cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
A stepped-wedge randomised controlled trial assessing the implementation, effectiveness and cost-consequences of the EDDIE+ hospital avoidance program in 12 residential aged care homes: study protocol
Creators: name: Carter, HE
name: Lee, XJ
name: Farrington, A
name: Shield, C
name: Graves, N
name: Cyarto, EV
name: Parkinson, L
name: Oprescu, FI
name: Meyer, Claudia
name: Rowland, J
name: Dwyer, T
name: Harvey, G
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: Background: Older people living in residential aged care homes experience frequent emergency transfers to hospital. These events are associated with risks of hospital acquired complications and invasive treatments or interventions. Evidence suggests that some hospital transfers may be unnecessary or avoidable. The Early Detection of Deterioration in Elderly residents (EDDIE) program is a multi-component intervention aimed at reducing unnecessary hospital admissions from residential aged care homes by empowering nursing and care staff to detect and manage early signs of resident deterioration. This study aims to implement and evaluate the program in a multi-site randomised study in Queensland, Australia. Methods: A stepped-wedge randomised controlled trial will be conducted at 12 residential aged care homes over 58 weeks. The program has four components: education and training, decision support tools, diagnostic equipment, and implementation facilitation with clinical systems support. The integrated Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (i-PARIHS) framework will be used to guide the program implementation and process evaluation. The primary outcome measure will be the number of hospital bed days used by residents, with secondary outcomes assessing emergency department transfer rates, admission rates, length of stay, family awareness and experience, staff self-efficacy and costs of both implementation and health service use. A process evaluation will assess the extent and fidelity of program implementation, mechanisms of impact and the contextual barriers and enablers. Discussion: The intervention is expected to improve outcomes by reducing unnecessary hospital transfers. Fewer hospital transfers and admissions will release resources for other patients with potentially greater needs. Residential aged care home staff might benefit from feelings of empowerment in their ability to proactively manage early signs of resident deterioration. The process evaluation will be useful for supporting wider implementation of this intervention and other similar initiatives. Trial registration: The trial is prospectively registered with the Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12620000507987, registered 23/04/2020).
The Effects of Different Physicochemical Factors on Growth and Survival of Human Gut Lactic Acid Bacteria
Creators: name: Soghomonyan, Diana
name: Trchounian, Armen
Publisher: name: Journal of International Society of Microbiota
Year: 2016

description: Human gut lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are affected by different physicochemical factors such as electromagnetic irradiation (EMI), antibiotics and food preservatives, used in food processing and medicine [1].
In this work it was studied the separate and combined effects of antibiotic ceftazidime (20 µm), food preservative E-224 or potassium metabisulphite (240 mg/ml) and low intensity (0.06 mW /cm2), extremely high frequency electromagnetic waves at the frequencies of 51.8 and 53 GHz (1h exposure) on Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei growth and survival in in vitro model of human gastrointestinal tract and in salt medium.
The results show, that EMI at both frequencies and ceftazidime had oppressive effects on LAB in   gastrointestinal tract model. Particularly colony forming units number was decreased ~3 and 1.2 fold at both frequencies, respectively, as well as the effects of E-224 are more stronger  after EMI: it was ~2 fold.
It was suggested that EMI increases the sensitivity of LAB to different chemicals. The results could be applied in food industry and medicine.
description: Journal of International Society of Microbiota, Vol 3 No 1 (2016)
Prediabetes in pregnancy – follow-up, treatment, and outcomes compared to overt pregestational diabetes
Creators: name: Schiller, Tal
name: Barak, Oren
name: Shafran, Yael Winter
name: Sacagiu, Miri Barak
name: Cohen, Lee
name: Vaisbuch, Edi
name: Zornitzki, Taiba
name: Kirzhner, Alena
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Pharmacology
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Mathematical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Developmental Biology
subject: Cancer
subject: Infectious Diseases
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: There are limited data on follow-up, treatment, and maternal and fetal outcomes in women with prediabetes before or at the beginning of pregnancy. The aim of this study was to comprehensively characterize women with prediabetes compared to women with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This was a retrospective cohort data from a single medical center treating women with pregestational prediabetes mellitus (PDM). Women were compared to pregestational overt type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Data were collected from 120 women in the PDM group and 86 women in the T2DM group. Baseline characteristics were comparable, albeit women in the PDM group arrived at medical attention significantly later, 55% after 15 weeks gestation. Women with PDM needed significantly less treatment to achieve glycemic control and glycated hemoglobin remained lower throughout pregnancy. Maternal and fetal outcomes were similar between groups, although significantly higher rates of macrosomia and neonatal jaundice were observed in the T2DM group. The lack of clear guidelines causes a delay in the first prenatal visit of women with PDM. Comparable pregnancy outcomes may tip the balance toward acceptance of early treatment. Establishing clear guidelines will enable primary caregivers to refer prediabetic women sooner for lifestyle modifications and treatment if needed.
title: Die feministische Stadt der Zukunft: Folge 48
Creators: name: Gather, Selma
name: Valentiner, Dana-Sophia
Publisher: name: Fachinformationsdienst für internationale und interdisziplinäre Rechtsforschung
Year: 2025
Subjects: subject: 340

description: In der 48. Folge von „Justitias Töchter“ sprechen Dana und Selma mit Professorin Dr. Kristin Pfeffer über eine Utopie: die feministische Stadt der Zukunft. Städte wurden über Jahrhunderte von Männern für Männer geplant – mit welchen Konsequenzen? Warum gibt es kaum Sitzmöglichkeiten für Senior*innen, aber öffentliche Pissoirs für Männer? Warum fehlen sichere Aufenthaltsräume für Jugendliche, barrierefreie Wege oder kostenlose Toiletten für alle? Und wie beeinflusst all das unser Mobilitätsverhalten? Aktuelle Studien – darunter das Buch „Gendergerechte Stadtentwicklung“ von Dr. Mary Dellenbaugh-Losse – zeigen, wie tief Stadtplanung in gesellschaftliche Strukturen eingreift. Sie kann bestehende Ungleichheiten verstärken oder gerechtere Verhältnisse schaffen. Doch wie gelingt es, öffentliche Räume so zu gestalten, dass sie den Bedürfnissen aller gerecht werden? Und welche Rolle spielt das Recht dabei? Prof. Dr. Kristin Pfeffer gibt spannende Einblicke in die aktuellen Debatten, erklärt, warum feministische Stadtplanung auch Klimaschutz bedeutet – und zeigt, wie Städte anders gedacht werden können.
title: From Migrants to Minorities. Are Russian ‘relocants’ a new minority?
Creators: name: Lomakin, Ilya
Publisher: name: Diversity Governance Papers, published by Eurac Research
Year: 2024

description: The Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, triggered a substantial wave of emigration from Russia, driven by safety concerns, political dissent, and economic instability. While some host countries have adopted welcoming policies for the new Russian emigrés, others have imposed stricter regulations citing security concerns and shared difficult pasts. Despite these measures, many Russians abroad remain in a legal gray area, frequently resorting to visa runs to maintain their stay, and facing discrimination in some contexts; hereby, there is a pressing need for nuanced legal and social responses from the host countries. To approach this task, the paper applies the concept ‘new minorities’ to Russian nationals who left their homeland after the start of invasion of Ukraine.
description: Diversity Governance Papers DiGoP 02/2024
Additional file 4 of Changes in the mean incidence and variance of orthopedic diseases before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea: a retrospective study
Creators: name: Kim, Joo-Hee
name: Kwon, Mi Jung
name: Choi, Hyo Geun
name: Lee, Sang Jun
name: Hwang, Sangwon
name: Lee, Jaemin
name: Lee, San-Hui
name: Lee, Jung Woo
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Ecology
subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified

description: Supplementary Material 4
Predicting species and community responses to global change using structured expert judgement: An Australian mountain ecosystems case study
Creators: name: Camac, JS
name: Umbers, KDL
name: Morgan, John
name: Geange, SR
name: Hanea, A
name: Slatyer, RA
name: McDougall, Keith
name: Venn, SE
name: Vesk, PA
name: Hoffmann, AA
name: Nicotra, AB
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 31
subject: Biological sciences
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
classificationCode: 3103
subject: Ecology
classificationCode: 37
subject: Earth sciences
classificationCode: 41
subject: Environmental sciences
classificationCode: 4101
subject: Climate change impacts and adaptation

description: Conservation managers are under increasing pressure to make decisions about the allocation of finite resources to protect biodiversity under a changing climate. However, the impacts of climate and global change drivers on species are outpacing our capacity to collect the empirical data necessary to inform these decisions. This is particularly the case in the Australian Alps which have already undergone recent changes in climate and experienced more frequent large-scale bushfires. In lieu of empirical data, we use a structured expert elicitation method (the IDEA protocol) to estimate the change in abundance and distribution of nine vegetation groups and 89 Australian alpine and subalpine species by the year 2050. Experts predicted that most alpine vegetation communities would decline in extent by 2050; only woodlands and heathlands are predicted to increase in extent. Predicted species-level responses for alpine plants and animals were highly variable and uncertain. In general, alpine plants spanned the range of possible responses, with some expected to increase, decrease or not change in cover. By contrast, almost all animal species are predicted to decline or not change in abundance or elevation range; more species with water-centric life-cycles are expected to decline in abundance than other species. While long-term ecological data will always be the gold standard for informing the future of biodiversity, the method and outcomes outlined here provide a pragmatic and coherent basis upon which to start informing conservation policy and management in the face of rapid change and a paucity of data.
Predicting species and community responses to global change using structured expert judgement: An Australian mountain ecosystems case study
Creators: name: Camac, JS
name: Umbers, KDL
name: Morgan, John
name: Geange, SR
name: Hanea, A
name: Slatyer, RA
name: McDougall, KL
name: Venn, SE
name: Vesk, PA
name: Hoffmann, AA
name: Nicotra, AB
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: Conservation managers are under increasing pressure to make decisions about the allocation of finite resources to protect biodiversity under a changing climate. However, the impacts of climate and global change drivers on species are outpacing our capacity to collect the empirical data necessary to inform these decisions. This is particularly the case in the Australian Alps which have already undergone recent changes in climate and experienced more frequent large-scale bushfires. In lieu of empirical data, we use a structured expert elicitation method (the IDEA protocol) to estimate the change in abundance and distribution of nine vegetation groups and 89 Australian alpine and subalpine species by the year 2050. Experts predicted that most alpine vegetation communities would decline in extent by 2050; only woodlands and heathlands are predicted to increase in extent. Predicted species-level responses for alpine plants and animals were highly variable and uncertain. In general, alpine plants spanned the range of possible responses, with some expected to increase, decrease or not change in cover. By contrast, almost all animal species are predicted to decline or not change in abundance or elevation range; more species with water-centric life-cycles are expected to decline in abundance than other species. While long-term ecological data will always be the gold standard for informing the future of biodiversity, the method and outcomes outlined here provide a pragmatic and coherent basis upon which to start informing conservation policy and management in the face of rapid change and a paucity of data.
Inhibition of the Renin-Angiotensin System Reduces Gene Expression of Inflammatory Mediators in Adipose Tissue Independent of Energy Balance
Creators: name: Mitchell, CS
name: Premaratna, Shirmila
name: Bennett, G
name: Lambrou, M
name: Stahl, LA
name: Jois, Markandeya
name: Barber, E
name: Antoniadis, CP
name: Woods, SC
name: Cameron-Smith, D
name: Weisinger, RS
name: Begg, DP
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: Obesity is a growing health problem worldwide. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is present in adipose tissue, and evidence suggests that it is involved in both diet-induced obesity and the inflammation associated with obesity. The present experiments determined the effect of (1) different angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (captopril, perindopril, enalapril) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs: telmisartan, losartan) on adiposity of mice fed a high-fat diet for 28 days (2); acute treatment with the ACE-inhibitor captopril on gene expression of inflammatory markers in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD); and (3) short-term (2 days) and chronic (28 days) treatment of ACE-inhibition on energy expenditure (EE) and energy balance in mice fed HFD ad libitum (AL), as well as receiving HFD limited to the amount of calories eaten by controls (pair-fed (PF) group). Body weight, food intake, adiposity and plasma leptin were lower in ACE inhibitor or ARB-treated groups over 28 days compared with HFD untreated mice. Short-term treatment with captopril led to increased EE relative to the level in the PF group. After 28 days, EE was lower in both captopril-treated and PF mice compared with AL, but the effect was greater in the captopril-treated group. Adiponectin was elevated in captopril-treated mice, but not in PF mice, after both 2 and 28 days. Additionally, acute RAS blockade in HFD-fed mice reduced mRNA expression for MCP-1, IL-6, TLR4, and leptin in adipose tissue relative to values in untreated groups. These data demonstrate that ACE inhibition and angiotensin receptor blockade reduce food intake to produce weight loss and suggest that the anti-inflammatory effects of ACE inhibition may be independent of weight loss.
Foliar elemental microprobe data and leaf anatomical traits consistent with drought tolerance in Eucalyptus largiflorens (Myrtaceae)
Creators: name: Fernando, Denise
name: Lynch, JP
name: Hanlon, MT
name: Marshall, Alan
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: In food-productive river basins, ecosystems reliant on natural flows are affected by climate change and water removal. One such example is Australia's Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), to which the ecologically important black box tree Eucalyptus largiflorens (Myrtaceae) is unique. Little is known about its mineral nutrition and response to flooding. A field study conducted at Hattah Kulkyne National Park on the MDB examined nutrient and Al distribution in mature and young foliage of trees whose status varied with respect to the presence of surface floodwaters. Black box is also of interest due to emerging evidence of its capacity to accumulate high foliar salt concentrations. Here, cryo scanning electron microscopy alone (SEM), combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy were applied to evaluate leaf anatomy and elemental patterns at the cellular and whole-leaf levels. Variation in whole-leaf elemental levels across flooded and dry trees aligned with known nutritional fluctuations in this drought-tolerant species reliant on occasional infrequent flooding. The microprobe data provide evidence of drought tolerance by demonstrating that extended conditions of lack of water to trees do not elicit leaf anatomical changes nor changes to leaf cellular storage of these elements. Foliar Na concentrations of ∼2000-6000 mg kg-1 DW were found co-localised with Cl in mesophyll and dermal cells of young and mature leaves, suggesting vacuolar salt disposal as a detoxification strategy.
Additional file 1 of Spontaneous intramuscular hemorrhage in cancer-associated dermatomyositis: a case and literature review
Creators: name: Xing, Rui
name: Xiang, Fenfen
name: Dong, Lingli
name: Shen, Guifen
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Physiology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Pharmacology
subject: Cancer
subject: Hematology

description: Additional figure S1 Swelling of the right arm The right upper limb was visibly swollen and skin bruising was visible at the elbow joint. A large number of scattered blisters were visible on the skin’s surface.
Fasciola hepatica Control Practices on a Sample of Dairy Farms in Victoria, Australia
Creators: name: Kelley, Jane
name: Rawlin, Grant
name: Beddoe, Travis
name: Stevenson, M
name: Spithill, Terry
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: In Australia, little is known about the strategies used by farmers to control Fasciola hepatica (F. hepatica) infection in dairy cattle. Triclabendazole-resistant F. hepatica have recently been found on several dairy and beef properties in Australia. It is difficult to draw conclusions about how widespread resistance is in Australian dairy cattle because we have little information about flukicide usage, drug resistance testing, and alternative flukicide usage on-farm. The study objectives were to determine how dairy farmers are currently controlling F. hepatica and to identify knowledge gaps where F. hepatica control strategies need to be communicated to farmers to improve management. The survey was distributed online or by hard copy and 36 dairy farmers completed the survey. There were 34 questions including closed, open-ended, multicheck box, demographic, and text questions. Descriptive statistics were used to quantify each response. The survey results showed high use of clorsulon, limited rotation of flukicides, and limited use of diagnostic tests to inform treatment options and timing. There was poor adherence to best management practice in determining the dose of flukicides administered to cattle, with farmers often relying on estimating body weights or average body weights, suggesting that underdosing of animals is likely to be prevalent. Most respondents in this study did not isolate and quarantine treated and newly returned or purchased animals before joining them with the main herd. The research identified four knowledge gaps where communication needs to be enhanced to improve control of F. hepatica: diagnostic testing to inform flukicide use, rotation of flukicide actives, flukicide administration, and increased testing of replacement animals.
title: The Heidelberg Declaration on Transforming Global Meat Governance
Creators: name: Stucki, Saskia
name: Nollkaemper, André
name: Romano, Cesare
name: Peters, Anne
Publisher: name: Fachinformationsdienst für internationale und interdisziplinäre Rechtsforschung
Year: 2025
Subjects: subject: 342

description: Verfassungsblog: On Matters Constitutional
BECLIN1: Protein Structure, Function and Regulation
Creators: name: Tran, Sharon
name: Fairlie, Walter
name: Lee, Erinna
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: BECLIN1 is a well-established regulator of autophagy, a process essential for mammalian survival. It functions in conjunction with other proteins to form Class III Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (PI3K) complexes to generate phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns), lipids essential for not only autophagy but other membrane trafficking processes. Over the years, studies have elucidated the structural, biophysical, and biochemical properties of BECLIN1, which have shed light on how this protein functions to allosterically regulate these critical processes of autophagy and membrane trafficking. Here, we review these findings and how BECLIN1’s diverse protein interactome regulates it, as well as its impact on organismal physiology.
Sustainable healthcare – Time for ‘Green Podiatry’
Creators: name: Evans, Angela
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: Background: Healthcare aims to promote good health and yet demonstrably contributes to climate change, which is purported to be ‘the biggest global health threat of the 21st century’. This is happening now, with healthcare as an industry representing 4.4% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Main body: Climate change promotes health deficits from many angles; however, primarily it is the use of fossil fuels which increases atmospheric carbon dioxide (also nitrous oxide, and methane). These greenhouse gases prevent the earth from cooling, resulting in the higher temperatures and rising sea levels, which then cause ‘wild weather’ patterns, including floods, storms, and droughts. Particular vulnerability is afforded to those already health compromised (older people, pregnant women, children, wider health co-morbidities) as well as populations closer to equatorial zones, which encompasses many low-and-middle-income-countries. The paradox here, is that poorer nations by spending less on healthcare, have lower carbon emissions from health-related activity, and yet will suffer most from global warming effects, with scant resources to off-set the increasing health care needs. Global recognition has forged the Paris agreement, the United Nations sustainable developments goals, and the World Health Organisation climate change action plan. It is agreed that most healthcare impact comes from consumption of energy and resources, and the production of greenhouse gases into the environment. Many professional associations of medicine and allied health professionals are advocating for their members to lead on environmental sustainability; the Australian Podiatry Association is incorporating climate change into its strategic direction. Conclusion: Podiatrists, as allied health professionals, have wide community engagement, and hence, can model positive environmental practices, which may be effective in changing wider community behaviours, as occurred last century when doctors stopped smoking. As foot health consumers, our patients are increasingly likely to expect more sustainable practices and products, including ‘green footwear’ options. Green Podiatry, as a part of sustainable healthcare, directs us to be responsible energy and product consumers, and reduce our workplace emissions.
Additional file 2 of Spontaneous intramuscular hemorrhage in cancer-associated dermatomyositis: a case and literature review
Creators: name: Xing, Rui
name: Xiang, Fenfen
name: Dong, Lingli
name: Shen, Guifen
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Physiology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Pharmacology
subject: Cancer
subject: Hematology

description: Additional file 2 The results of coagulation factors, protein C and protein S
Modelled Quantification of Different Sources of Nitrogen Inefficiency in Semi-Arid Cropping Systems
Creators: name: Nasrollahi, Niloufar
name: Hunt, James
name: Tang, Caixian
name: Cann, David
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: Most dryland grain growers in Australia retain all or most of their crop residues to protect the soil from erosion and to improve water conservation but retaining stubbles with a high carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio can affect N availability to crops. A simulation experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of N fertilizer application rate and residue retention on soil N dynamics. The simulation used seven N fertilizer application rates (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150 and 200 kg N ha−1) to wheat (Triticum aestivum) over 27 years (1990–2016) at four locations across a gradient in annual rainfall in Victoria, Australia. Nitrogen immobilization, denitrification and N leaching loss were predicted and collectively defined as sources of N inefficiency. When residues were retained, immobilization was predicted to be the biggest source of inefficiency at all simulated sites at N application rates currently used by growers. Leaching became a bigger source of inefficiency at one site with low soil water-holding capacity, but only at N rates much higher than would currently be commercially applied, resulting in high levels of nitrate (NO3−) accumulating in the soil. Denitrification was an appreciable source of inefficiency at higher rainfall sites. Further research is necessary to evaluate strategies to minimize immobilization of N in semi-arid cropping systems.
Modelled Quantification of Different Sources of Nitrogen Inefficiency in Semi-Arid Cropping Systems
Creators: name: Nasrollahi, Niloufar
name: Hunt, James
name: Tang, Caixian
name: Cann, David
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2024

description: Most dryland grain growers in Australia retain all or most of their crop residues to protect the soil from erosion and to improve water conservation but retaining stubbles with a high carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio can affect N availability to crops. A simulation experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of N fertilizer application rate and residue retention on soil N dynamics. The simulation used seven N fertilizer application rates (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150 and 200 kg N ha−1) to wheat (Triticum aestivum) over 27 years (1990–2016) at four locations across a gradient in annual rainfall in Victoria, Australia. Nitrogen immobilization, denitrification and N leaching loss were predicted and collectively defined as sources of N inefficiency. When residues were retained, immobilization was predicted to be the biggest source of inefficiency at all simulated sites at N application rates currently used by growers. Leaching became a bigger source of inefficiency at one site with low soil water-holding capacity, but only at N rates much higher than would currently be commercially applied, resulting in high levels of nitrate (NO3−) accumulating in the soil. Denitrification was an appreciable source of inefficiency at higher rainfall sites. Further research is necessary to evaluate strategies to minimize immobilization of N in semi-arid cropping systems.
A two stage k-monotone B-spline regression estimator: Uniform Lipschitz property and optimal convergence rate
Creators: name: Lebair, Teresa M.
name: Shen, Jinglai
Publisher: name: Duke University Press
Year: 2018
Subjects: k-monotone estimation
62G08
62G20
asymptotic analysis
B-splines
Convergence rates
Nonparametric regression
shape constraints

description: This paper considers k-monotone estimation and the related asymptotic performance analysis over a suitable Hölder class for general k. A novel two stage k-monotone B-spline estimator is proposed: in the first stage, an unconstrained estimator with optimal asymptotic performance is considered; in the second stage, a k-monotone B-spline estimator is constructed (roughly) by projecting the unconstrained estimator onto a cone of k-monotone splines. To study the asymptotic performance of the second stage estimator under the sup-norm and other risks, a critical uniform Lipschitz property for the k-monotone B-spline estimator is established under the ??-norm. This property uniformly bounds the Lipschitz constants associated with the mapping from a (weighted) first stage input vector to the B-spline coefficients of the second stage k-monotone estimator, independent of the sample size and the number of knots. This result is then exploited to analyze the second stage estimator performance and develop convergence rates under the sup-norm, pointwise, and LpLp-norm (with p?[1,?)p?[1,?)) risks. By employing recent results in k-monotone estimation minimax lower bound theory, we show that these convergence rates are optimal.
Modelled Quantification of Different Sources of Nitrogen Inefficiency in Semi-Arid Cropping Systems
Creators: name: Nasrollahi, Niloufar
name: Hunt, James
name: Tang, Caixian
name: Cann, David
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 30
subject: Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
classificationCode: 3002
subject: Agriculture, land and farm management
classificationCode: 3004
subject: Crop and pasture production

description: Most dryland grain growers in Australia retain all or most of their crop residues to protect the soil from erosion and to improve water conservation but retaining stubbles with a high carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio can affect N availability to crops. A simulation experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of N fertilizer application rate and residue retention on soil N dynamics. The simulation used seven N fertilizer application rates (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150 and 200 kg N ha−1) to wheat (Triticum aestivum) over 27 years (1990–2016) at four locations across a gradient in annual rainfall in Victoria, Australia. Nitrogen immobilization, denitrification and N leaching loss were predicted and collectively defined as sources of N inefficiency. When residues were retained, immobilization was predicted to be the biggest source of inefficiency at all simulated sites at N application rates currently used by growers. Leaching became a bigger source of inefficiency at one site with low soil water-holding capacity, but only at N rates much higher than would currently be commercially applied, resulting in high levels of nitrate (NO3−) accumulating in the soil. Denitrification was an appreciable source of inefficiency at higher rainfall sites. Further research is necessary to evaluate strategies to minimize immobilization of N in semi-arid cropping systems.
Stability of Discrete-Time Switched Homogeneous Systems on Cones and Conewise Homogeneous Inclusions
Creators: name: Shen, Jinglai
name: Hu, Jianghai
Publisher: name: SIAM
Year: 2012

description: This paper presents a stability analysis of switched homogeneous systems on cones under arbitrary and optimal switching rules with extensions to conewise homogeneous or linear inclusions. Several interrelated approaches, such as the joint spectral radius approach and the generating function approach, are exploited to derive necessary and sufficient stability conditions and to develop suitable algorithms for stability tests. Specifically, the generalized joint spectral radius and the generalized joint lower spectral radius are introduced to characterize the radii of domains of strong and weak attraction. Furthermore, strong and weak generating functions and their radii of convergence are employed to derive stability conditions; their analytic properties, numerical approximations, and convergence analysis are established. Extensions to conewise homogeneous or linear inclusions are made to address state-dependent switching dynamics. Relations between different stability notions in the strong or weak sense are studied; Lyapunov techniques are used for stability analysis of the conewise linear inclusions.
Additional file 1 of Bifurcate evolution of quinone synthetases in basidiomycetes
Creators: name: Seibold, Paula Sophie
name: Lawrinowitz, Stefanie
name: Raztsou, Ihar
name: Gressler, Markus
name: Arndt, Hans-Dieter
name: Stallforth, Pierre
name: Hoffmeister, Dirk
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Biochemistry
subject: Space Science
subject: Microbiology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Pharmacology
subject: Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Ecology
subject: Immunology
subject: FOS: Clinical medicine
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Inorganic Chemistry
subject: FOS: Chemical sciences
subject: Infectious Diseases
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: Additional file 1. Ten supplementary tables with supporting research data, materials and methods.
A study of the generalized input-to-state ?2-gain of discrete-time switched linear systems
Creators: name: Putta, Vamsi
name: Zhu, Guangwei
name: Shen, Jinglai
name: Hu, Jianghai
Publisher: name: IEEE
Year: 2012
Subjects: Approximation algorithms
Convergence
Equations
Linear systems
Stability analysis
Switches

description: 2011 50th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control and European Control Conference, 12-15 December 2011, Orlando, FL, USA
description: A generalized notion of the input-to-state L2-gains of discrete-time switched linear systems is proposed in this paper. Such gains are then characterized using the radii of convergence of a family of suitably defined functions called the generating functions. Properties of the generating functions are studied and their numerical computation algorithms are developed. Some numerical examples are presented.
Stability of switched linear systems on cones: A generating function approach
Creators: name: Shen, Jinglai
name: Hu, Jianghai
Publisher: name: IEEE
Year: 2011
Subjects: Asymptotic stability
Convergence
Linear systems
Numerical stability
Stability analysis
Switches
Trajectory

description: 49th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC),15-17 December 2010,Atlanta, GA, USA
description: This paper extends the recent study of the generating function approach to stability analysis of switched linear systems from the Euclidean space to a closed convex cone. Examples of the latter class of switched systems include switched positive systems that model various biologic and economic systems with positive states. Strong and weak stability notions are considered in this paper. In particular, it is shown that asymptotic and exponential stability are equivalent for both notions. Strong and weak generating functions on cones are introduced and their properties are established. Necessary and sufficient conditions for strong/weak exponential stability of switched linear systems on cones are obtained in terms of the radii of convergence of strong/weak generating functions.
Dynamic Security Analysis of Electric Power Systems: Passivity-Based Approach and Positive Invariance Approach
Creators: name: Hui, Qing
name: Shen, Jinglai
name: Qiao, Wei
Publisher: name: ASME
Year: 2011

description: Proceedings of the ASME 2010 Dynamic Systems and Control Conference, September 12-15,2010, Cambridge,MA,USA
description: Security is a critical issue in modern power system operation. With the aid of analytic tools for large-scale and hybrid systems, this paper proposes two new safety verification methods for power systems. The first method is based on barrier certificates and passivity. This method provides a general safety verification framework for power systems with the port-Hamiltonian structure. The energy shaping technique is also exploited to attain safety conditions for controlled port-Hamiltonian systems. The second method, based on positive invariance, yields exact safety verification for power systems based on linearized models, particularly linear Hamiltonian systems. Decidability of exact safety verification is established via algebraic and positive invariance approaches; other analytic and numerical issues are addressed from the positive invariance perspective.
Robust non-Zenoness of piecewise analytic systems with applications to complementarity systems
Creators: name: Shen, Jinglai
Publisher: name: IEEE
Year: 2010
Subjects: Analytical models
Computational modeling
Constraint optimization
Control systems
Nonlinear dynamical systems
Performance analysis
Robust control
Robustness
Uncertain systems
Uncertainty

description: Proceedings of the 2010 American Control Conference, 30 June 2010 - 02 July 2010, Baltimore, MD, USA
description: This paper addresses non-Zenoness of a class of Lipschitz piecewise analytic systems subject to state perturbations and parameter uncertainties, motivated by sensitivity analysis of such systems. Specifically, the existence of uniform bounds on the number of mode switchings on a finite time interval is established for perturbed systems. For general parameterized piecewise analytic systems, this is achieved locally by extending Sussmann's result; this result is applied to a class of nonlinear complementarity systems arising from contact mechanics and constrained dynamical optimization. Furthermore, the existence of a global uniform bound on the number of switchings is established for bimodal piecewise affine systems by exploiting affine structure, under mild conditions on system parameters. It is shown that this bound is independent of initial state perturbations.
Additional file 2 of Bifurcate evolution of quinone synthetases in basidiomycetes
Creators: name: Seibold, Paula Sophie
name: Lawrinowitz, Stefanie
name: Raztsou, Ihar
name: Gressler, Markus
name: Arndt, Hans-Dieter
name: Stallforth, Pierre
name: Hoffmeister, Dirk
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Biochemistry
subject: Space Science
subject: Microbiology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Pharmacology
subject: Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Ecology
subject: Immunology
subject: FOS: Clinical medicine
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Inorganic Chemistry
subject: FOS: Chemical sciences
subject: Infectious Diseases
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: Additional file 2. 23 supplementary figures with supporting biological and chemical data.
Nobel Nominee Professor Dr. Engr. Md. Anowar Hossain is self-approaching for the prestigious 'best researcher award' under the provisional nomination of organizing committee, research scientist awards of Indian government
Creators: name: Anowar, Md. Anowar Hossain
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025

description: Keynote of the award application

Nobel Nominee Professor Dr. Engr. Md. Anowar Hossain received a letter of provisional nomination for the ‘best researcher award’ on 19 February 2025. Organizing committee mentioned the recent publication (2024) on “Advancement in UV-Vis-IR camouflage Textiles for concealment of defense surveillance against multidimensional combat background, Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Engineering.”

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40712-024-00182-8

Therefore, Nobel Nominee Professor Dr. Engr. Md. Anowar Hossain is self-approaching for the prestigious ‘best researcher award’ under the provisional nomination of organizing committee, research scientist awards of Indian government.
Estimation of shape constrained functions in dynamical systems and its application to gene networks
Creators: name: Shen, Jinglai
name: Wang, Xiao
Publisher: name: IEEE
Year: 2010
Subjects: Biological control systems
Biomedical measurements
Control systems
Filtering
Noise measurement
Shape control
Spline
State estimation
Statistical distributions
Systems engineering and theory

description: Proceedings of the 2010 American Control Conference, 30 June 2010 - 02 July 2010, Baltimore, MD, USA
description: Inspired by estimation and identification of biological and engineering systems subject to constraints, this paper addresses nonparametric estimation of monotone functions contained in a class of dynamical systems. A two-stage estimation procedure is proposed. At the first stage, partial state estimation is performed via trend filtering techniques. At the second stage, a penalized spline (or P-spline for short) estimator is used to estimate monotone functions. The highlight of the paper is asymptotic analysis of the monotone P-spline estimator formulated as a constrained optimization problem. The uniform Lipschitz property is established for optimal spline coefficients. By approximating the estimator by a solution of a differential equation with a constrained right-hand side, the paper develops asymptotic normality at interior points and establishes convergence rates. The proposed estimator is applied to estimation of a monotone regulatory function in a gene regulatory network.
Arrdc4-dependent extracellular vesicle biogenesis is required for sperm maturation
Creators: name: Foot, Natalie J
name: Gonzalez, Macarena B
name: Gembus, Kelly
name: Fonseka, Hewafonsekage
name: Sandow, Jarrod J
name: Nguyen, Thi Thuy Dung
name: Tran, Diana
name: Webb, Andrew I
name: Mathivanan, Suresh
name: Robker, Rebecca L
name: Kumar, Sharad
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are important players in cell to cell communication in reproductive systems. Notably, EVs have been found and characterized in the male reproductive tract, however, direct functional evidence for their importance in mediating sperm function is lacking. We have previously demonstrated that Arrdc4, a member of the α-arrestin protein family, is involved in extracellular vesicle biogenesis and release. Here we show that Arrdc4-mediated extracellular vesicle biogenesis is required for proper sperm function. Sperm from Arrdc4-/- mice develop normally through the testis but fail to acquire adequate motility and fertilization capabilities through the epididymis, as observed by reduced motility, premature acrosome reaction, reduction in zona pellucida binding and two-cell embryo production. We found a significant reduction in extracellular vesicle production by Arrdc4-/- epididymal epithelial cells, and further, supplementation of Arrdc4-/- sperm with additional vesicles dampened the acrosome reaction defect and restored zona pellucida binding. These results indicate that Arrdc4 is important for proper sperm maturation through the control of extracellular vesicle biogenesis.
The behaviour of nitrogen during differentiation of Earths igneous continental crust
Creators: name: Boocock, Toby James
Publisher: name: The University of St Andrews
Year: 2023
Subjects: Nitrogen
Igneous
Nitrogen isotopes
Magmatic differentiation

description: The geological and biological nitrogen cycles are intimately linked. Nitrogen is an essential element in the structure of amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, and other molecules vital for life, as well as 78% of the Earths atmosphere and present in significant quantities in all of Earths geological reservoirs. Planetary scale processes such as degassing, subduction and differentiation play a key role in generating and supporting a nitrogen rich surface environment suitable for supporting life. However, the fluxes and stores of nitrogen between Earths mantle, crust and atmosphere remain poorly constrained. Constraining the behaviour of nitrogen during these processes is therefore essential. This thesis targets the processing and storage of nitrogen in the Earth’s crust, with a focus on identify fundamental partitioning and isotopic fractionation during magmatic differentiation and assessing what the crustal nitrogen record can inform us about changes in the biogeochemical nitrogen cycle. Firstly, I utilise two contrasting but well constrained magmatic systems, the aphyric lavas from Hekla volcano, Iceland, and the calc-alkaline Loch Doon zoned pluton, Scotland. These data are to the best of our knowledge the first combined abundance and isotopic ratio measurements for differentiating magmatic suites at a bulk and mineral scale. I show with the Hekla dataset that when undersaturated in a magma, nitrogen behaves more akin to lithophile rather than volatile elements and can be enriched significantly in Earths crust during differentiation. In Loch Doon, at a mineral scale, we find feldspars host 60-90% of the whole rock nitrogen contents in contrast with previous studies suggesting biotite as the main N host phase. Associated with this are significant feldspar-mica isotopic fractionation suggesting magmatic differentiation can impart significant measurable isotopic differences. Secondly, I assess the ability of the plutonic felsic crust to record changes in the terrestrial sedimentary nitrogen cycle through analysis of a suite of well characterised strongly peraluminous granitoids (SPGs). These data show a significant change in nitrogen biomass burial coincident with sedimentological, pedogenic and biological innovations coincident with the rise of a complex terrestrial biosphere at the onset of the Phanerozoic. Overall, this thesis improves our understanding of nitrogen in magmatic systems, shows that studying nitrogen in Earths igneous crust is essential for balancing the geobiological nitrogen cycle, and provides a strong basis for more work on igneous systems for future research.
Immunomodulation Eliminates Inflammation in the Hippocampus in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, but Does Not Ameliorate Anxiety-Like Behavior
Creators: name: Kocovski, Pece
name: Tabassum-Sheikh, N
name: Marinis, Stephanie
name: Dang, PT
name: Hale, Matthew
name: Orian, Jacqueline
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease targeting the central nervous system, characterized by an unpredictable disease course and a wide range of symptoms. Emotional and cognitive deficits are now recognized as primary disease manifestations and not simply the consequence of living with a chronic condition, raising questions regarding the efficacy of current therapeutics for these specific symptoms. Mechanisms underlying psychiatric sequelae in MS are believed to be similar to those underlying pathogenesis, that is mediated by cytokines and other inflammatory mediators. To gain insight into the pathogenesis of MS depression, we performed behavioral assays in the murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) MS model, in the presence or absence of immunomodulation using the drug FTY720, an analogue of the lipid signaling molecule sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). Specifically, mice were challenged with the elevated plus maze (EPM) test, a validated experimental paradigm for rodent-specific anxiety-like behavior. FTY720 treatment failed to ameliorate anxiety-like symptoms, irrespective of dosage. On the other hand, it was effective in reducing inflammatory infiltration, microglial reactivity and levels of pro-inflammatory molecules in the hippocampus, confirming the anti-inflammatory capacity of treatment. To explore the absence of FTY720 effect on behavior, we confirmed expression of S1P receptors (S1PR) S1PR1, S1PR3 and S1PR5 in the hippocampus and mapped the dynamics of these receptors in response to drug treatment alone, or in combination with EAE induction. We identified a complex pattern of responses, differing between (1) receptors, (2) dosage and (3) hippocampal sub-field. FTY720 treatment in the absence of EAE resulted in overall downregulation of S1PR1 and S1PR3, while S1PR5 exhibited a dose-dependent upregulation. EAE induction alone resulted in overall downregulation of all three receptors. On the other hand, combined FTY720 and EAE showed generally no effect on S1PR1 and S1PR3 expression except for the fimbrium region, but strong upregulation of S1PR5 over the range of doses examined. These data illustrate a hitherto undescribed complexity of S1PR response to FTY720 in the hippocampus, independent of drug effect on effector immune cells, but simultaneously emphasize the need to explore novel treatment strategies to specifically address mood disorders in MS.