bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Microplastics in Global Warming and Climate Change: A Review
Authors: Parvez Md. Sohel , Ullah Hadayet , Faruk Omar , Simon Edina , Czédli Herta
Published: March 2024

Microplastics (MPs) have become an important concern among scientists and policymakers all around the globe. Despite this, the contribution of MPs to global warming and climate change, a significant aspect of the issue, has been overlooked. Continuous greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting in climate change have long been a major issue with apparent consequences. Climate change and plastic crises are threatening our planet, and the co-occurrence of both would be catastrophic. This article addressed the links between microplastic pollution and climate change; how MPs contribute to climate change by interacting with water, air, and soil; and recommendations to address the issues together. Throughout their lives, plastics emit GHG. MPs in water impede the climate change mitigation potential of the ocean in different ways; they hamper photosynthesis and carbon sequestration by phytoplankton and the Blue Carbon Ecosystem. MPs induce GHG emissions from the soil. Airborne MPs have the potential to aid in cloud formation and interfere with atmospheric cooling. Climate change–induced extreme events redistribute MPs in the environment, causing the pollution to increase vertically and horizontally, which then aggravates the situation in a feedback loop. The evidence acquired in the study implies that MPs and climate change are inextricably linked and that MPs play a vital role in fueling climate change. This bridges the gap between MPs and climate change issues that were previously regarded separately. Due to the linkages between these intertwined challenges, integrated and holistic research and policy measures are required to address both crises concurrently.
Site selection optimization for 100% renewable energy sources
Authors: Derse Onur , Yilmaz Ebru
Published: March 2024

The increase in the use of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) provides many advantages such as reducing the environmental problems and sustainability. In this study, a long-term optimum RES settlement strategic plan is conducted for 81 provinces in Turkey by considering real data. Biomass energy, solar energy, hydroelectric energy, geothermal energy, and wind energy are considered RES sources. Energy consumption until the 2050 year is estimated with the regARIMA method, and then a weighted goal programming model was developed in which the outputs of the regARIMA method and risk analysis are integrated. The results of the regARIMA method are tested, and the test results indicate that an R2 value close to 1 indicates that the model is suitable, a low and negative MPE value is neutral, and a MAPE value below 4% indicates high accuracy of the model. Using GAMS 23.5 optimization software program, the developed weighted goal programming model is solved optimally. In this integrated model developed, the objectives of minimizing the installation time, minimizing the investment cost, minimizing the annual cost, maximizing the carbon emission reduction, maximizing the usage time, and minimizing the risk are considered. When the results obtained regarding the number of installations according to the model are examined, the decisions are made for 53% wind energy, 23% biomass energy, 13% hydroelectric energy, 9% solar energy, and 2% geothermal energy. Computational results show that the effective solutions are obtained by minimizing the sum of goals values, covering all provinces in Turkey, and considering real data.
ResDAC-Net: a novel pancreas segmentation model utilizing residual double asymmetric spatial kernels
Authors: Ji Zhanlin , Liu Jianuo , Mu Juncheng , Zhang Haiyang , Dai Chenxu , Yuan Na , Ganchev Ivan
Published: March 2024

The pancreas not only is situated in a complex abdominal background but is also surrounded by other abdominal organs and adipose tissue, resulting in blurred organ boundaries. Accurate segmentation of pancreatic tissue is crucial for computer-aided diagnosis systems, as it can be used for surgical planning, navigation, and assessment of organs. In the light of this, the current paper proposes a novel Residual Double Asymmetric Convolution Network (ResDAC-Net) model. Firstly, newly designed ResDAC blocks are used to highlight pancreatic features. Secondly, the feature fusion between adjacent encoding layers fully utilizes the low-level and deep-level features extracted by the ResDAC blocks. Finally, parallel dilated convolutions are employed to increase the receptive field to capture multiscale spatial information. ResDAC-Net is highly compatible to the existing state-of-the-art models, according to three (out of four) evaluation metrics, including the two main ones used for segmentation performance evaluation (i.e., DSC and Jaccard index).

Graphical abstract
Trends and Inequalities in Maternal and Newborn Health Services for Unplanned Settlements of Lusaka City, Zambia
Authors: Jacobs Choolwe , Musukuma Mwiche , Hamoonga Raymond , Sikapande Brivine , Chooye Ovost , Wehrmeister Fernando C. , Michelo Charles , Blanchard Andrea K.
Published: March 2024

Living conditions and other factors in urban unplanned settlements present unique challenges for improving maternal and newborn health (MNH), yet MNH inequalities associated with such challenges are not well understood. This study examined trends and inequalities in coverage of MNH services in the last 20 years in unplanned and planned settlements of Lusaka City, Zambia. Geospatial information was used to map Lusaka’s settlements and health facilities. Zambia Demographic Health Surveys (ZDHS 2001, 2007, 2013/2014, and 2018) were used to compare antenatal care (ANC), institutional delivery, and Cesarean section (C-section) coverage, and neonatal mortality rates between the poorer 60% and richer 40% households. Health Management Information System (HMIS) data from 2018 to 2021 were used to compute service volumes and coverage rates for ANC1 and ANC4, and institutional delivery and C-sections by facility level and type in planned and unplanned settlements. Although the correlation is not exact, our data analysis showed close alignment; and thus, we opted to use the 60% poorer and 40% richer groups as a proxy for households in unplanned versus planned settlements. Unplanned settlements were serviced by primary centers or first-level hospitals. ZDHS findings show that by 2018, at least one ANC visit and institutional delivery became nearly universal throughout Lusaka, but early and four or more ANC visits, C-sections, and neonatal mortality rates remained worse among poorer than richer women in ZDHS. In HMIS, ANC and institutional delivery volumes were highest in public facilities, especially in unplanned settlements. The volume of C-sections was much greater within facilities in planned than unplanned settlements. Our study exposed persistent gaps in timing and use of ANC and emergency obstetric care between unplanned and planned communities. Closing such gaps requires strengthening outreach early and consistently in pregnancy and increasing emergency obstetric care capacities and referrals to improve access to important MNH services for women and newborns in Lusaka’s unplanned settlements.
Wo kämen wir hin, wenn bei der Arbeit jeder alles sagt?
Authors: Knoll Michael
Published: March 2024

In diesem Beitrag geht es um konstruktiven und destruktiven Umgang mit kritischen Themen in der Arbeitswelt. Der Autor beschreibt zunächst Wege, auf denen sich Mitarbeitende im Arbeitskontext ausdrücken können. Danach diskutiert er anhand von 6 Take-Away Messages den aktuellen Forschungsstand zum Phänomen des Schweigens in Organisationen, d. h., dass Mitarbeitende zuweilen ihre Meinung, Ideen, Fragen und Bedenken zurückhalten. Besprochen werden die hinter dem Schweigen stehenden Motive, die das Schweigen fördernden Rahmenbedingungen und dessen Konsequenzen. Das Schweigen wird zudem als sozialer Prozess dargestellt, der nicht immer bewusst herbeigeführt wird und der durch die „Taubheit“ von Entscheidungsträger:innen begünstigt wird.
Detachment of a Soluble Particle at the Slag-Argon Interface: CFD Study and Experimental Observations
Authors: Zhang Xiaomeng , Michelic Susanne , Pirker Stefan , Saeedipour Mahdi
Published: March 2024

The behavior of non-metallic inclusions at interfaces of high-temperature melt and molten slag affects the removal of inclusions and the consequent melt cleanness. This study presents real-time in situ observations on the behavior of an oxide particle in the vicinity of the slag-argon interface by means of high-temperature confocal scanning laser microscopy (HT-CSLM). On top of that, CFD simulations are conducted to investigate the underlying mechanisms of particle-interface interactions. In addition to revealing the particle motion process from the argon phase toward the slag, a significant particle morphology alteration associated with its dissolution in the slag is experimentally observed. Particularly, upon detachment from the slag-argon interface, the particle exhibits more dissolution at the near-interface area. By combining with numerical simulations, this study indicates that particle separation at the interface can be characterized as two stages. First, a short-term capillary force-driven motion stage happens until the particle initially settles at the interface. The settling position estimated by simulation shows good consistency with experimental measurement. Second, the particle takes a relatively long time to eventually detach from the interface, and this period is accompanied by particle dissolution. Investigations suggest that the concentration variation near the interface arising from particle dissolution triggers a Marangoni flow. This flow, in turn, enhances the local dissolution rate, consequently causing a significant particle morphology change that influences the detachment. This study provides new insight into the mechanism of inclusion removal through slag absorption in metallurgical processes. Both particle dynamics and dissolution kinetics, especially the effect of solutal Marangoni convection, are highlighted in detaching a small-scale particle from the fluid-fluid interface.
Arterial Stiffness May Predict Subsequent Cancer Therapy-Related Cardiac Dysfunction in Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Şahin Mürsel , Kazaz Seher Nazlı , Kartaler Fatih , Kodal Burcu , Altuntaş Seda , Yüce Elif , Turan Oğuzhan Ekrem , Kutlu Merih
Published: March 2024

Cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) is still a serious problem. Existing risk scores are insufficient for risk classification, especially in low and medium-risk patients. This study aims to evaluate if arterial stiffness (AS) measurement, which is associated with most of the known risk factors, can be a useful parameter for predicting subsequent CTRCD in patients with breast cancer (BC). Patients with BC were included in the study. All patients’ AS parameters such as pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx), augmentation pressure (AP), and echocardiographic parameters were obtained before treatment. During treatment, echocardiographic follow-up with routine parameters and left ventricle global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) were measured. Patients were evaluated on whether CTRCD occurred or not. A total of 67 patients were analyzed. The mean age of the study population was 54.9 ± 11 years. Baseline characteristics were similar except for age. No CTRCD diagnosis was obtained according to left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) reduction, but 18 patients (26.8%) developed CTRCD regarding the decline in LVGLS. Left ventricle hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction were more frequent in patients with CTRCD (p = 0.016 and p = 0.015, respectively). PWV, AIx, and AP as AS parameters were significantly higher in patients with CTRCD, but Alx@75 were not (p = 0.005, p = 0.034, p = 0.008, p = 0.077, respectively). A positive correlation between PWV and a decreased percent in LVGS (R = 0.607, p < 0.001) was observed. ROC curve analyses revealed an AUC of 0.747 (p = 0.02, 95% CI 0.632–0.832) for PWV. A PWV value of 9.2 m/s predicted CTRCD with 94% sensitivity and 73% specificity. AS measurement may be useful for predicting CTRCD in patients with low to medium-risk BC.

Graphical Abstract
Dental color measurement to estimate age in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Martín-Martín Jaime , Santos Ignacio , Gaitán-Arroyo María J. , Suarez Juan , Rubio Leticia , Martín-de-las-Heras Stella
Published: March 2024

Age estimation is a major challenge in anthropology and forensic odontology laboratories, as well as in judicial settings, as one of the tools used in human identification. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of age estimation methods based on the accurate measurement of tooth color changes. A systematic review was carried out following the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and in compliance with Cochrane criteria recommendations (PROSPERO registration number CRD 42022343371). An electronic search was performed in the following databases: Pubmed, Web of Science, Medline, Current Contents Connect, SciELO, KCI-Korean Journal Database, Derwent Innovations Index and Russian Citation Index. The search strategy yielded a total of 18 articles. A randomized meta-analysis model of the results for the CIE L*a*b* color variables stratified by age (less than 30 years, 30-60 years, 60 years and older) was performed with 9 of the 18 studies included in this systematic review. According to our results, sex and location of color measurement are the most influential factors in color estimation. All studies were carried out in healthy anterior teeth by spectrophotometry as the most commonly used method for color measurement, with CIE L*a*b* being the most commonly analyzed parameters. Studies based on age as a dependent variable showed R2 values between 0.28 and 0.56, being higher in ex vivo teeth. Studies based on age as an independent variable showed R2 values ranging from 0.10 to 0.48. The random model showed high heterogeneity for the L*, a* and b* parameters in all age groups, which is explained by discrepancies in age range and non-standardized conditions for color measurement. This systematic review highlights the need to protocolize age estimation studies that measure tooth color, in order to apply this method in different forensic settings.
O-sialoglycoprotein Endopeptidase (OSGEP) Suppresses Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury-Induced Ferroptosis Through Modulating the MEK/ERK Signaling Pathway
Authors: Tao Yuanyuan , Zhou Wanqing , Chen Cheng , Zhang Qian , Liu Zhuoyi , Xia Pingping , Ye Zhi , Li Chunling
Published: March 2024

Hepatic ischemia–reperfusion injury (HIRI) was widely accepted as a critical complication of liver resection and transplantation. A growing body of evidence suggested that O-sialoglycoprotein endopeptidase (OSGEP) was involved in cell proliferation and mitochondrial metabolism. However, whether OSGEP could mediate the pathogenesis of HIRI has still remained unclarified. This study investigated whether OSGEP could be protective against HIRI and elucidated the potential mechanisms. The OSGEP expression level was detected in cases undergoing ischemia-related hepatectomy and a stable oxygen–glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) condition in hepG2 cells. Additionally, it was attempted to establish a mouse model of HIRI, thus, the function and mechanism of OSGEP could be analyzed. At one day after hepatectomy, the negative association of OSGEP expression level with the elevated serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was noted. Moreover, it was attempted to carry out gain- and loss-of-function analyses of OSGEP in hepG2 cells to reveal its influences on OGD/R-induced injury and relevant signaling pathways. The findings suggested that OSGEP overexpression significantly protected hepG2 cells against ferroptotic cell death, while OSGEP consumption had opposite effects. Consistent with in vitro studies, OSGEP deficiency exacerbated liver functions and ferroptotic cell death in a mouse model of HIRI. The results also revealed that OSGEP mediated the progression of HIRI by regulating the MEK/ERK signaling pathway. Rescue experiments indicated that ERK1/2 knockdown or overexpression reversed the effects of OSGEP overexpression or knockdown on hepG2 cells under OGD/R condition. Taken together, the findings demonstrated that OSGEP could contribute to alleviate HIRI by mediating the MEK-ERK signaling pathway, which may serve as a potential prognostic marker and a therapeutic target for HIRI.
Subjective indicators of fuel poverty in Zarqa Governorate, Jordan
Authors: Jaber Mohammad M. , Szép Tekla
Published: March 2024

Fuel poverty is a pressing global issue for households, particularly low-income ones. This study employs a subjective approach to examine fuel poverty in Jordan. Analyzing data from a survey of 490 participants in Zarqa Governorate, it evaluates the main determinants of subjective fuel poverty. The survey was conducted over 1 month, from March 10 to April 10, 2022. Findings reveal that the sample households experience challenges related to fuel poverty. The modeling of subjective indicators indicates an association between income level and the probability of being in arrears with utility bills. Moreover, the results highlight issues such as an inability to maintain adequate summer and winter temperatures and the presence of leaks, damp, and rot. In light of these findings, policy interventions should focus on enhancing energy efficiency and supporting vulnerable low-income households, particularly those in rural areas.
Morphometry of the sural nerve in diabetic neuropathy: a systematic review
Authors: Ludi Zhang , Liau Matthias Yi Quan , Yong Bryan Song Jun , Auyong Amanda Sze Yen , Lynette Quah Hui Ting , Yeo Samuel Jianjie , Tan Khin Swee Elizabeth , Mogali Sreenivasulu Reddy , Chandrasekaran Ramya , Perumal Vivek , Vallabhajosyula Ranganath
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the usefulness of sural nerve ultrasonography in diagnosing diabetes mellitus (DM) and diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN), the latter of which is a common long-term complication for diabetic patients that frequently involves the sural nerve.

Methodology

A meta-analysis of the cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of sural nerves in healthy individuals and patients with diabetes mellitus based on a total of 32 ultrasonographic-based studies from 2015 to 2023 was performed. Sub-analyses were performed for factors such as geographical location and measurement site.

Results

The meta-analysis showed that the mean CSA of the sural nerve was significantly larger in DM patients with DPN only compared to healthy individuals across all regions and when pooled together. An age-dependent increase in the CSA of healthy sural nerves is apparent when comparing the paediatric population with adults.

Conclusion

Sural nerve ultrasonography can distinguish diabetic adults with DPN from healthy adults based on cross-sectional area measurement. Future studies are needed to clarify the relationships between other parameters, such as body metrics and age, with sural nerve CSAs. Cut-offs for DPN likely need to be specific for different geographical regions.
An analysis of the impacts of land use change on the components of the water balance in the Central Rift Valley sub-basins in Ethiopia
Authors: Truneh Lemma Adane , Matula Svatopluk , Báťková Kamila
Published: March 2024

Water resources are influenced by changes in land use and land cover (LULC), such as industrialization, urbanization, forestry, and agriculture. This study has aimed to analyze past and predicted LULC dynamics and their impacts on the components of the water balance in the Central Rift Valley (CRV) sub-basins in Ethiopia. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and the Land Change Modeler (LCM) were employed to evaluate the impacts of past and future LULC dynamics in the Ketar, Meki and Shalla sub-basins. The SWAT models were calibrated with flow data from 1990 to 2001 and were validated with flows from 2004 to 2010, using SWAT-CUP in the SUFI-2 algorithm. LCM with Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) neural network method for land transition scenario analysis and a Markov Chain method for predictions, as well as SWAT models with fixing-changing methods for simulations, were used to evaluate the condition of hydrological processes under the influence of changes in LULC. The analyses resulted in an annual runoff variation from − 20.2 to 32.3%, water yield from − 10.9 to 13.3%, and evapotranspiration from − 4.4 to 14.4% in the sub-basins, due to changes in LULC. Integrated land use planning is recommended for the management of water resources.
Industry Perceptions and Experiences with the Access Consortium New Active Substance Work-Sharing Initiative (NASWSI): Survey Results and Recommendations
Authors: Geraci Gaia , Smith Robert , Hansford Alison , Johnsson Eric , Critchley Helen , Khaled Lama Abi , King Laura , Cheng Michelle , Colin Tanja , Kang Tse Siang
Published: March 2024

The Access Consortium New Active Substance Work-Sharing Initiative, or “Access” for simplicity, allows regulatory authorities (RAs) of the Access Consortium countries to jointly review applications for the registration of new active substances or for new indications. Using a survey developed by the pharmaceutical industry trade associations of the five Access Consortium countries—Australia, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom (UK)—this study gathered insights into the perceptions and experiences of the Access pathway held by affiliates of pharmaceutical companies. Understanding industry perceptions of Access is important for the success of the initiative, as participation is voluntary. Findings indicate that affiliates who participated in Access had mostly positive experiences with this pathway; most affiliates were satisfied with their interactions with the Access RAs and appeared willing to continue to participate in the initiative. Affiliates’ reasons for not having yet participated in Access included a lack of opportunity to do so and perceived barriers, such as the Access pathway being too complicated to manage. Recommendations to improve Access cover six key areas: ensure predictability, increase guidance and transparency, streamline processes, maintain flexibility, increase harmonization, and advance RA-industry cooperation. This study should facilitate informed discussions among relevant stakeholders on how to improve Access to maximize efficiencies, accelerate approvals, and improve patient access to innovative medicines.
Refining antimicrobial photodynamic therapy: effect of charge distribution and central metal ion in fluorinated porphyrins on effective control of planktonic and biofilm bacterial forms
Authors: Pucelik Barbara , Barzowska Agata , Sułek Adam , Werłos Mateusz , Dąbrowski Janusz M.
Published: March 2024

Antibiotic resistance represents a pressing global health challenge, now acknowledged as a critical concern within the framework of One Health. Photodynamic inactivation of microorganisms (PDI) offers an attractive, non-invasive approach known for its flexibility, independence from microbial resistance patterns, broad-spectrum efficacy, and minimal risk of inducing resistance. Various photosensitizers, including porphyrin derivatives have been explored for pathogen eradication. In this context, we present the synthesis, spectroscopic and photophysical characteristics as well as antimicrobial properties of a palladium(II)-porphyrin derivative (PdF2POH), along with its zinc(II)- and free-base counterparts (ZnF2POH and F2POH, respectively). Our findings reveal that the palladium(II)-porphyrin complex can be classified as an excellent generator of reactive oxygen species (ROS), encompassing both singlet oxygen (Φ△ = 0.93) and oxygen-centered radicals. The ability of photosensitizers to generate ROS was assessed using a variety of direct (luminescence measurements) and indirect techniques, including specific fluorescent probes both in solution and in microorganisms during the PDI procedure. We investigated the PDI efficacy of F2POH, ZnF2POH, and PdF2POH against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. All tested compounds proved high activity against Gram-positive species, with PdF2POH exhibiting superior efficacy, leading to up to a 6-log reduction in S. aureus viability. Notably, PdF2POH-mediated PDI displayed remarkable effectiveness against S. aureus biofilm, a challenging target due to its complex structure and increased resistance to conventional treatments. Furthermore, our results show that PDI with PdF2POH is more selective for bacterial than for mammalian cells, particularly at lower light doses (up to 5 J/cm2 of blue light illumination). This enhanced efficacy of PdF2POH-mediated PDI as compared to ZnF2POH and F2POH can be attributed to more pronounced ROS generation by palladium derivative via both types of photochemical mechanisms (high yields of singlet oxygen generation as well as oxygen-centered radicals). Additionally, PDI proved effective in eliminating bacteria within S. aureus-infected human keratinocytes, inhibiting infection progression while preserving the viability and integrity of infected HaCaT cells. These findings underscore the potential of metalloporphyrins, particularly the Pd(II)-porphyrin complex, as promising photosensitizers for PDI in various bacterial infections, warranting further investigation in advanced infection models.

Graphical abstract
On plastic development of timber structures based on 3D interactive vector-based graphic statics (VGS)
Authors: Rasneur Sylvain , Zastavni Denis , Misson Jean-Charles , Jasienski Jean-Philippe
Published: March 2024

The present contribution addresses both the topics of the design of timber-to-timber joints and the design of innovative and structurally efficient timber structures with the aid of a computational tool based on vector-based graphic statics (VGS).

First, this manuscript explains how the latest developments of graphic statics and its use applied to both timber joints and structures can improve the design of structures made of this low embodied carbon material. An exhaustive review of timber assemblies focussing on their sustainability and their structural behaviour is presented. Among these is the notch joint specifically identified in the context of digital fabrication and circular use of timber.

Afterwards, the theoretical framework of this research is explained. Taking advantage of the lower bound theorem of the theory of plasticity, the main hypotheses that enable the use of graphic statics and strut-and-tie modelling (STM) for timber are then presented. In addition, the structural behaviour of the single notch joint is evaluated using algebraic dimensioning method. The limitations of this method are pointed out and the article proposes an integrated universal approach to investigate the problem using Strut and Tie Modelling (STM) and stress fields. The results of this theoretical framework are validated trough 1/1 scale lab tests. Finally, the third chapter illustrates the potential of VGS via a Research-by-Design approach. In the aim of testing if designing simultaneously creative and efficient timber structures could be effective while using the VGS, architectural engineering student were asked to focus on both the primary load-bearing structure and the joint-systems.
The Prefaces
Authors: James Henry
Published: March 2024

The Cambridge Edition of the Complete Fiction of Henry James provides, for the first time, a scholarly edition of a major writer whose work continues to be read, quoted, adapted and studied. James wrote the eighteen Prefaces included in this volume to accompany the revised, selective New York Edition of his novels and tales (1907–9). They are unique and various writings: at once a digest of James's critical principles, an unsystematic treatise on fiction theory, an account of his rereading and revision of his own work, an oblique autobiography of the writing life and a public performance of authorial identity. This is the first scholarly edition of the Prefaces, and includes a detailed contextual introduction, a full textual history and extensive explanatory notes. It will be of value to researchers, scholars and advanced students of Henry James, and of 19th- and 20th-century British and American literature and book history.
Renewable Energy Engineering
Authors: Jenkins Nick , Ekanayake Janaka
Published: March 2024

Fully revised and updated, this second edition provides students with a quantitative and accessible introduction to the renewable technologies at the heart of efforts to build a sustainable future. Key features include new chapters on essential topics in energy storage, off-grid systems, microgrids and community energy; revised chapters on energy and grid fundamentals, wind energy, hydro power, photovoltaic and solar thermal energy, marine energy and bioenergy; appendices on foundational topics in electrical engineering, heat transfer and fluid dynamics; discussion of how real-world projects are developed, constructed and operated; over 60 worked examples linking theory to real-world engineering applications; and over 150 end-of-chapter homework problems, with solutions for instructors. Accompanied online at www.cambridge.org/jenkins2e by extended exercises and datasets, enabling instructors to create unique projects and coursework, this new edition remains the ideal multi-disciplinary introduction to renewable energy, for senior undergraduate and graduate students in engineering and the physical sciences.
The Preacher and the King: vision and meaning in Atheniensis 211
Authors: Linardou Kallirroe
Published: March 2024

Codex Atheniensis 211 is the earliest surviving illustrated Chrysostomic anthology. Its unique and sophisticated illustration still puzzles and fascinates scholars. The relative chronology of the manuscript fluctuates between the end of the ninth century and the first half of the tenth, while its provenance remains to this day unspecified. In an attempt to illuminate the circumstances of its creation, this study engages with the examination of a unique homily and its illustration. In my view, the people responsible for the selection of the sermon and the design of its illustration conceived it as a meaningful re-contextualization of the homily's original delivery; the historical background of fifth-century Constantinople served as a springboard for the articulation of an eloquent visual comment on current public issues in the Byzantine capital.
Art and female agency in late Byzantium: three methodological case studies.
Authors: Mattiello Andrea
Published: March 2024

This essay employs the anthropological notion of female social agency to analyse a selection of case studies in the art history of the late Byzantine Empire. They concern three women – Nicoletta Grioni, Isabelle de Lusignan, and Maria d'Enghien-Brienne – who lived between the mid- to late fourteenth century and the first half of the fifteenth. All three were part of a Greek-Latin Mediterranean socio-cultural context. While their stories are not fully represented in textual primary sources, the present essay examines a selection of heterogeneous visual and cultural materials that help to reinstate their role in history and overcome the male-logocentric nature of the written evidence related to them.
‘The sublime objects of liminality’: the Byzantine insular-coastal koine and its administration in the passage from Late Antiquity to the early Middle Ages (ca. 600–ca. 850)
Authors: Zavagno Luca
Published: March 2024

This paper focuses on the historical development and dynamics of political and administrative structures in regions of a fragmented empire that cannot be simply described as marginal ‘mouseholes’. Rather, it should be acknowledged that these spaces were part and parcel of a wider area (the Byzantine insular and coastal koine), which encompassed coastal areas as well as insular communities promoting socio-economic contact and cultural interchange. More importantly, they also boasted a peculiar set of material indicators suggesting a certain common cultural unity and identity. The koine coincided with liminal territories and the seas on which the Byzantine Empire retained political and naval rulership. Such liminal territories showed varied – yet coherent– administrative infrastructures and political practices on the part of local elites.
A change of heart? Theophilos on his deathbed
Authors: Panou Eirini
Published: March 2024

This article examines the last moments of the emperor Theophilos and how his dying moments are related in Byzantine historiography. His religious policy is central here. In fact, Theophilos’ stance on images is what allows us today to categorize narratives of his final moments, based on whether he repented for his iconoclastic policy. Three groups of narratives can be distinguished; those that claim that the emperor repented, those that claim that he did not, and those that are silent on the issue. Death narratives in historical writing constitute a commonplace in Kaiserkritik, and Theophilos’ dying moments are no exception.
Seeing Byzantium through Edwin Freshfield's eyes: Arts and Crafts, antiquarianism, and learned societies at the end of the nineteenth century
Authors: Vanni Flavia , Varsallona Jessica
Published: March 2024

This article focuses on three Byzantine capitals acquired by Edwin Freshfield and later donated to the church of the Wisdom of God in Lower Kingswood, which provide us with two ways to see through Byzantium. The first looks at their original Constantinopolitan context lost at the time of their acquisition. The second reflects on how Byzantine materials attracted wealthy Western European collectors, who combined antiquarian curiosity with the quest for the authentic Christian faith. Their privileged status allowed them both to possess these witnesses of the sacred past and even to project their own image to posterity as being analogous to that of Byzantine patrons.
The Italian System of Judicial Governance: An Arena of Confronting Informal Practices and the Push Towards Formalization
Authors: Benvenuti Simone
Published: March 2024

There is general agreement that in Italy the establishment of a judicial council ensured an overall higher degree of independence. Nevertheless, this self-governance template was criticized for propping up an accountability imbalance and a certain degree of inefficiency. In order to understand this assessment, this article delves into the relevance of informal rules and practices in the operation of the Italian judicial council. More specifically, it focuses on the activities relating to appointments of court presidents and professional assessment. Based on this analysis, it makes some observations on the factors shaping informal practices and questions their impact on judicial values and the quality of Italian democracy. I argue that informal institutions have amplified the corporatist character of the Italian judiciary, but it would be wrong to portray them in negative terms only, because the operation of the Italian judicial council and judicial system also benefits from a healthy dose of informality, which allows for enduring legitimacy in a polarized society.
Informal Judicial Institutions—The Case of the English Judiciary
Authors: Turenne Sophie
Published: March 2024

Informality has long been valued in England, and this is true of the political process as well as the institution of the judiciary. In both cases, it is assumed that the senior figures will have absorbed unwritten conventions and will by osmosis naturally understand their respective role in the UK constitution. Much is now starting to change, at least as far as the English judiciary is concerned. It is, first, argued that informal judicial institutions did not become redundant when the separation of powers was formally introduced with a program of modernization of the judiciary in the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. Selected illustrations of persisting informal judicial institutions are then discussed in relation to the deliberative processes in senior courts; to judicial selection and appointments; and to the disciplinary process. Second, informal judicial institutions are deeply connected with the UK constitutional tradition. The Brexit litigation laid bare the challenges of containing political behavior within certain boundaries, and the unwritten conventions which have bound the judiciary and the executive might now be instinctively understood and shared by only one of these two parties.
Talks, Dinners, and Envelopes at Nightfall: The Politicization of Informality at the Bundesverfassungsgericht
Authors: Steininger Silvia
Published: March 2024

The German Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG) has for decades used informality to establish, build, and protect its authority. Yet, as the political landscape has shifted in recent years, in particular since the end of the Merkel-era Grand Coalition and the rise of the right-wing populist AfD, several longstanding informal practices and institutions have become politicized. Those concern extra-judicial activities of judges, regular informal meetings between the Court and the government, and privileged early access to the Court’s press releases for certain journalists. This Article first introduces various forms of informality that the BVerfG employs in its internal self-administration and the judicial-legal culture in general, before tracing how, why, and by whom the three aforementioned practices of informality are challenged. Ultimately, this Article analyzes how the Court and its judges respond to the politicization of informality, and in particular how it triggered processes of formalization of judicial behavior and changes in institutional communication.
Constructing the Pyramid of Influence: Informal Institutions as Building Blocks of Judicial Oligarchy in Georgia
Authors: Tsereteli Nino
Published: March 2024

This Article gives a cautionary account of the rise of judicial oligarchs in Georgia, highlighting how their rule distorts judicial governance and undermines judicial independence. The Georgian judiciary is portrayed as a pyramid-like structure where judges’ positions are determined by their influence on judicial governance and decision-making. Judicial oligarchs are a select few judges at the top that have acquired system-wide influence over the judiciary through their trusted affiliates, leaving other judges with minimal influence at the bottom of the pyramid. Research indicates that judicial self-governance bodies, such as judicial councils, can easily be manipulated by a handful of judges independently or through collusion with politicians. This can occur especially when most judges have little interest and the ability to participate meaningfully in governance. The Article explains how judicial oligarchs get judges to elect them and their affiliates as judicial council members. Informal networks and institutions contribute to their electoral success. There appears to be a shared expectation that judges will not challenge the oligarchs’ authority by publicly disagreeing with them or competing with them in elections, or else face sanctions. Research also cautions that de-politicization in the sense of excluding politicians from the bodies of judicial governance will not necessarily prevent politicians’ informal meddling with judicial decision-making. Collusion between judicial oligarchs and ruling party politicians forms part of the broader strategy of weakening the checks and balances and allowing the ruling party to operate without constraints. Thus, judicial oligarchs help to perpetuate oligarchization in the political sphere.
Informal Judicial Institutions in Ireland
Authors: O’Brien Patrick
Published: March 2024

In the past twenty-five years, Ireland has moved from a traditional common law model of judicial administration, in which key aspects of judicial careers and administration were handled informally and politically, to a much more formal system designed along European lines. This transition is driven by Irish judges and politicians and influenced heavily by EU and Council of Europe soft law on judicial independence and the rule of law. In this article I sketch an outline of judicial institutions in Ireland before focusing on two topics that exemplify the transition: Judicial conduct and judicial appointments. I argue that the move to formalize judicial administration in Ireland is rooted in a desire to follow best practice but also to avoid politically difficult reforms in other areas.
Supranational Actors as Drivers of Formalization
Authors: Leloup Mathieu
Published: March 2024

This Article describes and analyzes the role that various supranational actors from the European level play in the rise of formalization in the European states of the legal framework surrounding their judiciary. It starts from the observation that those supranational actors act as a driving force towards increased formalization via a variety of recommendations, reports, or decisions. It first provides several concrete examples of where the supranational actors act as such a driving force towards more formalization. In a second step, the Article looks more generally at how the various supranational actors think about informality surrounding the judiciary and tries to discern the rationales that underlie their position. In a third step, it assesses the various advantages and disadvantages of the rise in formalization that is propagated by the supranational actors. In doing so, the Article shows how the topic of informal judicial rules and practices cannot be understood fully without having due regard to the supranational level and contributes to the literature on the relationship between formal and informal institutions.
Informal Judicial Practices in the Belgian Legal Order: A Story of Incremental and Reactive Development
Authors: Leloup Mathieu
Published: March 2024

This article discusses the existence and development of informal judicial practices in the Belgian legal order. It starts with the observation that the Belgian legal system is already highly formalized and suggests two reasons for that. Further, it shows that despite this rather high degree of existing formalization, important informal practices have nevertheless taken shape. However, over time the legislature intervenes, often as a reaction to some kind of external catalyst, and formalizes those previously informal aspects of the Belgian judicial system. This article therefore describes the Belgian legal order as a process of incremental and reactive formalization, taking place between the judiciary and the legislature.
(No) Ghost in the Shell: The Role of Values Internalization in Judicial Empowerment in Slovakia
Authors: Šipulová Katarína , Spáč Samuel
Published: March 2024

This article uses the case study of Slovakia and its lackluster experience with a judge-dominated judicial council to demonstrate that formal institutions have only limited impact on the ideational level. We show that the transformation of the Slovak post-communist judiciary relied on the presumption that judges‘ interests are automatically complementary to principles of the rule of law. Therefore, the majority of implemented reforms insulated the judiciary from the political branches of power, but allowed strong hierarchical relationships inside the courts to exist. In contrast to international expectations, judicial authorities used judicial empowerment to create or strengthen competing informal practices, which helped them to maximize their power. We argue that the lack of internalization of judicial independence might explain why institutional self-governance reforms failed to trigger changes in the professional role conception of judges in regimes riddled with deeply embedded informal institutions. In order to tackle this problem, we propose that future research on the relationship between institutional safeguards and decisional judicial independence should focus on the process through which actors internalize new institutional incentives.
Informality and Courts: Uneasy Partnership
Authors: Kosař David , Šipulová Katarína , Urbániková Marína
Published: March 2024

This introductory Article provides a conceptual umbrella for the Special Issue on Informal Institutions and Democratic Decay. It offers conceptual clarity to studying informal institutions and explains their relationship to other concepts such as constitutional conventions or judicial culture. The article summarizes findings of the Special issue in four key observations. First, it shows that it is impossible to understand the functioning of courts without understanding the informal rules that shape courts’ governance and decision-making. These informal rules (institutions) appear within courts (internal), between courts and other actors (mixed) and among non-judicial actors with effects on courts (external judicial institutions). Second, it identifies a strong trend of formalization of rules, sponsored mostly on the supranational European level .Third, it explains why reforms of formal rules are often not sufficient to trigger behavioral changes and highlights the role of informal institutions in created commitment of actors to key democratic principles. Fourth, it argues that informal judicial institutions significantly impact the quality of democracy.
Theologians Minor: Embracing Our Vocation with Humility
Authors: Flanagan Brian P.
Published: March 2024

Amid multiple crises in our world, academic theology is facing a crisis in Catholic higher education, leading to a smaller place for theology and religious studies in increasingly precarious Catholic institutions. Rather than succumbing to despair or continuing in denial, this address encourages theologians to embrace the virtue of humility and the smallness of the vocation of the theologian in the midst of this turmoil. As “theologians minor” we are called to embrace our own smallness and our own importance in the church and the world, and to build communities closer to the margins of our church and world to which we provide a vital witness.
Electrolubrication in liquid mixtures between two parallel plates
Authors: Kroll Roni , Tsori Yoav
Published: March 2024

We describe theoretically ‘electrolubrication’ in liquid mixtures: the phenomenon whereby an electric field applied transverse to the confining surfaces leads to concentration gradients that alter the flow profile significantly. When the more polar liquid is the less viscous one, the stress in the liquid falls on two electric-field-induced thin lubrication layers. The thickness of the lubrication layer depends on the Debye length and the mixture correlation length. For the simple case of two parallel and infinite plates, we calculate explicitly the liquid velocity profile and integrated flux. The maximum liquid velocity and flux can be increased by a factor

$\alpha$

, of order 10–100 or even more. For a binary mixture of water and a cosolvent, with viscosities

$\eta _w$

and

$\eta _{cs}$

, respectively,

$\alpha$

increases monotonically with inter-plate potential

$V$

and average ion content, and is large if the ratio

$\eta _{cs}/\eta _w$

is large.