bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Structural engineering of flagellin as vaccine adjuvant: quest for the minimal domain of flagellin for TLR5 activation
Authors: Afzal Haroon , Murtaza Asad , Cheng Li-Ting 
Published: January 2025

AbstractFlagellin stimulates Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5), triggering both innate and adaptive immune responses, making it a potential vaccine adjuvant. On mucosal surfaces, flagellin induces a strong release of cytokines, chemokines, and immunoglobulins. When used in its free monomeric form, flagellin has been shown to enhance immune responses when combined with vaccine antigens. Further research demonstrated that genetically linking flagellin to the antigen provides a more consistent immune boost. However, the bulky structure of flagellin presents challenges in designing the antigen-adjuvant construct, leading to ongoing research to determine the minimal flagellin domain necessary for its adjuvant effect. Early findings suggest that only the D0 and D1 domains are required for immune enhancement. Functional analysis revealed that the TLR5-binding region is located in the D1 domain, while TLR5 dimerization and signaling require the presence of D0. Further reductions in the size of the D0 and D1 domains may be possible as deeper studies aim to identify the key residues responsible for TLR5 activation and immune enhancement. Additionally, flagellin is being tested as a hapten carrier alongside its established adjuvant role. Recently, significant advancements in flagellin application have been observed as it progresses through clinical studies as an adjuvant, anti-radiation, and anti-cancer agent.
Trajectories of Canadian Workers’ Well-Being During the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Pacheco Tyler , Coulombe Simon , Kocovski Nancy L. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractResearch regarding workers’ well-being over time during COVID-19 has primarily used variable-centered approaches (e.g., ANOVA) to explore changes in negative well-being. However, variable-centered approaches provide insufficient information on the different well-being experiences that diverse workers may have experienced during COVID-19. Furthermore, researchers have understudied positive well-being in workers’ general lives and work during COVID-19. We used latent trajectory analysis, a person-centered analysis, to explore diverse well-being trajectories Canadian workers experienced during the first few months of COVID-19 across distress, flourishing, presenteeism, and thriving at work measures. We hypothesized that: H1) Intragroup differences would be present on each well-being indicator at study onset; H2) Different longitudinal trajectories would emerge for each well-being indicator (i.e., some workers’ scores would get better, some would get worse, and some would remain the same); and H3) Factors at different ecological levels (self, social, workplace, pandemic) would predict membership to the different trajectories. Canadian workers (N = 648) were surveyed March 20-27th, April 3rd-10th, and May 20-27th of 2020. Depending on the well-being indicator, and supporting H1, three to five well-being trajectories were identified. Providing some support for H2, distress and presenteeism trajectories improved over time or stayed stagnant; flourishing and thriving at work trajectories worsened or stayed stagnant. Providing some support for H3, self- (gender, age, disability status, trait resilience), social- (family functioning), workplace- (employment status, financial strain, sense of job security), and pandemic-related (perceived vulnerability to COVID-19) factors significantly predicted well-being trajectory membership. Recommendations for diverse stakeholders (e.g., employers, mental health organizations) are discussed.
A Reconsideration of the Relationship Between Town Size and Well-Being in Latin America
Authors: Jantsch Antje , Piper Alan 
Published: January 2025

AbstractIn this study, we explore the relationship between town size and subjective well-being (SWB) in Latin America. We utilize data from the Latinobarómetro survey from 2005 to 2015, employing multilevel modeling to analyze individual responses to life satisfaction as an indicator of SWB. We refine the town size categories provided in the Latinobarómetro by cross-referencing the geographic information with the United Nations Demographic Yearbook, one of our main contributions, leaving us with more refined town size categories than previous research. Given previous theories, we also explore how education moderates the town size-SWB relationship. Our findings reveal that individuals in towns with populations between 10,000 and 500,000 report lower life satisfaction compared to those in smaller or larger towns. Controlling for national macroeconomic conditions reverses the positive association between SWB and living in a very large city. Furthermore, we find some support for the notion that highly-educated individuals are more satisfied than the low-educated in large cities. This study comprehensively underscores the importance of refining town size data and suggests avenues for future research to deepen collective understanding of the ‘geography of happiness’ in Latin America.
Modeling Solidification Microstructure in an Inoculated Aluminum 6061 Alloy Processed with Gas Metal Arc Directed Energy Deposition
Authors: Kleindienst Joe , Bagshaw Nick , Iten Jeremy , Klemm-Toole Jonah 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
The solidification microstructures of plain and inoculated 6061 aluminum builds manufactured with gas metal arc-directed energy deposition were studied with a combination of models and experiments. Electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) showed that the plain 6061 build had large, columnar grains with intergranular solidification cracking, while the inoculated build had a near-equiaxed, fine grain microstructure with no solidification cracks. By combining EBSD and energy dispersive spectrometry, the inoculated build has been shown to have exhibited globular growth while the non-inoculated build displayed a dendritic microstructure. A combination of heat transfer and modified grain morphology models were employed to predict the solidification morphology of the 6061 builds, which closely matched experimental results. A modification is proposed to the criterion marking the transition from globular to dendritic growth that better matches experimental results in this work. The results of this study are expected to provide improved methods to predict solidification microstructure for the development of new materials and processing parameters for additive manufacturing.
Childhood maltreatment, spiritual wellbeing, and stress-related growth in emerging adults: A conditional approach to responsibility
Authors: Arslan Gökmen 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThe current cross-sectional study aims to examine whether spiritual wellbeing mediates between childhood psychological maltreatment and stress-related growth in emerging adults. We also aim to investigate the moderating role of responsibility on the mediating effect of spiritual wellbeing between childhood maltreatment and stress-related growth. The sample of the study consisted of 501 undergraduate emerging adults from different public universities in Türkiye, with 66.5% of whom were female and aged between 18 and 25 years. Results showed that childhood psychological maltreatment had significant associations with responsibility, spiritual wellbeing, and growth. Additionally, spiritual wellbeing acted as a mediator between childhood maltreatment and stress-related growth in emerging adults. Further, the results indicated that responsibility moderated the mediating effect of spiritual wellbeing on the link between psychological maltreatment and stress-related growth. The study results underscore the mediating role of the spiritual wellbeing in the association between childhood maltreatment and stress-related growth and the protective role of a sense of responsibility in this mediating model. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of spiritual wellbeing and responsibility in promoting positive outcomes in emerging adults, particularly in the face of adverse childhood experiences.
Investigating Wire Electric-Discharge Machining (WEDM) Parameters for Improved Machining of D2 Steel: A Multi-Objective Optimization Study
Authors: Afridi Saif Ahmad , Younas Muhammad , Khan Zarak , Khan Aqib Mashood 
Published: January 2025

AbstractWire Electric-Discharge Machining (WEDM) represents a non-traditional approach to metal cutting, providing the advantage of precision manufacturing over conventional methods. In recent years, the metal machining industry has witnessed numerous benefits in terms of high speed and accuracy through the utilization of WEDM in both additive and subtractive manufacturing processes. This research focuses on studying the process parameters and their impact on surface roughness, energy consumption, kerf width, and material removal rates in Wire Electric-Discharge Machining of D2 steel. The Taguchi approach to experimental design (L16) was employed to conduct cutting experiments at varying levels of ON Time, OFF Time, Servo Voltage, and Wire Tension. Experimental results were optimized using ANOVA and Grey Relational Analysis to refine the process inputs and achieve performance measures that minimize surface roughness, power consumption, and kerf width while maximizing material removal rate. Statistical analysis revealed that ON Time is the most significant factor (73%) affecting both individual and multiple responses. The optimized model indicates that significant improvements can be simultaneously achieved in all response parameters by selecting the optimal combination of parameters. This not only enhances the part quality but contributes positively towards process sustainability and productivity.
Effect of Chemotherapy Patient Education Using the Teach-Back Method on Symptom Management and Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Gullu Gucuyener Belkis , Gulseven Karabacak Bilgi 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThis study aimed to evaluate the impact of the teach-back method in managing chemotherapy symptoms and improving quality of life. A secondary aim was to develop more effective care and education frameworks for cancer treatment. A single-center, randomized controlled trial was conducted with 80 patients who received chemotherapy between June 2022 and May 2023. Patients in the intervention group were educated about the chemotherapy process using the teach-back method, while those in the control group received standard education. Data were collected using a participant information form, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), and the EQ-5D Quality of Life Scale. Statistical significance was accepted as p < 0.05 for all tests. In both groups, EQ-5D scores increased with the number of chemotherapy cycles, indicating a negative impact on quality of life. However, this increase was smaller in the intervention group. As the number of cycles increased, the intervention group scored lower on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale compared to the control group. The results of the study show that using the teach-back method in patient education is effective in the management of chemotherapy-related symptoms and improving overall quality of life.
Identification of novel 3-dehydroquinate dehydratase (DHQD) inhibitors for anti-tuberculosis activity: insights from virtual screening, molecular docking, and dynamics simulations
Authors: Isa Mustafa Alhaji , Kappo Abidemi Paul 
Published: January 2025

AbstractTuberculosis (TB) remains a pressing global health concern, causing substantial mortality and morbidity despite existing drugs and vaccines. The escalating challenge of drug-resistant TB underscores the critical need for novel medications. This study focuses on the enzyme 3-hydroquinate dehydratase (DHQD) in the shikimate pathway of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), essential for Mtb growth. Using an in silico approach, the crystal structure of DHQD complexed with 1,3,4-trihydroxy-5-(3-phenoxypropyl)-cyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid (CA) was obtained from the Protein Data Bank. After meticulous preparation, a diverse library of 9699 compounds from Zinc and PubChem databases was subjected to virtual screening, complying with Lipinski's rule of five and compounds capable of binding to DHQD with less binding energy. Molecular docking analysis identified eight compounds with highly favorable binding energies, ranging from -8.99 to -8.39 kcal/mol, surpassing CA's -4.93 kcal/mol. To assess their potential as inhibitors, these eight compounds were subjected to scrutiny for pharmacokinetic properties, encompassing Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity (ADMET). Five compounds (ZINC14981770, ZINC14741224, ZINC14743698, ZINC13165465, and ZINC8442077) demonstrated desirable pharmacokinetic attributes and were selected for further investigation. Subsequent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and molecular generalized born surface area (MM-GBSA) analyses were conducted. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed that these five compounds formed stable complexes with DHQD over 50 ns, with root mean square deviation (RMSD) values ranging from 1.57 Å to 2.34 Å, indicating high structural stability. In addition, the MM-GBSA binding energy calculations showed that these compounds had favourable binding affinities, with ZINC14981770 exhibiting the lowest free binding energy of -32.70 kcal/mol, followed by ZINC14741224 at -29.67 kcal/mol and ZINC14743698 at -28.79 kcal/mol. These binding energies significantly outperformed the reference compound CA, which had a binding energy of -10.62 kcal/mol. Based on these findings; these five compounds hold promise as potent inhibitors of Mtb DHQD, pending validation through in vitro and in vivo experiments.
Changes in optical properties of aesthetic paediatric restorative materials following exposure to beverages: In-vitro study
Authors: Elkhatib A. A. , Elwardani G. E. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Purpose
Optical properties of recent aesthetic restorative materials must maintain an acceptable appearance throughout their functional lifetime. This study aimed to assess the changes in translucency and colour of recent resin-based restorative materials after exposure to beverages commonly consumed by children.

Methods
An experimental in-vitro study on 48 discs specimens prepared from; Group I: Filtek Z250 XT (Nanohybrid), Group II: Cention N (Alkasite bulkfill), and Group III: SDR flow Plus (Flowable bulkfill). The prepared disc specimens were randomly assigned into 4 subgroups (n = 12) according to the immersion solution: Subgroup A (control): distilled water, B: Coca-Cola, C: chocolate milk, and D: Orange juice. Translucency and colour measurements were done before immersion (baseline) and on day 30 of exposure. Statistical analysis involved Two Way Repeated Measures ANOVA and Kruskal–Wallis test.

Results
The statistical analysis revealed that the restorative material, immersion time, and immersion solution had a significant effect on the change in translucency (p < 0.0001*, p < 0.0001*, p = 0.001*, respectively). Regarding colour changes, different immersion solutions had a statistically significant effect on Filtek Z250 XT and Cention N (p < 0.0001*). Distilled water and Coca-Cola were found to have a significant effect on colour change for all restorative materials investigated (p < 0.0001*, p = 0.003*).

Conclusion
the optical properties of resin-based restorative materials used in paediatric dentistry were notably affected by prolonged exposure to beverages commonly consumed by children.
Global Synthesis of Quantification of Fire Behaviour Characteristics in Forests and Shrublands: Recent Progress
Authors: Cruz Miguel G. , Hoffman Chad M. , Fernandes Paulo M. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Purpose of Review
The behaviour of wildland fires, namely their free spreading nature, destructive energy fluxes and hazardous environment, make it a phenomenon difficult to study. Field experimental studies and occasional wildfire observations underpin our understanding of fire behaviour. We aim to present a global synthesis of field-based studies in forest and shrublands fuel types published since 2003 with a focus on the most commonly measured fire behaviour attributes, namely rate of fire spread, ignition and spread sustainability, flame characteristics, fuel consumption and spotting behaviour.

Recent Findings
We present a synthesis of measured fire behaviour data collected in field experiments and wildfire environments encompassing the last two decades. We discuss the effect of a lack of standardised experimental methodologies in field studies, which has inhibited our quantitative understanding of the physical drivers of fire behaviour. The application of new fire environment and behaviour measuring sensors and methods offer opportunities for more comprehensive descriptions of fire spread characteristics, particularly when applied to wildfire events, to better capture scale dependent phenomena that do not occur at smaller experimental scales.

Summary
Fire behaviour data collected in field experiments and wildfires form the foundation of our quantitative understanding of fire dynamics. These data are used in the development and evaluation of predictive models with operational and scientific applications. We provide a broad synthesis of existing field-based studies in forest and shrubland ecosystems and discuss their limitations and needs for future research.
Look into the LITE in deep learning for time series classification
Authors: Ismail-Fawaz Ali , Devanne Maxime , Berretti Stefano , Weber Jonathan , Forestier Germain 
Published: January 2025

AbstractDeep learning models have been shown to be a powerful solution for Time Series Classification (TSC). State-of-the-art architectures, while producing promising results on the UCR and the UEA archives, present a high number of trainable parameters. This can lead to long training with high CO2 emission, power consumption and possible increase in the number of FLoating-point Operation Per Second (FLOPS). In this paper, we present a new architecture for TSC, the Light Inception with boosTing tEchnique (LITE) with only $$2.34\%$$

2.34
%

of the number of parameters of the state-of-the-art InceptionTime model, while preserving performance. This architecture, with only 9, 814 trainable parameters due to the usage of DepthWise Separable Convolutions (DWSC), is boosted by three techniques: multiplexing, custom filters, and dilated convolution. The LITE architecture, trained on the UCR, is 2.78 times faster than InceptionTime and consumes 2.79 times less CO2 and power, while achieving an average accuracy of $$84.62\%$$

84.62
%

compared to $$84.91\%$$

84.91
%

with InceptionTime. To evaluate the performance of the proposed architecture on multivariate time series data, we adapt LITE to handle multivariate time series, we call this version LITEMV. To bring theory into application, we also conducted experiments using LITEMV on multivariate time series representing human rehabilitation movements, showing that LITEMV not only is the most efficient model but also the best performing for this application on the Kimore dataset, a skeleton-based human rehabilitation exercises dataset. Moreover, to address the interpretability of LITEMV, we present a study using Class Activation Maps to understand the classification decision taken by the model during evaluation.
Assessing the interaction of oceanic and riverine processes on coastal phytoplankton dynamics in the East China Sea
Authors: Gao Jiawei , Bi Rong , Sachs Julian P. , Wang Yaoyao , Ding Yang , Che Hong , Zhang Jing , Yao Peng , Shi Jie , Zhao Meixun 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
The interaction of riverine inputs and ocean current systems causes complex spatiotemporal variations in phytoplankton dynamics in marginal seas of the northwest Pacific Ocean, yet quantitative assessments of these variations and their causes remain limited. Here we evaluate phytoplankton biomass and community structure changes using lipid biomarkers, accompanying ocean circulation and nutrient variations in surface waters collected in spring and summer of 2017–2018 at 118 sites in the East China Sea off the Zhejiang coast. High biomass of diatoms, inferred from brassicasterol concentrations, shifted from the south in spring to the north in summer, while high dinoflagellate biomass, inferred from dinosterol concentrations, occurred mainly in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River plume and adjacent areas in both seasons. Seasonal variation in phytoplankton distribution was linked to the spatial extents of water masses such as the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW) and the intrusion of the Kuroshio Subsurface Water (KSSW). A three end-member mixing model was applied to quantify water mass contributions. The results showed that an increase in the KSSW (from 0 to 40%) and a decrease in the CDW (from 100 to 20%) resulted in a significant (20%) increase in diatom proportions and a significant (20%) decrease in dinoflagellate proportions. Dinoflagellate proportions were highest in the CDW-dominated region, while diatoms and total phytoplankton biomass were higher in the CDW–KSSW mixing region and the KSSW-dominated region. This study highlights the dynamic response of the phytoplankton community to water mass changes in marginal seas that can aid coastal ecosystem management.
A Sponsor’s Best Practice and Operating Principles to Manage Data Monitoring Committees
Authors: Birck Malene Muusfeldt , Rasmussen Josephine Skovgaard , Helmark Ida Carøe , Lollike Karsten 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
The use of data monitoring committees (DMC) to safeguard patients’ safety in clinical trials has evolved over the last decades and has become increasingly common. To ensure well-operating and high-performing DMCs, pharmaceutical companies need to establish clearly defined operational processes while continuously seeking to optimize these and adapt to the needs of drug development. Although there are health authority guidelines on establishing and managing a DMC, the perspectives and experiences of sponsors are often underrepresented. This publication shares insights on a sponsor, Novo Nordisk (NN), regarding principles and practices for DMC establishment and management across varying trial types and therapeutic areas, including challenges and solutions. Highlighting NN’s structured and successful approach to DMCs, it details clearly defined roles and responsibilities that ensure productive DMC meetings and high-quality data for the DMC. Additionally, NN’s practices for clear, transparent, and trustful communication between the sponsor, the DMC, and the independent external statistical vendor are described. Processes for quality control, internal audits, and learnings from inspections and how these are incorporated for continuous improvement of the DMC process are discussed. While the processes and practices described are primarily designed for medium and large pharmaceutical companies, certain aspects may also be relevant and beneficial for smaller companies.