bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of the built environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East and related energy and climate policies
Authors: Carlucci Salvatore , Lange Manfred A. , Artopoulos Georgios , Albuflasa Hanan M. , Assimakopoulos Margarita-Niki , Attia Shady , Azar Elie , Cuce Erdem , Hajiah Ali , Meir Isaac A. , Neophytou Marina , Nicolaides Melina , Serghides Despina , Sprecher Aaron , Tawalbeh Muhieddin , Thravalou Stavroula , Kyprianou Ioanna
Published: June 2024

The Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region hosts some of the world’s most influential and troubled cities. It is also a hotspot of climate change and socio-economic and political turbulence, which inflate the already flammable conditions and reinforce existing local vulnerabilities. Some of the most arduous challenges of cities relate to the built environment – although vital for human well-being, buildings rarely offer both sufficient and affordable shelter to their inhabitants. With energy performance regulations coming into effect during the past three decades, a considerable proportion of the worldwide building stock had already been constructed and is now ageing and inefficient. Harmonising the energy performance of buildings at a sufficient level requires common objectives and priorities, and the EMME region consists of nations with different governance and regulations. Scarce literature exists on the existing operational frameworks, and this study aims to offer an overview of the built environment policy scene in the EMME region, identifying gaps, good practices and prospects. The study draws from scholarly literature, national and international regulations and other document sources, as well as local experts. This work finds that although most EMME countries participate in and embrace international agreements, they act individually and not collectively, confirming our hypothesis that the policy agenda reflects the diverse characteristics of the region. By recognising standing failings and strengths, moving forward becomes a possibility through the adoption of integrated governance, common policy agendas and financing mechanisms to create sustainable urban centres inhabited by resilient and equitable communities.
Living with wolves: A worldwide systematic review of attitudes
Authors: Barmoen Magnus , Bærum Kim Magnus , Mathiesen Kristin E.
Published: June 2024

This systematic review of peer reviewed articles on attitudes towards gray wolves (Canis lupus), shows that attitudes are mainly measured either by mean values of attitudes or by proportional differences in attitudes. This may impact on how attitudes are perceived and interpreted across studies and areas. However, independent of method used, we found that people living in areas where wolves always have existed, are more negative towards wolves compared to people living in areas where there are no wolves, or where wolves have recovered after years of absence. People who express fear, or being directly affected by having wolves, such as farmers and hunters, report more negative attitudes compared to other groups of respondents. For wolf conservation we recommend politicians and management authorities to prepare local societies of the different consequences of living in wolf areas. We recommend using dialogues and conflict management methods to minimize the level of conflicts.
Do deep learning models accurately measure visual destination image? A comparison of a fine-tuned model to past work
Authors: Nixon Lyndon J. B.
Published: June 2024

The measurement of destination image from visual media such as online photography is of growing significance to destination managers and marketers who want to make better decisions and attract more visitors to their destination. However, there is no single approach with proven accuracy for doing this. We present a new approach where we fine-tune a deep learning model for a predetermined set of cognitive attributes of destination image. We then train state of the art neural networks using labelled tourist photography and test accuracy by comparing results with a ground truth dataset built for the same set of visual classes. Comparing our fine-tuned model against results which follow past approaches, we demonstrate that the pre-trained models without fine-tuning are not as accurate in capturing all of the destination image’s cognitive attributes. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first deep learning computer vision model trained specifically to measure the cognitive component of destination image from photography and can act as a benchmark for future systems.
Exploration of the Existence Forms and Patterns of Dissolved Oxygen Molecules in Water
Authors: Yuan Hewei , Zhang Yaozhong , Huang Xiaolu , Zhang Xiwu , Li Jinjin , Huang Yufeng , Li Kun , Weng Haotian , Xu Yang , Zhang Yafei
Published: June 2024

The structure of liquid water is primarily composed of three-dimensional networks of water clusters formed by hydrogen bonds, and dissolved oxygen is one of the most important indicators for assessing water quality. In this work, distilled water with different concentration of dissolved oxygen were prepared, and a clear negative correlation between the size of water clusters and dissolved oxygen concentration was observed. Besides, a phenomenon of rapid absorption and release of oxygen at the water interfaces was unveiled, suggesting that oxygen molecules predominantly exist at the interfaces of water clusters. Oxygen molecules can move rapidly through the interfaces among water clusters, allowing dissolved oxygen to quickly reach a saturation level at certain partial pressure of oxygen and temperature. Further exploration into the mechanism by molecular dynamics simulations of oxygen and water clusters found that oxygen molecules can only exist stably at the interfaces among water clusters. A semi-empirical formula relating the average number of water molecules in a cluster (n) to 17O NMR half-peak width (W) was summarized: n = 0.1 W + 0.85. These findings provide a foundation for exploring the structure and properties of water.
Maritime shipping ports performance: a systematic literature review
Authors: Kishore L. , Pai Yogesh P. , Ghosh Bidyut Kumar , Pakkan Sheeba
Published: June 2024

The maritime sector has evolved as a crucial link in countries' economic development. Given that most of the trade across regions takes place through naval transportation, the performance of the seaports has been one of the focus areas of research. As the publication volume has significantly grown in the recent past, this study critically examines the publications related to the performance of ports for exploring the evolution, identifying the trends of articles, and analyzing the citations covering the publications based on relevant keywords in Scopus database for the period 1975–April 2024. Bibliometric and scientometric analysis was done using R, Python, and VOS software tools. Results indicate the core subject areas as “port efficiency”, “data envelopment analysis” (DEA), “port competitiveness”, “simulation”, “port governance”, and “sustainability,” with "sustainability" as the most discussed and highly relevant theme that has evolved in the last five years. Bibliometric data analysis on the subject area, yearly trends, top journals of publications, citation and author analysis, impact analysis, country-wise publication, and thematic analysis with clusters are also performed to outline future research directions. The analysis indicates an exponential rise in publications in recent times and with sustainability-related studies gaining more importance, especially for empirical research on port performance and demands for future empirical research on sustainability and smart port performance subject area. The study's findings are helpful for researchers, academicians, policymakers, and industry practitioners working towards a sustainable maritime port industry.
A comparative analysis of the biochemical constituents and nutritional role of the Wild Sour Plum (Ximenia caffra) nut with commercial nuts for potential commercialisation
Authors: Maluleke Mdungazi Knox , Lekhuleni Lerato Isobel , Moreroa Mabatho
Published: June 2024

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promote universal access to safe, nutritious food. Thus, the “Zero Hunger” campaign's sustainable efforts to eliminate hunger, by encouraging the cultivation and use of underutilised crops and their value-added products, can improve food systems and community development. Wild sour plum (Ximeniacaffra subs caffra) nuts, an Oleaceae fruit crop native to the Lowveld of Southern Africa, are an underappreciated value-added commodity. In large or small amounts, nuts provide vital nutrients for human consumption. The biochemical components profile of wild sour plum nuts was compared to different commercial nuts to determine their potential role in human nutrition. Wild sour plum, pecan, and macadamia nuts were sampled, each having 24 samples. These samples were tested for various biochemical constituents including total fat and calcium. The study found that pecan nuts and macadamia nuts were superior compared to other nuts, with regards to total fat and calcium content, pecan nuts containing a total fat content of 11.7 g per 100 g dry weight (g/100 g DW), and macadamia nuts containing a total calcium content of 70.5 mg per hundred gram dry weight (mg/100 g DW). The study found that wild sour plum nuts could potentially provide enough nutrients to fulfill the nutritional recommended daily intake for humans. Thus, wild sour plum nuts may be important in human diets, provided crop production is done properly, which includes irrigation, fertilisation, and temperature management of the crop.
Adaptive Fuzzy Control for Fractional-Order Networked Control Systems with Input Time Delay and Data Loss
Authors: Yang Chunzhi , Zhang Xiulan
Published: June 2024

This paper considers the adaptive fuzzy control of fractional-order nonlinear networked control systems subjected to network-induced input delay and data loss. To approximate unknown functions, fuzzy logic systems are employed. Furthermore, the Pade approximation method and an intermediate variable are introduced to eliminate the impact of input delay, and an adaptive fuzzy controller is designed using backstepping technology. Based on fractional-order Lyapunov stability theory, the proposed method can ensure that all signals are uniformly ultimately bounded, and the tracking error can converge to a small region of the origin. Two simulation examples are provided to verify the viability of the control method.
Life cycle assessment in net zero energy building scenarios in a tropical country
Authors: Rodríguez Lizeth , Martínez Luis , Ramos José , Ariza René , Paris-Viviana Oriol , Muros Adrian , Morales Gabriel , Palacios Andrea , Menjívar Sofía
Published: June 2024

The recent IPCC 2023 report reiterates that humans are responsible for global warming over the past 200 years, causing a rise in temperature of 1.1 °C above pre-industrial levels, urging the implementation of mitigation options, especially in the building energy sector. One strong mitigation strategy is designing and building net zero energy buildings (NZEB), although their implementation faces challenges such as opposition to change, especially in tropical countries with traditional and conservative design and construction practices. This paper uses data from a pilot NZEB Laboratory building at UCA, El Salvador, and details its results by comparing different construction system scenarios. The present work presents the results of the Life-cycle assessment (LCA) in three popular construction systems in El Salvador, comparing them with the baseline of its current operation, through 3 iterative calculation tools: structural, thermal and carbon footprint estimation, managing to visualize important findings on how vernacular systems could meet the NZEB performance with added insulation in the structural walls. In addition, a triple-axis sustainability analysis (environmental, economic and social) is conducted using the weighted criteria matrix, which provides nuanced results, such as the proportional share of embodied carbon between the proposals, there is not much difference between the results of the proposed systems, but compared to the baseline, the proposals represent a significant increase of more than 50%. Our results show that in this context, the scalability of NZEB buildings is feasible for different construction systems, paving the way for a progressive and incremental.
Design of a two-dimensional photonic crystal biosensor to identify blood cholesterol in humans
Authors: Heidari Farsad , Parandin Fariborz , Boochani Arash , Rahimi Zahra , Parandin Mohamad Mehdi
Published: June 2024

The cholesterol detection of human blood using a two-dimensional photonic crystal biosensor has been studied in this paper. The structure calculations are done using Plane Wave Expansion (PWE) and Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD). Photonic crystals can be used to detect biological components by utilizing a two-dimensional structure and resonator nano ring. These nano rings cause waveguide and resonator coupling. The cylinders around the sensing region have investigated the improvement structure output. The quality factor and figure of merit (FOM) for this sensor are 4988 and 57.14 RIU−1, respectively, and the low detection limit (DL) is 0.001(RIU), with a sensitivity of 32 (nm/RIU).
Effectiveness of empiric carbapenem versus non-carbapenem therapy for extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Enterobacterales infections in non-intensive care unit patients: a real-world investigation in a hospital with high-prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Enterobacterales
Authors: Kang Amy Y. , Elkomos Mary , Pham Danny , Guerrero Michelle , Kupferwasser Deborah , Miller Loren G.
Published: June 2024

Objective:

To investigate whether empiric carbapenem therapy, compared to empiric non-carbapenem therapy, was associated with improved clinical outcomes among hospitalized, non-intensive care unit (ICU) patients with extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales infections.

Methods:

We performed a retrospective cohort study of adult, non-ICU patients admitted with ESBL-producing Enterobacterales infections. Primary outcome was time to clinical stability from the first empiric antibiotic dose. Secondary outcomes were early clinical response and 30-day all-cause hospital readmission. We used multivariate regression methods to examine time to clinical stability.

Results:

Of the 142 patients, 59 (42%) received empiric carbapenems and 83 (58%) received empiric non-carbapenems, most commonly ceftriaxone (49/83, 59%). Median age was 59 years. The most common infection source was urinary (71%). The carbapenem group had a higher proportion of patients who received antibiotics within 6 months of admission (55% vs 28%, P < .01) and history of ESBL (57% vs 17%, P < .01). There were no significant differences in hours until clinical stability between the carbapenem and non-carbapenem groups (22 (IQR: 0, 85) vs 19 (IQR: 0, 69), P = .54). Early clinical response (88% vs 90%, P = .79) and 30-day all-cause hospital readmission (17% vs 8%, P = .13) were similar between groups.

Conclusion:

Among hospitalized non-ICU patients with ESBL-producing Enterobacterales infection, we found no difference in time to clinical stability after the first empiric antibiotic dose between those receiving carbapenems and those who did not. Our data suggest that empiric carbapenem use may not be an important driver of clinical response in patients with less severe ESBL-producing Enterobacterales infection.
Impact of discontinuation of contact precautions on surveillance- and whole genome sequencing-defined methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus healthcare-associated infections
Authors: Karunakaran Sharon , Pless Lora Lee , Ayres Ashley M. , Ciccone Carl , Penzelik Joseph , Sundermann Alexander J. , Martin Elise M. , Griffith Marissa P. , Waggle Kady , Hodges Jacob C. , Harrison Lee H. , Snyder Graham M.
Published: June 2024

Objective:

Prior studies evaluating the impact of discontinuation of contact precautions (DcCP) on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outcomes have characterized all healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) rather than those likely preventable by contact precautions. We aimed to analyze the impact of DcCP on the rate of MRSA HAI including transmission events identified through whole genome sequencing (WGS) surveillance.

Design:

Quasi experimental interrupted time series.

Setting:

Acute care medical center.

Participants:

Inpatients.

Methods:

The effect of DcCP (use of gowns and gloves) for encounters among patients with MRSA carriage was evaluated using time series analysis of MRSA HAI rates from January 2019 through December 2022, compared to WGS-defined attributable transmission events before and after DcCP in December 2020.

Results:

The MRSA HAI rate was 4.22/10,000 patient days before and 2.98/10,000 patient days after DcCP (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.71 [95% confidence interval 0.56–0.89]) with a significant immediate decrease (P = .001). There were 7 WGS-defined attributable transmission events before and 11 events after DcCP (incident rate ratio 0.90 [95% confidence interval 0.30–2.55]).

Conclusions:

DcCP did not result in an increase in MRSA HAI or, in WGS-defined attributable transmission events. Comprehensive analyses of the effect of transmission prevention measures should include outcomes specifically measuring transmission-associated HAI.
Toward the Formation of the Public in a Marginalized Communicative Culture: Analyzing The Long Road of Woman's Memory
Authors: Ripatti-Torniainen Leena
Published: June 2024

This study analyzes Jane Addams’ contribution to an enduring topic: how marginalized people join the public from beyond political, socioeconomic, cultural, and gendered barriers. I study Addams’ book, The Long Road of Woman's Memory (1916), which discusses the seemingly irrational devil baby case in Chicago. Using the concept of public and hidden transcripts and the method of cultural discourse analysis, I contextualize the book within the theorizing around the concept of the public by Addams’ contemporaries, Gabriel Tarde and Robert E. Park. The analysis shows that Addams’ discussion aligns with three conceptual aspects of the formation of the public. First, Addams describes the awakening of consciousness about a collectively relevant concern, and second, the emergence of interaction about the topic. Third, Addams constructs a conceptual distinction between two functions of memory, highlighting independent critical judgment as the divider between the two, which is the decisive factor that Park argues distinguishes the public from the crowd. Addams’ writing contains an unusual perspective in that she discusses development toward the formation of something like the public in a marginalized communicative culture. Instead of focusing on performative and dramatic public debate, Addams addresses discreet genres of communication and illustrates their public relevance.
Fingering convection in a spherical shell
Authors: Tassin Théo , Gastine Thomas , Fournier Alexandre
Published: June 2024

We use

$123$

three-dimensional direct numerical simulations to study fingering convection in non-rotating spherical shells. We investigate the scaling behaviour of the flow length scale, the non-dimensional heat and compositional fluxes

$Nu$

and

$Sh$

and the mean convective velocity over the fingering convection instability domain defined by

$1 \leq R_\rho < Le$

,

$R_\rho$

being the ratio of density perturbations of thermal and compositional origins and

$Le$

the Lewis number. We show that the chemical boundary layers are marginally unstable and adhere to the laminar Prandtl–Blasius model, hence explaining the asymmetry between the inner and outer spherical shell boundary layers. We develop scaling laws for two asymptotic regimes close to the two edges of the instability domain, namely

$R_\rho \lesssim Le$

and

$R_\rho \gtrsim 1$

. For the former, we develop novel power laws of a small parameter

$\epsilon$

measuring the distance to onset, which differ from theoretical laws published to date in Cartesian geometry. For the latter, we find that the Sherwood number

$Sh$

gradually approaches a scaling

$Sh\sim Ra_\xi ^{1/3}$

when

$Ra_\xi \gg 1$

; and that the Péclet number accordingly follows

$Pe \sim Ra_\xi ^{2/3} |Ra_T|^{-1/4}$

,

$Ra_T$

and

$Ra_{\xi}$

being the thermal and chemical Rayleigh numbers. When the Reynolds number exceeds a few tens, we report on a secondary instability which takes the form of large-scale toroidal jets which span the entire spherical domain. Jets distort the fingers, resulting in Reynolds stress correlations, which in turn feed the jet growth until saturation. This nonlinear phenomenon can yield relaxation oscillation cycles.
Non-monotonic effect of compaction on longitudinal dispersion coefficient of porous media
Authors: Liu Yang , Gong Wenbo , Xiao Han , Wang Moran
Published: June 2024

Utilizing the discrete element method and the pore network model, we numerically investigate the impact of compaction on the longitudinal dispersion coefficient of porous media. Notably, the dispersion coefficient exhibits a non-monotonic dependence on the degree of compaction, which is distinguished by the presence of three distinct regimes in the variation of dispersion coefficient. The non-monotonic variation of dispersion coefficient is attributed to the disparate effect of compaction on dispersion mechanisms. Specifically, the porous medium tightens with an increasing pressure load, reducing the effect of molecular diffusion that primarily governs at small Péclet numbers. On the other hand, heightened pressure loads enhance the heterogeneity of pore structures, resulting in increased disorder and a higher proportion of stagnant zones within porous media flow. These enhancements further strengthen mechanical dispersion and hold-up dispersion, respectively, both acting at higher Péclet numbers. It is crucial to highlight that hold-up dispersion is induced by the low-velocity regions in porous media flow, which differ fundamentally from zero-velocity regions (such as dead-ends or the interior of permeable grains) as described by the classical theory of dispersion. The competition between weakened molecular diffusion and enhanced hold-up dispersion and mechanical dispersion, together with the shift in the dominance of dispersion mechanisms across various Péclet numbers, results in multiple regimes in the variation of dispersion coefficients. Our study provides unique insights into structural design and modulation of the dispersion coefficient of porous materials.
Improvements on the discretisation of boundary conditions to the momentum balance for glacial ice
Authors: Berends Constantijn J. , van de Wal Roderik S. W. , Zegeling Paul A.
Published: June 2024

The flow of glacial ice is typically approximated as a nonNewtonian viscous fluid, with the momentum balance described by (an approximation to) the Stokes equations, and the nonlinear rheology described by a flow law. The most commonly used rheological law for glacial ice, Glen's flow law, yields infinite viscosity in the case of zero deformation, which can be the case at the ice surface. This poses a problem when solving the momentum balance numerically. We show that two commonly-used discretisation schemes for the boundary conditions at the ice surface and base, which yield proper numerical convergence when applied to simpler problems, produce poor numerical convergence and large errors, when used to solve the momentum balance with Glen's flow law. We show that a discretisation scheme based on the concept of ghost nodes, which substitutes the boundary conditions directly into the momentum balance equations, yields second-order numerical convergence and errors that can be up to four orders of magnitude smaller. These results are robust across different momentum balance approximations. We show that the improved boundary conditions are particularly useful for solving the 3-D higher-order Blatter-Pattyn Approximation (BPA). In general, this work underlines the importance of thoroughly verifying the numerical solvers used in ice-sheet models, before applying them to future projections of ice-sheet mass loss.
Colourising the past: Digital visual repatriation of colourised Sámi photography
Authors: Marselis Randi
Published: June 2024

Colourised photographs have become a popular form of social media content, and this article examines how the digital sharing of colourised colonial photographs from the Sápmi region may develop into a kind of informal visual repatriation. This article presents a case study on the decolonial photographic practices of the Sámi colouriser Per Ivar Somby, who mines digitised photo archives, colourises selected photos, and subsequently shares them on his social media profiles. The article draws on a qualitative, netnographic study of Somby's Colour Your Past profiles in Facebook and Instagram and demonstrates how Somby and his followers reclaim photos of Sámi people produced during historical encounters with non-Sámi photographers. Drawing on Hirsch's (2008, 2012) concept affiliative postmemory, the analysis examines how historical information and affective responses becomes interwoven in reparative readings of colonial photos.
Who is Anaemic in India? Intersections of class, caste, and gender
Authors: Das Bikash , Adhikary Mihir , Singha Smriti Rekha , Parmar Daksha
Published: June 2024

Anaemia severely impacts physical and mental abilities, raises health risks, and diminishes the quality of life and work capacity. It is a leading cause of adverse pregnancy outcomes and maternal mortality, especially in developing nations like India, where recent data on anaemia from National Family and Health Survey (NFHS-4) (2015–16) and NFHS-5 (2019–21) indicate a tremendous rise. Anaemia is a marker of poor nutrition and health, and socio-economic factors such as gender norms, race, income, and living conditions influence its impact. As a result, there are disparities in how anaemia affects different segments of society. However, existing research on health inequity and anaemia often employs a single-axis analytical framework of social power. These studies operate under the assumption that gender, economic class, ethnicity, and caste are inherently distinct and mutually exclusive categories and fail to provide a comprehensive understanding of anaemia prevalence. Therefore, the study has adopted the theoretical framework of intersectionality and analysed the NFHS-5 (2019–21) data using bivariate cross-tabulations and binary logistic regression models to understand how gender, class, caste, and place of residence are associated with the prevalence of anaemia. The results suggest that the women of Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC) share a disproportionate burden of anaemia. This study confirms that economic class and gender, geographical location, level of education, and body mass index significantly determine the prevalence of anaemia. The ST and SC women who are economically marginalised and reside in rural areas with high levels of poverty, exclusion, and poor nutritional status have a higher prevalence of anaemia than other population groups. Thus, the study suggests that intersections of multiple factors such as caste, class, gender, and place of residence significantly determine ‘who is anaemic in India’.
How Do Cash Windfalls Affect Entrepreneurship? Evidence from the Spanish Christmas Lottery
Authors: Bermejo Vicente J. , Ferreira Miguel A. , Wolfenzon Daniel , Zambrana Rafael
Published: June 2024

We show cash windfalls affect the real economy by spurring entrepreneurship. We identify these effects using the Spanish Christmas Lottery, which provides a unique setting as prizes are geographically concentrated and distributed among thousands of households. We find higher start-up entry, job creation, and self-employment in winning regions. Consistent with a financial constraints channel, results are strongest in sectors relying on external finance and regions with limited credit access. Newly created firms are larger, more profitable, and survive longer. For existing firms, however, growth and profitability do not respond to lottery awards, but wages increase due to tighter labor markets.
Methodological characteristics in technology-mediated task-based language teaching research: Current practices and future directions
Authors: Kim YouJin , Namkung Yoon
Published: June 2024

In the past two decades, the synergistic relationship among task-based language teaching (TBLT), instructed second language acquisition, and computer-assisted language learning has gained increasing interest.Technology-mediated TBLT combines these three research domains by integrating the use of technology with task-based approaches for second language (L2) learning purposes. Since the emergence of this framework, empirical studies have increasingly explored the incorporation of tasks with technology-mediated settings for L2 learning and teaching purposes. To understand the methodological characteristics of technology-mediated TBLT research to date, we conducted a systematic search and reviewed 254 technology-mediated TBLT studies published between 2000 and 2022 in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters. These studies were coded for methodological features, research foci, and types of technology. We further examined the role of technologies in task performance to identify their effectiveness in creating authentic tasks. The findings revealed that technology-mediated TBLT research investigated a rather limited scope of contexts, learner groups, and linguistic features, with little attention paid to evaluating the quality of task outcomes. The types of technology used were skewed toward computer-mediated communication. The results also showed that studies examined various interactional features, and the majority reported both quantitative and qualitative data. Furthermore, technologies were integrated into task design to create meaningful language use contexts. Based on these findings, we share suggestions for future technology-mediated TBLT research.
What determines respondents’ valuation uncertainty? Impact of subjective perceptions from the demand and supply sides
Authors: Su Hongyan , He Jie , Huang Desheng , Wang Hua
Published: June 2024

Based on a contingent valuation method survey on air quality improvement in northern China, we construct several subjective perception determinants of respondents' valuation uncertainty from both the demand and perceived supply sides. Using the individual-level uncertainty measurements initially proposed by Wang and He (2011) and their alternative transformations, we analyze how these factors of demand and perceived supply sides affect people's valuation uncertainty. Our results demonstrate the significant contribution of these determinants in explaining respondents' uncertainty. On the demand side, people who ‘don't know much’ about benefits-related factors have the highest level of uncertainty, and those claiming to ‘know nothing’ most often report the lowest level of uncertainty. On the supply side, people who either do not trust or are not satisfied with the control policies tend to be more certain of their valuation. The subsequent analyses also suggest that these results be interpreted as negative certainty, which is attributed to a lack of interest.
Heterogeneity in Permeability and Particulate Organic Carbon Content Controls the Redox Condition of Riverbed Sediments at Different Timescales
Authors: Chen Kewei , Guo Zhilin , Zhan Yang , Roden Eric E. , Zheng Chunmiao
Published: June 2024

The hydrological and biogeochemical properties of the hyporheic zone in stream and riverine ecosystems have been extensively studied over the past two decades. Although it is widely acknowledged that sediment heterogeneity can influence biogeochemical reactions, little effort has been made to understand the role of heterogeneity on the spatiotemporal variability of riverbed redox conditions under changing flow dynamics at different timescales. Here we integrate a mechanistic model and field data to demonstrate that heterogeneity in permeability plays a vital role in modulating sediment redox conditions at both seasonal (annual) and event (daily‐to‐weekly) timescales, whereas heterogeneity in particulate organic carbon (POC) content only has a comparable influence on redox conditions at the seasonal timescale. These findings underscore the importance of accurately characterizing sediment heterogeneity, in terms of permeability and POC content, in quantifying biogeochemical dynamics in the riverbed and hyporheic zones of riverine ecosystems.
Multi‐Model Simulation of Solar Geoengineering Indicates Avoidable Destabilization of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
Authors: Moore John C. , Yue Chao , Chen Yangxin , Jevrejeva Svetlana , Visioni Daniele , Uotila Petteri , Zhao Liyun
Published: June 2024

Heat transported in Circumpolar Deep Water is driving the break‐up of ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea sector of Antarctica, that has been simulated to be unavoidable under all plausible greenhouse gas scenarios. However, Solar geoengineering scenarios remain largely unexplored. Solar geoengineering changes global thermal radiative balance, and atmospheric and oceanic transportation pathways. We simulate stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) designed to reduce global mean temperatures from those under the unmitigated SSP5‐8.5 scenario to those under the SSP2‐4.5 scenario with six CMIP6‐class Earth System Models. These consistently show intensified Antarctic polar vortex and sub‐polar westerlies, which mitigates changes to easterly winds along the Amundsen Sea continental shelf compared with greenhouse gas scenarios. The models show significantly cooler Amundsen Sea waters and lower heat content at 300–600 m under SAI than with either solar dimming or the SSP5‐8.5 unmitigated greenhouse gas scenarios. However, the heat content increases under all scenarios compared with present day suggesting that although vulnerable ice shelves would continue to thin, the rate would be lower for SAI even with SSP5‐8.5 specified greenhouse gases, than for the moderate (SSP2‐4.5) scenario. The simulations here use solar geoengineering designed to meet global temperature targets; interventions targeted at preserving the frozen high latitudes have also been proposed that might be expected to produce bigger local effects, but potentially deleterious impacts elsewhere. Considering the huge disruptions to society of ice sheet collapse, more research on avoiding them by intervention technology is a moral imperative.
Forever Chemicals Are Raining Down on the Great Lakes
Authors: van Deelen Grace
Published: June 2024

PFAS levels are growing in some of the Great Lakes, and precipitation is a big contributor.
Volcanic Unrest After the 2021 Eruption of La Palma
Authors: Fernández José , Escayo Joaquin , Prieto Juan F. , Tiampo Kristy F. , Camacho Antonio G. , Ancochea Eumenio
Published: June 2024

La Palma, Canary Islands, had its largest historical eruption in 2021. From January 2022 to May 2023 there were >2,100 seismic events, primarily at depths ≤20 km, prompting us to update the deformation and modeling study, using interferometric synthetic aperture radar observations and a last generation interpretation tool. We detect the evolution of the remaining magmatic body in the SW portion of the island, with arrival of new magma moving into the oceanic crust out to sea, and a pressurized zone in the central‐eastern area, at regions of structural weakness. The current source characteristics have some similarities to the early stage dynamics prior to the 2021 eruption. Operational and multidisciplinary studies must continue to monitor either their stabilization or growth and destabilization. The ability to identify magma ascent using only deformation data over short time periods allows us to characterize unrest patterns and provide new insights into volcanic processes.
Adjoint Synthesis for Trans‐Oceanic Tsunami Waveforms and Simultaneous Inversion of Fault Geometry and Slip Distribution
Authors: Takagawa Tomohiro , Allgeyer Sébastien , Cummins Phil
Published: June 2024

Tsunamis propagate over long distances and can cause widespread damage even after crossing ocean basins. Prediction of tsunamis in distant areas based on observations near their sources is critical to mitigating damage. In recent years, the accuracy of numerical models of trans‐oceanic tsunami propagation has improved significantly due to the incorporation of effects such as the solid earth response to tsunami loading and wave dispersion. However, these models are computationally expensive and have not been fully utilized for real‐time prediction. Here, we derive the adjoint operator for the linear set of equations describing deep‐ocean tsunami propagation and show how a pre‐computed database of adjoint states can achieve rapid synthesis of tsunami waveforms at target sites from nonpoint arbitrary tsunami sources. The adjoint synthesis method allows for an exhaustive parameter search for tsunami source estimation. A method for simultaneous inversion of fault geometry and slip distribution using adjoint synthesis with Sequential Monte Carlo method was proposed and applied to the 2012 Haida Gwaii earthquake tsunami. The influence of model accuracy and the amount of observed data on the estimation of tsunami sources and waveforms was examined. It was found that with a highly accurate propagation model, using only a limited amount of observed data produced source and waveform estimates very similar to the final models obtained with much larger data sets. The final inferred fault model involved megathrust slip distributed between the Haida Gwaii trench and the Queen Charlotte fault. The proposed method can also quantify the uncertainty of the waveform forecasts.
Psychiatric adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination: a population-based cohort study in Seoul, South Korea
Authors: Kim Hong Jin , Kim Min-Ho , Choi Myeong Geun , Chun Eun Mi
Published: June 2024

Evidence has suggested an increased risk of psychiatric manifestations following viral infections including coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). However, psychiatric adverse events (AEs) after COVID-19 vaccination, which were documented in case reports and case series, remain unclear. This study is aimed to investigate the psychiatric AEs after COVID-19 vaccination from a large population-based cohort in Seoul, South Korea. We recruited 50% of the Seoul-resident population randomly selected from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (KNHIS) claims database on 1, January, 2021. The included participants (n = 2,027,353) from the Korean National Health Insurance Service claims database were divided into two groups according to COVID-19 vaccination. The cumulative incidences per 10,000 of psychiatric AEs were assessed on one week, two weeks, one month, and three months after COVID-19 vaccination. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% Confidence interval (CIs) of psychiatric AEs were measured for the vaccinated population. The cumulative incidence of depression, anxiety, dissociative, stress-related, and somatoform disorders, sleep disorders, and sexual disorders at three months following COVID-19 vaccination were higher in the vaccination group than no vaccination group. However, schizophrenia and bipolar disorders showed lower cumulative incidence in the vaccination group than in the non-vaccinated group. Depression (HR [95% CI] = 1.683 [1.520–1.863]), anxiety, dissociative, stress-related, and somatoform disorders (HR [95% CI] = 1.439 [1.322–1.568]), and sleep disorders (HR [95% CI] = 1.934 [1.738–2.152]) showed increased risks after COVID-19 vaccination, whereas the risks of schizophrenia (HR [95% CI] = 0.231 [0.164–0.326]) and bipolar disorder (HR [95% CI] = 0.672 [0.470–0.962]). COVID-19 vaccination increased the risks of depression, anxiety, dissociative, stress-related, and somatoform disorders, and sleep disorders while reducing the risk of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Therefore, special cautions are necessary for administering additional COVID-19 vaccinations to populations vulnerable to psychiatric AEs.
Smoking-informed methylation and expression QTLs in human brain and colocalization with smoking-associated genetic loci
Authors: Carnes Megan Ulmer , Quach Bryan C. , Zhou Linran , Han Shizhong , Tao Ran , Mandal Meisha , Deep-Soboslay Amy , Marks Jesse A. , Page Grier P. , Maher Brion S. , Jaffe Andrew E. , Won Hyejung , Bierut Laura J. , Hyde Thomas M. , Kleinman Joel E. , Johnson Eric O. , Hancock Dana B.
Published: June 2024

Smoking is a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality. Smoking is heritable, and genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of smoking behaviors have identified hundreds of significant loci. Most GWAS-identified variants are noncoding with unknown neurobiological effects. We used genome-wide genotype, DNA methylation, and RNA sequencing data in postmortem human nucleus accumbens (NAc) to identify cis-methylation/expression quantitative trait loci (meQTLs/eQTLs), investigate variant-by-cigarette smoking interactions across the genome, and overlay QTL evidence at smoking GWAS-identified loci to evaluate their regulatory potential. Active smokers (N = 52) and nonsmokers (N = 171) were defined based on cotinine biomarker levels and next-of-kin reporting. We simultaneously tested variant and variant-by-smoking interaction effects on methylation and expression, separately, adjusting for biological and technical covariates and correcting for multiple testing using a two-stage procedure. We found >2 million significant meQTL variants (padj < 0.05) corresponding to 41,695 unique CpGs. Results were largely driven by main effects, and five meQTLs, mapping to NUDT12, FAM53B, RNF39, and ADRA1B, showed a significant interaction with smoking. We found 57,683 significant eQTL variants for 958 unique eGenes (padj < 0.05) and no smoking interactions. Colocalization analyses identified loci with smoking-associated GWAS variants that overlapped meQTLs/eQTLs, suggesting that these heritable factors may influence smoking behaviors through functional effects on methylation/expression. One locus containing MUSTN1 and ITIH4 colocalized across all data types (GWAS, meQTL, and eQTL). In this first genome-wide meQTL map in the human NAc, the enriched overlap with smoking GWAS-identified genetic loci provides evidence that gene regulation in the brain helps explain the neurobiology of smoking behaviors.
Implementing teleophthalmology services to improve cost-effectiveness of the national eye care system
Authors: Jørgensen E. P. , Muttuvelu D. V. , Peto T. , Natarajan S. , Davies J. , Keane P. A. , Ehlers Lars Holger
Published: June 2024

Background and purpose

Optometrist-assisted and teleophthalmology-enabled referral pathway (OTRP) for community optometry referrals has the potential to improve the capacity and efficiency of eye care delivery systems through risk stratification and limiting the number of improved referrals. This study investigates the expected future costs and benefits of implementing OTRP under various possible organizational set-ups relevant to a Danish context.

Methods

A decision-analytic model (decision tree) with a one-year time horizon was constructed to portray alternative future patient referral pathways for people examined in optometry stores for suspected ocular posterior segment eye disease. The main outcomes were total healthcare costs per patient, average waiting time from eye examination in store until the start of treatment or end of referral pathway, and quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) gained. The economic evaluation compares the general ophthalmologist referral pathway (GO-RP) with a potential reimbursement model for the optometrist-assisted teleophthalmology referral pathways (R-OTRP) and a procurement model for the optometrist-assisted teleophthalmology referral pathways (P-OTRP).

Results

The cost per individual with suspected ocular posterior segment eye disease was estimated to be £116 for GO-RP and £75 and £94 for P-OTRP and R-OTRP respectively. The average waiting time for diagnosis or end of referral pathway was 25 weeks for GO-RP and 5.8 and 5.7 for P-OTPR and R-OTPR respectively. QALY gain was 0.15 for P-OTRP/R-OTRP compared to 0.06 for GO-RP.

Conclusion

OTRP is effective in reducing unnecessary referrals and waiting times, increasing patients’ HRQoL, and decreasing the costs of diagnosing individuals with suspected ocular posterior segment eye disease.
Multicolour stretchable perovskite electroluminescent devices for user-interactive displays
Authors: Chun Fengjun , Zhang Binbin , Gao Yuyu , Wei Xiaohe , Zhang Qiang , Zheng Weilin , Zhou Jingkun , Guo Yang , Zhang Xin , Xing Zhifeng , Yu Xinge , Wang Feng
Published: June 2024

Wearable displays require mechanical deformability to conform to the skin, as well as long-term stability, multicolour emission and sufficient brightness to enable practically useful applications. However, endowing a single device with all the features remains a challenge. Here we present a rational material design strategy and simple device-manufacturing process for skin-conformable perovskite-based alternating-current electroluminescent (PeACEL) devices. These devices exhibit a narrow emission bandwidth (full-width at half-maximum, <37 nm), continuously tuneable emission wavelength (468–694 nm), high stretchability (400%) and adequate luminance (>200 cd m−2). The approach leverages a new class of perovskite zinc sulfide (PeZS) phosphors, consisting of ZnS phosphors coated with perovskite nanoparticles for electrical excitation via total intraparticle energy transfer. This strategy results in pure red and green emissions and expands the colour gamut of powder-based ACEL devices by 250%. Moreover, our processing technique facilitates the integration of PeACEL displays with wearable electronics, enabling applications in dynamic interactive displays and visual real-time temperature monitoring. These PeACEL displays offer new routes in flexible electronics and hold potential for the development of efficient artificial skins, robotics and biomedical monitoring devices.
Mechanisms of neutralization of toxSAS from toxin–antitoxin modules
Authors: Dominguez-Molina Lucia , Kurata Tatsuaki , Cepauskas Albinas , Echemendia-Blanco Dannele , Zedek Safia , Talavera-Perez Ariel , Atkinson Gemma C. , Hauryliuk Vasili , Garcia-Pino Abel
Published: June 2024

Toxic small alarmone synthetase (toxSAS) enzymes constitute a family of bacterial effectors present in toxin–antitoxin and secretion systems. toxSASs act through either translation inhibition mediated by pyrophosphorylation of transfer RNA (tRNA) CCA ends or synthesis of the toxic alarmone adenosine pentaphosphate ((pp)pApp) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion, exemplified by FaRel2 and FaRel, respectively. However, structural bases of toxSAS neutralization are missing. Here we show that the pseudo-Zn2+ finger domain (pZFD) of the ATfaRel2 antitoxin precludes access of ATP to the pyrophosphate donor site of the FaRel2 toxin, without affecting recruitment of the tRNA pyrophosphate acceptor. By contrast, (pp)pApp-producing toxSASs are inhibited by Tis1 antitoxin domains though occlusion of the pyrophosphate acceptor-binding site. Consequently, the auxiliary pZFD of AT2faRel is dispensable for FaRel neutralization. Collectively, our study establishes the general principles of toxSAS inhibition by structured antitoxin domains, with the control strategy directly coupled to toxSAS substrate specificity.