bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Green synthesis of fluorescent N-doped carbon quantum dots from castor seeds and their applications in cell imaging and pH sensing
Authors: Elkun Salah , Ghali M. , Sharshar T. , Mosaad M. M. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractWater-soluble fluorescent N-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) were hydrothermally prepared through a green synthesis route using castor seeds as a single precursor and a hydrothermal method. Several experimental techniques have been used to characterize synthesized N-CQDs to confirm their structure and to verify their applicability in cell imaging and pH sensing. The synthesized N-CQDs were found to have are characterized by amorphous nature with a spherical shape with an average particle size of 6.57 nm as revealed from XRD and TEM measurements. The FTIR results reveal the presence of carboxylic and hydroxyl functional groups on the surface of the CQDs, which was also confirmed by XPS analysis. The fluorescence characterization of the synthesized N-CQDs showed blue emission and excitation dependence with good photostability. It was found that the optimal excitation and emission wavelengths were (λEx = 360) and (λEm = 432) nm, respectively. The fluorescence quantum yield (QY) of about 9.6% at the optimum excitation wavelength 360 nm. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity of N-CQDs showed good linear dependence with the pH values in ranges of 3.5 − 7.5 and 8 − 12 as well as high sensitivity for slight changes of pH values. According to these results, two fluorescent pH sensors were created based on acidic and basic media. The obtained N-CQDs have zeta potential of -21.86 mV and thus have excellent stability in water. Moreover, N-CQDs derived from the castor seeds have antimicrobial activity and exhibits low cytotoxicity to WI-13 cells with IC50 = 394.4 ± 13.8 µg/mL. The results of this study demonstrated that the synthesized N-CQDs derived from castor seeds can be used as pH sensing and antimicrobial materials. On the other hand, they are also promising in applications in cell imaging, thermo-sensing and optoelectronics.
Associating EEG functional networks and the effect of sleep deprivation as measured using psychomotor vigilance tests
Authors: Mason Sophie L. , Junges Leandro , Woldman Wessel , Ftouni Suzanne , Anderson Clare , Terry John R. , Bagshaw Andrew P. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractPeople are routinely forced to undertake cognitive challenges under the effect of sleep deprivation, due to professional and social obligations forcing them to ignore their circadian clock. However, low intra-individual and high inter-individual differences in behavioural outcomes are known to occur when people are sleep deprived, leading to the conclusion that trait-like differences to sleep deprivation could explain the differing levels of resilience. Within this study we consider if trait-like resilience to sleep deprivation, measured using psychomotor vigilance tests over a 40 h protocol, could be associated with graph metrics (mean node strength, clustering coefficient, characteristic path length and stability) calculated from EEG functional networks acquired when participants ($$n=13$$) are well rested (baseline). Furthermore, we investigated how stability (the consistency of a participant’s functional network over time measured using 2-D correlation) changed over the constant routine. We showed evidence of strong significant correlations between high mean node strength, low characteristic path length and high stability at baseline with a general resilience to extended sleep deprivation, although the same features lead to vulnerability during the period of natural sleep onset, highlighting non-uniform correlations over time. We also show significant differences in the levels of stability between resilient and vulnerable groups.
Recycling some byproducts for fabrication of green cement with good mechanical strength and high efficiency for wastewater treatment
Authors: Helmy Fatma M. , El-Gamal S.M.A. , Ramadan M. , Selim F. A. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThis research aims to produce green cement, as an alternative to traditional cement, with outstanding performance. Five alkali-activated cement pastes were fabricated based on NaOH-activation of slag (GGBFS), bypass (B), and/or silica fume (S). Codes of five pastes are C, C-20B, C-30B, C-10B10S, and C-20B10S, as C is the control paste containing 100% slag. The compressive strength of the fabricated pastes was measured at different curing regimes: Conventional curing for 3 months and autoclave curing at 4 bar/153◦C, 7 bar/178◦C, and 10 bar/198◦C for 4 h. XRD, TGA/DTG, SEM/EDX, and BET/BJH techniques were utilized to clarify the phase development, morphological and texture features of the formed alkali-activated composite pastes. Besides, the removal capacity of some pastes for methylene blue and indigo-carmine dyes from aqueous media was evaluated. The results confirmed that C and C10B10S (80%GGBFS + 10%B + 10%S) pastes have significant mechanical properties and distinctive meso-porosity that can remove both anionic and cationic dyes.
Leveraging large language models to construct feedback from medical multiple-choice Questions
Authors: Tomova Mihaela , Roselló Atanet Iván , Sehy Victoria , Sieg Miriam , März Maren , Mäder Patrick 
Published: November 2024

AbstractExams like the formative Progress Test Medizin can enhance their effectiveness by offering feedback beyond numerical scores. Content-based feedback, which encompasses relevant information from exam questions, can be valuable for students by offering them insight into their performance on the current exam, as well as serving as study aids and tools for revision. Our goal was to utilize Large Language Models (LLMs) in preparing content-based feedback for the Progress Test Medizin and evaluate their effectiveness in this task. We utilize two popular LLMs and conduct a comparative assessment by performing textual similarity on the generated outputs. Furthermore, we study via a survey how medical practitioners and medical educators assess the capabilities of LLMs and perceive the usage of LLMs for the task of generating content-based feedback for PTM exams. Our findings show that both examined LLMs performed similarly. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages. Our survey results indicate that one LLM produces slightly better outputs; however, this comes at a cost since it is a paid service, while the other is free to use. Overall, medical practitioners and educators who participated in the survey find the generated feedback relevant and useful, and they are open to using LLMs for such tasks in the future. We conclude that while the content-based feedback generated by the LLM may not be perfect, it nevertheless can be considered a valuable addition to the numerical feedback currently provided.
Contribution of remote Pacinian corpuscles to flutter-range frequency discrimination in humans
Authors: Nagi Saad S. , McIntyre Sarah , Ng Kevin K. W. , Mahns David A. , Birznieks Ingvars , Vickery Richard M. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractAmong the various classes of fast-adapting (FA) tactile afferents found in hairy and glabrous skin, FA2 afferents, associated with Pacinian corpuscles (PC), preferentially signal high-frequency sinusoidal events corresponding with vibration percepts, in contrast to other classes associated with lower frequency flutter percepts. The FA2-PC complex is also uniquely sensitive to distant sources of vibration mechanically transmitted through anatomical structures. In the present study, we used a pulsatile waveform to assess the contribution of FA2 afferents to the perception of flutter-range frequency stimuli (~ 20 Hz) in combination with two methods to abolish local FA inputs and force a dependence on FA2 via transmission from adjacent structures. Firstly, we examined frequency discrimination and perception of vibration applied to the hairy skin overlying the ulnar styloid before and during the blockade of intradermal receptors by local anaesthesia. Secondly, we tested frequency discrimination on the digital glabrous skin before and during the blockade of myelinated fibres by ulnar nerve compression. Despite reliance on vibration transmission to activate remote PCs, we found that flutter-range frequency discrimination was unimpeded across both skin types. Comparisons with stimuli applied to the contralateral side also indicated that perceived frequency was unaffected. This confirms that flutter-range frequency perception can be encoded by the FA2-PC system. Our results demonstrate that input from receptors specialised for low-frequency signalling is not mandatory for flutter-range frequency perception. This explains how the constancy of frequency perception might be achieved across different skin regions, irrespective of the afferent type activated for transmitting these signals.
Validation of an interactive process mining methodology for clinical epidemiology through a cohort study on chronic kidney disease progression
Authors: Chen Kaile , Abtahi Farhad , Carrero Juan-Jesus , Fernandez-Llatas Carlos , Xu Hong , Seoane Fernando 
Published: November 2024

AbstractProcess mining holds promise for analysing longitudinal data in clinical epidemiology, yet its application remains limited. The objective of this study was to propose and evaluate a methodology for applying process mining techniques in observational clinical epidemiology. We propose a methodology that integrates a cohort study design with data-driven process mining, with an eight-step approach, including data collection, data extraction and curation, event-log generation, process discovery, process abstraction, hypothesis generation, statistical testing, and prediction. These steps facilitate the discovery of disease progression patterns. We implemented our proposed methodology in a cohort study comparing new users of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) and H2 blockers (H2B). PPI usage was associated with a higher risk of disease progression compared to H2B usage, including a greater than 30% decline in estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) (Hazard Ratio [HR] 1.6, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.4–1.8), as well as increased all-cause mortality (HR 3.0, 95% CI 2.1–4.4). Furthermore, we investigated the associations between each transition and covariates such as age, gender, and comorbidities, offering deeper insights into disease progression dynamics. Additionally, a risk prediction tool was developed to estimate the transition probability for an individual at a future time. The proposed methodology bridges the gap between process mining and epidemiological studies, providing a useful approach to investigating disease progression and risk factors. The synergy between these fields enhances the depth of study findings and fosters the discovery of new insights and ideas.
The influence of timescales and data injection schemes for reservoir computing using spin-VCSELs
Authors: Mühlnickel Lukas , Jaurigue Jonnel A. , Jaurigue Lina C. , Lüdge Kathy 
Published: November 2024

AbstractReservoir computing with photonic systems promises fast and energy efficient computations. Vertical emitting semiconductor lasers with two spin-polarized charge-carrier populations (spin-VCSEL), are good candidates for high-speed reservoir computing. With our work, we highlight the role of the internal dynamic coupling on the prediction performance. We present numerical evidence for the critical impact of different data injection schemes and internal timescales. A central finding is that the internal dynamics of all dynamical degrees of freedom can only be utilized if an appropriate perturbation via the input is chosen as data injection scheme. If the data is encoded via an optical phase difference, the internal spin-polarized carrier dynamics is not addressed but instead a faster data injection rate is possible. We find strong correlations of the prediction performance with the system response time and the underlying delay-induced bifurcation structure, which allows to transfer the results to other physical reservoir computing systems.
Cosmological insights into the early accretion of r-process-enhanced stars
Authors: Berczik Peter , Ishchenko Maryna , Sobodar Olexandr , Mardini Mohammad 
Published: November 2024

Aims. We identify the possible dynamical connection between individual r-process-enhanced stars and the ultra-faint dwarf galaxy Reticulum II based on the current phase-space information for these stars and the dynamical mass-loss model of Reticulum II during its orbital motion for 11.5 Gyr of lookback time. The dynamical orbital modelling together with the chemical abundance analysis proved to be useful tools for the progenitor identification of the peculiar stars in our Galaxy.
Methods. To reproduce the Reticulum II orbital mass loss, we used our high-precision N-body φ–GPU code to integrate almost 1 million stars into the system evolution inside a external Galactic potential. We also investigated the orbits of r-process-enhanced stars using the same code.
Results. We present our Reticulum II dynamical modelling results in the context of the stars’ energies – angular momentum phase-space and phase-space overlapping of the currently observed r-process-enhanced stars with Reticulum II stellar tidal tails. Of the 530 r stars known today, at least 93 are former members of the Reticulum II dynamical progenitor system.
Extrakorporale Photopherese bei solider Organtransplantation
(Lungentransplantation)
Authors: Achenbach Susanne , Hackstein Holger 
Published: November 2024

ZusammenfassungDie extrakorporale Photopherese (ECP) ist eine Behandlungsmethode, die bei
Patienten mit T-Zell-vermittelten Erkrankungen wie der Graft-versus-Host-Disease
(GVHD) seit Jahren erfolgreich klinisch angewandt wird. Unter den Patienten nach
soliden Organtransplantationen zeigen lungentransplantierte Patienten bei
supportivem Einsatz der ECP-Therapie auch ein gutes klinisches Ansprechen bei
Vorliegen einer Bronchiolitis obliterans als Hinweis auf eine chronische
Abstoßungsreaktion (Nachweis eines stabilen forcierten exspiratorischen
Einsekundenvolumens [FEV1]). Studien zeigen, dass sich durch den therapeutischen
Einsatz der ECP eine Verlangsamung der chronischen Abstoßung nach
Lungentransplantation (LTX) erreichen lässt.Bei einer 39-jährigen Patientin mit Bronchiolitis-obliterans-Syndrom (BOS)
(Stadium 2) als Zeichen einer chronischen Funktionsstörung des
Lungen-Allotransplantats nach sequenzieller Doppellungentransplantation wurde
eine ECP-Behandlung empfohlen. Die ECP wurde ambulant mit einer Frequenz von 2
ECP-Behandlungen an 2 aufeinanderfolgenden Tagen alle 4 Wochen durchgeführt. Die
Behandlung wurde offline durchgeführt und die MCS+(Haemonetics) für die
Leukapherese verwendet. Das behandelte Volumen lag zwischen 1,0 und 1,5
Gesamtkörpervolumen (TBV). Als Strahlungsquelle diente ein
UVA-PIT-Bestrahlungsgerät. Dem vor der Bestrahlung gewonnenen Leukapheresat
wurde Methoxsalen in einer Dosierung von 300 ng/ml zugesetzt. Das Leukapheresat
mit einem Hämatokrit < 3% wurde mit UVA-Licht (Bestrahlungsdosis > 2
J/cm2)bestrahlt und nach der Behandlung retransfundiert. Es wurde
eine Verlangsamung der chronischen Abstoßungsreaktion bei Bronchiolitis
obliterans und eine Stabilisierung der Lungenfunktion erreicht, die sich in
einem stabilen FEV1 zeigte.
Re-imaging a country beyond its conflict: evaluation of an Israeli public diplomacy intervention for youth in Germany
Authors: Shani Maor 
Published: November 2024

AbstractOutcome evaluations of public diplomacy programs remain scarce. Addressing this gap, this study evaluated Israel Project Day, a seminar-based Israeli intervention designed to improve Israel's image among German youth. The intervention provides a unique real-world application of the “Life in Israel” model that spotlights Israel’s cultural diversity and achievements beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Utilizing a quasi-experimental pre-post design and mixed-linear models, the study shows that participation significantly improved overall attitudes toward Israel, interest in Israeli society, and perceptions of Israel as a democratic, multicultural, and safe place. Although the program avoided direct conflict-related messages, it facilitated more favorable views on Israel's policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, demonstrating potential spillover effects to the conflictual-political realm. Additionally, effects on German-Israeli cooperation and responsibility were modest, highlighting a challenge for the Israeli-German unique relationship. Finally, the effects on interest in Israeli society and politics and support for German-Israel cooperation were stronger for participants with low media exposure. By moving away from conflict-centric presentations and focusing on contributions and advancements, nations like Israel can potentially cultivate a more positive national image. Practical implications are discussed for crafting impactful outreach, upscaling, and sustaining flexible efforts attuned to sociopolitical developments and challenges.
The acquisition of object drop and island sensitivity in L2 Spanish by German speakers
Authors: Guijarro-Fuentes Pedro , Romano Francesco 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
This paper investigates German speakers of L2 Spanish and assesses their knowledge of (un)interpretable features
linked to object drop in Spanish. Object drop involves an interpretable feature (i.e. definiteness) and uninterpretable features
abiding by syntactic constraints leading to subjacency restrictions or Phase Impenetrability in recent Minimalist conceptions.
Conversely, German argument omission is restricted to the topic position. This paper presents data from a production and
grammaticality judgment task bearing on the acquisition of syntactic and semantic features associated with Spanish object drop,
testing the plausibility of two prominent hypotheses, the Interpretability and Feature Reassembly
Hypothesis. Results suggest that most L2 speakers have sensitivity to the D-related features associated with
object-drop phenomena. Evidence lends strong favour to the Feature Reassembly Hypothesis; the main findings
suggest a lack of task effect for knowledge of interpretable features which can only be accounted for by said hypothesis.
Tracing trajectories of vulnerability in the biographical narratives of Albanian onward migrants from Greece in the UK
Authors: Karatsareas Petros , Ndoci Rexhina 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
We analyse how Albanian onward migrants from Greece living in the UK construct and negotiate forms of vulnerability they experienced along their migration trajectories. Focus group participants weaved life narratives in which vulnerabilities were constantly but variably imbricated. The risks to personal safety that they experienced in Albania set participants’ migratory trajectories in motion. The hostile institutional policies participants were subjected to in Greece drove them to onward migrate. The UK was constructed as a migratory destination where racism was more subtly present compared to Greece. We, therefore, conceptualise participants’ migratory experiences as constituting trajectories of vulnerability.
Children’s multimodal participation in interactions and dialogues across different activities in an early
childhood education and care setting
Authors: Caët Stéphanie , Le Mené Marine , Masson Caroline 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings are challenging contexts for children to engage in
conversations. According to previous studies, toddler participation is minimal. However, most studies have focused on vocal
productions. This study investigates how gestures also enable children to participate in interactions. From video recordings of
three types of activities (mealtime, playtime, booktime) in a French ECEC, we systematically categorised utterances as being
vocal, gestural or multimodal. One third of the utterances was produced by children. In mealtime and playtime, most utterances
contained a vocal production, while in booktime, most contained a gesture. Gestural utterances were only addressed to
professionals. The qualitative analysis of two sequences further highlights how gestures enable the building of joint attention,
the co-construction of dialogic exchanges and the engagement of some children as observers. Taking gestures into account sheds new
light on children’s participation in interactions and dialogues in ECEC.
A deep extreme learning machine approach optimized by sparrow search algorithm for forecasting of traffic flow
Authors: Naheliya Bharti , Kumar Kranti , Redhu Poonam 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Traffic flow modeling has a pivotal role within Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSs), holding vital importance in alleviating traffic congestion and decreasing carbon emissions. Due to the presence of variability and nonlinear attributes in traffic flow, developing an effective and resilient model for predicting traffic flow poses a significant challenge. Precisely predicting traffic flow is not merely a feasible issue; it also poses significant difficulties to the researchers involved in this field. This study proposes a hybrid predictive model to forecast traffic flow. The proposed model effectively merges the strengths of the Sparrow Search algorithm (SSA) and Multi-layer Extreme Learning Machine (ML-ELM) model, enhancing prediction accuracy. SSA optimization technique is applied to optimize the initial weights and bias parameters for ML-ELM model. ELM approach is a machine learning approach that employs a single hidden layer to address various tasks. However, in situations where more complex problems are encountered, ML-ELM extends this concept by incorporating multiple hidden layers to enhance its capabilities and address challenges more effectively. Finally, SSA technique is utilized to achieve the optimal tuning of hyperparameters in the context of ML-ELM model to improve the prediction accuracy. Compared to the other selected models, the proposed model outperforms them in terms of performance metrics, including Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE), Mean Absolute Errors (MAE), Mean Absolute Percentage Errors (MAPE) and Correlation Coefficients (r), indicating that it is appropriate for this prediction task.
Construction of flexible PDMS@PDA@AgNPs SERS sensor for multi-component detection of trace industrial dyes
Authors: Sun Binbin , Chen Hongzhan , Qu Jianbo , Wang Yinan , Zhang Zhiliang 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
The accurate identification and analysis of multiple harmful ingredient remains a huge challenge in the environmental protection field. In this work, a variety of PDMS@PDA@AgNPs flexible SERS platforms were fabricated by in situ growth of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the surface of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes based on the adhesive and reducing properties of polydopamine (PDA). The substrates exhibited excellent sensitivity, homogeneity, and reproducible performance for multi-component detection of trace industrial dyes. The limits of detection (LOD) for rhodamine 6 G (R6G) and crystal violet (CV) individually were 5 × 10−9 M and 1 × 10−9 M, respectively. The abundant SERS ‘hotspots’ on the surface of prepared substrates contributed to the excellent enhancement effect. More importantly, the PDMS@PDA@AgNPs substrate was capable of realizing the simultaneous identification of R6G and CV with a detection limit of 10−8 M and a good linearity between 10−4 M and 10−8 M. In addition, SERS barcode was developed to facilitate the rapid analysis of multi-component detection. The PDMS@PDA@AgNPs substrates are suitable for the rapid detection of multi-component samples, and have great application value in the fields of food safety and environmental assessment.