bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ammonium salts of microcrystalline cellulose-g-poly (acrylonitrile): toxicity, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Authors: Kenawy El-Refaie , Khattab Samar A. , Tenhu Heikki , Azaam Mohamed M.
Published: November 2023

Cellulose is an excellent starting material for the construction of bioactive polymers. In the present work, we have synthesized quaternized graft copolymers of cellulose and tested their biological properties. Cellulose was grafted with acrylonitrile in a cerium ion catalyzed reaction. High yield of the grafting reaction, 89%, was achieved. Next, the poly (acrylonitrile) chains were aminated using three different amines and finally, the amino functions were quaternized using methyl iodide. In addition to chemical and physical characterization of the polymers, several tests on their bioactive properties have been conducted. The polymers turned out to have good antioxidant properties, as assessed studying how they scavenge ABTS radicals. Anti-inflammatory properties were investigated by a membrane stabilization method. The results showed that the quaternized polymers had anti-inflammatory effects and the one aminated with tris(2-aminoethyl)amine was the most significant compared with indomethacin. The cytotoxicity was evaluated in vitro against HepG2 and WI-38 cell lines. All quaternized polymers showed moderate effects against the cancerous cell line HEPG2. On the other hand, their effect against normal fibroblast WI-38 was weak. The acute toxicity in vivo was evaluated for one of the polymers, for which the LD50was 6606 mg/kg. The high LD50indicates the polymer is relatively non-toxic, and will be considered in future for in vivo studies.

Graphical abstract
Blockchain-based biometric identity management
Authors: Salem Sherif Hamdy Gomaa , Hassan Ashraf Yehia , Moustafa Marwa S. , Hassan Mohamed Nabil
Published: November 2023

In recent years, face biometrics recognition systems are a wide space of a computer usage which is mostly employed for security purpose. The main purpose of the face biometrics recognition system is to authenticate a user from a given database. Due to the widespread expansion of the surveillance cameras and facial recognition technology, a robust face recognition system required. The recognition system needs to store a large number of training samples in any storage unit, that time hackers can access and control that data. So, Protecting and managing sensitive data is essential object. This requires a technique that preserve the privacy of individuals, maintain data integrity, and prevent information leakage. The storage of biometric templates on centralized servers has been associated with potential privacy risks. To address this issue, we have developed and implemented a proof-of-concept facial biometric identification system that uses a private Blockchain platform and smart contract technology. So, the proposed approach is presented a secure and tamper-proof from data breaches as well as hacks with data availability, by using the Blockchain platform to store face images. This paper aims to utilize Blockchain technology to identify individuals based on their biometric traits, specifically facial recognition system makes it tamper-proof (immutable) ensuring security. The system consists of enrolment and authentication phases. Blockchain technology uses peer-to-peer communication, cryptography, consensus processes, and smart contracts to ensure the security. The proposed approach was tested on two popular datasets: CelebFaces Attributes (CelebA) and large-scale face UTKFace datasets. The experimental results indicate that the system yields highly performance outcomes, as evidenced by the Equal Error Rate (EER) values of 0.05% and 0.07% obtained for the CelebA and UTKFace datasets, respectively. The system was compared to three baseline methods and scored the lowest Equal Error Rate.
Blockchain for energy efficiency training in the construction industry
Authors: Celik Yasin , Barbero Irini , Hodorog Andrei , Petri Ioan , Rezgui Yacine
Published: November 2023

The construction sector faces the urgent need to prioritize energy efficiency due to an increasingly stringent regulatory landscape in response to the climate change agenda. Central to this transition is the pivotal role of education in equipping professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills. Educational solutions have emerged as powerful tools for promoting awareness and interventions to mitigate climate change. This article provides a case study that highlights the successful utilisation of computer technology in delivering digital solutions to advance energy education and promote more informed energy practices in the construction industry. The utilisation of digital technologies can enhance collaborative efforts in energy efficiency training, which is of critical significance in ensuring the security, sovereignty, transparency, immutability, and decentralisation of interventions related to energy education. This paper presents a framework that utilises Blockchain technology to facilitate training labelling and authenticity based on smart contracts and mobile passports to provide a secure and efficient solution for the delivery of training and education in the energy domain. Our research examines the challenges and opportunities related to energy efficiency training within the construction industry. By integrating industry-specific insights, exemplifications, and case studies, we provide an in-depth understanding of the interconnection between energy efficiency education and digital solutions with the unique context of the construction industry. We underscore the importance of leveraging digital platforms as educational tools to foster a deeper understanding and adoption of energy-efficient practices. We demonstrate that educational solutions play a pivotal role in driving awareness and interventions for mitigating climate change, greatly empowering individuals and organizations to adopt energy-efficient practices and to address sustainability objectives.
A Numerical Algorithm for Calculating Critical Points and Its Application to Predictive Mixture Models and Binary CO$$_2$$ Mixtures
Authors: Rath Sebastian , Gampe Uwe , Jäger Andreas
Published: November 2023

The use of supercritical fluids in technical applications requires an accurate knowledge of their critical points. For mixtures, these can deviate significantly and without a linear dependency from the critical points of its individual pure components. Since even small amounts of admixture can have noticeable effects, this not only concerns blends of targeted compositions, but also unintentional mixtures for example caused by impurities. Within this work, a method for the calculation of critical points is presented which focuses on numerical robustness promoting a fast and reliable generation of results. Implemented into the thermodynamic property software TREND, with its mixture modeling capabilities, the method allows a flexible combination of different equations of state and mixture models which also includes predictive approaches. Against the background of an increasing relevance of mixtures based on supercritical CO$$_2$$

2

(sCO$$_2$$

2

) for energy applications, critical lines are calculated and compared against experimental results for selected sCO$$_2$$

2

-based mixtures recently considered for power plant applications. Herein, several combinations of equations of state (EoS) and mixture models are compared. Critical lines are calculated for the first time in this work with the combination of the multi-fluid mixture model with excess Gibbs energy ($$g^\text {E}$$

g
E

) models. It was found that the critical lines calculated with the combination of the multi-fluid mixture model with the $$g^\text {E}$$

g
E

-model COSMO-SAC yields good predictive results for the investigated CO$$_2$$

2

mixtures.
Attraction Versus Repulsion Between Doublons or Holons in Mott-Hubbard Systems
Authors: Queisser Friedemann , Schaller Gernot , Schützhold Ralf
Published: November 2023

For the Mott insulator state of the Fermi-Hubbard model in the strong-coupling limit, we study the interaction between quasi-particles in the form of doublons and holons. Comparing different methods – the hierarchy of correlations, strong-coupling perturbation theory, and exact analytic solutions for the Hubbard tetramer – we find an effective interaction between doublons and/or holons to linear order in the hopping strength which can display attractive as well as repulsive contributions, depending on the involved momenta. Finally, we speculate about the implications of our findings for high-temperature superconductivity.
Impact of Prescription Medicines on Work-Related Outcomes in Workers with Musculoskeletal Disorders or Injuries: A Systematic Scoping Review
Authors: Tefera Yonas Getaye , Gray Shannon , Nielsen Suzanne , Gelaw Asmare , Collie Alex
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Medicines are often prescribed to workers with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and injuries to relieve pain and facilitate their recovery and return to work. However, there is a growing concern that prescription medicines may have adverse effects on work function. This scoping review aimed to summarize the existing empirical evidence on prescription medicine use by workers with MSD or injury and its relationship with work-related outcomes.

Methods

We identified studies through structured searching of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane library databases, and via searching of dissertations, theses, and grey literature databases. Studies that examined the association between prescription medicine and work-related outcomes in working age people with injury or MSDs, and were published in English after the year 2000 were eligible.

Results

From the 4884 records identified, 65 studies were included for review. Back disorders and opioids were the most commonly studied musculoskeletal conditions and prescription medicines, respectively. Most studies showed a negative relationship between prescription medicines and work outcomes. Opioids, psychotropics and their combination were the most common medicines associated with adverse work outcomes. Opioid prescriptions with early initiation, long-term use, strong and/or high dose and extended pre- and post-operative use in workers’ compensation setting were consistently associated with adverse work function. We found emerging but inconsistent evidence that skeletal muscle relaxants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were associated with unfavorable work outcomes.

Conclusion

Opioids and other prescription medicines might be associated with adverse work outcomes. However, the evidence is conflicting and there were relatively fewer studies on non-opioid medicines. Further studies with more robust design are required to enable more definitive exploration of causal relationships and settle inconsistent evidence.
Which Way Does Time Go? Differences in Expert and Novice Representations of Temporal Information at Extreme Scales Interferes with Novice Understanding of Graphs
Authors: Resnick Ilyse , Chapman Elizabeth Louise , Shipley Thomas F.
Published: November 2023

Visual representations of data are widely used for communication and understanding, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, despite their importance, many people have difficulty understanding data-based visualizations. This work presents a series of three studies that examine how understanding time-based Earth-science data visualizations are influenced by scale and the different directions time can be represented (e.g., the Geologic Time Scale represents time moving from bottom-to-top, whereas many calendars represent time moving left-to-right). In Study 1, 316 visualizations from two top scholarly geoscience journals were analyzed for how time was represented. These expert-made graphs represented time in a range of ways, with smaller timescales more likely to be represented as moving left-to-right and larger scales more likely to be represented in other directions. In Study 2, 47 STEM novices were recruited from an undergraduate psychology experiment pool and asked to construct four separate graphs representing change over two scales of time (Earth’s history or a single day) and two phenomena (temperature or sea level). Novices overwhelmingly represented time moving from left-to-right, regardless of scale. In Study 3, 40 STEM novices were shown expert-made graphs where the direction of time varied. Novices had difficulty interpreting the expert-made graphs when time was represented moving in directions other than left-to-right. The study highlights the importance of considering representations of time and scale in STEM education and offers insights into how experts and novices approach visualizations. The findings inform the development of educational resources and strategies to improve students’ understanding of scientific concepts where time and space are intrinsically related.
Radioluminescence mapping of 241Am-doped environmental samples and nuclear materials
Authors: Luchkov Maksym , Olaru Claudia , Lalau Ioana , Zadehrafi Mastaneh , Nikolényi István Róbert , Gémesi Zoltán , Ioan Mihail-Razvan , Krasniqi Faton
Published: November 2023

In the framework of the project RemoteALPHA, several radioluminescence scanning systems were developed to establish the metrological basis for the optical detection of alpha-emitting radionuclides. This work demonstrates an application of the ultraviolet imaging system for the characterization of low-activity alpha sources: contaminated environmental samples, and nuclear materials featuring depleted uranium. The measurements were performed at a reference distance of 2 m from the source. The weakest samples were measured in a chamber with an N2 + NO gas atmosphere. Using the scanning method, the total surface activity was calculated for analyzed samples, with the lowest reported value of just 51 Bq.
Identification of stably expressed microRNAs in plasma from high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma and benign tumor patients
Authors: Petersen Patrick H.D. , Lopacinska-Jørgensen Joanna , Høgdall Claus K. , Høgdall Estrid V.
Published: November 2023

Background

Ovarian cancer is a lethal gynecological cancer and no reliable minimally invasive early diagnosis tools exist. High grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is often diagnosed at advanced stages, resulting in poorer outcome than those diagnosed in early stage. Circulating microRNAs have been investigated for their biomarker potential. However, due to lack of standardization methods for microRNA detection, there is no consensus, which microRNAs should be used as stable endogenous controls. We aimed to identify microRNAs that are stably expressed in plasma of HGSOC and benign ovarian tumor patients.

Methods and results

We isolated RNA from plasma samples of 60 HGSOC and 48 benign patients. RT-qPCR was accomplished with a custom panel covering 40 microRNAs and 8 controls. Stability analysis was performed using five algorithms: Normfinder, geNorm, Delta-Ct, BestKeeper and RefFinder using an R-package; RefSeeker developed by our study group [1]. Among 41 analyzed RNAs, 13 were present in all samples and eligible for stability analysis. Differences between stability rankings were observed across algorithms. In HGSOC samples, hsa-miR-126-3p and hsa-miR-23a-3p were identified as the two most stable miRNAs. In benign samples, hsa-miR-191-5p and hsa-miR-27a-3p were most stable. In the combined HGSOC and benign group, hsa-miR-23a-3p and hsa-miR-27a-3p were identified by both the RefFinder and Normfinder analysis as the most stable miRNAs.

Conclusions

Consensus regarding normalization approaches in microRNA studies is needed. The choice of endogenous microRNAs used for normalization depends on the histological content of the cohort. Furthermore, normalization also depends on the algorithms used for stability analysis.
Pioglitazone attenuates tamoxifen-induced liver damage in rats via modulating Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 and SIRT1/Notch1 signaling pathways: In-vivo investigations, and molecular docking analysis
Authors: Kamel Gellan Alaa Mohamed , Elariny Hemat A.
Published: November 2023

Background

Tamoxifen (TAM) is a chemotherapeutic drug widely utilized to treat breast cancer. On the other hand, it exerts deleterious cellular effects in clinical applications as an antineoplastic agent, such as liver damage and cirrhosis. TAM-induced hepatic toxicity is mainly attributed to oxidative stress and inflammation. Pioglitazone (PIO), a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) agonist, is utilized to treat diabetes mellitus type-2. PIO has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in different tissues. This research assessed the impact of PIO against TAM-induced hepatic intoxication.

Methods

Rats received PIO (10 mg/kg) and TAM (45 mg/kg) orally for 10 days.

Results

TAM increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triggered several histopathological alterations, NF-κB p65, increased hepatic oxidative stress, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. PIO protects against TAM-induced liver dysfunction, reduced malondialdehyde (MDA), and pro-inflammatory markers along with improved hepatic antioxidants. Moreover, PIO, increased hepatic Bcl-2 expression while reducing Bax expression and caspase-3 levels. In addition, PIO decreased Keap-1, Notch1, and Hes-1 while upregulated HO-1, Nrf2, and SIRT1. Molecular docking showed the binding affinity of PIO for Keap-1, NF-κB, and SIRT1.

Conclusion

PIO mitigated TAM hepatotoxicity by decreasing apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress. The protecting ability of PIO was accompanied by reducing Keap-1 and NF-κB and regulating Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 and Sirt1/Notch1 signaling.

Graphical abstract

A schematic diagram illustrating the protective effect of PIO against TAM hepatotoxicity. PIO prevented TAM-induced liver injury by regulating Nrf2/HO-1 and SIRT1/Notch1 signaling and mitigating oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis.
In a nutshell: almond hull and shell organic matter amendments increase soil and tree potassium status
Authors: Andrews Ellie M. , Rivers Daniel J. , Gaudin Amélie C. M. , Geisseler Daniel , Brown Patrick H. , Khalsa Sat Darshan S.
Published: November 2023

Background

Crop residues used as organic matter amendments have been shown to release potassium (K) into the soil, promoting K cycling in agronomic systems. Orchard field trials are needed to evaluate K dynamics under almond hull and shell amendments, which contain high K concentrations.

Methods

Three field trials in commercial almond orchards were conducted to assess the effects of surface-applied almond hull and shell amendments on K cycling within plant and soil systems. Amendment K concentrations over time, soil exchangeable K, and tree K status were measured as well as decomposition rate and crop yield.

Results

Hulls and shells released K rapidly under irrigation and rainfall, significantly increasing soil exchangeable K in the upper 0–10 cm soil within 2–7 weeks. Amendments increased tree leaf K status within the first 1–3 years to varying degrees depending on site. Initial amendment K concentrations decreased by at least half by dry weight within the first 25.4 cm (10 inches) of water (irrigation and precipitation) within the irrigated zone.

Conclusions

Almond hulls and shells can increase soil and plant K status when used as amendments on the soil surface. This practice can address byproduct utilization issues, recycle potassium (K), and reduce orchard K fertilizer demand by replacing the majority of tree K demand. Growers can tailor application rates to meet orchard-specific K management goals. Off-ground harvest preserved the hull/shell organic layer over time and maximized K cycling. Hull/shell amendments applied on the soil surface cover more soil area within the irrigated wetted zone compared to banded K fertilizer. This practice can reduce reliance on K fertilizers and reduce associated costs while providing a convenient outlet for hulls and shells.
Defiant conformists: gender and resistance against genocide
Authors: Stallone Kiran , Braun Robert
Published: November 2023

This article argues that college-educated women play a crucial part in successful resistance against genocide because they are more likely to forge secure interregional networks and, consequently, better able to shelter victims of mass-persecution than their male peers. We develop our argument through a study of Jewish rescue networks in the Netherlands during the Holocaust. College-educated women were especially valuable during rescue efforts due to their ability to operate as defiant conformists. These women – a small minority who were anything but traditional – could more fully exploit their biographical availability and university networks by concealing interregional resistance work through the strategic performance of traditional feminine roles. Statistical analyses of geocoded rescue networks reveal that rescue networks involving college-educated women were more successful because they funneled Jews across the country without getting exposed. More in-depth exploration of distinct networks identifies three dramaturgical strategies that college-educated women deployed to facilitate clandestine and geographically expansive rescue work: 1) strategic coquetry; 2) strategic self-devaluation; 3) strategic motherhood and wedlock. Taken together, our findings suggest we should focus on how gender and other forms of social status interact to produce the relational and dramaturgical underpinnings of civilian agency in times of emergency.
Evolution of number of citations per article in Materials Science: possible causes and effect on the impact factor of journals
Authors: Ariza-Guerrero Ana M. , Blázquez J. Sebastián
Published: November 2023

An overall rise in the citation parameters used in the metrics of scientific publications (i.e. journal impact factor, JIF) has taken place since the last decade of the previous century, coinciding with the electronic distribution of (and access to) scientific literature. This inflation like tendency is herein analyzed in the area of Materials Science and also affects the number of publications. Considering average JIF values, its growth is proportional to the number of publications in the area and to its JIF value, leading to an inhomogeneous boost that preferentially benefits those journals with high JIF. An elevation in the number of publications per year alone cannot explain this behavior but it occurs due to a continuous and widespread increment in the number of citations per article, which only remains limited when restrictions are applied by journals to the maximum number of pages per article. In this work we observe this positive correlation between the increase in the number of references per article and the overall increase in JIF but, in our analysis, a kink point is observed in consistency with the appearance of online databases, particularly those free available in 2004. Online databases along with the widespread of open access publishing option made the research content easily available to the scientific community contributing to an increasing trend (without apparent saturation) in the number of articles used to contextualize the new scientific contributions.
Privacy-preserving and lossless distributed estimation of high-dimensional generalized additive mixed models
Authors: Daniel Schalk , Bernd Bischl , David Rügamer
Published: November 2023

Various privacy-preserving frameworks that respect the individual’s privacy in the analysis of data have been developed in recent years. However, available model classes such as simple statistics or generalized linear models lack the flexibility required for a good approximation of the underlying data-generating process in practice. In this paper, we propose an algorithm for a distributed, privacy-preserving, and lossless estimation of generalized additive mixed models (GAMM) using component-wise gradient boosting (CWB). Making use of CWB allows us to reframe the GAMM estimation as a distributed fitting of base learners using the$$L_2$$L2-loss. In order to account for the heterogeneity of different data location sites, we propose a distributed version of a row-wise tensor product that allows the computation of site-specific (smooth) effects. Our adaption of CWB preserves all the important properties of the original algorithm, such as an unbiased feature selection and the feasibility to fit models in high-dimensional feature spaces, and yields equivalent model estimates as CWB on pooled data. Next to a derivation of the equivalence of both algorithms, we also showcase the efficacy of our algorithm on a distributed heart disease data set and compare it with state-of-the-art methods.
Point process simulation of generalised hyperbolic Lévy processes
Authors: Kındap Yaman , Godsill Simon
Published: November 2023

Generalised hyperbolic (GH) processes are a class of stochastic processes that are used to model the dynamics of a wide range of complex systems that exhibit heavy-tailed behavior, including systems in finance, economics, biology, and physics. In this paper, we present novel simulation methods based on subordination with a generalised inverse Gaussian (GIG) process and using a generalised shot-noise representation that involves random thinning of infinite series of decreasing jump sizes. Compared with our previous work on GIG processes, we provide tighter bounds for the construction of rejection sampling ratios, leading to improved acceptance probabilities in simulation. Furthermore, we derive methods for the adaptive determination of the number of points required in the associated random series using concentration inequalities. Residual small jumps are then approximated using an appropriately scaled Brownian motion term with drift. Finally the rejection sampling steps are made significantly more computationally efficient through the use of squeezing functions based on lower and upper bounds on the Lévy density. Experimental results are presented illustrating the strong performance under various parameter settings and comparing the marginal distribution of the GH paths with exact simulations of GH random variates. The new simulation methodology is made available to researchers through the publication of a Python code repository.
Developing the Additive Manufacturing Chain of AlSi7Mg with Laser Powder Bed Fusion and Tailored Heat Treatments for Railway Spare Parts
Authors: Tassa Oriana , Colaneri Alessandro , Fransesini Leonardo , Sammartino Federica , Demir Ali Gökhan
Published: November 2023

The use of metal additive manufacturing technologies in railways sector can provide increased flexibility in terms of spare part logistics. Combined with lightweight metals such as Al-alloys, the product performance can also be enhanced in terms of weight reduction, vibration and noise control. The railway sector is more likely to exploit large and bulky parts produced by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), which should have appropriate mechanical properties. Therefore, the whole production chain should be analyzed considering the heat treatment steps suited for a distributed and resource efficient manufacturing scheme. Accordingly, this work analyzes the additive manufacturing of AlSi7Mg alloy by LPBF and its consecutive heat treatment steps. In particular, the impact of LPBF process productivity, heat treatment type and atmosphere composition were considered to analyze the most appropriate route for the needs of the railways applications. The results show that with an appropriate direct aging treatment in air, mechanical characteristics of the alloy could be improved, despite that the high layer thickness used in LPBF could increase process productivity. The absence of a quenching step was found to be favorable for large parts, while the absence of an inert gas such as Ar in the heat treatment did not generate any reduction in the mechanical properties.
Improve the management of cancer-related cognitive impairment in clinical settings: a European Delphi study
Authors: Duivon Mylène , Lange Marie , Binarelli Giulia , Lefel Johan , Hardy-Léger Isabelle , Kiasuwa-Mbengi Régine , Méric Jean-Baptiste , Charles Cécile , Joly Florence
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is under-addressed by healthcare professionals owing to a lack of clinical management guidelines. This European Delphi study proposes recommendations to healthcare professionals for the management of CRCI in patients with non-central nervous system (non-CNS) cancers.

Methods

Twenty-two recommendations were developed based on a literature review and authors’ clinical experience, split into three categories: screening, cognitive assessment, intervention. The survey included European professionals, experts in CRCI. The Delphi method was used: experts rated the clinical relevancy of recommendations on a 9-point Likert scale in three rounds. A recommendation was accepted if all votes were between 7 and 9. Recommendations not accepted in round 1 and round 2 were deleted, or modified and rated in round 3.

Results

Eighteen professionals (psychologists, physicians, researchers) voted and accepted 15 recommendations. Experts recommended the systematic screening of CRCI, followed by a short objective cognitive assessment, if complaints screened. A comprehensive evaluation is recommended if CRCI persists 6 months post-treatment. Cognitive rehabilitation, physical activity, meditative-movement therapy, and multimodal intervention should be offered. Recommendations about frequency and duration of interventions, the professional to administer cognitive rehabilitation and the use of meditation and cognitive training without psychoeducation were not accepted.

Conclusions

This survey provides 15 recommendations to assist healthcare professionals in detecting, assessing and offering interventions for CRCI.

Implications for cancer survivors

These recommendations should be included in supportive care to help healthcare professionals to detect CRCI and propose the best available intervention for patients with cognitive complaints. Developing CRCI management in clinical settings would improve patients’ quality of life.
Generative AI and Author Remuneration
Authors: Senftleben Martin
Published: November 2023

With the evolution of generative AI systems, machine-made productions in the literary and artistic field have reached a level of refinement that allows them to replace human creations. The increasing sophistication of AI systems will inevitably disrupt the market for human literary and artistic works. Generative AI systems provide literary and artistic output much faster and cheaper. It is therefore foreseeable that human authors will be exposed to substitution effects. They may lose income as they are replaced by machines in sectors ranging from journalism and writing to music and visual arts. Considering this trend, the question arises whether it is advisable to take measures to compensate human authors for the reduction in their market share and income. Copyright law could serve as a tool to introduce an AI levy system and ensure the payment of equitable remuneration. In combination with mandatory collective rights management, the new revenue stream could be used to finance social and cultural funds that improve the working and living conditions of flesh-and-blood authors.
Lay Theologians as Experts in the Early Modern Period
Authors: Martin Lucinda
Published: November 2023

In the Early Modern period, many professions, including theology, did not yet have systems to validate expertise. Some laypeople were able to acquire deep theological knowledge or have more impact than church-ordained theologians. The Reformation promoted the idea of a »Priesthood of Believers,« but it remained little developed, since clergy continued to administer sacraments. Lay activity surged in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries under the influence of spiritualists, who believed that all things are connected by the Divine, and thus, that people do not need clergy to access God. Christian theosophers saw nature as divine revelation, and their study of the natural world also began to undermine traditional theology. Since through confessionalization, state and church power were deeply intertwined, the state tried to enforce adherence to confession. The attempts of the early modern state to define who could act as a theologian have left traces in modern historiography.
The moderating effect of resting heart rate variability on the relationship between pain catastrophizing and depressed mood: an empirical study
Authors: Kocsel Natália , Galambos Attila , Szőke Júlia , Kökönyei Gyöngyi
Published: November 2023

Previous research indicated that pain catastrophizing—a negative emotional and cognitive response toward actual or anticipated pain—could contribute to pain intensity and could be associated with depressive symptoms not just in chronic pain patients but in healthy population as well. Accumulated evidence suggests that resting heart rate variability (HRV) as a putative proxy of emotion regulation could moderate the association of self-reported pain catastrophizing and depressed mood. In the present cross-sectional study, we investigated these associations in a healthy young adult sample controlling for the effect of trait rumination. Seventy-two participants (58 females, mean age = 22.2 ± 1.79 years ranging from 19 to 28 years old) completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale and the Ruminative Response Scale. Resting HRV was measured by time domain metric of HRV, the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD). The results showed that the relationship between pain catastrophizing and depressive symptoms is significantly moderated by resting HRV (indexed by lnRMSSD). Specifically, in participants with higher resting HRV there was no significant relationship between the two investigated variables, while in participants with relatively low or medium HRV pain catastrophizing and depressed mood showed significant positive association. The relationship remained significant after controlling for sex, age and trait rumination. These results might indicate that measuring pain catastrophizing and depressive symptoms is warranted in non-clinical samples as well and higher resting HRV could have a buffer or protective role against depressive symptoms.
Water quality criteria derivation and ecological risk assessment for ibuprofen, a common antifever drug in China
Authors: Liu Shuai , Zhou Xingzheng , Wang Zhijian , Xie Dan , Li Zhengyan
Published: November 2023

Ibuprofen, an extensively consumed antifever drug, has been inevitably recorded in various aquatic environments in China. However, water quality criteria (WQC) are rarely derived, thereby hindering the ecological risk assessment for this emerging pollutant. This study, therefore, aims to determine the WQC for IBU by screening toxicity data of freshwater and seawater species residing in China and simulating the species sensitivity distribution curves. The ecological risk of IBU in the aquatic environment of China was subsequently assessed through hazard quotient and margin of safety at 10% methods. A total of 15 acute and 9 chronic toxicity data were collected from the literature, and the acute and chronic WQC for IBU were derived as 7.6 mg/L and 2.9 μg/L, respectively. The ecological risk of IBU was generally negligible, with 21.4% of the waters in China at low chronic risk. The long-term effects and environmental existence of IBU, however, warrant further concern considering the shortage of ecotoxicology data and the popularity of usage for this well-known pharmaceutical.
Tokens and Social Life in Roman Imperial Italy
Authors: Rowan Clare
Published: November 2023

Tokens are underutilised artefacts from the ancient world, but as everyday objects they were key in mediating human interactions. This book provides an accessible introduction to tokens from Roman Italy. It explores their role in the creation of imperial imagery, as well as what they can reveal about the numerous identities that existed in different communities within Rome and Ostia. It is clear that tokens carried imagery that was connected to the emotions and experiences of different festivals, and that they were designed to act upon their users to provoke particular reactions. Tokens bear many similarities to ancient Roman currency, but also possess important differences. The tokens of Roman Italy were objects used by a wide variety of groups for particular events or moments in time; their designs reveal experiences and individuals otherwise lost to history. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Diagnostic stewardship and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: Lessons learned for prevention of emerging infectious diseases in acute-care settings
Authors: Epstein Lauren , Diekema Daniel J. , Morgan Daniel J. , Fakih Mohamad G. , Lee Francesca , Gottlieb Lindsey , Leung Elizabeth , Yen Christina , Sullivan Kaede V. , Hayden Mary K.
Published: November 2023

Executive summary

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has demonstrated the importance of stewardship of viral diagnostic tests to aid infection prevention efforts in healthcare facilities. We highlight diagnostic stewardship lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss how diagnostic stewardship principles can inform management and mitigation of future emerging pathogens in acute-care settings. Diagnostic stewardship during the COVID-19 pandemic evolved as information regarding transmission (eg, routes, timing, and efficiency of transmission) became available. Diagnostic testing approaches varied depending on the availability of tests and when supplies and resources became available. Diagnostic stewardship lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic include the importance of prioritizing robust infection prevention mitigation controls above universal admission testing and considering preprocedure testing, contact tracing, and surveillance in the healthcare facility in certain scenarios. In the future, optimal diagnostic stewardship approaches should be tailored to specific pathogen virulence, transmissibility, and transmission routes, as well as disease severity, availability of effective treatments and vaccines, and timing of infectiousness relative to symptoms. This document is part of a series of papers developed by the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America on diagnostic stewardship in infection prevention and antibiotic stewardship.1
Direct numerical simulation of a zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layer with passive scalars up to Prandtl number Pr = 6
Authors: Balasubramanian Arivazhagan G. , Guastoni Luca , Schlatter Philipp , Vinuesa Ricardo
Published: November 2023

The objective of the present study is to provide a numerical database of thermal boundary layers and to contribute to the understanding of the dynamics of passive scalars at different Prandtl numbers. In this regard, a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of an incompressible zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layer is performed with the Reynolds number based on momentum thickness

${\textit {Re}}_{\theta }$

ranging up to

$1080$

. Four passive scalars, characterized by the Prandtl numbers

${\textit {Pr}} = 1,2,4,6$

are simulated using the pseudo-spectral code SIMSON (Chevalier et al., SIMSON : a pseudo-spectral solver for incompressible boundary layer flows. Tech. Rep. TRITA-MEK 2007:07. KTH Mechanics, Stockholm, Sweden, 2007). To the best of our knowledge, the present DNS provides the thermal boundary layer with the highest Prandtl number available in the literature. It corresponds to that of water at

${\sim }24\,^{\circ }{\rm C}$

, when the fluid temperature is considered as a passive scalar. Turbulence statistics for the flow and thermal fields are computed and compared with available numerical simulations at similar Reynolds numbers. The mean flow and scalar profiles, root-mean-squared velocity and scalar fluctuations, turbulent heat flux, turbulent Prandtl number and higher-order statistics agree well with the numerical data reported in the literature. Furthermore, the pre-multiplied two-dimensional spectra of the velocity and of the passive scalars are computed, providing a quantitative description of the energy distribution at the different length scales for various wall-normal locations. The energy distribution of the heat-flux fields at the wall is concentrated on longer temporal structures with increasing Prandtl number. This is due to the thinner thermal boundary layer as thermal diffusivity decreases and, thereby, the longer temporal structures exhibit a different footprint at the wall.
Wall cooling effect on spectra and structures of thermodynamic variables in hypersonic turbulent boundary layers
Authors: Xu Dehao , Wang Jianchun , Chen Shiyi
Published: November 2023

The wall cooling effect on the spectra and structures of thermodynamic variables are investigated in hypersonic turbulent boundary layers. The density and temperature can be divided into the acoustic and entropic modes based on the Kovasznay decomposition. The intensities of the pressure and the acoustic modes of density and temperature attain the maximum values near the wall, while those of the entropy and the entropic modes of density and temperature achieve their primary peaks near the edge of the boundary layer. In the near-wall region, the pressure and the acoustic modes of density and temperature are significantly enhanced when the wall is strongly cooled, which can be attributed to the appearance of the travelling-wave-like alternating positive and negative structures. Moreover, the intensities of the entropy and the entropic modes of density and temperature become stronger near the wall as the wall temperature decreases, due to the appearance of the streaky entropic structures (SES). The SES are mainly caused by the advection effect of the strong positive wall-normal gradient of the mean temperature associated with ejection and sweep events. It is also found that the profiles of the intensities of the entropy, density and temperature are similar to each other far from the wall, which is mainly due to the reason that the entropic modes are dominant in the fluctuating density and temperature in the far-wall region. The acoustic modes of density and temperature only have significant contributions in the near-wall region.
Law Libraries in the Information Age: A Critical Perspective
Authors: Kunkel Rebecca
Published: November 2023

This article traces the influence of theories of the information society, originating in the post-industrial theory of Daniel Bell, on developments in law librarianship. It argues that the main thrust of this influence has been to foster a conservative professional culture that emphasizes individual professional development and technological solutions in lieu of critical engagement with the political and economic forces responsible for eroding public and collective norms.
Smurfing in Electronic Banking: A Legal Investigation of the Potential for Transnational Money Laundering
Authors: Thommandru Abhishek
Published: November 2023

Money laundering is a serious crime that is often associated with organized crime, terrorism, and other illegal activities, often by transferring them through a series of financial transactions and institutions. In this study, the researchers focused on detecting a specific type of money laundering called “smurfing”, which involves breaking up large amounts of money into smaller transactions. The growing market for banking services and the intense competition among banks has led to a shift towards electronic banking. This shift is driven by changes in the way that customers use banking services and the advancements in technology. Electronic banking offers several benefits, such as faster transaction processing and the ability to avoid waiting in line at physical branches. However, it also carries risks, including the potential for electronic payment systems to be used for money laundering. With the development of technology, money laundering can now be done through online betting and casino platforms, as well as through the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies. This article aims to explore the ways in which electronic payment systems, online gambling, and cryptocurrencies can be used to launder illegally acquired money.
Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White: Providence Against the Evils of Propriety
Authors: Meckier Jerome
Published: November 2023

The tendency persists to separate the artful storyteller in Collins from the less successful thesis novelist. Like Wells and, to a lesser degree, Lawrence, Collins developed too strong a sense of mission. Beginning with Man and Wife, his novels seem encumbered with social protest. Collins's “old-fashioned” opinions, especially the remark that the “primary object of a work of fiction should be to tell a story,” are frequently quoted to reduce the skilful storyteller to a mere entertainer. Storytelling in The Woman in White is, of course, superb; but for once the novelist of sensation and suspense utilized his narrative skills to advance an idea important to himself and of consequence nationally: his conviction that the worship of propriety had become, by 1870, one of the besetting evils of Victorian life. In The Woman in White, Collins combines his talent for melodrama with just enough of the social critic, even if the Victorian eventually upstages the dissident moralist: the way things happen, the novelist argues, is ultimately determined not by propriety, man's law, but by providence, which may by God's.
Lloyd George's Acquisition of the Daily Chronicle in 1918
Authors: McEwen J. M.
Published: November 2023

Five weeks before the armistice in November 1918 an unprecedented thing happened in Britain. The control of a modern popular newspaper passed from private ownership into the hands of the prime minister of the day. Ever since David Lloyd George assumed the premiership twenty-two months earlier there were signs aplenty that relations between Downing Street and Fleet Street had entered a new era. But the sale of the Daily Chronicle to agents of the head of the government went far beyond custom or precedent. Lloyd George's immediate predecessors had remained old-fashioned even in the face of the press revolution wrought by the likes of Sir George Newnes and Alfred Harmsworth (immortalized as Lord Northcliffe). The phenomenon of mass-circulation newspapers had little appeal to great aristocrats like Lord Salisbury and Lord Rosebery, who were very selective in their dealings with Fleet Street. Likewise Herbert Henry Asquith scarcely troubled to hide his Balliol-bred contempt, ever preferring quality journalism to quantity, while Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman seems not to have exerted himself unduly to cultivate and exploit the good will of editors and proprietors.