bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monitoring dynamic water content, bulk density, and heat and water fluxes in the critical zone with thermo‐time domain reflectometry sensors
Authors: Lu Yili , Liu Yutong , Peng Wei , Fu Yongwei , Ren Tusheng , Heitman Joshua , Horton Robert
Published: December 2024

A thermo‐time domain reflectometry (thermo‐TDR) sensor combines a heat‐pulse sensor with a TDR waveguide to simultaneously measure coupled processes of water, heat, and solute transfer. The sensor can provide repeated in situ measurements of several soil state properties (temperature, soil water content, and ice content), thermal properties (thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, heat capacity), and electromagnetic properties (dielectric constant and bulk electrical conductivity) with minimal soil disturbance. Combined with physical or empirical models, structural indicators, such as bulk density and air‐filled porosity, can be derived from measured soil thermal and electrical properties. Successful applications are available to determine fine‐scale heat, water, and vapor fluxes with thermo‐TDR sensors. Applications of thermo‐TDR sensors in complicated scenarios, such as heterogeneous root zones and saline environments, are also possible. Therefore, the multi‐functional uses of thermo‐TDR sensors are invaluable for in situ observations of several soil physical properties and processes in critical zone soils.
Numerical analysis of unconditional positivity‐preserving method for age‐structured HIV models with antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Yan Tianhao , Chen Zhijie , Yang Zhanwen
Published: December 2024

Currently, HIV is becoming an important topic in disease research and antiretroviral therapy (RT) has been widely used as a reliable treatment. Considering the significance of T cell duration of infection in the RT, we develop a fully implicit numerical method for non‐linear age‐structured HIV models to evaluate the impact of various therapies on the state of illness and system equilibrium in this paper. It is proved that such a numerical method unconditionally preserves the positivity (namely the biological meanings). Based on RT, the boundedness of the exact solutions in any finite time interval is investigated through the virus satisfies integro‐differential equations. Moreover, with the study of the uniform boundedness of numerical solutions, it is shown that the numerical solutions converge to the exact ones with accuracy of order 1. Meanwhile, the key contribution of this paper is the numerical replication of the long‐time behavior for HIV models. In detail, a numerical threshold, a numerical basic reproduction number , is obtained in the sense that the disease‐free equilibrium is locally asymptotically stable for and the existence and stability of the numerical epidemic equilibrium are also presented for . Definitely, the numerical basic reproduction number is not a quadrature to the exact one, but its 1‐order convergence is also discussed in a similar approach. Therefore, by numerical experiments, we illustrate the asymptotic behaviors in different protease inhibitors. Further, we show the effect of RT on the basic reproduction number to reveal such asymptotic stability may transform with different therapies.
Assessment of the Tropospheric Delay Coefficients at Co-located Sites with VGOS and GNSS
Authors: Walenta Anastasiia , Flohrer Claudia , Thaller Daniela , Dach Rolf , Schaer Stefan , Engelhardt Gerald , Ullrich Dieter
Published: December 2024

An assessment of the tropospheric parameters independently derived from the analysis of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) data serves as a cross-validation of the two space geodetic techniques on the parameter level. Time series of the tropospheric parameters are studied for the most frequently observed VLBI stations at 7 co-located sites covering a time span between 2019 and middle of 2023. These sites are equipped in total with 10 small and fast-slewing antennas that have been specifically built to satisfy the concept of the VLBI Global Observing System (VGOS). Next to the VGOS antennas, 5 legacy VLBI antennas are located providing an additional source of the VLBI observations for comparison. VLBI conducts observations on a session-wise basis of 24 hours at least twice a week, whereas GNSS observes continuously. As a consequence, the paired tropospheric parameters are restricted to epochs where VLBI data are available. The closest GNSS receivers are chosen next the VGOS or VLBI antennas to ensure the same path propagation delays. For the sake of a meaningful comparison, the parameterization of the troposphere is homogenized between the two techniques in favor of the VLBI analysis: the VLBI observations are scheduled to provide even sky-coverage within every hour. After omitting modelled offsets between the reference points of the VLBI and GNSS antennas expected due to the height differences, the obtained tropospheric estimates of two independent techniques show a good agreement level, which lays within their scatter. The remaining tropospheric variations are averaged at the level of 4-6 mm in terms of root mean square differences. A larger scatter of these tropospheric variations is obtained for a few stations at the level between 8–10 mm. These extreme cases can be explained by specific issues at each individual station, i.e. the short paired time series.
Challenges in Parallel Matrix Chain Multiplication
Authors: Nissim Roy , Schwartz Oded , Shabo Reut
Published: December 2024

Matrix chain multiplication is widely used in high-performance computing environments. Different parenthesis assignments, which determine the multiplication order, produce the same output but may significantly affect the runtime. Thus, finding the optimal parentheses assignment is crucial. Several algorithms, such as Godbole (1973) and Hu & Shing (1982), have been proposed to address this optimization problem. However, they only focus on minimizing arithmetic operations and disregard inter-processor communication. In many cases, the inter-processor communication cost dominates the total runtime, which makes existing algorithms sub-optimal. Schwartz and Weiss (2019) generalized Godbole’s algorithm to support fast (sub-cubic) matrix multiplication algorithms and demonstrated cases where optimizing arithmetic cost leads to sub-optimal communication cost and vice-versa. We extend their work and show that the runtime of a chain multiplication with a given parentheses assignment additionally depends on processor allocation and available resources. We present a parentheses assignment algorithm that minimizes the total runtime and outperforms previous techniques by a factor of $$\varOmega \left( t^{\frac{1}{3}} \right) $$

Ω

t

1
3

(where t is the chain size). Moreover, our algorithm demonstrates up to 7.8x speedup in simulations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that discusses resource allocation in the context of matrix chain multiplication.
Fabrication of Media-Tight Connections Between Metal and Plastics Using HyJOIN® Technology
Authors: Klotzbach Annett , Hossain Mosarouf , Luong Dieter , Götze Philipp
Published: December 2024

Thermal direct joining with hyJOIN® enables quick and reliable connections between metal and plastics without any additional material like screws, rivets or adhesives. Due to its reversibility, it facilitates the implementation of new repair and recycling strategies while at the same time minimizing the consumption of resources.

During joining the parts are pressed together. At the same time, electromagnetically induced eddy currents heat the metal. The plastics softens in the contact area and binds to the metal surface during cooling. As plastics often adhere poorly to metal, the surface is structured or coated during a pre-process.

Within the paper the hyJOIN® process is applied to generate media-tight connections between metal and plastics. To analyze the connection performance a burst pressure test specimen, made of an aluminum plate and a glass fiber reinforced PA6 plastic container, was developed. During the feasibility study the influence of interface design and joining process parameter to tightness and burst pressure level was evaluated. The main results will be shown in this paper. Finally, the transfer of the process knowledge to new, compact and easy to recycle hybrid part designs will be discussed. hyJOIN® systems thus offers the possibility for innovative and smart production.
Life Cycle Assessment of End-Of-Life Scenarios for an Automotive Hybrid Component
Authors: Wanielik Felix , Weise Sebastian , Herrmann Christoph
Published: December 2024

Hybrid lightweight components, e.g., made of glass fibre reinforced plastics and steel, have the potential to reduce the environmental impacts during the use-phase of automotive vehicles. However, the end-of-life (EoL) of lightweight materials such as glass fibre reinforced plastics still poses a challenge, since material separation is challenging and no consequent recycling system is established, as it is e.g., for steel. Furthermore, the application of secondary materials can reduce the environmental impacts in the raw material stage. These aspects lead to uncertainty about the EoL impacts of such hybrid components. In order to assess the environmental impact of automotive components, the EoL is a relevant life cycle stage and should be included in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies. To do so, it is required to define possible recycling scenarios and applications of the recycled material to enable a calculation of different EoL routes. This approach is demonstrated within this paper, by defining multiple recycling routes of a hybrid lightweight component, depending on the depth of disassembly and calculating the environmental impacts of these different EoL routes through LCA.
Automated Production of Mycelium-Based Composite Products Using the Fibre Injection Moulding Process
Authors: Mangold Simon , Mehner Malte , Ströhle Moritz , Kist Sebastian , Kößler Florian , Fleischer Jürgen
Published: December 2024

The production of plastics has increased exponentially in the past two decades, with packaging making up a large portion of usage. Environmental concerns have surged due to the disposal of plastic waste, with only a small percentage being recycled while the rest is either burned or ending up in landfills. As a result, there is a growing need for alternatives, including biodegradable materials like mycelium, the structural part of fungi. While mycelium holds promise for technical applications, the manufacturing process is mainly manual, which hampers efficiency and scaling to large scale series applications. Therefore, automating the manufacturing process of mycelium-based products has the potential to improve precision, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of the manufacturing. One potential method of automation is the Fiber Injection Molding (FIM) process. The characteristics of this process is the injection of a mixture of structural fibers and a thermoplastic binder into a mold by means of a large volume airflow. This study aims to investigate the applicability of the FIM process for manufacturing natural products bound by mycelium and the required adaptions to an existing plant, using two different types of fungal spores, namely Trametes Versicolor and Pleurotus Ostreatus. The spores were grown on fibers of hemp, straw, and wood and form-filling was conducted via FIM. The results of the study include a summary of the challenges faced when using FIM for manufacturing mycelium-based products, optimized process parameters and concepts for adapted machinery equipment. The study found that FIM is a suitable method for producing mycelium-based products, and the optimal process parameters varied depending on the type of fungal spores and fiber used. However, the study also identifies some challenges, such as the transportation of materials in the large airflow. In conclusion, the FIM process can be used to manufacture mycelium-based products effectively.
Cancers not detected in one-view breast tomosynthesis screening—characteristics and reasons for non-detection
Authors: Johnson Kristin , Ikeda Debra M. , Andersson Ingvar , Zackrisson Sophia
Published: December 2024

Objectives

Limited understanding exists regarding non-detected cancers in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) screening. This study aims to classify non-detected cancers into true or false negatives, compare them with true positives, and analyze reasons for non-detection.

Materials and methods

Conducted between 2010 and 2015, the prospective single-center Malmö Breast Tomosynthesis Screening Trial (MBTST) compared one-view DBT and two-view digital mammography (DM). Cancers not detected by DBT, i.e., interval cancers, those detected in the next screening round, and those only identified by DM, underwent a retrospective informed review by in total four breast radiologists. Reviewers classified cancers into true negative, false negative, or non-visible based on both DBT and DM findings and assessed radiographic appearances at screening and diagnosis, breast density, and reasons for non-detection. Statistics included the Pearson X2 test.

Results

In total, 89 cancers were not detected with DBT in the MBTST; eight cancers were solely in the DM reading mode, 59 during subsequent DM screening rounds, and 22 interval cancers. The proportion of cancers classified as false negative was 25% (22/89) based on DBT, compared with 18% (14/81) based on DM screening. The primary reason for false negatives was normal-appearing density, 50% (11/22). False negatives exhibited lower rates of high breast density, 36% (8/22), compared with true positives, 61% (78/129), p = 0.04, and spiculated densities were less frequent in false negatives, 41% (9/22) compared with true positives, 68% (88/129), p = 0.01.

Conclusion

False negatives in one-view DBT screening commonly presented with spiculated features, but less frequently than true positives, and were missed or misinterpreted due to benign appearances.

Key Points

QuestionCancers not detected in digital breast tomosynthesis screening, including false negatives, remain partly unexplored.

FindingsThe most common reason behind false-negative cancers in a large screening trial was a normal-appearing density.

Clinical relevanceRecognizing the factors contributing to false negative findings in digital breast tomosynthesis screening is essential to further improve cancer detection.

Graphical Abstract
CT-based clinical-radiomics model to predict progression and drive clinical applicability in locally advanced head and neck cancer
Authors: Bruixola Gema , Dualde-Beltrán Delfina , Jimenez-Pastor Ana , Nogué Anna , Bellvís Fuensanta , Fuster-Matanzo Almudena , Alfaro-Cervelló Clara , Grimalt Nuria , Salhab-Ibáñez Nader , Escorihuela Vicente , Iglesias María Eugenia , Maroñas María , Alberich-Bayarri Ángel , Cervantes Andrés , Tarazona Noelia
Published: December 2024

Background

Definitive chemoradiation is the primary treatment for locally advanced head and neck carcinoma (LAHNSCC). Optimising outcome predictions requires validated biomarkers, since TNM8 and HPV could have limitations. Radiomics may enhance risk stratification.

Methods

This single-centre observational study collected clinical data and baseline CT scans from 171 LAHNSCC patients treated with chemoradiation. The dataset was divided into training (80%) and test (20%) sets, with a 5-fold cross-validation on the training set. Researchers extracted 108 radiomics features from each primary tumour and applied survival analysis and classification models to predict progression-free survival (PFS) and 5-year progression, respectively. Performance was evaluated using inverse probability of censoring weights and c-index for the PFS model and AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the 5-year progression model. Feature importance was measured by the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method and patient stratification was assessed through Kaplan–Meier curves.

Results

The final dataset included 171 LAHNSCC patients, with 53% experiencing disease progression at 5 years. The random survival forest model best predicted PFS, with an AUC of 0.64 and CI of 0.66 on the test set, highlighting 4 radiomics features and TNM8 as significant contributors. It successfully stratified patients into low and high-risk groups (log-rank p < 0.005). The extreme gradient boosting model most effectively predicted a 5-year progression, incorporating 12 radiomics features and four clinical variables, achieving an AUC of 0.74, sensitivity of 0.53, specificity of 0.81, and accuracy of 0.66 on the test set.

Conclusion

The combined clinical-radiomics model improved the standard TNM8 and clinical variables in predicting 5-year progression though further validation is necessary.

Key Points

QuestionThere is an unmet need for non-invasive biomarkers to guide treatment in locally advanced head and neck cancer.

FindingsClinical data (TNM8 staging, primary tumour site, age, and smoking) plus radiomics improved 5-year progression prediction compared with the clinical comprehensive model or TNM staging alone.

Clinical relevanceSHAP simplifies complex machine learning radiomics models for clinicians by using easy-to-understand graphical representations, promoting explainability.
Cancer-related pain in long-term survivors of oncological diseases: results of a survey on the current care situation
Authors: Hofbauer H. , Kieselbach K. , Wirz S. , Bundscherer A. , Stamer U. M. , Rapp F.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The increasing survival rates of oncology patients have led to a corresponding increase in long-time survivors living with chronic cancer-related pain. Data is scarce on the care situation for this distinct clinical entity and on specific therapy requirements, such as interdisciplinary, multimodal pain therapy (IMPT). Our cross-sectional study aimed to assess the current care situation, distinct chronification factors, and optimization potential. This survey addresses this need in Germany, but also provides results with international implications.

Methods

Via an online survey, German Pain Society members involved in the treatment of long-time survivors with chronic cancer-related pain assessed the current care situation, chronification factors, specific treatment needs, and the required practitioner’s expertise. The German Pain Society’s Cancer Pain Working Group created the non-validated questionnaire using the Delphi method.

Results

One hundred fifty-nine Pain Society members across 70% of Germany’s postal regions answered our survey. Respondents (primarily physicians, and 75% with + 6 years of experience) assessed the care situation as worse for chronic cancer-related pain compared to acute pain. Only 10% of the sites provided specific therapy for chronic cancer-related pain (mostly via outpatient treatment). Compared to non-cancer-related pain, additional, cancer-specific chronification factors were assumed, especially at psychological levels, and these need incorporating into therapies. A majority of practitioners recommended cancer-specific IMPT and specific pain expertise for this distinct clinical entity.

Conclusions

Members from the German Pain Society assume that there are relevant deficits in the care of long-term survivors with chronic cancer-related pain. The situation may be assessed differently by other groups, e.g., oncologists, and the data relates to Germany. Nevertheless, considering the raising survival rates, it can be supposed that there is reason to be concerned about an increasing care deficit. Thus, besides expanding the range of available treatment and raising awareness, IMPT with specially trained personnel should be developed to address the care needs of cancer survivors experiencing chronic cancer-related pain.
An Adaptive Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Intervention for Youth with HIV Through Text Message and Cell Phone Support with and without Incentives: A Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial (SMART)
Authors: Belzer Marvin E. , MacDonell Karen , Cain Demetria , Ghosh Samiran , Zhao Richard , McAvoy-Banerjea Julie , Gurung Sitaji , Naar Sylvie
Published: December 2024

Youth living with HIV have low rates of medication adherence. Youth ages 15–24 years with adherence ≤ 80% or with HIV RNA PCRs (VL) ≥ 200 recruited through social media and clinical sites were randomized to brief weekday cell phone support (CPS) calls or daily, two-way, personalized text message (SMS) reminders for 3 months. Those with VL ≥ 200 or adherence ≤ 80% were rerandomized to receive SMS or CPS with monthly incentives for those utilizing the intervention at least 75% of days for 3 months. Those with VL < 200 or adherence > 80% after the initial 3 months were rerandomized to usual care or 3 months of tapered, 2x/week CPS or SMS. Self-reported adherence and VLs were collected every 3 months for one year. Eighty-three youth were recruited with 81% identifying as cisgender males, 55% Black, 22% Latine/x, and 76% gay, and 56% recruited from the Southern US. Both cohorts initially randomized to CPS and SMS demonstrated significant improvements in adherence over the 12-months (P <.001). Participants randomized to CPS had significant improvements in 7-day self-reported adherence over 12 months compared to those on SMS (P <.027). Those receiving a tapered intervention for an additional 3 months had improved self-reported adherence compared to those randomized to the standard of care arm (P <.001). Both SMS and CPS appear to be effective interventions for youth with poor antiretroviral adherence. Tapering the intervention for an additional 3 months is useful in maintaining adherence after the initial intervention. Additional research is required to determine how to best sequence these interventions, including the use of incentives.

Graphical Abstract
Little floods everywhere: what will climate change mean for you?
Authors: Calel Raphael , Stainforth David A.
Published: December 2024

The consequences of climate change are often conceptualised in terms of the changing risks of natural disasters, or as reductions in future economic output. When understood in these terms, it is all too easy to believe that one might “get lucky”—that the floods won’t affect those of us who don’t live by the waterfront, and that the heatwaves won’t affect the salaries or job security of those of us who go to work in air conditioned offices. The consequences of climate change, serious though they may be, seem far away. Contrary to this perspective, we argue that changing risk profiles, even marginal or distant changes, are likely to strain the underlying fabric of societies, and thus have profound consequences for everyone. Even for individuals who are relatively insulated from the direct physical consequences of climate change, it may well be that there is little chance of “getting lucky.” This has important implications for how we perceive and assess the benefits of climate action. We therefore call for greater efforts to understand the system-wide social consequences of increasing disaster risks.
Propagation of Chaos for Point Processes Induced by Particle Systems with Mean-Field Drift Interaction
Authors: Kolliopoulos Nikolaos , Larsson Martin , Zhang Zeyu
Published: December 2024

We study the asymptotics of the point process induced by an interacting particle system with mean-field drift interaction. Under suitable assumptions, we establish propagation of chaos for this point process: It has the same weak limit as the point process induced by i.i.d. copies of the solution of a limiting McKean–Vlasov equation. This weak limit is a Poisson point process whose intensity measure is related to classical extreme value distributions. In particular, this yields the limiting distribution of the normalized upper order statistics.
Endoscopic Band Ligation for Weight Loss: A Clinical Trial
Authors: Abeid Mohamed , Zaitoun Nahla
Published: December 2024

Background and Study Aim

We previously reported the utility of endoscopic band ligation (EBL) in weight loss in a female patient with obesity. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of weight loss using EBL in a larger cohort.

Patients and Methods

This prospective cohort study included 13 female patients aged ≥ 18 years with a body mass index of ≥ 30 kg/m2 who were unwilling to undergo bariatric surgery. Patients with obesity-related comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease were included. Patients with a history of bariatric surgery and those with clinical manifestations of gastroparesis, portal hypertension, liver cirrhosis, and coagulopathies were excluded. Primary study outcomes were technical feasibility and safety, and secondary study outcomes were the percentage of total weight loss, excess weight loss, and the change in gastroparesis clinical symptom index at 1 month after surgery.

Results

No serious complications occurred during the endoscopy or immediately after that. All patients experienced epigastric pain, nausea, and vomiting for the first 3 days, with one patient developing mild hematemesis on the second day that stopped spontaneously and revealed no abnormalities on endoscopy. At 1 month after EBL, the mean percent excess weight loss and total weight loss were 22.3% ± 9.9% and 7.8% ± 2.5%, respectively.

Conclusions

EBL is an effective and safe intervention for obesity management. Further studies with larger cohorts are warranted to comprehensively evaluate of the long-term efficacy and safety of EBL for obesity management.
A Comparison of the Effects of Ethics- Versus Wisdom-Based Mindfulness Practices on Prosocial Behaviour
Authors: Furnell Matthew , Van Gordon William , Elander James
Published: December 2024

Objectives

The study aimed to examine the impact of incorporating Buddhist ethics-based practices versus Buddhist ethics- and wisdom-based practices in an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on prosocial behaviour.

Method

Changes in behaviour were evaluated through the subcategories of monetary donation, prosocial attitudes, and volunteering engagement. Participants at a British university in China (n=67) were randomly assigned to either an MBI including concentration- and ethics-based practice (MBI-CE) or an MBI including concentration-, ethics-, and wisdom-based practice (MBI-CEW), with a study-as-usual control group. Throughout the intervention, participants attended weekly 2-hr face-to-face sessions and maintained daily meditation journals.

Results

Results showed that MBI-CEW participants exhibited significant increases in prosocial behaviour compared to MBI-CE and controls. No significant difference was observed in dispositional mindfulness or ethical responsibility between intervention groups. However, the MBI-CEW group experienced greater changes in levels of sense of connectedness, as well as greater changes in levels of prosocial tendencies than the MBI-CE group.

Conclusions

The findings emphasize the influence of integrating wisdom-based practices into MBIs on prosocial behaviour and suggest that transcending an individualistic sense of self may play a more prominent role in enhancing prosocial tendencies than heightened awareness or moral reasoning.

Preregistration

This study was not preregistered
Maia type fixed point theorems for contraction and nonexpansive Ćirić–Prešić operators in ordered spaces
Authors: Álvarez Eduardo Daniel Jorquera
Published: December 2024

The main aim of this paper is to state nonexpansive Maia type fixed point theorems for Ćirić–Prešić operators in normed spaces endowed with a partial order. For this we do a thorough analysis in the hypotheses of our theorems, considering different properties of completeness, compactness, convexity and bounding. We state Maia type fixed point theorems for contraction and nonexpansive Ćirić–Prešić operators, including those defined by a multiply metric function. Fixed point theorems in spaces without a partial order, as well as, corollaries for monotone nonexpansive mappings are stated too. Our theorems generalize and improve results given by Ćirić and Prešić’s (Acta Math Univ Comenian (NS) 76:143–147, 2007) and Balazs (Mathematica 10:18–31, 2018) and extend them to nonexpansive operators.
Fun, Work, and Everything in Between: Validation of the Romanian Version of the Playful Work Design Scale and Longitudinal Measurement Invariance
Authors: Tăbîrță Consuela-Elena , Vîrgă Delia
Published: December 2024

As a proactive strategy, playful work design allows employees to use ludic or agonistic play to handle hindrances or monotonous tasks. With the help of fun and competition design, they can even transform those tasks into productive work experiences. Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources theory, we analyzed the psychometric properties of the Playful Work Design scale in three studies to adapt and validate the scale for the Romanian population. In the first study, the confirmatory factor analysis results supported the two-factor model. The second study consisted of a longitudinal invariance analysis of the Romanian version of the playful work design scale applied at two different moments and incremental validity analysis beyond other proactive strategies relative to work engagement and performance. The third study found evidence for construct validity (with other constructs that measured playfulness, personal initiative, meaning-making, task complexity, and task monotony) and criterion validity with work-related outcomes (flow at work, engagement, and performance). Altogether, the results demonstrate the validity of the Romanian version of this scale, which can be used in organizations to evaluate playful work design and develop interventions for upgrading employee performance.
Cloud-Computing Trend Analysis of Urbanization Impacts on Land Surface Temperature and Electricity Demand in Gaborone, Botswana
Authors: Moyo Boineelo , Schröder Dietrich , Moreri Kealeboga
Published: December 2024

Land use land cover (LULC) changes are critical drivers of global environmental changes, profoundly impacting sustainability in rapidly urbanizing regions. In urban areas, where vegetation cover is reduced, LULC changes significantly affect the distribution and intensity of Land Surface Temperature (LST), which in turn influences electricity demand and consumption. This study explores the relationship between urbanization, vegetation loss, surface temperature and electricity demand in Gaborone, Botswana. The study utilized the Landsat data to conduct a 15-year (2005–2020) spatio-temporal analysis of LULC changes and LST dynamics, identified surface urban heat islands (SUHI) using the Getis-Ord Gi* hot-spot analysis and assessed the correlation between LST and key spectral indices adopted in the study. The analysis employed Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud computing platform and the Random Forest (RF) machine learning algorithm, known for their accuracy and efficiency in classification and change detection studies. Findings reveal substantial LULC transformations in Gaborone with approximately 12 km² of land converted to Built-Up areas, driving a 2.36% annual urban growth rate and shrinking green and bare spaces. Consequently, surface temperatures rose by about 2.1 °C, impacting energy demand, particularly for cooling during hot summers. This demand surge, coupled with urban expansion, has fueled higher electricity prices, posing new challenges in climate adaptation and mitigation. The study provides critical insights into the interplay between urbanization, rising temperatures, and energy consumption in Gaborone. These insights highlight the urgent need for developing sustainable urban planning and energy strategies to address the impacts of climate change, land degradation, and energy poverty.
Rapid estimation of source parameters for the 2022 Mw 6.6 Menyuan earthquake with combined high-rate GNSS and strong motion data in Northeastern Tibet
Authors: Yang Chen , Su Xiaoning , Gao Zhiyu , Kou Ruixiong
Published: December 2024

To investigate the reliability of high-rate GNSS in the rapid estimation of source parameters for the 2022 Menyuan Mw 6.6 earthquake, we collected high-rate GNSS and strong motion data within a 200 km radius of the epicenter. We performed high-precision calculations to obtain three-dimensional dynamic displacement waveforms for all stations and analyzed the reliability of source parameter estimation and coseismic deformation acquisition. The three-dimensional dynamic displacement waveforms show that the amplitude of displacement fluctuations at each station decreases with increasing distance from the epicenter. The station closest to the epicenter, C007, recorded a maximum east–west amplitude of 15 cm, a north–south amplitude of 10.8 cm, and a vertical amplitude of only 2.2 cm. The inverted epicenter location using displacement waveforms is (101.263°E, 37.802°N), with an origin time of 17:45:25.9 (UTC) and a magnitude of Mw 6.65. These results are generally consistent with those obtained from seismological methods using the seismic data. By combining high-rate GNSS and strong-motion data for magnitude estimation, an initial value of Mw 6.0 can be obtained 15 s after the earthquake, with stable convergence to Mw 6.6 within 40 s. The quality of magnitude estimation convergence is positively correlated with the number of stations. Based on the displacement waveforms 100 s before and after the earthquake, the coseismic deformation of this event can be quickly obtained. The results show opposite motion trends on the south and north sides of the seismogenic fault, with no significant vertical movement. Our results indicate that using near-field high-rate GNSS and strong motion data can rapidly and effectively estimate the source parameters and coseismic deformation of the strong earthquake, which can provide valuable reference for post-earthquake emergency response and rapid disaster assessment.
A new smart city index based on urban origin theory
Authors: Shi Fan , Shi Wenzhong , Zhang Anshu
Published: December 2024

The development of smart cities has consistently drawn the attention of governments, academia, and citizens, especially amid rapid urbanization. As a result, evaluating smart city performance has become increasingly important in urban studies. Such evaluations are crucial for assessing current initiatives and guiding future development. However, the complexity of smart city components and data limitations have hindered the widespread application of these evaluations. This paper proposes a new smart city evaluation system that relies entirely on open data, exploring the elements of modern smart city development from the foundational needs of urban origins. The approach broadens the applicability of traditional subjective weighting methods by employing word frequency analysis for subjective weight determination. The framework was applied to 50 global cities, revealing that cities with mature smart city development tend to prioritize social development.
Self-assembled organic monolayer functionalized MIL-88B for selective acetone detection at room temperature
Authors: Du Yuqing , Lian Ning , Liu Wei , Zhang Zhiheng , Huo Jiahang , Chen Xin , Guo Junmeng , Cui Peng , Wei Lei , Du Zuliang , Cheng Gang
Published: December 2024

Acetone detection is crucial for diagnosing diseases such as diabetes and lung cancer. Therefore, it is essential to design a room-temperature acetone gas sensor with fast response and recovery times, high sensitivity, high selectivity, and a low detection limit. However, current acetone gas sensors face challenges in achieving high-selectivity detection at room temperature. This study primarily utilizes self-assembled organic monolayer functionalized MIL-88B to prepare selectivity acetone sensors. The results show that the detection sensitivity of the improved sensor to acetone is significantly improved. Compared with the MIL-88B sensor (0.1 ppm), the response value of the MIL-88B@3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) sensor is increased by about 61.9%. The response to 10 ppm acetone is 83, and the selectivity is greatly improved at room temperature. This can be attributed to the chemical interactions between acetone molecules and APTMS on the sensor surface, which improves the sensor's specific recognition ability for acetone. Additionally, the sensor exhibits better stability and shorter response and recovery times. Consequently, the APTMS functionalization of MIL-88B presents an effective method for preparing room-temperature acetone sensors, combining high sensitivity and selectivity, and offering potential for non-invasive disease diagnosis.
Prosecuting Overdose: Manslaughter Charges Against People Who Use, Share, and Sell Drugs in Canada
Authors: Michaud Liam
Published: December 2024

This study examines the recent proliferation of manslaughter charges and subsequent prosecutions brought against people who have shared, sold, or provided drugs that have led to overdose death in Canada. It presents a documentary analysis of news media coverage, court decisions, and Access-to-Information and Freedom-of-Information requests of materials from criminal legal institutions. The analysis finds that the vast majority of those who face manslaughter charges are engaged in the lowest tiers of the drug trade, are themselves people who use drugs, and are often intimately known to the deceased. Messaging by police, prosecutors and the courts mobilize the overdose crisis as rationale for these charges and prosecutions, positioning them as a form of redress to impacted communities. This phenomenon illustrates how punitive criminal legal responses to the overdose crisis have deepened alongside the retreat of criminal law in other circumstances, contradicting claims of a therapeutic turn in Canadian drug policies.
Bad habits that stick: adhesive tape use practices and beliefs
Authors: Fischer Julia , Kleppel Reva , Mathew Manju , Gilmore Morgan , Hegarty-Moore Laura , Maryanski Michele , Peters Stacey , Smith Kristin , Roncaioli Steven , Smith Jacob , Gallagher Megan C. , DelPilar-Morales Esteban , Haessler Sarah
Published: December 2024

Tape rolls are often used for multiple patients despite recommendations by manufacturers for single-patient use. We developed a survey to query Health Care Personnel about their tape use practices and beliefs and uncovered behaviors that put patients at risk for hospital-acquired infections due to tape use.
Pullum’s philosophy of linguistics: towards a unified framework
Authors: Nefdt Ryan Mark
Published: December 2024

Geoffrey Pullum has produced countless contributions to linguistic theory over his 50-year career in the field. Given this exceptional scientific achievement, his philosophical work often goes underappreciated. In this article, I discuss and critique three themes from Pullum’s philosophy of linguistics, namely, cardinality neutrality, model-theoretic syntax and normativity in language. I conclude by showing how these seemingly disparate elements might indeed be connected in terms of a normative constructivist approach to linguistics.
Collisionless tearing instability in a relativistic pair plasma with a power-law distribution function
Authors: Demidov I. , Lyubarsky Y.
Published: December 2024

We study the tearing instability of a current sheet in a relativistic pair plasma with a power-law distribution function. We first estimate the growth rate analytically and then confirm the analytical results by solving numerically the dispersion equation, taking into account all exact particle trajectories within the reconnecting layer. We found that the instability is suppressed when the particle spectrum becomes harder.
The moral call for hopeful action: Language renewal in the Village of Tewa and generative hope
Authors: Kroskrity Paul V.
Published: December 2024

While multiple threats to the language, culture, and existence of the 700 members of the Village of Tewa loom (Kroskrity 1993, 2021), this diasporic Pueblo society deploys sociolinguistic resources to generate hope ‘as a moral call’ (Mattingly 2010). Their heritage language is rhematized (Gal & Irvine 2019) to their community identity but now that emblem, and their very existence, has been challenged by the encroachment of English and other crises (including climate change and the pandemic). For Tewa, repairing the situation requires a hopeful ‘reorientation of knowledge and action’ (Miyazaki 2004; Borba 2019) that recontextualizes traditional linguistic practices and language ideologies (Kroskrity 1998). Tewa linguistic and discursive expressions of ‘hope’ are more agentive and directed than their English language counterparts. These practices are examined as forms of what Tuck (2009:417) called generative hope ‘about a present that is enriched by the past and the future’. (Pragmatics, language ideologies, hope)*
When things fall apart: On the dialectics of hope and anger
Authors: Deumert Ana
Published: December 2024

This article explores the dialectics of hope and anger as responses to what Lear (2006) called ‘devastation’, the colonial-capitalist destruction of the ontological groundings of life. Lear argues that ‘radical hope’ allows for ‘survival’ in such contexts, and his work has been influential. Yet, I want to be careful with relying on hope as a political affect. Hope is also a sociality-sanctioned emotion. Anger, by contrast, remains frowned upon and discouraged. However, anger can have liberatory potential: it constitutes a communicative act, articulating the urgent need for political change. I explore the semiotics of anger by considering the complex affective contours of a musical performance, ‘Protest’, created by Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach (1960). The expression of anger is reflexive and performative. It is a recognizable register as well as a politically passionate communicative act that resists its own foreclosure and that intersects with hope in complex ways. (Hope, anger, affect, music, negative dialectics, philosophical sociolinguistics)*
Between the Client and the Institutional System: Street-level Bureaucrats’ Discretion, Positioning, and Trust in Institutional Encounters with Forced Migrants in Finland and Sweden
Authors: Sundbäck Liselott
Published: December 2024

This article examines street-level bureaucrats’ positions between the institutional system and their clients with a forced migration background in their sensemaking of trust. Situated at the frontline of the institution, street-level bureaucrats are crucial agents for forced migrants settling in Nordic welfare states. Drawing on individual interviews with street-level bureaucrats in Finland and Sweden and theoretically leaning on street-level bureaucracy, positioning theory, and trust, this article explores how street-level bureaucrats navigate these encounters. By identifying five non-exclusionary ways in which street-level bureaucrats position themselves between the migrant client and the institutional system through their sensemaking of trust, I propose a typology of positions: resisting warrior, empathic carer, neutral mediator, pushing steerer, and critical questioner. Further, these positions reflect ambiguous narratives of being simultaneously an agent of the citizen and an agent of the state.
Recollections and Reflections on the Reimer Twin Case in Canada: Interview with Dr H. Keith Sigmundson/Tribute and Twin Research Review: Remembering John L. Hopper; Nonhuman Primate Twinning/Human Interest: The Accidental Twins film; Different Looking Identical Twin Newborns
Authors: Segal Nancy L.
Published: December 2024

Dr H. Keith Sigmundson co-authored a seminal article (with the late Dr Milton Diamond) that revealed the truth about a highly controversial twin case. Specifically, the genitals of an infant male monozygotic twin were accidentally destroyed during a medical procedure performed to alleviate his difficult urination. The child’s parents were advised to physically and psychologically transform their twin son into a girl. Occasional reports about the case indicated that the plan was successful, but some members of the medical community were doubtful. An interview with Dr H. Keith Sigmundson, for the purpose of obtaining his unique perspective on this case, is presented. The interview is followed by a tribute to our late twin research colleague, Dr John L. Hopper, of Melbourne, Australia. A review of research on nonhuman primate twinning, an overview of a 2024 documentary film, The Accidental Twins, and a story of different looking identical twin newborns are also provided.
Effect of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) Time of Emergence on Furrow-Irrigated Rice Yields and Weed Seed Production
Authors: King Tanner A. , Norsworthy Jason K. , Butts Thomas R. , Fernandes Samuel B. , Drescher Gerson L. , Avent Tristen H.
Published: December 2024

Furrow-irrigated rice (Oryza sativa L.) hectares are increasing in the Midsouth. The lack of sustained flooding creates a favorable environment for weed emergence and persistence, which makes Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) difficult to control throughout the growing season. The negative yield impacts associated with season-long A. palmeri interference in corn, cotton, and soybean have been evaluated. However, there is limited knowledge of the weed’s ability to influence rice grain yield. Research was initiated in 2022 and 2023 to determine the effect of A. palmeri time of emergence relative to rice on weed seed production and grain yield. Cotyledon stage A. palmeri plants were marked every seven days, beginning one week before rice emergence through four weeks after rice emergence. Amaranthus palmeri seed production decreased exponentially as emergence timing was delayed relative to rice, and seed production increased by 447 seed plant-1 for every one-gram increase in weed biomass. Without rice competition and from the earliest emergence timing, A.palmeri produced 540,000 seeds plant-1. Amaranthus palmeri that emerged one week before the crop had the greatest spatial influence on rice, with grain yield loss of 5% and 50% at a distance of 1.4 m and 0.40 m from the weed, respectively. As A. palmeri emergence was delayed, the area of influence decreased. However, A. palmeri plants emerging 3.5 weeks after rice emergence still negatively affected grain yield and produce sufficient seed to replenish the soil seedbank, potentially impacting long-term crop management decisions. These results show that the time of A. palmeri emergence is a crucial factor influencing rice grain yield and weed seed production, which can be used to determine the consequences of escapes in rice.