bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ExitSniffer: Towards Comprehensive Security Analysis of Anomalous Binding Relationship of Exit Routers
Authors: Zhang Qingfeng , Wang Xuebin , Shi Jinqiao , Wang Meiqi , Gao Yue , Zhao Can
Published: January 2022

Tor exit relays are operated by volunteers and the trustworthiness of Tor exit relays need to be revisited in a long-term manner. In this paper, we monitored the Tor network by developing a fast and distributed exit relay scanner (ExitSniffer) to probe all exit relays over a period of 16 months continuously, seeking to expose the anomalous binding relationship phenomena of exit routers simply by comparing the returnIP and consensusIP. We totally find 1983 malicious exit relays which average contribute 10.12% bandwidth of total Tor exit relays bandwidth monthly, resulting tremendous threaten for Tor user’s anonymity according to the current path-relay selecting algorithm. There exits two types of anomalous binding relationship consists 35 exit relay families, with different size ranging from 2 to 230, which are neither announced in the consensus document or detected by the Tor network.
Intelligent Evaluation of Global Spinal Alignment by a Decentralized Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Nguyen Thong Phi , Jung Ji Won , Yoo Yong Jin , Choi Sung Hoon , Yoon Jonghun
Published: January 2022

Degenerative changes of the spine can cause spinal misalignment, with part of the spine arching beyond normal limits or moving in an incorrect direction, potentially resulting in back pain and significantly limiting a person’s mobility. The most important parameters related to spinal misalignment include pelvic incidence, pelvic tilt, lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, and cervical lordosis. As a general rule, alignment of the spine for diagnosis and surgical treatment is estimated based on geometrical parameters measured manually by experienced doctors. However, these measurements consume the time and effort of experts to perform repetitive tasks that could be automated, especially with the powerful support of current artificial intelligence techniques. This paper focuses on creation of a decentralized convolutional neural network to precisely measure 12 spinal alignment parameters. Specifically, this method is based on detecting regions of interest with its dimensions that decrease by three orders of magnitude to focus on the necessary region to provide the output as key points. Using these key points, parameters representing spinal alignment are calculated. The quality of the method’s performance, which is the consistency of the measurement results with manual measurement, is validated by 30 test cases and shows 10 of 12 parameters with a correlation coefficient > 0.8, with pelvic tilt having the smallest absolute deviation of 1.156°.
Subcutaneous Low-Density Foreign Bodies Detection via Grating-Based Multimodal X-ray Imaging
Authors: Yin Meifang , Yuan Mingzhou , Deng Kai , Li Jing , Zhang Guangya , Zhu Jiayuan , Xie Weiping , Wu Jun
Published: January 2022

Detecting low-density foreign bodies within soft tissues still stands for a serious challenge. Grating-based multimodal X-ray imaging typically has low hardware requirements while simultaneously providing three kinds of imaging information, i.e., absorption, phase-contrast, and dark-field. We aimed to explore the capacity of grating-based multimodal X-ray imaging technology for detecting common foreign bodies within subcutaneous tissues, and to assess the advantages as well as disadvantages of the three kinds of images obtained via grating-based X-ray multimodal technology in relation to diverse kinds of foreign bodies within different tissues. In this study, metal, glass, wood, plastic, graphite, and ceramic foreign bodies were injected into chunks of the pig adipose tissue and chicken thigh muscles. Next, a grating-based multimodal X-ray imaging device developed in our laboratory was used to detect the above foreign bodies within the adipose and muscle tissues. Our results show that grating-based multimodal X-ray imaging clearly revealed the subcutaneous foreign bodies within the adipose and muscle tissues by acquiring complementary absorption, phase-contrast, and dark-field imaging data in a single shot. Grating-based multimodal X-ray imaging has an exciting potential to detect foreign bodies underneath the epidermis.
Downregulated Calcium-Binding Protein S100A16 and HSP27 in Placenta-Derived Multipotent Cells Induce Functional Astrocyte Differentiation
Authors: Cheng Yu-Che , Huang Chi-Jung , Ku Wei-Chi , Guo Shu-Lin , Tien Lu-Tai , Lee Yih-Jing , Chien Chih-Cheng
Published: January 2022

Little is known about genes that induce stem cells differentiation into astrocytes. We previously described that heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) downregulation is directly related to neural differentiation under chemical induction in placenta-derived multipotent stem cells (PDMCs). Using this neural differentiation cell model, we cross-compared transcriptomic and proteomic data and selected 26 candidate genes with the same expression trends in both omics analyses. Those genes were further compared with a transcriptomic database derived from Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Eighteen out of 26 candidates showed opposite expression trends between our data and the AD database. The mRNA and protein expression levels of those candidates showed downregulation of HSP27, S100 calcium-binding protein A16 (S100A16) and two other genes in our neural differentiation cell model. Silencing these four genes with various combinations showed that co-silencing HSP27 and S100A16 has stronger effects than other combinations for astrocyte differentiation. The induced astrocyte showed typical astrocytic star-shape and developed with ramified, stringy and filamentous processes as well as differentiated endfoot structures. Also, some of them connected with each other and formed continuous network. Immunofluorescence quantification of various neural markers indicated that HSP27 and S100A16 downregulation mainly drive PDMCs differentiation into astrocytes. Immunofluorescence and confocal microscopic images showed the classical star-like shape morphology and co-expression of crucial astrocyte markers in induced astrocytes, while electrophysiology and Ca2+ influx examination further confirmed their functional characteristics. In conclusion, co-silencing of S100A16 and HSP27 without chemical induction leads to PDMCs differentiation into functional astrocytes.

Graphical abstract
Comparison of a computer vision system against three-dimensional motion capture for tracking football movements in a stadium environment
Authors: Aughey Robert J. , Ball Kevin , Robertson Sam J. , Duthie Grant M. , Serpiello Fabio R. , Evans Nicolas , Spencer Bartholomew , Ellens Susanne , Cust Emily , Haycraft Jade , Billingham Johsan
Published: January 2022

Three-dimensional motion capture systems such as Vicon have been used to validate commercial electronic performance and tracking systems. However, three-dimensional motion capture cannot be used for large capture areas such as a full football pitch due to the need for many fragile cameras to be placed around the capture volume and a lack of suitable depth of field of those cameras. There is a need, therefore, for a hybrid testing solution for commercial electronic performance and tracking systems using highly precise three-dimensional motion capture in a small test area and a computer vision system in other areas to test for full-pitch coverage by the commercial systems. This study aimed to establish the validity of VisionKit computer vision system against three-dimensional motion capture in a stadium environment. Ten participants undertook a series of football-specific movement tasks, including a circuit, small-sided games and a 20 m sprint. There was strong agreement between VisionKit and three-dimensional motion capture across each activity undertaken. The root mean square difference for speed was 0.04 m·s−1 and for position was 0.18 m. VisionKit had strong agreement with the criterion three-dimensional motion capture system three-dimensional motion capture for football-related movements tested in stadium environments. VisionKit can thus be used to establish the concurrent validity of other electronic performance and tracking systems in circumstances where three-dimensional motion capture cannot be used.
Een rookvrije omgeving in het belang van het kind
Authors: Faber Timor , Breunis Leonieke J. , Been Jasper V. , Toebes Brigit
Published: January 2022

Samenvatting

Kinderen die worden blootgesteld aan tabaksrook hebben vaker (levenslange) gezondheidsproblemen. Toch ademen nog veel kinderen in Nederland tabaksrook in. Rookvrije wetgeving is een krachtig middel om kinderen te beschermen tegen tabaksrook. Hierdoor worden minder baby’s te vroeg geboren en minder kinderen in het ziekenhuis opgenomen voor luchtweginfecties of ernstige astma-aanvallen. Onderzoek toont aan dat hoe meer plekken onder deze wetgeving vallen, hoe groter het gezondheidseffect is. Internationale juridische standaarden, waar Nederland aan gebonden is, nopen tot het invoeren van verder strekkende rookvrije wetgeving.
Ongewenste effecten van voorlichting over recreatief drugsgebruik
Authors: Spronk Desirée B. , Voorham Lotte , Goossens Ferry X.
Published: January 2022

Samenvatting

In Nederland is drugspreventie een belangrijk onderdeel van het drugsbeleid. Harm reduction-interventies die zich richten op voorlichting over recreatief drugsgebruik vormen daarbinnen een belangrijke categorie. De nadruk ligt hierbij op het voorkómen van gezondheidsschade bij gebruik en niet zozeer op het voorkómen van het drugsgebruik op zich. Tegen de achtergrond van een stijging in het gebruik van verschillende soorten drugs is het van belang om kritisch te blijven en na te gaan of er bij voorlichting over recreatief drugsgebruik ook ongewenste effecten optreden. We presenteren hieronder een praktisch toetsingskader dat ondersteuning biedt bij het inschatten van eventuele ongewenste effecten bij dit type harm reduction-interventies.
Samenwerking tussen zorg- en hulpverleners in de achterstandswijk Overvecht
Authors: Leemrijse Chantal , Bitter Neis , Korevaar Joke
Published: January 2022

Samenvatting

Utrecht Overvecht is een achterstandswijk met ruim 34.000 inwoners. Veel inwoners (18%) hebben een bijstandsuitkering en de ervaren gezondheid is laag. Professionals uit de eerstelijnszorg en het sociale domein werken samen in de wijkaanpak Krachtige basiszorg. Gezamenlijk bieden zij geïntegreerde persoonsgerichte zorg dicht bij huis voor mensen met een stapeling van medische en sociaal-maatschappelijke problemen. Professionals zijn enthousiast omdat zij betere zorg kunnen bieden door samenwerking, maar zien ook ruimte voor verbetering.
Dertig jaar preventie van alcohol, roken en drugs op scholen
Authors: Lammers Jeroen , Onrust Simone , Maat Marianne
Published: January 2022

Samenvatting

Helder op School is het preventieprogramma voor scholen die aandacht willen schenken aan de preventie van alcohol, tabak, drugs en problematisch gamen. Het biedt handvatten voor basisscholen, middelbare scholen (inclusief het speciaal onderwijs), het mbo en het hbo/wo. Vanuit het programma worden interventies ontwikkeld, geïmplementeerd en onderzocht op effectiviteit. De brede opzet is de kracht van het programma, er wordt gewerkt vanuit de vier pijlers van Gezonde School: educatie, beleid, signaleren & zorg, en omgeving. Helder op School is de nieuwe naam voor De Gezonde School en Genotmiddelen, dat in 2019 zijn dertigjarig jubileum vierde. Dit artikel beschrijft de geschiedenis van het programma, de ontwikkeling die het heeft doorgemaakt, de wetenschappelijke fundering en de implementatiestructuur. Aan het eind volgt een aantal uitdagingen voor de toekomst.
Bevordering van mondgezondheid door jeugdartsen en jeugdverpleegkundigen op het consultatiebureau
Authors: van Spreuwel Peggy C. J. M. , Jerkovic-Cosic Katarina , Grift Brenda G. , van Loveren Cor , van der Heijden Geert J. M. G.
Published: January 2022

Samenvatting

Inleiding

Het doel van dit vragenlijstonderzoek was om de attitude, kennis, informatiebehoefte en uitvoering van mondgezondheidsbevordering door jeugdartsen en jeugdverpleegkundigen op het consultatiebureau in kaart te brengen.

Methode

Tien jeugdgezondheidszorginstanties hebben een digitale vragenlijst over kennis, attitude en uitvoering van mondgezondheidsbevordering binnen hun organisatie verspreid. Jeugdartsen en jeugdverpleegkundigen werden gevraagd de vragenlijst in te vullen. Informatie werd verzameld over: 1) demografische kenmerken; 2) kennis over cariësrisicofactoren; 3) attitude ten opzichte van mondgezondheid; 4) uitvoering van mondgezondheidsbevordering tijdens consulten bij kinderen tot vier jaar; en 5) informatiebehoefte. De antwoorden van jeugdartsen en jeugdverpleegkundigen worden apart gepresenteerd.

Resultaten

Er zijn 146 vragenlijsten van 61 verschillende consultatiebureaus geanalyseerd. Respondenten hadden een positieve attitude en een meerderheid heeft voldoende basale kennis over cariësrisicofactoren. Tijdens een consult verwijst een minderheid (45%) actief naar een mondzorgprofessional voor preventie; 62% kijkt wel eens in de mond van een kind en 36% vindt dat er onvoldoende aandacht is voor mondgezondheidsbevordering op het consultatiebureau. Als reden daarvoor worden tijdsdruk, prioritering van te bespreken onderwerpen en gebrek aan kennis het meest genoemd.

Conclusie

Ondanks een positieve attitude en basale kennis over cariësrisicofactoren krijgt mondgezondheidsbevordering onvoldoende aandacht op het consultatiebureau. Mondgezondheidsbevordering op consultatiebureaus vraagt om een hogere prioriteit.
Onderdiagnostiek bij kanker door de COVID-19-crisis naar diagnose, leeftijd en provincie
Authors: Uyl-de Groot Carin A. , Schuurman Melinda S. , Huijgens Peter C. , Praagman Jaike
Published: January 2022

Samenvatting

De COVID-19-crisis en de intelligente lockdown hebben ertoe geleid dat het Nederlandse zorgsysteem maandenlang voor niet-COVID-patiënten op slot kwam te zitten. Patiënten durfden of konden niet naar hun huisarts, huisartsen waren terughoudend met doorverwijzingen naar het ziekenhuis en de zorg- en diagnostische processen werden vertraagd of aangepast. Dit gold ook voor kankerpatiënten. Hoe ernstig deze onderdiagnostiek is voor de prognose van de kankerpatiënt, hangt vooral af van kenmerken van de betreffende soorten kanker. In dit onderzoek hebben we de onderdiagnostiek in kaart gebracht met behulp van gegevens uit de Nederlandse Kankerregistratie en het Pathologisch-Anatomisch Landelijk Geautomatiseerd Archief. Vanaf de week waarin de eerste COVID-19-patiënt in Nederland werd gediagnosticeerd, is een daling van 20–40% in het aantal kankerdiagnoses te zien. De daling geldt voor vrijwel alle tumorsoorten, ook voor kankers waarbij het niet tijdig stellen van de diagnose levensbedreigend is, zoals bij patiënten met kanker in de luchtwegen (gemiddeld 23%) en het hoofd-halsgebied (gemiddeld 36%), en bij hematologie (gemiddeld 26%). Er moet meer aandacht komen voor de gesignaleerde onderdiagnostiek en de rol van de eerstelijnszorgverleners, zoals huisartsen en tandartsen. Daarbij is het zeer belangrijk dat patiënten altijd het vertrouwen houden dat ze bij klachten hun zorgverlener kunnen raadplegen.
Het succes van de buurtsportcoach: vertrouwen, maatwerk en continuïteit
Authors: de Jeu André , Stroet Marjon
Published: January 2022

Samenvatting

In 2008, toen de combinatiefuncties werden ingevoerd, kon niemand nog bevroeden dat deze functie, tegenwoordig de buurtsportcoach genoemd, een groot succes zou worden. Anno 2021 doen vrijwel alle gemeenten in Nederland mee met wat inmiddels de Brede Regeling Combinatiefuncties heet. Zo heeft ook Sint Eustatius een buurtsportcoach. De waarde van de buursportcoach voor het gaan en blijven bewegen van mensen heeft zich inmiddels bewezen. De Vereniging Sport en Gemeente (VSG), nauw gelieerd aan de Vereniging Nederlandse Gemeenten (VNG), speelt vanaf het begin een actieve en belangrijke coördinerende rol bij het implementeren van de functie buurtsportcoach in Nederland. Belangrijke succesfactor van de gehanteerde strategie is: werken vanuit vertrouwen, maatwerk en continuïteit. In dit artikel wordt ingegaan op de verschillende regelingen rond de combinatiefuncties en de buurtsportcoach, de gehanteerde strategie om te komen waar we nu staan en perspectieven voor de nabije toekomst.
Erratum to: Werken vanuit plekken in het echte leven
Authors: Lettinga Ant , Slagter Martian , Merkelijn Ellis , Meijering Louise
Published: January 2022

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12508-020-00286-4
Wat werkt in een integrale aanpak van overgewicht voor mensen met een lage sociaaleconomische status en/of een niet westerse migratieachtergrond?
Authors: Dellas Vicky , Collard Dorine , Verbaan Caro-Lynn , Beune Erik , Wagemakers Annemarie
Published: January 2022

Samenvatting

Het percentage mensen met ernstig overgewicht neemt de komende jaren toe, vooral onder mensen met een kwetsbare positie, zoals groeperingen met een lage sociaaleconomische status (SES) en/of een niet-westerse migratieachtergrond. Overgewicht is een complex probleem dat vraagt om een integrale aanpak. Het doel van dit onderzoek is het voor deze doelgroepen identificeren van potentieel werkzame elementen van een integrale aanpak gericht op overgewicht. In dit exploratief kwalitatieve onderzoek zijn twaalf groepsinterviews met 25 professionals en vier focusgroepgesprekken met 24 mensen uit de doelgroep gehouden. In totaal zijn 41 potentieel werkzame elementen geïdentificeerd voor een succesvolle integrale aanpak. Deze zijn ingedeeld op het individuele, programma, gemeentelijk en landelijk niveau, en op de sociale en fysieke omgeving. Hiervan hebben achttien potentieel werkzame elementen specifiek betrekking op mensen met een lage SES en/of niet-westerse migratieachtergrond. Daarnaast zijn vier competenties van professionals geïdentificeerd die in potentie kunnen bijdrage aan een werkzame integrale aanpak: verbinden, durven, integraal werken, volhouden. De twee randvoorwaarden tijd en financiële middelen lijken relevant op alle niveaus. Dit exploratieve onderzoek laat zien dat een integrale aanpak van professionals niet alleen vraagt dat zij verschillende potentieel werkzame elementen (tegelijkertijd) inzetten, maar ook dat ze zich continu en proactief inspannen om dit te realiseren.
Dissecting cricket genomes for the advancement of entomology and entomophagy
Authors: Kataoka Kosuke , Togawa Yuki , Sanno Ryuto , Asahi Toru , Yura Kei
Published: January 2022

Significant advances in biophysical methods such as next-generation sequencing technologies have now opened the way to conduct evolutionary and applied research based on the genomic information of greatly diverse insects. Crickets belonging to Orthoptera (Insecta: Polyneoptera), one of the most flourishing groups of insects, have contributed to the development of multiple scientific fields including developmental biology and neuroscience and have been attractive targets in evolutionary ecology for their diverse ecological niches. In addition, crickets have recently gained recognition as food and feed. However, the genomic information underlying their biological basis and application research toward breeding is currently underrepresented. In this review, we summarize the progress of genomics of crickets. First, we outline the phylogenetic position of crickets in insects and then introduce recent studies on cricket genomics and transcriptomics in a variety of fields. Furthermore, we present findings from our analysis of polyneopteran genomes, with a particular focus on their large genome sizes, chromosome number, and repetitive sequences. Finally, how the cricket genome can be beneficial to the food industry is discussed. This review is expected to enhance greater recognition of how important the cricket genomes are to the multiple biological fields and how basic research based on cricket genome information can contribute to tackling global food security.
Determination of notch factors for transverse non-load carrying stiffeners based on numerical analysis and metamodeling
Authors: Neuhäusler Josef , Rother Klemens
Published: January 2022

Stress concentration factors (SCFs) at weld toes and weld roots as required for the effective notch stress concept (see [1, 2]) are usually computed using finite element analysis (FEA) which requires a certain amount of effort for model generation, the solving process, and postprocessing. Regression functions of many FEAs within given parameter bounds provide the possibility of a fast prediction of SCFs. This paper provides new and accurate regression formulae for the estimation of notch stresses at idealized weld geometries on the basis of multiple linear-elastic FEAs for the transverse stiffener (non-load carrying T-joint) under tension and bending of the load carrying slab. Regression of sampled finite element results has been performed using (a) second-order polynomial regression with coupling terms (PRC) and (b) artificial neural networks (ANN). The presented formulae are compared with several existing estimations of stress concentration factors. The new methods appear to show a higher quality of prognosis as well as apply to significant larger ranges of the geometrical parameters of the weld joint. The formulae presented here for the transverse stiffener add another welded joint to a series of similar surrogate models presented from Munich University of Applied Sciences in earlier publications and made available for use by the web-based tool SCF-Predictor.
Strategies to Mitigate the Effects of Soil Physical Disturbances Caused by Forest Machinery: a Comprehensive Review
Authors: Labelle Eric R. , Hansson Linnea , Högbom Lars , Jourgholami Meghdad , Laschi Andrea
Published: January 2022

Purpose of Review

Ground-based mechanized forest operations can cause severe soil disturbances that are often long lasting and detrimental to the health of forested ecosystems. To reduce these soil disturbances, focus is being increasingly directed at identifying and using appropriate mitigation techniques. This systematic review considered 104 scientific articles and reported the main findings according to four core themes: terrain-related factors, operational planning, machine modifications, and types of amendments used to mitigate machine-induced soil impacts.

Recent Findings

For terrain-related factors, most severe disturbances occur on machine operating trails exceeding 20% slope and that soil bulk density and rut depth show greater increases in fine-textured soils. When considering operational planning, trafficability maps proved to be helpful in reducing the frequency and magnitude of soil damages as well as the length of trails needed within harvest sites, especially if they are regularly updated with weather information. Machine modifications, through high flotation tires, use of extra bogie axle, lower inflation pressure, and use of steel flexibles tracks, are highly researched topics because of the considerable upside in terms of machine ground pressure distribution and increased traction. Two main types of amendments emerged to mitigate soil disturbances: brush mats and mulch cover. Brush mats created from harvesting debris can spread the load of a machine to a greater area thereby lowering peak loads transferred to the soil. Brush mats of 15–20 kg m−2are being recommended for adequate soil protection from harvesting operations.

To conclude, we outline recommendations and strategies on the use of soil mitigation techniques within cut-to-length forest operations. New research opportunities are also identified and discussed. Considering single factors causing machine-induced soil disturbances remains important but there is a pressing need for having a multi-disciplinary approach to tackle the complex problems associated with machine/soil/plant interactions.
The Geography of Women’s Empowerment in West Africa
Authors: Banks Jacqueline , Sweeney Stuart , Meiring Wendy
Published: January 2022

Women’s empowerment has been a subject of interest because of its relevance to development and demography, particularly in West Africa. Women’s empowerment is typically conceptualized as an individual attribute of women, associated with socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. However, we hypothesize a geography of women’s empowerment in the West African region, where empowerment processes are culturally situated and embedded in place. Such a geography would be observable via spatial associations over the region. This study uses Demographic and Health Survey data from 14 West African states over the past decade and an innovative multi-stage approach combining advanced statistical methods and spatial assessment to analyze indicators of women’s empowerment and its spatial variability across the West African region. First we use a multivariate classification method to identify patterns in responses to empowerment questions and derive an empowerment classification scheme. Next we use these classifications to render a map of West Africa depicting the spatial variation of women’s empowerment in the region. Ultimately, we fit multinomial structured geo-additive regression models to the data to analyze spatial variation in women’s empowerment while controlling for certain socioeconomic-demographic characteristics. Our results demonstrate that women’s responses to empowerment survey questions indeed vary geographically, even when controlling for individual socioeconomic-demographic attributes. This finding suggests that women’s empowerment may relate to aspects of culture embedded in place in addition to the ways it relates to socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.
Job Placement via Private vs. Public Employment Agencies: Investigating Selection Effects and Job Match Quality in Germany
Authors: Ayaita Adam , Grund Christian , Pütz Lisa
Published: January 2022

Employment agencies aim to match individuals to appropriate jobs. There are public and private employment agencies, which co-exist in many countries. Selection effects may be relevant in the sense that private agencies potentially engage in ‘cream-skimming’ by prioritizing highly qualified workers. The resulting job match quality is also important from an individual, a firm, and a society perspective. We examine the selection into job placement via private and public employment agencies as well as the resulting job match qualities, taking a job-market reform in Germany into account: the introduction of vouchers for private job placements. Using representative German panel data, we find that cream-skimming is significantly less pronounced under the voucher policy, as private agencies shift the focus toward unemployed individuals with a voucher. In addition, we find evidence based on propensity score matching estimations that private agencies tend to create better matches than their public counterparts.
Sectoral Productivity Growth, COVID-19 Shocks, and Infrastructure
Authors: Ahumada Hildegart , Cavallo Eduardo , Espina-Mairal Santos , Navajas Fernando
Published: January 2022

This paper examines sectoral productivity shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, their aggregate impact, and the possible compensatory effects of improving productivity in infrastructure-related sectors. We employ the KLEMS annual dataset for a group of OECD and Latin America and the Caribbean countries, complemented with high-frequency data for 2020. First, we estimate a panel vector autoregression of growth rates in sector level labor productivity to specify the nature and size of sectoral shocks using the historical data. We then run impulse-response simulations of one standard deviation shocks in the sectors that were most affected by COVID-19. We estimate that the pandemic cut economy-wide labor productivity by 4.9% in Latin America, and by 3.5% for the entire sample. Finally, by modeling the long-run relationship between productivity shocks in the sectors most affected by COVID-19, we find that large productivity improvements in infrastructure—equivalent to at least three times the historical rates of productivity gains—may be needed to fully compensate for the negative productivity losses traceable to COVID-19.
Segregationsprozesse beim Übergang vom Elementarbereich in die Grundschule. Wie verändern Wanderungsbewegungen zwischen den Schulbezirken Kompositionen in Bezug auf Migrationshintergrund?
Authors: Gold Johanna , Störtländer Jan Christoph , Dierker Philipp , Textor Annette
Published: January 2022

Der staatliche Bildungsauftrag sieht vor, dass junge Menschen durch die Schule die Verwirklichungschance zu gesellschaftlicher Teilhabe unabhängig von Herkunft oder Lebenslage erhalten. Dieses Versprechen wird gleichzeitig vom deutschen Bildungssystem permanent enttäuscht. Dafür liegt nicht erst seit PISA starke empirische Evidenz vor.

Insbesondere bei Übergängen zwischen Bildungseinrichtungen kommt es zu Segregationsprozessen, bei denen Zugangs- und Verwirklichungschancen zu Bildungsoptionen ungleich verteilt werden. So verstärkt das Bildungssystem soziale Disparitäten oder bringt sie gar hervor. Gut erforscht ist der Übergang vom Primar- in den Sekundarbereich. Er gilt als Gelenkstelle für Segregationsprozesse aufgrund individueller Lebenslagen. Auch auf den Übergang vom Elementar- in den Primarbereich trifft das zu. Auf Segregation ausgelegte Schulstrukturen vermindern die Partizipationschancen für Kinder aus sozioökonomisch benachteiligten Elternhäusern und solchen mit Migrationshintergrund.

Der vorliegende Beitrag zeichnet nach, wie Segregationsprozesse im Bildungssystem am Übergang zwischen dem Elementarbereich und der Primarstufe zu Homogenisierungsprozessen der Schülerschaft hinsichtlich des Merkmals Ethnizität führen. Auf Grundlage empirischer Daten eines Einschulungsjahrgangs (n = 3180) wird beispielhaft ein Schulgeflecht auf die Veränderung von Kompositionen hin untersucht. Mögliche Auswirkungen auf Partizipation und Inklusion werden aus der Perspektive des Capability Approach diskutiert.
Biochar and soil properties limit the phytoavailability of lead and cadmium by Brassica chinensis L. in contaminated soils
Authors: Houssou Assa Albert , Jeyakumar Paramsothy , Niazi Nabeel Khan , Van Zwieten Lukas , Li Xiang , Huang Lianxi , Wei Lan , Zheng Xiaodong , Huang Qing , Huang Yufen , Huang Xianzhi , Wang Hailong , Liu Zhongzhen , Huang Zhenrui
Published: January 2022

The current study investigated the effect of biochars derived from cinnamomum woodchip, garden waste and mulberry woodchip on soil phytoavailable lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) pools, and their uptake by Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis L.). The biochars were produced at 450 °C of pyrolysis temperature. The contaminated soils were collected from Yunfu (classified as Udept), Jiyuan (Ustalf) and Shaoguan (Udult) cities in China at the depth of 0–20 cm and amended with biochars at the rate of 3% w/w. After mixing the soil with biochar for 14 days, the Chinese cabbage was planted in the amended soils. Then, it was harvested on the 48th day after sowing period. In Udult soil, Chinese cabbage died 18 days after sowing period in control and soils amended with cinnamomum and mulberry biochars. Although only plants grown with the garden waste biochar treatment survived in Udult soil, amendment of garden waste or mulberry biochars at 3% w/w (450 °C) to Udult soil significantly increased (4.95–6.25) soil pH compared to other biochar treatments. In Udept and Ustalf soils, the application of garden waste and mulberry biochars significantly improved plant biomass compared to control, albeit it was dependent on both biochar and soil properties. Garden waste biochar significantly decreased soil Cd phytoavailable concentration by 26% in the Udult soil, while a decrease of soil Cd phytoavailable concentration by 16% and 9% was observed in Ustalf and Udept soils, respectively. The available phosphorus in biochar and soil pH were important factors controlling toxic metal phytouptake by the plant. Thus, the amendment of soil with biochar at 3% can effectively reduce the mobility of Cd and Pb in soil and plant uptake. However, biochar and soil properties should be well-known before being used for soil toxic metal immobilization.
Reaching out to the hard-to-reach: mixed methods reflections of a pilot Welsh STEM engagement project
Authors: Bryan Rachel , Gagen Mary H , Bryan William A , Wilson Gwendoline I , Gagen Elizabeth
Published: January 2022

Despite years of targeted interventions, young people experiencing socio-economic deprivation are still under-represented in those studying STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects post-16 and in higher education STEM pathways. We surveyed 61 young people who had participated in the S4 programme in South Wales, UK, and interviewed three of their teachers. Using the theoretical lens of science capital, we asked them about the S4 programme, and their views of science and education in terms of aspirations, attainment, and social obstacles. Whilst widely outdated, a ‘deficit model’ of aspiration raising still guides STEM outreach policy in Wales and we consider the answers to our survey in light of this. Broadly, our participants are enthusiastic and ambitious, and confident in their abilities in both science and wider skill areas. However, we found certain aspects of ambition were linked to socio-economic status. For example, whilst most young people we surveyed aspire to go university, those who do not cite different reasons depending on their socio-economic status. Despite high aspirations around science and education, teachers cited low literacy and numeracy, household poverty, entrenched generational unemployment, rural isolation, disabilities, caring responsibilities, and teenage pregnancy as barriers to higher education for their pupils. Importantly, S4's intervention had the greatest impact with those in the extremes of socio-economic deprivation, particularly in terms of bolstering existing science and education aspirations and increasing the ‘thinkability’ of attending university. Our findings contradict accepted thinking on science and education aspirations in that rather than participation in higher education being motivated by a lack of science and education aspiration or the discourse of family habitus ("people like us"), young people seem to be starkly aware of the very real socio-economic obstacles. We found no poverty of science and education aspiration in the participants we surveyed, and encourage a policy move away from the deficit model of raising science and education aspirations that will take a more nuanced view of widening access to STEM education and higher education in general in Wales.
Deriving intercity human flow pattern and mechanism based on cell phone location data: case study of Guangdong Province, China
Authors: Zhuo Li , Chen Zhuo , Wu Chengzhuo , Shi Qingli , Gu Zhihui , Tao Haiyan , Li Qiuping
Published: January 2022

The spatial pattern and mechanism of human flow are of great significance for urban planning, economic development, transportation planning and so on. In this study, we used cell phone location data to represent the human flow network in Guangdong Province, China, using the 21 cities in Guangdong as “nodes” and the human flow intensity among them as “edges”. Then we explored macro and micro features of the human flow network, by using the index of degree distribution, alter-based centrality and alter-based power, respectively. Finally, we proposed a human flow estimation model which integrates individual urban characteristics, intercity links, and differences to further analyze the affecting factors of human flow. We found that the human flow network in this region is significantly scale-free, with Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, and Dongguan being the most important cities. We also found that the newly proposed model can explain the human flow in the study area, with an R2 of 0.914. Analysis results show that the factors of employment in tertiary sector, intercity internet attention, intercity differences in the number of tertiary workers, differences in population size, and distance have significant impacts on the human flow. This study may provide insights into human activity mechanisms that can contribute to urban planning and management.
Effect of Nuclear Power Plants on Local Crop Yields
Authors: Zhumadilov Daniyar
Published: January 2022

The growing prevalence of clean energy raises the question of possible associated externalities. This article studies the effects of nuclear power plant development (and, as a result, the increased amount of water in the atmosphere from evaporative cooling systems) on nearby crop yields and finds that an average nuclear power plant increases local soybean yields by 2 and corn yields by 1 percent. Considering the low elasticity of demand for these crops, the yield increases translate to annual net benefits of $229 million (2020 US dollars) – $317 million in losses to farmers and $546 million in benefits to consumers.
Dynamics of a two-layer flow with an interfacial heat source/sink: viscosity stratification
Authors: Patne Ramkarn , Ramon Guy Z. , Agnon Yehuda , Oron Alexander
Published: January 2022

The temporal stability of a two-layer plane Couette flow with an interfacial heat source/sink is studied, in the presence of a viscosity stratification, predicting unstable streamwise and spanwise perturbations. Based on the wavenumber at onset, the perturbations are further classified as long-wave and finite-wave, where the long-wave mode is investigated using asymptotic and numerical analyses. The finite-wave instability is expected to be relevant for highly viscous fluids. Generally, a heat source (sink) at the interface is found to have a stabilising (destabilising) effect on the flow. However, if the rate of heat release exceeds a certain threshold, a new instability emerges, referred to here as an ‘explosive’ instability, characterised by an unbounded growth rate of the perturbations. The interaction between the viscosity stratification, thermocapillarity and inertia leads to the emergence of another new mode of streamwise instability, termed the ‘interaction’ instability. The spanwise perturbations possess higher growth rates than the streamwise perturbations for the heat sink along the interface when inertia has a stabilising influence, and vice versa. The heat sink leads to the emergence of thermocapillary instability by generating a negative temperature gradient across the fluids. In contrast, a heat source increases the temperature of the interface, resulting in a positive temperature gradient across the fluids, leading to the suppression of the instabilities by the thermocapillary effect. If the heat source provides energy at a faster rate than the energy lost due to Marangoni convection and heat diffusion, then it leads to an accumulation of energy, which presumably leads to the explosive instability.
Structure of the thermal boundary layer in turbulent channel flows at transcritical conditions
Authors: Guo J. , Yang X.I.A. , Ihme M.
Published: January 2022

Enhanced fluctuations, steep gradients, and intensified heat transfer are characteristics of wall-bounded turbulence at transcritical conditions. Although such conditions are prevalent in numerous technical applications, the structure of the thermal boundary layer under realistic density gradients and heating conditions remains poorly understood. Specifically, statistical descriptions of the temperature field in such flows are provided inconsistently using existing models. To address this issue, direct numerical simulations are performed by considering fully developed transcritical turbulent channel flow at pressure and temperature conditions that cause density changes of a factor of up to$O(20)$between the hot and cold walls. As a consequence of the proximity of the Widom line to the hot wall, significant asymmetries are observed when comparing regions near the cold wall and near the hot wall. Previous transformations that attempt to collapse the near-wall mean temperature profiles among different cases to a single curve are examined. By addressing model deficiencies of these transformations, a formulation for an improved mean temperature transformation is proposed, with appropriate considerations for real fluid effects that involve strong variations in thermodynamic quantities. Our proposed transformation is shown to perform well in collapsing the slope of the logarithmic region to a single universal value with reduced uncertainty. Coupled with a predictive framework to estimate the non-universal shift parameter of the logarithmic region usinga prioriinformation, our transformation provides an analytic profile to model the near-wall mean temperature. These results thus provide a framework to guide the development of models for wall-bounded transcritical turbulence.
‘Provisional notes on the postcolony’ in Congo studies: an overview of themes and debates
Authors: Pype Katrien
Published: January 2022

This article considers the uptake of Achille Mbembe’s article ‘Provisional notes on the postcolony’ (1992), the book De la Postcolonie: essai sur l’imagination politique dans l’Afrique contemporain (2000) and its translated version, On the Postcolony (2001), in Congo studies. ‘Congo’ here is a shorthand for the current Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly known as Zaire. The article is concerned with the ways in which these two English-language texts (and their original French versions) figure in the social sciences and the humanities, specifically in the field of study relating to Zairian/Congolese society and culture. It becomes clear that the theme of mutual entanglements of commandement (power) and citizens not only influences political studies but also structures Congo scholarship on economy and governance, popular culture and erotics. The article ends with some reflections on academic writing about Congo, the limited uptake of ‘Provisional notes’ and On the Postcolony in religious studies, questions about ethics and scientific writing about political postcolonial cultures, and especially the necessity to historicize the postcolony.
“Illegitimate Children”: The Tunisian New Left and the Student Question, 1963–1975
Authors: Jebari Idriss
Published: January 2022

The alliance between the leftist movement Perspectives Tunisiennes and university students delivered sustained opposition and repeated protests against Bourguiba's regime in the 1960s and 1970s. This article argues that these groups were driven by the “student question,” a counterproject for Tunisian national development that opposed the vision of liberal bourgeois modernity espoused by Bourguiba's reforms of elitism through education and depoliticization. Instead, the student question was fleshed out in the group's periodical, envisaging the emancipation of Tunisian subjects and their entitlement to citizenship and political participation, and how the struggle of students would sweep the whole country. Drawing on the movement's journal and memoirs of four former Tunisian leftists, I trace how Perspectives navigated the regime's repression in 1968 and 1972–75, and how two successive generations of leftists emerged with different ideological reference points. In so doing, this article takes seriously the political imagination of this group during the global 1960s and 1970s, while conceiving ways to reintegrate silenced memories and histories into the mainstream of Tunisian historiography after the 2011 revolution.
Adjoint methods for quasi-symmetry of vacuum fields on a surface
Authors: Nies Richard , Paul Elizabeth J. , Hudson Stuart R. , Bhattacharjee Amitava
Published: January 2022

Adjoint methods can speed up stellarator optimisation by providing gradient information more efficiently compared with finite-difference evaluations. Adjoint methods are herein applied to vacuum magnetic fields, with objective functions targeting quasi-symmetry and a rotational transform value on a surface. To measure quasi-symmetry, a novel way of evaluating approximate flux coordinates on a single flux surface without the assumption of a neighbourhood of flux surfaces is proposed. The shape gradients obtained from the adjoint formalism are evaluated numerically and verified against finite-difference evaluations.
The impact of meteorological factors and PM2.5 on COVID-19 transmission
Authors: Zhou Nan , Dai HaoYun , Zha WenTing , Lv Yuan
Published: January 2022

In this study, we analysed the relationship between meteorological factors and the number of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The study period was from 12 April 2020 to 13 October 2020, and daily meteorological data and the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in each state of the United States were collected. Based on the number of COVID-19 patients in each state of the United States, we selected four states (California, Florida, New York, Texas) for analysis. One-way analysis of variance ( ANOVA), scatter plot analysis, correlation analysis and distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) analysis were used to analyse the relationship between meteorological factors and the number of patients with COVID-19. We found that the significant influencing factors of the number of COVID-19 cases differed among the four states. Specifically, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in California and New York was negatively correlated with AWMD (P < 0.01) and positively correlated with AQI, PM2.5 and TAVG (P < 0.01) but not significantly correlated with other factors. Florida was significantly correlated with TAVG (positive) (P < 0.01) but not significantly correlated with other factors. The number of COVID-19 cases in Texas was only significantly negatively associated with AWND (P < 0.01). The influence of temperature and PM2.5 on the spread of COVID-19 is not obvious. This study shows that when the wind speed was 2 m/s, it had a significant positive correlation with COVID-19 cases. The impact of meteorological factors on COVID-19 may be very complicated. It is necessary to further explore the relationship between meteorological factors and COVID-19. By exploring the influence of meteorological factors on COVID-19, we can help people to establish a more accurate early warning system.
CXCL12/CXCR4 axis supports mitochondrial trafficking in tumor myeloma microenvironment
Authors: Giallongo Cesarina , Dulcamare Ilaria , Tibullo Daniele , Del Fabro Vittorio , Vicario Nunzio , Parrinello Nunziatina , Romano Alessandra , Scandura Grazia , Lazzarino Giacomo , Conticello Concetta , Li Volti Giovanni , Amorini Angela Maria , Musumeci Giuseppe , Di Rosa Michelino , Polito Francesca , Oteri Rosaria , Aguennouz M’hammed , Parenti Rosalba , Di Raimondo Francesco , Palumbo Giuseppe A.
Published: January 2022

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) within the protective microenvironment of multiple myeloma (MM) promote tumor growth, confer chemoresistance and support metabolic needs of plasma cells (PCs) even transferring mitochondria. In this scenario, heterocellular communication and dysregulation of critical signaling axes are among the major contributors to progression and treatment failure. Here, we report that myeloma MSCs have decreased reliance on mitochondrial metabolism as compared to healthy MSCs and increased tendency to deliver mitochondria to MM cells, suggesting that this intercellular exchange between PCs and stromal cells can be consider part of MSC pro-tumorigenic phenotype. Interestingly, we also showed that PCs promoted expression of connexin 43 (CX43) in MSCs leading to CXCL12 activation and stimulation of its receptor CXCR4 on MM cells favoring protumor mitochondrial transfer. Consistently, we observed that selective inhibition of CXCR4 by plerixafor resulted in a significant reduction of mitochondria trafficking. Moreover, intracellular expression of CXCR4 in myeloma PCs from BM biopsy specimens demonstrated higher CXCR4 colocalization with CD138+ cells of non-responder patients to bortezomib compared with responder patients, suggesting that CXCR4 mediated chemoresistance in MM. Taken together, our data demonstrated that CXCL12/CXCR4 axis mediates intercellular coupling thus suggesting that the myeloma niche may be exploited as a target to improve and develop therapeutic approaches.