bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Controlling Friction and Wear with Anisotropic Microstructures in MoN-Coated Surfaces
Authors: Schulz W. , Köhn F. , Kolb D. , Balzer M. , Riegel H. , Albrecht J.
Published: October 2021

This study considers anisotropic microstructures with typical dimensions of a few 10 µm which have been created on steel surfaces by laser surface texturing (LST). It is shown that the subsequent deposition of thin molybdenum nitride coatings by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) leads to surfaces that conserve the surface microstructures and exhibit a remarkably large resistance against mechanical wear. Tribological experiments with steel counter bodies are substantially influenced by the relative orientation of the structures and the wear track. Both friction and wear are shown to be modified by more than 30%, with the main effect being the removal of abrasion particles from the mechanical contact. Experiments with alumina counter bodies that hardly provide wear particles show that the orientation has no effect on the abrasion of the counter body. The novelty of the article lies in the combination of MoN coatings with surface texturing.
Designing policy framework for sustainable development in Next-5 largest economies amidst energy consumption and key macroeconomic indicators
Authors: Bekun Festus Victor , Adedoyin Festus Fatai , Lorente Daniel Balsalobre- , Driha Oana M.
Published: October 2021

Global travel and tourism have enjoyed a significant boost due to the progress in air transport. However, the debate on air transport and the influx of foreign investments and global energy demand on economic development remains questionable. Therefore, this study is an attempt to contribute to the body of knowledge in the energy-tourism-led growth hypothesis literature. For this purpose, a novel approach to the effects of international tourism on economic growth is introduced for the Next-5 largest economies, namely (China, India, Indonesia, Turkey and the USA) between 1990 and 2018. Empirical results reveal a positive connection between foreign direct investment and income levels, electricity production and income levels, as well as between urbanization and economic growth. Moreover, the validation of the environmental Kuznets curve and the halo effect of foreign direct investment on the environmental degradation process provides a shred of more substantial evidence and fitting environmental instruments for policymakers. The empirical results encourage sustainable economic growth in these countries, mainly through the attraction of clean and high-technology foreign investment, the increase of the share of renewable energy sources in the energy mix and the regulation in the tourism industry. The novel contribution of this study to the empirical literature is the unification in the same research of the TLGH and the EKC for the Next-5 largest economies, establishing recommendations for tourism, energy efficiency and environmental correction process.
Does poverty promote a different and harmful way of thinking? The links between economic scarcity, concrete construal level and risk behaviors
Authors: Caballero Amparo , Fernández Itziar , Aguilar Pilar , Muñoz Dolores , Carrera Pilar
Published: October 2021

We tested the relationships between economic scarcity, concrete construal level and risk behaviors. We manipulated the lack of economic resources using a priming task in Studies 1 and 2, and participants reported their real income and completed the BIF scale to measure their construal level in Study 3. Studies 1–3 supported the link between perceived economic scarcity and the concrete construal level. Study 4 demonstrated the mediating role played by the concrete construal level in the influence of economic scarcity on risk behaviors using two opposite priming procedures (scarcity plus abstraction). Study 5, in a real context of economic vulnerability, supported the link between concrete mindset and risk behavioral intentions, while abstraction was associated with fewer risk intentions. Concrete thinking implies focusing on the immediate situation, which might facilitate adaptation to the demanding conditions that characterize scarcity contexts but leaves people without a broad perspective of the future to make safe decisions in situations that involve self-control, such as health-risk behaviors. Because an abstract construal level can be induced, these findings open up challenging ways to improve the conditions in which people in scarcity contexts make some behavioral decisions while we continue working to reduce situations of economic scarcity.
Evaluation of the instrumented Timed Up and Go test as a tool to measure exercise intervention effects in nursing home residents: results from a PROCARE substudy
Authors: Klotzbier Thomas Jürgen , Korbus Heide , Johnen Bettina , Schott Nadja
Published: October 2021

Background and objectives

To achieve independence in activities of daily living, a certain level of functional ability is necessary. The instrumented Timed Up and Go (iTUG) test provides guidance for appropriate interventions, for example, when considering the subphases within the TUG. Therefore, we evaluated the iTUG as a tool to measure the effects of a multicomponent exercise intervention on the iTUG subphases in nursing home residents.

Methods

Fifty long-term nursing home residents (34 women, 82.7 ± 6.46 [65–91] years; 16 men, 78.6 ± 7.0 [62–90] years) performed the iTUG test before and after a 16-week intervention period (2 × 45–60 min/week). According to the attendance rates, participants were divided into three groups.

Results

The total iTUG duration decreased from baseline to posttest, F(2,46) = 3.50, p = 0.038, η2p = 0.132. We observed significant correlations between the attendance rates and the total iTUG duration (r(50) = 0.328, p = 0.010). However, we did not observe significant group × time interaction effects in the subphases. The Barthel Index moderated the effect between attendance rate and the total duration of the iTUG test, ΔR2 = 8.34%, F(1,44) = 4.69, p = 0.036, 95% CI [0.001, 0.027].

Conclusions

We confirmed the effectiveness of the iTUG as a tool to measure exercise intervention effects in nursing home residents, especially when participants exhibit high attendance rates. That said, mobility needs to be considered in a more differentiated way, taking into account parameters in the subphases to detect changes more sensitively and to derive recommendations in a more individualized way.
Quantum mechanical four-dimensional non-polarizing beamsplitter
Authors: Kryvobok Artem , Kathman Alan D.
Published: October 2021

Some quantum optics researchers might not realize that classical electromagnetism predicts a $$\mathbf {\pi }$$
π
phase shift between S- and P-polarized reflection and might think the reflection coefficients of the transverse modes are independent, or that such a phase shift has no measurable consequences. In this paper, we discuss theoretical grounds to define elements of a 4x4 matrix to represent the beamsplitter, accurately accounting for transverse polarization modes and phase relations between them. We also provide experimental evidence confirming this matrix representation. From a scientific point of view, the paper addresses a non-trivial equivalence between the classical fields Fresnel formalism and the canonical commutation relations of the quantized photonic fields. That the formalism can be readily verified with a simple experiment provides further benefit. The beamsplitter expression derived can be applied in the field of quantum computing.
Advance care planning and advance directives: an overview of the main critical issues
Authors: Sedini Cristina , Biotto Martina , Crespi Bel’skij Lorenza M. , Moroni Grandini Roberto Ercole , Cesari Matteo
Published: October 2021

Advance care planning (ACP) is a process that guarantees the respect of the patient’s values and priorities about his/her future care at the end of life. It consists of multiple conversations with the health professional that may lead to the completion of Advance Directives (AD), a set of legal documents helpful to clinicians and family members for making critical decisions on behalf of the patient, whereas he/she might become incapable. Over the past years, ACP has become particularly relevant for the growth of chronic diseases, the increase in life expectancy, and the growing attention paid to the patient’s decisional autonomy. Several nations have introduced specific regulations of ACP and AD. However, their diffusion is accompanied by unforeseen limitations and issues, burdening their complete and systematic adoption. The present article describes several controversial aspects of ACP and some of the most significant challenges in end-of-life care.
Unbundling Strategic Change in Family Firms: the Influence of Familiness on the Strategic Change Process
Authors: Belling Moritz , Pidun Ulrich , zu Knyphausen-Aufseß Dodo
Published: October 2021

The viability and adaptation of family firms is a key research area owing to the longevity and transgenerational vision of the family. Throughout their development, firms transition through strategic change episodes with a potentially significant impact on their performance and survival. In this article, we combine family firm with strategic change research to propose how familiness supports or limits strategic change. We put forward three tendencies of family firms in their ability to deal with strategic change. First, familiness creates an overemphasis on the cognition of gradual change triggers but limits the cognition of radical change triggers. Second, familiness creates a tendency to inappropriately scope and dimension strategic change in radical change episodes to protect the value of legacy resources. Third, familiness supports endurance during strategic change implementation while also creating a tendency to be too slow or stubborn when implementing an insufficient change decision.
Populäre Kultur, populäre Religion und die Refiguration der Gesellschaft
Authors: Knoblauch Hubert
Published: October 2021

In diesem Beitrag soll der Begriff der populären Religion in einem soziologischen Zusammenhang erläutert und ins Verhältnis zu dem setzen, was als populäre Kultur bezeichnet wird. Dabei sollen nicht nur die Unzulänglichkeiten des Konzeptes der populären Kultur angeschnitten werden. Auch der Begriff der populären Religion bedarf einer weiteren Ausarbeitung. Dabei ist neben der zunehmenden Marktorientierung der Religion und ihrer Verbindung mit den Massenmedien vor allem die digitale Mediatisierung hervorzuheben. die nicht nur die Religion verändert. Die damit einhergehenden Veränderungen werden als „Refiguration“ skizziert. Diese wurde bisher mit Blick auf gesamtgesellschaftliche Phänomene wie auch auf räumliche Veränderungen untersucht und soll hier – in einem ersten, kurzen und vorläufigen Entwurf – nun auf die religiöse Entwicklung übertragen werden.
Qualitative Aspects in Nonlocal Dynamics
Authors: Coclite G. M. , Dipierro S. , Fanizza G. , Maddalena F. , Romano M. , Valdinoci E.
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we investigate, through numerical studies, the dynamical evolutions encoded in a linear one-dimensional nonlocal equation arising in peridynamics. The different propagation regimes ranging from the hyperbolic to the dispersive, induced by the nonlocal feature of the equation, are carefully analyzed. The study of an initial value Riemann-like problem suggests the formation of a singularity.
A Systematic Review of the Core Components of Language Learning Strategy Research in Taiwan
Authors: Thomas Nathan , Bowen Neil E. J. A. , Reynolds Barry Lee , Osment Christopher , Pun Jack K. H. , Mikolajewska Agata
Published: October 2021

As the broader field of individual differences in second/foreign language learning has grown tremendously over the past few decades, its subfields have expanded with a similar intensity. Language learning strategies (LLS) is one such area. Developments have been made regarding the scope and methodology of LLS research, especially. While there have been a number of reviews of the field’s output, few have targeted research in a specific context. With this in mind, the current study offers a situated view of LLS research in Taiwan. It focuses on three core components that are essential to empirical research: (a) contexts and participant characteristics; (b) theoretical-conceptual aspects; and (c) methodological characteristics. Drawing on journal articles systematically collected from major databases and reviews conducted by multiple researchers to ensure reliability and to minimize bias, we provide an overview of the field as it has manifested in Taiwan. Findings from select studies are also discussed. In doing so, this article makes connections between LLS research in Taiwan and the larger, global context, with implications for "the road ahead." We hope it will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in reading about and/or conducting LLS research in this setting and others.
Fatty Liver Index is Positively Associated with Arterial Stiffness in a Chinese Cohort Undergoing Health Assessment
Authors: Hu Yueliang , Chao Huijuan , Zhao Jiehui , Wang Qian , Tang Biwen , Tan Isabella , Butlin Mark , Avolio Alberto , Chen Peizhan , Zuo Junli
Published: October 2021

Objective

Nonalcoholic fatty fiver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic liver injury closely related to insulin resistance. Fatty liver index (FLI) can be used as a surrogate marker and is a validated index for NAFLD. This study aimed to explore the relationship between FLI and arterial stiffness in a Chinese population.

Methods

From December 2017 to March 2019, 402 inpatients (mean age 51.12 ± 11.95 years) were recruited for cardiovascular disease screening at Ruijin Hospital North, Shanghai. Measurement of brachial systolic, diastolic, mean, and pulse pressure was done with cuff sphygmomanometry and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) was measured (SphygmoCor) to assess arterial stiffness.

Results

Subjects were divided into three groups according to their FLI < 30, normal; 30–59, intermediate fatty liver index; ≥ 60, NAFLD. The proportion of subjects with hepatic steatosis (FLI ≥ 60), intermediate FLI (30–59), and no steatosis (FLI < 30) was 34.4%, 31.8%, and 33.8%, respectively. The male population (53.9%) had significantly higher FLI levels (p < 0.05). Subjects with FLI ≥ 60 had higher cfPWV (8.41 ± 1.77 m/s) than those with FLI < 30 (7.81 ± 1.83 m/s; p = 0.006). cfPWV was positively correlated with logFLI (r = 0.168, p = 0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, mean arterial blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, heart rate, and glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), FLI remained positively associated with cfPWV (β = 0.097, p = 0.024).

Conclusion

cfPWV, as a measure of arterial stiffness, is higher in the NAFLD group when compared to that in normal groups. Fatty liver index is positively associated with arterial stiffness in a Chinese population.
How to Record Current Events like an Archaeologist
Authors: Magnani Matthew , Venovcevs Anatolijs , Farstadvoll Stein , Magnani Natalia
Published: October 2021

This article shows how to record current events from an archaeological perspective. With a case study from the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway, we provide accessible tools to document broad spatial and behavioral patterns through material culture as they emerge. Stressing the importance of ethical engagement with contemporary subjects, we adapt archaeological field methods—including geolocation, photography, and three-dimensional modeling—to analyze the changing relationships between materiality and human sociality through the crisis. Integrating data from four contributors, we suggest that this workflow may engage broader publics as anthropological data collectors to describe unexpected social phenomena. Contemporary archaeological perspectives, deployed in rapid response, provide alternative readings on the development of current events. In the presented case, we suggest that local ways of coping with the pandemic may be overshadowed by the materiality of large-scale corporate and state response.
Advances in Geochemical Sourcing of Granite Ground Stone
Authors: Brouwer Burg Marieka , Tibbits Tawny L. B. , Harrison-Buck Eleanor
Published: October 2021

Often understudied by archaeologists, ground stone tools (GST) were ubiquitous in the ancient Maya world. Their applications ranged from household tools to ceremonial equipment and beyond. Little attention has been focused on chemically sourcing the raw stone material used in GST production, largely because these tools were fashioned out of igneous or sedimentary rock, which can present characterization challenges. And, although portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) has been applied widely to source obsidian, the utility of pXRF for geochemically sourcing other kinds of stone remains underexplored. We present a small-scale application of pXRF for determining granite provenance within a section of the Middle Belize Valley in Belize, Central America. Belize is an ideal location to test chemical sourcing studies of granite because there are only three tightly restricted and chemically distinct sources of granite in the country, from which the overwhelming majority of granite for ancient tool production derived. The method described here demonstrates that successful and accurate geological characterizations can be made on granite GST. This cutting-edge sourcing technique has the potential to be more widely applied in other regions to reveal deeper connections between the sources of GST production and sites of consumption across space and through time.
Situation in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Authors: Ishii Yurika
Published: October 2021

On March 5, 2020, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) decided to authorize the prosecutor to commence aproprio motuinvestigation into the alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Afghanistan War since 2003. This decision is the first case where the requirements for the authorization of an investigation under Article 15(4) of the ICC Rome Statute (Statute) were tested on appeal. The case lays down a marker as to how the ICC sees the division of roles between the Pre-Trial Chamber and the Office of the Prosecutor. The Appeals Chamber proved willing to give the prosecutor broad discretion at the investigation stage. Without limiting principles, this approach may eventually expand the role of the Court beyond what the Statute permits.
Inadvertent escalation in the age of intelligence machines: A new model for nuclear risk in the digital age
Authors: Johnson James
Published: October 2021

Will AI-enabled capabilities increase inadvertent escalation risk? This article revisits Cold War-era thinking about inadvertent escalation to consider how Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology (especially AI augmentation of advanced conventional weapons) through various mechanisms and pathways could affect inadvertent escalation risk between nuclear-armed adversaries during a conventional crisis or conflict. How might AI be incorporated into nuclear and conventional operations in ways that affect escalation risk? It unpacks the psychological and cognitive features of escalation theorising (the security dilemma, the ‘fog of war’, and military doctrine and strategy) to examine whether and how the characteristics of AI technology, against the backdrop of a broader political-societal dynamic of the digital information ecosystem, might increase inadvertent escalation risk. Are existing notions of inadvertent escalation still relevant in the digital age? The article speaks to the broader scholarship in International Relations – notably ‘bargaining theories of war’ – that argues that the impact of technology on the cause of war occurs through its political effects, rather than tactical or operational battlefield alterations. In this way, it addresses a gap in the literature about the strategic and theoretical implications of the AI-nuclear dilemma.
How Populist are Parties? Measuring Degrees of Populism in Party Manifestos Using Supervised Machine Learning
Authors: Di Cocco Jessica , Monechi Bernardo
Published: October 2021

One of the main challenges in comparative studies on populism concerns its temporal and spatial measurements within and between a large number of parties and countries. Textual analysis has proved useful for these purposes, and automated methods can further improve research in this direction. Here, we propose a method to derive a score of parties’ levels of populism using supervised machine learning to perform textual analysis on national manifestos. We illustrate the advantages of our approach, which allows for measuring populism for a vast number of parties and countries without resource-intensive human-coding processes and provides accurate, updated information for temporal and spatial comparisons of populism. Furthermore, our method allows for obtaining a continuous score of populism, which ensures more fine-grained analyses of the party landscape while reducing the risk of arbitrary classifications. To illustrate the potential contribution of this score, we use it as a proxy for parties’ levels of populism, analyzing average trends in six European countries from the early 2000s for nearly two decades.
IDEAS AND IDEALS: HONOURING JOYCE MITCHELL COOK
Authors: Allen Anita L.
Published: October 2021

In the twentieth century, most PhD-trained academic philosophers in both the United States and United Kingdom were white men. The first black woman to earn a PhD in Philosophy was Joyce E. Mitchell Cook (1933–2014). A preacher's daughter from a small town in western Pennsylvania, Cook earned a BA from Bryn Mawr College. She went on to earn degrees in Psychology, Philosophy and Physiology from St Hilda's College at Oxford University before earning a PhD in Philosophy from Yale University in 1965. At Yale she served as Managing Editor of the Review of Metaphysics and was the first woman appointed as a teaching assistant in Philosophy. She taught at Howard University for nearly a decade and held positions in national government service in Washington, DC, before retiring to a life of independent study of the black experience. Although she did not publish much in her lifetime, Cook deserves to be remembered as: first, an academic trailblazer who proved that race and gender are not barriers to excellence in philosophy; second, a public philosopher who broke barriers as a foreign and economic affairs analyst and presidential speech writer; third, among the first philosophical bioethicists of informed consent and experimentation on humans; and, fourth, an analytic philosopher of race, opposing claims that blacks suffer from inherited intellectual inferiority. Cook's achievements can inspire women of all backgrounds who love philosophy to pursue graduate studies and academic careers.
CRAMPING OUR STYLE? GENDER AND PHILOSOPHICAL WRITING
Authors: Steward Helen
Published: October 2021

In this article, I argue that we need to reconsider some of the stylistic principles that (explicitly or implicitly) govern writing in analytic philosophy. I suggest that the rules are (i) much more difficult to justify than might be thought at first sight; and (ii) may possibly be gendered, given what we know about the reading preferences and writing styles of men and women.
WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY FOR?
Authors: Donovan Amber Sahara
Published: October 2021

In this article I explore Mary Midgley's meta-philosophy: her view of the purpose of philosophy and its corresponding methodology. After some biographical information and historical context, I consider Midgley's answer to the question ‘why do we need philosophy?’
ANNE CONWAY'S PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Authors: Burns Elizabeth
Published: October 2021

Anne Conway (1631–79) produced only one short treatise – The Principles of the Most Ancient and Modern Philosophy – but addressed key problems in the philosophy of religion which are still much discussed today. The most significant of these are the problem of religious diversity and the problem of evil. Although the sources of her ideas may be found in the Kabbalah of Isaac Luria and the work of the Cambridge Platonists and the Quaker George Keith, among others, she offers her own unorthodox solutions to these problems. The idea of Christ as an indwelling mediator of the divine who assists us in our moral endeavours is designed to appeal to those of all religions and none, while her claim that God created creatures knowing that they would eventually be redeemed, and that suffering promotes moral development which leads to redemption offers a novel response to the problem of evil. Conway's work is also important for its influence on the work of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, and some have argued that it prefigures, at least in outline, the field theory of modern physics.
WHAT DOES A PHILOSOPHER LOOK LIKE? WOMEN IN THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
Authors: Altorf Hannah Marije
Published: October 2021

If you ask people ‘What does a philosopher look like?’, their first response is often an image of an elderly man with a beard. This image can be explained by looking at philosophy's history, which has been dominated by a very select group of men. Yet, in recent years it has become obvious that the history of philosophy is not as monochrome as is often assumed. In this article, I consider how the inclusion of different voices in the history of philosophy should impel us to rethink the ways in which the history of philosophy is told.
Firms versus corporations: a rebuttal of Simon Deakin, David Gindis, and Geoffrey M. Hodgson
Authors: Robé Jean-Philippe
Published: October 2021

I share the view expressed by Simon Deakin, David Gindis, and Geoffrey Hodgson (‘DGH’) that social scientists need to consider the constitutive role of law in their disciplines. This is particularly the case for economists working on the theory of the firm and on institutions more generally. Their analyses are often built on assumptions about the legal system which do not correspond to reality. One major issue is the generalized confusion between the concepts of ‘corporation’ and ‘firm’. In day-to-day parlance, the two words are synonyms. But, when the constitutive role of law is considered, the word corporation corresponds to a specific legal device which should be clearly differentiated from a less-specific concept which can be called a ‘firm’ or an ‘enterprise’. The notion of firm usually corresponds to the economic organization of various resources via contracts to produce goods or services. The corporation is a legal institution with peculiar characteristics, including a potentially eternal legal personality, an asset partitioning effect, and several layers of separations of ownership and control. Corporations are often used to legally structure large firms because they are very efficient legal devices to concentrate capital. But, firms are practically and conceptually different from the corporation(s) used to structure them. DGH consider that the understanding of what a firm is should not go against general, day-to-day understanding. In their view, although not all firms are corporations, all corporations are firms. I disagree. Only by clearly explaining that corporations are not firms can lawyers help social scientists consider the constitutive role of the law of corporations in the structuring of our present-day economy.
Cardiovascular and metabolic risk of antipsychotics in children and young adults: a multinational self-controlled case series study
Authors: Man Kenneth K. C. , Shao Shih-Chieh , Chang Yu-Chuan , Chi Mei-Hung , Jeong Han Eol , Lin Swu-Jane , Su Chien-Chou , Shin Ju-Young , Wong Kirstie H. , Wong Ian C. K. , Kao Yang Yea-Huei , Yang Yen-Kuang , Lai Edward Chia-Cheng
Published: October 2021

Aims

The risk of antipsychotic-associated cardiovascular and metabolic events may differ among countries, and limited real-world evidence has been available comparing the corresponding risks among children and young adults. We, therefore, evaluated the risks of cardiovascular and metabolic events in children and young adults receiving antipsychotics.

Methods

We conducted a multinational self-controlled case series (SCCS) study and included patients aged 6–30 years old who had both exposure to antipsychotics and study outcomes from four nationwide databases of Taiwan (2004–2012), Korea (2010–2016), Hong Kong (2001–2014) and the UK (1997–2016) that covers a total of approximately 100 million individuals. We investigated three antipsychotics exposure windows (i.e., 90 days pre-exposure, 1–30 days, 30–90 days and 90 + days of exposure). The outcomes were cardiovascular events (stroke, ischaemic heart disease and acute myocardial infarction), or metabolic events (hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia).

Results

We included a total of 48 515 individuals in the SCCS analysis. We found an increased risk of metabolic events only in the risk window with more than 90-day exposure, with a pooled IRR of 1.29 (95% CI 1.20–1.38). The pooled IRR was 0.98 (0.90–1.06) for 1–30 days and 0.88 (0.76–1.02) for 31–90 days. We found no association in any exposure window for cardiovascular events. The pooled IRR was 1.86 (0.74–4.64) for 1–30 days, 1.35 (0.74–2.47) for 31–90 days and 1.29 (0.98–1.70) for 90 + days.

Conclusions

Long-term exposure to antipsychotics was associated with an increased risk of metabolic events but did not trigger cardiovascular events in children and young adults.
Inanspruchnahme eines Beratungsangebots zu exzessivem Medienkonsum
Authors: Laskowski Nora M. , Ernst Alexandra , Meyer Viktoria , Trillmich Tobias , Müller Astrid
Published: October 2021

Zusammenfassung. Zielsetzung: Von 2017 bis 2020 wurde in Niedersachsen das Projekt „re:set! – Beratung bei exzessivem Medienkonsum“ durchgeführt. Der Beitrag adressiert die Inanspruchnahme des Beratungsangebots, die Soziodemographie und die präferierten Anwendungen der Betroffenen sowie die Prävalenz von Internetnutzungsstörungen (INS) in dieser Gruppe. Methodik: Inanspruchnahme und Soziodemographie der Betroffenen wurden anhand eines Dokumentationsbogens erhoben. Die Kurzform der „Assessment for Internet and Computer Game Addiction Scale“ diente der Erhebung der Symptome einer INS. Ergebnisse: 90,2 % der 1053 beratungsaufsuchenden Personen waren männlich, das mittlere Alter lag bei 21.65 Jahren. Mit 49,3 % wurden Online-Spiele am häufigsten genutzt. Online-Spiele/-Erotikangebote wurden eher von männlichen, Online-Kaufportale/-Communities eher von weiblichen Betroffenen genutzt. Bei 64,6 % der Betroffenen zeigten sich Hinweise auf eine INS. Schlussfolgerungen: Suchtberatungsstellen können erste Anlaufstellen für Menschen mit exzessivem Medienkonsum oder INS und deren Angehörige sein.
Evaluation of the Local Sea‐Level Budget at Tide Gauges Since 1958
Authors: Wang Jinping , Church John A. , Zhang Xuebin , Gregory Jonathan M. , Zanna Laure , Chen Xianyao
Published: October 2021

Although global mean sea‐level rise since 1900 and regional mean sea‐level change since the 1960s have been accounted for in terms of the sum of contributions, the same budget closure has not been achieved for local relative sea‐level change from a global network of tide gauges. To address this, we combine new estimates of sterodynamic sea‐level change (SDSL; including ocean dynamics), glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA), change in land ice mass and terrestrial water storage, and other local vertical land motion. We find that the observed trends over 1958–2015 at all 272 tide gauges distributed worldwide agree with the sum of contributions (within 90% confidence estimates), with similar mean trend (1.1 mm yr−1) and comparable spatial variability (standard deviation of 2.0 and 1.9 mm yr−1respectively). SDSL is the dominant contribution to both local observed mean trend and spatial variability, except at locations close to former ice‐sheets, where GIA dominates.
Interannual SAM Modulation of Antarctic Sea Ice Extent Does Not Account for Its Long‐Term Trends, Pointing to a Limited Role for Ozone Depletion
Authors: Polvani L. M. , Banerjee A. , Chemke R. , Doddridge E. W. , Ferreira D. , Gnanadesikan A. , Holland M. A. , Kostov Y. , Marshall J. , Seviour W. J. M. , Solomon S. , Waugh D. W.
Published: October 2021

The expansion of Antarctic sea ice since 1979 in the presence of increasing greenhouse gases remains one of the most puzzling features of current climate change. Some studies have proposed that the formation of the ozone hole, via the Southern Annular Mode, might explain that expansion, and a recent paper highlighted a robust causal link between summertime Southern Annular Mode (SAM) anomalies and sea ice anomalies in the subsequent autumn. Here we show that many models are able to capture this relationship between the SAM and sea ice, but also emphasize that the SAM only explains a small fraction of the year‐to‐year variability. Finally, examining multidecadal trends, in models and in observations, we confirm the findings of several previous studies and conclude that the SAM–and thus the ozone hole–are not the primary drivers of the sea ice expansion around Antarctica in recent decades.
The Role of Sediment Accretion and Buoyancy on Subduction Dynamics and Geometry
Authors: Brizzi S. , Becker T. W. , Faccenna C. , Behr W. , van Zelst I. , Dal Zilio L. , van Dinther Y.
Published: October 2021

Subducted sediments are thought to lubricate the subduction interface and promote faster plate speeds. However, global observations are not clear‐cut on the relationship between the amount of sediments and plate motion. Sediments are also thought to influence slab dip, but variations in subduction geometry depend on multiple factors. Here we use 2D thermomechanical models to explore how sediments can influence subduction dynamics and geometry. We find that thick sediments can lead to slower subduction due to an increase of the megathrust shear stress as the accretionary wedge gets wider, and a decrease in slab pull as buoyant sediments are subducted. Our results also show that larger slab buoyancy and megathrust stress due to thick sediments increase the slab bending radius. This offers a new perspective on the role of sediments, suggesting that sediment buoyancy and wedge geometry also play an important role on large‐scale subduction dynamics.
Atmospheric Wind Biases: A Challenge for Simulating the Arctic Ocean in Coupled Models?
Authors: Hinrichs C. , Wang Q. , Koldunov N. , Mu L. , Semmler T. , Sidorenko D. , Jung T.
Published: October 2021

Many state‐of‐the‐art climate models do not simulate the Atlantic Water (AW) layer in the Arctic Ocean realistically enough to address the question of future Arctic Atlantification and its associated feedback. Biases concerning the AW layer are commonly related to insufficient resolution and excessive mixing in the ocean component as well as unrealistic Atlantic‐Arctic Ocean exchange. Based on sensitivity experiments with FESOM1.4, the ocean–sea‐ice component of the global climate model AWI‐CM1, we show that even if all impediments for simulating AW realistically are addressed in the ocean model, new biases in the AW layer develop after coupling to an atmosphere model. By replacing the wind forcing over the Arctic with winds from a coupled simulation we show that a common bias in the atmospheric sea level pressure (SLP) gradient and its associated wind bias lead to differences in surface stress and Ekman transport. Fresh surface water gets redistributed leading to changes in halosteric height distribution. Those changes lead to strengthening of the anticyclonic surface circulation in the Canadian Basin, so that the deep counterflow carrying warm AW gets reversed and a warm bias in the Canadian Basin develops. The SLP and anticyclonic wind bias in the Nordic Seas weaken the cyclonic circulation leading to reduced AW transport into the Arctic Ocean through Fram Strait but increased AW transport through the Barents Sea Opening. These effects together lead to a cold bias in the Eurasian Basin. An underestimation of sea ice concentration can significantly amplify the induced ocean biases.
The January 2021 Sudden Stratospheric Warming and Its Prediction in Subseasonal to Seasonal Models
Authors: Rao Jian , Garfinkel Chaim I. , Wu Tongwen , Lu Yixiong , Lu Qian , Liang Zhuoqi
Published: October 2021

Using reanalysis, observations, and subseasonal to seasonal (S2S) forecasts, the most recent sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) in January 2021 and its predictability are explored. Previous work has shown that SSWs can be forecasted at relatively long lead time if favorable conditions are present. However, favorable conditions were not present for this most recent SSW, which occurred under the tropical westerly quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) and weak convection over tropical Pacific. In mid‐December 2020 and early January 2021, the Ural ridge and East Asian trough were anomalously strong, corresponding to enhanced climatological wavenumber 2. In late December 2020 and mid‐January 2021, negative (positive) height anomalies over the North Pacific (Atlantic) enhanced the climatological wavenumber 1. Alternate wave pulses by the wavenumber 1 and 2 finally led to the SSW onset and the long lifetime of the January 2021 SSW. As the composite for QBO westerlies displays a strengthened stratospheric polar vortex, the weak vortex in January 2020 was not attributed to this tropical forcing. Therefore, the predictability for the occurrence of the January 2021 SSW is not beyond two weeks with the required hit ratio >50%. Splitting of the vortex adds further difficulty to the prediction of this event. The cold anomalies over North Eurasia initiated one to two weeks before the SSW onset were likely due to the SSW precursors, which then persisted until mid‐January 2021 as the SSW signal began to propagate downward. However, the persistent cold anomalies can only be forecasted in SSW‐hit members and SSW‐hit S2S models. The observed Arctic sea ice loss is unlikely to extend the predictability of this event in S2S models.
Controlled growth of a single carbon nanotube on an AFM probe
Authors: Cheng Biyao , Yang Shuming , Li Wei , Li Shi , Shafique Shareen , Wu Dong , Ji Shengyun , Sun Yu , Jiang Zhuangde
Published: October 2021

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be used as atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips for high-resolution scanning due to their small diameter, high aspect ratio and outstanding wear resistance. However, previous approaches for fabricating CNT probes are complex and poorly controlled. In this paper, we introduce a simple method to selectively fabricate a single CNT on an AFM tip by controlling the trigger threshold to adjust the amount of growth solution attached to the tip. The yield rate is over 93%. The resulting CNT probes are suitable in length, without the need for a subsequent cutting process. We used the CNT probe to scan the complex nanostructure with a high aspect ratio, thereby solving the long-lasting problem of mapping complex nanostructures.
Toripalimab plus chemotherapy as second-line treatment in previously EGFR-TKI treated patients with EGFR-mutant-advanced NSCLC: a multicenter phase-II trial
Authors: Jiang Tao , Wang Pingyang , Zhang Jie , Zhao Yanqiu , Zhou Jianying , Fan Yun , Shu Yongqian , Liu Xiaoqing , Zhang Helong , He Jianxing , Gao Guanghui , Mu Xiaoqian , Bao Zhang , Xu Yanjun , Guo Renhua , Wang Hong , Deng Lin , Ma Ningqiang , Zhang Yalei , Feng Hui , Yao Sheng , Wu Jiarui , Chen Luonan , Zhou Caicun , Ren Shengxiang
Published: October 2021

This multicenter phase-II trial aimed to investigate the efficacy, safety, and predictive biomarkers of toripalimab plus chemotherapy as second-line treatment in patients with EGFR-mutant-advanced NSCLC. Patients who failed from first-line EGFR-TKIs and did not harbor T790M mutation were enrolled. Toripalimab plus carboplatin and pemetrexed were administrated every three weeks for up to six cycles, followed by the maintenance of toripalimab and pemetrexed. The primary endpoint was objective-response rate (ORR). Integrated biomarker analysis of PD-L1 expression, tumor mutational burden (TMB), CD8 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density, whole-exome, and transcriptome sequencing on tumor biopsies were also conducted. Forty patients were enrolled with an overall ORR of 50.0% and disease-control rate (DCR) of 87.5%. The median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival were 7.0 and 23.5 months, respectively. The most common treatment-related adverse effects were leukopenia, neutropenia, anemia, ALT/AST elevation, and nausea. Biomarker analysis showed that none of PD-L1 expression, TMB level, and CD8 + TIL density could serve as a predictive biomarker. Integrated analysis of whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing data revealed that patients with DSPP mutation had a decreased M2 macrophage infiltration and associated with longer PFS than those of wild type. Toripalimab plus chemotherapy showed a promising anti-tumor activity with acceptable safety profiles as the second-line setting in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC. DSPP mutation might serve as a potential biomarker for this combination. A phase-III trial to compare toripalimab versus placebo in combination with chemotherapy in this setting is ongoing (NCT03924050).
Single-cell RNA sequencing for the identification of early-stage lung cancer biomarkers from circulating blood
Authors: Kim Jinhong , Xu Zhaolin , Marignani Paola A.
Published: October 2021

Lung cancer accounts for more than half of the new cancers diagnosed world-wide with poor survival rates. Despite the development of chemical, radiological, and immunotherapies, many patients do not benefit from these therapies, as recurrence is common. We performed single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis using Fluidigm C1 systems to characterize human lung cancer transcriptomes at single-cell resolution. Validation of scRNA-seq differentially expressed genes (DEGs) through quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) found a positive correlation in fold-change values between C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) and 2 (CXCL2) compared with bulk-cell level in 34 primary lung adenocarcinomas (LUADs) from Stage I patients. Furthermore, we discovered an inverse correlation between chemokine mRNAs, miR-532-5p, and miR-1266-3p in early-stage primary LUADs. Specially, miR-532-5p was quantifiable in plasma from the corresponding LUADs. Collectively, we identified markers of early-stage lung cancer that were validated in primary lung tumors and circulating blood.
Neutralizing antibody activity in convalescent sera from infection in humans with SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern
Authors: Dupont Liane , Snell Luke B. , Graham Carl , Seow Jeffrey , Merrick Blair , Lechmere Thomas , Maguire Thomas J. A. , Hallett Sadie R. , Pickering Suzanne , Charalampous Themoula , Alcolea-Medina Adela , Huettner Isabella , Jimenez-Guardeño Jose M. , Acors Sam , Almeida Nathalia , Cox Daniel , Dickenson Ruth E. , Galao Rui Pedro , Kouphou Neophytos , Lista Marie Jose , Ortega-Prieto Ana Maria , Wilson Harry , Winstone Helena , Fairhead Cassandra , Su Jia Zhe , Nebbia Gaia , Batra Rahul , Neil Stuart , Shankar-Hari Manu , Edgeworth Jonathan D. , Malim Michael H. , Doores Katie J.
Published: October 2021

COVID-19 vaccine design and vaccination rollout need to take into account a detailed understanding of antibody durability and cross-neutralizing potential against SARS-CoV-2 and emerging variants of concern (VOCs). Analyses of convalescent sera provide unique insights into antibody longevity and cross-neutralizing activity induced by variant spike proteins, which are putative vaccine candidates. Using sera from 38 individuals infected in wave 1, we show that cross-neutralizing activity can be detected up to 305 days pos onset of symptoms, although sera were less potent against B.1.1.7 (Alpha) and B1.351 (Beta). Over time, despite a reduction in overall neutralization activity, differences in sera neutralization potency against SARS-CoV-2 and the Alpha and Beta variants decreased, which suggests that continued antibody maturation improves tolerance to spike mutations. We also compared the cross-neutralizing activity of wave 1 sera with sera from individuals infected with the Alpha, the Beta or the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variants up to 79 days post onset of symptoms. While these sera neutralize the infecting VOC and parental virus to similar levels, cross-neutralization of different SARS-CoV-2 VOC lineages is reduced. These findings will inform the optimization of vaccines to protect against SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Systematic phenotyping and characterization of the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Forner Stefania , Kawauchi Shimako , Balderrama-Gutierrez Gabriela , Kramár Enikö A. , Matheos Dina P. , Phan Jimmy , Javonillo Dominic I. , Tran Kristine M. , Hingco Edna , da Cunha Celia , Rezaie Narges , Alcantara Joshua A. , Baglietto-Vargas David , Jansen Camden , Neumann Jonathan , Wood Marcelo A. , MacGregor Grant R. , Mortazavi Ali , Tenner Andrea J. , LaFerla Frank M. , Green Kim N.
Published: October 2021

Mouse models of human diseases are invaluable tools for studying pathogenic mechanisms and testing interventions and therapeutics. For disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease in which numerous models are being generated, a challenging first step is to identify the most appropriate model and age to effectively evaluate new therapeutic approaches. Here we conducted a detailed phenotypic characterization of the 5xFAD model on a congenic C57BL/6 J strain background, across its lifespan – including a seldomly analyzed 18-month old time point to provide temporally correlated phenotyping of this model and a template for characterization of new models of LOAD as they are generated. This comprehensive analysis included quantification of plaque burden, Aβ biochemical levels, and neuropathology, neurophysiological measurements and behavioral and cognitive assessments, and evaluation of microglia, astrocytes, and neurons. Analysis of transcriptional changes was conducted using bulk-tissue generated RNA-seq data from microdissected cortices and hippocampi as a function of aging, which can be explored at the MODEL-AD Explorer and AD Knowledge Portal. This deep-phenotyping pipeline identified novel aspects of age-related pathology in the 5xFAD model.
Bacterial structure and dynamics in mango (Mangifera indica) orchards after long term organic and conventional treatments under subtropical ecosystem
Authors: Kumar Govind , Suman Archana , Lal Shatrohan , Ram R. A. , Bhatt Pankaj , Pandey Ghanshyam , Chaudhary Parul , Rajan Shailendra
Published: October 2021

This study explores the comparative effect of conventional and organic treatments on the rhizosphere microbiome of Mangifera indica cv. Dashehari. The long-term exposures (about 20 years) were monitored under a subtropical ecosystem. Based on plant growth properties and acetylene reduction assay, 12 bacterial isolates (7 from G1-organic and 5 from G2-conventional systems) were identified as Pseudomonas and Bacillus spp. In the conventional system, dehydrogenase activity significantly decreased (0.053 µg TPF formed g−1 of soil h−1) and adversely affected the bacterial diversity composition. In comparison, organic treatments had a good impact on dehydrogenase activity (0.784 µg TPF formed g−1 of soil h−1), alkaline phosphatase (139.25 µg PNP g−1 soil h−1), and bacterial community composition. The Metagenomics approach targeted the V3 and V4 regions to see the impact in the phylum, order, family, genus, and species for both the treatments. Results showed that phylum Acidobacteria (13.6%), Firmicutes (4.84%), and Chloroflexi (2.56%) were dominating in the G2 system whereas phylum Bacteroides (14.55%), Actinobacteria (7.45%), and Proteobacteria (10.82%) were abundantly dominated in the G1 system. Metagenome sequences are at the NCBI-GenBank sequence read archive with SRX8289747 (G1) and SRX8289748 (G2) in the study PRJNA631113. Results indicated that conventional and organic conditions affect rhizosphere microbiome and their environment.