bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Germination responses with different treatments, seed vigour and seedling growth of Pterolobium stellatum (Forssk.) provenances stored from 19 to 30 years
Authors: Alem Shiferaw , Habrová Hana , Houšková Kateřina
Published: November 2023

Knowledge of the genetic variability of different species for conservation purposes and quality seedling production after longer storage time is important. The aim of the research paper was to examine the effect of longer seed storage periods (19–30 year) on seed viability, seed vigour and initial growth of seedlings from five provenances of Pterolobium stellatum (Forssk). Seeds collected from Dabena, Gambo, Agaro, Bishofitu, and Merti localities and stored for 19, 19, 21, 25, and 30 years, respectively used for the study. Different seed dormancy-breaking treatments such as; soaking in cold water for 48 h (CW-48); soaking in hot water for 10 min (HW-10); 20 min (HW-20) and mechanical scarification; i.e., nicking (NK) used for the germination of the seeds. A randomized complete block design was used for the experiment and the study undertaken in a greenhouse. For each treatment, four replications and for each replication, 50 seeds were used. One-way analysis of variance was used for germination index, early seedling growth and seed vigour index data. The results showed that for all the provenance seeds stored for different periods, NK treatment resulted relatively in a higher mean germination percentage and germination indices as compared to the other pre-treatments. The seed vigour index result showed significant differences among the different provenances (P < 0.001). Similarly, there were significant differences among the early growth of seedlings germinated from different provenance seeds (P < 0.001). The seeds collected from Merti provenance and stored for 30 years and Dabena provenance, stored for 19 years, have relatively resulted in higher mean germination index, seed vigour and seedling growth relative to the other studied provenance seeds. We observed that provenance had a more significant influence on germination, seed vigour and seedling growth than the seed storage period for the P. stellatum. Finally it is recommended that despite there is inter population variation, the seeds of P. stellatum can be stored for a longer time and application of nicking as a dormancy breaking treatment could enhance seed germination of the species.
Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Health Care Delivery
Authors: Spear Joseph , Ehrenfeld Jesse M. , Miller Brian J.
Published: November 2023

Health care costs now comprise nearly one-fifth of the United States’ gross domestic product, with the last 25 years marked by rising administrative costs, a lack of labor productivity growth, and rising patient and physician dissatisfaction. Policy experts have responded with a series of reforms that have – ironically - increased patient and physician administrative burden with little meaningful effect on cost and quality. Artificial intelligence (AI), a topic of great consternation, can serve as the “wheat thresher” for health care delivery, empowering and freeing both patients and physicians by decreasing administrative burden and improving labor productivity. In this Viewpoint, we discuss three principal areas where AI poses an unprecedented opportunity to reduce cost, improve care, and markedly enhance the patient and physician experience: (1) automation of administrative process, (2) augmentation of clinical practice, and (3) automation of elements of clinical practice.
Sol-gel synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical evaluation of magnesium aluminate spinel nanoparticles for high-capacity hydrogen storage
Authors: Eslami Abbas , Lachini Salahaddin Abdollah , Shaterian Maryam , Karami Maryam , Enhessari Morteza
Published: November 2023

In this research, we successfully synthesized magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4) spinel nanoparticles using a sol-gel process, with stearic acid serving as a capping agent. The synthesis process involved calcination at 900 °C for 4 h, resulting in the formation of nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of approximately 12 nm, as determined through Debye–Scherrer analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. The optical band gap was measured as 2.84 eV using Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) analysis. Additionally, we found the mean pore size of the nanoparticles to be 20.2 nm through Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. We characterized the resulting powders using various techniques, including Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), and Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM). We conducted electrochemical investigations utilizing the Chronopotentiometry (CP) technique. The electrochemical analysis demonstrated that MgAl2O4 spinel nanoparticles exhibit a noteworthy hydrogen storage capacity of 4000 mAh/g, highlighting their potential as promising candidates for hydrogen storage applications. This comprehensive study underscores the successful synthesis, thorough characterization, and exceptional electrochemical performance of MgAl2O4 spinel nanoparticles, firmly positioning them as valuable materials for advancing hydrogen storage technologies.

Graphical Abstract
Influence of exposure scenario on the sensitivity to caffeine
Authors: Santos Niedja , Oliveira Miguel , Domingues Inês
Published: November 2023

The chorion acts as a protective barrier, restricting some chemical absorption into the embryo and the surrounding fluids. In this sense, larvae may only have direct contact with some chemicals after dechorionation. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of caffeine (CAF) (0, 13, 20, 44, 67, and 100 mg.L−1) under different exposure scenarios (embryos with chorion or embryos/larvae already hatched) and rank the stage sensitivity. Thus, three scenarios were investigated: from 2 to 120 hours post fertilization (hpf) (5 days of exposure- 5dE), from 72 to 120 hpf (2dE), and from 96 to 120 hpf (1dE). Heart rate (48 hpf) and energy reserves (120 hpf) were measured in the 5dE scenario, and behavior and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were evaluated at 120 hpf in all scenarios (5dE, 2dE, and 1dE). At 120 hpf, some of the fish was transferred to clean medium for a 10 days depuration period (10dPE). Behavior and AChE activity were assessed after this period. In the 5dE scenario, CAF increased heartbeat (13, 20, and 30 mg.L−1) and reduced carbohydrates (67, and 100 mg.L−1), while inhibiting AChE activity (100 mg.L−1) in the 5dE, 2dE, and 1dE scenarios. CAF reduced the total distance moved in the 5dE (67, and 100 mg.L−1), 2dE (20, 30, 44, 67, and 100 mg.L−1), and 1dE fish (67, and 100 mg.L−1) and increased erratic movements. Based on the lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) for total distance moved (20 mg.L−1) and higher inhibition of AChE activity (100 mg.L−1) (65%), 2dE fish appear to be more sensitive to CAF. After 10dPE, a recovery in behavior was detected in all scenarios (5dE, 2dE, and 1dE). AChE activity remained inhibited in the 2dE scenario while increasing in the 1dE scenario. This study demonstrated that the presence of the chorion is an important factor for the analysis of CAF toxicity. After the loss of the chorion, organisms show greater sensitivity to CAF and can be used to evaluate the toxicity of various substances, including nanomaterials or chemicals with low capacity to cross the chorion. Therefore, the use of hatched embryos in toxicity tests is suggested, as they allow a shorter and less expensive exposure scenario that provides similar outcome as the conventional scenario.
Hedging goals
Authors: Krabichler Thomas , Wunsch Marcus
Published: November 2023

Goal-based investing is concerned with reaching a monetary investment goal by a given finite deadline, which differs from mean-variance optimization in modern portfolio theory. In this article, we expand the close connection between goal-based investing and option hedging that was originally discovered in Browne (Adv Appl Probab 31(2):551–577, 1999) by allowing for varying degrees of investor risk aversion using lower partial moments of different orders. Moreover, we show that maximizing the probability of reaching the goal (quantile hedging, cf. Föllmer and Leukert in Finance Stoch 3:251–273, 1999) and minimizing the expected shortfall (efficient hedging, cf. Föllmer and Leukert in Finance Stoch 4:117–146, 2000) yield, in fact, the same optimal investment policy. We furthermore present an innovative and model-free approach to goal-based investing using methods of reinforcement learning. To the best of our knowledge, we offer the first algorithmic approach to goal-based investing that can find optimal solutions in the presence of transaction costs.
Zwischen Schönheitskorrektur und Paradigmenwechsel? – Versuch einer Einordnung der erfolgten Novelle des § 64 StGB und weiterer Reformansätze
Authors: Querengässer Jan , Baur Alexander
Published: November 2023

Im Sommer 2023 wurde die seit Längerem angekündigte Reform des Sanktionenrechts verabschiedet, in der u. a. die Unterbringung in einer Entziehungsanstalt gem. § 64 StGB novelliert wurde. Dem vorangegangen war eine mehrjährige Diskussion auf fachlicher und politischer Ebene, wie den immer deutlicher zutage tretenden Problemen rund um die forensische Suchtbehandlung im Rahmen des Maßregelrechts begegnet werden könne. Hierzu veröffentlichten diverse Institutionen eigenständige und allesamt weitergehende Reformvorschläge. Der vorliegende Artikel stellt die nunmehr verabschiedete Novelle des § 64 StGB sowie diese anderen Ansätze vor und versucht, sie vor dem Hintergrund der Herausforderungen und Probleme rund um die forensische Suchtbehandlung einzuordnen. Unterm Strich wirkt die nunmehr verabschiedete Neuregelung zaghaft. Die zweifellos gute und notwendige Stärkung des Konnexitätserfordernisses zwischen Konsumproblematik und Delinquenz dürfte neben anderen Änderungen, die eher hinter den Erwartungen (und Erfordernissen) zurückblieben, kaum ins Gewicht fallen. Dies betrifft insbesondere das Festhalten am Hangbegriff und an der Behandlungserfolgsprognose. Demgegenüber bestünde bei Umsetzung der anderen „radikaleren“ Reformansätze die Gefahr, nicht nur die Probleme forensischer Suchtbehandlung gem. § 64 StGB zu lösen, sondern auch deren Stärken preiszugeben und neue Probleme zu schaffen. Anstelle von Schönheitskorrekturen bei der forensischen Suchtbehandlung einerseits und radikalen Paradigmenwechseln andererseits wäre eine grundsätzliche und in sich stimmige Neuaufstellung des Sanktionenrechts in seiner ganzen Breite wünschenswert.
Dye-sensitized solar cells based on critical raw material-free Fe–N–C counter electrodes
Authors: Sebastián David , Trocino Stefano , Lo Vecchio Carmelo , Serov Alexey , Atanassov Plamen , Baglio Vincenzo
Published: November 2023

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) rely heavily on the counter electrode for their performance, which is responsible for collecting and transferring electrons generated at the photoanode. While platinum (Pt) has traditionally been used as a counter-electrode material, its cost, limited availability, and environmental concerns make it an unsuitable option for large-scale implementation. Iron–nitrogen––carbon (Fe–N–C) catalysts are receiving increasing attention due to their high catalytic activity and low cost. This study aims to investigate the performance of Fe–N–C materials as counter electrodes in DSSCs and assess their potential as a sustainable alternative to currently used platinum. Two different Fe–N–C-based materials have been synthesized using different carbon and nitrogen sources, and their electrochemical behavior has been assessed using current–voltage curves and impedance spectroscopy. The catalyst comprised a higher amount of iron and nitrogen shows higher efficiency and lower charge-transfer resistance due to improved iodide reaction kinetics and proper stability under potential cycling. However, this catalyst shows lower stability under a passive ageing procedure, which requires further clarification. Results provide new insights into the performance of Fe–N–C-based materials in DSSCs and aid in the further development of this promising technology.
An Electrochemical Perspective of Aqueous Zinc Metal Anode
Authors: Yan Huibo , Li Songmei , Zhong Jinyan , Li Bin
Published: November 2023

Based on the attributes of nonflammability, environmental benignity, and cost-effectiveness of aqueous electrolytes, as well as the favorable compatibility of zinc metal with them, aqueous zinc ions batteries (AZIBs) become the leading energy storage candidate to meet the requirements of safety and low cost. Yet, aqueous electrolytes, acting as a double-edged sword, also play a negative role by directly or indirectly causing various parasitic reactions at the zinc anode side. These reactions include hydrogen evolution reaction, passivation, and dendrites, resulting in poor Coulombic efficiency and short lifespan of AZIBs. A comprehensive review of aqueous electrolytes chemistry, zinc chemistry, mechanism and chemistry of parasitic reactions, and their relationship is lacking. Moreover, the understanding of strategies for suppressing parasitic reactions from an electrochemical perspective is not profound enough. In this review, firstly, the chemistry of electrolytes, zinc anodes, and parasitic reactions and their relationship in AZIBs are deeply disclosed. Subsequently, the strategies for suppressing parasitic reactions from the perspective of enhancing the inherent thermodynamic stability of electrolytes and anodes, and lowering the dynamics of parasitic reactions at Zn/electrolyte interfaces are reviewed. Lastly, the perspectives on the future development direction of aqueous electrolytes, zinc anodes, and Zn/electrolyte interfaces are presented.
In Situ Deposition of Drug and Gene Nanoparticles on a Patterned Supramolecular Hydrogel to Construct a Directionally Osteochondral Plug
Authors: Kang Jiawei , Li Yaping , Qin Yating , Huang Zhongming , Wu Yifan , Sun Long , Wang Cong , Wang Wei , Feng Gang , Qi Yiying
Published: November 2023

The integrated repair of bone and cartilage boasts advantages for osteochondral restoration such as a long-term repair effect and less deterioration compared to repairing cartilage alone. Constructing multifactorial, spatially oriented scaffolds to stimulate osteochondral regeneration, has immense significance. Herein, targeted drugs, namely kartogenin@polydopamine (KGN@PDA) nanoparticles for cartilage repair and miRNA@calcium phosphate (miRNA@CaP) NPs for bone regeneration, were in situ deposited on a patterned supramolecular-assembled 2-ureido-4 [lH]-pyrimidinone (UPy) modified gelation hydrogel film, facilitated by the dynamic and responsive coordination and complexation of metal ions and their ligands. This hydrogel film can be rolled into a cylindrical plug, mimicking the Haversian canal structure of natural bone. The resultant hydrogel demonstrates stable mechanical properties, a self-healing ability, a high capability for reactive oxygen species capture, and controlled release of KGN and miR-26a. In vitro, KGN@PDA and miRNA@CaP promote chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells via the JNK/RUNX1 and GSK-3β/β-catenin pathways, respectively. In vivo, the osteochondral plug exhibits optimal subchondral bone and cartilage regeneration, evidenced by a significant increase in glycosaminoglycan and collagen accumulation in specific zones, along with the successful integration of neocartilage with subchondral bone. This biomaterial delivery approach represents a significant toward improved osteochondral repair.
Highly Thermoconductive, Strong Graphene-Based Composite Films by Eliminating Nanosheets Wrinkles
Authors: Xiao Guang , Li Hao , Yu Zhizhou , Niu Haoting , Yao Yagang
Published: November 2023

Graphene-based thermally conductive composites have been proposed as effective thermal management materials for cooling high-power electronic devices. However, when flexible graphene nanosheets are assembled into macroscopic thermally conductive composites, capillary forces induce shrinkage of graphene nanosheets to form wrinkles during solution-based spontaneous drying, which greatly reduces the thermal conductivity of the composites. Herein, graphene nanosheets/aramid nanofiber (GNS/ANF) composite films with high thermal conductivity were prepared by in-plane stretching of GNS/ANF composite hydrogel networks with hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions. The in-plane mechanical stretching eliminates graphene nanosheets wrinkles by suppressing inward shrinkage due to capillary forces during drying and achieves a high in-plane orientation of graphene nanosheets, thereby creating a fast in-plane heat transfer channel. The composite films (GNS/ANF-60 wt%) with eliminated graphene nanosheets wrinkles showed a significant increase in thermal conductivity (146 W m−1 K−1) and tensile strength (207 MPa). The combination of these excellent properties enables the GNS/ANF composite films to be effectively used for cooling flexible LED chips and smartphones, showing promising applications in the thermal management of high-power electronic devices.
Design of a Novel Exoskeleton with Passive Magnetic Spring Self-locking and Spine Lateral Balancing
Authors: Rodríguez-León Jhon F. , Chaparro-Rico Betsy D. M. , Cafolla Daniele , Lago Francesco , Castillo-Castañeda Eduardo , Carbone Giuseppe
Published: November 2023

This paper proposes a new upper-limb exoskeleton to reduce worker physical strain. The proposed design is based on a novel PRRRP (P-Prismatic; R-Revolute) kinematic chain with 5 passive Degrees of Freedom (DoF). Utilizing a magnetic spring, the proposed mechanism includes a specially designed locking mechanism that maintains any desired task posture. The proposed exoskeleton incorporates a balancing mechanism to alleviate discomfort and spinal torsional effects also helping in limb weight relief. This paper reports specific models and simulations to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed design. An experimental characterization is performed to validate the performance of the mechanism in terms of forces and physical strain during a specific application consisting of ceiling-surface drilling tasks. The obtained results preliminarily validate the engineering feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed exoskeleton in the intended operation task thereby requiring the user to exert significantly less force than when not wearing it.
Flow alterations due a constructed reservoir in the Menik Ganga basin, Sri Lanka
Authors: Hemakumara Sajana Pramudith , Gunathilake Miyuru B. , Rathnayake Upaka
Published: November 2023

Natural water flows and their ecosystems are altered due to manmade hydraulic structures like dams. However, limited research on hydrologic alteration has been carried out in developing countries. This research explores the hydrologic alterations which occurred in the Menik Ganga basin, Sri Lanka due to the Weheragala reservoir constructed in 2009 for inter basin transfer. The hydrologic variations of the flow regime due to the construction of the reservoir was analyzed using Indicators of Hydrologic Alterations (IHA). For this purpose, we compared the calculated IHAs for streamflow at the Kataragama station (located downstream of Weheragala) during pre-construction (1990–2009) and post construction (2010–2019) periods. Also, the IHAs of simulated flows from the Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) model during 2010–2019 was compared with observed gauge discharge during the same period. The monthly observed flows in the “Maha” rainfall season (September to March) demonstrated a decreasing trend in post dam period with respect to pre dam period (highest decrease of 77 m3/s during October), whilst it showed an increasing trend (highest increase of 5 m3/s during August) in the Yala season (May to August) in the post-reservoir construction scenario. This was further visualized by comparing the indicators of the simulated flows with observed for post reservoir period, in which highest percentage differences occurred in June (− 4000% in 2016) and November (− 300% in 2010) for Yala and Maha periods respectively. Large alterations of the river flow due to the impoundment depicted by higher percentage differences. These alterations are extensively examined by other indicators as well. The fluctuations of flows have been decreased due to the construction of the reservoir which resulted in reductions of low and high pulses. The results are highly appealing to the authorities who are in water resources management to reach sustainable goals.
A tug-of-war to control plant emission of an airborne alarm signal
Authors: Hao Jie , Ma Junfei , Shi Hua , Wang Ying
Published: November 2023

Aphids represent a major threat to crops. Hundreds of different viruses are aphid-borne. Upon aphid attack, plants release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as airborne alarm signals to turn on the airborne defense (AD) of neighboring plants, thereby repelling aphids as well as reducing aphid fitness and virus transmission. This phenomenon provides a critical community-wide plant protection to fend off aphids, but the underlying molecular basis remains undetermined for a long time. In a recent article, Gong et al. established the NAC2-SAMT1 module as the core component regulating the emission of methyl-salicylate (MeSA), a major component of VOCs in aphid-attacked plants. Furthermore, they showed that SABP2 protein is critical for the perception of volatile MeSA signal by converting MeSA to Salicylic Acid (SA), which is the cue to elicit AD against aphids at the community level. Moreover, they showed that multiple viruses use a conserved glycine residue in the ATP-dependent helicase domain in viral proteins to shuttle NAC2 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm for degradation, leading to the attenuation of MeSA emission and AD. These findings illuminate the functional roles of key regulators in the complex MeSA-mediated airborne defense process and a counter-defense mechanism used by viruses, which has profound significance in advancing the knowledge of plant-pathogen interactions as well as providing potential targets for gene editing-based crop breeding.
Energy analysis of the integration of HRV and direct evaporative cooling for energy efficiency in buildings: a case study in Iraq
Authors: Al-Naseri Husham , Fryer Robert , Samir Ali
Published: November 2023

Responding to climate change and adapting to global warming requires creative solutions. In Iraq, the most reliable and popular tool to have buildings cooled is airconditioning units (AC). While an evaporative cooler is not enough to achieve thermal comfort in a very hot climate, AC units consume a lot of energy which causes a significant load on the grid in Iraq resulting in increasing the emissions of CO2. This paper investigates the potential energy-saving associated with adopting a new arrangement of heat recovery ventilation (HRV) unit and evaporative cooler to achieve thermal comfort with far less energy. Two sets of efficiencies of both HRV and the evaporative cooler have been considered, and two different envelope performances are also investigated. To properly size the proposed system, an iterative process has been used until the smallest size of the proposed system enough to cool the building is determined. The proposed system has achieved considerable energy savings comprising a reduction of up to 66% in the cooling load energy consumption and a reduction of up to 44% in the overall energy consumption.
Infinite critical boson non-Fermi liquid on heterostructure interfaces
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Tian , Chen Gang
Published: November 2023

We study the emergence of non-Fermi liquid on heterostructure interfaces where there exists an infinite number of critical boson modes accounting for the magnetic fluctuations in two spatial dimensions. The interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction naturally arises in magnetic interactions due to the absence of inversion symmetry, resulting in a degenerate contour for the low-energy bosonic modes in the momentum space which simultaneously becomes critical near the magnetic phase transition. The itinerant electrons are scattered by the critical boson contour via the Yukawa coupling. When the boson contour is much smaller than the Fermi surface, it is shown that, there exists a regime with a dynamic critical exponent ${z=3}$
z
=
3
while the boson contour still controls the low-energy magnetic fluctuations. Using a self-consistent renormalization calculation for this regime, we uncover a prominent non-Fermi liquid behavior in the resistivity with a characteristic temperature scaling power. These findings open up new avenues for understanding boson-fermion interactions and the novel fermionic quantum criticality.
Technology everywhere! But who’s got the time? The influence of time pressures on technology integration in Australian secondary mathematics
Authors: Zunica Ben
Published: November 2023

Over the past 30 years, teachers have been urged to increase their use of digital technology in the classroom. However, mathematics teachers have been slow to integrate ICT, even though mathematics is naturally aligned with technology. While researchers have documented a variety of time and other related factors that contribute to this resistance, there has been little in-depth analysis of teacher reasoning that inhibits technology integration in mathematics. This article presents four case studies of secondary mathematics teachers employed in Australian schools that investigates the adverse effects of time pressures in not only inhibiting a teacher’s desire to use technology but removing as an option altogether. Data was collected in the form of interviews, lesson planning documentation and notes from observation lessons. Thematic analysis was used to determine how time pressures inhibited participants ability to use technology in their pedagogy. Three time-related obstacles were identified. The first was a lack of time to prepare lessons, the second was content-laden syllabuses and finally, the need to prepare students for traditional assessments. Participants claimed that these obstacles often proved too great to overcome, causing them to abandon any use of technology. This article argues that when the obstacles to technology integration are perceived as too difficult to overcome, it is not enough to provide poorly targeted professional learning or encouragement to work harder to integrate technology. Rather, existing time pressures must be alleviated in terms of workload and syllabus demands if we want to remove the inhibitors to technology integration in mathematics.
MEGF-Net: multi-exposure generation and fusion network for vehicle detection under dim light conditions
Authors: Du Boyang , Du Congju , Yu Li
Published: November 2023

Vehicle detection in dim light has always been a challenging task. In addition to the unavoidable noise, the uneven spatial distribution of light and dark due to vehicle lights and street lamps can further make the problem more difficult. Conventional image enhancement methods may produce over smoothing or over exposure problems, causing irreversible information loss to the vehicle targets to be subsequently detected. Therefore, we propose a multi-exposure generation and fusion network. In the multi-exposure generation network, we employ a single gated convolutional recurrent network with two-stream progressive exposure input to generate intermediate images with gradually increasing exposure, which are provided to the multi-exposure fusion network after a spatial attention mechanism. Then, a pre-trained vehicle detection model in normal light is used as the basis of the fusion network, and the two models are connected using the convolutional kernel channel dimension expansion technique. This allows the fusion module to provide vehicle detection information, which can be used to guide the generation network to fine-tune the parameters and thus complete end-to-end enhancement and training. By coupling the two parts, we can achieve detail interaction and feature fusion under different lighting conditions. Our experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method is better than the state-of-the-art detection methods after image luminance enhancement on the ODDS dataset.
Advances in ablative treatment for human papillomavirus related cervical pre-cancer lesions
Authors: Xu Lili , Jiang Yanming , Zhao Renfeng
Published: November 2023

HPV infection is the primary cause of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), with persistent high-risk HPV infection being the leading factor in the development of cervical cancer. In addition to the application of large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) for the treatment of cervical pre-cancerous lesions, various ablative techniques, including thermal ablation, cryotherapy, carbon dioxide (CO2) laser therapy, and focused ultrasound therapy also play significant roles in the management of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the pathophysiology of cervical HPV infection and discusses the ablative methods commonly used in clinical practice, along with their indication and contradiction, especially in women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. The aim is to identify safe and effective treatment strategies for treating cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, thereby avoiding under- or over-treatment, which may reduce the incidence and progression of cervical cancer through timely diagnosis and treatment.
Penny Ur's 100 Teaching Tips
Authors: Ur Penny
Published: November 2023

Tried and tested teaching tips for language teachers.

This practical ebook, with its clear and accessible style, will be useful to many teachers, whether trainee, novice or experienced, in a variety of contexts. It provides a set of 100 hands-on tips on 19 different areas of classroom teaching, including using a coursebook, giving and checking homework, classroom discipline, testing and assessment. The clear and concise advice is accompanied by brief explanatory notes based on the author's extensive teaching experience.
A Tale of Two Cities: the intrinsic spatial logic of courier protests
Authors: Heiland Heiner
Published: November 2023

Protests differ and so do protest outcomes. This is also the case in food delivery gig work, which is characterised by frequent labour unrest. Various cross-country analyses have pointed to the importance of the national context for the strategies and outcomes of courier protests. However, as the article shows, the protests already differ at the level of different cities. To analyse this, the study argues that the heterogeneity of protests in platform-mediated courier work is due to the spatially distinct logic of the respective cities. The research is based on two case studies of food delivery platforms in Germany, which were investigated with a mixed methods research design consisting of interviews, multi-sited ethnography and a survey. The findings show that the intrinsic logic of the two centres of courier protests studied (Cologne and Berlin) played a central role in the composition of the protesting groups, their strategies and subsequently the outcomes. However, it turns out that intrinsic logics are not homogeneous and in fact may exist in various forms, which can be complementary or in conflict with each other and are supported and realised by different social groups. In addition, the size of the cities also proves to be decisive for the dynamics of the protests.
Length functions in Teichmüller and anti-de Sitter geometry
Authors: Mazzoli Filippo , Viaggi Gabriele
Published: November 2023

We establish a link between the behavior of length functions on Teichmüller space and the geometry of certain anti-de Sitter

$3$

-manifolds. As an application, we give new purely anti-de Sitter proofs of results of Teichmüller theory such as (strict) convexity of length functions along shear paths and geometric bounds on their second variation along earthquakes. Along the way, we provide shear-bend coordinates for GHMC anti-de Sitter

$3$

-manifolds.
Equidimensionality of universal pseudodeformation rings in characteristic p for absolute Galois groups of p-adic fields
Authors: Böckle Gebhard , Juschka Ann-Kristin
Published: November 2023

Let K be a finite extension of the p-adic field

${\mathbb {Q}}_p$

of degree d, let

${{\mathbb {F}}\,\!{}}$

be a finite field of characteristic p and let

${\overline {{D}}}$

be an n-dimensional pseudocharacter in the sense of Chenevier of the absolute Galois group of K over the field

${{\mathbb {F}}\,\!{}}$

. For the universal mod p pseudodeformation ring

${\overline {R}{{\phantom {\overline {\overline m}}}}^{\operatorname {univ}}_{{{\overline {{D}}}}}}$

of

${\overline {{D}}}$

, we prove the following: The ring

$\overline R_{{\overline {{D}}}}^{\mathrm {ps}}$

is equidimensional of dimension

$dn^2+1$

. Its reduced quotient

${\overline {R}{{\phantom {\overline {\overline m}}}}^{\operatorname {univ}}_{{{\overline {{D}}},{\operatorname {red}}}}}$

contains a dense open subset of regular points x whose associated pseudocharacter

${D}_x$

is absolutely irreducible and nonspecial in a certain technical sense that we shall define. Moreover, we will characterize in most cases when K does not contain a p-th root of unity the singular locus of

${\mathrm {Spec}}\ {\overline {R}{{\phantom {\overline {\overline m}}}}^{\operatorname {univ}}_{{{\overline {{D}}}}}}$

. Similar results were proved by Chenevier for the generic fiber of the universal pseudodeformation ring

${R{{\phantom {\overline {m}}}}^{\operatorname {univ}}_{{{\overline {D}}}}}$

of

${\overline {{D}}}$

.
‘Slaves’ and ‘Slave Owners’ or ‘Enslaved People’ and ‘Enslavers’?
Authors: Burns James Robert
Published: November 2023

Studies of slavery increasingly refer to ‘enslaved people’ rather than ‘slaves’, and, to a lesser extent, to ‘enslavers’ rather than ‘slave owners’. This trend began with scholarship in the United States on plantation slavery but has spread to other academic publications. Yet ‘slave’ continues to be widely used, indicating not everyone is aware of the change or agrees with it. Despite this, few historians have justified their terminology. After surveying the extent of the preference for ‘enslaved person’, I discuss arguments for and against it. Supporters of using ‘enslaved person’ argue that this term emphasises that a person was forced into slavery – but this emphasis means it is less able to accommodate early medieval cases where people sold themselves into slavery. The accompanying preference for ‘enslaver’ over ‘master’ obscures dynamics of ownership and manumission. In addition, ‘enslaved people’ and ‘enslaver’ do not necessarily bring us away from the perspective of slaveholders to the perspective of slaves. Nor are they essential for readers to appreciate the humanity of slaves. Overall, historians should use this issue as an opportunity to reflect on the extent to which scholarship of transatlantic slavery should set the terms of debate for slavery studies in general.
The impact of internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for perfectionism: a reinterpretation through the lens of the Model of Excellencism and Perfectionism
Authors: Gaudreau Patrick , Schellenberg Benjamin J. I.
Published: November 2023

Background:

Grieve et al. (2022) tested the effects of an intervention designed to reduce perfectionism. Contrary to their hypotheses, the intervention reduced both perfectionism and excellencism. Furthermore, excellencism positively correlated with negative outcomes (e.g. anxiety).

Aims:

A theory-driven framework (with five hypothetical scenarios) is proposed to reconsider how we interpret the effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce perfectionism. Our goal was to offer a constructive reinterpretation of the results of Grieve et al. (2022) using our new framework derived from the Model of Excellencism and Perfectionism.

Method:

Secondary data analyses using the experimental and correlational results are published in the randomized control trial of Grieve et al. (2022).

Results:

Our re-examination of the results reveals that excellencism was reduced by a smaller extent (approximately 25% less) than perfectionism. Based on our framework, such a ratio provides conclusive evidence for the effectiveness of this intervention. Students entered the intervention as perfectionists and they ended up somewhere between the zones of excellence striving and non-perfectionism. Furthermore, our multivariate re-analysis of the bivariate correlations indicates that excellence strivers experienced better adjustment (lower anxiety, depression, stress, body-related acceptance, and higher self-compassion) compared with perfectionists.

Conclusion:

Future interventions should target the reduction of perfectionism and the maintenance of excellencism because excellencism relates to desirable outcomes. Our secondary data analysis was needed to inform researchers and practitioners about an alternative interpretation of Grieve and colleagues’ findings. Future interventions to reduce perfectionism should closely monitor excellencism and follow the interpretational guidelines advanced in this article.
Designing and Curating EDI Book Displays at IALS
Authors: Percik David
Published: November 2023

In this article David Percik, Information Resources Manager at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, reports on a project at IALS to plan out and curate a series of book displays focusing on historically disadvantaged groups. He discusses how the themes of the displays were selected, the consequences of having two differing available spaces, and the work done by the library team to expand the displays beyond books on shelves.
Collection, distribution, characterization and utilization of Indigofera oblongifolia Forssk.: an important underutilized multi-use leguminous shrub of Indian hot arid region
Authors: Singh Jay Prakash , Patidar Anil , K Venkatesan , Kumar Mahesh , Swami Saurabh , Kumar Mahesh , R Saranya , Patil N. V.
Published: November 2023

Indigofera oblongifolia Forssk. locally known as ‘Goilia or Jhil’, is an important underutilized leguminous browse shrub for small ruminants in hot arid region of India and traditionally utilized for its medicinal value. Its irregular patchy distribution was observed in depression of rocky areas, bunds of farmer fields and along the depression on the road sides in Jaisalmer and Pali district during collection. Soil samples collected from Pali district have high level of pH and electrical conductivity as compared to Jaisalmer which indicates its suitability to saline areas. It exhibited good plant growth under Jodhpur conditions with respect to plant height (171.5 cm), number of branches (47.9) and canopy diameter (100–210 and 115–180 cm in north-south and east-west direction, respectively) after 12 months of planting in fields under protected condition. Morphological characterization showed the presence of high coefficient of variation (%) in the number of raceme per branch (27.3) followed by raceme length (22.9), pod length (21.0) and least in pod width (8.1). Phytochemical results revealed that leaves of I. oblongifolia contained considerable amounts of total phenols (31.44 mg g−1), flavonoids (29.73 mg g−1) and antioxidant capacity (6.26 FRU g−1) which make its suitability as a browse species to ruminants in rangelands. Along with these finding, its traditional knowledge and utilization are detailed in this paper as to hasten further research on its various aspects for its sustainable utilization in rangelands or in alternate land use systems in the Indian hot arid region.
Contextualizing discourses of climate delay: a response to Lamb et al. (2020)
Authors: Pflieger Géraldine , De Pryck Kari
Published: November 2023

Non-technical summary

Individuals and institutions seeking to delay climate action use a variety of new discursive strategies, emphasizing the downsides, spreading fatalism, or betting on technological fixes. This commentary highlights the importance of context when investigating discourses of climate delay. Depending on who holds them and why, some discourses can take on different meanings, hinder or enhance climate action.

Technical summary

In this commentary, we propose a review of ‘Discourses of climate delay’ by Lamb et al. (2020). While we agree that discursive strategies of climate delay are taking new forms, we argue that such analysis should go beyond discourses and investigate the context in which they are enunciated to avoid oversimplifying the complexity of the debate about climate (in)action. Discourses, and the context in which they are enacted, hold an important place in climate deliberations and should be carefully analyzed from a multicultural perspective, open to social diversity.

Social media summary

Are all discourses of climate delay discourses of delay? Context matters when debating whether a discourse promotes (in)action.
Climate Change Narrows the Window for Prescribed Fires
Authors: Hasler Caroline
Published: November 2023

Longer, drier summers may mean fewer opportunities for firefighters to safely burn would-be wildfire fuel in the western United States.
Academia’s Hidden Price Tag
Authors: Kornei Katherine
Published: November 2023

Many academics feel burdened by overwork, but change is afoot as scientists strive to shift the culture of higher education.
Genetic variants of interferon-response factor 5 are associated with the incidence of chronic kidney disease: the D.E.S.I.R. study
Authors: Fumeron Frédéric , Velho Gilberto , Alzaid Fawaz , El Boustany Ray , Vandiedonck Claire , Bonnefond Amélie , Froguel Philippe , Potier Louis , Marre Michel , Balkau Beverley , Roussel Ronan , Venteclef Nicolas
Published: November 2023

Inflammation has been associated with renal diseases. The Interferon Regulatory Factor (IRF)-5 is a key transcription factor in the pro-inflammatory polarization of M1-like macrophages. GWAS have reported that the IRF5 locus is associated with autoimmune diseases and with the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). We study whether allelic variations in IRF5 are associated with the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a general population. We genotyped eleven IRF5 SNPs in the French D.E.S.I.R. cohort from the general population (n = 4820). Associations of SNPs with baseline renal parameters were assessed. Data were analyzed for three endpoints during a 9-year follow-up, incidence of:at least stage 3 CKD, the KDIGO criterion “certain drop in eGFR”, and incidence of micro/macro albuminuria. In the cross-sectional analysis, rs10954213 and rs10954214 were associated with eGFR and rs1874328 with urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR). Rs3807306, rs11761199, rs78658945, rs1874328, rs10954213 and rs11770589 were associated with the incidence of stage 3 CKD in multi-adjusted models. Rs4731532, rs3807306, and rs11761199 were associated with the incidence of CKD defined by the KDIGO. Rs4731532, rs3807306, rs11761199 and rs79288514 were associated with the incidence of micro/macro albuminuria. Our results support the hypothesis of the importance of IRF5 mediated macrophage polarization in the etiology of CKD.
Inflammatory macrophages reprogram to immunosuppression by reducing mitochondrial translation
Authors: Cortés Marlies , Brischetto Agnese , Martinez-Campanario M. C. , Ninfali Chiara , Domínguez Verónica , Fernández Sara , Celis Raquel , Esteve-Codina Anna , Lozano Juan J. , Sidorova Julia , Garrabou Gloria , Siegert Anna-Maria , Enrich Carlos , Pintado Belén , Morales-Ruiz Manuel , Castro Pedro , Cañete Juan D. , Postigo Antonio
Published: November 2023

Acute inflammation can either resolve through immunosuppression or persist, leading to chronic inflammation. These transitions are driven by distinct molecular and metabolic reprogramming of immune cells. The anti-diabetic drug Metformin inhibits acute and chronic inflammation through mechanisms still not fully understood. Here, we report that the anti-inflammatory and reactive-oxygen-species-inhibiting effects of Metformin depend on the expression of the plasticity factor ZEB1 in macrophages. Using mice lacking Zeb1 in their myeloid cells and human patient samples, we show that ZEB1 plays a dual role, being essential in both initiating and resolving inflammation by inducing macrophages to transition into an immunosuppressed state. ZEB1 mediates these diverging effects in inflammation and immunosuppression by modulating mitochondrial content through activation of autophagy and inhibition of mitochondrial protein translation. During the transition from inflammation to immunosuppression, Metformin mimics the metabolic reprogramming of myeloid cells induced by ZEB1. Mechanistically, in immunosuppression, ZEB1 inhibits amino acid uptake, leading to downregulation of mTORC1 signalling and a decrease in mitochondrial translation in macrophages. These results identify ZEB1 as a driver of myeloid cell metabolic plasticity, suggesting that targeting its expression and function could serve as a strategy to modulate dysregulated inflammation and immunosuppression.
Target-dependent RNA polymerase as universal platform for gene expression control in response to intracellular molecules
Authors: Komatsu Shodai , Ohno Hirohisa , Saito Hirohide
Published: November 2023

Controlling gene expression in response to specific molecules is an essential technique for regulating cellular functions. However, current platforms with transcription and translation regulators have a limited number of detectable molecules to induce gene expression. Here to address these issues, we present a Target-dependent RNA polymerase (TdRNAP) that can induce RNA transcription in response to the intracellular target specifically recognized by single antibody. By substituting the fused antibody, we demonstrate that TdRNAPs respond to a wide variety of molecules, including peptides, proteins, RNA, and small molecules, and produce desired transcripts in human cells. Furthermore, we show that multiple TdRNAPs can construct orthogonal and multilayer genetic circuits. Finally, we apply TdRNAP to achieve cell-specific genome editing that is autonomously triggered by detecting the target gene product. TdRNAP can expand the molecular variety for controlling gene expression and provide the genetic toolbox for bioengineering and future therapeutic applications.
Sequence-based prediction of the intrinsic solubility of peptides containing non-natural amino acids
Authors: Oeller Marc , Kang Ryan J. D. , Bolt Hannah L. , Gomes dos Santos Ana L. , Weinmann Annika Langborg , Nikitidis Antonios , Zlatoidsky Pavol , Su Wu , Czechtizky Werngard , De Maria Leonardo , Sormanni Pietro , Vendruscolo Michele
Published: November 2023

Non-natural amino acids are increasingly used as building blocks in the development of peptide-based drugs as they expand the available chemical space to tailor function, half-life and other key properties. However, while the chemical space of modified amino acids (mAAs) such as residues containing post-translational modifications (PTMs) is potentially vast, experimental methods for measuring the developability properties of mAA-containing peptides are expensive and time consuming. To facilitate developability programs through computational methods, we present CamSol-PTM, a method that enables the fast and reliable sequence-based prediction of the intrinsic solubility of mAA-containing peptides in aqueous solution at room temperature. From a computational screening of 50,000 mAA-containing variants of three peptides, we selected five different small-size mAAs for a total number of 37 peptide variants for experimental validation. We demonstrate the accuracy of the predictions by comparing the calculated and experimental solubility values. Our results indicate that the computational screening of mAA-containing peptides can extend by over four orders of magnitude the ability to explore the solubility chemical space of peptides and confirm that our method can accurately assess the solubility of peptides containing mAAs. This method is available as a web server at https://www-cohsoftware.ch.cam.ac.uk/index.php/camsolptm.