bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing the Sound and Thermal Insulation Properties of Polypropylene Foam by Preparing High Melt Strength Polypropylene
Authors: Liu Fangjun , Shen Chenxi , You Feng , Zhao Wufan , Deng Caoting , Jiang Xueliang
Published: August 2023

High‐performance polypropylene (PP) foam is a vital polymer product in industrial areas. However, the poor melt strength of ordinary PP homopolymer limits its foaming molding. In this work, high melt strength polypropylene (HMSPP) is prepared by using styrene (St) and tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA) as comonomers, and then PP foams are prepared by mold foaming method. The results show that adding St in the grafting process of TPGDA will obviously improve the melt strength of the PP matrix, and its melt strength (28 184 Pa.s) is 7.4 times higher than that of pure PP. HMSPP foam has more regular and uniform cells and higher cell density, which significantly improves the sound and thermal insulation properties of PP foam. Compared with pure PP foam, the average sound transmission loss (52.9 dB) of HMSPP foam with a low foaming ratio increased by 64%, and the thermal conductivity (0.0867 W mK−1) decreased by 46%. Therefore, the obtained HMSPP foam can be used in sound insulation or thermal insulation area. This work provides an available route for the high‐performance utilization of PP foam.
Optimal brand differentiation and private brand introduction strategies considering carbon emission reduction
Authors: Wang Jia , Cao Kaiying
Published: August 2023

This paper constructs a theoretical model to explore whether manufacturers should launch low‐end products and whether retailers should introduce private brands. The main results show that whether retailers (manufacturers) introduce private brands or launch low‐end products depends not only on the fixed cost of introducing private brands (launching low‐end products) but also on the sensitivity of consumers to carbon reduction, product competition coefficient, manufacturer's cost of high‐end products, and carbon reduction cost coefficient. Furthermore, brand differentiation strategy and private brand introduction strategy have an impact on one another.
Absorption matters: A closer look at popular oral bioavailability rules for drug approvals
Authors: Caminero Gomes Soares Artur , Marques Sousa Gustavo Henrique , Calil Raisa Ludmila , Goulart Trossini Gustavo Henrique
Published: August 2023

This study examines how two popular drug‐likeness concepts used in early development, Lipinski Rule of Five (Ro5) and Veber's Rules, possibly affected drug profiles of FDA approved drugs since 1997. Our findings suggest that when all criteria are applied, relevant compounds may be excluded, addressing the harmfulness of blindly employing these rules. Of all oral drugs in the period used for this analysis, around 66 % conform to the RO5 and 85 % to Veber's Rules. Molecular Weight and calculated LogP showed low consistent values over time, apart from being the two least followed rules, challenging their relevance. On the other hand, hydrogen bond related rules and the number of rotatable bonds are amongst the most followed criteria and show exceptional consistency over time. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that topological polar surface area and total count of hydrogen bonds cannot be used as interchangeable parameters, contrary to the original proposal. This research enhances the comprehension of drug profiles that were FDA approved in the post‐Lipinski period. Medicinal chemists could utilize these heuristics as a limited guide to direct their exploration of the oral bioavailability chemical space, but they must also steer the wheel to break these rules and explore different regions when necessary.
Rank‐structured approximation of some Cauchy matrices with sublinear complexity
Authors: Lepilov Mikhail , Xia Jianlin
Published: August 2023

In this article, we consider the rank‐structured approximation of one important type of Cauchy matrix. This approximation plays a key role in some structured matrix methods such as stable and efficient direct solvers and other algorithms for Toeplitz matrices and certain kernel matrices. Previous rank‐structured approximations (specifically hierarchically semiseparable, or HSS, approximations) for such a matrix of size cost at least complexity. Here, we show how to construct an HSS approximation with sublinear (specifically, ) complexity. The main ideas include extensive computation reuse and an analytical far‐field compression strategy. Low‐rank compression at each hierarchical level is restricted to just a single off‐diagonal block row, and a resulting basis matrix is then reused for other off‐diagonal block rows as well as off‐diagonal block columns. The relationships among the off‐diagonal blocks are rigorously analyzed. The far‐field compression uses an analytical proxy point method where we optimize the choice of some parameters so as to obtain accurate low‐rank approximations. Both the basis reuse ideas and the resulting analytical hierarchical compression scheme can be generalized to some other kernel matrices and are useful for accelerating relevant rank‐structured approximations (though not subsequent operations like matrix‐vector multiplications).
Application of digital pathology‐based advanced analytics of tumour microenvironment organisation to predict prognosis and therapeutic response
Authors: Fu Xiao , Sahai Erik , Wilkins Anna
Published: August 2023

In recent years, the application of advanced analytics, especially artificial intelligence (AI), to digital H&E images, and other histological image types, has begun to radically change how histological images are used in the clinic. Alongside the recognition that the tumour microenvironment (TME) has a profound impact on tumour phenotype, the technical development of highly multiplexed immunofluorescence platforms has enhanced the biological complexity that can be captured in the TME with high precision. AI has an increasingly powerful role in the recognition and quantitation of image features and the association of such features with clinically important outcomes, as occurs in distinct stages in conventional machine learning. Deep‐learning algorithms are able to elucidate TME patterns inherent in the input data with minimum levels of human intelligence and, hence, have the potential to achieve clinically relevant predictions and discovery of important TME features. Furthermore, the diverse repertoire of deep‐learning algorithms able to interrogate TME patterns extends beyond convolutional neural networks to include attention‐based models, graph neural networks, and multimodal models. To date, AI models have largely been evaluated retrospectively, outside the well‐established rigour of prospective clinical trials, in part because traditional clinical trial methodology may not always be suitable for the assessment of AI technology. However, to enable digital pathology‐based advanced analytics to meaningfully impact clinical care, specific measures of ‘added benefit’ to the current standard of care and validation in a prospective setting are important. This will need to be accompanied by adequate measures of explainability and interpretability. Despite such challenges, the combination of expanding datasets, increased computational power, and the possibility of integration of pre‐clinical experimental insights into model development means there is exciting potential for the future progress of these AI applications. © 2023 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Thermally conductive polypropylene composites as corrosion‐resistant materials for plate heat exchangers
Authors: Kiepfer Hendrik , Stannek Paul , Grundler Marco , Bart Hans‐Jörg
Published: August 2023

The suitability of polypropylene‐graphite composites as materials for corrugated heat exchanger plates is investigated, as the associated materials have low density (<2.3 g/cm3) and excellent corrosion resistance at a comparatively low price. Therefore, custom‐made polymer composite plates with a thickness of 1–2 mm and a filling degree of up to 80 wt% were evaluated for their thermal and mechanical suitability with regard to their use in plate heat exchangers. Three‐point flexural tests show that the loading of polypropylene with graphite leads to mechanical properties that are suitable for the application of heat exchanger plates. The simulated maximum overpressure is greater than 7 bar. The thermal conductivity of the composites was increased by a factor of 20 compared to pure polypropylene, resulting in thermal conductivities of up to 2.74 W/mK. Considering the density differences between the developed composites and stainless steel, similar thermal performances over a wide range of process conditions are obtained. Moreover, the composites investigated have lower crystallization fouling susceptibility compared to stainless steel, which is attributed to the low surface free energies of approximately 25 mN/m. For calcium sulfate fouling, the fouling resistance on stainless steel exceeds that on the composite by 1.5 m2K/kW after 60 h.
Item response theory in early phase clinical trials: Utilization of a reference model to analyze the Montgomery‐Åsberg Depression Rating Scale
Authors: Otto Marije E. , Bergmann Kirsten R. , de Kam Marieke L. , Recourt Kasper , Jacobs Gabriël E. , van Esdonk Michiel J.
Published: August 2023

In clinical trials, Montgomery‐Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) questionnaire data are added up to total scores before analysis, assuming equal contribution of each separate question. Item Response Theory (IRT)‐based analysis avoids this by using individual question responses to determine the latent variable (ψ), which represents a measure of depression severity. However, utilization of IRT in early phase trials remains difficult, because large datasets are needed to develop IRT models. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the application and assumptions of a reference IRT model for analysis of an early phase trial. A cross‐over, placebo‐controlled study investigating the effect of intravenous racemic ketamine on MADRS scores in patients with treatment‐resistant major depressive disorder was used as a case study. One hundred forty‐seven MADRS responses were measured in 17 patients at five timepoints (predose to 2 weeks after dosing). Two reference IRT models based on different patient populations were selected from literature and used to determine ψ, while testing multiple approaches regarding assumed data distribution. Use of ψ versus total score to determine treatment effect was compared through linear mixed model analysis. Results showed that determined ψ values did not differ significantly between assumed distributions, but were significantly different when changing reference IRT model. Estimated treatment effect size was not significantly affected by chosen approach nor reference population. Finally, increased precision to determine treatment effect was achieved by using IRT versus total scores. This demonstrates the usefulness of reference IRT model application for analysis of questionnaire data in early phase clinical trials.
Self‐repairable, high‐uniform conductive‐bridge random access memory based on amorphous NbSe2
Authors: Lu Bojing , Hu Dunan , Yang Ruqi , Du Jigang , Hu Lingxiang , Li Siqin , Wang Fengzhi , Huang Jingyun , Liu Pingwei , Zhuge Fei , Zeng Yu‐Jia , Ye Zhizhen , Lu Jianguo
Published: August 2023

Conductive‐bridge random access memory (CBRAM) emerges as a promising candidate for next‐generation memory and storage device. However, CBRAMs are prone to degenerate and fail during electrochemical metallization processes. To address this issue, herein we propose a self‐repairability strategy for CBRAMs. Amorphous NbSe2 was designed as the resistive switching layer, with Cu and Au as the top and bottom electrodes, respectively. The NbSe2 CBRAMs demonstrate exceptional cycle‐to‐cycle and device‐to‐device uniformity, with forming‐free and compliance current‐free resistive switching characteristics, low‐operation voltage, and competitive endurance and retention performance. Most importantly, the self‐repairable behavior is discovered for the first time in CBRAM. The device after failure can recover its performance to the initially normal state by operating with a slightly large reset voltage. The existence of Cu conductive filament and excellent controllability of Cu migration in the NbSe2 switching layer has been revealed by a designed broken‐down point approach, which is responsible for the self‐repairable behavior of NbSe2 CBRAMs. Our self‐repairable and high‐uniform amorphous NbSe2 CBRAM may open the door to the development of memory and storage devices in the future.
Lung proteomics combined with metabolomics reveals molecular characteristics of inflammation‐related lung tumorigenesis induced by B(a)P and LPS
Authors: Ma Pengwei , Miao Xinyi , Li Mengyuan , Kong Xiangbing , Jiang Yuting , Wang Pengpeng , Zhang Peng , Shang Pingping , Chen Yusong , Zhou Xiaolei , Wang Wei , Zhang Qiao , Liu Hong , Feng Feifei
Published: August 2023

Inflammatory microenvironment may take a promoting role in lung tumorigenesis. However, the molecular characteristics underlying inflammation‐related lung cancer remains unknown. In this work, the inflammation‐related lung tumorigenesis mouse model was established by treated with B(a)P (1 mg/mouse, once a week for 4 weeks), followed by LPS (2.5 μg/mouse, once every 3 weeks for five times), the mice were sacrificed 30 weeks after exposure. TMT‐labeled quantitative proteomics and untargeted metabolomics were used to interrogate differentially expressed proteins and metabolites in different mouse cancer tissues, followed by integrated crosstalk between proteomics and metabolomics through Spearman's correlation analysis. The result showed that compared with the control group, 103 proteins and 37 metabolites in B(a)P/LPS group were identified as significantly altered. By searching KEGG pathway database, proteomics pathways such as Leishmaniasis, Asthma and Intestinal immune network for IgA production, metabolomics pathways such as Vascular smooth muscle contraction, Linoleic acid metabolism and cGMP‐PKG signaling pathway were enriched. A total of 22 pathways were enriched after conjoint analysis of the proteomic and metabolomics, and purine metabolism pathway, the unique metabolism‐related pathway, which included significantly altered protein (adenylate cyclase 4, ADCY4) and metabolites (L‐Glutamine, guanosine monophosphate (GMP), adenosine and guanosine) was found. Results suggested purine metabolism may contribute to the inflammation‐related lung tumorigenesis, which may provide novel clues for the therapeutic strategies of inflammation‐related lung cancer.
Assessing golden‐winged warbler dispersal habitat in a highly parcelized landscape
Authors: Woodie Michaelyn B. , Tomcho Aimee , Barnhill Laurel M. , McComb Brenda C.
Published: August 2023

Golden‐winged warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) are facing population declines in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Breeding habitat loss is considered one of the primary reasons for golden‐winged warbler declines in the region. Expanding breeding habitat availability in a manner that promotes population expansion across an interconnected network of habitat patches is particularly problematic in a landscape dominated by private land ownership. We assessed the connectivity of golden‐winged warbler breeding habitat in a 29,680‐ha landscape with 5,664 ownership parcels between 2 state‐owned game lands in northwestern North Carolina, USA, in fall 2021. We created a connectivity map and provided examples of 3 means of prioritizing parcels for golden‐winged warbler habitat maintenance and management based on dispersal distances of fledglings that could return the following spring with prior familiarity of potential nesting areas. Prioritized parcels can guide land acquisition and conservation easement development as well as active management. Despite being highly parcelized, the area has both well‐connected and disjointed clusters of core habitat patches, but habitat management on privately owned parcels would be needed to connect core habitat patches to enable dispersing golden‐winged warbler fledglings to encounter potential breeding habitat that they could use the following spring.
Competing Policy Ideas in Classroom Practice: The Case of Student Group Work
Authors: Stenersen Christine R.
Published: August 2023

In this chapter, the policy–practice nexus is empirically studied by examining an example of student group work trajectory in the context of Norwegian classrooms. Research and policy highlight the importance of developing student collaboration skills in the school setting. At the same time, contemporary education is marked by a focus on the individual learner and the measurement of the learning outcomes of individual students. This chapter explores this apparent dilemma by contrasting the political and pedagogical ambitions related to desired outcomes of student group work with empirical actualisation of authentic student group work. A conceptual framework informed by discursive institutionalism and the theory of cooperation and competition provides a multilayered lens for exploring the policy–practice nexus and scrutinising how policy intent might turn out in practice. As such, the study can serve as an example of how policy ideas, the school as an institution and the agency of teachers and students interact in the complex field of educational practice.
Jet polarisation in an anisotropic medium
Authors: Hauksson S. , Iancu E.
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We study the evolution of an energetic jet which propagates in an anisotropic quark-gluon plasma, as created in the intermediate stages of ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions. We argue that the partons of the jet should acquire a non-zero average polarisation proportional to the medium anisotropy. We first observe that the medium anisotropy introduces a difference between the rates for transverse momentum broadening along the two directions perpendicular to the jet axis. In turn, this difference leads to a polarisation-dependent bias in the BDMPS-Z rates for medium-induced gluon branching. Accordingly, the daughter gluons in a branching process can carry net polarisation even if their parent gluon was unpolarised. Using these splitting rates, we construct kinetic equations which describe the production and transmission of polarisation via multiple branching in an anisotropic medium. The solutions to these equations show that polarisation is efficiently produced via quasi-democratic branchings, but then it is rapidly washed out by the subsequent branchings, due to the inability of soft gluons to keep trace of the polarisation of their parents. Based on that, we conclude that a net polarisation for the jet should survive in the final state if and only if the medium anisotropy is sizeable as the jet escapes the medium.
Multidimensional biomarker predicts disease control in response to immunotherapy in recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma
Authors: Flanagan Kevin C. , Earls Jon , Schillebeeckx Ian , Hiken Jeffrey , Wellinghoff Rachel L. , LaFranzo Natalie A. , Bradley Zachary S. , Babbitt Joey , Westra William H. , Hsu Raymond , Nadauld Lincoln , Mcleod Howard , Firth Sean D. , Sharp Brittany , Fuller Josh , Vavinskaya Vera , Sutton Leisa , Deichaite Ida , Bailey Samuel D. , Sandulache Vlad C. , Rendo Matthew J. , Macdonald Orlan K. , Welaya Karim , Wade James L. , Pippas Andrew W. , Slim Jennifer , Bank Bruce , Saccaro Steven J. , Sui Xingwei , Akhtar Adil , Balaraman Savitha , Kossman Steven E. , Sonnier Scott A. , Shenkenberg Todd D. , Alexander Warren L. , Price Katherine A. , Bane Charles L. , Ley Jessica , Messina David N. , Glasscock Jarret I. , Cohen Ezra E. W. , Adkins Douglas R. , Duncavage Eric J.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Anti-PD-1 therapy provides clinical benefit in 40–50% of patients with relapsed and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (RM-HNSCC). Selection of anti- PD-1 therapy is typically based on patient PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) which has low specificity for predicting disease control. Therefore, there is a critical need for a clinical biomarker that will predict clinical benefit to anti-PD-1 treatment with high specificity.

Methods

Clinical treatment and outcomes data for 103 RM-HNSCC patients were paired with RNA-sequencing data from formalin-fixed patient samples. Using logistic regression methods, we developed a novel biomarker classifier based on expression patterns in the tumor immune microenvironment to predict disease control with monotherapy PD-1 inhibitors (pembrolizumab and nivolumab). The performance of the biomarker was internally validated using out-of-bag methods.

Results

The biomarker significantly predicted disease control (65% in predicted non-progressors vs. 17% in predicted progressors, p < 0.001) and was significantly correlated with overall survival (OS; p = 0.004). In addition, the biomarker outperformed PD-L1 IHC across numerous metrics including sensitivity (0.79 vs 0.64, respectively; p = 0.005) and specificity (0.70 vs 0.61, respectively; p = 0.009).

Conclusion

This novel assay uses tumor immune microenvironment expression data to predict disease control and OS with high sensitivity and specificity in patients with RM-HNSCC treated with anti-PD-1 monotherapy.
Prophylactic Swallowing Therapy During Head-and-Neck Cancer Radiotherapy: Effect of Service-Delivery Mode and Overall Adherence Level on Swallowing Function and Muscle Strength—the PRESTO Trial
Authors: Baudelet Margot , Van den Steen Leen , Duprez Fréderic , Goeleven Ann , Nuyts Sandra , Nevens Daan , Vandenbruaene Caroline , Massonet Hanne , Vergauwen Alice , Vauterin Tom , Verstraete Hilde , Wouters Kristien , Vanderveken Olivier , De Bodt Marc , Van Nuffelen Gwen ,   members of the Belgian PRESTO-group
Published: August 2023

Prophylactic swallowing exercises (PSE) during head-and-neck cancer (HNC) (chemo)radiotherapy (CRT) have a positive effect on swallowing function and muscle strength. Adherence rates to PSE are, however, moderate to low, undermining these effects. PRESTO already showed that the service-delivery mode (SDM), the way the exercises are offered, can influence adherence. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of SDM on swallowing function and muscle strength during and post-CRT. In addition, the effect of overall adherence (OA), independent of SDM, was also investigated. A total of 148 HNC patients, treated with CRT, were randomly assigned to one of the three SDM’s (paper-supported, app-supported, or therapist-supported PSE) and performed a 4-week PSE program. OA was calculated based on the percentage of completed exercises. Patients were divided into OA levels: the OA75+ and OA75− group performed respectively ≥ 75 and < 75% of the exercises. Swallowing function based on Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability-Cancer (MASA-C), tongue and suprahyoid muscle strength during and up to 3 months after CRT were compared between the SDM’s and OA levels. Linear Mixed-effects Models with post hoc pairwise testing and Bonferroni–Holm correction was used. No significant differences were found between the three SDMs. Significant time effects were found: MASA-C scores decreased and muscle strength increased significantly during CRT. By the end of CRT, the OA75+ showed significantly better swallowing function compared to OA75−. Muscle strength gain was significantly higher in the OA75+ group. SDM had no impact on swallowing function and muscle strength; however, significant effects were shown for OA level. Performing a high level of exercise repetitions is essential to benefit from PSE.

Trial registration ISRCTN, ISRCTN98243550. Registered December 21, 2018—retrospectively registered, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN98243550?q=gwen%20van%20nuffelen&filters=&sort=&offset=1&totalResults=2&page=1&pageSize=10&searchType=basic-search
Self-efficacy of advanced cancer patients for participation in treatment-related decision-making in six European countries: the ACTION study
Authors: Yildiz Berivan , Korfage Ida J. , Deliens Luc , Preston Nancy J. , Miccinesi Guido , Kodba-Ceh Hana , Pollock Kristian , Johnsen Anna Thit , van Delden Johannes J. M. , Rietjens Judith A. C. , van der Heide Agnes
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Many patients prefer an active role in making decisions about their care and treatment, but participating in such decision-making is challenging. The aim of this study was to explore whether patient-reported outcomes (quality of life and patient satisfaction), patients’ coping strategies, and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were associated with self-efficacy for participation in decision-making among patients with advanced cancer.

Methods

We used baseline data from the ACTION trial of patients with advanced colorectal or lung cancer from six European countries, including scores on the decision-making participation self-efficacy (DEPS) scale, EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL questionnaire, and the EORTC IN-PATSAT32 questionnaire. Multivariable linear regression analyses were used to examine associations with self-efficacy scores.

Results

The sample included 660 patients with a mean age of 66 years (SD 10). Patients had a mean score of 73 (SD 24) for self-efficacy. Problem-focused coping (B 1.41 (95% CI 0.77 to 2.06)), better quality of life (B 2.34 (95% CI 0.89 to 3.80)), and more patient satisfaction (B 7.59 (95% CI 5.61 to 9.56)) were associated with a higher level of self-efficacy. Patients in the Netherlands had a higher level of self-efficacy than patients in Belgium ((B 7.85 (95% CI 2.28 to 13.42)), whereas Italian patients had a lower level ((B −7.50 (95% CI −13.04 to −1.96)) than those in Belgium.

Conclusion

Coping style, quality of life, and patient satisfaction with care were associated with self-efficacy for participation in decision-making among patients with advanced cancer. These factors are important to consider for healthcare professionals when supporting patients in decision-making processes.
Molecular screening of Amblyomma species (Acari: Ixodidae) imported from African countries to Egypt, with the first report of Amblyomma latum from the ball python, Python regius (Squamata: Pythonidae)
Authors: Abouelhassan Eman M. , Kamel Marwa S. , Chitimia‑Dobler Lidia , Bakkes Deon K. , Okely Mohammed
Published: August 2023

Amblyomma species are non-endemic ticks in Egypt, which have been recorded from imported animals. This study was carried out in 2022 to monitor Amblyomma spp. from dromedary camels, cattle, and snakes in Egypt. During this study, 400 camels, 200 cattle, and two snakes (Pythonidae) were inspected for tick infestation. Collected specimens were identified based on morphological characters and confirmed by phylogenetic analysis of the 12S rRNA gene. Camels were infested by adult specimens of Amblyomma variegatum and Amblyomma lepidum, but no Amblyomma spp. were collected from cattle. Amblyomma variegatum showed high genetic similarity to other A. variegatum from Guinea-Bissau and São Tomé (> 99.99%), and A. lepidum showed high genetic similarity to other A. lepidum from Israel and Sudan (99.99%). Amblyomma latum is recorded in Egypt from the ball python snake for the first time and showed high genetic similarity with South African A. latum (99.87%).
Insect community reassembly in a spatiotemporally heterogenous restoration landscape
Authors: Tudor Emily P. , Cross Adam T. , Tomlinson Sean
Published: August 2023

Context

Anthropogenic habitat degradation resulting from agricultural, mining, and urban development is a leading cause of global insect declines, but the recovery of insect communities and functional guilds is rarely assessed during ecological restoration.

Objectives

Assess the effects of vegetation community composition and structure on insect species richness, diversity, and abundance across various stages of ecological restoration to understand the patterns and drivers of the return of insect functional guilds to post-mining restoration landscapes.

Methods

We sampled the insect community using ultraviolet polypropylene vane traps and conducted floristic surveys to quantify the relationships between the insect community and vegetation community across a 40-year sequence of post-mining ecological restoration in south-western Western Australia.

Results

Despite the lack of convergence observed in the vegetation community, insects returned through natural processes of reassembly and dispersal such that the community resembled that of reference forest communities within approximately a decade of restoration activity. However, the insect community transitioned from an assemblage dominated by pollinators to one dominated by herbivores and detritivores along the ecological restoration age gradient. Our results indicate that plant abundance had a significant effect on the abundance of pollinators and parasitoids but the relationships between vegetation community metrics and other functional guilds were relatively weak.

Conclusions

Insect functional guilds present complex and variable responses to vegetation re-assembly and maximising landscape spatiotemporal heterogeneity and habitat complexity in ecological restoration can increase the availability of suitable habitat for a diverse suite of insect taxa and the associated ecological services they provide.
Prolegomena to a theory of X-marking
Authors: von Fintel Kai , Iatridou Sabine
Published: August 2023

The morphological marking that distinguishes conditionals that are called “counterfactual” from those that are not, can also be found in other modal constructions, such as in the expression of wishes and oughts. We propose to call it “X-marking”. In this article, we lay out desiderata for a successful theory of X-marking and make some initial informal observations. Much remains to be done.
Prevalence and Motivations for Technology-facilitated Gender- and Sexuality-based Violence Among Adults: A Mixed-methods Study
Authors: Martínez-Bacaicoa Jone , Alonso-Fernández Mariana , Wachs Sebastian , Gámez-Guadix Manuel
Published: August 2023

Technology-facilitated gender- and sexuality-based violence (TFGSV) refers to the set of behaviors through which technology is used to harm people because of their sexual or gender identities. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of the perpetration of different forms of TFGSV among adults, to analyze possible gender and age differences, and to explore the motivations behind these aggressive acts. A mixed-methods approach was employed to integrate quantitative data (N = 2,316, 69% women; Mage = 27.22, SDage = 10.169) with qualitative open-ended data (n = 239, 61.5% women; Mage= 26.3, SDage = 8.38) to gain a more in-depth understanding of TFGSV perpetration and its motivations. The results that TFGSV is a prevalent issue among all age groups and 25.6% of the participants had perpetrated some form of it. In addition, although men are the main perpetrators, women and non-binary people may also be involved in TFGSV perpetration. The main motivations behind TFGSV perpetration included expressing ideological disagreement, rejecting someone, self-defense or defending others, managing unpleasant emotions, socializing, and a lack of reflection or awareness. Another motivation for sharing TFGSV content was to increase awareness of this type of aggression by making it visible to others. These results suggests that prevention programs should target all age groups and consider all the motivations behind the perpetration of TFGSV.
Sleep-disordered breathing and lung function abnormalities in adults with congenital heart disease
Authors: Momcilovic D. , Reznakova B. , Bosse F. , Begrich C. , Bernhardt C. , Hamiko M. , Bakhtiary F. , Nickenig G. , Skowasch D. , Pizarro Carmen
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Advances in treatment enables most patients with congenital heart diseases (CHD) to survive into adulthood, implying the need to address comorbid conditions in this growing cohort of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and lung function abnormalities in patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD).

Methods

Patients with ACHD underwent level 3 sleep testing (Embletta MPR polygraphy) and pulmonary function testing. Results were stratified by the underlying haemodynamic ACHD lesion group.

Results

Patients with ACHD (n = 100) were middle-aged (42.3 ± 14.6 years), 54% male and slightly overweight (BMI 25.9 ± 5.5 kg/m2). Polygraphy revealed a prevalence of sleep apnoea of 39% with 15% of patients presenting with predominantly obstructive apnoeic episodes, while 23% of patients presenting primarily with central sleep apnoea. The distribution of mild, moderate, and severe sleep apnoea in the total study population was 26%, 7% and 6%, respectively. Comparison of apnoea–hypopnoea index, presence of sleep apnoea, and apnoea severity did not offer significant differences between the four ACHD lesion groups (p = 0.29, p = 0.41 and p = 0.18, respectively). Pulmonary function testing revealed obstructive lung disease in 19 of 100 patients. Concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and obstructive sleep apnoea were diagnosed in 3% of patients and were associated with profound nocturnal desaturation.

Conclusion

The findings suggest a mild propensity amongst patients with ACHD to develop SDB that seems to be unaffected by the specific underlying congenital lesion.
The Anterior Insula and its Projection to the Prelimbic Cortex are Involved in the Regulation of 5-HT-Induced Itch
Authors: Yao Juan , Li Xuan , Wu Guang-Yan , Wu Bing , Long Jun-Hui , Wang Pu-Jun , Liu Shu-Lei , Gao Jie , Sui Jian-Feng
Published: August 2023

Itch is an unpleasant sensation that urges people and animals to scratch. Neuroimaging studies on itch have yielded extensive correlations with diverse cortical and subcortical regions, including the insular lobe. However, the role and functional specificity of the insular cortex (IC) and its subdivisions in itch mediation remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and fiber photometry tests, that neurons in both the anterior insular cortex (AIC) and the posterior insular cortex (PIC) are activated during acute itch processes. Pharmacogenetic experiments revealed that nonselective inhibition of global AIC neurons, or selective inhibition of the activity of glutaminergic neurons in the AIC, reduced the scratching behaviors induced by intradermal injection of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), but not those induced by compound 48/80. However, both nonselective inhibition of global PIC neurons and selective inhibition of glutaminergic neurons in the PIC failed to affect the itching-scratching behaviors induced by either 5-HT or compound 48/80. In addition, pharmacogenetic inhibition of AIC glutaminergic neurons effectively blocked itch-associated conditioned place aversion behavior, and inhibition of AIC glutaminergic neurons projecting to the prelimbic cortex significantly suppressed 5-HT-evoked scratching. These findings provide preliminary evidence that the AIC is involved, at least partially via aversive emotion mediation, in the regulation of 5-HT-, but not compound 48/80-induced itch.
Identification of phytoplasmas associated with grapevine ‘bois noir’ and flavescence dorée in inter-row groundcover vegetation used for green manure in Franciacorta vineyards
Authors: Moussa Abdelhameed , Guerrieri Enea , Torcoli Sara , Serina Flavio , Quaglino Fabio , Mori Nicola
Published: August 2023

‘Bois noir’ (BN) and flavescence dorèe (FD), the two main diseases of the grapevine yellows complex associated with genetically distinct phytoplasmas, have a complex epidemiology including multiple insect vectors and reservoir plants. This study investigated the presence of BN and FD phytoplasmas in nine groundcover plant species commonly utilized for inter-row vineyard green manure in Franciacorta (North Italy). The activities conducted in 2020 included monitoring and sampling groundcover plant species and symptomatic grapevines in September, and phytoplasma identification and typing by amplification and sequence analyses of stamp and map genes. Molecular analyses identified BN phytoplasma (strains carrying the stamp gene sequence variants St5, St19, St30) and FD phytoplasma (strains carrying the map gene sequence variant M54) in 72% and 28% of symptomatic grapevines, respectively. BN phytoplasma strains St5 and St30 were found also in Eruca sativa, Vicia sativa, and Polygonum fagopyrum. FD phytoplasma strain M54 was found also in Vicia faba, Trifolium incarnatum, and Polygonum fagopyrum. These results reinforced the evidence of the increasing range of BN and FD phytoplasma alternative plant hosts and suggested a criterium for the selection of the groundcover plant species utilized for green manure, excluding the ones putatively involved in BN and FD diffusion.
Newton’s Method for Global Free Flight Trajectory Optimization
Authors: Borndörfer Ralf , Danecker Fabian , Weiser Martin
Published: August 2023

Globally optimal free flight trajectory optimization can be achieved with a combination of discrete and continuous optimization. A key requirement is that Newton’s method for continuous optimization converges in a sufficiently large neighborhood around a minimizer. We show in this paper that, under certain assumptions, this is the case.
Exploring neotectonic activity in a semiarid basin: a case study of the Ain Zerga watershed
Authors: Taib Hassan , Hadji Riheb , Hamed Younes , Bensalem Mohamed Sadok , Amamria Soulef
Published: August 2023

Mediterranean basin exposed to ongoing processes of erosion and deformation. Neotectonics is the study of the geological processes involved in the deformation of the Earth’s crust. The topography of the terrain is greatly impacted by these neotectonic events, which has a considerable impact on the drainage pattern and general geomorphology of the region. In this work, the active tectonics were evaluated using the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and several Geomorphic Indices in the Ain Zerga region of Northeast Algeria. Asymmetry factor, basin form, the ratio of valley floor width to valley height, the sinuosity of mountain fronts, hypsometric integral, hypsometric curve, and transverse topographic symmetry factor were some of the indices used. These findings emphasize the tremendous tectonic activity that exists in the study area. In comparison to sub-watershed N°2, sub-watersheds N°1, N°3, and N°4 had stronger tectonic activity, according to the examination of these geomorphic indicators. The Relative Tectonic Activity Index (Iat) distribution pattern, which concurred with other pieces of information such as stream deflection and lineament analysis, corroborated these conclusions. We were able to learn a lot about the different levels of tectonic activity in the sub-watersheds by using traditional geomorphic indices. The tectonic activity-exhibiting basins consistently displayed connections with structural disturbances, basin geometry, and field research. Geomorphic indices and morphometric characteristics were used to identify tectonically active zones in a portion of the Mellegue transboundary basin, which shows a considerable influence of neotectonic activity in a portion of the Neogene basin.
Writing, Politics and Change in South Africa after Apartheid
Authors: Warnes Christopher
Published: August 2023

This book shows how South African writing can help us to understand change after apartheid. It aims to shift the attention of literary criticism away from a narrow set of highbrow South African authors and towards a wider range of texts, including popular fiction. The object of analysis, at its largest level, is the South African polity as it veered between the hopeful optimism of the 'Rainbow nation' under Nelson Mandela, the murderous muddling of Thabo Mbeki, and the 'captured state' under Jacob Zuma. Questions of a political, economic, and sociological cast are central, with changes in the workplace, land reform, indigenous knowledge, xenophobia, corruption, and crime providing specific points of focus. Writing, Politics and Change in South Africa after Apartheid shows how creative literature of the post-apartheid period has a unique and powerful capacity to illuminate these issues and to intervene in our understanding of them.
Capturing Regulation Under Imperial Rule: The Regulation of Palestine’s Banking Sector
Authors: Hefetz Adam
Published: August 2023

During the 1930s, the British government in Palestine introduced new regulation for the country’s banking sector. This regulation brought about a sharp decline in the number of banks and consolidated the large banks’ position in the country. Contrary to prior accounts of the subject, which view the regulation as a welcome governmental response to an unstable banking sector, in this article I argue that the main forces behind the regulation were the British Barclays Bank (Dominion, Colonial, and Overseas) and the Zionist Anglo-Palestine Bank. Based on governmental reports and internal banking correspondence, I show how, despite the opposition of local credit institutions, these two large banks successfully pushed for regulations that benefited them at the expense of their smaller competitors. The regulation of Palestine’s banking sector is therefore a case study of regulatory capture in the context of the British Empire.
AMS, HISTORICAL, AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATING OF OPONICE CASTLE
Authors: Styková Barbora , Styk Matej , Repka Dominik , Světlík Ivo , Pachnerová Brabcová Kateřina , Petrová Markéta , Hajnalová Mária
Published: August 2023

The fifth season of excavations of Oponice Castle in 2020 was located in the lower castle’s courtyard. The research led to discovery of an original clay floor being heavily burned with charred plank and a rectangular stone-brick construction. The construction has collapsed upper part with a fallen low brick arch. The whole area was covered with numerous stove tiles and one clay mold for the production of stove tiles. The construction was identified as a pottery kiln dated to the second half of the 16th until the first half of the 17th century AD by the findings from excavated layer identified to the kiln destruction. Also, written sources mention a large fire in 1645 which destroyed the castle. The aim of this article is to use different methods of dating and refine the chronology of the context through microarchaeology and Bayesian modeling. For these purposes different types of samples were collected. The sampling focused on site formation process determination of pottery kiln use and the way of its destruction. Applying Bayesian analysis improved overall dating, through modeled time interval of the three individual sequences and helped recreated historical events during the period, when the calibration curve fluctuates.
Exact formulae and Turán inequalities for Vafa–Witten invariants of surfaces
Authors: Johnston Daniel R. , Males Joshua
Published: August 2023

We consider three different families of Vafa–Witten invariants of $K3$ surfaces. In each case, the partition function that encodes the Vafa–Witten invariants is given by combinations of twisted Dedekind η-functions. By utilizing known properties of these η-functions, we obtain exact formulae for each of the invariants and prove that they asymptotically satisfy all higher-order Turán inequalities.
Characterising small objects in the regime between the eddy current model and wave propagation
Authors: Ledger Paul David , Lionheart William R. B.
Published: August 2023

Being able to characterise objects at low frequencies, but in situations where the modelling error in the eddy current approximation of the Maxwell system becomes large, is important for improving current metal detection technologies. Importantly, the modelling error becomes large as the frequency increases, but the accuracy of the eddy current model also depends on the object topology and on its materials, with the error being much larger for certain geometries compared to others of the same size and materials. Additionally, the eddy current model breaks down at much smaller frequencies for highly magnetic conducting materials compared to non-permeable objects (with similar conductivities, sizes and shapes) and, hence, characterising small magnetic objects made of permeable materials using the eddy current at typical frequencies of operation for a metal detector is not always possible. To address this, we derive a new asymptotic expansion for permeable highly conducting objects that is valid for small objects and holds not only for frequencies where the eddy current model is valid but also for situations where the eddy current modelling error becomes large and applying the eddy approximation would be invalid. The leading-order term we derive leads to new forms of object characterisations in terms of polarizability tensor object descriptions where the coefficients can be obtained from solving vectorial transmission problems. We expect these new characterisations to be important when considering objects at greater stand-off distance from the coils, which is important for safety critical applications, such as the identification of landmines, unexploded ordnance and concealed weapons. We also expect our results to be important when characterising artefacts of archaeological and forensic significance at greater depths than the eddy current model allows and to have further applications parking sensors and improving the detection of hidden, out-of-sight, metallic objects.
The effect of pore-scale contaminant distribution on the reactive decontamination of porous media
Authors: Luckins Ellen K. , Breward Christopher J. W. , Griffiths Ian M. , Please Colin P.
Published: August 2023

A porous material that has been contaminated with a hazardous chemical agent is typically decontaminated by applying a cleanser solution to the surface and allowing the cleanser to react into the porous material, neutralising the agent. The agent and cleanser are often immiscible fluids and so, if the porous material is initially saturated with agent, a reaction front develops with the decontamination reaction occurring at this interface between the fluids. We investigate the effect of different initial agent configurations within the pore space on the decontamination process. Specifically, we compare the decontamination of a material initially saturated by the agent with the situation when, initially, the agent only coats the walls of the pores (referred to as the ‘agent-on-walls’ case). In previous work (Luckins et al., European Journal of Applied Mathematics, 31(5):782–805, 2020), we derived homogenised models for both of these decontamination scenarios, and in this paper we explore the solutions of these two models. We find that, for an identical initial volume of agent, the decontamination time is generally much faster for the agent-on-walls case compared with the initially saturated case, since the surface area on which the reaction can occur is greater. However for sufficiently deep spills of contaminant, or sufficiently slow reaction rates, decontamination in the agent-on-walls scenario can be slower. We also show that, in the limit of a dilute cleanser with a deep initial agent spill, the agent-on-walls model exhibits behaviour akin to a Stefan problem of the same form as that arising in the initially saturated model. The decontamination time is shown to decrease with both the applied cleanser concentration and the rate of the chemical reaction. However, increasing the cleanser concentration is also shown to result in lower decontamination efficiency, with an increase in the amount of cleanser chemical that is wasted.