bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fermentation profile and chemical composition of Mombasa grass silage treated with chitosan and microbial inoculant
Authors: Campana Mariana , de Morais Jozivaldo Prudêncio Gomes , Garcia Thainá Moreira , Capucho Estefani , Nunes Marjorye , Osório Jesus Alberto Cardoso , Facco Francine Basso , Del Valle Tiago Antonio 
Published: June 2024

Context The ensiling process presents losses that are associated with the fermentative profile, resulting in lower nutritional value, and lower aerobic stability of silages. Aims This study aimed to evaluate the effects of chitosan and microbial inoculants addition in Mombasa grass (Megathyrsus maximus) silage (MGS) fermentation profile and losses, chemical composition, in situ degradation, and aerobic stability. Methods Forty experimental silos (PVC tubing with 28-cm inner diameter and 25-cm height) were used in a randomised block (n = 5) design to evaluate the following treatments: (1) MGS without additives (control, CON); (2) MGS treated with 5.0 × 104 colony-forming units (CFU) of Lactobacillus buchneri (NCIM 40788) per gram of fresh matter (LBB); (3) MGS treated with 1.6 × 105 CFU of L. plantarum and 1.6 × 105 CFU of Pediococcus acidilactici per gram of fresh matter (LPP); and (4) MGS treated with 6 g/kg DM of chitosan (CHI). Key results The treatments did not alter the pH, ammonia-N, butyric, and lactic acid concentrations in the silage. The use of LPP reduced the ethanol content, while CHI increased propionic and branched-chain fatty acids compared with other treatments. Fermentation losses and dry-matter recovery were not affected by treatments. Chitosan reduced the organic matter of the MGS in relation to the other treatments, without having an impact on the other variables of chemical composition. The treatments did not influence the in vitro degradation, nor the pH and temperature after aerobic exposure of the silage. Conclusions Chitosan increases ethanol compared with homofermentative lactic acid bacteria inoculation and does not affect ammonia-N of Mombasa grass silage. In addition, chitosan and microbial inoculants have limited effects on Mombasa grass silage fermentation losses, nutritional value, and aerobic stability. Implications Chitosan does not reduce fermentation losses or improve the nutritional value of grass silage.
Restoration of coherent reach-grasp-pull movement via sequential intraneural peripheral nerve stimulation in rats
Authors: Chen Weihuang , Wang Suhao , Bao Jieting , Yu Chaonan , Jiang Qianqian , Song Jizhou , Zheng Yongte , Hao Yaoyao , Xu Kedi 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Objective. Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) has been demonstrated as an effective way to selectively activate muscles and to produce fine hand movements. However, sequential multi-joint upper limb movements, which are critical for paralysis rehabilitation, has not been tested with PNS. Here, we aimed to restore multiple upper limb joint movements through an intraneural interface with a single electrode, achieving coherent reach-grasp-pull movement tasks through sequential stimulation. Approach. A transverse intrafascicular multichannel electrode was implanted under the axilla of the rat’s upper limb, traversing the musculocutaneous, radial, median, and ulnar nerves. Intramuscular electrodes were implanted into the biceps brachii (BB), triceps brachii (TB), flexor carpi radialis (FCR), and extensor carpi radialis (ECR) muscles to record electromyographic (EMG) activity and video recordings were used to capture the kinematics of elbow, wrist, and digit joints. Charge-balanced biphasic pulses were applied to different channels to recruit distinct upper limb muscles, with concurrent recording of EMG signals and joint kinematics to assess the efficacy of the stimulation. Finally, a sequential stimulation protocol was employed by generating coordinated pulses in different channels. Main results. BB, TB, FCR and ECR muscles were selectively activated and various upper limb movements, including elbow flexion, elbow extension, wrist flexion, wrist extension, digit flexion, and digit extension, were reliably generated. The modulation effects of stimulation parameters, including pulse width, amplitude, and frequency, on induced joint movements were investigated and reach-grasp-pull movement was elicited by sequential stimulation. Significance. Our results demonstrated the feasibility of sequential intraneural stimulation for functional multi-joint movement restoration, providing a new approach for clinical rehabilitation in paralyzed patients.
Impact of cyclic thermal shocks on the electrochemical and tribological properties of Fe-based amorphous coating
Authors: Yasir Muhammad , Hafeez Muhammad Arslan , Ur Rehman Muhammad Atiq , Zhang Cheng 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Fe-based amorphous coatings hold immense potential for marine industries due to their remarkable properties, including high hardness, exceptional corrosion resistance, and outstanding wear resistance. However, their performance under thermal shock conditions, particularly in high-temperature applications, remains a topic requiring further investigation. In this work, a Fe-based amorphous coating with a composition of Fe48Mo14Cr15Y2C15B6 was successfully developed using High-velocity oxygen fuel thermal spraying. To assess the thermal shock resistance of the amorphous coating, we subjected them to thermal cycles at 300 °C for 150 times, followed by cooling in two different mediums: saltwater quenching and air cooling. The results revealed that the coating maintained excellent contact with the substrate and preserved mainly amorphous structure both in the as-sprayed condition and after thermal shocks. Interestingly, the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that the air-cooled samples exhibited greater structural relaxation and crystallization compared to the brine-quenched samples. This microstructure changes in the air-cooled samples resulted in inferior mechanical properties, such as wear resistance and hardness, compared to the brine-quenched and as-sprayed samples.
Exploring Ho substituted Y-Fe-B nanocrystalline alloys and hot worked magnets
Authors: Fan Wenbing , Zhou Bang , Yu Hongya , Wei Jiangxiong , Liu Zhongwu 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Aiming to balance the utilization of rare earth (RE) resources and develop Y-Fe-B based permanent magnets, Ho is employed as strategic substitution for enhancing the magnetic properties and thermal stability of nanocrystalline Y-Fe-B alloys. Ho substituting Y can enhance the coercivity of Y-Fe-B alloys while maintaining their excellent thermal stability. 30 at.% Ho substitution leads to an abnormal increase of remanence J
r and (Y0.7Ho0.3)2Fe14B alloy exhibits good magnetic properties with remanence J
r = 0.73 T, intrinsic coercivity H
cj = 303 kA m−1, and maximum energy product (BH)max = 66 kJ m−3. High thermal stability with temperature coefficient of remanence α = −0.124%/K and temperature coefficient of coercivity β = −0.245%/K were obtained between 300–400 K. The results for RE-rich (Y1−xHox)2.5Fe14B alloys also show that the magnetic properties change with Ho content are similar to those of (Y1−xHox)2Fe14B alloys, but the coercivity is higher. In addition, nanocrystalline (Y0.5Ho0.5)2.5Fe14B magnets were prepared by hot-pressing and hot deformation process. Due to the lack of low melting point RE-rich phase, this alloy is difficult to be densified and deformed. The formation of high temperature RE2O3 and RE6Fe23 phases and the lack of continuously distributed RE-rich grain boundary phase are responsible for the poor texture of hot deformed magnet. The hot deformed magnet has the magnetic properties of J
r = 0.50 T, H
cj = 739 kA m−1, and (BH)max = 40 kJ m−3 together with high thermal stability. The micro-analysis demonstrated the chemical segregation of Y and Ho elements. Higher proportion of Ho than Y existed in main phase and grain boundary phase indicate excess Y were precipitated as Y-rich oxides.
Using Oyster shell for production of greener building mortars: exploring mechanical and microscale characteristics
Authors: Awoyera Paul O , Romero Lenin Miguel Bendezu , Olalusi Oladimeji B , Samuel Abodunrin Olasile , David Abayomi B , Madrid Saldaña Cesar Karlo , Sor Nadhim Hamah 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
In the pursuit of greener and sustainable materials for developimg cementitious composites, several agricultural and undustrial wastes are continually explored for use in the process. The current study focused on the use of 20%, 25% and 30% Oyster shell powder (OSP) as a partial substitute for Ordinary Portland cement, and 100% Oyster shell aggregate (OSA) and 100% recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) (OPC) as total replacement for fine aggregate in mortar production. The mechanical properties of the mortars such as compressive strength, flexural stremntgh and water abosprion were determined. Also, microscale analysis using SEM-EDX was conducted on selected mortars. The results showed that the control mortar demonstrated the maximum compressive strength, however, OSP is adequate as binder at upto 25% replacement level, producing strength somewhat close to that of the control mortar. Results obviously showed that the replacement amounts of OSP, RCA and OSA greatly influence the hydration process of the mortar matrix, and the overall performance.
Systematic review of optimization techniques for laser beam machining
Authors: Kharche Prashant P , Patil Vijay H 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Laser Beam Machining (LBM) has several applications in the aerospace, medical, and automobile domains. Optimization techniques are essential for LBM to increase resource-efficiency and sustainability of the system. The present paper aims to provide a systematic review of the research in the domain of optimization techniques for LBM. A total of 228 research papers published during the last 20 years, from 2003 to 2023, are reviewed. The literature review is classified into three major sections- (i) optimization techniques, (ii) applications of optimization techniques, and (iii) challenges and future directions. The novelty of the present systematic review paper is to provide a direction for future research in the domain of optimization techniques of LBM. As a result of the suggested research, an efficient and sustainable LBM with the required performance will be developed in the shortest possible time.
Opportunities and constraints of hydrogen energy storage systems
Authors: Dowling Jacqueline A , Ruggles Tyler H , Virgüez Edgar A , Reich Natasha D , Ifkovits Zachary P , Davis Steven J , Li Anna X , Kennedy Kathleen M , Rinaldi Katherine Z , Duan Lei , Caldeira Ken , Lewis Nathan S 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
In contrast to battery storage systems, power-to-hydrogen-to-power (P-H2-P) storage systems provide opportunities to separately optimize the costs and efficiency of the system’s charging, storage, and discharging components. The value of capital cost reduction relative to round-trip efficiency improvements of P-H2-P systems is not well understood in electricity systems with abundant curtailed power. Here, we used a macro-energy model to evaluate the sensitivity of system costs to techno-economic characteristics of P-H2-P systems in stylized wind-solar-battery electricity systems with restricted natural gas generation. Assuming current costs and current round-trip P-H2-P efficiencies, least-cost wind and solar electricity systems had large amounts of excess variable renewable generation capacity. These systems included P-H2-P in the least-cost solution, despite its low round-trip efficiency and relatively high P-H2-P power discharge costs. These electricity system costs were not highly sensitive to the efficient use of otherwise-curtailed power, but were sensitive to the capital cost of the P-H2-P power discharge component. If the capital costs of the charging and discharging components were decreased relative to generation costs, curtailment would decrease, and electricity system costs would become increasingly sensitive to improvements in the P-H2-P round-trip efficiency. These results suggest that capital cost reductions, especially in the discharge component, provide a key opportunity for innovation in P-H2-P systems for applications in electricity systems dominated by wind and solar generation. Analysis of underground salt cavern storage constraints in U.S.-based wind and solar scenarios suggests that ample hydrogen storage capacity could be obtained by repurposing the depleted natural gas reservoirs that are currently used for seasonal natural gas storage.
Temporal Experience
Authors: Torrengo Giuliano 
Published: June 2024

AbstractMany physical theories suggest that time does not pass, yet temporality deeply permeates our experience. We perceive change and movement, we are aware of living in the present, of the constant flux of our sensations and thoughts, and of time itself flowing. In this book, the author considers the core facts of temporal experience and their interconnections, ultimately defending the atomist dynamic model of temporal experience. The model is atomist because according to it we experience our own temporal position as undivided, and it is dynamic because it emphasizes the central role of the feeling of renewed experience as time progresses. The book critically examines prevalent theories of experience of change, presentness, succession, and passage of time both in philosophy and psychology. Each chapter contributes to the construction of the atomist dynamic model. Experience of change and movement are explained through mental events that present virtually instantaneous movement and change. The author challenges the common belief in the perception of ‘presentness’ and proposes an error theory based on narrative cognition. The experience of succession is elucidated through the concept of an overarching phenomenology, arguing against the tendency to overstate the phenomenal continuity of experience. Finally, the experience of the passage of time is approached through the non-representationalist theory of the phenomenal modifier. The author concludes by discussing the surprising consequences of applying the experiential model defended in the book to the scientific image of our existence in time as a sequence of physical events.
The passage of time
Authors: Torrengo Giuliano 
Published: June 2024

AbstractIn this chapter the author focuses on the pivotal aspect of temporal phenomenology: the experience of time passing. Various perspectives on the purported phenomenology of time passing are discussed. Accounts grounded in the notion that our belief in time’s passage stems from perceptual experiences encounter challenges in explaining how perceptual systems track this passage. Alternatively, perspectives positing that the experience of passage is not perceptual but intrinsic and structural show greater promise. The chapter examines and supports the phenomenal modifier view, according to which there is a sensational element in our experience suggesting that our experiences are in flux, yet not explicitly presenting a world where time passes.
Relationship between alcohol intake based on daily smartphone-reported consumption and PEth concentrations in healthy volunteers
Authors: Finanger Trine , Melby Katrine , Spigset Olav , Andreassen Trine N , Lydersen Stian , Skråstad Ragnhild Bergene 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Aims
To investigate the association between alcohol consumption registered daily with a digital smartphone-based diary and concentration of phosphatidylethanol (PEth) 16:0/18:1 in a population without a known alcohol use disorder (AUD), and evaluate whether prospective registration of alcohol consumption is better than retrospective registration and if the association between alcohol intake and PEth was affected by sex or body mass index (BMI).

Methods
A total of 41 women and 21 men without AUD-diagnosis registered their alcohol consumption prospectively with a digital diary for 14 days, and retrospectively with the Timeline Followback method in the same time interval. PEth was measured before and after the registration period.

Results
The correlation between alcohol consumption and PEth varied from 0.65 to 0.87. It did not depend significantly on the reporting method, and was not influenced by sex or BMI. Based on the regression coefficient, a reduction of alcohol consumption by two alcohol units (26 g of pure ethanol) per day would lead to a reduction of the PEth concentration of about 0.1 μmol/l, and vice versa.

Conclusions
There was a good correlation between PEth concentration and alcohol consumption, both when alcohol consumption was reported prospectively and retrospectively. The preferred cut-off for PEth should be adjusted to the level of alcohol consumption considered harmful and a purposeful trade-off between sensitivity and specificity. In order to identify persons with a daily alcohol consumption of more than two or three units of alcohol with a sensitivity of 80% or 90%, we suggest a cut-off of around 0.1 μmol/l.
snpAIMeR: R package for evaluating ancestry informative marker contributions in non-model population diagnostics
Authors: Vertacnik Kim L , Vernygora Oksana V , Dupuis Julian R 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Motivation
Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers are increasingly popular for population genomics and inferring ancestry for individuals of unknown origin. Because large SNP datasets are impractical for rapid and routine analysis, diagnostics rely on panels of highly informative markers. Strategies exist for selecting these markers, however, resources for efficiently evaluating their performance are limited for non-model systems.

Results
snpAIMeR is a user-friendly R package that evaluates the efficacy of genomic markers for the cluster assignment of unknown individuals. It is intended to help minimize panel size and genotyping effort by determining the informativeness of candidate diagnostic markers. Provided genotype data from individuals of known origin, it uses leave-one-out cross-validation to determine population assignment rates for individual markers and marker combinations.

Availability and implementation
snpAIMeR is available on CRAN (https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=snpAIMeR).
Why is the West so rotten at strategy?
Authors: Smith M L R 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Why has western foreign policy exhibited a record of sustained strategic failure, from Afghanistan to Ukraine? Why is it that despite the intellectual attention devoted to identifying the foundations of good strategy, outcomes remain so poor? This study seeks to bring a process of academic rigour to these questions. It pinpoints an inability to relate to problems proportionately as the major factor that accounts for bad strategic results and the growth of an anti-strategic predilection in policy-making. This lack of proportionality arises largely from a liberal-elite commitment to moral missions that undermine exit plans and bounded objectives. This sets in train an escalatory dynamic that inexorably spirals towards failure. Furthermore, rarely is there any accountability for predictive ineptitude or reckless advocacy, which merely entrenches the propensity towards poor strategic performance. The argument contends that these factors can all be captured within an enduring paradigm of total war, which exerts an overdetermining influence on western policy-making, pushing the formulation of strategy towards abstract goals and the unrestrained application of resources. While there are no easy answers to overcome these deep-seated problems in western strategic formulation, this article suggests that an attempt to move the idea of strategy away from ‘problem-solving’ to ‘problem-framing’ can offer the prospect of more considered policy reflection and facilitate a process of learning from mistakes rather than repeating them.
Ceftaroline in CNS and ocular infections: a case series
Authors: Siegrist Emily A , Sassine Joseph 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Background
There are limited data describing outcomes of patients treated with ceftaroline for infections with CNS or ocular involvement.

Objectives
To describe outcomes of patients treated with ceftaroline for methicillin-resistant staphylococcal infections involving the CNS or eye.

Patients and methods
This was a retrospective review of 10 patients at an academic medical centre who received ceftaroline for CNS or ocular infections.

Results
All patients were treated with ceftaroline as part of a combination for salvage therapy. Four patients died, whereas six patients experienced clinical cure. Only one experienced microbiological recurrence.

Conclusions
These preliminary data suggest that ceftaroline may be an option for salvage therapy of severe staphylococcal infections when used in combination.
Evaluation of Virtual Reality in the Reduction of Pain During Dressing Changes in Patients With Burn Wounds: A Pilot Study
Authors: Shafran-Tikva Sigal , Zelker Revital , Cohen Pnina , Weissberger Omer , Gealdor Hava , Tzur Tomer , Wegman Yonathan 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Burn injuries are among the most common life-threatening injuries for which medical attention is sought, and are accompanied by intense, severe pain, particularly during treatment. Burn therapy pain management with opioid and nonopioid analgesics is often insufficient when administered alone. Virtual reality (VR) interfaces provide an immersive experience that has demonstrable therapeutic benefits, including distraction from, and reduction of, pain. In this interventional pilot study, we assessed the correlation between VR and passive distraction and pain tolerance during burn wound treatment. This pilot study assessed patients undergoing burn wound dressing changes while receiving both pharmacological and VR intervention. Questionnaires and evaluation forms were subjectively completed by both patients and medical staff before and after treatment, and clinical metrics were recorded throughout the treatment. Forty-one patients ≥18 years old and 76.9% male that had primarily undergone ≥4 dressing changes before the study were included. Correlations were found between VR engagement during treatment and a decrease in subjective levels of nausea, anxiety, and pain sensation. Furthermore, high levels of VR engagement were correlated with high levels of VR enjoyment. These results suggest that highly engaging and enjoyable VR interfaces may reduce sensations of anxiety and pain in burn patients during dressing changes. Furthermore, these data suggest that VR technology may be applied as an adjunct therapy to pharmacological treatment in the standardization of burn wound care management. Further studies with control groups and larger sample populations are needed for better quantification of these benefits.
The Pandemic Arc: Expanded Narratives in the History of Global Health
Authors: Green Monica H 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Using the examples of plague, smallpox, and HIV/AIDS, the present essay argues for the benefits of incorporating the evolutionary histories of pathogens, beyond visible epidemic spikes within human populations, into our understanding of what pandemics actually are as epidemiological phenomena. The pandemic arc — which takes the pathogen as the defining “actor” in a pandemic, from emergence to local proliferation to globalization — offers a framework capable of bringing together disparate aspects not only of the manifestations of disease but also of human involvement in the pandemic process. Pathogens may differ, but there are common patterns in disease emergence and proliferation that distinguish those diseases that become pandemic, dispersed through human communities regionally or globally. The same methods of genomic analysis that allow tracking the evolutionary development of a modern pathogen such as SARS-CoV-2 also allow us to trace pandemics into the past. Reconstruction of these pandemic arcs brings new elements of these stories into view, recovering the experiences of regions and populations hitherto overlooked by Eurocentric narratives. This expanded global history of infectious diseases, in turn, lays a groundwork for reconceiving what ambitions a truly global health might aim for.