with three filamentous algal species, and the similarity increased after feeding with two Spirogyra species. The microbial species detected in this study belonged to 40 phyla and 838 genera. The clustering characteristics of different groups and subgroups were obvious based on the microbial phylum composition. Significant differences in the relative abundance rates of eight nutrition-related metabolism functions were found among groups and subgroups (

p
<
0.05

). The correlations between intestinal microbiota and metabolism functions were analyzed, and some meaningful correlations were revealed. The results presented in this study provided a meaningful reference on the control of the overgrowth of filamentous algae in aquaculture waters by the biomanipulation method.
Isotherms and Kinetic Studies of Copper Removal from Textile Wastewater and Aqueous Solution Using Powdered Banana Peel Waste as an Adsorbent in Batch Adsorption Systems
Authors: Seleman Momina , Sime Takele , Ayele Abate , Sergawie Assefa , Nkambule Thabo , Fito Jemal
Published: May 2023

Heavy metals that are present in surface water and wastewater are becoming a severe environmental problem. Because of its toxicity, heavy metal removal has become the main priority for environmental concerns. Banana peels are low-cost agricultural waste that could be used for heavy metal adsorption in wastewater. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effective powdered banana peel for the removal of copper (II) from aqueous solutions and real wastewater. The banana peels were collected from domestic waste and ground to get a particle size of 150 µm. Powdered banana peel waste adsorbent (PBPWA) contained moisture content, ash content, volatile matter, and bulk density of 3.8%, 3.5%, 37.5%, and 0.02 g/cm3, respectively. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results showed that the alkyne, aldehyde, and amide functional groups were dominant in the powdered banana peel surface, and the scanning electron microscope showed the morphology of the adsorbent. Physicochemical characteristics of the raw wastewater revealed that the concentration of Cu (II), Pb (II), COD, BOD5, and Cd (II) were 2.75 mg/L, 2.02 mg/L, 612.16 mg/L, 185.35 mg/L, and 0.01 mg/L, respectively. At pH 5, adsorbent dose of 2g/100 mL, initial copper (II) concentration of 80 mg/L, and contact time of 90 min, the maximum removal efficiency of synthetic wastewater was 96.8% and textile wastewater was 69.0%. The adsorption isotherm fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model at R2 = 0.99. The kinetics of copper (II) adsorption followed the second-order kinetic model better. Finally, these studies showed that banana peel bio-adsorbent is a potential adsorbent for heavy metal removal from synthetic and textile wastewater.