bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
States Responsibility and Liability for Transboundary Environmental Harm
Authors: Schmalenbach Kirsten
Published: November 2022

One strategy to address environmental degradation caused by transnational human activities is to focus on States as the principal actors and law-makers on the international plane. In order to address environmental challenges, States have by and large three avenues for regulatory management at their disposal: the first one is domestic legislation on pollution control and conservation within the boundaries of jurisdictional limits set by international law; the second avenue is action through regional organisations of economic integration which have the power of supranational law-making, although these also have to observe the same jurisdictional limits in relation to the international community; and the third avenue is traditional international law-making, the method on which this Chapter focuses.
Latino Population Growth and the Changing Demography of Cancer
Authors: Sáenz Rogelio
Published: November 2022

Over the last several decades, the Latino population has been the primary driver of US population growth. It is likely that the large growth of the Latino population is affecting the changing demography of cancer. This chapter features two analyses. The first analysis examines the absolute increases in cancer cases and deaths between 1999 and 2016 to assess the relative share of the growth that took place among Latinos. The second analysis develops projections of Latino cancer cases and deaths between 2016 and 2060 to determine the Latino share of the projected increase in cancer. The analysis was conducted with information from the CDC US Cancer Statistics public data and the US Census Bureau population projections. The results illustrate the growing presence of Latinos among cancer cases and deaths over the last 18 years and over the next four decades. The Latino incidence of cancer more than doubled and their number of cancer deaths nearly doubled between 1999 and 2016. The findings also suggest that these trends will intensify between 2016 and 2060. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of the results.
Population Health Challenges for Latinos in the United States
Authors: Ortega Alexander N.
Published: November 2022

This chapter provides an overview of recent natural experiments, demonstrating the effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) on health-care disparities for Latino adults and youth. In brief, the ACA has had positive impacts on health-care access and utilization for Latinos, but disparities persist. Moreover, inequities in access to care are more pervasive for Mexicans and Central Americans, particularly for those who are noncitizens and live in states that have not expanded Medicaid as part of the ACA. Current policy dilemmas are discussed including the growth of Latino populations in states that have not expanded Medicaid and recent anti-immigrant rhetoric and border enforcement.
Precision Medicine Approaches for Stratification and Development of Novel Therapies of Latin(x) Patients at Risk of Lung Malignancy
Authors: Ramos Kenneth S. , Guerra Stefano , El-Zein Randa
Published: November 2022

Precision medicine has emerged as an optimal health-care delivery platform, which emphasizes integration of individual patient characteristics into patient care. For lung cancer, precision approaches have focused mostly on targeted therapies directed at tyrosine kinases and immunotherapy. It is proposed that refinements should focus on improved risk stratification of patients at heightened risk of lung malignancy, namely patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). African ancestry is associated with worsened clinical outcomes in COPD and lung cancer, which is relevant for Latinx populations given that varying degrees of African ancestry exist among several Latinx subgroups. The work reviewed here focuses on ORF1p, a protein encoded by Long Interspersed Element-1 (LINE-1) and associated with genetic instability. Because high expression of ORF1p is associated with poor prognosis in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it is hypothesized that circulating ORF1p can be monitored as a proxy of genetic instability in patients with COPD and lung cancer. Circulating ORF1p levels correlate with FEV1 deficits and airflow limitation (the hallmark of COPD) in former smokers, and tissue expression of ORF1p is increased in TP53 mutant NSCLC compared to wildtype. Understanding the role of ORF1p in COPD and lung cancer and its utility as a biomarker of genetic instability may lead to advances in lung cancer care and development of novel targeted therapies.
Defining the Research Object
Authors: Heikkilä Riie
Published: November 2022

This chapter argues that in our era of cultural divides, researching cultural practices can be complicated. It is explained that ‘lacking’ cultural participation appears as something that belongs to the territory of the popular and working classes, which further devalues cultural non-participation. Furthermore, this chapter explains in detail the research design and introduces the data set (40 individual interviews and 9 focus groups) and the sampling strategy. All interviewees could not unambiguously be categorised as ‘working class’, but in general one could characterise them as ‘underprivileged popular classes’. The main analytic tools—close reading and thematic analysis—are explained in detail. It is argued that both individual and focus groups interviews were needed to provide both individual perspectives and common negotiations on the topic.
Resistance
Authors: Heikkilä Riie
Published: November 2022

This chapter focuses on the resistance discourse which is inclined towards popular and everyday cultural participation. The discourse is based on an opposition to the norm of highbrow-oriented cultural participation. Most methodological challenges of the interviews are especially related to this discourse. The boundaries drawn in the resistance discourse are basically all directed upwards. They are either aesthetical (directed against highbrow-oriented cultural practices) or moral (directed against people considered snobbish). There is strong awareness of exploitation in the resistance discourse. People close to the resistance discourse are aware of their low status, but they call for being treated as equals. In the resistance discourse, clearly situated the furthest away from normative cultural participation, there is a desire for egalitarianism.
Government employment and local multipliers in Greek municipalities
Authors: Roupakias Stelios
Published: November 2022

This paper studies the impact of the remarkable increase in the share of public employment on the private sector across 156 Greek municipalities using Census data (1981–2011). To capture causal effects, we implement an instrumental variables approach, based on a shift-share design. We find that an additional job in the public sector creates nearly 0.7 jobs in the non-tradable sector (construction and services), whilst no significant effects are detected for the tradable sector (manufacturing). The findings appear to be robust to different estimation strategies, spillovers from contiguous regions, and to the inclusion of confounding factors. Importantly, we document that the most recent decline in the number of public servants did not significantly affect the private sector.
Gender Identification Beyond the Binary and Its Consequences for Social Well-Being
Authors: Wickham Miriam Ines , van Nunspeet Félice , Ellemers Naomi
Published: November 2022

Recent societal initiatives (e.g., gender-neutral toilets, clothing, and language) highlight the ongoing shift of gender away from binary categories: “man” and “woman.” We identified and investigated two reasons for this shift: that many people may not identify with strictly binary categories and that this may have negative social consequences. Employing a multiple-identification model, we measured intergroup self-categorization with both men and women (Studies 1 and 2), as well as with a “third gender” (Study 3) and investigated how multiple identifications are related to social well-being (Studies 2 and 3). In Study 1 (N = 182, mean age = 32.74, 121 women), we found that a binary model was not the best fit for our gender identification data. In Study 2 (N = 482, mean age = 30.98, 240 AFABs), we found four clusters of gender identification, replicating previous research. Furthermore, we found that gender non-conforming participants reported being less able to be their authentic selves than binary participants. We also found that participants who identified lowly with both binary genders reported lower well-being in general (belongingness, self-esteem, life satisfaction, positive affect). In Study 3 (N = 280, mean age = 36.97, 140 AFABs), we found that asking about a third gender seemed to change how much participants reported identifying with men and women. We also found that gender non-conforming participants reported lower authenticity, belongingness, and self-esteem. We conclude that moving away from binary categories of gender may be beneficial to many non-conforming people of different nationalities, including cisgender, heterosexual people.
The Association Between Persistence and Change in Behavioral Difficulties During Early to Middle Childhood and Cognitive Abilities at Age 8
Authors: Neumann Denise , Peterson Elizabeth R. , Underwood Lisa , Morton Susan M.B. , Waldie Karen E.
Published: November 2022

We investigated the association between persistence and change in behavioral difficulties during early to middle childhood and several cognitive outcomes. We observed 3904 8-year-olds enrolled in the longitudinal study Growing Up in New Zealand (50% male/female; 23% Māori, 9% Pacific Peoples, 13% Asian, 2% Middle Eastern/Latin American/African, 9% Other, 43% European). The NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery was used to assess cognitive functioning at 8 years and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for behavioral difficulties at 4.5 and 8 years. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted, controlling for well-known sociodemographic confounders. Children with persistent or later onset of behavioral difficulties were at higher risk for poorer vocabulary, reading, inhibitory control/attention, episodic memory, working memory and processing speed at age 8 compared to children with no or improved difficulties. Our study supports the importance of addressing both cognitive and behavioral aspects when planning educational programmes and interventions in early and middle childhood.
Stable and actionable explanations of black-box models through factual and counterfactual rules
Authors: Guidotti Riccardo , Monreale Anna , Ruggieri Salvatore , Naretto Francesca , Turini Franco , Pedreschi Dino , Giannotti Fosca
Published: November 2022

Recent years have witnessed the rise of accurate but obscure classification models that hide the logic of their internal decision processes. Explaining the decision taken by a black-box classifier on a specific input instance is therefore of striking interest. We propose a local rule-based model-agnostic explanation method providing stable and actionable explanations. An explanation consists of a factual logic rule, stating the reasons for the black-box decision, and a set of actionable counterfactual logic rules, proactively suggesting the changes in the instance that lead to a different outcome. Explanations are computed from a decision tree that mimics the behavior of the black-box locally to the instance to explain. The decision tree is obtained through a bagging-like approach that favors stability and fidelity: first, an ensemble of decision trees is learned from neighborhoods of the instance under investigation; then, the ensemble is merged into a single decision tree. Neighbor instances are synthetically generated through a genetic algorithm whose fitness function is driven by the black-box behavior. Experiments show that the proposed method advances the state-of-the-art towards a comprehensive approach that successfully covers stability and actionability of factual and counterfactual explanations.
A novel material based on an antibacterial choline-calixarene nanoassembly embedded in thin films
Authors: Ferreri Loredana , Consoli Grazia M. L. , Clarizia Gabriele , Zampino Daniela C. , Nostro Antonia , Granata Giuseppe , Ginestra Giovanna , Giuffrida Maria L. , Zimbone Stefania , Bernardo Paola
Published: November 2022

Supramolecular chemistry is one of the current strategies for producing advanced materials. With the aim to develop new Thin-Films with antibacterial activity, we embedded an amphiphilic choline-calix[4]arene possessing antibacterial properties in polymeric Thin-Films based on polyether-co-amide matrix (Pebax®2533). The loading of the calix[4]arene derivative in the film was performed by solution casting. The amount of calixarene additive in the films was in the range of 0.5–5 wt%. The self-supported Thin-Films were characterized by investigating phase miscibility, morphology, spectral properties, and gas transport. The release of the calixarene derivative from the films was studied in a biomimetic medium as PBS (10 mM, pH 7.4). The presence of the additive did not affect the thermal stability of the copolymer, whereas it induced an increase in crystallinity, wettability, and gas permeability of the blend films according to its concentration. The antibacterial activity of the films was evaluated in vitro against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus strains, representative of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The developed films displayed antibacterial activity against both strains. In particular, Pebax® − 5 wt% Chol-Calix caused within 10 h a reduction in E. coli and S. aureus of 2.57 and 2 log CFU/mL, respectively. The potential toxicity of the films was also tested on mouse embryonic fibroblasts NIH/3T3. Pebax®2533/calixarene derivative combination appears a promising approach for the development of novel flexible antibacterial materials.

Graphical abstract
Reduction in radioactive internal contamination by 99mTc among medical personnel in nuclear medicine facilities with the use of respiratory tract protection measures
Authors: Brudecki Kamil , Borkowska Eliza , Gorzkiewicz Krzysztof , Kostkiewicz Magdalena , Misiak Ryszard , Mróz Tomasz , Nalichowska Ewa
Published: November 2022

The main objective of the present publication was to assess the reduction of internal radioactive contamination with 99mTc among medical personnel of nuclear medicine facilities using generally available respiratory tract protection systems. During the current research project, four respiratory tract protection systems were tested by estimation of 99mTc activity levels in blood samples collected from medical personnel. Medical staff were equipped with a disposable surgical mask, a half mask with gas absorbers, a half mask with aerosol absorbers and a half mask with gas absorbers with added Petryanov filter. The presented results indicate that wearing only a disposable surgical mask may significantly reduce radioactive internal contamination among medical personnel and improve their safety in the workplace. The best results of reduced 99mTc concentration in the blood were achieved by the use of a half mask with gas absorbers with added Pertryanov filters and a half mask with aerosol absorbers, where the reduction factors were estimated at 90% and 80%, respectively. Respiratory tract protection systems should become standard equipment for medical personnel performing ventilation–perfusion SPECT lung scans.
Cavitation over solid surfaces: microbubble collapse, shock waves, and elastic response
Authors: Abbondanza Dario , Gallo Mirko , Casciola Carlo Massimo
Published: November 2022

We discuss the interaction of the strongly nonlinear fluid motion induced by the collapse of a vapor microbubble over a planar surface and the elastic dynamics of the underlying solid. The fluid is described using an extension of the Navier-Stokes equations endowed with distributed capillary stresses in the context of a diffuse interface approach. The collapse of the bubble is triggered by overpressure in the liquid and leads to an intense jet that pierces the bubble, changing the bubble topology from spheroidal to toroidal, and impinges the solid wall inducing an intense and strongly localized load. Moreover, at bubble collapse, a compression wave is launched into the liquid surrounding the bubble. By propagating along the solid surface, the compression wave combined with the liquid jet excites the dynamics of the elastic solid, producing a complex system of waves, including, longitudinal, transversal, and Rayleigh waves, propagating in the solid. It is conjectured that the intense deformation of the solid induced by the strongly localized liquid jet may lead to the plastic deformation of the solid producing the surface pitting observed in many applications subject to cavitation-induced material damage.
TRIM11, a new target of p53, facilitates the migration and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells
Authors: Zhao Ziyi , Deng Jinkuang , Lu Ming , Yang Jun , Chen Linlin , Li DianYuan , Sang Yi
Published: November 2022

Background

Although tripartite motif-containing protein 11 (TRIM11) is known to be associated with a variety of cancers, its role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is unclear.

Methods and results

To investigate the role of TRIM11 in NPC, TRIM11 was stably overexpressed in 6–10B and CNE2 cells with lentiviral vectors and knocked down in S18 and 5–8F cells using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Transwell assays and wound-healing assays revealed that TRIM11 facilitated the migration and invasion of NPC cells. Mechanistically, we found that p53 inhibits TRIM11 expression by binding to its promoter.

Conclusions

TRIM11 may serve as a potential diagnostic marker for NPC and has a certain therapeutic value.
TPGS Decorated Liposomes as Multifunctional Nano-Delivery Systems
Authors: Farooq Muhammad Asim , Trevaskis Natalie L.
Published: November 2022

Liposomes are sphere-shaped vesicles that can capture therapeutics either in the outer phospholipid bilayer or inner aqueous core. Liposomes, especially when surface-modified with functional materials, have been used to achieve many benefits in drug delivery, including improving drug solubility, oral bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and delivery to disease target sites such as cancers. Among the functional materials used to modify the surface of liposomes, the FDA-approved non-ionic surfactant D-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) is increasingly being applied due to its biocompatibility, lack of toxicity, applicability to various administration routes and ability to enhance solubilization, stability, penetration and overall pharmacokinetics. TPGS decorated liposomes are emerging as a promising drug delivery system for various diseases and are expected to enter the market in the coming years. In this review article, we focus on the multifunctional properties of TPGS-coated liposomes and their beneficial therapeutic applications, including for oral drug delivery, vaccine delivery, ocular administration, and the treatment of various cancers. We also suggest future directions to optimise the manufacture and performance of TPGS liposomes and, thus, the delivery and effect of encapsulated diagnostics and therapeutics.
Nanotechnology-Based Nucleic Acid Vaccines for Treatment of Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Gildiz Simav , Minko Tamara
Published: November 2022

Anticancer vaccines represent a promising approach for effective treatment of cancer and along with recent advantages of nucleic acid-based vaccines for other diseases form a prospective and potentially efficacious direction of the research, development and clinical applications. Despite the ongoing several clinical trials of mRNA vaccines for the treatment of various types of cancer, to-date no cancer vaccines were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The present review analyzes and summarizes major approaches for treating of different forms of ovarian cancer including mRNA-based vaccines as well as nanotechnology-based approaches for their delivery.

Graphical Abstract
Searching for migration: estimating Japanese migration to Europe with Google Trends data
Authors: Leysen Bert , Verhaeghe Pieter-Paul
Published: November 2022

In recent research, Google Trends data has been identified as a potentially useful data source to complement or even replace otherwise traditional data for predicting migration flows. However, the research on this is in its infancy, and as of yet suffers from a distinctive Western bias both in the topics covered as in the applicability of the methods. To examine its wider utility, this paper evaluates the predictive potential of Google Trends data, which captures Google search frequencies, but applies it to the case of Japanese migration flows to Europe. By doing so, we focus on some of the specific challenging aspects of the Japanese language, such as its various writing systems, and of its migration flows, characterized by its relative stability and sometimes limit size. In addition, this research investigates to what extent Google Trends data can be used to empirically test theory in the form of the aspirations and (cap)ability approach. The results show that after careful consideration, this method has the potential to reach satisfactory predictions, but that there are many obstacles to overcome. As such, sufficient care and prior investigation are paramount when attempting this method for less straightforward cases, and additional studies need to address some of the key limitations more in detail to validate or annul some of the findings presented here.
Understanding the meanings of citations using sentiment, role, and citation function classifications
Authors: Budi Indra , Yaniasih Yaniasih
Published: November 2022

Traditional citation analyses use quantitative methods only, even though there is meaning in the sentences containing citations within the text. This article analyzes three citation meanings: sentiment, role, and function. We compare citation meanings patterns between fields of science and propose an appropriate deep learning model to classify the three meanings automatically at once. The data comes from Indonesian journal articles covering five different areas of science: food, energy, health, computer, and social science. The sentences in the article text were classified manually and used as training data for an automatic classification model. Several classic models were compared with the proposed multi-output convolutional neural network model. The manual classification revealed similar patterns in citation meaning across the science fields: (1) not many authors exhibit polarity when citing, (2) citations are still rarely used, and (3) citations are used mostly for introductions and establishing relations instead of for comparisons with and utilizing previous research. The proposed model’s automatic classification metric achieved a macro F1 score of 0.80 for citation sentiment, 0.84 for citation role, and 0.88 for citation function. The model can classify minority classes well concerning the unbalanced dataset. A machine model that can classify several citation meanings automatically is essential for analyzing big data of journal citations.
Co-designing Healthy Living after Cancer Online: an online nutrition, physical activity, and psychosocial intervention for post-treatment cancer survivors
Authors: Leske Morgan , Koczwara Bogda , Blunt Jason , Morris Julia , Eakin Elizabeth , Short Camille E. , Daly Anthony , Degner Jon , Beatty Lisa
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to co-design Healthy Living after Cancer Online (HLaC Online), an online intervention supporting cancer survivors to set and meet their healthy living goals.

Methods

Adapted from an initial telephone-delivered Healthy Living after Cancer program, wireframes (PDF black and white mock-ups) of the proposed online program were presented in a series of focus groups and interviews to our stakeholder group, which consisted of cancer survivors, oncology healthcare professionals, and representatives from cancer support organisations. Stakeholders were prompted for feedback on the wireframe and given end-user scenarios to encourage deeper engagement with the co-design process. Transcriptions underwent thematic analysis to determine which features of the program needed change or expansion.

Results

27 participants took part in one of 8 focus groups or 10 interviews. Five themes were identified relating to (a) website design elements, (b) promoting and maintaining long-term engagement, (c) relatability and relevance, (d) navigating professional support, and (e) family and peer support. Recommended changes, such as simple activities and guidance videos, were integrated into the HLaC Online prototype.

Conclusions

Involving end-users in the co-design process ensured the intervention’s relevance and specificity to the needs of cancer survivors. Next steps include feasibility testing the prototype, prior to commencing a national randomised control trial of HLaC Online.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

HLaC Online aims to support cancer survivors to improve their quality of life by making healthy lifestyle changes in their physical activity, healthy eating, weight management, mental health, and fatigue management.
Same but different? A qualitative analysis of the influence of COVID-19 on law enforcement and organized crime in Germany
Authors: Schreier Sarah , Leimbach Katharina
Published: November 2022

Criminological research on COVID-19 and its repercussions on crimes, criminals and law enforcement agencies is still in its infancy. This paper fills that void with regard to the influence of COVID-19 on organized crime and the work of law enforcement agencies’ investigations of organized crime in Germany by presenting empirical findings from a nationwide qualitative interview study. Through the methodological combination of Grounded Theory and Situational Analysis, we find three central narratives (us vs. them, nationalization vs. internationalization, conservatism vs. innovation) that were provided by law enforcement personnel in terms of the way in which COVID-19 influenced both organized crime groups and their work in the investigation thereof. Following a reflexive approach, the implications of COVID-19 on the research process itself are also discussed.
Reactivity as a tool in emancipatory activist research
Authors: Koskinen Inkeri
Published: November 2022

Reactivity is usually seen as a problem in the human sciences. In this paper I argue that in emancipatory activist research, reactivity can be an important tool. I discuss one example: the aim of mental decolonisation in indigenous activist research. I argue that mental decolonisation can be understood as the act of replacing harmful looping effects with new, emancipatory ones.
Experimental investigation of the cementation and tensile properties of cement to formation interface considering surface irregularity and drilling mud residue
Authors: Wang Lei , Liu Bohang , Guo Yintong , Li Jing , Yang Hanzhi , Liu Hejuan , Heng Shuai
Published: November 2022

Cement sheath is an annular structure situated between casing and formation, which is designed to seal the formation and reinforce the borehole. However, owing to the surface irregularity and drilling mud residue, the interface between the cement sheath and the formation is one of the weakest parts for fluid leakage causing well integrity issues, which would also affect the reliability of the cement bond logs. To evaluate the cementation state and tensile properties of the cement-formation interface, rock-cement composite disc specimens are prepared, considering key factors such as lithology, interface irregularity, treatment of oil-based drilling mud contamination, and flushing fluid washing. Flushing efficiency of the drilling mud contaminated rock surface, interface cementation characteristic, referenced tensile strength, and tensile fracture morphology are acquired and analysed comparatively. Results show that (1) the flushing efficiencies of shale and sandstone are 74.1 ~ 61.9% and 52.4 ~ 28.4%, respectively, decreasing with the increase in surface irregularity. (2) The rock-cement interface gradually becomes poorly cemented as the surface cleanliness decreasing and the irregularity increasing. (3) Under the condition of drilling fluid contamination, there exists a transitional area at the cemented interface, where microcracks and pores are developed. (4) With the influence of drilling mud contamination, the referenced tensile strengths of shale-cement and sandstone-cement interfaces drop from 2.716 to 0.586 MPa and from 2.840 to 0.007 MPa, respectively. The effects of underground temperature and pressure environment are not particularly considered in this study and would be investigated systematically in future research.
Melatonin alleviates heat stress-induced testicular damage in dairy goats by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Authors: Liu Yundie , Cai Hui , Guo Xinrui , Aierken Aili , Hua Jinlian , Ma Baohua , Peng Sha
Published: November 2022

Current measures mainly focus on how melatonin reduces physiological heat stress in animals, but its effects on reproductive damage to male dairy goats have been neglected. This study aimed to determine the protective effect of melatonin on male reproduction during heat stress in dairy goats and to further explore its mechanisms. A natural heat stress model of Saanen dairy goats was used to assess testicular tissue damage 7 days after heat stress and to examine semen quality changes during a spermatogenic cycle. RNA-seq, Western blot, RT–qPCR, and immunofluorescence staining were used to explore the mechanism by which melatonin protects against heat stress-induced reproductive damage and to validate the results. The data suggested that melatonin significantly alleviated the heat stress-induced decrease in sperm quality, protected varicose tubule structure, reduced the levels of heat shock proteins and apoptotic proteins and protected the spermatocytes and round spermatozoa, which are mainly affected by heat stress. RNA-seq results suggest that melatonin inhibits the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, reduces the level of p-AKT, and promotes elevated BCL-2. In addition, melatonin treatment could upregulate the gene expression of MT2 which was downregulated by heat stress and improve the change in extracellular matrix components and restore serum testosterone levels. Our results suggest that melatonin can protect against testicular and spermatogenic cell damage and improve semen quality in male dairy goats under heat stress. This study provides an important reference for subsequent studies on the molecular mechanisms of melatonin in protecting male reproductive processes under heat stress and using exogenous melatonin to prevent heat stress.
Relationship between emotional intelligence and self-efficacy among college students: the mediating role of coping styles
Authors: Sun Guifang , Lyu Bei
Published: November 2022

Numerous studies have shown that college students have a lot of bad emotions due to their special status. Bad emotions cause many conflicts in college students’ lives and studies, resulting in a decrease in the quality of life and studies. However, few studies have examined the influence of the ability of self-regulation of emotions on the ability of college students to deal with daily life events. To explore the specific effects of emotional intelligence of college students’ self-control and social interactions on self-efficacy in terms of their ability to cope with stress, we explored the link between emotional intelligence and self-efficacy and the mediating role of coping styles on both. In this study, we recruited 800 Chinese university students for a questionnaire survey using a random sampling method. We only obtained a valid sample of 717 (M = 18.88, SD = 1.61). Each participant completed a series of questionnaires, including the Sentiment Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale, and Coping Style Scale. Afterwards, data analysis was conducted using SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 22.0 to develop structural equation models. The results showed that emotional intelligence not only directly affects self-efficacy, but also indirectly affects self-efficacy through coping styles. The results of the study indicate that college students who assess their self-efficacy based on their emotional state and who are able to manage their emotions will experience more positive feelings psychologically and behaviorally, and thus achieve higher self-efficacy in activities such as classes, internships, and employment interactions.
Thrust measurements and mesothermal plasma plume of the Alternative Low Power Hybrid Ion Engine (alphie)
Authors: Conde L. , Gonzalez J. , Donoso J. M. , Domenech-Garret J. L. , Castillo M. A.
Published: November 2022

The high specific impulse Alternative Low Power Ion Engine (alphie) is a gridded plasma thruster different from conventional (Kaufman) ion engines. In this disruptive concept, the ionization of the propellant neutral gas and the neutralization of ion outflow is achieved with only one cathode located in front and outside of the thruster. Electrons and ions move under the self-consistent field created by the DC voltage applied to its two planar grids together with the currents of charges flowing through them, unlike to conventional ion engines, where only ions move through its ion optics system. The stationary mesothermal flow of ions and electrons in the plasma plume is characterized with a retarded field energy analyzer in conjunction with Langmuir and emissive probes. The ion velocity distribution functions and the electron energy spectra for different operating conditions of the alphie thruster are discussed. The observed high ion temperatures are explained by the collisional interaction between the fast ionizing electrons and the neutral atoms that increases their average kinetic energy. Finally, the alphie delivers 0.8-3.5 mN throttleable thrusts giving specific impulses in the range of 14000-20000 s with estimated thruster efficiencies between 8% and 40%.
Social support in schools and related outcomes for LGBTQ youth: a scoping review
Authors: Leung Enoch , Kassel-Gomez Gabriela , Sullivan Samantha , Murahara Flavio , Flanagan Tara
Published: November 2022

Recent research has increasingly focused on positive factors and supports for LGBTQ youth. This scoping review explores existing social support for LGBTQ youth in schools through the Ecological Systems Theory to respond to the following four objectives: (1) define social support systems in schools, (2) identify current research on outcomes for LGBTQ youth, (3) identify barriers to support LGBTQ youth in schools, and (4) identify areas for future research for LGBTQ youth and social support in schools. A systematic search (Arksey and O’Malley in Int J Soc Res Methodol 8(1):19–32, 2005) between 2007 through 2021 resulted in 94 articles. This review gave rise to an organizational framework to consolidate various systems of social support for LGBTQ youth in schools. Social support consisted of seven social support systems (family, curriculum, family, peers, school policies, GSAs and programs, and school climate) that are positively associated with the promotion of positive socioemotional, behavioural, and educational outcomes for LGBTQ youth. Though the literature has been clear surrounding the risks associated with LGBTQ youth, this scoping review provides a positive outlook on LGBTQ youth’s school experiences and how these systems of social support allow for LGBTQ youth to act as active participants to foster a positive school climate and sense of safety.
Building Toward a Disaster Resilient Health System: A Study of Hospital Resilience
Authors: Luke Jenny , Franklin Richard C. , Dyson Joanne , Aitken Peter
Published: November 2022

Objectives:

This research evaluated the resilience of 6 tertiary and rural health facilities within a single Australian Health Service, using the World Health Organization (WHO) Hospital Safety Index (HSI). This adaptation of the HSI was compared with existing national accreditation and facility design Standards to assess disaster preparedness and identify opportunities for improvement.

Methods:

This cross-sectional descriptive study surveyed 6 hospitals that provide 24/7 emergency department and acute inpatient services. HSI assessments, comprising 151 previously validated criteria, were conducted by Health Service engineers and facility managers before being externally reviewed by independent disaster management professionals.

Results:

All facilities were found to be highly disaster resilient, with each recording high HSI scores. Variances in structure, architectural safety, continuity of critical services supply, and emergency plans were consistently identified. Power and water supply vulnerabilities are common to previously reported vulnerabilities in health facilities of developing countries.

Conclusion:

Clinical, engineering, and disaster management professionals assessed 6 Australian hospitals using the WHO HSI with each facility scoring highly, genuine vulnerabilities and practical opportunities for improvement were identified. This application of the WHO HSI, intended for use primarily in developing countries and disaster-affected regions, complimented and extended the existing Australian national health service accreditation and facility design Standards. These results support the expansion of existing assessment tools used to assess Australian health facility disaster preparedness and resilience.
Clinical impact of healthcare-associated respiratory syncytial virus in hospitalized adults
Authors: Hill-Ricciuti Alexandra , Walsh Edward E. , Greendyke William G. , Choi Yoonyoung , Barrett Angela , Alba Luis , Branche Angela R. , Falsey Ann R. , Phillips Matthew , Finelli Lyn , Saiman Lisa
Published: November 2022

Objective:

To describe the clinical impact of healthcare-associated (HA) respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in hospitalized adults.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study within a prospective, population-based, surveillance study of RSV-infected hospitalized adults during 3 respiratory seasons: October 2017–April 2018, October 2018–April 2019, and October 2019–March 2020.

Setting:

The study was conducted in 2 academically affiliated medical centers.

Patients:

Each HA-RSV patient (in whom RSV was detected by PCR test ≥4 days after hospital admission) was matched (age, sex, season) with 2 community-onset (CO) RSV patients (in whom RSV was detected ≤3 days of admission).

Methods:

Risk factors and outcomes were compared among HA-RSV versus CO-RSV patients using conditional logistic regression. Escalation of respiratory support associated with RSV detection (day 0) from day −2 to day +4 was explored among HA-RSV patients.

Results:

In total, 84 HA-RSV patients were matched to 160 CO-RSV patients. In HA-RSV patients, chronic kidney disease was more common, while chronic respiratory conditions and obesity were less common. HA-RSV patients were not more likely to be admitted to an ICU or require mechanical ventilation, but they more often required a higher level of care at discharge compared with CO-RSV patients (44% vs 14%, respectively). Also, 29% of evaluable HA-RSV patients required respiratory support escalation; these patients were older and more likely to have respiratory comorbidities, to have been admitted to intensive care, and to die during hospitalization.

Conclusions:

HA-RSV in adults may be associated with escalation in respiratory support and an increased level of support in living situation at discharge. Infection prevention and control strategies and RSV vaccination of high-risk adults could mitigate the risk of HA-RSV.
Self-similarity of scalar isosurface area density in a temporal mixing layer
Authors: Blakeley Brandon C. , Olson Britton J. , Riley James J.
Published: November 2022

Understanding the behaviour of scalar isosurfaces in a turbulent flow is of particular interest for many problems in turbulent mixing that contain sharp interfaces between regions of the flow. Common examples include combustion, where the chemical reactions occur in thin regions within the flow, and the turbulent/non-turbulent interface in shear flows, where a thin region separates the rotational, turbulent motions from the irrotational, non-turbulent background. Recent advances in computing technology allow for in-depth analysis of these interface problems that are difficult to quantify in a laboratory setting. In this paper, the results of a direct numerical simulation of a passive scalar

$\varPhi$

evolving on a turbulent, temporally developing mixing layer are described. A novel approach has been taken to calculate the surface area of individual scalar isosurfaces,

$A_{iso}$

, throughout the simulation, as well as the mean isosurface area density,

$\varSigma$

, as a function of the cross-stream direction and time. A notable finding is that the profiles of

$\varSigma$

develop in a self-similar manner when scaled by the Taylor scale of the scalar field,

$\lambda _\phi$

. Remarkably, the scaling appears to hold for a wide range of isovalues. A rough scaling argument based on the formal definition of

$\varSigma$

and properties of a temporal mixing layer is presented which also exposes a dependence on

$\lambda _\phi$

. Based on these results, a possible scaling for the isosurface area is presented as

$A_{iso}/A_0 \sim (Re \, Sc)^{1/2}$

, where

$Re$

and

$Sc$

are local Reynolds and Schmidt numbers, respectively.
Bubble dynamics and atomization in evaporating polymeric droplets
Authors: Gannena K.S. Raghuram , Rao D. Chaitanya Kumar , Roy Durbar , Kumar Aloke , Basu Saptarshi
Published: November 2022

We investigate the interaction of an aqueous polymeric droplet with a tuneable continuous laser in an acoustically levitated environment. The effect of laser irradiation intensity and polymeric concentration on various spatio-temporal parameters is unearthed using high-speed shadowgraphy and theoretical scaling analysis. We observe four temporal phases: droplet evaporation, vapour bubble growth followed by membrane inflation, bubble/membrane rupture through hole nucleation and droplet breakup. During the initial droplet evaporation phase, concentration build-up at the droplet surface beyond a critical limit leads to the formation of a skin layer. It is revealed that, at a given location inside the droplet, hot spots occur, and the maximum temperature at the hot spots scales linearly with irradiation intensity until a bubble nucleates. The low-intensity laser interaction leads to symmetric membrane inflation that eventually forms holes at droplet poles and cracks on the shell surface. On the contrary, high intensity causes early bubble nucleation followed by asymmetric membrane inflation that eventually ruptures through multiple hole formation. Furthermore, the growth and rupture of the membrane is followed by a catastrophic breakup of the droplet. Two dominant atomization modes are reported at significantly high irradiation intensities: stable sheet collapse and unstable sheet breakup. The evolution of droplets into a stable/unstable sheet follows universally observed ligament and hole dynamics. A regime map is shown to describe the influence of polymer concentration and irradiation intensity on the strength and mode of droplet atomization.
Beamforming approaches towards detecting the 21-cm global signal from Cosmic Dawn with radio array telescopes
Authors: Price D. C.
Published: November 2022

The formation of the first stars and galaxies during ‘Cosmic Dawn’ is thought to have imparted a faint signal onto the 21-cm spin temperature from atomic Hydrogen gas in the early Universe. Observationally, an absorption feature should be measurable as a frequency dependence in the sky-averaged (i.e. global) temperature at meter wavelengths. This signal should be separable from the smooth—but orders of magnitude brighter—foregrounds by jointly fitting a log-polynomial and absorption trough to radiometer spectra. A majority of approaches to measure the global 21-cm signal use radiometer systems on dipole-like antennas. Here, we argue that beamforming-based methods may allow radio arrays to measure the global 21-cm signal. We simulate an end-to-end drift-scan observation of the radio sky at 50–100 MHz using a zenith-phased array, and find that the complex sidelobe structure introduces a significant frequency-dependent systematic. However, the$\lambda/D$evolution of the beam width with frequency does not confound detection. We conclude that a beamformed array with a median sidelobe level${\sim}-50$dB may offer an alternative method to measure the global 21-cm signal. This level is achievable by arrays with$O(10^5)$antennas.
Computational drug discovery under RNA times
Authors: Bernetti Mattia , Aguti Riccardo , Bosio Stefano , Recanatini Maurizio , Masetti Matteo , Cavalli Andrea
Published: November 2022

RNA molecules play many functional and regulatory roles in cells, and hence, have gained considerable traction in recent times as therapeutic interventions. Within drug discovery, structure-based approaches have successfully identified potent and selective small-molecule modulators of pharmaceutically relevant protein targets. Here, we embrace the perspective of computational chemists who use these traditional approaches, and we discuss the challenges of extending these methods to target RNA molecules. In particular, we focus on recognition between RNA and small-molecule binders, on selectivity, and on the expected properties of RNA ligands.
Yet another Freiheitssatz: Mating finite groups with locally indicable ones
Authors: Klyachko Anton A. , Mikheenko Mikhail A.
Published: November 2022

The main result includes as special cases on the one hand, the Gerstenhaber–Rothaus theorem (1962) and its generalisation due to Nitsche and Thom (2022) and, on the other hand, the Brodskii–Howie–Short theorem (1980–1984) generalising Magnus’s Freiheitssatz (1930).
Age effects in spoken second language vocabulary attainment beyond the critical period
Authors: Saito Kazuya
Published: November 2022

The current study set out to examine to what degree age of acquisition (AOA), defined as a learner’s first intensive exposure to a second language (L2) environment, mediates the final state of postpubertal, spoken vocabulary attainment. In Study 1, spontaneous speech samples were elicited from experienced Japanese users of English (n = 41) using storytelling and interview tasks. The samples were analyzed using a range of corpus- and rater-based lexical measures and compared to the speech of inexperienced Japanese speakers (n = 40) and native speakers of English (n = 10). The results showed that most experienced L2 learners tended to demonstrate nativelike proficiency for relatively easy lexical dimensions of speech (i.e., richness), but that AOA appeared to play a key role in predicting the ultimate attainment of relatively difficult lexical dimensions (i.e., appropriateness). In Study 2, the findings were successfully replicated with experienced L1 Polish users of English (n = 50).