bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the boundaries in an interdisciplinary context through the Family Resemblance Approach: The Dialogue Between Physics and Mathematics
Authors: Satanassi Sara , Branchetti Laura , Fantini Paola , Casarotto Rachele , Caramaschi Martina , Barelli Eleonora , Levrini Olivia
Published: April 2023

Among the relevant aspects of the family resemblance approach (FRA), our study focuses on the potential of the approach to elaborate on disciplinary identities in an interdisciplinary context, specifically regarding the interplay between physics and mathematics. We present and discuss how the FRA wheel can be used and intertwined with the framework of boundary objects and boundary crossing mechanisms (Akkerman & Bakker, Review of Educational Research, 81, 132–169, 2011), which is well-known in STEM education for dealing with interdisciplinarity. The role of the FRA discussed in the article is dual: both practical and theoretical. It is practical in that we show how its use, in combination with the Akkerman and Bakker framework, appears effective in fostering productive discussions among prospective teachers on disciplinary identities and interdisciplinarity in historical cases. It is theoretical in that the combination of the two frameworks provides the vocabulary to characterise the ‘ambiguous nature’ of interdisciplinarity: like boundaries, interdisciplinarity both separates disciplines, making their identities emerge, and connects them, fostering mechanisms of crossing and transgressing the boundaries. This empirical study reveals how the theoretical elaboration took advantage of the prospective teachers’ contributions. We initially presented the FRA to characterise disciplinary identities, but the prospective teachers highlighted its potential to characterise also the boundary zone and the dialogue between physics and mathematics. The data analysis showed that the combinination of the two frameworks shaped a complex learning space where there was room for very different epistemic demands of the prospective teachers: from those who feel better within the identity cores of the disciplines, to those who like to inhabit the boundary zone and others who like to re-shape boundary spaces and move dynamically across them.
Codes of Conduct for Collaboration as Social Rule Systems for Transdisciplinary Processes
Authors: Scholz Roland W. , Renn Ortwin
Published: April 2023

This paper addresses the need for effective and fair codes of conduct for public-good-oriented transdisciplinary processes. These processes are characterized by the production of socially robust orientations (SoROs) through mutual learning and developing better action strategies by merging knowledge from practice and science. We argue that transdisciplinary processes should be governed by an appropriate social rule system that comprises codes of conduct for collaboration (CCC) in transdisciplinary discourses. In our view, participants in a transdisciplinary process must (1) follow rules of mutuality between science and practice (accepting the otherness of the other) and (2) enable the use and integration of knowledge from science and practice (e.g., through responsibility and/or co-leadership at all levels of a project). This requires (3) a protected discourse arena similar to an expanded Chatham House Rule that facilitates the generation of groundbreaking, novel ideas for sustainable transition. In transdisciplinary processes, CCC are based on these three perspectives and can be explicitly introduced yet require cultural and situational adaptations. Many aspects of transdisciplinary processes, such as legal status (e.g., who owns the data generated, whether it is a group or formal organization), are often unclear and need further investigation.
An experimental investigation of social risk preferences for health
Authors: Attema Arthur E. , L’Haridon Olivier , van de Kuilen Gijs
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we use the risk apportionment technique of Eeckhoudt, Rey and Schlesinger (2007) to study higher order risk preferences for others’ health as well as ex-ante and ex-post inequality preferences for social risky distributions, and their interaction. In an experiment on a sample of university students acting as impartial spectators, we observe risk aversion towards social health losses and a dislike of ex-ante inequality. In addition, evidence for ex-post inequality seeking is much weaker than evidence for ex-ante inequality aversion. Because ex-ante inequality aversion is unrelated to risk aversion, we conclude that simple forms of utilitarianism are not relevant for individual judgment of social risk over health. Last, our investigation of precautionary distribution, which would occur when one particular group in the society suffers from background health risk, shows substantial polarization of preferences.
The role of antioxidant response and nonphotochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence in long-term adaptation to Cu-induced stress in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Pluciński Bartosz , Nowicka Beatrycze , Waloszek Andrzej , Rutkowska Joanna , Strzałka Kazimierz
Published: April 2023

Copper is an essential micronutrient, but at supraoptimal concentrations it is also highly toxic, inducing oxidative stress and disrupting photosynthesis. The aim of the present study was to analyze selected protective mechanisms in strains ofChlamydomonas reinhardtiiadapted and not adapted for growth in the presence of elevated copper concentrations. Two algal lines (tolerant and non-tolerant to high Cu2+concentrations) were used in experiments to study photosynthetic pigment content, peroxidase activity, and non-photochemical quenching. The content of prenyllipids was studied in four different algal lines (two of the same as above and two new ones). The copper-adapted strains contained about 2.6 times more α-tocopherol and plastoquinol and about 1.7 times more total plastoquinone than non-tolerant strains. Exposure to excess copper led to oxidation of the plastoquinone pool in non-tolerant strains, whereas this effect was less pronounced or did not occur in copper-tolerant strains. Peroxidase activity was approximately 1.75 times higher in the tolerant strain than in the non-tolerant one. The increase in peroxidase activity in the tolerant strain was less pronounced when the algae were grown in dim light. In the tolerant line nonphotochemical quenching was induced faster and was usually about 20–30% more efficient than in the non-tolerant line. The improvement of antioxidant defense and photoprotection may be important factors in the evolutionary processes leading to tolerance to heavy metals.
Management of Functional Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms
Authors: Magi Ludovica , Marasco Matteo , Rinzivillo Maria , Faggiano Antongiulio , Panzuto Francesco
Published: April 2023

Opinion statement

Functional pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs) are rare and heterogeneous diseases in terms of both clinical and pathological aspects. These tumors secrete hormones or peptides, which may cause a wide variety of symptoms related to a clinical syndrome. The management of functional pNENs is still challenging for clinicians due to the need to control both tumor growth and specific symptoms. Surgery remains the cornerstone in the management of local disease because it can definitively cure the patient. However, when the disease is not resectable, a broad spectrum of therapeutic options, including locoregional therapy, somatostatin analogs (SSAs), targeted therapies, peptide-receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), and chemotherapy, are available. The present review summarizes the main key issues regarding the clinical management of these tumors, providing a specific highlight on their therapeutic approach.
Attachment-based retrospective classifications of parental caregiving in childhood related to psychological well-being and mental health in young adults
Authors: Neumann Eva , Rohmann Elke
Published: April 2023

Adverse interpersonal experiences in childhood have been shown to be associated with low psychological well-being and poor mental health in adulthood. In this study, the Parental Caregiving Style Questionnaire (PCS-Q) was used for the retrospective classification of parental caregiving, a measure distinguishing between warm/responsive, ambivalent/inconsistent and cold/rejecting parenting, analogous to the three-category model of attachment. Furthermore, self-esteem, satisfaction with the romantic relationship and life, depression and anxiety were measured with self-report scales. 197 students took part in this study, of whom 74 answered the PCS-Q a second time two months later. Most participants classified the parental caregiving style as warm/responsive, especially with regard to the mother. The PCS-Q showed a high test-retest reliability. Warm/responsive parenting was associated with higher self-esteem and life satisfaction and with lower depression and anxiety than the other two parenting styles. Satisfaction with the romantic relationship, however, did not differ substantially between the three groups. The findings largely support the assumption that early attachment experiences have an impact on later well-being and mental health. The German version of the PCS-Q presented here can be used in research and clinical practice as an economic measure with direct reference to the model of attachment styles.
Assessment of anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities of Micractinium reisseri (Chlorophyta, Trebouxiophyceae) methanolic extract
Authors: Makhlof Mofida E. M. , Ghareeb Doaa A. , El-Kenany Eman T.
Published: April 2023

This study looked at the anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties of a methanolic extract of Micractinium reisseri. In vitro antitumor activity of M. reisseri methanolic extract revealed an inhibitory effect against MCF-7 and HCT-116 (breast carcinoma and colon carcinoma) cell lines. Antimicrobial activity of M. reisseri methanolic extract was estimated against Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa RCMB 010,049 and Escherichia coli RCMB 010,052), Gram-positive bacteria (Streptococcus pneumonia RCMB 010,010 and Bacillus subtilis RCMB 010,067) and fungi (Aspergillus fumigatus RCMB 02,568 and Candida albicans RCMB 05,036). The extract showed promising results against all the tested microbes except C. albicans which gave negative results. The algal extract showed 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity in a concentration-dependent manner with maximum scavenging activity at concentrations (0.001, 0.001, and 5 mg/ml) for each assay, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed that the active compounds are phenols, alkaloids, and flavonoids. In conclusion, M. reisseri methanolic extract exhibited effective anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities.
Changes in Vessel Traffic Disrupt Tidal Flats and Saltmarshes in the Tagus Estuary, Portugal
Authors: Martins Diana , Alves da Silva Andreia , Duarte João , Canário João , Vieira Gonçalo
Published: April 2023

The Tagus Estuary is one of the largest in Europe with 320 km2, and it has been, for centuries, a gateway to Lisbon. This study focuses on the Moita-Montijo Bay and on the recent dynamics of its tidal flats and saltmarshes. Aerial photographs, orthomosaics, and very high-resolution satellite imagery were used to analyze landcover and shoreline changes. Tidal flats have shown expansion from 1977 to 1995, but since then, contraction dominated, with a change of position of the tidal flat edge of −2.8 m/year in the north bank and −4.2 m/year in the south bank of the Montijo channel. Most contraction occurred along the route of the fast transport catamarans that started operating in 1995, while in the sector without catamaran navigation, expansion was observed. Saltmarshes have been suffering contraction since 1958, with increased rates after 1995 (−0.38 to −0.44 m/year), especially along the catamaran route (−0.57 to −1.27 m/year). The analysis of the wake generated by different vessel types shows a wake increase with the catamarans, in agreement with the increase in contraction along the Montijo channel. Inside abandoned salt pans, saltmarshes expanded. Since 1995, major changes are also observed along the tidal flat margin, with the formation of coarse lag deposits of coarse sands and shells. Given the contraction increase associated with catamaran traffic and the resulting degradation of the tidal flat and the saltmarshes, it is important to introduce measures for containing contraction.
How the long-term follow-up is organized in young adult survivors of childhood cancer
Authors: Bardi Edit , Kager Leo , Holter Wolfgang
Published: April 2023

The survival after childhood cancer has improved substantially, therefore the population of childhood cancer survivors is increasing. This growing population of childhood cancer survivors, however, is at risk of a spectrum of adverse health outcomes. Unfortunately, until now, there was a lack of comprehensive follow-up recommendations.The purpuse of this article is to provide information on recently developed harmonized evidence-based guidelines and the structure to provide complex long term follow up for childhood cancer survivors. We pointed out the need for a multidisciplinary pediatric and adult specialist team, who together develop multidisciplinary long-term follow-up clinics.
Investigating learning processes through analysis of navigation behavior using log files
Authors: Huber Kerstin , Bannert Maria
Published: April 2023

The empirical study investigates what log files and process mining can contribute to promoting successful learning. We want to show how monitoring and evaluation of learning processes can be implemented in the educational life by analyzing log files and navigation behavior. Thus, we questioned to what extent log file analyses and process mining can predict learning outcomes. This work aims to provide support for learners and instructors regarding efficient learning with computer-based learning environments (CBLEs). We evaluated log file and questionnaire data from students (N = 58) who used a CBLE for two weeks. Results show a significant learning increase after studying with the CBLE with a very high effect size (p < .001, g = 1.71). A cluster analysis revealed two groups with significantly different learning outcomes accompanied by different navigation patterns. The time spent on learning-relevant pages and the interactivity with a CBLE are meaningful indicators for Recall and Transfer performance. Our results show that navigation behaviors indicate both beneficial and detrimental learning processes. Moreover, we could demonstrate that navigation behaviors impact the learning outcome. We present an easy-to-use approach for learners as well as instructors to promote successful learning by tracking the duration spent in a CBLE and the interactivity.
AI-enabled price discrimination as an abuse of dominance: a law and economics analysis
Authors: Li Qian , Philipsen Niels , Cauffman Caroline
Published: April 2023

In digital markets, concentrated Big Data and analytical algorithms enable undertakings to predict each consumer’s willingness to pay with increasing accuracy and offer consumers personalized recommendations and tailored prices accordingly. In this context, concerns have arisen about whether and when AI-enabled price discrimination amounts to an abuse of dominance under competition law and would require a legal response. To address these concerns, this paper will analyze AI-enabled price discrimination from a comparative law and economics perspective. In economics, price discrimination is not always undesirable as it can increase static efficiency, and, on some occasions, it can promote dynamic efficiency and boost consumer welfare. Nevertheless, it may also lead to exclusionary and exploitative effects, especially once Tech Giants abuse their dominant positions in relevant markets. Since the protection of free competition and consumer welfare are objectives of competition law in China and the EU, competition law seems a proper instrument to step into digital markets to address these concerns. Indeed, the EU and China have established mixed regimes of competition law and other rules to tackle unfair and/or anti-competitive AI-enabled price discrimination. As such, AI-enabled price discrimination does not always require a competition law response and it requires competition authorities to make a trade-off between different considerations.
Firms’ Supply Chain Integration, R&D Collaboration, and Impact on Competitiveness: Evidence from Czechia
Authors: Květoň Viktor , Horák Petr
Published: April 2023

This paper aims to reveal associations between firm strategies for vertical supply chain integration and strategy for horizontal R&D collaboration through the analysis of four Czech regions. Drawing on evolutionary economic geography and global production networks literature, we applied a combinatorial and dynamic view on firms’ supply chain integration, R&D collaboration, and impact on competitiveness. Conceptually, we argue that companies not only produce and sell goods at different levels (global, national, regional), but are located in differently developed regions and innovation systems with different institutional qualities. Therefore, various modes of engagement within vertical supply chains and at the same time different R&D collaboration strategies influence competitiveness of firms. Empirically, we revealed that the vertical integration strategy drives levels of regional R&D collaboration for a firm. It turns out that globally more connected and technologically sophisticated firms are not highly interconnected by R&D collaboration within regional/national innovation systems. Moreover, technologically capable firms with little or no R&D collaboration may be highly profitable on average, but they are vulnerable in the long run. Furthermore, an intensive involvement in R&D collaboration had the highest resistance towards economic shocks. We also found statistically significant positive relationship with medium R&D collaboration and productivity of firms.
Placing diverse knowledge systems at the core of transformative climate research
Authors: Orlove Ben , Sherpa Pasang , Dawson Neil , Adelekan Ibidun , Alangui Wilfredo , Carmona Rosario , Coen Deborah , Nelson Melissa K. , Reyes-García Victoria , Rubis Jennifer , Sanago Gideon , Wilson Andrew
Published: April 2023

We argue that solutions-based research must avoid treating climate change as a merely technical problem, recognizing instead that it is symptomatic of the history of European and North American colonialism. It must therefore be addressed by decolonizing the research process and transforming relations between scientific expertise and the knowledge systems of Indigenous Peoples and of local communities. Partnership across diverse knowledge systems can be a path to transformative change only if those systems are respected in their entirety, as indivisible cultural wholes of knowledge, practices, values, and worldviews. This argument grounds our specific recommendations for governance at the local, national, and international scales. As concrete mechanisms to guide collaboration across knowledge systems, we propose a set of instruments based on the principles of consent, intellectual and cultural autonomy, and justice. We recommend these instruments as tools to ensure that collaborations across knowledge systems embody just partnerships in support of a decolonial transformation of relations between human communities and between humanity and the more-than-human world.
Computing branches and asymptotes of meromorphic functions
Authors: Fernández de Sevilla M. , Magdalena-Benedicto R. , Pérez-Díaz S.
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we first summarize the existing algorithms for computing all the generalized asymptotes of a plane algebraic curve implicitly or parametrically defined. From these previous results, we derive a method that allows to easily compute the whole branch and all the generalized asymptotes of a “special” curve defined in n-dimensional space by a parametrization that is not necessarily rational. So, some new concepts and methods are established for this type of curves. The approach is based on the notion of perfect curves introduced from the concepts and results presented in previous papers.
Metabolic profile in women with bulimia nervosa or binge-eating disorder before and after treatment: secondary analysis from the randomized PED-t trial
Authors: Mathisen Therese Fostervold , Sundgot-Borgen Jorunn , Rosenvinge Jan H. , Bratland-Sanda Solfrid , Svendsen Mette , Pettersen Gunn , Vrabel KariAnne , Friborg Oddgeir
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Chaotic eating and purging behavior pose a risk to the metabolic health of women with bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge-eating disorder (BED). This study reports on one-year changes in blood markers of metabolic health and thyroid hormones in women with BN or BED attending two different treatments.

Methods

These are secondary analyses from a randomized controlled trial of 16-week group treatment of either physical exercise and dietary therapy (PED-t) or cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Blood samples collected at pre-treatment, week eight, post-treatment, and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups were analyzed for glucose, lipids (triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol (LDL-c), HDL cholesterol (HDL-c), apolipoprotein A (ApoA) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) lipoproteins), and thyroid hormones (thyroxine (T4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and thyroperoxidase antibodies).

Result

The average levels of blood glucose, lipids and thyroid hormones were within the recommended range, but clinical levels of TC and LDL-c were detected in 32.5% and 39.1%, respectively. More women with BED compared with BN had low HDL-c, and a larger increase over time in TC and TSH. No significant differences occurred between PED-t and CBT at any measurement. Exploratory moderator analyses indicated a more unfavorable metabolic response at follow-up among treatment non-responders.

Conclusion

The proportion of women with impaired lipid profiles and unfavorable lipid changes, suggests active monitoring with necessary management of the metabolic health of women with BN or BED, as recommended by metabolic health guidelines.

Level of evidence: Level I: Evidence obtained from a randomized, experimental trial.

Trial registration number: This trial was prospectively registered in the Norwegian Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics on December 16, 2013, with the identifier number 2013/1871, and in Clinical Trials on February 17, 2014, with the identifier number NCT02079935.
The Effect of Automated Error Message Feedback on Undergraduate Physics Students Learning Python: Reducing Anxiety and Building Confidence
Authors: Charles Tessa , Gwilliam Carl
Published: April 2023

STEM fields, such as physics, increasingly rely on complex programs to analyse large datasets, thus teaching students the required programming skills is an important component of all STEM curricula. Since undergraduate students often have no prior coding experience, they are reliant on error messages as the primary diagnostic tool to identify and correct coding mistakes. However, such messages are notoriously cryptic and often undecipherable for novice programmers, presenting a significant learning hurdle that leads to frustration, discouragement, and ultimately a loss of confidence. Addressing this, we developed a tool to enhance error messages for the popular Python language, translating them into plain English to empower students to resolve the underlying error independently. We used a mixed methods approach to study the tool’s effect on first-year physics students undertaking an introductory programming course. We find a broadly similar distribution of the most common error types to previous studies in other contexts. Our results show a statistically significant reduction in negative student emotions, such as frustration and anxiety, with the mean self-reported intensity of these emotions reducing by (73 ± 12)% and (55 ± 18)%, respectively. This led to a corresponding decrease in discouragement and an increase in student confidence. We conclude that enhanced error messages provide an effective way to alleviate negative student emotions and promote confidence. However, further longer-term investigations are necessary to confirm if this translates into improved learning outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first physics-specific investigation of the effect of Python error message enhancement on student learning.
Optimization and Uncertain Nonlinear Vibration of Pre/post-buckled In-Plane Functionally Graded Metal Nanocomposite Plates
Authors: Hussein Omar S.
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This paper studies the nonlinear free and forced vibration of in-plane bi-directional functionally graded (FG) metal nanocomposite plates considering uncertain material elastic properties in the pre/post buckling states. Initially, the distribution of the nano-reinforcement volume fraction is designed through an optimization process to minimize the amount of the reinforcement in case of simply supported and clamped plates.

Methods

The elastic modulus of the nanocomposite is modeled as a non-stationary random field using the Karhunen–Loève expansion (KLE) technique while the uncertain output variables are modeled using the polynomial chaos expansion (PCE). The considered plates are thin, so the classical plate theory with the von Kármán nonlinear strain field is used for the analysis. The harmonic balance method and the fourth-order Runge Kutta method are used to estimate the vibration responses.

Results

The in-plane optimization process of the nonreinforcement volume fraction distribution yielded a 14% and 70% saving in the reinforcement amount in the case of the simply supported plate and the clamped plate respectively. The uncertainty in the vibration amplitude in the pre-buckled state can be multiples of the uncertainty in the elastic modulus and follows near normal distributions. In the post-buckled state, the nature of the probability distribution depends on the excitation force and frequency. In general, the FG plates can have similar or more uncertainty levels compared to the equivalent homogenous plates.

Conclusion

The uncertainty in the nonlinear vibration of in-plane functionally graded plates depends on the boundary conditions, modeling definition of the input uncertainty, the excitation force and frequency.
The implication from six years of field experiment: the aging process induced lower rice production even with a high amount of biochar application
Authors: Nan Qiong , Tang Lepeng , Chi Wenchen , Waqas Muhammad , Wu Weixiang
Published: April 2023

The single high-dose application of biochar to increase rice yield has been well reported. However, limited information is available about the long-term effects of increasing rice yield and soil fertility. This study was designed to perform a 6-year field experiment to unveil the rice yield with time due to various biochar application strategies. Moreover, an alternative strategy of the Annual Low dose biochar application (AL, 8 × 35% = 2.8 t ha−1) was also conducted to make a comparison with the High Single dose (HS, 22.5 t ha−1), and annual Rice Straw (RS, 8 t ha−1) amendment to investigate the effects on annual rice yield attributes and soil nutrient concentrations. Results showed that the rice yield in AL with a lower biochar application exceeded  that of HS significantly (p < 0.05) in the 6th experimental year. The rice yield increased by 14.3% in RS, 10.9% in AL, and 4.2% in HS. The unexpectedly higher rice yield in AL than HS resulted from enhanced soil total carbon (TC), pH, and available Ca. However, compared to AL, liable carbon fraction increased by 33.7% in HS, while refractory carbon fraction dropped by 22.3%. Likewise, biochar characterization showed that more oxygen functional groups existed in HS than in AL. Decreasing inert organic carbon pools due to the constant degradation of the aromatic part of biochar in HS led to a lower soil TC than AL, even with a higher amount of biochar application. Likewise, the annual depletion lowered the soil pH and available Ca declination in HS. Based on the obtained results, this study suggested AL as a promising strategy to enhance rice productivity, soil nutrient enrichment, and carbon sequestration in the paddy ecosystem.

Graphic abstract
The worst and the best: new insights into risk and resilience in young adults from the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Shanahan Lilly , Johnson-Ferguson Lydia , Loher Michelle , Steinhoff Annekatrin , Bechtiger Laura , Murray Aja Louise , Hepp Urs , Ribeaud Denis , Eisner Manuel
Published: April 2023

Historic declines in young people’s mental health began to emerge before the COVID-19 pandemic. In the face of this youth mental health crisis, the pandemic constituted a naturalistic stressor paradigm that came with the potential to uncover new knowledge for the science of risk and resilience. Surprisingly, approximately 19-35% of people reported better well-being in the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic than before. Therefore, in May and September 2020, we asked N=517 young adults from a cohort study to describe the best and the worst aspects of their pandemic lives (N=1,462 descriptions). Inductive thematic analysis revealed that the best aspects included the deceleration of life and a greater abundance of free time, which was used for hobbies, healthy activities, strengthening relationships, and for personal growth and building resilience skills. Positive aspects also included a reduction in educational pressures and work load and temporary relief from climate change concerns. The worst aspects included disruptions and changes to daily life; social distancing and restrictions of freedoms; negative emotions that arose in the pandemic situation, including uncertainty about the future; and the growing polarization of society. Science that aims to reverse the youth mental health crisis must pay increased attention to sources of young people’s distress that are not commonly measured (e.g., their educational, work, and time pressures; their fears and uncertainties about their personal, society’s, and the global future), and also to previously untapped sources of well-being – including those that young people identified for themselves while facing the COVID-19 pandemic.
A review on mechanical and metallurgical joining by plastic deformation
Authors: Kasaei M. M. , Beygi R. , Carbas R. J. C. , Marques E. A. S. , da Silva L. F. M.
Published: April 2023

The substitution of traditional materials with lightweight materials in vehicle structures requires the development of new joining techniques which are capable of joining un-weldable alloys as well as dissimilar materials. Although conventional joining techniques such as fusion welding, adhesive bonding and mechanical fastening have matured in recent decades, their use for some of the above applications is limited. In this paper, recently developed joining techniques based on plastic deformation are presented and discussed. These techniques are divided into two categories, those based on mechanical interlocking and those based on metallurgical bonding. The first category covers clinching, self-pierce riveting and some innovative joining methods, and the second category covers friction stir welding and its variants. The focus of this study is on process development, process control and monitoring, process modelling, and joint characterization techniques. Finally, the two categories are compared, and their potential is discussed.
A Student Grammar of Chinese
Authors: Zhu Yongping , Huang Chu-Ren
Published: April 2023

Written for beginning learners of the language, this concise introduction to Chinese grammar assumes only a basic knowledge of Chinese, and no knowledge of grammatical terminology and practices. Comparing Chinese grammar patterns and rules with those of English, and illustrated with a wealth of real-life examples, it allows learners to understand the similarities and differences between the two languages. Using engaging and accessible language, it examines the Chinese sound system, writing system, word formation rules, parts of speech, and simple and complex sentences, as well as explaining special constructions that are typically challenging to second language learners. Each chapter begins with clear learning goals and ends with a useful summary highlighting the chapter's main points. To call attention to specific issues, sidebars are interspersed throughout the text, and exercises within the book and online answer keys help students to reinforce learned material and assist with self-study.
Regionalized Governance in the Global South
Authors: Coe Brooke , Nash Kathryn
Published: April 2023

This Element addresses questions of division of labor and concentration of authority among intergovernmental organizations by examining multilevel governance in the Global South. It focuses on the policy domains of peace and security and human rights in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and its central finding is that the extent of governance regionalization varies across regions and issue areas. In the domain of peace and security, governance is most regionalized in Africa. In the domain of human rights protection, governance is most regionalized in the LAC region. Given the phenomenon of regional specialization, the Element makes the case for the greater explanatory power of regional drivers of regional institutional development. This Element is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
The Quantified Worker
Authors: Ajunwa Ifeoma
Published: April 2023

The information revolution has ushered in a data-driven reorganization of the workplace. Big data and AI are used to surveil workers and shift risk. Workplace wellness programs appraise our health. Personality job tests calibrate our mental state. The monitoring of social media and surveillance of the workplace measure our social behavior. With rich historical sources and contemporary examples, The Quantified Worker explores how the workforce science of today goes far beyond increasing efficiency and threatens to erase individual personhood. With exhaustive detail, Ifeoma Ajunwa shows how different forms of worker quantification are enabled, facilitated, and driven by technological advances. Timely and eye-opening, The Quantified Worker advocates for changes in the law that will mitigate the ill effects of the modern workplace.
Surface mass balance monitoring of the peripheral glaciers of the Antarctic Peninsula in the context of regional climate change
Authors: Navarro Francisco , Recio-Blitz Cayetana , Rodríguez-Cielos Ricardo , Otero Jaime , Shahateet Kaian , De Andrés Eva , Corcuera María I. , Letamendia Unai , Muñoz-Hermosilla José M.
Published: April 2023

During the second half of the 20th century, the Antarctic Peninsula region has undergone a long and sustained warming period, followed by a shorter but also sustained cooling period, and then a very recent return to warming conditions. All of these have profoundly impacted the glaciers peripheral to the Antarctic Peninsula. This paper focuses on the analysis of the surface mass balance monitoring of such glaciers by the glaciological method, complemented by the analysis of mass-balance estimates by geodetic methods, as well as frontal ablation estimates. We aim to summarize the current knowledge and outline the main challenges faced by investigating the mass balance of such peripheral glaciers and their current contribution to sea-level rise.
Socio-demographic factors associated with hunger among food pantry users in Eastern Massachusetts
Authors: Codner Alyson , Zack Rachel M. , Liu Xinyang , Bangham Candice , Nelson Eva , Hicks Jacqueline Milton , Greece Jacey A.
Published: April 2023

To assess the determinants of hunger among food pantry users, the present study used a cross-sectional survey that included a modified Household Hunger Scale to quantify hunger. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between hunger categories and various household socio-demographic and economic characteristics, such as age, race, household size, marital status and experience of any economic hardship. The survey was administered to food pantry users from June 2018 to August 2018 at various food pantries across Eastern Massachusetts with 611 food pantry users completing the questionnaire at any of the 10 food pantry sites. One-fifth (20⋅13 %) of food pantry users experienced moderate hunger and 19⋅14 % experienced severe hunger. Food pantry users who were single, divorced or separated; had less than a high school education; working part-time, unemployed or retired; or, who earned incomes less than $1000 per month were most likely to experience severe or moderate hunger. Pantry users who experienced any economic hardship had 4⋅78 the adjusted odds of severe hunger (95 % CI 2⋅49, 9⋅19), which was much larger than the odds of moderate hunger (AOR 1⋅95; 95 % CI 1⋅10, 3⋅48). Younger age and participation in WIC (AOR 0⋅20; 95 % CI 0⋅05–0⋅78) and SNAP (AOR 0⋅53; 95 % CI 0⋅32–0⋅88) were protective against severe hunger. The present study illustrates factors affecting hunger in food pantry users, which can help inform public health programmes and policies for people in need of additional resources. This is essential particularly in times of increasing economic hardships recently exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tradeoff Between Private Equity Sponsorship, Board Centrality, and Experience as Credible Signals for IPO Performance
Authors: Kirschbaum Charles , Rossoni Luciano , Minardi Andrea , da Silva Emília Borges
Published: April 2023

Private equity funds implement various management and governance practices in firms they endorse, signaling higher quality of sponsored IPOs (Initial Public Offer). However, the participation of such PE funds comes at a cost for newcomer firms, as they may lose both autonomy and future post-IPO earnings. If they do not choose to signal quality through PE funds, the IPO literature points to the validity of other mechanisms, such as the experience and centrality of the board of directors. We theorize and test the effect of the tradeoff between private equity sponsorship and board centrality and experience on IPO performance. We analyzed the effects of signaling on long-term performance through the one-year cumulative abnormal return in Brazilian IPOs issued between 2004 and 2013. Our results indicate that private equity sponsorship is the most effective signal, completely overtaking the relevance of board centrality and experience to explain IPO performance. However, these latter board characteristics significantly affected the performance of non-private equity-backed IPOs. Between PE-backed companies, there is a reverse effect of the board centrality on the IPO's performance and a substitution effect of the board's previous experience with IPO processes.
The Roles of Supply Networks and Board Interlocks in Firms’ Technological Entry and Exit: Evidence from the Chinese Automotive Industry
Authors: Aalbers Rick , Ma Rongkang
Published: April 2023

In this research, we explore how supply networks and board interlocks – as distinct, yet parallel interorganizational networks – jointly influence firms’ entry into new technology domains and exit from old technology domains. Drawing from the perspectives of social networks and organizational learning we highlight the relevance of the interdependency between these networks for a firm's technological entry and exit decisions. We argue that a firm that maintains a large number of supplier ties is more likely to enter new technology domains and exit from old technology domains instead. We further find empirical evidence that the degree centrality of a firm in its board interlock network strengthens these effects. Our theoretical arguments are supported through stochastic actor-based modeling analysis for the longitudinal and multilevel networks of 86 firms active in the Chinese automotive during 2011–2015. These findings inform the literature on interorganizational network dynamics as we insert relational pluralism to examine the complexities of organizational relationships as antecedents to a firms’ technological entry and exit. Finally, we imagine the implications of our analysis for management as they shed light on how multiple interorganizational relationships affect firms’ decisions on new technology entry and old technology exit.
Too Much of a Good Thing: Downsides of a Large Social Network and Moderating Effects of Political Skill
Authors: Chen Yi , Boh Wai Fong , Wong Sze-Sze , Shao Jun
Published: April 2023

Existing research examining the curvilinear relationship between network centrality and performance tends to focus on the information recipients’ perspective. Focusing on the information providers’ perspective, our study draws upon social exchange theory to demonstrate that the advice-giving centrality-performance relationship for information providers has an inverse U-shape due to decreasing benefits and increasing costs of maintaining more advice-giving ties. We further show that increasing advice-giving centrality increases the likelihood that individuals would become a hindrance to coworkers, as they become bottlenecks impeding efficient workflow. However, our study demonstrates that political skill enables them to overcome the interpersonal challenges associated with high advice-giving centrality. Specifically, individuals with high political skills can better convert advice-giving ties to resources that could assist their cooperation with coworkers, reducing the hindrance they impose. Overall, we provide insights into the trade-off between the benefits and costs of advice-giving ties from a social exchange perspective and examine political skill as an important mitigator of the downsides of large advice-giving networks – a key area that has been hitherto largely unexplored.
VERTICO V: The environmentally driven evolution of the inner cold gas discs of Virgo cluster galaxies
Authors: Watts Adam B. , Cortese Luca , Catinella Barbara , Brown Toby , Wilson Christine D. , Zabel Nikki , Roberts Ian D. , Davis Timothy A. , Thorp Mallory , Chung Aeree , Stevens Adam R.H. , Ellison Sara L. , Spekkens Kristine , Parker Laura C. , Bahé Yannick M. , Villanueva Vicente , Jiménez-Donaire María , Bisaria Dhruv , Boselli Alessandro , Bolatto Alberto D. , Lee Bumhyun
Published: April 2023

The quenching of cluster satellite galaxies is inextricably linked to the suppression of their cold interstellar medium (ISM) by environmental mechanisms. While the removal of neutral atomic hydrogen (H i) at large radii is well studied, how the environment impacts the remaining gas in the centres of galaxies, which are dominated by molecular gas, is less clear. Using new observations from the Virgo Environment traced in CO survey (VERTICO) and archival H i data, we study the H i and molecular gas within the optical discs of Virgo cluster galaxies on 1.2-kpc scales with spatially resolved scaling relations between stellar (

$\Sigma_{\star}$

), H i (

$\Sigma_{\text{H}\,{\small\text{I}}}$

), and molecular gas (

$\Sigma_{\text{mol}}$

) surface densities. Adopting H i deficiency as a measure of environmental impact, we find evidence that, in addition to removing the H i at large radii, the cluster processes also lower the average

$\Sigma_{\text{H}\,{\small\text{I}}}$

of the remaining gas even in the central

$1.2\,$

kpc. The impact on molecular gas is comparatively weaker than on the H i, and we show that the lower

$\Sigma_{\text{mol}}$

gas is removed first. In the most H i-deficient galaxies, however, we find evidence that environmental processes reduce the typical

$\Sigma_{\text{mol}}$

of the remaining gas by nearly a factor of 3. We find no evidence for environment-driven elevation of

$\Sigma_{\text{H}\,{\small\text{I}}}$

or

$\Sigma_{\text{mol}}$

in H i-deficient galaxies. Using the ratio of

$\Sigma_{\text{mol}}$

-to-

$\Sigma_{\text{H}\,{\small\text{I}}}$

in individual regions, we show that changes in the ISM physical conditions, estimated using the total gas surface density and midplane hydrostatic pressure, cannot explain the observed reduction in molecular gas content. Instead, we suggest that direct stripping of the molecular gas is required to explain our results.
Gabber rigidity in hermitian K-theory
Authors: Land Markus
Published: April 2023

We note that Gabber's rigidity theorem for the algebraic K-theory of henselian pairs also holds true for hermitian K-theory with respect to arbitrary form parameters.
Potential field-based dual heuristic programming for path-following and obstacle avoidance of wheeled mobile robots
Authors: Peng Yaoqian , Zhang Xinglong , Xie Haibin , Xu Xin
Published: April 2023

Path-following control of wheeled mobile robots has been a crucial research topic in robotic control theory and applications. In path-following control with obstacles, the path-following control and collision avoidance goals might be conflicting, making it challenging to obtain near-optimal solutions for path-following control and obstacle avoidance with low tracking error and input energy consumption. To address this problem, we propose a potential field-based dual heuristic programming (P-DHP) algorithm with an actor–critic (AC) structure for path-following control of mobile robots with obstacle avoidance. In the proposed P-DHP, the path-following control and collision avoidance problems are decoupled into two ones to resolve the control conflict. Firstly, a neural network-based AC is constructed to approximate the near-optimal path-following control policy in a no-obstacle environment. Then, with the trained path-following control policy fixed, a potential field-based control policy structure is constructed by another AC network to generate opposite control forces as the robot moves toward the obstacle, which can guarantee the robot’s control safety and reduce the tracking error and input energy consumption in obstacle avoidance. The simulated and experimental results show that P-DHP can realize near-optimal path-following control with the satisfaction of safety constraints and outperforms state-of-the-art approaches in control performance.
Mid-aortic syndrome diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiogram in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Theisen Benjamin W. , Knecht Kenneth R. , Daily Joshua A.
Published: April 2023

Mid-aortic syndrome is a rare condition characterised by segmental narrowing of the thoracoabdominal aorta. Here, we demonstrate a case of mid-aortic syndrome in a 30-month-old female who was diagnosed via transesophageal echocardiography after presenting with dilated cardiomyopathy and severe heart failure requiring placement of a left ventricular assist device.