bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rapidly Constructing Sodium Fluoride‐Rich Interface by Pressure and Diglyme‐Induced Defluorination Reaction for Stable Sodium Metal Anode
Authors: Zhang Wu , Yang Xiaoke , Wang Juncheng , Zheng Jiale , Yue Ke , Liu Tiefeng , Wang Yao , Nai Jianwei , Liu Yujing , Tao Xinyong 
Published: February 2023

AbstractSodium (Na) metal is able to directly use as a battery anode but have a highly reductive ability of unavoidably occurring side reactions with organic electrolytes, resulting in interfacial instability as a primary factor in performance decay. Therefore, building stable Na metal anode is of utmost significance for both identifying the electrochemical performance of laboratory half‐cells employed for quantifying samples and securing the success of room‐temperature Na metal batteries. In this work, we propose an NaF‐rich interface rapidly prepared by pressure and diglyme‐induced defluorination reaction for stable Na metal anode. Once the electrolyte is dropped into the coin‐type cells followed by a slight squeeze, the Na metal surface immediately forms a protective layer consisting of amorphous carbon and NaF, effectively inhibiting the dendrite growth and dead Na. The resultant Na metal anode exhibits a long‐term cycling lifespan over 1800 h even under the area capacity of 3.0 mAh cm−2. Furthermore, such a universal and facile method is readily applied in daily battery assembly regarding Na metal anode.
The organizational systems thinking excellence model (OSTEM)
Authors: Rabieh Masood , Pandari Abbas Rezaei , Amiri Zeinab , Esmaeili Mahdi , Naeini Shermineh Mojtabavi 
Published: February 2023

AbstractToday, the challenges facing organizations are more complex. The excellence level of systems thinking (ST) in an organization indicates the organization's ability to overcome these issues. This study aims to present an excellence model for assessing the level of ST in organizations. First, according to the systematic review process of documents related to ST and assessing ST, 39 documents have been verified in terms of quality and, by using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP), the final documents were selected. Then, by three‐stage coding of selected documents, codes, concepts and categories were identified. Based on the outputs of coding stage and placing the 2020 model of EFQM, the dimensions, criteria and sub‐criteria for evaluation of ST in the organization were defined and organizational systems thinking excellence model (OSTEM) was developed. To evaluate the validity of the designed model, the content validity index (CVI) was used. The final model includes three sections: direction, execution and results.
Interaction of Pulsed Electric Modified Elephant Foot Yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius) Starch and Polyvinyl Alcohol to Enhance the Mechanical and Barrier Properties of Film
Authors: Singh Shubham , Sharanagat Vijay Singh , Desai Shivani , Kumar Kshitiz , Upadhyay Srishti , Chakraborty Gourav 
Published: February 2023

AbstractElephant foot yam starch (EFYS) is modified by the pulsed electric field (PEF, 4–16 kV cm−1) and used for the development of the biodegradable film. The increase in PEF intensity increases the oil (1.66–2.22 g g−1) and water absorption capacity (1.79–2.08 g g−1) and reduces the gelatinization temperature (Tg) and enthalpy (ΔΗ). Storage modulus (G') is found to be higher than loss modulus (G"), indicating strong gel characteristics of EFYS. Electrical intensity affects the degree of crystallinity and disrupts the granule's surface. Film prepared with PEF‐modified EFYS and different concentrations of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA, 25%, 50%, and 90%) shows that the increase in the concentration of PVA results in increased thickness, tensile strength, % elongation, water vapor permeability, water vapor transmission rate, seal strength, and solubility. PEF modification increases the film's mechanical and moisture barrier properties. The study proves that PEF changes the physico‐functional and structural characteristics of EFYS, making it suitable to be used in the biodegradable film.
New insight into the prediction of strength properties of cementitious mortar containing nano‐ and micro‐silica based on porosity using hybrid artificial intelligence techniques
Authors: Kazemi Ramin , Eskandari‐Naddaf Hamid , Korouzhdeh Tahereh 
Published: February 2023

AbstractNowadays, the accurate prediction of strength properties of cementitious materials containing nano‐ and micro‐silica (NS–MS) remains an open question because of the highly nonlinear function of its constituents on the porosity. In the present study, a combined framework is developed by integrating ant colony optimization (ACO), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and biogeography‐based optimization (BBO) with the artificial neural network (ANN) to predict compressive and flexural strengths of cement mortar in two different forms of ignoring (ANNII) and considering (ANNIII) the porosity as an input parameter. This procedure is accomplished considering the porosity effect on the strengths and implementing an experimental program containing 32 mixes (960 specimens) with different NS–MS contents at various ages. Macro‐ and micro‐structural analyses showed that NS–MS caused more decreased pore structure, and thus this situation increases strength properties compared to their separate use. Also, MBBO‐MOANNIII results indicated an improvement in convergence speed and model accuracy compared to other models. This improvement is because of considering the porosity.
Design‐oriented nonlinear‐elastic buckling analysis of reinforced concrete wall structures using convex optimization
Authors: Vestergaard Daniel , Poulsen Peter Noe , Hoang Linh Cao , Larsen Kasper Paaske , Feddersen Bent 
Published: February 2023

AbstractThe structural response of slender reinforced concrete (RC) structures may be highly nonlinear due to cracking, reinforcement yielding, and geometrically nonlinear effects. While advanced models can simulate the detailed response of such structures, they are generally ill‐suited for limit state verification in practical design scenarios due to a high computational and modeling effort. A design‐oriented method for evaluating the geometrically linear response of cracked RC wall structures was recently presented and demonstrated to allow the analysis of large‐scale models with more than 2400 finite shell elements within minutes on a standard personal computer. This paper proposes a design‐oriented numerical method for efficient instability analysis of slender RC wall structures, also enabling the inclusion of thermal effects. Based on a two‐step linearized buckling analysis, the method first determines the geometrically linear structural response by solving the complementary energy minimization problem, including, if relevant, thermal strains and reduced material stiffness. This solution is used to derive the sectional stiffness upon which a linearized buckling problem is formulated and subsequently solved as a linear eigenvalue problem. The model is validated using examples with exact solutions, and its applicability to large‐scale models is demonstrated through an example with a four‐story stairwell modeled using more than 3200 finite elements.
Comparative study of cigarette smoke, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and their combination on airway epithelial barrier function in mice
Authors: Li Kangchen , Mei Xiaofeng , Xu Kexin , Jia Lidan , Zhao Peng , Tian Yange , Li Jiansheng 
Published: February 2023

AbstractBackgroundThe airway epithelium acts as a physical barrier to protect pulmonary airways against pathogenic microorganisms and toxic substances, such as cigarette smoke (CS), bacteria, and viruses. The disruption of the structural integrity and dysfunction of the airway epithelium is related to the occurrence and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.PurposeThe aim of this study is to compare the effects of CS, Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP), and their combination on airway epithelial barrier function.MethodsThe mice were exposed to CS, KP, and their combination from 1 to 8 weeks. After the cessation of CS and KP at Week 8, we observed the recovery of epithelial barrier function in mice for an additional 16 weeks. To compare the epithelial barrier function among different groups over time, the mice were sacrificed at Weeks 4, 8, 16, and 24 and then the lungs were harvested to detect the pulmonary pathology, inflammatory cytokines, and tight junction proteins. To determine the underlying mechanisms, the BEAS‐2B cells were treated with an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor (AG1478).ResultsThe results of this study suggested that the decreased lung function, increased bronchial wall thickness (BWT), elevated inflammatory factors, and reduced tight junction protein levels were observed at Week 8 in CS‐induced mice and these changes persisted until Week 16. In the KP group, increased BWT and elevated inflammatory factors were observed only at Week 8, whereas in the CS + KP group, decreased lung function, lung tissue injury, inflammatory cell infiltration, and epithelial barrier impairment were observed at Week 4 and persisted until Week 24. To further determine the mechanisms of CS, bacteria, and their combination on epithelial barrier injury, we investigated the changes of EGFR and its downstream protein in the lung tissues of mice and BEAS‐2B cells. Our research indicated that CS, KP, or their combination could activate EGFR, which can phosphorylate and activate ERK1/2, and this effect was more pronounced in the CS + KP group. Furthermore, the EGFR inhibitor AG1478 suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and subsequently upregulated the expression of ZO‐1 and occludin. In general, these results indicated that the combination of CS and KP caused more severe and enduring damage to epithelial barrier function than CS or KP alone, which might be associated with EGFR/ERK1/2 signaling.ConclusionEpithelial barrier injury occurred earlier, was more severe, and had a longer duration when induced by the combination of CS and KP compared with the exposure to CS or KP alone, which might be associated with EGFR/ERK signaling.
Altered gene expression in excitatory neurons is associated with Alzheimer's disease and its higher incidence in women
Authors: Garcia A. Xavier , Xu Jielin , Cheng Feixiong , Ruppin Eytan , Schäffer Alejandro A. 
Published: February 2023

AbstractIntroductionAlzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder involving interactions between different cell types in the brain. Previous single‐cell and bulk expression Alzheimer's studies have reported conflicting findings about the key cell types and cellular pathways whose expression is primarily altered in this disease. We re‐analyzed these data in a uniform, coherent manner aiming to resolve and extend past findings. Our analysis sheds light on the observation that females have higher AD incidence than males.MethodsWe re‐analyzed three single‐cell transcriptomics datasets. We used the software Model‐based Analysis of Single‐cell Transcriptomics (MAST) to seek differentially expressed genes comparing AD cases to matched controls for both sexes together and each sex separately. We used the GOrilla software to search for enriched pathways among the differentially expressed genes. Motivated by the male/female difference in incidence, we studied genes on the X‐chromosome, focusing on genes in the pseudoautosomal region (PAR) and on genes that are heterogeneous across individuals or tissues for X‐inactivation. We validated findings by analyzing bulk AD datasets from the cortex in the Gene Expression Omnibus.ResultsOur results resolve a contradiction in the literature, showing that by comparing AD patients to unaffected controls, excitatory neurons have more differentially expressed genes than do other cell types. Synaptic transmission and related pathways are altered in a sex‐specific analysis of excitatory neurons. PAR genes and X‐chromosome heterogeneous genes, including, for example, BEX1 and ELK1, may contribute to the difference in sex incidence of Alzheimer's disease. GRIN1, stood out as an overexpressed autosomal gene in cases versus controls in all three single‐cell datasets and as a functional candidate gene contributing to pathways upregulated in cases.DiscussionTaken together, these results point to a potential linkage between two longstanding questions concerning AD pathogenesis, involving which cell type is the most important and why females have a higher incidence than males.Highlights
By reanalyzing three, published, single‐cell RNAseq datasets, we resolved a contradiction in the literature and showed that when comparing AD patients to unaffected controls, excitatory neurons have more differentially expressed genes than do other cell types.
Further analysis of the published single‐cell datasets showed that synaptic transmission and related pathways are altered in a sex‐specific analysis of excitatory neurons.
Combining analysis of single‐cell datasets and publicly available bulk transcriptomics datasets revealed that X‐chromosome genes, such as BEX1, ELK1, and USP11, whose X‐inactivation status is heterogeneous may contribute to the higher incidence in females of Alzheimer's disease.
Knowledge to Support Early Educators and Elementary School Teachers' Engagement in Family Literacy and Family Literacy Programs
Authors: Lynch Jacqueline , Prins Esther 
Published: February 2023

AbstractFamily literacy programs can be effective for supporting the literacy learning of both parents and children. Educators and community members can be constructive in establishing family literacy programs in their school and in the community. Having knowledge of successful family literacy programs is important for both initiating and continuing with family literacy engagement. In this article, we describe aspects of successful family literacy programs, including attention to the diversity of families. We begin with an overview of the changing definitions of literacy and common structures of family literacy programs and complete this review with areas for further research in family literacy.
Rock fragments influence the water retention and hydraulic conductivity of soils
Authors: Naseri Mahyar , Joshi Deep C. , Iden Sascha C. , Durner Wolfgang 
Published: February 2023

AbstractRock fragments (RFs) influence soil hydraulic properties (SHPs), and knowledge about the SHPs of stony soils is important in vadose zone hydrology. However, experimental evidence on effective SHPs of stony soils is still scarce and mostly restricted to water‐saturated conditions and low volumetric contents of RFs. We examined the influence of RFs on SHPs through a series of measurements. Stony soils were prepared by packing 250‐cm3 cylinders with soils of two textures (sandy loam and silt loam) and with different volumes of RFs (up to 50% v/v) with a diameter of 8–16 mm. Samples were prepared in a way that the background soils (diameter smaller than 2 mm) had identical bulk density. The simplified evaporation method was used to determine the effective SHPs of stony soils. We used the obtained SHP data to evaluate the performance of models, which predict the effective SHPs of stony soils from SHPs of the background soil. The results highlight the systematic dependency of SHPs on volumetric content of RFs. The difference between modeled and measured SHPs was substantial for cases in which the soil contained a high amount of RFs. Accounting for the moisture content of RFs improved the prediction of the effective water retention curve of stony soils compared with a simple scaling that used only the content of RFs. Among the evaluated models for the effective hydraulic conductivity, the model based on the general effective medium theory showed the best performance, particularly for low RF contents.
Upscaling soil moisture from point scale to field scale: Toward a general model
Authors: Brown William G. , Cosh Michael H. , Dong Jingnuo , Ochsner Tyson E. 
Published: February 2023

AbstractField‐scale soil moisture measurements are valuable but rarely available because the resolution of most satellite soil moisture products is too coarse, while most in situ sensors provide only point‐scale data. Previous upscaling approaches for such data are mostly site‐specific, and none are suitable to upscale data from the thousands of stations in existing monitoring networks. To help fill this gap, this research aims to develop a more broadly applicable upscaling approach using data from the Marena, Oklahoma, In Situ Sensor Testbed and a cosmic‐ray neutron rover. Rover survey data were used to measure average soil moisture for the ∼64‐ha field on 12 dates in 2019–2020. Statistical modeling was used to identify the soil, terrain, and vegetation properties influencing the relationships between the field‐scale rover data and point‐scale in situ data from six monitoring sites. Site‐specific linear upscaling models estimated the field average soil moisture with root mean squared error (RMSE) values ranging from 0.007 to 0.017 cm3 cm−3, but such models are not transferrable between sites. To create a more general model, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator regression was used with a leave‐one‐out cross‐validation approach to identify the key predictors for upscaling. The resulting parsimonious model required only the point‐scale observations and sand content data and achieved RMSE values ranging from 0.006 to 0.031 cm3 cm−3 for the six monitoring sites. The texture‐based model demonstrated reasonable accuracy and is a promising step toward a general model that could be broadly applied for upscaling point‐scale in situ monitoring stations.
In vivo models to study neurogenesis and associated neurodevelopmental disorders—Microcephaly and autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Prasad Tuhina , Iyer Sharada , Chatterjee Sayoni , Kumar Megha 
Published: February 2023

AbstractThe genesis and functioning of the central nervous system are one of the most intricate and intriguing aspects of embryogenesis. The big lacuna in the field of human CNS development is the lack of accessibility of the human brain for direct observation during embryonic and fetal development. Thus, it is imperative to establish alternative animal models to gain deep mechanistic insights into neurodevelopment, establishment of neural circuitry, and its function. Neurodevelopmental events such as neural specification, differentiation, and generation of neuronal and non‐neuronal cell types have been comprehensively studied using a variety of animal models and in vitro model systems derived from human cells. The experimentations on animal models have revealed novel, mechanistic insights into neurogenesis, formation of neural networks, and function. The models, thus serve as indispensable tools to understand the molecular basis of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) arising from aberrations during embryonic development. Here, we review the spectrum of in vivo models such as fruitfly, zebrafish, frog, mice, and nonhuman primates to study neurogenesis and NDDs like microcephaly and Autism Spectrum Disorder. We also discuss nonconventional models such as ascidians and the recent technological advances in the field to study neurogenesis, disease mechanisms, and pathophysiology of human NDDs.This article is categorized under:
Cancer > Stem Cells and Development
Congenital Diseases > Stem Cells and Development
Neurological Diseases > Stem Cells and Development
Congenital Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics
Insights from yeast: Transcriptional reprogramming following metformin treatment is similar to that of deferiprone in a yeast Friedreich's ataxia model
Authors: Börklü Esra 
Published: February 2023

AbstractIn the absence of YFH1, the yeast ortholog of the human FXN gene, budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae experience similar problems to those of cells with Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA). The comparable phenotypic traits consist of impaired respiration, problems in iron homeostasis, decreased oxidative stress tolerance, and diminished iron–sulfur cluster synthesis, rendering yeast of potential use in FRDA modeling and drug trials. Deferiprone, an iron chelator, is one of the long‐term studied potential drugs for FRDA, whereas metformin is a biguanide prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes. In the present study, the effects of deferiprone and metformin treatment on the yeast FRDA model are explored via RNA‐sequencing analyses. The comparative inquiry of transcriptome data reveals new promising roles for metformin in FRDA treatment since deferiprone and metformin treatments produce overlapping transcriptional and phenotypic responses in YFH1Δ cells. The results revealed that both deferiprone and metformin treatment does not rescue aerobic respiration in YFH1Δ cells, but they alleviate the FRDA phenotype probably by triggering the retrograde mitochondria‐to‐nucleus signaling.
Teaching Tragedy: Toward a Pedagogy of Accountability—The Every Campus A Refuge Model
Authors: Abdo Diya 
Published: February 2023

AbstractIn 2015—at the height of the Syrian refugee crisis—I was struggling with how to leverage my position as a tenured professor of English at Guilford College to respond in any meaningful, material way to this global calamity. A small Quaker liberal arts four-year institution in Greensboro, North Carolina, Guilford was the perfect place—in its ethos and history—to found an initiative like Every Campus A Refuge (ECAR), which advocates for housing refugees on campus grounds and supporting them in their resettlement.
The Power of Participatory and Immersive Filmmaking
Authors: Decherney Peter 
Published: February 2023

AbstractFilmAid Kenya (FAK) runs film schools in refugee camps, and each year FAK trains dozens of young filmmakers in the Kakuma and Dadaab camps. Some FAK graduates go on to work as wedding photographers and freelance video journalists—jobs that have surprising demand in the camps. FAK’s most lasting contribution, however, is empowering young people to tell their personal stories. Many of the beautiful, often surprising, films made by FAK students have gone on to win film festival awards and contribute to the global conversation about refugees. When the films do not find audiences outside the camps, there is a cathartic power in the act of communicating. FAK has also built a creative community within the refugee camps. Students and graduates spend time at the FAK compound on their days off, even when the power supply is routinely suspended, disabling the cameras and editing stations.
Finding Place: Strengthening Pedagogical Practices on Forced Migration Through Interpersonal Understanding in Higher Education
Authors: Khan Aena , Northern Faith , Rao Sofia , Weil Adam , Hantzopoulos Maria 
Published: February 2023

AbstractAs conversations about forced migration shape curriculum, new literature details the problems faced by forcibly displaced refugees. There are fewer resources, however, about how to engage with and highlight migrant voices in our actual classrooms. This paper offers a breakdown of a course offered at Vassar College that sought to devise a novel, grassroots approach to studies of forced migration and education. Titled “Finding Place: Refugee Youth Schooling Experiences in Athens, Greece,” the goals of the course included understanding the socio-economic conditions leading to refugee displacement to Greece, partnering with a refugee-led community organization in Athens for educational programming, and assisting with fieldwork research on refugee education. This chapter discusses how the course integrated restorative justice pedagogy, using one workshop as an example. The chapter also details the course’s pivots and pitfalls, particularly as a result of pandemic-related restrictions upon travel. The authors conclude with recommendations for future initiatives based on experiences with developing instructional material.