bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Situational Crime Prevention, Advice Giving, and Victim-Blaming
Authors: Holmen Sebastian Jon
Published: April 2024

Situational crime prevention (SCP) measures attempt to prevent crime by reducing the opportunities for crime to occur. One of the ways in which some SCP measures reduce such opportunities is by providing victims with advice about how to avoid being victimised, for instance through public awareness campaigns or safety apps. Some scholars claim that this approach to preventing crime often or always promotes victim-blaming and that it is therefore morally wrong to pursue such strategies. Others have made sweeping rejections of this claim. However, in this paper, I suggest that neither view is correct. Specifically, I demonstrate that there are at least three distinct ways of interpreting what I term the victim-blaming argument against advice-giving SCP measures – i.e. as an argument based on a concern for direct victim-blaming, indirect victim-blaming, or self-blame – and that both SCP opponents and supporters have legitimate grounds for their position, depending on how the argument is spelled out.
Caring for the Critically Ill Adult Congenital Heart Disease Patient
Authors: Das Thomas , Rampersad Penelope , Ghobrial Joanna
Published: April 2024

Purpose of Review

This review aims to discuss the unique challenges that adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients present in the intensive care unit.

Recent Findings

Recent studies suggest that ACHD patients make up an increasing number of ICU admissions, and that their care greatly improves in centers with specialized ACHD care. Common reasons for admission include arrhythmia, hemorrhage, heart failure, and pulmonary disease.

It is critical that the modern intensivist understand not only the congenital anatomy and subsequent repairs an ACHD patient has undergone, but also how that anatomy can predispose the patient to critical illness. Additionally, intensivists should rely on a multidisciplinary team, which includes an ACHD specialist, in the care of these patients.
Limb-Clasping Response in NMDA Receptor Palmitoylation-Deficient Mice
Authors: Suzuki Nami , Oota-Ishigaki Akiko , Kaizuka Toshie , Itoh Masayuki , Yamazaki Maya , Natsume Rie , Abe Manabu , Sakimura Kenji , Mishina Masayoshi , Hayashi Takashi
Published: April 2024

Proper regulation of N-methyl-d-aspartate-type glutamate receptor (NMDA receptor) expression is responsible for excitatory synaptic functions in the mammalian brain. NMDA receptor dysfunction can cause various neuropsychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Posttranslational protein S-palmitoylation, the covalent attachment of palmitic acid to intracellular cysteine residues via thioester bonds, occurs in the carboxyl terminus of GluN2B, which is the major regulatory NMDA receptor subunit. Mutations of three palmitoylatable cysteine residues in the membrane-proximal cluster of GluN2B to non-palmitoylatable serine (3CS) lead to the dephosphorylation of GluN2B Tyr1472 in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, inducing a reduction in the surface expression of GluN2B-containig NMDA receptors. Furthermore, adult GluN2B 3CS homozygous mice demonstrated a definite clasping response without abnormalities in the gross brain structure, other neurological reflexes, or expression levels of synaptic proteins in the cerebrum. This behavioral disorder, observed in the GluN2B 3CS knock-in mice, indicated that complex higher brain functions are coordinated through the palmitoylation-dependent regulation of NMDA receptors in excitatory synapses.
Review of Iron-Based Catalysts for Carbon Dioxide Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis
Authors: Jia Ji-Yue , Shan Yu-Ling , Tuo Yong-Xiao , Yan Hao , Feng Xiang , Chen De
Published: April 2024

Capturing and utilizing CO2 from the production process is the key to solving the excessive CO2 emission problem. CO2 hydrogenation with green hydrogen to produce olefins is an effective and promising way to utilize CO2 and produce valuable chemicals. The olefins can be produced by CO2 hydrogenation through two routes, i.e., CO2-FTS (carbon dioxide Fischer–Tropsch synthesis) and MeOH (methanol-mediated), among which CO2-FTS has significant advantages over MeOH in practical applications due to its relatively high CO2 conversion and low energy consumption potentials. However, the CO2-FTS faces challenges of difficult CO2 activation and low olefins selectivity. Iron-based catalysts are promising for CO2-FTS due to their dual functionality of catalyzing RWGS and CO-FTS reactions. This review summarizes the recent progress on iron-based catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation via the FTS route and analyzes the catalyst optimization from the perspectives of additives, active sites, and reaction mechanisms. Furthermore, we also outline principles and challenges for rational design of high-performance CO2-FTS catalysts.
Advertising a school’s merits in Hong Kong: weighing academic performance against students whole-person development
Authors: Ho Chun Sing Maxwell , Lu Jiafang , Liu Lucas Chiu Kit
Published: April 2024

Against the background of expanding parental choices and declining global birth rates, schools are experiencing rising competition regarding student enrolment. Schools have responded by strategically presenting information about their students’ academic achievement and whole-person development orientation in the hope of attracting parents’ interest. However, few studies have investigated the impact of these factors on student enrollment, particularly in the context of diverse school types and educational orientations. Accordingly, this study utilized data from 327 secondary schools in Hong Kong to examine the effects of academic achievement orientation and whole-person development orientation on student intake. Using hierarchical regression analysis, we found a positive association between high whole-person development orientation and student intake in aided schools with a strong academic development orientation. The result implies parents are increasingly concerned about their children’s academic achievement and whole-person development at school. The study contributes to a broader understanding of the factors influencing parental choice in high-performing education systems, providing valuable insights for policymakers and educators seeking to improve educational offerings, enhance school transparency, and be better aligned with parental expectations.
Utilization of cotton gin waste biochars for agronomic benefits in soils
Authors: Howell Nathan , Bhattacharia Sanjoy , Aria Saman , Garcia Omar , Bednarz Craig , Guerrero Bridget
Published: April 2024

Cotton gin waste (CGW) is produced in large quantities (1–1.5 × 106 metric ton/year) in the Texas High Plains (THP), one of the largest cotton-producing regions in the USA. We examined locally supplied CGW for soil amendment as biochar (CGW-BC) with a view toward rainfed cropping systems, which will likely become increasingly necessary due to declines in groundwater availability for irrigation. Sixteen unique biochar samples were produced under varying conditions of time, temperature, and post-processing wash in a muffle furnace. We performed material characterization on the biochar. We then incubated CGW-BC samples that seemed favorable for increasing the water holding capacity increase for 10 days with local, rainfed, clay loam soil. We found that increasing the pyrolysis time and temperature decreased the biochar yield but only up to 40 min. Beyond 40 min, the yield did not decrease further. Additionally, the majority of mass loss occurred during pyrolysis and not during crush-sieving or postproduction washes. CGW-BC produced at higher temperatures and for longer times had greater thermal stability. This interesting aspect of thermal stability, which did not always follow strict time‒temperature trends, may be because cotton gin waste is a heterogeneous material. We found that the addition of acid decreases the mineral content while lowering the thermal stability of lower temperature (450 °C) biochars. Regarding the CGW-BC surface area, we found that higher temperatures generally increase the micropore surface area. Using a GAB isotherm, water vapor surface area did not correlate with the highest WHC when water was added to the soil. In fact, biochar, which was pyrolyzed in less time at a lower temperature and with the use of acid washing, better held the water in soil-biochar mixtures. The measurements suggested that CGW-BC could be a valuable soil amendment that could increase the WHC without adversely increasing the pH. Our initial investigation revealed how scaled-up production of CGW-BC for soils might be economically and sustainably pursued for use in rainfed cropping, deficit irrigation, or ranchlands.
Adsorption of anionic wood dyes on KOH-activated carbons from Pinus radiata sawdust
Authors: Pimentel Catarina Helena , Castro-Agra Rubén , Freire María Sonia , Gómez-Díaz Diego , González-Álvarez Julia
Published: April 2024

Chemically activated carbons synthesized from pine sawdust were applied efficiently for the elimination of wood dyes from aqueous solutions. Different proportions (1:2 and 1:4) of activating agent (KOH) and activation temperatures (600 and 850 °C) were used. Carbon surface morphology was characterized. The effect of pH (2–12), initial adsorbate concentration (5–500 mg L−1), and carbon dosage (0.1–0.5 g L−1) on dye adsorption were studied in batch mode. Langmuir model described well the adsorption equilibrium. The maximum found adsorption capacities were 1221.58, 1673.03, and 240.38 mg g−1 for blue and red at 500 mg L−1 and black at 100 mg L−1, respectively, using activated carbon at 850 °C and 1:4 (ACPS-4–850); at 25 °C, adsorbent dose 0.4 g L−1 for blue and black and 0.3 g L−1 for red dye and without change the pH for blue and red and at pH = 2 for black dye. The pseudo-second-order model explained the kinetics of adsorption except for the black dye at 100 mg L−1 using ACPS-4–850 for which it was the pseudo-first-order model. Desorption studies performed with ACPS-4–850 revealed that the adsorption was irreversible by chemical regeneration, whereas for the black dye, regeneration was efficient using H2O2 as desorbing agent.
Valuable Beyond Vulnerable: A Scoping Review on the Contributions of Older Forced Migrants in Post-migration Recovery
Authors: Ekoh Prince Chiagozie , Walsh Christine A.
Published: April 2024

During times of crisis, including pandemics, climate change, and forced migration, much of the discourse in ageing research and intervention centers on the vulnerabilities of older adults. Unfortunately, the valuable contributions of older adults to post-disaster recovery and healing are often overlooked and undervalued. Our aim in this scoping review is to shed light on the critical contributions of older forced migrants to post-migration recovery. We set the scene by introducing the two significant global demographic changes of the twenty-first century: forced migration and ageing. We provide a discourse on older forced migrants, ageing in situations of forced migration, and some of the challenges faced by older forced migrants. We then present some of the substantial roles of older forced migrants in post-migration recovery, including building resilience, contributing to culture and language transfer, providing emotional support, offering mentorship and leadership, participating in community building, and fostering social integration. We close by highlighting some of the lessons that can be drawn from understanding the unique roles played by older adults in post-forced migration recovery and the key actions necessary to promote these roles.
Study on the compatibility of a treated effluent from automobile industry with conventional municipal activated sludge process
Authors: Peñas F. J. , Tapia M. E. , Vitas A. I.
Published: April 2024

The on-site-treated effluent from an automobile manufacturing company is discharged into the public sewage system for further treatment. However, the upgrade of the treatment plant to reduce the effluent pollutant load led to the discharge limit for phenols being occasionally exceeded. The concern of the water authority prompted a study to investigate whether the toxicity of phenols could affect the performance of the receiving municipal wastewater treatment plant. To this end, mixtures of the industrial effluent and synthetic municipal wastewater were tested in a laboratory-scale activated sludge system. The bioreactor was fed with increasing ratios of the industrial wastewater in the combined influent (from 10 to 50%) over 7 months. No significant differences were observed in the system performance fed only with the synthetic wastewater (during the acclimation stage) or with the industrial wastewater. The bioreactor achieved average removal efficiencies of 70% for phenols even when half of the combined influent was the industrial wastewater. Bearing in mind the question of phenols, an important drawback was the high uncertainty in their determination by the conventional phenol index method due to the matrix effect. To overcome this a spectrophotometric procedure based on the serial dilutions of each pair of influent and effluent samples has been developed. Although strong microbial selection was observed by the changing bioreactor environment, the industrial effluent was found to be fully compatible with further treatment by conventional activated sludge process.
Semantics-Enabled Data Federation: Bringing Materials Scientists Closer to FAIR Data
Authors: Aggour Kareem S. , Kumar Vijay S. , Gupta Vipul K. , Gabaldon Alfredo , Cuddihy Paul , Mulwad Varish
Published: April 2024

The development and discovery of new materials can be significantly enhanced through the adoption of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles and the establishment of a robust data infrastructure in support of materials informatics. A FAIR data infrastructure and associated best practices empower materials scientists to access and make the most of a wealth of information on materials properties, structures, and behaviors, allowing them to collaborate effectively, and enable data-driven approaches to material discovery. To make data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable to materials scientists, we developed and are in the process of expanding a materials data infrastructure to capture, store, and link data to enable a variety of analytics and visualizations. Our infrastructure follows three key architectural design philosophies: (i) capture data across a federated storage layer to minimize the storage footprint and maximize the query performance for each data type, (ii) use a knowledge graph-based data fusion layer to provide a single logical interface above the federated data repositories, and (iii) provide an ensemble of FAIR data access and reuse services atop the knowledge graph to make it easy for materials scientists and other domain experts to explore, use, and derive value from the data. This paper details our architectural approach, open-source technologies used to build the capabilities and services, and describes two applications through which we have successfully demonstrated its use. In the first use case, we created a system to enable additive manufacturing data storage and process parameter optimization with a range of user-friendly visualizations. In the second use case, we created a system for exploring data from cathodic arc deposition experiments to develop a new steam turbine coating material, fusing a combination of materials data with physics-based equations to enable advanced reasoning over the combined knowledge using a natural language chatbot-like user interface.
Simplified prediction models for acoustic installation effects of train-mounted equipment
Authors: Thompson David , Zhao Dong , Squicciarini Giacomo
Published: April 2024

Acoustic models of railway vehicles in standstill and pass-by conditions can be used as part of a virtual certification process for new trains. For each piece of auxiliary equipment, the sound power measured on a test bench is combined with measured or predicted transfer functions. It is important, however, to allow for installation effects due to shielding by fairings or the train body. In the current work, fast-running analytical models are developed to determine these installation effects. The model for roof-mounted sources takes account of diffraction at the corner of the train body or fairing, using a barrier model. For equipment mounted under the train, the acoustic propagation from the sides of the source is based on free-field Green’s functions. The bottom surfaces are assumed to radiate initially into a cavity under the train, which is modelled with a simple diffuse field approach. The sound emitted from the gaps at the side of the cavity is then assumed to propagate to the receivers according to free-field Green’s functions. Results show good agreement with a 2.5D boundary element model and with measurements. Modelling uncertainty and parametric uncertainty are evaluated. The largest variability occurs due to the height and impedance of the ground, especially for a low receiver. This leads to standard deviations of up to 4 dB at low frequencies. For the roof-mounted sources, uncertainty over the location of the corner used in the equivalent barrier model can also lead to large standard deviations.
Evaluation of Formulated Jatropha Oil as Cooling and Lubricating Cutting Fluids in Turning of AISI 1525 Steel Employing Taguchi-TOPSIS Technique
Authors: Kazeem Rasaq Adebayo , Jen Tien-Chien , Ikumapayi Omolayo Michael , Akinlabi Esther Titilayo
Published: April 2024

This study examined the impact of cutting parameters and fluids on machining performance metrics, such as machine vibration rate and sound level, when turning AISI 1525 steel using tungsten carbide tools. Jatropha oil was used in two forms, minimum quantity lubrication and emulsion. Jatropha MQL was applied directly to the cutting region without any additives or water. Jatropha emulsion was formulated based on 44 full factorial techniques. Jatropha emulsion was formulated by mixing water, biocide, anticorrosive agent, antifoam agent, and emulsifier. The pH of the emulsified sample was used to determine the best formulation through optimization. Jatropha emulsion and Jatropha MQL were compared with their mineral oil equivalent during machining under Taguchi L9 orthogonal array settings. The hardness of the workpiece was determined at every 5 mm diameter. Additionally, the microstructure of the workpiece was examined at 5 mm, 35 mm, and 70 mm diameters of the shaft. Multi-response optimization was performed using TOPSIS to determine optimal cutting parameters to minimize machine vibration rate and machine sound level. Results showed that jatropha MQL and jatropha emulsion reduced machine vibration rate drastically as compared to mineral oil counterparts. Jatropha MQL surpassed jatropha emulsion, mineral emulsion, and mineral MQL by 75.8%, 81.2%, and 90.5%, respectively. In terms of sound intensity, Jatropha oil MQL performed significantly better than other cooling and lubricating fluids based on general process parameter results. The hardness of the material increases as the diameter increases and it varies between 70.2 HBR and 150.4 HBR. Microstructural analysis showed the presence of pearlites and ferrites on the selected shaft diameters. Findings showed that the lowest machine vibration and machine sound values were achieved with experimental trial 1 such as spindle speed (355 rev/min), feed rate (0.10 mm/rev), and depth of cut (0.75 mm) in all cases of machining fluid. The optimal solutions of spindle speed, feed rate, and depth of cut were 355 rev/min, 0.10 mm/rev, and 0.75 mm; 355 rev/min, 0.15 mm/rev, and 1.00 mm for machine sound and machine vibrations, respectively.
A novel Bayesian optimization prediction framework for four-axis industrial robot joint motion state
Authors: Zhu Li , Liu Wei , Tan Hanzhong , Hu Tao
Published: April 2024

Robot joints are the main structure for controlling the motion of the machine body, where the motion state of them directly affects the performance of the industrial robot. Due to the difficulty of obtaining the joint torque information of industrial robots, it is very hard to monitor the motion state of them. Based on the velocity and force driven by current of motors, we propose a novel Bayesian optimization framework to predict the joint motion state of industrial robot in this paper. Based on the temporal correlation of joint current and the correlation between the current and motion state of joint, we use the LSTM and BiLSTM to regressing prediction of the current and state of joint motor first. Then, the Bayesian optimization method is used to adjust the hyperparameters of our network, which realize the analysis of the joint motor current under different motion states and improve the accuracy of the prediction of joint motion states. Finally, we design the joint current acquisition platform of industrial robot based on Hall current sensors, which can collect joint currents without contact and generate experimental dataset. Comparing with the popular intelligent methods, the results show that our Bayesian optimization framework realizes a more accurate prediction of motion state for the four-axis industrial robot on the basis of contact-less current acquisition.
Aperiodic Two-Dimensional Acoustic Black Holes for Broadband Vibration Attenuation in a Strip
Authors: Han Bing , Ji Hongli , Wang Chaoyan , Qiu Jinhao , Krushynska Anastasiia O.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Acoustic black holes (ABHs) are promising for vibration control in lightweight structures as proven for one- or two-dimensional periodic arrangements. Here, we explored the effects of spatial disorder and heterogeneous designs of ABHs to broaden an intrinsically limited attenuation bandwidth of periodic counterparts.

Method

We proposed several strategies to introduce non-periodic arrangements and/or different ABH profiles by solving a maximization problem for the attenuation bandwidth of a plate strip decorated by five ABHs. These strategies allow for finding appropriate dimensions and positions of the ABHs by analyzing a small design subset and are verified experimentally.

Results

The identified periodic heterogeneous ABHs enable greatly extending the attenuation bandwidth, while disordered identical ABHs allow for increasing the attenuation intensity as compared to the corresponding periodic configurations. The mechanisms underlying the wave attenuation enhancement were clarified by tracing the evolution of the wave transmission and structural vibration modes at each design step. We have found that the broadened wave attenuation attributes to the activation of strongly localized modes at broadband frequencies in aperiodic scenarios. These abundant modes are multi-frequency local resonances in ABHs that are sensitive to both the ABH profile and their spatial arrangement.

Conclusion

We prove that relaxing the periodicity requirement on multiple two-dimensional ABHs can extend the vibration attenuation to broadband regimes below the ABH characteristic frequency, numerically and experimentally. Aperiodic designs of ABHs thus enlarge the design space by enabling a broadband wave mitigation with attenuation intensity comparable to that of periodic counterparts without increasing the structural mass.
Reinforced HDPE with optimized biochar content for material extrusion additive manufacturing: morphological, rheological, electrical, and thermomechanical insights
Authors: Vidakis Nectarios , Petousis Markos , Kalderis Dimitrios , Michailidis Nikolaos , Maravelakis Emmanuel , Saltas Vassilios , Bolanakis Nikolaos , Papadakis Vassilis , Spiridaki Mariza , Argyros Apostolos
Published: April 2024

The development of efficient and sustainable composites remains a primary objective of both research and industry. In this study, the use of biochar, an eco-friendly reinforcing material, in additive manufacturing (AM) is investigated. A high-density Polyethylene (HDPE) thermoplastic was used as the matrix, and the material extrusion (MEX) technique was applied for composite production. Biochar was produced from olive tree prunings via conventional pyrolysis at 500 °C. Composite samples were created using biochar loadings in the range of 2.0–10.0 wt. %. The 3D-printed samples were mechanically tested in accordance with international standards. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Raman spectroscopy were used to evaluate the thermal and structural properties of the composites. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the fractographic and morphological characteristics of the materials. The electrical/dielectric properties of HDPE/biochar composites were studied over a broad frequency range (10–2 Hz–4 MHz) at room temperature. Overall, a laborious effort with 12 different tests was implemented to fully characterize the developed composites and investigate the correlations between the different qualities. This investigation demonstrated that biochar in the MEX process can be a satisfactory reinforcement agent. Notably, compared to the control samples of pure HDPE, biochar increased the tensile strength by over 20% and flexural strength by 35.9% when added at a loading of 4.0 wt. %. The impact strength and microhardness were also significantly improved. Furthermore, the Direct current (DC) conductivity of insulating HDPE increased by five orders of magnitude at 8.0 wt. % of biochar content, suggesting a percolation threshold. These results highlight the potential of C-based composites for the use in additive manufacturing to further exploit their applicability by providing parts with improved mechanical performance and eco-friendly profiles.

Graphical Abstract
Online tracking of dynamically time-varying inertia using an enhanced SDFT-based estimation methodology
Authors: Ceulemans David , Vanbecelaere Foeke , Van Oosterwyck Nick , De Viaene Jasper , Steckel Jan , Derammelaere Stijn
Published: April 2024

The overall motion performance of mechatronic machines depends heavily on proper knowledge of the machine’s characteristics, among which the inertia. Moreover, the inertia of most multi-body mechanisms, for example, reciprocating slider-crank mechanisms, varies as a function of the machine position, thereby challenging optimal control. Nevertheless, the inertia’s variation is sometimes not known accurately enough or changes over time due to, e.g. a production process or premature wear, forcing an online control/correction of the inertia profile. Therefore, earlier, the author developed a new computational-friendly online method based on a frequency-specific magnitude response to estimate the machine’s position-dependent load side inertia, assuming good knowledge of all other machine properties. Yet, to guarantee accuracy, the maximum machine speed during estimation had to be strongly reduced, resulting in an undesirable longer motion time. Therefore, in this work, the failure mechanism of the earlier proposed estimator is analysed and overcome by intelligently separating estimation and motion signals. As a result, the estimator is no longer limited by the machine’s motion speed but rather by a maximum in the inertia variation per signal excitation period and, thus, time. Moreover, given this limiting variation, a guideline was established to evaluate the new method’s estimation quality. Finally, both in simulation and on a physical machine, by taking advantage of the newly proposed method, the minimal required estimation time is reduced significantly (up to 50% on the machine) without diminishing the estimation accuracy.
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) enhances the competitiveness of weak exoelectrogens in a soil electroactive biofilm
Authors: Qin Baoli , Huang Yu , Liu Tongxu , Wu Yundang , Li Fangbai
Published: April 2024

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) as critical redox active soil carbon plays a crucial role in shuttling electrons between bacteria and solid electron acceptors, such as iron oxides. However, research on DOM as an electron shuttle has traditionally focused on its impact on typical iron-reducing bacteria, namely strong exoelectrogens, like Geobacter. Besides these strong exoelectrogens, there is a significant presence of weak exoelectrogens in the soil, but studies examining how DOM affects their survival and competitiveness are lacking. This study focused on exploring the influence of DOM on weak exoelectrogens like Bacillus in the soil. By utilizing soil-bioelectrochemical systems (s-BESs) to enrich soil electroactive microorganisms, it investigated the relationship between the abundance of strong and weak exoelectrogens under conditions rich in DOM and conditions lacking DOM. The results showed that in the rich DOM treatment, the abundance of Geobacter was relatively lower (12 ± 0.5% vs. 41 ± 3%), and there was a significant negative correlation between the abundance changes of 18 weak exoelectrogens and Geobacter. This suggests that DOM caused a decrease in the population of strong exoelectrogens (e.g., Geobacter) while simultaneously promoting the growth of weak exoelectrogens (e.g., Bacillus and Sedimentibacter). Based on this, we propose that DOM, acting as an electron shuttle, creates favorable ecological niches for the thriving and propagation of weak exoelectrogens, enhancing their competitiveness within the microbial community. This new understanding provides deeper insights into the significance of DOM electron shuttling in soil microbial ecology, and raises the question: is the role of weak exoelectrogens in soil iron cycling underestimated due to the existence of DOM?

Graphical Abstract
Populist Storytelling and Negative Affective Polarization: Social Media Evidence from Mexico
Authors: Sarsfield Rodolfo , Abuchanab Zacarías
Published: April 2024

The ideational definition of populism proposes that a narrative is populist if it is characterized by a Manichean cosmology that divides the political community between a “people,” conceived as a homogeneously virtuous entity, and an “elite,” conceived as a homogeneously corrupt entity. Departing from that conceptualization, this work first investigates the specific stories that Andrés Manuel López Obrador uses to spread his populist worldview, which we call “storytelling.” We define the idea of storytelling as the art of telling a story where emotions, characters and other details are applied in order to promote a particular point of view or set of values. Second, we explore whether some of those stories produce greater negative affective polarization, here defined as the extent to which rival sociopolitical camps view each other as a disliked out-group. Findings suggest that some specific stories—in particular, what we call “stories of conspiracy” and “stories of ostracism”—indeed tend to induce more polarized attitudes among citizens.
The Future of Developed Barrier Systems: 2. Alongshore Complexities and Emergent Climate Change Dynamics
Authors: Anarde K. A. , Moore L. J. , Murray A. B. , Reeves I. R. B.
Published: April 2024

Developed barrier systems (barrier islands and spits) are lowering and narrowing with sea‐level rise (SLR) such that habitation will eventually become infeasible or prohibitively expensive for most communities in its current form. Before reaching this state, choices will be made to modify the natural and built environment to reduce relatively short‐term risk. These choices will likely vary substantially even along the same developed barrier system as these landscapes are rarely uniformly managed alongshore. Building on the results from a companion paper, here we use a new modeling framework to investigate the complexities in barrier system dynamics that emerge as a function of alongshore variability in management strategies, accelerations in SLR, and changes in storm intensity and frequency. Model results suggest that when connected through alongshore sediment transport, barriers with alongshore variable management strategies—here, the construction of dunes and wide beaches to protect either roadways or communities—evolve differently than they would in the absence of alongshore connections. Shoreline stabilization by communities in one location influences neighboring areas managed solely for roadways, inducing long‐term system‐wide lags in shoreline retreat. Conversely, when barrier segments managed for roadways are allowed to overwash, this induces shoreline curvature system‐wide, thus enhancing erosion on nearby stabilized segments. Feedbacks between dunes, storms, overwash flux, and alongshore sediment transport also affect outcomes of climate adaptation measures. In the case of partial, early abandonment of roadway management, we find that system‐wide transitions to less vulnerable landscape states are possible, even under accelerated SLR and increased storminess.
Breaking the Ice: Exploring the Changing Dynamics of Winter Breakup Events in the Beaufort Sea
Authors: Rheinlænder Jonathan W. , Regan Heather , Rampal Pierre , Boutin Guillaume , Ólason Einar , Davy Richard
Published: April 2024

The Beaufort Sea has experienced a significant decline in sea ice, with thinner first‐year ice replacing thicker multi‐year ice. This transition makes the ice cover weaker and more mobile, making it more vulnerable to breakup during winter. Using a coupled ocean‐sea‐ice model, we investigated the impact of these changes on sea‐ice breakup events and lead formation from 2000 to 2018. The simulation shows an increasing trend in the Beaufort Sea lead area fraction during winter, with a pronounced transition around 2007. A high lead area fraction in winter leads to greater growth of new, thin ice within the Beaufort region while also leading to enhanced sea ice transport out of the area. Despite the large export, consisting primarily of thinner first‐year ice, we find little evidence that winter breakup amplifies the advection of multi‐year ice from the central Arctic into the Beaufort Sea. Overall, the export offsets ice growth, resulting in negative volume anomalies and preconditioning a thinner and weaker ice pack at the end of the cool season. Our results indicate that large breakup events may become more frequent as the sea‐ice cover thins and that such events only became common after 2007. This result highlights the need to represent these processes in global‐scale climate models to improve projections of the Arctic.
Can Mesoscale Eddy Kinetic Energy Sources and Sinks Be Inferred From Sea Surface Height in the Agulhas Current Region?
Authors: Tedesco P. , Gula J. , Penven P. , Ménesguen C. , Jamet Q. , Vic C.
Published: April 2024

Western boundaries have been suggested as mesoscale eddy graveyards, using a diagnostic of the eddy kinetic energy (EKE) flux divergence based on sea surface height (η). The graveyard's paradigm relies on the approximation of geostrophy—required by the use of η—and other approximations that support long baroclinic Rossby waves as the dominant contribution to the EKE flux divergence. However, a recent study showed an opposite paradigm in the Agulhas Current region using an unapproximated EKE flux divergence. Here, we assess the validity of the approximations used to derive the η‐based EKE flux divergence using a regional numerical simulation of the Agulhas Current. The EKE flux divergence consists of the eddy pressure work (EPW) and the EKE advection (AEKE). We show that geostrophy is valid for inferring AEKE, but that all approximations are invalid for inferring EPW. A scale analysis shows that at mesoscale (L > O(30) km), EPW is dominated by coupled geostrophic‐ageostrophic EKE flux and that Rossby waves effect is weak. There is also a hitherto neglected topographic contribution, which can be locally dominant. AEKE is dominated by the geostrophic EKE flux, which makes a substantial contribution (54%) to the net regional mesoscale EKE source represented by the EKE flux divergence. Other contributions, including topographic and ageostrophic effects, are also significant. Our results support the use of η to infer a qualitative estimate of the EKE flux divergence in the Agulhas Current region. However, they invalidate the approximations on mesoscale eddy dynamics that underlie the graveyard's paradigm.
Exploring Localized Geomagnetic Disturbances in Global MHD: Physics and Numerics
Authors: Vandegriff Erik M. , Welling Daniel T. , Mukhopadhyay Agnit , Dimmock Andrew P. , Morley Steven K. , Lopez Ramon E.
Published: April 2024

One of the prominent effects of space weather is the formation of rapid geomagnetic field variations on Earth's surface driven by the magnetosphere‐ionosphere system. These geomagnetic disturbances (GMDs) cause geomagnetically induced currents to run through ground conducting systems. In particular, localized GMDs (LGMDs) can be high amplitude and can have an effect on scale sizes less than 100 km, making them hazardous to power grids and difficult to predict. In this study, we examine the ability of the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF) to reproduce LGMDs in the 7 September 2017 event using both existing and new metrics to quantify the success of the model against observation. We show that the high‐resolution SWMF can reproduce LGMDs driven by ionospheric sources, but struggles to reproduce LGMDs driven by substorm effects. We calculate the global maxima of the magnetic fluctuations to show instances when the SWMF captures LGMDs at the correct times but not the correct locations. To remedy these shortcomings we suggest model developments that will directly impact the ability of the SWMF to reproduce LGMDs, most importantly updating the ionospheric conductance calculation from empirical to physics‐based.
Multifunctional photon conversion materials for enhancing silicon solar cells
Authors: Zhang Yiyan , Chen Guanying
Published: April 2024

A type of multifunctional erbium (Er3+) and ytterbium (Yb3+) codoped NaY(WO4)2 phosphors, with simultaneous photon upconversion, photon quantum cutting, and luminescence ratiometric temperature sensing abilities, have been developed, opening up new possibilities for high-performance silicon solar cells.
Prenatal, newborn and childhood factors and the timing of puberty in boys and girls
Authors: Suutela Maria , Hero Matti , Kosola Silja , Miettinen Päivi J. , Raivio Taneli
Published: April 2024

Background

Our aim was to determine if prenatal factors, gestational age, birth weight and length, and childhood body mass index (BMI) are associated with the timing of puberty.

Methods

Our population-based study comprised 4826 girls and 5112 boys born between 1997 and 2002. Multiple linear regression modeled the relationships between the maternal and child predictors and the age at peak height velocity (PHV).

Results

Maternal smoking throughout pregnancy was associated with earlier age at PHV (−1.8 months in girls, 95%CI = −3.2 to −0.3, p = 0.015 and −1.7 months in boys, 95%CI = −3.1 to −0.3, p = 0.016). Older gestational age predicted later age at PHV in boys. One SDS increase in birth weight led to 1.7 months later age at PHV in girls (95%CI = 1.2 to 2.2, p < 0.001) and 0.8 months in boys (95%CI = 0.2 to 1.3, p = 0.005). At the age of 9 years, each increment of BMI by 1 kg/m2 was associated with 1.7 months (95%CI = −1.9 to −1.6, p < 0.001) and 1.3 months (95%CI = −1.4 to −1.1, p < 0.001) earlier age at PHV in girls and boys, respectively.

Conclusions

Fetal exposure to smoking can potentially exert enduring effects on pubertal timing. Birth weight and childhood nutritional status are significant determinants of pubertal timing in both sexes.

Impact

Maternal smoking was associated with earlier timing of puberty and greater birth weight with later timing of puberty in both girls and boys.

Most previous studies have focused on girls and used surveys to assess pubertal development, but we studied both sexes and used the same objective measure (age at peak height velocity) for the timing of puberty.

Our study increases knowledge especially regarding factors associated with the timing of puberty among boys.
Comparison of the 2022 world health organization classification and international consensus classification in myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms
Authors: Lee Wan-Hsuan , Lin Chien-Chin , Tsai Cheng-Hong , Tien Feng-Ming , Lo Min-Yen , Tseng Mei-Hsuan , Kuo Yuan-Yeh , Yu Shan-Chi , Liu Ming-Chih , Yuan Chang-Tsu , Yang Yi-Tsung , Chuang Ming-Kai , Ko Bor-Sheng , Tang Jih-Luh , Sun Hsun-I , Chuang Yi-Kuang , Tien Hwei-Fang , Hou Hsin-An , Chou Wen-Chien
Published: April 2024

In 2022, two novel classification systems for myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms (MDS) have been proposed: the International Consensus Classification (ICC) and the 2022 World Health Organization (WHO-2022) classification. These two contemporary systems exhibit numerous shared features but also diverge significantly in terminology and the definition of new entities. Thus, we retrospectively validated the ICC and WHO-2022 classification and found that both systems promoted efficient segregation of this heterogeneous disease. After examining the distinction between the two systems, we showed that a peripheral blood blast percentage ≥ 5% indicates adverse survival. Identifying MDS/acute myeloid leukemia with MDS-related gene mutations or cytogenetic abnormalities helps differentiate survival outcomes. In MDS, not otherwise specified patients, those diagnosed with hypoplastic MDS and single lineage dysplasia displayed a trend of superior survival compared to other low-risk MDS patients. Furthermore, the impact of bone marrow fibrosis on survival was less pronounced within the ICC framework. Allogeneic transplantation appears to improve outcomes for patients diagnosed with MDS with excess blasts in the ICC. Therefore, we proposed an integrated system that may lead to the accurate diagnosis and advancement of future research for MDS. Prospective studies are warranted to validate this refined classification.
Meta-analysis indicates better climate adaptation and mitigation performance of hybrid engineering-natural coastal defence measures
Authors: Huynh Lam Thi Mai , Su Jie , Wang Quanli , Stringer Lindsay C. , Switzer Adam D. , Gasparatos Alexandros
Published: April 2024

Traditional approaches to coastal defence often struggle to reduce the risks of accelerated climate change. Incorporating nature-based components into coastal defences may enhance adaptation to climate change with added benefits, but we need to compare their performance against conventional hard measures. We conduct a meta-analysis that compares the performances of hard, hybrid, soft and natural measures for coastal defence across different functions of risk reduction, climate change mitigation, and cost-effectiveness. Hybrid and soft measures offer higher risk reduction and climate change mitigation benefits than unvegetated natural systems, while performing on par with natural measures. Soft and hybrid measures are more cost-effective than hard measures, while hybrid measures provide the highest hazard reduction among all measures. All coastal defence measures have a positive economic return over a 20-year period. Mindful of risk context, our results provide strong an evidence-base for integrating and upscaling nature-based components into coastal defences in lower risk areas.
Kinetically controlled metal-elastomer nanophases for environmentally resilient stretchable electronics
Authors: Chae Soosang , Choi Won Jin , Nebel Lisa Julia , Cho Chang Hee , Besford Quinn A. , Knapp André , Makushko Pavlo , Zabila Yevhen , Pylypovskyi Oleksandr , Jeong Min Woo , Avdoshenko Stanislav , Sander Oliver , Makarov Denys , Chung Yoon Jang , Fery Andreas , Oh Jin Young , Lee Tae Il
Published: April 2024

Nanophase mixtures, leveraging the complementary strengths of each component, are vital for composites to overcome limitations posed by single elemental materials. Among these, metal-elastomer nanophases are particularly important, holding various practical applications for stretchable electronics. However, the methodology and understanding of nanophase mixing metals and elastomers are limited due to difficulties in blending caused by thermodynamic incompatibility. Here, we present a controlled method using kinetics to mix metal atoms with elastomeric chains on the nanoscale. We find that the chain migration flux and metal deposition rate are key factors, allowing the formation of reticular nanophases when kinetically in-phase. Moreover, we observe spontaneous structural evolution, resulting in gyrified structures akin to the human brain. The hybridized gyrified reticular nanophases exhibit strain-invariant metallic electrical conductivity up to 156% areal strain, unparalleled durability in organic solvents and aqueous environments with pH 2–13, and high mechanical robustness, a prerequisite for environmentally resilient devices.
DHX9 maintains epithelial homeostasis by restraining R-loop-mediated genomic instability in intestinal stem cells
Authors: Ren Xingxing , Liu Qiuyuan , Zhou Peirong , Zhou Tingyue , Wang Decai , Mei Qiao , Flavell Richard A. , Liu Zhanju , Li Mingsong , Pan Wen , Zhu Shu
Published: April 2024

Epithelial barrier dysfunction and crypt destruction are hallmarks of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) residing in the crypts play a crucial role in the continuous self-renewal and rapid recovery of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). However, how ISCs are dysregulated in IBD remains poorly understood. Here, we observe reduced DHX9 protein levels in IBD patients, and mice with conditional DHX9 depletion in the intestinal epithelium (Dhx9ΔIEC) exhibit an increased susceptibility to experimental colitis. Notably, Dhx9ΔIEC mice display a significant reduction in the numbers of ISCs and Paneth cells. Further investigation using ISC-specific or Paneth cell-specific Dhx9-deficient mice demonstrates the involvement of ISC-expressed DHX9 in maintaining epithelial homeostasis. Mechanistically, DHX9 deficiency leads to abnormal R-loop accumulation, resulting in genomic instability and the cGAS-STING-mediated inflammatory response, which together impair ISC function and contribute to the pathogenesis of IBD. Collectively, our findings highlight R-loop-mediated genomic instability in ISCs as a risk factor in IBD.
Nonlinear DNA methylation trajectories in aging male mice
Authors: Olecka Maja , van Bömmel Alena , Best Lena , Haase Madlen , Foerste Silke , Riege Konstantin , Dost Thomas , Flor Stefano , Witte Otto W. , Franzenburg Sören , Groth Marco , von Eyss Björn , Kaleta Christoph , Frahm Christiane , Hoffmann Steve
Published: April 2024

Although DNA methylation data yields highly accurate age predictors, little is known about the dynamics of this quintessential epigenomic biomarker during lifespan. To narrow the gap, we investigate the methylation trajectories of male mouse colon at five different time points of aging. Our study indicates the existence of sudden hypermethylation events at specific stages of life. Precisely, we identify two epigenomic switches during early-to-midlife (3-9 months) and mid-to-late-life (15-24 months) transitions, separating the rodents’ life into three stages. These nonlinear methylation dynamics predominantly affect genes associated with the nervous system and enrich in bivalently marked chromatin regions. Based on groups of nonlinearly modified loci, we construct a clock-like classifier STageR (STage of aging estimatoR) that accurately predicts murine epigenetic stage. We demonstrate the universality of our clock in an independent mouse cohort and with publicly available datasets.