bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
On $$\nu $$-Quasiordinary Surface Singularities and Their Resolution
Authors: Aroca Fuensanta , Tornero José M. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractQuasiordinary power series were introduced by Jung at the beginning of the 20th century, and were not paid much attention until the work of Lipman and, later on, Gao. They have been thoroughly studied since, as they form a very interesting family of singular varieties, whose properties (or at least many of them) can be encoded in a discrete set of integers, much as what happens with curves. Hironaka proposed a generalization of this concept, the so-called $$\nu $$
ν
-quasiordinary power series, which has not been examined in the literature in such detailed way. This paper explores the behavior of these series under the resolution process in the surface case.
Direct Products of Free Groups in Aut(FN)
Authors: Bridson Martin R. , Wade Richard D. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractWe give a complete description of the embeddings of direct products of nonabelian free groups into Aut(FN) and Out(FN) when the number of direct factors is maximal. To achieve this, we prove that the image of each such embedding has a canonical fixed point of a particular type in the boundary of Outer space.
Safety assessment of coronary arteries during left bundle branch area pacing
Authors: Kong Qiling , Chen Huolong , Hua Juan , Xiong Ziyi , Le Shuyun , Liu Jinwei , Wang Dandan , Chen Qi 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Background
This study aimed to assess the safety of left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) by measuring the distance from the tip of the electrode to the nearby coronary artery with a nine-partition grid method.

Methods
From January 2019 to October 2020, patients who underwent LBBAP and postoperative coronary angiography in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were included in the study. The patients’ fluoroscopic images of LBBAP and coronary angiography were collected and analyzed. Changes in the ST‑T segment in the electrocardiogram (ECG), serum troponin, and myocardial enzyme profiles were observed before and after the LBBAP procedure.

Results
A total of 50 patients were included in this study, of whom 46 patients underwent implantation with a pacemaker and 4 patients received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). The pacing electrodes were confined to the posterior–middle (PM), median (M), Posterior inferior (PI), and middle inferior (MI) positions of the two-dimensional nine-square grid or in the junction area of the above positions, and were concentrated in the rectangle formed by the line of the center points of the four positions. The average vertical distances from the electrode tip to the left anterior descending branch artery (LAD), posterior descending branches (PD) and the left posterior ventricular branches (PL) were 19.69 ± 8.72 mm, 26.09 ± 8.02 mm, and 21.11 ± 7.86 mm, respectively; the minimum was 5.28 mm, 9.51 mm, and 8.69 mm, respectively. Coronary angiography in all patients showed no significant injury to the ventricular septal branch; however, we observed elevated serum troponin and changes in ST‑T segment in ECG.

Conclusion
The study demonstrates that pacing electrodes in LBBAP can be safely implanted over a wide range. Coronary arteries are likely to be safe when the pacing electrodes are located within the rectangle formed by the line connecting the PM, M, PI, and MI zone centroids. The left bundle branch can be quickly captured and the safety of the coronary artery can be improved by locating the electrode in the posterior–mid zone. The potential risk of injury to the LAD from the electrode is greater compared with the PD.
Novel thermally regenerated flexible cellulose-based films
Authors: Moreira Rui , Rebelo Rafael C. , Coelho Jorge F. J. , Serra Arménio C. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractIn this work, cellulose powder obtained by acid hydrolysis of industrial Eucalyptus kraft pulp was dissolved in NaOH/Urea/H2O system (7/12/81 wt%) in a concentration of 6% (w/v). Cellulose films were prepared by spreading the dissolved cellulose over glass plates, followed by thermal regeneration – a novel approach reported here for the first time. To obtain final flexible films, plasticization was carried out by immersion in aqueous glycerol solutions of various concentrations (10 to 70 wt%) and hot-pressing (at 0.1 MPa and 105 ºC) was used to dry and compress the cellulose films. The resulting films were characterized by Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, contact angle measurements, transparency analysis, and gas permeabilities (oxygen and water vapor). Highly flexible films containing up to 50 wt% of glycerol were successfully obtained, exhibiting no glycerol release upon manual handling. Overall, the produced films demonstrated dense and compact structure, good transparency, flexibility and malleability, and very low oxygen permeability.
Long-Term Self-Management of Vaginal Cube Pessaries Can Improve Sexual Life in Patients with Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Results from a Secondary Analysis
Authors: Nemeth Zoltan , Vida Peter , Markovic Predrag , Gubas Peter , Kovacs Kalman , Farkas Balint 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Introduction and Hypothesis
Currently, little is known about how daily self-management of cube pessaries influences sexual function. We hypothesized that removing the cube pessary prior to sexual activity did not negatively influence the sexual function, and pessary self-care did not lead to a deterioration of sexual wellbeing.

Methods
We conducted a planned secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study in which 214 patients with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse (stage 2+) were enrolled (2015). Each patient was size fitted with a cube pessary and completed a questionnaire online or by phone ≥ 5 years after her initial fitting. Changes in quality of life were measured using the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I).

Results
Of the 143 women included in our analyses, 92 (64.3%) were sexually active during the study period. These patients (73.9%; 68 out of 92) described their sexual wellbeing as “better” or “much better” than their pretreatment status. Sexually active patients had a better quality of life as measured by the PGI-I than the sexually inactive patients. Of the sexually active patients, 91.3% (84 out of 92) described their condition as “better” or “much better” than their pretreatment status, whereas 84.3% (43 out of 51) of the sexually inactive patients reported the same improvement. Over 90% of sexually active patients reported that removal of the vaginal cube pessary before sexual activity is not disruptive.

Conclusions
The overwhelming majority of the patients with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse using daily self-management of cube pessaries reported that removal of the vaginal cube pessary before sexual activity is not disruptive, and its use was accompanied by improved sexual wellbeing.
Anti-virulence potential of iclaprim, a novel folic acid synthesis inhibitor, against Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Hao Lingyun , Zhou Jingwen , yang Han , He Chunyan , Shu Wen , Song Haoyue , Liu Qingzhong 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus pose a significant global public problem. Therefore, new antibiotics and therapeutic strategies are needed to combat this pathogen. This investigation delves into the effects of iclaprim, a newly discovered inhibitor of folic acid synthesis, on S. aureus virulence. The phenotypic and genotypic effects of iclaprim were thoroughly examined in relation to virulence factors, biofilm formation, and dispersal, as well as partial virulence-encoding genes associated with exoproteins, adherence, and regulation in S. aureus MW2, N315, and ATCC 25923. Then, the in vivo effectiveness of iclaprim on S. aureus pathogenicity was explored by a Galleria mellonella larvae infection model. The use of iclaprim at sub-inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) resulted in a reduction of α-hemolysin (Hla) production and a differential effect on the activity of coagulase in S. aureus strains. The results of biofilm formation and eradication assay showed that iclaprim was highly effective in depolymerizing the mature biofilm of S. aureus strains at concentrations of 1 MIC or greater, however, inhibited the biofilm-forming ability of only strains N315 and ATCC 25923 at sub-MICs. Interestingly, treatment of strains with sub-MICs of iclaprim resulted in significant stimulation or suppression of most virulence-encoding genes expression. Iclaprim did not affect the production of δ-hemolysin or staphylococcal protein A (SpA), nor did it impact the total activity of proteases, nucleases, and lipases. In vivo testing showed that sub-MICs of iclaprim significantly improves infected larvae survival. The present study offered valuable insights towards a better understating of the influence of iclaprim on different strains of S. aureus. The findings suggest that iclaprim may have potential as an anti-virulence and antibiofilm agent, thus potentially mitigating the pathogenicity of S. aureus and improving clinical outcomes associated with infections caused by this pathogen.

Key points
• Iclaprim effectively inhibits α-hemolysin production and biofilm formation in a strain-dependent manner and was an excellent depolymerizing agent of mature biofilm
• Iclaprim affected the mRNA expression of virulence-encoding genes associated with exoproteins, adherence, and regulation
• In vivo study in G. mellonella larvae challenged with S. aureus exhibited that iclaprim improves larvae survival
Characterization of the lattice preferred orientation of hcp iron transformed from the single-crystal bcc phase in situ at high pressures up to 80 GPa
Authors: Park Yohan , Wakamatsu Tatsuya , Azuma Shintaro , Nishihara Yu , Ohta Kenji 
Published: August 2024

AbstractStudying the anisotropic physical properties of hexagonal closed-packed (hcp) iron is essential for understanding the properties of the Earth’s inner core related to the preferred orientation of the inner core materials suggested by seismic observations. Investigating the anisotropic physical properties of hcp iron requires (1) the synthesis of hcp iron samples that exhibit several distinctive types of strong lattice preferred orientation (LPO) and (2) the quantitative LPO analysis of the samples. Here, we report the distinctive LPO of hcp iron produced from single-crystal body-centered cubic (bcc) iron compressed along three different crystallographic orientations ([100], [110], and [111]) in a diamond anvil cell based on synchrotron multiangle X-ray diffraction measurements up to 80 GPa and 300 K. The orientation relationships between hcp iron and bcc iron are consistent with the Burgers orientation relationship with variant selection. We show that the present method is a way to synthesize hcp iron with strong and characteristic LPO, which is beneficial for experimentally evaluating the anisotropic physical properties of hcp iron.
Automatic variable extraction from 3D coxal bone models for sex estimation using the DSP2 method
Authors: Kuchař Michal , Pilmann Kotěrová Anežka , Morávek Alexander , Santos Frédéric , Harnádková Katarína , Henyš Petr , Cunha Eugénia , Brůžek Jaroslav 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThanks to technical progress and the availability of virtual data, sex estimation methods as part of a biological profile are undergoing an inevitable evolution. Further reductions in subjectivity, but potentially also in measurement errors, can be brought by approaches that automate the extraction of variables. Such automatization also significantly accelerates and facilitates the specialist’s work. The aim of this study is (1) to apply a previously proposed algorithm (Kuchař et al. 2021) to automatically extract 10 variables used for the DSP2 sex estimation method, and (2) to test the robustness of the new automatic approach in a current heterogeneous population. For the first aim, we used a sample of 240 3D scans of pelvic bones from the same individuals, which were measured manually for the DSP database. For the second aim a sample of 108 pelvic bones from the New Mexico Decedent Image Database was used. The results showed high agreement between automatic and manual measurements with rTEM below 5% for all dimensions except two. The accuracy of final sex estimates based on all 10 variables was excellent (error rate 0.3%). However, we observed a higher number of undetermined individuals in the Portuguese sample (25% of males) and the New Mexican sample (36.5% of females). In conclusion, the procedure for automatic dimension extraction was successfully applied both to a different type of data and to a heterogeneous population.
Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of ticks and tick-borne pathogens from cattle in selected villages of Greater Letaba Municipality in Limpopo Province, South Africa
Authors: Monakale Katleho Sechaba , Smith Rae Marvin , Gaorekwe Realeboga Masego , Ledwaba Maphuti Betty , Malatji Dikeledi Petunia 
Published: August 2024

AbstractTicks are blood ectoparasites that feed on domestic, wild animals and humans. They spread a variety of infections such as protozoa, viruses, and bacteria. Moreover, cattle reared by smallholder farmers are susceptible to ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Therefore, accurate identification of ticks and detection of tick-borne pathogens is crucial. The main aim of this study was to identify and characterize ticks and tick-borne pathogens from selected villages in Greater Letaba Municipality, Limpopo Province, using morphological and molecular techniques. A total of 233 ticks were collected from cattle and identified morphologically using appropriate morphological keys. The following tick species were identified: Amblyomma hebraeum, Hyalomma rufipes, Hyalomma truncatum, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Rhipicephalus spp. was the most common species accounting to 73.8% of the identified ticks. The genomic DNA was extracted from the whole tick for tick identification and from midguts of the ticks for the detection of tick-borne pathogens, followed by amplification and sequencing. A total of 27 samples were positive for tick-borne pathogens: 23 samples tested positive for Theileria and four samples tested positive for Ehrlichia. Anaplasma and Rickettsial OmpB could not be detected from any of the samples. There was no obvious grouping of ticks and tick-borne pathogens on the bases of their locality. The findings of this study confirm previous reports that indicated that cattle reared by smallholder farmers harbor various ticks and tick-borne pathogens of veterinary, public health, and economic importance. Regular monitoring of tick infestations in villages around the study areas is recommended to avoid disease outbreaks.
The local representation of incrementally scattering passive nonlinear systems
Authors: Singh Shantanu , Weiss George 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
We investigate the local (in time) description of incrementally scattering passive nonlinear systems. We show that these systems can be defined by a differential inclusion and a function that gives the current output in term of the current state and the current input. Our approach uses the theory of maximal monotone operators and Lax–Phillips-type nonlinear semigroups.
Numerical Development of a Thermal Pre-processing Step for the Recycling of Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Barros de Souza Emerson Edilson , Spijker Christoph 
Published: August 2024

AbstractIn the present study, a numerical model is being developed to simulate a step in the battery recycling chain, namely the thermal pre-treatment process. This process involves exposing battery cells to a high-temperature environment to induce a thermal runaway, with the aim of maximising the recovery of valuable metals in the subsequent downstream recycling steps. The proposed numerical model utilises the CFD-DEM framework. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is used to calculate the gas phase variables. The battery is considered a solid phase, using the Discrete Element Method (DEM) to model its behaviour under high temperature. In this context, an experiment was designed to reproduce conditions similar to a battery thermal deactivation process. Once elaborated, the results from the experiments are compared to the numerical model, seeking further simulations using more realistic furnace designs.
Predicting future medical needs and mortality risk in geriatric long-term care patients
Authors: Dorner Thomas E. , Smeikal Michael , Unseld Matthias , Gisinger Christoph 
Published: August 2024

Summary
Background
Choosing the right intensity of medical care is a huge challenge particularly in long-term geriatric care. The Nascher score was developed to assess future medical care needs. The aim of this study was to determine whether the Nascher score and a revised version can predict future medical needs.

Methods
In this retrospective cohort study, 396 residents in long-term care hospitals, who were admitted over a period of two years and followed up to two and a half yeare, were analysed. Outcome parameters were: (1) number of medication changes, (2) number of ward doctor documentations and (3) number of acute illnesses treated with antibiotics, and mortality risk. Based on the first results, an alternative scoring of the Nascher score with 12 instead of 26 items was developed, called the revised Nascher score.

Results
The Nascher score significantly correlated with the number of medication changes, the number of ward doctor documentations, and the number of acute ilnesses treated with antibiotics with Spearman correlation coefficients of 0.30, 0.26, and 0.15, respectively. The revised Nascher score showed a higher correlation with correlation coefficients of 0.36, 0.26, and 0.21, respectively. Residents with a Nascher score in the highest quartile had a significantly higher mortality risk than residents in the lowest quartile (hazard ratio, HR 2.97, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.80–4.34). The corresponding values for the revised Nascher score were HR 3.03, 95% CI 2.03–4.54 in the highest and HR 1.80, 95% CI 1.24–2.60 in the middle quartiles.

Conclusion
The Nascher score and even more so the revised Nascher score are well suited to predicting the various parameters of future medical needs and mortality risk.
Non-pharmacological interventions targeting mobility among people with advanced cancer: a systematic review
Authors: Petrasso Carmine , Bayly Joanne , Arculeo Simona , Bowers Megan , Costi Stefania , Nottelmann Lise , Turola Elena , Vanzulli Elisa , Maddocks Matthew 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Purpose
To synthesise evidence evaluating non-pharmacological interventions targeting mobility among people with advanced cancer, considering the type, efficacy and contextual factors that may influence outcome.

Methods
Systematic review of studies of non-pharmacological interventions in adults (≥ 18 years) with advanced (stage III-IV) cancer, and assessing mobility using clinical or patient-reported outcome measures. Searches were conducted across three electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL) up to June 2024. Methodological quality was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute tools and contextual factors were evaluated through the Context and Implementation of Complex Interventions framework. A narrative synthesis was conducted due to clinical heterogeneity of included studies.

Results
38 studies encompassing 2,464 participants were included. The most frequent mobility outcome measure was the 6-min walk test (26/38 studies). Exercise was the most common intervention, (33 studies: 27 aerobic and resistance, 5 aerobic, 1 resistance versus aerobic training) and improvements in mobility were found in 21/33 outcomes. Electrotherapy interventions led to significant improvements in mobility in 3/5 studies. Geographical factors (e.g. distance, transport, parking requirements) potentially limited participation in 18/38 studies. A lack of ethnic diversity among populations was evident and language proficiency was an inclusion criterion in 12 studies.

Conclusion
Exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation appear to improve mobility outcomes in advanced cancer. The evaluation of other non-pharmacological interventions targeting mobility should consider access and inclusivity, and be adaptable to the needs of this population.
Convergence of critical points for a phase-field approximation of 1D cohesive fracture energies
Authors: Bonacini Marco , Iurlano Flaviana 
Published: August 2024

AbstractVariational models for cohesive fracture are based on the idea that the fracture energy is released gradually as the crack opening grows. Recently, [21] proposed a variational approximation via $$\Gamma $$
Γ
-convergence of a class of cohesive fracture energies by phase-field energies of Ambrosio-Tortorelli type, which may be also used as regularization for numerical simulations. In this paper we address the question of the asymptotic behaviour of critical points of the phase-field energies in the one-dimensional setting: we show that they converge to a selected class of critical points of the limit functional. Conversely, each critical point in this class can be approximated by a family of critical points of the phase-field functionals.
Geometry of complete minimal surfaces at infinity and the Willmore index of their inversions
Authors: Hirsch Jonas , Kusner Rob , Mäder-Baumdicker Elena 
Published: August 2024

AbstractWe study complete minimal surfaces in$$\mathbb {R}^n$$Rnwith finite total curvature and embedded planar ends. After conformal compactification via inversion, these yield examples of surfaces stationary for the Willmore bending energy$$\mathcal {W}: =\frac{1}{4} \int |\vec H|^2$$W:=14∫|H→|2. In codimension one, we prove that the$$\mathcal {W}$$W-Morse index for any inverted minimal sphere or real projective plane withmsuch ends is exactly$$m-3=\frac{\mathcal {W}}{4\pi }-3$$m-3=W4π-3. We also consider several geometric properties—for example, the property that allmasymptotic planes meet at a single point—of these minimal surfaces and explore their relation to the$$\mathcal {W}$$W-Morse index of their inverted surfaces.
Radiative Corrections and the Renormalization Group for the Two-Nucleon Interaction in Effective Field Theory
Authors: Richardson Thomas R. , Reis Immo C. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractWe use a combination of effective field theory and the renormalization group to determine the impact of radiative corrections on the nucleon–nucleon potential and the binding energy of the deuteron. In order to do so, we present a modified version of pionless effective field theory inspired by earlier work in nonrelativistic quantum electrodynamics. The renormalization group improvement of the deuteron binding energy leads to a shift on the order of a few percent and is consistent with the experimental value. This work serves as a starting point for a dedicated study of radiative corrections in few-body systems relevant for precision tests of the Standard Model in an effective field theory framework.