bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A systematic efficacy analysis of tuberculosis treatment with BPaL‐containing regimens using a multiscale modeling approach
Authors: Budak Maral , Via Laura E. , Weiner Danielle M. , Barry Clifton E. , Nanda Pariksheet , Michael Gabrielle , Mdluli Khisimuzi , Kirschner Denise 
Published: February 2024

AbstractTuberculosis (TB) is a life‐threatening infectious disease. The standard treatment is up to 90% effective; however, it requires the administration of four antibiotics (isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol [HRZE]) over long time periods. This harsh treatment process causes adherence issues for patients because of the long treatment times and a myriad of adverse effects. Therefore, the World Health Organization has focused goals of shortening standard treatment regimens for TB in their End TB Strategy efforts, which aim to reduce TB‐related deaths by 95% by 2035. For this purpose, many novel and promising combination antibiotics are being explored that have recently been discovered, such as the bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid (BPaL) regimen. As a result, testing the number of possible combinations with all possible novel regimens is beyond the limit of experimental resources. In this study, we present a unique framework that uses a primate granuloma modeling approach to screen many combination regimens that are currently under clinical and experimental exploration and assesses their efficacies to inform future studies. We tested well‐studied regimens such as HRZE and BPaL to evaluate the validity and accuracy of our framework. We also simulated additional promising combination regimens that have not been sufficiently studied clinically or experimentally, and we provide a pipeline for regimen ranking based on their efficacies in granulomas. Furthermore, we showed a correlation between simulation rankings and new marmoset data rankings, providing evidence for the credibility of our framework. This framework can be adapted to any TB regimen and can rank any number of single or combination regimens.
Telecom‐Band Quantum Dots Compatible with Silicon Photonics for Photonic Quantum Applications
Authors: Katsumi Ryota , Ota Yasutomo , Benyoucef Mohamed 
Published: February 2024

AbstractSilicon photonics is promising for quantum photonics applications owing to its large‐scale and high‐performance circuitry enabled by complementary‐metal‐oxide‐semiconductor fabrication processes. However, there is a lack of bright single‐photon sources (SPSs) capable of deterministic operation on Si platforms, which largely limits their applications. To this end, on‐Si integration of high‐performance solid‐state quantum emitters, such as semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), is greatly desired. In particular, it is preferable to integrate SPSs emitting at telecom wavelengths for fully leveraging the power of silicon photonics, including efficient chip‐to‐fiber coupling. In this review, recent progress and challenges in the integration of telecom QD SPSs onto silicon photonic platforms are discussed.
Exploring the Potentials of Chitin and Chitosan‐Based Bioinks for 3D‐Printing of Flexible Electronics: The Future of Sustainable Bioelectronics
Authors: Kumi Moses , Wang Tengjiao , Ejeromedoghene Onome , Wang Junjie , Li Peng , Huang Wei 
Published: February 2024

AbstractChitin and chitosan‐based bioink for 3D‐printed flexible electronics have tremendous potential for innovation in healthcare, agriculture, the environment, and industry. This biomaterial is suitable for 3D printing because it is highly stretchable, super‐flexible, affordable, ultrathin, and lightweight. Owing to its ease of use, on‐demand manufacturing, accurate and regulated deposition, and versatility with flexible and soft functional materials, 3D printing has revolutionized free‐form construction and end‐user customization. This study examined the potential of employing chitin and chitosan‐based bioinks to build 3D‐printed flexible electronic devices and optimize bioink formulation, printing parameters, and postprocessing processes to improve mechanical and electrical properties. The exploration of 3D‐printed chitin and chitosan‐based flexible bioelectronics will open new avenues for new flexible materials for numerous industrial applications.
Chemical constituents of Panax ginseng sprouts cultivated in Vietnam
Authors: Tuan Anh Hoang Le , Duc Ngo Viet , Van Cong Pham , Van Hieu Ngo , Van Dan Nguyen , Trang Vu Thi , Hien Do Thi Thu , Tuan Do Thanh , Anh Le Tuan , Kim Jeong Ah 
Published: February 2024

AbstractEight compounds, including 20(R)‐ginsenoside Rg3 (1), Ginsenoside Rd (2), ginsenosides Rg2 (3), ginsenosides Re (4), β‐sitosterol (5), daucosterol (6), stigmasterol (7), and stigmasterol‐3‐O‐β‐glucoside (8) were isolated from the Panax ginseng sprouts cultivated in Vietnam. Their structures were elucidated by 1H, 13C NMR, and MS spectroscopic techniques and compared with the previous publication. In addition, their inhibitory activity on NO production and cytotoxic effects against human embryonic kidney cells (HEK‐293A) and human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) were evaluated. This is the first study of the phytochemical investigation of P. ginseng sprouts cultivated in Vietnam and ginseng sprouts also contained the same main active ginsenosides as in the 4–6‐year old roots.
Study on the removal efficacy and mechanism of phosphorus from wastewater by eggshell‐modified biochar
Authors: Xu Qingshan , Li Cong , Sumita  , Pang Weihai 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe excessive discharge of phosphorus from rural domestic sewage is a problem that worthy of attention. If the phosphorus in the sewage were recovered, addressing this issue could significantly contribute to mitigating the global phosphorus crisis. In this study, corn straw, a common agricultural waste, was co‐pyrolytically modified with eggshells, a type of food waste from university cafeterias. The resulting product, referred to as corn straw eggshell biochar (EGBC) was characterized using SEM, XRD, XPS, XRF, and other methods. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to determine the optimal preparation conditions of EGBC and to explore its adsorption characteristics. EGBC showed strong adsorption effectiveness within a pH range of 5–12. The adsorption isotherm closely followed the Sips model (R2 > 0.9011), and the adsorption kinetics were more consistent with the pseudo‐second‐order model (R2 > 0.9899). The process was found to be both spontaneous and endothermic. Under optimal conditions, the phosphorus adsorption capacity of EGBC was measured to be 288.83 mg/g. This demonstrates the high efficiency of EGBC for phosphorus removal and illustrates an effective method of utilizing food waste for environmental remediation.Practitioner Points
Biochar prepared from waste eggshell was used to removal and recovery phosphorus in wastewater treatment.
EGBC has an impressive adsorption capacity that can reach up to 288.83 mg/g.
EGBC has excellent adsorption and filtration capabilities, and there is a sudden increase in concentration at 900 min in the breakthrough curve of EGBC.
EGBC has good regeneration performance, with an adsorption effect of 65% and an adsorption capacity of 121 mg/g after four desorption and regeneration cycles.
Imagining Restorative Diplomacy
Authors: Braithwaite John 
Published: February 2024

AbstractRestorative diplomacy outperforms realism at preventing war, climate change, financial crises, pandemics, and at accomplishing national interest objectives. Peacebuilding Compared finds narratives of the broken promise have been impediments to peace in 41 out of 73 armed conflicts. Restorative diplomacy requires promise-keeping that learns from American Indigenous wisdom on ritualizing peace agreements, with regular commemorations at which statecraft speaks from the heart, apologizes, forgives, ritualizes collective memory, and builds new commitments atop growing architectures of peace. Learn restorative diplomacy lessons from the Marshall Plan. Put deposits, financial and emotional, in the banks of old adversaries. Learn restorative diplomacy lessons from South African spymaster Niël Barnard. South African nuclear weapons destruction, Africa as a nuclear weapons-free continent, and Apartheid abolition illustrate the possibilities of restorative diplomacy.
Controlling Away the Phenomenon: Maze Research and the Nature of Learning
Authors: Arnet Evan 
Published: February 2024

AbstractFollowing maze research in animal behavior studies through the twentieth century, I explore “control” as an extended historical process involving the successive stabilization or removal of bits and scraps of the world to arrive at the pure form of a phenomenon of interest. Early behaviorist investigation of maze learning aimed to strip environmental cues from maze design to study context-free learning. Exemplifying this tendency is the famous 1907 “Kerplunk” experiment of Watson and Carr, in which they concluded that rats could ultimately learn a maze as one long bodily response unspooling in a successive series of actions, rather than basing their movement through the maze on external sensory stimuli. Supporting this context-free research program was a conceptual understanding of learning as something singular and general. With later, more ecological, accounts of animal behavior, however, it was argued that these early control practices had nullified the rich interrelation between organism and environment that makes advanced learning possible. The result was a deflated and distorted understanding of animal learning. Researchers had, in short, controlled away the phenomenon. This case highlights the tension between the object of inquiry and the object of control, and illustrates how novelty emerges in reinterpreting as central to the phenomenon of interest that which was previously merely interference.
One Myrtle Proves Nothing: Repeated Comparative Experiments and the Growing Awareness of the Difficulty of Conducting Conclusive Experiments
Authors: Schürch Caterina 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis chapter focuses on physicists from across Europe who, between the mid-1740s and the mid-1780s, investigated whether electricity promoted plant growth. They considered comparative experiments to be a prerequisite for making reliable causal inferences, and thus compared the growth of electrified and non-electrified plants. In doing so, they were careful to keep the two experimental setups stable to rule out the possibility that growth differences were caused by factors other than electrification. A closer look at the experimental reports of these physicists reveals sophisticated discussions of control strategies. They pointed out several possible sources of error and suggested strategies for avoiding them, such as repeating an experiment many times to eliminate chance effects. But the physicists’ methodological views also differed on crucial issues, such as how many plants an experiment should include, or how often it should be repeated to ensure a reliable conclusion. By the late 1780s, the question of electricity’s effect on plant growth was far from resolved. Rather, the controversy became emblematic of the difficulty of conducting well-controlled, conclusive experiments.
Phenomenology of superheavy decaying dark matter from string theory
Authors: Allahverdi Rouzbeh , Arina Chiara , Chianese Marco , Cicoli Michele , Maltoni Fabio , Massaro Daniele , Osiński Jacek K. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
We study the phenomenology of superheavy decaying dark matter with mass around 1010 GeV which can arise in the low-energy limit of string compactifications. Generic features of string theory setups (such as high scale supersymmetry breaking and epochs of early matter domination driven by string moduli) can accommodate superheavy dark matter with the correct relic abundance. In addition, stringy instantons induce tiny R-parity violating couplings which make dark matter unstable with a lifetime well above the age of the Universe. Adopting a model-independent approach, we compute the flux and spectrum of high-energy gamma rays and neutrinos from three-body decays of superheavy dark matter and constrain its mass-lifetime plane with current observations and future experiments. We show that these bounds have only a mild dependence on the exact nature of neutralino dark matter and its decay channels. Applying these constraints to an explicit string model sets an upper bound of $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(0.1) on the string coupling, ensuring that the effective field theory is in the perturbative regime.
Regular Functions on the Scaled Hypercomplex Numbers
Authors: Alpay Daniel , Cho Ilwoo 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn this paper, we study the regularity of $$\mathbb {R}$$
R
-differentiable functions on open connected subsets of the scaled hypercomplex numbers $$\left\{ \mathbb {H}_{t}\right\} _{t\in \mathbb {R}}$$

H
t

t
∈
R

by studying the kernels of suitable differential operators $$\left\{ \nabla _{t}\right\} _{t\in \mathbb {R}}$$

∇
t

t
∈
R

, up to scales in the real field $$\mathbb {R}$$
R
.
Biofilm volume and acidification within initial biofilms formed in situ on buccally and palatally exposed bracket material
Authors: Loewe Micha Frederic , Doll-Nikutta Katharina , Stiesch Meike , Schwestka-Polly Rainer 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Acidification by bacterial biofilms at the bracket/tooth interface is one of the most common problems in fixed orthodontic treatments, which can lead to white spot lesions (WSL) and caries. As lingual brackets were shown to exhibit reduced WSL formation clinically, the aim of this in situ study was to compare initial intraoral biofilm formation and acidification on bracket-like specimens placed buccally and palatally in the upper jaw as a possible cause for this observation.

Methods
Intraoral biofilm was collected from splints equipped with buccally and palatally exposed test specimens, which were worn by 12 volunteers for a total of 48 h. The test specimens consisted of standard bracket material cylinders on top of a hydroxyapatite disc to represent the bracket/tooth interface. They were analyzed for three-dimensional biofilm volume and live/dead distribution by fluorescence staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy as well as for acidification by fluorescence-based pH ratiometry.

Results
Similar general biofilm morphology with regard to volume and viability could be detected for buccally and palatally exposed specimens. For pH values, biofilms from both positions showed increased acidification at the bottom layer. Interestingly, the pH value at the top layers of the biofilms was slightly lower on palatally than on buccally exposed specimens, which may likely be due to anatomic conditions.

Conclusion
Based on the results of this study, initial intraoral biofilm formation and acidification is almost similar on the bracket material/biomimetic tooth interface when placed buccally or palatally in the upper jaw. As lingual brackets were shown to exhibit reduced WSL formation clinically, future studies should investigate further factors like bracket geometry.
Transrectal ultrasound for intraoperative interstitial needle guidance in cervical cancer brachytherapy
Authors: Knoth J. , Sturdza A. , Zaharie A. , Dick V. , Kronreif G. , Nesvacil N. , Widder J. , Kirisits C. , Schmid M. P 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Objective
This study aimed to prospectively assess the visibility of interstitial needles on transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) in cervical cancer brachytherapy patients and evaluate its impact on implant and treatment plan quality.

Material and methods
TRUS was utilized during and after applicator insertion, with each needle’s visibility documented through axial images at the high-risk clinical target volume’s largest diameter. Needle visibility on TRUS was scored from 0 (no visibility) to 3 (excellent discrimination, margins distinct). Quantitative assessment involved measuring the distance between tandem and each needle on TRUS and comparing it to respective magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements. Expected treatment plan quality based on TRUS images was rated from 1 (meeting all planning objectives) to 4 (violation of High-risk clinical target volume (CTVHR) and/or organ at risk (OAR) hard constraints) and compared to the final MRI-based plan.

Results
Analysis included 23 patients with local FIGO stage IB2-IVA, comprising 41 applications with a total of 230 needles. A high visibility rate of 99.1% (228/230 needles) was observed, with a mean visibility score of 2.5 ± 0.7 for visible needles. The maximum and mean difference between MRI and TRUS measurements were 8 mm and –0.1 ± 1.6 mm, respectively, with > 3 mm discrepancies in 3.5% of needles. Expected treatment plan quality after TRUS assessment exactly aligned with the final MRI plan in 28 out of 41 applications with only minor deviations in all other cases.

Conclusion
Real-time TRUS-guided interstitial needle placement yielded high-quality implants, thanks to excellent needle visibility during insertion. This supports the potential of TRUS-guided brachytherapy as a promising modality for gynecological indications.
Structure and Functions of Endophytic Bacterial Communities Associated with Sphagnum Mosses and Their Drivers in Two Different Nutrient Types of Peatlands
Authors: Wang Yue , Xue Dan , Chen Xuhui , Qiu Qing , Chen Huai 
Published: February 2024

AbstractSphagnum mosses are keystone plant species in the peatland ecosystems that play a crucial role in the formation of peat, which shelters a broad diversity of endophytic bacteria with important ecological functions. In particular, methanotrophic and nitrogen-fixing endophytic bacteria benefit Sphagnum moss hosts by providing both carbon and nitrogen. However, the composition and abundance of endophytic bacteria from different species of Sphagnum moss in peatlands of different nutrient statuses and their drivers remain unclear. This study used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to examine endophytic bacterial communities in Sphagnum mosses and measured the activity of methanotrophic microbial by the 13C-CH4 oxidation rate. According to the results, the endophytic bacterial community structure varied among Sphagnum moss species and Sphagnum capillifolium had the highest endophytic bacterial alpha diversity. Moreover, chlorophyll, phenol oxidase, carbon contents, and water retention capacity strongly shaped the communities of endophytic bacteria. Finally, Sphagnum palustre in Hani (SP) had a higher methane oxidation rate than S. palustre in Taishanmiao. This result is associated with the higher average relative abundance of Methyloferula an obligate methanotroph in SP. In summary, this work highlights the effects of Sphagnum moss characteristics on the endophytic bacteriome. The endophytic bacteriome is important for Sphagnum moss productivity, as well as for carbon and nitrogen cycles in Sphagnum moss peatlands.
A biased random walk approach for modeling the collective chemotaxis of neural crest cells
Authors: Freingruber Viktoria , Painter Kevin J. , Ptashnyk Mariya , Schumacher Linus J. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractCollective cell migration is a multicellular phenomenon that arises in various biological contexts, including cancer and embryo development. ‘Collectiveness’ can be promoted by cell-cell interactions such as co-attraction and contact inhibition of locomotion. These mechanisms act on cell polarity, pivotal for directed cell motility, through influencing the intracellular dynamics of small GTPases such as Rac1. To model these dynamics we introduce a biased random walk model, where the bias depends on the internal state of Rac1, and the Rac1 state is influenced by cell-cell interactions and chemoattractive cues. In an extensive simulation study we demonstrate and explain the scope and applicability of the introduced model in various scenarios. The use of a biased random walk model allows for the derivation of a corresponding partial differential equation for the cell density while still maintaining a certain level of intracellular detail from the individual based setting.
PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome: Clinical and genetic characterization in pediatric patients
Authors: Martín-Valbuena Jesús , Gestoso-Uzal Nerea , Justel-Rodríguez María , Isidoro-García María , Marcos-Vadillo Elena , Lorenzo-Hernández Sandra Milagros , Criado-Muriel M. Carla , Prieto-Matos Pablo 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Objective
The aim of this study was to provide a full characterization of a cohort of 11 pediatric patients diagnosed with PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS).

Patients and methods
Eleven patients with genetic diagnostic of PHTS were recruited between February 2019 and April 2023. Clinical, imaging, demographic, and genetic data were retrospectively collected from their hospital medical history.

Results
Regarding clinical manifestations, macrocephaly was the leading sign, present in all patients. Frontal bossing was the most frequent dysmorphism. Neurological issues were present in most patients. Dental malformations were described for the first time, being present in 27% of the patients. Brain MRI showed anomalies in 57% of the patients. No tumoral lesions were present at the time of the study. Regarding genetics, 72% of the alterations were in the tensin-type C2 domain of PTEN protein. We identified four PTEN genetic alterations for the first time.

Conclusions
PTEN mutations appear with a wide variety of clinical signs and symptoms, sometimes associated with phenotypes which do not fit classical clinical diagnostic criteria for PHTS. We recommend carrying out a genetic study to establish an early diagnosis in children with significant macrocephaly. This facilitates personalized monitoring and enables anticipation of potential PHTS-related complications.
Neurocognitive function as outcome and predictor for prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation in major depressive disorder: an analysis from the DepressionDC trial
Authors: Soldini Aldo , Vogelmann Ulrike , Aust Sabine , Goerigk Stephan , Plewnia Christian , Fallgatter Andreas , Normann Claus , Frase Lukas , Zwanzger Peter , Kammer Thomas , Schönfeldt-Lecuona Carlos , Vural Gizem , Bajbouj Malek , Padberg Frank , Burkhardt Gerrit 
Published: February 2024

AbstractTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the prefrontal cortex might beneficially influence neurocognitive dysfunctions associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, previous studies of neurocognitive effects of tDCS have been inconclusive. In the current study, we analyzed longitudinal, neurocognitive data from 101 participants of a randomized controlled multicenter trial (DepressionDC), investigating the efficacy of bifrontal tDCS (2 mA, 30 min/d, for 6 weeks) in patients with MDD and insufficient response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). We assessed whether active tDCS compared to sham tDCS elicited beneficial effects across the domains of memory span, working memory, selective attention, sustained attention, executive process, and processing speed, assessed with a validated, digital test battery. Additionally, we explored whether baseline cognitive performance, as a proxy of fronto-parietal-network functioning, predicts the antidepressant effects of active tDCS versus sham tDCS. We found no statistically significant group differences in the change of neurocognitive performance between active and sham tDCS. Furthermore, baseline cognitive performance did not predict the clinical response to tDCS. Our findings indicate no advantage in neurocognition due to active tDCS in MDD. Additional research is required to systematically investigate the effects of tDCS protocols on neurocognitive performance in patients with MDD.