bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The novel estuarine bioremediation target Gracilaria transtasmanica has high tolerance to light limitation, air-exposure and a broad range of salinities
Authors: Ross Bethany G. , Magnusson Marie , Lawton Rebecca J. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIn-situ macroalgal bioremediation could help prevent and reduce estuarine eutrophication. However, estuaries are dynamic ecosystems characterized by fluctuating abiotic conditions. Therefore, target macroalgal species for in-situ estuarine bioremediation must be able to maintain productivity under a range of challenging abiotic conditions. The aim of this study was to assess the tolerance of the novel bioremediation target Gracilaria transtasmanica to ambient and extreme levels of salinity, air-exposure, and light limitation that occur in estuarine environments. Three separate experiments were conducted to assess tolerance to each factor and photosynthetic functioning and growth were used to quantify the tolerance range of G. transtasmanica in each experiment. Specific Growth Rate (SGR) was significantly affected by salinity, air-exposure, and light limitation. Gracilaria transtasmanica was able to grow in salinities of 5 to 35 ppt, but growth rates decreased with decreasing salinity. Air-exposure periods of up to 9 h were tolerated, but growth rates decreased as air-exposure period increased. Gracilaria transtasmanica was able to maintain growth with a loss of up to 75% of ambient light and was also able to tolerate short periods (48 h) of continuous darkness. Photosynthetic function was unaffected by salinity, air-exposure, or light limitation. These results demonstrate the high tolerance of G. transtasmanica to light limitation, air-exposure and a broad range of salinities. Consequently, this species could be cultivated in a range of habitat types within estuaries. However, the optimal habitats for cultivation will be submerged subtidal channels and lower intertidal mudflats where the impacts of freshwater inflows and air-exposure are reduced.
Enhancing corrosion resistance of 316L stainless steel through electrochemical deposition of polyaniline coatings in acidic environments
Authors: Fatahiamirdehi Mohammad , Mahani Mohamad , Mirseyed Seyyedeh Forough , Rostamian Auref , Ostadhassan Mehdi 
Published: July 2024

AbstractStainless steel is widely used because of its excellent corrosion resistance in typical environments. However, it is susceptible to corrosion in acidic media, therefore, to address this issue, the electrochemical deposition of polyaniline coatings on 316L stainless steel was investigated using cyclic voltammetry at different potential windows and scan rates. The successful polymerization and surface morphology were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Moreover, thermal stability of the PANI coating was assessed through thermo gravimetric analysis while the corrosion behavior of bare and coated steels immersed in 1M H2SO4 was studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Based on the Nyquist plots obtained from the EIS revealed that the corrosion resistance of the PANI coating improved significantly with a decrease in scan rate and by limiting the upper potential, especially during longer exposure times up to 72 h. Results suggest that controlling the deposition parameters and optimizing the electrochemical conditions can lead to even greater improvements in the corrosion resistance of the stainless steel. These findings offer valuable insights for researchers and engineers in the field of materials science and corrosion protection, enabling them to develop more precise and efficient strategies for enhancing the durability and performance of stainless steel in acidic environments.
Impact of pre and post-perovskite infiltration treatments on monolithic perovskite solar cell performance
Authors: Mishra Arti , Ammar Mohammad , Raza Ehsan , Ijaz Sumbel , Mehmood Muhammad Qasim , Bhadra Jolly , Ahmad Zubair 
Published: July 2024

AbstractCarbon-based monolithic perovskite solar cells (mPSCs) represent an enticing frontier in the domain of organic–inorganic hybrid solar cells, capturing substantial research attention due to their cost effectiveness and straightforward fabrication process. Despite these merits, the challenge of achieving uniform pore filling in mPSCs, especially within mesoporous layers comprising titania, zirconia, and carbon alongside perovskite, persists. The uncontrolled and confined crystallization of the perovskite precursor within these mesoporous layers warrants meticulous investigation. This study addresses the issues related to uncontrolled crystallization by employing temperature-assisted infiltration techniques spanning from room temperature to 70 °C across triple mesoporous scaffolds. Devices were intricately fabricated using a semi-automatic drop-casting procedure, incorporating a (5-AVA)x(MA)1−xPbI3-mixed cation perovskite. Following infiltration, comprehensive pore filling of oxide layers was achieved through chlorobenzene-assisted antisolvent treatment. Comparisons were made between chlorobenzene-assisted and untreated samples under ambient conditions and thermal stress (40–70 °C). The temperature-dependent effects on perovskite infiltration and recrystallization were systematically investigated through dark and light current–voltage (J–V) characteristics, Impedance Spectroscopy (IS), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses. The findings revealed that the optimum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.34% was attained when perovskite infiltration occurred at 40 °C with antisolvent treatment. Dark J–V and IS results indicated that temperature-assisted infiltration not only stimulated charge transfer but also effectively suppressed recombination. Under chlorobenzene treatment, XRD peaks exhibited broadening, indicating a reduction in perovskite crystallite size. This phenomenon facilitated the development of perovskite crystals across all available mesoporous spaces, leading to an enhanced interface property conducive to efficient charge transfer. The insights gleaned from this study on the controlled crystallization of perovskite precursors within mesoporous layers hold significant promise for advancing the stability and efficiency of mPSCs.
Social isolation, coping efficacy, and social well-being over time in patients with lung cancer
Authors: Dunsmore Victoria J. , Neupert Shevaun D. 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Background
Little work has examined how coping efficacy and lung cancer-related social isolation relate to social well-being in the context of a patient’s computed tomography (CT) scan. Researchers tested the cross-sectional relationship of social isolation and social well-being, and the longitudinal relationship between coping efficacy and social well-being before CT scans.

Method
25 patients with lung cancer, within 6 months of their upcoming CT scan, participated. Baseline surveys collected clinical information, demographics, and social isolation; repeated monthly surveys collected coping efficacy and social well-being every 30 days until one’s scan.

Results
[Cross-sectional] High levels of social isolation were associated with low levels of social well-being.
[Longitudinal] On months patients reported high coping efficacy, they also reported increases in social well-being.

Conclusions
Social interventions may improve well-being among those with lung cancer as our work shows that getting and receiving support are strongly related to well-being in the time surrounding a scan.
An improved upper bound for the online graph exploration problem on unicyclic graphs
Authors: Kobayashi Koji M. , Li Ying 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe online graph exploration problem, which was proposed by Kalyanasundaram and Pruhs (Theor Comput Sci 130(1):125–138, 1994), is defined as follows: Given an edge-weighted undirected connected graph and a specified vertex (called the origin), the task of an algorithm is to compute a path from the origin to the origin which contains all the vertices of the given graph. The goal of the problem is to find such a path of minimum weight. At each time, an online algorithm knows only the weights of edges each of which consists of visited vertices or vertices adjacent to visited vertices. Fritsch (Inform Process Lett 168:1006096, 2021) showed that the competitive ratio of an online algorithm is at most three for any unicyclic graph. On the other hand, Brandt et al. (Theor Comput Sci 839:176–185, 2020) showed a lower bound of two on the competitive ratio for any unicyclic graph. In this paper, we showed the competitive ratio of an online algorithm is at most 5/2 for any unicyclic graph.
Experimental and Computational Study of Modified Biopolymer Xanthan Gum with Synthetic Vinyl Monomers for Enhanced Oil Recovery
Authors: Abou-alfitooh Samah A. M. , El-Hosiny F. I. , El-hoshoudy A. N. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractUtilizing xanthan gum, a biodegradable polymer, in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is imperative wherever there is a need for innovation in oil production that is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Xanthan, chosen for its natural sourcing, availability, controllability, eco-friendliness, and biodegradability, proves resilient against harsh reservoir conditions owing to its rigid structure and elongated polysaccharide chains. This study investigates two modified xanthan gum composites, achieved by grafting with synthetic vinyl monomers through emulsified polymerization. Spectroscopic characterization using FTIR and 1H-NMR, along with surface morphology analysis via atomic force microscopy (AFM) and thermal behavior screening through TGA analysis, elucidates the properties of these modified composites. Rheological behavior under reservoir conditions, including stress scanning and viscosity/shear rate dependency, was evaluated. Material modeling with the Materials Studio program simulated the equilibrium adsorption of xanthan and modified biopolymer chains on SiO2-quartz crystal to assess wettability alteration. Simulation results indicate that XG-g-AM, MMA&TEVS exhibit greater stability and surface coverage with more negative electrostatic energies compared to XG and XG-g-AM&MMA. The laboratory runs on a sandstone-packed model to identify the disclosed XG-g-AM&MMA and XG-g-AM, MMA&TEVS biopolymers as promising EOR candidates and wettability modifiers in challenging sandstone reservoirs, as per experimental outcomes.
Ferroptosis contributes to diabetes-induced visual pathway neuronal damage via iron accumulation and GPX4 inactivation
Authors: Wang Bowen , Jin Ying , Ouyang Xuan , Zhu Ru , Wang Xinghua , Li Shuang , Jiang Fagang 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe damage of the diabetic visual pathway is one of the main causes of blindness in diabetic patients. Visual pathways include anatomic parts from the retina to the occipital lobe. This study investigated the involvement of ferroptosis, a planned cell death brought on by the buildup of free iron in cells, in the impairment of visual pathways in diabetes mellitus. Streptozotocin (STZ) was used to construct a diabetic rat model. Pathological and ultrastructural changes of the occipital lobe, retina, and optic nerve were observed by Hematoxylin–Eosin (HE) staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The expressions of Neuronal nuclei (NeuN), Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and Glutathione Peroxidase 4 (GPX4) in the occipital lobe and retina were detected by immunofluorescence, and Western Blotting was used to identify the NeuN GFAP and GPX4 expressions in the occipital lobe. Iron content in the occipital lobe and retina was detected by Iron Assay Kit. The success rate of the diabetic rat model was 93.3%. In the diabetic group, the cells of the occipital lobe and retina were arranged disorderly, and the boundaries were unclear. The membrane of the occipital lobe, retina, and optic nerve was broken, some vacuoles were observed, mitochondrial morphology was changed, swelling was observed, and the mitochondrial ridge disappeared. There was a large increase in GFAP expression and iron concentration and a significant decrease in the expression of NeuN, and GPX4 in the retina and occipital lobe. Ferroptosis plays an important role in visual pathway damage in diabetes, and GPX4 regulates this process.
High Temperature Intergranular Oxidation of Nickel Based Superalloy Inconel 718
Authors: Madhusudan Sudhanva , Epifano Enrica , Favergeon Jérôme , Sanviemvongsak Tom , Maréchal David , Monceau Daniel 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIntergranular oxidation (IGO) of the Ni-based superalloy Inconel 718 was studied at 650 °C, 700 °C and 900 °C. The oxidized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. For all the studied temperatures, the external scale was mainly composed of Cr2O3, while the oxides along the grain boundaries were rich in Al and, to a minor extent, Ti. This was consistent with thermodynamic computations. The time evolution of the maximum depth of IGO was found to be parabolic with an apparent activation energy of 164 kJ/mol. The results of this study confirm with three temperatures that IGO kinetics can be described using an extension of the Wagner’s theory of internal oxidation, as recently suggested in the literature at 850 °C. According to this description, the mechanisms controlling the IGO kinetics of Inconel 718 are the aluminum diffusion in the alloy matrix and the oxygen diffusion along the interface between the alloy matrix and the oxidized grain boundary.
The Impact of Annealing Methods on the Encapsulating Structure and Storage-Stability of Freeze-Dried Pellets of Probiotic Bacteria
Authors: Palmkron Shuai Bai , Bergenståhl Björn , Hall Stephen , Håkansson Sebastian , Wahlgren Marie , Larsson Emanuel , Fureby Anna Millqvist 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Objective
This paper investigates the critical role of material thickness in freeze-dried pellets for enhancing the storage stability of encapsulated bacteria. Freeze dried material of varying thicknesses obtained from different annealing durations is quantified using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray microtomography (μCT), the material thickness is then correlated to the storage stability of the encapsulated cells.

Methods
A formulation comprising of sucrose, maltodextrin, and probiotic cells is quenched in liquid nitrogen to form pellets. The pellets undergo different durations of annealing before undergoing freeze-drying. The material thickness is quantified using SEM and μCT. Storage stability in both oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor environments is evaluated by measuring CFU counts and correlated with the pellet structure.

Results
The varying annealing protocols produce a range of material thicknesses, with more extensive annealing resulting in thicker materials. Storage stability exhibits a positive correlation with material thickness, indicating improved stability with thicker materials. Non-annealed pellets exhibit structural irregularities and inconsistent storage stability, highlighting the impracticality of avoiding annealing in the freeze-drying process.

Conclusions
Extensive annealing not only enhances the storage stability of probiotic products but also provides greater control over the freeze-drying process, ensuring homogeneous and reproducible products. This study underscores the importance of material thickness in freeze-dried pellets for optimizing storage stability for probiotic formulations, and emphasize the necessity of annealing as a critical step in freeze-drying quenched pellets to achieve desired structural and stability outcomes.
Microlensing Near Macro-Caustics
Authors: Weisenbach Luke , Anguita Timo , Miralda-Escudé Jordi , Oguri Masamune , Saha Prasenjit , Schechter Paul L. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractMicrolensing near macro-caustics is a complex phenomenon in which swarms of micro-images produced by micro-caustics form on both sides of a macro-critical curve. Recent discoveries of highly magnified images of individual stars in massive galaxy cluster lenses, predicted to be formed by these micro-image swarms, have stimulated studies on this topic. In this article, we explore microlensing near macro-caustics using both simulations and analytic calculations. We show that the mean total magnification of the micro-image swarms follows that of an extended source in the absence of microlensing. Micro-caustics join into a connected network in a region around the macro-critical line of a width proportional to the surface density of microlenses; within this region, the increase of the mean magnification toward the macro-caustic is driven by the increase of the number of micro-images rather than individual magnifications of micro-images. The maximum achievable magnification in micro-caustic crossings decreases with the mass fraction in microlenses. We conclude with a review of applications of this microlensing phenomenon, including limits to the fraction of dark matter in compact objects, and searches of Population III stars and dark matter subhalos. We argue that the discovered highly magnified stars at cosmological distances already imply that less than ∼ 10% of the dark matter may be in the form of compact objects with mass above $\sim 10^{-6}~M_{\odot }$
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Volume-Based Quantitative Measurement of [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT Uptake Reflects the Disease Activity of IgG4-Related Disease
Authors: Wan Liyan , Sun Chuanyin , Liang Junyu , Lin Jin , Chen Zhi 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Background
To investigate the potential utility of quantitative parameters obtained by 18F-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT) in the assessment of organ involvement and disease activity in IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD).

Methods
This study enrolled patients who underwent [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT scans at the Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from August 2021 to August 2022. The PET/CT images of the included patients were re-evaluated by PET center technicians, and the maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic lesion volume (MLV), and total lesion FAPI (TL-FAPI) were used to evaluate the involved organs and tissues that abnormally accumulated [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04. The clinical and laboratory data of patients are also systematically collected and analyzed.

Results
Among the patients included in this study, 12 patients met the IgG4-RD classification criteria established by the American College of Rheumatology in 2019. Among them, 8 were males and 4 were females, with an average age of 59.3 ± 11.5 years. 50% of IgG4-RD patients were found with more organ involvement on PET/CT than physical examination, ultrasonography, and computed tomography. IgG4 levels (Rho = 0.594, p = 0.042) and IgG4-RI (Rho = 0.647, p = 0.023) were significantly positively correlated with TL-FAPI. After linear regression analysis, only TL-FAPI showed a predictive value of RI (R2 = 0.356, B = 0.008, p = 0.041).

Conclusions
[18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT is a useful tool for identifying asymptomatic organ involvement and assessing disease activity. The TL-FAPI as an indicator was positively correlated with IgG4-RD disease activity.
The ten-year anniversary of public procurement reforms: a critical assessment of the European Union public procurement Directives
Authors: Bovis Christopher H. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis article evaluates the objectives of the legal framework on public procurement in the European Union and assesses its contribution to the internal market. The author provides for a critical analysis of the evolution of the public procurement acquis, which reveals an environment occupied with conceptual and regulatory interfaces, exhibiting advanced interoperability with legal systems of Member States and faced with continuous market-driven modality changes in awarding and financing public contracts for the delivery of public services.
The value of net influx constant based on FDG PET/CT dynamic imaging in the differential diagnosis of metastatic from non-metastatic lymph nodes in lung cancer
Authors: Wumener Xieraili , Zhang Yarong , Zang Zihan , Ye Xiaoxing , Zhao Jiuhui , Zhao Jun , Liang Ying 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Objectives
This study aims to evaluate the value of the dynamic and static quantitative metabolic parameters derived from 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)–positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) in the differential diagnosis of metastatic from non-metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) in lung cancer and to validate them based on the results of a previous study.

Methods
One hundred and twenty-one patients with lung nodules or masses detected on chest CT scan underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT dynamic + static imaging with informed consent. A retrospective collection of 126 LNs in 37 patients with lung cancer was pathologically confirmed. Static image analysis parameters include LN-SUVmax and LN-SUVmax/primary tumor SUVmax (LN-SUVmax/PT-SUVmax). Dynamic metabolic parameters including the net influx rate (Ki) and the surrogate of perfusion (K1) and of each LN were obtained by applying the irreversible two-tissue compartment model using in-house Matlab software. Ki/K1 was then calculated as a separate marker. Based on the pathological findings, we divided into a metastatic group and a non-metastatic group. The χ2 test was used to evaluate the agreement of the individual and combined diagnosis of each metabolic parameter with the gold standard. The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed for each parameter to determine the diagnostic efficacy in differentiating non-metastatic from metastatic LNs with high FDG-avid. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results
Among the 126 FDG-avid LNs confirmed by pathology, 70 LNs were metastatic, and 56 LNs were non-metastatic. For ROC analysis, in separate assays, the dynamic metabolic parameter Ki [sensitivity (SEN) of 84.30%, specificity (SPE) of 94.60%, accuracy of 88.89%, and AUC of 0.895] had a better diagnostic value than the static metabolic parameter SUVmax (SEN of 82.90%, SPE of 62.50%, accuracy of 74.60%, and AUC of 0.727) in differentiating between metastatic from non-metastatic LNs groups, respectively. In the combined diagnosis group, the combined SUVmax + Ki diagnosis had a better diagnostic value in the differential diagnosis of metastatic from non-metastatic LNs, with SEN, SPE, accuracy, and AUC of 84.3%, 94.6%, 88.89%, and 0.907, respectively.

Conclusions
When the cutoff value of Ki was 0.022 ml/g/min, it had a high diagnostic value in the differential diagnosis between metastasis and non-metastasis in FDG-avid LNs of lung cancer, especially in improving the specificity. The combination of SUVmax and Ki is expected to be a reliable metabolic parameter for N-staging of lung cancer.
Smart Urban Agriculture
Authors: Christmann Anne-Sophie , Graf-Drasch Valerie , Schäfer Ricarda 
Published: July 2024

AbstractGiven cities’ rising environmental problems and increasing food insecurity, innovative organizational endeavors such as urban agriculture present a chance for additional ecosystem services and food production. However, urban spaces are hostile as they jeopardize the availability of air, water, or soil. While digital innovations enable the management of scarce resources in traditional agricultural contexts, little is known about their applicability in urban agriculture endeavors. This study proposes a multi-layer taxonomy focusing on digital technologies, data, and different approaches in urban agriculture, as well as 20 organizational readiness factors derived with academics and practitioners from the smart urban agriculture domain. Combining both perspectives, the study sheds light on the nature of smart urban agriculture and ways to leverage its economic, ecological, and social value.