bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Spanish Burnout Inventory Among Professionals Across 17 Countries and Regions
Authors: Gil-Monte Pedro R. , Espejo Begoña , Checa Irene , Gil-LaOrden Pedro , Angeline J Kezia , Carlotto Mary Sandra , Converso Daniela , Deroncele-Acosta Ángel , Figueiredo-Ferraz Hugo , Galarza Laura , Gómez-Ortiz Viviola , Grau-Alberola Ester , Labarthe Javier , Llorca-Pellicer Marta , Mekala V Christy , Misiolek-Marín Alejandra , Román-Cao Eldis , Salas-Blas Edwin , Schoenenberger Sandrine , Unda-Rojas Sara , Viotti Sara
Published: November 2022

Studies on the prevalence of burnout in professionals in service organizations who work in direct contact with the clients or users of the organization have concluded that burnout is a serious health disorder that has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant advantage of the Spanish Burnout Inventory (SBI) over other instruments is that it provides a broader conceptualization of burnout by including feelings of guilt as a dimension of burnout to explain its development. However, the measurement invariance of the SBI across countries has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to test the measurement invariance of the SBI among professionals across 17 countries and regions in Europe, Latin America, and Asia, and in different languages. All the countries showed a good fit to the four-factor model, except the Indian sample, which was excluded from the measurement invariance study. Using the alignment method, it was possible to verify the scalar measurement invariance of the four SBI factors across 15 countries and one Spanish region (16 samples). The comparison of estimated latent means indicates that France is the country with the lowest scores on the Enthusiasm factor and the highest scores on the negative factors (Exhaustion, Indolence, and Guilt). In contrast, the Andean countries, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, show the highest latent means on the Enthusiasm factor and the lowest means on the negative factors. These results support the validity of the SBI in the countries and regions in Europe and Latin America included in this study.
E-commerce Policy and the Global Economy: A Path to More Inclusive Development?
Authors: Ahi Alan A. , Sinkovics Noemi , Sinkovics Rudolf R.
Published: November 2022

The advancement of digitalization is gradually transforming the existing structure of the global economy. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, almost all cross-border transactions had a digital component in 2016. This is also reflected by the growing literature on digitalization and E-commerce. Yet, studies specifically focusing on E-commerce policy are scarce compared with other areas in this domain. By going beyond academic articles and including policy documents in our analysis, this study takes stock of the issues as well as the policy recommendations identified in these publications. Our analysis reveals that to promote an inclusive E-commerce participation, it is imperative to design policies that improve countries’ formal institutions, facilitate the inclusion of less-developed countries in the E-commerce space, and enhance E-commerce adoption by small- and medium-sized enterprises. We highlight the significance of collaboration between and solidarity among governments and other stakeholders.
Surface Oxidation and Wettability of Fe–Mn and Fe–Mn–Si-Alloyed Steel After Annealing
Authors: You Yuliu , Kim Jungki , Kwakernaak Cees , Brouwer Johannes C. , Westerwaal Ruud , Sloof Willem G.
Published: November 2022

The surface oxidation and wettability of Mn and Si-alloyed steel after annealing at different conditions are studied with scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and a so-called de-wetting method. After exposure at 950 °C for 1 hour in an Ar + 5 vol pct H2 gas atmosphere with dew points (DP) ranging from – 40 °C to 10 °C, oxides were observed along the grain boundaries or dispersed on the surface for the Fe–1.8 Mn steels while a continuous oxides layer was formed on Fe–1.9 Mn–0.94 Si steels (composition in weight fractions). The oxides formed at different DPs were predicted based on thermodynamic calculations. (Fe,Mn)O was formed on Fe–1.8 Mn steel at the whole range of DPs, while the oxide phase on Fe–1.9 Mn–0.94 Si steel depends on the DP. At low-DP SiO2 were formed and with increasing the DP (Fe,Mn)SiO3 or (Fe,Mn)SiO3 + (Fe,Mn)2SiO4 were formed and finally (Fe,Mn)2SiO4 were formed. An increase of the fraction of Fe in the oxide with increasing DP for both steels was observed with XPS analysis. As a measure for the surface wettability, the contact angle of Pb droplets on the annealed steels surfaces was determined with SEM and image analysis software. Also, the contact angle of Pb on pure Fe and on the Mn and Si alloyed steels free of surface oxides was measured for comparison. The results show that the contact angle of Pb on the steel surfaces after annealing decreases with increasing DP. This improved wettability with increasing dew point is related to the Fe fraction of the oxides formed on the surface.
Minimum Wage Effects on Reservation Wages
Authors: Sousounis Panos , Lanot Gauthier
Published: November 2022

Reservation wages are part of the transmission mechanism between minimum wages and unemployment via the labour force participation decision. The limited available empirical evidence on the relationship between reservation wages and legal minimum wages suggest that individuals use minimum wages as benchmarks against which their reservation wages are set. This has a profound behavioural effect that may encourage individuals to either enter the labour force or price themselves out of potential employment. We employ a fuzzy regression discontinuity design to explore the influence of minimum wages on reservation wages. Our findings suggest that the behavioural response is too small to be extracted from the variability of the reservation wage data. For policy makers this finding is important. While minimum wages raise earnings and living standards, they can push some workers out of the labour force by increasing their reservation wage beyond the minimum. We do not find any evidence of such a response of the reservation wage of jobseekers to the minimum wage in the UK.
The Transboundary Approach to Landscape Geointerpretation: Challenges in Interpretive Planning and Geoconservation
Authors: Breg Valjavec M. , Dunato Pejnović N. , Draženović M. , Čonč Š. , Polajnar Horvat K.
Published: November 2022

The paper introduces the transboundary approach for landscape geointerpretation using a karst landscape (NW Dinaric Karst) as an example. It proposes geointerpretation that focuses on attractive geoheritage themes that are unique to a karst landscape, such as “duality” of the landscape (surface and underground landscape), geodiversity and geohistory of explorations. Four representative karst landscape types are presented in two neighbouring countries, Slovenia (SI) and Croatia (HR): low karst (Karst Plateau/SI), contact karst (UNESCO site Škocjan Caves/ SI), high alpine glacial karst (Gorski Kotar/HR) and coastal karst (Island of Krk/HR). The transboundary geointerpretation approach is based on an interpretive planning process, which was conducted through participatory workshops with local people and stakeholders and resulted in one interpretive master plan and four permanent exhibition plans. The key phenomena and themes for permanent exhibition plans were identified and used as the basis for the establishment of off-site karst interpretive centres and on-site polygons. The karst heritage was interpreted by using Freeman Tilden’s basic principles of interpretation. The presented approach and the interpretive infrastructure provide a good basis for further geoconservation projects, as well as for geopark designation. Its transferability and further geotourism applications are discussed.
Meta-analysis Provides Weak Evidence for an Effect of Mindfulness on Neural Activity Related to Error-Processing in Healthy Individuals Only
Authors: Osborn Melissa , Shankar Suhasini , Szymanski Oliver , Gunningham Kate , Caldwell Bridget , Perera Magelage Prabhavi N. , Michael Jessica , Wang Michael , Fitzgerald Paul B. , Bailey Neil W.
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Research into the effects of mindfulness meditation indicates improvements in mental health and cognitive function. Mechanisms underpinning these improvements include increased attentional function and decreased emotional reactivity. These functions are engaged when an individual reacts to an error. As such, researchers have examined differences in neural activity between mindful and non-mindful groups during tasks that elicit error responses using electroencephalography (EEG). Event-related potentials associated with error-processing are primarily the error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe), which occur ~ 0–150 ms and ~ 200–400 ms following an error. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the effects of mindfulness on ERN and Pe amplitudes.

Methods

Our literature search revealed 16 studies that examined the ERN (total N = 887, 469 mindfulness, 418 controls) and 12 studies that examined the Pe (total N = 747, 395 mindfulness, 352 controls).

Results

Results showed a weak association between mindfulness and more negative ERN amplitudes at electrode FCz, with inconsequential Bayesian evidence, after the analysis was restricted to studies including healthy participants only (Q(1) = 4.725, p = 0.030, BF10 = 1.714). The results also provided a preliminary suggestion that mindfulness reduced the Pe amplitude at electrode Pz (Q(2) = 8.023, p = 0.018), when studying individuals that had weeks to years of mindfulness practice (but not less than weeks of mindfulness practice).

Conclusions

The results do not provide good evidence that mindfulness meditation affects EEG measures of error processing. However, our findings are limited by heterogeneity and potential biases, and as such should be interpreted with caution.

Protocol and Registration

Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO CRD42021249775.
Remote AFIS: development and validation of low-cost remote tower concepts for uncontrolled aerodromes
Authors: Reuschling Fabian , Jakobi Jörn
Published: November 2022

Remote tower systems are widely established as a means to provide efficient air traffic control (ATC) from a remote location. However, even these cost-effective systems cause procurement, implementation, and maintenance costs, which make them unaffordable for non-ATC aerodromes with low revenues, often only offering an aerodrome flight information service (AFIS) or UNICOM information service. In this paper, two more inexpensive concepts enabling remote control at these aerodromes are presented. They are based on a simplified camera set-up comprising a pan-tilt-zoom-camera (PTZ-camera) and a simple panoramic camera. A virtual reality-headset (VR-headset) is used to display the video streams and to control the PTZ-camera. The results of a validation study with nine ATC and AFIS officers using live traffic at the Braunschweig-Wolfsburg aerodrome (BWE) are presented. They are discussed with respect to perceived usability, virtual reality induced cybersickness, and operator acceptance. The system’s cost is compared to that of a conventional remote tower set-up. Furthermore, measured objective data in the form of angular head rotation velocities are presented and requirements for the camera set-up are deduced. In conclusion, the developed concept utilizing both the panorama camera and PTZ-camera was found to be sufficiently usable and accepted by the validation participants. In contrast, the concept based only on the PTZ-camera suffered from jerky and delayed camera movements leading to considerable cybersickness and making it barely usable.
Long-term ley and manure managements have consistent effects on microbial functional profiles and organic C groups across soils from a latitudinal gradient
Authors: Shi Andong , Nunan Naoise , Figueira João , Herrmann Anke M. , Wetterlind Johanna
Published: November 2022

Soil organic matter (SOM) is important in maintaining soil fertility and other ecosystem functions. Yet, land management in intensive agriculture has caused SOM level to decrease, with knock-on effects for soil fertility and quality. Therefore, land management options that ensure that SOM is not depleted and that soil functions are better sustained are of increasing interest. However, there is limited knowledge on how different land managements affect the composition of SOM and associated microbial functional profiles. Twelve long-term field experiments, covering a wide range of climatic zones and soil types, were selected in Sweden. They focused on the role of combining ley in crop rotations with the manure application (livestock farm), as opposed to the management without ley and receiving only inorganic fertilizer (arable farm). In ten out of the 12 study sites, livestock farm management tended to have higher proportions of aliphatic and double bonded C groups, as estimated by mid-infrared spectroscopy. This was further confirmed by 13C NMR analysis, which found greater proportions of O-alkyl and di-O-alkyl groups and less aromatic C in livestock farm than arable farm management in five of the eight sites analyzed. The changes in SOM composition were reflected in microbial functional profiles across many sites: soils from livestock farm management utilized more carbohydrates and amino acids, while polymer and aromatic compounds were associated with arable farm management. Overall, shifts in both microbial functional profiles and SOM composition showed great consistency across geographical and climatic zones. Livestock farm management maintained higher levels of microbial functional diversity and were associated with higher proportions of “reactive” C functional groups. Our investigation demonstrates that livestock farm management could maintain soil fertility over the long-term via the changes in SOM composition and the regulation of microbial functional profiles.
Updated diagnosis and graft involvement for visceral leishmaniasis in kidney transplant recipients: a case report and literature review
Authors: Busutti Marco , Deni Alessandro , De Pascali Alessandra Mistral , Ortalli Margherita , Attard Luciano , Granozzi Bianca , Fabbrizio Benedetta , La Manna Gaetano , Comai Giorgia , Varani Stefania
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has become a rising concern to transplantation teams, being associated with graft dysfunction and reduced survival of renal transplant recipients. Here, we describe a case of VL occurring in a kidney transplant (KT) recipient in Italy, a country in whichLeishmania infantumis endemic and we reviewed the literature on the clinical course and diagnosis of VL in KT recipients residing or travelling to southern Europe.

Results

The VL case was diagnosed 18 months after transplant and 28 days after the onset of symptoms by quantitative PCR (qPCR) on peripheral blood. A graft biopsy showed renal involvement, and PCR performed on graft tissue displayed the presence ofLeishmaniaDNA. The retrospective confirmation ofLeishmania-positive serology in a serum sample collected before transplantation, as well as the absence of anti-LeishmaniaIgG in the graft donor strongly suggest that reactivation of a latent parasitic infection caused VL in the current case.

Conclusion

VL is often underdiagnosed in transplant recipients, despite the presence of latentLeishmaniainfection being reported in endemic countries. This case report, as well as the literature review on leishmaniasis in KT recipients, underline the importance of rapid VL diagnosis to promptly undergo treatment. Serology is scarcely sensitive in immunocompromised patients, thus molecular tests in peripheral blood should be implemented and standardized for both VL identification and follow-up.
Elucidating the role of preferential oxidation during ablation: Insights on the design and optimization of multicomponent ultra-high temperature ceramics
Authors: Ye Ziming , Zeng Yi , Xiong Xiang , Wen Qingbo , Lun Huilin
Published: November 2022

Multicomponent ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) are promising candidates for thermal protection materials (TPMs) used in aerospace field. However, finding out desirable compositions from an enormous number of possible compositions remains challenging. Here, through elucidating the role of preferential oxidation in ablation behavior of multicomponent UHTCs via the thermodynamic analysis and experimental verification, the correlation between the composition and ablation performance of multicomponent UHTCs was revealed from the aspect of thermodynamics. We found that the metal components in UHTCs can be thermodynamically divided into preferentially oxidized component (denoted as MP), which builds up a skeleton in oxide layer, and laggingly oxidized component (denoted as ML), which fills the oxide skeleton. Meanwhile, a thermodynamically driven gradient in the concentration of MP and ML forms in the oxide layer. Based on these findings, a strategy for pre-evaluating the ablation performance of multicomponent UHTCs was developed, which provides a preliminary basis for the composition design of multicomponent UHTCs.
Sick day management in people with chronic kidney disease: a scoping review
Authors: Duong Henna , Tesfaye Wubshet , Van Connie , Sud Kamal , Truong Mimi , Krass Ines , Castelino Ronald L
Published: November 2022

Background

Use of certain medications during an acute illness may put patients at an increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at higher risk of developing superimposed AKI. The aim of this scoping review is to collate and characterise existing evidence on sick day management considerations and practices during acute illness in people with CKD.

Methods

We searched Embase, CINAHL, MEDLINE, International Pharmaceutical Abstract, Scopus, Google Scholar and grey literature sources. We followed the methodological framework for scoping reviews, while information was extracted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews. Findings are presented thematically.

Results

Ten studies and seven guidelines met the inclusion criteria. Studies were targeted at patients, general practitioners, pharmacists, and nurses. The major themes identified included development and feasibility testing of a sick day management protocol, current practice of temporary medication discontinuation, and outcomes. Most guidelines provided recommendations for sick day management largely based on expert consensus. A digital intervention was deemed highly acceptable and easy to use, whereas patient handouts were more effective when provided along with dialogue with a health professional. While there is little evidence on the impact of sick day protocols on outcomes, a single randomised trial reported no significant association between sick day protocols and change in kidney function, AKI incidents or risk of hospitalisation.

Conclusion

The nascent literature on sick day management in patients with CKD revealed the limited available evidence to provide guidance on implementation and on outcomes. Future research needs to clarify sick day recommendations and assess their impact on clinical outcomes including prevention of superimposed AKI or hospitalisations, as well as to address barriers to implementation.
Transient Flow Uniformity Evolution in Realistic Exhaust Gas Aftertreatment Systems Using 3D-CFD
Authors: Chanda Nagarajan Pratheeba , Ström Henrik , Sjöblom Jonas
Published: November 2022

To precisely control a vehicle powertrain to minimize emissions, accurate and detailed models are needed to capture the spatio-temporal variability of the variables of interest. The aim of this work is to analyze flow and temperature fields in a geometrically realistic — and thus complex — exhaust gas aftertreatment system under transient conditions. The spatio-temporal response of these fields to upstream step changes is predicted using three-dimensional unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) $$\kappa - \omega$$

κ
-
ω

simulations where the catalytic converter is described as a porous medium. A catalytic converter geometry with a 90$$^{\circ }$$

∘

-bend and a partially dead volume is used to demonstrate the effects of time-resolved flow maldistribution on the profiles of velocity and temperature. Two sets of transient simulations in terms of step changes in velocity and temperature are performed. Uniformity indices are used to characterize the distribution and variability of the different catalyst channels under transient conditions. The evolution of the uniformity indices as functions of time and axial distance into the catalyst are calculated at different cross-sectional planes. The results show that the evolution of the temperature uniformity is rate controlling, continuously modulating the otherwise much faster flow uniformity response via the fluid properties. The temperature uniformity time scale is determined by the balance of flow, thermal inertia, and the heat losses from the system. The interplay between pressure drop and heat losses governs the transition to the new steady state in uniformity. These types of transient simulations and analyses can contribute essential information when developing reduced-order engineering models to represent the spatio-temporal variability in exhaust aftertreatment systems, in particular during rapid events such as cold start.
Relocatable modular capacities in risk aware strategic supply network planning under demand uncertainty
Authors: Kayser Ariane , Sahling Florian
Published: November 2022

We propose a new model formulation for a three-echelon supply network design problem incorporating the concept of relocatable modular capacities. A robust supply network configuration must be determined based on uncertain demand. Furthermore, by incorporating the conditional value at risk (CVaR), the risk induced by uncertain demand is explicitly considered. The derived supply network configuration should maximize the weighted sum of the expected net present value and the CVaR. The resulting nonlinear model formulation is approximated by a piecewise linearization. Our numerical investigation shows that the derived supply network configuration is robust and stable in the presence of uncertain demand.
Orbital Stability of dn Periodic Wave Solutions of the Boussinesq Equation with Quadratic-Cubic Nonlinear Terms
Authors: Hong Si-Yu , Zhang Wei-Guo , Ling Xing-Qian
Published: November 2022

This paper investigates the problem of the orbital stability of dn periodic wave solutions of the Boussinesq equation with quadratic-cubic nonlinear terms. First, the dn periodic wave solution of the studied equation is solved by using the integral method and the knowledge of elliptic functions, and the existence of smooth curves of dn periodic wave solutions with fixed periodLis proved. Then the Floquet theory and Wely’s essential spectrum theorem are applied to the spectral analysis of the operator, and obtain its spectral properties. Finally, according to the ideas for proving the stability of solitary wave solutions from Benjamin and Bona et al., by overcoming the complexity caused by the quadratic-cubic nonlinear terms in the studied equation, we prove the dn periodic wave solution of the studied equation is orbitally stable under small perturbations of the$$L^{2}$$L2norm.
Advanced maternal age and adverse obstetrical and neonatal outcomes of singleton pregnancies
Authors: Shekari Mitra , Shirzadfardjahromi Malihe , Ranjbar Amene , Mehrnoush Vahid , Darsareh Fatemeh , Roozbeh Nasibeh
Published: November 2022

Objective

To assess the impact of advanced maternal age on pregnancy and childbirth outcomes of singleton pregnancies.

Study design

We retrospectively assessed singleton pregnant mothers who gave birth at Khaleej-e-Fars Hospital in Bandar Abbas, Iran, from January 2020 to January 2022. Demographic and obstetrical factors include educational level, medical insurance, residency place, access to prenatal care facilities, number of prenatal care visits, smoking status, gestational age, parity, infertility, maternal comorbidities, preeclampsia, eclampsia, preterm birth, low birth weight (LBW), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), macrosomia, placenta abnormalities (previa/acreta), placenta abruption, chorioamnionitis, meconium fluid, fetal distress, methods of delivery, rate of cesarean section (CS), perineal lacerations, postpartum hemorrhage, childbirth injury, shoulder dystocia, congenital malformation, neonatal asphyxia, and unfavorable maternal and neonatal outcome were compared between two groups. The Chi-square test assessed the relationship between categorical factors and maternal age groups. The influence of advanced maternal age on the risk of unfavorable pregnancy outcomes was evaluated using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression.

Results

Of 8354 singleton deliveries, 22.2% belonged to advanced-age mothers. Advanced-age mothers had less education than those aged 20–34 years old. Chronic hypertension, cardiovascular disease, overt diabetes, and thyroid dysfunction were more prevalent among advanced-age mothers. Compared with mothers aged 20–34 years, mothers aged 35 years and higher had a significantly higher risk of gestational diabetes (aOR: 3.18, 95%CI: 1.56–6.95), preeclampsia (aOR: 2.91, 95%CI: 1.35–4.72), placenta abnormalities (aOR: 1.09, 95%CI: 0.77–1.94), CS (aOR: 3.16, 95%CI: 1.51–3.87), postpartum hemorrhage (aOR: 1.94, 95%CI: 1.24–2.61), intensive care unit admission (aOR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.15–1.99), LBW (aOR: 1.35, 95%CI: 0.97–2.96), preterm birth (aOR: 2.36, 95%CI: 1.65–4.83), stillbirth (aOR: 1.18, 95%CI: 1.01–3.16), and neonatal intensive care admission (aOR: 2.09, 95%CI: 0.73–3.92). According to bivariate regression, the risk of meconium fluid was lower in advanced-age mothers; however, the result of multivariate logistic regression found no correlation between advanced age and the Incidence of meconium fluid.

Conclusion

Advanced-age mothers are at increased risk of adverse pregnancy and childbirth outcomes, which persist even after adjusting for several potential confounders.
Schrödinger Operators: Eigenvalues and Lieb–Thirring Inequalities
Authors: Frank Rupert L. , Laptev Ari , Weidl Timo
Published: November 2022

The analysis of eigenvalues of Laplace and Schrödinger operators is an important and classical topic in mathematical physics with many applications. This book presents a thorough introduction to the area, suitable for masters and graduate students, and includes an ample amount of background material on the spectral theory of linear operators in Hilbert spaces and on Sobolev space theory. Of particular interest is a family of inequalities by Lieb and Thirring on eigenvalues of Schrödinger operators, which they used in their proof of stability of matter. The final part of this book is devoted to the active research on sharp constants in these inequalities and contains state-of-the-art results, serving as a reference for experts and as a starting point for further research.
Commercializing Successful Biomedical Technologies
Authors: Mehta Shreefal S.
Published: November 2022

Transform your research into commercial biomedical products with this revised and updated second edition. Covering drugs, devices and diagnostics, this book provides a step-by-step introduction to the process of commercialization, and will allow you to create a realistic business plan to develop your ideas into approved biomedical technologies. This new edition includes: Over 25% new material, including practical tips on startup creation from experienced entrepreneurs. Tools for starting, growing and managing a new venture, including business planning and commercial strategy, pitching investors, and managing operations.
Global real-world case studies, including emerging technologies such as regulated medical software and Artificial Intelligence (AI), offer insights into key challenges and help illustrate complex points. Tips and operational tools from established industry insiders, suitable for graduate students and new biomedical entrepreneurs.
Perry, the ‘Ego-Centric Predicament’, and the Rise of Analytic Philosophy in the United States
Authors: NEUBER MATTHIAS
Published: November 2022

This paper examines Ralph Barton Perry's analysis of the ‘ego-centric predicament’. It will be shown that Perry convincingly argued against prevailing contemporary versions of idealism and that it makes perfectly good sense to consider him a precursor of subsequent trends in American analytic philosophy. Perry's appraisal and promotion of the contemporary logic of relations in the framework of early twentieth-century American neorealism provides further evidence of his being a proto-analytic philosopher. His personal acquaintance with Bertrand Russell proved instructive in this regard. On the whole, Perry's distinctive approach to philosophy was instrumental in establishing the analytic style of reasoning in the United States. This paper is devoted to substantiating this claim. It is thus hoped that a clearer picture of early twentieth-century American philosophy will begin to emerge.
Vibration-induced ‘anti-gravity’ tames thermal turbulence at high Rayleigh numbers
Authors: Wu Jian-Zhao , Wang Bo-Fu , Chong Kai Leong , Dong Yu-Hong , Sun Chao , Zhou Quan
Published: November 2022

We report that vertical vibration with small amplitude and high frequency can tame convective heat transport in Rayleigh–Bénard convection in a turbulent regime. When vertical vibration is applied, a dynamically averaged ‘anti-gravity’ results that stabilizes the thermal boundary layer and inhibits the eruption of thermal plumes. This eventually leads to the attenuation of the intensity of large-scale mean flow and a significant suppression of turbulent heat transport. Accounting for both the thermally led buoyancy and the vibration-induced anti-gravitational effects, we propose an effective Rayleigh number that helps to extend the Grossmann–Lohse theory to thermal vibrational turbulence. The prediction of the reduction on both the Nusselt and Reynolds numbers obtained by the extended model is found to agree well with the numerical data. In addition, vibrational influences on the mean flow structure and the temporal evolution of Nusselt and Reynolds numbers are investigated. The non-uniform characteristic of vibration-induced ‘anti-gravity’ is discussed. The present findings provide a powerful basis for studying thermal vibrational turbulence and put forward a novel strategy for actively controlling thermal turbulence.
Network Competition and Civilian Targeting during Civil Conflict
Authors: Dorff Cassy , Gallop Max , Minhas Shahryar
Published: November 2022

Building on recent developments in the literature, this article addresses a prominent research question in the study of civil conflict: what explains violence against civilians? We use a novel computational model to investigate the strategic incentives for victimization in a network setting; one that incorporates civilians’ strategic behavior. We argue that conflicts with high network competition—where conflict between any two actors is more likely—lead to higher rates of civilian victimization, irrespective of the conflict's overall intensity or total number of actors. We test our theory in a cross-national setting using event data to generate measures of both conflict intensity and network density. Empirical analysis supports our model's finding that conflict systems with high levels of network competition are associated with a higher level of violence against the civilian population.
Copping the blame: the role of YouTube videos in the criminalisation of UK drill music
Authors: Schwarze Tilman , Fatsis Lambros
Published: November 2022

UK drill music frequently features as a prime suspect in newsrooms and courtrooms that charge it with driving the ‘knife crime epidemic’ in Britain's major conurbations. Such prejudicial assumptions about the role of drill in inciting violence are largely unfounded, but nevertheless inform criminal justice policy that leads to unjust and discriminatory outcomes. While drill rappers consciously post violent content on YouTube to increase viewership and gain popularity, the role of YouTube in facilitating and profiting from this traffic in violent imagery is rarely questioned in criminal proceedings – enabling, as it does, the weaponisation of such videos as ‘bad character evidence’ in court. Drawing on a selection of YouTube videos that represent drill rappers as dangerous ‘criminals’, this article argues that such videos function as a resource for the criminalisation of drill by police and prosecutors who present drill lyrics as personal testimony that is robbed of its fictive qualities, and makes rappers vulnerable to prejudicial ruling and discriminatory treatment within the criminal justice system.
How is vowel production in Italian affected by geminate consonants and stress patterns?
Authors: COLOMBO Lucia , INFANTI Michela , ARCIULI Joanne
Published: November 2022

Italian vowels have a shorter duration before a geminate than before a singleton consonant, but a longer duration in syllables carrying stress. We asked whether children can produce the differentiation in vowel duration in singleton/geminate contexts reported for adults and whether their production changes depending on position of primary stress. Italian children (three-to-six-year-olds) and adults performed a nonword repetition. Each nonword appeared in four contexts, with the stressed/unstressed vowel preceding/following the singleton/geminate: /paˈpaso/, /papˈpaso/, ˈpapaso/, /ˈpappaso/. Acoustic analyses on the duration of the vowel preceding (V1) and following (V2) the medial consonant showed a type of consonant by age group interaction: the difference in vowel duration between children and adults was greater for geminate than singleton contexts, and was greater when the vowel carried stress. When V1 carried stress, its duration was shorter in the geminate than in the singleton in adults and older children, not in younger children.
Preceding anti-spike IgG levels predicted risk and severity of COVID-19 during the Omicron-dominant wave in Santa Fe city, Argentina
Authors: Eberhardt Ayelen T. , Simoncini Melina , Piña Carlos , Galoppo Germán , Parachú-Marco Virginia , Racca Andrea , Arce Sofía , Viotto Evangelina , Facelli Florencia , Valli Florencia , Botto Cecilia , Scarpa Leonardo , Junges Celina , Palavecino Cintia , Beccaria Camila , Sklar Diego , Mingo Graciela , Genolet Alicia , Muñoz de Toro Mónica , Aimar Hugo , Marignac Verónica , Bossio Juan Carlos , Armando Gustavo , Fernández Hugo , Beldomenico Pablo M.
Published: November 2022

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has increased infectivity and immune escape compared with previous variants, and caused the surge of massive COVID-19 waves globally. Despite a vast majority (~90%) of the population of Santa Fe city, Argentina had been vaccinated and/or had been infected by SARS-CoV-2 when Omicron emerged, the epidemic wave that followed its arrival was by far the largest one experienced in the city. A serosurvey conducted prior to the arrival of Omicron allowed to assess the acquired humoral defences preceding the wave and to conduct a longitudinal study to provide individual-level real-world data linking antibody levels and protection against COVID-19 during the wave. A very large proportion of 1455 sampled individuals had immunological memory against COVID-19 at the arrival of Omicron (almost 90%), and about half (48.9%) had high anti-spike immunoglobulin G levels (>200 UI/ml). However, the antibody titres varied greatly among the participants, and such variability depended mainly on the vaccine platform received, on having had COVID-19 previously and on the number of days elapsed since last antigen exposure (vaccine shot or natural infection). A follow-up of 514 participants provided real-world evidence of antibody-mediated protection against COVID-19 during a period of high risk of exposure to an immune-escaping highly transmissible variant. Pre-wave antibody titres were strongly negatively associated with COVID-19 incidence and severity of symptoms during the wave. Also, receiving a vaccine shot during the follow-up period reduced the COVID-19 risk drastically (15-fold). These results highlight the importance of maintaining high defences through vaccination at times of high risk of exposure to immune-escaping variants.
On economic modeling of carbon dioxide removal: values, bias, and norms for good policy-advising modeling
Authors: Hollnaicher Simon
Published: November 2022

Non-technical summary

Integrated assessment models (IAMs) are important scientific tools for advising policymakers and the public on climate mitigation. Recent results of modeling exercises relied upon large amounts of techniques that can capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, undoing current and past emissions. I argue that the reliance on such techniques unduly shifts risk to future generations and away from current high emitting countries. From an ethical point of view, this is problematic. IAM studies need to be more explicit about the value positions that evidence of mitigation pathways depends upon and should represent a wider array of plausible value positions.

Technical summary

This paper analyzes the nonepistemic value judgments involved in modeling Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) techniques. The comparably high uncertainty of these techniques gives rise to epistemic risk when large-scale CDR is relied upon in most scenario evidence. Technological assumptions on CDR are thus entangled with nonepistemic value judgments. In particular, the reliance on large-scale CDR implies shifting risk to future generations and thereby gives a one-sided answer to questions of intergenerational justice. This bias in integrated assessment modeling is problematic given the policy-advising role of integrated modeling. Modeling climate mitigation should focus on transforming these implicit value positions into explicit scenario parameters and should aim to provide scenario evidence on the complete array of value-laden mitigation strategies.

Social media summary

The ethics of mitigation pathways, for example in relation to CDR, must be made transparent and plural.
Callisto's Atmosphere: First Evidence for H2 and Constraints on H2O
Authors: Carberry Mogan Shane R. , Tucker Orenthal J. , Johnson Robert E. , Roth Lorenz , Alday Juan , Vorburger Audrey , Wurz Peter , Galli Andre , Smith H. Todd , Marchand Benoit , Oza Apurva V.
Published: November 2022

We explore the parameter space for the contribution to Callisto's H corona observed by the Hubble Space Telescope from sublimated H2O and radiolytically produced H2 using the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo method. The spatial morphology of this corona produced via photoelectron and magnetospheric electron‐impact‐induced dissociation is described by tracking the motion of and simulating collisions between the hot H atoms and thermal molecules including a near‐surface O2 component. Our results indicate that sublimated H2O produced from the surface ice, whether assumed to be intimately mixed with or distinctly segregated from the dark nonice or ice‐poor regolith, cannot explain the observed structure of the H corona. On the other hand, a global H2 component can reproduce the observation, and is also capable of producing the enhanced electron densities observed at high altitudes by Galileo's plasma‐wave instrument, providing the first evidence of H2 in Callisto's atmosphere. The range of H2 surface densities explored, under a variety of conditions, that are consistent with these observations is ∼(0.4–1) × 108 cm−3. The simulated H2 escape rates and estimated lifetimes suggest that Callisto has a neutral H2 torus. We also place a rough upper limit on the peak H2O number density (≲108 cm−3), column density (≲1015 cm−2), and sublimation flux (≲1012 cm−2 s−1), all of which are 1–2 orders of magnitude less than that assumed in previous models. Finally, we discuss the implications of these results, as well as how they compare to Europa and Ganymede.
GATA-3 is a proto-oncogene in T-cell lymphoproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Geng Xiangrong , Wang Chenguang , Gao Xin , Chowdhury Pinki , Weiss Jonathan , Villegas José A. , Saed Badeia , Perera Thilini , Hu Ying , Reneau John , Sverdlov Maria , Wolfe Ashley , Brown Noah , Harms Paul , Bailey Nathanael G. , Inamdar Kedar , Hristov Alexandra C. , Tejasvi Trilokraj , Montes Jaime , Barrionuevo Carlos , Taxa Luis , Casavilca Sandro , de Pádua Covas Lage J. Luís Alberto , Culler Hebert Fabrício , Pereira Juliana , Runge John S. , Qin Tingting , Tsoi Lam C. , Hong Hanna S. , Zhang Li , Lyssiotis Costas A. , Ohe Rintaro , Toubai Tomomi , Zevallos-Morales Alejandro , Murga-Zamalloa Carlos , Wilcox Ryan A.
Published: November 2022

Neoplasms originating from thymic T-cell progenitors and post-thymic mature T-cell subsets account for a minority of lymphoproliferative neoplasms. These T-cell derived neoplasms, while molecularly and genetically heterogeneous, exploit transcription factors and signaling pathways that are critically important in normal T-cell biology, including those implicated in antigen-, costimulatory-, and cytokine-receptor signaling. The transcription factor GATA-3 regulates the growth and proliferation of both immature and mature T cells and has recently been implicated in T-cell neoplasms, including the most common mature T-cell lymphoma observed in much of the Western world. Here we show that GATA-3 is a proto-oncogene across the spectrum of T-cell neoplasms, including those derived from T-cell progenitors and their mature progeny, and further define the transcriptional programs that are GATA-3 dependent, which include therapeutically targetable gene products. The discovery that p300-dependent acetylation regulates GATA-3 mediated transcription by attenuating DNA binding has novel therapeutic implications. As most patients afflicted with GATA-3 driven T-cell neoplasms will succumb to their disease within a few years of diagnosis, these findings suggest opportunities to improve outcomes for these patients.
High-dose thiotepa, in conjunction with melphalan, followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with pediatric solid tumors, including brain tumors
Authors: Hara Junichi , Matsumoto Kimikazu , Maeda Naoko , Takahara-Matsubara Mariko , Sugimoto Saori , Goto Hiroaki
Published: November 2022

Among pediatric malignancies, solid tumors, particularly within the central nervous system (CNS), are common. Thiotepa, a myeloablative, high-dose chemotherapeutic (HDT) treatment administered prior to autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), can cross the blood-brain barrier and rapidly penetrate the CNS. We evaluated thiotepa HDT in conjunction with melphalan in Japanese patients with pediatric CNS/non-CNS solid tumors in a multicenter, open-label, non-comparative study. Thiotepa (200 mg/m2/day) was administered intravenously (IV) over 24 h on days −12, −11, −5, and −4 before scheduled HSCT. Melphalan (70 mg/m2/day) was administered IV over 1 h on days −11, −5, and −4. The safety analysis population comprised 41 patients, of whom 16 (39.0%) had solid tumors and 25 (61.0%) had brain tumors. The most frequently reported adverse events were diarrhea (40/41 [97.6%] patients) and febrile neutropenia (34/41 [82.9%]). No unexpected safety events were observed, and no events resulted in death or treatment discontinuation. All patients experienced bone marrow suppression and 39/41 (95.1%) achieved engraftment (neutrophil count ≥500/mm3 for 3 consecutive days after HSCT). The survival rate at day 100 post-autologous HSCT was 100%. These data confirm the safety of IV thiotepa plus melphalan HDT prior to autologous HSCT for patients with pediatric CNS/non-CNS solid tumors. Trial registration: JapicCTI-173654.
Loss of LXN promotes macrophage M2 polarization and PD-L2 expression contributing cancer immune-escape in mice
Authors: Li Yaping , Tan Yanhui , Li XiuZhen , Chen Xuanming , Wang Lingzhu , Zhang Lijun , Xu Shaohua , Huang Kebing , Shu Wei , Liang Hong , Chen Ming
Published: November 2022

Latexin (LXN) plays an important role in tumorigenesis and inflammatory response and as a tumor suppressor in many tumors. However, whether LXN regulates tumorigenesis through immune regulation remains uncertain. Here, we demonstrate that LXN deficiency increases hematopoietic stem cells, as well as affects the proportion of immune cells in the peripheral system. Animal studies show that mice loss of LXN promotes tumor growth in subcutaneous tumor model and AOM/DSS-induced colorectal cancer model. We found that loss of LXN promotes macrophage M2 polarization and PD-L2 expression in macrophage, thus, inhibits the function of T cells. Adoptive transfer of wild-type macrophage rescues the function of T cells in LXN-deficient mice. LXN deficiency in hematopoietic lineage exacerbates colorectal carcinogenesis, and targeted inhibition of PD-L2 ameliorates cancer growth in LXN-deficient mice. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that LXN inhibits STAT3 transcriptional activity by targeting inhibition of JAK1 in macrophages. LXN deficiency enhances PD-L2 expression rather than PD-L1 in macrophages, which lead to inhibition of T cells in tumor microenvironment. Collectively, we define a critical role of LXN/JAK1/STAT3 signal in macrophage and highlights the potential role of LXN in tumor immune-escape by regulating macrophage polarization, as well as the expression of immune checkpoint PD-L2.
Interaction between DLC-1 and SAO-1 facilitates CED-4 translocation during apoptosis in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline
Authors: Zhang Dandan , Yang Haibin , Jiang Ling , Zhao Chan , Wang Mengjun , Hu Boyi , Yu Cong , Wei Zhiyi , Tse Yu Chung
Published: November 2022

Apoptosis is one of the major forms of programmed cell death, and it serves vital biological functions in multicellular animal and plant cells. The core mechanism of apoptosis is highly conserved in metazoans, where the translocation of CED-4/Apaf-1 from mitochondria to the nuclear membrane is required to initiate and execute apoptosis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of this translocation are poorly understood. In this study, we showed that SAO-1 binds DLC-1 and prevents its degradation to promote apoptosis in C. elegans germ cells. We demonstrated that SAO-1 and DLC-1 regulate CED-4/Apaf-1 nuclear membrane accumulation during apoptosis. Isothermal titration calorimetry-based assay and high-resolution crystal structure analysis further revealed that SAO-1 interacted with DLC-1 to form a 2:4 complex: each of the two β-sheets in the SAO-1 peptide interacted with two DLC-1 dimers. Point mutations at the SAO-1-DLC-1 binding interface significantly inhibited apoptotic corpse formation and CED-4 nuclear membrane accumulation within C. elegans germ cells. In conclusion, our study provides a new perspective on the regulation of CED-4-mediated apoptosis.