bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on expatriates: A pathway to work‐life harmony?
Authors: Mello Sylvia Freitas , Tomei Patricia Amelia
Published: April 2021

International assignments tend to be a turbulent time for expatriates, as they bring about changes in the two main spheres of their lives: personal and work. Although work‐life interface is a challenge among expatriates it can also be a work‐life harmony. Here, we present the findings of how expatriates work‐day life changed while performing overseas tasks during the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic and analyze how this new status quo may influence future expatriates' expectations regarding their work‐life interface. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 12 expatriates. Results show that although since the beginning of the quarantine, personal life is interfering in work, causing work‐life conflict, the role of the expatriates' family positively impacted their work‐life balance, and harmony. We suggest some recommendations to human resource managers and conclude that the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on expatriates can be a pathway to work‐life harmony, where work and life are seen as an integrative domain, rather than competing ones.
Twisted Alkylthiothien‐2‐yl Flanks and Extended Conjugation Length Synergistically Enhanced Photovoltaic Performance by Boosting Dielectric Constant and Carriers Kinetic Characteristics
Authors: Guo Pengzhi , Miao Wentao , Liu Guanghong , Tong Junfeng , Liang Quanbin , Zhang Youdan , Li Miaomiao , Li Jianfeng , Wang Chenglong , Wang Ergang , Wu Hongbin , Xia Yangjun
Published: April 2021

Alternating conjugated polymers (CPs), derived from 2‐ethylhexylthiothiophen‐2‐yl (TS) or 2‐ethylhexylthiophen‐2‐yl (T) flanked dithieno[3,2‐d:3,2‐d′]benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene (DTBDT) and diketopyrrolo‐pyrrole (DPP) termed as PDTBDT‐TS‐DPP and PDTBDT‐T‐DPP, are prepared and characterized. It is found that the PDTBDT‐TS‐DPP not only exhibits slightly deepening the highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels, and similar absorption, etc., but also presents higher dielectric constant (εr) of 6.7 at 1 kHz in contrast to 3.2 for PDTBDT‐T‐DPP, which are even higher than those of 4.3 and 3.0 for PBDT‐TS‐DPP/PBDT‐T‐DPP generated from TS and T flanked benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐bʹ]dithiophene and DPP. Beyond that, the power conversion efficiency of 8.17% for the inverted photovoltaic devices from DPP‐based CPs, is achieved from PDTBDT‐TS‐DPP. The alkylthio side chains are used in the DTBDT of the larger twisting angles of TS flanks and longer conjugation length, synergistically contribute to the highest dipole moments, and then lead to the enhancement of εr, thus devoted the modification exciton dissociation and charge carriers kinetic characteristics. To the authors’ knowledge, it is the first time to report that εr of the CPs is connected with the twisting angle of flanks and conjugation length of the building blocks, besides the use of functional side chains and atoms.
Continuous theory of operator expansions of finite dimensional Hilbert spaces and decidability
Authors: Ivanov (Iwanow) Aleksander
Published: April 2021

We consider continuous structures which are obtained from finite dimensional Hilbert spaces over C by adding some unitary operators. We consider appropriate algorithmic problems concerning continuous theories of natural classes of these structures. We connect these questions with property MF.
Multistimuli‐Responsive Artificial Skin with Dual Output of Photoelectric Signals
Authors: Li Lei , Cheng Long‐Xiang , Yang Liu , Zhang Jun‐Cheng
Published: April 2021

Artificial skins that respond to external stimulation play a vital role in bionic medicine, intelligent robots, and wearable devices. However, the current artificial skins universally suffer from difficulties in converting various external stimulation to dual output of photoelectric signals. Herein, a multistimuli‐responsive artificial skin with dual output of photoelectric signals is developed, which generates photochromism, multiluminescence, and electrical signals under various external stimulation including optical, thermal, and mechanical excitation. The artificial skin is constructed by a thermoplastic polyurethanes film embedded with inorganic particles with multiple optical properties and an electrospinning polyamide film coating with silver nanowires as electrode. The inorganic particles with multiple optical properties are used to produce optical outputs of photochromism, photoluminescence, thermoluminescence, and mechanoluminescence under the photo‐, thermal, and mechanical stimulation. The whole multilayer structure serves as single‐electrode triboelectric nanogenerator, which generates electrical outputs under the mechanical stimulation. The results are expected to provide a new idea for the development of flexible artificial skins with multistimuli‐responsive characteristics.
T‐box transcription factor 21 is expressed in terminal Schwann cells at the neuromuscular junction
Authors: Jablonka‐Shariff Albina , Broberg Curtis , Rios Rachel , Snyder‐Warwick Alison K.
Published: April 2021

Introduction/Aims

Terminal Schwann cells (tSCs) are nonmyelinating Schwann cells present at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) with multiple integral roles throughout their lifespan. There is no known gene differentiating tSCs from myelinating Schwann cells, making their isolation and investigation challenging. In this work we investigated genes expressed within tSCs.

Methods

A novel dissection technique was utilized to isolate the tSC‐containing NMJ band from the sternomastoid muscles of S100‐GFP mice. RNA was isolated from samples containing: (a) NMJ bands (tSCs with nerve and muscle), (b) nerve, and (c) muscle, and microarray genetic expression analysis was conducted. Data were validated by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and immunofluorescent staining. To identify genes specific to tSCs compared with other NMJ components, analysis of variance and rank‐order analysis were performed using the Partek Genomic Suite.

Results

Microarray analysis of the tSC‐enriched NMJ band revealed upregulation (by 4‐ to 12‐fold) of several genes unique to the NMJ compared with muscle or nerve parts alone (P < .05). Among these genes, Tbx21 (or T‐bet) was identified, which showed a 12‐fold higher expression at the NMJ compared with sciatic nerve (P < .002). qRT‐PCR analysis showed Tbx21 mRNA expression was over ninefold higher (P < .05) in the NMJ relative to muscle and nerve. Tbx21 protein colocalized with tSCs and was not noted in myelinating SCs from sciatic nerve.

Discussion

We found TBX21 to be expressed in tSCs. Additional studies will be performed to determine the functional significance of TBX21 in tSCs. These studies may enhance the investigative tools available to modulate tSCs to improve motor recovery after nerve injury.
Numerical simulation of impulse waves in Cosserat media based on a time‐discontinuous Galerkin finite element method
Authors: Xiu Chenxi , Chu Xihua , Wan Ji , Wang Jiao
Published: April 2021

The time‐discontinuous Galerkin finite element method (TDGFEM) has advantages in reducing spurious numerical oscillations and capturing discontinuities of solutions in space for high‐frequency dynamical problems. This article extends TDGFEM into Cosserat media to focus on impulse wave propagations, involving rotational wave and effects of microstructures. The Cosserat continuum theory contains additional rotational degrees of freedom, leading to Cosserat compressive (P), shear (S), and rotational (R) waves. Therefore, three Cosserat wave propagations are simulated by TDGFEM under impulse loads in this article. Different orders (P1–P3) of temporal shape functions are presented for Cosserat nodal unknown vectors, leading to different matrix equations for TDGFEM. One‐dimensional numerical results show capacity and efficiency of TDGFEM simulating Cosserat impulse wave propagations. Analyses about time step, mesh density and accuracy of TDGFEM are given in one‐dimensional examples. Results simulated by three methods with artificial damping are compared with those by TDGFEM, which shows a higher efficiency for TDGFEM. Two‐dimensional results present the propagation characteristics of Cosserat impulse P, S, and R waves, and velocities of Cosserat P, S, and R waves are simulated by TDGFEM. The characteristic length and Cosserat shear modulus have a major influence on impulse S and R wave propagations.
Psychological interventions during COVID pandemic: Telehealth for individuals with cystic fibrosis and caregivers
Authors: Graziano Sonia , Boldrini Francesca , Righelli Dario , Milo Francesco , Lucidi Vincenzina , Quittner Alexandra , Tabarini Paola
Published: April 2021

Introduction

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) emerged in China, leading to worldwide morbidity and mortality, including depression and anxiety. As the pandemic spread throughout Italy, mental health concerns increased for people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF), who are at greater risk. The aim was to pilot a Telehealth Psychological Support Intervention for pwCF and caregivers to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety during the lockdown in Italy in March 2020.

Methods

This intervention utilized cognitive behavioral skills (e.g., cognitive reframing). Participants included 16 pwCF and 14 parents, who completed four individual telehealth sessions with a psychologist. Stress ratings, Patient Health Questionnaire and General Anxiety Disorder, PHQ‐8 and GAD‐7, were completed, in addition to Feasibility and Satisfaction ratings.

Results

Ratings of stress significantly decreased from pre‐ to post‐testing for pwCF (paired t(14) = −4.06, p < .01) and parents (paired t = −5.2, p < .001). A large percentage of both groups scored in the clinical range for depression and anxiety at baseline (pwCF: depression/anxiety = 71%; parents: depression = 57%; anxiety = 79%); a large proportion (20%–40%) reported moderate to severe symptomatology. Significant reductions in depression for pwCF were found (pre: M = 8.0 to post: M = 4.7; paired t(14) = 2.8, p < .05) but not anxiety (pre: M = 6.9 to post: M = 5.6, t(14) = 1.2, p = NS—non‐significant). Parental depression decreased for parents (pre: M = 6.4 to post: M = 5.1, t(14) = −2.5, p < .05), but not anxiety (pre: M = 8.1 to post: M = 7.9, t(14) = −0.2, p = NS). Feasibility and Satisfaction were positive.

Conclusion

This telehealth intervention yielded reductions in stress and depression for participants. Anxiety did not significantly decrease, possibly because COVID was ongoing. This feasible, satisfactory intervention was effective for improving mental health.
Oviposition preferences, Bt susceptibilities, and tissue feeding of fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) host strains
Authors: Ingber David A , McDonald John H , Mason Charles E , Flexner Lindsey
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith), is a pest of many economically essential crops across several continents. Documentation of resistance to Bt toxins has caused growing concern in agricultural communities regarding the ability to keep fall armyworm populations below economic thresholds. The existence of two host strains referred to as the ‘rice’ and ‘corn’ strains is a complicating and under‐researched factor of fall armyworm biology and management. It is essential to characterize the differences between the host strains, as well as their rice/corn hybrid offspring, to elucidate their contributions to field‐evolved resistance.

RESULTS

Corn was a preferred oviposition host for both rice and corn strain fall armyworm, and a suitable larval host plant for each of the four populations tested. Corn strain females displayed a significant preference towards oviposition on plants that lacked mechanical damage. The rice strain population was generally less tolerant to Cry1F corn tissue than the corn strain and hybrid populations, which performed in a similar way to one another.

CONCLUSION

The preference for corn as an ovipositional host may have an impact on resistance management when coupled with differential host strain Bt tolerances, though more studies are needed. Hybrid tolerance to Bt toxins could possibly contribute to the evolution of Bt resistance. This is the first study to compare the larval fitness and survival of rice/corn hybrid fall armyworm to that of pure host strains using a tissue‐based approach.
Temporalising barriers: Postsecondary schooling access among precarious status students in Toronto
Authors: Villegas Paloma E.
Published: April 2021

This paper examines the landscape of access to postsecondary education (PSE) for precarious status migrants in Toronto, Canada. Drawing on interview data, the paper focuses on the barriers migrant students experience when attempting to enrol in PSE due to their immigration status and how that process changed after participating in a bridging course designed to facilitate their entry to a local PSE institution. The data reveals that participants experience temporal displacements (limbo, delay, and deficit) and engage in temporal negotiations given immigration and educational policy, institutional timelines, life course expectations, and day‐to‐day schedules. Although the bridging course is an important intervention towards the social inclusion of migrant students, these gains are curtailed by persisting financial and institutional barriers that perpetuate temporal displacements. The paper contributes to debates about the inclusion of precarious status migrants to membership rights and social goods by complicating understandings of access to PSE for precarious status migrants. It also widens our understanding of access to PSE for precarious status migrants beyond the U.S. context.
Feature‐rich structural, electronic, magnetic and optical properties of the fluorine‐ and nitrogen‐incorporated CaF2 compound
Authors: Hoat D. M. , Nguyen Duy Khanh , On Vo Van , Ul Haq Bakhtiar , Rivas‐Silva J. F. , Cocoletzi Gregorio H.
Published: April 2021

In this work, two new compounds, namely CaF3 and CaF2N, are designed by incorporating fluorine and nitrogen into the CaF2 fluorite structure. The newly created materials show good thermodynamic and structural stability. CaF2 is an insulator with a band gap of 10.92 eV, exhibiting non‐magnetic feature. Under the incorporation effects, CaF3 becomes a ferromagnetic half‐metallic material with insulator spin‐up state with an energy gap of 11 eV and metallic spin‐down state. While CaF2N presents the magnetic insulator characteristic with an energy gap of 9.21 and 5.74 eV in the spin‐up and spin‐down channels, respectively. Consequently, diverse magnetic properties with total spin magnetic moments of 1 μB of CaF3 and 3 μB of CaF2N are obtained, being produced mainly by spin‐up state of the incorporated atoms. Interestingly, the population analysis indicates that Ca2+ ion remains its oxidation state in newly created systems. Unusual properties of CaF3 and CaF2N materials provide the possibility of harvesting the visible and far‐ultraviolet light with the absorption coefficient reaching values of 30 (104/cm) and 65.6 (104/cm), respectively. Theoretical predictions in this study suggest that the designed materials may be prospective candidates for use in spintronic and optoelectronic devices, applications that have not been done accounting for the pristine CaF2 compound yet.
Trust in experts, not trust in national leadership, leads to greater uptake of recommended actions during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Ahluwalia Sangeeta C. , Edelen Maria O. , Qureshi Nabeel , Etchegaray Jason M.
Published: April 2021

Evidence suggests that people vary in their desire to undertake protective actions during a health emergency, and that trust in authorities may influence decision making. We sought to examine how the trust in health experts and trust in White House leadership during the COVID‐19 pandemic impacts individuals' decisions to adopt recommended protective actions such as mask‐wearing. A mediation analysis was conducted using cross‐sectional U.S. survey data collected between March 27 and 30, 2020, to elucidate how individuals' trust in health experts and White House leadership, their perceptions of susceptibility and severity to COVID‐19, and perceived benefits of protecting against COVID‐19, influenced their uptake of recommended protective actions. Trust in health experts was associated with greater perceived severity of COVID‐19 and benefits of taking action, which led to greater uptake of recommended actions. Trust in White House leadership was associated with lower perceived susceptibility to COVID‐19 and was not associated with taking recommended actions. Having trust in health experts is a greater predictor of individuals' uptake of protective actions than having trust in White House leadership. Public health messaging should emphasize the severity of COVID‐19 and the benefits of protecting oneself while ensuring consistency and transparency to regain trust in health experts.
Dynamic sliding mode control for nonlinear parameter‐varying systems
Authors: Wei Yanling , Karimi Hamid Reza
Published: April 2021

This article deals with the dynamic sliding mode control (SMC) problem for unmatched nonlinear parameter‐varying systems. The unmatched nonlinear model refers to the systems matrices of control input and nonlinearity terms having inconsistent values and structures. A linear sliding surface function is constructed, and the resulting sliding mode dynamics is formulated into a full‐order descriptor nonlinear parameter‐varying system. Then, based on a parameter‐dependent Lyapunov function, the synthesis procedure of the sliding manifold is derived, which guarantees the asymptotic stability of the sliding motion. Furthermore, a dynamic SMC law is proposed to enforce the resultant closed‐loop system towards the sliding manifold in finite time. It is noteworthy that both the sliding surface and control law are depended on both time‐varying and measurable parameters. Finally, simulation studies are provided to unfold the validity of the proposed method.
Bayesian semiparametric mixed effects models for meta‐analysis of the literature data : An application to cadmium toxicity studies
Authors: Jo Seongil , Park Beomjo , Chung Yeonseung , Kim Jeongseon , Lee Eunji , Lee Jangwon , Choi Taeryon
Published: April 2021

We propose Bayesian semiparametric mixed effects models with measurement error to analyze the literature data collected from multiple studies in a meta‐analytic framework. We explore this methodology for risk assessment in cadmium toxicity studies, where the primary objective is to investigate dose‐response relationships between urinary cadmium concentrations and ‐microglobulin. In the proposed model, a nonlinear association between exposure and response is described by a Gaussian process with shape restrictions, and study‐specific random effects are modeled to have either normal or unknown distributions with Dirichlet process mixture priors. In addition, nonparametric Bayesian measurement error models are incorporated to flexibly account for the uncertainty resulting from the usage of a surrogate measurement of a true exposure. We apply the proposed model to analyze cadmium toxicity data imposing shape constraints along with measurement errors and study‐specific random effects across varying characteristics, such as population gender, age, or ethnicity.
Development of a precast prestressed concrete through‐girder system for shallow bridge structures
Authors: Sun Chuanbing (Shawn) , Farzana Nahid , Kuruppuarachchi Dinesha , Babarinde Oluwatobi
Published: April 2021

This paper proposes an innovative precast through‐girder system that can be used in shallow bridge structures. It discusses various components of the through‐girder system, including the edge (through) girders, transverse beams, and longitudinal and transverse connections. The through girders are made of precast concrete box beam segments that are spliced longitudinally through posttensioning. The precast prestressed transverse beams span between the through‐girders involving the use of transverse posttensioning. An important feature of this system is to implement ultra‐high performance concrete (UHPC) at the all joints. The use of UHPC allows to minimizing the joint width and achieving superior durability. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the analysis and design of the through‐girder bridge superstructure accounting for both high‐performance concrete (HPC) and UHPC options. The UHPC superstructure option can reduce the sizes of the structural members and allow to enhancing the structural performance.
Validating the use of fecal glucocorticoid metabolite analysis to assess the adrenocortical activity of the zoo‐housed Sichuan takin (Budorcas taxicolor tibetana)
Authors: Santymire Rachel M. , Adkin Angie , Bernier David , Hill Brandy
Published: April 2021

With limited information known about the zoo‐housed Sichuan takin (Budorcas taxicolor tibetana), there is a need to gain more knowledge about their basic physiology to be able to better assess their well‐being. Our goal was to develop noninvasive methods to evaluate stress physiology in the Sichuan takins housed under human care. The objectives were: (1) validate the use of fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) analysis to monitor adrenocortical activity and (2) determine the relationship between FGM concentrations and changes in various factors including environmental conditions, reproductive hormones, and social factors. Three (one male and two females) adult Sichuan takins were included in the study from Lincoln Park Zoo. A cortisol enzyme immunoassay was used to analyze FGM from samples that were collected 2–4 times per week. FGM was biochemically validated in the laboratory and biologically validated using pregnancy and parturition. Results showed that 1 day after birth one female had a more than a six‐fold increase in FGM. A positive relationship (p < .05) was observed between FGM and temperature for two of the three takins. Finally, FGM values tended to increase during times when aggression (p = .09) and reproductive (p = .08) behaviors were observed. In conclusion, environmental, reproductive, and behavioral factors could affect adrenocortical activity in zoo‐housed Sichuan takins; therefore, these methods can be used to assist in the management and conservation of this threatened species both in zoos and potentially in the wild.
Resummed predictions for hadronic Higgs boson decays
Authors: Alioli Simone , Broggio Alessandro , Gavardi Alessandro , Kallweit Stefan , Lim Matthew A. , Nagar Riccardo , Napoletano Davide , Rottoli Luca
Published: April 2021

Abstract

We present the NNLL′ resummed 2-jettiness distribution for decays of the Standard Model Higgs boson to a b$$ \overline{b} $$

b
¯

-quark pair and to gluons. The calculation exploits a factorisation formula derived using Soft-Collinear Effective Theory, in which large logarithms of the 2-jettiness are resummed by renormalisation group evolution of the hard, soft and jet contributions to the differential decay rate. We match the resummed predictions to the fixed-order NNLO result using the Geneva framework, extending the validity of the results to all values of the resolution variable and providing a fully exclusive NNLO event generator matched to the Pythia8 parton shower.
Phases of holographic interfaces
Authors: Bachas Constantin , Papadopoulos Vassilis
Published: April 2021

Abstract

We compute the phase diagram of the simplest holographic bottom-up model of conformal interfaces. The model consists of a thin domain wall between three-dimensional Anti-de Sitter (AdS) vacua, anchored on a boundary circle. We distinguish five phases depending on the existence of a black hole, the intersection of its horizon with the wall, and the fate of inertial observers. We show that, like the Hawking-Page phase transition, the capture of the wall by the horizon is also a first order transition and comment on its field-theory interpretation. The static solutions of the domain-wall equations include gravitational avatars of the Faraday cage, black holes with negative specific heat, and an intriguing phenomenon of suspended vacuum bubbles corresponding to an exotic interface/anti-interface fusion. Part of our analysis overlaps with recent work by Simidzija and Van Raamsdonk but the interpretation is different.
The Role of Astronomy and Feng Shui in the Planning of Ming Beijing
Authors: Baratta Norma Camilla , Magli Giulio
Published: April 2021

Present day Beijing developed on the urban layout of the Ming capital, founded in 1420 over the former city of Dadu, the Yuan dynasty capital. The planning of Ming Beijing aimed at conveying a key political message, namely that the ruling dynasty was in charge of the Mandate of Heaven, so that Beijing was the true cosmic centre of the world. We explore here, using satellite imagery and palaeomagnetic data analysys, symbolic aspects of the planning of the city related to astronomical alignments and to the feng shui doctrine, both in its “form” and “compass” schools. In particular, we show that orientations of the axes of the “cosmic” temples and of the Forbidden City were most likely magnetic, while astronomy was used in topographical connections between the temples and in the plan of the Forbidden City in itself.
Transcatheter valve-in-valve-in-valve replacement in tricuspid position in a patient with pre-existing permanent dual-chamber pacemaker
Authors: Lake Philipp , Kuhn Elmar W. , Mauri Victor , Macherey Sascha , Kaliba Julia , Baldus Stephan , Frerker Christian , Schmidt Tobias
Published: April 2021

Graphic abstract
Priming the self as an agent influences causal, spatial, and temporal events: implications for animacy, cultural differences, and clinical settings
Authors: Dennis John L. , Margola Davide
Published: April 2021

People intentionally engage in goal-directed actions—i.e., set goals, create plans, and execute volitional control, which are fundamental for our understanding of ourselves, others, and events. In three experiments we created a novel sentence unscrambling task that was used to prime the self-as-agent (i.e., sentences that contain the pronoun “I”), the self-as-patient (i.e., sentences that contain the pronoun “me”), or no prime (i.e., sentences that contain proper names only), and tested whether that priming would influence the interpretation of causal, spatial, and temporal events. Results demonstrated that the self-as-agent primed participants were more likely to attribute causal influence to a kayaker in a river (Study 1), to assign spatial directionality consistent with an agent moving through space (Study 2), and to assign temporal directionality consistent with an agent moving through time (Study 3). Taken together, these three studies demonstrate that situated conceptualizations of the self as an agent can be a springboard for relevant empirical and theoretical contributions to a broad range of ideas and approaches—from theories of agency to embodied cognition, from language systems to metaphoric representation frameworks, with some potentials even in the clinical and mental health field. Along these lines, implications for animacy, cultural differences, and clinical settings are discussed.
How Zebrafish Can Drive the Future of Genetic-based Hearing and Balance Research
Authors: Sheets Lavinia , Holmgren Melanie , Kindt Katie S
Published: April 2021

Over the last several decades, studies in humans and animal models have successfully identified numerous molecules required for hearing and balance. Many of these studies relied on unbiased forward genetic screens based on behavior or morphology to identify these molecules. Alongside forward genetic screens, reverse genetics has further driven the exploration of candidate molecules. This review provides an overview of the genetic studies that have established zebrafish as a genetic model for hearing and balance research. Further, we discuss how the unique advantages of zebrafish can be leveraged in future genetic studies. We explore strategies to design novel forward genetic screens based on morphological alterations using transgenic lines or behavioral changes following mechanical or acoustic damage. We also outline how recent advances in CRISPR-Cas9 can be applied to perform reverse genetic screens to validate large sequencing datasets. Overall, this review describes how future genetic studies in zebrafish can continue to advance our understanding of inherited and acquired hearing and balance disorders.
Reversible hydrogenation restores defected graphene to graphene
Authors: Jiang Lin , van Deursen Pauline M. G. , Arjmandi-Tash Hadi , Belyaeva Liubov A. , Qi Haoyuan , He Jiao , Kofman Vincent , Wu Longfei , Muravev Valery , Kaiser Ute , Linnartz Harold , Hensen Emiel J. M. , Hofmann Jan P. , Schneider Grégory F.
Published: April 2021

Graphene as a two-dimensional material is prone to hydrocarbon contaminations, which can significantly alter its intrinsic electrical properties. Herein, we implement a facile hydrogenation-dehydrogenation strategy to remove hydrocarbon contaminations and preserve the excellent transport properties of monolayer graphene. Using electron microscopy we quantitatively characterized the improved cleanness of hydrogenated graphene compared to untreated samples. In situ spectroscopic investigations revealed that the hydrogenation treatment promoted the adsorption ofytyt water at the graphene surface, resulting in a protective layer against the re-deposition of hydrocarbon molecules. Additionally, the further dehydrogenation of hydrogenated graphene rendered a more pristine-like basal plane with improved carrier mobility compared to untreated pristine graphene. Our findings provide a practical post-growth cleaning protocol for graphene with maintained surface cleanness and lattice integrity to systematically carry a range of surface chemistry in the form of a well-performing and reproducible transistor.
Experimental study and numerical modeling of the thermo-hydro-mechanical processes in soil freezing with different frost penetration directions
Authors: Sweidan A. H. , Niggemann K. , Heider Y. , Ziegler M. , Markert B.
Published: April 2021

This research work presents an experimental and numerical study of the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) processes that occur during soil freezing. With focusing on the artificial ground freezing (AGF) technology, a new testing device is built, which considers a variety of AGF-related boundary conditions and different freezing directions. In the conducted experiments, a distinction is made between two thermal states: (1) The thermal transient state, which is associated with ice penetration, small deformations, and insignificant water suction. (2) The thermal (quasi-) steady state, which has a much longer duration and is associated with significant ice lens formation due to water suction. In the numerical modeling, a special focus is laid on the processes that occur during the thermal transient state. Besides, a demonstration of the micro-cryo-suction mechanism and its realization in the continuum model through a phenomenological retention-curve-like formulation is presented. This allows modeling the ice lens formation and the stiffness degradation observed in the experiments. Assuming a fully saturated soil as a biphasic porous material, a phase-change THM approach is applied in the numerical modeling. The governing equations are based on the continuum mechanical theory of porous media (TPM) extended by the phase-field modeling (PFM) approach. The model proceeds from a small-strain assumption, whereas the pore fluid can be found in liquid water or solid ice state with a unified kinematics treatment of both states. Comparisons with the experimental data demonstrate the ability and usefulness of the considered model in describing the freezing of saturated soils.
Microstructural Changes During Short-Term Heat Treatment of Martensitic Stainless Steel—Simulation and Experimental Verification
Authors: Schmidtseifer N. , Weber S.
Published: April 2021

Short-term heat treatments of steels are used for tools and cutlery but also for the surface treatment of a variety of other workpieces. If corrosion resistance is required, martensitic stainless steels like AISI 420L or AISI 420MoV are typically used. The influence of short-term heat treatment on the different metastable states of the AISI 420L steel was examined and reported in this article. Starting from a defined microstructural state, the influence of a short-term heat treatment is investigated experimentally with the help of a quenching dilatometer and computer assisted simulations are carried out. With the results obtained, a simulation model is built up which allows to compute the microstructural changes during a short-term heat treatment to be evaluated without the need for an experiment. As an indicator, the value of the martensite start temperature is calculated as a function of different holding times at austenitizing temperature. The martensite start temperature is measured by dilatometry and compared to calculated values. Validation of simulated results reveals the potential of optimizing steel heat treatment processes and provides a reliable approach to save time, resources and energy.
Verschwörungstheorien unter dem Blickwinkel der Forensischen Humanwissenschaften
Authors: Endrass Jérôme , Graf Marc , Rossegger Astrid
Published: April 2021

Eine Verschwörungstheorie kennzeichnet u. a., dass eine Gruppe einer anderen Gruppe wahrheitswidrig ein destruktives Vorhaben unterstellt.

Die Autoren dieses Artikels formulieren einen Vorschlag für eine typologische Einordnung von Verschwörungstheorien und skizzieren exemplarisch anhand der Protokolle der Weisen von Zion sowie QAnon die Entstehung sowie Auswirkungen von Verschwörungstheorien. Zudem wird auf die Persönlichkeit der Urheber und der Anhänger von Verschwörungstheorien Bezug genommen.

Etwa 10–30 von 100 Deutschen glauben an eine Verschwörungstheorie. Wer sich für eine Verschwörungstheorie begeistert, interessiert sich i.d.R. auch für weitere. Die Persönlichkeiten von Verschwörungstheoretikern sind zwar nicht psychopathologisch auffällig, weisen aber ein salientes Persönlichkeitsprofil auf: Sie sind weniger verträglich, offen für neue Erfahrungen, schätzen sich als weniger intelligent ein, sie sind ansprechbar für Paranormales und weisen eine hohe externale Fatalität bzw. soziale Abhängigkeit auf.

In einem dritten Teil werden Verschwörungstheorien unter dem Blickwinkel der Forensischen Humanwissenschaften beleuchtet. Im Zentrum steht dabei die Frage nach dem Zusammenhang von Verschwörungstheorien und Gewalthandlungen. Die überwiegende Mehrheit der Personen, die sich intensiv mit Verschwörungstheorien beschäftigen, überschreitet nicht die Handlungsschwelle zur Gewalt. Allerdings haben sich nahezu alle Extremisten, die massive Gewalt angewendet haben, mit Verschwörungstheorien beschäftigt. Verschwörungstheorien sind somit forensisch gesehen relevant, etwa so wie extremistische Weltanschauung, Drohungen und querulatorisches Verhalten, weshalb eine Risikoeinschätzung anhand der üblichen Beurteilungsschritte des Bedrohungsmanagements erfolgen kann.
Sexual Behavior in Modern Societies: An Interdisciplinary Analysis
Authors: Grinde Bjørn
Published: April 2021

Humans, and other mammals, require specific interactions between two adults in order to procreate. The importance of these encounters for the genes has turned sex into an exceedingly varied and complicated form of behavior. Human sexual behavior is largely guided and motivated by feelings, and has a considerable impact on both individual well-being and the fabric of society. It is therefore important to assess how this aspect of life functions in industrialized societies. The present analysis uses the perspective of evolutionary biology but is based on research in sexuality, anthropology, animal behavior, positive psychology, and gender differences. Given that society should aim for maximizing the well-being of its members, the present situation does not appear to be optimal. The social environment of modern societies is likely to cause an increase in the prevalence of sex-related suffering and a reduction in the harvest of positive feelings. A relevant question is whether the situation regarding sex should be referred to as a ‘disease of modernity.’
Fertility Differences Between Migrants and Stayers in a Polygamous Context: Evidence from Senegal
Authors: Kraus Elisabeth K. , González-Ferrer Amparo
Published: April 2021

This study takes a ‘country-of-origin’ or dissimilation perspective to compare the timing of births and completed fertility of international migrants and of those who stay at origin. In order to disentangle selection effects determining differential fertility behaviour of migrants, other mechanisms explaining migrant fertility (disruption, interrelation of events) are also examined. Furthermore, we take into consideration the prevalence of polygamy in Senegal to enhance our knowledge of migrant fertility in this specific context. For the empirical analysis, we use longitudinal data collected in the framework of the MAFE-Senegal project (Migrations between Africa and Europe), which includes retrospective life histories of non-migrants in Senegal and migrants in France, Italy and Spain. We estimate discrete time hazard models and Poisson regressions for male and female respondents separately to analyse the timing of first and higher-order births as well as completed fertility. The results show a strong disruptive effect of migration on childbearing probabilities for men and women, clearly related to the geographic separation of partners due to the out-migration of the man. Increased birth risks in the first year upon arrival could be observed for migrant women following their husbands to Europe, suggesting an interrelation of migration and fertility events. Regarding completed fertility, migrants have significantly fewer children by the age of 40 compared to their non-migrant counterparts, which among men is largely driven by a strong negative effect of polygamous migrants.
Introducing EzAAI: a pipeline for high throughput calculations of prokaryotic average amino acid identity
Authors: Kim Dongwook , Park Sein , Chun Jongsik
Published: April 2021

The average amino acid identity (AAI) is an index of pairwise genomic relatedness, and multiple studies have proposed its application in prokaryotic taxonomy and related disciplines. AAI demonstrates better resolution in elucidating taxonomic structure beyond the species rank when compared with average nucleotide identity (ANI), which is a standard criterion in species delineation. However, an efficient and easy-to-use computational tool for AAI calculation in large-scale taxonomic studies is not yet available. Here, we introduce a bioinformatic pipeline, named EzAAI, which allows for rapid and accurate AAI calculation in prokaryote sequences. The EzAAI tool is based on the MMSeqs2 program and computes AAI values almost identical to those generated by the standard BLAST algorithm with significant improvements in the speed of these evaluations. Our pipeline also provides a function for hierarchical clustering to create dendrograms, which is an essential part of any taxonomic study. EzAAI is available for download as a standalone JAVA program at http://leb.snu.ac.kr/ezaai.
LEVEL THEORY, PART 3: A BOOLEAN ALGEBRA OF SETS ARRANGED IN WELL-ORDERED LEVELS
Authors: BUTTON TIM
Published: April 2021

On a very natural conception of sets, every set has an absolute complement. The ordinary cumulative hierarchy dismisses this idea outright. But we can rectify this, whilst retaining classical logic. Indeed, we can develop a boolean algebra of sets arranged in well-ordered levels. I show this by presenting Boolean Level Theory, which fuses ordinary Level Theory (from Part 1) with ideas due to Thomas Forster, Alonzo Church, and Urs Oswald. BLT neatly implement Conway’s games and surreal numbers; and a natural extension of BLT is definitionally equivalent with ZF.
Public-Private Governance Initiatives and Corporate Responses to Stakeholder Complaints
Authors: Thrall Calvin
Published: April 2021

Multinational firms operate in multiple national jurisdictions, making them difficult for any one government to regulate. For this reason the firms themselves are often in charge of their own regulation, increasingly in conjunction with international organizations by way of public-private governance initiatives. Prior research has claimed that such initiatives are too weak to meaningfully change firms’ behavior. Can public-private governance initiatives help firms self-regulate, even if they lack strong monitoring or enforcement mechanisms? I take two steps toward answering this question. First, I introduce a new measure of firms’ performance on ESG (environmental, social, and governance) issues: the extent to which the firms issue public responses to claims of misconduct from civil society actors. Second, I argue that public-private governance initiatives allow firms to benefit from the legitimacy of their public partners, lowering the reputational cost of transparent response. Employing novel data on firm responses to human rights allegations from the Business and Human Rights Resource Center, I find that membership in the largest and most prominent initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, significantly increases firms’ propensity to respond transparently to stakeholder allegations. These results suggest a limited but important role for public-private initiatives in global governance.
Singing to infants matters: Early singing interactions affect musical preferences and facilitate vocabulary building
Authors: FRANCO Fabia , SUTTORA Chiara , SPINELLI Maria , KOZAR Iryna , FASOLO Mirco
Published: April 2021

This research revealed that the frequency of reported parent-infant singing interactions predicted 6-month-old infants’ performance in laboratory music experiments and mediated their language development in the second year. At 6 months, infants (n = 36) were tested using a preferential listening procedure assessing their sustained attention to instrumental and sung versions of the same novel tunes whilst the parents completed an ad-hoc questionnaire assessing home musical interactions with their infants. Language development was assessed with a follow-up when the infants were 14-month-old (n = 26). The main results showed that 6-month-olds preferred listening to sung rather than instrumental melodies, and that self-reported high levels of parental singing with their infants [i] were associated with less pronounced preference for the sung over the instrumental version of the tunes at 6 months, and [ii] predicted significant advantages on the language outcomes in the second year. The results are interpreted in relation to conceptions of developmental plasticity.
Impact of meteorological parameters and population density on variants of SARS-CoV-2 and outcome of COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
Authors: Sharif Nadim , Ahmed Shamsun Nahar , Opu Rubayet Rayhan , Daullah Muktasid Ud , Khan Shahriar , Talukder Ali Azam , Okitsu Shoko , Ushijima Hiroshi , Zhang Ming , Dey Shuvra Kanti
Published: April 2021

Although vaccines have become available, emergence and rapid transmission of new variants have added new paradigm in the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Weather, population and host immunity have been detected as the regulatory elements of COVID-19. This study aims to investigate the effects of weather, population and host factors on the outcome of COVID-19 and mutation frequency in Japan. Data were collected during January 2020 to February 2021. About 92% isolates were form GR clades. Variants 501Y.V1 (53%) and 452R.V1 (24%) were most prevalent in Japan. The strongest correlation was detected between fatalities and population density (rs = 0.81) followed by total population (rs = 0.72). Relative humidity had the highest correlation (rs = −0.71) with the case fatality rate. Cluster mutations namely N501Y (45%), E484K (30%), N439K (16%), K417N (6%) and T478I (3%) at spike protein have increased during January to February 2021. Above 90% fatality was detected in patients aged >60 years. The ratio of male to female patients of COVID-19 was 1.35:1. This study will help to understand the seasonality of COVID-19 and impact of weather on the outcome which will add knowledge to reduce the health burden of COVID-19 by the international organisations and policy makers.
Outcomes of surgical repair of anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery in infants and children
Authors: Feng Tong , Zhangke Guo , Song Bai , Fan Fan , Jia Zhen , Xiaofeng Li
Published: April 2021

Objectives:

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is associated with high mortality if not timely surgery. We reviewed our experience with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery to assess the preoperative variables predictive of outcome and post-operative recovery of left ventricular function.

Methods:

A retrospective review was conducted and collected data from patients who underwent anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery repair at our institute from April 2005 to December 2019. Left ventricular function was assessed by ejection fraction and the left ventricular end-diastolic dimension index. The outcomes of reimplantation repair were analysed.

Results:

A total of 30 consecutive patients underwent anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery repair, with a median age of 14.7 months (range, 1.5–59.6 months), including 14 females (46.67%). Surgery was performed with direct coronary reimplantation in 12 patients (40%) and the coronary lengthening technique in 18 (60%). Twelve patients had concomitant mitral annuloplasty. There were two in-hospital deaths (6.67%), no patients required mechanical support, and no late deaths occurred. Follow-up echocardiograms demonstrated significant improvement between the post-operative time point and the last follow-up in ejection fraction (49.43%±19.92% vs 60.21%±8.27%, p < 0.01) and in moderate or more severe mitral regurgitation (19/30 vs 5/28, p < 0.01). The left ventricular end-diastolic dimension index decreased from 101.91 ± 23.07 to 65.06 ± 12.82 (p < 0.01).

Conclusions:

Surgical repair of anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery has good mid-term results with low mortality and reintervention rates. The coronary lengthening technique has good operability and leads to excellent cardiac recovery. The decision to concomitantly correct mitral regurgitation should be flexible and be based on the pathological changes of the mitral valve and the degree of mitral regurgitation.
Oh my darling clementine: heterogeneous preferences for sustainable citrus fruits
Authors: Di Vita Giuseppe , Vecchio Riccardo , Borrello Massimiliano , Zanchini Raffaele , Maesano Giulia , Gulisano Giovanni , Brun Filippo , D'Amico Mario
Published: April 2021

The current study assesses consumer preferences toward different production methods of clementines (Citrus clementina). Based on a survey of Italian urban individuals (N = 345), responsible for household food purchases, it investigates whether clementines produced by means of integrated farming system are perceived as a desirable alternative to organic and conventional fruits. A conjoint analysis was applied to estimate the mean relative importance of three different clementine attributes (namely, price, production method and presence of a geographical indication) and consumer utility attached to the different attribute levels. Results revealed price as the most important attribute; while only organic farming provided positive utility to consumers. Subsequently, the sample was clustered into four distinct market segments based on part-worth estimates, offering useful insights for practitioners and policy makers to design tailor-made interventions aimed at fostering sustainable clementines consumption.