bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interannual dynamics of stemwood nonstructural carbohydrates in temperate forest trees surrounding drought
Authors: Blumstein Meghan J. , Furze Morgan E. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractInteractions between water and carbon dynamics underlie drought-related tree mortality. While whole-tree water relations have been shown to play a key role in the response to and recovery from drought, the role of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) and how their storage and allocation changes surrounding drought events deserves further attention and is critical for understanding tree survival. Here, we quantified in situ NSC responses of temperate forest trees to the 2016 drought in the northeastern United States. Sugar and starch concentrations were measured in the stemwood of five tree species from 2014 to 2019, which allowed us to monitor NSCs in relation to climatic conditions before, during, and after the natural drought. We found that immediately following the drought, measured stemwood NSC concentrations decreased. However, NSC concentrations rebounded quickly within three years. Notably, trees allocated proportionally more to starch than to sugars following the 2016 drought. In winter 2017, starch comprised 45% of total stemwood stores, whereas starch made up only 1–2% in other years. Further, we modeled and assessed the climatic drivers of total NSC concentrations in the stem. Variation in total NSC concentrations was significantly predicted by the previous year’s temperature, precipitation, and standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI), with stemwood concentrations decreasing following hotter, drier periods and increasing following cooler, wetter periods. Overall, our work provides insight into the climatic drivers of NSC storage and highlights the important role that a tree’s carbon economy may play in its response and recovery to environmental stress.
Antioxidant-polyphenols of saw palmetto seeds: statistical optimized production and improved functional properties under solid-state fermentation by Trichoderma reesei
Authors: Abdel-Aty Azza M. , Barakat Amal Z. , Bassuiny Roqaya I. , Mohamed Saleh A. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractSaw palmetto seeds (SPS) contain essential phenolic compounds that provide antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic benefits when added to food. Maximized/improved production of these valuable phenolic compounds is the main purpose of this study. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is a promising processing technique that positively alters the levels of health-promoting compounds in plants and plant residues. Here, a central composite design matrix (16 runs) and response surface methodology were experimentally applied to investigate the best SSF conditions and their interactions for maximum production of phenolic compounds from SPS. A good correlation between actual and expected results was observed with higher multiple coefficients (R2 ~ 0.93–0.97) and strongly significant P values (< 0.0001) proving the accuracy of the statistical model/design. Under optimized SSF conditions, temperature 30 °C, moisture 10%, pH 7.0, and fermentation time 6 days, the total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity of SPS were maximized by 11-fold and 46–49 folds, respectively. According to HPLC analysis, the contents of all identifying polyphenols were 3.3–30.0 times greater in fermented SPS extract (FSPS) than in the unfermented SPS extract (UFSPS). The FSPS extract also contained four new/additional polyphenols (vanillic, p-coumaric, cinnamic, and quercetin). FSPS extract demonstrated much greater antibacterial and antifungal activities than UFSPS extract against various human pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Consequently, the FSPS-phenolic compounds can be exploited as a food supplement and an antimicrobial remedy.
Disc golf trajectory modelling combining computational fluid dynamics and rigid body dynamics
Authors: Giljarhus Knut Erik Teigen , Gooding Mika Tobias , Njærheim Joar 
Published: November 2022

AbstractIn the sport of disc golf, athletes utilize discs with various shapes to achieve their desired throws. Computational methods have the potential to give further insight into how the disc shape and throw parameters influence the disc trajectory. A methodology is presented that combines computational fluid dynamics to obtain the aerodynamic coefficients for a given disc shape, with rigid body dynamics to simulate the disc golf flight. The computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed in OpenFOAM, and compared against wind tunnel experiments from the literature. The trajectory model was implemented in an open-source software, and compared against simulated trajectories against measured trajectories of actual disc golf throws. The methodology was applied to three different discs, comparing their aerodynamic coefficients and flight trajectories. How the disc shape impacts lift, drag and moment coefficients and corresponding flight trajectories is discussed. The methodology has the potential to consistently characterize the flight of a disc and lead to greater understanding of disc flight, and thereby contribute to both training, disc development and regulation.
Bacillus thuringiensis Production Through Solid-State Fermentation Using Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) Enzymatic Hydrolysate
Authors: Molina-Peñate Esther , Arenòs Nil , Sánchez Antoni , Artola Adriana 
Published: November 2022

AbstractThis paper aims to explore an alternative pathway to valorize the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. It is based on the use of enzymatic hydrolysis to obtain a sugar-rich fraction with the potential for liquid fermentative processes and a partially hydrolyzed solid that is evaluated as a substrate for solid-state fermentation. Different strategies to modify the pH of the solid substrate to reach a neutral pH, suitable for the growth of biopesticide producer Bacillus thuringiensis, have been explored. The use of alkaline cosubstrates was evaluated on two different scales and temperature was assessed as a preliminary indicator of the scale-up viability of the process strategy. By ensuring a proper pH throughout the process, the growth and sporulation of Bacillus thuringiensis were achieved. The best cosubstrates and mixing ratios were 50% of digested sewage sludge and 25% of digested organic fraction of municipal solid waste, which led to a spore concentration of 1.1 × 109 spores g−1 of dry matter and 6.4 × 108 spores g−1 of dry matter, respectively. Overall, a reproducible and flexible solid-state fermentation process has been achieved for hydrolyzed organic municipal waste based on the use of alkaline urban wastes as cosubstrates. This valorization pathway fits with the concept of urban biorefineries.
Graphical Abstract
Development and characterization of 148 SNP markers in the caribbean symmetrical brain coral Pseudodiploria strigosa
Authors: Vollmer Alicia A. , Tringali Michael D. , Allen Melissa S. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractAs coral reefs decline, restoring lost coral populations has been hampered due to the paucity of genetic information available for many coral species. In the Caribbean, the symmetrical brain coral Pseudodiploria strigosa, a prominent framework builder of the reef, has experienced an accelerated decline due to stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD). Colonies of P. strigosa gene-banked in response to the threat of SCTLD in Florida, USA, were sampled to develop 148 novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). The observed heterozygosity (Ho) and expected heterozygosity (He) ranged from 0.008 to 0.888 and 0.018 to 0.500, respectively. Deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium within populations, measured by the inbreeding coefficient index (Fis), ranged from − 0.799 to 0.923. In total, 96 SNPs were found to deviate significantly from Hardy–Weinberg (p < 0.05). These SNPs can be used for genetic population analysis to assist management and restoration of P. strigosa.
A non-local semilinear eigenvalue problem
Authors: Franzina Giovanni , Licheri Danilo 
Published: November 2022

AbstractWe prove that positive solutions of thefractional Lane–Emden equationwith homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions satisfy pointwise estimates in terms of the best constant in Poincaré’s inequality on all open sets, and are isolated in$$L^1$$L1on smooth bounded ones, whence we deduce the isolation of the firstnon-local semilinear eigenvalue.
Dissimilar micro beam welding of titanium to Nitinol and stainless steel using biocompatible filler materials for medical applications
Authors: Wiegand Michael , Marks Linda , Sommer Niklas , Böhm Stefan 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
In the present investigation, thin sheet geometries of commercially pure titanium (cp, grade 4) are butt-welded to AISI 316L stainless steel as well as Nitinol by means of micro electron beam welding using filler materials. In order to avoid mixing of the base materials, the refractory metals tantalum, niobium and hafnium are applied as intermediate layers. Owing to the biocompatibility of these filler materials, the final products are suitable for medical technology applications. In combination with low energy inputs and precise beam alignments, it is demonstrated that high-quality and crack-free joints can be produced using micro electron beam welding. The welded joints are analysed using nanoindentation to identify critical weld areas, e.g. high concentrations of intermetallic compounds, and to evaluate the compatibility of the base and filler materials. To correlate the hardness mappings with the microstructural evolution of the welds, an exemplary joint is analysed by means of electron backscatter diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy with special emphasis on intermixing and the formation of intermetallic compounds. Based on the generated hardness mappings as well as the ultimate tensile strengths of the joints, it will be concluded which filler material provides the most promising results for the given material combinations.
Classification of orbits in Poincaré maps using machine learning
Authors: Kamath Chandrika 
Published: November 2022

AbstractPoincaré plots, also called Poincaré maps, are used by plasma physicists to understand the behavior of magnetically confined plasma in numerical simulations of a tokamak. These plots are created by the intersection of field lines with a two-dimensional poloidal plane that is perpendicular to the axis of the torus representing the tokamak. A plot is composed of multiple orbits, each created by a different field line as it goes around the torus. Each orbit can have one of four distinct shapes, or classes, that indicate changes in the topology of the magnetic fields confining the plasma. Given the (x, y) coordinates of the points that form an orbit, we want to assign a class to the orbit, a task that appears ideally suited for a machine learning approach. In this paper, we describe how we overcame two major challenges in solving this problem—creating a high-quality training set, with few mislabeled orbits, and converting the coordinates of the points into features that are discriminating, despite the variation within the orbits of a class and the apparent similarities between orbits of different classes. Our automated approach is not only more objective and accurate than visual classification, but is also less tedious, making it easier for plasma physicists to analyze the topology of magnetic fields from numerical simulations of the tokamak.
Die mitgliedstaatliche Umsetzung von EU-Recht – konzeptionelle und methodische Perspektiven auf einen vielschichtigen Forschungsgegenstand
Authors: Brendler Viktoria 
Published: November 2022

ZusammenfassungDie Implementation von EU-Policies ist Gegenstand verschiedener (Sub‑)Disziplinen der Europäischen Integrationsforschung, insbesondere der Europäisierungsforschung, der EU-Implementations- und der EU-Compliance-Forschung. Mit dieser Literature Review wird der Forschungsstand anhand der jeweiligen disziplinären Perspektiven systematisiert und mit Blick auf die Weiterentwicklung des Forschungsfeldes zu einer konzeptionellen Integration, aber auch Differenzierung angeregt. In Bezug auf ein passendes Research Design werden sowohl typische als auch neuere Herausforderungen diskutiert und Lösungsvorschläge angeboten, z. B. zur Messung von misfit oder zur Abgrenzung von Phasen und Akteuren der Implementation.
Dietary nitrate supplementation for preventing and reducing the severity of winter infections, including COVID-19, in care homes (BEET-Winter): a randomised placebo-controlled feasibility trial
Authors: Bath Philip M. , Skinner Cameron J. C. , Bath Charlotte S. , Woodhouse Lisa J. , Korovesi Anastasia Areti Kyriazopoulou , Long Hongjiang , Havard Diane , Coleman Christopher M. , England Timothy J. , Leyland Valerie , Lim Wei Shen , Montgomery Alan A. , Royal Simon , Avery Amanda , Webb Andrew J. , Gordon Adam L. ,   for BEET-Winter Investigators
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Purpose
Infections cause considerable care home morbidity and mortality. Nitric oxide (NO) has broad-spectrum anti-viral, bacterial and yeast activity in vitro. We assessed the feasibility of supplementing dietary nitrate (NO substrate) intake in care home residents.

Methods
We performed a cluster-randomised placebo-controlled trial in UK residential and nursing care home residents and compared nitrate containing (400 mg) versus free (0 mg daily) beetroot juice given for 60 days. Outcomes comprised feasibility of recruitment, adherence, salivary and urinary nitrate, and ordinal infection/clinical events.

Results
Of 30 targeted care homes in late 2020, 16 expressed interest and only 6 participated. 49 residents were recruited (median 8 [interquartile range 7–12] per home), mean (standard deviation) age 82 (8) years, with proxy consent 41 (84%), advance directive for hospital non-admission 8 (16%) and ≥ 1 doses of COVID-19 vaccine 37 (82%). Background dietary nitrate was < 30% of acceptable daily intake. 34 (76%) residents received > 50% of juice. Residents randomised to nitrate vs placebo had higher urinary nitrate levels, median 50 [18–175] v 18 [10–50] mg/L, difference 25 [0–90]. Data paucity precluded clinical between-group comparisons; the outcome distribution was as follows: no infection 32 (67%), uncomplicated infection 0, infection requiring healthcare support 11 (23%), all-cause hospitalisation 5 (10%), all-cause mortality 0. Urinary tract infections were most common.

Conclusions
Recruiting UK care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic was partially successful. Supplemented dietary nitrate was tolerated and elevated urinary nitrate. Together, infections, hospitalisations and deaths occurred in 33% of residents over 60 days. A larger trial is now required.

Trial Registration
ISRCTN51124684. Application date 7/12/2020; assignment date 13/1/2021.
All that glitters is not gold: trustworthy and ethical AI principles
Authors: Rees Connor , Müller Berndt 
Published: November 2022

AbstractEthics of technology systems have become an area of interest in academic research as well as international policy in recent years. Several organisation have consequently published principles of ethical artificial intelligence (AI) in line with this trend. The documents identify principles, values, and other abstract requirements for AI development and deployment. Critics raise concerns about whether these documents are in fact constructive, or if they are produced as a higher form of virtue signalling. A theme that is beginning to become apparent in the academic literature regarding these documents is the inherent lack of effective and practical methods and processes for producing ethical AI. This article attempts a critical analysis which draws upon ethical AI documents from a range of contexts including company, organisational, governmental, and academic perspectives. Both the theoretical and practical components of AI guidelines are explored and analysed, consequently bringing to light the necessity of introducing a measurable component to such documents for the purpose of ensuring a positive outcome of deploying AI systems based on ethical principles. We propose a minimal framework for stakeholders to develop AI in an ethical and human-centred manner.
Nanofiber Based on Electrically Conductive Materials for Biosensor Applications
Authors: Gungordu Er Seda , Kelly Alesha , Jayasuriya Sumudith Bhanuka Warnarathna , Edirisinghe Mohan 
Published: November 2022

AbstractBiosensors are analytical tools that enable the transmission of different signals produced from the target analyte to a transducer for the production of real-time clinical diagnostic devices by obtaining meaningful results. Recent research demonstrates that the production of structured nanofiber through various methods has come to light as a potential platform for enhancing the functionality of biosensing devices. The general trend is towards the use of nanofibers for electrochemical biosensors. However, optical and mechanical biosensors are being developed by functionalization of nanofibers. Such nanofibers exhibit a high surface area to volume ratio, surface porosity, electroconductivity and variable morphology. In addition, nanosized structures have shown to be effective as membranes for immobilizing bioanalytes, offering physiologically active molecules a favorable microenvironment that improves the efficiency of biosensing. Cost effective, wearable biosensors are crucial for point of care diagnostics. This review aims to examine the electrically conductive materials, potential forming methods, and wide-ranging applications of nanofiber-based biosensing platforms, with an emphasis on transducers incorporating mechanical, electrochemical and optical and bioreceptors involving cancer biomarker, urea, DNA, microorganisms, primarily in the last decade. The appealing properties of nanofibers mats and the attributes of the biorecognition components are also stated and explored. Finally, consideration is given to the difficulties now affecting the design of nanofiber-based biosensing platforms as well as their future potential.
Research progress of CA125 in endometriosis: Teaching an old dog new tricks
Authors: Chen Yonghua , Pan Meixia , Zuo Ying , Yang Bin , Wang Shaoguang 
Published: November 2022

AbstractAfter decades of research, we still face great challenges on endometriosis in terms of diagnosis and management. Serum CA125 has been used in the clinical practice in endometriosis, and many large-scale clinical trials have been conducted or are underway to determine potential use of serum CA125 levels in endometriosis. In this article, relevant articles that addressed endometriosis associated with CA125 were searched for and retrieved from the databases PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Here we provide an in-depth literature review to depict CA125 dynamic expression in female reproductive tract and to highlight the practical value of CA125 in diagnosing endometriosis, distinguishing the severity of the disease, monitoring the effect of treatment and reflecting malignant transformation. So far, the development of a risk stratification system based on biomarker CA125 for endometriosis may help clinicians in making novel and more efficient strategies for the detection and treatment of endometriosis. In order to improve CA125 specificity and sensitivity, further research is needed to determine its diagnostic cut-off value.
Fluoroquinolone stewardship at a community health system: A decade in review
Authors: Swingler Elena A. , Song Matthew , Moore Sarah E. , Bohn Brian C. , Schulz Paul S. , Junkins Alan D. , Wilde Ashley M. 
Published: November 2022

Abstract

Objective:
To describe inpatient fluoroquinolone use and susceptibility data over a 10-year period after the implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) led by an infectious diseases pharmacist starting in 2011.

Design:
Retrospective surveillance study.

Setting:
Large community health system.

Methods:
Fluoroquinolone use was quantified by days of therapy (DOT) per 1,000 patient days (PD) and reported quarterly. Use data are reported for inpatients from 2016 to 2020. Levofloxacin susceptibility is reported for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli for inpatients from 2011 to 2020 at a 4 adult-hospital health system.

Results:
Inpatient fluoroquinolone use decreased by 74% over a 5-year period, with an average decrease of 3.45 DOT per 1,000 PD per quarter (P < .001). Over a 10-year period, inpatient levofloxacin susceptibility increased by 57% for P. aeruginosa and by 15% for E. coli. P. aeruginosa susceptibility to levofloxacin increased by an average of 2.73% per year (P < .001) and had a strong negative correlation with fluoroquinolone use, r = −0.99 (P = .002). E. coli susceptibility to levofloxacin increased by an average of 1.33% per year (P < .001) and had a strong negative correlation with fluoroquinolone use, r = −0.95 (P = .015).

Conclusions:
A substantial decrease in fluoroquinolone use and increase in P. aeruginosa and E. coli levofloxacin susceptibility was observed after implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program. These results demonstrate the value of stewardship services and highlight the effectiveness of an infectious diseases pharmacist led antimicrobial stewardship program.
Impact of a pharmacy department–wide transitions-of-care program on inappropriate oral antibiotic prescribing at hospital discharge
Authors: Halcomb Sarah M. , Johnson Arianne , Kang-Birken S. Lena 
Published: November 2022

Abstract

Objective:
To evaluate oral antibiotic prescribing for common infections at hospital discharge before and after implementation of a pharmacist-driven transitions-of-care (TOC) program.

Design:
Single-center before-and-after study.

Setting:
Acute-care, academic, community hospital in Santa Barbara, California.

Patients:
Eligible adult patients prescribed oral antibiotics at hospital discharge for community-acquired pneumonia, skin and soft-tissue infections, and urinary tract infections between September 2019 and December 2019 (preimplementation period) and between March 2021 and May 2021 (postimplementation period).

Intervention:
Antimicrobial stewardship–initiated, department-wide, TOC program requiring all clinical pharmacists to review discharge antibiotic prescriptions in real time.

Results:
In total, 260 antibiotic prescriptions were assessed for appropriateness: 140 before implementation and 120 after implementation. After implementation, the number of prescriptions considered inappropriate significantly decreased by 18% (52% vs 34%; P = .005). Inappropriate rates decreased in all assessment categories: dosing (15% vs 2%; P < .001), treatment duration (42% vs 31%; P = .08), antibiotic selection based on infection type or microbiology (8% vs 4%; P = .33), and antibiotics not indicated (16% vs 10%; P = .18). Median total antibiotic days decreased by 1 day after implementation (10 days vs 9 days; P = .67), and 30-day readmission rates were similar between both phases.

Conclusions:
A real-time, pharmacist-driven, TOC program for oral antibiotic prescriptions had a significant impact in reducing inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics at hospital discharge for common infections. Incorporating discharge antibiotic prescription review into pharmacist daily workflow may be a sustainable approach to outpatient antimicrobial stewardship in a setting with limited resources.