bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the Influence of Fiber Stretching on N2‐Pretreated PAN‐Fibers and Development of a Shortened Stabilization Process Meeting the Requirements of the Carbon Fiber Industry
Authors: Liu Ziwen , Akbas Muhsin Mert , Gries Thomas , Kaußen Daniel , Henzler Thomas
Published: February 2025

Carbon fibers (CF) are characterized by their excellent mechanical properties and low specific weight. However, due to the high production costs of CF, the application areas of this material are highly limited. A more cost‐effective production of CF through the use of N2‐pretreatment can further increase the spread in mass markets. In the research presented, the influence of fiber stretching on the properties of pretreated Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)‐fibers as well as the resulting carbon fibers is investigated on continuous scale. The investigations show that the fibers can be stretched much more (> 10%) during N2‐pretreatment than in air atmosphere without impairing the mechanical properties of resulting CF. With increasing stretching ratio, the E‐modulus and tensile strength of the pretreated fibers are increasing while the elongation remains on a similar level as the reference carbon fibers. Using this effect, a more efficient stabilization process has been developed in which the first of four stabilizations zones has been skipped. This method ensures high acceptance by the industry, as the process parameters of the other three remaining stabilization zones are untouched. As a result, the thermal conversion time of CF has been reduced by 20% while the mechanical properties of the CF are maintained.
Additive‐Promoted Grignard Reagent Mediated Polymerization With Increased Radical Characteristic Yielding Polystyrene With Narrow Molecular Weight Distribution
Authors: Qiu Can‐Ye , Lai Jia‐Rong , Wang Xin‐Hui , Ye Shi‐Xuan , Sun Xiao‐Li , Wan Wen‐Ming
Published: February 2025

Gaining polymer with narrow molecular weight distribution (Đ) by efficient living polymerization methods is fundamental and essential in polymer science. Grignard reagent mediated anionic polymerization is capable of low Đ, however, is not suitable for the polymerization of nonpolar monomers like styrene (St). Here, several kinds of additives like lithium chloride (LiCl) and N,N,N′,N′′,N′′‐Pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) are demonstrated as efficient additives that can promote Grignard reagent mediated polymerization of St. Through LiCl‐promoted Grignard reagent mediated polymerization, polystyrene (PS) with manipulated low Đ is successfully achieved under mild conditions with full monomer conversion, by using a series of Grignard reagents (RMgX) in the presence of LiCl. In comparison, no PS can be prepared for Grignard reagents in the absence of additive. Electron paramagnetic resonance reveals that radical characteristic of Grignard reagent is increased in the presence of additive, which eventually enables the successful polymerization of St under mild conditions with full monomer conversion. This work therefore opens a simple additive strategy to promote current living polymerization method and expands the monomer library of Grignard reagent mediated living polymerization, which might cause inspirations to current living polymerization and polymer chemistry.
Applying the Intersectionality Lens to Understand Minority Ethnic Women's Experiences of the Breast Cancer Care Pathway in England: A Qualitative Interview Study
Authors: Estupiñán Fdez. de Mesa Mar , Ferguson Maureen , Green Saran , Marcu Afrodita , Ream Emma , Whitaker Katriina L.
Published: February 2025

Background

Exploring the role of structural power in relation to an individual's location in society can yield novel insights into cancer inequities. We aimed to understand how minority ethnic women's identities (age, gender, ethnicity, social position) intersected with social networks and healthcare services to influence their experiences of breast cancer care.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews with 20 women aged 31–60 years with a breast cancer diagnosis identifying as: Asian (n = 7), Black (n = 9), and of mixed ethnicity (n = 4) about their breast cancer journey. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis.

Results

We developed four themes; feeling stereotyped by (a) healthcare professionals (HCPs) and (b) social networks; influence of HCPs' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours; perceived barriers in healthcare services; and influence of cultural beliefs. We provided a visual representation to illustrate the multifaceted factors that explain pathways to breast cancer inequities for these groups.

Conclusion

Our findings underscored that minority ethnic women negotiated complex processes that influence their coping responses, access to services, and management of their disease. Our study exposed institutional deficiencies that systematically disadvantage minority ethnic women. These findings suggest that policymakers and clinicians should reformulate policies and cancer services to ensure all women with breast cancer receive equal and optimal care.
Unmet Needs and Health‐Related Quality of Life Among Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Indolent Non‐Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Mixed‐Methods Study
Authors: Sugimoto Miki , Yagasaki Kaori , Matsuki Eri , Shimizu Takayuki , Sakurai Masatoshi , Kataoka Keisuke , Doorenbos Ardith Z.
Published: February 2025

Objective

Patients with relapsed or refractory (r/r) indolent non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL) live with incurable disease for a long‐term, experiencing multiple relapses and treatments that impair their health‐related quality of life (HRQOL). We aimed to better understand the unmet needs and HRQOL of patients with r/r iNHL.

Methods

This convergent mixed‐methods study evaluated patients with r/r iNHL who received treatment. Unmet needs and HRQOL were assessed quantitatively using self‐administered questionnaires and analyzed statistically. Qualitative data were collected through face‐to‐face semi‐structured interviews for reflexive thematic analysis. Quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated through narrative discussion and joint display.

Results

Questionnaire respondents (50 participants, mean age: 72.42 years) reported unmet needs in the health system and information and psychological domains and a negative association between unmet needs and HRQOL. Interviews (20 participants, mean age: 72.75 years) identified four themes: “unremarkable symptoms,” “anxiety of progression in the near future,” “make the best of life,” and “means to live with uncertainty.” Integration revealed that participants accepted their low HRQOL and attempted to make the best of life, influencing their perception of unmet needs.

Conclusions

Throughout the long course of r/r and repeated treatment, patients with iNHL accepted their low HRQOL, valued their current situations, and endeavored to make the best of life. In this situation, support in the psychological and health system and information domains is crucial. Support for the unmet needs of patients with r/r iNHL is essential as they strive to live their best lives while maintaining a favorable HRQOL.
Bubbling Water‐Treating DBD Plasma Device Optimization Using Experimental and Computational Methods
Authors: Robinson Conner D. , Sponsel Nicholas L. , Stapelmann Katharina
Published: February 2025

A dry air atmospheric pressure volume dielectric barrier discharge is employed to fix nitrogen in water. Producing nitrate for use as nitrogen fertilizer is the primary motivation. A 0D chemistry model is developed and informed by the electrical, and geometric characteristics of the device and the plasma gas temperature. Modeled ozone and nitrate densities are compared to those measured experimentally in the plasma effluent and treated liquid for a range of gas temperatures. Modeled and measured ozone densities are in good agreement; however, the model lacks the liquid chemistry to properly represent the measured nitrate density. A gas temperature‐based shift from ozone to producing regimes is observed in both experiment and model, and the reactions responsible are evaluated.
Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease Associated With Aromatase Inhibitors: A Disproportionality Analysis of the WHO Pharmacovigilance Database (VigiBase)
Authors: Yuste María Teresa , Sainz‐Gil María , Escudero Elisa , Marín Pedro
Published: February 2025

Aromatase inhibitors are used for patients with hormone‐receptor positive breast cancer. Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent cause of dementia. Several studies have suggested an association between the use of aromatase inhibitors and the development of Alzheimer's disease. The objective of this study was to identify potential pharmacovigilance signals associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease and third‐generation aromatase inhibitors in menopausal and postmenopausal women. VigiBase, the global database of individual case safety reports of the World Health Organization, was used to investigate this possible association. A disproportionality analysis was performed for women aged 45 years and older. The reporting odds ratio (ROR) and its 95% CI for reporting dementia are exemestane, 2.08 (1.35–3.19); anastrozole, 1.59 (1.09–2.32); and letrozole, 1.43 (1.05–1.95) and for Alzheimer's disease are exemestane, 0.94 (0.30–2.92); anastrozole: 2.63 (1.55–4.45); and letrozole, 1.33 (0.76–2.35). For senile dementia, only letrozole has cases, with an ROR of 6.77 (2.51–18.31). Signals of disproportionate reporting have been observed between the occurrence of dementia, dementia Alzheimer's type, and senile dementia with aromatase inhibitors, which is in line with estrogen functions and aromatase activity, as well as the findings from preclinical studies. Additional research is required to elucidate this intricate matter.
Duffing Nonlinearity‐Enhanced Optomechanical Mass Sensor
Authors: Wang Hui , Zhang Zhi‐Wen , Yang Bing‐Yu , Chao Shi‐Lei , Xiong Biao
Published: February 2025

Measuring the mass of small molecules is crucial across various fields, and the cavity optomechanical system is a promising candidate for mass sensing due to the direct relationship between the oscillator's resonant frequency and the mass of the sample deposited on the cavity's surface. Previous research has shown that enhancing the effective frequency of the resonator can significantly improve the performance of mass sensors. In this study, the influence of the Duffing nonlinear term is investigated on the cavity optomechanical mass sensing. These computational and numerical simulation results demonstrate that increasing the strength of the Duffing nonlinear term effectively raises the resonator's effective frequency and directly boosts the performance of the mass sensor. These include enhancing detection resolution, reducing measurement errors, and expanding the effective measurement range of mass, which may have applications in fields such as biochemical sensing and environmental monitoring.
Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Using the Propensity Score With Competing Risks in Survival Analysis
Authors: Austin Peter C. , Fine Jason P.
Published: February 2025

Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) using the propensity score allows estimation of the effect of treatment in observational studies. We had three objectives: first, to describe methods for using IPTW to estimate the effects of treatments in settings with competing risks; second, to illustrate the application of these methods using empirical analyses; and third, to conduct Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate the relative performance of three methods for estimating time‐specific risk differences and time‐specific relative risks in settings with competing risks. In doing so, we provide guidance to applied biostatisticians and clinical investigators on the use of IPTW in settings with competing risks. We examined three estimators of time‐specific risk differences and relative risks: the weighted Aalen–Johansen estimator, an estimator that combines IPTW with inverse probability of censoring weights (IPTW‐IPCWs), and a double‐robust augmented IPTW estimator combined with IPCW (AIPTW‐IPCW). The design of our simulations reflected clinically realistic scenarios. Our simulations found that all three estimators tended to result in unbiased estimations of time‐specific risk differences and time‐specific relative risks. However, the weighted Aalen–Johansen estimator and the AIPTW‐IPCW estimator tended to result in estimates with greater precision compared to the IPTW‐IPCW estimator. In our empirical analyses, we illustrated the application of these methods by estimating the effect of statin prescribing on the risk of subsequent cardiovascular death in patients discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.
Preparation of Activated Carbon/MoS2 Nanospheres Composite as Pt‐free Counter Electrode for Efficient Solid State Dye Sensitized Solar Cell
Authors: Tripathi Shivansh , Tripathi Mridula , Maurya Anshu , Chawla Priyanka
Published: February 2025

Carbon‐based materials, particularly activated carbon generated from waste, have attracted much interest as ideal alternatives to platinum as a counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells due to their high catalytic activity, and low cost. The use of composite materials in conjunction with activated carbon improves the performance due to its multi‐functionality. A composite paste of activated carbon from corn cobs and Molybdenum disulfide nanospheres were used to prepare a counter electrode. The prepared counter electrode exhibits low charge transfer resistance at the electrolyte‐electrode interface. The solution casting method was used to make nanocomposite polymer electrolyte films out of a blend of two polymers, polyvinyl alcohol and carboxymethyl cellulose, packed with various amounts of montmorillorite and graphene as primary and secondary nanofillers. Electrical impedance spectroscopy experiments at room temperature revealed that the addition of secondary nanofiller enhanced the electrical conductivity of the electrolyte films from 3.6 × 10−4 to 8.4 × 10−3 S cm−1 due to its capacity to form conductive layers in this polymer blend based electrolyte film. The fabricated synthetic dye based solar cell which uses an innovative counter electrode and nanocomposite polymer electrolyte outperformed platinum electrode with an efficiency of 4.34% and a fill factor of 61%.
Exploration of 1,3,4‐oxadiazoles Engrafted With Indole and Phthalimide Scaffolds as Multi Target Peroxidase, Acetylcholinesterase, and Butyrylchloinesterase Inhibitors: Synthesis, DFT Calculations, and Molecular Docking Studies
Authors: Jaishree B. , Basavarajaiah S. M. , Karunakar Prashantha , Dhonnar Sunil Laxman , Nagesh G. Y. , Punithkumar M. , Bhargav P. , Vishwas Aradhya K. J.
Published: February 2025

Here, we present the structural and pharmacological characteristics of 2‐(4‐(5‐(3,5‐disubstituted‐1H‐indol‐2‐yl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl)phenyl)isoindoline‐1,3‐diones 5(a‐h) as a strong antioxidant and anti‐Alzheimer's disease activity using a synergistic combination of theoretical and experimental techniques. The structures of novel compounds were analyzed by spectral analysis (IR, NMR and Mass spectrometry). DFT calculations were analyzed for the selected compounds by applying the B3LYP hybrid functional and the 6–31G (d, p) basis set. The predictions regarding ADMET properties, drug‐likeness, and toxicity, including favorable bioavailability of all the synthesized compounds were disclosed. All the newly synthesized compounds 5(a–h) were illustrated well to comparable inhibitory potentials ranging from IC50 values 12.12 ± 0.02 µM to 36.31 ± 0.26 µM, 04.08 ± 0.86 µM to 12.42 ± 0.32 µM, and 08.05 ± 0.06 µM to 26.36 ± 0.52 µM against peroxidase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) respectively. Amongst, compound 5a showed excellent inhibitory activity with IC50 values 12.12 ± 0.02 µM, 04.08 ± 0.86, and 08.05 ± 0.06 against peroxidase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) respectively. Finally, aforesaid compounds were taken for the in silico molecular modeling against cytochrome c peroxidase (PDB id: 2 × 08), acetylcholinesterase (PDB ID: 7E3H), and butyrylcholinesterase (PDB ID: 4BDS).
Nano‐Scale Anti‐Cancer Drug Delivery by a Zn‐Based Metal Organic Framework Carrier
Authors: Das Prasenjit , Chakraborty Gouri , Kaur Jasreen , Mandal Sanjay K.
Published: February 2025

Porous functional metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have showcased their potential in biomedical applications, specifically in drug delivery systems (DDSs), due to high surface area, tailorable pore size, tunable functionality, etc. In this work, the efficient nano drug carrier behavior of a Zn‐MOF is reported for two highly utilized drugs, 5‐fluorouracil and calcein. It exhibits a high drug loading capacity and a slow, sustained release profile as monitored by the spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Utilizing these two drugs, its good anticancer activity against the human breast cancer MCF‐7 cell is established.
Deep Blue Tetradentate Pt(II) Emitter Coordinated With Fused Fluorenyl N‐heterocyclic Carbene. High Efficiency, Narrow FWHM, and Superior Operational Lifetime LT95 of 290 h at 1000 cd m−2
Authors: Li Huiyang , Hung Faan‐Fung , Wu Siping , Qiu Jiangzhen , Li Cuijin , Nie Shaowei , Yang Jun , Duan Lian , Zhou Pengcheng , Cheng Gang , Che Chi‐Ming
Published: February 2025

Blue tetradentate Pt(II) emitters and the corresponding organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) are promising for next‐generation high‐resolution displays. However, developing blue Pt(II) emitters that simultaneously achieve high efficiency, high color purity, and excellent operational stability remains challenging. In this study, we developed two new high‐performance deep blue tetradentate Pt(II) emitters (Pt1 and Pt2) whose ligands contain 1‐(3,5‐di‐tert‐butylphenyl)‐9,9‐dimethyl‐1,9‐dihydrofluoreno[2,3‐d]imidazolium or 3‐(3,5‐di‐tert‐butylphenyl)‐9,9‐dimethyl‐3,9‐dihydrofluoreno[2,3‐d]imidazolium carbene moiety (DMFI). These Pt(II) emitters display excellent photophysical characteristics including high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of up to 0.90, narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM), short emission lifetime, and high horizontal transition dipole ratio of up to 0.80. As a result, deep blue phosphorescent OLEDs are fabricated with a narrow FWHM of 21 nm, a high maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 28.6%, and Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.13, 0.15). Even more impressively, the devices based on the deuterated co‐host system and different device structures achieved an unprecedented excellent device lifetime LT95 of 290 h at an initial luminance of 1000 cd m−2, an EQEmax of 20.8%, and CIE coordinates of (0.14, 0.17).
Biomechanical Insights into the Proteomic Profiling of Cells in Response to Red Light Absorption
Authors: Silva Antônio V. S. , Sousa Felipe D. , Sousa Brandon F. , Santos Wallace V. , Oliveira Antônio E. R. , Lobo Marina D. P. , Ramos Márcio V. , Alencar Nylane M. N. , de Sousa Marcelo V. P. , Freire Rosemayre S. , Oliveira Cláudio L. N. , de Sousa Jeanlex S.
Published: February 2025

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a promising non‐invasive therapy for tissue repair, but its underlying cellular mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, the biomechanical and proteomic responses of three cell types – keratinocytes (HACAT), fibroblasts (L929), and osteoblasts (OFCOLII) – exposed to red light (633 nm) are investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and mass spectrometry‐based proteomic analysis. Red light absorption resulted in cell‐type‐specific changes in viscoelastic properties, with fibroblasts exhibiting increased fluidity, reduced stiffness, and enhanced motility. Conversely, keratinocytes exhibited intensity‐dependent responses, while osteoblasts appeared to be relatively insensitive to irradiation conditions. Proteomic profiling identified key signaling pathways involved in immune response, ATP production, and stress regulation. The immune and ATP pathways are strongly linked to the modulation of viscoelastic properties, particularly in fibroblasts, while weaker correlations were observed in keratinocytes. Cytoskeletal remodeling, primarily within the F‐actin network, is identified as the main driver of mechanical alterations, with additional contributions from microtubules and intermediate filaments. These findings provide new insights into how red light absorption modulates cellular viscoelasticity through cytoskeletal remodeling, with potential applications in optimizing light‐based therapies for tissue regeneration and disease treatment.
Optimized Proton Assistance of Ni‐Intercalated Bilayer Vanadate Cathode for High‐Performance Aqueous Manganese Storage
Authors: Li Yunbo , Jin Yan , Ding Lingyi , Zhu Yucheng , Zhou Hongyan , Fan Qinghua , Dong Youzhong , Kuang Quan , Zhao Yanming
Published: February 2025

Mn metal has become a highly promising candidate anode of aqueous batteries due to its high abundance, non‐toxicity, relatively low redox potential, and large theoretical capacity. However, the development of Mn ion batteries (MIBs) is hindered by controversies over reaction mechanisms, metal hydrogen evolution reactions, and poor conversion efficiency. Therefore, a further comprehensive study is urgently desired for its research and application. In this work, a V2O5 bilayer structure is innovatively constructed by introducing stripping agents (H2O and Ni2+) to form stable “Ni─O” columns, which not only enhances the stability of the structure but also effectively blocks interlayer corrosion. The preferential orientation and the excellent interlayer spacing d (001) = 10.28 Å broads Mn2+ diffusion channels. In this way, the sites for ion storage are also increased by creating abundant vacancies, accelerating the diffusion rate of ions in the modified V2O5 (Ni0.48V2O5•0.90H2O, NiVO) lattice. The co‐storage mechanism of Mn2+/H+ ions effectively alleviates the limitations of high charge density and large solvation ion radius. Furthermore, the storage mechanism and structural evolution process are investigated via analytical chemistry. These findings provide new ideas for designing new positive electrode materials and effectively promote the progress of the MIB research and application.
Ligand‐Mediated Highly Ordered Aggregation of 5‐Mercapto‐2‐Nitrobenzoic Acid Protected Atomically Precise Silver Nanocluster
Authors: Roy Soumyadip , Tiwari Vikas , Karmakar Tarak , Chakraborty Indranath
Published: February 2025

Understanding self‐assembly of atomically precise nanoclusters is of paramount interest in designing various aggregated super‐structures. Here pH‐mediated self‐assembly is reported of atomically precise Ag44(MNBA)30 (MNBA = 5‐mercapto‐2‐nitrobenzoic acid) nanoclusters in aqueous solution. These nanoclusters formed hexagonal close‐packed (hcp) structures when the pH of the solution is reduced from basic to neutral. High‐resolution transmission microscopy result confirms bilayer and multilayer assembly at neutral pH. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, and molecular dynamics simulation delineate ligand‐mediated inter‐cluster interactions such as ligand to metal core coordination, H─bonding and π–π interactions playing a crucial role in the formation of the hexagonal close‐packed self‐assembled structure.
SIB: Sorted‐Integers‐Based Index for Compact and Fast Caching in Top‐Down Logic Rule Mining Targeting KB Compression
Authors: Wang Ruoyu , Wong Raymond , Sun Daniel , Ranjan Rajiv
Published: February 2025

Background

Mining logic rules from structured knowledge bases is the basis of knowledge engineering. Due to the NP‐hardness of the rule mining problem, logic rules cannot be efficiently induced from knowledge bases, especially large‐scale ones.

Idea

In this article, we propose a compact and efficient index structure for the maintenance of the intermediate data during top‐down rule mining, such that the memory consumption can be reduced and mining efficiency can be improved.

Developing Points

The index is based on a mapping from constant symbols to integers and the sorting of the mapped integers. Index update has been dissembled into four basic operations. Moreover, the index itself acts as the cache during top‐down mining.

Value

Most contributions in existing works employ algorithmic and architectural optimizations to improve efficiency. Data‐oriented optimizations have also been explored to some extent, but the data efficiency is relatively low, and the memory consumption is thus becoming a new challenge for state‐of‐the‐art systems. We tackle this challenge in this article, and our technique has been proven more efficient than state‐of‐the‐art systems. We evaluate our method on six datasets which contain up to 160 K records and are frequently used as benchmarks in tasks related to knowledge engineering. The experimental results show that the proposed technique speeds up the rule mining procedure by on average and reduces memory consumption by up to 70%. The space overhead of the data structure is about twice that of the indexed records, which is more than 80% lower than that of the state‐of‐the‐art technique.
A Rapid and Simple Analytical Methodology for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Human Plasma by High‐Pressure Liquid Chromatography
Authors: Gokbulut Cengiz , Korkut Oguzhan , Aksoz Elif , Baykan Hayriye , Akyol Busra Aslan
Published: February 2025

This study aimed to develop a fast, sensitive, and easy chromatographic analysis technique to determine therapeutic plasma concentrations of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors citalopram, paroxetine, duloxetine, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, and sertraline) by high‐pressure liquid chromatography. Chromatographic separation was conducted using a Zorbax Eclipse XDB C18 column. The mobile phase consisted of a 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer and acetonitrile in a ratio of 60:40 (v/v), flowing at a rate of 1 mL/min with a gradient program. Detection was achieved through a combination of a photodiode array detector set at 220 nm and a fluorescence detector with excitation at 230 nm and emission at 325 nm. Two different plasma extraction methods, solid‐phase extraction and salt‐assisted liquid‐phase extraction, were studied and compared for their effectiveness in preparing samples for chromatographic analysis of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The detection and determination limits of molecules were 3.0 and 25 ng/mL, respectively. The method was linear (“r2” values were calculated between 0.9961 and 0.9994) over the concentration range of 25–200 ng/mL for all molecules. Accordingly, the recovery rates of the SPE extraction method were calculated in the range of 71.38%–93.60%, intraday repeatability was calculated in the range of 7.18%–10.83%, and interday repeatability was calculated in the range of 8.09%–11.65%. As a result of the salt‐assisted liquid‐phase extraction, retrieval rates are in the range of 74.84%–93.83%, intraday repeatability is 5.86%–7.05%, and interday repeatability is 7.32%–10.80%. Although these two extraction methods, which have been developed and validated, can be used to determine the plasma concentration of the molecules, however obtaining higher recovery rates, consuming less solvent, and being faster and lower cost are the advantages of the salt‐assisted liquid‐phase extraction compared to the solid‐phase extraction method.
Gendered Positions in Technology Education: A Discourse Analysis of Images From Swedish and Finnish Upper Secondary Schools
Authors: Svozil Louise Björlin , Andersson Kristina , Pears Arnold
Published: February 2025

Inclusivity in education is one of the fundamental objectives of the Swedish national curriculum for compulsory schooling. The accessibility of STEM education to students of different genders is essential in achieving this objective. This paper studies the images Swedish and Finnish upper secondary schools used to promote their university preparatory educational orientations, applying discourse analysis to the body of images. As the discourses imbue the orientations, certain positions are enabled for pupils. These positions prescribe who and what is seen as natural in the orientations. We find substantial differences in how the discourses are represented in the orientations. In the STEM orientations, pupils are constructed as less social than the other orientations. In the images from the technology programme, female pupils have a higher representation than actual enrolment, but in these images, they are less active than their male peers. Moreover, the female technology pupil is positioned as engaged with more creative technology subfields while their male peers engage with electronic experiments. This positioning of the female technology pupil is rather conditioning her presence than creating an attractive educational trajectory for her to assume.
Assessing Soil Quality and Biomass Productivity Under Wastewater Irrigation in the Indian Arid Region
Authors: Singh Genda , Nagora Prem Raj , Haksar Parul , Kulshrestha Shubhi , Rani Abha
Published: February 2025

Indiscriminate discharge of effluents in rivers, waterbodies, and croplands is a common practice contaminating food chains through water and soil. Plantations using treated wastewater can help restore degraded lands and reduce soil and environmental pollution. One‐year‐old plantations of Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Prosopis cineraria, Prosopis juliflora, Tamarix aphylla, Salvadora persica, and Salvadora oleoides were irrigated with borewell water at ½ET (Evapotranspiration, I1) and treated wastewater at ½ET (I2), ¾ET (I3), and 1ET (I4) for 4 years (September 2013–September 2017), to assess the remedial impact of these species on soils while reusing wastewater in urban greening and biomass production. Wastewater irrigation enhanced soil pH/EC (<1.0 unit) and SOC and nutrient contents (1.23–13.25‐fold). Such increases were highest (p < 0.05) in 0–15 cm and lowest in 45–60 cm (50%–70%) soil layers. Species types and irrigation levels influenced soil salts and nutrient concentrations. Variations in pH/EC (<0.50 unit), SOC/nutrient contents (1.59–2.11‐fold), and total biomass (3.26‐fold) were greater between species than between irrigation levels (<0.30 unit, 1.14–3.33‐fold and 1.81‐fold variations, respectively). Salt and nutrient uptake were highest in S. oleoides and P. cineraria, medium in T. aphylla and E. camaldulensis, and lowest in S. persica, A. indica, and P. juliflora plots. Leaf mineral contents were below toxic levels. The former three species and S. persica responded by increasing biomass allocation to roots. In contrast, other species maximized root biomass to augment added water and nutrient uptake to sustain growing biomass. Conclusively, tree species influenced soil properties and biomass more notably than irrigation level, where adaptation mechanisms were allocated to/or maximized root biomass. Increased SOC and nutrients, and consequently plant biomass highlight the reuse of treated wastewater in plantations that remediated soil and promoted greenery and biomass in water‐deficient dry areas.
Paddy farmers' awareness and knowledge of agroforestry practices in Siburan, Sarawak
Authors: Mathew Jacklin , Echoh Daniel Ugih anak , Ibrahim Mohamad Hilmi
Published: February 2025

Rice is an important staple food and the main source of income and livelihood, especially for rural communities in Malaysia. However, the area under rice cultivation in Malaysia has decreased due to poor quality of rice fields due to low productivity and climate change. Agroforestry is a system that combines trees with crops or livestock. It not only counteracts the effects of climate change by increasing the resilience of agriculture, but also combats poverty, food security, and land degradation. The aim of this study was to determine the awareness and perception of rice farmers in Siburan, Sarawak, toward agroforestry. The data for the study were obtained through questionnaire‐based interviews in Kampung Skuduk and Kampung Chupak. Statistical tests were used to analyze and compare the data. Farmers’ knowledge of agroforestry practices was limited, especially among non‐agroforestry practitioners. There is no significant income difference between agroforestry practitioners and non‐agroforestry practitioners as agroforestry is practiced on a small scale and for household consumption as there are no commercial market opportunities for the products. Governmental or non‐governmental organizations should organize educational activities on agroforestry to disseminate information on these practices appropriate to the education level and age group of the target farmers. Awareness raising and information dissemination activities are important as lack of awareness hinders the implementation of agroforestry, for example, through awareness campaigns and training programs on agroforestry. The results of this study will serve as a guide for the authority to plan measures to increase the knowledge and importance of the agroforestry sector and the implementation of agroforestry.
Medicinal and aromatic plants assisted bioremediation of ammonical and bacterial contaminants in aquaponics water
Authors: Arambam Kalpana , Krishnani Kishore Kumar , Singh Rajkumar Debarjeet , Verma Ajit Kumar , Banerjee Kaushik , Chanu Thongam Ibemcha , Kumar Neeraj
Published: February 2025

An experiment was conducted under laboratory conditions to examine the effect of sixteen medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), namely Aloe barbadensis, Cymbopogen citratus, Bacopa monnieri, Senna sigueana, Plantado ovata, Asparagus racemosses, Phylanthus emblica, Vitex negundo, Cammiphora wightii, Cymbopogon martini, Andrographis paniculate, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Gymnema sylvestre, Centella asiatica, Adhatoda vasica, and Cyamopsis tetragonoloba in the removal of total ammonia‐N (TAN) from aquaponics water. The different dried and grounded MAPs were added @ 100 mgl−1 into individual conical flasks containing 100 ml aquaponics water (spiked with 5 mgl−1 ammonia) and placed in a shaker. The effectiveness of different MAPs in removing TAN was evaluated at 24 hrs intervals until one of the MAPs achieved a removal rate of over 80%. The study also investigated their potential activity against fish bacterial pathogens viz. Edwardsiella tarda, Escherichia coli, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Staphylococcus aureus using the agar well diffusion method. The study indicates a negligible removal of TAN in the first twelve hours for all the MAPs. TAN concentration significantly reduced from 24 hrs for amla‐treated water followed by satavari‐treated water. Within 96 hrs., amla, satavari, and jalbrahmi removed 88.13 ± 0.81%, 79.52 ± 2.27%, and 77.22 ± 0.70 of TAN respectively. Other MAPs showed little effectiveness in removing ammonia, while cluster beans and ardushi increased the ammonia level in the water. Additionally, the methanol extract of amla exhibited strong antibacterial activities against all tested pathogens especially, against E. tarda. This study suggests the potential application of a MAP‐based One‐Health approach for mitigating abiotic and biotic stresses in aquaculture.

Practitioner Points

Evaluated 16 different medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) for their ammonia removal activity from aquaponics water.

Amla treated water showed the highest ammonia removal followed by Satavaari and Jalbrahmi.

Cluster beans and Ardushi treated water resulted in increasing ammonia levels due to their high nitrogen contents.

Methanolic extract of amla showed bactericidal activity against fish pathogens Edwardsiella tarda, E. coli, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, A. hydrophila, and S. aureus.

Potential applications in developing aquaponics production system of fish with medicinal plants through nutrient cycling and water recycling.
Development and evaluation of the remote passive integrated transponder tag reader for customizable monitoring of wildlife
Authors: Amburgey Staci M. , Prakash Aadithya , Yackel Adams Amy A. , Siers Shane R. , Converse Sarah J.
Published: February 2025

Increasing the quantity and quality of mark‐reencounter data can be important when individual identification data are needed to address research or management questions. Physical recapture methods tend to be labor‐intensive and therefore expensive, while remote detection methods are not easily applied to all taxa or are proprietary and thus difficult to customize. However, partnerships between wildlife scientists and engineers have the potential to provide innovative solutions that improve data collection while reducing costs. We describe a collaborative effort to improve the collection of mark‐reencounter data on an invasive reptile, the brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis). In laboratory trials conducted on Guåhan (CHamoru; Guam in English) in 2021, we assessed the feasibility of detecting snakes fitted with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags using customized remote PIT‐tag readers (RePTaR) paired with baited snake traps. We evaluated differences in scanning success as a function of snake traits, location of PIT tags within snakes, and the distance of the PIT tag from the reader. We successfully scanned all individuals, on average 529 times but ranging from 3 to 6,436 times, during 12‐hour trials using a designed customizable RePTaR unit. Snake characteristics and marking location explained little of the variability in scanning success, with distance from the reader as the best‐supported covariate. By building cross‐disciplinary partnerships, we can develop customizable technological solutions and provide additional tools with which to address challenges in wildlife research and management.
Defining Violation: Sex-Worker Experiences of Unwanted Incidents
Authors: Brents Barbara G. , Wakefield Chris , Scoular Jane , Sanders Teela , Abel Gillian
Published: February 2025

This chapter explores two primary questions: What range of unwanted contact incidents do sex workers most frequently encounter? Moreover, how does the law influence their understanding, interpretation, and definition of these incidents? We highlight the concept of transactional legal consciousness, distinguishing it from rape consciousness, to explain how sex workers perceive violations within the negotiated context of selling sex. The chapter analyses qualitative and quantitative data on common types of violations, such as payment issues and stealthing, and less common violations involving injury. It also examines the role of legal alienation in shaping sex workers’ responses. The chapter first defines and categorises types of violations, then explores sex workers’ perceptions and interpretations, and finally discusses the implications of transactional legal consciousness in managing these experiences.
Computing four-point functions with integrability, bootstrap and parity symmetry
Authors: Cavaglià Andrea , Gromov Nikolay , Preti Michelangelo
Published: February 2025

Abstract

The combination of integrability and crossing symmetry has proven to give tight non-perturbative bounds on some planar structure constants in

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

=4 SYM, particularly in the setup of defect observables built on a Wilson-Maldacena line. Whereas the precision is good for the low lying states, higher in the spectrum it drops due to the degeneracies at weak coupling when considering a single correlator. As this could be a clear obstacle in restoring higher point functions, we studied the problem of bounding directly a 4-point function at generic cross ratio, showing how to adapt for this purpose the numerical bootstrap algorithms based on semidefinite programming. Another tool we are using to further narrow the bounds is a parity symmetry descending from the

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

=4 SYM theory, which allowed us to reduce the number of parameters. We also give an interpretation for the parity in terms of the Quantum Spectral Curve at weak coupling. Our numerical bounds give an accurate determination of the 4-point function for physical values of the cross ratio, with at worst 5-6 digits precision at weak coupling and reaching more than 11 digits for ’t Hooft coupling

$$ \frac{\sqrt{\lambda }}{4\pi}\sim 4 $$

λ

4
π

∼
4

.
Holographic striped superconductor with ionic lattice
Authors: Li Kai , Ling Yi , Liu Peng , Wu Meng-He
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We construct a holographic model to study the striped superconductor on ionic lattices. This model features a phase diagram with three distinct phases, namely the charge density wave (CDW) phase, ordinary superconducting phase (SC) and the striped superconducting phase (SSC). The effect of the ionic lattices on the phase diagram is investigated in detail. First, due to the periodic nature of the background, different types of CDW solutions can be found below the critical temperature. Furthermore, with the increase of the lattice amplitude these solutions are locked in different commensurate states. Second, we find that the critical temperature of CDW phase decreases with the increase of the lattice amplitude, while that of the SC phase increases. Additionally, the background solutions are obtained for different phases, and it is verified that the SSC phase has the lowest free energy among all three phases.
Probing exotic long-lived particles from the prompt side using the CONTUR method
Authors: Corpe L. , Goudelis A. , Jeannot S. , Jeon S.
Published: February 2025

Abstract

A method to derive constraints on new physics models featuring exotic long-lived particles using detector-corrected measurements of prompt states is presented. The Contur workflow is modified to either account for the fraction of long-lived particles which decay early enough to be reconstructed as prompt, or to be sensitive to the recoil of such particles against a prompt system. This makes it possible to determine how many of signal events would be selected in the Rivet routines which encapsulate the fiducial regions of dozens of measurements of Standard Model processes by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations. New constraints are set on several popular exotic long-lived particle models in the very short-lifetime or very long-lifetime regimes, which are often poorly covered by direct searches. The probed models include feebly-interacting dark matter, hidden sector models mediated by a heavy neutral scalar, dark photon models and a model featuring photo-phobic axion-like particles.
Cannabidiol protects lung against inflammation and apoptosis in a rat model of blunt chest trauma via Bax/Bcl-2/Cas-9 signaling pathway
Authors: Emre Akın Süleyman , Mehtap Savran , Cem Doğan , İlter İlhan , Melih Arlıoğlu , Özlem Özmen , Serdar Sezer , Ekrem Çamaş Hasan , Rasih Yazkan
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that cannabidiol (CBD), with known anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, would reduce the severity of acute lung injury in pulmonary contusion following blunt chest trauma.

Methods

Forty male Wistar Albino rats were randomly divided into four groups, each consisting of 10 rats: Sham, Trauma, Trauma + CBD, and CBD. The rats were treated with a single dose of 5 mg/kg CBD intraperitoneally 30 min before trauma. Then, the trauma were exposed to a weight of 200 g and a height of 1 m. After sacrifice, the lung tissues were removed for histopathological, immunohistochemical, biochemical, and genetic analyses.

Results

Pulmonary injury of trauma group led to increases in tumor necrosis factor α, caspase-3, caspase-9, Bcl-2-associated X protein expressions, total oxidant status, oxidative stress index levels, and decreases in B-cell lymphoma expression and total antioxidant levels. Additionally, inflammatory cell infiltration, damage-related emphysema, pronounced hyperemia, and increased septal tissue thickness were observed histopathologically. CBD treatment ameliorated all these findings.

Conclusion

CBD reduces lung damage in lung contusions caused by blunt chest trauma through its anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects. More detailed studies investigating other important intracellular pathways are needed.
Poor family finances, family-based adverse childhood experiences, and depressive and behavioral symptoms in adolescence
Authors: Nilsen Sondre Aasen , Radlick Rebecca Lynn , Askeland Kristin Gärtner
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a possible pathway through which poor family finances influences adolescents’ behavioral and mental health problems. However, the interrelationship between family finances, ACEs, and behavioral and mental health outcomes in adolescence has received little attention. We aimed to (1) document exposure to family-based ACEs by perceived family finances (PFF), (2) examine how PFF relates to cumulative and pattern-based approaches to ACEs, and (3) assess the direct and interactive associations between PFF and ACEs in relation with behavioral and mental health problems.

Methods

Data stem from the 2017–2019 nationwide Ungdata surveys of adolescents aged 13–15 (n = 12,560). Family-based ACEs were measured by 6 items covering parental alcohol use and intoxication, and intra-familial violence and fighting. The family-based ACEs were used both as a cumulative index score and examined through latent class analysis (LCA) to identify patterns of exposures. Cluster robust linear regression analyses were used to examine additive and interactive associations between PFF, family-based ACEs, and behavioral and depressive symptoms.

Results

Poor (compared to not poor) PFF was significantly associated with more depressive symptoms and behavioral problems. Cumulative and pattern based approaches to family-based ACEs partially and similarly attenuated the association between PFF and mental health outcomes. Mainly, however, PFF and family-based ACEs were independently associated with mental health outcomes and did not interact.

Conclusions

Poor family finances and family-based ACEs co-occur, and both have strong associations with depressive symptoms and behavioral problems in adolescence.
Insider imitation with product differentiation
Authors: d’Andria Diego
Published: February 2025

Online marketplace providers such as Amazon may also offer own-brand products, in this way competing with third-party traders on their platform. Moreover they may exploit nonpublic data on third-party sales to identify opportunities for profit and design their own products, thus engaging in a form of partial imitation that is exclusive to them. Such an asymmetry in the ability to imitate has led to advocating for stricter regulation of online platforms in order to limit their ability to exploit nonpublic data. I propose a dynamic simulation model to study the effects of insider imitation by a platform provider under product differentiation. Using different parametrizations, I am able to show how such a market may evolve in time with or without the presence of insider imitation under different initial conditions. The model also allows to account for subsequent innovation via imitation (which I refer to as copy-and-be-copied dynamics), an aspect not considered by previous studies. These results add to the existing literature and cast further doubts on current regulatory approaches aiming at limiting data exploitation. Results suggest that the presence of insider imitation is unlikely to lead to smaller consumer welfare and larger market concentration and should not be banned on the grounds of standard antitrust concerns.