bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of droplet displacement during transport of polydisperse emulsion as drug carriers in microchannels
Authors: Błaszczyk Mariola , Sęk Jerzy , Przybysz Łukasz
Published: February 2022

Drug transport in human body is often intensified by various carriers. The simplest and highly effective are emulsions. In these liquids, one phase is dispersed in other in the form of droplets, in which active substance is often dissolved. In existing application of such liquids as carriers, monodispersity of such systems has been a very important parameter, because when all droplets have same size, it is relatively easy to predict drug release time. However, monodisperse emulsion production on an industrial scale is expensive and technologically quite difficult. Therefore, it would be more reasonable to use polydisperse emulsions. However, mechanism of drug release from such carriers is more complicated and difficult to conduct. When emulsion droplets of different sizes pass through microchannels, i.e., blood vessels, individual droplets’ transport velocity is different and interdependent. The ability to predict rate at which individual droplets travel through microchannels will enable control of drug release depending on emulsion parameters. This work presents a detailed analysis of polydisperse emulsion transport through a single microchannel. Dependence of individual droplets velocity on their diameter and position relative to flow axis and influence of these parameters on droplet transport trajectories were studied. These studies were conducted for five liquid flow rates and three emulsion concentrations. As a result of this work, some generalization approach was proposed to estimate droplet transport velocity depending on their position in channel based on reference to single-phase flow. This work may find application in pharmaceutical industry for design of cheaper drug manufacturing technologies.

Graphical abstract
Exposure to the troubles in Northern Ireland, memory functioning, and social activity engagement: results from NICOLA
Authors: McHugh Power Joanna E , Feeney Joanne , Fowler Elizabeth , McMichael Alan J. , Hyland Philip , Lawlor Brian A. , Cruise Sharon , Potter Claire , Young Ian , McGuinness Bernadette , Kee Frank
Published: February 2022

We investigated the potential impact of a cohort traumatic exposure, the Troubles in Northern Ireland, on memory functioning in later life, and the potential moderating effect of social activity engagement. Using data from 6571 participants aged 60 + in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA) cohort, we used a structural equation modelling framework to explore associations between traumatic exposure during the Troubles and memory functioning. As expected, social activity engagement was positively associated with memory functioning, β = .102. Traumatic exposure was also positively associated with memory functioning, β = .053. This association was stronger at low levels of social activity engagement; among those with higher levels, there was little association, interaction β = − 0.054. The positive association between traumatic exposure during the Troubles and memory functioning was not moderated by the age at which the exposures occurred (based on analysis of a subsample with available data), interaction β = − 0.015. We conclude that superior memory functioning was associated with higher levels of traumatic exposure during the Troubles, particularly among those with lower levels of social activity engagement, and regardless of the age at which the exposures occurred. Future longitudinal analyses are required to build on these results, which potentially have implications for life-course epidemiology, in relation to critical periods for traumatising experiences.
Environmental-agreement design and political ideology in democracies
Authors: Böhmelt Tobias
Published: February 2022

Does the political ideology of negotiating parties influence the design of international environmental agreements? This article distinguishes between leftist and rightist executives in democracies to develop a twofold argument. First, left-leaning democratic governments tend to be generally more environmental-friendly, which implies that they should favor designs that are more conducive to effective institutions. Second, leftist democratic executives are commonly less concerned about sovereignty costs. Both mechanisms suggest that environmental treaties likely comprise “legalized,” i.e., hard-law elements when left-wing democracies negotiate their design. The empirical implication of the theory is tested with quantitative data on international environmental agreements since 1975. The findings report an association between leftist ideology in democracies and agreement legalization, although this is driven by aspects of sovereignty delegation. This article contributes to the literatures on environmental institutions, international cooperation more generally, as well as party politics.
The Emirates Mars Mission
Authors: Amiri H. E. S. , Brain D. , Sharaf O. , Withnell P. , McGrath M. , Alloghani M. , Al Awadhi M. , Al Dhafri S. , Al Hamadi O. , Al Matroushi H. , Al Shamsi Z. , Al Shehhi O. , Chaffin M. , Deighan J. , Edwards C. , Ferrington N. , Harter B. , Holsclaw G. , Kelly M. , Kubitschek D. , Landin B. , Lillis R. , Packard M. , Parker J. , Pilinski E. , Pramman B. , Reed H. , Ryan S. , Sanders C. , Smith M. , Tomso C. , Wrigley R. , Al Mazmi H. , Al Mheiri N. , Al Shamsi M. , Al Tunaiji E. , Badri K. , Christensen P. , England S. , Fillingim M. , Forget F. , Jain S. , Jakosky B. M. , Jones A. , Lootah F. , Luhmann J. G. , Osterloo M. , Wolff M. , Yousuf M.
Published: February 2022

The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) was launched to Mars in the summer of 2020, and is the first interplanetary spacecraft mission undertaken by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The mission has multiple programmatic and scientific objectives, including the return of scientifically useful information about Mars. Three science instruments on the mission’s Hope Probe will make global remote sensing measurements of the Martian atmosphere from a large low-inclination orbit that will advance our understanding of atmospheric variability on daily and seasonal timescales, as well as vertical atmospheric transport and escape. The mission was conceived and developed rapidly starting in 2014, and had aggressive schedule and cost constraints that drove the design and implementation of a new spacecraft bus. A team of Emirati and American engineers worked across two continents to complete a fully functional and tested spacecraft and bring it to the launchpad in the middle of a global pandemic. EMM is being operated from the UAE and the United States (U.S.), and will make its data freely available.
Ambidexterity in entrepreneurial universities and performance measurement systems. A literature review
Authors: García-Hurtado Dayanis , Devece Carlos , Zegarra-Saldaña Pablo E. , Crisanto-Pantoja Mario
Published: February 2022

The main purpose of this research is to analyze the exploration and exploitation of knowledge in universities that support innovation and entrepreneurship in their environment. For this, the Performance Measurement Systems (PMS) of the universities management are analyzed as a proxy for the implementation of the strategic vision of the universities. This study is based on a systematic literature review on the subject, supported by the technical possibilities offered by the MAXQDA (The Art of Data Analysis) program. The databases used were the following: Elsevier (Science Direct), Springer, Wiley and Taylor & Francis. The main findings suggest that organizational ambidexterity, in general, develops unevenly and from different approaches, among which innovation, learning and strategy stand out. However, organizational ambidexterity hardly develops in a university context, where most of the university activities require some knowledge of the technological frontier. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze and understand these two dimensions (exploration and exploitation) and their positive influence on entrepreneurship. In a context where the development of technology and science happens at an ever-increasing speed, a balance between exploration and exploitation is necessary, which should be reflected in the different control mechanisms in academic environments, such as the Performance Measurement Systems (PMS). The analysis of these systems will allow to know the position of the universities in the face of ambidexterity.
Ranking the sustainable development goals: perceived sustainability priorities in small island states
Authors: Eppinga Maarten B. , Mijts Eric N. , Santos Maria J.
Published: February 2022

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to elicit global mobilization to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and are increasingly used in support of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Previous studies have highlighted interdependencies between SDGs, with potential interactions between four Sustainability Domains: Economy, Governance, Planet and Society. This study aimed to assess whether people’s perception of the relative importance of the SDGs reflects recognition of the need to prioritize efforts across Domains, or whether this perception is based on different valuations of the Sustainability Domains themselves. We designed an interactive online tool in which participants used the Q-sort technique to rank the SDGs according to their subjective valuation of importance. We analyzed the rankings of 108 participants, all learners at universities in three Small Island States (SIS): Aruba, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Analysis of the correlation structure among participants’ Q-sorts showed that higher perceived importance of the Society- and Economy-related SDGs 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9 traded off with lower perceived importance of the Planet-related SDGs 13, 14 and 15. Furthermore, SDG rankings of learners from Aruba occurred furthest toward the Planet-based part of this trade-off axis. For ESD programs, our method provides a novel tool to identify key interactions between SDGs that may not yet be recognized by program participants. In this way, communicating the need for simultaneous action and policy development across Sustainability Domains could be specifically tailored to the local context. Such connections may increase the effectiveness of ESD in addressing the substantial sustainability challenges facing SIS.
Oxidative Refining of Metallurgical Grade Silicon: Lab-Scale Measurements on the Overarching Refining Behavior of Ca and Al
Authors: Bjørnstad Erlend L. , Jung In-Ho , Van Ende Marie-Aline , Tranell Gabriella
Published: February 2022

Oxidative ladle refining (OLR) is the most widely used refining process for removal of dissolved Ca and Al in the industrial production of metallurgical grade silicon (MG-Si). Refining occurs by purging the silicon alloy with an oxygen–air mixture at temperatures preferably between 1823 K and 1873 K, forming a SiO

$$_{2}$$

2

–CaO–Al

$$_{2}$$

2

O

$$_{3}$$

3

slag, which is then separated from the liquid alloy before casting. To meet higher quality demands and customer specifications, it is paramount to achieve greater process control of the industrial system, which requires a deeper understanding of the Ca and Al mass transfer kinetics, and the general refining behavior. In this work, laboratory-scale experiments have been performed, aiming to emulate the industrial process. Five different alloy compositions, with varying initial Ca and Al concentration, were refined over 11 experiments, with samples taken at 0, 5, 7, 10, and 15 minutes at 1873 K. A FactSage-based model was used to explore the underlying thermodynamic system behavior. The results suggest that OLR of MG-Si occurs in three primary steps, initially by the formation of slag by surface oxidation and purge gas, through the depletion of dissolved Ca in the melt, and secondarily by the formation of silica. Towards the end of the refining process, a critical amount of slag has been formed by the previous steps such that a global equilibrium is attained between the SiO

$$_{2}$$

2

–CaO–Al

$$_{2}$$

2

O

$$_{3}$$

3

slag and the silicon alloy.
Risk Factors for Symptomatic Gallstone Disease and Gallstone Formation After Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Haal Sylke , Guman Maimoena S. S. , Bruin Sjoerd , Schouten Ruben , van Veen Ruben N. , Fockens Paul , Dijkgraaf Marcel G. W. , Hutten Barbara A. , Gerdes Victor E. A. , Voermans Rogier P.
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Patients who undergo bariatric surgery are at risk for developing cholesterol gallstones. We aimed to identify risk factors that are associated with symptomatic gallstone disease and gallstone formation after bariatric surgery.

Materials and Methods

We included participants of the UPGRADE trial, a multicenter randomized placebo-controlled trial on the prevention of symptomatic gallstone disease with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) after bariatric surgery. The association between patient characteristics and symptomatic gallstone disease, and gallstone formation was evaluated using logistic regression analysis.

Results

Of 959 patients, 78 (8%) developed symptomatic gallstone disease within 24 months. Risk factors were the presence of a pain syndrome (OR 2.07; 95% CI 1.03 to 4.17) and asymptomatic gallstones before surgery (OR 3.15; 95% CI 1.87 to 5.33). Advanced age (OR 0.95; 95% CI 0.93 to 0.97) was protective, and UDCA prophylaxis did not reach statistical significance (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.39 to 1.03). No risk factors were identified for gallstone formation, whereas advanced age (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.96 to 1.00), statin use (OR 0.42; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.90), and UDCA prophylaxis (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.73) all reduced the risk.

Conclusion

Young patients with a preoperative pain syndrome and/or asymptomatic gallstones before bariatric surgery are at increased risk for symptomatic gallstone disease after surgery. Whether statins, either alone or in combination with UDCA prophylaxis, can further reduce the burden of gallstones after bariatric surgery should be investigated prospectively.

Graphical abstract
Cellular Heterogeneity and Plasticity of Skin Epithelial Cells in Wound Healing and Tumorigenesis
Authors: Wang Jingru , He Jia , Zhu Meishu , Han Yan , Yang Ronghua , Liu Hongwei , Xu Xuejuan , Chen Xiaodong
Published: February 2022

Cellular differentiation, the fundamental hallmark of cells, plays a critical role in homeostasis. And stem cells not only regulate the process where embryonic stem cells develop into a complete organism, but also replace ageing or damaged cells by proliferation, differentiation and migration. In characterizing distinct subpopulations of skin epithelial cells, stem cells show large heterogeneity and plasticity for homeostasis, wound healing and tumorigenesis. Epithelial stem cells and committed progenitors replenish each other or by themselves owing to the remarkable plasticity and heterogeneity of epidermal cells under certain circumstance. The development of new assay methods, including single-cell RNA sequence, lineage tracing assay, intravital microscopy systems and photon-ablation assay, highlight the plasticity of epidermal stem cells in response to injure and tumorigenesis. However, the critical mechanisms and key factors that regulate cellular plasticity still need for further exploration. In this review, we discuss the recent insights about the heterogeneity and plasticity of epithelial stem cells in homeostasis, wound healing and skin tumorigenesis. Understanding how stem cells collaborate together to repair injury and initiate tumor will offer new solutions for relevant diseases.

Graphical Abstract

Schematic abstract of cellular heterogeneity and plasticity of skin epithelial cells in wound healing and tumorigenesis
Understanding Integration Experience and Wellbeing of Economic-Asylum Seekers in Italy: the Case of Nigerian Immigrants
Authors: Obi Chinedu , Slosse Wannes , Bartolini Fabio , Dessein Joost , D’Haese Marijke
Published: February 2022

The literature on migrants’ integration and wellbeing is ample, but the case of economic-asylum seekers in a protracted asylum application system is yet to receive sufficient attention. The economic-asylum seekers are a unique group who migrate with an economic motive but apply for asylum to achieve economic integration in the host country. We use the aspiration-capability framework and a mixed-method approach: participant observation, focus group discussion, and field survey, to study a group of economic-asylum seekers from Nigeria when they were waiting for their asylum decisions in Italy. We find that they evaluate their wellbeing by reflecting on their premigration aspirations, integration constraints, and capabilities. They report lower life satisfaction compared to their satisfaction in Nigeria, and were affected by several barriers including structural, psychological, economic, and social constraints. Our study generally describes what it is like to live in limbo and frustration, with a limited assurance for a better tomorrow. It gives voice to the economic-asylum seekers and contributes to the integration literature by examining their perceptions of integration constraints.
Exogenous Shocks and Business Process Management
Authors: Röglinger Maximilian , Plattfaut Ralf , Borghoff Vincent , Kerpedzhiev Georgi , Becker Jörg , Beverungen Daniel , vom Brocke Jan , Van Looy Amy , del-Río-Ortega Adela , Rinderle-Ma Stefanie , Rosemann Michael , Santoro Flavia Maria , Trkman Peter
Published: February 2022

Business process management (BPM) drives corporate success through effective and efficient processes. In recent decades, knowledge has been accumulated regarding the identification, discovery, analysis, design, implementation, and monitoring of business processes. This includes methods and tools for tackling various kinds of process change such as continuous process improvement, process reengineering, process innovation, and process drift. However, exogenous shocks, which lead to unintentional and radical process change, have been neglected in BPM research although they severely affect an organization’s context, strategy, and business processes. This research note conceptualizes the interplay of exogenous shocks and BPM in terms of the effects that such shocks can have on organizations’ overall process performance over time. On this foundation, related challenges and opportunities for BPM via several rounds of idea generation and consolidation within a diverse team of BPM scholars are identified. The paper discusses findings in light of extant literature from BPM and related disciplines, as well as present avenues for future (BPM) research to invigorate the academic discourse on the topic.
The effective application of international human rights law standards to the sporting domain: Should UN monitoring bodies take central stage?
Authors: González Carmen Pérez
Published: February 2022

This work aims to reflect on the role that UN human rights monitoring bodies—both charter and treaty based—could play in tackling human rights violations of athletes rights occurred in the sporting domain. While recognizing the autonomy of sports associations in the application of their own lex sportiva, the author maintains that the perspective and concrete recommendations provided by UN human rights mechanisms could help (i) raise human rights standards applied by sporting associations and (ii) more effectively combat discriminatory and other harmful or unfair practices in sport. Thus, the purpose of the analysis is twofold. First, the work will examine the reasons behind the absence of a significant UN human rights mechanisms/bodies practice so far. Secondly, it will support that autonomy of sport should not imply that athletes could be prevented from having access to these mechanisms seeking concrete recommendations regarding changes in situations of discrimination or application of such harmful or unfair practices. While identifying certain obstacles to individual access, the work advocates for a more decisive action of these mechanisms in this regard. In particular, through Committees’ General Recommendations and Concluding Observations, on the one hand, and special procedures of the Human Rights Council’s pronouncements, on the other.
Experimental and theoretical analysis of large particle–wall collision with different metal plates
Authors: Chen Xueyu , Ji Langyu , Li Yi
Published: February 2022

The coefficients of restitution are important parameters in the study of particle–wall collision, which is widely used in discrete element modeling in solid–liquid multiphase systems. To improve the accuracy of numerical simulations, correspondingly exact particle–wall collision parameters are needed. The current models used in numerical simulation, however, are mostly suitable for solid–gas systems, in which collision models used to be micro-sized. Millimeter-size particle–wall collision models in wet experimental conditions and research on the influence of plate materials were lacking. In this study, we designed an experimental system focused on the different materials of the particles and collision plates and the dry or wet experimental environment to discuss the change of restitution coefficients in various conditions. We selected millimeter-sized iron 45 particles and glass particles, which represented plastic material and hard brittle material, respectively. We also selected three industrial metals, HT250 gray cast iron, 6061 aluminum alloy, and 316 stainless steel, which are commonly used in hydraulic machinery, for the collision plates. Experiments were performed to measure the incident and rebound velocities of the particle at various impact angles. In this paper, we have provided and compared the results of restitution coefficients of velocity and angle varying with the approach angle. In the processing of the experiment, we used the control variate method and applied an ultra-depth of field three-dimensional microscope to scan the surface of the collision plate. In the analysis of the experimental results, single particle–wall collision was seen as a non-smooth dynamical system to discuss the specific phenomenon. Finally, we obtained the relationship between the restitution of normal velocity and elastic elements of materials and explained the relationship of stick–slip motion with the approach angle and velocity.
Figurenepistemologie und Wissensgeltung in Erich Kästners »Fabian. Die Geschichte eines Moralisten«
Authors: Thesing Björn
Published: February 2022

Die Frage nach der literarischen Modernität Erich Kästners wird mitunter kontrovers diskutiert. Weniger kontrovers sind die (Selbst‑)Attribuierung des Autors als »Moralist« und »Rationalist« sowie sein Bekenntnis zur Tradition der Aufklärung. Dieser Beitrag fokussiert sich auf die tragenden Prinzipien epistemischen Einrichtung des Personals in Kästners Roman Fabian. Die Frage nach den Prinzipien der Wissensgeltung auf Figurenebene führt dabei in die philosophisch traditionsreiche Spannung von Rationalität und Emotionalität. In der literarischen Ausgestaltung dieser Prinzipien entwirft Kästner, so die These, ein sowohl erkenntnistheoretisch wie narratologisch innovatives Gemälde, das seinem Roman zurecht das umstrittene Attribut ›modern‹ verleiht.
Detecting delirium in nursing home residents using the Informant Assessment of Geriatric Delirium (I-AGeD): a validation pilot study
Authors: Urfer Dettwiler Pia , Zúñiga Franziska , Bachnick Stefanie , Gehri Beatrice , de Jonghe Jos F. M. , Hasemann Wolfgang
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Early delirium detection in nursing home residents is vital to prevent adverse outcomes. Despite the potential of structured delirium screening tools to enhance delirium detection, they are rarely used in nursing homes. To promote delirium screening tools in nursing homes, they should be easy to integrate into the daily routine of care workers. The I-AGeD, was developed as a simple and easily understandable tool to detect delirium in older adults. The aims of this study were to record the prevalence of delirium, to investigate the feasibility of the I-AGeD, and to compare these results with the DSM-5 as the reference standard.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional prospective single-center pilot study. Seven registered nurses assessed the participants with the I-AGeD. The research assistant conducted delirium assessments based on the DSM-5 criteria, to identify delirium symptoms for the same participants. The feasibility test was verified using a five-point Likert scale ranging from very easy to very difficult.

Results

85 nursing home residents participated in the study. A delirium prevalence of 5.9% was found. The sensitivity was 60% and specificity 94% at a cut point of ≥ 4 to indicate delirium. The feasibility test showed that the 10 items of the I-AGeD were easy or very easy to answer.

Conclusion

The I-AGeD showed an acceptable performance to assess delirium in nursing home residents. Additionally, it was found feasible and due to its brevity the I-AGeD could easily be integrated into the routine of daily care in nursing homes.
Trends in Hospital Admissions Associated with an Acute Kidney Injury in England 1998–2020: a Repeated Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Bien Zuzanna , Fowler Alexander J. , Robbins Alexander J. , Pearse Rupert M. , Prowle John R. , Wan Yize I.
Published: February 2022

A rapid rise in diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) has been observed in the UK and worldwide. It is unclear whether this reflects true growth in incidence or improved detection. To investigate this, aggregate data from Hospital Episode Statistics database on all admissions to National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in England 1998/1999 to 2019/2020 were used to extract the number of AKI diagnoses in different age groups and compare them to diseases of similar incidence (pneumonia, heart failure, dementia) based on ICD-10 coding. Haemofiltration procedures were used as proxy for acute kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in a critical care setting. Temporal trends in usage of AKI-specific ICD-10 codes were examined. A total of 356 million inpatient episodes of care over 22 years were analysed. Between 1998/1999 and 2019/2020, primary AKI diagnoses increased from 1.2 to 5.3 per thousand finished consultant episodes. From 2012/2013, when first recorded, secondary diagnoses doubled from 22.8 to 43.2 per thousand finished consultant episodes. The rate of growth in AKI was significantly greater than that of dementia, but not pneumonia or heart failure. The proportion of acute KRT procedures to total AKI diagnoses decreased. This could suggest that the substantial increase in AKI cases observed within NHS in the last two decades is a result of improved detection and coding, particularly of mild cases. In 2019/2020, 96% of AKI cases were encoded as N17.9 (Acute renal failure, unspecified), despite 11 other codes being available. We believe that adoption of clinically orientated coding could facilitate further improvements in detection with benefits for clinical practice and research.
AI-Based Modeling: Techniques, Applications and Research Issues Towards Automation, Intelligent and Smart Systems
Authors: Sarker Iqbal H.
Published: February 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a leading technology of the current age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0 or 4IR), with the capability of incorporating human behavior and intelligence into machines or systems. Thus, AI-based modeling is the key to build automated, intelligent, and smart systems according to today’s needs. To solve real-world issues, various types of AI such as analytical, functional, interactive, textual, and visual AI can be applied to enhance the intelligence and capabilities of an application. However, developing an effective AI model is achallenging taskdue to the dynamic nature and variation in real-world problems and data. In this paper, we present a comprehensive view on“AI-based Modeling”with the principles and capabilities of potentialAI techniquesthat can play an important role in developing intelligent and smart systems in variousreal-world applicationareas including business, finance, healthcare, agriculture, smart cities, cybersecurity and many more. We also emphasize and highlight theresearch issueswithin the scope of our study. Overall, the goal of this paper is to provide a broad overview of AI-based modeling that can be used as areference guideby academics and industry people as well as decision-makers in various real-world scenarios and application domains.
It Is Premature to Use Postmortem Sperm for Reproductive Purposes: a Data-Driven Opinion
Authors: Tarín Juan J. , García-Pérez Miguel A. , Cano Antonio
Published: February 2022

Postmortem sperm retrieval for reproductive purposes is an assisted reproduction procedure that offers women an opportunity to have a child using sperm retrieved from their deceased partners. The ethical issues of this procedure have been discussed in previous works. However, an assessment of the procedure using a scientific perspective is still lacking. Here, we aim to ascertain, using a biological standpoint, whether postmortem sperm should be rescued for reproductive purposes. Data suggest that it is premature to use postmortem sperm for reproductive purposes. This procedure should not be clinically applied until appropriate and comprehensive analyses have been completed. Such analyses should be focused not only on fertilization, embryo development, and pregnancy outcomes, but also on potential postmortem alterations of sperm DNA, RNAs, and proteins. In addition, genetic and epigenetic analyses of sperm, pre-implantation embryos, and newborns, as well as mental and physical health follow-up of the resulting offspring during a whole life cycle, using appropriate non-human mammalian models, are warranted.
Visions for Racial Equality
Authors: Englund Harri
Published: February 2022

Focusing on David Clement Scott, the head of the Church of Scotland mission in Malawi, who came to see Europeans as learners in Africa, this innovative book narrates the rise and demise of a unique vision for racial equality in nineteenth-century Africa. By immersing himself in the vernacular language and institutions, Scott developed a theology of reversals to pursue justice in race relations. It set him on a collision course with the Church, colonial government and the White commercial interests spearheaded by Cecil Rhodes. Harri Englund shows how Scott's struggle for justice was as much epistemic as political and spiritual - a vision for the future in which White and Black would thrive in their mutual recognition as co-knowers. From linguistic translation to conflicts over land and taxation, from slave trade to personal intimacies, Visions for Racial Equality weaves a rich tapestry of themes in the life and times of a little-known visionary.
Virginia Woolf, Science, Radio, and Identity
Authors: Livingstone Catriona
Published: February 2022

This book offers an extensive analysis of Woolf's engagement with science. It demonstrates that science is integral to the construction of identity in Woolf's novels of the 1930s and 1940s, and identifies a little-explored source for Woolf's scientific knowledge: BBC scientific radio broadcasts. By analyzing this unstudied primary material, it traces the application of scientific concepts to questions of identity and highlights a single concept that is shared across multiple disciplines in the modernist period: the idea that modern science undermined individualized conceptions of the self. It broadens our understanding of the relationship between modernism and radio, modernism and science, and demonstrates the importance of science to Woolf's later novels.
Cosmochemistry
Authors: McSween, Jr Harry , Huss Gary
Published: February 2022

Cosmochemistry is a rapidly evolving field of planetary science and the second edition of this classic text reflects the exciting discoveries made over the past decade from new spacecraft missions. Topics covered include the synthesis of elements in stars, behaviour of elements and isotopes in the early solar nebula and planetary bodies, and compositions of extra-terrestrial materials. Radioisotope chronology of the early Solar System is also discussed, as well as geochemical exploration of planets by spacecraft, and cosmochemical constraints on the formation of solar systems. Thoroughly updated throughout, this new edition features significantly expanded coverage of chemical fractionation and isotopic analyses; focus boxes covering basic definitions and essential background material on mineralogy, organic chemistry and quantitative topics; and a comprehensive glossary. An appendix of analytical techniques and end-of-chapter review questions, with solutions available at www.cambridge.org/cosmochemistry2e, also contribute to making this the ideal teaching resource for courses on the Solar System's composition as well as a valuable reference for early career researchers.
The Rise of Electoral Management Bodies: Diffusion and Effects
Authors: Langford Malcolm , Schiel Rebecca , Wilson Bruce M.
Published: February 2022

Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) are commonly established to increase electoral legitimacy by designing, implementing and/or enforcing rules surrounding nominations, polling, voting, and tabulation. Globally however, EMB design, governance, and efficacy vary considerably. Utilizing four EMB data sources, this article asks (1) to what extent do EMBs form a new pillar of constitutional governance; and (2) how effective are they in managing and increasing the legitimacy of elections? We begin by detailing the global diffusion of EMBs, temporally and geographically, together with trends in governance methods, constitutionalization, and degrees of autonomy and capacity. We then turn to examine the extent to which existing EMBs are effective, empirically testing a global sample of states on two measures associated with electoral legitimacy. Four results of our analyses stand out. First, independent EMBs are most abundant in democratizing regions, including Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia. Second, while EMBs are increasing in number, only a slight majority of states enshrine these institutions in their constitutions. Third, while independent EMBs are the most common systems, autonomous bodies are largely found in democracies. Finally, EMBs characterized by greater degrees of autonomy and capacity are associated with lower levels of both electoral violence and concerns regarding electoral legitimacy.
Universal Digital Twin: Land use
Authors: Akroyd Jethro , Harper Zachary , Soutar David , Farazi Feroz , Bhave Amit , Mosbach Sebastian , Kraft Markus
Published: February 2022

This article develops an ontological description of land use and applies it to incorporate geospatial information describing land coverage into a knowledge-graph-based Universal Digital Twin. Sources of data relating to land use in the UK have been surveyed. The Crop Map of England (CROME) is produced annually by the UK Government and was identified as a valuable source of open data. Formal ontologies to represent land use and the geospatial data arising from such surveys have been developed. The ontologies have been deployed using a high-performance graph database. A customized vocabulary was developed to extend the geospatial capabilities of the graph database to support the CROME data. The integration of the CROME data into the Universal Digital Twin is demonstrated in two use cases that show the potential of the Universal Digital Twin to share data across sectors. The first use case combines data about land use with a geospatial analysis of scenarios for energy provision. The second illustrates how the Universal Digital Twin could use the land use data to support the cross-domain analysis of flood risk. Opportunities for the extension and enrichment of the ontologies, and further development of the Universal Digital Twin are discussed.
On meromorphic solutions of functional-differential equations
Authors: Lü Feng
Published: February 2022

We consider meromorphic solutions of functional-differential equations
\[ f^{(k)}(z)=a(f^{n}\circ g)(z)+bf(z)+c, \]where $n,\,~k$ are two positive integers. Firstly, using an elementary method, we describe the forms of $f$ and $g$ when $f$ is rational and $a(\neq 0)$, $b$, $c$ are constants. In addition, by employing Nevanlinna theory, we show that $g$ must be linear when $f$ is transcendental and $a(\neq 0)$, $b$, $c$ are polynomials in $\mathbb {C}$.
Turbulence mitigation in maximum-J stellarators with electron-density gradient
Authors: Proll J.H.E. , Plunk G.G. , Faber B.J. , Görler T. , Helander P. , McKinney I.J. , Pueschel M.J. , Smith H.M. , Xanthopoulos P.
Published: February 2022

In fusion devices, the geometry of the confining magnetic field has a significant impact on the instabilities that drive turbulent heat loss. This is especially true of stellarators, where the density-gradient-driven branch of the ‘trapped electron mode’ (TEM) is predicted to be linearly stable if the magnetic field has the maximum-J property, as is very approximately the case in certain magnetic configurations of the Wendelstein 7-X experiment (W7-X). Here we show, using both analytical theory and simulations, that the benefits of the optimisation of W7-X also serve to mitigate ion-temperature-gradient (ITG) modes as long as an electron density gradient is present. We find that the effect indeed carries over to nonlinear numerical simulations, where W7-X has low TEM-driven transport, and reduced ITG turbulence in the presence of a density gradient, giving theoretical support for the existence of enhanced confinement regimes, in the presence of strong density gradients (e.g. hydrogen pellet or neutral beam injection).
Tissue eosinophilia correlates with mice susceptibility, granuloma formation and damage during Toxocara canis infection
Authors: Leal-Silva Thaís , de Almeida Lopes Camila , Vieira-Santos Flaviane , Oliveira Fabrício Marcus Silva , Kraemer Lucas , Padrão Luiza de Lima Silva , Amorim Chiara Cássia Oliveira , Souza Jorge Lucas Nascimento , Barbosa Fernando Sérgio , Rachid Milene Alvarenga , Russo Remo Castro , Fujiwara Ricardo Toshio , Bueno Lilian Lacerda
Published: February 2022

An increase in peripheral blood eosinophils in helminth infections is expected, and these cells are known to promote immunity against these parasites. However, studies have suggested that in some specific helminths, eosinophils may promote the needs and longevity of these parasites, and their role in these infections remains undefined, including in Toxocara canis infection. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the role of eosinophils in the context of larval migration of T. canis and the immunopathological aspects of infection. For this, we used wild-type mice and mice genetically deficient for the transcription factor GATA-binding factor 1 (GATA1−/−), infected with 1000 eggs of T. canis. At 0, 3, 14 and 63 days post-infection, parasite load, tissue cytokine production, leucocyte profile, bronchoalveolar lavage cells and histopathological analyses were carried out. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the presence of eosinophils mediates susceptibility to T. canis, inducing leucocytosis and the formation of granulomas, increasing the pulmonary and cerebral parasite load, and reducing the number of neutrophils, which may be necessary to control the infection.
The long-term effects of a polygenetic predisposition to general cognition on healthy cognitive ageing: evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Authors: Ajnakina Olesya , Murray Robin , Steptoe Andrew , Cadar Dorina
Published: February 2022

Background

As an accelerated cognitive decline frequently heralds onset of severe neuropathological disorders, understanding the source of individual differences in withstanding the onslaught of cognitive ageing may highlight how best cognitive abilities may be retained into advanced age.

Methods

Using a population representative sample of 5088 adults aged •50 years from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, we investigated relationships of polygenic predisposition to general cognition with a rate of change in cognition during a 10-year follow-up period. Polygenic predisposition was measured with polygenic scores for general cognition (GC-PGS). Cognition was measured employing tests for verbal memory and semantic fluency.

Results

The average baseline memory score was 11.1 (s.d.= 2.9) and executive function score was 21.5 (s.d.= 5.8). An increase in GC-PGS by one standard deviation (1-s.d.) was associated with a higher baseline verbal memory by an average 0.27 points (95% CI 0.19–0.34,p< 0.001). Similarly, 1-s.d.increase in GC-PGS was associated with a higher semantic fluency score at baseline in the entire sample (β= 0.45, 95% CI 0.27–0.64,p< 0.001). These associations were significant for women and men, and all age groups. Nonetheless, 1-s.d.increase in GC-PGS was not associated with decreases in verbal memory nor semantic fluency during follow-up in the entire sample, as well stratified models by sex and age.

Conclusion

Although common genetic variants associated with general cognition additively are associated with a stable surplus to cognition in adults, a polygenic predisposition to general cognition is not associated with age-related cognitive decline during a 10-year follow-up.
Evolution of impulsivity levels in relation to early cannabis use in violent patients in the early phase of psychosis
Authors: Dan-Glauser Elise , Framorando David , Solida-Tozzi Alessandra , Golay Philippe , Gholam M. Mehdi , Alameda Luis , Conus Philippe , Moulin Valerie
Published: February 2022

Background

Prevention of violent behaviors (VB) in the early phase of psychosis (EPP) is a real challenge. Impulsivity was shown to be strongly related to VB, and different evolutions of impulsivity were noticed along treatments. One possible variable involved in the relationship between VB and the evolution of impulsivity is cannabis use (CU). The high prevalence of CU in EPP and its relationship with VB led us to investigate: 1/the impact of CU and 2/the impact of early CU on the evolution of impulsivity levels during a 3-year program, in violent and non-violent EPP patients.

Methods

178 non-violent and 62 violent patients (VPs) were followed-up over a 3 year period. Age of onset of CU was assessed at program entry and impulsivity was assessed seven times during the program. The evolution of impulsivity level during the program, as a function of the violent and non-violent groups of patients and CU precocity were analyzed with linear mixed-effects models.

Results

Over the treatment period, impulsivity level did not evolve as a function of the interaction between group and CU (coef. = 0.02, p = 0.425). However, when including precocity of CU, impulsivity was shown to increase significantly only in VPs who start consuming before 15 years of age (coef. = 0.06, p = 0.008).

Conclusion

The precocity of CU in VPs seems to be a key variable of the negative evolution of impulsivity during follow-up and should be closely monitored in EPP patients entering care since they have a higher risk of showing VB.
Mismatch between scientific theories and statistical models
Authors: Gelman Andrew
Published: February 2022

Yarkoni recommends that psychology researchers should take care to align their statistical models to the verbal theories they are studying and testing. This principle applies not just to qualitative theories in psychology but also to more quantitative sciences: there, too, mismatch between open-ended theories and specific statistical models have led to confusion.
Publishing fast and slow: A path toward generalizability in psychology and AI
Authors: Lampinen Andrew K. , Chan Stephanie C. Y. , Santoro Adam , Hill Felix
Published: February 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) shares many generalizability challenges with psychology. But the fields publish differently. AI publishes fast, through rapid preprint sharing and conference publications. Psychology publishes more slowly, but creates integrative reviews and meta-analyses. We discuss the complementary advantages of each strategy, and suggest that incorporating both types of strategies could lead to more generalizable research in both fields.
Co-research with older people: a systematic literature review
Authors: James Hayley , Buffel Tine
Published: February 2022

Interest in co-research with older adults has grown in the past 20 years, yet few published studies have addressed why and how older people have been involved as partners in research. This article presents a systematic review of the literature, examining the aims and challenges of co-research and the ways in which older adults can be involved in research. Systematic searches covering several databases were conducted, yielding a total of 3,293 articles, with 27 papers reviewed which involved older people as co-researchers across more than one stage of the research cycle. We find that co-research with older people offers improved understandings of the issues facing older people; more inclusive and responsive policy, practice and service design; and opportunities for co-researchers to develop new skills whilst giving voice to marginalised groups of older people. The analysis highlights the different ways in which older adults can be involved across phases of research, and identifies ethical, methodological and practical challenges encountered in the process. Involving older adults as co-researchers, while labour intensive and practically challenging, holds promise as an underdeveloped resource for social gerontology, as well as older people themselves. The paper identifies four pathways for improving and extending co-research: developing diversified structures of involvement, supporting co-researchers, embedding research rigour and ensuring co-ownership of change.
Microstructural and Analytical Study of Uncommon Corrosion Features on Archaeological Cu-As Alloys from Tappeh Graziani in Southeastern Iran
Authors: Mortazavi Mohammad , Kavosh Hosseinali , Naghavi Sogand , Khanjari Reza
Published: February 2022

The morphology and composition of the corrosion products of archaeological arsenical copper alloys buried in a specific environment for a long time were investigated using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The analyses demonstrated that the alloy composition of the artifacts was copper-arsenic (Cu-AS) with significant amounts of lead in some samples. Cuprite, malachite, and copper (II) hydroxychlorides were observed on a completely mineralized matrix. The surface of the objects was covered by two main corrosion layers formed on the internal cuprous oxide. However, several successive layers of corrosion products were recognized on the artifacts in some cases. Furthermore, phosphatic corrosion products including, mimetite [Pb5(AsO4)3Cl], and pyromorphite [Pb5(PO4)3Cl] were identified. Conichalcite [CaCu(AsO4)](OH), which grew in the form of Liesegang rings, was also identified as a corrosion product of one of the objects. As and Pb exhibited some enrichment in the corrosion crusts of the artifacts. Environmental changes in burial conditions, particularly due to seasonal streams and consequent changes in soil corrosivity, vicinity of objects to bone material, along with the migration of alloy elements, especially lead and arsenic, can explain the morphological features of these archaeological objects.