bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Can Geoscience Communication Foster Public Engagement with Geoconservation?
Authors: Rodrigues Joana , Costa e Silva Elsa , Pereira Diamantino Insua
Published: February 2023

Geoscience and geodiversity, two sides of the same coin, deal with very poor social visibility and recognition. Ensuring the protection of geodiversity is not only in the geoscientists’ hands and all of society needs to be involved. Therefore, public engagement with geodiversity demands new solutions and a change of paradigm in geoscience communication. Most of the science communication activities undertaken by geoscientists, even when they use modern approaches and technologies, are mainly designed based on empirical experience, laid on didactical approaches and assuming the public’s knowledge deficit. In order to engage the society with geodiversity, it is not enough to focus on scientific literacy and deficit models in which lack of knowledge is considered to be the main obstacle between science and society. It is fundamental to establish a commitment between society and science based on dialogue where lay public is not seen anymore as a single entity with a knowledge deficit. Non-experts must become also protagonists in scientific decisions with social impact and integrate their knowledge and concerns in public participation and decision-making. Engagement with geoscience and geodiversity would benefit from more effective and targeted communication strategies, with different approaches to engage with communities, local stakeholders, media, students and teachers, scientific community, tourists, politicians or policy-makers, and groups with different concerns and distinct relations with science. In the last 20 years, science communication research has made many relevant contributions in order to promote more participatory processes with which society is asked to engage. Regarding geoscience communication as a discipline, it is a very recent Earth science branch that also incorporates social science, behavioral science, and science communication, but still lacks a clear and formal definition. This study provides a comprehensive review of the literature in order to develop a conceptual framework for geoscience communication research, identifying the main challenges and opportunities.
Fruit and vegetable processing and consumption: Knowledge, attitude, and practices among rural women in East Africa
Authors: Sarfo Jacob , Pawelzik Elke , Keding Gudrun B.
Published: February 2023

High post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables (FVs) limit their supply and availability for year-round consumption. Hence, processing innovations at their production areas could help address this constraint, which requires the need to assess people's perceptions in these areas. Therefore, this study gauged the knowledge, attitude, and practices towards FV processing and consumption and its relationship with actual FV consumption. Surveys were conducted with women in six study sites – three fruit and three vegetable production areas – in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Quantitative 24-h dietary and 7-day FV recalls were collected across two seasons. Open and closed-ended questions were constructed to assess the women's knowledge, attitude, and practices towards FV processing and consumption. The fruit and vegetable sites included 584 and 732 women, respectively. Average fruit consumption was 4-135 g/day in the plenty season and 4-106 g/day in the lean season. Vegetable consumption was 112-146 g/day and 84-180 g/day in the plenty and lean season, respectively. There were significant consumption differences across seasons. Most women expressed high knowledge of FV processing and consumption benefits and showed a positive attitude towards FV processing and consumption. Yet, in practice, a small number of women process FVs largely due to limited processing know-how and equipment. The relationship between knowledge and attitude and FV consumption was negative or none. The high knowledge and positive attitude expressed, yet the limited processing know-how and equipment should be a basis for interventions to increase FV processing into nutritious products for better nutrition and to ensure their availability year-round.
Lenvatinib inhibits intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma via Gadd45a-mediated cell cycle arrest
Authors: Yan Xia , Wang Dan , Ning Zhouyu , Meng Zhi-qiang
Published: February 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the anticancer activities of lenvatinib in ICC and its possible molecular mechanisms.

Methods

Patients-derived xenograft (PDX) model and cell line-derived xenograft (CDX) model were both used for the in vivo study. For in vivo work, ICC cell lines were applied to analyze the effect of Lenvatinib on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and the molecular mechanism.

Results

In the present study, we found that lenvatinib dramatically hindered in vivo tumor growth in ICC patient-derived xenograft models. In addition, by using in vitro experiments in ICC cell lines, we found that lenvatinib dose- and time-dependently inhibited the proliferation of ICC cells and induced cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. Transcriptional profiling analysis further applied indicated that lenvatinib might inhibit cell proliferation through the induction of cell-cycle arrestment via activating of Gadd45a, it was evidenced by that the knockout of Gadd45a significantly attenuated the cycle arrest induced by lenvatinib, as well as the inhibitory effect of lenvatinib on ICC.

Conclusion

Our work first found that lenvatinib exerted an excellent antitumor effect on ICC, mainly via inducing Gadd45a-mediated cell cycle arrest. Our work provides evidence and a rationale for the future use of lenvatinib in the treatment of ICC.
Pakistani healthcare professionals’ perceptions of communication with patients and their relatives about hereditary breast cancer: a qualitative study in a LMIC
Authors: Ahmed Shenaz , Jafri Hussain , Ahmed Wajeeha Naseer , Khanam Andleeb , Rashid Yasmin , Ahmed Mushtaq
Published: February 2023

Pakistan has the highest incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer in Asia, with high numbers of patients diagnosed at a young age suggesting the possibility of an inherited cancer syndrome. Communication of hereditary breast cancer (HBC) risk information with patients could enable earlier detection of the condition in relatives and reduce mortality rates. This study aimed to explore perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Pakistan about communication with patients and their relatives about HBC. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with eighteen HCPs during March to May 2020 in Lahore. Thematic analysis shows the HCPs were generally supportive of informing patients themselves about HBC, but believed it was the patients’ role to inform their relatives. HCPs also highlighted important barriers to communication with patients about HBC, including (i) patients’ low socioeconomic status and educational attainment; (ii) high prevalence of the social stigma of breast cancer; and (iii) lack of health resources and facilities to provide genetic testing for HBC. In conclusion, HCPs would value the development of interventions to support communication between HCPs and patients. They also highlighted the need for interventions to support intrafamilial communication about HBC. Much research and political support are needed to address patient, social, and systemic-level barriers to facilitate communication about HBC.
Vascular nitrosative stress in hypertension induced by fetal undernutrition in rats
Authors: Rodríguez-Rodríguez Pilar , Poasakate Anuson , Ruvira-Hernando Santiago , Gutierrez-Arzapalo Perla Y. , Böger Rainer , Hannemann Juliane , Lüneburg Nicole , Arribas Silvia M.
Published: February 2023

Fetal undernutrition predisposes to hypertension development. Since nitric oxide (NO) is a key factor in blood pressure control, we aimed to investigate the role of NO alterations in hypertension induced by fetal undernutrition in rats. Male and female offspring from dams exposed to undernutrition during the second half of gestation (MUN) were studied at 21 days (normotensive) and 6 months of age (hypertension developed only in males). In aorta, we analyzed total and phosphorylated endothelial NO synthase (eNOS, p-eNOS), 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), and Nrf2 (Western blot). In plasma we assessed l-arginine, asymmetric and symmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA, SDMA; LC–MS/MS), nitrates (NOx, Griess reaction), carbonyl groups, and lipid peroxidation (spectrophotometry). In iliac arteries, we studied superoxide anion production (DHE staining, confocal microscopy) and vasodilatation to acetylcholine (isometric tension). Twenty-one-day-old MUN offspring did not show alterations in vascular e-NOS or 3NT expression, plasma l-Arg/ADMA ratio, or NOx. Compared to control group, 6-month-old MUN rats showed increased aortic expression of p-eNOS/eNOS and 3-NT, being Nrf2 expression lower, elevated plasma l-arginine/ADMA, NOx and carbonyl levels, increased iliac artery DHE staining and reduced acetylcholine-mediated relaxations. These alterations in MUN rats were sex-dependent, affecting males. However, females showed some signs of endothelial dysfunction. We conclude that increased NO production in the context of a pro-oxidative environment, leads to vascular nitrosative damage and dysfunction, which can participate in hypertension development in MUN males. Females show a better adaptation, but signs of endothelial dysfunction, which can explain hypertension in ageing.
ACPSEM position paper: dosimetry for magnetic resonance imaging linear accelerators
Authors: Begg Jarrad , Jelen Urszula , Moutrie Zoe , Oliver Chris , Holloway Lois , Brown Rhonda ,   the ACPSEM Magnetic Resonance Imaging Linac Working Group (MRILWG)
Published: February 2023

Consistency and clear guidelines on dosimetry are essential for accurate and precise dosimetry, to ensure the best patient outcomes and to allow direct dose comparison across different centres. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Linac (MRI-linac) systems have recently been introduced to Australasian clinics. This report provides recommendations on reference dosimetry measurements for MRI-linacs on behalf of the Australiasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) MRI-linac working group. There are two configurations considered for MRI-linacs, perpendicular and parallel, referring to the relative direction of the magnetic field and radiation beam, with different impacts on dose deposition in a medium. These recommendations focus on ion chambers which are most commonly used in the clinic for reference dosimetry. Water phantoms must be MR safe or conditional and practical limitations on phantom set-up must be considered. Solid phantoms are not advised for reference dosimetry. For reference dosimetry, IAEA TRS-398 recommendations cannot be followed completely due to physical differences between conventional linac and MRI-linac systems. Manufacturers’ advice on reference conditions should be followed. Beam quality specification of TPR20,10 is recommended. The configuration of the central axis of the ion chamber relative to the magnetic field and radiation beam impacts the chamber response and must be considered carefully. Recommended corrections to delivered dose are $${k}_{{Q}_{msr}{Q}_{0}}^{{f}_{msr}{f}_{ref}}$$

k

Q

msr

Q
0

f

msr

f

ref

, a correction for beam quality and $${k}_{\overrightarrow{B},{Q}_{msr}}^{{f}_{msr}}$$

k

B
→

,

Q

msr

f

msr

, for the impact of the magnetic field on dosimeter response in the magnetic field. Literature based values for $${k}_{\overrightarrow{B},{Q}_{msr}}^{{f}_{msr}}$$

k

B
→

,

Q

msr

f

msr

are given. It is important to note that this is a developing field and these recommendations should be used together with a review of current literature.
Trait − driven analysis of the 2p15p16.1 microdeletion syndrome suggests a complex pattern of interactions between candidate genes
Authors: Miceli Martina , Failla Pinella , Saccuzzo Lucia , Galesi Ornella , Amata Silvestra , Romano Corrado , Bonaglia Maria Clara , Fichera Marco
Published: February 2023

Background

Individuals with the 2p15p16.1 microdeletion syndrome share a complex phenotype including neurodevelopmental delay, brain malformations, microcephaly, and autistic behavior. The analysis of the shortest region of overlap (SRO) between deletions in ~ 40 patients has led to the identification of two critical regions and four strongly candidate genes (BCL11A, REL, USP34 and XPO1). However, the delineation of their role in the occurrence of specific traits is hampered by their incomplete penetrance.

Objective

To better delineate the role of hemizygosity of specific regions in selected traits by leveraging information both from penetrant and non − penetrant deletions.

Methods

Deletions in patients that do not present a specific trait cannot contribute to delineate the SROs. We recently developed a probabilistic model that, by considering also the non − penetrant deletions, allows a more reliable assignment of peculiar traits to specific genomic segments. We apply this method adding two new patients to the published cases.

Results

Our results delineate an intricate pattern of genotype − phenotype correlation where BCL11A emerges as the main gene for autistic behavior while USP34 and/or XPO1 haploinsufficiency are mainly associated with microcephaly, hearing loss and IUGR. BCL11A, USP34 and XPO1 genes are broadly related with brain malformations albeit with distinct patterns of brain damage.

Conclusions

The observed penetrance of deletions encompassing different SROs and that predicted when considering each single SRO as acting independently, may reflect a more complex model than the additive one. Our approach may improve the genotype/phenotype correlation and may help to identify specific pathogenic mechanisms in contiguous gene syndromes.
Investigation of an effective acid pre-treatment method for the valorisation of Canola fines
Authors: Ranjan A. , Welz P. J. , Mthethwa T.
Published: February 2023

Canola fines are the straw-like material and other residues removed from incoming Canola crops before processing for seed oil. In South Africa, this lignocellulosic biomass is abundant and non-seasonal, making it an ideal substrate for recovery of sugars for valorization to higher value products. Pre-treatment for release of sugars from lignocellulose should be optimized for a given substrate. In this study, mechanical pre-treatment to reduce the size of Canola fines was followed by: (i) steam-assisted acid pre-treatment (0–2% H2SO4 % v/v) at different temperatures (20–55 °C), and biomass loading rates (2–8% w/v), and (ii) enzyme hydrolysis, using a central composite experimental design approach. The sugars in the hydrolysates obtained from stages (i) and (ii) were measured quantitatively and qualitatively as outputs that were used to assess process efficiency and to obtain predictive models. The raw and spent Canola fines from each phase were fully characterized in terms of chemical and structural changes at each stage of pre-treatment.

The Canola fines contained 23.0% w/w lignin, 21.4% w/w cellulose, and 15.9% w/w hemicellulose. The maximum yield of total sugars after steam-assisted acid hydrolysis (18.6% w/w) was increased after enzyme hydrolysis (28.3 % w/w) and was higher than reported for other studies pre-treating rapeseed and Canola straws (10.2–11.8% w/w). The sugar profiles in the hydrolysates after steam-assisted acid hydrolysis (xylose>arabinose>glucose) differed from those obtained after acid-assisted enzyme hydrolysis (xylose>glucose>cellobiose>arabinose). The microscopic and chemical analyses of the Canola fines showed sequential breakdown of the lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, with some lignin still intact at the end of the pre-treatment. For application of this technology, no heating would be required for acid pre-treatment as temperature was not a significant variable. In addition, the optimal H2SO4 concentration was low (1.7% v/v), minimizing the use of hazardous chemicals as well as the risk of releasing microbial and/or enzyme inhibitors during the process. Enzyme hydrolysis should only be required if the downstream application requires higher sugar concentrations and/or different sugar profiles.
Non-carbon greenhouse gas emissions for hybrid electric vehicles: three-way catalyst nitrous oxide and ammonia trade-off
Authors: Brinklow G. , Herreros J. M. , Zeraati Rezaei S. , Doustdar O. , Tsolakis A. , Kolpin A. , Millington P.
Published: February 2023

Transport sector decarbonisation is leading to increased demand for electrified powertrains including hybrid vehicles. The presence of an internal combustion engine and electric motor offer multiple performance and efficiency advantages. However, changes in the conditions that catalytic aftertreatment systems are subjected to can present challenges in meeting forthcoming emissions standards. This work investigated the three-way catalyst performance to abate regulated and unregulated emissions from a gasoline direct injection engine working under conditions related to hybrid vehicle operation. The focus on unregulated emissions of NH3 and N2O is of interest due to limited literature on their formation in conventional, and particularly hybrid, vehicle aftertreatment systems. Furthermore, the likelihood of their regulation when the EURO 7 emissions standards are introduced increases the pertinence of this work. For this particular engine and aftertreatment setup, it was found that starting the engine whilst the three-way catalyst temperature was below 150 ℃ led to an increase in tailpipe regulated emissions and N2O. Whilst, starting the engine when three-way catalyst temperatures were above 350 ℃ lead to tailpipe NH3 emissions. This was due to the selectivity of NO to form N2O at lower temperatures and NH3 at higher temperatures. For the case of the studied catalyst, a vehicle energy management strategy opting to start the engine with the three-way catalyst within a targeted temperature range allowed for a trade-off between regulated emissions, N2O and NH3. These findings are significant since it can be used to optimise hybrid vehicle control strategies minimising both regulated and unregulated emissions.
Mathematical modeling of toxoplasmosis with multiple hosts, vertical transmission and cat vaccination
Authors: González-Parra Gilberto , Arenas Abraham J. , Chen-Charpentier Benito , Sultana Sharmin
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we present an epidemiological model to study the dynamics of toxoplasmosis in cat and mouse populations under a continuous cat vaccination program. We construct a mathematical model at the cat and mouse populations level that includes the effect of oocysts of the parasiteT. gondiiwhich causes the toxoplasmosis infection. We include vertical transmission in both populations. We prove that the basic reproduction number$${\mathcal {R}}_{0}$$R0is a threshold parameter that determines the global dynamics and the outcome of the toxoplasmosis disease in the cat and population. Numerical simulations are presented to support the theoretical results and to show the impact of a vaccination program for cats. In addition, the simulations give insight on the effect of a public health program related to removing the oocysts from the environment. These simulations show the effectiveness of a constant vaccination intervention and a oocysts clearance program.
Novel model of material removal rate on ultrasonic-assisted chemical mechanical polishing for sapphire
Authors: Zhou Mufang , Zhong Min , Xu Wenhu
Published: February 2023

Ultrasonic-assisted chemical mechanical polishing (UA-CMP) can greatly improve the sapphire material removal and surface quality, but its polishing mechanism is still unclear. This paper proposed a novel model of material removal rate (MRR) to explore the mechanism of sapphire UA-CMP. It contains two modes, namely two-body wear and abrasive-impact. Furthermore, the atomic force microscopy (AFM) in-situ study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation, and polishing experiments were conducted to verify the model and reveal the polishing mechanism. In the AFM in-situ studies, the tip scratched the reaction layer on the sapphire surface. The pit with a 0.22 nm depth is the evidence of two-body wear. The CFD simulation showed that abrasives could be driven by the ultrasonic vibration to impact the sapphire surface at high frequencies. The maximum total velocity and the air volume fraction (AVF) in the central area increased from 0.26 to 0.55 m/s and 20% to 49%, respectively, with the rising amplitudes of 1–3 µm. However, the maximum total velocity rose slightly from 0.33 to 0.42 m/s, and the AVF was nearly unchanged under 40–80 r/min. It indicated that the ultrasonic energy has great effects on the abrasive-impact mode. The UA-CMP experimental results exhibited that there was 63.7% improvement in MRR when the polishing velocities rose from 40 to 80 r/min. The roughness of the polished sapphire surface was Ra = 0.07 nm. It identified that the higher speed achieved greater MRR mainly through the two-body wear mode. This study is beneficial to further understanding the UA-CMP mechanism and promoting the development of UA-CMP technology.
Strength weakening and its micromechanism in water–rock interaction, a short review in laboratory tests
Authors: Zhang Cun , Bai Qingsheng , Han Penghua , Wang Lei , Wang Xiaojie , Wang Fangtian
Published: February 2023

Water–rock interaction (WRI) is a topic of interest in geology and geotechnical engineering. Many geological hazards and engineering safety problems are severe under the WRI. This study focuses on the water weakening of rock strength and its influencing factors (water content, immersion time, and wetting–drying cycles). The strength of the rock mass decreases to varying degrees with water content, immersion time, and wetting–drying cycles depending on the rock mass type and mineral composition. The corresponding acoustic emission count and intensity and infrared radiation intensity also weaken accordingly. WRI enhances the plasticity of rock mass and reduces its brittleness. Various microscopic methods for studying the pore characterization and weakening mechanism of the WRI were compared and analyzed. Various methods should be adopted to study the pore evolution of WRI comprehensively. Microscopic methods are used to study the weakening mechanism of WRI. In future work, the mechanical parameters of rocks weakened under long-term water immersion (over years) should be considered, and more attention should be paid to how the laboratory scale is applied to the engineering scale.
Modeling the application of steel slag in stabilizing expansive soil
Authors: Kabeta Worku Firomsa , Lemma Hinsene
Published: February 2023

The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability of steel slag as an additive to the engineering properties of weak clay soil. Different geotechnical laboratory tests were conducted on both stabilized and natural soils. Steel slag (SS) was added at a rate of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% to the soil. Specific gravity, grain size analysis, Atterberg limit test, compaction test, free swell, California bearing ratio (CBR), and unconfined compression strength (UCS) are among the tests that were performed. The Atterberg limit test result shows that the liquid limit decreases from 90.8 to 65.2%, the plastic limit decreases from 60.3 to 42.5%, and the plasticity index decreases from 30.5 to 22.7% as the steel slag of 25% was added to the expansive soil. With 25% steel slag content, the specific gravity increases from 2.67 to 3.05. The free swell value decreased from 104.6 to 58.2%. In the Standard Proctor compaction test, the maximum dry density rises from 1.504 to 1.692 g/cm3, while optimum moisture content falls from 19.77 to 12.09%. From the UCS test, mixing 25% steel slag into the soil increases the unconfined compressive strength from 64.3 to 170.6 kPa. Additionally, the CBR value increases from 3.64 to 6.82% as 25% of steel slag is mixed with the soil. As a result, steel slag has been found to improve expansive soil properties for geotechnical applications.
Literaturkritik versus Ästhetik
Authors: Décultot Elisabeth
Published: February 2023

Im Mittelpunkt der vorliegenden Untersuchung steht die Auseinandersetzung französischer Gelehrter, Schriftstellerinnen und Schriftsteller – darunter etwa Madame de Staël oder Charles de Villers – mit der deutschen philosophischen Wissenschaft der Ästhetik um 1800. Anhand dieses historischen Fallbeispiels soll das je nach nationalem bzw. kulturellem Kontext changierende Verhältnis von Literaturkritik und Ästhetik in den Blick genommen werden. In Frankreich stößt seit der Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts der Begriff »esthétique«, der als direkte Übersetzung der deutschen, im Zuge von Baumgartens Arbeiten bekannt gewordenen Neuschöpfung »Ästhetik« importiert wird, auf zähen Widerstand. Ziel des Beitrags ist es, die Gründe für diese Ablehnung in französischen intellektuellen Kreisen des ausgehenden 18. und des beginnenden 19. Jahrhunderts zu analysieren. Im Hintergrund der oft heftig geführten Diskussionen steht die Frage, ob die Philosophie einen berechtigten Anspruch auf die Hervorbringung eines spezifischen Diskurses über Literatur erheben darf.
Water quality indices as tools for assessment of the Eastern Harbor’s water status (Alexandria, Egypt)
Authors: Labib Wagdy , El-Dahhar Alaa A. , Shahin Shimaa A. , Ismail Mona M. , Hosny Shimaa , Diab Mohamed H.
Published: February 2023

Based on weekly sampling, the present short-term study was set out over a one-year cycle in the Eastern Harbor (Alexandria, Egypt). This study aims to assess water quality monitoring data. Among the 13 indexes used in the present study to define the water quality in the harbor, 6 depend on physical and chemical variables, and the other 6 are biological criteria. Chlorophyll concentrations and phytoplankton cell numbers were also used as indicators for assessing trophic status. The study indicated that water status mesotrophic and poor-bad classes are the major trend in the harbor, but oligotrophic condition dominates in winter, and the eutrophic status and poor class dominate in autumn. Looking for suitable tools to assess the water status in such a highly dynamic marine basin is not a simple task, and identification of a common quality status relying on a single assessment approach is hard to realize. Despite the consensus between some approaches, significant discrepancies were observed in the classification results on temporal scale, and for the inability of some indices to sort all types of water bodies in the harbor. The study might represent an integral part of holistic ecosystem-based management of coastal waters.
Deep Immunophenotyping of Human Whole Blood by Standardized Multi-parametric Flow Cytometry Analyses
Authors: Gao Jian , Luo Yali , Li Helian , Zhao Yiran , Zhao Jialin , Han Xuling , Han Jingxuan , Lin Huiqin , Qian Feng
Published: February 2023

Immunophenotyping is proving crucial to understanding the role of the immune system in health and disease. High-throughput flow cytometry has been used extensively to reveal changes in immune cell composition and function at the single-cell level. Here, we describe six optimized 11-color flow cytometry panels for deep immunophenotyping of human whole blood. A total of 51 surface antibodies, which are readily available and validated, were selected to identify the key immune cell populations and evaluate their functional state in a single assay. The gating strategies for effective flow cytometry data analysis are included in the protocol. To ensure data reproducibility, we provide detailed procedures in three parts, including (1) instrument characterization and detector gain optimization, (2) antibody titration and sample staining, and (3) data acquisition and quality checks. This standardized approach has been applied to a variety of donors for a better understanding of the complexity of the human immune system.
Determination of polyacrylamide based flocculants in sewage sludge by off-line thermochemolysis-GC–MS analysis
Authors: Jovancicevic Ivana , Schwarzbauer Jan
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to develop an offline thermochemolysis method for the determination of cationic polyacrylamide (cPAA) flocculants in environmental samples, using trimethylanilline hydroxide as a thermochemolytic agent. This method induces degradation of cPAA into defined substituted glutarimide derivates, as specific pyrolysis products. These pyrolysis products appeared in typical pattern of homologues allowing not only an unambiguous identification of the polymer but, more important, also a reliable pyrolysis based quantification in environmental concentration levels. Pyrolysis analysis were carried out on pure cPAA and spiked samples for method optimization, as well as on four sewage sludge samples from Germany as proof of applicability. All four specific degradation products were identified in three out of four sewage sludge samples indicating that the developed TMAH-thermochemolysis method is suitable for PAA detection in complex matrices and on environmentally relevant concentration levels. Nevertheless, experiments on sewage sludge samples revealed cPAA contamination in a concentration range between 29 and 76 μg/g. However, it has to be noted that the presence of all four specific degradation products has to be validated in order to have a doubtless cPAA confirmation in environmental samples.
Preservation practices and safety of fresh shrimp (Penaeus notialis) sold in Beninese markets
Authors: Kpoclou Yénoukounmè Euloge , Anihouvi Victor Bienvenu , Azokpota Paulin , Soumanou Mohamed Mansourou , Douny Caroline , Igout Ahmed , Galanakis Charis M. , Scippo Marie-Louise , Hounhouigan Djidjoho Joseph
Published: February 2023

The microbiological characteristics of fresh shrimps during storage in ice (FSPI) (1–4.5 °C) and at ambient temperature (FSKAT) (27.5–29.5 °C) was evaluated in Beninese selling market conditions to assess hygiene and shrimp safety in artisanal preservation practices. Furthermore, samples of FSPI and FSKAT sold at the retail markets were collected and analyzed using bacteriological and physicochemical methods. The acceptable limits for aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB) [7.0 Log10 (CFU/g)] and trimethylamine (TMA) (5 mg/100 g) were exceeded after 12 days (FSPI) and 9 h (FSKAT). Most market samples (75% FSPI, 92% FSKAT) were non-compliant with the acceptable limit for AMB. The maximal limits specified were exceeded regarding Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, and Salmonella, up to 75%, 92%, and 42%, respectively (FSKAT) and 33%, 67%, and 75% (FSPI). About 33% (FSPI) and 58% (FSKAT) samples were non-compliant with the TMA limit. All the samples were within the acceptable limits of histamine and tyramine. However, training stakeholders in good handling and hygienic practices is necessary.
Undermining the State from Within
Authors: Schwartz Rachel A.
Published: February 2023

Undermining the State from Within pulls back the curtain on the counterinsurgent state to better understand how conflict dynamics affect state institutions and continue to shape political and economic development in the postwar period. Drawing on unique archival and interview data from war and postwar Central America, this book illuminates how counterinsurgent actors, under the pretext of combatting an insurgent threat, introduce alternative rules within state institutions, which undermine core activities like tax collection, public security provision, and property administration. Moreover, it uncovers how the counterinsurgent elite outmaneuvers governance reforms during democratic transition and peacebuilding to preserve the predatory wartime status quo. In so doing, this book rethinks the relationship between war and state formation, challenges existing scholarly and policy approaches to peacebuilding and post-conflict institutional reform and contributes a new understanding of what civil war leaves behind in an institutional sense.
Inequality across State Lines
Authors: Sidorsky Kaitlin , Schiller Wendy J.
Published: February 2023

In the United States, one in four women will be victims of domestic violence each year. Despite the passage of federal legislation on violence against women beginning in 1994, differences persist across states in how domestic violence is addressed. Inequality Across State Lines illuminates the epidemic of domestic violence in the U.S. through the lens of politics, policy adoption, and policy implementation. Combining narrative case studies, surveys, and data analysis, the book discusses the specific factors that explain why U.S. domestic violence politics and policies have failed to keep women safe at all income levels, and across racial and ethnic lines. The book argues that the issue of domestic violence, and how government responds to it, raises fundamental questions of justice; gender and racial equality; and the limited efficacy of a state-by-state and even town-by-town response. This book goes beyond revealing the vast differences in how states respond to domestic violence, by offering pathways to reform.
The Revolt of Owain Glyndwr in Medieval English Chronicles
Authors: Marchant Alicia
Published: February 2023

An examination of the portrayal of one of the most important uprisings in the middle ages in subsequent history writing.
Naval Resistance to Britain's Growing Power in India, 1660–1800
Authors: MacDougall Philip
Published: February 2023

Reveals, from a non-Eurocentric perspective, how Indian states developed and implemented maritime strategies which posed a serious threat to British naval power in the region.
Expert assessment of the impact of ship-strikes on cetacean welfare using the Welfare Assessment Tool for Wild Cetaceans
Authors: Rae Francesca , Nicol Christine , Simmonds Mark P
Published: February 2023

Human activities are increasingly impacting our oceans and the focus tends to be on their environmental impacts, rather than consequences for animal welfare. Global shipping density has quadrupled since 1992. Unsurprisingly, increased levels of vessel collisions with cetaceans have followed this global expansion of shipping. This paper is the first to attempt to consider the severity of ship-strike on individual whale welfare. The methodology of the ‘Welfare Assessment Tool for Wild Cetaceans’ (WATWC) was used, which is itself based upon the Five Domains model. Expert opinion was sought on six hypothetical but realistic case studies involving humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) struck by ships. Twenty-nine experts in the cetacean and welfare sector took part. They were split into two groups; Group 1 first assessed a case we judged to be the least severe and Group 2 first assessed the most severe. Both groups then additionally assessed the same four further cases. This was to investigate whether the severity of the first case influenced judgements regarding subsequent cases (i.e. expert judgements were relative) or not (i.e. judgements were absolute). No significant difference between the two groups of assessors was found; therefore, the hypothesis of relative scoring was rejected. Experts judged whales may suffer some level (>1) of overall (Domain 5) harm for the rest of their lives following a ship-strike incident. Health, closely followed by Behaviour were found to be the welfare aspects most affected by ship-strikes. Overall, the WATWC shows a robust potential to aid decision-making on wild cetacean welfare.
The Uncoordinated Teachers Puzzle
Authors: Cohen Michael
Published: February 2023

Williamson (2000) argues that the KK principle is inconsistent with knowledge of margin for error in cases of inexact perceptual observations. This paper argues, primarily by analogy to a different scenario, that Williamson's argument is fallacious. Margin for error principles describe the agent's knowledge as a result of an inexact perceptual event, not the agent's knowledge state in general. Therefore, epistemic agents can use their knowledge of margin for error at most once after a perceptual event, but not more. This insight blocks a crucial step in Williamson's original argument. Along the way, the value of standard epistemic logic for analyzing margin for error reasoning is challenged.
Form and Content: A Defense of Aesthetic Value in Science
Authors: Murphy Alice
Published: February 2023

Those who wish to defend the role of aesthetic values in science face a dilemma: aesthetic language is either used metaphorically for what are ultimately epistemic features, or it is used literally, but the importance of such values for science is unclear. This article introduces a new account that gets around this problem by considering an overlooked source of aesthetic value in science: the relation between form and content. A fit between the content of a thought experiment and the way in which that content is formulated can have important epistemic payoffs by contributing to scientific understanding.
South Korean higher education English-medium instruction (EMI) policy
Authors: Williams Dylan G.
Published: February 2023

In the past two decades, South Korean universities’ ‘top-down’ implementation of English-medium instruction (EMI) policy has been critiqued for inadequately addressing the linguistic challenges students and instructors face (Kim, 2017). Research suggests that rapid implementation of such policy is primarily motivated by the pursuit of internationalisation, where global ranking takes precedence over the appropriateness of the policy (D. W. Cho, 2012) resulting in issues of injustices (Williams & Stelma, 2022). As a result, of these injustices, taking EMI courses is not a popular choice amongst South Korean higher education students.
Overlap times in the infinite server queue
Authors: Palomo Sergio , Pender Jamol
Published: February 2023

Imagine, you enter a grocery store to buy food. How many people do you overlap with in this store? How much time do you overlap with each person in the store? In this paper, we answer these questions by studying the overlap times between customers in the infinite server queue. We compute in closed form the steady-state distribution of the overlap time between a pair of customers and the distribution of the number of customers that an arriving customer will overlap with. Finally, we define a residual process that counts the number of overlapping customers that overlap in the queue for at least $\delta$ time units and compute its distribution.
Developments in Canada on business and human rights: One step forward two steps back
Authors: Simons Penelope
Published: February 2023

Unlike its European counterparts, Canada appears to remain firmly entrenched in a soft approach to ensuring that Canadian extractive companies respect human rights abroad. Canada’s powerful extractive industry has been very successful in resisting attempts to introduce hard law measures to regulate their transnational conduct. This article considers business and state motivations for supporting or pursuing the shift to hard law measures in the business and human rights context. It assesses Canada’s 2022 policy on responsible business conduct and the implications of the government’s failure to endow the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise with the necessary powers to engage in credible independent investigations of transnational business conduct. It also considers the potential impact of three leading cases brought in Canadian courts against Canadian extractive companies in relation to their overseas operations. The article argues that these developments may not yet be sufficient on their own to shift extractive sector views on the introduction of domestic human rights due diligence legislation. It concludes with some thoughts on the impact that the legislative developments in Europe and treaty negotiations at the United Nations may have in Canada.
Monolingual and Bilingual Phonological Activation in Cantonese
Authors: Yan Ming , Luo Yingyi , Pan Jinger
Published: February 2023

Previous research has provided evidence for cross-language phonological activation during visual word recognition. However, such findings mainly came from alphabetic languages, and readers’ familiarity with the two scripts might differ. The present study aimed to test whether such cross-language phonological activation can be observed in Chinese, a logographic script, without the confounding factor of script familiarity as readers read the same script in different languages. Cantonese–Mandarin bilinguals were tested in an eye-tracking experiment in which they were instructed to read sentences silently. A target word in the sentence was replaced by either a homophone in both Cantonese and Mandarin, a homophone in Cantonese or in Mandarin only, or an unrelated character. The results showed that native Cantonese readers could activate phonological representations of L1 and L2 while reading Chinese sentences silently. However, the degree to which they relied on phonological decoding in L1 and L2 varied in the two languages.
The United Kingdom’s Human Rights Act as a Catalyst of Constitutional Migration: Patterns and Limitations of Rights Importation by Design
Authors: Masterman Roger
Published: February 2023

The United Kingdom Human Rights Act 1998 – Constitutional migration – Impacts of legislative design and process on the internalisation of international standards – A taxonomy of migratory patterns under the Human Rights Act – Constitutional migration as a source of constitutional instability – Proposals for a British Bill of Rights
Torture and progress, past and promised: problematising torture's evolving interpretation
Authors: Cakal Ergün
Published: February 2023

That international law progressively recognises and prohibits emergent forms of torture and related ill-treatment has become widely accepted in the anti-torture discourse. The premise that torture's techniques and contexts change is taken to shape juridical recognition, representation and response. Authoritative international treaties, such as the UN Convention Against Torture, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture, are therefore deemed ‘living instruments’ – influenced by social and scientific change as channelled through the doctrine of dynamic interpretation. This article argues, however, that these premises are not sufficiently empirically grounded and, far from faithfully reflecting social and scientific changes, invoke critiques around the ideological and epistemological registers of advocates and adjudicators. Taking scholarship on dynamic interpretation and forms of state violence which do not leave overt physical marks as paradigmatic entry points, this article problematises torture's juridical conceptualisation and contextualisation through a critical theoretical lens.
Body plan of Dickinsonia, the oldest mobile animals
Authors: IVANTSOV Andrey Yu , ZAKREVSKAYA Maria
Published: February 2023

Materials collected on the territory of the southeastern White Sea area, including diversely preserved body imprints, combined body-trace fossils, specimens with signs of intravital damage and regeneration, and extended ontogenetic series, make it possible to significantly widen the data on the body plan and biology of Dickinsonia, the oldest known mobile animal, included in the Late Precambrian taxon of high rank, Proarticulata. A number of reconstructed anatomical features were added to the obvious directly observed features of Dickinsonia, such as a consistent body shape lacking lateral appendages and temporary outgrowths, transverse differentiation, and anterior–posterior polarity. These reconstructed features include dorsoventral polarity, ciliated mucus-secreting epithelium underlain by a basal lamina, two rows of blind food-gathering pockets, absence of a through-gut, nervous system of diffusive type, axial support band and muscle fibres. Such a set of features indicates the affinity of Dickinsonia and Proarticulata as a whole (the only known Ediacaran Metazoa) to Urbilateria, a hypothetical ancestor of bilaterally symmetrical animals.
A need for control? Political trust and public preferences for asylum and refugee policy
Authors: Jeannet Anne-Marie , Heidland Tobias , Ruhs Martin
Published: February 2023

Political trust matters for citizens’ policy preferences but existing research has not fully understood how this effect depends on policy design. To advance this research area, we theorise that policy controls that limit or condition policy provision can function as safeguards against uncertainty, thereby compensating for a person’s lack of trust in generating support. Focusing on public preferences for asylum and refugee policy, we conduct an original conjoint experiment in eight European countries. We find that individuals with lower levels of trust in European political institutions are less supportive of policies providing unlimited or unconditional protection and more supportive of restrictive policies. We also show that policy design features such as limits and conditions can mitigate perceived uncertainty for individuals who are less trusting in European political institutions. These findings have important implications for the theoretical understanding of how political trust pertains to citizens’ preferences.
Exclusionary Behaviors Reinforce Historical Biases and Contribute to Loss of Talent in the Earth Sciences
Authors: Marin‐Spiotta Erika , Diaz‐Vallejo Emily J. , Barnes Rebecca T. , Mattheis Allison , Schneider Blair , Berhe Asmeret Asefaw , Hastings Meredith G. , Williams Billy M. , Magley Vicki
Published: February 2023

Geosciences remain one of the least diverse fields. Efforts to diversify the discipline need to address the role of hostile and exclusionary work and learning environments. A workplace climate survey distributed to five professional organizations illustrates varied experiences of earth and space scientists over a 12‐month period (pre‐COVID). A majority experienced positive interactions in the workplace. However, scientists of color, women and non‐binary individuals, scientists with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, pansexual, and asexual (LGBQPA+) scientists more frequently experienced negative interactions, including interpersonal mistreatment, discriminatory language, and sexual harassment. Geoscientists of color were more likely to experience devaluation of their work than white scientists. More than half of women and non‐binary respondents, as well as those who identify as LGBQPA+ experienced identity‐based discriminatory remarks. Disabled geoscientists were more likely to hear negative identity‐based language than those who did not disclose a disability. Overall, 14% of all respondents experienced sexual harassment in the previous year. Rates were greatest for historically excluded groups: non‐binary (51%), LGBQPA+ (33%), disabled (26%), women (20%), and geoscientists of color (17%). A majority of geoscientists reported avoiding their colleagues and almost a third considered leaving their institution or a career change. Historically excluded groups were more likely to report opting out of professional activities with potential career consequences. To address continued exclusion and low retention in the earth and space sciences, recruitment is not enough. We need to create environments that ensure opportunities for all to thrive.