bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hybrid variable admittance force tracking and fixed-time position control for robot–environment interaction
Authors: Zhan Hong , Ye Dexi , Zeng Chao , Yang Chenguang 
Published: August 2024

Purpose
This paper aims to deal with the force and position tracking problem when a robot performs a task in interaction with an unknown environment and presents a hybrid control strategy based on variable admittance control and fixed-time control.

Design/methodology/approach
A hybrid control strategy based on variable admittance control and fixed-time control is presented. Firstly, a variable stiffness admittance model control based on proportional integral and differential (PID) is adopted to maintain the expected force value during the task execution. Secondly, a fixed-time controller based on radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) is introduced to handle the model uncertainties and ensure the fast position tracking convergence of the robot system, while the singularity problem is also avoided by designing the virtual control variable with piecewise function.

Findings
Simulation studies conducted on the robot manipulator with two degrees of freedom have verified the superior performance of the proposed control strategy comparing with other methods.

Originality/value
A hybrid control scheme for robot–environment interaction is presented, in which the variable stiffness admittance method is adopted to adjust the interaction force to the desired value, and the RBFNN-based fixed-time position controller without singularity problem is designed to ensure the fast convergence of the robot system with model uncertainty.
Do business-wide sustainability labels boost consumer trust and enhance perceptions of sustainability information quality? An experiment among Z-generation members
Authors: Sanchez-Chaparro Teresa , Gomez-Frias Victor , Onrubia Fernando , Sanchez-Naranjo Maria Jesus 
Published: August 2024

Purpose
This study aims to explore the emerging trend of business-wide Sustainability Third-Party Labels (STPLs), exemplified by entities like B-Corp. These labels are awarded to organizations committed to a distinctive approach to business, typically embracing the triple-bottom-line (TBL) framework, prioritizing not only financial performance but also social and environmental impact. The research investigates whether these labels enhance trust and influence perceptions of sustainability information quality among young consumers in Spain.

Design/methodology/approach
A factorial experiment has been conducted among a convenience sample of individuals belonging to the Z-generation (n = 126). The experiment involved randomly exposing the participants to different versions of an informational brochure from a fictional company in the agricultural sector (with and without label). Following the experiment, a focus group with 15 participants was conducted to assist in interpreting the results.

Findings
The results of this study suggest that the use of a nonsector specific label across various sectors with distinct sustainability challenges can lead to confusion among Z-generation consumers. Especially within sectors grappling with environmental concerns, such labels may be susceptible to being perceived as manifestations of greenwashing. Additionally, the study adds supporting evidence to the existing body of literature asserting gender differences in the interpretation of sustainability signals, including labels.

Originality/value
As far as this research is concerned, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research that studies the perception of Z-generation members regarding business-wide STPLs. Focusing on studying, the attitudes toward sustainability of younger generations and how they respond to signals like business-wide STPLs are relevant, as they not only possess the longevity to drive substantial change but are also more susceptible to behavioral shifts, thereby holding significant potential in shaping a sustainable future. The study combines both qualitative and quantitative perspective and provides critical insights, relevant to stakeholders within business-wide STPL ecosystems, emphasizing the need for strategic coherence and transparency in label implementation.
Improving the production of 22‐hydroxy‐23,24‐bisnorchol‐4‐ene‐3‐one in Mycolicibacterium smegmatis
Authors: Hernández‐Fernández Gabriel , Acedos Miguel G. , de la Torre Isabel , Ibero Juan , García José L. , Galán Beatriz 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe 22‐hydroxy‐23,24‐bisnorchol‐4‐ene‐3‐one (4‐HBC) is a C22 steroid synthon of pharmaceutical interest that can be produced as a lateral end‐product of the catabolism of natural sterols (e.g., cholesterol or phytosterols). This work studies the role of an aldehyde dehydrogenase coded by the MSMEG_6563 gene of Mycolicibacterium smegmatis, named msRed, in 4‐HBC production. This gene is located contiguously to the MSMEG_6561 encoding the aldolase msSal which catalyses the retroaldol elimination of acetyl‐CoA of the metabolite intermediate 22‐hydroxy‐3‐oxo‐cholest‐4‐ene‐24‐carboxyl‐CoA to deliver 3‐oxo‐4‐pregnene‐20‐carboxyl aldehyde (3‐OPA). We have demonstrated that msRed reduces 3‐OPA to 4‐HBC. Moreover, the role of msOpccR reductase encoded by MSMEG_1623 was also explored confirming that it also performs the reduction of 3‐OPA into 4‐HBC, but less efficiently than msRed. To obtain a M. smegmatis 4‐HBC producer strain we deleted MSMEG_5903 (hsd4A) gene in strain MS6039‐5941 (ΔkshB1, ΔkstD1) that produces 4‐androstene‐3,17‐dione (AD) from natural sterols (cholesterol or phytosterols). The triple MS6039‐5941‐5903 mutant was able to produce 9 g/L of 4‐HBC from 14 g/L of phytosterols in 2 L bioreactor, showing a productivity of 0.140 g/L h−1. To improve the metabolic flux of sterols towards the production of 4‐HBC we have cloned and overexpressed the msSal and msRed enzymes in the MS6039‐5941‐5903 mutant rendering a production titter of 12.7 g/L with a productivity of 0.185 g/L h−1, and demonstrating that the new recombinant strain has a great potential for its industrial application.
Chapter 7. Mapping land use with integrated environmental archaeological datasets
Authors: Marston John M. , Vaiglova Petra 
Published: August 2024

AbstractArchaeologists have developed tools to reconstruct the locations of farming and animal herding using ecological and digital modeling of ancient landscapes. The determination of where on a landscape farming and herding took place, however, can remain elusive in environments with evidence for substantial geomorphological and/or ecological change since the period of occupation. Archaeobotanical and geoarchaeological evidence from the site of Gordion, in central Anatolia, indicates substantial landscape change over the last 4000 years, including deforestation, overgrazing, erosion, and alluviation. These have been inferred to be the result of past agricultural practices, but no firm evidence has pointed to specific locations (geographic and temporal) where ancient farming and herding may have caused these changes. Integrating extant archaeobotanical, zooarchaeological, and geoarchaeological evidence with new isotopic data provides a more detailed reconstruction of the sequence of agricultural practices that shaped the present landscape and ecology of the region, offering a model for future archaeological research within substantially transformed landscapes.
Chapter 9. Feral fields of Northern Dalmatia (Croatia)
Authors: Countryman James , Zaro Gregory , Blaće Ante , Čelhar Martina 
Published: August 2024

AbstractHow do we identify ancient fields and farming systems in areas where the same spaces of cultivation have been used repeatedly over thousands of years? In the limestone karst landscapes of northern Dalmatia, on the Adriatic coast of Croatia, drystone field walls, terraces, and cairns are common features that attest to generations of working the land for agriculture. While confounding archaeological objects due to complex histories of reuse, drystone terraced field systems throughout the Mediterranean are believed to have roots in ancient and prehistoric land use. Against this backdrop, this paper works to better understand the dynamic patterns and outcomes of field “recycling” through multiple lines of evidence for long‐term changes in cropping patterns and agroecology in multi‐millennial agricultural landscapes of northern Dalmatia. We compare archaeobotanical data from the Ravni Kotari plain to documents of preindustrial land use from the 1826 Franciscan cadastre. We also draw upon contemporary observations of traditionally managed, semi‐wild olive groves on the nearby Adriatic island of Ugljan to better understand the land‐use legacies inherent in the landscapes of northern Dalmatia today. These data show that, despite a relatively static agricultural built environment of field walls and terraces, Dalmatian communities held historically dynamic relationships with domesticated and wild plant ecologies. Prehistoric integration of cereal agriculture with wild forest resources appears to have shifted to commercial‐scale domesticated arboriculture in the Classical period, leaving a multifaceted legacy of commercial agriculture, traditional farming, and rewilding among the contemporary cultural landscapes of Dalmatia.
Mitigating invasive species using biochar derived from invasive plants in saline‐alkaline wetland plant communities dominated by Amaranthus palmeri
Authors: Yin Shuting , Wang Xiaofang , Meng Zirui , Mo Xunqiang , He Mengxuan , Liu Jie 
Published: August 2024

AbstractAimsEffective prevention and management of biological invasions are crucial. One promising approach involves introducing biochar to invaded plant communities to modify interspecific relationships among invasive and native plants, ultimately aiding in the suppression of invasive species. This study aimed to explore the effects of invasive‐plant biochar on an established invaded plant community.LocationTianjin coastal saline‐alkaline wetland, China (38°46′ N, 117°34′ E).MethodsInvaded plant communities were established using soils from an Amaranthus palmeri‐invaded wetland with an intact seed bank, incorporating invasive‐plant biochar derived from A. palmeri and Spartina alterniflora into the soil at 0%, 1%, 3%, and 5% addition rates (m/m). Plant above‐ground biomass, height, stem diameter, abundance, α/β‐diversity, niche breadth, and species co‐occurrence networks were analyzed.ResultsThe addition of invasive‐plant biochar significantly decreased the performance measures of the invaded plant community. The biochar addition rate had a more substantial impact on plant community structure than the type of biochar used. There was a decrease in the abundance of A. palmeri and an increase in native plants across most treatments, with S. alterniflora biochar exhibiting a more pronounced effect compared to A. palmeri biochar. Invasive‐plant biochar affected the niche breadth of A. palmeri and other dominant native species, particularly at higher addition rates, resulting in reduced niche overlap. At a 5% addition rate, A. palmeri and S. alterniflora biochar had contrasting effects on the complexity of interspecific relationships within the plant community. Phylogenetic β‐diversities were significantly correlated with the biochar addition rate and stochastic processes primarily governed plant community assembly across all treatments.ConclusionsOur findings underscore the potential of biochar derived from invasive plants to mitigate the impact of invasive species on saline‐alkaline wetland plant communities dominated by A. palmeri. This approach offers a promising avenue for managing biological invasions and restoring native plant species.
Development of a quick guide for assessment of the most frequently used renal risk medication in Danish hospitals and primary care
Authors: Ravn‐Nielsen Lene Vestergaard , Andersen Trine Rune Høgh , Olesen Charlotte , Hedegaard Ulla , Coric Faruk , Routhe Lisa Greve , Revell Joo Hanne Poulsen , Press Anita Buch Grann , Houlind Morten Baltzer , Kjeldsen Lene Juel 
Published: August 2024

AbstractDue to changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, patients with impaired renal function suffer an increased risk of suboptimal and potentially harmful medication treatment. This necessitates careful consideration of medications affected by impaired renal function when performing medication reviews. The aim of this study was to develop a quick guide (a list of recommendations) for assessing renal risk medications in medication reviews led by hospital pharmacists. The list was based on the 100 most frequently used medications in Danish hospitals and primary care. After combining the 200 records, 29 duplicates were excluded resulting in a pool of 171 medications. Assessment by two clinical pharmacists led to the exclusion of 121 medications. Of the remaining 50 medications, seven were discussed among the two pharmacists, and two of these were also in the research group to reach a consensus. The renal risk quick guide comprised 50 medications. The most prevalent medications on the list were from Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System (ATC)‐group N, C and L. Recommendations from two databases were included in the quick guide in order to provide clinical pharmacists with existing, updated evidence on medication use in impaired renal function. The next step is to test the feasibility of the quick guide in daily practice when performing medication reviews.
Interactivity and identity impact learners' sense of agency in virtual reality field trips
Authors: McGivney Eileen 
Published: August 2024

AbstractAgency, or the capacity to take intentional actions, is considered one of the primary affordances of virtual reality (VR) for learning. VR is expected to increase learners' agency because it allows for full‐body interactivity from a first‐person perspective, giving them novel ways of interacting with the digital environment. Yet, agency in immersive learning has not been well‐studied relative to other affordances like presence, and more evidence is needed to understand how varied media and designs heighten or diminish agency. This mixed‐method study addressed this need by developing and validating measures of sense of agency with 30 high school students who used VR field trips in their engineering class over four lessons. By comparing immersive videos to video game‐like interactive graphical environments, the study illustrates some of the complexities of agency in VR. The findings indicate agency is not a unidimensional construct nor is it equivalent to full‐body interactivity in VR as learners felt some types of agency when using immersive videos. Furthermore, learners' identities moderated associations between the type of VR media and their sense of agency, and agency did not change over time as the novelty of VR waned. These results suggest VR designers should consider varied ways of interacting in VR that are beneficial for learning. They also support the use of immersive videos when the educator's goal is to increase agency over learning or focus, and provide measures and direction for future research to assess the relationship between varied types of agency, features of VR experiences and learning outcomes.
Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic

Virtual reality (VR) can enhance learning by giving learners a strong sense of presence in the virtual environment and giving them agency over their learning through novel forms of interactivity.
Many studies have looked at increasing the learner's presence in VR, but fewer have assessed learners' agency.
Prior work found the impact of increased interactivity on learning was mixed: sometimes it increased learning outcomes and motivation, other times it did not.
What this paper adds

This study develops and validates measures of learners' sense of agency within VR learning environments.
This study finds that more interactivity in VR increases how much agency learners feel over their actions but not necessarily their agency over learning and attention.
This study also finds variation in students' experiences of agency based on their culturally defined sense of self‐construal.
Implications for practice and/or policy

Practitioners interested in immersive learning technologies should consider the design of the media used rather than focusing only on the device's capability.
Immersive videos may be effective tools for enhancing student agency, depending on the aims of the learning experience.
Designers and educators should consider learners' identities such as self‐construal, and understand student experiences may vary.
Long‐term outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for GATA2 deficiency: An analysis of 67 adults and children from France and Belgium
Authors: Sicre de Fontbrune Flore , Chevillon Florian , Fahd Mony , Desseaux Kristell , Poiré Xavier , Forcade Edouard , Sterin Arthur , Neven Bénédicte , Gandemer Virginie , Thepot Sylvain , Garnier Alice , Lioure Bruno , Marcais Ambroise , Nguyen‐Quoc Stephanie , Tavitian Suzanne , Vincent Laure , Donadieu Jean , Resche Riggon Matthieu , Chevret Sylvie , Pasquet Marlene , Peffault de Latour Regis 
Published: August 2024

SummaryModalities and timing of haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) in patients with GATA2 deficiency are still subject to debate. On June 2022, 67 patients (median age 20.6 years) underwent a first allogeneic HSCT among 21 centres. Indications for HSCT were myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) ≤5% blasts ± immunodeficiency (66%), MDS >5% blasts (15%), acute myeloid leukaemia (19%). Conditioning regimen was myeloablative in 85% and anti‐thymocyte globulins were used in 67%. The cumulative incidence (CInc) of acute graft versus host disease (GvHD) grade II–IV and III–IV at day 100 were 42% and 13%, and CInc of chronic and extensive chronic GvHD at 2 years were 42% and 23%. CInc of relapses was 3% and 11% at 1 and 5 years. Overall survival (OS) at 1 and 5 years was 83% and 72% (median follow‐up 5.6 years). The factors associated with worse OS in multivariable analysis were the year of HSCT, a history of excess blasts before transplant and peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) grafts. Age at HSCT, non‐myeloablative conditioning and PBSC grafts were associated with increased non‐relapse mortality. In conclusion, bone marrow monitoring to identify clonal evolution and perform HSCT before the appearance of excess blast is mandatory.
Variations in healthcare costs by body mass index and obesity‐related complications in a UK population: A retrospective open cohort study
Authors: Pearson‐Stuttard Jonathan , Holloway Sara , Sommer Matthiessen Kasper , Thompson Andrew , Capucci Silvia 
Published: August 2024

AbstractAimsTo estimate healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and healthcare costs by body mass index (BMI) in a UK cohort and to explore how this varied by defined BMI strata.Materials and MethodsThis retrospective open cohort study used Discover, a linked primary and secondary electronic health records database covering 2.7 million individuals. Adults were stratified by BMI as: overweight (25–<30 kg/m2); obesity class I (30–<35 kg/m2); obesity class II (35–<40 kg/m2); or obesity class III (≥40 kg/m2). Cost data, comprising primary care, secondary care (inpatient admissions, outpatient appointments and emergency room visits) and prescriptions, were reported for 2015–2019.ResultsOverall, 1 008 101 individuals were overweight, 278 782 had obesity class I; 80 621 had obesity class II, and 42 642 had obesity class III. Healthcare costs and HCRU events per person per year increased over time (2015: £851–£1321 and 10.6–13.4 events; 2019: £1143–£1871 and 11.4–14.9 events), and were higher for each successive BMI group. Groups with chronic kidney disease or cardiovascular disease incurred particularly high costs. In 270 493 individuals with obesity in 2019, more than 72% of total healthcare costs were incurred by the highest cost quintile, which had a higher mean age and more obesity‐related complications (ORCs) than lower cost quintiles.ConclusionsThe economic impact of obesity could be alleviated by weight management support based on unmet need, to limit the effects of BMI progression and ORC development.
Nicotinamide N‐methyltransferase inhibition mitigates obesity‐related metabolic dysfunction
Authors: Babula JoAnne J. , Bui Dinh , Stevenson Heather L. , Watowich Stanley J. , Neelakantan Harshini 
Published: August 2024

AbstractAimTo assess the effects of a small‐molecule nicotinamide N‐methyltransferase (NNMT) inhibitor, 5A1MQ, on body composition, metabolic variables, fatty liver pathologies, and circulating biomarkers in diet‐induced obese (DIO) mice, and characterize its plasma pharmacokinetics (PK) and tissue distribution in vivo.Materials and MethodsDIO mice were administered vehicle or 5A1MQ once daily for 28 days. Longitudinal measures of body composition, blood glucose and plasma insulin levels, and terminal measures of liver histopathology and serum markers, were evaluated. Plasma and tissue PK were established in age‐ and strain‐matched mice after intravenous, oral, and subcutaneous dosing of 5A1MQ.Results5A1MQ treatment dose‐dependently limited body weight and fat mass gains, improved oral glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and suppressed hyperinsulinaemia in DIO mice. Liver histology from 5A1MQ‐treated DIO mice showed attenuated hepatic steatosis and macrophage infiltration, and correspondingly reduced liver weight, size, and triglyceride levels. 5A1MQ treatment normalized circulating levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and ketone bodies, supporting an overall improvement in liver and metabolic functions. The pharmacodynamic effects of 5A1MQ were further corroborated by its high systemic exposure and effective distribution to metabolically active tissues, including adipose, muscle and liver, following subcutaneous dosing of mice.ConclusionsThis work validates NNMT inhibition as a viable pharmacological approach to ameliorate metabolic imbalances and improve liver pathologies that develop with obesity.
Neoscytalidium dimidiatum associated with Albizia lebbeck disease in Saudi Arabia: Symptomatology, pathogenicity and molecular identification
Authors: Hamed Khalid E. , Alsohim Abdullah S. , Baschien Christiane , Sayyed Riyaz Z. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractBotryosphaeriaceae fungi cause infections that generate disease symptoms in plants in extreme environments. The present study identified the causal agent of dieback disease on lebbeck trees in Saudi Arabia. Albizia lebbeck trees showed widespread dieback, decline and cracking symptoms of samples taken during a Qassim University, Saudi Arabia survey. The survey showed that over 80% of lebbeck trees showed wilted roots, stem cankers and death of wilted trees. Fungal colonies were obtained from symptomatic tissues cultured on water agar for 3 weeks at 25°C. Elongation factor alpha (EF1‐728 F, AL33R), ITS (ITS4) and LSU (128) regions of the rDNA operon and the partial beta‐tubulin gene (tub2; Bt2aF, Bt2bR) were sequenced for molecular identification. Based on morphological and molecular characterization, the pathogen was identified as Neoscytalidium dimidiatum. During the pathogenicity investigation, the fungus re‐isolated from the infected seedlings expressed the same morphological characteristics on the culture media as the N. dimidiatum isolate. A host range study involving six tree species inoculation with N. dimidiatum caused wilting and death in three plants. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report on N. dimidiatum in Saudi Arabia.