bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A nomogram to predict the risk of cognitive impairment in patients with depressive disorder
Authors: Jian Ya‐Ling , Jia Shoumei , Shi Shenxun , Shi Zhongying , Zhao Ying
Published: December 2023

This study was to describe the cognitive function status in patients with depressive disorder and to construct a nomogram model to predict the risk factors of cognitive impairment in these patients. From October 2019 to February 2021, a total of 141 patients with depressive disorder completed the survey in two hospitals. The Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) was used with a cutoff score of 26 to differentiate cognitive impairment. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify independent risk factors. A nomogram was then constructed based on the results of the multivariable logistic regression analysis. The patients had an average MoCA score of 23.99 ± 3.02. The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that age (OR: 1.096, 95% CI: 1.042–1.153, p < 0.001), education (OR: 0.065, 95% CI: 0.016–0.263, p < 0.001), depression severity (OR: 1.878, 95% CI: 1.021–3.456, p = 0.043), and sleep quality (OR: 2.454, 95% CI: 1.400–4.301, p = 0.002) were independent risk factors for cognitive impairment in patients with depressive disorder. The area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was 0.868 (95% CI: 0.807–0.929), indicating good discriminability of the model. The calibration curve of the model and the Hosmer–Lemeshow test (p = 0.571) demonstrated a well‐fitted model with high calibration. Age, education, depression severity, and sleep quality were found to be significant predictors of cognitive function. A nomogram model was developed to predict cognitive impairment in patients with depressive disorder, providing a solid foundation for clinical interventions.
Towards a quantification of thermal and thermomechanical stress for modules in building‐integrated photovoltaics configurations
Authors: Quest Hugo , Fairbrother Andrew , Ballif Christophe , Virtuani Alessandro
Published: December 2023

Due to reduced rear‐side ventilation, building‐integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are prone to higher operating temperatures, which may impact their long‐term performance and reliability. However, often overlooked in the study of thermomechanical stress in PV modules are the intraday temperature variations, resulting from factors such as cloud movements and subsequent changes in irradiance. This work proposes a statistical analysis of cell and module temperature measurements in single‐cell c‐Si modules on a test bench in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The goal is to study and compare various BIPV‐relevant module topologies with a range of factors such as the insulation type, tilt angle, and glass thickness. The standard indicators such as the 98th percentile temperature and diurnal temperature variations are examined, as well as proposed new thermomechanical stress indicators based on temperature gradients and cell versus module temperature differences. Unexpectedly, results indicate that, considering the intraday temperature variations, close‐roof module configurations (with small ventilation gaps) are potentially at a higher risk of suffering long‐term thermomechanical fatigue than fully insulated modules, which are exposed to higher operating temperatures.
Reaction mechanism of acetonitrile, olefins, and amines catalyzed by Ag2CO3: A DFT investigation
Authors: Chen Bin , Zhou Da‐Gang , Yang Li‐Jun
Published: December 2023

The mechanism of Ag2CO3‐catalyzed reactions of acetonitrile, olefins, and amines was investigated by using the M06‐L‐D3/6‐311 + G(d,p) method and level, and solvation model based on solute electron density (SMD) model was applied to simulate the solvent effect. Calculations show that the Ag2CO3 could achieve the Csp3‐H activation by coordinating with the terminal nitrogen atom of CH3CN; then, the addition reaction happened between the obtained Ag‐complex intermediate and olefin via the coordination of Ag and benzene ring; finally, the obtained radical intermediate continues to go through one single electron transfer (SET) process, addition reaction, and H‐shift reaction to yield the final product. The computational results reveal that Fe3+ cation would have assisted the SET process successfully and the path of direct addition with the amine is the optimal. Fukui function and dual descriptor can be used to predict the reactive sites, and electron spin density isosurface graphs can analyze the structures and reveal the substances.
Flexible protein–protein docking with a multitrack iterative transformer
Authors: Chu Lee‐Shin , Ruffolo Jeffrey A. , Harmalkar Ameya , Gray Jeffrey J.
Published: December 2023

Conventional protein–protein docking algorithms usually rely on heavy candidate sampling and reranking, but these steps are time‐consuming and hinder applications that require high‐throughput complex structure prediction, for example, structure‐based virtual screening. Existing deep learning methods for protein–protein docking, despite being much faster, suffer from low docking success rates. In addition, they simplify the problem to assume no conformational changes within any protein upon binding (rigid docking). This assumption precludes applications when binding‐induced conformational changes play a role, such as allosteric inhibition or docking from uncertain unbound model structures. To address these limitations, we present GeoDock, a multitrack iterative transformer network to predict a docked structure from separate docking partners. Unlike deep learning models for protein structure prediction that input multiple sequence alignments, GeoDock inputs just the sequences and structures of the docking partners, which suits the tasks when the individual structures are given. GeoDock is flexible at the protein residue level, allowing the prediction of conformational changes upon binding. On the Database of Interacting Protein Structures (DIPS) test set, GeoDock achieves a 43% top‐1 success rate, outperforming all other tested methods. However, in the standard DIPS train/test splits, we discovered contamination of close homologs in the training set. After decontaminating the training set, the success rate is 31%. On the DB5.5 test set and a benchmark dataset of antibody–antigen complexes, GeoDock outperforms the deep learning models trained using the same dataset but falls behind most of the conventional methods and AlphaFold‐Multimer. GeoDock attains an average inference speed of under 1 s on a single GPU, enabling its application in large‐scale structure screening. Although binding‐induced conformational changes are still a challenge owing to limited training and evaluation data, our architecture sets up the foundation to capture this backbone flexibility. Code and a demonstration Jupyter notebook are available athttps://github.com/Graylab/GeoDock.
Cover crops terminated with roller‐crimper to manage Cynodon dactylon and other weeds in vineyards
Authors: Cabrera‐Pérez Carlos , Royo‐Esnal Aritz , Català Bruna , Baraibar Bàrbara , Recasens Jordi
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Using cover crops in organic vineyards can provide many advantages, including weed suppression. However, their effectiveness may depend on the weed community, the cover crop species and the termination method. The most common practice for cover crop termination is shredding, but rapid residue decomposition can allow noxious species like Cynodon dactylon to proliferate during summer and compete with the vines. The use of roller‐crimpers as an alternative method can be effective in some cropping systems, but no studies have focused on their use in the inter‐row of vineyards. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of seven cover crops (spontaneous, Avena strigosa, Hordeum vulgare, Lolium multiflorum, Phacelia tanacetifolia, Sinapis alba and X Triticosecale) and two termination methods (shredding or roller‐crimper) in managing C. dactylon during summer.

RESULTS

In 2020, rolled A. strigosa, P. tanacetifolia and the spontaneous flora limited the coverage of C. dactylon more than shredding (increases of 3% and 18% in C. dactylon cover from July to September in rolled and shredded cover crops, respectively), while in 2021, rolling was better than shredding for all cover crop species in September (5% and 18% increases, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Roller‐crimping cover crops was an effective method to control C. dactylon in vineyard inter‐rows but it did not consistently work for all cover crops in both years. Our study is one of the first to test the efficacy of roller‐crimpers to manage summer weeds in vineyards. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Estimating the impact of carbon inefficiency and overuse of energy on the economics of water companies: A case study for England and Wales
Authors: Maziotis Alexandros , Sala‐Garrido Ramon , Mocholi‐Arce Manuel , Molinos‐Senante Maria
Published: December 2023

In the face of climate change, it becomes crucial to motivate action and policies within water companies towards achieving carbon neutrality. Estimating the economic consequences of inaction can be a compelling catalyst for change. In this study, the carbon inefficiency and overuse of energy among a selection of English and Welsh water companies were assessed, along with their impact on the operational costs of producing and delivering drinking water over the period from 2010 to 2019. In doing so, a stochastic frontier analysis primal system was employed. The findings revealed that, on average, water companies exhibited a carbon inefficiency of 0.699. The overuse of energy relative to other inputs was estimated to be 71.4%. Consequently, water companies incurred a production cost increase of 0.089 £/m3. This research demonstrates that transitioning towards a low‐carbon urban water cycle is not merely an environmental beneficial endeavor; it also involves significant economic advantages.
Biomimetic Transparent Layered Tough Aerogels for Thermal Superinsulation and Triboelectric Nanogenerator
Authors: Hu Zhenyu , Zhang Xiaoyu , Sun Qi , Gu Puzhong , Liang Xing , Yang Xiao , Liu Muxiang , Huang Jia , Wu Guangming , Zu Guoqing
Published: December 2023

Transparent aerogels are ideal candidates for thermally insulating windows, solar thermal receivers, electronics, etc. However, they are usually prepared via energy‐consuming supercritical drying and show brittleness and low tensile strength, significantly restricting their practical applications. It remains a great challenge to prepare transparent aerogels with high tensile strength and toughness. Herein, biomimetic transparent tough cellulose nanofiber‐based nanocomposite aerogels with a layered nanofibrous structure are achieved by vacuum‐assisted self‐assembly combined with ambient pressure drying. The nacre‐like layered homogeneous nanoporous structures can reduce light scattering and effectively transfer stress and prevent stress concentration under external forces. The aerogels exhibit an attractive combination of excellent transparency and hydrophobicity, high compressive and tensile strengths, high toughness, excellent machinability, thermal superinsulation, and wide working temperature range (−196 to 230 °C). It is demonstrated that they can be used for superinsulating windows of buildings and high‐efficient thermal management for electronics and human bodies. In addition, a prototype of transparent flexible aerogel‐based triboelectric nanogenerator is developed. This work provides a promising pathway toward transparent tough porous materials for energy saving/harvesting, thermal management, electronics, sensors, etc.
Adenosine Triphosphate‐Activated Cascade Reactor for On‐Demand Antibacterial Treatment Through Controlled Hydroxyl Radical Generation
Authors: Chen Huihong , Fu Shanshan , Chen Xiaoqian , Chen Ruyi , Tan Hongliang
Published: December 2023

Nanozymes have shown promise for antibacterial applications, but their effectiveness is often hindered by low catalytic performances in physiological conditions and uncontrolled production of hydroxyl radicals (·OH). To address these limitations, a comprehensive approach is presented through the development of an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)‐activated cascade reactor (GGPcs). The GGPcs reactor synergistically combines the distinct properties of zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) and chitosan‐integrated hydrogel microsphere. The ZIF‐8 allows for the encapsulation of G‐quadruplex/hemin DNAzyme to achieve ATP‐responsive ·OH generation at neutral pH, while the hydrogel microsphere creates a confinement environment that facilitates glucose oxidation and provides a sufficient supply of H2O2. Importantly, the integrated chitosan in the hydrogel microsphere shields ZIF‐8 from undesired disruption caused by gluconic acid, ensuring the responsive specificity of ZIF‐8 toward ATP. By activating GGPcs with ATP secreted by bacteria, its effectiveness as an antibacterial agent is demonstrated for the on‐demand treatment of bacterial infection with minimal side effects. This comprehensive approach has the potential to facilitate the design of advanced nanozyme systems and broaden their biological applications.
A Tumor‐Specific Cascade‐Activating Smart Prodrug System for Enhanced Targeted Therapy
Authors: Wang Qiwei , Jin Duo , Liu Chengbin , Shi Lili , Li Tao
Published: December 2023

Developing intelligently targeted drugs with low side effects is urgent for cancer treatment. Toward this goal, a tumor‐specific cascade‐activating smart prodrug system consisting of a G‐quadruplex(G4)‐modulated tumor‐targeted DNA vehicle and a well‐designed cellular stimuli‐responsive ligand‐drug conjugates (LDCs) is proposed. An original “donor–acceptor” binary fluorescent ligand, with ultrahigh affinity, brightness, and photostability, is engineered to tightly bind G4 structures and significantly improve the nuclease resistance of the DNA vehicle, which serves as a bridge contributing to the construction of the prodrug system, named ApG4/LDCs. Sodium nitroprusside and doxorubicin are loaded into ApG4/LDCs in one pot and generate nitric oxide and superoxide anion in response to cancer cellular environments, which in cascade generates peroxynitrite to cause DNA damage while promoting the self‐monitored drug release to achieve enhanced targeted therapy. Such a cascade activation and self‐reinforcement process is executed only when the prodrug system targets the tumor tissue followed by cell uptake, showing significant antitumor efficacy and greatly weakening the damage to normal tissues. Given the unique features, the innovative strategy for prodrug design may open a new door to precision disease treatment.
Advances of Smart Stimulus‐Responsive Microneedles in Cancer Treatment
Authors: Chu Huaqing , Xue Jiangtao , Yang Yuan , Zheng Hui , Luo Dan , Li Zhou
Published: December 2023

Microneedles (MNs) have emerged as a highly promising technology for delivering drugs via the skin. They provide several benefits, including high drug bioavailability, non‐invasiveness, painlessness, and high safety. Traditional strategies for intravenous delivery of anti‐tumor drugs have risks of systemic toxicity and easy development of drug resistance, while MN technology facilitates precise delivery and on‐demand release of drugs in local tissues. In addition, by further combining with stimulus‐responsive materials, the construction of smart stimulus‐responsive MNs can be achieved, which can respond to specific physical/chemical stimuli from the internal or external environment, thereby further improving the accuracy of tumor treatment and reducing toxicity to surrounding tissues/cells. This review systematically summarizes the classification, materials, and reaction mechanisms of stimulus‐responsive MNs, outlines the benefits and challenges of various types of MNs, and details their application and latest progress in cancer treatment. Finally, the development prospects of smart MNs in tumor treatment are also discussed, bringing inspiration for future precision treatment of tumors.
Surface Roughness Effects on Confined Nanoscale Transport of Ions and Biomolecules
Authors: Ma Chaofan , Zheng Fei , Xu Wei , Liu Wei , Xu Changhui , Chen Yunfei , Sha Jingjie
Published: December 2023

Biological channels, especially membrane proteins, play a crucial role in metabolism, facilitating the transport of nutrients and other materials across cell membranes in a bio‐electrolyte environment. Artificial nanopores are employed to study ion and biomolecule transport behavior inside. While the non‐specific interaction between the nanopore surface and transport targets has garnered significant attention, the impact of surface roughness is overlooked. In this study, Nanopores with different levels of inner surface roughness is created by adjusting the FIB (Focus Ion Beam) fabrication parameters. Experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are employed to demonstrate that greater roughness results from larger FIB beam currents and shorter processing times. Lower roughness increases the capture rate of biomolecules, while greater roughness enhances the normalized blockade current (ΔI/I0). The phenomenon of rougher nanopores are attributed to a barrier‐dominated capture mechanism and more likely to induce DNA folding. This transport barrier exists in rough nanopores by utilizing steer molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations to investigate the force profile of a dA10 DNA molecule during translocation is demonstrated. This work illustrates how surface roughness influences the ionic current features and the translocation of biomolecules, paving a new way for tunning the molecule transport in nanopores.
Direct Capturing and Regulating Key Intermediates for High‐Efficiency Oxygen Evolution Reactions
Authors: Qian Zheng‐Xin , Peng Chun‐Kuo , Yue Mu‐Fei , Hsu Liang‐Ching , Zeng Ji‐Shuang , Wei Di‐Ye , Du Zi‐Yu , Xu Ge‐Yang , Zhang Hua , Tian Jing‐Hua , Chen San‐Yuan , Lin Yan‐Gu , Li Jian‐Feng
Published: December 2023

Developing efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts can greatly advance the commercialization of proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. However, the unclear and disputed reaction mechanism and structure‐activity relationship of OER pose significant obstacles. Herein, the active site and intermediate for OER on AuIr nanoalloys are simultaneously identified and correlated with the activity, through the integration of in situ shell‐isolated nanoparticle‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy. The AuIr nanoalloys display excellent OER performance with an overpotential of only 246 mV to achieve 10 mA cm−2 and long‐term stability under strong acidic conditions. Direct spectroscopic evidence demonstrates that *OO adsorbed on IrOx sites is the key intermediate for OER, and it is generated through the O–O coupling of adsorbed oxygen species directly from water, providing clear support for the adsorbate evolution mechanism. Moreover, the Raman information of the *OO intermediate can serve as a universal “in situ descriptor” that can be obtained both experimentally and theoretically to accelerate the catalyst design. It unveils that weakening the interactions of *OO on the catalysts and facilitating its desorption would boost the OER performance. This work deepens the mechanistic understandings on OER and provides insightful guidance for the design of more efficient OER catalysts.
Work‐from‐home impacts on software project: A global study on software development practices and stakeholder perceptions
Authors: Nguyen‐Duc Anh , Khanna Dron , Le Giang Huong , Greer Des , Wang Xiaofeng , Zaina Luciana Martinez , Matturro Gerardo , Melegati Jorge , Guerra Eduardo , Kettunen Petri , Hyrynsalmi Sami , Edison Henry , Sales Afonso , Chanin Rafael , Rutitis Didzis , Kemell Kai‐Kristian , Aldaeej Abdullah , Mikkonen Tommi , Garbajosa Juan , Abrahamsson Pekka
Published: December 2023

Context

The COVID‐19 pandemic has had a disruptive impact on how people work and collaborate across all global economic sectors, including software business. While remote working is not new for software engineers, forced WFH situations come with both limitations and opportunities. As the ‘new normal’ for working might be based on the current state of Work‐from‐home (WFH), it is useful to understand what has happened and learn from that.

Objective

This study aims to gain insights into how their WFH arrangement impacts project management and software engineering. We are also interested in exploring these impacts in different contexts, such as startups and established companies.

Method

We conducted a global‐scale, cross‐sectional survey during the spring and summer 2021. Our results are based on quantitative and qualitative analysis of 297 valid responses.

Results

We characterize the profile of WFH in both spatial and temporal aspects, together with a set of common collaborative tools and coordination and control mechanisms. We revealed some areas of project management that are relatively more challenging during WFH situations, such as coordination, communication and project planning. We also revealed a mixed picture of the perceived impact of WFH on different software engineering activities.

Conclusion

WFH is a situational phenomenon which can have both negative and positive impact on software teams. For practitioners, we suggest a unified approach to consider the context of WFH, collaborative tools, associated coordination and control approaches and a process that resolve those aspects that are sensitive to physical interaction.
Boosting Learners' Confidence in Learning English: Can Self‐Efficacy‐Based Intervention Make a Difference?
Authors: Li Jiajing , Wang Chuang , Zhao Yao , Li Yijie
Published: December 2023

Self‐efficacy is theorized as a malleable construct that can be influenced by teachers' instructions; however, limited effort has been devoted to evaluating the effectiveness of self‐efficacy interventions. This study leverages a mixed methods design to evaluate the effectiveness of a self‐efficacy intervention over 16 weeks among Chinese English as a foreign language learners. Data were collected from 102 secondary school students (52 and 50 students in the intervention and comparison groups, respectively). We also interviewed nine students from the intervention class. Repeated measures mixed analyses of variance were employed to check the changes in self‐efficacy, intrinsic motivation, engagement, and academic achievement over time as well as to detect the differences in these aspects between the comparison and the intervention groups. Moreover, thematic analysis was adopted to handle the qualitative data. Results of the quantitative phase showed that the explicit self‐efficacy supports worked effectively in promoting self‐efficacy, intrinsic motivation, and language proficiency. Results of the qualitative phase triangulated the findings from the quantitative phase, illuminating the broad‐spectrum effect of self‐efficacy support. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Caffeic acid attenuates tissue damage and inflammatory response in Klebsiella pneumonia by modulating AhR‐Src‐STAT3‐IL‐10 signaling pathway
Authors: Chen Mei‐ling , Jiang Hui‐yu , Zeng Jun , Huang Ling , Lv Chuan‐zhu
Published: December 2023

CA is a plant derivative with antibacterial and antiviral pharmacological effects, however, the therapeutic effect of CA on Klebsiella pneumonia and its mechanism study is still unclear. A rat KP model was established in vitro, a pneumonia cell model was established in vivo, the histopathological changes in the lungs were observed by HE staining after CA treatment, the expression of relevant inflammatory factors was detected by ELISA, the changes in the expression of proteins related to the AhR‐Src‐STAT3‐IL‐10 signaling pathway were detected by Western blot and immunofluorescence in the lungs, and the interactions between the proteins were verified by COIP relationship. The results showed that CA was able to attenuate the injury and inflammatory response of lung tissues, and molecular docking showed that there were binding sites between CA and AhR, and COIP demonstrated that AhR interacted with both STAT3 and Ser. In addition, CA was able to up‐regulate the expression levels of pathway‐related proteins of AhR, IL‐10, p‐Src, and p‐STAT3, and AhR knockdown was able to reduce LPS‐induced inflammatory responses and up‐regulate pathway‐related proteins, whereas CA treatment of AhR‐knockdown‐treated A549 cells did not show any statistically significant difference compared with the AhR knockdown group, demonstrating that CA exerts its pharmacological effects. These findings elucidated the mechanism of CA in the treatment of KP and demonstrated that CA is a potential therapeutic agent for KP.
Repeated intratracheal instillation of whole‐cigarette smoke condensate to assess lung damage in a rat model
Authors: Kim Jinhee , Cho Yoon , Oh Gi‐Jun , Park Hae‐Bin , Yang Mi Jin , Park Chul‐Min , Kim Yong‐Hyun , Choi Kyung‐Chul , Go Ryeo‐Eun , Kim Min‐Seok
Published: December 2023

Cigarette smoke induces an inflammatory response in the lungs by recruiting inflammatory cells, leading to lung diseases such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary fibrosis. Existing inhalation exposure methods for assessing the adverse effects of cigarette smoke require expensive equipment and are labor‐intensive. Therefore, we attempted to develop a novel method to assess these adverse effects using intratracheal instillation (ITI) of whole cigarette smoke condensate (WCSC). The WCSC (0, 5, 10, or 20 mg/mL) was administered by ITI once daily for 6 or 12 days using an automatic video instillator. Repeated WCSC ITI increased the lung weight, and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1), neutrophil, and lymphocyte levels within bronchoalveolar lavage fluid compared to the control. In the histopathological analysis of the lung tissue, a mild inflammatory response was observed in the 6 and 12 days 20 mg/mL WCSC exposure groups. The genome‐wide RNA‐seq expression patterns revealed that inflammatory and immune response‐related genes, such as the chemokine signaling pathway, Th1/Th2 cell differentiation, and cytokine‐cytokine receptor interaction, were employed following WCSC exposure. In addition, MCP‐1 was time‐dependent and increased in the 10 mg/mL exposure group compared to the control group. These results suggested that the WCSC might induce the potential pulmonary inflammatory response. Furthermore, we proposed that ITI may be a rapid and effective method of evaluating the adverse effects of WCSC within a short exposure period (less than 2 weeks), and it can be used to evaluate cigarette inhalation toxicity studies as an alternative method.
Diagnosis and surgical management of a type IVb dermoid sinus in a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Authors: Danciu Cecilia‐Gabriella , Briola Chiara , Volckaert Veerle , McCready Daniella , Pittaway Rachel , Fitzmaurice Sue
Published: December 2023

A 6‐year‐old, male, neutered Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog was referred with a 4‐year history of an intermittently draining fistula on the midline of the frontal bones of the skull. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scan of the head demonstrated an extra‐axial mass in the midline between the frontal lobes, contacting the meninges and extending rostrally through a defect in the frontal bones. The mass was surgically excised via a frontal craniotomy. Histopathology of the mass demonstrated stratified squamous and keratinising epithelium with adnexal structures, consistent with the diagnosis of a dermoid sinus. Previous reports have documented dermoid sinuses in the nasal region in dogs and cats with intracranial extension. This case report documents a dermoid sinus in the frontal region with intracranial extension in a dog, confirmed by advanced diagnostic imaging, histopathology, and successfully treated surgically.
Poverty, Income Inequalities and Migration in the Global South
Authors: Casentini Giulia , Hammond Laura , Bakewell Oliver
Published: December 2023

In this chapter, we critically engage with the existing literature to explore how the condition of countries of origin, the situation in countries of destination and the role of remittances relate to the key analytical instruments of poverty and income inequalities. We analyse the ways in which income inequalities contribute to patterns of migration; the mechanisms by which resources are transferred back to places of origin and their impacts on poverty and income inequalities; and the impact of migration on patterns of inequalities in places where people move. We discuss whether migration can play a role in reducing income inequality, by helping increase incomes and contribute to poverty alleviation, or whether it is a very selective phenomenon that tends to exacerbate inequalities. Global South and South–South migration are included in the analysis, albeit through a critical approach, that highlights the need to consider the historical dimensions involved in their creation, the political construction of these categories and the limitations embedded in their theoretical application.
Why, When and How? The Role of Inequality in Migration Decision-making
Authors: Mazzilli Caterina , Hagen-Zanker Jessica , Leon-Himmelstine Carmen
Published: December 2023

This chapter explores how migration decision-making intersects with both tangible and intangible inequalities. We define tangible inequalities as those that can be measured, such as wealth, differences in education or health, while intangible inequalities refer to those that are less observable and more subjective, such as imagination, personality traits, emotions, feelings, beliefs and values based on individual’s perceptions. With the literature on tangible inequalities and migration decision-making being well established, the key contribution of this chapter is to instead amplify emerging literature in the Global South on the synergies between intangible inequalities and migration. First, we show that perceptions of inequality are multi-dimensional, intersectional and overlapping. Second, we argue that focusing on perceptions in addition to quantitative data can dramatically increase our understanding of migration decision-making. Third, we explore how these perceptions are shaped and experienced by migrants at different stages of the migration cycle. Additionally, we also consider the role that policies intended to address inequalities play in migration decision-making, given that such policies are often designed to deter migration from the Global South.
Overcoming and Reproducing Inequalities: Mediated Migration in the “Global South”
Authors: Jones Katharine , Sha Heila , Bhuiyan Mohammad Rashed Alam
Published: December 2023

In many societies, it is not possible to migrate without the assistance of one or more intermediaries, including friends, family, recruiters, travel agents, “smugglers” and many others. In these contexts, brokerage is viewed as a normalised and entirely legitimate cultural practice to navigate many aspects of everyday life. Whilst not new, the nature of intermediaries’ involvement in migration has dramatically transformed over the past 50 years. Today, intermediaries are significant actors in influencing how migration happens, migrants’ experiences of migration as well as in shaping developmental outcomes. From migrants’ perspectives, intermediaries make mobility possible in a world in which immobility is often the norm. This chapter poses the question: how are global inequalities in relation to migration mediated by intermediaries? To address it, the authors review the relationships between intermediaries, mediated migration and inequalities associated with (1) borders, (2) income and poverty and (3) living in new destinations.
The Design and Use of Digital Technologies in the Context of South–South Migration
Authors: Harindranath G. , Unwin Tim , Lorini Maria Rosa
Published: December 2023

The use and design of digital technologies plays an important role in South–South migration, from migrant decision-making, orientation and route planning, to integration into host communities and connecting with those left behind. Digital technologies can be leveraged to increase access to opportunities and rights for migrants, thereby boosting migration’s developmental benefits at the interface between migrants and host communities. Yet structural inequalities in migration contexts mean that access and use are almost always socially contingent, often leading to further inequalities. This chapter outlines key themes from the existing literature on migrant use of digital technologies in the context of South–South migration drawing also on new data generated through the MIDEQ Hub.
The Governance of South–South Migration: Same or Different?
Authors: Carella Francesco
Published: December 2023

While trying to pinpoint some features that distinguish South–South migration from migration to the Global North, this chapter reflects on the challenges of defining South–South migration, since the concept of Global South itself is deliberately vague and flexible. The chapter approaches South–South migration as a complex and diverse phenomenon, the governance of which is rendered particularly challenging by inequalities at the global level, as well as between southern countries and within them. Since South–South migration often occurs in challenging contexts characterised, among others, by the prevalence of labour market informality, irregular status and/or temporariness, it requires southern responses adapted to specific needs. The chapter considers the implications of these characteristics of migration between the countries of the Global South for migration governance policies, identifying some tools, practices and guidance for policy and programmatic responses that can facilitate the good governance of South–South migration and the protection of the rights of migrants and refugees in the Global South.
Perú and Migration from Venezuela: From Early Adjustment to Policy Misalignment
Authors: Mazza Jacqueline , Villarreal Nicolás Forero
Published: December 2023

Perú has become the second largest recipient of Venezuelan migrants worldwide with more than 1.5 million arriving by December 2022. The country’s policies towards Venezuelan migrants changed sharply over the seven years of Venezuela’s forced migration crisis. In a first policy phase (2015–2018), Perú was openly accommodating to Venezuelans, providing a special work permit, and welcoming their socio-economic inclusion. The policy swerved sharply towards restriction and exclusion beginning with President Martin Vizcarra. Under Phase II (2018–March 2020), Perú restricted legal migration, erecting criteria that it knew were difficult to comply with. Perú’s restrictive policies are found in this chapter to be both ineffective in reducing forced migration flows and counterproductive by inducing the greater marginalisation of Venezuelan migrants that only accelerated during the third phase brought on by the COVID-19 health crisis. Perú’s restrictive policies, the chapter concludes, were increasingly misaligned with the dynamics of forced migration and ultimately undermined Perú’s own socio-economic and political development as a result.
Unfair and Unjust: Temporary Labour Migration Programmes in and from Asia and the Pacific as Barriers to Migrant Justice
Authors: Oberoi Pia , Sheill Kate
Published: December 2023

Temporary labour migration programmes (TLMPs) are the most available option for regular migration available to low-wage migrant workers from Asia and the Pacific, and widely promoted by States and international actors as a development solution. This is in spite of longstanding evidence that such programmes carry considerable risks to the rights and well-being of the migrants on the programmes and for their families including in their access to justice. Many are consistently excluded by policy or practice from access to justice and remedies for human rights abuses whether in or outside the workplace. This chapter concurs that enhancing remedy for migrant workers is important, but we seek to go further in advocating for a comprehensive rights-based approach to labour migration that considers the migrant as fully human, with life and rights beyond the workplace. Building from an understanding of social justice as a societal organising principle that centres fairness in relations between individuals within society, this chapter takes an intersectional lens to argue that TLMPs are fundamentally unfair from both a human rights and social justice perspective and calls for systemic policy reform of labour migration pathways along these migration corridors.
Global Trends in South–South Migration
Authors: Schewel Kerilyn , Debray Alix
Published: December 2023

Over one-third of all international migration is between countries of the Global South, a greater share than South–North migration in 2020. This chapter reviews global, regional, and county-level trends in South–South migration between 1990 and 2020 using the most geographically comprehensive database available on international migrant stocks (UN DESA, 2020). It shows most migrants from the Global South move to countries within their home region, particularly in areas like Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and South America. However, extra-regional migration is on the rise as more international migrants travel further distances. Migration from South Asia to the Middle East is now the largest South–South migration corridor in the world.
Connecting Agile with Theory of Change
Authors: Eckstein Jutta , Holyer Steve
Published: December 2023

The majority of non-profit organizations, including those in the sustainability sector, use Theory of Change to define, plan, and evaluate their change initiatives [14, 26]. “Theory of Change is essentially a comprehensive description and illustration of how and why a desired change is expected to happen in a particular context.” [5] Both, Theory of Change and Agile acknowledge that before a plan is validated by implementation, everything is an assumption and all assumptions may have to change until validated by delivery. Therefore, planning and evaluation must both be responsive to change, and both must incorporate new learning. This paper presents an overview of Theory of Change and examines how it can align and connect with Agile. The agile community is starting to take more responsibility for sustainability, and it is beginning to support the sustainability sector as the second appearance of the “Workshop on Agile Sustainability” at the XP 2022 conference shows. However, when supporting the sustainability sector, agile practitioners are likely to encounter Theory of Change, and they will need to understand it. Thus, this paper provides an overview of Theory of Change and identifies connections between the Theory of Change approach and agile mindsets, methods, and practices. This will especially help and encourage agile practitioners to support the sustainability sector.
Industry Expectations for Product Ops Professionals: A Review of Job Advertisements
Authors: Moroz Bogdan , Saltan Andrey , Hyrynsalmi Sami
Published: December 2023

This paper aims to provide clarity on the emerging role of Product Operations (Product Ops) in software-developing organizations. As organizations increasingly acknowledge the benefits of having a dedicated Product Ops function, inconsistencies and uncertainties surrounding the role’s responsibilities persist. By analyzing job advertisements for Product Ops positions, this study identifies and categorizes the expected skills and responsibilities, subsequently ranking them by frequency. The results offer a clearer understanding of the Product Ops role based on industry expectations expressed in the job postings.
Unveiling the Spectrum of Hybrid Work in Software Engineering: Research Directions
Authors: Paasivaara Maria , Wang Xiaofeng
Published: December 2023

Despite the heated debate on whether hybrid work would be the new normal in the post-pandemic world, it is an exciting, if not new, research phenomenon for Software Engineering (SE) researchers. Hybrid work has a wide range of dimensions and aspects that need exploration and understanding for modern software companies to truly benefit from it. In this paper, we propose a framework that incorporates multiple perspectives on hybrid work in software engineering. We applied the framework to group a set of research topics collected at the GoHyb (Global and Hybrid Work in Software Engineering) workshop collocated with the XP2023 conference, and extrapolated some new topics based on the framework, to demonstrate various research questions that can be asked on hybrid work in software engineering. We conclude the paper with a remark on the need of more contextual and nuanced understanding of hybrid work in software engineering.
Survey of AI Tool Usage in Programming Course: Early Observations
Authors: Saari Mika , Rantanen Petri , Nurminen Mikko , Kilamo Terhi , Systä Kari , Abrahamsson Pekka
Published: December 2023

This study explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in university teaching, with a focus on the teaching of programming. Despite the growing use of AI in education, both students and teachers often struggle to understand its role and implications. To address this gap, we conducted a survey of a wide group of students (n = 200) to assess their experiences and perspectives on the use of AI in programming education. The survey results suggest that AI is becoming increasingly involved in university teaching, particularly in the teaching of programming. However, students require guidance from teachers in order to use AI tools effectively in their studies. The study concludes that the goal of teaching programming should be to guide students in the responsible use of AI. Overall, the study highlights the need for greater awareness and understanding of AI in university teaching and the fact that teachers have an important role to play in providing guidance to students on the responsible use of AI tools.
ChatGPT as a Fullstack Web Developer - Early Results
Authors: Abrahamsson Pekka , Anttila Tatu , Hakala Jyri , Ketola Juulia , Knappe Anna , Lahtinen Daniel , Liukko Väinö , Poranen Timo , Ritala Topi-Matti , Setälä Manu
Published: December 2023

The arrival of ChatGPT has caused a lot of turbulence also in the field of software engineering in the past few months. Little is empirically known about the capabilities of ChatGPT to actually implement a complete system rather than a few code snippets. This paper reports the first-hand experiences from a graduate level student project where a real-life software platform for financial sector was implemented from the scratch by using ChatGPT for all possible software engineering tasks. The main conclusions drawn are as follows: 1) these findings demonstrate the potential for ChatGPT to be integrated into the software engineering workflow, 2) it can be used for creating a base for new components and for dividing coding tasks into smaller pieces, and 3) noticeable enhancements in ChatGPT-4, compared to ChatGPT-3.5, indicate superior working memory and the ability to continue incomplete responses, thereby leading to more coherent and less repetitive dialogues.
SVD entanglement entropy
Authors: Parzygnat Arthur J. , Takayanagi Tadashi , Taki Yusuke , Wei Zixia
Published: December 2023

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce a new quantity called SVD entanglement entropy. This is a generalization of entanglement entropy in that it depends on two different states, as in pre- and post-selection processes. This SVD entanglement entropy takes non-negative real values and is bounded by the logarithm of the Hilbert space dimensions. The SVD entanglement entropy can be interpreted as the average number of Bell pairs distillable from intermediates states. We observe that the SVD entanglement entropy gets enhanced when the two states are in the different quantum phases in an explicit example of the transverse-field Ising model. Moreover, we calculate the Rényi SVD entropy in various field theories and examine holographic calculations using the AdS/CFT correspondence.
Narain CFTs from nonbinary stabilizer codes
Authors: Alam Yasin Ferdous , Kawabata Kohki , Nishioka Tatsuma , Okuda Takuya , Yahagi Shinichiro
Published: December 2023

Abstract

We generalize the construction of Narain conformal field theories (CFTs) from qudit stabilizer codes to the construction from quantum stabilizer codes over the finite field of prime power order ($$ {\mathbbm{F}}_{p^m} $$

F

p
m

with p prime and m ≥ 1) or over the ring ℤk with k > 1. Our construction results in rational CFTs, which cover a larger set of points in the moduli space of Narain CFTs than the previous one. We also propose a correspondence between a quantum stabilizer code with non-zero logical qubits and a finite set of Narain CFTs. We illustrate the correspondence with well-known stabilizer codes.
Moduli space reconstruction and Weak Gravity
Authors: Gendler Naomi , Heidenreich Ben , McAllister Liam , Moritz Jakob , Rudelius Tom
Published: December 2023

Abstract

We present a method to construct the extended Kähler cone of any Calabi-Yau threefold by using Gopakumar-Vafa invariants to identify all geometric phases that are related by flops or Weyl reflections. In this way we obtain the Kähler moduli spaces of all favorable Calabi-Yau threefold hypersurfaces with h1,1 ≤ 4, including toric and non-toric phases. In this setting we perform an explicit test of the Weak Gravity Conjecture by using the Gopakumar-Vafa invariants to count BPS states. All of our examples satisfy the tower/sublattice WGC, and in fact they even satisfy the stronger lattice WGC.
Stability of the Spectral Gap and Ground State Indistinguishability for a Decorated AKLT Model
Authors: Lucia Angelo , Moon Alvin , Young Amanda
Published: December 2023

We use cluster expansion methods to establish local the indistiguishability of the finite volume ground states for the AKLT model on decorated hexagonal lattices with decoration parameter at least 5. Our estimates imply that the model satisfies local topological quantum order, and so, the spectral gap above the ground state is stable against local perturbations.
Liver condition of 0 and 1-group cod (Gadus morhua) in the Barents Sea
Authors: Langnes Øyvind , Eriksen Elena , Folkvord Arild
Published: December 2023

Liver condition is hypothesized to be a better condition index for juvenile cod than other somatic condition indices, since cod store most of their excess energy in their liver. It is suggested that population changes in liver condition can be used as a proxy for overwinter mortality. Here, we have collected 0- and 1-group cod from the same cohort in the Barents Sea before and at the end of the winter season. We have taken measurements for somatic- and liver-based condition indices, as well as enumerating nematode endoparasites found in each individual cod. The average wet weight of sampled cod increased by 85% (approx. 0.4% day−1) from 6.0 to 10.1 g from September to February, while the average liver wet weight decreased by 15%. The relative water content of the liver also increased significantly over the winter, resulting in a 42% reduction in average dry liver weight from 0.116 to 0.067 g over the 4–5-month period between samplings. About 30% of the 1-group cod surviving the winter had less than 20% of the liver energy content of same-sized 0-group cod. The liver condition was also 5–10% lower in cod with high nematode endoparasite load than the cod without nematode endoparasites. The significance of the loss of liver energy content is discussed in relation to the marked seasonality combined with climate change and the challenges this imposes on the survival of 0-group cod in high-latitude environments during their first winter.