bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanoceria: an innovative strategy for cancer treatment
Authors: Tang Joyce L. Y. , Moonshi Shehzahdi S. , Ta Hang T.
Published: January 2023

Nanoceria or cerium oxide nanoparticles characterised by the co-existing of Ce3+ and Ce4+ that allows self-regenerative, redox-responsive dual-catalytic activities, have attracted interest as an innovative approach to treating cancer. Depending on surface characteristics and immediate environment, nanoceria exerts either anti- or pro-oxidative effects which regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in biological systems. Nanoceria mimics ROS-related enzymes that protect normal cells at physiological pH from oxidative stress and induce ROS production in the slightly acidic tumour microenvironment to trigger cancer cell death. Nanoceria as nanozymes also generates molecular oxygen that relieves tumour hypoxia, leading to tumour cell sensitisation to improve therapeutic outcomes of photodynamic (PDT), photothermal (PTT) and radiation (RT), targeted and chemotherapies. Nanoceria has been engineered as a nanocarrier to improve drug delivery or in combination with other drugs to produce synergistic anti-cancer effects. Despite reported preclinical successes, there are still knowledge gaps arising from the inadequate number of studies reporting findings based on physiologically relevant disease models that accurately represent the complexities of cancer. This review discusses the dual-catalytic activities of nanoceria responding to pH and oxygen tension gradient in tumour microenvironment, highlights the recent nanoceria-based platforms reported to be feasible direct and indirect anti-cancer agents with protective effects on healthy tissues, and finally addresses the challenges in clinical translation of nanoceria based therapeutics.
Nebenströme der Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft – vom Abfallprodukt zur wertvollen Ressource!?
Authors: Klein Oliver , Nier Stefan , Tamásy Christine
Published: January 2023

Die Nutzung von organischen Abfällen und Nebenströmen ist ein wichtiger Baustein für die Transformation zu einem nachhaltige(re)n Agrar- und Ernährungssystem. Die damit einhergehenden Kreislaufsysteme werden in der Literatur unter dem Begriff der Circular Bioeconomy diskutiert. Der Beitrag greift diese Diskussionen auf und liefert empirische Befunde aus der Raps- und Zuckerrübenproduktion, wo große Mengen an Nebenströmen speziell auf der Verarbeitungsstufe anfallen (z. B. Presskuchen, Extraktionsschrot, Rübenschnitzel, Melasse). Für diese organischen Stoffe haben sich unterschiedliche Verwertungspfade etabliert, sodass sie mittlerweile ein wichtiges Element der betrieblichen Wertschöpfung darstellen. Die Verwertung geschieht in beiden Bereichen durch intersektorale Vernetzungen, die sich je nach Wertschöpfungspotenzial und Lager‑/Transportfähigkeit der Biomasse über verschiedene Raumebenen erstrecken (lokal/regional, national, international). Ebenso spielen unternehmerische Merkmale wie auch der institutionelle Kontext eine Rolle bei der Nebenstromverwertung.
Psychometrics and diagnostics of the Italian version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Maggi Gianpaolo , D’Iorio Alfonsina , Aiello Edoardo Nicolò , Poletti Barbara , Ticozzi Nicola , Silani Vincenzo , Amboni Marianna , Vitale Carmine , Santangelo Gabriella
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Depression is one of the most disabling neuropsychiatric manifestations of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and requires proper screening and diagnosis because it affects the overall prognosis and quality of life of patients. This study aimed to assess the psychometric and diagnostic properties of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) in an Italian PD cohort.

Materials and methods

Fifty consecutive outpatients with PD underwent the Italian version of the BDI-II and other questionnaires to evaluate anxiety and apathetic symptoms. Patients’ caregivers completed the depression/dysphoria domain of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-D). We evaluated the internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, and factorial structure of BDI-II. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and likelihood ratios were computed using ROC analyses, and an optimal cutoff was defined using the Youden index.

Results

The BDI-II proved to be internally consistent (Cronbach’s α = 0.840) and substantially met the bi-factorial structure. Regarding construct validity, the BDI-II was substantially related to anxiety measures, but not to apathy. With the combination of the NPI-D and anxiety score used as the gold standard, the BDI-II overall showed good accuracy (AUC = 0.859) with adequate sensitivity (75%) and specificity (87%). The optimal cutoff point was defined at 14.50.

Conclusions

We provide evidence of the psychometric and diagnostic properties of the Italian version of the BDI-II as a screening tool for depression in patients with PD. The BDI-II was found to be reliable and valid for the measurement of depression in patients with PD; therefore, it is available for use in clinical research and practice.
Cost and cost-effectiveness of four different SARS-CoV-2 active surveillance strategies: evidence from a randomised control trial in Germany
Authors: Nguyen Hoa Thi , Denkinger Claudia M. , Brenner Stephan , Koeppel Lisa , Brugnara Lucia , Burk Robin , Knop Michael , Bärnighausen Till , Deckert Andreas , De Allegri Manuela
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has entered its third year and continues to affect most countries worldwide. Active surveillance, i.e. testing individuals irrespective of symptoms, presents a promising strategy to accurately measure the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2. We aimed to identify the most cost-effective active surveillance strategy for COVID-19 among the four strategies tested in a randomised control trial between 18th November 2020 and 23rd December 2020 in Germany. The four strategies included: (A1) direct testing of individuals; (A2) direct testing of households; (B1) testing conditioned on upstream COVID-19 symptom pre-screening of individuals; and (B2) testing conditioned on upstream COVID-19 symptom pre-screening of households.

Methods

We adopted a health system perspective and followed an activity-based approach to costing. Resource consumption data were collected prospectively from a digital individual database, daily time records, key informant interviews and direct observations. Our cost-effectiveness analysis compared each strategy with the status quo and calculated the average cost-effective ratios (ACERs) for one primary outcome (sample tested) and three secondary outcomes (responder recruited, case detected and asymptomatic case detected).

Results

Our results showed that A2, with cost per sample tested at 52,89 EURO, had the lowest ACER for the primary outcome, closely followed by A1 (63,33 EURO). This estimate was much higher for both B1 (243,84 EURO) and B2 (181,06 EURO).

Conclusion

A2 (direct testing at household level) proved to be the most cost-effective of the four evaluated strategies and should be considered as an option to strengthen the routine surveillance system in Germany and similar settings.
Household Social Needs, Emotional Functioning, and Stress in Low-Income Latinx Children and their Mothers
Authors: Keeton Victoria F. , Bell Janice F. , Drake Christiana , Garcia Erik O. Fernandez y. , Pantell Matthew , Hessler Danielle , Wing Holly , Silveira Patricia P. , Donnell Kieran J. O’ , Filho Euclides José de Mendonça , Meaney Michael J. , Gottlieb Laura M.
Published: January 2023

Latinx families may be particularly vulnerable to emotional dysfunction, due to higher rates of economic hardship and complex social influences in this population. Little is known about the impact of environmental stressors such as unmet social needs and maternal stress on the emotional health of Latinx children from low-income families. We conducted secondary analyses using survey and biomarker data from 432 Latinx children and mothers collected in a separate study. We used binomial and multinomial logistic regression to test if household social needs, or maternal perceived stress or hair cortisol concentration (HCC), predicted child measures of emotional functioning or child HCC, independent of relevant sociodemographic factors. Approximately 40% of children in the sample had symptoms consistent with emotional dysfunction, and over 37% of households reported five or more social needs. High perceived maternal stress predicted higher odds of child emotional dysfunction (OR = 2.15; 95% CI [1.14, 4.04]; p = 0.01), and high maternal HCC was positively associated with high child HCC (OR = 10.60; 95% CI [4.20, 26.74]; p < 0.01). Most individual household social needs, as well as the level of household social need, were not independently associated with child emotional dysfunction or child HCC. Our findings begin to define a framework for understanding emotional health, stress, and resilience when caring for Latinx children and mothers living with high levels of social need, and the need for integrated mental health and social needs screening and interventions in settings that serve this population.
Synergistic Effect of Iron and Copper Oxides in the Removal of Organic Dyes Through Thermal Induced Catalytic Degradation Process
Authors: Aboelfetoh Eman F. , Aboubaraka Abdelmeguid E. , Ebeid El-Zeiny M.
Published: January 2023

This study proposes a new method for producing α-Fe2O3–CuO nanocatalyst that is both cost-effective and ecologically benign. The α-Fe2O3–CuO nanocomposite was prepared via moderate thermal oxidative decomposition of copper hexacyanoferrate. Its structure and surface morphology are affirmed via XRD, SEM, FTIR, EDX, TEM, XPS, and VSM. In the presence of H2O2, α-Fe2O3–CuO is employed as a heterogeneous catalyst to stimulate thermally induced degradation of dyes such as direct violet 4, rhodamine b, and methylene blue. The synergistic effect of Fe2O3 and CuO enhanced the catalytic activity of the nanocomposite compared to Fe2O3 and CuO separately. The effectiveness of DV4 degradation is optimized by evaluating multiple reaction parameters. The reaction rate increased substantially with the temperature, revealing its key role in the degradation process. Higher H2O2 levels and the inclusion of inorganic anions like chloride or nitrate also sped up the degradation process. While sulfate and humic acid, particularly at high doses, slowed it. The mechanism of H2O2 activation on α-Fe2O3–CuO is studied. The measurements of chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon indicate that all dyes are highly mineralized. The remarkable performance and stability of this nanocomposite in removing diverse dyes render it a promising option for wastewater remedy.
The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and Mortality 20 Years later
Authors: John Ulrich , Rumpf Hans-Jürgen , Hanke Monika , Meyer Christian
Published: January 2023

The objective was to test whether Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) results may predict mortality after 20 years. An observational study was conducted. It included an interview of a general population sample aged 18 to 64 in northern Germany in the years 1996 − 1997 (baseline) and a mortality-follow-up in the years 2017 − 2018. Study participants were 3581 persons who had consumed alcohol during the last 12 months prior to the baseline assessment. It included the AUDIT which was filled in by study participants. At follow-up, death cases were ascertained including the date of death. Official records and death certificates from local health authorities were used. Cox proportional hazards regression revealed that the AUDIT predicted time to death. The hazard ratio was 1.70 (95% confidence interval: 1.43 − 2.02) with the lowest AUDIT zone of values as the reference group. Competing risks regression analysis for diagnosis-specific mortality data revealed that the AUDIT predicted cardiovascular mortality (subhazard ratio, 1.84; 95% confidence interval, 1.49 − 2.27). It is concluded that the alcohol screening predicted total and cardiovascular mortality in this adult general population sample.
Mit Kollaboration zum Standard: Empirisch basierte Bestimmung von Lehrkräfte-Expertise im Bereich Deutsch als Zweitsprache (DaZ)
Authors: Hecker Sarah-Larissa , Falkenstern Stephanie , Lemmrich Svenja , Ehmke Timo , Koch-Priewe Barbara , Köker Anne , Ohm Udo
Published: January 2023

Der Beitrag befasst sich mit dem kollaborativen und zugleich empirisch basierten Prozess des Standardsettings in einem interdisziplinären Forschungsprojekt, welches Lehrkräfte-Expertise im Bereich Deutsch als Zweitsprache (DaZ) mithilfe von Aufgaben zu kurzen Unterrichtsvideos erfasst hat. Ausgehend von Annahmen aus der Expertiseforschung steht dabei die Frage im Fokus, wie sich anhand der Testergebnisse von N = 295 angehenden und praktizierenden Lehrkräften sowie unter der aktiven Beteiligung von einschlägigen Fachexpert*innen mithilfe der Bookmark-Methode theorie- und datenbasiert Schwellen von Kompetenz ermitteln lassen. Eine inhaltliche Beschreibung der im Beitrag hergeleiteten Kompetenzniveaus entlang eines Beispiel-Testitems schließt die Darstellung des Prozesses ab. Interpretiert werden die in der Stichprobe erreichten Kompetenzniveaus mit Bezug auf die Lehrer*innenbildung im Bereich DaZ.
Users taking the blame? How service failure, recovery, and robot design affect user attributions and retention
Authors: Meyer Nika , Schwede Melanie , Hammerschmidt Maik , Weiger Welf Hermann
Published: January 2023

Firms use robots to deliver an ever-expanding range of services. However, as service failures are common, service recovery actions are necessary to prevent user churn. This research further suggests that firms need to know how to design service robots that avoid alienating users in case of service failures. Robust evidence across two experiments demonstrates that users attribute successful service outcomes internally, while robot-induced service failures are blamed on the firm (and not the robot), confirming the well-known self-serving bias. While this external attributional shift occurs regardless of the robot design (i.e., it is the same for warm vs. competent robots), the findings imply that service recovery minimizes the undesirable external shift and that this effect is particularly pronounced for warm robots. For practitioners, this implies prioritizing service robots with a warm design for maximizing user retention for either type of service outcome (i.e., success, failure, and failure with recovery). For theory, this work demonstrates that attribution represents a meaningful mechanism to explain the proposed relationships.
Association Levels Between Results from a Therapeutic Educational Program on Women Suffering from Genito-pelvic Pain Penetration Disorder and Their Socioeconomic Status
Authors: Lopez-Brull Aida , Perez-Dominguez Borja , Canton-Vitoria Lola , Plaza-Carrasco Maria , Casaña Jose , Nahon Irmina
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Sexual health is fundamental in an individual’s well-being. Genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder, also known as dyspareunia, is one of the most common sexual disorders, and approaches from physiotherapy include multimodal options, being education, a recent resource often used. Social and economic factors might influence the effectiveness of educational therapies in patients suffering this affliction. The objective of this study was to determine if there is an existing correlation between the participant’s socioeconomic status and the results of a therapeutic educational program.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial was performed using therapeutic education as intervention in a sample of 69 women suffering from genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder. Results over time were assessed regarding pain intensity, pain-related outcomes, and sexual functioning. Socioeconomic status measurements were obtained in February 2022, and these included age, educational level, household monthly income, or job rank. A correlation analysis was performed between these outcomes using Pearson’s correlation index and Spearman’s rho statistic.

Results

Results from the correlation analysis show that there is no significant correlation between any of the outcomes found in the results of the intervention and the socioeconomic status measurements.

Conclusion

A therapeutic educational program improves pain intensity, pain-related outcomes, and sexual functioning in patients with persistent pelvic pain, independently from their age, educational level, household monthly income, or job rank.

Policy Implications

Education is a powerful resource that improves sexuality outcomes despite the patient’s socioeconomical status in patients suffering from genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder.
Petroleum source rock potential evaluation: a case study of block 11a, Pletmos sub-basin, offshore South Africa
Authors: Agbor F. A. , Mhlambi S. , Teumahji N. A. , Sonibare W. A. , van Bever Donker J. M.
Published: January 2023

Among the several existing geochemical methods in hydrocarbon exploration, the technique linking total organic carbon content (TOC) and Rock–Eval pyrolysis is most widely used, largely as a result of its capacity to rapidly provide vital information regarding the identification of source rocks and their defining characteristic, as well as thermal maturity levels and generative potentials. In this study, data from prospective source units within the southern depocenter of the Pletmos Sub-basin were analyzed using this geochemical method. Cutting samples from six wells in Block 11a were subjected to organic geochemical analysis to understand the occurring hydrocarbon scenario. Based on the results of the investigation, five notable source rock intervals of Kimmeridgian to Turonian ages were identified. The source rocks are shales with both indigenous and non-indigenous organic matter. Their TOC values show a fair to excellent petroleum generating potential, with the Aptian and Kimmeridgian intervals having the highest and lowest, respectively. The Hydrogen Index (HI), along with S2/S3 ratio values, typifies a predominance of mixed type II/III (oil/gas-prone) with some type III (gas-prone) and II (oil-prone) kerogens. The trends of the maturity parameters Tmax and Ro (vitrinite reflectance) indicate maturities ranging from immature to a late stage of maturity (dry gas window). Two observed breaks in the Ro profile reveal a possible link of maturity to high heat flow that is allied to sedimentation and tectonic uplift during the Late Cretaceous. Generally, based on TOC, S1, and HI, the petroleum potential trend increases with increasing depth, with a striking display of mixed hydrocarbon generating potential. Interpreted hydrocarbon typing is thus recommended to support the well-testing analysis.
Fire risk assessment of bridges: from state of the art to structural vulnerability mitigation
Authors: de Silva Donatella , Gallo Marco , De Falco Laura , Nigro Emidio
Published: January 2023

In recent years, due to the rapid urbanization, the fire risk in transport infrastructures is becoming more critical. These fires, typically caused by highly flammable materials, can significantly compromise the stability of the structure, as well as cause significant economic and social losses. However, in current regulations, no fire design or verification criteria are provided for bridges and the buildings prescriptions are not directly applicable due to the significant differences among the fire conditions. Therefore, starting from a deep literature review, different performance levels for bridges’ structural fire resistance were proposed. These levels were linked to the fire risk classification suggested by Kodur et al., for identifying the most vulnerable bridges to fire. This methodology was applied both to the prescriptive and performance-based approaches, using nominal and natural fire curves derived by advanced zone models of several bridge fire scenarios. To better investigate the structural fire performance of bridges, parametric analyses of a typological bridge were conducted for identifying the most critical structural systems and fire scenarios. One of the most relevant finding is that the use of performance-based approach allows to consider more realistic fire conditions, to satisfy higher performance levels with an optimization of the fire protection design. Therefore, the proposed approach can be useful both for designers and industrial category to assess the bridge performances in fire, not only according to prescriptive approach but also considering the performance-based one.
Solid-phase extraction of palladium, platinum, and gold from water samples: comparison between a chelating resin and a chelating fiber with ethylenediamine groups
Authors: Iwase Misato , Isobe Kota , Zheng Linjie , Takano Shotaro , Sohrin Yoshiki
Published: January 2023

Dissolved palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), and gold (Au) form inert chloride complexes at low concentrations of pmol/kg in environmental water, thus rendering difficulty in the development of a precise analytical method for these metals. Herein, we report the preconcentration of Pd, Pt, and Au with a chelating fiber Vonnel-en and a chelating resin TYP-en with ethylenediamine (en) groups. Batch adsorption experiments reveal the adsorption capacity of Vonnel-en for Pd(II), Pt(IV), and Au(III) in 0.10 M HCl as 0.53, 0.22, and 0.27 mmol/g, respectively. The adsorption capacity of TYP-en for Pd(II), Pt(IV), and Au(III) in 0.10 M HCl is 0.31, 0.17, and 0.52 mmol/g, respectively. In column extraction experiments using small-volume samples containing Pd(II), Pt(II), Pt(IV), Au(I), or Au(III) at concentrations of μmol/kg, TYP-en is able to quantitatively recover Pd, Pt, and Au from 0.01 to 0.2 M HCl irrespective of their oxidation states. In contrast, Vonnel-en is unable to quantitatively recover Au(I). In column extraction experiments using large-volume samples containing Pd(II), Pt(IV), and Au(III) at concentrations of pmol/kg, the recovery of Pd(II), Pt(IV), and Au(III) by TYP-en from 0.07 M HCl is 100–105%. However, the recovery of Pd(II), Pt(IV), and Au(III) by Vonnel-en from 0.03 to 0.3 M HCl is 102–110, 7–15, and 20–52%, respectively. Thus, the chelating resin TYP-en has a high potential for the multielemental determination of Pd, Pt, and Au in environmental water.

Graphical abstract
A current review on electron beam assisted additive manufacturing technology: recent trends and advances in materials design
Authors: Sonkamble Vijayalaxmi , Phafat Nitin
Published: January 2023

This paper primarily discusses the current capabilities and future trends of Electron Beam Technology (EBT), which is a metal additive manufacturing (AM) process. EBT, comparatively a young technology, is used to produce whole metallic components directly from the electronic data of the desired geometry. Its applications have extended in various industries with broad attention to aerospace and biomedical fields. This paper discusses the diverse prospects of EBT mainly for existing and future materials design. Powder manufacturing and materials characterization techniques are noted down with a focus on powder metallurgical requirements. A vital parameter development platform is also discussed. Finally, the current challenges and the remedies to overcome the challenges with the future outlook are discussed and presented.

Graphical Abstract
The Revelation of the Messiah
Authors: Friedeman Caleb
Published: January 2023

In the first two chapters of Luke, characters acknowledge Jesus as Messiah, Son of God, and Lord. Lukan characters also speak of John going before the Lord God, suggesting that Jesus might be the Lord in view, and connect Jesus with Old Testament YHWH passages. These features have made Luke 1-2 a key locus for discussions of Lukan Christology, generating speculation as to whether Luke presents Jesus as divine.  However, they also create an apparent incongruity with the body of the Gospel. In Luke 3 and elsewhere, human characters are initially ignorant that Jesus is Messiah, Son of God, and Lord. Moreover, Jesus' divinity – if Luke affirms it – does not seem to be recognized until after the resurrection. In this study, Caleb Friedeman advances a new model for understanding the Christological relationship between Luke 1-2 and the rest of Luke-Acts, in which Luke presents these opening chapters as a Christological mystery.
From Assessment to Feedback
Authors: De Florio Inez
Published: January 2023

From Assessment to Feedback addresses the need for practical and enriching literature on assessment and feedback in language teaching and learning. De Florio documents research-based forms of assessment and feedback in a succinct and accessible way, as the basis for classroom-oriented procedures in foreign/second language teaching. The multiple TEFL Examples lend themselves to direct use in language classrooms but can be easily adapted to other subject matters too. This book is divided into three parts – prerequisites, formative feedback, and summative feedback – promoting clear understanding. Each chapter ends with a 'Review, Reflect, Practice' section to summarise the chapter's content and facilitate the concrete application of these practice-oriented suggestions. Language teachers, other educational professionals, and teacher education students will benefit from this evidence-based research.
Invoking the Invisible in the Sahara
Authors: Pettigrew Erin
Published: January 2023

In this innovative new history, Erin Pettigrew utilizes invisible forces and entities - esoteric knowledge and spirits - to show how these forms of knowledge and unseen forces have shaped social structures, religious norms, and political power in the Saharan West. Situating this ethnographic history in what became la Mauritanie under French colonial rule and, later the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Pettigrew traces the changing roles of Muslim spiritual mediators and their Islamic esoteric sciences - known locally as l'ḥjāb - over the long-term history of the region. By exploring the impact of the immaterial in the material world and demonstrating the importance of Islamic esoteric sciences in Saharan societies, she illuminates peoples' enduring reliance upon these sciences in their daily lives and argues for a new approach to historical research that takes the immaterial seriously.
Homological Methods in Banach Space Theory
Authors: Cabello Sánchez Félix , Castillo Jesús M. F.
Published: January 2023

Many researchers in geometric functional analysis are unaware of algebraic aspects of the subject and the advances they have permitted in the last half century. This book, written by two world experts on homological methods in Banach space theory, gives functional analysts a new perspective on their field and new tools to tackle its problems. All techniques and constructions from homological algebra and category theory are introduced from scratch and illustrated with concrete examples at varying levels of sophistication. These techniques are then used to present both important classical results and powerful advances from recent years. Finally, the authors apply them to solve many old and new problems in the theory of (quasi-) Banach spaces and outline new lines of research. Containing a lot of material unavailable elsewhere in the literature, this book is the definitive resource for functional analysts who want to know what homological algebra can do for them.
Constituent Order in Language and Thought
Authors: Koizumi Masatoshi
Published: January 2023

Traditionally, due to the availability of technology, psycholinguistic research has focused mainly on Western languages. However, this focus has recently shifted towards a more diverse range of languages, whose structures often throw into question many previous assumptions in syntactic theory and language processing. Based on a case study in field-based comparative psycholinguistics, this pioneering book is the first to explore the neurocognition of endangered 'object-before-subject' languages, such as Kaqchikel and Seediq. It draws on a range of methods - including linguistic fieldwork, theoretical linguistic analysis, corpus research, questionnaire surveys, behavioural experiments, eye tracking, event-related brain potentials, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and near-infrared spectroscopy – to consider preferred constituent orders in both language and thought, examining comprehension as well as production. In doing so, it highlights the importance of field-based cross-linguistic cognitive neuroscientific research in uncovering universal and language-particular aspects of the human language faculty, and the interaction between language and thought.
Gender, Property and Politics in the Pacific
Authors: Monson Rebecca
Published: January 2023

Legal scholars, economists, and international development practitioners often assume that the state is capable of 'securing' rights to land and addressing gender inequality in land tenure. In this innovative study of land tenure in Solomon Islands, Rebecca Monson challenges these assumptions. Monson demonstrates that territorial disputes have given rise to a legal system characterised by state law, custom, and Christianity, and that the legal construction and regulation of property has, in fact, deepened gender inequalities and other forms of social difference. These processes have concentrated formal land control in the hands of a small number of men leaders, and reproduced the state as a hypermasculine domain, with significant implications for public authority, political participation, and state formation. Drawing insights from legal scholarship and political ecology in particular, this book offers a significant study of gender and legal pluralism in the Pacific, illuminating ongoing global debates about gender inequality, land tenure, ethnoterritorial struggles and the post colonial state.
Dialoguing with Retired Nurses: Involving Interview Participants in the Interpretation Process in South Africa
Authors: Hadfield Leslie Anne
Published: January 2023

The African Studies community has reinvigorated discussions about the racial and power dynamics of the field in the past few years. A core question has been how to Africanize knowledge production. Hadfield’s practical example as a white American historian involving Black South African oral history interview participants in different stages of the research process shows that successfully including interview participants in the interpretation stage requires clarity and transparency throughout. If meaningful dialogue is employed and human connections prioritized, the result should be a more accurate and inclusive process that satisfies all, even if scholars and participants disagree.
Bureaucrats and Budgets in South Korea: Evidence for Hometown Favoritism
Authors: Jung Hoyong
Published: January 2023

This article presents evidence that high-ranking public officials in the Ministry of Strategy and Finance in South Korea affect local budget allocation. Applying a regression model on a uniquely constructed panel dataset, I found that the growth rate of the per-capita National Subsidy, which is a subcomponent of the national budget susceptible to discretionary behaviors, increases approximately 7 percent in the hometowns of high-ranking bureaucrats. To validate these findings and address causality, I conducted a battery of auxiliary robustness checks, which yielded confirmatory results. This study also found that enhancing transparency in the budget allocation system can alleviate concerns about bureaucratic hometown favoritism, providing suggestive evidence of bureaucrats’ rent-seeking behaviors without government transparency.
How and When Does Mandatory CSR Disclosure Affects Firms’ CSR Disclosure Strategy?
Authors: Zhang Zhe , Chen Jing , Jia Ming
Published: January 2023

Research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure recognizes the importance of the government and examines how firms respond to government CSR regulations. However, little attention is given to how government regulations affect firms’ disclosure strategy in multiple fields of CSR. Based on institutional theory, this study proposes that mandatory CSR disclosure increases the legitimacy management cost for firms, and thus firms disclose more CSR scope to gain legitimacy and less CSR emphasis to reduce costs. Using data from Chinese A-share listed firms in 2008–2018, this study finds that mandatory CSR disclosure is positively related to CSR scope but negatively related to CSR emphasis. In addition, firm visibility strengthens the aforementioned positive and negative relations, whereas market competition weakens the relation between mandatory CSR disclosure and CSR emphasis. This study contributes to the literature on CSR disclosure and studies on organizational responses to the government mandate.
Nutzung von elektronischen Geräten und deren Einfluss auf Schlaf und Lernleistung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen
Authors: Stampfer Benjamin , Weiss Elisabeth M. , Canazei Markus
Published: January 2023

Zusammenfassung: Hintergrund: Die Nutzung elektronischer Geräte und der damit verbundenen Bildschirmzeit nahm in den letzten Jahren stetig zu. Kognitive und emotionale Erregung durch Bildschirminhalte, spätere Zubettgehzeiten durch eine intensive abendliche Nutzung von elektronischen Geräten sowie die generelle aktivierende Wirkung des Bildschirmlichts können den Schlaf und die schulischen Leistungen von Kindern und Jugendlichen stark beeinflussen. Methoden: Das Ziel dieser Übersichtsarbeit ist es, den aktuellen Forschungsstand zum Einfluss der Nutzung verschiedener elektronischer Geräte auf den Schlaf und die Lernleistungen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen zusammenzufassen. Zusätzlich wurde eine systematische Literaturrecherche zu Auswirkungen der Lichtemission von Bildschirmen auf den Schlaf und die schulischen Leistungen am nächsten Tag in elektronischen Datenbanken durchgeführt. Ergebnisse: Die abendliche Bildschirmnutzung wirkt sich in vielerlei Hinsicht negativ auf den Schlaf (z.B. kürzere Schlafdauer und verlängerte Schlaflatenz) und in der Folge auf die Lernleistung von Kindern und Jugendlichen aus, wobei der direkte Einfluss des von den elektronischen Geräten emittierten Lichtes auf den Schlaf oder die Lernleistung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen noch kontrovers diskutiert wird. Diskussion: Eine Einschränkung der Bildschirmnutzung am Abend ist ein vielversprechender Ansatz zur Verbesserung der Schlafqualität und kognitiven Leistung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen.
Grounded by Mother Nature’s Revenge
Authors: Breen James Robert , Pensini Pamela
Published: January 2023

Abstract. Leisure air travel is a popular form of tourism, but its emissions are a major contributor to anthropogenic climate change. Restrictions to leisure air travel have previously received little support; however, the same restrictions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 have been popular. This support is unlikely to persist in a postpandemic world, highlighting the need for alternative ways to improve support for reducing leisure air travel. Anthropomorphism of nature has consistently predicted proenvironmental behavior, which has been mediated by guilt felt for harm to the environment. This research is the first empirical study to explore this relationship in the context of COVID-19, where it examined support for restricting leisure air travel to help mitigate (1) COVID-19 and (2) climate change. In an experimental online study, Australian residents ( N = 325, Mage = 54.48, SDage = 14.63, 62% women) were recruited through social media. Anthropomorphism of nature in the context of COVID-19 (AMP-19) was manipulated through exposure to a news article. Participants then completed measures of environmental guilt and support for restricting leisure air travel to mitigate COVID-19 (LAT-19) and to mitigate climate change (LAT-CC). A significant indirect effect was observed in both models, such that AMP-19 predicted environmental guilt which in turn predicted LAT-19 ( f2 = .26; BCI [0.66, 3.87]) and LAT-CC ( f2 = .45; BCI [0.84, 5.06]). The results imply that anthropomorphism of nature in the context of COVID-19 can improve attitudes toward this proenvironmental behavior, with greater support when this was to mitigate climate change. Implications are discussed.
A New Scope and Aims for Perspectives of Earth and Space Scientists
Authors: Wysession M. E. , Grimm N. B. , Hofmann E. E. , Illangasekare T. H. , Peterson W. K. , Zhang R.
Published: January 2023

The journal Perspectives of Earth and Space Scientists has expanded both its aims and its scope to better serve the community of Earth and space scientists and represent its diverse range. Perspectives is now adding several new article formats to better meet the needs of the Earth and space science community. These include memorials, commentaries, debates, opinion pieces, and news updates. The journal remains fully open access with publication costs borne by the American Geophysical Union, but is no longer by‐invitation‐only and welcomes submissions from all segments of the geophysical community to better represent the diversity in nationality, ethnicity, culture, gender, and career stage of Earth and space scientists.
Applying Passive Air Sampling and Isotopic Characterization to Assess Spatial Variability of Gaseous Elemental Mercury Across Ontario, Canada
Authors: Szponar Natalie , Su Yushan , Stupple Geoff , McLagan David S. , Pilote Martin , Munoz Anthony , Mitchell Carl P. J. , Steffen Alexandra , Wania Frank , Bergquist Bridget A.
Published: January 2023

This study deployed 59 passive air samplers (PAS) across the province of Ontario, Canada (and eight additional deployments in bordering states of northern USA) to assess the influence of local/regional sources, temporal differences, and possible transformations in the atmospheric gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) pool. The spatial mapping achieved with the PASs allowed for the observation of differences in GEM and its isotopic composition over the region. Concentrations of GEM were higher with more negative δ202Hg values near urban/industrial areas and suspected emission sources in southern Ontario. In northern Ontario, far from industrial influences, lower concentrations of GEM with isotopically more positive δ202Hg values were found at the boreal forest sites compared to sites within the Hudson Bay Lowlands. The differences in northern Ontario may be from greater uptake of GEM by the boreal forest removing isotopically light Hg and lowering concentrations. Lower GEM and a shift toward more positive δ202Hg were also observed during the summer relative to other times of year supporting vegetation uptake as an important sink for GEM. PASs were also deployed along a transect of increasing distance from a Hg recycling facility. The Hg emissions from the facility had unique positive Δ199Hg and Δ200Hg signatures, but GEM concentrations and isotopic compositions returned to background within 400 m of the facility. The province‐wide variations in atmospheric GEM and isotopic compositions show that both sources (e.g., urban/industrial emissions) and sinks (e.g., vegetation uptake) contribute to the spatial and temporal patterns of the residual atmosphere GEM pool.
Dayside Temperature Maps of the Upper Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere of Mars Retrieved From MAVEN IUVS Observations of O I 297.2 nm Emission
Authors: Evans J. S. , Soto E. , Jain S. K. , Deighan J. , Stevens M. H. , Chaffin M. S. , Lo D. Y. , Gupta S. , Schneider N. M. , Curry S.
Published: January 2023

We present temperature maps derived from number density retrievals of carbon dioxide (CO2) for the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere of Mars using limb observations from the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS) aboard NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft. We retrieve CO2 densities using O(1S) metastable atoms that radiatively relax by emitting photons at 297.2 nm, producing a double‐peaked emission profile detectable by IUVS. Retrieved CO2 densities are used to derive altitude profiles of temperature as a function of latitude, longitude, local time, season, dust activity, and solar activity. CO2 density and temperature profiles retrieved using the O I 297.2 nm emission feature presented herein extend previous IUVS retrievals from 130–170 km down to 80 km. We validate retrieved CO2 densities and derived temperatures using coincident measurements and corresponding data products produced by MAVEN IUVS, as available. Analysis of this comprehensive data set, which spans Mars years 32–36, shows (a) a consistently well‐defined mesopause at approximately 120 km, (b) warming at high pressures (typically below ∼100 km) for a variety of geophysical conditions, (c) asymmetry in temperatures at dawn and dusk with respect to latitude during different seasons (warmer temperatures at dawn during northern hemisphere autumn/winter and cooler temperatures at dusk during spring/summer), and (d) longitudinal waves with a dominant wave‐3 component in both the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere, with lower (80–90 km) and upper (135–145 km) atmospheric waves about 65° out of phase.
USP9X-mediated NRP1 deubiquitination promotes liver fibrosis by activating hepatic stellate cells
Authors: Zhao Jinqiu , Bai Jie , Peng Fengling , Qiu Chan , Li Yongguo , Zhong Li
Published: January 2023

Liver fibrosis is a complex fibrotic process that develops early in the course of cirrhosis and is caused by chronic liver damage. The activation of hepatic stellate cells is primarily responsible for the fibrosis process. Studies show that NRP1 influences HSC motility and migration. However, whether NRP1 regulates HSC activation remains unknown. C57BL/6 male mice (6–8 weeks old) were intraperitoneally injected with 10% CCl4 in olive oil (5 μl/g body weight) every three days for four weeks to create an animal model of liver fibrosis. Control mice received olive oil (5 μl/g body weight). Different assays such as immunohistochemistry, immunostaining, Western blotting, qRT-PCR, immunoprecipitation, immunoprecipitation, and GST pull-down assays, and in vivo and in vitro ubiquitination assays were conducted. We found that NRP1 expression was significantly elevated both in mouse and human fibrotic livers, mainly in activated HSCs at the fibrotic foci. NRP1 promoted HSC activation via the cytokine TGF-β1, VEGFA, and PDGF-BB. Moreover, USP9X was found to be a critical deubiquitinating enzyme for the stability and high activity of NRP1 and NRP1 deubiquitination mediated by USP9X enhanced HSC activation and liver fibrosis. NRP1 deubiquitination mediated by USP9X enhances HSC activation, implying that targeting NRP1 or USP9X potentiates novel options in the treatment of liver fibrosis.
Molecular characterization of Richter syndrome identifies de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphomas with poor prognosis
Authors: Broséus Julien , Hergalant Sébastien , Vogt Julia , Tausch Eugen , Kreuz Markus , Mottok Anja , Schneider Christof , Dartigeas Caroline , Roos-Weil Damien , Quinquenel Anne , Moulin Charline , Ott German , Blanchet Odile , Tomowiak Cécile , Lazarian Grégory , Rouyer Pierre , Chteinberg Emil , Bernhart Stephan H. , Tournilhac Olivier , Gauchotte Guillaume , Lomazzi Sandra , Chapiro Elise , Nguyen-Khac Florence , Chery Céline , Davi Frédéric , Hunault Mathilde , Houlgatte Rémi , Rosenwald Andreas , Delmer Alain , Meyre David , Béné Marie-Christine , Thieblemont Catherine , Lichter Peter , Ammerpohl Ole , Guéant Jean-Louis ,   ICGC MMML-Seq Consortium, Bernhart Stephan , Guièze Romain , Martin-Subero José Ignacio , Cymbalista Florence , Feugier Pierre , Siebert Reiner , Stilgenbauer Stephan
Published: January 2023

Richter syndrome (RS) is the transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) into aggressive lymphoma, most commonly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We characterize 58 primary human RS samples by genome-wide DNA methylation and whole-transcriptome profiling. Our comprehensive approach determines RS DNA methylation profile and unravels a CLL epigenetic imprint, allowing CLL-RS clonal relationship assessment without the need of the initial CLL tumor DNA. DNA methylation-and transcriptomic-based classifiers were developed, and testing on landmark DLBCL datasets identifies a poor-prognosis, activated B-cell-like DLBCL subset in 111/1772 samples. The classification robustly identifies phenotypes very similar to RS with a specific genomic profile, accounting for 4.3-8.3% of de novo DLBCLs. In this work, RS multi-omics characterization determines oncogenic mechanisms, establishes a surrogate marker for CLL-RS clonal relationship, and provides a clinically relevant classifier for a subset of primary “RS-type DLBCL” with unfavorable prognosis.
Immune correlates analysis of the PREVENT-19 COVID-19 vaccine efficacy clinical trial
Authors: Fong Youyi , Huang Yunda , Benkeser David , Carpp Lindsay N. , Áñez Germán , Woo Wayne , McGarry Alice , Dunkle Lisa M. , Cho Iksung , Houchens Christopher R. , Martins Karen , Jayashankar Lakshmi , Castellino Flora , Petropoulos Christos J. , Leith Andrew , Haugaard Deanne , Webb Bill , Lu Yiwen , Yu Chenchen , Borate Bhavesh , van der Laan Lars W. P. , Hejazi Nima S. , Randhawa April K. , Andrasik Michele P. , Kublin James G. , Hutter Julia , Keshtkar-Jahromi Maryam , Beresnev Tatiana H. , Corey Lawrence , Neuzil Kathleen M. , Follmann Dean , Ake Julie A. , Gay Cynthia L. , Kotloff Karen L. , Koup Richard A. , Donis Ruben O. , Gilbert Peter B. ,   Immune Assays Team,   Coronavirus Vaccine Prevention Network (CoVPN)/2019nCoV-301 Principal Investigators and Study Team,   United States Government (USG)/CoVPN Biostatistics Team
Published: January 2023

In the PREVENT-19 phase 3 trial of the NVX-CoV2373 vaccine (NCT04611802), anti-spike binding IgG concentration (spike IgG), anti-RBD binding IgG concentration (RBD IgG), and pseudovirus 50% neutralizing antibody titer (nAb ID50) measured two weeks post-dose two are assessed as correlates of risk and as correlates of protection against COVID-19. Analyses are conducted in the U.S. cohort of baseline SARS-CoV-2 negative per-protocol participants using a case-cohort design that measures the markers from all 12 vaccine recipient breakthrough COVID-19 cases starting 7 days post antibody measurement and from 639 vaccine recipient non-cases. All markers are inversely associated with COVID-19 risk and directly associated with vaccine efficacy. In vaccine recipients with nAb ID50 titers of 50, 100, and 7230 international units (IU50)/ml, vaccine efficacy estimates are 75.7% (49.8%, 93.2%), 81.7% (66.3%, 93.2%), and 96.8% (88.3%, 99.3%). The results support potential cross-vaccine platform applications of these markers for guiding decisions about vaccine approval and use.
Interphase chromosomes of the Aedes aegypti mosquito are liquid crystalline and can sense mechanical cues
Authors: Contessoto Vinícius G. , Dudchenko Olga , Aiden Erez Lieberman , Wolynes Peter G. , Onuchic José N. , Di Pierro Michele
Published: January 2023

We use data-driven physical simulations to study the three-dimensional architecture of the Aedes aegypti genome. Hi-C maps exhibit both a broad diagonal and compartmentalization with telomeres and centromeres clustering together. Physical modeling reveals that these observations correspond to an ensemble of 3D chromosomal structures that are folded over and partially condensed. Clustering of the centromeres and telomeres near the nuclear lamina appears to be a necessary condition for the formation of the observed structures. Further analysis of the mechanical properties of the genome reveals that the chromosomes of Aedes aegypti, by virtue of their atypical structural organization, are highly sensitive to the deformation of the nuclei. This last finding provides a possible physical mechanism linking mechanical cues to gene regulation.