bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nanoparticles coated by chloramphenicol in hydrogels as a useful tool to increase the antibiotic release and antibacterial activity in dermal drug delivery
Authors: Bursy Dawid , Balwierz Radosław , Groch Paweł , Biernat Paweł , Byrski Adam , Kasperkiewicz Katarzyna , Ochędzan-Siodłak Wioletta 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Background
Nanocarriers for antibacterial drugs became hopeful tools against the increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. This work focuses on a comprehensive study of the applicability and therapeutic suitability of dermal carbopol-based hydrogels containing chloramphenicol carried by various nanoparticles (AuNPs and SiNPs).

Methods
The different forms of carbopol-based drugs for dermal use were obtained. Five different concentrations of chloramphenicol and two types of nanoparticles (silica and gold) in carbopol-based ointments were tested. The influence of different carbopol formulations with nanocarriers on the rheological properties as well as the release profile of active substances and bacteriostatic activity on five reference strains were determined.

Results
The properties of the obtained hydrogels were compared to a commercial formulation, and finally it was possible to obtain a formulation that allowed improved antimicrobial activity over a commercially available detreomycin ointment while reducing the concentration of the antibiotic.

Conclusion
The work indicates that it is possible to reduce the concentration of chloramphenicol by four times while maintaining its bacteriostatic activity, which can improve the patient’s safety profile while increasing the effectiveness of the therapy.

Graphical abstract
Pelvic Exam Laws in the United States: A Systematic Review
Authors: Plantak Mihael , Alter Scott M. , Clayton Lisa M. , Hughes Patrick G. , Shih Richard D. , Mendiola Monica , Solano Joshua J. 
Published: April 2023

AbstractLaws regulating patient care are an essential component of protecting patients and doctors alike. No studies have previously examined what laws exist regarding pelvic examinations in the United States (US). This study systematically reviews and compares regulation and legislation of pelvic examinations in the U.S. and provides a comprehensive resource to educate clinicians, patients, and lawmakers. Each of the fifty States in the U.S. was included. The primary outcome was existence of any pelvic or rectal exam laws. Data was obtained for the type of examination defined within the law, exceptions to the law, to whom the law applied to, the type of consent required, and to whom the consent applied to. Laws were identified from each of the individual state legislative websites. All sections of each law pertaining to pelvic examination were reviewed and organized by state. Descriptive statistics were performed for each of the variables, including frequencies of each amongst the fifty states. State regulation for pelvic examinations varied from no law or regulation to laws pertaining to pelvic, rectal, prostate, and breast examination performed in any context. As of November 22, 2022, there are twenty states (40%) with pelvic examination laws applying to anesthetized or unconscious patients. Thirteen additional states (26%) have proposed pelvic exam laws. Seventeen states (34%) do not have any laws regarding pelvic examinations. Regulation of pelvic examinations has become an increasingly important issue over the past few years in response to growing concerns of patient autonomy and the ethical issues raised by such sensitive examinations. While pelvic examination laws that balance protection for patient autonomy and the needs of caregivers and educators exist in much of the U.S., more work needs to continue in consultation with physicians and health care providers to ensure that all states have reasonable laws protecting the autonomy of patients while also maintaining quality of care.
Straight Teeth and Misaligned Interests: Courtrooms Are Crowded with SmileDirectClub Litigation
Authors: Zweihorn Chaninah 
Published: April 2023

AbstractSmileDirectClub markets, manufactures, and delivers clear plastic dental aligners directly to the consumer: no dental office necessary. This well-known business strategy—cut costs by cutting out the middleman—has in several instances caught the attention of state dental regulators. While the dental boards consider some of SmileDirectClub’s practices to be violative of state dental practice law, the corporation has fought back in federal court, charging dental regulators with antitrust violations and with denying SmileDirectClub its constitutional rights.The Supreme Court, as noted by SmileDirectClub, has insisted that a self-regulating state professional board is not itself the state, so a board’s actions might be subject to federal antitrust law. In the SmileDirectClub cases, however, state regulators have acted as required by state legislatures and as expressed in state dental practice acts. The boards’ activities here are therefore cloaked in the states’ immunity to antitrust litigation and should be treated deferentially by federal courts. Furthermore, judicial review of the substance of every regulation to which SmileDirectClub objects is inappropriate under principles of constitutional law. In the interest of public safety, courts should permit state dental regulators to fulfill their mandates and ensure that all dental providers comply with state health regulations.
Synthetic Biology: State Regulation in the Biomedical Context
Authors: Watson Julia 
Published: April 2023

AbstractSynthetic biology is an emerging, interdisciplinary research field with much promise for biomedicine. Broadly defined as “the design and construction of new biological systems to perform specific tasks,” researchers and clinicians are using synthetic biology to develop targeted treatments for cancer, coronaviruses, and so forth. Because of the experimental nature of synthetic biology, regulation is necessary. Current federal frameworks, such as the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act, The Toxic Substances Act of 1976, Institutional Review Boards, and self-regulation are not enough. As a result, states have a unique opportunity to develop statutory and regulatory frameworks to develop a pathway for regulating synthetic biology. In developing legislation, state lawmakers should look to build a comprehensive framework that addresses businesses selling technology for synthesizing DNA codes, monitors orders for synthetic DNA, and develops statewide documentation systems. Additionally, public health information on treatments using synthetic biology can help to educate the public and reduce the prevalence of misconceptions about the technology. In the absence of federal regulation, states should step into the synthetic biology regulatory space to ensure that their citizens are not harmed by therapies developed using synthetic biology.
Dark ice in a warming world: advances and challenges in the study of Greenland Ice Sheet's biological darkening
Authors: Halbach Laura , Chevrollier Lou-Anne , Cook Joseph M. , Stevens Ian T. , Hansen Martin , Anesio Alexandre M. , Benning Liane G. , Tranter Martyn 
Published: April 2023

AbstractThe surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet is darkening, which accelerates its surface melt. The role of glacier ice algae in reducing surface albedo is widely recognised but not well quantified and the feedbacks between the algae and the weathering crust remain poorly understood. In this letter, we summarise recent advances in the study of the biological darkening of the Greenland Ice Sheet and highlight three key research priorities that are required to better understand and forecast algal-driven melt: (i) identifying the controls on glacier ice algal growth and mortality, (ii) quantifying the spatio-temporal variability in glacier ice algal biomass and processes involved in cell redistribution and (iii) determining the albedo feedbacks between algal biomass and weathering crust characteristics. Addressing these key research priorities will allow us to better understand the supraglacial ice-algal system and to develop an integrated model incorporating the algal and physical controls on ice surface albedo.
Religious Dynamics and Conflicts in Contemporary Ethiopia: Expansion, Protection, and Reclaiming Space
Authors: Østebø Terje 
Published: April 2023

AbstractEthiopia has often been portrayed as a unique case of peaceful inter-religious relations. The country has, however, seen an increase in violence between religious communities over the last decades, something which has been interpreted within the prism of extremism. Analyzing inter-religious dynamics in Ethiopia, Østebø argues that the notion of extremism is an inadequate analytical tool, and proposes instead an alternative approach that explores how mutually constitutive developments within each of the main religious communities in Ethiopia together have contributed to exacerbate inter-religious tensions. In particular, Østebø suggests a typology consisting of the intersected processes of expansion, protection, and reclaiming of space.
Crime Victimization, Trust and Performance Evaluation of Donald Trump: Exploring Gender and Race Determinants
Authors: Solar Carlos 
Published: April 2023

AbstractTwo of Donald Trump administration’s most salient legacies are the high level of crime victimization and low popularity ratings among groups likely to be targeted by crime, such as females and race and ethnic minorities. To explore crime victimization and public opinion towards the president, the article tests whether gender and race determinants among crime victims were associated with trust in the president and job performance approval. Results indicated that females and female victims of crime were less likely to reward presidential performance and trust Trump. Blacks and Latinos were less likely to trust Trump and less likely to reward his job performance; however, there was no effect when moderating by whether they reported being victims of crime. Victims of crime in unsafe neighbourhoods were less likely to trust and reward presidential performance. More surprisingly, being a crime victim was a significant and positive predictor of trusting Trump and rewarding his job performance. The results tell us about the need to continue studying the public’s wishes for the authorities to respond to the problem of victimization, oftentimes rewarding populist approaches to punitive justice, incarceration and overall tougher criminal policies.
Educational video while “waiting-to-be-seen” in a cardiology outpatient clinic promotes opt-in self-consent for biobanking of remnant clinical biospecimens: A randomized-controlled trial
Authors: López Javier E. , Kyle Andrew , Hosseini Armon J. , Wilson Machelle , Soares Stephanie 
Published: April 2023

Abstract

Objectives:
Consenting donors for remnant clinical biospecimen donation is critical for scaling research biorepositories. Opt-in, low-cost, self-consenting for donations that solely relied on clinical staff and printed materials was recently shown to yield ∼30% consent rate. We hypothesized that adding an educational video to this process would improve consent rates.

Methods:
Randomized patients (by clinic day) in a Cardiology clinic received either printed materials (control) or the same materials plus an educational video on donations (intervention) while waiting to be seen. Engaged patients were surveyed at the clinic checkout for an “opt-in” or “opt-out” response. The decision was documented digitally in the electronic medical record. The primary outcome of this study was the consent rate.

Results:
Thirty-five clinic days were randomized to intervention (18) or control (17). Three hundred and fifty-five patients were engaged, 217 in the intervention and 158 in the control. No significant demographic differences were noted between treatment groups. Following an intention-to-treat analysis, the rate of opt-in for remnant biospecimen donation was 53% for the intervention and 41% for the control group (p-value = 0.03). This represents a 62% increase in the odds of consenting (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.05–2.5).

Conclusion:
This is the first randomized trial showing that an educational video is superior to printed materials alone when patients are self-consenting for remnant biospecimen donation. This result adds to the evidence that efficient and effective consenting processes can be integrated into clinical workflows to advance universal consenting in medical research.
Large deviations, moment estimates and almost sure invariance principles for skew products with mixing base maps and expanding-on-average fibers
Authors: HAFOUTA YEOR 
Published: April 2023

AbstractIn this paper we show how to apply classical probabilistic tools for partial sums
$\sum _{j=0}^{n-1}\varphi \circ \tau ^j$
generated by a skew product
$\tau $
, built over a sufficiently well-mixing base map and a random expanding dynamical system. Under certain regularity assumptions on the observable
$\varphi $
, we obtain a central limit theorem (CLT) with rates, a functional CLT, an almost sure invariance principle (ASIP), a moderate-deviations principle, several exponential concentration inequalities and Rosenthal-type moment estimates for skew products with
$\alpha $
-,
$\phi $
- or
$\psi $
-mixing base maps and expanding-on-average random fiber maps. All of the results are new even in the uniformly expanding case. The main novelty here (in contrast to [2]) is that the random maps are not independent, they do not preserve the same measure and the observable
$\varphi $
depends also on the base space. For stretched exponentially
${\alpha }$
-mixing base maps our proofs are based on multiple correlation estimates, which make the classical method of cumulants applicable. For
$\phi $
- or
$\psi $
-mixing base maps, we obtain an ASIP and maximal and concentration inequalities by establishing an
$L^\infty $
convergence of the iterates
${\mathcal K}^{\,n}$
of a certain transfer operator
${\mathcal K}$
with respect to a certain sub-
${\sigma }$
-algebra, which yields an appropriate (reverse) martingale-coboundary decomposition.
Reinforcement learning of control strategies for reducing skin friction drag in a fully developed turbulent channel flow
Authors: Sonoda Takahiro , Liu Zhuchen , Itoh Toshitaka , Hasegawa Yosuke 
Published: April 2023

Reinforcement learning is applied to the development of control strategies in order to reduce skin friction drag in a fully developed turbulent channel flow at a low Reynolds number. Motivated by the so-called opposition control (Choi et al., J. Fluid Mech., vol. 253, 1993, pp. 509–543), in which a control input is applied so as to cancel the wall-normal velocity fluctuation on a detection plane at a certain distance from the wall, we consider wall blowing and suction as a control input, and its spatial distribution is determined by the instantaneous streamwise and wall-normal velocity fluctuations at distance 15 wall units above the wall. A deep neural network is used to express the nonlinear relationship between the sensing information and the control input, and it is trained so as to maximize the expected long-term reward, i.e. drag reduction. When only the wall-normal velocity fluctuation is measured and a linear network is used, the present framework reproduces successfully the optimal linear weight for the opposition control reported in a previous study (Chung & Talha, Phys. Fluids, vol. 23, 2011, 025102). In contrast, when a nonlinear network is used, more complex control strategies based on the instantaneous streamwise and wall-normal velocity fluctuations are obtained. Specifically, the obtained control strategies switch abruptly between strong wall blowing and suction for downwelling of a high-speed fluid towards the wall and upwelling of a low-speed fluid away from the wall, respectively. Extracting key features from the obtained policies allows us to develop novel control strategies leading to drag reduction rates as high as 37 %, which is higher than the 23 % achieved by the conventional opposition control at the same Reynolds number. Finding such an effective and nonlinear control policy is quite difficult by relying solely on human insights. The present results indicate that reinforcement learning can be a novel framework for the development of effective control strategies through systematic learning based on a large number of trials.
Glaciological and climatological drivers of heterogeneous glacier mass loss in the Tanggula Shan (Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau), since the 1960s
Authors: King Owen , Ghuffar Sajid , Bhattacharya Atanu , Yao Ruzhen , Yao Tandong , Bolch Tobias 
Published: April 2023

AbstractDespite their extreme elevation, glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau are losing mass in response to atmospheric warming, the pattern of which purportedly reflects regional contrasts in climate. Here we examine the evolution of glaciers along ~500 km of the Tanggula Shan, Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau. Using remotely sensed datasets, we quantified changes in glacier mass, area and surface velocity, and compared these results to time series of meteorological observations, in order to disentangle drivers of glacier mass loss since the 1960s. Glacier mass loss has increased (from −0.21 ± 0.12 m w.e. a−1 in 1960s–2000s, to −0.52 ± 0.18 m w.e. a−1 in 2000s–2015/18) in association with pervasive positive temperature anomalies (up to 1.85°C), which are pronounced at the end of the now lengthened ablation season. However, glacier mass budget perturbations do not mirror the magnitude of temperature anomalies in sub-regions, thus additional factors have heightened glacier recession. We show how proglacial lake expansion and glacier surging have compounded glacier recession over decadal/multi-decadal time periods, and exert similar influence on glacier mass budgets as temperature changes. Our results demonstrate the importance of ice loss mechanisms not often incorporated into broad-scale glacier projections, which need to be better considered to refine future glacier runoff estimates.
Stein’s method and approximating the multidimensional quantum harmonic oscillator
Authors: McKeague Ian W. , Swan Yvik 
Published: April 2023

AbstractStein’s method is used to study discrete representations of multidimensional distributions that arise as approximations of states of quantum harmonic oscillators. These representations model how quantum effects result from the interaction of finitely many classical ‘worlds’, with the role of sample size played by the number of worlds. Each approximation arises as the ground state of a Hamiltonian involving a particular interworld potential function. Our approach, framed in terms of spherical coordinates, provides the rate of convergence of the discrete approximation to the ground state in terms of Wasserstein distance. Applying a novel Stein’s method technique to the radial component of the ground state solution, the fastest rate of convergence to the ground state is found to occur in three dimensions.
Two measures are better than one: combining iconicity ratings and guessing experiments for a more nuanced picture of iconicity in the lexicon
Authors: McLean Bonnie , Dunn Michael , Dingemanse Mark 
Published: April 2023

AbstractIconicity in language is receiving increased attention from many fields, but our understanding of iconicity is only as good as the measures we use to quantify it. We collected iconicity measures for 304 Japanese words from English-speaking participants, using rating and guessing tasks. The words included ideophones (structurally marked depictive words) along with regular lexical items from similar semantic domains (e.g., fuwafuwa ‘fluffy’, jawarakai ‘soft’). The two measures correlated, speaking to their validity. However, ideophones received consistently higher iconicity ratings than other items, even when guessed at the same accuracies, suggesting the rating task is more sensitive to cues like structural markedness that frame words as iconic. These cues did not always guide participants to the meanings of ideophones in the guessing task, but they did make them more confident in their guesses, even when they were wrong. Consistently poor guessing results reflect the role different experiences play in shaping construals of iconicity. Using multiple measures in tandem allows us to explore the interplay between iconicity and these external factors. To facilitate this, we introduce a reproducible workflow for creating rating and guessing tasks from standardised wordlists, while also making improvements to the robustness, sensitivity and discriminability of previous approaches.
Belarus: “Securitization” of State Politics and the Impact on State-Society Relations
Authors: Douglas Nadja 
Published: April 2023

AbstractState-society relations in authoritarian settings are a recurrent topic in the respective literature. Phenomena ranging from loyalty and apathy to dissent, open protest, and resistance have been widely researched. The different patterns of regime response or the way authorities mobilize forces themselves have been discussed to a much lesser extent. This contribution analyzes the gradual deterioration of the state-society relationship in Belarus. These fragile relations have been brought to the brink of collapse by the authorities’ mishandling of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the fraudulent presidential election in August 2020, which became a catalyst for the eruption of mass protests in the country. As a consequence, Belarus has developed into a state obsessed with security concerns. The pretense of legitimacy and the promise of a social welfare state have been replaced by an unvarnished clientelist dictatorship, relying on an inflated security apparatus. The article identifies indicators for an increased “securitization” of state politics in recent years and corresponding measures that guided authorities in their endeavor to counteract societal resistance. The aim is to shed light on how securitized interactions have become emblematic of dysfunctional state-society relations in Belarus.
Is the hyoid a constraint on innovation? A study in convergence driving feeding in fish-shaped marine tetrapods
Authors: Delsett Lene Liebe , Pyenson Nicholas , Miedema Feiko , Hammer Øyvind 
Published: April 2023

AbstractThe hyoid apparatus is essential for underwater feeding in marine tetrapods, but it is unclear whether this complex has evolved as convergently as other traits, such as dentition or locomotion. Here we compare the ossified hyoid elements in ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs and odontocete cetaceans, two groups with an overall similar body shape, to understand whether the hyoid elements show any signs of convergence in the context of feeding. We examined three types of data (size, morphology, and internal bone microstructure) in ophthalmosaurid and odontocete taxa in which these elements are preserved. Our data show that ichthyosaurs never experienced a shift in feeding mode, which might indicate that their hyoid apparatus never adapted to suction feeding. Also, the internal microstructure of the two animal groups differs; where the odontocetes have an overall less compact structure, ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs have cancellous inner cones in an outer, more compact sheath. These differences are likely explained as biomechanical adaptations to different feeding modes. Thus, the hyoid changed less and acted more as a constraint for feeding innovation in ichthyosaurs compared with cetaceans, and through a much longer time span (more than 150 Myr).