bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
3D printed polylactide‐based zirconia‐toughened alumina composites: fabrication, mechanical, and in vitro evaluation
Authors: Alam Mushtaq , Manivannan Ezhilan , Rizwan Mohamed , Gopan Gopika , Mani Maheswaran , Kannan Sanjeevi
Published: September 2023

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) has been a commonly used technique in the fabrication of geometrically complex biodegradable scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Generally, either individual polylactide (PLA) or its combination with calcium phosphates or bioglass has been employed to design scaffolds through the principles of FDM. In this study, FDM protocol has been employed to design 3D printed PLA/zirconia‐toughened alumina (ZTA). A series of PLA/ZTA combinations have been attempted to determine the feasibility of the resultant in filament extrusion and their subsequent capacity to obtain a stable 3D printed component. A maximum of 80 wt.% PLA and 20 wt.% ZTA has been determined as an optimum combination to yield a stable 3D structure beyond which an enhanced ZTA content in the PLA matrix yielded a fragile filament that lacked effectiveness in 3D printing. 5 and 10 wt.% of ZTA addition in the PLA matrix produced a better 3D design that reasonably displayed good mechanical properties. Depending on the ceramic content, a homogeneous dispersion of the constituent elements representative of ZTA has been determined throughout the PLA matrix. Simulation studies through finite element analysis (FEA) exhibited good corroboration with the test results obtained from the mechanical studies.
Potential bias when using social media for selection: Differential effects of candidate demographic characteristics, race match, perceived similarity, and profile detail
Authors: Henderson Kevin E. , Welsh Elizabeth T.
Published: September 2023

Organizations are using social media as part of their selection processes. However, little is known about whether bias or discrimination is problematic when using these sources. Therefore, we examined whether manipulating the name and photograph of two otherwise equivalent LinkedIn‐like profiles would influence evaluations of candidate qualifications and hireability as well as perceived similarity using an experimental design. To test our hypotheses based on bias/discrimination research and the similarity‐attraction paradigm, a total of 401 working adults were recruited through Mechanical Turk. No evidence was found for bias or discrimination against women or people of color. However, female candidates were viewed as more hireable than male candidates, and Black men were viewed as less qualified than Black women and White men. Furthermore, we found that perceived similarity increased when the participant's gender or race matched the candidate's gender or race, respectively, and also that perceived similarity was related to candidate ratings; however, neither gender nor race match was directly related to candidate ratings. When profiles were more detailed, participants rated candidates of the same race higher than candidates of other races, and perceived similarity fully indirectly mediated this relationship. Conversely, when less detail was provided, participants rated candidates of the same race lower. Thus, while bias/discrimination toward women and people of color is not inherent when using LinkedIn for selection, having a racially diverse set of selectors is important to ensure fairness. This reveals a nuanced view of diversity issues when using social media for selection.
NETosis: Sculpting tumor metastasis and immunotherapy
Authors: Hu Yanyan , Wang Houhong , Liu Yang
Published: September 2023

The process of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation, called NETosis, is a peculiar death modality of neutrophils, which was first observed as an immune response against bacterial infection. However, recent work has revealed the unique biology of NETosis in facilitating tumor metastatic process. Neutrophil extracellular traps released by the tumor microenvironment (TME) shield tumor cells from cytotoxic immunity, leading to impaired tumor clearance. Besides, tumor cells tapped by NETs enable to travel through vessels and subsequently seed distant organs. Targeted ablation of NETosis has been proven to be beneficial in potentiating the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy in the metastatic settings. This review outlines the impact of NETosis at almost all stages of tumor metastasis. Furthermore, understanding the multifaceted interplay between NETosis and the TME components is crucial for supporting the rational development of highly effective combination immunotherapeutic strategies with anti‐NETosis for patients with metastatic disease.
Possible systolic fascicular potentials in patients with left bundle branch block undergoing left bundle branch area pacing: A case series
Authors: Coluccia Giovanni , Accogli Michele , Parlavecchio Antonio , Palmisano Pietro
Published: September 2023

Introduction

In left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP), several methods allow determination of lead depth during active fixation inside the septum: among these, visualization of a Purkinje potential indicates that the subendocardial area has been reached. In LBB block (LBBB) patients, fascicular potentials are visible as presystolic only in rare conditions.

Methods and Results

Since October 2022 until August 2023, LBBAP was attempted in 21 patients with LBBB at our Center: among the 18 consecutive patients (86%) in which it was successful, focusing on the terminal part of the unipolar ventricular electrogram (VEGM) recorded in the LBBA (where fixation beats occurred and conduction system (CS) capture was confirmed), we always observed discrete high‐frequency, low‐amplitude signals during spontaneous rhythm with LBBB morphology, showing a consistent coupling with the QRS onset, falling in a portion of QRS interval ranging from 58% to 80% of its overall duration, and disappearing during pacing. As found in a recently published case report, these sharp signals could represent the activation of left ventricular CS fibers, occurring passively from the septal working myocardium, and thus appearing lately in the VEGM.

Conclusion

The possibility of recognizing discrete high‐frequency, low‐amplitude signals within the terminal portion of the unipolar VEGM, possibly representing left CS potentials, even in patients with LBBB, may constitute a useful additional means to notice operators about having reached the LBBA, thus helping to avoid perforation in the left ventricle.
Rheological properties of high‐pressure treated xanthan gum and guar gum blend solutions: A response surface approach
Authors: Ahmed Jasim , Eqbal Md Danish
Published: September 2023

In this research, the impact of pressurization (300–600 MPa) on the oscillatory rheology of a blend of xanthan gum (XG) and guar gum (GG) in solution (XG/GG) was examined at a selected gum concentration using a response surface methodology. Three independent variables pressure (0.101–600 MPa) concentration (0.75%–1.25%), and temperature (40–70°C)—were employed to maximize the dynamic moduli (G′, G″, and η*) of the blend solutions. The developed model suggested that all the linear, two quadratics (concentration and temperature), and two interactions (concentration‐pressure and concentration‐temperature) terms were significant (p < 0.05) for the dynamic moduli (R2 = 0.99) with insignificant lack‐of‐fit. The pressure‐induced mechanical rigidity was found to be higher when compared with the heat‐treated solutions, which requires further comprehensive structural assessment to endorse the order–disorder transition produced by high pressure. The superposition principles correlating time–temperature and time–pressure adequately fit the pressurized blend solutions.

Practical applications

The influence of high‐pressure on a blend of gum containing xanthan and guar has industrial significance by improving the structure/texture, and consistency of food products. The synergic action of gums enables them to act as a fat replacer and texture modifier in HP‐treated foods for special needs, in particular dysphagia diets.
Strategic detection of food contaminants using nanoparticle‐based paper sensors
Authors: Singh Karanveer , Aulakh Navneet Singh , Prakash Bhanu
Published: September 2023

Food is necessary for survival, and contamination can shorten humans' lives on Earth in all dimensions. Real‐time screening of food pollutants, such as toxins, infectious agents, and chemical contaminants, is in high demand today. Thus, a cost‐effective and ecologically benign technology must be developed to detect food contamination in a rapid fashion. Nanoparticle (NP)‐based paper sensors are one of the most important alternatives to traditional methods because these are simple, inexpensive, highly selective, and sensitive tools. This article provides an overview of NP‐based paper sensor techniques for detecting toxic food contaminants.
National culture and the revenue‐expense matching
Authors: Sunwoo Hee‐Yeon , Hyun Jeong‐Hoon , Oh Seungbin , Han Seung‐Youb
Published: September 2023

Prior studies on the link between country‐level cultural aspects and firms' arbitrary accounting practices are scant, and they show mixed results. To gain more insight about the impact of national culture on earnings characteristics, we exploit the matching concept between revenues and expenses, which well reflects managerial estimation and discretion in earnings quality. Using a large sample of 57 countries over the period 1989–2012, we find that (1) the economic association between revenues and expenses becomes stronger in firms from collectivistic and high uncertainty‐avoidant countries, (2) the impact of these dimensions of national culture on the matching is more salient for firms from countries characterized by a higher level of accrual accounting, a greater proportion of special‐items, and limited openness, and (3) the cultural impact on matching is mainly driven by the correlation between revenue and discretionary expense (i.e., selling, general, and administrative expense). These findings are consistent with the view that national culture plays an informal governance role to influence firms' discretionary accounting choices.
The use of deep learning state‐of‐the‐art architectures for oral epithelial dysplasia grading: A comparative appraisal
Authors: Araújo Anna Luíza Damaceno , Silva Viviane Mariano da , Moraes Matheus Cardoso , de Amorim Henrique Alves , Fonseca Felipe Paiva , Sant'Ana Maria Sissa Pereira , Mesquita Ricardo Alves , Mariz Bruno Augusto Linhares Almeida , Pontes Hélder Antônio Rebelo , de Souza Lucas Lacerda , Saldivia‐Siracusa Cristina , Khurram Syed Ali , Pearson Alexander T. , Martins Manoela Domingues , Lopes Marcio Ajudarte , Vargas Pablo Agustin , Kowalski Luiz Paulo , Santos‐Silva Alan Roger
Published: September 2023

Background

Dysplasia grading systems for oral epithelial dysplasia are a source of disagreement among pathologists. Therefore, machine learning approaches are being developed to mitigate this issue.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study included a cohort of 82 patients with oral potentially malignant disorders and correspondent 98 hematoxylin and eosin‐stained whole slide images with biopsied‐proven dysplasia. All whole‐slide images were manually annotated based on the binary system for oral epithelial dysplasia. The annotated regions of interest were segmented and fragmented into small patches and non‐randomly sampled into training/validation and test subsets. The training/validation data were color augmented, resulting in a total of 81,786 patches for training. The held‐out independent test set enrolled a total of 4,486 patches. Seven state‐of‐the‐art convolutional neural networks were trained, validated, and tested with the same dataset.

Results

The models presented a high learning rate, yet very low generalization potential. At the model development, VGG16 performed the best, but with massive overfitting. In the test set, VGG16 presented the best accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (62%, 62%, 66%, and 65%, respectively), associated with the higher loss among all Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) tested. EfficientB0 has comparable metrics and the lowest loss among all convolutional neural networks, being a great candidate for further studies.

Conclusion

The models were not able to generalize enough to be applied in real‐life datasets due to an overlapping of features between the two classes (i.e., high risk and low risk of malignization).
Deep learning applied to the histopathological diagnosis of ameloblastomas and ameloblastic carcinomas
Authors: Giraldo‐Roldan Daniela , Ribeiro Erin Crespo Cordeiro , Araújo Anna Luiza Damaceno , Penafort Paulo Victor Mendes , Silva Viviane Mariano da , Câmara Jeconias , Pontes Hélder Antônio Rebelo , Martins Manoela Domingues , Oliveira Márcio Campos , Santos‐Silva Alan Roger , Lopes Marcio Ajudarte , Kowalski Luiz Paulo , Moraes Matheus Cardoso , Vargas Pablo Agustin
Published: September 2023

Background

Odontogenic tumors (OT) are composed of heterogeneous lesions, which can be benign or malignant, with different behavior and histology. Within this classification, ameloblastoma and ameloblastic carcinoma (AC) represent a diagnostic challenge in daily histopathological practice due to their similar characteristics and the limitations that incisional biopsies represent. From these premises, we wanted to test the usefulness of models based on artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of oral and maxillofacial pathology for differential diagnosis. The main advantages of integrating Machine Learning (ML) with microscopic and radiographic imaging is the ability to significantly reduce intra‐and inter observer variability and improve diagnostic objectivity and reproducibility.

Methods

Thirty Digitized slides were collected from different diagnostic centers of oral pathology in Brazil. After performing manual annotation in the region of interest, the images were segmented and fragmented into small patches. In the supervised learning methodology for image classification, three models (ResNet50, DenseNet, and VGG16) were focus of investigation to provide the probability of an image being classified as class0 (i.e., ameloblastoma) or class1 (i.e., Ameloblastic carcinoma).

Results

The training and validation metrics did not show convergence, characterizing overfitting. However, the test results were satisfactory, with an average for ResNet50 of 0.75, 0.71, 0.84, 0.65, and 0.77 for accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, and F1‐score, respectively.

Conclusions

The models demonstrated a strong potential of learning, but lack of generalization ability. The models learn fast, reaching a training accuracy of 98%. The evaluation process showed instability in validation; however, acceptable performance in the testing process, which may be due to the small data set. This first investigation opens an opportunity for expanding collaboration to incorporate more complementary data; as well as, developing and evaluating new alternative models.
A generalized Hotelling–Downs model with asymmetric candidates
Authors: Nikram Elham , Balkenborg Dieter
Published: September 2023

We investigate an extension of the Hotelling–Downs model to the case where the preferences of the voters do not have to be single peaked. In the case where candidates only care about winning or losing, assuming that a voter elects each candidate symmetrically with equal probability when indifferent, previous works by Fisher and Ryan and by Laffond, Laslier, and Le Breton have shown that the equilibrium outcome of the model is unique. Uniqueness also holds in the case where candidates care about the strength of their majority. Our paper shows that furthermore the equilibrium is unique for small asymmetries in voter's behavior but not necessarily for large ones. In particular, if voters always vote for the incumbent rather than a newcomer when indifferent, the equilibrium policy outcome may fail to be unique. Moreover, we provide a further sufficient condition for uniqueness. Namely, suppose all voters vote for a given candidate with the same probability when indifferent. Then, if there is a Nash equilibrium in completely mixed strategies between the candidates, it is the only Nash equilibrium.
Detection of a PCR‐based mating type for native intraspecific Beauveria bassiana isolates
Authors: Chaithra M. , Prameeladevi T. , Kamil Deeba
Published: September 2023

This study developed a PCR‐based mating‐type analysis of 30 intraspecific Beauveria bassiana isolates after ITS phylogenetic analysis. Out of 30 isolates, only 11 B. bassiana isolates, viz., Bb4, Bb5, Bb11, Bb18, Bb19, Bb20, Bb23, Bb25, Bb27, Bb28, and Bb29, exhibited amplification of the mating‐type loci and were thought to be heterothallic. All of these isolates, with the exception of Bb20, had MAT1 mating‐type amplification. All these 11 isolates were clustered together with the MAT1‐ and MAT2‐specific reference strains of B. bassiana in the maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis of mating‐type genes (IFO 31953 and IFO 31676, respectively). Although the PCR products obtained by the mating‐type assay were short, the phylogenetic trees of the mating‐type genes gave better resolution than that of the ITS region. Understanding the mating type of fungi can clarify the biological species concept and the identification of sex‐related genes in fungi without the presence of teleomorphs. So, combining phylogenetic, developmental, and mating research on each teleomorph specimen has the potential to clarify the systematics of Beauveria species.
The impacts of oral and gut microbiota on alveolar bone loss in periodontitis
Authors: Han Nannan , Li Xiaoyan , Du Juan , Xu Junji , Guo Lijia , Liu Yi
Published: September 2023

Periodontitis, a chronic infectious disease, primarily arises from infections and the invasion of periodontal pathogens. This condition is typified by alveolar bone loss resulting from host immune responses and inflammatory reactions. Periodontal pathogens trigger aberrant inflammatory reactions within periodontal tissues, thereby exacerbating the progression of periodontitis. Simultaneously, these pathogens and metabolites stimulate osteoclast differentiation, which leads to alveolar bone resorption. Moreover, a range of systemic diseases, including diabetes, postmenopausal osteoporosis, obesity and inflammatory bowel disease, can contribute to the development and progression of periodontitis. Many studies have underscored the pivotal role of gut microbiota in bone health through the gut‐alveolar bone axis. The circulation may facilitate the transfer of gut pathogens or metabolites to distant alveolar bone, which in turn regulates bone homeostasis. Additionally, gut pathogens can elicit gut immune responses and direct immune cells to remote organs, potentially exacerbating periodontitis. This review summarizes the influence of oral microbiota on the development of periodontitis as well as the association between gut microbiota and periodontitis. By uncovering potential mechanisms of the gut‐bone axis, this analysis provides novel insights for the targeted treatment of pathogenic bacteria in periodontitis.
The effect of auditory stimuli on the pain and physiological parameters of children on mechanical ventilation during aspiration procedure: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Demir Kübra , Konuk Şener Dilek
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The study was conducted to determine the effect of mother's voice and music sound on pain and physiological parameters during aspiration procedure in children with mechanical ventilation support in the pediatric intensive care unit.

Design and Methods

This study was a randomized controlled type experimental study. According to the power analysis result of the sample of the study, 84 children who were treated in the pediatric intensive care unit of two university hospitals in Istanbul were formed. Introductory Information Form, Ramsey Sedation Scale, Physiological Parameter Form and Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) Pain Scale were used to collect data.

Results

When the pain results of the children were evaluated, the mean FLACC Pain Scale value of the children in the control group was found to be significantly higher than children in the mother's voice and music voice group (p < 0.05). It was determined that the lowest FLACC Pain Scale value was in the mother's voice group (p < 0.05). When the physical parameter results were evaluated, it was determined that the physiological measurement values of the children in the experimental group were positively affected (p < 0.05), there was a significant difference between the control group (p < 0.05) and the most effective result was in the mother's voice group (p < 0.05).

Practice Implications

Allowing children to listen mother's voice and music during aspiration procedure reduces pain of the children, positively affects their physical parameter values and enhances quality of nursing care. The results of this study create a scientific basis for nursing practices in the clinical settings and contribute to the clinical practices by shedding a light on future evidence‐based studies.
Knowledge‐enhanced graph neural networks for construction material quantity estimation of reinforced concrete buildings
Authors: Fei Yifan , Liao Wenjie , Lu Xinzheng , Guan Hong
Published: September 2023

The construction material quantity (CMQ) is widely concerned in the structural design of reinforced concrete buildings and is often included among the objective functions of computer‐aided optimization design techniques. To minimize construction cost and carbon emissions, an accurate and efficient CMQ estimation method is timely required. In this study, a novel graph neural network (GNN) is proposed, whose architecture and loss function are specifically designed for CMQ estimation. With a heterogeneous feature fusion mechanism, the GNN can automatically extract features from all CMQ‐related information, in contrast to the existing data‐driven methods that rely heavily on manually selected features. By further incorporating a prior knowledge inclusion strategy, the GNN can avoid fundamental errors that might be encountered by purely data‐driven methods. To enrich the diversity of the CMQ dataset, a data augmentation method is proposed incorporating generative adversarial networks and parametric modeling. Numerical experiments and case studies show that the proposed CMQ estimation method is superior to the existing data‐driven methods in terms of accuracy and is 500 times faster than typical commercial structural design software. This study is anticipated to benefit the objective evaluation of computer‐aided design, thereby facilitating the promotion of low‐cost and low‐carbon‐emission building designs.
Canonical transcriptional gene silencing may contribute to long‐term heat response and recovery through MOM1
Authors: Torres José Roberto , Botto Javier F. , Sanchez Diego H.
Published: September 2023

Plant canonical transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) is involved in epigenetic mechanisms that mediate genomic imprinting and the suppression of transposable elements (TEs). It has been recognised that long‐term heat disrupts epigenetic silencing, with the ensuing activation of TEs. However, the physiological involvement of the TGS machinery under prolonged high temperatures has not yet been established. Here, we performed non‐lethal extended periodic heat stress and recovery treatments on Arabidopsis thaliana lines mutated on key TGS factors, analysing transcriptomic changes of coding‐protein genes and TEs. Plants bearing MET1, DRM2 and CMT3, and MOM1 mutated alleles showed novel transcriptional properties compatible with functionalities concerning the induction/repression of partially shared or private heat‐triggered transcriptome networks. Certain observations supported the idea that some responses are based on thermal de‐silencing. TEs transcriptional activation uncovered the interaction with specific epigenetic layers, which may play dedicated suppressing roles under determinate physiological conditions such as heat. Furthermore, physiological experimentation suggested that MOM1 is required to resume growth after stress. Our data thus provide initial evidence that at least one canonical TGS factor may contribute to plant acclimation and recovery from non‐lethal long‐term heat despite the stress‐induced epigenetic disturbance.
Seasonal effects of granivory on broadcast seeding restoration in a degraded semiarid grassland
Authors: Karban Claire C. , Barger Nichole N.
Published: September 2023

Granivores, such as rodents and harvester ants, are common in dryland ecosystems. In intact dryland ecosystems, the effects of such granivores on soil seed banks, plant community structure, and ecosystem functioning are well established. However, the effects of granivores on dryland restoration have received much less attention. In this study, we evaluated the seasonality of seed removal by harvester ants, seed preference of harvester ants, and effects of granivore exclosure on the soil seed bank at four sites in southeastern Utah. We studied two species of harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex rugosus and P. occidentalis. The foraging behavior of Pogonomyrmex spp. was temperature‐dependent; they removed no seeds during winter months, and up to 80% of seeds during high activity in the summer. Despite seasonal differences in seed removal, Pogonomyrmex spp. did not show significant preferences for seed species. However, their seasonal foraging behavior translated into measurable differences in an experimental soil seed bank. Over the summer months, ants reduced the number of seeds in the seed bank by approximately 20%, but when ants were excluded during the winter, the number of seeds in the seed bank remained the same. This finding supports the timing of business‐as‐usual seeding practices of applying seeds in late fall. If seeds germinate in the first season after application, ant granivory is unlikely to pose a large barrier to establishment. However, if seeds remain dormant during the first year, as is common in many dryland species, seeds are vulnerable to ant granivory.
Asthma and landscape fire smoke: A Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand position statement
Authors: McDonald Vanessa M. , Archbold Gregory , Beyene Tesfalidet , Brew Bronwyn K. , Franklin Peter , Gibson Peter G. , Harrington John , Hansbro Philip M. , Johnston Fay H. , Robinson Paul D. , Sutherland Michael , Yates Deborah , Zosky Graeme R. , Abramson Michael J.
Published: September 2023

Landscape fires are increasing in frequency and severity globally. In Australia, extreme bushfires cause a large and increasing health and socioeconomic burden for communities and governments. People with asthma are particularly vulnerable to the effects of landscape fire smoke (LFS) exposure. Here, we present a position statement from the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand. Within this statement we provide a review of the impact of LFS on adults and children with asthma, highlighting the greater impact of LFS on vulnerable groups, particularly older people, pregnant women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We also highlight the development of asthma on the background of risk factors (smoking, occupation and atopy). Within this document we present advice for asthma management, smoke mitigation strategies and access to air quality information, that should be implemented during periods of LFS. We promote clinician awareness, and the implementation of public health messaging and preparation, especially for people with asthma.
Real options analysis for valuation of climate adaptation pathways with application to transit infrastructure
Authors: Martello Michael V. , Whittle Andrew J. , Oddo Perry C. , de Neufville Richard
Published: September 2023

Climate change and sea‐level rise (SLR) are expected to increase the frequency and intensity of coastal flood events, posing risks to coastal communities and infrastructure. While regional climate adaptation investments can provide substantive flood protection, existing plans often neglect uncertainty in future climate conditions and adaptation performance, consequently neglecting the option value of flexibly implementing proposed projects. Addressing this gap, we develop and employ a generalizable real options analysis (ROA) valuation framework that considers how uncertainty in adaptation project costs, SLR, flood severity, and flood losses inform the full range of adaptation performance outcomes. We further propose and apply a novel, computationally efficient flood loss sampling algorithm to estimate the consequences of randomly arriving coastal flood events. We apply this ROA framework to assess the option value of flexibly timing adaptation investments over time, investigating an adaptation pathway proposed by the City of Boston from the perspective of the regional transit system manager. Our results suggest that flexible implementation can provide significant option value in the near‐ to mid‐term (>30 years), with the highest option values under low‐probability, high‐consequence scenarios. Our results also suggest adaptation pathway performance in the latter half of the 21st century is most sensitive to uncertainty in SLR, flood loss estimates, and flood frequency, underscoring the importance of uncertainty quantification in the long‐term valuation of adaptation investments.
Exchange rate shocks, multinational firms and access to finance
Authors: Sharma Anisha
Published: September 2023

I estimate the effect of financial constraints on the response of firms that import inputs to a large exchange rate depreciation. Using data from a census on Indonesian firms, I find that while domestic importers face lower value added due to a rise in their costs of production, foreign‐owned importers fare better: they are more likely to sustain higher value added, hire more labor and use more materials than domestic owned firms. These effects are driven by firms in industries with high demand for external finance, emphasizing the importance of access to finance in mitigating the impact of trade and credit shocks. This suggests another channel through which FDI can add value to a firm in a developing country, particularly with the increasing importance of trade in intermediate goods.
The politics of energy privatization in Latin America: Contours and directions
Authors: Venegas Mario
Published: September 2023

Prescribed as a measure from international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and networks of creditors to manage debt, privatization of energy in Latin America has been a key policy from the Washington Consensus since the 1980s into the current period. The waves of privatization and neoliberal reforms that have swept Latin America during the 1980s and through the 1990s and 2000s have also brought with them massive resistance from constituencies such as labor unions, indigenous communities, students, and workers in the region. This review essay explores key debates on the politics of energy privatization in Latin America, with attention to three central questions: (1) How do foreign (exogenous) and national (endogenous) factors interact in the diffusion and implementation of energy privatization? (2) Under what conditions are protests against energy privatization effective in reversing these policies? And (3) What are the broader effects of energy privatization in the 21st century? I end this review essay with new directions for research that can help sociologists synthesize insights across political science and economics, and shed light to approaches that can be beneficial to sociologists conducting research on privatization and neoliberal reforms in Latin America in the 21st century.
Towards a spatio‐temporal multicriteria evaluation method: A suitability analysis of residential units in a 3D urban environment
Authors: Munn Kendra , Dragićević Suzana
Published: September 2023

Spatial multi‐criteria evaluation (MCE) techniques aid urban planning management by analyzing decision problem alternatives for solutions to help inform decision‐making. However, there is a lack of such methods that incorporate the temporal dimension, an important factor when analyzing the dynamic urban landscape and decisions surrounding its changes. A novel spatio‐temporal MCE approach is proposed that operates in three‐dimensional (3D) space and time to identify changing suitability values of decision alternatives. This space–time method is implemented to evaluate the suitability of residential units over a 15‐year period in part of downtown City of Vancouver, Canada. The results indicate that the majority of units exhibit a decrease in suitability with time due to depreciation and reduction of assets like view and privacy from the construction of new buildings. The proposed method can be used by urban planners and developers to assist in long‐term assessments of proposed development scenarios and their impact on existing urban infrastructure.
Effect of Layer Addition on Residual Stresses of Wire Arc Additive Manufactured Stainless Steel Specimens
Authors: Rouquette Sébastien , Cambon Camille , Bendaoud Issam , Cabeza Sandra , Soulié Fabien
Published: September 2023

Residual stresses have been characterized in four Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing specimens with neutron diffraction technique. First, two methods are investigated for obtaining the reference diffracted angle θ0 that is required for the computation of microstrains and, thus, the stresses; θ0 was obtained with two approaches. The first one required a strain-free specimen in order to get directly the reference diffracted angles θ0 in the three principal directions. The second one is based on the plane stress assumption to get θ0 indirectly by imposing that the normal stress was equal to zero. Both methods led to similar residual stress profiles for the one-layer specimen which validated this approach for all specimens without a strain-free specimen available. The second part of this work focused on the modification of the residual stresses in the specimen following the addition of a new deposit. The neutron diffraction measurements showed that the longitudinal stress was tensile in the heat-affected and fusion zones with a maximum value located at the parent material–layers interface where the thermal loadings were applied. A decrease of this maximum value from 257 MPa to 199 MPa appeared after deposition of a new layer which is due to some stress relaxation effect. Inside the parent material, a large zone presents compressive longitudinal stress up to −170 MPa. The bottom part of the parent material is under tensile stress likely due to its upward bending following the thermal contraction of the deposited layers during cooling to ambient temperature.
Investigation of the deposition of α-tantalum (110) films on a-plane sapphire substrate by molecular beam epitaxy for superconducting circuit
Authors: Jia Haolin , zhou Boyi , Wang Tao , Wu Yanfu , Yang Lina , Ding Zengqian , Li Shuming , Cai Xiao , Xiong Kanglin , Feng Jiagui
Published: September 2023

Polycrystalline α-tantalum (110) films deposited on the c-plane sapphire substrate by sputtering are used in superconducting qubits nowadays. However, these films always occasionally form other structures, such as α-tantalum (111) grains and β-tantalum grains. To improve the film quality, we investigate the growth of α-tantalum (110) films on the a-plane sapphire substrate under varying conditions by molecular beam epitaxy technology. The optimized α-tantalum (110) film is a single crystal, with a smooth surface and atomically flat metal–substrate interface. The film with thickness of 30 nm shows a Tc of 4.12 K and a high residual resistance ratio of 9.53. The quarter wavelength coplanar waveguide resonators fabricated with the 150 nm optimized α-tantalum (110) film exhibit intrinsic quality factor of over one million under single photon excitation at millikelvin temperature.
Soundscape experience of public spaces in different world regions: A comparison between the European and Chinese contexts via a large-scale on-site survey
Authors: Aletta Francesco , Oberman Tin , Mitchell Andrew , Erfanian Mercede , Kang Jian
Published: September 2023

The influence of cultural background on the soundscape experience in public spaces has been widely acknowledged. However, most studies have not used standardized protocols for soundscape perception data collection, nor have they gathered large datasets across different regions of the world to investigate possible cultural differences. This study explored the relationships between soundscape descriptors, perceived dominance of sound sources, and overall soundscape qualities and whether these relationships differ across world regions. A database of over 2000 soundscape surveys was collected in situ in outdoor public spaces in Europe and China. Results highlighted differences in how European and Chinese participants perceived the pleasantness and dominance of different sound sources. Specifically, the positive correlation between perceived pleasantness and natural sounds was stronger for European participants. For Chinese participants, vibrant soundscapes were positively correlated with perceived dominance of natural sounds, whereas in Europe, they were associated more with human-generated sounds. Perceived loudness had a greater effect on the appropriateness dimension for the Chinese sample than that for the European sample. This study provides a deeper understanding of how the geographical/cultural context can influence soundscape perception in public spaces and suggests that such country-specific factors should be considered when designing urban soundscapes.
Ambient noise levels with depth from an underwater glider survey across shipping lanes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada
Authors: Gehrmann Romina A. S. , Barclay David R. , Johnson Hansen , Shajahan Najeem , Nolet Veronique , Davies Kimberley T. A.
Published: September 2023

A two-month-long glider deployment in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, measured the ambient sound level variability with depth and lateral position across a narrow channel that serves as an active commercial shipping corridor. The Honguedo Strait between the Gaspé Peninsula and Anticosti Island has a characteristic sound channel during the Summer and Fall due to temperature variation with depth. The experiment comprised continuous acoustic measurements in the band 1–1000 Hz and oceanographic (temperature and salinity) measurements from a profiling electric glider down to 210 m water depth. The mean observed ambient sound depth-profile was modeled by placing a uniform distribution of sources near the surface to represent a homogeneous wind-generated ocean wave field and computing the acoustic field using normal modes. The measurements and predictions match within the observed error bars and indicate a minimum in the sound channel at 70 m depth and a relative increase by ∼1 dB down to 180 m depth for frequencies >100 Hz. The impact of detector depth, the distance to a busy shipping corridor, wind noise, flow noise, and self-noise are discussed in the context of passive acoustic monitoring and marine mammal detection.
Positive effects of tree diversity on tropical forest restoration in a field-scale experiment
Authors: Veryard Ryan , Wu Jinhui , O’Brien Michael J. , Anthony Rosila , Both Sabine , Burslem David F.R.P. , Chen Bin , Fernandez-Miranda Cagigal Elena , Godfray H. Charles J. , Godoong Elia , Liang Shunlin , Saner Philippe , Schmid Bernhard , Sau Wai Yap , Xie Jun , Reynolds Glen , Hector Andy
Published: September 2023

Experiments under controlled conditions have established that ecosystem functioning is generally positively related to levels of biodiversity, but it is unclear how widespread these effects are in real-world settings and whether they can be harnessed for ecosystem restoration. We used remote-sensing data from the first decade of a long-term, field-scale tropical restoration experiment initiated in 2002 to test how the diversity of planted trees affected recovery of a 500-ha area of selectively logged forest measured using multiple sources of satellite data. Replanting using species-rich mixtures of tree seedlings with higher phylogenetic and functional diversity accelerated restoration of remotely sensed estimates of aboveground biomass, canopy cover, and leaf area index. Our results are consistent with a positive relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in the lowland dipterocarp rainforests of SE Asia and demonstrate that using diverse mixtures of species can enhance their initial recovery after logging.
The overlooked contribution of trees outside forests to tree cover and woody biomass across Europe
Authors: Liu Siyu , Brandt Martin , Nord-Larsen Thomas , Chave Jerome , Reiner Florian , Lang Nico , Tong Xiaoye , Ciais Philippe , Igel Christian , Pascual Adrian , Guerra-Hernandez Juan , Li Sizhuo , Mugabowindekwe Maurice , Saatchi Sassan , Yue Yuemin , Chen Zhengchao , Fensholt Rasmus
Published: September 2023

Trees are an integral part in European landscapes, but only forest resources are systematically assessed by national inventories. The contribution of urban and agricultural trees to national-level carbon stocks remains largely unknown. Here we produced canopy cover, height and above-ground biomass maps from 3-meter resolution nanosatellite imagery across Europe. Our biomass estimates have a systematic bias of 7.6% (overestimation;
R
= 0.98) compared to national inventories of 30 countries, and our dataset is sufficiently highly resolved spatially to support the inclusion of tree biomass outside forests, which we quantify to 0.8 petagrams. Although this represents only 2% of the total tree biomass, large variations between countries are found (10% for UK) and trees in urban areas contribute substantially to national carbon stocks (8% for the Netherlands). The agreement with national inventory data, the scalability, and spatial details across landscapes, including trees outside forests, make our approach attractive for operational implementation to support national carbon stock inventory schemes.
Clonal cooperation through soluble metabolite exchange facilitates metastatic outgrowth by modulating Allee effect
Authors: Hershey Benjamin J. , Barozzi Sara , Orsenigo Fabrizio , Pompei Simone , Iannelli Fabio , Kamrad Stephan , Matafora Vittoria , Pisati Federica , Calabrese Ludovico , Fragale Giuseppe , Salvadori Giulia , Martini Emanuele , Totaro Maria Grazia , Magni Serena , Guan Rui , Parazzoli Dario , Maiuri Paolo , Bachi Angela , Patil Kiran R. , Cosentino Lagomarsino Marco , Havas Kristina M.
Published: September 2023

Cancers feature substantial intratumoral heterogeneity of genetic and phenotypically distinct lineages. Although interactions between coexisting lineages are emerging as a potential contributor to tumor evolution, the extent and nature of these interactions remain largely unknown. We postulated that tumors develop ecological interactions that sustain diversity and facilitate metastasis. Using a combination of fluorescent barcoding, mathematical modeling, metabolic analysis, and in vivo models, we show that the Allee effect, i.e., growth dependency on population size, is a feature of tumor lineages and that cooperative ecological interactions between lineages alleviate the Allee barriers to growth in a model of triple-negative breast cancer. Soluble metabolite exchange formed the basis for these cooperative interactions and catalyzed the establishment of a polyclonal community that displayed enhanced metastatic dissemination and outgrowth in xenograft models. Our results highlight interclonal metabolite exchange as a key modulator of tumor ecology and a contributing factor to overcoming Allee effect–associated growth barriers to metastasis.
Structural basis of insulin fibrillation
Authors: Wang Liwei , Hall Catherine E. , Uchikawa Emiko , Chen Dailu , Choi Eunhee , Zhang Xuewu , Bai Xiao-chen
Published: September 2023

Insulin is a hormone responsible for maintaining normal glucose levels by activating insulin receptor (IR) and is the primary treatment for diabetes. However, insulin is prone to unfolding and forming cross-β fibers. Fibrillation complicates insulin storage and therapeutic application. Molecular details of insulin fibrillation remain unclear, hindering efforts to prevent fibrillation process. Here, we characterized insulin fibrils using cryo–electron microscopy (cryo-EM), showing multiple forms that contain one or more of the protofilaments containing both the A and B chains of insulin linked by disulfide bonds. We solved the cryo-EM structure of one of the fibril forms composed of two protofilaments at 3.2-Å resolution, which reveals both the β sheet conformation of the protofilament and the packing interaction between them that underlie the fibrillation. On the basis of this structure, we designed several insulin mutants that display reduced fibrillation while maintaining native IR signaling activity. These designed insulin analogs may be developed into more effective therapeutics for type 1 diabetes.
Einstein’s tea leaf paradox induced localized aggregation of nanoparticles and their conversion to gold aerogels
Authors: Zhang Zehui , Zhou Bin , Jia Mingtao , Wu Chengbin , Niu Tingting , Feng Chen , Wang Hongqiang , Liu Yanfeng , Lu Jialu , Zhang Zhihua , Shen Jun , Du Ai
Published: September 2023

Normally, stirring is regarded as a technology to disperse the substances in liquid evenly. However, Einstein’s tea leaf paradox (ETLP) describes the phenomenon that tea leaves concentrate in a “doughnut” shape via a secondary flow effect while stirring. Herein, to demonstrate ETLP-induced concentration in nanofluid, we simulated the nanoparticle trajectory under stirring and made a grayscale analysis of SiO
2
nanofluids during stirring and standing processes. Unexpectedly, a localized concentration effect in the layer flow was found beside the macroscopic ETLP effect. Subsequently, the localized concentration was applied to achieve the ultrafast aggregation of Au nanoparticles to form gold aerogels (GAs). The skeleton size of GAs was adjusted from about 10 to 200 nm by only adjusting the temperature of HAuCl
4
solution. The fabricated GAs had extremely high purity and crystallinity, revealing potential applications in photocatalysis and surface-enhanced Raman scattering.