bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interactions and Covariation of Ecological Drivers Control CO2 Fluxes in an Alpine Peatland
Authors: Carbognani Michele , Tomaselli Marcello , Petraglia Alessandro
Published: May 2023

Peatland ecosystems are a highly effective long-term carbon sink. However, the CO2 fluxes could be substantially altered by climate changes and the fate of carbon stored in these ecosystems is still uncertain. Currently, most studies concerning the carbon fluxes in peatlands were performed at high latitude sites, where these ecosystems are more widely distributed compared to temperate regions, where peatlands are less frequent and, in addition to climate pressure, increasingly threatened by human activities. However, the information we have on these peatlands is very scarce. To fill this knowledge gap, we studied CO2 fluxes in an alpine peatland, through light and dark incubations. Using the natural variation in ecological conditions, we identified the main drivers of CO2 fluxes, considering in particular their interactions and covariation. Ecosystem respiration and gross primary production were primarily stimulated by the lowering of the water table and the amount of photosynthetic radiation, respectively, whereas net ecosystem CO2 exchange showed greater variation along the growing season. The influence on CO2 fluxes of the interactions between the drivers investigated, including soil temperature and moisture as well as vegetation type and plant functional diversity, was found to be of pivotal importance. Finally, a substantial part of the variation in CO2 emission and uptake processes was regulated by the joint variation of atmospheric and edaphic factors. To understand and predict the CO2 dynamics of alpine peatlands, it is necessary to consider the interplays among ecological factors, especially in relation to the expected changes in climate and vegetation.
An appeal for strengthening genomic pathogen surveillance to improve pandemic preparedness and infection prevention: the German perspective
Authors: Salzberger Bernd , Mellmann Alexander , Bludau Anna , Ciesek Sandra , Corman Victor , Dilthey Alexander , Donker Tjibbe , Eckmanns Tim , Egelkamp Richard , Gatermann Sören G. , Grundmann Hajo , Häcker Georg , Kaase Martin , Lange Berit , Mielke Martin , Pletz Mathias W. , Semmler Torsten , Thürmer Andrea , Wieler Lothar H. , Wolff Thorsten , Widmer Andreas F. , Scheithauer Simone
Published: May 2023

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the importance of viable infection surveillance and the relevant infrastructure. From a German perspective, an integral part of this infrastructure, genomic pathogen sequencing, was at best fragmentary and stretched to its limits due to the lack or inefficient use of equipment, human resources, data management and coordination. The experience in other countries has shown that the rate of sequenced positive samples and linkage of genomic and epidemiological data (person, place, time) represent important factors for a successful application of genomic pathogen surveillance. Planning, establishing and consistently supporting adequate structures for genomic pathogen surveillance will be crucial to identify and combat future pandemics as well as other challenges in infectious diseases such as multi-drug resistant bacteria and healthcare-associated infections. Therefore, the authors propose a multifaceted and coordinated process for the definition of procedural, legal and technical standards for comprehensive genomic pathogen surveillance in Germany, covering the areas of genomic sequencing, data collection and data linkage, as well as target pathogens. A comparative analysis of the structures established in Germany and in other countries is applied. This proposal aims to better tackle epi- and pandemics to come and take action from the “lessons learned” from the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
The Role of Combat Zone Exposure in Development of Upper Airway Inflammatory Disease
Authors: McCormick Justin P. , Lee Jivianne T.
Published: May 2023

Purpose of review

Soldiers returning from deployment often complain of new-onset respiratory disease upon their return. It is known that exposure to higher levels of air pollution may occur while on deployment, and air pollution exposure has been identified as a risk factor for development of upper respiratory disease. The purpose of this review is to report findings from recent research regarding pollutant exposure and upper respiratory tract disease among military veterans.

Recent findings

The prevalence of both allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis is increased among deployed veterans compared to non-deployed counterparts. Deployed service members are also exposed to pollutants at up to 100 × that which is considered acceptable in the United States (U.S.).

Deployed military members may be more prone to developing chronic upper respiratory conditions compared to their non-deployed counterparts, and this may be related to exposures overseas which are not routinely encountered in the U.S.
Experimental study on the nonlinear flow characteristics of fractured granite after high-temperature cycling
Authors: Li Tao , Zhang Qiang , Yin Qian , Dai Wanli , Gu Jiayu
Published: May 2023

To understand the influence of temperature on the flow characteristics of fractured granite, high-temperature cyclic thermal treatment and flow tests on the fractured rock sample with different joint roughness coefficients and intact rock samples were conducted. The larger confining pressure and larger joint roughness coefficient will increase the resistance of fluid flow and affect the flow characteristics of the fluid. With the temperature increasing, the aperture of the fractures, the number of micro-fractures, and micropores increase which forms a large number of new connected hydraulic channels in the matrix. Forchheimer's law and Izbash equation can well describe the nonlinear flow characteristics, and the fitting coefficients are greater than 0.99. As the increasing temperature, the slope of the curve between the volumetric flow rate and pressure gradient gradually decreases, and the coefficients in Forchheimer's law and the Izbash equation decrease. The transmissivity decrease with the increasing Reynolds number and the change range of that increase with the increasing temperature. When the temperature is at the lower level (T = 200 ~ 600 °C), the contribution of split fracture to the permeability is greater than that of the matrix. When the temperature continuously increases to 800 °C, the contribution of the matrix to the permeability gradually rises and then exceeds that of split fracture. The results indicate that 400 °C is the critical temperature, after which the flow characteristics of fractured granite after high-temperature cycling change more obviously.
Effect of Molybdenum Contents on Microstructure and High-Temperature Wear Behavior of SiMo Ductile Iron
Authors: Abdelrahim Dawlat M. , Ateia Ebtesam E. , Nofal Adel A.
Published: May 2023

High-silicon and molybdenum (SiMo) ductile iron is a common heat-resistant alloy that may be exposed to high-temperature wear during service in many of its applications. The wear behavior of four SiMo ductile iron alloys was evaluated at different temperatures up to 750 °C. This research focuses on the influence of various Mo contents on the microstructure, structural stability, and hence, the wear performance of such alloys. Thermodynamic calculations proposed the phase diagrams, critical transformation temperatures, and phase volume fractions in all samples by means of Thermo-Calc software. The dilatometry measurements were carried for confirming the theoretical results of Thermo-Calc thermodynamic calculations. The results revealed that the microstructure of SiMo ductile cast iron consists of nodular graphite and a ferrite matrix with carbides embedded in the fine precipitates at the grain boundary regions. The type of carbides and the nature of these fine precipitates are discussed according to EDX and SEM results. Adding molybdenum enhanced the wear performance of SiMo by decreasing the weight loss by about 40–70% compared to a Mo-free alloy. This is due to the increased molybdenum carbides, which increase hardness and improve wear resistance in SiMo alloys. The high temperatures have a negative effect on reducing the wear resistance at 250 °C. On the other hand, the wear resistance unexpectedly started to increase at higher temperatures of 500 °C and 750 °C because of the contribution of oxidative wear with abrasive wear by forming a protective oxide layer. Furthermore, the obtained results supported the idea that adding molybdenum improves wear resistance at high temperatures. Hence, SiMo has the potential to be wear-resistant material in wider applications requiring high-temperature wear resistance.
Moluccan Fighting Craft on Australian Shores: Contact Rock Art from Awunbarna, Arnhem Land
Authors: de Ruyter Mick , Wesley Daryl , van Duivenvoorde Wendy , Lewis Darrell , Johnston Iain
Published: May 2023

Two similar watercraft depicted in rock art at Awunbarna, Arnhem Land, Australia, are unlike the Macassanprahusand Western craft shown at other contact sites in northern Australia, but are sufficiently detailed to offer evidence for identification. Both craft appear to display triangular flags, pennants, and prow adornments indicating martial status. By comparing these two depictions with historically recorded watercraft from Island Southeast Asia, their probable origin is shown to have been eastern Maluku Tenggara in Indonesia. These motifs provide the first known direct archaeological evidence for ethnic diversity for the origins of mariners from Island Southeast Asia other than Makassar, Sulawesi. The rock-art depictions are representative of ceremonially decorated fighting craft used to lead trading voyages and raids, and may be linked to trade, fishing, resource exploitation, or slavery. This potentially unique identification of Moluccan watercraft in Arnhem Land rock art offers evidence of the elusive encounters between the Indigenous people of northern Australia and people from the archipelagos to the north, evidence with which to expand both the nature and context of Australia’s contact narrative.
Quantum Advantage Seeker with Kernels (QuASK): a software framework to speed up the research in quantum machine learning
Authors: Di Marcantonio Francesco , Incudini Massimiliano , Tezza Davide , Grossi Michele
Published: May 2023

Exploiting the properties of quantum information to the benefit of machine learning models is perhaps the most active field of research in quantum computation. This interest has supported the development of a multitude of software frameworks (e.g. Qiskit, Pennylane, Braket) to implement, simulate, and execute quantum algorithms. Most of them allow us to define quantum circuits, run basic quantum algorithms, and access low-level primitives depending on the hardware such software is supposed to run. For most experiments, these frameworks have to be manually integrated within a larger machine learning software pipeline. The researcher is in charge of knowing different software packages, integrating them through the development of long code scripts, analyzing the results, and generating the plots. Long code often leads to erroneous applications, due to the average number of bugs growing proportional with respect to the program length. Moreover, other researchers will struggle to understand and reproduce the experiment, due to the need to be familiar with all the different software frameworks involved in the code script. We propose QuASK, an open-source quantum machine learning framework written in Python that aids the researcher in performing their experiments, with particular attention to quantum kernel techniques. QuASK can be used as a command-line tool to download datasets, pre-process them, quantum machine learning routines, analyze and visualize the results. QuASK implements most state-of-the-art algorithms to analyze the data through quantum kernels, with the possibility to use projected kernels, (gradient-descent) trainable quantum kernels, and structure-optimized quantum kernels. Our framework can also be used as a library and integrated into pre-existing software, maximizing code reuse.
Comparative Study of Alloplastic and Xenogeneic Biomaterials Used for in Dentistry
Authors: Gross Jairo Marcos , Elias Carlos Nelson , de Carvalho Jorge José , Gross Andrea , Pelegrine André Antônio , Maior Bruno Salles Sotto , de Biasi Ronaldo Sergio , da Silva Brum Igor
Published: May 2023

Biomaterials are routinely used in dentistry for tissue engineering. The purpose of the present work is to compare the performance of a new alloplastic biomaterial (Blue-Bone®), xenogeneic biomaterial (Bio-Oss®), and a mixture of both biomaterials with 50% of autogenous bone. 32 Wistar rats underwent a surgical procedure in which a circular disc of bone was removed from the calvaria with a trephine drill 10 mm in diameter to create a critical bone defect, which was filled with the biomaterials under study. After 40 days, the animals were euthanized and the calvaria was removed for processing and analysis. Histomorphometric determination of vital mineralized tissue (VMT), no-vital mineralized tissue (NVMT), and on-mineralized tissue (NVMT) was performed. The results showed that, while cavities filled with Bio-Oss® needed to be mixed with an autogenous bone to present better performance, Blue-Bone® biomaterial does not need to be mixed with an autogenous bone to promote a more cellular and vascularized bone matrix.
Diagnostic stewardship to support optimal use of multiplex molecular respiratory panels: A survey from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Research Network
Authors: Baghdadi Jonathan D. , O’Hara Lyndsay M. , Johnson J. Kristie , Krein Sarah L. , Harris Anthony D. , Morgan Daniel J.
Published: May 2023

Objectives:

Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) respiratory panels are rapid, highly sensitive tests for viral and bacterial pathogens that cause respiratory infections. In this study, we (1) described best practices in the implementation of respiratory panels based on expert perspectives and (2) identified tools for diagnostic stewardship to enhance the usefulness of testing.

Methods:

We conducted a survey of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Research Network to explore current and future approaches to diagnostic stewardship of multiplex PCR respiratory panels.

Results:

In total, 41 sites completed the survey (response rate, 50%). Multiplex PCR respiratory panels were perceived as supporting accurate diagnoses at 35 sites (85%), supporting more efficient patient care at 33 sites (80%), and improving patient outcomes at 23 sites (56%). Thirteen sites (32%) reported that testing may support diagnosis or patient care without improving patient outcomes. Furthermore, 24 sites (58%) had implemented diagnostic stewardship, with a median of 3 interventions (interquartile range, 1–4) per site. The interventions most frequently reported as effective were structured order sets to guide test ordering (4 sites), restrictions on test ordering based on clinician or patient characteristics (3 sites), and structured communication of results (2 sites). Education was reported as “helpful” but with limitations (3 sites).

Conclusions:

Many hospital epidemiologists and experts in infectious diseases perceive multiplex PCR respiratory panels as useful tests that can improve diagnosis, patient care, and patient outcomes. However, institutions frequently employ diagnostic stewardship to enhance the usefulness of testing, including most commonly clinical decision support to guide test ordering.
Wedge Issue Politics in Japan: Why Not Revising the Constitution is Helping the Pro-Revision Ruling Party
Authors: Maeda Ko
Published: May 2023

The Liberal Democratic Party maintains a dominant position in Japanese politics while the opposition side is fragmented into many parties. Small opposition parties, namely the Communists, are still surviving even though it has been almost three decades since the 1994 electoral law reform, which made it difficult for such parties to exist. Fragmentation of the opposition is giving an electoral advantage to the ruling party. How can small opposition parties survive? An empirical analysis of voter survey data supports the argument that the controversy over a constitutional revision is playing a role in preventing anti-government voters from unifying under a single party.
Surface-temperature-induced Marangoni effects on developing buoyancy-driven flow
Authors: Wissink Jan G. , Herlina H.
Published: May 2023

To investigate the initial development of the Rayleigh–Bénard–Marangoni (RBM) instability in a relatively deep domain, direct numerical simulations for a large range of Marangoni and Rayleigh numbers were performed. In the simulations, the surface was assumed to be flat and surface cooling was modelled by a constant heat flux. The small-scale dynamics of the flow and temperature fields near the surface was fully resolved by using a non-uniform vertical grid distribution. A detailed investigation of the differences in physical mechanisms that drive the Rayleigh- and Marangoni-dominated instabilities is presented. To this end, various properties such as the maturation rate of convection cells, the fluctuating kinetic energy and the surface characteristic length scale were studied. It was confirmed that buoyancy forces and surface-temperature-gradient-driven Marangoni forces enhance one another in promoting the development of the RBM instability. When using a relevant measure of the effective thermal boundary layer thickness as length scale, both the critical Marangoni and Rayleigh numbers, obtained for the purely Marangoni- and purely Rayleigh-driven instabilities, were found to be in good agreement with the literature.
Dietary behaviours during COVID-19 among households at risk for food insecurity
Authors: Almohamad Maha , Marshall Allison , Dave Jayna Markand , Chuang Ru-Jye , Markham Christine , Sharma Shreela
Published: May 2023

The objective of the present study was to examine associations between variables of COVID-19-related concerns and changes in fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among a sample of participants from the Brighter Bites program at risk for food insecurity. Cross-sectional data were collected during April–June 2020 using a rapid-response survey to understand social needs, COVID-19-related concerns and diet-related behaviours among families with children participating in Brighter Bites (n 1777) in the 2019–2020 school year at risk for food insecurity, within the surrounding Houston, Dallas, Austin, Texas area; Southwest Florida; Washington, D.C., United States. Of the 1777 respondents, 92 % of households reported being at risk for food insecurity. Among those from food insecure households, the majority were of Hispanic/Mexican-American/Latino (84⋅1 %) ethnic background, predominantly from Houston, Texas (71⋅4 %). During the pandemic, among individuals from food insecure households, 41 % (n 672) reported a decrease in FV intake, 32 % (n 527) reported an increase in FV intake, and 27 % (n 439) reported no change in FV intake. Those who reported concerns about financial stability had a 40 % greater risk of decreased FV intake compared to those not concerned about financial stability (RR 1⋅4; 95 % CI 1⋅0, 2⋅0; P = 0⋅03). The present study adds to this current body of sparse literature on how the initial phase of the pandemic impacted FV consumption behaviours among food insecure households with children. Effective interventions are needed to diminish the negative impact of COVID-19 on the population's health.
Stakeholder Experience Evaluating Whole-School Practice Designed to Improve Educational Outcomes for Autistic Students
Authors: McLennan Helen , Roberts Jacqueline , Johnson Greer
Published: May 2023

Team participation in whole-school action research can assist the educational reform required for autistic students. Little is known about the experience of school community stakeholders engaged in the first stage of an implementation science process: evaluation of current practice. This study was designed to explore stakeholder experience and knowledge gained following a process of evaluation of whole-school practice related to the education of autistic students. A collective case study was employed across two Australian secondary schools, with team meetings designed to provide an opportunity for the self-evaluation process to take place and the data for the study to be generated. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the dialogue between participants during focus group discussions with each team. Findings are represented through six themes that provide insight for future practice. Both stakeholder teams reported that the evaluation process was a positive experience to engage in and resulted in a strengthening of knowledge about good practice for autistic students. Findings provide encouragement to other school teams engaging in a similar process; however, future teams may need to feel ready for this work and might benefit from the structure of a wider action-research cycle aligned to implementation science processes.
From Second-Best to First-Best Veto Point: Explaining the Changing Uses of Judicial Review and Referendums in Uruguay
Authors: Antía Florencia , Vairo Daniela
Published: May 2023

The use of veto points to block policy change has received significant attention in Latin America, but the different institutional venues have not been analyzed in a unified framework. Uruguay is exceptional in that political actors use both referendums and judicial review as effective ways to oppose public policies. While the activation of direct democracy mechanisms in Uruguay has been widely studied, the surge in the use of the judicial venue remains underexplored. This article argues that veto point use responds to the ideological content of policies adopted by different coalitions and the type of interest organization affected. It shows that policy opponents predominantly activate referendums when center-right coalitions rule and judicial review when center-left coalitions govern. It illustrates the causal argument by tracing the politics of court and referendum activation. This approach helps to bridge the gap between research on direct democracy and judicial politics, providing a unified framework.
Providing Meaning to Violence: Multiple Mobilizations and Dynamics of Conflict Escalation from November 2013 until February 2014 in Ukraine
Authors: Myshlovska Oksana
Published: May 2023

The article examines the aspects of contention and conflict escalation before and during the period from November 2013 till February 2014 in Ukraine that have not yet received due attention in research. It studies the contention between the government and the opposition and the concomitant Maidan protest mobilizations by groups advocating unity with Russia, and opposing the visions of political community of the radical groups making up part of the Maidan coalition. Conflict escalation is studied as a combination of structural conditions, choices and actions taken by conflict agents, and evolving discursive factors that enable political violence. The analysis indicates that while structural conditions played a role, conflict escalation is a nonlinear and agency-driven process, evolving through mutually influencing choices and actions of the competing parties, that either drive escalation or lead to deradicalization. The article suggests that the modes of contention and radicalization between the government and the opposition opened opportunities for groups supporting unity with Russia to escalate their demands, to radicalize their visions of political community, and to build leverage with Russia. In conclusion, several key narratives and discursive processes enabling the legitimization of the use of force and the implications for peacebuilding are discussed. The findings help to understand better the environment in which violent conflict further escalated in 2014.
The Pretendian Problem
Authors: Kolopenuk Jessica
Published: May 2023

Pretendianism is a problem in academia (and of whiteness). Its long-standing existence is well researched and analyzed in the academic record, and it has been brought to wider audiences through news and social media. In response, task forces, committees and advisory councils are being created in universities to determine stronger identity validation policies, with emphasis on engaging relationships with local Indigenous nations, communities, elders, and knowledge holders. Policy making, including processes and procedures of identity validation, will be a powerful apparatus going forward to administer indigeneity in universities. This approach will also lead to the intensification of Indigenous definition and regulation by predominantly non-Indigenous institutions. This article proposes a set of complementary extrapolicy practices addressing pretendianism worth exploring and that emerge from the everyday embodied vantage points of Indigenous academics. We must (continue to) name whiteness, model Indigenous relationality and learn from Indigenous women's leadership.
Petrogenesis of Early Cretaceous volcanic rocks from the Rena-Co area in the southern Qiangtang Terrane, central Tibet: evidence from zircon U-Pb geochronology, petrochemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb–Hf isotope characteristics
Authors: Wei Shaogang , Tang Juxing , Song Yang , Li Baolong , Dong Yujie
Published: May 2023

The subduction of the Bangong–Nujiang Ocean is important in the geological evolution of the Tibetan Plateau. In this paper, we report new zircon U-Pb age and Lu-Hf isotopic data and whole-rock elemental and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic data for Early Cretaceous dacites from the Rena-Co area (RCA) in the southern Qiangtang Terrane (QT), central Tibet and use these data to better understand the tectonic evolution of the Bangong–Nujiang suture. LA–ICP-MS dating of zircons yields ages of 109.5 ± 0.6 Ma to 109.6 ± 0.8 Ma for the dacites from the RCA. Geochemically, these dacites are medium-K calc-alkaline and show high SiO2 contents of 64.79–70.37 wt.%, high Sr contents of 517–598 ppm and low Y contents of 8.45–10.7 ppm, similar to those of typical adakites. Additionally, all the rocks are strongly enriched in light rare earth elements and some large ion lithophile elements (e.g. Rb, U, K and Cs) but significantly depleted in high-field-strength elements (e.g. Nb, Ta and Ti), consistent with the geochemical characteristics of arc-type magmas formed in the subduction zone. Moreover, these adakite-like dacites show whole-rock initial (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of 0.705119 to 0.705491, (206Pb/204Pb)i ratios of 18.489 to 18.508, (207Pb/204Pb)i ratios of 15.591 to 15.612, (208Pb/204Pb)i ratios of 38.599 to 38.686, ϵNd(t) values of −0.28 to +1.25 and single-stage Nd model ages of 642 to 818 Ma, as well as significantly positive zircon ϵHf(t) values of 3.9–13.1, with young Hf-depleted mantle ages of 331 to 923 Ma. These geochemical and isotopic data indicate that they are most likely derived from the juvenile thickened mafic lower continental crust, which contains partial melts of metasomatized peridotite and subduction-related fluids in the magma source region. Based on previous studies and our new data, we propose that the RCA adakite-like dacites are most likely a result of the northwards subduction of the Bangong–Nujiang Ocean lithosphere beneath the southern QT during the Early Cretaceous and that a slab rollback model could explain the formation of the RCA adakite-like dacites.
Corporate Financial Frictions and Employee Mental Health
Authors: Kárpáti Dániel , Renneboog Luc
Published: May 2023

This article argues that corporate financial frictions can have an adverse effect on employee mental health, an important determinant of employee productivity. To identify the causal effects of financial frictions, we exploit variation in firms’ need to refinance their long-term debt in 2008, a period when refinancing became more difficult due to the credit crunch. Using administrative microdata, we find that antidepressant use grows significantly more among employees of firms in higher need of debt refinancing. Much of this effect occurs at employees keeping their jobs, pointing to decreased perceptions of job security as a transmission channel.
The Living Legacies of Slavery: Racism and Racial Acrobatics in North-East Brazilian Puppet Play, 1940–80
Authors: Kidd Gray F.
Published: May 2023

This article probes the racially conflictual plotlines of mamulengo, a form of improvised popular puppetry in North-East Brazil. Drawing on a corpus of transcribed shows performed between the 1940s and 1970s, it shows how audacious Black protagonists – often named Baltazar or Benedito – took part in a game of racial ‘acrobatics’. By playing the roles of fools (bobos) and aggressors (desordeiros), these heroes simultaneously reproduced a racist status quo and offered a spirited and violent resistance to its abuses. While mamulengo has never been brought to bear on discussions of race in Brazil, this oft-overlooked form of cultural expression forces us to confront the uncomfortable aspects of race-making and belonging as they are elaborated ‘from below’.
Exploring the use of social virtual reality for virtual exchange
Authors: Gruber Alice , Canto Silvia , Jauregi-Ondarra Kristi
Published: May 2023

Mentored online intercultural interaction offers foreign language learners the opportunity to develop different competences, including intercultural, linguistic, and digital competence (O’Dowd, 2021). Such virtual exchange (VE) projects typically involve computer-mediated communication via, for example, Zoom. However, the use of high-immersion virtual reality (VR) for synchronous online collaboration in VE projects has received little attention. This study investigated the effect of VR on students’ levels of presence and engagement, on students’ communication and on students’ views on using VR for intercultural encounters compared to traditional videoconferencing tools. Twenty-seven university students from the Netherlands and Germany utilised VR to carry out intercultural learning tasks using English as a lingua franca during a four-week implementation period. Participants responded to pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, completed reflection journals, audio- or video-recorded their VR meetings and participated in interviews. Results showed that the levels of presence and engagement and preferences of social VR compared to videoconferencing for intercultural encounters depended on students individually. A VR immersion experience and comfortability scale was created based on the data which showed mixed experiences. VR influenced participants’ interactions, topics of conversation and communication strategies when they explored their spaces together. The results showed that students’ attitudes towards VR and their subjective experience of VR seem to play an important role in the VE-VR setting. VR provided a safe space for many participants. Positive attitudes towards communicating in the VR environment are highly correlated with positive attitudes towards meeting students from other countries in VR. Implications for language education are provided.
Industrial energy consumption in the urban Low Countries: Ghent and Leiden compared (c. 1650–1850)
Authors: Saelens Wout
Published: May 2023

This article presents a comparative study of the industrial energy consumption in Ghent and Leiden, from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. It asks whether or not industrial development depended on the availability of coal. Whereas the Southern Low Countries had recourse to cheap coal from the beginning of the eighteenth century onwards, the Northern Low Countries remained trapped in its ‘proto-fossil’ trajectory based on peat, lacking a full fossil-fuel transition. By using production data to estimate the fuel consumption by industry, it is argued that energy divergences did not matter for industrialization. Both in Ghent and in Leiden, industries such as brewing, sugar refining, glass making and textile production had already largely switched to coal by the end of the seventeenth century. Explanations for these early coal-burning trajectories should be found, not in the ‘lucky’ location of coal supplies, but in the demand and organization of coal-specific industry itself.
Homicide in early modern Bologna: a prepositional cartography
Authors: Rose Colin
Published: May 2023

In early modern violence, location mattered, and where something took place communicated much to early modern urban residents about the people involved, the significance of the act and the likely judicial repercussions for their communities. This article uses GIS to trace the locations of homicides in early modern Bologna, Italy, with a ‘prepositional cartography’ that translates early modern Italian spatial mentalities into modern GIS analyses. Mapping homicides reveals much about their meaning and significance. From private buildings, streets and churches, early modern killers spoke a language of space to their audience.
Explaining Citizen Hostility against Women Political Leaders: A Survey Experiment in the United States and Sweden
Authors: Håkansson Sandra
Published: May 2023

We know that women politicians are harassed by constituents to a greater extent than men, but we know less about why this difference exists. This study tests potential drivers of hostility against women politicans using an original survey experiment with 7,500 respondents in the United States and Sweden. First, I test whether constituents hold more lenient attitudes toward hostility directed at women than men, which would make hostility in messages targeting women representatives more likely. Second, I test whether constituents prefer to direct their complaints to women, which would increase the risk of hostility by generating a higher number of angry contacts. Results from both countries show a preference for directing complaints to women representatives over men, but no evidence of more leniency toward hostility directed at women.
Varied Histories of Outlier Polar Ice Deposits on Mars
Authors: McGlasson Riley A. , Bramson Ali M. , Morgan Gareth A. , Sori Michael M.
Published: May 2023

Martian ice holds an important key to interpreting Mars' past climate, but much is still unknown regarding the distribution and properties of Mars' ice deposits. Previous surveys identified craters that contain “outlying” deposits of ice separate from, but nearby, the north and south polar layered deposits (NPLD and SPLD). There are many differences between the characteristics of the NPLD and SPLD, which may or may not be shared by these outlying deposits, and may provide clues to the climate conditions under which ice in the polar regions formed. Ground penetrating radar is one of the crucial datasets for understanding Martian ice, as it can probe the subsurface and place constraints on the properties of buried materials. We have analyzed 517 SHARAD radar tracks across 24 ice deposits housed within craters, including quantifying surface reflectivity and identifying the presence of subsurface reflectors. After examining the subsurface radar observations, we determined that the northern outlier deposits share many common characteristics with the NPLD, and thus may have been emplaced concurrently or at least under similar environmental conditions. The southern outlying crater deposits exhibit a variety of subsurface characteristics, and likely represent two or more populations of ice‐rich deposits that may have differing emplacement histories.
Estimating Permeability and Its Scale Dependence at Pore Scale Using Renormalization Group Theory
Authors: Esmaeilpour Misagh , Ghanbarian Behzad , Sousa Rita , King Peter R.
Published: May 2023

Investigating hydraulic and petrophysical properties of porous media has been an active area of research. Despite numerous progress in modeling flow and transport over the past decades, we are still far from accurately estimating the scale dependence of soil and rock properties. In this study, we propose applying renormalization group theory (RGT) at the pore scale. Using the RGT, we determine the scale dependence of effective pore‐throat radius (rteff) and develop two theoretical models to estimate permeability (k) in pore networks of various sizes. The first theoretical model estimates k(L) from the rteff(L) and simulated formation factor F(L), while the second model uses information at the smallest scale (L = Lmin) in addition to rteff(L) and F(L). By comparing with 25 pore‐network simulations, we show that the RGT estimates the scale‐dependent k reasonably well. The first model estimates k(L) with average relative errors ranged between −53.1% and −3.0%, while the second model between −1.0% and 14.33%. We also conduct fluid flow simulations in 40 other pore networks above the representative elementary volume and compare the results of the RGT with those of the effective‐medium approximation (EMA). Results showed that both RGT and EMA accurately estimate k from pore‐throat radius distribution and formation factor with root mean square log‐transformed error = 0.119 and 0.096, respectively.
Momentum Sources in Multifluid MHD and Their Relation to the Geopauses
Authors: Trung Huy‐Sinh , Liemohn Michael W. , Ilie Raluca
Published: May 2023

In Trung et al. (2019b, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019ja026636), we compared the geopause, a surface where the ionospheric plasma and solar wind plasma has equal parameters (by mass density, number density, or pressure), to the magnetopause to show that there was a transition in physics governing the motion of the plasmas between the different boundaries. In this study, we use multifluid magnetohydrodynamics simulation data to examine the relation of the source terms in the momentum equation and to the geopauses. We find that the geopauses do represent a transition in the physics governing the motion of the plasmas. While friction does not play a dominant role in the motion of the heliospheric and ionospheric plasmas, we find that friction shows indirectly that the ionospheric plasma can travel faster than the heliospheric plasma. Further satellite data is needed to verify the possibility of ionospheric plasma reaching speeds exceeding the solar wind.
Associations of stress and stress-related psychiatric disorders with GrimAge acceleration: review and suggestions for future work
Authors: Protsenko Ekaterina , Wolkowitz Owen M. , Yaffe Kristine
Published: May 2023

The notion of “biological aging” as distinct from chronological aging has been of increasing interest in psychiatry, and many studies have explored associations of stress and psychiatric illness with accelerated biological aging. The “epigenetic clocks” are one avenue of this research, wherein “biological age” is estimated using DNA methylation data from specific CpG dinucleotide sites within the human genome. Many iterations of the epigenetic clocks have been developed, but the GrimAge clock continues to stand out for its ability to predict morbidity and mortality. Several studies have now explored associations of stress, PTSD, and MDD with GrimAge acceleration (GrimAA). While stress, PTSD, and MDD are distinct psychiatric entities, they may share common mechanisms underlying accelerated biological aging. Yet, no one has offered a review of the evidence on associations of stress and stress-related psychopathology with GrimAA. In this review, we identify nine publications on associations of stress, PTSD, and MDD with GrimAA. We find that results are mixed both within and across each of these exposures. However, we also find that analytic methods — and specifically, the choice of covariates — vary widely between studies. To address this, we draw upon popular methods from the field of clinical epidemiology to offer (1) a systematic framework for covariate selection, and (2) an approach to results reporting that facilitates analytic consensus. Although covariate selection will differ by the research question, we encourage researchers to consider adjustment for tobacco, alcohol use, physical activity, race, sex, adult socioeconomic status, medical comorbidity, and blood cell composition.
Metabolism-based targeting of MYC via MPC-SOD2 axis-mediated oxidation promotes cellular differentiation in group 3 medulloblastoma
Authors: Martell Emma , Kuzmychova Helgi , Kaul Esha , Senthil Harshal , Chowdhury Subir Roy , Morrison Ludivine Coudière , Fresnoza Agnes , Zagozewski Jamie , Venugopal Chitra , Anderson Chris M. , Singh Sheila K. , Banerji Versha , Werbowetski-Ogilvie Tamra E. , Sharif Tanveer
Published: May 2023

Group 3 medulloblastoma (G3 MB) carries the worst prognosis of all MB subgroups. MYC oncoprotein is elevated in G3 MB tumors; however, the mechanisms that support MYC abundance remain unclear. Using metabolic and mechanistic profiling, we pinpoint a role for mitochondrial metabolism in regulating MYC. Complex-I inhibition decreases MYC abundance in G3 MB, attenuates the expression of MYC-downstream targets, induces differentiation, and prolongs male animal survival. Mechanistically, complex-I inhibition increases inactivating acetylation of antioxidant enzyme SOD2 at K68 and K122, triggering the accumulation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species that promotes MYC oxidation and degradation in a mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC)-dependent manner. MPC inhibition blocks the acetylation of SOD2 and oxidation of MYC, restoring MYC abundance and self-renewal capacity in G3 MB cells following complex-I inhibition. Identification of this MPC-SOD2 signaling axis reveals a role for metabolism in regulating MYC protein abundance that has clinical implications for treating G3 MB.
Dynamic evolution of the active center driven by hemilabile coordination in Cu/CeO2 single-atom catalyst
Authors: Chen Zheng , Liu Zhangyun , Xu Xin
Published: May 2023

Hemilability is an important concept in homogeneous catalysis where both the reactant activation and the product formation can occur simultaneously through a reversible opening and closing of the metal-ligand coordination sphere. However, this effect has rarely been discussed in heterogeneous catalysis. Here, by employing a theoretical study on CO oxidation over substituted Cu1/CeO2 single atom catalysts, we show that dynamic evolution of metal-support coordination can significantly change the electronic structure of the active center. The evolution of the active center is shown to either strengthen or weaken the metal-adsorbate bonding as the reaction proceeds from reactants, through intermediates, to products. As a result, the activity of the catalyst can be increased. We explain our observations by extending hemilability effects to single atom heterogenous catalysts and anticipate that introducing this concept can offer a new insight into the important role active site dynamics have in catalysis toward the rational design of more sophisticated single atom catalyst materials.
From individual elements to macroscopic materials: in search of new superconductors via machine learning
Authors: Pereti Claudio , Bernot Kevin , Guizouarn Thierry , Laufek František , Vymazalová Anna , Bindi Luca , Sessoli Roberta , Fanelli Duccio
Published: May 2023

An approach to supervised classification and regression of superconductive materials is proposed which builds on the DeepSet technology. This enables us to provide the chemical constituents of the examined compounds as an input to the algorithm, while avoiding artefacts that could originate from the chosen ordering in the list. The performance of the method are successfully challenged for both classification (tag a given material as superconducting) and regression (quantifying the associated critical temperature). We then searched through the International Mineralogical Association list with the trained neural network. Among the obtained superconducting candidates, three materials were selected to undergo a thorough experimental characterization. Superconductivity has been indeed confirmed for the synthetic analogue of michenerite, PdBiTe, and observed for the first time in monchetundraite, Pd2NiTe2, at critical temperatures in good agreement with the theory predictions. This latter is the first certified superconducting material to be identified by artificial intelligence methodologies.
Macrophages maintain mammary stem cell activity and mammary homeostasis via TNF-α-PI3K-Cdk1/Cyclin B1 axis
Authors: Zhou Yu , Ye Zi , Wei Wei , Zhang Mengna , Huang Fujing , Li Jinpeng , Cai Cheguo
Published: May 2023

Adult stem cell niche is a special environment composed of a variety stromal cells and signals, which cooperatively regulate tissue development and homeostasis. It is of great interest to study the role of immune cells in niche. Here, we show that mammary resident macrophages regulate mammary epithelium cell division and mammary development through TNF-α-Cdk1/Cyclin B1 axis. In vivo, depletion of macrophages reduces the number of mammary basal cells and mammary stem cells (MaSCs), while increases mammary luminal cells. In vitro, we establish a three-dimensional culture system in which mammary basal cells are co-cultured with macrophages, and interestingly, macrophage co-culture promotes the formation of branched functional mammary organoids. Moreover, TNF-α produced by macrophages activates the intracellular PI3K/Cdk1/Cyclin B1 signaling in mammary cells, thereby maintaining the activity of MaSCs and the formation of mammary organoids. Together, these findings reveal the functional significance of macrophageal niche and intracellular PI3K/Cdk1/Cyclin B1 axis for maintaining MaSC activity and mammary homeostasis.
Inter-brain coupling reflects disciplinary differences in real-world classroom learning
Authors: Chen Jingjing , Qian Penghao , Gao Xinqiao , Li Baosong , Zhang Yu , Zhang Dan
Published: May 2023

The classroom is the primary site for learning. A vital feature of classroom learning is the division of educational content into various disciplines. While disciplinary differences could substantially influence the learning process toward success, little is known about the neural mechanism underlying successful disciplinary learning. In the present study, wearable EEG devices were used to record a group of high school students during their classes of a soft (Chinese) and a hard (Math) discipline throughout one semester. Inter-brain coupling analysis was conducted to characterize students’ classroom learning process. The students with higher scores in the Math final exam were found to have stronger inter-brain couplings to the class (i.e., all the other classmates), whereas the students with higher scores in Chinese were found to have stronger inter-brain couplings to the top students in the class. These differences in inter-brain couplings were also reflected in distinct dominant frequencies for the two disciplines. Our results illustrate disciplinary differences in the classroom learning from an inter-brain perspective, suggesting that an individual’s inter-brain coupling to the class and to the top students could serve as potential neural correlates for successful learning in hard and soft disciplines correspondingly.