bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Stimuli‐responsive nanoplatforms for antibacterial applications
Authors: Huang Yue , Zou Lingyun , Wang Jing , Jin Qiao , Ji Jian 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe continuously increasing bacterial resistance has become a big threat to public health worldwide, which makes it urgent to develop innovative antibacterial strategies. Nanotechnology‐based drug delivery systems are considered as promising strategies in combating bacterial infections which are expected to improve the therapeutic efficacy and minimize the side effects. Unfortunately, the conventional nanodrug delivery systems always suffer from practical dilemmas, including incomplete and slow drug release, insufficient accumulation in infected sites, and weak biofilm penetration ability. Stimuli‐responsive nanoplatforms are hence developed to overcome the disadvantages of conventional nanoparticles. In this review, we provide an extensive review of the recent progress of endogenous and exogenous stimuli‐responsive nanoplatforms in the antibacterial area, including planktonic bacteria, intracellular bacteria, and bacterial biofilms. Taking advantage of the specific infected microenvironment (pH, enzyme, redox, and toxin), the mechanisms and strategies of the design of endogenous stimuli‐responsive nanoplatforms are discussed, with an emphasis on how to improve the therapeutic efficacy and minimize side effects. How to realize controlled drug delivery using exogenous stimuli‐responsive nanoplatforms especially light‐responsive nanoparticles for improved antibacterial effects is another topic of this review. We especially highlight photothermal‐triggered drug delivery systems by the combination of photothermal agents and thermo‐responsive materials.This article is categorized under:
Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease
Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies
Defining, Rationalising and Measuring Digital Towns
Authors: Lynn Theo , Rosati Pierangelo , Conway Edel , Curran Declan , Fox Grace , O’Gorman Colm 
Published: February 2022

AbstractDigital technologies are transforming all aspects of society. While so-called smart city technologies are widely cited as solutions for a wide range of socio-economic challenges, there is a relative paucity of research and discussion on the role and impact of ICTs in towns. The term ‘digital town’ concerns a physical place, the people who interact with that place, information and communication technologies, and the relationship between them. This chapter introduces key concepts and terms in digital society policy and literature. Based on a review of literature and digital town initiatives and projects, ten rationales for adopting digital technologies in towns are identified and discussed and a working definition of a digital town is proposed. The chapter concludes with a discussion of commonly cited frameworks and composite indices for measuring digital society and the digital economy and the need for a discrete measurement framework for digital towns is justified.
Digital Public Services
Authors: Lynn Theo , Rosati Pierangelo , Conway Edel , Curran Declan , Fox Grace , O’Gorman Colm 
Published: February 2022

AbstractDigital public services refer to the provision of public services using digital technologies wherein the interaction with a public sector organisation is mediated by an IT system. Citizens are constantly demanding higher transparency, efficiency and responsiveness from public organisations. The increasing adoption of digital technologies constitutes a key element of governments’ response to such demands and has the potential to generate substantial benefits for the overall economy both at a local and national level. This chapter defines digital public services, discusses the existing challenges for the implementation of these services in the rural context, and summarises existing frameworks for assessing the adoption and use of e-Government, e-Health technologies, and open data.
The Digital Economy and Digital Business
Authors: Lynn Theo , Rosati Pierangelo , Conway Edel , Curran Declan , Fox Grace , O’Gorman Colm 
Published: February 2022

AbstractIt is well-established that the use of digital technologies can generate clear advantages for enterprises including cost savings, operational efficiency, IT resilience and scalability, easier access to new markets, and market effectiveness, amongst others. However, the adoption and use of digital technologies by rural businesses typically lags urban enterprises. This chapter introduces and defines the concept of the digital economy and digital business. It discusses the main benefits and challenges in the adoption and use of digital technologies by enterprises in general and by those in a rural context. The chapter concludes with a discussion of international frameworks and composite indices for measuring the adoption and use of digital technologies by businesses.
Digital Education
Authors: Lynn Theo , Rosati Pierangelo , Conway Edel , Curran Declan , Fox Grace , O’Gorman Colm 
Published: February 2022

AbstractEducation plays an essential role in transferring social norms and building human capital. There is widespread enthusiasm for the adoption and integration of digital technologies in education. This digitalisation of education has become a pillar of education policy worldwide, driven by growing optimism that such a policy approach can bestow a wide range of potential benefits to economies and society as a whole. Unfortunately, despite this optimism, digital inequalities remain in education—with these inequalities impacting the most vulnerable in society, including those who are socio-economically disadvantaged and/or residing in rural areas. Robust measurement of digital technologies in education is critical for informing policy and action, as well as for monitoring progress. This chapter defines digital education and discusses the rationales, benefits and challenges in integrating digital technologies in education. It concludes with an overview of existing international indicators for measuring digital technology in education.
Vector boson dark matter from trinification
Authors: Babu K. S. , Jana Sudip , Thapa Anil 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
We show how trinification models based on the gauge group SU(3)C× SU(3)L× SU(3)R realized near the TeV scale can provide naturally a variety of dark matter (DM) candidates. These models contain a discrete T parity which may remain unbroken even after spontaneous symmetry breaking. The lightest T-odd particle, which could be a fermion, a scalar, or a gauge boson, can constitute the dark matter of the universe. This framework naturally admits a doublet-singlet fermionic DM, a singlet scalar DM, or a vector boson DM. Here we develop the vector boson DM scenario wherein the DM couples off-diagonally with the usual fermions and vector-like fermions present in the theory. We show consistency of this framework with dark matter relic abundance and direct detection limits as well as LHC constraints. We derive upper limits of 900 GeV on the vector gauge boson DM mass and 4.5 TeV on the vector-like quark masses. We also show the consistency of spontaneous gauge symmetry breaking down to Standard Model times an extra U(1) while preserving the T-parity.
Beyond second-moment approximation in fuzzy-field-theory-like matrix models
Authors: Šubjaková Mária , Tekel Juraj 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
We investigate the phase structure of a special class of multi-trace hermitian matrix models, which are candidates for the description of scalar field theory on fuzzy spaces. We include up to the fourth moment of the eigenvalue distribution into the multi-trace part of the probability distribution, which stems from the kinetic term of the field theory action. We show that by considering different multi-trace behavior in the large moment and in the small moment regimes of the model, it is possible to obtain a matrix model, which describes the numerically observed phase structure of fuzzy field theories. Including the existence of uniform order phase, triple point, and an approximately straight transition line between the uniform and non-uniform order phases.
Spin gauge theory, duality and fermion pairing
Authors: Mukherjee Shantonu , Lahiri Amitabha 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
We apply duality transformation to the Abelian Higgs model in 3+1 dimensions in the presence of electrons coupled to the gauge field. The Higgs field is in the symmetry broken phase, where flux strings can form. Dualization brings in an antisymmetric tensor potential Bμν, which couples to the electrons through a nonlocal interaction which can be interpreted as a coupling to the spin current. It also couples to the string worldsheet and gives rise to a string Higgs mechanism via the condensation of flux strings. In the phase where the Bμν field is massless, the nonlocal interaction implies a linearly rising attractive force between the electrons, which can be interpreted as the result of a pair of strings joining the electrons.
M2-doughnuts
Authors: Drukker Nadav , Trépanier Maxime 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
We present a family of new M2-brane solutions in AdS7× S4 that calculate toroidal BPS surface operators in the $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= (2, 0) theory. These observables are conformally invariant and not subject to anomalies so we are able to evaluate their finite expectation values at leading order at large N. In the limit of a thin torus we find a cylinder, which is a natural surface generalization of both the circular and parallel lines Wilson loop. We study and comment on this limit in some detail.
Entanglement of magnon excitations in spin chains
Authors: Zhang Jiaju , Rajabpour M. A. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractWe calculate exactly the entanglement content of magnon excited states in the integrable spin-1/2 XXX and XXZ chains in the scaling limit. In particular, we show that as far as the number of excited magnons with respect to the size of the system is small one can decompose the entanglement content, in the scaling limit, to the sum of the entanglement of particular excited states of free fermionic or bosonic theories. In addition we conjecture that the entanglement content of the generic translational invariant free fermionic and bosonic Hamiltonians can be also classified, in the scaling limit, with respect to the entanglement content of the fermionic and bosonic chains with the number operator as the Hamiltonian in certain circumstances. Our results effectively classify the entanglement content of wide range of integrable spin chains in the scaling limit.
A Power-Efficient Multichannel Low-Pass Filter Based on the Cascaded Multiple Accumulate Finite Impulse Response (CMFIR) Structure for Digital Image Processing
Authors: Jain Vivek , Chakrabarti Prasun , Mitolo Massimo , Leonowicz Zbigniew , Jasinski Michal , Vinogradov Alexander , Bolshev Vadim 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe author offers a power-efficient multichannel low-pass filter for digital image processing based on the cascade multiple accumulate finite impulse response (CMFIR) structure in this study. The CMFIR filter was created using the outputs of a linear time-invariant system (LTI), which was built using a cascaded integrator comb (CIC) and a MAC low-pass filter. The sample rate convertor based on CIC filters effectively conducts decimation or interpolation. The sample rate convertor with the CIC filter can only accommodate narrowband transmissions and so cannot be utilized for wideband signals. The MAC architecture-based sample rate convertor is a good solution for high-bandwidth signals, but it uses more resources like registers and flip-flops, which increases power consumption. Here, the CMFIR low-pass filter acts as an interpolator, introducing a sample to boost the image's resolution. CMFIR is a useful tool for addressing the issue of aliasing during sampling. In addition, the genetic algorithm was used to increase the filter's resource utilization and power consumption efficiency.
Clinical assessment of tibial torsion differences. Do we always need a computed tomography?
Authors: Hawi Humam , Kaireit Till Frederik , Krettek Christian , Liodakis Emmanouil 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Background
Tibial torsional malalignment presents a well-known complication of intramedullary nailing for tibial shaft fractures.

Purpose
Objective of this study was to investigate the ability to clinically assess tibial torsion differences. Computed Tomography (CT) was used here as the gold standard. Further, intra- and inter-observer reliability of the clinical examination, and radiological measurements were calculated.

Methods
Fifty-one patients with torsion-difference CTs, obtained for various reasons, were asked to kneel on an examination couch with free hanging feet. All patients are positioned with 90° flexed knee and neutral ankle. A picture of the lower extremities was obtained from the back of the patient. Two blinded orthopedic surgeons were asked to look at the pictures and measure the tibial torsion with a digital goniometer, based on the axis of the femur in relation to the second ray of the foot. To determine the intra-observer variation, the torsional angles were calculated again after 4 weeks. To be able to compare values, two blinded radiologists calculated torsional differences based on computed tomography.

Results
All patients were able to be positioned for clinical assessment (n = 51). Clinical assessment of torsional difference revealed 4.55° ± 6.85 for the first, respectively, 4.55° ± 7.41 for the second investigator. The second measurement of the first investigator revealed a value of 4.57° ± 6.9. There was a good intra-observer agreement for clinical assessment (ICC 0.993, p < 0.001). Also, the inter-observer agreement showed a good inter-observer agreement (ICC 0.949, p < 0.001). Evaluation of radiological inter-observer assessment could also show a good inter-observer agreement (ICC 0.922, p < 0.001). The clinical method showed a good correlation to the CT method (0.839, p < 0.001). Additionally, the Bland–Altman plot was used to compare graphically both measurement techniques, which proved the agreement.

Conclusion
In summary, computed tomography-assisted measurement of tibial torsion and clinical assessment correlated significantly good. In addition to that, clinical measurement has a good intra- and inter-observer reliability. Clinical examination is a reliable and cost-effective tool to detect mal-torsion and should be part of the repertoire of every surgeon.
Bending and energy absorption performance of novel openwork wooden panels
Authors: Smardzewski Jerzy , Majnusz Magdalena , Murlak Karol 
Published: February 2022

AbstractIn many scientific studies, beams reinforced with synthetic fiber ribbons are modeled, wood composites and materials are designed, and structures made with hollow core boards are developed. However, no research was conducted on increasing the width of the flat wooden panels by modeling an openwork structure and obtaining them from solid panels of smaller width. The research aimed to determine the impact of wood species and inclination angle of the side walls on the stiffness, strength, and ability to absorb the energy of the new openwork panel made of curvilinear wooden slats. Three-point bending tests were performed numerically and verified experimentally. It has been shown that the stiffness of the openwork panels was lower compared to solid panels. No cracks in the glue line were observed. Walnut openwork panels demonstrated the best energy absorption capacity. Therefore, it is recommended that the openwork panels be made out of walnut and beech wood, rather than ash and oak. It is also more advantageous for the panel’s construction to use the 11° inclination angle of the side walls.
Experimental evidence that adult UV/yellow colouration functions as a signal in blue tit families — but only for parents
Authors: García-Campa Jorge , Müller Wendt , Morales Judith 
Published: February 2022

AbstractIn bi-parental species, reproduction is not only a crucial life-history stage where individuals must take fitness-related decisions, but these decisions also need to be adjusted to the behavioural strategies of other individuals. Hence, communication is required, which could be facilitated by informative signals. Yet, these signalling traits might have (co-)evolved in multiple contexts, as various family members usually meet and interact during reproduction. In this study, we experimentally explored for the first time whether a colourful plumage trait in adults acts as a signal that regulates multiple intra-family interactions in a bird species, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). We expected that an experimental reduction of adults’ UV/yellow reflectance (i.e. a reduction of apparent individual quality) should affect the behavioural strategies of all family members. We found evidence for this at least in adults, since the partners of UV-blocked individuals (either males or females) increased their parental investment — perhaps to compensate for the apparent lower condition of their mates. As the UV-blocked adult did not change its provisioning behaviour, the partner presumably responded to the manipulated signal and not to a behavioural change. However, the offspring did not co-adjust their begging intensity to the experimental treatment. It is thus possible that they responded to overall parental care rather than the signal. These results suggest that UV/yellow colouration of adult blue tits may act as quality signal revealing the rearing capacity to mates.Significance statementHow parents respond to signals of genetic or phenotypic quality of their mates has received significant attention. However, previous studies have primarily focused on the receiver’s response and have not always controlled for the signaller’s behaviour and its investment in reproduction. Our results provide the first experimental evidence that ultraviolet (UV)/yellow colouration acts as a signal of parental quality in the blue tit. Parents responded by increasing their effort when paired with UV-blocked (low-quality) mates, while controlling for the mate’s behaviour. We argue that the reduced expression of the signal triggered a compensatory response in the mate. Interestingly, both males and females responded similarly to changes in mate’s UV/yellow reflectance, suggesting similar rules over investment in response to this trait. However, nestlings, a potential (and often neglected) set of observers of parental signals, did not change their behaviour when raised by an UV-blocked (= low-quality) parent.
Treatment of Achalasia and Epiphrenic Diverticulum
Authors: Nadaleto Barbara F. , Herbella Fernando A. M. , Patti Marco G. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractBackgroundEpiphrenic diverticulum (ED) is a pulsion pseudodiverticulum found in the distal 10 cm of the esophagus. Motility disorders are present in the majority of patients with ED explaining the pathophysiology of this rare disease. Achalasia is the most common underlying disorder. We present a review on the diagnosis and management of ED in the setting of achalasia.MethodsLiterature review.ResultsSymptoms are most related to the underlying motility disorder. The diagnostic workup should always include an upper digestive endoscopy and a barium esophagogram. Esophageal manometry identifies the motility disorder in most patients. Therapeutic options include laparoscopic, thoracoscopic and endoscopic procedures. While a myotomy must always be performed, diverticulectomy is not always necessary.ConclusionsEpiphrenic diverticulum is a rare condition whose pathophysiology involves an underlying motility disorder—achalasia in most cases. Symptoms usually include dysphagia, regurgitation, heartburn, and respiratory complaints and correlate with the motility disorder rather than the diverticulum per se. Upper digestive endoscopy and barium esophagogram are needed for the diagnosis—manometry may add useful information but is not imperative for the treatment. Laparoscopic Heller myotomy with a partial fundoplication is the procedure of choice, with satisfactory symptom relief and several advantages over the thoracic approach. Diverticulectomy may be performed in selected patients. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) are novel techniques, effective and minimally invasive that can be an option for patients unfit for surgery.
The effect of small changes in rate of force development on muscle fascicle velocity and motor unit discharge behaviour
Authors: Aeles Jeroen , Bellett M. , Lichtwark G. A. , Cresswell A. G. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractWhen rate of force development is increased, neural drive increases. There is presently no accepted explanation for this effect. We propose and experimentally test the theory that a small increase in rate of force development increases medial gastrocnemius fascicle shortening velocity, reducing the muscle’s force-generating capacity, leading to active motor units being recruited at lower forces and with increased discharge frequencies. Participants produced plantar flexion torques at three different rates of force development (slow: 2% MVC/s, medium: 10% MVC/s, fast: 20% MVC/s). Ultrasound imaging showed that increased rate of force development was related to higher fascicle shortening velocity (0.4 ± 0.2 mm/s, 2.0 ± 0.9 mm/s, 4.1 ± 1.9 mm/s in slow, medium, fast, respectively). In separate experiments, medial gastrocnemius motor unit recruitment thresholds and discharge frequencies were measured using fine-wire electromyography (EMG), together with surface EMG. Recruitment thresholds were lower in the fast (12.8 ± 9.2% MVC) and medium (14.5 ± 9.9% MVC) conditions compared to the slow (18.2 ± 8.9% MVC) condition. The initial discharge frequency was lower in the slow (5.8 ± 3.1 Hz) than the fast (6.7 ± 1.4 Hz), but not than the medium (6.4 ± 2.4 Hz) condition. The surface EMG was greater in the fast (mean RMS: 0.029 ± 0.017 mV) compared to the slow condition (0.019 ± 0.013 mV). We propose that the increase in muscle fascicle shortening velocity reduces the force-generating capacity of the muscle, therefore requiring greater neural drive to generate the same forces.