bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative analysis of phenolics, flavonoids and anthocyanins in pigmented and non-pigmented maize cultivars (Zea mays L.) in Bangladesh
Authors: Preety Israt Jahan , Islam Mohammed Ariful , Rahman Jamilur , Ahmed Kamal Uddin , Hossain Ashrafi
Published: March 2024

In this investigation, we determined the compositions of phenolics, flavonoids and anthocyanins in a newly released maize (SAU purple maize) variety and compared its phytonutrients with those of other maize varieties cultivated in Bangladesh. The SAU purple maize contained 105.82 ± 8.3 and 165.05 ± 7.5 mg FAE/100 g sample of free and bound phenolics, respectively. The SAU purple maize had the greatest amount of flavonoids (76.49 ± 9.5 mg CE/100 g dry weight) and anthocyanins (68.58 ± 5.3 C3G equv./100 f of dry weight sample) compared with the other pigmented maize varieties used in the investigation. The phenolic content of a hilly indigenous deep red maize cultivar was similar to that of SAU purple maize, but the former contained less flavonoids and anthocyanins than did the later. Nevertheless, the SAU white maize variety had 30.55 ± 1.61, 46.85 ± 4.4 mg FAE/100 g and 8.82 mg CE/100 g of free and bound phenolics and total flavonoids, respectively, which were lower than those of the SAU purple maize. Again, the BARI hybrid maize variety 9 (yellow maize) contained the lowest level of total anthocyanin (4.7 ± 1.1 mg C3G/100 g). The percentages of insoluble phenolics relative to total phenolics and of flavonoids relative to insoluble phenolics were greater in the SAU purple maize. Overall, the SAU purple maize contained relatively high amounts of phenolics, flavonoids and anthocyanins; thus, this maize variety has great promise for future use as a human food and for industrial use.
Psychological processes and abilities for ceasing sex as self-injury – a qualitative study
Authors: Apelqvist Cathrine , Irmelid Tove , Jonsson Linda S , Fredlund Cecilia
Published: March 2024

Background
The term sex as self-injury (SASI) refers to sexual behaviors that are used as a means of self-injury, with motives such as emotional regulation comparable to other self-injurious behaviors, including burning or cutting the skin. The aim of this study was to explore which psychological processes and abilities made it possible to cease SASI, in order to contribute to the knowledge that underpins psychological interventions and treatments.
Method
The study was based on an open-ended questionnaire published on the websites of Swedish NGOs offering help and support to women and youths. In total 196 individuals with experience of SASI were included in the study. The age of the participants was 15–64 years (mean age 27.9 years), and most of the participants were women. Thematic analysis with an inductive approach was used for the study, but with prerequisites that drew on cognitive behavioral therapy treatment and functional analysis.
Results
Five abilities were seen as important for cessation of SASI; 1) Revised core beliefs about the self which were achieved through new experiences or cognitive restructuring. 2) Evolved emotional competence achieved through understanding or acceptance of emotions or new coping skills. 3) Increased relational competence via new relationship experiences or new communication skills. 4) Acquired meta-perspective through insight and knowledge of SASI. 5) Strengthened psychological empowerment through new relationship to the body and sexuality, transfer of responsibility or norm-critical perspective.
Conclusions
Based on the results regarding psychological processes, acquired abilities and alternative behaviors, proposals for therapeutic interventions that may activate these processes were discussed.
Improved delayed recall of neurological knowledge with greater satisfaction using visual mnemonics
Authors: Parmar Sunjay
Published: March 2024

Background
Medical school requires retaining large amounts of information. Throughout history we have adopted mental scaffolds, such as mnemonics, to enable this. At the extreme, they are used to help memory athletes in high-stakes tournaments. Despite there being a plethora of mnemonic subtypes, within neurology education, there is little research on how they can be used to support learning. This study will be the first to compare visual mnemonics, word mnemonics and non-mnemonic controls, with primary outcomes looking at delayed recall of neurological knowledge and student satisfaction.
Methods
A single-centre, randomised, subject-blind, controlled study assigned medical students to various arms to learn and recall facts about 3 neurological conditions. Control group were given text with bolded key terms; word mnemonic group were given the same text with initialism or acronym mnemonic; visual mnemonic group had the same text alongside a visual mnemonic. Free-recall was assessed at time-points immediately after, at 1 week and 1 month from learning. Satisfaction questionnaire assessed students’ views on their assigned learning method.
Results
38 students evenly distributed between the groups completed the study (56 recruited, 18 lost to follow-up). The visual mnemonic group had significantly higher recall scores at all time-points with a mean score percentage improvement compared to the word mnemonic and control group of 236% and 230% respectively (one-way ANOVA with post-hoc analysis; p < 0.05). There was no difference between word mnemonic and control group recall scores at any time. Subjective satisfaction assessment using mode Likert ratings showed students in the visual mnemonic group found learning enjoyable and felt it should be incorporated into the medical curriculum.
Discussion
Visual mnemonics demonstrated significantly longer-term recall compared to word mnemonics and controls. In part, this is due to reducing cognitive load whilst simultaneously improving engagement. Mnemonics are not a panacea of learning optimisation; they should be used as an adjunct when information cannot be learnt conceptually. For curriculum implementation, thought needs to be given as to what should be taught mnemonically, whether they be student- or instructor-generated, and how they would integrate with other evidence-based practices such as spaced-repetition and elaborative interrogation
Emails 24/7: Agile working or electronic leash? Associations between engaging with work emails outside of normal working hours and health and productivity
Authors: Braithwaite Elizabeth C. , Walker Lucy , Cooper Cary , Jones Marc V.
Published: March 2024

Work-related stress is a key challenge for economies globally, with far-reaching individual, organisational and societal consequences. One contributor to work-related stress is the blurring of boundaries between work and home domains, known as work-home interference (WHI). A legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic is increased flexible and remote working, which could increase WHI and resultantly work-related stress. A tangible marker of WHI is employee engagement with work emails during leisure time, however very little is known about the prevalence, predictors, and impacts of this behaviour. In a sample of 1229 UK-based employees, we report on social norms and work-place culture around engaging with work emails outside of normal working hours. Additionally, we investigated whether work email importance, email overload and email management tactics were associated with email engagement during leisure time, and whether this type of email engagement was associated with health and productivity, in cross-section. Participants who reported that email was highly important and/or felt overloaded by emails were more likely to engage with work emails during leisure time. Additionally, email engagement in leisure time was associated with poorer physical and psychological health, but not productivity. Our findings have implications for organisational policy and culture around employee email engagement behaviours.
"Turning Right"? An experimental study on the political value shift in large language models
Authors: Gu Chao , Liu Yifei , Pan Wangyuang
Published: March 2024

Constructing artificial intelligence that aligns with human values is a crucial challenge, with political values playing a distinctive role among the various human value systems. In this study, we developed a standardized method to test political values in AI, utilizing the Political Compass Test alongside rigorous bootstrapping techniques. This methodology was applied to different versions of the notably influential ChatGPT. Our findings reveal that while newer versions of ChatGPT consistently maintain values within the libertarian-left quadrant, there is a significant rightward shift in political values, a phenomenon we term a 'value shift' in large language models. This shift is particularly noteworthy given the deep integration of large language models with human knowledge creation, suggesting potentially profound impacts on societal values. Intriguingly, our analysis indicates that this value shift in ChatGPT may not be directly linked to its training datasets. This research sheds light on the dynamic nature of value alignment in AI, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring and understanding of the underlying factors driving these shifts in AI-generated political values.
Automating incidence and prevalence analysis in open cohorts
Authors: Cockburn Neil , Hammond Ben , Ghani Illin , Cusworth Samuel , Acharya Aditya , Gokhale Krishna , Thayakaran Rasiah , Crowe Francesca , Minhas Sonica , Parry-Smith William , Taylor Beck , Nirantharakumar Krishnarajah , Chandan Joht Singh
Published: March 2024

Motivation
Increasingly vast quantities of data support improvement and research in public health, and growth is especially seen in administrative data such as that collected in electronic health records. Patients enter and exit these typically open-cohort datasets non-uniformly; this can render simple questions about incidence and prevalence time-consuming and with unnecessary variation between analyses. We therefore developed methods to automate analysis of incidence and prevalence in open cohort datasets, to improve transparency, productivity and reproducibility of analyses.
Implementation
We provide both a code-free set of rules for incidence and prevalence that can be applied to any open cohort, and a python Command Line Interface implementation of these rules requiring python 3.9 or later.
General features
The Command Line Interface is used to calculate incidence and point prevalence time series from open cohort data. The ruleset can be used in developing other implementations or can be rearranged to form other analytical questions such as period prevalence.
Availability
The command line interface is freely available from https://github.com/THINKINGGroup/analogy publication.
Unusual Excitation Wavelength Dependency of Quantum Yield in Water Soluble CdTe Quantum Dots
Authors: Nandi Chayan , Kaushik Kush , Mondal Jiban , Bag Ritesh , Sharma Shagun , Anjum Farhan
Published: March 2024

The Quantum yield (QY) of the semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) severely hampered by the inherent fluorescence intermittency. The QY of QDs usually increases with the increase in excitation wavelength. Here, we present an unusual behaviour where QY is found to decrease with increase in excitation wavelength in water soluble CdTe QDs (CQDs). Single particle measurement highlights the increase in permanent single dark particles at longer wavelength that comprehend the overall QY of the QDs in bulk solution. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy further revealed an increase in number of dark particles at longer wavelength. The presence of H+ ion in the water plays an important role in creating the permanently dark states in the CQDs. This observation was further supported by the cell internalization study of the QDs where much brighter images at shorter wavelength than longer wavelength were observed. A study of the excitation wavelength-dependent QY in QDs may reveal new insights into the applicability of QDs in different device fabrication cases.
El Niño Southern Oscillation and Tropical Basin Interaction in Idealized Worlds
Authors: Dommenget Dietmar , Hutchinson David
Published: March 2024

In this study we discuss a set of coupled general circulation model simulations with idealised geometries of the tropical ocean basins and land with a focus on important characteristics of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) type of variability and tropical basin interaction. In a series of 15 simulations, we first vary the zonal width of a single tropical ocean basin from 50o to 360o, while the rest of the tropical zone is set as land. Further we discuss different simplified configurations of two or three tropical ocean basins. The results show remarkable changes in ENSO characteristics as a function of basin width and due to the interaction with other basins that challenge our current understanding of ENSO dynamics. A single basin ENSO has an optimal basin width of about 150o (width of the Pacific) at which ENSO’s preferred period is the longest, the wind stress feedback is the strongest and variability is stronger than in all other basin widths, expect for the 350o basin. Tropical basin interactions substantially affect ENSO strength, periodicity, feedbacks, non-linearity, spatial scale and pattern. In experiments with two or three identical ocean basins we find highly synchronized ENSO modes that are identical between basins and far more energetic and oscillatory than the single basin modes. The results challenge our current understanding of core ENSO dynamics. The framework of these experiments can help to better understand the atmospheric dynamics of ENSO and should help to formulate an ENSO theory that incorporates tropical basin interactions as a core element.
Prokaryotic communities of the French Polynesian sponge Dactylospongia metachromia display a site-specific and stable diversity during an aquaculture trial
Authors: Maslin Mathilde , Paix Benoît , Windt Niels , Ambo-Rappe Rohani , Debitus Cécile , Gaertner-Mazouni Nabila , Ho Raimana , Voogd Nicole J.
Published: March 2024

Dynamics of microbiomes through time are fundamental regarding survival and resilience of their hosts when facing environmental alterations. As for marine species with commercial applications, such as marine sponges, assessing the temporal change of prokaryotic communities allows us to better consider the adaptation of sponges to aquaculture designs. The present study aims to investigate the factors shaping the microbiome of the sponge Dactylospongia metachromia (Order Dictyoceratida, family Thorectidae), in a context of aquaculture development in French Polynesia (Rangiroa, Tuamotu archipelago). A temporal approach targeting explants collected during farming trials revealed a relative high stability of the prokaryotic diversity, meanwhile a complementary biogeographical study confirmed a spatial specificity amongst samples at different longitudinal scales. Results from this additional spatial analysis confirmed that differences in prokaryotic communities might first be explained by environmental changes (mainly temperature and salinity), while no significant effect of the host phylogeny was observed. The core community of D. metachromia is thus characterized by a high spatiotemporal constancy, which is a good prospect for the sustainable exploitation of this species towards drug development. Indeed, a microbiome stability across locations and throughout the farming process, as evidenced by our results, should go against a negative influence of sponge translocation during in situ aquaculture.
Predicting Frequent-Infrequent Access of Objects in Tiered Cloud Storage Services
Authors: Motta Flávio A. A. , Gonçalves Glauber Dias , Bernardino Heder S. , Villela Saulo Moraes , Vieira Alex B.
Published: March 2024

Cloud storage services provide both individual and business users with valuable functionalities like backup, data replication across different locations, data sharing, and collaborative work. These services often feature tiered storage options with various pricing models based on the classification of stored objects. Our research explores an increasingly important aspect for users: accurately predicting whether objects will be frequently or infrequently accessed, and thereby assigning them to the most cost-effective storage tier. We introduce a machine learning framework designed to dynamically determine the suitable class for objects based on their access patterns, achieving an accuracy rate surpassing 80\%. This framework's effectiveness is assessed through trace-driven simulations utilizing Dropbox data. The findings indicate that our approach can reduce storage costs by up to 37\% compared to other data allocation strategies reported in recent research.
Dynamical model of fatigue pitting fault helical gear pair considering lubricating oil film influence: Theoretical analysis and experimental verification
Authors: Pu Xiangrun , Chen Yong , Li Guangxin , Li Anhe , He Bolin
Published: March 2024

For the helical gear fault diagnosis investigation, it is essential to establish a pitting dynamics model that incorporates several nonlinear parameters to simulate the fault characteristics. This paper proposes a multi-degree-of-freedom analytical nonlinear dynamic model of helical gear pair under pitting fault, introducing the stiffness and damping parameters of gear matrix and lubricant film, the variable friction coefficient of elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL), and the measured meshing profile error. Contact fatigue experiments are carried out with a helical gear transmission test bench to gain the full-stage vibration response from healthy to severe pitting fault conditions to validate the reliability of the proposed nonlinear dynamics model. The distribution and amplitude of the eigenfrequencies of the analytical results, considering the influence of the lubricating oil film, are more consistent with the experimental measurements, where the sidebands between the three times and four times fundamental frequency are in acceptable agreement. The comparison results confirm the importance of considering the influence of the lubricant film when studying the dynamics of gear tooth pitting failures, and the analytical method and proposed model can be a reference for dynamical simulation modelling for gear fatigue failure diagnosis and analysis.
Wedelia chinensis-derived biomass porous carbon as anode material for high performance sodium/potassium ion batteries
Authors: Pang Zengwei , Wang Letong , Wan Shenteng , Liu Miaomiao , Niu Xiaohui , Wang Kunjie , Li Hongxia
Published: March 2024

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) and potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are potential alternatives of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their high energy density and low cost. Unfortunately, they are difficult to use for large-scale grid energy storage due to the lack of suitable anode materials for sodium/potassium energy storage. Biomass-derived carbon, which is widely available and environmentally friendly, is one of the most promising anode materials for SIBs/PIBs, but the design and regulation of its microstructure is exceptionally complex. By selecting suitable biomass precursors, it is expected that biomass-derived carbon with suitable microstructures can be simply prepared. In this study, wedelia chinensis were selected as biomass precursors, and biomass-derived carbon materials with large interfacial spacing, suitable pores and high specific surface area were prepared by a simple one-step pyrolysis method. The material exhibited fast energy storage kinetics when electrochemically tested as an anode and showed different performance advantages in storing sodium/potassium. When tested as an anode for SIBs, it exhibited excellent specific capacity and cycling stability (380.7 mA h g− 1 after 500 cycles at 100 mA g− 1); When tested as an anode for PIB, it exhibited excellent rate performance (128.6 mA h g− 1 at 10 A g− 1).
Bacillus cereus (OR975563) of maize rhizosphere can promote plant growth and potentially suppress mycotoxin (Fumonisin B1) during storage
Authors: Islam Md. Shariful , Chakraborty Shila , Antu Sadia Islam , Ali Md. Hosen , Khokon Rahman
Published: March 2024

Seed deterioration and development of toxins are the prime concern of maize seeds for maintaining quality and health during storage in Bangladesh. Endophytic and rhizospheric bacteria of maize were assessed for their growth suppressive potential against mycotoxigenic fungi (Fusarium oxysporum) and reduction of mycotoxin (Fumonisin B1) during storage. In this study, a total of 48 bacterial isolates were obtained and evaluated for their antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum. Four rhizospheric (8SISO4, 8SISO5, 14SISO14, and 16SISO16) which were identified as Bacillus velezensis (OR975558), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (OR975561), Bacillus subtilis (OR975559) and Bacillus cereus (OR975563) and four endophytic (6RISO28, 9RISO31, 11RISO33, and 9RISO32) bacterial isolates which were identified as Bacillus tropicus (PP335187), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (OR975562), Bacillus zanthoxyli (OR975560) and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens showed in vitro growth suppressive effect against F. oxysporum. Maize seeds were treated 1, 6 and 12 hours by immersing into bacterial suspension. Among the treatments, seeds treated with the isolate 6RISO28 showed the highest mycelial growth suppression (84.0%) against F. oxysporum. After 8 month of storage, the highest seed germination (68.7%), shoot length (5.1 cm), root length (8.1cm), disease incidence (23.3%) with a vigor index of 988.6 were recorded in the T23 (Maize seed dipping for 6 hr in 16SISO16) with the lowest Fumonisin concentration (4.5 ppm) and the highest mycelial growth suppression of Fusarium. Therefore, it can be opined that utilization of antagonistic bacteria can be a promising approach for the reduction of mycotoxin along with the improvement of seed and seedling health of maize during post-harvest storage.
Association between physical fitness index and psychological symptoms in left-behind children: a cross-sectional study from East China
Authors: Wen Yuan , Xiong Li , Luo Shuaicheng , Deng Guofeng , Jiang Jing , Li Yuqiang
Published: March 2024

Objective: This study aimed to investigate psychological symptoms among left-behind children (LBC) and clarify the associations with their physical fitness index (PFI).
Method: We tested 4705 LBC aged 13–18 years from three provinces in East China on seven physical fitness items using national student physical health standards. Participants’ PFI was calculated by standardizing the physical fitness item scores. Participants’ depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 and the General Anxiety Disorder 7, respectively. Chi-square tests were used to compare the detection rates of psychological symptoms by PFI levels. Associations between PFI levels and psychological symptoms were determined using binary logistic regression.
Results: The detection rates of anxiety and depression symptoms among LBC were 35.98% and 33.99%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed PFI levels were statistically significantly related to psychological symptoms in boys and girls (anxiety: χ2=37.880 and 52.246, respectively; depression: χ2=29.885 and 68.735, respectively; P<0.05 for all). The multivariate analysis indicated different PFI levels were positively associated with psychological symptoms in both boys (low-level anxiety: odds ratio [OR]=3.898, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.464–5.982; low-level depression: OR=3.923, 95%CI 2.473–6.223; mid-level anxiety: OR=1.747, 95%CI 1.194–2.555; mid-level depression: OR=1.926, 95%CI 1.298–2.858) and girls (low-level anxiety: OR=4.543, 95%CI 3.032–6.806; low-level depression: OR=6.476, 95%CI 4.096–10.239; mid-level anxiety: OR=3.436, 95%CI 2.437–4.845; mid-level depression: OR=5.001, 95%CI 3.345–7.479) (P<0.05 for all).
Conclusicons: Low and middle PFI levels may be risk factors for psychological symptoms among LBC. Improving physical fitness may reduce psychological health problems in this population.
LMK235 ameliorates inflammation and fibrosis after myocardial infarction by inhibiting LSD1-related pathway
Authors: Lv Fangzhou , Xie Laidi , Li Lei , Lin Jiafeng
Published: March 2024

Background: Histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) and histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) are two isoforms of class IIa HDACs, and LMK235 is an HDAC inhibitor with higher selectivity for HDAC4/5. This study aimed to explore the expression and subcellular localization of HDAC4/5 and determine the mechanisms underlying the impact of LMK235 on ventricular remodelling post-MI.
Methods: The MI model was established by left anterior descending branch (LAD) ligation, and LMK235 or vehicle was intraperitoneally injected daily for 3 weeks. Cardiac function was determined by echocardiography. Inflammation was evaluated by HE staining and measuring inflammatory cytokine expression, and fibrosis was evaluated by Masson staining and measuring fibrotic biomarker expression.
Results: We found that LMK235 ameliorated cardiac dysfunction post-MI by suppressing inflammation and fibrosis, and LMK235 inhibited upregulation of lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) expression post-MI. In macrophages, LMK235 attenuated lipopolysaccharide (LPS) - induced inflammatory cytokine expression and inhibited LSD1 expression, while overexpression of LSD1 abrogated the anti-inflammatory effect of LMK235. In cardiac fibroblasts, LMK235 attenuated transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) - induced fibrotic biomarker expression and inhibited LSD1 expression, while overexpression of LSD1 abrogated the antifibrotic effect of LMK235.
Conclusion: LMK235 can attenuate chronic inflammation and interstitial fibrosis post-MI, leading to improved cardiac function. The anti-inflammatory effect of LMK235 results from inhibition of the LSD1-NF-κB pathway in macrophages. The antifibrotic effect of LMK235 results from inhibition of the LSD1-Smad2/3 pathway in cardiac fibroblasts.
High fuel consumption driving behavior identification and causal analysis based on LightGBM and SHAP
Authors: Chen Shuyan , Liu Hongru , Ma Yongfeng , Qiao Fengxiang , Pang Qianqian , Zhang Ziyu , Xie Zhuopeng
Published: March 2024

Accurate identification of high fuel consumption driving behaviors provides good theoretical support for eco-driving training. To gain a deeper understanding of contributing factors and their impacts on fuel consumption, this study acquired a driving data set based on a driving simulator test and employed the light gradient-boosting machine (LightGBM) algorithm to identify driving behaviors related to high fuel consumption and the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) algorithm for causal analysis. First, the vehicle kinematics and fuel consumption data were collected and preprocessed. Secondly, the LightGBM algorithm was employed to classify fuel consumption levels, including low, medium, and high. The results show that the LightGBM algorithm performs well in terms of precision, recall, and F1-score. Finally, the SHAP algorithm was used to interpret the influence of contributing factors on high fuel consumption from three perspectives, global interpretation, interaction interpretation, and individual interpretation. The SHAP algorithm can intuitively display the relationship between high fuel consumption and its contributing factors. Specifically, acceleration, speed, roll speed, pitch speed, and engine speed significantly increased the probability of high fuel consumption. This study proposed an efficient combined method for high fuel consumption identification and interpretation, which can reduce the occurrence of high fuel consumption driving behavior, thus achieving the purpose of eco-driving training.
Microbially Driven Iron Cycling Facilitates Organic Carbon Accrual in Decadal Biochar-amended Soil
Authors: He Haohua , Liu Jie , Shu Zhipeng , Chen Yalan , Pan Zezhen , Peng Chao , Wang Xingxing , Zhou Fengwu , Zhou Ming , Du Zhangliu , Sun Ke , Xing Baoshan , Wang Zimeng
Published: March 2024

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is pivotal for both agricultural activities and climate change mitigation, and biochar stands as a promising tool for bolstering SOC and curtailing soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, the involvements of biochar in SOC dynamics and the underlying interactions between biochar, soil microbes, minerals (notably Fe oxides), and fresh organic matter (FOM, such as plant debris) remain largely unknown, especially in agricultural soils after long-term biochar amendment. We therefore introduced FOM to soils with and without a decade-long history of biochar amendment, performed soil microcosm incubations, and evaluated carbon and iron cycling as well as microbial properties. Biochar amendment resulted in 2-fold SOC accrual over a decade and attenuated FOM-induced CO2 emissions by approximately 11% during a 56-day incubation through diverse pathways. Notably, biochar facilitated microbially driven iron reduction and subsequent Fenton-like reactions, potentially having enhanced microbial extracellular electron transfer and the carbon utilization efficiency in the long run. Throughout iron cycling processes, physico-chemical protection by minerals could contribute to both microbial carbon accumulation and plant debris preservation, alongside direct adsorption and occlusion of SOC by biochar particles. Furthermore, soil slurry experiments, with sterilization and ferrous iron stimulation controls, confirmed the role of microbes in hydroxyl radical generation and biotic carbon sequestration in biochar-amended soils. Overall, our study sheds light on the intricate biotic and abiotic mechanisms governing carbon dynamics in long-term biochar-amended upland soils.
Real-time identification and visualization of Egyptian blue using modified night vision goggles
Authors: Nicola Marco , Gobetto Roberto , Bazzacco Alessandro , Anselmi Chiara , Ferraris Enrico , Russo Alfonsina , Masic Admir , Sgamellotti Antonio
Published: March 2024

The possibility to use light in the visible spectrum to induce near-infrared luminescence in some materials, particularly Egyptian blue and related pigments, offers a significant advantage in terms of their detection. Since 2008 this property has been exploited to reveal their presence even in tiny amounts on ancient and decayed surfaces, using a technical-photography method. This paper presents a new type of imaging device that enables real-time, easy, and inexpensive identification and mapping of Egyptian blue and related materials. The potential of the new tool is demonstrated by showing its effectiveness in detecting Egyptian blue within some prestigious sites: a) Egyptian findings at Museo Egizio, Turin, b) underground Roman frescoes at Domus Aurea, Rome, and c) Renaissance frescoes by Raphael, Triumph of Galatea and Loggia of Cupid and Psyche, at Villa Farnesina, Rome. The device is based on night vision technology and allows an unprecedented fast, versatile, and user-friendly approach. It is employable by professionals including archaeologists, conservators, and conservation scientists, as well as by un-trained individuals such as students or tourists at museums and sites. The overall aim is not to replace existing photographic techniques but to develop a tool that enables rapid preliminary recognition, useful for planning the work to be carried out with conventional methods. The ability to immediately track Egyptian blue and related pigments, through real-time vision, photos, and videos, provide also a new kind of immersive experience (Blue Vision) and can foster the modern use of these materials in innovative applications and future technologies.
The Presidential Business Cycle 1949-2022: an Examination and Reappraisal
Authors: Mulligan Robert F. , Lombardo Gary A.
Published: March 2024

This paper examines the relationship between the president’s political party and the national economy from 1949 to 2022. Changes in GDP, unemployment, national debt, and the debt-to-GDP ratio are used to measure national economic performance with the Standard and Poor 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average as measures of stock market performance. A number of statistical tests were used to examine whether the incumbent president’s party has any significant impact on the variables we examined. We tested differences in the change or percent change of each variable with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the president’s party as two alternative treatments. Linear regressions were used to identify simultaneous relationships between economic performance measures and the party in the White House. Pairwise Granger causality tests were used to identify lagged relationships. We find that both the S&P 500 and the DJIA have positive relationships with GDP while GDP has a positive relationship with the national debt. In turn, government debt has a statistically significant, positive relationship with unemployment. Finally, though somewhat puzzlingly, unemployment has a positive relationship with GDP.
JEL codes: D72, E01, E30, E32, P17.
Virtual simulation of fracture behavior of concrete blocks under blast loading
Authors: Ning Jianguo , Zhang Lei , Xu Xiangzhao
Published: March 2024

Utilizing advanced visualization techniques to simulate and replicate the response of concrete block under various explosive loads is of significant importance for investigating and predicting the fragmentation and fracture behavior of concrete materials. In this study, a scenario visualization method is introduced combining virtual simulation and mathematical theoretical modeling, which can vividly characterize the destruction process as well as the damage characteristics of the concrete block subjected to impact. The fragmentation theory model provided, based on the theorem of energy conservation, could analyze and predict the fundamental characteristics of secondary fragments of concrete blocks under blast loading, such as the quantity, quality and the initial velocity of fragmentation. Furthermore, the movement trajectory and 3D dynamic effects of flying concrete fragments after the explosion were finely and real-time simulated using the physics engine, which significantly enhanced the realism and reliability of the visualization. Also, to characterize the damage features of concrete block, the crushing model of concrete block was established by using Voronoi diagram technique, and the damage levels was given according to the degree of destruction. The developed virtual simulation system not only offers the capability to observe the damage process of concrete block from various perspectives and scales, but also efficiently and accurately analyzes and predicts the destructive behavior and dynamic response under impact loads, and it has significant potential applications in architectural engineering design and safety assessment, providing a new perspective for understanding and exploring the mechanisms of destruction and fracture in concrete materials.
An Effective Spatial Join Method for Blockchain-based Geospatial Data Using Hierarchical Quadrant Spatial LSM+ Tree
Authors: Lee Junghyun , Kwon Taehyeon , Jung Sungwon
Published: March 2024

The prevention of forgery and alternation of important data of blockchain technology is contributing widely to the expanding usage of this technology to areas and industries such as real estate and agriculture. Despite the high utilization of the blockchain, its write-intensive feature causes a large amount of disk I/Os when trying to index and process queries over the data. Among previous studies, the hierarchical quadrant spatial LSM tree (i.e., HQ-sLSM tree) was proposed as an effective structure to index large amounts of geospatial point data from the blockchainand process queries while triggering a low number of disk I/Os. However, geospatial data exists in forms such as lines and polygons inside cadastral maps and survey information. In this paper, we propose an extended version of the HQ-sLSM tree which indexes geospatial line and polygon data. The extended tree, named the HQ-sLSM+ tree inherits and adapts some common features and the low disk I/O algorithms of the original HQ-sLSM tree, fitting them to the line and polygon data types. Furthermore, an algorithm to process the spatial join query over two HQ-sLSM+ trees is proposed. A concept of a spatial join filter is introduced to access disk components efficiently. Experiments confirmed that the number of disk I/Os triggered when spatially joining two HQ-sLSM+ trees were much less compared to existing baseline index trees such as the R-tree and the LSM R-tree.
Multioxide nanomaterials Zn, Cu, Mn: Combining nanozyme and photocatalyst functions for environmental applications
Authors: Matysik Julia , Długosz Olga , Banach Marcin
Published: March 2024

The study analyses nanotechnology advances in the synthesis of catalytic nanozymes that mimic enzymatic properties, but are also inorganic nanomaterials. It compares Zn-Mn-Cu multioxide and Mn-Cu multioxide nanomaterials in the role of nanozymes and photocatalysts, in the decomposition of trypan blue dye. The study showed that Zn-Mn-Cu multioxide nanoxide has activity as a peroxidase-like nanozyme (100 mUnit/mL) and achieves 75% dye degradation as a photocatalyst under UV light. While Mn-Cu multioxide shows enhanced photocatalysis under visible light (45% degradation), consistent with its biocatalytic hydrolysis mechanism. In addition, both materials showed biocatalytic activity in the degradation of trypan blue dye (25%), without an additional light source. Further investigation of these dual nanozyme activities may reveal new solutions for their environmental use.
An Automatic Cardiac Computed Tomography (Ct) Images Sequence segmentation Technique
Authors: Ahmed Rajpar Suhail , Hongsong Chen , Khan Muhammad Shoib , Hussain Zahid
Published: March 2024

Segmentation of the Whole Cardiac CT Image Sequence is the Key to Computer-baseddiagnosis and the analysis of internal lesions in the Human Heart. According to the flow of the blood, contraction and Dilation, the cardiac CT image is prone to weak boundaries and artefacts. The technique of Segmentation for a fast, accurate, reproducible, and fully facilitate the diagnosis of Cardiovascular diseases, it is also the consuming of time, intensive of clinical staff to produce over-segmentation. Therefore, in this paper, we proposed the automatic cardiac CT images sequence segmentation technique to depend on the visual saliency method to understand the saliency of the foreground object relative to the background area used for ImageSegmentation. Using visual attention mechanism we will find the accurate location information, filtering ribs, and muscles of the heart area. The distinctness between the background and the target area is not obvious, and internal structure diversification. It can filter out most of the non-heart tissue part, which is more conducive to the doctor on the patient's heart health status observation.
Nostalgia in tourism: a bibliometric analysis and systematic review
Authors: Moreno Angie Lorena Salgado , Forero Jorge Alexander Mora
Published: March 2024

The main objective of this bibliometric review is to identify and analyze the development of the field of nostalgia tourism through a comprehensive analysis of the scientific literature. To this end, this article performs a bibliometric analysis in R Core Team 2022-Bibliometrix software, complemented by VOSviewer software and a systematic review of the Scopus and Science Direct database to provide information on the most researched topics, the most influential authors and publications, as well as the areas requiring further research. The findings and conclusions of this study make a valuable contribution to the nostalgia tourism literature by providing a relevant and comprehensive analysis of the current state. This analysis allows for a better understanding of the theoretical and conceptual framework of the articles published so far, which is important to consider in order to enrich the academic debate on nostalgia tourism and for future research.
Treatment of chronic mini-thoracotomy wound pain and lung herniation with intercostal cryoablation and surgical mesh repair: a case report
Authors: Jung Eun Yeung , Lee Seok Soo
Published: March 2024

Background: The incidence of minimally invasive heart surgery via mini-thoracotomy (MT; right anterior thoracotomy) is on the rise, accompanied by an increase in post-MT intercostal nerve neuralgia and the risk of lung herniation through the incision site. While various methods have been proposed to address these issues, none have been commonly effective. In this case report, we attempted to simultaneously address these problems by performing IC and mesh repair.
Case presentation: A 43-year-old male patient was referred to our hospital for chronic post-thoracotomy neuralgia following heart surgery via MT, involving patch closure of an atrial septal defect and tricuspid annuloplasty. He presented with intercostal nerve neuralgia and lung herniation accompanied by severe pain. Despite medication and lidocaine injections, there was no relief. Consequently, he underwent surgical treatment with IC for chronic MT wound pain and simultaneously underwent mesh repair for a lung hernia. He was discharged from hospital free of complications. Subsequently, he no longer required further pain medication and experienced a favorable recovery.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that concurrent IC and mesh repair can effectively relieve chronic post-MT intercostal nerve neuralgia and severe lung herniation pain in patients who underwent MT surgery, leading to a decrease in opioid medication usage.
Is there an Association Among Spirituality, Resilience and Empathy in Medical Students?
Authors: Moura Anna TMS , Coriolano Andreia M , Kobayasi Renata , Pessanha Silvio , Cruz Hellen LMC , Melo Suely M , Pe Inah MD , Tempski Patricia , Martins Milton A.
Published: March 2024

Background Spirituality has religious and nonreligious dimensions and is often linked to well-being, positive emotions, connection and meaning in life. Both empathy and resilience are important in medical training and future professional practice since they are considered core skills related to professionalism and patient care. Our study aimed to understand the relationships among spirituality, resilience, and empathy in medical students. We also aimed to determine whether there are differences by gender and between medical students in different years of a medical program.Methods Medical students (n = 1370) from six medical schools completed questionnaires to assess empathy (Jefferson Empathy Scale and Davis Multidimensional Interpersonal Reactivity Scale) and resilience (Wagnild & Young Scale) and to rate their spirituality.Results Medical students with high spirituality showed higher scores for both resilience and empathy (p < 0.001). In addition, we observed higher levels of both spirituality and empathy, but not resilience, in female medical students than in male medical students. In contrast, we did not detect significant differences in spirituality, empathy, or resilience between students in different years of medical school.Conclusion There was a strong association between high levels of spirituality and higher scores for both empathy and resilience in medical students. Spirituality, empathy and resilience have similar value for students in different years of a medical program.
Study on growth performance and realized heritability in mass selection strain of silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus)
Authors: Qin Chunlai , Li Chang , Zhang Cheng , Tang Jie , Huang Xiang , Yuanbo Li , Hu Jiabao , Wang Yajun
Published: March 2024

Silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus) is among the highly favored marine edible fishes in China. To determine whether sustained advancements can be realized and to assess the genetic parameters of P. argenteus across three generations. Measurements of growth traits were conducted in the control and breeding groups of third-generation P. argenteus at 60, 90, and 120 days. Utilizing Pearson correlation and path analysis, we identified the growth traits correlated with the body weight of the third-generation P. argenteus. The results indicated that the growth traits significantly correlated with body weight were body length and fork length. At 120 days, body weight, body length, and fork length exhibited high levels of realized heritability, measuring 0.55, 0.57, and 0.56, respectively. Genetic gains for body weight were 29.70%, significantly surpassing those for body length and fork length. Meanwhile, the selection response for body weight, body length, and fork length was approximately comparable. At the harvest on day 120, the breeding group was 33.93% larger than the control group in terms of body weight. These results indicated that through mass selection, the body weight of P. argenteus were successfully improved, leading to an enhancement in its growth performance. The research results provide theoretical support and technical guidance for the further development of P. argenteus breeding.
A linearized AC optimal power flow model based on a piecewise linear approximation along with a Taylor series
Authors: Habibi Mohammad , Zanganeh Ali
Published: March 2024

Optimal power flow (OPF) is a non-linear static programming problem that optimizes a specific objective function while satisfying network and equipment constraints. Nonlinear programming problems usually trap into local solutions and they do not guarantee finding a global optimal solution. The linearization of the OPF to solve such challenges have been the focus of researchers in most of the recent studies. In this article, a linear piecewise approximation along with Taylor's series approximation method to linearize the OPF equations (generation cost function and AC power flow equations). The proposed model is implemented on the IEEE 14-bus and IEEE 118-bus standard test systems. The effectiveness of the proposed method is compared with the ACOPF results implemented by MATPOWER. The obtained results show that the proposed linearized ACOPF method is very accurate as well as reaching to the global optimal solution is guaranteed.
Investigating the Association Between Cervical Vertebral Anomalies and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Through Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Imaging
Authors: Dib Khalil , Aksoy Secil , Vahdettin Levent , Etikan Ilker , Orhan Kaan , Rasmussen Finn , Altundag Zahir , Oz Ulas
Published: March 2024

Background
A comprehensive review of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans from a cohort of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) patients and a control group without sleep disorders was conducted. Radiological analysis focused on identifying cervical vertebra anomalies. Additionally, clinical data related to OSA severity and symptoms were collected and correlated with the CBCT findings.
Method
A total of 118 patients were included in this study. The C2, C3, and C4 cervical vertebrae were measured in terms of height, width, area, and sagittal canal diameter. The presence of osteoarthritis between cervical joints was examined. Fusion between both the right and the left facet joints was assessed. The study sample was the experimental group, consisting of patients with OSA and the control group without OSA. Each group consisted of 59 subjects.
Results
The analysis of C2, C3, and C4 cervical vertebrae revealed that the experimental group had significantly greater values of height, width, and area. The examination of osteoarthritis between cervical joints in the sagittal plane showed that the sagittal canal diameter was significantly greater in the control group than in the experimental group, except for C4. Fusion between the right and left facet joints in the coronal plane was approximately 80% greater in the OSA group than in the control group.
Conclusion
The study findings indicated that patients with OSA had enlarged cervical vertebrae that resulted in a decrease in the sagittal canal diameter, as well as a decrease in both the intervertebral and facet joint discs.