bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perspectives from the Fritz‐Scheffer Awardee 2021: Soil organic matter storage and functions determined by patchy and piled‐up arrangements at the microscale
Authors: Schweizer Steffen A.
Published: July 2022

Mounting evidence of recent spectromicroscopic insights have revealed that the distribution of mineral‐associated organic matter (OM) at the microscale and nanoscale is organized heterogeneously in patchy and piled‐up arrangements of varying thickness. Spectromicroscopic approaches could show local deterministic features of distinct OM and mineral composition that influence the heterogeneous lateral OM distribution. OM–OM interactions shape vertical and three‐dimensional OM structures with potentially multilayered composition. Conceptualizing mineral‐associated OM as patchy‐distributed and piled‐up has critical implications for our understanding of soil ecosystem functions as it defines their functional properties in compartmentalized regions at the microscale and nanoscale. The concentrated storage of OM associated to only a minor part of mineral surfaces implies that carbon sequestration may be decoupled from a direct limitation by the amount of fine mineral particles while sustaining mineral surface functionality in other parts. At the microscale and nanoscale, differences in altered surface properties, compartmentalized microhabitats, and biotic architectures shape a conceptual understanding where OM storage and other soil functions are driven by spatially resolved interactions. This novel conceptual framework warrants experimental approaches to incorporate the patchy and piled‐up arrangement of OM and upscale potential effects of its heterogeneous arrangement to systematically understand the effectiveness of soil functions.
Different response of proanthocyanidins from Vitis vinifera cv. Monastrell depending on time of elicitor application
Authors: Paladines‐Quezada Diego F , Moreno‐Olivares Juan D , Fernández‐Fernández José I , Bleda‐Sánchez Juan A , Gil‐Muñoz Rocío
Published: July 2022

BACKGROUND

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are phenolic compounds present in skins and seeds of wine grapes and have great implications for plant physiology and wine quality. There are several strategies to increase PA concentration, such as application of elicitors methyl jasmonate (MeJ) and benzothiadiazole (BTH), compounds that can stimulate defence responses like phenolic compound biosynthesis in wine grapes, which have been applied mainly at veraison (beginning of ripening). We recently evaluated the application of MeJ and BTH on Vitis vinifera cv. Monastrell grapes during veraison and mid‐ripening (3 weeks after veraison). Grapes treated at mid‐ripening showed higher anthocyanin concentrations than those at veraison. In this trial, over two seasons, we evaluated whether time of application (veraison or mid‐ripening) of MeJ and BTH on ‘Monastrell’ grapes is a determining factor in the biosynthesis and composition of PAs in grapes and their subsequent release into wines.

RESULTS

Application of elicitors at different ripening times produced significant differences in the PAs of ‘Monastrell’ grapes, since those treated at mid‐ripening recorded a higher PAs concentration in skin and seeds, and then in the wines produced, compared to grapes treated at veraison.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that despite different environmental conditions endured in each of the two seasons evaluated, application of elicitors at mid‐ripening of Monastrell grapes could be used to harvest grapes with higher PA concentration, increasing the functional value of the wines, without altering their organoleptic quality. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Impact of Age and Gender on Quality of Life Among General Otolaryngology Patients
Authors: Raj Christine K. , Kim Ian , Reyes Orozco Francis , Ma Harrison J. , Herrera Kevin , Hur Kevin
Published: July 2022

Objectives

The combined effects of age and gender on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in otolaryngology patients are unclear. This study tested the hypothesis that the effect of age on HRQoL differs by gender in otolaryngology patients.

Methods

Patients seen in a general otolaryngology clinic were included in this retrospective chart review. HRQoL was measured by the SF‐6D score. Patient characteristics, including demographics and category of chief otolaryngology complaint, were extracted from medical records. A multivariable linear regression analysis was used to analyze the combined effect of age and gender on HRQoL. The model was adjusted for race, ethnicity, number of complaint categories, and number of medications.

Results

The study included 728 patients (age mean = 52, SD = 18; 48% male). Multivariable linear regression models found a significant interaction effect between age and gender (β = 0.213, p < 0.05). For younger patients, female gender was protective; however, at age greater than 35 years, female gender was a risk factor for decreased HRQoL. Compared to Black patients, Asian and other race patients reported significantly greater HRQoL (β = 0.207, p < 0.05 for Asian; β = 0.126, p < 0.05 for other races). Additionally, an antagonistic interaction effect was found between age and number of category of otolaryngology complaints in moderating HRQoL (β = 0.468, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Age affects HRQoL differently in men than in women. Among otolaryngology patients, women experience a greater decrease in HRQoL as they age.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 133:801–806, 2023
Incidence of Vocal Cord Paralysis in Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Drozdowski Veronica , Martini Deema , Charous Steven
Published: July 2022

Objective

Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a neuroendocrine tumor that comprises 3–5% of all thyroid cancers in the United States. Vocal cord paralysis (VCP) may be due to involvement of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) preoperatively, or nerve sacrifice during surgery. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the incidence of VCP in MTC and evaluate whether VCP has an impact on overall survival.

Methods

This was a retrospective chart review of patients with MTC treated at Loyola University Medical Center from 2007 to 2021. Information on demographics, cancer diagnosis and treatment, laboratory data, and survival were collected.

Results

A total of 79 patients were included in our study. 47 (59.5%) patients were female. The average age at the time of diagnosis was 51.3 years (SD 13.58). VCP was identified in 13 out of 79 (16.5%) patients. There were 71 patients with at least 1‐year follow‐up with median (Q1, Q3) years of 7.2 (3.9, 11.0). Those with VCP within 1 year had 7.2 (95% CI: 2.3, 22.7) times the risk of death compared to those without (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

MTC is a rare thyroid cancer, however, its incidence is on the rise. Our study suggests that the incidence of VCP in these patients appears to be higher than seen in other thyroid malignancies, and VCP is associated with a statistically significant negative impact on survival.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 133:890–894, 2023
Impact of coal mining on land use changes, deforestation, biomass, and C losses in Central India: Implications for offsetting CO2 emissions
Authors: Mishra Alka , Swamy Singam L. , Thakur Tarun K. , Kumar Amit , Pandey Mayank
Published: July 2022

Despite the continuous growth in renewable sources of energy, coal remains the primary source of energy security in developing countries and accounted for 1.1 Gt of CO2 annually. The present study was conducted to examine the dynamic land cover changes, deforestation, and carbon (C) emissions in the mined landscape of Central India. Geospatial techniques coupled with field measurements were conjunctively employed for quantifying land use and vegetation changes from the period of 2001 to 2020. The unchecked mining (6.4–30 km2) along with the rapid expansion of agriculture (586.7–642.5 km2) were identified as major drivers of deforestation, which resulted in the net loss of 115.3 km2 area under intact sal (Shorea robusta) dominated forest. The mining and associated activities increased the fragmentation of intact forest that had not only decreased density, basal area, and diversity of vegetation but also a huge loss of biomass of ~2.5 Tg that contributed to a net loss of 1.08 Tg C (~3.98 Tg of CO2) in the past 20 years. The study explored the use of land management options and confirmed that C offset ensued from land use changes without hampering coal production for the next two decades. The scenarios will provide valuable information to the policymakers for devising sustainable coal mining by underpinning the ecological compensation for deforestation while promoting cleaner production technologies through decarbonization to counteract emissions, which could help in achieving ambitious goals set by India for planned C reduction targets as Intended Nationally Determined Commitments under the Paris Agreement (2015).
Understanding Jhum (shifting cultivation) farmers' place‐attachment and ecocentric attitude: Towards a place‐based approach for sustainable mountain agriculture in Nagaland, India
Authors: Dasgupta Rajarshi , Basu Mrittika , Dhyani Shalini , Kumar Pankaj , Hashimoto Shizuka , Mitra Bijon K.
Published: July 2022

Place attachment and ecocentric attitude are the important determinants of conservation behaviour, especially for traditionally managed landscapes. In this paper, we explore the relationship between place attachment and the ecocentric attitude of farmers engaged in Jhum cultivation (shifting cultivation or slash‐and‐burn cultivation) in the Zunheboto District of Nagaland, India. We administered a questionnaire survey (n = 153) based on a widely used four‐dimensional place attachment framework and a well‐known cognitive scale for measuring ecocentric attitude. The results indicate that Jhum farmers' modest ecocentric attitude is significantly associated with their place attachment, especially with place identity and place dependence, although their behaviour of organized deforestation is in apparent contradiction. While an ecocentric attitude generally contributes to environmentally responsible behaviour, we argue that, for Jhum farmers, the absence of such a causal relationship is influenced by other rationalities, particularly owing to the lack of alternative livelihood opportunities. The findings of this study establish the inherent positive ecocentric attitude of Jhum farmers who are often held responsible for deforestation and environmental degradation. Furthermore, we argue that such an inherent positive ecocentric attitude and a strong place attachment are imperative to implement place‐based models for sustainable mountain agriculture.
Practical Sensitivity Bound for Multiple Phase Estimation with Multi‐Mode N00N$N00N$ States
Authors: Hong Seongjin , Rehman Junaid ur , Kim Yong‐Su , Cho Young‐Wook , Lee Seung‐Woo , Lee Su‐Yong , Lim Hyang‐Tag
Published: July 2022

Quantum enhanced multiple phase estimation is essential for various applications in quantum sensors and imaging. For multiple phase estimation, the sensitivity enhancement is dependent on both quantum probe states and measurement. It is known that multi‐mode states can outperform other probe states for estimating multiple phases. However, it is generally not feasible in practice to implement an optimal measurement to achieve the quantum Cramer–Rao bound (QCRB) under a practical measurement scheme using a multi‐mode beam splitter in interferometric phase estimation. Here, a strategy to achieve the best practical sensitivity by optimizing both mode‐amplitudes of multi‐mode states and a split ratio of a multi‐mode beam splitter is investigated. Then, it is experimentally demonstrated that the best sensitivity is achieved when an amplitude‐balanced multi‐mode state and a multi‐mode beam splitter with an unbalanced ratio are used in three‐mode interferometric phase estimation. The results show that the lower QCRB cannot guarantee better sensitivity under a practical measurement scheme, thus it is more desirable to enhance the practical sensitivity rather than the QCRB. It is believed that this strategy can provide a powerful tool for practical applications in multiple phase estimation.
The impact of government funding on research innovation: An empirical analysis of Chinese universities
Authors: Fu Yumei
Published: July 2022

The university is one of the most important places for scientific research, and it is the cradle of knowledge output and technological invention. Using the granular data of more than 1,000 universities' funding from the government in China, we investigate the impact of government funding on research innovation at the university level. The results show that government funds promote the output of research innovation of universities. The effectiveness of government funding is greater when combined with greater human capital and more platforms for international cooperation. Interestingly, further studies have found that human capital and non‐government funds have a moderating influence on the effect of government funds on university research output. Moreover, there are some differences between “211 Project” (high quality) universities and “non‐211 Project” universities. Finally, given the relaxation of policy for government funding of university research in 2014, we investigate the relationship between human capital (especially specialists with senior titles) and government funds in the process of research innovation. The results show that, before 2014, human capital presents a substitution relationship with government funding while it presents a complementary relationship after 2014.
Automatic segmentation of colon, small intestine, and duodenum based on scale attention network
Authors: Wu Wenbin , Lei Runhong , Niu Kai , Yang Ruijie , He Zhiqiang
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Automatic segmentation of colon, small intestine, and duodenum is a challenging task because of the great variability in the scale of the target organs. Multi‐scale features are the key to alleviating this problem. Previous works focused on extracting discriminative multi‐scale features through a hierarchical structure. Instead, the purpose of this work is to exploit these powerful multi‐scale features more efficiently.

Methods

A Scale Attention Module (SAM) was proposed to recalibrate multi‐scale features by explicitly modeling their importance score adaptively. The SAM was introduced into the segmentation model to construct the Scale Attention Network (SANet). The multi‐scale features extracted from the encoder were first re‐extracted to obtain more specific multi‐scale features. Then the SAM was applied to recalibrate the features. Specifically, for the feature of each scale, a summation of Global Average Pooling and Global Max Pooling was used to create scale‐wise feature representations. According to the representations, a lightweight network was used to generate the importance score of each scale. The features were recalibrated based on the scores, and a simple pixel‐by‐pixel summation was used to fuse the multi‐scale features. The fused multi‐scale feature was fed into a segmentation head to complete the task.

Results

The models were evaluated using fivefold cross‐validation on 70 upper abdominal computed tomography scans of patients in a volume manner. The results showed that SANet could effectively alleviate the scale‐variability problem and achieve better performance compared with UNet, Attention UNet, UNet++, Deeplabv3p, and CascadedUNet. The Dice similarity coefficients (DSCs) of colon, small intestine, and duodenum were (84.06 ± 3.66)%, (76.79 ± 5.12)%, and (61.68 ± 4.32)%, respectively. The HD95 were (7.51 ± 2.45) mm, (11.08 ± 2.45) mm, and (12.21 ± 1.95) mm, respectively. The values of relative volume difference were (3.4 ± 0.8)%, (11.6 ± 11.81)%, and (6.2 ± 3.71)%, respectively. The values of center‐of‐mass distance were 7.85 ± 2.82, 9.89 ± 2.70, and 9.94 ± 1.58, respectively. Compared with other attention modules and multi‐scale feature exploitation approaches, SAM could obtain a 0.83–2.71 points improvement in terms of DSC with a comparable or even less number of parameters. The extensive experiments confirmed the effectiveness of SAM.

Conclusions

The SANet can efficiently exploit multi‐scale features to alleviate the scale‐variability problem and improve the segmentation performance on colon, small intestine, and duodenum of the upper abdomen.
Effect of early nutrition support on length of stay, mortality, and extubation in patients with COVID‐19
Authors: Taylor Brittney R. , Grant Shauna , McCoy Maureen , Hart Teresa
Published: July 2022

Background

Many hospitals have been using nutrition support guidelines for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) as outlined in the April 2020 article released by the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) and the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). Currently, there are insufficient data on the outcomes of following these guidelines.

Methods

This was a retrospective, observational study of 131 adult inpatients with COVID‐19 admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) at Banner Health to observe differences in length of stay, mortality, and number of days intubated based on the timing of nutrition support start relative to hours intubated and hours in the ICU.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences between length of stay, mortality, or number of days intubated between patients who started nutrition support within <12 h of intubation, >12 h of intubation and <36 h in the ICU, or >36 h of intubation and those who were not intubated. Patients who started nutrition support after >36 h in the ICU had the longest lengths of stay (median [25th, 75th percentile]  = 25.5 [19.25, 35.25] days; P > 0.05) and number of days intubated (16.5 [10.0, 24.75] days; P > 0.050); however, it was not statistically significant. There was a significant difference between the three intubated groups and the nonintubated group on Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores (P = 0.01).

Conclusions

Prospective, multicenter trials are needed; however, following the SCCM/ASPEN guidelines for nutrition support in patients with COVID‐19 may be found to decrease length of stay and number of days intubated.
Mechanical and self‐sensing properties of 3D printed continuous carbon fiber reinforced composites
Authors: Ye Wenguang , Dou Hao , Cheng Yunyong , Zhang Dinghua , Lin Sheng
Published: July 2022

The additive manufacturing technology of continuous carbon fiber reinforced composites (CCFRCs) based on fused filament fabrication offers new opportunities for the preparation and application of composites. This study prepared CCFRCs with excellent mechanical properties based on 3D printing technology. At the same time, a stress–strain and damage sensing method for the CCFRCs is proposed. Research results show that the maximum tensile stress and tensile modulus of 3D printed CCFRCs are 3.36 times and 5.10 times that of PLA, while the maximum flexural stress and flexural modulus are 3.24 times and 4.90 times that of PLA. Furthermore, the stress–strain and damage of CCFRCs strongly correlate with the resistance change in 3D printed structures. The state of the CCFRCs can be sensed by the change of resistance in the structure. Finally, the application potential of 3D printed CCFRCs self‐sensing specimens in action recognition of finger joints was discussed through experiments.
Antibiotic allergy in children with cystic fibrosis: A retrospective case–control study
Authors: Süleyman Ayşe , Tamay Zeynep , Güler Nermin
Published: July 2022

Antibiotic allergy is a big problem that may affect the treatment and life quality of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).

Aim

To evaluate predictive factors for confirmed antibiotic hypersensitivity in children with CF.

Methods

In this case–controlled study, we examined 15 patients with CF who had been confirmed with antibiotic allergy. Additionally, we included a control group of age‐ and gender‐matched 45 CF patients with no antibiotic allergy. The diagnosis of antibiotic allergy was confirmed in the presence of a compatible history and a positive response in the drug skin test or provocation test. Multiple drug hypersensitivity was classified according to the temporal relationship of antibiotics: (i) distant, (ii) simultaneous, and (iii) sequential. The data were analyzed by conditional logistic regression.

Results

β‐lactam allergy was confirmed in eight patients (ceftazidime n = 5, piperacillin‐tazobactam n = 3) and non‐β‐lactam allergy was confirmed in two patients (ciprofloxacin n = 1, azithromycin n = 1). Additionally, multiple drug hypersensitivity in five patients (distant n = 4, sequential n = 1), among whom two patients showed hypersensitivity against ceftazidime/piperacillin‐tazobactam+ ciprofloxacin/levofloxacin, two patients showed hypersensitivity against ceftazidime+ ciprofloxacin n = 2, and one patient showed hypersensitivity against piperacillin‐tazobactam+ amikacin+ trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole. All patients (n = 13) with confirmed β‐lactam allergy were meropenem tolerant. Multivariate analysis indicated that immediate reactions (, p < 0.001) and allergic evaluation in the first six months after the reaction (p = 0.036) were significant risk factors for the prediction of antibiotic hypersensitivity.

Conclusion

Beta‐lactam antibiotic allergy is the most commonly confirmed drug allergy in children with CF. However, unlike normal children, ceftazidime and piperacillin‐tazobactam account for the majority.
Molding Fabrication of High‐Energy Nanoparticles of Lead Azide Encapsulated by Graphene‐Doped Porous Carbon Matrix with Excellent Ignition Ability
Authors: Yan Zhenzhan , Wang Shuang , Yang Li , Han Jimin , Tong Wenchao
Published: July 2022

In this work, graphene oxide‐doped lead‐containing metal‐organic framework (BTC−Pb/GO) and polyvinyl alcohol were used as raw materials to prepare spherical or cylindrical lead azide composites by freeze‐drying, carbonization, and in‐situ azide steps. Nanoscale lead azide is uniformly distributed on the graphene‐doped porous carbon framework. Detailed characterization and testing show that LA/C/rGO exhibits excellent electrostatic sensitivity (1.94 J) and flame sensitivity (40 cm) due to the excellent electrical and thermal conductivity of porous carbon and graphene, which are superior to most of the previously reported modified lead azide.
Guaiacol as a natural melanin biosynthesis inhibitor to control northern corn leaf blight
Authors: Wang Delong , Li Min , Yuan Chunxia , Fang Yali , Zhang Zhijia
Published: July 2022

BACKGROUND

The natural 1,8‐dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) melanin biosynthesis inhibitors (MBIs) are one of the promising approaches to the integrated management of plant diseases but have received scarce attention until now. Herein, to explore the natural DHN MBIs used in the control of northern corn leaf blight (NCLB), a library of 53 essential oil compounds was used to screen the MBIs against Exserohilum turcicum, the causal pathogen of NCLB, using tricyclazole as a reference compound.

RESULTS

The results of morphological change in the colony, thermogravimetric analysis, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy confirmed that guaiacol could effectively inhibit the melanin production at 50 μg/mL under in vitro conditions. The in vitro bioassay results indicated that this inhibition effect was concentration‐dependent and the minimum inhibition concentration of guaiacol was 50 μg/mL. The in vivo experimental results demonstrated that guaiacol significantly inhibited appressorium formation and penetration on corn leaf sheaths at the concentration of 500 μg/mL. The pot experiment results revealed that there were no differences between guaiacol (500 μg/mL) and tricyclazole (100 μg/mL) in control efficacy. The enzymatic assay suggested that guaiacol might exert the activity through inhibiting DHN polymerization to form melanins, which was distinct from tricyclazole.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, this study screened out guaiacol as a natural MBI from 53 essential oil compounds and verified its effectiveness in the control of NCLB at 500 μg/mL. Above all, this research opened an avenue for exploring natural DHN MBIs in the integrated management of plant diseases. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Multiferroic Properties of Pure and Ion‐Doped BiCrO3 Bulk and Thin Films
Authors: Apostolova Iliana N. , Apostolov Angel T. , Wesselinowa Julia M.
Published: July 2022

The multiferroic properties of (BCO) bulk and thin films are investigated for the first time using a microscopic model. The influence of ion doping on the multiferroic properties of BCO is also studied because the doping process changes the physical properties and can be used for potential applications in magnetoelectronic devices. The magnetization M increases by Mn and decreases by Ga‐ion doping whereas the Néel temperature decreases in both cases. There are some discrepancies by polarization whether it is ferroelectric or antiferroelectric. It is shown that bulk pure BCO is antiferroelectric because the electric field dependence of polarization P shows a double hysteresis loop and the dielectric constant has no anomalies at . In Ga‐, Mn‐ or Ti‐doped BCO a ferroelectric polarization appears. The specific heat shows a peak at for BCO. By Ga doping, this peak vanishes with increasing x. The multiferroic behavior of BCO is demonstrated in the magnetic field dependence of the dielectric constant. In BCO thin films, ferroelectric and ferromagnetic behavior is observed.
Anti‐tumour necrosis factor‐α‐induced lupus in a patient receiving infliximab for sarcoidosis
Authors: Stranks Lachlan , Chapman Sally
Published: July 2022

Infliximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody against tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, with a wide variety of uses. Monoclonal antibody therapies specifically targeting TNF‐α, have emerged as a novel treatment option for patients with refractory sarcoidosis, with infliximab being the most widely used. This is not true of other TNF‐α inhibitors, for example etanercept, which have a different mechanism of action, and are not effective in sarcoidosis. It is well documented that infliximab therapy can result in the production of autoantibodies, however clinical symptoms or disease is rare. In this report, we describe a 37‐year‐old male with a history of sarcoidosis requiring infliximab therapy, who presented during the course of his treatment with the onset of new migratory joint pain, increasing fatigue and positive serum autoantibodies, heralding the development of infliximab‐induced lupus.
The impact of COVID 19 on the outcomes of thrombectomy in stroke patients: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: El‐Qushayri Amr Ehab , Reda Abdullah , Dahy Abdullah , Azzam Ahmed Y. , Ghozy Sherief
Published: July 2022

We aimed to conduct the current meta‐analysis to provide better insight into the efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in managing COVID‐19 patients suffering from a stroke. An electronic search was conducted through eight databases for collecting the current evidence about the efficacy of MT in stroke patients with COVID‐19 until 18 December 2021. The results were reported as the pooled prevalence rates and the odds ratios (ORs), with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Out of 648 records, we included nine studies. The prevalence of stroke patients with COVID‐19 who received MT treatment was with TICI ≥2b 79% (95%CI: 73–85), symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage 6% (95%CI: 3–11), parenchymal haematoma type 1, 11.1% (95%CI: 5–23), and mortality 29% (95%CI: 24–35). On further comparison of MT procedure between stroke patients with COVID 19 to those without COVID‐19, we found no significant difference in terms of TICI ≥2b score (OR: 0.85; 95%CI: 0.03–23; p = 0.9). However, we found that stroke patients with COVID‐19 had a significantly higher mortality rate than stroke patients without COVID‐19 after MT procedure (OR: 2.99; 95%CI: 2.01–4.45; p < 0.001). Stroke patients with COVID‐19 can be safely and effectively treated with MT, with comparable reperfusion and complication rates to those without the disease.
The importance of institutional differences among countries in SDGs achievement: A cross‐country empirical study
Authors: Reverte Carmelo
Published: July 2022

Based upon the “quintuple helix” model (Carayannis et al., 2012; Carayannis & Campbell, 2010), this research analyzes whether the differences in the level of achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among 64 countries worldwide can be explained by a series of 19 institutional variables related to five dimensions such as cultural orientation, economic development, the education‐labor system, the political‐legal system and innovation. Our results highlight the crucial role of public policies in attaining SDGs through the improvement of institutional quality, governance systems and economic freedom as well as with the promotion of education and the innovation ecosystem. In this regard, the adoption of the “quintuple helix” model through the interrelation of the government, Universities and the private sector is deemed relevant in order to face the social and environmental challenges posed by the SDGs.
Multi‐project work and project performance: Friends or foes?
Authors: Colicev Anatoli , Hakkarainen Tuuli , Pedersen Torben
Published: July 2022

Research Summary

While multi‐project work (MPW) is becoming an increasingly popular work arrangement, its relationship with project performance is understudied. On the one hand, MPW is deployed to increase employee worktime utilization and productivity, which should be reflected in more timely project completion. On the other hand, MPW also brings switching costs due to attention residue and cognitive setup. Based on this trade‐off, we derive an inverted U‐shaped relationship between MPW and project performance. We find support for this relationship in a longitudinal dataset containing 9,649 project‐month‐employee observations. More specialized experience, project similarity, and employee familiarity positively moderate the inverted U‐shape. Furthermore, the results are robust to a host of model specifications, data structures, assumptions, and alternative explanations.

Managerial Summary

How many projects can you work on simultaneously? We study this question in the context of new product development (NPD) projects in a multinational organization. We suggest that multi‐project work (MPW) might be a double‐edged sword. On the one hand, MPW academics or engineers can be more productive by filling the gaps in their schedules and developing time management practices. On the other hand, MPW also carries switching costs. This trade‐off creates an inverted U‐shaped relationship between MPW and project performance. So, how can MPW be more beneficial or less costly? We find that more specialized employees can benefit more from productivity gains while working with familiar members or similar projects can alleviate switching costs.
Multiple third‐variable analysis for competing risk data—With an application to explore racial disparity in breast cancer recurrence
Authors: Yu Qingzhao , Zhu Lin , Zhang Lu , Hsieh Meichin , Wu Xiaocheng , Li Bin
Published: July 2022

There are many racial and ethnic disparities in cancer outcomes. Through special studies supported by CDC, we found that compared with Caucasians, African‐American women with breast cancer were more likely to have cancer recurrences. We are interested in exploring this racial disparity by identifying risk factors that contribute to the disparity and quantify their effects. Cancer may recur after a disease‐free (cancer cannot be detected) period. In exploring cancer recurrences, it is important to take into account competing events, for example, a patient died of cancer but never had a disease‐free period. We propose the use of the Fine‐Gray model in the multiple third‐variable analysis to explore the racial disparity. The challenges were that we have to deal with left‐truncated and right‐censored data and use different weights in the third‐variable analysis when exploring different distributions of risk factors among different racial populations. We propose an algorithm for the analysis and apply the method to explore the racial disparity in cancer recurrence on breast cancer patients diagnosed in 2011 in Louisiana. The racial disparity in breast cancer recurrence was partially explained by the tumour characteristics at the time of diagnosis, cancer subtypes and treatment, and the patients' residential environmental conditions. We are able to explain 50% of the disparity. The method is implemented in the R package mma.
Stimuli‐Responsive Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices
Authors: Parsimehr Hamidreza , Ehsani Ali
Published: July 2022

Electrochemical energy storage (EES) devices have been swiftly developed in recent years. Stimuli‐responsive EES devices that respond to different external stimuli are considered the most advanced EES devices. The stimuli‐responsive EES devices enhanced the performance and applications of the EES devices. The capability of the EES devices to respond to the various external stimuli due to produced advanced EES devices that distinguished the best performance and interactions in different situations. The stimuli‐responsive EES devices have responsive behavior to different external stimuli including chemical compounds, electricity, photons, mechanical tensions, and temperature. All of these advanced responsiveness behaviors have originated from the functionality and specific structure of the EES devices. The multi‐responsive EES devices have been recognized as the next generation of stimuli‐responsive EES devices. There are two main steps in developing stimuli‐responsive EES devices in the future. The first step is the combination of the economical, environmental, electrochemical, and multi‐responsiveness priorities in an EES device. The second step is obtaining some advanced properties such as biocompatibility, flexibility, stretchability, transparency, and wearability in novel stimuli‐responsive EES devices. Future studies on stimuli‐responsive EES devices will be allocated to merging these significant two steps to improve the performance of the stimuli‐responsive EES devices to challenge complicated situations.
Metal‐Organic Frameworks Functionalized Separators for Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Chong Yu‐Liang , Zhao Dong‐Dong , Wang Bing , Feng Li , Li Si‐Jun , Shao Lan‐Xing , Tong Xin , Du Xuan , Cheng H. , Zhuang Jin‐Liang
Published: July 2022

Lithium sulfur batteries (LSBs) have attracted tremendous attention owing to their high theoretical specific capacity and specific energy. However, their practical applications are hindered by poor cyclic life, mainly caused by polysulfide shuttling. The development of advanced materials to mitigate the polysulfide shuttling effect is urgently demanded. Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) have been exploited as multifunctional materials for the decoration of separators owing to their high surface area, structural diversity, tunable pore size, and easy tailor ability. In this review, we aim to present the state‐of‐the‐art MOF‐based separators for LSBs. Particular attention is paid to the rational design (pore aperture, metal node, functionality, and dimension) of MOFs with enhanced ability for anchoring polysulfides and facilitating Li+transportation. Finally, the challenges and perspectives are provided regarding to the future design MOF‐based separators for high‐performance LSBs.
Property Rights, Tenure Form, and Tenure Security
Authors: Masuda Yuta J. , Robinson Brian E. , Holland Margaret B.
Published: July 2022

Land tenure security is often inconsistently defined, conceptualized, and measured. This can create confusion in research and practice. Here, we provide a summary of the differences between property rights, tenure form, and land tenure security. The chapter provides a brief review of the history and evolution of research on these topics, how they intersect, and why distinguishing these concepts is important for research and practice.
Securing Communal Tenure Complemented by Collaborative Platforms for Improved Participatory Landscape Management and Sustainable Development: Lessons from Northern Tanzania and the Maasai Mara in Kenya
Authors: Timmins Hannah L. , Mupeta-Muyamwa Patricia , Marubu Jackson , Schouten Chira , Lekaita Edward , Peterson Daudi
Published: July 2022

Community lands play a critical role in community well-being and conservation, but community lands can be at odds with statutory land systems. We present two case studies from the Kenya-Tanzania border that illuminates the risks of top-down approaches imposing misaligned privatized tenurial systems onto the community, and the potential of community-based organizations (CBO) to promote collaboration in a socially fractured landscape via communal titles. The case studies indicate that applying a private tenure system in a misaligned cultural setting can fracture cultural and ecological coexistence between communities and the land. CBOs can play a role in catalyzing collective action to resolve these issues. The full devolution of rights must be sensitive to communities’ culture, traditions, and history, while ensuring avenues for collective action.
A Historical Perspective on Land Tenure Security
Authors: Sunderlin William D. , Holland Margaret B.
Published: July 2022

In this chapter, we explore the forces that have shaped the current challenge of securing land tenure for those with little voice, power, and means. Focusing on the Global South, we identify trends in the ebb and flow of land tenure security and insecurity, distinguishing between those tied to agricultural-based societies and forest-dependent populations where relevant. We spotlight the broad arc of history tied to land access: the widespread acquisition of land by the powerful dating several centuries back, the partial restoration of local land access beginning in the mid-twentieth century (e.g., post-colonial governments, agricultural land reform and redistribution movements, and forest management devolution), the land-grabbing phenomenon and violence of recent years, and the current uncertainty over future directions for tenure security.
Championing Women’s Tenure Security
Authors: Fletschner Diana , Deo Shipra , Mhoja Monica
Published: July 2022

Efforts around tenure security have largely followed a gender-blind approach, leaving behind millions of women who are consistently denied access and rights to land and ignoring experts’ claims that strengthening women’s tenure security can yield a host of socially desirable outcomes. This is bound to change dramatically with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) commitments made by governments around the world to ensure land rights for all women and men by 2030, as a foundational step to end poverty, ensure food security, and achieve gender equality. In this chapter, we explore why women’s tenure security matters, what is known about the extent of women’s tenure security, and what can be done as we collectively support governments’ SDG commitments around women’s land rights.
Land Tenure Insecurity and Climate Adaptation: Socio-Environmental Realities in Colombia and Implications for Integrated Environmental Rights and Participatory Policy
Authors: Castro Brianna , Kuntz Christina
Published: July 2022

This chapter explores how land tenure impacts households’ resilience and adaptive capacity in the face of a changing climate. Following a review of the ways in which climate change adds pressure to land availability and natural resources, the chapter highlights how land tenure can constrain individuals’ options to adapt to shifting environmental conditions. An exploration of a case study of protracted drought in an agricultural region of Bolivar, Colombia, demonstrates how landlessness, socioeconomic vulnerability, and confusion regarding complicated land tenure policies in a post-conflict environment guided families’ resilience strategies and adaptive capacities. This case demonstrates that it is necessary to nuance understandings of (in)secure tenure to include local knowledge of land policies and precarious tenure claims as predictors of adaptive capacities in vulnerable, climate-stressed regions.
Beyond Boom and Bust: Climate in the History of Medieval Steppe Empires (C. 550-1350 CE)
Authors: Di Cosmo Nicola
Published: July 2022

The use of paleoclimate data in historical work has become a new and dynamic endeavor in several areas of historical research. This chapter is concerned with the empires created by pastoral nomads in the steppe regions of Eastern and Central Eurasia over approximately three millennia, from the early appearance of complex Scythian and Siberian polities in the early first millennium BCE to the Dzungar empire of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. This essay aims to show how paleoclimate data may be used to illuminate connections, dynamics, and causal nexuses in the important, and yet often overlooked, historical experience of pastoral peoples and the empires they created. Paleoclimate data are especially important to supplement the scarce documentary sources left behind by pastoral nomads.
Panarchy and the Adaptive Cycle: A Case Study from Mycenaean Greece
Authors: Newhard James M. L. , Cline Eric H.
Published: July 2022

In this brief paper, we consider and apply the concept of Panarchy and the Adaptive Cycle to a case study from the ancient world, specifically the Mycenaeans at the end of the second millennium BCE. We suggest that the collapse of elite Mycenaean society can be conceptualized as a result of its over-reliance on a hyper-networked international system, whose disintegration brought about a cascading event upon the Aegean World. It may be useful to view the events in this area in terms of regional adaptive cycles and their engagement within and upon broader interconnected systems (Panarchy).
Managing the Roman Empire for the Long Term: Risk Assessment and Management Policy in the Fifth to Seventh Centuries
Authors: Haldon John , Elton Hugh , Izdebski Adam
Published: July 2022

This chapter analyses the reasons for the survival of the eastern Roman state from three different but complementary angles: imperial administration, the environmental conditions impacting land-use for the period, and the ability of the state to leverage resources. We conclude that a major contributory factor in survival was the effective use of natural resources and a self-reinforcing social-ecological system through which the state and its elites and infrastructure facilitated the survival of landscapes, generating the resources necessary for the state’s continued existence. In areas where this broke down—as in the western part of the empire—the Roman state in the long term disappeared.
The Environmental Dimension of Migration: The Case of Poland After World War II
Authors: Praczyk Małgorzata
Published: July 2022

The article deals with the environmental dimension of migrations. It takes as a case study the migration of Poles after 1945 that took place due to the post-war redrawing of political borders in Central Europe. Massive displacement of the populations, who were forced to leave towns and villages that they had inhabited for generations, resulted in disruptions of bonds with the natural environment and the domesticated landscape. The ways of dealing with this rupture and the ways of domesticating the new landscapes and natural environments are key problems discussed here. This analysis helps to better appreciate the environmental dimension of the 21st migrations we increasingly observe today.
Geoengineering and the Middle Ages: Lessons from Medieval Volcanic Eruptions for the Anthropocene
Authors: Bauch Martin
Published: July 2022

The existential challenge of mitigating anthropogenic climate change encouraged serious discussions on geoengineering approaches. One of them, Solar Radiation Management (SRM), would mean inserting aerosols into the atmosphere, thus imitating and perpetuating the cooling effects of large volcanic events, such as the 1815 Tambora eruption. However, artificially inserting sulphur aerosols into the atmosphere is connected with considerable uncertainties. One of them, pointed out by several climate scientists, is the different effects on temperature and precipitation in different parts of the globe. These are not the only ones, though. As the largest volcanic eruptions have taken place during the medieval times (ca 500–1500 CE), historical research can reveal further uncertainties in dating these eruptions and their connected socio-environmental effects, and hence on the actual climate and social impacts we might expect from SRM. A combination of humanist and scientific research on past volcanic eruptions therefore has the potential to produce a more precise understanding of past volcanic eruptions and their climatic consequences. As long as we do not acquire a consistent multi-disciplinary perspective on past volcanic eruptions, extreme caution should be taken before investing in geoengineering measures that include the artificial injection of sulphur aerosols in the atmosphere.
The SODALITE Runtime Environment
Authors: Kumara Indika , Quattrocchi Giovanni , RadoloviÄ‡ Dragan , Tokmakov Kamil , Rivas JesÃºs Ramos , Van Den Heuvel Willem-Jan
Published: July 2022

Modern applications need to be dynamically orchestrated on heterogeneous infrastructures for reasons such as performance, regulation compliance, or cost. This chapter presents the SODALITE runtime environment that can deploy, monitor, and manage applications on heterogeneous infrastructures consisting of Cloud, HPC, and Edge resources. The SODALITE runtime deploys the applications in the target infrastructures based on the deployment artifacts generated by the SODALITE model-driven approach presented in Chap. 3. It can also monitor the deployed applications and their infrastructure resources, generate alerts, and adapt application deployments.
Neue Wege für das Innovationsmanagement in KMU durch Blended Learning und firmenübergreifenden Austausch
Authors: Bosch Nico , Brandenburg Norbert , Enzler Stefan , Fischer Stephan , Kho Niklas , Lang-Koetz Claus , Luger Monika , Maier Peter , Reichmann Stefan , Reischl Annika , Weber Sabrina , Witzke Michael , Zwirner Tobias
Published: July 2022

Kleine und mittlere Unternehmen (KMU) sind aktuell mit unterschiedlichen Veränderungen ihres Umfelds konfrontiert, auch durch die zunehmende Digitalisierung von Prozessen, Produkten und Geschäftsmodellen. KMU stehen hier vor der Herausforderung besonders innovativ zu sein, um sowohl inkrementelle als auch radikale Innovationen hervorzubringen und die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit zu sichern. Dies impliziert eine Weiterentwicklung des Innovationsmanagements, bezogen einerseits konkret auf den Innovationsprozess und seine Phasen und andererseits auf Rahmenbedingungen bzw. Voraussetzungen des Prozesses (prozessübergreifende Aspekte wie z. B. Strukturen, Kultur, Führung). KMU können zur Weiterentwicklung auf ein selbstorganisiertes Innovationsmanagement setzen; zentral sind hier individuelle Entscheidungskompetenzen der Mitarbeitenden für die Wahl adäquater Herangehensweisen im Innovationsmanagement – sowohl prozessbezogen als auch prozessübergreifend. Um dies zu unterstützen, wurde im Verbundprojekt InnoDiZ, bestehend aus drei Entwicklungspartnern und fünf Anwendungspartnern, eine Blended-Learning-Weiterbildung für Mitarbeitende in KMU entwickelt und erprobt, die sowohl prozessbezogene als auch prozessübergreifende Aspekte adressiert. Zentrale unterstützende Elemente bestehen in der Einbindung konkreter Innovationsprojekte der Teilnehmenden sowie der Ermöglichung eines firmenübergreifenden Austauschs. Der vorliegende Beitrag berichtet Erkenntnisse und Erfahrungen aus dem Projekt zu neuen Formen des Lernens in KMU, Austausch und Vernetzung sowie neuen Wegen für das Innovationsmanagement in KMU. Fallbeispiele der Anwendungspartner geben hierzu praxisnahe Einblicke. Schließlich werden Erfolgskriterien für die Weiterentwicklung des Innovationsmanagements aufgezeigt.