bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structured analysis of broader GMO impacts inspired by technology assessment to inform policy decisions
Authors: Dassler Tim , Myhr Anne I. , Lalyer Carina R. , Frieß Johannes L. , Spök Armin , Liebert Wolfgang , Hagen Kristin , Engelhard Margret , Giese Bernd
Published: November 2023

If genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are approved in the EU for experimental release or marketing authorization (placing on the market), a risk assessment (RA) is carried out beforehand to determine whether this may be associated with negative effects on human health, nature or the environment. Applications are reviewed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the national Competent Authorities of the Member States. However, the potential ramifications of the GMOs that are systematically addressed in the current RA context are limited. Broader consideration can include environmental and health aspects beyond the scope of the statutory RA, as well as societal, ethical and cultural impacts. These other levels of impact may be considered during the comitology process of authorisation, but how this is done is typically not made explicit in a systematic way. However, with the dynamic developments of new kinds of GMOs, these considerations as well as transparency regarding the role of broader considerations in political decision-making become more and more relevant. Against this backdrop, we identified the requirements and suggest the main elements for such a broader assessment. We use insights from the field of Technology Assessment (TA) to explore the requirements for operationalising a rapid but still systematic, transparent and broad case-by-case GMO assessment compatible with the existing legislative framework.
Material properties and durability of 19th–20th century Tibetan manuscripts
Authors: Luo Yujia , Cigić Irena Kralj , Wei Quan , Marinšek Marjan , Strlič Matija
Published: November 2023

Most currently available research into Tibetan paper focuses on the earliest books from an archaeological perspective. On the other hand, scientific studies of the 19th−20th century Tibetan paper are largely missing, specifically with respect to material properties and paper permanence. To explore these, both conventional and modified methods were applied using reference historic material collection. Material properties such as fibre morphology, paper pH, degree of polymerisation (DP), water and ash contents were investigated. The measurement methods for starch and protein content were explored—and we report on a quantification method for the determination of starch content in paper. The degradation behaviour of Tibetan paper was studied using accelerated degradation experiments at two sets of conditions (80 ˚C, 65% RH and 60 ˚C, 80% RH) for up to 84 days in order to explore the applicability of existing dose-response functions. The results demonstrate that examined 19th−20th century papers used in Tibetan books, were prepared using diverse fibres, similar to traditional Chinese paper. Most of paper sheets presented laminated structures, where starch was used as the predominant glue. The layers within one paper sheet are identical, as evidenced by similar pH and DP values among layers in one sheet. The studied collection of papers tends to have similar properties to modern Chinese paper since most of both types of papers present pH 6.5–8 and DP 1000–2000. The accelerated degradation experiment shows that papers used as writing support in Tibetan books follows the same principle of degradation as western paper has demonstrated, i.e., the rate constants of degradation depend on paper pH, temperature, and relative humidity of the environment. This research expands our understanding of this collection and inform preventive conservation of modern Tibetan manuscripts.
Spring temperature predicts upstream migration timing of invasive Sacramento pikeminnow within its introduced range
Authors: Georgakakos Philip B. , Dralle David N. , Power Mary E.
Published: November 2023

Rapid climate change and invasive species introductions threaten ecological communities across the globe. Freshwaters are particularly vulnerable and impacted, especially when these stresses coincide. We document the migration of an invasive piscine predator, the Sacramento pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus grandis), within its introduced range, the South Fork Eel River, California, USA. Snorkel surveys and temperature monitoring in 2015–2019 showed that pikeminnow migrate upstream during spring and early summer, with earlier migration in warmer years. We developed a statistical temperature model to forecast the timing and extent of upstream migration by pikeminnow under varying combinations of discharge and air temperature. Modeled river temperature increased with air temperature and downstream and decreased with discharge. In years with low discharge and high air temperature, we predict pikeminnow will move upstream earlier, increasing spatial and temporal overlap in their summer range with native fishes. Managing conditions that reduce pikeminnow co-occurrence with native fishes (i.e., decreasing river temperature) could increase amount and duration of predator-free habitat for native fishes. We predict invasive pikeminnow will have larger impacts on invaded riverine communities with global warming and increasing drought severity. Knowledge of life history and phenology, for pikeminnow and other organisms, can guide effective management as conditions change and help to limit adverse impacts of introduced organisms on native species.
Seasonal assessment of selected trace elements in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) blood and their effects on the biochemistry and oxidative stress markers
Authors: Kovacik Anton , Tvrda Eva , Tomka Marian , Revesz Norbert , Arvay Julius , Fik Martin , Harangozo Lubos , Hleba Lukas , Kovacikova Eva , Jambor Tomas , Hlebova Miroslava , Andreji Jaroslav , Massanyi Peter
Published: November 2023

Environmental pollution by anthropogenic activity is still a highly relevant global problem. Aquatic animals are a specifically endangered group of organisms due to their continuous direct contact with the contaminated environment. Concentrations of selected trace elements in the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) (n = 36) blood serum/clot were monitored. Possible effects of the elements on selected biochemical and oxidative markers were evaluated. The concentrations of trace elements (Al, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, Tl, and Zn) were analysed in the fish blood serum and blood clot by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). A general scheme of decreasing concentrations of trace elements in the blood serum samples was: Zn ˃ Fe ˃ Sr ˃ Ba ˃ Ni ˃ Al ˃ Cu ˃ Be ˃ Co; < LOQ (below limit of quantification): Bi, Cd, Cr, Ga, Mn, Mo, Pb, Tl; and in the case of the blood clot, the scheme was as follows: Fe ˃ Zn ˃ Sr ˃ Al ˃ Ni ˃ Ba ˃ Cu ˃ Be ˃ Co ˃ Mn; < LOQ (below limit of quantification): Bi, Cd, Cr, Ga, Mo, Pb, Tl. Significant differences among the seasons were detected. The Spearman R correlation coefficients and linear or non-linear regression were used to evaluate direct relationships between trace elements and selected blood biomarkers. The correlation analysis between biochemical parameters (Na, K, P, Mg, AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, TAG, TP, urea, glucose) and trace elements (Al, Ba, Be, Cu, Fe, Ni, Sr, and Zn) concentrations confirmed statistically significant interactions in both seasons (summer and autumn). The regression analysis between oxidative stress markers (ROS, GPx, creatinine, uric acid, and bilirubin) and elements (Al, Ba, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Sr) content confirmed statistically significant interactions. The results point to numerous connections between the observed elements and the physiological parameters of freshwater fish.
Insights into software development approaches: mining Q &A repositories
Authors: Khan Arif Ali , Khan Javed Ali , Akbar Muhammad Azeem , Zhou Peng , Fahmideh Mahdi
Published: November 2023

Context

Software practitioners adopt approaches like DevOps, Scrum, and Waterfall for high-quality software development. However, limited research has been conducted on exploring software development approaches concerning practitioners’ discussions on Q &A forums.

Objective

We conducted an empirical study to analyze developers’ discussions on Q &A forums to gain insights into software development approaches in practice.

Method

We analyzed 13,903 developers’ posts across Stack Overflow (SO), Software Engineering Stack Exchange (SESE), and Project Management Stack Exchange (PMSE) forums. A mixed method approach, consisting of the topic modeling technique (i.e., Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA)) and qualitative analysis, is used to identify frequently discussed topics of software development approaches, trends (popular, difficult topics), and the challenges faced by practitioners in adopting different software development approaches.

Findings

We identified 15 frequently mentioned software development approaches topics on Q &A sites and observed an increase in trends for the top-3 most difficult topics requiring more attention. Finally, our study identified 49 challenges faced by practitioners while deploying various software development approaches, and we subsequently created a thematic map to represent these findings.

Conclusions

The study findings serve as a useful resource for practitioners to overcome challenges, stay informed about current trends, and ultimately improve the quality of software products they develop.
A node-splitting lattice spring model coupled with a J-integral formulation as a fracture criterion
Authors: Ye Bo , Jettestuen Espen , Malthe-Sørenssen Anders
Published: November 2023

A global energy minimization criterion based on Griffith’s theory is introduced for the node-splitting lattice spring model. The fracture criterion is computed by both direct numerical simulations of energy release rate G and through a J-integral formulation for comparison and validation. For mode I fractures, the standard implementation of J-integral formulation yields very good estimations of the energy release rate, but for mixed mode fracture the estimations deviates from the direct calculated energy release rate. The reasons for this discrepancy are elucidated and an approach to best approximate the J value is given. This method is compared with the more standard maximum tip stress threshold crack criterion, and shows a much better prediction of the energy release rate and is more robust under grid refinement.
L-Carnitine augments probenecid anti-inflammatory effect in monoiodoacetate-induced knee osteoarthritis in rats: involvement of miRNA-373/P2X7/NLRP3/NF-κB milieu
Authors: Mahfouz Rawan , H. El-Rewini Safaa , I. Ghoneim Asser , Sheta Eman , A. Ali Mennatallah , Ibrahim Sherihan Salaheldin Abdelhamid
Published: November 2023

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease, whereas the underlying molecular trails involved in its pathogenesis are not fully elucidated. Hence, the current study aimed to investigate the role of miRNA-373/P2X7/NLRP3/NF-κB trajectory in its pathogenesis as well as the possible anti-inflammatory effects of probenecid and l-carnitine in ameliorating osteoarthritis via modulating this pathway. In the current study, male Sprague Dawley rats were used and monoiodoacetate (MIA)-induced knee osteoarthritis model was adopted. Probenecid and/or L-carnitine treatments for 14 days succeeded in reducing OA knee size and reestablishing motor coordination and joint mobility assessed by rotarod testing. Moreover, different treatments suppressed the elevated serum levels of IL-1β, IL-18, IL-6, and TNF-α via tackling the miRNA-373/P2X7/NLRP3/NF-κB, witnessed as reductions in protein expressions of P2X7, NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1 and NF-κB. These were accompanied by increases in procaspase-1 and IκB protein expression and in miRNA-373 gene expression OA knee to various extents. In addition, different regimens reversed the abnormalities observed in the H and E as well as Safranin O-Fast green OA knees stained sections. Probenecid or l-carnitine solely showed comparable results on the aforementioned parameters, whereas the combination therapy had the most prominent effect on ameliorating the aforementioned parameters. In conclusion, l-carnitine augmented the probenecid’s anti-inflammatory effect to attenuate MIA-induced osteoarthritis in rats by provoking the miRNA-373 level and inhibiting the P2X7/NLRP3/NF-κB milieu, leading to the suppression of serum inflammatory cytokines: IL-1β, IL-18, IL-6, and TNF-α. These findings suggest the possibility of using probenecid and l-carnitine as a useful therapeutic option for treatment of osteoarthritis.

Graphical abstract
Unconditionally Stable and Convergent Difference Scheme for Superdiffusion with Extrapolation
Authors: Yang Jinping , Green Charles Wing Ho , Pani Amiya K. , Yan Yubin
Published: November 2023

Approximating the Hadamard finite-part integral by the quadratic interpolation polynomials, we obtain a scheme for approximating the Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative of order $$\alpha \in (1, 2)$$

α
∈
(
1
,
2
)

and the error is shown to have the asymptotic expansion $$ \big ( d_{3} \tau ^{3- \alpha } + d_{4} \tau ^{4-\alpha } + d_{5} \tau ^{5-\alpha } + \cdots \big ) + \big ( d_{2}^{*} \tau ^{4} + d_{3}^{*} \tau ^{6} + d_{4}^{*} \tau ^{8} + \cdots \big ) $$

(

d
3

τ

3
-
α

+

d
4

τ

4
-
α

+

d
5

τ

5
-
α

+
⋯

)

+

(

d

2

∗

τ
4

+

d

3

∗

τ
6

+

d

4

∗

τ
8

+
⋯

)

at any fixed time, where $$\tau $$
τ
denotes the step size and $$d_{l}, l=3, 4, \dots $$

d
l

,
l
=
3
,
4
,
⋯

and $$d_{l}^{*}, l\,=\,2, 3, \dots $$

d

l

∗

,
l

=

2
,
3
,
⋯

are some suitable constants. Applying the proposed scheme in temporal direction and the central difference scheme in spatial direction, a new finite difference method is developed for approximating the time fractional wave equation. The proposed method is unconditionally stable, convergent with order $$O (\tau ^{3- \alpha }), \alpha \in (1, 2)$$

O

(

τ

3
-
α

)

,
α
∈

(
1
,
2
)

and the error has the asymptotic expansion. Richardson extrapolation is applied to improve the accuracy of the numerical method. The convergence orders are $$O ( \tau ^{4- \alpha })$$

O
(

τ

4
-
α

)

and $$O ( \tau ^{2(3- \alpha )}), \alpha \in (1, 2)$$

O

(

τ

2
(
3
-
α
)

)

,
α
∈

(
1
,
2
)

, respectively, after first two extrapolations. Numerical examples are presented to show that the numerical results are consistent with the theoretical findings.
On the convergence of multiple Richardson extrapolation combined with explicit Runge–Kutta methods
Authors: Bayleyegn Teshome , Faragó István , Havasi Ágnes
Published: November 2023

The order of accuracy of any convergent time integration method for systems of differential equations can be increased by using the sequence acceleration method known as Richardson extrapolation, as well as its variants (classical Richardson extrapolation and multiple Richardson extrapolation). The original (classical) version of Richardson extrapolation consists in taking a linear combination of numerical solutions obtained by two different time-steps with time-step sizes h and h/2 by the same numerical method. Multiple Richardson extrapolation is a generalization of this procedure, where the extrapolation is applied to the combination of some underlying numerical method and the classical Richardson extrapolation. This procedure increases the accuracy order of the underlying method from p to $$p+2$$

p
+
2

, and with each repetition, the order is further increased by one. In this paper we investigate the convergence of multiple Richardson extrapolation in the case where the underlying numerical method is an explicit Runge–Kutta method, and the computational efficiency is also checked.
A mathematical model for simulating photoacoustic signal generation and propagation in biological tissues
Authors: GadAllah Mohammed Tarek , Mohamed Abd El-Naser A. , Hefnawy Alaa A. , Zidan Hassan E. , El-Banby Ghada M. , Badawy Samir Mohamed
Published: November 2023

Photoacoustic (PA) medical imaging is a crossbred technique relying on light-induced ultrasonic waves due to the PA effect phenomenon recorded primarily in 1880 by A. G. Bell. Numerical simulation, also known as in-silico, studies assist scientists in minimizing incorrect PA experiments in both in-vitro and in-vivo. Numerical modeling techniques help to achieve a fast simulation process in contrast to pure mathematics alone. However, if a suitable facilitated mathematical model can be established prior to applying numerical modeling, it will be of great interest to the whole numeric model. Numerous mathematical equations, theorems, and propositions have been proposed to model the whole PA signal generation and propagation process in biological media. However, most of them are complicated and difficult to be understood by researchers, especially beginners. That’s why this paper was introduced. Our paper aims to simplify the understanding of the generation and propagation process of biomedical PA waves. We have developed a facilitated mathematical model for the entire process. The introduced developed mathematical model is based on three steps: (1) pulsed laser stimulation, (2) light diffusion, and (3) PA stress wave generation and propagation. The developed mathematical model has been implemented utilizing COMSOL Multiphysics, which relies on the finite element method (FEM) numerical modeling principle. The in-silico time-dependent study's results confirmed that the proposed mathematical model is a simple, efficient, accurate, and quick starting point for researchers to simulate biomedical PA signals' generation and propagation process utilizing any suitable software such as COMSOL multiphysics.
Personal exposure of PM2.5 and metabolic syndrome markers of pregnant women in South Korea: APPO study
Authors: Jeong Yeonseong , Park Sunwha , Kwon Eunjin , Hur Young Min , You Young-Ah , Kim Soo Min , Lee Gain , Lee Kyung A. , Kim Soo Jung , Cho Geum Joon , Oh Min-Jeong , Na Sung Hun , Lee Se jin , Bae Jin-Gon , Kim Yu-Hwan , Lee Soo-Jeong , Kim Young-Han , Kim Young Ju ,   The APPO study group
Published: November 2023

We examined the association between exposure to PM2.5, focused on individual exposure level, and metabolic dysfunction during pregnancy. APPO study (Air Pollution on Pregnancy Outcome) was a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study conducted from January 2021 to March 2023. Individual PM2.5 concentrations were calculated using a time-weighted average model. Metabolic dysfunction during pregnancy was assessed based on a modified definition of metabolic syndrome and its components, accounting for pregnancy-specific criteria. Exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy was associated with worsened metabolic parameters especially glucose metabolism. In comparison to participants exposed to the low PM2.5 group, those exposed to high PM2.5 levels exhibited increased odds of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) after adjusting for confounding variables in different adjusted models. Specifically, in model 1, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 3.117 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.234–7.870; in model 2, the aOR was 3.855 with a 95% CI of 1.255–11.844; in model 3, the aOR was 3.404 with a 95% CI of 1.206–9.607; and in model 4, the aOR was 2.741 with a 95% CI of 0.712–10.547. Exposure to higher levels of PM2.5 during pregnancy was associated with a tendency to worsen metabolic dysfunction markers specifically in glucose homeostasis. Further research is needed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of ambient PM2.5 on metabolic dysfunction during pregnancy.
Cholesterol Hydroperoxide Co-trafficking in Testosterone-generating Leydig Cells: GPx4 Inhibition of Cytotoxic and Anti-steroidogenic Effects
Authors: Pabisz Pawel , Bazak Jerzy , Sabat Michal , Girotti Albert W. , Korytowski Witold
Published: November 2023

Trafficking of intracellular cholesterol (Ch) to and into mitochondria of steroidogenic cells is required for steroid hormone biosynthesis. This trafficking is typically mediated by one or more proteins of the steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) family. Our previous studies revealed that 7-OOH, a redox-active cholesterol hydroperoxide, could be co-trafficked with Ch to/into mitochondria of MA-10 Leydig cells, thereby inducing membrane lipid peroxidation (LPO) which impaired progesterone biosynthesis. These negative effects of 7-OOH were inhibited by endogenous selenoperoxidase GPx4, indicating that this enzyme could protect against 7-OOH-induced oxidative damage/dysfunction. In the present study, we advanced our Leydig focus to cultured murine TM3 cells and then to primary cells from rat testis, both of which produce testosterone. Using a fluorescent probe, we found that extensive free radical-mediated LPO occurred in mitochondria of stimulated primary Leydig cells during treatment with liposomal Ch+7-OOH, resulting in a significant decline in testosterone output relative to that with Ch alone. Strong enhancement of LPO and testosterone shortfall by RSL3 (a GPx4 inhibitor) and reversal thereof by Ebselen (a GPx4 mimetic), suggested that endogenous GPx4 was playing a key antioxidant role. 7-OOH in increasing doses was also cytotoxic to these cells, RSL3 exacerbating this in Ebselen-reversable fashion. Moreover, GPx4 knockdown increased cell sensitivity to LPO with reduced testosterone output. These findings, particularly with primary Leydigs (which best represent cells in intact testis) suggest that GPx4 plays a key protective role against peroxidative damage/dysfunction induced by 7-OOH co-trafficking with Ch.
Fate of biomass inorganic elements during hydrothermal carbonization: an experimental study on agro-food waste
Authors: Michel Julie , Rivas-Arrieta María J. , Borén Eleonora , Simonin Loïc , Kennedy Maria , Dupont Capucine
Published: November 2023

The distribution of inorganic elements between solid and liquid phases during biomass hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a poorly investigated topic despite its importance for process optimization. To fill in this gap, the distribution of inorganic elements and their forms were determined for three agro-food waste feedstocks converted at HTC temperatures of 180, 220, and 260 °C in 12 h. Satisfactory balances were achieved, with values between 80 and 92% for C and N, and 80 and 110% for most inorganic elements. At 180 °C, over 90% of P, Mg, Ca, K, Na, and Mn were removed from hydrochars whatever feedstock. At higher temperatures, P, Mg, Ca, and Mn were partly reincorporated into hydrochars (between 7 and 53%), possibly due to the formation of insoluble precipitates, while K and Na remained in the liquid. On the opposite, some minor elements, Cu and Al, remained in the hydrochars, whatever temperature. Si showed different removal behaviors according to feedstock and temperature. These results show the possibility of optimizing the removal of inorganic elements from hydrochars using different temperatures.
Nonlinearity, Endogeneity, and Interaction: Implications for European Reform of Budgetary Rules
Authors: Bellocchi Alessandro , Travaglini Giuseppe
Published: November 2023

EU fiscal rules have been suspended until 2024. European policymakers are considering whether to reinstate the existing fiscal rules or to define a new framework. Member States must have enough fiscal space. But the sustainability of public debt must be safeguarded. We use a nonlinear dynamic model to test if a primary balance adjustment rule can preserve debt sustainability in the presence of interactions between fiscal policy, economic growth, and interest rates. We find that a dynamic adjustment rule to changes in debt service can reduce the equilibrium debt ratio, even stabilizing the associated risk premium.
A needs-based approach to promoting gender equity and inclusivity: insights from participatory research with farmer-producer organisations (FPOs)
Authors: Harrington Tomás , Narain Nivedita , Rao Nitya , Rengalakshmi R. , Sogani Reetu , Chakraborty Shuvajit , Upadhyay Astha
Published: November 2023

The farmer-producer organisation (FPO) is an umbrella term used to describe modes of farmer collectivisation in India, i.e. co-operatives and companies. While women cultivators play a central role in agriculture, their continued marginalisation is reflected in a lack of engagement in FPO activities and governance structures, with only 3% of existing FPOs being female-led ventures. This paper examines the nature of tensions around social inequities—and how such tensions might be addressed in the collective spaces offered by FPOs—using a gender lens, specifically in balancing conflicting pressures of economic performance versus inclusion and meeting specific members' needs. Using a participatory research approach, a conceptual framework is developed and applied in three FPOs operating at various stages of development. With a specific focus on gender equity and social inclusion, selected cases involved FPOs with > 75% female membership and scheduled caste/tribe participation. Qualitative data on societal needs, based on the expectations and experiences of FPO participants, are then analysed to better understand (1) what might promote FPO participation and (2) how equity and inclusion may be enabled from the ‘bottom-up’. This exploratory study informs the collective action debate with its new and intersectional approach to gender equity and inclusivity. Empirical observations and within-case analyses involving FPOs provide new insights into the functioning of these institutions and nuanced interactions involving their members. Findings suggest that informal micro-producer arrangements or vyavastha, in the FPO pre-registration phase, are well positioned to act as spatial agents for establishing ethical norms as FPOs collectivise and grow. In terms of promoting social objectives and evaluating FPOs operating in different stages, a set of guiding principles are proposed with follow-on implications for policy.
Use of Real-World Evidence in Regulatory Decisions for Traditional Chinese Medicine: Current Status and Future Directions
Authors: Li Pei , Wang Su , Chen Yuwen
Published: November 2023

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a valuable resource unique to China with a long history of human use and clinical practice, which can be analyzed to generate real-world evidence (RWE). The Chinese government has been actively promoting regulatory reform that is in line with the characteristics of TCM, optimizing the clinical evidence system for TCM, and exploring the important role of RWE in supporting the development of new drugs and regulatory decision-making for TCM. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the use of RWE in regulatory decisions for TCM. Based on the characteristics of TCM, this study focuses on the application scenarios, challenges, and opportunities of RWE in TCM. And some suggestions are put forward to promote the wider application of RWE in TCM development and supervision.
The role of the tourism sector in creating direct employment in Mexico: evidence from linear and nonlinear ARDL frameworks
Authors: Sánchez López Fernando
Published: November 2023

This paper analyzes the role of the tourism sector in creating direct employment in Mexico by measuring the output elasticity of tourism employment from both linear and nonlinear perspectives. Although using such elasticity is a common practice for calculating the impact of economic growth on employment, it has been neglected in the context of the tourism labor market. Using Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) and Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) models, this study analyzes the impact of both the quarterly indicator of tourism gross domestic product (GDP) and the multilateral real exchange rate on tourism employment from the first quarter of 2006 to the first quarter of 2021. The results of the linear models show that tourism employment is elastic to variations in tourism GDP. Conversely, the NARDL model illustrates that tourism employment is inelastic to both positive and negative changes in tourism GDP. However, the NARDL model also shows that tourism employment is resilient to the negative phases of growth in the sector, as it grows more during the expansive episodes than it is reduced during the contractive phases. Meanwhile, the models including the multilateral real exchange rate show that tourism employment positively responds to the depreciation of the Mexican peso.
Molecular characterization and pathogenicity of an infectious clone of tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus isolate infecting Cucumis melo
Authors: Mei Yuzhen , Cai Lingmin , Wang Yaqin , Li Fangfang , Yang Xiuling , Yang Jinghua , Zhou Xueping
Published: November 2023

Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) is a member of the genus Begomovirus, and causes devastating disease in the world. In recent years, ToLCNDV was rapidly spreading in China and induces severe economic losses in agriculture. In this study, we sequenced and characterized the complete genome of ToLCNDV isolates from melon plants showing leaf curling and stunting symptoms in Jiangsu Province of China. We constructed a full-length infectious cDNA clone of ToLCNDV, which could induce systemic infection with typical symptoms in Nicotiana benthamiana, Citrullus melo, and Citrullus lanatus plants through agrobacterium-mediated inoculation. Further experimental evidence demonstrated that the virions produced in plants infected with the infectious clone of ToLCNDV are biologically active and sap-transmissible. We also evaluated the resistance of commercial melon cultivars to ToLCNDV and found all testing melon cultivars were susceptible to ToLCNDV. Collectively, the reverse genetic system developed herein will facilitate further research on biological functions of proteins encoded by ToLCNDV and plant-ToLCNDV interactions, which might provide new insights into breeding resistance germplasm in crops.
Molecular characterization of coastal seawater dissolved organic matter by ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry: a photochemical study of the Tokyo Bay, Japan
Authors: Wu Shixi , Fujii Manabu , Fu Qinglong
Published: November 2023

The coastal seawater in Tokyo Bay contains abundant sulfur (S)-containing DOM compounds because it receives municipal effluents from wastewater treatments. However, the effect of photohalogenation on the molecular composition of these coastal seawater DOM remains unknown. Herein, light irradiation experiments were combined with the Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry to investigate the transformation in the molecular composition of coastal seawater DOM during photohalogenation. In total, 3147 S-containing formulae were identified in the coastal seawater, accounting for 33% of the total number and 24% of the full intensity. Moreover, ~ 44% to ~ 67% of CHOS formulae with high molecular weight, aromaticity, and unsaturation were preferentially photodegraded via decarboxylation and desulfonation. Compared with the visible and UVA lights, UVC light exhibited much significant influences on the molecular composition of coastal seawater DOM. Only a few OBCs and OICs were generated during the photohalogenation, mainly via substitution and addition reactions, from CHO-class DOM belonging to lignin-like compounds. Additionally, the novel DBE-0.5O parameter was proposed as a better indicator of the unsaturation of the carbon skeleton than DBE-O. Our findings provided valuable information on the effect of photohalogenation on the molecular composition of the natural coastal DOM under natural sunlight irradiation.

Graphical Abstract
Staging Female Characters in Shakespeare's English History Plays
Authors: Bachrach Hailey
Published: November 2023

Hailey Bachrach reveals how Shakespeare used female characters in deliberate and consistent ways across his history plays. Illuminating these patterns, she helps us understand these characters not as incidental or marginal presences, but as a key lens through which to understand Shakespeare's process for transforming history into drama. Shakespeare uses female characters to draw deliberate attention to the blurry line between history and fiction onstage, bringing to life the constrained but complex position of women not only in the past itself, but as characters in depictions of said past. In Shakespeare's historical landscape, female characters represent the impossibility of fully recovering voices the record has excluded, and the empowering potential of standing outside history that Shakespeare can only envision by drawing upon the theatre's material conditions. This title is part of the Flip it Open Programme and may also be available Open Access. Check our website Cambridge Core for details.
Communicating the News in Early Modern Europe
Authors: Hyde Jenni , Rospocher Massimo , Raymond Joad , Ryan Yann , Salmi Hannu , Schäfer-Griebel Alexandra
Published: November 2023

This history of early modern news focuses on news itself rather than specific material forms. Centering on movement through different media, time, and place, it makes the case for a truly comparative, pan-European history of news. After the Introduction, the second section, News Moves, explores how we think about and research news culture and news communication, demonstrating movement is more important than static forms. The third, News Sings, focuses on news ballads, comparing actors, publics, music, and soundscapes of ballad singing in several European cities, highlighting the central role of immaterial elements, such as sound, music and voice. The fourth, News Counts, argues that seeing news the way a machine might read it—through its metadata—is one way of moving beyond form, allowing us to find surprising commonalities in news cultures which differ greatly in both time and place.
The Time of Global Politics
Authors: McIntosh Christopher
Published: November 2023

How can we better relate and respond to the political times we inhabit?  Temporal relationships play a central role in the questions at the heart of global politics, but political commentators and observers focus almost exclusively on the past as a means of predicting and preparing for the future.  Christopher McIntosh argues that, although past events are meaningful for our collective future, the present remains vitally important.  McIntosh emphasises the importance of the present as a conceptual resource and analytical category for thinking about international politics. The present, he suggests, places an orientation toward difference and a recognition of the human limits of understanding alongside an emphasis on process and change. This book will shift current thinking about prediction and better enable the use of knowledge about international politics to meaningfully and positively intervene in present-day concerns.
Vertical Integration Among Oil-producing Countries
Authors: Thomassen Eivind
Published: November 2023

This paper explores the vertical integration of oil-producing countries. Attempts at vertical integration were prominent among oil-producing countries throughout most of the twentieth century, but particularly following the surge of resource nationalism in the 1970s. Vertical integration attempts have largely been regarded as a sideshow in the history of global oil. This article argues that vertical integration was a crucial aspect of producer country strategies into the 1970s and 1980s, and that it affected the organization of national oil industries in important ways. It does so by exploring the Norwegian case. The article demonstrates the importance of vertical integration to the long-term development of the Norwegian oil industry. It discusses the implications of these findings for the study of vertical integration in other oil-producing countries.
Edward Said and Philosophy
Authors: el Nabolsy Zeyad
Published: November 2023

This article brings to the forefront Timothy Brennan’s emphasis on Edward Said’s engagement with philosophy. An attempt is made to reconstruct some of Brennan’s claims about Said’s views on the relationship between mental representations and the external world. It is shown that Said rejected naïve or direct realism in favor of representationalism. It is also argued that, despite being seen as a post-modern thinker, Said subscribed to a version of the correspondence theory of truth. Said embraced some form of standpoint epistemology, but he did not think that this had any direct bearing on how we should think about what makes a given claim true. Finally, an attempt is made to understand the relationship between Said’s project and the classical Marxist project of ideology critique, as well as contemporary attempts to develop an epistemology of ignorance.
The (in)effectiveness of populist rhetoric: a conjoint experiment of campaign messaging
Authors: Dai Yaoyao , Kustov Alexander
Published: November 2023

Is populism electorally effective and, if so, why? Scholars agree that populism is a set of people-centric, anti-pluralist, and anti-elitist ideas that can be combined with various ideological positions. It is difficult, yet important, to disentangle populism from its hosting ideology in evaluating populism's effectiveness and its potential conditional effects on the hosting ideology. We conduct a novel US conjoint experiment asking respondents to evaluate pairs of realistic campaign messages with varying populism-related messages and hosting policy positions given by hypothetical primary candidates. Although party-congruent policy positions are expectedly much more popular, we find that none of the populist features have an independent or combined effect on candidate choice.
Distributive numerals in Albanian
Authors: RUSHITI BUJAR , DOBROVIE-SORIN CARMEN
Published: November 2023

This paper investigates nga-marked numerals in Albanian. They qualify as distributive numerals, since the presence of nga on the numeral yields a distributive reading of the sentences they belong to. Beyond their differences, most of the previous accounts rely on the hypothesis that distributive numerals introduce some kind of semantic feature, e.g. a covariation feature; an evaluation plurality requirement, also called a post-suppositional plurality requirement; or a distributivity force. Our main claim goes against this trend of thinking. We propose that distributive numerals do not carry any semantic feature but only a formal syntactic feature that needs to enter a syntactic dependency relation with a distributivity feature. The analysis is implemented in terms of Zeijlstra’s (2004) upward agree.
The Unknown Infection, or ‘Rožňava Disease’ in Czechoslovakia in 1951
Authors: Kaucká Kristýna
Published: November 2023

This article analyses the scientific and ideological impact of the 1951 tick-borne encephalitis epidemic in Rožňava (Czechoslovakia). Scientists in Rožňava discovered the possibility of transmission of the tick-borne encephalitis virus through non-pasteurised milk. The article focuses on both the outbreak in Rožňava, with its social and ideological implications, and the subsequent virological research, which became a means of prestige and symbolic power for Czechoslovak scientists within the domestic and international scientific community. The article shows that an epidemic can become a tool of power. The Rožňava epidemic, although now forgotten, helped establish the institutional background for virological research in Czechoslovakia and was at the origin of the still cutting-edge knowledge of tick-borne encephalitis.
Characterizing sorghum genotypes for forage yield, hydrocyanic acid and sugar contents under arid climate conditions
Authors: Sher Ahmad , Ul-Allah Sami , Sattar Abdul , Barbanti Lorenzo , Ijaz Muhammad
Published: November 2023

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor(L.) Moench) is a dual nature crop, which is used for food as well as fodder, depending on plant ideotype. Sorghum forage is important for ruminants, but a major constraint is the anti-nutritional factor dhurrin, a hydrocyanic acid (HCN) producing glucoside. There are several additional effects of dhurrin, which reduce the nutritional value of sorghum fodder for livestock. This two-year study was aimed to evaluate the variation among diverse sorghum varieties, specifically for HCN content, forage yield and stem sugar content (brix value) under arid climate in Pakistan. Nine sorghum varieties were used for this experiment: JS-2002, Chakwal sorghum, Lines CS-17, Super late, PAK SS-2, Johar, JS-263, Sargodha-2011 and YSS-98. Results reveal that Sargodha-2011 had superior morphological traits for fresh forage and dry biomass yield, and stem brix value, compared to other varieties. Higher HCN contents were recorded in Super late compared to other varieties. Significant negative correlation of HCN with yield showed that improvement in yield will reduce the HCN content of sorghum. In conclusion, sorghum variety SGD-11 was shown best performing for higher biomass yield and brix value, and lower HCN content compared to other tested varieties under arid climate of Thal, Pakistan.
Ecclesial Enculturation: John Westerhoff’s Appeal to Catechesis in Contemporary Theological Education
Authors: Fogleman Alex
Published: November 2023

This article explores the appeal to catechesis in the writings of Anglican theologian and educator John Westerhoff III (1933–2022). I argue that he proposed the concept of catechesis as a way of critiquing and incorporating the streams of liberalism and neo-orthodoxy from the early and mid-twentieth century into a more comprehensive and theologically substantive approach to theological education. In doing so, he used the language of catechesis as a means of integrating the strengths of liberalism’s emphasis on nurture and enculturation and neo-orthodoxy’s accent on conversion, the church and the uniqueness of Christianity. His appeal to catechesis, then, was not a retrieval or ressourcement of patristic catechesis. While he appreciated the term’s antiquity, the way in which he described the term was more indebted to contemporary education theory than patristics, particularly the anthropological insights of socialization theory.
The Impacts of Optimizing Model‐Dependent Parameters on the Antarctic Sea Ice Data Assimilation
Authors: Luo Hao , Yang Qinghua , Mazloff Matthew , Nerger Lars , Chen Dake
Published: November 2023

Given the role played by the historical and extensive coverage of sea ice concentration (SIC) observations in reconstructing the long‐term variability of Antarctic sea ice, and the limited attention given to model‐dependent parameters in current sea ice data assimilation studies, this study focuses on enhancing the performance of the Data Assimilation System for the Southern Ocean in assimilating SIC through optimizing the localization and observation error estimate, and two assimilation experiments were conducted from 1979 to 2018. By comparing the results with the sea ice extent of the Southern Ocean and the sea ice thickness in the Weddell Sea, it becomes evident that the experiment with optimizations outperforms that without optimizations due to achieving more reasonable error estimates. Investigating uncertainties of the sea ice volume anomaly modeling reveals the importance of the sea ice‐ocean interaction in the SIC assimilation, implying the necessity of assimilating more oceanic and sea‐ice observations.
High-throughput screening of genetic and cellular drivers of syncytium formation induced by the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Chan Charles W. F. , Wang Bei , Nan Lang , Huang Xiner , Mao Tianjiao , Chu Hoi Yee , Luo Cuiting , Chu Hin , Choi Gigi C. G. , Shum Ho Cheung , Wong Alan S. L.
Published: November 2023

Mapping mutations and discovering cellular determinants that cause the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to induce infected cells to form syncytia would facilitate the development of strategies for blocking the formation of such cell–cell fusion. Here we describe high-throughput screening methods based on droplet microfluidics and the size-exclusion selection of syncytia, coupled with large-scale mutagenesis and genome-wide knockout screening via clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), for the large-scale identification of determinants of cell–cell fusion. We used the methods to perform deep mutational scans in spike-presenting cells to pinpoint mutable syncytium-enhancing substitutions in two regions of the spike protein (the fusion peptide proximal region and the furin-cleavage site). We also used a genome-wide CRISPR screen in cells expressing the receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 to identify inhibitors of clathrin-mediated endocytosis that impede syncytium formation, which we validated in hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2. Finding genetic and cellular determinants of the formation of syncytia may reveal insights into the physiological and pathological consequences of cell–cell fusion.
Joint epigenome profiling reveals cell-type-specific gene regulatory programmes in human cortical organoids
Authors: Noack Florian , Vangelisti Silvia , Ditzer Nora , Chong Faye , Albert Mareike , Bonev Boyan
Published: November 2023

Gene expression is regulated by multiple epigenetic mechanisms, which are coordinated in development and disease. However, current multiomics methods are frequently limited to one or two modalities at a time, making it challenging to obtain a comprehensive gene regulatory signature. Here, we describe a method—3D genome, RNA, accessibility and methylation sequencing (3DRAM-seq)—that simultaneously interrogates spatial genome organization, chromatin accessibility and DNA methylation genome-wide and at high resolution. We combine 3DRAM-seq with immunoFACS and RNA sequencing in cortical organoids to map the cell-type-specific regulatory landscape of human neural development across multiple epigenetic layers. Finally, we apply a massively parallel reporter assay to profile cell-type-specific enhancer activity in organoids and to functionally assess the role of key transcription factors for human enhancer activation and function. More broadly, 3DRAM-seq can be used to profile the multimodal epigenetic landscape in rare cell types and different tissues.
A brainstem circuit for phonation and volume control in mice
Authors: Veerakumar Avin , Head Joshua P. , Krasnow Mark A.
Published: November 2023

Mammalian vocalizations are critical for communication and are produced through the process of phonation, in which expiratory muscles force air through the tensed vocal folds of the larynx, which vibrate to produce sound. Despite the importance of phonation, the motor circuits in the brain that control it remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified a subpopulation of ~160 neuropeptide precursor Nts (neurotensin)-expressing neurons in the mouse brainstem nucleus retroambiguus (RAm) that are robustly activated during both neonatal isolation cries and adult social vocalizations. The activity of these neurons is necessary and sufficient for vocalization and bidirectionally controls sound volume. RAm Nts neurons project to all brainstem and spinal cord motor centers involved in phonation and activate laryngeal and expiratory muscles essential for phonation and volume control. Thus, RAm Nts neurons form the core of a brain circuit for making sound and controlling its volume, which are two foundations of vocal communication.