bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sensational News about Nature: Risk and Resilience in Satirical Ozone Poetry of the Victorian Era
Authors: Zemanek Evi
Published: December 2022

From the perspective of the Environmental Humanities, ozone exerts a special fascination that is rooted in its ambiguity. It is assessed quite differently depending on whether it is encountered in the stratosphere, where the ozone layer protects us from ultraviolet radiation, or near the ground, where it is classified as a harmful substance and pollutant. Since humans cause both its formation near the ground and its destruction in the stratosphere, ozone is perceived not only as a natural phenomenon but also as an anthropogenic problem. Ever since Friedrich Schönbein discovered ozone in 1839, chemists, meteorologists, and educated citizens alike have tried to understand its ambivalent effects. In the second half of the nineteenth century, a lively debate developed in popular media to sound out the risks for human beings and the possibilities of building resilience – long before the interdisciplinary career of these concepts that we can witness today. Among the various factual and fictional texts that participated in the controversial debates about ozone, satire plays a special role, functioning per se as a meta- and counter-discourse. In the English satirical magazine Punch in particular, we can observe the emergence of satirical ozone poetry as an inventive subgenre. Presenting unknown ozone poems, this article analyses how they playfully question the emerging natural sciences and ridicule media coverage, humorously reveal insecurities, and mock cultural practices. At the same time, I argue, they should be considered an artistic medium of building resilience.1
Digitale Kompetenz, Informationskompetenz, Medienkompetenz, Datenkompetenz, Schreibkompetenz …? Was sollen wissenschaftliche Bibliotheken fördern und für wen?
Authors: Sühl-Strohmenger Wilfried
Published: December 2022

Die Kompetenzförderung gehört mittlerweile zu einer anerkannten Kernaufgabe wissenschaftlicher Bibliotheken. Sie tun dies im Kontext ihrer jeweiligen Institution und häufig im Zusammenwirken mit den Fächern. Der Beitrag befasst sich mit den verschiedenen Kompetenzbereichen, die sich in den vergangenen Jahren als wichtig im Sinne von Schlüsselqualifikationen herausgeschält haben, vor allem die Informations- und Medienkompetenz, die Digitale Kompetenz, die Datenkompetenz sowie die Schreibkompetenz; ferner Kompetenzen, die im Zusammenhang mit dem Publizieren (OA, Bibliometrie) nachgefragt sind. Untersucht wird, inwieweit diese Kompetenzfelder für die verschiedenen Zielgruppen bedeutsam sind und von wissenschaftlichen Bibliotheken gefördert bzw. eben eher weniger berücksichtigt werden wollten. Dabei geht es auch um das Selbstverständnis der Bibliotheken und ihre begrenzten personellen Kapazitäten für die Kompetenzförderung.
Greater expectations: meeting clinical needs through broad and rapid genomic testing
Authors: Poveda-Rogers Corey , Morrissette Jennifer J.D.
Published: December 2022

Cancer describes a group of diseases driven by genetic and genomic changes that can occur across hundreds of different genes. Knowledge of the specific variants present in a patient’s cancer can help to predict response to different treatment options, confirm disease diagnosis, and understand a patient’s prognosis and risks, which ultimately leads to improved survival outcomes. The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has allowed pathologists to simultaneously profile the sequences of many genes in a single reaction, but not all NGS assays are built the same. While those used for broad genomic profiling are useful to probe large regions of the genome and gather more information about a patient’s tumor, it comes at the cost of relatively long turnaround times (TAT), which may be detrimental to patient care. Conversely, NGS assays used for rapid genomic profiling provide faster results, but may miss detection of variants that are clinically informative. Determining which type of genomic profiling to order depends on a number of factors including the severity of a patient’s illness, standard of care paradigms, and success or failure of previous therapies. Ultimately, the ideal clinical diagnostic laboratory will be able to offer both options to best meet the clinical needs of its patients.
Clausal complexity of expert and student writing: a corpus-based analysis of papers in social sciences
Authors: Smirnova Elizaveta
Published: December 2022

Syntactic complexity has been extensively approached in the fields of corpus linguistics and academic discourse studies. However, works focusing on disciplinary variation in terms of linguistic complexity and comparison of professional and novice academic writing are scarce. Addressing these issues is likely to have important implications for EAP/ESP practitioners in terms of selection of target structures and learning material design. This study is a corpus analysis of the use of clausal complexity features in two social sciences, management and economics. The research is based on two kinds of corpora: expert corpora which comprise articles published in peer-reviewed journals, and learner corpora of L2 undergraduate students’ research papers. This work aims at answering two questions: Do clausal complexity features vary in the texts in management and economics? What are the differences in syntactic use between the academic texts written by professional authors and learner writing? The data showed that economists and managers tend to use the structures under consideration with significantly different frequencies. The professional writing was found to demonstrate more signs of clausal complexity than the learners’ texts.
The relationship between language learning strategies, affective factors and language proficiency
Authors: Stander Marga
Published: December 2022

Students with a mother tongue other than English often struggle with the demands of an academic programme at tertiary institutions where the medium of instruction is English. If their English language proficiency is inadequate, it may hamper their academic progress. Students feel that their command of English is unsatisfactory, and this causes tension and anxiety. This influences their motivation, self-confidence, self-image, and self-efficacy and serves as an affective filter which prevents comprehensible input necessary for successful learning. Therefore, a study amongst first-year university students was carried out to establish the relationship between language learning strategies, affective factors, and language proficiency. The aim was to find a connection between these three elements and to see whether they have an impact on each other. A combination of Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis and the Comprehensible Input Hypothesis was used as the theoretical framework for this study. The data were collected using a quantitative and qualitative method, a language proficiency test and a questionnaire based on language learning strategies and affective factors. The results show a positive correlation between compensation and affective strategies and language proficiency, which are directly linked to affective factors. It is essential for teachers to be aware of these factors, because they have a huge bearing on second language learning, academic development, and success. The conclusion is that affective factors can either enhance or hinder language proficiency, and that the use of language learning strategies have an influence on the outcome. This study contributes to the field of second language acquisition by creating an awareness of these factors in language education.
Data-driven and research-based learning approaches to environmental education in university contexts: two case studies in Italy and Germany
Authors: Marcella Vanessa , Samofalova Yuliya
Published: December 2022

This work is a contribution to the usefulness of climate-related authentic material for pedagogical purposes in Higher Education. The two case studies had the aim of raising environmental awareness of a sustainable future among university students, while encouraging them to explore language use and draw their own conclusions and considerations through different methodologies. Specifically, we highlight how posts from the social networking platform Instagram can help learners with different levels of language proficiency in Higher Education, approach specific topics using authentic language samples and visual data, and simultaneously develop new skills that may be integrated within their field of study. The case studies occurred in a distance learning context at the University of Calabria and Humboldt University of Berlin. They present two possible ways of increasing climate change awareness among university students while applying data-driven and research-based learning interdisciplinary approaches to climate change communication.
Protective effects of asperuloside against cyclophosphamide-induced urotoxicity and hematotoxicity in rats
Authors: Peng Xiaozhuang , Zhang Xiaomin , Wang Chen , Olatunji Opeyemi Joshua
Published: December 2022

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is a highly efficacious chemotherapy drug for treating cancers and autoimmune disorders, but it is also notable for its deleterious side effects including urotoxicity in cancer patients, which has been extensively linked to CP-induced oxidative/inflammatory cascades. Herein, we investigated the protective effects of asperuloside (ASP) against CP-induced urotoxicity. Rats received oral administration of ASP (20 and 40 mg/kg bw/day) for 35 days and were injected with weekly CP (100 mg/kg bw, i.p.) for 4 weeks to induce acute bladder toxicity. CP acutely altered haematological parameters and significantly reduced body weight gain, bladder glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities. Furthermore, CP caused an upward surge in bladder malondialdehyde, nuclear factor-kappa B, tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin 6 concentrations. ASP supplementation ameliorated CP-induced haematological derangement and bladder urotoxicity through the restoration of oxidative and inflammatory parameters in CP-treated rats. These findings suggested that ASP could be valorised as a possible therapeutic agent against chemotherapy-related toxicities as well as oxidative damage disorders.
The stress distribution of different types of restorative materials in primary molar
Authors: Guler Mehmet Sami
Published: December 2022

The aim of this finite element analysis study is to evaluate the stress distributions of different types of restorative materials at Class I cavity in the primary molar. The non-cracked caries-free primary mandibular second molar that is extracted for orthodontic reasons is used to create a three-dimensional model. Two models were prepared as Model 1: the tooth model without restoration (control group) and Model 2: the tooth model with Class I restoration. Five different types of restorative materials were tested in Model 2 (resin modified glass ionomer [Fuji II LC], compomer [Dyract AP], giomer [Beautiful II], glass carbomer [GPC Glass Fill] and ionic resin material with bioactive properties [Activa Kids Bioactive]). A force of 197 N was applied in the vertical and oblique directions in the ANSYS program (Ansys Workbench 19.0, Canonsburg, PA). The maximum Von Mises stress values were compared in the models. The vertical or oblique loading created different stresses in enamel, dentin and restorative materials. The stresses in the enamel tissue were higher than that in the dentin tissue. The stresses in vertical loading were higher than in the oblique loading for restorative materials. The different restorative materials exhibited similar stress distribution patterns, except Activa Kids Bioactive (vertical and oblique loading 446.16 and 8.57, respectively).
Mechanical properties investigation of composite FGM fabricated from Al/Zn
Authors: Ziadoon Mohammed Rahi Al-hadrayi , Al-Khazraji Ahmed Naif , Shandookh Ahmed A.
Published: December 2022

This article investigates the novel mechanical behavior of metal–metal gradients (Al/Zn) of the functionally graded materials (FGM) type. The experimental work includes the manufacture of three different models (FGM 1, FGM 2, and FGM 3) with various proportions of volume fraction and gradation as (100% Al–50% Al–50% Zn–50% Zn–50% Al–100% Zn), (100% Al–30% Zn–70% Al–70% Zn–30% Al–100% Zn) and (100% Al–70% Zn–30% Al–30% Zn–70% Al–100% Zn), respectively. The annealing process was carried out to eliminate the casting problems of the FGM. Mechanical tests such as tensile and hardness were performed using different parameters of the gradient of properties for each model. Hardness tests for each model were carried out by the circumferential method along the rod made of the FGM and in the radial direction from the core of the models and at different distances. In the third model, the modulus of elasticity and ultimate strength were 79 and 377 MPa, respectively. The densities of the three models were measured experimentally and theoretically. The results show that model FGM 3 has a tensile strength of 6, which is 10% more than that of models FGM 1 and FGM 2. The results showed a significant improvement of 22% in the tensile strength on average compared to the aluminum–zinc alloy. The circumferential method of hardness testing gives variant results than the radial type due to the properties of FGMs.
Tectonic evolution of the Eocene–Oligocene Lushi Basin in the eastern Qinling belt, Central China: Insights from paleomagnetic constraints
Authors: Jiang Kai , Wu Guanzuo , Si Guohao , Ren Liufan , Zheng Boyang , Li Jiangang
Published: December 2022

The eastern Qinling orogenic belt, located in the conjoint region between the Neo-Tethys tectonic domain and the western Pacific tectonic domain, is key to understanding the tectono-sedimentary evolution of the East Asian interior. Extensive Late Cretaceous–Cenozoic fluvial and lacustrine deposits within the eastern Qinling orogen provide ideal archives of tectono-sedimentary evolution in Fenwei, the eastern Qinling orogen. We present an integrated rock magnetism and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) study of a Middle Eocene–Early Oligocene succession in the Lushi Basin, eastern Qinling region. Our rock magnetic results suggest that hematite and magnetite are the main magnetic carriers of remanence, while χ−T curves, hysteresis loops, and low values of bulk susceptibility indicate that paramagnetic minerals are major contributors to AMS in the Lushi Basin. Nevertheless, the anomalous magnetic fabrics in the Zhangjiacun and Lushi Formations may result from the contribution of the iron-bearing carbonates in deposits. The clustering of the minimum principal axes nearly vertical to the bedding plane and the well-defined NW–SE magnetic lineation almost parallel to the dip of the bounding fault suggest that the AMS of the Dayu Formation is not a sedimentary fabric but an incipient deformation magnetic fabric. The pronounced NW–SE magnetic lineation indicates the NW–SE stretching of the Lushi Basin during the Late Eocene–Earliest Oligocene, which may have been caused by the combined effects of the India–Eurasia collision and the subduction of the western Pacific plate.
Milankovitch cycles and the astronomical time scale of the Zhujiang Formation in the Baiyun Sag, Pearl River Mouth Basin, China
Authors: He Ping , Zhang Shangfeng , Xu Enze , Zhu Chunxia
Published: December 2022

The Zhujiang Formation in the Baiyun Sag, Pearl River Mouth Basin, China, is formed primarily in a deep-water continental slope environment. Its chronostratigraphic framework is based on biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy, and its geological dating is based on micropaleontological data. This makes it difficult to obtain precise absolute ages for various geological events. In this study, gamma ray (GR) well log data from Wells Y1, Y2, and Y3 were used as paleoclimate proxies, and spectral and wavelet analyses were used to conduct cyclostratigraphic research. The results show that the Milankovitch cycles were preserved in the Zhujiang Formation in the Baiyun Sag. Stratigraphic cycles controlled by 405 and 95 ka orbital eccentricity, 40.4 ka orbital obliquity, and 23.5 ka orbital precession cycles can be identified; the signal of stratigraphic cycles controlled by the 405 ka long eccentricity cycle is the strongest. The floating astronomical time scale is constructed based on 405 ka orbital eccentricity cycle tuning of the GR series. The precise durations of the Zhujiang Formation in Wells Y1, Y2, and Y3 are 7.13, 6.93, and 7.18 Ma, and the average deposition rates are 4.68, 5.91, and 5.33 cm/ka, respectively. The Zhujiang Formation was divided into 17 fourth-, 76 fifth-, and 174 sixth-order cycles using the 405, 95, and 40.4 ka orbital periods as the dividing scales, respectively. This study provides a quantitative method for high-precision isochronous stratigraphic division and correlation in deep-water sedimentary systems.
Antimicrobial edible materials via nano-modifications for food safety applications
Authors: Alzain Hassan , Hussein Karim , Jabr Ibrahim
Published: December 2022

Edible films from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/starch incorporated with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were developed. The prepared films were characterized by Fourier transforms infrared, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, swelling behaviour, and thermal and mechanical properties. Results showed a decrease in the average particle size of TiO2 nanoparticles with increasing irradiation dose up to 30 kGy. The swelling capacity of CMC/starch blends is ordered in the sequence of composition ratio 2:1 > 1:1 > 1:2. The effect of different irradiation doses (2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 kGy) and different concentrations of TiO2 (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 wt%) on the film properties was evaluated. The tensile strength increased gradually, accompanied by a decline in elongation percentage with the increase in the irradiation dose and increase in the TiO2 contents up to 2.5 wt%. The irradiated CMC/starch/TiO2 film showed higher thermal stability than CMC/starch film. Furthermore, the unirradiated and irradiated CMC/starch/TiO2 edible films were applied to fresh strawberries by surface coating. The irradiated film showed a superior effect in prolonging the fruits’ shelf life. The antimicrobial activity of CMC/starch/TiO2 film against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was increased by increasing the irradiation dose. In conclusion, CMC/starch/TiO2 edible film exhibited the prerequisite behaviour for potential application in active food packaging.
Research on aging behavior and safe storage life prediction of modified double base propellant
Authors: Gu Yan , Yu Silong , Wang Qiong , Du Jiaojiao , Wang Fangfang
Published: December 2022

In order to study the long-time safe storage performance of GaTo modified double base propellant, the accelerated aging tests at 65, 70, 75, and 85°C were conducted. The chemical stabilities, mechanical properties, and microstructure of the propellant samples were characterized by differential scanning calorimeter, bromize-titration, impact resistance testing, and field emission scanning electron microscopy in the aging duration. The results showed that the chemical stability of propellant became worse due to nitrate esters decomposition. The impact resistance degradation is the result of binder network collapse, phase separation between binder and plasticizer, and interfacial dewetting during aging. Hence, the storage life of the propellant at ambient temperature has been evaluated based on stabilizer depletion and impact resistance deterioration via Arrhenius approach
Zurück in die Zukunft:Schreiben auf dem Dorf
Authors: Vogel Carolin
Published: December 2022

Around 1900, a number of writers left big cities for small villages in the countryside in order to continue their literary work there. This essay illuminates the spatial and social conditions under which outstanding works of German literature of this time were created. The writers included are Wilhelm Bölsche, Bruno Wille, Laura Marholm, Rainer Maria Rilke, Carl and Gerhart Hauptmann, Richard Dehmel, Detlev von Liliencron, Hermann Hesse, Paul Heyse, and Franziska zu Reventlow. The places they chose over big cities like Berlin or Munich are Friedrichshagen, Schliersee, Worpswede, Schreiberhau, Agnetendorf, Blankenese, Alt-Rahlstedt, Gaienhofen, Gardone, and Ascona.
“Las ejemplarizantes Coplas lamentables al fallecimiento de la serenísima emperatriz, reina y señora nuestra, doña Isabel (1539) de Pedro de Estrada”1
Authors: Moya García Cristina
Published: December 2022

La muerte de la emperatriz Isabel de Portugal, esposa de Carlos V, causó honda conmoción en sus reinos. La poesía dio cuenta de la desgracia que asoló al monarca y a sus súbditos, como muestran las Coplas lamentables al fallecimiento de la Serenísima Emperatriz, reina y señora nuestra, doña Isabel de Pedro de Estrada, de marcado tono moralizante. El poeta se sirve de la fallecida soberana, personaje ejemplar, para mostrar la necesidad de vivir como buenos cristianos y poder alcanzar así la vida eterna.
A latent profile analysis of Chinese EFL learners’ enjoyment and anxiety in reading and writing: associations with imaginative capacity and story continuation writing performance
Authors: Zhu Xinhua , Zhan Jianling , Yao Yuan
Published: December 2022

Research on second language (L2) enjoyment and anxiety has mainly focused on independent reading and writing tasks. An integrated reading-writing task involves students in both reading and writing processes, raising the possibility of different combinations of, and unique interaction between, enjoyment and anxiety across reading and writing in such a task. This study aimed to identify integrated reading-writing task based enjoyment and anxiety profiles using a person-centered latent profile analysis (LPA) and to explore their relationships with imagination and performance. Six hundred and seventy-nine 12th-grade Chinese students completed an integrated reading-writing task, namely a story continuation writing task (SCWT), and a questionnaire measuring their L2 reading enjoyment and anxiety, writing enjoyment and anxiety, and imaginative capacity. The LPA identified four different profiles: (1) the moderate-enjoyment/moderate-anxiety group, (2) the moderate-enjoyment/low-anxiety group, (3) the high-enjoyment/moderate-anxiety group, and (4) the low-enjoyment/high-anxiety group. Further, a student’s profile membership was strongly predicted by imaginative capacity. Those in the moderate-enjoyment/low-anxiety group scored highest in story continuation writing performance. Pedagogical implications tailored to integrated reading-writing task instruction are discussed.
Nonlinear dynamics of blood passing through an overlapped stenotic artery with copper nanoparticles
Authors: Vaidya Hanumesh , Animasaun Isaac Lare , Prasad Kerehalli Vinayaka , Rajashekhar Choudhari , Viharika Javalkar U. , Al-Mdallal Qasem M.
Published: December 2022

The dynamics of blood carrying microscopic copper particles through overlapping stenotic arteries is an important research area needed for scrutinizing and exploring dynamics through blood vessels. Adipose tissue deposition and other elements of atherosclerosis generate the uncommon artery disease known as arterial stenosis. It limits blood flow and raises the risk of heart disease. Using the Casson model, it is feasible to shed light on the peristaltic blood flow of copper nanoparticles over an overlapping stenotic artery. Nothing is known about the study of heat sink/source, buoyancy and Lorent force, and volume fraction because the focus is on the dynamics of blood carrying minute copper particles through an overlapping stenotic artery. When the Lorentz force is significant, the transport mentioned above was evaluated utilizing stenosis approximations to examine the stream function, wall shear stress, Nusselt number, and flow resistance distribution. In addition, temperature solutions were identified analytically, whereas a perturbation approach acquired velocity solutions. Temperature distribution and velocity are greater in stenosed arteries than in unstenosed arteries. Furthermore, extreme velocity and temperature rise as it reaches the core of the artery and falls as one approaches the wall. When the heat source parameter values increase due to an improvement in the fluid’s thermal state, the temperature distribution increases.
Using change in predicted adult height during GnRH agonist treatment for individualized treatment decisions in girls with central precocious puberty
Authors: Trujillo Marcela Vargas , Lee Peter A. , Reifschneider Kent , Backeljauw Philippe F. , Dragnic Sanja , Van Komen Stephen , Yu Jun , Klein Karen O.
Published: December 2022

Objectives

It is important to understand what variables influence change in predicted adult height (PAH) throughout GnRHa treatment for central precocious puberty (CPP) to individualize treatment decisions and optimize care.

Methods

Changes in PAH, chronological age (CA), bone age (BA), BA/CA, and height velocity (HV) were evaluated in girls with CPP throughout treatment with leuprolide acetate (n=77). A second analysis focused on changes in the 3 years preceding the first observed BA of ≥12 years. Relationships were characterized using plot inspection and linear mixed-effects analyses. Association between treatment duration and last assessed PAH was examined using multiple linear regression models.

Results

BA/CA and HV showed a nonlinear change during treatment, with the largest changes and improvement in PAH observed in the first 6–18 months. Rate of BA advancement tended to decrease more slowly in girls initiating treatment at a younger BA. On-treatment change in PAH was predicted by concurrent BA/CA change, HV, and BA, as well as CA at treatment initiation. Last assessed PAH was positively associated with longer treatment durations (primary/exploratory models cut-offs of ≥33/≥55 months).

Conclusions

These findings support individualized monitoring during GnRHa treatment. Initial response should be interpreted with caution until 6–18 months after treatment initiation and failure should not be assumed based on continued bone maturation in girls starting therapy at a younger age. Treatment cessation should not be automatically based on a diminishing change in PAH or HV, as ongoing treatment may result in continued increase or maintenance of PAH.
Deutschamerikanische Zeitungskorpora (1845–1860): Eine Kollokationsstudie
Authors: Bilić Viktorija
Published: December 2022

This paper focuses on a collocation study of a historical newspaper corpus for the years between 1845 and 1860. After defining the meaning of collocations for the purpose of the study, the creation of the historical newspaper corpus as well as the method of data analysis is described. The main part of the contribution is then dedicated to a content analysis of the collocations found in a corpus of mid-19th century German-American newspapers.
Zur Erforschung von Korrelationen zwischen verschiedenen Fehlertypen bei der maschinellen Übersetzung aus dem Deutschen ins Slowakische
Authors: Wrede Olga , Munkova Dasa , Banik Tomas , Munk Michal
Published: December 2022

We focus on examining the impact of machine translation (MT) error rate on adequacy and fluency in machine-translated journalistic texts. German is the source language, with significant polysynthetic features in the formation of composites, and the target language is Slovak, with predominantly inflected features. We analyse twelve error categories, which are incorporated into the categorical framework for the analysis of MT errors and correspond to the four-member core MQM-DQF error typology. The results show that the most significant errors are in the categories of lexical semantics, syntactic-semantic correlativeness and grammar.
Crystal structure of bis(μ
3-diphenylphosphinato)-tetrakis(μ
2-diphenylphosphinato)-bis(diphenylphosphinato)-bis(μ
2-hydroxo)dicopper(II)-ditin(IV), C104H100O18P8Cu2Sn2
Authors: Xiaolin Sun , Yuhua Guo , Youzhu Yu
Published: December 2022

C104H100O18P8Cu2Sn2, triclinic,

P

1
‾

$P\overline{1}$

(no. 2), a = 13.8254(6) Å, b = 14.1283(6) Å, c = 15.1940(7) Å, α = 112.571(1)°, β = 104.707(1)°, γ = 104.433(1)°, V = 2442.87(19) Å3, Z = 1, R

gt
(F) = 0.0256, wR

ref
(F
2) = 0.0955, T = 296(2) K.
Potters’ Mobility Contributed to the Emergence of the Bell Beaker Phenomenon in Third Millennium BCE Alpine Switzerland: A Diachronic Technology Study of Domestic and Funerary Traditions
Authors: Derenne Eve , Ard Vincent , Besse Marie
Published: December 2022

The spread of the Bell Beaker phenomenon across Europe is still strongly debated today. Small-scale technological studies investigating its integration in local contexts remain rare, even though these are crucial to observing disruptions in traditions. In this article, we studied the ceramic technology of Final Neolithic, Bell Beaker period, and Early Bronze Age settlements of the Upper Rhône valley in Switzerland (3300–1600 BCE). We reconstructed and compared their pottery traditions to those from the contemporaneous megalithic necropolis of Sion ‘Petit-Chasseur’, a major funerary and ritual site located in the centre of the valley. Our findings showed that the Bell Beaker period saw an abundance of simultaneous technical changes, mirroring disruptions identified by other fields, and confirmed that this cultural phenomenon did not blend seamlessly with the local context. More importantly, they revealed the role played by human mobility, with the arrival of potters shortly after 2500 BCE.
Konstantinos Oikonomos and Russian Philorthodox relief during the Greek war for independence (1821–1829)
Authors: Gerd Lora
Published: December 2022

After the Archipelago expeditions of the Russian Navy in 1769–1774 and 1805–1807, thousands of Greeks fled the Ottoman Empire and resettled in the province of Novorossiia (southern Russia). Among the migrants were prominent merchants who strongly supported the Philiki Etaireia (Friendly Society) and the cause for Greek independence. Although Tsar Alexander I could not openly support the insurrection that broke out in 1821, Russia provided invaluable material assistance to the Greek refugees, who arrived in Russian cities such as Odessa and Kishinev. Special committees under Russian officials distributed funds gathered from private donations and public sources all over Russia. The famous Greek cleric Konstantinos Oikonomos also arrived in Odessa with his family. His speech at the funeral of Patriarch Gregory V (whose relics were buried in Odessa) helped solidify the image of the patriarch as an ethno-martyr. Oikonomos served as a mediator and advisor to the Ober-procurator of the Russian Holy Synod, Alexander Golitsyn, who was responsible for gathering information about Greek clergymen among the refugees. Oikonomos also played an important role in distributing donations for the families of the Greeks displaced after the massacre on Chios in 1822. The documents from Russian archives presented in this essay demonstrate the network of Oikonomos and the pivotal role that he played between the Russian high officials and Greek intellectuals, the Greek merchants, and his poorer compatriots. This chapter features an annex with the unpublished correspondence of Oikonomos as evidence for one of the largest humanitarian actions of the nineteenth century.
Direct deoxygenative borylation
Authors: Li Jianbin
Published: December 2022

Direct deoxygenative borylation is a highly enabling chemical transformation considering the attractive synthetic features of oxygenous feedstocks and organoboron compounds. Despite ranking among the synthetic ideality in different settings, such chemical space remained largely uncharted and underutilized until recent decades. This short review will summarize some key advances in the field of direct deoxy-borylation of alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids and organize these contributions based on substrate classes. In each representative, the general features, including reaction conditions, product scopes and mechanistic insights, will be highlighted and discussed.
Radial oscillations of an electron in a Coulomb attracting field
Authors: Karapetyan Grigori G.
Published: December 2022

The radial motion of an electron in a Coulomb attracting field based on a new theory of the interaction of a particle with an electromagnetic field is studied. It is shown that the electron can perform radial oscillations due to a repulsive force that exists in the vicinity of the center and prevents the electron from approaching the center. This concept of a previously unknown repulsive force significantly shifts the paradigm of the interaction of a charge with an electromagnetic field. A laboratory experiment is proposed to test the new phenomenon.
Estimation of the average particle flux in a stochastically homogeneous medium by Monte Carlo method
Authors: Lotova Galiya Z. , Mikhailov Gennady A.
Published: December 2022

The paper is focused on the study of the superexponential growth of the average number of particles in a stochastically homogeneous propagating medium. A mosaic Voronoi field (‘mosaic’) is considered as a random density model. The notion of ‘effective’ correlation radius is introduced to compare the results with previously obtained estimates of superexponential parameters for a spherically symmetric layered mosaic. It is shown that transition from the layered random density model to a chaotic one preserving the correlation scale and one-dimensional distribution weakens the ‘superexponential’ property of the particle flux.
Vermögensabschöpfung bei Unternehmen als Drittbegünstigte – Das reformierte Einziehungsrecht nimmt Fahrt auf!
Authors: Rönnau Thomas
Published: December 2022

Vermögensabschöpfung gehört mittlerweile zum Standardinstrument polizeilicher und justizieller Aktivitäten. Die große Reform des Einziehungsrechts 2017 hat dessen Bedeutung noch einmal gesteigert. In den Fokus geraten dabei auch zunehmend Unternehmen als (Dritt‑)Begünstigte von Straftaten. Im folgenden Beitrag soll zunächst ein Überblick zu den Kernelementen der Reform gegeben werden, bevor Grundfragen und ausgewählte Probleme zur Einziehung beim Unternehmen als Dritter im Mittelpunkt stehen. CumEx und andere Wirtschaftsstrafverfahren zeigen, dass die Gefahren durch Vermögenskonfiskation durchaus ernst zu nehmen sind.
Disentangling Object Category Representations Driven by Dynamic and Static Visual Input
Authors: Robert Sophia , Ungerleider Leslie G. , Vaziri-Pashkam Maryam
Published: December 2022

Humans can label and categorize objects in a visual scene with high accuracy and speed, a capacity well characterized with studies using static images. However, motion is another cue that could be used by the visual system to classify objects. To determine how motion-defined object category information is processed by the brain in the absence of luminance-defined form information, we created a novel stimulus set of “object kinematograms” to isolate motion-defined signals from other sources of visual information. Object kinematograms were generated by extracting motion information from videos of 6 object categories and applying the motion to limited-lifetime random dot patterns. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) (n= 15, 40% women), we investigated whether category information from the object kinematograms could be decoded within the occipitotemporal and parietal cortex and evaluated whether the information overlapped with category responses to static images from the original videos. We decoded object category for both stimulus formats in all higher-order regions of interest (ROIs). More posterior occipitotemporal and ventral regions showed higher accuracy in the static condition, while more anterior occipitotemporal and dorsal regions showed higher accuracy in the dynamic condition. Further, decoding across the two stimulus formats was possible in all regions. These results demonstrate that motion cues can elicit widespread and robust category responses on par with those elicited by static luminance cues, even in ventral regions of visual cortex that have traditionally been associated with primarily image-defined form processing.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTMuch research on visual object recognition has focused on recognizing objects in static images. However, motion is a rich source of information that humans might also use to categorize objects. Here, we present the first study to compare neural representations of several animate and inanimate objects when category information is presented in two formats: static cues or isolated dynamic motion cues. Our study shows that, while higher-order brain regions differentially process object categories depending on format, they also contain robust, abstract category representations that generalize across format. These results expand our previous understanding of motion-derived animate and inanimate object category processing and provide useful tools for future research on object category processing driven by multiple sources of visual information.
Undermatching Is a Consequence of Policy Compression
Authors: Bari Bilal A. , Gershman Samuel J.
Published: December 2022

The matching law describes the tendency of agents to match the ratio of choices allocated to the ratio of rewards received when choosing among multiple options (Herrnstein, 1961). Perfect matching, however, is infrequently observed. Instead, agents tend to undermatch or bias choices toward the poorer option. Overmatching, or the tendency to bias choices toward the richer option, is rarely observed. Despite the ubiquity of undermatching, it has received an inadequate normative justification. Here, we assume agents not only seek to maximize reward, but also seek to minimize cognitive cost, which we formalize as policy complexity (the mutual information between actions and states of the environment). Policy complexity measures the extent to which the policy of an agent is state dependent. Our theory states that capacity-constrained agents (i.e., agents that must compress their policies to reduce complexity) can only undermatch or perfectly match, but not overmatch, consistent with the empirical evidence. Moreover, using mouse behavioral data (male), we validate a novel prediction about which task conditions exaggerate undermatching. Finally, in patients with Parkinson's disease (male and female), we argue that a reduction in undermatching with higher dopamine levels is consistent with an increased policy complexity.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe matching law describes the tendency of agents to match the ratio of choices allocated to different options to the ratio of reward received. For example, if option a yields twice as much reward as option b, matching states that agents will choose option a twice as much. However, agents typically undermatch: they choose the poorer option more frequently than expected. Here, we assume that agents seek to simultaneously maximize reward and minimize the complexity of their action policies. We show that this theory explains when and why undermatching occurs. Neurally, we show that policy complexity, and by extension undermatching, is controlled by tonic dopamine, consistent with other evidence that dopamine plays an important role in cognitive resource allocation.
A refined culture system of oocytes from early antral follicles promotes oocyte maturation and embryo development in cattle
Authors: Garcia Barros Rodrigo , Lodde Valentina , Franciosi Federica , Luciano Alberto Maria
Published: December 2022

In brief

The proposed culture system improves the current state of in vitro culture of growing oocytes in the bovine species and allows access to the untapped gamete reserve, thus improving reproductive efficiency.

The present study aimed to improve the in vitro culture of bovine oocytes collected from early antral follicles (EAFs) to support the progressive acquisition of meiotic and developmental competence. The rationale that drove the development of such a culture system was to maintain as much as possible the physiological conditions that support the oocyte growth and differentiation in vivo. To this extent, oocytes were cultured for 5 days, which parallels the transition from early to medium antral follicles (MAFs) in the bovine, and supports promoting a 3D-like structure were provided. Additionally, the main hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone) were added in concentrations similar to the ones previously observed in bovine EAFs. The meiotic arrest was imposed using cilostamide. The cultured cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) reached a mean diameter of 113.4 ± 0.75 µm and showed a progressive condensation of the chromatin enclosed in the germinal vesicle (GV), together with a gradual decrease in the global transcriptional activity, measured by 5-ethynyl uridine incorporation. The described morpho-functional changes were accompanied by an increased ability to mature and develop to the blastocyst stage in vitro, although not matching the rates obtained by MAF-retrieved oocytes. The described system improves the current state of in vitro culture of growing oocytes in the bovine species, and it can be used to increase the number of gametes usable for in vitro embryo production in animals of high genetic merit or with specific desirable traits.
Predictive Efficacy of the Index of Microcirculatory Resistance for Acute Allograft Rejection and Cardiac Events After Heart Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lu Zhuangzhuang , Song Guangmin , Bai Xiao
Published: December 2022

Background: In patients treated by heart transplantation, the index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) has been found to have predictive potential for subsequent acute allograft rejection (AAR) and long-time cardiac events. When consulting related literature, the studies mostly were single-center with small sample sizes. The question of whether IMR can be utilized as a predictive biomarker is becoming increasingly contentious. To confirm the predictive efficacy of IMR, researchers did a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Method: From inception to April 2022, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Ovid, ProQuest, and Scopus systematically were searched. The results were presented as pooled ratio rate (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Assessment of the quality, heterogeneity analyses, and publication bias analysis also were performed.
Results: A total of 616 patients were studied in five trials. There were significant differences in subsequent AAR (RR = 4.08; 95% CI: 2.69~6.17; P = 0.000) or long-time cardiac events (RR=2.14; 95% CI: 1.44~3.19; P = 0.000) between IMR-high and IMR-low patients in the forest plots. Patients treated with heart transplantation in the high IMR group had better predictive efficacy than the low IMR group.
Conclusions: High IMR could predict the events of subsequent AAR and cardiac events after heart transplantation. This will help reduce the occurrence of adverse events and personalize treatment for patients.
A Partial Clamp During Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Can be Safely Used When Utilizing the Calcium Score with Computed Tomography For Evaluating The Ascending Aorta
Authors: Yoshihiro Goto , Takagi Sho , Yanagisawa Junji , Nakasu Akio
Published: December 2022

Background: No previous study has shown that the volume of calcium score is useful for evaluating the aorta when performing a partial clamp (PC). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of different clamping strategies during off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB), in terms of the incidence of postoperative stroke using the calcium score of the ascending aorta.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 339 patients, who underwent isolated OPCAB between August 2013 and March 2021. There were two groups of patients, depending on the procedure. A PC was used for proximal anastomoses in 130 (38.3%) patients. A clampless proximal facilitating anastomotic device (CFD) was used in 107 (31.5%) patients. We prescribed preoperative CT for all patients, and the Agatston score was used.
Results: The calcium score significantly was higher in the CFD group than in the PC group (29.7 ± 66.5 vs. 1819.8 ± 2391.5, < 0.001). The number of distal anastomoses and operative time were not significantly different between the two groups. There was no mortality and three strokes occurred at the 30-day follow up. Two strokes occurred in the PC group (1.5%) and one in the CFD group (0.9%), which was not significantly different (P = 0.98).
Conclusion: A PC does not increase postoperative stroke incidence compared with a CFD, when utilizing calcium score evaluation in OPCAB.
Richtlinien- und wettbewerbskonforme Auslegung bestimmter Verbote unlauterer Handelspraktiken im Agrarorganisationen-und-Lieferketten-Gesetz
Authors: Glöckner Jochen
Published: December 2022

Im Gefolge der Landwirtschaftskrise 2014/15 forcierte das Europäische Parlament ein bereits laufendes, Lieferketten und nachfragebedingte Abhängigkeiten allgemein adressierendes Gesetzgebungsverfahren. Als Ergebnis wurde im Jahr 2019, gestützt auf die besondere Agrarkompetenz des Art. 43 Abs. 2 AEUV, die Richtlinie 2019/633 über unlautere Handelspraktiken in der Agrar- und Lebensmittelerzeugerkette (UHP-Richtlinie) erlassen. Der deutsche Gesetzgeber setzte die Richtlinie im Agrarorganisationen- und-Lieferketten-Gesetz um. Von der im Rahmen der Mindestharmonisierung geschaffenen Möglichkeit weiterreichender Umsetzung wurde an mehreren Stellen Gebrauch gemacht. Es kommt hinzu, dass weder die nach außerordentlich kurzem Gesetzgebungsverfahren erlassene Richtlinie noch das deutsche Umsetzungsgesetz Gelegenheit hatten, begrifflich und legistisch zu reifen. Unklarheiten bei der Reichweite der besonderen Verhaltensnormen bedürfen daher der Auflösung.

Vor diesem Hintergrund wird nachfolgend im Anschluss an eine Grundlegung (I.), in welcher die Entstehung der neuen Vorschriften zusammengefasst (I.1.) und die wirtschaftliche Ausgangsproblematik erläutert werden (I.2.), auf die Art. 3 UHP-Richtlinie zugrundeliegenden Schadenstheorien (II.) und deren Konsequenzen für die Anwendung der zusätzlichen Verbotstatbestände (III.) eingegangen. Abgeschlossen wird der Beitrag durch zusammenfassende Thesen (IV.)
Europe’s Green Ambition: New Guidelines of the European Commission on the Application of Art. 101 TFEU to Sustainability Agreements – A Critical Account
Authors: von Kalben Jonas
Published: December 2022

On 1. March 2022 the European Commission (Commission) published a draft of new Horizontal Guidelines (DHG 2022) that dedicate a separate chapter to provide guidance on the application of Art. 101 TFEU to Sustainability Agreements. A primary objective of the Commission is to facilitate cooperation of undertakings that contributes to the ‘green transition’. The DHG 2022 clarify that competition and sustainability are complementary objectives and – contrary to claims of some commentators – reject more general restrictions of Art. 101(1) TFEU. Nevertheless, the new guidelines provide useful guidance on (soft) safe harbours for certain types of Sustainability Agreements. At the same time, the Commission advocates a broad reading of Art. 101(3) TFEU that would allow to credit a wide range of individual but also collective sustainability benefits. A closer look reveals that the suggested approach is difficult to reconcile with the case law of the European Courts. Moreover, the Commission’s interpretation of the legal exemption raises fundamental questions of the legitimacy of private companies to take normative decisions with far reaching distributive effects.