bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Metasurfaces for multiplexing pencil-like beams with longitudinally inhomogeneous versatile polarization states and polarization-evolutive imaging
Authors: Tang Feng , Zhang Teng , Tan Zhiyu , Zang Xiaofei , Zhu Yiming , Zhuang Songlin 
Published: October 2024

The manipulation of polarization in the longitudinal direction using metasurfaces introduces a new dimension for controlling polarization states. Previous research has primarily focused on creating a single beam with a linearly polarized state that varies along the optical path. Nevertheless, this unexplored territory offers vast opportunities for longitudinally polarization-variant applications. Here, we present and experimentally demonstrate an innovative approach that can transform the linearly polarized (LP) terahertz (THz) waves into multiple pencil-like beams, featuring diverse, longitudinally varying polarization behaviors. We characterize a series of metadevices capable of mimicking the longitudinal polarization evolution between two orthogonal LP states, i.e., circularly polarized (CP) states and hybrid-polarized states (elliptically and arbitrarily polarized states) (i.e., the evolution between orthogonal LP and CP states), in the longitudinal direction. In addition, we experimentally demonstrate a wide range of polarization-switchable imaging modalities in the propagation direction, which we term “polarization-evolutive imaging.” This work not only expands the role of polarization in imaging with multiplexed functionalities but also paves the way for developing other metadevices that can perform unique tasks such as ultrahigh-bandwidth data exchange and versatile light–matter interactions.
Psychometric properties of the Functional Literacy Questionnaire among Portuguese adolescents
Authors: Martins Raquel , Capitão Carolina , Feteira-Santos Rodrigo , Virgolino Ana , Santos Osvaldo 
Published: October 2024

Background
Robust tools to assess self-reported adolescent functional health literacy are lacking. In Portugal, the only available tool is the Newest Vital Sign for Portuguese adolescents (NVS-PTeen), though presenting modest validity and reliability properties. A new instrument–the Functional Literacy Questionnaire (FLiQ)–was developed, inspired by the NVS-PTeen, but following the European Regulation for food labeling and targeting a balanced assessment of numeracy and verbal comprehension skills. This study aimed to evaluate several psychometric properties of the FLiQ when administered to Portuguese adolescents.

Methods
We conducted a longitudinal observational study with three phases: (1) Delphi panel with health literacy experts; (2) self-administration of FLiQ and NVS-PTeen to adolescents in 7th to 9th grades; and (3) re-administration of FLiQ four weeks after baseline, to the same group of participants.

Results
FLiQ’s content validity was excellent, with an Average-Content Validity Index of .95. Overall, 372 adolescents (50.3% girls) aged between 12–17 years (median age: 13) participated in the study. Of these, 150 completed the test-retest assessment. Internal consistency was good (Kuder-Richardson Fornula-20 = .70), as well as test-retest reliability (Intraclass Coefficient Correlation = .82). FLiQ total score was weakly correlated with the school year (rho = .174), and moderately with Portuguese (rho = .348) and Mathematics grades (rho = .333). Factor analysis indicated a two-dimension structure, reflecting numeracy and verbal comprehension skills. Item response theory analysis revealed differences in difficulty and discrimination capacity among items, all with adequate fit values.

Conclusion
FLiQ is a valid and reliable tool. It can be used to monitor functional health literacy levels in Portuguese adolescents.
Effect of ACE mutations on blood ACE phenotype parameters
Authors: Kryukova Olga V. , Korostin Dmitry O. , Belova Vera A. , Cheranev Valery V. , Repinskaia Zhanna A. , Uporov Igor V. , Dudek Steven M. , Kost Olga A. , Rebrikov Denis V. , Danilov Sergei M. 
Published: October 2024

Background
Analysis of existing mutations of Angiotensin-I-Converting Enzyme (ACE) led us to hypothesize that the carriers of damaging ACE mutations (accompanied by low ACE levels) could be at risk for the development of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Methodology/Principal findings
We quantified blood ACE levels in EDTA-containing plasma from 15 patients with 11 different heterozygous ACE mutations and estimated the effects of these mutations on ACE phenotypes, using a set of mAbs to ACE and two ACE substrates. We confirmed prior observations that the relatively frequent Y215C mutation in the N domain of ACE (present in ~1% of the population) is associated with both Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and reduced plasma levels of ACE (~50% of controls), indicating that it likely results in a transport-deficient protein. In addition, we identified another 4 mutations in both ACE domains (M118T, C734Y, V992M and V997M) which are also associated with decreased ACE levels in the blood, and, thus, could be putative risk factors for late-onset AD. One of these mutations, C734Y, is likely transport-deficient, while the other mutations appear to influence ACE catalytic properties. The precipitation of mutant M118T by mAb 2D1 and ACE mutant C734Y by mAb 3F10 increased 2-3-fold compared to native ACE, and therefore, these mAbs could be markers of these mutations. Also, we identified a mutation I989T, which is associated with increased ACE levels in the blood.

Conclusions/Significance
Conducting a systematic analysis of blood ACE levels in patients with ACE mutations holds promise for identifying individuals with low blood ACE levels. Such individuals may be at increased risk for late-onset AD. The patients with transport-deficient ACE mutations may benefit from therapeutic treatment with a combination of chemical and pharmacological chaperones and proteasome inhibitors, as was demonstrated previously using a cell model of the transport-deficient ACE mutation, Q1069R [Danilov et al, PLoS One, 2010].
Sonhar o porvir – uma educação para a responsabilidade/humanidade. No rastro de E. Levinas e de J. Derrida
Authors: Bernardo Fernanda 
Published: October 2024

Apresentado no âmbito de um colóquio intitulado «Sobre as Diferenças: Filosofia, Cultura e Educação nas sociedades do século XXI», o texto deste artigo toma como incipit as sugestivas palavras de Margrethe Vestager – «Podemos ter novas tecnologias, mas não temos novos valores. […] A minha primeira prioridade será sempre o ser humano. A tecnologia deve servir-nos» – para, sem moralismo nem tecnofobia, se interrogar sobre o que deveria ser educar e ensinar para a vigília e a coragem solitária do pensamento, bem como para a dignidade de uma humanidade in-formada e responsável, apresentando a responsabilidade (meta-)ética – como fonte e valor dos valores e como ethos e incondição de um humano finalmente digno do nome – não só como a única responsabilidade à altura dos desafios do nosso tempo, mas também como a única a, lucidamente, permitir sonhar com a promessa de uma cultura e de um amanhã de paz, de bem-estar e de justiça crescente.
Food Production in Ergonomically Designed Unit with Low Energy Consuming Thick Film Hot Plate
Authors: Nazir Sarfaraz , Kharbanda Dheeraj Kumar , Pandit Anil , Mishra Alok , Khanna P K , Chauraisa Om Prakash 
Published: October 2024

The Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh is a cold desert where the temperature drops as low as -45°C, which makes the cultivation of fresh food almost impossible. The region is strategically very important as it borders two countries China and Pakistan. The unavailability of fresh food causes nutritional deficiency in the deployed troops and locals, affecting their performance. Cultivation of fresh food is very difficult due to the average low temperature and mountainous soil of the region. Transportation of fresh food to such forward locations causes decaying of nutrition besides the difficulty of reaching such snow-bound mountainous locations. Nutritious micro-greens grown in media under controlled conditions look perfect solutions for meeting nutritional requirements. The present study focuses on year-round cultivation of nutritious micro-green (2-3 times more nutritious than mature counterparts) with low energy consuming thick-film hot plate for necessary temperature maintenance in properly designed portable structures to reduce dependency on packaged food which are the causes of many diseases. The study involves the development of a thick film energy-efficient micro-climate maintenance technology-based system for the maintenance of temperature along with phase-wise development of suitable cultivation structure and standardization of the number of such plates and sizing of the portable unit.These hotplates produce heat based on the principle of Joule heating or resistive heating and the power of a hotplate is equal to I2R. The hotplates are capable of raising the surface temperature to 90°C –100°C at the expense of only 8W power consumption and maintenance of average temperature in the range of 18°C to 20°C at -25°C to -40°C outside ambient temperature.
The region receives the highest solar irradiance along with annual average of 7-8 hours of sunshine duration and hence a solar-based technology can fulfill the energy supply of 8W with ease.The study revealed that a suitable temperature can be maintained for growing variety of nutritious micro-green in a triple layer-based multitier structure integrated with low energy consuming (~8 W), small (50.8 mm (x) 50.8 mm), efficient, and lightweight thick film technology.Thick-film hot plate integrated standardized unit is capable of producing an average of 1000grams/trial/unit in a short period of 8-12 days during the winter period of 6-8 months for the targeted supply of 8-10grams/person/day with total energy consumption of approximately 20-25Kw/trial at ~3350 m to ~5400 m Altitude.
Using constructed languages to introduce and teach linguistics
Authors: Duval Cameron Rousseau , Booker Nynaeve Perkins , Brotherton Chloe , Diaz Anthony Michael , Jasbi Masoud 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Introductory linguistics courses are a common component of general education curricula at many institutions of higher education, reaching tens of thousands of students with diverse backgrounds and interests. Such courses provide a great opportunity for linguists to convey the field’s message and its values to a wider audience. We propose that it is possible to increase the public outreach of such courses by engaging not only the students in the course, but also the campus community at large. In this paper, we report on using constructed languages (conlangs) as a tool to help students understand course materials via active learning as well as present linguistic research to the wider community of college campuses.
Computational study of γ-ray and fast neutron shielding efficacy of (70–x)B2O3 – 5TeO2 – 20SrO – 5ZnO – (x)Bi2O3 glass systems using Phy-X/PSD, XCOM and GEANT-4
Authors: Kheswa Bonginkosi Vincent , Makhathini Lucky , Majola Siyabonga Ntokozo 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
This study investigated the LAC, MAC, half-value thickness, tenth-value thickness, mean free path, Zeff, Neff, FNRCS, EBF, and EABF of a glass composition (70-x)B2O3 – 5TeO2 – 20SrO – 5ZnO – (x)Bi2O3, with x ranging from 0 to 15 mol%. Sample S5 showed the lowest HVT, TVT, and MFP and the highest MAC, LAC, Zeff, and Neff across 300 keV–15 MeV, indicating enhanced γ-ray shielding with higher Bi2O3 content in narrow-beam applications. However, EBF and EABF decreased with Bi2O3 at 0.5 and 1 MeV, but increased at 10 MeV, indicating improved shielding only at low and intermediate energies in broad-beam scenarios. Sample S4 exhibited the highest FNRCS and best neutron shielding efficiency. The comparison of our results with the literature revealed that S5 and S4 are, respectively, even more superior, in shielding γ radiation and neutrons than some of the glass materials that have been recently investigated in the literature. Therefore, in γ-ray shielding applications, incorporating Bi2O3 into the glass matrix is advisable primarily for narrow-beam conditions, and for broad-beam scenarios at intermediate energies, but not at high energies in broad-beam contexts.
Application of machine learning algorithm incorporating dietary intake in prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Ding Tianze , Liu Peijie , Jia Jie , Wu Hui , Zhu Jie , Yang Kefeng 
Published: October 2024

Introduction
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) significantly affects pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, it is crucial to develop prediction models since they can guide timely interventions to reduce the incidence of GDM and its associated adverse effects.

Methods
A total of 554 pregnant women were selected and their sociodemographic characteristics, clinical data and dietary data were collected. Dietary data were investigated by a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). We applied random forest mean decrease impurity for feature selection and the models are built using logistic regression, XGBoost, and LightGBM algorithms. The prediction performance of different models was compared by accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, area under curve (AUC) and Hosmer–Lemeshow test.

Results
Blood glucose, age, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) were the top five features according to the feature selection. Among the three algorithms, XGBoost performed best with an AUC of 0.788, LightGBM came second (AUC = 0.749), and logistic regression performed the worst (AUC = 0.712). In addition, XGBoost and LightGBM both achieved a fairly good performance when dietary information was included, surpassing their performance on the non-dietary dataset (0.788 vs 0.718 in XGBoost; 0.749 vs 0.726 in LightGBM).

Conclusion
XGBoost and LightGBM algorithms outperform logistic regression in predicting GDM among Chinese pregnant women. In addition, dietary data may have a positive effect on improving model performance, which deserves more in-depth investigation with larger sample size.
STAT6 blockade ameliorates thyroid function in Graves’ disease via downregulation of the sodium/iodide symporter
Authors: Yang Qian , Zhang Qinnan , Pan Fanfan , Zha Bingbing 
Published: October 2024

Background
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) is an important nuclear transcription factor. Previous studies demonstrated that blocking STAT6 can ameliorate thyroid function by reducing serum T3 and T4. Sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) is a key protein that mediates active iodine uptake and plays an important role in regulating thyroid function. This study explored the interaction between STAT6 and NIS.

Methods
Immunohistochemical staining was performed for detecting the expression of NIS in different tissues. RT-PCR was performed for evaluating the mRNA level of NIS when Nthy-ori 3-1 cells were incubated with IL4, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), or monoclonal thyroid-specific stimulatory autoantibody (TSAb) for 24 h. Quantitative RT-PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence analysis were performed for detecting NIS expression after inhibiting STAT6 phosphorylation by AS1517499. Finally, we used luciferase reporter assays to explore the ability of STAT6 to regulate the promoter activity of the NIS-coding gene.

Results
NIS was highly expressed in thyroid epithelial cells of EAGD mice or Graves’ disease (GD) patients, and TSAb increased the expression of NIS. We show that a STAT6 phosphorylation inhibitor can attenuate the effect of TSAb on increasing NIS protein and mRNA levels. Finally, we confirm that transcription factor STAT6 can mediate NIS transcription and co-activator P100 protein can enhance STAT6-dependent transcriptional activation.

Conclusion
In GD, TSAb induces STAT6 signaling to upregulate NIS expression, and STAT6 blockade ameliorates thyroid function via downregulation of the NIS. Our study furthers understanding of the effects of STAT6 on thyroid function and reveals new avenues for GD treatment.
Facing Mortality: Exploring Existentialist Motif of Death in the Selected Novels by McCarthy, Zhadan, and Müller
Authors: Shevchenko Iryna 
Published: October 2024

This study represents the first scholarly endeavour to investigate the existentialist motif of death within the works of renowned authors from the United States and Europe: Cormac McCarthy’s The Road (2006), Herta Müller’s Atemschaukel (2009), and Serhii Zhadan’s Internat (2017). Employing a multifaceted methodological approach, this research utilises close reading to identify representations of the death experience, an interpretative lens to uncover and categorise imagery, allusions, and symbols related to death, and a comparative analysis based on the point-by-point method to juxtapose the literary representations of death across the selected novels. Through this study, three distinct forms of death emerge: the cessation of life, the moral decay of humanity, and the demise of nature. This study delves into these forms, which are most prominently depicted in each novel, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the nature of death at the dawn of the 21st century. The selection of these novels is predicated on their shared thematic concerns, including survival in hostile environments and extreme experiences such as isolation, alienation, and ultimately, death.
Laudatio professoribus. Dviejų svarbiausių Lietuvos klasikinės filologijos tyrėjų sukaktis pasitinkant
Authors: Biržietienė Skirmantė 
Published: October 2024

Review of the scholarly activities on the occasion of the anniversaries of scholars of Antiquity and Lithuanian Renaissance and Baroque, translators Dalia Dilytė-Staškevičienė and Eugenija Ulčinaitė.
London in the Novels by Robert Galbraith: a text-world perspective
Authors: Kulchytska Olga , Erlikhman Anna 
Published: October 2024

The Strike series of contemporary crime fiction novels by Robert Galbraith exhibits an abundance of descriptions of real-life London. The aim of this article is to explore their functions in the context of the author’s works.
Characteristic properties of the cityscapes in the novels are the merged perspectives of the omniscient narrator and a character, foregrounded details, contrasts in images and attitudes, and the use of metaphor and personification. Text World Theory allows us to explain how they aid in constructing mental representations, or text-worlds, of the city and examine functions fulfilled by the depictions of London in R. Galbraith’s fiction: (1) emphasising connectedness between the discourse- and text-worlds, (2) creating an atmospheric background, (3) broadening readers’ understanding of characters, (4) making London a character in its own right, (5) advancing the story. The first function is typical of all the text-worlds analysed; it indicates the real-world nature of fictional information as a distinctive feature of the Strike series.
Synthesis of aryl hydrazone derivatives for α-naphthalide and benzothiazolide
Authors: Ahamed Luma S. , Al-Rekabi Zena G. 
Published: October 2024

تضمن البحث تحضير ثلاثة سلاسل من المركبات الجديدة من -N α –نفثايل -2-(اريل هيدرازونو)-3-اوكسو بيوتانمايد، و -N (6-كلورو بنزوثايزول -2-يل)-2-اريل هيدرازونو)-3-(اوكسو بيوتانمايد) ، -N (6-ميثل بنزوثايزول -2-يل)-2-اريل هيدرازونو)-3-(اوكسو بيوتانمايد) والمشتقة من النفثايل امين و2- امينوبنزوثايزول وقد أجريت التفاعلات بخطوتين :الخطوة الأولى كانت تفاعل النفثايل امين مع مثيل اسيتو اسيتيت للسلسلة الاولى وتفاعل مشتقات الامينو بنزوثايزول(6-كلوروامينو بنزوثايزول ،6-ميثل امينوبنزوثايزول ) مع مثيل اسيتو اسيتيت للسلسلة الثانية والثالثة على التوالي عند (160-170)م0 باستعمال طريقة حديثة في التحضير تزيد من النسبة المئوية للمنتوج. اما الخطوة الثانية فهي تفاعل هذه المركبات الناتجة مع املاح الاريل دايازونيوم كلورايد في وسط قاعدي وعند درجة (0-5) م0 للحصول على عشر صبغات جديدة من مشتقات الاريل هيدرازونو-3-اوكسو بيوتانمايد جميع هذه المركبات الجديدة تم تشخيصها بواسطة اطياف الاشعة تحت الحمراءFTIR وطيف الرنين النووي المغناطيسي13C-NMR, 1H-NMR وال UV-Visible وقياس درجات الانصهار وكذلك الذوبانية.
Structural and Optical Properties of CdS:20%In Films Prepared by Thermal Co-Evaporation method
Authors: Saleh Mona M. 
Published: October 2024

تم في هذا البحث تحضير أغشية CdS:Inبوساطة التبخير الثنائي في الفراغ بسمك(7500Ao) عند التركيزIn) 20 %) على ارضية زجاجية درجة حرارتها 100c0 وتمت دراسة خصائصها التركيبية والبصرية.
أظهرت النتائج ان جميع الاغشية متعددة التبلور وان التشويب بالانديوم أدى الى أرتفاع هذه القمم، كما ان التشويب أدى الى زيادة قيم معامل الامتصاص ومعامل الخمود وثابت العزل الخيالي وتناقص في قيم فجوة الطاقة ونقصان في قيم الانعكاسية ومعامل الانكسار وثابت العزل الكهربائي الحقيقي.
Preparation of activated alumina From Iraqi-kaoline clays for Catalysts support
Authors: Taies Jehad. A . , Mahmood Waleed. A. 
Published: October 2024

في هذا البحث تم استخلاص الالومينا المنشطة من خام الكاوؤلين العراقي بطريقة التلبيد بالجير الحي كمرحلة أولى لإنتاج المسحوق المفتت ثم استخدام هذا المسحوق لإنتاج اوكسيد الالمينوم نوع كاما عالي النقاوة 99%Al2O3) ) وبمساحة سطحية( 205m2/gm) والذي يستخدم في صناعة النفط والبتروكيمياويات كحامل للعوامل المساعدة لإزالة الكبريت وامتصاص الغازات الحامضية في محسنات الكبريت .أن طرائق التحضير وعمليات الغسل وازالة الشؤائب وتاثير درجة الحرارة وزمن الحرق تم دراستها بشكل مفصل .
RELIABILITY OF AMYLOID DETECTION IMMUNOASSAY KITS FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE SCREENING: A PRELIMINARY STUDY
Authors: Putri Indah Aprianti , Ningrum Emilna Mega , Noviana Rachmitasari , Mariya Silmi , Saepuloh Uus , Retnani Elok Budi , Hamdan Muhammad , Nugraha Jusak , Darusman Huda Shalahudin 
Published: October 2024

Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that damages the brain and is part of dementia. Alzheimer’s dementia is caused by various factors that until now the proper therapy is uncertain. Kit production as a diagnostic tool to support the development of screening for Alzheimer’s disease is a strategic effort. Screening based on detection with Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) can work effectively and accurately to optimize a specific antibody material or monoclonal antibody to the Aβ42 peptide. This study aimed to research the reliability of the amyloid detection kit which was developed as an alternative screening test for Alzheimer’s disease compared to commercially available kits. Based on the results and interpretation of inter and intra-assay coefficients, the in-house ELISA kit has comparable Aβ42 detection to the commercially available ELISA kit