bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lau v. Nichols revisited: unveiling dual language program disparities in California for Asian students and marginalized communities
Authors: Ee Jongyeon , Sung Kenzo K.
Published: September 2024

California has witnessed substantial growth in multilingual programs over the past half-century since the foundational Lau v. Nichols decision, with one in seven public schools statewide offering such programs for students. Likewise, the rapid rise in California’s Asian population, as well as the increase in both overall racial diversity and socioeconomic disparities across the state, have influenced dual language bilingual education discussions. Commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Lau decision, this study examines the impact of school and community characteristics on the availability of dual language programs in California public schools, with particular focus on the state’s Asian student population. Employing logistic regression analysis to delve into the American Community Survey and California Department of Education datasets, the study specifically examines how student demographics and school characteristics (e.g., grade level, charter, and magnet status), as well as community features (e.g., the share of foreign-born populations and median household income), are associated with the offering of dual language programs in California schools. Despite the considerable growth of the state’s Asian American population, the study could not find a meaningful connection between Asian representation and the provision of dual language programs. In addition, the results reveal severe equity concerns regarding low-income students’ access to dual language programs. Charter schools also tend to underutilize dual language programs compared to their non-charter counterparts. Based on the study’s findings, we raise concerns regarding why the presence of Asian students cannot be better leveraged as a driving force for implementing dual language programs in California’s public schools and highlight the persistent disparities faced by economically disadvantaged students.
Roads as Othering Spaces: Driverless Vehicles, the Roadscape, and the Human
Authors: Robb Lachlan , Marusek Sarah
Published: September 2024

The road represents a unique transitional space that removes a certain amount of humanity from drivers. Through changes in the built environments, or roadscapes, speed and spatial entitlement transforms the interactions between cars, cyclists, and pedestrians. No longer ‘people’, vehicular implementation of car worship culture de-personalizes humanity in these ‘othering’ spaces in lieu of automated technology that anonymizes movement. This creates an ‘othering’ process of road users that can invite aggression, impatience, and selfishness in ways that people would not ordinarily act towards one another. Recognising the nature of this process is important as societies move towards rethinking the built environment of roads, highways, car parks, and even the nature of cars themselves. This paper critically looks to how the road is a space where drivers interact with cars, cyclists, and pedestrians in ways that conceptually tether Hart’s notion of justice to Augé’s modernity of non-places through the mediation of legal culture through automobile technology and multiautoculturalism through the regulatory development of roadspace for cultural negotiation. Understanding the relationship between roads and humanity will be important to understanding how these futures may unfold, especially with the development and social implementation of autonomous vehicles.
Study on Initial Corrosion Behavior of Arc-thermally Spray Zn, Zn–Al, and Al–Mg Coatings Exposed in Atmospheric Environment for One-Year
Authors: Nakano Atsushi , Toyota Yuki , Morita Chihiro , Yasui Kentaro , Oshikawa Wataru , Yonezawa Noboru
Published: September 2024

This paper presents the results of a study comparing the initial corrosion characteristics of thermal spray coatings on Zn, Zn-Al, and Al–Mg thermal spray coatings after one year atmospheric exposure tests at two atmospheric environment sites. The thermal spray coatings were obtained by electroric arc spraying of various metals onto a carbon steel substrate. Atmospheric exposure tests were also conducted for outdoor accelerated exposure tests in which test specimens were applied with artificial seawater. The corrosion properties of these spray coatings were evaluated by surface analysis, film thickness measurements, cross-sectional analysis and anodic/cathodic polarization measurement. After one year of atmospheric exposure testing, white, granular corrosion products were observed on the surface of the Zn and Zn-Al thermal spray coatings, while no significant changes were observed in the Al–Mg thermal spray coating. Similar results were obtained for the surfaces of test specimens in atmospheric exposure tests with artificial seawater. The thickness of the thermal spray coating increased for the Zn thermal spray coating, while no significant change was observed for the other thermal spray coatings. Thus, differences in corrosion behavior were observed due to the composition of the thermal spray coatings. The initial corrosion behavior of the thermal spray coatings was also investigated based on the results of coating morphology and cross-sectional elemental distribution of the coatings.
Robustness-Based Approach for Slack Time Optimization in Tram Timetables
Authors: Zhou Weixia , Teng Jing , Chen Enhui
Published: September 2024

Considering the unique interplay of trams with road traffic, this study explored the issue of instability in tram operations—a prominent medium-capacity rail transit. Our goal was to design a timetable slack time optimization method for scheduling slack time to improve the stability of tram operations. To facilitate this, we derived the travel/dwelling time distribution from historical data, which assisted in estimating interference times and evaluating the requisite slack time. We then developed an integer programming model to calculate both the punctuality rate and expected delay under varying travel times, enabling the creation of alternative slack time schemes. Using a unique tram operation simulation logic, we assessed the operational efficiency and reliability of these alternate schemes based on specific operational indicators. The results suggest that our novel approach to timetable optimization significantly enhances the tram’s adaptability to disruptions, directly improving the passenger experience and tram competitiveness. This work offers a robust framework for timetable optimization for semi-independent right-of-way public transportation.
Online path tracking with an integrated H∞ robust adaptive controller for a double-Ackermann steering robot for orchard waypoint navigation
Authors: Shamshiri Redmond R. , Azimi Alireza , Behjati Maryam , Ghasemzadeh Aliakbar , Dworak Volker , Weltzien Cornelia , Karydis Konstantinos , Cheein Fernando A. Auat
Published: September 2024

Navigation of agricultural mobile platforms in small-scale orchards poses challenges due to narrow row-end turning spaces and the need for precise path tracking in the presence of disturbances. The objective of this study is to improve path following and rapid turning maneuvers for a double-Ackermann steering robot by employing a simulation approach for PID-based waypoint following enhanced by learning-based H∞robust adaptive control. With the zero-speed turning radius of the robot measured at 2.85 m, the primary question to address is determining the minimum achievable turning radius using the two controllers. For this purpose, a versatile framework for fine-tuning and analyzing of the controllers is presented in MATLAB Simulink blocks interfaced with the virtual replica of the robot in CoppeliaSim. A comparative study between the controllers is carried out involving three experiments: offline path following with a fixed number of predefined waypoints, online path following with continuously updated waypoints forming paths, and path tracking with disturbance rejection using the H∞controller to reduce the radius of row-end turnings. Results indicate that while the PID controller achieves a minimum row-end turning radius of 3.0 m, the learning-based H∞controller surpasses it with a minimum radius of 2.9 m. It is observed that a minimum of 4 waypoints is required for the PID controller to perform effective row-end turning in the offline experiment, with a higher number of waypoints enabling the robot to navigate through complex geometries and tight turns more effectively. Moreover, by incorporating an actor-critic structure, it has been demonstrated that the learning-based H∞controller maintains stability even when facing wheel slippage disturbances, and outperforms the PID controller in online path tracking, particularly when maneuvering along a half-circle path. The framework proposed in this study contributes to improving autonomous navigation, particularly in determining the optimal number of waypoints and path configurations required for navigating agricultural robots with varying dimensions and steering mechanisms.
Digital Staff Support Interventions for the Psychological Wellbeing of Healthcare Professionals: A Systematic Review
Authors: Paleri Vigneshwar , Valmaggia Lucia , Kaleva Ina , Martland Rebecca , Riches Simon
Published: September 2024

Healthcare professionals experience stressful events which impact on overall wellbeing. The rise of digital interventions marks an opportunity to support healthcare professionals in their psychological wellbeing. This systematic review aims to assess the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of digital interventions for healthcare professionals in mental and physical healthcare to improve psychological wellbeing (PROSPERO CRD42023394966). Four electronic databases (Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science) were searched, from inception, until 10 June 2024. The review was carried out according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) tool was used to assess the methodological quality of studies. Thirty-five studies were included (N = 5364, published 2004–2024), including 13 randomised controlled trials. The majority of the studies were carried out in Europe and North America (mostly UK and USA). Digital interventions varied across format (e.g. web based, virtual reality based) and content type (e.g. biofeedback training). The most frequently used format for digital interventions were smartphone apps with the most common digital intervention type being general stress management programmes. Thirty-three studies indicated significant changes in at least one wellbeing measure, such as depression, anxiety, stress, resilience or compassion. On the EPHPP, 4 studies were rated strong, 14 were rated as moderate and 17 were rated as weak. Evidence suggests that digital interventions are a feasible, acceptable and effective approach to support wellbeing in healthcare professionals, although there are significant methodological limitations. Further research would benefit from stronger methodological designs, maximising participant engagement, and greater, more diverse sample sizes.
What roles can democracy labs play in co-creating democratic innovations for sustainability?
Authors: Campos Inês , Fuchs Doris , Repo Petteri , Jager Wander , Klöckner Christian , Wang Shaoni , Lamas David , Cots Francesc , Barchiesi Eugenio , Löfström Erica , Peniche Daniel , Sion Yulia , Buth Vanessa , Limão João , Oliveira Sandra , Diaz Claudia Reyes , Živčič Lidija
Published: September 2024

This perspective essay proposes Democracy Labs as new processes for developing democratic innovations that help tackle complex socio-ecological challenges within an increasingly unequal and polarised society, against the backdrop of democratic backsliding. Next to the current socio-ecological crisis, rapid technological innovations present both opportunities and challenges for democracy and call for democratic innovations. These innovations (e.g., mini-publics, collaborative governance and e-participation) offer alternative mechanisms for democratic participation and new forms of active citizenship, as well as new feedback mechanisms between citizens and traditional institutions of representative democracy. This essay thus introduces Democracy Labs, as citizen-centred processes for co-creating democratic innovations to inspire future transdisciplinary research and practice for a more inclusive and sustainable democracy. The approach is illustrated with examples from a Democracy Lab in Lisbon, reflecting on requirements for recruiting participants, the relevance of combining sensitising, reflection and ideation stages, and the importance of careful communication and facilitation processes guiding participants through co-creation activities.
Knowledge Discovery from Archaeological Materials
Authors: López García Pedro A. , Argote Denisse L. , Torres-García Manuel A. , Thrun Michael C.
Published: September 2024

This Element highlights the employment within archaeology of classification methods developed in the field of chemometrics, artificial intelligence, and Bayesian statistics. These operate in both high- and low-dimensional environments and often have better results than traditional methods. The basic principles and main methods are introduced with recommendations for when to use them.
Children's Voices and Agency
Authors: Spiteri Jane
Published: September 2024

The increased international legislation emphasising children's participation agenda heightened the need for high-quality research in early childhood. Listening to young children asserts their participation, agency and voices in research, an approach commonly associated with qualitative research methods. This Element provides a novel perspective to listening to children's voices by focusing on research methods in early childhood studies that are broadly categorised as quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Locating these research methods from a children's rights perspective, this Element is based on values that young children have the right to be involved in research irrespective of culture and context. Each section discusses how the different methodologies and approaches used in early childhood research align with the principles of children's participation and agency, as well as their right to express their views on matters that affect them. The Element concludes with a roadmap for future early childhood research and its ethical dissemination.
Déchiffrer les cahiers de doléances
Authors: Baciocchi Stéphane , Benoit-Lévy Romain , Castanié Simon , Cerutti Simona , Sanchez Pierre-Louis , Schijman Emilia
Published: September 2024

Dans un climat de crise manifeste des voies traditionnelles de représentation politique, les formes de communication directe entre gouvernants et gouvernés suscitent de plus en plus l’intérêt des sciences sociales. Partant d’un ensemble de cahiers de doléances ouverts dans la Somme entre fin 2018 et début 2019 dans le contexte de la mobilisation des Gilets jaunes, cet article prend le parti d’interroger ces cahiers comme une source à part entière, et non pas simplement comme un contenant d’informations. Cela implique d’examiner les liens étroits entre le support et le contenu en mobilisant nos différentes compétences disciplinaires (histoire, sociologie, cartographie, statistique). Cette recherche permet de dégager l’autonomie relative de ce corpus à l’égard d’autres formes de mobilisation, d’identifier les contextes de production des doléances ainsi que les contraintes qui sont liées à cette forme spécifique de communication avec les autorités. L’analyse de quelques thèmes centraux – le travail, la pauvreté et l’impôt – nous introduit à des idéaux de redistribution et de justice sociale qui sont au cœur de ces écrits. Nous essayons enfin de décrire les contours de cette communauté que les doléances dessinent, avec ses ayants droits et ses exclus.
L’appropriation de la transmission des traumatismes par le droit: le préjudice transgénérationnel dans la jurisprudence de la Cour pénale internationale
Authors: Cohen Miriam , Teles Renan
Published: September 2024

La Cour pénale internationale s’est penchée récemment sur la question nouvelle de la réparation des préjudices transgénérationnels. Dans son analyse, la cour s’appuie sur un type de préjudice qui dépasse la victime immédiate et qui en vise une qui n’a vécu l’événement traumatique original, que par l’entremise d’un transfert générationnel. En ce qui concerne la réparation, il faut établir si ce préjudice est spécifique et autonome justifiant une reconnaissance et, par conséquent, une mesure de réparation. La question de réparer un préjudice transgénérationnel est d’actualité et encore peu étudiée en droit pénal international. Le présent article vise à apporter une contribution dans ce domaine en examinant la façon dont le préjudice transgénérationnel est juridiquement élaboré dans certains exemples s’inscrivant dans un contexte de violations massives et graves des droits humains. Enfin, l’article analyse la jurisprudence de la Cour pénale internationale, mettant en lumière les difficultés et les dilemmes générés par la reconnaissance des préjudices transgénérationnels dans la sphère juridique pénale.
Review of National Health Service England’s Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response Annual Assurance for 2021–2022
Authors: Wetherell William
Published: September 2024

Objective

National Health Service (NHS) England conducts annual assurance of NHS bodies in England’s readiness to respond to emergencies using its Core Standards for emergency preparedness, resilience, and response (EPRR). This review assessed whether the first complete EPRR assurance after England’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic national response was performed successfully.

Methods

The primary outcome of interest was the quantity of information regarding applicable Core Standards held by NHS England at the end of that assurance. Secondary outcomes were variations between the number of applicable Core Standards and information held by NHS bodies about the number of applicable Core Standards.

Results

NHS England recorded the correct number of applicable Core Standards for 88 of the 124 NHS trusts in England which provided general hospital accommodation and services in relation to accidents or emergencies. It recorded an incorrect number of standards for 13 trusts and did not record the number of standards for 23 trusts.

Conclusion

NHS England’s EPRR assurance resulted in correct data not being recorded for over a quarter of the above NHS trusts. This review may also be of interest to other state-level bodies that rely on the high-level assurance of their ability to provide health care during emergencies.
Shrimps from a marine biodiversity hotspot: new records and molecular analysis of alpheids from the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (Decapoda: Caridea)
Authors: Moraes Isabela R. R. , Pasinatto Karmine , Bochini Gabriel Lucas , Horch Amanda P. , Almeida Alexandre Oliveira , Terossi Mariana
Published: September 2024

The oceanic archipelago of Fernando de Noronha represents one of the most important regions for Brazilian marine biodiversity, and is considered a ‘no-take’ marine area under law. More than 130 crustacean species have already been registered in the archipelago, with a significant number of caridean shrimps. Almost half of these shrimps belong to the family Alpheidae, making them an important marker of the species composition of the region. This study provides five new records of alpheids for the archipelago. Samples were taken in 2019 and 2022 from six locations around Fernando de Noronha, using active search during low tide and SCUBA diving in subtidal zones. The new records are Alpheus agilis, A. angulosus, A. rudolphi, Automate dolichognatha sensu lato, and Salmoneus ortmanni, and their DNA sequences have been made available alongside geographical distribution, photographs, ecological notes, and species remarks. All DNA sequences (mitochondrial 16S and cytochrome oxidase I genes) generated were compared with sequences available in Genbank and, in some cases, our sequences are the first for the species. Through this update, a total of 46 species of caridean shrimps have been recorded from Fernando de Noronha. Here we highlight the importance of checklists as a tool to keep an updated record of species' distributions. Continuous study of the native fauna of one of the most important biodiversity hotspots on the Brazilian coast is essential to establish effective management and conservation plans for the region.
Do crisis narratives encourage redistribution? Australian housing policy debates during COVID-19
Authors: Petter Pandanus H. , Howard Cosmo
Published: September 2024

Crises create opportunities for policy change, yet the extent to which they encourage redistribution is under-researched. We adopt a narrative approach to study how crisis frames are mobilised to support or oppose redistribution, and whether that redistribution is progressive or regressive. A typology of crisis narratives with different redistributive implications is presented: retrenchment narratives promote deregulation and cuts to welfare; Robin Hood narratives advocate progressive redistribution with expanded rights; and restoration narratives favour bringing back the status quo ex ante. We apply the Narrative Policy Framework to examine how Australian parliamentarians used the language of ‘housing crisis’ during and after COVID-19. Despite existing research suggesting crisis narratives mostly support retrenchment, Australia’s pandemic housing debates were dominated by Robin Hood and restoration narratives. We show that party ideology matters for the redistributive content of crisis narratives, but the effect of ideology is mediated by incumbency status. We conclude that shifts in the parliamentary balance of power lead to changes in political parties’ rhetorical support for redistribution.
The Basque version of the CDI-words and gestures, extended up to age 2
Authors: Garcia Iñaki , Ezeizabarrena Maria-José , Murciano Aroa
Published: September 2024

The Basque version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (BCDI-1) can be used to evaluate 8–15-month-old children’s receptive and expressive verbal skills, as well as nonverbal gesture production. This paper reports on data of 1002 children of an extended age range obtained with the BCDI-1 as a proxy measure of Basque children’s communicative competence up to 24 months. Statistical analyses revealed a large effect of age on four BCDI-1 scales: phrases understood, production of gestures, receptive vocabulary, and expressive vocabulary, while sex, amount of exposure, educational level, and birth order showed small or no effect. The strong effect of age as well as the high between-scale correlations confirmed the advantage of using the BCDI-1 instrument for the extended age range.
A novel integrated architecture to X-in-the-loop simulation applied to ASV navigation
Authors: Ribeiro Tiago Trindade , Fernandes Bianca , Poleselo Henrique , Vidal Vinicius , Lopes Vitor , Ferreira Mathaus , Neto Edvaldo , Scolari Conceicao Andre Gustavo , de Mello Honorio Leonardo
Published: September 2024

Designing autonomous robotic systems for monitoring tasks in critical security scenarios requires more rigorous verification criteria. The losses associated with unsuccessful practical experiments are immeasurable, ranging from the simple loss of high-value-added equipment to those related to loss of life. This reality justifies the need to adopt an extensive framework of tools for realistic, efficient, and responsive computer simulation. This article proposes a novel integration architecture and combines open-source tools to promote the successful implementation of autonomous robotic systems in monitoring tasks. The proposed solution relies on consolidated tools like Robot Operating System (ROS), Gazebo Simulator, and ArduPilot FCU (Flight Control Unit). It includes full support for implementing XITL techniques (such as Model, Software, and Hardware) – in the Loop. Experimental results demonstrate the proposal’s effectiveness for a new model of autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) in a realistic environment, dedicated to environmental monitoring in challenging natural conditions, commonly found in a stretch of the Madeira River – Brazil, specifically at Santo Antônio hydroelectric plant.
Digitally mediated collaboration and participation: composing 10,427 miles and 11 hours apart
Authors: Black Pauline , Wilson Emily
Published: September 2024

COVID-19 presented many challenges while the shift to online learning also provided unexpected opportunities for music teachers. During the pandemic, two researchers who are teacher educators undertook a composing project with music teacher education students in Scotland and Australia in response to the theme: My Life in Isolation: A World Apart or Same Difference? Turino’s (2008) theory of participatory music making will be drawn upon to analyse this collaborative online music and video creation project. What participation means as a music-maker will be discussed. The paper argues for greater attention to the affordances of digital collaborative music technology tools to build the confidence of pre-service teachers to facilitate real-world composing projects to promote participation, collaboration and social interaction.
Whom Do Men Say That I Am?
Authors: Hislop Ian
Published: September 2024

St John tells us in his gospel that St John the Baptist, when he saw our Lord coming to him, cried out: ‘Behold the Lamb of God. Behold him who taketh away the sin of the world’ (John i, 29). The voice of the Baptist has from that moment challenged the world, for though John the Baptist died his martyr's death, the living voice of the Church still proclaims his message. To the world, to all mankind, she says: ‘Behold the Lamb of God'; and in saying this she forces the human race to make some answer to the question: ‘Whom do men say that I am?’ (Mark 8, 27.)

Habit, or ignorance springing from indifference, seems to have made the question almost meaningless; or—and here, I think, we get a little nearer to the bone—it is half listened to, its implications half grasped, and then half uneasily, by a secret act of will, which is almost masked, even from ourselves; we avert our attention onto some less disturbing subject.
For preschoolers, word knowledge falls on a continuum: A novel framework for capturing the incremental process of word learning
Authors: Dore Rebecca A. , Scott Molly , Weaver Haley , Preston Marcia , Hopkins Emily , Collins Molly , Lawson-Adams Jessica , Toub Tamara Spiewak , Dickinson David , Golinkoff Roberta Michnick , Hirsh-Pasek Kathy
Published: September 2024

In gaining word knowledge, children’s semantic representations are initially imprecise before becoming gradually refined. We developed and tested a framework for a digital receptive vocabulary assessment that captured varied levels of representation as children learn words. At pre-test and post-test, children selected one of four images to match a word’s meaning: a correct target, a conceptually-related foil, a thematically-related foil, and a phonologically-similar foil. We expected that selecting a conceptually related foil would indicate that the word is understood at a deeper level than selecting a phonologically similar foil. Indeed, selection of phonological foils decreased from pre- to post-test, while selection of more advanced thematic and conceptual foils increased. These results demonstrate that this assessment tool probed semantic knowledge that might be characterized as intermediate word knowledge. The current paper presents a novel and sensitive way to capture the incremental process of word learning. Applications for vocabulary interventions are discussed.
Modelling pinyon pine distribution in the northern Great Basin, USA
Authors: Russell Jacob M , Miller Robert A , Carlisle Jay D , Kaltenecker Gregory S
Published: September 2024

Pinyon–juniper woodlands are dry ecosystems defined by the presence of juniper (Juniperusspp.) and pinyon pine (Pinusspp.), which stretch over 400 000 km2across 10 US states. Certain areas have become unnaturally dense and have moved into former shrub and grasslands, while others have experienced widespread mortality. To properly manage these woodlands, sites must be evaluated individually and decisions made based on scientific information that is often not available. Many species utilize pinyon–juniper woodlands, including the pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus), named for its mutualism with pinyon pine, whose population has declined by c. 2.2% per year from 1966 to 2022, an overall decrease of c. 71%. To increase the likelihood of further research progress, we propose a tool to model the distribution of pinyon pine at a finer scale than current woodland classification tools in the northern US Great Basin: a random forest model using geographical, ecological and climate variables. Our results achieved an accuracy of 93.94%, indicating high predictive power to identify locations of pinyon pine in north-eastern Nevada, the south-eastern corner of Oregon and southern Idaho. These findings can inform managers and planners researching pinyon pine, pinyon–juniper woodlands and potentially the pinyon jay.
Leveraging bifactor modeling to test prospective direct and indirect effects of adolescent alcohol use and externalizing symptoms on the development of task-general executive functioning
Authors: Paige Katie J. , Cope L.M. , Hardee J.E. , Heitzeg M.M. , Soules M.E. , Weigard A.S. , Colder Craig R.
Published: September 2024

Adolescence is a period of substantial maturation in brain regions underlying Executive Functioning (EF). Adolescence is also associated with initiation and escalation of Alcohol Use (AU), and adolescent AU has been proposed to produce physiological and neurobiological events that derail healthy EF development. However, support has been mixed, which may be due to (1) failure to consider co-occurring externalizing symptoms (including other drug use) and poor social adaptation, and (2) heterogeneity and psychometric limitations in EF measures. We aimed to clarify the AU-EF association by: (1) distinguishing general externalizing symptoms from specific symptoms (AU, aggression, drug use) using bifactor modeling, (2) testing prospective associations between general externalizing symptoms and specific symptoms, and task-general EF, as indexed by a well-validated computational modeling framework (diffusion decision model), and (3) examining indirect pathways from externalizing symptoms to deficits in task-general EF through poor social adaptation. A high-risk longitudinal sample (N = 919) from the Michigan Longitudinal Study was assessed at four time-points spanning early adolescence (10–13 years) to young adulthood (22–25). Results suggested a critical role of social adaptation within peer and school contexts in promoting healthy EF. There was no evidence that specific, neurotoxic effects of alcohol or drug use derailed task-general EF development.
Developing theoretically underpinned primary care resources for patients with asthma: an exemplar from the IMP2ART trial
Authors: Barat Atena , Czyzykowska Kalina , McClatchey Kirstie , Jackson Tracy , Steed Liz , Sheringham Jessica , Marsh Viv , Ehrlich Elisabeth , Morgan Noelle , Hammersley Vicky , Holmes Steve , Delaney Brigitte , Taylor Stephanie J.C. , Pinnock Hilary ,   for the IMP2ART Programme Group
Published: September 2024

Aim:

This article reports on the development of patient resources for the IMPlementing IMProved Asthma self-management as RouTine (IMP2ART) programme that aimed to encourage patients to attend asthma reviews (invitation letters), encourage patients to enquire about asthma action plans (posters), and equip patients with the knowledge to manage their asthma (information website).

Background:

To improve supported asthma self-management in UK primary care, the IMP2ART programme developed a whole-systems approach (patient resources, professional education, and organisational strategies).

Methods:

Linked to behaviour change theory, we developed a range of patient resources for primary care general practices (an information website, invitation letters to invite patients for asthma reviews, and posters to encourage asthma action plan ownership). We elicited qualitative feedback on the resources from people living with asthma in the UK (n = 17). In addition, we conducted an online survey with volunteers in the UK-wide REgister for Asthma researCH (REACH) database to identify where they source asthma information, whether their information needs are met, and what information would be useful (n = 95).

Findings:

Following feedback gathered from the interviews and the online survey, we refined our patient resources for the IMP2ART programme. Refinements included highlighting the seriousness of asthma, enhancing trustworthiness, and including social support resources. We also made necessary colour and formatting changes to the resources. In addition, the patient resources were updated following the COVID-19 pandemic. The multi-stage development process enabled us to refine and optimise the patient resources. The IMP2ART strategy is now being tested in a UK-wide cluster RCT (ref: ISRCTN15448074).
The Timing, Magnitude, and Relative Composition of Extreme Total Water Levels Vary Seasonally Along the U.S. Atlantic Coast
Authors: Quadrado Gabrielle P. , Serafin Katherine A.
Published: September 2024

The annual maximum (AM) method, which subsamples time series to retain the maximum event per year, and the peak‐over‐threshold (POT) method, which extracts values exceeding a threshold to define extremes, have long histories in determining flood event frequency. In practice, extreme value distributions applied to AM and POT events often assume that the data comes from the same statistical population. Locations across the world, like the United States (U.S.) Atlantic coastline, however, experience high coastal water levels driven by various individual processes and storms with different driving mechanisms during different seasons. This research investigates when extreme total water levels (TWLs) occur during the year along the U.S. Atlantic coast and whether individual components, like waves, tides, and storm surge, contributing to TWLs vary across regions and during the year. From 1980 to 2020, extreme TWLs occurred during the extratropical and tropical seasons, with the relative proportion of extreme TWLs occurring during the extratropical season increasing northward. Still water levels drive spatial variability in extreme TWL magnitude, while wave climate drives differences in extreme TWL magnitude between extratropical and tropical seasons. Month‐to‐month variability in the composition of extreme TWLs varies more than spatial variability, highlighting the importance of understanding the components driving extremes at different times of the year. Variations across storm seasons in the processes contributing to extreme TWLs may have implications for how large‐scale changes to the climate impact hazards along open sandy coastlines and influence the robustness of extrapolating rare events from models fit to a single population.
Electron Vortex Generation in Earth's Collisionless Bow Shock: MMS Observations
Authors: Yao S. T. , Zhang H. , Shi Q. Q. , Liu J. , Guo R. L. , Sun W. J. , Gershman Daniel J. , Hamrin M. , Degeling A. W. , Treumann R. A. , Pitkänen T. , Tian A. M.
Published: September 2024

In astrophysics and space, supercritical shock is generated when an object interacts with an incoming supersonic plasma stream. Its downstream plasmas are highly turbulent, containing abundant vortices on all scales from magnetohydrodynamic to electron gyroscales. Understanding the production of these vortices is at the forefront, especially on the electron scale. Using ultrafast measurements of NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft, we report on the fortunate multi‐spacecraft observation of the formation of an electron vortex directly generated inside the Earth's quasi‐parallel bow shock transition and propagated to the downstream turbulent magnetosheath. The vortex is generated inside the shock transition by anisotropic ∼100–600 eV electrons trapped in an ion‐scale magnetic hole which could show a tornado‐like magnetic morphology. Our results demonstrate that the electron vortex can develop not only as a product of the forward cascade but also from the shock transition into its downstream turbulence, which adds to the short‐scale turbulence and dissipation.
CSRM‐1.0: A China Seismological Reference Model
Authors: Xiao Xiao , Cheng Shihua , Wu Jianping , Wang Weilai , Sun Li , Wang Xiaoxin , Ma Jiayu , Tong Yinghua , Liang Xiaofeng , Tian Xiaobo , Li Hongyi , Chen Qi‐Fu , Yu Sheng , Wen Lianxing
Published: September 2024

High‐resolution seismic model is crucial for advancing our understandings on geological processes and enhancing seismic hazard mitigation programs. We construct a high‐resolution China Seismological Reference Model (CSRM‐1.0) in the top 100 km of the crust and uppermost mantle in continental China following a top‐down construction process. The employed seismic constraints include P‐wave polarization angle from tele‐seismic event, short‐period Rayleigh wave ellipticity from ambient noise, long‐period Rayleigh wave ellipticity from earthquake data, receiver function, empirical Green's function from ambient noise, Rayleigh wave phase/group velocity dispersion curves from regional earthquakes, and Pn‐wave travel time extracted from seismic data of 4,435 stations. CSRM‐1.0 has a spatial crustal resolution of ∼60 km beneath the north‐south seismic belt and trans‐North China orogen regions and ∼120 km beneath the rest of continental China, and a spatial mantle resolution of ∼300 km. CSRM‐1.0 exhibits prominent velocity heterogeneities in the crust and uppermost mantle and an eastward thinning of the crust, geographically correlating with geological settings. CSRM‐1.0 improvements include accurate estimation of shallow seismic structure, increased spatial resolution and improved model accuracy. Crustal composition inferred from CSRM‐1.0 exhibits a general transition from a felsic upper crust to a mafic lower crust. Mafic rocks in the lower crust are found predominantly along inter‐block boundaries and sporadically within the interiors of blocks, likely resulted from preferential inter‐block intrusions of magmas related to various oceanic plate subductions and the Emeishan mantle plume. This study contributes seismic constraints and CSRM‐1.0 to the CSRM product center (http://chinageorefmodel.org) as a backbone open‐access geophysical cyberinfrastructure.
Dielectric metamaterials with effective self-duality and full-polarization omnidirectional brewster effect
Authors: Luo Hao , Luo Jie , Zhang Zhihui , Wu Chao , Li Quan , Liu Wei , Peng Ruwen , Wang Mu , Li Hongqiang , Lai Yun
Published: September 2024

Conventional dielectric solid materials, both natural and artificial, lack electromagnetic self-duality and thus require additional coatings to achieve impedance matching with free space. Here, we present a class of dielectric metamaterials that are effectively self-dual and vacuum-like, thereby exhibiting full-polarization omnidirectional impedance matching as an unusual Brewster effect extended across all incident angles and polarizations. With both birefringence and reflection eliminated regardless of wavefront and polarization, such anisotropic metamaterials could establish the electromagnetic equivalence with “stretched free space” in transformation optics, as substantiated through full-wave simulations and microwave experiments. Our findings open a practical pathway for realizing unprecedented polarization-independence and omnidirectional impedance-matching characteristics in pure dielectric solids.
Dynamic gain driven mode-locking in GHz fiber laser
Authors: Chen Xuewen , Lin Wei , Hu Xu , Wang Wenlong , Liang Zhaoheng , Ling Lin , Yang Yang , Guo Yuankai , Liu Tao , Chen Dongdan , Wei Xiaoming , Yang Zhongmin
Published: September 2024

Ultrafast lasers have become powerful tools in various fields, and increasing their fundamental repetition rates to the gigahertz (GHz) level holds great potential for frontier scientific and industrial applications. Among various schemes, passive mode-locking in ultrashort-cavity fiber laser is promising for generating GHz ultrashort pulses (typically solitons), for its simplicity and robustness. However, its pulse energy is far lower than the critical value of the existing theory, leading to open questions on the mode-locking mechanism of GHz fiber lasers. Here, we study the passive mode-locking in GHz fiber lasers by exploring dynamic gain depletion and recovery (GDR) effect, and establish a theoretical model for comprehensively understanding its low-threshold mode-locking mechanism with multi-GHz fundamental repetition rates. Specifically, the GDR effect yields an effective interaction force and thereby binds multi-GHz solitons to form a counterpart of soliton crystals. It is found that the resulting collective behavior of the solitons effectively reduces the saturation energy of the gain fiber and permits orders of magnitude lower pulse energy for continuous-wave mode-locking (CWML). A new concept of quasi-single soliton defined in a strongly correlated length is also proposed to gain insight into the dynamics of soliton assembling, which enables the crossover from the present mode-locking theory to the existing one. Specifically, two distinguishing dynamics of Q-switched mode-locking that respectively exhibit rectangular- and Gaussian-shape envelopes are theoretically indicated and experimentally verified in the mode-locked GHz fiber laser through the measurements using both the standard real-time oscilloscope and emerging time-lens magnification. Based on the proposed criterion of CWML, we finally implement a GDR-mediated mode-locked fiber laser with an unprecedentedly high fundamental repetition rate of up to 21 GHz and a signal-to-noise ratio of 85.9 dB.
CYP1B1-RMDN2 Alzheimer’s disease endophenotype locus identified for cerebral tau PET
Authors: Nho Kwangsik , Risacher Shannon L. , Apostolova Liana G. , Bice Paula J. , Brosch Jared R. , Deardorff Rachael , Faber Kelley , Farlow Martin R. , Foroud Tatiana , Gao Sujuan , Rosewood Thea , Kim Jun Pyo , Nudelman Kelly , Yu Meichen , Aisen Paul , Sperling Reisa , Hooli Basavaraj , Shcherbinin Sergey , Svaldi Diana , Jack Clifford R. , Jagust William J. , Landau Susan , Vasanthakumar Aparna , Waring Jeffrey F. , Doré Vincent , Laws Simon M. , Masters Colin L. , Porter Tenielle , Rowe Christopher C. , Villemagne Victor L. , Dumitrescu Logan , Hohman Timothy J. , Libby Julia B. , Mormino Elizabeth , Buckley Rachel F. , Johnson Keith , Yang Hyun-Sik , Petersen Ronald C. , Ramanan Vijay K. , Ertekin-Taner Nilüfer , Vemuri Prashanthi , Cohen Ann D. , Fan Kang-Hsien , Kamboh M. Ilyas , Lopez Oscar L. , Bennett David A. , Ali Muhammad , Benzinger Tammie , Cruchaga Carlos , Hobbs Diana , De Jager Philip L. , Fujita Masashi , Jadhav Vaishnavi , Lamb Bruce T. , Tsai Andy P. , Castanho Isabel , Mill Jonathan , Weiner Michael W. ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI),   the Department of Defense Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (DoD-ADNI),   the Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer’s Study (A4 Study) and Longitudinal Evaluation of Amyloid Risk and Neurodegeneration (LEARN),   the Australian Imaging, Biomarker & Lifestyle Study (AIBL), Saykin Andrew J.
Published: September 2024

Determining the genetic architecture of Alzheimer’s disease pathologies can enhance mechanistic understanding and inform precision medicine strategies. Here, we perform a genome-wide association study of cortical tau quantified by positron emission tomography in 3046 participants from 12 independent studies. The CYP1B1-RMDN2 locus is associated with tau deposition. The most significant signal is at rs2113389, explaining 4.3% of the variation in cortical tau, while APOE4 rs429358 accounts for 3.6%. rs2113389 is associated with higher tau and faster cognitive decline. Additive effects, but no interactions, are observed between rs2113389 and diagnosis, APOE4, and amyloid beta positivity. CYP1B1 expression is upregulated in AD. rs2113389 is associated with higher CYP1B1 expression and methylation levels. Mouse model studies provide additional functional evidence for a relationship between CYP1B1 and tau deposition but not amyloid beta. These results provide insight into the genetic basis of cerebral tau deposition and support novel pathways for therapeutic development in AD.
Sheared turbulent flows and wake dynamics of an idled floating tidal turbine
Authors: Lieber Lilian , Fraser Shaun , Coles Daniel , Nimmo-Smith W. Alex M.
Published: September 2024

Ocean energy extraction is on the rise. While tides are the most predictable amongst marine renewable resources, turbulent and complex flows still challenge reliable tidal stream energy extraction and there is also uncertainty in how devices change the natural environment. To ensure the long-term integrity of emergent floating tidal turbine technologies, advances in field measurements are required to capture multiscale, real-world flow interactions. Here we use aerial drones and acoustic profiling transects to quantify the site- and scale-dependent complexities of actual turbulent flows around an idled, utility-scale floating tidal turbine (20 m rotor diameter, D). The combined spatial resolution of our baseline measurements is sufficiently high to quantify sheared, turbulent inflow conditions (reversed shear profiles, turbulence intensity >20%, and turbulence length scales > 0.4D). We also detect downstream velocity deficits (approaching 20% at 4D) and trace the far-wake propagation using acoustic backscattering techniques in excess of 30D. Addressing the energy-environment nexus, our oceanographic lens on flow characterisation will help to validate multiscale flow physics around offshore energy platforms that have thus far only been simulated.
Investigating the electronic properties of edge glycine/biopolymer/graphene quantum dots
Authors: El-Sayed Nayera M. , Elhaes Hanan , Ibrahim Asmaa , Ibrahim Medhat A.
Published: September 2024

This study systematically investigated four types of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) AHEX, ZTRI, ZHEX, and ATRI, and their interactions with glycine to form GQD-glycine complexes. Utilizing density functional theory (DFT) and the PM6 semiempirical method, the study analyzed electronic properties and structure-activity relationships. Global reactivity indices were calculated using Koopmans’ theorem, and quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) parameters were assessed via SCIGRESS 0.3. The study further explored interactions using density of states (DOS) and quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) analyses. Key findings revealed that glycine interaction significantly increased the total dipole moment (TDM) and decreased the HOMO/LUMO energy gap (ΔE) for the GQD-glycine complexes. Notably, ZTRI/glycine showed a TDM of 4.535 Debye and a reduced ΔE of 0.323 eV, indicating enhanced reactivity. Further interactions with cellulose, chitosan, and sodium alginate identified the ZTRI/glycine/sodium alginate composite as the most reactive, with a TDM of 8.020 Debye and the lowest ΔE of 0.200 eV. This composite also exhibited the highest electrophilicity index (56.421) and lowest chemical hardness (0.145 eV), underscoring its superior reactivity and stability. DOS analysis revealed that biomolecules contributed the most to molecular orbitals, with carbon atoms contributing the least. QTAIM analysis confirmed the greater stability of the ZTRI/glycine/sodium alginate complex compared to other studied composites. These results highlight the enhanced reactivity and stability of GQDs when interacting with glycine and sodium alginate.