bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tailoring Inorganic Halide Perovskite Photocatalysts toward Carbon Dioxide Reduction
Authors: Zhang Xingmo , Tang Rui , Li Feng , Zheng Rongkun , Huang Jun
Published: March 2022

In recent years, photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction has emerged as an attractive strategy to settle the global warming and energy crisis by converting CO2 into valuable chemicals utilizing solar energy. All‐inorganic halide perovskites (PVKs), as a class of promising light‐harvesting materials with outstanding optoelectronic properties and considerable stabilities, have received dramatic attention in the field of photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). In this review, the recent progress of PVK catalysts for CO2RR is systematically summarized and evaluated according to the modification strategies and their mechanisms. The working principles of CO2RR are first introduced. The main strategies for improving the photoelectrochemical performance are then discussed and their recent developments are summarized. Finally, the current challenges, including instability, charge recombination, and insufficient active sites, and future research opportunities for further development are addressed.
3D‐Printed Bionic Solar Evaporator
Authors: Wang Zhaolong , Zhan Ziheng , Chen Lei , Duan Guihui , Cheng Ping , Kong Hui , Chen Yongping , Duan Huigao
Published: March 2022

Solar water evaporation, which can be utilized for seawater desalination and wastewater treatment, promises freshwater security with renewable energy. Herein, a bionic solar evaporator consisting of a hydrogel solar absorber and bionic microchannels fabricated by the projection microstereolithography based 3D printing technique is proposed. Such a bioinspired solar evaporator achieves a fast water self‐transport speed and a high solar water evaporation rate of 4.12 kg·m−2·h−1 under 1 sun irradiation (1 kW·m−2), and the solar thermal efficiency can be as high as 92.1%. However, both the evaporation rate and solar thermal efficiency are greatly affected by properties of the hydrogel, geometric parameters of microchannels, and intensity of the light source. Most significantly, the bionic solar evaporator is applied for wastewater treatment including the purification of organic dyes, acid and alkali, as well as metal ions. The purification rate can be as high as 99.999%, demonstrating amazing performance for clean water production. The bioinspired water evaporator promises applications for solar energy harvesting, photothermal conversion, as well as environmental engineering, such as solar vapor generation, thermophotovoltaic cell, sewage disposal, and desalination of seawater.
Stability Improvement of Perovskite Homojunction by Inhibiting the Diffusion of Doping Defects
Authors: Ji Jun , Yan Luyao , Wang Xinxin , Du Shuxian , Liu Benyu , Huang Hao , Qu Shujie , Cui Peng , Li Yingfeng , Li Meicheng
Published: March 2022

Perovskite homojunction can promote the separation and oriented transportation of the photocarriers through the built‐in electric field, and weaken the dependence of solar cells on the charge transport layer. Although the perovskite homojunction shows great advantages in improving device efficiency, it retains the inherent poor stability of perovskite materials. Herein, it is found that donor defects (MA+ interstitial, I− vacancy, etc.) in the n‐type layer are prone to compensate the acceptor defects (MA+ vacancy, I− interstitial, etc.) in the p‐type layer. This compensation behavior results from the diffusion of doping defects driven by a concentration gradient, which leads to the weakening of the built‐in electric field. Furthermore, phenethylammonium iodide is introduced into the perovskite homojunction to inhibit the defect diffusion, which enhances the stability of the homojunction and the corresponding solar cells. After modification, the efficiency of perovskite homojunction solar cells is improved from 8.60% to 9.60%, and retains 80% (standard ≈30%) of initial efficiency after 1000 h aging.
Enhancing the Elliptic Curve Integrated Encryption Scheme in 5G mobile network for home network identity privacy
Authors: Choudhury Hiten
Published: March 2022

In mobile network, ensuring privacy to the subscriber is an obligation of the mobile operator. It is the responsibility of the operator to ensure that the private information about the subscriber like his/her identity does not get compromised. While adopting technologies with regards to issues like this, operators mostly follow specifications standardized by the third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). In a recent technical specification published by 3GPP for 5G mobile network, an Elliptic Curve Integrated Encryption Scheme (ECIES) is adopted for identity privacy. However, this scheme does not emphasize on protecting the identity of the home network with which the subscriber is registered. This may make the subscriber vulnerable to tracking by an adversary in a visited network through his/her home network identity. In this paper, we propose an enhanced scheme called scheme for home network identity privacy. Through a formal and an informal security analysis, the proposed scheme is found to be secured. Through a performance analysis, it is found that the scheme achieves its objective of securing the home network identity of the subscriber at the expense of 47% additional computation at the UE in comparison with the execution time that is incurred by ECIES.
Recent Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities of Membrane Distillation for Heavy Metals Removal
Authors: Aijaz M. O. , Karim M. R. , Omar N. M. A. , Othman M. H. D. , Wahab M. A. , Akhtar Uzzaman M. , Alharbi H. M. , Wazeer I.
Published: March 2022

Water is essential for the presence of life on this earth. However, water contamination due to the presence of heavy/toxic metals is one of the serious environmental issues for living beings. Several methods have been devoted to separating or removing those heavy metals from wastewater. Among them, membrane distillation (MD) has become one of the most attractive approaches due to its higher rejection rate than processes driven by pressure, lower energy consumption than traditional distillation processes. MD has gained significant attention for removing heavy metals than other techniques like ion exchange and adsorption in the last two decades. This review provides insight knowledge to the reader and focuses on how heavy metals impact humans and the environment, sources of heavy metals, current and especially removal methods using the MD method. Moreover, recent studies, challenges, and opportunities on MD membrane modules and heavy metal removal systems are discussed. More importantly, in this review, we have identified the gaps and opportunities that are required for enhancing the MD approach and its practical suitability for heavy metal removals. MD module and system showed high performance, proving their possible applications to remove heavy metal ions in water/wastewater treatment.
Prediction of fetal death in monochorionic twin pregnancies complicated by Type‐III selective fetal growth restriction
Authors: Van Mieghem T. , Lewi L. , Slaghekke F. , Lopriore E. , Yinon Y. , Raio L. , Baud D. , Dekoninck P. , Melamed N. , Huszti E. , Sun L. , Shinar S. ,   Collaborators
Published: March 2022

Objective

Monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies complicated by Type‐III selective fetal growth restriction (sFGR) are at high risk of fetal death. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of fetal death in these pregnancies.

Methods

This was an international multicenter retrospective cohort study. Type‐III sFGR was defined as fetal estimated fetal weight (EFW) of one twin below the 10th percentile and intertwin EFW discordance of ≥ 25% in combination with intermittent absent or reversed end‐diastolic flow in the umbilical artery of the smaller fetus. Predictors of fetal death were recorded longitudinally throughout gestation and assessed in univariable and multivariable logistic regression models. The classification and regression trees (CART) method was used to construct a prediction model of fetal death using significant predictors derived from the univariable analysis.

Results

A total of 308 twin pregnancies (616 fetuses) were included in the analysis. In 273 (88.6%) pregnancies, both twins were liveborn, whereas 35 pregnancies had single (n = 19 (6.2%)) or double (n = 16 (5.2%)) fetal death. On univariable analysis, earlier gestational age at diagnosis of Type‐III sFGR, oligohydramnios in the smaller twin and deterioration in umbilical artery Doppler flow were associated with an increased risk of fetal death, as was larger fetal EFW discordance, particularly between 24 and 32 weeks' gestation. None of the parameters identified on univariable analysis maintained statistical significance on multivariable analysis. The CART model allowed us to identify three risk groups: a low‐risk group (6.8% risk of fetal death), in which umbilical artery Doppler did not deteriorate; an intermediate‐risk group (16.3% risk of fetal death), in which umbilical artery Doppler deteriorated but the diagnosis of sFGR was made at or after 16 + 5 weeks' gestation; and a high‐risk group (58.3% risk of fetal death), in which umbilical artery Doppler deteriorated and gestational age at diagnosis was < 16 + 5 weeks' gestation.

Conclusions

Type‐III sFGR is associated with a high risk of fetal death. A prediction algorithm can help to identify the highest‐risk group, which is characterized by Doppler deterioration and early referral. Further studies should investigate the potential benefit of fetal surveillance and intervention in this cohort. © 2022 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Aging, male dominance, and decline of agricultural workers in the Central‐West Brazilian labor market
Authors: Telles Tiago Santos , Marques Felipe César , DelGrossi Mauro Eduardo
Published: March 2022

The objective of this study was to investigate the dynamics of the economically active population (EAP) employed in agricultural activities in the Central‐West region in Brazil, between 2004 and 2015. Based on microdata from the National Household Sample Survey, we analyzed the agricultural EAP according to occupation, gender, age, schooling, agricultural activities, and income. The results show a decline in the agricultural workers, accompanied by greater schooling and formalization of labor relations, by male dominance and also by the aging of agricultural workers in Central‐West Brazil. The agricultural EAP was concentrated in the 40–59 age group, with noticeable reduction in child labor and in the share of young adults. Although the female EAP in agriculture had more formal education than male workers, it showed a greater trend of decline over the period, while employers and formally registered employees had notably more years of schooling than those in other job categories. These results indicate important aspects about of those working in agriculture, which can be useful for rural development and food security policy purposes.
Impacts of food wastage on economic growth
Authors: CM Jayadevan
Published: March 2022

This paper attempts to identify the impact of food wastage on economic growth using the data for 165 countries over the 2014–2018 period. With the help of ordinary least squares (OLS) and generalized linear model (GLM), the study shows that food wastage and poverty impact GDP growth negatively. Poverty and food wastage are positively related. Reducing food wastage can lead to poverty reduction, stimulating GDP growth. Measures are required to reduce food wastage, especially in middle‐income countries with a high undernourishment rate. Food wastage reflects poor regulatory capacity, and strengthening the institutional quality can also reduce the wastage of food.
Subgraph mining in a large graph: A review
Authors: Nguyen Lam B. Q. , Zelinka Ivan , Snasel Vaclav , Nguyen Loan T. T. , Vo Bay
Published: March 2022

Large graphs are often used to simulate and model complex systems in various research and application fields. Because of its importance, frequent subgraph mining (FSM) in single large graphs is a vital issue, and recently, it has attracted numerous researchers, and played an important role in various tasks for both research and application purposes. FSM is aimed at finding all subgraphs whose number of appearances in a large graph is greater than or equal to a given frequency threshold. In most recent applications, the underlying graphs are very large, such as social networks, and therefore algorithms for FSM from a single large graph have been rapidly developed, but all of them have NP‐hard (nondeterministic polynomial time) complexity with huge search spaces, and therefore still need a lot of time and memory to restore and process. In this article, we present an overview of problems of FSM, important phases in FSM, main groups of FSM, as well as surveying many modern applied algorithms. This includes many practical applications and is a fundamental premise for many studies in the future.

This article is categorized under:

Algorithmic Development > Association Rules

Algorithmic Development > Structure Discovery
Zusammenfassung
Authors: Wilke René
Published: March 2022

Im Rahmen unseres Alltags sind wir es gewohnt, Gegenstände unserer Welt als gegebene Entitäten zu betrachten, die scheinbar eine von ihrer kommunikativen Realisierung unabhängige Existenz aufweisen. Anliegen dieser Forschungsarbeit ist es daher auch, im Rahmen eines kommunikativ konstruktivistischen Theorierahmens und vor dem Hintergrund der wissenssoziologisch-gattungsanalytischen Betrachtungsweise einer spezifischen Kommunikationsform, aufzuzeigen, dass dem nicht so ist. Vielmehr gilt selbst für die Wissenschaft, worauf ich eingangs dieser Arbeit mit einer allgemeingültigen Erkenntnis des KoKo hingewiesen hatte.
D3-branes and M5-branes wrapped on a topological disc
Authors: Suh Minwoo
Published: March 2022

Abstract

Employing the method applied to construct AdS5 solutions from M5-branes recently by Bah, Bonetti, Minasian and Nardoni, we construct supersymmetric AdS3 solutions from D3-branes and M5-branes wrapped on a disc with non-trivial holonomies at the boundary. In five-dimensional U(1)3-gauged $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 supergravity, we find $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= (2, 2) and $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= (4, 4) supersymmetric AdS3 solutions. We uplift the solutions to type IIB supergravity and obtain D3-branes wrapped on a topological disc. We also uplift the solutions to eleven-dimensional supergravity and obtain M5-branes wrapped on a product of topological disc and Riemann surface. For the $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= (2, 2) solution, holographic central charges are finite and well-defined. On the other hand, we could not find $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= (4, 4) solution with finite holographic central charge. Finally, we show that the topological disc we obtain is, in fact, identical to a special case of the multi-charge spindle solution.
Die segmentale und somatische Dysfunktion
Authors: Schnell Hein , Wagner Florian Max-Josef , Locher Hermann
Published: March 2022

Hintergrund

Manuelle Medizin basiert auf neurophysiologischen und biomechanischen Zusammenhängen. Gestörte sensomotorische Regulation führt zu segmentalen und somatischen Dysfunktionen. Auf spinaler Ebene entstehen über die segmentale Zuordnung somatosensorische und vegetative Fehlleistungen. Klinisch imponieren lokale Schmerzen, „Referred-pain“-Syndrome sowie diffuse viszerale Beschwerden. Über myofasziale Strukturen können diese Fehlfunktionen in andere Körperregionen übertragen werden und von dort wiederum über die segmentalen neuronalen Verschaltungen weitere Folgeerscheinungen nach sich ziehen. Die Manuelle Medizin widmet sich diesen Zusammenhängen.

Techniken

Der therapeutische Erfolg manueller Interventionen entsteht durch Einflussnahme auf das propriozeptive System, wodurch die sensomotorische Regulation verbessert werden kann. Propriozeptive Reize wirken zudem direkt schmerzhemmend im Zentralnervensystem (ZNS). Manuelle Techniken können primär Gelenke, myofasziale Strukturen und auch die Viszera zum Zielorgan haben, gemeinsames Ziel ist das Setzen von propriozeptiven Reizen mit gezielter segmentaler Zuordnung.

Pathologie

Das Verständnis der neurophysiologischen und biomechanischen Zusammenhänge kann ein wertvolles differenzialdiagnostisches Instrument sein, insbesondere bei scheinbar inkonsistenter Befundkonstellation. Auch strukturelle Pathologien können reflektorisch zu Dysfunktionen führen. Ob die strukturelle Pathologie oder die Dysfunktion führend für das klinische Bild verantwortlich ist, lässt sich häufig durch eine probatorische manuelle Therapie beurteilen. Lege artis indiziert und durchgeführt besteht ein exzellentes Nutzen-Risiko-Verhältnis.
Action versus energy ground states in nonlinear Schrödinger equations
Authors: Dovetta Simone , Serra Enrico , Tilli Paolo
Published: March 2022

We investigate the relations between normalized critical points of the nonlinear Schrödinger energy functional and critical points of the corresponding action functional on the associated Nehari manifold. Our first general result is that the ground state levels are strongly related by the following duality result: the (negative) energy ground state level is the Legendre–Fenchel transform of the action ground state level. Furthermore, whenever an energy ground state exists at a certain frequency, then all action ground states with that frequency have the same mass and are energy ground states too. We prove that the converse is in general false and that the action ground state level may fail to be convex. Next we analyze the differentiability of the ground state action level and we provide an explicit expression involving the mass of action ground states. Finally we show that similar results hold also for local minimizers.
Clinical and microbiological characterization of Aerococcus urinae bacteraemias at Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland
Authors: Sihvonen Reetta , Turunen Maria , Lehtola Laura , Pakarinen Laura , Grönroos Juha O. , Rantakokko-Jalava Kaisu , Pätäri-Sampo Anu
Published: March 2022

Our objective was to assess the incidence of bacteraemic Aerococcus urinae cases at Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland, from a 6-year study period (2013 to 2018) and to further characterize available cases. The study evaluates the outcome of commonly used cefuroxime treatment and determinate a set of A. urinae in vitro antimicrobial susceptibilities for benzylpenicillin, cefuroxime, and ceftriaxone. Clinical records of A. urinae bacteraemic patients were reviewed retrospectively. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion, gradient test, and broth microdilution for 139–141 clinical A. urinae isolates. Clinical data of 72/77 patients were combined with the in vitro susceptibilities. We found an increasing number of bacteraemic A. urinae cases within 6-year study period (p = 0.01). The patients were mainly elderly males, and all suffered from underlying conditions. A total of 27.3% of cases (21/77) showed polymicrobial blood cultures. Thirty-day mortality was 22.1%. Cefuroxime was the initial empiric antimicrobial agent given for 66/76 of the patients and treatment outcome was favorable for 20/22 patients who received cefuroxime at least up to day 5. All isolates were susceptible to benzylpenicillin and cefuroxime interpreted by EUCAST breakpoints for Aerococci and PK-PD breakpoints, respectively. MIC determinations gave variable results for ceftriaxone, 2.1–2.9% of the isolates were resistant. To conclude, it seems that the number of bacteraemic Aerococcus urinae cases is increasing at Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland, reflecting the growing blood culture sampling. Clinical A. urinae isolates were susceptible to cefuroxime in vitro. Treatment data indicate that empirical cefuroxime started for possibly urinary tract -derived community-acquired bacteraemia covers A. urinae.
Paludiculture crops and nitrogen kick-start ecosystem service provisioning in rewetted peat soils
Authors: Vroom R. J. E. , Geurts J. J. M. , Nouta R. , Borst A. C. W. , Lamers L. P. M. , Fritz C.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Paludiculture (crop cultivation in wet peatlands) can prevent carbon and nutrient losses while enabling biomass production. As vegetation in rewetted peatlands is often nitrogen (N) limited, input of N-rich water may promote biomass production and nutrient removal. However, it is unclear how N loading and soil characteristics affect biomass yield, nutrient dynamics, and ecosystem service provisioning in paludiculture.

Methods

We studied the influence of N loading (0, 50, 150, and 450 kg N ha−1 yr−1) on biomass production and nutrient sequestration of Typha latifolia (broadleaf cattail) and Phragmites australis (common reed) in mesocosms containing rewetted agricultural peat soil (intensively managed, near-neutral (IN)). To assess the interaction with soil characteristics T. latifolia was also grown on an extensively managed, acid (EA) peat soil.

Results

N loading stimulated biomass production and nutrient uptake of both T. latifolia and P. australis, with T. latifolia showing the most pronounced response. Biomass yield of T. latifolia was higher on IN soil than on EA soil due to the higher pH, despite lower nutrient availability. N was largely taken up by the vegetation, whereas bare soils showed N accumulation in pore and surface water, and 80% loss through denitrification. Soil phosphorus was efficiently taken up by T. latifolia, especially at high N loads.

Conclusion

N loading in paludiculture with T. latifolia and P. australis boosts biomass production while kick-starting peatland ecosystem services including nutrient removal. Nutrient availability and pH appear to be decisive soil characteristics when it comes to crop selection.
An Association Between Psychological Childbirth Trauma and Hazardous Alcohol Use
Authors: Doherty Michelle , Hunt Sally A.
Published: March 2022

Hazardous alcohol use is increasing amongst some groups of women, yet little is known about the underlying reasons or gender-specific influences. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between psychological childbirth trauma and women’s hazardous alcohol use. We aimed to identify predictors of hazardous alcohol use given childbirth-related trauma, other life trauma (combat, natural disasters, physical or sexual assault, experiences threatening loss of life or loss of loved ones) and coping motives for drinking, whilst controlling for age, socio-economic status, negative affect and other drinking motives (enhancement and social motives). Australian data from the Why Women Drink survey (N = 301) was analysed. Women who experienced childbirth as traumatic scored higher overall for hazardous drinking and endorsed coping reasons more strongly than those who did not. Analyses of individual differences affecting hazardous drinking revealed coping reasons, rather than trauma itself, as the strongest predictor in a regression model. Other significant predictors included socio-economic status, enhancement of positive emotions and, marginally, negative affect. Findings identified a link between traumatic childbirth and hazardous drinking as a coping strategy. Prospective research is required to characterise predisposing and perpetuating vulnerabilities determining maladaptive coping after traumatic childbirth, and to inform effective interventions.
On discriminating between lognormal and Pareto tail: an unsupervised mixture-based approach
Authors: Bee Marco
Published: March 2022

Many stochastic models in economics and finance are described by distributions with a lognormal body. Testing for a possible Pareto tail and estimating the parameters of the Pareto distribution in these models is an important topic. Although the problem has been extensively studied in the literature, most applications are characterized by some weaknesses. We propose a method that exploits all the available information by taking into account the data generating process of the whole population. After estimating a lognormal–Pareto mixture with a known threshold via the EM algorithm, we exploit this result to develop an unsupervised tail estimation approach based on the maximization of the profile likelihood function. Monte Carlo experiments and two empirical applications to the size of US metropolitan areas and of firms in an Italian district confirm that the proposed method works well and outperforms two commonly used techniques. Simulation results are available in an online supplementary appendix.
Writing for the reader: Using reader expectation principles to maximize clarity
Authors: Lingard Lorelei
Published: March 2022

None
The Kantian account of mechanical explanation of natural ends in eighteenth and nineteenth century biology
Authors: Beekman Wim , Jochemsen Henk
Published: March 2022

The rise of the mechanistic worldview in the seventeenth century had a major impact on views of biological generation. Many seventeenth century naturalists rejected the old animist thesis. However, the alternative view of gradual mechanistic formation in embryology didn’t convince either. How to articulate the peculiarity of life? Researchers in the seventeenth century proposed both “animist” and mechanistic theories of life. In the eighteenth century again a controversy in biology arose regarding the explanation of generation. Some adhered to the view that life is a physical property of matter (e.g. Buffon), others saw living entities as the result of the development of pre-existing germs (e.g. Bonnet). Naturalists, lacked a convincing account that could guide their research. In interaction with leading naturalists of his time Immanuel Kant articulated an approach to explaining generation. Kant’s account, delineated in hisKritik der Urteilskraft(Critique of the power of judgment) (1790), is a combination of Newtoniannon-reductionist mechanismin explanation, and a concept of natural end comparable to Stahl’sformal conception of organic bodies.It consists of two claims: a) in biology only mechanical explanation is explanatory, and b) living entities contain some original organisation, which is mechanically unexplainable. In the nineteenth century this approach influenced naturalists as Müller, Virchow, and Von Baer, in their physiological research. Dissatisfied with a sheer mechanistic or, on the other hand, a sheer teleological approach, they appreciated the Kantian account of mechanical explanation of natural ends. In Germany, in the second halve of the nineteenth century, Ernst Haeckel reopened the debate about abiogenesis, which still continuous.
Trends in particle and nuclei identification techniques in nuclear physics experiments
Authors: Badalà A. , La Cognata M. , Nania R. , Osipenko M. , Piantelli S. , Turrisi R. , Barion L. , Capra S. , Carbone D. , Carnesecchi F. , Casula E. A. R. , Chatterjee C. , Ciani G. F. , Depalo R. , Di Nitto A. , Fantini A. , Goasduff A. , Guardo G. L. , Kraan A. C. , Manna A. , Marsicano L. , Martorana N. S. , Morales-Gallegos L. , Naselli E. , Scordo A. , Valdré S. , Volpe G.
Published: March 2022

Particle identification techniques are fundamental tools in nuclear physics experiments. Discriminating particles or nuclei produced in nuclear interactions allows to better understand the underlying physics mechanisms. The energy interval of these reactions is very broad, from sub-eV up to TeV. For this reason, many different identification approaches have been developed, often combining two or more observables. This paper reviews several of these techniques with emphasis on the expertise gained within the current nuclear physics scientific program of the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN).
Organic Carbon and Aggregate Stability of Three Contrasting Soils as Affected by Arable Agriculture and Improved Pasture in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Mbanjwa Vusumuzi E. , Hughes Jeffrey C. , Muchaonyerwa Pardon
Published: March 2022

Changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) and aggregate stability as a result of agricultural practices have been extensively studied, but the extent of these changes is site and crop specific. In this study, SOC and aggregate stability were evaluated under undisturbed grassland, cultivated pasture and arable land uses in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The soils in this study were sampled from the 0–5, 5–10 and 10–20 cm depths of a Nitisol, Stagnosol and Fluvisol, and analysed for SOC content and stocks and aggregate stability. In all soils, SOC was significantly lower under arable cultivation (range from 1.4 to 2.1%) compared to the grassland and pasture (3.4 to 4.2%) in the top 10 cm. The soil carbon stocks followed a similar trend to the SOC in all soils and under all land uses. The overall aggregate stability expressed as mean weight diameter (MWD) was also significantly lower under the arable land use (1.03 to 1.82 mm) compared to grassland (2.44 to 2.96 mm) at all depths in all the soils, except at 5–10 cm in the Stagnosol. The MWD values under grassland and pasture were equal at all depths in all the soils. The MWD increased with SOC up to a threshold of 3.0–3.9% indicating the importance of SOC in soil aggregation. The weak correlation in the Stagnosol suggests that other factors are important in this soil. The loss of SOC and decline in aggregate stability over a period of 38 years of continuous arable cultivation in the near surface layers of two of the soils are potentially problematic for soil sustainability in the longer term.
Nitrogen-doped biochars as adsorbents for mitigation of heavy metals and organics from water: a review
Authors: Kasera Nitesh , Kolar Praveen , Hall Steven G.
Published: March 2022

Mitigation of toxic contaminants from wastewater is crucial to the safety and sustainability of the aquatic ecosystem and human health. There is a pressing need to find economical and efficient technologies for municipal, agricultural, aquacultural, and industrial wastewater treatment. Nitrogen-doped biochar, which is synthesized from waste biomass, is shown to exhibit good adsorptive performance towards harmful aqueous contaminants, including heavy metals and organic chemicals. Incorporating nitrogen into the biochar matrix changes the overall electronic structure of biochar, which favors the interaction of N-doped biochar with contaminants. In this review, we start the discussion with the preparation techniques and raw materials used for the production of N-doped biochar, along with its structural attributes. Next, the adsorption of heavy metals and organic pollutants on N-doped biochars is systematically discussed. The adsorption mechanisms of contaminant removal by N-doped biochar are also clearly explained. Further, mathematical analyses of adsorption, crucial to the quantification of adsorption, process design, and understanding of the mechanics of the process, are reviewed. Furthermore, the influence of environmental parameters on the adsorption process and the reusability of N-doped biochars are critically evaluated. Finally, future research trends for the design and development of application-specific preparation of N-doped biochars for wastewater treatment are suggested.

Graphical abstract
Capturing stance dynamics in social media: open challenges and research directions
Authors: Alkhalifa Rabab , Zubiaga Arkaitz
Published: March 2022

Social media platforms provide a goldmine for mining public opinion on issues of wide societal interest and impact. Opinion mining is a problem that can be operationalised by capturing and aggregating the stance of individual social media posts as supporting, opposing or being neutral towards the issue at hand. While most prior work in stance detection has investigated datasets that cover short periods of time, interest in investigating longitudinal datasets has recently increased. Evolving dynamics in linguistic and behavioural patterns observed in new data require adapting stance detection systems to deal with the changes. In this survey paper, we investigate the intersection between computational linguistics and the temporal evolution of human communication in digital media. We perform a critical review of emerging research considering dynamics, exploring different semantic and pragmatic factors that impact linguistic data in general, and stance in particular. We further discuss current directions in capturing stance dynamics in social media. We discuss the challenges encountered when dealing with stance dynamics, identify open challenges and discuss future directions in three key dimensions: utterance, context and influence.
Bayesian optimization with informative parametric models via sequential Monte Carlo
Authors: Oliveira Rafael , Scalzo Richard , Kohn Robert , Cripps Sally , Hardman Kyle , Close John , Taghavi Nasrin , Lemckert Charles
Published: March 2022

Bayesian optimization (BO) has been a successful approach to optimize expensive functions whose prior knowledge can be specified by means of a probabilistic model. Due to their expressiveness and tractable closed-form predictive distributions, Gaussian process (GP) surrogate models have been the default go-to choice when deriving BO frameworks. However, as nonparametric models, GPs offer very little in terms of interpretability and informative power when applied to model complex physical phenomena in scientific applications. In addition, the Gaussian assumption also limits the applicability of GPs to problems where the variables of interest may highly deviate from Gaussianity. In this article, we investigate an alternative modeling framework for BO which makes use of sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) to perform Bayesian inference with parametric models. We propose a BO algorithm to take advantage of SMC’s flexible posterior representations and provide methods to compensate for bias in the approximations and reduce particle degeneracy. Experimental results on simulated engineering applications in detecting water leaks and contaminant source localization are presented showing performance improvements over GP-based BO approaches.
Iron supplementation during the first trimester of pregnancy after a national change of recommendation: a Danish cross-sectional study
Authors: Løvschal Line B. , Høgh Stinne , Bergholt Thomas , Maslin Kate , Shawe Jill , Hegaard Hanne K. , de Wolff Mie G.
Published: March 2022

In 2013, the Danish Health Authorities recommended a change in prophylactic iron supplementation to 40–50 mg/d from gestational week 10. Hence, the aims of the present study were (1) to estimate the prevalence of women who follow the Danish recommendation on iron supplementation during the last 3 weeks of the first trimester of pregnancy and (2) to identify potential sociodemographic, reproductive and health-related pre-pregnancy predictors for iron supplementation during the first trimester. We conducted a cross-sectional study with data from the hospital-based Copenhagen Pregnancy Cohort. Characteristics were analysed by descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the associations between predictors and iron supplementation during the last 3 weeks of the first trimester. The study population consisted of 23 533 pregnant women attending antenatal care at Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet from October 2013 to May 2019. The prevalence of iron supplementation according to recommendations was 49⋅1 %. The pre-pregnancy factors of ≥40 years of age, the educational level below a higher degree and a vegetarian or vegan diet were identified as predictors for iron supplementation during the first trimester of pregnancy. Approximately half of the women were supplemented with the recommended dose of iron during the first trimester of pregnancy. We identified pre-pregnancy predictors associated with iron supplementation. Interventions that target women of reproductive age are needed. An enhanced focus on iron supplementation during pregnancy should be incorporated in pre-pregnancy and interpregnancy counselling.
POSITIVELY CURVED FINSLER METRICS ON VECTOR BUNDLES
Authors: WU KUANG-RU
Published: March 2022

We construct a convex and strongly pseudoconvex Kobayashi positive Finsler metric on a vector bundle E under the assumption that the symmetric power of the dual
$S^kE^*$
has a Griffiths negative
$L^2$
-metric for some k. The proof relies on the negativity of direct image bundles and the Minkowski inequality for norms. As a corollary, we show that given a strongly pseudoconvex Kobayashi positive Finsler metric, one can upgrade to a convex Finsler metric with the same property. We also give an extremal characterization of Kobayashi curvature for Finsler metrics.
Historical Border Changes, State Building, and Contemporary Trust in Europe
Authors: ABRAMSON SCOTT F , CARTER DAVID B. , YING LUWEI
Published: March 2022

Political borders profoundly influence outcomes central to international politics. Accordingly, a growing literature shows that historical boundaries affect important macro-outcomes such as patterns of interstate disputes and trade. To explain these findings, existing theories posit that borders have persistent effects on individual-level behavior, but the literature lacks empirical evidence of such effects. Combining spatial data on centuries of border changes in Europe with a wide range of contemporary survey evidence, we show that historical border changes have persistent effects on two of the most politically significant aspects of behavior: individuals’ political and social trust. We demonstrate that in areas where borders frequently changed, individuals are, on average, less trusting of others as well as their governments. We argue that this occurs because border changes disrupt historical state-building processes and limit the formation of interpersonal social networks, which leads to lower levels of trust.
Women and the Reformation in Tudor Ireland
Authors: JEFFERIES HENRY A.
Published: March 2022

This paper addresses a major historical lacuna by highlighting some of the ways through which women helped to shape Irish responses to the English Reformation in Ireland. It reveals that women were often key to a web of contacts linking English resistance to the Tudors’ reformations to Irish resistance. It affirms that women played a significant role in the Reformation in Tudor Ireland, not least of all in its ultimate failure. Because virtually no Irish women became Protestants in the sixteenth century, though a small number of Irish men was converted, no self-perpetuating indigenous community of Irish Protestants was generated.
Asia’s Silver Absorption through the Triangular Settlement System, 1846–1870
Authors: Kobayashi Atsushi
Published: March 2022

This study reveals the operation of the triangular settlement system for Asia’s silver absorption over the 1850s–60s, which contributed to the stabilization of the pre-1870 global monetary system. First, we demonstrate that the triangular settlement system among Britain, India, and China was established based on exchange operations. Second, we validate the bullion point method for Asia’s settlement analysis and devise the triangular silver point mechanism. Third, through reconstructing silver points and comparing the arbitrage profits with the silver trade, we found that silver was imported into Asia from Britain through both the bilateral and triangular settlement systems.
Predation of the fungus Duddingtonia flagrans on infective larvae of gastrointestinal nematodes from heifers in a silvopastoral system under shaded and sunny conditions
Authors: Buss Baiak Barbara Haline , de Sousa Karolini Tenffen , Deniz Matheus , Gasparina Jennifer Mayara , Ianke Letícia , Pereira Leticia Macedo , Araújo Jackson Victor , Rocha Raquel Abdallah , Dittrich João Ricardo
Published: March 2022

The objective of this study was to evaluate the predatory activity of the nematophagous fungus Duddingtonia flagrans on infective larvae of gastrointestinal nematodes from dairy heifers in different conditions (shaded and sunny) of a silvopastoral system (SPS) on an agroecological farm. Ten Jersey heifers were divided into two groups: treated (received pellets containing fungus); and control (received pellets without fungus). Twelve hours after fungus administration, faeces samples were collected for in vitro efficacy tests. The animals then remained for 8 h in the experimental pasture area. At the end of this period, 20 faecal pads (10 treated and 10 control) were selected. Pasture, faecal pad and soil collections occurred at intervals of seven days (d), totalling four assessments over 28 d. To evaluate the influence of the conditions shaded and sunny, we registered the condition of the location of each faecal pad per hour. After 12 h of gastrointestinal transit in dairy heifers, a reduction of 65% was obtained through the in vitro test. The treated group presented a lower number of infective larvae (L3) in the faecal pad and upper pasture. Differences in numbers of L3 were observed between the conditions (sunny and shaded) in the faecal pad of the control group; while in the treated group there were no differences between the conditions. The predatory activity of the fungus was efficient over time in the shaded and sunny conditions of an SPS, decreasing the parasite contamination during the pasture recovery time in a subtropical climate.
How I do it: intracapsular coblation tonsillectomy
Authors: Thompson G , Bateman N
Published: March 2022

Background

There has been increased interest in the adoption of an intracapsular tonsillectomy technique in the UK in recent years. The adoption of any newer surgical technique inevitably is accompanied by an educational need.

Objectives

This paper aims to outline the equipment preparation and surgical steps for intracapsular coblation tonsillectomy, including recognition of the tonsillar capsule. The paper also discusses how to avoid and deal with common complications and technical difficulties.
Lateral tongue bracing as a universal postural basis for speech
Authors: Liu Yadong , Tong Felicia , de Boer Gillian , Gick Bryan
Published: March 2022

Lateral bracing refers to an intentional tongue posture whereby the sides of the tongue make contact with the sides of the palate and the upper molars. While previous research on this topic has focused mostly on English, the present study tests the hypothesis that lateral bracing provides a fundamental postural basis for speech and is present across languages. We predicted that, across multiple languages, the sides of the tongue should be more stable than the center and should stay in a relatively high position in the mouth throughout most of running speech. Using coronal ultrasound imaging, we measured tongue movement produced by speakers (N = 28) of six languages (Akan, Cantonese, English, Korean, Mandarin and Spanish). Across these languages, as predicted, the sides of the tongue throughout running speech were positioned higher in the mouth than the center, and the range of movement of the sides was significantly smaller than that of the center of the tongue. These findings support the view that the sides of the tongue maintain a braced posture across languages while speaking, potentially constituting a universal, rather than language-specific, postural basis for speech.
Course of intellectual functioning in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: a 10-year follow-up study
Authors: Flaaten Camilla Bärthel , Melle Ingrid , Gardsjord Erlend , Bjella Thomas , Engen Magnus Johan , Vaskinn Anja , Åsbø Gina , Wold Kristin Fjelnseth , Widing Line , Lyngstad Siv Hege , Haatveit Beathe , Simonsen Carmen , Ueland Torill
Published: March 2022

Background

Intellectual functioning (IQ) is lower in schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls, with bipolar patients intermediate between the two. Declines in IQ mark the onset of schizophrenia, while stability is generally found post-onset. There are to date few studies on long-term IQ development in bipolar disorder. This study presents 10-year follow-up data on IQ, including premorbid IQ estimates, to track the developmental course from pre-onset levels to long-term outcomes in both patient groups compared to healthy controls.

Methods

We included 139 participants with schizophrenia, 76 with bipolar disorder and 125 healthy controls. Mixed model analyses were used to estimate developmental slopes for IQ scores from estimated premorbid level (NART IQ) through baseline (WASI IQ) measured within 12 months post-onset, to 10-year follow-up (WASI IQ), with pairwise group comparisons. The best fit was found using a model with a breakpoint at baseline assessment.

Results

Only the schizophrenia group had significant declines from estimated premorbid to baseline IQ levels compared to controls. When comparing patient groups, schizophrenia patients had steeper declines than the bipolar group. Increases in IQ were found in all groups over the follow-up period.

Conclusions

Trajectories of IQ from premorbid level to 10-year follow-up indicated declines from estimated premorbid level to illness onset in both patient groups, followed by increases during the follow-up period. Schizophrenia patients had a steeper decline than bipolar patients. During follow-up, increases indicate developmental improvement for both patient groups, but with a maintained lag compared to healthy controls due to lower premorbid levels.
High body weight variability is associated with increased risk of depression: a nationwide cohort study in South Korea
Authors: Park Mi Jin , Yoo Juhwan , Han Kyungdo , Shin Dong Wook , Fava Maurizio , Mischoulon David , Jeon Hong Jin
Published: March 2022

Background

Body weight variability (BWV) negatively affects the incidence and outcomes of various diseases, but the nature of the association between BWV and depression remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to test the hypothesis that BWV is associated with the risk of new-onset depression.

Methods

Data from a nationwide population-based cohort in the Korean National Health Insurance Service database were analyzed for 6 598 570 adults with no history of depression and reports of at least three health examinations. BWV was estimated using variability independent of the mean indices and divided into quartiles (Q1 lowest, Q4 highest BWV). Cox proportional hazard models were applied to assess the risk of depression according to the quartile of BWV.

Results

The incident rate for depression from Q1 to Q4 of BWV was 20.7, 20.3, 20.8, and 22.2 per 1000 person-years, respectively. BWV, especially high BWV, was associated with an increased risk of depression after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, income, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. The hazard ratio (HR) of new-onset depression was highest in Q4 relative to Q1 in the total population (HR 1.12, p < 0.0001) and was higher in women than in men (HR 1.72 v. 1.16, p < 0.0001). In stratified analyses, regardless of obesity or weight change status at baseline, the risk of depression was increased when bodyweight fluctuated highly during follow-up.

Conclusions

High BWV was associated with an increased risk of depression. Further studies need to evaluate the role of high BWV with respect to the onset of depression.