bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Liquid-liquid phase separation driven by charge heterogeneity
Authors: Notarmuzi Daniele , Bianchi Emanuela 
Published: December 2024

AbstractDespite the intrinsic charge heterogeneity of proteins plays a crucial role in the liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of a broad variety of protein systems, our understanding of the effects of their electrostatic anisotropy is still in its early stages. We approach this issue by means of a coarse-grained model based on a robust mean-field description that extends the DLVO theory to non-uniformly charged particles. We numerically investigate the effect of surface charge patchiness and net particle charge on varying these features independently and with the use of a few parameters only. The effect of charge anisotropy on the LLPS critical point is rationalized via a thermodynamic-independent parameter based on orientationally averaged pair properties, that estimates the particle connectivity and controls the propensity of the liquid phase to condensate. We show that, even though directional attraction alone is able to lower the particle bonding valence—thus shifting the critical point towards lower temperatures and densities—directional repulsion significantly and systematically diminishes the particle functionality, thus further reducing the critical parameters. This electrostatically-driven shift can be understood in terms of the additional morphological constraints introduced by the directional repulsion, that hinder the condensation of dense aggregates.
Collective excitations and low-energy ionization signatures of relativistic particles in silicon detectors
Authors: Essig Rouven , Plestid Ryan , Singal Aman 
Published: December 2024

AbstractSolid-state detectors with a low energy threshold have several applications, including searches of non-relativistic halo dark-matter particles with sub-GeV masses. When searching for relativistic, beyond-the-Standard-Model particles with enhanced cross sections for small energy transfers, a small detector with a low energy threshold may have better sensitivity than a larger detector with a higher energy threshold. In this paper, we calculate the low-energy ionization spectrum from high-velocity particles scattering in a dielectric material. We consider the full material response including the excitation of bulk plasmons. We generalize the energy-loss function to relativistic kinematics, and benchmark existing tools used for halo dark-matter scattering against electron energy-loss spectroscopy data. Compared to calculations commonly used in the literature, such as the Photo-Absorption-Ionization model or the free-electron model, including collective effects shifts the recoil ionization spectrum towards higher energies, typically peaking around 4–6 electron-hole pairs. We apply our results to the three benchmark examples: millicharged particles produced in a beam, neutrinos with a magnetic dipole moment produced in a reactor, and upscattered dark-matter particles. Our results show that the proper inclusion of collective effects typically enhances a detector’s sensitivity to these particles, since detector backgrounds, such as dark counts, peak at lower energies.
Clinical Case Study: Pediatric Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction
Authors: Fujiki Robert Brinton , Fujiki Amanda Edith 
Published: December 2024

Clinical Scenario:
Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) consists of exertion-induced laryngeal adduction that constricts the airway and causes dyspnea. Respiratory retraining (i.e., therapy) with a speech-language pathologist (SLP) is the primary treatment for EILO, yet there is limited work describing typical treatment course in adolescents.

Clinical Question:
What are some clinical procedures and considerations for treating EILO in an adolescent?

Study Sources:
This study describes a clinical case of EILO in a 13-year-old female. Case history, self-reported outcomes, and laryngeal imaging findings are reported with reference to current EILO literature.

Primary Results:
A 13-year-old female presented to the clinic with a 2-year history of episodic dyspnea. Symptoms included inhalation difficulty, throat tightness, and biphasic stridor. Symptoms were triggered by physical exertion, the scents of cleaners, and high humidity. Symptom onset following trigger exposure was rapid and resolved quickly upon exercise cessation or trigger removal. Symptoms prevented participation in athletic activities and caused emotional distress. Laryngeal imaging revealed arytenoid twitching and paradoxical vocal fold motion upon inhalation. Laryngeal adduction upon inhalation ranged from partial to complete. Respiratory retraining with an SLP was recommended. Following three treatment sessions, the patient demonstrated proficiency with rescue breathing techniques and reported improved EILO symptoms. Posttherapy Dyspnea Index score reflected a 14-point improvement when compared with baseline. Diagnostic procedures, treatment course, and implications are discussed in detail.

Conclusion:
This case supports previous study and describes both the nature of EILO and the implications for clinical practice.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.28020962
Autoencoder‐based unsupervised one‐class learning for abnormal activity detection in egocentric videos
Authors: Hu Haowen , Hachiuma Ryo , Saito Hideo 
Published: December 2024

AbstractIn recent years, abnormal human activity detection has become an important research topic. However, most existing methods focus on detecting abnormal activities of pedestrians in surveillance videos; even those methods using egocentric videos deal with the activities of pedestrians around the camera wearer. In this paper, the authors present an unsupervised auto‐encoder‐based network trained by one‐class learning that inputs RGB image sequences recorded by egocentric cameras to detect abnormal activities of the camera wearers themselves. To improve the performance of network, the authors introduce a ‘re‐encoding’ architecture and a regularisation loss function term, minimising the KL divergence between the distributions of features extracted by the first and second encoders. Unlike the common use of KL divergence loss to obtain a feature distribution close to an already‐known distribution, the aim is to encourage the features extracted by the second encoder to have a close distribution to those extracted from the first encoder. The authors evaluate the proposed method on the Epic‐Kitchens‐55 dataset and conduct an ablation study to analyse the functions of different components. Experimental results demonstrate that the method outperforms the comparison methods in all cases and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed re‐encoding architecture and the regularisation term.
Comparison of frequency domain models for assessing the harmonic emissions of low voltage photovoltaic systems
Authors: Bracale Antonio , Collin Adam J. , Ishaq Muhammad , Langella Roberto 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThe proliferation of photovoltaic (PV) systems connected to low voltage (LV) distribution networks can have detrimental impacts on waveform distortion. This is caused by the power electronic interface, with voltage source converter (VSC) technology being by far the most prevalent. As such, proper emission models, which can account for the non‐linear operation of VSCs used in PV systems have to be developed and investigated for the assessment of harmonic distortion in LV networks. This paper compares different frequency domain models (FDMs), specifically, methods based on frequency coupling matrices and an analytical method based on a harmonically coupled impedance matrix, for the type of single‐phase PV systems typically found in LV distribution networks. Two case studies are presented to compare the models in terms of computational complexity and accuracy, with results showing that models accounting for the interaction between same order harmonics are sufficiently accurate.
Challenges in identifying the coronal hole wind
Authors: Heidrich-Meisner Verena , Teichmann Sophie , Berger Lars , Wimmer-Schweingruber Robert F. 
Published: December 2024

Context. Solar wind is frequently categorized based on its respective solar source region. Solar wind that originates in coronal holes is consequently called coronal hole wind. Two well-established categorizations of the coronal hole wind, the scheme based on the charge-state composition, and the scheme based on proton plasma, identify a very different fraction of solar wind in the data from the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) as coronal hole wind during the solar activity minimum at the end of solar cycle 24.
Aims. We investigate possible explanations for the different identifications of the coronal wind in 2009 in the scheme based on the charge-state composition (almost only coronal hole wind) and in the scheme based on the proton plasma (almost no coronal hole wind at the same time). The high fraction of coronal hole wind observed in the scheme based on the charge-state composition in 2009 was also addressed previously.
Methods. We compared the properties of the respective coronal hole wind types and their changes with solar activity cycle in 2001–2010. As a comparison reference, we included the coronal hole wind as identified by an unsupervised machine-learning approach, k-means, in our analysis.
Results. Because the ratio of the O7+ to O6+ densities drops systematically for the entire solar wind during the solar activity minimum, which cannot be captured by the fixed threshold on the O charge-state ratio suggested in the scheme based on the charge-state composition, we find that this solar wind classification likely misidentifies some slow solar wind as coronal hole wind during the solar activity minimum. The k-means coronal hole wind agrees with the very low fraction of coronal hole wind observed in the classification based on the proton plasma. In addition, the k-means classification we considered includes two types of coronal hole wind, the first of which is dominant during the solar activity maximum and exhibits comparatively higher O and Fe charge states, whereas the second is dominant during the solar activity minimum and features lower O and Fe charge states. A low fraction of coronal hole wind from low-latitude coronal holes observed by ACE in 2009 is plausible because during this time period, a very small number of low-latitude coronal holes was observed. The scheme based on proton plasma and 7-means also relies on fixed decision boundaries, wherein the decision boundary in the scheme based on the proton plasma for coronal hole wind appears to be better adapted for conditions at solar activity minimum than maximum.
Conclusions. The results imply that the origin-oriented solar wind classification needs to be revisited, and they also suggest that an explicit inclusion of the phase of the solar activity cycle can be expected to improve the classification of the solar wind.
Zuckersteuer: Wie lange können wir es uns noch leisten, nichts zu
tun?
Authors: Fischbacher Sarah , Dippel Franz-Werner , Schöffski Oliver 
Published: December 2024

ZusammenfassungDie steigende Prävalenz von Adipositas und Typ-2-Diabetes stellt unsere
Gesellschaft vor wachsende medizinische und finanzielle Herausforderungen. Mit
etwa 18 Millionen stark übergewichtigen Erwachsenen und ca. 9 Millionen Menschen
mit Typ-2-Diabetes befindet sich Deutschland in der Spitzengruppe Europas. Ein
wesentlicher Grund für diese Entwicklung ist der zunehmende Konsum von
industriell gesüßten Getränken und gezuckerten Speisen. Zucker ist mittlerweile
der dominierende Bestandteil stark verarbeiteter Fertigprodukte. Der jährliche
Pro-Kopf-Verbrauch wird auf mehr als 40 kg geschätzt. Vor diesem Hintergrund hat
die Debatte über eine Besteuerung zuckerhaltiger Getränke und Fertigprodukte an
Fahrt aufgenommen. Nach Ansicht von Experten ließe sich eine Zuckersteuer in
Deutschland problemlos über das System der besonderen Verbrauchersteuern
umsetzen. Um eine gesundheitliche Wirkung zu erzielen, sollte die Zuckersteuer
alle eingesetzten Mono- und Disaccharide berücksichtigen, unabhängig davon, aus
welcher Quelle sie stammen. In diesem Beitrag wird ein konkreter Vorschlag für
die Ausgestaltung einer Zuckersteuer unterbreitet. Als Bemessungsgrundlage wird
der prozentuale Zuckergehalt herangezogen und drei Steuerklassen zugeordnet. Die
Steuersätze werden so bemessen, dass sie eine Lenkungswirkung entfalten. Um
einkommensschwache Bevölkerungsschichten zu entlasten entfällt im Gegenzug die
Mehrwertsteuer auf frische und naturbelassene Grundnahrungsmittel. Eine
regelmäßig durchgeführte Evaluation stellt die Wirksamkeit der Zuckersteuer
sicher.
Factor XIII-A Transglutaminase Contributes to Neutrophil Extracellular Trap (NET)-mediated Fibrin(ogen) Network Formation and Crosslinking
Authors: Soltani Fatemeh , Welman Mélanie , Samani Sahar Ebrahimi , Pacis Alain , Lordkipanidzé Marie , Kaartinen Mari T. 
Published: December 2024

Background Neutrophil extracellular traps can contribute to thrombosis via stabilization of fibrin network, which is normally conducted by plasma transglutaminase, Factor XIII-A as part of coagulation cascade. The possible presence and activity of FXIII-A in neutrophils or during NETosis are unknown. Here, we investigated potential presence of FXIII-A in neutrophils and participation in NET-fibrin(ogen) interaction in vitro.

Methods Data mining of human and mouse F13A1/F13a1 mRNA expression in whole-body scRNA sequence atlases was conducted. F13a1 mRNA and protein expression was assessed in isolated mouse bone marrow neutrophils. NETosis was induced using 12-phorbol 13-myristate acetate (PMA), and the transglutaminase activity was assessed with 5-(biotinamido)pentylamine incorporation to plasma fibronectin and a fluorescence-fibrin(ogen)-based activity assay using ATTO488-Cadaverine. Externalization of FXIII-A and its interaction with neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) markers, namely, decondensed DNA, CitH3, and MPO, were examined with immunofluorescence microscopy. NET–fibrin(ogen) interaction was investigated with and without serum and/or transglutaminase inhibitor, NC9. Effect of soluble fibrinogen and fibrin(ogen) network on NETosis was also assessed.
Results Data mining of RNAseq atlases showed F13A1/F13a1 expression in adipose tissue, blood, and bone marrow neutrophils. mRNA expression and protein production were confirmed in isolated neutrophils where expression was comparable to that of macrophages and monocytes. FXIII-A was externalized and active as a transglutaminase and colocalized with NET markers during NETosis. FXIII-A transglutaminase activity promoted NET–fibrin(ogen) interaction and entrapment of neutrophils within fibrin(ogen) matrix. Soluble fibrinogen or fibrin(ogen) network did not induce NETosis.
Conclusion This study identifies neutrophils as a source of FXIII-A and suggests its role in stabilizing NET–fibrin(ogen) matrix structures.
Novel Syntheses of rac- and Enantiomerically Enriched Dimethyl α-Methylphosphoserinate
Authors: Ordoñez Mario , Bello-Vargas Estefany , Romero-Estudillo Ivan , Labastida-Galván Victoria 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThe novel synthesis of racemic and enantiomerically enriched dimethyl (S)- and (R)-α-methylphosphoserinate is described. The racemic synthesis involves a three-component reaction of hydroxyacetone, benzylamine, dimethyl phosphite and catalytic amounts of phenylphosphonic acid, or alternatively, the reaction of ethyl pyruvate with NH4OAc and dimethyl phosphite in the presence of SiO2 under solvent-free conditions, followed by reduction of the ethyl ester with NaBH4 in THF/MeOH. On the other hand, the stereoselective synthesis includes the phosphonylation of chiral cyclic imines obtained by reaction of ethyl pyruvate with (S)- or (R)-phenylglycinol, followed by reduction of the cyclic ester with NaBH4 and cleavage of the phenylglycinol fragment under hydrogenolysis. The absolute configuration is established by 2D NOESY experiments. All synthesized compounds are fully characterized.
Laboratory model tests and three-dimensional numerical analyses to investigate the behavior of floating granular piles in soft clay
Authors: Hasan Murtaza , Bhatia Pooja , Khan Mohammad Amir , Alsabhan Abdullah H. , Alam Shamshad , Algburi Sameer , Mohammed Salah J. 
Published: December 2024

In geotechnical construction, floating granular piles (FGPs) are employed to increase the bearing capacity and decrease the settlement of soft and highly compressive silt materials. FGPs have been installed more quickly and cost effectively than full depth piles, thereby shortening the construction period and saving on materials. Therefore, the present paper investigates the behavior of FGPs under short-term, displacement-controlled conditions through laboratory testing and numerical simulations using Plaxis 3D. Granular piles (GPs) with diameters of 60, 75, and 90 mm corresponding to the respective spacing (s) of 3.1d, 2.5d, and 2d were installed in soft clay employing the unit cell concept. The piles with lengths of 4d, 5d, and 6d were chosen as multiples of the pile diameter (d), alongside end-bearing piles with a length of 7d for comparative analysis. Lengths (4d–7d) and diameters (60–90 mm) of the GPs, area replacement ratios (9.43%–22.67%), angles of internal friction of the granular material (35°–45°), undrained shear strength of the surrounding clay (10–30 kPa), and pile spacings (2d–3.1d) were investigated. The outcomes of laboratory experiments were analyzed against the results obtained from the numerical simulations performed using Plaxis 3D. Results suggest that the load carrying capacity (LCC) of GPs considerably increased, by a factor of 2.6 to 3.1 in comparison with the untreated ground, as the length of the piles increased from 4d to 7d. Larger diameters and higher friction angles also significantly improved the LCC. Failures observed were mainly due to the bulging of the FGPs. The findings support a more cost-effective and friendly alternative to traditional foundation approaches, helping to promote more sustainable and resilient construction practices in geotechnically demanding regions.
Bitter compound quinine hydrochloride improved post-weaning pig performance in the absence of zinc oxide
Authors: Garcia-Puig Elisabet , Liu Fan , Morrison Rebecca , Müller Maximiliano , Lisle Allan , Roura Eugeni 
Published: December 2024

Context Dietary zinc oxide (ZnO) (a bitter antimicrobial chemical) in pigs is being gradually phased out due to pollution and antibiotic resistance. Bitter compounds like quinine hydrochloride (HCl) have shown potential to enhance growth and feed efficiency by slowing gastric emptying and intestinal passage rates in pigs. Aims This study aimed to evaluate quinine’s ability to improve performance in weanling pigs without ZnO. Methods Two experiments were conducted. Experiment 1: 120 Landrace (LD) × Large White (LW) weaned piglets (initial BW 6.8 ± 0.1 kg) were randomly assigned to one of four diets in a 2 × 2 factorial design: with/without ZnO and copper sulfate (CuSO4) (3000 and 250 ppm, respectively) and two quinine levels (0 and 500 ppm). Parameters measured included average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), gain to feed ratio (G:F), and faecal score. Experiment 2: 1440 LD × LW piglets (initial BW 7.4 ± 0.2 kg) were housed in groups of 18 per pen and assigned the same four dietary treatments as in Experiment 1. Key results Growth performance parameters were recorded and analysed, showing that ZnO/CuSO4 supplement improved growth and feed efficiency (P < 0.05) compared to the ZnO/CuSO4-free diet group. In Experiment 1, pigs supplemented with quinine in non-ZnO/CuSO4 diets showed similar (P > 0.05) performance levels to the ZnO/CuSO4 fed group. In addition, an interaction (P < 0.05) was found, indicating that adding quinine improved or worsened ADG and G:F depending on the absence or presence of ZnO/CuSO4 in the diet, respectively. In Experiment 2, quinine inclusions in non-ZnO diets improved (P < 0.05) ADG but did not affect (P > 0.05) ADFI and G:F. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the anticipated deleterious effects of phasing out the use of dietary ZnO can be partially compensated by includingquinine in the diet of post-weaning pigs. The negative effect of quinine when provided together with ZnO is compatible with a competitive exclusion mechanism linked to both stimulating bitterness, a mechanism that warrants further investigation. Implications Quinine shows potential as a partial replacement for ZnO in post-weaning pig diets, providing a promising alternative to maintain piglet health and growth while transitioning away from ZnO.
Health literacy measurement: a comparison of four widely used health literacy instruments (TOFHLA, NVS, HLS-EU and HLQ) and implications for practice
Authors: Jessup Rebecca L. , Beauchamp Alison , Osborne Richard H. , Hawkins Melanie , Buchbinder Rachelle 
Published: December 2024

Background Health literacy has evolved from a focus on individual skills to an interactive process influenced by relationships and the health system. Various instruments measure health literacy, developed from different conceptions and often for different measurement purposes. The aim of this study was to compare the properties of four widely used health literacy instruments: Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA), Newest Vital Sign (NVS), European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU-Q47), and Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Methods This was a within-subject study comparing instrument performance. Composite reliability and Cronbach’s alpha was used to measure internal consistency, floor/ceiling effects determined discriminate ability across low-to-high score ranges, and Spearman’s R correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between instruments, particularly scales aiming to measure similar constructs. Results Fifty-nine patients consented, with 43 completing all four instruments. Internal consistency was high for all scales (composite reliability range 0.76–0.95). Floor and ceiling effects were observed, with TOFHLA demonstrating the largest ceiling effect (>62) and NVS the only floor effect (18%). Only moderate correlations were found between TOFHLA and NVS (r = 0.60) and between HLS-EU-Q47 and HLQ scales (r ~0.6). Conclusion Our study found low to moderate correlations between the instruments, indicating they measure different constructs of health literacy. Clinicians and researchers should consider the intended measurement purpose and constructs when choosing an instrument. If the purpose of measurement is to understand reading, comprehension, and numeracy skills in individuals and populations, then performance based functional health literacy instruments such as the TOFHLA and NVS will be suitable. However, if the purpose is to generate insights into broader elements of health literacy, including social supports and relationships with health providers, then the HLS-EU and HLQ may be useful. The findings highlight the need for careful instrument selection to ensure meaningful and appropriate data interpretation. As improving population health literacy is a national priority in many countries, it is important that clinicians and researchers understand the measurement differences offered by different instruments to assist them to choose the right instrument for their measurement purpose.