bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acoustics of rubbing feathers: the velvet of owl feathers reduces frictional noise
Authors: Liu Lori G. , Clark Christopher J. 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACT
One feather structure associated with an owl's ability to fly quietly is the soft dorsal surface on their flight feathers: the velvet. This velvet is a mat of elongated filamentous pennulums that extend up from feather barbules. The aerodynamic noise hypothesis posits this velvet reduces aerodynamic noise caused by the formation of turbulence, while the structural noise hypothesis posits the velvet acts as a dry lubricant, reducing frictional noise produced by feathers sliding past one another. We investigated the structural noise hypothesis by quantifying the length of the velvet on 24 locations across the wing of the barred owl (Strix varia) and then qualitatively assessing the presence of velvet in 24 bird species. We found that velvet has evolved at least 4 times independently (convergently) in owls, nightbirds, hawks and falcons. Then, we rubbed 96 pairs of feathers together from 17 bird species (including the four clades that have independently evolved velvet) under three experimental treatments: control, hairspray applied (to impair the velvet) and hairspray removed. The sound of feathers rubbing against each other was broadband, similar to the sound of rubbing sandpaper or Velcro. Species with velvet produced rubbing sounds that were 20.9 dB quieter than species without velvet, and velvet-coated feathers became 7.4 dB louder when manipulated with hairspray, while feathers lacking velvet only increased in loudness by 1.7 dB, relative to the control treatments. These results all support the hypothesis that the velvet primarily functions to ameliorate the sounds of feathers rubbing against other feathers.
Biomechanics and ontogeny of gliding in wingless stick insect nymphs (Extatosoma tiaratum)
Authors: Zeng Yu , Naing Grisanu , Lu Vivian , Chen Yuexiang , Dudley Robert 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACT
Many wingless arboreal arthropods can glide back to tree trunks following free falls. However, little is known about the behaviors and aerodynamics underlying such aerial performance, and how this may be influenced by body size. Here, we studied gliding performance by nymphs of the stick insect Extatosoma tiaratum, focusing on the dynamics of J-shaped trajectories and how gliding capability changes during ontogeny. After being dropped 40 cm horizontally from a visual target, the first-instar nymphs landed on the target within 1.1 s. After reaching terminal speed (at ∼0.25 s), they initiated gliding with significant horizontal force, during which the overall lift-to-drag ratio increased from 0.16 to 0.48. This transition from parachuting to gliding is characterized by a damped oscillation in body pitch, initiated with a rapid nose-down pitching, and led to a higher-lift configuration with reduced body angle of attack. Among instars, increasing wing loading during ontogeny led to greater terminal speed, reduced agility during glide initiation and increased glide angle. Our study demonstrates that a sequence of controlled behaviors, from pre-glide descent to glide initiation and forward gliding, underlies their gliding aerodynamics, which in aggregate form the basis for J-shaped aerial trajectories. Selection for improved gliding performance in wingless arthropods may foster the evolution of more rapid maneuvers and of dedicated morphological traits (such as winglets) that contribute to an overall reduction in wing loading, either across ontogeny or during the evolution of larger body size.
Behavioural evidence of spectral opponent processing in the visual system of stomatopod crustaceans
Authors: Wang Ching-Wen Judy , Marshall N. Justin 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACT
Stomatopods, commonly known as mantis shrimps, possess intricate colour vision with up to 12 photoreceptor classes arranged in four specialised ommatidia rows (rows 1–4 in the midband region of the eye) for colour perception. Whereas 2–4 spectral sensitivities suffice for most visual systems, the function and mechanism behind stomatopods' 12-channel colour vision remains unclear. Previous anatomical and behavioural studies have suggested that binning and opponent processing mechanisms may coexist in stomatopod colour vision. However, direct evidence of colour opponency has been lacking. We hypothesised that if colour opponency exists in stomatopod vision, they would be able to distinguish colour from grey under coloured illumination. Conversely, if only the binning system is used, they would not. By examining the colour vision of the stomatopod Haptosquilla trispinosa with modified von Frisch grey card experiments, we found that they can differentiate between colour and grey under various coloured illuminations. Our results provide the first direct behavioural evidence of spectral opponency in stomatopods, suggesting that they use a hybrid colour processing system combining opponent and binning mechanisms for colour vision. This study advances our understanding of the complex visual system in stomatopods and highlights the importance of further research into the processing mechanisms, function and evolution of their unique visual system.
Exact and Approximate Schemes for Robust Optimization Problems with Decision-Dependent Information Discovery
Authors: Paradiso Rosario , Georghiou Angelos , Dabia Said , Tönissen Denise 
Published: December 2024

Uncertain optimization problems with decision-dependent information discovery allow the decision maker to control the timing of information discovery, in contrast to the classic multistage setting where uncertain parameters are revealed sequentially based on a prescribed filtration. This problem class is useful in a wide range of applications; however, its assimilation is partly limited by the lack of efficient solution schemes. In this paper, we study two-stage robust optimization problems with decision-dependent information discovery where uncertainty appears in the objective function. The contributions of the paper are twofold: (i) we develop the first exact algorithm for this class of problems, and (ii) we improve upon the existing K-adaptability approximation by strengthening its formulation using techniques from the integer programming literature. We benchmark our approaches using the decision-dependent information discovery orienteering and shortest path problems. We demonstrate that the exact solution method outperforms at times the K-adaptability approximation; however, the strengthened K-adaptability formulation can provide good-quality solutions in larger instances while significantly outperforming existing approximation schemes even in the decision-independent information discovery setting. We leverage the effectiveness of the proposed solution schemes and the orienteering problem in a case study from Alrijne Hospital in the Netherlands, where we try to improve the collection process of empty medicine delivery crates by cooptimizing sensor placement and routing decisions. History: Accepted by Andrea Lodi, Area Editor for Design & Analysis of Algorithms–Discrete. Funding: The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support by the Dutch Institute of Advanced Logistics (Dinalog) [grant number 2017-2-131TKI]. Supplemental Material: The software that supports the findings of this study is available within the paper and its Supplemental Information ( https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/suppl/10.1287/ijoc.2023.0290 ) as well as from the IJOC GitHub software repository ( https://github.com/INFORMSJoC/2023.0290 ). The complete IJOC Software and Data Repository is available at https://informsjoc.github.io/ .
Laser Transmission Cabin for Free-Space Classical and Quantum Communication Experiments: First Trials
Authors: Anguita Jaime , Pirela Carlos , Seguel Andrés 
Published: December 2024

We describe a new laser transmission cabin built at Universidad de los Andes for long-term experiments in the classical and quantum domains. Initial trials with optical vortices and quantum states detection over 1 km are presented.
Full-text article not available; see video presentation
Non-contact diffuse reflectance spectroscopy using center-illuminated-area-detection modeled by a simple formula for assessing myoglobin
Authors: Piao Daqing , Farahzadi Nafiseh , Sharma Anuj , Pfeiffer Morgan , Mafi Gretchen , Ramanathan Ranjith 
Published: December 2024

A convenience that is desirable in diffuse reflectance spectroscopy
(DRS) is to recover the spectral absorption by direct model inversion
to facilitate decomposition of spectrally significant chromophores.
Attaining such convenience that requires a simple forward model has
been challenging in non-contact DRS, for assessing myoglobin forms,
which is important to the evaluation of discoloration of meat. This
work demonstrates that non-contact DRS configured in a
center-illuminated-area-detection (CIAD) geometry [Appl. Opt.
61, 9143 (2022) APOPAI0003-693510.1364/AO.468342] may be
modeled by an exceptionally simple formula. This simple forward model
for DRS in the CIAD geometry on a homogeneous medium has been examined
by using Monte Carlo simulations, over a radius of the area of CIAD
ranging from 1.5 to 10 mm, for the absorption coefficient to
vary five orders of magnitude over , and the reduced scattering
coefficient to vary two orders of magnitude over while limited to one scattering phase
function. When compared to a previous cumbersome model for the same
geometry, the simple model markedly outperforms at high absorption, e.g., . The simplicity of this model
facilitates that, with a priori
knowledge of the spectral scattering, analytical operation could
directly recover the spectral absorption to subsequently use linear
inversion to resolve the chromophore proportions. Non-contact DRS in
the CIAD geometry of in diameter using this simple forward
model has been applied to seven longissimus
lumborum steaks over 6 days of retail display. The
progressive changes of myoglobin, including the decrease of
oxymyoglobin and increase of metmyoglobin, over 6 days
estimated by the simple model of non-contact DRS in CIAD are
consistent with those assessed concurrently by a contact DRS using
3 mm source-detector separation [Meat Muscle Biol.
5, 1 (2022)10.22175/mmb.12562].
Fourfold truncated double-nested antiresonant hollow-core fiber with ultralow loss and ultrahigh mode purity
Authors: Gao Shoufei , Chen Hao , Sun Yizhi , Xiong Yifan , Yang Zijie , Zhao Rui , Ding Wei , Wang Yingying 
Published: December 2024

Hollow-core fibers (HCFs) are inherently multimode, making it crucial to filter out higher-order modes (HOMs) within the shortest possible fiber length for applications such as high-speed coherent communications and fiber-optic gyroscopes. However, current HCF designs face the challenges of simultaneously achieving ultralow fundamental mode (FM) loss and ultrahigh HOM suppression. In this study, we present a fourfold truncated double-nested antiresonant nodeless hollow-core fiber (4T-DNANF) structure that addresses this challenge. Our 4T-DNANF enables greater control over phase matching between core modes and air modes in the cladding, allowing for minimized FM loss and substantially increased HOM loss. Experimentally, we fabricated several HCFs: one with an FM loss of 0.1 dB/km and an HOM loss of 430 dB/km, and another achieving an FM loss of 0.13 dB/km with a HOM loss of 6500 dB/km, yielding a higher-order mode extinction ratio of 5×104—the highest reported to date.
Evaluation of anxiety level and the factors Affecting Anxiety in health care workers in Shahid Dr. Gholipour Hospital, Bukan, Iran during COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Maghsoodi Esmaiel , Hasanpour Edris , Soleimani Farzaneh , Aghal Moosa , Mollarahimi Keyvan 
Published: December 2024

Introduction
The rapid and dangerous spread of Covid-19 has caused psychological problems, especially anxiety among health care workers. Due to the lack of accurate information on the prevalence of anxiety and the factors affecting it among health care workers, especially in developing countries, this study aimed to investigate the level of anxiety and the effective factors in health care workers in Shahid Dr. Gholipour Hospital in Bukan, Iran in Covid-19 pandemic.

Methodology
A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out through census sampling among health care workers of the hospital. Totally, 358 participants entered the study. Data gathering tool consisted of a demographical information tool and Spielberger’s Anxiety scale. To determine the effective variables on hidden and obvious anxiety use liner regression. significant predictors variable of anxiety was determined by logistic regression.

Findings
Means score for obvious anxiety was 47.005 (5.4) CI: 46.47–47.54 and for hidden anxiety was 42.790 (4.88) CI: 42.43–43.29. Factors affecting participants’ obvious anxiety based on the Unadjusted model were Work experience, Age group, Marital status and History of anxiety disorders and gender. In the Adjusted model, the age group and the anxiety history are considered as effective variables. One of the effective factors on hidden anxiety is the effect of gender variable in both Adjusted and Unadjusted models. Based on logistic regression test, job variables, age groups, marital status (are predicted variables of obvious anxiety. In hidden anxiety, marital status was introduced as a predictor variable.

Conclusion
The majority of personnel experienced a high level of anxiety during the pandemic. Psychological examination and interventions are essential for the health care workers.
Prognostic nutritional index and naples prognostic score as biomarkers for the prognosis of incisional wound healing after thoracolumbar tuberculosis surgery
Authors: Xiong Tuotuo , Qin Wanyuan , Zhang Ye , Chen Yuxing , Ou Yunsheng 
Published: December 2024

Objectives
This study aimed to evaluate and compare the clinical predictive value of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and naples prognostic score (NPS) as biomarkers for the prognosis of incisional wound healing in patients who underwent thoracolumbar tuberculosis surgery through the posterior approach.

Methods
From January 2019 to October 2021, a total of 124 patients with thoracolumbar tuberculosis who underwent posterior approach debridement and internal fixation were included in this study. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data, including PNI and NPS. They were divided into poor wound healing (PWH) and non-PWH groups according to whether PWH developed after the operation. And according to the receiver operating characteristic curve, patients were divided into two groups through the threshold value. Risk factors were found using logistic regression analysis.

Results
The unfavorable outcome group had lower hemoglobin, serum albumin, Pre-albumin, PNI, and higher estimated blood loss, instrumented segments, neutrophil count, and NPS (P < 0.05). Both PNI and NPS were strongly correlated with PWH (r = 0.373, P < 0.05; r = −0.306, P < 0.05, respectively). The area under the curve (AUC) of PNI for predicting unfavorable outcomes was 0.764 (95% CI 0.662–0.865, P < 0.001), which was similar to NPS (0.808, 95% CI: 0.719–0.897, P < 0.001). Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that PNI, NPS, the neutrophil count, the level of serum albumin, and the number of instrumented segments were independent risk factors for PWH.

Conclusion
Both PNI and NPS might be novel independent biomarkers and predictors of poor outcomes in incisional wound healing after STB surgery.
Comparative analysis of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke hospitalization rates in end-stage kidney disease and kidney transplant patients with and without atrial fibrillation
Authors: Canova Tyler , Issa Rochell , Baxter Patrick , Didier Alexander J. , Nahhas Alicia , Li Meng-Hao , Thomas Ian , Koizumi Naoru , Eltahawy Ehab , Ekwenna Obi 
Published: December 2024

Introduction
Atrial fibrillation (AF) in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and kidney transplant (KTx) recipients presents challenges in stroke risk management. This study aimed to compare hospitalization rates for ischemic and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular events in ESKD and KTx patients with and without AF.

Methods
Using the National Inpatient Sample (2005–2019), retrospective analysis was conducted on hospitalizations for ESKD and KTx patients with and without AF. Baseline characteristics and hospitalization rates for five cerebral ischemic conditions and one hemorrhagic condition were compared. Descriptive statistics and t-tests were employed for analysis.

Results
Among ESKD patients, those with AF exhibited significantly higher hospitalization rates for ischemic stroke, including 1)Cerebral infarction due to thrombosis, embolism, occlusion (0.11% vs. 0.08%,p<0.001), 2)Cerebral infarction due to thrombosis, embolism, and unspecified occlusion (1.93% vs. 1.51%, p<0.001), 3)Artery occlusion resulting in cerebral ischemia (1.37% vs. 0.93%,p<0.001), 4)Cerebral artery occlusion resulting in cerebral ischemia (0.48% vs. 0.42%,p<0.001), while experiencing lower rates of intraoperative and postprocedural cerebrovascular infarction (0.88% vs. 0.97%,p<0.001) compared to those without AF. Conversely, KTx patients with AF showed increased hospitalizations for hemorrhagic stroke, particularly nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage (0.79% vs. 0.56%,p<0.001), compared to those without AF. However, they did not exhibit significant differences in hospitalization rates for most ischemic conditions, except for cerebral infarction due to thrombosis, embolism, and unspecific occlusion (1.62% vs. 1.11%,p<0.001) and artery occlusion resulting in cerebral ischemia (0.84% vs. 0.52%,p<0.001).

Conclusion
Our findings reveal patterns in hospitalization rates between ESKD and KTx patients with AF compared to those without AF, with ESKD patients with AF exhibiting higher rates of ischemic stroke compared to ESKD patients without AF and KTx patients with AF showing increased hospitalizations for hemorrhagic stroke compared to those without AF. These findings demonstrate the impact of AF on hospitalization rates for ischemic and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular events in both ESKD and KTx patients.
FBLN1 regulates ferroptosis in acute respiratory distress syndrome by reducing free ferrous iron by inhibiting the TGF-β/Smad pathway
Authors: Yuan Yaping , Wang Youbo , Yan Yufeng , Kim Edward , Bai Jin , Zhao Yang , Ma Qinyun , Gu Wenchao , Song Haihan 
Published: December 2024

Background
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) / acute lung injury (ALI) is a serious medical disease characterized by pulmonary dysfunction and inflammation. This study aims to determine the main molecular modules linked to ARDS and investigate the role of Fibulin-1 (FBLN1) in regulating ferroptosis in ARDS.

Methods
Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was employed on the GSE263867 dataset to find key modules associated with ALI. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were analyzed. MLE-12 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce ferroptosis. In vitro studies were conducted to investigate the effects of FBLN1 and Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 (TGF-β) overexpression on cell viability, oxidative stress markers, and ferroptosis-related proteins.

Results
WGCNA identified the turquoise module as significantly negatively correlated with ARDS. Five key overlapping genes (GRIA1, OGN, COL14A1, FBLN1, and COL6A3) were significantly downregulated in ARDS samples. LPS treatment induced ferroptosis in MLE-12 cells, indicated by increased malondialdehyde (MDA), lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS), and ferrous iron (Fe2⁺) levels, and decreased cell viability and glutathione (GSH) levels. FBLN1 overexpression partially reversed these effects. Additionally, FBLN1 inhibited the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, as shown by decreased TGF-β and p-Smad protein levels. TGF-β overexpression exacerbated LPS-induced oxidative stress and ferroptosis, reducing cell viability and GSH levels. FBLN1 overexpression counteracted this effect, suggesting antagonistic roles for FBLN1 and TGF-β in regulating ferroptosis.

Conclusion
This study highlights FBLN1 as a critical regulator of ferroptosis in ARDS. Targeting the TGF-β/Smad pathway to modulate FBLN1 expression offers a potential therapeutic strategy to alleviate oxidative stress and mitigate pulmonary injury in inflammatory lung diseases.
Epidemiology and burden of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis among United States Veterans: An analysis of Veteran’s Affairs data
Authors: Goldschmidt Deborah , Bensink Mark E. , Zhou Zheng-Yi , Shi Sherry , Lin Yilu , Shi Lizheng 
Published: December 2024

Introduction
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a rare glomerular disease that can lead to reduced kidney function and kidney failure (KF). The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology, characteristics, clinical outcomes, healthcare resource utilization, and costs associated with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in United States (US) veterans.

Methods
This retrospective cohort study included patients in the National Veterans Affairs Health Care Network with ≥2 FSGS-associated diagnostic codes that were 30–180 days apart (October 1999–February 2021). Annual FSGS incidence and prevalence per 1,000,000 US veterans were calculated. Patient and disease characteristics as of the index date (date of first FSGS diagnosis) and baseline (6-months pre-index) comorbidities were described. Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to assess overall survival and time from index to KF or death, dialysis, and kidney transplant. Post-index medication use, HRU, and direct healthcare costs were summarized.

Results
The study included 2,515 veterans with FSGS who were followed for an average of 8.9 years. The mean age was 57.5 years, most patients were male (94.6%), and the most common comorbidity was hypertension (87.0%). The mean annual incidence and prevalence of FSGS during 2000–2020 were 19.6 and 164.7 per million veterans, respectively. Approximately half (51.5%) died during follow-up (median time: 11.6 years) and 76.9% had kidney failure (4.1 years). Overall, 43.3% underwent dialysis and 5.8% had a kidney transplant. During follow-up, statins and calcium channel blockers were commonly used (81.9% and 75.1%). During the first year post-index, 40% had an inpatient admission and 33% visited the emergency room; mean total healthcare cost per patient in the analysis was $36,543.

Conclusions
Among US veterans, FSGS is associated with considerable clinical and economic burdens. Better treatments for FSGS are needed to slow kidney disease progression, improve patient outcomes, and reduce the burden.