bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intolerance of uncertainty, cognitive fusion, coping self‐efficacy and self‐perceived burden in patients diagnosed with cancer
Authors: Eyni Sanaz , Mousavi Seyede Elham
Published: March 2023

Background

As the proportion of older people worldwide increases, cancer cases and deaths from cancer are rising. Suffering from cancer has a profound impact on the daily lives of patients and their families. Cancer patients often perceive themselves as a burden, which affects their quality of life; therefore, this study investigated the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty, cognitive fusion, and self‐perception as burdens and the mediating role of coping self‐efficacy in patients diagnosed with cancer.

Methods

In this descriptive, correlational, and structural equation modeling study, 400 patient diagnosed with cancer who were hospitalized in the oncology ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ardabil in the first half of 2022 were selected as the sample and answered Casino et al. self‐perceived burden questionnaire, Gillanders et al. cognitive fusion questionnaire, Carleton et al. uncertainty intolerance scale, and Merleau et al. cancer behavior scale.

Results

Based on the results, the fitting indices of the research conceptual model were confirmed. Intolerance of uncertainty, cognitive fusion, and coping self‐efficacy had a direct and significant relationship with self‐perceived burden in patients diagnosed with cancer (p < 0.01); also, intolerance of uncertainty and cognitive fusion through coping self‐efficacy had an indirect effect on self‐perceived burden in patients diagnosed with cancer (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Therefore, intolerance of uncertainty, cognitive fusion, and coping self‐efficacy plays a substantial role in the incidence of self‐perceived burden in patients diagnosed with cancer and targeting these three components by psychological therapies can reduce the perception of self‐perception as burden which is effective in patients diagnosed with cancer.
Effect of Al/O ratio on underwater explosion energy characteristics of CL‐20‐based aluminized explosives
Authors: Yao Lina , Zhao Shengxiang , Jia Xianzhen , Wang Haiqing , Wang Cailing
Published: March 2023

To study the underwater explosion energy characteristics of CL‐20‐based aluminized explosives with different Al/O ratio, underwater detonation parameters of explosives, including the shock wave peak pressure, the decay time, the bubble pulsation period, the shock wave energy and the bubble energy at 1 m, were measured by a series of underwater explosion experiments. The calculation model of CL‐20‐based aluminized explosive in the pool was established by using Ansys LS‐DYNA software and was calculated the shock wave energy and bubble pulsation period. The results showed that Al/O ratio significantly changed the energy output structure of CL‐20‐based aluminized explosives. With increasing Al/O ratio, the proportion of shock wave energy in the total energy decreased, while the proportion of bubble energy increased. When Al/O ratio was 0.35, the shock wave peak pressure and shock wave energy of the explosive were the largest, and when the ratio was 0.6, the bubble period and total energy reach their maximum; when the ratio was 0.94, the bubble energy and the bubble pulsation reached the maximum. The experimental values are in good agreement with the simulation results, and the model can be used to estimate the underwater detonation parameters of CL‐20‐based aluminized explosives with different Al/O ratio.
Single‐cell analysis of localized prostate cancer patients links high Gleason score with an immunosuppressive profile
Authors: Adorno Febles Victor R. , Hao Yuan , Ahsan Aarif , Wu Jiansheng , Qian Yingzhi , Zhong Hua , Loeb Stacy , Makarov Danil V. , Lepor Herbert , Wysock James , Taneja Samir S. , Huang William C. , Becker Daniel J. , Balar Arjun V. , Melamed Jonathan , Deng Fang‐Ming , Ren Qinghu , Kufe Donald , Wong Kwok‐Kin , Adeegbe Dennis O. , Deng Jiehui , Wise David R.
Published: March 2023

Background

Evading immune surveillance is a hallmark for the development of multiple cancer types. Whether immune evasion contributes to the pathogenesis of high‐grade prostate cancer (HGPCa) remains an area of active inquiry.

Methods

Through single‐cell RNA sequencing and multicolor flow cytometry of freshly isolated prostatectomy specimens and matched peripheral blood, we aimed to characterize the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) of localized prostate cancer (PCa), including HGPCa and low‐grade prostate cancer (LGPCa).

Results

HGPCa are highly infiltrated by exhausted CD8+ T cells, myeloid cells, and regulatory T cells (TRegs). These HGPCa‐infiltrating CD8+ T cells expressed high levels of exhaustion markers including TIM3, TOX, TCF7, PD‐1, CTLA4, TIGIT, and CXCL13. By contrast, a high ratio of activated CD8+ effector T cells relative to TRegs and myeloid cells infiltrate the TME of LGPCa. HGPCa CD8+ tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) expressed more androgen receptor and prostate‐specific membran antigen yet less prostate‐specific antigen than the LGPCa CD8+ TILs. The PCa TME was infiltrated by macrophages but these did not clearly cluster by M1 and M2 markers.

Conclusions

Our study reveals a suppressive TME with high levels of CD8+ T cell exhaustion in localized PCa, a finding enriched in HGPCa relative to LGPCa. These studies suggest a possible link between the clinical‐pathologic risk of PCa and the associated TME. Our results have implications for our understanding of the immunologic mechanisms of PCa pathogenesis and the implementation of immunotherapy for localized PCa.
Buckling Analysis of Composite Piezoelectric Cylindrical Shells with Graphene Skin Subjected to the Axial Load
Authors: Gui Yifei , Hu Honglei
Published: March 2023

The buckling of new three‐phase composite shells, which include the base material combined with macro fiber composite and reinforced with graphene (MFC‐GP), is investigated in this article. The bifurcation condition of the buckling is obtained by implementing the first‐order shell theory and wave propagation theory in conjunction with the principle of minimum potential energy. The buckling analysis is transformed into a bifurcation problem of equations. Parametric study is conducted to investigate the effects of the GP volume fraction, length, neutral surface radius, and thickness on the critical buckling loads and critical buckling modes. Furthermore, the influences of voltage and temperature change on the critical buckling displacements are explored. Reliable theoretical support for the design and manufacture of the MFC‐GP structures is provided in the results.
Unpaired deep adversarial learning for multi‐class segmentation of instruments in robot‐assisted surgical videos
Authors: Nema Shubhangi , Vachhani Leena
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Image segmentation of instruments in the raw surgical videos is a critical component of intraoperative assistance softwares. Challenges include addressing rendered overlays occluding the instrument while providing pivotal input to instrument tracking frameworks and, train the segmentation process with limited labelled data available from surgical videos.

Method

The proposed adversarial network, InstruSegNet uses unpaired training (eliminating need for massive paired data) for automated multi‐class surgical instrument segmentation in raw surgical videos with complex backgrounds. The proposed method is applied for single/multiple robotic and rigid instruments and optimised on least square Generative Adversarial Networks loss.

Result

Promising validation has been conducted on the publicly available dataset. Proposed approach for multi‐class segmentation of robotic and rigid instruments meets outstanding performance in terms of accuracy and surpasses the existing methods.

Application

This work facilitates segmenting instrument information without manual interventions from raw videos providing means to code surgeon's actions for developing intelligent assistance software.
Fault‐alarm based hybrid control design for uncertain periodic piecewise time‐varying systems with actuator constraints
Authors: Sakthivel Rathinasamy , Satheesh Thangavel , Harshavarthini Shanmugam , Chadli Mohammed , Saat Shakir
Published: March 2023

This paper is concerned with the stabilization problem for continuous‐time periodic piecewise time‐varying uncertain systems with time‐varying delay, actuator failures and external disturbances. Specifically, the actuator failure consists of both unknown actuator partial failure and actuator bias failure. Based on multiple threshold values, in this work, a fault‐alarm based hybrid control protocol is developed, which is used to switch between robust and reliable controllers accurately and timely by eliminating false alarms. To be precise, a set of sufficient stability criteria is established in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) by considering an appropriate Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functional with time‐varying periodic piecewise positive‐definite matrices. Furthermore, the desired time‐varying robust and reliable controller gain matrices can be reckoned based on developed LMI‐based constraints. Eventually, two numerical examples are presented, which include the mass‐spring damper systems, to show the superiority and practicability of the designed controller.
The ℓ∞/p$$ {\ell}_{\infty /p} $$‐gains for discrete‐time observer‐based event‐triggered systems
Authors: Park Hae Yeon , Choi Hyung Tae , Kim Jung Hoon
Published: March 2023

This paper aims at computing two types of system gains for discrete‐time observer‐based event‐triggered systems (ETSs) via the linear matrix inequality (LMI) approach. More precisely, an event‐trigger mechanism (ETM) is considered for the discrete‐time control systems consisting of a static controller and a Luenberger observer to determine whether or not the input signal for the controller is updated to the estimated value from the observer. For a tractable treatment of the input/output behavior of such ETMs, we derive their closed‐form representation through a piecewise linear difference equation. Based on this representation, we establish LMI‐based computation approaches to the gains for the ETSs from to (denoted by ) with . Finally, the effectiveness of the overall arguments is verified through a numerical example.
What kind of leaders can promote the disclosure of information on the sustainable development goals?
Authors: Garrido‐Ruso María , Aibar‐Guzmán Beatriz , Suárez‐Fernández Óscar
Published: March 2023

As the person responsible for a company's strategies and disclosure policies, the CEO is the architect of its CSR strategy. This paper analyzes which CEO's attributes influence the level of disclosure of information about business contribution to the SDGs. Based on the Upper Echelons Theory, a set of hypotheses on the influence of several CEO attributes (demographic and professional characteristics as well as personal traits) on SDGs disclosure have been tested in a sample of the leading Spanish companies for the period 2015–2021 using ordinal regressions for panel data. The results show that education level, nationality, and narcissism are the CEO attributes that significantly affect the level of SDG disclosure. Specifically, companies whose CEOs have a higher level of education, are Spanish (local), and are narcissist tend to disclose more information about the SDGs. This study aims to contribute to literature by providing new empirical evidence on an emerging research topic and by providing a glimpse into the CEO “profile” that may favor a company's propensity to disclose information on the SDGs.
Life is a gift: Value cosmologies in Hollywood cinema
Authors: Ecks Stefan
Published: March 2023

Is life “priceless,” or can life be bought and sold like a commodity? Anthropological theory has not yet been able to integrate incommensurable value with commensurable value. But such an integrated theory of value exists—not explicitly in theory but implicitly in everyday ethics and fictional narratives. I analyze how the movie Titanic, one of the most commercially valuable artefacts of all time, reveals a comprehensive ideology of how life and material wealth should be valued. Titanic works through key themes in economic anthropology: social inequality, class struggle, gift/commodity distinctions, the meaning of money, and inalienable possessions. Titanic demonstrates that the tension between ethical values and economic value can be resolved when short‐term individual gains are transcended by a mutuality of being that reaches beyond death. Titanic proposes that American capitalism can integrate core cultural values with economic freedom and self‐realization.
External enablers and entrepreneurial ecosystems: The brokering role of the anchor tenant in capacitating grassroots ecopreneurs
Authors: Juma Norma , Olabisi Joy , Griffin‐EL Eliada
Published: March 2023

Research Summary

We study how environmental enablers, specifically disruptive ecological shifts, and subsequent regulatory activity, led to the formation of a local ecopreneur ecosystem in Kenya and how this process was facilitated by the brokerage role of an international NGO. Drawing from the entrepreneurial ecosystem literature, and using a strategic network perspective to conceptually map salient interorganizational ties, multilevel engagement, and resource generation, we utilize qualitative grounded theory analysis to argue that environmental changes have catalyzed the regulatory change towards the formation of an entrepreneurial ecosystem for low‐resourced ecopreneurs. This process is facilitated through ecosystem brokering through an anchor tenant that accelerates knowledge, resources, and viable exchanges to advance venture sustainability.

Managerial Summary

Our study unpacks how regulatory responses to environmental shifts enable the systemic development of venture creation. We explore how environmental changes, first in the natural environment, and subsequently, the regulatory environment—influence ecosystem emergence for entrepreneurial activity. We present three dimensions of regulatory enablement that shift conditions to favor venture building. Problem framing by the regulatory sector signals potential opportunities for entrepreneurs for value creation. Prioritization of this problem, emphasized in the government's regulation, sets new agendas and implies that new rules and resources would be allocated towards such opportunities. New rules also reconfigure boundaries to invite new actors and interactions into the discourse on environmental preservation in Kenya.
Special Issue: Nanotherapeutics in Women's Health Emerging Nanotechnologies for Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer Treatment
Authors: Torres Quintas Sofia , Canha‐Borges Ana , Oliveira Maria José , Sarmento Bruno , Castro Flávia
Published: March 2023

Breast cancer appears as the major cause of cancer‐related deaths in women, with more than 2 260 000 cases reported worldwide in 2020, resulting in 684 996 deaths. Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC), characterized by the absence of estrogen, progesterone, and human epidermal growth factor type 2 receptors, represents ≈20% of all breast cancers. TNBC has a highly aggressive clinical course and is more prevalent in younger women. The standard therapy for advanced TNBC is chemotherapy, but responses are often short‐lived, with high rate of relapse. The lack of therapeutic targets and the limited therapeutic options confer to individuals suffering from TNBC the poorest prognosis among breast cancer patients, remaining a major clinical challenge. In recent years, advances in cancer nanomedicine provided innovative therapeutic options, as nanoformulations play an important role in overcoming the shortcomings left by conventional therapies: payload degradation and its low solubility, stability, and circulating half‐life, and difficulties regarding biodistribution due to physiological and biological barriers. In this integrative review, the recent advances in the nanomedicine field for TNBC treatment, including the novel nanoparticle‐, exosome‐, and hybrid‐based therapeutic formulations are summarized and their drawbacks and challenges are discussed for future clinical applications.
Revealing Structural Insights of Solid Electrolyte Interphase in High‐Concentrated Non‐Flammable Electrolyte for Li Metal Batteries by Cryo‐TEM
Authors: Zhang Qing , Zhou Chuan , Li Menghao , Zhu Yuanmin , Wei Xianbin , Shen Shaocheng , Ji Zongwei , Luo Guangfu , Cheng Yifeng , Yang Xuming , Wang Zhijie , Zou Lingfeng , Zeng Lin , Lin Junhao , Li Lei , Francisco Joseph S. , Gu Meng
Published: March 2023

High‐concentrated non‐flammable electrolytes (HCNFE) in lithium metal batteries prevent thermal runaway accidents, but the microstructure of their solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) remains largely unexplored, due to the lack of direct imaging tools. Herein, cryo‐HRTEM is applied to directly visualize the native state of SEI at the atomic scale. In HCNFE, SEI has a uniform laminated crystalline‐amorphous structure that can prevent further reaction between the electrolyte and lithium. The inorganic SEI component, Li2S2O7, is precisely identified by cryo‐HRTEM. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the final Li2S2O7 phase has suitable natural transmission channels for Li‐ion diffusion and excellent ionic conductivity of 1.2 × 10‐5 S cm‐1.
Tuning Carbon Defect in Copper Single‐Atom Catalysts for Efficient Oxygen Reduction
Authors: Yao Xiuyun , Zhu Youqi , Xia Tianyu , Han Zhanli , Du Changliang , Yang Lifen , Tian Jiachen , Ma Xilan , Hou Jianhua , Cao Chuanbao
Published: March 2023

Defect chemistry in carbon matrix shows great potential for promoting the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of metal single‐atom catalysts. Herein, a modified pyrolysis strategy is proposed to tune carbon defects in copper single‐atom catalysts (Cu‐SACs) to fully understand their positive effect on the ORR activity. The optimized Cu‐SACs with controllable carbon defect degree and enhanced active specific surface area can exhibit improved ORR activity with a half‐wave potential of 0.897 VRHE, ultrahigh limiting current density of 6.5 mA cm−2, and superior turnover frequency of 2.23 e site−1 s−1. The assembled Zn–air batteries based on Cu‐SACs can also show well‐retained reversibility and voltage platform over 1100 h charge/discharge period. Density functional theory calculations reveal that suitable carbon defects can redistribute charge density of Cu‐N4 active sites to weaken the O–O bond in adsorbed OOH* intermediate and thus reduce its dissociation energy. This discovery offers a universal strategy for fabricating superior single‐atom catalysts with high‐efficiency active sites toward energy‐directed applications.
Reduction‐induced metal/oxide interfacial sites for selective CO2 hydrogenation
Authors: Xie Zhenhua , Hwang Sooyeon , Chen Jingguang G.
Published: March 2023

The interfacial structures of bimetallic‐derived catalysts play an important role in promoting the activation of reactants such as CO2. In particular, both the physical property (e.g., local bonding environment) and the electronic property (e.g., oxidation state) can evolve from their native states under different environments, such as upon reduction and during the catalytic reaction. Hence, taking the CO2 hydrogenation reaction over Rh‐based catalysts as a case study, the present work compares the interfacial structures in tuning the selectivity toward CH4 or CO. The combination of ex situ and in situ characterization reveals two representative interfacial structures: the Rh/CeOx interface formed over Rh/CeO2 is active and selective to produce CH4 (~95%) by following a formate‐mediated pathway; in comparison, the InOx/Rh interface derived after reduction is active for CO2 activation and enables a redox mechanism for the exclusive formation of CO (~100%). This work provides insights into the environment‐induced structural evolution at the metal−oxide interfaces, as well as the role of distinct interfacial active sites in tuning the selectivity of CO2 hydrogenation.
A descriptor of IB alloy catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Yang Tiantian , Cheng Chuanqi , Xiao Liyang , Wang Min , Zhang Feifei , Wang Jiaqi , Yin Pengfei , Shen Gurong , Yang Jing , Dong Cunku , Liu Hui , Du Xiwen
Published: March 2023

Alloying is regarded as one of the most promising strategies for boosting performance of catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) due to the adjustable electronic structure and intermediate adsorption. However, there is no theory (including d‐band center theory) can accurately guide the preparation and design of alloy catalysts, and thus resulting all the reported alloy catalysts are obtained by time‐consuming and laborious experimental exploration. Herein, we proposed a mean d‐band center (εas) as a new accurate descriptor for alloy activity prediction. Theoretical simulation and experiment results revealed that this descriptor exhibits a strong scaling relation with H adsorption energy. Besides, the obtained Cu–Ag alloy displays an optimal overpotential of 223 mV at 10 mA/cm2 in 0.5 mol/L H2SO4, which is more than 300 mV lower than those of pristine Cu (530 mV) and Ag (569 mV) powder. Our work provides a new idea toward designing highly efficient HER catalysts and broadens the applicability of d‐band theory to activity prediction of alloys.
Avoidance of the term agile in software engineering: Necessary and possible
Authors: Wiesmann Dirk
Published: March 2023

The term agile is frequently used in IT especially in the area of software engineering. The broad pervasiveness of the term agile is astonishing, because it is not well defined in the area of software engineering. The fuzziness of the term agile comes with the danger of ill‐founded decisions and ideological discussions. Both slow down the gain in knowledge in the domain of software engineering. The term agile should therefore not be used either in science nor in the industry.

This article provides a critical discussion of the term agile. By using a three‐layered abstraction concept for software development processes, the use of the term agile can be avoided.
Multivariate functional outlier detection using the fast massive unsupervised outlier detection indices
Authors: Ojo Oluwasegun Taiwo , Fernández Anta Antonio , Genton Marc G. , Lillo Rosa E.
Published: March 2023

We present definitions and properties of the fast massive unsupervised outlier detection (FastMUOD) indices, used for outlier detection (OD) in functional data. FastMUOD detects outliers by computing, for each curve, an amplitude, magnitude, and shape index meant to target the corresponding types of outliers. Some methods adapting FastMUOD to outlier detection in multivariate functional data are then proposed. These include applying FastMUOD on the components of the multivariate data and using random projections. Moreover, these techniques are tested on various simulated and real multivariate functional datasets. Compared with the state of the art in multivariate functional OD, the use of random projections showed the most effective results with similar, and in some cases improved, OD performance. Based on the proportion of random projections that flag each multivariate function as an outlier, we propose a new graphical tool, the magnitude‐shape‐amplitude (MSA) plot, useful for visualizing the magnitude, shape and amplitude outlyingness of multivariate functional data.
Suppressive effects of Bombycis Feces (bombyx feces) and Bombyx Batryticatus (stiff silkworm) extracts on blood glucose level elevation in disaccharides‐loaded rats
Authors: Matsuda Hisashi , Nagatomo Akifumi , Hatakeyama Misaki , Manse Yoshiaki , Yoshikawa Masayuki , Morikawa Toshio
Published: March 2023

Aim

Bombycis Feces (BF) and Bombyx Batryticatus (BB) are traditional medicines derived from silkworm. We investigated the suppressive effects of BF and BB extracts on elevated blood glucose levels in disaccharide‐loaded rats.

Methods

Effects of BF and BB extracts on serum glucose levels in sugar‐loaded rats and streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic mice were recorded, and several glucosidase inhibitory activities were determined in vitro by comparing with those of the natural medicines obtained from the mulberry plant (e.g., Mori Folium, Mori Cortex, and Mori Fructus).

Results

BF and BB methanol extracts were found to suppress the elevated blood glucose level in sucrose‐loaded mice, whereas they did not exhibit any activity in the glucose‐loaded model and in the STZ‐induced model. Through the bioassay‐guided separation of the BF methanol extract using sucrase and maltase inhibitory activities, several pseudo‐sugars, including 1‐deoxynojirimycin (1), fagomine (2), and cis‐5‐hydroxy‐L‐pipecolic acid (3) were isolated as the active constituents. Oral administration (10 mg/kg) of constituent 1 simultaneous to sucrose loading in rats was found to significantly suppress elevation of the serum glucose level.

Conclusion

BF and BB extracts were found to inhibit the elevated blood glucose level in disaccharides‐loaded rats due to their α‐glucosidase inhibitory activities. The suppressive effects of BF and BB extracts as well as of the active constituent 1 on the increase in blood glucose were estimated to dwindle at a limited time after administration. Therefore, it is suggested that BF and BB extracts might exert their effective antidiabetic effects when taken with meals.
Effect of mir‐92a‐3p on hydroquinone induced changes in human lymphoblastoid cell cycle and apoptosis
Authors: Xuan Mei , Wu Yao , Wang Huanhuan , Ye Zhongming , Wu Haipeng , Chen Yuting , Yang Hui , Tang Huanwen
Published: March 2023

Hydroquinone (HQ), one of the metabolites of benzene in humans, has significant hepatotoxic properties. Chronic exposure to HQ can lead to leukemia. In a previous study by this group, we constructed a model of malignant transformation of human lymphoblastoid cells (TK6) induced by chronic exposure to HQ with significant subcutaneous tumorigenic capacity in nude mice. miR‐92a‐3p is a tumor factor whose role in HQ‐induced malignant transformation is not yet clear. In the present study, raw signal analysis and dual‐luciferase reporter gene results suggested that miR‐92a‐3p could target and regulate TOB1, and the expression level of miR‐92a‐3p was significantly upregulated in the long‐term HQ‐induced TK6 malignant transformation model, while the anti‐proliferative factor TOB1 was significantly downregulated. To investigate the mechanism behind this, we inhibited miR‐92a‐3p in a malignant transformation model and found a decrease in cell viability, a decrease in MMP‐9 protein levels, a G2/M phase block in the cell cycle, and an upregulation of the expression of G2/M phase‐related proteins cyclinB1 and CDK1. Inhibition of miR‐92a‐3p in combination with si‐TOB1 restored cell viability, inhibited cyclin B1 and CDK1 protein levels, and attenuated the G2/M phase block. Taken together, miR‐92a‐3p reduced the cell proliferation rate of HQ19 and caused cell cycle arrest by targeting TOB1, which in turn contributed to the altered malignant phenotype of the cells. This study suggests that miR‐92a‐3p is likely to be a biomarker for long‐term HQ‐induced malignant transformation of TK6 and could be a potential therapeutic target for leukemia caused by long‐term exposure to HQ.
Nucleic acid sensors in vivo: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Liu Lu , Xiong Mengyi , Rong Qiming , Zhang Mei , Zhang Xiao‐Bing
Published: March 2023

Nucleic acid biosensors, integrated with functional nucleic acids, have drawn extensive attention for diverse biomedical applications. In particular, many nucleic acid probes have been developed for biosensing and imaging of tumor‐associated species, including pH, small molecules, RNAs, metal ions, proteins, and cells. Despite the progress made, these sensors are mainly performed at the level of test tube assays or live cells for disease diagnosis and pathological studies. In recent years, increasing research works are pushing the limit of nucleic acid sensors in preclinical applications and imaging‐guided therapy. However, the applicability of current nucleic acid sensors in vivo is largely hindered by the complexity of living animals. Herein, we review recent advances in the design and applications of nucleic acid biosensors in vivo, in which the key factors for the fabrication of eligible sensors are highlighted. Additionally, given the inherent shortcomings of nucleic acid, we will also describe the challenges of the current in vivo nucleic acid biosensors and some new strategies that may significantly accelerate the development of biosensors.
Climate Change and the Ocean: The Disruption of the Coral Reef
Authors: Battaglia Fabio-Massimo
Published: March 2023

Even though coral reefs represent a negligible percentage of the ocean floor, they are wardens of incredible biodiversity. They provide support for at least 500 million people with food security and livelihoods, mostly in poor or developing countries.

Despite their importance, coral reefs are also extremely fragile. They are among the most damaged and threatened ecosystem due to unprecedented global warming, ocean acidification and climate changes, combined with increasing local pressures. These incredible ecosystems are calling us into action towards more efficient protection to ensure their conservation and restoration.
Blue Economy and Sustainable Development Beyond Boxes
Authors: Santos Thauan
Published: March 2023

The 2030 Agenda is made up of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets. However, when it comes to the marine and maritime environment, references are often only made to SDG 14, which limits the integrated nature of the Agenda. Therefore, this chapter aims to map the broader extent of the seas and ocean in this Agenda, within the different SDGs. As part of our approach, we will highlight the integrative and transversal perspective of the blue economy, analysing the Brazilian case. As part of the main findings, we propose that the seas and ocean should be considered far beyond SDG 14, especially due to the direct and indirect interaction of this SDG with the others. In addition, and considering the context of the UN Ocean Decade, it is necessary to understand the strategic relevance of this environment and these resources in promoting sustainable development.
A Legal Approach to Fostering Green Infrastructure for Improved Water and Energy Efficiency
Authors: Castro Paula , Carvalho Raquel
Published: March 2023

Over the last 30 years, numerous protocols, agreements, and conventions were signed to ensure that environmental protection related to climate change, pollutants, biodiversity, soil erosion, and water quality, among others, is part of the agenda, and the language of ecology has been introduced into political discourse and public policies. However, this does not appear to have been sufficient and there remains a need for national and international instruments that respect all future citizens.

Buildings account for around 40% of EU energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. Ways of reducing the energy consumed by buildings have already been developed, in addition to methods to improve water management. One such approach is the so-called ecosystem service-based approach for green infrastructure, with nature-based solutions that involve much more than bringing nature to cities. Green roofs retain water in times of heavy rain, especially in “waterproof cities”, mitigate the heat island effect and contribute to thermal efficiency of buildings. and air quality, with a significant effect in public health.

Current construction standards do not lay down strict environmentally friendly solutions. Laws and regulations have yet to become goal-oriented, holistic, and interdisciplinary. How could (r)evolution in the law help green infrastructures to thrive?
Environmental Law in the EU: A Pathway Toward the Green Transition
Authors: de Sadeleer Nicolas
Published: March 2023

Thanks to EU environmental law, much has been achieved over the last 40 years. EU Treaties mirror this success and the importance afforded to environmental protection. The European Union’s goals are not solely economic, but also environmental. Furthermore, the proper functioning of the internal market must be accommodated with a flurry of non-market values, among which is environmental protection, the legal protection of which is also essential. Recently, the EU ambition to achieve, on its own, climate neutrality by 2050 is prompting a major legislative reform ranging from energy transition to ecosystem restoration. The emphasis is placed on a ‘net-gain principle’ underpinning a ‘regenerative growth model’ substituting the no net loss model that is insufficient to cope with the growing environmental pressures. What is more, the EU aims to reduce its global footprint. Last, the 672.5 billion euros to be invested by the 27 Member States under the Resilience Recovery Facility, which is to guarantee the economic, social and environmental resilience of the Member States, must be allocated to reforms and investments related to the green transition.
Biotechnological Patents, Compulsory Licensing and SARS-COV-2 in a Pandemic and Epidemic Context
Authors: Remédio Marques J. P.
Published: March 2023

The advent of epidemics and pandemics—especially the COVID-19 virus pandemic—calls for a reflection on the social utility of patent law (and supplementary protection certificates for medicinal products) in stimulating research and development of new therapies over the course of time. These incentives, which belong to the legal subsystem of industrial property rights, are articulated with and compete with incentives for the introduction of innovative biotechnological medicines coming from the legal framework on pharmaceutical regulation, with regard to the manufacture and placing on the market of medicines and medical devices (marketing authorisation procedures). On the other hand, several legal alternatives to patent law are envisaged in order to stimulate biotechnological innovation in the medical sector. This paper seeks to highlight some “strengths” and “weaknesses” in the articulation between these legal subsystems, in addition to proposing some solutions and means of achieving consensus.
Our Blue Planet at the Crossroads. Between the Hobbesian Nightmare and a New Culture of the Commons
Authors: Soromenho-Marques Viriato , Magalhães Paulo
Published: March 2023

The exponential acceleration of the global environmental and climate crisis is becoming an imminent and dangerous existential threat to the sheer survival of humankind. The origins of this unique menacing predicament are deeply rooted in the culture developed in the cradle of European Modernity. It is a culture of utilitarianism, fuelled by an uncritical faith in the unlimited performance of technology in changing the material world. The essence of Modernity was a triumvirate—built upon the congruence between the sovereign State, the techno-science establishment, and the globalised market economy. This power-triangle commodified nature and created a pragmatic and operative fragmentary world culture that brought us to the crossroads we are now entangled in. As a result, International Law does not correctly address the prior theoretical structural problem of the existence of “global commons” that span across borders, or the intergenerational character of the concept of ‘humanity’. Global commons have always been understood only as geographical leftover territories outside political borders.

Recognition of the intangible value of the ‘software’ of the Earth system and legal acknowledgement of a stable climate as a Common Heritage of Humankind will be the locus upon which an urgently needed system for management and permanent maintenance can be built, which will be essential to steer the Anthropocene wisely. This new space without enclosed territory should be the new object of global governance, and the seminal concept for a new culture of the global commons.
Human Responsibility for the Protection of Our “Common Home”
Authors: Renaud Michel
Published: March 2023

This chapter attempts to explain ethical behaviour in the protection of the environment. It begins by analysing the lived space as a place of inhabitation and outlines the differences between subjective and cosmic time. The metaphor of the “blue planet as our “common home” then makes sense”. To understand the notion of ethical responsibility, the relationship between ethics and politics is considered. For this purpose, we follow Levinas and Ricoeur’s suggestion, which distinguishes responsibility as an imputation and as an assumption of a commitment for the future. Responsibility as imputation is directed towards past acts, as opposed to the more specific ethical responsibility facing the future. The need to overcome the obstacles revealed by Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato sí thus becomes clear, in view of the experience of human solidarity in the face of the protection of our planet.
At the end of the road: Total safety
Authors: Mitteregger Mathias
Published: March 2023

Presentations that promote the development of self-driving cars often begin with what in Michel Foucault’s words could be called a “theatre of pain” (Foucault 2012: 42). While photos show demolished school buses and cars torn in half, the presenter intersperses these drastic images with figures: 1.2 million people are killed on the roads every year, making road accidents the leading cause of death for 15- to 29-year-olds worldwide (WHO 2015: 2). Automated driving systems are to put an end to end this tragedy: humans must hand over control of the vehicle to learning algorithms that are superior to human skills and are never tired, distracted or drunk.
Integration of cycling into future urban transport structures with connected and automated vehicles
Authors: Eichholz Lutz , Kurth Detlef
Published: March 2023

One of the greatest challenges facing the development of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) today is that of anticipating the movements of other road users (Kahn 2018, Mingels 2019). Carlos Ghosn, former CEO of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, commented as follows on the matter of cycling and the ongoing automation of motor vehicles: “One of the biggest problems is people with bicycles [...], [they] don’t respect any rules usually [...] from time-to-time they behave like pedestrians and from time-to-time they behave like cars” (Reid 2018). This statement describes the conflicts that can arise from the close encounter between two modes of transport that differ greatly in terms of both propulsion and practical operation.
Against the driverless city
Authors: Fleming Steven
Published: March 2023

It’s the first rule of marketing: don’t start with the product, start with the customer’s need. The customer seeking a drill bit, we are reminded, is really just seeking a hole.
Integrated strategic planning approaches to automated transport in the context of the mobility transformation
Authors: Mitteregger Mathias , Allmeier Daniela , Paulhart Lucia , Bindreiter Stefan
Published: March 2023

This article uses case studies to set out specific ways in which connected and automated vehicles can be applied to bring about the required revolution in mobility. More specifically, the aim is to present and discuss strategic planning concepts for a selection of local authorities and regions in the Vienna/Lower Austria metropolitan region. These strategic planning concepts have been developed to complement existing design concepts and/or action plans that largely remain abstract and generic.
Opportunities from past mistakes: Land potential en route to an automated mobility system
Authors: Mitteregger Mathias , Soteropoulos Aggelos
Published: March 2023

After the initial hype, recent years have seen markedly more restrained assessments of how connected and automated vehicle technology will develop. A revolutionary scenario that sees a single IT company suddenly launch a successful automated driving system capable of handling every driving task as well as a human (Beiker 2015) is now widely considered unlikely, at least in the medium term. Instead of this presumed revolution, we are currently facing the challenge of a decades-long period of transition – a “Long Level 4” – during which only certain parts of the road network will be accessible to automated vehicles (Mitteregger et al. 2022, Soteropoulos et al. 2020).
Lessons from local transport transition projects for connected and automated transport
Authors: Stickler Andrea
Published: March 2023

In this chapter, we will consider selected projects relating to the transport or mobility transformation in rural and suburban areas, examining them in the context of connected and automated driving. The hypothesis outlined in this study is that, while connected and automated transport can fundamentally change the existing “system of automobility” (Urry 2004), the changes in question have to be seen in the context of specific local challenges and contemporary conflicts around mobility systems. This analysis therefore focuses on local mobility projects that look beyond simply replacing automobility’s fossil fuel combustion systems, instead aiming to achieve a broader-based transition via new mobility services such as public transport microsystems, non-profit lift services and car-sharing schemes.
Self-driving turnaround or automotive continuity? Reflections on technology, innovation and social change
Authors: Manderscheid Katharina
Published: March 2023

The automobile is one of the salient features of modern industrialized societies and symbolizes social progress and individual prosperity. In the countries of the Western world, the number of private cars per capita of the population and the distances travelled daily by car continue to increase. In 2018, there were 568 passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants in Germany (Umweltbundesamt 2019b); prior to the Corona pandemic1 each person covered an average of 29 out of 39 kilometres daily by car as a driver or passenger (Nobis/Kuhnimhof 2018: 46).
Automation, public transport and Mobility as a Service: Experience from tests with automated shuttle buses
Authors: Soteropoulos Aggelos , Bruck Emilia M. , Berger Martin , Egoldt Alexander , Holst Arne , Richter Thomas , László Zoltán
Published: March 2023

Automated driving will fundamentally transform future mobility and will also affect public transport. In this context, there is often talk of a further shift of the boundaries between classic public transport and motorized individual transport, with an area of transition in public individual transport with automated vehicles, or an individualization of public transport (cf. Lenz/Fraedrich 2015: 189; Röhrleef 2017: 15; Bruns et al. 2018: 12; Barillère-Scholz et al. 2020: 16): already today, mobility is becoming differentiated through new forms of services such as car sharing and ride hailing.
Control and design of spatial mobility interfaces
Authors: Bruck Emilia M. , Scheuvens Rudolf , Berger Martin
Published: March 2023

This chapter deals with the changes in public space that accompany digital networking and automation in the mobility sector. The focus here is specifically on spatial mobility interfaces. This refers to locations characterized by interaction, by the interplay of different transport modes and by transitions in public space.
Genetic Diversity in Peatland Restoration: A Case of Jelutung
Authors: Tata Hesti Lestari
Published: March 2023

The target of the Indonesian government was to restore at least 2 million ha of degraded peatlands by 2020. This can be achieved by applying three approaches: rewetting, revegetation, and revitalization of the community. In revegetation, the use of native tree species is recommended in the technical guidelines for peatland restoration. The interest in using native plant species for ecosystem restoration, particularly for peatland restoration, is increasing significantly. The native species may adapt well to the environment and usually correspond with the people’s preference. An important concern in revegetation is the selection of suitable genetics of the planting stocks. In peatland restoration, a seed source with high genetic diversity should be used since it maintains the genetic entity. On the other hand, low genetic diversity used for peatland restoration may result in the genetic drift of the populations. A native tree species, Dyera polyphylla (locally known as jelutung), has been widely used for peatland restoration in Indonesia. Many other species can also be developed and require further research. Several community-based seedling nurseries have been established in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The challenge is to emphasize the importance of genetic diversity to the farmers with businesses in a seedling nursery. The necessary strategy of seed sourcing in peatland restoration includes composite provenancing and admixture provenancing.
Characteristics of Bird Community Response to Land Use Change in Tropical Peatland in Riau, Indonesia
Authors: Fujita Motoko S. , Samejima Hiromitsu , Haryadi Dendy Sukma , Muhammad Ahmad
Published: March 2023

Tropical peatlands have increasingly been targeted for logging or conversion to plantations in recent years. Tropical peatlands are unique ecosystems rich in biodiversity, but they have not attracted as much researcher attention as tropical forests, for example. There is still limited understanding of the ecological significance of peatland disturbance, or of the ecological resilience of peatland ecosystems. This study focuses on birds as indicator species in peatland ecologies. It compares bird communities in peatlands and non-peat lowlands in terms of: (1) species richness; (2) feeding guilds; and (3) responses to disturbance. Our research team analyzed bird communities in peatlands under several different land uses in Riau in comparison to those living in non-peat lowlands in Sumatra Island. We found that species richness in natural forests was lower in peatlands than in non-peat lowlands. The Jackknife estimator of species richness was 77.2 in natural forests on peatland, whereas on non-peat lowland, it was 114.8 and 241. Compared to non-peat lowland forests, the number of terrestrial insectivore and woodpeckers was lower in peatlands. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis showed that the bird community composition in peatland forests is unique compared to non-peat lowland forests, as they showed completely different lines of avifauna. Nevertheless, avifauna in disturbed sites on peatland were close to avifauna in disturbed non-peat lowland sites, which indicates that the disturbance of peatland would lead to homogenization of avifauna and loss of uniqueness, which in turn, leads to loss of biodiversity. Bird community composition in peatlands was very sensitive to land use change. Shifts in the community composition along the disturbance, as measured by Euclidean distances in the NMDS plot between each disturbed habitat and natural forest, were greater in peatland than in non-peat lowland. Although our knowledge and data of peatland ecologies are limited, it seems likely that certain peatland avifauna can only survive in natural peat swamp forest.
Plenty of hyperbolicity on a class of linear homogeneous jerk differential equations
Authors: Bessa Mário
Published: March 2023

We consider $$3\times 3$$

3
×
3

partially hyperbolic linear differential systems over an ergodic flow $$X^t$$

X
t

and derived from the linear homogeneous differential equation $$\dddot{x}(t)+\beta (X^t(t))\dot{x}(X^t(t))+\gamma (t) x(t)=0$$

x
⃛

(
t
)

+
β

(

X
t

(
t
)

)

x
˙

(

X
t

(
t
)

)

+
γ

(
t
)

x

(
t
)

=
0

. Assuming that the partial hyperbolic decomposition $$E^s\oplus E^c\oplus E^u$$

E
s

⊕

E
c

⊕

E
u

is proper and displays a zero Lyapunov exponent along the central direction $$E^c$$

E
c

we prove that some $$C^0$$

C
0

perturbation of the parameters $$\beta (t)$$

β
(
t
)

and $$\gamma (t)$$

γ
(
t
)

can be done in order to obtain non-zero Lyapunov exponents and so a chaotic behaviour of the solution.