bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Search for new steroidal glycosides with anti-cancer potential from natural resources
Authors: Matsuo Yukiko , Mimaki Yoshihiro 
Published: July 2024

AbstractChemical investigations of higher plants, with particular attention paid to their steroidal glycosides, present a promising approach for generating anti-cancer agents from natural products. We conducted a systematic phytochemical investigation of nine higher plants—whole plants and rhizomes of Convallaria majalis, whole plants of Agave utahensis, roots of Adonis amurensis, seeds of Adonis aestivalis, bulbs of Bessera elegans, bulbs of Fritillaria meleagris, seeds of Digitalis purpurea, underground parts of Yucca glauca, and bulbs of Lilium pumilum—which led to the discovery of novel steroidal glycosides. The structures of these new constituents were determined based on spectroscopic data and chemical transformations. The identification of the monosaccharides including their absolute configurations was carried out by direct HPLC analysis of their hydrolysates using an optical rotation detector. Cytotoxicity of the isolated steroidal glycosides was evaluated against various tumor cells (A549, ACHN, HepG-2, HL-60, HSC-2, HSC-3, HSC-4, HSG, and SBC-3) and normal cells (Fa2 N-4, HK-2, and TIG-3 cells). Certain steroidal glycosides exhibit selective cytotoxicity and synergistic effects, making them potential lead compounds for use as anti-cancer agents. We document the isolation of 139 steroidal glycosides from higher plants and assessment their cytotoxic activities.
Graphical abstract
Level of thermal maturity estimation in unconventional reservoirs using interval inversion and simulating annealing method
Authors: Valadez Vergara Rafael , Szabó Norbert Péter 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis study presents a novel geophysical approach for estimating the level of thermal maturity (LOM) in unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs using well log data. LOM is a crucial parameter for assessing the hydrocarbon generation potential of source rocks, but it traditionally relies on laboratory measurements of core samples, which can be time-consuming and costly. The proposed method combines two techniques: interval inversion for estimating total organic carbon (TOC) content from well logs and simulated annealing (SA) optimization for deriving LOM from the estimated TOC. The interval inversion method enables accurate TOC estimation by jointly interpreting multiple well logs over depth intervals, overcoming limitations of conventional point-by-point inversion. Using the estimated TOC, the SA algorithm optimizes an energy function related to Passey's empirical TOC-LOM relationship, iteratively finding the optimal LOM value that best fits the well log data. This approach provides a continuous in situ LOM profile along the borehole without requiring core measurements. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated through case studies on datasets from the North Sea (Norway), the Pannonian Basin (Hungary), and the Kingak Formation (Alaska). The LOM estimates show good agreement with reported maturity levels and allow reliable reservoir characterization. Statistical analysis confirms the robustness and accuracy of the results. By reducing dependence on core data, this integrated inversion-optimization workflow streamlines the reservoir prospecting phase, enhancing operational efficiency. The method holds promising applications across diverse geological settings for cost-effective evaluation of unconventional hydrocarbon plays.
Internal Medicine Program Directors’ Perceptions About Accommodating Residents with Disabilities: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Salinger Maggie , Nguyen Mytien , Moreland Christopher J. , Thorndike Anne N. , Meeks Lisa M. 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background
While 26% of US adults are disabled, only 3.1 to 9.3% of practicing physicians report having a disability. Ableism within medical training and practice diminishes physician diversity and wellbeing and contributes to healthcare disparities.

Objective
Explore physician barriers to disability equity and inclusion by examining internal medicine (IM) program directors’ (PD) perspectives about recruiting and accommodating residents with disabilities (RWD).

Design
Qualitative study involving semi-structured virtual interviews (conducted December 2022–September 2023; analyzed through December 2023).

Participants
PDs were recruited via email. Purposive sampling captured program diversity in size, location, and affiliations. Convenience sampling ensured PD diversity by gender, race/ethnicity, and age.

Approach
Coders analyzed thematic and discursive content of interview transcripts to characterize PD perspectives about RWDs and accommodations.

Key Results
Of the 15 programs represented, 4 had ≤ 49 and 8 had ≥ 100 total residents. Three were community-based; the rest had academic affiliations. On average, PDs had 17 (SD 8.2) years in practice. Most (11/15) identified as White race; 8/15 as female; and none as disabled. PDs characterized disability as a source of grit and empathy but also as an intrinsic deficit. They worried RWDs could have unpredictable absences and clinical incompetencies. Perceived accommodation challenges included inexperience, workload distribution, information asymmetry about accommodation needs or options, barriers to disclosure (e.g., discrimination concerns), and insufficient accommodation advertising. Perceived facilitators included advanced planning; clear, publicized processes; and access to expertise (e.g., occupational health, ombudsmen).

Conclusions
PDs held contradictory views of RWDs. PD insights revealed opportunities to alleviate PD-RWD information asymmetry in recruitment/accommodation processes, which could help align needs and improve representation and inclusion.

Visual Abstract
Tarnished jewellery and skin – a subtle external marker indicating exposure to hydrogen sulfide
Authors: Gilbert John D. , Byard Roger W. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractA 39-year-old woman was found lying in the rear of a car at her home address. A smell of rotten eggs was noted and bottles of brick, tile and paver cleaner and lime sulfur were found in the rear of the vehicle. Suicide notes were found in the house. At autopsy there was no evidence of significant trauma with black tarnishing of a silver-coloured ring and a silver-coloured necklace noted with staining of the underlying skin, in keeping with a chemical reaction between hydrogen sulfide and silver. Internally the most significant finding was unusual greenish discolouration of the gray matter of the external and cut surfaces of the cerebral hemispheres, cerebellum and brain stem. No other organs had this discoloration. Death was attributed to hydrogen sulfide poisoning. Skin discoloration from silver jewellery may represent a subtle external marker for lethal or non-lethal hydrogen sulfide exposure.
Expert and operator perspectives on barriers to energy efficiency in data centers
Authors: Newkirk Alex C. , Hanus Nichole , Payne Christopher T. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIt was last estimated in 2016 that data centers (DCs) comprise approximately 2% of total US electricity consumption. However, this estimate is currently being updated to account for the massive increase in computing needs due to streaming, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence (AI). To prevent energy consumption that tracks with increasing computing needs, it is imperative we identify energy efficiency strategies and investments beyond the low-hanging fruit solutions. In a two-phased research approach, we ask: What non-technical barriers still impede energy efficiency (EE) practices and investments in the data center sector, and what can be done to overcome these barriers? In particular, we are focused on social and organizational barriers to EE. In Phase I, we performed a literature review and found that technical solutions are abundant in the literature, but fail to address the top-down cultural shifts that need to take place in order to adapt new energy efficiency strategies. In Phase II, reported here, we interviewed 16 data center operators/experts to ground-truth our literature findings. Our interview protocols focus on three aspects of DC decision-making: procurement practices, metrics and monitoring, and perceived barriers to energy efficiency. We find that vendors are the key drivers of procurement decisions, advanced efficiency metrics are facility-specific, and there is convergence in the design of advanced facilities due to the heat density of parallelized infrastructure. Our ultimate goals for our research are to design DC decarbonization policies that target organizational structure, empower individual staff, and foster a supportive external market.
Ten questions in sports engineering: supershoe use in distance running
Authors: Dyer Bryce 
Published: July 2024

AbstractFootwear used in competitive distance running has remained relatively unchanged in nature for decades. However, such technology has recently generated controversy with the introduction of so-called ‘supershoes’. Such footwear appear both aesthetically and functionally different to those used prior to their introduction and their arrival coincided with a spate of distance running world records being broken. The ten questions presented in this paper address a series of issues that relate to supershoes. These include their definition, what level of performance enhancement they provide and what impact they have had in competitive sport. Furthermore, it is explored how such technology is regulated and whether it should be considered fair. Via these questions, we hope to inform readers towards a greater understanding of this form of sports technology and highlight research and engineering gaps for future work.
Physics-Guided Inverse Regression for Crop Quality Assessment
Authors: Shulman David , Israeli Assaf , Botnaro Yael , Margalit Ori , Tamir Oved , Naschitz Shaul , Gamrasni Dan , Shir Ofer M. , Dattner Itai 
Published: July 2024

AbstractWe present an innovative approach leveraging Physics-Guided Neural Networks (PGNNs) for enhancing agricultural quality assessments. Central to our methodology is the application of physics-guided inverse regression, a technique that significantly improves the model’s ability to precisely predict quality metrics of crops. This approach directly addresses the challenges of scalability, speed, and practicality that traditional assessment methods face. By integrating physical principles, notably Fick’s second law of diffusion, into neural network architectures, our developed PGNN model achieves a notable advancement in enhancing both the interpretability and accuracy of assessments. Empirical validation conducted on cucumbers and mushrooms demonstrates the superior capability of our model in outperforming conventional computer vision techniques in postharvest quality evaluation. This underscores our contribution as a scalable and efficient solution to the pressing demands of global food supply challenges.
Necessary and sufficient conditions for the irreducibility of a linear representation of the braid group $$B_n$$
Authors: Nasser Mohamad N. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractValerij G. Bardakov and P. Bellingeri introduced a new linear representation $$\bar{\rho }_F$$

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F

of degree $$n+1$$

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+
1

of the braid group $$B_n$$

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n

. We study the irreducibility of this representation. We prove that $$\bar{\rho }_F$$

ρ

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F

is reducible to the degree $$n-1$$

n
-
1

. Moreover, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for the irreducibility of the complex specialization of its $$n-1$$

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1

degree composition factor $$\bar{\phi }_F$$

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¯

F

.
Stochastic dominance testing of poverty in Mozambique
Authors: Salvucci Vincenzo , Tarp Finn 
Published: July 2024

AbstractNational assessments produced regularly from 1996/97 to 2019/20 provide standard estimates of the evolution of poverty in Mozambique. Stylised facts point to significant reduction in monetary and multidimensional poverty until 2014/15, even though characterised by persistent urban–rural and regional inequalities in several dimensions, followed by worsening deprivation during 2014/15–2019/20. In this paper, we rely on first-order dominance (FOD) methodology to check the robustness of standard poverty estimates while providing deeper insights into what happened in this poverty-stricken country. Our main findings include that the capital city, Maputo, and surrounding areas progressively came to dominate all other provinces in terms of well-being, and the provincial rankings from spatial FOD analysis are very stable over time. Rural areas, mainly those in the northern and central regions, are, with a few exceptions, always at the bottom of the ranking. Moreover, our FOD temporal analysis reveals that 2019/20 dominates, with a high degree of confidence, the results from earlier years, pointing to positive development over time, but with one important exception. The comparison between 2019/20 and 2014/15 is indeterminate, indicating that no significant advancement took place during this period. What stands out is the compelling need for concerted policy action to address the strong and persistent spatial gaps in welfare and poverty, including the capacity to respond effectively to external and internal shocks.
The role of emotional appeal in water conservation communication: a framework for social media engagement
Authors: Abu Bakar Mohammad Fahmi , Wu Wenyan , Proverbs David , Mavritsaki Eirini 
Published: July 2024

AbstractAmidst growing concerns about water shortages, harnessing the potential of social media emerges as a crucial strategy in attempts to conserve consumption While informative messaging in environmental communication has been widely acknowledged, the role of emotional appeal remains underexplored. This study aims to bridge this gap by proposing a comprehensive framework that integrates emotional appeal, evoked through video creativity and multimedia effects. Focusing on the UK context and informed by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), the study highlights the complex interplay between cognitive and affective factors in water conservation communication. By applying Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to a dataset containing 443 responses, the analysis reveals that emotional appeal, when evoked through creativity, not only positively influences individuals’ attitudes but also extends to shape perceived behavioural control. These findings further emphasise the ability of emotional appeal to serve as a complementary aspect that enriches individuals’ motivational framework and influences their inclination towards engaging in the intended behaviour. The study has important implications for improving current marketing efforts and encouraging behavioural shifts among water consumers. By including emotional appeal in social media communication strategies, environmental communicators can build empathy and promote sustainability more effectively. Additionally, this study offers a valuable understanding of the complex nature of water conservation communication, providing practical strategies for enhancing environmental messaging and encouraging positive behaviour changes.
Thoracic computed tomography (CT) image-based identification and severity classification of COVID-19 cases using vision transformer (ViT)
Authors: Taye Gizatie Desalegn , Sisay Zewdie Habtie , Gebeyhu Genet Worku , Kidus Fisha Haileslassie 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIn this research, we developed a two-stage deep learning (DL) model using Vision Transformer (ViT) to detect COVID-19 and assess its severity from thoracic CT images. In the first stage, we utilized a pre-trained ViT model (ViT_B/32) and a custom CNN model to classify CT images as COVID-19 or non-COVID-19. The ViT model achieved superior performance with a fivefold cross-validated accuracy of 99.7%, compared to the custom CNN’s 98%. In the second stage, we employed a ViT-based U-Net model (Vision Transformer for Biomedical Image Segmentation, VITBIS) to segment lung and infection regions in COVID-19 positive CT images, determining the infection severity. This model uses transformers with attention mechanisms in both the encoder and decoder. The lung segmentation network achieved an Intersection Over Union (IOU) of 95.8% and a sensitivity of 99.67%, while the lesion segmentation network attained an IOU of 94% and a sensitivity of 98.3%.
Remarks on the functional morphology of the earliest mammals
Authors: Preuschoft Holger , Martin Thomas , Werneburg Ingmar 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe earliest mammals are characterized by a series of derived characters when compared to their synapsid predecessors. In comparison to non-mammalian synapsids, these features include highly efficient teeth, a small body size, a parasagittal limb posture, as well as a reduced number of ribs and girdle elements and light-weighted tails. We argue that the mammalian body construction and its functionality are constituted by a set of partially interrelated morphological traits, including akinetic skulls, tooth anatomy, and food processing; body size, locomotor speed, and tail reduction; the posture of the body and the construction of the girdle elements; as well as body torsion and rib reduction. By discussing these features from a biomechanical view, we demonstrate that high speed was the most important evolutionary advantage of the small earliest mammals over their larger synapsid ancestors, as well as over dinosaurs at the end of the Mesozoic.
Promoting Protective Factors for Suicidal Behavior in Adolescents at Risk
Authors: Knappe Susanne , Aresin Martin , Stephan Yara , Grosselli Luna , Lewitzka Ute , Bürger Arne , e.V. WFI , Hoyer Jürgen 
Published: July 2024

Abstract: Theoretical Background: Suicide is among the leading causes of death for young people and a major public health concern. While intervention programs targeting youth at risk seem promising, more research is warranted to determine what works for whom. The HEYLiFE universal school-based suicide prevention program aims to promote three putative protective factors, namely, knowledge about mental health, agency, and help-seeking intention in students aged 14 years and older. While its overall efficacy was confirmed previously, specific effects in adolescents with different risk profiles remain to be determined. Objective: We explored whether program efficacy differed for students aged 14 – 18 years (mean age M= 16.2 years, SD = 1.2 years) at low, medium, and high risk for suicidality. Method: A pre–post within-group comparison trial was designed to evaluate the HEYLiFE suicide prevention program in a convenience sample of 304 adolescents from five public schools. The data of 218 adolescents (45.2 % female) with completed data sets were analyzed. Using a two-step cluster analysis, we identified three distinct at-risk clusters for suicidality based on self-reported suicidality, depression, impulsivity/carelessness, and avoidance. We then applied a mixed-model analysis of covariance to evaluate program efficacy in these clusters. Results: While knowledge improved to a similar degree across all clusters, agency and help-seeking intentions improved in the low- and medium-risk cluster but not in the high-risk cluster. Efficacy across time ranged from small to medium effects. Conclusion: Our results confirm that the HEYLiFE suicide prevention program is efficacious for the majority of students. The promotion of protective factors among students with different risk profiles is a viable strategy for universal suicide prevention, although efforts are warranted to specifically target individuals exhibiting the greatest risk for suicide.
A Persistent Coast Mode of Precipitation in Southeast China Over the Last Millennium
Authors: Cao Jiantao , Chen Fajin , Chu Guoqiang , Jia Guodong 
Published: July 2024

AbstractInstrumental data set have revealed several summer precipitation patterns in eastern China, being summarized as “tripole,” “dipole” and “coast” modes. The former two have been found to persist at different time scales, leaving the latter unclear in geological records. Here we present 1300‐year hydroclimate records in a tropical maar lake in the southern coast of China using archeal lipid GDGTs, which can reflect lower water redox conditions largely regulated by lake water depth. The down‐core GDGTs reveal a relatively drier condition during the medieval climate anomaly compared to the Little Ice Age, in‐phase with other records in southeast coast of China but opposite to the inland region, hence demonstrating a persistent “coast” mode in eastern China. The thermal state of equatorial Pacific is suggested to play an important role in shaping the “coast” mode by modulating the location and strength of the western Pacific subtropical high and tropical typhoons.
Variability in Ice Cover Does Not Affect Annual Metabolism Estimates in a Small Eutrophic Reservoir
Authors: Howard Dexter W. , Brentrup Jennifer A. , Richardson David C. , Lewis Abigail S. L. , Olsson Freya E. , Carey Cayelan C. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractTemperate reservoirs and lakes worldwide are experiencing decreases in ice cover, which will likely alter the net balance of gross primary production (GPP) and respiration (R) in these ecosystems. However, most metabolism studies to date have focused on summer dynamics, thereby excluding winter dynamics from annual metabolism budgets. To address this gap, we analyzed 6 years of year‐round high‐frequency dissolved oxygen data to estimate daily rates of net ecosystem production (NEP), GPP, and R in a eutrophic, dimictic reservoir that has intermittent ice cover. Over 6 years, the reservoir exhibited slight heterotrophy during both summer and winter. We found winter and summer metabolism rates to be similar: summer NEP had a median rate of −0.06 mg O2 L−1 day−1 (range: −15.86 to 3.20 mg O2 L−1 day−1), while median winter NEP was −0.02 mg O2 L−1 day−1 (range: −8.19 to 0.53 mg O2 L−1 day−1). Despite large differences in the duration of ice cover among years, there were minimal differences in NEP among winters. Overall, the inclusion of winter data had a limited effect on annual metabolism estimates in a eutrophic reservoir, likely due to short winter periods in this reservoir (ice durations 0–35 days), relative to higher‐latitude lakes. Our work reveals a smaller difference between winter and summer NEP than in lakes with continuous ice cover. Ultimately, our work underscores the importance of studying full‐year metabolism dynamics in a range of aquatic ecosystems to help anticipate the effects of declining ice cover across lakes worldwide.