bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Testing of two SNP array–based genealogy algorithms using extended Han Chinese pedigrees and recommendations for improved performances in forensic practice
Authors: Liu Jing , Wei Yi‐Liang , Yang Lan , Jiang Li , Zhao Wen‐Ting , Li Cai‐Xia
Published: July 2023

Distant genetic relatives can be linked to a crime scene sample by computing identity‐by‐state (IBS) and identity‐by‐descent (IBD) shared by individuals. To test the methods of genetic genealogy estimation and optimal the parameters for forensic investigation, a family‐based genetic genealogy analysis was performed using a dataset of 262 Han Chinese individuals from 11 families. The dataset covered relative pairs from 1st‐ to 14th degrees. But the 7th‐degree relative is the most distant kinship to be fully investigated, and each individual has ∼200 relatives within the 7th degree. The KING algorithm by calculating IBS and IBD statistics can correctly discriminate the first‐degree relationships of monozygotic twin, parent–offspring and full sibling. The inferred relationship was reliable within the fifth‐degree, false positive rate <1.8%. The IBD segment algorithm, GERMLINE + ERSA, could provide reliable inference result prolonged to eighth degree. Analysis of IBD segments produced obviously false negative estimations (<27.4%) rather than false positives (0%) within the eighth‐degree inferences. We studied different minimum IBD segment threshold settings (changed from >0 to 6 cM); the inferred results did not make much difference. In distant relative analysis, genetically undetectable relationships begin to occur from the sixth degree (second cousin once removed), which means the offspring after seven meiotic divisions may share no ancestor IBD segment at all. Application of KING and GERMLINE + ERSA worked complementarily to ensure accurate inference from first degree to eighth degree. Using simulated low call rate data, the KING algorithm shows better tolerance to marker decrease compared with the GERMLINE + ERSA segment algorithm.
Multiscale quantification of morphological heterogeneity with creation of a predictor of longer survival in glioblastoma
Authors: Prokop Georg , Wiestler Benedikt , Hieber Daniel , Withake Fynn , Mayer Karoline , Gempt Jens , Delbridge Claire , Schmidt‐Graf Friederike , Pfarr Nicole , Märkl Bruno , Schlegel Jürgen , Liesche‐Starnecker Friederike
Published: July 2023

Intratumor heterogeneity is a main cause of the dismal prognosis of glioblastoma (GBM). Yet, there remains a lack of a uniform assessment of the degree of heterogeneity. With a multiscale approach, we addressed the hypothesis that intratumor heterogeneity exists on different levels comprising traditional regional analyses, but also innovative methods including computer‐assisted analysis of tumor morphology combined with epigenomic data. With this aim, 157 biopsies of 37 patients with therapy‐naive IDH‐wildtype GBM were analyzed regarding the intratumor variance of protein expression of glial marker GFAP, microglia marker Iba1 and proliferation marker Mib1. Hematoxylin and eosin stained slides were evaluated for tumor vascularization. For the estimation of pixel intensity and nuclear profiling, automated analysis was used. Additionally, DNA methylation profiling was conducted separately for the single biopsies. Scoring systems were established to integrate several parameters into one score for the four examined modalities of heterogeneity (regional, cellular, pixel‐level and epigenomic). As a result, we could show that heterogeneity was detected in all four modalities. Furthermore, for the regional, cellular and epigenomic level, we confirmed the results of earlier studies stating that a higher degree of heterogeneity is associated with poorer overall survival. To integrate all modalities into one score, we designed a predictor of longer survival, which showed a highly significant separation regarding the OS. In conclusion, multiscale intratumor heterogeneity exists in glioblastoma and its degree has an impact on overall survival. In future studies, the implementation of a broadly feasible heterogeneity index should be considered.
Colored Woven Cloth‐Based Textile for Passive Radiative Heating
Authors: Zhu Yining , Wang Wenjuan , Zhou Yiwei , Qin Rui , Qin Bing , Zhou Tianze , Qiu Min , Li Qiang
Published: July 2023

Personal thermal management is attracting growing attention due to the aggravation of climate anomalies and the increasing emphasis on physical health. Passive radiative heating textiles offer a promising solution to improve thermal comfort without energy consumption; however, using woven cloth to achieve passive heating while still exhibiting an aesthetic appearance remains a problem. Here, a colored textile based on woven cloth that features superior passive radiative heating capability without sacrificing aesthetics is demonstrated. By coating infrared transparent inorganic nanoparticles on MXene‐decorated cotton, the textile achieves selectively visible reflectance for desired color, high near‐infrared absorptivity, and low mid‐infrared emissivity for passive heating management, as well as uniformly distributed nanopores for wearability. Thermal tests on simulated skin and real human bodies show considerable temperature increases compared to pure cottons. Owing to its easy manufacturing process and remarkable spectral engineering capability, this textile can be further applied to energy conservation and multi‐spectral camouflage.
An interdisciplinary framework for navigating social–climatic tipping points
Authors: Graham Sonia , Wary Melanie , Calcagni Fulvia , Cisneros Mercè , de Luca Claudia , Gorostiza Santiago , Stedje Hanserud Ola , Kallis Giorgos , Kotsila Panagiota , Leipold Sina , Malumbres‐Olarte Jagoba , Partridge Tristan , Petit‐Boix Anna , Schaffartzik Anke , Shokry Galia , Tirado‐Herrero Sergio , van den Bergh Jeroen , Ziveri Patrizia
Published: July 2023

To effectively navigate out of the climate crisis, a new interdisciplinary approach is needed to guide and facilitate research that integrates diverse understandings of how transitions evolve in intertwined social–environmental systems.

The concept of tipping points, frequently used in the natural sciences and increasingly in the social sciences, can help elucidate processes underlying major social–environmental transitions. We develop the notion of interlinked ‘social–climatic tipping points’ in which desirability and intentionality are key constitutive features alongside stable states, feedbacks, reversibility and abruptness.

We demonstrate the new insights that our interdisciplinary framework can provide by analysing the slowdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and associated flooding of the Ahr Valley in Germany as a social–climatic tipping point.

This framework can enable more sustainable and equitable futures by prioritising social–climatic tipping points for interdisciplinary research, identifying opportunities for action, and evaluating the nuanced desirability and acceptability of proposed solutions.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Effects of different drying methods on the contents of active ingredients of Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk and optimization of the drying process by response surface methodology
Authors: Sun Xiaoxu , Tang Zhishu , Song Zhongxing , Duan Jinao , Wang Changli
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk is one of the most widely used Chinese herbs worldwide. It has anti‐inflammatory and analgesic properties and hence has a high clinical value. As the moisture level in S. divaricata is high after harvest, it requires drying.

Objective

We aimed to find a scientific drying method and optimize the drying conditions of the best drying method of S. divaricata using response surface methodology (RSM).

Methodology

The effects of 4 different drying methods on the contents of prim‐O‐glucosylcimifugin, cimifugin, 5‐O‐methylvisamminol, and sec‐O‐glucosylhamaudol were determined using high‐performance liquid chromatography. Chroma, the rehydration ratio, and active component content were used as indices, and slice thickness, drying temperature, and drying time were used as independent variables to optimize the drying conditions of the optimal drying method of S. divaricata using RSM combined with the Box–Behnken design.

Results

The results showed that the optimal drying conditions were as follows: slice thickness, 4.00 mm; drying temperature, 60°C; and drying time, 15 h.

Conclusion

Under optimal drying conditions, the measured values were extremely close to the predicted values. The results of variance analysis showed that the model had a high degree of fit and the drying conditions of S. divaricata were optimized successfully.
Antibiotic pollution: The forerunner of global health catastrophe?
Authors: Lahiri Dibyajit , Nag Moupriya , Dey Ankita , Ray Rina Rani , Rai Nishant , Chaubey Kundan Kumar
Published: July 2023

The rapid enhancement in the emergence of resistant bacteria occurring globally has endangered the efficacy of the conventional antibiotics causing threat to human at a large extent. Traces of antimicrobial drugs and their metabolites in various natural environments have resulted in enhancement of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among the natural flora and fauna of the water resources. Contamination of the environment with antimicrobials encourages the bacteria to evolve ways to acquire competence which may result in the conversion of antibiotic susceptible strains to resistant bacteria. The spread of AMR varies from planktonic to sessile forms of the bacterial species by cross resistance or horizontal gene transfer resulting in blooming populations that would otherwise can be kept in check. This has created a tremendous threat to human health due to the enhancement in the resistance of microorganisms and other microbes to various types of antimicrobial drugs. Rampant use of antibiotics and improper detection of antibiotics from the sewages of the factories has resulted in the enhancement of concentration of antibiotics in the environment. This has resulted in the enhancement of death due to the persistence of such infections those cannot be treated with the conventional drugs causing a global health crisis. Hence, mitigation of this problem is of utmost importance to save lives of human beings and animals. This has forced to find out some alternate way on an urgent basis for risk management including adoption of stringent guidelines for surveillance and monitoring of these industries and development of policies are warranted to develop policies on checking antibiotic pollution as a “One Health Approach”.
Effects of traditional brewery dried residue and field pea hull mixtures supplementation on feed utilization and performance of Washera sheep fed natural pasture grass hay as basal diet
Authors: Yimenu Shashie Ayele , Abebe Ayalew
Published: July 2023

Background

The major feedstuffs (natural pasture and crop residues) used for sheep in Ethiopia are fibrous and the crude protein (CP) content is less than 7% that is inadequate to meet the maintenance requirement of sheep. These poor quality feeds should be improved and can be improved through supplementation with nutritious feedstuff. Therefore, to overcome this challenge, there is a need to look for some alternatives but locally available and cheap sources of protein. In this regard, traditional brewery dried residue (TBDR) and field pea hull (FPH) could be an important sources of feed for ruminant livestock.

Objectives

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of supplementing mixtures of TBDR and FPH on the feed intake, digestibility, live weight gain, and economic feasibility of the feeding treatments.

Methods

In a 3‐month experiment, 20 yearling intact male Washera sheep were blocked based on their initial BW of 22.1 ± 1.58 kg (mean ± standard error of mean), and treatment diets were randomly assigned within a block. Treatments comprised feeding natural pasture grass hay (NPGH) ad libitum + 50 g ground nut cake (GNC) (T1, control); T1 + supplemented with 25% TBDR:75% FPH (T2); T1 + 50% TBDR:50% FPH (T3) and T1 + 75% TBDR:25% FPH (T4). The supplement feed was offered twice a day at 08:00 and 16:00 while, common salt lick and water were available all time.

Results

NPGH, FPH, TBDR, and GNC in the current study contained 5.7%, 13.4%, 22.2%, and 45.4% CP and 62%, 61%, 34%, and 20% neutral detergent fibre, respectively. Sheep in supplemented treatments had higher (p < 0.05) apparent digestibility percentage of dry matter and nutrients than those in T1. Among the supplemented treatments, sheep fed T4 recorded 4.49 kg extra (p < 0.0001) body weight as compared to that fed T1 by growing at an average of 49.8 g/day and returned the highest net income (255.8 Ethiopian birr)

Conclusion

Thus, based on the highest body weight gain and net return, the combinations of 75% TBDR and 25% FPH (T4) appeared to be recommendable for poor farmers.
Variant of strain gradient elasticity with simplified formulation of traction boundary value problems
Authors: Lurie Sergey , Solyaev Yury
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we show that within the class of isotropic Mindlin‐Toupin gradient theories there exist a particular variant of the theory, which allows a completely simplified form of traction boundary value problems. This theory can be obtained assuming that the high‐grade part of the strain energy density depends only on the vector‐type quantities, that are the gradient of dilatation and the curl of small rotation. Such incomplete gradient theory becomes positive semi‐definite and at the same time it obeys the strong ellipticity conditions of the general Mindlin‐Toupin first strain gradient elasticity. Based on the variational approach it is shown that the equilibrium equations of the developed theory and its definition for the surface traction can be given only in terms of the total stresses (like in classical elasticity). Such formulation can be useful for derivation of the closed form solutions for the problems with traction‐type boundary conditions. Examples of the solutions for the problem of cylindrical bending and for the inplane crack tip fields are presented. It is shown that considered theory allows to obtain a regularized solution for the crack problems and at the same time it does not predict a non‐physical infinite increase of the material's rigidity under bending.
Machine-learning and combined analysis of single-cell and bulk-RNA sequencing identified a DC gene signature to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response for patients with lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Liangyu , Guan Maohao , Zhang Xun , Yu Fengqiang , Lai Fancai
Published: July 2023

Background

Innate immune effectors, dendritic cells (DCs), influence cancer prognosis and immunotherapy
significantly. As such, dendritic cells are important in killing tumors and influencing tumor microenvironment,
whereas their roles in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) are largely unknown.

Methods

In this study, 1658 LUAD patients from different cohorts were included. In addition, 724 cancer patients
who received immunotherapy were also included. To identify DC marker genes in LUAD, we used single-cell RNAsequencing
data for analysis and determined 83 genes as DC marker genes. Following that, integrative machine
learning procedure was developed to construct a signature for DC marker genes.

Results

Using TCGA bulk-RNA sequencing data as the training set, we developed a signature consisting of seven
genes and classified patients by their risk status. Another six independent cohorts demonstrated the signature’ s
prognostic power, and multivariate analysis demonstrated it was an independent prognostic factor. LUAD patients
in the high-risk group displayed more advanced features, discriminatory immune-cell infiltrations and
immunosuppressive states. Cell–cell communication analysis indicates that tumor cells with lower risk scores
communicate more actively with the tumor microenvironment. Eight independent immunotherapy cohorts revealed
that patients with low-risk had better immunotherapy responses. Drug sensitivity analysis indicated that targeted
therapy agents exhibited greater sensitivity to low-risk patients, while chemotherapy agents displayed greater
sensitivity to high-risk patients. In vitro experiments confirmed that CTSH is a novel protective factor for LUAD.

Conclusions

An unique signature based on DC marker genes that is highly predictive of LUAD patients’ prognosis
and response to immunotherapy. CTSH is a new biomarker for LUAD.
Detection techniques for carbohydrates in capillary electrophoresis – a comparative study
Authors: Vlčková Nikol , Šimonová Alice , Ďuriš Marta , Čokrtová Kateřina , Almquist Seth , Křížek Tomáš
Published: July 2023

Capillary electrophoresis methods for the separation of carbohydrates with four different detection techniques, namely direct UV, indirect UV, capacitively coupled conductivity, and laser-induced fluorescence detection, were tested and their performance was evaluated and compared in terms of linearity, limits of detection and quantitation, repeatability, recovery, analysis time, and sample treatment. The test set of analytes comprised sucrose, glucose, and fructose. The effect of using lactose as an internal standard on the individual methods was investigated, too. The results showed that laser-induced fluorescence detection is a technique of choice for applications requiring the detection of very low amounts of reducing carbohydrates. Contactless conductivity detection is favorable when detection sensitivity is not a crucial parameter but fast and reliable analysis is required. When only a UV detector is available as a standard part of capillary electrophoresis instruments, direct UV detection can be used when analysis time is not a critical parameter. For fast analysis with UV detectors, indirect UV detection is the technique of choice. Finally, to verify the applicability of the tested methods, samples of cola beverage, honey, and orange juice were analyzed and the results obtained by all four methods were compared.

Graphical abstract
Is this news article still relevant? Ranking by contemporary relevance in archival search
Authors: Jatowt Adam , Sato Mari , Draxl Simon , Duan Yijun , Campos Ricardo , Yoshikawa Masatoshi
Published: July 2023

Our civilization creates enormous volumes of digital data, a substantial fraction of which is preserved and made publicly available for present and future usage. Additionally, historical born-analog records are progressively being digitized and incorporated into digital document repositories. While professionals often have a clear idea of what they are looking for in document archives, average users are likely to have no precise search needs when accessing available archives (e.g., through their online interfaces). Thus, if the results are to be relevant and appealing to average people, they should include engaging and recognizable material. However, state-of-the-art document archival retrieval systems essentially use the same approaches as search engines for synchronic document collections. In this article, we develop unique ranking criteria for assessing the usefulness of archived contents based on their estimated relationship with current times, which we call contemporary relevance. Contemporary relevance may be utilized to enhance access to archival document collections, increasing the likelihood that users will discover interesting or valuable material. We next present an effective strategy for estimating contemporary relevance degrees of news articles by utilizing learning to rank approach based on a variety of diverse features, and we then successfully test it on the New York Times news collection. The incorporation of the contemporary relevance computation into archival retrieval systems should enable a new search style in which search results are meant to relate to the context of searchers’ times, and by this have the potential to engage the archive users. As a proof of concept, we develop and demonstrate a working prototype of a simplified ranking model that operates on the top of the Portuguese Web Archive portal (arquivo.pt).
Gut microbiota, intestinal permeability, and systemic inflammation: a narrative review
Authors: Di Vincenzo Federica , Del Gaudio Angelo , Petito Valentina , Lopetuso Loris Riccardo , Scaldaferri Franco
Published: July 2023

The intestine is the largest interface between the internal body and the external environment. The intestinal barrier is a dynamic system influenced by the composition of the intestinal microbiome and the activity of intercellular connections, regulated by hormones, dietary components, inflammatory mediators, and the enteric nervous system (ENS). Over the years, it has become increasingly evident that maintaining a stable intestinal barrier is crucial to prevent various potentially harmful substances and pathogens from entering the internal environment. Disruption of the barrier is referred to as 'leaky gut' or leaky gut wall syndrome and seems to be characterized by the release of bacterial metabolites and endotoxins, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), into the circulation. This condition, mainly caused by bacterial infections, oxidative stress, high-fat diet, exposure to alcohol or chronic allergens, and dysbiosis, appear to be highly connected with the development and/or progression of several metabolic and autoimmune systemic diseases, including obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). In this review, starting from a description of the mechanisms that enable barrier homeostasis and analyzing the relationship between this complex ecosystem and various pathological conditions, we explore the role of the gut barrier in driving systemic inflammation, also shedding light on current and future therapeutic interventions.
YouTube Commenters’ Discourse of Paedophilia: A Qualitative Social Media Analysis
Authors: Nematy Azadeh , Flynn Susan , McCarthy-Jones Simon
Published: July 2023

Quantitative studies have found that although most of the general public holds negative attitudes towards people with paedophilia (PWP), a range of views exist. Nevertheless, these studies provide limited insight into the specific details or variety of attitudes or emotions. This qualitative study aimed to better understand public attitudes towards PWP by exploring how the public reacts to talks about paedophilia given by credentialled experts on social media. Seven such talks, which met our specific inclusion criteria, were selected from YouTube, and public comments on these talks were analysed. The top 100 comments of each video were selected, followed by a saturation strategy. This led to 1234 comments being coded and thematically analysed. Six key themes and eight subthemes were generated, thematically grouped into Haters (sub-themes: ‘violent’ and ‘sophisticated’), Critics (sub-themes: ‘victim erasure’ and ‘not a sexual orientation’), Fence-sitters (sub-themes: ‘ambivalent’ and ‘dispassionate arguers’) and Supporters’ (sub-themes: ‘implicit confirmers’ and ‘compassionate supporters’). These themes reflected a spectrum of views. At one pole, Haters exhibited absolute abhorrence and a desire to dismiss the speaker, whilst, at the other pole, Supporters showed empathy towards non-offending PWP and endorsed the speaker’s perspective. Extremely polarised conversations, commonly evidencing anger and sarcasm and emphasis on the concept of help, were found across dissenting voices. These findings help us better understand the variety of public attitudes and responses to expert-delivered information on paedophilia. The effects of perceived social attitudes on PWP well-being and help-seeking behaviours, which can help prevent offending, require further exploration.
From assessment to a decision: a global framework for the management of energy use in wastewater systems
Authors: Jorge C. , Almeida M. C. , Covas D.
Published: July 2023

A global framework to assess the energy use and efficiency in wastewater systems is presented, focusing on the development of a portfolio of energy use improvement measures specifically tailored to these systems. The framework includes a performance assessment system for energy efficiency in wastewater systems and an energy balance scheme. The development and analysis of the portfolio of measures included the following steps: (i) an extensive review and compilation of existing energy improvement measures on the urban water cycle, (ii) a tailored survey addressed to multidisciplinary teams of wastewater utilities, (iii) the consolidation of the portfolio of measures for wastewater systems with the identification of main benefits and drawbacks of each measure and (iv) the discussion of the application of the improvement measures. Results from the survey for the different assessed dimensions (e.g., priority, importance) of each measure are presented together with a specific analysis of wastewater utilities. The final portfolio is instrumental for utilities to select measures, decide on the priority ones and prepare an implementation plan.
Conserved and Divergent Features of pH Sensing in Major Fungal Pathogens
Authors: Farhadi Cheshmeh Morvari Shadab , McCann Bethany L. , Bignell Elaine M.
Published: July 2023

Purpose of Review

For human fungal pathogens, sensory perception of extracellular pH is essential for colonisation of mammalian tissues and immune evasion. The molecular complexes that perceive and transmit the fungal pH signal are membrane-proximal and essential for virulence and are therefore of interest as novel antifungal drug targets. Intriguingly, the sensory machinery has evolved divergently in different fungal pathogens, yet spatial co-ordination of cellular components is conserved.

Recent Findings

The recent discovery of a novel pH sensor in the basidiomycete pathogen Cryptococcus neformans highlights that, although the molecular conservation of fungal pH sensors is evolutionarily restricted, their subcellular localisation and coupling to essential components of the cellular ESCRT machinery are consistent features of the cellular pH sensing and adaptation mechanism. In both basidiomycetes and ascomycetes, the lipid composition of the plasma membrane to which pH sensing complexes are localised appears to have pivotal functional importance. Endocytosis of pH-sensing complexes occurs in multiple fungal species, but its relevance for signal transduction appears not to be universal.

Our overview of current understanding highlights conserved and divergent mechanisms of the pH sensing machinery in model and pathogenic fungal species, as well as important unanswered questions that must be addressed to inform the future study of such sensing mechanisms and to devise therapeutic strategies for manipulating them.
Hi'CT: a pixel sensor-based device for ion tomography
Authors: Chen Yi-Lun , Wang Hong-Kai , Zhang Shi-Yu , Yang Hai-Bo , Zhao Cheng-Xin
Published: July 2023

Carbon ions, commonly referred to as particle therapy, have become increasingly popular in the last decade. Accurately predicting the range of ions in tissues is important for the precise delivery of doses in heavy-ion radiotherapy. Range uncertainty is currently the largest contributor to dose uncertainty in normal tissues, leading to the use of safety margins in treatment planning. One potential method is the direct relative stopping measurement (RSP) with ions. Heavy-ion CT (Hi′CT), a compact segmented full digital tomography detector using monolithic active pixel sensors, was designed and evaluated using a 430 MeV/u high-energy carbon ion pencil beam in Geant4. The precise position of the individual carbon ion track can be recorded and reconstructed using a 30 μm × 30 μm small pixel pitch size. Two types of customized image reconstruction algorithms were developed, and their performances were evaluated using three different modules of CATPHAN 600-series phantoms. The RSP measurement accuracy of the tracking algorithm for different types of materials in the CTP404 module was less than 1%. In terms of spatial resolution, the tracking algorithm could achieve a 20% modulation transfer function normalization value of CTP528 imaging results at 5 lp/cm, which is significantly better than that of the fast imaging algorithm (3 lp/cm). The density resolution obtained using the tracking algorithm of the customized CTP515 was approximately 10.5%. In conclusion, a compact digital Hi'CT system was designed, and its nominal performance was evaluated in a simulation. The RSP resolution and image quality provide potential feasibility for scanning most parts of an adult body or pediatric patient, particularly for head and neck tumor treatment.
An Integrated Fermatean Fuzzy Multi-attribute Evaluation of Digital Technologies for Circular Public Sector Supply Chains
Authors: Evangelista Samantha Shane , Aro Joerabell Lourdes , Selerio Egberto , Maturan Fatima , Atibing Nadine May , Ocampo Lanndon , Pamucar Dragan
Published: July 2023

The barriers to implementing circular supply chains are well explored, but very little is provided to understand how these barriers play in public sector supply chains. Consequently, the role of digital technologies in addressing these barriers in the circularity of supply chains in the public sector remains a gap. Thus, this study bridges these gaps by evaluating digital technologies according to their relevance in addressing the identified barriers. In particular, eight domain experts who have sufficient knowledge and expertise in the domains of the public sector and circular economy were asked to elicit judgments in order to (1) set a threshold that defines the list of barriers that are significant to supply chains in the public sector, (2) obtain the priority weights of these barriers through the criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC), and (3) rank the identified digital technologies based on their relevance in addressing the identified barriers in public sector supply chains using combinative distance-based assessment (CODAS) method, all under a Fermatean fuzzy set environment to account for epistemic uncertainties in judgment elicitation processes. This novel integration of the CRITIC and CODAS methods augmented by Fermatean fuzzy sets forms the methodological contribution of this work. Findings show that barriers associated with regulations restricting the collection of wastes, poor demand or acceptance for environmentally superior technologies, lack of expertise, technology, and information, operational risk, immature recycling technologies, and information sharing and communication were considered critical in managing circular public sector supply chains. The analysis also revealed that ripple effect modeling, simulation, and artificial intelligence are the priority digital technologies. These digital technologies offer efficiency and flexibility to decision-makers in analyzing complex and dynamic scenarios before the deployment of any circularity initiative, providing crucial information in its design and implementation. This paper outlines several managerial insights and offers possible agenda for future research.
A Terminal Condition in Linear Bond-pricing Under Symmetry Invariance
Authors: Maphanga Rivoningo , Jamal Sameerah
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we examine a general bond-pricing model with respect to its solutions that satisfy a given terminal condition. Firstly, we obtain reversible transformations that change the model to a classical and well known partial differential equation, the one dimensional heat equation. We further show that the terminal condition is transformed into a nonsmooth initial condition. The important result that emerges is that the Lie symmetries are adopted to solve the equation subject to its unique configuration of initial conditions.
Plato's Moral Realism
Authors: Gerson Lloyd P.
Published: July 2023

Plato's moral realism rests on the Idea of the Good, the unhypothetical first principle of all. It is this, as Plato says, that makes just things useful and beneficial. That Plato makes the first principle of all the Idea of the Good sets his approach apart from that of virtually every other philosopher. This fact has been occluded by later Christian Platonists who tried to identify the Good with the God of scripture. But for Plato, theology, though important, is subordinate to metaphysics. For this reason, ethics is independent of theology and attached to metaphysics. This book challenges many contemporary accounts of Plato's ethics that start with the so-called Socratic paradoxes and attempt to construct a psychology of action or moral psychology that makes these paradoxes defensible. Rather, Lloyd Gerson argues that Plato at least never thought that moral realism was defensible outside of a metaphysical framework.
Fluid Dynamics of Particles, Drops, and Bubbles
Authors: Loth Eric
Published: July 2023

This book is a modern presentation of multiphase flow, from basic principles to state-of-the-art research. It explains dispersed fluid dynamics for bubbles, drops, or solid particles, incorporating detailed theory, experiments, simulations, and models while considering applications and recent cutting-edge advances. The book demonstrates the importance of multiphase flow in engineering and natural systems, considering particle size distributions, shapes, and trajectories as well as deformation of fluid particles and multiphase flow numerical methods. The scope of the book also includes coupling physics between particles and turbulence through dispersion and modulation, and specific phenomena such as gravitational settling and collisions for solid particles, drops, and bubbles. The eight course-based chapters feature over 100 homework problems, including theory-based and engineering application questions. The final three reference-based chapters provide a wide variety of particle point-force theories and models. The comprehensive coverage will give the reader a solid grounding for multiphase flow research and design, applicable to current and future engineering. This is an ideal resource for graduate students, researchers, and professionals.
Growing biodesign ecosystems: Community exchange spaces advance biotechnology innovation
Authors: Chappell Callie R. , Perez Rolando , Okada Takara Corinne
Published: July 2023

The biotechnology design (biodesign) enterprise is reshaping our relationship with nature and requires broad public engagement for innovative and ethical development. However, current biodesign programs are often limited to formal education settings such as universities, community colleges and high schools. To grow deeper networks with and amongst communities that are often excluded, we need new approaches and learning spaces. These must expand the diversity of voices that frame biodesign questions and drive when, where, and how we practice biotechnology design. Through our work, we have found that community-based biodesign spaces (informal learning spaces) can empower multidirectional and multigenerational knowledge exchange and advance a more diverse, inclusive, and innovative biodesign enterprise. In this article, we illustrate the benefits of a biodesign education ecosystem through case studies of three learning spaces: (1) a community bio laboratory, (2) an educational summer camp, and (3) an art-based maker space. This informal educational ecosystem brings together artists, educators, activists and researchers to elevate ancestral science knowledge, creativity, play, and storytelling as central to biodesign education. While each is important independently, emergent power comes from connections between community biotechnology design spaces. By highlighting successful approaches used across these spaces, our three case studies show how diverse community engagement can sustain a vibrant biodesign ecosystem. Our findings can inform existing biodesign approaches and broaden their impact to grow a more innovative, relevant and accountable biodesign enterprise.
Community-academic partnerships to embrace and ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion in translational science: Evidence of successful community engagement
Authors: Nanda Joy P. , Clark Roger S. , Harrison Jennifer Ayana , Ouyang Pamela , Lacanienta Cyd , Himmelfarb Cheryl ,   The CRAC Editorial Contributors
Published: July 2023

Community-Research Advisory Councils (C-RAC) provide a unique mechanism for building sustainable community-academic partnership, fostering bidirectional understanding of complex research issues, disseminating timely research findings, and thereby improving public trust in science. Created in 2009, the Johns Hopkins C-RAC has a mission to achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) of stakeholders across the entire research continuum. It has nurtured over a decade of partnership among community and academic stakeholders toward addressing health disparity, health equity, structural racism, and discrimination. Evidence of successful strategies to ensure DEI in partnership and lessons learned are illustrated in this special communication.
Evolution of Mining Company Responses to Civil Society Mobilization in South Africa
Authors: Matebesi Sethulego , Twala Chitja
Published: July 2023

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the social license to operate (SLO) are widespread global phenomena in mining-dependent countries. These self-regulated frameworks are used to ensure local ownership and as a response to conflict by mining companies. Over the past two decades, CSR in the mining industry has only been more prevalent in Africa and South Africa. Studies on CSR and SLO primarily focus on community perspectives. This paper interrogates how mining companies respond to civic social pressure by considering two cases that have experienced much conflict in South Africa. Based on eighteen in-depth interviews and an analysis of company and media reports, our case studies demonstrate that mining companies primarily use CSR and SLO to assert and maintain corporate control under the guise of promoting local ownership and sustainable mining. Such strategies provide temporary relief and gradually erode CSR and SLO’s legal and political imperatives.
Changes in the lake-grassland ecosystem revealed by multiple proxies in a sediment core from Ganggeng Nur Lake, northern China
Authors: Li Liang , Zhang Zhi , Ni Zhenyu , Sun Weiwei , Meng Xianqiang , Zhang Enlou , Zhu Guangwei , Zhang Yunlin , Qin Boqiang
Published: July 2023

As the main global terrestrial ecosystem component, grasslands are extremely sensitive to global climate change. With increasing human activities over the last century, grassland ecosystems have been degraded to different degrees. However, the evolution of lake-grassland ecosystems in recent centuries remains unclear due to the dearth of high-resolution records. Here, we present high-resolution lacustrine sediment grain size, pollen (Artemisia, Myriophyllum), Pediastrum, and n-alkane records from Ganggeng Nur Lake to investigate vegetation, lake evolution, and human effects in semiarid northern China. Four stages were identified from the last ca. 150 years: (1) the natural evolution stage (AD 1870–1945), in which there was a wet climate around Ganggeng Nur and the lake level rose from increased runoff; (2) the human disturbance stage (AD 1945–1967), in which the regional climate got drier and human activities began having a detectable effect on the grassland ecosystem; (3) the human transformation stage (AD 1967–2005), in which a completely arid climate coupled with the implementation of a series of land reclamation policies resulted in a large reduction in grassland areas, extensive soil erosion, exacerbated climate change, and shrinking lake areas; and (4) the posttreatment stage (AD 2005–2018), in which soil erosion was alleviated by policy implementation and a favorable humid climate.
Neodiplostomum cf. seoulense (Seo, Rim, Lee, 1964) sensu Pyo et al., 2014 (Trematoda: Diplostomidae Poirier, 1886): morphology, life cycle, and phylogenetic relationships
Authors: Izrailskaia A. V. , Besprozvannykh V. V.
Published: July 2023

Furcocercariae of the genus Neodiplostomum Railliet, 1919 (Diplostomidae Poirier, 1886) were found in freshwater snails Helicorbis sujfunensis Starobogatov, 1957 (Planorbidae Rafinesque, 1815) collected from three localities in the Russian southern Far East. For the trematodes from each locality, frogs played the role of the second intermediate host, and rats were the definitive host. Chickens were insusceptible to infection. The morphological and molecular data obtained for these trematodes indicated they were representatives of the same species. The experimentally-derived adult individuals were morphometrically similar to the East Asian Neodiplostomum seoulense (Seo, Rim, Lee, 1964), Neodiplostomum oriolinum Oschmarin, 1963, Neodiplostomum leei Chai and Shin, 2002, and Neodiplostomum boryongense Shin et al., 2008. Analysis of available data on the life cycle, developmental stage morphology, and molecular genetic characteristics of East Asian Neodiplostomum revealed a lack of information for objective assessment of the species status of neodiplostomula found in the East Asia region. Based on the considerations above and the data for the cox1 marker, we named the trematode Neodiplostomum cf. seoulense (Seo, Rim, Lee, 1964) sensu Pyo et al., 2014. In a phylogenetic reconstruction based on nuclear and mitochondrial markers, neodiplostomulas clustered into geographically related groups: South American, North American, European, and East Asian, with the former occupying an external position in the tree, which may indicate South America as a center of Neodiplostomum speciation.
Risky Hitchhiking, and Other Stories about the Theatre of the Eighth Day
Authors: Tyszka Juliusz
Published: July 2023

Teatr Ósmego Dnia (the Theatre of the Eighth Day), established in Poznań in 1964, was a part of Polish student theatre. Between 1976 and 1981, it became one of the most important companies in the history of the Polish theatre, producing several masterpieces. It also became a legendary grouping of democratic, anti-communist opposition. The persecution it was subjected to was caused by censorship, the secret police, and the administration at all levels. However, the members of the group managed to overcome everyday fear, face the totalitarian authorities openly, and create unforgettable artistic works. Four of them, who belonged to the group from the early 1970s, still maintain the ethical principles and artistic strategies adopted at that time, and thus now clash with the ideology of the current ruling administration, which is the right-wing Law and Justice Party.
Artaud’s Civil War: ‘Theatre and the Plague’ in the Time of Covid-19
Authors: Haddow Sam
Published: July 2023

This article examines Antonin Artaud’s ‘Theatre and the Plague’ in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic and through the Ancient Greek term stasis, which describes a civil war between domestic and public spaces. Once initiated, it was believed that this conflict would spread from household to household like a contagion; city states thus implemented draconian measures in the name of preventing stasis. Giorgio Agamben argues that such measures were embedded in subsequent theories of the state, fuelling ever more oppressive policies throughout history. Artaud’s ‘Theatre of Cruelty’ energizes a force comparable to this stasis, both in terms of its latency and its contagiousness, activating dormant conflicts in the individual that are expressed through networks of infection and create frontiers of shared resistance to institutional authority. ‘Theatre and the Plague’, read through the lens of stasis, can thus offer valuable contributions to current debates around biopolitics, particularly those seeking collective forms of agency during and beyond the current pandemic.
Legionellosis on the rise: A scoping review of sporadic, community-acquired incidence in the United States
Authors: Moffa Michelle A. , Rock Clare , Galiatsatos Panagis , Gamage Shantini D. , Schwab Kellogg J. , Exum Natalie G.
Published: July 2023

Over the past two decades, the incidence of legionellosis has been steadily increasing in the United States though there is noclear explanation for the main factors driving the increase. While legionellosis is the leading cause of waterborne outbreaks in the US, most cases are sporadic and acquired in community settings where the environmental source is never identified. This scoping review aimed to summarise the drivers of infections in the USA and determine the magnitude of impact each potential driver may have. A total of 1,738 titles were screened, and 18 articles were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Strong evidence was found for precipitation as a major driver, and both temperature and relative humidity were found to be moderate drivers of incidence. Increased testing and improved diagnostic methods were classified as moderate drivers, and the ageing U.S. population was a minor driver of increasing incidence. Racial and socioeconomic inequities and water and housing infrastructure were found to be potential factors explaining the increasing incidence though they were largely understudied in the context of non-outbreak cases. Understanding the complex relationships between environmental, infrastructure, and population factors driving legionellosis incidence is important to optimise mitigation strategies and public policy.
Genetic resources diversity of tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) in the southern region of the Caspian Sea
Authors: Montahae Dargah Samira , Rezaei Mohammad Bagher , Ghanbari Jahromi Marzieh , Kalateh Jari Sepideh , Jahangirzadeh Khiavi Shahin
Published: July 2023

In the fields of agricultural, food and medical research, the potential impacts of tea on human health are of special interest because tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) is continuously consumed by many people in the world. The evaluation of the diversity of genotypes found in tea germplasm can aid in the improvement of the breeding programme. In this study, the genetic diversity of 30 tea genotypes from two commercial sites of tea production in Iran was investigated by using morphological and 12 ISSR markers. Morphological analysis showed that the diversity between samples of tea was limited, and the narrow matching range was calculated. In cluster analysis at level 0.63, samples were divided into four groups. The application of 12 ISSR primers produced 91 polymorphic bands. PIC test showed a range of 0.41–0.48. Based on the ISSR data, the matching range was obtained in the range of 0.24–0.93. In cluster analysis, samples at level 0.58 were divided into five groups. According to the results, it can be understood that these series of traits and primers can very well recognize genetic differences. Using these markers, genetic diversity was observed among tea genotypes, but this diversity was not such as to be able to separate genotypes of various regions from each other. The results showed that the tea genotypes in Iran had high genetic diversity. As a consequence, the findings of our study will help the development of tea germplasm conservation strategies and their sustainable use in breeding programmes.