bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of Microgravity on the Metal Droplet Transfer and Bead Characteristics in the Directed Energy Deposition-Arc Process
Authors: Adhithya Plato Sidharth A. , Niketh P. , Venkateshwaran M. , Amirthalingam Murugaiyan , Subbiah Sathyan 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Directed energy deposition-arc (DED-arc) is a viable method of metal 3D printing for manufacturing in-space under microgravity conditions. This study investigates the effect of reduced gravity on the droplet transfer in a gas metal arc welding (GMAW)-based DED-arc process. Single bead deposited using GMAW welding process under microgravity and standard terrestrial gravity (1 g) are compared. Microgravity was simulated in a drop tower where the experimental capsule was subjected to 2.5 s of free-fall. The experimental setup for GMAW welding process, including high-speed cameras and sensors, was present within the experimental capsule. Droplet frequency and diameter were measured and compared between microgravity and 1 g using the images obtained. Further, the impact of reduced gravity on weld bead geometry and the distribution of gas porosity was investigated. Microhardness analysis was also conducted on both 1 g and reduced gravity samples to assess variations in material hardness. A statistically significant difference in droplet diameter and frequency was found. This difference is attributed to the reduction in gravitational force. Upon analyzing the weld bead geometry, noticeable variations are detected in the contact angles and the reinforcement of beads formed under different gravity conditions. These differences are attributed to alterations in convection within the molten weld pool. The blowhole analysis revealed a noticeable trend, wherein reduced gravity facilitated the coalescence of gas porosity, resulting in larger diameters due to alterations in weld pool convection. There were no statistically significant changes observed in both microhardness and surface finish.
Nonlinear Isogeometric Analyses of Instabilities in Thin Elastic Shells Exhibiting Combined Bending and Stretching
Authors: Kalia Subodh , Padhye Nikhil 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Thin structures like shells are highly susceptible to mechanical instabilities. They can undergo large nonlinear elastic deformations while exhibiting combined bending and stretching modes of deformation. Here, we propose a new displacement-based finite element (FE) formulation based on the isogeometric discretization of Koiter’s nonlinear shell theory and use of the method of dynamic relaxation (DR) to solve equilibrium configurations of problems involving fine-scale and hierarchical wrinkling and buckling. No imperfection seeding is required to trigger instabilities. The use of the NURBS basis provides a rotation-free, conforming, higher-order spatial continuity such that curvatures and membrane strains can be computed directly from interpolating the position vectors of the control points using spatial finite differences. The pseudo-dissipative FE dynamical system is updated through explicit time integration and made scalable for parallel computing using a message passing interface (MPI). The proposed FE method is successfully benchmarked against several numerical and experimental results.
Elastic Fields Around Multiple Stiff Prestressed Arcs Located on a Circle
Authors: Han Zhilin , Mogilevskaya Sofia G. , Zemlyanova Anna Y. 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
The plane strain problem of an isotropic elastic matrix subjected to uniform far-field load and containing multiple stiff prestressed arcs located on the same circle is considered. The boundary conditions for the arcs are described by those of either Gurtin–Murdoch or Steigmann–Ogden theories in which the arcs are endowed with their own elastic energies. The material parameters for each arc can in general be different. The problem is reduced to the system of real variables hypersingular boundary integral equations in terms of two scalar unknowns expressed via the components of the stress tensors of the arcs. The unknowns are approximated by the series of trigonometric functions that are multiplied by the square root weight functions to allow for automatic incorporation of the tip conditions. The coefficients in series are found from the system of linear algebraic equations that are solved using the collocation method. The expressions for the stress intensity factors are derived and numerical examples are presented to illustrate the influence of governing dimensionless parameters.
Dietary zinc supplementation inhibits bacterial plasmid conjugation
in vitro
by regulating plasmid replication (
rep
) and transfer (
tra
) genes
Authors: Ott Logan , Smith Chloe , Mellata Melha 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACT

Humans use dietary supplements for several intended effects, such as supplementing malnutrition. While these compounds have been developed for host end benefits, their ancillary impact on the gut microbiota remains unclear. The human gut has been proposed as a reservoir for the prevalent lateral transfer of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in bacteria through plasmid conjugation. Here, we studied the effect of dietary zinc supplements on the incidence of plasmid conjugation
in vitro
. Supplement effects were analyzed through standardized broth conjugation assays. The avian pathogenic
Escherichia coli
(APEC) strain APEC-O2-211 was a donor of the multidrug resistance plasmid pAPEC-O2-211A-ColV, and the human commensal isolate
E. coli
HS-4 was the plasmid-free recipient. Bacterial strains were standardized and mixed 1:1 and supplemented 1:10 with water, or zinc derived from either commercial zinc supplements or zinc gluconate reagent at varying concentrations. We observed a significant reduction in donors, recipients, and transconjugant populations in conjugations supplemented with zinc, with a dose-dependent relationship. Additionally, we observed a significant reduction (
P
< 0.05) in log conjugation efficiency in zinc-treated reactions. Upregulation of the mRNA for the plasmid replication initiation gene
repA
and the subset of transfer genes
M
,
J
,
E
,
K
,
B
,
P
,
C
,
W
,
U
,
N
,
F
,
Q
,
D
,
I
, and
X
was observed. Furthermore, we observed a downregulation of the conjugal propilin gene
traA
and the entry exclusion gene
traS
. This study demonstrates the effect of dietary zinc supplements on the conjugal transfer of a multidrug resistance plasmid between pathogenic and commensal bacteria during
in vitro
conditions.

IMPORTANCE

This study identifies dietary zinc supplementation as a potential novel intervention for mitigating the emergence of multidrug resistance in bacteria, thus preventing antibiotic treatment failure and death in patients and animals. Further studies are required to determine the applicability of this approach in an
in vivo
model.
Validating an instrument for measuring community cultural wealth with biology majors at a Hispanic-serving institution
Authors: Eden Alexander , Dewsbury Bryan M. 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACT

Boosting underrepresented student persistence in STEM majors has been of interest for several years. Prior research has explored various factors that may influence student success and persistence in STEM majors. Specifically, some of these studies have employed Yosso’s community cultural wealth framework to explore how a student’s cultural wealth may link to certain outcomes. Most of these studies have taken a qualitative approach when exploring cultural wealth and less adopt a quantitative approach. Using biology students in an introductory biology class during the fall (
n
= 303) and spring semesters (
n
= 215) at a large Hispanic-serving institution in the southeastern United States, this study seeks to contribute to the literature by validating a previously constructed instrument with a new population. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted using principal axis factoring and an oblique rotation. EFA results revealed 10 dimensions of cultural wealth. Additionally, confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the model produced properly measures the constructs as intended. Overall, the final 56-item instrument used in this study was validated and can be used for measuring cultural wealth in similar populations.
Triton X-100-treated virus-based ELLA demonstrates discordant antigenic evolution of influenza B virus hemagglutinin and neuraminidase
Authors: Do Thi H. T. , Wille Michelle , Wheatley Adam K. , Koutsakos Marios 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACT

Neuraminidase (NA)-specific antibodies have been associated with protection against influenza and thus NA is considered a promising target for next-generation vaccines against influenza A (IAV) and B viruses (IBV). NA inhibition (NI) by antibodies is typically assessed using an enzyme-linked lectin assay (ELLA). However, ELLA can be confounded by anti-hemagglutinin (anti-HA) antibodies that block NA by steric hindrance (termed HA interference). Although strategies have been employed to overcome HA interference for IAV, similar approaches have not been assessed for IBV. We found that HA interference is common in ELLA using IBV, rendering the technique unreliable. Anti-HA antibodies were not completely depleted from sera by HA-expressing cell lines, and this approach was of limited utility. In contrast, we find that treatment of virions with Triton X-100, but not Tween-20 or ether, efficiently separates the HA and NA components and overcomes interference caused by anti-HA antibodies. We also characterize a panel of recombinant IBV NA proteins that further validated the results from Triton X-100-treated virus-based ELLA. Using these reagents and assays, we demonstrate discordant antigenic evolution between IBV NA and HA over the last 80 years. This optimized ELLA protocol will facilitate further in-depth serological surveys of IBV immunity as well as antigenic characterization of the IBV NA on a larger scale.

IMPORTANCE
Influenza B viruses (IBVs) contribute to annual epidemics and may cause severe disease, especially in children. Consequently, several approaches are being explored to improve vaccine efficacy, including the addition of neuraminidase (NA). Antigen selection and assessment of serological responses will require a reliable serological assay to specifically quantify NA inhibition (NI). Although such assays have been assessed for influenza A viruses (IAVs), this has not been done of influenza B viruses. Our study identifies a readily applicable strategy to measure the inhibitory activity of neuraminidase-specific antibodies against influenza B virus without interference from anti-hemagglutinin (anti-HA) antibodies. This will aid broader serological assessment of influenza B virus-specific antibodies and antigenic characterization of the influenza B virus neuraminidase.
You can bring plankton to fecal indicator organisms, but you cannot make the plankton graze: particle contribution to
E. coli
and MS2 inactivation in surface waters
Authors: Kennedy Lauren C. , Mattis Ava M. , Boehm Alexandria B. 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACT

Organisms that are associated with feces (“fecal indicator organisms”) are monitored to assess the potential for fecal contamination of surface water bodies in the United States. However, the effect of the complex mixtures of chemicals and the natural microbial community within surface water (“particles”) on fecal indicator organism persistence is not well characterized. We aimed to better understand how particles, including biological (e.g., potential grazers) and inert (e.g., minerals) types, affect the fecal indicator organisms
Escherichia coli
K-12 (“
E. coli
”) and bacteriophage MS2 in surface waters. A gradient of particles captured by a 0.2-µm-pore-size filter (“large particles”) was generated, and the additional particles and dissolved constituents that passed through the filter were deemed “small particles.” We measured the ratio of MS2 and
E. coli
that survived over a 24-h incubation period for each condition (0%–1,000% large-particle concentration in raw water) and completed a linear regression that included large- and small-particle coefficients. Particles were characterized by quantifying plankton, total bacterial cells, and total solids.
E. coli
and MS2 persistence was not significantly affected by large particles, but small particles had an effect in most waters. Small particles in higher-salinity waters had the largest, negative effect on
E. coli
and MS2 survival ratios: Significant small-particle coefficients ranged from −1.7 to −5.5 day
−1
in the marine waters and −0.89 to −3.2 day
−1
in the fresh and estuarine waters. This work will inform remediation efforts for impaired surface water bodies.

IMPORTANCE
Many surface water bodies in the United States have organisms associated with fecal contamination that exceed regulatory standards and prevent safe recreation. The process to remediate impaired water bodies is complicated because these fecal indicator organisms are affected by the local environmental conditions. For example, the effect of particles in surface water on fecal indicator concentrations are difficult to quantify in a way that is comparable between studies and water bodies. We applied a method that overcomes this limitation to assess the effects of large particles, including natural plankton that could consume the seeded fecal indicator organisms. Even in environmental water samples with diverse communities of plankton present, no effect of large particles on fecal indicator concentrations was observed. These findings have implications for the interpretation and design of future studies, including that particle characterization of surface water may be necessary to assess the fate of fecal indicators.
Psychological distress and trajectories of sleep duration among Australian adolescents: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Arya Vikas , Munasinghe Sithum , Sperandei Sandro , Marjanovic Sandra , Conroy Elizabeth , Freebairn Louise , Page Andrew 
Published: October 2024

ObjectivesThis study investigated the association between indicators of psychological distress and well-being and trajectories of sleep duration among a cohort of Australian adolescents.DesignA prospective cohort of adolescents was followed over 27 weeks (8 November 2019–14 May 2020). Data on sleep duration and psychological distress were collected via smartphones, based on ecological momentary assessments.SettingSydney population catchment, Australia.ParticipantsYoung people aged 13–19 years were recruited via social media (Instagram or Facebook).Primary outcome measureSelf-reported sleep duration in the past 24 hours. Sleep duration was dichotomised into ‘less than 8 hours’ and ‘at least 8 hours’, to represent those participants not meeting the recommended minimum amount of daily sleep.ResultsParticipants with high psychological distress had higher odds of sleeping less than 8 hours (OR 1.51 (95% CI 1.17 to 1.96)), compared with those with low psychological distress. Social media use (OR 1.34 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.79)) and longer periods spent on homework (OR 1.37, (95% CI 1.07 to 1.75)) were also associated with a sleep duration of less than 8 hours. Also, decreasing sleep trajectories were associated with increased psychological distress (β=0.069, (95% CI −0.010 to 0.149)) and increased homework hours (β=0.078 (95% CI 0.036 to 0.120)).ConclusionFindings highlight the adverse impact of psychological distress and high levels of social media use on sleep duration among adolescents. Longitudinal studies with longer follow-up periods are warranted to further explore the temporal associations between sleep duration and different health outcomes among varying populations.
Market survey of food product indicators and their credibility as a healthy food product in Klang Valley, Malaysia
Authors: Lim Yong Shi , Aim Norjianah , Shahar Suzana 
Published: October 2024

Introduction
The presence of food product indicators may facilitate consumers in making informed healthy choices. However, it may also mislead consumers. This study aims to determine the prevalence of food products carrying food product indicators; the compliance of products bearing Malaysia’s Healthier Choice Logo (HCL) and nutrition and health claims (NHC) towards the local regulations; and the credibility of the aforementioned products as healthy food products based on the international regulation in the Malaysian market.

Method
This is a cross-sectional market survey conducted from February to May 2023 on 3428 products sold in Malaysian supermarkets. Product information including the brand, name, nutrition information panel, food product indicator (front-of-pack nutrition labelling, NHC, other claims), ingredients list and manufacturer or importer were collected. Compliance of products carrying NHC and HCL is evaluated against local guidelines. Credibility as a healthy product is evaluated against the WHO Nutrient Profile Model for the Western Pacific Region on a subsample (products with HCL and/or NHC).

Results
53% of food products surveyed had food product indicators (n=1809). A total of 32% carried at least one NHC (n=1101), of which 47% had excellent overall compliance (n=522). Only 4% carried Malaysia’s HCL (n=138), of which 48% had excellent nutrient compliance (n=66). Only 13% of the products carrying Malaysia’s HCL and NHC could be identified as absolute healthy food products as defined by the WHO standard (n=147).

Conclusion
Although half of the products surveyed had food product indicators, merely half of them had excellent compliance towards the standards. Only 13% of the subsample qualified as healthy food products. Voluntary application of the local HCL was low among food industries. Ensuring high standards of compliance and credibility of food products in the Malaysian market is crucial for food companies and government authorities.
Who is consuming ultra-processed food in Canada? A cross-sectional analysis of the 2018/2019 International Food Policy Study
Authors: Hamel Virginie , Polsky Jane Y. , Nardocci Milena , Kirkpatrick Sharon , Vanderlee Lana , Hammond David , Garriguet Didier , Byker Shanks Carmen , Louzada Maria Laura da Costa , Robitaille Éric , Moubarac Jean-Claude 
Published: October 2024

High consumption of ultra-processed foods and drinks (UPF) has been linked to poor diet quality and an increased risk of non-communicable diseases. To inform public policies and interventions aimed at reducing UPF intake in Canada, updated information on UPF intake among different sociodemographic groups is needed. This study, using data from 5872 adults aged 18 years and older from the International Food Policy Study (2018–2019), aims to estimate the dietary energy contribution of UPF and assess its variation among sociodemographic subgroups. All foods and drinks reported in a single 24 h dietary recall were classified using the Nova system. We estimated the mean proportion of total daily energy from UPF and subcategories of UPF in the overall sample and among sociodemographic subgroups. Multivariable linear regression models evaluated the association between sociodemographic characteristics with the proportion of total daily energy from UPF. On average, adults consumed 45.2% of their total daily energy from UPF. UPF consumption was slightly higher among males than females (49.4% vs. 47.6%, p = 0.039) and younger adults aged 19–30 years compared with older adults aged 51–64 years (50.0% vs. 47.2%, p = 0.029), adjusting for a range of sociodemographic factors. Overall, UPF consumption was relatively high among adults in all sociodemographic subgroups, highlighting the need for policies to decrease UPF consumption in the entire population.
Elastic–plastic–creep behavior of high rockfill dams: a case study on Lianghekou CRFD
Authors: Jiang Qiuting , Zou Degao , Liu Jingmao , Ning Fanwei , Chen Kai , Jin Wei 
Published: October 2024

The instantaneous loading and time-dependent creep deformations occur simultaneously during the lifetime of rockfill dams, but their proportions in monitoring records are still unclear. In previous works, loading and creep were generally simulated independently in turn. This uncoupled method may induce misleading conclusions in interpreting dam behaviors. In this paper, an advanced elastic–plastic–creep model is applied to capture the interaction of loading and creep under complex conditions with varying loading rates based on a benchmark example of 295 m high Lianghekou core wall rockfill dam. The instantaneous elastic–plastic parameters of rockfills are calibrated by large-scale triaxial tests (including 300 and 800 mm in diameter) and the time-dependent creep parameters are obtained by back analyses on monitoring records. A series of numerical analyses on the dam are conducted. The loading-creep coupling process of rockfills is successfully captured and the instantaneous and time-dependent creep deformations are explicitly separated. The 800 mm diameter triaxial test weakens the size effect and provides an acceptable representation for the instantaneous behaviors of prototype rockfills. The good agreement between the calculations of the elastic–plastic–creep coupling analysis and measurements indicates creep contributes about 8%–15% to total construction deformation. The work provides guides for properly interpreting and evaluating actual dam behaviors.
Nutrient ratios, foliar vector analysis, and nutrient use efficiency of four conifer stands growing under contrasting competing vegetation control treatments in the Pacific Northwest of the United States
Authors: Gonzalez-Benecke Carlos A. , Cannon Callan F. , Von Blon Emily C. 
Published: October 2024

This study investigates competing vegetation effects on foliar and total plant-derived nutrient ratios, nutrient use efficiency (NUE), and foliar nutrient content and concentration of ecosystem components using vector analysis for 19-year-old Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menzeisii (Mirb.) Franco), western hemlock ( Tsuga hereophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), western redcedar ( Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don), and grand fir ( Abies grandis (Dougl.) Lindl.) stands in Oregon's Coast Range and for Douglas-fir and western redcedar in Oregon's Cascade foothills. Treatments included the Control, which received no spring release herbicide applications, and vegetation management (VM), which received 5 years of spring release herbicide applications, reducing competing vegetation abundance. VM increased the NUE of N, P, Mg, S, and Cu across all species when calculated with total plant-derived carbon and of all nutrients when calculated with stemwood carbon. VM often produced more harvestable and plant-derived carbon per unit nutrient fixed, improving the NUE of stands managed for carbon sequestration and timber. Species showed different stand nutrient requirements, evident through foliar and plant-derived nutrient ratios and their relationship with biomass production. Grand fir may obtain larger biomass increments for a given P:N ratio in plant-derived tissue and may be efficient in P-limited Coast Range sites.
Accounting of weathering enhancement by mafic mineral spreading for CO
2
storage
Authors: Hara Junko , Sayama Kazuhiro 
Published: October 2024

The reduction of atmospheric CO
2
is an urgent global issue in the mitigation of global warming. Carbonate acts as a carbon sink in Earth's surface layer, and the weathering of terrestrial silicates and the deposition of oceanic calcium carbonate and organic matter mainly determine atmospheric and oceanic carbon dynamics on geological timescales. Various CO
2
-reduction approaches have been evaluated and the weathering-acceleration method is expected to be a low-cost approach. This study attempts to estimate carbonate precipitation potential and the dissolution rate from alkali leaching rates using weathering tests on mafic rocks.

Based on Japan's annual average rainfall, the
in situ
carbonate precipitation potential obtained by spreading an olivine mineral or basalt rock powder at 40 tonne-powder ha
–1
was of the order of 10
−3
tonne yr
–1
tonne-rock
–1
. This weathering rate could not be greatly accelerated under natural temperature conditions and fine granulation of the minerals.