bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Steady and transient rheological properties of four polysaccharides with different chain conformations
Authors: Hu Shihao , Cui Manli , Li Xuan , Xu Xiaojuan 
Published: September 2023

AbstractCarbohydrate polymers have broad application prospects, especially in food and cosmetic fields, and rheology is very important for controlling the quality and functions of their final products. Therefore, the steady and transient rheological behaviors of polysaccharides with different chain conformations of triple helix, double helix, and random coils were studied systematically. In our findings, the extraordinary low‐shear thickening phenomena of polysaccharides (lentinan, curdlan, and xanthan) with helix conformation were observed at a certain concentration depending on the stiffness and molecular weight, different from the steady‐shear rheological property of pullulan, which was attributable to the arrangement from order to disorder of stiff chains at the shear rate of < 0.1 s−1. Lentinan, curdlan, and xanthan in solution showed obvious viscoelasticity and thixotropic behavior with significant concentration and stiffness dependence, while the flexible pullulan only exhibited Newtonian viscous fluid even at high concentration of 20%. Stress overshoot for the four polysaccharides occurred after shearing, and the higher stiffness and molecular weight delayed the occurrence of stress overshoot. Obviously, chain conformation plays a key role on controlling the rheology of polysaccharides. This work provides scientific basis for the application of these polysaccharides in food and cosmetics field.
Finite‐time boundedness and control design of uncertain switched systems with time‐varying delay under new switching rules
Authors: Wang Wenqin , Qi Xin , Zhong Shouming , Liu Feng 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIn this article, the finite‐time boundedness and control problem for time‐delay switched systems with uncertainties are studied. The delay is considered as time‐varying delay rather than constant delay, which is more suitable for practical engineering. First, the property of finite time boundedness for uncertain switched system without control input is researched by constructing a proper Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional (LKF) with three integral terms and the minimum LKF switching rules. Then, a state feedback controller with switching is designed. By utilizing Finsler's Lemma and singular value decomposition (SVD), sufficient conditions for finite‐time boundedness of time‐delay switched systems with control input and controller gain are presented. Additionally, a filter system is designed. The finite time boundedness and filter parameters of the closed‐loop error system are obtained by using the auxiliary matrix method. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed methods and the significance of switching rule are demonstrated through two numerical examples.
Opening the gates: The increasing impact of papers beyond the top five and other changes in economic publishing
Authors: Caviglia‐Harris Jill 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe field of economics is undergoing a paradigm shift, marked by what has become known as the “credibility revolution.” This shift has impacted what economists write about, how they organize and structure their papers, and where they chose to publish their findings. This paper traces publishing trends from the 100 most cited papers in the decades from 1970 to 2019 (500 papers in total). Data suggest that the field has become more empirical and that the structure of papers is more standardized, often following a format that is closer to that of scientific papers. Increases in the percentage of women first‐listed authors and the gender ratio are noted and found to be correlated with emerging fields. Most interestingly, a decreasing number of highly cited papers are from what are generally considered the “Top 5” journals in economics, suggesting increasing importance of articles published outside of the Top 5.
A multi‐objective structural optimization method for serviceability design of tall buildings
Authors: Huang Ming‐Feng , Wang Chun‐He , Lin Wei , Xiao Zhi‐Bin 
Published: September 2023

SummaryStructural optimization design aims to identify optimal design variables corresponding to a minimum objective function with constraints on performance requirements. To this end, many optimization frameworks have been proposed to determine optimal structural systems that are subjected to seismic and wind hazards in isolation. However, some modern tall buildings are sensitive to seismic and wind excitation owing to their complex structural systems and geographic regions. Therefore, a proper structural optimization method for such buildings is required to ensure that the expected performance is achieved in a multi‐hazard scenario. This study proposes a multi‐objective serviceability design optimization methodology for buildings in multi‐hazard seismic and wind environments by combining optimality criteria and the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA‐II). Seismic and wind effects can be instantaneously updated due to changes in the structural dynamic properties during the optimal design process. A neural‐network‐based surrogate model with self‐updating is proposed to predict the structural natural frequency so that the overall computation time of the optimization process can be reduced. The proposed method was used to optimize a 50‐story frame‐tube building and was compared against the general genetic algorithm and general NSGA‐II to verify the feasibility and effectiveness.
Angiogenic markers and maternal echocardiographic indices in women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
Authors: Giorgione V. , Di Fabrizio C. , Giallongo E. , Khalil A. , O'Driscoll J. , Whitley G. , Kennedy G. , Murdoch C. E. , Thilaganathan B. 
Published: September 2023

ABSTRACTObjectiveThe maternal cardiovascular system of women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) can be impaired, with higher rates of left ventricular (LV) remodeling and diastolic dysfunction compared to those with normotensive pregnancy. The primary objective of this prospective study was to correlate cardiac indices obtained by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and circulating angiogenic markers, such as soluble fms‐like tyrosine kinase‐1 (sFlt‐1) and placental growth factor (PlGF).MethodsIn this study, 95 women with a pregnancy complicated by HDP and a group of 25 with an uncomplicated pregnancy at term underwent TTE and blood tests to measure sFlt‐1 and PlGF during the peripartum period (before delivery or within a week of giving birth). Spearman's rank correlation was used to derive correlation coefficients between biomarkers and cardiac indices in the HDP and control populations.ResultsThe HDP group included 61 (64.2%) pre‐eclamptic patients and, among them, 42 (68.9%) delivered before 37 weeks' gestation. Twelve women with HDP (12.6%) underwent blood sampling and TTE after delivery, and, as they showed significantly lower levels of angiogenic markers, they were excluded from the analysis. There was a correlation between sFlt‐1 and LV mass index (LVMI) (r = 0.246; P = 0.026) and early diastolic mitral inflow velocity (E) and early diastolic mitral annular velocity (e′) ratio (r = 0.272; P = 0.014) in the HDP group (n = 83), while in the controls, sFlt‐1 showed a correlation with relative wall thickness (r = 0.409; P = 0.043), lateral e′ (r = −0.562; P = 0.004) and E/e′ ratio (r = 0.417; P = 0.042). PlGF correlated with LVMI (r = −0.238; P = 0.031) in HDP patients and with lateral e′ (r = 0.466; P = 0.022) in controls. sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio correlated with lateral e′ (r = −0.568; P = 0.004) and E/e′ ratio (r = 0.428; P = 0.037) in controls and with LVMI (r = 0.252; P = 0.022) and E/e′ ratio (r = 0.269; P = 0.014) in HDP.ConclusionsAlthough the current data are not able to infer causality, they confirm the intimate relationship between the maternal cardiovascular system and angiogenic markers that are used both to diagnose and indicate the severity of HDP. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
A Critical Evaluation of International Agreements Towards a Revised Categorization for Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs)
Authors: Retief Francois Pieter , Alberts Reece Cronje , Lubbe Willem Daniel , Roos Claudine , Cilliers Dirk Petrus 
Published: September 2023

AbstractTransfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) are widely promoted as an international instrument to achieve certain conservation, cooperation and developmental goals, especially within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). In the SADC context, the status of TFCAs is categorized based on the extent to which international agreements have been signed. These agreements take different forms such as treaties, memorandums of understanding (MoUs), protocols and bilateral agreements. However, the efficacy of agreement-based approaches towards the categorization of TFCAs has been questioned because it does not acknowledge the implementation complexities of TFCAs and lacks a sound conceptual basis. This research evaluates the international TFCA agreements in SADC with a view to recommending a revised categorization. This is achieved by applying Theory of Change (ToC) to a sample of ten signed TFCAs agreements. The results show a lack of enforcement mechanisms, weak provision for implementation and poorly defined objectives. These weaknesses of agreement-based approaches can best be addressed by expanding the categorization of TFCAs to also include the extent of legislative and operational alignment. The revised categorization supports a more complete understanding of TFCA implementation.
Quantitative evaluation of pediatric umbilical loop stomas: 2 decades of experience from a single institution
Authors: Ishii Daisuke , Kumata Yuka , Ishii Seiya , Motoki Keita , Miyagi Hisayuki 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Since pediatric stomas are often temporary, their creation, management, and closure should be simple, with minimal complications and excellent cosmetic results. We began employing umbilical stomas in 2000. This study aimed to characterize the ingenuity and utility of umbilical stomas and provide a quantitative evaluation of their cosmetic outcomes.

Methods
We examined cases of stoma construction and closure surgery performed in our department from January 2000 to December 2022. The umbilical and non-umbilical stoma groups included 54 and 42 cases, respectively, and the findings for both groups were compared and analyzed.

Results
The two groups showed no significant differences in the incidence of complications. The Manchester Scar Scale score for the umbilical stoma group (8.42 ± 1.85) was significantly better than that for the non-umbilical stoma group (16.31 ± 2.96; P < 0.01). Likewise, in Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale assessments, the umbilical stoma group showed significantly better scores in both the observer scale (9.48 ± 2.50 vs. 21.78 ± 7.26; P < 0.01) and the patient scale (10.5 ± 1.39 vs. 22.40 ± 7.35; P < 0.01).

Conclusions
Umbilical stomas are easy to manage and yield an inconspicuous closure incision with excellent cosmetic outcomes. Although patient selection is important, pediatric umbilical stomas are a valuable option that can be actively employed.
Metal tolerance and Cd phytoremoval ability in Pisum sativum grown in spiked nutrient solution
Authors: Cruzado-Tafur Edith , Orzoł Aleksandra , Gołębiowski Adrian , Pomastowski Paweł , Cichorek Mateusz , Olszewski Jacek , Walczak-Skierska Justyna , Buszewski Bogusław , Szultka-Młyńska Małgorzata , Głowacka Katarzyna 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIn the presented study, the effects of cadmium (Cd) stress and silicon (Si) supplementation on the pea plant (Pisum sativum L.) were investigated. The tendency to accumulate cadmium in the relevant morphological parts of the plant (roots and shoots respectively)—bioaccumulation, the transfer of this element in the plant (translocation) and the physiological parameters of the plant through indicators of oxidative stress were determined. Model studies were carried out at pH values 6.0 and 5.0 plant growth conditions in the hydroponic cultivation. It was shown that Cd accumulates mostly in plant roots at both pH levels. However, the Cd content is higher in the plants grown at lower pH. The Cd translocation factor was below 1.0, which indicates that the pea is an excluder plant. The contamination of the plant growth environment with Cd causes the increased antioxidant stress by the growing parameters of the total phenolic content (TPC), polyphenol oxidase activity (PPO), the malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipid peroxidation (LP). The results obtained showed that the supplementation with Si reduces these parameters, thus lowering the oxidative stress of the plant. Moreover, supplementation with Si leads to a lower content of Cd in the roots and reduces bioaccumulation of Cd in shoots and roots of pea plants.
Low-power Relaxation Oscillator with Temperature-compensated Thyristor Decision Elements
Authors: Jotschke Marcel , Palanisamy Gokulkumar , Carvajal Ossa Wilmar , Prabakaran Harsha , Koh Jeongwook , Kuhl Matthias , Krautschneider Wolfgang H. , Reich Torsten , Mayr Christian 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThis paper presents a low-power 140 kHz relaxation oscillator (ROSC) for low-frequency clock generators and timers. In voltage-mode ROSCs, unavoidable shunt current consumption results from voltage slewing at the integration capacitor. The proposed circuit employs CMOS thyristor-based decision elements which effectively reduce shunt currents by exploiting internal positive feedback. A complementary-to-absolute temperature (CTAT) current reference compensates for the frequency’s temperature sensitivity. In order to achieve high negative temperature coefficient with small area and power overhead, the circuit reuses parts of the positive-to-absolute temperature (PTAT) bias generation block. Moreover, a modified start-up circuit with 3 times faster oscillator power-on is presented. The 0.09 mm$${}^2$$

2

oscillator consumes 6.5 nW/kHz at 1.5 V to 2.5 V supply if only the CTAT source is considered, resulting in a power consumption of 907.4 nW at 140 kHz. The measured temperature coefficient of $$-$$
-
514.7 ppm/K in the range of −40 °C to 85 °C shows an improvement of 5.5 times compared to the uncompensated case. A supply sensitivity of 2.62 %/V, a frequency resolution of 2.67 kHz/step, and an average clock jitter of 6.02 ns are achieved. The oscillator is embedded in an ultra-low power system-on-chip for autonomous environmental sensing.
Smart manufacturing as a strategic tool to mitigate sustainable manufacturing challenges: a case approach
Authors: Kannan Devika , Gholipour Parvaneh , Bai Chunguang 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDue to the manufacturing sector’s severe negative impacts on sustainable development, sustainable manufacturing is gaining more momentum than ever. Despite the advantages of sustainable manufacturing, academic literature resources report that practitioners still face several challenges while implementing sustainable manufacturing. To eliminate such challenges, numerous mitigation strategies have been proposed, including those that identify Industry 4.0 technologies as a key factor. However, current studies are generally more focused on the application of Industry 4.0 technologies/smart manufacturing in sustainable manufacturing; most fail to provide an in-depth understanding of how these technologies might mitigate the existing adoption challenges of sustainable manufacturing. In this study, the key challenges of sustainable manufacturing are identified through literature review and analyzed with MCDM tools such as the Best-Worst Method and WASPAS method. The results suggest that governmental challenge demonstrates the greatest weight in the final ranking, followed by technological and organizational challenges. Among the sub-challenges, “lack of support from the government in the form of regulations / policies” and “absence of subsidies and incentives” display the most weight. Further, a framework has been proposed to map the collected challenges with relevant mitigating smart manufacturing technologies to bridge the gap remaining from existing studies. Finally, this study contributes to the new field of approaching smart manufacturing as a mitigating strategy for sustainable manufacturing implementation through highlighting the implications and recommendations.
A low dose of naloxone mitigates autoimmune hepatitis by regulating TLR4/NF-κB and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways
Authors: Ibrahim Kawther Magdy , Ahmed Hebatalla I. , Ramadan Laila , Balah Amany 
Published: September 2023

AbstractNaloxone is a non-selective opiate receptor antagonist that is mainly used in the management of acute opioid overdose or intoxication. Previously, naloxone has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Concanavalin A (Con A) model is a common and well established animal model of autoimmune hepatitis that closely resembles the pathological alterations that occur in human. The present study demonstrates that a low dose of naloxone (LD NX) has the ability to improve hepatic function and attenuate hepatic damage induced by Con A as indicated by a clear reduction in serum aminotransferase, bilirubin and enhancement of albumin production as well as liver pathological changes. Also, The proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon- γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were highly suppressed in animals pretreated with LD NX via interference with TLR4/NF-κB as well as JNK signaling pathways. Furthermore, oxidative stress was highly attenuated in animals pretreated with LD NX as indicated by high reduction in hepatic MDA and an increase in Nrf2, HO-1 expression and subsequent production of the endogenous antioxidants, SOD, CAT and GSH. Collectively, this study demonstrates that LD NX has the ability to mitigate Con A-induced autoimmune hepatitis via modulation of inflammatory cytokines secretion and interference with reactive oxygen species generation.
Keyword occurrences and journal specialization
Authors: Sampagnaro Gabriele 
Published: September 2023

AbstractSince the borders of disciplines change over time and vary across communities and geographies, they can be expressed at different levels of granularity, making it challenging to find a broad consensus about the measurement of interdisciplinarity. This study contributes to this debate by proposing a journal specialization index based on the level of repetitiveness of keywords appearing in their articles. Keywords represent one of the most essential items for filtering the vast amount of research available. If chosen correctly, they can help to identify the central concept of the paper and, consequently, to couple it with manuscripts related to the same field or subfield of research. Based on these universally recognized features of article keywords, the study proposes measuring the specialization of a journal by counting the number of times that a keyword is Queryrepeated in a journal on average (Sj). The basic assumption underlying the proposal of a journal specialization index is that the keywords may approximate the article’s topic and that the higher the number of papers in a journal based on a topic, the higher the level of specialization of that journal. The proposed specialization metric is not invulnerable to a set of limitations, among which the most relevant seems to be the lack of a standard practice regarding the number and consistency of keywords appearing in each article.
Bone turnover decreases and bone structure improves during treatment with weekly high-dose methylprednisolone for 12 weeks in Graves’ orbitopathy
Authors: Harsløf Torben , Hikmet Rawan , Ebbehøj Eva , Langdahl Bente 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Weekly treatment with the intravenous glucocorticoid methylprednisolone for 12 weeks is mainstay in the treatment of Graves’ orbitopathy but may decrease bone mass and impair bone structure. We therefore investigated bone turnover, -mass and -structure during the treatment cause in these patients.

Methods
We included 32 patients with Graves’ orbitopathy scheduled for treatment with methylprednisolone. Bone turnover and thyroid function was measured at baseline and after 3, 9, 12, and 24 weeks, bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using dual x-ray absorptiometry at baseline and after 12 and 24 weeks, and bone structure was measured using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography at baseline and after 12 weeks.

Results
Bone turnover and tri-iodothyronine decreased throughout the study. Cortical volumetric BMD at both the radius and tibia increased significantly by 0.98 ± 0.38% (p = 0.01) and 1.35 ± 0.50% (p = 0.01), respectively and cortical porosity at both the radius and tibia decreased significantly by −7.67 ± 3.13% (p = 0.04) and −3.30 ± 2.17% (p = 0.04), respectively. Bone mineral density was stable during the first 12 weeks but increased significantly by 2.26 ± 3.61% at the femoral neck (p < 0.01) and by 2.24 ± 4.24% at the total hip towards week 24 (p = 0.02). Stratified analyses suggested that remission of hyperthyroidism was the most important determinant of changes in bone turnover, bone mass and structure.

Conclusion
During a 12-week course of high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone bone turnover and cortical porosity decreased and during 24 weeks follow up bone mineral density increased. In terms of bone, methylprednisolone therefore is a safe treatment for Graves’ orbitopathy.
Gendered investment differences among smallholder farmers: evidence from a microcredit programme in western kenya
Authors: Jindo Keiji , Andersson Jens A. , Quist-Wessel Foluke , Onyango Jackonia , Langeveld Johannes W. A. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe advent of microcredit programmes in sub-Saharan Africa provides opportunities for rural households to acquire agricultural inputs and consumer goods. This study analysed gender differences in investment behaviour and repayment performance using a unique dataset—the complete client database (21,386 clients) of a microcredit programme operating in Western Kenya. Products purchased via the microcredit programme include seeds, fertilisers, post-harvesting technologies (drying sheets, storage bags, and pesticides), chicken feed packages, and different solar panel products. A machine learning-based basket analysis identified combinations of products purchased by male and female clients. Our results showed that female farmers usually made smaller investments, had higher repayment rates, and purchased more post-harvesting technologies than male farmers. In addition, female farmers used their loans to purchase less expensive products, whereas male farmers usually purchased more fertiliser and expensive solar panel products. The basket analysis revealed that female farmers purchased multiple products simultaneously more often than male farmers did. Finally, households without mobile phones had low repayment capabilities. Collectively, our findings show that microcredit programmes serving smallholder farmers can capitalise on their business data to learn about their clients’ gendered investment preferences and repayment behaviour.