bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effort-reward imbalance and its association with sociocultural diversity factors at work: findings from a cross-sectional survey among physicians and nurses in Germany
Authors: Schneider Anna , Hering Christian , Peppler Lisa , Schenk Liane
Published: January 2023

Objective

Due to staff shortages and reports of high work stress, work conditions of hospital physicians and nurses receive wide attention. Additionally, sociocultural diversity of the workforce and patient population is increasing. Our study aim is to analyze how individual and organizational diversity-related factors are associated with the experience of staff’s work stress.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with healthcare staff from 22 acute hospitals operated by two healthcare organizations in Germany in 2018. Sociodemographic, occupational and organizational factors were surveyed. Participants further reported work conditions related to the sociocultural diversity of colleagues and patients. Effort-reward imbalance (ERI) was measured with the German short version. Multivariable regression models were calculated with ER ratio as an outcome.

Results

N = 800 healthcare staff were included. Variables associated with higher ERI were longer work experience (β = 0.092, p < 0.05), not holding a leading position (0.122, < 0.01), being a witness (0.149, < 0.001) or victim (0.099, < 0.05) of discrimination at one’s own ward, reporting frequent burden due to language barriers with patients (0.102, < 0.01) and colleagues (0.127, < 0.001), and having restricted access to translators at work (0.175, < 0.001). Factors associated with lower ERI were having a first generation migration background (− 0.095, < 0.05) and being a physician (− 0.112, < 0.05).

Conclusions

Catering to the needs of healthcare personnel in dealing with the additional effort related to language barriers at work, e.g., readily available translator services, and creating non-discriminatory work environments might be one cornerstone for the prevention of work-related ill health and retention of qualified hospital staff.
Coastal Melaleuca wetlands under future climate and sea-level rise scenarios in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam: vulnerability and conservation
Authors: Dang An T. N. , Reid Michael , Kumar Lalit
Published: January 2023

Melaleuca wetland ecosystems play crucial roles in ecology and human livelihood, yet the ecosystems are vulnerable to climate change and relative sea-level rise (SLR) impacts. Documents and research on climate change and SLR impacts on coastal Melaleuca wetlands in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, are currently limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify changes in habitat suitability for a coastal Melaleuca wetland species in response to different future climate change and SLR scenarios, in the West Sea of the Mekong Delta, with the aid of an ensemble species distribution model (SDM) and the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM). Melaleuca species occurrence records, bioclimatic and eco-physiological variables were utilized to predict potential distribution of the species in response to current and future climate scenarios (i.e. RCP4.5 and 8.5) for the year 2070. Wetland maps for 2020, a digital elevation model (DEM) and localized site-specific parameters (i.e. historic trend of SLR, erosion, subsidence and overwash) were utilized as input data for SLAMM to simulate spatial distribution of Melaleuca/forested wetlands under the two SLR scenarios. The final habitat suitability for the Melaleuca wetland species was identified based on these two resultant datasets, climatic suitability and spatial distribution of the wetlands. Simulated results suggested mean losses in suitable habitat of 29.8% and 58.7% for stable and subsidence scenarios, respectively, for the year 2070 in comparison to the baseline scenario. SLR combined with considerable subsidence rate was suggested as one of the main drivers responsible for the habitat suitability loss. The findings obtained from the current work are useful sources for planning conservation areas for the Melaleuca wetlands, to protect and preserve the ecosystems and their important services under future climate and SLR scenarios.
Widen your vision: from technical accessibility to semantic intelligibility of information
Authors: Baudet Cédric , Jeanneret Medina Maximiliano , Benoit Cédric
Published: January 2023

Access to information and digital services is a fundamental right. To this end, websites and digital services must be designed in accordance with international technical standards, in particular the guidelines for the accessibility of Internet pages issued by the World Wide Web Consortium and, in addition, with national technical standards. However, people with disabilities are still at great risk of digital exclusion. Thus, our research is interested in examining (1) to what extent do technical standards support people with visual impairments (PVI) to overcome the digital divide, and (2) to what extent the digital information of an electronic state voting system is understood by PVI. To answer these research questions, we combined an interpretive literature review with a bibliometric analysis and conducted a three cycles action research in the context of an electronic state voting system in Switzerland. Inspired by the communication theory of Shannon and Weaver, our results show that to bridge the digital divide for PVI, it is necessary to improve (1) the technical accessibility of information and (2) the semantic intelligibility of information. Considering the comments of PVI on semantic intelligibility of information helps to improve information systems (IS) and to overcome the digital divide. IS designers and coders must rely on ex ante standards during development.
The market value of SMEs: a comparative study between private and listed firms in alternative stock markets
Authors: Rodríguez-Valencia Leslie , Lamothe-Fernández Prosper , Alaminos David
Published: January 2023

This study aims to compare the market value of private firms and publicly listed small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) in alternative stock markets through a private discount approach with estimates of value based on discounted cash flow projections and along with a comparable multiples approach. The valuation methodology applied in this study yielded a final sample that included 232 observations between public and private companies in the Spanish market. To calculate the discount, we apply the different approaches of discounted cash flow and multiples, such as valuation, earnings, book value, and revenue. Our results conclude there is no private discount, instead, the outcomes of this article suggest a premium over public firms for some ratios. The negative private company discounts mean a premium and, on the other hand, some multiples suggest a discount according to the method of valuation. This paper proves private discounts resulted does not have any comparable value within the same country although all firms in Spain use the same currency. We value the discounted cash flows of our forecasts using a discount rate based on the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), so our study can also be viewed as a test sensitivity of CAPM-based approaches to equity risk premium, terminal value, and growth rate. Furthermore, we compare historical transaction multiples of privately held companies with transaction multiples of similar publicly held firms.
Zinc Water Prevents Autism-Like Behaviors in the BTBR Mice
Authors: Zhang Li , Xu Xiaowen , Ma Liya , Wang Xinxin , Jin Meifang , Li Lili , Ni Hong
Published: January 2023

This study aims to explore the effects of zinc water on autism-like behavior, convulsion threshold, and neurogenesis in ASD model animals. This study used the young BTBR ASD mouse model to explore the effect of a 6-week zinc water supplementation on ASD-like behaviors such as repetitive behavior and social communication disorder, seizure threshold, and the correlation with excitability regulation. The mice were divided into four groups of normal controls (B6) and models (BTBR) who did and did not receive zinc supplementation in water (B6, B6 + zinc, BTBR, and BTBR + zinc). For morphological changes in the hippocampus, we selected two indicators: hippocampal mossy fiber sprouting and neurogenesis. ASD-like behavior testing, seizure threshold determination, Timm staining, and neurogenesis-related assays—represented by Ki67 and DCX—were performed after 6 weeks of zinc supplementation. Our results show that zinc water can prevent autism-like behavior, reduce susceptibility to convulsions, and increase the proliferation of hippocampal progenitor cells in BTBR mice but has less effect on mossy fiber sprouting and neural progenitor cell differentiation. Zinc water reduces autism-like behavior in a partially inherited autism model mice—BTBR—which may be associated with hippocampal neural precursor cell proliferation and reversed hyperexcitability.
The coastal conservation narrative is shifting from crisis to ecosystem services
Authors: Balke Thorsten , Vovides Alejandra G , Ladd Cai JT , Huxham Mark
Published: January 2023

Conservation biology emerged as a crisis discipline in the twentieth century amongst an increasing awareness of pollution and habitat loss. Since the early 2000s, societal and monetary benefits of nature were added to the narrative for biodiversity conservation. Using text mining, we show that authors now favour ecosystem-services over a crisis framing in scientific publications on coastal habitats. This may signal a shift in conservation science from a crisis to a services discipline despite continuing habitat loss. We discuss whether authors should more critically assess what conservation narrative they deploy and what consequences this may have for conservation action.
Production of Gallic Acid from Swietenia macrophylla Using Tannase from Bacillus Gottheilii M2S2 in Semi-Solid State Fermentation
Authors: Borah Abhinav , Selvaraj Subbalaxmi , Murty Vytla Ramachandra
Published: January 2023

In this research, an industrially important enzyme tannase and product gallic acid was produced with an inexpensive novel substrate Swietenia macrophylla. Fermentation of S. macrophylla was optimized using a two-step approach: First, the traditional One variable at-a-time technique, and second, the statistical Box-Behnken design for co-production of tannase enzyme and gallic acid. This two-step method of optimization showed the highest tannase activity and gallic acid yield of 0.0497 U/mL and 225 µg/mL respectively which is a 29.5 and 49-fold increase when compared to unoptimized conditions. Further, the partially purified tannase enzyme was characterized and showed optimal tannase activity at pH 4.0 and 30 ℃, and was stable between pH 3.0–6.0 and 4−40 ℃ for 24 h and 10 h, respectively. Also, metal ions such as Ca2+, Na+, and K+ at 1 mM concentration; and organic solvents methanol, and isoamyl alcohol at 20% v/v exhibited the highest activity at optimized reaction conditions. Whereas, Mn2+, Zn2+, Mg2+, Fe2+ and Fe3+, EDTA, TritonX 100, toluene, and hexane caused the tannase inhibition at higher concentrations. In the end, the fermentative production of gallic acid was verified qualitatively through thin-layer chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Graphical Abstract
Additive manufacturing and metallization of high-frequency communication devices
Authors: Bachiller Carmen , Nova Vicente , Ferrer Álvaro , Martínez Asunción , Sandoval Nacho , Marín M. Luisa , Ponce-González Luis N.
Published: January 2023

Additive manufacturing (AM) can be applied to new scenarios where traditional subtractive techniques limit geometry and assembling freedom. One of these scenarios is the development of high-frequency devices for communication systems, where AM offers the capability to develop high-complexity geometries, reducing the devices’ weight and cost. This is extraordinarily convenient for recent small satellites where size, weight, and integration are vital. This work presents an AM process specially optimized to develop communication devices. Industry needs have been studied, and materials and manufacturing techniques have been chosen accordingly. Two communication devices, a band-pass filter and a horn antenna, have been developed using two VAT photopolymerization (VPP) processes and different resins. Printed devices were metallized using a two-step process based on a first electroless metallisation and a final galvanic plating. The manufactured pieces were sandblasted prior to metallization to increase plating adhesion and reduce surface roughness. Finally, several dimensional analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of finishing and plating on the manufacturing process using scanning electron microscopy, profilometry, and contact metrology. The electromagnetic response of developed devices is excellent and comparable with commercial devices manufactured with subtractive techniques. A preliminary tolerance analysis was carried out to approximate the systematic deviation of the overall manufacturing process, considering the erosion of sandblasting and the thickness of copper plating. These deviations were compensated in the design step to improve the dimensional accuracy of the band-pass filter.
Domain Adaptation of Transformer-Based Models Using Unlabeled Data for Relevance and Polarity Classification of German Customer Feedback
Authors: Idrissi-Yaghir Ahmad , Schäfer Henning , Bauer Nadja , Friedrich Christoph M.
Published: January 2023

Understanding customer feedback is becoming a necessity for companies to identify problems and improve their products and services. Text classification and sentiment analysis can play a major role in analyzing this data by using a variety of machine and deep learning approaches. In this work, different transformer-based models are utilized to explore how efficient these models are when working with a German customer feedback dataset. In addition, these pre-trained models are further analyzed to determine if adapting them to a specific domain using unlabeled data can yield better results than off-the-shelf pre-trained models. To evaluate the models, two downstream tasks from the GermEval 2017 are considered. The experimental results show that transformer-based models can reach significant improvements compared to a fastText baseline and outperform the published scores and previous models. For the subtaskRelevance Classification, the best models achieve a micro-averagedF1-Score of 96.1 % on the first test set and 95.9 % on the second one, and a score of 85.1 % and 85.3 % for the subtaskPolarity Classification.
Coupling-selective quantum optimal control in weak-coupling NV-$$^{13}$$C system
Authors: Zhang Feihao , Xing Jian , Hu Xiaoxiao , Pan Xinyu , Long Guilu
Published: January 2023

Quantum systems are under various unwanted interactions due to their coupling with the environment. Efficient control of quantum system is essential for quantum information processing. Weak-coupling interactions are ubiquitous, and it is very difficult to suppress them using optimal control method, because the control operation is at a time scale of the coherent life time of the system. Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center of diamond is a promising platform for quantum information processing. The $$^{13}$$

13

C nuclear spins in the bath are weakly coupled to the NV, rendering the manipulation extremely difficulty. Here, we report a coupling selective optimal control method that selectively suppresses unwanted weak coupling interactions and at the same time greatly prolongs the life time of the wanted quantum system. We applied our theory to a 3 qubit system consisting of one NV electron spin and two $$^{13}$$

13

C nuclear spins through weak-coupling with the NV center. In the experiments, the iSWAP$$^{\dagger }$$

†

gate with selective optimal quantum control is implemented in a time-span of $$T_{ctrl}$$

T

ctrl

= 170.25 $$\mu$$
μ
s, which is comparable to the phase decoherence time $$T_2$$

T
2

= 203 $$\mu s$$

μ
s

. The two-qubit controlled rotation gate is also completed in a strikingly 1020(80) $$\mu$$
μ
s, which is five times of the phase decoherence time. These results could find important applications in the NISQ era.
An overview on neurobiology and therapeutics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: da Silva Bruna Santos , Grevet Eugenio Horacio , Silva Luiza Carolina Fagundes , Ramos João Kleber Neves , Rovaris Diego Luiz , Bau Claiton Henrique Dotto
Published: January 2023

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent psychiatric condition characterized by developmentally inappropriate symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity, which leads to impairments in the social, academic, and professional contexts. ADHD diagnosis relies solely on clinical assessment based on symptom evaluation and is sometimes challenging due to the substantial heterogeneity of the disorder in terms of clinical and pathophysiological aspects. Despite the difficulties imposed by the high complexity of ADHD etiology, the growing body of research and technological advances provide good perspectives for understanding the neurobiology of the disorder. Such knowledge is essential to refining diagnosis and identifying new therapeutic options to optimize treatment outcomes and associated impairments, leading to improvements in all domains of patient care. This review is intended to be an updated outline that addresses the etiological and neurobiological aspects of ADHD and its treatment, considering the impact of the “omics” era on disentangling the multifactorial architecture of ADHD.
Coastal urban reliance on groundwater during drought cycles: Opportunities, threats and state of knowledge
Authors: Dodd Carla , Rishworth Gavin M.
Published: January 2023

Urbanisation and population growth are concentrated on the coast with approximately 40% of the human population living within 100 km of the ocean. The freshwater systems on which coastal urban areas rely are vulnerable to bidirectional pressures including coastal processes such as sea-level rise and coastal erosion coupled with land use changes and pollution occurring in inland catchment areas. These threats are likely to be amplified in the future under climate change conditions and more frequent and severe drought periods are expected to jeopardise already constrained water supply systems. Groundwater is used as a freshwater resource globally and is especially important as a conjunctive supply during drought periods due to perceived buffer capabilities. However, several threats impact coastal aquifers due to over-abstraction, such as salinisation, land subsidence and groundwater flooding and often these subterranean resources are “out of sight and out of mind” when it comes to management strategies. Here, we present an assessment of current issues and management options relevant to coastal aquifers using recent literature. These insights provide knowledge on global issues relevant to groundwater resources, especially regarding water use during droughts. This is exemplified using a South African case study of two metropolitan municipalities that have experienced or are experiencing severe multi-year droughts. Both municipalities have grappled with the depletion of surface water resources, which constitutes the bulk of the local water supply systems. Consequently, groundwater resources have been explored as an augmentation strategy. Although groundwater resources may be useful in alleviating drought effects, it is crucial that a local understanding of the aquifers is developed through baseline hydrological studies and long-term monitoring. Furthermore, unregistered groundwater use needs to be quantified. Finally, a holistic groundwater management view, and the communication thereof, is required to ensure the sustainable management of coastal aquifers.
Forty years later: The status of the “Big Five” mass extinctions
Authors: Marshall Charles R.
Published: January 2023

Over 40 years ago, Raup and Sepkoski identified five episodes of elevated extinction in the marine fossil record that were thought to be statistically distinct, thus warranting the term the “Big Five” mass extinctions. Since then, the term has become part of standard vocabulary, especially with the naming of the current biodiversity crisis as the “sixth mass extinction.” However, there is no general agreement on which time intervals should be viewed as mass extinctions, in part because the Big Five turn out not to be statistically distinct from background rates of extinction, and in part, because other intervals of time have even higher extinction rates, in the Cambrian and early Ordovician. Nonetheless, the Big Five represent the five largest events since the early Ordovician, including in analyses that attempt to compensate for the incompleteness of the fossil and rock records. In the last 40 years, we have learned a great deal about the causes of many of the major and minor extinction events and are beginning to unravel the mechanisms that translated the initial environmental disturbances into extinction. However, for many of the events, further understanding will require going back to the outcrop, where the patchy distribution of environments and pervasive temporal gaps in the rock record challenge our ability to establish true extinction patterns. As for the current biodiversity crisis, there is no doubt that the rate of extinction is among the highest ever experienced by the biosphere, perhaps the second highest after the end-Cretaceous bolide impact. However (and fortunately), the absolute number of extinctions is still relatively small – there is still time to prevent this becoming a genuine mass extinction. Given the arbitrariness of calling out the Big Five, perhaps the current crisis should be called the “incipient Anthropocene mass extinction” rather than the “sixth mass extinction.”
Increased discharge of Yellow River sediments into the western Bohai Sea since 0.71 Ma
Authors: Zhang Xin , Yue Baojing , Liu Jian , Chen Tianyuan , Zhang Junqiang , An Yuhui
Published: January 2023

The Yellow River originates on the Tibetan Plateau and transports vast amounts of terrestrial sediment to the ocean. However, previous studies have not reached a consensus as to when and how the Yellow River first began to flow into the sea. Here we present Sr-Nd-Pb isotope data and a high-resolution clay mineral record of a 200-m-long sediment core recovered from the modern Yellow River delta. The changes in Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions and clay minerals at 0.71 Ma suggest that a larger proportion of sediment was derived from the Yellow River after this time. We propose that the Yellow River has influenced the Bohai Sea since 1.9 Ma (or even earlier), which provides important evidence for an older Yellow River than 1.2 Ma. A significant increase in discharge of Yellow River sediments since 0.71 Ma is due to continuing subsidence of the eastern China coast, the large amplitude of Quaternary sea-level changes, and increased supply of eroded loess during the last 1.0 Ma. After this time, the contribution of local rivers surrounding the Bohai Sea became negligible due to dilution by the huge amounts of Yellow River sediments. These results provide improved constraints on the evolution of the Yellow River and subsequent land-sea fluxes.
A NOTE ON THE LARGE VALUES OF
Authors: DONG ZIKANG , WEI BIN
Published: January 2023

We investigate the large values of the derivatives of the Riemann zeta function
$\zeta (s)$
on the 1-line. We give a larger lower bound for
$\max _{t\in [T,2T]}|\zeta ^{(\ell )}(1+{i} t)|$
, which improves the previous result established by Yang [‘Extreme values of derivatives of the Riemann zeta function’, Mathematika68 (2022), 486–510].
A Reusable Past: The Meaning of the Third Reich in Recent U.S. Discourse
Authors: Nichols Bradley , Guettel Jens-Uwe , Hake Sabine , Kucik Emanuela , Stern Alexandra Minna , Wiesen S. Jonathan
Published: January 2023

It does not require great powers of observation to note the pervasiveness of Nazi Germany in contemporary U.S. cultural and political discourse. For better or worse, the discursive landscape is saturated with depictions of and references to Hitler, the Holocaust, and the Gestapo—an obsession visible everywhere, from the progressive left to the far right, from TV shows to Twitter feeds to video games. The allure of using the Third Reich as a rhetorical weapon may seem obvious enough in a hyperpartisan political climate, but the resonance of that historical period clearly extends well beyond politics. Indeed, National Socialism now functions as an all-purpose conceptual barometer that can be applied to conversations about all sorts of subjects. Over the past few years, scholars have sought to shape such discussions with an unusually heavy outpouring of projects that explore correlations between Nazi Germany and the United States. What they rarely address, however, is why Americans are so prone to invoking the Third Reich as a framework for thinking about life in their own country to begin with. No less important to consider are the implications of how that trend has taken on such a wide-ranging salience and sense of urgency lately. With these questions in mind, Bradley Nichols (History, University of Missouri) convened an interdisciplinary roundtable, composed not only of historians, but also scholars of U.S. politics and culture. He invited Jens-Uwe Guettel (History, Penn State University), Sabine Hake (Germanic Studies, University of Texas), Emanuela Kucik (English and Africana Studies, Muhlenberg College), Alexandra Minna Stern (English, University of California, Los Angeles), and S. Jonathan Wiesen (History, University of Alabama at Birmingham) to share their insights and reflect on the issues at stake.

1. The recent upsurge of scholarly interest in the relationship between Nazi Germany and the United States has mirrored a heightened level of popular curiosity in the topic. How do we explain the timing of this conjuncture? What, if anything, sets it apart from the long-standing current of fascination with parallels linking the two countries? Is there something unique going on here that transcends other overlaps in focus between academia and the public (past or present)?
Assessment of emotion word vocabulary and its contribution to reading comprehension
Authors: Sabag-Shushan Tami , Katzir Tami , Prior Anat
Published: January 2023

The contribution of vocabulary to academic achievements in general and to reading comprehension (RC) in particular has led to the development of various tools for vocabulary assessment. However, existing assessments do not distinguish between word types, and specifically, they do not target emotion vocabulary, despite growing recognition of the importance of emotional processing to RC ability. In this study, we first describe the development of a novel vocabulary assessment in Hebrew – Herut – and examine its validity and sensitivity. This assessment includes both emotion words and nonemotion words, and is based on curriculum. Next, we studied the contribution of the emotion and nonemotion words subscales of the Herut to RC in a sample of 1,333 Hebrew-speaking fourth- and fifth-grade students. Both types of vocabulary knowledge made significant independent contributions to RC, and the contribution of emotion words was slightly larger than that of nonemotion words. Finally, the Herut measure was found to be more predictive of RC than a general vocabulary measure in Hebrew.
Assessment of early and post COVID-19 vaccination antibody response in healthcare workers: a multicentre cross-sectional study on inactivated, mRNA and vector-based vaccines
Authors: Mansour Ghanaie Roxana , Jamee Mahnaz , Khodaei Hannan , Shirvani Armin , Amirali Arezu , Karimi Abdollah , Fallah Fatemeh , Azimi Leila , Armin Shahnaz , Fahimzad Seyed Alireza , Rafiei Tabatabaei Sedigheh , Gholinegad Zari , Rajabnejad Maryam , Moemeni Marzieh , Kazemi Aghdam Maryam , Noripour Shamsollah , Mansour Ghanaie Mandana , Tariverdi Marjan , Soroush Mohammadreza , Masomi Mahdi , Shahraki Fereshteh , Torkaman-Nejad Sharif , Vaghefi Soheila Sadat , Shirvani Fariba , Alebouyeh Masoud
Published: January 2023

In this multicentre study, we compared the status of antibody production in healthcare personnel (HCP) before and after vaccination using different brands of COVID-19 vaccines between March 2021 and September 2021. Out of a total of 962 HCP enrolled in our study, the antibody against the S1 domain of SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 48.3%, 95.5% and 96.2% of them before, after the first and the second doses of the vaccines, respectively. Our results showed post-vaccination infection in 3.7% and 5.9% of the individuals after the first and second doses of vaccines, respectively. The infection was significantly lower in HCP who presented higher antibody titres before the vaccination. Although types of vaccines did not show a significant difference in the infection rate, a lower infection rate was recorded for AstraZeneca after the second vaccination course. This rate was equal among individuals receiving a second dose of Sinopharm and Sputnik. Vaccine-related side effects were more frequent among AstraZeneca recipients after the first dose and among Sputnik recipients after the second dose. In conclusion, our results showed diversity among different brands of COVID-19 vaccines; however, it seems that two doses of the vaccines could induce an antibody response in most of HCP. The induced immunity could persist for 3–5 months after the second vaccination course.
General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Authors: Stuart John F
Published: January 2023

The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) met from 9 to 11 June 2022. The previous two meetings of the Synod had taken place in virtual form only. The 2022 meeting was in hybrid format, with most members attending in person and a small number joining online.
Governing Body of the Church in Wales
Authors: Chinery Matthew
Published: January 2023

The Governing Body of the Church in Wales met at the International Conference Centre, Newport on 27–28 April 2022 and 6–7 September 2022. The April session began with the formal notification to the Governing Body of the election of the Most Reverend Andrew John, Bishop of Bangor, as Archbishop of Wales and therefore President of the Governing Body. His inaugural Presidential address called for the Russian Orthodox Church to condemn the killing of civilians in Ukraine and press for an immediate ceasefire to hostilities. He praised the actions of churches across the Province in their continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic in their respective communities.
Prevalence and associated factors of post-traumatic stress disorder in parents whose infants have single ventricle heart disease
Authors: Bainton Jessica , Trachtenberg Felicia , McCrindle Brian W. , Wang Ke , Boruta Richard , Brosig Cheryl L. , Egerson D’Andrea , Sood Erica , Calderon Johanna , Doman Tammy , Golub Katrina , Graham Amanda , Haas Karen , Hamstra Michelle , Lindauer Bergen , Sylvester Donna , Woodard Frances , Young-Borkowski Lisa , Mussatto Kathleen A.
Published: January 2023

Introduction:

Post-traumatic stress disorder occurs in parents of infants with CHD, contributing to psychological distress with detrimental effects on family functioning and well-being. We sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in parents whose infants underwent staged palliation for single ventricle heart disease.

Materials and methods:

A large longitudinal multi-centre cohort study evaluated 215 mothers and fathers for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder at three timepoints, including post-Norwood, post-Stage II, and a final study timepoint when the child reached approximately 16 months of age, using the self-report questionnaire Impact of Event Scale – Revised.

Results:

The prevalence of probable post-traumatic stress disorder post-Norwood surgery was 50% of mothers and 39% of fathers, decreasing to 27% of mothers and 24% of fathers by final follow-up. Intrusive symptoms such as flashbacks and nightmares and hyperarousal symptoms such as poor concentration, irritability, and sudden physical symptoms of racing heart and difficulty breathing were particularly elevated in parents. Higher levels of anxiety, reduced coping, and decreased satisfaction with parenting were significantly associated with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in parents. Demographic and clinical variables such as parent education, pre-natal diagnosis, medical complications, and length of hospital stay(s) were not significantly associated with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Discussion:

Parents whose infants underwent staged palliation for single ventricle heart disease often reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Symptoms persisted over time and routine screening might help identify parents at-risk and prompt referral to appropriate supports.
Harlequin effect and central veno-arterial extracorporeal life support
Authors: Prabhu Sudesh , Shanmugasundaram Balasubramanian , Shetty Riyan , Rao Sruti , Karl Tom R.
Published: January 2023

“Harlequin effect” may be observed in the watershed region of a patient with pulmonary dysfunction, receiving peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation via the femoral vessels. In such cases, retrograde oxygenated blood from the peripheral inflow cannula converges with the antegrade deoxygenated blood ejected from the left ventricle. This occurs when the left ventricle is ejecting significantly but the recovery of pulmonary function lags behind. Herein, we describe the occurrence of “Harlequin effect” in the setting of central veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation that ensues due to the persistence of right ventricular dysfunction in the presence of an interatrial communication. This results in right to left shunting at the atrial level while weaning the patient from extracorporeal life support.
Rationalizing the California Recall
Authors: Stone Walter J. , Datta Monti Narayan
Published: January 2023

Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't.

—Hamlet, Act II, Scene II
Dice of sensation: envisioning the phenomenological dimension of ecology
Authors: de la O Cabrera Manuel Rodrigo
Published: January 2023

Contemporary ecological discourse in architecture is often built upon an approach based on quantitative parameters, characterised by the use of scientific data for environmentally sound architectural design. This article questions how such an ecological approach relates to the architectural image, experience, and inhabitation.

Through two archetypical projects - Siegfried Ebeling’s Wohnkubus (1926) and Cedric Price’s Generator (1976-9) – this article examines a possible theory of ecologically oriented architecture which engages aesthetic values related to the human experience of architectural space. The projects are separated by the same fifty-year gap that separates Generator from present day, and the article therefore tries to reveal if and how both archetypes could suggest the need for an updated model for environmental design. What can we learn from these projects, and how do the Wohnkubus and Generator unveil other modelling practices? Is architecture today capable of (or even entitled to) producing exemplary representations committed to the ethical dimension of the global change?
Constructing platform capitalism: inspecting the political techno-economy of Building Information Modelling
Authors: Braun Kathrin , Kropp Cordula , Boeva Yana
Published: January 2023

In this article, we argue that in order to properly assess the potentials, challenges, and implications of the digital transformation in architecture and construction, we need to better understand the political-economic dynamics behind it and examine it in light of the current reorganisation of global capitalism. The focus of this article is therefore on the larger political-economic and techno-economic conditions that are shaping the implementation of digital technologies in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector. Based on document analysis on the digital turn in architecture and construction, along with interviews with AEC professionals, we argue that the logic of platform capitalism is beginning to transform the industry, with Building Information Modelling (BIM) acting as an obligatory passage point and government policies as gate-openers. The article, first, discusses concepts of platform and platform capitalism and indicates how these apply to recent reconfigurations of actor and power relations in the field. Second, it reviews some of the developments in digital architecture from 2D drawings to BIM and beyond. Third, it examines the role of government policies as driving forces in the digital transformation. Forth, it takes a closer look at the case of software producer Autodesk and their BIM product Revit, which illustrates how the logic of platform capitalism has gained traction in architecture and construction. Finally, it concludes that some expectations can be derived from these observations: In the realm of design software, we can expect a further concentration of economic power and a near-monopolistic structure of the market. Moreover, we can expect a shift of focus and investment from architectural design to socio-digital modes of construction and urban planning that benefit primarily real estate owners, investors, developers, and construction companies. Furthermore, we can expect large construction firms to secure themselves a comfortable starting position as early adopters, while SMEs are facing bigger challenges to benefit from the digital transformation. Lastly, we can expect a further encroachment of tech giants and domain outsiders such as Alphabet into architecture and construction, turning buildings and cities into machines for data extraction.
Explaining candidate turnover. Evidence from a comparative analysis in 10 European established democracies with a list-PR system
Authors: Muyters Gertjan , Maddens Bart
Published: January 2023

This article investigates determinants of candidate turnover in 10 European established democracies with list-PR electoral systems. We identify party and election variables that affect the supply and demand of new candidates on the parties’ lists. In addition, we apply a weighted candidate turnover measure to investigate the dynamic of renewal on high-ranked list positions. We built an original dataset that contains 3344 electoral lists of represented political parties. Hypotheses are tested by means of a multilevel analysis of political party list renewal rates. At the party level, leadership change and larger party size in terms of members are found to coincide with higher general turnover. At the system level, general turnover is higher in elections with closed lists and high electoral volatility. At higher positions on the list, candidate turnover appears not to be affected by the party- and system-level variables identified in the broader literature.
Specialised nursing tasks in cancer care and their effects
Authors: Witzke Teresa , Stojanov Adele , Ristau Johanna , Berger-Höger Birte , Lindhardt Christina Louise , Balzer Katrin , Rahn Anne Christin
Published: January 2023

Abstract. Background: Several reviews are available on the effects of specific nursing tasks in oncology care. However, a synthesis across cancer entities and stages is lacking. Aim: To synthesise the results of reviews assessing the scope and effectiveness of tasks of nurses specifically qualified in cancer care. Methods: We conducted an Umbrella Review based on systematic searches in six databases and a search for grey literature following a priori-defined inclusion criteria. Further steps: standardised data extraction and quality assessment, determination of the degree of overlap, and structured narrative summary on outcome measures of health-related quality of life, symptom burden, utilisation of care services/resources, and patient satisfaction. All reviews were categorised according to the EONS Cancer Nursing Education Framework and the Omaha System Intervention Scheme. Results: After screening 2,657 references, 11 reviews (10 high quality) for a total of 148 studies were included. Specially qualified nurses and advanced practice nurses take on a variety of tasks in the disease process, especially related to education, counselling, and case management. Effects on outcome measures are mixed, with increased indications of reduced symptom burden. Conclusion: Specially qualified nurses with expanded roles have the potential to contribute to improved oncology care. This emphasises the importance of appropriate task profiles and qualification programs. More well-reported studies based on theoretical framework models are needed.
Some Like It Cold: The “Conundrum of Samail” Revisited
Authors: Ring Uwe , Glodny Johannes , Scharf Andreas , Hansman Reuben
Published: January 2023

Most tectonic models consider that the “Samail subduction zone” was the only subduction zone at the mid‐Cretaceous convergent Arabian margin. We report four new Rb‐Sr multimineral isochron ages from high‐pressure (HP) rocks and a major shear zone of the uppermost Ruwi‐Yiti Unit of the Saih Hatat window in the Oman Mountains of NE Arabia. These ages demand a reassessment of the intraoceanic suprasubduction‐zone evolution that formed the Samail Ophiolite and its metamorphic sole in the Samail subduction zone. Our new ages constrain waning HP metamorphism of the Ruwi subunit at ∼99‐96 Ma and associated deformation in the Yenkit shear zone between ∼104 and 93 Ma. Our ages for late stages of deformation and HP metamorphism (thermal gradients of ∼8–10°C km−1) overlap with published ages of ∼105‐102 Ma for Samail‐subduction‐zone prograde‐to‐peak metamorphism (thermal gradients of ∼20–25°C km−1), subsequent decompressional partial melting of the metamorphic sole and suprasubduction‐zone crystallization of the Samail Ophiolite (thermal gradients of ∼30°C km−1) between ∼100 and 93 Ma. Thermal considerations demand that two subduction zones existed at the mid‐Cretaceous Arabian margin. High‐pressure metamorphism of the Ruwi‐Yiti rocks occurred in a mature, thermally equilibrated “Ruwi subduction zone” that formed at ∼110 Ma. Initiation of the infant, thermally unequilibrated and, thus, immature, outboard intraoceanic Samail subduction zone occurred at ∼105 Ma. The Samail Ophiolite and its metamorphic sole were then thrust over the exhuming Ruwi‐Yiti HP rocks and onto the Arabian margin after ∼92 Ma, while the bulk of the Saih Hatat HP rocks below the Ruwi‐Yiti Unit started to be underthrust in the Ruwi subduction zone.
Marine Science Goes to Space
Authors: Benningfield Damond
Published: January 2023

Space and ocean scientists take a splash course in multidisciplinary science to chart our solar system’s ocean worlds.
Molecular profiling of EBV associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Frontzek Fabian , Staiger Annette M. , Wullenkord Ramona , Grau Michael , Zapukhlyak Myroslav , Kurz Katrin S. , Horn Heike , Erdmann Tabea , Fend Falko , Richter Julia , Klapper Wolfram , Lenz Peter , Hailfinger Stephan , Tasidou Anna , Trautmann Marcel , Hartmann Wolfgang , Rosenwald Andreas , Quintanilla-Martinez Leticia , Ott German , Anagnostopoulos Ioannis , Lenz Georg
Published: January 2023

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) represents a rare aggressive B-cell lymphoma subtype characterized by an adverse clinical outcome. EBV infection of lymphoma cells has been associated with different lymphoma subtypes while the precise role of EBV in lymphomagenesis and specific molecular characteristics of these lymphomas remain elusive. To further unravel the biology of EBV associated DLBCL, we present a comprehensive molecular analysis of overall 60 primary EBV positive (EBV+) DLBCLs using targeted sequencing of cancer candidate genes (CCGs) and genome-wide determination of recurrent somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs) in 46 cases, respectively. Applying the LymphGen classifier 2.0, we found that less than 20% of primary EBV + DLBCLs correspond to one of the established molecular DLBCL subtypes underscoring the unique biology of this entity. We have identified recurrent mutations activating the oncogenic JAK-STAT and NOTCH pathways as well as frequent amplifications of 9p24.1 contributing to immune escape by PD-L1 overexpression. Our findings enable further functional preclinical and clinical studies exploring the therapeutic potential of targeting these aberrations in patients with EBV + DLBCL to improve outcome.
Effects of nanopillars and surface coating on dynamic traction force
Authors: Cheng Yijun , Pang Stella W.
Published: January 2023

The extracellular matrix serves as structural support for cells and provides biophysical and biochemical cues for cell migration. Topography, material, and surface energy can regulate cell migration behaviors. Here, the responses of MC3T3-E1 cells, including migration speed, morphology, and spreading on various platform surfaces, were investigated. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) micropost sensing platforms with nanopillars, silicon oxide, and titanium oxide on top of the microposts were fabricated, and the dynamic cell traction force during migration was monitored. The relationships between various platform surfaces, migration behaviors, and cell traction forces were studied. Compared with the flat PDMS surface, cells on silicon oxide and titanium oxide surfaces showed reduced mobility and less elongation. On the other hand, cells on the nanopillar surface showed more elongation and a higher migration speed than cells on silicon oxide and titanium oxide surfaces. MC3T3-E1 cells on microposts with nanopillars exerted a larger traction force than those on flat PDMS microposts and had more filopodia and long protrusions. Understanding the relationships between platform surface condition, migration behavior, and cell traction force can potentially lead to better control of cell migration in biomaterials capable of promoting tissue repair and regeneration.
Evidence that endosperm turgor pressure both promotes and restricts seed growth and size
Authors: Creff Audrey , Ali Olivier , Bied Camille , Bayle Vincent , Ingram Gwyneth , Landrein Benoit
Published: January 2023

In plants, as in animals, organ growth depends on mechanical interactions between cells and tissues, and is controlled by both biochemical and mechanical cues. Here, we investigate the control of seed size, a key agronomic trait, by mechanical interactions between two compartments: the endosperm and the testa. By combining experiments with computational modelling, we present evidence that endosperm pressure plays two antagonistic roles: directly driving seed growth, but also indirectly inhibiting it through tension it generates in the surrounding testa, which promotes wall stiffening. We show that our model can recapitulate wild type growth patterns, and is consistent with the small seed phenotype of the haiku2 mutant, and the results of osmotic treatments. Our work suggests that a developmental regulation of endosperm pressure is required to prevent a precocious reduction of seed growth rate induced by force-dependent seed coat stiffening.
Molecular versatility during pluripotency progression
Authors: Furlan Giacomo , Huyghe Aurélia , Combémorel Noémie , Lavial Fabrice
Published: January 2023

A challenge during development is to ensure lineage segregation while preserving plasticity. Using pluripotency progression as a paradigm, we review how developmental transitions are coordinated by redeployments, rather than global resettings, of cellular components. We highlight how changes in response to extrinsic cues (FGF, WNT, Activin/Nodal, Netrin-1), context- and stoichiometry-dependent action of transcription factors (Oct4, Nanog) and reconfigurations of epigenetic regulators (enhancers, promoters, TrxG, PRC) may confer robustness to naïve to primed pluripotency transition. We propose the notion of Molecular Versatility to regroup mechanisms by which molecules are repurposed to exert different, sometimes opposite, functions in close stem cell configurations.