bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
When climate meets real estate: A survey of the literature
Authors: Contat Justin , Hopkins Carrie , Mejia Luis , Suandi Matthew
Published: April 2024

With near unanimity, climate scientists project natural disasters to increase in frequency, severity, and geographic scope over the next century. We survey academic literature at the intersection of these climate risks and real estate. Our review of physical risks includes price, loan performance, and migratory effects stemming from flooding, wildfires, and sea level rise. We review transition risks, including energy use and decarbonization, as they relate to real estate. Where possible, we explain how these topics may intersect with housing affordability, especially in historically disadvantaged communities. We conclude by highlighting critical areas for future research.
First systematic population survey of the desert‐adapted lions, Northwest Namibia
Authors: Heydinger John , Muzuma Uakendisa , Packer Craig
Published: April 2024

The desert‐adapted lions (Panthera leo) of northwest Namibia inhabit arid and semi‐arid habitats, primarily within communal conservancy lands, which they share with semi‐nomadic pastoralists. Though of considerable conservation interest, no systematic population survey of these lions has previously been attempted. From 6 November 2022 to 6 January 2023, 45 trained surveyors covered approximately 40,000 km2 of conservancy and government‐managed lands, identifying individual lions by vibrissae (whisker‐spot) patterns and other demographic indicators. A systematic whole count, identifying every adult individual, was used to estimate population size. This approach drew upon the local ecological knowledge (LEK) of the Lion Rangers, community conservationists responsible for identifying and monitoring lions in their respective communal conservancies, as well as Regional Services staff of Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT). The population is estimated between 57 and 60 individual adult lions and 14 cubs; this represents an inferred decrease of 46–60% over the past five years. At 0.11–0.12 lions/100 km2, this is the lowest recorded density for a free‐ranging, self‐sustaining lion population in Africa. Thirty‐six female and 21 male lions were found during the survey, yielding a sex ratio of 1 ♀: 0.58 ♂. While the population is considered stable and self‐sustaining despite recent declines, human‐lion conflict (HLC) remains the primary cause of lion mortality and recent drops in available prey are also concerning. Results serve as a baseline for future surveys, which will be an important part of monitoring this relatively small, widely dispersed population.
Aggressive dominance of acacia floral resources by wild east African lowland honey bees
Authors: Kashulwe Swithin , Mngulwi Janeth Baraka , Karlsson Caka , Pfeifer Luis , Ollerton Jeff
Published: April 2024

The East African lowland honey bee (Apis mellifera scutellata) is reported as an aggressive subspecies of the Western honey bee, but few studies have investigated the impact of its aggressiveness on other insect pollinators. Observations of flower visitors to Vachellia (Acacia) etbaica and interactions between honey bees and other insects were conducted in 2022 in Mpala, Kenya. A total of 873 individual flower visitors were recorded, the most frequent being Hymenoptera, followed by Diptera and Lepidoptera. Honey bees dominated floral resources in the morning and late afternoon. When honey bees encountered other types of insects, they displaced the latter from flowers 100% of the time. This has never been observed in other Western honey bee subspecies, and we recommend further research on these taxa.
The impact of green finance on economic growth: Evidence from the green finance reform and innovation pilot zone
Authors: Nie Changfei , Yao Yujie , Feng Yuan
Published: April 2024

This study examines the impact and its mechanisms of green finance on economic growth by using the green finance reform and innovation pilot zone (GFRIPZ) as a quasi‐natural experiment. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2019, we employ a difference‐in‐differences (DID) model and find that the GFRIPZ's construction has a positive effect on economic growth, resulting in real GDP growth of 2.2% in the pilot zones. Mechanism analysis shows that the GFRIPZ policy promotes economic growth by stimulating green technological innovation and increasing green fiscal expenditures. Further, the moderating effect result reveals that the more powerful the environmental regulation, the better the economic growth effect of the GFRIPZ policy. Additionally, heterogeneity analysis indicates that the GFRIPZ policy can contribute more in accelerating economic growth in Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Xinjiang. Our findings provide the latest empirical evidence that green finance promotes economic growth, as well as cross‐references for policymakers to scientifically execute green monetary policies and effectively balance green development and economic growth.
The Spirit of the Service: Dash, Discipline, and Flying Accidents in the Royal Australian Air Force, 1921–48
Authors: Hobbins Peter
Published: April 2024

From its establishment in 1921, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) attracted political and public critique for flying accidents. This article explores how its nascent institutional ethos developed in relation to a problematic safety record. Military aviators were expected to balance airborne “dash” against obeying flying orders, risking castigation if they proved either too timid or too reckless. Despite vigorous attempts to isolate their service from scrutiny, Air Force leaders were forced to adapt the RAAF's safety culture in response to civilian expertise, media pressure, political machinations, and comparisons with other air arms — particularly Britain's Royal Air Force. Through the 1930s and the Second World War, responsibility was increasingly channelled toward individual personnel. Tactics included severe punishments, signed attestations that confirmed compliance with orders and an “endorsement” system that permanently recorded infractions in errant flyers' log books. These measures risked producing timorous and inadequately skilled pilots, unprepared to exploit their aircraft's capabilities to the full. In 1945, the establishment of a Directorate of Flying Safety profoundly changed the RAAF's institutional safety culture, but its accident record remained problematic. Over 1921–48, the “sweet spot” between initiative and dependability eluded the RAAF's quest to inculcate an enduring “spirit of the service”.
Contextual and personal resources in unemployed job search: An intra‐individual perspective
Authors: da Motta Veiga Serge , Debus Maike , Schmitz‐Wilhelmy Annika , Ambühl Mirjam , Hasler Katrin , Kleinmann Martin
Published: April 2024

Drawing from conservation of resources (COR) theory and the equifinality principle, we challenge the prominent “the‐more‐resources‐the‐better” understanding by examining both the additive and interactive effects of contextual (i.e., networking behaviors and social support) and personal (i.e., job search self‐efficacy) resources on job seeking. Specifically, based on COR theory's resource gain corollary, we propose that higher levels of each resource are positively related to job search intensity and the number of interviews obtained (an additive effect). However, based on the equifinality principle that various resources can contribute to the same goal, we propose that each type of resource can compensate for low levels of the other (an interactive effect). In a four‐wave study following 89 unemployed job seekers over 6 months, we find positive intra‐individual relationships between networking behaviors and job search self‐efficacy with job search intensity. We find that networking behaviors and job search self‐efficacy are also positively related to the number of job interviews obtained and indirectly related through job search intensity for networking behaviors. In line with our predictions, high levels of either networking behaviors or job search self‐efficacy compensate for low levels of the other resource when predicting job search intensity and the number of interviews obtained.
Crohn's disease after surgery: Changes in post‐operative management strategies over time and their impact on long‐term re‐operation rate—A retrospective multicentre real‐world study
Authors: Aratari Annalisa , Scribano Maria Lia , Pugliese Daniela , Baccolini Valentina , De Biasio Fabiola , Verna Serena , Morretta Chiara , Festa Stefano , Armuzzi Alessandro , Papi Claudio
Published: April 2024

Background

Few data are available addressing the impact of post‐operative management of Crohn's disease (CD) on long‐term clinical course.

Aim

To assess the evolution of post‐operative management strategies over the last 40 years and their impact on the re‐operation rate of CD.

Methods

We included 657 patients with CD who had undergone their first radical ileo‐caecal resection between 1980 and 2020. Three cohorts were defined according to year of surgery: cohort 1 (1980–1998; n = 198), cohort 2 (1999–2009; n = 218) and cohort 3 (2010–2020; n = 241). We estimated exposure to immunomodulators and anti‐TNFα agents after surgery and rates of re‐operation using Kaplan–Meier survival analyses. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to assess the association of clinical variables with time to re‐operation.

Results

Immunosuppressants, (IMMs) and anti‐TNFα exposure within 5 years after surgery increased significantly from cohort 1 to cohort 2 and cohort 3 (IMMs: 1.6%, 38.2% and 28.0%, respectively, p < 0.001; anti‐TNFα: 0.0%, 20.7% and 52.0%, respectively, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference across cohorts regarding the cumulative probability of re‐operation within 5 and 10 years. Multivariate analysis identified IMMs/anti‐TNFα exposure before the first surgery (HR 9.15; 95% CI 2.77–30.21) and post‐operatively (HR: 0.24; 95% CI 0.07–0.74) as variables associated with the risk of re‐operation. However, these associations had a time‐varying effect and become non‐significant after 5 and 2 years after surgery, respectively.

Conclusion

Despite increased post‐operative use of IMMs and anti‐TNFα agents in the last two decades, the impact of these strategies on the risk of long‐term re‐operation rate has been modest.
Summer temperatures from the Middle Pleistocene site Schöningen 13 II, northern Germany, determined from subfossil chironomid assemblages
Authors: Rigterink Sonja , Krahn Kim J. , Kotrys Bartosz , Urban Brigitte , Heiri Oliver , Turner Falko , Pannes Andre , Schwalb Antje
Published: April 2024

We present the first climatic and environmental reconstruction based on subfossil chironomid head capsules from the Middle Pleistocene Reinsdorf sequence, Schöningen, northern Germany, corresponding to Marine Isotope Stage 9e‐a. The sequence is characterized by interglacial forest successions followed by alternating woodland and steppe phases. Higher levels of runoff formed lacustrine habitats during post‐interglacial, cool steppe (woodland) phases. These were characterized by diverse chironomid assemblages with up to 27 chironomid morphotypes occurring simultaneously. Warmer forest phases were mostly void of chironomids when the site Schöningen 13 II fell dry owing to higher vegetational coverage and therefore lower runoff. Transitional periods between woodland and steppe phases show higher abundances of profundal, bottom‐dwelling chironomid taxa, suggesting oligo‐mesotrophic aquatic conditions, while steppe phases are dominated by shallow‐lake taxa with higher tolerance to increasing productivity. We applied temperature inference models to the chironomid assemblages based on a Swiss–Norwegian and a Swiss–Norwegian–Polish chironomid–temperature calibration data set to reconstruct mean July air temperatures for the Reinsdorf sequence. The Swiss–Norwegian–Polish training set (TS) seems better suited owing to a longer temperature gradient and the presence of the dominant taxon, Propsilocerus lacustris‐type, which is missing from the Swiss–Norwegian TS. In sections of the record with low taxon richness (Shannon index <2) and a dominance of P. lacustris‐type, indicating increased nutrient impact, summer temperatures may have been overestimated by the Swiss–Norwegian–Polish TS. In the other sections, the chironomid‐based reconstructions based on the Swiss–Norwegian–Polish TS were in line with ostracod and plant remains‐based temperature reconstructions, suggesting summer temperatures of the post‐interglacial Reinsdorf oscillations between 16.5 and 22 °C. Our results show that summer air temperatures were lower during warmer, wetter transitional zones (−0.5–0.2 °C colder/warmer than today) and increasing during cooler, dry steppe phases (1 °C warmer than today), most likely caused by higher continentality.
Clinical validation of grass pollen exposure chamber in patients with allergic rhinitis triggered by timothy grass
Authors: Kosowska Anna , Zemelka‐Wiącek Magdalena , Smolińska Sylwia , Wyrodek Ewa , Adamczak Bartosz , Jutel Marek
Published: April 2024

Background

The fluctuation in concentrations of airborne allergens frequently presents a challenge to assessing the efficacy of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in ‘field’ studies. Allergen exposure chambers (AECs) are specialized medical installations developed to expose individuals to allergens at defined and consistent concentrations under a controlled environment. The aim of the study was to validate the provocation test with timothy grass pollen as well as to assess its safety in the AEC in patients with allergic rhinitis.

Methods

In the ALLEC® AEC, varying concentrations of timothy grass pollen were dispersed. Allergic symptoms were measured by total nasal symptom score (TNSS), acoustic rhinometry, peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) and nasal discharge volume. Lung function, assessed through peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), was used to evaluate safety.

Results

The consistency of the test was proved by the stability of environmental conditions, including temperature, humidity and CO2 levels, as well as constant concentrations of grass pollen at predetermined levels ranging from 1000 to 10,000 particles per cubic meter (p/m3). Allergic individuals developed symptoms at concentrations of 3000 p/m3 and above, across all measured endpoints. Lung function was not affected throughout all the challenges. The reproducibility of symptoms was confirmed throughout the tests. The concentration of 8000 p/m3 together with a challenge duration of 120 min was found to be optimal.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates that the ALLEC® grass pollen exposure chamber provides a reliable and safe method for inducing repeatable symptoms in patients with allergic rhinitis. This approach can be effectively applied for allergy diagnostics and clinical endpoint determination during AIT.
Skeletal muscle architecture and aging: A comparison of ultrasound techniques and an assessment of intrarater reliability
Authors: D'Lugos Andrew C. , Skotak Nathan J. , Faris Jacquelyn J. , Thomas Nicholas T. , Mazo Corey E. , Dickinson Jonathan J. , Moore Jessy G. , Jorgensen Theresa M. , Dickinson Jared M.
Published: April 2024

Objective

To assess intrarater reliability of ultrasound‐determined measurements of skeletal muscle characteristics across different measurement outcomes, imaging techniques, and age groups.

Methods

2D ultrasound images (B‐mode) of the quadriceps were obtained from young (26 ± 4 year, n = 8 M, 8 F) and older (70 ± 7 year, n = 7 M, 5 F) adults on two occasions, separated by 6 ± 3 days. With participants in both standing and supine postures, images were collected from five anatomical sites along the anterior (two sites) and lateral (three sites) compartments of the thigh corresponding to 56%, 39%, and 22% (lateral only) of femur length. Images were analysed for muscle thickness, pennation angle, and echogenicity. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to assess reliability.

Results

Muscle thickness values were higher (p < 0.05) on images collected in the stand versus supine posture only for muscles of the anterior compartment, independent of age. Echogenicity values were higher (p < 0.05) in the vastus intermedius on images collected in the supine versus stand posture only in older adults. Pennation angle values were not impacted by imaging posture (p > 0.05). ICC values for thickness, echogenicity, and pennation angle were generally higher for analyses conducted on images collected in the supine versus stand posture. Imaging posture generated a greater difference in ICC values in the lateral versus anterior muscles and in older versus younger participants.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that participant posture during imaging impacts the absolute values and intrarater reliability of ultrasound‐determined muscle characteristics in a muscle‐specific fashion, and this effect is greater in older compared to younger individuals.
Unexpected sources of uncertainty in projecting habitat shifts for Arctic shorebirds under climate change
Authors: Anderson Christine M. , Fahrig Lenore , Rausch Jennie , Smith Paul A.
Published: April 2024

Aim

The rapidly changing Arctic is ideal for investigating uncertainties in climate projections. Despite the challenges of collecting data in this region, an unprecedented large‐scale survey of shorebirds has been conducted over the last 30 years. Our study aimed to (1) develop probabilistic estimates for the change in suitable habitat for 10 Arctic shorebird species in Canada by 2075 and (2) assess the contribution of modelling decisions to the uncertainty in these estimates.

Location

Arctic Canada.

Methods

To evaluate uncertainty, we considered six classes of modelling decisions, yielding 216 unique projections for each species. We tested three decisions that are less commonly explored − the pool of candidate variables, a method for selecting variables, and the maximum distance of tree line dispersal, as well as the modelling algorithm, carbon emissions scenario, and global circulation model. We used a bootstrapping approach, creating a probability distribution for the proportional change in suitable habitat for each species.

Results

Our findings indicated a substantial risk for 8/10 species to lose over half of their suitable breeding habitat, but this projection is much less certain than has been described previously. While much uncertainty is unexplained, we were surprised that the largest source of uncertainty among our modelling decisions was from our choice of methods for variable selection, that the other modelling decisions were relatively small sources of uncertainty, overshadowing other modelling decisions.

Main Conclusions

While most scenarios predict a northward shift and significant habitat loss for Arctic‐breeding shorebirds, the Arctic Archipelago of Canada will remain an important refuge because in many other Arctic regions, there is no land farther north for these species to shift into. A comprehensive understanding of uncertainty is important for deciding if future projections can or should be used when planning climate‐resilient protected area networks.
The Obese Taste Bud study: Objectives and study design
Authors: Kersten Alexander , Lorenz Andrea , Nottmeier Cita , Schmidt Michael , Roesner Anuschka , Richter Florian Christoph , Röhrborn Kristin , Witte A. Veronica , Hahnel Sebastian , Koehne Till , Blüher Matthias , Stumvoll Michael , Rohde‐Zimmermann Kerstin , Schamarek Imke
Published: April 2024

Aims

Taste modifies eating behaviour, impacting body weight and potentially obesity development. The Obese Taste Bud (OTB) Study is a prospective cohort study launched in 2020 at the University of Leipzig Obesity Centre in cooperation with the HI‐MAG Institute. OTB will test the hypothesis that taste cell homeostasis and taste perception are linked to obesity. Here, we provide the study design, data collection process and baseline characteristics.

Materials and Methods

Participants presenting overweight, obesity or normal weight undergo taste and smell tests, anthropometric, and taste bud density (TBD) assessment on Day 1. Information on physical and mental health, eating behaviour, physical activity, and dental hygiene are obtained, while biomaterial (saliva, tongue swap, blood) is collected in the fasted state. Further blood samples are taken during a glucose tolerance test. A stool sample is collected at home prior to Day 2, on which a taste bud biopsy follows dental examination. A subsample undergoes functional magnetic resonance imaging while exposed to eating‐related cognitive tasks. Follow‐up investigations after conventional weight loss interventions and bariatric surgery will be included.

Results

Initial results show that glycated haemoglobin levels and age are negatively associated with TBD, while an unfavourable metabolic profile, current dieting, and vegan diet are related to taste perception. Olfactory function negatively correlates with age and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Conclusion

Initial findings suggest that metabolic alterations are relevant for taste and smell function and TBD. By combining omics data from collected biomaterial with physiological, metabolic and psychological data related to taste perception and eating behaviour, the OTB study aims to strengthen our understanding of taste perception in obesity.
A comprehensive exploration of artificial intelligence competence frameworks for educators: A critical review
Authors: Mikeladze Tamar , Meijer Paulien C. , Verhoeff Roald P.
Published: April 2024

Recent literature underscores the need for teachers to develop AI competencies with a recognition of the current lack of well‐defined competence frameworks. This critical review investigates teachers' Artificial Intelligence (AI) competence frameworks (AI CFTs), analysing their strengths, weaknesses and practical applications for researchers, educators and policymakers. It identifies five distinct types of AI CFTs within Competence Construct Claims (Child, S., & Shaw, S. 2023). A conceptual approach to validating competence frameworks. Research Matters: A Cambridge University Press & Assessment publication, 35, 27–40.), each addressing the complexities of AI in its early stages. Notably, frameworks derived from empirical data offer detailed descriptions of competencies, while those based on conceptual models provide broader overviews. Highlighting the need for further empirical research, this review helps identify and understand existing approaches to teacher AI competence development and paves the way for integrating AI CFTs into teacher education, ultimately enhancing educators' preparedness to harness AI in their teaching practices.
A scalable spiking amygdala model that explains fear conditioning, extinction, renewal and generalization
Authors: Duggins Peter , Eliasmith Chris
Published: April 2024

The amygdala (AMY) is widely implicated in fear learning and fear behaviour, but it remains unclear how the many biological components present within AMY interact to achieve these abilities. Building on previous work, we hypothesize that individual AMY nuclei represent different quantities and that fear conditioning arises from error‐driven learning on the synapses between AMY nuclei. We present a computational model of AMY that (a) recreates the divisions and connections between AMY nuclei and their constituent pyramidal and inhibitory neurons; (b) accommodates scalable high‐dimensional representations of external stimuli; (c) learns to associate complex stimuli with the presence (or absence) of an aversive stimulus; (d) preserves feature information when mapping inputs to salience estimates, such that these estimates generalize to similar stimuli; and (e) induces a diverse profile of neural responses within each nucleus. Our model predicts (1) defensive responses and neural activities in several experimental conditions, (2) the consequence of artificially ablating particular nuclei and (3) the tendency to generalize defensive responses to novel stimuli. We test these predictions by comparing model outputs to neural and behavioural data from animals and humans. Despite the relative simplicity of our model, we find significant overlap between simulated and empirical data, which supports our claim that the model captures many of the neural mechanisms that support fear conditioning. We conclude by comparing our model to other computational models and by characterizing the theoretical relationship between pattern separation and fear generalization in healthy versus anxious individuals.
Pippin's The Culmination, ‘logic as metaphysics’, and the unintelligibility of Dasein
Authors: McManus Denis
Published: April 2024

Robert Pippin's new book, The Culmination, examines Heidegger's reading and critique of Kant and Hegel. Since Pippin is perhaps best known as one of the most influential contemporary advocates for the importance of engaging with the difficult work of Hegel in particular, it will no doubt surprise quite a few of his readers that, on some fundamental points, the book concludes that “Heidegger is right” (p. xi). In the present piece, I explore some intriguing issues that Pippin's book raises. Although the disagreement between his principal parties is obviously central to his discussion, my main focus is on a possible point of important agreement that that discussion also opens up, in light of which Heidegger might be fruitfully interpreted as pursuing a variant of a Kantian/Hegelian project, though this will also lead me to make a number of critical points about Pippin's reading of Heidegger: although there are grounds for thinking that Pippin's Heidegger does subscribe to such a project, some of the considerations that Pippin advances in arguing that “Heidegger is right” sit uncomfortably—it seems to me—with that project.
What is Alzheimer's disease? An analysis of nosological perspectives from the 20th and 21st centuries
Authors: Villain Nicolas , Michalon Robin
Published: April 2024

Background

Recent US proposals suggest defining Alzheimer's disease (AD) based on β‐amyloidosis alone. This sparked debates that echoed historical ones about the significance of brain lesions and clinical phenotype.

Methods

This review covers debates on AD nosology through three key periods: AD's discovery in German‐speaking countries in the early 20th century, its redefinition in Anglo‐Saxon countries in the 1960s–1980s, and current debates on the biological or clinicobiological definitions of AD. Key players' opinions are focused on.

Results

At the beginning of the 20th century, AD was defined as a clinicopathological entity. Debates arose around the pathological anchor, which included extended neurofibrillary tangles versus neuritic plaques (Alzheimer vs. Fischer) and its association with senile dementia (Kraepelin). In the 1960s–1980s, the debate shifted towards whether AD could be diagnosed using qualitative or quantitative neuropathological features and whether it was a unique process (Terry and Katzman) or had subtypes (Roth). The current definition proposed by the US Alzheimer's Association is based purely on biological β‐amyloid abnormalities and represents a double break: from the historical clinicopathological definition of AD and from the historical emphasis on tau or combined tau and β‐amyloid high levels of pathology. Conversely, the clinicobiological proposal of the International Working Group remains aligned with historical concepts of AD.

Conclusions

This historical perspective illustrates the unresolved questions surrounding AD pathogenesis, role of lesions, and the clinical phenotype, especially for sporadic cases. The intense nosological debates throughout the history of AD also illustrate the diversity of theoretical frameworks for defining disease in medicine.
Relationships Among Parental Self‐Efficacy, Home Learning Activities, and Child Skills
Authors: Gessulat Juliane , Kluczniok Katharina , Oppermann Elisa , Anders Yvonne
Published: April 2024

Objective

To investigate relationships among parental self‐efficacy, home learning activities, and children's socioemotional and language skills for preschool children.

Background

Higher parental self‐efficacy is often related to better child skills and with more home learning activities. However, the relationships between parental self‐efficacy, home learning activities, and children's skills have not yet been investigated.

Method

The path models draw on data from 727 parents of preschool children (full sample: 85.1% female, 50.9% employed, 24.8% non‐German family language) and a subsample of 108 parents of preschool children who soon transition to elementary school in Germany. The self‐report data come from the German evaluation study “Language Daycare Centers.”

Results

We found significant positive links among (a) general parental self‐efficacy with home learning activities and children's language skills, (b) language supporting parental self‐efficacy with home learning activities and children's socioemotional skills, and (c) a negative link between language supporting parental self‐efficacy and children's socioemotional problems.

Conclusion

The more self‐efficacious parents felt, the more often they offered home learning activities and the higher they rated their children's language skills at age 5 years.

Implication

The findings highlight the importance of parental self‐efficacy for engaging with children and the positive parental assessment of children's skills. Promoting parental self‐efficacy might stimulate home learning activities and improve the home learning environment.
A hybrid frequency‐time domain life prediction method based on the critical plane theory
Authors: Wang Yantian , Qiu Yuanying , Li Jing , Bai Jin
Published: April 2024

This study proposes a multiaxial rainflow counting method to realize simultaneous counting of four‐channel data. The power spectral density (PSD) expressions of stresses and strains in different planes are derived according to multiaxial theories to address the fatigue problems under random vibration loading. This study takes the plane with maximum variance of shear strain PSD as the critical plane and proposes a hybrid frequency‐time domain life prediction method for calculating the life under random vibration loading in combination with the proposed new multiaxial rainflow counting method. Both the feasibilities of the proposed multiaxial rainflow counting method and hybrid frequency‐time domain life prediction method are verified by using the multiaxial fatigue experimental results of 6061‐T6 and 7075‐T6 aluminum alloys under random loading. Meanwhile, the calculation results and efficiencies of the proposed life prediction method are summarized, and the prediction effects of the different multiaxial fatigue models are evaluated, and different rainflow counting methods are compared.
Safeguarding proprietary information in the supply chain and relationship‐specific investments
Authors: Jang In Ji , Minnick Kristina , Nemani Alok
Published: April 2024

We examine whether the risk of losing proprietary information through the supply chain affects relationship‐specific investment (RSI) decisions by supply chain partners. Using state courts' staggered adoption of the Inevitable Disclosure Doctrine (IDD) as a shock to the firm's ability to protect proprietary information, we find that customers increase RSI when their supplier is headquartered in a state that adopts IDD. The effect is more substantial for customers who face a higher risk of losing proprietary information and with suppliers that are difficult to substitute. IDD also plays a more prominent role in the absence of alternate mechanisms that reduce contracting frictions, such as shared directors, common ownership, or joint ventures. Our results are robust to using cross‐citation measures of RSI and alternative estimations that mitigate potential biases arising from the staggered difference‐in‐difference approach. Our findings suggest that proprietary information protection enables firms to reduce contracting frictions arising in supply chain relations.
Multimethod Analysis of NSZD and Enhanced SZD by Solar‐Powered Bioventing at the Guadalupe Restoration Project
Authors: McAlexander Benjamin , Daniels Eric J. , Sihota Natasha , Eichert Justin , Smith Chris
Published: April 2024

Active remediation at sites with light non‐aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) often leaves residual hydrocarbons in the subsurface, necessitating long‐term management. While much of the effort in recent years has focused on natural source zone depletion (NSZD) as the primary method for demonstrating continued hydrocarbon removal, the same data collection methods can quantify biodegradation enhancements that can sustainably increase the rate of SZD. This approach has been applied at the Guadalupe Restoration Project, one of the first sites at which NSZD measurements and monitoring technology were demonstrated. Sitewide NSZD quantification was conducted using CO2 efflux measurements and subsurface temperature profiling. The results fell within the range of previously reported estimates that were based on soil‐gas profiling in the early 2000s, demonstrating the viability of the new methods at this site. The data collection methods were then deployed during pilot testing of solar‐powered bioventing. The system used seven 400‐W solar panels to power a regenerative blower that delivered approximately 0.85 cubic meter per minute (30 cfm) air to the LNAPL‐impacted vadose soil near the interface with the groundwater table. Soil‐gas data indicated an upward fanning of injected air toward ground surface. Elevated temperature due to hydrocarbon oxidation yielded an approximate 10.2 kg day−1 source depletion rate above the baseline NSZD mass removal rate over an approximate 30 m (100 ft) radius of influence, which aligned well with a 8.2 kg day−1 rate estimated from CO2 efflux measurements. Introduction of O2 via bioventing substantially increased the LNAPL biodegradation rate from baseline NSZD processes by almost an order of magnitude. The results demonstrate that site management can proceed along a sequenced program that began with aggressive hydraulic recovery of hydrocarbon product, transitions to enhanced SZD in areas with poorly recoverable LNAPL, and then to NSZD without intervention to address residual LNAPL across the full footprint of the LNAPL bodies.
Chain‐mediating effects of kinesiophobia and self‐efficacy on pain catastrophizing and physical activity in haemophilia patients
Authors: Zhang Wenjing , Zhu Tienan , Wang Shujie , Zhang Yanbin , Chen Wenkun , Li Kuixing
Published: April 2024

Background

There is a lack of research on the relationship between pain catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, and physical activity (PA) in people with haemophilia (PWH), and the underlying mechanisms connecting these variables remain unclear.

Aim

The study's aim was to clarify the roles of kinesiophobia and self‐efficacy in the relationship between pain catastrophizing and PA in PWH.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study included adult PWH at the Haemophilia Centre of a Tertiary hospital in Beijing, China. The following questionnaires were used to collect data: the general information, the International Physical Activity Short Questionnaire, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia Scale, and the Exercise Self‐Efficacy Scale.

Results

The study included a total of 187 PWH, including 154 having haemophilia A and 33 having haemophilia B. The median interquartile range of PA was 594 (198, 1554) MET‐min/wk. There were significant differences in PA of patients based on age stage, treatment modality, highest pain score within the last seven days, and presence of haemophilic arthropathy (p < .05). It was showed that pain catastrophizing could directly predict PA (p < .001), accounting for 38.13% of the total effect. Pain catastrophizing also had indirect effects on PA through the mediating factors of kinesiophobia or self‐efficacy, and through the chain‐mediating effect of kinesiophobia and self‐efficacy, accounting for 38.40%, 17.07%, and 6.40%, respectively.

Conclusion

The study discovered that PWH have limited PA due to pain catastrophizing. This not only directly affects their activity but also indirectly influences it through kinesiophobia and self‐efficacy.
A comprehensive study of melt foaming in E‐glass batch‐to‐melt conversion process: Effects of sulfate content and chemistry of raw materials
Authors: Demirok Gülin , Li Hong , Solak Nuri
Published: April 2024

Control of sulfate‐induced melt fining without excessive foaming is one of the critical steps in maintaining the stability of E‐glass fiber manufacturing processes. Besides, the efficiency of combustion or energy utilization is directly affected by the extent of the melt‐foaming. A fundamental understanding of key factors affecting melt foaming under the simulated oxy‐fuel combustion environment will enable commercial E‐glass fiber production to optimize both batch chemistry and operation conditions to achieve adequate furnace control. In this study, six types of E‐glass batches with the same target glass composition were prepared by using four different CaO sources; calcined limes with different SO3 contents, limestone, limestone with sodium sulfate, and a mixture of limestone and calcined lime. All batch samples were examined by HTMOS‐EGA system (high temperature melting observation system with evolved gas analysis). HTMOS enables monitoring batch‐to‐melt conversation steps by using a high‐resolution camera and EGA detects the evolved reaction gaseous, such as CO, CO2, and SO2 via an Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) gas analyzer. Gases of water vapor, N2, and O2 were introduced accordingly into the fused quartz crucible to simulate similar oxy‐fuel atmosphere of the furnace operation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different SO3 contents in batches and different raw material chemistries on the foam formation in E‐glass melts under the oxy‐fuel atmosphere. Different raw materials were characterized by mineralogical analysis, chemical analysis, particle size distribution, chemical oxygen demanding (COD) level, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. Although some of the batches contained the same SO3 content, different foam formations resulted from the effect of the batch chemistry. Our detailed HTMOS‐EGA investigations show that not only SO3 content in the batch affects foam formation in E‐glass melts, but also raw material chemistry and particle size have strong effects on the melt foaming in E‐glass batch melting, especially for those of ingredients having hydroxide phases and/or finer particles with higher specific areas.
Strangers like me: birds respond equally to a familiar and an unfamiliar sentinel species' alarm calls, but respond less to non‐core and non‐sentinel's alarm calls
Authors: Dominguez Jonah S. , Bolger Morgan , Bush Autumn , Hauber Mark E.
Published: April 2024

Alarm signals have evolved to communicate imminent threats to conspecifics but animals may also perceive other species' alarm displays to obtain adaptive information. In birds, mixed‐species foraging flocks are often structured around a focal sentinel species, which produces reliable alarm calls that inform eavesdropping non‐sentinel heterospecifics about predation risk. Ongoing work has revealed that several species can recognize the alarm calls of certain sentinel species even without prior encounters, including when these are from distant biogeographic regions. Similar work has yet to examine whether naive subjects' responses to unfamiliar sentinel alarm calls differ from responses to non‐sentinel alarm calls. Here we played the alarm calls of three subtropical Asian bird species that participate in mixed species flocks, to temperate North American birds. Birds responded most to the alarm call of an allopatric core sentinel and a local sympatric sentinel control species, less so to an allopatric non‐core sentinel, and least so to an allopatric non‐sentinel and a negative control stimulus. These patterns provide evidence that broad phylogenetic and geographic recognition is a pertinent aspect of sentinel alarm calls in general.
Vocal dimorphism in Anna's hummingbirds
Authors: Glassman Sierra Ru‐Yi , Domer Adi , Dudley Robert
Published: April 2024

Sexual dimorphism in vocal signals is found across many bird species. By evaluating correlations among sex, behaviors, and vocalizations, the meaning and utility of sound production may be inferred. Anna's hummingbirds Calypte anna exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males being larger and having more vibrant coloration than females, but vocal dimorphism in the species is less studied. A common vocalization of Anna's hummingbirds is the chip note, which is produced by both sexes in a wide array of contexts. Here, we correlated temporal parameters of recorded chip notes with individual sex and behavioral contexts gathered from field observations. The production rate of chip notes differed significantly between male and female hummingbirds but did not vary much with behavioral context. Although Anna's hummingbirds produce chips across a broad spectrum of behaviors, dimorphic chip production may be especially important in territorial behavior.
Enhancing students' learning achievements, self‐efficacy, and motivation using mobile augmented reality
Authors: Aldeeb Fatimah H. , Sallabi Omar M. , Elaish Monther M. , Hwang Gwo‐Jen
Published: April 2024

Background

This paper examines the use of augmented reality (AR) as a concept‐association tool in schools, with the aim of enhancing primary school students' learning outcomes and engagement. Conflicting findings exist in previous studies regarding the cognitive load of AR‐enriched learning, with some reporting reduced load and others indicating increased demand and poorer performance. Understanding these implications is essential for effectively leveraging AR in education. The study offers a fresh perspective on the potential of AR technology in improving educational experiences.

Objectives

The primary goal of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of an AR‐assisted concept‐association strategy for improving essential knowledge acquisition and skills outcomes, increasing cognitive load, and increasing self‐efficacy and learning motivation among primary school students.

Methods

A quasi‐experimental design with a control group was employed to investigate the effectiveness of the intervention.

Results and Conclusions

The results demonstrate that the implementation of the AR‐assisted concept‐association strategy effectively enhanced essential knowledge acquisition and skills outcomes, increased cognitive load, and increased self‐efficacy and learning motivation among primary school students. These findings highlight the potential of AR technology to improve the learning experience and engagement of primary school students. The study contributes to the existing literature on the effectiveness of AR technology in education, suggesting future research directions. Ultimately, it offers a practical solution for improving the learning experience by presenting a new approach for teaching using AR technology.
Thin‐layer mathematical modeling for drying of turmeric slices in infrared dryer
Authors: Venkateshwari T. , Thirupathi V. , Balakrishnan M. , Ravikumar R. , Uma D. , Karthikeyan S.
Published: April 2024

Drying is an important unit operation in the turmeric processing chain. This research investigates the kinetics of drying turmeric slices using infrared dryer. The drying was performed at temperatures of 50, 60, and 70°C for slice thickness of 2, 4, and 6 mm. The drying temperature 70°C and slice thickness of 2 mm showed the highest drying rate. The highest curcumin and oleoresin yield with color retention was observed at the drying temperature of 60°C at 2‐mm slice thickness. Thirteen thin‐layer drying models were employed to evaluate the experimental drying kinetics of turmeric slices. The model Verma et al. showed the best fit with an R2 value of 0.99 with the least RMSE and chi‐squared values as 0.0193 and 3.73E−04, respectively. The activation energy for the turmeric slices of thickness 2, 4, and 6 mm ranged between 37.31 and 52.95, 48.78 and 57.51, and 46.79 and 57.37 kJ/mol for 50, 60, and 70°C, respectively.

Practical applications

This research offers significant potential for improving the efficiency and quality of turmeric drying in industrial settings. The infrared drying enables accelerated drying of turmeric. The optimized infrared drying conditions (60°C and 2‐mm slice thickness) can significantly reduce drying time compared to conventional methods. This translates to increased throughput and minimized postharvest losses, especially in large‐scale turmeric processing facilities. The preservation of curcumin, oleoresin, and color at the optimized conditions ensures the production of high‐value turmeric products with superior nutritional and sensory attributes. This can lead to increased consumer appeal, brand differentiation, and potentially higher market prices for turmeric‐based foods, supplements, and nutraceuticals. The infrared drying technology can be prescribed to the industries over the existing industrial drying techniques. The cost‐effectiveness of the method, coupled with its potential for quality improvements and reduced drying time, makes it a viable option for turmeric processors seeking to enhance their operations.
Applying environmental sustainability boundaries for climate change in life cycle assessment: A review of approaches and implications for policymaking
Authors: Clausen Caroline Amalie , Bjørn Anders , Sanyé‐Mengual Esther , Ryberg Morten
Published: April 2024

Environmental sustainability boundaries can be used as references in evaluations of the absolute sustainability of activities and for developing policy targets and strategies. Recent literature has applied boundaries for climate change in different ways in life cycle assessment and there is a need for a systematic overview of these approaches, their compatibility with different types of assessments, and their effects on assessment results. This paper addresses that need by identifying and contrasting five approaches to operationalizing the climate change boundary and applying these approaches to a common case of the EU27 + UK consumption footprint in 2019. The identified operationalization approaches are found to be either static or dynamic. Static approaches enable comparison with a boundary which is constant through time, while dynamic approaches interpret the environmental sustainability boundary as a trajectory toward reaching net‐zero emissions at the right time. When applying the five operationalization approaches to the 2019 consumption footprint of the EU27 + UK, we find that emissions reduction should be more ambitious than the current European Green Deal targets. For policymaking, the static approaches can offer a highly ambitious ideal reference aiding immediate action but can lack adaptability to evolving conditions. Dynamic approaches better address long‐term goals and evolving knowledge but are more complex. This study contributes to the literature on absolute sustainability assessment by unravelling model choices and their implications for assessment results and policymaking.