bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Vanillin Concentration on the Properties of Poly(vinyl alcohol)‐Based Films Prepared to Potentially Replace Single‐Use Plastics
Authors: Salum María Laura , Iguchi Daniela , Fernández Chevichuk Stefanía , Froimowicz Pablo
Published: October 2023

Packaging starting materials produced by incorporating vanillin (V) into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to obtain biopolymer films to replace single‐use plastics of limited degradation is presented in this work. Very homogeneous films are obtained by the casting technique. Different concentrations of V as an additive to produce the films and the manner in which they affect spectroscopic, thermal, and mechanical properties as well as their hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity balance and permeability behavior are analyzed. It is observed that increasing the concentration of V in the films increases the thermal stability, tensile strength, and tensile strain at failure, but decreases the Tg values, hydrophilicity, and water vapor permeability (WVP). Thus, the combined results suggest that these films show an excellent potential to be used as raw materials to manufacture eco‐friendly packaging materials as a replacement for non‐degradable single‐use plastics. This procedure may be beneficial in several applied areas, such as in the food industry, where PVA is widely used although many properties must yet be enhanced, as accomplishes in the present work.
Testing the suitability of Marginal Distribution Sampling as a gap‐filling method using some meteorological data from seven sites in West Africa
Authors: Koukoui Djidjoho Renaud Roméo , Mamadou Ossénatou , Hounsinou Miriam , Kounouhéwa Basile
Published: October 2023

Meteorological data are useful in many fields related to climate change studies and their use often requires them to be continuous. To date, marginal distribution sampling (MDS), which consists of filling a missing value with an average of the data that are found in similar meteorological conditions over a flexible time window, is widely adopted in the FLUXNET community. In this work, we evaluate the performance of MDS at diurnal and monthly scales for the incoming shortwave radiation (Swin), relative humidity (RH), vapour pressure deficit (VPD), air and soil temperatures (Tair, Tsoil) acquired across seven sites in West Africa. The criteria tested are the MDS's ability to (i) fill gaps while reducing the error rate, (ii) represent proper variability within data and finally (iii) ensure homogeneity between its output and original data. We found during the daytime that MDS is adequate for filling gaps in Swin when both reducing error rate and a good representation of variability are targeted. If the goal is to have a small error rate, then this approach is recommended for all investigated variables except VPD. During nighttime, MDS is satisfactory to minimize the error when filling gaps in Tair, Tsoil and RH while to represent their variabilities it becomes more sensitive to the rate of missing data. At a monthly scale, the gap‐filled data are consistent with the original ones for all variables attributable to data size and a wider sliding window that allows more data under similar conditions to be considered.
A novel pathogenic variant located just upstream of the C‐terminal Ser423‐X‐Ser425 phosphorylation motif in SMAD3 causing Loeys–Dietz syndrome
Authors: Ishii Satoshi , Fujiwara Takayuki , Yagi Hiroki , Takeda Norifumi , Ando Masahiko , Yamauchi Haruo , Inuzuka Ryo , Taniguchi Yuki , Hatano Masaru , Komuro Issei
Published: October 2023

Objective

Loeys–Dietz syndrome (LDS) is a heritable disorder of connective tissue closely related to Marfan syndrome (MFS). LDS is caused by loss‐of‐function variants of genes that encode components of transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) signaling; nevertheless, LDS type 1/2 caused by TGFBR1/2 pathogenic variants is frequently found to have paradoxical increases in TGF‐β signaling in the aneurysmal aortic wall. Here, we present a Japanese LDS family having a novel SMAD3 variant.

Methods

The proband was tested via clinical, genetic, and histological analyses. In vitro analysis was performed for pathogenic evaluation.

Results

The novel heterozygous missense variant of SMAD3 [c.1262G>A, p.(Cys421Tyr)], located just upstream of the C‐terminal Ser423‐X‐Ser425 phosphorylation motif, was found in this instance of LDS type 3. This variant led to reduced phospho‐SMAD3 (Ser423/Ser425) levels and transcription activity in vitro; however, a paradoxical upregulation of TGF‐β signaling was evident in the aortic wall.

Conclusions

Our results revealed the presence of TGF‐β paradox in this case with the novel loss‐of‐function SMAD3 variant. The precise mechanism underlying the paradox is unknown, but further research is warranted to clarify the influence of the SMAD3 variant type and location on the LDS3 phenotype as well as the molecular mechanism leading to LDS3 aortopathy.
A novel families of higher‐order multistep iterative methods for solving nonlinear systems
Authors: Saheya B. , Zhanlav T. , Mijiddorj R.
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we propose the first time fifth‐ and sixth‐order two‐step schemes. Based on the proposed two‐step methods, we develop three‐step iterative methods with the ninth‐ and tenth‐order of convergence. We also suggest two parametric families of these schemes. The obtained results are extended to
‐step iterations. The main advantages of the proposed methods are that they are higher order of convergence and utilize only one matrix inversion per iteration which makes these methods computationally more efficient. Numerical experiments are performed to confirm the theoretical results concerning the order of convergence and computational efficiency.
Molecular Efficacy of Gnetin C as Dual‐Targeted Therapy for Castrate‐Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Campanelli Gisella , Deabel Rabab Al , Puaar Anand , Devarakonda Lakshmi Sirisha , Parupathi Prashanth , Zhang Joyce , Waxner Noah , Yang Ching , Kumar Avinash , Levenson Anait S.
Published: October 2023

Scope

Resistance of castrate‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) to enzalutamide (Enz) involves the expression of constitutively active androgen receptor splice variant (AR‐V7). In addition to altered AR pathways, CRPC is characterized by “non‐AR‐driven” signaling, which includes an overexpression of metastasis‐associated protein 1 (MTA1). Combining natural compounds with anticancer drugs may enhance drug effectiveness while reducing adverse effects. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo anticancer effects of Gnetin C (GnC) alone and in combination with Enz against CRPC are examined.

Methods and results

The effects of GnC alone and in combination with Enz are assessed by cell viability, clonogenic survival, cell migration, and AR and MTA1 expression using 22Rv1 cells. The tumor growth in vivo is assessed by bioluminescent imaging, western blots, RT‐PCR, and IHC. GnC alone and in combined treatment inhibit cell viability, clonogenic survival and migration, and AR and MTA1 expression in 22Rv1 cells. The underlying AR‐ and MTA1‐targeted anticancer mechanisms of treatments in vivo involve inhibition of proliferation and angiogenesis, and induction of apoptosis.

Conclusion

The findings demonstrate that GnC alone and GnC combined with Enz effectively inhibits AR‐ and MTA1‐promoted tumor‐progression in advanced CRPC, which indicates its potential as a novel therapeutic approach for CRPC.
Pandemic‐era changes to medicaid enrollment and funding: Implications for future policy and research
Authors: Dague Laura , Ukert Benjamin
Published: October 2023

The COVID‐19 public health emergency led to federal legislation that changed the landscape of Medicaid coverage for low‐income people in the United States. Policy responses led to a surge in Medicaid caseloads due to new rules preventing Medicaid disenrollment, and total Medicaid enrollment increased more from 2020 to 2023 than the net increase in insurance coverage from 2013 to 2017 following the Affordable Care Act's implementation. It is crucial for scholars and practitioners to understand the implications of this continuous coverage policy and its 2023–2024 unwinding. This paper provides an overview of Medicaid enrollment, renewal, and funding policies, highlighting how policy changed during and immediately following the acute phase of the pandemic; describes enrollment increases and their composition; reviews relevant literature; and identifies key areas for research. By examining this unprecedented period in Medicaid, we can inform future policy decisions and optimize safety net programs to be effective under a broad set of circumstances.
A convolution‐based in vitro‐in vivo correlation model for methylphenidate hydrochloride delayed‐release and extended‐release capsule
Authors: Gupta Pawan Kumar , Incledon Bev , Gobburu Jogarao V. S. , Gomeni Roberto
Published: October 2023

Delayed‐release and extended‐release methylphenidate hydrochloride (JORNAY PM®) is a novel capsule formulation of methylphenidate hydrochloride, used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in patients 6 years and older. In this paper, we develop a Level A in vitro‐in vivo correlation (IVIVC) model for extended‐release methylphenidate hydrochloride to support post‐approval manufacturing changes by evaluating a point‐to‐point correlation between the fraction of drug dissolved in vitro and the fraction of drug absorbed in vivo. Dissolution data from an in vitro study of three different release formulations: fast, medium, and slow, and pharmacokinetic data from two in vivo studies were used to develop an IVIVC model using a convolution‐based approach. The time‐course of the drug concentration resulting from an arbitrary dose was considered as a function of the in vivo drug absorption and the disposition and elimination processes defined by the unit impulse response function using the convolution integral. An IVIVC was incorporated in the model due to the temporal difference seen in the scatterplots of the estimated fraction of drug absorbed in vivo and the fraction of drug dissolved in vitro and Levy plots. Finally, the IVIVC model was subjected to evaluation of internal predictability. This IVIVC model can be used to predict in vivo profiles for different in vitro profiles of extended‐release methylphenidate hydrochloride.
Liquid‐Gated Graphene Field‐Effect Transistors for Biosensing on Lipid Monolayers
Authors: Fomin Mykola , Jorde Lara , Steinbach Florian , You Changjiang , Meyer Carola
Published: October 2023

This study presents a comprehensive fabrication process for high‐quality graphene field‐effect transistors (GFETs) and their characterization. It is demonstrated that the suggested cost‐efficient method of fabrication utilizing the direct‐laser writing (DLW) system is reliable and ensures lower contact resistance between graphene and metal compared to other works. This improvement results in minimal signal loss and distortion, providing significant benefits to the overall performance of the GFETs. The fabricated devices are functionalized with a lipid monolayer containing tris‐nitrilotriacetic acid fused to the lipids for the binding of histidine‐tagged proteins. Monomeric enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) is used as a model protein to explore the current–voltage characteristics response of the liquid‐gated GFETs. The results demonstrate that the devices are well suited for the electrical biosensing of proteins in physiological buffer conditions, paving the way for label‐free detection of protein–protein interactions at membranes.
Factors associated with knowledge and hypoglycemia experience among patients with diabetes mellitus in Ghana: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Sakyi Samuel Asamoah , Opoku Stephen , Senu Ebenezer , Korsah Emmanuel Ekow , Effah Alfred , Baidoo Bright Takyi , Arele Eugene Ansah , Frimpong Emmanuel , Naturinda Emmanuel , Kodzo Kini Evans , Amenuvor Anthony , Kwayie Afia Agyapomaa , Bannor Lydia Oppong , Ampofo Ransford Osei , Marfo Brefo Aaron , Mensah‐Bonsu Raphael Osei
Published: October 2023

Background

Among persons with diabetes on treatment, hypoglycemia is the most common iatrogenic acute metabolic complication. Many factors influence hypoglycemia, highlighting the need for diabetic patients to recognize, and manage these potential factors in order to reduce the rate of hypoglycemia. In this study, we assessed the knowledge, experiences of hypoglycemia, and associated risk factors among Ghanaians with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods

This cross‐sectional study included 444 clinically diagnosed DM patients from the Suntreso Government Hospital, who were on treatment for at least a year. A structured validated questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical data from the participants. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Version 20.0 and GraphPad Prism 8.0.

Results

More than half (52.7%) of the study participants had poor knowledge of hypoglycemia. Moreover, 52.9% of diabetics had experienced hypoglycemia. Participants who were in the age groups of 55–64 and 65–80 years, being retired, being diagnosed with diabetes for 11–20 years and more than 20 years, taking in alcohol, and having adequate knowledge were independent determinants of experiencing hypoglycemia.

Conclusion

Knowledge level of hypoglycemia among Ghanaian diabetics is low. Prompt recognition of risk factors of hypoglycemia and the careful monitoring and management of glycemic levels in high‐risk groups are important to lessen the prevalence of hypoglycemia in these populations.
Compressed lithium atom under Debye screening
Authors: Doma S. B. , Salem M. A. , El‐Gammal F. N.
Published: October 2023

In the present paper, we introduced two approximation methods to investigate the spherically compressed lithium atom under the influence of Debye plasma. Specifically, the diffusion and the variational Monte Carlo methods are used for the first time to study this case. We incorporated an exponential screening into the nuclear Coulomb potential to account for the plasma influence. We focused our investigation on analyzing the combined effect of compression and plasma environment on the behavior of the lithium atom in its ground state. The resulting outcomes exhibited consistent pattern across various confinement radii and Debye plasma lengths . Many of the results are novel contributions, as they have yet to be explored. Moreover, the findings from this study demonstrated reasonable agreement with the limited existing theoretical results.
Quantum evolution speed and its limit in the driven double‐well system
Authors: Xu Feng , Zhang Lei , Huang Wendeng
Published: October 2023

We investigate quantum evolution speed in the driven double‐well system using the entangled trajectory molecular dynamics method. We emphasize not only the evolution speed of the quantum state but also its limit according to different definitions. The Wasserstein 1‐distance is used to quantify the distance between distinguishable quantum states in the phase space, the quantum speed limit based on the geometry has been shown to be the strictest one. The single trajectory's contribution to the quantum speed limit is discussed, which is related to both the time evolution of the trajectory and its position in the total Wigner function. The resonance and chaos strongly enhance the evolution speed and its limit in the driven double‐well system. The resonance effect makes a large proportion of representative points pass through the well as a whole, nevertheless, the chaos makes the Wigner function disperse in the phase space.
A comparative analysis of the HUGOTM robot‐assisted surgery system and the Da Vinci® Xi surgical system for robot‐assisted sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse treatment
Authors: Collà Ruvolo Claudia , Afonina Margarita , Balestrazzi Eleonora , Paciotti Marco , Piro Adele , Piramide Federico , Bravi Carlo Andrea , Peraire Lores Maria , Sorce Gabriele , Belmonte Mario , Rebuffo Silvia , Ticonosco Marco , Frego Nicola , Gaia Giorgia , De Groote Ruben , Mottrie Alexandre , De Naeyer Geert
Published: October 2023

Background

We aimed to compare the outcomes of Robot‐assisted sacrocolpopexy (RASC) performed using the novel HUGOTM Robot‐Assisted Surgery (RAS) System with the Da Vinci® Xi surgical system.

Methods

Data from 38 women undergoing RASC for a ≥ 2‐grade pelvic organ prolapse were collected (2021–2023).

Results

Overall, 23 (60.5%) and 15 (39.5%) procedures were performed using the DaVinci® Xi and the HUGOTM RAS system, respectively. The median total operative time was 123 (IQR:106.5–140.5) minutes for the DaVinci® Xi versus 120 (IQR:120–146) minutes for the HUGOTM RAS cases (p = 0.5). No conversion to open/laparoscopic surgery, perioperative complications, or system failures occurred. No differences were recorded according to day of catheter removal and length of stay.

Conclusions

This study represents the first worldwide comparison of RASC executed using the HUGOTM RAS versus the Da Vinci® Xi System. Our data suggest that RASC might be performed with both robotic platforms with similar perioperative outcomes.
Institutional dynamics and corporate innovation: A pathway to sustainable development
Authors: Akbar Ahsan , Usman Muhammad , Lin Teng
Published: October 2023

Modern corporate success is primarily reliant on a perfect balance of institutional effectiveness, innovation, and sustainability. Therefore, the primary goal of this research is to evaluate the impact of institutional frameworks on corporate innovation in developing countries. To achieve the said objective, we use firm and country data from multiple sources, and the final dataset consists of 24,166 observations from 41 developing countries during 2014–2018. For the analysis, we employ ordered probit and instrumental variable ordered probit regression models. According to the results, the success of corporate innovation in developing countries hinges on the strength of legal, financial, administrative, political, and religious institutions. Moreover, such associations stand out more clearly in nations with strong and stable institutional frameworks. The regression results show that innovative enterprises are more prevalent in strong institutional environments compared to those in poor institutional environments. These results also indicate that a strong rule of law, protection of property rights, easy access to financing, developed financial markets, an ethical environment, control of corruption, a stable political system, a democratic government, religious diversity, and freedom all contribute to corporate innovation. Moreover, institutional efficiency and corporate viability fuel the engine of corporate innovation, encouraging enterprises to create game‐changing products and services. These results contribute to the field of innovation management by considering institutional settings for sustainable development. The results have practical applications for building robust institutions and a creative culture.
Integrating climate change practices in a circular economy context—The perspective from chemical enterprises
Authors: Leal Filho Walter , Frizzo Kamila , Eustachio João Henrique Paulino Pires , Tsani Stella , Özuyar Pınar Gökçin
Published: October 2023

This study describes the relationships between climate change and the concept of a circular economy, outlining the need for synergies within a company's context. It reports on a bibliometric analysis of the relations between climate change and circular economy, and it provides evidence and assessments based on a sample of 11 large companies in the chemical industry. The results show that there is a concern in the academic literature to discuss circular economy efforts to combat climate change, reduce carbon emissions, strengthen the supply chain, assess the life cycle of products, their environmental impact, and waste management, and identify barriers to implementing the circular economy. In addition, there is a close association between the CE concept and tackling climate change in how organisations report their practices to the stakeholders, in considering concepts of recycling, reusing, adopting renewable energy, seeking resource efficiency, and rethinking strategies. The study concludes by providing some suggestions that may assist companies in intensifying their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, combining them with more circular business models. Efforts from interested stakeholders must focus on defining CE in a more detailed manner, as well as its implementation at the different stages of production and consumption, especially in operations for which no uniform approach or common practice can be established. In this context, implications for positive social and environmental impacts by promoting a faster and more proactive climate transition in the chemical sector are presented. The novelty of this paper relies on the fact that it advances knowledge on matters related to the circular economy under a climate change context, identifying current trends and suggesting some measures which may optimise current business practices of the chemical sector.
Designing a Hybrid Perovskite with Enlarged Birefringence and Bandgap for Modulation of Light Polarization
Authors: Huang Weiqi , Song Xianyu , Li Yanqiang , Zhou Yang , Xu Qianting , Song Yipeng , Wang Han , Li Minjuan , Zhao Sangen , Luo Junhua
Published: October 2023

Birefringent crystals have important applications in optoelectronics areas due to their ability to modulate and polarize light. Despite increasing discovery of the birefringence potential of new crystals, it remains a great challenge to optimize both birefringence and bandgap simultaneously. Herein, a 1D chain‐like hybrid perovskite birefringent crystal designed by 3D‐to‐1D dimensional tailoring, (GAM)2PbI7·H2O (GAM = C5N10H10), is presented, showing enlarged birefringence of 0.49@550 nm and enlarged optical bandgap (2.48 eV). Consequently, the birefringent quality factor of (GAM)2PbI7·H2O is up to 2.8 times that of the template MAPbI3. In particular, the birefringence is much larger than those of commercial birefringent crystals and surpasses that of the vast majority of hybrid perovskite known to date. Theoretical calculations reveal that the strongly anisotropic arrangement of (GAM)2.5+ π‐conjugated cations and ordered PbI6 octahedra contributes to the large birefringence and wide bandgap of (GAM)2PbI7·H2O. It is believed that this work will provide a new pathway toward the rational design and synthesis of hybrid perovskite birefringent crystals for compact wide‐bandgap polarization dependent devices.
Revealing the Adsorption Behavior of Nitrogen Reduction Reaction on Strained Ti2CO2 by a Spin‐Polarized d‐band Center Model
Authors: Zhang Yaqin , Wang Yuhang , Ma Ninggui , Liang Bochun , Xiong Yu , Fan Jun
Published: October 2023

Electrocatalytic reduction of dinitrogen to ammonia has attracted significant research interest. Herein, it reports the boosting performance of electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction on Ti2CO2 MXene with an oxygen vacancy through biaxial tensile strain engineering. Specifically, tensile strain modified electronic structures and formation energy of oxygen vacancy are evaluated. The exposed Ti atoms with additional electron states near the Fermi level serve as active site for intermediate adsorption, leading to superior catalytic performance (Ulimit = −0.44 V) under 2.5% biaxial tensile strain through a distal mechanism. However, the two sides of the “Sabatier optimum” in volcano plot are not limited by two different electronic steps, but are induced by the diverse adsorption behaviors of intermediates. Crucially, the “Sabatier optimum” results from the different response speeds of the adsorption energy for *N2 and *NNH to strains. Moreover, the authors observe conventional d‐band adsorption for *N2 and *NNH, non‐linear adsorption for *NNH2, and abnormal d‐band adsorption for *N, *NH, *NH2, and *NH3, which can be explained by the competition between attractive orbital hybridization and repulsive orbital orthogonalization with the spin‐polarized d‐band model, which further clarifies the contributions of 3σ → dz2 and dxz/dyz → 2π* to the overall population of bonding and anti‐bonding states.
Evaluation of Horizontal Single‐Axis Solar Tracker Algorithms in Terms of Energy Production and Operational Performance
Authors: Muñoz Ildefonso , Guinda Adrián , Olivares Gregorio , Díaz Sara , Gracia‐Amillo Ana M. , Casajús Luis
Published: October 2023

Horizontal single‐axis solar tracking systems with Astronomical tracking algorithm are commonly used in photovoltaic (PV) installations. However, different algorithms can increase the PV installation's performance without implementing new equipment or technologies. In this article, the performance of three tracking algorithms is compared to the Astronomical one. Two algorithms aim at optimizing the received irradiance focusing on the diffuse component. The third one, called Analytical, is presented as a new development in this study, defining the optimal inclination angle depending on all radiation components. The comparison focuses on different parameters like the in‐plane irradiance, DC power output from a monofacial PV system and operational aspects like the performed number of movements. High‐time‐resolution (1 min) simulations are performed with proprietary software taking into account several effects on the effective irradiance and power output estimation, such as shading effects or PV configuration. Eight locations with different climatic conditions are analyzed. All three algorithms derive in higher in‐plane irradiance and power output values than the Astronomical algorithm, although the gain depends on the climatic conditions. At locations with high diffuse fraction, the power output from the Analytical algorithm, which outperforms the others, can be up to 3% higher than the Astronomical one.
Intercultural teaching practices in the EFL classroom: The case of non‐elite communities
Authors: Sagre Anamaria , Machado Leonardo Pacheco , Zumaquè Yurisan Tordecilla
Published: October 2023

Significant research has delved into the methodologies and practices teachers use to foster interculturality in the high school and college foreign language curriculum. Yet, little is known about the intercultural teaching practices teachers use in non‐elite communities where inequity, lack of access, and inclusion have prevailed, especially during COVID‐19. This case study describes how three teachers in three Colombian state schools, where economic divides are notorious, teach for interculturality in distance and virtual learning educational environments during the outbreak of COVID‐19. Findings indicate that teachers' approach to interculturality could be categorized into four intercultural teaching practices: 1) moving from the known to the unknown, 2) going beyond factual information, 3) challenging existing sources, and 4) contextualizing through authenticity. These practices offer guidance and instructional moves about how to teach for interculturality locally and worldwide.
Field study of irrigation strategies with treated wastewater and saline water on heavy metal accumulation in barley grain
Authors: Shahidi Ali , Khashei‐Siuki Abbas , Bagheri Hossein , Afshin Ali
Published: October 2023

This study examines the effects of three irrigation regimes with a combination of saline water and treated wastewater on the accumulation of heavy metals in barley grains. A field experiment was designed as a split‐split plot arrangement in a randomized complete block design, in which treatments were different irrigation regimes (50%, 70%, and 100% full irrigation) and irrigation water types (saline water [SW], treated wastewater [TW], mixed water resources [MWR], and alternative irrigation [AI]). After cultivation and harvesting of the barley crop, the grain yield, 1000‐grain weight, and contents of heavy metals in the grains were measured. The grain yield was enhanced by TW alone, MWR, and AI to 12.8%, 5%, and 9.5% under 70%‐deficit irrigation; and 58.3%, 21.7%, and 8.7% under full irrigation, respectively. Based on the guidelines for safe limits of heavy metals in edible plants and livestock feed, the barley grains were safe for livestock and toxic for humans. The trend of heavy metal contents in the grains was Fe > Zn > Pb > Cu ≥ Cr > Cd. Irrigation with SW compared with TW increased Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, and Cr contents in the grains to 11.75%, 10.97%, 5.22%, 19.15%, 3.45%, and 9.21%, respectively. The amounts of toxic elements of Cd and Pb were maximized by using MWR, whereas the Cr content in the grain was maximized by using AI. There were no significant difference in the metal uptake by the grains among all irrigation regimes in any irrigation water resource. However, compared with the other irrigation regimes, the full irrigation resulted in lower Zn, Cu, and Cd contents, whereas the 50%‐deficit irrigation led to lower Pb and Cr contents in the grains. Therefore, irrigation with TW is recommended based on the grain yield, whereas AI is suggested due to lower Cu, Pb, and Cd contents in the grain, and MWR is recommended due to lower Cr content. Furthermore, full and 50%‐deficit irrigation regimes are recommended to, respectively, maximize grain yield and minimize the toxic metal contents in the grain.

Practitioner Points

Mixed saline water and treated wastewater and alternative irrigation enhanced grain yield.

Saline water versus treated wastewater increased the grain heavy metal contents.

Alternative irrigation decreased Fe, Cu, Pb, and Cd amounts in the grain.

Grain Cu content had strong relationship with irrigation regime.

50%‐deficit irrigation minimized Pb and Cr contents in the grain.
Activists Escaping Lebanon: Disruption, Burnout, and Disengagement
Authors: Geha Carmen
Published: October 2023

This chapter traces the experience of political activists in Lebanon from protests, social movement formation, revolution, to the current moment of their choosing to migrate. It conceptualizes the Mediterranean as a socially symbolic space where many Lebanese activists are choosing to settle in after a series of crises and disappointments. It helps us understand how movements get disrupted and how activists used agency in certain moments to purposefully disconnect from what they perceive to be situations where there is no hope left. The chapter uses in-depth interviews with individuals who have recently migrated following Lebanon’s economic collapse and the port explosion.
Root Causes of Irregular Migration in the Eastern Mediterranean: The Case of Afghans and Syrians
Authors: İçduygu Ahmet , Altıok Birce
Published: October 2023

This chapter evaluates the initiation and perpetuation of migratory flows from Afghanistan and Syria to Europe, which operate through the Eastern Mediterranean corridor over the decades. It links the notion of root causes of migration to the fragile or weak statehood and protracted refugee situations. While the concepts of “root causes” and “fragile or weak state” may be contested, they hold analytical value as they relate to various aspects of irregular migration systems between the Global North and Global South. Due to the scarcity of research on the relationship between weak statehood, refugee flows, and irregular migration, and their implications on migratory systems between the Global South and Global North, exploring this connection through an analytical framework applied to selected case studies becomes a critical research area. The selected cases, namely migration flows from Afghanistan and Syria to Europe via the Eastern Mediterranean, offer a framework for better understanding the root causes of irregular migratory flows that impact the broader geography of the Eastern Mediterranean and Europe. Therefore, by focusing on weak statehood, this chapter explores the dynamics and mechanisms of root causes of irregular migration and asylum flows. It aims to explain why and how people choose specific routes over time. The ongoing debate on this topic also helps assess policy outcomes for the effective governance of irregular migration and refugee flows.
The Continuity of Migration Drivers: A Historical Perspective on Spanish Social Transformations
Authors: Rodriguez-Pena Naiara
Published: October 2023

Efforts to map migration drivers have in part resulted in calls to abandon rigid economic and demographic indicators so as to explore how cultural and political factors facilitate or constrain migration. Although a considerable amount of research has investigated the migration-development nexus, its focus is often shortsighted or primarily on developing countries. Instead, this chapter adopts a social transformation perspective to analyze how processes of change at the political, economic, technological, demographic, and cultural levels have impacted the drivers of Spanish migrations since the early 1880s to the present day. To do so, the chapter draws on a collection of statistical data on Spanish migration and societal indicators, as well as on a comprehensive literature review of the social and migration history of Spain. The chapter argues that the interrelation between three forces explains Spanish migration transitions: (1) state expansion and contraction, (2) economic fluctuations, and (3) uneven urbanization processes. Ultimately, the chapter also demonstrates that the unequal development of central and peripheral areas within the country is a consequence of social transformations, and in turn, links past and present by illustrating how similar factors have triggered migration dynamics for more than a century.
Looking at the EU-Turkey Deal: The Implications for Migrants in Greece and Turkey
Authors: Demirbaş Elif , Miliou Christina
Published: October 2023

Since the beginning of the Syrian conflict in 2011, new migration governance strategies across the Mediterranean region have arisen with tightening border regimes and new laws on migration deterrence. The EU and Turkey felt the need to develop new migration governance regimes. Greece and Turkey were suddenly placed in the epicentre of managing millions of asylum-seekers and displaced populations, shaping European migration policies, and ‘protecting’ Fortress Europe. Upon its sixth anniversary, this chapter explores the effects and consequences of the EU-Turkey deal on the subjects it aims to govern. By problematising its implementation and consequences, this chapter demonstrates that the EU-Turkey deal has deep-rooted Eurocentric characteristics that perpetuate precarity through externalisation and selectivity of migration. More specifically, by adopting a Foucauldian lens, the chapter will scrutinise the deal’s implications on migrants’ right to seek asylum in Europe in the context of Greece; and, with a focus on migrants’ integration into the labour market, their right (or the lack thereof) to integrate within the host country in the context of Turkey.
The Political Economy of Egyptian Migration to Europe in the 2020s
Authors: Awad Ibrahim
Published: October 2023

The EU and Egypt share a neoclassical conceptual understanding of Egyptian migration, grafted by the network theory, in its criminal shape. In accordance with the neoclassical explanations and for political considerations, since the 1970s, Egypt sought to promote labour migration so as to release pressures on its labour market and to bring it valued remittances. Yet, Egypt, realizing the heightened EU concern with irregular migration chose to cooperate in defusing it. It resorted to issue-linking, giving up on legal migration opportunities to Europe, in return for benefits for its migration governance, locally-focused development and, importantly, for higher political motives. Operationalizing an agreed policy framework, the actions funded by the EU and its member states and those unilaterally taken by Egypt generated outcomes to the satisfaction of the EU. They also produced the benefits sought by Egypt. This looks like a perfect exchange based on the interdependence of the two parties. Yet, irregular migration persists and Egyptian HSM increases. Clinging to its conceptual foundation only, this framework ignores the arguments advanced by approaches such as the dual labour market and world system theories. The EU-Egypt conceptual framework should integrate these theories and devise corresponding policies and actions.
Concluding Remarks: Applying Med-Thinking Proviso to Set a Research Agenda on Mediterranean Migrations
Authors: Zapata-Barrero Ricard
Published: October 2023

Quickly reviewing images on “Mediterranean migrations” in Google Analytics (November 2022) and even going through Google Scholar Analytics, we can infer several premises. First, negative aspects by far dominate the public representation and research narrative over the positive ones, ruled by the same rhetoric most governments have constructed: crisis and instability, Mediterranean “dis-ordered” migration. This may invite us to reflect on the extent to which a research agenda, which is too often conflict-driven, may fuel mainstream policies and hegemonic reactive governance narratives. This concurrency between the political, the media and the social negative agenda is denounced by most of the contributions, and there is a general claim for a more encouraging or at least independent Mediterranean migrations agenda from scholars, highly contaminated by political decisions. The contributions in this co-edited volume provide a range of insights that can help shape this alternative narrative in Google. Ultimately, what this volume shows is that any research on Mediterranean migrations necessarily becomes critical, (quasi)activist, because any researcher is engaged against the dominant narrative wall.
Migration Across the Mediterranean: Shaping Italy-Libya Relations Over Time
Authors: Tjønn Mathias Hatleskog , Jumbert Maria Gabrielsen
Published: October 2023

Libya has been a central focus of European migration management across the Mediterranean for the past two-three decades, becoming particularly salient in 2015–2016. Italy has been involved in a gradual accumulation of agreements with Libya and in recent years also involving the EU. Italy’s prior and contested colonial history in Libya has shaped the close economic ties between the two countries following Libyan independence. Both the colonial history and economic collaboration in turn play an important part in the agreements on migration, something that has hitherto been under-researched and inadequately understood. This chapter presents the history of these agreements, in order to better understand what it means for the EU’s present involvement in them. We also show how European and Italian migration management together with Libya operate in a landscape of treaties and agreements that run the risk of obstructing and obfuscating the rule of law and humanitarian treatment, ideals the EU purports to uphold also in their treatment of would-be migrants crossing the Mediterranean. By taking a historical approach and describing these developments over time, we contribute to better enlighten today’s relationship between the EU and Italy on the one hand and Libya on the other.
Answers to the Questions Posed
Authors: Pedersen Mette
Published: October 2023

How do the high-speed videos change from the prepubertal over the pubertal to the postpubertal period?
Analysis of double-J/ψ production in Z decay at next-to-leading-order QCD accuracy
Authors: Li Cong , Sun Zhan , Zhang Gui-Yuan
Published: October 2023

Abstract

In this article, we study in detail the double-J/ψ yield through Z decay at the next-to-leading-order (NLO) QCD accuracy within the nonrelativistic QCD factorization. At the tree level, the pure QCD diagrams predict a branching ratio of $$ {\mathcal{B}}_{Z\to J/\psi +J/\psi } $$

B

Z
→
J
/
ψ
+
J
/
ψ

~ 10−12; however, the inclusion of the QED diagrams would augment this prediction by approximately 2–3 orders of magnitude. After incorporating the QCD corrections, the QCD results exhibit a considerable increase, whereas the QED results undergo a substantial reduction. Combining the QCD and QED contributions at NLO in αs, it is observed that the prediction of $$ {\mathcal{B}}_{Z\to J/\psi +J/\psi } $$

B

Z
→
J
/
ψ
+
J
/
ψ

= ($$ {1.110}_{-0.241-0.001}^{+0.334+0.054} $$

1.110

−
0.241
−
0.001

+
0.334
+
0.054

) × 10−10, which displays a fairly steady dependence on the renormalization scale, is significantly lower than the upper limits released by CMS.
Kink scattering in the presence of geometric constrictions
Authors: Campos João G. F. , Simas Fabiano C. , Bazeia D.
Published: October 2023

Abstract

We investigate kink-antikink collisions in a model characterized by two scalar fields in the presence of geometric constrictions. The model includes an auxiliary function that modifies the kinematics associated with one of the two fields. An important fact is that one of the fields can be solved independently, being responsible for changing the internal structure of the second one. We performed several collisions and observed the presence of resonance windows for small values of the parameters. Furthermore, we have been able to show the alternation between the appearance of oscillating pulses, as well as the annihilation and formation of kink-antikink pairs when the geometric constriction is more pronounced. The study of kink dynamics in models with geometric constrictions is connected with issues of interest such as domain wall formation and magnetization at the manometric scale.
Beyond AdS2/dCFT1: insertions in two Wilson loops
Authors: Correa Diego H. , Faraggi Alberto , Mück Wolfgang , Pando Zayas Leopoldo A. , Silva Guillermo A.
Published: October 2023

Abstract

We consider two-point correlators of local operator insertions in a system of two Wilson-Maldacena loops in $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on both sides of the AdS/CFT correspondence. On the holographic side the correlator of two Wilson-Maldacena loops is given by a classical string world-sheet which in one phase connects two asymptotically AdS2 regions and in the other phase is given by two disconnected AdS2 caps; this configuration breaks supersymmetry as well as conformal invariance. We present a complete systematic account of the string world-sheet fluctuations, including the fermionic sector, and study the behavior of the holographic two-point correlators. On the field theory side we compute certain two-point correlators of local operator insertions by resumming sets of ladder diagrams. Our results demonstrate the efficacy of previously developed methods in tackling this non-conformal, non-susy regime.
Gauged SU(3)F and loop induced quark and lepton masses
Authors: Mohanta Gurucharan , Patel Ketan M.
Published: October 2023

Abstract

We investigate a local SU(3)F flavour symmetry for its viability in generating the masses for the quarks and charged leptons of the first two families through radiative corrections. Only the third-generation fermions get tree-level masses due to specific choice of the field content and their gauge charges. Unprotected by symmetry, the remaining fermions acquire non-vanishing masses through the quantum corrections induced by the gauge bosons of broken SU(3)F. We show that inter-generational hierarchy between the masses of the first two families arises if the flavour symmetry is broken with an intermediate SU(2) leading to a specific ordering in the masses of the gauge bosons. Based on this scheme, we construct an explicit and predictive model and show its viability in reproducing the realistic charged fermion masses and quark mixing parameters in terms of not-so-hierarchical fundamental couplings. The model leads to the strange quark mass, ms ≈ 16 MeV at MZ, which is ~2.4σ away from its current central value. Large flavour violations are a generic prediction of the scheme which pushes the masses of the new gauge bosons to 103 TeV or higher.
A new automatic method for demoulding plastic parts using an intelligent robotic system
Authors: Sánchez-Martínez Daniel , Jara Carlos A. , Gomez-Donoso Francisco
Published: October 2023

Nowadays, there are many different industrial processes in which people spend several hours performing tedious and repetitive tasks. Furthermore, most of these processes involve the manipulation of dangerous materials or machinery, such as the toy manufacturing, where people handle ovens with high temperatures and make weary physical effort for a long period of time during the process. In this work, it is presented an automatic and innovative collaborative robotic system that is able to deal with the demoulding task during the manufacturing process of toy dolls. The intelligent robotic system is composed by an UR10e robot with a RealSense RGB-D camera integrated which detects the pieces in the mould using a developed vision-based algorithm and extracts them by means of a custom gripper located and the end of the robot. We introduce a pipeline to perform the demoulding task of different plastic pieces relying in the use of this intelligent robotic system. Finally, to validate this approach, the automatic method has been successfully implemented in a real toy factory providing a novel approach in this traditional manufacturing process. The paper describes the robotic system performance using different forces and velocities, obtaining a success rate of more than 90% in the experimental results.
Long waves, paradigm shifts, and income distribution, 1929–2010 and afterwards
Authors: Espinosa-Gracia Adrian , Sánchez-Chóliz Julio
Published: October 2023

The way income is distributed in an economy is perhaps the most notable result of its growth patterns. Understanding the joint persistence of economic crises and changes in social inequality since 1929 is considered a great challenge. This paper tries to analyze growth and income distribution in the long run using the concept of long waves, the evolutionary concept of ‘systems’, and empirical information. We conjecture that the social system is in turn an outcome of the co-evolution of four partially autonomous subdomains: (i) technology, characterized by a paradigm whose evolution follows the shape of a ‘Schumpeterian boom’; (ii) the economy or productive system, essentially defined as the succession of intermediate-length fluctuations in investments, and strongly associated to sectoral and structural changes; (iii) science, which contributes to development by generating innovations; and (iv) institutions, which set the rules in which income distribution is framed. Following this scheme, the data reveal that income distribution is an emerging result from this ‘global social system’ and not only the result of economic productivity and technology; apparently, the weight in the income distribution of institutional factors is as relevant as economic and technological factors. Second, the long-run growth trends are most possibly non-linear and, to great extent, non-deterministic, which would support the representation of long-run phenomena as long waves. Finally, we have found that in the long period 1929–2010 and afterwards, two sub-periods are manifested, with very different regimes of income distribution: (1) 1929–1975, when inequality decreased, and (2) from 1975 to present time, when inequality increased. Concerning the years after 2010, two alternatives follow: either these correspond to the recovery phase of a new long wave, or to the end of the depression phase of our second period. In both cases, we are currently moving towards the expansionary phase of a new long wave, which will have important implications for contemporary economic policies.