bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polyphase rock slope failure controlled by pre-existing geological structures and rock bridges
Authors: Gerstner Reinhard , Fey Christine , Kuschel Erik , Valentin Gerald , Voit Klaus , Zangerl Christian
Published: August 2023

Even after decades of intensive research, assessing rock slope stability remains a challenge. One reason for this is the spatial variability of rock bridges (RBs) related to non-persistent, pre-existing geological structures, especially as the detection of RBs is generally limited to the post-failure period. Thus, the identification and classification of RBs and their inclusion in numerical studies are demanding, yet essential, since even small quantities of RBs can be decisive for rock slope stability. In our study, we demonstrate how brittle RB failure and pre-existing geological structures control the mechanisms of a polyphase rock slope failure. Therefore, we present a case study in the Austrian Alps, where three rock falls with a failure volume of 30,000 m3 occurred in 2019. Based on detailed process reconstructions, high-resolution terrain models, and comprehensive geological and rock mechanical investigations, we derived high-quality input for our distinct element model (DEM). By applying asymmetric Voronoi tessellation in the DEM, we modelled the coalescence of pre-existing geological structures by brittle RB failure. As a result, we identified toppling as the predominant failure mechanism at the study site. Distinctive geological structures decisively affected the failure mechanism. However, the toppling failure was only reproducible by incorporating RBs in the DEM in their pre-failure position. Finally, we found that joint persistence, and consequently the presence of potential RBs, controls which initial rock fall failure mechanism was developed. In conclusion, we state that the initial toppling failure of the Hüttschlag rock falls is controlled by non-persistent geological structures in interplay with RBs.
Recurrent or junctional lumbar foraminal herniated disc in patients operated with trans pars microscopic approach
Authors: Monticelli Matteo , Gelmi Clarissa Ann Elisabeth , Scerrati Alba , Cavallo Michele Alessandro , De Bonis Pasquale
Published: August 2023

This is a retrospective monocentric study. The aim of this study is to analyze the incidence of recurrent or junctional lumbar foraminal herniated disc, in patients treated with trans pars microsurgical approach. Foraminal lumbar disc herniation represents a challenging pathology for the spinal surgeon. The appropriate surgical approach still represents a matter of debate. Several open and minimally-invasive techniques have been developed, in order to allow a proper tissue exposure and preserving the vertebral stability. The trans pars approach has already been described as a possible alternative, allowing excellent exposure of the herniated fragment with minimum bone removal. While few studies have analyzed the very low rate of post-operative instability, no articles deal with the incidence of post-operative herniated disc recurrence or junctional disc herniation in patients treated with this technique. We enrolled 160 patients operated at our institution. A univariate and multivariate analysis of possible factors influencing outcome (age, sex, level and BMI) was performed. Outcome variables were recurrent or junctional herniated disc. At the end, 135 patients were analyzed. Of the 135 patients, six presented recurrent herniated disc (4.4%) and other three developed a junctional herniation (2.2%). The occurrence of junctional herniated disc or recurrent herniated disc was not influenced by the analyzed variables, both at univariate and at multivariate analyses. The trans pars approach presents a low rate of recurrence and junctional herniation. Age, sex, level, and BMI do not influence the recurrence rate, both at same level and at junctional level.
Wage Structures, Fairness Perceptions, and Job Satisfaction: Evidence from Linked Employer-Employee Data
Authors: Mohrenweiser Jens , Pfeifer Christian
Published: August 2023

The paper investigates the impact of firms’ wage structures and workers’ wage fairness perceptions on workers’ well-being. For this purpose, worker and establishment surveys are linked with administrative social security data. Four variables are generated, using approximately half a million worker-year observations, that describe firms’ wage structures and workers’ positions within the wage structures: own absolute wages, internal reference wages within firms, external reference wages, and the wage dispersion in firms. The interrelations between these wage structure variables, workers’ perceived wage fairness, and job satisfaction are then analyzed using regressions. Interpersonal wage comparisons between co-workers in the same firm and across firms as well as wage fairness perceptions are found to be significant determinants of workers’ well-being. The overall findings suggest that equity and social status considerations as well as altruistic preferences towards co-workers and inequality aversion are more important than signal considerations in this context.
Sterol and lipid metabolism in bees
Authors: Furse Samuel , Koch Hauke , Wright Geraldine A. , Stevenson Philip C.
Published: August 2023

Background

Bees provide essential pollination services for many food crops and are critical in supporting wild plant diversity. However, the dietary landscape of pollen food sources for social and solitary bees has changed because of agricultural intensification and habitat loss. For this reason, understanding the basic nutrient metabolism and meeting the nutritional needs of bees is becoming an urgent requirement for agriculture and conservation. We know that pollen is the principal source of dietary fat and sterols for pollinators, but a precise understanding of what the essential nutrients are and how much is needed is not yet clear. Sterols are key for producing the hormones that control development and may be present in cell membranes, where fatty-acid-containing species are important structural and signalling molecules (phospholipids) or to supply, store and distribute energy (glycerides).

Aim of the review

In this critical review, we examine the current general understanding of sterol and lipid metabolism of social and solitary bees from a variety of literature sources and discuss implications for bee health.

Key scientific concepts of review

We found that while eusocial bees are resilient to some dietary variation in sterol supply the scope for this is limited. The evidence of both de novo lipogenesis and a dietary need for particular fatty acids (FAs) shows that FA metabolism in insects is analogous to mammals but with distinct features. Bees rely on their dietary intake for essential sterols and lipids in a way that is dependent upon pollen availability.
Demonstration of T2SLs InAs/InAsSb Based Interband Cascade Detector Supported by Immersion Lens for LWIR
Authors: Gawron Waldemar , Kubiszyn Łukasz , Michalczewski Krystian , Jureńczyk Jarosław , Piotrowski Józef , Martyniuk Piotr
Published: August 2023

This paper presents the performance of an interband cascade long-wavelength infrared detector designed for high operating temperatures supported by immersion lenses. The device is based on the “Ga-free” InAs/InAsSb type-II superlattice with highly doped p+/n+ superlattice tunneling junctions connecting adjacent stages. Detectivity of the multi-junction heterostructure detector exceeding 1010 cm Hz1/2/W was estimated at wavelength λ ~ 9 µm and T = 210 K and ~ 3 × 108 cm Hz1/2/W for T = 300 K, achieving a tenfold improvement in detectivity in comparison to a device without an immersion lens and 30-fold improvement in detectivity in comparison to the single-stage device.
The association of cancer-related fatigue on the social, vocational and healthcare-related dimensions of cancer survivorship
Authors: Jones Jennifer M. , Howell Doris , Longo Christopher , Olson Karin , Bedard Philippe , Amir Eitan , Zheng Shiyu , Chow Brittany , Avery Lisa
Published: August 2023

Background

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is well documented in cancer survivors, but little is known about the personal and societal impact of CRF. This study aimed to examine the impact of CRF in relation to social and vocational functioning and health care utilization in a large sample of post-treatment cancer survivors.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study of early stage breast and colorectal cancer survivors (n = 454) who were within 5 years from treatment completion. Social difficulties (SDI-21), work status, absenteeism and presenteeism (WHO-HPQ) and healthcare utilization (HSUQ) were compared in those with (CFR +) and without (CRF −) clinically significant fatigue (FACT-F ≤ 34).

Results

A total of 32% met the cut-off criteria for CRF (≤ 34). Participants with CRF + had significantly higher scores on the SDI-21 across all domains and 55% of CRF + vs. 11% in CRF − was above the SDI cut-off (> 10) for significant social difficulties. Participants with CRF + were 2.74 times more likely to be unemployed or on leave (95% CI 1.62, 4.61, p < 0.001). In the subgroup of participants who were currently working (n = 249), those with CRF + reported working on average 27.4 fewer hours in the previous 4 weeks compared to CRF − (p = 0.05), and absolute presenteeism was on average 13% lower in the CRF + group (95% CI 8.0, 18.2, p < 0.001). Finally, individuals with CRF + reported significantly more physician (p < 0.001), other health care professional (p = 0.03) and psychosocial visits (p = 0.002) in the past month.

Conclusions and implications for cancer survivors

CRF is associated with substantial disruption in social and work role functioning in the early transitional phase of cancer survivorship. Better management of persistent CRF and funding for the implementation of existing guidelines and recommended evidence-based interventions are urgently needed.
Caveolin-1 promotes glioma progression and maintains its mitochondrial inhibition resistance
Authors: Liu Yu’e , Chen Yi , Wang Fei , Lin Jianghua , Tan Xiao , Chen Chao , Wu Lei-lei , Zhang Xiaoling , Wang Yi , Shi Yufeng , Yan Xiaoli , Zhao Kaijun
Published: August 2023

Background

Glioma is a lethal brain cancer and lacking effective therapies. Challenges include no effective therapeutic target, intra- and intertumoral heterogeneity, inadequate effective drugs, and an immunosuppressive microenvironment, etc. Deciphering the pathogenesis of gliomas and finding out the working mechanisms are urgent and necessary for glioma treatment. Identification of prognostic biomarkers and targeting the biomarker genes will be a promising therapy.

Methods

From our RNA-sequencing data of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS)-inhibition sensitive and OXPHOS-resistant cell lines, we found that the scaffolding protein caveolin 1 (CAV1) is highly expressed in the resistant group but not in the sensitive group. By comprehensive analysis of our RNA sequencing data, Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS) data and public databases, we found that CAV1 is highly expressed in gliomas and its expression is positively related with pathological processes, higher CAV1 predicts shorter overall survival.

Results

Further analysis indicated that (1) the differentiated genes in CAV1-high groups are enriched in immune infiltration and immune response; (2) CAV1 is positively correlated with tumor metastasis markers; (3) the methylation level of CAV1 promoters in glioma group is lower in higher stage than that in lower stage; (4) CAV1 is positively correlated with glioma stemness; (5) higher expression of CAV1 renders the glioma cells’ resistant to oxidative phosphorylation inhibitors.

Conclusion

Therefore, we identified a key gene CAV1 and deciphered its function in glioma progression and prognosis, proposing that CAV1 may be a therapeutic target for gliomas.

Graphical Abstract
Narciclasine, a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor, exhibited potent anti-cancer activity against cancer cells
Authors: Wang Meichen , Liang Leilei , Wang Rong , Jia Shutao , Xu Chang , Wang Yuting , Luo Min , Lin Qiqi , Yang Min , Zhou Hongyu , Liu Dandan , Qing Chen
Published: August 2023

DNA topoisomerases are essential nuclear enzymes in correcting topological DNA errors and maintaining DNA integrity. Topoisomerase inhibitors are a significant class of cancer chemotherapeutics with a definite curative effect. Natural products are a rich source of lead compounds for drug discovery, including anti-tumor drugs. In this study, we found that narciclasine (NCS), an amaryllidaceae alkaloid, is a novel inhibitor of topoisomerase I (topo I). Our data demonstrated that NCS inhibited topo I activity and reversed its unwinding effect on p-HOT DNA substrate. However, it had no obvious effect on topo II activity. The molecular mechanism of NCS inhibited topo I showed that NCS did not stabilize topo-DNA covalent complexes in cells, indicating that NCS is not a topo I poison. A blind docking result showed that NCS could bind to topo I, suggesting that NCS might be a topo I suppressor. Additionally, NCS exhibited a potent anti-proliferation effect in various cancer cells. NCS arrested the cell cycle at G2/M phase and induced cell apoptosis. Our study reveals the antitumor mechanisms of NCS and provides a good foundation for the development of anti-cancer drugs based on topo I inhibition.

Graphical abstract
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in the Treatment of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Systematic Review of Interventional Studies
Authors: Forbes Zac N. M. , Miller Kim
Published: August 2023

Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a lower quality of life (QoL) than neurotypical adults and a higher risk of psychiatric comorbidities. We reviewed the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in the treatment of adults with ASD. Data were collected from 6 eligible interventional studies (4 adequate quality, 2 weak quality; 245 total participants). The study quality and certainty of findings were assessed using Evaluative Method for Determining Evidence-Based Practices in Autism and GRADE framework. MBSR was effective in all outcomes: ASD symptoms (n = 4, low certainty), QoL (n = 5, low certainty), symptoms of anxiety and depression (n = 4, low and moderate certainty, respectively). MBSR shows promise for improving QoL, reducing ASD symptoms and alleviating psychiatric comorbidities in adults with ASD.
Mexicans vs Central Americans: Violented Migrants Crossing Mexico
Authors: Fernández-Ortega Miguel Á. , Cerritos-Flores René , Rodríguez-Mendoza Omar , Dávila-Mendoza Rocío , Salas-Sánchez Brandon , Muñiz-Salinas Daniel A. , Martinez-Orea Yuriana ,   Investigation team, Téllez Yossadara Luna , Silva Andrea Macías , Nuñez Flor Mariana Sanchez
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The World Health Organization considers that migrants who pass through the Mexico–US walkway suffer high levels of violence, compared to other regions of the world, mainly women. This study aims to identify the factors associated with the types of violence suffered by migrants in transit through Mexico to the USA.

Design

A cross-sectional, exploratory, retrospective, and observational study was conducted. A questionnaire of 46 variables was applied, divided into four sections: sociodemographic background, leaving the home, transit, and stay at the border. Questions about different types of direct violence were included. The survey was applied to 612 Mexican and Central American migrants who were in the Chaparral customs office and in five shelters in Tijuana City, on the U.S.–Mexico border. The results were analyzed using descriptive techniques and multivariate analysis of main and inferential components, using the statistical program R.

Results

The higher vulnerability of Central American migrants compared to Mexicans was documented, specially of women that proportionally were the most negatively affected victims including all types of violence, making it evident that one of each four was violented sexually and among them, only 50% asked for medical assistance. The multivariate analysis determined that the duration of the trip, and the type of transport can generate greater violence.

Conclusions

The results highlight the greater vulnerability of Central American migrants in their transit through Mexico, mainly women and, likewise, the lack of effective public policies that guarantee the protection of the health, safety, and human rights of migrants.
Zwischen »Bewegung« und Wissenschaft
Authors: Müller Hans-Harald
Published: August 2023

Die Untersuchung dokumentiert, dass die Gründung der Zeitschrift auf die Initiative des Verlegers Hermann Niemeyer zurückging. Sie war das Ergebnis von Verhandlungen, die Niemeyer vor allem mit Paul Kluckhohn und Erich Rothacker führte, von denen der Erstere eine literaturgeschichtliche, der Letztere eine eher wissenschaftsphilosophische Ausrichtung der geistesgeschichtlichen Zeitschrift anstrebte. Der Beitrag schließt mit einem Überblick über die epistemische Situation der Literaturwissenschaft zwischen 1890 und 1920, der zeigt, dass die geistesgeschichtliche Bewegung aus einer weltanschaulichen Reaktion auf die ›Kulturkrise‹ hervorging und in verschiedenartigen Konzeptionen Eingang in die Literaturwissenschaft fand.
Henceforth fishermen and hunters are to be restrained: towards a political ecology of animal usage in premodern Japan
Authors: Hudson Mark , Muñoz Fernández Irene M.
Published: August 2023

Domestic animal usage remains a key problem in understanding Japan’s premodern economy. Assumptions that religious and other cultural proscriptions limited the use of domesticated animals, and the consumption of meat in particular, from Late Antiquity until Westernisation in the nineteenth century remain widespread. However, the zooarchaeological record from historic Japan is patchy and the scholarly literature often uncritically reproduces state-centred ideas about agriculture and the economy. In this essay we critically review the ways in which historical and zooarchaeological studies of animal usage in premodern Japan have been impacted by broader cultural discourses. We examine animal usage from the Bronze Age to the eve of modernisation, broadly 1000 BC to AD 1850, in terms of a tension or dialectic between promotion and restriction by the state and other authorities. While the utilisation of animals for warfare and official transport was more closely controlled, other uses reflected a complex and often international political ecology that requires further analysis by zooarchaeologists.
A Scoping Review of the Efficacy and Safety of Methotrexate Compared to Mycophenolate Mofetil in the Treatment of Juvenile Localized Scleroderma in Children and Young Adults
Authors: Singhal Shabnam , Heaf Eleanor , Jordan Joanne L. , Corp Nadia , Pain Clare E.
Published: August 2023

Juvenile localised scleroderma (JLS) is a condition that results in inflammation and fibrosis of the skin in children and young people. Systemic treatment with immunomodulation is most commonly with Methotrexate (MTX) or Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF). Other treatments include DMARDs, biologic therapies, topical treatments and phototherapy. This scoping review considers the available information on the relative safety and efficacy of MTX and MMF. A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A search was conducted in three bibliographic databases (Cochrane Library, Medline (OVID) and Embase (OVID)) to identify relevant studies for inclusion . A single reviewer identified published articles eligible for the review based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The relevant key findings were summarised in a word document by the first reviewer and then checked by a second reviewer. From 1233 unique references, 109 were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. MTX is the most commonly used first-line systemic treatment for JLS with the greatest evidence for its use in JLS. The evidence for the efficacy of MMF is restricted to a small number of retrospective studies. Both MTX and MMF are described to be relatively safe medications with a low rate of adverse events. Information regarding the tolerability of these medications is limited. The rarity of JLS and the paucity of validated measures of disease activity makes comparison between these two treatments challenging and should be reflected in the design of future studies.
Net-zero 1.5 °C sectorial pathways for G20 countries: energy and emissions data to inform science-based decarbonization targets
Authors: Teske Sven , Rispler Jonathan , Niklas Sarah , Feenstra Maartje , Mohseni Soheil , Talwar Simran , Miyake Saori
Published: August 2023

This paper documents data for global, regional (EU-27), and country-specific (G20 member countries) energy and emission pathways required to achieve a defined carbon budget of between 400 GtCO2 and 500 GtCO2, developed to limit the mean global temperature rise to 1.5 °C, over 50% likelihood. The data were calculated with the 1.5 °C sectorial pathways of the One Earth Climate Model—an integrated energy assessment model devised at the University of Technology Sydney. The data consist of the following six zip-folder datasets (refer to Sect. 2 for an explanation of the data): (1) Appendix folder: Each file contains one worksheet, which summarizes the overall 1.5 °C scenario. (2) Sector folder (XLSX): Each file contains one worksheet, which summarizes the industry sectors analysed. (3) Sector folder (CSV): The data contained are the same as those described in point 2. (4) Sector emissions folder: Each file contains one worksheet, which summarizes the total annual emissions for each industry sector. (5) Scope emissions folder (XLSX): Each file contains one worksheet, which summarizes the total annual emissions for each industry sector—with the additional specificity of emission scope. (6) Scope emissions folder (CSV): The data contained are the same as those described in point 5.
Trends of Publications on Single- and Double-Bundle ACL Reconstructions over the Last 20 Years: A Bibliometric Analysis of the PubMed Literature
Authors: D’Ambrosi Riccardo , Kambhampati Srinivas B. S. , Vishwanathan Karthik , Vaish Abhishek , Vaishya Raju
Published: August 2023

Purpose

To improve the clinical outcomes of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), there have been attempts to reproduce anatomic reconstruction by modifying the single-bundle (SB) and double-bundle (DB) techniques. Although DB ACLR restores better rotational control compared to SB ACLR, it is still debatable whether there are higher clinical outcomes in favor of DB ACLR. We aimed to study the trends of publications on SB and DB ACLR techniques over the last 20 years.

Methods

For this bibliometric study, we performed a PubMed search on 31/05/2022 with a well-defined search strategy. The articles were downloaded into Excel software, and citations were determined from the iCite website for PubMed. The analysis was performed using SPSS software version 28.0.1. Data mining was performed using Orange software, Mac version 3.32.0, from the titles of all articles and each group of SB and DB ACLR. The output is presented as word clouds.

Results

A total of 10,530 publications were identified, of which 9699 publications (92.1%) pertained to SB-ACLR and 831 publications (7.9%) to DB-ACLR. There was a steady increase in the publications on SB-ACLR until 2012, followed by a steep increase that peaked in 2021. The highest number of publications on DB-ACLR was in 2012 (n = 76; 9.1%). The mean citations per year for SB-ACLR and DB-ACLR were 2.87 ± 4.31 and 2.74 ± 3.17, respectively. The most prolific journals publishing on this topic were Knee Surgery Sports Traumatology Arthroscopy, American Journal of Sports Medicine, and Arthroscopy. The top three articles that received the maximum number of citations were from Japanese authors.

Conclusion

The number of publications related to SB-ACLR was significantly higher than that related to DB-ACLR in the last 20 years. The publications related to DB-ACLR have decreased in the recent past, after reaching a peak in 2012. The citations per year of SB-ACLR and DB-ACLR were similar.
Personal Genome Medicine
Authors: Malinowski Michael J.
Published: August 2023

In the years following FDA approval of direct-to-consumer, genetic-health-risk testing, millions of people in the United States have sent their DNA to companies to receive personal genetic health risk information without physician or other learned medical professional involvement. In Personal Genome Medicine, Michael J. Malinowski examines the ethical, legal, and social implications of this development. Drawing from the past and present of medicine in the U.S., Malinowski applies law, policy, public and private sector practices, and governing norms to analyze the commercial personal genome sequencing and testing sectors and to assess their impact on the future of U.S. medicine. Written in relatable and accessible language, the book also proposes regulatory reforms for government and medical professionals that will enable technological advancements while maintaining personal and public health standards.
Feasibility of training primary healthcare workers to identify antenatal depression
Authors: Thomas Susan , Ekstrand Maria , Thomas Tinku , Srinivasan Krishnamachari
Published: August 2023

Identifying women with depressive symptoms is the first step to reducing the risk of the short-term and long-term consequences of antenatal depression. Task shifting by training primary healthcare workers may help to reduce the burden in low-resource settings. Twenty health workers in a primary healthcare center in urban Bengaluru were trained to screen and identify antenatal depression. The training had two components: knowledge-based, using the depression module in the Mental Health Gap Action Program; and skills-based hands-on training, using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Knowledge about antenatal depression in the health workers improved by three units after training (p < 0.001). Their perceived skills and self-efficacy also improved by one unit each (p = 0.032 and p = 0.036, respectively). Following the training, 25% of the pregnant women who underwent screening by health workers reported depressive symptoms, as compared to no positive screening before training. Training was found to improve the knowledge, perceived skills and self-efficacy of nurses, junior health assistants and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), and was found to increase the screening rate of depression in an antenatal clinic in urban India. Incorporating screening for depressive symptoms into regular antenatal care is feasible in low-resource settings.
The polar-Cartesian mild-slope equation
Authors: Schwartz Rafael , Oron Alexander , Agnon Yehuda
Published: August 2023

A novel mild-slope equation is derived based on a manipulation of the cylindrical and Cartesian coordinate reference systems. The vertical profile of the velocity field is constructed by solving an approximate problem in cylindrical coordinates. This allows us to address the local derivatives on the bottom profile along a constant-slope line. This formulation is as opposed to the Cartesian-based mild-slope equations in terms of which the profile is constructed by assuming a constant depth. An angular profile is derived for the three-dimensional case on a sloping plane beach. For the two-dimensional case, a mild-slope polar-Cartesian equation is derived, for which an improved linear dispersion relation is reconstructed. This is accomplished due to the inclusion of first-order derivatives of the local bottom profile. The coefficients of the polar-Cartesian mild-slope equation contain the derivatives of the bottom profile up to third order as opposed to second-order derivatives in the Cartesian-based equations. The equation is derived by applying the variational principle to the Cartesian Lagrangian when formulated as a function of the profile in polar coordinates. It is then compared with existing models of the mild-slope equation for simulations of two-dimensional test cases and a quasi-three-dimensional case, which have known analytical solutions. Our modified equation exhibits better matching to the exact solutions for a majority of the investigated cases.
Impact of surfactants on the rise of deformable bubbles and interfacial gas–liquid mass transfer
Authors: Kentheswaran Kalyani , Antier William , Dietrich Nicolas , Lalanne Benjamin
Published: August 2023

Axisymmetric numerical simulations of the hydrodynamics around rising bubbles are performed in order to investigate the impact of surfactants on the bubble dynamics. Surfactants are assumed to be insoluble. The transport of the adsorbed surfactants is computed along the deforming surface at large surface Péclet number, and Marangoni stresses are taken into account. This simulation model leads to the stagnant-cap regime, with partially immobile interfaces. A parametric study is performed on cases at given Archimedes number, by varying the degree of contamination (Marangoni number) but maintaining a nearly constant Eötvös number. The presence of surfactants affects the rise velocity for oblate bubbles less than for spherical bubbles: the increase of the drag coefficient, due to interface contamination, is mitigated by a lower bubble deformation. When the cap angle

$\theta _{cap}$

belongs to the southern hemisphere, the aspect ratio

$\chi$

is found to decrease with contamination: the dynamic pressure responsible for the bubble distortion is lowered, related to the decline of kinetic energy. As soon as

$\theta _{cap}$

lies in the northern hemisphere, the pressure stress causing distortion becomes independent on

$\theta _{cap}: \chi$

no longer evolves with contamination, and already matches the prediction for fully immobile interfaces. Mass transfer of a passive scalar across the contaminated interface is also analysed. Surprisingly, the Sherwood number

$Sh$

is found to follow the same law as for spherical shapes (Kentheswaran et al., Intl J. Heat Mass Transfer, vol. 198, 2022, 123325), allowing us to predict the decrease in

$Sh$

due to contamination. These results reveal the couplings between interface immobilisation, bubble deformation, rise velocity and interfacial mass transfer.
Environmental correlates of molluscan predator–prey body size in the northern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Calderaro Luke A. , Harnik Paul G. , Rillo Marina C.
Published: August 2023

The Mississippi River watershed drains 40% of the continental United States, and the tremendous primary productivity in the adjacent north-central Gulf of Mexico has created one of the most extensive dead zones on Earth. In contrast, smaller watersheds deliver fewer nutrients to the northeastern gulf, and consequently, productivity is limited and hypoxia is uncommon. How has variation in primary productivity, oxygen availability, and sea-surface temperature affected coastal food webs? Here, we investigate environmental controls on the size of molluscan predators and prey in the northern Gulf of Mexico using Holocene death assemblages. Linear mixed models indicate that bivalve size and the frequency of drilling predation are affected by dissolved oxygen concentrations; drilling frequency declines with declining oxygen, whereas bivalve size increases. In contrast, sea-surface temperature is positively associated with the size of molluscan predators and prey. Net primary productivity contributes relatively little to predator or prey size, and predator-to-prey size ratios do not vary consistently with environmental conditions across the northern gulf. Larger bivalves in areas of oxygen limitation may be due to decreased predation pressure and, consequently, greater prey longevity. The larger size of bivalves and predatory gastropods in warmer waters may reflect enhanced growth under these conditions, provided dissolved oxygen concentrations exceed a minimum threshold. Holocene death assemblages can be used to test long-standing hypotheses regarding environmental controls on predator−prey body-size distributions through geologic time and provide baselines for assessing the ongoing effects of anthropogenic eutrophication and warming on coastal food webs.
Choline-mediated hepatic lipid homoeostasis in yellow catfish: unravelling choline’s lipotropic and methyl donor functions and significance of ire-1α signalling pathway
Authors: Song Yu-Feng , Bai Zhen-Yu , Luo Zhi , Wang Ling-Jiao , Zheng Hua
Published: August 2023

Choline plays a crucial role in hepatic lipid homeostasis by acting as a major methyl-group donor. However, despite this well-accepted fact, no study has yet explored how choline’s methyl-donor function contributes to preventing hepatic lipid dysregulation. Moreover, the potential regulatory role of Ire-1α, an ER-transmembrane transducer for the unfolded protein response (UPRer), in choline-mediated hepatic lipid homeostasis remains unexplored. Thus, this study investigated the mechanism by which choline prevents hepatic lipid dysregulation, focusing on its role as a methyl-donor and the involvement of Ire-1α in this process. To this end, a model animal for lipid metabolism, yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) were fed two different diets (adequate or deficient choline diets) in vivo for 10 weeks. The key findings of studies are as follows: 1. Dietary choline, upregulated selected lipolytic and fatty acid β-oxidation transcripts promoting hepatic lipid homeostasis. 2. Dietary choline ameliorated UPRer and prevented hepatic lipid dysregulation mainly through ire-1α signalling, not perk or atf-6α signalling. 3. Choline inhibited the transcriptional expression level of ire-1α by activating site-specific DNA methylations in the promoter of ire-1α. 4. Choline-mediated ire-1α methylations reduced Ire-1α/Fas interactions, thereby further inhibiting Fas activity and reducing lipid droplet deposition. These results offer a novel insight into the direct and indirect regulation of choline on lipid metabolism genes and suggests a potential crosstalk between ire-1α signalling and choline-deficiency-induced hepatic lipid dysregulation, highlighting the critical contribution of choline as a methyl-donor in maintaining hepatic lipid homeostasis.
Effects of branched-chain amino acids supplementation on patients undergoing hepatic intervention: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Hsu Yan-Mei , Kuan Hui-Chung , Chen Yu-An , Chiu Ching-Wen , Chen Po-Cheng , Tam Ka-Wai
Published: August 2023

The benefits of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) administration after hepatic intervention in patients with liver diseases remain unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of BCAA on patients undergoing hepatectomy, trans-arterial embolisation and radiofrequency ablation. Relevant randomised controlled trials (RCT) were obtained from PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate the pooled effect size by using random-effects models. The primary outcomes were survival and tumour recurrence. The secondary outcomes were hospital stay, nutrition status, biochemistry profile, complication rate of liver treatment and adverse effect of BCAA supplementation. In total, eleven RCT involving 750 patients were included. Our meta-analysis showed no significant difference in the rates of tumour recurrence and overall survival between the BCAA and control groups. However, the pooled estimate showed that BCAA supplementation in patients undergoing hepatic intervention significantly increased serum albumin (mean difference (MD): 0·11 g/dl, 95 % CI: 0·02, 0·20; 5 RCT) at 6 months and cholinesterase level (MD: 50·00 U/L, 95 % CI: 21·08, 78·92; 1 RCT) at 12 months and reduced ascites incidence (risk ratio: 0·39, 95 % CI: 0·21, 0·71; 4 RCT) at 12 months compared with the control group. Additionally, BCAA administration significantly increased body weight at 6 months and 12 months and increased arm circumference at 12 months. In conclusion, BCAA supplementation significantly improved the liver function, reduced the incidence of ascites and increased body weight and arm circumference. Thus, BCAA supplementation may beneficial for selected patients undergoing liver intervention.
Rhodiola rosea as an adaptogen to enhance exercise performance: a review of the literature
Authors: Tinsley Grant M. , Jagim Andrew R. , Potter Gregory D. M. , Garner Dan , Galpin Andrew J.
Published: August 2023

Rhodiola rosea (RR) is a plant whose bioactive components may function as adaptogens, thereby increasing resistance to stress and improving overall resilience. Some of these effects may influence exercise performance and adaptations. Based on studies of rodents, potential mechanisms for the ergogenic effects of RR include modulation of energy substrate stores and use, reductions in fatigue and muscle damage and altered antioxidant activity. At least sixteen investigations in humans have explored the potential ergogenicity of RR. These studies indicate acute RR supplementation (∼200 mg RR containing ∼1 % salidroside and ∼3 % rosavin, provided 60 min before exercise) may prolong time-to-exhaustion and improve time trial performance in recreationally active males and females, with limited documented benefits of chronic supplementation. Recent trials providing higher doses (∼1500 to 2400 mg RR/d for 4–30 d) have demonstrated ergogenic effects during sprints on bicycle ergometers and resistance training in trained and untrained adults. The effects of RR on muscle damage, inflammation, energy system modulation, antioxidant activity and perceived exertion are presently equivocal. Collectively, it appears that adequately dosed RR enhances dimensions of exercise performance and related outcomes for select tasks. However, the current literature does not unanimously show that RR is ergogenic. Variability in supplementation dose and duration, concentration of bioactive compounds, participant characteristics, exercise tests and statistical considerations may help explain these disparate findings. Future research should build on the longstanding use of RR and contemporary clinical trials to establish the conditions in which supplementation facilitates exercise performance and adaptations.
The Suicidal “Spirit of 1914”: Self-Destruction, National Sacrifice, and the Spontaneous Mobilization in Germany
Authors: Hershey Matthew
Published: August 2023

This article examines the spectrum of suicidal behaviors in Germany at the outbreak of World War I. It argues that the recorded suicides of August 1914 highlight core vectors that eventually led to Imperial Germany's collapse in 1918: the mass shattering of socioemotional ties and moral certainties, engendered by political and military authorities’ decisions to prosecute the war, as well as those they undertook during the conflict. But the spectrum extended beyond these recorded suicides and ironically included the quintessential “war-enthusiastic” figure: the warvolunteer (Kreigsfreiwilliger), who willingly joined the military despite widespread public knowledge of the new war's massive lethality. The self-destructiveness of this volunteerism was then largely concealed by its emotionally resonant moral coding by both state and nonstate actors as “national sacrifice,” in line with the “spirit of 1914.” Right from the beginning, suicide was not the “flipside” of sacrifice, but its largely unspoken, implicit shadow: what sacrifice risked becoming in the absence of an adequate victory.
Positive personality traits moderate persistent high alcohol consumption, determined by polygenic risk in U.S. military veterans: results from a 10-year, population-based, observational cohort study
Authors: Na Peter , Zhou Hang , Montalvo-Ortiz Janitza L. , Cabrera-Mendoza Brenda , Petrakis Ismene L. , Krystal John H. , Polimanti Renato , Gelernter Joel , Pietrzak Robert H.
Published: August 2023

Background

Understanding the interplay between psychosocial factors and polygenic risk scores (PRS) may help elucidate the biopsychosocial etiology of high alcohol consumption (HAC). This study examined the psychosocial moderators of HAC, determined by polygenic risk in a 10-year longitudinal study of US military veterans. We hypothesized that positive psychosocial traits (e.g. social support, personality traits, optimism, gratitude) may buffer risk of HAC in veterans with greater polygenic liability for alcohol consumption (AC).

Methods

Data were analyzed from 1323 European-American US veterans who participated in the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a 10-year, nationally representative longitudinal study of US military veterans. PRS reflecting genome-wide risk for AC (AUDIT-C) was derived from a Million Veteran Program genome-wide association study (N = 200 680).

Results

Among the total sample, 328 (weighted 24.8%) had persistent HAC, 131 (weighted 9.9%) had new-onset HAC, 44 (weighted 3.3%) had remitted HAC, and 820 (weighted 62.0%) had no/low AC over the 10-year study period. AUDIT-C PRS was positively associated with persistent HAC relative to no/low AC [relative risk ratio (RRR) = 1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.23–1.67] and remitted HAC (RRR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.07–2.50). Among veterans with higher AUDIT-C PRS, greater baseline levels of agreeableness and greater dispositional gratitude were inversely associated with persistent HAC.

Conclusions

AUDIT-C PRS was prospectively associated with persistent HAC over a 10-year period, and agreeableness and dispositional gratitude moderated this association. Clinical interventions designed to target these modifiable psychological traits may help mitigate risk of persistent HAC in veterans with greater polygenic liability for persistent HAC.
Expectations, opportunities, and awareness: A case for combining i- and s-frame interventions
Authors: Newell Ben R. , Vigouroux Samuel , Greenwell Harry
Published: August 2023

We argue that: (1) disappointment in the effectiveness of i-frame interventions depends on realistic expectations about how they could work; (2) opportunities for system reform are rare, and i-frame interventions can lay important groundwork; (3) Chater & Loewenstein's evidence that i-frame interventions detract from s-frame approaches is limited; and (4) nonetheless, behavioural scientists should consider what more they can contribute to systemic reforms.
Moving from i-frame to s-frame focus in equity, diversity, and inclusion research, practice, and policy
Authors: He Joyce C. , Kang Sonia K.
Published: August 2023

Meaningful and long-lasting progress in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) continue to elude academics, practitioners, and policymakers. Extending Chater & Loewenstein's arguments to the EDI space, we argue that, despite conventional focus on individual-level solutions (i-frame), increasing EDI also requires a systemic focus (s-frame). We thus call for the design, testing, and implementation of multipronged s-frame interventions.
“More effective” is not necessarily “better”: Some ethical considerations when influencing individual behaviour
Authors: Brown Rebecca C. H.
Published: August 2023

Chater & Loewenstein make a persuasive case for focusing behavioural research and policy making on s- rather than i-interventions. This commentary highlights some conceptual and ethical issues that need to be addressed before such reform can be embraced. These include the need to adjudicate between different conceptions of “effectiveness,” and accounting for reasonable differences between how people weight different values.
The Black Fantastic in International Relations
Authors: Spence Lester
Published: August 2023

In 2016, British investigative journalist Simon Rogers created a map/timeline of Twitter hashtags associated with Black Lives Matter. The map (which no longer exists) indirectly shows both the intensity of Black Lives Matter protests and their geographic scope. Within the United States, we see not only protest activity in metropolitan areas with large black population percentages, but also protest activity in metropolitan areas with few (if any) African Americans. Further, we see protests not just in the United States but throughout the world. The 2020 George Floyd murder arguably spurred more protests against police violence within the United States and around the world than any other moment. We understand these protests as part of a broader decolonial project that seeks to eradicate racialised violence. How does this project develop? In examining Black Lives Matter as a movement, most have either focused on domestic activity within the United States or on instances of international activity, but few have attempted to theorise its spread. I suggest that any approach that focuses solely or primarily on technological advances or on the work of activists misses an essential and under-examined element – US Black popular culture.
Porcospino, spined single-track mobile robot for inspection of narrow spaces
Authors: Nodehi Shahab E. , Bruzzone Luca , Fanghella Pietro
Published: August 2023

This paper discusses the design and the experimental tests on Porcospino, a bio-inspired single-track mobile robot for inspection of unstructured environments characterized by narrow spaces. It is an evolution of SnakeTrack, a single-track robot with steering capabilities; differently from SnakeTrack, the track modules of Porcospino are characterized by elastic spines, which improve traction on uneven and irregular terrains. The main body is a vertebral column, comprising a series of vertebrae connected by compliant joints and two end modules. Each end module carries two sprockets, sharing a common actuator, to drive the single peripherical track. Moreover, each end module hosts an actuator for track steering. The remaining mobilities of the vertebral column allow it to cope passively with the terrain profile, to enhance traction. The control unit, batteries, drivers, and environmental sensors are placed along the vertebral column. Both the end modules are equipped with a camera for intermittent vision, which is possible thanks to openings realized on the track modules. The experimental campaign on the first Porcospino prototype is discussed, highlighting the differences with its earlier version.
‘The Saga of Lenny’: Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti and Weill's Lady in the Dark
Authors: Schmid Rebecca
Published: August 2023

Leonard Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti created a stepping stone towards his own brand of serious but accessible music theater. While he dedicated the opera in seven scenes to Marc Blitzstein, that path was paved by the formal innovations of Kurt Weill. A comparative analysis of Trouble in Tahiti with Lady in the Dark reveals that Bernstein derived essential impulses from Weill's musical play, although the few statements he made about his music indicate ambivalence and competition, particularly with regard to Weill's American works. As Bernstein's female protagonist, Dinah, struggles to define herself vis-à-vis the institution of marriage, the themes of psychoanalysis, Hollywood glamour and the use of song as a meta-dramatic topic emerge as common threads. Select harmonies, instrumentation and rhythmic devices further evince debts to the precursor of Weill. But while Liza of Lady in the Dark finds her musical cure, Dinah does not meet with personal fulfilment.