bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preventing burnout from moral distress amongst prehospital emergency personnel: action research to develop and test organizationally targeted clinical ethics support
Authors: Huniche Lotte , Milling Louise , Wittrock Daniel , Mikkelsen Søren , Bruun Henriette 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Ethical challenges are integral to health care and are associated with moral distress among health professionals. Moral distress can turn into burnout with a range of negative effects for professionals, patients, relatives, collaborators, and the organisation. Based on action research a focus group study was conducted inclucing prehospital personnel from the emergency services in the Region of Southern Denmark. Results showed that ethical challenges arise in contexts of 1) caring for patients, 2) managing organizational demands, 3) collaborating. Ethical challenges are addressed informally by personnel in emergency vehicles, at ambulance stations, outside working hours, and ocationally involve family or friends with a background in health care. Further, prehospital physicians address ethically sensitive issues during monthly meetings. Voicing ethical challenges presupposes confidence, trust, and safety in relation to colleagues, management, and the organisation. Existing forms of clinical ethics support are ill suited to the prehospital emergency services. Targeted clinical ethics support initiatives are needed to address moral distress, prevent burnout, and build a supportive working environment. Initiatives must be developed collaboratively with personnel and tested bottom-up to identify and eliminate barriers for implementation.
Bone refits and implications for the reconstruction of a late Middle Palaeolithic context: unit A9 of Fumane cave
Authors: Modolo Marta , Delpiano Davide , Martellotta Eva Francesca , Peresani Marco 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Refitting studies provide valuable data to achieve topics like assemblage formation processes, post-depositional dynamics, settlement patterns, and the definition and integrity of stratigraphic units. The distribution of remains and documented connection lines allow an understanding of space use and, consequently, human behaviour. Although these premises, faunal refits have hitherto been poorly applied in archaeological sites. This paper aims to present an innovative methodology applied for the first time to the Middle Palaeolithic unit A9 (47.6–45.0 Ky Cal BP) of Fumane Cave (Verona, Italy), which includes refits, spatial archaeology, and multivariate statistic techniques. The main goal is to explore the site's anthropogenic use during the occupation of level A9 and validate the degree of synchronicity between hearths and activity areas. The analysed sample includes 2,933 bone fragments.
Towards an AI Tutor for Undergraduate Geotechnical Engineering: A Comparative Study of Evaluating the Efficiency of Large Language Model Application Programming Interfaces
Authors: Tophel Amir , Chen Liuxin , Hettiyadura Umidu , Kodikara Jayantha 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

This study investigates the efficiency of Large Language Model (LLM) Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)—specifically GPT-4 and Llama-3—as AI tutors for undergraduate Geotechnical Engineering education. As educational needs in specialised fields like Geotechnical Engineering become increasingly complex, innovative teaching tools that provide personalised learning experiences are essential. This research evaluates the capabilities of GPT-4’s and Llama-3’s APIs in integrating and applying Geotechnical Engineering formulas, offering accurate problem-solving and explanatory responses, and adapting to varied educational requirements. Using comparative analysis, the study employs a formula integration approach known as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with two widely used LLM models, GPT-4 and Llama-3. A set of 20 challenging questions, previously identified as problematic for zero-shot solutions for GPT-4, served as the evaluation basis. The models were assessed on accuracy, formula integration, clarity of explanation, and problem-solving adaptability. Results indicate that GPT-4 and Llama-3 have significant potential as AI tutors in Geotechnical Engineering. GPT-4, utilising RAG, demonstrated superior performance, correctly answering 95% of the questions at a temperature setting of 0.1, 82.5% at 0.5, and 60% at 1. In contrast, Llama-3 correctly answered 25% of the questions in zero-shot tasks and 45% with API by setting a temperature of 0.1. The study underscores the need for advanced formula integration techniques and domain-specific training to enhance the educational utility of LLM APIs. Future research should focus on refining formula integration methods, expanding domain-specific knowledge bases, and assessing long-term learning outcomes. This work contributes to the ongoing dialogue on AI in education, providing insights into deploying LLMs as personalised, effective teaching aids in engineering disciplines.
Photocatalytic degradation of caffeine using biogenic silver doped zinc oxide nanoparticles
Authors: SG Kavitha , Balakrishnan Raj Mohan , Kadam Vrushali Vinayak 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

The present study investigates degradation of caffeine using biogenic Ag@ZnO as a heterogeneous photocatalyst. Zinc nitrate (Zn (NO3)2) and silver nitrate (AgNO3) were utilized as the precursor and dopant in the biogenic synthesis of silver doped zinc oxide (Ag@ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs). The reduction in the bandgap energy of ZnO from 3.33 eV to 2.29 eV after Ag doping indicates the synthesis of Ag@ZnO NPs. The effects of catalyst loading (5, 10, 15, 20mg), initial pollutant concentration (20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140ppm), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration (1, 3, 5, 7mM), and radiation exposure duration (20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 200min) were optimized to improve caffeine degradation efficiency. The highest degradation efficiency was observed at 15 mg/100 ml of catalyst loading at pH 8 with 5 mM H2O2 as an electron acceptor and it follows the pseudo-first-order kinetic process. Chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon analysis were conducted to investigate and describe the level of caffeine mineralization.
Mobility Analysis of Space Deployable Truss Considering Joint Clearance and Friction
Authors: Wang Tianwu , Liu Xiang , Cai Guoping , Liu Fucheng , Sun Jun , Zhu Dongfang 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Truss is an important component in the spacecraft system, its smooth deployment is significant to ensure the normal operation of the spacecraft. The parts in truss are connected by joints and clearance inevitably exists in joints. As the scale of truss structure expands, the number of joints in truss increases, resulting clearance having significant effect on the mobility of the truss, then influencing the operation of spacecraft. Firstly, in this paper, the multi-rigid-body Cartesian method is adopted to establish the deployment dynamics model of truss system with ideal joint. Then we establish contact dynamics model for clearance joint, obtaining normal contact force and tangential friction force by applying Hertz contact theory and Coulomb friction model, respectively. Finally, the effects of clearance, driving force and friction force on the mobility of truss system are analyzed by numerical simulations. The simulation results show that, the reduction of joint clearance and driving force, and the increase of joint friction both decrease the mobility of truss system.
The diversity of factors influencing human digestive microbiota in healthy adults and their interaction: A scoping review
Authors: Pérez-Llano Begoña , Rodríguez Celia Medrano , Fraile Eduardo González 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background / objectives
Human digestive microbiota is affected by a wide variety of different factors. The objective of this study was to perform a scoping review that gathers and updates the information available about factors that affect human digestive microbiota in healthy adults. It is also reviewed if other factors are considered and if some type of interaction between them is studied. We searched in MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scielo, PROSPERO, and Cochrane databases. Two authors independently reviewed study eligibility and data extraction. Articles were classified based on the main factor studied upon one of the following categories: diet, habits, environment, or chemical exposure.
Results
The literature search provided a total of 73 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The presence of data about the influence of diet, habits, environment, and exposition to chemicals on digestive microbiota were registered. Analysis of the studies indicates that the assessment of risk factors is often focused on a specific aspect (diet, habits, environment, and chemicals) and the study of the interaction between factors is up to now not sufficiently investigated. In addition, there are some situations probably relevant to the human digestive microbiota that are not being assessed (snacking, intermittent fasting, type of sport practiced, living with pets or working with animals, type of transportation daily used, home cleaning habits, treatments with radiotherapy, immune suppressants, corticosteroids).
Conclusions
Little is known about the impact of the combined interaction of possible risk factors (diet, habits, environment, and chemical exposure) of dysbiosis in human digestive microbiota. Further studies are encouraged to evaluate more broadly the interactions between the risk factors that may influence the diversity of the human digestive microbiota. All of them are factors that act together every day on our health.
Game and Reference: Efficient Policy Making for Epidemic Prevention and Control
Authors: Zhiyi Tan , Bingkun Bao 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Epidemic policy-making, as a special data-mining task, is proposed to predict the proper intensities of certain epidemic prevention and control policies based on the spatial-temporal data related to regional epidemics.Previous studies are currently constrained by two issues: First, existing methods are all strongly supervised by policy effect evaluation, since only a small proportion of factors in real-world policy-making are modeled, policies made by the existing models are then easily become extreme or unreasonable. Second, the subjectivity and the cognitive limitation of humans make historical policies not always optimal for the training of decision models. To this end, we present a novel Policy Combination Synthesis (PCS) model for epidemic policy-making. In particular, to prevent extreme decisions, we introduce adversarial learning between the model-made policies and the real policies to force the output policies to be more human-like. On the other hand, to minimize the impact of sub-optimal historical policies, we employ contrastive learning to let the model draw on experience from the best historical policies under similar scenarios. Both adversarial learning and contrastive learning are adaptive to the comprehensive effects of real policies, therefore ensuring that the model always learns useful information.Extensive experiments on real-world data show that policies made by the proposed model outperform the baseline models on both the epidemic containment effect and the economic impact, thereby proving the effectiveness of our work.
Analysis of Primary Energy Demand Satisfaction from Domestic Sources in Selected European Countries Using Cluster Analysis
Authors: Kosowski Piotr , Kosowska Katarzyna 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

The article analyzes the extent to which selected European countries meet their primary energy demand from domestic sources. A k-means clustering analysis was conducted to group these countries based on the degree of demand satisfaction from sollid fossil fuels, natural gas, and oil, using data from the Eurostat database for the years 1990 and 2021. The analysis reveals significant changes in the energy sector over three decades, highlighting a transition from solid fossil fuels to renewable energy sources and an increased dependence on natural gas and oil imports. In 2021, the countries were classified into six distinct clusters, each reflecting unique energy profiles and dependencies. The results underscore the importance of tailored energy policies, investments in renewable energy sources, and strategic planning to enhance energy security and sustainable development within the EU and individual European countries.
Study on Scour Characteristics of a Shallow Foundation Bridge
Authors: Fan Gangping , Li Huanzhe , Wang Tianzhuo , Che Jian , Li Xing , Dou Chunyang , Wu Tong 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Bridges with shallow foundations are highly susceptible to flood scouring due to their limited embedment depth and small contact area between the soil and foundation. This can lead to foundation voids, posing a serious threat to bridge safety. To prevent and mitigate scouring risks, this paper investigates the riverbed scouring characteristics of shallow foundation bridges under different hydrological conditions.The study found that under high water levels and flow velocities, scour depth significantly increased.Under extreme hydrological conditions, a horseshoe vortex forms at the base of the front end of the bridge pier, causing scour pits on both sides of the upstream face of the foundation, which is the main cause of foundation voids that first appear at 2580 seconds with a maximum scour depth of -2.51 meters and a void area of 0.5%, continuing to increase over time.Based on simulated scouring data, this study proposes a method for converting boundary conditions from a scouring model to a mechanical model. This method utilizes point cloud reverse engineering technology to generate a riverbed surface from the three-dimensional coordinate matrix of the boundary and import it into the structural analysis field. Hydraulic effects are calculated using a CFD model and transferred to the structural domain through fluid-structure interaction technology, achieving multi-physical field coupling among water flow, soil, and structure. This method addresses the current limitations in simulating complex scouring forms in bridge flood damage research, providing reliable technical support for subsequent studies on the damage behavior of shallow foundation bridges under flood scouring conditions.
"What does 'often' even mean?" Revising and Validating the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory in Partnership with Autistic People
Authors: Hechler Friederike Charlotte , Tuomainen Outi , Weber Nathan , Fahr Frank , Karlek Bodie , Maroske Marie , Misia Meike , Caruana Nathan 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background: In this study, we revised and validated the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory (CATI) – a self-report inventory of autistic traits, in collaboration with autistic people. An established strength of the CATI is its ability to capture female autistic traits. Our project aimed to extend this further, to increase the inventory's accessibility, and to minimise stigma induced by deficit-based representations of autistic experience.
Methods: Together with 22 individuals from the autism and autistic communities, we created the Revised Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory (CATI-R). Revisions included rewording items to increase clarity or reduce stigma and expanding items to capture diverse autistic experiences. Based on the revisions, we formulated a series of guidelines for developing personality-style self-report inventories of subclinical traits concerning neurodevelopmental and psychiatric divergences. The CATI-R was then validated across a large sample (n = 1439), comprising autistic (n = 375) and non-autistic participants (n = 1046), following the protocol for the original CATI.
Results: We conceptually replicated the original CATI validation. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the six-subscale structure. Pearson correlations showed positive relationships between all subscales. Moreover, comparing the CATI-R with two contemporary inventories of autistic traits, we found evidence for the CATI-R's convergent validity and its ability to classify individuals as autistic or not. A measurement invariance analysis indicated that total-scale scores can be compared across genders. However, in line with current research on gender differences in autism, a repeated measures ANOVA showed subscale-specific gender differences. Accordingly, we identified different thresholds for classifying female, male, and non-binary people. Finally, a logistic regression analysis suggested that the CATI-R predicts autism particularly well in female and non-binary people.
Limitations: Our study presents only initial evidence for the validity of the CATI-R that should be enriched with further analyses and types of data, including, a larger number of non-binary participants.
Conclusions: This project holds significance for both research and clinical practice as it provides a trait inventory that resonates with actual autistic experience and insights for creating inventories that are sensitive, accessible, and non-stigmatising.
ZMAT3 alleviates cell death of Fanconi Anemia deficient cells by modulating sphingolipid metabolism and ferroptosis.
Authors: BLUTEAU Dominique , LOOCK Maeva , LATOUR Emmanuelle , FEDRONIE Carele , TISSANDIER Margot , HERNANDEZ Lucie , LHOMME Marie , PONNAIAH Maharajah , LEFRANCOIS Julie , Maillard Loïc , Quentin Samuel , parietti veronique , BLUTEAU Olivier , Arcangeli Marie-Laure , Lobry Camille , Soulier Jean , Goff Wilfried Le 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a genetic disorder marked by bone marrow failure and cancer risk. FA features continuous activation of the p53 pathway, leading to an exacerbated cellular response to stress and DNA damage and significantly altering cellular metabolism. Here, we pointed out for the first time the overexpression of ZMAT3, an RNA-binding protein, in murine FA-deficient hematopoietic cells. To elucidate the functions of ZMAT3 in the context of FA, we employed a two-pronged experimental approach. Initially, hematopoietic stem cells from FA knockout (FA-KO) mice with targeted downregulation of ZMAT3 and a human fibroblast cell line derived from an FA patient. Combining functional and Omics approaches, our study uncovers the critical involvement of ZMAT3 in enhancing the survival of FA-deficient cells by modulating sphingolipid metabolism and ferroptosis. ZMAT3 emerges as a pivotal factor in mitigating hematopoietic stem cell exhaustion during the initial stages of FA.
The Tie-2 antagonist rebastinib reduces ovarian cancer growth in a syngeneic murine model
Authors: Gupta Vijayalaxmi , Roby Katherine F. , Pathak Harsh B. , Godwin Andrew K. , Gunewardena Sumedha , Khabele Dineo 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background
The receptor tyrosine kinase TIE2 and its ligands, angiopoietins (ANGPTs), promote angiogenesis. In addition to expression on vascular endothelial cells, TIE2 is expressed on M2-like pro-tumorigenic macrophages. Thus, the TIE2 inhibitor rebastinib was developed as a potential therapy to address multiple cancers. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of rebastinib alone and combined with chemotherapy in a syngeneic murine model of ovarian cancer.
Methods
Female C57Bl6J mice were intraperitoneally injected with syngeneic ID8 ovarian cancer cells. Once tumors were established, mice were untreated (control) or treated with rebastinib, carboplatin plus paclitaxel (chemotherapy), or rebastinib plus chemotherapy. In one set of experiments, survival was followed for 140 days. In other experiments, ascites were harvested 24 hours after the last treatment and analyzed by flow cytometry. In in-vitro experiments, RNA sequencing was performed on ID8 cells and murine peritoneal macrophage cells (PMJ2R) after treatment with rebastinib, chemotherapy, or rebastinib plus chemotherapy.
Results
Tumor-bearing mice treated with rebastinib plus chemotherapy had longer median survival than mice treated with chemotherapy (132.5 vs. 127 days, P < 0.01). Ascites from mice treated with rebastinib had more CD45 + macrophages (P < 0.03) and cytotoxic T cells (P < 0.0001) than ascites from mice treated with chemotherapy. Rebastinib had no significant effect on the numbers of regulatory T cells, TIE2 + macrophages, or TIE2 + M2 macrophages. In ID8 cells, invitro, rebastinib treatment upregulated 1528 genes and downregulated 3115 genes. In macrophages, in vitro, rebastinib treatment upregulated 2302 genes and downregulated 2970 genes. Rebastinib differentially regulated ANGPT-like proteins in both types of cells, including several ANGPT-like genes involved in tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, and proliferation. ANGPTL1, an antiangiogenic and anti-apoptotic gene, was increased 10-fold in ID8 cells treated with rebastinib (P < 0.001) but was not altered in macrophages.
Conclusions
Rebastinib plus chemotherapy extends survival in a syngeneic murine model of ovarian cancer. Rebastinib alters immune cells, increases cytotoxic T cells in ascites, and alters gene expression in tumor cells and macrophages.
Physical and Psychological Stressors Increase Breast Tumor Growth but Differentially Alter Tumor Immunity
Authors: Dees Kory J. , Kabir Kayla , Bahani Roxana , Beskow Christopher , Blalock Matthew , Kranzlein Jessica , Pierson Danielle , Rice Shannon , Williams Marietta , Dugger Kari J. 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background:Triple-negative breast cancer constitutes approximately 15-20% of breast cancers and continues to be challenging to treat despite significant therapeutic advances. Epidemiological evidence suggests psychological stress correlates with decreased survival rates, while physical activity is presumed to improve survival rates of breast cancer patients. These correlations lead us to inquire whether aerobic exercise could improve cancer outcomes despite the psychological stress associated with a cancer diagnosis. In part, these parallels may be mediated by alterations in the anti-tumor immune responses meditated by neuroendocrine changes experienced during stress, which are believed to affect cancer progression. To address this, we used a syngenetic mouse model of breast cancer to study the impact of stressors.
Objective: This study investigated the effects of psychological stress and/or physical activity on tumor growth and cancer immunity in mice with murine triple-negative breast cancer.
Methods: We used female BALB/c mice subcutaneously injected with murine EMT6 breast carcinoma cells. Mice were assigned to treatment groups: moderate aerobic exercise, unpredictable chronic mild stress, a combination of exercise and chronic stress, or no physical/psychological stressor.
Results: Mice were assessed for tumor growth and immunological changes within the primary tumors. Our studies showed both aerobic exercise and chronic mild stress resulted in larger tumors, while non-stressed/non-exercised controls had consistently smaller tumors. We found the smaller tumors exhibited higher presence of T helper and cytotoxic T cells. Additionally, we demonstrated that exercise improves the proliferative and suppressive functions of T helper and T regulatory cells, respectively, whether with or without chronic stress. Interestingly, the anti-tumor cytotoxic T cell function was enhanced in exercised mice, but these functional benefits were not observed when chronic stress was added. Notably, the decreased cytotoxicity results are correlated with increased PD-1 expression.
Conclusions: Neither physical activity nor psychological stress reduced tumor growth once established; instead, they significantly increased tumor progression. Exercise did not appear to mitigate the impact of psychological stress on tumor growth or combat the negative impacts on anti-tumor immunity. However, our findings did suggest different stressors impact key anti-tumor immune cell numbers and functions that will need to be considered when developing treatment plans.