bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Distributed computing with the cloud
Authors: Afek Yehuda , Giladi Gal , Patt-Shamir Boaz 
Published: February 2024

AbstractWe investigate the effect of omnipresent cloud storage on distributed computing. To this end, we specify a network model with links of prescribed bandwidth that connect standard processing nodes, and, in addition, passive storage nodes. Each passive node represents a cloud storage system, such as Dropbox, Google Drive etc. We study a few tasks in this model, assuming a single cloud node connected to all other nodes, which are connected to each other arbitrarily. We give implementations for basic tasks of collaboratively writing to and reading from the cloud, and for more advanced applications such as matrix multiplication and federated learning. Our results show that utilizing node-cloud links as well as node-node links can considerably speed up computations, compared to the case where processors communicate either only through the cloud or only through the network links. We first show how to optimally read and write large files to and from the cloud in general graphs using flow techniques. We use these primitives to derive algorithms forcombining, where every processor node has an input value and the task is to compute a combined value under some given associative operator. In the special but common case of “fat links,” where we assume that links between processors are bidirectional and have high bandwidth, we provide near-optimal algorithms for any commutative combining operator (such as vector addition). For the task of matrix multiplication (or other non-commutative combining operators), where the inputs are ordered, we present tight results in the simple “wheel” network, where procesing nodes are arranged in a ring, and are all connected to a single cloud node.
Evaluation of UK paediatric nephrology teams’ understanding, experience and perceptions of oral health outcomes and accessibility to dental care: a mixed-methods study
Authors: Wallace Christopher K. , Vernazza Christopher R. , Emmet Victoria , Singhal Nidhi , Sathyanarayana Vijaya , Tse Yincent , Taylor Greig D. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background
Oral health conditions are common in children and young people (CYP) with kidney disorders. There is currently limited literature on how confident paediatric nephrology teams feel to identify and manage oral health concerns for their patients.

Method
An exploratory mixed-method survey was distributed across all 13 UK specialist paediatric nephrology centres with responses received from consultants, registrars, specialist nurses and special interest (SPIN) paediatricians.

Results
Responses received from 109 multidisciplinary team members of 13/13 (100%) UK tertiary units. Ninety-two percent (n = 100) of respondents reported they had never received any training in oral health and 87% (n = 95) felt that further training would be beneficial to optimise care for patients and improve communication between medical and dental teams. Most respondents reported that they did not regularly examine, or enquire about, their patients’ oral health. Only 16% (n = 17) reported that all their paediatric kidney transplant recipients underwent routine dental assessment prior to transplant listing. Severe adverse oral health outcomes were rarely reported and only 11% (n = 12) of respondents recalled having a patient who had a kidney transplant delayed or refused due to concerns about oral infection. Seventy-eight percent (n = 85) felt that joint working with a dental team would benefit patients at their unit; however, 17% (n = 18) felt that current infrastructure does not currently support effective joint working.

Conclusions
Across the UK, paediatric kidney health professionals report lack of confidence and training in oral health. Upskilling subspecialty teams and creating dental referral pathways are recommended to maximise oral health outcomes for CYP with kidney diseases.

Graphical abstract
Molecular properties of linear amino acids in water
Authors: Boča Roman , Imrich Richard , Štofko Juraj , Vranovičová Beáta , Rajnák Cyril 
Published: February 2024

AbstractFour linear amino acids of increased separation of the carboxyl and amino groups, namely glycine (aminoacetic acid), β-alanine (3-aminopropanoic acid), GABA (4-aminobutanoic acid) and DAVA (5-aminopentanoic acid), have been studied by quantum chemical ab initio and DFT methods including the solvent effect in order to get electronic structure and molecular descriptors, such as ionisation energy, electron affinity, molecular electronegativity, chemical hardness, electrophilicity index, dipole moment, quadrupole moment and dipole polarizability. Thermodynamic functions (zero-point energy, inner energy, enthalpy, entropy, and the Gibbs energy) were evaluated after the complete vibrational analysis at the true energy minimum provided by the full geometry optimization. Reaction Gibbs energy allows evaluating the absolute redox potentials on reduction and/or oxidation. The non-local non-additive molecular descriptors were compared along the series showing which of them behave as extensive, varying in match with the molar mass and/or separation of the carboxyl and amino groups. Amino acidic forms and zwitterionic forms of the substances were studied in parallel in order to compare their relative stability and redox properties. In total, 24 species were investigated by B3LYP/def2-TZVPD method (M1) including neutral molecules, molecular cations and molecular anions. For comparison, MP2/def2-TZVPD method (M2) with full geometry optimization and vibrational analysis in water has been applied for 12 species; analogously, for 24 substances, DLPNO-CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ method (M3) has been applied in the geometry obtained by MP2 and/or B3LYP. It was found that the absolute oxidation potential correlates with the adiabatic ionisation energy; the absolute reduction potential correlates with the adiabatic electron affinity and the electrophilicity index. In order to validate the used methodology with experimental vertical ionisation energies and vibrational spectrum obtained in gas phase, calculations were done also in vacuo.
Thermal ablation versus liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of propensity-score matched studies
Authors: Wei Qiuxia , Xiong Shiyu , Luo Wanrong , Liang Ming , Luo Baoming 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe outcomes of cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after thermal ablation (TA) versus liver resection (LR) are debated. We aimed to compare the overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and operative outcomes after TA and LR for HCC in patients with cirrhosis. Until November 15, 2022, we searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases by using Medical Subject Heading terms and other terms, and used the Newcastle-Ottawa literature evaluation scale to assess the quality of selected studies. OS, DFS, and operative outcomes were extracted and analyzed. The meta-analysis showed that 5 propensity-score matched (PSM) studies including 933 patients (463 TA vs. 470 LR) were included. After analysis, TA and LR had similar results at 1-year OS (odds ratio [OR] 1.68; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–2.78; P = 0.05) and 3-year OS (OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.56–1.04; P = 0.08), whereas LR increased 5-years OS (OR 0.37; 95% CI 0.18–0.74; P = 0.005). In addition to the DFS, the 1-year DFS was significantly higher in patients with LR. However, there were no obvious differences in 3-year and 5-year DFS when comparing TA and LR. The length of operative time and hospital stay were longer in the LR group. Besides, the LR group had significantly higher rate of perioperative blood transfusions and major complications. Our research proved that LR took advantage of OS and DFS for HCC patients with cirrhosis. Additional well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed.
Xylem adjustment and growth response of early- and late-successional tree species to rapid warming
Authors: Hu Zihao , Zhu Liangjun , Liu Shuguang , Lei Pifeng , Zhang Rong , Cherubini Paolo 
Published: February 2024

AbstractClimate changes have dramatically affected forest succession. However, how trees at different successional stages respond to climate warming is unclear in the subtropics. Here, we compared the radial growth (RW) and xylem features of the early-successional stage Castanea mollissima and late-successional stage Quercus fabri in subtropical forests and assessed their response to climate changes. All parameters, including RW, number of vessels (VN), vessel density (VD), mean (MVA) and total (TVA) vessel area, percentage of conductive area within xylem (RCTA), theoretical (Kh) and xylem-specific (Ks) hydraulic conductivity, except for MVA of C. mollissima were significantly higher than those of Q. fabri. During the drought period, a notable adverse correlation between two cluster parameters of Q. fabri, associated with hydraulic safety and efficiency, suggested a pronounced hydraulic trade-off in Q. fabri under drought conditions. Castanea mollissima was more sensitive to climate and more prone to hydraulic failure than Q. fabri. Temperatures and moisture conditions positively and negatively affected the hydraulic efficiency-related parameters of C. mollissima. Moisture conditions in the previous summer and winter were significantly negatively and positively related to the radial growth of both species. The impact of generalized warming was not evident due to variations in hydraulic strategies and species characteristics, trade-offs between non-growing and growing season climates, and specific competition. If climate warming continues, C. mollissima growth will probably significantly decline due to the increasing risk of hydraulic failure. Warming may accelerate species replacement and forest succession in the study area by changing their lifespans and competitive relationships.
Unveiling the role of entrepreneurial teams in the equity crowdfunding journey
Authors: Troise Ciro , Giovando Guido , Jabeen Fauzia , Bresciani Stefano 
Published: February 2024

AbstractDespite the rapid spread of equity crowdfunding, the role and actions played by entrepreneurial teams in this context have been neglected; the few studies in this field adopted a static view and focused primarily on their signaling role in equity crowdfunding campaigns, compared to solo founders. This study adopts a dynamic view and extends current literature by exploring the underlying dynamics and the role of entrepreneurial teams in the entire equity crowdfunding journey. Our findings reveal that entrepreneurial teams play a crucial role in three phases of equity crowdfunding, namely, the pre-campaign, during the campaign, and post-campaign phases. In the first phase, entrepreneurial teams are crucial in enhancing entrepreneurial alertness, social media use, social capital, entrepreneurial openness, and reducing the perceived uncertainty. The analysis shows that entrepreneurial teams are determinant for the success of the equity crowdfunding campaigns for human capital signals, certifications, social media use, and increased social capital and communication activities. Finally, the results highlight that entrepreneurial teams have valuable importance in the post-campaign phases in terms of crowd involvement/management, social capital and knowledge/network exploitation, improved resource mobilization, and resilience/robustness. Notably, social capital has a dynamic effect on equity crowdfunding activities over time. The results of this research have several implications for theory and for practice. We also discuss the implications of our findings for adopting a team approach, for small businesses undertaking the equity crowdfunding journey, and for other actors including platform managers and prospective investors.
Infectious Disease in the Workplace: Quantifying Uncertainty in Transmission
Authors: Hamley Jonathan I. D. , Beldi Guido , Sánchez-Taltavull Daniel 
Published: February 2024

AbstractUnderstanding disease transmission in the workplace is essential for protecting workers. To model disease outbreaks, the small populations in many workplaces require that stochastic effects are considered, which results in higher uncertainty. The aim of this study was to quantify and interpret the uncertainty inherent in such circumstances. We assessed how uncertainty of an outbreak in workplaces depends on i) the infection dynamics in the community, ii) the workforce size, iii) spatial structure in the workplace, iv) heterogeneity in susceptibility of workers, and v) heterogeneity in infectiousness of workers. To address these questions, we developed a multiscale model: A deterministic model to predict community transmission, and a stochastic model to predict workplace transmission. We extended this basic workplace model to allow for spatial structure, and heterogeneity in susceptibility and infectiousness in workers. We found a non-monotonic relationship between the workplace transmission rate and the coefficient of variation (CV), which we use as a measure of uncertainty. Increasing community transmission, workforce size and heterogeneity in susceptibility decreased the CV. Conversely, increasing the level of spatial structure and heterogeneity in infectiousness increased the CV. However, when the model predicts bimodal distributions, for example when community transmission is low and workplace transmission is high, the CV fails to capture this uncertainty. Overall, our work informs modellers and policy makers on how model complexity impacts outbreak uncertainty. In particular: workforce size, community and workplace transmission, spatial structure and individual heterogeneity contribute in a specific and individual manner to the predicted workplace outbreak size distribution.
Operationalizing Equity, Inclusion, and Access in Research Practice at a Large Academic Institution
Authors: Britez Ferrante Emma , Blady Shira , Sheu Dorothy , Maitra Medha Romee , Drakes Josiah , Lieberman Adina , Mussell Adam , Bair Elizabeth F. , Hearn Caleb M. , Thorbecke Leo , Zhu Jingsan , Kohn Rachel 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Introduction
Healthcare advances are hindered by underrepresentation in prospective research; sociodemographic, data, and measurement infidelity in retrospective research; and a paucity of guidelines surrounding equitable research practices.

Objective
The Joint Research Practices Working Group was created in 2021 to develop and disseminate guidelines for the conduct of inclusive and equitable research.

Methods
Volunteer faculty and staff from two research centers at the University of Pennsylvania initiated a multi-pronged approach to guideline development, including literature searches, center-level feedback, and mutual learning with local experts.

Results
We developed guidelines for (1) participant payment and incentives; (2) language interpretation and translation; (3) plain language in research communications; (4) readability of study materials; and (5) inclusive language for scientific communications. Key recommendations include (1) offer cash payments and multiple payment options to participants when required actions are completed; (2) identify top languages of your target population, map points of contact, and determine available interpretation and translation resources; (3) assess reading levels of materials and simplify language, targeting 6th- to 8th-grade reading levels; (4) improve readability through text formatting and style, symbols, and visuals; and (5) use specific, humanizing terms as adjectives rather than nouns.

Conclusions
Diversity, inclusion, and access are critical values for research conduct that promotes justice and equity. These values can be operationalized through organizational commitment that combines bottom-up and top-down approaches and through partnerships across organizations that promote mutual learning and synergy. While our guidelines represent best practices at one time, we recognize that practices evolve and need to be evaluated continuously for accuracy and relevance. Our intention is to bring awareness to these critical topics and form a foundation for important conversations surrounding equitable and inclusive research practices.
The Influence of Spraying Parameters and Powder Sizes on the Microstructure and Mechanical Behavior of Cold-Sprayed Inconel®625 Deposits
Authors: Taherkhani F. , List A. , Keller S. , Kashaev N. , Gärtner F. , Klassen T. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractCold spraying (CS) of high-strength materials, e.g., Inconel®625 is still challenging due to the limited material deformability and thus high critical velocities for achieving bonding. Further fine-tuning and optimization of cold spray process parameters are required, to reach higher particle impact velocities and temperatures, while avoiding nozzle clogging. Only then, sufficiently high amounts of well-bonded particle–substrate and particle–particle interfaces can be achieved, assuring high cohesive strength and minimum amounts of porosities. In this study, Inconel®625 powder was cold sprayed on carbon steel substrates, using N2 as propellant gas under different spray parameter sets and different powder sizes for a systematic evaluation. Coating microstructure, porosity, electrical conductivity, hardness, cohesive strength, and residual stress were characterized in as-sprayed condition. Increasing the process gas temperature or pressure leads to low coating porosity of less than 1% and higher electrical conductivity. The as-sprayed coatings show microstructures with highly deformed particles. X-ray diffraction reveals that powder and deposits are present as γ-solid-solution phase without any precipitations. The deposits show high microhardness and compressive residual stresses, which is attributed to work hardening and peening effects. The optimized deposits reach almost bulk material properties and are thus well suited for industrial applications.
Zinc oxide–chitosan matrix for efficient electrochemical sensing of acetaminophen
Authors: Medany Shymaa S. , Hefnawy Mahmoud A. , Fadlallah Sahar A. , El-Sherif Rabab M. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe acetaminophen is an antipyretic and nonopioid analgesic that is prescribed for the management of fever and mild to moderate pain. The detection of acetaminophen by ZnO and ZnO@Chitosan-modified electrodes made of glassy carbon was compared. Acetaminophen was detected using surfaces of ZnO and ZnO@Chitosan over a 10–50 µM concentration range. The detection limits for ZnO and ZnO@Chitosan were anticipated to be 0.94 and 0.71 μmol L−1, respectively. In a wide range of acidic, neutral, and basic mediums with varying pH values, the impact of a change in solution pH on acetaminophen sensitivity was investigated. Electrokinetic studies were used to evaluate the acetaminophen detection efficiency. The charge transfer resistance (Rc) for various surfaces was measured using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Using DFT studies, the synergistic effect of chitosan on zinc oxide was also shown. The Forcite model was used to calculate the surface interactions between chitosan and zinc oxide. Acetaminophen adsorption on the chitosan surface was also studied using the B3LYP density functional method.
Graphical abstract
Advances and Challenges in Managing Hepatitis D Virus: Evolving Strategies
Authors: Gopalakrishna Harish , Mironova Maria , Dahari Harel , Koh Christopher , Heller Theo 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Purpose of Review
Hepatitis D Virus (HDV), although a small defective virus, poses a substantial public health challenge due to lack of awareness, underrecognized prevalence, and limited treatment options. Universal HDV screening within hepatitis B virus (HBV) cohorts is essential to address this issue. Despite its aggressive nature, effective HDV therapies have remained elusive for over four decades.

Recent Findings
Advances in understanding HDV’s biology and clinical behavior offer potential therapeutic breakthroughs, fostering optimism. As insights grow, effective and targeted therapies are being developed to improve HDV management.

Summary
This review delves into HDV’s intricate structure and biology, highlighting formidable hurdles in antiviral development. It emphasizes the importance of widespread screening, exploring noninvasive diagnostics, and examining current and emerging innovative therapeutic strategies. Moreover, the review explores models for monitoring treatment response. In essence, this review simplifies the complexities of effectively combating HDV.
Evaluation of Health Risks Attributed to Toxic Trace Elements and Selenium in Farmed Mediterranean Mussels from Türkiye and Bulgaria
Authors: Dogruyol Hande , Mol Suhendan , Ulusoy Şafak , Atanasoff Alexander 
Published: February 2024

AbstractFarmed mussels accumulate contaminants from their production environment rather than releasing them into water. This study reveals potential health risks associated with selenium, cadmium, mercury, and lead resulting from the consumption of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) cultured along the coasts of Türkiye and Bulgaria. The concentrations of Se and toxic trace metals were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The detection limits (LOD) were 0.100, 0.015, 0.025, and 0.180 µg/kg for Se, Cd, Hg, and Pb, respectively. The mean Se concentrations were between 1.305 and 1.957 µg/g, and toxic metals were below the maximum limits. Due to Turkish and Bulgarian consumers’ limited mollusk consumption, mussels could only provide a maximum of 7.35% of the daily Se need. THQ and TTHQ of Se, Cd, and methyl-Hg were below 1, indicating that farmed mussels were safe for consumption. Percent PTWI values were calculated only for Cd and MeHg, as the PTWI value for Pb was discarded by the authorities and not determined for Se. Accordingly, weekly mussel consumption did not pose any risks. The margin of exposure approach was used to evaluate Pb intake. MOE-SBP and MOE-NE were significantly higher than 10, designating no significant health risks. Long-term consumption of mussels also does not pose a carcinogenic risk regarding the TR index calculated between 10−5 and 10−6 for Pb. Positive HBVSe (10.13–37.27) indicated that Se in mussels overcame Hg-related potential health concerns. Consequently, mussels grown in Türkiye and Bulgaria did not pose a risk for human consumption, based on current risk analysis methods.