bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficient Transesterification Preparation of Polycarbonate Diol with High Molecular Weight Using TiO2/SiO2 Solid Acid Catalysts
Authors: Chong Ran , Qian Fei , Sun Zhonghua , Wei Meijun , Zhang Zhihui , Zhang Jing , He Mingyang , Chen Qun , Qian Junfeng
Published: May 2023

A series of TiO2/SiO2 catalysts were prepared by hydrolysis and used in the transesterification of diphenyl carbonate (DPC) and 1,4‐butanediol (BDO) to produce polycarbonate diol (PCDL). The physical properties of TiO2/SiO2 solid acid catalysts were characterized, and the relationship between their structural features and catalytic transesterification reaction was analyzed. The effects of various reaction conditions such as hydrolysis procedure, transesterification temperature, catalyst amount, and the mole ratio of the starting materials on the catalytic synthesis of PCDL were investigated. The maximum catalytic activity was based on the TiO2 : SiO2=3 : 1 with hydrolysis procedure of adding the Ti/Si mixture (A) to deionized water and anhydrous ethanol (B). The as‐synthesized TiO2/SiO2‐A‐to‐B catalyst exhibits rough surface with the average pore size of 6.75 nm, and the total acid amount of 1.07 mmol/g. The PCDL yield of transesterification reached 89.8 %, and the number average molecular weight reached 9074 g/mol under the optimal reaction conditions, and the molecular weight of the PCDL product could be adjusted.
Pincer Ligand Supported Fe Complex Catalysed Dinitrogen Reduction to NH3 Using FLP‐H2 as the Hydrogen Source: DFT Studies
Authors: Natrajan Pennarasi , Khan Hilal Ahmad , Masilamani Deepa
Published: May 2023

Synthesising ammonia at low temperature and catalyst with high stability, selectivity and activity other than Haber Bosch process and enzymatic process is still a challenging task for chemists. Computational studies serve as a valuable tool for testing novel ideas in order to either realise a theoretically viable and practicably synthesizable catalyst or to identify more of the recognised catalysts both of which are important for the growth of this field. In this report, DFT calculations have been performed on a hypothetical Fe‐ imidazolyl‐pyridine complex to explore the potential of dinitrogen reduction to ammonia at optimum temperature and pressure using Fe bound Nitrogen as a catalyst and FLP‐H2 as a co‐catalyst. FLP acts as a hydrogen source which prevents the binding of H2 with metal centre. The computed Gibbs free energies of the elementary reactions revealed that the Fe bound nitrogen can act as a catalyst for activating and functionalising dinitrogen to yield NH3 and N2H2.
Synthesis of 1‐Methyl‐4‐methoxyethyl‐1,2,4‐triazolium Dicyanamide and Its Plasticizing Behavior on HTPB/TDI Curing System**
Authors: Zhou Zhixiang , Bai Jinhu , Liu Long , Yao Yuan , Su Ze , Zhang Yanqiang
Published: May 2023

In this paper, a novel ionic liquid plasticizer, 1‐methyl‐4‐methoxyethyl‐1,2,4‐triazole dicyanamide ([MMET][DCA]), was synthesized and characterized. The effect of [MMET][DCA] on the viscous flow properties of HTPB was studied, and then the effect of [MMET][DCA] on the mechanical and thermal properties of the HTPB/TDI curing system was further explored. The results show that the hydrogen bond between [MMET][DCA] and HTPB has a significant effect on the viscosity of HTPB. In the HTPB/TDI curing system, when the di(2‐ethylhexyl)adipate (DEHA) was replaced by an equal amount of [MMET][DCA], the glass transition temperature did not change significantly; the tensile strength of the curing system increased from 0.436 MPa to 0.474 Mpa; the elongation at break increased from 506.2 % to 700.4 %, and the decomposition temperature at 5 % and 10 % mass loss increased by 32 °C and 70 °C, respectively.
Self‐Healing Nanocomposite Hydrogel Loaded with Sodium Citrate for Corrosion Protection of Q235 Carbon Steel
Authors: Li Jiansan , Hu Huan , Wang Zhenyu
Published: May 2023

In this study, a self‐healing nanocomposite hydrogel (NC hydrogel) loaded with sodium citrate (SC) corrosion inhibitor was developed. NC hydrogels were synthesized through free‐radical polymerization of N, N’‐Dimethylacrylamide (DMA) within a dispersion of silica nanoparticles. FT‐IR, SEM and TGA were applied to evaluate the loading of SC, self‐healing test was used to confirm the self‐healing capability of NC hydrogel. NC hydrogels were coated on the surfaces of Q235 steel, the exposure test results suggest that the corrosion protection of NC hydrogel improves with the loading of SC. Macro, micro morphologies prove that with the releasing of SC, a layer of adsorptive film was formed on the steel surface to prohibit the corrosion of carbon steel. Electrochemical results signify that NC (0.9 wt.% SC) hydrogel possesses the optimum corrosion resistance. The authors consider that as carrier, NC hydrogel can fulfill better corrosion inhibitive action of SC, meanwhile, effectively provide corrosion protection for carbon steel.
Electrochemical Determination of Phenylalanine in Biological, Food and Pharmaceutical Samples using a MnO2/N‐doped Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite
Authors: Salemi Yaser , Hassanpoor Shahed , Hassanpoor Mehdi
Published: May 2023

In this study, the MnO2/N‐doped reduced graphene oxide (NRGO) nanocomposite was synthesized and applied for the glass‐carbon electrode coating as working electrode for electrochemical phenylalanine determination. The structure, morphology, and composition of materials were characterized using appropriate methods. Optimal pH was investigated by injecting different amounts of phenylalanine into phosphate buffer solution and differential pulse voltammetry signal studying. Under optimal conditions, the calibration curve was linear in the range of 15–220 μM and the detection limit was 3.59 μM. The method shows acceptable selectivity in the presence of common interfering species in biological fluids. The method was successfully applied for the determination of the amino acid phenylalanine in blood plasma, food, and pharmaceutical samples. The results were evaluated by studying the amount of spiked recovery and statistical test with comparison to the high‐performance liquid chromatography method results and the accuracy and precision of the method for phenylalanine determining in real samples were confirmed.
Amplified Electrochemiluminescence of the Luminol‐Amisulpride System and its Application for the Ultrasensitive Detection of Amisulpride
Authors: Ibrahim Halawa Mohamed , Saqib Muhammad
Published: May 2023

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) has emerged as a powerful tool in bioassays due to its unique versatility and controllability, but it is still a challenge to amplify ECL signals without utilizing complex synthetic processes, sophisticated nanomaterials, and catalysts. Herein, a new ECL system with high sensitivity and selectivity is reported for the detection of amisulpride (AMS). The AMS was beneficial for enhancing the weak ECL emission of luminol, wherein co‐reaction effect of AMS promoted the generation of superoxide anion radicals (O2⋅−), which significantly improved the ECL efficiency of luminol (emitter). Under the optimized experimental conditions, this anodic ECL system achieved AMS detection (a biphasic curve) with linear concentration ranges of 0.2–5.0 μm and 5.0–100.0 μm. Impressively, the developed system exhibited a low limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 10.2 nm and 50.5 nm for AMS, respectively. This luminol‐based ECL system is further applied for sensitive AMS detection in real (bulk) drug and pharmaceutical tablet form. Moreover, statistical comparison between the developed and comparison method showed good precision and accuracy of the developed method.
Co3O4 Nanoparticle/F, N‐codoped Graphene for High Efficiency Oxygen Reduction and Zinc‐air Battery
Authors: Yang Haiwei , Shao Siqing , Zhu Wenxiang , Ma Mengjie , Zhang Yi , Shao Chenrui , Liao Fan , Chen Ziliang , Shao Mingwang , Yin Kui
Published: May 2023

The connection between the active components and supports in a catalyst is important for the high activity and long‐term stability during catalysis. Here, Co3O4 nanoparticles embedded in F, N‐doped graphene (Co3O4/F, N‐doped G) are synthesized by silicon‐hydrogen bond reduction. F and N atoms doped graphene interacts with Co3O4 nanoparticles to optimize oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic activity. The optimal Co3O4/F, N‐doped G‐2 catalyst with Co loading of 3.38 wt% shows a half‐wave potential of 0.852 V vs RHE in 0.1 M KOH solution. Furthermore, Co3O4/F, N‐doped G‐2 catalyst outputs an extremely high open circuit voltage of 1.47 V and an excellent power density of 280 mW cm−2 at current density of 450 mA cm−2 when applied to the primary Zn‐air batteries. Due to the synergetic effects from Co3O4 and supports (F, N‐doped G), Co3O4/F, N‐doped G‐2 catalyst also shows excellent stability and anti‐toxicity, and has good practical application prospects.
Highly Efficient and Regioselective Synthesis of N‐Acyl Protected 2‐Aminoacrylates through a PPh3‐Catalyzed Reaction of Alkyl Propiolates with Amides
Authors: Wang Kaikai , Li Yanli , Pan Pengtao , Zhou Nan , He Xiaolong , Chen Rongxiang
Published: May 2023

A simple and convenient strategy for the synthesis of N‐acyl protected 2‐aminoacrylates via PPh3‐catalyzed reaction of alkyl propiolates with amides has been developed. This protocol is rapid and highly regioselective to provide various N‐acyl protected 2‐aminoacrylates in high yields (up to 95 %). The chemical structure of the product was determined by X‐ray single‐crystal structure analysis. In contrast, 3‐sulfonamidoacrylates were obtained by Cs2CO3‐catalyzed reactions of alkyl propiolates with secondary sulfamides. Moreover, synthetic utility of this method was further highlighted in the late‐stage modification of drug molecules.
ptARgenOM—A Flexible Vector For CRISPR/CAS9 Nonviral Delivery
Authors: Radoua Abdelmnim , Pernon Baptiste , Pernet Nicolas , Jean Chloé , Elmallah Mohammed , Guerrache Abderrahmane , Constantinescu Andrei Alexandru , Hadj Hamou Sofiane , Devy Jérôme , Micheau Olivier
Published: May 2023

Viral‐mediated delivery of the CRISPR‐Cas9 system is one the most commonly used techniques to modify the genome of a cell, with the aim of analyzing the function of the targeted gene product. While these approaches are rather straightforward for membrane‐bound proteins, they can be laborious for intracellular proteins, given that selection of full knockout (KO) cells often requires the amplification of single‐cell clones. Moreover, viral‐mediated delivery systems, besides the Cas9 and gRNA, lead to the integration of unwanted genetic material, such as antibiotic resistance genes, introducing experimental biases. Here, an alternative non‐viral delivery approach is presented for CRISPR/Cas9, allowing efficient and flexible selection of KO polyclonal cells. This all‐in‐one mammalian CRISPR‐Cas9 expression vector, ptARgenOM, encodes the gRNA and the Cas9 linked to a ribosomal skipping peptide sequence followed by the enhanced green fluorescent protein and the puromycin N‐acetyltransferase, allowing for transient, expression‐dependent selection and enrichment of isogenic KO cells. After evaluation using more than 12 distinct targets in 6 cell lines, ptARgenOM is found to be efficient in producing KO cells, reducing the time required to obtain a polyclonal isogenic cell line by 4–6 folds. Altogether ptARgenOM provides a simple, fast, and cost‐effective delivery tool for genome editing.
The art of transfer learning: An adaptive and robust pipeline
Authors: Wang Boxiang , Wu Yunan , Ye Chenglong
Published: May 2023

Transfer learning is an essential tool for improving the performance of primary tasks by leveraging information from auxiliary data resources. In this work, we propose Adaptive Robust Transfer Learning (ART), a flexible pipeline of performing transfer learning with generic machine learning algorithms. We establish the nonasymptotic learning theory of ART, providing a provable theoretical guarantee for achieving adaptive transfer while preventing negative transfer. Additionally, we introduce an ART‐integrated‐aggregating machine that produces a single final model when multiple candidate algorithms are considered. We demonstrate the promising performance of ART through extensive empirical studies on regression, classification, and sparse learning. We further present a real‐data analysis for a mortality study.
Iron‐deficiency anaemia and severe hypocobalaminaemia and hypofolataemia in a dog fed a homemade diet
Authors: Herstad Kristin , Cuq Benoît
Published: May 2023

A middle‐aged, female, neutered dog was diagnosed with iron‐deficient anaemia on a routine health check following rescue from a puppy mill. Further investigations revealed a severe hypocobalaminaemia and hypofolataemia. The dog was fed a homemade diet consisting of various types of human food and it had been used for breeding. Pale mucous membranes and mild lethargy were noted on the initial presentation. No ulcerations of the gastrointestinal tract were seen on flexible endoscopy, but lymphocytic and eosinophilic inflammation, indicative of chronic inflammatory enteropathy, was present on histopathology. The dog had no vomiting or diarrhoea and there was no macro‐ or microscopic gastrointestinal bleeding. The condition resolved after providing a commercial, balanced diet and supplementing iron, cobalamin and folate orally. This case report describes the clinical investigation of a dog with iron deficiency, hypocobalaminaemia and hypofolataemia, where malnutrition and excessive breeding may have contributed to this condition.
Wastewater surveillance could serve as a pandemic early warning system for COVID‐19 and beyond
Authors: Gahlot Pallavi , Alley Kelly D. , Arora Sudipti , Das Sukanya , Nag Aditi , Tyagi Vinay Kumar
Published: May 2023

Wastewater‐based surveillance can be used as an early warning system to identify COVID‐19 outbreaks because the viral load can be observed in sewage before it is clinically verified. Wastewater surveillance of SARS‐CoV‐2 can trace the transmission dynamics of infection in communities when using the scale of a wastewater diversion and treatment system. Using this early detection method can help protect human health and mitigate socio‐economic losses. It can help quantify the epidemiological data of a given population in real‐time and circumvent the need for other epidemiological indicators. There are challenges in using this technique in areas with underdeveloped sewerage infrastructure. It is especially the case in developing nations where uniform protocols for viral detection are lacking, and wastewater is heterogeneous because of environmental and operational conditions. This article explains the need for and importance of wastewater‐based surveillance for SARS‐CoV‐2. It lays out the most recent methodological approaches for detecting SARS‐CoV‐2 in municipal wastewater and outlines the main challenges associated with wastewater‐based epidemiology (WBE). The article includes a case study of surveillance work across India to demonstrate how a developing nation manages research and locational challenges. The socio‐economic, ethical, and policy dimensions of WBE for SARS‐CoV‐2 are also discussed.

This article is categorized under:

Engineering Water > Water, Health, and Sanitation

Engineering Water > Sustainable Engineering of Water

Engineering Water > Methods
Density functional theory modeling of critical properties of perovskite oxides for water splitting applications
Authors: Ghose Krishna K. , Brown Joshua J. , Frankcombe Terry J. , Page Alister , Bayon Alicia
Published: May 2023

Water splitting (WS) driven by solar energy is considered as a promising strategy to produce renewable hydrogen from water with minimal environmental impact. Realization of large‐scale hydrogen production by this approach requires cost‐effective, efficient and stable materials to drive the WS reaction. Perovskite oxides have recently attracted widespread attention in WS applications due to their unique structural features, such as compositional and structural flexibility allowing them to achieve desired sunlight absorption capability, precise control of electrocatalytic and redox activity to drive the chemical reaction, tuneable bandgaps and band edges, and earth‐abundance. However, perovskite oxides contain a large family of metal oxides and experimental exploration of novel perovskites without a priori knowledge of their properties could be costly and time‐consuming. First‐principles approaches such as density functional theory (DFT) are a useful and cost‐effective alternative towards this end. In this review, DFT‐based calculations for accurate prediction of the critical properties of ABO3 perovskite oxides relevant to WS processes are surveyed. Structural, electronic, optical, surface, and thermal properties are grouped according to their relevance to photocatalytic (PC), electrochemical (EC), photo‐electrochemical (PEC), and solar thermal water splitting (STWS) processes. The challenges associated with the choice of exchange‐correlation (XC) functional in DFT methods for precise prediction of these properties are discussed and specific XC functionals have been recommended where experimental comparisons are possible.

This article is categorized under:

Sustainable Energy > Solar Energy

Emerging Technologies > Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

Emerging Technologies > Materials
Gut mycobiome: A “black box” of gut microbiome–host interactions
Authors: Zhao Xinyue , Hu Xiaomin , Han Junjie , Yin Ruopeng , Zhang Shuyang , Liu Hongwei
Published: May 2023

Fungi, being a necessary component of the gut microbiome, potentially have direct or indirect effects on the health and illness status of the host. The gut mycobiome is an inducer of the host's immunity, maintaining intestinal homeostasis, and protecting against infections, as well as a reservoir of opportunistic microorganisms and a potential cofactor when the host is immunocompromised. In addition, gut fungi interact with a diverse range of microbes in the intestinal niches. In this article, we reviewed the composition of gut mycobiome, their association with host health and illness, and summarized the specific Candida albicans–host interactions, in order to provide insights and directions for the ongoing study of fungi.

This article is categorized under:

Infectious Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology
Vocational life: personal, communal and temporal structures
Authors: Heinämaa Sara
Published: May 2023

This paper offers a new philosophical account of vocations as deeply personal but at the same time also communal and generational forms of multimodal intending. It provides a reconstruction and a systematic development of Edmund Husserl’s scattered discussions on vocations. On these grounds, the paper argues that vocational life is a general human possibility and not determined by any set of material values, religious, epistemic or moral. Rather, vocations are distinguished from other complexes of intentional acts and attitudes by certain structural features of their core valuations and volitions.
Health technology management: the experience of a managed access approach to the reimbursement of dupilumab in Ireland
Authors: Barrett Rosealeen , Barry Michael , McCullagh Laura
Published: May 2023

Background

Dupilumab was the first biological medicine to receive marketing authorisation, in Ireland, for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). In 2019, Ireland’s National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics recommended that dupilumab not be reimbursed at the submitted price; it was not cost effective. Following confidential price negotiations, the Health Service Executive (HSE) reimbursed dupilumab subject to a HSE-Managed Access Protocol (MAP). Patients with refractory, moderate-to-severe AD were deemed eligible to receive treatment under the MAP; the cohort for which dupilumab is expected to be most effective and most cost effective (versus standard of care). Approval, for treatment, is granted on an individual patient basis by the HSE-Medicines Management Programme.

Aims

Applications for approval of treatment with dupilumab were analysed to determine the percentage of patients deemed eligible. Key characteristics of this population were investigated.

Methods

Data from individual patient applications were analysed. Key characteristics of the approved population were investigated using IBM SPSS Statistics® version 27.

Data were derived from the HSE-Primary Care Reimbursement Service pharmacy claims database. The number of patients who received dupilumab over the study period was determined.

Results

In total, 96% of submitted applications were deemed eligible. Of these, 65% were male and 87% were adults. In the main, the approved patient population had severe refractory AD; the mean Eczema Area Severity Index score was 28.72.

Conclusion

The majority of applications submitted were approved. This work highlights how a MAP can facilitate access to treatment in patients who are deemed eligible whilst containing overall expenditure.
Impact of thermal stratification on airborne transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 in various indoor environments
Authors: Liu Fan , Luo Zhiwen , Qian Hua
Published: May 2023

There exist various vertical temperature gradients in different-type buildings. A holistic understanding of the impact of different temperature-stratified indoor environments on infection risk is necessary. In this work, the airborne transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 in different thermally stratified indoor environments is assessed using our previously developed airborne infection risk model. Results show that the vertical temperature gradients in office building, hospital, classroom, etc. are within the range of −0.34 to 3.26 °C/m. In large space such as coach station, airport terminal, and sport hall, the average temperature gradient ranges within 0.13–2.38 °C/m in occupied zone (0–3 m); in ice rink with special requirements of indoor environment, the temperature gradient is higher than those in the above indoor spaces. The existence of temperature gradients causes multi-peaks of the transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 with distancing, and our results show that in office, hospital ward and classroom, the second peak of the transmission risk is higher than 10−3in most contact scenarios, while most being lower than 10−6in large spaces like coach station and airport. The work is expected to provide some guidance on specific intervention policies in relation to the types of indoor environments.
A Companion to Golden Age Theatre
Authors: Thacker Jonathan W.
Published: May 2023

This Companion is a readable and up-to-date guide to all aspects of the extraordinary flowering of theatre in Early-Modern Spain.
The Colonial Wars in Contemporary Portuguese Fiction
Authors: Moutinho Isabel
Published: May 2023

The Portuguese fiction that awakened public debate on imperialism.
Selectivity of mass extinctions: Patterns, processes, and future directions
Authors: Payne Jonathan L. , Al Aswad Jood A. , Deutsch Curtis , Monarrez Pedro M. , Penn Justin L. , Singh Pulkit
Published: May 2023

A central question in the study of mass extinction is whether these events simply intensify background extinction processes and patterns versus change the driving mechanisms and associated patterns of selectivity. Over the past two decades, aided by the development of new fossil occurrence databases, selectivity patterns associated with mass extinction have become increasingly well quantified and their differences from background patterns established. In general, differences in geographic range matter less during mass extinction than during background intervals, while differences in respiratory and circulatory anatomy that may correlate with tolerance to rapid change in oxygen availability, temperature, and pH show greater evidence of selectivity during mass extinction. The recent expansion of physiological experiments on living representatives of diverse clades and the development of simple, quantitative theories linking temperature and oxygen availability to the extent of viable habitat in the oceans have enabled the use of Earth system models to link geochemical proxy constraints on environmental change with quantitative predictions of the amount and biogeography of habitat loss. Early indications are that the interaction between physiological traits and environmental change can explain substantial proportions of observed extinction selectivity for at least some mass extinction events. A remaining challenge is quantifying the effects of primary extinction resulting from the limits of physiological tolerance versus secondary extinction resulting from the loss of taxa on which a given species depended ecologically. The calibration of physiology-based models to past extinction events will enhance their value in prediction and mitigation efforts related to the current biodiversity crisis.
Distribution of consensus in a broadcast-based consensus algorithm with random initial opinions
Authors: Shioda Shigeo , Kato Dai
Published: May 2023

We study the distribution of the consensus formed by a broadcast-based consensus algorithm for cases in which the initial opinions of agents are random variables. We first derive two fundamental equations for the time evolution of the average opinion of agents. Using the derived equations, we then investigate the distribution of the consensus in the limit in which agents do not have any mutual trust, and show that the consensus without mutual trust among agents is in sharp contrast to the consensus with complete mutual trust in the statistical properties if the initial opinion of each agent is integrable. Next, we provide the formulation necessary to mathematically discuss the consensus in the limit in which the number of agents tends to infinity, and derive several results, including a central limit theorem concerning the consensus in this limit. Finally, we study the distribution of the consensus when the initial opinions of agents follow a stable distribution, and show that the consensus also follows a stable distribution in the limit in which the number of agents tends to infinity.
Shifting Patterns of Antisemitism in Latin America: Xenophobia, Exclusion, and Inclusion
Authors: Roniger Luis , Senkman Leonardo
Published: May 2023

This article analyzes several patterns of antisemitism in twentieth-century Latin America. It identifies historical moments when carriers of social and political ideas projected negative images of Jews, sometimes pushing anti-Jewish policies and at times leading violent actions against Jews. Thus, antisemitism served to mobilize in defense of national identity; as a reaction to Jewish peddlers perceived as a threat to national economies; as a basis for the generalized rejection of “undesirable refugees” during World War II and the Holocaust; and as a Cold War phenomenon, along with anticommunism and neo-Nazism. Like other forms of xenophobia, antisemitism was grounded in prejudice and the demonization of a supposed enemy rather than being based on verified evidence. Analysis suggests that antisemitism has been deeply rooted in Latin America and has manifested over time with changing historical and social constellations. At the same time, while Judeophobic prejudices and actions have been intimidating and have at times precluded the legal immigration of Jews, antisemitism has rarely become dominant or led to systemic social discrimination, massive expulsion, or mass genocide, unlike in Europe.
U.S. Imperialism and Rights
Authors: Paik A. Naomi
Published: May 2023

The United States is an imperial nation. From its origins as a settler colony to its status today as a dominant economic and political power armed with the largest military force on earth, it has established and extended its power over others—taking land, extracting resources, exploiting labor, and ensuring unequal relationships that benefit its interests. Despite its founding declaration, the U.S. has never recognized the self-evident equality of all men, and its conceptions of rights have never been universal or inalienable. As its history shows, the United States has continually created categories of nonhuman and not-quite-human subjects disqualified from the inalienable rights that could shield them from its exercises of imperial power. Put differently, the extension of U.S. imperial power has required denying rights to those swept under its influence and control. The United States is at once a self-pronounced paragon of rights, among other liberal democratic values, and a violator of rights, especially for those who most need to draw on its protections. This paradox is fundamental to the United States, regardless of its proclamations to be a defender of rights at home and across the world.
La 27e Conférence des Parties de la Convention-cadre des Nations unies sur les changements climatiques : un bilan critique
Authors: Beaudoin Simon , Simard Philippe , Chaloux Annie
Published: May 2023

Les changements climatiques occupent une place centrale en gouvernance mondiale de l'environnement. Vu l'envergure des défis à résoudre, la plus récente Conférence des Parties (CdP) de la Convention-cadre des Nations Unies sur les changements climatiques (CCNUCC), la CdP-27, faisait face à de grandes attentes. Ce court article offre un bilan critique de la CdP-27. L'article présente une synthèse des résultats de cette CdP en étudiant quatre volets principaux, soit l'atténuation des émissions de gaz à effet de serre (GES), l'augmentation du financement climatique, l'adaptation aux changements climatiques et les pertes et préjudices. Il dresse ainsi un portait des résultats de la CdP-27 au regard des attentes qui avaient été établies au préalable par les parties prenantes. L'article se conclut par une analyse prospective des principaux enjeux à suivre d'ici la CdP-28 et au-delà. Il permet ainsi de faire le point sur les plus récents développements, d’éclairer les avancées à venir et de contribuer aux discussions sur la gouvernance mondiale du climat.
High readership on academic social platforms could poorly reflect conservation interest
Authors: Meijaard Erik , Moqanaki Ehsan
Published: May 2023

Social media are being used increasingly by the science community to share research output with a wide audience and to seek feedback. They are also used as alternatives to the traditional citation-based assessment of the impacts of scientific products and even to inform employment decisions in academia. One of these media platforms, ResearchGate, is a popular application with more than 20 million users who share and discuss scientific products. We report on a remarkably high level of interest in one of our publications on ResearchGate about the Eurasian wild pig Sus scrofa in Iran, a poorly studied species in a conservation priority region. The number of reads of our publication was c. 1,500 times higher than the mean per publication for scientists from a range of American and Asian universities. Comparison with other ResearchGate statistics and reader feedback indicates these reads resulted from data-gathering processes unrelated to the details of the research. Although this raises questions regarding the ability of ResearchGate and similar platforms to measure research interest and impacts reliably, we use the popularity of our article as an opportunity to advocate for conservation research in an understudied region and on an understudied species.
Ripples from a single stone: Indigenous mobilization for community tenure-led conservation in Cameroon
Authors: Emini Timothée , Clarke Catherine , Long Cath
Published: May 2023

We document a process initiated by Indigenous Peoples in Cameroon that seeks to open a dialogue with key conservation actors to work towards community-led, rights-based alternatives to so-called fortress conservation. In June 2021, Gbabandi, a platform of forest Indigenous Peoples, invited key conservation actors to a 1-day listening event. This represented an important precedent, reversing the usual approach to dialogue in which Indigenous Peoples are invited to participate at various levels in externally directed processes. In this case the space for engagement was opened by Indigenous Peoples on their own terms based on Indigenous ways of organizing, and conservation organizations were invited to participate. Indigenous Peoples gave testimonies of physical violence and abuse in various protected areas across Cameroon. Conservation actors acknowledged there had been violations of human rights and there was substantial discussion about threats to wildlife and the need for more inclusive approaches to conservation, redevelopment of management plans and renegotiation of access for Indigenous communities based on community consent. The long-term impact remains to be seen but the immediate effect of an Indigenous-led process was that key decision makers in conservation in Cameroon heard directly from the people affected by their decisions and, since the event, have been more active than previously in contacting and consulting Indigenous Peoples about how protected areas are managed. Gbabandi is hopeful that this type of initiative will change the dialogue between communities and protected area managers and will lead to real changes in conservation practice.
Rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) active larval emergence from deceased bubble pond snails (Bullastra lessoni) into water
Authors: Rivory Phoebe , Lee Rogan , Šlapeta Jan
Published: May 2023

Angiostrongylus cantonensis (the rat lungworm) is a zoonotic parasite of non-permissive accidental (dogs, humans, horses, marsupials, birds) hosts. The 3rd stage larvae (L3s) in the intermediate host (molluscs) act as the source of infection for accidental hosts through ingestion. Larvae can spontaneously emerge from dead gastropods (slugs and snails) in water, which are experimentally infective to rats. We sought to identify the time when infective A. cantonensis larvae can autonomously leave dead experimentally infected Bullastra lessoni snails. The proportion of A. cantonensis larvae that emerge from crushed and submerged B. lessoni is higher in snails 62 days post-infection (DPI) (30.3%). The total larval burden of snails increases at 91 DPI, indicating that emerged larvae subsequently get recycled by the population. There appears to be a window of opportunity between 1 and 3 months for infective larvae to autonomously escape dead snails. From a human and veterinary medicine viewpoint, the mode of infection needs to be considered; whether that be through ingestion of an infected gastropod, or via drinking water contaminated with escaped larvae.
Time-to-hepatitis C treatment initiation among people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia
Authors: Aung Phyo T. Z. , Spelman Tim , Wilkinson Anna L. , Dietze Paul M. , Stoové Mark A. , Hellard Margaret E.
Published: May 2023

This study aims to understand the time-to-treatment initiation pre and post DAA access to inform strategies to improve HCV care. The data for our study were derived from the SuperMIX cohort study of people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia. Time-to-event analysis using Weibull accelerated failure time was performed for data collected between 2009 and 2021, among a cohort of HCV-positive participants. Among 223 participants who tested positive for active hepatitis C infection, 102 people (45.7%) reported treatment initiation, with a median time-to-treatment of 7 years. However, the median time-to-treatment reduced to 2.3 years for those tested positive after 2016. The study found that treatment with Opioid Agonist Therapy (TR 0.7, 95% CI 0.6–0.9), engagement with health or social services (TR 0.7, 95% CI 0.6–0.9), and having a first positive HCV RNA test after March 2016 (TR 0.3, 95% CI 0.2–0.3) were associated with a reduced time-to-treatment initiation. The study highlights the need for strategies to improve engagement with health services, including drug treatment services into routine HCV care to achieve timely treatment.
Polish Experts in School-based Sex Education and the West: Exchanging Ideas through the IPPF (1956–1989)
Authors: Jarska Natalia
Published: May 2023

In this paper I examine the relationship between Polish experts on school-based sex education and international developments in the field during the post-war period. From 1956 onwards, Polish experts, hoping to introduce sex education to schools, drew on Western experience and knowledge. Using Polish sources, I focus on the ways in which this knowledge was transmitted, the role of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, and the approach of Polish experts towards the West. I argue that during the late 1950s and 1960s, Polish experts valued and relied exclusively on Western models. International exchange on sex education intensified in the 1970s and 1980s, with the Polish expert Mikołaj Kozakiewicz becoming a regional leader within the international family planning movement. However, as Polish experts became more critical about certain Western models of sex education, they began to promote the socialist model of family life education as a more appropriate option.
FRANKLIN H. GIDDINGS ON RACE AND EUGENICS
Authors: Fiorito Luca , Erasmo Valentina
Published: May 2023

Franklin H. Giddings can be considered one of the founding fathers of sociology in the United States. With many of his contemporaries, Giddings shared a firm commitment to eugenics, scientific racism, and race-conscious imperialism—a biologically rooted impetus that recent literature has placed at the core of the Progressive Era reform agenda, and which was particularly strong among the most sociologically inclined figures of the period. The aim of this article is to present a discussion of Giddings’s views on race, immigration, eugenics, and American imperialism, and how these views evolved over time. What follows adds to our general understanding of the extent to which racial and eugenic considerations permeated American social thought during the first decades of the last century and how, in the specific case of Giddings, this influence found expression in an inherently ambiguous and often contradictory fashion.
The Lawyers’ Movement in Pakistan: how legal actors mobilise in a hybrid regime
Authors: Khan Maryam S.
Published: May 2023

Drawing primarily from qualitative interviews conducted between 2017 and 2018, this empirical study tells a granular story of how legal actors mobilised during the Lawyers’ Movement in Pakistan (2007–2009) from the perspective of lawyer-leaders who organised, steered and sustained support for the Movement through rapidly shifting political conditions. By underscoring the contribution of lawyer-leaders in empowering judges, the article seeks both to displace uncritical assumptions and arguments about courts as the nucleus of legal mobilisation in Pakistan, and to highlight the crucial role of political parties in the restoration of the judiciary against the backdrop of disintegrating lawyer-judge coalitions. Given Pakistan’s political context of a ‘hybrid regime’, the article reflects on the unsuitability of the ‘legal complex’ theory of ‘political liberalism’ for analysing and understanding the Movement, and locates it instead in the literature on legal mobilisation in authoritarian regimes.
A combinatorial theory of institutional invention
Authors: Beaumier Guillaume , Papin Marielle , Morin Jean-Frédéric
Published: May 2023

From climate change to disruptive technologies, policymakers constantly face new problems calling for unprecedented institutional solutions. Yet, we still poorly understand the inventive process leading to the emergence of new institutional forms. Existing theories argue that exogenous changes provide incentives and opportunities for institutional invention. However, they fail to explain how the inventive process endogenously structures their emergence. Drawing from complexity theory and Brian Arthur's work on technological inventions, we develop a structural theory recasting the process of inventing new institutions as the combination of pre-existing institutions. Building on three assumptions related to this combinatorial process, we argue that the distance between institutions shapes the emergence of new institutional forms and their regime's trajectory. Following the initial take-off in the number of institutional inventions at the creation of a regime, we expect the rate of institutional inventions over replications will slow down as nearby institutions are combined and accelerate as distant ones are combined. We illustrate these expectations by looking at three regimes: data privacy, climate governance, and investment protection. Together, they showcase how our combinatorial theory can help make sense of the emergence of unprecedented institutions and, more generally, the pace of unfolding complexity in various international regimes.
Judicial review of supermajority rules governing courts’ own decision-making: A comparative analysis
Authors: Rivera León Mauro Arturo
Published: May 2023

This article provides a comparative analysis of how courts have performed judicial review on supermajority rules governing courts’ decision-making. Through an empirical approach, covering the cases of the United States, Peru and Poland, the article argues that the supermajority’s legal source and the chronology of its establishment may influence the court’s ability to review such rules and the case’s outcome. Finally, the article addresses the paradox of whether courts must apply the very provision they are tasked to review.
The Bidimensionality of Grit
Authors: Postigo Álvaro , García-Fernández Jaime , Cuesta Marcelino , González-Nuevo Covadonga , Menéndez-Aller Álvaro , García-Cueto Eduardo
Published: May 2023

Abstract: Grit, defined as passion and perseverance for long-term goals, has received much attention over the last decade. However, its dimensionality is still very much up for debate. The present study examines whether the bidimensional structure of the construct is a statistical artifact caused by item reversal. The sample consisted of 1,115 participants ( Myears = 38.92; SD = 15.08), of whom 67.3% were women. Several confirmatory models were specified with different versions of two grit scales. A bifactor model with a grit-general factor and two method-specific factors (one direct items, the other reversed items) demonstrated better fit according to all indicators (Original Grit-S: CFI = .995, RMSEA = .024; Mixed Grit-S: CFI = .966, RMSEA = .068; Mixed EGO: CFI = .985, RMSEA = .051) than a bifactor model with a grit-general factor and two theoretical factors (perseverance of effort and consistency of interests, Original Grit-S: CFI = .933, RMSEA = .085; Mixed Grit-S: CFI = .944, RMSEA = .088; Mixed EGO: CFI = .982, RMSEA = .056). Grit is a unidimensional construct, and the two dimensions identified in previous studies (consistency of interests and perseverance of effort) were the result of a statistical artifact due to item reversal. In addition, redirecting the items modified the factor structure of the Grit-S scale. The practical implications of the study are discussed.
A Competency Framework for Aviation Psychologists and Human Factors	Specialists in Aviation
Authors: Biede Sonja , Detaille Frederic , Narotra (Balachandran) Tina , Petrovic Katarina , Rathje Hermann , Rea Alessandra , Schwarz Michaela , Vereker Anna
Published: May 2023

Abstract: Aviation psychology and human factors have made a significant contribution to aviation safety since the beginning of flying. Following the Germanwings tragedy in 2015, the professions have received extra attention from both governmental and aviation industry organizations. This paper reports on the development of a competency framework defining skills, knowledge, and attitudes for the endorsement of aviation psychologists (AVPSY) and aviation human factors specialists (AVHFS) based on input from 47 stakeholders and subject matter experts. The framework covers aviation domain knowledge, knowledge about humans, methodological approaches and tools, application practice areas, and common supporting skills and attitudes. Commonalities and differences between AVPSY and AVHFS are highlighted, and competency levels are discussed. Practical benefits of using the competency-based framework are emphasized for practitioners, employers, and universities or training organizations.
Ionization Activity Detected During Dark Periods in Long Air Positive Sparks
Authors: Zhao Xiangen , Becerra Marley , Wang Xiankang , Liu Yang , Du Yaping , He Junjia
Published: May 2023

The dark period in long air gap discharges has been assumed in the literature as the time between consecutive streamer current pulses when ionization and luminosity are absent. These dark periods are also present in natural lightning, in processes such as the inception and propagation of upward positive leaders, the development of needles, as well as transient luminous events in the upper atmosphere. Only recently, faint luminosity has been observed during dark periods, challenging this assumption. This paper aims to study any possible electrical activity during dark periods by means of experiments supported by computer simulation. Therefore, an experimental platform, including low‐current measurements, Schlieren and standard photography as well as ultraviolet (UV)‐photon detection was used to observe the electrical‐optical‐thermal characteristics of the dark period. A complementary numerical model was used to estimate the streamer space charge spatial distribution and its drift during dark periods. It is found that faint UV and visible light during the dark period is emitted exactly at the location of the low‐density streamer stem channel. This process is accompanied by the generation of an electronic current in the order of hundred microamps to milliamps. The simulation results show that this ionization activity occurs due to strong reduced electric fields in the residual stem channel above 112 Td, which is mainly determined by a combination of applied voltage, space charge distribution, and localized heating. Thus, the presented results show that there is indeed ionization activity during dark periods in long air gaps, which maintains a continuous glow‐like discharge.
Haplotype-resolved genome assembly of Coriaria nepalensis a non-legume nitrogen-fixing shrub
Authors: Zhao Shi-Wei , Guo Jing-Fang , Kong Lei , Nie Shuai , Yan Xue-Mei , Shi Tian-Le , Tian Xue-Chan , Ma Hai-Yao , Bao Yu-Tao , Li Zhi-Chao , Chen Zhao-Yang , Zhang Ren-Gang , Ma Yong-Peng , El-Kassaby Yousry A. , Porth Ilga , Zhao Wei , Mao Jian-Feng
Published: May 2023

Coriaria nepalensis Wall. (Coriariaceae) is a nitrogen-fixing shrub which forms root nodules with the actinomycete Frankia. Oils and extracts of C. nepalensis have been reported to be bacteriostatic and insecticidal, and C. nepalensis bark provides a valuable tannin resource. Here, by combining PacBio HiFi sequencing and Hi-C scaffolding techniques, we generated a haplotype-resolved chromosome-scale genome assembly for C. nepalensis. This genome assembly is approximately 620 Mb in size with a contig N50 of 11 Mb, with 99.9% of the total assembled sequences anchored to 40 pseudochromosomes. We predicted 60,862 protein-coding genes of which 99.5% were annotated from databases. We further identified 939 tRNAs, 7,297 rRNAs, and 982 ncRNAs. The chromosome-scale genome of C. nepalensis is expected to be a significant resource for understanding the genetic basis of root nodulation with Frankia, toxicity, and tannin biosynthesis.
Resolving the controls over the production and emission of ice-nucleating particles in sea spray
Authors: Hill Thomas C. J. , Malfatti Francesca , McCluskey Christina S. , Schill Gregory P. , Santander Mitchell V. , Moore Kathryn A. , Rauker Anne Marie , Perkins Russell J. , Celussi Mauro , Levin Ezra J. T. , Suski Kaitlyn J. , Cornwell Gavin C. , Lee Christopher , Del Negro Paola , Kreidenweis Sonia M. , Prather Kimberly A. , DeMott Paul J.
Published: May 2023

Oceans emit ice-nucleating particles (INPs) which freeze supercooled cloud droplets, modifying clouds. We added dead biomass of three phytoplankton to seawater. Each time, this stimulated INP production in the water and INP emissions in sea spray.
Fe–N hollow mesoporous carbon spheres with high oxidase-like activity for sensitive detection of alkaline phosphatase
Authors: Chen Yanwen , Zhao Liu , Zhang Baoshuai , Guan Yuqing , Yao Cheng , Xu Xuan
Published: May 2023

A facile and sensitive colorimetric assay for detecting ALP activity was developed based on Fe–N hollow mesoporous carbon spheres (Fe–N HMCS).