bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of exercise in aromatase inhibitor‐induced arthralgia
Authors: Yu Kerstin , Portes Pauline , Morris G. Stephen , Huang Laura , Felix Elizabeth R. , Farkas Gary J. , Molinares Diana , Tiozzo Eduard
Published: May 2024

Aromatase inhibitors are prescribed in breast cancer due to their associated lower rate of cancer recurrence compared to tamoxifen. However, aromatase inhibitor‐induced arthralgia (AIIA) is one of the leading causes of treatment nonadherence, increasing the risk of cancer recurrence. The pathophysiology of AIIA is poorly understood, and although current recommendations for AIIA include lifestyle changes and analgesics depending on the severity of symptoms, there is no established effective treatment. The aim of this study is to explore the presentation and mechanism of AIIA and investigate the feasibility and efficacy of different exercise interventions (aerobic, resistance, aerobic and resistance combined, and yoga or tai chi) in patients with AIIA to guide the development of formal exercise prescription guidelines. Findings indicate that a mixed‐modality regimen of aerobic and resistance exercises is feasible and safe and may serve the most benefit in improving joint pain, functionality, and quality of life. More specifically, the weekly regimen should consist of 150 min of aerobic exercise with two sessions of at least six resistance exercises, 8 to 12 repetitions, three sets each. Supplementary yoga and tai chi may be recommended twice a week depending on a patient's target symptoms. Yoga was associated with improved physical functionality, whereas tai chi was related to improvements in mental health. However, the feasibility and impact of combined aerobic and resistance exercise protocols with yoga or tai chi in our target population were not investigated in this review. The use of large, randomized controlled trials is recommended for future studies.
Performance of Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanoparticles Carrying FeNiCu as Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for Rechargeable Zinc‐Air Battery
Authors: Guo Qiao , Yuan Rui , Zhao Yutong , Yu Ying , Fu Jie , Cao Longsheng
Published: May 2024

Catalysts for zinc‐air batteries (ZABs) must be stable over long‐term charging‐discharging cycles and exhibit bifunctional catalytic activity. In this study, by doping nitrogen‐doped carbon (NC) materials with three metal atoms (Fe, Ni, and Cu), a single‐atom‐distributed FeNiCu‐NC bifunctional catalyst is prepared. The catalyst includes Fe(Ni‐doped)‐N4 for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), Fe(Cu‐doped)‐N4 for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and the NiCu‐NC catalytic structure for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in the nitrogen‐doped carbon nanoparticles. This single‐atom distribution catalyst structure enhances the bifunctional catalytic activity. If a trimetallic single‐atom catalyst is designed, it will surpass the typical bimetallic single‐atom catcalyst. FeNiCu‐NC exhibits outstanding performance as an electrocatalyst, with a half‐wave potential (E1/2) of 0.876 V versus RHE, overpotential (Ej = 10) of 253 mV versus RHE at 10 mA cm−2, and a small potential gap (ΔE = 0.61 V). As the anode in a ZAB, FeNiCu‐NC can undergo continuous charge‐discharged cycles for 575 h without significant attenuation. This study presents a new method for achieving high‐performance, low‐cost ZABs via trimetallic single‐atom doping.
Limits of Preprocessing
Authors: Filmus Yuval , Ishai Yuval , Kaplan Avi , Kindler Guy
Published: May 2024

It is a classical result that the inner product function cannot be computed by an $${\rm AC}^0$$

AC

0

circuit. It is conjectured that this holds even if we allow arbitrary preprocessing of each of the two inputs separately. We prove this conjecture when the preprocessing of one of the inputs is limited to output $$n + n/(\log^{\omega(1)}n)$$

n
+
n
/
(

log

ω
(
1
)

n
)

bits and obtain a tight correlation bound. Our methods extend to many other functions, including pseudorandom functions, and imply a---weak yet nontrivial---limitation on the power of encoding inputs in low-complexity cryptography. Finally, under cryptographic assumptions, we relate the question of proving variants of the above conjecture with the question of learning $${\rm AC}^0$$

AC

0

under simple input distributions.
On the crystal-chemistry of inderite, Mg[B3O3(OH)5](H2O)4·H2O
Authors: Gatta G. Diego , Capelli Silvia C. , Comboni Davide , Cannaò Enrico
Published: May 2024

The crystal chemistry of inderite, a hydrous borate with known ideal formula MgB3O3(OH)5·5H2O from the Kramer deposit, was re-investigated by electron probe micro-analysis in wavelength dispersive mode, laser ablation-(multi collector-)inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and single-crystal neutron diffraction. The chemical data prove that the real composition of the investigated inderite is substantially identical to the ideal one, with insignificant content of potential isomorphic substituents, so that, excluding B, inderite does not contain any other industrially-relevant element (e.g., Li concentration is lower than 2.5 wt ppm, Be or REE lower than 0.1 wt ppm). The average δ11BNIST951 value of ca. − 7 ‰ lies within the range of values in which the source of boron is ascribable to terrestrial reservoirs (e.g., hydrothermal brines), rather than to marine ones. Neutron structure refinements, at both 280 and 10 K, confirm that the building units of the structure of inderite consist of: two BO2(OH)2 tetrahedra (B-ion in sp3 electronic configuration) and one BO2(OH) triangle (B-ion in sp2 electronic configuration), linked by corner-sharing to form a (soroborate) B3O3(OH)5 ring, and a Mg-octahedron Mg(OH)2(OH2)4. The B3O3(OH)5 ring and the Mg-octahedron are connected, by corner-sharing, to form an isolated Mg(H2O)4B3O3(OH)5 (molecular) cluster. The tri-dimensional edifice of inderite is therefore built by heteropolyhedral Mg(H2O)4B3O3(OH)5 clusters mutually connected by H-bonds, mediated by the zeolitic (“interstitial”) H2O molecules lying between the clusters, so that the correct form of the chemical formula of inderite is Mg[B3O3(OH)5](H2O)4·H2O, rather than MgB3O3(OH)5·5H2O. All the thirteen independent oxygen sites of the structure are involved in H-bonding, as donors or as acceptors. This confirms the pervasive nature and the important role played by the H-bonding network on the structural stability of inderite. The differences between the crystal structure of the two dimorphs inderite and kurnakovite are discussed.
SARS-CoV-2 and Dysphagia: A Retrospective Analysis of COVID-19 Patients with Swallowing Disorders
Authors: Molino Christopher , Bergantini Laura , Santucci Silvia , Pitinca Marialuigia Tomai , d’Alessandro Miriana , Cameli Paolo , Taddei Sabrina , Bargagli Elena
Published: May 2024

Background: COVID-19 can lead to impairment of neural networks involved in swallowing, since the act of swallowing is coordinated and performed by a diffuse brain network involving peripheral nerves and muscles. Dysphagia has been identified as a risk and predictive factor for the severest form of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Objectives: To investigate the association between swallowing disorders and COVID-19 in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Methods: We collected demographic data, medical information specific to dysphagia and data on medical treatments of patients with COVID-19. Results: A total of 43 hospitalized COVID-19 patients were enrolled in the study. Twenty (46%) were evaluated positive for dysphagia and 23 (54%) were evaluated negative. Neurocognitive disorders and diabetes were mostly associated with patients who resulted positive for dysphagia. Respiratory impairment caused by COVID-19 seems to be a cause of dysphagia, since all patients who needed oxygen-therapy developed symptoms of dysphagia, unlike patients who did not. In the dysphagic group, alteration of the swallowing trigger resulted in the severest form of dysphagia. An association was found between the severest form of COVID-19 and dysphagia. This group consisted predominantly of males with longer hospitalization. Conclusions: Identification of COVID-19 patients at risk for dysphagia is crucial for better patient management.
Electric vehicles as an emission mitigation option: expectations and reality
Authors: Tetik Kollugil Esin , Sarıca Kemal , Topcu Y. Ilker
Published: May 2024

Globally, the reliance on thermal power, constituting 67% of electricity generation, prompts questions for many countries regarding the viability of electric vehicles (EVs) for emission reduction in the transportation sector. This study comprehensively analyzes CO2 emissions in the small family car segment, considering engines powered by different energy sources. The analysis is coupled with Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure driving profiles, accounting for specific ambient temperature structures representative of densely populated areas in Türkiye. The constructed model incorporates the hourly temperature of the relevant cities and the hourly electricity production mix by considering the indirect emissions and comparing the ICEVs (Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles) and EVs in different time frames from 2015 to 2020. The resulting emissions from each vehicle type in each city and driving profile, along with the ratio of instances in which EVs exhibit higher emissions than ICEVs, are presented.The findings reveal the intricate interplay between vehicle type, climate conditions, and driving profiles. While the urban driving profile emerges as superior for EVs regarding CO2 reduction, offering a comfortable driving experience without range anxiety and mitigating local pollutants, it exhibits less significant carbon emission reductions at lower and higher speed profiles, particularly in cold climate conditions. EVs are not a silver bullet but a valuable technology for emissions reduction under specific conditions. Policymakers are urged to consider factors favoring EVs over ICEVs regarding CO2 emissions, such as driving profiles, time and climatic conditions when formulating investment policies and subsidies.

Graphical abstract
The diagnostic value of multimodal imaging based on MR combined with ultrasound in benign and malignant breast diseases
Authors: Bai Dong , Zhou Nan , Liu Xiaofei , Liang Yuanzi , Lu Xiaojun , Wang Jiajun , Liang Lei , Wang Zhiqun
Published: May 2024

We aimed to construct and validate a multimodality MRI combined with ultrasound based on radiomics for the evaluation of benign and malignant breast diseases. The preoperative enhanced MRI and ultrasound images of 131 patients with breast diseases confirmed by pathology in Aerospace Center Hospital from January 2021 to August 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, including 73 benign diseases and 58 malignant diseases. Ultrasound and 3.0 T multiparameter MRI scans were performed in all patients. Then, all the data were divided into training set and validation set in a 7:3 ratio. Regions of interest were drawn layer by layer based on ultrasound and MR enhanced sequences to extract radiomics features. The optimal radiomic features were selected by the best feature screening method. Logistic Regression classifier was used to establish models according to the best features, including ultrasound model, MRI model, ultrasound combined with MRI model. The model efficacy was evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. The F-test based on ANOVA was used to screen out 20 best ultrasonic features, 11 best MR Features, and 14 best features from the combined model. Among them, texture features accounted for the largest proportion, accounting for 79%.The ultrasound combined with MR Image fusion model based on logistic regression classifier had the best diagnostic performance. The AUC of the training group and the validation group were 0.92 and 091, the sensitivity was 0.80 and 0.67, the specificity was 0.90 and 0.94, and the accuracy was 0.84 and 0.79, respectively. It was better than the simple ultrasound model (AUC of validation set was 0.82) or the simple MR model (AUC of validation set was 0.85). Compared with the traditional ultrasound or magnetic resonance diagnosis of breast diseases, the multimodal model of MRI combined with ultrasound based on radiomics can more accurately predict the benign and malignant breast diseases, thus providing a better basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Analyzing Stationarity in World Coffee Prices
Authors: Flores Komatsu C. , Gil-Alana L. A.
Published: May 2024

This paper investigates the degree of persistence of monthly coffee prices of five different groups (ICO Composite, Brazilian Naturals, Other Milds, Colombian Milds, and Robusta) between the years 1965 and 2020 by using long memory and fractional integration processes. The results show high degrees of persistence for all coffee groups, rejecting the hypothesis of I(0) stationarity, and showing a lack of mean reversion towards the long-run price level for most coffee groups. The results imply that in the case of an exogenous shock in coffee price levels, strong policy measures must be introduced to regain their original levels.
Enhancing arthropod occurrence in wheat cropping systems: the role of non-chemical pest management and nitrogen optimization
Authors: Gitzel Julia , Kampen Helge , Sellmann Jörg , Schwarz Jürgen , Hoffmann Luca Marie , Kühne Stefan , Ulrichs Christian , Werner Doreen
Published: May 2024

This study analyzes arthropod biomass and abundance to track the changes in arthropod occurrence in relation to pesticide use in three winter wheat cropping systems managed at different intensities (organic, conventional, and hybrid). Arthropod occurrence was surveyed using three collection tools: sweeping nets, eclector traps, and yellow traps. Sampling was conducted over three years from 2020 to 2022 with 588 samples collected. The wet weight of the captured organisms was determined and arthropod abundance calculated. The application of a NOcsPS (no chemical-synthetic pesticides) strategy, a new hybrid cultivation method realized with optimized use of nitrogen fertilizers but without chemical-synthetic pesticides, showed a higher arthropod occurrence and performed more convincingly regarding produced arthropod biomass and abundance than the other cropping variants. The results also demonstrate a dependence of the obtained insect indices on the collection method. Although arthropod biomass and abundance correlated for all collection methods, the combination of various methods as well as multiple procedures of sample analysis gives a more realistic and comprehensive view of the impact of the wheat cultivation systems on the arthropod fauna than one-factor analyses.
Quantifying land impacts of wind energy: a regional-scale assessment in Finland
Authors: Balotari-Chiebáo Fábio , Byholm Patrik
Published: May 2024

Large-scale deployment of wind energy raises ecological concerns about land use changes. Here, we conducted a quantitative assessment of land impacts of 42 wind farms (513 turbines) from Ostrobothnia, Finland. Located on the Baltic Sea coast, Ostrobothnia is a strategic region for national wind energy targets. Our main objectives were (1) to calculate landscape metrics (e.g., habitat composition, loss and fragmentation) within wind farm project areas, (2) compare the amount of building-related deforestation between project areas and simulation-based control areas and (3) compute the overlap between project areas and regional land use plans. According to CORINE Land Cover datasets, the predominant habitats within project areas were forests (371.7 km2; 81%) and transitional forests (52.7 km2; 11%). The remaining 8% were agricultural areas (17.6 km2; 4%), waters (12.5 km2; 3%) and artificial surfaces (2.9 km2; 1%). Wind farm infrastructure corresponded to 1.4-6.0% of project areas and caused similar degrees of habitat fragmentation. Deforestation levels in project areas were higher (~ 6 times on average) than in control areas, and the micro-siting of turbines did not avoid mature forests by favouring e.g., transitional forests (which are ecologically less valuable). We found some spatial incongruence between project areas and regional land use plans, with 78 turbines falling outside the established boundaries. Our results highlight the need for careful ecological considerations in wind energy spatial planning in Finland (and countries with similar landscapes and land uses) to limit forest loss and its detrimental impacts on forest-dependent species, but also on carbon storage and sequestration.
Advances in information retrieval collection on the European conference on information retrieval 2023
Authors: Kamps Jaap , Goeuriot Lorraine , Crestani Fabio
Published: May 2024

This paper introduces the Collection on ECIR 2023. The 45th European Conference on Information Retrieval (ECIR 2023) was held in Dublin, Ireland, during April 2–6, 2023. The conference was the largest ECIR ever, and brought together hundreds of researchers from Europe and abroad. A selection of papers shortlisted for the best paper awards was asked to submit expanded versions appearing in this Discover Computing (formerly the Information Retrieval Journal) Collection on ECIR 2023. First, an analytic paper on incorporating first stage retrieval status values as input in neural cross-encoder re-rankers. Second, new models and new data for a new task of temporal natural language inference. Third, a weak supervision approach to video retrieval overcoming the need for large-scale human labeled training data. Together, these papers showcase the breadth and diversity of current research on information retrieval.
Women Who Perform Social Egg Freezing as Moral Pioneers: The Case of Ultra-Orthodox Communities in Israel
Authors: Maor Maya , Billig Miriam
Published: May 2024

Social egg freezing (SEF) is a new reproductive technology that is increasingly used within ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, stirring tensions between tradition and modernity. Based on in-depth semi-structured interviews, this study examined how ultra-Orthodox singles who employ SEF engage in social negotiations over gender- and body-related norms. Findings show that participants successfully assimilated SEF by establishing facts on the ground and discreetly spreading information while actively avoiding tensions that may threaten religious tradition. SEF did not push participants into modern individualism or dissolve their strong connection to the community. However they did modify social boundaries and articulated social criticism.
Smartphone Ownership, Minors’ Well-being, and Parental Mediation Strategies. An Analysis in the Context of Social Media Influencers
Authors: Martín-Cárdaba Miguel Ángel , Martínez Díaz Mercedes Victoria , Lafuente Pérez Patricia , García Castro Javier
Published: May 2024

Although smartphone ownership among minors has become an important social phenomenon, its impact on children’s and adolescents’ well-being, as well as the mechanisms by which this might take place are not yet sufficiently well-established. To date, no research has examined the effect of smartphone ownership on the well-being of minors through the consumption of influencer-generated content, nor has it explored the effectiveness of the main prevention strategies employed by parents in this context. To fill those gaps, 800 Spanish minors (50% female) aged from 8 to 16 years old (M = 12.33, SD = 2.38) participated in a correlational study in which the ownership of electronic devices, the consumption of influencer generated content, the parasocial relationship with the influencer, and the most common parental mediation strategies were considered. The results showed a positive association between electronic device ownership and psychological discomfort, problematic usage, and imitation of dangerous behaviors. This association was mediated by the consumption of influencer-generated content and the parasocial relationship established by the minor with the influencer. Regarding preventive strategies, only active mediation was inversely related to poorer well-being indicators, however this positive effect significantly decreased when a smartphone or a similar electronic device was owned by the minor (vs. no owned). These findings contribute to the understanding of how smartphone ownership can affect the well-being of children, emphasizing the need for thoughtful consideration when deciding whether to provide smartphones to minors.
Stoichiometry of litter decomposition under the effects of climate change and nutrient enrichment: A meta-analysis
Authors: de la Casa Javier , Sardans Jordi , Galindo Marta , Peñuelas Josep
Published: May 2024

Aims

The cycling of nutrients from plant litter has key implications for the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems by controlling nutrient availability and net primary production. Despite extensive research on the effects of global change on ecosystem functioning, the direct implications of global change on stoichiometry and nutrient dynamics during litter decomposition remain poorly understood. To address this gap, we conducted a meta-analysis.

Methods

We analysed 178 experiments that simulated (i) warming, (ii) drought, (iii) increased water availability, (iv) N enrichment, (v) P enrichment, and (vi) combined N and P (N + P) enrichment. We compared earlier (approximately six months) and later (approximately one year) stages of decomposition and analysed the specific effects taking into account climate and plant type.

Results

The C:N and C:P ratios decreased in most warming and nutrient enrichment scenarios, leading to losses of litter C content, while the N:P ratio remained more resilient and affected by water availability. Furthermore, the abundance of resources (water and N + P) fosters the decomposition of litter. The nutrient mobilisation increases for both P and N under non-limited nutrient enrichment and it is faster for N than for P when water increases its availability. Nutrient enrichment was relevant in later stages of decomposition.

Conclusions

Our study provides insights into the fate of litter decomposition and its stoichiometric dynamics in response to drivers of global change. Concerning scenarios of C release and N and P immobilisation were identified. However, further experimentation and analysis are necessary to consider all interacting drivers.
Anti-luminosity and anti-realism in metaethics
Authors: Suikkanen Jussi
Published: May 2024

This paper begins by applying a version of Timothy Williamson’s anti-luminosity argument to normative properties. This argument suggests that there must be at least some unknowable normative facts in normative Sorites sequences, or otherwise we get a contradiction given certain plausible assumptions concerning safety requirements on knowledge and our doxastic dispositions. This paper then focuses on the question of how the defenders of different forms of metaethical anti-realism (namely, error theorists, subjectivists, relativists, contextualists, expressivists, response dependence theorists, and constructivists) could respond to the explanatory challenge created by the previous argument. It argues that, with two exceptions, the metaethical anti-realists need not challenge the argument itself, but rather they can find ways to explain how the unknowable normative facts can obtain. These explanations are based on the idea that our own attitudes on which the normative facts are grounded need not be transparent to us either. Reaching this conclusion also illuminates how metaethical anti-realists can make sense of instances of normative vagueness more generally.
Prevention at home in older persons with (pre-)frailty: analysis of participants’ recruitment and characteristics of the randomized controlled PromeTheus trial
Authors: Fleiner Tim , Nerz Corinna , Denkinger Michael , Bauer Jürgen M. , Grüneberg Christian , Dams Judith , Schäufele Martina , Büchele Gisela ,   PromeTheus Study Group, Rapp Kilian , Werner Christian
Published: May 2024

Background

The “PromeTheus” trial is evaluating a home-based, multifactorial, interdisciplinary prevention program for community-dwelling (pre-)frail older adults. These individuals often suffer from reduced participation, which can complicate the recruitment and enrollment in a clinical trial.

Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate different recruitment strategies and differences in participant characteristics in relation to these strategies.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used baseline data from the randomized-controlled PromeTheus trial, in which community-dwelling (pre-)frail older persons (Clinical Frailty Scale [CFS] 4–6 pt., ≥ 70 years) were recruited via general practitioners (“GP recruitment”) or flyers, newspaper articles, and personalized letters (“direct recruitment”). Differences in the sociodemographic, clinical, physical, functional, mobility-related, psychological and social characteristics were analyzed in relation to the recruitment strategy.

Results

A total of 385 participants (mean age = 81.2, SD 5.9 years; women: n = 283, 73.5%) were enrolled, of which 60 (16%) were recruited by GPs and 325 (84%) through direct recruitment. Participants recruited via GPs had significantly higher subjective frailty levels (CFS), were more often physically frail (Fried Frailty Phenotype), and showed lower physical capacity (Short Physical Performance Battery), participation (disability component of the short version of the Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument), and life-space mobility (Life-Space Assessment) compared to those recruited via the direct approach (p = 0.002–0.026). Costs per randomized participant were 94€ for the GP recruitment strategy and €213 for the direct recruitment strategy.

Conclusion

Different strategies may be required to successfully recruit (pre-)frail home-living older adults into preventive programs. Direct recruitment strategies, in which potential participants are directly informed about the prevention program, seem to be more promising than GP recruitment but may result in enrolment of persons with less functional impairment and higher recruitment costs.

Trial registration

German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00024638. Registered on March 11, 2021.
Boundary-lubricated biomaterials with drug delivery for osteoarthritis treatment
Authors: Wu Junyu , Ren Kaixuan , Yin Jingbo
Published: May 2024

The good lubrication ability of articular cartilage holds significant importance in our daily lives. Osteoarthritis (OA), the most prevalent degenerative joint disease, causes cartilage damage, increased friction, and inflammation. However, the current clinical treatments for OA exhibit some defects. Recently, the sustained drug release systems with lubricating function have attracted considerable attention for treating OA. This review introduces the lubrication mechanism of cartilage, focusing particularly on the boundary lubrication mechanism. The research progress of boundary-lubricated biomaterials with drug delivery, including microcarriers, hydrogels, and nanoparticles in the treatment of OA by improving inter-articular lubrication and relieving inflammation is discussed and summarized. The efficacy and challenges of boundary-lubricated biomaterials with drug delivery in the treatment of OA are summarized, and the prospects are also discussed.
Screening of low-friction two-dimensional materials from high-throughput calculations using lubricating figure of merit
Authors: Tang Kewei , Qi Weihong , Ru Guoliang , Liu Weimin
Published: May 2024

Two-dimensional materials are excellent lubricants with inherent advantages. However, superlubricity has been reported for only a few of these materials. Unfortunately, other promising two-dimentional (2D) materials with different physical properties cannot be discovered or applied in production; thus, energy consumption can be greatly reduced. Here, we carry out high-throughput calculations for 1,475 2D materials and screen for low-friction materials. To set a standard, we propose, for the first time, a geometry-independent lubricating figure of merit based on the conditions for stick-slip transition and our theory of Moiré friction. For the efficient calculation of this figure of merit, an innovative approach was developed based on an improved registry index model. Through calculations, 340 materials were found to have a figure of merit lower than 10−3. Eventually, a small set of 21 materials with a figure of merit lower than 10−4 were screened out. These materials can provide diverse choices for various applications. In addition, the efficient computational approach demonstrated in this work can be used to study other stacking-dependent properties.
Prosuming for a sustainable future? Effects of different forms of participatory value creation with respect to sustainability
Authors: Stoltenberg Lisa , Krenz Pascal , Redlich Tobias
Published: May 2024

The phenomenon of users or consumers actively taking part in the value creation process of products is referred to as prosuming in sociology. In recent years prosuming in its various forms has been gaining widespread attention due in part to its association with different aspirations and expectations regarding, i.e., economic and sustainability effects. However, prosuming is a very broad topic and its impacts have not yet been conclusively examined. This article thus first provides an overview of the different sub-forms and existing definitions of prosuming. Using this as a basis, the possible effects on people and the environment are presented and analysed, including the question of the extent to which these effects can be considered sustainability effects.
Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Naudé Wim , Gries Thomas , Dimitri Nicola
Published: May 2024

Is Artificial Intelligence a more significant invention than electricity? Will it result in explosive economic growth and unimaginable wealth for all, or will it cause the extinction of all humans? Artificial Intelligence: Economic Perspectives and Models provides a sober analysis of these questions from an economics perspective. It argues that to better understand the impact of AI on economic outcomes, we must fundamentally change the way we think about AI in relation to models of economic growth. It describes the progress that has been made so far and offers two ways in which current modelling can be improved: firstly, to incorporate the nature of AI as providing abilities that complement and/or substitute for labour, and secondly, to consider demand-side constraints. Outlining the decision-theory basis of both AI and economics, this book shows how this, and the incorporation of AI into economic models, can provide useful tools for safe, human-centered AI.
Imagining the future – rejecting the present: Future thought and defensive discourse strategies in Russian society during wartime
Authors: Kurbak Maria
Published: May 2024

For many Russians, the Russia–Ukraine war became a starting point for rethinking their identity. And thinking about their personal and national future played a significant role in this process. This article is based on the analysis of the interviews I collected during the first year of the war. It examines how imagining the future activates a variety of defense mechanisms, which can be situated in four unique, yet not mutually exclusive, defensive discourse strategies. The primary focus is the connections among future thinking, agency, defensiveness, and identity. The whole spectrum of different and, in some cases, opposite visions of the future and the fact that the majority of respondents used more than one defensive discourse strategies can be a sign of a significant fragmentation – on individual and collective levels. This fragmentation is almost invisible if we consider the public opinion polling or Putin's approval rating. This paper gives crucial insights into what remains hidden in the statistics and presents a more complex picture of Russian society in a time of war.
Medical record prompts improve the frequency and documentation of dizziness and driving conversations in the ENT balance clinic
Authors: Burrows Lisa , Roland Nicolas
Published: May 2024

Background

Driving capacity is affected by vestibular disorders and the medications used to treat them. Driving is not considered during medical consultations, with 92 per cent of patients attending a centre for dizziness not discussing it with the doctor.

Objective

To investigate if medical record prompts facilitate dizziness and driving conversations in ENT balance clinics.

Methods

A questionnaire was designed to reflect the current standards of practice and advice given regarding driving and dizziness during balance clinic consultations.

Results

Medical record prompts facilitated the improved frequency and recording of shared decision-making conversations about driving and dizziness in 98 per cent of consultations.

Conclusion

This study highlights the benefits of medical record prompts for documented and accurate shared decision-making conversations surrounding dizziness, vertigo, vestibular conditions and driving. This potentially improves safety for all road users, and protects the patient and clinician in the event of road traffic accidents and medico-legal investigations.
Management of recurrent benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Authors: Evans Alessandra , Frost Kate , Wood Elizabeth , Herdman David
Published: May 2024

Background

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is the most common episodic vestibular disorder, although it is often quiescent by the time patients visit a specialist clinic, making the diagnosis difficult to confirm. Patients fear the consequences of a relapse and it is not clear what follow up should be provided.

Objective

This evaluation reviewed the results of an open access pathway that offered priority appointments to patients with a history of positional vertigo.

Results and conclusion

In total, 664 patients were included in the analysis, 52 per cent of whom had unconfirmed benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Open follow up improved diagnostic rates by approximately 40 per cent. The rate of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo recurrence was 34 per cent in patients with follow up of at least one year, 41 per cent with follow up of one to two years, and 53 per cent with follow up of two years or more. One in five recurrences occurred in a different semi-circular canal. These results suggest that specialist follow up is required for management of recurrent benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
God's pronouns
Authors: Adams Nicholas
Published: May 2024

The Church of England is currently debating what pronouns to use of God in liturgy. Opinions are strongly established on various sides. This article aims to slow the pace at which strong judgements are arrived at, through four sets of arguments. First, the distinctiveness of English compared with some other European languages and the danger of allowing the contingencies of English pronoun use to dominate the possible meanings of scripture. Second (drawing on the work of Janet Martin Soskice), the complexity of the figure of the fatherhood of God. Third, the significance of German philosophy of language in relation to negative theology and the particular ways in which the inadequacy of language about God has theological consequences. Fourth, a more philosophical discussion of the ways in which what is necessary or possible in one language cannot adequately be conveyed, as necessary or merely possible, in translation.
Estimating Disenfranchisement in US Elections, 1870–1970
Authors: Gray Thomas R. , Jenkins Jeffery A.
Published: May 2024

While it is commonly understood that the poll tax and literacy tests, among other measures, were used effectively in the South to disenfranchise Black voters from the late nineteenth through the mid-twentieth century, what is not well known is how much those disenfranchising laws mattered. Specifically, how much did the enactment of poll taxes or literacy tests affect turnout in federal and state elections? And how much did those disenfranchising provisions dampen vote totals for Republican candidates in the South? Using the staggered implementation and removal of several disenfranchising policies over a 101-year period, we answer these questions and provide some precision to our collective knowledge of the “disenfranchising era” in American electoral politics. Overall, we find that the poll tax was the main driver of disenfranchisement in Southern elections, with literacy tests and the Australian ballot providing some secondary effects. We also find that ex-felon disenfranchisement laws were considerably more important—both in reducing turnout as well as Republican vote share in Southern elections—than has been traditionally understood. Finally, we unpack the “South” and unsurprisingly find that racial politics drove these results: the disenfranchising institutions were more impactful in states with a larger Black population share. Our results show the powerful effects of disenfranchising policies on electorates and electoral outcomes. We discuss these results in both their historical context as well as with a mind to the continuing use of disenfranchising provisions in law today.
Evaluation of row width and nozzle selection on spray coverage and weed control in flooded rice
Authors: Reed Noah H. , Butts Thomas R. , Norsworthy Jason K. , Hardke Jarrod T. , Barber L. Tom , Bond Jason A. , Bowman Hunter D. , Bateman Nick R. , Poncet Aurelie M. , Kouame Koffi B.J.
Published: May 2024

Barnyardgrass and other troublesome weeds have become a major problem for producers in a flooded rice system. Cultural control options and more efficient herbicide applications have become a priority to increase efficiency and weed control in rice. This study aimed to determine the effects of row width and nozzle selection on spray coverage and weed control in a flooded rice system. A field experiment was conducted at 7 site-years (Lonoke, AR, in 2021 and 2022; Pine Tree, AR, in 2021 and 2022; Rohwer, AR, in 2022; and Stoneville, MS, in 2021 and 2022) as a randomized complete block split-plot design. Five nozzles (XR, AIXR, TTI, TTI60, and AITTJ60) (subplot factor) were used for herbicide applications, and plots were drill-seeded in four row widths (whole plot factor) (13, 19, 25, and 38 cm). A droplet size experiment was conducted to evaluate the droplet size and velocity of each nozzle type used in the field experiment. Overall, as row width increased, barnyardgrass density increased. The rice grown in a wider width took longer to generate canopy closure, allowing weed escapes in the crop. For example, the 13-cm width had a 12 percentage point canopy coverage increase compared to the 38-cm row width at the preflood timing resulting in a reduction of six barnyardgrass plants per square meter. The smallest droplet size-producing nozzle (XR) provided greater weed control throughout the study but is more prone to drift. The dual-fan nozzles (AITTJ60 and TTI60) had variable weed control impacts, and it was difficult to predict when this might occur; however, they did have increased deposits on water-sensitive cards compared to single-fan counterparts (AIXR and TTI). In conclusion, a narrower row width (e.g., 19-cm or less) and a smaller droplet size producing nozzle (XR) are optimal for barnyardgrass control in a flooded rice system.
Column‐Compound Extremes in the Global Ocean
Authors: Wong Joel , Münnich Matthias , Gruber Nicolas
Published: May 2024

Marine extreme events such as marine heatwaves, ocean acidity extremes and low oxygen extremes can pose a substantial threat to marine organisms and ecosystems. Such extremes might be particularly detrimental (a) when they are compounded in more than one stressor, and (b) when the extremes extend substantially across the water column, restricting the habitable space for marine organisms. Here, we use daily output of a hindcast simulation (1961–2020) from the ocean component of the Community Earth System Model to characterize such column‐compound extreme events (CCX), employing a relative threshold approach to identify extremes and requiring them to extend vertically over at least 50 m. The diagnosed CCX are prevalent, occupying worldwide in the 1960s about 1% of the volume contained within the top 300 m. Over the duration of our simulation, CCX become more intense, last longer, and occupy more volume, driven by the trends in ocean warming and ocean acidification. For example, the triple CCX expanded 39‐fold, now last 3‐times longer, and became 6‐times more intense since the early 1960s. Removing this effect with a moving baseline permits us to better understand the key characteristics of CCX, revealing a typical duration of 10–30 days and a predominant occurrence in the Tropics and high latitudes, regions of high potential biological vulnerability. Overall, the CCX fall into 16 clusters, reflecting different patterns and drivers. Triple CCX are largely confined to the tropics and the North Pacific and tend to be associated with the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation.
2.5‐D Local Hybrid Simulations of Hot Flow Anomalies Under Various Magnetic Field Geometries
Authors: Vu Andrew , Liu Terry Z. , Angelopoulos Vassilis , Zhang Hui
Published: May 2024

Hot flow anomalies are ion kinetic phenomena that play an important role in geoeffects and particle acceleration. They form due to the currents driven by demagnetized foreshock ions around a tangential discontinuity (TD). To understand the profile of such currents around a TD with foreshock ions on both sides, we use 2.5‐D local hybrid simulations of TDs, interacting with a planar shock with various shock geometries. We find that the electric field direction relative to the TD plane provides information about how the foreshock ion‐driven currents affect the magnetic field around the TD. For TDs embedded in the quasi‐parallel shock on both sides, the foreshock ions from one side of TD can cross it determining the current profile on the other side. In contrast, for TDs embedded in the quasi‐perpendicular shock, sheath‐leaked ions enter the TD and determine the current profile. We find that the foreshock ultra‐low frequency waves can periodically modulate how foreshock ions interact with the TD and thus the current profile. Studying the effects of various magnetic field configurations allows us to build a more comprehensive model of hot flow anomalie formation.
Magnetic sensitivity enhancement via polarimetric excitation and detection of an ensemble of NV centers
Authors: Magaletti Simone , Mayer Ludovic , Le Xuan Phuc , Debuisschert Thierry
Published: May 2024

The negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy center (NV) presents remarkable spin-dependent optical properties that make it an interesting tool for magnetic field sensing. In this paper we exploit the polarization properties of the NV center absorption and emission processes to improve the magnetic sensitivity of an ensemble of NV centers. By simply equipping the experimental set-up of a half-wave plate in the excitation path and a polarizer in the detection path we demonstrate an improvement larger than a factor of two on the NV center magnetic sensitivity.
Down-regulation of KLRB1 is associated with increased cell growth, metastasis, poor prognosis, as well as a dysfunctional immune microenvironment in LUAD
Authors: Chen Jiu-Ling , Wu Chuang-Yan , Luo Xiang-Yu , Wang Xue-Ying , Wang Fang-Ming , Huang Xin , Yuan Wei , Guo Qiang
Published: May 2024

Killer cell lectin-like receptor B1 (KLRB1) is implicated in cancer progression and immunity. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the expression levels of KLRB1 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and analyze the relationship between KLRB1 expression levels, LUAD progression, and the tumor immune microenvironment. KLRB1 levels in LUAD were analyzed using data from the TCGA and XENA databases. Additionally, the diagnostic values of KLRB1 were analyzed in patients with LUAD. Survival and meta-analyses were employed to investigate the relationship between KLRB1 levels and other prognostic factors in patients with LUAD. Bioinformatics and cellular experiments were used to understand the functions and mechanisms of KLRB1. In addition, correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationship between KLRB1 levels and the immune microenvironment in LUAD. Reduced KLRB1 expression in LUAD was found to positively correlate with tumor size, distant metastasis, pathological stage, age, overall survival, diagnostic value, and disease-specific survival in patients with LUAD (P < 0.05). Conversely, increased KLRB1 expression was found to positively correlate with the overall survival and disease-specific survival in patients with LUAD (P < 0.05). We also found that the overexpression of KLRB1 can inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LUAD cells and promote apoptosis. KLRB1 was involved in immune cell differentiation, NF-kB, PD-L1, and PD-1 checkpoint pathways and others. Additionally, KLRB1 expression was linked to tumor purity, stromal, immune, and estimate scores, the levels of immune cells including B cells, CD8+ T cells, and CD4+ T cells, and immune cell markers in LUAD. Reduced KLRB1 expression has a significant positive correlation with diagnosis, poor prognosis, and immunity to cancer in patients with LUAD. KLRB1 inhibited cell proliferation and migration in patients with LUAD. These results suggest that KLRB1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target in patients with LUAD.
Weathering increases the acute toxicity of plastic pellets leachates to sea-urchin larvae—a case study with environmental samples
Authors: Ferrari Michele , Laranjeiro Filipe , Sugrañes Marta , Oliva Jordi , Beiras Ricardo
Published: May 2024

Microplastics, particles under 5 mm, pervade aquatic environments, notably in Tarragona’s coastal region (NE Iberian Peninsula), hosting a major plastic production complex. To investigate weathering and yellowness impact on plastic pellets toxicity, sea-urchin embryo tests were conducted with pellets from three locations—near the source and at increasing distances. Strikingly, distant samples showed toxicity to invertebrate early stages, contrasting with innocuous results near the production site. Follow-up experiments highlighted the significance of weathering and yellowing in elevated pellet toxicity, with more weathered and colored pellets exhibiting toxicity. This research underscores the overlooked realm of plastic leachate impact on marine organisms while proposes that prolonged exposure of plastic pellets in the environment may lead to toxicity. Despite shedding light on potential chemical sorption as a toxicity source, further investigations are imperative to comprehend weathering, yellowing, and chemical accumulation in plastic particles.