bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quality assessment of biomass pellets available on the market; example from Poland
Authors: Drobniak Agnieszka , Jelonek Zbigniew , Mastalerz Maria , Jelonek Iwona , Widziewicz-Rzońca Kamila 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThis study evaluates the quality of 30 biomass pellets sold for residential use in Poland. It provides data on their physical, chemical, and petrographic properties and compares them to existing standards and the information provided by the fuel producers. The results reveal considerable variations in the quality of the pellets and show that some of the purchased samples are not within the DINplus and/or ENplus certification thresholds. Among all 30 purchased samples, only one passes the quality thresholds set by the PL-US BIO, a newly established quality certification in Poland that combines quality assessment following DINplus with optical microscopy analysis. The primary issues causing a decrease in pellet quality include elevated ash and fines content, compromised mechanical durability, too low ash melting temperature, and additions of undesired additions like bark, inorganic matter, and petroleum products. Our research highlights the need for improved fuel quality control measures, and transparent and accurate product labeling, as well as the need for a comprehensive and publicly available national database of solid biomass fuel producers and fuels sold. These are essential steps toward increasing customers’ awareness and trust, encouraging them to embrace biomass fuels as reliable and sustainable sources of energy.
Matching Mobile Crisis Models to Communities: An Example from Northwestern Ontario
Authors: Zitars Jillian , Scharf Deborah 
Published: May 2024

AbstractPolice are often the first to encounter individuals when they are experiencing a mental health crisis. Other professionals with different skill sets, however, may be needed to optimize crisis response. Increasingly, police and mental health agencies are creating co-responder teams (CRTs) in which police and mental health professionals co-respond to crisis calls. While past evaluations of CRTs have shown promising results (e.g. hospital diversions; cost-effectiveness), most studies occurred in larger urban contexts. How CRTs function in smaller jurisdictions, with fewer complementary resources and other unique contextual features, is unknown. This paper describes the evaluation of a CRT operating in a geographically isolated and northern mid-sized city in Ontario, Canada. Data from program documents, interviews with frontline and leadership staff, and ride-along site visits were analyzed according to an extended Donabedian framework. Through thematic analysis, 12 themes and 11 subthemes emerged. Overall, data showed that the program was generally operating and supporting the community as intended through crisis de-escalation and improved quality of care, but it illuminated potential areas for improvement, including complementary community-based services. Data suggested specific structures and processes of the embedded CRT model for optimal function in a northern context, and it demonstrated the transferability of the CRT model beyond large urban centres. This research has implications for how communities can make informed choices about what crisis models are best for them based on their resources and context, thus potentially improving crisis response and alleviating strain on emergency departments and systems.
Strength-Based Learning: An Autoethnography of an Introductory Instructional Design Graduate Course
Authors: Giacumo Lisa A. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe purpose of this article is to investigate how to use a strengths-based lens that is highly contextualized, in an ecology (i.e., online graduate course) that shows the value of the socio-emotional interactions or climate. I used an autoethnographic approach to problematize myself so that I could ask contemplative questions as a result of reflection. My data collection process drew upon personal narrative, reflection, and anecdotes, which I analyzed in a graduate-level online learning context with a strengths-based lens to shed light on broader U.S. higher education online learning cultural and theoretical concepts such as organizational justice theory, connectivism, digital learning ecosystems, inclusive design, design justice, and strengths-based learning approaches. Three key cultural phenomena are revealed in this autoethnography. Finally, I discuss this study’s limitations, some implications for faculty, IDs, and SMEs, and suggest areas for further research.
Proximal gradient methods with inexact oracle of degree q for composite optimization
Authors: Nabou Yassine , Glineur François , Necoara Ion 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
We introduce the concept of inexact first-order oracle of degree q for a possibly nonconvex and nonsmooth function, which naturally appears in the context of approximate gradient, weak level of smoothness and other situations. Our definition is less conservative than those found in the existing literature, and it can be viewed as an interpolation between fully exact and the existing inexact first-order oracle definitions. We analyze the convergence behavior of a (fast) inexact proximal gradient method using such an oracle for solving (non)convex composite minimization problems. We derive complexity estimates and study the dependence between the accuracy of the oracle and the desired accuracy of the gradient or of the objective function. Our results show that better rates can be obtained both theoretically and in numerical simulations when q is large.
Enhancing Primary Care and Mental Health Integration for Women Veterans with Complex Healthcare Needs Using Evidence-Based Quality Improvement
Authors: Clair Kimberly S. , Yano Elizabeth M. , Fickel Jacqueline J. , Brunner Julian , Canelo Ismelda , Hamilton Alison 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Background
Women Veterans with co-morbid medical and mental health conditions face persistent barriers accessing high-quality health care. Evidence-based quality improvement (EBQI) offers a systematic approach to implementing new care models that can address care gaps for women Veterans.

Objective
This study examines factors associated with the successful deployment of EBQI within integrated health systems to improve primary care for women Veterans with complex mental health needs.

Design
Following a 12-site (8 EBQI, 4 control) cluster randomized study to evaluate EBQI effectiveness, we conducted an in-depth case study analysis of one women’s health clinic that used EBQI to improve integrated primary care–mental health services for women Veterans.

Participants
Our study sample included providers, program managers, and clinic staff at a women Veteran’s health clinic that, at the time of the study, had one Primary Care and Mental Health Integration team and one women’s health primary care provider serving 800 women. We analyzed interviews conducted 12 months, 24 months, and 4 years post-implementation and call summaries between the clinic and support team.

Main Measures
We conducted qualitative thematic analysis of interview and call summary data to identify EBQI elements, clinic characteristics, and reported challenges and successes within project development and execution.

Key Results
The clinic harnessed core EBQI elements (multi-level stakeholder engagement, data-driven progress-monitoring, PDSA cycles, sharing results) to accomplish pre-defined project goals, strengthen inter-disciplinary partnerships, and bolster team confidence. Clinic characteristics that facilitated implementation success included prior QI experience and an organizational culture responsive to innovation, while lack of pre-existing guidelines and limited access to centralized databases posed implementation challenges.

Conclusions
Successful practice transformation emerges through the interaction of evidence-based methods and site-specific characteristics. Examining how clinic characteristics support or impede EBQI adaptation can facilitate efforts to improve care within integrated health systems.
Post-Radiotherapy Dysphagia in Head and Neck Cancer: Current Management by Speech-Language Pathologists
Authors: Govender Roganie , Gilbody Nicky , Simson Gavriella , Haag Rhiannon , Robertson Ceri , Stuart Emma 
Published: May 2024

Opinion statementDysphagia, difficulty in eating and drinking, remains the most common side effect of radiotherapy treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC) with devastating consequences for function and quality of life (QOL). Over the past decade, 5-year survival has improved due to multiple factors including treatment advances, reduction in smoking, introduction of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and more favourable prognosis of HPV-related cancers. Increased prevalence of HPV-positive disease, which tends to affect younger individuals, has led to an elevated number of people living for longer with the sequelae of cancer and its treatment. Symptoms are compounded by late effects of radiotherapy which may lead to worsening of dysphagia for some long-term survivors or new-onset dysphagia for others. Speech-language pathology (SLP) input remains core to the assessment and management of dysphagia following HNC treatment. In this article, we present current SLP management of dysphagia post-radiotherapy. We discuss conventional treatment approaches, the emergence of therapy adjuncts and current service delivery models. The impact of adherence on therapy outcomes is highlighted. Despite treatment advancements, patients continue to present with dysphagia which is resistant to existing intervention approaches. There is wide variation in treatment programmes, with a paucity of evidence to support optimal type, timing and intensity of treatment. We discuss the need for further research, including exploration of the impact of radiotherapy on the central nervous system (CNS), the link between sarcopenia and radiotherapy-induced dysphagia and the benefits of visual biofeedback in rehabilitation.
Exploring Functionality Gain for (Recombinant) β-Lactoglobulin Through Production and Processing Interventions
Authors: Hoppenreijs Loes J. G. , Brune Sarah E. , Biedendieck Rebekka , Krull Rainer , Boom Remko M. , Keppler Julia K. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractInterventions in the upstream production and further processing of recombinant food proteins affect its properties when used for food application. Often the efficiency of particular interventions is evaluated based on molecular purity and yield rather than final functional properties. Yet, the formulation of foods, including the amount of protein required, can be affected when the functional properties have changed. In this explorative study, we exemplify how far we can extend the functionality range of the major whey protein β-lactoglobulin (BLG), in terms of foaming and (heat-set) gelling, through various interventions. Slight changes in the amino acid sequence of BLG affected its functional properties significantly. Foams were up to ten times more stable, when selecting different natural isoforms of BLG (isoform A instead of B) or when inducing targeted cysteine mutations. The isoform B yielded stronger thermally induced gels (+ 40%) compared to isoform A. During downstream processing of recombinantly secreted BLG, limited purification of up to ~ 67 wt% enabled reasonable foaming properties and superior gelation, while a lower purity of ~ 22 wt% resulted in poor performance in both cases. Post-processing allowed conversion of native whey protein into soluble amyloid-like aggregates. These aggregates resulted in better foam stability (i.e., approximately four times longer than non-aggregated protein), but did not improve gelation. The presented study demonstrates that one should consider not only protein yield and purity, but also functional properties when developing recombinant proteins for food application. In turn, these functional properties are a result of the complete upstream and downstream chain.
Comparative Selective Conversion of Biomass-Derived Mono- and Polysaccharides into Lactic Acid with Lanthanide Lewis Acid Catalysts
Authors: Bermejo-López Alejandro , Illera Alba E. , Melgosa Rodrigo , Beltrán Sagrario , Sanz M. Teresa 
Published: May 2024

AbstractLanthanides were tested (Ce3+, Er3+, and Yb3+) as catalysts to produce lactic acid (LA) from the monosaccharides present in corn stover (glucose, xylose, and arabinose) resulting in ytterbium being the most active. A MW-heated system led to similar LA yield as a conventionally heated pressurized system. The maximum value of LA yield was 40% at 240 °C after 20 min of isothermal treatment regardless the starting monosaccharides, which allowed to propose a similar LA production route based on the products profile determined along time for the three monosaccharides. Temperature and time determined the product profile, observing furfural degradation at severity factors higher than 3.5, while values higher than 5.5 were needed to observe LA degradation. By increasing temperature, catalyst solubility decreased, increasing its presence in the solid residue after treatment. Xylan conversion to LA was similar as for xylose, but lower yield was obtained from microcrystalline cellulose. Corn stover presented more amorphous regions leading to higher hydrolysis yields of its cellulose fraction.
Testing for biofilm release as a function of simulated ship speed using a calibrated water jet device
Authors: Shepard Zachary , Meyer D. M. L. , Kurtz Kayla , Julien Asa , Oyanedel-Craver Vinka , Maranda Lucie 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBiofouling release coatings (BRCs) have received attention for their potential to limit the negative impacts of biofouling on marine shipping. The calibrated water jet (CWJ, patent # US 8,984,958 B1) can be used to study the effectiveness of BRCs as a function of ship speed. Using a balance of force and linear momentum, we examined the theory and application of the CWJ for simulating the effect of ship speed on biofilm release for surfaces fouled under (1) laboratory and (2) natural conditions. Greater fouling release corresponded with an increase in CWJ pressure and, therefore, simulated ship speed for the surfaces coated with HullKote. The effectiveness of the CWJ was further confirmed for biofilm release from glass fouled naturally by submersion in flow-through seawater. A scaling analysis confirms that the results of these small-scale experiments are applicable to larger-scale biofouling release from ship hulls. This study is the first to utilize the pressure of a CWJ to quantify biofouling release as a function of simulated ship speed.
The Role of Fe, S, P, Ca, and Sr in Porous Skeletal Lesions: A Study on Non-adult Individuals Using pXRF
Authors: Gomes Ricardo A. M. P. , Catarino Lidia , Santos Ana Luisa 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Portable X-ray fluorescence is a new tool in the study of human bone. This research aims to investigate if variations in bone elemental concentrations are related with porous skeletal lesions (PSLs). One hundred well-preserved non-adult skeletons aged 0–11 years were selected from the archaeological site Convent of São Domingos, Lisbon (18th–19th century). Measuring a standard reference material and calculating the technical error of measurement assured elemental data reliability. Moreover, measuring soil samples excluded possible contamination of bones with elements from the soil, except for Pb. Additionally, the Ca/P ratio indicates maintenance of bone integrity. Cribra cranii, orbitalia, humeralis, and femoralis were recorded as present/absent, and the estimated intra-/inter-observer errors were low. The multivariate analysis found higher odds of having cribra orbitalia (OR = 1.76; CI = 0.97–3.20) and cribra femoralis (OR = 1.42; CI = 0.73–2.74) in individuals with lower Fe and higher S. Furthermore, higher levels of P, Ca, and Sr increased the odds of individuals developing cribra femoralis (OR = 2.30; CI = 1.23–4.29). Age also correlated with increased odds of exhibiting cribra orbitalia (OR = 1.86; CI = 0.94–3.68), cribra femoralis (OR = 6.97; CI = 2.78–17.45), and cribra humeralis (OR = 8.32; CI = 2.71–25.60). These findings suggest a shared etiology for these three cribras, contrasting with the higher Fe levels in individuals with cribra cranii. Lower Fe and higher S levels in individuals with cribra suggest a complex etiology, possibly involving conditions like megaloblastic or chronic disease anemia(s). Age-related elemental changes support the hypothesis that age influences cribra frequencies. This study highlights PSL complexity and opens new avenues for research.
Commutators on Spaces of Homogeneous Type in Generalized Block Spaces
Authors: Dung Tran Tri , Dao Nguyen Anh , Duong Xuan Thinh , Nghia Le Trung 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIn this paper, we are interested in studying a generalized block space (denoted as $$\textbf{B}^{p,r}_\varphi $$

B
φ

p
,
r

) on a space of homogeneous type. We show that this space is the predual of certain generalized Morrey–Lorentz space. By duality, we obtain the $$\textbf{B}^{p,r}_\varphi $$

B
φ

p
,
r

-bound of operators of Calderón–Zygmund type. In addition, we prove a weak Hardy factorization in terms of commutators of integral operator of Calderón–Zygmund type in block spaces. Thanks to the Hardy factorization result, we obtain a characterization of functions in $$\textrm{BMO}$$
BMO
via the boundedness of commutators of homogeneous linear Calderón–Zygmund operators in the generalized block space (resp. the generalized Morrey–Lorentz space). Finally, we study a compactness characterization of commutators of Calderón–Zygmund type in generalized Morrey–Lorentz spaces.
Drug resistance in breast cancer is based on the mechanism of exocrine non-coding RNA
Authors: Ye Simin , Chen Shiyu , Yang Xiaoyan , Lei Xiaoyong 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBreast cancer (BC) ranks first among female malignant tumors and involves hormonal changes and genetic as well as environmental risk factors. In recent years, with the improvement of medical treatment, a variety of therapeutic approaches for breast cancer have emerged and have strengthened to accommodate molecular diversity. However, the primary way to improve the effective treatment of breast cancer patients is to overcome treatment resistance. Recent studies have provided insights into the mechanisms of resistance to exosome effects in BC. Exosomes are membrane-bound vesicles secreted by both healthy and malignant cells that facilitate intercellular communication. Specifically, exosomes released by tumor cells transport their contents to recipient cells, altering their properties and promoting oncogenic components, ultimately resulting in drug resistance. As important coordinators, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are involved in this process and are aberrantly expressed in various human cancers. Exosome-derived ncRNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), have emerged as crucial components in understanding drug resistance in breast cancer. This review provides insights into the mechanism of exosome-derived ncRNAs in breast cancer drug resistance, thereby suggesting new strategies for the treatment of BC.
The Effect of the Prior and the Experimental Design on the Inference of the Precision Matrix in Gaussian Chain Graph Models
Authors: Shen Yunyi , Solís-Lemus Claudia 
Published: May 2024

AbstractHere, we investigate whether (and how) experimental design could aid in the estimation of the precision matrix in a Gaussian chain graph model, especially the interplay between the design, the effect of the experiment and prior knowledge about the effect. Estimation of the precision matrix is a fundamental task to infer biological graphical structures like microbial networks. We compare the marginal posterior precision of the precision matrix under four priors: flat, conjugate Normal-Wishart, Normal-MGIG and a general independent. Under the flat and conjugate priors, the Laplace-approximated posterior precision is not a function of the design matrix rendering useless any efforts to find an optimal experimental design to infer the precision matrix. In contrast, the Normal-MGIG and general independent priors do allow for the search of optimal experimental designs, yet there is a sharp upper bound on the information that can be extracted from a given experiment. We confirm our theoretical findings via a simulation study comparing (i) the KL divergence between prior and posterior and (ii) the Stein’s loss difference of MAPs between random and no experiment. Our findings provide practical advice for domain scientists conducting experiments to better infer the precision matrix as a representation of a biological network.
Bionic functional membranes for separation of oil-in-water emulsions
Authors: Chen Chaolang , Jiang Ruisong , Guo Zhiguang 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe separation of oil-in-water emulsion is an urgent challenge because its massive production and discharge from daily and industrial activities have caused severe hazards to the ecosystem and serious threats to human health. Membrane technology is considered an outstanding solution strategy for the separation of oil-in-water emulsions due to its unique advantages of low cost, high efficiency, easy operation, and environmental friendliness. However, the membrane is easily fouled by the emulsion oil droplets during the separation process, causing a sharp decline in permeation flux, which greatly inhibits the long-term use of the membrane and largely shortens the membrane’s life. Recently, it was found that endowing the membranes with special wettability e.g., superhydrophilic and superoleophobic can greatly enhance the permeability of the continuous water phase and inhibit the adhesion of oil droplets, thus promoting the separation performance and anti-oil-fouling property of membrane for oily emulsions. In this paper, we review and discuss the recent developments in membranes with special wettability for separating oil-in-water emulsions, including the mechanism analysis of emulsion separation membrane, membrane fouling issues, design strategies, and representative studies for enhancing the membrane’s anti-oil-fouling ability and emulsion separation performance.
Core-rim structured MXene@SiO2 composites as oil-based additives for enhanced tribological properties
Authors: Cui Yuhong , Xue Shenghua , Wang Tiantian , Liu Shujuan , Ye Qian , Zhou Feng , Liu Weimin 
Published: May 2024

AbstractHerein, we have prepared SiO2 particles uploaded MXene nanosheets via in-situ hydrolysis of tetraetholothosilicate. Due to the large number of groups at the edges of MXene, SiO2 grows at the edges first, forming MXene@SiO2 composites with a unique core-rim structure. The tribological properties of MXene@SiO2 as lubricating additive in 500 SN are evaluated by SRV-5. The results show that MXene@SiO2 can reduce the friction coefficient of 500 SN from 0.572 to 0.108, the wear volume is reduced by 73.7%, and the load capacity is increased to 800 N. The superior lubricity of MXene@SiO2 is attributed to the synergistic effect of MXene and SiO2. The rolling friction caused by SiO2 not only improves the bearing capacity but also increases the interlayer distance of MXene, avoiding accumulation and making it more prone to interlayer slip. MXene@SiO2 is adsorbed on the friction interface to form a physical adsorption film and isolate the friction pair. In addition, the high temperature and high load induce the tribochemical reaction and form a chemical protection film during in the friction process. Ultimately, the presence of these protective films results in MXene@SiO2 having good lubricating properties.