bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental Study of the Fire Dynamics in a Semi-enclosure Formed by Photovoltaic (PV) Installations on Flat Roof Constructions
Authors: Kristensen Jens Steemann , Jacobs Benjamin , Jomaas Grunde
Published: March 2022

Flame spread experiments upon a BROOF(t4) compliant flat roof mock-up located below a vertical barrier were carried out for variations in gap height, inclination, subjacent insulation material, and the barrier type (stainless-steel board or photovoltaic (PV) module). A binary flame spread scenario was identified, where re-radiation from the flame facilitated self-sustained flame spread if the gap height to the horizontal panel was below 10 cm for the stainless-steel board and 11 cm for PV modules. These were defined as the critical gap heights. Inclination of the PV modules increased the critical gap height and caused a 25% faster flame spread rate (FSR) than the FSR below horizontal modules with the same gap height at the location of ignition. The faster FSR for inclined modules caused a 40% reduction of the maximum temperature measured at a depth of 70 mm in the insulation materials (242°C). Based on temperatures measured in the insulation materials, the 60 mm polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation performed slightly better than the 50 mm mineral wool insulation. However, it is expected that the mineral wool would outperform the PIR insulation if tested with the same thickness, as it insulates significantly better at high temperatures. Finally, no sustained flame spread was observed on the back side polymer sheet of the PV modules, but one of the three PV module brands produced burning droplets. Based on the experiments, it can be concluded that the current standards are inadequate as the introduction of a PV system on a compliant roof construction enables flame spread.
Copyright Protection in the Digital Single Market: Potential Consequences for Content Platform Competition
Authors: Stähler Frank , Stähler Leander
Published: March 2022

This paper scrutinizes the effects of the European Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market on platform competition. Platforms that are online content-sharing service providers must have a license agreement with collective management organizations that control the content platform that users may – or must not – upload to the platform. The paper shows that the new directive may imply market concentration and an aggregate welfare loss. The reason is that only users of the large platform (in a dual platform setting) will be allowed to upload content if the content assets are sufficiently valuable and if network effects are strong.
Fluorescence-guided detection of pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (PitNET) tissue during endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery available agents, their potential, and technical aspects
Authors: Vergeer Rob A , Theunissen Robin E P , van Elk Theodora , Schmidt Iris , Postma Mark R , Tamasi Katalin , van Dijk J Marc C , Kuijlen Jos M A
Published: March 2022

Differentiation of pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (PitNET) tissue from surrounding normal tissue during surgery is challenging. A number of fluorescent agents is available for visualization of tissue discrepancy, with the potential of improving total tumor resection. This review evaluates the availability, clinical and technical applicability of the various fluorescent agents within the field of pituitary surgery. According to PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was performed to identify reports describing results of in vivo application of fluorescent agents. In this review, 15 publications were included. Sodium Fluorescein (FNa) was considered in two studies. The first study reported noticeable fluorescence in adenoma tissue, the second demonstrated the strongest fluorescence in non-functioning pituitary adenomas. 5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) was investigated in three studies. One study compared laser-based optical biopsy system (OBS) with photo-diagnostic filter (PD) and found that the OBS was able to detect all microadenomas, even when MRI was negative. The second study retrospectively analyzed twelve pituitary adenomas and found only one positive for fluorescence. The third investigated fifteen pituitary adenomas of which one displayed vague fluorescence. Indocyanine green (ICG) was researched in four studies with variable results. Second-Window ICG yielded no significant difference between functioning and non-functioning adenomas in one study, while a second study displayed 4 times higher fluorescence in tumor tissue than in normal tissue. In three studies, OTL38 showed potential in non-functioning pituitary adenomas. At present, evidence for fluorescent agents to benefit total resection of PitNETs is lacking. OTL38 can potentially serve as a selective fluorescent agent in non-functioning pituitary adenomas in the near future.
Monitoring extinction risk and threats of the world’s fishes based on the Sampled Red List Index
Authors: Miranda Rafael , Miqueleiz Imanol , Darwall William , Sayer Catherine , Dulvy Nicholas K. , Carpenter Kent E. , Polidoro Beth , Dewhurst-Richman Nadia , Pollock Caroline , Hilton-Taylor Craig , Freeman Robin , Collen Ben , Böhm Monika
Published: March 2022

Global biodiversitytargets require us to identify species at risk of extinction and quantify status and trends of biodiversity. The Red List Index (RLI) tracks trends in the conservation status of entire species groups over time by monitoring changes in categories assigned to species. Here, we calculate this index for the world’s fishes in 2010, using a sampled approach to the RLI based on a randomly selected sample of 1,500 species, and also present RLI splits for freshwater and marine systems separately. We further compare specific traits of a worldwide fish list to our sample to assess its representativeness. Overall, 15.1% of species in the sample were estimated to be threatened with extinction, resulting in a sampled RLI of 0.914 for all species, 0.968 in marine and 0.862 in freshwater ecosystems. Our sample showed fishing as the principal threat for marine species, and pollution by agricultural and forestry effluents for freshwater fishes. The sampled list provides a robust representation for tracking trends in the conservation status of the world’s fishes, including disaggregated sampled indices for marine and freshwater fish. Reassessment and backcasting of this index is urgent to check the achievement of the commitments proposed in global biodiversity targets.
Teachers' perceptions of Brandon's Matrix as a framework for the teaching and assessment of scientific methods in school science
Authors: Cullinane Alison , Hillier Judith , Childs Ann , Erduran Sibel
Published: March 2022

This article utilizes a framework for classifying different scientific methods suggested by a philosopher of science (BrandonSynthese, 99, 59–73, 1994) called Brandon’s Matrix. It presents findings from teachers who took part in a funded project in England that looked at the nature of scientific methods in science investigations. Science investigations are an integral aspect of science education and, as such, are often included in high stakes examinations. Therefore, teachers need to have a good understanding of  a range of scientific methods and their purposes in science investigations. The framework was used to ask teachers to classify science investigations based on how they teach them. It was also employed to devise assessments to measure students’ understanding of scientific methods. The teachers were introduced to the new approaches and their perceptions were gathered to understand if they supported this as a framework for their classroom practice. Evidence from the study suggested that Brandon’s Matrix appealed to teachers as a framework for practical science in schools, and they see potential benefits for its use in the teaching, learning, and assessment of science. Findings from the study showed it appealed to the teachers as a tool for classifying scientific methods, and how they also recognized the importance of assessing practical work and had an appreciation of the constraints and drivers in the current curriculum and assessment requirements in England. Implications for teachers’ professional development are discussed.
A functional central limit theorem on non-stationary random fields with nested spatial structure
Authors: Xu Leshun , Lee Alan , Lumley Thomas
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we establish a functional central limit theorem on high dimensional random fields in the context of model-based survey analysis. For strongly-mixing non-stationary random fields, we provide an upper bound for the fourth moment of the finite population total. This inequality is the generalization of a key tool for proving functional central limit theorems in Rio (Asymptotic theory of weakly dependent random processes, Springer, Berlin, 2017). Under the nested sampling strategy, we introduce assumptions on strongly-mixing coefficients and quantile functions to show that a functional stochastic process asymptotically approaches to a Gaussian process.
Modelling Metribuzin Removal Efficiency Through Adsorption Using Activated Carbon of Olive-waste Cake
Authors: Imteaz Monzur Alam , Bayatvarkeshi Maryam , Ahsan Amimul
Published: March 2022

A simple mathematical model is developed for the prediction of Metribuzin removal efficiency through adsorption using activated carbon of olive-waste cake for any combination of input conditions. Based on earlier experimental results, factors from three independent variables (pH, initial Metribuzin concentration and adsorbent dose concentration) were incorporated in the model. All the factors are multiplied to derive a combined diminishing factor, which is multiplied with maximum achievable removal efficiency. It is found that although the model results are having good correlation (0.92) with the experimental results, those are slightly away from the ideal line. Through the introduction of an adjustment factor, model predictions are closely matching with the measured values having a correlation coefficient of 0.96. The primary model predicted results are having standard errors as RMSE = 6.34, MAE = 5.99 and RAE = 0.07, whereas the same error statistics of the adjusted model are 1.97, 1.71 and 0.01, respectively. Such modelling technique will predict removal efficiency for any combination of input parameters, which at times are required to be changed for other constraints.
How much biology is in the product? Role and relevance of biological evolution and function for bio-inspired design
Authors: Roth-Nebelsick Anita
Published: March 2022

Bio-inspired design (BID) means the concept of transferring functional principles from biology to technology. The core idea driving BID-related work is that evolution has shaped functional attributes, which are termed “adaptations” in biology, to a high functional performance by relentless selective pressure. For current methods and tools, such as data bases, it is implicitly supposed that the considered biological models are adaptations and their functions already clarified. Often, however, the identification of adaptations and their functional features is a difficult task which is not yet accomplished for numerous biological structures, as happens to be the case also for various organismic features from which successful BID developments were derived. This appears to question the relevance of the much stressed importance of evolution for BID. While it is obviously possible to derive an attractive technical principle from an observed biological effect without knowing its original functionality, this kind of BID (“analog BID”) has no further ties to biology. In contrast, a BID based on an adaptation and its function (“homolog BID”) is deeply embedded in biology. It is suggested that a serious and honest clarification of the functional background of a biological structure is an essential first step in devising a BID project, to recognize possible problems and pitfalls as well as to evaluate the need for further biological analysis.
AHP and TOPSIS Based Sub-Watershed Prioritization and Tectonic Analysis of Ami River Basin, Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Patel Adesh , Singh M.M. , Singh Sudhir Kumar , Kushwaha Kamlesh , Singh Rubal
Published: March 2022

Soil erosion is a major consequence which usually reduces soil productivity. The identification of its susceptible zones is essential in order to apply preventive measures in any basin. A detailed morphometric evaluation of Ami river basin is done using Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data of 30m resolution. Technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) based prioritization and characterization of sub-watersheds is important to plan and manage the natural resources of a region. Total 18 sub-watersheds with an outlet having 4th order drainage were selected for the prioritization purpose for soil erosion susceptibility zones with the help of 10 morphometric parameters. The sub-watersheds were ordered from SW-I to SW-XVIII. In this regard, SW-XV has the highest priority (0.628) and higher soil erosion while SW-XVIII (0.317) has lowest conditions for soil erosion.

Various tectonic and sinuosity related parameters are calculated and analyzed like hypsometric integral (0.49), asymmetric factor (50.1) and transverse topographic symmetric factor suggesting good symmetry of basin with no tectonic tilt. The value of standard sinuosity index (1.2) suggests that Ami river is naturally sinuous stream. Morphometric parameters suggest less structurally controlled and normal category of the basin. The basin has coarse texture of drainage with highly suspect to soil erosion and high run off.
Ranking ecosystem services delivered by trees in urban and rural areas
Authors: Przewoźna Patrycja , Mączka Krzysztof , Mielewczyk Marcin , Inglot Adam , Matczak Piotr
Published: March 2022

Policies and strategies for tree management and protection on a national, regional, and local level have not sufficiently considered differences between rural and urban areas. We used expert knowledge to compare rural and urban areas in a case study evaluating the relative importance of ecosystem services (ES) in policy development. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and focus group discussions were used to rank 17 ES, representing four classes of services: provisioning, regulating, habitat, and cultural. The results indicated that effective protection strategies, beyond simply increasing general tree cover, should consider specific benefits trees provide to local communities. We discuss the role of objective prioritization of ES delivered by trees in urban and rural areas and their consequences for decision-making processes.
What happens to your body during learning with computer-based environments? Exploring negative academic emotions using psychophysiological measurements
Authors: Huber Kerstin , Bannert Maria
Published: March 2022

This explorative study aims to examine if electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate (HR) are appropriate measures for identifying and monitoring academic emotions during learning in computer-based learning environments (CBLEs). Understanding learners' emotions while using CBLEs, allows improving the design of CBLEs. Therefore, we collected EDA, HR, and self-report data from 32 participants to measure academic emotions during learning with CBLEs in a laboratory setting. We induced negative academic emotions during learning using harmful connotated learning content about animal welfare. In a pre-post design, participants reported their emotional state before and after learning. We collated the self-reports with the EDA and HR curves to identify the emotional change in real-time. We prepared the data for repeated measurement analyses and group differences (high-, middle-, low learning performance; bored vs. not bored participants). Negative academic emotions were detected in increased EDA and HR. EDA turned out to be an indicator of learning performance. Boredom manifested in HR decrease. Findings show that EDA and HR are appropriate tools to measure academic emotions. We want to show the importance of real-time measures for learning and the efficiency of EDA and HR measures. It is worth considering EDA as a predictor for learning success and implementing EDA and HR measurements in CBLEs. However, more research is needed to clarify the role of HR in the context of learning performance.
The hidden dimensions of a change from below: Consequence markers in Montreal French
Authors: Blondeau Hélène , Tremblay Mireille
Published: March 2022

This article examines the rise of vernacular consequence marker ça-fait-que (CFQ), often realized as [fɛk] or [fak], at the expense of its standard counterparts donc and alors in Montreal French. The apparent-time analysis is based on a 2012 corpus of semi-directed interviews collected in Montreal. Previous studies treated the CFQ/donc/alors alternation as a purely lexical sociolinguistic variable. Our analysis shows how a vernacular variant (CFQ), initially associated with the working class and stigmatized, comes to compete, develop as a default form, and eventually crowd out forms at the other end of the social prestige scale (alors and donc). We rely on new socio-phonetic considerations to unveil a reconfiguration of the variable. The integration of the sociophonetic dimension sheds light on a complex process of diffusion, where a change from below is propelled by an additional change, but from above. Our article shows the key role played by women in both changes.
Sustainment of a complex culturally competent care intervention for Hispanic living donor kidney transplantation: A longitudinal analysis of adaptations
Authors: Gordon Elisa J. , Uriarte Jefferson J. , Anderson Naomi , Smith Justin Dean , Caicedo Juan Carlos , Shumate Michelle
Published: March 2022

Introduction:

Sustainment refers to continued intervention delivery over time, while continuing to produce intended outcomes, often with ongoing adaptations, which are purposeful changes to the design or delivery of an intervention to improve its fit or effectiveness. The Hispanic Kidney Transplant Program (HKTP), a complex, culturally competent intervention, was implemented in two transplant programs to reduce disparities in Hispanic/Latinx living donor kidney transplant rates. This study longitudinally examined the influence of adaptations on HKTP sustainment.

Methods:

Qualitative interviews, learning collaborative calls, and telephone meetings with physicians, administrators, and staff (n = 55) were conducted over three years of implementation to identify HKTP adaptations. The Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications-Expanded was used to classify adaptation types and frequency, which were compared across sites over time.

Results:

Across sites, more adaptations were made in the first year (n = 47), then fell and plateaued in the two remaining years (n = 35). Adaptations at Site-A were consistent across years (2017: n = 18, 2018: n = 17, 2019: n = 14), while Site-B made considerably fewer adaptations after the first year (2017: n = 29, 2018: n = 18, 2019: n = 21). Both sites proportionally made mostly skipping (32%), adding (20%), tweaking (20%), and substituting (16%) adaptation types. Skipping- and substituting-type adaptations were made due to institutional structural characteristics and lack of available resources, respectively. However, Site-A’s greater proportion of skipping-type adaptations was attributed to greater system complexity, and Site-B’s greater proportion of adding-type adaptation was attributed to the egalitarian team-based culture.

Conclusion:

Our findings can help prepare implementers to expect certain context-specific adaptations and preemptively avoid those that hinder sustainment.
Further properties of fractional stochastic dominance
Authors: Mao Tiantian , Wu Qinyu , Hu Taizhong
Published: March 2022

A continuum of stochastic dominance rules, also referred to as fractional stochastic dominance (SD), was introduced by Müller, Scarsini, Tsetlin, and Winkler (2017) to cover preferences from first- to second-order SD. Fractional SD can be used to explain many individual behaviors in economics. In this paper we introduce the concept of fractional pure SD, a special case of fractional SD. We investigate further properties of fractional SD, for example the generating processes of fractional pure SD via
$\gamma$
-transfers of probability, Yaari’s dual characterization by utilizing the special class of distortion functions, the separation theorem in terms of first-order SD and fractional pure SD, Strassen’s representation, and bivariate characterization. We also establish several closure properties of fractional SD under quantile truncation, under comonotonic sums, and under distortion, as well as its equivalence characterization. Examples of distributions ordered in the sense of fractional SD are provided.
Story order in attribution of moral responsibility
Authors: Limata Teresa , Ianì Francesco , Bucciarelli Monica
Published: March 2022

Discourse comprehension relies on the construction of a mental model that represents the unfolding in time of the events described. In causal scenarios, where the action of one agent (the enabler) temporally precedes and enables the action of another agent (the causer), discourse may reflect the underlying event structure by describing the enabler’s action first and then the causer’s action (story order) or may describe the causer’s action first (backward order). Studies in the literature have shown that adults consider causers to be more responsible than enablers in moral scenarios. Based on the assumption that story order favors the construction of a mental model of events, we conducted an experiment to test the prediction that preference for the causer over the enabler should be greater when events are presented in story order than in backward order. The participants in the experiment were 42 fifth-grade children, 42 adolescents, and 42 adults. The results of the experiment confirmed the prediction for all three groups of participants. We discuss the practical implications of these results for learning contexts, legal contexts, and the psychology of moral judgments.
The Impact of Western Sanctions on Putin's War
Authors: Chyzh Olga V.
Published: March 2022

In response to Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the West imposed a package of unprecedented sanctions that has failed to generate meaningful domestic backlash against Putin's war. Leveraging extant research on the survival of authoritarian regimes under economic sanctions, I show that their devastating economic costs notwithstanding, sanctions are unlikely to destabilize Putin's regime or pressure him to withdraw his troops from Ukraine. The key to explaining this outcome is to zero in on the incentive structure of the groups of individuals that make up Putin's inner circle.
Ediacaran survivors in the Cambrian: suspicions, denials and a smoking gun
Authors: Hoyal Cuthill Jennifer F
Published: March 2022

The relative timing of extinctions and originations is a foundation for reconstructing evolutionary causes. However, there has been a tendency to dismiss reported Ediacaran holdovers in favour of effective extinction around the Cambrian boundary. Here, focusing on the classically Ediacaran frondose biota (Petalonamae), I suggest four main reasons why proposed Ediacaran survivors have previously been denied the acceptance they deserve: denials based on mistaken identity, doppelgängers, a last gasp or dead clades walking. I then point to the lower Cambrian species Stromatoveris psygmoglena as a key example which simultaneously meets these objections. Collectively, Cambrian survivors are a ‘smoking gun’ showing that extinction of the classically Ediacaran frondose biota did not occur until at least 30 Ma after the end of the Ediacaran period, registered by phylogenetic petalonamid Thaumaptilon from the Burgess Shale. Therefore, to paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of their earlier demise have been greatly exaggerated. Causes of their ultimate extinction should instead be sought in their total range and diversity dynamics. Overall, the Ediacaran–Cambrian transition shows extremely low numbers of recorded survivors, but diversity dynamics are dominated by the Cambrian explosion. In this context, recorded occurrences for the classically Ediacaran frondose biota are compatible with at least two extinction events, one within a possible mass extinction near the Cambrian boundary, and later, their ultimate extinction in, or after, the middle Cambrian (Miaolingian Series, Wuliuan Stage). There is, however, no correlative basis for a causal link between the Cambrian transition and the effective or final demise of the classically Ediacaran soft-bodied biota.
Women’s migration to cities
Authors: Das Marjolijn , Boterman Willem R. , Karsten Lia , Latten Jan J.
Published: March 2022

This study investigates the consequences of female rural-urban migration with respect to their education, career, and relationship and family formation in the Netherlands. The study is based on four birth cohorts of Dutch women born in 1970-1973 in rural areas, comparing those who had migrated to urban areas before the age of 25 with those who had remained behind. Outcomes were measured at age 42. The data were derived from administrative registers available at Statistics Netherlands. The results show that female migration to cities served to increase women’s resources: they were more often university educated and had better paid jobs, in line with the idea of cities as socioeconomic escalators. The city also functioned as a relationship market with a relative abundance of men with resources. Both lower and university educated city women were more likely to be in a relationship with a highly educated man compared to their rural peers. However, lower educated women had an increased probability of being single at age 42 when they lived in cities at age 25. This was not the case for university educated women. In conclusion, for lower educated women urban migration may entail risks as well as benefits, especially with respect to family formation. University educated women on the other hand benefited both in terms of their own socioeconomic outcomes and in terms of their partners’ resources.
Digital Practices of Negotiation: Social Workers at the Intersection of Migration and Social Policies in Switzerland and Belgium
Authors: ANDREETTA SOPHIE , BORRELLI LISA MARIE
Published: March 2022

Paperwork has always been a central part of bureaucratic work. Over the last few years, bureaucratic procedures have become increasingly standardised and digitalised. Based on interviews and ethnographic fieldwork within welfare offices in Switzerland and Belgium, we reflect on the way evidence is constructed within social policy and cases built for or against noncitizen welfare recipients in order to show how paper truths are established and challenged. The focus on digital practices within public policy implementation highlights how it contributes to enhanced control mechanisms on the implementation level and how migration law continues to guide welfare governance for noncitizens. This allows targeting of the most marginalised groups, whose rights to access state support are institutionally impeded. Through database information flows, official forms, paper reports and face-to-face meetings, we further show how a hybrid form of bureaucratic work emerges, where direct contact with the client is still key, yet highly influenced by standardisation processes.
An iterative algorithm for inverse displacement analysis of Hyper-redundant elephant’s trunk robot
Authors: Yuan Feifei , Zhao Yongjie , Zhang Yongxing , Zhang Xingwei , Lu Xinjian
Published: March 2022

This paper proposes an iterative algorithm to solve the inverse displacement for a hyper-redundant elephant’s trunk robot (HRETR). In this algorithm, each parallel module is regarded as a geometric line segment and point model. According to the forward approximation and inverse pose adjustment principles, the iteration process can be divided into forward and backward iteration. This iterative algorithm transforms the inverse displacement problem of the HRETR into the parallel module’s inverse displacement problem. Considering the mechanical joint constraints, multiple iterations are carried out to ensure that the robot satisfies the required position error. Simulation results show that the algorithm is effective in solving the inverse displacement problem of HRETR.
CONSENT, INTERACTION, AND THE VALUE OF SHARED UNDERSTANDING
Authors: Healey Richard
Published: March 2022

Recent years have seen a proliferation of philosophical work on consent. Within this body of work, philosophers often appeal to an account of the interests, values, or functions that underpin the power of consent. By far the most commonly cited value realized by the power of consent is the promotion and protection of the power-holder's autonomy. This focus on autonomy yields what I call the Gate Opener Model of consent, according to which the central valuable function of consent is to give the power-holder control over whether other people can act in certain ways. In this article, I argue that the Gate Opener Model of consent is inadequate. I then defend an alternative Relational Model of consent, according to which a central valuable function of consent is to enable a non-instrumentally valuable form of interaction between people.
Retail food environment in a Brazilian metropolis over the course of a decade: evidence of restricted availability of healthy foods
Authors: Justiniano Irene Carolina Sousa , de Menezes Mariana Carvalho , Mendes Larissa Loures , Pessoa Milene Cristine
Published: March 2022

Objective:

To evaluate changes in the retail food environment profile in a Brazilian metropolis over a 10-year period.

Design:

An ecological study was conducted in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The addresses of formal food establishments were geocoded and classified according to their sold-food profile. Density changes were analysed according to neighbourhood, population size, income level and geospatial distribution.

Setting:

Totally, 468 neighbourhoods in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Participants:

Totally, 83 752 formal food establishments registered for operation in any one or more of those years: 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2018.

Results:

There was an increase in unhealthy establishments (154 %), followed by mixed (51 %) and healthy establishments (32 %), during the period evaluated, in addition to an increase in density according to income categories. There was a higher proportion of unhealthy establishments in relation to healthy establishments, indicating worsening of the community food environment over time.

Conclusions:

Over the course of 10 years, changes in the neighbourhood’s food environment were unfavourable for adequate access to healthy foods in lower-income neighbourhoods. The findings reinforce the need for interventions aimed at increasing the availability of businesses that offer healthy food in the city.
High-Energy Electron Scattering in Thick Samples Evaluated by Bright-Field Transmission Electron Microscopy, Energy-Filtering Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Electron Tomography
Authors: Hayashida Misa , Malac Marek
Published: March 2022

Energy-filtering transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and bright-field TEM can be used to extract local sample thickness $t$ and to generate two-dimensional sample thickness maps. Electron tomography can be used to accurately verify the local $t$. The relations of log-ratio of zero-loss filtered energy-filtering TEM beam intensity ($I_{{\rm ZLP}}$) and unfiltered beam intensity ($I_{\rm u}$) versus sample thickness $t$ were measured for five values of collection angle in a microscope equipped with an energy filter. Furthermore, log-ratio of the incident (primary) beam intensity ($I_{\rm p}$) and the transmitted beam $I_{{\rm tr}}$ versus $t$ in bright-field TEM was measured utilizing a camera before the energy filter. The measurements were performed on a multilayer sample containing eight materials and thickness $t$ up to 800 nm. Local thickness $t$ was verified by electron tomography. The following results are reported:

• The maximum thickness $t_{{\rm max}}$ yielding a linear relation of log-ratio, $\ln ( {I_{\rm u}}/{I_{{\rm ZLP}}})$ and $\ln ( {I_{\rm p}}/{I_{{\rm tr}}} )$, versus $t$.

• Inelastic mean free path ($\lambda _{{\rm in}}$) for five values of collection angle.

• Total mean free path ($\lambda _{{\rm total}}$) of electrons excluded by an angle-limiting aperture.

• $\lambda _{{\rm in}}$ and $\lambda _{{\rm total}}$ are evaluated for the eight materials with atomic number from $\approx$10 to 79.

The results can be utilized as a guide for upper limit of $t$ evaluation in energy-filtering TEM and bright-field TEM and for optimizing electron tomography experiments.
POD Nanozyme optimized by charge separation engineering for light/pH activated bacteria catalytic/photodynamic therapy
Authors: Cao Changyu , Zhang Tingbo , Yang Nan , Niu Xianghong , Zhou Zhaobo , Wang Jinlan , Yang Dongliang , Chen Peng , Zhong Liping , Dong Xiaochen , Zhao Yongxiang
Published: March 2022

The current feasibility of nanocatalysts in clinical anti-infection therapy, especially for drug-resistant bacteria infection is extremely restrained because of the insufficient reactive oxygen generation. Herein, a novel Ag/Bi2MoO6 (Ag/BMO) nanozyme optimized by charge separation engineering with photoactivated sustainable peroxidase-mimicking activities and NIR-II photodynamic performance was synthesized by solvothermal reaction and photoreduction. The Ag/BMO nanozyme held satisfactory bactericidal performance against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (~99.9%). The excellent antibacterial performance of Ag/BMO NPs was ascribed to the corporation of peroxidase-like activity, NIR-II photodynamic behavior, and acidity-enhanced release of Ag+. As revealed by theoretical calculations, the introduction of Ag to BMO made it easier to separate photo-triggered electron-hole pairs for ROS production. And the conduction and valence band potentials of Ag/BMO NPs were favorable for the reduction of O2 to ·O2−. Under 1064 nm laser irradiation, the electron transfer to BMO was beneficial to the reversible change of Mo5+/Mo6+, further improving the peroxidase-like catalytic activity and NIR-II photodynamic performance based on the Russell mechanism. In vivo, the Ag/BMO NPs exhibited promising therapeutic effects towards MRSA-infected wounds. This study enriches the nanozyme research and proves that nanozymes can be rationally optimized by charge separation engineering strategy.
Pre-clinical safety and therapeutic efficacy of a plant-based alkaloid in a human colon cancer xenograft model
Authors: Freeling Jessica L. , Scholl Jamie L. , Eikanger Morgan , Knoblich Cole , Potts Rashaun A. , Anderson David J. , Rower Joseph E. , Farjoo Mohammad Hadi , Zhao Haotian , Pillatzki Angela , Rezvani Khosrow
Published: March 2022

A high-throughput drug screen revealed that veratridine (VTD), a natural plant alkaloid, induces expression of the anti-cancer protein UBXN2A in colon cancer cells. UBXN2A suppresses mortalin, a heat shock protein, with dominant roles in cancer development including epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer cell stemness, drug resistance, and apoptosis. VTD-dependent expression of UBXN2A leads to the deactivation of mortalin in colon cancer cells, making VTD a potential targeted therapy in malignant tumors with high levels of mortalin. VTD was used clinically for the treatment of hypertension in decades past. However, the discovery of newer antihypertensive drugs and concerns over potential neuro- and cardiotoxicity ended the use of VTD for this purpose. The current study aims to determine the safety and efficacy of VTD at doses sufficient to induce UBXN2A expression in a mouse model. A set of flow-cytometry experiments confirmed that VTD induces both early and late apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo intraperitoneal (IP) administration of VTD at 0.1 mg/kg every other day (QOD) for 4 weeks effectively induced expression of UBXN2A in the small and large intestines of mice. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) assays on tissues collected from VTD-treated animals demonstrated VTD concentrations in the low pg/mg range. To address concerns regarding neuro- and cardiotoxicity, a comprehensive set of behavioral and cardiovascular assessments performed on C57BL/6NHsd mice revealed that VTD generates no detectable neurotoxicity or cardiotoxicity in animals receiving 0.1 mg/kg VTD QOD for 30 days. Finally, mouse xenograft experiments in athymic nude mice showed that VTD can suppress tumor growth. The main causes for the failure of experimental oncologic drug candidates are lack of sufficient safety and efficacy. The results achieved in this study support the potential utility of VTD as a safe and efficacious anti-cancer molecule.
Losartan protects human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes from angiotensin II-induced alcoholic cardiotoxicity
Authors: Song Yuanxiu , Li Hongxia , Ma Shuhong , Zhu Min , Lu Wen-jing , Lan Feng , Cui Ming
Published: March 2022

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is a myocardial injury caused by long-term heavy drinking. Existing evidence indicates that high levels of oxidative stress are the key to pathological cardiomyopathy caused by long-term exposure to high concentrations of alcohol, while angiotensin II (AngII) and its type 1 receptor (AT1R) play an important role in excessive drinking. Whether oxidative stress-induced damage in ACM is related to AngII and AT1R is unclear, and the effects of alcohol on the electrophysiology of myocardial cells have not been reported. Most existing studies have used animal models. This study established an in vitro model of ACM based on human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). The transcriptional profiling of alcohol treatment was performed by RNA-seq analysis. The role of oxidative stress, the expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX), and the role of AngII and AT1R in the overactivation of oxidative stress were studied using fluorescent labeling, Western blotting, and high-content quantitative analysis. Real-time cell analysis(RTCA) and microelectrode array (MEA) were used to continuously monitor myocardial beating, observe the effects of alcohol on myocardial electrophysiological activity, and clarify the protective effects of the AT1R blocker losartan on ACM. We found that AngII and AT1R contribute to the effects of alcohol on the myocardium through oxidative stress damage, the mechanism of which may be achieved by regulating NOX.
Central corneal thickness and its associations in a Russian population. The Ural eye and Medical Study
Authors: Bikbov Mukharram M. , Gilmanshin Timur R. , Zainullin Rinat M. , Kazakbaeva Gyulli M. , Zaynetdinov Artur F. , Nuriev Ildar F. , Panda-Jonas Songhomitra , Arslangareeva Inga I. , Zinnatullin Ainur A. , Yakupova Dilya F. , Rakhimova Ellina M. , Uzianbaeva Yulia V. , Khikmatullin Renat I. , Nikitin Nikolay A. , Aminev Said K. , Mukhamadieva Svetlana R. , Mavlieva Venera F. , Jonas Jost B.
Published: March 2022

Background

To assess central corneal thickness (CCT) and its associations in a Russian population.

Methods

The population-based Ural Eye and Medical Study included 5899 (80.5%) out of 7328 eligible individuals. As part of an ophthalmological and general examination, CCT was measured by Scheimflug imaging.

Results

The study included 5792 (98.2%) participants (age:58.8 ± 10.6 years;range: 40–94 years) with available bilateral CCT measurements. Mean CCT was larger in Russians than non-Russians (549.5 ± 32.8 µm versus 539.2 ± 33.9 µm; P < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, thicker CCT was associated (regression coefficient r:0.43) with younger age (standardized regression coefficient beta:−0.09; non-standardized regression coefficient B:−0.29;95% confidence interval (CI):−0.39,−0.20; P < 0.001), male sex (beta:0.05; B:3.10; 95%CI:1.18,5.03; P = 0.002), urban region of habitation (beta:0.10; B:6.83; 95%CI:4.61, 9.05; P < 0.001), Russian ethnicity (beta:0.04; B:3.48; 95%CI:1.04, 5.91; P = 0.005), higher level of education (beta:0.04; B:0.97;95%CI:0.29,1.66; P = 0.006), higher serum bilirubin concentration (beta:0.05;B:0.15; 95%CI:0.07,0.23;P < 0.001), lower corneal refractive power (beta:−0.09;B:11.92; 95%CI:−2.50,−1.35; P < 0.001), smaller anterior chamber angle (beta:−0.07;B:−0.38;95%CI:−0.52,−0.24;P < 0.001), higher IOP readings (beta:0.38; B:3.47; 95%CI:3.21,3.73; P < 0.001), and higher rise in IOP readings by medical mydriasis (beta:0.07; B:0.88;95%CI:0.54,1.22;P < 0.001). In that model, CCT was not associated with body height (P = 0.14), previous cataract surgery (P = 0.10), axial length (P = 0.18) or prevalence of glaucoma (P = 0.11). The mean inter-eye difference in CCT was 8.52 ± 13.9 µm (median:6.0;95CI:8.16,8.88). A higher inter-eye CCT difference was associated with older age (beta:0.08; B:0.11;95%CI:0.07,0.15; P = 0.01), lower level of education (beta:−0.04;B:−0.34; 95%CI:−0.60,−0.08; P < 0.001) and status after cataract surgery (beta:0.04; B:2.92;95%CI:1.02,4.83; P = 0.003).

Introduction conclusions

In this ethnically mixed population from Russia with an age of 40+ years, mean CCT (541.7 ± 33.7 µm) was associated with parameters such as younger age, male sex, Russian ethnicity, and higher educational level. These associations may be taken into account when the dependence of IOP readings on CCT are considered. Glaucoma prevalence was unrelated to CCT.
The ferroelectric field-effect transistor with negative capacitance
Authors: Luk’yanchuk I. , Razumnaya A. , Sené A. , Tikhonov Y. , Vinokur V. M.
Published: March 2022

Integrating ferroelectric negative capacitance (NC) into the field-effect transistor (FET) promises to break fundamental limits of power dissipation known as Boltzmann tyranny. However, realizing the stable static negative capacitance in the non-transient non-hysteretic regime remains a daunting task. The problem stems from the lack of understanding of how the fundamental origin of the NC due to the emergence of the domain state can be put in use for implementing the NC FET. Here we put forth an ingenious design for the ferroelectric domain-based field-effect transistor with the stable reversible static negative capacitance. Using dielectric coating of the ferroelectric capacitor enables the tunability of the negative capacitance improving tremendously the performance of the field-effect transistors.
Multiferroicity and giant in-plane negative Poisson’s ratio in wurtzite monolayers
Authors: Ma Zhuang , Huang Pu , Li Jin , Zhang Peng , Zheng Jiaxin , Xiong Wen , Wang Fei , Zhang Xiuwen
Published: March 2022

Monolayers of layered materials, such as graphite and molybdenum dichalcogenides, have been the focus of materials science in the last decades. Here, we reveal benign stability and intriguing physical properties in the thinnest monolayer wurtzite (wz) semiconductors, which can be exfoliated from their bulk and stacked to reform the wz crystals. The candidate ZnX and CdX (X = S, Se, Te) monolayers possess low cleavage energy and direct bandgaps, which harbor strongly coupled ferroelectricity and ferroelasticity with low transition barriers, giant in-plane negative Poisson’s ratio, as well as giant Rashba spin splitting, enabling the co-tunability of spin splitting and auxetic magnitudes via multiferroic switching. These wz monolayers can be used as building blocks of devices structures, due to their inherent “self-healable” capacity, which offer more flexibility for semiconductor fabrication and provide a natural platform to probe the interplay of multiple physical effects, bringing light into the rich physics in tetrahedral semiconductors.
Cumulative burden of psychiatric disorders and self-harm across 26 adult cancers
Authors: Chang Wai Hoong , Lai Alvina G.
Published: March 2022

Cancer is a life-altering event causing considerable psychological distress. However, information on the total burden of psychiatric disorders across all common adult cancers and therapy exposures has remained scarce. Here, we estimated the risk of self-harm after incident psychiatric disorder diagnosis in patients with cancer and the risk of unnatural deaths after self-harm in 459,542 individuals. Depression was the most common psychiatric disorder in patients with cancer. Patients who received chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery had the highest cumulative burden of psychiatric disorders. Patients treated with alkylating agent chemotherapeutics had the highest burden of psychiatric disorders, whereas those treated with kinase inhibitors had the lowest burden. All mental illnesses were associated with an increased risk of subsequent self-harm, where the highest risk was observed within 12 months of the mental illness diagnosis. Patients who harmed themselves were 6.8 times more likely to die of unnatural causes of death compared with controls within 12 months of self-harm (hazard ratio (HR), 6.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 4.3–10.7). The risk of unnatural death after 12 months was markedly lower (HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.5–2.7). We provide an extensive knowledge base to help inform collaborative cancer-psychiatric care initiatives by prioritizing patients who are most at risk.
1 km land use/land cover change of China under comprehensive socioeconomic and climate scenarios for 2020–2100
Authors: Luo Meng , Hu Guohua , Chen Guangzhao , Liu Xiaojuan , Hou Haiyan , Li Xia
Published: March 2022

In the past decades, China has undergone dramatic land use/land cover (LULC) changes. Such changes are expected to continue and profoundly affect our environment. To navigate future uncertainties toward sustainability, increasing efforts have been invested in projecting China’s future LULC following the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) and/or Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). To supplements existing datasets with a high spatial resolution, comprehensive pathway coverage, and delicate account for urban land change, here we present a 1-km gridded LULC dataset for China under 24 comprehensive SSP-RCP scenarios covering 2020–2100 at 10-year intervals. Our approach is to integrate the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM) and Future Land Use Simulation (FLUS) model. This dataset shows good performance compared to remotely sensed CCI-LC data and is generally spatio-temporally consistent with the Land Use Harmonization version-2 dataset. This new dataset (available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14776128.v1) provides a valuable alternative for multi-scenario-based research with high spatial resolution, such as earth system modeling, ecosystem services, and carbon neutrality.
Superior catalytic performance of intermetallic CaPt2nanoparticles supported on titanium group oxides in hydrogenation of ketones to alcohols
Authors: Kobayashi Yasukazu , Tada Shohei , Kondo Masaru , Fujiwara Kakeru , Mizoguchi Hiroshi
Published: March 2022

Novel molten salt synthesis of a highly active intermetallic CaPt2catalyst supported on titanium oxide for hydrogenation of cyclohexanone to cyclohexanol.