bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Prediction Model for Debris Flow Mean Velocity Based on Small Sample Data Taking Jiangjia Gully Watershed as an Example
Authors: Kuang He Wei , Ai Zhi Yong , Gu Gan Lin
Published: September 2024

Among all the factors affecting the destructiveness of debris flow, the mean velocity is one of the most important characteristics. In this paper, we aim to apply a particle swarm optimization (PSO) based on the relevance vector machine (RVM) to predict the mean velocity. The PSO is used to optimize kernel parameters inside the RVM, whereas the RVM is responsible for completing the prediction task. Through sample training, a nonlinear relationship can be obtained, enabling a rapid prediction of the mean velocity for new samples. The debris flow dataset of Jiangjia Gully is used to evaluate the performance of PSO‐RVM in this study. Besides, we further compare the prediction results of PSO‐RVM with other prominent approaches, for example, the support vector machine (SVM), BP neural network (BP), and the RVM. The results show that the mean relative error (MRE) of PSO‐RVM is only 0.69%. In addition, BP yields the highest MRE (27.61%), and the MRE (2.75%) corresponding to the RVM is lower than that (5.98%) yielded by the SVM. For the root mean square error (RMSE) and Theil's inequality coefficient (TIC), the PSO‐RVM method still generates much lower RMSE (6.48%) and TIC (0.179%) values than the other three methods. Overall, compared with current debris flow prediction models, the PSO‐RVM achieves high prediction accuracy, fewer optimization parameters, and low computational complexity. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to explore the dominative factors of debris flow.
Risk perception and quality of working life of nurses in infectious disease department in China: The chain‐mediating effects of psychological resilience and social support
Authors: Zhang Hong‐li , Wu Chao , Hu Meng‐yi , Ma Wen‐jing , Xu Xiao‐ling , Shi Rui‐jie , Lang Hong‐juan
Published: September 2024

Aim

To determine whether social support and psychological resiliency are significant mediators of the associations between risk perception and quality of working life in Chinese nurses working with infectious diseases.

Design

A cross‐sectional study.

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey of 879 nurses in infectious diseases department of specialty or general hospitals in China completed online questionnaires on the nurses' risk perception questionnaire, quality of working life, psychological resilience and the social support rating scale.

Results

Our study observed that risk perception directly negatively influences the quality of working life of infectious disease nurses, while psychological resilience and social support positively chain mediate this relationship.

Conclusion

Critical elements impacting the quality of working life of infectious disease nurses are risk perception, psychological resilience and social support. Managers may think about decreasing the level of risk perception and enhancing the quality of working life of infectious disease nurses by enhancing their psychological resilience and providing support.

Public Contribution

The quality of working life of infectious disease nurses should be a priority for nursing management; it is critical to maintain their health and well‐being, raise the quality of care and lower turnover. Managers should create resilience‐building programmes and support tools to assist nurses properly perceive risks and adopt protective strategies to deal with them to improve the quality of working life for nurses.
Going Beyond Philanthropy: A Dual Process Approach to Examine How Consumers Punish Brand Misanthropy
Authors: Tripathy Avilasha , Lyngdoh Teidorlang , El‐Manstrly Dahlia , Antil Anjuman
Published: September 2024

Misanthropy, the opposite of philanthropy, represents brand wrongdoings that harm humanity and can be more widespread. Consumer awareness of brand misanthropy and subsequent retaliation against brands are on the rise and pose a more significant managerial challenge than ever before. Despite its growing importance, few studies have explored the connection between consumer's moral decision‐making in the event of brand misanthropy and subsequent avoidance behaviour. Using dual process theory, we expand the rationalist perspective within the field of moral decision‐making by considering the distinct mechanisms through which moral judgment influences consumer brand avoidance behaviour. Using a scenario‐based experiment paired with a survey, our findings suggest that moral judgments positively influence brand avoidance when exposed to brand misanthropy. We also found that moral obligation mediates between moral judgment and brand avoidance. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate that self‐esteem attenuates peoples' propensity to avoid brands. Managerially, our research offers fresh insights and guidance for recognizing and recommending solutions to reduce anti‐brand behaviours in the event of brand misanthropy.
Comparative Governance Quality's Impact on Monetary Policy, Saving, and Economic Growth Dynamics: Empirical Evidence From Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa
Authors: Sule Abubakar , Mohammed Ibrahim Danlami , Umaru Ojonimi , Gana Jonah Abacoso
Published: September 2024

Our study examines the comparative impact of governance quality on the dynamic relationship between monetary policy rate, saving, and economic growth in emerging economies in sub‐Saharan African countries from 2005Q1 to 2022Q4. Using the Toda‐Yamamoto (TY) model, we found that governance quality influence on monetary policy rate is negative with adverse effect on investment‐growth while exerting positive influence on savings‐growth nexus in Nigeria but the contribution is quite appreciative and can be leverage on. Governance quality exert negative influence on monetary policy rate but with positive direction from investment and savings to growth in Egypt. The magnitude of the monetary policy rate, savings, investment is quite negligible in Egypt. For South Africa, governance quality exerts positive influence on monetary policy rate but failed to translate to positive effect on investment, savings to growth in South Africa. Although, the contribution of monetary policy rate, savings, investment to growth is significant in South Africa. Thus, enhancing institutional development to foster a more effective financial incentive system and seamless policy transmission is crucial to address the impact of governance quality on monetary policy outcomes and enable better macroeconomic interactions.
Leveraging long‐lasting insecticide‐incorporated netting to improve fumigation efficacy against stored product insects
Authors: Ranabhat Sabita , Brabec Daniel , Lillich Madison , Scheff Deanna S. , Zhu Kun Yan , Bingham Georgina V. , Morrison William R.
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND

Long‐lasting insecticide‐incorporated netting (LLIN) has successfully been used to impair mobility and prevent infestation of stored grain by stored product beetles. Understanding how to integrate LLIN with existing integrated pest management (IPM) tactics, such as phosphine fumigation, can further enhance IPM programs.

RESULTS

We used three 110 metric tons (MT) capacity grain bins, and in each, 60 perforated buckets (e.g., miniature silos) were filled with 500 g of uninfested wheat. Miniature silos were protected by LLIN (0.3% α‐cypermethrin, Carifend®, BASF), positive control (without insecticide), or negative control (no netting). Half of each treatment was randomly assigned to phosphine fumigation treatment, while the remainder were not fumigated. Monthly samples of 100 g of grain from four silos from each treatment in four blocks from three‐grain bins were taken between June and October both in 2022 and 2023. We determined whether phosphine fumigation could be reduced with the use of LLIN over the season. Overall, we found that silos protected with LLIN showed insect dispersal and progeny production that was reduced by 83–99% and 89–99%, respectively, compared with insecticide‐free netting and no‐netting controls. Additionally, damage in silos was reduced by 37–99% compared with controls. Importantly, the total number of fumigations could be reduced by 68–91% by using LLIN compared with controls.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates that LLIN is consistently effective for existing pest management tactics such as phosphine fumigation in bulk storage structures. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
Characterization of ATP‐binding cassette transporters associated with emamectin benzoate tolerance: from the model insect Drosophila melanogaster to the agricultural pest Spodoptera frugiperda
Authors: Wang Lixiang , Guo Shaoyi , Wen Bin , Deng Zhongyuan , Ding Qian , Li Xianchun
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND

Multiple families of detoxification genes, including the increasingly recognized family of ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporters, work together to influence the toxicity of synthetic insecticides and thus their resistance. Effective management of insecticide resistance requires identification of all toxicity‐affecting members from each family of toxicity‐related genes.

RESULTS

Here, we used emamectin benzoate (EB), ABC transporters and Spodoptera frugiperda as a working case to test whether the strategy of ‘from the model insect Drosophila melanogaster to agricultural pests’ can identify all or most ABC transporter members related to EB tolerance in S. frugiperda. After confirming the involvement of ABC transporters in the toxicity of EB against fruit fly with the ABC inhibitor verapamil, four ABC transporter genes (DmCG3327, DmCG11147, DmCG4822, and DmCG7627) were found to be involved in EB tolerance using RNA interference‐based family‐wide functional screening. A combination of phylogenic analysis and a reciprocal TBLASTN search identified five S. frugiperda ABC transporter members as homologs (SfABCC4, SfABCG1, and SfABCG23) or one‐way best hits (SfABCG4 and SfABCG20) of the four fly ABC genes. Real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis found that all five S. frugiperda ABC transporter genes were inducible by EB, and expressed in all the developmental stages and larval tissues, but with significant quantitative differences among stages and tissues. A cytotoxicity assay of ABC‐overexpressing Sf9 cell lines showed that all the five S. frugiperda ABC transporter genes made Sf9 cells tolerant to EB.

CONCLUSIONS

This study not only identifies nine ABC transporter genes related to EB tolerance from D. melanogaster (four genes) and S. frugiperda (five genes), but also demonstrates the utility and effectiveness of the ‘model to pests’ strategy to identify most toxicity‐affecting members from a given family of toxicity‐related genes. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Computational Approach to the Study of Acidochromic Properties of Donor‐π‐Acceptor Systems Based on Dimethylamino‐Substituted Dyes With Intramolecular Charge Transfer
Authors: Mediantsev Evgeny , Dubinets Nikita , Lobova Natalia
Published: September 2024

This work is devoted to the study of the influence of protonation on the photophysical properties of dimethylamino‐substituted styryl dyes. The formation of a bond on the unshared nitrogen electron pair involved in conjugation with the dye chromophore changes the mobility of the terminal group of the donor fragment and thereby “switches” the molecule from n‐π* to π‐π* mode. The correlations found between changes in the electron density of the dye in native form and during protonation and changes in its properties contribute to the study of the ground and excited states of these compounds and the energy transitions between them. Comparison with analog compounds and consideration of vibronic effects allow us to evaluate the potential advantages and limitations of the TD‐DFT method in the calculation of electronic transitions in styryl dyes. The work contributes to the understanding of the influence of protonation on the behavior of dyes with a nitrogen atom in the donor part of the chromophore of the molecule. The patterns found can be applied to similar chromophore systems.
Factor exposures of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) indexes
Authors: Ascioglu Asli , Saatcioglu Kemal
Published: September 2024

We examine the factor exposures of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) indexes used as benchmarks by the largest ETFs with social responsibility (SR) focus. Our sample includes 31 ESG/SR indexes benchmarked by ESG/SR ETFs with the largest assets under management (AUM) as of January 31, 2020. We pay special attention to quality factors and use robustness of operating profitability and investment characteristics as proxies. Our findings indicate these indexes mostly act as expected in terms of size and value factors. Momentum factor, for the most part, is not significant. About half (14/31) exhibit a statistically significant positive quality tilt. However, there are some statistically significant negative tilts on proxies used for quality that can be explained by index composition. We also attempt to isolate the factor exposures due to the specific characteristics of the ESG indexes by pooling the individual ESG indexes by their segment benchmarks and analyzing ESG index returns in excess of non‐ESG segment benchmark returns. Most exposures stay intact, though some reverse. However, the positive quality tilts persist. As the move from active to passive investment accelerates in the ESG space, understanding the factor exposures of these indexes is essential for investors, financial advisors, and fund managers.
In Situ Bioorthogonal Repair of the Vascular Endothelium Glycocalyx to Treat Acute Lung Injury
Authors: Wang Yao , Qu Rui , Du Wenxuan , Li Wei , Wang Anqi , Chen Zhoujiang , Gao Huile , Wu Di , Geng Fang , Scherman Daniel , Wang Xianwen , Shi Sanjun , Zou Liang , Li Hanmei
Published: September 2024

In acute lung injury, destruction of the lung endothelial glycocalyx leads to vessel permeabilization and contributes to pulmonary edema and inflammation. Heparan sulfate, which accounts for >70% of glycosaminoglycans in the endothelial glycocalyx, plays a crucial physiological anti‐inflammatory role. To treat acute lung injury, it is explored whether a two‐step in vivo bioorthogonal chemistry strategy can covalently link intravenously administered heparan sulfate to the lung vascular endothelium and the damaged glycocalyx. First, fusogenic liposomes (EBP‐Tz‐FLs) carrying the reactive group tetrazine (Tz), and an E‐selectin‐binding peptide (EBP) to target the lung inflammatory endothelium are administered intravenously. This step aimed to anchor the tetrazine group to the membrane of inflammatory endothelial cells. Second, heparan sulfate (HS‐TCO) conjugated to the trans‐cyclooctene (TCO) group, which spontaneously reacts with Tz, is injected intravenously, leading to covalent heparan sulfate addition to the vascular endothelium. In a mouse model of acute lung injury, this approach substantially reduced vascular permeability and attenuated lung tissue infiltration. The EBP‐Tz‐FLs and HS‐TCO showed favorable biocompatibility and safety both in vitro and in vivo. The proposed strategy shows good promise in acute lung injury therapy and covalently anchoring functional molecules onto the membrane of target cells.
On‐Chip Thermoelectric Devices Based on Standard Silicon Processing
Authors: Dimaggio Elisabetta , Masci Antonella , De Seta Amedeo , Salleras Marc , Fonseca Luis , Pennelli Giovanni
Published: September 2024

The strong reduction of thermal conductivity with respect to bulk silicon makes nanostructured silicon one of the best materials for highly efficient direct conversion of heat into electrical power and vice‐versa. The widespread technologies for the integration of silicon devices can be used to define on‐chip micro thermoelectric generators (scavengers); similar structures could also be used for precise and well‐localized cooling through the reverse process of heat pumping. However, the road to the fabrication of integrated thermal energy scavengers or cooler, based on silicon, is still very long. In this work, the design and the fabrication process of on‐chip thermoelectric devices based on a large number of interconnected monocrystalline silicon nanobeams, very tall (>1 µm) and thin (less than 200 nanometers), arranged in large areas combs is shown. The small width of the nanobeams gives a reduced thermal conductivity, and the height perpendicular to the substrate allows the definition of a highly dense collection of nanostructures. The total cross‐section is far broader than that of other nanostructures, a characteristic that guarantees both mechanical stability and larger deliverable power per unit area.
Accelerated Synthesis of TS‐2 Zeolite via 2D Heterogeneous Nucleation for Efficient H2O2 Production
Authors: Liu Xuguang , Huo Kai , Zhuang Junze , Shi Ling , Yao Zhenhua , Hu Maocong , Li Guicun , Liu Wengang , Deng Kangqing
Published: September 2024

MEL type c is crucial for addressing energy and environmental crises, yet efficient synthesis remains a challenge due to thermodynamic and kinetic limitations. In this work, TS‐2 as typical zeolite is successfully synthesized with high efficiency (12 h with 92% yield) by introducing titanate acid (TA) 2D nanosheet into a hydrothermal synthesis system. A newly defined TA/TS‐2 heterostructure is precisely identified as being incorporated into the zeolite framework via a heterogeneous nucleation mechanism. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations deeply revealed the nucleation and growth mechanisms of the TA/TS‐2 heterostructure. The formation energy barrier of Ti─O─Si structural units (88 kJ mol−1) is much lower than that of Si─O─Si units (119 kJ mol−1), leading to more efficient growth of the Ti─O─Si structure. The polarized electronic properties of Ti─O─Si (negative LUMO orbital and larger polarization) further enhanced the reaction probability and stability of Ti─Si bonding. This obtained TA/TS‐2 heterostructure also demonstrated superior activity for photocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide, which can be attributed to the abundant conductive band holes and narrow bandgap. This research provides an effective strategy for using 2D nanosheets to accelerate zeolite production, as well as an in‐depth molecular‐level insight into the nucleation and growth processes.
Complete CP-eigen bases of meson-baryon chiral lagrangian up to p5-order
Authors: Song Chuan-Qiang , Sun Hao , Yu Jiang-Hao
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Chiral perturbation theory describes the low energy dynamics of mesons and baryons in terms of the nonlinear Goldstone boson and fermion degrees of freedom. Through the Young tensor technique, we construct the on-shell operator bases for the meson-baryon system up to p5-order, using the chiral dimension power counting and heavy baryon expansion. For the Lorentz structure, additional treatments on off-shell external sources and operators with higher derivatives are necessarily considered, while for the internal structure, the invariant tensor basis is converted into the trace basis equivalently, and Cayley-Hamilton relations are utilized to classify different CP eigen-operators. Finally we present the complete operator set of C+P+, C+P-, C-P+, and C-P- eigen-operators at the p5-order, and obtain the operator counting from the Hilbert series.
Giant graviton expansions and ETW brane
Authors: Hatsuda Yasuyuki , Lin Hai , Okazaki Tadashi
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We study the giant gravitons in the AdS4 bagpipe geometries involving end-of-the-world (ETW) brane constructed by a single 5-brane and either two stacks or one stack of D3-branes in Type IIB string theory. From the exact formulae and giant graviton expansions of the half-indices for the half-BPS boundary conditions and interfaces in $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 super Yang-Mills theory, we obtain the BPS spectra of the fluctuation modes of the AdS4 bagpipe geometries including the ETW brane region.
Unstable instantons in A-model localization
Authors: Leeb-Lundberg Emil Hakan
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We apply localization techniques to A-twisted $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= (2) theories of vector multiplets on S2. We derive formulae for A-model partition functions and correlators as integrals along a real contour, as opposed to a complex one. Using the correlator formula, we successfully recover the unstable instanton partition function of pure two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory from the vacuum expectation value of an A-model operator.
The association between microaggressions and mental health among UK trans people: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Wright Talen , Lewis Gemma , Greene Talya , Pearce Ruth , Pitman Alexandra
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Epidemiological studies investigating the mental health impacts of microaggressions in the trans population have tended to have methodological limitations, including a lack of validated measures, raising concerns about the validity of their findings. To address this evidence gap, we investigated the associations between microaggressions and poor mental health (depression; anxiety; non-suicidal self-harm [NSSH]; suicidal thoughts; suicide attempt) amongst trans people.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 787 trans adults in the UK, measuring mental health and exposure to microaggressions using the Gender Identity Microaggressions Scale (GIMS). Using univariable and multivariable linear and logistic regression models we tested for an association of microaggressions with depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), anxiety symptoms (GAD-7), lifetime NSSH, lifetime suicidal thoughts, and lifetime suicide attempt.

Results

Of the 787 participants, 574 (73%) provided complete data. Microaggressions were a common experience, affecting 97.6% of participants over their lifetime. In adjusted analyses, using sociodemographic and clinical variables, increased microaggression scores were associated with increased depressive symptoms (adjusted coefficient: 1.86 (95%CI = 1.35 to 2.36)), anxiety symptoms (adjusted coefficient: 1.57 (95%CI = 1.09 –2.05)) and with increased odds of NSSH (Odds Ratio [OR]adj 1.83 (95%CI = 1.45 –2.30)), suicidal thoughts (ORadj 2.18, (95%CI = 1.52 –3.13)), and suicide attempt (ORadj, 1.59, (95%CI = 1.32 –1.92)). In exploratory analyses different GIMS subscales were associated with these various outcomes.

Conclusions

There was evidence of associations between microaggressions and adverse mental health outcomes, as well as to support specific microaggressions being associated with specific outcomes, emphasizing the importance of public health interventions that target microaggressions directed at trans adults. Longitudinal studies are needed to investigate the temporality of the associations between microaggressions and mental health outcomes.
Intraoperative cartilage analysis of the first carpometacarpal joint - comparison with conventional staging according to Eaton and Littler
Authors: März Vincent , Könneker Sören , Tamulevicius Martynas , Vogt Peter M.
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Osteoarthritis of the first carpometacarpal joint is a common pathology of the hand, which may show an increasing prevalence in Germany due to the demographic development. In recent years, not only the current gold standard - the resection arthroplasty of the thumb saddle joint - has been used, but also therapeutic thumb saddle joint arthroscopy. In addition to the patient’s clinical complaints, radiographic diagnostics have been used to decide on treatment, although it has not been proven whether there is a correlation between imaging and clinical complaints.

Materials and methods

Between 2020 and 2022, 20 articular surfaces of the thumb saddle joint undergoing resection arthroplasty for symptomatic basal thumb osteoarthritis were prospectively examined, mapped and compared with preoperative conventional radiographs.

Results

The evaluation of the corresponding articular surfaces showed a higher cartilage destruction at the articular surfaces of the trapezium compared to the first metacarpal. No correlation was found between the stage of osteoarthritis and the Eaton-Littler classification.

Conclusions

Overall, there is a patient-specific heterogeneity of the cartilage damage of the articular surface of the trapezium bone, as well in the metacarpal bone I base in relation to the radiographic diagnosis. Furthermore, an inhomogeneity of the radiographic stage of osteoarthritis of the carpometacarpal joint according to Eaton and Littler in relation to the intraoperatively assessed cartilage damage. The statistical significance of the surgically assessed cartilage damage in relation to the conventional radiographs could not be demonstrated. Thus, the treatment of symptomatic osteoarthritis of the carpometacarpal joint should primarily address the patient’s individual complaints. The radiographic classification according to Eaton and Littler can be used as an additional factor to decide on the surgical procedure but should not delay the therapeutic treatment.

Level of evidence

III.
Postmortem study of adrenomedullin and cortisol in femoral serum and pericardial fluid related to acute pulmonary edema
Authors: Martínez-Jiménez Daniel , Hernández del Rincón Juan Pedro , Sabater-Molina Maria , Pérez-Martínez Cristina , Torres Carmen , Pérez-Cárceles María D. , Luna Aurelio
Published: September 2024

Currently, various tools aid in determining the cause of death and the circumstances surrounding it. Thanatochemistry is one such method that provides insights into the physiopathological mechanisms of death and the behavior of specific biomarkers in different body fluids postmortem. Certain biomarkers, characterized by their stability and specificity to vital tissues like the lungs, are associated with mechanisms contributing to death, such as acute pulmonary edema (APE). This study aims to analyze the behavior of midregional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) and cortisol levels, measured in pericardial fluid and femoral serum, in relation to the severity of APE, categorized according to specific criteria. Samples were collected from a total of 92 corpses (77 males, 15 females) with a mean age of 56.7 ± 15.2 years. The severity of APE associated with the deaths was classified into three groups: slight or absent (n = 7; 8.6%), medium or moderate (n = 16; 19.8%), and intense (n = 58;71.6%).

The determination of MR-proADM and cortisol levels was conducted using ELISA kits and an Immunoassay Analyzer, respectively. Our results reveal a significant increase in MR-proADM concentration with the severity of APE. Furthermore, a correlation was established between cortisol and MR-proADM concentrations in both pericardial fluid and femoral serum samples. This indicates that the severity of APE influences the production of ADM, regardless of the specific underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Cortisol values were also found to be higher in the intense APE group compared to the moderate group.

This study contributes to our understanding of the relationship between MR-proADM and cortisol, and the severity of APE, shedding light on potential applications in postmortem investigations.
Seeing eye to eye: a modified Delphi method-based multidisciplinary expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of vernal keratoconjunctivitis
Authors: Ghiglioni Daniele Giovanni , Bruschi Gaia , Chiappini Elena , Consales Alessandra , Allegri Pia , Aragona Pasquale , Bonini Stefano , Caputo Roberto , Cardinale Fabio , Landi Massimo , Leonardi Andrea , Marseglia Gian Luigi , Mori Francesca , Nebbioso Marcella , Nucci Paolo , Osnaghi Silvia , Procoli Ugo , Villani Edoardo , Zicari Anna Maria , Miraglia Del Giudice Michele
Published: September 2024

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a chronic, recurrent, inflammatory disease that affects both eyes, often with asymmetric severity, potentially causing major visual complications. The seasonal management of VKC can be challenging, especially when specialists with different diagnostic and therapeutic approaches need to be consulted. The aim of this expert panel was to reach a national consensus among pediatric allergologists and ophthalmologists on the diagnosis and treatment of VKC. This consensus was developed by an expert panel of 17 Italian pediatric allergologists and ophthalmologists with over a decade of experience. Ten statements on VKC diagnosis and treatment formulated after a thorough review of current literature were evaluated by the panelists. The level of agreement was quantitatively assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. Consensus was reached if ≥ 75.0% of panelists agreed to any given statement. The consensus emphasizes the importance of evaluation by multispecialty reference centers or experienced specialists for accurate diagnosis. Prompt diagnosis, especially during active phases, is crucial and should occur before corticosteroid therapy. The Bonini score from 2007 is the preferred tool for VKC assessment, although future revisions may be considered. Short cycles of topical corticosteroids should be preferred over prolonged use, even during immunomodulatory therapy. When cyclosporine fails, tacrolimus should be considered. Conclusion: This is the first consensus on the management of VKC that has gathered the expert opinions of both pediatricians and ophthalmologists. The outcome of this multidisciplinary effort provides a uniform approach to VKC diagnosis and treatment, thereby facilitating patient management across the country.

What is Known:• Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a chronic recurrent ocular disease particularly prevalent in the pediatric population.• Despite its relevance, there is a lack of standardized approaches shared between pediatricians and ophthalmologists, leading to notable variations in clinical practice.

What is New:• This expert panel, comprising 17 pediatric allergologists and ophthalmologists, has reached a national consensus to provide standardized guidance for VKC management.• The consensus emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to managing VKC, ensuring consistent and effective patient care.
Impact of excessive daytime sleepiness on the progression of freezing of gait in de novo Parkinson’s disease: a cohort study
Authors: Chen Min , Guo Yanjie , Zhang Xuewei , Zhao Maoyun , Zheng Tinghua , Song Jingyang , Liu Feng-Tao , Xing Hongxia
Published: September 2024

Background

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and freezing of gait (FOG) are prevalent non-motor and motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), significantly impacting their quality of life. However, the correlation between EDS and FOG progression in de novo PD patients remains controversial.

Methods

A total of 328 participants from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) were divided into two groups: 43 with EDS (EDS group) and 285 without EDS (nEDS group). The cumulative incidence of FOG was assessed at the 5-year follow-up using Kaplan–Meier and log-rank tests. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the impact of EDS on FOG progression in PD patients, with validation for robustness through sensitivity and subgroup analyses.

Results

The EDS group experienced a higher incidence of FOG throughout the 5-year follow-up than did the nEDS group. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models showed significantly association between EDS severity and enhanced risk of developing FOG (HR = 1.076, 95% CI:1.007 ~ 1.149, P = 0.031). For sensitivity analysis, parallel analyses were performed by substituting the independent variable with categorical variables, which yielded analogous outcomes (HR = 1.837, 95% CI:1.063 ~ 3.174, P = 0.029). Furthermore, subgroup analyses based on sex, age, TD/PIGD classification, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, mean caudate nucleus uptake level, mean putamen nucleus uptake level and CSF Aβ-42 level revealed no significant interactions between subgroups (all P values for interaction were > 0.05).

Conclusion

EDS is a potential prognosis factor for the progression of FOG in patients with PD.
Large-scale forest protection: the successful case of the Kayapo people in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Garcia Beatriz , Morgan Edward A. , Aruch Matthew , Ferreira Igor Richwin , Jerozolimski Adriano , Mackey Brendan , Hugh Sonia
Published: September 2024

Forest conservation is essential for action on climate change and biodiversity loss. Forest loss and degradation are increasing around the world, including in the Amazon. It is widely reported that Indigenous communities can be effective in forest protection, but less attention has been paid to explaining how they are able to do this in the face of severe threats. This article investigates what can be learned from the success of the Kayapo Indigenous communities and their organizations in protecting more than nine million hectares of primary forest in one of the most highly degraded and deforested areas of the Brazilian Amazon. We use geographic information system analysis to demonstrate the extent of forest protection, along with field work to examine the crucial alliances with conservation NGOs from governance and planning perspectives. Our interdisciplinary analysis is guided by the three-pillar framework for integrated landscape management and is informed by interviews conducted with Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff working for the Kayapo NGOs. Based on this data and the experience of the Kayapo people, we identify the main factors that facilitated large-scale forest conservation. Our research also reveals that the work of the Kayapo NGOs aligns with the principles of strong governance and effective planning. Lastly, we discuss key lessons and critical considerations to ensure the continued viability and ongoing success of the Kayapo NGOs in achieving their objectives.
Nonsmooth projection-free optimization with functional constraints
Authors: Asgari Kamiar , Neely Michael J.
Published: September 2024

This paper presents a subgradient-based algorithm for constrained nonsmooth convex optimization that does not require projections onto the feasible set. While the well-established Frank–Wolfe algorithm and its variants already avoid projections, they are primarily designed for smooth objective functions. In contrast, our proposed algorithm can handle nonsmooth problems with general convex functional inequality constraints. It achieves an $$\epsilon $$
ϵ
-suboptimal solution in $$\mathcal {O}(\epsilon ^{-2})$$

O
(

ϵ

-
2

)

iterations, with each iteration requiring only a single (potentially inexact) Linear Minimization Oracle call and a (possibly inexact) subgradient computation. This performance is consistent with existing lower bounds. Similar performance is observed when deterministic subgradients are replaced with stochastic subgradients. In the special case where there are no functional inequality constraints, our algorithm competes favorably with a recent nonsmooth projection-free method designed for constraint-free problems. Our approach utilizes a simple separation scheme in conjunction with a new Lagrange multiplier update rule.
The gravity of the status quo: the response of research governance to system-level shocks
Authors: Derrick G. E. , Robson J. , Oancea A. , Xu X. , Stan M. R.
Published: September 2024

Using interviews with global research stakeholders, this research explores how stakeholders within research-system-level research governance organisations conceptualised, responded to, and reasoned the realities of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and how they positioned procedural changes to their governance mechanisms. Given that system shocks present critical challenges to established practices and embedded institutional norms, we use neo-institutional theory as a heuristic device to examine the relationship between the exogenous shock of COVID-19, trajectories of institutional norms and cultures, and the role institutional stakeholders play in managing responses. Across all the research systems studied (with particular focus on the UK, Australia, Norway, New Zealand, Hong Kong SAR, and Italy), participants were concerned about how the shock provided by COVID-19 had both revealed and entrenched deep inequalities inherent in their research systems and globally. There were tensions in how participants centralised the concept of the ‘normal’ as part of a process of recovery permeating all system-level responses, often with a sense of wistful affection for pre-pandemic structures, modes of operation, and embedded norms. Aspirations for short-, medium,- and long-term plans for research change echoed a dependency on returning to ‘normal’ and an inevitable pull of the norms of the pre-pandemic status quo. Despite the desire to ‘build back better’, the pull of institutional norms and the gravitational force of the status quo appeared too strong for meaningful change in recovering research systems.
Multiple Documentational Genesis and Praxeologies: A Networked Approach to Investigate Mathematics Teachers’ Documentation Work
Authors: Pocalana Gabriella , Bini Giulia , Robutti Ornella
Published: September 2024

This paper investigates the unexpected phenomenon that we call multiple documentational genesis, which occurred during a professional development program for in-service mathematics teachers, guided by researchers in mathematics education. It involves the proliferation of uncoordinated teaching materials created by teachers for their students based on the same initial input provided by researchers. To make sense of this phenomenon, we rely on a theoretical model combining the Documentational Approach to Didactics and the Meta-Didactical Transposition frameworks. We find that the logos component of the meta-didactical praxeology shared among the teachers participating in the program guided their documentation work in a way unforeseen by the researchers. Indeed, the teacher’s decision to distance themselves from the researchers’ initial input, perceived as non-coherent with their shared logos, led to a disruption in the co-learning partnership that had consistently characterised the program in prior years. This affected not only the sense of community among researchers and teachers but also the collaborative work among teachers themselves. The experimental findings informed new theoretical perspectives in the form of an adjustment of the theoretical model adopted for data analysis to the specific case of teachers participating in a professional development program.
Abstracting It All: The Soviet Institute of Scientific Information (VINITI) and the Promise of Centralisation, 1952–1977
Authors: Hammarfelt Björn , Dahlin Johanna
Published: September 2024

In the aftermath of the Second World War, effective handling of scientific information was identified as crucial for advancement and international competitiveness. Here, we study how the Soviet Union, through the founding of The All-Union Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (VINITI), developed its own grandiose system which served researchers and engineers throughout the USSR. By studying its inception, the way it was structured, and how it relates to similar grand visions of how to organise knowledge, we provide rare insights into a partly alternative history of how scientific information was organised in the latter half of the 20th century. Based on available sources in English and Russian, we consider the ideas behind this grand initiative for acquiring international literature, as well as how it was received and presented to a foreign audience. In this effort, we put particular emphasis on the first 25 years of VINITI (1952–1977) while at the same time focusing on central ideas in its organisation such as “enrichment”, “abstracting” and “pre-printing”. A key principle emerging from our analysis is how the notion of concentration becomes a fundamental principle for its operations. Overall, the activities of VINITI can today appear as both old-fashioned, bordering on the utopian, and as visionary and modern in its abandonment of journals and traditional forms of peer review.
Genome-Wide Identification of WRKY Transcription Factors in Pea (Pisum sativum L.) and their Response to Sulfur and Water Stress
Authors: Kumar Pankaj , Alok Anshu , Kaur Karambir , Gawlowska Magdalena , Tiwari Siddharth , Singh Hardeep , Swiecicki Wojciech K. , Awasthi Praveen
Published: September 2024

The WRKY gene family is widely distributed in plants and plays essential roles in plant development and stress response. Despite extensive characterization of WRKY transcription factors in many plants, a genome-wide analysis of the WRKY gene family in Pisum sativum is still lacking. The central method of this study focused on the retrieval and characterization of WRKY gene sequences in the pea genome and further looking up for their modulation in response to sulfur and water stress. This involved a combination of bioinformatics tools and gene expression study to identify, characterize, and understand the properties of the WRKY gene family in pea. In this study, 86 PsWRKY genes were identified in the pea genome, categorized into five phylogenetic groups. They were dispersed across all seven chromosomes, with Chromosome 5 showing the highest enrichment. Synteny analysis revealed orthologs of 69 PsWRKY genes in Arabidopsis and Medicago. Transcriptome analysis identified 36 differentially expressed PsWRKY genes in response to sulfur (S) stress, water (W) stress, and their combination (W + S). Real-time PCR validation confirmed significant upregulation of PsWRKY23, PsWRKY58, PsWRKY64, and PsWRKY83 under water stress, PsWRKY58 and PsWRKY84 under sulfur stress, and PsWRKY03 under combined (W + S) stress. Overall, this study provides important insights on genetic information of the WRKY gene family in Pea and its possible role in water and sulfur stress, which will help further to study these candidate WRKY gene with a future objective of understanding their role in abiotic stress.
The new political economy of the middle ages: a review essay of the medieval constitution of Liberty
Authors: Truitt Tegan
Published: September 2024

The Medieval Constitution of Liberty offers a compelling new argument about the institutional origins of modern economic liberalism. Salter and Young develop the concept of polycentric sovereignty to explain the origins of assemblies (the precursors of parliaments) and free cities. In the process, they synthesize their account with alternative geographic, cultural, and institutional explanations for liberalism. I argue that, while the book generally succeeds, its central theory remains underspecified on account of its failing to analyze the concept of alienability in connection with political property rights and residual claimancy, and that its empirical contribution remains incomplete by failing to articulate a distinct role for the Church.
Contingency and increasing returns: a review essay of the Corporation and the Twentieth Century
Authors: Hingl Kurtis
Published: September 2024

This review essay of Richard Langlois’s The Corporation and the Twentieth Century (2023) has a threefold purpose. Firstly, I distill one angle of the conceptual framework Langlois employs in his meticulous business history: optimal organizational form is always historically contingent. It depends on costs and benefits of centralization, transaction costs (static and dynamic), and the degree of organizational and technological modularity. Secondly, from this framework I derive interpretive questions to serve as a guide to reading The Corporation and the Twentieth Century (or perhaps business histories in general). Thirdly, I highlight a theme that is present in the book, but never quite made explicit: the potential for increasing returns from platform innovations. Drawing from Langlois, I posit that platform innovations were a major contributor to the miraculous economic growth that took place in the twentieth century. While I touch on what I believe are the central themes of the book, The Corporation and the Twentieth Century has much more to offer both the theorist and historian, economist and businessman.
Engagement in Pro-Choice Protests: The Role of Gender, Feminism, Gender Collective Self-Esteem, and Reactance Against Abortion Bans
Authors: Drążkowski Dariusz , Trepanowski Radosław , Mikołajczak Gosia
Published: September 2024

Recently imposed reproductive rights restrictions have triggered widespread pro-choice protests in countries like Poland and the U.S. This study, conducted online in Poland following the 22 October 2020 decision of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal to strengthen restrictions on legal access to abortion, investigated the motivations of 939 Poles (55% women) to participate in pro-choice protests. We examined how different aspects of gender collective self-esteem and feminist identification were associated with reactance to the freedom restrictions imposed by the abortion ban and with engagement in pro-choice protests among women and men. We found that for both genders, weaker gender identification was associated with higher feminist identification, greater reactance to the abortion ban, and increased involvement in pro-choice protests. However, we observed gender differences in the motivations to participate. Women who perceived themselves as valued members of their gender group, had negative personal views about their gender or felt their gender was undervalued by society, were more likely to engage in pro-choice activism. Men who held negative personal views about their gender or felt their gender was valued by society were more likely to engage in pro-choice protests. This study adds novel predictors to the literature on engagement in pro-choice collective action, offering practical insights into which aspects of gender collective self-esteem should be targeted to enhance feminist identification and support for the pro-choice movement.
The Sun’s Birth Environment: Context for Meteoritics
Authors: Desch Steve , Miret-Roig Núria
Published: September 2024

Meteorites trace planet formation in the Sun’s protoplanetary disk, but they also record the influence of the Sun’s birth environment. Whether the Sun formed in a region like Taurus-Auriga with $\sim 10^{2}$
∼

10

2

stars, or a region like the Carina Nebula with $\sim 10^{6}$
∼

10

6

stars, matters for how large the Sun’s disk was, for how long and from how far away it accreted gas from the molecular cloud, and how it acquired radionuclides like 26Al. To provide context for the interpretation of meteoritic data, we review what is known about the Sun’s birth environment. Based on an inferred gas disk outer radius $\approx 50 - 90$
≈
50
−
90
AU, radial transport in the disk, and the abundances of noble gases in Jupiter’s atmosphere, the Sun’s molecular cloud and protoplanetary disk were exposed to an ultraviolet flux $G_{0} \sim 30 - 3000$

G
0

∼
30
−
3000
during its birth and first $\approx 10$
≈
10
Myr of evolution. Based on the orbits of Kuiper Belt objects, the Solar System was subsequently exposed to a stellar density $\approx \, 100 \, M_{\odot } \, {\mathrm{pc}}^{-3}$
≈

100

M
⊙

pc

−
3

for $\approx 100$
≈
100
Myr, strongly implying formation in a bound cluster. These facts suggest formation in a region like the outskirts of the Orion Nebula, perhaps 2 pc from the center. The protoplanetary disk might have accreted gas for many Myr, but a few $\times 10^{5}$
×

10

5

yr seems more likely. It probably inherited radionuclides from its molecular cloud, enriched by inputs from supernovae and especially Wolf-Rayet star winds, and acquired a typical amount of 26Al.