bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leadership in developing countries: The untold story of seth leadership
Authors: Zaidi Syed Yasir Abbas , Jamshed Samia
Published: December 2022

In the South Asian context, characteristics of corporate culture relate to owners (seths). A scarcity of accountability instruments, transparency measures, and meritocracy is witnessed in the Pakistani corporate sector. Pakistan's textile industry is struggling to meet global standards of social and regulatory compliance majorly because of seth leadership. “Seth leadership”, a concept idiosyncratic to Pakistani organizations as a “socially constructed phenomenon” has been underrepresented in the academic literature. Particularly, little is known about the characteristics of seth leadership. Correspondingly, this study aims to explore the characteristics of seth‐leadership through the insider views and nuanced perspectives of social actors (i.e., employees) in seth‐culture textile organizations of Pakistan. Rooted in the social‐constructionism worldview and qualitative methodology 50 exploratory in‐depth interviews with senior managers and young professionals were conducted. The study explored 12 dominant characteristics of seth‐leadership, namely, informational politics, unwritten leadership, Informality, paternalism, favoritism, prioritizing seniority, resistance to change, control over information, quasi delegation of authorities, micromanagement, inefficient bureaucracy, and blame gaming. Results imply that the prevailing seth‐leadership requires special attention from state regulators, moreover legal and democratic norms must be introduced for employees associated with seth‐culture organizations. This study extends the extant literature merely discovering two attributes, and hence strives to contribute to the limited understanding of seth‐leadership characteristics in the leadership literature. Directions for future research and theoretical development are suggested.
Sharp estimates for conditionally centered moments and for compact operators on Lp$L^p$ spaces
Authors: Shargorodsky Eugene , Sharia Teo
Published: December 2022

Let be a probability space, ξ be a random variable on , be a sub‐σ‐algebra of , and let be the corresponding conditional expectation operator. We obtain sharp estimates for the moments of in terms of the moments of ξ. This allows us to find the optimal constant in the bounded compact approximation property of , .
Intervention Effect of Probiotics on the Early Onset of Puberty Induced by Daidzein in Female Mice
Authors: Yuan Xin , Shangguan Huakun , Zhang Ying , Lin Xiangquan , Chen Ruimin
Published: December 2022

Background

The relationship between soy isoflavones (SI)‐induced gut dysbiosis and puberty onset has not been explored, and the protective effect of probiotic is still controversial. This study investigates the action of daidzein (the main components of SI) and probiotic on the age of puberty onset in female mice.

Methods and results

Changes in the gut microbiota and production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) metabolism are highlighted to analyze a possible causative relationship to puberty onset in female c57/bl mice. The results demonstrate that daidzein promotes earlier onset of puberty, and can significantly alter the composition of the fecal bacterial community. Furthermore, daidzein alters the gut microbiota such that levels of butyrate, isovalerate, and hexanoate are reduced. Moreover, a probiotic treatment normalizes the timing of puberty onset, likely due to alteration in the gut microbiota to enhance SCFAs production.

Conclusion

These findings provide evidence that 95% daidzein has the potential to advance the timing of puberty onset in female mice, and the gut microbiome can be a therapeutic target to regulate the timing of puberty onset.
Early embryonic lethality of mice lacking POLD2
Authors: Wu Xiaoqing , Liu Yong , Wang Wenying , Crimmings Kate , Williams Andrea , Mager Jesse , Cui Wei
Published: December 2022

As a highly conserved DNA polymerase (Pol), Pol δ plays crucial roles in chromosomal DNA synthesis and various DNA repair pathways. However, the function of POLD2, the second small subunit of DNA Pol δ (p50 subunit), has not been characterized in vivo during mammalian development. Here, we report for the first time, the essential role of subunit POLD2 during early murine embryogenesis. Although Pold2 mutant mouse embryos exhibit normal morphology at E3.5 blastocyst stage, they cannot be recovered at gastrulation stages. Outgrowth assays reveal that mutant blastocysts cannot hatch from the zona pellucida, indicating impaired blastocyst function. Notably, these phenotypes can be recapitulated by small interfering RNA (siRNA)‐mediated knockdown, which also exhibit slowed cellular proliferation together with skewed primitive endoderm and epiblast allocation during the second cell lineage specification. In summary, our study demonstrates that POLD2 is essential for the earliest steps of mammalian development, and the retarded proliferation and embryogenesis may also alter the following cell lineage specifications in the mouse blastocyst embryos.
An economic and robust TMT labeling approach for high throughput proteomic and metaproteomic analysis
Authors: Creskey Marybeth , Li Leyuan , Ning Zhibin , Fekete Emily EF , Mayne Janice , Walker Krystal , Ampaw Anna , Ben Robert , Zhang Xu , Figeys Daniel
Published: December 2022

Multiplexed quantitative proteomics using tandem mass tag (TMT) is increasingly used in –omic study of complex samples. While TMT‐based proteomics has the advantages of the higher quantitative accuracy, fewer missing values, and reduced instrument analysis time, it is limited by the additional reagent cost. In addition, current TMT labeling workflows involve repeated small volume pipetting of reagents in volatile solvents, which may increase the sample‐to‐sample variations and is not readily suitable for high throughput applications. In this study, we demonstrated that the TMT labeling procedures could be streamlined by using pre‐aliquoted dry TMT reagents in a 96 well plate or 12‐tube strip. As little as 50 μg dry TMT per channel was used to label 6–12 μg peptides, yielding high TMT labeling efficiency (∼99%) in both microbiome and mammalian cell line samples. We applied this workflow to analyze 97 samples in a study to evaluate whether ice recrystallization inhibitors improve the cultivability and activity of frozen microbiota. The results demonstrated tight sample clustering corresponding to groups and consistent microbiome responses to prebiotic treatments. This study supports the use of TMT reagents that are pre‐aliquoted, dried, and stored for robust quantitative proteomics and metaproteomics in high throughput applications.
Regulating Morphological Features of Nickel Single‐Atom Catalysts for Selective and Enhanced Electroreduction of CO2
Authors: Li Lei , Jiang Zhan , Li Yanyan , Li Fayan , Pan Yingying , Zhang Xinyu , Liang Yongye , Zheng Zhiping
Published: December 2022

Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) are of interest for chemical transformations of significant energy and environmental relevance because of the envisioned efficient use of active sites and the flexibility in tuning their coordination environment. Future advancement in this vein hinges upon the ability to further increase the number and accessibility of active sites in addition to fine‐tuning their chemical environment. In this work, a Ni SAC is reported with a unique hierarchical hollow structure (Ni/HH) that allows increased accessibility of the active sites. The successful obtainment of such a uniquely structured catalyst was enabled by the judiciously chosen solvent mixtures for the preparation of the precursor whose hierarchical feature is maintained during the subsequent pyrolysis and etching of the pyrolysis product. Comparative catalytic and mechanistic studies with reference to three closely related but more compact Ni SACs established the superior performance of Ni/HH for selective electroreduction of CO2 to CO. Experimental analyses by in situ attenuated total reflection surface‐enhanced infrared spectroscopy reveal that it is the facilitated formation of the *COOH intermediate in the rate‐determining step that leads to the enhanced reaction kinetics and the overall catalytic performance.
Toward a theory of multifunctional liberalism: Systems‐theoretical reflections on the nature of statehood
Authors: Roth Steffen , Valentinov Vladislav
Published: December 2022

As neoliberalism is sinking into disrepute, states are responding to current crises by inroads on basic rights. This constellation adds urgency to the timeworn subject of statehood and its relationship to law and liberty. The paper addresses this subject by enhancing the neoliberal concept of an encased economy with James Coleman's concept of law as indicator of social change and Niklas Luhmann's functional differentiation. The resulting multifunctional liberalism associates liberties and rights with the autonomy of function systems—such as politics, economy or law—and envisions an ecosystem of multifunctional organizations able to navigate the full spectrum of functional differentiation.
Biodegradable Poly (Butylene Adipate‐Co‐Terephthalate) and Thermoplastic Starch Sustainable Blends Modified by Epoxy‐Terminated Hyperbranched Polyester with Excellent Mechanical Properties and High Transparency
Authors: Guo Maolin , Jin Yujuan , Han Xiaolong , Sun Jianjian , Yuan Jinglan , Tian Huafeng
Published: December 2022

A kind of fully biodegradable poly (butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT)/thermoplastic starch (TPS) blend is prepared by melt processing with epoxy‐terminated hyperbranched polymer (EHBP) as a modifier. The effect of EHBP on the performance of PBAT/TPS blends is investigated. The terminal epoxy group of EHBP can react with the hydroxyl and carboxyl groups of PBAT and TPS, which increases the compatibility of PBAT and TPS. Meanwhile, the formation of hydrogen bonds and chain entanglement increases the adhesion between PBAT and TPS, which improves the mechanical properties of the blends. When the content of EHBP is 3 phr, the elongation at break of TPS/PBAT/EHBP blends increases by 28.99% (from 260.32% to 335.79%) and the impact strength increases by 215.78% (from 9.38 to 29.62 kJ m−2). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show that the compatibility of PBAT/TPS/EHBP blends gradually improves with the addition of EHBP. UV results show that the transparency of PBAT/TPS blends is greatly improved by the addition of EHBP, which also indicates the compatibility of PBAT and TPS is improved by the addition of EHBP. It provides an effective way to prepare PBAT blends with excellent properties through, an environmentally friendly and low‐cost processing method.
Coloured Petri nets for abstract test generation in software engineering
Authors: Sobrinho Álvaro , Almeida Ially , da Silva Leandro Dias , Chaves e Silva Lenardo , Araújo Adriano , Costa Tássio Fernandes , Perkusich Angelo
Published: December 2022

Model‐based testing (MBT) relies on models of the system's behaviour to generate abstract tests. Testers can reuse formal models using MBT to increase confidence in critical systems (e.g., medical and avionic systems). In this article, we investigate the current abstract test generation approaches for CPN to provide insights for testers who need to select a suitable one when applying the MBT using CPN. We conduct a systematic literature review to investigate the existing abstract test generation approaches designed for CPN. Subsequently, focusing on specific implementations and advantages/disadvantages, we experiment with formal models of medical systems during our empirical analysis to improve the discussion on existing abstract test generation approaches for CPN. Our study shows that CPN provides reliable tests quickly, depending on the abstract test generation approach applied.
Mechanical Property Measurement of Micro/Nanoscale Materials for MEMS: A Review
Authors: Namazu Takahiro
Published: December 2022

By virtue of a great progress of semiconductor fabrication technologies, micro electro‐mechanical systems (MEMS) have been developed for a wide variety of industries. For reliability of MEMS, micromaterials in MEMS need to be examined experimentally, and the obtained results need to be reflected in the design of MEMS. In addition, with the benefit of such the MEMS technology, nowadays mechanical characteristics of nanomaterials have been evaluated precisely. Nanoscale mechanical testing provides an opportunity to find new unique physical phenomena, such as plastic deformation in Si at intermediate temperatures. In this review paper, mechanical testing technologies developed for investigating micro and nanoscale materials are reviewed. Then, mechanical characteristics of Si and other materials evaluated using the micro and nano mechanical testing technologies are introduced. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Impact of dietary supplementation of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids on bone strength, fatty acids profile of thigh muscle and immune responses in broiler chickens under heat stress
Authors: Vakili Reza , Ebrahimnezhad Yahya
Published: December 2022

Background

There have been some reports that supplementation of fat could alleviate the negative effects of heat stress on performance in broilers. However, information regarding compensation for the adverse effects of heat stress with diets differing in fatty acids source on immune system, bone strength and carcass quality of heat‐distressed broilers is limited.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of diets differing in fat source on performance, immune system, bone strength, and carcass quality of heat‐distressed broilers.

Methods

In a completely randomized design with 4 × 2 factorial arrangement of the treatments, 320 24‐day‐old Ross 308 chickens, with average initial weight of 1220 ± 10 g were divided into eight treatments included sesame oil, tallow, sunflower oil and palm oil in either 22 or 32 degree of centigrade temperature. The broiler performance of each fat source‐treated group was not different in this experiment and decreased significantly in heat stress condition.

Results

Heat stress showed a significant increase on fat, energy and ash content of thigh muscle. Tibia absolute length, width, ash and bone breaking strength were affected by fat source and increased when sesame and sunflower oil were used. Data analysis revealed that hot temperature decreased tibia weight, length, width, ash and bone breaking strength. Heat stress led to decrease of immune system parameters.

Conclusion

Results suggest that there is no beneficial effect of broiler performance due to adding different sources of fat in broiler chicken diet under hot condition. Furthermore, the unsaturated fatty acids could improve the profile of fatty acids in thigh and enhance immune responses in broiler chickens.
The ecosystem implications of road salt as a pollutant of freshwaters
Authors: Dugan Hilary A. , Arnott Shelley E.
Published: December 2022

Salt pollution is a threat to freshwater ecosystems. Anthropogenic salt inputs increase lake and stream salinity, and consequently change aquatic ecosystem structure and function. Elevated salt concentrations impact species directly not only through osmoregulatory stress, but also through community‐level feedbacks that change the flow of energy and materials through food webs. Here, we discuss the implications of road salt pollution on freshwater rivers and lakes and how “one size fits all” ecotoxicity thresholds may not adequately protect aquatic organisms.

This article is categorized under:

Science of Water > Water Quality

Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems

Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems
Forensic glass examinations—A review focused on elemental spectrochemical analysis
Authors: Trejos Tatiana
Published: December 2022

Glass is a trace material commonly found at crime scenes that can provide valuable information at early investigative stages and during a trial. The forensic analysis of glass has steadily evolved since the 1970s with numerous technological advances in spectroscopy and spectrometry. This article presents an advanced review of the recent literature concerning the forensic examination of glass evidence and discusses the current state and future opportunities of the discipline. The review focuses on established elemental spectrochemical techniques, including Inductively Coupled Plasma methods (ICP), laser‐ablation, and x‐ray Fluorescence (XRF) methods, and newer applications using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Raman Spectroscopy, and accelerator and reactor nuclear techniques. A brief overview of the transfer, persistence, interpretation, and analytical schemes implemented in the field is revised to provide context to the discussion of the capabilities and limitations of the current and emerging technology.

This article is categorized under:

Forensic Chemistry and Trace Evidence > Trace Evidence
Exploration of radiative heat energy on KKL model micropolar nanofluid past a permeable moving surface
Authors: Baag Sushama , Mishra Satyaranjan , Nisar Kottakkaran Sooppy , Jamshed Wasim
Published: December 2022

Nanofluid comprises nanoparticles that have varied applications in several industries as well as science and engineering due to their heavier thermal conductivity in comparison to conventional fluids. In such applications the role of transportation is vital. However, biomedical applications such as the flow of blood in the human body, peristaltic pumping, processes, etc. the use of nanofluid are important. Therefore, the present investigation aims at the enhancement of thermophysical properties on the radiative micropolar nanofluid flow past a permeable moving surface. These physical properties are studied incorporating the concept of Koo–Kleinsteuer–Li (KKL) model. The crux of the study is the approximate analytical technique, that is, the Homotopy Perturbation Method (HPM). The illustration of the contributing parameters on the flow phenomena is obtained via graphical as well as tabular form. A comparative study is carried out for the good agreement of the present result with an earlier established result in a particular case. Some important findings of this work are a retardation in the linear velocity profile is observed due to increase in the volume fraction of the particle. Suction slows down the linear velocity profile whereas the impact is counter productive in case of injection. A hike in the angular velocity profile is seen in case of greater suction whereas the opposite effect is observed for injection. An increase in the thermal radiation boosts up the fluid temperature and as a result of this an increase in thermal layer thickness is observed.
Fluid flow past a rotating sphere in the presence of a toroidal magnetic field
Authors: Sharma Bharti , Srivastava Neetu
Published: December 2022

A study on the conducting viscous fluid flow past a rotating sphere in the presence of a toroidal magnetic field is being studied. Exploration has been carried out by many researchers on the flow past a sphere. The governing equations related to the model are solved by a method of asymptotic expansion approach using boundary conditions. Several expressions for various approximations of fluid velocity and stream function have been obtained along with the separation parameters. The results for the first approximation were with the full agreement with the existing literature. The second approximation for the fluid properties has seen the impact of the magnetic parameter. The graph has been plotted for the obtained expressions. It has been observed that with the increase of magnetic Taylor number, there is an increase in the tangential velocity of fluid flow.
Impact of Betamethasone Pretreatment on Engrafment of Cord Blood-Derived Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Authors: Perna-Barrull David , Gomez-Muñoz Laia , Rodriguez-Fernandez Silvia , Gieras Anna , Ampudia-Carrasco Rosa M. , Almenara-Fuentes Lidia , Risueño Ruth M. , Querol Sergi , Tolosa Eva , Vives-Pi Marta
Published: December 2022

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation is crucial to cure hematologic malignancies. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is a source of stem cells, but 90% of UCB units are discarded due to low cellularity. Improving the engraftment capacities of CD34+ stem cells would allow the use of UCB that were so far rejected. Betamethasone induces long-term transcriptomic and epigenomic changes in immune cells through glucocorticoid receptor. We hypothesize that discarded UCB could be used owing to improvements induced by betamethasone. Isolated CD34+ HSC from UCB were exposed to the synthetic glucocorticoids betamethasone and fluticasone for 20 h, and cell phenotype was determined before transplantation. NSG mice were sub-lethally irradiated (1 Gy or 2 Gy) 6 h before intravenously transferring 2–5 × 105 CD34+ HSC. The peripheral blood engraftment levels and the leukocyte subsets were followed up for 20 weeks using flow cytometry. At end point, the engraftment and leukocyte subsets were determined in the spleen and bone marrow. We demonstrated that betamethasone has surprising effects in recovering immune system homeostasis. Betamethasone and fluticasone increase CXCR4 and decrease HLA class II and CD54 expression in CD34+ HSCs. Both glucocorticoids-exposed cells showed a similar engraftment in 2 Gy-irradiated NSG mice. Interestingly, betamethasone-exposed cells showed enhanced engraftment in 1 Gy-irradiated NSG mice, with a trend to increase regulatory T cell percentage when compared to control. Betamethasone induces alterations in CD34+ HSCs and improve the engraftment, leading to a faster immune system recovery, which will contribute to engrafted cells survival.
Osteoarthritis of the hip: is radiography still needed?
Authors: Mourad Charbel , Vande Berg Bruno
Published: December 2022

Diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis (OA) is based on clinical arguments, and medical imaging is obtained to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other possible sources of pain. Conventional radiographs are recommended as the first line imaging modality to investigate chronic hip pain. They should be obtained in a rigorous technique that includes an antero-posterior (AP) radiograph of the pelvis. The choice of the appropriate lateral view depends on the clinical indication, Lequesne’s false profile being valuable in the assessment of OA. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is more sensitive to detect joint effusion/synovitis, cartilage, labral, and bone marrow lesions. However, structural joint changes are frequent in asymptomatic population and neither radiographs nor MRI have shown a good correlation with pain and functional impairment. MRI seems to be more suitable than radiographs as a biomarker for clinical trials addressing early OA. The absence of a validated MR biomarker of early OA, together with issues related to machine availability and MRI protocol repeatability, prevent the widespread use of MRI in clinical trials.
Energy Scaling Law for a Singularly Perturbed Four-Gradient Problem in Helimagnetism
Authors: Ginster Janusz , Zwicknagl Barbara
Published: December 2022

We study pattern formation in magnetic compounds near the helimagnetic/ferromagnetic transition point in case of Dirichlet boundary conditions on the spin field. The energy functional is a continuum approximation of a $$J_1-J_3$$

J
1

-

J
3

model and was recently derived in Cicalese et al. (SIAM J Math Anal 51: 4848–4893, 2019). It contains two parameters, one measuring the incompatibility of the boundary conditions and the other measuring the cost of changes between different chiralities. We prove the scaling law of the minimal energy in terms of these two parameters. The constructions from the upper bound indicate that in some regimes branching-type patterns form close to the boundary of the sample.
CLEC16A interacts with retromer and TRIM27, and its loss impairs endosomal trafficking and neurodevelopment
Authors: Smits Daphne J. , Dekker Jordy , Schot Rachel , Tabarki Brahim , Alhashem Amal , Demmers Jeroen A. A. , Dekkers Dick H. W. , Romito Antonio , van der Spek Peter J. , van Ham Tjakko J. , Bertoli-Avella Aida M. , Mancini Grazia M. S.
Published: December 2022

CLEC16A is a membrane-associated C-type lectin protein that functions as a E3-ubiquitin ligase. CLEC16A regulates autophagy and mitophagy, and reportedly localizes to late endosomes. GWAS studies have associated CLEC16A SNPs to various auto-immune and neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis and Parkinson disease. Studies in mouse models imply a role for CLEC16A in neurodegeneration. We identified bi-allelic CLEC16A truncating variants in siblings from unrelated families presenting with a severe neurodevelopmental disorder including microcephaly, brain atrophy, corpus callosum dysgenesis, and growth retardation. To understand the function of CLEC16A in neurodevelopment we used in vitro models and zebrafish embryos. We observed CLEC16A localization to early endosomes in HEK293T cells. Mass spectrometry of human CLEC16A showed interaction with endosomal retromer complex subunits and the endosomal ubiquitin ligase TRIM27. Expression of the human variant leading to C-terminal truncated CLEC16A, abolishes both its endosomal localization and interaction with TRIM27, suggesting a loss-of-function effect. CLEC16A knockdown increased TRIM27 adhesion to early endosomes and abnormal accumulation of endosomal F-actin, a sign of disrupted vesicle sorting. Mutagenesis of clec16a by CRISPR–Cas9 in zebrafish embryos resulted in accumulated acidic/phagolysosome compartments, in neurons and microglia, and dysregulated mitophagy. The autophagocytic phenotype was rescued by wild-type human CLEC16A but not the C-terminal truncated CLEC16A. Our results demonstrate that CLEC16A closely interacts with retromer components and regulates endosomal fate by fine-tuning levels of TRIM27 and polymerized F-actin on the endosome surface. Dysregulation of CLEC16A-mediated endosomal sorting is associated with neurodegeneration, but it also causes accumulation of autophagosomes and unhealthy mitochondria during brain development.
Intersektionale Diskriminierung: Erfahrungen und Perspektiven in der Psychotherapie mit Frauen mit Fluchtbiografien
Authors: Tiefenthaler Sabine
Published: December 2022

Der folgende Beitrag setzt sich mit dem Einfluss intersektionaler Diskriminierungserfahrungen von geflüchteten Frauen auf das psychische Wohlbefinden und mit der Frage, wie diese Erfahrungen in der Psychotherapie bearbeitet werden können, auseinander.

In diesem Zusammenhang werden die Ergebnisse einer Studie vorgestellt, in welcher Interviews mit Psychotherpeut*innen durchgeführt wurden und sich bei der Analyse drei zentrale Dimensionen herauskristallisiert haben. Diese geben Aufschluss darüber, wie intersektionale Diskriminierung von geflüchteten Frauen in der Psychotherapie thematisiert wird, wie damit in der Therapie umgegangen wird und welche Herausforderungen und Bedarfe sich daraus für die Praxis ergeben. Anhand der Ergebnisse werden Elemente einer machtsensiblen Haltung für den Umgang mit intersektionalen Diskriminierungserfahrungen geflüchteter Frauen in der Psychotherapie herausgearbeitet.
Polyantimonic acid-based materials evaluated as moisture sensors at ambient temperature
Authors: Mendes Sofia , Kurapova Olga , Faia Pedro , Pazheltsev Vasily , Zaripov Artem , Konakov Vladimir
Published: December 2022

Humidity sensors are in high demand for many applications, such as environmental monitoring and air and food quality control. Despite many inorganic and organic materials exhibit moisture sensing properties, the electrical response of many existing sensors is not stable along the time. Polyantimonic acid (PAA) is characterized by elevated proton conductivity and by high thermal stability: consequently, it is seen as promising proton conductor for usage in humidity sensing devices. In this work, for the first time, PAA-based bulk solid membranes were produced and tested as potential materials for relative humidity (RH) detection and their moisture sensitivity was evaluated. Two different amounts of binder were used for moulding the solid sensors: the ones with 10% of binder were designated as 90PAA, while the ones with 20% were named 80PAA. The structures of the solid samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, adsorption–desorption curves via Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. The electrical behaviour was examined at ambient temperature by electrical impedance spectroscopy in the entire relative humidity (RH) interval (0–100%) and in the frequency range of 40 Hz up to 60 MHz. Electrical response of the materials was correlated with the structural features of the membranes. Both 90PAA and 80PAA sensors showed total resistance 3 × 105 and 3.5 × 105 Ω at 10% RH, respectively. A linear decrease of the resistance on RH was observed in the range 30–90% RH for both sensors. The electrical response of the evaluated PAA-based sensors displays good repeatability and reproducibility: the ones with lower binder content showed higher moisture sensitivity as well as very good time stability over 1 year.
Information sharing through digitalisation in decentralised supply chains
Authors: Zissis Dimitris
Published: December 2022

This study investigates the impact of private information on decision making process and how emerging technologies can facilitate information sharing and reduce misinformation in decentralised settings. Focusing on business environments, we examine if information sharing between distinct partners can be a mutually beneficial option. In principle, information affects the preferences and the actions of decision makers and usually contributes to inefficiencies for the entire system. A supply chain with two rational firms is considered; the firms have conflicting objectives and possess information that cannot be verified. Real-time communication through a cloud platform is allowed, before the firms finalise their strategies. During the communication phase, both firms are free to report whatever information optimises their individual objectives, even fake. Misinformation seems a plausible option, especially in competitive environments, since the firms may take advantages from such behaviour. We demonstrate that sharing the actual information can be beneficial for both, under the implementation of an appropriate mechanism that considers the welfare of the entire chain. Despite the individualistic behaviour of independent decision makers, it is doable to eliminate entirely information asymmetry and misinformation. This happens by including sufficient incentives on a mechanism that induce firms to reveal their information, because it is in their self-interest to do so. The value of information and the expected benefits of the voluntary information sharing are calculated, indicating the potential improvement.
New field technique to determine in-situ gross nitrification rates on an intact 4 m2 scale on arable land
Authors: Stange C. F. , Jaquemotte J. , Gabriel F. , Stadler S.
Published: December 2022

Nitrification is one major part of the terrestrial nitrogen cycle and is responsible for the N supply to microbes and plants. Furthermore, it opens N-loss pathways. Quantifying actual gross rates of nitrification is of growing interest due to the risk of nitrate-N leaching into groundwater. Gross nitrification measurements are often conducted either in disturbed soils or in small intact soil cores. Both approaches can have methodological issues. Our study presents a newly developed technique at an intact 2 × 2 m2field scale that was tested extensively on agricultural (sandy) soils. The irrigation technique allowed for a uniform distribution of15NO3−using a tracer solution. It further enabled a calculation of gross nitrification rates directly in the field. The gross nitrification rates within the 4 m2plots were highly variable. Individual plots showed gross nitrification rates between 3.9 and 17.9 µmol kg−1 soil d−1. At the chosen meter scale, the dependency of the nitrification rate on environmental and soil parameters could be observed. Nitrification was influenced by the mean soil temperature during field incubation. Nitrification rates normalized for temperature (20 °C) showed a negative linear correlation with the C/N ratio of the plots (r2 = 0.78).
Strategic effects of stock pollution: the positive theory of fiscal deficits revisited
Authors: Kellner Maximilian
Published: December 2022

This article introduces a dynamic political-economy model of public debt which integrates climate policy. Strategic incentives are shaped by both an emission interaction and a budget interaction if public good provision contributes to a stock of persistent pollution. In a bipartisan system, politicians, who disagree on the optimal internalization of pollution, compete for office. The central finding is that bequeathing a large stock of pollution to the future government is not optimal for any incumbent regardless of their environmental preferences. This leads to strategic emission abatement in the first period. Additionally, while the incumbent engages in strategic deficit spending when reelection is uncertain, this effect is no longer necessarily inefficient when accounting for stock pollution. Both effects may increase welfare as a direct result of reelection uncertainty.
Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Using an Optimized Long Short-Term Memory Mode with F10.7
Authors: Zhu Hongbing , Zhu Wenwei , He Mu
Published: December 2022

In this paper, an optimized long short-term memory (LSTM) model is proposed to deal with the smoothed monthly $F_{10.7}$

F
10.7

data, aiming to predict the peak amplitude of $F_{10.7}$

F
10.7

and the occurring time for Solar Cycle 25 (SC-25) to obtain the maximum amplitude of sunspot number (SSN) and the reaching time. The “re-prediction” process in the model uses the latest prediction results obtained from the previous prediction as the input for the next prediction calculation. The prediction errors between the predicted and observed peak amplitude of $F_{10.7}$

F
10.7

for SC-23 and SC-24 are 2.87% and 1.09%, respectively. The predicted peak amplitude of $F_{10.7}$

F
10.7

for SC-25 is 156.3, and the maximum value of SSN is calculated as 147.9, which implies that SC-25 will be stronger than SC-24. SC-25 will reach its peak in July 2025.
Leaky Gut Plays a Critical Role in the Pathophysiology of Autism in Mice by Activating the Lipopolysaccharide-Mediated Toll-Like Receptor 4–Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88–Nuclear Factor Kappa B Signaling Pathway
Authors: Li Fang , Ke Haoran , Wang Siqi , Mao Wei , Fu Cexiong , Chen Xi , Fu Qingqing , Qin Xiaori , Huang Yonghua , Li Bidan , Li Shibing , Xing Jingying , Wang Minhui , Deng Wenlin
Published: December 2022

Increased intestinal barrier permeability, leaky gut, has been reported in patients with autism. However, its contribution to the development of autism has not been determined. We selected dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to disrupt and metformin to repair the intestinal barrier in BTBR T+tf/J autistic mice to test this hypothesis. DSS treatment resulted in a decreased affinity for social proximity; however, autistic behaviors in mice were improved after the administration of metformin. We found an increased affinity for social proximity/social memory and decreased repetitive and anxiety-related behaviors. The concentration of lipopolysaccharides in blood decreased after the administration of metformin. The expression levels of the key molecules in the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)–myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)–nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway and their downstream inflammatory cytokines in the cerebral cortex were both repressed. Thus, “leaky gut” could be a trigger for the development of autismviaactivation of the lipopolysaccharide-mediated TLR4–MyD88–NF-κB pathway.
Endophytic fungi Aspergillus spp. reduce fusarial wilt disease severity, enhance growth, metabolism and stimulate the plant defense system in pepper plants
Authors: Attia Mohamed S. , Salem Marwa S. , Abdelaziz Amer M.
Published: December 2022

Plants in various republics of the world face many dangers, including diseases that threaten crop productivity. The development and increase of novel species of infectious pathogens have made plant growth threatened. Fusarium wilt is one of the fiercest diseases affecting vegetables, which causes a great loss in the quality and quantity of pepper plants all over the world. In this study, stimulation of physiological immune responses in pepper plant using ecofriendly inducers (Aspergillus alabamensis, Aspergillus oryzae, and Aspergillus tubingensis) against Fusarium wilt had been studied. Endophytic fungi were assayed for their capability to synthesize hydrocyanic acid, phosphate solubilization, siderophores, and indole acetic acid synthesis, and the antifungal potential of ecofriendly inducers against F. oxysporum was also examined. A notable antifungal potential antifusarial with a supreme activity of A. tubingensis was found. More ultrastructure by TEM of Fusarium showed that sharp changes occurred in the cell wall, mycelium, and conidia as a result of treatment with A. tubingensis, A. oryzae, and A. alabamensis. The results demonstrated the high severity of F. oxysporum on pepper seedlings. Infected seedlings showed a high reduction in all vegetative parameters, photosynthesis, entire protein, and total carbohydrate. In the current study, the potential of endophytic fungi through foliar and soil application was applied to the Fusarium-infected pepper plants under pot conditions. Disease index, vegetative growth, photosynthetic pigments, osmolyte content, stress markers, and antioxidant isozymes were assessed. The achieved result indicates that tested endophytes through two modes (foliar and soil) lowered PDI and produced high protection, with the most protection influence represented by A. tubingensis (through the soil) by 83.33%. It was concluded that use of A. tubingensis, A. alabamensis, and A. oryzae could be commercially used as eco-friendly agents for the defense of pepper seedlings against Fusarium wilt disease.
Establishment of experimental salivary gland cancer models using organoid culture and patient-derived xenografting
Authors: Aizawa Yoshihiro , Takada Kentaro , Aoyama Jun , Sano Daisuke , Yamanaka Shoji , Seki Masahide , Kuze Yuta , Ramilowski Jordan A. , Okuda Ryo , Ueno Yasuharu , Nojima Yusuke , Inayama Yoshiaki , Hatakeyama Hiromitsu , Hatano Takashi , Takahashi Hideaki , Nishimura Goshi , Fujii Satoshi , Suzuki Yutaka , Taniguchi Hideki , Oridate Nobuhiko
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Depending on its histological subtype, salivary gland carcinoma (SGC) may have a poor prognosis. Due to the scarcity of preclinical experimental models, its molecular biology has so far remained largely unknown, hampering the development of new treatment modalities for patients with these malignancies. The aim of this study was to generate experimental human SGC models of multiple histological subtypes using patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and organoid culture techniques.

Methods

Tumor specimens from surgically resected SGCs were processed for the preparation of PDXs and patient-derived organoids (PDOs). Specimens from SGC PDXs were also processed for PDX-derived organoid (PDXO) generation. In vivo tumorigenicity was assessed using orthotopic transplantation of SGC organoids. The pathological characteristics of each model were compared to those of the original tumors using immunohistochemistry. RNA-seq was used to analyze the genetic traits of our models.

Results

Three series of PDOs, PDXs and PDXOs of salivary duct carcinomas, one series of PDOs, PDXs and PDXOs of mucoepidermoid carcinomas and PDXs of myoepithelial carcinomas were successfully generated. We found that PDXs and orthotopic transplants from PDOs/PDXOs showed similar histological features as the original tumors. Our models also retained their genetic traits, i.e., transcription profiles, genomic variants and fusion genes of the corresponding histological subtypes.

Conclusion

We report the generation of SGC PDOs, PDXs and PDXOs of multiple histological subtypes, recapitulating the histological and genetical characteristics of the original tumors. These experimental SGC models may serve as a useful resource for the development of novel therapeutic strategies and for investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of these malignancies.
The False Economy of Seeking to Eliminate Delayed Transfers of Care: Some Lessons from Queueing Theory
Authors: Wood Richard M. , Harper Alison L. , Onen-Dumlu Zehra , Forte Paul G. , Pitt Martin , Vasilakis Christos
Published: December 2022

Background

It is a stated ambition of many healthcare systems to eliminate delayed transfers of care (DTOCs) between acute and step-down community services.

Objective

This study aims to demonstrate how, counter to intuition, pursual of such a policy is likely to be uneconomical, as it would require large amounts of community capacity to accommodate even the rarest of demand peaks, leaving much capacity unused for much of the time.

Methods

Some standard results from queueing theory—a mathematical discipline for considering the dynamics of queues and queueing systems—are used to provide a model of patient flow from the acute to community setting. While queueing models have a track record of application in healthcare, they have not before been used to address this question.

Results

Results show that ‘eliminating’ DTOCs is a false economy: the additional community costs required are greater than the possible acute cost saving. While a substantial proportion of DTOCs can be attributed to inefficient use of resources, the remainder can be considered economically essential to ensuring cost-efficient service operation. For England’s National Health Service (NHS), our modelling estimates annual cost savings of £117m if DTOCs are reduced to the 12% of current levels that can be regarded as economically essential.

Conclusion

This study discourages the use of ‘zero DTOC’ targets and instead supports an assessment based on the specific characteristics of the healthcare system considered.
No Strings Attached to GIs? About a Blind Spot in the (Academic) Discourse on Limitations and Fundamental Rights
Authors: Kur Annette
Published: December 2022

During the last decades, the focus of academic discourse on intellectual property rights has been on limitations and exceptions, with a strong accent on fundamental rights. However, until now such debates never involved protection of geographical indications under the sui generis system established in the European Union. That is quite remarkable. Already in its current form, the scope of protection granted to such rights is rather broad, as was confirmed and reinforced in the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. According to pending proposals, the scope and ambit of protection shall be strengthened further, without any counterbalance in the form of limitations being envisaged. This opinion argues that turning a blind eye to those developments is no commendable attitude for those concerned about imbalances in intellectual property rights.
Supporting Inquiry Learning: an Intellectual Mirror that Describes what It “Sees”
Authors: Yerushalmy Michal , Olsher Shai , Harel Raz , Chazan Daniel
Published: December 2022

Much
important research on the learning of mathematics with technology-supported inquiry has been devoted to learning with multiple-linked representations (MLR) as a mode of feedback. Like a mirror, MLR feedback helps students see their actions in one representation “reflected” in another. Yet, research has followed learning episodes where MLR feedback did not lead to concept formation and the achievement of curricular goals. This article reports on the potential of what might be thought of as a mirror that speaks. In response to example-eliciting tasks, students use interactive diagrams to create examples to which mathematical descriptions are automatically associated. Such descriptions may be thought of as another kind of linked mathematical representation system. Transitions feature in two ways in our analysis of students’ use of this representation. At the level of student activity, we examine when students move between attending to textual descriptions and to the graphs that they describe. We are also interested in how attention to these descriptions and co-ordination with their own use of these words can support students in making a transition in their thinking from considering distance as only total distance traveled, to a co-ordinated view of distance including both total distance traveled and distance from a starting point. This article focuses on two example-eliciting motion tasks and two sets of descriptive words. We found that these sets of words helped students, while and after they were working with the diagram, to distinguish between total distance traveled and position with respect to a starting point.
Multidiscipline Applications of Triboelectric Nanogenerators for the Intelligent Era of Internet of Things
Authors: Cao Xiaole , Xiong Yao , Sun Jia , Xie Xiaoyin , Sun Qijun , Wang Zhong Lin
Published: December 2022

In the era of 5G and the Internet of things (IoTs), various human–computer interaction systems based on the integration of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) and IoTs technologies demonstrate the feasibility of sustainable and self-powered functional systems. The rapid development of intelligent applications of IoTs based on TENGs mainly relies on supplying the harvested mechanical energy from surroundings and implementing active sensing, which have greatly changed the way of human production and daily life. This review mainly introduced the TENG applications in multidiscipline scenarios of IoTs, including smart agriculture, smart industry, smart city, emergency monitoring, and machine learning-assisted artificial intelligence applications. The challenges and future research directions of TENG toward IoTs have also been proposed. The extensive developments and applications of TENG will push forward the IoTs into an energy autonomy fashion.
Improving Resilience in Times of Multiple Crisis
Authors: Pinkwart Andreas , Schingen Gideon , Pannes Anna-Tina , Schlotböller Dirk
Published: December 2022

Due to the trend towards more frequent and multiple crises, it is essential for enterprises as well as for states and entire economic areas to develop strategies to improve resilience. In this article, existing challenges and conceivable strategies for improving resilience will be outlined from a microeconomic as well as from a macroeconomic perspective. To mitigate vulnerabilities of Supply Chains in the last decades, drivers for improving Supply Chain resilience have been explored. They are presented as contributing to building resilience on the micro level. On the macro level, opportunities and limits of current approaches for strategic independence are discussed. In terms of a new regulatory policy, a rescue of honour for global cooperation and free trade is proposed by the authors.