bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Social classroom seating assignment problems
Authors: Hill Alessandro , Hom David , Peuker Steffen , Mourtos Ioannis 
Published: October 2024

AbstractUniversity students benefit academically, personally and professionally from an expansion of their in‐class social network. To facilitate this, we present a novel and broadly‐applicable optimization approach that exposes individuals to as many as possible peers that they do not know. This novel class of “social seating assignment problems” is parameterized by the social network, the physical seating structure and “tie potentials” representing the likelihood for two neighbors to connect. The resulting problem is NP‐hard and belongs to assignment problems with an elaborate objective that depends on the relation of both seats and individuals assigned to them. We develop compact integer programming formulations and strengthen them with valid inequalities to improve performance. In parallel, we suggest fast heuristics that are guided by network centrality measures. Finally, we present the necessary modeling techniques to integrate practically relevant instructor preferences and special student needs. Combining the above, we experiment on a set of 320 realistic instances with up to 200 students forming both sparse and dense social networks and for both rectangular and circular classrooms. For sparse or small instances we present optimality gaps under 1.3% within a few minutes, whereas in larger or denser cases the algorithmic performance decreases. We also evaluate our approach from both a quantitative and a qualitative perspective on three actual classes with more than 70 students. A network‐analysis‐based comparison of a priori and a posteriori networks shows that 40% of opportunities led to new connections, while feedback from both instructor and student is particularly favorable for our method.
Music Therapy for Pain Management for People With Advanced Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Bradt Joke , Leader Amy , Worster Brooke , Myers‐Coffman Kate , Bryl Karolina , Biondo Jacelyn , Schneible Brigette , Cottone Carrie , Selvan Preethi , Zhang Fengqing 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo improve mechanistic understanding, this randomized controlled trial examined anxiety, mood, emotional support, and pain‐related self‐efficacy as mediators of music therapy for pain management in people with advanced cancer.MethodsPeople with advanced cancer who had chronic pain were randomized (1:1) to 6 weekly individual music therapy or social attention control sessions. We measured mediators and pain outcomes (pain interference and pain intensity) using self‐report measures at baseline, session 4, and post‐intervention. We included outcome expectancy/treatment credibility, music reward, adult playfulness, and baseline pain interference and pain intensity as moderators.ResultsParticipants (n = 92) had a mean age of 56 years. Most were female (71.7%), white (47.8%) or Black (39.1%), and had stage IV cancer (75%). Self‐efficacy was found to be a significant mediator of music therapy for pain intensity (indirect effect ab = 0.79, 95% CI 0.01–1.82) and pain interference (indirect effect ab = 1.16, 95% CI 0.02–2.51), while anxiety, mood, and emotional support were not. The mediating effect of pain‐related self‐efficacy was significantly moderated by baseline pain interference but not by the other moderators.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that the impact of music therapy on chronic pain is mediated by self‐efficacy. This knowledge can help optimize music therapy interventions for chronic pain management for people with advanced cancer by capitalizing on teaching music‐based self‐management strategies.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03432247
Predicting exacerbations in severe preschool wheezers
Authors: Fayon Michael , Beaufils Fabien 
Published: October 2024

AbstractSimple clinical indices, complex composite phenotyping/endotyping and telehome monitoring now allow us to evaluate the risk of preschool wheezing on a population or individual level. We herein discuss the usefulness of clinical markers which involve underlying issues such as in utero smoke exposure, the pathophysiology of viral‐immunological‐allergic interactions, and changes in airway epithelium, mesenchyme and smooth muscle cells. The most important unmet need in this age group remains disease‐modifying interventions.
PKBOIN‐12: A Bayesian Optimal Interval Phase I/II Design Incorporating Pharmacokinetics Outcomes to Find the Optimal Biological Dose
Authors: Sun Hao , Tu Jieqi 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACTImmunotherapies and targeted therapies have gained popularity due to their promising therapeutic effects across multiple treatment areas. The focus of early phase dose‐finding clinical trials has shifted from finding the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) to identifying the optimal biological dose (OBD), which aims to balance the toxicity and efficacy outcomes, thus optimizing the risk–benefit trade‐off. These trials often collect multiple pharmacokinetics (PK) outcomes to assess drug exposure, which has shown correlations with toxicity and efficacy outcomes but has not been utilized in the current dose‐finding designs for OBD selection. Moreover, PK outcomes are usually available within days after initial treatment, much faster than toxicity and efficacy outcomes. To bridge this gap, we introduce the innovative model‐assisted PKBOIN‐12 design, which enhances BOIN12 by integrating PK information into both the dose‐finding algorithm and the final OBD determination process. We further extend PKBOIN‐12 to TITE‐PKBOIN‐12 to address the challenges of late‐onset toxicity and efficacy outcomes. Simulation results demonstrate that PKBOIN‐12 more effectively identifies the OBD and allocates a greater number of patients to it than BOIN12. Additionally, PKBOIN‐12 decreases the probability of selecting inefficacious doses as the OBD by excluding those with low drug exposure. Comprehensive simulation studies and sensitivity analysis confirm the robustness of both PKBOIN‐12 and TITE‐PKBOIN‐12 in various scenarios.
Bayesian Empirical Likelihood Regression for Semiparametric Estimation of Optimal Dynamic Treatment Regimes
Authors: Yu Weichang , Bondell Howard 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACTWe propose a semiparametric approach to Bayesian modeling of dynamic treatment regimes that is built on a Bayesian likelihood‐based regression estimation framework. Methods based on this framework exhibit a probabilistic coherence property that leads to accurate estimation of the optimal dynamic treatment regime. Unlike most Bayesian estimation methods, our proposed method avoids strong distributional assumptions for the intermediate and final outcomes by utilizing empirical likelihoods. Our proposed method allows for either linear, or more flexible forms of mean functions for the stagewise outcomes. A variational Bayes approximation is used for computation to avoid common pitfalls associated with Markov Chain Monte Carlo approaches coupled with empirical likelihood. Through simulations and analysis of the STAR*D sequential randomized trial data, our proposed method demonstrates superior accuracy over Q‐learning and parametric Bayesian likelihood‐based regression estimation, particularly when the parametric assumptions of regression error distributions may be potentially violated.
Membrane Permeability and Drug Targeting Potential of Phospholipid‐Based Nanocarriers in Lung Cancer Therapy
Authors: Sen Olivia , Sarkar Poulami , Das Stabak , Giri Nayan Kumar , Sarkar Sayantika , Jana Sougata , Nandi Gouranga , Manna Sreejan 
Published: October 2024

AbstractLung cancer has become the leading cause of cancer‐related deaths, surpassing all other forms of cancer. Among lung cancers, non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 85% of cases. The use of tobacco, genetic traits, and radiation exposure are amongst the major reasons of lung cancer. The ongoing research in the medical field has considered the efficacy of nanocarriers in targeting various cancer cells. Among several biomaterials, lipid‐based nanocarriers have gained special attention due to their excellent compatibility, improved targeting efficacy, and encapsulation ability of diverse therapeutic agents. Phospholipids are naturally occurring amphiphilic moieties found in all living creatures. The presence of phospholipids in biomembrane aids the permeability of phospholipid‐based drug carrier. It can also facilitate targeting of therapeutic agents to cancer microenvironment without degrading the encapsulated drug. Phospholipids can be employed to develop conjugated nanocarriers and vesicular nanoformulation that can result in prolonged circulatory half‐life and controlled release of drugs. Phospholipids are also suitable biomaterials to attach a ligand for tissue‐specific targeting. Recent researches have reported effective targeting of chemotherapeutic agents, genes, and vaccines through phospholipid‐based nanocarriers to lung cancer cells. This review focuses on the rationality and applications of phospholipid‐based nanocarriers in lung cancer therapy.
Advancements in Organ‐on‐a‐Chip Systems: Materials, Characterization, and Applications
Authors: Gunasekaran Balu Mahendran , Srinivasan Soorya , Ezhilan Madeshwari , Rajagopal Venkatachalam , Nesakumar Noel 
Published: October 2024

AbstractRecent advancements in 3D tissue engineering and organ‐on‐a‐chip systems have revolutionized biomedical research by providing sophisticated platforms that mimic complex physiological environments. This review explores various techniques in 3D printing, including bioprinting materials, laser‐induced forward transfer, ink‐jet systems, and microextrusion methods, highlighting their roles in fabricating intricate tissue constructs. Physical and biochemical characterization methods for assessing these engineered tissues on microchips are discussed in detail, emphasizing their importance in accurately replicating physiological conditions. The review further delves into the development of multiple organ and single organ‐on‐a‐chip systems. It covers two‐organ, three‐organ, and four‐organ platforms, as well as individual systems such as pancreas‐on‐a‐chip, kidney‐on‐a‐chip, liver‐on‐a‐chip, lung‐on‐a‐chip, blood–brain barrier‐on‐a‐chip, heart‐on‐a‐chip, breast cancer‐on‐a‐chip, gut‐on‐a‐chip, and blood vessels‐on‐a‐chip. Each section addresses the unique challenges and advancements associated with these models, providing insights into their potential applications in drug testing, disease modelling, and personalized medicine. In conclusion, the article discusses current challenges and offers perspectives on future directions in 3D tissue engineering and organ‐on‐a‐chip technology, highlighting the transformative impact of these systems on biomedical research and healthcare.
Hydrazine Oxidation in Aqueous Solutions II: N4H4 Decomposition
Authors: Breza Martin , Gatial Anton 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThe reaction mechanism for the N2H4 homogeneous oxidation in aqueous solutions is more complex than its heterogeneous electrochemical oxidation on the electrode surfaces. Homogenous oxidation of a mixture of non‐labeled (14N2H4) and 15N‐labeled (15N2H4) hydrazine in aqueous solutions produces 14N15N, indicating the intermediate existence of N4H6 or N4H4 intermediates with subsequent hydrogen transfers and splitting lateral N─N bonds. To explain the key part of the hydrazine oxidation reaction, the structures, thermodynamics, and electron characteristics of N4H4 in aqueous solution are investigated. Unlike N4H6, we have not found any spontaneous splitting of the bond between the lateral nitrogens in N4H4. The most probable products of N4H4 disproportionation are H2N─NH2 and N2, which are obtained by splitting the bond between the central nitrogen atoms, and so only 15N2 and 14N2 molecules are formed. Additionally, the formation of H3N─NH and N2 products is also preferred to structures without N─N fissions. The formation of H2N═N and HN═NH is energetically less advantageous. Cyclo‐N4H4 structures are stable, without any N─N fissions, but their energies indicate their vanishing abundance in aqueous solution, so their involvement in hydrazine oxidation is highly improbable. Unlike N4H6, the oxidation of hydrazine to 14N15N molecules cannot be explained by N4H4 intermediates.
Active Quantum Biomaterials‐Enhanced Microrobots for Food Safety
Authors: Jyoti  , Castillo Alberto‐Rodríguez , Jurado‐Sánchez Beatriz , Pumera Martin , Escarpa Alberto 
Published: October 2024

AbstractTimely disruptive tools for the detection of pathogens in foods are needed to face global health and economic challenges. Herein, the utilization of quantum biomaterials‐enhanced microrobots (QBEMRs) as autonomous mobile sensors designed for the precise detection of endotoxins originating from Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) as an indicator species for food‐borne contamination globally is presented. A fluorescent molecule‐labeled affinity peptide functions as a specific probe, is quenched upon binding to the surface of QBEMRs. Owing to its selective affinity for endotoxin, in the presence of S. enterica the fluorescence is restored and easy to observe and quantifies optical color change to indicate the presence of Salmonella. The devised approach is designed to achieve highly sensitive detection of the S. enterica serovar Typhimurium endotoxin with exquisite selectivity through the utilization of QBEMRs. Notably, no fluorescence signal is observed in the presence of endotoxins bearing similar structural characteristics, highlighting the selectivity of the approach during food sample analysis. Technically, the strategy is implemented in microplate readers to extend microrobots‐based approaches to the routine laboratory. This new platform can provide fast and anticipated results in food safety.
Visible Light‐Sensitive Sustainable Quantum Dot Crystals of Co/Mg Doped Natural Hydroxyapatite Possessing Antimicrobial Activity and Biocompatibility
Authors: Maleki‐Ghaleh Hossein , Kamiński Bartosz , Moradpur‐Tari Ehsan , Raza Sada , Khanmohammadi Mehdi , Zbonikowski Rafał , Shakeri Mohammad Sadegh , Siadati M. Hossein , Akbari‐Fakhrabadi Ali , Paczesny Jan 
Published: October 2024

AbstractCutting‐edge research in advanced materials is increasingly turning toward the development of novel multifunctional nanomaterials for use in high‐tech applications. This research uses the solid‐state method as a solvent‐free technique to create multifunctional quantum dot (QD) hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals from bovine bone waste. By incorporating cobalt (Co) and magnesium (Mg) into the HA structure, the crystallinity of the hexagonal HA nanoparticles (99.7%), showing QD crystals is enhanced. Oxygen vacancies on the surfaces of the HA nanoparticles contributed to their bandgap falling within the visible light range. In addition, the dopants substituted calcium in the HA crystal structure and generated a divalent oxidation state, shifting the bandgap of natural HA toward red wavelengths (3.26 to 1.94 eV). Moreover, the incorporation of Co led to magnetization within the HA structure through spin polarization. Additionally, the doped QD crystals of HA nanoparticles showed significant antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and bacteriophages MS2, particularly under visible light exposure. In short, the Co/Mg co‐doped HA nanoparticles exhibited ferromagnetic properties, sensitivity to visible light, biocompatibility, and considerable antimicrobial effects, establishing their potential as sustainable multifunctional materials for biomedical applications, especially in anti‐infection treatments.
Impact of a Dual Treatment on Resistant Starch Level and Techno‐Functional Properties of Pea and Faba Bean Flours
Authors: Arroqui Cristina , Noriega María José , Ibañez Francisco C. , Milagro Fermín I. , Beriain María José , Virseda Paloma 
Published: October 2024

AbstractStarch‐rich pulses’ flours, which are rich in fiber and resistant starch (RS), can be an interesting gluten‐free ingredient for the development of novel healthy foods. The study aims to increase the RS content of protein‐reduced fraction of legume flours (pea [P] and faba bean [FB]) by the application of thermal (autoclaving‐cooling) and dual (thermal plus high‐hydrostatic pressure) treatments. Both treatments enhance the RS contents, reaching 6.8% in P flour after dual treatment. The techno‐functional properties are dependent both on the type of flour and the treatment applied. A loss of water solubility (WS) and an increase in water binding capacity are observed. The WS index and emulsion activity remained unchanged or slightly changed, but emulsion stability decreased significantly. The viscosity of the samples is modified according mainly to the flour type. P flour is more affected by the dual treatment than FB flour, which is evidenced by the greater changes shown in RS, WS, and pasting properties.
Boronolipids
Authors: Dembitsky Valery M. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThe interactions between boron and polyols significantly impact the functioning of bioactive metabolites, algae, plant growth, and quorum determination in certain bacterial species. This wide array of boron‐inclusive compounds aligns with the expectation as boron ranks among the top ten most plentiful elements in seawater. Moreover, carbohydrates, largely comprising polyols, represent the most abundant class of biomass on earth. Lately, the complexes formed between boron and sugars have garnered interest. They have been employed to construct synthetic carbohydrate receptors. These complexes are typified by covalent interactions, enabling their conversion into aqueous solutions. The physical and chemical traits of boron and its established compounds suggest the feasibility of generating boron‐based lipids and glycolipids. Building upon the chemical and mathematical models that demonstrate the formation of protomembranes and biological membranes from complex lipids using low molecular weight polyols as their framework, it appears that the abiotic synthesis of boronolipids follows a parallel route. This review offers a succinct overview of naturally occurring boron compounds and delves into the possible existence of boronolipids within the makeup of protomembranes and biological membranes.
QuAK: Quantitative Automata Kit
Authors: Chalupa Marek , Henzinger Thomas A. , Mazzocchi Nicolas , Saraç N. Ege 
Published: October 2024

AbstractSystem behaviors are traditionally evaluated through binary classifications of correctness, which do not suffice for properties involving quantitative aspects of systems and executions. Quantitative automata offer a more nuanced approach, mapping each execution to a real number by incorporating weighted transitions and value functions generalizing acceptance conditions. In this paper, we introduce QuAK, the first tool designed to automate the analysis of quantitative automata. QuAK currently supports a variety of quantitative automaton types, including $${\textsf{Inf}}$$
Inf
, $${\textsf{Sup}}$$
Sup
, $${\textsf{LimInf}}$$
LimInf
, $${\textsf{LimSup}}$$
LimSup
, $${\textsf{LimInfAvg}}$$
LimInfAvg
, and $${\textsf{LimSupAvg}}$$
LimSupAvg
automata, and implements decision procedures for problems such as emptiness, universality, inclusion, equivalence, as well as for checking whether an automaton is safe, live, or constant. Additionally, QuAK is able to compute extremal values when possible, construct safety-liveness decompositions, and monitor system behaviors. We demonstrate the effectiveness of QuAK through experiments focusing on the inclusion, constant-function check, and monitoring problems.
Philosophy for Environmental Policy and Law
Authors: Parasain Mohan 
Published: October 2024

AbstractPhilosophy is understood as an art of “suspension of judgement” and also as “a quest for new metaphor and new language”. With both the above spirits in mind, i.e., openness to new perspectives and a quest for new language in environmental humanities, this chapter argues for a shift in perspective from the anthropocentricity of theories in environmental discourse to give way to a wider approach. The first part evaluates the efficacy of moral theories as dialogue partners for environmental policies and laws, analyses Leopold's criticism of the anthropocentric presumptions of moral theories and highlights the limitations of the Land ethics of Leopold. The second part focuses on the Indian Constitutional provisions for the protection of the environment and the environmental jurisprudence developed in various judicial pronouncements from the right-to-life perspective. Our sensibility seems to be still enduring the presumption of the biotic/abiotic community as property in our policies and laws. Therefore, the third part reflects on the evolutionary possibility of philosophical reflections on the environment from the anthropocentricity of moral theories to Dharmic understanding through the Land ethics of Leopold. In Dharmic tradition, our theories are not only grounded in practice but the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community and reverence for it is considered, rather prescribed as important pursuits for human beings.
“When the Black Half of the Kunni Seed Whitens”: Plant-Lore and the Plantationocene in Ambikasuthan Mangad’s Swarga
Authors: Venugopal Varna , Rangarajan Swarnalatha 
Published: October 2024

AbstractIn 2009, Ambikasuthan Mangad published Enmakaje, a novel based on the experiences of the inhabitants of Enmakaje, a village in Kerala, who were adversely affected by the aerial spraying of the pesticide Endosulfan, by the Plantation Corporation of Kerala, the state's largest public sector plantation company. The novel, translated into English by J. Devika as Swarga in 2017, has since then established itself as a narrative of toxicity, offering “transnational visibility and audibility” (Nixon 37) to those victimized by the slow violence of multigenerational toxic exposure. Even though state-owned cashew plantations constitute a significant portion of the novel's toxic-scape, Swarga has rarely been regarded as a ‘plantation narrative’. This chapter will analyze how the novel responds to the ‘Plantationocene’ by mobilizing a new form of pastoral, namely the ‘mythic pastoral’, casting Swarga as an ‘earthly paradise’ which has now fallen into decadence. The idyllic charm of this pastoral past is placed in opposition to the bleak, anti-pastoral vision of the ‘lifeless’ plantations inhabited by poisoned plants. The chapter looks at how arboreal tropes and botanical imagery are interwoven into the narrative to construe the mythic pastoral and the anti-pastoral. In doing so, we recontextualize Swarga as an exemplar of contemporary plantation fiction that situates its environmental politics at the intersections of social and ecological justice struggles in post-colonial societies.
Discrete-Time Hybrid Control Processes with Unbounded Costs
Authors: Jasso-Fuentes Héctor , Salgado-Suárez Gladys D. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThis paper extends the results provided in Jasso-Fuentes et al. (Appl Math Optim 81(2):409–441, 2020b) and Jasso-Fuentes et al. (Pure Appl Funct Anal 9(3):675–704, 2024) regarding the study of discrete-time hybrid stochastic models with general spaces and total discounted payoffs. This extension incorporates the handling of negative and/or unbounded costs per stage. In particular, it encompasses interesting applications, such as scenarios where the controller optimizes net costs, social welfare costs, or distances between points. These situations arise when assumptions of both non-negativeness and boundedness on the cost per stage do not apply. Our proposal relies on Lyapunov-like conditions, enabling, among other aspects, the finiteness of the value function and the existence of solutions to the associated dynamic programming equation. This equation is crucial for deriving optimal control policies. To illustrate our theory, we include an example in inventory-manufacturing management, highlighting its evident hybrid nature.