bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Medizinische Herausforderungen in der Starkregenkatastrophe im Ahrtal 2021
Authors: Rohde Annika , Schmidbauer Willi , Didion Nicole , Ritter Dennis , Demare Tim , Jänig Christoph
Published: December 2024

Hintergrund

Ausgehend von den Zuflüssen ergoss sich eine Flutwelle entlang der Ahr. Das Überflutungsgebiet erstreckte sich über eine Fläche von ca. 40 km2 links und rechts der Ahr. Das Ausmaß dieser Naturkatastrophe stellte die beteiligten Einsatzkräfte vor zahlreiche Herausforderungen.

Methodik

Durch Interviews mit Führungskräften verschiedener Führungsstufen wurden Erkenntnisse aus den ersten Tagen der Schadensbewältigung strukturiert erfasst. Die Ergebnisse wurden in der Gruppe der Autor:innen diskutiert, konsentiert und Rationale abgeleitet, welche bei künftigen Schadensereignissen helfen sollen, die identifizierten Probleme zu antizipieren bzw. zu vermeiden.

Ergebnisse

Anhand der Interviewergebnisse konnten folgende für das Gelingen kritische Punkte herausgearbeitet werden: 1. Die medizinische Versorgung in Großschadenslagen benötigt klare Aufgabenverteilungen und Verantwortlichkeiten bezüglich der Grund- und Notfallversorgung. 2. Eine sichere Kommunikation zwischen Einsatzleitung und Einsatzkräften ist entscheidend für die Führungsfähigkeit. 3. Die Führungsgrundgebiete der medizinischen und feuerwehrtechnischen Sachgebiete müssen gemeinsam besetzt werden.

Schlussfolgerungen

In der Chaosphase entsprechen die primären Aufgaben denen kleinerer Lagen (u. a. Lagefeststellung, Menschenrettung). Sobald die kritische Infrastruktur in großem Maße geschädigt ist, entstehen Herausforderungen, welche besondere Qualifikationen der eingesetzten Führungskräfte verlangen. Zentrale, überregional zuständige Führungseinheiten und regelmäßige gemeinsame Übungen (u. a. in Lagebewertung, Entscheidungsfähigkeit, Prognose, interprofessioneller Zusammenarbeit) von organisatorisch-taktischen Stäben und Verwaltungsstäben sowie der Fachberatung Gesundheit können einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur besseren Bewältigung großer Schadenslagen leisten.
The second wave
Authors: Rachel Lukasz
Published: December 2024

What determines whether an epidemic unfolds in multiple waves? In the absence of a vaccine, populations remain vulnerable to future outbreaks as long as susceptibility levels stay above the herd immunity threshold. The effectiveness of mitigation policies is therefore critical: a highly effective lockdown can paradoxically increase the likelihood of a second wave. This paper uses a calibrated model to study both the decentralized equilibrium and the optimal policy in a scenario where mitigation is only moderately effective. The findings show that equilibrium and optimal mitigation strategies are qualitatively similar in this case. Fiscal costs decrease the optimal length of the lockdown, narrowing the gap between equilibrium and optimal policies. We also use the model to evaluate the welfare costs of deviating from the optimal policy.
Semi-supervised Ensemble Learning for Automatic Interpretation of Lung Ultrasound Videos
Authors: Malainho Bárbara , Freitas João , Rodrigues Catarina , Tonelli Ana Claudia , Santanchè André , Carvalho-Filho Marco A. , Fonseca Jaime C. , Queirós Sandro
Published: December 2024

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) stands as a safe, portable, and cost-effective imaging modality for swift bedside patient examinations. Specifically, lung ultrasonography (LUS) has proven useful in evaluating both acute and chronic pulmonary conditions. Despite its clinical value, automatic LUS interpretation remains relatively unexplored, particularly in multi-label contexts. This work proposes a novel deep learning (DL) framework tailored for interpreting lung POCUS videos, whose outputs are the finding(s) present in these videos (such as A-lines, B-lines, or consolidations). The pipeline, based on a residual (2+1)D architecture, initiates with a pre-processing routine for video masking and standardisation, and employs a semi-supervised approach to harness available unlabeled data. Additionally, we introduce an ensemble modeling strategy that aggregates outputs from models trained to predict distinct label sets, thereby leveraging the hierarchical nature of LUS findings. The proposed framework and its building blocks were evaluated through extensive experiments with both multi-class and multi-label models, highlighting its versatility. In a held-out test set, the categorical proposal, suited for expedite triage, achieved an average F1-score of 92.4%, while the multi-label proposal, helpful for patient management and referral, achieved an average F1-score of 70.5% across five relevant LUS findings. Overall, the semi-supervised methodology contributed significantly to improved performance, while the proposed hierarchy-aware ensemble provided moderate additional gains.
Correlation Between Geotechnical Indexes and Landslide Occurrence in Southwestern Cyprus Using GIS and Machine Learning
Authors: Tzampoglou Ploutarchos , Loukidis Dimitrios , Tsangaratos Paraskevas , Anastasiades Aristodemos , Karalis Konstantinos
Published: December 2024

Landslides are significantly influenced by the properties of the geological materials. As such, effective landslide susceptibility and hazard assessment necessitates the use of carefully selected and well-organized spatial data on geology and ground characteristics. The present study explores the spatial correlation between landslides and geotechnical indexes pertinent to the problem of slope stability. For this purpose, a geodatabase containing geotechnical properties was created for the southwestern part of the island of Cyprus, an area noted for its frequent ground instability issues and the availability of a comprehensive landslide database. Then, statistical correlations are established between the recorded landslides (active and inactive) in the region and key geotechnical, geological and geomorphological factors. The analysis was initially performed using the Frequency Ratio method, followed by two advanced machine learning techniques, namely Random Forest and Shapley Additive Explanations. The analysis results reveal that for weak argillaceous geomaterials, the clay content and plasticity index constitute high importance variables, followed by the geomorphological factors such as the slope angle. In rocky formations with clear rock mass structure, as main factors emerge the Geological Strength Index and the uniaxial compressive strength. The strong correlation identified between geotechnical factors and the spatial distribution of landslides underscores the potential benefit of integrating these variables in landslide susceptibility and hazard analysis methodologies. This adjusted emphasis provides clearer insights into the relationship between geological properties and landslide occurrences, which is crucial for developing more accurate predictive models and effective mitigation strategies.
Personal factors in the career development of early career researchers in Kenya and implications for models of mentoring practice
Authors: Kay Simon , Karmowska Joanna
Published: December 2024

This qualitative study responds to recent calls for decolonisation of research agendas and explores some personal factors impacting the development of research careers in an under-researched context of Africa, more specifically Kenya. Personal factors as well as academic careers are dependent on cultural and institutional contexts, hence findings from studies conducted in Western context cannot be considered fully relevant to inform mentoring practices in Africa. The experience of eighteen Kenyan nationals with PhD degrees was explored retrospectively using semi-structured interviews, followed by thematic analysis. Results point to new perspectives on development of early career researchers (ECRs) in Kenyan context, which differ from those known from studies in the Western contexts. The findings indicate the role of spirituality and faith in bolstering personal agency. It underpins ECR’s resilience as well as decision making. Furthermore, commitment to the service of community and wider Kenyan society has been identified as a strong driving factor in shaping career and research identity. Holistic mentoring emerges as a crucial factor in development of ECRs in the Kenyan context. A novel conceptual model of ECR development capturing the above-mentioned influences is presented and recommendations are made for a practical framework for mentoring of ECRs in Kenya.
Microplastics in aquatic systems: A comprehensive review of its distribution, environmental interactions, and health risks
Authors: Pal Divya , Prabhakar Roshan , Barua Visva Bharati , Zekker Ivar , Burlakovs Juris , Krauklis Andrejs , Hogland William , Vincevica-Gaile Zane
Published: December 2024

Microplastics (MPs) have become a critical pollutant, accumulating in aquatic ecosystems and posing significant environmental and human health risks. Approximately 5.25 trillion plastic particles float in global oceans, releasing up to 23,600 metric tonnes of dissolved organic carbon annually, which disrupts microbial dynamics. MPs arise from the breakdown of larger plastics, degraded by photodegradation, thermal degradation, and biological processes, which are influenced by polymer type and environmental factors. As carriers, MPs absorb and transport contaminants such as heavy metals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) across trophic levels, thereby increasing toxicity within food webs. Key aquatic organisms, including microalgae, molluscs, and fish, experience cellular toxicity, oxidative stress, and disruptions in essential functions due to MP ingestion or adhesion, raising concerns about their bioaccumulation in humans through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. The complex surface chemistry of MPs enhances their pollutant adsorption, a process modulated by environmental pH, salinity, and contamination levels, while aging and structural attributes further impact their bioavailability and toxicity. This review consolidates knowledge on MPs’ occurrence, transformation, pollutant interactions, and methodologies for sampling and analysis, emphasizing advancements in spectroscopy and imaging techniques to improve MP detection in aquatic environments. These insights underscore the pressing need for standardized analytical protocols and comprehensive toxicological research to fully understand MPs’ effects on ecosystems and human health, informing future mitigation strategies and policy development.

Graphical abstract
The Impact of Language Discordance on Acquiring Broad Social History: A Qualitative Study of Patients, Clinicians, and Interpreters
Authors: Doshi Bansri , Luna Isabel , Quesada Ruby , Garcia Maria E. , Fernandez Alicia , Khoong Elaine C.
Published: December 2024

Background

By acquiring a broad social history (BSH), which includes aspects of patients’ social needs in addition to their hobbies and activities, values, and perspectives on care, clinicians can provide more patient-centered care, which is known to improve health outcomes. However, the impact of patient-clinician language discordance on acquisition of BSH has not been well studied.

Objective

To ascertain whether language discordance impacts clinicians’ acquisition of patients’ BSH by interviewing patients, clinicians, and medical interpreters.

Design

Qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews, followed by thematic analysis using rapid qualitative data analysis methods.

Participants (or Patients or Subjects)

We interviewed 8 Spanish-speaking and 5 English-speaking patients seen for primary care within a public hospital in San Francisco, 6 primary care clinicians, and 8 medical interpreters.

Approach

All interviews were recorded and transcribed. The transcriptions were summarized into domains using rapid qualitative data analysis. The summaries were displayed in a matrix and used to generate themes and subthemes.

Key Results

Analysis of interviews highlighted two overarching themes concerning BSH acquisition. One theme was the importance of BSH: namely, it is critical for patient-clinician relationships and personalized care. Commonly elicited BSH facets were social drivers of health, but leisure activities were less frequently asked. The second theme described ways in which language discordance, via the need for interpretation, affects the collection of BSH, both through increasing time pressure, and hindering rapport-building strategies. Cultural barriers pose an obstacle to BSH acquisition and may operate independently of language discordance.

Conclusions

Our results suggest two action steps for health systems: (a) apportioning more time for language-discordant visits to increase rapport-building and BSH acquisition, and (b) increasing training for clinicians on acquiring BSH when working with interpreters. Further research is needed to investigate the relationship between language discordance, acquisition of BSH, and patient outcomes.
Impact of Medically Tailored Meals on Clinical Outcomes Among Low-Income Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Randomized Trial
Authors: Clark Jeanne M. , Maw May Thu Thu , Pettway Kathy , Chander Geetanjali , Elias Susan , Zisow-McClean Sam , Maruthur Nisa M. , Greer Raquel C.
Published: December 2024

Background

Adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and adverse social determinants of health experience barriers to healthful eating, and achieve poorer glycemic control and clinical outcomes.

Objective

To examine the impact of medically tailored meals (MTM) with medical nutrition therapy (MNT) on clinical outcomes among adults with DM.

Design

Pilot randomized controlled trial.

Participants

English-speaking adults with DM and hemoglobin A1c (A1c) levels > 8% insured by Maryland Medicaid plans.

Intervention

The treatment group received home delivery of 12 medically tailored, frozen meals and a fresh produce bag weekly for 3 months, and individual calls with a registered dietitian monthly for 6 months in addition to usual care. The control group received usual care. Outcomes were change from baseline to 6 months in A1c (primary), body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, food insecurity, and diabetes-related quality of life, knowledge, and self-efficacy (secondary).

Key Results

We randomized 74 adults; 77% completed data collection. The mean age was 48 years, 40% were male, 77% were Black, and the mean A1c was 10.3%. Eighty-six percent of meals were delivered, and on average 4.8 nutrition visits were completed. At 6 months, both groups had similar improvements in A1c (− 0.7 vs. − 0.6%); the control group reported more favorable changes in diabetes medications. Changes in systolic blood pressure and BMI at 6 months did not differ between groups. Diabetes-related quality of life, knowledge, and self-efficacy improved modestly, but not differently by group. Food insecurity decreased significantly from baseline to 3 months in the intervention (53 to 17%) compared to control (48 to 44%; p < 0.05), which lessened but remained significant at 6 months.

Conclusions

Recruitment and retention of an at-risk group of adults with DM was feasible. Intervention uptake was good but did not improve clinical outcomes. More comprehensive and clinically integrated interventions are likely needed to achieve significant clinical benefits.

ClinicalTrials.gov Registration

NCT04034511.
Understanding consumers’ behaviour for a more sustainable product design and reduced energy consumption in automatic dishwashing – an Australian household investigation and learning from a comparison with European ecodesign
Authors: Alt Thomas , Stamminger Rainer
Published: December 2024

Automatic dishwashing is an example of a complex socio-technical system with an interplay between a variety of factors and participants, including manufacturers, technology, regulators, consumer practices, cultural norms and infrastructure. Understanding this system is a prerequisite to find the right levers to optimise it. In this context, automatic dishwashing in Australia is studied by modelling the installed base of dishwashers in Australian households and recording the consumer usage of dishwashers in detail in a representative way. The information from both combined allows one to estimate the actual average use of resources (energy, water) and programme duration of dishwashers. Analysing the consumer behaviour opens the way to find optimisations of the consumer behaviour which would allow a saving of resources (more than 20 % on electrical energy) without deteriorating the performance and practical use of the dishwashers. Moreover, the comparison of the Australian socio-technical system around automatic dishwashers with the European system allows one to find a possible saving of another 20 % on energy caused by differences in the regulatory framework for those appliances.
Moralische Gefühle im Studium
Authors: Großmaß Ruth
Published: December 2024

Aus der psychologischen Forschung wissen wir, dass Entscheidungen und Handlungsimpulse von Gefühlen begleitet sind, was insbesondere gilt, wenn Moral im Spiel ist. Gefühle wie Mitgefühl, Stolz, Scham oder Empörung sind so eng an moralische Überzeugungen gebunden, dass sie als „moralische Gefühle“ gelten. Der Beitrag untersucht die Bedeutung von moralischen Gefühlen während eines Studiums, einer Lebensphase mit spezifischen Herausforderungen und Entwicklungsimpulsen.
Wellbeing and burnout in schoolteachers: the psychophysiological case for self-compassion
Authors: Maratos Frances A. , Parente Fabio , Sahota Tarnjot J. , Sheffield David
Published: December 2024

Schoolteachers are a profession at high risk for workplace burnout. The Jobs Demands-Resource model is useful in understanding burnout in this population. However, a better understanding of what psychological and physiological factors serve as demands and resources, and how these might interact to predict burnout is needed. In this study, we obtained cardiac activity (Heart Rate Variability) over a working day, as well as self-reported stress and psychological measures of self-compassion, self-criticism, emotional exhaustion and dysregulation, depersonalisation, self-reassurance and personal accomplishment in a sample of 57 primary school staff. A logistic regression analysis identified self-compassion (OR = 12.91, 95% CI = 1.62–180.74) and self-criticism (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.07–1.56) to be most strongly related to differences in Heart Rate Variability (root mean square of successive differences) between self-reported rest periods and periods of high stress. In addition, a mediation analysis revealed self-criticism was a significant predictor of the depersonalisation facet of burnout (z = 2.16, p = .03), whereas results for self-compassion were more complex and were mediated by physiological coping (i.e., Heart Rate Variability) (z = 2.60, p = .009). In the context of the Job Demands-Resources Model, we conclude that self-compassion can serve as an additional resource that can protect individuals in high-stress and demanding roles. Additionally, we recommend future research investigates compassion-focused interventions as part of institutional efforts to manage workplace stress and help ameliorate burnout in high-risk professional groups.
Open for business: how leader ambivalence facilitates upward follower communication via perceptions of increased cognitive flexibility and responsiveness
Authors: Hohnsbehn Jana-Maria , Pauels Eileen , Schneider Iris K.
Published: December 2024

Leaders often find themselves in complex situations in which they must navigate competing and contradictory demands. Consequently, leaders often experience ambivalence. While followers pay close attention to leaders and use their leaders’ behaviors and emotions as cues for modeling their own behavior, there is little empirical work exploring how followers perceive leader ambivalence and how these perceptions affect followers. Therefore, in three studies (total N = 879), we examined whether perceiving leader ambivalence could facilitate followers’ willingness to speak up. We also investigated the underlying mechanism of this effect, testing whether perceptions of leader ambivalence led to inferences of both higher leader cognitive flexibility and responsiveness, which then would increase the likelihood that followers speak up. In line with our hypotheses, followers showed a greater willingness to speak up when perceiving an ambivalent leader than a non-ambivalent leader. This effect was serially mediated by perceptions of both increased leader cognitive flexibility and responsiveness. Study 3 also showed that when followers perceived an ambivalent leader, they expected fewer negative consequences when speaking up about a variety of issues (e.g., response to dissatisfaction). We discuss the implications of our findings for future research on ambivalence in leadership and organizational contexts.
Totally Geodesic Submanifolds and Polar Actions on Stiefel Manifolds
Authors: Gorodski Claudio , Kollross Andreas , Rodríguez-Vázquez Alberto
Published: December 2024

We classify totally geodesic submanifolds of the real Stiefel manifolds of orthogonal two-frames. We also classify polar actions on these Stiefel manifolds, specifically, we prove that the orbits of polar actions are lifts of polar actions on the corresponding Grassmannian. In the case of cohomogeneity one actions we are able to obtain a classification for all real, complex and quaternionic Stiefel manifolds of k-frames.
Enabling Experimental Impulse-Based Substructuring Through Time Domain Deconvolution and Downsampling
Authors: Zobel O.M. , Trainotti F. , Rixen D.J.
Published: December 2024

Dynamic substructuring, especially the frequency-based variant (FBS) using frequency response functions (FRF), is gaining in popularity and importance, with countless successful applications, both numerically and experimentally. One drawback, however, is found when the responses to shocks are determined. Numerically, this might be especially expensive when a huge number of high-frequency modes have to be accounted for to correctly predict response amplitudes to shocks. In all cases, the initial response predicted using frequency-based substructuring might be erroneous, due to the forced periodization of the Fourier transform. This drawback can be eliminated by completely avoiding the frequency domain and remaining in the time domain, using the impulse-based substructuring method (IBS), which utilizes impulse response functions (IRF). While this method has already been utilized successfully for numerical test cases, none of the attempted experimental applications were successful. In this paper, an experimental application of IBS to rods considered as one-dimensional is tested in the context of shock analysis, with the goal of correctly predicting the maximum driving point response peak. The challenges related to experimental IBS applications are discussed and an improvement attempt is made by limiting the frequency content considered through low-pass filtering and downsampling. The combination of a purely time domain based estimation procedure for the IRFs and the application of low-pass filtering with downsampling to the measured responses enabled a correct prediction of the initial shock responses of the rods with IBS experimentally, using displacements, velocities and accelerations.
Auto-tuning for HPC storage stack: an optimization perspective
Authors: Liu Zhangyu , Wang Jinqiu , Wu Huijun , Ma Qingzhen , Peng Lin , Tang Zhanyong
Published: December 2024

Storage stack layers in high-performance computing (HPC) systems offer many tunable parameters controlling I/O behaviors and underlying file system settings. The setting of these parameters plays a decisive role in I/O performance. Nevertheless, the increasing complexity of data operations and storage architectures makes identifying a set of well-performing configurations a challenge. Auto-tuning is a promising technology. This paper presents a comprehensive survey on "Auto-tuning in HPC I/O". We expound a general storage structure based on a general storage stack and critical elements of auto-tuning, and categorize related studies according to the way of tuning. On the basis of the order in which the approaches were applied, we introduce the specific works of each approach in detail, and summarize and compare the pros and cons of these approaches. Through a comprehensive and in-depth study of existing research, we elaborate on the development history of auto-tuning technology in HPC I/O, analyze the current situation, and provide guidance for optimization technology in the future.
The Global Governance Problem with Framing Human Trafficking as ‘Modern Slavery’: The Experiences of International Actors in Human Trafficking Policymaking
Authors: Broad Rose , Turnbull Nick
Published: December 2024

Human trafficking legislation and policy have increasingly been developed in jurisdictions across the world since being defined in the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime in 2000. In this context, the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 sought to distinguish the actions of the UK with the then Prime Minister, Theresa May claiming that the legislation would ‘lead the way in defeating modern slavery and preserving the freedoms and values that have defined our country for generations’ (May, in Defeating modern slavery, 2016). International coordination and engagement are an important component of the UK Modern Slavery Strategy, to support other countries in the development of their national legislation. Taken together these mechanisms contribute to a mode of global policymaking through transnational policy communities. Drawing on primary research with people involved in policy development from ten Commonwealth countries, this article identifies the opportunities and limitations of policy making within this space. The domination of the global north in human trafficking policy casts a particular view of the problem of human trafficking that creates barriers to recognising or acknowledging traditions or customs which can embed exploitation and fails to understand the impact of anti-slavery policy narratives that are interpreted through colonial legacies. In this context, although global governance cooperation between countries around modern slavery can be significant, it faces many challenges, not least the practicalities and the aptness of the UK’s leading role in international anti-trafficking and anti-slavery policymaking, which this paper questions.
Estimating the seasonal performance and electricity consumption of retrofitted heat pumps
Authors: Bayer Daniel René , Pruckner Marco
Published: December 2024

Gas furnaces are the prevalent heating systems in Europe, but efforts to decarbonize the energy sector advocate for their replacement with heat pumps. However, this transition poses challenges for power grids due to increased electricity consumption. Estimating this consumption relies on the seasonal performance factor (SPF) of heat pumps, a metric that is complex to model and hard to measure accurately. We propose using an unpaired dataset of smart meter data at the building level to model the heat consumption and the SPF. We compare the distributions of the annual gas and heat pump electricity consumption by applying either the Jensen–Shannon Divergence or the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. Through evaluation of a real-world dataset, we prove the ability of the methodology to predict the electricity consumption of future heat pumps replacing existing gas furnaces with a focus on single- and two-family buildings. Our results indicate anticipated SPFs ranging between 2.8 and 3.4, based on the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. However, it is essential to note that the analysis reveals challenges associated with interpreting results when there are single-sided shifts in the input data, such as those induced by external factors like the European gas crisis in 2022. In summary, this extended version of a conference paper shows the viability of utilizing smart meter data to model heat consumption and seasonal performance factor for future retrofitted heat pumps.
How Much Opposition to Aggrandizers? Explaining Differences in Pushback against Three Philippine Presidents
Authors: Thompson Mark R. , Agojo Kevin N. M.
Published: December 2024

A major focus of the democratic backsliding literature has been on “executive aggrandizement” in electoral, institutional, and civil societal arenas. An influential explanation of the strength of opposition to aggrandizers contends that the more democratic accountability remains despite illiberal stratagems, the stronger the pushback is likely to be. A single-country temporal comparison of three aggrandizing Philippine presidents—Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and Rodrigo Duterte—demonstrates that this view not only fails to account for stark variation in opposition, it predicts the reverse of what actually occurred. Despite election fraud, constitutional manipulation, and protest crackdowns, Marcos Sr. and Arroyo confronted stronger pushback. By contrast, opposition against Duterte gained little traction although elections remained competitive, institutions were left largely intact, and there was little repression of peaceful protests. This suggests that opposition efficacy is more dependent on how effectively it can contest democratic legitimation claims used to disguise autocratization.
Developing a non-Newtonian fluid model for dust, for application to astrophysical flows
Authors: Lynch Elliot M. , Laibe Guillaume
Published: December 2024

In the astrophysics community it is common practice to model collisionless dust, entrained in a gas flow, as a pressureless fluid. However, a pressureless fluid is fundamentally different from a collisionless fluid – the latter of which generically possess a non-zero anisotropic pressure or stress tensor. In this paper we derive a fluid model for collisionless dust, entrained in a turbulent gas, starting from the equations describing the motion of individual dust grains. We adopt a covariant formulation of our model to allow for the geometry and coordinate systems prevalent in astrophysics, and provide a closure valid for the accretion disc context. We show that the continuum mechanics properties of a dust fluid corresponds to a higher-dimensional anisotropic Maxwell fluid, after the extra dimensions are averaged out, with a dynamically important rheological stress tensor. This higher-dimensional treatment has the advantage of keeping the dust velocity and velocity of the fluid seen, and their respective moments, on the same footing. This results in a simplification of the constitutive relation describing the evolution of the dust rheological stress.
An investigation of diet quality across racial groups in the United Kingdom and United States considering nutritional adequacy, disease risk, and environmental sustainability: a secondary analysis of NDNS and NHANES datasets
Authors: Bennett Grace , Gibney Eileen R.
Published: December 2024

Diet indices are quantitative assessments of the quality of population intake. Understanding diet quality is crucial to support health and well-being; however, knowledge of diet quality across racial groups is limited. To examine diet quality of acial groups ‘White’, ‘Black’, ‘Asian’, and ‘Other’ in the United Kingdom (U.K.) and United States (U.S.), U.K. and U.S. national survey data were used to calculate Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI-2010), Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I), and EAT-Lancet scores. ANCOVA tests compared median total quality scores across racial groups adjusting for covariates. Kruskal–Wallis tests examined differences in individual component scores. Spearman correlations identified association of diet quality scores across indices. Highest diet quality scores were reported for U.K. and U.S. Asian groups. Most noticeable differences were apparent between U.S. Asian and White/Black groups (62% Asians within highest tertile of AHEI-2010 score vs. 29% Whites; P < 0.001). All racial groups demonstrated poor diet quality in terms of sustainability; EAT-Lancet scores were <40% of maximum total score for U.S. White, Black, and Other groups. AHEI-2010 diet quality scores were moderately associated with EAT-Lancet scores, evident across all groups (r = 0.53–0.65; P < 0.001). There is a need for all groups to increase intake of wholegrains, especially Black groups (mean Wholegrain score for U.S. Black group within DQI-I was 0.60 (maximum score of 5)) as demonstrated within AHEI-2010, DQI-I, and EAT-Lancet component scores. Additionally, increased intake of vegetables and legumes and decreased intake of processed and red meat would improve the adequacy, healthiness, and sustainability of U.K. and U.S. racial diets.
Concept for motion sensing using atomic optical memories
Authors: Ahmadi Arash , Murat Yağız , Müstecaplıoğlu Özgür E. , Kuan Pei-Chen , Gündoğan Mustafa , Krutzik Markus
Published: December 2024

By harnessing optical memories based on electromagnetically induced transparency in warm vapors of gaseous alkali metals and cold atomic clouds, this article presents new methods for motion sensing. The proposed scheme for velocimetry can substantially increase the sensitivity of some recent works based on the light-dragging effect in a moving medium, and on the other hand, our proposal, when realized using cold atoms, opens new research questions with regard to limits of light storage in cold atomic clouds. Ultimately, a detailed experimental setup is presented for the realization of the velocimetry scheme using stopped light, which includes considerations for the choice of the medium, laser configuration and control. By investigating the limits of optical memories in motion sensing applications, this research opens up new avenues for employing optical memories beyond applications in quantum information science.
On species of genus Byblis Boeck, 1971 (Amphilochidea, Ampeliscidae) reported from India with the description of one new species
Authors: Thacker Dimple , Myers Alan A. , Trivedi Jigneshkumar N.
Published: December 2024

In the present study species of the genus Byblis Boeck, 1871, found in India are discussed. Previously, two species of the genus Byblis: B. daleyi (Giles, 1890b) and B. lepta (Giles, 1890a) were recorded from India. The taxonomy and world distribution of the two previously reported species is discussed in the study. Additionally, a new species Byblis kachchhensissp. nov. is also described based on the specimens collected from Gujarat state, India. This new species is differentiated from its closely related species B. calisto Imbach, 1967 by having large eyes placed very close to each other and entire telson.
First record of two cardinalfishes (Teleostei: Apogonidae) from northwestern India
Authors: Ragul Sivakumar , Parmar H. L. , Mahadevan Gopalan , Fricke Ronald
Published: December 2024

The current study represents the first records of elusive cardinalfish, Apogon fugax Gon et al., 2020 and twinbar cardinalfish, Apogonichthyoides sialis (Jordan and Thompson, 1914) from the Gujarat coast, northwestern India. During February 2024, regular fishing surveys were conducted to document a bycatch species assemblage. In the course of this study, a total three specimens of A. fugax and a single specimen of A. sialis were procured from Veraval Fishing Harbour, Gujarat, India. Apogon fugax is reported for the first time from Indian waters, while A. sialis is recorded for the first time from northwestern India. Herein, detailed meristic counts, morphometric measurements and the distribution of the species are described.
An empirical study on native Mandarin-speaking children’s metonymy comprehension development
Authors: Xie Songqiao , He Chunyan
Published: December 2024

This study investigates Mandarin-speaking children’s (age 3–7) comprehension development of novel and conventional metonymy, combining online and offline methods. Both online and offline data show significantly better performances from the oldest group (6-to-7-year-old) and a delayed acquisition of conventional metonymy compared with novel metonymy. However, part of offline data shows no significant difference between adjacent age groups, while the eye-tracking data show a chronological development from age 3–7. Furthermore, in offline tasks, the three-year-old group features a high choice randomness and the four-to-five-year-olds show the longest reaction time. Therefore, we argue that, not only age but also metonymy type can influence metonymy acquisition, and that a lack of socio-cultural experience can be a source of acquisition difficulty for children under six. Methodologically speaking, we believe that online methods should not be considered superior to offline ones as they investigate different aspects of implicit and explicit language comprehension.
Is switching more costly in cued than voluntary language switching? Evidence from behaviour and electrophysiology
Authors: Kennis Nora , Zheng Xiaochen Y. , de Bruin Angela , Piai Vitória
Published: December 2024

Multilingual language control is commonly investigated using picture-naming paradigms with explicit instructions when to switch between languages. In daily life, language switching also occurs without external cues. Cued language-switching tasks usually show a switch cost (i.e., slower responses on switch than non-switch trials). Findings of switch costs in response times are mixed for voluntary language switching. This pre-registered study uses a bilingual picture-naming paradigm to compare voluntary and cued language switching in 25 highly proficient Dutch-English bilinguals using EEG. We analysed the N2 ERP component and midfrontal theta oscillations, two common electrophysiological markers of cognitive control in task and language switching. We observed significantly smaller behavioural switch costs in the voluntary task. This suggests that voluntary language switching is less effortful than switching based on external cues. However, we found no electrophysiological switch effects in either task. We discuss factors which may contribute to the inconsistency between behavioural and electrophysiological findings.
Toward explaining variability in heritage varieties: Systematic patterns of differential object marking in adult heritage speakers of Spanish
Authors: Callen M. Cole
Published: December 2024

Recent approaches to heritage languages have sought to identify explanations for variability in heritage grammars. The present study explores variable patterns of Spanish differential object marking (DOM) in 40 heritage Spanish speakers (HSs) from the United States and 28 Spanish-dominant bilingual speakers (SDSs) from Mexico. Participants completed a picture description task including human, animal and inanimate direct objects. Both groups exhibited patterns of DOM following the Animacy Scale. However, HSs showed lower DOM rates and greater individual variability with human referents compared to SDSs, even when individual differences in language dominance were considered. Conversely, SDSs produced lower rates of DOM with inanimate objects than HSs. DOM use was constrained by verb-specific animacy biases across animacy conditions and speaker groups. These findings reveal that Spanish HSs maintain baseline-like variable patterns of DOM. Moreover, HSs may advance language change in predictable directions based on patterns of variation present in the baseline variety.
Working memory structure in young Spanish–English bilingual children
Authors: Alt Mary , Hunter DeAnne R. , Levy Roy , Neiling Sarah Lynn , Leon Kimberly , Arizmendi Genesis D. , Cowan Nelson , Gray Shelley
Published: December 2024

Working memory encompasses the limited incoming information that can be held in mind for cognitive processing. To date, we have little information on the effects of bilingualism on working memory because, absent evidence, working memory tasks cannot be assumed to measure the same constructs across language groups. To garner evidence regarding the measurement equivalence in Spanish and English, we examined second-grade children with typical development, including 80 bilingual Spanish–English speakers and 167 monolingual English speakers in the United States, using a test battery for which structural equation models have been tested – the Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM). Results established measurement invariance across groups up to the level of scalar invariance.
Joseph Joachim and the Violin Romance: Reforming the Playground of Virtuosos
Authors: Uhde Katharina
Published: December 2024

In an enticing article for the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, Hans von Bülow suggested that Joseph Joachim would be well suited to achieve a reform of violin playing in the 1850s, which would effectively close the door behind Virtuosentum. The Golden Age of virtuosity had been on its way out for several years, impacting also violin performance. And yet, violin programming in the musical metropolises London and Paris was slow to adapt. As recent work on Joachim's virtuoso years has shown, his repertoire during the 1840s encompassed far more than German classics. It accommodated plenty of virtuoso music by H.W. Ernst, de Bériot, Ferdinand David, and Vieuxtemps, as well as his own substantial, virtuoso compositions, composed for his London tours in the 1840s. As this article argues, Joachim's programming did not change overnight: the shift from performing and composing virtuoso pieces to identifying himself with lofty and serious works happened gradually. One vehicle through which Joachim transformed the state of ‘violin playing’ of the 1840s was the violin romance. Joachim, who spent three months in Paris in early 1850, used the aesthetic of the romance to transform not only the state of violin playing but also the violin romance itself. Two simple romances he composed in 1850 were followed by a third romance in 1857. The third was, in effect, a Bravourstück in disguise, exhibiting none of the older virtuoso tricks such as flying bow strokes that had fallen out of favour. Rather, in Joachim's third romance, the conspicuous, ‘1840s’ virtuosity merged into ‘shape-oriented virtuosity’, a term used in a 1854 review of Joachim's playing. Many later nineteenth-century composers of violin romances from Bruch to Sibelius adopted Joachim's romance model, negotiating between melodic simplicity and violinistic demand, resulting in lyrical pieces in which virtuosity was an undercurrent, hidden but present.
Gender Apartheid and Asylum: Establishing General Risks of Gender-Based Persecution in International Refugee Law
Authors: Golesorkhi Lara-Zuzan
Published: December 2024

Does the situation in Afghanistan amount to persecution due to the accumulation of repressive measures enacted against women and is it sufficient that women are affected by such measures merely on the basis of their gender? While these two questions remain in front of the Court of Justice of the EU, several EU member states have moved to grant asylum to women and girls from Afghanistan on general risks of gender-based persecution. This dynamism in asylum regulations across the EU has occurred alongside renewed discussions around gender-based persecution and gender apartheid in international criminal law in light of the ongoing process for a Crimes Against Humanity Treaty. In this article, I put these developments into conversation through case study method and legal-institutional analysis, and argue that the historical link between international refugee law and international criminal law provides a space to envision an integrated system of protection around gender-related claims. To this end, I offer three outlooks for establishing general risks of gender-based persecution in international refugee law and the relationship between gender apartheid and asylum.
Droughts in Wind and Solar Power: Assessing Climate Model Simulations for a Net‐Zero Energy Future
Authors: Liu Xue , Saravanan Ramalingam , Chang Ping , Fu Dan , Xie Le
Published: December 2024

Understanding and predicting “droughts” in wind and solar power availability can help the electric grid operator planning and operation toward deep renewable penetration. We assess climate models' ability to simulate these droughts at different horizontal resolutions, ∼100 and ∼25 km, over Western North America and Texas. We find that these power droughts are associated with the high/low pressure systems. The simulated wind and solar power variabilities and their corresponding droughts during historical periods are more sensitive to the model bias than to the model resolution. Future climate simulations reveal varied future change of these droughts across different regions. Although model resolution does not affect the simulation of historical droughts, it does impact the simulated future changes. This suggests that regional response to future warming can vary considerably in high‐ and low‐resolution models. These insights have important implications for adapting power system planning and operations to the changing climate.
Observed Regional Impacts of Marine Heatwaves on Sea‐Air CO2 Exchange
Authors: Li Catherine , Burger Friedrich A. , Raible Christoph C. , Frölicher Thomas L.
Published: December 2024

Marine heatwaves (MHWs) have devastating effects on ecosystems. Yet a global assessment of the regional impacts of MHWs on the sea‐air exchange is missing. Here, we analyze 30 global observation‐based sea‐air flux data sets from 1990 to 2019. Globally, the oceanic uptake is reduced by 8% (3%–19% across data sets) during MHWs. Regionally, the equatorial Pacific experiences a 31% (3%–49%) reduction in release and MHWs often coincide with extreme sea‐air flux anomalies in this region. The oceanic uptake decreases during MHWs by 29% (19%–37%) and 14% (5%–21%) in the low‐to‐mid latitude Northern and Southern Hemisphere, respectively. Reduced dissolved inorganic carbon in the tropics weakens outgassing, while high ocean temperatures diminish uptake in the low‐to‐mid latitudes. In the subpolar North Pacific and Southern Ocean, enhanced carbon uptake occurs during MHWs, but uncertainties in p data sets limit a comprehensive assessment in these regions.
Relationship Between Tropical Cloud Feedback and Climatological Bias in Clouds
Authors: Thackeray Chad W. , Zelinka Mark D. , Norris Jesse , Hall Alex , Po‐Chedley Stephen
Published: December 2024

Global climate model (GCM) projections of future climate are uncertain largely due to a persistent spread in cloud feedback. This is despite efforts to reduce this model uncertainty through a variety of emergent constraints (ECs); with several studies suggesting an important role for present‐day biases in clouds. Here, we use three generations of GCMs to assess the value of climatological cloud metrics for constraining uncertainty in cloud feedback. We find that shortwave cloud radiative properties across the Southern Hemisphere extratropics are most robustly correlated with tropical cloud feedback (TCF). Using this relationship in conjunction with observations, we produce an EC that yields a TCF value of 0.52 ± 0.34 W/m2/K, which equates to a 34% reduction in uncertainty. Thus, we show that climatological cloud properties can be used to reduce uncertainty in how clouds will respond to future warming.
Combined Influence of 10–30‐Day Tropical and Mid–High‐Latitude Intraseasonal Oscillations on the Rapid Increases of Humid Heatwaves in Southern China
Authors: Li Jianying , Liao Zhen , An Ning , Chen Yang , Zhai Panmao
Published: December 2024

As a typical hotspot of heatwaves, southern China experienced a marked shift from dry to humid heatwaves in the recent decade of 2013–2022. Significant 10–30‐day intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) in temperature and humidity is a major contributor to the humid heatwaves. Configuration of the 10–30‐day quasi‐barotropic wave train at mid–high latitudes with the dipolar pattern of tropical convection leads to the concurrence of strong moisture convergence and anomalous descents over southern China. The increased downward longwave radiation in association with moisture enhancement, shortwave radiation and adiabatic heating in association with descents bring about the persisting hot and humid conditions in humid heatwaves. Due to stronger barotropic energy conversion from mean flow to 10–30‐day circulation at mid–high latitudes, and stronger tropical convection activities in the recent decade, the occurrence of 10–30‐day circulation configuration induced humid heatwaves has increased by 13.3%, thus leading to the predominance of humid heatwaves.