bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Are intellectual property policies for gene‐edited crops fit for purpose? The perspectives of German scientists
Authors: Glenna Leland L. 
Published: June 2023

Societal Impact StatementA growing body of research indicates that intellectual property policies for agricultural biotechnologies are hindering research and limiting the use of the technologies. Research also indicates that public resistance to agricultural biotechnologies, including transgenic and gene‐edited crops, is at least in part motivated by concerns about intellectual property restrictions. Therefore, changing the policies governing agricultural biotechnologies promises to reduce public resistance and to enhance the diffusion of research outputs. Because so many patents related to gene editing are held by universities and because so much cutting‐edge research is conducted by public scientists, exploring the scientists' perspectives on these policies offers insights into possibilities for policy changes.Summary

After the European Court of Justice's ruling that gene‐edited crops would be regulated the way transgenic crops are regulated, the European Commission consulted with stakeholders and concluded that policies governing gene‐edited crops are not fit for purpose. This research explores whether public scientists in Germany also consider intellectual property policies not fit for purpose.
The data come from intensive interviews with 10 scientists working at German universities and research institutes.
The interviewed scientists describe how intellectual property policies limited the use of transgenic breeding techniques and how they now limit applications of gene‐editing techniques. They overwhelmingly support policy changes that facilitate the use of their scientific breakthroughs to solve problems in the world, and they do not want to see large companies use the technologies to consolidate economic power or to profit at the expense of solving problems.
Because intellectual property policies are often cited as a key reason for the resistance to agricultural biotechnologies and because research indicates that current policies are not enhancing crop innovations or social welfare, a change in intellectual property policies is likely to reduce resistance to the new crop breeding technologies and yield more social benefits.
Development of bright red‐shifted miRFP704nano using structural analysis of miRFPnano proteins
Authors: Oliinyk Olena S. , Pletnev Sergei , Baloban Mikhail , Verkhusha Vladislav V. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractWe recently converted the GAF domain of NpR3784 cyanobacteriochrome into near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescent proteins (FPs). Unlike cyanobacterichrome, which incorporates phycocyanobilin tetrapyrrole, engineered NIR FPs bind biliverdin abundant in mammalian cells, thus being the smallest scaffold for it. Here, we determined the crystal structure of the brightest blue‐shifted protein of the series, miRFP670nano3, at 1.8 Å resolution, characterized its chromophore environment and explained the molecular basis of its spectral properties. Using the determined structure, we have rationally designed a red‐shifted NIR FP, termed miRFP704nano, with excitation at 680 nm and emission at 704 nm. miRFP704nano exhibits a small size of 17 kDa, enhanced molecular brightness, photostability and pH‐stability. miRFP704nano performs well in various protein fusions in live mammalian cells and should become a versatile genetically‐encoded NIR probe for multiplexed imaging across spatial scales in different modalities.
Hazards of lithium‐ion battery energy storage systems (BESS), mitigation strategies, minimum requirements, and best practices
Authors: Mylenbusch Ian S. , Claffey Kieran , Chu Benjamin N. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractIn the last few years, the energy industry has seen an exponential increase in the quantity of lithium‐ion (LI) utility‐scale battery energy storage systems (BESS). Standards, codes, and test methods have been developed that address battery safety and are constantly improving as the industry gains more knowledge about BESS. These standards address the minimum requirements for shipping, installation, commissioning, and operation of the battery. In addition to minimum standards, there are recommended practices that enhance the safety of utility‐scale energy storage installations. This paper reviews the recommended practices that, through knowledge and experience with BESS, are being adopted by electric utilities. The focus is on fire, explosion, and toxic emission hazards of thermal runaway events of the battery and their mitigation. The paper also addresses utility considerations of minimum requirements dictated by codes, standards, and expectations of authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) and insurance companies. This paper is intended to increase the technical acumen of environmental health and safety personnel and to provide practical information to utilities and developers installing LI BESS.
Discovery of novel phenothiazine derivatives as new agrochemical alternatives for treating plant viral diseases
Authors: Shao Wu‐Bin , Liao Yan‐Mei , Luo Rong‐Shuang , Ji Jin , Xiao Wan‐Lin , Zhou Xiang , Liu Li‐Wei , Yang Song 
Published: June 2023

AbstractBackgroundPlant viral diseases, namely ‘plant cancer’, are extremely difficult to control. Even worse, few antiviral agents can effectively control and totally block viral infection. There is an urgent need to explore and discover novel agrochemicals with high activity and a unique mode of action to manage these refractory diseases.ResultsForty‐one new phenothiazine derivatives were prepared and their inhibitory activity against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was assessed. Compound A8 had the highest protective activity against TMV, with a half‐maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 115.67 μg/mL, which was significantly better than that of the positive controls ningnanmycin (271.28 μg/mL) and ribavirin (557.47 μg/mL). Biochemical assays demonstrated that compound A8 could inhibit TMV replication by disrupting TMV self‐assembly, but also enabled the tobacco plant to enhance its defense potency by increasing the activities of various defense enzymes.ConclusionIn this study, novel phenothiazine derivatives were elaborately fabricated and showed remarkable anti‐TMV behavior that possessed the dual‐action mechanisms of inhibiting TMV assembly and invoking the defense responses of tobacco plants. Moreover, new agrochemical alternatives based on phenothiazine were assessed for their antiviral activities and showed extended agricultural application. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Scutellarein alleviates chronic obstructive pulmonary disease through inhibition of ferroptosis by chelating iron and interacting with arachidonate 15‐lipoxygenase
Authors: Liu Lu , Zhang Yunsen , Wang Lun , Liu Yue , Chen Hongqing , Hu Qiongying , Xie Chunguang , Meng Xianli , Shen Xiaofei 
Published: June 2023

AbstractFerroptosis, an iron‐dependent cell death characterized by lethal lipid peroxidation, is involved in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathogenesis. Therefore, ferroptosis inhibition represents an attractive strategy for COPD therapy. Herein, we identified natural flavonoid scutellarein as a potent ferroptosis inhibitor for the first time, and characterized its underlying mechanisms for inhibition of ferroptosis and COPD. In vitro, the anti‐ferroptotic activity of scutellarein was investigated through CCK8, real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR), Western blotting, flow cytometry, and transmission electron microscope (TEM). In vivo, COPD was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/cigarette smoke (CS) and assessed by changes in histopathological, inflammatory, and ferroptotic markers. The mechanisms were investigated by RNA‐sequencing (RNA‐seq), electrospray ionization mass spectra (ESI‐MS), local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS), cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), and molecular dynamics. Our results showed that scutellarein significantly inhibited Ras‐selective lethal small molecule (RSL)‐3‐induced ferroptosis and mitochondria injury in BEAS‐2B cells, and ameliorated LPS/CS‐induced COPD in mice. Furthermore, scutellarein also repressed RSL‐3‐ or LPS/CS‐induced lipid peroxidation, GPX4 down‐regulation, and overactivation of Nrf2/HO‐1 and JNK/p38 pathways. Mechanistically, scutellarein inhibited RSL‐3‐ or LPS/CS‐induced Fe2+ elevation through directly chelating Fe2+. Moreover, scutellarein bound to the lipid peroxidizing enzyme arachidonate 15‐lipoxygenase (ALOX15), which resulted in an unstable state of the catalysis‐related Fe2+ chelating cluster. Additionally, ALOX15 overexpression partially abolished scutellarein‐mediated anti‐ferroptotic activity. Our findings revealed that scutellarein alleviated COPD by inhibiting ferroptosis via directly chelating Fe2+ and interacting with ALOX15, and also highlighted scutellarein as a candidate for the treatment of COPD and other ferroptosis‐related diseases.
Outlier‐robust zonotope set‐membership filter for discrete‐time nonlinear system
Authors: Yang Bo , Chen Xinxing , Cheng Rong , Huang Jian 
Published: June 2023

AbstractTransient sensor malfunction, improper replacement measures, and large non‐Gaussian noise can cause data outliers in real‐world scenarios. In this article, an outlier‐robust zonotope set‐membership filter is proposed for uncertain nonlinear systems susceptible to outliers. In order to linearize nonlinear systems, a linearization method based on Stirling's interpolation formula is proposed. Then, an outlier detector utilizing the linearization error bounds, the prediction domain, and the output feasible domain is constructed. Based on the linearized system, a tight strip construction method is given to reduce the conservatism of the estimated enclosure. Moreover, a prediction‐correction‐backward reconstruction filter structure is designed to improve estimation accuracy and reduce conservatism. The proposed structure fuses historical data to attenuate the impact of uncertainty on the system. The robustness, guarantee, and convergence of the proposed filter are investigated. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed approach is evaluated by two simulation examples.
Gray whale detection in satellite imagery using deep learning
Authors: Green Katherine M. , Virdee Mala K. , Cubaynes Hannah C. , Aviles‐Rivero Angelica I. , Fretwell Peter T. , Gray Patrick C. , Johnston David W. , Schönlieb Carola‐Bibiane , Torres Leigh G. , Jackson Jennifer A. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractThe combination of very high resolution (VHR) satellite remote sensing imagery and deep learning via convolutional neural networks provides opportunities to improve global whale population surveys through increasing efficiency and spatial coverage. Many whale species are recovering from commercial whaling and face multiple anthropogenic threats. Regular, accurate population surveys are therefore of high importance for conservation efforts. In this study, a state‐of‐the‐art object detection model (YOLOv5) was trained to detect gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) in VHR satellite images, using training data derived from satellite images spanning different sea states in a key breeding habitat, as well as aerial imagery collected by unoccupied aircraft systems. Varying combinations of aerial and satellite imagery were incorporated into the training set. Mean average precision, whale precision, and recall ranged from 0.823 to 0.922, 0.800 to 0.939, and 0.843 to 0.889, respectively, across eight experiments. The results imply that including aerial imagery in the training data did not substantially impact model performance, and therefore, expansion of representative satellite datasets should be prioritized. The accuracy of the results on real‐world data, along with short training times, indicates the potential of using this method to automate whale detection for population surveys.
Perceptions of the academic community on the performance of sustainable development initiatives in higher education
Authors: Filho Walter Leal , de Vasconcelos Claudio Ruy Portela , Ferreira Paula , Araújo M. Madalena , Berenguer Alessandra , Almeida Nadjacleia , Fritzen Gomes Bárbara , Júnior Joácio Morais , Colombo Ciliana Regina , Lira Walleci Gabeu , Agostinho Thatiana Lira Alves 
Published: June 2023

AbstractSince the UN Conference on the Human Environment was held in Stockholm in 1972, higher education institutions (HEIs) have been adapting to assume their social role in supporting societies in promoting sustainable lifestyles. However, HEIs are complex institutions composed of several interdependent subsystems. Sustainable improvement requires holistic assessment measures to comply with established goals. To date, few studies have focused on comparing the different perceptions of sustainability in HEIs and considering the views of the academic community in shaping the efforts and better disseminating sustainable development initiatives. To fill this gap, this work aimed to implement a methodology that compares the perceptions of sustainability and the implemented actions among members of HEIs to show the discrepancies between perceptions and facts. Many studies report either the perception of members of the academic community or the technical assessment of the sustainable performance of the institution in isolation. The novelty of this work lies in developing a tool that allows the use of a similar scale to compare the perception of users of academic services with the valuation attributed by technicians responsible for implementing sustainable development initiatives at HEIs. Analysing of these results enables the identification of dimensions with discrepancies, guiding managers as they carry out actions to promote greater community engagement in implementing sustainability initiatives that boost the consolidation of these values in the institutional culture. Additionally, it is highlighted that the proposed methodology could be adapted for use in other types of institutions, maintaining the same benefits described here.
Building a sustainable future: Closing the gap in radiotherapy and brachytherapy resources to achieve the sustainable development agenda 2030 goals for cervical cancer control in Africa
Authors: Drokow Emmanuel Kwateng , Effah Clement Yaw , Agboyibor Clement , Budu Jemima Twumwaah , Arboh Francisca , Xiao Yao , Zhang Fan , Wu Irene X. Y. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractThough radiation therapy services have been launched or expanded in several countries, there have also existed brief or seemingly ongoing infrastructure gaps. The purpose of this health policy study is to provide an overview of the radiation therapy resources available in Africa and to assess how well they align with the agenda 2030 goals, with a specific focus on the role of radiation therapy (both radiotherapy and brachytherapy) in reducing the incidence of cervical cancer. The study consulted publicly accessible datasets to gather information on each nation's radiation therapy equipment, cervical cancer mortality and incidence, gross domestic product (GDP), gross national income (GNI) and population size. This information was used to generate a final dataset for analysis across various African nations, identifying any gaps or areas where improvement is needed. We compared the external beam units (or brachytherapy afterloaders) and unmet needs across nations that had access to either external beam radiation therapy or brachytherapy using a straightforward linear regression. R studio was used for the statistical analysis. Africa's overall unmet need for radiotherapy service was 71.5%. Megavoltage units per cancer incidence and megavoltage units per million population had a strong significant association with economic status (GDP [r2 = 0.83; p < .001]: and GNP [r = 0.83; p < .001]). Additionally, the unmet cervical cancer needs based on the available brachytherapy capacity is about 60%. Interestingly, there was a strong correlation between cervical cancer incidence and brachytherapy capacity. Overall, the study provides valuable insights that can inform policy and decision‐making related to the provision of radiation therapy services in Africa. We expect that international organisations, African Union entities and governments will utilise the Directory of Radiotherapy Centres (DIRAC) initiative as a blueprint for establishing benchmarks and invest in radiotherapy and brachytherapy services in Africa.
Integrating First Nations peoples' cultural capital for sustainable development
Authors: Abeysekera Indra 
Published: June 2023

AbstractFirst Nations peoples occupy one‐quarter of the world's land area, safeguarding 80% of its biodiversity. Sustainable development frameworks acknowledge and include culture's role but fail to give it a special place, specifically First Nations peoples' (Indigenous) cultures. Hence, this study presents a sustainable development model that recognises their cultures—the underlying motivation is that adopting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) as the 2030 Sustainability Agenda for these peoples' cultural capital development has posed two challenges. First, the goal‐related targets and indicators are objectified, encouraging these to be attained as separate goals, but since First Nations cultures are based on relationships and interconnectedness, thinking linearly about these goals misaligns with these cultures. Second, these targets and indicators are not framed to provide special recognition and inclusion of these peoples' cultural knowledge as crucial for sustainable development. Therefore, this study uses the Gaia theory, the theory of distributive justice and the interaction theory of First Nations cultures to propose an empirically testable structural equation model for analysing empirical data using the UN SDGs as goal posts, towards advancing sustainable development. A model application is proposed for non‐governmental organisations serving First Nations peoples. The integrated model shows the interrelationships between various types of capital, including these peoples' cultural capital, required for sustainable development.
Accumulative Rolling Mg/PLLA Composite Membrane with Lamellar Heterostructure for Enhanced Bacteria Inhibition and Rapid Bone Regeneration
Authors: Wang Xianli , Qian Yuxin , Wang Shuang , Wang Mingxi , Sun Ke , Cheng Zhaojun , Shao Yi , Zhang Shixuan , Tang Chunbo , Chu Chenglin , Xue Feng , Tao Li , Lu Mengmeng , Bai Jing 
Published: June 2023

AbstractDeveloping composite materials with optimized mechanics, degradation, and bioactivity for bone regeneration has long been a crucial mission. Herein, a multifunctional Mg/Poly‐l‐lactic acid (Mg/PLLA) composite membrane based on the “materials plain” concept through the accumulative rolling (AR) method is proposed. Results show that at a rolling ratio of 75%, the comprehensive mechanical properties of the membrane in the rolling direction are self‐reinforced significantly (elongation at break ≈53.2%, tensile strength ≈104.0 MPa, Young's modulus ≈2.13 GPa). This enhancement is attributed to the directional arrangement and increased crystallization of PLLA molecular chains, as demonstrated by SAXS and DSC results. Furthermore, the AR composite membrane presents a lamellar heterostructure, which not only avoids the accumulation of Mg microparticles (MgMPs) but also regulates the degradation rate. Through the contribution of bioactive MgMPs and their photothermal effect synergistically, the membrane effectively eliminates bacterial infection and accelerates vascularized bone regeneration both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, the membrane exhibits outstanding rat skull bone regeneration performance in only 4 weeks, surpassing most literature reports. In short, this work develops a composite membrane with a “one stone, four birds” effect, opening an efficient avenue toward high‐performance orthopedic materials.
Machine learning testing in an ADAS case study using simulation‐integrated bio‐inspired search‐based testing
Authors: Moghadam Mahshid Helali , Borg Markus , Saadatmand Mehrdad , Mousavirad Seyed Jalaleddin , Bohlin Markus , Lisper Björn 
Published: June 2023

SummaryThis paper presents an extended version of Deeper, a search‐based simulation‐integrated test solution that generates failure‐revealing test scenarios for testing a deep neural network‐based lane‐keeping system. In the newly proposed version, we utilize a new set of bio‐inspired search algorithms, genetic algorithm (GA), and evolution strategies (ES), and particle swarm optimization (PSO), that leverage a quality population seed and domain‐specific crossover and mutation operations tailored for the presentation model used for modeling the test scenarios. In order to demonstrate the capabilities of the new test generators within Deeper, we carry out an empirical evaluation and comparison with regard to the results of five participating tools in the cyber‐physical systems testing competition at SBST 2021. Our evaluation shows the newly proposed test generators in Deeper not only represent a considerable improvement on the previous version but also prove to be effective and efficient in provoking a considerable number of diverse failure‐revealing test scenarios for testing an ML‐driven lane‐keeping system. They can trigger several failures while promoting test scenario diversity, under a limited test time budget, high target failure severity, and strict speed limit constraints.
Rheological and Biological Impact of Printable PCL‐Fibers as Reinforcing Fillers in Cell‐Laden Spider‐Silk Bio‐Inks
Authors: Schaefer Natascha , Andrade Mier Mateo S. , Sonnleitner David , Murenu Nicoletta , Ng Xuen Jen , Lamberger Zan , Buechner Margitta , Trossmann Vanessa T. , Schubert Dirk W. , Scheibel Thomas , Lang Gregor 
Published: June 2023

AbstractThe development of bio‐inks capable of being 3D‐printed into cell‐containing bio‐fabricates with sufficient shape fidelity is highly demanding. Structural integrity and favorable mechanical properties can be achieved by applying high polymer concentrations in hydrogels. Unfortunately, this often comes at the expense of cell performance since cells may become entrapped in the dense matrix. This drawback can be addressed by incorporating fibers as reinforcing fillers that strengthen the overall bio‐ink structure and provide a second hierarchical micro‐structure to which cells can adhere and align, resulting in enhanced cell activity. In this work, the potential impact of collagen‐coated short polycaprolactone‐fibers on cells after being printed in a hydrogel is systematically studied. The matrix is composed of eADF4(C16), a recombinant spider silk protein that is cytocompatible but non‐adhesive for cells. Consequently, the impact of fibers could be exclusively examined, excluding secondary effects induced by the matrix. Applying this model system, a significant impact of such fillers on rheology and cell behavior is observed. Strikingly, it could be shown that fibers reduce cell viability upon printing but subsequently promote cell performance in the printed construct, emphasizing the need to distinguish between in‐print and post‐print impact of fillers in bio‐inks.