bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Parametric Study of the Effect of Trees on Residential Footing Design on Expansive Soils
Authors: Sun Xi , Li Jie
Published: March 2023

The influence of trees on residential footings constructed on expansive soils has long been a concern of geotechnical engineers since the invasive tree root could exert suction forces on the soil surrounding them and extract a considerable amount of water depending on seasonality, leading to significant shrinkage settlement and the subsequent foundation failure. In this study, a Eucalypt, Corymbia maculata, planted in an expansive clay site in Melbourne, Australia, was closely monitored for 44 months to assess tree-induced soil moisture patterns and ground movement. Monthly tree water use was measured using a sap flow sensor over 12 months. The results show that the tree consumed 53 kL of water annually, with the highest water demand of 5.9 kL in December and the lowest monthly water use of 2.7 kL in June. The soil suction and moisture content profiles reveal that the desiccating effect of tree roots extended to 3 m depth, while the ground movement data shows a significant shrinkage settlement at a distance equal to half the tree height (HT). A parametric study was also carried out to examine the influence of various parameters on footing design for the effect of trees and the consequent construction cost. It was found that homeowners could save a construction cost of about 32% if the footing is built at a distance of 0.6 HT from the tree compared to the cost for a footing constructed at a distance less than or equal to 0.5 HT.
Fast Computation of Terrain-Induced Gravitational and Magnetic Effects on Arbitrary Undulating Surfaces
Authors: Wu Leyuan , Chen Longwei
Published: March 2023

Based on a brief review of forward algorithms for the computation of topographic gravitational and magnetic effects, including spatial, spectral and hybrid-domain algorithms working in either Cartesian or spherical coordinate systems, we introduce a new algorithm, namely the CP-FFT algorithm, for fast computation of terrain-induced gravitational and magnetic effects on arbitrary undulating surfaces. The CP-FFT algorithm, working in the hybrid spatial-spectral domain, is based on a combination of CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) tensor decomposition of gravitational integral kernels and 2D Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) evaluation of discrete convolutions. By replacing the binomial expansion in classical FFT-based terrain correction algorithms using CP decomposition, convergence of the outer-zone computation can be achieved with significantly reduced inner-zone radius. Additionally, a Gaussian quadrature mass line model is introduced to accelerate the computation of the inner zone effect. We validate our algorithm by computing the gravitational potential, the gravitational vector, the gravity gradient tensor, and magnetic fields caused by densely-sampled topographic and bathymetric digital elevation models of selected mountainous areas around the globe. Both constant and variable density/magnetization models, with computation surfaces on, above and below the topography are considered. Comparisons between our new method and space-domain rigorous solutions show that with modeling errors well below existing instrumentation error levels, the calculation speed is accelerated thousands of times in all numerical tests. We release a set of open-source code written in MATLAB language to meet the needs of geodesists and geophysicists in related fields to carry out more efficiently topographic modeling in Cartesian coordinates under planar approximation.
Synthetic Undecidability and Incompleteness of First-Order Axiom Systems in Coq
Authors: Kirst Dominik , Hermes Marc
Published: March 2023

We mechanise the undecidability of various first-order axiom systems in Coq, employing the synthetic approach to computability underlying the growing Coq Library of Undecidability Proofs. Concretely, we cover both semantic and deductive entailment in fragments of Peano arithmetic (PA) as well as ZF and related finitary set theories, with their undecidability established by many-one reductions from solvability of Diophantine equations, i.e. Hilbert’s tenth problem (H10), and the Post correspondence problem (PCP), respectively. In the synthetic setting based on the computability of all functions definable in a constructive foundation, such as Coq’s type theory, it suffices to define these reductions as meta-level functions with no need for further encoding in a formalised model of computation. The concrete cases of PA and the considered set theories are supplemented by a general synthetic theory of undecidable axiomatisations, focusing on well-known connections to consistency and incompleteness. Specifically, our reductions rely on the existence of standard models, necessitating additional assumptions in the case of full ZF, and all axiomatic extensions still justified by such standard models are shown incomplete. As a by-product of the undecidability of set theories formulated using only membership and no equality symbol, we obtain the undecidability of first-order logic with a single binary relation.
Dynamic Games with Strategic Complements and Large Number of Players
Authors: Ramirez Stefanny , Bauso Dario
Published: March 2023

We study dynamic games with strategic complements where each player is modeled by a scalar flow dynamical system with a controlled input and an uncontrolled output. The model originates in inventory control problems with shared set-up costs and a large number of players. An activation cost is shared among active players, namely players who control their dynamics at a given time. As a main contribution, we prove that two-threshold strategies, like the (s, S) strategies used in inventory control, are mean-field equilibrium strategies in dynamic games with a large number of players. Furthermore, we provide conditions for the convergence of the nonstationary mean-field equilibrium to the stationary one in the limit.
Surgical versus interventional coronary revascularization in kidney transplant recipients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: El-Qushayri Amr Ehab , Reda Abdullah
Published: March 2023

Aim

To study the most beneficial coronary revascularization strategy in kidney transplant recipients (KTR).

Methods

In 16th June 2022 and updated on 26th February 2023, we searched in five databases including PubMed for relevant articles. The odds ratio (OR) together with the 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were used to report the results.

Results

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was significantly associated with significant lower in-hospital mortality (OR 0.62; 95%CI 0.51–0.75) and 1-year mortality (OR 0.81; 95%CI 0.68–0.97), but not overall mortality (mortality at the last follow-up point) (OR 1.05; 95%CI 0.93–1.18) rather than coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Moreover, PCI was significantly associated with lower acute kidney injury prevalence (OR 0.33; 95%CI 0.13–0.84) compared to CABG. One study indicated that non-fatal graft failure prevalence did not differ between the PCI and the CABG group until 3 years of follow up. Moreover, one study demonstrated a short hospital length of stay in the PCI group rather than the CABG group.

Conclusion

Current evidence indicated the superiority of PCI than CABG as a coronary revascularization procedure in short- but not long-term outcomes in KTR. We recommend further randomized clinical trials for demonstrating the best therapeutic modality for coronary revascularization in KTR.
Epigenetic perspectives associated with COVID-19 infection and related cytokine storm: an updated review
Authors: Dey Amit , Vaishak K. , Deka Dikshita , Radhakrishnan Arun Kumar , Paul Sujay , Shanmugam Priyadarshini , Daniel Alice Peace , Pathak Surajit , Duttaroy Asim K. , Banerjee Antara
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has put the world in a medical crisis for the past three years; nearly 6.3 million lives have been diminished due to the virus outbreak. This review aims to update the recent findings on COVID-19 infections from an epigenetic scenario and develop future perspectives of epi-drugs to treat the disease.

Methods

Original research articles and review studies related to COVID-19 were searched and analyzed from the Google Scholar/PubMed/Medline databases mainly between 2019 and 2022 to brief the recent work.

Results

Numerous in-depth studies of the mechanisms used by SARS-CoV-2 have been going on to minimize the consequences of the viral outburst. Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 receptors and Transmembrane serine protease 2 facilitate viral entry to the host cells. Upon internalization, it uses the host machinery to replicate viral copies and alter the downstream regulation of the normal cells, causing infection-related morbidities and mortalities. In addition, several epigenetic regulations such as DNA methylation, acetylation, histone modifications, microRNA, and other factors (age, sex, etc.) are responsible for the regulations of viral entry, its immune evasion, and cytokine responses also play a major modulatory role in COVID-19 severity, which has been discussed in detail in this review.

Conclusion

Findings of epigenetic regulation of viral pathogenicity open a new window for epi-drugs as a possible therapeutical approach against COVID-19.
KNN Data Filling Algorithm for Incomplete Interval-Valued Fuzzy Soft Sets
Authors: Ma Xiuqin , Han Yanyan , Qin Hongwu , Wang Peng
Published: March 2023

As a generalization of the fuzzy soft set, interval-valued fuzzy soft set is viewed as a more resilient and powerful tool for dealing with uncertain information. However, the lower or upper membership degree, or both of them, may be missed during the data collection and transmission procedure, which could present challenges for data processing. The existing data filling algorithm for the incomplete interval-valued fuzzy soft sets has low accuracy and the high error rate which leads to wrong filling results and involves subjectivity due to setting the threshold. Therefore, to solve these problems, we propose a KNN data filling algorithm for the incomplete interval-valued fuzzy soft sets. An attribute-based combining rule is first designed to determine whether the data involving incomplete membership degree should be ignored or filled which avoids subjectivity. The incomplete data will be filled according to their K complete nearest neighbors. To verify the validity and feasibility of the method, we conduct the randomized experiments on the real dataset as Shanghai Five-Four Hotel Data set and simulated datasets. The experimental results illustrate that our proposed method outperform the existing method on the average accuracy rate and error rate.
Social Enterprises in Asia
Authors: Lim Ernest
Published: March 2023

Social enterprises are regarded as a vital solution to the pressing problem of socio-economic inequality and play a crucial role in the delivery of public goods and services. Ernest Lim argues that social enterprises in four leading Asian jurisdictions – India, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia – should have a new legal form. This entails advancing a nuanced and comprehensive framework consisting of five criteria: (1) corporate purpose; (2) directors' duties; (3) decision-making powers; (4) reporting, impact measurement and certification; and (5) distribution of dividends, assets, and tax benefits. This invaluable work demonstrates that the existing legal forms in common law Asia, the UK and the US do not properly address the various conflicts of interest affecting social enterprises. An essential read for those interested in understanding and evaluating the laws and regulations on social enterprises, as well as designing and implementing creative ones to protect and promote these important businesses.
Influence of Sedimentary Environment Evolution on Fingerprint Characteristics of Methane Isotopes: A Case Study From Hangzhou Bay
Authors: Jiang Wenqin , Cao Ke , Duan Xiaoyong , He Xingliang , Yin Ping , Chen Junbing , Xie Yongqing , Liu Jun , Cao Binhua , Yu Xinyang , Dong Hailiang , Hou Weiguo
Published: March 2023

To better understand the depositional constraints on the fingerprint characteristics of methane isotopes, we present a set of carbon/hydrogen isotopic data for CH4, CO2, pore water, carbonate, and total organic carbon along a 70‐m sedimentary core. The sedimentary facies (Units I, II, and III from upper to bottom) suggested depositional environments of the present estuary, shallow marine, and floodplain‐estuary. Calculations suggested that around 86% of methane was produced through the CO2 reduction pathway. In this pathway, the hydrogen in CH4 is from ambient water, while the carbon is from dissolved inorganic carbon. Correspondingly, our study showed that the values of δDCH4 displayed similar trends with those of δDH2O and Cl− concentrations along the depth profiles. The low δDCH4 below 44.5 m corresponded to low δDH2O and low salinity during the cold and low‐sea‐level period. The values of δ13CCH4 generally synchronously changed with those of δ13CCO2. The variation trends of δ13CCH4 and δ13CCO2 were the same with δ13Ccarbonate from 10 to 70 m depth but decoupled above 10 m. The values of δ13CCH4 in Units II and III were correlated with the δ13Ccarbonates, which is related to the sedimentary processes. But decoupling of low values of δ13CCH4 and δ13CCO2 from δ13Ccarbonates in Unit I may be related to preferential microbial consumption of labile compounds with light carbon isotopic compositions, such as lipids. In short, the variations of δ13CCH4 and δDCH4 were largely related to the sedimentary process, which controlled the isotopic compositions of both water and carbonate.
Computational optimization of delivery parameters to guide the development of targeted Nasal spray
Authors: Du Jinze , Shao Xiecheng , Bouteiller Jean-Marie C. , Lu Angela , Asante Isaac , Louie Stan , Humayun Mark S. , Lazzi Gianluca
Published: March 2023

Airborne transmission by droplets and aerosols is known to play a critical role in the spread of many viruses amongst which are the common flu and the more recent SARS-CoV-2 viruses. In the case of SARS-CoV-2, the nasal cavity not only constitutes an important viral entry point, but also a primary site of infection (Sungnak W. et al. Nat. Med. 26:681–687. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-0868-6, 2020).. Although face masks are a well-established preventive measure, development of novel and easy-to-use prophylactic measures would be highly beneficial in fighting viral spread and the subsequent emergence of variants of concern (Tao K. et al. Nat Rev Genet 22:757–773. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41576-021-00408-x, 2021). Our group has been working on optimizing a nasal spray delivery system that deposits particles inside the susceptible regions of the nasal cavity to act as a mechanical barrier to impede viral entry. Here, we identify computationally the delivery parameters that maximize the protection offered by this barrier. We introduce the computational approach and quantify the protection rate obtained as a function of a broad range of delivery parameters. We also introduce a modified design and demonstrate that it significantly improves deposition, thus constituting a viable approach to protect against nasal infection of airborne viruses. We then discuss our findings and the implications of this novel system on the prevention of respiratory diseases and targeted drug delivery.
Virus-free transfection, transient expression, and purification of human cardiac myosin in mammalian muscle cells for biochemical and biophysical assays
Authors: Velayuthan Lok Priya , Moretto Luisa , Tågerud Sven , Ušaj Marko , Månsson Alf
Published: March 2023

Myosin expression and purification is important for mechanistic insights into normal function and mutation induced changes. The latter is particularly important for striated muscle myosin II where mutations cause several debilitating diseases. However, the heavy chain of this myosin is challenging to express and the standard protocol, using C2C12 cells, relies on viral infection. This is time and work intensive and associated with infrastructural demands and biological hazards, limiting widespread use and hampering fast generation of a wide range of mutations. We here develop a virus-free method to overcome these challenges. We use this system to transfect C2C12 cells with the motor domain of the human cardiac myosin heavy chain. After optimizing cell transfection, cultivation and harvesting conditions, we functionally characterized the expressed protein, co-purified with murine essential and regulatory light chains. The gliding velocity (1.5–1.7 µm/s; 25 °C) in the in vitro motility assay as well as maximum actin activated catalytic activity (kcat; 8–9 s−1) and actin concentration for half maximal activity (KATPase; 70–80 µM) were similar to those found previously using virus based infection. The results should allow new types of studies, e.g., screening of a wide range of mutations to be selected for further characterization.
Hybrid artificial electric field employing cuckoo search algorithm with refraction learning for engineering optimization problems
Authors: Adegboye Oluwatayomi Rereloluwa , Deniz Ülker Ezgi
Published: March 2023

Due to its low dependency on the control parameters and straightforward operations, the Artificial Electric Field Algorithm (AEFA) has drawn much interest; yet, it still has slow convergence and low solution precision. In this research, a hybrid Artificial Electric Field Employing Cuckoo Search Algorithm with Refraction Learning (AEFA-CSR) is suggested as a better version of the AEFA to address the aforementioned issues. The Cuckoo Search (CS) method is added to the algorithm to boost convergence and diversity which may improve global exploration. Refraction learning (RL) is utilized to enhance the lead agent which can help it to advance toward the global optimum and improve local exploitation potential with each iteration. Tests are run on 20 benchmark functions to gauge the proposed algorithm's efficiency. In order to compare it with the other well-studied metaheuristic algorithms, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and Friedman tests with 5% significance level are used. In order to evaluate the algorithm’s efficiency and usability, some significant tests are carried out. As a result, the overall effectiveness of the algorithm with different dimensions and populations varied between 61.53 and 90.0% by overcoming all the compared algorithms. Regarding the promising results, a set of engineering problems are investigated for a further validation of our methodology. The results proved that AEFA-CSR is a solid optimizer with its satisfactory performance.
Effect of chemicals on the phase and viscosity behavior of water in oil emulsions
Authors: Shafiei Masoud , Kazemzadeh Yousef , Martyushev Dmitriy A. , Dai Zhenxue , Riazi Masoud
Published: March 2023

Due to population growth, the need for energy, especially fossil fuels, is increased every year. Since the costs of exploring new reservoirs and drilling new wells are very high, most reservoirs have passed their first and second periods of life, and it is necessary to use EOR methods. Water-based enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods are one of the popular methods in this field. In this method, due to the possibility of emulsion formation is high, and by creating a stable emulsion, viscosity and mobility improved. In this study, the parameters affecting the stability and viscosity of the emulsion have been investigated step by step. In the first step, 50% (v/v) of water has been selected as the best water cut. The type of salt and its best concentration was evaluated in the second step by measuring the average droplets size. The third step investigated the effect of SiO2 nanoparticles and surfactant (span80) on emulsion stability and viscosity. According to the results, the best amount of water cut was 50% due to the maximum viscosity. In salts the yield was as follows: MgCl2 > CaCl2 > MgSO4 > Na2SO4 > NaCl. The best yield was related to MgCl2 at a concentration of 10,000 ppm. Finally, it was shown that the synergy of nanoparticles and surfactants resulted in higher stability and viscosity than in the case where each was used alone. It should be noted that the optimal concentration of nanoparticles is equal to 0.1% (w/w), and the optimal concentration of surfactant is equal to 200 ppm. In general, a stable state was obtained in 50% water-cut with MgCl2 salt at a concentration of 10,000 ppm and in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles at a concentration of 0.1% and span 80 surfactants at a concentration of 200 ppm. The results obtained from this study provide important insights for optimal selection of the water-based EOR operation parameters. Viscosity showed a similar trend with stability and droplet size. As the average particle size decreased (or stability increased), the emulsion viscosity increased.
First-principles study on unidirectional proton transfer on anatase TiO2 (101) surface induced by external electric fields
Authors: Chiba Takahiro , Iida Kenji , Furukawa Shinya , Hasegawa Jun-ya
Published: March 2023

The electric field (EF) effect on hydrogen or proton transfer (PT) via hydroxyl groups on an anatase TiO2 (101) surface is examined using first-principles density functional theory and the modern theory of polarization.
Operational resilience metrics for power systems with penetration of renewable resources
Authors: Gui Jianzhong , Lei Hangtian , McJunkin Timothy R. , Chen Bo , Johnson Brian K.
Published: March 2023

Modern power grid is evolving towards carbon neutrality by deploying increasing amount of renewable energy resources. However, the impact of renewable generation on power system planning and operation is not sufficiently investigated, especially the capability of renewable penetrated power systems to resist and recover from major disturbances, which is a critical concern for system operators. Novel metrics and evaluation methodologies are needed to depict systems’ ability in response to events caused by natural disasters, and quantitatively evaluate system performance in various time scales. In this paper, operational resilience metrics are proposed for power systems with penetration of renewable energy resources based on transient stability principles. A systematic methodology is proposed to quantitatively assess the evolution of system performance during various stages of the disaster process. Based on the proposed metrics, a resilience‐oriented disaster management strategy is designed and validated using the modified IEEE 39‐bus test system. The simulation results demonstrate the validity of the proposed metrics and strategy, and show that the system resilience is enhanced during the mitigation of fault conditions.
Pressure gradient effect on flame–vortex interaction in lean premixed bluff body stabilized flames
Authors: Yalcinkaya Y. , Gungor A. G.
Published: March 2023

This investigation considers the effect of axial pressure gradient on the dynamics of flame–vortex interaction for a lean premixed bluff body stabilized flame. Large eddy simulations (LESs) of four different combustor geometries generated through combustor wall adjustments that resulted in mild to strong pressure gradients are studied. A bluff body stabilized combustor for a propane/air flame is analyzed first. The results are compared with all available experimental data with the purpose of validating the LES methodology used in OpenFOAM and obtaining a base solution for the study of the pressure gradient effect on flame–vortex interaction. The role of the pressure gradient on flame structure, emission characteristics, vortex dynamics, and flame stability is presented. The mild favorable pressure gradient due to the decelerated flow in diffuser configurations influences flame–vortex dynamics by suppressing flame-induced vorticity sources, baroclinic torque and dilatation, and hence resulting in augmented hydrodynamic instabilities. The sustained hydrodynamic instabilities maintain the large flame wrinkles and sinusoidal flame mode in the wake region. The nourished near-lean blowoff dynamics also affect the emission characteristics, and the emission of species increases. However, the accelerated flow in the nozzle configuration amplifies the flame-induced vorticity sources that preserve the flame core, resulting in a more organized, symmetric, and stable flame. Ultimately, the combustion performance and operation envelope in the lean premixed flames can be increased by maintaining the flame stability and suppressing the limiting lean blowoff dynamics and emissions with the help of a strong favorable pressure gradient generated through adjusting the combustor geometry.
On the incorporation of conservation laws in machine learning tabulation of kinetics for reacting flow simulation
Authors: Readshaw Thomas , Jones W. P. , Rigopoulos Stelios
Published: March 2023

Tabulation of chemical mechanisms with artificial neural networks (ANNs) offers significant speed benefits when computing the real-time integration of reaction source terms in turbulent reacting flow simulations. In such approaches, the ANNs should be physically consistent with the reaction mechanism by conserving mass and chemical elements, as well as obey the bounds of species mass fractions. In the present paper, a method is developed for satisfying these constraints to machine precision. The method can be readily applied to any reacting system and appended to the existing ANN architectures. To satisfy the conservation laws, certain species in a reaction mechanism are selected as residual species and recalculated after ANN predictions of all of the species have been made. Predicted species mass fractions are set to be bounded. While the residual species mass fractions are not guaranteed to be non-negative, it is shown that negative predictions can be avoided in almost all cases and easily rectified if necessary. The ANN method with conservation is applied to one-dimensional laminar premixed flame simulations, and comparisons are made with simulations performed with direct integration (DI) of chemical kinetics. The ANNs with conservation are shown to satisfy the conservation laws for every reacting point to machine precision and, furthermore, to provide results in better agreement with DI than ANNs without conservation. It is, thus, shown that the proposed method reduces accumulation of errors and positively impacts the overall accuracy of the ANN prediction at negligible additional computational cost.
Piston driven shock waves in non-homogeneous planar media
Authors: Krief Menahem
Published: March 2023

In this work, we analyze in detail the problem of piston driven shock waves in planar media. Similarity solutions to the compressible hydrodynamics equations are developed, for a strong shock wave, generated by a time dependent pressure piston, propagating in a non-homogeneous planar medium consisting of an ideal gas. Power law temporal and spatial dependency is assumed for the piston pressure and initial medium density, respectively. The similarity solutions are written in both Lagrangian and Eulerian coordinates. It is shown that the solutions take various qualitatively different forms according to the value of the pressure and density exponents. We show that there exist different families of solutions, for which the shock propagates at a constant speed, accelerates, or slows down. Similarly, we show that there exist different types of solutions, for which the density near the piston is either finite, vanishes, or diverges. Finally, we perform a comprehensive comparison between the planar shock solutions and Lagrangian hydrodynamic simulations, by setting proper initial and boundary conditions. A very good agreement is reached, which demonstrates the usefulness of the analytic solutions as a code verification test problem.
Introducing the READY Study: DHH Young people’s Well-Being and Self-Determination
Authors: Young Alys , Espinoza Francisco , Dodds Claire , Squires Garry , Rogers Katherine , Chilton Helen , O’Neill Rachel
Published: March 2023

READY is a self-report prospective longitudinal study of deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) young people aged 16 to 19 years on entry. Its overarching aim is to explore the risk and protective factors for successful transition to adulthood. This article introduces the cohort of 163 DHH young people, background characteristics and study design. Focusing on self-determination and subjective well-being only, those who completed the assessments in written English (n = 133) score significantly lower than general population comparators. Sociodemographic variables explain very little of the variance in well-being scores; higher levels of self-determination are a predictor of higher levels of well-being, outweighing the influence of any background characteristics. Although women and those who are LGBTQ+ have statistically significantly lower well-being scores, these aspects of their identity are not predictive risk factors. These results add to the case for self-determination interventions to support better well-being amongst DHH young people.
Social Networking Site Usage of Middle-Aged and Older Deaf Adults
Authors: Paglieri Taylor A , Schooler Deborah , Pezzarossi Caroline Kobek
Published: March 2023

Social networking sites (SNS) have become increasingly popular in modern society; however, there is insufficient research into the impacts of SNS use on middle-aged and older Deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) individuals. D/HH SNS users belonging to the Baby Boomer generation or Generation X (born 1946–1980) were recruited for this study. A mixed-methods approach was utilized, with a survey (n = 32) and interviews (n = 3), to examine primary reasons for use, perceived accessibility of interactions, the relationship between SNS use and life satisfaction, and the impacts of SNS use on this population. SNS platforms were found to be primarily used for social interaction, information seeking, and entertainment purposes. This study further showed that SNS interactions with hearing individuals were significantly more accessible than in-person interactions. The thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed four key themes: exposure and representation, accessibility and social connection, privacy, and ideological polarization. The overall feelings towards these platforms were positive. SNS platforms allowed for increased accessibility through reducing communication barriers. Additionally, as SNS platforms have become increasingly prevalent, participants noted increased representation of the Deaf community within movies and television. This preliminary information sets important groundwork for future research, which can be used to increase the positive impacts for other D/HH individuals.
Generic and Branded Pharmaceutical Pricing: Competition Under Switching Costs*
Authors: Janssen Aljoscha
Published: March 2023

This article examines pricing in pharmaceutical markets where branded products face competition from generics. After providing evidence for brand premia and switching costs using prescription-level and matched socioeconomic data for the entire Swedish population, I estimate a dynamic oligopoly model and evaluate counterfactual policies that reduce the impact of frictions on pricing. Lengthening the procurement period reduces the impact of switching costs on prices. The policy increases prices on average, but more so for individuals with infrequent consumption, high education and income. In a counterfactual where brand choice decisions are moved from patients to medical experts, prices fall substantially.
The Effects of Fiscal Decentralisation on Publicly Provided Services and Labour Markets
Authors: Bianchi Nicola , Giorcelli Michela , Martino Enrica Maria
Published: March 2023

This paper studies how fiscal decentralisation affects labour supply. It explores a reform that increased the fiscal autonomy of Italian municipalities by replacing government transfers with revenues from a local property tax. Our identification leverages cross-municipal variation in the degree of decentralisation that stems from differences in the average age of buildings caused by World War II bombings. Decentralisation expanded municipal services, such as nursery schools, especially in areas with greater political competition. The paper then investigates how the reform affected labour markets. Decentralisation increased female labour supply—probably through expanded availability of nursery schools—thereby reducing the gender gap in employment.
ANMCO position paper: guide to the appropriate use of the wearable cardioverter defibrillator in clinical practice for patients at high transient risk of sudden cardiac death
Authors: Casolo Giancarlo , Gulizia Michele Massimo , Aschieri Daniela , Chinaglia Alessandra , Corda Marco , Nassiacos Daniele , Caico Salvatore Ivan , Chimenti Cristina , Giaccardi Marzia , Gotti Enrico , Maffé Stefano , Magnano Roberta , Solarino Gianluca , Gabrielli Domenico , Oliva Fabrizio , Colivicchi Furio
Published: March 2023

Extended risk stratification and optimal management of patients with a permanently increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) are becoming increasingly important. There are several clinical conditions where the risk of arrhythmic death is present albeit only transient. As an example, patients with depressed left ventricular function have a high risk of SCD that may be only transient if there will be a significant recovery of function. It is important to protect the patients while receiving and titrating to the optimal dose the recommended drugs that may lead to an improved left ventricular function. In several other conditions, a transient risk of SCD can be observed even if the left ventricular function is not compromised. Examples are patients with acute myocarditis, during the diagnostic work-up of some arrhythmic conditions or after extraction of infected catheters while eradicating the associated infection. In all these conditions, it is important to offer a protection to these patients. The wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) is of particular importance as a temporary non-invasive technology for both arrhythmia monitoring and therapy in patients with increased risk of SCD. Previous studies have shown the WCD to be an effective and safe therapy for the prevention of SCD caused by ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation. The aim of this ANMCO position paper is to provide a recommendation for clinical utilization of the WCD in Italy, based upon current data and international guidelines. In this document, we will review the WCD functionality, indications, clinical evidence, and guideline recommendations. Finally, a recommendation for the utilization of the WCD in routine clinical practice will be presented, in order to provide physicians with a practical guidance for SCD risk stratification in patients who may benefit from this device.
Recent range shifts of moths, butterflies, and birds are driven by the breadth of their climatic niche
Authors: Hällfors Maria H , Heikkinen Risto K , Kuussaari Mikko , Lehikoinen Aleksi , Luoto Miska , Pöyry Juha , Virkkala Raimo , Saastamoinen Marjo , Kujala Heini
Published: March 2023

Species are altering their ranges as a response to climate change, but the magnitude and direction of observed range shifts vary considerably among species. The ability to persist in current areas and colonize new areas plays a crucial role in determining which species will thrive and which decline as climate change progresses. Several studies have sought to identify characteristics, such as morphological and life-history traits, that could explain differences in the capability of species to shift their ranges together with a changing climate. These characteristics have explained variation in range shifts only sporadically, thus offering an uncertain tool for discerning responses among species. As long-term selection to past climates have shaped species’ tolerances, metrics describing species’ contemporary climatic niches may provide an alternative means for understanding responses to on-going climate change. Species that occur in a broader range of climatic conditions may hold greater tolerance to climatic variability and could therefore more readily maintain their historical ranges, while species with more narrow tolerances may only persist if they are able to shift in space to track their climatic niche. Here, we provide a first-filter test of the effect of climatic niche dimensions on shifts in the leading range edges in three relatively well-dispersing species groups. Based on the realized changes in the northern range edges of 383 moth, butterfly, and bird species across a boreal 1,100 km latitudinal gradient over c. 20 years, we show that while most morphological or life-history traits were not strongly connected with range shifts, moths and birds occupying a narrower thermal niche and butterflies occupying a broader moisture niche across their European distribution show stronger shifts towards the north. Our results indicate that the climatic niche may be important for predicting responses under climate change and as such warrants further investigation of potential mechanistic underpinnings.
Bacterial, but not fungal, communities show spatial heterogeneity in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) deadwood
Authors: Bosch Jason , Némethová Ema , Tláskal Vojtěch , Brabcová Vendula , Baldrian Petr
Published: March 2023

Deadwood decomposition and other environmental processes mediated by microbial communities are generally studied with composite sampling strategies, where deadwood is collected from multiple locations in a large volume, that produce an average microbial community. In this study, we used amplicon sequencing to compare fungal and bacterial communities sampled with either traditional, composite samples, or small, 1 cm3 cylinders from a discrete location within decomposing European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) tree trunks. We found that bacterial richness and evenness is lower in small samples when compared to composite samples. There was no significant difference in fungal alpha diversity between different sampling scales, suggesting that visually defined fungal domains are not restricted to a single species. Additionally, we found that composite sampling may obscure variation in community composition and this affects the understanding of microbial associations that are detected. For future experiments in environmental microbiology, we recommend that scale is explicitly considered as a factor and properly selected to correspond with the questions asked. Studies of microbial functions or associations may require samples to be collected at a finer scale than is currently practised.
Role of (p)ppGpp in antibiotic resistance, tolerance, persistence and survival in Firmicutes
Authors: Salzer Andrea , Wolz Christiane
Published: March 2023

The stringent response and its signalling nucleotides, pppGpp and ppGpp, have been the subject of intense research since the discovery of (p)ppGpp in 1969. Recent studies have revealed that the downstream events that follow (p)ppGpp accumulation vary among species. Consequently, the stringent response as initially characterized in Escherichia coli largely differs from the response in Firmicutes (Bacillota), wherein synthesis and degradation of the messengers (p)ppGpp are orchestrated by the bifunctional Rel enzyme with synthetase and hydrolase activity and the two synthetases SasA/RelP and SasB/RelQ. Here we will summarize recent studies supporting the role of (p)ppGpp in the development of antibiotic resistance and tolerance as well as survival under adverse environmental conditions in Firmicutes. We will also discuss the impact of elevated (p)ppGpp levels on the development of persister cells and the establishment of persistent infections. (p)ppGpp levels are usually tightly controlled to allow optimal growth under non-stressed conditions. Upon the onset of certain ‘stringent conditions’ the sudden increase in (p)ppGpp levels limits growth while exerting protective effects. In Firmicutes, the (p)ppGpp-mediated restriction of GTP accumulation is one major mechanism of protection and survival under stresses such as antibiotic exposure.
Galleria mellonella–intracellular bacteria pathogen infection models: the ins and outs
Authors: Asai Masanori , Li Yanwen , Newton Sandra M , Robertson Brian D , Langford Paul R
Published: March 2023

Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth) larvae are used widely as surrogate infectious disease models, due to ease of use and the presence of an innate immune system functionally similar to that of vertebrates. Here, we review G. mellonella–human intracellular bacteria pathogen infection models from the genera Burkholderia, Coxiella, Francisella, Listeria, and Mycobacterium. For all genera, G. mellonella use has increased understanding of host–bacterial interactive biology, particularly through studies comparing the virulence of closely related species and/or wild-type versus mutant pairs. In many cases, virulence in G. mellonella mirrors that found in mammalian infection models, although it is unclear whether the pathogenic mechanisms are the same. The use of G. mellonella larvae has speeded up in vivo efficacy and toxicity testing of novel antimicrobials to treat infections caused by intracellular bacteria: an area that will expand since the FDA no longer requires animal testing for licensure. Further use of G. mellonella–intracellular bacteria infection models will be driven by advances in G. mellonella genetics, imaging, metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomic methodologies, alongside the development and accessibility of reagents to quantify immune markers, all of which will be underpinned by a fully annotated genome.
Mapping faults in the laboratory with seismic scattering 2: the modelling perspective
Authors: King Thomas , De Siena Luca , Zhang Yi , Nakata Nori , Benson Philip , Vinciguerra Sergio
Published: March 2023

Peak delays of acoustic emission (AE) data from rock deformation laboratory experiments are sensitive to both sample heterogeneities and deformation-induced impedance contrasts inside the sample. However, the relative importance of stochastic heterogeneity and discontinuities is uncertain, as is the relationship between peak delays and applied stress and strain. In the companion paper, we presented and analysed peak delay data from AE recorded in a sandstone sample that was triaxially deformed to failure. Here, we simulate P–SV waveforms of dominant frequency 200 kHz in a 2-D isotropic, layered medium using realistic parameters derived from the laboratory experiments previously analysed. Our aim is to provide a physical interpretation of the laboratory findings and constrain the role of a proxy of the evolving fault zone on peak delays. We consider a 2-D fault zone embedded in a host material that simulates the fracture plane as a more compliant layer and allows us to numerically investigate variations in peak delay. Measurements of background parameters, including isotropic velocity and fault thickness were optimized using laboratory data via an evolutionary algorithm. Our simulations clarify that near-source peak delay observations are sensitive to the heterogeneity within zones of intense strain even when far-field approximations are not valid. This sensitivity manifests through the arrival of trapped waves within the layer that is coupled with multiple reflections from the sample boundaries. Substantial uncertainties remain on the possibility of inverting sample parameters with 2-D simulations and such complex physics. Our combined experimental and modelling study suggests that peak delays and coda parameters are sensitive to the heterogeneity caused by faulting and strain variations at different stages of fault-inducing slow deformation.
Assessment of a near-polar pair mission for detecting the Earth's temporal gravity field
Authors: Zhou Hao , Wang Penghui , Pail Roland , Guo Xiang , Wu Yunlong , Luo Zhicai
Published: March 2023

To ensure the global observability of next generation gravimetric mission (NGGM), different agencies have to repeatedly launch satellites to about 89.0° orbit inclination. However, due to the poor isotropy of observation system, only minor improvement in terms of temporal gravity field estimation can be obtained via these repeatedly launched polar pair missions. To ensure the global observability as well as the isotropy of observation system, a near-polar pair mission rather than a polar mission is likely an optimal selection, especially considering that the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Follow-On mission has been already in operation. In this study, for the upcoming NGGMs (for instance, the Chinese NGGM), we design a closed-loop simulation to assess the performance of a near-polar mission at a near-circular orbit with about 500 km altitude for detecting the Earth's temporal gravity field, and the main conclusions are summarized as follows. (1) Based on the statistic results, 85.0° is selected as the optimal orbit inclination for the near-polar mission, which provides 37 per cent noise reduction in terms of cumulative geoid height error in spectral domain, but also 31 per cent noise reduction in terms of mean oceanic root-mean-square (RMS) error in spatial domain when compared to the 89.0° polar mission (89-PM). (2) To figure out the reason of these noise reductions, we also compare the contribution of single error components [including instrument error, atmospheric and oceanic (AO) aliasing error, ocean tide error]. It indicates that the outperformance of the 85.0° near-polar mission (85-NPM) is mainly derived from the relatively smaller non-tidal atmospheric and oceanic mass variation error. (3) Although there are inevitable 5.0° polar gaps in the 85-NPM, the analysis result (including the comparison via in-orbit observations and simulated retrieved solutions) still demonstrates a comparable performance of the 85-NPM in tracking mass variations over the Antarctic, and even an outperformance with 12 per cent noise reduction over the Greenland when compared to the 89-PM. The result confirms the feasibility of implementing a near-polar mission as a stand-alone mission or a complementary observation system for the repeatedly launched polar missions, which offers an alternative option of launching the Chinese NGGM satellites to an 85.0° inclination orbit instead of 89.0°.