bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of stochastic flow lines with provisioning of auxiliary material
Authors: Helber Stefan , Kellenbrink Carolin , Südbeck Insa
Published: December 2023

Flow lines are often used to perform assembly operations in multi-stage processes. During these assembly operations, components that are relatively small, compared to the work pieces travelling down the flow line, are mounted to the work pieces at a given stage. Those components, or more generally, any kind of auxiliary material, are provisioned to the corresponding production stage in a repetitive but not necessarily deterministic manner using a certain delivery frequency, each time filling the local storage up to a predetermined order-up-to level. Just like random processing times, machine failures, and repairs, the randomness of the provisioning process can impact the long-term throughput of such a flow line. In this paper, we develop a fast and accurate analytical performance evaluation method to estimate the long-term throughput of a Markovian flow line of this type for the practically important case of limited buffer capacities between the production stages. We first give an exact characterization of a two-machine line of that type and show how to determine system state probabilities and aggregate performance measures. Furthermore, we show how to use this two-machine model as the building block of an approximate decomposition approach for longer flow lines. As opposed to previous decomposition approaches, even the state space of the two-machine lines can become so large that an exact solution of the Markov chains can become impractical. We hence show how to set up, train, and use an artificial neural network to replace the Markov chain solver embedded in the decomposition approach, which then leads to an accurate and extremely fast flow line evaluation tool. The proposed methodology is evaluated by a comparison with simulation results and used to characterize the structural patterns describing the behaviour of flow lines of this type. The method can be used to systematically consider the combined impact of the delivery frequency and the local order-up-to levels for the auxiliary material when designing a flow line of this type.
New Route to Synthesize High-Entropy Carbide Powders by Mechanical Alloying
Authors: Idczak Rafał , Sobota Piotr , Tran Lan Maria , Babij Michał , Idczak Karolina , Nowak Wojciech , Pikul Adam
Published: December 2023

A new route for the synthesis of the (NbTa)$$_{0.67}$$

0.67

(TiHfZr)$$_{0.33}$$

0.33

C and (NbTa)$$_{0.67}$$

0.67

(MoHfW)$$_{0.33}$$

0.33

C high-entropy carbides powders by mechanical alloying is presented. Namely, pure metal powders were wet-milled in toluene using a planetary mill under an argon atmosphere. The synthesized materials crystallize with a rock-salt structure (space group $$Fm{\bar{3}}m$$

F
m

3

¯

m

). A significant reduction in structural defects with annealing of the samples was detected with X-ray diffraction and positron annihilation experiments. Simultaneously, only simple metallic properties without any trace of magnetic or superconducting phase transitions were observed.
Association of systemic immune-inflammation-index with all-cause and cause-specific mortality among type 2 diabetes: a cohort study base on population
Authors: Yang Chan , Yang Qiangfei , Xie Ziyan , Peng Xi , Liu Hanyu , Xie Chunguang
Published: December 2023

Purpose

There have been limited studies examining the prospective association between the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII), a novel inflammatory marker, and mortality among individuals with diabetes in the United States.

Methods

We utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a representative sample of US adults, linked with information from the National Death Index.

Results

Our study included 8697 individuals from NHANES spanning the years 1999 to 2018. SII was calculated by dividing the platelet count by the neutrophil count and then dividing that result by the lymphocyte count. We employed multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to investigate the associations between SII levels and all-cause as well as cause-specific mortality, while adjusting for potential confounding factors. SII levels were categorized into quartiles based on the study population distribution. Over a median follow-up period of 94.8 months (with a maximum of 249 months), we observed a total of 2465 all-cause deaths, 853 deaths from cardiovascular causes, 424 deaths from cancer, and 88 deaths related to chronic kidney disease. After adjusting for multiple variables, higher SII levels were significantly and non-linearly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in Quartile 4 (HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.15–2.63, P for trend = 0.043) when Quartile 1 was used as the reference group. Additionally, we identified a linear association between SII and cardiovascular mortality, with a 70% higher risk of cardiovascular mortality in Quartile 4 (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.18–3.30, P for trend = 0.041) compared to Quartile 1.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that SII is significantly associated with an elevated risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in US adults with diabetes.
CBE Clima Tool: A free and open-source web application for climate analysis tailored to sustainable building design
Authors: Betti Giovanni , Tartarini Federico , Nguyen Christine , Schiavon Stefano
Published: December 2023

Climate-responsive building design holds immense potential for enhancing comfort, energy efficiency, and environmental sustainability. However, many social, cultural, and economic obstacles might prevent the wide adoption of designing climate-adapted buildings. One of these obstacles can be removed by enabling practitioners to easily access, visualize and analyze local climate data. The CBE Clima Tool (Clima) is a free and open-source web application that offers easy access to publicly available weather files and has been created for building energy simulation and design. It provides a series of interactive visualizations of the variables contained in the EnergyPlus Weather Files and several derived ones like the UTCI or the adaptive comfort indices. It is aimed at students, educators, and practitioners in the architecture and engineering fields. Since its inception, Clima’s user base has exhibited robust growth, attracting over 25,000 unique users annually from across 70 countries. Our tool is poised to revolutionize climate-adaptive building design, transcending geographical boundaries and fostering innovation in the architecture and engineering fields.
Metal–Organic Gel Leading to Customized Magnetic-Coupling Engineering in Carbon Aerogels for Excellent Radar Stealth and Thermal Insulation Performances
Authors: Li Xin , Hu Ruizhe , Xiong Zhiqiang , Wang Dan , Zhang Zhixia , Liu Chongbo , Zeng Xiaojun , Chen Dezhi , Che Renchao , Nie Xuliang
Published: December 2023

Metal–organic gel (MOG) derived composites are promising multi-functional materials due to their alterable composition, identifiable chemical homogeneity, tunable shape, and porous structure. Herein, stable metal–organic hydrogels are prepared by regulating the complexation effect, solution polarity and curing speed. Meanwhile, collagen peptide is used to facilitate the fabrication of a porous aerogel with excellent physical properties as well as the homogeneous dispersion of magnetic particles during calcination. Subsequently, two kinds of heterometallic magnetic coupling systems are obtained through the application of Kirkendall effect. FeCo/nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) aerogel demonstrates an ultra-strong microwave absorption of − 85 dB at an ultra-low loading of 5%. After reducing the time taken by atom shifting, a FeCo/Fe3O4/NC aerogel containing virus-shaped particles is obtained, which achieves an ultra-broad absorption of 7.44 GHz at an ultra-thin thickness of 1.59 mm due to the coupling effect offered by dual-soft-magnetic particles. Furthermore, both aerogels show excellent thermal insulation property, and their outstanding radar stealth performances in J-20 aircraft are confirmed by computer simulation technology. The formation mechanism of MOG is also discussed along with the thermal insulation and electromagnetic wave absorption mechanism of the aerogels, which will enable the development and application of novel and lightweight stealth coatings.
Unraveling the Fundamental Mechanism of Interface Conductive Network Influence on the Fast-Charging Performance of SiO-Based Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhang Ruirui , Xiao Zhexi , Lin Zhenkang , Yan Xinghao , He Ziying , Jiang Hairong , Yang Zhou , Jia Xilai , Wei Fei
Published: December 2023

Highlights

Influence of interface conductive network on ionic transport and mechanical stability under fast charging is explored for the first time.

The mitigation of interface polarization is precisely revealed by the combination of 2D modeling simulation and Cryo-TEM observation, which can be attributed to a higher fraction formation of conductive inorganic species in bilayer SEI, and primarily contributes to a linear decrease in ionic diffusion energy barrier.

The improved stress dissipation presented by AFM and Raman shift is critical for the linear reduction in electrode residual stress and thickness swelling.

Abstract

Progress in the fast charging of high-capacity silicon monoxide (SiO)-based anode is currently hindered by insufficient conductivity and notable volume expansion. The construction of an interface conductive network effectively addresses the aforementioned problems; however, the impact of its quality on lithium-ion transfer and structure durability is yet to be explored. Herein, the influence of an interface conductive network on ionic transport and mechanical stability under fast charging is explored for the first time. 2D modeling simulation and Cryo-transmission electron microscopy precisely reveal the mitigation of interface polarization owing to a higher fraction of conductive inorganic species formation in bilayer solid electrolyte interphase is mainly responsible for a linear decrease in ionic diffusion energy barrier. Furthermore, atomic force microscopy and Raman shift exhibit substantial stress dissipation generated by a complete conductive network, which is critical to the linear reduction of electrode residual stress. This study provides insights into the rational design of optimized interface SiO-based anodes with reinforced fast-charging performance.
Exploring Phosphorus Dynamics in Submerged Soils and Its Implications on the Inconsistent Rice Yield Response to Added Inorganic Phosphorus Fertilisers in Paddy Soils in Sri Lanka
Authors: Palihakkara Janani , Burkitt Lucy , Jeyakumar Paramsothy , Attanayake Chammi P.
Published: December 2023

Rice is the primary energy source of more than half of the global population. Challenges persist in managing phosphorus (P) in paddy soils of tropical rice-growing countries. In Sri Lanka, one specific challenge is the inconsistent yield response observed when inorganic P fertilisers are applied to paddy soils. Previous research conducted in Sri Lanka has shown that the rice yield response to added P fertilisers cannot be adequately explained by factors such as soil available P, irrigation schemes, soil texture, pH, electrical conductivity, total carbon content and available Fe and Mg concentrations. Due to the submerged conditions in which rice is grown for a significant portion of its lifespan, a unique environment controlled by redox-driven processes is developed in paddy soils. Therefore, releasing P from submerged soils is an outcome influenced by complex hydrological and biogeochemical processes, strongly influenced by inherent soil characteristics. The present review paper aimed to critically examine existing literature on soil P behaviour in submerged paddy soils of Sri Lanka, to clarify the behaviour of P under submergence, identify the factors affecting such behaviour and highlight the research gaps that need to be addressed, in order to effectively manage P in the paddy soils of Sri Lanka.
The Impact of Non-pharmacological Interventions Measures Against COVID-19 on Respiratory Virus in Preschool Children in Henan, China
Authors: Yan Hui , Zhai Bo , Yang Fang , Wang Penggao , Zhou Yang
Published: December 2023

Objectives

To investigate the long-term effects of non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) measures on the epidemiological characteristics of common respiratory viruses in preschool children in Henan, China.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study containing data from 17 prefecture-level cities in Henan, China. We analyzed and compared laboratory results and clinical data of preschool children presenting to outpatient clinics for acute respiratory infections (ARTI) after COVID-19 (January 2020–October 2022) and before COVID-19 (December 2017–December 2019). Each year was divided into quarters. The ratio of the odds ratios (ORs) of testing positive for eight respiratory viruses in each year after the pandemic to the prepandemic period was estimated applying a generalized linear model (GLM), using the mean of the positive detection rates in 2018–2019 as a reference.

Results

A total of 11,400 children were enrolled from December 2017 to October 2022. The number of positive detections for all respiratory viruses decreased in 2020–2022 compared to the average of 2018–2019. Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV), human rhinovirus (hRV), and influenza virus (IFV) accounted for a larger proportion of all detected viruses before COVID-19 pandemic, whereas hRV, human bocavirus (hBoV), and human adenovirus (hAdV) accounted for a significantly larger proportion after COVID-19 pandemic. The positive detection rates of enveloped viruses [IFV, human parainfluenza virus (hPIV), hRSV, human metapneumovirus (hMPV), and human coronavirus (hCoV)] decreased sharply and the seasonal activity of these viruses was weakened, while the positive detection rates of non-enveloped viruses (hRV, hBoV, and hAdV) increased, especially hRV. The conditions described above tended to occur more frequently in boys and children older than 1 year, and they were also more sensitive to the NPIs.

Conclusions

NPIs transformed the epidemiological profile of common respiratory viruses among preschool children during the COVID-19 pandemic. To improve the overall public health response to all respiratory viruses, interventions targeting non-enveloped viruses need to be strengthened to mitigate their continued transmission.
A self-adaptive first-principles approach for magnetic excited states
Authors: Cai Zefeng , Wang Ke , Xu Yong , Wei Su-Huai , Xu Ben
Published: December 2023

The profound impact of excited magnetic states on the intricate interplay between electron and lattice behaviors in magnetic materials is a topic of great interest. Unfortunately, despite the significant strides that have been made in first-principles methods, accurately tracking these phenomena remains a challenging and elusive task. The crux of the challenge that lies before us is centered on the intricate task of characterizing the magnetic configuration of an excited state, utilizing a first-principle approach that is firmly rooted in the ground state of the system. We propose a versatile self-adaptive spin-constrained density functional theory formalism. By iteratively optimizing the constraining field alongside the electron wave function during energy minimization, we are able to obtain an accurate potential energy surface that captures the longitudinal and transverse variations of magnetization in itinerant ferromagnetic Fe. Moreover, this technique allows us to identify the subtle coupling between magnetic moments and other degrees of freedom by tracking energy variation, providing new insights into the intricate interplay between magnetic interactions, electronic band structure, and phonon dispersion curves in single-layered $\mathrm{CrI} _{3}$

CrI
3

. This new methodology represents a significant breakthrough in our ability to probe the complex and multifaceted properties of magnetic systems.
Competing Perspectives and Dialogue in Climate Change Advisory Opinions
Authors: Tigre Maria Antonia , Rocha Armando
Published: December 2023

The limited use of dispute settlement mechanisms under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement explains the recent upsurge in requests for advisory opinions on issues specific to climate change to international courts, namely the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. However, it is still unclear how these courts will answer the questions posed, and in particular whether they will coordinate or compete with each other. As the requesting states and bodies are well aware of this uncertainty, requesting an advisory opinion from three courts simultaneously was an ingenious (not ingenuous) strategy to clarify states’ obligations to mitigate or adapt to climate change through the international judiciary. This essay assesses how the parallel jurisdiction of courts in these cases presents an opportunity to enhance states’ obligations concerning climate change through requesting concurrent views on the same rules and obligations. It considers the potential for contradictory views between courts on the same obligations. Finally, the essay analyzes the extent to which these courts may compete or cooperate in their approach to the resolution of these issues.
Monitoring interdecadal coastal change along dissipative beaches via satellite imagery at regional scale
Authors: Graffin Marcan , Taherkhani Mohsen , Leung Meredith , Vitousek Sean , Kaminsky George , Ruggiero Peter
Published: December 2023

Coastal morphological changes can be assessed using shoreline position observations from space. However, satellite-derived waterline (SDW) and shoreline (SDS; SDW corrected for hydrodynamic contributions and outliers) detection methods are subject to several sources of uncertainty and inaccuracy. We extracted high-spatiotemporal-resolution (~50 m-monthly) time series of mean high water shoreline position along the Columbia River Littoral Cell (CRLC), located on the US Pacific Northwest coast, from Landsat missions (1984–2021). We examined the accuracy of the SDS time series along the mesotidal, mildly sloping, high-energy wave climate and dissipative beaches of the CRLC by validating them against 20 years of quarterly in situ beach elevation profiles. We found that the accuracy of the SDS time series heavily depends on the capability to identify and remove outliers and correct the biases stemming from tides and wave runup. However, we show that only correcting the SDW data for outliers is sufficient to accurately measure shoreline change trends along the CRLC. Ultimately, the SDS change trends show strong agreement with in situ data, facilitating the spatiotemporal analysis of coastal change and highlighting an overall accretion signal along the CRLC during the past four decades.
Comparison of Perceived Importance and Performance of Community Pharmacists’ Role in South Korea During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic
Authors: Baek Youngsuk , Park Sun-Kyeong , Lee Yong Hwa , Son Kyung-Hwa , Na Hye-Jung , Choi Hyun-Gyu , Kwon Young-Gyu , Lee Eui-Kyung
Published: December 2023

Objective:

This study aimed to identify the roles of community pharmacists (CPs) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the differences in their role performance compared with their perceived importance, and limiting factors.

Methods:

A cross-sectional online survey of CPs was conducted. The CPs self-measured the importance and performance of each role during the pandemic using a 5-point Likert scale. A paired t-test was used to compare each role’s importance and performance scores. A logistic regression analysis of the roles with low performance scores, despite their level of importance, was conducted to determine the factors affecting performance. The limiting factors were also surveyed.

Results:

The 436 responses to the questionnaire were analyzed. The performance scores were significantly lower than the perceived importance scores for 15 of the 17 roles. The source and update frequency of COVID-19 information and participation in outreach pharmaceutical services were associated with low performance scores. Insufficient economic compensation, the lack of communication channels, and legal limitations were the limiting factors in performing the CPs’ roles.

Conclusions:

The participation in outreach pharmaceutical services, economic compensation, and communication channel should be improved to motivate the CPs in performing their roles.
Global solutions for 1D cubic defocusing dispersive equations: Part I
Authors: Ifrim Mihaela , Tataru Daniel
Published: December 2023

This article is devoted to a general class of one-dimensional NLS problems with a cubic nonlinearity. The question of obtaining scattering, global in time solutions for such problems has attracted a lot of attention in recent years, and many global well-posedness results have been proved for a number of models under the assumption that the initial data are both small and localized. However, except for the completely integrable case, no such results have been known for small but not necessarily localized initial data.

In this article, we introduce a new, nonperturbative method to prove global well-posedness and scattering for

$L^2$

initial data which are small and nonlocalized. Our main structural assumption is that our nonlinearity is defocusing. However, we do not assume that our problem has any exact conservation laws. Our method is based on a robust reinterpretation of the idea of Interaction Morawetz estimates, developed almost 20 years ago by the I-team.

In terms of scattering, we prove that our global solutions satisfy both global

$L^6$

Strichartz estimates and bilinear

$L^2$

bounds. This is a Galilean invariant result, which is new even for the classical defocusing cubic NLS.1 There, by scaling, our result also admits a large data counterpart.
Using wearable activity trackers for research in the global south: Lessons learned from adolescent psychotherapy research in Kenya
Authors: Johnson Natalie E. , Venturo-Conerly Katherine E. , Rusch Thomas
Published: December 2023

Wearable activity trackers have emerged as valuable tools for health research, providing high-resolution data on measures such as physical activity. While most research on these devices has been conducted in high-income countries, there is growing interest in their use in the global south. This perspective discusses the challenges faced and strategies employed when using wearable activity trackers to test the effects of a school-based intervention for depression and anxiety among Kenyan youth. Lessons learned include the importance of validating data output, establishing an internal procedure for international procurement, providing on-site support for participants, designating a full-time team member for wearable activity tracker operation, and issuing a paper-based information sheet to participants. The insights shared in this perspective serve as guidance for researchers undertaking studies with wearables in similar settings, contributing to the evidence base for mental health interventions targeting youth in the global south. Despite the challenges to set up, deploy and extract data from wearable activity trackers, we believe that wearables are a relatively economical approach to provide insight into the daily lives of research participants, and recommend their use to other researchers.
The return of Prometheus. Dominant powers and the management of careful revisionists
Authors: Natalizia Gabriele , Termine Lorenzo
Published: December 2023

After defeating the 20th-century challengers to the international order, the United States must today calibrate its response to the rise of the PRC, whose foreign policy poses problems both for policy-makers and IR scholars. Wilhelmine and Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan and USSR have left a heavy mark on the scholarship on revisionist threats and their management. Like the mythological Titans, these states launched their challenge all the way to ‘Olympus’: they longed to build a new international order by war or a large-scale and long-standing competition. However, the myth of Prometheus teaches us that this ‘revolutionary’ path is not the only road for secondary states to gain primacy. Revisionism can also take a more careful shape, both by means and objectives. The article preliminarily discusses the understudied type of careful revisionism and distinguishes the subtypes of ‘incrementals’, ‘moderates’ and ‘gamblers’. These more nuanced forms compel status quo power(s) to face a dilemma between two strategic options: engagement or confrontation. Then it posits that a wisely gauged assessment of the careful revisionist challenge by the dominant power must inevitably lay at the basis of any grand strategy for preserving the status quo and preventing systemic change. Finally, it tests this hypothesis by investigating the confrontation between a dominant power – the United Kingdom – and six careful revisionists – namely the United States (1814–1860), the Kingdom of Sardinia/Italy (1852–1882), France (1875–1904), Russian Empire (1864–1907), Imperial Japan (1919–1936) and Fascist Italy (1922–1935).
From Rejection to Reconciliation: Protestantism and the Image in Early Modern England
Authors: Hamling Tara , Willis Jonathan
Published: December 2023

The idea that Protestantism in post-Reformation England was inherently hostile to the visual arts has a long history and has become embedded across an interdisciplinary scholarship and within popular consciousness. While more recent historiography addresses numerous exceptions to this prevailing trend, this article provides a new assessment of how English Protestantism in a more positive mood not only came to terms with the image but actively embraced it. In identifying patterns of thinking within a wide body of contemporary comment, we offer a chart in the mode of early modern figurative diagrams to emphasize the diverse criteria that Protestants weighed when considering whether an image was suitable for its intended purpose, from the circumstances of its making and using through audience response to location, medium, subject matter, and patron. In doing so, we stress the importance of historicizing the sense of the terms civil and religious use, which do not map neatly onto a modern reading of secular and sacred spaces. We further illustrate how the criteria of the model operated in practice, through detailed analysis of two extant artworks commissioned by committed Protestants, highlighting keen engagement with pictorial art in theory and in practice. The shift in emphasis from rejection to reconciliation captures the spirit of English Protestantism's negotiation and rapprochement with the image over the period ca. 1560–ca. 1640.
Fighting the War for Talent: Examining a Multi-level Model of Talent Inducement, Work Engagement, and Creativity in Teams
Authors: Tu Yanhong , Hong Ying , Jiang Yuan , Zhang Wei
Published: December 2023

Integrating the literature on talent management and teams, and drawing upon the signaling theory as the overarching framework, we investigated the moderated indirect effects of talent inducements on employee creativity via employee work engagement in teams. Empirical data from matched leader-members indicated that team talent inducement was positively related to member work engagement, which was then positively associated with team and member creativity. In addition, individual learning and performance-approach goal orientation positively moderated this indirect relationship, whereas individual performance-avoidance goal orientation negatively moderated this indirect relationship. Together, these results illuminate a cross-level influence process of team talent inducements on creativity and individual goal orientations as boundary conditions.
How to Get Coal Country to Vote for Climate Policy: The Effect of a “Just Transition Agreement” on Spanish Election Results
Authors: BOLET DIANE , GREEN FERGUS , GONZÁLEZ-EGUINO MIKEL
Published: December 2023

Enacting stringent climate policy has proven politically challenging, not least because of concentrated losses in fossil fuel-producing communities. “Just transition” strategies have been proposed to mitigate this distributional challenge. Yet, little is known about how such strategies affect voting behavior. Using a mixed-methods approach, we exploit a local climate policy in Spain—a “Just Transition Agreement” (JTA) to phase out coalmining, support affected workers, and invest in affected municipalities—which was negotiated by the incumbent Socialist Party (PSOE) government with affected unions and businesses shortly before a national election. A difference-in-differences study shows that PSOE’s vote share in coalmining municipalities increased at the 2019 election relative to similar municipalities, implying that the JTA was electorally successful. Further statistical tests and elite interviews suggest that this electoral boost was driven by unions’ support of the JTA. Our findings have implications for how parties can craft popular climate policy.
Superposed fracture networks
Authors: Peacock D.C.P. , Sanderson D.J. , Magán M.
Published: December 2023

The concept of superposed fracture networks consisting of different generations, and often types, of fractures that have developed sequentially is discussed. Superposed networks can consist of different types of extension or shear fractures, and each fracture may abut, cross or follow (reactivate) earlier fractures. An example of a superposed fracture network in Liassic limestones in Somerset, UK, is presented, which comprises two sets of veins and a later joint network. The veins develop as damage zones around faults, with veins of the later set crossing or trailing along the earlier set. The later joints either cross-cut the earlier veins or reactivate them, the latter being common for the thicker (more than about 5 mm) veins. The veins and joint networks have markedly different geometries and topologies. The veins are spatially clustered and are typically dominated by I-nodes, while the joints are more evenly distributed and tend to be dominated by Y-nodes. The combined network of veins and joints at Lilstock is dominated by X-nodes because so many joints cross-cut the earlier veins. Understanding the development of superposed fracture networks leads to better understanding of the kinematic, mechanical, tectonic and fluid flow history of rocks.
Climate change effects on terrestrial parasitic nematodes: Where are the knowledge gaps?
Authors: Moerman T.M. , Albon S.D. , Coulson S.J. , Loe L.E.
Published: December 2023

Climate change is expected to affect parasitic nematodes and hence possibly parasite–host dynamics and may have far-reaching consequences for animal health, livestock production, and ecosystem functioning. However, there has been no recent overview of current knowledge to identify how studies could contribute to a better understanding of terrestrial parasitic nematodes under changing climates. Here we screened almost 1,400 papers to review 57 experimental studies on the effects of temperature and moisture on hatching, development, survival, and behaviour of the free-living stages of terrestrial parasitic nematodes with a direct life cycle in birds and terrestrial mammals. Two major knowledge gaps are apparent. First, research should study the temperature dependency curves for hatching, development, and survival under various moisture treatments to test the interactive effect of temperature and moisture. Second, we specifically advocate for more studies that investigate how temperature, and its interaction with moisture, affect both vertical and horizontal movement of parasitic nematodes to understand infection risks. Overall, we advocate for more field experiments that test environmental effects on life-history traits and behaviour of parasitic nematodes in their free-living stages under natural and realistic circumstances. We also encourage studies to expand the range of used hosts and parasitic nematodes because 66% of results described in the available studies use sheep and cattle as hosts and 32% involve just three nematode species. This new comprehension brings attention to understudied abiotic impacts on terrestrial parasitic nematodes and will have broader implications for livestock management, wildlife conservation, and ecosystem functioning in a rapidly warming climate.
Development and Evaluation of a Nurse Practitioner Huddles Toolkit for Long Term Care Homes
Authors: Krassikova Alexandra , Wills Aria , Vellani Shirin , Sidani Souraya , Keatings Margaret , Boscart Veronique M. , Bethell Jennifer , McGilton Katherine S.
Published: December 2023

Long-term care homes (LTCHs) were disproportionately affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, creating stressful circumstances for LTCH employees, residents, and their care partners. Team huddles may improve staff outcomes and enable a supportive climate. Nurse practitioners (NPs) have a multifaceted role in LTCHs, including facilitating implementation of new practices. Informed by a community-based participatory approach to research, this mixed-methods study aimed to develop and evaluate a toolkit for implementing NP-led huddles in an LTCH. The toolkit consists of two sections. Section one describes the huddles’ purpose and implementation strategies. Section two contains six scripts to guide huddle discussions. Acceptability of the intervention was evaluated using a quantitative measure (Treatment Acceptability Questionnaire) and through qualitative interviews with huddle participants. Descriptive statistics and manifest content analysis were used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data. The project team rated the toolkit as acceptable. Qualitative findings provided evidence on design quality, limitations, and recommendations for future huddles.
Is bilingualism linked to well-being? Evidence from a big-data survey
Authors: Wang Jing , Wei Rining
Published: December 2023

In applied linguistics generally and bilingualism research in particular, psychological variables remain a much under-investigated sub-category of individual differences compared with cognitive ones. To better understand the under-researched psychological effects of bilingualism, this study investigated well-being, a psychological construct, based on a big-data survey. Drawing upon a national survey (N = 12,582), we examined the influence of bilingualism (operationalised as foreign language (FL) proficiency) and 13 sociobiographical variables (e.g., socio-economic status, SES) on well-being. Among these 14 initial independent variables, perceived social fairness, SES, and health emerged as important predictors for well-being, with FL proficiency and national language (NL) proficiency as potentially important predictors; crucially, FL proficiency was more important than NL proficiency. As the first systematic attempt to link bilingualism with well-being, our study advocates (1) a more holistic perspective towards language (including NL and FL(s)) in any bilingual context and (2) fuller use of effect sizes.
Asymmetric conflation: QAnon and the political cooptation of religion
Authors: Foertsch Steven , Chakraborty Rudra , Joosse Paul
Published: December 2023

QAnon is beginning to gain attention in scholarly circles, but these sources often disagree about how to categorize the movement. This amounts to the meta-dispute between those who view QAnon primarily as a religious “cult,” and those who grant it greater credibility as a political populist movement. Using quantitative and qualitative methods we test the proposition that QAnon could be a mix of both. Results from both analyses suggest that QAnon is best understood primarily as a political populist movement, but one that utilizes religious rhetoric. The findings thus highlight the asymmetric nature of the conflation of religion and politics in the contemporary American civil sphere.
Message in a Bottle—An Update to the Golden Record: 1. Objectives and Key Content of the Message
Authors: Jiang Jonathan H. , Berea Anamaria , Bowden Heather , Das Prithwis , Fahy Kristen A. , Ginsberg Joseph , Jew Robert , Jiang Xiaoming , Kershenbaum Arik , Kipping David , Lau Graham , Lewis Karen , Nuñez Lendo C. Isabel , Rosen Philip E. , Searra Nick , Taylor Stuart F. , Traphagan John
Published: December 2023

In the first part of this series, we delve into the foundational aspects of “Message in a Bottle (MIAB)” (henceforth referred to as MIAB). This study builds upon the legacy of the Voyager Golden Records, launched aboard Voyager 1 and 2 in 1977, which aimed to communicate with intelligent species beyond our world. These records not only offer a snapshot of Earth and human civilization but also represent our desire to establish contact with advanced alien civilizations. Given the absence of mutually understood signs, symbols, and semiotic conventions, MIAB, like its predecessor, uses scientific methods to design an innovative means of communication that encapsulates the story of humanity. Our goal is to share our collective knowledge, emotions, innovations, and aspirations in a way that provides a universal, yet contextually relevant, understanding of human society, the evolution of life on Earth, and our hopes and concerns for the future. Through this time and space traveling capsule, we also strive to inspire and unify current and future generations to celebrate and safeguard our shared human experience.
Comparison of Ring Current Proton Losses Between Contributions From Scattering by Field Line Curvature and EMIC Waves
Authors: Cao Xing , Ni Binbin , Yu Yiqun , Ma Longxing , Lu Peng , Wang Xiaoyu
Published: December 2023

Although both the field line curvature (FLC) and electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves are recognized to contribute importantly to the loss of energetic protons in the Earth's ring current, their quantitative differences in scattering ring current protons are still not fully understood. In this study, using a realistic, nondipolar magnetic field model, we perform a detailed analysis of the scattering effects of ring current protons and the resultant proton lifetimes due to FLC and EMIC waves at different L‐shells under different levels of geomagnetic activity. We find that compared with EMIC wave‐driven scattering, FLC scattering has a stronger dependence on L‐shell and geomagnetic activity. Pitch angle scattering efficiency due to FLC enhances significantly as proton energy increases. In contrast, scattering by H+ band EMIC waves tends to be weaker with increasing proton energy, while the scattering rates by He+ band EMIC waves increase first and then decrease. The results of proton lifetime against pitch angle scattering show that EMIC wave‐driven scattering dominates the loss of ring current protons at lower L‐shells (L < 6), especially during geomagnetically quiet conditions. During geomagnetically active conditions at L ≥ 6, EMIC wave‐driven scattering dominates at lower proton energies, while FLC scattering dominates at higher proton energies. This study improves the current understanding of the relative contributions of scattering by FLC and EMIC waves to the Earth's ring current proton dynamics.
Quantification of Water Released by Thawing Permafrost in the Source Region of the Yangtze River on the Tibetan Plateau by InSAR Monitoring
Authors: Wang Lingxiao , Zhao Lin , Zhou Huayun , Liu Shibo , Liu Guangyue , Zou Defu , Du Erji , Hu Guojie , Wang Chong
Published: December 2023

The source region of the Yangtze River (SRYR, 1.4 × 105 km2 above Zhimenda station) on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) has 78% permafrost coverage. The streamflow depth increased at a rate of 2.5 mm/a since 2000. Quantification of the water contribution brought by permafrost thawing is a difficult task. In this study, we used Sentinel‐1 data and the SBAS‐InSAR technique to monitor terrain deformation from September 2016 to December 2021, and then utilized the long‐term deformation rate to assess ground ice meltwater release and the seasonal deformation to evaluate water storage in the active layer. Results reveal that 55.3% of the terrain in the SRYR has subsidence >2.5 mm/a, indicating widespread ground ice melting. The release rate of ground ice meltwater is 4.3 mm/a in the entire SRYR, above 6 mm/a at the Dangqu and Tuotuo River subbasins. The water release rate is relatively small (∼3%) in comparison to the streamflow depth of 151 mm per year during the investigation period of 2017–2021. We did not detect a strong increasing or decreasing trend among the 5‐year seasonal deformation, which reflects that the total soil water content in the active layer did not change significantly during the short investigation period. The results provide a data basis for ground ice richness and loss information in the SRYR and help to understand the impact of permafrost thawing on the regional water cycle in the permafrost environment.
MYCN and SNRPD3 cooperate to maintain a balance of alternative splicing events that drives neuroblastoma progression
Authors: Salib Alice , Jayatilleke Nisitha , Seneviratne Janith A. , Mayoh Chelsea , De Preter Katleen , Speleman Frank , Cheung Belamy B. , Carter Daniel R. , Marshall Glenn M.
Published: December 2023

Many of the pro-tumorigenic functions of the oncogene MYCN are attributed to its regulation of global gene expression programs. Alternative splicing is another important regulator of gene expression and has been implicated in neuroblastoma development, however, the molecular mechanisms remain unknown. We found that MYCN up-regulated the expression of the core spliceosomal protein, SNRPD3, in models of neuroblastoma initiation and progression. High mRNA expression of SNRPD3 in human neuroblastoma tissues was a strong, independent prognostic factor for poor patient outcome. Repression of SNRPD3 expression correlated with loss of colony formation in vitro and reduced tumorigenicity in vivo. The effect of SNRPD3 on cell viability was in part dependent on MYCN as an oncogenic co-factor. RNA-sequencing revealed a global increase in the number of genes being differentially spliced when MYCN was overexpressed. Surprisingly, depletion of SNRPD3 in the presence of overexpressed MYCN further increased differential splicing, particularly of cell cycle regulators, such as BIRC5 and CDK10. MYCN directly bound SNRPD3, and the protein arginine methyltransferase, PRMT5, consequently increasing SNRPD3 methylation. Indeed, the PRMT5 inhibitor, JNJ-64619178, reduced cell viability and SNRPD3 methylation in neuroblastoma cells with high SNRPD3 and MYCN expression. Our findings demonstrate a functional relationship between MYCN and SNRPD3, which maintains the fidelity of MYCN-driven alternative splicing in the narrow range required for neuroblastoma cell growth. SNRPD3 methylation and its protein-protein interface with MYCN represent novel therapeutic targets.
Biological principles for music and mental health
Authors: Bowling Daniel L.
Published: December 2023

Efforts to integrate music into healthcare systems and wellness practices are accelerating but the biological foundations supporting these initiatives remain underappreciated. As a result, music-based interventions are often sidelined in medicine. Here, I bring together advances in music research from neuroscience, psychology, and psychiatry to bridge music’s specific foundations in human biology with its specific therapeutic applications. The framework I propose organizes the neurophysiological effects of music around four core elements of human musicality: tonality, rhythm, reward, and sociality. For each, I review key concepts, biological bases, and evidence of clinical benefits. Within this framework, I outline a strategy to increase music’s impact on health based on standardizing treatments and their alignment with individual differences in responsivity to these musical elements. I propose that an integrated biological understanding of human musicality—describing each element’s functional origins, development, phylogeny, and neural bases—is critical to advancing rational applications of music in mental health and wellness.
SOX2 promotes vasculogenic mimicry by accelerating glycolysis via the lncRNA AC005392.2-GLUT1 axis in colorectal cancer
Authors: Huang Shimiao , Wang Xuan , Zhu Yin , Wang Yadong , Chen Jiaxuan , Zheng Haoxuan
Published: December 2023

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), a new model of angiogenesis, fulfills the metabolic demands of solid tumors and contributes to tumor aggressiveness. Our previous study demonstrated the effect of SOX2 in promoting VM in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the underlying mechanisms behind this effect remain elusive. Here, we show that SOX2 overexpression enhanced glycolysis and sustained VM formation via the transcriptional activation of lncRNA AC005392.2. Suppression of either glycolysis or AC005392.2 expression curbed SOX2-driven VM formation in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, SOX2 combined with the promoter of AC005392.2, which decreased H3K27me3 enrichment and thus increased its transcriptional activity. Overexpression of AC005392.2 increased the stability of GLUT1 protein by enhancing its SUMOylation, leading to a decrease in the ubiquitination and degradation of GLUT1. Accumulation of GLUT1 contributed to SOX2-mediated glycolysis and VM. Additionally, clinical analyses showed that increased levels of AC005392.2, GLUT1, and EPHA2 expression were positively correlated with SOX2 and were also associated with poor prognoses in patients with CRC. Our study conclusively demonstrates that the SOX2-lncRNA AC005392.2-GLUT1 signaling axis regulates VM formation in CRC, offering a foundation for the development of new antiangiogenic drugs or new drug combination regimens.
Isochronic development of cortical synapses in primates and mice
Authors: Wildenberg Gregg , Li Hanyu , Sampathkumar Vandana , Sorokina Anastasia , Kasthuri Narayanan
Published: December 2023

The neotenous, or delayed, development of primate neurons, particularly human ones, is thought to underlie primate-specific abilities like cognition. We tested whether synaptic development follows suit—would synapses, in absolute time, develop slower in longer-lived, highly cognitive species like non-human primates than in shorter-lived species with less human-like cognitive abilities, e.g., the mouse? Instead, we find that excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the male Mus musculus (mouse) and Rhesus macaque (primate) cortex form at similar rates, at similar times after birth. Primate excitatory and inhibitory synapses and mouse excitatory synapses also prune in such an isochronic fashion. Mouse inhibitory synapses are the lone exception, which are not pruned and instead continuously added throughout life. The monotony of synaptic development clocks across species with disparate lifespans, experiences, and cognitive abilities argues that such programs are likely orchestrated by genetic events rather than experience.