bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulation of triggering and evolution of ELM by pellet injection in EAST under BOUT++ framework
Authors: Li Mao , Xia Tianyang , Sun Zhen , Chang Huayi , Sun Jizhong
Published: June 2024

A BOUT ++ three-field magnetohydrodynamic model is employed to study the triggering and evolution of edge localized mode (ELM) by Li pellets injected along the outer mid-plane in the EAST configuration. The linear simulation shows that compared with a large deposition on the pedestal top (scenario I), a smaller deposition within the steep-gradient pedestal region (scenario II) can stimulate much larger linear growth rates of all-n peeling-ballooning modes (PBMs). The nonlinear simulation shows that there exists a pellet size threshold for ELM triggering for two deposition locations; the threshold for scenario I predicted in the present study matches the EAST observation well. Comparison of the two scenarios reveals that a smaller deposition is sufficient to trigger an ELM in a much shorter time in scenario II, whose ELM size is comparable to that in scenario I. This conclusion confirms previous DIII-D and ASDEX-Upgrade observations, suggesting that the steep-gradient pedestal region is a favorable deposition location for ELM triggering with minimum pellet size. Simulation analyses also find that the positive radial gradient of the hump-like pressure profile in the outer mid-plane induced by the pellet deposition plays a different role in the two scenarios. In scenario I, the force resulting from the gradient hinders the outflow of core plasmas and in return, the perturbation is suppressed from spreading inwards after ELM crashes. In scenario II, with a sizable deposition, the gradient results in another competitive perturbation growth region during the linear phase, thus dispersing the free energy and reducing the efficiency of destabilizing PBMs by pellet injection. The suppressing effect of saturated zonal flow on other modes, the short ELM fast crash phase, and the restricting transport effect of the positive radial pressure gradient work together to constrain the pedestal energy loss, especially when the pellet deposition amount is high.
One-pot and facile preparation of gold nanoparticles using glutaraldehyde as a reducing and stabilising agent for protein immobilisation
Authors: Ahangari Hossein , Majdi Hasan , Nazari Maryam , Hamishehkar Hamed , Ehsani Ali , Minami Tsuyoshi
Published: June 2024

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have attractedthe interest of scientists owing to their unique applications in diverse fields. This study presents a report on the utilisation of glutaraldehyde (GA) as a reducing and stabilising agent for the one-pot preparation of AuNPs functionalised with GA (GA-AuNPs), designed specifically for the immobilisation of proteins. The preparation of stable GA-AuNPs has been systematically explored by varying the temperature, quantity of GAs, and pH. Subsequently, bovine serum albumin and horseradish peroxidase have been immobilised on the GA-AuNPs surface to demonstrate the versatility of GA-AuNPs. Dynamic light scattering results indicated that the prepared quasi-spherical GA-AuNPs exhibited a zeta potential of −31.2 ± 2.3 mV and had a size of 5.7 ± 0.5 nm. The advantages of this method include its simplicity at room temperature under approximately neutral pH conditions, elimination of the need for additional steps, and streamlining of the immobilisation process. These results emphasise that GA-AuNPs are promising candidates for effectively transporting proteins or enzymes across a diverse range of applications.
One-step laser preparation of unidirectional liquid spontaneous transport structures
Authors: Zhang Qian , Wang Yonghua , Lian Zhongxu , Jiao Yuandong
Published: June 2024

The Tilted Wedge Microcavity Array (TWMA) structure of the Nepenthes alata peristome allows for unidirectional fluid transport without any surface energy gradient. However, current methods of creating bionic Nepenthes alata peristome structures have significant improvement room in terms of structural shape, machining efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. To address these issues, in this paper, bionic Nepenthes alata peristome TWMA structures on 7075 aluminium alloy was built via a nanosecond laser with highly efficiency, low cost and flexible processing pattern. A unilateral tilted microcavity structure was fabricated by designing the laser processing path, and at the same time, the samples were tilted to change the angle at which the laser beam hit the working surface. This ensures that the microcavity is machined without destroying the microcavity structure underneath. The variation law of aluminum alloy ablation threshold under the influence of laser incidence angle was studied. The dimensional parameters of the TWMA structure were analysed in relation to laser incidence angle

θ
,

laser processing power

P
,

number of laser scans

n
,

and laser scanning speed V. Additionally, liquid spreading tests were carried out on different surfaces of bionic structures, and the influence of surface wettability on the spreading results was investigated. The results indicate that the ablation threshold decreases initially and then increases with an increase in the laser incidence angle. This reflects the trend of the aluminium alloy absorption rate, which initially increases and then decreases with an increase in the incidence angle. For the prepared TWMA structure, the optimum speed of achieving the unidirectional spreading effect was found to be 2.41 mm s−1 with a surface contact angle (CA) of 35°. This study presents a low-cost and rapid preparation method for creating liquid unidirectional transport structures without any energy input.
An electrochemical flow cell for operando XPS and NEXAFS investigation of solid–liquid interfaces
Authors: Kumar Santosh , Counter James J C , Grinter David C , Spronsen Matthijs A Van , Ferrer Pilar , Large Alex , Orzech Marcin W , Jerzy Wojcik Pawel , Held Georg
Published: June 2024

Suitable reaction cells are critical for operando near ambient pressure (NAP) soft x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) studies. They enable tracking the chemical state and structural properties of catalytically active materials under realistic reaction conditions, and thus allow a better understanding of charge transfer at the liquid–solid interface, activation of reactant molecules, and surface intermediate species. In order to facilitate such studies, we have developed a top-side illuminated operando spectro-electrochemical flow cell for synchrotron-based NAP-XPS/-NEXAFS studies. Our modular design uses a non-metal (PEEK) body, and replaceable membranes which can be either of x-ray transparent silicon nitride (SiN
x
) or of water permeable polymer membrane materials (e.g. NafionTM). The design allows rapid sample exchange and simultaneous measurements of total electron yield, Auger electron yield and fluorescence-yield. The developed system is highly modular and can be used in the laboratory or directly at the beamline for operando XPS/ x-ray absorption spectroscopy investigations of surfaces and interfaces. We present examples to demonstrate the capabilities of the flow cell. These include an operando NEXAFS study of the Cu-redox chemistry using a SiN
x
/Ti-Au/Cu working electrode assembly (WEA) and a NAP-XPS/-NEXAFS study of water adsorption on a NafionTM polymer membrane based WEA (NafionTM/C/IrO
x
catalyst). More importantly, the spectro-electrochemical flow cell is available for user community of B07 beamlines at Diamond Light Source.
Exploring non-steady-state charge transport dynamics in information processing: insights from reservoir computing
Authors: Li Zheyang , Yu Xi
Published: June 2024

Exploring nonlinear chemical dynamic systems for information processing has emerged as a frontier in chemical and computational research, seeking to replicate the brain’s neuromorphic and dynamic functionalities. In this study, we have extensively explored the information processing capabilities of a nonlinear chemical dynamic system through theoretical simulation by integrating a non-steady-state proton-coupled charge transport system into reservoir computing (RC) architecture. Our system demonstrated remarkable success in tasks such as waveform recognition, voice identification and chaos system prediction. More importantly, through a quantitative study, we revealed that the alignment between the signal processing frequency of the RC and the characteristic time of the dynamics of the nonlinear system plays a crucial role in this physical reservoir’s performance, directly influencing the efficiency in the task execution, the reservoir states and the memory capacity. The processing frequency range was further modulated by the characteristic time of the dynamic system, resulting in an implementation akin to a ‘chemically-tuned band-pass filter’ for selective frequency processing. Our study thus elucidates the fundamental requirements and dynamic underpinnings of the non-steady-state charge transport dynamic system for RC, laying a foundational groundwork for the application of dynamical molecular scale devices for in-materia neuromorphic computing.
Mixed finite elements for Kirchhoff–Love plate bending
Authors: Führer Thomas , Heuer Norbert
Published: June 2024

We present a mixed finite element method with triangular and parallelogram meshes for the Kirchhoff–Love plate bending model. Critical ingredient is the construction of low-dimensional local spaces and appropriate degrees of freedom that provide conformity in terms of a sufficiently large tensor space and that allow for any kind of physically relevant Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions. For Dirichlet boundary conditions and polygonal plates, we prove quasi-optimal convergence of the mixed scheme. An a posteriori error estimator is derived for the special case of the biharmonic problem. Numerical results for regular and singular examples illustrate our findings. They confirm expected convergence rates and exemplify the performance of an adaptive algorithm steered by our error estimator.
Quasi-periodic solutions of two dimensional completely resonant reversible Schrödinger 𝑑 systems
Authors: Sun Yingnan , Xue Shuaishuai
Published: June 2024

We introduce an abstract KAM (Kolmogorov-Arnold-Moser) theorem for infinite dimensional reversible Schrödinger systems. Using this KAM theorem together with partial Birkhoff normal form method, we prove the existence of quasi-periodic solutions for a class of completely resonant reversible coupled nonlinear Schrödinger

d
d

systems on the two dimensional torus.
Muslim Prayer in American Public Life
Authors: Aslan Rose
Published: June 2024

This book delves into the lived experiences of Muslim prayer in the context of contemporary American public life, offering a nuanced exploration of how Muslims navigate their Islamic ritual obligations within the framework of a secular society fraught with discrimination. In its chapters, the book examines a wide range of challenges that arise in various domains, including schools, workplaces, media representations, and religious debates, among others. Furthermore, it uncovers the dynamic ways in which prayer intersects with protest movements and virtual spaces, revealing the creative adaptations that Muslims employ to uphold their religious practices. By delving into the multifaceted realm of Muslim prayer, the book argues that comprehending these practices sheds light on the intricate processes of identity integration, diversity, and complexity within the U.S. Muslim community. Despite facing hostility, Muslims assert their sense of belonging through embodied and spiritual acts of prayer. Through their struggles, they illuminate the ongoing negotiations with secularism, rights, discrimination, and the quest for a sense of belonging. The book provides a valuable contextualization of the challenges and efforts faced by Muslims in their quest to maintain and express their faith within the ever-changing landscape of the nation.
A Historical Materialist Account of Human Nature
Authors: Wills Vanessa Christina
Published: June 2024

This chapter argues that for Marx, human nature is the complex of all human activity, everywhere, past and present, taken as one whole. It is therefore dynamic, constantly transformed as human beings act and produce in different ways. (Marx writes, in “acting on the external world and changing it, [man] at the same time changes his own nature.”) It is possible to develop an abstraction that is valid for each of these concrete appearances in the totality of human activities and social relations: the labor process. Labor is the conscious intervention of human beings into the world, setting causal processes into motion in order to realize ends first posited in thought. This teleological realizing of ends distinguishes human beings from other species not only theoretically but practically: it is the practical basis upon which human existence develops in its distinctly diverse and dynamic appearance.
Individuality
Authors: Wills Vanessa Christina
Published: June 2024

For Marx, individuality is the result of that practical social interdependency which continually produces novel avenues for self-expression and self-realization. This chapter distinguishes Marx’s concept of the “rich” or “social” individual from the essentially independent, atomistic, and competitive individual of much liberal political theory. It details the significance of Marx’s dissertation on ancient Greek atomistic physics as well as his later critique of Max Stirner’s ethical egoism. The history of human social development is intimately and necessarily connected with the history of the emergence and further development of human individuality. In fact, they are two moments of the same historical process. The claim that human individuals are the products of human social activity and intervention into history anchors Marx’s historical materialist critique of capitalism, his criticism of liberal political theory, his revolutionary program, and his vision of a better world.
Austen, adaptation, and American literature: an analysis of Ibi Zoboi’s Pride
Authors: McQueen Kelsey
Published: June 2024

After writing her first novel American Street, Ibi Zoboi turned to romance for refreshment. But the original drafts of Pride disappointed Zoboi, for they were too sociopolitical for her present purpose. Zoboi’s editor suggested that she import the plot of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice into her manuscript as a supportive architecture, and her longed-for romance novel bloomed into being. In the following article, I conclude that Zoboi did not simply strip her novel of its intellectual, social, and political activity when she foregrounded romance and the experience of being a Black teenager in a rapidly gentrifying neighbourhood in Pride. Rather, I find that Zoboi relocated that alternative activity underground, to lower strata of her novel. In other words, I identify a significant level of subtextual and specifically literary activity going on in Zoboi’s Austen adaptation. Studying this phenomenon promises insight into the myriad purposes and possibilities associated with adapting Jane Austen (and other highly canonical authors) in the twenty-first century. Zoboi harnesses the power of adaptation, and specifically its built-in intertextuality, to imagine and ensconce African American futures. Then, Pride proves a special illumination of the relationship between adaptation and Afrofuturism. In these pages, I survey this literary layering of Pride, and I argue that Ibi Zoboi’s book, with all its rich ores of intertextuality, ought to be interpreted as a metafictional meditation on the acts of reading and writing. In addition, I indicate how this activity implicates Pride as a seminal Afrofuturist text.
Educational inequalities in multimorbidity at older ages: a multi-generational population-based study
Authors: Wagner Cornelia , Jackisch Josephine , Ortega Natalia , Chiolero Arnaud , Cullati Stéphane , Carmeli Cristian
Published: June 2024

Background

Social inequalities in multimorbidity may occur due to familial and/or individual factors and may differ between men and women. Using population-based multi-generational data, this study aimed to (1) assess the roles of parental and individual education in the risk of multimorbidity and (2) examine the potential effect modification by sex.

Methods

Data were analysed from 62 060 adults aged 50+ who participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, comprising 14 European countries. Intergenerational educational trajectories (exposure) were High–High (reference), Low–High, High–Low and Low–Low, corresponding to parental–individual educational attainments. Multimorbidity (outcome) was ascertained between 2013 and 2020 as self-reported occurrence of ≥2 diagnosed chronic conditions. Inequalities were quantified as multimorbidity-free years lost (MFYL) between the ages of 50 and 90 and estimated via differences in the area under the standardized cumulative risk curves. Effect modification by sex was assessed via stratification.

Results

Low individual education was associated with higher multimorbidity risk regardless of parental education. Compared to the High–High trajectory, Low–High was associated with −0.2 MFYL (95% confidence intervals: −0.5 to 0.1), High–Low with 3.0 (2.4–3.5), and Low–Low with 2.6 (2.3–2.9) MFYL. This pattern was observed for both sexes, with a greater magnitude for women. This effect modification was not observed when only diseases diagnosed independently of healthcare-seeking behaviours were examined.

Conclusions

Individual education was the main contributor to intergenerational inequalities in multimorbidity risk among older European adults. These findings support the importance of achieving a high education to mitigate multimorbidity risk.
HOMOEOSIS IN DROSOPHILA. II. A GENETIC ANALYSIS OF POLYCOMB
Authors: Denell R E
Published: June 2024

Three dominant mutant alleles of the Polycomb locus of Drosophila melanogaster are associated with homoeotic transformations of meso- and meta-thoracic to prothoracic legs, a homoeotic transformation of antennae to legs, and abnormalities of wings and some thoracic bristles. Puro and Nygrén (1975) localized Polycomb in the proximal left arm of chromosome 3 within salivary gland chromosome interval 77E,F-80. In the present study, the location and dosage relationships of this locus were examined, using translocation-generated segmental aneuploidy. The results indicate that Polycomb lies within interval 78C,D-79D, and that the locus is haplo-insufficient. Males hypoploid for this interval show meso- and metathoracic leg transformations, and both males and females show wing abnormalities. In addition, the legs of hypoploids of both sexes are shorter than those of wild-type flies, and show aberrancies of segmentation, chaetal number and distribution, and other morphological characteristics. Hypoploid flies do not express a homoeotic antennal-leg transformation, but the deficiency is associated with a Minute phenotype that is known to suppress this transformation in Polycomb flies; thus it cannot be ascertained whether the antennal-leg transformation is a haplo-insufficient phenotype. It is suggested that the expression of non-homoeotic pleiotropic effects provides a criterion for identifying homoeotic mutations that do not function directly in the establishment of determined states, but rather cause homoeosis indirectly. Polycomb is interpreted in this fashion, and it is suggested that the mutant syndrome may result from localized cell death.
Access to treatment before and after Medicare coverage of opioid treatment programs
Authors: Liu Ruijie , Beetham Tamara , Newton Helen , Busch Susan H
Published: June 2024

Since January 2020, Medicare has covered opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment services at opioid treatment programs (OTPs), the only outpatient settings allowed to dispense methadone for treating OUD. This study examined policy-associated changes in Medicare acceptance and the availability of four OUD treatment services (ongoing buprenorphine, HIV/AIDS education, employment services, and comprehensive mental health assessment), by for-profit status, and county-level changes in Medicare-accepting-OTPs access, by sociodemographic characteristics (racial composition, poverty rate, and rurality). Using data from the 2019-2022 National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Facilities, we found Medicare acceptance increased from 21.31% in 2018 to 80.76% in 2021. The availability of the four treatment services increased, but no increases were significantly associated with Medicare coverage. While county-level OTP access significantly improved, counties with higher rates of non-White residents experienced an additional average increase of 0.86 Medicare-accepting-OTPs (95% CI, 0.05–1.67) compared to those without higher rates of non-White populations. Overall, Medicare coverage was associated with improved OTP access, not ancillary services.
Error analysis for a Crouzeix–Raviart approximation of the variable exponent Dirichlet problem
Authors: Balci Anna Kh , Kaltenbach Alex
Published: June 2024

In the present paper, we examine a Crouzeix–Raviart approximation of the $p(\cdot )$-Dirichlet problem. We derive a medius error estimate, i.e., a best-approximation result, which holds for uniformly continuous exponents and implies a priori error estimates, which apply for Hölder continuous exponents and are optimal for Lipschitz continuous exponents. Numerical experiments are carried out to review the theoretical findings.
Red, blue or mix: choice of optimal light qualities for enhanced plant growth and development through in silico analysis
Authors: Chan Andrew M H , Pay Miao Lin , Christensen Jesper , He Fei , Roden Laura C , Ahmed Hafiz , Foo Mathias
Published: June 2024

In smart greenhouse farming, the impact of light qualities on plant growth and development is crucial but lacks systematic identification of optimal combinations. This study addresses this gap by analysing various light properties’ effects (photoperiod, intensity, ratio, light–dark order) on Arabidopsis thaliana growth using days-to-flower (DTF) and hypocotyl length as proxies to measure plant growth and development. After establishing suitable ranges through a comprehensive literature review, these properties varied within those ranges. Compared to white light, a 16-h cycle of blue light reduces DTF and hypocotyl length by 12 % and 3 %, respectively. Interestingly, similar results can be achieved using a shorter photoperiod of 14-h light (composed of 8 h of a mixture of 66.7 μmol m−2s−1 red and 800 μmol m−2s−1 blue lights (i.e. blue:red ratio of 12:1) followed by 6 h of monochromatic red light and 10-h dark. These findings offer potential for efficient growth light recipes in smart greenhouse farming, optimizing productivity while minimizing energy consumption.
Minimally Invasive Blood Collection for an Mpox Serosurvey among People Experiencing Homelessness
Authors: Waddell Caroline J , Pellegrini Gerald J , Persad Neela , Filardo Thomas D , Prasad Namrata , Carson William C , Navarra Terese , Townsend Michael B , Satheshkumar Panayampalli S , Lowe David , Borne Deborah , Okoye Nnenna , Janssen Julia , Bejarano Anamaría , Mosites Emily , Marx Grace E
Published: June 2024

Background

People experiencing homelessness (PEH) are underrepresented in public health and clinical research. Study methods that can improve participation by this group are needed.

Methods

In late 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted an mpox serological survey using venipuncture among PEH in San Francisco, California. Blood collection by a minimally invasive device was offered if venipuncture was not possible or preferred. Participants who had a successful blood draw using the device were asked about device acceptability.

Results

Of the 209 successful blood collections, 137 (66%) were among participants who underwent venipuncture and 72 (34%) were among participants who used the device. Use of the device increased overall blood collection participation by 53%. Participants reported high acceptability and preference for the device over venipuncture.

Conclusions

Minimally invasive blood collection devices may increase participation and representation of PEH in serosurveys.
Comprehensive analysis of non-selective and selective autophagy in yeast atg mutants and characterization of autophagic activity in the absence of the Atg8 conjugation system
Authors: Ginevskaia Tamara , Innokentev Aleksei , Furukawa Kentaro , Fukuda Tomoyuki , Hayatsu Manabu , Yamashita Shun-ichi , Inoue Keiichi , Shibata Shinsuke , Kanki Tomotake
Published: June 2024

Most autophagy-related genes, or ATG genes, have been identified through studies using budding yeast. Although the functions of the ATG genes are well understood, the contributions of individual genes to non-selective and various types of selective autophagy remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we quantified the activity of non-selective autophagy, the cytoplasm-to-vacuole targeting (Cvt) pathway, mitophagy, endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-phagy and pexophagy in all Saccharomyces cerevisiae atg mutants. Among the mutants of the core autophagy genes considered essential for autophagy, the atg13 mutant and mutants of the genes involved in the two ubiquitin-like conjugation systems retained residual autophagic functionality. In particular, mutants of the Atg8 ubiquitin-like conjugation system (the Atg8 system) exhibited substantial levels of non-selective autophagy, the Cvt pathway and pexophagy, although mitophagy and ER-phagy were undetectable. Atg8-system mutants also displayed intravacuolar vesicles resembling autophagic bodies, albeit at significantly reduced size and frequency. Thus, our data suggest that membranous sequestration and vacuolar delivery of autophagic cargo can occur in the absence of the Atg8 system. Alongside these findings, the comprehensive analysis conducted here provides valuable datasets for future autophagy research.
Hdac3-deficiency increases senescence-associated distention of satellite DNA and telomere-associated foci in osteoprogenitor cells
Authors: Yeo Dongwook , Zars Fisher Elizabeth L , Khosla Sundeep , Farr Joshua N , Westendorf Jennifer J
Published: June 2024

Histone deacetylase 3 (Hdac3) is an epigenetic regulator of gene expression and interacts with skeletal transcription factors such as Runx2. We previously reported that conditional deletion of Hdac3 in Osterix-Cre recombinase-expressing osteoprogenitor cells (Hdac3 CKOOsx) caused osteopenia and increased marrow adiposity, both hallmarks of skeletal aging. We also showed that Runx2+ cells within osteogenic cultures of Hdac3-depleted bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) contain lipid droplets (LDs). Cellular senescence, a nonproliferative metabolically active state, is associated with increased marrow adiposity, bone loss, and aging. In this study, we sought to determine if Hdac3 depleted Runx2+ pre-osteoblasts from young mice exhibit chromatin changes associated with early cellular senescence and how these events correlate with the appearance of LDs. We first confirmed that BMSCs from Hdac3 CKOOsx mice have more Runx2 + LD+ cells compared with controls under osteogenic conditions. We then measured senescence-associated distention of satellite (SADS) DNA and telomere-associated foci (TAFs) in Hdac3 CKOOsx and control BMSCs. In situ, Runx2+ cells contained more SADS per nuclei in Hdac3 CKOOsx femora than in controls. Runx2+ BMSCs from Hdac3 CKOOsx mice also contained more SADS and TAFs per nuclei than Runx2+ cells from age-matched control mice in vitro. SADs and TAFs were present at similar levels in Runx2 + LD+ cells and Runx2 + LD− cells from Hdac3 CKOOsx mice. Hdac inhibitors also increased the number of SADS in Runx2 + LD+ and Runx2 + LD− WT BMSCs. Senolytics reduced viable cell numbers in Hdac3 CKOOsx BMSC cultures. These data demonstrate that the depletion of Hdac3 in osteochondral progenitor cells triggers LD formation and early events in cellular senescence in Runx2+ BMSCs through mutually exclusive mechanisms.
Durga: an R package for effect size estimation and visualization
Authors: Khan Md Kawsar , McLean Donald James
Published: June 2024

Statistical analysis and data visualization are integral parts of science communication. One of the major issues in current data analysis practice is an overdependency on—and misuse of—p-values. Researchers have been advocating for the estimation and reporting of effect sizes for quantitative research to enhance the clarity and effectiveness of data analysis. Reporting effect sizes in scientific publications has until now been mainly limited to numeric tables, even though effect size plotting is a more effective means of communicating results. We have developed the Durga R package for estimating and plotting effect sizes for paired and unpaired group comparisons. Durga allows users to estimate unstandardized and standardized effect sizes and bootstrapped confidence intervals of the effect sizes. The central functionality of Durga is to combine effect size visualizations with traditional plotting methods. Durga is a powerful statistical and data visualization package that is easy to use, providing the flexibility to estimate effect sizes of paired and unpaired data using different statistical methods. Durga provides a plethora of options for plotting effect size, which allows users to plot data in the most informative and aesthetic way. Here, we introduce the package and its various functions. We further describe a workflow for estimating and plotting effect sizes using example data sets.
The function of prolonged copulations in Enchenopa treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae)
Authors: Cirino Lauren A , Rodríguez Ariel N , DeLong Sage A , Rodríguez Rafael L
Published: June 2024

Copulations are very brief in many species, sometimes taking only seconds, but in other species, they can be quite prolonged. Potential explanations for prolonged copulations include time requirements for the transfer of sperm and/or other ejaculate substances. Ejaculate substances could function to regulate female receptivity to subsequent matings, provide nutritional nuptial gifts, or hasten egg oviposition at a potential survival cost to the female. We investigated prolonged copulation in a member of the Enchenopa binotata complex of treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae), in which females rarely remate and copulation can last several hours. We assigned females to treatments in which we interrupted copulation at different times. We also included a control where copulation was not interrupted. We found that females that experienced shorter copulations were more likely to be subsequently receptive to an attractive male. We also found that few females produced offspring when they engaged in short copulations compared to those with longer copulations. We did not find any differences in female survival. Our results support the sperm transfer and receptivity regulation hypotheses. We discuss potential reasons for why these processes should take so long in a species with low female remating.
Logging Business Challenges in the US South and Lake States
Authors: Conrad Joseph L , Blinn Charles R
Published: June 2024

Logging businesses are the critical link between forest management and the forest products industry. Through analysis of data from logging business owner surveys, contacts with trade associations, and personal contacts, six challenges facing logging businesses in the US South and the Lake States were identified: logging business consolidation, demographics and labor availability, changing markets, rising costs, timber transportation, and impacts from COVID-19. The impact of each challenge was summarized using data from peer-reviewed journal articles, trade publications, and federal databases. Although loggers are accustomed to fluctuations in their business environment, overcoming all of these challenges may have a profound impact on the logging sector and thus the wood supply chain. Owners may not be able to address all of these challenges without support from forest industry as well as logging and forestry trade associations who may be positioned to develop programs and advocate for the sector as a whole.

Study Implications: A vibrant logging sector is essential to ensure forest management prescriptions are implemented and forest products mills, important economic drivers in rural areas, receive a consistent supply of raw material. In the short term, it is essential for logging business owners and procurement foresters to better understand logging costs and be quicker to negotiate adjustments when costs rise rapidly, as they did during 2020–2023. In the long term, individual logging businesses, forestry and logging trade associations, and forest industry should collaborate to address labor challenges and advocate for any needed policy changes.
Knowledge domains and emerging trends in radiotherapy in oesophageal cancer from 2004 to 2023: a bibliometric analysis and visualization study
Authors: Feng Yue , Lv Minghe , Zeng Su , Zeng Hongwei , Yu Jingping
Published: June 2024

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a malignant tumour with high morbidity and mortality rates. Recent studies have shown that much progress has been made in the research of radiotherapy in EC. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the knowledge structure and research hotspots of radiotherapy in EC through bibliometrics. Publications related to radiotherapy in EC from 2014 to 2023 were searched on the web of science core collection database. VOSviewers, CiteSpace and R package ‘bibliometrix’ were used to conduct this bibliometric analysis. In total, 4258 articles from 76 countries led by China and the USA were included. The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences—Peking Union Medical College has the highest number of publications. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics is the most popular journal and also the most co-cited journal in this field. These publications come from 21 972 authors among which Liao Zhongxing had published the most papers and Cooper JS was co-cited most often. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and strategies based on it are the main topics in this research field. ‘IMRT’ and ‘immunotherapy’ are the primary keywords of emerging research hotspots. This is a bibliometric study that comprehensively summarizes the research trends and developments of radiotherapy in EC. This information identifies recent research frontiers and hot directions, which will provide a reference for scholars studying radiotherapy in EC.
Introduction to Competition Law
Authors: Alison Jones , Brenda Sufrin , Niamh Dunne
Published: June 2024

This chapter provides an introduction to, and basis for, the material discussed in the subsequent chapters and sets competition law in its economic and political context. It introduces some relevant concepts of microeconomics including demand curves, consumer and producer surplus, elasticity of demand, and economies of scale and scope. It discusses the model of perfect competition and the concepts of allocative, productive, and dynamic efficiency; the problems in competition terms of monopoly and oligopoly; and the concept of welfare, particularly consumer welfare. It considers various schools of competition analysis and theories and concepts relevant to competition law. It discusses the possible objectives of competition law, and particularly considers the objectives of EU competition law. The chapter also looks at US antitrust law; competition law and regulation; and outlines the law on State aid. It introduces the problem of the application of EU competition law to the digital economy (dealt with in full in Chapter 16).
Market Power, Market Definition, and Barriers to Entry
Authors: Alison Jones , Brenda Sufrin , Niamh Dunne
Published: June 2024

Market power is a central concept in EU competition law. This chapter considers what is meant by market power and how it is assessed in EU law using market definition and barriers to entry analysis. It discusses how markets are defined in EU law by looking at demand substitution, supply substitution, and potential competition. It explains that markets may have both a product and a geographic dimension. The chapter examines the draft new Commission Notice on the definition of the relevant market to replace the 1997 Notice, the decisional practice of the Commission, and the case law of the EU Courts on market definition, and it discusses what tests may be employed in the definition of markets, particularly the SSNIP test. The chapter then considers how the power of a firm on a market is affected by barriers to entry. It discusses the definition of a barrier to entry and considers barriers to entry such as sunk costs, structural barriers, and strategic barriers,
Article 101 TFEU: Substantive Appraisal
Authors: Alison Jones , Brenda Sufrin , Niamh Dunne
Published: June 2024

This chapter examines the relationship between Article 101(1) and Article 101(3). It looks at the central question of which agreements, decisions, and concerted practices have as their object or effect the prevention, restriction, or distortion of competition for the purposes of Article 101(1) and at the issue of which agreements are held to infringe Article 101(1) but meet the criteria for exemption from the prohibition set out in Article 101(3). The chapter looks at the way in which the interpretation of ‘object or effect the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition’ has changed since the early days of EEC competition law and at the problems of identifying which agreements are restrictive by object and which restrictive by effect. It examines the recent and controversial case law on the concept of a restriction of competition by object, considers how restrictive effects are identified, and explores the concept of appreciability and the De Minimis Notice. The chapter also considers the matter of which restrictive agreements may nevertheless escape the prohibition in Article 101(1) because they individually meet either the four criteria set out in Article 101(3) or the conditions of a block exemption. It discusses whether the Article 101(3) criteria can encompass socio-political or public policy matters, including whether, and if so when, agreements between competitors designed to achieve sustainability objectives. may satisfy the conditions of Article 101(3).
Article 102 TFEU: Introduction and Dominant Position
Authors: Alison Jones , Brenda Sufrin , Niamh Dunne
Published: June 2024

Article 102 TFEU deals with the unilateral conduct of undertakings with substantial market power. It thus prohibits one or more undertakings which hold a dominant position in the internal market, or a substantial part of it, abusing that position insofar as it may affect inter-Member State trade. This chapter discusses the role of Article 102 and the controversy attending its application, and introduces the elements which must be established before the prohibition applies. The Commission’s review of Article 102, the publication of its Guidance Paper on enforcement priorities and subsequent amendments to this document, and the relationship between Article 102 and Article 101, are considered. The chapter also explores in detail one of the principal limbs of the Article 102 prohibition, namely the concept of an undertaking holding a ‘dominant position’ in a relevant market. The definition of a dominant position in the case law of the Court is discussed, alongside its relation to the concept of substantial market power. The chapter then considers how dominance is established, addressing, inter alia, the definition of the relevant market for the purposes of Article 102; the role of market share in establishing dominance; and barriers to entry and other factors indicating dominance.
Horizontal Cooperation Agreements
Authors: Alison Jones , Brenda Sufrin , Niamh Dunne
Published: June 2024

This chapter discusses EU competition policy towards horizontal cooperation agreements. It covers joint ventures; the contents of the 2022 Draft Guidelines; the general approach to horizontal cooperation agreements in the Guidelines; research and development agreements, including the 2022 draft block exemption on research and development; production agreements, including the 2022 draft block exemption on specialisation agreements; purchasing agreements; commercialisation agreements; standardisation agreements; and sustainability agreements.
Vertical Agreements
Authors: Alison Jones , Brenda Sufrin , Niamh Dunne
Published: June 2024

This chapter, which discusses EU competition policy towards vertical agreements, begins by outlining the choices available to a supplier when deciding how best to market and sell its products or services to customers, and the impact that the competition rules may have on a supplier’s choice. It then discusses the evolution of the EU approach to vertical agreements, from the early days of EEC competition to now, especially as reflected in the Commission’s Verticals Guidelines of 2022, including exclusive dealing, single branding, franchising, and selective distribution agreements. It considers the importance in EU law of parallel trade between Member States and how this has influenced policy towards vertical restraints. It analyses the application of Article 101(1) and Article 101(3) to vertical agreements, including the verticals block exemption of 2022; and subcontracting agreements.
Public Enforcement of Article 101 and Article 102 by the Commission and the National Competition Authorities
Authors: Alison Jones , Brenda Sufrin , Niamh Dunne
Published: June 2024

This chapter discusses the public enforcement regime for the application of Articles 101 and 102 under Regulation 1/2003. The chapter examines: the complaints procedure; the powers of the Commission, including the investigation and inter partes stages of its procedure; the decisions which the Commission may take, including decisions imposing fines and commitments decisions; judicial review by the EU Courts; the European Competition Network (ECN) and enforcement by national competition authorities, including the requirements of the ECN+ Directive; and the possibility of sanctions against individuals. The chapter also considers the application of fundamental rights provisions in EU competition proceedings.
Private Enforcement of Articles 101 and 102
Authors: Alison Jones , Brenda Sufrin , Niamh Dunne
Published: June 2024

This chapter focuses on the private civil enforcement of EU antitrust rules through claims made by private litigants in the national courts and tribunals of the individual Member States. The discussion covers the principle of direct effect and national procedural autonomy, mechanisms for cooperation between the Commission and national courts, the obligations of national courts when dealing with cases that raise the issue of whether a contract in violation of Article 101 or Article 102 is enforceable and whether, and if so when, damages and injunctions should be available to remedy such violations. It also considers why historically there was relatively little antitrust litigation in the EU; the relationship between public and private enforcement; and the Commission’s policy towards private enforcement, the package of measures the Commission has taken to encourage private litigation, especially the 2014 Damages Directive and its impact.
Cross-linguistic authorship attribution and gender profiling. Machine translation as a method for bridging the language gap
Authors: Mikros George , Boumparis Dimitris
Published: June 2024

This study explores the feasibility of cross-linguistic authorship attribution and the author’s gender identification using Machine Translation (MT). Computational stylistics experiments were conducted on a Greek blog corpus translated into English using Google’s Neural MT. A Random Forest algorithm was employed for authorship and gender profiling, using different feature groups [Author’s Multilevel N-gram Profiles, quantitative linguistics (QL), and cross-lingual word embeddings (CLWE)] in both original and translated texts. Results indicate that MT is a viable method for converting a multilingual corpus into one language for authorship attribution and gender profiling research, with considerable accuracy when training and testing datasets use identical language. In the pure cross-linguistic scenario, higher accuracies than the baselines were obtained using CLWE and QL features.
Fecal miRNA profiles in colorectal cancers with mucinous morphology
Authors: Naccarati Alessio , Dragomir Mihnea P , Tarallo Sonia , Gagliardi Amedeo , Alberini Virginia , Buchler Tomas , Liska Vaclav , Gallo Gaetano , Vymetalkova Veronika , Vodickova Ludmila , Vodicka Pavel , Pardini Barbara , Ferrero Giulio
Published: June 2024

The diagnostic performance of molecular markers in surrogate tissues like stool may be affected by colorectal cancer (CRC) morphological heterogeneity. The mucinous histotype represents a subgroup of CRC with a peculiar molecular program and unfavorable disease progression. However, the percentage of mucinous morphology necessary to define this subtype is still a matter of debate. In this study, we investigated whether stool miRNA profiles of CRC patients differ in patients with mucinous histopathological subtypes compared to non-mucinous cancers. In this respect, we also explored how the stool miRNA signature reported in our previous multicentric study behaves in this histotype. Small-RNA sequencing was performed in fecal and tissue samples of an Italian cohort (n = 172), including 27 CRC with mucinous morphology (mucinous cancers with ≥ 50% mucinous morphology and those with mucinous component ≥ 5% but < 50%), 58 non-mucinous CRC, and 87 colonoscopy-negative controls. Results were compared with fecal miRNA profiles of a cohort from the Czech Republic (n = 98). Most of the differentially expressed (DE) stool miRNAs (n = 324) were in common between CRC with mucinous morphology and non-mucinous histopathological subtypes in comparison with healthy controls. Interestingly, the altered levels of 25 fecal miRNAs previously identified distinguishing CRC cases from controls in both cohorts were also confirmed after stratification for mucinous morphology. Forty-nine miRNAs were DE exclusively in CRC with mucinous morphology and 61 in non-mucinous CRC. Mucinous cancers and those with mucinous component showed fairly similar profiles that were comparable in the Czech cohort. Among the stool DE miRNAs observed in CRC with mucinous morphology, 20 were also altered in the comparison between tumor and adjacent mucosa tissue. This study highlights miRNAs specifically altered in CRC with mucinous morphology. Nevertheless, the performance of our stool miRNA signature in accurately distinguishing CRC cases from controls was not significantly affected by this histological subtype. This aspect further supports the use of stool miRNAs for noninvasive diagnosis and screening strategies.