bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Communities of Practice in Crop Diversity Management: From Data to Collaborative Governance
Authors: Louafi Selim , Thomas Mathieu , Jankowski Frédérique , Leclerc Christian , Barnaud Adeline , Baufumé Servane , Guichardaz Alexandre , Joly Hélène , Labeyrie Vanesse , Leclercq Morgane , Ndiaye Alihou , Pham Jean-Louis , Raimond Christine , Rey Alexandrine , Saïdou Abdoul-Aziz , Temple Ludovic
Published: October 2022

Establishing linkage among data of diverse domains (e.g. biological, environmental, socio-economical, and geographical) is critical to address complex multidimensional issues such as food security or sustainable agriculture. The complexity of this challenge increases with the level of heterogeneity of the data but also with the social context of production of datasets, a dimension usually less considered. Building on the experience of a transdisciplinary project on the diversity of crop diversity management systems in West Africa (CoEx), this chapter reflects on the importance to better account for agency for more meaningful, responsible and efficient plant data linkage. The chapter addresses sequentially the cognitive and political challenges related to data work and the way they could be addressed simultaneously within the same social unit. To do this, we rely on the concept of community of practice (CoP) which gained enormous popularity in relation to data and knowledge management. More than simply a social mechanism for community knowledge management, we show in this contribution that CoP needs to be approached as a social experiment and a terrain of collective situated learning in order to address each challenge and their linkages with respect to data work.
In “The Cloud”: Figuring and Inhabiting Media Milieus
Authors: Wark Scott
Published: October 2022

Starting with the premise that figures are woven through the vernacular language we use to describe media, this chapter argues that figures are essential for making sense of the shaping and conditioning influence that media-technical systems exercise on contemporary life. It develops this proposition by placing the example of cloud computing in dialogue with Donna J. Haraway’s concept of figures. Cloud computing is a figure that renders heterogeneous, complex, and often-unrepresentable media-technical systems inhabitable. That is, this figure constructs a distributed media-technical system as an inhabitable “milieu.” Conversely, cloud computing also reveals figures’ methodological potential for “figuring”: that is, they can also be used to understand how computational systems construct modes of inhabitation.
The Gardener and the Walled Garden
Authors: Day Sophie , Smith Jayne , Ward Helen
Published: October 2022

Platforms for standardising and sharing data between research and care are in construction, as they have been for some years. Currently, they take the form of creating a large ‘knowledge bank’ linking health records and biological samples with explicit consent for research use. Researchers will be able to work with the data without being able to identify patients, through pseudonymising techniques. This virtual research space is described as a walled garden. In this chapter, we ask what/who/when is a person as they are disassembled, transformed, layered and valued; emerging from and disappearing into data that are disaggregated and segregated. Together—an anthropologist, an epidemiologist and a patient who is fortuitously known as the gardener and has participated in many research studies since 2013—we hope to re-aggregate data and reconstruct a fuller history in which the patient is recognisable. This enquiry necessarily raises questions about the different ways in which a person is figured and distributed through personal experience, ethnography and biomedicine.
Open-string integrals with multiple unintegrated punctures at genus one
Authors: Kaderli André , Rodriguez Carlos
Published: October 2022

Abstract

We study integrals appearing in intermediate steps of one-loop open-string amplitudes, with multiple unintegrated punctures on the A-cycle of a torus. We construct a vector of such integrals which closes after taking a total differential with respect to the N unintegrated punctures and the modular parameter τ. These integrals are found to satisfy the elliptic Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov-Bernard (KZB) equations, and can be written as a power series in α′ — the string length squared- in terms of elliptic multiple polylogarithms (eMPLs). In the N-puncture case, the KZB equation reveals a representation of B1,N, the braid group of N strands on a torus, acting on its solutions. We write the simplest of these braid group elements — the braiding one puncture around another — and obtain generating functions of analytic continuations of eMPLs. The KZB equations in the so-called universal case is written in terms of the genus-one Drinfeld-Kohno algebra $$ \mathfrak{t} $$
t
1,N ⋊ $$ \mathfrak{d} $$
d
, a graded algebra. Our construction determines matrix representations of various dimensions for several generators of this algebra which respect its grading up to commuting terms.
Complete SMEFT predictions for four top quark production at hadron colliders
Authors: Aoude Rafael , El Faham Hesham , Maltoni Fabio , Vryonidou Eleni
Published: October 2022

Abstract

We study four top quark production at hadron colliders in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT). We perform an analysis at the tree-level, including all possible QCD- and EW-coupling orders and relevant dimension-six operators. We find several cases where formally subleading terms give rise to significant contributions, potentially providing sensitivity to a broad class of operators. Inclusive and differential predictions are presented for the LHC and a future pp circular collider operating at 100 TeV. We estimate the sensitivity of different operators and perform a simplified chi-square fit to set limits on SMEFT Wilson coefficients. In so doing, we assess the importance of including subleading terms and differential information in constraining new physics contributions. Finally, we compute the SMEFT predictions for the double insertion of dimension-six operators and scrutinise the possible enhancements to the sensitivity induced by a specific class of higher order terms in the EFT series.
Effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the performance evaluation of nickel-based super-alloy–Udimet 720 machined using WEDM process
Authors: Chaudhari Rakesh , Ayesta Izaro , Doshi Mikesh , Khanna Sakshum , Patel Vivek K. , Vora Jay , De Lacalle Luis Norberto López
Published: October 2022

The diverse capabilities of nickel-based super-alloy (Udimet 720), like robust mechanical strength, ductility, resistance to excessive temperature deformation, and advanced corrosion and oxidation resistance, make it suitable for use in multiple applications. These super-alloys are identified as extremely difficult materials for machining to meet feature and manufacturing requirements. In the present work, we demonstrated the machining of Udimet 720 by employing the wire-electrical discharge machining (WEDM) technique. Pulse-on-time (Ton), pulse-off-time (Toff), current, and MWCNT amount were preferred as input variables. The effect of selected design variables was studied on material removal rate (MRR), surface roughness (SR), and recast layer thickness (RLT). Box-Behnken design was utilized to design an experimental matrix. For statistical analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed. From ANOVA, the current had the highest contributor with 35.85% to affect MRR, while MWCNT amount was found to be the highest contributor for deciding the values of both SR and RLT with contributions of 42.66% and 40.07%, respectively. The addition of MWCNT at 1 g/L has substantially improved MRR from 0.8546 to 1.2199 g/min, SR reduced from 5.88 µm to 2.98 µm, and reduction in RLT from 17.8 to 11.61 µm. The passing vehicle search (PVS) algorithm was implemented, and the results of single-objective optimization presented the largest MRR of 1.8883 g/min, least SR of 1.89 µm, and least RLT of 9.70 µm. Additionally, a set of non-dominated solutions was obtained through Pareto optimal fronts. A small acceptable deviation was detected among the actual and forecasted results from PVS algorithm. It clearly reveals the acceptance of the PVS technique in the present study for Udimet 720. Lastly, the significance of MWCNT amount on surface textures was revealed by employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Advancement and obstacles in microfluidics-based isolation of extracellular vesicles
Authors: Havers Megan , Broman Axel , Lenshof Andreas , Laurell Thomas
Published: October 2022

There is a great need for techniques which enable reproducible separation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from biofluids with high recovery, purity and throughput. The development of new techniques for isolation of EVs from minute sample volumes is instrumental in enabling EV-based biomarker profiling in large biobank cohorts and paves the way to improved diagnostic profiles in precision medicine. Recent advances in microfluidics-based devices offer a toolbox for separating EVs from small sample volumes. Microfluidic devices that have been used in EV isolation utilise different fundamental principles and rely largely on benefits of scaling laws as the biofluid processing is miniaturised to chip level. Here, we review the progress in the practicality and performance of both passive devices (such as mechanical filtering and hydrodynamic focusing) and active devices (using magnetic, electric or acoustic fields). As it stands, many microfluidic devices isolate intact EV populations at higher purities than centrifugation, precipitation or size-exclusion chromatography. However, this comes at a cost. We address challenges (in particular low throughput, clogging risks and ability to process biofluids) and highlight the need for more improvements in microfluidic devices. Finally, we conclude that there is a need to refine and standardise these lab-on-a-chip techniques to meet the growing interest in the diagnostic and therapeutic value of purified EVs.

Graphical abstract
Proposal and multicentric validation of a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery ontology
Authors: Lavanchy Joël L. , Gonzalez Cristians , Kassem Hasan , Nett Philipp C. , Mutter Didier , Padoy Nicolas
Published: October 2022

Background

Phase and step annotation in surgical videos is a prerequisite for surgical scene understanding and for downstream tasks like intraoperative feedback or assistance. However, most ontologies are applied on small monocentric datasets and lack external validation. To overcome these limitations an ontology for phases and steps of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) is proposed and validated on a multicentric dataset in terms of inter- and intra-rater reliability (inter-/intra-RR).

Methods

The proposed LRYGB ontology consists of 12 phase and 46 step definitions that are hierarchically structured. Two board certified surgeons (raters) with > 10 years of clinical experience applied the proposed ontology on two datasets: (1) StraBypass40 consists of 40 LRYGB videos from Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg, France and (2) BernBypass70 consists of 70 LRYGB videos from Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland.

To assess inter-RR the two raters’ annotations of ten randomly chosen videos from StraBypass40 and BernBypass70 each, were compared. To assess intra-RR ten randomly chosen videos were annotated twice by the same rater and annotations were compared.

Inter-RR was calculated using Cohen’s kappa. Additionally, for inter- and intra-RR accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and application dependent metrics were applied.

Results

The mean ± SD video duration was 108 ± 33 min and 75 ± 21 min in StraBypass40 and BernBypass70, respectively. The proposed ontology shows an inter-RR of 96.8 ± 2.7% for phases and 85.4 ± 6.0% for steps on StraBypass40 and 94.9 ± 5.8% for phases and 76.1 ± 13.9% for steps on BernBypass70. The overall Cohen’s kappa of inter-RR was 95.9 ± 4.3% for phases and 80.8 ± 10.0% for steps. Intra-RR showed an accuracy of 98.4 ± 1.1% for phases and 88.1 ± 8.1% for steps.

Conclusion

The proposed ontology shows an excellent inter- and intra-RR and should therefore be implemented routinely in phase and step annotation of LRYGB.
Der Wert des Privaten für Menschen mit Demenz
Authors: Buhr Eike , Schweda Mark
Published: October 2022

Der Begriff der Privatheit markiert eine erstaunliche Leerstelle in der Diskussion um die Pflege von Menschen mit Demenz (MmD). Der sonst intensiv geführte pflegeethische Diskurs über Fragen der Privatheit scheint hier nahezu vollständig zu verstummen, so als verlören MmD im Verlauf ihrer Erkrankung jedes nachvollziehbare Interesse an einer Privatsphäre und verfügten über keinerlei privaten Bereich mehr, den man bei ihrer pflegerischen Versorgung beachten oder schützen müsste. Eine solche Vorstellung widerspricht allerdings nicht nur verbreiteten moralischen Intuitionen, sondern auch den Auffassungen und Bedürfnissen der Betroffenen selbst. Vor diesem Hintergrund gehen wir der Frage nach, inwieweit sich die Bedeutung von Privatheit für MmD ethisch verständlich und plausibel machen lässt. Zu diesem Zweck werden zunächst die Herkunft und die verschiedenen Bedeutungsdimensionen des Privatheitsbegriffs selbst umrissen, um anschließend seine Schwierigkeiten und Grenzen im Kontext demenzieller Erkrankungen aufzuzeigen. Wie sich dabei herausstellt, kann insbesondere der ausgeprägte Autonomiebezug vorherrschender liberaler Privatheitskonzepte ein erhebliches Hindernis für eine angemessene Konzeptualisierung der Bedeutung der Privatheit für MmD darstellen. Aus diesem Grund loten wir im Anschluss unterschiedliche Möglichkeiten aus, wie sich der „Wert des Privaten“ im Kontext demenzieller Erkrankungen auch losgelöst vom Recht auf individuelle Selbstbestimmung konzeptualisieren ließe. Während autonomiebasierte Konzepte von Privatheit in frühen Stadien noch tragen mögen, wird mit Blick auf den weiteren Krankheitsverlauf daher auch der Relevanz von erkennbaren persönlichen Präferenzen sowie objektiven Bedingungen von Würde und Wohlergehen nachgegangen. Auf diesem Weg lässt sich differenziert aufzeigen, inwiefern Privatheit auch für MmD von Bedeutung sein und im pflegerischen Umgang mit ihnen angemessen berücksichtigt werden kann.
General practice in the German Democratic Republic (1949–1990)
Authors: Bruns Florian , König Christian , Frese Thomas , Schildmann Jan
Published: October 2022

Background

In the 1950s the socialist health policy in East Germany did not follow a clear-cut course with regard to outpatient medical care. Whilst state-run policlinics gradually took the place of doctors in private practice, the required qualifications of physicians working in outpatient care remained unclear. After preparatory lobbying by committed physicians from the outpatient sector, the 1960 Weimar Health Conference finally paved the way for the preservation and professionalization of general practice in East Germany.

Aim

The article analyzes the formation of general practice as a specialty in East Germany between 1945 and 1990. We scrutinize the status of general practitioners and their field in the socialist health system as well as the foundation of their medical society. Our paper aims to contribute to a broader history of general practice in Germany.

Methods

We draw on literature from that time, unpublished archival material, and interviews with contemporary witnesses.

Results

After the establishment of standards for specialist training in the early 1960s, general practice was introduced as a field of specialty in 1967. By this, East Germany had a compulsory specialist training in general practice much earlier than West Germany. In 1971, a specialist society for general practice was founded in East Germany. However, institutionalization at the medical faculties was still lacking. Meanwhile, the nationalization of outpatient care continued. In the years that followed, primary medical care was increasingly provided in policlinics. In 1989, of 40,000 physicians in the GDR, only about 340 were still practicing in their own offices.

Conclusion

Within the nationalized GDR health system a committed group of physicians, under difficult political circumstances, pushed for professionalization of general practice and its recognition as a field of specialty. When general medicine was recognized as a specialty in 1967, this happened earlier than in other countries and constituted an important milestone.
Human interaction with virtual reality: investigating pre-evacuation efficiency in building emergency
Authors: Wang Zihao , He Renke , Rebelo Francisco , Vilar Elisângela , Noriega Paulo
Published: October 2022

The current manuscript verifies the use of virtual reality (VR)-based methodology as a helpful way to study human behavior during the pre-evacuation period, considering the influence of pre-emergency activity (competitive tasks). Two conditions with different engagement levels (i.e., low and high) were set up, and sixty company workers were distributed across conditions randomly. Five types of evacuation behaviors were defined, and compliance behavior results showed most participants (66.7%) evacuated with the ISO-type evacuation alarm in low engagement condition, whereas only 20% of participants evacuated in high engagement situation. Statistical results confirmed the influence of pre-emergency activity on evacuation efficiency. Open-ended questions summarized three levels of knowledge background that justified the reasons/motivations behind pre-evacuation behaviors. simulator sickness, presence, and usability questionnaires confirmed the variable control between conditions. In summary, the VR-based methodology successfully reproduced evacuation behaviors similar to real situations, with the influence of pre-emergency activity. This study added a step to the efficacy of using VR as a tool to study human behavior during the pre-evacuation period and pointed out the need for the next generation of alarms, which will improve human safety in building emergencies.
Exact G$$_{\mathbf{2}}$$-structures on compact quotients of Lie groups
Authors: Fino Anna , Martín-Merchán Lucía , Raffero Alberto
Published: October 2022

We show that the compact quotient $$\Gamma \backslash {\mathrm G}$$

Γ
\
G

of a seven-dimensional simply connected Lie group $${\mathrm G}$$
G
by a co-compact discrete subgroup $$\Gamma \subset {\mathrm G}$$

Γ
⊂
G

does not admit any exact $${\mathrm G}_2$$

G
2

-structure which is induced by a left-invariant one on $${\mathrm G}$$
G
.
Thermoelectric properties of a vertically aligned carbon nanotube array with embedded bismuth telluride
Authors: Tseng Shih Chun , Wang Chin-An , Chu Hsu Shen , Tsai Hung-Yin
Published: October 2022

Recently, thermoelectric (TE) devices have attracted much attention because they have no moving parts, simple structures, high reliability, and environmental friendly, when compared to other green energy techniques. In this paper, we report a novel thermoelectric composite constructed one with a self-assembled highly oriented Sb doped Bi2Te3 and one without doping nanoflake layer deposited on regular vertically aligned checkerboard-patterned multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) arrays (500 nm squares and 1 µm pitch) on insulated SiO2/Si substrates. The height of Bi2Te3/Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3, MWCNTs and volumetric ratio of MWCNT to Bi2Te3/ Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 are about 3 μm, 1.5 μm, and 25%, respectively. The blending of regular vertically aligned MWCNT patterns into Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 results in a dramatically enhancement of Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity. The Seebeck coefficient and power factor of Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3-MWCNTs show a maximum value of 600 μV/K and 60 μW/cm-K2 at 160 K and gradually decrease to 409 μV/K, and about 14.1 μW/cm-K2 at 300 K, respectively. The significant records of the low temperature Seebeck coefficients and relative electrical properties are extremely important for the fundamental understanding of vertically aligned MWCNT embedded thermoelectric composites.
Plant extracts and compounds for combating schistosomiasis
Authors: El-Seedi Hesham R. , Khalifa Shaden A. M. , Mohamed Azza H. , Yosri Nermeen , Zhao Chao , El-Wakeil Nabil , Attia Nour F. , Xu Baojun , AbdElhafez AbdElhafez R. , Boskabady Mohammad H. , Elseedy Sherif , Efferth Thomas , Verpoorte Rob
Published: October 2022

Schistosomiasis is a vector-borne water-based disease caused by Schistosoma blood flukes. It mostly affects people in low-income regions, 90% of reported cases being in developing countries. Schistosoma has a complex lifecycle, alternately infecting mammalian hosts and snails. The snails hosting the parasite are the most viable targets. Selective preparations for reducing the parasite pool in snails and infected water are required as current molluscicides are also nontoxic to other organisms, including fish, and thus affect food supplies in infected areas. Plants (e.g. Annona crassiflora Mart., A. muricata L., and A. montana Macfad.) are attractive potential sources as alternative molluscicides and novel entity to treat the disease owned to their diverse biologically potent compounds including; saponins, alkaloids, terpenoids, and tannins. Additionally, they can be locally cultivated, providing income for farmers and reducing treatment costs. Here, we review plants, plant extracts and isolated compounds that have shown activities against the host snails or Schistosoma in various parts of its life cycle. Plants have a lot of potential and will continue to contribute feasible, effective medicines and/or pesticides; more research is warranted to fully explore their future applications.

Graphical abstract
Research on near field sound pressure of circular piston source based on angular spectrum method
Authors: Yi-shu Zhang , Jie-yuan Yang
Published: October 2022

The accuracy of ultrasonic nondestructive examination is limited by the limitation of near field diffraction. With the development of nearfield optical, angular spectrum method is introduced into the acoustic field, which provides a significant direction for the ultrasonic diffraction limit resolution detection. The main research of this paper is the transmission of near field ultrasound in thin workpiece and the law of the interaction of tiny flaws. The paper establishes the relationship between the longitudinal wave signal and the structure of the workpiece and the types of flaws. A method is found that whether there are flaws can be determined near field area by analysing the acoustic field characteristics of workpiece surface. Finally, comparing the calculation results with the finite element simulation, they verify each other, the method turns out to be correct in this paper. The model can also be used to improve the ultrasonic noise reduction algorithm and the extraction of minimal defect feature. It has a greatly practical significance.
Design, development, and evaluation of a virtual reality game-based application to support computational thinking
Authors: Agbo Friday Joseph , Oyelere Solomon Sunday , Suhonen Jarkko , Tukiainen Markku
Published: October 2022

Computational thinking (CT) has become an essential skill nowadays. For young students, CT competency is required to prepare them for future jobs. This competency can facilitate students’ understanding of programming knowledge which has been a challenge for many novices pursuing a computer science degree. This study focuses on designing and implementing a virtual reality (VR) game-based application (iThinkSmart) to support CT knowledge. The study followed the design science research methodology to design, implement, and evaluate the first prototype of the VR application. An initial evaluation of the prototype was conducted with 47 computer science students from a Nigerian university who voluntarily participated in an experimental process. To determine what works and what needs to be improved in the iThinkSmart VR game-based application, two groups were randomly formed, consisting of the experimental (n = 21) and the control (n = 26) groups respectively. Our findings suggest that VR increases motivation and therefore increase students’ CT skills, which contribute to knowledge regarding the affordances of VR in education and particularly provide evidence on the use of visualization of CT concepts to facilitate programming education. Furthermore, the study revealed that immersion, interaction, and engagement in a VR educational application can promote students’ CT competency in higher education institutions (HEI). In addition, it was shown that students who played the iThinkSmart VR game-based application gained higher cognitive benefits, increased interest and attitude to learning CT concepts. Although further investigation is required in order to gain more insights into students learning process, this study made significant contributions in positioning CT in the HEI context and provides empirical evidence regarding the use of educational VR mini games to support students learning achievements.
An extractive bioeconomy? Phosphate mining, fertilizer commodity chains, and alternative technologies
Authors: Anlauf Axel
Published: October 2022

Various bioeconomy strategies seek to replace fossil resources with renewable agrarian resources without departing from the agro-industrial model. Paradoxically, industrial agriculture is an extractive system itself, dependent on the constant supply of mineral resources to replace the nutrients extracted from the soil. This article analyses the evolution of nutrient flows in this system from a historical-theoretical perspective and focuses specifically on the nutrient phosphorus, derived from the raw material phosphate rock. Classified as a “low-cost bulk commodity” for decades, since 2007 phosphate rock has become a strategic resource in the context of the crisis of cheap nutrient supply (2007–2013), a period of unusually high fertilizer prices. By analyzing state and private actor strategies in Germany and Brazil to adapt to this new situation, it becomes clear that the control over flows of phosphorous is increasingly contested. This article argues that bioeconomy strategies are aggravating existing conflicts over phosphate supply, as well as global inequalities, which inter alia become evident in food crises. Technological innovations, which are promoted within bioeconomy strategies, only reduce the extractive character of industrial agriculture in a limited way, while they are securing the interests of dominant actors.
Measuring emotions in mathematics: the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire—Mathematics (AEQ-M)
Authors: Bieleke Maik , Goetz Thomas , Yanagida Takuya , Botes Elouise , Frenzel Anne C. , Pekrun Reinhard
Published: October 2022

Understanding the structure, antecedents, and outcomes of students’ emotions has become a topic of major interest in research on mathematics education. Much of this work is based on the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire—Mathematics (AEQ-M), a self-report instrument assessing students’ mathematics-related emotions. The AEQ-M measures seven emotions (enjoyment, pride, anger, anxiety, shame, hopelessness, boredom) across class, learning, and test contexts (internal structure). Based on control-value theory, it is assumed that these emotions are evoked by control and value appraisals, and that they influence students’ motivation, learning strategies, and performance (external relations). Despite the popularity and frequent use of the AEQ-M, the research leading to its development has never been published, creating uncertainty about the validity of the proposed internal structure and external relations. We close this gap in Study 1 (N = 781 students, Grades 5–10, mean age 14.1 years, 53.5% female) by demonstrating that emotions are organized across contexts and linked to their proposed antecedents and outcomes. Study 2 (N = 699 students, Grade 7 and 9, mean age 14.0 years, 56.9% female) addresses another deficit in research on the AEQ-M, the lack of evidence regarding the assumption that emotions represent sets of interrelated affective, cognitive, motivational, and physiological/expressive components. We close this gap by evaluating extended AEQ-M scales, systematically assessing these components for five core mathematics emotions (enjoyment, anger, anxiety, hopelessness, boredom). Our work provides solid grounds for future research using the AEQ-M to assess emotions and their components in the domain of mathematics.
Bioremediation of Heavy Metals by Rhizobacteria
Authors: Riseh Roohallah Saberi , Vazvani Mozhgan Gholizadeh , Hajabdollahi Najmeh , Thakur Vijay Kumar
Published: October 2022

Heavy elements accumulate rapidly in the soil due to industrial activities and the industrial revolution, which significantly impact the morphology, physiology, and yield of crops. Heavy metal contamination will eventually affect the plant tolerance threshold and cause changes in the plant genome and genetic structure. Changes in the plant genome lead to changes in encoded proteins and protein sequences. Consuming these mutated products can seriously affect human and animal health. Bioremediation is a process that can be applied to reduce the adverse effects of heavy metals in the soil. In this regard, bioremediation using plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) as beneficial living agents can help to neutralize the negative interaction between the plant and the heavy metals. PGPRs suppress the adverse effects of heavy metals and the negative interaction of plant-heavy elements by different mechanisms such as biological adsorption and entrapment of heavy elements in extracellular capsules, reduction of metal ion concentration, and formation of complexes with metal ions inside the cell.
A monograph of the African and Madagascan species of Cyperus sect. Incurvi (Cyperaceae)
Authors: Griffiths Megan , Ralimanana Hélène , Rakotonasolo Franck , Larridon Isabel
Published: October 2022

Cyperus sect. Incurvi (Cyperaceae) contains 31 species worldwide, with important continental radiations in Australasia, Tropical Africa and Madagascar, and the Neotropics. Here, a monograph of the African and Madagascan species of Cyperus sect. Incurvi is presented, including descriptions, illustrations, synonymy, notes on habitat and ecology, geographic distribution ranges and conservation assessments. Our results identify eight species of Cyperus sect. Incurvi endemic to Madagascar, and a further three species native to Tropical Africa. Seven species of Cyperus sect. Incurvi have been typified herein. Six rare Madagascan endemics are assessed as threatened with extinction.
Multi-labeling with topic models for searching security information
Authors: Osada Yuki , Nagasawa Ryusei , Shiraishi Yoshiaki , Takita Makoto , Furumoto Keisuke , Takahashi Takeshi , Mohri Masami , Morii Masakatu
Published: October 2022

Security information such as threat information and vulnerability information are utilized to analyze cyberattacks. If specific keywords such as the name of malware related to the event to be analyzed are known in advance, it is possible to obtain information using typical search engines. However, when a security operator cannot recall appropriate keywords related to the event to be analyzed, or when a commonly recognized identifier does not exist, a general search engine cannot be expected to produce useful results. In this paper, we propose a method using topic models and outlier detection to generate multi-labels for search, with the goal of constructing a search engine that can present relevant security information even in such situations. In addition, this paper discusses the application of the proposed method to 2386 security reports issued from 2017 to 2019 to demonstrate that the labeling can be focused on specific topics.
Fever without a source in children: international comparison of guidelines
Authors: Graaf Sanne , Keuning Maya Wietske , Pajkrt Dasja , Plötz Frans Berend
Published: October 2022

Background

Fever without a source (FWS) in children poses a diagnostic challenge. To distinguish a self-limiting infection from a serious infection, multiple guidelines have been developed to aid physicians in the management of FWS. Currently, there is no comparison of existing FWS guidelines.

Methods

This comparative review describes consistencies and differences in guideline definitions and diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations. A literature search was performed to include secondary care FWS guidelines of high-income countries, composed by national or regional pediatric or emergency care associations, available in English or Dutch.

Results

Ten guidelines of five high-income countries were included, with varying age ranges of children with FWS. In children younger than one month with FWS, the majority of the guidelines recommended laboratory testing, blood and urine culturing and antibiotic treatment irrespective of the clinical condition of the patient. Recommendations for blood culture and antibiotic treatment varied for children aged 1–3 months. In children aged above three months, urine culture recommendations were inconsistent, while all guidelines consistently recommended cerebral spinal fluid testing and antibiotic treatment exclusively for children with a high risk of serious infection.

Conclusions

We found these guidelines broadly consistent, especially for children with FWS younger than one month. Guideline variation was seen most in the targeted age ranges and in recommendations for children aged 1–3 months and above three months of age. The findings of the current study can assist in harmonizing guideline development and future research for the management of children with FWS.
Application of digital rock technology for formation damage evaluation in tight sandstone reservoir
Authors: Xiong Zhao , Wang Guanqun , Zhang Yuguang , Cheng Haoran , Chen Feifei , Long Wei
Published: October 2022

Formation damage is a common phenomenon and is impaired to the reservoir by reducing the productivity. Formation damage is usually caused by solids plugging, clay swelling, saturation changes, etc., and fracturing fluids with a series of chemical additives are pumped into the well for production enhancement. It is difficult to optimize the fracture fluids and well shut-in time due to lack of fundamental understandings. Currently, little research has been done to investigate the mechanisms of formation damage at the pore scale. In this study, a combination of digital rock technology and core sample laboratory soaking experiments is used to evaluate the formation damages for different fracture fluids in tight sandstone reservoir. Three core samples from a full-diameter core are soaked in three different fracture fluids (surfactant, polymer, and gel) for eight different durations (from 2 h to 15d) to simulate well shut-in process. The samples in various soak times are scanned by X-ray micro-computer tomography (Micro-CT) to obtain the 3D images of the true geometry. The images are then compared to optimize the fracture fluids and quantify the damage degree after various well shut-in times. Then, displacement processes are simulated using lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to evaluate the residual oil saturations and optimize the well shut-in time. The study suggests that the well shut-in process can cause irreversible damage to tight sandstone reservoir even for optimized fracture fluid. In the initial shut-in stages, clays swelling dominates pore structure alteration and reduces the porosity. Calcite will dissolute after which lead to slight porosity increase. In the flowback process after well shut-in, the simulated residual oil saturation will decrease initially and then increase after, which is complied with the porosity variation. The digital rock technology combined with the soaking experiments will provide alternative method for the evaluation of formation damage and the optimization of well shut-in time in tight sandstone reservoir, which can guide the selection of the fracture fluids and onsite fracturing operation.
Reinforcing nature-based solutions through tools providing social-ecological-technological integration
Authors: Wellmann Thilo , Andersson Erik , Knapp Sonja , Lausch Angela , Palliwoda Julia , Priess Jörg , Scheuer Sebastian , Haase Dagmar
Published: October 2022

While held to be a means for climate change adaptation and mitigation, nature-based solutions (NbS) themselves are vulnerable to climate change. To find ways of compensating for this vulnerability we combine a focused literature review on how information technology has been used to strengthen positive social–ecological–technological feedback, with the development of a prototype decision-support tool. Guided by the literature review, the tool integrates recent advances in using globally available remote sensing data to elicit information on functional diversity and ecosystem service provisioning with information on human service demand and population vulnerability. When combined, these variables can inform climate change adaptation strategies grounded in local social–ecological realities. This type of integrated monitoring and packaging information to be actionable have potential to support NbS management and local knowledge building for context-tailored solutions to societal challenges in urban environments.
Numerical investigation of two models of nonlinear fractional reaction subdiffusion equations
Authors: Osman Sheelan , Langlands Trevor
Published: October 2022

We consider new numerical schemes to solve two different systems of nonlinear fractional reaction subdiffusion equations. These systems of equations model the reversible reaction $$A+B \rightleftharpoons C$$

A
+
B
⇌
C

in the presence of anomalous subdiffusion. The first model is based on the Henry & Wearne [1] model where the reaction term is added to the subdiffusion equation. The second model is based on the model by Angstmann, Donnelly & Henry [2] which involves a modified fractional differential operator. For both models the Keller Box method  [3] along with a modified L1 scheme (ML1), adapted from the Oldham and Spanier L1 scheme [4], are used to approximate the spatial and fractional derivatives respectively. Numerical prediction of both models were compared for a number of examples given the same initial and boundary conditions and the same anomalous exponents. From the results, we see similar short time behaviour for both models predicted. However for long times the solution of the second model remains positive whilst the Henry & Wearne based–model predictions may become negative.
Ti4+-incorporated fluorite-structured high-entropy oxide (Ce,Hf,Y,Pr,Gd)O2−δ: Optimizing preparation and CMAS corrosion behavior
Authors: Cheng Fuhao , Zhang Fengnian , Liu Yufeng , Guo Meng , Cheng Chufei , Hou Jiadong , Miao Yang , Gao Feng , Wang Xiaomin
Published: October 2022

Environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) with excellent chemical resistance and good high-temperature stability are of great significance for their applications in next-generation turbine engines. In this work, a new type of high-entropy fluorite-structured oxide (Ce0.2Hf0.2Y0.2Pr0.2Gd0.2)O2−δ (HEFO-1) with different Ti4+ contents were successfully synthesized. Minor addition of Ti4+ could be dissolved into a high-entropy lattice to maintain the structure stable, effectively reducing the phase formation temperature and promoting the shrinkage of bulk samples. Heat treatment experiments showed that all the samples remained a single phase after annealing at 1200–1600 °C for 6 h. In addition, high-entropy (Ce0.2Hf0.2Y0.2Pr0.2Gd0.2Ti0.2x)O2−δ demonstrated great resistance to calcium—magnesium—alumina—silicate (CMAS) thermochemical corrosion. When the content of Ti was increased to x = 0.5, the average thickness of the reaction layer was about 10.5 after being corroded at 1300 °C for 10 h. This study reveals that high-entropy (Ce0.2Hf0.2Y0.2Pr0.2Gd0.2Ti0.2x)O2−δ is expected to be a candidate for the next-generation EBC materials with graceful resistance to CMAS corrosion.
Analysing metaphorical pebbles in English RE
Authors: Smalley Paul
Published: October 2022

This paper is a critical analysis of the use of metaphors in English Religious Education (RE). It is grounded in the educational theory of Anna Sfard (a professor of Mathematics) who has written about learning metaphors, before considering some of the metaphoric language used in English education generally and RE specifically. It will examine carefully at how the metaphors implicit within the Commission on RE Report might help us interpret it, considering particularly the National Entitlement and note the changes to these metaphors in the newly adapted national entitlement in the REC Worldviews’ Project Draft Handbook. It will then turn (metaphorically) to the Research Review into RE from Ofsted and examine some aspects of that through metaphorical lenses. It will consider the metaphors inherent in Ofsted’s Deep Dive methodology, the work of Fordham, Counsell and the Early Career Framework and Core Content framework materials. The paper will conclude with some thoughts about RE as a subject discourse, suggesting that RE continues to have an identity crisis, which is not helped by a disciplinary, or a worldview, approach.
Botulinum Toxin a for Provoked Vestibulodynia: 12 Months’ Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Haraldson Philip , Mühlrad Hanna , Heddini Ulrika , Nilsson Kent , Bohm-Starke Nina
Published: October 2022

Background

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a common pain disorder afflicting primarily young women, and botulinum toxin A (BTA) has been to a limited extent tested as a treatment.

Aim

Evaluate outcome 12 months after injection with BTA as a treatment for PVD.

Methods

We conducted a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of twice repeated injections of 50 units of BTA or placebo in the bulbocavernosus muscles, 3 months apart, in women with PVD. Treatment outcome after six months’, failed to show any significant difference in pain reduction between the groups, as previously reported. Here, we report treatment outcomes 12 months after the first injections. In addition to injections, participants where instructed to perform pelvic floor exercises during month 6-12. 38 participants/group was calculated to achieve a statistical power of 80% based on an effect size of 20 VAS units (mean score range 56-76±31 SD).

Outcomes

Primary outcome was self-reported dyspareunia or pain at tampon use, using a visual analogue scale (VAS) 0-100. Secondary outcomes were vaginal pressure measurements, psychological health, sexual function and distress.

Results

From the initial 88 randomized women with PVD, 75 remained at 12 months; 38 in the BTA and 37 in the placebo group. There was no significant difference in primary outcome between the groups. Vaginal pressure in the BTA group had been restored to pre-treatment levels, with no differences between the groups at 12 months. There was an increase in sexual function in the BTA group, with a Female Sexual Function Index of 22.8 (±4.8) compared to the placebo group to 19.7 (±5.0), P=.048. No differences were observed in sexual distress, stress and anxiety. There was an increase in number of women attempting intercourse in the BTA group (74%) compared with placebo (43%), P=.005. Too few patients performed the pelvic floor exercises for this intervention to be analyzed.

Clinical Implications

This study highlights BTA as a safe treatment option for patients with PVD.

Strengths and limitations

The randomized, double-blinded design and repeated treatments are the major strengths of this study and it is the first study to objectively evaluate muscular effect after BTA injections. The major shortcoming is that few participants performed the pelvic floor exercises, preventing analyses.

Conclusion

At 12 months’ follow up, no significant difference in reduction of dyspareunia or pain at tampon use was observed. Women receiving BTA attempted intercourse more often and improved their sexual function compared with women receiving placebo.
Mechanisms of wake asymmetry and secondary structures behind low aspect-ratio wall-mounted prisms
Authors: Goswami Shubham , Hemmati Arman
Published: October 2022

The wake of a wall-mounted finite prism is numerically studied and characterized with an aspect ratio (height-to-width) of$1$and varying depth ratios (length to width) of between$0.016$and$4$at Reynolds numbers of 50–500. The prism is immersed in a laminar boundary layer. The minimum depth ratio considered here accounts for the special case of a wall-mounted very thin prism (similar to a flat plate), which is used to establish the mechanism and evolution of the wake associated with free-end effects and the shear-layer dynamics in small aspect-ratio prisms. The onset of an unsteady wake behind a very thin prism at a Reynolds number of$200$is characterized by symmetric shedding of hairpin-like vortices. A unique asymmetric wake pattern appears at lower depth ratios starting at a Reynolds number of 250, which transitions to an symmetric wake with increasing depth ratio. The threshold depth ratio for this symmetric transition increases with Reynolds number. The asymmetric wake results from alternate shear-layer peel-off from either side of the prism, which itself is attributed to the out-of-phase shedding of tip vortices at a lower Strouhal number ($St_{sh}/2$) that interact with the detaching side shear layers. Alternate shedding of tip vortices form secondary vortex structures that are fed by the excess vorticity resulting from shear-layer detachment from either side of the prism. Increasing the depth ratio leads to simultaneous shedding of the tip vortices, which restores the commonly observed wake symmetric patterns. Thus, we identify and characterize the formation and interaction mechanisms of symmetric and asymmetric wakes during the transition process with increasing Reynolds number for different depth-ratio prisms.
Slip of submerged two-dimensional liquid-infused surfaces in the presence of surfactants
Authors: Sundin Johan , Bagheri Shervin
Published: October 2022

Using numerical simulations, we investigate the effects of Marangoni stresses induced by surfactants on the effective slip length of liquid-infused surfaces (LIS) with transverse grooves. The surfactants are assumed soluble in the external liquid shearing the surface and can adsorb onto the interfaces. Two different adsorption models are used: a classical Frumkin model and a more advanced model that better describes the decrease of surface tension for minuscule concentrations. The simulations show that LIS may face even more severe effects of surfactants than previously investigated superhydrophobic surfaces. Constructing an analytical model for the effective slip length, we can predict the critical surfactant concentration for which the slip length decreases significantly. This analytical model describes both adsorption models of LIS on a unified framework if properly adjusted. We also advance the understanding of when surfactant advection gives rise to highly skewed interfacial concentrations: the so-called partial stagnant cap regime. To a good approximation, this regime can only exist below a specific surfactant concentration given by the Marangoni number and the strength of the surfactants.