bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Social affordances of agile governance
Authors: Mergel Ines 
Published: December 2023

AbstractAgile refers to a work management ideology with a set of productivity frameworks that support continuous and iterative progress on work tasks by reviewing one's hypotheses, working in a human‐centric way, and encouraging evidence‐based learning. In practice, public administrations have started to use agile principles and methods to plan projects, work in short sprints, iterate after receiving feedback from stakeholders, and apply a human‐centric approach to arrive at prototyped solutions. To understand the opportunities and challenges public servants perceive when they are asked to apply agile work practices, I conducted focus groups to study the social affordances of agile governance that need to be in place for public servants to adopt an agile mindset and its related practices. As a result of the exposure to agile work practices, public servants are either able to perceive its affordances and are willing to adopt agile, they falsely perceive them or they even remain hidden from them leading to a rejection of agile.
Assessing the effects of different tillage systems on selected physical and chemical properties of a silty clay loam soil under different field conditions in the Czech Republic
Authors: Abebrese David Kwesi , Kara Recep Serdar , Báťková Kamila , Biney James Kobina Mensah , Matula Svatopluk 
Published: December 2023

AbstractUnder the recent water‐limiting crisis on farmlands in the Czech Republic, more sustainable approaches to improve water infiltration and suction within the soil layer useful for plant growth is crucial. This study sought to explore changes induced by applied tillage system, and time after tillage (considering two field conditions; at crop maturity when the soil had consolidated long after tillage, and after tillage and seeding operations). The tillage systems investigated were reduced tillage (RT), occasional tillage (OT), no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT). Soil properties at 0–30 cm depth analysed were dry bulk density, soil organic matter content, saturated volumetric water content and saturated hydraulic conductivity. After the tillage and seeding operations, soil organic matter increased on all conservation tillage plots (RT, OT and NT) but decreased under CT. Insignificant changes in dry bulk density were observed on the conservation tillage plots, whereas CT reduced dry bulk density by 15.3%. Saturated hydraulic conductivity fluctuated significantly under OT and CT, while remaining stable under RT and NT. Generally, significant variability in organic matter influenced changes in saturated volumetric water content and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Changes in dry bulk density on all the tilled plots (RT, OT, and CT) did not show any significant relationship with saturated volumetric water content. Likewise, no significant relationship between changes in bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity on all plots were observed. While organic matter improvements under OT positively correlated with saturated volumetric water content, its seasonal dynamics under saturated hydraulic conductivity can be further studied. CT causes high instabilities in both saturated volumetric water content and saturated hydraulic conductivity leading to impaired characteristics during the soil's consolidated state.
Very high epilepsy prevalence in rural Southern Rwanda: The underestimated burden of epilepsy in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Garrez Ieme , Teuwen Dirk E. , Sebera Fidèle , Mutungirehe Sylvestre , Ndayisenga Arlène , Kajeneza Delphine , Umuhoza Georgette , Kayirangwa Jeannine , Düll Uta E. , Dedeken Peter , Boon Paul A. J. M. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractObjectivesUp to 85% of people living with epilepsy (PwE) reside in low‐and middle‐income countries. In sub‐Saharan Africa, the lifetime prevalence of epilepsy is 16 per 1000 persons. In Northern rural Rwanda, a 47.7 per 1000 prevalence has been reported. As variations in prevalence across geographical areas have been observed, we studied the prevalence in Southern rural Rwanda using the same robust methodology as applied in the North.MethodsWe conducted a three‐stage, cross‐sectional, door‐to‐door survey in two rural villages in Southern Rwanda from June 2022 to April 2023. First, trained enumerators administered the validated Limoges questionnaire for epilepsy screening. Second, neurologists examined the persons who had screened positively to confirm the epilepsy diagnosis. Third, cases with an inconclusive assessment were separately reexamined by two neurologists to reevaluate the diagnosis.ResultsEnumerators screened 1745 persons (54.4% female, mean age: 24 ± 19.3 years), of whom 304 (17.4%) screened positive. Epilepsy diagnosis was confirmed in 133 (52.6% female, mean age: 30 ± 18.2 years) and active epilepsy in 130 persons. Lifetime epilepsy prevalence was 76.2 per 1000 (95% CI: 64.2–89.7‰). The highest age‐specific rate occurred in the 29–49 age group. No gender‐specific differences were noted. In 22.6% of the PwE, only non‐convulsive seizures occurred. The treatment gap was 92.2%, including a diagnosis gap of 79.4%.ConclusionWe demonstrated a very high epilepsy prevalence in Southern rural Rwanda, with over 20% of cases having only non‐convulsive seizures, which are often underdiagnosed in rural Africa. In line with previous Rwandan reports, we reiterate the high burden of the disease in the country. Geographic variation in prevalence throughout Africa may result from differences in risk and aetiological factors. Case–control studies are underway to understand such differences and propose adapted health policies for epilepsy prevention.
Haemovigilance resources available for everyone: A report from the International Haemovigilance Tools Collaborative Project
Authors: Townsend Mary , Maryuningsih Soedarmono Yuyun S. , Narayan Shruthi , Ashford Paul , Wood Erica M. , Whitaker Barbee I. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesHaemovigilance systems are intended to collect and analyse data, and report findings relating to transfusion complications, such as blood product safety, procedural incidents, and adverse reactions in donors and patients. A common problem among developing haemovigilance programs is the lack of resources and tools available to countries striving to establish or enhance their haemovigilance system.Materials and MethodsWorld Health Organization, in collaboration with International Society for Blood Transfusion (ISBT), International Haemovigilance Network and other haemovigilance experts embarked on a Haemovigilance Tools Project to collect and provide materials and resources to assist with the stepwise implementation of haemovigilance.Results and ConclusionsResources are housed as a virtual compendium on the ISBT website under the Haemovigilance Working Party. These are managed by a subcommittee of the Working Party and are freely available and downloadable to all without requiring ISBT membership.
Multivariable versions of a lemma of Kaluza's
Authors: Richter Stefan , Sautel Jesse 
Published: December 2023

AbstractLet and be a convergent multivariable power series in . In this paper, we present two conditions on the positive coefficients that imply that for nonnegative coefficients . If , then both of our results reduce to a lemma of Kaluza's. For , we present examples to show that our two conditions are independent of one another. It turns out that functions of the type
satisfy one of our conditions, whenever is a product of probability measures on . Our results have applications to the theory of Nevanlinna–Pick kernels.
The heart, a secondary organ in the control of blood circulation
Authors: Furst Branko , González‐Alonso José 
Published: December 2023

AbstractCirculation of the blood is a fundamental physiological function traditionally ascribed to the pressure‐generating function of the heart. However, over the past century the ‘cardiocentric’ view has been challenged by August Krogh, Ernst Starling, Arthur Guyton and others, based on haemodynamic data obtained from isolated heart preparations and organ perfusion. Their research brought forth experimental evidence and phenomenological observations supporting the concept that cardiac output occurs primarily in response to the metabolic demands of the tissues. The basic tenets of Guyton's venous return model are presented and juxtaposed with their critiques. Developmental biology of the cardiovascular system shows that the blood circulates before the heart has achieved functional integrity and that its movement is intricately connected with the metabolic demands of the tissues. Long discovered, but as yet overlooked, negative interstitial pressure may play a role in assisting the flow returning to the heart. Based on these phenomena, an alternative circulation model has been proposed in which the heart functions like a hydraulic ram and maintains a dynamic equilibrium between the arterial (centrifugal) and venous (centripetal) forces which define the blood's circular movement. In this focused review we introduce some of the salient arguments in support of the proposed circulation model. Finally, we present evidence that exercising muscle blood flow is subject to local metabolic control which upholds optimal perfusion in the face of a substantive rise in muscle vascular conductance, thus lending further support to the permissive role of the heart in the overall control of blood circulation.
What can insects teach us about hearing loss?
Authors: Warren Ben , Eberl Daniel 
Published: December 2023

AbstractOver the last three decades, insects have been utilized to provide a deep and fundamental understanding of many human diseases and disorders. Here, we present arguments for insects as models to understand general principles underlying hearing loss. Despite ∼600 million years since the last common ancestor of vertebrates and invertebrates, we share an overwhelming degree of genetic homology particularly with respect to auditory organ development and maintenance. Despite the anatomical differences between human and insect auditory organs, both share physiological principles of operation. We explain why these observations are expected and highlight areas in hearing loss research in which insects can provide insight. We start by briefly introducing the evolutionary journey of auditory organs, the reasons for using insect auditory organs for hearing loss research, and the tools and approaches available in insects. Then, the first half of the review focuses on auditory development and auditory disorders with a genetic cause. The second half analyses the physiological and genetic consequences of ageing and short‐ and long‐term changes as a result of noise exposure. We finish with complex age and noise interactions in auditory systems. In this review, we present some of the evidence and arguments to support the use of insects to study mechanisms and potential treatments for hearing loss in humans. Obviously, insects cannot fully substitute for all aspects of human auditory function and loss of function, although there are many important questions that can be addressed in an animal model for which there are important ethical, practical and experimental advantages.
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An Alternate Perspective on Modeling and Control of a Flexible Manipulator: Case Study of a Curvature Control Manipulator Dynamics
Authors: Ezeanya Emeka K. , Barhorst Alan A. 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
The flexible and adaptable nature of continuum soft robots makes them applicable to a wide range of operations not easily obtainable with conventional rigid-body robots. Thus, soft robots can be used in various operations such as manipulation tasks, minimally invasive surgery operations, robotic rehabilitation/wearable devices, inspection, and surveillance tasks. Unfortunately, the continuous nature of these robotic systems leads to significant modeling and control challenges. Presently, there are various modeling perspectives. However, a detailed review shows that current models are often characterized by problems such as high computational costs, quasi-static assumptions, imprecise inclusion of boundary conditions, spillover instability, etc. These problems limit the accuracy of the resulting model, requiring more effective modeling and control strategies. Therefore, this paper is aimed at improving the state of the art and science of current models by providing more effective strategies for the problems encountered. In this regard, the dynamic modeling of a two-link tendon-driven flexible manipulator based on hybrid parameter multibody system methodology will be presented to demonstrate these strategies. Using the model, path-planned dynamic controls based on pole placement, linear quadratic regulator, and sliding mode control methods will be implemented for a continuous time-varying path. Also, a comparison of the performance of the control methods, in addition to parametric studies for the optimal tendon connection points, will be presented. Results showed that the benefits of the modeling approach and strategies employed led to a highly accurate, real-time performance for the complex motions of the manipulator system.
Research on State of Health Estimation of Lithium Batteries Based on Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and CNN-VIT Models
Authors: Chang Chun , Su Guangwei , Cen Haimei , Jiang Jiuchun , Tian Aina , Gao Yang , Wu Tiezhou 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
With the development of electric vehicles, the demand for lithium-ion batteries has been increasing annually. Accurately estimating the state of health (SOH) of lithium-ion batteries is crucial for their efficient and reliable use. Most of the existing research on SOH estimation is based on parameters such as current, voltage, and temperature, which are prone to fluctuations. Estimating the SOH of lithium-ion batteries based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and data-driven approaches has been proven effective. In this paper, we explore a novel SOH estimation model for lithium batteries based on EIS and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-Vision Transformer (VIT). The EIS data are treated as a grayscale image, eliminating the need for manual feature extraction and simultaneously capturing both local and global features in the data. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed model, a series of simulation experiments are conducted, comparing it with various traditional machine learning models in terms of root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and coefficient of determination (R2). The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed model performs best overall in the testing dataset at three different temperatures. This confirms that the model can accurately and stably estimate the SOH of lithium-ion batteries without requiring manual feature extraction and knowledge of battery aging temperature.
Effects of Thermal-Moisture Coupled Field on Delamination Behavior of Electronic Packaging
Authors: Shih Meng-Kai , Lin Guan-Sian , Yang Jonny 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Delamination failure is one of the most prevalent and serious reliability issues in micro-electronic packaging. To understand this phenomenon further, this study constructs an experimental test system consisting of a double cantilever beam (DCB) fixture, an MTS-Acumen microforce tester, and a temperature and humidity controller. The system is employed to investigate the effects of coupled moisture-thermal loading on the critical strain energy release rate (SERR) at the epoxy molding compound (EMC)/Cu leadframe (LF) interface of a very thin quad flat no-lead package (WQFN) assembly. A three-dimensional computational model with hygro-thermal loading conditions is developed to evaluate the moisture diffusion, thermal stress, and integrated stress of a multichip WQFN package under typical processing conditions and precondition tests. The validated simulation model is then applied with the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT) to investigate the fracture behavior at the EMC/Cu LF interface in the WQFN package. The effects of three design parameters on the SERR performance of the package are identified through a parametric analysis. Finally, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimization method is employed to examine the effects of the main structural design parameters of the WQFN package on its delamination reliability. The results are used to determine the optimal packaging design that minimizes the SERR and hence enhances the package reliability.
Penicillin-binding protein redundancy in
Bacillus subtilis
enables growth during alkaline shock
Authors: Mitchell Stephanie L. , Kearns Daniel B. , Carlson Erin E. 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT

Penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) play critical roles in cell wall construction, cell shape maintenance, and bacterial replication. Bacteria maintain a diversity of PBPs, indicating that despite their apparent functional redundancy, there is differentiation across the PBP family. Apparently-redundant proteins can be important for enabling an organism to cope with environmental stressors. In this study, we evaluated the consequence of environmental pH on PBP enzymatic activity in
Bacillus subtilis
. Our data show that a subset of PBPs in
B. subtilis
change activity levels during alkaline shock and that one PBP isoform is rapidly modified to generate a smaller protein (i.e., PBP1a to PBP1b). Our results indicate that a subset of the PBPs are favored for growth under alkaline conditions, while others are readily dispensable. Indeed, we found that this phenomenon could also be observed in
Streptococcus pneumoniae
, implying that it may be generalizable across additional bacterial species and further emphasizing the evolutionary benefit of maintaining many, seemingly-redundant periplasmic enzymes.

IMPORTANCE
Microbes adapt to ever-changing environments and thrive over a vast range of conditions. While bacterial genomes are relatively small, significant portions encode for “redundant” functions. Apparent redundancy is especially pervasive in bacterial proteins that reside outside of the inner membrane. While conditions within the cytoplasm are carefully controlled, those of the periplasmic space are largely determined by the cell’s exterior environment. As a result, proteins within this environmentally exposed region must be capable of functioning under a vast array of conditions, and/or there must be several similar proteins that have evolved to function under a variety of conditions. This study examines the activity of a class of enzymes that is essential in cell wall construction to determine if individual proteins might be adapted for activity under particular growth conditions. Our results indicate that a subset of these proteins are preferred for growth under alkaline conditions, while others are readily dispensable.
Disturbance and recovery of physical elements of habitat in relation to post-wildfire channel sedimentation, southern California Transverse Ranges
Authors: Florsheim Joan L. , Chin Anne 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT
Sedimentation after wildfire is a profound disturbance to the biogeomorphic character of fluvial systems. Despite this significant alteration, field data focusing on the geomorphic processes and bed morphology that form the physical structure of habitat are limited, especially over a longer-term perspective. We report results of detailed field studies following two wildfires in the same steep fluvial system in the southern California Transverse Ranges three decades apart. Substantial channel sedimentation during storms following both fires altered physical elements of habitat, which included bed elevation, step height and spacing, pool depth and spacing, grain-size distribution (D84), and transport capacity (τo/τc). The postfire sediment deposits buried bedforms, decreased D84, and increased τo/τc by an order of magnitude. Incision during subsequent storms initiated recovery that depended on the attributes of post-wildfire climate variability that characterize the semiarid Mediterranean-type environment. Step-pool bedforms reappeared or reformed during the decades between wildfires as the relatively fine gravel-sized post-wildfire sediment was transported downstream, thus reestablishing the physical elements of habitat characterizing the dynamic system.
Safety, resource use and nutritional content of home-blended diets in children who are gastrostomy fed: findings from ‘YourTube’ – a prospective cohort study
Authors: Fraser Lorna K , Bedendo Andre , O’Neill Mark , Taylor Jo , Hackett Julia , Horridge Karen Alice , Cade Janet , Richardson Gerry , Phung Han , McCarter Alison , Hewitt Catherine Elizabeth 
Published: December 2023

ObjectiveTo assess the risks, benefits and resource implications of using home-blended food in children with gastrostomy tubes compared with currently recommended formula feeds.DesignThis is a cohort study. Data were collected at months 0, 12 and 18 from parents and clinicians using standardised measures.Setting32 sites across England: 28 National Health Service trusts and 4 children’s hospices.PatientsChildren aged 6 months–18 years who were gastrostomy fed.Main outcome measureThe main outcome measure was the PedsQL Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scales score. Secondary outcomes included quality of life, sleep (child, parent), dietary intake, anthropometry, healthcare usage, safety outcomes and resource use.Results180 children and families completed the baseline data collection, with 134 (74%) and 105 (58%) providing follow-up data at 12 and 18 months. There were fewer gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms at all time points in the home-blended diet group, but there was no difference in change over time within or between the groups. The nutritional intake of those on a home-blended diet had higher calories per kilogram and fibre, and both home-blended and formula-fed children have values above the dietary reference values for most micronutrients. Safety outcomes were similar between groups and over time. The total costs to the statutory sector were higher among children who were formula fed, but the costs of purchasing special equipment for home-blended food and the total time spent on childcare were higher for families with home-blended diet.ConclusionsChildren who are gastrostomy fed a home-blended diet have similar safety profile, adequate nutritional intake and lower burden of GI symptoms than formula-fed children.Trial registration numberISRCTN13977361.