bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular spectra and dissociation dynamics of SO2F2 under external electric fields
Authors: Aizezi Nuerbiye , Zheng Jingyan , Xiao Kelaiti , Xiang Mei , Abulimiti Bumaliya , Manapu Aidehaierjiang
Published: September 2022

Sulfuryl fluoride (SO2F2) is a powerful greenhouse gas that threatens human health. It is essential to study the dissociation mechanism of SO2F2 under external electric fields (EEFs). Based on M06‐2X/6‐311G(d, p) level, the stepwise and concerted dissociation properties of SO2F2 have been investigated under EEFs, including the dipole moment, bond lengths, total energy, orbital energy level distribution, and infrared spectrum. With increasing external‐electric‐field intensity, the 1S–4F and 1S–5F bonds become longer, the total energy decreases, and the energy gap decreases. Infrared spectroscopy shows that the vibration frequencies of the 1S–4F and 1S–5F bonds decrease as the electric‐field intensity increases, and a significant red shift occurs. Time‐dependent density functional theory was used to calculate the ultraviolet‐visible absorption spectrum. Additionally, the potential‐energy curves along the 1S–4F and 1S–5F bonds under electric fields were calculated. The results show that stepwise dissociation of the 1S–4F and 1S–5F bonds occur when F = 0.08 and 0.06 a.u., respectively. Corrected dissociation occurs when F = 0.95 a.u. The spectrum and dissociation mechanism of SO2F2 under EEFs provide a basic understanding of the molecular structure and degradation kinetics of SO2F2, and it provides insight into decomposition of SO2F2.
Simulated green turtle grazing alters effects of environmental drivers on seagrass growth dynamics across seasons
Authors: Johnson Robert A. , Hanes Kathleen M. , Bolten Alan B. , Bjorndal Karen A.
Published: September 2022

Seagrasses form productive marine ecosystems that serve as important foraging grounds for grazers. Meadow productivity is vulnerable to environmental change, however, because environmental factors often strongly regulate seagrass growth. Understanding effects of grazing and environmental driver interactions on growth dynamics is therefore needed to ensure the long‐term sustainability of seagrass meadow foraging habitats. We simulated natural green turtle (Chelonia mydas) grazing by experimentally clipping seagrass for 16 months in a Thalassia testudinum meadow and measured how responses in linear growth, production, the production‐to‐biomass ratio (P : B; compensatory growth), and leaf area index differed between clipped and unclipped seagrass in response to in situ changes in temperature and salinity. While increasing temperature and salinity had positive and negative effects, respectively, on growth rates, clipping did not alter the relationship between these abiotic drivers and seagrass growth. Simulated grazing did, however, alter effects of temperature on seagrass P : B ratio and leaf area index dynamics. Each increased significantly with temperature; however, P : B ratios only increased in experimentally clipped seagrass, whereas leaf area index only increased in unclipped seagrass. These results suggest that, given temperature‐stimulated growth, grazed seagrass prioritizes increasing biomass production, whereas ungrazed seagrass prioritizes increasing photosynthetic surface area. In addition, our results demonstrate that the strength of the compensatory growth response to grazing in T. testudinum is seasonally dependent, highlighting the importance of biotic‐abiotic interactions in driving growth dynamics. In a future with increasing grazer abundance and climate‐driven stressors, understanding these types of interactions will be critical for long‐term sustainability of seagrass ecosystems.
BECOMING A RACE CONSCIOUS LEADER
Authors: Wilkinson Bethaney
Published: September 2022

The author notes that “Race Conscious Leadership is your invitation to unravel the racial narratives you didn’t choose, but for which you are now responsible.” She explains that it is “the practice of cultivating an ongoing, nuanced awareness of racial history, racial identity, and racial justice in one’s organizational life.” In a graphic Figure, she presents “The Insight‐Action Axis for Effective Race Conscious Leadership.” This depicts, for instance, in her words “A culture of the past (low in insight, low in action), A culture of learning (high in insight, low in action).” In further definitions, she says that “Cultures of learning are marked by acquiring information, finding stories, and sharing ideas.” Also: “Cultures of the future are environments where race conscious leaders are committed to expanding their insights and engaging in meaningful actions.” She also outlines 10 habits of race conscious leaders. Some are in her words: #1. Race conscious leaders are peacemakers, not peacekeepers. #2. Race conscious leaders make themselves accountable. #3. Race conscious leaders think collectively and individually. #4. Race conscious leaders are relentlessly self‐aware. #5. Race conscious leaders are truth tellers. #6. Race conscious leaders filter their decisions through the lens of equity and justice.
MASTERING AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP: A FOUNDATIONAL QUALITY FOR WORKING TOGETHER
Authors: Dowden Craig
Published: September 2022

Dowden contends that leaders must “possess an advanced level of understanding of our minds and our hearts.” To do this, they must be authentic. He references a 2008 Journal of Management article covering “four distinct, yet overlapping, elements”: self‐awareness, relational transparency, balanced processing, and internalized moral perspective. He draws on research that it was the “strongest predictor of job satisfaction for employees. It also had positive impacts on overall attitudes toward work and happiness.” He notes that it also increases employee innovation and that authentic leaders “inspired significantly higher levels of interpersonal trust between themselves and their direct reports, which also increased levels of work engagement.” He relates leadership conversations with Alan Mulally, the former CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Ford Motor Company, who “leveraged and implemented his “Working Together”© Principles, Practices, and Management System to drive exceptional results and high employee engagement in two of the largest and most globally recognized companies.” Dowden also outlines five leadership practices, which in his words are: #1 Show and tell people who you are and confirm with them that they see you that way. #2 Create expected behaviors. #3 Authenticity equals consistency. #4 Embrace the power of operating without a safety net. #5 Authenticity applies to context as well as people.
HOW LEARNING TO LEAD LIGHTLY WILL TRANSFORM YOUR MINDSET, PERFORMANCE AND RELATIONSHIPS
Authors: Michael Jody
Published: September 2022

Leaders can transform themselves after even what seems like a major setback, in the view of the author, who opens with information about her disastrous tenure in 1987 as a 29‐year‐old, as one of the first female commodities traders on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. She eventually transformed into becoming CEO of Jody Michael Associates, a coaching company specializing in executive coaching, leadership development, and career coaching. She poses such “decision point” questions as “What kind of leader are you going to be right now?” and “How are you going to align yourself internally right now with what you are trying to achieve?” She says that your “ability to leverage these thousands of choice points throughout each day—to sustainably create high performance no matter what may be going on—is what I call ’mental fitness.’ Mental fitness increases your capacity, impact, and influence as a leader.” Her definition of the term is “Mental fitness™ is your measurable ability to engage constructively in life and work every day, no matter what stressors you encounter. It is your capacity to consistently respond to challenges with optimal performance in the moment and minimal recovery time afterward.”
HOW OUR LEVEL OF SELF‐WORTH IMPACTS THE WAY WE LEAD
Authors: Fenton Traci
Published: September 2022

Fenton discusses the importance of self‐worth for leaders, and how that quality is often in short supply. She says that “in the work my company, WorldBlu and I have done over the past 25 years with thousands of leaders from over 100 countries in almost every industry, ranging from for‐profits to non‐profits, schools to governmental organizations teaching leaders how to lead from a place of freedom rather than fear and control, we’ve found that self‐worth is the number‐one determinant of a leader’s success over the long term.” She presents a table of characteristics of high and low self‐worth for leaders. For instance, in low self‐worth “never feeling good enough” is contrasted with high self‐worth “knows they are inherently good enough.” A low self‐worth leader is overly critical, whereas a high self‐worth one recognizes they are always learning. Fenton narrows improving one’s self‐worth to three things, which in her words are: 1. Recognizing your current level of self‐worth. 2. Making the choice to develop high self‐worth. 3. Intentionally practicing high self‐worth behaviors on a daily basis. She includes ten practices for increasing self‐worth, including “reframe failure into learning moments” and “defeat fear to reclaim your worth.”
WE WHO CHOOSE TO LEAD ARE HUMANITY’S BEST HOPE TO SAVE CIVILIZATION
Authors: Spodek Joshua
Published: September 2022

The author writes about such problems as “climate change, deforestation, extinctions, pollution, coral bleaching, and more. A leadership perspective clarifies and simplifies that they all result from one cause: human behavior, driven by our culture and values. These problems are the physical manifestation of our values.” He further explains that “By leadership, I mean helping people do what they want to but haven’t figured out how. We often call politicians and executives leaders, and many of them do lead outside sustainability, but few lead in sustainability, yet. I see as much potential for people to lead from outside those areas as within.” He outlines his “four‐step process, The AIM Method (for Authentic, Intrinsic Motivation). This method overcomes the three nearly universal, mutually‐reinforcing hurdles that lead us to feel helpless and hopeless and to disengage.” The four steps, each described in detail, are in his words 1. Ask them what nature or the environment means to them. 2. Invite them to think of something they can do to act on what they shared. 3. Make it a SMART goal 4. Schedule a follow‐up conversation to hear how it went. He assures readers that “people have solved problems on the scale we need several times.”
Side‐Chain‐Type High Dielectric‐Constant Dipolar Polyimides with Temperature Resistance
Authors: Tang Yadong , Yao Hongyan , Xu Wenhan , Zhu Lixue , Zhang Yunhe , Jiang Zhenhua
Published: September 2022

Innovative dielectric materials with high‐temperature resistance and outstanding dielectric properties have attracted tremendous attention in advanced electronical fields. Polyimide(PI) is considered a promising candidate for the modern electronic industry due to its excellent dielectric properties and comprehensive properties. However, the limited‐adjustable range of dielectric constant and the difficulty to obtain a high dielectric constant restrict the application of PI as high dielectric materials. Herein, a novel diamine monomer (2,2′‐bis((methylsulfonyl)methyl)‐[1,1′‐biphenyl]‐4,4′‐diamine (BSBPA)) containing a rigid biphenyl structure and high dipolar sulfonyl pendant groups is designed for high dielectric polyimides. The rigid biphenyl and polar sulfonyl pendant groups can reasonably optimize the molecular structure and orientational polarization of polyimides to improve their dielectric properties and thermal properties. Moreover, the effect of different bridge linkages on the dielectric properties is studied by using the different dianhydrides. Thus, the PI‐BSBPA films especially the DSDA‐BSBPA film (DSDA: 3,3′,4,4′‐diphenylsulfonetetracarboxylic dianhydride) achieve great thermal properties (T5%d of 377 °C and Tg of 358 °C) and excellent dielectric properties (6.95 at 1 kHz) along with high discharged energy density of 5.25 J cm−3 and charge–discharge efficiency of 90%. The collaborative control of main‐chain and side‐chain engineering is effective to endow the polyimides with high‐temperature tolerance and high dielectric performance.
High‐level gonosomal mosaicism for a pathogenic non‐coding CNV deletion of the lung‐specific FOXF1 enhancer in an unaffected mother of an infant with ACDMPV
Authors: Yıldız Bölükbaşı Esra , Karolak Justyna A. , Szafranski Przemyslaw , Gambin Tomasz , Willard Nicholas , Abman Steven H. , Galambos Csaba , Kinsella John P. , Stankiewicz Paweł
Published: September 2022

Background

Alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACDMPV) results from haploinsufficiency of the mesenchymal transcription factor FOXF1 gene. To date, only one case of an ACDMPV‐causative CNV deletion inherited from a very‐low level somatic mosaic mother has been reported.

Methods

Clinical, histopathological, and molecular studies, including whole genome sequencing, chromosomal microarray analysis, qPCR, and Sanger sequencing, followed by in vitro fertilization (IVF) with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) were used to study a family with a deceased neonate with ACDMPV.

Results

A pathogenic CNV deletion of the lung‐specific FOXF1 enhancer in the proband was found to be inherited from an unaffected mother, 36% mosaic for this deletion in her peripheral blood cells. The qPCR analyses of saliva, buccal cells, urine, nail, and hair samples revealed 19%, 18%, 15%, 19%, and 27% variant allele fraction, respectively, indicating a high recurrence risk. Grandparental studies revealed that the deletion arose on the mother's paternal chromosome 16. PGT studies revealed 44% embryos with the deletion, reflecting high‐level germline mosaicism.

Conclusion

Our data further demonstrate the importance of parental testing in ACDMPV families and reproductive usefulness of IVF with PGT in families with high‐level parental gonosomal mosaicism.
CHARMM‐GUI Enhanced Sampler for various collective variables and enhanced sampling methods
Authors: Suh Donghyuk , Feng Shasha , Lee Hwayoung , Zhang Han , Park Sang‐Jun , Kim Seonghan , Lee Jumin , Choi Sun , Im Wonpil
Published: September 2022

Enhanced sampling methodologies modifying underlying Hamiltonians can be used for the systems with a rugged potential energy surface that makes it hard to observe convergence using conventional unbiased molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We present CHARMM‐GUI Enhanced Sampler, a web‐based tool to prepare various enhanced sampling simulations inputs with user‐selected collective variables (CVs). Enhanced Sampler provides inputs for the following nine methods: accelerated MD, Gaussian accelerated MD, conformational flooding, metadynamics, adaptive biasing force, steered MD, temperature replica exchange MD, replica exchange solute tempering 2, and replica exchange umbrella sampling for the method‐implemented MD packages including AMBER, CHARMM, GENESIS, GROMACS, NAMD, and OpenMM. Users only need to select a group of atoms via intuitive web‐implementation in order to define commonly used nine CVs of interest: center of mass based distance, angle, dihedral, root‐mean‐square‐distance, radius of gyration, distance projected on axis, two types of angles projected on axis, and coordination numbers. The enhanced sampling methods are tested with several biological systems to illustrate their efficiency over conventional MD. Enhanced Sampler with carefully optimized system‐dependent parameters will help users to get meaningful results from their enhanced sampling simulations.
Anti‐Postmenopausal osteoporosis effects of Isopsoralen: A bioinformatics‐integrated experimental study
Authors: Li Hao , Wang Changyuan , Jin Yue , Cai Yuanqing , Yao Jialin , Meng Qiang , Wu Jingjing , Wang Huihan , Sun Huijun , Liu Mozhen
Published: September 2022

Isopsoralen (IPRN), which comes from the fruit of Psoralea corylifolia, has been identified as a kind of phytoestrogen and has been proven to be effective for the treatment of osteoporosis (OP). However, the mechanisms underlying IPRN's anti‐OP effects, especially the anti‐postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) effects, remain indistinct. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of IPRN's anti‐PMOP activity. In this study, the bioinformatics results predicted that IPRN could resist PMOP by targeting EGFR, AKT1, SRC, CCND1, ESR1 (ER‐α), AR, PGR, BRCA1, PTGS2, and IGF1R. An ovariectomized (OVX) mice model and a H2O2‐induced bone marrow mesenchyml stem cells (BMSCs) model confirmed that IPRN could inhibit the bone loss induced by OVX in mice and promote the osteogenic differentiation in H2O2‐induced BMSCs by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis. Moreover, IPRN could significantly produce the above effects by upregulating ESR1. IPRN might be a therapeutic agent for PMOP by acting as an estrogen replacement agent and a natural antioxidant.
Robust point‐to‐point iterative learning control for constrained systems: A minimum energy approach
Authors: Zhou Chenhui , Tao Hongfeng , Chen Yiyang , Stojanovic Vladimir , Paszke Wojciech
Published: September 2022

Iterative learning control (ILC) is a high performance control scenario that is widely applied to systems that repeat a given task or operation defined over a finite duration, and has been introduced to point‐to‐point motion tasks in existing work. However, its design degree of freedom has not been fully utilized to optimize performance beyond tracking accuracy in constrained conditions. The framework of point‐to‐point ILC in this article is extended within discrete linear time‐invariant (LTI) system, so as to take the tracking time instants of desired positions as changing variables. Therefore, it is possible to achieve the objective of minimizing energy while maintaining the required tracking accuracy. The multiobjective optimization problem is divided into two sub‐problems, which are solved with an iterative algorithm composed of norm‐optimal ILC approach as well as the coordinate descend method. Furthermore, the impact of model uncertainty on algorithm performance is also considered, and the iterative algorithm is further extended to capture constrained systems. The algorithm is robust to the model uncertainty and has a certain robustness to output disturbances. Finally, the validity of the proposed algorithm is verified by a twin rotor aerodynamic system (TRAS) model.
Nanopyramid Texture Formation by One‐Step Ag‐Assisted Solution Process for High‐Efficiency Monocrystalline Si Solar Cells
Authors: Li Yuqing , Sai Hitoshi , Matsui Takuya , Xu Zhihao , Nguyen Van Hoang , Kurokawa Yasuyoshi , Usami Noritaka
Published: September 2022

In monocrystalline Si solar cells, pyramidal surface textures with the size of a few micrometers (micropyramids) are commonly applied for light in‐coupling and trapping. Recently, there is a growing need to reduce the size of pyramids below 1 μm. Herein, an original method to fabricate nanometer‐sized pyramids (nanopyramids) featuring an average size of ≈500 nm or even smaller by using a simple one‐step Ag‐assisted solution process is proposed. The texture size can be controlled by the concentration of AgNO3 in the alkaline etching solution where the generated Ag nanoparticles act as an etching mask as well as promoting the detachment of H2 bubbles from the reacting Si surface. This process enables the formation of uniformly distributed Si nanopyramids with a lower reflectance below 10% and a smaller etching margin less than 1.7 μm compared with the conventional micropyramids. Silicon heterojunction solar cells employing Si nanopyramids outperform those with the conventional micropyramids owing to the reduced optical reflectance while preserving excellent surface passivation and carrier transport properties. These results demonstrate the advantages of our method and the high potential of Si nanopyramids for various applications such as thin crystalline Si solar cells and perovskite/Si tandem solar cells.
Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet black strings at large α
Authors: Suzuki Ryotaku , Tomizawa Shinya
Published: September 2022

Abstract

The simplest black string in higher-dimensional general relativity (GR) is perhaps the direct product of a Schwarzschild spacetime and a flat spatial direction. However, it is known that the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory does not allow such a trivial and simple solution. We propose a novel analytic technique, which assumes that the Gauss-Bonnet (GB) term becomes dominant over the Einstein-Hilbert (EH) term. Assuming the dimensionless coupling constant α normalized by the horizon scale is large enough, we find that the spacetime is separated into the GB region and GR region, which are matched via the transition region where the GB and EH terms are comparable. Using this large α approximation, we indeed construct new analytic solutions of black strings, from which we analytically compute various physical quantities of black strings at large α. Moreover, we confirm that all these analytic results are consistent with the numerical calculation. We also discuss the possible extension to general Einstein-Lovelock black holes.
The traces of imagination: early attention bias toward positively imagined stimuli
Authors: Bär Hannah E. , Werthmann Jessica , Paetsch Andreas , Renner Fritz
Published: September 2022

Positively imagined activities may capture visual attention due to an increase in positive value. Increasing attention toward activities, in turn, may prove useful for clinical interventions aiming to motivate behavioral engagement. Employing a within-subject experimental design, we examined the effect of positive imagery on attention using a visual probe task with concurrent eye tracking. Adults from the general population (N = 54) imagined performing activities involving visually presented objects in a positive (focusing on the positive emotional impact) or neutral (focusing on a neutral circumstance) manner. They then completed a visual probe task using picture stimuli depicting one object per type of imagery. Positive compared to neutral imagery increased self-reported behavioral motivation and biased the direction, but not the duration, of gaze toward objects associated with the imagined activities. An exploratory analysis showed a positive association between the direction bias and depressive symptoms. Our findings build on existing literature on positive imagery as a motivational amplifier by highlighting early attention as an underlying cognitive mechanism.
Heart rate variability and fatigue in MS: two parallel pathways representing disseminated inflammatory processes?
Authors: Garis Guadalupe , Haupts Michael , Duning Thomas , Hildebrandt Helmut
Published: September 2022

Background

Fatigue is a disabling symptom of multiple sclerosis. Its biological causes are still poorly understood. Several years ago, we proposed that fatigue might be the subjective representation of inflammatory processes. An important step for a straight-forward evaluation of our model would be to show that the level of fatigue is associated with vagal activation. The heart rate is under partial control of the vagus nerve. Using power spectrum analysis allows to separate, at least partly, sympathetic and parasympathetic impact on heart rate variability.

Methods

This narrative review summarizes the evidence for heart rate variability changes in MS patients, their relationship with fatigue and disease course. To do this, we conducted a literature search, including 45 articles relevant to the topic treated in this review.

Results

We illustrate that (1) inflammation leads to a change in cardiac behavior during acute and chronic phases, both in animals and in humans; (2) MS patients show changes of heart rate variability (HRV) that resemble those during acute and chronic inflammation due to multiple causes; (3) existing evidence favors a set of specific predictions about fatigue and parallel HRV changes; and (4) that MS-related brainstem lesions or neurological impairments do not completely explain HRV changes, leaving enough place for an explanatory relation between HRV and fatigue.

Discussion

We discuss the results of this review in relation to our model of fatigue and propose several observational and experimental studies that could be conducted to gain a better insight into whether fatigue and HRV can be interpreted as a common pathway, both reflecting activated autoimmune processes in MS patients.
Border Control Reinterpreted: Collective Memory and the Narrative Self
Authors: Gyollai Daniel
Published: September 2022

This article explores the potential of historical narratives to inform and guide action, taking the case of border control in Hungary. The Hungarian government has recently criminalised irregular border crossing and made a comparison between the Ottoman Occupation and contemporary challenges of mass migration to legitimise its new measures. Qualitative interviews conducted in 2019 seem to suggest that some members of the border police, consciously or unconsciously, have drawn from this narrative repertoire to make sense of their own role in border control. Drawing on the concept of thenarrative self,the article outlines how the collective memory of the Ottoman conquest may have shaped the understanding of mass migration and the self-interpretation of those involved in border control.
Representativeness of the particulate matter pollution assessed by an official monitoring station of air quality in Santiago, Chile: projection to human health
Authors: Préndez Margarita , Nova Patricio , Romero Hugo , Mendes Flávio , Fuentealba Raúl
Published: September 2022

Santiago, capital city of Chile, presents air pollution problems for decades mainly by particulate matter, which significantly affects population health, despite national authority efforts to improve air quality. Different properties of the particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 fractions, particle surface and number) were measured with an optical spectrometer. The sampling was done during spring 2019 at different sites within the official representative area of Independencia monitoring station (ORMS-IS). The results of this study evidence large variations in PM mass concentration at small-scale areas within the ORMS-IS representative zone, which reports the same value for the total area. Results from PM properties such as PM1, particle number and particle surface distribution show that these properties should be incorporated in regular monitoring in order to improve the understanding of the effects of these factors on human health. The use of urban-climate canopy-layer models in a portion of the sampled area around the monitoring station demonstrates the influence of street geometry, building densities and vegetation covers on wind velocity and direction. These factors, consequently, have an effect on the potential for air pollutants concentrations. The results of this study evidence the existence of hot spots of PM pollution within the area of representativeness of the ORMS-IS. This result is relevant from the point of view of human health and contributes to improve the effectiveness of emission reduction policies.
FindICI: Using machine learning to detect linguistic inconsistencies between code and natural language descriptions in infrastructure-as-code
Authors: Borovits Nemania , Kumara Indika , Di Nucci Dario , Krishnan Parvathy , Palma Stefano Dalla , Palomba Fabio , Tamburri Damian A. , Heuvel Willem-Jan van den
Published: September 2022

Linguistic anti-patterns are recurring poor practices concerning inconsistencies in the naming, documentation, and implementation of an entity. They impede the readability, understandability, and maintainability of source code. This paper attempts to detect linguistic anti-patterns in Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) scripts used to provision and manage computing environments. In particular, we consider inconsistencies between the logic/body of IaC code units and their short text names. To this end, we proposeFindICIa novel automated approach that employs word embedding and classification algorithms. We build and use the abstract syntax tree of IaC code units to create code embeddings used by machine learning techniques to detect inconsistent IaC code units. We evaluated our approach with two experiments on Ansible tasks systematically extracted from open source repositories for various word embedding models and classification algorithms. Classical machine learning models and novel deep learning models with different word embedding methods showed comparable and satisfactory results in detecting inconsistent Ansible tasks related to the top-10 used Ansible modules.
Influence of the Aliphatic Chain Length on the Crosslinking Properties of Aldehydes on Sustainable Bioplastics Obtained from Pea Protein
Authors: Perez-Puyana V. , Jiménez-Rosado M. , Escribano D. , Romero A. , Martínez I.
Published: September 2022

Conventional plastics can be substituted for protein-based bioplastics due to their natural origin and their biodegradability. Nevertheless, their properties are inferior to those obtained for synthetic plastics. The chemical crosslinking of these bioplastics with aldehydes could improve their properties to compete in the actual market. Thus, the main goal of this article was to assess the influence of the incorporation of aldehydes with different aliphatic chain length on the physicochemical (crosslinking degree, colour and transparency), mechanical (flexural and tensile behaviour) and functional (water uptake capacity and biodegradability) properties of protein-based bioplastics. In this sense, pea protein, a by-product of food industry, was used as raw material, processing it by injection moulding to obtain the bioplastics. Formaldehyde, glyoxal and glutaraldehyde were the aldehydes used as crosslinking agents. The results show the rise of the mechanical properties with the incorporation of the aldehydes, depending on the degree of crosslinking they generate. All this also causes a consequent loss of the water uptake capacity and an increase in biodegradability time. In conclusion, this work opens a new alternative to develop sustainable bioplastics that can be used in the market.
Advanced Acral Melanoma Therapies: Current Status and Future Directions
Authors: Zhang Yiqun , Lan Shijie , Wu Di
Published: September 2022

Opinion statement

Melanoma is one of the deadliest malignancies. Its incidence has been significantly increasing in most countries in recent decades. Acral melanoma (AM), a peculiar subgroup of melanoma occurring on the palms, soles, and nails, is the main subtype of melanoma in people of color and is extremely rare in Caucasians. Although great progress has been made in melanoma treatment in recent years, patients with AM have shown limited benefit from current therapies and thus consequently have worse overall survival rates. Achieving durable therapeutic responses in this high-risk melanoma subtype represents one of the greatest challenges in the field. The frequency of BRAF mutations in AM is much lower than that in cutaneous melanoma, which prevents most AM patients from receiving treatment with BRAF inhibitors. However, AM has more frequent mutations such as KIT and CDK4/6, so targeted therapy may still improve the survival of some AM patients in the future. AM may be less susceptible to immune checkpoint inhibitors because of the poor immunogenicity. Therefore, how to enhance the immune response to the tumor cells may be the key to the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced AM. Anti-angiogenic drugs, albumin paclitaxel, or interferons are thought to enhance the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Combination therapies based on the backbone of PD-1 are more likely to provide greater clinical benefits. Understanding the molecular landscapes and immune microenvironment of AM will help optimize our combinatory strategies.
“Can’t go with my heart, when I can’t feel what’s in it”
Authors: Ochs Matthias
Published: September 2022

Ausgehend von Systemtheorie und Konstruktivismus werden Aspekte der Konzeptualisierung von Emotionen im systemischen Ansatz skizziert. Zudem wird versucht, einige Implikationen für die Praxis der Sozialen Arbeit zu veranschaulichen
Arsenic removal from water and soils using pristine and modified biochars
Authors: Zhang Wei , Cho Yoora , Vithanage Meththika , Shaheen Sabry M. , Rinklebe Jörg , Alessi Daniel S. , Hou Chia-Hung , Hashimoto Yohey , Withana Piumi Amasha , Ok Yong Sik
Published: September 2022

Arsenic (As) is recognized as a persistent and toxic contaminant in the environment that is harmful to humans. Biochar, a porous carbonaceous material with tunable functionality, has been used widely as an adsorbent for remediating As-contaminated water and soils. Several types of pristine and modified biochar are available, and significant efforts have been made toward modifying the surface of biochars to increase their adsorption capacity for As. Adsorption capacity is influenced by multiple factors, including biomass pyrolysis temperature, pH, the presence of dissolved organic carbon, surface charge, and the presence of phosphate, silicate, sulfate, and microbial activity. Improved As adsorption in modified biochars is attributed to several mechanisms including surface complexation/precipitation, ion exchange, oxidation, reduction, electrostatic interactions, and surface functional groups that have a relatively higher affinity for As. Modified biochars show promise for As adsorption; however, further research is required to improve the performance of these materials. For example, modified biochars must be eco-friendly, cost-effective, reliable, efficient, and sustainable to ensure their widespread application for immobilizing As in contaminated water and soils. Conducting relevant research to address these issues relies on a thorough understanding of biochar modifications to date. This study presents an in-depth review of pristine and modified biochars, including their production, physicochemical properties, and As adsorption mechanisms. Furthermore, a comprehensive evaluation of biochar applications is provided in As-contaminated environments as a guide for selecting suitable biochars for As removal in the field.

Graphical Abstract
Tectonics of conservation technology
Authors: Theodossopoulos D.
Published: September 2022

Tectonics as the visual communication of creating buildings by linking the construction processes with structural form should inform the dialogue between new and existing fabric at interventions in historic buildings, but has not been mapped in the relevant theoretical debate. This paper attempts this mapping by highlighting two underlying concepts: firstly, how such a component in the vocabulary of designers informs their role in conservation; secondly the value of this communication for the user, i.e. how to appreciate historical fabric by connecting with more familiar forms and matter from contemporary architecture. The study develops around modern traits in tectonic explorations that can be used to preserve and communicate the historical ways through which construction produced architectural space: the generation of structural form and its relation to the construction processes around the nature of the main material systems (existing and new). The tectonics of composing historic and modern material systems is explored, including innovative materials like mass timber.
What’s the Point of Efficiency? On Heath’s Market Failures Approach
Authors: Endörfer Richard , Larue Louis
Published: September 2022

This article reviews and criticizes Joseph Heath’s market failures approach (MFA) to business ethics. Our criticism is organized into three sections. First, we argue that, even under the ideal assumptions of perfect competition, when markets generate Pareto-efficient distributions, Heath’s approach does not rule out significant harms. Second, we show that, under nonideal conditions, the MFA is either too demanding, if efficiency is to be attained, or not sufficiently demanding, if the goal of Pareto efficiency is abandoned. Finally, we argue that Heath’s appeal to regulations and specific moral requirements as a remedy for market failures is unlikely to safeguard efficiency and exposes a number of general worries regarding the moral force of the MFA. We end this article with a constructive suggestion on how to adjust the MFA to avoid these problems while preserving its contractualist and Paretian spirit.
Instability of a dusty vortex
Authors: Shuai Shuai , Jeswin Dhas Darish , Roy Anubhab , Kasbaoui M. Houssem
Published: September 2022

We investigate the effect of inertial particles dispersed in a circular patch of finite radius on the stability of a two-dimensional Rankine vortex in semi-dilute dusty flows. Unlike the particle-free case where no unstable modes exist, we show that the feedback force from the particles triggers a novel instability. The mechanisms driving the instability are characterized using linear stability analysis for weakly inertial particles and further validated against Eulerian–Lagrangian simulations. We show that the particle-laden vortex is always unstable if the mass loading

$M>0$

. Surprisingly, even non-inertial particles destabilize the vortex by a mechanism analogous to the centrifugal Rayleigh–Taylor instability in radially stratified vortex with density jump. We identify a critical mass loading above which an eigenmode

$m$

becomes unstable. This critical mass loading drops to zero as

$m$

increases. When particles are inertial, modes that fall below the critical mass loading become unstable, whereas modes above it remain unstable but with lower growth rates compared with the non-inertial case. Comparison with Eulerian–Lagrangian simulations shows that growth rates computed from simulations match well the theoretical predictions. Past the linear stage, we observe the emergence of high-wavenumber modes that turn into spiralling arms of concentrated particles emanating out of the core, while regions of particle-free flow are sucked inward. The vorticity field displays a similar pattern which leads to the breakdown of the initial Rankine structure. This novel instability for a dusty vortex highlights how the feedback force from the disperse phase can induce the breakdown of an otherwise resilient vortical structure.
Race, Coloniality, and the Writing of Black and Indigenous Histories
Authors: Chira Adriana
Published: September 2022

This essay reviews the following works:

Beyond Babel: Translations of Blackness in Colonial Peru and New Granada. By Larissa Brewer-García. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2020. Pp. xvi + 304. $99.99 hardcover. ISBN: 9781108493000.

Arqueología del mestizaje: Colonialismo y racialización. By Laura Catelli. Temuco: Ediciones Universidad de la Frontera, CLACSO, 2020. Pp. 296. ISBN: 9789562363853.

Key to the New World: A History of Early Colonial Cuba. By Luis Martínez-Fernández. Gainesville: University of Florida Press, 2018. Pp. 220 + 236. $24.95 paperback. ISBN: 9781683401278.

The Routledge Hispanic Studies Companion to Colonial Latin America and the Caribbean (1492–1898). Edited by Yolanda Martínez-San Miguel and Santa Arias. London: Routledge, 2021. Pp. 460. $250.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9781138092952.

On Decoloniality: Concepts, Analytics, Praxis. By Walter D. Mignolo and Catherine E. Walsh. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2018. Pp xii + 304. $27.95 paperback. ISBN: 9780822371090.

Infrastructures of Race: Concentration and Biopolitics in Colonial Mexico. By Daniel Nemser. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2017. Pp. viii + 232. $29.95 paperback. ISBN: 9781477312605.

The Occupation of Havana: War, Trade, and Slavery in the Atlantic World. By Elena A. Schneider. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2018. Pp. 360. $39.95 hardcover. ISBN: 9781469645353.

Blood and Boundaries: The Limits of Religious and Racial Exclusion in Early Modern Latin America. By Stuart B. Schwartz. Waltham, MA: Brandeis University Press, 2020. Pp. xviii + 256. $35.00 paperback. ISBN: 9781684580200.
ABSOLUTE CHRONOLOGY AT THE WATERLOGGED SITE OF LA DRAGA (LAKE BANYOLES, NE IBERIA): BAYESIAN CHRONOLOGICAL MODELS INTEGRATING TREE-RING MEASUREMENT, RADIOCARBON DATES AND MICRO-STRATIGRAPHICAL DATA
Authors: Andreaki V , Barceló J A , Antolín F , Gassmann P , Hajdas I , López-Bultó O , Martínez-Grau H , Morera N , Palomo A , Piqué R , Revelles J , Rosillo R , Terradas X
Published: September 2022

Sixty-two14C dates are analyzed in combination with a recently established local floating tree-ring sequence for the Early Neolithic site of La Draga (Banyoles, northeast Iberian Peninsula). Archaeological data, radiometric and dendrochronological dates, as well as sedimentary and micro-stratigraphical information are used to build a Bayesian chronological model, using the ChronoModel 2.0 and OxCal 4.4 computer programs, and IntCal 2020 calibration curve. The dendrochronological sequence is analyzed, and partially fixed to the calendrical scale using a wiggle-matching approach. Depositional events and the general stratigraphic sequence are expressed in expanded Harris Matrix diagrams and ordered in a temporal sequence using Allen Algebra. Post-depositional processes affecting the stratigraphic sequence are related both to the phreatic water level and the contemporaneous lakeshore. The most probable chronological model suggests two main Neolithic occupations, that can be divided into no less than three different “phases,” including the construction, use and repair of the foundational wooden platforms, as well as evidence for later constructions after the reorganization of the ground surface using travertine slabs. The chronological model is discussed considering both the modern debate on the Climatic oscillations during the period 8000–4800 cal BC, and the origins of the Early Neolithic in the western Mediterranean region.
Towards Electron Energy Loss Compton Spectra Free From Dynamical Diffraction Artifacts
Authors: Mendis Budhika G , Talmantaite Alina
Published: September 2022

The Compton signal in electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) is used to determine the projected electron momentum density of states for the solid. A frequent limitation however is the strong dynamical scattering of the incident electron beam within a crystalline specimen, i.e. Bragg diffracted beams can be additional sources of Compton scattering that distort the measured profile from its true shape. The Compton profile is simulated via a multislice method that models dynamical scattering both before and after the Compton energy loss event. Simulations indicate the importance of both the specimen illumination condition and EELS detection geometry. Based on this, a strategy to minimize diffraction artifacts is proposed and verified experimentally. Furthermore, an inversion algorithm to extract the projected momentum density of states from a Compton measurement performed under strong diffraction conditions is demonstrated. The findings enable a new route to more accurate electron Compton data from crystalline specimens.
PLAYING BY THE RULES: USING GAMES TO STUDY SOCIAL NORMS
Authors: Valković Martina
Published: September 2022

In this article, classic game theory and evolutionary game theory are used to explain how social norms might come into existence. The norm of distributive fairness is taken as a case in point, and illustrated by a simple example of dividing a cake.
MEANING TO THE RESCUE?
Authors: Yeung Lorraine K. C.
Published: September 2022

Facing a recent surge in anti-natalist arguments saying that human procreation is immoral, some defend human procreation by saying that procreative parenting adds meaning to parents’ life. This article examines one such defence, and argues that it does not suffice to rescue human procreation from the challenges to procreation.
THE PUZZLE OF TRANSFORMATION
Authors: Herdova Marcela
Published: September 2022

Sometimes we make choices that transform us significantly; they change who we are and what we value. This article looks at such choices and resulting changes from the perspective of control and moral responsibility. While we may have an inclination to think that we possess a good amount of control over these important transformations, a more careful examination reveals that we may have less than ideal control over some fundamental choices and changes in our character. As a result, this brings into question to what degree we can praise and blame people for undergoing (or even failing to undergo) big personal transformations.
A Demonstration of a Simple Methodology of Flood Prediction for a Coastal City Under Threat of Sea Level Rise: The Case of Norfolk, VA, USA
Authors: Ezer Tal
Published: September 2022

Many coastal cities around the world are at risk of increased flooding due to sea level rise (SLR), so here a simple flood prediction method is demonstrated for one city at risk, Norfolk, VA, on the U.S. East Coast. The probability of future flooding is estimated by extending observed hourly water level for 1927–2021 into hourly estimates until 2100. Unlike most other flood prediction methods, the approach here does not use any predetermined probability distribution function of extreme events, and instead a random sampling of past data represents tides and storm surges. The probability of flooding for 3 different flood levels and 3 different SLR projections are calculated, and the results are consistent with more sophisticated methods. Under intermediate‐low SLR projection an empirical formula is found to estimate the lower bound of flooding time, showing that water level that exceeds the high tide (Mean Higher High Water, MHHW) occurred ∼0.3% of the time in the 1960s, increased to ∼6% in 2021, and projected to occur 100% of the time by ∼2080. Under intermediate SLR projection, 1000 simulations of the probability of maximum annual water level were conducted, showing that storm surges may reach ∼2 m over MHHW by 2050 and ∼3 m over MHHW by 2100; in comparison, storm surges in Norfolk over the past 90 years reached 1.6 m only once. The method derived here could be adopted to other locations and help planning mitigations and adaptation strategies for cities at risk.
Global Increases in Lethal Compound Heat Stress: Hydrological Drought Hazards Under Climate Change
Authors: Yin Jiabo , Slater Louise , Gu Lei , Liao Zhen , Guo Shenglian , Gentine Pierre
Published: September 2022

Previous studies seldom consider humidity when examining heat‐related extremes, and none have explored the effects of humidity on concurrent extremes of high heat stress and low river streamflow. Here, we present the first global picture of projected changes in compound lethal heat stress (Th)‐drought hazards (CHD) across 11,637 catchments. Our observational datasets show that atmospheric conditions (e.g., energy and vapor flux) play an important role in constraining the heat extremes, and that Th (32% ± 11%) yields a higher coincidence rate of global CHD than wet‐bulb temperature (28% ± 11%), driven by lower relative humidity (RH) and thus air dryness in Th extremes. Our large model ensemble projects a 10‐fold intensification of bivariate CHD risks by 2071–2100, mainly driven by increases in heat extremes. Future declines in RH, wind, snow, and precipitation in many regions are likely to exacerbate such water and weather‐related hazards (e.g., drought and CHD).