bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public biofoundries as innovation intermediaries: the integration of translation, sustainability, and responsibility
Authors: Watkins Andrew , McCarthy Adam , Holland Claire , Shapira Philip
Published: November 2023

The emergence and evolution of engineering biology, and its potential to address multiple global challenges is associated with the rise of biofoundries. These innovation intermediaries are facilities that employ advanced automation and computational analytics to accelerate engineering biology applications. Yet, for biofoundries to fully achieve their promise of generating applications that address grand societal challenges, they need to meet three key challenges: translation of research technology and its commercialization, attention to sustainability, and responsible innovation. Using web content analysis and interviews, this paper explores the functions and capabilities undertaken by existing public biofoundries, the extent to which they address these three challenges, and opportunities and models for enhancement. We also probe the roles undertaken by three other contrasting types of innovation intermediaries to identify practices and opportunities for integration and partnering with public biofoundries. We find that public biofoundries exhibit relatively strong capabilities for research translation, whereas efforts toward sustainability and responsibility are generally less prominent. For biofoundry enhancement, we propose an organisational model based on external partnering where public biofoundries are positioned as intermediaries within regional innovation systems. The framework put forward is reproducible and could be used in other contexts for assessing innovation intermediary organisational functions and capabilities toward meeting societal challenges.
$$\mathfrak {m}$$-Baer and $$\mathfrak {m}$$-Rickart Lattices
Authors: Medina-Bárcenas Mauricio , Rincón Mejía Hugo
Published: November 2023

In this paper we introduce the notions of Rickart and Baer lattices and their duals. We show that part of the theory of Rickart and Baer modules can be understood just using techniques from the theory of lattices. For, we use linear morphisms introduced by T. Albu and M. Iosif. We focus on a submonoid with zero $$\mathfrak {m}$$
m
of the monoid of all linear endomorphism of a lattice $$\mathcal {L}$$
L
in order to give a more general approach and apply our results in the theory of modules. We also show that $$\mathfrak {m}$$
m
-Rickart and $$\mathfrak {m}$$
m
-Baer lattices can be characterized by the annihilators in $$\mathfrak {m}$$
m
generated by idempotents as in the case of modules.
The Sun’s Alfvén Surface: Recent Insights and Prospects for the Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH)
Authors: Cranmer Steven R. , Chhiber Rohit , Gilly Chris R. , Cairns Iver H. , Colaninno Robin C. , McComas David J. , Raouafi Nour E. , Usmanov Arcadi V. , Gibson Sarah E. , DeForest Craig E.
Published: November 2023

The solar wind is the extension of the Sun’s hot and ionized corona, and it exists in a state of continuous expansion into interplanetary space. The radial distance at which the wind’s outflow speed exceeds the phase speed of Alfvénic and fast-mode magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves is called the Alfvén radius. In one-dimensional models, this is a singular point beyond which most fluctuations in the plasma and magnetic field cannot propagate back down to the Sun. In the multi-dimensional solar wind, this point can occur at different distances along an irregularly shaped “Alfvén surface.” In this article, we review the properties of this surface and discuss its importance in models of solar-wind acceleration, angular-momentum transport, MHD waves and turbulence, and the geometry of magnetically closed coronal loops. We also review the results of simulations and data-analysis techniques that aim to determine the location of the Alfvén surface. Combined with recent perihelia ofParker Solar Probe,these studies seem to indicate that the Alfvén surface spends most of its time at heliocentric distances between about 10 and 20 solar radii. It is becoming apparent that this region of the heliosphere is sufficiently turbulent that there often exist multiple (stochastic and time-dependent) crossings of the Alfvén surface along any radial ray. Thus, in many contexts, it is more appropriate to use the concept of a topologically complex “Alfvén zone” rather than one closed surface. This article also reviews how thePolarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere(PUNCH) mission will measure the properties of the Alfvén surface and provide key constraints on theories of solar-wind acceleration.
Heterogeneous porous biochar-supported nano NiFe2O4 for efficient removal of hazardous antibiotic from pharmaceutical wastewater
Authors: Azzam Ahmed B. , Tokhy Yousif A. , Dars Farida M. El , Younes Ahmed A.
Published: November 2023

Due to the dual issues of antibiotic resistance and bioaccumulation toxicity, antibiotics are ubiquitously present in aquatic environments, and this is causing serious concern. Herein, novel nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) nanoparticles were successfully loaded onto activated biochar (BC) derived from banana peel (BP) to obtain magnetic nanocomposite (BC-NiFe2O4) as an effective biosorbent for the ciprofloxacin antibiotic (CIP) elimination from pharmaceutical effluent. A facile co-precipitation approach was utilized to construct the heterogeneous BC-NiFe2O4. The synthesized materials were systematically characterized using techniques such as XRD, FE-SEM, EDX, HR-TEM, BET, FTIR, and XPS. In addition, the magnetic measurements indicated the ferromagnetic behavior of the BC-NiFe2O4 sample. The influencing factors (i.e., pH, contact time, initial concentration, dose of adsorbent, ions interference, and solution temperature) of the adsorption process were also well studied. The adsorption capacity of the BC-NiFe2O4 heterostructure was 68.79 mg g−1 compared to the BC sample (35.71 mg g−1), confirming that the loading of magnetically NiFe2O4 nanoparticles onto the surface of porous biochar enhanced its stability and adsorption performance for CIP removal, wherein the metal-antibiotic complex has a significant effect for the removal of CIP. Moreover, the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and the pseudo-second-order model displayed a good fit for the experimental data. The values of △H° and △G° revealed that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. The coordination affinities, π-π stacking, and H-bonding interactions play a more critical role in the adsorption mechanism that confirmed by FTIR and XPS analysis. To study the stability of BC-NiFe2O4 nanocomposites, desorption and recycling studies were investigated. The results revealed that after three cycles, no significant loss in removal efficiency was detected, reflecting the stability and reusability of the prepared BC-NiFe2O4 nanocomposite.
Weaving in: shifts in youth mathematical engagement through weaving
Authors: Thompson Naomi
Published: November 2023

Despite recent efforts to support learners from traditionally minoritized backgrounds in mathematics, inequities in math achievement and participation still exist, particularly for women and people of color. Additionally, much of how math is taught in schools aligns with a particular epistemology that comes from western mathematicians and philosophers.  While a strong link between weaving and mathematics has been established, fewer studies explore the possibilities of this link for supporting youth’s pluralistic engagement with mathematics in educational settings. Thus, we ask: In a making-focused intervention designed to expose youth to the mathematical practices inherent in weaving, how do student-created artifacts showcase learning? In this paper, four cases demonstrate how middle-school youth learning to weave and learning through weaving experimented or leveled up their planned or implemented designs. Their learning processes showcase engagement with mathematics that mirrors that of more experienced weavers. Making visible the mathematical engagement that youth undertake through weaving may be a step toward building frameworks and classroom activities through making that work to combat these disciplinary issues.
Effects of National Institutions on Corporate Brand Ability Associations During the Pandemic
Authors: Jacobs Nele , Swoboda Bernhard
Published: November 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer behavior and brand preferences changed. However, surprisingly little is known about how or why corporate brand associations differ and change across countries during such black swan events, especially for multinationals with a specific expertise and ability, for example, to offer vaccines. The authors use institutional theory to fill this gap. They contribute to international business research by analyzing the roles of national institutions in consumers’ corporate brand ability associations (CBAA) in 20 countries over time. They find generally different roles of regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive institutions in consumers’ CBAA. Moreover, those roles changed and varied for Pfizer, as a multinational corporation that offered the first vaccine in Western countries, and its competitors before and during the pandemic. Institutional theory strongly complements signaling theory in cross-national studies on CBAA. This study shows, for the first time, which institutions drive CBAA cross-nationally and why the role of each institution changes during a black swan event, such as COVID-19. It has direct implications for managers interested in cross-national consumer responses.
When the Trial Ends: The Case for Post-Trial Provisions in Clinical Psychedelic Research
Authors: Jacobs Edward , Murphy-Beiner Ashleigh , Rouiller Ian , Nutt David , Spriggs Meg J.
Published: November 2023

The ethical value—and to some scholars, necessity—of providing trial patients with post-trial access (PTA) to an investigational drug has been subject to significant attention in the field of research ethics. Although no consensus has emerged, it seems clear that, in some trial contexts, various factors make PTA particularly appropriate. We outline the atypical aspects of psychedelic clinical trials that support the case for introducing the provision of PTA within research in this field, including the broader legal status of psychedelics, the nature of the researcher-therapist/participant relationship, and the extended time-frame of the full therapeutic process. As is increasingly understood, the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is driven as much by extrapharmacological elements and the cultural therapeutic container as by the drug itself. As such, we also advocate for a refocusing of attention from post-trial access to a broader concept encompassing other elements of post-trial care. We provide an overview of some of the potential post-trial care provisions that may be appropriate in psychedelic clinical trials. Although the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki calls on researchers, sponsors, and governments to make provisions for post-trial access, such provision may feel impracticable or out-of-reach within psychedelic trials that are already constrained by a high resource demand and significant bureaucratic burden. We show how conceiving of post-trial provision as an integral site of the research process, and an appropriate destination for research funding, will serve to develop the infrastructure necessary for the post-legalisation psychedelic medicine ecosystem.
In-kind donations – peculiarities and challenges of product philanthropy
Authors: Stötzer Sandra , Kaltenbrunner Katharina
Published: November 2023

In-kind donations are an essential resource for many nonprofit organizations (NPO). However, their high practical relevance is not yet reflected in the literature on nonprofit marketing and fundraising which still focuses primarily on cash giving. Against this background, we summarize the limited and fragmentary literature on in-kind giving and provide some practical insights. The paper makes several contributions: first, we present an income classification of NPO’s manifold mix of resource sources that includes in-kind donations. Second, a classification of (cash and non-cash) donations categorizes the heterogeneous forms of donations and, in particular, financial surrogates. Third, and based on this typology, we develop a comprehensive definition of in-kind donations as an important step towards conceptualization. Fourth, we outline the specifics of in-kind donations and associated challenges via three case vignettes that illustrate practical experiences of NPO in dealing with product philanthropy. Finally, we give some recommendations for NPO’s in-kind fundraising endeavours and indicate avenues for further research.
Tempo-Spatial Variability and Health Risks of PM2.5 and Associated Metal(loid)s in Greater Cairo, Egypt
Authors: Shetaya Waleed H. , El-Mekawy Asmaa , Hassan Salwa K.
Published: November 2023

Greater Cairo is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, yet the tempo-spatial trends of PM2.5 and loaded metal(loid)s) in its atmosphere, and their potential health risks, are poorly understood. We investigated the air concentrations of PM2.5, and associated Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn, in one urban and one industrial locations within Greater Cairo for one year in each location. Statistical analysis suggested that PM2.5 and its chemical composition in Greater Cairo are more influenced by land-use and local activities rather than meteorological conditions. Both annual and daily levels of PM2.5 were well above the WHO air quality guidelines, with annual averages of c. 37 and 56 µg m−3, and daily maximums of 165 and 176 µg m−3, in the urban and industrial areas, respectively. This indicates high probability of PM2.5 inflicted short- and long-term health risks to the population of Greater Cairo. Health risk modelling indicated that the residents of Greater Cairo are facing high non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks (up to 47 and 28 times the recommended hazard indices, respectively) from the studied 12 metal(loid)s combined. Lead (Pb) was the highest single threat to the health of Greater Cairo residents amounting up to 56% and 83% of the total non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, respectively. Nevertheless, most of the exposure to Pb originated from ingestion rather than inhalation which was marginal. For all elements combined, and for some other individual elements, inhalation was a significant route of exposure but only for non-carcinogenic risks. For carcinogenic risks, the contribution of inhalation to the total risk was negligible.
Mechanistic Basis of Silicon Mediated Cold Stress Tolerance in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
Authors: Rahman Md Atikur , Song Yowook , Hasan Md. Mahadi , Jahan Mohammad Shah , Siddiqui Manzer H. , Park Hyung Soo , Lee Sang-Hoon , Singh Deepti , Corpas Francisco J. , Kabir Ahmad Humayan , Lee Ki-Won
Published: November 2023

Cold stress (CS) impact on crops is one of the critical constraints for sustainable and smart agricultural production. CS adversely affects plants leading to growth retardation, necrosis, chlorosis, and significant yield loss. The objective of this study was to explore the mechanistic basis of silicon (Si) in enhancing CS tolerance in alfalfa plants. The fluorescence staining indicated that Si-reduced the intensity of CS-induced superoxide radical (O2•–) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation in plants that improved plant photosynthesis, cellular integrity, and alfalfa biomass production under CS. The exogenous supplementation of Si significantly restored the endogenous Si status accompanied by the upregulation of NIP (nodulin 26-like intrinsic protein) genes NIP2, NIP5;1, and NIP6;1 in alfalfa. The elemental concentration analysis revealed that exogenous silicon (E-Si) triggers the increase of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S) in plants subjected to Si-supplementation compared to the plants cultivated without Si under CS. The application of Si significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR). Furthermore, Si significantly enhanced the expression of CS-responsive candidate genes including ICE1, CBF1/DREB1C, CBF2/DREB1B, CBF3/DREB1A, COR15A, COR47, and KIN1 in alfalfa. These findings together provide mechanistic insights into Si-involving CS tolerance in alfalfa. This eco-friendly SC management strategy using Si treatment can be useful to plant breeders and farmers for developing CS-resilient smart alfalfa production through breeding program.
Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Wuxikou Integrated Flood Management Project Considering the Effects of Flood Risk Reduction and Resettlement
Authors: Zeng Peng , Fang Weihua , Zhang Haixia , Liang Zhongmin
Published: November 2023

Evaluation of the economic costs and benefits of flood disaster risk management projects is crucial. However, current cost-benefit analyses (CBA) often lack reliable estimates of the expected loss reduction from flood control measures and ignore quantitative assessments of resettlement. To address these limitations, this study incorporated a probabilistic risk analysis method and quantitative resettlement benefits assessment into the CBA framework, using the Wuxikou Integrated Flood Management Project (WIFMP) in Jiangxi Province, China, as a case study. The direct economic benefits of flood control were estimated by integrating hydrological statistics, numerical flood inundation simulation, and quantitative damage analysis with exposure and vulnerability data. Furthermore, the resettlement benefits were quantified by measuring the annual income growth of migrants based on assumptions about household employment. Our analysis shows that the total WIFMP investment is RMB 3546.1 million yuan (USD 1 = RMB 6.976 yuan), including loan principal and interest of 244.4 million yuan, and operations and maintenance of 605.5 million yuan at 2020 prices. Annual project benefits are estimated at 351.3 million yuan in flood risk reduction, 155.7–191.9 million yuan from increased resettlement income, and 42.7 million yuan in power and water revenues. Considering the costs and benefits across the entire project lifecycle, the internal rate of return ranges from 13.7 to 14.2%, and the net present value ranges from 31.8 to 352.6 billion yuan. Through improved benefit estimation methodology, this research enables a more reliable and holistic evaluation of costs and benefits for flood risk management projects. It provides insights for policymakers and practitioners involved in similar projects, contributing to more informed decision making and better allocation of resources in flood disaster risk management.
Experimental investigation on deformation and failure mechanism of waste dump with partial-weak basement
Authors: Wang Yukai , Zhang Yong , Liu Xiaoli , Pang Bo , Luo Zhixiong
Published: November 2023

A non-uniform basement condition usually causes dump disasters. Two sets of base friction tests were carried out to discuss the deformation mechanism of the waste dump with partial-weak and total-hard basement. By the image speckle analysis and point-tracking technology, dump displacements and strains were obtained, and the deformation mechanism, stability, failure process of the waste dump were analysed. We could concluded that: (1) a waste dump with total-hard basement has higher stability than that with partial-weak basement. (2) The dump displacement exhibits a distribution of five flat regions that are connected by four steep increasing regions. (3) The dump deformation could be categorized into three phases: continuous deformation phase, crack-failure phase and final stability phase. In crack-failure phase, the deformation process of a total-hard basement waste dump presents a traction-crack-slide feature, but that of a partial-weak basement waste dump exhibits a subsidence-crack-rotation pattern. (4) In the deformation process, a total-hard basement waste dump is mainly affected by tensile stress, and its crack type is classified as tensile crack. While a partial-weak basement waste dump is subject to the coupling action of tensile and shear stress, and its crack type is shear crack. Both total-hard and partial-weak basement waste dumps show volume expansion. (5) With regard to the deformation control project of partial-weak basement waste dumps, strengthening the weak basement and increasing the anti-sliding force of the dump slope are recommended to reduce the vertical and horizontal deformation. These results have guiding significance for the deformation mechanism, stability evaluation and reinforcement measures of partial-weak basement waste dumps.
Schmetterlinge
Authors: Brandes Peter
Published: November 2023

Literarische Gruppierungen wie die historischen Avantgarden haben sich im 20. Jahrhundert oftmals über Manifeste konstituiert. Die Gruppe 47 hat sich dagegen in Abgrenzung zu Avantgarde-Praktiken ohne Regelwerk und literarisches Programm als Treffpunkt mündlicher Literaturkritik gegründet. Ähnlich verhält es sich mit jener Gruppe der Popliteraten, deren Treffen 1999 im Hotel Adlon einer umfassenden Stilkritik des literarisch-kulturellen Lebens gewidmet war. Der Beitrag nimmt diese Beobachtung zum Anlass, unter Bezugnahme auf theoretische Konzepte von Michel Foucault und Peter Bürger den strukturellen und rhetorischen Analogien dieser beiden sehr unterschiedlichen und zugleich einflussreichen literarischen Gruppierungen nachzugehen.
Kunst, Macht, Agonismus
Authors: Mainberger Sabine
Published: November 2023

Seit der Antike kennt und pflegt das westliche Kunstdenken den Mythos vom Künstler als einzigartigem (männlichem) Individuum, das Wunderbares hervorbringt. Er speist sich u. a. aus der Naturalis Historia (Naturkunde) des römischen Gelehrten Plinius d. Ä. (23/24-79 n. Chr.). Die letzten fünf der insgesamt 37 Bände dieses enzyklopädischen Werks sind eine entscheidende Quelle für das Wissen über antike Kunst. Zahllose Anekdoten handeln darin vom Wert von Kunstwerken, von Problemen der Mimesis und des ästhetischen Urteils, von künstlerischer Rivalität, der Beziehung zwischen Künstler und Publikum, Künstler und Herrscher u. a. m. Jahrhundertelang wurden diese kleinen Erzählungen wiederholt, variiert, an wechselnde Situationen und Interessen angepasst, sie katalysierten Kunsttheorie und -geschichte. Nicht wahrgenommen wurde jedoch, dass sie auch den Weg zu einem anderen als dem wohlbekannten Konzept eröffnen: zu einem, in dem Kunst als komplexer reziproker Austausch von Gaben zwischen mehr als zwei Akteuren gedacht wird. An der Lektüre zweier einschlägiger Anekdoten (NH 35.86-87 und NH 35.140) versucht der Aufsatz die Bedeutung agonistischer Gaben in diesem Kunstdiskurs zu zeigen.
Practicing and Publishing Post-1500 Mediterranean Archaeology in Italy, Spain, and France
Authors: Milanese Marco
Published: November 2023

Post-1500 archaeology has undergone many changes in western Mediterranean Europe over the last three decades. This article explores how these changes have developed by focusing on the publishing of post-1500 archaeology in Italy, Spain, and France. Taking Italy as the primary example, it demonstrates that the path taken is intertwined with that of Northern Europe, but that it also deviates in its beginnings, its place in law, and its current place in academic and professional archaeology.
Stochastic evolution equations with rough boundary noise
Authors: Neamţu Alexandra , Seitz Tim
Published: November 2023

We investigate the pathwise well-posedness of stochastic partial differential equations perturbed by multiplicative Neumann boundary noise, such as fractional Brownian motion for $$H\in (1/3,1/2].$$

H
∈
(
1
/
3
,
1
/
2
]
.

Combining functional analytic tools with the controlled rough path approach, we establish global existence of solutions and flows for such equations. For Dirichlet boundary noise we obtain similar results for smoother noise, i.e. in the Young regime.
Preconception Non-criteria Antiphospholipid Antibodies and Risk of Subsequent Early Pregnancy Loss: a Retrospective Study
Authors: Mu Fangxiang , Wang Mei , Zeng Xianghui , Liu Ling , Wang Fang
Published: November 2023

The aim of this study was to investigate the subsequent early pregnancy outcomes in women positive for non-criteria antiphospholipid antibodies (NC-aPLs) before pregnancy. A total of 273 patients who had experienced sporadic or recurrent pregnancy loss and had been screened for 13 NC-aPLs at preconception were recruited in this study from September 2019 to February 2022. Serum levels of NC-aPLs were measured by ELISA using specific kits. The primary outcome was early pregnancy loss, and the secondary outcomes were biochemical pregnancy, clinically confirmed pregnancy loss, and ongoing pregnancy. Among these subjects, 56 patients had one previous pregnancy loss, and 217 had recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). The NC-aPLs (+) and NC-aPLs (−) groups had similar rates of early pregnancy loss (EPL) after adjustment, regardless of the number of positive NC-aPLs (aOR = 1.054, 95% CI 0.602–1.846). Other outcomes were comparable in both groups, including the rates of biochemical pregnancy (aOR = 1.344, 95% CI 0.427–4.236), clinically confirmed pregnancy loss (aOR = 0.744, 95% CI 0.236–2.344), and ongoing pregnancy (aOR = 0.949, 95% CI 0.542–1.660). Based on sensitivity analysis, the NC-aPLs (+) were not associated with adverse early pregnancy outcomes in women with RPL. Furthermore, the difference in gestational weeks of pregnancy loss between the two groups was also insignificant. This study found no evidence linking preconception NC-aPL positivity to early pregnancy outcomes but offers a reference for future research to clarify NC-aPLs’ potential clinical impact.
Cultivation of edible filamentous fungi on pomegranate by-products as feedstocks to produce mycoprotein
Authors: Braho Vjola , Sar Taner , Taherzadeh Mohammad J.
Published: November 2023

Pomegranate, renowned for its delectable taste and remarkable nutritional profile, has witnessed a surge in both production and consumption. However, the by-products generated during industrial processes, such as peels and seeds, have the potential for adverse environmental impacts if not meticulously managed. Similarly, expired fruit juices or spillages that may occur during manufacturing and transportation contribute to agri-food waste. This study focused on the comprehensive assessment of pomegranate by-products and pomegranate juice using ascomycetes and zygomycetes filamentous fungi, namely Aspergillus oryzae, Rhizopus oligosporus, and Neurospora intermedia to obtain mycoprotein for sustainable vegan food production. The findings revealed that pomegranate juice, both fresh and expired commercial, contained essential nutrients for fungal biomass production (up to 0.024 g biomass/mL juice). Nonetheless, fresh juice emerges as a more potent medium in terms of protein production than commercial juice. Cultivating A. oryzae yielded a biomass of 0.39 (g biomass/g peel) from pomegranate peel, while concurrently raising the protein content of raw pomegranate peel from 30.89 g/kg to 85.41 g/kg. Furthermore, incorporating yeast extract into the peel medium not only resulted in an enhanced biomass yield of 0.49 (g biomass/g peel) but also significantly elevated the protein content to 198.63 g/kg. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of pomegranate peel and juice as promising substrate for fungal biomass production, offering opportunities for the development of innovative food and feed products.
Development of a phone application for assessing fatigue levels in rare disorders: a feasibility and validity study
Authors: Chu Virginia W. T. , Payne Samantha J. , Hunter Mackenzie P. , Reynolds Stacey
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Barth syndrome (BTHS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by skeletal myopathy, cardiomyopathy, and exercise intolerance due to early fatigue. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and validity of a new phone application designed to capture multi-dimensional aspects of fatigue across the lifespan. The specific study aims were to (1) assess the feasibility of using the app to record perceived fatigue levels in real-time, (2) evaluate discriminant validity by assessing if the app can differentiate between those with and without BTHS, and (3) content validity by assessing the relationship between perceived energy levels and actual energy expenditure.

Methods

Eighteen participants with BTHS and 18 age-matched control participants completed the study. The participants wore an activity tracker for 14 days and were prompted to respond to an Android app to report their fatigue levels 6 × /day. Statistical analysis was completed to examine perceived fatigue and the relationship between reported fatigue and actual energy expenditure.

Results

Feasibility was supported by the majority of participants responding to at least 50% of the application prompts and scores indicative of good internal consistency between responses (92–95%) and reliability of the battery scale (p < .001). Discriminant validity of the app was only partially supported, with the number of “crashes” being significantly different between those with and without BTHS (p = 0.042). Other measures of perceived fatigue were not found to be significantly different between groups, even though individuals with BTHS showed significantly lower energy expenditure than control participants during the day as measured by actigraphy (p < 0.001). Content validity of the app was supported, with perceived energy levels significantly correlating with actual energy expenditure collected with the activity tracker (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

In summary, the phone app developed by our team allowed researchers to capture the lived experience of individuals with BTHS while also capturing objective data. We verified that the app was able to consistently and accurately capture participant-reported fatigue. The battery scale tested as part of our feasibility aim was successful in capturing perceived levels of energy and can be used as a valid measure of fatigue in future studies. It was interesting to note that “crashes” appear to be the main differentiating factor in fatigue between the BTHS and control participants, where other measures of perceived fatigue were not found to be significantly different. These results highlight the complex nature of measuring fatigue as a subjective construct. This study provides foundational information on methods for quantifying fatigue in adults, adolescents, and children with BTHS and can provide possible targets for future therapeutic trials.
Using machine learning to mine mental health diagnostic groups from emergency department presentations before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Hudson Carly , Branjerdporn Grace , Hughes Ian , Todd James , Bowman Candice , Randall Marcus , Stapelberg Nicolas J. C.
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound negative effect on mental health worldwide. The hospital emergency department plays a pivotal role in responding to mental health crises. Understanding data trends relating to hospital emergency department usage is beneficial for service planning, particularly around preparing for future pandemics. Machine learning has been used to mine large volumes of unstructured data to extract meaningful data in relation to mental health presentations. This study aims to analyse trends in five mental health-related presentations to an emergency department before and during, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Data from 690,514 presentations to two Australian, public hospital emergency departments between April 2019 to February 2022 were assessed. A machine learning-based framework, Mining Emergency Department Records, Evolutionary Algorithm Data Search (MEDREADS), was used to identify suicidality, psychosis, mania, eating disorder, and substance use.

Results

While the mental health-related presentations to the emergency department increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels, the proportion of mental health presentations relative to the total emergency department presentations decreased. Several troughs in presentation frequency were identified across the pandemic period, which occurred consistently during the public health lockdown and restriction periods.

Conclusion

This study implemented novel machine learning techniques to analyse mental health presentations to an emergency department during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results inform understanding of the use of emergency mental health services during the pandemic, and highlight opportunities to further investigate patterns in presentation.
Alleviating data insufficiency for Chinese sign language recognition
Authors: Xue Wanli , Liu Jingze , Yan Siyi , Zhou Yuxi , Yuan Tiantian , Guo Qing
Published: November 2023

Continuous Chinese sign language recognition (CCSLR) methods have shown their strong ability to learn excellent model architectures from datasets. However, due to data insufficiency, it is difficult to complete the CCSLR task. In this work, we focus on a simple but important solution to alleviate data insufficiency: how to refine the model architecture of a CCSLR network to improve the robustness of feature processing by using some better-quality non-Chinese sign language datasets. To this end, a simple empirical study was first conducted to verify the feasibility of knowledge transfer in the CCSLR task. Surprisingly, just by pre-training of our recognition model on a foreign sign language dataset, we can refine the model architecture and improve its robustness significantly. To make it more practical, the key issue of how to fine-tune the existing feature processing models for effective guidance should be carefully investigated. Then, we propose a novel scheme for fine-tuning of pre-trained models named FTP, which updates the spatial feature extractor initialized by a pre-trained backbone and freezes the temporal feature extractor implemented by a better shareable transformer encoder. Compared with the baseline method, our FTP method can achieve significant performance improvement on the public dataset USTC-CCSL.
’A Perfect Expression of the Life of a Modern University’: Collegiate Gothic and Urban Progressivism at the University of Chicago, 1890–1918
Authors: Gage Stephen
Published: November 2023

Collegiate gothic architecture built in the United States during the early twentieth century has generally been considered an anti-modern reaction to the rapid changes of the period. This article challenges that interpretation by analysing the collegiate gothic architecture and planning of the University of Chicago from its incorporation in 1890 up to 1918, focusing on the work of Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, which hitherto has been almost entirely neglected. In these decades, the campus changed considerably from the original 1893 quadrangular plan by Henry Ives Cobb. Archival sources are used to trace this shift, with particular attention to three major buildings designed by Charles Coolidge: the Tower Group (1903), Harper Memorial Library (1912) and Ida Noyes Hall (1916). In their architecture and planning, each of these projects set new precedents for the adaptive possibilities of collegiate gothic and changed how the campus related to its urban neighbourhood. From 1900, the university’s leaders consciously opened the campus to its surroundings and realigned it to the Midway Plaisance, the renowned public greenway designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. In doing so, the university pioneered a new campus typology, the academic avenue, which represented a positive embrace of urban life within wider debates on the American city. Through this typology, the university’s collegiate gothic architecture made meaningful connections with Chicago’s progressive civic culture, in consonance with the educational philosophy of its founding president, William Rainey Harper.
With Statoil as a Prism: Revisiting Key Features and Concerns in Western Oil Companies’ Evolving Human Rights Awareness, From the Mid-1990s to the 2000s
Authors: Nissen Ada
Published: November 2023

This article uses Statoil (Equinor since 2018) as a prism to explore some key features and concerns of Western oil companies’ evolving human rights awareness from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s. This period saw the first human rights lawsuits brought against oil companies and a gradual change in their human rights awareness. The article uses insights from the business history literature and new archival material from the oil industry to explain why business ethicists and legal scholars are wrong to argue that the relationship between business and social responsibility, on the one hand, and business and human rights, on the other, are inherently problematic and profoundly disparate due to their divergent historical origins. In so doing, the article offers a historical take on the so-called debate between business human rights (BHR) and corporate social responsibility (CSR), and it repudiates the argument that a so-called minimal understanding of human rights has hindered business from undertaking proactive human rights initiatives. Mapping onto both the business history literature and the BHR–CSR debate, the article aims for a richer understanding of the experiences and ideas that incentivized oil companies to “get serious” about human rights.
Seed longevity and germination of the emerging invasive species wavyleaf basketgrass (Oplismenus undulatifolius) under varied light regimes
Authors: Pham Dominique H. , Wu Carrie A.
Published: November 2023

Invasive nonindigenous species pose a serious threat to native biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Understanding how species’ performance varies under conditions in the current and invaded range can help to predict the dynamics of the invading species in its new environment. Plants with the ability to alter growth in response to variation in light conditions may be favored in landscapes that experience frequent disturbance, as these species may be able to exploit a wide range of niches. Seedbank persistence may also play a critical role in successful plant invasion, as extended seed viability may increase the chance of outlasting unfavorable conditions, maintain population genetic diversity, and allow reinvasions. This study investigated seed longevity and the effect of light intensity on germination of wavyleaf basketgrass [Oplismenus undulatifolius (Ard.) Roem. & Schult.], a newly established invasive species in U.S. mid-Atlantic forest understories. Oplismenus undulatifolius seeds were collected across 5 yr from the original site of introduction in Maryland, USA, and stored in standard lab conditions, then subjected to germination trials under four light conditions in a controlled growth chamber. Seeds remained viable for at least 9 yr, and light intensity did not significantly impact seed germination. Our study demonstrates the importance of evaluating environmental and temporal effects on germination traits, because the scope of surveillance in the field may need to be expanded based on new information about environmental tolerance. Long-term monitoring may also be necessary to effectively control invasive plant populations capable of forming a persistent seedbank.
How do management factors influence digital adoption in the case of a large-scale digital transformation project – A process perspective
Authors: Kohnke Oliver , Nieland Thea , Straatmann Tammo , Mueller Karsten
Published: November 2023

Although practitioners and scientists agree that user adoption of new technologies is a key success factor in digital transformations, little is known about how specific management factors are related to user behavior. In particular, the temporal nature of digital transformation projects is largely neglected. Therefore, we propose a systematic, theory-based framework for the management of digital adoption (MDA) and derive specific process-oriented hypotheses for content-, process-, and context-related management factors, their relationships to user adoption, and underlying psychological processes (e.g., performance expectancy or social influence). We applied the MDA framework in the context of a large digital transformation project in a logistics company in a two-wave research design. We tested the process-oriented hypotheses based on latent change score analysis among 1,095 users. The results support the assumption that changes in management factors, largely mediated by changes in the psychological processes, lead to changes in user behavior.
Traditional institutions in Africa: past and present
Authors: Neupert-Wentz Clara , Müller-Crepon Carl
Published: November 2023

To what degree and why are traditional institutions persistent? Following up the literature on the long-term effects of precolonial institutions in Africa, we investigate whether and where today's traditional institutions mirror their precolonial predecessors. We do so by linking data on contemporary traditional institutions of African ethnic groups with Murdock's historical Ethnographic Atlas. We find a robust association between past and present levels of institutional complexity, differentiating between institutions’ political centralization and functional differentiation. However, this persistence originates almost exclusively from former British colonies governed with more reliance on precolonial institutions than other colonies, in particular French ones. These findings contribute to research on the development and effects of traditional institutions, highlighting the need to account for varying persistence of traditional institutions.
Trapped-particle precession and modes in quasisymmetric stellarators and tokamaks: a near-axis perspective
Authors: Rodríguez E. , Mackenbach R.J.J.
Published: November 2023

This paper presents the calculation of the bounce-averaged drift of trapped particles in a near-axis framework for axisymmetric and quasisymmetric magnetic fields that possess up-down and stellarator symmetry, respectively. This analytic consideration provides important insight on the dependence of the bounce-averaged drift on the geometry and stability properties of the field. In particular, we show that although the maximum-

$\mathcal {J}$

property is unattainable in quasisymmetric stellarators, one may approach it through increased plasma

$\beta$

and triangular shaping, albeit going through a reduced precession scenario with potentially higher particle losses. The description of trapped particles allows us to calculate the available energy of trapped electrons analytically in two asymptotic regimes, providing insight into the behaviour of this measure of turbulence. It is shown that the available energy is intimately related to magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) stability, providing a potential synergy between this measure of gyrokinetic turbulence and MHD stability.
Available energy of trapped electrons in Miller tokamak equilibria
Authors: Mackenbach R.J.J. , Proll J.H.E. , Snoep G. , Helander P.
Published: November 2023

Available energy (Æ), which quantifies the maximum amount of thermal energy that may be liberated and converted into instabilities and turbulence, has shown to be a useful metric for predicting saturated energy fluxes in trapped-electron-mode-driven turbulence. Here, we calculate and investigate the Æ in the analytical tokamak equilibria introduced by Milleret al.(Phys. Plasmas, vol. 5, issue, 4, 1998, pp. 973–978). The Æ of trapped electrons reproduces various trends also observed in experiments; negative shear, increasing Shafranov shift, vertical elongation and negative triangularity can all be stabilising, as indicated by a reduction in Æ, although it is strongly dependent on the chosen equilibrium. Comparing Æ with saturated energy flux estimates from the TGLF (trapped gyro-Landau fluid) model, we find fairly good correspondence, showcasing that Æ can be useful to predict trends. We go on to investigate Æ and find that negative triangularity is especially beneficial in vertically elongated configurations with positive shear or low gradients. Furthermore, we extract a gradient-threshold-like quantity from Æ and find that it behaves similarly to gyrokinetic gradient thresholds: it tends to increase linearly with magnetic shear, and negative triangularity leads to an especially high threshold. We next optimise the device geometry for minimal Æ and find that the optimum is strongly dependent on equilibrium parameters, for example, magnetic shear or pressure gradient. Investigating the competing effects of increasing the density gradient, the pressure gradient, and decreasing the shear, we find regimes that have steep gradients yet low Æ, and that such a regime is inaccessible in negative-triangularity tokamaks.
Parasitological transitions: selected outcomes from the XXXII Congress of the Italian Society for Parasitology
Authors: Cassini Rudi , Bruschi Fabrizio , Frangipane di Regalbono Antonio , Rinaldi Laura
Published: November 2023

Founded in 1959, the Italian Society of Parasitology (SoIPa) includes nearly 200 researchers and professionals in the fields of medicine, veterinary medicine, biotechnology, epidemiology and environmental sciences. The diversity of its members, in a historical and continuous collaboration with other international scientific societies, embodies a broad and multidisciplinary field such as parasitology. Since 1959, SoIPa has organized a biennial congress, covering all aspects of general parasitology with participants from all over Italy, Europe and beyond, involved in a dynamic and multi-faceted scientific framework of contributions and symposia. The present Special Issue (SI) contains 6 review papers and 1 research article, focussed on emerging topics presented and discussed during some of the symposia organized within the XXXII SoIPa Congress, held in Naples from 27th June to 30th June 2022. These review papers reflect several emerging subjects (i.e. ‘Italian network on Neglected Tropical Diseases’, ‘Wildlife parasites and citizen science’, ‘Comparing approaches to parasitological issues’, ‘Unusual perspectives on the role of parasites’) with the aim to explore the new role that parasitologists can play in the future society, working together to promote dialogue on science-informed decisions to support the so-called ‘twin green and digital transition’.
Moving from intervention management to disease management: a qualitative study exploring a systems approach to health technology assessment in Canada
Authors: Richardson Marina , Sander Beate , Daneman Nick , Mighton Chloe , Miller Fiona A.
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Health technology assessment (HTA) traditionally informs decision making for single health technologies, which could lead to ill-informed decisions, suboptimal care, and system inefficiencies. We explored opportunities for conceptualizing the decision space in HTA as a disease management question versus an intervention management question.

Methods

Semistructured interviews were conducted between April 2022 and October 2022 with purposefully selected individuals from national and provincial HTA agencies and related organizations in Canada. We conducted manual line by line coding of data informed by our interview guide and sensitizing concepts from the literature. One author coded the data, and findings were independently verified by a second author who coded a subset of transcripts

Results

Twenty-four invitations were distributed, and eighteen individuals agreed to participate. A disease management approach to HTA was differentiated from traditional approaches as being disease-based, multi-interventional, and dynamic. There was general support for an explicit care pathway approach to HTA by informing discussions around patient choice and suboptimal care, creating a space where decision makers can collaborate on shared objectives, and in setting up a platform for open dialogue about managing high-cost and high-severity diseases. There are opportunities for a care pathway approach to be implemented that build on the strengths of the existing HTA system in Canada.

Conclusions

A disease management approach may enhance the impact of HTA by supporting dynamic decision making that could better inform a proactive, resilient, and sustainable healthcare system in Canada.