bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New possibilities for neuroprotection in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
Authors: Victor Suresh , Rocha-Ferreira Eridan , Rahim Ahad , Hagberg Henrik , Edwards David
Published: November 2021

Around 0.75 million babies worldwide suffer from moderate or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) each year resulting in around 400,000 babies with neurodevelopmental impairment. In 2010, neonatal HIE was associated with 2.4% of the total Global Burden of Disease. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH), a treatment that is now standard of care in high-income countries, provides proof of concept that strategies that aim to improve neurodevelopment are not only possible but can also be implemented to clinical practice. While TH is beneficial, neonates with moderate or severe HIE treated with TH still experience devastating complications: 48% (range: 44–53) combined death or moderate/severe disability. There is a concern that TH may not be effective in low- and middle-income countries. Therapies that further improve outcomes are desperately needed, and in high-income countries, they must be tested in conjunction with TH. We have in this review focussed on pharmacological treatment options (e.g. erythropoietin, allopurinol, melatonin, cannabidiol, exendin-4/exenatide). Erythropoietin and allopurinol show promise and are progressing towards the clinic with ongoing definitive phase 3 randomised placebo-controlled trials. However, there remain global challenges for the next decade. 

Conclusion: There is a need for more optimal animal models, greater industry support/sponsorship, increased use of juvenile toxicology, dose-ranging studies with pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling, and well-designed clinical trials to avoid exposure to harmful medications or abandoning putative treatments.

What is Known:• Therapeutic hypothermia is beneficial in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.• Neonates with moderate or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy treated with therapeutic hypothermia still experience severe sequelae.

What is New:• Erythropoietin, allopurinol, melatonin, cannabidiol, and exendin-4/exenatide show promise in conjunction with therapeutic hypothermia.• There is a need for more optimal animal models, greater industry support/sponsorship, increased use of juvenile toxicology, dose-ranging studies with pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling, and well-designed clinical trials.
Co-infection of pigs with Taenia solium cysticercosis and gastrointestinal parasites in Eastern and Western Uganda
Authors: Ngwili Nicholas , Thomas Lian , Githigia Samuel , Muloi Dishon , Marshall Karen , Wahome Raphael , Roesel Kristina
Published: November 2021

A study was carried out in Kamuli and Hoima districts in Eastern and Western regions of Uganda to determine the Taenia solium porcine cysticercosis (PCC) and gastrointestinal (GI) parasites co-infection status in pigs. One hundred sixty-one households were selected randomly and visited between November and December 2019. A household questionnaire was administered, and faecal and blood samples were collected from at least one pig older than 3 months per household. A blood sample was obtained from a jugular venipuncture, and a rectal faecal sample was obtained. Taenia spp. circulating antigen levels in the sample sera were tested using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, apDia™ cysticercosis Ag ELISA. The modified McMaster technique was used to identify and quantify the GI parasites. The apparent animal-level seroprevalence for PCC was 4.8% (95% CI 2.7–7.1) and differed across the two districts (p = 0.018). At the pig herd level, the prevalence was 9.7% (95% CI 5.5–14.4). The prevalence of the different nematode eggs and coccidian oocysts in the two districts was as follows: strongyles 79.0% (95% CI 74.3–83.6), coccidia 73.3% (95% CI 68.3–78.6), Trichuris spp. 7.4% (95% CI 4.9–10.6), Strongyloides ransomi 2.1 (95% CI 0.7–3.5) and Ascaris spp. 4.9 (95% CI 2.8–7.4). Overall, across the two districts, the arithmetic mean for the oocysts per gram (OPG) for coccidia was 2042.2 ± 5776.1, and eggs per gram (EPG) were the highest in strongyles 616.1 ± 991. Overall, 57.4% of the porcine cysticercosis seropositive pigs were also positive for at least one of the gastrointestinal helminths which included strongyles, Strongyloides ransomi, Trichuris spp. and Ascaris spp. The co-infection status of pigs with both PCC and GI parasites demonstrated by this study can provide an incentive for integrating the control and management of both parasites with oxfendazole. Further studies are required to understand the feasibility of using oxfendazole including cost–benefit analysis and the acceptability by local stakeholders for the control of T. solium cysticercosis and gastrointestinal parasites in pigs.
Bounding the Inefficiency of Compromise in Opinion Formation
Authors: Caragiannis Ioannis , Kanellopoulos Panagiotis , Voudouris Alexandros A.
Published: November 2021

Social networks on the Internet have seen an enormous growth recently and play a crucial role in different aspects of today’s life. They have facilitated information dissemination in ways that have been beneficial for their users but they are often used strategically in order to spread information that only serves the objectives of particular users. These properties have inspired a revision of classical opinion formation models from sociology using game-theoretic notions and tools. We follow the same modeling approach, focusing on scenarios where the opinion expressed by each user is a compromise between her internal belief and the opinions of a small number of neighbors among her social acquaintances. We formulate simple games that capture this behavior and quantify the inefficiency of equilibria using the well-known notion of the price of anarchy. Our results indicate that compromise comes at a cost that strongly depends on the neighborhood size.
Ein holistisches Update zu kongenitalen Handfehlbildungen
Authors: Smolle Christian , Singer Georg , Kraus Tanja , Girsch Werner
Published: November 2021

Kongenitale Deformitäten der Extremitäten treten mit einer Inzidenz von etwa 1,5 bis 3 Fällen pro 1000 Geburten auf. Einfache Deformitäten wie Syn- oder Polydaktylien sind um ein Vielfaches häufiger als komplexe Deformitäten, wie Radius- oder Ulnahypoplasien oder Peromelien, wobei dazu in Österreich (wie in den meisten Ländern der westlichen Welt) dokumentationsbedingt keine verlässlichen Daten existieren. Dank moderner diagnostischer Verfahren, insbesondere der immer besseren pränatalen Bildgebung, werden Deformitäten der Extremitäten zunehmend früher erkannt. Die Diagnose löst bei den Eltern stets große Verunsicherung aus, weswegen hier von Anfang an eine umfassende Beratung und empathische Begleitung notwendig ist. Kleinkinder mit Deformitäten der oberen Extremität empfinden subjektiv meist überhaupt keine Einschränkung und verwenden die Extremität auf die Art und Weise, die die Malformation erlaubt. Dazu sei erwähnt, dass in den allermeisten Fällen keine kognitiven Beeinträchtigungen bestehen und mit einer normalen geistigen Entwicklung gerechnet werden kann. Die Korrektur der Deformität hat zum Ziel, dem Kind eine sensible Extremität mit einer im Alltag verwendbaren Greiffunktion zu Verfügung zu stellen. Der ideale Operationszeitpunkt liegt zwischen dem 6. Lebensmonat und 2. Lebensjahr, um eine vollständige funktionelle Integration der rekonstruierten Hand ins Körperschema zu gewährleisten. Psychologische Betreuung der Eltern und Kinder bis zum Erreichen des Erwachsenenalters stärkt das Selbstbewusstsein der Betroffenen; dabei wird bewusst großer Wert auf die richtige Diktion gelegt und die Deformität von Anfang an positiv als Besonderheit und nicht als Fehlbildung bezeichnet.
Genetic alterations associated with malignant transformation of sporadic vestibular schwannoma
Authors: Håvik Aril Løge , Bruland Ove , Miletic Hrvoje , Poulsgaard Lars , Scheie David , Fugleholm Kåre , Lund-Johansen Morten , Knappskog Per-Morten
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the vestibulocochlear nerve (VN-MPNST) is exceedingly rare and carries a poor prognosis. Little is known about its underlying genetics and in particular the process of malignant transformation. There is an ongoing debate on whether the transformation is initiated by ionizing radiation. We present here the analysis and comparison of two post-radiation VN-MPNST and one undergoing spontaneous transformation.

Methods

Four tumors from three patients (radiation-naïve vestibular schwannoma before (VS) and after (VN-MPNST) malignant transformation in addition to two post-radiation VN-MPNST) were subjected to DNA whole-genome microarray and whole-exome sequencing and tumor-specific mutations were called. Mutational signatures were characterized using MuSiCa.

Results

The tumor genomes were characterized predominantly by copy-number aberrations with 36–81% of the genome affected. Even the VS genome was grossly aberrated. The spontaneous malignant transformation was characterized by a near-total whole-genome doubling, disappearance of NF2 mutation and new mutations in three cancer-related genes (GNAQ, FOXO4 and PDGFRB). All tumors had homozygous loss of the tumor suppressor CDKN2A. Neither mutational signature nor copy number profile was associated with ionizing radiation.

Conclusion

The VN-MPNST genome in our cases is characterized by large copy-number aberrations and homozygous deletion of CDKN2A. Our study demonstrates a VS with genetic alterations similar to its malignant counterpart, suggesting the existence of premalignant VS. No consistent mutational signature was associated with ionizing radiation.
Economic stress of people 50 + in European countries in the Covid-19 pandemic–do country policies matter?
Authors: Chłoń-Domińczak Agnieszka , Holzer-Żelażewska Dorota
Published: November 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic caused lockdown of economies, which in turn led to the worsening of the economic situation of many households. During the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic governments undertook various measures to support economies and societies, including jobs protection along with financial support provision to people who suffered financial loss during the economic crisis. We analyse the economic situation of older Europeans, depending on their socio-economic status as well as country of residence characteristics, including economic and labour market changes during the first phase of the pandemic, the strictness of government policies but also the country development level using the Human Development Index. We use the results of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), including the SHARE Corona Telephone Survey, which was conducted during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our results indicate that individual characteristics have a higher impact on individual economic stress, compared to country characteristics. However, country’s response to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, but also the overall level of development influences the economic situation and ability to cope with the economic risks people aged 50 and over face. People in more developed countries have smaller difficulties in making ends meet, while the economic crisis and more stringent policies reduce chances to receive financial support and increase economic risks.
TIARA 2.0: an interactive tool for annotating discourse structure and text improvement
Authors: Putra Jan Wira Gotama , Matsumura Kana , Teufel Simone , Tokunaga Takenobu
Published: November 2021

Discourse structure annotation aims at analysing how discourse units (e.g. sentences or clauses) relate to each other and what roles they play in the overall discourse. Several annotation tools for discourse structure have been developed. However, they often only support specific annotation schemes, making their usage limited to new schemes. This article presents TIARA 2.0, an annotation tool for discourse structure and text improvement. Departing from our specific needs, we extend an existing tool to accommodate four levels of annotation: discourse structure, argumentative structure, sentence rearrangement and content alteration. The latter two are particularly unique compared to existing tools. TIARA is implemented on standard web technologies and can be easily customised. It deals with the visual complexity during the annotation process by systematically simplifying the layout and by offering interactive visualisation, including clutter-reducing features and dual-view display. TIARA’s text-view allows annotators to focus on the analysis of logical sequencing between sentences. The tree-view allows them to review their analysis in terms of the overall discourse structure. Apart from being an annotation tool, it is also designed to be useful for educational purposes in the teaching of argumentation; this gives it an edge over other existing tools.
Generalized Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger Arguments from Quantum Logical Analysis
Authors: Svozil Karl
Published: November 2021

The Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) argument against noncontextual local hidden variables is recast in quantum logical terms of fundamental propositions, states and probabilities. Unlike Kochen–Specker- and Hardy-like configurations, this operator based argument proceeds within four nonintertwining contexts. The nonclassical performance of the GHZ argument is due to the choice or filtering of observables with respect to a particular state. We study the varieties of GHZ games one could play in these four contexts, depending on the chosen state of the GHZ basis.
Bifurcation analysis of rotor/bearing system using third-order journal bearing stiffness and damping coefficients
Authors: El-Sayed T. A. , Sayed Hussein
Published: November 2021

Hydrodynamic journal bearings are used in many applications which involve high speeds and loads. However, they are susceptible to oil whirl instability, which may cause bearing failure. In this work, a flexible Jeffcott rotor supported by two identical journal bearings is used to investigate the stability and bifurcations of rotor bearing system. Since a closed form for the finite bearing forces is not exist, nonlinear bearing stiffness and damping coefficients are used to represent the bearing forces. The bearing forces are approximated to the third order using Taylor expansion, and infinitesimal perturbation method is used to evaluate the nonlinear bearing coefficients. The mesh sensitivity on the bearing coefficients is investigated. Then, the equations of motion based on bearing coefficients are used to investigate the dynamics and stability of the rotor-bearing system. The effect of rotor stiffness ratio and applied load on the Hopf bifurcation stability and limit cycle continuation of the system are investigated. The results of this work show that evaluating the bearing forces using Taylor’s expansion up to the third-order bearing coefficients can be used to profoundly investigate the rich dynamics of rotor-bearing systems.
The perception of doability and how is it measured
Authors: Praszkier Ryszard , Zabłocka Agata
Published: November 2021

This article argues that the propensity to perceive impossible challenges as doable is a personality trait, and presents a method for measuring it. The name coined for this concept is “possibilitivity,” a portmanteau of “possible” and “creativity.” Possibilitivity is related to such personality traits as self-efficacy and locus of control. This article shows that this trait is embedded in individual cognitive processes, whilst targeting social issues; in this vein, it may be seen as an important mechanism facilitating change-making and transgressing the seemingly impossible. Methodology for assessing this trait is presented, i.e., the process of constructing and validating a questionnaire, its psychometric properties, and some comparisons within the sample (N = 1117). One of the findings is that women are significantly more prone to perceive difficult challenges as doable than men. Seeing this study as the first step, further research recommendations are presented, e.g., comparing possibilitivity between various segments of society, as well as analyzing potential correlations with other traits, e.g., empathy or ambiguity tolerance.
Prenatal exposure to poly-/per-fluoroalkyl substances is associated with alteration of lipid profiles in cord-blood
Authors: Sinisalu Lisanna , Yeung Leo W. Y. , Wang Jinghua , Pan Yitao , Dai Jiayin , Hyötyläinen Tuulia
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Poly-/per-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread environmental pollutants that may induce metabolic perturbations in humans, including particularly alterations in lipid profiles. Prenatal exposure to PFAS can cause lasting effects on offspring metabolic health, however, the underlying mechanisms are still unknown.

Objectives

The goal of the study was to investigate the impact of prenatal PFAS exposure on the lipid profiles in cord blood.

Methods

Herein, we combined determination of bile acids (BAs) and molecular lipids by liquid chromatography with ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry, and separately quantified cord blood concentrations of sixteen PFAS in a cohort of Chinese infants (104 subjects) in a cross-sectional study. We then evaluated associations between PFAS concentration and lipidome using partial correlation network analysis, debiased sparse partial correlation, linear regression analysis and correlation analysis.

Results

PFAS levels showed significant associations with the lipid profiles; specifically, PFAS exposure was positively correlated with triacylgycerols (TG) and several bile acids. Importantly, exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) were associated with increased levels of TGs with saturated fatty acids while multiple classes of phospholipids were decreased. In addition, several free fatty acids showed significant positive correlations with PFOS.

Conclusions

Our results indicated that prenatal exposure to PFAS mediated metabolic changes, which may explain the associations reported between PFAS exposure and metabolic health later in life.
Detecting Validated Intracellular ROS Generation with 18F-dihydroethidine-Based PET
Authors: Waters Edward C. T. , Baark Friedrich , Yu Zilin , Mota Filipa , Eykyn Thomas R. , Yan Ran , Southworth Richard
Published: November 2021

Purpose

To determine the sensitivity of the 18F-radiolabelled dihydroethidine analogue ([18F]DHE) to ROS in a validated ex vivo model of tissue oxidative stress.

Procedures

The sensitivity of [18F]DHE to various ROS-generating systems was first established in vitro. Then, isolated rat hearts were perfused under constant flow, with contractile function monitored by intraventricular balloon. Cardiac uptake of infused [18F]DHE (50–150 kBq.min−1) was monitored by γ-detection, while ROS generation was invoked by menadione infusion (0, 10, or 50 μm), validated by parallel measures of cardiac oxidative stress.

Results

[18F]DHE was most sensitive to oxidation by superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. Normalised [18F]DHE uptake was significantly greater in menadione-treated hearts (1.44 ± 0.27) versus control (0.81 ± 0.07) (p < 0.05, n = 4/group), associated with concomitant cardiac contractile dysfunction, glutathione depletion, and PKG1α dimerisation.

Conclusion

[18F]DHE reports on ROS in a validated model of oxidative stress where perfusion (and tracer delivery) is unlikely to impact its pharmacokinetics.
Nitrogen legacies in anthropogenic landscapes: a case study in the Mondego Basin in Portugal
Authors: Marques João , Liu Joy , Cunha Maria C. , Van Meter Kimberly J. , Basu Nandita B.
Published: November 2021

Nitrogen (N) legacies have built up in anthropogenic landscapes over decades of agricultural intensification, and these legacies lead to time lags in water quality change measurable even beyond the moment of application of N. It is important to understand these legacies to quantify the relationship between N inputs and N concentrations in streams and implement best management practices for water quality improvement; however, little is known about the magnitude of legacies in various landscape elements like soils and groundwater. Here, we have used the ELEMeNT (Exploration of Long-tErM Nutrient Trajectories) model to explore the buildup and depletion of N legacies over a 216-year period, across the Mondego River Basin, a 6645-km2 watershed in Portugal, where human interventions have considerably changed the characteristics of the basin to prevent floods and improve farming conditions in recent decades. The results show that the increase in the amount of inorganic fertilizer applied was the main driver for the anthropogenic N loads in the watershed from 1950 until the beginning of the 1990s. The N inputs have been decreasing since then, but N loads in the river did not document any decrease till the 1990s; after which there was a decline. This time lag between the N inputs to the watershed and the N loads in the river (about two decades) is a function of accumulation of N legacy.
The Natural Meaning of Crime and Punishment: Denying and Affirming Freedom
Authors: Vogt David Chelsom
Published: November 2021

The article discusses the link between freedom, crime and punishment. According to some theorists, crime does not only cause a person to have less freedom; it constitutes, in and of itself, a breach of the freedom of others. Punishment does not only cause people to have more freedom, for instance by preventing crimes; it constitutes, in and of itself, respect for mutual freedom. If the latter claims are true, crime and punishment must have certain meanings that make them denials/affirmations of freedom irrespective of their consequences. My aim is to show that such an immanent connection between crime/punishment and freedom exists. I do so by explicating the “natural meaning” of crime and punishment. This way of addressing the topic is inspired by Jean Hampton’s use of H. P. Grice’s concept of natural meaning. Expanding on Hampton’s theory, drawing on both H. L. A. Hart and Kant, I argue that crime has the natural meaning of denying freedom, and punishment has the natural meaning of affirming freedom. The paper presents an ideal theory, not a justification for actual criminal justice practices, which in most countries unfortunately fail to instantiate the value of mutual freedom.
Geschwisterunterschiede im Privatschulbesuch und Einkommenseffekte zwischen und innerhalb von Haushalten
Authors: Dräger Jascha , Röhlke Leo , Stefes Till
Published: November 2021

Trotz des Sonderungsverbotes zeigt sich in vielen Studien ein deutlicher Zusammenhang zwischen dem Haushaltseinkommen und dem Besuch privater Schulen. Unklar bleibt jedoch, ob dieser Zusammenhang durch unbeobachtete Heterogenität zwischen Haushalten oder durch einen kausalen Einkommenseffekt zustande kommt. In dieser Arbeit untersuchen wir Geschwisterunterschiede im Privatschulbesuch und inwiefern diese mit Veränderungen des Haushaltseinkommens zusammenhängen. Einerseits kann dadurch das Problem unbeobachteter Heterogenität umgangen werden, andererseits ermöglicht es Schlussfolgerungen über elterliche Motivationen bei der Privatschulwahl. Es zeigt sich, dass es mehr als doppelt so häufig vorkommt, dass nur manche Kinder eines Haushalts eine Privatschule besuchen, als dass alle Geschwisterkinder eine Privatschule besuchen. Beides kommt häufiger in einkommensstarken Haushalten vor. Kinder besuchen etwas häufiger eine Privatschule als ihre Geschwister, wenn sie in einem Zeitraum mit höherem Haushaltseinkommen aufwachsen, insbesondere wenn das permanente Haushaltseinkommen hoch ist. Die Höhe von Einkommenseffekten variiert nach dem Träger der Privatschulen. Diese Ergebnisse deuten auf eine Verletzung des Sonderungsverbotes hin.
Freund oder Feind? — Die zwei Gesichter von Photorhabdus luminescens
Authors: Dominelli Nazzareno , Heermann Ralf
Published: November 2021

Photorhabdus luminescens is an enteric bacterium with two faces: on the one hand these bacteria live in symbiosis with soil nematodes, on the other hand they are highly pathogenic for insects. The population is also phenotypically heterogeneous: one part lives in symbiosis with nematodes, the other part symbiotically interacts with plants. Cell-cell communication, inter-kingdom signaling, and other gene regulation processes are behind the complex decision of being friend or foe.
Recurrence of atrial fibrillation after pulmonary vein isolation in dependence of arterial stiffness
Authors: Shchetynska-Marinova T. , Kranert M. , Baumann S. , Liebe V. , Grafen A. , Gerhards S. , Rosenkaimer S. , Akin I. , Borggrefe M. , Hohneck A. L.
Published: November 2021

Background

Arterial stiffness (AS) has emerged as a strong predictor of cardiovascular (CV) diseases. Although increased AS has been described as a predictor of atrial fibrillation (AF), its role as a risk marker for AF recurrence has not yet been elucidated.

Methods

Patients with AF who underwent pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) were included in this study. Presence of AS was evaluated by measuring aortic distensibility (AD) of the descending aorta by transoesophageal echocardiography.

Results

In total, 151 patients (mean ± standard deviation (SD) age 71.9 ± 9.8 years) were enrolled and followed for a median duration of 21 months (interquartile range 15.0–31.0). During follow-up, AF recurred in 94 (62.3%) patients. AF recurrence was seen more frequently in patients with permanent AF (27% vs 46%, p = 0.03) and in those who had undergone prior PVI (9% vs 23%, p = 0.02). AD was significantly reduced in patients with AF recurrence (mean ± SD 2.6 ± 2.3 vs 1.5 ± 0.7 × 10−3 mm Hg−1, p < 0.0001), as well as left atrial volume index (LAVI) (mean ± SD 29 ± 12 vs 44 ± 15 ml/m2, p < 0.0001). Multivariable analysis revealed LAVI (odds ratio (OR) 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–3.4) and AS (OR 3.6, 95% CI 2.8–4.1) as independent risk factors of AF recurrence.

Conclusion

Increased AS and left atrial size were independent predictors of AF recurrence after PVI. AD as surrogate marker of AS seemed to reflect the overall CV risk. In addition, AD was significantly correlated with left atrial size, which suggests that increased AS leads to atrial remodelling and thus to AF recurrence.

Trial registration

German registry for clinical studies (DRKS), DRKS00019007.
Far-IR to deep-UV adaptive supercontinuum generation using semiconductor nano-antennas via carrier injection rate modulation
Authors: Aşırım Özüm Emre
Published: November 2021

Supercontinuum generating sources, which incorporate a non-linear medium that can generate a wideband intensity spectrum under high-power excitation, are ideal for many applications of photonics such as spectroscopy and imaging. Supercontinuum generation using ultra-miniaturized devices is of great interest for on-chip imaging, on-chip measurement, and for future integrated photonic devices. In this study, semiconductor nano-antennas are proposed for ultra-broadband supercontinuum generation via analytical and numerical investigation of the electric field wave equation and the Lorentz dispersion model, incorporating semiconductor electron dynamics under optical excitation. It is shown that by a rapid modulation of the carrier injection rate for a semiconductor nano-antenna, one can generate an ultra-wideband supercontinuum that extends from the far-infrared (Far-IR) range to the deep-ultraviolet (Deep-UV) range for an infrared excitation of arbitrary intensity level. The modulation of the injection rate is achieved by high-intensity pulsed-pump irradiation of the nano-antenna, which has a fast nonradiative electron recombination mechanism that is on the order of sub-picoseconds. It is shown that when the pulse period of the pump irradiation is of the same order with the electron recombination time, rapid modulation of the free electron density occurs and electric energy accumulates in the nano-antenna, allowing for the generation of a broad supercontinuum. The numerical results are compared with the semiempirical second harmonic generation efficiency results for validation and a mean accuracy of 99.7% is observed. The aim of the study is to demonstrate that semiconductor nano-antennas can be employed to achieve superior supercontinuum generation performance at the nanoscale and the process can be programmed in an adaptive manner for continuous spectral shaping via tuning the pulse period of the pump irradiation.
DNA ligase IV mutations confer shorter lifespan and increased sensitivity to nutrient stress in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Joshi Rashmi , Banerjee Surya Jyoti , Curtiss Jennifer , Ashley Amanda K.
Published: November 2021

The nonhomologous end-joining pathway is a primary DNA double-strand break repair pathway in eukaryotes. DNA ligase IV (Lig4) catalyzes the final step of DNA end ligation in this pathway. Partial loss of Lig4 in mammals causes Lig4 syndrome, while complete loss is embryonically lethal. DNA ligase 4 (DNAlig4) null Drosophila melanogaster is viable, but sensitive to ionizing radiation during early development. We proposed to explore if DNAlig4 loss induced other long-term sensitivities and defects in D. melanogaster. We demonstrated that DNAlig4 mutant strains had decreased lifespan and lower resistance to nutrient deprivation, indicating Lig4 is required for maintaining health and longevity in D. melanogaster.
Demystifying Low-Carbon Materials
Authors: Das Oisik , Restás Ágoston , Shanmugam Vigneshwaran , Sas Gabriel , Försth Michael , Xu Qiang , Jiang Lin , Hedenqvist Mikael S. , Ramakrishna Seeram
Published: November 2021

Low-carbon materials (the ‘carbon’ is related to carbon dioxide emission potential and not elemental carbon) need to be developed and embraced ubiquitously for the sustainable development of human society and mitigate climate change. In the absence of clear consensus in the literature coupled with the presence of certain miss-information, this ‘discussion’ article seeks to define low-carbon materials as the materials that foster a healthy living environment and a circular economy via the elimination or reduction of associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and resource depletion and wastage. Furthermore, the multidimensional facets of low-carbon products and services are described to promote widespread utilisation of low-carbon materials so as to transition to desired low-carbon or decarbonised economies. Several specific strategies for realising the aforementioned are illustrated, which include radical green chemistry and materials approach, efficient materials extraction and processing, utilising renewable feedstocks and energies, efficient product manufacturing, enhanced recycling rates, designing out wastes, circular flow of materials, and innovative business models. The information provided in this ‘discussion’ article strives to outline a variety of aspects and tools available and necessary to accelerate the growth of low-carbon materials and progress towards a sustainable future.

Graphical abstract

The integration of low-carbon materials, products and services with natural resource preservation, prosperity and a healthy living environment
An Explorative Study into the Importance of Defining and Classifying Cyber Terrorism in the United Kingdom
Authors: Jangada Correia Victoria
Published: November 2021

Terrorism, crime, and war are all familiar notions; however, the way in which these have been altered through cyberspace is not yet fully, nor unanimously, understood through definitions, theories, and approaches. Although the threat level of terrorism in the UK has lowered to moderate, the threat posed by cyber terrorism has nonetheless heightened throughout the COVID pandemic due to the greater necessity and presence of technology in our lives. This research aimed to highlight the necessity for a unanimous cyber terrorism definition and framework and further aimed to determine what perceptions are held by the general public regarding cyber terrorism through a mixed methods approach. The literature review confirms that there is an absence of a unanimously agreed upon definition of cyber terrorism, and furthermore that the existing academic definitions are not compatible with UK legislation. In addition, the literature review highlights an absence of a cyber terrorism framework that classifies what kind of terrorist activity is cyber enabled or cyber dependent. Quantitative data from the online survey find a couple of significant effects implying the necessity for greater diversity amongst stakeholders which could potentially enhance the detection and prevention of terrorism in the UK. The qualitative data find that although there is some agreement amongst the sample population in views held towards cyber terrorism, some misconceptions are nonetheless present which could have implications on the general public’s ability to identify and report cyber terrorist activity. Overall, the findings from the literature review and the primary data collection aid in developing a cyber terrorism definition that is compatible with UK legislative definitions, and further aids in developing a terrorist activity framework that succinctly highlights the inextricable links between traditional, cyber enabled, and cyber-dependent terrorism.
Gender equality mainstreaming and the Australian academy: paradoxical effects?
Authors: Gilbert Emilee , O’Shea Michelle , Duffy Sarah
Published: November 2021

Australian Universities consistently rank highly on lists that celebrate the most gender equal higher education institutions in the world. Despite participation in institutional frameworks for gender equity accreditation, what often lies beneath the outward display of gender equality is a lived experience of inequality. Whilst there is relative gender equality amongst academics employed at universities overall, men continue to dominate appointments at the professorial or senior executive levels. At the same time, gender asymmetries make women’s access to the opportunities and resources that are highly valued by the sector difficult. Women who experience intersections with care, mothering, race, sexual identity, class, and ability face additional obstacles. In this paper, three women in Australian academia attempt to disrupt the dominant masculine ideology and value system by sharing our lived experience of gender (in)equality in the academy.
A Guide to Monte Carlo Simulations in Statistical Physics
Authors: Landau David , Binder Kurt
Published: November 2021

Dealing with all aspects of Monte Carlo simulation of complex physical systems encountered in condensed matter physics and statistical mechanics, this book provides an introduction to computer simulations in physics. The 5th edition contains extensive new material describing numerous powerful algorithms and methods that represent recent developments in the field. New topics such as active matter and machine learning are also introduced. Throughout, there are many applications, examples, recipes, case studies, and exercises to help the reader fully comprehend the material. This book is ideal for graduate students and researchers, both in academia and industry, who want to learn techniques that have become a third tool of physical science, complementing experiment and analytical theory.
Oceania, 800-1800CE
Authors: Flexner James L.
Published: November 2021

Over a span of 1000 years beginning around 800CE, the people of the Pacific Islands undertook a remarkable period of voyaging, political evolution, and cross-cultural interactions. Polynesian navigators encountered previously uninhabited lands, as well as already inhabited islands and the coast of the Americas. Island societies saw epic sagas of political competition and intrigue, documented through oral traditions and the monuments and artefacts recovered through archaeology. European entry into the region added a new episode of interaction with strange people from over the horizon. These histories provide an important cross-cultural perspective for the concept of 'the Middle Ages' from outside of the usual Old World focus.
Spatial Panel Models of Crop Yield Response to Weather: Econometric Specification Strategies and Prediction Performance
Authors: Yun Seong D. , Gramig Benjamin M.
Published: November 2021

This study scrutinizes spatial econometric models and specifications of crop yield response functions to provide a robust evaluation of empirical alternatives available to researchers. We specify 14 competing panel regression models of crop yield response to weather and site characteristics. Using county corn yields in the US, this study implements in-sample, out-of-sample, and bootstrapped out-of-sample prediction performance comparisons. Descriptive propositions and empirical results demonstrate the importance of spatial correlation and empirically support the fixed effects model with spatially dependent error structures. This study also emphasizes the importance of extensive model specification testing and evaluation of selection criteria for prediction.
Waifs and Strays: Property Rights in Late Medieval England
Authors: Claridge Jordan , Gibbs Spike
Published: November 2021

This article provides new insights into long-standing debates on lord-tenant relations in medieval England and how they were negotiated through the manorial court. We examine an institution, which we term thestray system, that facilitated cooperation between lords and tenants to manage stray livestock. Specifically, we argue that the stray system is a clear example of a public good. In this context, the system was a social benefit provided by lords to their tenants as a collective. In a world where most of the population was dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods, any potential damage to a crop would have been of real concern. However, in managing the threat of wandering livestock, the property rights of owners had to be clearly protected to avoid disputes over ownership. The manorial court's management of strays provided an institution to resolve these countervailing pressures. Ultimately, that system helped to protect a community's arable land—the most vital source of income for lords and tenants alike—while simultaneously assuring the property rights of those who had lost important capital assets in the form of livestock.
Swimming of a ludion in a stratified sea
Authors: Le Gal P. , Castillo Morales B. , Hernandez-Zapata S. , Ruiz Chavarria G.
Published: November 2021

We describe and model experimental results on the dynamics of a ‘ludion’ – a neutrally buoyant body – immersed in a layer of stably stratified salt water. By oscillating a piston inside a cylinder communicating with a narrow (in one of its horizontal dimensions) vessel containing the stably stratified layer of salt water, it is easy to periodically vary the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid. The ludion or Cartesian diver, initially positioned at its equilibrium height and free to move horizontally, can then oscillate vertically when forced by the pressure oscillations. Depending on the ratio of the forcing frequency to the Brunt–Väisälä frequency of the stratified fluid, the ludion can emit its own internal gravity waves that we measure by a classical particle image velocimetry technique. Our experimental results describe first the resonance of the vertical motions of the ludion when excited at different frequencies. A theoretical oscillator model is then derived taking into account added mass and added friction coefficients and its predictions are compared with the experimental data. Then, for the larger oscillation amplitudes, we observe and describe a bifurcation towards free horizontal motions. Although the internal gravity wave frequencies are affected by the Doppler shift induced by the horizontal displacement velocities, it seems that, contrary to surface waves associated with Couder walkers (Couder et al. Nature, vol. 437, 2005, p. 238) they are not the cause of the horizontal swimming. This does not, however, exclude possible interactions between the ludion and internal gravity waves and possible hydrodynamic quantum analogies to be explored in the future.
THE REVERSE MATHEMATICS OF THE THIN SET AND ERDŐS–MOSER THEOREMS
Authors: LIU LU , PATEY LUDOVIC
Published: November 2021

The thin set theorem for n-tuples and k colors (
$\operatorname {\mathrm {\sf {TS}}}^n_k$
) states that every k-coloring of
$[\mathbb {N}]^n$
admits an infinite set of integers H such that
$[H]^n$
avoids at least one color. In this paper, we study the combinatorial weakness of the thin set theorem in reverse mathematics by proving neither
$\operatorname {\mathrm {\sf {TS}}}^n_k$
, nor the free set theorem (
$\operatorname {\mathrm {\sf {FS}}}^n$
) imply the Erdős–Moser theorem (
$\operatorname {\mathrm {\sf {EM}}}$
) whenever k is sufficiently large (answering a question of Patey and giving a partial result towards a question of Cholak Giusto, Hirst and Jockusch). Given a problem
$\mathsf {P}$
, a computable instance of
$\mathsf {P}$
is universal iff its solution computes a solution of any other computable
$\mathsf {P}$
-instance. It has been established that most of Ramsey-type problems do not have a universal instance, but the case of Erdős–Moser theorem remained open so far. We prove that Erdős–Moser theorem does not admit a universal instance (answering a question of Patey).
Recent mosaic floors restorations in Cyrene
Authors: El Mayer Adel Othman
Published: November 2021

This article showcases the importance of preserving the neglected mosaic floors in Cyrene, especially during the last decade when foreign missions have had limited access due to the uprising of February 2011. With the limited resources available to them, the author and his colleagues at the local restoration department sought to protect the cultural heritage of Libya at an extremely challenging time. This article highlights the tangible results of their efforts.
Race, Space, and the Malayan Emergency: Expelling Malay Muslim Communism and Reconstituting Malaya's Racial State, 1945–1954
Authors: Malhi Amrita
Published: November 2021

This article analyses the physical and discursive displacement of Malay Muslim advocates of a cosmopolitan and multiracial form of Malayan citizenship from the arena of “legitimate” national politics between the Second World War and the mid-1950s. It discusses the trajectory of the Malayan Left during this period, with a special focus on the work of Abdullah C. D., a Malay Muslim leader of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP). Abdullah's work included helping to build the Malay Nationalist Party of Malaya (PKMM) under the MCP's United Front strategy from 1945, creating the MCP's Department of Malay Work in 1946, and establishing the Tenth Regiment of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) in 1949. This work was essential to the MCP's outreach to Malay Muslims after Malaya's failed national revolution, which collapsed into racial conflict without achieving independence for the British colony. The Malayan Emergency was declared in 1948, and its military and social campaigns eliminated or displaced the MCP's leadership and much of the MNLA, including Abdullah and the rest of the Tenth Regiment, to Thailand by 1954. Despite his continued engagement with political movements in Malaya, Abdullah's vision for a new politics for Malay Muslims was effectively displaced into the realm of nostalgia. His ideas, outlined in MNLA pamphlets and periodicals like Tauladan (Exemplar), never made significant inroads in Malaya, whose racial state the Emergency re-established, using race to manage the threat to its interests posed by leftist politics.
READING KEYNES’S POLICY PAPERS THROUGH THE PRISM OF HISTREATISE ON PROBABILITY: INFORMATION, EXPECTATIONS, AND REVISION OF PROBABILITIES IN ECONOMIC POLICY
Authors: Rivot Sylvie
Published: November 2021

When scholars investigate the legacy of John Maynard Keynes’sTreatise on Probability(1921) for the development of Keynes’s thinking, the attention usually focuses on the connections among Keynes’s probability theory, his conception of decision-making under uncertainty, and the theory of the functioning of the macroeconomic system that derives from it—through the marginal efficiency of capital, the preference for liquidity, and the self-referential functioning of financial markets. By contrast, this paper aims to investigate the connections between Keynes’s probability theory, on the one hand, and his economic policy recommendations, on the other. It concentrates on the policy recommendations defended by Keynes during the Great Depression but also after theGeneral Theory.Keynes’s economic policy can be understood as a framework for decision-making in situations of uncertainty: fiscal policy aims to induce private agents to change their “rational” probability statements, while monetary policy aims to allow more weight to these statements.
KEYNES’S TREATISE, STATISTICAL INFERENCE, AND STATISTICAL PRACTICE IN INTERWAR ECONOMICS IN THE UNITED STATES
Authors: Biddle Jeff E.
Published: November 2021

In his Treatise on Probability John Maynard Keynes criticized the tools of statistical inference derived from probability that were coming into use in the early twentieth century, and outlined an alternative approach to statistical inference based on the logic of induction. This essay argues that Keynes’s ideas were embraced and echoed by several leading US economists during the 1920s and 1930s, including those developing and applying the most sophisticated statistical methods of the day. These economists expressed views regarding statistical inference that were quite similar to those found in Keynes’s Treatise, often citing Keynes as an authority in support. Also, the inferential methods recommended and actually employed by these writers were consistent with Keynes’s ideas about the proper methods of statistical inference.
Comparing optimized exoskeleton assistance of the hip, knee, and ankle in single and multi-joint configurations
Authors: Franks Patrick W. , Bryan Gwendolyn M. , Martin Russell M. , Reyes Ricardo , Lakmazaheri Ava C. , Collins Steven H.
Published: November 2021

Exoskeletons that assist the hip, knee, and ankle joints have begun to improve human mobility, particularly by reducing the metabolic cost of walking. However, direct comparisons of optimal assistance of these joints, or their combinations, have not yet been possible. Assisting multiple joints may be more beneficial than the sum of individual effects, because muscles often span multiple joints, or less effective, because single-joint assistance can indirectly aid other joints. In this study, we used a hip–knee–ankle exoskeleton emulator paired with human-in-the-loop optimization to find single-joint, two-joint, and whole-leg assistance that maximally reduced the metabolic cost of walking. Hip-only and ankle-only assistance reduced the metabolic cost of walking by 26 and 30% relative to walking in the device unassisted, confirming that both joints are good targets for assistance (N = 3). Knee-only assistance reduced the metabolic cost of walking by 13%, demonstrating that effective knee assistance is possible (N = 3). Two-joint assistance reduced the metabolic cost of walking by between 33 and 42%, with the largest improvements coming from hip-ankle assistance (N = 3). Assisting all three joints reduced the metabolic cost of walking by 50%, showing that at least half of the metabolic energy expended during walking can be saved through exoskeleton assistance (N = 4). Changes in kinematics and muscle activity indicate that single-joint assistance indirectly assisted muscles at other joints, such that the improvement from whole-leg assistance was smaller than the sum of its single-joint parts. Exoskeletons can assist the entire limb for maximum effect, but a single well-chosen joint can be more efficient when considering additional factors such as weight and cost.