bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Change Patterns During Family-Based Treatment for Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Authors: McGrath Chloe A. , Abbott Maree J. , Mantz Sharlene C. , O’Brien Margot , Costa Daniel S. J. , Waters Felicity
Published: November 2022

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for young people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has recently been enhanced to target family environment factors. However, the process of change for OCD symptoms and family factors during treatment is not well understood. Uniquely, we explored patterns of change for OCD symptoms and a range of family variables throughout Baseline, Early, Mid, and Late treatment phases of family-based CBT (FCBT) for 15 young people with OCD using multiple informants. We predicted a linear reduction in OCD symptom severity and family accommodation (FA) across treatment phases, however the investigation into other family factor change patterns was exploratory. OCD symptom severity, FA, parental distress tolerance (DT), and conflict all showed significant linear change patterns across treatment phases according to multiple informants. In addition, the largest proportion of change for these variables typically occurred during the first third of treatment, highlighting the importance of identifying participants with and without early gains in future research. Blame also showed a significant linear change pattern, although with small reductions between treatment phases. Preliminary bivariate analyses sought to better understand whether family factor change predicted subsequent OCD severity change or vice versa. Similar patterns emerged across informants, including identification of OCD severity as a significant predictor of change for Blame at subsequent treatment phases. Analyses also showed bi-directional effects for DT and OCD symptoms across informants, where DT predicted OCD severity at subsequent treatment phases and vice versa. These outcomes support further research aimed at understanding the role of family factors in pediatric OCD symptom change.
Hart as an Inferentialist: The Methodological Pragmatist Insight in Hart’s Inaugural Lecture
Authors: Liu Ziyu
Published: November 2022

Jurisprudes today differ in their interpretations of H.L.A. Hart’s analysis of the semantics of internal legal statements. Drawing upon the philosophy of language and metaethics to reconstruct Hart’s view, they disagree as to whether Hart should be interpreted as an expressivist or quasi-expressivist. In this paper I propose a third reconstruction, under which Hart adopted an inferentialist analysis of the semantics of internal legal statements. In executing this reconstruction, I focus on Hart’s inaugural lecture, and utilize the theoretical apparatus of Robert Brandom, a leading advocate of inferential role semantics, to bring Hart’s methodological pragmatist—and more specifically inferentialist—insight in that lecture to the fore.
Reliability and validity testing of the medicines related - consultation assessment tool for assessing pharmacists’ consultations
Authors: Middleton Helen , Grimes Lesley , Willis Sarah C. , Steinke Douglas , Shaw Matthew
Published: November 2022

Background

Demonstrating a person-centred approach in a consultation is a key component of delivering high-quality healthcare. To support development of such an approach requires training underpinned by valid assessment tools. Given the lack of a suitable pharmacy-specific tool, a new global consultation skills assessment tool: the medicines related-consultation assessment tool (MR-CAT) was designed and tested.

Aim

This study aimed to test the validity and reliability of the MR-CAT using psychometric methods.

Method

Psychometric testing involved analysis of participants’ (n = 13) assessment of fifteen pre-recorded simulated consultations using the MR-CAT. Analysis included discriminant validity testing, intrarater and interrater reliability testing for each of the five sections of the MR-CAT and for the overall global assessment of the consultation. Analysis also included internal consistency testing for the whole tool.

Results

Internal consistency for the overall global assessment of the consultation was good (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.97). The MR-CAT discriminated well for the overall global assessment of the consultation (p < 0.001). Moderate to high intrarater reliability was observed for the overall global assessment of the consultation and for all five sections of the MR-CAT (rho = 0.64–0.84) in the test–retest analysis. Moderate to good interrater reliability (Kendall’s W = 0.68–0.90) was observed for the overall global assessment of the consultation and for all five sections of the MR-CAT.

Conclusion

The MR-CAT is a valid and reliable tool for assessing person-centred pharmacist’s consultations. Moreover, its unique design means that the MR-CAT can be used in both formative and summative assessment.
Clinical pharmacy services are reimbursed in Germany: challenges of real world implementation remain
Authors: Schulz Martin , Griese-Mammen Nina , Müller Uta
Published: November 2022

Over the last two decades, community pharmacy has experienced major changes as the role of pharmacists is evolving from a product to a service and a patient focus. As part of this change, new and innovative clinical pharmacy services aimed at improving medicines use and patient outcomes have been designed, both nationally and internationally. Since June 2022, five services are reimbursed by all statutory health insurance funds and private insurance companies in Germany: medication review for patients with polymedication; blood pressure control in hypertension; assuring proper inhalation techniques for patients receiving a new device or a device change; medication review including a follow-up for patients taking oral anticancer drugs or immunosuppressants post-transplantation. Beyond reimbursement, the upscaling and sustainable provision of these professional services are now the main challenges. Implementation research will provide important information for the further development of pharmaceutical care programs.
A dichotomic approach to adaptive interaction for socially assistive robots
Authors: Benedictis Riccardo De , Umbrico Alessandro , Fracasso Francesca , Cortellessa Gabriella , Orlandini Andrea , Cesta Amedeo
Published: November 2022

Socially assistive robotics (SAR) aims at designing robots capable of guaranteeing social interaction to human users in a variety of assistance scenarios that range, e.g., from giving reminders for medications to monitoring of Activity of Daily Living, from giving advices to promote an healthy lifestyle to psychological monitoring. Among possible users, frail older adults deserve a special focus as they present a rich variability in terms of both alternative possible assistive scenarios (e.g., hospital or domestic environments) and caring needs that could change over time according to their health conditions. In this perspective, robot behaviors should be customized according to properly designed user models. One of the long-term research goals for SAR is the realization of robots capable of, on the one hand, personalizing assistance according to different health-related conditions/states of users and, on the other, adapting behaviors according to heterogeneous contexts as well as changing/evolving needs of users. This work proposes a solution based on a user model grounded on the international classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF) and a novel control architecture inspired by the dual-process theory. The proposed approach is general and can be deployed in many different scenarios. In this paper, we focus on a social robot in charge of the synthesis of personalized training sessions for the cognitive stimulation of older adults, customizing the adaptive verbal behavior according to the characteristics of the users and to their dynamic reactions when interacting. Evaluations with a restricted number of users show good usability of the system, a general positive attitude of users and the ability of the system to capture users personality so as to adapt the content accordingly during the verbal interaction.
A multi-criteria approach to investigate spatial distribution, sources, and the potential toxicological effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments of urban retention tanks
Authors: Nawrot Nicole , Pouch Anna , Matej-Łukowicz Karolina , Pazdro Ksenia , Mohsin Muhammad , Rezania Shahabaldin , Wojciechowska Ewa
Published: November 2022

Bottom sediments deposited in retention tanks (RTs) located on two urban streams (Oliwski and Strzyza) in the central part of Gdansk (Poland) were analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons’ (PAHs) content. PAHs were extracted from samples with methylene chloride, then the extracts were subjected to clean-up applying the solid phase extraction (SPE) method. Quantitative and qualitative determination of 16 PAHs was performed with the use of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry technique. A multi-dimensional approach was applied to analyse PAHs’ spatial distribution, source, and contamination status. Potential sources of PAHs were verified using isomer ratios supported by a statistical approach. The Σ16PAHs (in mg/kg d.w.) ranged from 1.95 ± 0.64 to 20.4 ± 6.8 for RTs located on the Oliwski Stream and from 0.50 ± 0.17 to 8.6 ± 2.9 for RTs located on the Strzyza Stream. PAHs detected in bottom sediments were mainly composed of 4- and 5-ring compounds. PAH isomer ratios such as Phen/Anth, Flth/Pyr, B(a)A/B(a)A + Chry, Inpy/Inpy + B(ghi)P, Flth/Flth + Pyr, Anth/Anth + Phen, and Flth/Flth + Pyr suggested delivery pathways for biomass, coal, and petroleum combustion. Petrogenic PAHs related to fuel leaks from cars were not detected. Statistical analyses confirmed traffic and heating system sources, while factor analysis (FA) pointed out the abrasion of wasting parts of vehicles. Based on threshold levels presented in sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), in most cases, PAHs were at low levels with occasional negative biological effects on organisms. Only sediments deposited in two RTs located on the Oliwski Stream presented harmful features for sediment-dwelling organisms. The risk assessment performed accordingly to the Σ16PAHs presented a moderate and high risk for biota. This study not only reflects the direct threat related to PAH content in bottom sediments, but also highlights the overall pollution of an area, considered to be a recreational part of the city (Oliwski Stream catchment). The findings of this study highlight the need to launch preventative methods to protect the area against pollution from heating system emission and traffic.
Von der Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion zur kommunikativen KI
Authors: Hepp Andreas , Loosen Wiebke , Dreyer Stephan , Jarke Juliane , Kannengießer Sigrid , Katzenbach Christian , Malaka Rainer , Pfadenhauer Michaela , Puschmann Cornelius , Schulz Wolfgang
Published: November 2022

The objective of this article is to define more precisely the field of research into the automation of communication, which is currently only vaguely discernible. The central thesis is that, in order to be able to grasp the transformation of the media environment associated with the automation of communication, the view must be broadened from the “direct interaction of humans and machines” to “societal communication”. Broadening our perspective as such allows us to ask how the dynamics of societal communication as a whole change when “communicative AI” becomes part of societal communication. To support this thesis, the article first takes a closer look at the automation of communication as a phenomenon. Against this background, the concept of communicative AI is then developed in more detail as a “sensitizing concept” that sensitizes to both the breadth and depth of the phenomenon. On this basis, the bridging concept of the “hybrid figuration” is developed in order to grasp the agency of communicative AI and to be able to connect to “definitive concepts” of social science and media and communication research. It becomes apparent that with communicative AI as a field of research, the basic concepts of communication and media research—“communication” and “media”—are themselves challenged. The article is concluded by a conclusion that shows the research perspectives resulting from such an approach.
Logics in Fungal Mycelium Networks
Authors: Adamatzky Andrew , Ayres Phil , Beasley Alexander E. , Roberts Nic , Wösten Han A. B.
Published: November 2022

The living mycelium networks are capable of efficient sensorial fusion over very large areas and distributed decision making. The information processing in the mycelium networks is implemented via propagation of electrical and chemical signals en pair with morphological changes in the mycelium structure. These information processing mechanisms are manifested in experimental laboratory findings that show that the mycelium networks exhibit rich dynamics of neuron-like spiking behaviour and a wide range of non-linear electrical properties. On an example of a single real colony of Aspergillus niger, we demonstrate that the non-linear transformation of electrical signals and trains of extracellular voltage spikes can be used to implement logical gates and circuits. The approaches adopted include numerical modelling of excitation propagation on the mycelium network, representation of the mycelium network as a resistive and capacitive network and an experimental laboratory study on mining logical circuits in mycelium bound composites.
Instability mechanisms and evolution of a rocky cliff on the Atlantic coast of Spain
Authors: López-Fernández Carlos , Domínguez-Cuesta María José , González-Pumariega Pelayo , Ballesteros Daniel , Suárez Suárez Lucas , Jiménez-Sánchez Montserrat
Published: November 2022

Predicting the response of rocky coasts to different erosional agents remains a great challenge at present. The episodic and discontinuous nature of the instability processes typical of hard bedrocks makes it difficult to make predictions based on observations over short research periods. This work aims to contribute to the understanding of the geomorphological evolution of rocky cliffs by means of a case study of a geologically complex cliff (developed on quartzite and slate) located on the Atlantic coast of Spain. The analysis of high-precision topographic models and orthophotographs, the use of geomatics techniques and geomorphological characterization have made it possible to define a model of the cliff behaviour. The results indicate that the structure of the bedrock determines the type of instability processes affecting the cliff and the morphology of the associated deposits. Lithology is the other main conditioning factor: while slate is easily eroded, quartzite offers greater strength and its detached blocks act as an effective natural defence element protecting the cliff and slowing down the coastal retreat. The evolution model established for this cliff explains the absence of retreat in the study period (2003–2022) and confirms the important role of local factors in cliff evolution.
How Do Police Officers Cope with Stress? A Qualitative Study
Authors: Singo Constance , Shilubane Hilda N.
Published: November 2022

Earlier research on managing strain among police officers in South Africa is inadequate. Most studies conducted have centered on the predictors of stress and few have examined their coping mechanisms. The current study aimed to investigate the coping mechanisms used by law enforcement officers in dealing with stress. The study was conducted in one Province of South Africa. A qualitative approach using phenomenological research design was used to explore the mechanisms police officers used in handling stressful situations. The target population was police officers; purposive convenient sampling was used to select 12 police officers. The one-on-one semi-structured interviews were used to gather data. The data was gathered until saturation was reached; it was analyzed using the thematic analytical approach. The findings revealed support systems, religion, participation in sports, and substance abuse as strategies used by police officers to deal with stressful situations. The main limitation of the study is the geographical area, it focused on one out of five districts. However, the study findings have important implications for psychological intervention within the police service. The findings suggest the establishment of counseling services in each police station by the South African Police Service to avoid distributing therapists at the cluster level.
Prior Conviction Evidence: Harmful or Irrelevant? A Literature Review
Authors: Schmittat Susanne Marie
Published: November 2022

Experimental studies on the effect of prior conviction evidence (PCE) on judgments of guilt are conflicting, ranging from an increase of guilt to a decrease of guilt, depending on certain boundary conditions. The overall effect of PCE seems to be small and likely depends on moderators. Due to small samples or because of lack of experimental manipulations, these moderators could not yet be meta-analyzed. This literature review follows up on these moderators with the aim to provide a clearer understanding under which circumstances PCE could harm or benefit the defendant, or when prior convictions of the defendant are completely irrelevant. Existing literature on PCE was reviewed to identify potential moderators and to provide directions for future research. Identified moderators were categorized into PCE characteristics (similarity and seriousness of PCE, PCE quantity, admissibility, and limiting instructions), case characteristics (ambiguity, seriousness of current offense), and methodological moderators (salience, control condition and manipulation checks, sample, individual vs. group decisions, richness of stimulus materials). PCE effects seem to depend on various factors that greatly narrow the influence of PCE. Therefore, an integrative perspective is proposed for future studies that take legal decision-making theories and information processing theories into account.
Empowering the Research Community to Investigate Misconduct and Promote Research Integrity and Ethics: New Regulation in Scandinavia
Authors: Vie Knut Jørgen
Published: November 2022

Researchers sometimes engage in various forms of dishonesty and unethical behavior, which has led to regulatory efforts to ensure that they work according to acceptable standards. Such regulation is a difficult task, as research is a diverse and dynamic endeavor. Researchers can disagree about what counts as good and acceptable standards, and these standards are constantly developing. This paper presents and discusses recent changes in research integrity and ethics regulation in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. Recognizing that research norms are developed through practice and are therefore unsuited for comprehensive national regulation, the Scandinavian countries focus on empowering the research community to regulate itself instead, except for the most severe cases of misconduct. This empowerment takes the form of giving research institutions tools and investigatory powers while also holding them responsible for ensuring that both the institution and individual researchers are up to date on relevant norms. In this way, the Scandinavian governments seek to avoid some of the challenges found in more legalistic approaches, which risk lagging behind the continuous development of research norms and can be insensitive to the fact that different disciplines have different norms. While the new approach in Scandinavian has several potential benefits, it also involves potential trade-offs and limitations. The new laws can create confusion about what researchers are allowed to do. Another issue is that it only addresses the fundamental drivers of misconduct to a limited extent.
Interplay between C1-inhibitor and group IIA secreted phospholipase A2 impairs their respective function
Authors: Ferrara Anne Lise , Bova Maria , Petraroli Angelica , Marasco Daniela , Payré Christine , Fortuna Sara , Palestra Francesco , Ciardi Renato , Marone Gianni , Spadaro Giuseppe , Lambeau Gérard , Loffredo Stefania
Published: November 2022

High levels of human group IIA secreted phospholipase A2 (hGIIA) have been associated with various inflammatory disease conditions. We have recently shown that hGIIA activity and concentration are increased in the plasma of patients with hereditary angioedema due to C1-inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE) and negatively correlate with C1-INH plasma activity. In this study, we analyzed whether the presence of both hGIIA and C1-INH impairs their respective function on immune cells. hGIIA, but not recombinant and plasma-derived C1-INH, stimulates the production of IL-6, CXCL8, and TNF-α from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). PBMC activation mediated by hGIIA is blocked by RO032107A, a specific hGIIA inhibitor. Interestingly, C1-INH inhibits the hGIIA-induced production of IL-6, TNF-α, and CXCL8, while it does not affect hGIIA enzymatic activity. On the other hand, hGIIA reduces the capacity of C1-INH at inhibiting C1-esterase activity. Spectroscopic and molecular docking studies suggest a possible interaction between hGIIA and C1-INH but further experiments are needed to confirm this hypothesis. Together, these results provide evidence for a new interplay between hGIIA and C1-INH, which may be important in the pathophysiology of hereditary angioedema.
Regulation of data breach publication: the case of US healthcare and the HITECH act
Authors: Bohn Lorenz , Schiereck Dirk
Published: November 2022

Data breaches continue to plague most industries but especially the healthcare sector. While previous studies have aimed at assessing the financial implications arising from data breaches, none of them focused on the healthcare sector. This study of market reactions following data breaches fills that gap. Federal disclosure requirements of data breaches within the healthcare sector allow for our comprehensive study. Using multivariate regression analysis, our findings show the high specificity with which investors react to the announcement of data breaches.
Wer „trägt“ die Schulsozialarbeit?
Authors: Zipperle Mirjana , Rahn Sebastian , Maier Katharina
Published: November 2022

Der vorliegende Artikel reflektiert Trägerstrukturen in der Schulsozialarbeit vor dem Hintergrund einer Befragung von Schulsozialarbeitsträgern in Baden-Württemberg. Schulsozialarbeit wird theoretisch als Jugendhilfeangebot am Ort Schule und damit in einer Organisation verortet, die primär auf andere Ziele ausgerichtet ist. Der Beitrag zeigt bisherige Leerstellen im Fachdiskurs zu Schulsozialarbeit auf, indem entgegen der vorrangigen Diskussion – Verortung der Trägerschaft im Jugendhilfe- oder Schulsystem – drei Trägertypen innerhalb der Jugendhilfe untersucht werden: Reine Kostenträger, kleine lokale Anstellungsträger sowie große Schulsozialarbeitsträger. Die Analyse der Typen zeigt, dass die Trägerlandschaft in Baden-Württemberg einem Flickenteppich ähnelt, in dem die fachliche Steuerung der Schulsozialarbeit sehr unterschiedlich abgesichert ist. Als Schlussfolgerung leitet der Beitrag ein fachliches Entwicklungspotenzial auf Trägerebene hin zu einem qualifizierten Verständnis der Akteure als Jugendhilfe- und – genauer – Schulsozialarbeitsträger ab, das mit einer verstärkten empirischen In-Blick-Nahme der Organisationsstrukturen von Schulsozialarbeit einhergehen sollte.
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate Enhances Cognitive and Memory Performance and Protects Against Brain Injury in Methionine-induced Hyperhomocysteinemia Through Interdependent Molecular Pathways
Authors: Mostafa Mostafa D. , ElKomy Magda A , Othman Azza I. , Amer Maggie E. , El-Missiry Mohamed A.
Published: November 2022

Brain injury and cognitive impairment are major health issues associated with neurodegenerative diseases in young and aged persons worldwide. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) was studied for its ability to protect against methionine (Met)-induced brain damage and cognitive dysfunction. Male mice were given Met-supplemented in drinking water to produce hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy)-induced animals. EGCG was administered daily concurrently with Met by gavage. EGCG attenuated the rise in homocysteine levels in the plasma and the formation of amyloid-β and tau protein in the brain. Cognitive and memory impairment in HHcy-induced mice were significantly improved by EGCG administration. These results were associated with improvement in glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid levels in the brain. EGCG maintained the levels of glutathione and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the brain. As a result of the reduction of oxidative stress, EGCG protected against DNA damage in Met-treated mice. Moreover, maintaining the redox balance significantly ameliorated neuroinflammation evidenced by the normalization of IL-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α, C-reactive protein, and IL-13 in the same animals. The decreases in both oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines were significantly associated with upregulation of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein and downregulation of the proapoptotic protein Bax, caspases 3 and 9, and p53 compared with Met-treated animals, indicating a diminution of neuronal apoptosis. These effects reflect and explain the improvement in histopathological alterations in the hippocampus of Met-treated mice. In conclusion, the beneficial effects of EGCG may be due to interconnecting pathways, including modulation of redox balance, amelioration of inflammation, and regulation of antiapoptotic proteins.

Graphical Abstract
Taming the torrent: changes in flood protection at the Gürbe River (Switzerland) from the nineteenth century until today
Authors: Salvisberg Melanie
Published: November 2022

This paper analyses the flood protection history of the Gürbe River (Switzerland), a 29-km-long tributary of the Aare River. The upper reach of the river has the character of a mountain torrent and an exceptionally difficult flooding situation. For centuries, riparian communities were only able to take small protective measures. In the mid-nineteenth century, the flood protection strategy changed: between 1855 and 1881, the Gürbe River was channelised and stabilised by a torrent control system. Although the situation improved, flood damage could not be prevented as intended. Therefore, dozens of consecutive projects were implemented—without interruption until today. This paper examines why small watercourses are useful case studies, which protection measures were taken at the Gürbe River, how they corresponded to the prevailing flood protection philosophy, whether they were linked to floods and how flood protection influenced land use. The Gürbe regulation, its consecutive projects and the connected drainages had far-reaching effects: They allowed an intensive agricultural use of the valley floor, the construction of roads, a railway, and new settlements. Consequently, the social and economic pressure on the hazard area increased steadily over the decades. It created a vicious circle: the more that protective structures were built, the more important and profitable flood prevention became, and the more structures were raised. A reevaluation finally took place in the late twentieth century, based on increasing environmental awareness, and fostered by a catastrophic flood. However, the implementation of new projects proved to be difficult due to conflicting interests.
Promising Cerebral Blood Flow Enhancers in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Biose Ifechukwude Joachim , Oremosu Jadesola , Bhatnagar Somya , Bix Gregory Jaye
Published: November 2022

Ischemic stroke presents a major global economic and public health burden. Although recent advances in available endovascular therapies show improved functional outcome, a good number of stroke patients are either ineligible or do not have access to these treatments. Also, robust collateral flow during acute ischemic stroke independently predicts the success of endovascular therapies and the outcome of stroke. Hence, adjunctive therapies for cerebral blood flow (CBF) enhancement are urgently needed. A very clear overview of the pial collaterals and the role of genetics are presented in this review. We review available evidence and advancement for potential therapies aimed at improving CBF during acute ischemic stroke. We identified heme-free soluble guanylate cyclase activators; Sanguinate, remote ischemic perconditioning; Fasudil, S1P agonists; and stimulation of the sphenopalatine ganglion as promising potential CBF-enhancing therapeutics requiring further investigation. Additionally, we outline and discuss the critical steps required to advance research strategies for clinically translatable CBF-enhancing agents in the context of acute ischemic stroke models.
Response Patterns of Fen Sedges to a Nutrient Gradient Indicate both Geographic Origin-Specific Genotypic Differences and Phenotypic Plasticity
Authors: Hinzke Tjorven , Tanneberger Franziska , Aggenbach Camiel , Bog Manuela , Dahlke Sven , Knorr Klaus-Holger , Kotowski Wiktor , Kozub Łukasz , Lange Jelena , Li Guixiang , Michaelis Dierk , Pronin Eugeniusz , Schnittler Martin , Seeber Elke , Kreyling Juergen
Published: November 2022

In wet peatlands, plant growth conditions are largely determined by local soil conditions, leading to locally adapted vegetation. Despite that Carex species are often the prevailing vascular plant species in fen peatlands of the temperate zone, information about how these species adapt to local environmental conditions is scarce. This holds true especially for below-ground plant traits and for adaptations to fen-typical nutrient level variations. To address this research gap, we investigated how different geographic origins (Germany, Poland, The Netherlands) of C. acutiformis and C. rostrata relate to their response to varying nutrient availability. We performed a common garden experiment with a controlled gradient of nutrient levels, and analyzed above- and below-ground biomass production of both Carex species from the different geographic origins. We related these traits to environmental conditions of the origins as characterized by vegetation composition-derived indicator values for ecological habitat conditions. While we detected high above-ground phenotypic plasticity of Carex from different origins, our data point to below-ground genotypic differences, potentially indicating local adaptation: Rhizome traits of C. rostrata differed significantly between origins with different nutrient indicator values. These results point towards differences in C. rostrata clonal spread behavior depending on local peatland conditions. Therefore, local adaptations of plant species and below-ground biomass traits should be taken into account when studying peatland vegetation ecology, as key functional traits can differ between genotypes within a single species depending on local conditions.
The flow dynamics in a short annulus with rotating end-walls
Authors: Tuliszka-Sznitko Ewa
Published: November 2022

The paper reports on the 3D direct numerical simulation (DNS) results of the flow in a short annulus of aspect ratios 3.8–4.8 and radius ratios 0.45, 0.5 with end-walls attached to a rotating inner cylinder. The research is focused on the bifurcation processes occurring in the local unsteady area, existing at very low Reynolds numbers (Re = 90–164) - this unsteady area is associated with the presence of the codimension-2 point occurring in this range of parameters. The study has revealed many interesting phenomena, e.g. the period-doubling, the homoclinic collision and the second modulated wave. New bifurcation lines have been determined. The DNS results are analyzed in the light of experimental data published so far. At higher Reynolds numbers the next unsteady area occurs, dynamical features of which have been studied in detail for Re up to 1000. The computations have also been performed for the configurations with cylinders rotating in the co- and counter-rotating systems with rotational rate Ωout/Ωin =  ± 0.1 and ± 0.2, to determine the impact of these new boundary conditions on the bifurcation processes.
The impact of building energy codes evolution on the residential thermal demand
Authors: Zabalza Ignacio , Gesteira Luis Gabriel , Uche Javier
Published: November 2022

The building stock decarbonization by 2050 requires the implementation of an energy transition strategy. Building energy codes must be considered to minimize the energy consumption of the residential sector. This paper aims to evaluate the evolution of the building energy codes of Spain based on energy simulation. A quantitative assessment of the residential thermal demand according to the new energy efficiency requirements introduced in national regulations over the years was performed. Heating, cooling, and domestic hot water demands were assessed for 60 cases modeled in DesignBuilder, combining different building geometric typologies, energy codes, and climate zones. Heating presented the largest contribution to the total energy demand reaching up to 75%. The codes’ evolution led to a significant reduction in heating and a slighter decrease in cooling. The results showed an average energy demand improvement of 50% from the first regulatory release to the latest one.
Twenty years of coal mining-induced subsidence in the Upper Silesia in Poland identified using InSAR
Authors: Przyłucka Maria , Kowalski Zbigniew , Perski Zbigniew
Published: November 2022

The paper presents the results of terrain subsidence monitoring in Poland’s Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) mining area using Differential Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) and Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI). The study area accounts for almost three million inhabitants where mining which started in the 19th century, has produced severe damage to buildings and urban infrastructures in past years. The analysis aimed to combine eight different datasets, processed in two techniques, coming from various sensors and covering different periods. As a result, a map of areas that have been exposed to subsidence within 3045 square kilometers was obtained. The map covers a period of twenty years of intensive mining activities, i.e. 1992–2012. A total of 81 interferograms were used in the study. The interferograms allowed not only to determine subsidence troughs (basins) formed from 1992 to 2012 but also to observe subsidence development over time. The work also included five sets of PSI processing, covering different temporal and spatial ranges, which were used to determine zones of residual subsidence. Based on InSAR datasets, an area of 521 square kilometers under the influence of mining activities were determined. Within the subsiding zones, an area of 312.5 square kilometers of the rapid increase in subsidence was identified on the interferograms. The study of combined different InSAR datasets provided large-area and long-term information on the impact of mining activities in the Upper Silesia Coal Basin.
Exploring self-organization and self-adaption for smart manufacturing complex networks
Authors: Guo Zhengang , Zhang Yingfeng , Liu Sichao , Wang Xi Vincent , Wang Lihui
Published: November 2022

Trends toward the globalization of the manufacturing industry and the increasing demands for small-batch, short-cycle, and highly customized products result in complexities and fluctuations in both external and internal manufacturing environments, which poses great challenges to manufacturing enterprises. Fortunately, recent advances in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and the widespread use of embedded processors and sensors in factories enable collecting real-time manufacturing status data and building cyber—physical systems for smart, flexible, and resilient manufacturing systems. In this context, this paper investigates the mechanisms and methodology of self-organization and self-adaption to tackle exceptions and disturbances in discrete manufacturing processes. Specifically, a general model of smart manufacturing complex networks is constructed using scale-free networks to interconnect heterogeneous manufacturing resources represented by network vertices at multiple levels. Moreover, the capabilities of physical manufacturing resources are encapsulated into virtual manufacturing services using cloud technology, which can be added to or removed from the networks in a plug-and-play manner. Materials, information, and financial assets are passed through interactive links across the networks. Subsequently, analytical target cascading is used to formulate the processes of self-organizing optimal configuration and self-adaptive collaborative control for multilevel key manufacturing resources while particle swarm optimization is used to solve local problems on network vertices. Consequently, an industrial case based on a Chinese engine factory demonstrates the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed model and method in handling typical exceptions. The simulation results show that the proposed mechanism and method outperform the event-triggered rescheduling method, reducing manufacturing cost, manufacturing time, waiting time, and energy consumption, with reasonable computational time. This work potentially enables managers and practitioners to implement active perception, active response, self-organization, and self-adaption solutions in discrete manufacturing enterprises.
The effects of the recurrent social isolation stress on fear extinction and dopamine D2 receptors in the amygdala and the hippocampus
Authors: Wisłowska-Stanek Aleksandra , Lehner Małgorzata , Tomczuk Filip , Gawryluk Aleksandra , Kołosowska Karolina , Sułek Anna , Krząśnik Paweł , Sobolewska Alicja , Wawer Adriana , Płaźnik Adam , Skórzewska Anna
Published: November 2022

Background

The present study assessed the influence of recurrent social isolation stress on the aversive memory extinction and dopamine D2 receptors (D2R) expression in the amygdala and the hippocampus subnuclei. We also analyzed the expression of epigenetic factors potentially associated with fear extinction: miRNA-128 and miRNA-142 in the amygdala.

Methods

Male adult fear-conditioned rats had three episodes of 48 h social isolation stress before each fear extinction session in weeks intervals. Ninety minutes after the last extinction session, the D2R expression in the nuclei of the amygdala and the hippocampus (immunocytochemical technique), and mRNA levels for D2R in the amygdala were assessed (PCR). Moreover, we evaluated the levels of miRNA-128 and miRNA-142 in the amygdala.

Results

It was found that recurrent social isolation stress decreased the fear extinction rate. The extinguished isolated rats were characterized by higher expression of D2R in the CA1 area of the hippocampus compared to the extinguished and the control rats. In turn, the isolated group presented higher D2R immunoreactivity in the CA1 area compared to the extinguished, the control, and the extinguished isolated animals. Moreover, the extinguished animals had higher expression of D2R in the central amygdala than the control and the extinguished isolated rats. These changes were accompanied by the increase in miRNA-128 level in the amygdala in the extinguished isolated rats compared to the control, the extinguished, and the isolated rats. Moreover, the extinguished rats had lower expression of miRNA-128 compared to the control and the isolated animals.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that social isolation stress impairs aversive memory extinction and coexists with changes in the D2R expression in the amygdala and hippocampus and increased expression of miRNA-128 in the amygdala.
How does turbulence mix a stratified fluid?
Authors: Riley James J.
Published: November 2022

A principal topic of interest and importance in stably stratified flows is how turbulence irreversibly mixes the ambient density field. Because the density field is coupled dynamically to the velocity field through the stable stratification, this mixing affects the overall flow dynamics, and its accurate parameterisation has become a ‘grand challenge’ in environmental fluid mechanics (Dauxois et al., Phys. Rev. Fluids, vol. 6, issue 2, 2021, 020501). In order to better understand the detailed kinematics of mixing in a stably stratified fluid, Jiang et al. (2022) perform experiments using a unique laboratory facility, capable of generating controllable stratified shear flows, and providing almost instantaneous density and three-component velocity measurements on a high-resolution, three-dimensional grid. Using three-dimensional data sets from the experiments, they employ the rortex–shear decomposition to identify the morphology of instantaneous rortices in the flow fields, leading to the interpretation of the motion of the rortices and ultimately to how the rortices cause irreversible mixing of the density field. This marks one of the first studies where, in a laboratory setting, full use has been made of somewhat high-resolution, three-dimensional near-instantaneous measurements; it demonstrates what can be accomplished in the laboratory, setting a new standard for future experiments.
Classification of vortex patterns of oscillating foils in side-by-side configurations
Authors: Gungor Ahmet , Khalid Muhammad Saif Ullah , Hemmati Arman
Published: November 2022

The unsteady hydrodynamics of two pitching foils arranged in a side-by-side (parallel) configuration is examined for a range of Strouhal numbers, phase differences, oscillation amplitudes and separation distances. Three distinct vortex patterns are identified in the wake maps, which include separated wake, merged wake and transitional-merged wake. Furthermore, a novel model is introduced based on fundamental flow variables including velocity, location and circulation of dipole structures to quantitatively distinguish vortex patterns in the wake. The physical mechanism of the wake merging process is also elucidated. When an oscillating foil experiences the jet deflection phenomenon, secondary structures separated from the primary street traverse in the other direction by making an angle with its parent vortex street. For in-phase pitching parallel foils, secondary structures from the vortex street of the lower foil interact with the primary vortex street of the upper foil under certain kinematic conditions. This interaction triggers the wake merging process by influencing circulation of coherent structures in the upper part of the wake. It is unveiled that merging of the wakes leads to enhancements in propulsive efficiency by increasing thrust generation without a significant alteration in power requirements. These are attributed to the formation of a high-momentum jet by the merged vortex street, which possesses significantly larger circulation due to the amalgamation of the vortices, and major alterations in the evolution of leading edge vortices. Thus, flow physics, which is thoroughly explored here, is crucial in providing novel insights for the future development of flow control techniques for efficient designs of bio-inspired underwater propulsors.
Quantitative live-imaging reveals the dynamics of apical cells during gametophyte development in ferns
Authors: Wu Xiao , Yan An , Liu Xing , Zhang Shaoling , Zhou Yun
Published: November 2022

Meristems in land plants share conserved functions but develop highly variable structures. Meristems in seed-free plants, including ferns, usually contain one or a few pyramid-/wedge-shaped apical cells (ACs) as initials, which are lacking in seed plants. It remained unclear how ACs promote cell proliferation in fern gametophytes and whether any persistent AC exists to sustain fern gametophyte development continuously. Here, we uncovered previously undefined ACs maintained even at late developmental stages in fern gametophytes. Through quantitative live-imaging, we determined division patterns and growth dynamics that maintain the persistent AC in Sphenomeris chinensis, a representative fern. The AC and its immediate progenies form a conserved cell packet, driving cell proliferation and prothallus expansion. At the apical centre of gametophytes, the AC and its adjacent progenies display small dimensions resulting from active cell division instead of reduced cell expansion. These findings provide insight into diversified meristem development in land plants.
Nonlinear excitation of geodesic acoustic mode by reversed shear Alfvén eigenmodes in non-uniform plasmas
Authors: Wang Y. , Chen N. , Wang T. , Wei S. , Qiu Z.
Published: November 2022

Effects of plasma non-uniformities and kinetic dispersiveness on the spontaneous excitation of geodesic acoustic mode (GAM) by reversed shear Alfvén eigenmode (RSAE) are investigated numerically. It is found that, due to the turning points induced by the shear Alfvén continuum structure, the nonlinear excitation of GAM is a quasiexponentially growing absolute instability. As the radial dependence of GAM frequency and pump RSAE mode structure are accounted for, the radially inward propagating GAM is preferentially excited, leading to core localized thermal plasma heating by GAM collisionless damping. Our work, thus, suggests that GAM excitation plays a crucial role in not only RSAE nonlinear saturation, but also anomalous fuel ion heating in future reactors.
Revisiting Cowgill's modernisation theory: perceived social status of older adults across 58 countries
Authors: Rudnev Maksim , Vauclair Christin-Melanie
Published: November 2022

Cowgill's modernisation theory stipulates that older people's social status is lower in societies with higher societal modernisation. The few existing studies reveal conflicting results showing either negative or positive associations. The current study follows up seminal cross-national research on the perceived social status of people in their seventies (PSS70) in a diverse set of countries. PSS70 was defined as the relative status of people in their seventies compared to people in their forties. Data were obtained by the World Values Survey (2010–2014) and included 78,904 respondents from 58 countries. Multilevel regressions showed that the level of modernisation had a strong and negative association with the PSS70 but mostly due to one component, namely the share of older people in society. The associations were more complex when considering cultural zones of which two stood out. Irrespective of level of modernisation, Muslim countries showed higher and post-communist countries showed lower levels of PSS70. In Muslim countries, modernisation had a near-zero association with PSS70, whereas it was strongly negatively associated with PSS70 in post-communist countries. This study generally supports Cowgill's theory in a large and diverse cross-sectional sample of countries, yet it also illustrates its cultural boundary conditions.
RETRACTED - Agents of Change? Families, Welfare and Democracy in Mid-to-Late Twentieth Century Europe
Authors: Crane Jennifer
Published: November 2022

This special issue argues that historical work must take ‘the family’ seriously as an active participant in shaping historical change. The issue offers seven case studies from across the North to South and East to West of Europe, ranging from the 1940s until the present, and looking across authoritarian, liberal democratic, communist and fascistic systems. In all case studies, authors look ‘from below’ to show how individuals thought of themselves, in messy and complex ways, as living within ‘families’. This powerful yet shifting idea shaped people's social lives, political choices and activism. This introduction explores grand narratives of welfare and democracy in the twentieth century; offers a new working approach to analysis of family ‘agency’; and then summarises the collection's main findings around chronologies and geographies of change.
A case of double-chambered left ventricle presenting with heart failure symptoms
Authors: Ahmad Attila , Carazo Matthew
Published: November 2022

Double-chambered left ventricle is a rare CHD that is usually asymptomatic and managed conservatively but can present with ventricular arrhythmias or heart failure. It is important to differentiate from acquired diseases such as post-infarct pseudoaneurysm that need surgical treatment, and cardiac MRI offers an excellent diagnostic tool.