bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fitting and Testing Log-Linear Subpopulation Models with Known Support
Authors: Hessen David J.
Published: June 2023

In this paper, the support of the joint probability distribution of categorical variables in the total population is treated as unknown. From a general total population model with unknown support, a general subpopulation model with its support equal to the set of all observed score patterns is derived. In maximum likelihood estimation of the parameters of any such subpopulation model, the evaluation of the log-likelihood function only requires the summation over a number of terms equal to at most the sample size. It is made clear that the parameters of a hypothesized total population model are consistently and asymptotically efficiently estimated by the values that maximize the log-likelihood function of the corresponding subpopulation model. Next, new likelihood ratio goodness-of-fit tests are proposed as alternatives to the Pearson chi-square goodness-of-fit test and the likelihood ratio test against the saturated model. In a simulation study, the asymptotic bias and efficiency of maximum likelihood estimators and the asymptotic performance of the goodness-of-fit tests are investigated.
Forecasting and what-if analysis of new positive COVID-19 cases during the first three waves in Italy
Authors: De Ruvo Serena , Pio Gianvito , Vessio Gennaro , Volpe Vincenzo
Published: June 2023

The joint exploitation of data related to epidemiological, mobility, and restriction aspects of COVID-19 with machine learning algorithms can support the development of predictive models that can be used to forecast new positive cases and study the impact of more or less severe restrictions. In this work, we integrate heterogeneous data from several sources and solve a multivariate time series forecasting task, specifically targeting the Italian case at both national and regional levels, during the first three waves of the pandemic. The goal is to build a robust predictive model to predict the number of new cases over a given time horizon so that any restrictive actions can be better planned. In addition, we perform a what-if analysis based on the best-identified predictive models to evaluate the impact of specific restrictions on the trend of positive cases. Our focus on the first three waves is motivated by the fact that it represents a typical emergency scenario (when no stable cure or vaccine is available) that may occur when a new pandemic spreads. Our experimental results prove that exploiting the considered heterogeneous data leads to accurate predictive models, reaching a WAPE of 5.75% at the national level. Furthermore, in the subsequent what-if analysis, we observed that strong all-in-one initiatives, such as total lockdowns, may not be adequate, while more specific and targeted solutions should be adopted. The developed models can help policy and decision-makers better plan intervention strategies and retrospectively analyze the effects of the decisions made at different scales.

Graphical abstract

Joint exploitation of data on epidemiological, mobility, and restriction aspects of COVID-19 with machine learning algorithms to learn predictive models to forecast new positive cases.
Applying Joint Graph Embedding to Study Alzheimer’s Neurodegeneration Patterns in Volumetric Data
Authors: He Rosemary , Tward Daniel ,   Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: June 2023

Neurodegeneration measured through volumetry in MRI is recognized as a potential Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) biomarker, but its utility is limited by lack of specificity. Quantifying spatial patterns of neurodegeneration on a whole brain scale rather than locally may help address this. In this work, we turn to network based analyses and extend a graph embedding algorithm to study morphometric connectivity from volume-change correlations measured with structural MRI on the timescale of years. We model our data with the multiple random eigengraphs framework, as well as modify and implement a multigraph embedding algorithm proposed earlier to estimate a low dimensional embedding of the networks. Our version of the algorithm guarantees meaningful finite-sample results and estimates maximum likelihood edge probabilities from population-specific network modes and subject-specific loadings. Furthermore, we propose and implement a novel statistical testing procedure to analyze group differences after accounting for confounders and locate significant structures during AD neurodegeneration. Family-wise error rate is controlled at 5% using permutation testing on the maximum statistic. We show that results from our analysis reveal networks dominated by known structures associated to AD neurodegeneration, indicating the framework has promise for studying AD. Furthermore, we find network-structure tuples that are not found with traditional methods in the field.
An Imbalance in the Pro/mature BDNF Ratio Occurs in Multiple Brain Regions During Normal Ageing in Wild-Type Mice
Authors: Cade Shaun , Zhou Xin-Fu , Bobrovskaya Larisa
Published: June 2023

The early transition to Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a period of accelerated brain atrophy that exceeds normal ageing. Identifying the molecular basis of this atrophy could facilitate the discovery of novel drug targets. The precursor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a well characterized neurotrophin, is increased in the hippocampus of aged rodents, while its mature isoform is relatively stable. This imbalance could increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by precipitating its pathological hallmarks. However, less is known about how relative levels of these isoforms change in middle-aged mice. In addition, the underlying mechanisms that might cause an imbalance are unknown. The main aim of this study was to determine how precursor brain-derived neurotrophic factor changes relative to its mature isoform with normal brain ageing in wild type mice. A secondary aim was to determine if signaling through the neurotrophin receptor, p75 influences this ratio. An increasing ratio was identified in several brain regions, except the hippocampus, suggesting a neurotrophic imbalance occurs as early as middle age. Some changes in receptors that mediate the isoforms effects were also identified, but these did not correspond with trends in the isoforms. Relative amounts of precursor brain-derived neurotrophic factor were mostly unchanged in mutant p75 mice. The lack of changes suggested that signaling through the receptor had no influence on the ratio.
Nimbolide Targets Multiple Signalling Pathways to Reduce Neuroinflammation in BV-2 Microglia
Authors: Katola Folashade O. , Olajide Olumayokun A.
Published: June 2023

Nimbolide, a limonoid compound found in the neem plant, was investigated for effects on neuroinflammation in BV-2 microglia activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cultured BV-2 cells were treated with nimbolide (125, 250 and 500 nM) followed by stimulation with LPS (100 ng/ml). Results showed that nimbolide caused a significant reduction in the levels of TNFα, IL-6, IFNγ, NO/iNOS and PGE2/COX-2 in LPS-activated BV-2 cells. Further experiments revealed that LPS-induced increased expression of phospho-p65 and phospho-IκBα proteins were reduced in the presence of nimbolide. Also, LPS-induced NF-κB acetylation, increased binding to consensus sites and transactivation, as well as phosphorylation of p38 and JNK MAPKs were reduced by nimbolide. Reduction of cellular ROS generation by nimbolide was accompanied by a reduction in gp91phox protein levels, while antioxidant effects were also observed through elevation in protein levels of HO-1 and NQO-1. It was observed that treatment of BV-2 microglia with nimbolide resulted in reduced levels of cytoplasmic Nrf2, which was accompanied by increased levels in the nucleus. Furthermore, treatment with this compound resulted in increased binding of Nrf2 to antioxidant responsive element (ARE) consensus sites accompanied by enhanced ARE luciferase activity. Knockdown experiments revealed a loss of anti-inflammatory activity by nimbolide in cells transfected with Nrf2 siRNA. Treatment with nimbolide resulted in nuclear accumulation of SIRT-1, while siRNA knockdown of SIRT-1 resulted in the reversal of anti-inflammatory activity of nimbolide. It is proposed that nimbolide reduces neuroinflammation in BV-2 microglia through mechanisms resulting in dual inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK pathways. It is also proposed that activation of Nrf2 antioxidant mechanisms may be contributing to its anti-inflammatory activity.

Graphical Abstract
Effectiveness and Safety of Prochlorperazine in Indian Patients with Acute Vertigo: Results from a Large, Prospective, Post-marketing Observational Study
Authors: Kameswaran Mohan , Bharathi M B , Periera Carlton , Chandra Sudipta , Reddy Hari Krishna , Gupta Manjeeta , Sholapuri Deepa , Peethamabaran Kartik
Published: June 2023

Aim

To assess the efficacy and safety of prochlorperazine in Indian patients with acute vertigo.

Methods

In this prospective, multicenter, open-label, post-marketing observational study, patients with acute peripheral vertigo of different etiologies received 5 mg prochlorperazine thrice a day for 5 days. The primary endpoints were percentage of patients with improvement in (1) vertigo symptoms and (2) clinical response as per scale for vestibular vertigo severity level and clinical response evaluation (SVVSLCRE) from baseline to end of treatment (Day 6). The key secondary endpoints were (1) improvement in nystagmus grading, and (2) safety and tolerability Efficacy of prochlorperazine by route of administration of first prochlorperazine dose (oral or intramuscular) was also assessed.

Results

Of 1716 enrolled patients (mean [standard deviation, SD]) age (42.0 [12.95] years; 53.6% men), 57.4% were diagnosed with Meniere’s disease, followed by vestibular neuritis (17.4%), labyrinthitis (16.7%), or ear surgery (8.5%). In the overall population, 91.1% of patients showed improvement in clinical response per SVVSLCRE grading at Day 6 (p < 0.0001 vs. non-responders). Nystagmus grading was improved in 99.7% (of patients. No adverse drug reactions events were reported. Tolerability of prochlorperazine was rated as good, very good, and excellent by 43.6%, 32.9% and 20.7% of patients, respectively. Among patients with postoperative vertigo, 80.1% showed improvement in clinical response. In the intramuscular and oral subsets, 85.5% and 92.1% of patients showed improved clinical response, respectively.

Conclusion

Prochlorperazine showed improvement in severity of symptoms and clinical response in all subsets of vertigo patients, with a good safety and tolerability profile.

Trial Registration Number

CTRI/2022/01/039287.

Date of Registration

10 January 2022.
Normal Covering Spaces with Maximal Bottom of Spectrum
Authors: Polymerakis Panagiotis
Published: June 2023

We study the property of spectral-tightness of Riemannian manifolds, which means that the bottom of the spectrum of the Laplacian separates the universal covering space from any other normal covering space of a Riemannian manifold. We prove that spectral-tightness of a closed Riemannian manifold is a topological property characterized by its fundamental group. As an application, we show that a non-positively curved, closed Riemannian manifold is spectrally-tight if and only if the dimension of its Euclidean local de Rham factor is zero. In their general form, our results extend the state of the art results on the bottom of the spectrum under Riemannian coverings.
Limiting Measures and Energy Growth for Sequences of Solutions to Taubes’s Seiberg–Witten Equations
Authors: Enciso Alberto , Peralta-Salas Daniel , de Lizaur Francisco Torres
Published: June 2023

We consider sequences of solutions $$(\psi _n,A_n)_{n=1}^\infty $$

(

ψ
n

,

A
n

)

n
=
1

∞

to Taubes’s modified Seiberg–Witten equations, associated with a fixed volume-preserving vector field X on a 3-manifold and corresponding to arbitrarily large values of the strength parameter $$r_n\rightarrow \infty $$

r
n

→
∞

. In Taubes’s work, the asymptotic behavior of these solutions is related to the dynamics of X. We consider the rather unexplored case of sequences of solutions whose energy is not uniformly bounded as $$n\rightarrow \infty $$

n
→
∞

. Our first main result shows that when the energy grows more slowly than $$r_n^{1/2}$$

r
n

1
/
2

, the limiting nodal set of the solutions converges to an invariant set of the vector field X. The main tool we use is a novel maximum principle for the solutions with the key property that it remains valid in the unbounded energy case. As a byproduct, in the usual case of sequences of solutions with bounded energy, we obtain a new, more straightforward proof of Taubes’s result on the existence of periodic orbits that does not involve a local analysis or the vortex equations. Our second main result proves that, contrary to what happens in the bounded energy case, when the energy is unbounded there are no local restrictions to the limiting measures that may arise in the modified Seiberg–Witten equations. Furthermore, we obtain a connection between the dimension of the support of the limiting measure (as expressed through a d-Frostman property) and the energy growth of the sequence of local solutions we construct.
Wake tail plane interactions for a tandem wing configuration in high-speed stall conditions
Authors: Kleinert Johannes , Ehrle Maximilian , Waldmann Andreas , Lutz Thorsten
Published: June 2023

In this work, wake-tail plane interactions are investigated for a tandem wing configuration in buffet conditions, consisting of two untapered and unswept wing segments, using hybrid Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes / Large Eddy Simulations (RANS/LES) with the Automated Zonal Detached Eddy Simulation (AZDES) method. The buffet on the front wing and the development of its turbulent wake are characterized, including a spectral analysis of the fluctuations in the wake and a modal analysis of the flow. The impact of the wake on the aerodynamics and loads of the rear wing is then studied, with a spectral analysis of its lift and surface pressure oscillations. Finally, the influence of the position and the incidence angle of the rear wing is investigated. For the considered flow conditions, 2D buffet is present on the front wing. During the downstream movement of the shock, the amount of separation reaches its minimum and small vortices are present in the wake. During the upstream movement of the shock, the amount of separation is at its maximum and large turbulent structures are present accompanied by high fluctuation levels. A distinct peak in the corresponding spectra can be associated with vortex shedding behind the wing. The impingement of the wake leads to a strong variation of the loading of the rear wing. A low-frequent oscillation of the lift, attributed to the change of the intensity of the downwash generated by the front segment, can be distinguished from high-frequent fluctuations that are caused by the impingement of the wake’s turbulent structures.
Technical design of an IH-type buncher for KoBRA at RAON
Authors: Hoeltermann H. , Ratzinger U. , Schweizer W. , Strehl D. , Schwarz M. , Haehnel H. , Tshoo K. , Ham C. , Kwak D. , Shin T. S. , Yoon D.
Published: June 2023

To satisfy the beam requirement of the KoBRA experiment (0.5 nsec in 1σ), rebunching is required in the energy range up to 15 A MeV and for particles with an A/q range from 1 to 7. In cooperation with IBS and Hanmac Corporation, BEVATECH proposed a five-gap IH-buncher cavity which has excellent bunching properties from 5 to 15 MeV/u. Main challenges in this project are the wide energy range and CW operation at RF power levels up to 20 kW. The cavity will offer an effective voltage amplitude of up to 1 MV. To provide the required cooling channels and cooling efficiency, the stems and drifttubes of this cavity will be 3D printed. This paper will discuss the technical design approach and give a status on the development of the buncher cavity.
Numerical Investigation of the Time-of-Flight and Wave Energy Dependent Hybrid Method for Structural Damage Detection
Authors: Diab Alaa , Nestorović Tamara
Published: June 2023

Background

Structural damage can be caused by various factors such as aging, environmental conditions, and unexpected events like earthquakes. Early detection of damage is crucial to prevent further deterioration, avoid catastrophic failure, and reduce maintenance costs. Damage detection methods that use piezoelectric sensors have gained popularity due to their non-destructive and non-invasive nature. Despite the progress made in the field of damage detection using piezoelectric sensors, there is still a need to improve the accuracy and reliability of those methods.

Objective

This study aims to contribute to this by investigating the damage detection hybrid method, which uses the time-of-flight (ToF) criteria of acquired signals besides the energy loss damage index (DI) between damaged and intact states of a specimen, and exploring its possible improvements. The improvement potential in the investigated method regarding the signal processing details and the specification of the ToF used within the method, where the lack of information has been identified. Thus, the present study concentrates on those factors to get more benefit of the suggested method and extend its applicability.

Results

The investigated factors play significant role in the accuracy and reliability of the method. By analyzing these criteria, this study contributes to the development of more advanced and reliable damage detection methods that can be applied to a wide range of structures, improving the ability to assess their structural health and safety. This study provides a better understanding of the hybrid method and contributes to the development of more accurate and reliable damage detection methods. The results of this study indicate that the proposed hybrid method effectively detects damage in the structural components under investigation with high accuracy and reliability.

Methods

A 2D concrete plate is utilized to apply the proposed methodology. Hereby, various ToF criteria, truncation strategies of the signals, and the number of piezoelectric transducers used in the numerical experiment are examined to investigate their impact on the damage detection accuracy. 

Conclusion

Performance of the method was found to be significantly affected by selection of the investigated parameters, as well as of the number and placement of sensors. The findings suggest that a thorough analysis of these criteria can lead to further improvements in the accuracy and reliability of damage detection methods.
Planning the Closure of Surface Coal Mines Based on Circular Economy Principles
Authors: Pavloudakis Francis , Roumpos Christos , Spanidis Philip-Marc
Published: June 2023

The ongoing energy transition is expected to lead to the closure of many coal and lignite mines in the coming years, jeopardizing economic growth and social cohesion. The closure of a mine is a complex process that must be completed in accordance with the legislation and the environmental permit. The scope of this study is to prove that circular economy principles can contribute to the successful completion of a mine closure project, moving things beyond the narrow margins of legislation in two ways: (i) maximizing the recovery of materials with residual value and reducing the volume of discarded waste and (ii) by preparing rehabilitated mine land to be suitable for new uses that will assist in mitigating the economic and social impact and supporting sustainable development at the local and regional level. In this frame, based on the authors’ experience in mine planning and land reclamation projects, a series of new Rs are added to the three basics (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) in order to enhance materials and land management during mine closure. Furthermore, the closure of the lignite mines in the Greek Region of Western Macedonia is investigated. In this case, land reclamation projects and land uses were redesigned based on the principles of the circular economy and sustainable development goals, incorporating interventions such as the construction of photovoltaic parks and pumped storage systems and industrial areas. Based on these facts, the study concludes that the proposed approach for mine closure contributes to the achievement of the objectives of both the mining enterprises and the local governments that are seeking a new development model based on the inherent advantages of their region.
A do-it-yourself test protocol using commercial Bacillus atrophaeus spores to evaluate the effectiveness of ultraviolet-C light room-decontamination devices
Authors: Cadnum Jennifer L. , Donskey Curtis J.
Published: June 2023

We developed a do-it-yourself test protocol using commercial Bacillus atrophaeus spores to assess the efficacy of ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light room-decontamination devices. Overall, 4 UV-C devices reduced B. atrophaeus by ≥3 log10 colony-forming units in 10 minutes, whereas a smaller device required 60 minutes. Of 10 in-use devices, only 1 was ineffective.
Civilian Protest in Civil War: Insights from Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: VAN BAALEN SEBASTIAN
Published: June 2023

How does civilian protest shape civil war dynamics? Existing research shows that civilian protests against violence and war contribute to peace and restrain violence against civilians. There is less research on civilian protests that are at odds with peaceful conflict resolution, such as protests to salute armed actors, advocate against peace agreements, and oppose peacekeepers. This study develops a novel typology of wartime civilian protest that brings together protests to different ends, and theorizes the heterogeneous effects of protest on civil war dynamics. Using quantitative and qualitative evidence from new disaggregated and georeferenced event data from Côte d’Ivoire, the study demonstrates that—contingent on certain demands—protests were associated with violence against civilians, violence involving peacekeepers, and failed conflict resolution. These findings contribute new knowledge on how civilians shape the dynamics of civil war, and caution that nonviolent civilian action may not only be a force for de-escalation and peace.
SAPPHO, FR. 44.12 VOIGT AND VIRGIL, AENEID 4.173
Authors: Metcalf Christopher
Published: June 2023

This note shows that Virgil's description of Fama at Aen. 4.173 is inspired by Sappho, fr. 44.12 Voigt.
Population dynamics and conservation status of the white-headed langur in the Chongzuo forest fragments, Guangxi, China
Authors: Tang Hua Xing , Huang Heng Lian , Wang Zen Xing , Wu Jian Bao , Wang Ai Long , Nong Deng Pan , Garber Paul A. , Zhou Qi Hai , Huang Cheng Ming
Published: June 2023

We present the results of two population surveys conducted 10 years apart (December 2010–February 2011 and December 2020–January 2021) of the Critically Endangered white-headed langur Trachypithecus leucocephalus in the Chongzuo White-Headed Langur National Nature Reserve, Guangxi Province, China. In the first survey, we recorded 818 individuals in 105 groups and 16 solitary adult males. In the second survey, we recorded 1,183 individuals in 128 groups and one solitary adult male. As a result of government policies, poaching for food and traditional medicine is no longer a primary threat to these langurs. However, severe forest loss and fragmentation caused by human activities could limit any future increase of this langur population.
A systematic review of economic evaluations for RPE65-mediated inherited retinal disease including HTA assessment of broader value
Authors: Farris Maria , Goodall Stephen , De Abreu Lourenco Richard
Published: June 2023

Objective

To summarize the key methodological challenges identified by health technology assessment (HTA) agencies assessing gene therapy (GT) and consideration of broad elements of value.

Method

Economic evaluations (EEs) of voretigene neparvovec (VN) in RPE65-mediated inherited retinal disease (IRD) published in English were selected. HTA evaluations from Australia, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, England, and the United States were reviewed. An existing methodological framework was used to identify the challenges and considerations.

Results

Eight unique EEs were identified of which six were evaluated by HTA agencies. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios ranged from $68,951 to $643,813 per quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) gained (healthcare perspective) and dominant to $480,130 per QALY gained (societal perspective). The key challenges were the lack of validated surrogate outcome, utility values and indirect costs from IRD patients, and limited evidence of the long-term treatment effect. Two HTA agencies reviewed a range of novel broader elements of value and whether they were associated with VN while other agencies discussed some elements of broader value. Caregiver disutility was included in some, but not all, evaluations.

Conclusion

The methodological challenges were consistent with innovative interventions for rare diseases and managed using standard methods. Broader value was important to decision-makers but inconsistently applied across agencies. Possible reasons are limitations in the evidence available of the broader benefits that VN offers and how to incorporate these within an EE. A need exists for greater guidance and consistency across jurisdictions regarding the consideration of broader value that considers latest best practice.
Selecting and ranking leading cases in Brazilian Supreme Court decisions
Authors: De Souza Jackson José , Finger Marcelo , de Araújo Jorge Alberto A. , Maranhão Juliano
Published: June 2023

This work studies quantitative measures for ranking judicial decisions by the Brazilian Supreme Court [Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF)] and selecting leading cases, which are understood as those with broadness of influence on different legal fields. The measures are based on a network built over decisions whose cases were finalized in the Brazilian Supreme Court between 01/2001 and 12/2019, which were obtained by crawling publicly available STF records. Three ranking measures are proposed; two are adaptations of the PageRank algorithm, and one adapts Kleinberg’s algorithm. Such measures are compared with respect to agreement on top 100 rankings; we also analyze each robustness measure based on self-agreement under perturbation.

We examine whether the resulting quantitative ranking is congenial to a qualitative intuition of what the legal community usually considers as relevant precedents. We also discuss some possible criteria of relevance in the seek for patterns that suggest how quantitative and qualitative measures would better align. The ranking of leading cases and relevant decisions improved after building decision networks without irrelevant appeals and decisions that overflow the court offers a starting point to discuss the role of STF in the Brazilian judicial system.

In our last work, both versions of PageRank and Kleinberg algorithms produced different rankings and all of them were robust with respect to 10% and 20%-perturbation levels, but none of them retrieved leading cases at the top of these rankings. Then, we took a further step in the studies of the STF decision network and we introduced better filtering of network nodes guided by legal expertise on the works of the Supreme Court. We also introduced more fine-grained perturbance levels to understand the impact of such filters in the STF decision network. We concluded that after filtering low-relevance decision types, the STF decision network is still robust under 10%-perturbation, but it presents higher degradation by increasing perturbation levels. The two versions of PageRank still produce different rankings. Kleinberg’s algorithm provides a different ranking, with many relevant criminal cases. Although we improved algorithms rankings filtering decisions from the network, which represents an important methodological step, there is still room for improvement. Given that relevant decisions are well ranked after filtering out a large amount of irrelevant decisions, the results set a starting point to discuss the role of STF in the Brazilian judicial system.
Association between socioeconomic deprivation and incidence of infectious intestinal disease by pathogen and linked transmission route: An ecological analysis in the UK
Authors: Buczkowska Matylda , Butt Saira , Jenkins Claire , Hungerford Dan , Hawker Jeremy , Verlander Neville Q. , O’Connell Anne-Marie , Byrne Lisa
Published: June 2023

Infectious intestinal disease (IID) studies conducted at different levels of the surveillance pyramid have found heterogeneity in the association of socioeconomic deprivation with illness. The aim of this study was to analyse the association between socioeconomic deprivation and incidence of IID by certain gastrointestinal pathogens reported to UKHSA. Data were extracted from 2015 to 2018 for Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, Giardia species, and norovirus. Rates were calculated per 100,000 person-years by the index of multiple deprivation quintile, and an ecological analysis was conducted using univariant and multvariable regression models for each pathogen. Incidence of Campylobacter, and Giardia species decreased with increasing deprivation. Conversely, the incidence of norovirus, non-typhoidal Salmonella, Salmonella typhi/paratyphi, Shigella species increased with increasing deprivation. Multivariable analysis results showed that higher deprivation was significantly associated with higher odds of higher number of cases for Shigella flexneri, norovirus and S. typhi/paratyphi. Infections most associated with deprivation were those transmitted by person-to-person spread, and least associated were those transmitted by zoonotic contamination of the environment. Person-to-person transmission can be contained by implementing policies targeting over-crowding and poor hygiene. This approach is likely to be the most effective solution for the reduction of IID.
Astrobiology: resolution of the statistical Drake equation by Maccone's lognormal method in 50 steps
Authors: Mieli E. , Valli A. M. F. , Maccone C.
Published: June 2023

The authors use the mathematical tool of Maccone's lognormal distribution to further factor the Drake equation, which calculates the number of advanced civilizations in the galaxy, from the seven original levels of the Drake equation to 49 levels of overall analysis. The Maccone approach, in fact, supported by the central limit theorem, becomes more reliable the more levels are introduced. The resulting study necessarily draws upon an array of disciplines ranging from astronomy, chemistry and geology to biology, palaeontology and futurology. The final result calculates the number of planetary systems suitable for life in its various stages of development: those which have probably hosted life in the past and those which still host it at its various evolutionary levels. The final evolutionary level is the so-called galactic civilization (often called ETC, or extraterrestrial civilizations). The number of resulting galactic civilizations is divided betweenstaticcivilizations, which do not move around the galaxy and whose Kardašëv rating is still low (<1.4), of which we find three examples (we ourselves plus, perhaps, two others), and potentiallydynamiccivilizations, which move around the galaxy and have a sufficiently high Kardašëv rating (≥1.4), of which we find 2000.
Can Domestic Environmental Courts Implement International Environmental Law? A Framework for Institutional Analysis
Authors: Angstadt J. Michael
Published: June 2023

The rapid and widespread establishment of domestic environmental courts and tribunals raises important questions regarding their implications for international environmental law and global environmental governance. I use an interdisciplinary, multi-method approach to consider the capacity of domestic environmental courts to identify and apply norms and principles of international environmental law in domestic opinions. I first review existing literature, identifying jurisdiction, judicial discretion, and a court's position in a legal system as key institutional determinants of this capacity. I then develop a typology of domestic environmental courts and tribunals, which suggests that, all else being equal, a court with national geographic jurisdiction that also enjoys attributes of broad subject-matter jurisdiction and discretion may be expected to be best equipped to implement norms and principles of international environmental law. Next, I integrate existing assessments of environmental court presence with original outreach and web research to identify all countries which possess environmental courts, and assess a subset of eight existing national-level institutions. The analysis of this subset highlights the diversity of institutional models that can incorporate theorized best practices. Based on these findings, I draw several theoretical conclusions: specifically (i) the relevance of environmental court research to individual- and institutional-level analysis in transnational and international environmental law, (ii) the need for further legal-institutional analysis in global environmental governance scholarship, and (iii) the opportunity for further interdisciplinary analysis of the role of domestic courts in environmental governance.
Back to the Source: Consumers Response to Produce Irrigated With Different Sources of Recycled Water
Authors: Ellis Sean F. , Ganguly Diya , Kecinski Maik , Messer Kent D.
Published: June 2023

Using recycled water to irrigate agricultural products can be an effective solution to water scarcity and security. However, a better understanding of how society values different sources of recycled water provides insights into potential demand‐side barriers to adoption of these solutions. This paper implements a framed field experiment conducted in the Southwest and Mid‐Atlantic regions of the United States that evaluates consumers' willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) for three sources of recycled irrigation water: “gray,” “black,” and “produced.” Our analysis indicates that people consider certain sources of recycled water more acceptable for irrigating produce than others. Recycled gray water is preferred to recycled produced water, and both are preferred to recycled black water. We also explore how people respond to scientific information about the benefits and risks of using recycled irrigation water and found no evidence to support that this information changes people's behaviors.
Determining the Flow State of Channels Under Vegetation With Airborne Lidar
Authors: Dillon J. W. , Lawrence R. L. , Hammonds K. D.
Published: June 2023

Headwater channels are vital to ecological health, water quality, and watershed connectivity. However, the geographic extent and the temporal wetting and drying dynamics of headwater catchments are not thoroughly understood, primarily due to occlusive vegetation. Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) data can be utilized to address this knowledge gap. Airborne lidar is capable of penetrating vegetation and has been used as a spatial and spectral tool for water body delineation. In the work presented here we: (a) develop a novel means of normalizing lidar ground return intensity to allow for comparison across data sets; (b) demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in median return intensity of wet stream reaches under dense vegetation relative to dry channel reaches; and (c) leverage this reduction to create classified maps of wet and dry channel networks in densely vegetated drainages. Across four study basins spanning over 100 km2 we observed an average reduction in median intensity of 41.7% and 72.2% for areas with and without dense vegetation, respectively. Optimal thresholds for delineating wet from dry stream reaches were determined using probability density functions. Resulting classified maps yielded overall accuracies ranging from 87.3% to 95.3% when compared to the National Hydrography Dataset via stratified random sampling. This study demonstrates that remote delineation of channel flow states in densely vegetated areas is possible, thus allowing for better consideration, designation, and conservation of headwater channels.
A Novel Semi‐Analytical (Inertial) Solution for Determining Permeability of Highly Pervious Porous Materials Using the Two‐Reservoir Laboratory Setup
Authors: Stanić Filip , Govedarica Ognjen , Jaćimović Nenad , Lekić Branislava , Ranđelović Anja
Published: June 2023

Two conventional experimental procedures for determination of the water permeability of saturated porous medium are the constant and the falling head permeability tests. The first one is more applicable on more permeable materials where the outflow from the sample is measured at variety of constant water heads, while the second one is more convenient for low permeable materials, utilizing the continuous measurements of the water head falling due to filtration through the saturated sample. However, neither of the two is useful for materials of high permeability and large cross‐sectional area. The constant head permeability test faces technical issues since a significant and continuous water discharge is required, while the falling head permeability test has limitations due to neglection of the Forchheimer's high‐velocity flow through the sample, but also the influence of inertia on the fluid mass. Here we proposed an approach for determination of the water permeability of saturated porous medium based on the agreement between the measured water level change in two connected reservoirs containing a porous sample and the new semi‐analytical expression describing that change by accounting for the mentioned theoretical deficiencies. This efficient approach has been tested on four pervious paver samples, and results showed satisfactory agreement with the constant head permeability data. It has been also confirmed the proposed semi‐analytical solution is more accurate than the falling head permeability approach in case of highly pervious materials, while for low permeable materials it reduces to the conventional approach.
Rapid Aggregation and Dissolution of Organic Aerosols in Liquid Methane on Titan
Authors: Hirai Eito , Sekine Yasuhito , Zhang Naizhong , Noda Natsumi , Tan Shuya , Takahashi Yoshio , Kagi Hiroyuki
Published: June 2023

Complex organic aerosols in the upper atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan reach the troposphere and surface, where a methane (CH4)‐based hydrological cycle occur. Previous studies have assumed no interactions between organic aerosols and liquid CH4, although the dissolution of low‐molecular‐weight photochemical products in liquid CH4 has been considered. Here we report experimental results of soaking a laboratory analog (so‐called tholin) of Titan's organic aerosols in liquid CH4 at 93–98 K for several hours and then evaporating the liquid, simulating wet–dry cycling on Titan. After wet–dry cycling, residual tholin particles form aggregates through cementation. Solid evaporitic deposits formed by evaporation of interacted liquid contain nitrogen‐bearing aromatics, suggesting selective dissolution of aromatics. Our results suggest that organic aerosols or high‐molecular‐weight compounds adsorbed on them partly dissolve in liquid CH4 on Titan, even during short‐term wetting events, promoting the growth of aerosols to dune particles via aggregation and providing aromatics to evaporites.
Possible Linkage Between Winter Extreme Low Temperature Over Western‐Central China and Autumn Sea Ice Loss
Authors: Ding Shuoyi , Wu Bingyi , Chen Wen , Graf Hans‐F. , Zhang Xuanwen
Published: June 2023

Based on reanalysis datasets and sea‐ice sensitivity experiments, this study has pointed out that the autumn sea ice loss in East Siberian‐Chukchi‐Beaufort (EsCB) Seas significantly increases the frequency of winter extreme low temperature over western‐central China. Autumn sea ice loss warms the troposphere and generates anticyclonic anomaly over the Arctic region 1 month later. Under the effects of synoptic eddy‐mean flow interaction and anomalous upward propagated planetary wave 2, the Arctic anticyclonic anomaly strengthens and develops toward Greenland‐Northern Europe, accompanied by a weakened stratospheric polar vortex. In winter, following intra‐seasonal downward propagation of stratospheric anomalies, the Northern European positive geopotential height anomalies enhance and expand downstream within 7 days, favoring Arctic cold air east of Novaya Zemlya southward (the hyperpolar path) accumulating in Siberia around Lake Baikal. In the subsequent 2–3 days, these cold anomalies rapidly intrude western‐central China and induce abrupt sharp cooling, thus more frequent extreme low temperature there. In contrast, the role of autumn Barents‐Kara (BK) sea ice loss exhibits quite different features, mainly favoring northwestern, northeastern and eastern China to experience increased frequency of extreme low temperature in winter.
Delivery mechanism can enhance probiotic activity against honey bee pathogens
Authors: Daisley Brendan A , Pitek Andrew P , Torres Christina , Lowery Robin , Adair Bethany A , Al Kait F , Niño Bernardo , Burton Jeremy P , Allen-Vercoe Emma , Thompson Graham J , Reid Gregor , Niño Elina
Published: June 2023

Managed honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations play a crucial role in supporting pollination of food crops but are facing unsustainable colony losses, largely due to rampant disease spread within agricultural environments. While mounting evidence suggests that select lactobacilli strains (some being natural symbionts of honey bees) can protect against multiple infections, there has been limited validation at the field-level and few methods exist for applying viable microorganisms to the hive. Here, we compare how two different delivery systems—standard pollen patty infusion and a novel spray-based formulation—affect supplementation of a three-strain lactobacilli consortium (LX3). Hives in a pathogen-dense region of California are supplemented for 4 weeks and then monitored over a 20-week period for health outcomes. Results show both delivery methods facilitate viable uptake of LX3 in adult bees, although the strains do not colonize long-term. Despite this, LX3 treatments induce transcriptional immune responses leading to sustained decreases in many opportunistic bacterial and fungal pathogens, as well as selective enrichment of core symbionts including Bombilactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Bartonella spp. These changes are ultimately associated with greater brood production and colony growth relative to vehicle controls, and with no apparent trade-offs in ectoparasitic Varroa mite burdens. Furthermore, spray-LX3 exerts potent activities against Ascosphaera apis (a deadly brood pathogen) likely stemming from in-hive dispersal differences, whereas patty-LX3 promotes synergistic brood development via unique nutritional benefits. These findings provide a foundational basis for spray-based probiotic application in apiculture and collectively highlight the importance of considering delivery method in disease management strategies.
Developmental vitamin D-deficiency produces autism-relevant behaviours and gut-health associated alterations in a rat model
Authors: Tamang Man Kumar , Ali Asad , Pertile Renata Nedel , Cui Xiaoying , Alexander Suzy , Nitert Marloes Dekker , Palmieri Chiara , Eyles Darryl
Published: June 2023

Developmental vitamin D (DVD)-deficiency is an epidemiologically established risk factor for autism. Emerging studies also highlight the involvement of gut microbiome/gut physiology in autism. The current study aims to examine the effect of DVD-deficiency on a broad range of autism-relevant behavioural phenotypes and gut health. Vitamin D deficient rat dams exhibited altered maternal care, DVD-deficient pups showed increased ultrasonic vocalizations and as adolescents, social behaviour impairments and increased repetitive self-grooming behaviour. There were significant impacts of DVD-deficiency on gut health demonstrated by alterations to the microbiome, decreased villi length and increased ileal propionate levels. Overall, our animal model of this epidemiologically validated risk exposure for autism shows an expanded range of autism-related behavioural phenotypes and now alterations in gut microbiome that correlate with social behavioural deficits raising the possibility that DVD-deficiency induced ASD-like behaviours are due to alterations in gut health.
Witnessing light-driven entanglement using time-resolved resonant inelastic X-ray scattering
Authors: Hales Jordyn , Bajpai Utkarsh , Liu Tongtong , Baykusheva Denitsa R. , Li Mingda , Mitrano Matteo , Wang Yao
Published: June 2023

Characterizing and controlling entanglement in quantum materials is crucial for the development of next-generation quantum technologies. However, defining a quantifiable figure of merit for entanglement in macroscopic solids is theoretically and experimentally challenging. At equilibrium the presence of entanglement can be diagnosed by extracting entanglement witnesses from spectroscopic observables and a nonequilibrium extension of this method could lead to the discovery of novel dynamical phenomena. Here, we propose a systematic approach to quantify the time-dependent quantum Fisher information and entanglement depth of transient states of quantum materials with time-resolved resonant inelastic x-ray scattering. Using a quarter-filled extended Hubbard model as an example, we benchmark the efficiency of this approach and predict a light-enhanced many-body entanglement due to the proximity to a phase boundary. Our work sets the stage for experimentally witnessing and controlling entanglement in light-driven quantum materials via ultrafast spectroscopic measurements.
Hadaean to Palaeoarchaean stagnant-lid tectonics revealed by zircon magnetism
Authors: Tarduno John A. , Cottrell Rory D. , Bono Richard K. , Rayner Nicole , Davis William J. , Zhou Tinghong , Nimmo Francis , Hofmann Axel , Jodder Jaganmoy , Ibañez-Mejia Mauricio , Watkeys Michael K. , Oda Hirokuni , Mitra Gautam
Published: June 2023

Plate tectonics is a fundamental factor in the sustained habitability of Earth, but its time of onset is unknown, with ages ranging from the Hadaean to Proterozoic eons1–3. Plate motion is a key diagnostic to distinguish between plate and stagnant-lid tectonics, but palaeomagnetic tests have been thwarted because the planet’s oldest extant rocks have been metamorphosed and/or deformed4. Herein, we report palaeointensity data from Hadaean-age to Mesoarchaean-age single detrital zircons bearing primary magnetite inclusions from the Barberton Greenstone Belt of South Africa5. These reveal a pattern of palaeointensities from the Eoarchaean (about 3.9 billion years ago (Ga)) to Mesoarchaean (about 3.3 Ga) eras that is nearly identical to that defined by primary magnetizations from the Jack Hills (JH; Western Australia)6,7, further demonstrating the recording fidelity of select detrital zircons. Moreover, palaeofield values are nearly constant between about 3.9 Ga and about 3.4 Ga. This indicates unvarying latitudes, an observation distinct from plate tectonics of the past 600 million years (Myr) but predicted by stagnant-lid convection. If life originated by the Eoarchaean8, and persisted to the occurrence of stromatolites half a billion years later9, it did so when Earth was in a stagnant-lid regime, without plate-tectonics-driven geochemical cycling.