bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The war and tourism: security issues and business opportunities in shadow of Russian war against Ukraine
Authors: Kozlowski Artur Roland
Published: October 2023

The effects of war have far-reaching consequences. They bring numerous victims—also civilians, destruction of infrastructure, enterprises, and citizens’ property. They cause political instability and lead to great security concerns, especially in tourist destinations. Experience with various wars indicates a minimum three-year negative effect of warfare on the tourism industry. The terrorist industry is also negatively affected by terrorism, which can occur regardless of the duration of the war itself. Terrorist attacks are deliberately organized in such a way as to evoke images of human victims, which affects the fear of tourist arrivals to such heavily burdened places. The paper discusses potential scenarios for the continuation of the war and its impact on the operational activity of international business with Russia. Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine brings closer the threat of war itself and shock to various industries, including the tourism industry. The paper presents the effects of the war on tourist trips from Russia but also Ukraine and its effects on traditional touristic destinations. Issues of threats to business are raised but also opportunities appearing on the horizon. The visa ban for Russians introduced by the EU with the simultaneous escalating and ruthless Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians does not inspire optimism. It should be expected that the 2023 tourist season will remain burdened with the stigma of war and the limited movement of Russians around Europe.
A New Approach for Measuring Viscoelastic Properties of Soft Materials Using the Dynamic Response of a Spherical Object Placed at the Sample Interface
Authors: Koruk H. , Koc H. O. , Yurdaer S. B. , Besli A. , Pouliopoulos A. N.
Published: October 2023

Background

There are several techniques to characterize the mechanical properties of soft materials, such as the indentation method and the method based on the application of a spherical object placed inside the sample. The indentation systems usually yield the elastic properties of materials and their mathematical models do not consider the inertia of the sample involved in motion and radiation damping, while placing an object inside the sample is not practical and this procedure can alter the mechanical properties of the sample for the method based on the application of a bubble/sphere placed inside the sample.

Objective

A new approach for the identification of the viscoelastic properties of soft materials using the dynamic response of a spherical object placed at the sample interface was proposed.

Methods

The spherical object placed at the sample interface was pressed using an electromagnet and the dynamic response of the spherical object was tracked using a high-speed camera, while the dynamic response of the spherical object placed at the sample interface was estimated using a comprehensive analytical model. The effects of the shear modulus, viscosity, Poisson’s ratio and density of the soft sample, the radius and density of the spherical object and the damping due to radiation were considered in this mathematical model. The shear modulus and viscosity of the soft sample were determined by matching the experimentally identified and theoretically estimated responses of the spherical object.

Results

The shear moduli and viscosities of the three phantoms with the gelatin mass ratios of 0.20, 0.25 and 0.29 were measured to be 3450, 4300 and 4950 Pa and 12.5, 14.0 and 15.0 Pa⋅s, respectively. The shear modulus and viscosity of the phantom increases as the gelatin mass ratio increases. The frequency of oscillations of the hemisphere placed at the phantom interface increases as the gelatin mass ratio increases due to stiffness increase.

Conclusions

After matching the experimental and theoretical steady-state displacements and amplitudes of oscillations of the hemisphere at the sample interface, the comparison of the experimentally identified and theoretically predicted frequency of oscillations further confirmed the identified material properties of the samples. The approach presented here is expected to provide valuable information on material properties in biomedical and industrial applications.
Ecliptasaponin A attenuates renal fibrosis by regulating the extracellular matrix of renal tubular cells
Authors: Li Xiaomin , Dong Wenhui , Yang Yanlin , Ren Shijing , Wang Xiangyu , Zou Meina , Lu Wen , Liu Lerong , Xue Yaoming
Published: October 2023

Renal fibrosis is the most common manifestation of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), including diabetic kidney disease (DKD), but there is no effective treatment in renal fibrosis. Natural products are a rich source of clinical drug research and have been used in the clinical research of various diseases. In this study, we searched for traditional Chinese medicine monomers that attenuate fibrosis and assessed their effect on the fibrosis marker connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in cells which we found ecliptasaponin A. Subsequently, we evaluated the effect of ecliptasaponin A on renal fibrosis in the classic renal fibrosis unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse model and found that ecliptasaponin A could reduce the renal collagen fiber deposition and renal extracellular matrix (ECM) protein expression in UUO mice. In vitro, ecliptasaponin A can inhibit ECM protein expression in human kidney-2 (HK-2) cells induced by transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGFβ1). To further clarify the mechanism of ecliptasaponin A in attenuating renal fibrosis, we performed transcriptome sequencing of HK-2 cells treated with TGFβ1 and ecliptasaponin A. The functions and pathways were mainly enriched in the extracellular matrix and TGFβ signalling pathway. Matrix metalloproteinase 10 (MMP10) and matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) are the main differentially expressed genes in extracellular matrix regulation. Then, we measured MMP10 and MMP13 in the cells and found that ecliptasaponin A had a significant inhibitory effect on MMP13 expression but not on MMP10 expression. Furthermore, we overexpressed MMP13 in HK-2 cells treated with TGFβ1 and found that MMP13 promoted HK-2 cell injury. Our findings suggest that ecliptasaponin A can attenuate renal fibrosis, which may provide a new method for treating renal fibrosis clinically.
The impact of bee product incorporation on the processing properties, nutritional value, sensory acceptance, and microbial stability of bread
Authors: Ertosun Seymanur , Falcão Soraia I. , Aylanc Volkan , Tomás Andreia , Russo-Almeida Paulo , Rodrigues Paula , Vilas-Boas Miguel
Published: October 2023

Consumers are making their lifestyle healthier by changing diet, so food producers are exploring the enrichment of daily products using natural additives with nutraceutical properties. The addition of bee products is a good example, enabling a positive input in nutrients at the same time that the phytochemical substances present on it, may add complementary bioactive functions. This study centred on formulating recipes for traditional bread, incorporating bee products such as bee pollen and bee bread. The fortified breads revealed a coherent increase on protein and lipid content, while the fibre value depends on the type of bee product added. The enrichment seems also to induce changes in the physical properties, with the fortified breads becoming yellow-brownish colour and firming, due to the increase in the protein content, at the same time that some reduction in elasticity is observed. The sensorial perception, tested to assess the market product acceptability, gave encouraging outcomes with high scores for bee bread enrichment. It is relevant to highlight that the recipes used can be classified as “low salt content” bread, with salt values below 130 mg/100 g.
Methodology and Results of a Joint IFSO-WGO Delphi Survey of 94 Intercontinental, Interdisciplinary Experts in Obesity Management
Authors: Kow Lilian , Sharaiha Reem Z. , O’Kane Mary , White Kevin P. , Macedo Guilherme , Toouli Jim , Shikora Scott
Published: October 2023

Background

Obesity affects 1.5 billion people worldwide, yet few are treated effectively and considerable variability exists in its management. In 2020, a joint International Federation of Surgery for Obesity and Metabolic Diseases (IFSO) and World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO) advisory committee initiated the drafting of consensus guidelines on obesity management, to be based on detailed literature reviews and the results of an extensive multi-disciplinary survey of intercontinental experts. This paper reports on the latter. The objective of this study is to identify areas of consensus and non-consensus among intercontinental, inter-disciplinary experts in obesity management.

Methods

Guided by an international consensus-survey expert, a three-round online Delphi survey was conducted in the summer of 2021 of international obesity-management experts spanning the fields of medicine, bariatric endoscopy and surgery, psychology, and nutrition. Issues like epidemiology and risk factors, patient selection for metabolic and bariatric surgery (ASMBS-Clinical-Issues-Committee, Surg Obes Relat Dis : Off J Am Soc Bariatric Surg. 8:e27-32, 1), psychological issues, patient preparation for MBS, bariatric endoscopy, and outcomes and follow-up were addressed.

Results

Ninety-four experts from six continents voted on 180 statements, with consensus reached on 158, including consensus agreement with 96 and disagreement with 24 statements (38 had other response options besides agree/disagree). Among unanimous opinions were the need for all medical societies to work together to address obesity, for regular regional and national obesity surveillance, for multi-disciplinary management, to recognize the increasing impact of childhood and adolescent obesity, to accept some weight regain as normal after MBS, and for life-long follow-up of MBS patients.

Conclusions

Obesity is a major health issue that requires aggressive surveillance and thoughtful multidisciplinary management.
Rhabdomyolysis or Severe Acute Hepatitis Associated with the Use of Red Yeast Rice Extracts: an Update from the Adverse Event Reporting Systems
Authors: Banach Maciej , Norata Giuseppe Danilo
Published: October 2023

Purpose of Review

Elevated plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) are a major risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and lowering LDL-C reduces the risk of cardiovascular adverse events. Among natural approaches known for their lipid-lowering properties, red yeast rice (RYR) has a cholesterol-lowering effect due to the presence of bioactive components (monacolins) that act by inhibiting the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. In August 2018, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded in its assessment of the use of RYR (further amended in June 2022) that monacolins from RYR raise significant safety concerns when used as a food supplement at a dose of 10 mg/day. In particular, individual cases of serious adverse effects of monacolins from RYR have been reported at intakes as low as 3 mg/day. The EFSA Panel pointed out several uncertainties regarding the available data.

Recent Findings

We conducted an in-depth and updated analysis of the serious adverse events, with a focus on rhabdomyolysis and acute hepatitis, associated with the consumption of RYR. An analysis of the Food and Drug Administration reporting systems revealed a very small number of cases of rhabdomyolysis or severe acute hepatitis associated with RYR use. In addition, only a few case reports of these serious adverse events associated with RYR use have been published.

Based on data from adverse event reporting systems and available case reports, the occurrence of rhabdomyolysis or severe acute hepatitis that could be associated with the use of RYR appears to be extremely rare compared to the occurrence with statins, which is rare to common.
Social–Emotional Skills in Five-to-Six-Year-Olds in Social Hotspots in Germany: Individual Trajectories in a Prospective Cohort
Authors: Biermann Josefin , Franze Marco , Hoffmann Wolfgang
Published: October 2023

Social–emotional skills as valid predictors for subsequent school success should be promoted in early childhood. Preschools are a relevant setting to reach children from families with low socioeconomic status. The federal state law for children´s day-care and preschools in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania offers preschools in difficult social areas financial support for the individual targeted promotion. Prospective longitudinal observational data of a cohort: annual application of Dortmund Developmental Screening for Preschools domains “social competence” and “social interaction” over two years of 5-to-6-year-olds. Calculation of prevalence rate ratios and ratios of rate of improvements are divided by rate of deteriorations after one year. The proportion of children with inconclusive findings in “social competence” decreases. > 50% have no finding after one year. In “social interaction,” the proportion of children with inconclusive findings increases. Both domains detected more improvements than deteriorations for all children after one year. The indicated improvement of developmental risks is possibly associated with a reduction of social inequalities and tend to improve equal opportunities for all children at school start. Nevertheless, results of some children are deteriorating. More effective promotion of social–emotional skills is needed also for children without developmental risks—especially for children with internalizing problems. Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register, ID: DRKS00015134, Registered on 29 October 2018, retrospectively registered.
Dealing with Desirable Difficulties: Supporting Students to Accept, Reduce, or Silence Effort
Authors: de Bruin Anique B. H.
Published: October 2023

In this writing, I summarize the insights from my keynote lecture at the annual 2023 IAMSE Meeting in Cancún, Mexico, titled “Effort is the new smart. Supporting students in the self-regulated use of desirable difficulties.” I explain how self-regulated learning is challenging for many students in higher education and even more so under learning conditions that create desirable difficulties: conditions that foster long-term learning and transfer of knowledge and skills, but that are generally more effortful to engage in. I describe how the intricate relation between perceived effort and perceived learning determines students’ use of desirable difficulties. Finally, I outline promising interventional approaches academic teachers can employ to support students to seek out and engage in desirable difficulties.
Temperature-Arousing Self-Powered Fire Warning E-Textile Based on p–n Segment Coaxial Aerogel Fibers for Active Fire Protection in Firefighting Clothing
Authors: He Hualing , Qin Yi , Zhu Zhenyu , Jiang Qing , Ouyang Shengnan , Wan Yuhang , Qu Xueru , Xu Jie , Yu Zhicai
Published: October 2023

Firefighting protective clothing is a crucial protective equipment for firefighters to minimize skin burn and ensure safety firefighting operation and rescue mission. A recent increasing concern is to develop self-powered fire warning materials that can be incorporated into the firefighting clothing to achieve active fire protection for firefighters before the protective clothing catches fire on fireground. However, it is still a challenge to facilely design and manufacture thermoelectric (TE) textile (TET)-based fire warning electronics with dynamic surface conformability and breathability. Here, we develop an alternate coaxial wet-spinning strategy to continuously produce alternating p/n-type TE aerogel fibers involving n-type Ti3C2Tx MXene and p-type MXene/SWCNT-COOH as core materials, and tough aramid nanofiber as protective shell, which simultaneously ensure the flexibility and high-efficiency TE power generation. With such alternating p/n-type TE fibers, TET-based self-powered fire warning sensors with high mechanical stability and wearability are successfully fabricated through stitching the alternating p–n segment TE fibers into aramid fabric. The results indicate that TET-based fire warning electronics containing 50 p–n pairs produce the open-circuit voltage of 7.5 mV with a power density of 119.79 nW cm−2 at a temperature difference of 300 °C. The output voltage signal is then calculated as corresponding surface temperature of firefighting clothing based on a linear relationship between TE voltage and temperature. The fire alarm response time and flame-retardant properties are further displayed. Such self-powered fire warning electronics are true textiles that offer breathability and compatibility with body movement, demonstrating their potential application in firefighting clothing.
A criterion for singular complex analytic germs not to be Lipschitz normally embedded
Authors: Denkowski Maciej P. , Zając Karolina
Published: October 2023

Recently, the notion of Lipschitz normally embedded sets introduced by Birbrair and Mostowski has been extensively studied. In the present paper we give a simple ‘effective’ criterion for a pure dimensional complex analytic germ not to be normally embedded.
Geleit: Verantwortung als menschliche Praxis, mit Anderen durch Gründe Welt zu teilen
Authors: Buddeberg Eva
Published: October 2023

Mit dem Begriff ›Verantwortung‹ wird eine Praxis des Gründegebens bezeichnet, die konstitutiv für die Weise ist, wie Menschen miteinander Welt teilen. Ihr zugrunde liegt eine sprachlich verfasste Zurechnungsrelation, bei der ein Subjekt von einer Instanz für sein Handeln zur Rechenschaft gezogen wird, indem diese das Subjekt nach Gründen für sein Handeln fragt. Diese Praxis ist für das menschliche Zusammenleben wesentlich, auch da, wo nicht explizit von Verantwortung die Rede ist, vielmehr – wie etwa in der vormodernen Literatur – auf Konzepte zurückgegriffen wird, die doch in manchem eine Familienähnlichkeit zur hier skizzierten Praxis aufweisen.
Simulations of xenon beam ions emitted from electric thrusters in Earth’s magnetosphere
Authors: Sampson Kevin D. , Crofton Mark W.
Published: October 2023

This study sought to characterize the behavior of exhausted electric thruster xenon ions in the near-Earth magnetospheric environment as functions of various trajectory and particle attributes, neglecting effects of electric fields, plasma waves and particle collisions. This was done via simulation using the AeroTracer program, a software tool which computes ion trajectories within the magnetosphere by applying an adaptive step-size Runge-Kutta technique to the fully relativistic Lorentz equation. Over 3,800 independent simulations were performed, with variables including release position, release energy and direction, ion charge, and orbital phase. Initial release altitude was a major driver in determining whether the ion eventually fell to Earth (“Below Minimum Altitude” or BMA), remained trapped by the simulation’s end (“Maximum Number of Steps” or MNS), or traveled beyond the magnetosphere (“Lost to Space” or LTS). Ions expelled at the highest altitudes investigated - 60,000 km and above - almost invariably were lost to space. Like altitude, increasing inclination and energy were important factors that reduced trapping, affecting the outcome probabilities. Higher charge state produced strong improvement of trapping capability. Effects of orbital phase, day of year and solar cycle phase were also apparent. A transition region was found in the 20,000 km to 60,000 km altitude range, within which the sensitivity of outcomes to parameter variation increased. The ordered sequence MNS> BMA> LTS was found to be consistent with decreasing confinement capability, and it was manifested consistently as parameters were varied.
Machined surface formation and integrity control technology of SiCp/Al composites: a review
Authors: Zhao Biao , Peng Jianhao , Ding Wenfeng
Published: October 2023

SiC particle reinforced Al matrix composites (SiCp/Al MMCs) have been widely used in aerospace and other fields due to their excellent mechanical properties, and their machined surface integrity is crucial for the use of new generation high-tech equipment. In order to enhance the understanding and regulation of machined surface integrity in Al matrix composites, this article provides a comprehensive review of the research advancements regarding influential factors, damage characteristics, creation techniques for machined surfaces, as well as technologies for controlling machined surface integrity both domestically and internationally. The present study discusses the key issues and solutions in the processing of aluminum matrix composite materials, along with examining the extent and mechanism of various energy field assistance influence on the surface integrity of mechanically processed aluminum matrix composites. Ultimately, this article proposes future research prospects for achieving high surface integrity machining of aluminum matrix composites.
Sex Differences of Hospital and Emergency Department Presentations of Stroke in Canada
Authors: Wan Miranda , Lindsay Patrice , Yu Amy Y. X. , Hill Michael D. , Holodinsky Jessalyn K.
Published: October 2023

We provide an updated estimate of adult stroke event rates by age group, sex, and stroke type using Canadian administrative data. In the 2017–2018 fiscal year, there were an estimated 81,781 hospital or emergency department visits for stroke events in Canada, excluding Quebec. Our findings show that overall, the event rate of stroke is similar between women and men. There were slight differences in stroke event rate at various ages by sex and stroke type and emerging patterns warrant attention in future studies. Our findings emphasize the importance of continuous surveillance to monitor the epidemiology of stroke in Canada.
The chronos of class conflict. The relevance of the temporal dimension in conflicts related to labour migration
Authors: Carstensen Anne Lisa
Published: October 2023

In recent migration research temporality has become a prominent figure. Focussing on temporality allows to shed light on some aspects of labour mobility that enlighten our understanding of work-related conflicts. Especially with view to labour market inclusion, migrants often experience the (assumed) temporal limitation and unpredictability of migration projects, work and residence permits, as well as employment relationships. Correspondingly, labour policies, sector-specific company structures and management techniques also have a temporal dimension (time limits, seasonality, outsourcing schemes), which have effects on conflicts in and around work. Furthermore, one has to situate labour and labour migration within its context of social reproduction in order to better understand, how paid wage labour is embedded in social activities and networks such as households, families and communities, and shaped by the social, developmental and migratory policies that condition workers’ labour market inclusion. This conceptual paper argues that for migrants in particular, the (assumed) temporal limitation and unpredictability of migration projects, work/residence permits, and employment relationships is of great importance when it comes to analysing conflict-ridden negotiations over labour relations and working conditions.
Judicial Inconsistency and Citizen Anti-Corruption Demobilization: Evidence from Brazil
Authors: Barbabela Letícia
Published: October 2023

This study examines the impact of judicial inconsistency in high-profile corruption cases on citizens' willingness to combat corruption. Based on evidence from an unexpected event during a survey in Brazil, the study demonstrates that contradictory decisions by different judges within a single day erode trust in courts and citizens' inclination to report corruption. Notably, perceptions of corruption and trust in other institutions remain unaffected. The findings support the argument that citizens can be discouraged from engaging in anti-corruption efforts not only by exposure to information about corruption but also by forming negative evaluations of anti-corruption performance. Building on previous research and the perspective of corruption as a collective-action problem, the article proposes that judicial inconsistency is perceived as a sign of insincere commitment to fighting corruption. These findings contribute to understanding the public opinion consequences of anti-corruption initiatives and the politicization of courts.
Thinking through Vulnerability
Authors: Gilson Erinn
Published: October 2023

The topic of vulnerability has been the subject of intense scholarly interest and work, especially in feminist theory. It circulates in academic and nonacademic contexts, spans many disciplines, including both applied fields and highly theoretical ones, and in philosophy in particular has been taken up in multiple subfields and approaches to the discipline. The concept's widespread appeal might stem from the sense that vulnerability is intensifying, or at least from a heightened awareness of it.1 In any case, vulnerability's salience lies in how it names something significant about the world and suggests different ways that something ought to be addressed. That is, vulnerability's appeal lies in its normative pertinence or efficacy, in how the concept seems to hold the possibility of both diagnosing ethical failures and forging different, more adequate ethical responses to the injustices we witness and/or face.
Physics-constrained deep reinforcement learning for flow field denoising
Authors: Yousif Mustafa Z. , Zhang Meng , Yu Linqi , Yang Yifan , Zhou Haifeng , Lim HeeChang
Published: October 2023

A multi-agent deep reinforcement learning (DRL)-based model is presented in this study to reconstruct flow fields from noisy data. A combination of reinforcement learning with pixel-wise rewards, physical constraints represented by the momentum equation and the pressure Poisson equation, and the known boundary conditions is used to build a physics-constrained deep reinforcement learning (PCDRL) model that can be trained without the target training data. In the PCDRL model, each agent corresponds to a point in the flow field and learns an optimal strategy for choosing pre-defined actions. The proposed model is efficient considering the visualisation of the action map and the interpretation of the model operation. The performance of the model is tested by using direct numerical simulation-based synthetic noisy data and experimental data obtained by particle image velocimetry. Qualitative and quantitative results show that the model can reconstruct the flow fields and reproduce the statistics and the spectral content with commendable accuracy. Furthermore, the dominant coherent structures of the flow fields can be recovered by the flow fields obtained from the model when they are analysed using proper orthogonal decomposition and dynamic mode decomposition. This study demonstrates that the combination of DRL-based models and the known physics of the flow fields can potentially help solve complex flow reconstruction problems, which can result in a remarkable reduction in the experimental and computational costs.
‘Super Bowl of the world conference circuit’? A network approach to high-level science and policy conferencing
Authors: Widmalm Sven
Published: October 2023

Elite conferences, such as the Nobel Symposia organized by the Nobel Foundation since 1965, have often put a premium on the uninhibited exchange of ideas rather than the broad exchange of information. Nobel Symposium 14, The Place of Value in a World of Fact (1969), combined this ethos with the ambition to engage with ‘world problems’ that were thought by many at the time to constitute a global crisis. This paper examines the relationship between the Nobel Foundation's ideal of scientific neutrality/objectivity and the ‘neutral activism’ in Swedish 1960s foreign policy. Furthermore, it investigates the social networking that preceded and followed the symposium, arguing that these processes were more important for the symposium's impact than the actual meeting. They formed channels through which it was able to influence other larger meetings, like the 1972 UN conference on the human environment, and contributed to the creation of international organizations, most importantly the International Federation of Institutes for Advanced Study. This suggests that the common historiographic focus on science meetings as events should be complemented by analytical perspectives that also view them as processes.
Toeing the Party Line: The Asymmetric Influence of Feminism on Partisans' Participation
Authors: Oceno Marzia , Morell Sara
Published: October 2023

What is the relationship between feminism and political participation? How does partisanship moderate this relationship? Prior research shows that gender attitudes, particularly sexism, rather than gender identity per se, increasingly shape vote choice and participation in US elections. However, the role played by feminism in voter behaviour remains scarcely understood. As feminist identification crosses partisanship, we argue that its impact on engagement with campaigns and turnout depends on party ID. Therefore, we expect feminist identity and how it intersects with either aligned or conflicting partisan identity to impact partisans' participation asymmetrically. Using data from the 2016 and 2020 American National Election Studies, our results support these expectations. Holding the mutually reinforcing identities of Democrat and feminist has a significant mobilizing impact, while holding the cross-cutting identities of Republican and feminist tends to lead to a decline in political participation.
A Reply to Clark Wolf, Elizabeth Edenberg, and Helga Varden
Authors: Bhandary Asha Leena
Published: October 2023

In this article, I respond to symposium articles by Clark Wolf, Elizabeth Edenberg, and Helga Varden. With shared sympathies for anti-oppression liberalism and social contract theory, they urge me to develop the theory of liberal dependency care (LDC) in new directions — respectively, as a form of subject-centered justice, with a political liberal justification, and with a Kantian foundation for ‘private right.’ I respond by explicating the inclusivity that is built into the arrow of care map and the variety of contract theory I advance. Furthermore, I insist that anti-oppression liberalism need not formulate its claims in political liberal terms.
The available energy of trapped electrons: a nonlinear measure for turbulent transport
Authors: Mackenbach R.J.J. , Proll J.H.E. , Wakelkamp R. , Helander P.
Published: October 2023

A collisionless plasma possesses a certain amount of ‘available energy’, which is that part of the thermal energy that can be converted into kinetic energy of plasma motion and electromagnetic fluctuations. In this paper we present a calculation of the available energy carried by trapped electrons in a slender non-omnigenous flux tube of plasma. This quantity is compared with gyrokinetic simulations of the nonlinear saturated radial energy flux resulting from turbulence driven by collisionless trapped-electron modes in various stellarators and a tokamak. The numerical calculation of available energy is fast and shows a strong correlation with the turbulent energy fluxes found in the gyrokinetic simulations. Indeed, the energy flux is found to be proportional to the available energy to the power of approximately

$3/2$

, which is what one would expect from a simple argument. We furthermore investigate how available energy is distributed across different bounce wells, and it is found that deeply trapped electrons typically contribute most to the available energy. Finally, we investigate the dependence of available energy on gradient strength, and we find important differences between weakly and strongly driven regimes for stellarators and tokamaks.
Sharp asymptotic profile of the solution to a West Nile virus model with free boundary
Authors: Wang Zhiguo , Nie Hua , Du Yihong
Published: October 2023

We consider the long-time behaviour of a West Nile virus (WNv) model consisting of a reaction–diffusion system with free boundaries. Such a model describes the spreading of WNv with the free boundary representing the expanding front of the infected region, which is a time-dependent interval
$[g(t), h(t)]$
in the model (Lin and Zhu, Spatial spreading model and dynamics of West Nile virus in birds and mosquitoes with free boundary. J. Math. Biol. 75, 1381–1409, 2017). The asymptotic spreading speed of the front has been determined in Wang et al. (Spreading speed for a West Nile virus model with free boundary. J. Math. Biol. 79, 433–466, 2019) by making use of the associated semi-wave solution, namely
$\lim _{t\to \infty } h(t)/t=\lim _{t\to \infty }[\!-g(t)/t]=c_\nu$
, with
$c_\nu$
the speed of the semi-wave solution. In this paper, by employing new techniques, we significantly improve the estimate in Wang et al. (Spreading speed for a West Nile virus model with free boundary. J. Math. Biol. 79, 433–466, 2019): we show that
$h(t)-c_\nu t$
and
$g(t)+c_\nu t$
converge to some constants as
$t\to \infty$
, and the solution of the model converges to the semi-wave solution. The results also apply to a wide class of analogous Ross–MacDonold epidemic models.
Partial interrogatives in Quebec French: a diachronic look at a spreading variant
Authors: Tailleur Sandrine
Published: October 2023

This study offers a diachronic look (1840-today) into the direct partial interrogation system in Quebec French. The main goals are to provide empirical evidence of the rise of the in situ variant within the Quebec French system, and to understand how the system evolved over centuries, independently from Hexagonal French. The data (based on more than 1600 tokens) show that the emergence of the in situ variant seems to depend on the wh word itself, but its usage seems to be more important in Montreal. There are a few examples of in situ found before the 1970s, but this variant was never publicly condemned nor associated to “bad usage”. This article, inspired by a historical sociolinguistics approach, provides much needed original data from five different corpora, both (written) historical and (oral) contemporary, and shows that the partial interrogative system in Quebec is not stable over time. The Montreal data suggests a system evolving differently in this city than in other regions of the province, and the data from each wh word show that interrogatives with comment still only marginally allow the in situ variant.

Cette étude offre un portrait diachronique (1840 à aujourd’hui) global de la variation à l’intérieur du système d’interrogation partielle directe en français québécois. L’objectif principal est de contribuer de façon empirique à la compréhension du développement de la variante in situ en français du Québec, et d’en arriver à montrer l’évolution, indépendante de celle ayant lieu en France, sur plus d’un siècle. Nos données (plus de 1600 occurrences) montrent que l’émergence de la variante in situ dépend du mot wh utilisé, et qu’elle semble plus avancée à Montréal qu’ailleurs. Nous avons trouvé quelques traces de la variante in situ avant 1970 dans les documents métalinguistiques, et montrons que cette variante n’a jamais été condamnée. Le présent article s’inscrit dans une approche de sociolinguistique historique et fournit des données originales, tirées de corpus historique (écrit) et contemporains (oraux). Ce portrait quantitatif montre à quel point le système d’interrogation directe partielle n’est pas stable dans le temps, et suggère une évolution dans la communauté montréalaise qui se distingue des autres communautés étudiées. Le mot interrogatif comment résiste encore à la variante in situ, mais les taux globaux d’utilisation nous permettent de considérer la variante in situ comme faisant partie intégrante de l’interrogation en français québécois oral.
Kawasaki disease: patients’ transition journey and recommendations for adult care
Authors: Chahal Nita , Rush Janet , Lardizabal Arnelle , Nobile Rita , Delayun Christian , Collins Tanveer , Thorne Sara , McCrindle Brian W.
Published: October 2023

Background:

Children who develop coronary artery aneurysms after Kawasaki disease are at risk for cardiovascular morbidity, requiring health care transition and lifelong follow-up with an adult specialist. Follow-up losses after health care transition have been reported but without outcome and patient experience evaluation.

Objective:

The Theoretical Domains Framework underpinned our aim to explore the required self-care behaviours and experiences of young adults’ post-health care transition.

Methods:

A qualitative description approach was used for virtual, 1:1 interviews with 11 participants, recruited after health care transition from a regional cardiac centre in Ontario. Directed content analysis was employed.

Results:

Health, psychosocial, and lifestyle challenges were compounded by a sense of loss. Six themes emerged within the Theoretical Domains Framework categories. Participants offered novel health care transition programme recommendations.

Conclusions:

The realities of health care transition involve multiple, overlapping stressors for young adults with Kawasaki disease and coronary artery aneurysms. Our findings will inform a renewed health care transition programme and will include outcome evaluation.
Integrated care in a Beveridge system: experiences from England and Denmark
Authors: Tsiachristas Apostolos , Vrangbæk Karsten , Gongora-Salazar Pamela , Kristensen Søren Rud
Published: October 2023

Health systems internationally face demands to deliver care that is better coordinated and integrated. The health system financing and delivery model may go some, but not all the way in explaining health system fragmentation. In this paper, we consider the road to care integration in two countries with Beveridge style health systems, England and Denmark, that are both ranked as highly Integrated systems in Toth's health integration index. We use the SELFIE framework to compare the policies and reforms that have affected care integration over the past 30 years in the two countries. The countries both started their reform path by reforming to introduce choice and competition, but did so in different ways that set them on different pathways. Nevertheless, after two decades, the countries ended the period with largely similar structures that emphasised the creation of a cross-sectoral governance structure. In the relatively centralised England, by introducing decentralised Integrated Care Systems, and in the relatively decentralised Denmark with a centralising element in the form of new Health Clusters.
Institutional boundaries and the challenges of aligning science advice and policy dynamics: the UK and Canada in the time of COVID-19
Authors: Tuohy Carolyn Hughes , Bevan Gwyn , Brown Adalsteinn D.
Published: October 2023

This comparison of institutions of science advice during COVID-19 between the Westminster systems of England/UK and Ontario/Canada focuses on the role of science in informing public policy in two central components of the response to the pandemic: the adoption of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and the procuring of vaccines. It compares and contrasts established and purpose-built bodies with varying degrees of independence from the political executive, and shows how each attempted to manage the tensions between scientific and governmental logics of accountability as they negotiated the boundary between science and policy. It uses the comparison to suggest potential lessons about the relative merits and drawbacks of different institutional arrangements for science advice to governments in an emergency.
Responses of rice genotypes to foliar-applied metribuzin
Authors: Marsh Sarah L. , Al-Khatib Kassim
Published: October 2023

The increasing development of herbicide resistance in weeds found in rice cropping systems has encouraged researchers to evaluate alternate herbicides to prevent and manage herbicide-resistant weed biotypes. Metribuzin is a photosynthetic-inhibiting herbicide that controls various important grass and broadleaf weeds. Several crops, including soybean, wheat, peas, and potato, have shown differential varietal responses to metribuzin. To determine whether rice has differential varietal responses to metribuzin for potential utilization in a rice breeding program, greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the responses of 142 long-, medium-, and short-grain rice genotypes to the herbicide. Metribuzin was applied at 0, 22, 44, 88, 176, and 352 g ai ha−1 when rice plants were in the 3- to 4-leaf stage. Crop response regarding phytotoxicity, height reduction, and biomass reduction was evaluated. Metribuzin caused significant injury to all rice genotypes tested, but short-grain rice genotypes were, on average, more susceptible than medium- and long-grain rice genotypes. Short-grain rice genotypes generally had greater height reduction and produced less biomass than long-grain or medium-grain rice genotypes. Crop visual injury ratings were correlated with plant height reductions and biomass reductions. The results indicate that the level of metribuzin tolerance in rice is inadequate for commercial use; however, further research is needed to develop higher levels of herbicide resistance by mutagenized rice cultivars.
Characterization of mesosulfuron-methyl + iodosulfuron-methyl and pyroxsulam–resistant annual bluegrass (Poa annua) in an annual cropping system
Authors: Alwarnaidu Vijayarajan Vijaya Bhaskar , Morgan Charlotte , Onkokesung Nawaporn , Cook Sarah K. , Hodkinson Trevor R. , Barth Susanne , Hennessy Michael , Forristal Patrick D.
Published: October 2023

Herbicide-resistant annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) has become a problem in non-arable land areas. In arable fields, P. annua is frequently of lower priority in weed control program due to the variety of control options available and the relatively modest impact on crop yield compared with other species. In Ireland, postemergence herbicides are not primarily intended for P. annua control, but some herbicides, including the acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor mesosulfuron-methyl + iodosulfuron-methyl, exhibit P. annua activity. In this study, a suspected P. annua population (POAAN-R) that survived mesosulfuron-methyl + iodosulfuron-methyl at 0.75 of the field recommended rate was sampled from a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) field in County Dublin, Ireland. Single-dose testing confirmed that the suspected POAAN-R had evolved resistance to mesosulfuron-methyl + iodosulfuron-methyl and, additionally, to pyroxsulam (not registered in Ireland for P. annua control), but was sensitive to clethodim, glyphosate, pendimethalin, and flufenacet. Dose–response experiments indicated that POAAN-R was more resistant (GR50 resistance index) to both mesosulfuron-methyl + iodosulfuron-methyl (47.8 times) and pyroxsulam (38.0 times) than sensitive POAAN-S, and this was associated with the mutation at Trp-574 in the ALS protein. Malathion (a cytochrome P450 [P450] inhibitor) pretreatment did not reverse POAAN-R resistance to mesosulfuron-methyl + iodosulfuron-methyl or pyroxsulam at the field rate or above. The natural inherent mutation at Ile-1781 in acetyl-CoA carboxylase protein had no effect on both POAAN-R and POAAN-S sensitivity to clethodim. The glyphosate sensitivity of POAAN-R also corresponded with no known mutation in 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase protein. Based on field histories, poor early-season weed control coupled with intensive use of mesosulfuron-methyl + iodosulfuron-methyl (often at reduced rates) has unintentionally selected for ALS inhibitor–resistant POAAN-R. This is the first report to characterize resistance in P. annua to ALS-inhibiting herbicides mesosulfuron-methyl + iodosulfuron-methyl and pyroxsulam in an arable setting. There is an opportunity to effectively control POAAN-R using herbicides, but this needs a wide-ranging and varied approach, coupled with cultural/nonchemical practices.
Improved Model for GIC Calculation in the Mexican Power Grid
Authors: Caraballo R. , González‐Esparza J. A. , Pacheco C. R. , Corona‐Romero P.
Published: October 2023

We present the first observations of geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) in the Mexican power grid and an improved model to calculate them. The new model comprises ca. 250 substations working at various voltage levels, a methodology to estimate geomagnetic disturbances (δB) at different points throughout the Mexican territory, and a 1D piecewise model that considers lateral variations in the ground conductivity. This is an improvement of a former uniform conductivity model presented previously to calculate our first GIC estimates (Caraballo et al., 2020). We compared the observed and calculated GIC between August and November 2021 at a coastal 400 kV substation. During this interval, five geomagnetic storms occurred (G1 and G2). The observed GIC exceeded 10 A during the most strong event; this shows a clear grid response even under weak geomagnetic perturbations that occurred during the solar minimum. Further comparison with the results of the former model suggests that the new 1D piecewise model yields better GIC estimates for the Mexican power grid.
Lab and Field Tests of a Low‐Cost 3‐Component Seismometer for Shallow Passive Seismic Applications
Authors: Arosio D. , Aguzzoli A. , Zanzi L. , Panzeri L. , Scaccabarozzi D.
Published: October 2023

We performed laboratory tests and field surveys to evaluate the performance of a low‐cost 3‐component seismometer, consisting of three passive electromagnetic spring‐mass sensors, whose 4.5 Hz natural frequency is extended down to 0.5 Hz thanks to hyper damping. Both lab and field datasets show that the −3 dB band of the seismometer ranges approximately from 0.7 to 39 Hz, in agreement with the nominal specifications. Median magnitude frequency response curves obtained from processing field data indicate that lower corner of the −3 dB band could be extended down to 0.55 Hz and the nominal sensitivity may be overestimated. Lab results confirm the non‐linear behavior of the passive spring‐mass sensor expected for high‐level input signals (a few to tens of mm/s) and field data confirm relative timing accuracy is ±10 ms (1 sample). We found that absolute timing of data collected with USB GPS antennas can be affected by lag as large as +0.5 s. By testing two identical units, we noticed that there could be differences around 0.5 dB (i.e., about 6%) between the components of the same unit as well as between the same component of the two units. Considering shallow passive seismic applications and mainly focusing on unstable slope monitoring, our findings show that the tested seismometer is able to identify resonance frequencies of unstable rock pillars and to generate interferograms that can be processed to estimate subsurface velocity variations.