bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigations of mechanism of Ca2+ adsorption on silica and alumina based on Ca-ISE monitoring, potentiometric titration, electrokinetic measurements and surface complexation modeling
Authors: Szymanek Karolina , Charmas Robert , Piasecki Wojciech
Published: November 2020

Research on Ca2+ adsorption onto the mineral surface is of significant importance with regard to geochemical processes. Sverjensky (Geochim Cosmochim Acta 70(10), 2427–2453, 2006) assumed that alkaline earths form two types of surface species on oxides: tetranuclear (> SOH)2(> SO−)2_M(OH)+ and mononuclear > SO−_M(OH)+. To look into the above assumption we investigated calcium adsorption on SiO2 and Al2O3 because they are the most widespread minerals in the environment. We have determined the proton surface charge, electrokinetic potential and metal adsorption as a function of pH. The Ca2+ uptake and concentration in the system were monitored by the calcium ion-selective electrode (Ca-ISE). The Ca-ISE measurements indicated a similar affinity of Ca2+ for both materials despite their differently charged surface, negative for silica and mainly positive for alumina. This may suggest that simple electrostatic interactions are not the primary driving force for calcium adsorption, and that solvation of calcium ions at the surface may be crucial. We have analyzed our experimental data using the 2-pK triple-layer model (2-pK TLM). Three calcium complexes on the mineral surface were reported. Two of them were the same for both oxides, i.e. the tetranuclear ($$>$$
>
 SOH)2($$>$$
>
 SO−)2_Ca2+ and mononuclear complexes > SO−_CaOH+. Additionally, minor contribution from >SOH…Ca2+ for silica was assumed. In the case of Al2O3 the hydrolyzed tetranuclear complexes ($$>$$
>
 SOH)2($$>$$
>
 SO−)2_CaOH+ at pH > 7.5 occurred based on the modeling results. Two types of surface complexes suggested by Sverjensky allowed for the correct description of proton and calcium uptake for alumina. However, the electrokinetic data excluded hydrolyzed tetranuclear surface species for this oxide.
Releasing the conceptual spring to construct multiplicative reasoning
Authors: Zwanch Karen , Wilkins Jesse L. M.
Published: November 2020

Constructing multiplicative reasoning is critical for students’ learning of mathematics, particularly throughout the middle grades and beyond. Tzur, Xin, Si, Kenney, and Guebert [American Educational Research Association, ERIC No. ED510991, (2010)] conclude that an assimilatory composite unit is a conceptual spring to multiplicative reasoning. This study examines patterns in the percentages of students who construct multiplicative reasoning across the middle grades based on their fluency in operating with composite units. Multinomial logistic regression models indicate that students’ rate of constructing an assimilatory composite unit but not multiplicative reasoning in sixth and seventh grades is significantly greater than that in eighth and ninth grades. Furthermore, the proportion of students who have constructed multiplicative reasoning in sixth and seventh grades is significantly less than the proportion of those who have constructed multiplicative reasoning in eighth and ninth grades. One implication of this is the quantitative verification of Tzur, Xin, Si, Kenney, and Guebert’s (2010) conceptual spring. That is, students who construct assimilatory composite units early in the middle grades are likely to construct multiplicative reasoning; students who do not construct assimilatory composite units early in the middle grades likely do not construct multiplicative reasoning in the middle grades.
Iterative arrays with self-verifying communication cell
Authors: Kutrib Martin
Published: November 2020

We study the computational capacity of self-verifying iterative arrays ($${\text {SVIA}}$$
SVIA
). A self-verifying device is a nondeterministic device whose nondeterminism is symmetric in the following sense. Each computation path can give one of the answers yes, no, or do not know. For every input word, at least one computation path must give either the answer yes or no, and the answers given must not be contradictory. It turns out that, for any time-computable time complexity, the family of languages accepted by $${\text {SVIA}}$$
SVIA
s is a characterization of the so-called complementation kernel of nondeterministic iterative array languages, that is, languages accepted by such devices whose complementation is also accepted by such devices. $${\text {SVIA}}$$
SVIA
s can be sped-up by any constant multiplicative factor as long as the result does not fall below realtime. We show that even realtime $${\text {SVIA}}$$
SVIA
are as powerful as lineartime self-verifying cellular automata and vice versa. So they are strictly more powerful than the deterministic devices. Closure properties and various decidability problems are considered.
Purinergic signalling in the cardiovascular system—a tribute to Geoffrey Burnstock
Authors: Ralevic Vera
Published: November 2020

Geoffrey Burnstock made groundbreaking discoveries on the physiological roles of purinergic receptors and led on P2 purinergic receptor classification. His knowledge, vision and leadership inspired and influenced the international scientific community. I had the privilege of spending over 10 years (from 1985) with Geoff at the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, initially as a PhD student and then as a postdoctoral research fellow. I regarded him with enormous admiration and affection. This review on purinergic signalling in the cardiovascular system is a tribute to Geoff. It includes some personal recollections of Geoff.
Zur Erschließung der Nutzung von Forschungsergebnissen durch Lehrpersonen. Forschungsrelevanz zwischen Theorie und Praxis
Authors: Hinzke Jan-Hendrik , Gesang Johanna , Besa Kris-Stephen
Published: November 2020

Im deutschsprachigen Raum hat sich der Befund verfestigt, dass Lehrpersonen Forschungsergebnisse tendenziell als interessant einschätzen, diese aber kaum zur Änderung ihrer Unterrichtspraxis nutzen. Aus Sicht von Bildungspolitik, Bildungsadministration und Bildungsforschung, die einer Evidenzbasierung pädagogischer Praxis zuarbeiten, kann ein solcher Umgang mit Forschungsergebnissen nicht als gelungen bewertet werden. Der Beitrag präsentiert eine Möglichkeit, wie sich die Nutzung von Forschungsergebnissen durch Lehrpersonen vertiefend analysieren lässt. Dazu wurde in einer Interviewstudie die Differenz von normativem und theoretischem Anspruch einerseits und dessen praktischer Umsetzung andererseits untersucht. Aufgegriffen wurde dabei die Leitdifferenz der Praxeologischen Wissenssoziologie, diejenige zwischen propositionaler und performativer Logik. Empirisch zeigen sich diese Logiken als Theorien von Lehrpersonen über Forschungsergebnisse einerseits, als Habitus der Gestaltung unterrichtlicher Interaktion andererseits. Es wird exemplarisch dargelegt, wie bestimmte Relationen von Theorien und Habitus eine Relevanzsetzung von Forschungsergebnissen durch Lehrpersonen verhindern bzw. ermöglichen.
Control of a 3-RRR Planar Parallel Robot Using Fractional Order PID Controller
Authors: Al-Mayyahi Auday , Aldair Ammar A. , Chatwin Chris
Published: November 2020

3-RRR planar parallel robots are utilized for solving precise material-handling problems in industrial automation applications. Thus, robust and stable control is required to deliver high accuracy in comparison to the state of the art. The operation of the mechanism is achieved based on three revolute (3-RRR) joints which are geometrically designed using an open-loop spatial robotic platform. The inverse kinematic model of the system is derived and analyzed by using the geometric structure with three revolute joints. The main variables in our design are the platform base positions, the geometry of the joint angles, and links of the 3-RRR planar parallel robot. These variables are calculated based on Cayley-Menger determinants and bilateration to determine the final position of the platform when moving and placing objects. Additionally, a proposed fractional order proportional integral derivative (FOPID) is optimized using the bat optimization algorithm to control the path tracking of the center of the 3-RRR planar parallel robot. The design is compared with the state of the art and simulated using the Matlab environment to validate the effectiveness of the proposed controller. Furthermore, real-time implementation has been tested to prove that the design performance is practical.
Effective Solder for Improved Thermo-Mechanical Reliability of Solder Joints in a Ball Grid Array (BGA) Soldered on Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
Authors: Depiver Joshua A. , Mallik Sabuj , Amalu Emeka H.
Published: November 2020

Ball grid array (BGA) packages have increasing applications in mobile phones, disk drives, LC displays and automotive engine controllers. However, the thermo-mechanical reliability of the BGA solder joints challenges the device functionality amidst component and system miniaturisation as well as wider adoption of lead-free solders. This investigation determines the effective BGA solders for improved thermo-mechanical reliability of the devices. It utilised a conducted study on creep response of a lead-based eutectic Sn63Pb37 and four lead-free Tin–Silver–Copper (SnAgCu) [SAC305, SAC387, SAC396 and SAC405] solders subjected to thermal cycling loadings and isothermal ageing. The solders form the joints between the BGAs and printed circuit boards (PCBs). ANSYS R19.0 package is used to simulate isothermal ageing of some of the assemblies at − 40°C, 25°C, 75°C and 150°C for 45 days and model the thermal cycling history of the other assemblies from 22°C ambient temperature for six cycles. The response of the solders is simulated using the Garofalo-Arrhenius creep model. Under thermal ageing, SAC396 solder joints demonstrate possession of least strain energy density, deformation and von Mises stress in comparison to the other solders. Under thermal cycle loading conditions, SAC405 acquired the lowest amount of the damage parameters in comparison. Lead-free SAC405 and SAC387 joints accumulated the lowest and highest energy dissipation per cycle, respectively. It is concluded that SAC405 and SAC396 are the most effective solders for BGA in devices experiencing isothermal ageing and temperature cycling during operation, respectively. They are proposed as the suitable replacement of eutectic Sn63Pb37 solder for the various conditions.
Type 2 Diabetes Remission 5 Years After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: Multicenter Cohort Study
Authors: Mizera Magdalena , Wysocki Michał , Bartosiak Katarzyna , Franczak Paula , Hady Hady Razak , Kalinowski Piotr , Myśliwiec Piotr , Orłowski Michał , Paluszkiewicz Rafał , Piecuch Jerzy , Szeliga Jacek , Walędziak Maciej , Major Piotr , Pędziwiatr Michał
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Bariatric surgery is no longer considered only as a weight loss surgery but also a way of treating obesity-related comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Short-term T2DM remissions in patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) have been shown, but there are very few reports on the mid-term results. We aimed to assess the remission rate of T2DM in obese patients after LSG throughout 5-year follow-up.

Materials and Methodology

We performed a retrospective multicenter cohort analysis of 240 patients who underwent LSG. We assessed the remission rate of T2DM 1 year and 5 years after surgery.

Results

Forty-six percent of patients achieved T2DM remission 5 years after LSG. The remission group had better weight loss results (median% of total weight loss 5 years after: 30.1% (22.9–37.0) vs 23.0% (13.7–30.2),p < 0.001) and were significantly younger than the no remission group (43 (38–52) vs 52 (44–58) years,p < 0.001). Duration of T2DM was significantly shorter (2 (1–5) vs 5 (3–10) years,p < 0.001) with less insulin requirement and less diabetes-related complications (7.2% vs 19.8%,p < 0.001) and significantly lower median DiaRem score (4.0 (IQR 2.0–6.0) vs 12.0 (IQR 5.0–16.0),p < 0.001). Preoperative body mass index (BMI) had no effect on remission.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that diabetes remission after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy occurs frequently, and in the 5-year follow-up, it may remain at the level of 46%. We identified the age of patients, duration, and severity of T2DM as factors affecting mid-term diabetes remission. Nevertheless, further well-designed trials are needed to support our findings.
Robotic versus open oncological gastric surgery in the elderly: a propensity score-matched analysis
Authors: Garbarino Giovanni Maria , Costa Gianluca , Frezza Barbara , Biancafarina Alessia , Balducci Genoveffa , Mercantini Paolo , De Prizio Marco , Laracca Giovanni Gugliemo , Ceccarelli Graziano
Published: November 2020

Although there is no agreement on a definition of elderly, commonly an age cutoff of ≥ 65 or 75 years is used. Even if robot-assisted surgery is a validated option for the elderly population, there are no specific indications for its application in the surgical treatment of gastric cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of robot-assisted gastrectomy and to compare the short and long-term outcomes of robot-assisted (RG) versus open gastrectomy (OG). Patients aged ≥ 70 years old undergoing surgery for gastric cancer at the Department of Surgery of San Donato Hospital in Arezzo, between September 2012 and March 2017 were enrolled. A 1:1 propensity score matching was performed according to the following variables: age, Sex, BMI, ASA score, comorbidity, T stage and type of resection performed. 43 OG were matched to 43 RG. The mean operative time was significantly longer in the RG group (273.8 vs. 193.5 min, p < 0.01). No differences were observed in terms of intraoperative blood loss, an average number of lymph nodes removed, mean hospital stay, morbidity and mortality. OG had higher rate of major complications (6.9 vs. 16.3%, OR 2.592, 95% CI 0.623–10.785, p = 0.313) and a significantly higher postoperative pain (0.95 vs. 1.24, p = 0.042). Overall survival (p = 0.263) and disease-free survival (p = 0.474) were comparable between groups. Robotic-assisted surgery for oncological gastrectomy in elderly patients is safe and effective showing non-inferiority comparing to the open technique in terms of perioperative outcomes and overall 5-year survival.
How young companies can effectively manage their slack resources over time to ensure sales growth: the contingent role of value-based selling
Authors: de Jong Ad , Zacharias Nicolas A. , Nijssen Edwin J.
Published: November 2020

This research aims to bridge the entrepreneurship and marketing/sales literature streams by studying how young firms enable their resource endowments using value-based selling. Drawing on effectuation logic, the authors examine how young firms can achieve sales growth by using human and financial resource slack during the early years of their existence and accounting for the impact of the variability of these resources over time. The integrated framework and hypotheses are tested using unique, multisource (survey and objective archival) longitudinal panel data from 71 young firms covering a seven-year period. As anticipated, the findings show that both financial and human resource slack are negatively related to young firms’ sales growth over time and that financial resource slack variability exerts a positive impact and human resource slack variability exerts a (nonsignificant) negative impact. The results also confirm the importance of value-based selling as a guiding mechanism that significantly alters the effects of both types of resource slack and their variability over time. While value-based selling can help a young firm use slack to grow more effectively, it also has a dark side in that it can stand in the way of risk taking.
Organic Electrode Materials for Non-aqueous K-Ion Batteries
Authors: Wang Mingtan , Lu Wenjing , Zhang Huamin , Li Xianfeng
Published: November 2020

The demands for high-performance and low-cost batteries make K-ion batteries (KIBs) considered as promising supplements or alternatives for Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Nevertheless, there are only a small amount of conventional inorganic electrode materials that can be used in KIBs, due to the large radius of K+ions. Differently, organic electrode materials (OEMs) generally own sufficiently interstitial space and good structure flexibility, which can maintain superior performance in K-ion systems. Therefore, in recent years, more and more investigations have been focused on OEMs for KIBs. This review will comprehensively cover the researches on OEMs in KIBs in order to accelerate the research and development of KIBs. The reaction mechanism, electrochemical behavior, etc., of OEMs will all be summarized in detail and deeply. Emphasis is placed to overview the performance improvement strategies of OEMs and the characteristic superiority of OEMs in KIBs compared with LIBs and Na-ion batteries.
Der Tumormarker Sialinsäure
Authors: Passek K. , Bendels M. H. , Ohlendorf D. , Oremek G. M.
Published: November 2020

Die vorliegende Übersicht zum Tumormarker Sialinsäure wird im Rahmen der Serie „Tumormarker“ des Zentralblatts für Arbeitsmedizin, Arbeitsschutz und Ergonomie publiziert, die sich mit dem immer häufigeren Gebrauch der Bestimmung von spezifischen Markern bei sog. Manager-Vorsorgen und Check-up-Untersuchungen beschäftigt. Sialinsäure eignet sich grundsätzlich nicht für solche Vorsorgen, sondern ist ein Marker zur Therapie‑, Verlaufs- und Rezidivkontrolle von Mundhöhlenkarzinomen. Hier zeigt dieser eine hohe Sensitivität und Spezifität, wobei der Marker aber auf keinen Fall als Screeningparameter zur Frühdiagnostik eingesetzt werden soll.
Printable Zinc-Ion Hybrid Micro-Capacitors for Flexible Self-Powered Integrated Units
Authors: Zeng Juan , Dong Liubing , Sun Lulu , Wang Wen , Zhou Yinhua , Wei Lu , Guo Xin
Published: November 2020

Wearable self-powered systems integrated with energy conversion and storage devices such as solar-charging power units arouse widespread concerns in scientific and industrial realms. However, their applications are hampered by the restrictions of unbefitting size matching between integrated modules, limited tolerance to the variation of input current, reliability, and safety issues. Herein, flexible solar-charging self-powered units based on printed Zn-ion hybrid micro-capacitor as the energy storage module is developed. Unique 3D micro-/nano-architecture of the biomass kelp-carbon combined with multivalent ion (Zn2+) storage endows the aqueous Zn-ion hybrid capacitor with high specific capacity (196.7 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1). By employing an in-plane asymmetric printing technique, the fabricated quasi-solid-state Zn-ion hybrid micro-capacitors exhibit high rate, long life and energy density up to 8.2 μWh cm−2. After integrating the micro-capacitor with organic solar cells, the derived self-powered system presents outstanding energy conversion/storage efficiency (ηoverall = 17.8%), solar-charging cyclic stability (95% after 100 cycles), wide current tolerance, and good mechanical flexibility. Such portable, wearable, and green integrated units offer new insights into design of advanced self-powered systems toward the goal of developing highly safe, economic, stable, and long-life smart wearable electronics.
m6A Regulates Liver Metabolic Disorders and Hepatogenous Diabetes
Authors: Li Yuhuan , Zhang Qingyang , Cui Guanshen , Zhao Fang , Tian Xin , Sun Bao-Fa , Yang Ying , Li Wei
Published: November 2020

N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) is one of the most abundant modifications on mRNAs and plays important roles in various biological processes. The formation of m6A is catalyzed by a methyltransferase complex (MTC) containing a key factor methyltransferase-like 3 (Mettl3). However, the functions of Mettl3 and m6A modification in hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism remain unclear. Here, we showed that both Mettl3 expression and m6A level increased in the livers of mice with high fat diet (HFD)-induced metabolic disorders. Overexpression of Mettl3 aggravated HFD-induced liver metabolic disorders and insulin resistance. In contrast, hepatocyte-specific knockout of Mettl3 significantly alleviated HFD-induced metabolic disorders by slowing weight gain, reducing lipid accumulation, and improving insulin sensitivity. Mechanistically, Mettl3 depletion-mediated m6A loss caused extended RNA half-lives of metabolism-related genes, which consequently protected mice against HFD-induced metabolic syndrome. Our findings reveal a critical role of Mettl3-mediated m6A in HFD-induced metabolic disorders and hepatogenous diabetes.
“The perfect breast”: Measuring cosmetic outcomes after breast-conserving therapy
Authors: James J. , Ip E. , Hong A. , Stoney D. , Law M.
Published: November 2020

ABSTRACT

Background:

Measuring cosmetic outcome following breast-conserving therapy (BCT) is difficult. However, it is crucial to have an easy-to-use and reproducible method to record this outcome of BCT. We argue that breast cosmesis can be divided into a set of key cosmetic components that are easy to observe and score individually, and the total score synthesised from these component scores can reflect the overall cosmesis. Additionally, this system would also indicate the cause for the aesthetic deficiency. We report our experience using a cosmetic score based on six determinants of breast aesthetics, namely breast size, breast contour, vertical nipple position, horizontal nipple position, breast skin appearance, and scar appearance.

Materials and methods:

In this prospective study, our assessors scored 112 patients who had undergone BCT six or more months previously, by using our Total Cosmetic Score (TCS) instrument. An Overall Cosmetic Grade (OCG) of the breast was then compared against the TCS.

Results:

We found a very good agreement between total aesthetic score and overall cosmetic grade.

Conclusion:

A simple subscale based cosmetic scoring system is a practical method of documenting and rating the cosmetic outcome of BCT.

Highlights:
The Association of Dexmedetomidine with Firing Properties in Pallidal Neurons
Authors: Gasim Majid , Kalia Suneil K. , Hodaie Mojgan , Lozano Andres M. , Venkatraghavan Lakshmikumar , Hutchison William D.
Published: November 2020

Background:

Microelectrode recordings (MERs) are used during deep brain stimulation surgery (DBS) to optimize patient outcomes and provide a unique method of collecting data regarding neurological conditions. However, MERs can be affected by anesthetics such as dexmedetomidine. Little is known about the effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX) on the globus pallidus interna (GPi), a common target for DBS. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the hypothesis that DEX is associated with alterations in GPi MERs.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective analysis comparing MERs from patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dystonia who underwent insertion of DBS of the GPi under DEX sedation with those who went through the same procedure without DEX (No DEX).

Results:

Firing rates for GPi neurons in the DEX group were lower (57.44 ± 2.04; mean ± SEM, n = 163 cells) than the No DEX group (69.53 ± 2.06, n = 112 cells, P < 0.0001). Overall, DEX was associated with a greater proportion of GPi cells classified as firing in bursty pattern compared to our No DEX group. (29.41%, n = 153 vs 14.81%, n = 108, P = 0.008). This effect was present for both PD and dystonia patients who underwent the procedure. High doses of DEX were associated with lower firing rates than low doses.

Conclusions:

Our results suggest that DEX is associated with a decrease in GPi firing rates and are associated with an increase in burstiness. Furthermore, these effects are similar between dystonia and PD patients. Lastly, the effects of DEX may differ between high doses and low doses.
REVEALING CONTINGENCY THROUGH SHUN'S 舜 ASCENSION TO THE THRONE
Authors: Back Youngsun
Published: November 2020

This article examines the story of Shun's 舜 ascension to the throne. This story has drawn considerable attention throughout Chinese history because of its significance with regard to political succession. However, in this article, I shed light on a different dimension of the story: its relevance to the issue of contingency. I investigate four texts, two excavated and two transmitted: Qiongda yi shi 窮達以時 (Failure and Success Depend on Times), Tang Yu zhi dao 唐虞之道 (The Way of Yao and Shun), the Mengzi 孟子, and the Xunzi 荀子. At one extreme, Qiongda yi shi highlights that Shun became a king by pure chance, while at the other extreme, Xunzi interprets the event as a necessary one, emphasizing that Shun cannot but succeed Yao. The other two texts fall somewhere in between the two extremes. I use these four texts to showcase different ways of thinking about areas over which humans are believed to lack control. My claim is that these four texts offer different accounts of the same event—Shun's ascension—because they see the event from different perspectives: from a perspective of the chosen, from a perspective of the chooser, from a mise-en-scène, and from a perspective of not of this world, respectively. I argue that the diverse perspectives of these texts entail the different understandings of several related issues such as the degree of human control over the event, the important features of the event, and the content of the moral and political lessons that we draw from the event.
WHAT THE ELITES ACTUALLY WORE IN 500–300 B.C.E. CHINA: EVIDENCE FROM TEXTILES, BAMBOO, AND BRONZES
Authors: Li Kin Sum (Sammy)
Published: November 2020

This article uses evidence from textiles, bamboo, and bronzes to explore what the elites wore, who made up the design communities behind the elites, and how luxurious these items were considered to be in 500–300b.c.e.China. It first examines the reliability of the art historical sources available for the reconstruction of this history and cautions the readers against certain past interpretations of the textiles and accessories of the period. It then delineates a brief history of how certain textile patterns and weaving techniques developed and how their producers selected and obtained sources of inspiration and interacted and exchanged ideas with producers of other types of artifacts. It argues that textile designers seemed to favor certain types of sources and had formed their own distinct, though not impervious, community. After carefully examining the weaving techniques of several pieces of fabric, it proposes a means of building a more reliable and solid foundation for art historical reconstruction. Textiles and accessories were symbols of the wealth, status, and power of individuals who wore them. This article will explain how a combination of the production techniques of textiles and accessories, together with a sharing of designs and techniques within the community of producers, contributed to the formation of those symbols.
The challenge of engaging with and reporting against the SDGs for SMEs such as Sydney Theatre Company
Authors: Dalton Valerie
Published: November 2020

The UN Sustainable Development Goals to 2030 call for action by the globe to tackle some of the most pressing problems facing humanity. There is a key role for business in helping to meet the goals, and in particular, small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which account for over 90% of global businesses. Many organisations that were already engaged in addressing sustainability prior to the release of the SDGs will need to shift their approach to accommodate the new framework, including SMEs like Sydney Theatre Company (STC). This paper explores the use of the SDG Compass as a tool for making that shift by revisiting a previous case study on STC's sustainability journey since 2008 to assess the efficacy of the SDG Compass as a guide to addressing the SDGs. It finds that the SDG Compass is prohibitively complex for SMEs which could impede engagement with the SDGs by SMEs.
A generalized skein relation for Khovanov homology and a categorification of the θ-invariant
Authors: Chlouveraki M. , Goundaroulis D. , Kontogeorgis A. , Lambropoulou S.
Published: November 2020

The Jones polynomial is a famous link invariant that can be defined diagrammatically via a skein relation. Khovanov homology is a richer link invariant that categorifies the Jones polynomial. Using spectral sequences, we obtain a skein-type relation satisfied by the Khovanov homology. Thanks to this relation, we are able to generalize the Khovanov homology in order to obtain a categorification of the θ-invariant, which is itself a generalization of the Jones polynomial.
A wetland oasis at Wadi Gharandal spanning 125–70 ka on the human migration trail in southern Jordan
Authors: Al-Saqarat Bety S. , Abbas Mahmoud , Lai Zhongping , Gong Songlin , Alkuisi Mustafa M. , Abu Hamad Abdalla M.B. , Carling Paul A. , Jansen John D.
Published: November 2020

Former lakes and wetlands can provide valuable insights to the late Pleistocene environments encountered by the first humans to enter the Levant from Africa. Fluvial incision along Wadi Gharandal in hyperarid southern Jordan has exposed remnants of a small riverine wetland that accumulated as a sedimentary sequence up to ~20 m thick. We conducted a chronometric and sedimentological study of this wetland, including 10 optically stimulated luminescence dates. The wetland sequence accumulated during the period ~125 to 70 ka in response to a positive water balance coupled with a (possibly coseismic) landslide that dammed the outlet. The valley fill was dissected when the dam was incised shortly after ~36 ± 3 ka. Comparison of our ages with regional palaeoclimate indicates that the Gharandal oasis developed during the relatively humid Marine Isotope Stage 5. A minimum age of 74 ± 7 ka for two Levallois flakes collected from stratified sediments suggests that the oasis was visited by humans during the critical 130–90 ka time window of human migration out of Africa. Gharandal joins a growing network of freshwater sites that enabled humans to cross areas of the Levant and Arabia along corridors of human dispersal.
Bounding size of homotopy groups of Spheres
Authors: Boyde Guy
Published: November 2020

Let p be prime. We prove that, for n odd, the p-torsion part of πq(Sn) has cardinality at most $p^{2^{{1}/({p-1})(q-n+3-2p)}}$ and hence has rank at most 21/(p−1)(q−n+3−2p). for p = 2, these results also hold for n even. The best bounds proven in the existing literature are $p^{2^{q-n+1}}$ and 2q−n+1, respectively, both due to Hans–Werner Henn. The main point of our result is therefore that the bound grows more slowly for larger primes. As a corollary of work of Henn, we obtain a similar result for the homotopy groups of a broader class of spaces.
Farmer participatory research in agricultural extension programs: A case study of fertilizer management in tropical rice
Authors: Banayo Niño P. M. C. , Kato Yoichiro
Published: November 2020

Agricultural extension requires close communication with farmers, and researchers must consider farmers’ perspectives on crop management. Farmers tend to take into account the canopy appearance when they decide on fertilizer application, and this is often neglected in crop management recommendations by researchers. Our objectives were to dissect the growth characteristics that farmers implicitly account for in nutrient management of tropical rice. Farmer participatory trials were conducted in irrigated and rainfed lowlands in the Philippines during the wet seasons of 2014, 2015, and 2016. Each year, 30 participating farmers made decisions on fertilizer management for plots with different seedling ages and planting densities. These treatments greatly changed the canopy appearance, and affected farmer decisions on nitrogen (N) management, particularly in the first year. We found that plant height and leaf greenness were the major determinants of their decisions in irrigated lowlands. Under rainfed conditions, the risk of drought made farmers focus on tillering rather than plant elongation and leaf color during early growth stages, and on canopy cover and plant elongation during later stages. Across years and water regimes, farmers applied 78% more N than researchers without generally increasing grain yield. Since crop diagnosis is a key for successful management by farmers, guidelines for efficient nutrient management should include numerical targets for the traits emphasized by farmers. That will help farmers better understand their crops, and the guidelines will be more user-friendly than providing only a fertilizer application prescription.
The Polarising Worlds of Welfare: Political Orientations, Macroeconomic Context, and Support for Redistribution
Authors: NOUREDDINE RAJA , GRAVELLE TIMOTHY B.
Published: November 2020

Public support for the welfare state – and the policies constituting it – has long been a topic of research. Previous research on support for redistribution has tended to focus on how either country-level characteristics (particularly those relating to the macro-economy such as levels of economic development or income inequality) or individual-level political factors (such as left-right political orientation and sociodemographic factors) shape support for redistribution. To date, empirical research has insufficiently tested how macroeconomic context and individual political orientations interact. Research has also obscured whether the effects of macroeconomic context hold cross-sectionally (across country contexts) or longitudinally (within countries over time). Drawing on data from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), this article examines the cross-sectional (between-country) and longitudinal (within-country) interactive relationships involving economic development and income inequality (on one hand) and left–right political orientations (on the other) in shaping preferences for redistribution. Results indicate that there are larger left–right cleavages in attitudes in wealthier countries, more unequal countries, and countries where inequality is increasing. These findings challenge the dominant practice of focusing exclusively on additive effects of individual-level or country-level factors by showing the importance of paying attention to cross-level interactions.
HUGH SACKETT (1928–2020)
Authors: Cadogan Gerald
Published: November 2020

Hugh Sackett (1928–2020) was a leading figure of the British School at Athens and British archaeology in Greece for over 60 years, while teaching throughout that time at Groton School in Massachusetts in the USA. He was best known for being a meticulous excavator, who almost always worked in collaboration with other scholars, a great teacher, and a generous and modest person, and also for his unusual breadth of vision. His interests – and field projects – ranged from Classical Attica to prehistoric and Early Iron Age Euboea (where he co-directed excavations at Lefkandi with Mervyn Popham) and Minoan Palaikastro and Roman Knossos in Crete: all of them have been major contributions to the history of Greece. He was Assistant Director of the British School at Athens in 1961–3 and, later, became a Vice-President; he was also the first President of the British School at Athens Foundation in the USA. His greatest honour was to receive the Gold Medal of the Archaeological Institute of America, the only schoolteacher to do so. It was a just reward for his research and for introducing Greece to many generations of schoolboys and girls.
Prevalence of invasive aspergillosis in suspected pulmonary tuberculosis at a referral tuberculosis hospital in Shandong, China
Authors: Wang Jun-Li , Zhou Xiao-Lin , Han Chao , Wang Mao-Shui , Hu Hua
Published: November 2020

Although the progression of invasive aspergillosis (IA) shares some risk factors in the development of active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), however, the prevalence of IA in suspected PTB remains unclear. During a period of 1 year (from January 2016 to December 2016), consecutive patients with suspected PTB were included in a referral TB hospital. Data, including demographic information and underlying diseases, were collected from medical records. PTB were all confirmed by mycobacterial culture (Lowenstein–Jensen medium). IA were diagnosed as proven or probable according to the criteria of the 2008 EORTC/MSG definitions. A descriptive analysis was performed to estimate the corresponding prevalence. During the study year, 1507 patients have a positive mycobacterial culture, with a mean age of 45.6 (s.d.19.9) years old and a female:male ratio of 1:4. Among the 82 patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial diseases, two patients (2.44%, 95% CI 0.67–8.46%) were diagnosed as IA (one proven and one probable); two probable IA patients (0.15%, 95% CI 0.04–0.55%) were diagnosed in PTB patients (n= 1315), and all were retreatment cases. In addition, all four IA patients (100%) exhibited cavities in both lobes on radiograph. In China, the prevalence of IA is low in active PTB patients. However, when high-risk factors for IA are encountered in PTB patients, further investigations are required and empirically treatment for IA might be warranted.
Pro-inflammatory diet is associated with a high number of cardiovascular events and ultra-processed foods consumption in patients in secondary care
Authors: da Silva Alessandra , Felício Matheus Brum , Caldas Ana Paula Silva , Miranda Hermsdorff Helen Hermana , Bersch-Ferreira Ângela Cristine , Torreglosa Camila Ragne , Shivappa Nitin , Hébert James R , Weber Bernardete , Bressan Josefina
Published: November 2020

Objective:

To evaluate the association of dietary inflammatory index (DII®) with the occurrence of cardiovascular events, cardiometabolic risk factors and with the consumption of processed, ultra-processed, unprocessed or minimally processed foods and culinary ingredients.

Design:

This was a cross-sectional study that analysed the baseline data from 2359 cardiac patients. Data on socio-demographic, anthropometric, clinical and food consumption were collected. Energy-adjusted food intake data were used to calculate DII, and the foods were classified according to the NOVA classification. Furthermore, the patients were grouped according to the number (1, 2 or ≥ 3) of manifested cardiovascular events. The data were analysed using linear and multinomial logistic regression.

Settings:

Multicentre study from Brazil.

Participants:

Patients with established cardiovascular events from the Brazilian Cardioprotective Nutritional Program Trial evaluated at baseline.

Results:

Most of the patients were male (58·8 %), older adults (64·2 %) and were overweight (68·8 %). Patients in the third tertile of DII (DII > 0·91) had were more likely to have 2 (OR 1·27, 95 % CI: 1·01–1·61) and ≥ 3 (OR 1·39, 95 % CI: 1·07–1·79) cardiovascular events, with poor cardiometabolic profile. They also were more likely to consume a higher percentage of processed, ultra-processed and culinary ingredients foods consumption compared with the patients in the first DII tertile (DII ≤ 0·91).

Conclusion:

A more pro-inflammatory diet is associated with a greater chance of having 2 and ≥ 3 cardiovascular events and cardiometabolic risk factors and were more likely to consume processed, ultra-processed and culinary ingredients compared to those with a more anti-inflammatory diet.
How Can Big Data Science Transform the Psychological Sciences?
Authors: Albritton Betsy H. , Tonidandel Scott
Published: November 2020

Big data and related technologies are radically altering our society. In a similar way, these approaches can transform the psychological sciences. The goal of this commentary is to motivate psychologists to embrace big data science for the betterment of the field. Big data sources, algorithmic methods, and a culture that embraces prediction has the potential to advance our science, improve the robustness and replicability of our research, and allow us to focus more centrally on actual behaviors. We highlight these key transformations, acknowledge criticisms of big data approaches, and emphasize specific ways psychologists can contribute to the big data science revolution.
Erfassung von mathematischen Kompetenzen im Vorschulalter mit MARKO-D
Authors: Garrote Ariana , Opitz Elisabeth Moser
Published: November 2020

Zusammenfassung. In dieser Studie wurde der Test MARKO-D (Mathematik- und Rechenkonzepte im Vorschulalter–Diagnose) mit einer Stichprobe von Kindern aus der deutschsprachigen Schweiz ( N = 555) im ersten und zweiten Kindergartenjahr erprobt und es wurde analysiert, ob sich die Altersnormen der deutschen Stichprobe auf die Schweiz übertragen lassen. Zudem wurde der Test mit einer Teilstichprobe ( n = 87) hinsichtlich Messinvarianz über die Zeit untersucht. Die Ergebnisse des eindimensionalen Rasch-Modells zeigen, dass das Instrument für die Schweiz geeignet ist. Die Testleistungen hängen jedoch vom Kindergartenbesuch ab. Für die Schweiz müssten deshalb nebst Altersnormen auch Normen pro Kindergartenhalbjahr verwendet werden. Die Analyse mittels Differential Item Functioning ergab, dass 17 von 55 Items von großer Messvarianz über die Zeit betroffen sind. Um das Instrument für Längsschnittuntersuchungen einsetzen zu können, müsste es weiterentwickelt werden.
On the Three‐Dimensional Scattering of Waves by Flexible Marginal Ice Floes
Authors: Meylan Michael H. , Perrie Will , Toulany Bechara , Hu Yongcun , Casey Michael P.
Published: November 2020

We reformulate a three‐dimensional theory for wave‐ice interactions for flexible ice floes and present a comparison of this new formulation with selected recent parameterizations for the scattering of ocean surface waves due to individual ice floes. The formulation is based on single flow scattering and a transport equation for energy, which fits with the paradigm used in wave prediction code. These parameterizations are implemented as source terms in the action balance equation for a modern version of the phase‐averaging wave model WAVEWATCH III® (denoted WW3). In this comparison, a simple experiment is performed with regularly distributed ice floes in a marginal ice zone. With the new wave‐ice formulation, results show that attenuation in the direction of propagation is less intense than for the other considered formulations, scattering is more isotropic, and the wave energy is attenuated in the region of the original spectral peak. Thus, a new spectral peak is developed, which is shifted to higher frequencies. The wave scattering and subsequent attenuation are related to the floe response amplitude and the dimensions of the ice floes.
Variations in the P‐T‐t of Deformation in a Crustal‐Scale Shear Zone in Metagranite
Authors: Cawood T. K. , Platt J. P.
Published: November 2020

Deformation in crustal‐scale shear zones occurs over a range of pressure‐temperature‐time (P‐T‐t) conditions, both because they may be vertically extensive structures that simultaneously affect material from the lower crust to the surface, and because the conditions at which any specific volume of rock is deformed evolve over time, as that material is advected by fault activity. Extracting such P‐T‐t records is challenging, because structures may be overprinted by progressive deformation. In addition, granitic rocks, in particular, may lack syn‐kinematic mineral assemblages amenable to traditional metamorphic petrology and petrochronology. We overcome these challenges by studying the normal‐sense Simplon Shear Zone (SSZ) in the central Alps, where strain localization in the exhuming footwall caused progressive narrowing of the shear zone, resulting in a zonation from high‐T shearing preserved far into the footwall, to low‐T shearing adjacent to the hanging wall. The Ti‐in‐quartz and Si‐in‐phengite thermobarometers yield deformation P‐T conditions, as both were reset syn‐kinematically, and although the sheared metagranites lack typical petrochronometers, we estimate the timing of deformation by comparing our calculated deformation temperatures to published thermochronological ages. The exposed SSZ footwall preserves evidence for retrograde deformation during exhumation, from just below amphibolite‐facies conditions (∼490°C, 6.7 kbar) at ∼24.5 Ma, to lower greenschist‐facies conditions (∼305°C, 1.5 kbar) at ∼11.5 Ma, with subsequent slip taken up by brittle faulting. Our estimates fall within the P‐T‐t brackets provided by independent constraints on the maximum and minimum conditions of retrograde ductile deformation, and compare reasonably well to alternative approaches for estimating P‐T.
An Abrupt Aging of Dissolved Organic Carbon in Large Arctic Rivers
Authors: Schwab Melissa S. , Hilton Robert G. , Raymond Peter A. , Haghipour Negar , Amos Edwin , Tank Suzanne E. , Holmes Robert M. , Tipper Edward T. , Eglinton Timothy I.
Published: November 2020

Permafrost thaw in Arctic watersheds threatens to mobilize hitherto sequestered carbon. We examine the radiocarbon activity (F14C) of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the northern Mackenzie River basin. From 2003–2017, DOC‐F14C signatures (1.00 ± 0.04; n = 39) tracked atmospheric 14CO2, indicating export of “modern” carbon. This trend was interrupted in June 2018 by the widespread release of aged DOC (0.85 ± 0.16, n = 28) measured across three separate catchment areas. Increased nitrate concentrations in June 2018 lead us to attribute this pulse of 14C‐depleted DOC to mobilization of previously frozen soil organic matter. We propose export through lateral perennial thaw zones that occurred at the base of the active layer weakened by preceding warm summer and winter seasons. Although we are not yet able to ascertain the broader significance of this “anomalous” mobilization event, it highlights the potential for rapid and large‐scale release of aged carbon from permafrost.
Après Nous, le Déluge: A Human‐Triggered Jökulhlaup From a Subglacial Lake
Authors: Gaidos E. , Jóhannesson T. , Einarsson B. , Thorsteinsson Th. , Amend J. P. , Skidmore M.
Published: November 2020

Glacial floods (jökulhlaups) are a phenomenon of some temperate ice masses; they are a significant natural hazard, but their complex hydrology is incompletely understood. We document a jökulhlaup from a subglacial lake in Iceland that was inadvertently triggered by a borehole drilled through the overlying ice. We propose that this borehole allowed an englacial water body to drain into the lake, inducing a transient rise in pressure that overwhelmed the lake's subglacial seal 5 days later. Runaway melting of a subglacial conduit by 4°C lake water then initiated a flood to the outlet glacier margin. This incident suggests that draining of englacial water bodies via hydrofracturing crevasses and flooding of moulins by precipitation events are potential natural triggers of jökulhlaups and explains a correlation between surface melting and jökulhlaups. This hydraulic trigger could have wider implications for relations between meteorological conditions, drainage, and dynamics of some glaciers.
Pseudotachylyte Alteration and the Rapid Fade of Earthquake Scars From the Geological Record
Authors: Fondriest M. , Mecklenburgh J. , Passelegue F. X. , Artioli G. , Nestola F. , Spagnuolo E. , Rempe M. , Di Toro G.
Published: November 2020

Tectonic pseudotachylytes are solidified frictional melts produced on faults during earthquakes and are robust markers of seismic slip events. Nonetheless, pseudotachylytes are apparently uncommon fault rocks, because they are either rarely produced or are easily lost from the geological record. To solve this conundrum, long‐lasting (18–35 days) hydrothermal alteration tests were performed on fresh pseudotachylytes produced by sliding solid rock samples at seismic slip rates in the laboratory. After all tests, the pseudotachylytes were heavily altered with dissolution of the matrix and neo‐formation of clay aggregates. Post‐alteration products closely resemble natural altered pseudotachylytes and associated ultracataclasites (i.e., fault rocks affected by fracturing in the absence of melting), demonstrating that the preservation potential of original pseudotachylyte microstructures is very short, days to months, in the presence of hydrothermal fluids. As a consequence, pseudotachylytes might be significantly underrepresented in the geological record, and on‐fault frictional melting during earthquakes is likely to occur more commonly than generally believed.