bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards the cost of health in Africa: examining the synergistic effect of climate change and renewable energy on health expenditure
Authors: Horvey Sylvester Senyo
Published: October 2024

Climate change has become the centre of discussion among scholars and practitioners globally. This is believed to have severe consequences for the environment and human health, leading to significant implications for health financing. However, empirical investigations examining the climate change-health nexus remain scarce and underexplored. Hence, this study contributes to knowledge by exploring the direct and synergistic influence of renewable energy and climate change on health expenditure (i.e., national, public, private and external) in Africa. The study employs annual data from a panel of 47 African countries between 2006 and 2019, which are estimated using the generalised method of moments. Robustness checks are performed using alternative proxies for climate change and the Driscoll-Kraay estimation technique. The empirical outcomes reveal that high CO2 emissions increase the various indices of health expenditure, implying environmental degradation triggers higher costs in health spending. The empirical results further show that renewable energy presents a negative and significant influence on health expenditure, showing that health expenditure decreases due to the adoption of renewable energy. Additionally, the study finds that renewable energy weakens the effect of carbon emissions on health spending, including public, private and external health expenditures. This implies that the severe impact of climate change on health expenditure is reduced through the intervening role of renewable energy sources. The study recommends that policymakers implement targeted policies towards reducing carbon emissions and increasing renewable energy consumption to improve health outcomes. Governments must also promote universal health coverage to ensure inclusive coverage as climate change becomes increasingly apparent.
Clinical Implications of the Molecular and Genomic Landscape of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: Jaime-Casas Salvador , Tripathi Abhishek , Pal Sumanta K. , Yip Wesley
Published: October 2024

Purpose of Review

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is an aggressive entity with treatment strategies mirroring bladder cancer. Genomic and molecular profiling allows for a better characterization of this disease and allows for patient-tailored approaches. We aim to describe the genomic and molecular implications of this disease.

Recent Findings

Technological advances have the potential for early diagnosis and precise molecular analysis in patients with UTUC. Genomic profile clustering, specific mRNA signatures, and pathway-specific protein abundance tools have oncologic and clinical implications. We describe their utility in the context of this disease.

In the era of precision medicine, designing clinical trials that explore the diagnostic and prognostic implications of biomolecular signatures in the context of UTUC is of utmost importance. Promising advances in this arena provide tools for physicians to avoid overtreatment in this patient population.
Prosecuting human traffickers in Nigeria: victim-witnessing and community-oriented challenges
Authors: Okorie Mitterand M. , Okeja Uchenna
Published: October 2024

The paper reflects on the limitations of Nigeria’s antitrafficking efforts, as they relate, particularly, to the complexities of victim-witnessing in the prosecution of sex trafficking cases. While much has been written about the institutional and cultural impediments to victim-witnessing in Nigeria or Nigerian-related sex trafficking cases, our work seeks to ask an often underplayed, if not ignored question: Can individuals existing under unjust structures find the impetus to assist the state advance the course of justice? We respond to this question by exploring the interrelationships between political failure, community-oriented trafficking and the moral quandary faced by intercepted victims who see trafficking as a conduit for economic mobility. Utilising Robert Merton’s strain theory, we highlight how the relational dynamics between traffickers and their victims within a community-oriented trafficking context underscore an innovation adjustment to the Mertonian strain. Against this background, we conclude that victim-witnessing is and will remain a challenge for Nigeria’s criminal justice response to trafficking because victims perceive their criminal exploiters as inextricably linked to their material wellbeing.
Personality traits as predictors of forgiveness and gratitude/awe: a two-wave longitudinal study
Authors: Skalski-Bednarz Sebastian Binyamin , Toussaint Loren L. , Konaszewski Karol , Surzykiewicz Janusz
Published: October 2024

Cross-sectional studies have shown that individual differences can be associated with pro-social emotions. However, little is known about how personality may predict subsequent forgiveness and gratitude/awe. This study investigates the longitudinal influence of the Big Five traits (assessed by the Ten-Item Personality Inventory), supplemented by narcissism (assessed by the Single Item Narcissism Scale), on decisional and emotional forgiveness (assessed by the Decisional and Emotional Forgiveness Scales), as well as gratitude/awe (assessed by the Gratitude/Awe Questionnaire). Data were gathered from 292 respondents (64% women) from Poland who completed questionnaires at Time 1 (T1) and 6 months later at Time 2 (T2). Structural equation modelling showed that agreeableness at T1 positively predicted decisional forgiveness at T2; extraversion at T1 and emotional stability at T1 positively predicted emotional forgiveness at T2; and openness at T1 positively predicted gratitude/awe at T2, albeit all effects were weak. Our findings suggested that personality traits play a more minor role than one might think based on cross-sectional studies in determining individuals’ capacity for forgiveness and gratitude/awe. However, it is essential to note that these results are specific to the Polish population, underscoring the necessity for future research incorporating a more diverse demographic representation.
Aerosol loading in the guinea coast climate region of Nigeria: comparison of MODIS and AERONET data sources
Authors: Ibe Onyinyechi Caroline , Nwofor Okechukwu Kelechi , Okoro Ugochukwu Kingsley
Published: October 2024

This study compares aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements from satellite data with that from a ground-based station. It aims at validating monthly AOD data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Deep Blue (DB) collection 6.1 (Aqua and Terra) at 550 nm against AOD data from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) station at 500 nm in Ilorin over the period 2003–2022. The analysis focuses on eight selected cities/locations within the Guinea Coast region of Nigeria. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods, including correlation, regression, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, the Mann–Kendall trend test, root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and relative mean bias (RMB), were employed. The results indicate a positive correlation in most locations, with correlation values ranging from 0.3 to 0.7. The correlation between the datasets in Ilorin showed a positive and significant relationship while the other seven locations presented a weak and insignificant relationship. Additionally, the period from 2013–2022 showed better correlation compared to 2003–2012. AOD levels were highest during the harmattan season (DJF), exceeding 0.8, and lowest during the monsoon (JJA) and post-monsoon (SON) seasons, with values below 0.5, reflecting the effects of wet scavenging. The highest agreement between MODIS Aqua and AERONET data was observed during the harmattan season. The study also found that MODIS tends to overestimate AOD compared to AERONET and that MODIS-AOD exhibits greater spread and variability than AERONET-AOD.
Cloud detection for HY-1C/COCTS over the ocean based on spectral-and-textural-information-guided deep neural network
Authors: Liu Fanli , Liu Mingkun , Sheng Zhicheng , Guan Lei
Published: October 2024

Given that clouds can absorb and scatter radiation signals in the visible and infrared bands, cloud detection is a key preprocessing step for ocean color and sea surface temperature retrievals. In this research, a Spectral-and-Textural-Information-Guided deep neural Network (STIGNet) is designed for cloud detection in global ocean data from the Haiyang-1C (HY-1C)/Chinese Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner (COCTS). Considering the spectral and textural properties of clouds, the model incorporates HY-1C/COCTS spectral data, differences in brightness temperature (BT), local statistical characteristics of BT, and geographical location information–all of which are closely related to cloud features. Notably, an edge learning module is implemented to emphasize edge features during the training process. We construct a HY-1C/COCTS cloud detection dataset to train and test the cloud detection model. In the dataset, labels are generated by combining the Bayesian cloud detection method with a manual mask. Analysis of the resulting cloud detection images indicates that STIGNet exhibits accurate performance across various types of clouds while showing minimal overestimated errors in areas such as ocean fronts or sun glints, where they tend to occur frequently. The ablation experiments performed on physical-based input features and edge learning modules show enhancements in cloud detection accuracy. Evaluation results demonstrate an overall accuracy of 96.64%, with a cloud overestimated error of 1.61% and a cloud missed error of 1.76%. These findings highlight the effectiveness of STIGNet in generating precise cloud masks for HY-1C/COCTS data.
Informing estimates of probability of Clostridioides difficile infection for testing and treatment: expert consensus from a modified-Delphi procedure
Authors: Baghdadi Jonathan D. , Wessel Mia , Dubberke Erik R. , Lydecker Alison , Claeys Kimberly C. , Alonso Carolyn , Coffey K.C. , Durkin Michael , Gonzales-Luna Anne J. , Guh Alice Y. , Kwon Jennie H. , Martin Elise , Mehrotra Preeti , Polage Christopher R. , Pulia Michael S. , Rock Clare , Skinner Andrew M. , Vaughn Valerie M. , Vijayan Tara , Yarrington Michael E. , Morgan Daniel J. ,   for the CDC Prevention Epicenters Program
Published: October 2024

Background:

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) may be misdiagnosed if testing is performed in the absence of signs or symptoms of disease. This study sought to support appropriate testing by estimating the impact of signs, symptoms, and healthcare exposures on pre-test likelihood of CDI.

Methods:

A panel of fifteen experts in infectious diseases participated in a modified UCLA/RAND Delphi study to estimate likelihood of CDI. Consensus, defined as agreement by >70% of panelists, was assessed via a REDCap survey. Items without consensus were discussed in a virtual meeting followed by a second survey.

Results:

All fifteen panelists completed both surveys (100% response rate). In the initial survey, consensus was present on 6 of 15 (40%) items related to risk of CDI. After panel discussion and clarification of questions, consensus (>70% agreement) was reached on all remaining items in the second survey. Antibiotics were identified as the primary risk factor for CDI and grouped into three categories: high-risk (likelihood ratio [LR] 7, 93% agreement among panelists in first survey), low-risk (LR 3, 87% agreement in first survey), and minimal-risk (LR 1, 71% agreement in first survey). Other major factors included new or unexplained severe diarrhea (e.g., ≥ 10 liquid bowel movements per day; LR 5, 100% agreement in second survey) and severe immunosuppression (LR 5, 87% agreement in second survey).

Conclusion:

Infectious disease experts concurred on the importance of signs, symptoms, and healthcare exposures for diagnosing CDI. The resulting risk estimates can be used by clinicians to optimize CDI testing and treatment.
Documented penicillin allergy and beta-lactam antibiotic use in Massachusetts long-term care facilities: opportunities for penicillin allergy delabeling
Authors: Foong Kap Sum , Doron Shira , Fowle Leslie , Cumming Melissa , Leaf Jessica , Bolstorff Barbara , Brandeburg Christina , Chen Ye , Wurcel Alysse
Published: October 2024

In a cross-sectional study of 20 Massachusetts long-term care (LTC) facilities, 19% (n = 449) of residents received antibiotics, with approximately one-third having a documented penicillin allergy. This documented allergy decreased the likelihood of prescribing beta-lactam antibiotics for infections. Improved penicillin allergy assessments and delabeling could optimize antibiotic prescribing in LTC settings.
Aspect-ratio-dependent heat transport by baroclinic acoustic streaming
Authors: Massih Jacques Abdul , Mushthaq Remil , Michel Guillaume , Chini Gregory P.
Published: October 2024

Standing acoustic waves have been known to generate Eulerian time-mean ‘streaming’ flows at least since the seminal investigation of Lord Rayleigh in the 1880s. Nevertheless, a recent body of numerical and experimental evidence has shown that inhomogeneities in the ambient density distribution lead to much faster flows than arise in classical Rayleigh streaming. The emergence of these unusually strong flows creates new opportunities to enhance heat transfer in systems in which convective cooling cannot otherwise be easily achieved. To assess this possibility, a theoretical study of acoustic streaming in an ideal gas confined in a rectangular channel with top and bottom walls maintained at fixed but differing temperatures is performed. A two time scale system of equations is utilized to efficiently capture the coupling between the fast acoustic waves and the slowly evolving streaming flow, enabling strongly nonlinear regimes to be accessed. A large suite of numerical simulations is carried out to probe the streaming dynamics, to highlight the critical role played by baroclinically generated wave vorticity and to quantify the additional heat flux induced by the standing acoustic wave. Proper treatment of the two-way coupling between the waves and mean flow is found to be essential for convergence to a self-consistent steady state, and the variation of the resulting acoustically enhanced steady-state heat flux with both the amplitude of the acoustic wave and the

$O(1)$

aspect ratio of the channel is documented. For certain parameters, heat fluxes almost two orders of magnitude larger than those realizable by conduction alone can be attained.
Rotational Taylor dispersion in linear flows
Authors: Peng Zhiwei
Published: October 2024

The coupling between advection and diffusion in position space can often lead to enhanced mass transport compared with diffusion without flow. An important framework used to characterize the long-time diffusive transport in position space is the generalized Taylor dispersion theory. In contrast, the dynamics and transport in orientation space remains less developed. In this work we develop a rotational Taylor dispersion theory that characterizes the long-time orientational transport of a spheroidal particle in linear flows that is constrained to rotate in the velocity-gradient plane. Similar to Taylor dispersion in position space, the orientational distribution of axisymmetric particles in linear flows at long times satisfies an effective advection–diffusion equation in orientation space. Using this framework, we then calculate the long-time average angular velocity and dispersion coefficient for both simple shear and extensional flows. Analytic expressions for the transport coefficients are derived in several asymptotic limits including nearly spherical particles, weak flow and strong flow. Our analysis shows that at long times the effective rotational dispersion is enhanced in simple shear and suppressed in extensional flow. The asymptotic solutions agree with full numerical solutions of the derived macrotransport equations and results from Brownian dynamics simulations. Our results show that the interplay between flow-induced rotations and Brownian diffusion can fundamentally change the long-time transport dynamics.
How utility-scale solar energy generation on rehabilitated mine lands can contribute to decarbonising the resources sector
Authors: Purtill James
Published: October 2024

Many governments globally have climate change targets requiring rapid decarbonisation, calling for significant renewable energy generation. Utility-scale solar arrays will consume large swathes of land. Rehabilitated mine lands present a unique opportunity to host renewable utility-scale solar and reduce land use conflicts. There is however, to date, insufficient in-depth discussion of this opportunity and barriers to implementation in the academic literature. This paper describes challenges facing the resources industry, using Queensland’s coal sector as a case study, then outlines some of the opportunities that accompany those challenges. Five reasons for reassessing the role of rehabilitated lands for utility-scale solar energy generation are presented – increasing demand for renewable energy, the global decarbonisation agenda, transformation in regional mining economies, as a progressive rehabilitation and post-mining land use, and a solution to reduce land use conflict. The barriers, perceived and actual, must be addressed and broken down to facilitate greater uptake of utility-scale solar onto rehabilitated mine lands. This can allow for a more orderly energy transition, and growth in renewable energy production that matches decarbonising and energy demand pathways, in the right locations and at the right time – with good planning and industry support.
Dejustifying Scientific Progress
Authors: Dellsén Finnur , Norton James
Published: October 2024

Stegenga (forthcoming) formulates and defends a novel account of scientific progress, according to which science makes progress just in case there is a change in scientific justification. Here, we present several problems for Stegenga’s account, concerning, respectively, (i) obtaining misleading evidence, (ii) losses or destruction of evidence, (iii) oscillations in scientific justification, and (iv) the possibility of scientific regress. We conclude by sketching a substantially different justification-based account of scientific progress that avoids these problems.
A PROOF OF HIRSCHHORN’S CONJECTURE ON
$2^n$
-DISSECTION OF EULER’S PRODUCT
Authors: SARMAH BIPUL KUMAR , GAYAN SATYAJIT
Published: October 2024

Using properties of Ramanujan’s theta functions, we give an elementary proof of Hirschhorn’s conjecture on

$2^n$

-dissection of Euler’s product

$E(q):=(q;q)_\infty $

.
Bishops, Canon Law and Governance in Tenth-Century England: the Constitutiones of Oda of Canterbury
Authors: ROBERTS EDWARD
Published: October 2024

This article challenges the view that canon law was insignificant in the development of tenth-century English administrative and judicial institutions through a new study of Oda of Canterbury's Constitutiones, an important but neglected episcopal capitulary. Particular attention is paid to Oda's sources, the text's place in the legislative programme of King Edmund and the influence of wider European approaches to episcopal justice. The article shows that Oda's statutes endorsed an emerging system of collaborative justice between secular and ecclesiastical elites, thus demonstrating that tenth-century English governance was informed by a wider range of normative legal traditions than usually thought.
Identifying humpback whale calving grounds: ensemble modelling and spatial analysis of critical habitat in Bahía de Banderas, Mexico
Authors: Noriega Fernando , Lecours Vincent , Frisch-Jordán Astrid , Medrano-González Luis
Published: October 2024

Understanding the relationships between cetaceans and their environment is crucial for conservation. This study examined humpback whales in Bahía de Banderas, Mexico, identifying key calving habitats. From 2018 to 2023, 1066 sightings were recorded, including 242 mother–calf groups, 109 mating groups, and 715 other groups. Spatial analysis revealed a non-random distribution; both the Kruskal–Wallis and Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney tests detected significant differences (P < 0.05) in site preferences. Calving mothers favoured habitats with a mean depth of 59 m and a distance of 2 km from the coast, while mating groups preferred locations at 126 m and 4 km, and other groups chose areas at 149 m and 4 km. All groups were found in relatively flat areas around 2° seafloor slope. A dispersion test indicated a significant relationship between the location of calving mothers and environmental factors. K-means clustering showed 83.6% of calving mothers' sightings at depths less than 40 m and 2 km from the coast. Ensemble species distribution models identified three critical calving areas: one large area (261.8 km2) along the north coast and two smaller areas (9.5 and 5.4 km2) at the southern end of the bay. This study highlights Bahía de Banderas as a vital breeding habitat for humpback whales, providing insights for conservation strategies to protect calving grounds during the breeding season.
The side effects of a big push growth strategy: export incentives and primary education under military rule in Brazil, 1967–1985
Authors: Kang Thomas H. , Menetrier Isabela , Comim Flavio
Published: October 2024

During the military regime in Brazil (1964–1985), enrollment ratios in primary education grew substantially in the first decade under dictatorship, but stagnated in the mid-1970s. This paper shows that education spending might depend on the levels of centralisation in tax matters. Using panel data regressions and qualitative evidence, we argue that a massive big push industrialisation programme increased the pressure on external accounts, leading the government to intensify an export incentive policy based on tax subsidies that decreased the income of subnational governments. As a result, the capacity of funding mass education was compromised in the second half of the 1970s.
Drivers of human Leptospira infection in the Pacific Islands: A systematic review
Authors: Kharwadkar Sahil , Weinstein Philip , Stanhope Jessica
Published: October 2024

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonosis that poses an increasing global public health risk. Pacific Island communities are highly vulnerable to leptospirosis outbreaks, yet the local drivers of infection remain poorly understood. We conducted a systematic review to identify the drivers of human Leptospira infection in the Pacific Islands. There were 42 included studies from which findings were synthesized descriptively. In tropical Pacific Islands, infections were a product of sociodemographic factors such as male gender/sex, age 20 to 60 years, Indigenous ethnicity, and poverty; lifestyle factors such as swimming, gardening, and open skin wounds; and environmental factors, including seasonality, heavy rainfall, and exposure to rodents, cattle, and pigs. Possible mitigation strategies in these islands include strengthening disease reporting standards at a regional level; improving water security, rodent control, and piggery management at a community level; and information campaigns to target individual-level drivers of infection. By contrast, in New Zealand, exposures were predominantly occupational, with infections occurring in meat and farm workers. Accordingly, interventions could include adjustments to occupational practices and promoting the uptake of animal vaccinations. Given the complexity of disease transmission and future challenges posed by climate change, further action is required for leptospirosis control in the Pacific Islands.
Biological properties of vitamin B12
Authors: Moravcová Monika , Siatka Tomáš , Krčmová Lenka Kujovská , Matoušová Kateřina , Mladěnka Přemysl
Published: October 2024

Vitamin B12, cobalamin, is indispensable for humans owing to its participation in two biochemical reactions: the conversion of l-methylmalonyl coenzyme A to succinyl coenzyme A, and the formation of methionine by methylation of homocysteine. Eukaryotes, encompassing plants, fungi, animals and humans, do not synthesise vitamin B12, in contrast to prokaryotes. Humans must consume it in their diet. The most important sources include meat, milk and dairy products, fish, shellfish and eggs. Due to this, vegetarians are at risk to develop a vitamin B12 deficiency and it is recommended that they consume fortified food. Vitamin B12 behaves differently to most vitamins of the B complex in several aspects, e.g. it is more stable, has a very specific mechanism of absorption and is stored in large amounts in the organism. This review summarises all its biological aspects (including its structure and natural sources as well as its stability in food, pharmacokinetics and physiological function) as well as causes, symptoms, diagnosis (with a summary of analytical methods for its measurement), prevention and treatment of its deficiency, and its pharmacological use and potential toxicity.
BEFORE NBER: WARREN NUTTER’S SOVIET RESEARCH AT THE CIA
Authors: Kuehn Daniel
Published: October 2024

Warren Nutter’s work as director of the National Bureau of Economic Research’s (NBER) Soviet growth project is his best-known contribution to economics and public affairs. Many histories of Sovietology note the oddity of Nutter’s selection as project director, given his apparent lack of prior experience studying the Soviet Union. This paper provides new context for Nutter’s selection to lead the NBER effort. From 1951 to 1952 Nutter was the acting chief of the Economic Capabilities Branch of the CIA’s Office of Research and Reports (ORR), and chairman of the Economic Analysis Subcommittee of the interagency Economic Intelligence Committee. In this capacity he managed at least three major research efforts, including an input-output analysis of the Soviet Union and contributions to two national intelligence estimates. Nutter may have been proposed as director of the NBER project by Robert Amory, the Deputy Director of Intelligence, in 1953. Nutter’s research for the CIA cultivated new analytic capacities for the agency and provided a foundation for his own work on the Soviet Union.
The Roles of Moat Width and Outer Eyewall Contraction in Affecting the Timescale of Eyewall Replacement Cycle
Authors: Jiang Jie , Wang Yuqing
Published: October 2024

The timescale of eyewall replacement cycle (ERC) is critical for the prediction of intensity and structure changes of tropical cyclones (TCs) with concentric eyewall (CE) structures. Previous studies have indicated that the moat width can regulate the interaction between the inner and outer eyewalls and has a salient relationship with the ERC timescale. In this study, a series of sensitivity experiments are carried out to investigate the essential mechanisms resulting in the diversity of the duration of CEs using both simple and full‐physics models. Results reveal that a larger moat can induce stronger inflow under the same inner eyewall intensity by providing a longer distance for air parcels to accelerate in the boundary layer. Thus, there is greater inward absolute vorticity flux to sustain the inner eyewall. Besides, the equivalent potential temperature (θe) budget indicates that the vertical advection and surface flux of moist entropy can overbalance the negative contribution from the horizontal advection and lead to an increasing trend of θe in the inner eyewall. This suggests that the thermodynamic process in the boundary layer is not indispensable to the inner eyewall weakening. It is also found that the contraction rate of the secondary eyewall, which directly influences the moat width, is subject to the activity of outer spiral rainbands. By directly introducing positive wind tendency outside the eyewall and indirectly promoting a vertically tilted eyewall structure, active convection in the outer region will impede or even suspend the contraction of the outer eyewall and hence extend the ERC timescale.
Ecological Connectivity of River‐Lake Ecosystem: Evidence From Fish Population Dynamics in a Connecting Channel
Authors: Qiu Jiajian , Yuan Saiyu , Tang Hongwu , Zhang Qi , Wolter Christian , Nikora Vladimir
Published: October 2024

Climate change and human activities, for example, dam construction, largely affect hydrologic and hydrodynamic processes of river‐lake system, and hence exerted serious pressure on its aquatic ecology. It's challenging to restore its ecological environment without systematic investigation and knowledge about the features of hydrodynamics, water quality, and aquatic ecology. This study conducted field surveys of hydrodynamic, water quality, and fish distribution in the Yangtze‐Poyang system, the largest river and largest fresh lake in China, to investigate the effects of hydrologic and hydrodynamic variations on fish population dynamics, especially the extreme drought and its effects were largely concerned. In two surveys, discharge decreased from 12,000 m3/s to less than 1,000 m3/s. Distinct differences on fish density, species composition, and populations connectivity between two surveys were observed. During high‐water, connecting channel secured effective transition of river‐lake habitats, its strong hydrological connectivity and flow heterogeneity supported great biodiversity and bidirectional populations connectivity. Limited flow space and elevated turbidity during low‐water confined fish to a few channel units with sufficient depth and width, increasing fish density up to 7 times greater than during high‐water, and seriously weakening ecological connectivity of the system. Furthermore, species interaction was intensified due to limited environmental capacity, periodic strategists were favored while opportunistic strategists visibly diminished, leading to a dramatic decline in species by nearly half. In the future with increasingly frequent extreme climate, engineering measures, for example, effective ecological project regulation, are needful to alleviate the drought problem, being of great significance for maintaining ecological connectivity within the river‐lake system.
Polyamine impact on physiology of early stages of reef-building corals–insights from rearing experiments and RNA-Seq analysis
Authors: Gibu Kodai , Mizusawa Nanami , Iijima Mariko , Ohno Yoshikazu , Yasumoto Jun , Yasumoto Ko , Iguchi Akira
Published: October 2024

Polyamines are involved in various functions related to the cellular-level responses. To assess effects of polyamines on marine organisms, rearing experiments and comprehensive gene expression analyses were conducted on Acropora digitifera and Acropora sp.1, representative reef-building corals along the west-central coast of Okinawa, Japan, to evaluate effects of putrescine. Concentrations of putrescine ≥ 1 mM dissolved tissues of juvenile polyps and increased mortality of planula larvae. RNA-Seq analysis of juvenile polyps exposed to putrescine at the stage before effects became visible revealed dynamic fluctuations in gene expression in the putrescine-treated samples, with increased expression of stress-responsive genes (e.g. NAD-dependent protein deacylase sirtuin-6) and the polyamine transporter Slc18b1-like protein. These results also suggest that putrescine affects expression of genes related to ribosomes and translation. This study provides important insights into roles of polyamines and future directions regarding physiological responses of corals.
Supplementation with whey peptide rich in β-lactolin improves trait anxiety and subjective stress in healthy adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Authors: Ayabe Tatsuhiro , Shinohara Masakazu , Kita Masahiro , Takahashi Chika , Saito Jiro , Furuyashiki Tomoyuki , Toba Kenji , Umeda Satoshi , Ano Yasuhisa
Published: October 2024

Mental disorders have become one of the most burdensome health concerns. We have previously demonstrated that whey-derived β-lactolin (glycine–thereonine–tryptophan–tyrosine tetrapeptide) activates dopaminergic systems and improves psychiatric function in rodents. However, the effects of β-lactolin on human mood states have not been investigated. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementation with β-lactolin–rich whey peptide on human mood states. Sixty healthy adults (aged 45–64 years) with relatively low psychological health were randomly allocated to receive either whey peptide (containing β-lactolin 1.6 mg/day) or placebo for 6 weeks. Mood states (primary outcomes) were evaluated using self-reporting questionnaires. Health-related quality of life (QOL), salivary stress marker and lipid mediator levels were evaluated as secondary outcomes. Compared with placebo, supplementation with β-lactolin improved changes in trait anxiety (p = 0.046), as assessed using the state–trait anxiety inventory, and in subjective stress (p = 0.043), as assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale. In the assessment of QOL, changes in the vitality subscale and mental health summary score of the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey were improved in the β-lactolin group. The levels of salivary immunoglobulin A were significantly higher in the β-lactolin group. In a subgroup analysis by median age (54.5 years), subjective stress and salivary prostaglandin levels were significantly decreased by β-lactolin supplementation in the 45–54 -year-old subgroup. In conclusion, supplementation with β-lactolin improves trait anxiety, subjective stress, and psychological QOL, which may be associated with immunologic responses detected via salivary analysis.
N-Methylene-C-linked nitropyrazoles and 1,2,4-triazol-3-one: thermally stable energetic materials with reduced sensitivity
Authors: Pandey Krishna , Das Priyanka , Khatri Meera , Kumar Dheeraj
Published: October 2024

A family of new asymmetric N-methylene-C linked nitropyrazoles and 1,2,4-triazol-3-one based thermally stable energetic materials with reduced sensitivity has been synthesized. Background image via Canva.
Enhancing soil geographic recognition through LIBS technology: integrating the joint skewness algorithm with back-propagation neural networks
Authors: Zheng Weinan , Gao Xun , Song Kaishan , Yu Hailong , Wang Qiuyun , Guo Lianbo , Lin Jingquan
Published: October 2024

The meticulous task of soil region classification is fundamental to the effective management of soil resources and the development of accurate soil classification systems.
Rongalite induced metal-free C(sp2)–H functionalization of indoles: direct access to 3-(sulfonylmethyl) indoles
Authors: Thunga Sanjeeva , Singh Neetika , Inapanuri Madhu , Kokatla Hari Prasad
Published: October 2024

A rongalite-induced C(sp2)–H functionalization has been developed for the synthesis of 3-(phenylsulfonylmethyl) indoles derivatives from indoles and alkyl/arylsulfonyl hydrazides.
Synthesis of bis(indolyl)methanes using N-heterocyclic carbene salt as a C1 precursor
Authors: Zhou Bingwei , Gao Zhao , Yang Yanhao , Hu Yuanyuan
Published: October 2024

We describe an alkylation reaction of indoles with N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) salts to access bis(indolyl)methanes where the NHC salt serves as a C1 precursor.
Chemotactic behavior for a self-phoretic Janus particle near a patch source of fuel
Authors: Mancuso Viviana , Popescu Mihail N. , Uspal William E.
Published: October 2024

Catalytic Janus particles near a patch source of molecular “fuel” can be attracted to a “hovering” state in which the particle aligns its axis normal to the wall and rests (positions itself) at an activity-dependent distance above the patch.
Machine learning analysis of fission product yields
Authors: Tsioulos V. , Prassa V.
Published: October 2024

Analyzing fission product yields (FPY) is challenging because traditional models, while effective in certain conditions, have limitations in predictive accuracy and handling evolving fission modes. To overcome the limitations, especially in scenarios of limited data availability, machine learning models like gaussian process regression (GPR) and gaussian mixture model (GMM) are used for single-fission yield prediction and uncertainty quantification. The application of machine learning techniques demonstrates their practical utility in areas with constrained data, offering a novel approach for future computational advancements in nuclear physics. Our research aims to identify the most effective method for capturing the distribution of the dataset and extracting high-quality samples. These samples could serve as valuable inputs for more complex probabilistic neural networks like Mixture Density Networks (MDNs).
Projectile fragments from peripheral collisions of 25 MeV/nucleon 64Ni on 64Ni
Authors: Kontogianni Eirini , Souliotis Georgios , Giannitsa Chryssi , Gkatzogias Konstantinos , Korakis Nikolaos , Koulouris Stergios , Travlou Eleftheria , Veselsky Martin , Yennello Sherry , Bonasera Aldo
Published: October 2024

We study the yields and the momentum distributions of projectile-like fragments from peripheral collisions of 64Ni (25 MeV/nucleon) on 64Ni. The experimental data were obtained in previous works with the BigSol separator system at the Cyclotron Institute of Texas A&M University. Projectile fragments were collected and analyzed at forward angles (1.5°-3.0°). The production cross sections and the momentum distributions (p/A) of the fragments were systematically studied and compared with the Deep-Inelastic Transfer (DIT) model and the Constrained Molecular Dynamics (CoMD) model followed by the deexcitation model GEMINI. Special attention is given to the possibility to produce neutron-rich rare isotopes of elements at the beginning of the astrophysical r-process. Moreover, efforts to reconstuct the excitation energy distributions are ongoing in hopes to shed light to the reaction mechanisms of peripheral collisions at this energy (25 MeV/nucleon).
Experimental study of 6He Coulomb breakup as an indirect measurement of 4He(2n,γ)6He reaction rate for the astrophysical r-process
Authors: Godos D. , Acosta L. , Fernández-García J. P. , O’Malley P. , Sánchez-Benítez A. M. , Di Pietro A. , Tumino A. , Vicente A. , Boomershine C. , Dembski C. , Fougères C. , Jones C. , Bardayan D. , Galaviz D. , Aguilera E. , Afonso F. , Barba F. G. , Rivero F. , Mulcahy G. , Casal J. , Morales Rivera J. C. , Gómez-Camacho J. , Arias J. M. , Ruffino J. , Lee K. , Couder M. , La Commara M. , Mazzocco M. , Rodríguez-Gallardo M. , Figuera P. , Teubig P. , Pires R. , Zite R. , Coil S. , Bailey T. , von Seeger W.
Published: October 2024

In this work, we report the measurement of elastic and Coulomb break-up channels in 6He+208Pb collisions at Elab = 19.3 MeV, close to the Coulomb barrier of this system ∼ 19 MeV. In the context of the astrophysical r-process, the reaction 4He(2n,γ)6He has been proposed to be a key reaction in the path of synthesizing seed nuclei for the r-process, as 12C, in an environment composed mainly of alpha particles and neutrons. Based on a theoretical approach for treating three body reactions by means of which its reaction rate can be inferred, our experimental approach aims to obtain an indirect measurement of the reaction rate of 4He(2n,γ)6He by measuring the Coulomb breakup of 6He under the intense electric field produced by a 208Pb target nucleus. The experiment was carried out at the TriSol facility operated in the Nuclear Science Laboratory of the University of Notre Dame, USA, which delivered a 6He beam together with other contaminants. Particular care must be taken for the alpha particles produced in the production reaction.
Progresses on Reactions of Weakly Bound Nuclei at Near-barrier Energies
Authors: Huang Z. J. , Lin C. J. , Yang L. , Jia H. M. , Yang F. , Ma N. R. , Wen P. W. , Luo T. P. , Chang C. , Duan H. R. , Zhu S. X. , Yin C.
Published: October 2024

Reactions of weakly bound stable and unstable nuclei have been extensively investigated for several decades. Unique structural eﬀects and breakup mechanisms of weakly bound nuclei have consistently been focal points in the research of nuclear physics, especially at energies around the Coulomb barrier. This paper will review the recent experimental researches performed by the Nuclear Reaction Group at the China Institute of Atomic Energy on weakly bound nuclear reactions in the near-barrier energy region. A anomalous threshold phenomenon in the optical potentials of the 6He + 208Bi system has been observed. Results indicate that the dispersion relation cannot describe the relation between the real part and imaginary part of the optical potential. Moreover, breakup mechanisms of stable weakly bound nuclei 6,7Li as well as proton-rich nuclei 17F and 8B have been studied. The similarities and diﬀerences in breakup mechanisms and their eﬀects are discussed.
Setting realistic constraints on X17 boson from compact objects
Authors: Petousis Vlasios , Kanakis-Pegios Alkiviadis , Moustakidis Charalambos , Veselský Martin , Leja Jozef
Published: October 2024

We examine the hypothetical X17 boson on neutron stars and quark stars using various hadronic equations of state with phenomenological or microscopic origin. Our aim is to set realistic constraints on its coupling constant and the mass scaling. Everything done with respect to causality and various possible upper mass limits and the dimensionless tidal deformability Λ1.4. We focused on two main phenomenological parameters, the coupling constant g that X17 it has with hadrons or quarks and the in-medium effects through regulator C. We came to the general conclusion that the effect of the X17 both on neutron stars and quark stars is constrained mainly by the causality limit, which is a specific property of each equation of state, and it depends on the interplay between g and C.
Hydrodynamic and kinematic characteristics of high-speed inclined water-exit process in wave environment
Authors: LI Runze , ZHANG Qinghui , WANG Chao , LIU Yongfeng , LI Zhuoyue , DU Peng
Published: October 2024

Aiming at the process of underwater vehicle crossing the water-air interface based on the computational fluid dynamics(CFD) method, integrating the volume of fluid(VOF) and dynamic fluid body interaction(DFBI) models, a numerical simulation method for the trans-media process in a wave environment was studied. The motion simulation method of underwater vehicle under the action of complex fluid environment was established. The simulation of the water-exit process of the underwater vehicle in a wave environment has been realized. The accuracy verification of the wave-making and trans-media processes has been completed. The hydrodynamic and kinematic characteristics of the vehicle during the water-exit process have been obtained. The influences of the wave phase and velocity on the force and motion characteristics of the underwater vehicle were obtained, which provides technical support for designing the unmanned vehicles.
An air-ground integrated flight test technical framework based on flight simulation
Authors: MI Yi , LI Aijun , CHEN Junping , XU Xinze
Published: October 2024

In the modern civil transport aircraft flight test, flight test practitioners need to constantly improve the ability and reduce flight test cycle as much as possible, considering the relationship between flight test efficiency and flight test safety. In order to improve the real-time safety assessment ability of flight test monitoring personnel and reduce the increased test tasks due to safety considerations, a technical framework of air-ground integrated flight test according to the simulation results was proposed. Based on the conventional flight test monitoring system, the technical framework adds the flight test safety assessment model, air-ground data synchronization system and flight test telemetry data real-time processing functions. The overall framework is suitable for most flight test subjects, but the flight test safety assessment models need to carry out simulation requirements capture, scene analysis and model verification according to the flight test subjects requirements. Finally, taking crosswind landing flight test as an example, the basic application of air-ground integrated flight test technology is illustrated, which can provide reference for promoting the air-ground integrated flight test technology.
A Petri nets-based modeling method for multi robot path planning
Authors: CHU Jing , ZHOU Li , YUE Qi , HU Yue , ZHENG Zixuan , HUANG Yong
Published: October 2024

The construction of lunar bases is one of the core enabling technologies in current lunar exploration and development plans of various countries. However, to eliminate the constraints of high transportation costs and limited manned space technology, a new research plan is to employ multi robot teams to build lunar bases. The key to this solution is how to achieve path planning for complex tasks for multiple robots. Therefore, this article takes the exploration and collection area, lunar soil collection, and lunar soil transportation in the lunar base construction scene as complex task inputs, and studies a multi robot path planning modeling method based on Petri net model. Firstly, a Petri net model for multi robot motion was constructed. Meanwhile, linear temporal logic(LTL) language was used to describe the related tasks of lunar base construction. Finally, simulation validation was conducted in Matlab software and compared with the modeling method using switching systems. The results show that the total modeling time required for using the Petri net model is reduced by two orders of magnitude compared to the modeling time for a single task switching system model, indicating that the established Petri net multi robot model has advantages such as avoiding dimension explosion and computational efficiency.
The extension of mammalian pregnancy required taming inflammation: Independent evolution of extended placentation in the tammar wallaby
Authors: Dudley Jessica S. , Renfree Marilyn B. , Wagner Günter P. , Griffith Oliver W.
Published: October 2024

In the first live-bearing mammals, pregnancy was likely short and ended with a brief period of inflammatory maternal–fetal interaction. This mode of reproduction has been retained in many marsupials. While inflammation is key to successful implantation in eutherians, a key innovation in eutherians is the ability to switch off this inflammation after it has been initiated. This extended period, in which inflammation is suppressed, likely allowed for an extended period of placentation. Extended placentation has evolved independently in one lineage of marsupials, the macropodids (wallabies and kangaroos), with placentation lasting beyond the 2 to 4 d seen in other marsupial taxa, which allows us to investigate the role of inflammation response after attachment in the extension of placentation in mammals. By comparing gene expression changes at attachment in three marsupial species, the tammar wallaby, opossum, and fat-tailed dunnart, we show that inflammatory attachment is an ancestral feature of marsupial implantation. In contrast to eutherians, where attachment-related (quasi-) inflammatory reaction is even involved in epitheliochorial placentation (e.g., pig), this study found no evidence of a distinct attachment-related reaction in wallabies. Instead, only a small number of inflammatory genes are expressed at distinct points of gestation, including
IL6
before attachment,
LIF
throughout placentation, and prostaglandins before birth. During parturition, a more distinct inflammatory reaction is detectable, likely involved in precipitating the parturition cascade similar to eutherians. We suggest that in wallaby, extended gestation became possible by avoiding an inflammatory attachment reaction, which is a different strategy than seen in eutherians.