bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Creative pedagogies in digital STEAM practices: natural, technological and cultural entanglements for powerful learning and activism
Authors: Chappell Kerry , Hetherington Lindsay
Published: December 2023

This paper delves deeply into the creative pedagogies which support cutting edge digital STEAM practice across primary and secondary school settings. It contextualises the research within current STEAM agendas including transdisciplinarity, and STEAM and technology and goes on to offer insight from the novel context of ocean learning to develop and extend a theorisation of creative pedagogies as entwining both creative teaching and teaching for creativity as embodied, democratic, dialogic and material processes. Intra-action between theory, praxis, nature, culture, the digital and humans enables an emergent perspective about changing the dynamics of power to develop ocean or environmental learning and related activism. Derived from research into an ocean education project, which aimed to develop students’ ocean literacy through the combined educative principles of creative pedagogies and digital technologies (Augmented and Virtual Realities), the research draws on data from six projects across primary and secondary school settings in Denmark, Spain and England. It used a ‘diffractive’ analytic technique, inspired by new materialist theory, to explore the messy mixtures of natural, cultural and technological environments that were being learned through. This involved the development of four material-dialogic assemblages each including diffractive switches. Each is presented first through a ‘piece’ which demonstrates each assemblage’s connection to the core question, followed by ‘ripples’, which briefly articulate the new learning and questions arising from that assemblage. The four assemblages cover the irresistibility of making kin, the relationships between lively bodies and virtual environments, the importance of spacetimematter in environmental edu-activism and trajectories between transience, stability and dialogic space. The paper leaves the reader/engager with a selection of prompts to highlight the research’s contribution to current STEAM agendas related to changing power dynamics, and to provoke reader/engagers’ own practices. These can include new pedagogies and activisms, as well as theoretical developments to the combined educative principles of creative pedagogies and digital technologies within STEAM education.
Edep: ethical imagination and the Sunna of the Prophet Muhammed
Authors: Kostadinova Zora
Published: December 2023

This paper analyzes the role of Sufiedep/adab(spiritual manners) in the ethical self-cultivation among a Naqshbandi Sufi Muslim group in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. It considers how an ethnographic focus onedeb/adabcan help us understand Sufi spirituality as a form of everyday sociality on one hand and as a form of religious virtue and piety on the other. The ethnography highlights the importance of inculcating self-reflexivity in the pious and ethical self-cultivation as a way of attainingadaband thus piety as an everyday social. Instead of focusing on the exclusion of other Muslim selfhoods, the Naqshbandi Muslims analyzed in this paper turn to self-critique and self-improvement, a key method for spiritual refinement and a deeper relation to divine authority. Self-critique is a method which opens a path toward the proper internalization of the Prophet’ssunna, and it therefore constitutes a degree of hermeneutic practice. The essay argues for a greater ethnographic focus on how self-critique can be oriented toward the social and contribute toward formulations of ideas of tolerance and local forms of sociality. This makesadab‘good to think with’ both in tracing the intra-Muslim power dynamics, in exploring broader Sufi engagements as religious subjects who perform ethics in a secular world, and tensions between the subject and the social, together with the practices of dervishes (initiates) to individual and collective ends. Thus, the paper proposes that a religious agency in the present via the cultivation ofadabcan be used to interrogate the canon, in an ongoing process of ethical cultivation which places the accent of being Islamic on the ethical as a relational category (Zigon,The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute,27(2), 384–401, 2021).Edepis an abstract noun in Turkish, drawn from the original Arabicadab.Though the preferred vocabulary of my interlocutors wasedepas most scholarly literature usesadab, in this text, I useadab. The interchange betweenedepandadabis used only when I am quoting directly from my interlocutors.
Radiomic features of the hippocampal based on magnetic resonance imaging in the menopausal mouse model linked to neuronal damage and cognitive deficits
Authors: Zhao Jie , Jiao Yan , Wang Hui , Song Peiji , Gao Zhen , Bing Xue , Zhang Chunling , Ouyang Aimei , Yao Jian , Wang Song , Jiang Huijie
Published: December 2023

Estrogen deficiency in the early postmenopausal phase is associated with an increased long-term risk of cognitive decline or dementia. Non-invasive characterization of the pathological features of the pathological hallmarks in the brain associated with postmenopausal women (PMW) could enhance patient management and the development of therapeutic strategies. Radiomics is a means to quantify the radiographic phenotype of a diseased tissue via the high-throughput extraction and mining of quantitative features from images acquired from modalities such as CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study set out to explore the correlation between radiomics features based on MRI and pathological features of the hippocampus and cognitive function in the PMW mouse model. Ovariectomized (OVX) mice were used as PWM models. MRI scans were performed two months after surgery. The brain’s hippocampal region was manually annotated, and the radiomic features were extracted with PyRadiomics. Chemiluminescence was used to evaluate the peripheral blood estrogen level of mice, and the Morris water maze test was used to evaluate the cognitive ability of mice. Nissl staining and immunofluorescence were used to quantify neuronal damage and COX1 expression in brain sections of mice. The OVX mice exhibited marked cognitive decline, brain neuronal damage, and increased expression of mitochondrial complex IV subunit COX1, which are pathological phenomena commonly observed in the brains of AD patients, and these phenotypes were significantly correlated with radiomics features (p < 0.05, |r|>0.5), including Original_firstorder_Interquartile Range, Original_glcm_Difference Average, Original_glcm_Difference Average and Wavelet-LHH_glszm_Small Area Emphasis. Meanwhile, the above radiomics features were significantly different between the sham-operated and OVX groups (p < 0.01) and were associated with decreased serum estrogen levels (p < 0.05, |r|>0.5). This initial study indicates that the above radiomics features may have a role in the assessment of the pathology of brain damage caused by estrogen deficiency using routinely acquired structural MR images.
A MLP-Mixer and mixture of expert model for remaining useful life prediction of lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Zhao Lingling , Song Shitao , Wang Pengyan , Wang Chunyu , Wang Junjie , Guo Maozu
Published: December 2023

Accurately predicting the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of lithium-ion batteries is crucial for battery management systems. Deep learning-based methods have been shown to be effective in predicting RUL by leveraging battery capacity time series data. However, the representation learning of features such as long-distance sequence dependencies and mutations in capacity time series still needs to be improved. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a novel deep learning model, the MLP-Mixer and Mixture of Expert (MMMe) model, for RUL prediction. The MMMe model leverages the Gated Recurrent Unit and Multi-Head Attention mechanism to encode the sequential data of battery capacity to capture the temporal features and a re-zero MLP-Mixer model to capture the high-level features. Additionally, we devise an ensemble predictor based on a Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) architecture to generate reliable RUL predictions. The experimental results on public datasets demonstrate that our proposed model significantly outperforms other existing methods, providing more reliable and precise RUL predictions while also accurately tracking the capacity degradation process. Our code and dataset are available at the website of github.
Modeling of carbonaceous aerosols for air pollution health impact studies in Europe
Authors: Paisi Niki , Kushta Jonilda , Georgiou George , Zittis George , Pozzer Andrea , Van der Gon Hugo Denier , Kuenen Jeroen , Christoudias Theodoros , Lelieveld Jos
Published: December 2023

Air pollution from fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been associated with various health implications that can lead to increased morbidity and excess mortality. Epidemiological and toxicological studies have shown that carbonaceous particles (black carbon and organic aerosols) may be more hazardous to human health than inorganic ones. Health impact studies and emission reduction policies are based on total PM2.5 concentration without differentiating the more harmful components. In such assessments, PM2.5 and their sub-component concentrations are usually modeled with air quality models. Organic aerosols have been shown to be consistently underestimated, which may affect excess mortality estimates. Here, we use the WRF-Chem model to simulate PM2.5 (including carbonaceous particles) over the wider European domain and assess some of the main factors that contribute to uncertainty. In particular, we explore the impact of anthropogenic emissions and meteorological modeling on carbonaceous aerosol concentrations. We further assess their effects on excess mortality estimates by using the Global Exposure Mortality Model (GEMM). We find that meteorological grid nudging is essential for accurately representing both PM2.5 and carbonaceous aerosols and that, for this application, results improve more significantly compared to spectral nudging. Our results indicate that the explicit account of organic precursors (semi-volatile and intermediate-volatile organic carbons—SVOCs/IVOCs) in emission inventories would improve the accuracy of organic aerosols modeling. We conclude that uncertainties related to PM2.5 modeling in Europe lead to a ∼15% deviation in excess mortality, which is comparable to the risk model uncertainty. This estimate is relevant when all PM2.5 sub-components are assumed to be equally toxic but can be higher by considering their specific toxicity.
Hormonal Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis: a Review of Clinical Data
Authors: Hsu Stephanie , Bove Riley
Published: December 2023

Purpose of Review

Given the potential for exogenous hormones to influence risk and course of MS, this narrative review aims to summarize current knowledge from observational and interventional studies of exogenous hormones in humans with MS.

Recent Findings

Large randomized clinical trials for combined oral contraceptives and estriol both show modest effect on inflammatory activity, with the latter showing potential neuroprotective effect. After fertility treatment, large actively treated cohorts have not confirmed any elevated risk of relapse. Preclinical data suggest that androgens, selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) may be neuroprotective but clinical data are lacking. Gender affirming treatment, particularly estrogen in trans-women, could possibly be associated with elevated risk of inflammation. For women with MS entering menopause, hormone therapy appears safe during the appropriate menopausal window, but its long-term effects on neuroprotection are unknown.

Exogenous hormones, used in varied doses and for diverse indications, have variable effects on MS risk, inflammatory activity, and neuroprotection. Large randomized trials are needed before it is possible to determine the true effect of exogenous hormones in a condition as complex as MS.
Nozzle temperature calibration in 3D printing
Authors: Gkertzos Petros , Kotzakolios Athanasios , Mantzouranis Georgios , Kostopoulos Vassilis
Published: December 2023

Process parameters can have a significant effect on the quality and performance of 3D printed parts. That is especially true for parameters affecting the temperature profile during manufacturing as temperature is the driving mechanism for bond formation between neighboring material. Supported by corresponding literature, experimental data obtained from a thermal camera exhibit a 23 °C difference between actual nozzle temperature and printing temperature specified during slicing of the part. This can result in lower mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy than originally designed, or even result in failed prints due to poor adhesion between the part and the heated bed. So, in this work, a hybrid experimental, numerical study of the factors affecting the nozzle temperature is performed, in order to calibrate and achieve the desired printing temperature. Specifically, a typical hotend is designed and is heated up to the printing temperature. The hotend exchanges heat with the environment, due to convection and radiation. The actual nozzle temperature at different combinations of printing conditions and materials is obtained. The numerical results are validated by experiments, showing a difference of less than 3%. Data driven models with accurate nozzle temperature predictions are provided to aid in selecting optimal slicing parameters.
Autoinflammatory Keratinization Diseases—The Concept, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Implications
Authors: Blicharz Leszek , Czuwara Joanna , Rudnicka Lidia , Torrelo Antonio
Published: December 2023

Recent advances in medical genetics elucidated the background of diseases characterized by superficial dermal and epidermal inflammation with resultant aberrant keratosis. This led to introducing the term autoinflammatory keratinization diseases encompassing entities in which monogenic mutations cause spontaneous activation of the innate immunity and subsequent disruption of the keratinization process. Originally, autoinflammatory keratinization diseases were attributed to pathogenic variants of CARD14 (generalized pustular psoriasis with concomitant psoriasis vulgaris, palmoplantar pustulosis, type V pityriasis rubra pilaris), IL36RN (generalized pustular psoriasis without concomitant psoriasis vulgaris, impetigo herpetiformis, acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau), NLRP1 (familial forms of keratosis lichenoides chronica), and genes of the mevalonate pathway, i.e., MVK, PMVK, MVD, and FDPS (porokeratosis). Since then, endotypes underlying novel entities matching the concept of autoinflammatory keratinization diseases have been discovered (mutations of JAK1, POMP, and EGFR). This review describes the concept and pathophysiology of autoinflammatory keratinization diseases and outlines the characteristic clinical features of the associated entities. Furthermore, a novel term for NLRP1-associated autoinflammatory disease with epithelial dyskeratosis (NADED) describing the spectrum of autoinflammatory keratinization diseases secondary to NLRP1 mutations is proposed.
The impact of electronic versus paper-based data capture on data collection logistics and on missing scores in thyroid cancer patients
Authors: Singer Susanne , Sykiotis Gerasimos , Al-Ibraheem Akram , Pinto Monica , Iakovou Ioannis , Østhus Arild Andre , Hammerlid Eva , Locati Laura Deborah , Gamper Eva Maria , Arraras Juan Ignacio , Jordan Susan , Buettner Matthias , Engesser Deborah , Taylor Katherine , Canotilho Rita , Ioannidis Georgios , Husson Olga , Gama Ricardo Ribeiro , Fanetti Giuseppe , Moss Laura , Inhestern Johanna , Andry Guy , Rimmele Harald , Kiyota Naomi
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the type of data capture on the time and help needed for collecting patient-reported outcomes as well as on the proportion of missing scores.

Methods

In a multinational prospective study, thyroid cancer patients from 17 countries completed a validated questionnaire measuring quality of life. Electronic data capture was compared to the paper-based approach using multivariate logistic regression.

Results

A total of 437 patients were included, of whom 13% used electronic data capture. The relation between data capture and time needed was modified by the emotional functioning of the patients. Those with clinical impairments in that respect needed more time to complete the questionnaire when they used electronic data capture compared to paper and pencil (ORadj 24.0; p = 0.006). This was not the case when patients had sub-threshold emotional problems (ORadj 1.9; p = 0.48). The odds of having the researcher reading the questions out (instead of the patient doing this themselves) (ORadj 0.1; p = 0.01) and of needing any help (ORadj 0.1; p = 0.01) were lower when electronic data capture was used. The proportion of missing scores was equivalent in both groups (ORadj 0.4, p = 0.42).

Conclusions

The advantages of electronic data capture, such as real-time assessment and fewer data entry errors, may come at the price of more time required for data collection when the patients have mental health problems. As this is not uncommon in thyroid cancer, researchers need to choose the type of data capture wisely for their particular research question.
Real-world treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in patients with radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RAI-R DTC) treated with first line lenvatinib monotherapy in the United States
Authors: Worden Francis , Rajkovic-Hooley Olivera , Reynolds Neil , Milligan Gary , Zhang Jingchuan
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Lenvatinib was approved for the treatment of patients with radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RAI-R DTC) in the United States (US) in 2015. The main objective of the current study was to assess real-world clinical effectiveness in RAI-R DTC patients treated with first line lenvatinib monotherapy in the US.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted in RAI-R DTC patients who initiated lenvatinib monotherapy as first line treatment between February 2015 and September 2020. Anonymized data were abstracted by prescribing physicians from individual patient’s electronic health records. Clinical outcomes included provider-reported real-world best overall response (rwBOR), real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS), and overall survival (OS). Time-to-event endpoints were assessed using Kaplan–Meier methods.

Results

Our study included 308 RAI-R DTC patients treated with first line lenvatinib. At lenvatinib initiation, patients’ median age was 60 years, 51.6% were female, and 26.0% of patients had an ECOG performance score of ≥2. Over the follow-up period, 32.5% of patients discontinued first line lenvatinib permanently, with others remaining on treatment. The median duration of lenvatinib therapy was 17.5 months overall. Provider-reported rwBOR (complete or partial response) to lenvatinib was 72.4%. Median rwPFS was 49.0 months. Estimated rwPFS rates at 24 and 48 months were 68.5% and 55.0%, respectively. Estimated OS rates at 24 and 72 months were 78.4% and 57.0%, respectively; median OS was not reached.

Conclusion

The current study reinforces the clinical effectiveness of first line lenvatinib as standard of care in patients with RAI-R DTC in real-world clinical practice in the US.
Cat and dog scavenging at indoor forensic scenes: strategies for documentation and detection
Authors: Indra Lara , Schyma Christian , Lösch Sandra
Published: December 2023

Vertebrate scavenging on human remains is occasionally observed at indoor forensic scenes, especially when pets have access to the body and their deceased owners were socially distanced. Pets feeding on corpses have implications for the forensic investigation, e.g. for trauma analysis and the assessment of the cause of death, the estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI), or the recovery of the complete set of remains. Documentation of potential scavenging in forensic practice is tenuous and needs to be improved in order to be able to use the information for future casework. Investigators need to be aware of the alterations pets can cause to human remains and how these affect further analyses. Following a combined literature review for cat and canine scavenging, we present seven new cases from Switzerland with cat and/or dog involvement. We then created a flowchart guide for a systematic collection of data to use at indoor forensic scenes of suspected scavenging. Our literature review revealed the challenge in discriminating between scavenging by domestic cats and dogs, based on the appearance of the lesions alone. Furthermore, the information that is often routinely collected in indoor fatalities with potential scavenging activity is not sufficient to perform this separation. To provide a practical basis for cat and canine scavenging and its differentiation, we summarise strategies and present a flowchart to use in forensic casework of suspected indoor scavenging.
Growth of Subsolutions of $$\Delta _p u = V|u|^{p-2}u$$ and of a General Class of Quasilinear Equations
Authors: Alías Luis J. , Colombo Giulio , Rigoli Marco
Published: December 2023

In this paper we prove some integral estimates on the minimal growth of the positive part $$u_+$$

u
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of subsolutions of quasilinear equations $$\begin{aligned} \textrm{div}A(x,u,\nabla u) = V|u|^{p-2}u \end{aligned}$$

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on complete Riemannian manifolds M, in the non-trivial case $$u_+\not \equiv 0$$

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≢
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. Here A satisfies the structural assumption $$|A(x,u,\nabla u)|^{p/(p-1)} \le k \langle A(x,u,\nabla u),\nabla u\rangle $$

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for some constant $$k>0$$

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and for $$p>1$$

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the same exponent appearing on the RHS of the equation, and V is a continuous positive function, possibly decaying at a controlled rate at infinity. We underline that the equation may be degenerate and that our arguments do not require any geometric assumption on M beyond completeness of the metric. From these results we also deduce a Liouville-type theorem for sufficiently slowly growing solutions.
Repetitive Nanosecond Laser-Induced Oxidation and Phase Transformation in NiTi Alloy
Authors: Choi Haneul , Na Min Young , Jun Indong , Jeon Hojeong , Kim Yu-Chan , Park Jin-Woo , Chang Hye Jung
Published: December 2023

NiTi shape memory alloys, known as Nitinol, are highly valuable in medical fields for their unique attributes, including superelasticity, wear resistance, and biocompatibility. Laser treatment provides precise control over surface characteristics, enhancing biocompatibility. This study focuses on the effects of laser irradiation on NiTi alloy surfaces, particularly considering the number of laser scans and their impact on surface features. Even at low laser power, multiple high-frequency scans significantly alter surface roughness and induce phase transformation. After 16 repeated laser irradiations, amorphous Ti oxide transforms into crystalline anatase. Remarkably, anatase can further transform into rutile due to the influence of Ni nearby and TiO, due to insufficient oxygen content. The most notable outcome is the formation of a thick Ti oxide layer, causing unbound Ni to emerge on the surface, resulting in a Ni oxide layer. These findings highlight the importance of precisely adjusting laser parameters to achieve tailored surface properties for medical applications, addressing challenges and enhancing biocompatibility.

Graphical abstract
Experimental timing of pyrite oxidation under various leaching conditions: consequences for rates of weathering in geological profiles
Authors: Poot Julien , Felten Alexandre , Colaux Julien L. , Gouttebaron Rachel , Lepêcheur Guillaume , Rochez Gaëtan , Yans Johan
Published: December 2023

Pyrite (FeS2) is one of the most abundant sulfides on Earth and has already been studied in numerous ways for decades because of its rapid oxidation and the associated environmental impacts. This study proposes a new experimental physico-chemical approach (air, tridistilled water and water drip exposure) to determine the oxidation rate of pyrite using surface and depth data via XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) analyses. Our experimental study of almost pure pyrite reveals a maximum oxidation rate of 11.7 ± 1.8 nm day−1 for drip exposure with precipitation of sulfates or Fe-oxides depending on the experimental condition. The oxidation rates obtained under various experimental conditions may be extrapolated to weathering rates of different zones of supergene profiles/ores (leached zone, saprolite and cementation zone). The extrapolation suggests a maximum rate of 4.3 ± 0.6 m Ma−1, which is consistent with data obtained by isotope dating of weathering profiles. Under geological conditions however, the oxidation rate of pyrite may be influenced by additional parameters, such as the nature of the host rock, its porosity/permeability, the climate, the influence of an oxidizing environment, and the mineralization of secondary minerals.
Investigating the effects of printing temperatures and deposition on the compressive properties and density of 3D printed polyetheretherketone
Authors: Rendas Pedro , Figueiredo Lígia , Cláudio Ricardo , Vidal Catarina , Soares Bruno
Published: December 2023

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a biocompatible high-performance thermoplastic that can be processed through material extrusion (ME) additive manufacturing (AM) for load-bearing implant applications. In this work, density measurements and compression testing were used to investigate the relation between printing temperatures and deposition patterns of PEEK 3D printed samples. Different deposition patterns were tested with different nozzle and zone heater temperatures to observe how the heat input from the printing process influenced the deposition stability with different nozzle paths. Compression test results showed that samples with concentric-based deposition patterns resulted in higher compressive yield strength and modulus than the rectilinear samples. These results were correlated with the samples’ void contents estimated from density measurements. Both the highest 0.2% offset yield strength of 100.3 MPa and the highest modulus of 3.58 GPa were obtained with an interlayer offset deposition which resulted in reductions in estimated void contents between 48 and 72% in relation to concentric deposition. Different printing temperatures and deposition sequences were tested, where higher printing temperatures resulted in lower yield strength and stiffness. Alternating deposition between the outer and inner lines of the concentric pattern resulted in a reduction of about 43% in void contents and increased elastic modulus and yield strength from 3.12 to 3.40 GPa and 94.4 to 95.2 MPa respectively. The results from this work suggest that the relation between printing temperatures and deposition strategy for different print geometries plays a significant role in the ME-AM of PEEK for high-performance applications.
Emotion Regulation Convoys: Individual and Age Differences in the Hierarchical Configuration of Emotion Regulation Behaviors in Everyday Life
Authors: DiGirolamo Marissa A. , Neupert Shevaun D. , Isaacowitz Derek M.
Published: December 2023

A key limitation of studying emotion regulation behavior is that there is currently no way to describe individual differences in use across a range of tactics, which could lead to investigations of intraindividual changes over time or interindividual differences as a function of personality, age, culture, or psychopathology diagnosis. We, therefore, introduce emotion regulation convoys. This research tool provides a snapshot of the hierarchy of emotion regulation tactics an individual favors across everyday life situations and how effective they are at regulating moods. We present data from a 3-month measurement burst study of emotion regulation behavior in everyday life in a sample (N = 236) of younger (18–39), middle-aged (40–59), and older adults (60–87), focusing on how individuals’ convoys may vary in how much they include tactics that involve upregulating-positivity, downregulating-negativity, upregulating-negativity, as well as acceptance, and how these may be differentially effective. Among the most frequently used tactics (top tactics), older adults used a lower proportion of negativity-downregulating tactics than younger adults (p < .001), and younger adults’ mood was more negatively affected by these tactics than middle-aged and older adults. Overall, using positivity-upregulating as a top tactic also predicted better mood post-regulation. Older adults’ emotion regulation convoys may be made up of more effective tactics; in general, they reported more positive mood post-regulation than the other age groups. Convoys help us see emotion regulation as a hierarchical configuration of potentially effective behaviors, allowing us to test for between-group differences and within-person changes more precisely.
Consumer Engagement in Circular Consumption Systems: a Roadmap Structure for Apparel Retail Companies
Authors: Gomes Giovana Monteiro , Moreira Natalia , Ometto Aldo Roberto
Published: December 2023

Organizations that adopt Circular Business Models, such as apparel companies, must overcome barriers on many levels, including the lack of consumer engagement. Data from different stakeholders in the Brazilian apparel value chain were gathered, and interviews with circular apparel companies were conducted to support the development of a roadmap structure that guides companies in engaging their consumers. The roadmap structure has three layers, consumer behavior, business model design, and communication and marketing, and provides sets of activities that contribute to the success of circular transition in apparel companies, by supporting short- and long-term changes in consumer behavior through cohesive processes of product development and promotion. The roadmap structure, therefore, presents an integrated view of important determinants of circular consumer engagement. This tool can be piloted and implemented by apparel retail companies that operate in circular production and consumption systems.
Imperfect Perception and Stochastic Choice in Experiments
Authors: Brañas-Garza Pablo , Smith John Alan
Published: December 2023

The branch of psychology that studies how physical objects are perceived by subjects is known as psychophysics. A feature of the experimental design is that the experimenter presents objectively measurable objects that are imperfectly perceived by subjects. The responses are stochastic in that a subject might respond differently in otherwise identical situations. These stochastic choices can be compared to the objectively measurable properties. This Element offers a brief introduction to the topic, explains how psychophysics insights are already present in economics, and describes experimental techniques with the goal that they are useful in the design of economics experiments. Noise is a ubiquitous feature of experimental economics and there is a large strand of economics literature that carefully considers the noise. However, the authors view the psychophysics experimental techniques as uniquely suited to helping experimental economists uncover what is hiding in the noise.
Communal Societies and New Religious Movements
Authors: Coulthard Cheryl
Published: December 2023

Popular understanding of communal societies tends to focus on the 1960s hippie colonies and ignores the rich and long history of communalism in the United States. This Element corrects that misperception by exploring the synergy between new religious movements and communal living, including the benefits and challenges that grow out of this connection. It introduces definitions of key terms and vocabulary in the fields of new religious movements and communal studies. Discussion of major theories of communal success and the role of religion follows. The Element includes historical examples to demonstrate the ways in which new religious movements used communalism as a safe space to grow and develop their religion. The Element also analyzes why these groups have tended to experience conflicts with mainstream society.
Quartz-Gobbling Worms Are Weathering Earth’s Soils
Authors: van Deelen Grace
Published: December 2023

New research in mineral weathering shows that earthworms may be an important contributor to Earth’s weathering cycle.
Climate Change Turns Up the Heat in Greek Museums
Authors: Lewis Gabriella
Published: December 2023

Museums and historic buildings use indoor microclimates to preserve artifacts, but rising temperatures could create a breeding ground for pests, mold, and deterioration.
Ocean Warming Is Wiping Out Southern California’s Mussel Beds
Authors: Reinsel Madeline
Published: December 2023

Historic photographs reveal the dramatic retreat of mollusks as warmer waters take a toll on the health of the intertidal zone.
Ecosystem Observations from Every Angle
Authors: Pierrat Zoe , Magney Troy , Yang Xi , Khan Anam , Albert Loren
Published: December 2023

Proximal remote sensing provides a bridge between ecosystem flux data at Earth’s surface and optical data from satellite sensors, improving our grasp of feedbacks between terrestrial ecosystems and climate.
Amateur Astronomer Finds a Possible Crater on Io
Authors: Villanueva Chiara
Published: December 2023

The most volcanically active body in the solar system may have an impact crater, a discovery spotted by a curious nonprofessional scientist.
Ostrich Eggshells Trace Namaqualand’s Ancient Rain
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: December 2023

The plant-based nitrogen eaten by ostriches and stored in their eggshells was measured by researchers 20,000 years later.
Historical Shifts in Seasonality and Timing of Extreme Precipitation
Authors: Gründemann G. J. , Zorzetto E. , van de Giesen N. , van der Ent R. J.
Published: December 2023

Global warming impacts the hydrological cycle, affecting the seasonality and timing of extreme precipitation. Understanding historical changes in extreme precipitation occurrence is crucial for assessing their impacts. This study uses relative entropy to analyze historical changes in seasonality and timing of extreme daily precipitation occurrences on the global domain for 63 years of fifth generation of the European Reanalysis reanalysis data. Our analysis reveals distinct regional patterns of change. During the second half of the 20th century, Africa and Asia experienced high clustering of precipitation extremes. Over the past 60 years, clustering increased in Africa while becoming more spread out in Asia. North America and Australia had initially lower clustering and showed slight increases over time. Extreme events in extra‐tropical land regions mainly occurred in summer, with modest shifts in timing. These findings have implications for risk assessments of natural hazard like flash floods and landslides, emphasizing the necessity for region‐specific adaptation strategies.
Influence of the Neutral Atmosphere Model on the Correctness of Simulation the Electron and Ion Concentrations in the Lower Ionosphere
Authors: Bekker S. Z. , Korsunskaya J. A.
Published: December 2023

The work is devoted to modeling and verification of the dynamics of charged components of the Earth's lower ionosphere, obtained using different values of the background neutral atmosphere parameters. Long‐term experimental data on temperature and concentration of neutral components from the Aura satellite and Mass Spectrometer Incoherent Scatter Radar (MSIS) model were used as input data. The average relative difference between the electron concentration values obtained using Aura and MSIS data (11 June 2014, 6–18 UT, h = 50–90 km, 41°N 10°E) was 34%. Obtained results were verified with use of very low frequency (VLF) signals propagation data, which were collected on Mikhnevo Geophysical Observatory (GPO) and A118 station from GBZ, GQD, DHO, TBB, and ICV transmitters. Based on the results of the verification, it was found that the response of the lower ionosphere to X‐ray flares, that occurred on 9–11 June 2014, is better described by the Aura satellite data in 4 out of 5 cases. Consequently, they are more preferable for predicting the state of ionospheric parameters below the reflection height of signals of the considered frequencies (∼75 km). It is also shown that taking into account the ion concentration for calculation the amplitude‐phase characteristics of the VLF‐signals makes it possible to describe the dynamics of parameters better.
Estimating post‐Depositional Detrital Remanent Magnetization (pDRM) Effects: A Flexible Lock‐In Function Approach
Authors: Bohsung L. , Schanner M. , Korte M. , Holschneider M.
Published: December 2023

The primary data sources for reconstructing the geomagnetic field of the past millennia are archeomagnetic and sedimentary paleomagnetic data. Sediment records, in particular, are crucial in extending the temporal and spatial coverage of global geomagnetic field models, especially when archeomagnetic data are sparse. The exact process on how sediment data acquire magnetization including post‐depositional detrital remanent magnetization is still poorly understood. However, it is widely accepted that these effects lead to a smoothing of the magnetic signal and offsets with respect to the sediment age. They impede the direct inclusion of sediment records in global geomagnetic field modeling. As a first step, we model these effects for a single sediment core using a new class of flexible parameterized lock‐in functions. The parameters of the lock‐in function are estimated by the maximum likelihood method using archeomagnetic data as a reference. The effectiveness of the proposed method is evaluated through synthetic tests. Our results demonstrate that the proposed method is capable of estimating the parameters associated with the distortion caused by the lock‐in process.
Synergistic Effects of High‐Resolution Factors for Improving Soil Moisture Simulations Over China
Authors: Ji Peng , Yuan Xing , Jiao Yang
Published: December 2023

Understanding contributions of advanced land surface models and high‐resolution model inputs (e.g., meteorological forcings and soil parameters) to root‐zone soil moisture (RSM) simulations provides critical implications for both model and data development. Previous works have investigated influences of these factors separately, without considering the interdependence between multiple factors (e.g., positive impacts of high‐resolution forcings may be reduced by coarse‐resolution parameters). To date, how to quantify this interdependence and its relative importance remain to be investigated. Here, we propose a framework to quantify independent and interdependent/synergistic effects of forcings, parameters and models on high‐resolution RSM modeling using ensemble simulations. Forty‐eight RSM simulations with different high‐resolution factors superior in both spatial resolution and data accuracy are performed over China during 2013–2017, and observations from 1,553 stations across different climate zones are used to conduct evaluation. Results show that, the increase in Kling‐Gupta efficiencies (KGEs) after combining different high‐resolution factors are larger than the sum of that using individual factors. Such synergistic effects dominate the improvement of high‐resolution modeling at national and regional scales, and contribute to consistent improvements of simulations of RSM's mean state and variability. At station scale, although independent effect increases over western China, synergistic effect contributes 42%–60% to the improved KGEs over eastern China. The positive effects of an individual high‐resolution factor on RSM modeling could be reduced by 25%–80% without synergistic effects, indicating that the synergistic developments of models, meteorological forcings and soil parameters can facilitate high‐resolution RSM modeling more efficiently than only focusing on a single factor.
The CDK12 inhibitor SR-4835 functions as a molecular glue that promotes cyclin K degradation in melanoma
Authors: Houles Thibault , Boucher Jonathan , Lavoie Geneviève , MacLeod Graham , Lin Sichun , Angers Stephane , Roux Philippe P.
Published: December 2023

CDK12 is a transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) that interacts with cyclin K to regulate different aspects of gene expression. The CDK12-cyclin K complex phosphorylates several substrates, including RNA polymerase II (Pol II), and thereby regulates transcription elongation, RNA splicing, as well as cleavage and polyadenylation. Because of its implication in cancer, including breast cancer and melanoma, multiple pharmacological inhibitors of CDK12 have been identified to date, including THZ531 and SR-4835. While both CDK12 inhibitors affect Poll II phosphorylation, we found that SR-4835 uniquely promotes cyclin K degradation via the proteasome. Using loss-of-function genetic screening, we found that SR-4835 cytotoxicity depends on a functional CUL4-RBX1-DDB1 ubiquitin ligase complex. Consistent with this, we show that DDB1 is required for cyclin K degradation, and that SR-4835 promotes DDB1 interaction with the CDK12-cyclin K complex. Docking studies and structure-activity relationship analyses of SR-4835 revealed the importance of the benzimidazole side-chain in molecular glue activity. Together, our results indicate that SR-4835 acts as a molecular glue that recruits the CDK12-cyclin K complex to the CUL4-RBX1-DDB1 ubiquitin ligase complex to target cyclin K for degradation.
A novel ruthenium complex with 5-fluorouracil suppresses colorectal cancer stem cells by inhibiting Akt/mTOR signaling
Authors: Silva Valdenizia R. , Santos Luciano de S. , de Castro Maria V. L. , Dias Rosane B. , Valverde Ludmila de F. , Rocha Clarissa A. G. , Soares Milena B. P. , Quadros Claudio A. , Correa Rodrigo S. , Batista Alzir A. , Bezerra Daniel P.
Published: December 2023

[Ru(5-FU)(PPh3)2(bipy)]PF6 (Ru/5-FU) is a novel ruthenium complex with 5-fluorouracil with promising potential against colorectal cancer (CRC). In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of Ru/5-FU action in HCT116 CRC cells. Ru/5-FU exhibited potent cytotoxicity on a panel of cancer cell lines and on primary cancer cells and induced apoptosis in HCT116 CRC cells. Ru/5-FU reduced AKT1 gene transcripts, as well as the expression of Akt1 and Akt (pS473) and downstream Akt proteins mTOR (pS2448), S6 (pS235/pS236), 4EBP1 (pT36/pT45), GSK-3β (pS9) and NF-κB p65 (pS529), but not Akt upstream proteins Hsp90 and PI3K p85/p55 (pT458/pT199), indicating an inhibitory action of Akt/mTOR signaling. Ru/5-FU increased LC3B expression and reduced p62/SQSTM1 levels, indicating autophagy induction. Curiously, the autophagy inhibitors 3-methyladenine and chloroquine increased Ru/5-FU-induced cell death, indicating an induction of cytoprotective autophagy by this compound. Ru/5-FU also reduced clonogenic survival, as well as the percentage of CD133+ cells and colonosphere formation, indicating that Ru/5-FU can suppress stem cells in HCT116 cells. Ru/5-FU inhibited cell migration and invasion in wound healing assays and Transwell cell invasion assays, along with a reduction in vimentin expression and an increase in E-cadherin levels, indicating that Ru/5-FU can interfere with epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Ru/5-FU also inhibited in vivo HCT116 cell development and experimental lung metastases in mouse xenograft models. Altogether, these results indicate that Ru/5-FU is an anti-CRC chemotherapy drug candidate with the ability to suppress stemness in CRC cells by inhibiting Akt/mTOR signaling.
The involvement of E3 ubiquitin ligases in the development and progression of colorectal cancer
Authors: Chen Jie , Feng Haimei , Wang Yiting , Bai Xiaoming , Sheng Siqi , Li Huiyu , Huang Mengxi , Chu Xiaoyuan , Lei Zengjie
Published: December 2023

To date, colorectal cancer (CRC) still has limited therapeutic efficacy and poor prognosis and there is an urgent need for novel targets to improve the outcome of CRC patients. The highly conserved ubiquitination modification mediated by E3 ubiquitin ligases is an important mechanism to regulate the expression and function of tumor promoters or suppressors in CRC. In this review, we provide an overview of E3 ligases in modulating various biological processes in CRC, including proliferation, migration, stemness, metabolism, cell death, differentiation and immune response of CRC cells, emphasizing the pluripotency of E3 ubiquitin ligases. We further focus on the role of E3 ligases in regulating vital cellular signal pathways in CRC, such as Wnt/β-catenin pathway and NF-κB pathway. Additionally, considering the potential of E3 ligases as novel targets in the treatment of CRC, we discuss what aspects of E3 ligases can be utilized and exploited for efficient therapeutic strategies.
Soft ferroelectret ultrasound receiver for targeted peripheral neuromodulation
Authors: Li Tong , Wei Zhidong , Jin Fei , Yuan Yongjiu , Zheng Weiying , Qian Lili , Wang Hongbo , Hua Lisha , Ma Juan , Zhang Huanhuan , Gu Huaduo , Irwin Michael G. , Wang Ting , Wang Steven , Wang Zuankai , Feng Zhang-Qi
Published: December 2023

Bioelectronic medicine is a rapidly growing field where targeted electrical signals can act as an adjunct or alternative to drugs to treat neurological disorders and diseases via stimulating the peripheral nervous system on demand. However, current existing strategies are limited by external battery requirements, and the injury and inflammation caused by the mechanical mismatch between rigid electrodes and soft nerves. Here we report a wireless, leadless, and battery-free ferroelectret implant, termed NeuroRing, that wraps around the target peripheral nerve and demonstrates high mechanical conformability to dynamic motion nerve tissue. As-fabricated NeuroRing can act as an ultrasound receiver that converts ultrasound vibrations into electrostimulation pulses, thus stimulating the targeted peripheral nerve on demand. This capability is demonstrated by the precise modulation of the sacral splanchnic nerve to treat colitis, providing a framework for future bioelectronic medicines that offer an alternative to non-specific pharmacological approaches.
Chemical modulation of cytosolic BAX homodimer potentiates BAX activation and apoptosis
Authors: Gitego Nadege , Agianian Bogos , Mak Oi Wei , Kumar MV Vasantha , Cheng Emily H. , Gavathiotis Evripidis
Published: December 2023

The BCL-2 family protein BAX is a major regulator of physiological and pathological cell death. BAX predominantly resides in the cytosol in a quiescent state and upon stress, it undergoes conformational activation and mitochondrial translocation leading to mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, a critical event in apoptosis execution. Previous studies reported two inactive conformations of cytosolic BAX, a monomer and a dimer, however, it remains unclear how they regulate BAX. Here we show that, surprisingly, cancer cell lines express cytosolic inactive BAX dimers and/or monomers. Expression of inactive dimers, results in reduced BAX activation, translocation and apoptosis upon pro-apoptotic drug treatments. Using the inactive BAX dimer structure and a pharmacophore-based drug screen, we identify a small-molecule modulator, BDM19 that binds and activates cytosolic BAX dimers and prompts cells to apoptosis either alone or in combination with BCL-2/BCL-XL inhibitor Navitoclax. Our findings underscore the role of the cytosolic inactive BAX dimer in resistance to apoptosis and demonstrate a strategy to potentiate BAX-mediated apoptosis.