bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Poverty and Risk: Variation Among People and Over Time
Authors: Masters William A. , Finaret Amelia B.
Published: April 2024

Previous chapters focused on the total or average level of each thing, for individuals and communities, introducing the economic principles used to explain and predict outcomes using a series of analytical diagrams that help us understand each population’s efficiency in using scarce resources to secure their wellbeing. Starting with this chapter the book shifts from theory to practice, introducing the data on how those outcomes differ and change within countries and around the world. The first section of this chapter introduces data on economic disparities around the world, introducing definitions and measurement for poverty and inequality. The second section shows how poverty relates to risk and change, introducing definitions and measurement for food insecurity, vulnerability and resilience. We show how formal and informal systems for insurance and credit address some risks but not others, leaving an important role for social assistance and safety net programs to sustain social inclusion, keeping children and adults out of poverty and achieve each population’s goals for equity, efficiency and sustainability over time.
What Does “Vulnerability” Mean? San Representatives Define Vulnerability for Themselves
Authors: Schroeder Doris , Chatfield Kate , Chennells Roger , Partington Hazel , Kimani Joshua , Thomson Gillian , Odhiambo Joyce Adhiambo , Snyders Leana , Louw Collin
Published: April 2024

The Indigenous San peoples, often referred to as South Africa’s “First Peoples”, experienced a violent history of displacement and genocide. Modern-day San still suffer from the intergenerational trauma inflicted by colonists as well as discrimination, marginalisation and impoverishment. In addition, the South African San are collectively labelled as a vulnerable group, whose inclusion in research should be reduced to a minimum if one follows traditional protection mechanisms from research ethics. The purpose of this chapter is to let the San define “vulnerability” for themselves through workshops and community-administered surveys. It became clear that San representatives did not perceive the word “vulnerable” to be pejorative per se. On the contrary, it served as a useful umbrella term to cover a vast range of issues and problems. However, it also became clear that the term is perceived as negative when external actors block research—in a potentially patronising manner—that could be beneficial to the community. Equitable research partnerships between researchers and South African San community members, facilitated by the South African San Council and guided by the San Code of Research Ethics, can lead to rich data that have the potential to assist the community in finding ways out of vulnerability. Externally labelling them as “vulnerable” as a group and blocking access to research cannot be the solution.
Haftungsrisiken im Kontext von Open Source Hardware
Authors: Kuschel Linda , Haller Lisa
Published: April 2024

Das Risiko, für etwaige Personen- und Sachschäden die bei der Herstellung und Nutzung von Open Source Hardware (OSH) entstehen, zu haften, kann für die Verbreitung von OSH ein großes Hindernis darstellen. Die rechtlichen Fragen, die sich in diesem Zusammenhang stellen, sind durchaus komplex und neuartig. Das liegt zum einen an der Natur der Wertschöpfungskette von OSH, bei der auf verschiedenen Stufen (Designentwurf, Herstellung, Verbreitung) unterschiedliche Personen(gruppen) beteiligt sind. Zum anderen wird OSH häufig aus altruistischen Zwecken und von Laien entworfen, hergestellt und verbreitet, für die ein einheitlicher Sorgfaltsmaßstab nur schwer zu bilden ist. In diesem Beitrag wird überblicksartig auf die potenzielle Haftung der Designer eines OSH-Bauplanes eingegangen. Dabei werden einige der wichtigsten rechtlichen Fragestellungen identifiziert und Perspektiven für die weitere Forschung aufgezeigt.
Co-kreative Produktentwicklung für eine lokale und unternehmensübergreifende Produktion
Authors: Saubke Dominik , Krenz Pascal
Published: April 2024

Die Produktentwicklung verlagert sich zunehmend in den digitalen Raum. Co-Creation Communities gelten als zukünftige treibende Kraft für interdisziplinäre und individuell gesteuerte Innovationen. Dagegen offenbarten einige Vorfälle der letzten Jahre (Pandemie, Suez-Kanal Blockade, usw.) die Anfälligkeit der globalen Wertschöpfung gegenüber Störungen. Der Trend, in Zukunft verstärkt lokal am Ort des Bedarfs zu produzieren, wird bereits seit Jahren durch Initiativen wie z. B. FabCity auf die Agenda regionaler Politik gesetzt und zunehmend auch in vielen Unternehmen strategisch diskutiert. Dies führt zu global entwickelten Artefakten, die lokal produziert werden können. Dabei hängt der Erfolg einer Entwicklung direkt von der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit (Umsetzbarkeit und Reproduzierbarkeit) ab. Im klassischen Produktionsunternehmen wird dies durch einen frühzeitigen Wissensaustausch von Produktion und Produktentwicklung gewährleistet. Im folgenden Beitrag werden die zukünftigen Herausforderungen der Planungsvorbereitung (PV) als Teilaufgabe der Arbeitsvorbereitung (AV) an der Schnittstelle zwischen unternehmensübergreifender Produktion und offener und kollaborativer Entwicklung herausgearbeitet.
Implementing a Digital Product Passport to Support the Open-Source Hardware Community
Authors: Roio Denis , Burns Adam , Bocconi Stefano
Published: April 2024

This article presents a Digital Product Passport (DPP) technology for Open-Source Hardware (OSH) use cases. A DPP is a tool to provide physical products with a record of digital information about them, analogous to what might be imagined as a passport for Digital Twins. Such a passport may document non-observable attributes of products, such as their age, people involved in their creation, the licenses of designs used, locations they have travelled to and their current owner. In our tentative implementation and proposal for standard components, we focus on adopting a graph database of information, the REA (Resource-Event-Agent) accounting system and the Valueflows vocabulary to trace resources, events, and agents. Working in a federated environment where DPPs can be exported and authenticated even when they cross different contexts, we also examine how cryptography is used to ensure the integrity of DPPs by relying on authenticity rather than authorization.
Circular Economy und Bioökonomie
Authors: Marzi Thomas , Renner Manfred
Published: April 2024

Mit dem Begriff Circular Economy warden systemisch angelegte Konzepte zusammengefasst, die den Ressourcenverbrauch durch die Wiederverwendung und Aufbereitung von Produkten und Materialien verringern sollen. Der Begriff Bioökonomie hat mehrere Lesarten. In den 1970-er und 80-er Jahren war er ein Synonym für die Ökologische Ökonomie, einer ökonomischen Richtung, die von einem
stofflich geschlossenen Erdsystem ausgeht, das nur über begrenzte Ressourcen verfügt. Die heutige Bioökonomie hat sich jedoch unabhängig von diesem Begriffsverständnis entwickelt. Das Wort Bioökonomie stand hier zunächst für die Vision einer biotechnisch ausgerichteten Wirtschaft, die später um das Ziel ergänzt wurde, fossile Rohstoffe durch nachwachsende zu ersetzen.
Künste
Authors: Grüny Christian
Published: April 2024

Man könnte meinen, dass wir mit einer Fokussierung auf die Künste endlich die unproduktiven Verallgemeinerungen verlassen haben und uns der tatsächlichen Praxis nähern: Schließlich ist De Duves Welt, in der man weder Maler*in noch Bildhauer*in noch Komponist*in noch Schriftsteller*in noch Architekt*in, sondern einfach nur Künstler*in im Allgemeinen ist, (noch?) nicht die, in der wir leben. Auch wenn sie alle sich in Praktiken bewegen, die künstlerisch oder ästhetisch genannt werden können, stellen sie durchaus nicht mit jeder ihrer Produktionen die Frage nach der Kunst als solcher, und auch ihre Rezipient*innen tun dies nicht ständig. Und schließlich mag der Vergleichsgesichtspunkt der Funktion dazu taugen, das Kunstsystem vom Wirtschafts- und Wissenschaftssystem abzugrenzen, aber er sagt nicht genug darüber, womit sich Künstler beschäftigen und was die tatsächlichen Grenzziehungen, Auseinandersetzungen und Debatten sind.
Material
Authors: Grüny Christian
Published: April 2024

Der Begriff des Materials ist vielleicht nicht der offensichtlichste Kandidat als Ansatzpunkt für eine Theorie, die sich diesseits von Kunst und Künsten situiert und sowohl Beharrungskräfte als auch Überschreitungsbewegungen zu denken erlaubt. Er kann sehr verschiedene Fassungen annehmen, von der Vorstellung eines widerstandslosen Stoffes, der sich dem gestaltenden Zugriff fügt, über die Betonung gerade seiner Widerständigkeit bis zu starken Begriffen, die von einer eigenen Bestimmtheit des Materials ausgehen. Im letzteren Fall liegt wiederum eine große Bandbreite zwischen der Idee der Materialgerechtigkeit, wie sie sich in der Arts&Crafts-Bewegung und bei Adolf Loos formuliert findet, der Adornoschen Vorstellung einer Eigenlogik des Materials und neovitalistischen Materiebegriffen, die im Kontext neuerer Materialismen und Realismen entwickelt wurden. Es ist nicht mein Ziel, hier eine Diskussion all dieser Begriffe von Materie und Material zu versuchen. Stattdessen möchte ich an denjenigen Begriff des künstlerischen Materials anschließen, der bis heute am klarsten und differenziertesten ausgearbeitet ist: denjenigen Adornos. Material in diesem Sinne darf nicht mit Materialität verwechselt werden, und die Assoziationen des Zugrundeliegenden, des Widerständigen und Festen, die sich mit dem Materialitätsbegriff verbinden, sind bei Adorno zwar nicht abwesend, spielen aber eine ganz andere Rolle. Am weitesten ist hier die Verbindung von Materialität mit Körperlichkeit entfernt, die zwar für Adorno höchst bedeutsam ist, seinen Begriff des künstlerischen Materials aber kaum informiert.
Delineating the heterogeneity of senescence-induced-functional alterations in hepatocytes
Authors: Kumar Pavitra , Hassan Mohsin , Tacke Frank , Engelmann Cornelius
Published: April 2024

Background and aim

Cellular senescence of hepatocytes involves permanent cell cycle arrest, disrupted cellular bioenergetics, resistance to cell death, and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This ‘zombie-like’ state perpetuates harmful effects on tissues and holds potential implications for liver disease progression. Remarkably, senescence exhibits heterogeneity, stemming from two crucial factors: the inducing stressor and the cell type. As such, our present study endeavors to characterize stressor-specific changes in senescence phenotype, its related molecular patterns, and cellular bioenergetics in primary mouse hepatocytes (PMH) and hepatocyte-derived liver organoids (HepOrgs).

Methods

PMH, isolated by collagenase-perfused mouse liver (C57B6/J; 18–23 weeks), were cultured overnight in William’s E-medium supplemented with 2% FBS, l-glutamine, and hepatocyte growth supplements. HepOrgs were developed by culturing cells in a 3D matrix for two weeks. The senescence was induced by DNA damage (doxorubicin, cisplatin, and etoposide), oxidative stress (H2O2, and ethanol), and telomere inhibition (BIBR-1532), p53 activation (nutlin-3a), DNA methyl transferase inhibition (5-azacitidine), and metabolism inhibitors (galactosamine and hydroxyurea). SA-β galactosidase activity, immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and cellular bioenergetics were used to assess the senescence phenotype.

Results

Each senescence inducer triggers a unique combination of senescence markers in hepatocytes. All senescence inducers, except hydroxyurea and ethanol, increased SA-β galactosidase activity, the most commonly used marker for cellular senescence. Among the SASP factors, CCL2 and IL-10 were consistently upregulated, while Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 exhibited global downregulation across all modes of senescence. Notably, DNA damage response was activated by DNA damage inducers. Cell cycle markers were most significantly reduced by doxorubicin, cisplatin, and galactosamine. Additionally, DNA damage-induced senescence shifted cellular bioenergetics capacity from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation. In HepOrgs exposed to senescence inducers, there was a notable increase in γH2A.X, p53, and p21 levels. Interestingly, while showing a similar trend, SASP gene expression in HepOrgs was significantly higher compared to PMH, demonstrating a several-fold increase.

Conclusion

In our study, we demonstrated that each senescence inducer activates a unique combination of senescence markers in PMH. Doxorubicin demonstrated the highest efficacy in inducing senescence, followed by cisplatin and H2O2, with no impact on apoptosis. Each inducer prompted DNA damage response and mitochondrial dysfunction, independent of MAPK/AKT.

Graphical Abstract
Microplastic in Dredged Sediments: From Databases to Strategic Responses
Authors: Wilkens J. L. , Calomeni-Eck A. J. , Boyda J. , Kennedy A. , McQueen A. D.
Published: April 2024

Microplastics (MPs) accumulate in sediments, yet guidelines for evaluating MP risks in dredged sediments are lacking. The objective of this study was to review existing literature on MPs in sediments to improve fundamental knowledge of MP exposures and develop a publicly available database of MPs in sediments. Twelve percent of the reviewed papers (nine studies) included sediment core samples with MP concentrations generally decreasing with depth, peaking in the top 15 cm. The remaining papers evaluated surficial grab samples (0 to 15 cm depth) from various water bodies with MPs detected in almost every sample. Median MP concentrations (items/kg dry sediment) increased in this order: lakes and reservoirs (184), estuarine (263), Great Lakes nearshore areas and tributaries (290), riverine (410), nearshore marine areas (487), dredge activities (817), and harbors (948). Dredging of recurrent shoaling sediments could be expected to contain MPs at various depths with concentrations influenced by the time elapsed since the last dredging event. These results offer key insights into the presence and variability of MPs in dredged sediments, informing environmental monitoring and risk assessment strategies.
Asymmetric Myocardial Involvement as an Early Indicator of Cardiac Dysfunction in Pediatric Dystrophinopathies: A Study on Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) Parametric Mappings
Authors: Esmel-Vilomara Roger , Riaza Lucía , Costa-Comellas Laura , Sabaté-Rotés Anna , Gran Ferran
Published: April 2024

Dystrophinopathies, such as Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy, frequently lead to cardiomyopathy, being its primary cause of mortality. Detecting cardiac dysfunction early is crucial, but current imaging methods lack insight into microstructural remodeling. This study aims to assess the potential of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) parametric mappings for early detection of myocardial involvement in dystrophinopathies and explores whether distinct involvement patterns may indicate impending dysfunction. In this prospective study, 23 dystrophinopathy patients underwent CMR with tissue mappings. To establish a basis for comparison, a control group of 173 subjects was analyzed. CMR protocols included SSFP, T2-weighted and T1-weighted sequences pre and post gadolinium, and tissue mappings for native T1 (nT1), extracellular volume (ECV), and T2 relaxation times. The difference between the left ventricular posterior wall and the interventricular septum was calculated to reveal asymmetric myocardial involvement. Significant differences in LV ejection fraction (LVEF), myocardial mass, and late gadolinium enhancement confirmed abnormalities in patients. Tissue mappings: nT1 (p < 0.001) and ECV (p = 0.002), but not T2, displayed substantial variations, suggesting sensitivity to myocardial involvement. Asymmetric myocardial involvement in nT1 (p = 0.01) and ECV (p = 0.012) between septal and LV posterior wall regions was significant. While higher mapping values didn’t correlate with dysfunction, asymmetric involvement in nT1 (ρ=-0.472, p = 0.023) and ECV (ρ=-0.460, p = 0.049) exhibited a significant negative correlation with LVEF. CMR mappings show promise in early myocardial damage detection in dystrophinopathies. Although mapping values may not directly correspond to dysfunction, the negative correlation between asymmetric involvement in nT1 and ECV with LVEF suggests their potential as early biomarkers. Larger, longitudinal studies are needed for a comprehensive understanding and improved risk stratification in dystrophinopathies.
Dynamic change in the peritoneal cancer index based on CT after chemotherapy in the overall survival prediction of gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis
Authors: Wei Yi-Yuan , Cai Jie-Yuan , Wang Lin-Lin , Yang Jie , Li Yan-Ling , Li Xiao-Ting , Zhang Xiao-Tian , Shi Yan-Jie , Tang Lei
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to investigate the efficacy of the CT-based peritoneal cancer index (PCI) to predict the overall survival of patients with peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer (GCPM) after two cycles of chemotherapy.

Methods

This retrospective study registered 112 individuals with peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer in our hospital. Abdominal and pelvic enhanced CT before and after chemotherapy was independently analyzed by two radiologists. The PCI of peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer was evaluated according to the Sugarbaker classification, considering the size and distribution of the lesions using CT. Then we evaluated the prognostic performance of PCI based on CT, clinical characteristics, and imaging findings for survival analysis using multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression.

Results

The PCI change ratio based on CT after treatment (ΔPCI), therapy lines, and change in grade of ascites were independent factors that were associated with overall survival (OS). The area under the curve (AUC) value of ΔPCI for predicting OS with 0.773 was higher than that of RECIST 1.1 with 0.661 (P < 0.05). Patients with ΔPCI less than −15% had significantly longer OS.

Conclusion

CT analysis after chemotherapy could predict OS in patients with GCPM. The CT-PCI change ratio could contribute to the determination of an appropriate strategy for gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis.
Influence of malocclusion on OHRQoL in adolescents in initial orthodontic treatment phase
Authors: Schwarz Linda , Ossmann Victor , Ritschl Valentin , Stamm Tanja , Jonke Erwin , Bekes Katrin
Published: April 2024

Objectives

Besides correcting malocclusions, another main objective of orthodontic treatment is to improve patients’ oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). This study aimed to assess changes in OHRQoL of children within the first six months of orthodontic therapy with fixed orthodontic appliances.

Methods

85 patients aged 11 to 14 years requiring fixed orthodontic appliance therapy were included. The children completed the German version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ-G-11-14) before (T0), 1 month (T1) and 6 months (T2) after the start of orthodontic treatment. The type of malocclusion was categorized according to the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN).

Results

The initial type of malocclusion affected the children’s OHRQoL, whereas gender and age did not. The IOTN dental health component (DHC) had a significant impact on the CPQ score (median CPQ of 15.00 for the group DHC 4 vs. 22.50 for DHC 5, p = 0.032). The onset of orthodontic treatment initially affected the CPQ domains “Oral symptoms” and “Functional limitations, with a change versus baseline of 2.00 (p = 0.001), but improved again after 6 months. Regression analysis demonstrated that children with an IOTN DHC 5 malocclusion experienced a greater impact on their ORHQoL, as indicated by a CPQ score 7.35 points higher than that of children with an IOTN DHC 4 malocclusion (p = 0.015).

Conclusions

At the beginning of orthodontic treatment, the OHRQoL slightly worsens, probably due to the discomfort and appearance of the appliances. However, 6 months after the start of orthodontic treatment, OHRQoL improved again in patients with severe malocclusion (IOTN 4 and 5), and approached baseline values.

Clinical relevance

The results help the clinician to better understand specific aspects of oral health that may be affected by different malocclusions, thereby improving the child’s satisfaction and overall quality of life.
A Systematic Investigation of the Applicability of Taylor’s Hypothesis in an Idealized Surface Layer
Authors: Hilland Rainer , Christen Andreas
Published: April 2024

Taylor’s Frozen Turbulence Hypothesis (TH) is a critical assumption in turbulent theory and practice which allows time series of point measurements of turbulent variables to be translated to the spatial domain via the mean wind. Using a 3D array of fibre-optic distributed temperature sensing in the atmospheric surface layer over an idealized desert site we present a systematic investigation of the applicability of Taylor’s Hypothesis to atmospheric surface layer flows over a variety of conditions: unstable, near-neutral, and stable atmospheric stabilities; and multiple measurement heights between the surface and 3 m above ground level. Both spatially integrated and spatially scale-dependent eddy velocities are investigated by means of time-lagged streamwise two-point correlations and compared to the mean Eulerian wind. We find that eddies travel slower than predicted by TH at small spatial separations, as predicted by TH at separations typically between 5 and 16 m, and faster than predicted by TH at larger spatial separations. In unstable atmospheric conditions the spatial separation at which eddy velocity is larger than Eulerian velocity decreases with height.
On metaphors of mathematics: Between Blumenberg’s nonconceptuality and Grothendieck’s waves
Authors: Friedman Michael
Published: April 2024

How can metaphors account for the formation of mathematical concepts, for changes in mathematical practices, or for the handling of mathematical problems? Following Hans Blumenberg’s thought, this paper aims to unfold a possible answer to these questions by viewing the metaphorical frameworks accompanying these changes as essential for an understanding of how changes in mathematical practices have been accounted for. I will focus especially on cases in which these changes were caused by encounters with a mathematical object which did not yet have a well-defined concept, but also show that such indeterminacy remains with the mathematical concept even after it is considered ‘well-defined’. As the paper will show, this ‘forefield’ [Vorfeld] of the concept is addressed by Blumenberg’s account of metaphorology on the one hand, and accompanied by his later account of nonconceptuality [Unbegrifflichkeit] on the other hand. While Blumenberg himself did not develop a full-fledged philosophy of mathematics or of mathematical practices, I aim to show that one can nevertheless extract from his writings a unique position concerning the role metaphors play in mathematics. To this end, Blumenberg’s account of nautical and oceanic metaphors and Alexandre Grothendieck’s philosophy of mathematical practice provide fruitful starting points.
Expertise, moral subversion, and climate deregulation
Authors: Elabbar Ahmad
Published: April 2024

The weaponizing of scientific expertise to oppose regulation has been extensively studied. However, the relevant studies, belonging to the emerging discipline of agnotology, remain focused on the analysis of empirical corruption: of misinformation, doubt mongering, and other practices that cynically deploy expertise to render audiences ignorant of empirical facts. This paper explores the wrongful deployment of expertise beyond empirical corruption. To do so, I develop a broader framework of morally subversive expertise, building on recent work in political philosophy (Howard, 2016). Expertise is subversive if it sets up its audience to fail morally, either intentionally or negligently. I distinguish three modes of subversive expertise: empirical subversion (the focus of agnotology), normative subversion and motivational subversion. Drawing on these distinctions, I offer a revisionary account of the Trump Administration’s regulatory science as a case study. I show that the Trump Administration’s use of expertise to dismantle climate regulation, contra the standard charge, cannot be explained using the resources of agnotology alone: the Administration produced highly reliable climate assessments, detailing the risks of climate change, candidly admitting the harms of its proposed policies, and still successfully deployed these findings to justify massive climate deregulation. The lesson of the analysis is that dismissing the expertise that underpins climate deregulation as empirically corrupt ‘anti-science’ both obscures its actual role in the politics of climate change and understates its wrongfulness: it misses the breadth of the assault on moral agency that sustains climate injustice.
An introduction to causal mediation analysis
Authors: Qin Xu
Published: April 2024

Causal mediation analysis has gained increasing attention in recent years. This article guides empirical researchers through the concepts and challenges of causal mediation analysis. I first clarify the difference between traditional and causal mediation analysis and highlight the importance of adjusting for the treatment-by-mediator interaction and confounders of the treatment–mediator, treatment–outcome, and mediator–outcome relationships. I then introduce the definition of causal mediation effects under the potential outcomes framework and different methods for the identification and estimation of the effects. After that, I highlight the importance of conducting a sensitivity analysis to assess the sensitivity of analysis results to potential unmeasured confounding. I also list various statistical software that can conduct causal mediation analysis and sensitivity analysis and provide suggestions for writing a causal mediation analysis paper. Finally, I briefly introduce some extensions that I made with my colleagues, including power analysis, multisite causal mediation analysis, causal moderated mediation analysis, and relaxing the assumption of no post-treatment confounding.
On Freedom from Remorse (Avipratisāra/Avippaṭisāra): Its Place on the Well-Trodden Path from Moral Discipline to Samādhi Meditation
Authors: Sun Hao
Published: April 2024

The primary objective of this study is to shed light on the role and significance of freedom from remorse (avipratisāra/avippaṭisāra) in the cultivation of Buddhist concentration (samādhi) meditation. The study delves into the progression from avipratisāra/avippaṭisāra to samādhi, examining how moral discipline influences an individual’s conscience and, consequently, meditation. We commence by examining the well-established path of cultivation leading toward samādhi. A comprehensive study was undertaken to understand the term avipratisāra/avippaṭisāra, its significance for Buddhist meditation, the context in which it originated, and the various English translations that have been provided for it. Furthermore, a comparison is made between avipratisāra/avippaṭisāra and a seemingly synonymous term, kaukṛtya/kukkucca, with areas being sought where one or the other tends to be (or is exclusively) used within the discourse about Buddhist ethics and meditation. From various Buddhist scriptures, it is suggested that a morally disciplined individual typically progresses through a series of states, starting with freedom from remorse and potentially leading to concentration (samādhi). Avipratisāra/avippaṭisāra is pivotal in fostering positive meditative states, serving as a catalyst that propels individuals from negative emotions to wholesome ones on the Buddhist path. By contrast, both vipratisāra/vippaṭisāra and kaukṛtya/kukkucca are identified as basically synonymous words for disturbing emotions with somewhat different contexts of use, the elimination of such emotions being necessary if individuals are to progress on their spiritual journey. Avipratisāra/avippaṭisāra plays a crucial intermediary role bridging Buddhist ethics and meditation. Moral discipline and the subsequent understanding and confession of any personal misconduct are integral to fostering freedom from remorse. Such freedom not only paves the way to deeper meditation but also fortifies one’s confidence in Buddhist teachings, and so provides a foundation for true spiritual progress.
Dietary analysis of wolf (Canis lupus) – a comparison of markers and methods
Authors: Eusemann Pascal , Rees Jana , Kuhlenkamp Vivian , Lippitsch Paul , Schumann Heiner
Published: April 2024

Metabarcoding is emerging as an alternative to morphological methods in noninvasive carnivore diet analysis based on scats. A number of metabarcoding markers have been developed but their comparative performance to recover DNA from scats remains mostly untested. We tested three markers covering a wide taxonomic range of prey items and compared them with the results of a morphological analysis. Morphological and genetic methods performed comparably regarding the identity of detected prey species, but the number of identified species varied strongly between markers. Only one, 12S-V5, amplified successfully in all samples and proved to be robust and reliable when working with the highly degraded DNA obtained from scats.
Development and Implementation of a Peer-Teaching Curriculum for Student Assistants
Authors: Dirmeier Meike , Schick Kristina , Lindemann Kathleen , Bethenod Larissa , Wijnen-Meijer Marjo
Published: April 2024

We have developed a peer-teaching program for student assistants involved in medical education. The offer comprises (1) an inventory of potentially relevant courses offered by other institutions at our university and (2) our own peer-teaching curriculum on pedagogy and teaching methodology. We describe a pilot scheme to implement the curriculum.
Enhanced network inference from sparse incomplete time series through automatically adapted $$L_1$$ regularization
Authors: Cai Zhongqi , Gerding Enrico , Brede Markus
Published: April 2024

Reconstructing dynamics of complex systems from sparse, incomplete time series data is a challenging problem with applications in various domains. Here, we develop an iterative heuristic method to infer the underlying network structure and parameters governed by Ising dynamics from incomplete spin configurations based on sparse and small-sized samples. Our method iterates between imputing missing spin states given current coupling strengths and re-estimating couplings from completed spin state data. Central to our approach is the novel application of adaptive $$l_1$$

l
1

regularization on updating coupling strengths, which features an automatic adjustment of the regularization strength throughout the iterative inference process. By doing so, we aim at preventing over-fitting and enforcing the sparsity of couplings without access to ground truth parameters. We demonstrate that this approach accurately recovers parameters and imputes missing spins even with substantial missing data and short time series, providing improvements in the inference of Ising model parameters even for relatively small sample sizes.
Einsam oder gemeinsam?
Authors: Müller Marcus
Published: April 2024

Der Beitrag untersucht die Bedeutung der Unterscheidung zwischen Verstehen und Erklären für die digitale Linguistik. Es wird gezeigt, dass Verstehen und Erklären nicht als isolierte Praktiken betrachtet werden sollten, sondern eng miteinander verknüpft sind und sich gegenseitig ergänzen. Er setzt dazu bei der bekannten Begriffsdichotomie aus der romantischen Hermeneutik an und bezieht neuere Beträge zu einem einheitswissenschaftlichen Begriff des Erklärens wie auch zu einer pragmatischen Verstehenstheorie ein. Das Verstehen wird in der digitalen Linguistik als eine unreflektierte Nebenbei-Praxis behandelt, während das Erklären in seinen verschiedenen Typen gut methodologisiert ist. Der in verschiedenen Bereichen der Linguistik eingeführte Kontextualisierungsbegriff scheint geeignet, um korpuslinguistisches Verstehen methodologisch zu fassen. Auch wenn die Bedeutung statistischer Erklärungen bei wachsenden Beständen an quantifizierbaren Daten wächst, darf das Verstehen im Kontext nicht unreflektiert bleiben und bedarf einer methodischen Basis. Auf der Ebene des praktischen Zugriffs hebt der Beitrag Annotation als Methode hervor, die Verstehen und Erklären integriert. Dabei spielt insbesondere das kollaborative Verstehen in Annotationsprozessen eine Schlüsselrolle. Der Beitrag endet mit zwei Anwendungsbeispielen.
Using Recurrent Neural Networks for the Performance Analysis and Optimization of Stochastic Milkrun-Supplied Flow Lines
Authors: Südbeck Insa , Mindlina Julia , Schnabel André , Helber Stefan
Published: April 2024

Long-term throughput, as a key performance indicator of a stochastic flow line, is affected by numerous parameters describing the features of the flow line, such as processing time and buffer size. Fast and accurate evaluation methods for a given set of values for those parameters are a prerequisite to systematically optimize such a flow line. In this paper, we consider the case of a flow line with random processing times, limited buffer capacities and so-called milkruns that supply the machines with material parts that are required to perform, e.g., assembly operations on workpieces. In such a system, shortages in the supply of material parts can limit the performance of the flow line. Up to now, there are no accurate analytical approaches to quantify the complex interactions in such milkrun-supplied flow lines for realistic problem sizes. We propose to use recurrent neural networks to determine the long-term throughput of such flow lines enabling us to evaluate production systems of flexible size. Our results show that the throughput can be determined accurately and quickly via recurrent neural networks. Furthermore, we use this new evaluation procedure as a building block to optimize this type of flow line using gradient and local search techniques.
Legal proof: why knowledge matters and knowing does not
Authors: Mueller Andy
Published: April 2024

I discuss the knowledge account of legal proof in Moss (2023) and develop an alternative. The unifying thread throughout this article are reflections on the beyond reasonable doubt (BRD) standard of proof.  In Section 1, I will introduce the details of Moss’s account and how she motivates it via the BRD standard. In Section 2, I will argue that there are important disanalogies between BRD and knowledge that undermine Moss’s argument. There is however another motivation for the knowledge account: combined with auxiliary claims, that is probabilistic knowledge and moral encroachment, it can provide a general solution to the puzzle of statistical evidence. Section 3 spells out the details. In Section 4, I suggest to combine the knowledge account with pragmatic encroachment, instead of moral encroachment, in order to stay clear of the thorny issues whether corporations have moral rights. In Section 5, I argue that the verdicts of Moss’s account in cases of false justified beliefs and non-luminous knowledge conflict with the BRD standard and thus call for abandoning the account. Based on the social function of the BRD standard, I suggest a replacement for the knowledge account that is also just as potent as a general solution for the puzzle of statistical evidence. While I will grant that knowledge is neither always necessary nor always sufficient for convictions, I will argue that the concept of knowledge nonetheless plays a significant and ineliminable role in legal decision-making.
Eutrophication in cold-arid lakes: molecular characteristics and transformation mechanism of DOM under microbial action at the ice-water interface
Authors: Wang Tengke , Feng Weiying , Liu Jing , Fan Wenhong , Li Tingting , Song Fanhao , Yang Fang , Liao Haiqing , Leppäranta Matti
Published: April 2024

During freezing periods, nutrients (carbon and organic matter, etc.) are enriched in the water and sediment of lakes in cold-arid regions, leading to potential algal bloom outbreaks and other health risks to the ecosystem. Particularly, dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a critical component of the nutrients and plays an important role in the global carbon cycle. However, the mechanisms of DOM transfer between ice and water remain unclear. This study analyzed the influence of microbial community on DOM composition using 16 s RNA, 3DEEM, and FT-ICR MS in Daihai Lake and Wuliangsuhai Lake in the Yellow River Basin, China. According to the spectral analysis, the content of endogenous organic matter, such as humus, accounted for 40% of the total DOM in water, while the content of tryptophan and tyrosine accounted for 80% of the total DOM in ice. The results of mass spectrometry showed that lignin was the main component, and the content of organic matter in the ice was less than that in the water. Molecular structures of seven DOM coexisting in the lake ice and water were elucidated with adapted Kendrick-analogous network visualization, which clearly illustrates that long-chain DOM molecules are derived from small molecules, while other heteroatoms are complexed with the side groups. The positive correlations between CHO, CHNO, CHOS, CHOS and Actinomyces indicate that DOM actively interacted with the microbial community. 44% of CHO compounds have the same molecular formula in water, the content of CHOS in the water of the two lakes was closed to 7% higher than that in the ice. Meanwhile, DOM dynamically migrate between ice and water via interstitial water because of the solubility changes under microbial transformation, which has been proved by the decrease in the contents of the humus and tryptophan-like substances in the ice from the bottom to the surface and lower contents of carbohydrate and unsaturated aromatic hydrocarbon in the water than the ice. This study helps to predict the composition and structure of DOM during the migration in lakes and provides a scientific basis for environmental remediation with high concentration of carbon.
Energy and the Environment
Authors: Shadikhodjaev Sherzod
Published: April 2024

Energy intersects with the environment at all stages of its life cycle by affecting nature and public health and is subject to government measures concerning low-carbon growth, energy efficiency and conservation, renewable energy and ecologically safe supply of nuclear and other energy resources. This timely book provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of international economic law in regulating such an energy-environment nexus under the regimes of the WTO, the Energy Charter Treaty, regional trade agreements and investment treaties. The author discusses the international environmental and economic law foundations of this nexus and extensively examines relevant rules, jurisprudence and practices regarding trade restrictions, subsidies, technical standards, investment protection and technology policies. This book highlights the existing gaps and 'greening' solutions within the framework of international economic law. Where relevant, it draws comparisons between trade law and investment law to show their similarities, differences and (potential) conflicts at the energy-environment interface.
Sovereign Atonement
Authors: Ferdoush Md Azmeary
Published: April 2024

The former border enclaves of Bangladesh and India existed as extra-territorial spaces since 1947. They were finally exchanged and merged as host state territories in 2015. Sovereign Atonement focuses on the protracted territorial exchange and experiences of the newly accepted Bangladeshi citizens. It grapples with one broad question: why did the state assume an active role in smoothing the once excluded population's experiences into their inclusion within the sovereign project? The book dives deep into an ethnographic and historical reading of the everyday state, land and territory, informality, (non)state actors, and performance of sovereignty. Furthermore, it troubles the often taken-for-granted understanding of exception, governance, and citizenship. As such, Ferdoush offers a retake on the two seemingly contradictory concepts -'sovereign' and 'atonement'- to demonstrate that bridged together these concepts as sovereign atonement enables a novel way of appreciating geopolitical narratives, political geographies, and nationalistic discourse in South Asia and beyond.
Charting the Boundaries of Societies in a Trans-European Perspective: The “Ruhr Poles” in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries
Authors: Friedrichs Anne
Published: April 2024

This paper considers the Polish-German workers, mainly from the eastern parts of Prussia, Austria-Hungary, and the Russian Empire, who moved to the Ruhr Valley in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Extrapolating from this case study, it suggests a way of rethinking our conception of societies by analyzing the processes through which demarcation and belonging were produced at local, state, and trans-European levels. During this period, increasing numbers of people arrived in the region, some of whom stayed while others moved on. The intellectual and social figure of the “Ruhr Poles” is particularly revealing because it points to competing spatial affiliations whose meanings shifted according to geographical setting and social context. An analysis of the interwoven processes of differentiation and evaluation surrounding these mobile people demonstrates the influence that regional actors exerted through administrative practices of categorization. It also shows the diverse ways in which newcomers to the area represented and normalized social relationships. Finally, the article discusses the consequences of these processes for the scholarly classification of individuals who moved, in ways not defined by the grid of nation-states, between spaces such as the Ruhr Valley and Polish-speaking areas. Overall, the article demonstrates that even as the model of the nation-state was becoming prevalent in scholarly and public discourse across Europe, different constructions of belonging based on origin, achievement, and visions of the common humanity of subjects coexisted in the Ruhr region as an economic zone shaped by mobilities.
The Emergence of Interdisciplinary Environmental History
Authors: Izdebski Adam , Bloomfield Kevin , Eastwood Warren J. , Fernandes Ricardo , Fleitmann Dominik , Guzowski Piotr , Haldon John , Ludlow Francis , Luterbacher Jürg , Manning Joseph G. , Masi Alessia , Mordechai Lee , Newfield Timothy P. , Stine Alexander R. , Şenkul Çetin , Xoplaki Elena
Published: April 2024

With the efflorescence of palaeoscientific approaches to the past, historians have been confronted with a wealth of new evidence on both human and natural phenomena, from human disease and migration to landscape change and climate. These new data require a rewriting of our narratives of the past, questioning what constitutes an authoritative historical source and who is entitled to recount history to contemporary societies. Humanities-based historical inquiry must embrace this new evidence, but to do so historians need to engage with it critically, just as they do with textual and material sources. This article highlights the most vital methodological issues, ranging from the spatiotemporal scales and heterogeneity of the new evidence to the new roles attributed to quantitative methods and the place of scientific data in narrative construction. It considers areas of study where the palaeosciences have “intruded” into fields and subjects previously reserved for historians, especially socioeconomic, climate, and environmental history. The authors argue that active engagement with new approaches is urgently needed if historians want to contribute to our evolving understanding of the challenges of the Anthropocene.
“I would prefer to be dead than to live this way”: Lived experiences of stigma and discrimination against khwaja sira in Swat, Pakistan
Authors: Azhar Sameena , Ahmad Imtyaz , Guzman Herrera Maria Mercedes , Tariq Nadeem , Lerner Riya
Published: April 2024

Due to their identification as third gender people, khwaja sira have historically been subjected to experiences of social marginalization. However, the extant literature has not fully explored the lived experiences of stigma and discrimination against khwaja sira in the Swat Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. To address this gap, we conducted 45 interviews with khwaja sira in Mingora, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to better understand their experiences of gender-nonconformity stigma and discrimination in various social contexts, including within their families, in accessing health care, and within education and work contexts. Applying Minority Stress Theory and utilizing thematic content analysis, the present study identified three dimensions of gender-nonconformity stigma: (1) internalized stigma, namely feelings of shame and embarrassment; (2) perceived stigma, namely opinions others had of khwaja sira regarding lack of employability or engagement in sex work; and (3) enacted stigma, namely exclusion from families, in educational settings, in religious spaces, and in healthcare settings. Findings should inform future social intervention and community practice engagements with khwaja sira communities in Pakistan.
A new look at an ancient city: An outline of the chronological and urban development of the Hittite capital Ḫattuša
Authors: Schachner Andreas
Published: April 2024

The intense use of scientific dating over the last three decades makes it possible for the first time reasonably to connect the topographically diverse parts of the Hittite capital Ḫattuša. Not only was the decision to found a city at this site based on pre-Hittite parameters, but at the same time, it also becomes clear that the settlement is one of the very few in Anatolia which was continuously used from the end of the third millennium BC through the second millennium until the beginning of the Iron Age. Furthermore, the accumulation of radiocarbon dates in individual, archaeologically intensively studied areas of the site makes it now possible to understand the development as a dynamic and fluent process. Based on the results outlined here, permanent moves back and forth of the settled areas within a geographically defined space can be reconstructed. The Hittite city of Ḫattuša was always a construction site. Next to densely built-up districts there existed at all times large expanses of either ruins of buildings or of open spaces, which could have been used as pasture or arable land. The settlement’s map, regularly reproduced as its overall plan, thus represents a status reconstructed or idealised by modern research. Most probably the settlement was at no time occupied to this extent, and accordingly never looked like this in its history.