bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lava-ice interactions during historical eruptions of Veniaminof Volcano, Alaska and the potential for meltwater floods and lahars
Authors: Waythomas Christopher F. , Edwards Benjamin R. , Miller Thomas P. , McGimsey Robert G.
Published: December 2022

Veniaminof Volcano on the Alaska Peninsula of southwest Alaska is one of a small group of ice-clad volcanoes globally that erupts lava flows in the presence of glacier ice. Here, we describe the nature of lava-ice-snow interactions that have occurred during historical eruptions of the volcano since 1944. Lava flows with total volumes on the order of 0.006 km3have been erupted in 1983–1984, 1993–1994, 2013, and 2018. Smaller amounts of lava (1 × 10−4 km3or less) were generated during eruptions in 1944 and 2021. All known historical eruptions have occurred at a 300-m-high cinder cone (informally named cone A) within the 8 × 10-km-diameter ice-filled caldera that characterizes Veniaminof Volcano. Supraglacial lava flows erupted at cone A, resulted in minor amounts of melting and did not lead to any significant outflows of water in nearby drainages. Subglacial effusion of lava in 1983–1984, 2021 and possibly in 1944 and 1993–1994 resulted in more significant melting including a partially water-filled melt pit, about 0.8 km2in area, that developed during the 1983–1984 eruption. The 1983–1984 event created an impression that meltwater floods from Mount Veniaminof’s ice-filled caldera could be significant and hazardous given the large amount of glacier ice resident within the caldera (ice volume about 8 km3). To date, no evidence supporting catastrophic outflow of meltwater from lava-ice interactions at cone A has been found. Analysis of imagery from the 1983–1984 eruption shows that the initial phase erupted englacial lavas that melted ice/snow/firn from below, producing surface subsidence outward from the cone with no discernable surface connection to the summit vent on cone A. This also happened during the 2021 eruption, and possibly during the 1993–1994 eruption although meltwater lakes did not form during these events. Thus, historical eruptions at Veniaminof Volcano appear to have two different modes of effusive eruptive behavior, where lava reaches the ice subglacially from flank vents, or where lava flows are erupted subaerially from vents near the summit of cone A and flow down the cone on to the ice surface. When placed in the context of global lava-ice eruptions, in cases where lava flows melt the ice from the surface downward, the main hazards are from localized phreatic explosions as opposed to potential flood/lahar hazards. However, when lava effusion/emplacement occurs beneath the ice surface, melting is more rapid and can produce lakes whose drainage could plausibly produce localized floods and lahars.
Semi-parametric modelling of inefficiencies in stochastic frontier analysis
Authors: Forchini Giovanni , Theler Raoul
Published: December 2022

We propose a novel penalized splines method to estimate a stochastic frontier model in which the frontier is linear and the inefficiency has a single index structure with unknown link function and a linear index. The approach is more flexible than the traditional methodology requiring a parametric link function and, at the same time, it does not incur the curse of dimensionality as a fully non-parametric approach. The procedure can be easily implemented using existing software. We give conditions for the model to be identified and provide some asymptotic results. We also use Monte Carlo simulations to show that the approach works well in finite samples in many situations when compared to the well specified maximum likelihood estimator. An application to the residential energy demand of US states is considered. In this case, the penalized splines approach estimates inefficiency functions that deviate substantially from those resulting from parametric maximum likelihood methods previously implemented.
New ventures fighting the war for talents: the impact of product innovativeness and entrepreneurs’ passion on applicant attraction
Authors: Piva Evila , Stroe Silvia
Published: December 2022

An unanswered question in studies on recruiting in new ventures is how entrepreneurs can persuasively communicate to job seekers information about their ventures’ unique features to attract applicants. By building on nonverbal communication research, we investigate how verbally communicated product innovativeness and entrepreneurs’ nonverbal displays of passion affect applicant attraction both separately and in combination. We find applicant attraction is positively related to both communicated product innovativeness and entrepreneurs’ displays of moderate passion and negatively related to excessive displays of passion. Moreover, our findings suggest that displays of high passion distract job seekers from processing the semantic content of recruitment messages.
Project to Adapt: Domain Adaptation for Depth Completion from Noisy and Sparse Sensor Data
Authors: Lopez-Rodriguez Adrian , Busam Benjamin , Mikolajczyk Krystian
Published: December 2022

Depth completion aims to predict a dense depth map from a sparse depth input. The acquisition of dense ground-truth annotations for depth completion settings can be difficult and, at the same time, a significant domain gap between real LiDAR measurements and synthetic data has prevented from successful training of models in virtual settings. We propose a domain adaptation approach for sparse-to-dense depth completion that is trained from synthetic data, without annotations in the real domain or additional sensors. Our approach simulates the real sensor noise in an RGB + LiDAR set-up, and consists of three modules: simulating the real LiDAR input in the synthetic domain via projections, filtering the real noisy LiDAR for supervision and adapting the synthetic RGB image using a CycleGAN approach. We extensively evaluate these modules in the KITTI depth completion benchmark.
Study of germination and antioxidant activity of iron-fortified soybean (Glycine max) germs
Authors: Wleklik Karolina , Deckert Joanna , Chmielowska-Bąk Jagna
Published: December 2022

Iron deficiency in human diet is a serious problem leading, among others, to the development of iron-dependent anaemia, which affects 1.8 billion people worldwide. Biofortification of crop plants, including edible sprouts, is a promising strategy for combating dietary deficiencies. The aim of the present study is the evaluation of the effect of seeds imbibition in FeCl2 solution with Fe at the concentrations of 100 and 500 mgL−1 on the seeds germination, growth of the seedlings, their antioxidant activity and the level of total phenolics and flavonoids. The results show that pre-treatment of seeds with Fe leads to increased accumulation of this metal in the germinated seedlings. In addition, it affects germs antioxidant activity and the level of flavonoids. On the other hand, seeds imbibition in FeCl2 had no effect on the germination rate, growth of seedlings or total phenolic content (TPC). The results indicate that seeds imbibition in Fe solution is a promising strategy for obtaining Fe-enriched soybean sprouts.
Evaluation of a Packaging System in Pallets Under Modified Atmosphere to Extend the Shelf-life of ‘Padrón’ Peppers Stored at Refrigeration Temperature
Authors: Olveira-Bouzas Vanesa , Pita-Calvo Consuelo , Romero-Rodríguez Mª Ángeles , Vázquez-Odériz Mª Lourdes
Published: December 2022

A modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) system in pallets was developed for ‘Padrón’ peppers as a way to extend their shelf-life while maintaining good fruit quality. Peppers were stored at 6 °C in cardboard boxes arranged on pallets wrapped in micro-perforated low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags. Physico-chemical (moisture, firmness, color, chlorophylls, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and total phenolic content) and sensory analysis were carried out after 0, 7, 14, and 21 days of storage. An initial mixture of 11.8% O2–8.5% CO2 prevented anaerobic conditions and kept suitable CO2 levels throughout the entire storage period. Silica gel was tested as a moisture absorbent and considerably reduced water vapor condensation inside packaging bags. The MAP system developed maintained the shelf-life of peppers until the end of the 21-day storage period. The fruit always showed a good appearance and color. No rotting or other types of undesirable alterations were observed. MAP markedly reduced the fraction of peppers with water loss as evidenced by a minimum percentage of fruit with wrinkles (12.5%) as compared to unpackaged samples (75%). Good pigment stability was also observed.
Trends in incidence and mortality risk for acromegaly in Norway: a cohort study
Authors: Falch Camilla M. , Olarescu Nicoleta C. , Bollerslev Jens , Dekkers Olaf M. , Heck Ansgar
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Recent data have shown a decreasing overall mortality in acromegaly over the last decades. However, cancer incidence and cancer-related mortality still appear to be increased. Our aim was to obtain updated epidemiological data from Norway in a clinically well-defined cohort with complete register-based follow-up.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with acromegaly from South-Eastern Norway between 1999–2019 (n = 262) and age and sex matched population controls (1:100) were included (n = 26,200). Mortality and cancer data were obtained from the Norwegian Cause of Death and Cancer Registry. Mortality and cancer incidence were compared by Kaplan–Meier analyses and Cox regression; we report hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Results

Median age at diagnosis was 48.0 years (interquartile range (IQR): 37.6–58.0). Mean annual acromegaly incidence rate was 4.7 (95% CI 4.2–5.3) cases/106 person-years, and the point prevalence (2019) was 83 (95% CI 72.6–93.5) cases/106 persons. Overall mortality was not increased in acromegaly, HR 0.8 (95% CI 0.5–1.4), cancer-specific and cardiovascular-specific mortality was also not increased (HR: 0.7 (95% CI 0.3–1.8) and 0.8 (95% CI: 0.3–2.5) respectively). The HR for all cancers was 1.45 (1.0–2.1; p = 0.052).

Conclusion

In this large cohort study, covering the period 1999–2019, patients were treated with individualized multimodal management. Mortality was not increased compared to the general population and comparable with recent registry studies from the Nordic countries and Europe. Overall cancer risk was slightly, but not significantly increased in the patients.
Narcissism in the context of stress: the influence of learned information on attitudes and stress outcomes
Authors: Gomes Arrulo-Clarke Teresa , Doumas Michail , Papageorgiou Kostas A.
Published: December 2022

Previous research indicates narcissism can aid stress management. Nonetheless, its common perception and dissemination as socially aversive may hamper its acknowledgment and use as an asset in the context of stress. This experimental study investigated the effects of receiving positive or negative information (i.e., prompts) about narcissism in the context of stress on attitudes towards this trait’s association with stress. It also assessed individuals’ experiences of narcissism’s stress-coping properties when one believes themselves to be a high narcissism scorer, via an online survey. Hundred and five adults ($${M}_{age}$$

M

age

= 32.0; 22–64 years) completed measures of state-stress, music preferences, and narcissism. They were then randomly assigned to either the positive or negative prompt groups, being shown information highlighting the positive or negative impact of narcissism on stress management, respectively. Participants were then informed they scored above average on narcissism, despite their actual questionnaire scores, and undertook a stress-inducing procedure. Self-reported stress, implicit and explicit attitudes were measured pre- and post-prompt presentation. Results showed that, while prompts did not influence attitudes nor stress outcomes, individuals displayed neutral implicit attitudes towards narcissism’s association with stress across measurement timepoints. These findings suggest that people’s attitudes towards narcissism in the context of stress have not been deteriorated by this trait’s predominant negative depiction outside this context. Therefore, the dissemination and establishment of narcissism as an asset for stress-coping may be received by the general population with less resistance than anticipated.
Algebraic structures in the set of sequences of independent random variables
Authors: Bartoszewicz Artur , Filipczak Małgorzata , Gła̧b Szymon
Published: December 2022

The space whose subsets we analyse with respect to lineability is$$L_0(\Omega ,P)^{\mathbb {N}}$$L0(Ω,P)Nconsisting of random variables sequences on probability space$$(\Omega ,P)$$(Ω,P)with atomless probability measureP. We study lineability and algebrability of$$L_0(\Omega ,P)^{\mathbb {N}}$$L0(Ω,P)N-subsets of independent random variables with additional properties connected with various types of convergence, laws of large numbers, and Markov and Kolgomorov conditions.
Peptide vaccine against glioblastoma: from bench to bedside
Authors: Yang Tianrui , Shi Yixin , Liang Tingyu , Xing Hao , Ma Wenbin , Li Yan Michael , Wang Yu
Published: December 2022

Glioblastoma accounts for almost half of all intracranial primary malignancies and has the worst prognosis. Because of its high malignancy and frequent recurrence after standard therapy, it is of great significance to explore new therapy options. Recently immune therapy has taken remarkable progress in a variety of tumors, among which peptide vaccines utilize peptide sequences based on tumor-specific antigens or tumor-associated antigen targets to activate self-immune response against tumor cells. However, due to the particularity of intracranial central nervous system tumors, the application of peptide vaccines in glioblastoma still faces challenges. This article mainly reviews the immune basis and important clinical trial results of peptide vaccine therapy for GBM, analyzes the reasons for its poor efficacy, and proposes the development direction of peptide vaccines for the unique challenges of immunotherapy in GBM. An in-depth understanding and elaboration of the application and related issues of peptide vaccine in the treatment of GBM will help to formulate relevant treatment strategies in future clinical and basic research.
A Positive Doctrine of Tyranny? The Rule of Law Vs. The Rule of a Tyrant in Archaic and Classical Greece
Authors: Joyce Christopher J.
Published: December 2022

The origins and definition of tyranny in ancient Greece have been debated in scholarship for well over three quarters of a century. Recently, it has been argued that tyranny as a political idea was not anathematised until late and that in the fifth century BCE and before, tyranny comported no negative judgment. While correct to point out that the distinction between ‘king’ and ‘tyrant’ in literature predating Aristotle was not clearly delineated, scholars have often failed to ask the more fundamental question of why that distinction was essential for Aristotle. This essay argues that Aristotle drew upon a much older intellectual tradition which saw tyranny as hateful and contrary to the rule of law. Though tyrants in many cases ruled lawfully, a distinction must be drawn between ‘lawful’ rule, which some but not all tyrants practised, and the rule of law, which anathematised tyranny.
The COVID-19 Response in North America
Authors: Yum Seungil
Published: December 2022

In our Information Technology (IT) based societies, social media plays an important role in communications and social networks for COVID-19. This study explores social responses for COVID-19 in North America, which is the most severe continent affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study employs social network analysis for Twitter among the US, Canada, and Mexico. This study finds that the 3 countries show different characteristics of social networks for COVID-19. For example, the Prime Minister plays the second most important role in the Canadian networks, whereas the Presidents play the most significant role in them, in the US, and Mexico. WHO shows a pivotal effect on social networks of COVID-19 in Canada and the US, whereas it does not affect them in Mexico. Canadians are interested in COVID-19 apps, the American people criticize the president and administration as incompetent in terms of COVID-19, and the Mexican people search for COVID-19 cases and the pandemic in Mexico. This study shows that governments and disease experts should understand social networks and communications of social network services, to develop effective COVID-19 policies according to the characteristics of their country.
Tits Alternative for -dimensional complexes
Authors: Osajda Damian , Przytycki Piotr
Published: December 2022

We prove the Tits Alternative for groups acting on$2$-dimensional$\mathrm {CAT}(0)$complexes with a bound on the order of the cell stabilisers.
Science, Religion and Sino-Western Exchanges: Literati-Jesuit Translation of Euclidean Geometry and Its Reception from Late Ming to Mid-Qing
Authors: Wang Wensheng
Published: December 2022

This essay explores the interlocking roles of science and religion in Sino-Western exchanges by examining China's encounter with Jesuit mathematics in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It first focuses on late Ming by studying the joint translation of Euclidean geometry by high-ranking scholar-official Xu Guangqi (1562–1633) and Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci (1552–1610). Then it studies how this encounter affected later literati-scholars, with a special attention to Mei Wending (1633–1721), the leading mathematical astronomer of early Qing. I argue that Xu's appropriation of Western mathematics not only helped strengthen the basis of Confucian statecraft in the milieu of late Ming crisis but also contributed to later reconstruction and renaissance of Chinese classical tradition through Qing-dynasty evidential studies. Far from predetermined, this cross-cultural encounter represents a trial-and-error process of contested accommodation dictated by different personal agendas, changing socio-political circumstances, evolving intellectual trends as well as shifting global balance of power.
Disentangling creep and isothermal metamorphism during snow settlement with X-ray tomography
Authors: Bernard Antoine , Hagenmuller Pascal , Montagnat Maurine , Chambon Guillaume
Published: December 2022

Once fallen, snow settles due to the combined effects of metamorphism and deformation of the ice matrix under gravity. To understand how these coupled processes affect snow evolution, we performed oedometric compression tests and continuously monitored the snow microstructure with X-ray tomography. Centimetric samples with an initial density between 200 and 300 kg m−3 were followed during an initial sintering phase and under two different loads of 2.1 and 4.7 kPa at $-8^\circ$C for ~1 week. The microstructure captured at a voxel size of 8.5 μm was characterized by density, specific surface area (SSA) and two metrics related to bond network, namely the Euler characteristic and the minimum cut surface. Load-induced creep of the ice matrix was observed only for sufficiently low values of initial density (<290 kg m−3 in our tests), and was shown to be associated to a significant increase of the number of bonds. Application of the load, however, did not affect the individual bond size nor the SSA, which appeared to be mainly controlled by isothermal metamorphism. The uniaxial compression did not induce any creation of anisotropy on the microstructural characteristics. Overall, our results show that, for the considered conditions, the deformation of the ice matrix mainly leads to a reduction of the pore space and an increase of the coordination number, while metamorphism mainly affects the grain and bond sizes.
Deliberative processes in decision making informed by health technology assessment in Latin America
Authors: Alcaraz Andrea , Pichon-Riviere Andrés , García-Martí Sebastián , Alfie Verónica , Augustovski Federico , Castro Héctor
Published: December 2022

Objective

The objective of Health Technology Assessment International’s 6th Latin America Policy Form, held in 2021, was to explore the implementation of deliberative processes in the framework of health technology assessment (HTA) and how agencies in the region could involve stakeholders in this process.

Methods

This paper is based on a preparatory survey, a background document, and the deliberative work of participants at the virtual Forum conducted in 2021. There were ninety-one participants in the open session and fifty-two in the closed sessions, representing twelve countries and diverse areas of the health sector.

Results

While there are mechanisms in most countries in Latin America to consider stakeholder involvement to some degree, it remains reduced or limited to a consultative role, making true participative involvement rare. There are significant barriers and structural and contextual limitations that have impeded or slowed progress toward deliberative processes. Relatively low levels of institutionalization and knowledge about HTA, as well as the lack of trust among stakeholders are important challenges. This situation has impacted health systems by diminishing the legitimacy of decisions and the very structures and processes of HTA.

Conclusion

The Forum’s broad group of participants identified barriers, facilitators, and recommendations to improve the use of deliberative processes in Latin America to foster improved fairness and reasonableness in HTA and decision making.
Estimation of the incubation period and generation time of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta variants from contact tracing data
Authors: Manica Mattia , Litvinova Maria , De Bellis Alfredo , Guzzetta Giorgio , Mancuso Pamela , Vicentini Massimo , Venturelli Francesco , Bisaccia Eufemia , Bento Ana I. , Poletti Piero , Marziano Valentina , Zardini Agnese , d'Andrea Valeria , Trentini Filippo , Bella Antonino , Riccardo Flavia , Pezzotti Patrizio , Ajelli Marco , Giorgi Rossi Paolo , Merler Stefano ,   the Reggio Emilia COVID-19 Working Group
Published: December 2022

Quantitative information on epidemiological quantities such as the incubation period and generation time of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants is scarce. We analysed a dataset collected during contact tracing activities in the province of Reggio Emilia, Italy, throughout 2021. We determined the distributions of the incubation period for the Alpha and Delta variants using information on negative polymerase chain reaction tests and the date of last exposure from 282 symptomatic cases. We estimated the distributions of the intrinsic generation time using a Bayesian inference approach applied to 9724 SARS-CoV-2 cases clustered in 3545 households where at least one secondary case was recorded. We estimated a mean incubation period of 4.9 days (95% credible intervals, CrI, 4.4–5.4) for Alpha and 4.5 days (95% CrI 4.0–5.0) for Delta. The intrinsic generation time was estimated to have a mean of 7.12 days (95% CrI 6.27–8.44) for Alpha and of 6.52 days (95% CrI 5.54–8.43) for Delta. The household serial interval was 2.43 days (95% CrI 2.29–2.58) for Alpha and 2.74 days (95% CrI 2.62–2.88) for Delta, and the estimated proportion of pre-symptomatic transmission was 48–51% for both variants. These results indicate limited differences in the incubation period and intrinsic generation time of SARS-CoV-2 variants Alpha and Delta compared to ancestral lineages.
Seed ecology of post-fire flowering species from the Cerrado
Authors: Fontenele Hudson G.V. , Miranda Heloisa S.
Published: December 2022

Post-fire flowering (PFF) species resprout, flower and disperse seeds within weeks after fire. This may be an important strategy to recruit new individuals and colonize the gaps opened by fire. The seeds released in the post-fire environment may interact with byproducts derived from plant burning, and the resulting ash may have compounds that can promote the germination of various seeds, particularly those with permeable coats. In the Cerrado ecoregion, PFF is a strategy commonly observed in the species of the ground layer, but their seeds are rarely investigated. So, we examined the quality and the germination of the seeds of 13 species that disperse seeds within 3 months after fire. We estimated the amount of empty, filled and predated seeds for each species, and tested the germination with or without ash. There was a clear separation in seed quality as dicots produced 35–75% filled seeds but grasses <15%. Pre-dispersal predation was only observed for dicots (<10%). Ash stimulated the germination of two out of the three dormant species but inhibited the germination of three non-dormant species. Overall, the seeds produced in response to fire are an important source of genetic variability in an ecosystem that has resprouting as the main persistence strategy. As most species have non-dormant seeds, ash may only be important to stimulate the germination of few PFF species. Even so, ash can be completely washed away by rains before seeds are dispersed and may not have an effect under field conditions.
On the Ethics of Withholding and Withdrawing Unwarranted Diagnoses
Authors: Hofmann Bjørn Morten , Lea Marianne
Published: December 2022

The number of diagnoses and the number of persons having diagnoses have increased substantially, and studies indicate that diagnoses are given or upheld even if they are unwarranted, that is, that they do not satisfy professionally accepted diagnostic criteria. In this article, the authors investigate the ethics of withholding and withdrawing unwarranted diagnoses. First, they investigate ethical aspects that make it difficult to withhold and to withdraw such diagnoses. Second, they scrutinize whether there are psychological factors, both in persons/patients and healthcare professionals, making it difficult to withdraw and withhold unwarranted diagnoses. Lastly, they use recent elements of the withholding-versus-withdrawing treatment debate in medical ethics to investigate whether there are any differences between withholding and withdrawing treatment and withdrawing and withholding unwarranted diagnoses. The authors conclude that it is crucial to acknowledge and address all these issues to reduce and avoid unwarranted diagnoses.
Applying the Peter Parker Principle to Healthcare
Authors: Stahl James E. , Nelson William A.
Published: December 2022

The role of power in healthcare can raise many ethical challenges. Power is ownership, whether given, ceded, or taken of another person’s autonomy. When a person has power over someone else, they can control or strongly influence the decision-making freedom of that person. From the principalist perspective1,2 of healthcare ethics, denying a person their freedom to choose, should only occur when justifying conditions related to beneficence and nonmaleficence are sufficiently satisfied. In healthcare, it is rare to be able to identify situations where paternalism is justified. However, experience suggests that abusive power in healthcare is used too frequently without justifying criteria.
Ultra-processed foods consumption and diet quality among preschool children and women of reproductive age from Argentina
Authors: Zapata María Elisa , Cediel Gustavo , Arrieta Ezequiel , Rovirosa Alicia , Carmuega Esteban , Monteiro Carlos A
Published: December 2022

Objective:

To assess the association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and diet quality among preschool children and women of reproductive age from Argentina.

Design:

Cross-sectional and nationally representative survey. The food items were classified according to the NOVA system. Consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and wholegrains was estimated, and the energy and nutrients related to non-communicable disease (NCD) intake. Linear regression was used to assess the associations.

Setting:

Argentina.

Participants:

Children aged 2–5 years (n7022), female adolescent aged 10–19 years (n2165) and women aged 20–49 years (n4414).

Results:

UPF represented more than a quarter of total energy intake, 27 % in children, 31 % in female adolescents and 26 % in women. Across all age groups, the major contributors to UPF consumption were cookies and pastries (about 6·0–7·0 %), soft drinks (about 2·7–3·7 %), candies (about 1·8–4·6 %), and juices (about 1·3–1·7 %). The consumption of fresh vegetables, fresh fruits and legumes was negatively associated with UPF consumption. A significant positive association was found between the dietary share of UPF and the dietary content of NCD-promoting nutrients such as free sugars and total saturated andtrans-fats. In contrast, a significant negative association was found with the content of NCD-protective such as fibre and protein.

Conclusions:

UPF were associated with lower consumption of healthy foods and higher intake of nutrients related to NCD in children and women of reproductive age in Argentina. It is necessary to design food policies that simultaneously reduce the consumption of UPF while promoting the intake of fresh and whole foods to improve the dietary quality.
The makers get it all? The coalitional welfare politics of Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe. The case studies of Austria and Italy
Authors: Fischer Torben , Giuliani Giovanni Amerigo
Published: December 2022

The article investigates whether and to what extent the welfare policies of Populist Radical Right Parties (PRRPs) vary in diverse government coalitions. Relying on a multidimensional framework differentiating coalitional politics along the welfare size and deservingness dimension, we conduct a comparative case study analysing welfare reforms of the ‘standard’ centre-right/PRRP government coalition ÖVP-FPÖ in Austria and the ‘new’ populist government coalition M5S-Lega in Italy. We find that both PRRPs do not promote pro-welfare policies in general, but rather opt for selective expansion of benefits for ‘makers’, while aiming at retrenching benefits for ‘takers’. This welfare strategy includes pensioners and male breadwinner families but excludes migrants or long-term unemployed. The analysis furthermore shows that the central line of conflict with the centre-right ÖVP is mostly about the size of welfare policies, especially for ‘deserving’ citizens, while with the socially more left-leaning M5S it is rather centred around the deservingness dimension, e.g., benefits for takers. These results offer a more fine-grained understanding of the PRRPs’ welfare agenda and their coalitional welfare politics in office.
Enrique de Malacca/Maluku: Another Chapter in the Indonesia–Malaysia Heritage War?
Authors: Curaming Rommel
Published: December 2022

Magellan's Malay slave, Enrique, accompanied him on his voyages and may have actually been the first to circumnavigate the world. This paper examines the extent to which the still sporadic and small-scale — but sometimes fierce — online disputes between Indonesian and Malaysian netizens over the “ownership” and “national” origin of Enrique might develop further as part of the long-standing “heritage war” between the two countries. It explains the historical roots of the dispute over Enrique, discusses reactions to it in Indonesia and, to an extent, in Malaysia, and analyses the coverage of and exchanges about Enrique on social media. Set against the backdrop of Lebow's constructivist cultural theory, this paper posits that the mutually reactive national identification process between Indonesians and Malaysians might significantly influence the trajectory of this conflict. If efforts in Indonesia to promote the idea of Enrique Maluku succeed and it becomes truly widely known, what are currently small and irregular skirmishes online over Enrique could develop into another enduring segment of the heritage war between the two countries.
Geological Hazards Susceptibility Evaluation Based on GA‐BPNN: A Case Study of Xingye County
Authors: Xu Kai , Ma Xiaogang , Liu Gang , Wu Chonglong , Kong Chunfang
Published: December 2022

Geohazards are one of the most critical disasters that cause serious damage to engineering construction activities and peoples' lives and property; therefore, susceptibility evaluation of the geohazards is vital for planning future sustainable development and construction activities. This paper presents a multidisciplinary approach to divide the susceptibility grades of geohazards in Xingye County, using back‐propagation neural networks (BPNN), Geographical Information Systems, and grid analysis technology on remote sensing data. Twelve geohazards related causal factors were selected to reflect the physical geography, basic geology, ecological environment, human activities, and other characteristics of Xingye; the factors are: slope, aspect, topographic curvature, precipitation, normalized differential vegetation index, stratum lithology, linear faults, tectonic complexity, normalized differential water index, residential density, road network density, and land use/land cover. Two hidden layers of BPNN optimized by genetic algorithm (GA) were trained to evaluate the susceptibility grade of geohazards for Xingye. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves, mean square error (MSE), mean of absolute percentage error (MAPE), and field investigation were used to test the validity of the models. Analysis and comparison of the results of different models as indicated by the values of area under curve (AUC) of ROC curves, MSE, and MAPE for five models clearly indicated that the GA‐BPNN model developed in the present study has the highest accuracy (0.9344) and the least errors (0.1925% and 7.3833%) for the susceptibility evaluation and prediction of geohazards in Xingye, followed by the BPNN, support vector machine, random forest, and logistic regression. Moreover, the results also show that the GA has a positive effect on the BPNN model. Furthermore, the GA‐BPNN model developed in the present study can be used for the assessment of geohazards susceptibility in similar regions.
Tracking Magma‐Crust‐Fluid Interactions at High Temporal Resolution: Oxygen Isotopes in Young Silicic Magmas of the Taupō Volcanic Zone
Authors: Rooyakkers Shane M. , Faure Kevin , Chambefort Isabelle , Barker Simon J. , Elms Hannah C. , Wilson Colin J. N. , Charlier Bruce L. A.
Published: December 2022

Oxygen isotopes are useful for tracing interactions between magmas, crustal rocks and surface‐derived waters. We use them here to consider links between voluminous silicic magmatism and large‐scale hydrothermal circulation in New Zealand's central Taupō Volcanic Zone (TVZ). We present >350 measurements of plagioclase, quartz, hornblende and groundmass glass δ18O values from 40 eruptions from three discrete magmatic systems: Ōkataina and Taupō calderas, and the smaller Northeast Dome system. For each mineral, mean δ18O values vary by ∼1‰ (δ18Oplag = +6.7–7.8‰, δ18Oqtz = +7.7–+8.7‰, δ18Ohbl = +5.4–+6.4‰, δ18Oglass = +7.1–+8.0‰), and inter‐mineral fractionations mostly reflect high‐temperature equilibria. Outliers (e.g., ∼+6‰ or >+10‰ plagioclase) represent contaminants incorporated on short‐enough timescales to preserve disequilibrium (∼102 yrs for plagioclase). Melt δ18O values calculated from phenocrysts are ∼+7.3–+8.0‰. Where multiple magmas were involved in the same eruption their δ18Omelt values are indistinguishable, implying that their parental mushes were isotopically well‐mixed. However, small (≤0.5‰) but consistent δ18Omelt value gradients occur over millennial timescales at Ōkataina and Taupō, with short‐term ∼0.4–0.5‰ decreases in δ18Omelt values over successive post‐caldera eruptions correlating with increases in 87Sr/86Sr. These changes reflect tens of percent assimilation of a mixture of hydrothermally altered silicic plutonic material and higher‐87Sr/86Sr greywacke. These examples represent the first evidence for assimilation of altered crust into TVZ magmas. The subtle and short‐lived isotopic signals of these interactions are only recognized through the high temporal resolution of the TVZ eruptive record and complementary radiogenic isotope data. Similar interactions may have been obscured in other nominally high‐ or normal‐δ18O magmatic systems.
Multi‐Event Analysis of the Correlation Between Chorus Waves and Electron Butterfly Distribution Using Van Allen Probes Observation
Authors: Peng Y. , Ma Q. , Li W. , Gan L. , Shen X.‐C.
Published: December 2022

In this study, using Van Allen Probes observations we identify 81 events of electron flux bursts with butterfly pitch angle distributions for tens of keV electrons with close correlations with chorus wave bursts in the Earth's magnetosphere. We use the high‐rate electron flux data from Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer available during 2013–2019 and the simultaneous whistler‐mode wave measurements from Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science to identify the correlated events. The events are categorized into 67 upper‐band chorus (0.5–0.8 fce) dominated events and 14 other events where lower‐band chorus (0.05–0.5 fce) has modest or strong amplitudes (fce represents electron cyclotron frequency). Each electron flux burst correlated with chorus has a short timescale of ∼1 min or less, suggesting potential nonlinear effects. The statistical distribution of selected electron burst events tends to occur in the post‐midnight sector at L > 5 under disturbed geomagnetic conditions, and is associated with chorus waves with relatively strong magnetic wave amplitude and small wave normal angle. The frequency dependence of the electron flux peaks agrees with the cyclotron resonant condition, indicating the effects of chorus‐induced electron acceleration. Our study provides new insights into understanding the rapid nonlinear interactions between chorus and energetic electrons.
Observations of Mantle Seismic Anisotropy Using Array Techniques: Shear‐Wave Splitting of Beamformed SmKS Phases
Authors: Wolf Jonathan , Frost Daniel A. , Long Maureen D. , Garnero Edward , Aderoju Adeolu O. , Creasy Neala , Bozdağ Ebru
Published: December 2022

Shear‐wave splitting measurements are commonly used to resolve seismic anisotropy in both the upper and lowermost mantle. Typically, such techniques are applied to SmKS phases that have reflected (m‐1) times off the underside of the core‐mantle boundary before being recorded. Practical constraints for shear‐wave splitting studies include the limited number of suitable phases as well as the large fraction of available data discarded because of poor signal‐to‐noise ratios (SNRs) or large measurement uncertainties. Array techniques such as beamforming are commonly used in observational seismology to enhance SNRs, but have not been applied before to improve SmKS signal strength and coherency for shear wave splitting studies. Here, we investigate how a beamforming methodology, based on slowness and backazimuth vespagrams to determine the most coherent incoming wave direction, can improve shear‐wave splitting measurement confidence intervals. Through the analysis of real and synthetic seismograms, we show that (a) the splitting measurements obtained from the beamformed seismograms (beams) reflect an average of the single‐station splitting parameters that contribute to the beam; (b) the beams have (on average) more than twice as large SNRs than the single‐station seismograms that contribute to the beam; (c) the increased SNRs allow the reliable measurement of shear wave splitting parameters from beams down to average single‐station SNRs of 1.3. Beamforming may thus be helpful to more reliably measure splitting due to upper mantle anisotropy. Moreover, we show that beamforming holds potential to greatly improve detection of lowermost mantle anisotropy by demonstrating differential SKS–SKKS splitting analysis using beamformed USArray data.
Seismic Noise Interferometry and Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS): Inverting for the Firn Layer S‐Velocity Structure on Rutford Ice Stream, Antarctica
Authors: Zhou Wen , Butcher Antony , Brisbourne Alex M. , Kufner Sofia‐Katerina , Kendall J‐Michael , Stork Anna L.
Published: December 2022

Firn densification profiles are an important parameter for ice‐sheet mass balance and palaeoclimate studies. One conventional method of investigating firn profiles is using seismic refraction surveys, but these are difficult to upscale to large‐area measurements. Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) presents an opportunity for large‐scale seismic measurements of firn with dense spatial sampling and easy deployment, especially when seismic noise is used. We study the feasibility of seismic noise interferometry (SI) on DAS data for characterizing the firn layer at the Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica. Dominant seismic energy appears to come from anthropogenic noise and shear‐margin crevasses. The DAS cross‐correlation interferometry yields noisy Rayleigh wave signals. To overcome this, we present two strategies for cross‐correlations: (a) hybrid instruments—correlating a geophone with DAS, and (b) stacking of selected cross‐correlation panels picked in the tau‐p domain. These approaches are validated with results derived from an active survey. Using the retrieved Rayleigh wave dispersion curve, we inverted for a high‐resolution 1D S‐wave velocity profile down to a depth of 100 m. The profile shows a “kink” (velocity gradient inflection) at ∼12 m depth, resulting from a change of compaction mechanism. A triangular DAS array is used to investigate directional variation in velocity, which shows no evident variations thus suggesting a lack of azimuthal anisotropy in the firn. Our results demonstrate the potential of using DAS and SI to image the near‐surface and present a new approach to derive S‐velocity profiles from surface wave inversion in firn studies.
Divergent modulation of pain and anxiety by GABAergic neurons in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray and dorsal raphe
Authors: Xie Linghua , Wu Hui , Chen Qing , Xu Fang , Li Hua , Xu Qi , Jiao Cuicui , Sun Lihong , Ullah Rahim , Chen Xinzhong
Published: December 2022

The ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) collaborates with the dorsal raphe (DR) in pain regulation and emotional response. However, the roles of vlPAG and DR γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurons in regulating nociception and anxiety are contradictory and poorly understood. Here, we observed that pharmacogenetic co-activation of vlPAG and DR GABAergic (vlPAG-DRGABA+) neurons enhanced sensitivity to mechanical stimulation and promoted anxiety-like behavior in naïve mice. Simultaneous inhibition of vlPAG-DRGABA+ neurons showed adaptive anti-nociception and anti-anxiety effects on mice with inflammatory pain. Notably, vlPAGGABA+ and DRGABA+ neurons exhibited opposing effects on the sensitivity to mechanical stimulation in both naïve state and inflammatory pain. In contrast to the role of vlPAGGABA+ neurons in pain processing, chemogenetic inhibition and chronic ablation of DRGABA+ neurons remarkably promoted nociception while selectively activating DRGABA+ neurons ameliorated inflammatory pain. Additionally, utilizing optogenetic technology, we observed that the pronociceptive effect arising from DRGABA+ neuronal inhibition was reversed by the systemic administration of morphine. Our results collectively provide new insights into the modulation of pain and anxiety by specific midbrain GABAergic subpopulations, which may provide a basis for cell type-targeted or subregion-targeted therapies for pain management.
White matter changes following electroconvulsive therapy for depression: a multicenter ComBat harmonization approach
Authors: Belge Jean-Baptiste , Mulders Peter C. R. , Van Diermen Linda , Schrijvers Didier , Sabbe Bernard , Sienaert Pascal , Oudega Mardien L. , Tendolkar Indira , Dols Annemieke , van Eijndhoven Philip
Published: December 2022

ECT is proposed to exert a therapeutic effect on WM microstructure, but the limited power of previous studies made it difficult to highlight consistent patterns of change in diffusion metrics. We initiated a multicenter analysis and sought to address whether changes in WM microstructure occur following ECT. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data (n = 58) from 4 different sites were harmonized before pooling them by using ComBat, a batch-effect correction tool that removes inter-site technical variability, preserves inter-site biological variability, and maximizes statistical power. Downstream statistical analyses aimed to quantify changes in Fractional Anisotropy (FA), Mean Diffusivity (MD), Radial Diffusivity (RD) and Axial Diffusivity (AD), by employing whole-brain, tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). ECT increased FA in the right splenium of the corpus callosum and the left cortico-spinal tract. AD in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus and the right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus was raised. Increases in MD and RD could be observed in overlapping white matter structures of both hemispheres. At baseline, responders showed significantly smaller FA values in the left forceps major and smaller AD values in the right uncinate fasciculus compared with non-responders. By harmonizing multicenter data, we demonstrate that ECT modulates altered WM microstructure in important brain circuits that are implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. Furthermore, responders appear to present a more decreased WM integrity at baseline which could point toward a specific subtype of patients, characterized by a more altered neuroplasticity, who are especially sensitive to the potent neuroplastic effects of ECT.
Traumatic dental injuries in adults attending a London-based trauma clinic in the UK: a seven-year survey
Authors: Djemal Serpil , Aryafar Mohammadreza , Petrie Aviva , Polycarpou Nectaria , Brady Edward , Niazi Sadia
Published: December 2022

Introduction This survey reports the incidence of traumatic dental injuries in an adult population attending an adult dental trauma clinic in a London teaching hospital.

Materials and methods Retrospective data were collected from patients attending an adult dental trauma clinic between 2012 and 2018.

Results In total, 1,769 patients attended, with more men seen (1,030; 58.2%) compared to women (739; 41.8%) and this was statistically significant (p <0.05). The most common aetiological factor was an accidental fall (728; 41.15%), followed by assaults (413; 23.35%), bicycle accidents (253; 14.3%), sports injuries (132; 7.46%) and road traffic accidents (84; 4.75%). Lateral luxation (833) was the most common traumatic injury and this was followed by avulsions (362; 17%). Enamel-dentine fractures were the most common type of fracture injury (1,273; 64%).

Discussion This retrospective survey attempts to report on the incidence of traumatic dental injuries in a London-based cohort of patients attending a specialised dental trauma clinic. In line with other reports, there were more men than women affected, which is probably attributed to behavioural activities.

Conclusion(s) Accidental falls are the most common cause of a traumatic dental injury, lateral luxation was the most common type of displacement injury and enamel-dentine fractures were the most common type of fracture injury.