bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transformation of Work in the Textile Industry: Perspectives of Sustainable Innovation Processes
Authors: Altepost Andrea , Hansen-Ampah Adjan , Merx Wolfgang , Schiffer Stefan , Schmenk Bernhard , Gries Thomas
Published: May 2024

What makes innovation processes in industry succeed? The basic assumption of this paper is that not only technological, but also social—especially work-related—factors have a decisive impact. While processes of sociotechnical system design are established interdisciplinarily and have arrived at least in many large companies, to the best of our knowledge it still is a novelty in industrial contexts to also add the concept of sustainability to this perspective. Energy and circular economy as well as a shortage of skilled workers dominate the concerns of companies. At the same time, technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are traded as a beacon of hope to strengthen competitiveness and contribute to more efficient, resource-conserving economic activity (e.g., Lukic et al., BCG 10.01.2023, 2023).). With the design of AI-supported work systems in the textile and related industries, the WIRKsam Competence Center for Work Research wants to show how the use of artificial intelligence, with appropriate work design, can promote both innovative, human-centered work and economic competitiveness, so that the two benefit from each other. The project aims to strengthen the industrial backbone of the Rhenish mining area and to create attractive conditions and opportunities for skilled workers. In this way, a sustainable result of the various transformation levels in the area of structural change, digitalization and the future of work can be achieved, which lays the foundation for shaping further future transformation processes in an innovative way. In this paper, we develop central questions originating from this claim that need to be considered in the aforementioned transformation processes in the areas of people, technology and organization, because they can be decisive for success.
Academia as a Key Factor in Fostering Responsible Research and Innovation with and for Society: The Case of the RRI Hub at RWTH Aachen University
Authors: Berg-Postweiler Julia , Decker Marie , Leicht-Scholten Carmen
Published: May 2024

Nowadays, society faces challenges like climate change and inequality that are addressed by the Sustainable Development Goals. Academia plays a central role as a driver for innovation through research, teaching, and transfer to develop answers to these challenges. Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) provides a framework for aligning research and innovation with societal needs. The technical university RWTH Aachen University considers RRI to be one of its main principles and established the RRI Hub as part of its excellence strategy in 2019. The RRI Hub is supposed to strengthen RRI in research, teaching, and transfer, with a focus on sustainable and responsible development, social innovation, and sustainable and inclusive artificial intelligence. This article describes the importance of academia to foster RRI and to structurally integrate it into universities using the example of the RRI Hub at the technical university RWTH Aachen. As a case, a participatory research project in the area of RRI is presented additionally.
Toward Antifragile Manufacturing: Concepts from Nature and Complex Human-Made Systems to Gain from Stressors and Volatility
Authors: Becker Marco , Kasprowicz Dawid , Kurkina Tetiana , Davari Mehdi D. , Gipperich Marius , Gramelsberger Gabriele , Bergs Thomas , Schwaneberg Ulrich , Trauth Daniel
Published: May 2024

Taleb coined the term “antifragility” to describe systems that benefit from stressors and volatility. While nature provides several examples of systems with antifragile behavior, manufacturing has so far only aimed to avoid or absorb stressors and volatility. This article surveys existing examples of antifragile system behavior in biology, biotechnology, software engineering, risk management, and manufacturing. From these examples, components of antifragile systems and principles to implement these components are derived and organized in a framework. The framework intends to serve as guidance for practitioners as well as starting point for future research on the design of antifragile systems in manufacturing.
Infrastructures and Transformation: Between Path Dependency and Opening-Up for Experimental Change
Authors: Böschen Stefan , Hermens Sarah , Jakobs Eva-Maria , Lohrberg Frank , Madlener Reinhard , Mütze-Niewöhner Susanne , Reicher Christa , Schöpper Yannick
Published: May 2024

Infrastructure development faces multiple challenges in the present. These are generated by digitalization, ecological orientation, transformation, and the emergence of a multipolar de-colonial world order. Under these conditions, infrastructure development faces the problem that, although designed for stability and continuity, it requires a new flexibility. To address these issues more precisely, this article first proposes a heuristic for studying infrastructures in times of transformation and tests it with two examples. In it, it is shown that the qualification of future infrastructure development lies in the characteristics of scalability, inclusivity, and updateability.
Dynamic-Nonlinear Socio-technical Change: Transformation as a Sociological Theory Problem and a Possible Solution
Authors: Schmitt Marco , Häußling Roger , Böschen Stefan
Published: May 2024

There are calls for transformation in all places, but the starting point for a sociology of transformation is anything but simple. A sociology of transformation must be thought and designed in the triad of transformation research, transformative research, and research transformation. This means the provision of knowledge on how transformations take place, social science research that uses this knowledge to intervene in social and societal processes in a targeted way, and reflection on how sociology itself changes as a discipline due to such action and socio-political expectations. Against this background, the article starts from the assumption that a sociological perspective (combining the relational approaches of network and field theory) specifically tailored to the current transformation conditions and challenges (exemplified in a case study) can make a significant contribution to understanding as well as shaping transformation processes based on a joint reflection of possibilities.
Labor Market Aspects of Transformation: The Case of Different R-Concepts of the Circular Economy
Authors: Balleer Almut , Hagedorn Wiebke , Bayram Berfin , Greiff Kathrin , Gramlich Alexander
Published: May 2024

Sustainability transformation is a multi-dimensional and comprehensive approach covering various aspects, environmental, economic, and social, and transformation itself. To give direction to sustainability action, sustainable development goals (SDGs) play an essential role. Even though SDGs are comprehensive and give orientation for sustainability actions, they neither cover the solutions to be implemented nor quantify the transformation. In this regard, circular economy (CE) is a useful approach when it comes to finding possible solutions. Within the context of CE, life cycle thinking plays an essential role, and tools, such as environmental life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle costing (LCC), and social LCA (sLCA), are widely used. Another important aspect that should be considered within CE is the labor market effects. The labor market will strongly be shaped by CE and the implementation of CE depends on labor market conditions. Yet, means to meaningfully measure the labor market needs and impact of CE are still missing. This chapter takes a closer look into how labor market assessment and life cycle thinking can be combined in order to implement sustainable industrial transformation.
Ecosystem Services as a Framework for Transformation of the Rhenish Mining Area
Authors: Leuchner Michael , Hinrichs Finja , Roß-Nickoll Martina , Letmathe Peter
Published: May 2024

This book chapter discusses the concept of ecosystem services as a potential framework for socio-ecological transformation processes in mining areas toward resilient and sustainable post-mining landscapes. As mining landscapes all around the world are undergoing enormous transformation processes, finding the best balance between economic interests, social implications, and ecological and climate services is of utmost importance. Those mining landscapes provide indispensable regulating, provisioning, and cultural services while preserving or fostering stable ecosystems with high and regional typical biodiversity. Despite their crucial contributions to human well-being, the services in these landscapes are only rarely considered in spatial and landscape planning decisions. With accelerated global changes, those ecosystem services, however, become increasingly important. Thus, the authors propose the concept of ecosystem services and inclusion of biodiversity and discuss mechanisms of qualitative and quantitative evaluation, budgeting, and pathways for decision making. For this purpose, a first basic qualitative assessment of ecosystem service potentials for the transformation of the landscape of the Rhenish Mining Area was performed exemplarily.
Tonga: Enabling Coastal Communities to Protect Marine Resources and Secure the Livelihoods of Small-Scale Fishers
Authors: D’Andrea Ariella , Von Rotz Margaret , Devez Solène , Hupka Brandon D. , Tauati Mele Ikatonga , Malimali Siola’a
Published: May 2024

Coastal fisheries are the food basket of Pacific Islanders, and fishing is deeply rooted in Pacific Islands’ cultures and traditions. In Tonga, during the past century, marine resource management has been the sole responsibility of the government under the law. Although management measures aim to ensure the sustainability of small-scale fisheries, compliance is often a challenge. In 2002 and 2009, Tonga passed new fishery legislation that reformed access to marine resources for local fishers (particularly in lagoons and reef areas) with the introduction of its own community-based fishery management approach, known as the Special Management Area (SMA) program. The SMA program and supporting legislation allow coastal communities and local fishers, with assistance from the Ministry of Fisheries, to regulate adjacent marine areas through local fishery management plans that grant preferential access and assign stewardship duties to community members. Tonga has made a commitment to following the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines), with the SMA program representing an important step forward. This chapter explores the main venues and opportunities for Tonga to implement the SSF Guidelines while completing the SMA scaling-up process, in line with recent policy commitments made at a Pacific regional level, (In 2021, the members of the Pacific Community (SPC) adopted the Pacific Framework for Action on Scaling up Community-based Fisheries Management: 2021–2025.) to ultimately provide sustainable access for small-scale fishers to marine resources and markets (SDG 14b).
Phenomenology of a Deconstructed Electroweak Force
Authors: Davighi Joe , Gosnay Alastair , Miller David J. , Renner Sophie
Published: May 2024

Abstract

We study an effective theory of flavour in which the SU(2)L interaction is ‘flavour-deconstructed’ near the TeV scale. This arises, for example, in UV models that unify all three generations of left-handed fermions via an Sp(6)L symmetry. Flavour-universality of the electroweak force emerges accidentally (but naturally) from breaking the $$ {\prod}_{i=1}^3\textrm{SU}{(2)}_{L,i} $$

∏

i
=
1

3

SU

2

L
,
i

gauge group to its diagonal subgroup, delivering hierarchical fermion masses and left-handed mixing angles in the process. The heavy gauge bosons transform as two SU(2)L triplets that mediate new flavour non-universal forces. The lighter of these couples universally to the light generations, allowing consistency with flavour bounds even for a TeV scale mass. Constraints from flavour, high mass LHC searches, and electroweak precision are then highly complementary, excluding masses below 9 TeV. The heavier triplet must instead be hundreds of TeV to be consistent with meson mixing constraints. Because only the lighter triplet couples to the Higgs, we find radiative Higgs mass corrections of a few hundred GeV, meaning this model of flavour is arguably natural. The natural region will, however, be almost completely covered by the planned electroweak programme at FCC-ee. On shorter timescales, significant parameter space will be explored by the High-Luminosity LHC measurements at high-pT, and upcoming lepton flavour violation experiments, principally Mu3e.
Collinear fragmentation at NNLL: generating functionals, groomed correlators and angularities
Authors: van Beekveld Melissa , Dasgupta Mrinal , El-Menoufi Basem Kamal , Helliwell Jack , Monni Pier Francesco
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Jet calculus offers a unique mathematical technique to bridge the area of QCD resummation with Monte Carlo parton showers. With the ultimate goal of constructing next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic (NNLL) parton showers we study, using the language of generating functionals, the collinear fragmentation of final-state partons. In particular, we focus on the definition and calculation of the Sudakov form factor, which physically describes the no-emission probability in an ordered branching process. We review recent results for quark jets and compute the Sudakov form factor for the collinear fragmentation of gluon jets at NNLL. The NNLL corrections are encoded in a z dependent two-loop anomalous dimension $$ \mathcal{B} $$
B
2(z), with z being a suitably defined longitudinal momentum fraction. This is obtained from the integration of the relevant 1 → 3 collinear splitting kernels combined with the one-loop corrections to the 1 → 2 counterpart. This work provides the missing ingredients to extend the methods of jet calculus in the collinear limit to NNLL and gives an important element of the next generation of NNLL parton shower algorithms. As an application we derive new NNLL results for both the fractional moments of energy-energy correlation FCx and the angularities λx measured on mMDT/Soft-Drop (β = 0) groomed jets.
Numerical simulations of dam-break flows of viscoplastic fluids via shallow water equations
Authors: Muchiri David Kibe , Hewett James N. , Sellier Mathieu , Moyers-Gonzalez Miguel , Monnier Jerome
Published: May 2024

This paper presents simulations of dam-break flows of Herschel–Bulkley viscoplastic fluids over complex topographies using the shallow water equations (SWE). In particular, this study aims to assess the effects of rheological parameters: power-law index (n), consistency index (K), and yield stress ($$\tau _{c}$$

τ
c

), on flow height and velocity over different topographies. Three practical examples of dam-break flow cases are considered: a dam-break on an inclined flat surface, a dam-break over a non-flat topography, and a dam-break over a wet bed (downstream containing an initial fluid level). The effects of bed slope and depth ratios (the ratio between upstream and downstream fluid levels) on flow behaviour are also analyzed. The numerical results are compared with experimental data from the literature and are found to be in good agreement. Results show that for both dry and wet bed conditions, the fluid front position, peak height, and mean velocity decrease when any of the three rheological parameters are increased. However, based on a parametric sensitivity analysis, the power-law index appears to be the dominant factor in dictating fluid behaviour. Moreover, by increasing the bed slope and/or depth ratio, the wave-frontal position moves further downstream. Furthermore, the presence of an obstacle is observed to cause the formation of an upsurge that moves in the upstream direction, which increases by increasing any of the three rheological parameters. This study is useful for an in-depth understanding of the effects of rheology on catastrophic gravity-driven flows of non-Newtonian fluids (like lava or mud flows) for risk assessment and mitigation.

Graphical abstract
Biomechanical Integrity Score of the Female Pelvic Floor for Stress Urinary Incontinence
Authors: Takacs Peter , Rátonyi Dávid , Koroknai Erzsébet , van Raalte Heather , Lucente Vincent , Egorov Vladimir , Krasznai Zoard Tibor , Kozma Bence
Published: May 2024

Introduction and hypothesis

This study is aimed at developing and validating a new integral parameter, the Biomechanical Integrity score (BI-score) of the female pelvic floor for stress urinary incontinence conditions.

Methods

A total of 130 subjects were included in the observational cohort study; 70 subjects had normal pelvic floor conditions, and 60 subjects had stress urinary incontinence (SUI). A Vaginal Tactile Imager (VTI) was used to acquire and automatically calculate 52 biomechanical parameters for eight VTI test procedures (probe insertion, elevation, rotation, Valsalva maneuver, voluntary muscle contractions in two planes, relaxation, and reflex contraction). Statistical methods were applied (t test, correlation) to identify the VTI parameters sensitive to the pelvic SUI conditions.

Results

Twenty-seven parameters were identified as statistically sensitive to SUI development. They were subdivided into five groups to characterize tissue elasticity (group 1), pelvic support (group 2), pelvic muscle contraction (group 3), involuntary muscle relaxation (group 4), and pelvic muscle mobility (group 5). Every parameter was transformed to its standard deviation units using the dataset for normal pelvic conditions, similar to the T-score for bone density. Linear combinations with specified weights led to the composition of five component parameters for groups 1–5 and to the BI-score in standard deviation units. The p value for the BI-score has p = 4.0 × 10–28 for SUI versus normal conditions.

Conclusions

Quantitative transformations of the pelvic tissues, support structures, and functions under diseased conditions may be studied with the SUI BI-score in future research and clinical applications.
Optimal labor income taxation with the dividend effect
Authors: Kushnir Alexey , Zubrickas Robertas
Published: May 2024

The unequal distribution of dividends implies the unequal distribution of the profit share of workers’ product of labor. In a Mirrleesian framework when dividends cannot be expropriated, we show that a progressive distribution of dividends creates a positive dividend effect on labor income taxes. Our numerical simulations show the dividend effect to be approximately four percentage points. We analyze the dividend effect under different market structures and its interplay with other forms of taxation.
Carbon nanotubes conjugated with cisplatin activate different apoptosis signaling pathways in 2D and 3D-spheroid triple-negative breast cancer cell cultures: a comparative study
Authors: Badea Madalina Andreea , Balas Mihaela , Ionita Daniela , Dinischiotu Anca
Published: May 2024

The type of experimental model for the in vitro testing of drug formulations efficiency represents an important tool in cancer biology, with great attention being granted to three-dimensional (3D) cultures as these offer a closer approximation of the clinical sensitivity of drugs. In this study, the effects induced by carboxyl-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes complexed with cisplatin (SWCNT–COOH–CDDP) and free components (SWCNT–COOH and CDDP) were compared between conventional 2D- and 3D-spheroid cultures of human breast cancer cells. The 2D and 3D breast cancer cultures were exposed to various doses of SWCNT–COOH (0.25–2 μg/mL), CDDP (0.158–1.26 μg/mL) and the same doses of SWNCT–COOH–CDDP complex for 24 and 48 h. The anti-tumor activity, including modulation of cell viability, oxidative stress, proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion potential, was explored by spectrophotometric and fluorometric methods, immunoblotting, optical and fluorescence microscopy. The SWCNT–COOH–CDDP complex proved to have high anti-cancer efficiency on 2D and 3D cultures by inhibiting cell proliferation and activating cell death. A dose of 0.632 μg/mL complex triggered different pathways of apoptosis in 2D and 3D cultures, by intrinsic, extrinsic, and reticulum endoplasmic pathways. Overall, the 2D cultures showed higher susceptibility to the action of complex compared to 3D cultures and SWCNT–COOH–CDDP proved enhanced anti-tumoral activity compared to free CDDP.
A Priori Estimates for Solutions to Landau Equation Under Prodi–Serrin Like Criteria
Authors: Alonso R. , Bagland V. , Desvillettes L. , Lods B.
Published: May 2024

In this paper, we introduce Prodi–Serrin like criteria which enable us to provide a priori estimates for the solutions to the spatially homogeneous Landau equation for all classical soft potentials and dimensions $$d \geqq 3$$

d
≧
3

. The physical case of Coulomb interaction in dimension $$d=3$$

d
=
3

is included in our analysis; this generalizes the work of Silvestre (J Differ Equ 262:3034–3055, 2017). Our approach is quantitative and does not require a preliminary knowledge of elaborate tools for nonlinear parabolic equations.
Microbiome structure and function in parallel full-scale aerobic granular sludge and activated sludge processes
Authors: Ekholm Jennifer , Persson Frank , de Blois Mark , Modin Oskar , Gustavsson David J. I. , Pronk Mario , van Loosdrecht Mark C. M. , Wilén Britt-Marie
Published: May 2024

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) and conventional activated sludge (CAS) are two different biological wastewater treatment processes. AGS consists of self-immobilised microorganisms that are transformed into spherical biofilms, whereas CAS has floccular sludge of lower density. In this study, we investigated the treatment performance and microbiome dynamics of two full-scale AGS reactors and a parallel CAS system at a municipal WWTP in Sweden. Both systems produced low effluent concentrations, with some fluctuations in phosphate and nitrate mainly due to variations in organic substrate availability. The microbial diversity was slightly higher in the AGS, with different dynamics in the microbiome over time. Seasonal periodicity was observed in both sludge types, with a larger shift in the CAS microbiome compared to the AGS. Groups important for reactor function, such as ammonia-oxidising bacteria (AOB), nitrite-oxidising bacteria (NOB), polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) and glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs), followed similar trends in both systems, with higher relative abundances of PAOs and GAOs in the AGS. However, microbial composition and dynamics differed between the two systems at the genus level. For instance, among PAOs, Tetrasphaera was more prevalent in the AGS, while Dechloromonas was more common in the CAS. Among NOB, Ca. Nitrotoga had a higher relative abundance in the AGS, while Nitrospira was the main nitrifier in the CAS. Furthermore, network analysis revealed the clustering of the various genera within the guilds to modules with different temporal patterns, suggesting functional redundancy in both AGS and CAS.

Key points

• Microbial community succession in parallel full-scale aerobic granular sludge (AGS) and conventional activated sludge (CAS) processes.

• Higher periodicity in microbial community structure in CAS compared to in AGS.

• Similar functional groups between AGS and CAS but different composition and dynamics at genus level.

Graphical abstract
Sacrococcygeal chordoma with spontaneous regression due to a large hemorrhagic component
Authors: González Tania Marlem Chico , Lam Suk Wai , van der Wal Robert , Navas Ana , van Langevelde Kirsten
Published: May 2024

Chordoma is a malignant bone tumor originating from notochordal remnants, most commonly occurring at the sacrococcygeal junction. We present a case of a 70-year-old male with chronic pain in the lower lumbar spine. MRI performed elsewhere revealed a large tumor that involved S4, S5, and the coccyx with a presacral soft tissue component. The lesion was heterogeneously hyperintense on T2-weighted images with a thick hypointense rim anteriorly. On T1-weighted images, the lesion showed a native hyperintense signal centrally probably due to hemorrhage. Based on this MRI, the diagnosis of chordoma was suggested. A spontaneous marked reduction in size was observed on a 4-week interval MRI performed at our institution before biopsy. Due to spontaneous tumor shrinkage along with peripheral enhancement, a differential diagnosis of infection or bleeding in a retrorectal cyst was proposed. This case teaches us that chordomas may contain a large hemorrhagic component, which is hyperintense on T1-weighted images and shows peripheral rim enhancement. Spontaneous shrinkage of a tumor may occur due to the resolution of a hematoma within weeks. Biopsy is key to obtain the correct diagnosis. Understanding the typical and more rare features of chordomas is key for MSK radiologists as well as pathologists. Chordomas are typically slow-growing tumors, but radiologists should be aware that intratumoral hemorrhage can lead to rapid changes in tumor size, which may be mistaken for either regression or progression of tumor. This case highlights the importance of considering hemorrhagic events within chordomas in the differential diagnosis when observing size fluctuations on imaging.
Epigenetic silencing of LDHB promotes hepatocellular carcinoma by remodeling the tumor microenvironment
Authors: Zhang Peng , Wan Yi , Ma Jinrong , Gong Jin , Zhong Ziwei , Cui Yuxin , Zhang Hongli , Da Yanyan , Ma Junpeng , Li Chenxi , Liu Lijuan , Gong Tian , Tan Youwen , Zhang Chengsheng
Published: May 2024

Lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB) reversibly catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to lactate or lactate to pyruvate and expressed in various malignancies. However, the role of LDHB in modulating immune responses against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains largely unknown. Here, we found that down-regulation of lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB) was coupled with the promoter hypermethylation and knocking down the DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT 3A) restored LDHB expression levels in HCC cell lines. Bioinformatics analysis of the HCC cohort from The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed a significant positive correlation between LDHB expression and immune regulatory signaling pathways and immune cell infiltrations. Moreover, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown considerable promise for HCC treatment and patients with higher LDHB expression responded better to ICIs. Finally, we found that overexpression of LDHB suppressed HCC growth in immunocompetent but not in immunodeficient mice, suggesting that the host immune system was involved in the LDHB-medicated tumor suppression. Our findings indicate that DNMT3A-mediated epigenetic silencing of LDHB may contribute to HCC progression through remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment, and LDHB may become a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC immunotherapy.
Outcomes of Implant Exchange and Latissimus Dorsi Flap Replacement After Breast Implant Complications
Authors: Asal Mohamed F. , Barakat Khaled E. , Elsayed Ahmed Adham R. , Awad Ahmed T. , Basson Marc D.
Published: May 2024

Background

Immediate action is required to address some complications of implant-based reconstruction after mastectomy to prevent reconstruction failure. Implant exchange may be simple but poses the risk of further complications while autologous flap reconstruction seems more complex but may pose less subsequent risk. Which of these is preferable remains unclear.

Methods

We reviewed thirty-two female breast cancer patients who had serious complications with their breast implants after post-mastectomy reconstruction. Latissimus dorsi flap (LDF) patients underwent explantation and immediate reconstruction with an LDF, while implant exchange (IE) patients underwent immediate implant removal and exchange with an expander followed by delayed reconstruction with silicon or immediately with a smaller size silicone implant.

Results

LDF patients underwent a single operation with an average duration of care of 31 days compared to an average 1.8 procedures (p= 0.005) with an average duration of care of 129.9 days (p < 0.001) among IE patients. Seven IE (50%) had serious complications that required subsequent revision while no LDF patients required additional procedures. Patient overall satisfaction and esthetics results were also superior in the LDF group at six months.

Conclusion

In patients who want to reconstructively rescue and salvage their severely infected or exposed breast implant, the LDF offers an entirely autologous solution. LDF reconstruction in this setting allows patients to avoid an extended duration of care, reduces their risk of complications, and preserves the reconstructive process.

Level of Evidence III

The journal asks authors to assign a level of evidence to each article. For a complete description of Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, see the Table of Contents or the online Instructions for Authors at www.springer.com/00266.
Neuronal activity induces symmetry breaking in neurodegenerative disease spreading
Authors: Alexandersen Christoffer G. , Goriely Alain , Bick Christian
Published: May 2024

Dynamical systems on networks typically involve several dynamical processes evolving at different timescales. For instance, in Alzheimer’s disease, the spread of toxic protein throughout the brain not only disrupts neuronal activity but is also influenced by neuronal activity itself, establishing a feedback loop between the fast neuronal activity and the slow protein spreading. Motivated by the case of Alzheimer’s disease, we study the multiple-timescale dynamics of a heterodimer spreading process on an adaptive network of Kuramoto oscillators. Using a minimal two-node model, we establish that heterogeneous oscillatory activity facilitates toxic outbreaks and induces symmetry breaking in the spreading patterns. We then extend the model formulation to larger networks and perform numerical simulations of the slow-fast dynamics on common network motifs and on the brain connectome. The simulations corroborate the findings from the minimal model, underscoring the significance of multiple-timescale dynamics in the modeling of neurodegenerative diseases.
Sample-Based Distance-Approximation for Subsequence-Freeness
Authors: Cohen Sidon Omer , Ron Dana
Published: May 2024

In this work, we study the problem of approximating the distance to subsequence-freeness in the sample-based distribution-free model. For a given subsequence (word)$$w = w_1 \ldots w_k$$w=w1…wk, a sequence (text)$$T = t_1 \ldots t_n$$T=t1…tnis said to containwif there exist indices$$1 \le i_1< \cdots < i_k \le n$$1≤i1<⋯<ik≤nsuch that$$t_{i_{j}} = w_j$$tij=wjfor every$$1 \le j \le k$$1≤j≤k. Otherwise,Tisw-free. Ron and Rosin (ACM Trans Comput Theory 14(4):1–31, 2022) showed that the number of samples both necessary and sufficient for one-sided error testing of subsequence-freeness in the sample-based distribution-free model is$$\Theta (k/\epsilon )$$Θ(k/ϵ). Denoting by$$\Delta (T,w,p)$$Δ(T,w,p)the distance ofTtow-freeness under a distribution$$p:[n]\rightarrow [0,1]$$p:[n]→[0,1], we are interested in obtaining an estimate$$\widehat{\Delta }$$Δ^, such that$$|\widehat{\Delta }- \Delta (T,w,p)| \le \delta $$|Δ^-Δ(T,w,p)|≤δwith probability at least 2/3, for a given error parameter$$\delta $$δ. Our main result is a sample-based distribution-free algorithm whose sample complexity is$$\tilde{O}(k^2/\delta ^2)$$O~(k2/δ2). We first present an algorithm that works when the underlying distributionpis uniform, and then show how it can be modified to work for any (unknown) distributionp. We also show that a quadratic dependence on$$1/\delta $$1/δis necessary.
Deciphering magmatic processes from plagioclase, clinopyroxene and amphibole chemistry and textures: A case study of a basaltic lava flow in the Basque-Cantabrian Basin (Northern Spain)
Authors: Pesquera Alfonso , Gil-Crespo Pedro P.
Published: May 2024

This paper addresses the study of a pillow lava interbedded with Late Albian-Early Cenomanian sediments that crops out in Armintza (Bizkaia, Northern Spain). The lava flow is an alkaline basalt with abundant macrocrysts of clinopyroxene, kaersutite, Ca-rich plagioclase (50-86% An) and ilmenite, which display a variety of textures and complex zoning patterns indicative of open-system magmatic behaviour. Macrocryst cores are likely to be inherited antecrysts that underwent complex processes under deep pre-eruptive conditions (≈ 700-800 MPa). Microcrysts and macrocryst rims formed during magmatic ascent and emplacement at shallower levels (≈ 35 MPa). Hypothetical melts in equilibrium with clinopyroxenes and amphiboles have trace element compositions like metasomatic vein melts containing amphibole, and their patterns overlap with those of the Armintza pillow lava. This suggests a metasomatised lithospheric mantle with amphibole-rich veins as a potential source for the alkaline basaltic melt. It is even conceivable that the Armintza pillow lava and other alkaline volcanic manifestations of the Basque-Cantabrian Basin were part of the same magma plumbing system through which a series of time-limited eruptions of different batches of magma ascended from the lithospheric mantle to the upper crust during the Albian to the Santonian.
Untersuchung zur Steigerung der Dauerfestigkeit von Wellen durch Festwalzen
Authors: Günther Stefanie , Muhammedi Benjamin , Werner Thomas , Ulrich Carsten , Schlecht Berthold , Hasse Alexander , Brosius Alexander
Published: May 2024

In der Antriebstechnik bilden die Ressourceneffizienz, die Kostenreduzierung sowie die Leistungssteigerung die Hauptanforderungen. Auf Bauteilebene bedeutet dies, die Tragfähigkeit in den am stärksten beanspruchten Bereichen zu verbessern. Durch die mechanische Oberflächenverfestigung werden die Randzoneneigenschaften beeinflusst, allerdings bestehen derzeit Wissenslücken hinsichtlich der Auswirkung der Bearbeitung auf die resultierende Tragfähigkeit. Derzeit ist keine Methode bekannt, wie der Einfluss der Fertigungsprozessparameter im Tragfähigkeitsnachweis berücksichtigt werden kann. An dieser Stelle setzt ein derzeit laufendes Forschungsvorhaben an. Im experimentellen Teil werden Treppenstufenversuche an unverfestigten und festgewalzten Bauteilen durchgeführt. Das Versuchsprogramm umfasst Kleinproben, Wellen und Pressverbindungen. Verschiedene Kerbformen, Festwalzparameter und Werkstoffe spannen ein umfangreiches Prüfprogramm auf. Um die Tragfähigkeitssteigerung durch Festwalzen vollumfänglich bewerten zu können, werden neben den zyklischen Ermüdungsversuchen folgende Einflussfaktoren untersucht:

Oberflächenrauheit, welche durch Festwalzen in der Regel verringert wird

Eigenspannungen aus dem Walzprozess

Verfestigungseffekte des Materials aus der Kaltumformung

Die erzielten experimentellen Dauerfestigkeitssteigerungen betragen bis zu 63 %. In Kombination mit den Erkenntnissen aus den Zusatzuntersuchungen zeigt sich, dass die Verwendung eines pauschalen Verfestigungsfaktors nicht zufriedenstellend ist. Ein Vergleich der Verfestigungsfaktoren nach DIN 743 und FKM-Richtlinie zeigt die Unsicherheiten in der Auslegung. Da Eigenspannungen in den Nennspannungskonzepten DIN 743 und FKM-Richtlinie nicht berücksichtigt werden, ist das Ergebnis der linear-elastischen Vergleichsspannungsamplitude von 1392 MPa in der Kerbe nicht erfassbar. Hierbei wird das Potenzial des Festwalzens deutlich.
Green PLM: business goals-oriented algorithm assessing the greenness of a product in the new product development phase for the automotive industry
Authors: Rosienkiewicz Maria , Helman Joanna , Cholewa Mariusz , Molasy Mateusz , Oleszek Sylwester , Berselli Giovanni
Published: May 2024

Sustainability-oriented new product development process is becoming of key importance in many sectors of the industry. Especially in the automotive industry, it plays a major role as this sector is historically associated with resource-intensive production and fossil fuel consumption, and thus has to implement solutions that will contribute to restraint of climate change. Manufacturing companies are currently faced with the challenge of adapting their business models to changing market expectations and requirements resulting from the sustainable development path. Moreover, the development of the new digital factories and pressure from the legislators require adjustment of existing Product Lifecycle Management systems. To enhance the concept of the Green Product Lifecycle Management which is still under development, in this work we propose a new three-step methodology composed of three main steps: (1) assessing indicators’ importance for sustainable business goals and business models, (2) assessing indicators and their importance in the automotive industry, (3) assessing “greenness” of the product. This complex approach is innovative as it is based on the business-oriented perspective. Selecting suitable business goals and corresponding business models leads to the selection of the appropriate subset of green indicators. Several more aspects are taken into account in this holistic analysis: the indicator's features, relevance for the company, importance to sustainable business goals, importance in terms of subsectors of the automotive industry as well as environmental, economic, and social impact. This approach enables the company to compute the value of the greenness of the product in reference to the key green indicators.
Vertebrates and flying insects provide biocontrol services to Australian urban food gardens
Authors: McDougall Robert , Kristiansen Paul , Latty Tanya , Rader Romina
Published: May 2024

Biocontrol by wild insects and other organisms is an important service provided to agriculture, but few studies have linked the role of this service to urban garden crop production. In 15 urban food gardens in Sydney, Australia, we assessed predation and parasitism of two sentinel prey species, recorded pest control activities undertaken by gardeners and the produce yielded by garden crops. We observed substantial removal of sentinel prey (mean removal 22% for Tenebrio molitor larvae and 59% for Helicoverpa armigera) but no parasitism. Vertebrate predators primarily consisted of urban adapted birds and mammals common throughout Australian cities. We measured a range of local and landscape scale environmental variables including plant richness and abundance, light, canopy cover, building density and distance to remnant vegetation. We found that gardeners undertook only basic pest control activities with little chemical use, yet high amounts of produce were harvested. Pest control services were poorly explained by environmental variables. Low active pest control activities, and high predation rates suggest pests are either well controlled or in low numbers in the surveyed urban food gardens. Given the vertebrate predators were generalist birds and mammals common to many parts of urban Australia, the provision of predation services to urban gardens by these taxa could be widespread across the continent.
Assessing the conservation and restoration potential of biotopes in a central European region
Authors: Rubanschi Sven , Hof Christian , Weisser Wolfgang W. , Meyer Sebastian T.
Published: May 2024

Changing environmental conditions and land use are threatening biodiversity on a large scale, making successful conservation and restoration essential for maintaining biodiversity. Planning of such efforts profits from information about where conditions are suitable for biotopes, to evaluate how likely successful conservation or restoration is at these sites. This study uses the distribution model Maxent to identify varying levels of conservation and restoration potential for 29 different biotopes in the central European region of Bavaria, Germany, by comparing the environmentally suitable areas identified by models with the current distribution of each biotope. We identified a conservation potential when a biotope occurred under suitable environmental conditions and a restoration potential when suitable environmental conditions were present at a site where the biotope was not observed. We found that 69.57% of biotope observations occurred under suitable environmental conditions representing a large conservation potential. Also, 22 biotopes showed more restoration potential than their current distribution and both conservation and restoration potential showed a similar geographical distribution. The approach used in this study can provide valuable insights for conservation and restoration decision-making by suggesting priority areas for the conservation and restoration of multiple biotopes. Further, it could be applied in other regions globally and by incorporating future climate projections it could identify particularly resilient locations for biotope conservation or restoration.
The Ethics of Commons Organizing: A Critical Reading
Authors: Murillo David , Guinart Pau , Arenas Daniel
Published: May 2024

In this article, we seek to explore the different normative claims made around commons organizing and how the advent of the digital commons introduces new ethical questions. We do so by unpacking and categorizing the specific ethical dimensions that differentiate the commons from other forms of organizing and by discussing them in the light of debates around the governance of participative organizations, the cornerstone of commons organizing (Ostrom in Governing the commons: the evolution of institutions for collective action. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1990). Rather than contesting commons organizing or endorsing it blindly, our goal is to critically reflect on its deontological and instrumental assumptions, and analyze the arguments upholding that it possesses ethical qualities that render it fairer, more equitable and sustainable than other centralized or hierarchical models—as well as any forms of privatization. We conclude by assessing the definitional dislocation of the digital commons where, unlike traditional commons, extractability can be endless and generate unintended consequences such as commodification or alienation. Taking stock of recent debates around the digital commons, we open the debate for future possible research avenues on normative claims, particularly under rapidly changing technological conditions.
Cardiac screening in pediatric patients with neurofibromatosis type 1: similarities with Noonan syndrome?
Authors: Kapusta Livia , Beer Gil , Rothschild Ehud , Baruch Guy , Barkay Gili , Marom Daphna , Grinshpun-Cohen Yulia , Raskind Craig , Constantini Shlomi , Toledano-Alhadef Hagit
Published: May 2024

Both Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and Noonan syndrome (NS) are RASopathies. Characteristic cardiac phenotypes of NS, including specific electrocardiographic changes, pulmonary valve stenosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have not been completely studied in NF1. Purpose: The aims of this study were to assess: (1) similarities in the prevalence and types of ECG and conventional echocardiographic findings described in NS in asymptomatic patients with NF1, and (2) the presence of discrete myocardial dysfunction in NF1 patients using myocardial strain imaging. Methods: Fifty-eight patients with NF1 (ages 0–18 years), and thirty-one age-matched healthy controls underwent cardiac assessment including blood pressure measurements, a 12-lead ECG, and detailed echocardiography. Quantification of cardiac chamber size, mass and function were measured using conventional echocardiography. Myocardial strain parameters were assessed using 2-Dimensional (2D) Speckle tracking echocardiography. Results: Asymptomatic patients with NF1 had normal electrocardiograms, none with the typical ECG patterns described in NS. However, patients with NF1 showed significantly decreased calculated Z scores of the left ventricular internal diameter in diastole and systole, reduced left ventricular mass index and a higher incidence of cardiac abnormal findings, mainly of the mitral valve, in contrast to the frequently described types of cardiac abnormalities in NS. Peak and end systolic global circumferential strain were the only significantly reduced speckle tracking derived myocardial strain parameter. Conclusions: Children with NF1 demonstrated more dissimilarities than similarities in the prevalence and types of ECG and conventional echocardiographic findings described in NS. The role of the abnormal myocardial strain parameter needs to be explored.
Publicly expressed climate scepticism is greatest in regions with high CO2 emissions
Authors: Pearson Samuel , Hornsey Matthew J. , Rekker Saphira , Wade Belinda , Greig Chris
Published: May 2024

We analysed a recently released corpus of climate-related tweets to examine the macro-level factors associated with public declarations of climate change scepticism. Analyses of over 2 million geo-located tweets in the U.S. showed that climate scepticism – and the aggressiveness of climate-related tweets – was greater in states with higher per capita carbon emissions. This pattern remained significant after controlling for political conservatism, GDP per capita, education, and gender, and was replicated across 126 nations from around the world. The findings are consistent with a vested interest hypothesis—misinformation around climate change is most likely to be distributed in regions where there is high fossil fuel reliance, and where the economic stakes of acknowledging climate change are high. Understanding the macro-level patterns that are implicated in climate scepticism can help inform structural interventions for those seeking a low-carbon future.
The Effectiveness of Modular Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Versus Treatment as Usual for Youths Displaying School Attendance Problems: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Johnsen Daniel B. , Lomholt Johanne J. , Heyne David , Jensen Morten B. , Jeppesen Pia , Silverman Wendy K. , Thastum Mikael
Published: May 2024

School attendance problems (SAPs) are associated with negative short- and long-term outcomes. Despite high prevalence of SAPs, there is a shortage of evidence-based interventions. Existing approaches often target either school refusal or truancy, leaving a gap in effective interventions addressing both types of SAPs. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) assessed the effectiveness of Back2School (B2S), a modular transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for SAPs, compared to treatment as usual (TAU). Outcomes included youths’ school attendance and mental health. A group (B2S, TAU) × time (Pre, Post, 3-Month Follow-Up) design involving 152 youths (B2S; n = 74, TAU; n = 78) with SAPs (i.e., ≥ 10% absence in the past three months), aged 6–16 years (M = 12.2, SD = 2.2, males = 60%) were used. B2S comprised three months of CBT with youths, parents, and school involvement, while TAU comprised public and/or private intervention services. On average, youths in B2S received 15.0, (SD = 3.9) hours of intervention, while those in TAU received 13.4, (SD = 21.6). Intervention effects were investigated using mixed linear models. Both B2S and TAU exhibited significant within-group improvements in school attendance, with no significant differences between them. However, the B2S group significantly outperformed TAU in reducing youths’ emotional problems, conduct problems, problems with peers, the overall impact of problems, and increasing youths self-efficacy for attending school and parent self-efficacy for dealing with a SAP. This RCT represents the first evaluation of a modular transdiagnostic CBT for youths displaying SAPs, showing significant mental health and self-efficacy benefits.  (Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03459677).