bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Online and in-store shopping interactions for non-essential experience goods
Authors: Titiloye Ibukun , Al Adib Sarker Md , Asgari Hamidreza , Jin Xia
Published: September 2023

The online and in-store shopping landscape underwent transformative shifts due to the Covid-19 pandemic, potentially leading to novel hybrid shopping behaviors following the availability of Covid-19 vaccines. However, these new dynamics, especially for non-essential experience goods which were heavily impacted by lockdowns, remain relatively unexplored. Moreover, variations in such dynamics within the same product class are not well understood. This study investigates the interactions between online and in-store shopping behaviors across four categories of non-essential experience goods: clothing, shoes, watches, and jewelry (CSWJ); beauty and health products (BH); toys, kids, and baby supplies (TKB); and home, garden, and tools (HGT). Data from over 2,000 Florida residents collected in early 2021, encompassing purchase frequencies, attitudes, and socio-demographic attributes, were analyzed using separate bidirectional structural equation models. Findings indicate that the relationship between online and in-store shopping for CSWJ and TKB exhibited reciprocal complementarity effects. In contrast, BH and HGT displayed an asymmetric reciprocal relationship, with in-store shopping showing no significant influence on online shopping. Results on the mediating influence of attitudes on shopping behaviors showed that a pro-online shopping attitude and preference for alternative travel modes positively influenced online shopping frequency, while the joy of shopping and data privacy/security concerns emerged as drivers of in-store shopping across all product categories. In sum, this study underscores the presence of product-specific heterogeneity even within the experience goods class, contributing to the complex interactions between online and in-store shopping behaviors.
Investigating the efficiency of mechanical agitation on the quantification of nicotine in e-cigarettes, using a novel method
Authors: Althakfi Sara H. , Hameed Ahmed M.
Published: September 2023

Electronic cigarettes (ECs) have gained popularity among the general public. ECs have varying nicotine levels from one e-liquid to another. Thus, a standardised method for analysing the nicotine content in e-liquids is needed. Here, a method was developed for quantitative analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with mechanical agitation (MA). The same elution conditions were applied without mechanical agitation (WMA) to investigate the effect of processing on nicotine separation efficiency. The proposed method resulted in increased linearity in a concentration range of 25–500 ppm. This method also resulted in an increase in the correlation coefficient from 0.2415 to 0.9991, with a limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.09 ppm and 0.29 ppm, respectively, making it more applicable to a wide range of e-liquids in domestic and foreign markets. The analysis of seven e-liquids with concentrations of 0–50 mg/mL revealed that 67% of the samples had a lower nicotine content than that stated on the label. The opposite was true for 33% of samples. No sample matched the nicotine content stated on the label. A sample that was claimed to contain 3 mg/mL actually contained 17 mg/mL. Moreover, a sample labelled as nicotine-free contained 7 mg/mL of nicotine. Another sample was claimed to contain 50 mg/mL, but the measured value was 24 mg/mL. This value exceeds the Saudi Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) standard, which specifies that e-liquids should not contain more than 20 mg/mL of nicotine.
The Distribution of the Number of Automorphisms of Random Trees
Authors: Olsson Christoffer , Wagner Stephan
Published: September 2023

We study the size of the automorphism group of two different types of random trees: Galton–Watson trees and rooted Pólya trees. In both cases, we prove that it asymptotically follows a log-normal distribution and provide asymptotic formulas for the mean and variance of the logarithm of the size of the automorphism group. While the proof for Galton–Watson trees mainly relies on probabilistic arguments and a general result on additive tree functionals, generating functions are used in the case of rooted Pólya trees. We also show how to extend the results to some classes of unrooted trees.
The Differentiation and Autonomy of Law
Authors: Christodoulidis Emilios
Published: September 2023

This Element looks first at the fundamental principle of modernity that is the functional differentiation of society, and the emergence of autonomous, positive law. The careful architecture of differentiation, balance, and mutual performance between the legal, political and economic systems is jeopardised with the hypertrophy of any one of the structurally coupled systems at the expense of the others. The pathologies are described in the second section of the Element. It explores how, under conditions of globalisation, market thinking came to hoist itself to the position of privileged site of societal rationality. In the third section we look at what sustains law's own 'reflexive intelligence' under conditions of globalisation, and whether we can still rely today on the constitutional achievement to guarantee law's autonomy, its democratic credentials and its ability to reproduce normative expectations today.
Geoarchaeology and Coastal Morphodynamics of Harbor Key (8MA15): Indigenous Persistence at a Partially Inundated Native Shell Mound Complex in Tampa Bay, Florida
Authors: Jackson Kendal , Pluckhahn Thomas J. , Rogers Jaime A. , Wang Ping , Thompson Victor D.
Published: September 2023

Applying a coastal-geoarchaeological approach, we synthesize stratigraphic, sedimentological, mollusk-zooarchaeological, and radiometric datasets from recent excavations and sediment coring at Harbor Key (8MA15)—a shell-terraformed Native mound complex within Tampa Bay, on the central peninsular Gulf Coast of Florida. We significantly revise the chronological understanding of the site and place it among the relatively few early civic-ceremonial centers in the region. Analyses of submound contexts revealed that the early first millennium mound center was constructed atop a platform of sand and ex situ cultural shell deposits that were reworked during ancient storm landfalls around 2000 BP. We situate Harbor Key within a seascape-scale stratigraphic and paleoenvironmental framework and show that the shellworks comprise an artificial barrier protecting the leeward estuary basin (and productive inshore wetlands) from high-energy conditions of the open bay and swells from the Gulf of Mexico. The sedimentary and archaeological records attest to the long-term history of morphodynamic interaction between coastal processes and Indigenous shell terraforming in the region and suggest that early first millennium mound building in Tampa Bay was tied to the recognition and reuse of antecedent shellworks and the persistent management of encompassing cultural seascapes.
Characteristics and risk factors of secondary bacterial infections in COVID-19 patients
Authors: Wu Guangjie , Lu Jianhua , Liu Dong , He Yan
Published: September 2023

Objective:

To describe the characteristics and find out risk factors of COVID-19 patients infected with different categories of bacteria.

Design:

Case-control.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective study including 129 COVID-19 patients admitted to a tertiary hospital between October 13, 2022 and December 31, 2022. Patients’ data were collected from the hospital information system. Patients were classified as having or not having confirmed secondary bacterial infections, or gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial infections for analysis. Categories and sources of isolated bacteria, characteristics of the patients, and the risk factors for developing secondary bacterial infections were analyzed.

Results:

Gram-negative bacteria accounted for the majority of secondary bacterial infections of the included patients. Critical type of COVID-19 (OR = 12.98, 95%CI 3.43∼49.18, p < 0.001), invasive therapy (OR = 9.96, 95%CI 3.01∼32.95, p < 0.001), and previous antibiotics use (OR = 17.23, 95%CI 1.38∼215.69, p = 0.027) were independent risk factors of secondary bacterial infections in COVID-19 patients. Ceftriaxone/cefotaxime use (OR = 15.45, 95%CI 2.72∼87.79, p = 0.002) was associated with gram-positive bacterial infections while age over 70 (OR = 3.30, 95%CI 1.06∼10.26, p = 0.039), invasive therapy (OR = 4.68, 95%CI 1.22∼17.93, p = 0.024), and carbapenems use (OR = 8.48, 95%CI 2.17∼33.15, p = 0.002) were associated with gram-negative bacterial infections.

Conclusions:

Critical patients with invasive therapy and previous antibiotics use should be cautious with secondary bacterial infections. Third-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems should be used carefully because both are risk factors for gram-positive or gram-negative bacterial infections.
Feasibility of and Experience With Free State-Funded Telehealth-Based Patient Self-referral for COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Therapy
Authors: Gupta Ishaan , Purekal Sophia , Shaikh Yahya , Michtalik Henry J. , Eid Shaker M. , Wortman Laura , Vaeth MaryJane E. , Locke Charles F.S. , Hoemeke Elizabeth , Hariharan Raena , Callahan Charles D. , Ficke James R. , Pimenta Isabel , Auwaerter Paul G. , Kantsiper Melinda E. ,   CONQUER COVID Consortium, Siddiqui Zishan K.
Published: September 2023

Background:

Monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been underutilized due to logistical challenges, lack of access, and variable treatment awareness among patients and health-care professionals. The use of telehealth during the pandemic provides an opportunity to increase access to COVID-19 care.

Methods:

This is a single-center descriptive study of telehealth-based patient self-referral for mAb therapy between March 1, 2021, and October 31, 2021, at Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital (BCCFH).

Results:

Among the 1001 self-referral patients, the mean age was 47, and most were female (57%). White (66%), and had a primary care provider (PCP) (62%). During the study period, self-referrals increased from 14/mo in March to 427 in October resulting in a 30-fold increase. Approximately 57% of self-referred patients received a telehealth visit, and of those 82% of patients received mAb infusion therapy. The median time from self-referral to onsite infusion was 2 d (1-3 IQR).

Discussion:

Our study shows the integration of telehealth with a self-referral process improved access to mAb infusion. A high proportion of self-referrals were appropriate and led to timely treatment. This approach helped those without traditional avenues for care and avoided potential delay for patients seeking referral from their PCPs.
COVID-19 as an Accelerator of the Implementation of Emergency Medical Teams Initiative in the AFRO Region
Authors: Bompangue Didier , Oyugi Boniface , Bokulu Melanie , Tshijuke Serge Mudipanu , Das Timothy , Conteh Ishata Nannie , Ejiofor Nonso Ephraim , Abok Patrick , Okeibunor Joseph , Salio Flavio , Balde Thierno , Braka Fiona
Published: September 2023

Objective:

This study describes the progress that the World Health Organization (WHO) African (AFRO) region has made in establishing National Emergency Medical Teams (N-EMTs), the coordination mechanisms of the EMTs, and the regional training centers.

Methods:

It used a retrospective descriptive analysis of the formulation and implementation of the EMTs Initiative from an insider perspective. The analysis is based on the review of available documents such as EMTs mission reports, assessments, surveys, EMT monthly bulletins, and meeting minutes in addition to key informant interviews (n = 5) with the EMT teams’ members to validate the findings and share field experiences.

Results:

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) acted as an accelerator for the implementation of the EMT initiative in the AFRO region. A total of 18 EMT deployments were carried out in 16 countries in the AFRO region through the WHO EMT-network during COVID-19, providing support to countries in managing severe and critical COVID-19 cases.

Conclusions:

A Regional Training Center for N-EMTs is being set up in Addis Ababa to train the N-EMTs and strengthen local capacity of health personnel in the region. Challenges include unavailability of mentors to support countries in implementing N-EMTs and the Regional Simulation Training Center, poor funding, and coordination in the rolling out of the N-EMTs.
Numerical investigation of mode failures in submerged granular columns
Authors: Montellà E.P. , Chauchat J. , Bonamy C. , Weij D. , Keetels G.H. , Hsu T.J.
Published: September 2023

In submerged sandy slopes, soil is frequently eroded as a combination of two main mechanisms: breaching, which refers to the retrogressive failure of a steep slope forming a turbidity current, and instantaneous sliding wedges, known as shear failure, that also contribute to shape the morphology of the soil deposit. Although there are several modes of failures, in this paper we investigate breaching and shear failures of granular columns using the two-fluid approach. The numerical model is first applied to simulate small-scale granular column collapses (Rondonet al.,Phys. Fluids, vol. 23, 2011, 073301) with different initial volume fractions to study the role of the initial conditions in the main flow dynamics. For loosely packed granular columns, the porous medium initially contracts and the resulting positive pore pressure leads to a rapid collapse. Whereas in initially dense-packing columns, the porous medium dilates and negative pore pressure is generated stabilizing the granular column, which results in a slow collapse. The proposed numerical approach shows good agreement with the experimental data in terms of morphology and excess of pore pressure. Numerical results are extended to a large-scale application (Weij, doctoral dissertation, 2020, Delft University of Technology; Alhaddadet al.,J. Mar. Sci. Eng., vol. 11, 2023, 560) known as the breaching process. This phenomenon may occur naturally at coasts or on dykes and levees in rivers but it can also be triggered by humans during dredging operations. The results indicate that the two-phase flow model correctly predicts the dilative behaviour and the subsequent turbidity currents associated with the breaching process.
Assessing past versus present severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection: A survey of criteria for discontinuing precautions in asymptomatic patients testing positive on admission
Authors: Gohil Shruti K. , De St. Maurice Annabelle , Yokoe Deborah S. , Cohen Stuart H. , Torriani Francesca J. , Grein Jonathan D. , Robinson Philip A. , Mabalot Shannon , Park Jessica , Pedrani Paula , Platt Richard , Huang Susan S.
Published: September 2023

Infection prevention program leaders report frequent use of criteria to distinguish recently recovered coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases from actively infectious cases when incidentally positive asymptomatic patients were identified on routine severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Guidance on appropriate interpretation of high-sensitivity molecular tests can prevent harm from unnecessary precautions that delay admission and impede medical care.
Incidence and risk factors for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection in pediatric at-risk groups in selected Pediatric Investigators Collaborative Network on Infections in Canada (PICNIC) hospitals
Authors: Baldassarre Lucila , Quach-Thanh Caroline , Mouajou Feujio Verinsa , Tadount Fazia , Deyirmendjian Claudia , Lefebvre Marie-Astrid , Thampi Nisha , Schneider Oliver , Fabri-Karam Isabela , O’Donnell Shauna , Okeny-Owere James , Audy N. , Desmarais Nadia
Published: September 2023

Objectives:

Incidence and risk factors for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) are well established in adults, though data are lacking in pediatrics. We aimed to determine incidence of and risk factors for rCDI in pediatrics.

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients was conducted at 3 tertiary-care hospitals in Canada with laboratory-confirmed CDI between April 1, 2012, and March 31, 2017. rCDI was defined as an episode of CDI occurring 8 weeks or less from diagnostic test date of the primary episode. We used logistic regression to determine and quantify risk factors significantly associated with rCDI.

Results:

In total, 286 patients were included in this study. The incidence proportion for rCDI was 12.9%. Among hospitalized patients, the incidence rate was estimated at 2.6 cases of rCDI per 1,000 hospital days at risk (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7–3.9). Immunocompromised patients had higher incidence of rCDI (17.5%; P = .03) and higher odds of developing rCDI independently of antibiotic treatment given for the primary episode (odds ratio [OR], 2.31; 95% CI, 1.12–5.09). Treatment with vancomycin monotherapy did not show statistically significant protection from rCDI, independently of immunocompromised status (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.05–1.15]).

Conclusions:

The identification of increased risk of rCDI in immunocompromised pediatric patients warrants further research into alternative therapies, prophylaxis, and prevention strategies to prevent recurrent disease burden within these groups. Treatment of the initial episode with vancomycin did not show statistically significant protection from rCDI.
Active surveillance of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales using genomic sequencing for hospital-based infection control interventions
Authors: Lee Andie S. , Dolan Leanne , Jenkins Frances , Crawford Bernadette , van Hal Sebastiaan J.
Published: September 2023

Background:

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is increasingly used to characterize hospital outbreaks of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE). However, access to WGS is variable and testing is often centralized, leading to delays in reporting of results.

Objective:

We describe the utility of a local sequencing service to promptly respond to facility needs over an 8-year period.

Methods:

The study was conducted at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Australia. All CPE isolated from patient (screening and clinical) and environmental samples from 2015 onward underwent prospective WGS. Results were notified to the infection control unit in real time. When outbreaks were identified, WGS reports were also provided to senior clinicians and the hospital executive administration. Enhanced infection control interventions were refined based on the genomic data.

Results:

In total, 141 CPE isolates were detected from 123 patients and 5 environmental samples. We identified 9 outbreaks, 4 of which occurred in high-risk wards (intensive care unit and/or solid-organ transplant ward). The largest outbreak involved Enterobacterales containing an NDM gene. WGS detected unexpected links among patients, which led to further investigation of epidemiological data that uncovered the outpatient setting and contaminated equipment as reservoirs for ongoing transmission. Targeted interventions as part of outbreak management halted further transmission.

Conclusions:

WGS has transitioned from an emerging technology to an integral part of local CPE control strategies. Our results show the value of embedding this technology in routine surveillance, with timely reports generated in clinically relevant timeframes to inform and optimize local control measures for greatest impact.
The reception of Iran's state propaganda by the Italian far right: recasting the diffusion of authoritarian discourse and narratives
Authors: Rivetti Paola
Published: September 2023

This article examines the reception of the Iranian state's authoritarian discourse by the Italian far right to interrogate the mechanisms of authoritarian diffusion from the point of view of the receiving actors. Coding Iran's state propaganda and searching for overlaps and resonances with the far right's discourse, this article argues that the receiving audience selectively translates the content coming from Iran for the Italian public with the goal of reinforcing its own political discourse. The article contributes to the debate on authoritarian diffusion by providing fresh empirical findings from a rarely studied case study and by shifting the focus to political discourse and narratives. This article also foregrounds the agency of the receiving audience, rather than the authoritarian state's, with the goal of interrogating the resources and infrastructures that enable diffusion, rather than the motivation or the success of the ‘sending’ authoritarian state. This article expands the understanding of complex dynamics of authoritarian diffusion and contributes to examine the establishment of transnational connections between state and non-state illiberal actors in the era of ‘sovranism’ and right-wing populism.
Supply mechanisms of the geostrophic mode in rotating turbulence: interactions with self, waves and eddies
Authors: Lam H. , Delache A. , Godeferd F.S.
Published: September 2023

Direct numerical simulations are performed in rotating turbulence for different regimes at various Rossby and inertial Reynolds numbers (

$\textit {Re}_I$

). A new algorithm, adapted from stratified turbulence (Lam et al., J. Fluid Mech., vol. 923, 2021, A31) to rotating turbulence, permits to separate the three-dimensional velocity field into three parts: inertial waves (IWs), eddies and a geostrophic mode (GM). It uses the space–time properties of waves and their advection by the GM to filter the IWs from the rest of the motion. We obtain balance equations for the separate energies of waves, eddies and the GM. Their mutual interactions are evaluated and analysed via Sankey diagrams that provide a global picture of energy exchanges. When the flow is forced at large scale, it mainly feeds the wave part and the multiple interactions lead to energy dissipation in eddy and GM motion. We also show that, in addition to the wave/wave interaction that feeds the GM, corresponding to different mechanisms described in the literature, other non-documented interactions feed it, as the eddy/wave interaction or the eddy/eddy interaction at moderate

$\textit {Re}_I$

. We propose a scale-by-scale analysis of the transfer to the GM: we show that transfers from wave or eddy occur at large scale, that they either inject or remove energy, and that this occurs with or without direct cascade depending on the kind of interaction, wave/wave, eddy/wave or eddy/eddy. The self-interaction of the GM is an inverse cascade for its horizontal component, shaping it into a very large-scale flow.
Instrumentally Inclusive: The Political Psychology of Homonationalism
Authors: TURNBULL-DUGARTE STUART J. , LÓPEZ ORTEGA ALBERTO
Published: September 2023

Can nativist attitudes condition support for LGBT+ rights? The sustained advance in pro-LGBT+ attitudes in the West often contrasts with the greening of anti-immigrant sentiment propagated by nativist supply-side actors. We argue that these parallel trends are causally connected, theorizing that exposure to sexually conservative ethnic out-groups can provoke an instrumental increase in LGBT+ inclusion, particularly among those hostile toward immigration. Leveraging experiments in Britain and Spain, we provide causal evidence that citizens strategically liberalize their levels of support for LGBT+ rights when opponents of these measures are from the ethnic out-group. In a context where sexuality-based liberalism is nationalized, increasing tolerance toward LGBT+ citizens is driven by a desire among nativist citizens to socially disidentify from those out-groups perceived as inimical to these nationalized norms. Our analyses provide a critical interpretation of positive trends in LGBT+ tolerance with instrumental liberalism masking lower rates of genuine shifts in LGBT+ inclusion.
GEORGE FINLAY IN EGYPT AND SWITZERLAND: NINETEENTH-CENTURY TRAVEL, SCHOLARSHIP AND SOCIAL NETWORKS
Authors: Loy Michael
Published: September 2023

George Finlay was a British gentlemen and philhellene, resident in Greece in the mid-nineteenth century. His journals, letters, library and antiquities now reside at the British School at Athens, collections that provide a wealth of information both about Finlay himself and about the world of his contemporaries. This paper looks at two episodes from Finlay’s life as preserved in his archive, documenting two overseas travels: the first is a tour around Egypt, Jerusalem and the Near East in 1845 and 1846, and the second is a series of repeat visits to Switzerland beginning in 1859 and continuing in the late 1860s. By looking at Finlay’s itineraries and at the activities he undertook in Egypt and Switzerland, and by analysing what and how Finlay chose to document in his notebooks, the aim of this paper is to understand more about Finlay’s motivations for travel and his intellectual formation. While Finlay’s time in the Near East was likely spurred by the recent publication of handbooks and by a developing fashion for (biblical) tourism, his time in Switzerland coincided with the flurry of excitement from recent excavations of the Swiss lake villages, allowing Finlay to re-engage an interest in prehistory that he had long since developed. In each case, Finlay’s social connections and his networks played a large part in directing his programme.
An improved cultivation device for appendicularians with notes on the biology ofFritillariasp. collected in Sagami Bay, Japan
Authors: Sato Riki
Published: September 2023

To cultivate zooplankton species with highly fragile mucoid structures, a new type of cultivation device was developed, which uses a novel method to gently circulate the water in the culture vessel. Using this device, a species of the fritillarid appendicularia (Fritillariasp.) collected in Sagami Bay was successfully cultivated. This form resemblesFritillaria haplostomaorFritillaria formica tuberculata, but some taxonomical characteristics differed from those of the latter forms. A novel device comprising a polycarbonate bucket with a motor-driven rotating cylinder inserted into the water in the bucket was developed and maintainedFritillariasp. over ten filial generations in the laboratory. The animals reached trunk lengths of 1026 ± 85μm (mean ± SD) four days after fertilization at 23°C. The instantaneous growth rates were calculated as 1.11–1.72 at 20–26°C, representing a 3.0–5.6-fold daily increase in body weight. The house constructed by this species is extraordinarily fragile, typically has a barrel-like or cylindrical shape, and accommodates its entire body and food-concentrating filter. At 23°C, the species produced houses at a rate of 28 ± 2.8 houses d−1. The new device is useful for the continuous cultivation of the fragile form of fritillarid appendicularia, and even for various other zooplankton. It also shows thatFritillariasp. could be a significant secondary producer and transporter of organic matter in marine ecosystems due to its high growth and house production rates.
Reproductive behaviour of the branchial ectoparasite Bopyrus crangorum (Isopoda: Bopyridae) following ecdysis of the host Palaemon serrifer (Caridea: Palaemonidae)
Authors: Burgos Lorelie A. , Itani Gyo
Published: September 2023

The reproduction of bopyrid isopod parasites is thought to occur immediately following host ecdysis, but direct observations supporting this hypothesis are limited. The aim of this study was to describe the reproductive behaviour of the bopyrid isopod Bopyrus crangorum relative to host ecdysis based on video recordings. Several hours after host ecdysis, biphasic moulting of female parasites was observed. The cuticle of the posterior body was shed before that of the anterior body at an interval of 1 h. Two hours after female moulting, the male repeatedly moved from its initial position between the female pleopods and stopped at the anterior end of the fifth oostegite, immediately above the gonopore. To our knowledge, this repeated visiting behaviour by males has not been previously observed in bopyrid isopods. Oviposition through the female gonopore occurred 33 min later. The male-removal experiment showed that females with their males removed after visits to the gonopore oviposited eggs, whereas females with their males removed before visits did not. We propose that repeated visits by males to the gonopore are attempts to inseminate the female. We hypothesised that sperm are released onto the external surface of each gonopore and that the eggs are fertilised as they pass through the opening, which would explain the synchronous development of fertilised eggs inside the marsupium. The present study provides new information on the life history of bopyrid isopods, which allows for a better understanding of the host–parasite relationship.
The establishment of the invasive non-native macroalgaSargassum muticumin the north of Scotland
Authors: Want Andrew , Matejusova Iveta , Kakkonen Jenni E.
Published: September 2023

The spread of the brown seaweedSargassum muticumis one of the best documented invasions of a non-native marine species. Observation of a potentially established population ofS. muticumin the Orkney Islands archipelago, located off the northern coast of Scotland, was reported by recreational snorkellers in 2019 and 2020. The present study summarises a focussed investigation to confirm its presence and current local distribution, using data from 46 survey sites monitored as a part of the Orkney Islands Council Harbour Authority monitoring programme. Findings in this study represent the most northerly record of an established population ofS. muticumin the United Kingdom, extending the latitudinal range in this country by 1.44° (159 km) northwards, and indicate only localised presence of this species. Analysis of a partial cytochrome oxidase I gene sequence confirmed the visual species identification. Possible vectors of introduction, gaps in the geographic range, local ecological and economic impacts, and the potential ameliorating factor of deep rockpools on wave exposed shores forS. muticumare discussed.
Ethical Growth in History: Good News and Bad
Authors: Taylor Charles
Published: September 2023

One of the things Rosen's very interesting and wide-ranging book shows is why history and the goal of moral advance in history have become so important. We want to believe in moral advance (I am shunning the word “progress” with its resonance of steady uninterrupted forward movement), but we feel incapable of affirming this. What the Lisbon earthquake did to the eighteenth-century versions of Providence, Auschwitz has done for us. Rosen cites Adorno to good effect.
Multi-resolution habitat models of the Puerto Rican Nightjar Antrostromus noctitherus
Authors: Vilella Francisco J. , González Rafael
Published: September 2023

The Puerto Rican Nightjar Antrostomus noctitherus is an endemic Caprimulgid found in dry coastal and lower montane forests of south-western Puerto Rico. Information on the species (e.g. abundance, nesting biology) has been mostly restricted to forest reserves (i.e. Guánica Forest and Susúa Forest) with limited information available from private lands. We collected stand-level vegetation structure and geographical information from forest reserves and private lands to model habitat suitability and distribution for the Nightjar. Results of the stand-level model indicated forest type and midstorey vegetation density best predicted Nightjar habitat. Our spatial model predicted considerably more Nightjar habitat (17,819.64 ha) located outside protected areas than previously reported. Further, the model highlighted several localities of importance for the species across southern Puerto Rico, all located within private lands. We used a patch occupancy approach to assess regions identified by the landscape-level model as suitable for the Nightjar and documented the presence of the species in 32 of 55 sites, located in 12 of 18 municipalities across southern Puerto Rico. The protection and restoration of forest across the southern coast of Puerto Rico would help to ensure the long-term persistence of the Nightjar across a considerable portion of its range. Addressing habitat needs may be the single most effective mechanism to achieve recovery of the species.
Applying Cognitive Load Theory in Teacher Education
Authors: Timothy Venance , Fischer Frank , Watzka Bianca , Girwidz Raimund , Stadler Matthias
Published: September 2023

Abstract: The study investigated the validation of a rating scale to measure cognitive load in science teacher education. The rating scale was used to measure three types of cognitive load in a new learning context with 81 undergraduate students enrolled in a science education program, randomly assigned to three experimental groups: problem-solving, example-based learning, and control groups. The preservice teachers' cognitive load was measured using a rating scale during an intervention to diagnose students' misconceptions in physics. The study also assessed the effect of instructional design on cognitive load. The results showed that the three types of cognitive load can be reliably measured in science teacher education and that instructional designs that create germane cognitive load contribute to the development of preservice teachers' diagnostic competencies. Conversely, designs that create irrelevant cognitive load are detrimental to this development. These findings suggest the importance of considering cognitive load in science teacher education for effective instructional design.
Geomorphic Process Chains in High‐Mountain Regions—A Review and Classification Approach for Natural Hazards Assessment
Authors: Mani Peter , Allen Simon , Evans Stephen G. , Kargel Jeffrey S. , Mergili Martin , Petrakov Dmitry , Stoffel Markus
Published: September 2023

Populations and infrastructure in high mountain regions are exposed to a wide range of natural hazards, the frequency, magnitude, and location of which are extremely sensitive to climate change. In cases where several hazards can occur simultaneously or where the occurrence of one event will change the disposition of another, assessments need to account for complex process chains. While process chains are widely recognized as a major threat, no systematic analysis has hitherto been undertaken. We therefore establish new understanding on the factors that directly trigger or alter the disposition for subsequent events in the chain and derive a novel classification scheme and parameters to aid natural hazard assessment. Process chains in high mountains are commonly associated with glacier retreat or permafrost degradation. Regional differences exist in the nature and rate of sequencing—some process chains are almost instantaneous, while other linkages are delayed. Process chains involving rapid sequences are difficult to predict, and impacts are often devastating. We demonstrate that process chains are triggered most frequently by progressive failures, being the result of gradual landscape weakening and not due to the occurrence of a distinct process. If fluvial processes are part of the process chain the reach (or mobility) of process chains is increased. Increased mobility can also occur if sediment deposition areas along river channels are activated. As climate changes causes glacial environments to transform into sediment‐rich paraglacial and fluvial landscapes, it is expected that the mobility of process chains will increase in the future.
Intensification of Extreme Rainfall in Indian River Basin: Using Bias Corrected CMIP6 Climate Data
Authors: Chaubey Pawan K. , Mall Rajesh K.
Published: September 2023

The changing frequency of extreme rain events in the past few decades over the Indian river basins (IRBs) contributed to floods and drought and resulted in economic losses and gross domestic product. In this study, we evaluated the performance of 12 Global Circulation Models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6‐ experiment with India Meteorological Department observed data sets to reproduce the extreme rainfall events as well as project the changes in frequency and intensity of the hydroclimate extremes in future. We found that under low emission scenarios (SSP1‐2.6), the frequency of extreme rainfall is going to increase over the western ghat and northeast IRBs, while an increase in heavy rainfall intensity (14.3%) noticed under SSP2‐4.5 in the upper Ganga and Indus basin. Also, approximately 4%–10% of the heavy rainfall is projected to increase over the western part of IRBs during the Near (2021–2040) and Mid (2041–2060) future. The study explored the new hotspot regions for future urban flooding due to increasing pattern of heavy rainfall in future. Moreover, the lower Ganga basin will experience agricultural drought in near future due to decreasing areal mean rainfall, which needs to be seen by policymakers for managing the excess (less) water. Also, India's northern, central, and western river basins may experience more extremes under high‐emission (SSP5‐8.5) scenarios that indicate challenges to mitigation. The findings of this study highlight the importance of developing long‐term adaptation and mitigation strategies aimed at reducing hydroclimate vulnerability. It emphasizes the need to implement measures that enhance resilience and minimize risks associated with hydroclimate extremes at the basin level.
Socio‐Environmental Determinants of Mental and Behavioral Disorders in Youth: A Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Wertis Luke , Sugg Margaret M. , Runkle Jennifer D. , Rao Douglas
Published: September 2023

Growing evidence indicates that extreme environmental conditions in summer months have an adverse impact on mental and behavioral disorders (MBD), but there is limited research looking at youth populations. The objective of this study was to apply machine learning approaches to identify key variables that predict MBD‐related emergency room (ER) visits in youths in select North Carolina cities among adolescent populations. Daily MBD‐related ER visits, which totaled over 42,000 records, were paired with daily environmental conditions, as well as sociodemographic variables to determine if certain conditions lead to higher vulnerability to exacerbated mental health disorders. Four machine learning models (i.e., generalized linear model, generalized additive model, extreme gradient boosting, random forest) were used to assess the predictive performance of multiple environmental and sociodemographic variables on MBD‐related ER visits for all cities. The best‐performing machine learning model was then applied to each of the six individual cities. As a subanalysis, a distributed lag nonlinear model was used to confirm results. In the all cities scenario, sociodemographic variables contributed the greatest to the overall MBD prediction. In the individual cities scenario, four cities had a 24‐hr difference in the maximum temperature, and two of the cities had a 24‐hr difference in the minimum temperature, maximum temperature, or Normalized Difference Vegetation Index as a leading predictor of MBD ER visits. Results can inform the use of machine learning models for predicting MBD during high‐temperature events and identify variables that affect youth MBD responses during these events.
Assessing the Effect of Precipitation on Asthma Emergency Department Visits in New York State From 2005 to 2014: A Case‐Crossover Study
Authors: Rai Arjita , Adeyeye Temilayo , Insaf Tabassum , Muscatiello Neil
Published: September 2023

The Earth's precipitation patterns are changing, and regional precipitation is expected to continue to increase in New York State (NYS). Heavy precipitation may negatively affect asthma prevalence through its effect on seasonally varying allergens. We employed a threshold analysis using a time‐stratified semi‐symmetric bi‐directional case‐crossover study design to assess the effect of increase in precipitation on asthma (ICD‐9 code 493.xx, N = 970,903) emergency department (ED) visits between 2005 and 2014 during non‐winter months in NYS. Spatially contiguous gridded meteorological data from North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) were utilized. We used conditional logistic regression models and stratified the analyses by seasons. During non‐winter months, we found a small, statistically significant risk of asthma ED visits for precipitation levels above 50 mm, with differences by season. These results suggest that heavy precipitation may be related to an increased risk of asthma ED visits. Gridded meteorological estimates provide a means of addressing the gaps in exposure classification, and these findings provide opportunities for further research on interactions with aeroallergens and meteorological conditions in the context of climate and health.
Lidar Observations of Predawn Thermosphere‐Ionosphere Na (TINa) Layers Over Boulder (40.13°N, 105.24°W): Annual Phase Variations and Correlation With Sunrise and Tidal Winds
Authors: Chen Yingfei , Chu Xinzhao
Published: September 2023

We have discovered that the peak phase time of predawn thermosphere‐ionosphere Na (TINa) layers (∼110–150 km altitude) undergoes clear annual variations with the earliest occurrence in summer and latest in winter over Boulder (40.13°N, 105.24°W), which are closely correlated to annual phase variations of sunrise and tidal winds. Such discoveries were enabled by the first characterization of 12 monthly composites of TINa layers from January through December using 7 years of lidar observations (2011–2017). Despite their tenuous densities, the predawn TINa layers have nearly 100% occurrence rate (160 out of 164 nights of observations). Monthly composites show downward‐phase‐progression TINa descending at similar phase speeds as Climatological Tidal Model of the Thermosphere tidal winds. These TINa layers occur in ion convergence but neutral divergence regions, modeled using tidal winds. These results support the formation mechanism (neutralization of converged TINa+ forming TINa) proposed previously and suggest that migrating tidal winds experience annual phase variations.
Uncovering new families and folds in the natural protein universe
Authors: Durairaj Janani , Waterhouse Andrew M. , Mets Toomas , Brodiazhenko Tetiana , Abdullah Minhal , Studer Gabriel , Tauriello Gerardo , Akdel Mehmet , Andreeva Antonina , Bateman Alex , Tenson Tanel , Hauryliuk Vasili , Schwede Torsten , Pereira Joana
Published: September 2023

We are now entering a new era in protein sequence and structure annotation, with hundreds of millions of predicted protein structures made available through the AlphaFold database1. These models cover nearly all proteins that are known, including those challenging to annotate for function or putative biological role using standard homology-based approaches. In this study, we examine the extent to which the AlphaFold database has structurally illuminated this ‘dark matter’ of the natural protein universe at high predicted accuracy. We further describe the protein diversity that these models cover as an annotated interactive sequence similarity network, accessible athttps://uniprot3d.org/atlas/AFDB90v4. By searching for novelties from sequence, structure and semantic perspectives, we uncovered the β-flower fold, added several protein families to Pfam database2and experimentally demonstrated that one of these belongs to a new superfamily of translation-targeting toxin–antitoxin systems, TumE–TumA. This work underscores the value of large-scale efforts in identifying, annotating and prioritizing new protein families. By leveraging the recent deep learning revolution in protein bioinformatics, we can now shed light into uncharted areas of the protein universe at an unprecedented scale, paving the way to innovations in life sciences and biotechnology.
Proline concentrations in seedlings of woody plants change with drought stress duration and are mediated by seed characteristics: a meta-analysis
Authors: Kijowska-Oberc Joanna , Dylewski Łukasz , Ratajczak Ewelina
Published: September 2023

Proline accumulation represents one of mechanisms used by plants to prevent the adverse consequences of water stress. The effects of increased proline levels in response to drought differ among species. Trees are exposed to the long-term effects of climate change. The reproductive success of species in a specific environment depends on the functional trait of tree seeds. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of drought stress on the proline concentrations in seedling leaf tissues of woody plant species and their relationships to drought duration, seed mass, seed category and coniferous/deciduous classification. Drought duration exhibited a nonlinear effect on proline accumulations. The drought effect on proline accumulations is greater for deciduous than for coniferous species and is higher for orthodox seed species than for recalcitrant. The seedlings of large-seeded species showed greater effect sizes than those of small-seeded species. Our results suggest that there is an optimum level at which proline accumulations under the influence of drought are the highest. A link between seed functional traits, as well as the coniferous/deciduous classification, and proline concentrations in tree seedlings during water stress were determined for the first time. Proline may help to identify high-quality seeds of trees used for reforestation.
Electrochemical, surface morphological and computational evaluation on carbohydrazide Schiff bases as corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in acidic medium
Authors: Gupta Sujata Kumari , Mitra R. K. , Yadav Mahendra , Dagdag Omar , Berisha Avni , Mamba Bhekie B. , Nkambule Thabo T. I. , Ebenso Eno E. , Singh Shailendra Kumar
Published: September 2023

Anticorrosion and adsorption behaviour of synthesized carbohydrazide Schiff bases, namely (Z)-N′-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-6-methyl-2-oxo-4-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carbohydrazide(MBTC) and (Z)-N′-(3,4-dichlorobenzylidene)-6-methyl-2-oxo-4-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carbohydrazide (CBTC) was examined for mild steel (MS) in 15% HCl medium. The corrosion inhibition study was performed by using gravimetric, thermodynamic, electrochemical and theoretical studies including density functional theory (DFT), molecular dynamic simulation (MDS) and Monte Carlo simulations (MCS). The outcomes in terms of corrosion inhibition efficiency using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) method at 303 K and 150 ppm concentration were 96.75% for MBTC and 95.14% for CBTC. Both inhibitors adsorbed on the MS surface through physical as well as chemical adsorption and followed the Langmuir isotherm. The mixed-type nature of both inhibitors was identified by polarization results. Surface analysis was done using FESEM, EDX, AFM and XPS studies and results showed that a protective layer of inhibitor molecules was developed over the surface of MS. The results of DFT, MCS and MDS are in accordance with experimental results obtained by weight loss and electrochemical methods.
A novel velocity band energy workflow for fiber-optic DAS interpretation and multiphase flow characterization
Authors: Ekechukwu Gerald. K. , Sharma Jyotsna , William Michael J.
Published: September 2023

Distributed fiber-optic sensing continues to gain widespread adoption in the energy industry because of the numerous benefits it offers for real-time surface and subsurface monitoring of pipelines, wellbores, reservoirs, and storage infrastructure. In this study, we introduce a novel workflow to analyze optical fiber-based distributed acoustic sensor (DAS) data, which takes into account the speed of sound for a certain phase to filter the acoustic energy or signal contributed by that phase. This information is then utilized for the characterization of multiphase flow. The application of the proposed velocity band energy (VBE) workflow is demonstrated using a dataset acquired in a 5163-ft-deep wellbore, for estimating gas void fraction and real-time gas–liquid interface tracking across the length of the well. The workflow utilizes a series of signal processing and conditioning steps that aim to reduce noise and enhance the signals of interest. The insights from the new methodology will further assist in validating DAS-based flow monitoring algorithms, leak detection and quantification, and reservoir characterization.