bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Systematic acoustic surveys inform priority conservation areas for koalas in a modified landscape
Authors: Whisson Desley A. , Rivera Paola , Rendall Anthony R. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractContextLandscape modification due to urbanisation, agriculture and other human activity can have considerable impact on species’ distributions. Understanding the influence of both site and landscape level characteristics is essential for guiding conservation actions.ObjectivesOur study aimed to determine the influence of site and landscape level characteristics on the distribution of koalas and to identify areas for conservation action in a modified landscape.MethodsWe used passive acoustic surveys undertaken from October 2019 to January 2020 to determine site occupancy by koalas at 123 sites on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia. We extracted variables for each site (within 100 m of recorders) and landscape (within 1 km of recorders) within a GIS. Site variables were tree cover, land use and soundscape, and landscape variables were tree cover, fragmentation, road density, and watercourse length.ResultsSite variables did not have an influence on site occupancy by koalas. Landscape-scale tree cover positively influenced, and road density negatively influenced site occupancy. We used our model to predict site occupancy in one-hectare grid cells across the landscape and found that public land was three times as likely as land under private tenure to have high probability of koala presence. Based on our results, increasing tree cover in landscapes where there already is 30% to 68% tree cover and a sealed road density of < 1 m per hectare would have the greatest benefit for koalas. Approximately 85 km2(11%) of the Mornington Peninsula meets these criteria, with 87% of that land under private tenure.ConclusionsLandscape context is of primary importance for conservation of koalas in a modified landscape. Modelling should be used to improve the effectiveness of conservation actions.
Robust transient oscillation reduction for rest-to-rest motion of underactuated multibody systems
Authors: Boscariol Paolo , Richiedei Dario 
Published: March 2023

AbstractConventional model-based design methods are often limited in their effectiveness by model-plant discrepancy. A solution to this problem is proposed in this work to enhance the robustness of motion planning solution for systems affected by parametric uncertainty. The method exploits a variational formulation in the form of a two-point boundary value problem (TPBVP) in which the robustness is achieved as a constraint enforced at the two boundaries. The formulation, which is specifically targeted at underactuated systems, aims at reducing both the transient and residual vibrations, as well as at mitigating the actuation effort. The development of the method is supported by its application to two numerical test-cases in the form of a double pendulum on a cart and a translating flexible beam.
The Economic Return to Labour Market Experience of Immigrants in Sweden
Authors: Tibajev Andrey 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThis study focuses on the value that employers assign to immigrants’ labour market experience, from both before and after immigration, using a surveyed representative sample of the Swedish immigrant and native populations. A novel feature of the survey is that it contains a measure of immigrants’ actual years of labour market experience, including about work before immigration. Previous research has, in contrast, relied on so-called potential measures, risking bias in the analyses. For immigrants, results show that only pre-immigration labour market experience from the Nordic countries has a positive return. Results also show that return to labour market experience after immigration does not depend on whether the individual acquired Sweden-specific human capital before or with the entry into the labour market. Natives and immigrants, as well as immigrants with and without schooling or upbringing in Sweden, have parallel wage trajectories across labour market experience years, with immigrants being at a stable disadvantage. This is interpreted to be caused by immigrants being sorted into jobs with worse opportunities to acquire new human capital compared with natives.
Trends in mortality and comorbidities in hemodialysis patients between 2012 and 2017 in an East-European Country: a retrospective study
Authors: Chisavu Lazar , Mihaescu Adelina , Bob Flaviu , Motofelea Alexandru , Schiller Oana , Marc Luciana , Dragota-Pascota Razvan , Chisavu Flavia , Schiller Adalbert 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study was to evidence trends and changes in mortality, comorbid conditions, prognosis, and causes of death after 5 years of continuous evolution of hemodialysis (HD) patients in Romania.

Methods
We included two cohorts of stable HD patients (901 from 2012 and 1396 from 2017). Both cohorts were followed up for 1 year. The 5-year survivors of the 2012 cohort were identified in 2017 and their data changes were assessed.

Results
The 2017 patients were older, with longer time on dialysis, higher serum creatinine and urea levels, and required higher ultrafiltration volume per dialysis. They also had lower hemoglobin, lower C-reactive protein, higher albumin, higher calcium bicarbonate, and higher parathyroidectomy prevalence. The 2017 cohort presented with lower average dialysis flow, less administration of iron sucrose, had more catheters, lower hepatitis C prevalence, higher diabetes mellitus prevalence, higher heart valve calcifications, higher heart rate disorders, higher prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy, and lower ejection fraction. Cardiovascular disease was the main cause of death in both years (50% in 2012 and 45.6% in 2017), followed by sepsis and cancer. The mortality was higher in 2017 compared to 2012 (14.1 vs 6.6%). The 5-year mortality was 37.2% with an average of 7.44%/year. The risk of death increased with age, higher C-reactive protein, higher phosphate, lower hemoglobin, and lower albumin.

Conclusion
Cardiovascular disease remains the main causes of death in HD-treated patients but with decreasing trend. Developing regional therapeutic strategies for quality care with early intervention will most likely improve mortality.
Five-Band Millimeter-Wave Antenna of Circular/Linear Polarization for Forthcoming Generations of Mobile Handsets
Authors: Elsharkawy Rania R. , Hussein Khalid F. A. , Farahat Asmaa E. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractA compact planar antenna is proposed to operate in five millimeter-wave frequency bands at 28, 51, 55, 59, and 63 GHz. The antenna is designed to produce circular polarization at 28 GHz and linear polarization at the other four frequencies. The 28 GHz frequency band is recommended for long range communications, whereas the other four frequencies are recommended for short range communications due to the atmospheric absorption in this range of the millimeter-wave frequencies and to provide more secure communications. The reasons behind the selection of the specific values of the higher frequency bands (51, 55, 59, and 63 GHz) are (i) to provide enough number of multiple bands at such unlicensed frequency range to be used as alternatives for different applications, (ii) to give about 4 GHz separation between the center frequencies of each band and, (iii) finally, to avoid the operation at 60 GHz, in particular, due to the peak atmospheric absorption of millimeter-wave encountered at this frequency. The antenna is constructed as a square patch surrounded by five parasitic elements that are capacitively coupled to the square patch so as to realize the location of the resonant frequencies of the higher frequency bands. The antenna is fabricated and its performance is experimentally evaluated. The proposed antenna is shown to operate efficiently over the five frequency bands 28, 51, 55, 59, and 63 GHz providing impedance matching bandwidths of 2.0, 0.9, 1.2, 1.1, and 1.6 GHz, respectively. The corresponding values of the maximum gain are 7.0, 6.8, 6.0, 6.0, and 8.0 dBi, respectively. Also, the corresponding radiation efficiencies are 90, 90, 91, 78, and 86%, respectively. The 3 dB-axial ratio bandwidth at 28 GHz is about 1.2 GHz.
Quantitation of pesticides in bee bread collected from honey bee colonies in an agricultural environment in Switzerland
Authors: Schaad Emmanuel , Fracheboud Marion , Droz Benoît , Kast Christina 
Published: March 2023

AbstractPesticide contamination of bee products is a widespread phenomenon. Due to its composition, bee bread is affected by both lipophilic and hydrophilic substances. As proof of concept of a monitoring campaign and to better understand the extent of contamination, we developed an analytical method based on a modified QuEChERS extraction, with subsequent separation by liquid chromatography and detection by mass spectrometry. This allowed for the quantitation of 51 agricultural- or beekeeping-associated pesticides in bee bread. The workflow was applied to 60 samples taken biweekly throughout spring to autumn 2022 from five colonies at a Swiss apiary in an agricultural area. In total, 30 pesticides were identified (> LOD), among which 26 pesticides were quantitated. The total number of pesticides detected per colony ranged from 11 to 19. The most prevalent substances (> LOQ) were two neonicotinoid insecticides, acetamiprid and thiacloprid (max. 16 μg/kg and 37 μg/kg, respectively); seven fungicides, azoxystrobin (max. 72 μg/kg), boscalid (max. 50 μg/kg), cyprodinil (max. 1965 μg/kg), difenoconazole (max. 73 μg/kg), mandipropamid (max. 33 μg/kg), pyraclostrobin (max. 8 μg/kg) and trifloxystrobin (max. 38 μg/kg); and two herbicides, prosulfocarb (max. 38 μg/kg) and terbuthylazine (max. 26 μg/kg). The study revealed strong variability in pesticide occurrence and concentrations among colonies sampled at the same site and date. The applied biweekly sampling of bee bread from March to August was shown to be reliable in capturing peak contaminations and revealing the onset of certain pesticides in bee bread. The study provides an adequate practical approach for pesticide monitoring campaigns.
Rahmenbedingungen und Herausforderungen kultureller Bildung in ländlichen Räumen – ein systematischer Literaturüberblick
Authors: Büdel Martin , Kolleck Nina 
Published: March 2023

ZusammenfassungKulturelle Bildung ist auf eine vielfältige Angebotsstruktur und die Kooperationen unterschiedlicher Bildungs- und Kultureinrichtungen angewiesen, um kulturelle Teilhabe zu ermöglichen. Die intensive Förderung durch öffentliche, zivilgesellschaftliche und private Akteur*innen hat in den letzten Jahren zu einem Ausbau von formalen und non-formalen Bildungsangeboten geführt. Gleichzeitig finden sich zunehmend Forschungsarbeiten auf dem Gebiet, deren Fokus weiterhin stärker auf städtische Bildungskontexte als auf die Bedingungen ländlicher Räume gerichtet ist. Vor allem fehlt bislang eine systematische Bestandsaufnahme der vorhandenen Studien und Erkenntnisse zu kultureller Bildung speziell in ländlichen Räumen. Der vorliegende systematische Review setzt hier an und erarbeitet einen umfassenden Überblick über Publikationen zu kultureller Bildung, Kulturarbeit und Soziokultur in ländlichen Räumen. Inhaltlich steht bei dieser Untersuchung die Aufarbeitung der Rahmenbedingungen und Herausforderungen kultureller Bildung in ländlichen Räumen im Mittelpunkt. Die Beschreibung zentraler Themen erfolgt dabei entlang von drei Teilbereichen: kommunal- und kulturpolitischen Bedingungen, (infra-) strukturellen Faktoren sowie kulturellen und gesellschaftlichen Dimensionen.
Clinical Appraisal of Cefiderocol in the Treatment of Non-fermenting Gram-Negative Bacilli
Authors: McLeod Caleb C. , Tan Karen K. , Kebriaei Razieh , Abdul-Mutakabbir Jacinda C. 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Purpose of Review
Cefiderocol has a potential role in the treatment of infections caused by increasingly resistant non-fermenting Gram-negative organisms.

Recent Findings
Non-fermenting Gram-negative organisms pose a unique threat to public health given their arsenal of inherent resistance mechanisms. High rates of intrinsic resistance to a wide array of agents, inducible adaptive resistance, and the ability to acquire resistance through horizontal transfer of resistance genes limit the utility of conventional antimicrobial treatment options against non-fermenting Gram-negative infections. Beta-lactams, one of the most reliable classes of antimicrobials, are often rendered inactive by the acquisition of beta-lactamases, with activity potentially restored by beta-lactamase inhibitors. Alteration of intrinsic mechanisms of resistance, porin channels, and efflux pumps reduce the ability of beta-lactamase inhibitors to protect the activity of beta-lactams. This multifactorial nature of resistance exhibited by non-fermenting Gram-negative organisms is difficult to overcome and novel agents are needed to combat this growing threat.

Summary
Cefiderocol is a novel siderophore cephalosporin that utilizes the active transport of ferric iron to gain access to the periplasmic space of Gram-negative organisms. Cefiderocol also has additional modifications that confer some stability in the presence of beta-lactamases, which can be particularly beneficial for infections caused by non-fermenters. Herein, we discuss the potential role of cefiderocol therapy in the management of infections caused by non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli, with an intentional focus on carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Stenotrophomonas spp.
Techno-economic analysis of methanol synthesis from syngas derived from steam reforming of crude glycerol
Authors: Kgwedi P. C. , Seedat N. , Fajimi L. I. , Patel B. , Oboirien B. O. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractDue to the large amount of crude glycerol produced as a by-product by the biodiesel industry, alternative technologies for converting glycerol to value-added fuels such as syngas have been proposed. By employing four main processes, the syngas could further be used to produce methanol. The first process is steam reforming (STR) where the crude glycerol is converted into syngas. The next step is a three-unit pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system which is employed to condition the syngas into the required stoichiometric ratio. The final two process are the methanol synthesis and methanol purification processes. The effects of STR temperature, steam-to-glycerol ratio (SGR), methanol synthesis temperature and pressure were all investigated. The results obtained shows that 0.29 kgMeOH/kgCG can be obtained through this process at STR of 650 ℃, SGR of 9, and methanol synthesis temperature and pressure of 250 ℃ and 80 bar respectively. In addition, a methanol production plant capacity of 6.8 tonnes/hr of crude glycerol feed for a 20-year plant life was investigated. The result from the economic analysis carried out shows that production of methanol from glycerol is economically feasible with net present value (NPV), return on investment, (ROI), discounted payback period (DPBP) and net production cost (NPC) of $74.2 million, 17%, 4.59 years, and 85₵/kgMeOH respectively. The sensitivity analysis results show that the revenue from sales of methanol and byproducts (hydrogen and methane), the manufacturing cost, the cost of raw materials, as well as fixed capital investment (FCI) were the most sensitive economic parameters.
The Present and Future of Insect Biodiversity Conservation in the Neotropics: Policy Gaps and Recommendations
Authors: Duffus Natalie E. , Echeverri Alejandra , Dempewolf Lena , Noriega Jorge Ari , Furumo Paul R. , Morimoto Juliano 
Published: March 2023

AbstractEmerging evidence suggests that insect populations may be declining at local and global scales, threatening the sustainability of the ecosystem services that insects provide. Insect declines are of particular concern in the Neotropics, which holds several of the world’s hotspots of insect endemism and diversity. Conservation policies are one way to prevent and mitigate insect declines, yet these policies are usually biased toward vertebrate species. Here, we outline some key policy instruments for biodiversity conservation in the Neotropics and discuss their potential contribution and shortcomings for insect biodiversity conservation. These include species-specific action policies, protected areas and Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs), sectoral policies, biodiversity offsetting, market-based mechanisms, and the international policy instruments that underpin these efforts. We highlight that although these policies can potentially benefit insect biodiversity indirectly, there are avenues in which we could better incorporate the specific needs of insects into policy to mitigate the declines mentioned above. We propose several areas of improvement. Firstly, evaluating the extinction risk of more Neotropical insects to better target at-risk species with species-specific policies and conserve their habitats within area-based interventions. Secondly, alternative pest control methods and enhanced monitoring of insects in a range of land-based production sectors. Thirdly, incorporating measurable and achievable insect conservation targets into international policies and conventions. Finally, we emphasise the important roles of community engagement and enhanced public awareness in achieving these improvements to insect conservation policies.
Metastable hybridized structure transformation in amorphous carbon films during friction—A study combining experiments and MD simulation
Authors: Zhou Yefei , Chen Zhihao , Zhang Tao , Zhang Silong , Xing Xiaolei , Yang Qingxiang , Li Dongyang 
Published: March 2023

AbstractAmorphous carbon films have attracted substantial interest due to their exceptional mechanical and tribological properties. Previous studies revealed that the amorphous carbon films exhibited lower coefficient of friction (COF) because of the transformation in bond structure from sp3-C to sp2-C during friction processes. However, the mechanism for such a transformation during friction is not well understood. This study is conducted to get an insight into the metastable transformation in amorphous carbon film during friction by means of experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Relevant wear tests showed that wear of the film changed from an abrasive wear mode to a mixture of abrasion and adhesive wear, resulting in a decrease in growth rate of the wear rate after the running-in stage. It is worth noting that the sp3-C atoms were increased during the running-in stage when the films contained lower sp3/sp2 ratios. However, the formed sp3-C atoms could only be short-lived and gradually transformed to sp2-C atoms with the graphitization generated on the wearing surface of the films. The radial distribution function and translational order parameter indicated that the films’ high sp3/sp2 ratio led to an increased sp2-C proportion on the wear scar after friction, which caused an increased structural ordering.
Interfacial friction at action: Interactions, regulation, and applications
Authors: Yi Zhiran , Wang Xiong , Li Wanbo , Qin Xuezhi , Li Yang , Wang Kaiqiang , Guo Yunting , Li Xing , Zhang Wenming , Wang Zuankai 
Published: March 2023

AbstractFriction is a fundamental force that impacts almost all interface-related applications. Over the past decade, there is a revival in our basic understanding and practical applications of the friction. In this review, we discuss the recent progress on solid-liquid interfacial friction from the perspective of interfaces. We first discuss the fundamentals and theoretical evolution of solid-liquid interfacial friction based on both bulk interactions and molecular interactions. Then, we summarize the interfacial friction regulation strategies manifested in both natural surfaces and artificial systems, focusing on how liquid, solid, gas, and hydrodynamic coupling actions mediate interfacial friction. Next, we discuss some practical applications that are inhibited or reinforced by interfacial friction. At last, we present the challenges to further understand and regulate interfacial friction.
Achieving near-infrared-light-mediated switchable friction regulation on MXene-based double network hydrogels
Authors: Wu Pengxi , Zeng Cheng , Guo Jinglun , Liu Guoqiang , Zhou Feng , Liu Weimin 
Published: March 2023

AbstractMXene possesses great potential in enriching the functionalities of hydrogels due to its unique metallic conductivity, high aspect ratio, near-infrared light (NIR light) responsiveness, and wide tunability, however, the poor compatibility of MXene with hydrogels limits further applications. In this work, we report a uniformly dispersed MXene-functionalized poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM)/poly-2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (PAMPS) double network hydrogel (M—DN hydrogel) that can achieve switchable friction regulation by using the NIR light. The dispersity of MXene in hydrogels was significantly improved by incorporating the chitosan (CS) polymer. This M—DN hydrogel showed much low coefficient of friction (COF) at 25 °C due to the presence of hydration layer on hydrogel surface. After illuminating with the NIR light, M—DN hydrogel with good photothermal effect rapidly raised the temperature to above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), which led to an obvious increase of surface COF owing to the destruction of the hydration layer. In addition, M—DN friction control hydrogel showed good recyclability and controllability by tuning “on-off” of the NIR light. This work highlights the construction of functional MXene hydrogels for intelligent lubrication, which provides insight for interface sensing, controlled transmission, and flexible robotic arms.
Higher PAPP-A Values in Pregnant Women Complicated with Preeclampsia Than with Gestational Hypertension
Authors: Uriel Montserrat , Romero Infante Ximena Carolina , Rincón Franco Sara , Ibáñez Pinilla Edgar Antonio , Rojas Nydia Alexandra 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to compare the levels of maternal serum pregnancy–associated plasma protein-A at the first trimester in pregnancies complicated by impaired placental diseases, such as preeclampsia (PE), intrauterine fetal growth restriction (IUGR), and gestational hypertension (GH), with those in pregnancies without the development of any of these outcomes to expand the knowledge of how this protein behaves in the different impaired placental diseases. This current work is an observational study based on a prospective cohort. Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A was measured in 422 patients who had completed maternal-perinatal outcomes. Comparisons of pregnancy characteristics and the biomarker between outcome groups (PE, IUGR, gestational hypertension, and not impaired placental outcomes) were analyzed. PAPP-A MoM in the IUGR (0.8 IQR: 0.6–0.9) and GH groups (0.5 IQR: 0.3–1.4) compared to the PE group (1.06 IQR: 0.66–1.52) was significantly lower (p < 0.005). Pregnant women who developed early-onset PE (1.11 IQR 1.08–1.18) presented significant differences with the IUGR group (0.83 IQR: 0.59–0.98; p = 0.002) and those who developed preterm-PE (1.19 IQR: 0.66–1.58; p = 0.045). The results demonstrate that the levels of PAPP-A at first trimester in the sample of women who developed PE, and specially term-PE, were higher than those in women who developed GH or IUGR. The GH group had the lowest PAPP-A values in this sample of pregnant women. Research in a population with a high prevalence of preeclampsia is still lacking and deserves more extended studies to define if these patients could have different rates of PAPP-A.