bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
4E cognition, moral imagination, and engineering ethics education: shaping affordances for diverse embodied perspectives
Authors: van Grunsven Janna , Marin Lavinia , Gammon Andrea , Franssen Trijsje 
Published: May 2024

AbstractWhile 4E approaches to cognition are increasingly introduced in educational contexts, little has been said about how 4E commitments can inform pedagogy aimed at fostering ethical competencies. Here, we evaluate a 4E-inspired ethics exercise that we developed at a technical university to enliven the moral imagination of engineering students. Our students participated in an interactive tinkering workshop, during which they materially redesigned a healthcare artifact. The aim of the workshop was twofold. Firstly, we wanted students to experience how material choices at the levels of design and functionality can enable morally significant reimaginings of the affordances commonly associated with existing artifacts. We term this type of reimagining world-directed moral imagination. Secondly, through the design process, we wanted students to robustly place themselves in the lived embodied perspectives of (potential) users of their selected artifacts. We term this person-directed moral imagination. While student testimonies about the exercise indicate that both their world-directed and person-directed moral imagination were enlivened, we note that the fostering of robust person-directed moral imagination proved challenging. Using 4E insights, we diagnose this challenge and ask how it might be overcome. To this end, we engage extensively with a recent 4E-informed critique of person-directed moral imagination, raised by Clavel Vázquez and Clavel-Vázquez (2023). They argue that person-directed moral imagination is profoundly limited, if not fundamentally misguided, particularly when exercised in contexts marked by emphatic embodied situated difference between the imaginer and the imagined. Building upon insights from both the 4E field and testimonies from critical disability studies, we argue that, while their critique is valuable, it ultimately goes too far. We conclude that a 4E approach can take on board recent 4E warnings regarding the limits of person-directed moral imagination while contributing positively to the development of moral imagination in engineering ethics education.
Composition of integral-type operators and discrete operators involving Laguerre polynomials
Authors: Abel Ulrich , Gupta Vijay 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIn this note we provide a new way to capture operators involving Laguerre polynomials by composition of an integral operator and a discrete operator. The new operator so obtained is a discrete operator. We give three examples by considering composition of Szász-Durrmeyer operator, exponential-type operator related to $$2x^{3/2}$$

2

x

3
/
2

and the Phillips operator, respectively, with Szász-Mirakyan operators. In all cases we obtain positive linear, discretely defined operators which are based on Laguerre polynomials and approximate functions on the positive real half-axis.
Enhancing scalability and accuracy of quantum poisson solver
Authors: Saha Kamal K. , Robson Walter , Howington Connor , Suh In-Saeng , Wang Zhimin , Nabrzyski Jaroslaw 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe Poisson equation has many applications across the broad areas of science and engineering. Most quantum algorithms for the Poisson solver presented so far either suffer from lack of accuracy and/or are limited to very small sizes of the problem and thus have no practical usage. In this regard, our previous work (Robson in 2022 IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering (QCE), 2022) showed a proof-of-concept demonstration in advancing quantum Poisson solver algorithm and validated preliminary results for a simple case of $$3\times 3$$

3
×
3

problem. In this work, we delve into comprehensive research details, presenting the results on up to $$15\times 15$$

15
×
15

problems that include step-by-step improvements in Poisson equation solutions, scaling performance, and experimental exploration. In particular, we demonstrate the implementation of eigenvalue amplification by a factor of up to $$2^8$$

2
8

, achieving a significant improvement in the accuracy of our quantum Poisson solver and comparing that to the exact solution. Additionally, we present success probability results, highlighting the reliability of our quantum Poisson solver. Moreover, we explore the scaling performance of our algorithm against the circuit depth and width, demonstrating how our approach scales with larger problem sizes and thus further solidifies the practicality of easy adaptation of this algorithm in real-world applications. We also discuss a multilevel strategy for how this algorithm might be further improved to explore much larger problems with greater performance. Finally, through our experiments on the IBM quantum hardware, we conclude that though overall results on the existing NISQ hardware are dominated by the error in the CNOT gates, this work opens a path to realizing a multidimensional Poisson solver on near-term quantum hardware.
Morbidities and mortality among hospitalized patients with hypopituitarism: Prevalence, causes and management
Authors: Ebrahimi Fahim , Andereggen Lukas , Christ Emanuel R. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractHypopituitarism is a highly heterogeneous multisystem disorder that can have a major impact on long-term morbidity and mortality, but even more so during acute medical conditions requiring hospitalization. Recent studies suggest a significant in-hospital burden with prolonged length of stay, increased rate of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and initiation of mechanical ventilation − all of which may lead to an increased risk of in-hospital mortality. On the one hand, patients with hypopituitarism are often burdened by metabolic complications, including obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia, which alone, or in combination, are known to significantly alter relevant physiological mechanisms, including metabolism, innate and adaptive immune responses, coagulation, and wound healing, thereby contributing to adverse in-hospital outcomes. On the other hand, depending on the extent and the number of pituitary hormone deficiencies, early recognition of hormone deficiencies and appropriate management and replacement strategy within a well-organized multidisciplinary team are even stronger determinants of short-term outcomes during acute hospitalization in this vulnerable patient population. This review aims to provide an up-to-date summary of recent advances in pathophysiologic understanding, clinical implications, and recommendations for optimized multidisciplinary management of hospitalized patients with hypopituitarism.
Using hyperspectral signatures for predicting foliar nitrogen and calcium content of tissue cultured little-leaf mockorange (Philadelphus microphyllus A. Gray) shoots
Authors: Khajehyar Razieh , Vahidi Milad , Tripepi Robert 
Published: May 2024

AbstractDetermining foliar mineral status of tissue cultured shoots can be costly and time consuming, yet hyperspectral signatures might be useful for determining mineral contents of these shoots. In this study, hyperspectral signatures were acquired from tissue cultured little-leaf mockorange (Philadelphus microphillus) shoots to determine the feasibility of using this technology to predict foliar nitrogen and calcium contents. After using a spectroradiometer to take hyperspectral images for determining foliar N and Ca contents, the correlation between the hyperspectral bands, vegetation indices, and hyperspectral features were calculated from the spectra. Features with high correlations were selected to develop the models via different regression methods including linear, random forest (RF), and support vector machines. The results showed that non-linear regression models developed through machine learning techniques, including RF methods and support vector machines provided satisfactory prediction models with high R2 values (%N by RF with R2 = 0.72, and %Ca by RF with R2 = 0.99), that can estimate nitrogen and calcium content of little-leaf mockorange shoots grown in vitro. Overall, the RF regression method provided the most accurate and satisfactory models for both foliar N and Ca estimation of little-leaf mockorange shoots grown in tissue culture.
Two Film Approach to Continuum Scale Mixing and Dispersion with Equilibrium Bimolecular Reaction
Authors: Mathias Simon A. , Bolster Diogo , Veremieiev Sergii 
Published: May 2024

AbstractReliable reactive transport models require careful separation of mixing and dispersion processes. Here we treat displacing and displaced fluids as two separate fluid phases and invoke Whitman’s classical two-film theory to model mass transfer between the two phases. We use experimental data from Gramling’s bimolecular reaction experiment to assess model performance. Gramling’s original model involved just three coupled PDEs. In this context, our new formulation leads to a set of seven coupled PDEs but only requires the specification of two extra parameters, associated with the mass transfer coefficient and its dependence on time. The two film mass transfer model provides a simple and theoretically based method for separating mixing from dispersion in Eulerian continuum-scale methods. The advantage of this approach over existing methods is that it enables the simulation of equilibrium chemical reactions without having to invoke unrealistically small reaction rate coefficients. The comparison with Gramling’s experimental data confirms that our proposed method is suitable for simulating realistic and complicated bimolecular reaction behaviour. However, further work is needed to explore alternative methods for avoiding the need of a time-dependent mass transfer rate coefficient.
Molecular mechanisms of extracellular-ATP-mediated colorectal cancer progression: Implication of purinergic receptors-mediated nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of HuR
Authors: Shatat Abdel-Aziz S. , Mahgoup Elsayed M. , Rashed Mohammed H. , Saleh Ibrahim G. , Akool El-Sayed 
Published: May 2024

AbstractOne of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide is colorectal cancer (CRC). Extracellular ATP (e-ATP) and purinergic receptors (P2R) play a central role in CRC proliferation and progression. Human antigen R (HuR) is becoming more and more understood to be essential for the expression of genes linked to cancer. The current study demonstrates that ATP can mediate CRC (Caco-2 cells) progression via induction of HuR nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and subsequent expression of cancer-related genes, a consequence mostly mediated via the P2R receptor. It was also noted that suppression of HuR activity by using dihydrotanshinone I (DHTS) prevents cancer-related gene expression and subsequent CRC (Caco-2 cells) progression induced by ATP. The expression of cyclin A2/cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), Bcl-2, ProT-α, hypoxia‐inducible factor1-α (HIF1-α), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) induced by ATP were highly reduced in the presence of either PPADS (non-selective P2R antagonist) or DHTS. In addition, e-ATP-induced Caco-2 cell proliferation as well as cell survival were highly reduced in the presence of either PPADS or DHTS or selective CDK-2 inhibitor (Roscovitine) or selective Bcl-2 inhibitor (ABT-263). Furthermore, it was found that MMP-9 is critical for Caco-2 cells migration induced by e-ATP as demonstrated by a clear reduction in cells migration in the presence of a selective MMP-9 inhibitor (Marimastat). Collectively, these data demonstrate that ATP through P2R activation can induce HuR nucleocytoplasmic shuttling that could be translated into an increase in cancer-related genes expression and subsequent, cell proliferation and progression.
Iron nanoparticles prepared from South African acid mine drainage for the treatment of methylene blue in wastewater
Authors: Folifac Leo , Ameh Alechine E. , Broadhurst Jennifer , Petrik Leslie F. , Ojumu Tunde V. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIn this study, three acid mine drainage (AMD) sources were investigated as potential sources of iron for the synthesis of iron nanoparticles using green tea extract (an environmentally friendly reductant) or sodium borohydride (a chemical reductant). Electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), oxidation–reduction potential (ORP), ion chromatography (IC), and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) techniques were used to characterize the AMD, and the most suitable AMD sample was selected based on availability. Additionally, three tea extracts were characterized using ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazine-hydrate (DPPH), and the most suitable environmentally friendly reductant was selected based on the highest FRAP (1152 µmol FeII/g) and DPPH (71%) values. The synthesized iron nanoparticles were characterized and compared using XRD, STEM, Image J, EDS, and FTIR analytical techniques. The study shows that the novel iron nanoparticles produced using the selected green tea (57 nm) and AMD were stable under air due to the surface modification by polyphenols contained in green tea extract, whereas the nanoparticles produced using sodium borohydride (67 nm) were unstable under air and produced a toxic supernatant. Both the AMD-based iron nanoparticles can be used as Fenton-like catalysts for the decoloration of methylene blue solution. While 99% decoloration was achieved by the borohydride-synthesized nanoparticles, 81% decoloration was achieved using green tea-synthesized nanoparticles.
Hypothalamic sex-specific metabolic shift by canagliflozin during aging
Authors: Jayarathne Hashan S. M. , Sullivan Ryan , Stilgenbauer Lukas , Debarba Lucas K. , Kuchumov Artur , Koshko Lisa , Scofield Sydney , Liu Wanqing , Ginsburg Brett C. , Miller Richard A. , Sadagurski Marianna 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe hypothalamus undergoes significant changes with aging and plays crucial roles in age-related metabolic alterations. Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are anti-diabetic agents that promote glucose excretion, and metabolic homeostasis. Recent studies have shown that a SGLT2i, Canagliflozin (Cana), can extend the median survival of genetically heterogeneous UM-HET3 male mice and improve central metabolic control via increases in hypothalamic insulin responsiveness in aged males, as well as reduced age-associated hypothalamic inflammation. We studied the long- and short-term effects of Cana on hypothalamic metabolic control in UM-HET3 mice. Starting the treatment from 7 months of age, we show that 4 weeks of Cana treatment significantly reduced body weight and fat mass in male but not female mice that was associated with enhanced glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity observed by 12 months. Indirect calorimetry showed that Cana treatment increased energy expenditure in male, but not female mice, at 12 months of age. Long-term Cana treatment increased metabolic rates in both sexes, and markedly increasing formation of both orexigenic and anorexigenic projections to the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) mostly in females by 25 months. Hypothalamic RNA-sequencing analysis revealed increased sex-specific genes and signaling pathways related to insulin signaling, glycogen catabolic pathway, neuropeptide signaling, and mitochondrial function upregulated by Cana, with males showing a more pronounced and sustained effect on metabolic pathways at both age groups. Overall, our data provide critical evidence for sex-specific mechanisms that are affected by Cana during aging suggesting key targets of hypothalamic Cana-induced neuroprotection for metabolic control.
Clustering large mixed-type data with ordinal variables
Authors: Szepannek Gero , Aschenbruck Rabea , Wilhelm Adalbert 
Published: May 2024

AbstractOne of the most frequently used algorithms for clustering data with both numeric and categorical variables is the k-prototypes algorithm, an extension of the well-known k-means clustering. Gower’s distance denotes another popular approach for dealing with mixed-type data and is suitable not only for numeric and categorical but also for ordinal variables. In the paper a modification of the k-prototypes algorithm to Gower’s distance is proposed that ensures convergence. This provides a tool that allows to take into account ordinal information for clustering and can also be used for large data. A simulation study demonstrates convergence, good clustering results as well as small runtimes.
Ergonomic interventions to reduce upper limb musculoskeletal pain during robotic surgery: a narrative review
Authors: Wong Shing Wai , Parkes Allan , Crowe Philip 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThere is a high prevalence of upper limb musculoskeletal pain among robotic surgeons. Poor upper limb ergonomic positioning during robotic surgery occurs when the shoulders are abducted, and the elbows are lifted off the console armrest. The validated rapid upper limb assessment can quantify ergonomic efficacy. Surface electromyography and hand dynamometer assessment of strength are the most common methods to assess muscle fatigue. A literature review was performed to find evidence of ergonomic interventions which reduce upper limb musculoskeletal pain during robotic surgery. There is a paucity of studies which have reported on this topic. In other occupations, there is strong evidence for the use of resistance training to prevent upper extremity pain. Use of forearm compression sleeves, stretching, and massage may help reduce forearm fatigue. Microbreaks with targeted stretching, active ergonomic training, improved use of armrest, and optimal hand controller design have been shown to reduce upper limb musculoskeletal pain. Future studies should assess which interventions are beneficial in reducing surgeon upper limb pain during robotic surgery.
Bimetallic reduced graphene oxide/zeolitic imidazolate framework hybrid aerogels for efficient heavy metals removal
Authors: Mazlan Nurul A. , Lewis Allana , Butt Fraz Saeed , Krishnamoorthi Rajakumari , Chen Siyu , Huang Yi 
Published: May 2024

AbstractGraphene oxide is a promising adsorption material. However, it has been difficult to recycle and separate graphene oxide in the solution. To alleviate this problem, graphene oxide was thermally reduced to produce porous hydrogel which was then functionalized with polydopamine. The functional groups act as not only adsorption sites but also nucleation sites for in situ crystallization of cobalt-doped zeolitic-imidazolate-framework-8 nano-adsorbents. The effects of cobalt-doping contents on the physicochemical and adsorption properties of the resulting aerogel were also evaluated by varying the cobalt concentration. For instance, the reduced graphene oxide-polydopamine/50cobalt-zeolitic-imidazolate-framework-8 aerogel exhibited a high surface area of 900 m2·g−1 and maintained the structure in water after ten days. The assynthesized aerogels showed an ultrahigh adsorption capacity of 1217 ± 24.35 mg·g−1 with a removal efficiency of > 99% of lead, as well as excellent adsorption performance toward other heavy metals, such as copper and cadmium with adsorption capacity of 1163 ± 34.91 and 1059 ± 31.77 mg·g−1, respectively. More importantly, the lead adsorption stabilized at 1023 ± 20.5 mg·g−1 with a removal efficiency of > 80% after seven cycles, indicating their potential in heavy metal removal from industrial wastewater.
Loss-optimal classification trees: a generalized framework and the logistic case
Authors: Aldinucci Tommaso , Lapucci Matteo 
Published: May 2024

AbstractClassification trees are one of the most common models in interpretable machine learning. Although such models are usually built with greedy strategies, in recent years, thanks to remarkable advances in mixed-integer programming (MIP) solvers, several exact formulations of the learning problem have been developed. In this paper, we argue that some of the most relevant ones among these training models can be encapsulated within a general framework, whose instances are shaped by the specification of loss functions and regularizers. Next, we introduce a novel realization of this framework: specifically, we consider the logistic loss, handled in the MIP setting by a piece-wise linear approximation, and couple it with$$\ell _1$$ℓ1-regularization terms. The resulting optimal logistic classification tree model numerically proves to be able to induce trees with enhanced interpretability properties and competitive generalization capabilities, compared to the state-of-the-art MIP-based approaches.
Small RNA sequencing reveals snoRNAs and piRNA-019825 as novel players in diabetic kidney disease
Authors: ’t Hart L. M. , de Klerk J. A. , Bouland G. A. , Peerlings J. H. D. , Blom M. T. , Cramer S. J. , Bijkerk R. , Beulens J. W. J. , Slieker R. C. 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Introduction
Micro- and macrovascular complications are common among persons with type 2 diabetes. Recently there has been growing interest to investigate the potential of circulating small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) as contributors to the development of diabetic complications. In this study we investigate to what extent circulating sncRNAs levels associate with prevalent diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in persons with type 2 diabetes.

Methods
Plasma sncRNAs levels were determined using small RNA-seq, allowing detection of miRNAs, snoRNAs, piRNAs, tRNA fragments, and various other sncRNA classes. We tested for differentially expressed sncRNAs in persons with type 2 diabetes, with DKD (n = 69) or without DKD (n = 405). In secondary analyses, we also tested the association with eGFR, albuminuria (UACR), and the plasma proteome.

Results
In total seven sncRNAs were negatively associated with prevalent DKD (all PFDR ≤ 0.05). Including one microRNA (miR-143-5p), five snoRNAs (U8, SNORD118, SNORD24, SNORD107, SNORD87) and a piRNA (piR-019825 | DQ597218). Proteomic analyses showed that the seven sncRNAs, and especially the piRNA piR-019825, were associated with plasma levels of 24 proteins of which several have known associations with kidney function including TNF sR-I (TNFRFS1A), DAN (NBL1) and cystatin C (CST3).

Conclusion
We have identified novel small non-coding RNAs, primarily from classes other than microRNAs, that are associated with diabetic kidney disease. Our results show that the involvement of small non-coding RNAs in DKD goes beyond the already known microRNAs and also involves other classes of sncRNA, in particular snoRNAs and the piRNA piR-019825, that have never been studied before in relation to kidney function.
Emerging Insights into Postoperative Neurocognitive Disorders: The Role of Signaling Across the Gut-Brain Axis
Authors: Yu Wanqiu , Zhu Zhaoqiong , Tang Fushan 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe pathophysiological regulatory mechanisms in postoperative neurocognitive disorders (PNCDs) are intricately complex. Currently, the pathogenesis of PNCDs has not been fully elucidated. The mechanism involved may include a variety of factors, such as neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neuroendocrine dysregulation. Research into the gut microbiota-induced regulations on brain functions is increasingly becoming a focal point of exploration. Emerging evidence has shown that intestinal bacteria may play an essential role in maintaining the homeostasis of various physiological systems and regulating disease occurrence. Recent studies have confirmed the association of the gut-brain axis with central nervous system diseases. However, the regulatory effects of this axis in the pathogenesis of PNCDs remain unclear. Therefore, this paper intends to review the bidirectional signaling and mechanism of the gut-brain axis in PNCDs, summarize the latest research progress, and discuss the possible mechanism of intestinal bacteria affecting nervous system diseases. This review is aimed at providing a scientific reference for predicting the clinical risk of PNCD patients and identifying early diagnostic markers and prevention targets.