bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Personal and Societal Benefits of Social Activities for Older Adults in Russia: Experts’ Perspectives
Authors: Martynova Liliya
Published: December 2024

The development of social activities specifically tailored for older adults needs to be grounded in a comprehensive understanding of the effects of these activities from multiple perspectives. The present study applies thematic analysis to examine experts’ views and experiences regarding the effects of social activities on older people of different ethnic backgrounds and various abilities in Russia. The results suggest that participation in such activities benefits the everyday personal development of older participants. The experts involved in organising and developing social activities also noted that family relationships may be enhanced through the participation of older adults due to changes in their lifestyles, opportunities to fulfil new social roles and related improvements in communication between family members. Social activities not only address stereotypes about older adults’ abilities but also affect the understanding of mature beauty in new ways while creating a more fulfilling environment for older people by better meeting their interests and needs. Regardless of the specific activity, older people’s participation facilitates the transmission of culture and traditions across generations, cultivates an image of older adults as valuable sources of information and provides a more comprehensive and inclusive conceptualisation of ageing within society. The experts who were interviewed for this study recommended that decisions about developing social activities be made with older adults rather than without considering their opinions, supporting horizontal connections and allowing the heterogeneity of older adults.
Self-compassion in children and adolescents: a systematic review of empirical studies through a developmental lens
Authors: Neuenschwander Regula , von Gunten Florence Olivia
Published: December 2024

Self-compassion is increasingly recognized as an adaptive resource for coping with personal distress by reducing the sense of threat and creating feelings of safeness, yet little is known about its developmental origins. We review a broad body of literature examining self-compassion in childhood and adolescence hoping to stimulate developmental research and point to practical implications. Apart from classifying studies in terms of study characteristics (e.g., populations, measures), we categorized all studies according to their research domain(s): psychosocial environment, mental and physical health, achievement or performance, and mindfulness-related constructs. One hundred and forty-one articles – looking at self-compassion as predictor or outcome variable – were identified. We found a sharp increase of publications within the past 10 years. Descriptive analyses of research domains show a strong interest in understanding the relation between self-compassion and mental health, although little is known about the directionality of this relationship and how positive vs. negative (self-criticism) aspects of self-compassion contribute to vulnerability or resilience in young people. Furthermore, inter- and intra-individual factors that may potentially affect the development of self-compassion have been identified. Of interest, studies have retrospectively identified factors within the family (e.g., parenting, attachment) that contribute to individual differences in self-compassion. Longitudinal studies, however, are still scarce. Self-compassion has also been investigated as a potential mechanism of how early trauma impacts later (mal)adjustment. Choosing a broad focus, allowed us to shed light on domains that either have been given attention to or have been neglected in the study of self-compassion in children and adolescents.
Isatuximab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone in frail individuals with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma in Japan
Authors: Tagami Nami , Uchiyama Michihiro , Suzuki Kenshi , Shirai Heigoroh , Seto Takeshi , Iida Shinsuke
Published: December 2024

This post-marketing surveillance (PMS) assessed the safety and effectiveness of isatuximab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone (Isa-Pd) for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) in frail individuals during real-world use in Japan. Data from all individuals with RRMM treated with Isa-Pd in Japan between October 2020 and October 2021 were collected, with follow-up continued up to 12 months after starting Isa-Pd or until discontinuation. In the overall PMS population, 40 participants were classified as frail (33.3%) and 29 as fit/intermediate (24.2%), and 51 had no frailty score (42.5%). Incidence of adverse drug reactions in each group was 77.5%, 65.5%, and 37.3%. In frail versus fit/intermediate participants, bone-marrow suppression occurred in 72.5% versus 44.8%, infectious diseases in 17.5% versus 10.3%, and infusion-related reactions in 7.5% versus 3.5%. Heart failure occurred in one participant with no frailty score. The rates of overall response and very good partial response or better were higher (p = 0.101) in fit/intermediate participants (56.0% and 36.0%) than in frail participants (38.5% and 18.0%). Rates of treatment discontinuation due to disease progression were similar between groups. These findings support the safety and effectiveness of Isa-Pd for frail individuals with RRMM in real-life settings in Japan.
The pass-through of subsidizing petrol consumption: the case of Spain
Authors: Jiménez Juan Luis , Perdiguero Jordi , Cazorla-Artiles José Manuel
Published: December 2024

In response to the rise in petrol prices following the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the Spanish government introduced a fuel subsidy of €0.2 per litre from April to December 2022. Using weekly petrol price data, we estimate a difference-in-differences model, with European Union countries that did not introduce measures as the control group, to determine the potential price effects of both the subsidy and its impact after its removal. The causal analysis leads to several conclusions. First, the subsidy increased the net price of diesel by €0.0527 per litre. Petrol 95 does not appear to have changed significantly with the introduction of the subsidy. Secondly, diesel prices return to their pre-subsidy equilibrium when the subsidy is removed, so there does not seem to be any asymmetry in the pass-through. Finally, the pass-through was 73.65% for diesel and we cannot reject 100% in the case of petrol 95. Estimates confirm that at least 857 million euros of public funds were retained by the petrol companies, i.e. 23.8% of the total subsidy cost for diesel.
An Efficient and Flexible Bifunctional Dual-Band Electrochromic Device Integrating with Energy Storage
Authors: Huang Zekun , Peng Yutao , Zhao Jing , Zhang Shengliang , Qi Penglu , Qu Xianlin , Yan Fuqiang , Ding Bing , Xuan Yimin , Zhang Xiaogang
Published: December 2024

Dual-band electrochromic devices capable of the spectral-selective modulation of visible (VIS) light and near-infrared (NIR) can notably reduce the energy consumption of buildings and improve the occupants' visual and thermal comfort. However, the low optical modulation and poor durability of these devices severely limit its practical applications. Herein, we demonstrate an efficient and flexible bifunctional dual-band electrochromic device which not only shows excellent spectral-selective electrochromic performance with a high optical modulation and a long cycle life, but also displays a high capacitance and a high energy recycling efficiency of 51.4%, integrating energy-saving with energy-storage. The nanowires structure and abundant oxygen-vacancies of oxygen-deficient tungsten oxide nanowires endows it high flexibility and a high optical modulation of 73.1% and 85.3% at 633 and 1200 nm respectively. The prototype device assembled can modulate the VIS light and NIR independently and effectively through three distinct modes with a long cycle life (3.3% capacity loss after 10,000 cycles) and a high energy-saving performance (8.8 °C lower than the common glass). Furthermore, simulations also demonstrate that our device outperforms the commercial low-emissivity glass in terms of energy-saving in most climatic zones around the world. Such windows represent an intriguing potential technology to improve the building energy efficiency.
Superior haplotypes to enhance grain filling in rice (Oryza sativa L.) identified through GWAS
Authors: Jaldhani V. , Suman K. , Rao D. Sanjeeva , Travis Tony , Rao I. Subhakara , Rathod Santosha , Voleti S. R. , Subrahmanyam D. , Rao P. Raghuveer , Barbadikar Kalyani M. , Mangrauthia S. K. , Sundaram R. M. , Price Adam H. , Neeraja C. N.
Published: December 2024

Background

Key traits for determining rice grain yield include the total number of spikelets per panicle (STOT), the total number of grains per panicle (GTOT), and the percentage of grain filling per panicle (GFTOT). Molecular genetic basis of grain yield is complex and regulates several interconnected genes. Identification of candidate genes and their favourable haplotypes associated with the spikelets, grains and grain filling would accelerate rice grain yield enhancement projects. The interface between genetic and environmental factors often influences the grain filling, affecting overall grain yield. Therefore, we executed a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) to investigate the candidate genes associated with grain-filling traits and to explore genotype × environment (G × E) interactions influencing grain filling traits in rice—STOT, GTOT and GFTOT in the subset of Rice Diversity Panel 1 (RDP1).

Methods and results

A set of 188 RDP1 accessions were evaluated across two environments (wet seasons—2021 and 2022) following the standard package of practices to raise healthy crop. Phenotyping analysis identified promising genotypes for three traits of study—STOT and GTOT (Priano Guaira and Tainan-Iku No. 512) and GFTOT (IR8 and Biser-1). GWAS was carried out using 5.2 M SNP dataset in the Parallel Identification of QTL’s using EMMAX (PIQUE) pipeline. Five QTLs, one for STOT (qSTOT6.6), one for GTOT (qGTOT4.2) and three for GFTOT (qGFTOT3.4, qGFTOT3.5 and qGFTOT12.1), were detected. Further, superior haplotypes for eight candidate genes (LOC_Os6g38850 and LOC_OS6g39050 for STOT; LOC_OS4g11040 for GTOT; LOC_OS3g62720, LOC_OS3g62750, LOC_OS3g62820, LOC_OS12g03450 and LOC_OS12g03470 for GFTOT) were identified.

Conclusions

Our results provide key genetic information for the enhancement of grain filling traits in rice. The identified candidate genes and superior haplotypes can possibly be utilized in marker-assisted selection to improve rice grain yield through gene-pyramid breeding/haplotype-assisted breeding.
Exploring AI governance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: gaps, efforts, and initiatives
Authors: Trigui Hana , Guerfali Fatma , Harigua-Souiai Emna , Qasrawi Radwan , Atri Chiraz , Sokhn Elie Salem , El Morr Christo , Hammami Karima , Souiai Oussama , Wu Jianhong , Kong Jude Dzevela , Rousseau Jean Jacques , Znaidi Sadri
Published: December 2024

This commentary explores MENA”s AI governance, addressing gaps, showcasing successful strategies, and comparing national approaches. It emphasizes current deficiencies, highlights regional contributions to global AI governance, and offers insights into effective frameworks. The study reveals distinctions and trends in MENA”s national AI strategies, serving as a concise resource for policymakers and industry stakeholders.
DAO Token Transferability: Property, Contract, and Technology
Authors: Lee Joseph , Fricotté Alexandre
Published: December 2024

A Decentralised Autonomous Organisation (DAO) is a new form of digital enterprise that operates on blockchain networks. It enables a new model of collaboration through diverse capital contributions and equitable sharing of benefits and risks. This paper explores the legal dimensions of DAO token transferability, a vital aspect for the expansion of DAO operations. First, it evaluates how property law (including the proposal by the Law Commission of England and Wales for a third category of digital asset ownership) might apply to DAO tokens so as to mitigate legal risks and ensure smooth transferability. Secondly, it investigates the potential for DAO software protocols to implement contractual transferability restrictions and examines their technological design. Finally, it looks at the legal enforceability of such restrictions and the policies needed to support their legal recognition.
Instability of a dusty shear flow
Authors: Nath Anu V.S. , Roy Anubhab , Kasbaoui M. Houssem
Published: December 2024

We study the instability of a dusty simple shear flow where the dust particles are distributed non-uniformly. A simple shear flow is modally stable to infinitesimal perturbations. Also, a band of particles remains unaffected in the absence of any background flow. However, we demonstrate that the combined scenario – comprising a simple shear flow with a localized band of particles – can exhibit destabilization due to their two-way interaction. The instability originates solely from the momentum feedback from the particle phase to the fluid phase. Eulerian–Lagrangian simulations are employed to illustrate the existence of this instability. Furthermore, the results are compared with a linear stability analysis of the system using an Eulerian–Eulerian model. Our findings indicate that the instability has an inviscid origin and is characterized by a critical wavelength below which it is not persistent. We have observed that increasing particle inertia dampens the unstable modes, whereas the strength of the instability increases with the strength of the coupling between the fluid and particle phases.
Public space at stake: competing forms of territorialisation and the construction of a democratic public space in the first years of the Italian Republic
Authors: Cirefice Virgile
Published: December 2024

The end of the civil war, the fall of the Italian Social Republic, the allied occupation and the gradual transition to the new Italian Republic not only set Italy on the path to democracy, but also gradually gave Italians access to a new public space. This article proposes to revisit the classic question of the legacy of Fascism by looking at the question of space and the difficult construction of a genuine democratic space. During the ventennio, opponents were largely denied access to common spaces, both symbolically and physically. The article raises the question of violence and the exclusive appropriation of space, showing that the representations and practices inherited from Fascism did not disappear overnight. But these practices of space were not always violent: by looking at aspects that are often neglected (graffiti, manifestos, noises and singing), the aim is to show that the transition took time and was sometimes complicated, despite the political leaders of the Italian Republic claiming to have opened up a completely new era.
Investigation of serum galanin, alarin, meteorin-like protein, and ischemia modified albumin levels in patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Gul Ozlem , Gul Huseyin Fatih , Parsanoglu Zozan , Balaban Ozlem Devrim
Published: December 2024

Objective:

The objective of the current research is to study the serum levels of ischemia modified albumin (IMA), a new oxidative stress indicator, and various peptides (galanin, alarin, and meteorin-like protein) that may affect the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, determine their relationship with clinical features and each other, and compare them to those in healthy controls.

Materials and Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study consisting of 45 individuals with schizophrenia who are in remission and 45 healthy individuals. The differences and relationships between categorical variables and serum protein levels of the patient and control groups were statistically analysed. Receiver operating characteristics analysis was used for the diagnostic decision-making properties of serum protein levels to predict the presence of the disease.

Results:

In comparison with the control group, the median levels of serum proteins galanin and alarin were statistically lower in the patient group, whereas METRNL and IMA levels were higher. Considering the predictive values of serum proteins in the diagnosis of the disease, it was observed that serum galanin, alarin, and IMA levels had a sensitivity and specificity higher than 80%, followed by METRNL with 73.3% sensitivity and 66.7% specificity.

Conclusion:

Our findings reveal galanin, alarin, meteorin-like protein, and IMA are important molecules with high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing schizophrenia. Furthermore, we think that further studies are needed to use them as reliable parameters in terms of clinical course, classification, and prognosis in explaining the etiopathogenesis of the disease.
What Would You Say? Estimating Causal Effects of Social Context on Political Expression
Authors: Schulz William Small
Published: December 2024

I develop a survey method for estimating social influence over individual political expression, by combining the content-richness of document scaling with the flexibility of survey research. I introduce the “What Would You Say?” question, which measures self-reported usage of political catchphrases in a hypothetical social context, which I manipulate in a between-subjects experiment. Using Wordsticks, an ordinal item response theory model inspired by Wordfish, I estimate each respondent’s lexical ideology and outspokenness, scaling their political lexicon in a two-dimensional space. I then identify self-censorship and preference falsification as causal effects of social context on respondents’ outspokenness and lexical ideology, respectively. This improves upon existing survey measures of political expression: it avoids conflating expressive behavior with populist attitudes, it defines preference falsification in terms of code-switching, and it moves beyond trait measures of self-censorship, to characterize relative shifts in the content of expression between different contexts. I validate the method and present experiments demonstrating its application to contemporary concerns about self-censorship and polarization, and I conclude by discussing its interpretation and future uses.
The two membranes problem in a regular tree
Authors: Gonzálvez Irene , Miranda Alfredo , Rossi Julio D.
Published: December 2024

In this article, we study the two membranes problem for operators given in terms of a mean value formula on a regular tree. We show existence of solutions under adequate conditions on the boundary data and the involved source terms. We also show that, when the boundary data are strictly separated, the coincidence set is separated from the boundary and thus it contains only a finite number of nodes.
Fickle Prosociality: How Violence against LGBTQ+ People Motivates Prosocial Mass Attitudes toward LGBTQ+ Group Members
Authors: ROMAN MARCEL F. , THOMPSON JACK
Published: December 2024

We present a Fickle Prosocial Violence Response Model to explain how indirect exposure to civilian-perpetrated violence against marginalized minority groups motivates prosocial attitudes toward victimized groups. Although the mass public may not sympathize with marginalized groups, they may adopt prosocial attitudes toward marginalized groups subject to civilian-perpetrated violence if the violence is salient and perceptibly illegitimate. However, the adoption of prosocial attitudes may be fickle. We find evidence consistent with the model. Studies 1–3 show that high-profile violence against LGBTQ+ people increases support for LGBTQ+ rights and reduces negative attitudes toward LGBTQ+ group members. But, the adoption of prosocial attitudes is short-term. Study 4 shows that less salient violence against LGBTQ+ people may not engender prosocial attitudes at the outset. Our findings suggest that violent events must be sufficiently salient to initially motivate prosocial beliefs. Nevertheless, salient civilian-perpetrated violence against marginalized groups may not sustainably motivate prosocial beliefs toward targeted groups.
Redescription of Meteterakis striatura Oshmarin & Demshin, 1972 (Heterakidae: Meteterakinae) from a geoemydid tortoise in China with comments on the genus
Authors: Malysheva S.V. , Sokolova E.A.
Published: December 2024

Meteterakis striatura Oshmarin & Demshin, 1972 is redescribed from the posterior intestine of tropical tortoise Geoemyda spengleri (Gmelin, 1789) (Testudines: Geoemydidae) from China. Some characteristic features of the male reproductive system not reported previously are now reported for the present species. These include the presence of two blind diverticula near the mid-region of the seminal vesicle and a small cuticular structure near the opening of the cloaca – which we propose to name the ‘scutum.’ The morphological function and diagnostic value of these characters as well as presence of gubernaculum or ‘gubernacular mass’ in examined representatives of the genus, including paratype specimens of M. amamiensis Hasegawa, 1990 and M. ishikawanae Hasegawa, 1987 is discussed. Illustrative material is supplemented with scanning electron microscope and light microscope images of adult males and females. The molecular characterization of the species is inferred from 18S and 28S rDNA. The taxonomic composition of the genus Meteterakis is discussed and the full list of species with taxonomic remarks is updated.
How do policy environments shape public service motivation during the national disaster? Evidence from large-scale survey experiments
Authors: Lee Don S. , Chung Kee Hoon , Park Soonae
Published: December 2024

This study examines the impact of COVID-19-induced policy environments on civil servants’ public service motivation (PSM), a topic not yet adequately researched. Using a vignette survey experiment, we investigate how four types of COVID-19 policy environment information – 1) total deduction of annual leave compensation, 2) a significant increase in working hours, 3) positive assessments of government responses from domestic audiences, and 4) positive assessments of government responses from other advanced democracies – shape civil servants’ PSM during the pandemic. We analyze original data from over 4,000 South Korean civil servants in central and local governments, gathered as part of a representative survey. Results show that reducing compensation to prepare the disaster relief fund has a negative impact, whereas recognition by advanced democracies has a positive impact on PSM. Our analysis suggests the importance of policy environments in both motivating and demotivating civil servants during a pandemic crisis.
Topological and metric emergence of continuous maps
Authors: CARVALHO MARIA , RODRIGUES FAGNER B. , VARANDAS PAULO
Published: December 2024

We prove that every homeomorphism of a compact manifold with dimension one has zero topological emergence, whereas in dimension greater than one the topological emergence of a
$C^0-$
generic homeomorphism is maximal, equal to the dimension of the manifold. We also show that the metric emergence of a continuous self-map on compact metric space has the intermediate value property.
From the field: a cryptosporidiosis outbreak among veterinary students associated with activities during the lambing period in Norway during 2024
Authors: Hovd Lise B. N. , Jiménez-Meléndez Alejandro , Varegg Mathilde S. , Woolsey Ian D. , Olstad Ingrid , Mathisen Sigurd J. , Reksen Olav , Robertson Lucy J.
Published: December 2024

A recent outbreak of cryptosporidiosis (Cryptosporidium parvum, subtype IIdA23G1) among veterinary students associated with extracurricular activities concerned with lambs is described from Norway. Although cryptosporidiosis outbreaks among veterinary students have been frequently reported, this is among the first from lamb contact. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in samples from two students and three lambs. A questionnaire distributed immediately after the outbreak was recognized, identified an assumed attack rate of 50% based on exposure and illness among exposed students (28 of 56), despite most reporting good or very good hygiene measures. Laboratory diagnostics confirmed infection in two of these. The illness lasted over a week in most students (up to 15 days), but contact with health services was negligible. In addition to implementing measures to reduce the likelihood of further such outbreaks among veterinary students, it is recommended that future outbreaks of diarrhoea among ruminants on the farm should be investigated for aetiological agents.
A simple blame calculus for explicit nulls
Authors: LHOTÁK ONDŘEJ , WADLER PHILIP
Published: December 2024

Gradual typing provides a model for when a legacy language with less precise types interacts with a newer language with more precise types. Casts mediate between types of different precision, allocating blame when a value fails to conform to a type. The blame theorem asserts that blame always falls on the less-precisely typed side of a cast. One instance of interest is when a legacy language (such as Java) permits null values at every type, while a newer language (such as Scala or Kotlin) explicitly indicates which types permit null values. Nieto et al. in 2020 introduced a gradually typed calculus for just this purpose. The calculus requires three distinct constructors for function types and a non-standard proof of the blame theorem; it can embed terms from the legacy language into the newer language (or vice versa) only when they are closed. Here, we define a simpler calculus that is more orthogonal, with one constructor for function types and one for possibly nullable types, and with an entirely standard proof of the blame theorem; it can embed terms from the legacy language into the newer language (and vice versa) even if they are open. All results in the paper have been mechanized in Coq.
Inventing sacredness in a colonial city: a British garden cemetery in nineteenth-century Hong Kong
Authors: Tam Bobby
Published: December 2024

The Hong Kong Colonial Cemetery, established in 1845, served as both an exemplary burial space and a refuge from the ‘degenerative’ tropical urban environment for the British during the second half of the nineteenth century. This article argues that what constitutes the sacredness of the cemetery was not merely Christian values, but a mixture of personal emotional meanings and imperialist sentiments. The sacredness of the site during the nineteenth century also rested upon the exclusion of the Chinese ‘other’, even though such boundaries were often volatile due to the diverse and unfixed nature of the colonial community, and the rising influences of the Chinese elites.
Differentiating the neurobiological correlates for reading gains in children with reading difficulties with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder using fMRI
Authors: Rosch Keri S. , Khashab Masa , Ghanaiem Sanad , Farah Rola , Horowitz-Kraus Tzipi
Published: December 2024

Objective:

Reading difficulties (RD) frequently co-occur with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and children with both RD + ADHD often demonstrate greater challenges in reading and executive functions (EF) than those with RD-only.

Methods:

This study examined the effect of a 4-week EF-based reading intervention on behavioral and neurobiological correlates of EF among 8–12 y.o. English-speaking children with RD + ADHD (n = 19), RD-only (n = 18), and typically developing children (n = 18). Behavioral and resting-state fMRI data were collected from all participants before and after 4 weeks of the EF-based reading computerized program. Group (RD + ADHD, RD-only, typical readers) x Test (pre- and post-intervention) repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted for reading, EF, and brain functional connectivity (FC) measures.

Results:

Across groups, reading (fluency, comprehension) and EF (inhibition, speed of processing) behavioral performance improved following the intervention. Exploratory subgroup comparisons revealed that children with RD + ADHD, but not RD-only, showed significant gains in reading comprehension, whereas inhibition improved in both RD groups, but not among typical readers. Furthermore, across groups, FC between the frontoparietal (FP) and cingulo-opercular (CO) networks decreased following the intervention. Exploratory subgroup comparisons revealed that children with RD + ADHD, but not RD-only, showed a significant decrease in FC of FP-CO and FP-dorsal attention network.

Conclusions:

These results support the differential response to an EF-based reading intervention of children with RD with and without comorbid ADHD at brain and behavioral levels.
Ineffectiveness of phosphorus binding treatments in a semi-enclosed area of a large, shallow, and hypereutrophic lake
Authors: Davidson Joseph L. , Jacquemin Stephen J. , Newell Silvia E. , Hughes John C. , Starr Lindsay D. , McCarthy Mark J.
Published: December 2024

Hypereutrophic Grand Lake St Marys (GLSM) is a large (52 km2), shallow (mean depth ~ 1.5 m) reservoir in an agricultural watershed of western Ohio (USA). GLSM suffers from extensive cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) that persist much of the year, resulting in total microcystin concentrations that are often above safe contact levels. Over two summers (2020 and 2021), two phosphorus (P) binding agents (alum and lanthanum/bentonite clay Phoslock, respectively), in conjunction with a P-binding algaecide (SeClear) in 2021, were applied to a 3.24-ha enclosure to mitigate cHAB activity and create a ‘safe’ recreational space for the public. We evaluated these applications by comparing total phosphorus (TP), total microcystin, total chlorophyll, and phycocyanin concentrations within the enclosure and the adjacent lake. Some evidence for short-term reductions in TP, microcystin, chlorophyll, and phycocyanin concentrations were observed following each P binding treatment, but all parameters rapidly returned to or exceeded pre-application levels within 2–3 weeks after treatment. These results suggest that in-lake chemical treatments to mitigate cHABs are unlikely to provide long-lasting benefits in these semi-enclosed areas of large, shallow, hypereutrophic systems, and resources may be better applied toward reducing external nutrient loads (P and nitrogen) from the watershed.
Climate tipping points and their potential impact on drinking water supply planning and management in Europe
Authors: van Thienen Peter , ter Maat Herbert , Stofberg Sija
Published: December 2024

The current generation of climate models has proven very helpful in understanding and projecting anthropogenic climate change but has also shown to be insufficient for studying the interactions of tipping elements and their impact on overall climate stability. As a consequence, tipping elements are mostly absent from climate projections that are commonly used by the drinking water industry to test the resilience of their systems. There is, however, mounting evidence for the existence and potential (possibly even imminent) activation of some of these tipping elements. The drinking water sector is, by necessity, slow-moving as its infrastructure is meant to operate for many decades and in practice often does so even longer. The time scales of possible changes associated with tipping element activations may, however, be much shorter. We provide a review of the current understanding of climate tipping elements and present a simple model that investigates potential magnitudes and time scales of rapid climate change associated with tipping element activations. We study the potential consequences for drinking water supply systems, focusing on Europe, and argue that given the associated deep uncertainty and far-reaching consequences, it is essential to include tipping scenarios in the decision-making processes in the drinking water sector.
Radar Characterization of Salt Layers in Europa's Ice Shell as a Window Into Critical Ice‐Ocean Exchange Processes
Authors: Wolfenbarger N. S. , Blankenship D. D. , Young D. A. , Scanlan K. M. , Chivers C. J. , Findlay D. , Steinbrügge G. B. , Chan K. , Grima C. , Soderlund K. M. , Schroeder D. M.
Published: December 2024

The potential habitability of Jupiter's moon Europa has motivated two missions: NASA's Europa Clipper and ESA's JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE). Both missions are equipped with ice‐penetrating radars which will transmit radio waves into the subsurface, recording reflections from interfaces defined by contrasts in ice shell dielectric properties. Assuming an MgSO4 ocean, we show that salt layers, formed through the freezing of subsurface liquid water reservoirs, can be detected by ice‐penetrating radar instruments on Europa Clipper and JUICE. Furthermore, because these features are thermodynamically stable within the minimally attenuating portion of Europa's ice shell, referred to here as the “pellucid region,” they could produce brighter reflections than deeper liquid water interfaces. We demonstrate how ice‐penetrating radar measurements of salt layer thickness could establish lower bounds on the parameter space of possible initial reservoir thickness and salinity, constrain the origin of reservoirs (ice shell melt vs. ocean injection), and—if sourced through ocean injection—the ocean salinity.
GPR37-enhanced ubiquitination of ATP1A1 inhibits tumor progression and radiation resistance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Hu Jiaru , Meng Fang , Lv Lei , Hong Fu , He Qing , Zhu Qi , Tian Tian , Chang Na , Zhang Shiqiang , Yi Qiyi , Qian Liting
Published: December 2024

Radiotherapy resistance is one of the main reasons for the dismal clinical outcome of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Therefore, clarifying the targets and molecular mechanisms of radiotherapy resistance in ESCC is of great theoretical and clinical significance to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy. In this study, GPR37 was identified as a key factor facilitating ESCC radiosensitization. We found that GPR37 is lowly expressed in ESCC, especially in radioresistant ESCC tumors. And its insufficiency is related to the malignant characteristics and unfavorable prognosis in ESCC. Further investigation revealed that GPR37 level is inversely regulated by promoter methylation but positively regulated by ZNF750. Functionally, GPR37 could not only overcome radioresistance of ESCC, but also inhibit proliferation, migration, and invasion. Mechanistically, GPR37 interacts with the ATP1A1 protein, effectively promoting its ubiquitination-induced degradation, thereby limiting the activation of the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Additionally, GPR37 can be transported to recipient cells via exosomes and inhibit the malignant behavior of recipient cells. Overall, these findings suggest that GPR37-ATP1A1 axis holds potential as a therapeutic target for the management of ESCC, especially for overcoming radiation resistance.
An alternative recommendation for design eccentricity by consideration of uncoupled frequency ratio
Authors: Akyürek Osman , Ulutaş Hakan
Published: December 2024

Civil structures are prone to dynamic loadings such as strong winds or ground excitations where torsion becomes an ongoing issue. This arises from a lack of coincidence of the center of mass (CM) and rigidity (CR), known as eccentricity. Seismic design codes often introduce two types of eccentricity: inherent (geometric) and accidental. To account for structural or ground motion uncertainties, an assumption-based solution is provided by many code provisions, which considers the accidental eccentricity as a percentage (5% or 10%) of the building length perpendicular to the direction of exposed ground motion. In this study, as an alternative way to the code design parameters, a new design eccentricity formula that considers the frequency ratio (torsional frequency/translation frequency) and an effective radius of gyration to account for torsional irregularity is considered. For the extended validation of the proposed method, eighteen model buildings with six different floor plans were chosen, representing low, medium-height, and high-rise buildings. Each floor plan had model buildings with three, seven, and twelve stories. The buildings were subjected to selected bidirectional earthquake ground motions and had time history analyses performed. The results of the proposed method were compared to code provision methods, obtained using equivalent lateral force procedures, and also to those obtained utilizing the time history analysis results. It was shown that the proposed method was more effective in estimating the impact of torsional eccentricity and provided a better understanding of its impact on structural dynamic characteristics.
Revealing exchange bias in spin compensated systems for spintronics applications
Authors: Pal Koustav , Dey Suman , Alam Aftab , Das I.
Published: December 2024

Antiferromagnetic materials offer potential for spintronic applications due to their resilience to magnetic field perturbations and lack of stray fields. Achieving exchange bias in these materials is crucial for certain applications; however, discovering such materials remains challenging due to their compensated spin structure. The quest for antiferromagnetic materials with exchange bias became a reality through our experimental study and theoretical simulation on $$\hbox {Sr}_2 \hbox {FeIrO}_6$$

Sr
2

FeIrO
6

and $$\hbox {Sr}_2 \hbox {CoIrO}_6$$

Sr
2

CoIrO
6

. This study also unveils the impact of ionic disorder and lattice distortion on magnetic properties. The presence of exchange bias in both materials, given their antiferromagnetic nature, is intriguing. This study opens up new avenues for achieving exchange bias in spin-compensated systems, offering potential for low power and ultra fast antiferromagnetic spintronic applications in future research endeavors.
Enhancing photocatalytic N2 fixation under ambient conditions through Zn vacancy-mediated engineering of Cd0.5Zn0.5S
Authors: Ye Xiangju , Zhang Qiaoqiao , Jiang Miaomiao , Hui Zhenzhen , Wang Errui , Chen Shifu
Published: December 2024

Zn vacancies (VZn) enhance interfacial charge transfer from the excited Cd0.5Zn0.5S to N2, thereby accelerating the activation process and ultimately boosting the photocatalytic performance for reducing N2 to ammonia under mild conditions.
Ru(iv)–Ru(iv), Ru(iii)–Ru(iv), and Ru(iii)–Ru(iii) complexes having a sulfato bridging ligand on the doubly oxido-/hydroxido-bridged core, and their crystallographic and electronic structures
Authors: Misawa-Suzuki Tomoyo , Kataoka Yusuke , Mafune Sota , Niwa Teresa , Nagao Hirotaka
Published: December 2024

Ru2(iv,iv), Ru2(iii,iv), and Ru2(iii,iii) complexes with the doubly oxido-/hydroxido-bridged core, {Ru2(μ-O)2}, {Ru2(μ-O)(μ-OH)}, or {Ru2(μ-OH)2}, were synthesised with ethylbis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine for all, as structural analogues of sMMO.
Physiological and biochemical responses of maize plants exposed to seed coating and foliar spray of distinct seaweed nanopowder
Authors: Rafiqi Mohammed Abdul Rahman , Mahendran Paraman , Christopher Sharmila Rahale , Sevathapandian Subramanian Kizhaeral , Pandian Kannan , Arumugam Gurusamy , karunanandham Kumutha
Published: December 2024

Seaweeds carry a wide array of metabolites and nutrients that facilitate growth, development, physiological and biochemical changes in plants, which vary among seaweed species. Among the seaweeds, three distinct seaweed...
Rapid humification of biomass via hydrothermal conversion: a comprehensive review
Authors: Wang Yangjiuzhou , Yuan Changbin , Zhang Kai , Tong Jinyu , Ma Ningjie , Ali Mahmoud M. , Xu Yongdong , Liu Zhidan
Published: December 2024

Biomass (biowaste) can be converted into humic acid via hydrothermal humification under specific conditions, demonstrating significant application potential in agriculture, environmental management and materials science.
Development of a bio-based adhesive by polymerization of Boc-protected vinyl catechol derived from caffeic acid
Authors: Tanizaki Shiho , Kubo Tomohiro , Bito Yosuke , Mori Shigeki , Aoki Hiroyuki , Satoh Kotaro
Published: December 2024

Catechol polymers enabled the preparation of a biomimetic adhesive using a bio-based raw material, in which the deprotection proceeded just upon heating with neither any solvent nor catalyst, releasing only gaseous byproducts without purification.
Interaction of dislocations with point defects in solid parahydrogen
Authors: Kal’noi S. E. , Strzhemechnyi M. A.
Published: December 2024

The rotational energy levels of single ortho impurities and a paired ortho cluster in the field of elastic displacements of a dislocation in solid parahydrogen are calculated microscopically. The lowering of the ground state is treated as the energy of the interaction of the ortho defect with the dislocation. At long distances it decreases in proportion to r−1. The values calculated within the framework of the theory of elasticity for the strengths of the interaction of an ortho single with an edge dislocation and a screw dislocation, respectively, are U = 0.39 K and U = 1.04 K. The energy of the ortho single at the dislocation core was calculated numerically on a computer and was found to be E = 0.78 and 0.92 K for an edge dislocation and a screw dislocation, respectively. At large separations (where the theory of elasticity is valid) the interaction strength of a paired ortho cluster is of the same order of magnitude of an ortho single. However, some ortho clusters break apart in passing through the dislocation core; their energy is in the form of a step of height 3.4 K. Such clusters constitute a new type of point defects. The interaction constants for the interaction of ortho impurities with dislocations are compared with the analogous constants for isotopic impurities. Numerical estimates give values of 5 and 9 K, respectively, for HD and D2 impurities.
Collisional relaxation of the order parameter in superconductors
Authors: Valeev V. G. , Kukharenko Yu. A.
Published: December 2024

A kinetic equation for the density matrix of a superconductor with a collision integral that conserves the number of particles is derived. The equation is used to study the relaxation of the modulus of the order parameter in the collisional frequency range ω ≲ vϵ (vϵ is the frequency of inelastic collisions). Near Tc, small spatially uniform perturbations Δ decay over times of τΔ ∽ Tc /Δvϵ ; taking into account the accompanying evolution of the temperature of the superconductor leads to renormalization of the numerical coefficient in this dependence.
Singularities of the critical current in a weak perpendicular magnetic field in systems of superconducting films
Authors: Ichkitidze L. P. , Skobelkin V. I.
Published: December 2024

The dependence of the critical current Jc on the weak perpendicular magnetic field H ≤ ± 400 Oe for sample widths w = 50–300 μm and reduced temperatures t in multilayered systems based on single-crystalline niobium and molybdenum films are studied. The observed anomalous hysteresis and slopes α = dJc/dH >0 on the curves Jc(H), their decrease with increasing t and w, the maximum in the dependence α (t) < 0, as well as the variation of the critical current and the usual slope (α <0) as a function of w in weak fields (≲ 0.03 Hc⊥) are explained on the basis of the model of edge pinning.
The nature of the voltage generated by magnetic-flux motion in superconductors
Authors: Kaplunenko V. K. , Moskvin S. I. , Shmidt V. V.
Published: December 2024

The voltage generated across the ends of a superconductor when a spot of magnetic flux moves along it is studied experimentally and theoretically. It is shown that in this case, together with the usual inductive emf, according to Faraday’s laws, there arises an additional emf of quantum origin, associated with the change in the difference between the phases of the wave function of the superconducting electrons at the ends of the superconductor as a function of time. The secondary emf is numerically equal to the Faraday emf, but has the opposite sign. The voltage arising across the ends of a type-II superconductor in the resistive state is also discussed.
Nonlinear electrical conductivity of a semiconductor channel under conditions of strong electron–phonon relaxation
Authors: Shekhter R. I.
Published: December 2024

The nonlinear electrical conductivity of an impurity semiconductor channel (of diameter d) is investigated in the case of strong screening of the electric field: li, rD ≪d (li, is the elastic mean free path of electrons, and rD is the screening radius of the electric field in the semiconductor). It is shown that under conditions when the characteristic length of the emission of phonons by electrons is small in comparison with the channel length L, and other inelastic relaxation processes are insignificant, the generation of phonons produces current jumps in the channel at voltages that are multiples of the phonon emission energy ħω0. The possibility of determining the energy dependence of the inelastic electron-scattering time τ(ϵ) in the energy interval ϵ < ħω0. from the form of the first derivative of the current-voltage that is characteristic of a microcontact is demonstrated. The transport-current jumps predicted in the article have recently been observed experimentally.
Energy spectrum of surface electrons above 3He–4He microstratified solutions
Authors: Sokolov S. S.
Published: December 2024

The energy gap between the two lowest levels of surface electrons above a 3He–4He solution is calculated theoretically as a function of the thickness of the layer enriched in the light isotope. The value of the energy gap is shown to depend appreciably on the thickness of the 3He layer. The results obtained permit direct information about the thickness of the 3He layer in a microstratified 3He–4He solution to be obtained from measurements of the energy spectrum of surface electrons.
Ordering of quantum lattice gas in a model of nonequivalent sublattices
Authors: Kovarskii V. L. , Sukharevskii B. Ya.
Published: December 2024

The ordering of a quantum lattice gas is considered in the case when the nonequilibrium potential contains terms of odd orders. The phase diagram is obtained for a model that correctly describes the phase transitions from the crystalline to the liquid state and to the superconducting state as first-order transitions. We investigate the possible existence of an anti-isostructural phase in which the partial diagonal (crystalline) order and the nondiagonal order have the same symmetry, which corresponds to k≠0. This phase has been found not to exist in the model under consideration.
Electrical polarization of superconductors determined by the Bernoulli potential
Authors: Ivanchenko Yu. M. , Omel’yanchuk A. N.
Published: December 2024

The macroscopic electrodynamics of superconductors taking into account small corrections proportional to ΔϵF (Δ is the energy gap in the superconductor and ϵF is the Fermi energy), which couple the equations of electro- and magnetostatics for superconductors, is studied. It is shown that a superconductor placed in a stationary magnetic field becomes electrically polarized because of the nonuniform distribution of the superfluid velocity in the Meissner layer, leading to the appearance of a dipolar distribution of electric charge on the surface of the superconductor.
Low temperature magnetization of an easy-plane ferromagnet
Authors: Val’kov V. V. , Val’kova T. A.
Published: December 2024

We use diagram methods for the Hubbard operator to study the nature of the temperature dependence of the magnetization of an easy-plane ferromagnet with S = 1 with exact account of the single-ion anisotropy. It is shown that the temperature corrections to  for D ≫H are nonanalytic as a function of D. The ground state corrections due to zero-point quantum fluctuations are calculated. For S = 1 and S = 3/2 we use self-consistent field methods to determine the Curie temperature as a function of the size of the anisotropy constant.