bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cdk8 and Hira mutations trigger X chromosome elimination in naive female hybrid mouse embryonic stem cells
Authors: Halter Kevin , Chen Jingyi , Priklopil Tadeas , Monfort Asun , Wutz Anton
Published: October 2024

Mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) possess a pluripotent developmental potential and a stable karyotype. An exception is the frequent loss of one X chromosome in female ESCs derived from inbred mice. In contrast, female ESCs from crosses between different Mus musculus subspecies often maintain two X chromosomes and can model X chromosome inactivation. Here we report that combined mutations of Hira and Cdk8 induce rapid loss of one X chromosome in a Mus musculus castaneus hybrid female ESC line that originally maintains two X chromosomes. We show that MEK1 inhibition, which is used for culturing naive pluripotent ESCs is sufficient to induce X chromosome loss. In conventional ESC media, Hira and Cdk8 mutant ESCs maintain both X chromosomes. Induction of X chromosome loss by switching to naive culture media allows us to perform kinetic measurements for calculating the chromosome loss rate. Our analysis shows that X chromosome loss is not explained by selection of XO cells, but likely driven by a process of chromosome elimination. We show that elimination of the X chromosome occurs with a rate of 0.3% per cell per division, which exceeds reported autosomal loss rates by 3 orders of magnitude. We show that chromosomes 8 and 11 are stably maintained. Notably, Xist expression from one of the two X chromosomes rescues X chromosomal instability in ΔHiraΔCdk8 ESCs. Our study defines mutations of Hira and Cdk8 as molecular drivers for X chromosome elimination in naive female ESCs and describes a cell system for elucidating the underlying mechanism.
The Effects of Morphological Instruction on Literacy Outcomes for Children in English-Speaking Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Colenbrander Danielle , von Hagen Alexa , Kohnen Saskia , Wegener Signy , Ko Katherine , Beyersmann Elisabeth , Behzadnia Ali , Parrila Rauno , Castles Anne
Published: October 2024

In this pre-registered meta-analysis, we investigated the effectiveness of morphology instruction on literacy outcomes for primary school children in English-speaking countries. We were interested in overall reading and spelling outcomes, but we also looked separately at results for trained and untrained words in order to determine whether there was evidence of transfer to untrained words. Further, we were interested in whether results transferred beyond the word level to reading comprehension outcomes. Our screening process revealed 28 eligible studies, which contributed 177 effect sizes to the analyses. Robust variance estimation methods were used to account for dependence between effect sizes. Overall, effect sizes on reading and spelling outcomes were small to moderate. Effect sizes were larger for trained words than untrained words. There was evidence of transfer to untrained words for spelling outcomes, but not for reading outcomes. There was also no clear evidence of effects on reading comprehension outcomes. In general, the evidence was characterised by large amounts of heterogeneity and imprecision, which was reflective of the wide variety within and between studies in terms of intervention content, outcome measures, intervention dosage and type of control group. We discuss the limitations of the current literature and make recommendations for future research and practice in the field of morphology instruction. (207 words – max 250).
Long- and short-term pollution effect in megapolis assessed from magnetic and geochemical measurements on soils, tree trunk bark, and air filters
Authors: Bondar Kseniia M. , Tsiupa Iryna V.
Published: October 2024

This study identifies factors influencing spatial and temporal variations in magnetic susceptibility and heavy metal content in soils and airborne particulate matter within the Kyiv megapolis, Ukraine, and highlights how source apportionment differs in the long and short run. Topsoil magnetic susceptibility anomalies of > 70 × 10−8 m3kg−1 are observed around old factories. The tree bark magnetic susceptibility map provides a record of industry general low emissions for the last 2–3 decades. The patterns of both spatial distributions confirm that factory emissions dominate the composition of particulate falling on the ground in urban area, with exclusion of streets with heavy traffic. Enhanced concentrations of Cu, Ni, and Zn have been found in urban soils, showing a positive correlation with magnetic susceptibility. Re-suspended road dust dominates temporal variation of particulate matter magnetic susceptibility collected on air filters. The air at busy streets is cleaner in winter, when the street dust gets immobilized by snow cover or freezing. Industries in Kyiv pose no significant effect on air quality; the concentrations of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb are at normal urban level with the exception of the near vicinity to factories. Air in streets with heavy traffic is enriched with Fe and Mn. Principal component analysis reveals different pattern of air pollution for the busy streets and yard areas. Yards are less affected by road dust; thus, contribution of industrial emissions can be distinguished. The results provide context for further quantification of any alterations in ecological state of Kyiv megapolis that may have arisen from socio-economic shocks and direct threats connected to the current war.
Is Rationality Normative for Reasoning?
Authors: Brown James L. D.
Published: October 2024

The reasoning view of rational normativity claims that structural rationality is normative for reasoning. Specifically, it claims that structural rationality gives us reasons to structure deliberation in ways that respect the requirements of rationality. This paper critically assesses the reasoning view. It argues that while the reasoning view might succeed in responding to arguments against the normativity of rationality, it is in tension with the motivations for thinking that rationality is normative in the first place. Moreover, proponents of the view do not offer any independent reason for thinking that the view is true. As such, we have no reason to accept the reasoning view.
Bacterial metabarcoding reveals plant growth promoting members of the core Brachypodium distachyon root-associated microbiome overlooked by culture dependent techniques
Authors: Pille Carl Otto , Islam Zahra F. , Hayden Helen L. , Colombi Elena , Chan Lok Hang , Roessner Ute , Chen Deli , Hu Hang-Wei
Published: October 2024

Biofertilisers comprised of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) present a promising sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilisers. Bacteria which consistently colonise roots of specific plants across distinct environments, known as that plant’s core root microbiome, are particularly promising due to their colonisation competency. However, traditional, culture-based techniques can overlook promising PGPB which do not display commonly screened for plant growth promoting traits. Although numerous studies have isolated beneficial root bacteria, few have combined bacterial metabarcoding with culture-based techniques to identify novel biofertiliser candidates. In a two-pronged approach, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used to define the core root microbiome of the model cereal plant, Brachypodium distachyon, grown in four distinct soils. From 7,042 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) detected in root fractions, only 40 ASVs were common at a prevalence of 80%. Core ASVs primarily belonged to the class Alphaproteobacteria, with the remainder comprising Actinobacteria, Bacilli, Chloroflexia, Gammaproteobacteria and Negativicutes. Secondly, B. distachyon root-associated bacterial strains were isolated from plants grown in the aforementioned soils. Of 207 root-associated isolates, 10 were identified as members of the core root microbiome, with the majority not displaying commonly screened for plant growth promoting traits. However, in a semi-hydroponic system, a core Bacillus and Rhodococcus strain significantly increased B. distachyon shoot dry weight by 32.8% and 40.0%, respectively. Additionally, two core Bacillus strains significantly increased root dry weight by 79.7 and 52.3%. This study demonstrates the potential of incorporating additional criteria afforded by culture-independent methods to select for novel biofertiliser candidates which may be overlooked by culture-dependent techniques.
Reference Correlation for the Viscosity of Nitrogen from the Triple Point to 1000 K and Pressures up to 2200 MPa
Authors: Huber Marcia L. , Perkins Richard A. , Lemmon Eric W.
Published: October 2024

We present a new wide-ranging correlation for the viscosity of nitrogen based on critically evaluated experimental data as well as ab-initio calculations. The correlation is designed to be used with densities from an existing equation of state, which is valid from the triple point to 1000 K, at pressures up to 2200 MPa. The estimated uncertainty (at the 95% confidence level) for the viscosity varies depending on the temperature and pressure, from a low of 0.2% in the dilute-gas range near room temperature, to 4% for the liquid phase at pressures from saturation up to 34 MPa, and maximum of 8% in the supercritical region at pressures above 650 MPa. Extensive comparisons with experimental data are provided.
Comparison of wav2vec 2.0 models on three speech processing tasks
Authors: Kunešová Marie , Zajíc Zbyněk , Šmídl Luboš , Karafiát Martin
Published: October 2024

The current state-of-the-art for various speech processing problems is a sequence-to-sequence model based on a self-attention mechanism known as transformer. The widely used wav2vec 2.0 is a self-supervised transformer model pre-trained on large amounts of unlabeled speech and then fine-tuned for a specific task. The data used for training and fine-tuning, along with the size of the transformer model, play a crucial role in both of these training steps. The most commonly used wav2vec 2.0 models are trained on relatively “clean” data from sources such as the LibriSpeech dataset, but we can expect there to be a benefit in using more realistic data gathered from a variety of acoustic conditions. However, it is not entirely clear how big the difference would be. Investigating this is the main goal of our article. To this end, we utilize wav2vec 2.0 models in three fundamental speech processing tasks: speaker change detection, voice activity detection, and overlapped speech detection, and test them on four real conversation datasets. We compare four wav2vec 2.0 models with different sizes and different data used for pre-training, and we fine-tune them either on in-domain data from the same dataset or on artificial training data created from the LibriSpeech corpus. Our results suggest that richer data that are more similar to the task domain bring better performance than a larger model.
Silver vanadate and cerium oxide decorated graphene oxide ternary heterostructure nanocomposites: structural, electrochemical, and optoelectrical properties
Authors: Mahdy Hagar M. , Abbas Yehia M. , Magar Hend S. , Hassan Rabeay Y. A. , Duraia El-shazly M.
Published: October 2024

In the present work, we synthesized a novel ternary heterostructure nanocomposite comprising Silver Vanadate and Cerium Oxide Decorated Graphene Oxide (AgVO3-CeO2/GO) using a straightforward and cost-effective method. Six samples, including GO, CeO2, CeO2/GO, AgVO3, AgVO3/GO, and CeO2-AgVO3/GO, were prepared. The structural, morphological, electrochemical, and optoelectrical properties of these samples were thoroughly investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) demonstrated the presence of graphene oxide, cerium oxide, and silver vanadate phases, while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed the single crystalline nature of AgVO3 and the dispersion of CeO2 and AgVO3 nanoparticles within the GO matrix. The heterojunctions between different components facilitated efficient charge transfer and enhanced optoelectronic performance. External quantum efficiency was measured using a 532 nm laser beam, and the electrical properties were evaluated under dark and illuminated conditions with a two-point probe setup. The inclusion of CeO2 and AgVO3 nanoparticles in the GO matrix improved charge transport and interfacial charge transfer processes. These findings highlight the potential of these materials for various optoelectronic applications, including photodetection, sensing, and energy harvesting, with further optimization potentially leading to high-performance devices with enhanced functionality and efficiency.
Reversing fortunes of German regions, 1926–2019: Boon and bane of early industrialization?
Authors: Berbée Paul , Braun Sebastian Till , Franke Richard
Published: October 2024

This paper shows that nineteenth-century industrialization is an essential determinant of the pronounced changes in economic prosperity across German regions over the last 100 years. Using novel data on economic activity in 163 labor market regions in West Germany, we find that nearly half of them experienced a reversal of fortune, moving from the lower to the upper median of the income distribution or vice versa, between 1926 and 2019. Exploiting plausibly exogenous variation in access to coal, we show that early industrialization led to a massive decline in the per capita income rank after World War II, as it turned from an asset to economic development into a liability. We present evidence consistent with the view that early industrialization created a lopsided economic structure dominated by large firms, which reduced adaptive capacity and local innovation. The (time-varying) effect of industrialization explains most of the decline in regional inequality observed in Germany in the 1960s and 1970s and more than half of the current North-South gap in economic development.
Using dual relaxations in multiobjective mixed-integer convex quadratic programming
Authors: De Santis Marianna , Eichfelder Gabriele , Patria Daniele , Warnow Leo
Published: October 2024

We present a branch-and-bound method for multiobjective mixed-integer convex quadratic programs that computes a superset of efficient integer assignments and a coverage of the nondominated set. The method relies on outer approximations of the upper image set of continuous relaxations. These outer approximations are obtained addressing the dual formulations of specific subproblems where the values of certain integer variables are fixed. The devised pruning conditions and a tailored preprocessing phase allow a fast enumeration of the nodes. Despite we do not require any boundedness of the feasible set, we are able to prove that the method stops after having explored a finite number of nodes. Numerical experiments on a broad set of instances with two, three, and four objectives are presented.
Taking motivating reasons’ deliberative role seriously
Authors: Wang Levy
Published: October 2024

A motivating reason is a reason an agent acts for. There are two pre-theoretical intuitions about motivating reasons that seem irreconcilable. One intuition suggests that motivating reasons are factive, and the other says the opposite. As a result, a divide exists between philosophers, each side prioritizing one intuition to the detriment of the other. In this essay, I present the deliberate theory of motivating reasons and defend the second intuition that motivating reasons are non-factive. To do this, we must understand motivating reasons’ role in our deliberation. I show that non-factive motivating reasons are compatible with the underlying role which gives rise to the intuition of reasons’ factivity.
“A Woman, With No Evidence, Can Send Any Man to Jail Whenever She Wants”: Men’s Rights Activists’ Digital Narratives of a Culture of False Rape Allegations
Authors: Kettrey Heather Hensman , Quinn Summer , Waddell Claire , Evans Jadarius , Imbody Cadi , Nunez-Garcia Fabii
Published: October 2024

A dominant narrative among men’s rights activists (MRAs) is that rape culture does not exist. Despite statistical evidence that men are more likely to be sexually assaulted than wrongfully accused of assault, false rape allegations are the most frequently discussed topic on MRA forums and websites. In this study, we analyzed comments about false rape allegations posted to r/MensRights, a popular MRA forum. Just as the larger MRA movement emerged as a reactionary counterbalance to a feminist movement that MRAs believe has purportedly achieved equality, we found that MRAs construct a culture of false rape allegations to counterbalance a purportedly non-existent rape culture. Using a grounded theory approach to examine the narratives deployed by MRAs, we discovered that these men construct what we call a “compensatory culture of injury.” We found that MRAs are driven by “aspirational oppression,” which we theorize as a sense of grievance surrounding a group’s diminishing privilege and desire to achieve the guise of subjugation that warrants reparations to restore the status quo in the ostensible pursuit of fairness and equality. This co-optation of victimhood may be challenged by structural conversations about gender as well as the explicit identification of the misogynistic nature of MRA narratives.
Molecular insights into genistein-NSAID hybrids—synthesis, characterisation and DFT study
Authors: Kossakowski Kacper , Żwawiak Justyna , Cherniienko Alina , Zaprutko Lucjusz , Pawełczyk Anna
Published: October 2024

Genistein (GEN) is one of the pharmaceutically valuable phenolic compounds, which belongs to the isoflavone group of flavonoids and is a natural phytohormone found mainly in soybeans and red clover. It affects estrogen receptors, functioning as a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. The presence of reactive phenolic groups in genistein provides an opportunity to expand its structure by introducing components responsible for anti-inflammatory properties. Such an innovative combination of a compound with anticancer and antioxidant potential with an anti-inflammatory compound (NSAID) may lead to interesting new derivatives with dual mechanisms of biological action. The synthesis and characterisation of genistein-NSAID hybrid compounds (ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, flurbiprofen) was conducted, together with a comprehensive structural and quantum chemistry DFT (density functional theory) computational analysis allowing the description of 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopic properties of the starting compounds and the resulting hybrids. The study resulted in the formation of seven hybrid GEN-NSAID derivatives. In the case of ibuprofen, ketoprofen and flurbiprofen, a mixture of isomeric hybrid GEN-4’-NSAID and GEN-7-NSAID derivatives was obtained, whereas, for naproxen, only GEN-4’-NSAID was formed. The structural characteristics of the resulting compounds were determined using MS, IR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopic methods. The most accurate DFT computational methods for predicting 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectra were also established with statistical parameters to assess their accuracy.
Efficiently bounding deadline miss probabilities of Markov chain real-time tasks
Authors: Friebe Anna , Marković Filip , Papadopoulos Alessandro V. , Nolte Thomas
Published: October 2024

In real-time systems analysis, probabilistic models, particularly Markov chains, have proven effective for tasks with dependent executions. This paper improves upon an approach utilizing Gaussian emission distributions within a Markov task execution model that analyzes bounds on deadline miss probabilities for tasks in a reservation-based server. Our method distinctly addresses the issue of runtime complexity, prevalent in existing methods, by employing a state merging technique. This not only maintains computational efficiency but also retains the accuracy of the deadline-miss probability estimations to a significant degree. The efficacy of this approach is demonstrated through the timing behavior analysis of a Kalman filter controlling a Furuta pendulum, comparing the derived deadline miss probability bounds against various benchmarks, including real-time Linux server metrics. Our results confirm that the proposed method effectively upper-bounds the actual deadline miss probabilities, showcasing a significant improvement in computational efficiency without significantly sacrificing accuracy.
Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii in blood and hard tick-infested Egyptian camels and the possibility of coinfections
Authors: Ashour Radwa , Hamza Dalia , Kadry Mona , Sabry Maha A.
Published: October 2024

Coxiella burnetii, a bacterium that causes Q fever. It can infect mammals and has a global geographical distribution, but data on its occurrence in Egyptian dromedaries and the associated ticks are limited. Therefore, this study aims to detect C. burnetii in the blood of infested camels and associated ticks collected from Egypt by using molecular techniques and to examine the possibility of coinfections with C. burnetii. A total of 133 blood samples and 1260 hard ticks infesting these camels were collected from Egyptian slaughterhouses. Nested PCR and sequencing were used based on the IS1111 gene for molecular detection of C. burnetii. The identification of tick species at the molecular level was performed using the COX1 gene. C. burnetii was detected in Hyalomma (H) dromedarii, H. anatolicum, H. marginatum, Amblyomma (Am) lipidium, and Am. cohaerens with an overall prevalence rate of 1.3% (16/1260), while in the camel blood samples, it was 15.8% (21/133). Out of C. burnetii-positive ticks, there were double infections by Borrelia species and C. burnetii in H. dromedarii and Am. lipidium and triple infections at one Am. cohaerens tick (C. burnetii, Borrelia spp., and Babesia microti). In addition, two positive camel blood samples were found to carry C. burnetii with Borrelia spp. Our research findings indicate the presence of Coxiella burnetii among camels and their associated ticks in Egypt and emphasize the potential of having coinfection. To prevent the transmission of this infection to other animal species or humans, appropriate control measures should be implemented.
Genome-wide diversity, linkage disequilibrium, and admixture in the main Colombian Creole pig breeds
Authors: Ocampo-Gallego Ricardo José , Vargas Yolanda Gómez , Flórez Juan Carlos Rincón
Published: October 2024

Colombian Creole pigs have adapted to tropical conditions for over 500 years. They have been modified by natural and artificial selection in different regions. At present, the diversity and current introgression status are unknown. The objective was to estimate the genomic diversity, linkage disequilibrium, population structure, and admixture of four Colombian pig breeds and their relationship with other breeds worldwide. Three Colombian pig breeds (SPE-San Pedreño, 11 samples; ZUN-Zungo, 11 samples; CM-Casco de Mula, ten samples) from the conservation nucleus and one biotype not recognized as a breed (CCH-Criollo Chocoano, seven samples) were genotyped using the Illumina GGP-Porcine80K chip. Open-access data from seven international breeds were also included. Colombian Creole pigs showed moderate genetic differentiation (FST 0.14) globally, but several groups of animals separated, suggesting local clustering due to geographical isolation or different founding effects. Colombian Creole pigs showed breed imprinting and specific grouping in all analyses except for CCH, which, like the Ecuadorian Creole, was a cluster of admixtures. The Colombian Creole pigs revealed a significant relationship with the Iberian pig and some other breeds to varying degrees. However, good maintenance of the conservation nucleus was evidenced. Potential adaptive genes, mainly related to immunological functions, were found, according to FST and pcadapt analyses. This study provides a foundation and scientific data for policy decisions on zoogenetic resources.
Exploring community resilience through Arctic residents’ narratives in the Republic of Sakha (Russia)
Authors: Doloisio Natalia
Published: October 2024

This article uses the Resilient Community Development frame to explore how the residents from two coastal settlements in the Russian Arctic cope with the long-term effects of climate change, permafrost thaw and challenging socio-economic conditions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2019 in Tiksi and Bykovsky (Republic of Sakha, Russia). These narratives were coded and qualitatively analyzed using the aforementioned framing as a guideline. This article shows that migration, mobility, culture, history, identity and extended networks play a key role in the way that these residents cope with disturbances and upheavals. Sharing past experiences and specific ways to interact with their natural environment, other neighbors and the land they live in are pivotal for the local social configuration and can underpin identity processes. This analysis demonstrates that residents’ narratives regarding socio-economic challenges, climate change and permafrost thaw can inform us about short-term concerns, but also how to enhance long-term community resilience.
Exposure to Traumatic Events and Shame in Adolescent Surf Lifesavers: An Australian Perspective
Authors: Fien Samantha , Lawes Jasmin C. , Ledger Jessica , de Terte Ian , Drummond Murray , Simon Pamela , Joseph Nancy , Daw Shane , Kelly Sean , Hillman Wendy , Stanton Robert , Best Talitha
Published: October 2024

Emergency service personnel experience high levels of psychological distress, with increasing evidence of associations with shame and trauma. Additionally, adolescence is a critical time in social and cognitive development, in which shame plays an important role. In Australia, adolescent volunteer surf lifesavers (SLS) are particularly vulnerable due to exposure to potentially traumatic experiences (PTEs) such as rescues and resuscitation of human lives. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between direct or indirect PTEs, and the relationship PTSS and shame may have in adolescent surf lifesavers. This cross-sectional study surveyed patrolling adolescent SLS, aged 13–17 years, recruited via internal communications and social media groups. Complete responses from patrolling adolescents (n = 118; 59% female; mean age 15.4 years) were used to determine exposure to PTEs across global, direct, and within SLS trauma domains. Associations between demographics, PTEs, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), with shame as a moderator were assessed for each trauma domain. PTEs and PTSS were positively associated across trauma domains. Shame was identified as a significant predictor of PTSS and as an important moderator of PTSS for experiences within SLSA, but not global or direct trauma. By exploring links between PTEs, PTSS, and shame, these findings contribute to the development of strategies and interventions for adolescents during stressful times. Responsiveness to adolescents via feedback and genuine, reassuring relationships that acknowledge the complexity of coping with stressful situations, may be potentially effective approaches to support coping with experiences of shame following PTE’s in adolescent surf lifesavers.
Linking invariants for valuations and orderings on fields
Authors: Efrat Ido
Published: October 2024

The mod-2 arithmetic Milnor invariants, introduced by Morishita, provide a decomposition law for primes in canonical Galois extensions of $$\mathbb {Q}$$
Q
with unitriangular Galois groups and contain the Legendre and Rédei symbols as special cases. Morishita further proposed a notion of mod-q arithmetic Milnor invariants, where q is a prime power, for number fields containing the qth roots of unity and satisfying certain class field theory assumptions. We extend this theory from the number field context to general fields, by introducing a notion of a linking invariant for discrete valuations and orderings. We further express it as a Magnus homomorphism coefficient and relate it to Massey product elements in Galois cohomology.
Sequential Separation of Cobalt, Copper, and Nickel from Alkaline Glycinate Solutions Using Solvent Extraction
Authors: Mohammed T. , Bezuidenhout G. A. , Oraby E. A. , Eksteen J. J.
Published: October 2024

There is a growing need for the sustainable supply of critical battery metals, such as Ni, Co, and Cu. Recently, glycine has been utilized to leach these metals from their host materials. The leached metals could be recovered employing mixed sulphide precipitation; however, the sulphide precipitates require further processing to meet battery-grade standards. This study evaluates the sequential separation of Co, Cu, and Ni from alkaline glycine solutions using solvent extraction. The metals behave quite differently in alkaline glycine solutions due to being present as strongly chelated anionic (Ni and Co) or neutral (Cu) complexes and the organic extractant must therefore compete with the strongly complexing ligand in the leachate. Various parameters impacting the extraction process with LIX 84-IC extractant, including pH, extractant concentration, glycine concentration, temperature, and the organic to aqueous phase ratio, were investigated. Across the studied parameter ranges, the extraction efficiency of Cu remained high, over 95%. Cobalt also showed high extraction efficiency, above 95%, except when glycine concentration increased, reducing the efficiency down to 80%. Interestingly, unlike Cu and Co, Ni only achieved satisfactory extraction efficiency (> 90%) when the time of extraction was increased to 4.0 h, indicating that Ni extraction was kinetically/mass transfer limited. While Cu (100%) and Ni (> 80%) could be stripped from LIX 84-IC using 200 g/L H2SO4, that of Co was near zero. Sequential separation of the three metals was achieved using Cyanex 272 for the selective extraction of Co and LIX 84-IC for the subsequent extraction of Cu and Ni. Being emerged as a "green" lixiviant for extracting metals from various materials in alkaline conditions, glycine effectively reduces the dissolution of gangue minerals, tackling both the economic and environmental challenges associated with traditional high-pressure acid leaching and enhancing the sustainability of this process.

Graphical Abstract

Block flowsheet diagram for the sequential separation of Co, Cu and Ni from glycinate solution using solvent extraction.
Effect of material extrusion process parameters on tensile performance of pristine and discontinuous fibre reinforced PLA composites: A review
Authors: Mirza Faizaan , Baloor Shenoy Satish , Nunna Srinivas , Ramanath Kini Chandrakant , Creighton Claudia
Published: October 2024

Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (MEAM) has witnessed significant research interest since 2009. The optimization of printing and material parameters to enhance the mechanical properties of 3D-printed parts has been the primary research objective. Among commonly used polymers, Polylactic Acid (PLA) has emerged as a preferred material due to its ease of use, biodegradability, and relatively high mechanical strength. While the incorporation of discontinuous fiber reinforcements (dFR) into PLA filaments offers the potential for improved tensile performance, existing literature suggests that their impact is often negligible or even detrimental. Furthermore, the optimization of printing parameters for MEAM-dFR composites has not been extensively studied as for pristine polymers. This review aims to investigate the influence of printing parameters on the tensile performance of various PLA-based dFRCs. Three fiber types—basalt, carbon, and wood—were selected to analyse their effects on tensile properties. A bubble chart was developed to visualize the correlations between raster angle, fiber content, layer thickness, printing speed, and extrusion temperature on the composite tensile properties. The findings highlight the importance of material selection in enhancing tensile performance. Additionally, the need for more comprehensive statistical studies on the optimization of printing parameters for MEAM-dFRCs is emphasized.
Tackling transparency in UK politics: application of large language models to clustering and classification of UK parliamentary divisions
Authors: Lilley Joshua , Townley Stuart
Published: October 2024

For a healthier democracy in the UK, novel methods of visualising political data are key to improving transparency, and encouraging engagement. The paper proposes a visualisation tool, using Large language models (LLMs), such as GPT3.5 and GPT4, to conduct Natural Language Processing (NLP) in a novel methodology. We investigate partisan voting profiles, specifically of the Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat parties along 11 predetermined dimensions, ranging from Immigration and Borders, over Welfare and Social Housing, to European Union and Foreign Affairs. Higher order dimensions reveals shifts in party preference over time, while clear trends of more extreme voting behaviour can be seen across parties between 2016 and 2023. The novel visualisation methodology reveals that voting behaviour has become more polarised along party lines, with Labour becoming more left-wing and Conservatives becoming more right-wing regarding most political topics. Liberal Democrats voting behaviour has typically been those of an opposition party, albeit becoming somewhat more extreme.
Modification of activated carbon to enhance the absorption of PCDD/F and dl-PCBs emissions in flue gas in South Africa
Authors: Themba Nomathemba , Sibali Linda L. , Chokwe Tlou B.
Published: October 2024

Activated carbon (AC) adsorption is commonly used for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) removal from flue gas. However, the AC available in the market predominantly possesses a substantial specific surface area and numerous micropores leading to significant variations in their adsorption characteristics. In this study, three types of activated carbon (AC) impregnated with different activating agents, namely K2CO3, KOH, and H3PO4 were evaluated for their effectiveness in removing PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs compounds. For dl-PCBs, AC impregnated with H3PO4 resulted in a substantial reduction of PCB concentrations with an impressive 98% reduction achieved. Impregnation with KOH proved even more effective attaining a remarkable 99% reduction. In contrast, impregnation with K2CO3 while still effective achieved a slightly lower reduction rate of 95%. For PCDD/F, LACH3PO4 showed selectivity in achieving high reductions across both CDD and CDF congeners however proved effective in reducing the ∑PCCDF from 403.94 ng/Nm3 to 3.463 ng/Nm3 and ∑TEQ from 41.34 ng I-TEQ/Nm3 to 0.35 ng I-TEQ Nm3. LACKOH proved effective in reducing the ∑PCCDF from 540.45 ng/Nm3 to 0.25 ng/Nm3 and ∑TEQ from 57.42 ng I-TEQ/Nm3 to 0.12 ng I-TEQ Nm3 obtaining the overall removal efficiency of 99.5%. While the LACKOH injections were successful in the absorption of PCDD/Fs from the gas phase, it was observed that certain PCDD/F congeners became desorbed and entrapped within the ash necessitating further treatment of the ash residue. The ash underwent a thermal treatment first at 300 °C and 500 °C. The thermal treatment at 500 °C achieved a remarkable degradation of 99.7% removal efficiency rendering the ash and residue safe for disposal in a landfill site.

Graphical Abstract
Personalization of pharmacotherapy with sirolimus based on volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS) in pediatric renal transplant recipients—from LC-MS/MS method validation to clinical application
Authors: Kocur Arkadiusz , Czajkowska Agnieszka , Rębis Kamila , Rubik Jacek , Moczulski Mateusz , Kot Bartłomiej , Sierakowski Maciej , Pawiński Tomasz
Published: October 2024

Background

The benefits of pharmacotherapy with sirolimus (SIR) in pediatric transplant recipients are well established. Traditionally, whole blood samples have been used to measure SIR concentrations. Volumetric Absorptive Microsampling (VAMS) is an alternative sampling strategy suitable for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM). In this study, we developed and validated two liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods for determining SIR concentrations in whole blood (WB) and capillary whole blood samples collected using a VAMS-Mitra™ device.

Methods

We used protein precipitation during WB sample preparation and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) with methyl tert-butyl ether for VAMS sample preparation to optimise the analyte extraction process. The described validation protocols were cross-validated, confirming the equivalence of the whole-blood and VAMS-based methods. Furthermore, the developed methods were evaluated in two three-level rounds of an external proficiency-testing scheme.

Results

The analytical methods were successfully validated within the calibration range of SIR (0.5–60 ng/ml). The validation parameters met the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology (IATDM&CT) acceptance criteria. No hematocrit (tested in the range of 24.3–64.1%), matrix, or carry-over effects were observed. Cross-validation confirmed the interchangeability between VAMS-LC-MS/MS and WB-LC-MS/MS methods. The developed methods were successfully implemented for SIR determination in 140 clinical samples (70 each of WB and VAMS) from pediatric renal transplant recipients, demonstrating their practicality and reliability.

Conclusion

The VAMS-based method has been rigorously tested and is clinically equivalent to the reference WB-LC-MS/MS method. Additionally, clinical validation confirmed the utility of the presented methods for TDM of the SIR in the pediatric population after renal transplantation.

Graphical abstract
Usages of metaheuristic algorithms in investigating civil infrastructure optimization models; a review
Authors: Ghaemifard Saeedeh , Ghannadiasl Amin
Published: October 2024

Optimization is the process of creating the best possible outcome while taking into consideration the given conditions. The ultimate goal of optimization is to maximize or minimize the desired effects to meet the technological and management requirements. When faced with a problem that has several possible solutions, an optimization technique is used to identify the best one. This involves checking different search domains at the right time, depending on the specific problem. To solve these optimization problems, nature-inspired algorithms are used as part of stochastic methods. In civil engineering, numerous design optimization problems are nonlinear and can be difficult to solve via traditional techniques. In such points, metaheuristic algorithms can be a more useful and practical option for civil engineering usages. These algorithms combine randomness and decisive paths to compare multiple solutions and select the most satisfactory one. This article briefly presents and discusses the application and efficiency of various metaheuristic algorithms in civil engineering topics.
Sport von Jugendlichen in der Freizeit vor dem Hintergrund gesellschaftlicher Trends
Authors: Burrmann Ulrike , Dreiskämper Dennis , Henning Lena
Published: October 2024

Vor dem Hintergrund von gesellschaftlichen Trends, die sich mit der Scholarisierung von Freizeit, Versportung jugendlicher Körper und Fitnesssport als neuem Sporttrend verschlagworten lassen, wird untersucht, welchen Stellenwert sportliche Aktivitäten in der Freizeit von Jugendlichen einnehmen und wie attraktiv der Sportverein im Vergleich zu anderen Sportsettings ist. Vor allem werden zeitliche Veränderungen in den Blick genommen. Zurückgegriffen wird auf Daten einer bundesweit repräsentativen Jugendsportstudie, die im Sommer 2023 als Online-Umfrage mit 1978 13- bis 17-Jährigen im Rahmen des Move-For-Health-Projekts (MFH) durchgeführt wurde. Die MFH-Daten werden mit der 2012 durchgeführten Studie „Jugend und Sport – Online“ verglichen, die Daten einer Zufallstichprobe von 1662 Altersgleichen enthält. Als Ergebnisse lassen sich festhalten: „Sportmachen“ nimmt nach wie vor einen großen Stellenwert bei Jugendlichen ein. 60 % der Befragten geben an, regelmäßig sportlich aktiv zu sein. Etwa 42 % der Jugendlichen sind in einem Sportverein aktiv, 13 % nutzen kommerzielle Sportangebote, 27 % gehen ihren Sportaktivitäten auch informell nach. Alles in allem weisen die Befunde darauf hin, dass die skizzierten gesellschaftlichen Trends mit einem veränderten Freizeit- und Sportverhalten von jungen Menschen einhergehen. Insbesondere die seit vielen Jahrzehnten postulierte These von der Versportung des Jugendalters scheint nach der Pandemie allerdings etwas ins Wanken geraten zu sein. Die Sportbeteiligung von Jugendlichen in der Freizeit ist deutlich gesunken. Inwieweit sich diese Entwicklungen fortsetzen oder kurzfristige Folgen der Pandemie sind, sollte weiter beobachtet werden.
Prädiktoren von regelmäßiger sportlicher Aktivität, Sportvereinsmitgliedschaft und mentaler Gesundheit von Jugendlichen – Ergebnisse der für Deutschland repräsentativen Move For Health-Studie
Authors: Henning Lena , Burrmann Ulrike , Göttlich Eva , Dreiskämper Dennis
Published: October 2024

Die Zahl der Jugendlichen mit verminderter Lebensqualität und psychischen Auffälligkeiten hat sich auf einem hohen Niveau stabilisiert (Ravens-Sieberer et al. 2023a). Sportliche Aktivität ist positiv mit der mentalen Gesundheit von Jugendlichen assoziiert (Kohake et al. 2024), was auf das Potenzial sportlicher Aktivität für die Gesundheitsförderung hindeutet. Allerdings zeigen Studien (Kuntz et al. 2018), dass bestimmte Ungleichheitsmerkmale die sportliche Aktivität und mentale Gesundheit beeinflussen.

Im Rahmen des vom BMFSFJ geförderten Projekts Move For Health wurden erstmals seit zwölf Jahren deutschlandweit repräsentative Daten zur sportlichen Aktivität von Jugendlichen und ihrer mentalen Gesundheit erhoben. Zusammenhänge sowie die Bedeutung von vertikalen (z. B. Bildung, Armut) und horizontalen Ungleichheitsmerkmalen (z. B. Alter, Geschlecht, Migrationsgeschichte, Familienstand, körperliche Beeinträchtigung) auf die sportliche Aktivität und mentale Gesundheit wurden bei 1978 Jugendlichen (13–17 Jahre; M = 15,0, SD = 1,4; weiblich: 51,2 %) mithilfe von Korrelations- und Regressionsanalysen überprüft. Dabei wurden auch bislang noch wenig untersuchte Ungleichheitsmerkmale einbezogen (z. B. Diagnose eines Förderbedarfs). Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sportliche Aktivität und mentale Gesundheit schwach korrelieren. Eine geringere Bildung der Eltern, der Bezug staatlicher Unterstützungsleistung, ein diagnostizierter Förderbedarf, keine Vollerwerbstätigkeit in der Familie und ein höheres Alter verringern die Wahrscheinlichkeit für sportliche Aktivität. Der Bezug staatlicher Unterstützungsleistungen, ein diagnostizierter Förderbedarf und weibliches Geschlecht verringern die Wahrscheinlichkeit für eine gute mentale Gesundheit. Längsschnittdaten sind nötig, um die Richtung des Zusammenhangs zwischen sportlicher Aktivität und mentaler Gesundheit zu untersuchen. Interventionen zur Förderung von sportlicher Aktivität und mentaler Gesundheit sollten gezielt auf weniger aktive Zielgruppen ausgerichtet sein und nicht dem „One-fits-all“-Prinzip folgen.
Macroeconomic Influences on Recycling in Europe: An Econometric Investigation
Authors: Holmen Rasmus Bøgh , Carvelli Gianni , Razminienė Kristina , Tvaronavičienė Manuela
Published: October 2024

While the circular economy has garnered significant attention over the last two decades, few studies have explored the relationship between recycling and macroeconomic conditions. This paper aims to elucidate how macroeconomic factors influence and correlate with recycling indicators, focusing on European waste management. First, we analyze how macroeconomic indicators impact key circular economy indicators related to waste management, considering 27 European countries from 2000 to 2019, categorized into Western, Southern, and Eastern Europe. An ordinary least squares model serves as a baseline for comparison with a fixed effects model and a model with regional and time dummies. As a response to Ferrante and Germani's (2020) call for more research on causal studies of this kind, we also address reverse causality both by testing for panel data Granger causality and by applying the dynamic panel data approach developed by Arellano and Bond (1991). Second, we investigate variations in circular economic performance across European regions and countries, both before and after controlling for the macroeconomic context. The empirical analysis reveals a substantial correlation between circular economy indicators and key macroeconomic conditions, but we do not find evidence supporting causal impacts from macroeconomic circumstances in the short run. Regional examinations unveil disparities in circular economic performance, with Western Europe generally surpassing Southern and Eastern Europe. However, these patterns align more closely when considering the macroeconomic context. The methodologies employed in the study may prove valuable for future research on the circular economy and its relation to macroeconomic influences.
Phenomenal explanationism and non-inferential justification
Authors: Piazza Tommaso
Published: October 2024

In this note, I argue that McCain and Moretti’s account of non-inferential justification is subject to the subjective point of view objection, and that for this reason, it does not provide an internalistically acceptable alternative to the account of this justification supplied by Huemer’s Phenomenal Conservatism (PC). Moreover, I contend that PC’s account is not afflicted by the same problem and that it does not generate the over-intellectualization and regress problem. Finally, contra McCain and Moretti, I argue that the non-inferential justification described by PC does not engender a form of vicious epistemic circularity, and so that it does not raise the reflective awareness problem.
Perception, problems, and risks to climate change adaptation: A study adjacent to sundarbans mangrove forest, Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Md. Akramul , Das Biplab Chandra , Ali Eakub , Dey Tanmoy
Published: October 2024

The south-western coastal area of Bangladesh proximity to Sundarbans is a hot spot of climate change. The perception and problems along with associated risks to the adaptation of climate change are not well understood. However, the present study was conducted in 2020–2021 through a multistage sampling technique, questionnaire survey, and focus group discussions (FGD). In addition, the Likert scale and the INFORM model are used to understand perceptions, problems, and extent of risks response to climate change adaptation in the study area. This study illustrates that early-aged illiterate, medium families (5–7 in numbers) and $ 18.45–$ 36.88 per month income level are more susceptible to the adaptation of climate change. The majority of the respondents are dependent on natural resources, such as rainwater (67.3%), dried leaves (65.4%, and fishing from Sundarbans (80.6%). Besides, most of the respondents experienced disasters (66.7%), water logging and salinity (65.05%), waterborne diseases (89.5%), and monetary problems (81%), which forced them to stay in a more critical lifestyle. The perception level was high in the unconcerned level (77.15%) followed by concerned (11.4%) and very concerned (9.5%), while only 1.95% showed neutral and none of them were very concerned. Likewise, in the study region, respondents are confronted with a variety of risks and exposure (42%), vulnerabilities (33%), and lack of capacity (25%). Also, significant differences in perception level and no significant differences were observed in risk level in this study. These findings insights into the necessity of educational and financial interventions to optimize identified risks and problems and increase the perception level of effective policy-making processes and adaptation strategies to the adaptation of climate change.