bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Novel techniques for characterising graphene nanoplatelets using Raman spectroscopy and machine learning
Authors: Orts Mercadillo Vicente , Ijije Happiness , Chaplin Luke , Kinloch Ian A , Bissett Mark A 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
A significant challenge for graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) suppliers is the characterisation of platelet morphology in industrial environments. This challenge is further exacerbated to platelet surface chemistry when scalable functionalisation processes, such as plasma treatment, are used to modify the GNPs to improve the filler-matrix interphase in nanocomposites. The costly and complex suite of analytical equipment necessary for a complete material description makes quality control and process optimisation difficult. Raman spectroscopy is a facile and accessible characterisation technique, with recent advancements unlocking fast mapping for rapid data collection. In this study, we develop novel techniques to better characterise GNP morphology and changes in surface chemistry using Raman maps of bulk powders. Providing a bespoke algorithmic framework for the analysis of these advanced materials. An unsupervised peak fitting and processing algorithm was used to extract crystallinity data and correlate it with laser-diffraction-derived lateral size values for a commercial set of GNPs rapidly and accurately. Classical machine learning was used to identify the most informative Raman features for classifying the plasma-functionalised GNPs. The initial material properties were found to affect the peak features that were the most useful for classification. In low defect density and low specific surface area GNPs, the D peak full width at half maximum is found to be the most useful, whereas the

I

2D

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I

G

ratio is the most useful in the opposite case. Finally, a convolutional neural network was trained to discern between different GNP grades with 86% accuracy. This work demonstrates how computer vision could be deployed for rapid and accurate quality control on the factory floor.
Comparative analysis of the qualitative characteristics of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde resins based on styrene-modified oil shale alkylresorcinols
Authors: Jurkeviciute Ana , Grigorieva Larisa , Tõnsuaadu Kaia , Blum Kristina 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Reducing the amount of volatile compounds in alkylresorcinol-aldehyde resins, reducing the impact of their components on the environment, and improving their performance can be achieved by replacing formaldehyde with acetaldehyde and by preliminary aralkylation of the resorcinol components of the raw material. To prove this, a comparative analysis of the properties of resins synthesized based on oil shale alkylresorcinols pre-treated with styrene, formaldehyde, or acetaldehyde was carried out. The effects of the molar ratio of feedstock/aldehyde and the amount of catalyst on the yield and characteristics of the resins were considered. Both individual alkylresorcinols (R, 5-MR, 2.5-DMR) and industrial fractions (REZOL, HONEYOL) were used as the raw materials. The following indicators were used to compare the obtained resins: softening point, ash content, coke number, moisture content, volatile substances, and solubility in organic solvents. The thermal properties of the resins were studied by TG/DTG/DTA in inert and oxidative atmosphere. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of resins and distillates for the content of unreacted resorcinol, individual alkylresorcinols, and styrene were carried out using iodometry, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and gas chromatography (GC). It has been shown that the use of acetaldehyde makes it possible to obtain resins with the stated characteristics. The formaldehyde (SF) and acetaldehyde (SAc) resins obtained consist of oligomers with different chain lengths. Synthesized SAc resins are solids with a softening point of 51 °C–103 °C. Resins are soluble in acetone, EtOH, acetonitrile, and THF, and insoluble in benzene. SAc resins contain 3–4 times less unreacted original resorcinol components compared to SF resins. The conversion of styrene in the synthesis of Rez100SF resins was 42 wt%, Rez100SAc and Hon100SAc are 98 and 97 wt%, respectively. A comparative analysis of resins synthesized using acetaldehyde instead of formaldehyde helped identify both the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed synthesis variation.
The relationship between sea surface temperature anomalies, wind and translation speed and North Atlantic tropical cyclone rainfall over ocean and land
Authors: Hallam Samantha , McCarthy Gerard D , Feng Xiangbo , Josey Simon A , Harris Elizabeth , Düsterhus André , Ogungbenro Stephen , Hirschi Joël J-M 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
There have been increasing losses from freshwater flooding associated with United States (US) landfalling hurricanes in recent years. This study analyses the relationship between sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA), wind and translation speed and North Atlantic tropical cyclone precipitation (TCP) for the period 1998-2017. Based on our statistical analysis of observation data, for a 1 °C SST increase in the main development region (MDR), there is a 6% increase (not statistically significant) in the TCP rate (mmhr−1) over the Atlantic, which rises to over 40% over land (US states) and appears linked not only to the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship but also to the increase in tropical cyclone (TC) intensity associated with increasing SSTA. Total annual TCP is significantly correlated with the SST in the MDR. Over the Atlantic there is an increase of 116% and over land there is an increase of 140% in total TCP for a 1 °C rise in SST in the MDR. Again, this is linked to the increase in windspeed and the number of TC tracks which also rises with positive SSTAs in the MDR. Our analysis of landfalling TC tracks for nine US states provides a systematic review and highlights how TCP varies by US state. The highest number of landfalls per year are found in Florida, North Carolina and Texas. The median tropical cyclone translation speed is 20.3kmhr−1, although this falls to 16.5 kmhr−1 over land and there is a latitudinal dependence on translation speed. Overall, we find a different TCP response to rising SST over the ocean and land, with the response over land over four times more than the Clausius-Clapeyron rate. The links between SSTA in the MDR and both TCP rate and annual total TCP provide useful insights for seasonal to decadal US flood prediction from TCs.
3D printing-based soft auxetic structures using PDMS-Ecoflex Hybrid
Authors: Kim Chae-Hwan , Kim Hyun-Young , Kim Jun-Ho , Kim Jaehwan 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Auxetic structures with negative Poisson’s ratio have received much attention due to their attractive behavioral properties in next-generation metamaterials and robotic applications. However, until now, there has been a lack of research into using soft materials to reliably develop a largely-deformable auxetic structures. Here, we develop soft polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-Ecoflex auxetic structures using a 3D printing technique, leading to high fabrication reliability and repeatability. Water-soluble filaments are employed to design sacrificial mold structures that quickly dissolve in warm water. By measuring the mechanical properties and light transmittance of soft composite membranes with various mixing ratios of PDMS and Ecoflex, the intrinsic characteristics of the composite membranes are determined. The newly fabricated soft auxetic structures composed of PDMS and Ecoflex composites always exhibit negative Poisson’s ratio during stretching. The negative Poisson’s ratio of the structure is maximized when PDMS and Ecoflex have a 2:1 mixing ratio and nominal strain is less than 5%. Advances in technology to reliably fabricate soft auxetic structures using 3D printers are believed to promote next-generation applications such as wearable sensors and energy-absorbing structures.
Evaluation of energy absorption enhancement of additively manufactured polymer composite lattice structures
Authors: Kumar A Praveen , Ma Quanjin 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
The unique compressive behaviour of lattice cubic structures as well as their high specific strength and significant energy absorbing characteristics makes them an attractive solution for crashworthiness applications. Hence in this research study, the crashworthiness behaviour and energy absorbing characteristics of the thermoplastic polymer composite lattice cubic structures were experimentally investigated under quasi-static compression. Four design patterns such as Cuboctahedron, Kelvin cell, Truncated cube in square and dividend square geometrics were considered and fabricated through fused deposition modelling technique. The proposed structures were additively manufactured with four different thermoplastic polymer based filament materials and their influence on the crashworthiness characteristics were investigated experimentally. The obtained results revealed that the PLA-CF based KC configuration exhibited SEA of 2.50 kJ g−1 and the maximum value of CFE is 84.91% for PETG-CF based KC configuration. Furthermore, the experimental results indicated that the proposed thermoplastic polymer composite based lattice cubic structures are potentially a suitable component for crashworthiness applications owing to their significant energy absorption ability.
Growing inequality in systems showing Zipf’s law
Authors: De Marzo Giordano , Attili Federico , Pietronero Luciano 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
A central problem in economics and statistics is the assessment of income or wealth inequality starting from empirical data. Here we focus on the behavior of Gini index, one of the most used inequality measures, in presence of Zipf’s law, a situation which occurs in many complex financial and economical systems. First, we show that the application of asymptotic formulas to finite size systems always leads to an overestimation of inequality. We thus compute finite size corrections and we show that depending on Zipf’s exponent two distinct regimes can be observed: low inequality, where Gini index is less than one and maximal inequality, where Gini index asymptotically tends to its maximal value one. In both cases, the inequality of an expanding system slowly increases just as effect of growth, with a scaling never faster than the inverse of the size. We test our computations on two real systems, US cities and the cryptocurrency market, observing in both cases an increase of inequality that is completely explained by Zipf’s law and the systems expanding. This shows that in growing complex systems finite size effects must be considered in order to properly assess if inequality is increasing due to natural growth processes or if it is produced by a change in the economical structure of the systems. Finally we discuss how such effects must be carefully considered when analyzing survey data.
Tundra cryogenic land surface processes and CO2–C balance in sub-Arctic alpine environment withstand winter and spring warming
Authors: Väisänen Maria , Klaminder Jonatan , Ylänne Henni , Teuber Laurenz , Dorrepaal Ellen , Krab Eveline J 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Cryogenic land surface processes (CLSPs), such as cryoturbation, are currently active in landscapes covering 25% of our planet where they dictate key functions, such as carbon (C) cycling, and maintain patterned landscape features. While CLSPs are expected to diminish in the near future due to milder winters especially in the southern parts of the Arctic, the shifts in C cycling in these landscapes may be more complex, since climate change can affect C cycling directly but also indirectly via CLSPs. Here, we study the effects of changing winter and spring climate on CLSPs and C cycling in non-sorted circles consisting of barren frost boils and their vegetated rims. We do this by measuring cryoturbation and ecosystem CO2 fluxes repeatedly in alpine subarctic tundra where temperatures during naturally snow covered period have been experimentally increased with snow-trapping fences and temperatures during winter and spring period after snowmelt have been increased with insulating fleeces. Opposite to our hypothesis, warming treatments did not decrease cryoturbation. However, winter warming via deeper snow increased ecosystem C sink during summer by decreasing ecosystem CO2 release in the frost boils and by counterbalancing the negative effects of cryoturbation on plant CO2 uptake in the vegetated rims. Our results suggest that short-term changes in winter and spring climate may not alter cryoturbation and jeopardize the tundra C sink.
An evaluation of intravenous medication preparation times before and after implementation of first-party digital image capture functionality
Authors: Hsia Bernard M , Shelton A Travis , Mara Kristin C , Lim Dennison , Mistri Amish , Ong Kyle , Draper Evan W 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Purpose
The intravenous (IV) medication compounding workflow has long been associated with preventable medication errors. This has led to the development of technologies designed to enhance the safety of IV compounding workflows. Digital image capture is a component of this technology about which there is relatively limited published literature. This study evaluates image capture implemented within an electronic health record’s existing first-party IV workflow solution.

Methods
A retrospective case-control study was conducted to measure IV preparation times before and after digital imaging implementation. Preparations during 3 periods (preimplementation, ≤1 month post implementation, and &gt;1 month post implementation) were matched for 5 variables. A less stringent analysis with matching for 2 variables, as well as an unmatched analysis, were performed post hoc. An employee survey assessed satisfaction with the digital imaging workflow, and revised orders were reviewed to identify new problems introduced by image capture.

Results
A total of 134,969 IV dispenses were available for analysis. Median preparation time in the preimplementation and &gt;1 month post implementation cohorts was unchanged in the 5-variable matched analysis (6.87 minutes vs 6.58 minutes, P = 0.14) and increased in the 2-variable matched analysis (6.98 minutes vs 7.35 minutes, P &lt; 0.001) and unmatched analysis (6.55 minutes vs 8.02 minutes, P &lt; 0.001). A large majority of survey respondents (92%) felt that image capture improved patient safety. Of the 105 postimplementation preparations identified as requiring revisions by the checking pharmacist, 24 (22.9%) required revisions directly related to camera functionality.

Conclusion
Implementation of digital image capture likely increased preparation times. Most IV room staff felt that image capture increased preparation times and were satisfied with how the technology improved patient safety. Image capture introduced camera-specific issues that led to preparations requiring revisions.
Proximal mediation analysis
Authors: Dukes Oliver , Shpitser Ilya , Tchetgen Tchetgen Eric J 
Published: March 2023

Summary
A common concern when trying to draw causal inferences from observational data is that the measured covariates are insufficiently rich to account for all sources of confounding. In practice, many of the covariates may only be proxies of the latent confounding mechanism. Recent work has shown that in certain settings where the standard no-unmeasured-confounding assumption fails, proxy variables can be leveraged to identify causal effects. Results currently exist for the total causal effect of an intervention, but little consideration has been given to learning about the direct or indirect pathways of the effect through a mediator variable. In this work, we describe three separate proximal identification results for natural direct and indirect effects in the presence of unmeasured confounding. We then develop a semiparametric framework for inference on natural direct and indirect effects, which leads us to locally efficient, multiply robust estimators.
Species delimitation in a recently diverged species complex of Eryngium (Apiaceae: Saniculoideae) from the Chilean Mediterranean and the Atacama Desert: morphological, environmental and molecular coalescent-based analyses
Authors: Padin Ariana LucíA , Calviño Carolina Isabel 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
The Eryngium anomalum species complex comprises a group of annual herbs that are found in coastal areas of central-northern Chile which diverged during the Quaternary. According to current taxonomy, this complex comprises two distinct species. However, variation in their fruits suggests the presence of a hitherto undetected species. To improve our understanding of speciation processes in the complex, we follow an integrative approach using morphological, geographical, climatic and molecular data. Quantitative morphological, bioclimatic and topographic variables were analysed using uni- and multivariate statistics, and DNA sequence data from plastid and nuclear genomes using phylogenetic and coalescent-based methods. Geographical data were mapped with QGIS. The recognition of three different species in the complex is supported, one of which is new: Eryngium atacamense. These species diverged during the Quaternary in the Chilean Mediterranean and the Atacama Desert and differ in morphology, geographical distribution and climatic niche. They also show strong genetic structure as three independent lineages. Geographically and ecologically divergent habitats, mainly with different degrees of aridity, probably acted as drivers for speciation of three lineages of the E. anomalum complex during the Quaternary in the Chilean Mediterranean bioclimate.
Hypoxia-inducible factor stabilizers: 27 228 patients studied, yet a role still undefined
Authors: Fishbane Steven , Malieckal Deepa A , Ng Ji H 
Published: March 2023

ABSTRACT
With the emergence of hypoxia inducible factor–prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF-PHIs) came the hope that using these oral drugs could improve the treatment of the anemia of kidney disease. In this editorial we discuss the accumulated knowledge on these agents and the clinical context for use.
Machine-learning versus traditional approaches for atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk prognostication in primary prevention cohorts: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Liu Weber , Laranjo Liliana , Klimis Harry , Chiang Jason , Yue Jason , Marschner Simone , Quiroz Juan C , Jorm Louisa , Chow Clara K 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBackgroundCardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction is important for guiding the intensity of therapy in CVD prevention. Whilst current risk prediction algorithms use traditional statistical approaches, machine learning (ML) presents an alternative method that may improve risk prediction accuracy. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate whether ML algorithms demonstrate greater performance compared with traditional risk scores in CVD risk prognostication.Methods and resultsMEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and SCOPUS Web of Science Core collections were searched for studies comparing ML models to traditional risk scores for CVD risk prediction between the years 2000 and 2021. We included studies that assessed both ML and traditional risk scores in adult (≥18 year old) primary prevention populations. We assessed the risk of bias using the Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST) tool. Only studies that provided a measure of discrimination [i.e. C-statistics with 95% confidence intervals (CIs)] were included in the meta-analysis. A total of 16 studies were included in the review and meta-analysis (3302 515 individuals). All study designs were retrospective cohort studies. Out of 16 studies, 3 externally validated their models, and 11 reported calibration metrics. A total of 11 studies demonstrated a high risk of bias. The summary C-statistics (95% CI) of the top-performing ML models and traditional risk scores were 0.773 (95% CI: 0.740–0.806) and 0.759 (95% CI: 0.726–0.792), respectively. The difference in C-statistic was 0.0139 (95% CI: 0.0139–0.140), P &lt; 0.0001.ConclusionML models outperformed traditional risk scores in the discrimination of CVD risk prognostication. Integration of ML algorithms into electronic healthcare systems in primary care could improve identification of patients at high risk of subsequent CVD events and hence increase opportunities for CVD prevention. It is uncertain whether they can be implemented in clinical settings. Future implementation research is needed to examine how ML models may be utilized for primary prevention.This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020220811).
Non-missense variants ofKCNH2show better outcomes in type 2 long QT syndrome
Authors: Aizawa Takanori , Wada Yuko , Hasegawa Kanae , Huang Hai , Imamura Tomohiko , Gao Jingshan , Kashiwa Asami , Kohjitani Hirohiko , Fukuyama Megumi , Kato Koichi , Kato Eri Toda , Hisamatsu Takashi , Ohno Seiko , Makiyama Takeru , Kimura Takeshi , Horie Minoru 
Published: March 2023

AbstractAimsMore than one-third of type 2 long QT syndrome (LQT2) patients carry KCNH2 non-missense variants that can result in haploinsufficiency (HI), leading to mechanistic loss-of-function. However, their clinical phenotypes have not been fully investigated. The remaining two-thirds of patients harbour missense variants, and past studies uncovered that most of these variants cause trafficking deficiency, resulting in different functional changes: either HI or dominant-negative (DN) effects. In this study, we examined the impact of altered molecular mechanisms on clinical outcomes in LQT2 patients.Methods and resultsWe included 429 LQT2 patients (234 probands) carrying a rare KCNH2 variant from our patient cohort undergoing genetic testing. Non-missense variants showed shorter corrected QT (QTc) and less arrhythmic events (AEs) than missense variants. We found that 40% of missense variants in this study were previously reported as HI or DN. Non-missense and HI-groups had similar phenotypes, while both exhibited shorter QTc and less AEs than the DN-group. Based on previous work, we predicted the functional change of the unreported variants—whether they cause HI or DN via altered functional domains—and stratified them as predicted HI (pHI)- or pDN-group. The pHI-group including non-missense variants exhibited milder phenotypes compared to the pDN-group. Multivariable Cox model showed that the functional change was an independent risk of AEs (P = 0.005).ConclusionStratification based on molecular biological studies enables us to better predict clinical outcomes in the patients with LQT2.
Cryptic genetic variation of expression quantitative trait locus architecture revealed by genetic perturbation in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: van Wijk Marijke H , Riksen Joost A G , Elvin Mark , Poulin Gino B , Maulana Muhammad I , Kammenga Jan E , Snoek Basten L , Sterken Mark G 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Genetic perturbation in different genetic backgrounds can cause a range of phenotypes within a species. These phenotypic differences can be the result of the interaction between the genetic background and the perturbation. Previously, we reported that perturbation of gld-1, an important player in the developmental control of Caenorhabditis elegans, released cryptic genetic variation (CGV) affecting fitness in different genetic backgrounds. Here, we investigated the change in transcriptional architecture. We found 414 genes with a cis-expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) and 991 genes with a trans-eQTL that were specifically found in the gld-1 RNAi treatment. In total, we detected 16 eQTL hotspots, of which 7 were only found in the gld-1 RNAi treatment. Enrichment analysis of those 7 hotspots showed that the regulated genes were associated with neurons and the pharynx. Furthermore, we found evidence of accelerated transcriptional aging in the gld-1 RNAi–treated nematodes. Overall, our results illustrate that studying CGV leads to the discovery of hidden polymorphic regulators.