bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The expression of sICAM-1 influenced by Clonorchis sinensis co-infection in CHB patients
Authors: Qiu J. , Shang M. , Li W. , Zhang H. , Liao Y. , Dong H.
Published: October 2024

Soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (sICAM-1) has emerged as an inflammatory biomarker of many essential functions. We investigated the level of sICAM-1 influenced by Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) co-infection in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients to explore the degree of liver tissue inflammation and liver function damage after co-infection. The study included data from patients with C. sinensis mono-infection (n=27), hepatitis B virus (HBV) mono-infection (n=32), C. sinensis and HBV co-infection (n=24), post-hepatitis B liver cirrhosis (n=18), post-hepatitis B liver cirrhosis co-infected with C. sinensis (n=16), and healthy controls (n=39). The level of sICAM-1 was measured with specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Compared to the healthy control group, all the experimental groups had significantly higher serum sICAM-1 levels. The levels of sICAM-1 in co-infected groups were significantly higher compared to the mono-infection groups and were positively correlated with the levels of glutamate aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Our research findings confirmed that co-infection could exacerbate liver tissue inflammation and liver function damage in patients, could raise the sICAM-1 level, and may lead to the chronicity of HBV infection. These results provide clues for pathological mechanism study and formulating treatment plans.
Made in South Asia: Centering Labor in Textile and Garment Manufacturing Work, 1970s to 2020s
Authors: Parpiani Maansi
Published: October 2024

Labor in the textile and garment industry is at the heart of a series of recent books on South Asia. Together these books document the different scales at which textile and garment work has been structured and restructured over the last century, and its implications for workers, their health as well as collective solidarity. Across the countries of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, the industry developed and declined in vastly different temporalities and rhythms. Yet, as these works reveal, workers have often been confronted with similar challenges brought on by the boom-and-bust cycles of industrial development. In each case, textile and garment workers have been forced to navigate transitions to premature deindustrialization, closure, or national/transnational industrial policy changes. The books center workers and their long “post”-industrial or industrial “afterlives,” as they cope with the dramatic changes in the global manufacturing of textile and garment.
A diffusive plant-sulphide model: spatio-temporal dynamics contrast between discrete and distributed delay
Authors: Xia Yonghui , Xiao Jianglong , Yu Jianshe
Published: October 2024

This paper studies the spatio-temporal dynamics of a diffusive plant-sulphide model with toxicity delay. More specifically, the effects of discrete delay and distributed delay on the dynamics are explored, respectively. The deep analysis of eigenvalues indicates that both diffusion and delay can induce Hopf bifurcations. The normal form theory is used to set up an exact formula that determines the properties of Hopf bifurcation in a diffusive plant-sulphide model. A sufficiently small discrete delay does not affect the stability and a sufficiently large discrete delay destabilizes the system. Nonetheless, a sufficiently small or large distributed delay does not affect the stability. Both delays cause instability by inducing Hopf bifurcation rather than Turing bifurcation.
Cultural competence training of dieticians: development and preliminary evaluation
Authors: Jager Mirjam , Leij-Halfwerk Susanne , Akkermans Reinier , van der Sande Rob , van den Muijsenbergh Maria
Published: October 2024

Introduction:

Training can improve healthcare providers’ cultural competence and increase their awareness of bias and discrimination in medical decision-making. Cultural competences training is lacking in the education of dieticians in the Netherlands. The aim of this study was to describe the pilot-implementation of a cultural competence training for dieticians and preliminary evaluation of the training.

Methods:

A training was developed based on Seeleman’s cultural competence framework and previously held interviews with migrants, dieticians, and experts. The training consisted of a mixture of didactic and experiential methods, alternating knowledge transfer with exercises to increase awareness, reflection, and feed-back on recorded consultations, and communication training with migrant training actors. The training was piloted in 8 participating dieticians and preliminary mixed-method evaluation was done using a Cultural Competence Questionnaire, Experience Evaluation Questionnaire, and consultation observations.

Results:

The questionnaires showed that dieticians were positive about the training. They found it valuable and educational. Participants reported an increase in self-perceived cultural competence and attitudes. Knowledge and skills remained approximately the same. The observations showed that dieticians applied the teach-back method and discussed treatment options more often after training. There was no increase in the use of visual materials.

Conclusion:

The training was well appreciated and, although a small-scale pilot, this mixed-method study suggests an ability to change cultural competence. The combination of a self-assessment instrument and consultation observations to evaluate cultural competence was highly valuable and feasible. These encouraging results justify a broader implementation of the training.
IRF1-mediated upregulation of PARP12 promotes cartilage degradation by inhibiting PINK1/Parkin dependent mitophagy through ISG15 attenuating ubiquitylation and SUMOylation of MFN1/2
Authors: Deng Zengfa , Long Dianbo , Li Changzhao , Liu Hailong , Li Wei , Zhong Yanlin , Mo Xiaolin , Li Ruiyun , Yang Zibo , Kang Yan , Mao Guping
Published: October 2024

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related cartilage-degenerating joint disease. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been reported to promote the development of OA. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase family member 12 (PARP12) is a key regulator of mitochondrial function, protein translation, and inflammation. However, the role of PARP12 in OA-based cartilage degradation and the underlying mechanisms are relatively unknown. Here, we first demonstrated that PARP12 inhibits mitophagy and promotes OA progression in human OA cartilage and a monosodium iodoacetate-induced rat OA model. Using mass spectrometry and co-immunoprecipitation assay, PARP12 was shown to interact with ISG15, upregulate mitofusin 1 and 2 (MFN1/2) ISGylation, which downregulated MFN1/2 ubiquitination and SUMOylation, thereby inhibiting PINK1/Parkin-dependent chondrocyte mitophagy and promoting cartilage degradation. Moreover, inflammatory cytokine-induced interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) activation was required for the upregulation of PARP12 expression, and it directly bound to the PARP12 promoter to activate transcription. XAV-939 inhibited PARP12 expression and suppressed OA pathogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Clinically, PARP12 can be used to predict the severity of OA; thus, it represents a new target for the study of mitophagy and OA progression. In brief, the IRF1-mediated upregulation of PARP12 promoted cartilage degradation by inhibiting PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy via ISG15-based attenuation of MFN1/2 ubiquitylation and SUMOylation. Our data provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying PARP12-based regulation of mitophagy and can facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies for the treatment of OA.
Study on the strength influence mechanism and cracking mechanism of stone powder-cement floor grouting materials
Authors: Chen Xinming , Zheng Diantao , Jiao Huazhe , Yang Liuhua , Rong Yangyang , Sun Jinyu
Published: October 2024

Underground grouting is a concealed project, and it is difficult to test the strength of grouting stones in engineering practice. Aiming at the problems of high confined water pressure and strong water-richness of the roadway floor, a pressure filtration test device was developed, and a PFC2D uniaxial compression model was established to study the variation law of stone strength and crack evolution mechanism of grouting materials under different grouting pressures. The results show that with the increase of pressure filtration value, the amount of slurry dehydration increases, the pore water pressure dissipates, the pores between particles are tightly compressed, the contact force between particle skeletons increases, and the strength of stone body increases. Under the condition of the same cement powder ratio (mass ratio of cement to stone powder) or stone powder particle size, the strength of stone body of stone powder-cement grouting material increases with the increase of pressure filtration value. The stress-strain curves of the stone body with different pressure filtration values all experienced three stages: continuous elasticity, fracture expansion and strength failure. Before the peak, the number of cracks increases slowly; after reaching the peak, the micro-cracks extend rapidly and the number increases rapidly, resulting in the final tensile failure of the specimen. This study can provide a basis for the selection of grouting engineering material ratio and grouting pressure parameters.
Decentralized fault-tolerant control of multi-mobile robot system addressing LiDAR sensor faults
Authors: Elsayed Ahmed M. , Elshalakani Mohamed , Hammad Sherif A. , Maged Shady A.
Published: October 2024

The control of multi-robot formations is a crucial aspect in various applications, such as transport, surveillance and monitoring environments. Maintaining robots in a specific formation pose or performing a cooperative task is a significant challenge when a fault occurs among any of the robots. This work presents a Decentralized Fault-Tolerant Control (DFTC) scheme that addresses lidar sensor faults within a system of multiple differential wheeled mobile robots. The robots change the formation shape according to the number of available robots within the formation. A Graph theory is implemented to represent the multi-robot formation and communication. Each mobile robot is equipped with three sensors: a wheel encoder, an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and a lidar sensor. Sensor fault detection and isolation (FDI) is implemented at two levels. The pose estimation obtained from the wheel encoder and IMU is fused using an extended Kalman filter (EKF), and this pose estimation is utilized at the local level of lidar sensor FDI. At the system level, the FDI of the lidar sensor involves computing a residual by comparing the pose estimation with other lidar sensors mounted on other mobile robots within the formation. The presented FTC scheme is simulated in Simulink multi-robot environments.
Rethinking max–min planning on energy-efficient software-defined networking for 5G networks
Authors: Jiang Dingde , Zhu Bowen , Sun Junyang , Wang Zhihao , Lyu Zhihan , Singh Amit Kumar , Yuan Zhen
Published: October 2024

Energy efficiency plays an important role in intelligent networking for 5G networks, which concerns environmental, financial, and performance aspects of intelligent networking for 5G networks. To this end, network designers propose energy-efficient approaches to reduce energy consumption of networks and to raise network performance by switching off the links/nodes with low loads or at idle status. The existing energy-efficient approaches can be formulated as a max–min optimal problem, namely maximizing network/node/port throughput via minimum energy consumption. The max–min planning investigates energy efficiency only from the links/nodes perspective. The max–min planning for energy-efficient networking, if not carefully designed from the network-wide standpoint, can lead to lower energy efficiency for the whole network due to lack of global planning, which in turn results in the degraded performance due to network un-connectivity after closing the nodes/links. In this paper we rethink the max–min planning framework on energy-efficient software-defined networking for intelligent networking of 5G networks, which takes in account combining network connectivity and maximum network flow with minimum energy consumption. Our framework aims at how to deliver dynamic end-to-end traffic demands with the appropriate network topology by building data forwarding plane with maximum network flow and control plane with network connectivity. We discuss the associated challenges and implementation issues. A dynamic max–min planning framework depending on dynamic end-to-end traffic demands is presented to achieve network-wide energy efficiency. Numerical results show the improved energy efficiency performance for the whole network.
The projected exposure and response of a natural barrier island system to climate-driven coastal hazards
Authors: Thomas Jennifer A. , Barnard Patrick L. , Vitousek Sean , Erikson Li H. , Parker Kai , Nederhoff Kees , Befus Kevin M. , Shirzaei Manoochehr
Published: October 2024

Accelerating sea level rise (SLR) and changing storm patterns will increasingly expose barrier islands to coastal hazards, including flooding, erosion, and rising groundwater tables. We assess the exposure of Cape Lookout National Seashore, a barrier island system in North Carolina (USA), to projected SLR and storm hazards over the twenty-first century. We estimate that with 0.5 m of SLR, 47% of current subaerial barrier island area would be flooded daily, and the 1-year return period storm would flood 74%. For 20-year return period storms, over 85% is projected to be flooded for any SLR. The modelled groundwater table is already shallow (< 2 m deep), and while projected to shoal to the land surface with SLR, marine flooding is projected to overtake areas with emergent groundwater. Projected shoreline retreat reaches an average of 178 m with 1 m of SLR and no interventions, which is over 60% of the current island width at narrower locations. Compounding these hazards is subsidence, with one-third of the study area currently lowering at > 2 mm/yr. Our results demonstrate the difficulty of managing natural barrier systems such as those managed by federal park systems tasked with maintaining natural ecosystems and protecting cultural resources.
Optimizing dry milling of stir-cast and heat-treated AZ80 magnesium alloy using multiple criteria optimization technique: an experimental study
Authors: Tamil Selvan M. , Somasundaram M. , Raja Annamalai A.
Published: October 2024

The primary aspects of this research are to evaluate surface roughness, cutting force, and material removal rate and optimize it with dry milling process parameters for heat-treated and stir-cast AZ80 magnesium alloy. Multiple methodologies are utilized in the research, which includes the Integration of design of experiments—response surface methodology for experimental design with the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution for multi-criteria optimization. In order to evaluate the effect of process parameters on the response, the experimental design manipulates the depth of cut, feed rate, and cutting speed in a systematic manner. An evaluation of the machined surface’s quality is conducted via surface roughness measurements. Likewise, insights into the forces exerted during milling can be obtained through continuous monitoring of cutting forces. The calculation of material removal rate is predicated on weight reduction. The interaction between the depth of cut and feed rate has a significant impact on the critical-to-quality characteristics of the alloy, which has contribution percentage greater than 25%. This finding validates that despite the heat-treated alloy having a similar composition to the as-cast alloy (where the closeness coefficient is 0.9843), the optimal process parameters of the former are not applicable to the latter. Nevertheless, the technique used to prepare the specimen has no bearing on the material removal rate, which is a process parameter-specific effect.
Chytrid fungi infecting Arctic microphytobenthic communities under varying salinity conditions
Authors: Ilicic Doris , Woodhouse Jason , Karsten Ulf , Schimani Katherina , Zimmermann Jonas , Grossart Hans-Peter
Published: October 2024

This study aimed to investigate the presence and diversity of fungal parasites in Arctic coastal microphytobenthic communities. These communities represent a key component in the functioning of Arctic trophic food webs. Fungal parasites, particularly Chytridiomycota (chytrids), play significant roles by controlling microalgal bloom events, impacting genetic diversity, modifying microbial interactions, and accelerating nutrient and energy transfer to higher trophic levels. In the context of rapid Arctic warming and increased glacier meltwater, which significantly affects these communities, we used high-throughput sequencing to explore fungal community composition. Our results show that chytrids dominate fungal communities in Arctic benthic habitats and that the overall fungal diversity is primarily influenced by the salinity gradient. Chytrid representation is positively correlated with the presence of potential benthic diatom (Surirella, Nitzschia, Navicula) and green algae (Ulvophyceae) hosts, while microscopic observations provide further evidence for the presence of active chytrid infections.
Synergistic pairing of synthetic image generation with disease classification modeling permits rapid digital classification tool development
Authors: Allan-Blitz Lao-Tzu , Ambepitiya Sithira , Prathapa Janitha , Rietmeijer Cornelis A. , Kularathne Yudara , Klausner Jeffrey D.
Published: October 2024

Machine-learning disease classification models have the potential to support diagnosis of various diseases. Pairing classification models with synthetic image generation may overcome barriers to developing classification models and permit their use in numerous contexts. Using 10 images of penises with human papilloma virus (HPV)-related disease, we trained a denoising diffusion probabilistic model. Combined with text-to-image generation, we produced 630 synthetic images, of which 500 were deemed plausible by expert clinicians. We used those images to train a Vision Transformer model. We assessed the model’s performance on clinical images of HPV-related disease (n = 70), diseases other than HPV (n = 70), and non-diseased images (n = 70), calculating recall, precision, F1-score, and Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics Curve (AUC). The model correctly classified 64 of 70 images of HPV-related disease, with a recall of 91.4% (95% CI 82.3%-96.8%). The precision of the model for HPV-related disease was 95.5% (95% CI 87.5%-99.1%), and the F1-score was 93.4%. The AUC for HPV-related disease was 0.99 (95% CI 0.98-1.0). Overall, the HPV-related disease classification model demonstrated excellent performance on clinical images, which was trained exclusively using synthetic images.
Biomaterials: Supramolecular Artificial Extracellular Matrices
Authors: Hudalla Gregory A. , Collier Joel H.
Published: October 2024

As exemplified in the preceding chapters, natural extracellular matrices (ECMs) are hierarchically organized scaffolds comprised of multiple different biomolecules. The various biomolecules inherent to a natural ECM harbor an assortment of “cell-instructive” or “cell-responsive” features, which mediate cell attachment to the matrix, modulate molecular transport through the matrix, facilitate matrix turnover, or guide matrix assembly, in both space and time. These cell-instructive and cell-responsive features work in concert to modulate diverse cell behaviors, including migration, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, which underlie countless developmental, regenerative, and pathological processes. There is a rich history of creating artificial ECMs (aECMs) that can similarly instruct cell behavior by integrating cell-instructive or cell-responsive features into natural or synthetic biomaterials, many of which have been introduced in the preceding chapters. Multifunctional biomaterials having combinations of cell-instructive and cell-responsive features are gaining increased attention as aECMs, yet integrating combinations of features alone is insufficient for recapitulating the properties of natural ECMs. Rather, aECMs that can provide exquisitely controlled ratios of integrated functional ligands, independently tunable ligand composition, and hierarchically organized ligand presentation are necessary. Toward that end, this chapter will provide a detailed look at current progress in developing aECMs via hierarchical assembly of engineered biomolecules, with a specific focus on bottom-up assembly of engineered peptides into multicomponent fibrillar networks.
A solvent-free and catalyst-free reaction of o-aminobenzophenone with aryl isothiocyanates: expedient access to congested 4-phenyl-4-hydroxyquinazolin-2-thione derivatives
Authors: Nguyen Le Anh , Nguyen Thi Thu Tram , Ngo Quoc Anh , Retailleau Pascal , Nguyen Thanh Binh
Published: October 2024

Congested 4-phenyl-4-hydroxyquinazolin-2-thiones 3 could be constructed by simply heating o-aminobenzophenone 1 with aryl isothiocyanates 2 in practically quantitative yields via simple purification by filtration/recrystallization.
Reversible single-crystal to single-crystal photoreaction between a coordination comb and a ladder displays photo-switchable fluorescence
Authors: Li Ni-Ya , Wang Xin-Yu , Zhang Pei-Xuan , Zou Ning-Ning , Qiu Wen , Xing Yu-Fei , Wang Yun-Jian , Tang Xiao-Yan , Liu Dong
Published: October 2024

A unique coordination polymer can transform between comb-like and ladder-like bistable structures through reversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal photoreaction and exhibit photo-switchable fluorescence.
Optimizing the spin qubit performance of lanthanide-based metal–organic frameworks
Authors: Du Xiya , Sun Lei
Published: October 2024

Reducing the spin concentration, spin-orbit coupling strength, and ground spin state of lanthanide ions embedded in metal–organic frameworks improves their spin qubit performance.
A two-step Kinugasa/Conia-ene-type sequential reaction for the asymmetric synthesis of 8-methylene-2,6-diazaspiro[3.4]octane-1,5-diones
Authors: Li Shanyue , Ma Qicai , Wu Bohua , Ma Haowen , Zhou Wei , Cai Qian
Published: October 2024

A two-step Kinugasa/Conia-ene-type sequential reaction is developed. The process provided a simple and efficient access to chiral 8-methylene-2,6-diazaspiro[3.4]octane-1,5-diones.
Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of indene-1-acetates via sequential double carbopalladation and aryloxycarbonylation
Authors: Sun Fei , Zheng Yiyi , Jiang Zhongyao , Wu Mingxia , Lv Zeng , Ji Hongsen , Wu Xin-Xing
Published: October 2024

A novel palladium-catalyzed cascade reaction of o-iodostyrenes, internal alkynes and formates to access various indene-1-acetates through sequential double carbopalladation and aryloxycarbonylation under a palladium/air system was developed.
Shaping cycles with light: a regiodivergent approach to tetracyclic aza-aromatic compounds
Authors: Mañas Clara , Ibarra Belén , Merino Estíbaliz
Published: October 2024

We present a novel visible light-promoted regiodivergent cyclization, enabling the selective synthesis of distinct azapolyaromatic regioisomers from 2-alkynlazobenzenes.
Nanomaterial-mediated photothermal therapy modulates tumor-associated macrophages: applications in cancer therapy
Authors: Li Yan , Si Yuhao , Yin Heng
Published: October 2024

Nanomaterials for modulating tumor-associated macrophages in photothermal therapy.
Dependence of the polytropic behaviour of solar wind protons on temperature anisotropy and plasma β near L1
Authors: Katsavrias C. , Nicolaou G. , Livadiotis G.
Published: October 2024

Context. A polytropic process describes the transition of a fluid from one state to another through a specific relationship between the fluid density and temperature, while the value of the polytropic index that governs this relationship determines the heat transfer and the effective degrees of freedom of that specific process.

Aims. In this paper we investigate in depth the relationship between the proton effective polytropic index γ in the solar wind, the proton anisotropy α, and plasma β, while – for the first time to our knowledge to such an extent – we further investigate the dependence of the partial (with respect to the magnetic field) polytropic index to both the above-mentioned plasma parameters.

Methods. To this end we use the entire Wind dataset spanning the 1995 to 2023 time period to derive the distributions of the polytropic index in the near-Earth space (L1).

Results. Our results indicate that the proton γ increases with increasing proton anisotropy and decreases with increasing plasma β. Finally, we show that even though the average (over long time periods) total and partial proton polytropic index values are very close, these values correspond to isotropic plasma alone, with a further balance between the thermal and magnetic pressure.On the contrary, for shorter time periods and/or specific solar wind structures, where the proton anisotropy and plasma β exhibit deviations from these average values, the partial proton polytropic index exhibits significant variation that is dependent on the anisotropy and on plasma β.
A Comparative Study of Neural Network Models for Mangrove Species Classification
Authors: Ritha Nola , Kurniawan Hendra , Nanda Tri , Hayaty Nurul
Published: October 2024

Mangrove ecosystems play a critical role in coastal protection, biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration. Accurate classification of mangrove species is essential for the conservation and management of coastal ecosystems, which offer substantial ecological benefits, such as protecting shorelines and supporting diverse species. This study provides a comparative analysis of two neural network models, Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ) and Backpropagation, for the classification of mangrove species on Bintan Island. The methods used in this research starting from the acquisition of leaf and fruit images of mangroves, data preprocessing to reduce noise, feature extraction of shape and texture, to the application of Backpropagation and LVQ algorithms for classification. The findings revealed that the LVQ model achieved an accuracy of 67%, precision of 70%, recall of 67%, and an F1-score of 66%. Conversely, the Backpropagation model demonstrated superior performance with an accuracy of 88%, precision of 89%, recall of 88%, and an F1-score of 88%. These results suggest that the Backpropagation algorithm, with its multiple hidden layers and activation functions, is more adept at handling non-linear and complex data compared to LVQ.
Silver nanoparticles (NPAg) using padina australis seaweed
Authors: Eka Eka , Willian Nancy , Fitriani Rita
Published: October 2024

The synthesis of silver nanoparticles (NPAg) using Padina australis seaweed as a bioreductor and AgNO₃ as a precursor through the green synthesis method was successfully achieved. This environmentally friendly approach utilized various concentrations of the seaweed extract and silver nitrate precursor, resulting in the formation of silver nanoparticles at each concentration variation. The stability of these nanoparticles was confirmed by the observable changes in solution color, maximum wavelength, absorbance, and peak length shift. The process exhibited consistent results, with minimal wavelength variation occurring within 1 to 6 hours, particularly at a concentration ratio of 3 mM and 5:10 mL extract to precursor. These findings demonstrate the potential of Padina australis seaweed in the sustainable production of silver nanoparticles, offering a green alternative for nanoparticle synthesis.
Biomass carbon stocks in conserved and rehabilitated mangroves of Indonesia: Case studies from Biduk-Biduk, Karimunjawa, Pati and Indramayu
Authors: Ati Restu Nur Afi , Khairunnisa Khairunnisa , Rahayu Yusmiana P. , Kusumaningtyas Mariska A. , Rustam Agustin , Suryono Devi D. , Salim Hadiwijaya L. , Sudirman Nasir , Daulat August , Purbani Dini , Kepel Terry L. , Adi Novi S. , Zulfikar Andi , Hidayat Wahyu
Published: October 2024

Mangroves could potentially contribute to global climate change adaptation and mitigation by absorbing carbon with large amounts and storing it in the sediment and biomass for a long time. The purpose of this study is to estimate the potential stock of carbon and sequestration in conserved and rehabilitated mangroves. It was conducted at four locations including Biduk-Biduk, Karimunjawa, Pati, and Indramayu. The allometric equations method was used to calculate the potency of carbon stock and sequestration in the mangrove. Results show that mangroves in conservation areas have higher carbon stock and sequestration than mangroves in rehabilitated areas. Mangrove in Karimunjawa has higher diversity but the total carbon stock are lower than Biduk- biduk which has total carbon storage of 1,266,997.73 Mg C which potentially absorb 4.65 t CO2e. Total carbon stock in Pati and Indramayu (rehabilitated mangroves) ranged from 2,878.31 to 43,885.63 Mg C which potentially absorb 0.01 to 0.16 t CO2e. Regression analysis showed a positive correlation between mangrove density and carbon stock in conserved and rehabilitated mangroves. The results show that conserved mangroves are more effective in absorbing and storing carbon than rehabilitated mangroves. Monitoring of rehabilitated mangroves is important to maintain and enhance carbon absorption and storage.
Innovation of Village-Owened Enterprises (BUMDes) to Improve the Economy of Village Communities in Bintan Regency
Authors: Afrizal Afrizal , Nazaki Nazaki , Winarti Novi , Darmawan Eki , Putra Ardi , Afnira Ella , Alif Farhan Adhe
Published: October 2024

Village-owned enterprises (BUMDes) are institutions within the village government that focus on the economic sector to grow and develop the village economy. The mandate of the Village Law makes BUMDes the main driver of the village economy. A growing village economy is expected to be a stimulus for national economic growth. This research aims to describe how innovations made by BUMDes in Bintan Regency in improving the village economy. The BUMDes that are the focus of this research are BUMDes with advanced categories in Bintan Regency, Riau Islands Province consisting of BUMDes Mitra Perdana Teluk Sasah Village, BUMDes Anugerah Ekang, Ekang Anculai Village and BUMDes Maju Bersama Teluk Bakau Village, Bintan Regency. This research used a descriptive qualitative approach. The results of this study found that BUMDes have innovated in increasing their income through the addition of business units through partnership programs with third parties. This partnership program succeeded in increasing production and expanding the market so as to increase income for BUMDes and directly impacted on Village Original Income (PADes).
The Battle of Interests between The Central Government and Local Governments: The Case of Drafting the Archipelagic Regions Law in Indonesia (2005-2014)
Authors: Arianto Bismar , Idiani Intan , Rahmi Khairi , Kustiawan Kustiawan , Charin Rizky Octa Putri , Adiputra Yudhanto S.
Published: October 2024

This paper discusses about conflict of interest between Central Government and local governments in the case of drafting the Archipelagic Regions Law in Indonesia (2005-2014). This study uses a qualitative approach using power interplay theory by Lowi (2009). The demands of archipelago region began in 2005 by requesting policy affirmation to The Central Government. The culmination of the archipelago region demands was the submission of the Draft Law on the Acceleration of Islands Regional Development to the House of Representatives in 2012-2013. Based on the research findings, there are several interests of the archipelagic regions in the submission of the Draft Law (RUU), as follows: the need for special regulations and the determination of budget allocations according to the characteristics of the archipelagic region. The Central Government’s rejection of the Draft Law (RUU) was based on the consideration that the substance of the demands of the archipelagic regions has been contained in various other laws, the phrase ‘archipelago’ is unidentify, recognised and regulated by international law of the sea and the 1945 Constitution. The conflict between the regional government of the eight islands and the central government occurred behind closed through government administration mechanisms and open conflicts through arguments in the mass media. Based on the findings of this research, the assumptions of power interplay theory are confirmed in the distributive policies model. In this model, the policy- making process tends to involve peaceful and collaborative negotiations. This is evident because there is no significant conflict between The Central Government and the islands in Indonesia. The impact of the rejection of Draft Law (RUU) on eight island regions is the inequality of development and the small development budget and many achievements of macro development indicators that are still below national achievements.
Clusterization aspects in the states of non-rotating and fast rotating nuclei
Authors: Afanasjev A.V.
Published: October 2024

The understanding of clustering aspects at the ground state of nuclei and in fast rotating ones within the framework of covariant density functional theory has been reviewed and reanalyzed. The appearance of many exotic nuclear shapes in nuclear chart can be inferred from combined analysis of nodal structure of the densities of the single-particle states and the evolution of such states in the Nilsson diagram with deformation and particle number. Such analysis which is supported by fully self-consistent calculations allows to predict the existence of nuclear configurations with specific shape or cluster properties at ground state and at high spin. For example, it indicates that in a given shell with principal quantum number N only the lowest in energy two-fold degenerate deformed state can contribute to the formation of linear chain α cluster structures.
Insights from multinucleon transfer reactions in 206Pb+118Sn
Authors: Diklić Josipa , Szilner Suzana , Corradi Lorenzo , Mijatović Tea , Pollarolo Giovanni , Colović Petra , Colucci Giulia , Fioretto Enrico , Galtarossa Franco , Goasduff Alain , Gottardo Andrea , Grebosz Jurek , Illana Sisón Andrés , Jaworski Grzegorz , Jurado-Gomez Maria de La Luz , Marchi Tommaso , Mengoni Daniele , Montagnoli Giovanna , Nurkić Deni , Siciliano Marco , Soić Neven , Stefanini Alberto M. , Testov Dimitry , Valiente-Dobon Jose Javier , Vukman Nikola
Published: October 2024

Multinucleon transfer reactions for the 206Pb +118 Sn system were measured at Elab = 1200 MeV using the PRISMA large solid-angle magnetic spectrometer. The experiment was conducted at laboratory angles around the grazing angle, covering an angular range of approximately 20°. The resulting differential and total cross sections, along with Q-value distributions for various neutron and proton pick-up and stripping channels, are presented. The Q-value distributions suggest a transition from quasi-elastic to deep inelastic collision processes, particularly in channels involving nucleon transfers. The experimental results have been compared with GRAZING code calculations, showing good agreement for few-nucleon transfer channels, while channels with large nucleon transfers are underestimated, indicating the involvement of more complex processes.
Research on short process rolling of high performance wear resistant steel/carbon steel clad plate
Authors: Lv Yanbing , Qiao Fuzhen , Song Jiayu , Huang Zhiquan , Jiang Lianyun
Published: October 2024

An innovative short process rolling has been proposed to produce high performance clad plates of wear-resistant steel/carbon steel with lower production costs. The NM400 and Q345B cast billet instead of traditional hot-rolled plates were chosen to prepare composite steel ingots. The interface morphology, microstructure, and mechanical properties of clad plates with 45%, 60%, and 70% reduction ratios were analyzed and detailed using metallographic microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that the improvement of the reduction ratio effectively promotes the grain refinement of clad plates and the metallurgical bonding of dissimilar metals. The bonding interface of the clad plate is straight and clear when the reduction ratio is 70%, the distribution of alloy elements is uniform, and the grain refinement is apparent. The tensile strength of the clad plate rolling by the short process rolling reaches 626 MPa, the bonding strength reaches 484 MPa, and the elongation reaches 21%. These results exceed national, international, and industry standards.
Interrogating whiteness in International Relations: Critical Examinations of Race and Racialised Power
Authors: Blackwell James , Carney Charlotte , Giri Keshab , Nair Davina , Scott Kate , Shepherd Laura J.
Published: October 2024

The dynamics of knowledge production in the discipline of international relations (IR) frequently reproduce problematic and outdated idea(l)s about what counts as ‘proper’ scholarship, with positivist research setting the standard for legitimacy. This essay challenges the racialised hierarchies that reproduce unreflective endorsement of these (white, Western) ‘standards’ of knowledge production. Our review begins with an elaboration of epistemic whiteness as the foundation for a critical examination of race and racialised power in the discipline. We provide a timely and necessary review of the dynamics of racialised power in IR to expand the parameters of debates about race, racism, and coloniality. We introduce the concepts of Indigeneity and intersectionality as tools we can use to destabilise whiteness in the discipline. We conclude our discussion by showing how these two concepts can enable potentially transformative re-imaginings of IR, as we hope to foster new and plural ways of thinking world politics otherwise.
“This story must be told:” unveiling environmental and social tapestry in Imbolo Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were
Authors: Velu Roopalakshmi , V Dr Rajasekaran
Published: October 2024

The article examines Imbolo Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were from the scant critical attention to the question of reading Oil Culture in the light of Climate Change within the context of ecocriticism and narratology. This novel is a powerful commentary on the environmental, social, and epistemic injustices inflicted upon the Kosawa people, whose lives hung between the crossfire of corporate greed and governmental corruption. Employing eco-narratology as a critical lens, this article delves into how Mbue’s storytelling reflects and critiques environmental injustices while advocating for collective resistance. By examining the interplay of narrative techniques and ecological themes, this article fills the gap of engaging with the detrimental effects of oil extraction on the environment in the context of climate change, which have been under the radar and considered as a form of spatial amnesia within the realm of oil fiction studies. By intertwining a cluster of concepts, including chronotope, memory, and environmental justice, this analysis enhances our understanding of contemporary petroculture and advocates for a shift in energy consumption and ecological responsibility discourse.
Predicting the microstructure of composite plates using deep learning based on thermal expansion
Authors: Zhang Faling , Wang Ziping
Published: October 2024

In this paper, we introduce a novel method to predict composite plate microstructures based on thermal expansion using deep learning. Traditional analysis methods are cumbersome and resource intensive. We created a detailed dataset from finite element simulations, capturing edge displacements during thermal expansion. This dataset feeds into our multilayer perceptron model, generating precise microstructure matrices. Our approach achieves high accuracy and efficiency, markedly reducing computational overhead. By combining deep learning with finite element analysis, we streamline predictions and enhance precision. This integrated approach serves as a potent tool for engineers and materials scientists, facilitating composite structure design and optimization.
The persistent DDT footprint of ocean disposal, and ecological controls on bioaccumulation in fishes
Authors: McGill Lillian , Sleugh Toni , Petrik Colleen , Schiff Kenneth , McLaughlin Karen , Aluwihare Lihini , Semmens Brice
Published: October 2024

Globally, ocean dumping of chemical waste is a common method of disposal and relies on the assumption that dilution, diffusion, and dispersion at ocean scales will mitigate human exposure and ecosystem impacts. In southern California, extensive dumping of agrochemical waste, particularly chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants such as DDT, via sewage outfalls and permitted offshore barging occurred for most of the last century. This study compiled a database of existing sediment and fish DDT measurements to examine how this unique legacy of regional ocean disposal translates into the contemporary contamination of the coastal ocean. We used spatiotemporal modeling to derive continuous estimates of sediment DDT contamination and show that the spatial signature of disposal (i.e., high loadings near historic dumping sites) is highly conserved in sediments. Moreover, we demonstrate that the proximity of fish to areas of high sediment loadings explained over half of the variation in fish DDT concentrations. The relationship between sediment and fish contamination was mediated by ecological predictors (e.g., species, trophic ecology, habitat use), and the relative influence of each predictor was context-dependent, with habitat exhibiting greater importance in heavily contaminated areas. Thus, despite more than half a century since the cessation of industrial dumping in the region, local ecosystem contamination continues to mirror the spatial legacy of dumping, suggesting that sediment can serve as a robust predictor of fish contamination, and general ecological characteristics offer a predictive framework for unmeasured species or locations.
The effects of Mid-Holocene foragers on the European oyster in Denmark
Authors: Robson Harry K. , Hausmann Niklas , Laurie Eva M. , Astrup Peter Moe , Povlsen Karen , Sørensen Søren A. , Andersen Søren H. , Milner Nicky
Published: October 2024

Oysters (Ostreidae) play a pivotal role in the health and productivity of marine ecosystems. Their unique ability to filter water, provide habitat, and contribute to nutrient cycling has remained underused in many parts of Europe following the destruction of vast oyster beds in the 19th and 20th centuries. The burgeoning field of oyster restoration for aquaculture has recognized the potential of these bivalves in promoting ecosystem resilience and enhancing biodiversity. Restoring oysters to previous levels requires the establishment of ecological baselines that ideally take into account the long-term changes of animal behavior as well as the surrounding environment prior to significant human intervention, an extremely challenging task. Archaeological shell middens are invaluable baseline archives and provide exclusive insights into past ecosystems. Here, we use demographic information from over 2,000 analyzed European oyster (
Ostrea edulis
) shells dating from ~5,660 to 2,600 cal BCE (calibrated years BCE), the largest archaeological growth rate dataset of mollusks yet. Through the analysis of size as well as ontogenetic age, we decouple anthropogenic from environmental impacts throughout Denmark. Our data show definitive influence of oyster size–age structure through human harvesting during the Mid-Holocene, with older oysters in the Mesolithic (mean: 4.9 y) than the Neolithic (mean: 3.7 y), irrespective of changes in growth rate. Furthermore, we present the metrics for long-term sustainable harvesting of oysters across environmental and socioeconomic transitions, providing demographic targets for current oyster restoration projects and valuable context in mitigating the impact of modern climatic change.
Seawater alkalization via an energy-efficient electrochemical process for CO
2
capture
Authors: Guan Xun , Zhang Ge , Li Jinlei , Kim Sang Cheol , Feng Guangxia , Li Yuqi , Cui Tony , Brest Adam , Cui Yi
Published: October 2024

Electrochemical pH-swing strategies offer a promising avenue for cost-effective and energy-efficient carbon dioxide (CO
2
) capture, surpassing the traditional thermally activated processes and humidity-sensitive techniques. The concept of elevating seawater’s alkalinity for scalable CO
2
capture without introducing additional chemical as reactant is particularly intriguing due to its minimal environmental impact. However, current commercial plants like chlor-alkali process or water electrolysis demand high thermodynamic voltages of 2.2 V and 1.23 V, respectively, for the production of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) from seawater. These high voltages are attributed to the asymmetric electrochemical reactions, where two completely different reactions take place at the anode and cathode. Here, we developed a symmetric electrochemical system for seawater alkalization based on a highly reversible and identical reaction taking place at the anode and cathode. We utilize hydrogen evolution reaction at the cathode, where the generated hydrogen is looped to the anode for hydrogen oxidation reaction. Theoretical calculations indicate an impressively low energy requirement ranging from 0.07 to 0.53 kWh/kg NaOH for established pH differences of 1.7 to 13.4. Experimentally, we achieved the alkalization with an energy consumption of 0.63 kWh/kg NaOH, which is only 38% of the theoretical energy requirements of the chlor-alkali process (1.64 kWh/kg NaOH). Further tests demonstrated the system’s potential of enduring high current densities (~20 mA/cm
2
) and operating stability over an extended period (>110 h), showing its potential for future applications. Notably, the CO
2
adsorption tests performed with alkalized seawater exhibited remarkably improved CO
2
capture dictated by the production of hydroxide compared to the pristine seawater.
Correlation of sub-centennial-scale pulses of initial Central Atlantic Magmatic Province lavas and the end-Triassic extinctions
Authors: Kent Dennis V. , Olsen Paul E. , Wang Huapei , Schaller Morgan F. , Et-Touhami Mohammed
Published: October 2024

The end-Triassic extinction (ETE) on land was synchronous with the initial lavas of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) and occurred just after the brief 26 thousand year (kyr) reverse geomagnetic polarity Chron E23r that can be used for global correlation. Lava-by-lava paleomagnetic secular variation data, previously reported from Morocco and northeastern United States combined with our data for the North Mountain Basalt from the Fundy Basin of Canada show that the initial phase of CAMP volcanism occurred in only five directional groups or pulses each occupying less than a century. The first four directional groups occur during a ~40 kyr period based on available astrochronology and U-Pb geochronology. The coincidence of the initial major pulse of CAMP volcanism with the ETE points to short-lived volcanic winters albedo-induced by sulfate aerosols as a plausible key agent of the extinctions in the tropical continental realm, whereas looser correlations allow prolonged CO
2
emissions to contribute to more long-ranging effects in the marine realm via ocean acidification and longer-term warming.