bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managers and shorebird biologists' perceptions of enforcement and voluntary compliance techniques to increase compliance with dog regulations on beaches
Authors: Dayer Ashley A. , Everly Jillian , Comber Carolyn A. , Gore Meredith L.
Published: August 2022

Disturbance to shorebirds by domestic dogs can cause direct and indirect bird mortality. Dog regulations to minimize disturbance are only effective if people comply with them.

Non‐compliance is a universal problem in biodiversity conservation, with an associated body of applicable social science from the field of conservation criminology. We apply the lens of this literature to better understand non‐compliance with dog regulations on beaches along the Atlantic Flyway of the U.S. and the role of law enforcement and voluntary compliance techniques (e.g. persuasive communications, behavioural alternatives) in fostering compliance.

Through in‐depth interviews with 27 land managers and shorebird biologists experienced in creating and/or implementing regulations to reduce disturbance to shorebirds, we found that non‐compliance is a challenge that law enforcement alone is inadequate to address.

Managers are working to overcome these challenges with law enforcement through training law enforcement officers, as well as voluntary compliance approaches, such as conducting on‐site stewardship programs led largely by volunteers, placing educational signage at sites, and highlighting alternative areas to walk dogs.

The early stages of the COVID‐19 pandemic in the U.S. increased dog walking on beaches and exacerbated the issue of non‐compliance and lack of enforcement, while the capacity for educational and stewardship programs was also limited.

We conclude by recommending that managers and biologists tackle non‐compliance with multiple and concurrent strategies along a spectrum from enforcement to voluntary compliance techniques, while also better studying the efficacy of these approaches. We also highlight the importance of continuing to track the ongoing challenges to compliance with biodiversity conservation regulations due to the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Aminolysis of polyesters for cracking and structure clarifying: A review
Authors: Rabiei Navid , Kish Mohammad Haghighat
Published: August 2022

Cracking of polyester bottles and recycling the waste, which is of concern in the current research works have their roots in the environmental stress cracking and the physical structural analysis, which has been the subject of a huge number of research reports, that are collected in the present review. Polyesters are polymers of high importance in industry and academia, and amines are versatile chemicals that are used for different purposes. The reaction of polyester with amines has been used to reveal structure, improve the properties of products, convert polyesters waste into benign materials, enhance biocompatibility, and so on. The research works reported on the aminolysis of polyesters (PET, PCL, PLA, PTT, PBT, PHB, PEN, PEA) for structure and morphological determination, etching, and stress cracking are critically reviewed. The chemistry and mechanism of the reactions of aminolysis of an ester or a polyester are well documented, and a vast amount of useful information is available. There is a need for further research to answer the remaining questions on the intermediates. Solutions of amines act as environmental stress‐cracking agents, may induce crystallization, and probably it can dissolve and remove a certain amount of disordered regions as well. In the subject of stress cracking that can help the elucidation of the process of aging, it is not yet clear how cracks patterns and sizes (from nano up to micro size) observed on the surface of polyester products depend on the thermal and mechanical history of the samples, and it is not known how to produce cracked patterns according to a pre‐planned design on the surfaces of polyester articles. To make polyesters more useful and safe the structure must be revealed in order to get benefit from the structure–property relations.
Registration of ‘Epoch’ hard red winter wheat
Authors: Baenziger P. S. , Frels K. A. , Boehm J. , Belamkar V. , Rose D. J. , Xu L. , Wegulo S. N. , Regassa T. , Easterly A. C. , Creech C. F. , Santra D. K. , Klein R. N. , Jin Y. , Kolmer J. , Chen M.‐S. , Guttieri M. J. , Bai G. , El‐Basyoni Salah I. , Masterson S. D. , Poland J.
Published: August 2022

‘Epoch’ (Reg. no. CV‐1195, PI 699379) hard red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed cooperatively by the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station and the USDA‐ARS and released in February 2021 by the developing institutions. It was selected from the cross ‘Hitch’/NW03666. The pedigree of NW03666 is N94S097KS/NE93459. The cross was made in 2009. The F1 generation was grown in Yuma, AZ, in 2010, and the F2 to F3 generations were advanced using the bulk breeding method at Mead, NE, in 2010–2011 to 2011–2012. In 2012–2013, single F3‐derived F4 rows were planted for selection. From 2015 on, Epoch was tested under rainfed or irrigated conditions in single replicate trials with replicated checks (2015) and in replicated alpha lattice trials (2015–2020). There was no further selection in Epoch other than to remove off‐types thereafter. Epoch was selected using both phenotypic and genomic selection for its ability to survive the winter, short stature with strong straw strength, agronomic performance under irrigation, resistance to diseases, and end‐use quality. Epoch seems to be narrowly adapted to irrigated production fields in Nebraska. The name Epoch was chosen because it marks the transition of leadership in the UNL Wheat breeding project from P. Stephen Baenziger to the new wheat breeder, Katherine A. Frels; hence, it marks the end of one era and the beginning of the next.
Crystal structure of Methanococcus jannaschii dihydroorotase
Authors: Vitali Jacqueline , Nix Jay C. , Newman Haley E. , Colaneri Michael J.
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we report the structural analysis of dihydroorotase (DHOase) from the hyperthermophilic and barophilic archaeon Methanococcus jannaschii. DHOase catalyzes the reversible cyclization of N‐carbamoyl‐l‐aspartate to l‐dihydroorotate in the third step of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. DHOases form a very diverse family of enzymes and have been classified into types and subtypes with structural similarities and differences among them. This is the first archaeal DHOase studied by x‐ray diffraction. Its structure and comparison with known representatives of the other subtypes help define the structural features of the archaeal subtype. The M. jannaschii DHOase is found here to have traits from all subtypes. Contrary to expectations, it has a carboxylated lysine bridging the two Zn ions in the active site, and a long catalytic loop. It is a monomeric protein with a large β sandwich domain adjacent to the TIM barrel. Loop 5 is similar to bacterial type III and the C‐terminal extension is long.
Toxicity and risk assessment of nine pesticides on nontarget natural predator Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)
Authors: Cheng Shenhang , Yu Caihong , Xue Mingming , Wang Xiaojun , Chen Liping , Nie Dongxing , Zhang Nan , Zhang Jia , Hou Yanhua , Lin Ronghua
Published: August 2022

BACKGROUND

Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is a beneficial predatory arthropod in the agricultural ecosystem. For the success and development of integrated pest management strategies, it is essential to assess the toxicity risks of commonly used pesticides to nontarget arthropods.

RESULTS

The glass tube residue method was used to determine the risk of nine pesticides to H. axyridis after second‐instar exposure. To assess the potential risk of the selected pesticides, the pre‐adult LR50 values were calculated by the hazard quotient (HQ) method. The LR50 (application rate causing 50% mortality) values of imidacloprid, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid, bifenthrin, and dimethoate were 0.44, 0.82, 0.10, 0.05, 0.04, and 0.21 g a.i. ha−1, respectively, showing unacceptable risk to H. axyridis after exposure to in and off field. However, emamectin benzoate and two fungicides, tebuconazole and myclobutanil, posed a low risk to H. axyridis and their HQ values were less than the trigger value of 5.

CONCLUSIONS

The four neonicotinoid insecticides (imidacloprid, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, and acetamiprid), pyrethroid bifenthrin, and organophosphorus dimethoate showed a high risk to H. axyridis. Emamectin benzoate, tebuconazole, and myclobutanil showed a low risk to H. axyridis under both exposure scenarios. The results provide critical scientific evidence to guide future regulation of pesticide management practices and protection of nontarget arthropods like H. axyridis. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Organ‐On‐A‐Chip Models of the Blood–Brain Barrier: Recent Advances and Future Prospects
Authors: Kawakita Satoru , Mandal Kalpana , Mou Lei , Mecwan Marvin Magan , Zhu Yangzhi , Li Shaopei , Sharma Saurabh , Hernandez Ana Lopez , Nguyen Huu Tuan , Maity Surjendu , de Barros Natan Roberto , Nakayama Aya , Bandaru Praveen , Ahadian Samad , Kim Han‐Jun , Herculano Rondinelli Donizetti , Holler Eggehard , Jucaud Vadim , Dokmeci Mehmet Remzi , Khademhosseini Ali
Published: August 2022

The human brain and central nervous system (CNS) present unique challenges in drug development for neurological diseases. One major obstacle is the blood–brain barrier (BBB), which hampers the effective delivery of therapeutic molecules into the brain while protecting it from blood‐born neurotoxic substances and maintaining CNS homeostasis. For BBB research, traditional in vitro models rely upon Petri dishes or Transwell systems. However, these static models lack essential microenvironmental factors such as shear stress and proper cell–cell interactions. To this end, organ‐on‐a‐chip (OoC) technology has emerged as a new in vitro modeling approach to better recapitulate the highly dynamic in vivo human brain microenvironment so‐called the neural vascular unit (NVU). Such BBB‐on‐a‐chip models have made substantial progress over the last decade, and concurrently there has been increasing interest in modeling various neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease using OoC technology. In addition, with recent advances in other scientific technologies, several new opportunities to improve the BBB‐on‐a‐chip platform via multidisciplinary approaches are available. In this review, an overview of the NVU and OoC technology is provided, recent progress and applications of BBB‐on‐a‐chip for personalized medicine and drug discovery are discussed, and current challenges and future directions are delineated.
Ultrathin Pd3Pt1Rh0.1 Nanorings with Strong C−C Bond Breaking Ability for the Ethanol Oxidation Reaction
Authors: Tian Hao , Zhu Runxi , Deng Peilin , Li Jing , Huang Wei , Chen Qi , Su Ya‐Qiong , Jia Chunman , Liu Zhongxin , Shen Yijun , Tian Xinlong
Published: August 2022

Ethanol as a fuel for direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) has the advantages of being highly energetic, environmentally friendly, and low−cost, while the slow anodic ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR), intermediate poisoning effect, and incomplete oxidation of ethanol became obstacles to the development of DEFCs. Herein, a 2D ternary cyclic Pd3Pt1Rh0.1 nanorings (NRs) catalyst with efficient EOR performance is prepared via a facile one−pot solvothermal approach, and systematic studies are carried out to reveal the mechanisms of the enhanced performance and C−C bond selectivity. In particular, the optimized catalyst exhibits impressive mass activity, stability, toxicity resistance, and C−C bond cleavage ability. It's proposed that the considerable performance is attributed to the unique hollow structure, providing abundant active sites. The high toxicity resistance is not only attributed to the electronic modulation of the catalyst material by Rh atoms, but also depends on the excellent water activation properties of Rh, which contribute to the removal of intermediates, such as CO. In addition, the density functional theory calculations showed that the introduction of Rh significantly enhances the C−C bond cleavage ability of the catalyst, further improving the EOR activity.
Synergistic Effects in Ultrafine Molybdenum–Tungsten Bimetallic Carbide Hollow Carbon Architecture Boost Hydrogen Evolution Catalysis and Lithium‐Ion Storage
Authors: Yan Meng , Zhao Zejun , Wang Teng , Chen Rui , Zhou Chenming , Qin Yifan , Yang Shuai , Zhang Mingchang , Yang Yong
Published: August 2022

Constructing hierarchical heterostructures is considered a useful strategy to regulate surface electronic structure and improve the electrochemical kinetics. Herein, the authors develop a hollow architecture composed of MoC1‐x and WC1‐x carbide nanoparticles and carbon matrix for boosting electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution and lithium ions storage. The hybridization of ultrafine nanoparticles confined in the N‐doped carbon nanosheets provides an appropriate hydrogen adsorption free energy and abundant boundary interfaces for lithium intercalation, leading to the synergistically enhanced composite conductivity. As a proof of concept, the as‐prepared catalyst exhibits outstanding and durable electrocatalytic performance with a low overpotential of 103 and 163 mV at 10 mA cm−2, as well as a Tafel slope of 58 and 90 mV dec−1 in alkaline electrolyte and acid electrolyte, respectively. Moreover, evaluated as an anode for a lithium‐ion battery, the as‐resulted sample delivers a rate capability of 1032.1 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1. This electrode indicates superior cyclability with a capability of 679.1 mA h g−1 at 5 A g−1 after 4000 cycles. The present work provides a strategy to design effective and stable bimetallic carbide composites as superior electrocatalysts and electrode materials.
Multifunctional Atomic Molybdenum on Graphene with Distinctive Coordination to Solve Li and S Electrochemistry
Authors: Yuan Jia , Xi Baojuan , Wang Peng , Zhang Zhengchunyu , Song Ning , An Xuguang , Liu Jie , Feng Jinkui , Xiong Shenglin
Published: August 2022

The improvement of lithium–sulfur batteries is still impeded by notorious shuttling effect and sluggish kinetics on the S cathode, and rampant Li dendrite formation on the Li anode makes it worse. Herein, a type of single‐atom dispersed Mo on nitrogen‐doped graphene (Mo/NG) with a distinctive Mo‐N2O2‐C coordination structure first serving as a multifunctional material is designed by a structure‐oriented strategy to solve Li and S electrochemistry. Mo/NG with superior intrinsic properties endowed by the unique coordination configuration adsorbs soluble polysulfides and promotes bidirectional conversion of LiPSs at the cathode side. Meanwhile, the suitable binding strength of Mo/NG with lithium ions endows it with an attractive lithiophilic feature. Specifically, Mo/NG is able to work as the adaptor to redistribute lithium ions on the interface of separator and homogenize the lithium ion flux. Due to the suitable binding ability with Li+, it does not interfere with the diffusion of lithium ions across and provides tunnels exclusive to lithium ions to generate fast and homogeneous flux. Ascribed to such unique multifunctionality, Li–S batteries assembled with Mo/NG exhibit excellent electrochemical performance including long cycling stability over 1000 cycles and high areal capacities under high sulfur mass loading.
Direct Laser Metal Deposition of AISI H13 Cladding on Copper–Beryllium Alloy Substrate Through a Stainless‐Steel Buffer Layer Strategy
Authors: Zhao Zhao , Perini Matteo , Bosetti Paolo , Pellizzari Massimo
Published: August 2022

AISI H13 cladding is deposited on the copper–beryllium (CuBe) alloy substrate by direct laser metal deposition via a buffer layer strategy. The SS316L austenite stainless steel is used as the buffer material attempting to reduce the risk of cracking. Single‐ and multi‐layer samples are deposited, including single‐layer SS316L, 1‐layer SS316L + 1‐layer H13, 2‐layers SS316L + 1‐layer H13, and 1‐layer SS316L + 4‐layers H13. The defect‐free single‐layer SS316L cladding is successfully deposited after the parameter pre‐optimization. Two types of defects including porosity and cracking are observed in all multi‐layer systems. The cladding microhardness of the 2‐layer system is rather low (400HV). A 50% increase in the cladding microhardness is observed when depositing on the five‐layer system. The five‐layer system shows a better load‐bearing capability (LBC) compared with the CuBe substrate in the low loading range. As load increases above 10 kN, the five‐layer cladding system shows the worse LBC compared to CuBe due to the low strength of the heat‐affected zone. A 2.7% cladding to substrate thickness ratio allows keeping more than 80% of the original thermal conductivity of the CuBe substrate.
Complementing or Conflicting Rationalities? How Self-Production Practices in Collective Spaces Can Shape Urban Planning: Insights from Maputo City
Authors: António Milousa
Published: August 2022

Spatial planning and governance in African cities are often framed and conceived through the formal-informal binary. This view has been responsible for negative connotations that increase urban populations’ vulnerability. Moreover, it has been heavily criticised as presenting a reductive view of urban development. Alternative framings such as “alternative informality” and “self-production” have recently contested such views by proposing process-oriented approaches that recognise the legitimacy of informal praxis. However, research on self-production practices has tended to focus on the household or municipal level, neglecting what can be termed “collective space”. This chapter explores the production and use practices within collective spaces based on research conducted in two peripheral neighbourhoods in Maputo in 2019. The findings highlight the role and legitimacy of self-production practices in collective space to provide services, consolidate local governance and substantiate urban development. It finds that the role of local residents and authorities in urban planning has only tentatively been accepted by official municipal-level planning agencies. The chapter will reflect on how collective space can better overcome local challenges beyond the household level and represent potentialities for inclusive and democratic planning. However, there are still many challenges in collective space that remain poorly addressed.
Is Climate Change Knowledge Making a Difference in Urban Planning and Practice: Perspectives from Practitioners and Policymakers in Tanzania
Authors: Kombe Wilbard Jackson , Alananga Samwel S.
Published: August 2022

The magnitude and effects of Climate Change (CC) such as floods and storms are projected to increase in the future. There is also a consensus among scholars that rich CC knowledge in urban planning can lead to better Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Mitigation (CCM) outcomes. However, generally the role of planners and plans in responding to Climate Change (CC) challenges has been disappointing and increasingly questioned. This chapter analyses the role of planning education, experience and/or practice among professional planners in addressing climate adaptation and mitigation issues. Field studies involving face to face interviews were conducted in Arusha Municipality in 2019. Questionnaires were completed by practitioners and policymakers. The findings highlight the gaps in CC knowledge and capacity among planners and policymakers. Also, the extent of informality, the major force transforming urban land use and development is overlooked. Most importantly, there is insensitivity, lack of accountability and political commitment by the Local Government Authority (LGA) on CC issues in planning, budgeting, and management. We argue that improving the role of urban planning in CCA and CCM requires: a recognition of the indispensable role of LGAs; substantive engagement of stakeholders; acknowledgement of socio-cultural and economic barriers to CCA/CCM at the local level; guidance on informality; and adaption of multi-level governance and integration of spatial and economic planning at city and community levels.
Zusammenfassung, Implikationen und Reflexion
Authors: Gier Nadine R.
Published: August 2022

In Kapitel 5 werden die wesentlichen Erkenntnisse zusammengefasst (Abschnitt 5.1) und die daraus ableitbaren Implikationen für die Forschung und Praxis beschrieben (Abschnitt 5.2). Die Ergebnisse aus den Beiträgen zur Consumer Decision Neuroscience bieten sowohl einen Erkenntnisgewinn für die wissenschaftliche Forschung als auch die Möglichkeit, praktisch-normative Handlungsimplikationen abzuleiten, die die Erkenntnisse im anwendungsorientierten Kontext nutzbar machen. Im Anschluss wird die vorliegende Arbeit vor dem Hintergrund theoretischer Weiterentwicklung kritisch reflektiert (Abschnitt 5.3).
Non-perturbative aspects of the self-dual double copy
Authors: Armstrong-Williams Kymani , White Chris D. , Wikeley Sam
Published: August 2022

Abstract

The double copy is by now a firmly-established correspondence between amplitudes and classical solutions in biadjoint scalar, gauge and gravity theories. To date, no strongly coupled examples of the double copy in four dimensions have been found, and previous attempts based on exact non-linear solutions of biadjoint theory in Lorentzian signature have failed. In this paper, we instead look for biadjoint solutions in Euclidean signature, which may be relatable to Yang-Mills or gravitational instantons. We show that spherically symmetric power-like Euclidean solutions do not exist in precisely four spacetime dimensions. The explanation for why this is the case turns out to involve the Eguchi-Hanson instanton, whose single copy structure is found to be more complicated (and interesting) than previously thought. We provide a more general prescription for double- copying instantons, and explain how our results provide a higher-dimensional complement to a recently presented non-perturbative double copy of exact solutions in two spacetime dimensions. In doing so, we demonstrate how the replacement of colour by kinematic Lie algebras operates at the level of exact classical solutions.
Black hole induced false vacuum decay: the role of greybody factors
Authors: Shkerin Andrey , Sibiryakov Sergey
Published: August 2022

Abstract

We study false vacuum decay catalyzed by black holes. We consider a toy two-dimensional model of a scalar field with an unstable potential in the background of a dilaton black hole. A realistic black hole in four dimensions possesses the potential barrier for linear field perturbations. We model this barrier — the greybody factor — for spherically-symmetric perturbations in the toy model by adding a coupling between the scalar field and dilaton. We compute analytically the decay rate for the black hole in thermal equilibrium (Hartle-Hawking state) and for the radiating black hole in empty space (Unruh state). Our results show that, contrary to the Hartle-Hawking vacuum, the decay probability of the Unruh vacuum remains exponentially suppressed at all black hole temperatures. We argue that this result holds also in four dimensions.
Solving Continuous Time Leech Problems for Rational Operator Functions
Authors: Frazho A. E. , Kaashoek M. A. , van Schagen F.
Published: August 2022

The main continuous time Leech problems considered in this paper are based on stable rational finite dimensional operator-valued functionsGandK. Here stable means thatGandKdo not have poles in the closed right half plane including infinity, and the Leech problem is to find a stable rational operator solutionXsuch that$$\begin{aligned} G(s)X(s) = K(s) \quad (s\in \mathbb {C}_+) \quad \hbox {and}\quad \sup \{ \Vert X(s) \Vert :\Re s \ge 0 \} < 1 . \end{aligned}$$G(s)X(s)=K(s)(s∈C+)andsup{‖X(s)‖:ℜs≥0}<1.In the paper the solution of the Leech problem is given in the form of a state space realization. In this realization the finite dimensional operators involved are expressed in the operators of state space realizations of the functionsGandK. The formulas are inspired by and based on ideas originating from commutant lifting techniques. However, the proof mainly uses the state space representations of the rational finite dimensional operator-valued functions involved. The solutions to the discrete time Leech problem on the unit circle are easier to develop and have been solved earlier; see, for example, Frazho et al. (Indagationes Math 25:250–274 2014).
Effect of re-depositions and fiber exposure on the adhesive bond strength of CFRP after UV excimer laser treatment
Authors: Veltrup M. , Lukasczyk T. , Mayer B.
Published: August 2022

Adhesive bonding of CFRP is one major approach to join this class of compound materials with other components, e.g., metals. The necessity to clean CFRP parts after fabrication and generate a bond-ready interface without damaging the implemented fibers demands a gentle and highly reproducible surface treatment. Lasers operating in the UV region are one promising technique for that topic. Yet, the factors influencing the adhesion properties of laser-treated CFRP are not sufficiently understood. The present paper describes the influence of nanosecond-pulsed laser parameters on CFRP treatment effects in context of adhesive bonding properties. A special focus was given on the distribution and avoidance of re-deposition effects by laser parameter selection. Furthermore, the effect of laser-induced fiber exposure was analyzed. Re-deposition and fiber exposure were complementarily discussed with chemical analyses of the surface composition after laser treatment in the context of bond strength studies under Mode I loading. It was found that both effects, i.e., re-deposition on the treated surface and laser-induced fiber exposure by overtreatment, result in lower strength values compared to an “optimized” treatment exhibiting none of the descripted conditions.
Prevalence of chronic comorbidities in people with multiple sclerosis: descriptive study based on administrative data in Tuscany (Central Italy)
Authors: Bezzini Daiana , Gualdani Elisa , Razzanelli Matilde , Battaglia Mario Alberto , Cortese Rosa , Francesconi Paolo , Ulivelli Monica
Published: August 2022

Objective

Chronic comorbidities are common in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), thus worsening their prognosis and quality of life, and increasing disease burden. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of common comorbidities in PwMS in Tuscany (Central Italy) and to compare it with the general population.

Methods

The prevalence of comorbidities, including diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension, stroke, heart failure (HF), cardiac infarction and ischemic heart disease (IHD), was assessed in PwMS and in general population resident in Tuscany, aged > 20 years, using administrative data.

Results

In total, we identified 8,274 PwMS. Among them, 34% had at least one comorbidity, with hypertension being the most common (28.5%). Comparing PwMS with the general population, PwMS had a higher frequency of hypertension and stroke when considering the whole group, and of diabetes, COPD, and IHD when considering sex and age subgroups. This increased risk was especially evident in the young and intermediate age groups, where multiple sclerosis may play an important role as risk factor for some comorbidities.

In PwMS, as well as in the general population, prevalence of chronic diseases was higher in males and increased with age.

Conclusions

Comorbidities frequently coexist with multiple sclerosis and they may have an impact on this complex disease, from the health, clinical, and socioeconomic points of view. Therefore, a routine screening of chronic comorbidities should be a crucial step in clinical practice, as well as the promotion of healthy lifestyles to prevent the onset and to reduce their burden.
Perovskite Supported Catalysts for the Selective Oxidation of Glycerol to Tartronic Acid
Authors: Evans Christopher D. , Bartley Jonathan K. , Taylor Stuart H. , Hutchings Graham J. , Kondrat Simon A.
Published: August 2022

Exceptional selectivity of LaMnO3 perovskite supported Au catalysts for the oxidation of glycerol to the dicarboxylate tartronic acid is reported. Through using monometallic Au, Pt or bimetallic Au:Pt nanoparticles the tartronic acid yield could be altered significantly, with a maximum yield of 44% in 6 h with Au/LaMnO3 and 80% within 24 h. These LaMnO3 supported catalysts were compared with conventionally TiO2 supported catalysts, which at comparable reaction conditions produced lactic acid, via a dehydration pathway, in high yield and a maximum tartronic acid yield of only 9% was observed. The LaMnO3 catalysts produced minimal lactic acid regardless of the supported metal, showing that the support structure influences the prevalence of dehydration and oxidation pathways. The choice of metal nanoparticle influenced product selectivity along the oxidation pathway for both LaMnO3 and TiO2 supported catalysts. Au catalysts exhibited a higher selectivity to tartronic acid, whereas AuPt catalysts produced glyceric acid and Pt catalysts produced predominantly C–C scission products.

Graphical Abstract
Attachment-Based Parenting Interventions and Evidence of Changes in Toddler Attachment Patterns: An Overview
Authors: Kohlhoff Jane , Lieneman Corey , Cibralic Sara , Traynor Nicole , McNeil Cheryl B.
Published: August 2022

There is strong evidence to show links between attachment security in young children and a range of positive outcomes in social, emotional, and psychological domains. The aims of this review were to provide a narrative summary of (1) the attachment-based interventions currently available for caregivers of toddlers aged 12–24 months and for which research about the impact of the program on child attachment patterns has been reported, and (2) the empirical effectiveness of these interventions at improving attachment security. A number of interventions were shown to be associated with shifts to secure and/or organized attachment, with Child-Parent Psychotherapy and Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up emerging as the interventions with the strongest evidence bases. For most interventions, evidence came from just a single research study, and in some cases from studies that were not randomized controlled trials. In order for clinicians to make informed decisions about the interventions they use with parents and toddlers, it is vital that further research be conducted to test the efficacy of all available attachment-based parenting programs using randomized controlled trial designs, in a range of settings and clinical and cultural groups, and with longitudinal follow-ups.
A neuro-fuzzy model for predicting and analyzing student graduation performance in computing programs
Authors: Mehdi Riyadh , Nachouki Mirna
Published: August 2022

Predicting student’s successful completion of academic programs and the features that influence their performance can have a significant effect on improving students’ completion, and graduation rates and reduce attrition rates. Therefore, identifying students are at risk, and the courses where improvements in content, delivery mode, pedagogy, and assessment activities can improve students’ learning experience and completion rates. In this work, we have developed a prediction and explanatory model using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) methodology to predict the grade point average (GPA), at graduation time, of students enrolled in the information technology program at Ajman University. The approach adopted uses students’ grades in introductory and fundamental IT courses and high school grade point average (HSGPA) as predictors. Sensitivity analysis was performed on the model to quantify the relative significance of each predictor in explaining variations in graduation GPA. Our findings indicate HSGPA is the most influential factor in predicting graduation GPA, with data structures, operating systems, and software engineering coming closely in second place. On the explanatory side, we have found that discrete mathematics was the most influential course causing variations in graduation GPA, followed by software engineering, information security, and HSGPA. When we ran the model on the testing data, 77% of the predicted values fell within one root mean square error (0.29) of the actual GPA, which has a maximum of four. We have also shown that the ANFIS approach has better predictive accuracy than commonly used techniques such as multilinear regression. We recommend that IT programs at other institutions conduct comparable studies and shed some light on our findings.
Analytical solutions for rheological processes around bores and tunnels
Authors: Fülöp Tamás , Szücs Mátyás
Published: August 2022

Five analytical solutions are presented for processes of linear viscoelastic, homogeneous, and isotropic solids around freshly opened bores / tunnels in various initial stress fields. The solutions are obtained via a simple and direct realization of Volterra’s principle. This realization is based on an appropriate decomposition of the known solution of the corresponding elastic problem and leads to ordinary differential equations in the time variable in the viscoelastic case. Fairly rich temporal behaviors are revealed.
Influence of Weathering on Pore Size Distribution of Soft Rocks
Authors: Knopp Julia , Steger Hagen , Moormann Christian , Blum Philipp
Published: August 2022

Soft rocks can weather and lose their structure within a short time due to drying out and rewetting. Thus they are very sensitive to weathering. Since these rocks are often found in the shallow subsurface, they are of great practical relevance in the foundation of constructions. The rock properties change during the weathering process. Particularly relevant is the softening of the material and the decrease of its mechanical properties, which are determined typically using mechanical laboratory or field tests. The objective of this study is to examine in more detail how the microstructure of rocks changes over the course of weathering, which results in a decrease in mechanical properties. Sulfate rocks of the Grabfeld-Formation in Stuttgart, Germany were investigated. Using XRD analyses it was revealed that initially a chemical weathering processes occurs whereby the rocks leach out, followed by a physical weathering process. Investigations with a mercury porosimeter showed that during chemical weathering the intraaggregate pore content greatly increases, whereas the proportion of interaggregate pores only slightly increases.
Testing general relativity with cosmological large scale structure
Authors: Durrer Ruth
Published: August 2022

In this paper I investigate the possibility to test Einstein’s equations with observations of cosmological large scale structure. I first show that we have not tested the equations in observations concerning only the homogeneous and isotropic Universe. I then show with several examples how we can do better when considering the fluctuations of both, the energy momentum tensor and the metric. This is illustrated with galaxy number counts, intensity mapping and cosmic shear, three examples that are by no means exhaustive.
Training the MCH workforce: the Time for Change is now
Authors: Leider Jonathon P. , Stang Jamie , Bonilla Zobeida E. , Orr Jason , Plepys Christine M. , Gendelman Moriah , Demerath Ellen W.
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Maternal and child health (MCH) services are critical for vulnerable populations. Workforce shortages, poor retention, and gaps in necessary trainings impede the capacity of public health systems to address needs. This manuscript characterizes the current MCH workforce, MCH program applicants and graduates, and describe findings within a national context to devise elements of a recruitment and retention strategy.

Methods

Data were obtained for public health program applicants, first-destination employment outcomes, and worker perceptions and demographics. Data were stratified according to the MCH and total public health workforce and by local, state, and national totals. Data were characterized by degree type, discipline, demographics, and employment outcomes.

Results

MCH staff constitute 11% of the state and local governmental public health workforce. MCH staff are approximately as diverse, have higher educational attainment, and are more likely to hold nursing degrees than the rest of the public health workforce. Yet, just 14% of MCH staff hold any type of public health degree. The MCH pipeline from academia appears modestly sized, with approximately 5% of applicants between 2017 and 2021 applying to a MCH master’s degree.

Discussion

The MCH workforce has a lower proportion of formal training or degrees in public health, though trends seem to indicate improvements. However, it is critical that a multi-faceted recruitment and retention strategy be coordinated by a broad range of stakeholders. These efforts will serve to improve the capability and capacity of the public health system to address critical needs of increasingly diverse MCH populations.

Significance

In order to modernize and reimagine the academic-public health pipeline, it is critical to better understand how many applicants and graduates exist within Maternal and Child Health programs across the US, and their characteristics. This manuscript connects that information with the most recently available public health workforce information on demographics, workplace perceptions, and intent to leave among staff at state and local health departments. Data presented in this paper allow the most comprehensive characterization of the MCH academia->practice pipeline to-date, identifies a fundamental disconnect in those career pathways, and offers options to repair that break.
Glacial sediments on the outer Chukchi Shelf and Chukchi Borderland in seismic reflection data
Authors: Lehmann Carsten , Jokat Wilfried , Coakley Bernard
Published: August 2022

The up to 900 km broad shelves off East Siberia and northwest off Alaska, including the Chukchi Shelf and Borderland, are characterized by shallow water in the periphery of the Arctic Ocean, north of the Bering Strait. Seafloor investigations revealed the widespread presence of glacial bedforms, implying the former existence of grounded ice in this region. We discuss the erosion and deposition around and beneath ice sheets/shelves using a regional grid of 2D seismic reflection data, acquired in 2011 from R/V Marcus G. Langseth across the outer ~ 75 km of the Chukchi Shelf and the adjacent Chukchi Borderland. A high amplitude glacial base (GB) reflection extends over large parts of the shelf, separating glacial from preglacial strata. We define eleven seismic reflection characters, that we use to infer distinct depositional environments of glacial sediments. Thick well stratified sediments overlying the GB reflection in the south may have been impacted by fewer advance-retreat cycles than those near the northeastern and western shelf breaks. Here, the GB reflection pinches out at the seafloor next to reworked and eroded areas. Numerous meltwater channels, some up to several kilometers wide, together with grounding zone wedges and recessional moraines are hints for ice sheets in the Chukchi Region. These ice sheets built up a huge grounding zone wedge of 48 km × 75 km on the Chukchi Rise. More grounding zone wedges on the western sides of bathymetric highs of the Chukchi Borderland along with mega scale glacial lineations indicate later ice shelf advances from east during the late Quaternary. However, in the absence of deep sediment cores, the timing or origin of the ice grounding events cannot be fully reconstructed.
The US Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2022 vs. The EU Artificial Intelligence Act: what can they learn from each other?
Authors: Mökander Jakob , Juneja Prathm , Watson David S. , Floridi Luciano
Published: August 2022

On the whole, the US Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2022 (US AAA) is a pragmatic approach to balancing the benefits and risks of automated decision systems. Yet there is still room for improvement. This commentary highlights how the US AAA can both inform and learn from the European Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AIA).
Generalized Sidon sets of perfect powers
Authors: Kiss Sándor Z. , Sándor Csaba
Published: August 2022

For$$h \ge 2$$h≥2and an infinite set of positive integersA, let$$R_{A,h}(n)$$RA,h(n)denote the number of representations of the positive integernas the sum ofhdistinct terms fromA. A set of positive integersAis called a$$B_h[g]$$Bh[g]set if every positive integer can be written as the sum ofhnot necessarily distinct terms fromAat mostgdifferent ways. We say a setAis a basis of orderhif every positive integer can be represented as the sum ofhterms fromA. Recently, Vu [17] proved the existence of a thin basis of orderhformed by perfect powers. In this paper, we study weak$$B_{h}[g]$$Bh[g]sets formed by perfect powers. In particular, we prove the existence of a setAformed by perfect powers with almost possible maximal density such that$$R_{A,h}(n)$$RA,h(n)is bounded by using probabilistic methods.
Study of base-catalyzed isomerization of d-glucose with a focus on reaction kinetics
Authors: Fischer Matthias , Drabo Peter , Delidovich Irina
Published: August 2022

We explored the isomerization of d-glucose into d-fructose using the simplest possible base catalyst, aqueous NaOH, to maintain a constant pH value during the reaction. Under the applied mild conditions (T 50–90 °C, pH 9.5–11.5), yields of d-fructose of up to 31% were observed. Selectivity-conversion plots were not significantly influenced by variation of the temperature, pH value or substrate concentration. A reaction network for kinetic modelling includes d-glucose-d-fructose interconversion, co-production of d-mannose and d-allulose (also known as d-psicose) as well as decomposition paths after deprotonation of the hexoses. All four hexoses were employed as substrates in the isomerization. Thermodynamic ionization constants of the saccharides were measured by means of potentiometric titration. In the kinetic studies, pH-independent rate constants as well as activation energies were determined. The obtained kinetic and thermodynamic results as well as selectivity-conversion correlations present a useful benchmark for soluble and solid base catalysts.
Thermal and light induced infrared blackening of ZnO revisited: rediscovery of fundamental scientific knowledge
Authors: Naliwajko Pawel , Peppel Tim , Strunk Jennifer
Published: August 2022

A comprehensive and reliable view on the influence of UV light and heat on optical properties of ZnO shall be outlined mainly based on research conducted by scientists from Warsaw Pact countries throughout the twentieth century. The problems of language barrier and loss of knowledge are being addressed. An insight into processes of photodesorption and photoadsorption of oxygen and other gas phase molecules leading to changes in charge carrier states is outlined. While desorption of surface adsorbates leads to increased number of conduction electrons and thus increased absorbance of infrared light, adsorption of electronegative gas phase molecules leads to quenching in fluorescence.
Algorithmic identification of Ph.D. thesis-related publications: a proof-of-concept study
Authors: Donner Paul
Published: August 2022

In this study we propose and evaluate a method to automatically identify the journal publications that are related to a Ph.D. thesis using bibliographical data of both items. We build a manually curated ground truth dataset from German cumulative doctoral theses that explicitly list the included publications, which we match with records in the Scopus database. We then test supervised classification methods on the task of identifying the correct associated publications among high numbers of potential candidates using features of the thesis and publication records. The results indicate that this approach results in good match quality in general and with the best results attained by the “random forest” classification algorithm.
Class-Difficulty Based Methods for Long-Tailed Visual Recognition
Authors: Sinha Saptarshi , Ohashi Hiroki , Nakamura Katsuyuki
Published: August 2022

Long-tailed datasets are very frequently encountered in real-world use cases where few classes or categories (known as majority or head classes) have higher number of data samples compared to the other classes (known as minority or tail classes). Training deep neural networks on such datasets gives results biased towards the head classes. So far, researchers have come up with multiple weighted loss and data re-sampling techniques in efforts to reduce the bias. However, most of such techniques assume that the tail classes are always the most difficult classes to learn and therefore need more weightage or attention. Here, we argue that the assumption might not always hold true. Therefore, we propose a novel approach to dynamically measure the instantaneous difficulty of each class during the training phase of the model. Further, we use the difficulty measures of each class to design a novel weighted loss technique called ‘class-wise difficulty based weighted (CDB-W) loss’ and a novel data sampling technique called ‘class-wise difficulty based sampling (CDB-S)’. To verify the wide-scale usability of our CDB methods, we conducted extensive experiments on multiple tasks such as image classification, object detection, instance segmentation and video-action classification. Results verified that CDB-W loss and CDB-S could achieve state-of-the-art results on many class-imbalanced datasets such as ImageNet-LT, LVIS and EGTEA, that resemble real-world use cases.
A wide axial-ratio beamwidth circularly-polarized oval patch antenna with sunlight-shaped slots for gnss and wimax applications
Authors: Abdalrazik Ahmad , Gomaa Ahmed , Kishk Ahmed A.
Published: August 2022

This paper proposes a quadruple band stacked oval patch antenna with sunlight-shaped slots supporting L1/L2/L5 GNSS bands and the 2.3 Ghz WiMAX band. The antenna produces right-hand circular polarization waves with wide axial-ratio beamwidth of 223/216$$^{\circ }$$

∘

and 231/203$$^{\circ }$$

∘

at two orthogonal cutplanes at L5 and L2 GNSS bands, respectively. Firstly, the resonant modes $$TM_{110}$$

T

M
110

and $$TM_{210}$$

T

M
210

are excited inside a single layer oval patch antenna, where resonance frequencies are calculated using Mathieu functions. Meanwhile, it is shown that another version of the mode $$TM_{110}$$

T

M
110

with similar distribution but orthogonal direction is excitable inside the same oval patch. Then, a second stacked oval patch layer is added, which splits the resonance frequency of each of the modes $$TM_{110}$$

T

M
110

and $$TM_{210}$$

T

M
210

into two different values. Depending on the probe feed position and the separation between the two layers, the phase shifts between modes versions in the upper and the lower layers change. Thus, by fine-tuning the probe feed position and the separation between layers, spatially-orthogonal with quadrature-phase-shift versions of the mode $$TM_{110}$$

T

M
110

are obtained, producing a circularly polarized waves at L2 and L5 bands. Furthermore, sunlight shaped slots are etched into the upper and lower layer patches to fine tune the phase shifts between different modes versions, which enhances the overall axial-ratio beamwidth. Despite the simplicity of the overall structure and the feeding mechanism utilized in the proposed design, wide axial-ratio beamwidths are obtained, as compared to previous works. The proposed antenna shows low reflection coefficient values at 1.14–1.29 GHz (L2/L5), 1.45–1.6 GHz (L1), and 2.26–2.4 GHz (WiMAX). The antenna gains are 5.9, 5.6, 6, and 6.5 dBi/dBic at L5, L2, L1, and WiMAX bands, respectively. The half-power beamwidths are 99/96$$^{\circ }$$

∘

, 102/96$$^{\circ }$$

∘

, 112/85$$^{\circ }$$

∘

, and 65/48$$^{\circ }$$

∘

at two orthogonal cutplanes at L5, L2, L1, and WiMAX bands, respectively.