bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biomimetic nanoparticle-driven strategies for targeted drug delivery in glioblastoma
Authors: Panchal Khushi N. , Mutalik Srinivas , Manikkath Jyothsna
Published: August 2024

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most prevalent primary brain tumor in adults, remains highly challenging due to its invasive nature, limited treatment effectiveness, and short median survival durations. Standard of care includes surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and tumor treating fields; however, there has been little improvement in survival rates. Biomimetic nanoparticles (NPs), coated with cell membranes and endogenous components, have immense potential for improving chemotherapy in GBM, by imitating cellular architecture and eluding immune clearance. With more individualized and efficient drug delivery, immunotherapeutic approaches and biomimetic NPs may increase patient survival rates. This article summarizes the main research on biomimetic NPs for GBM therapy, focusing on the classification, mechanisms, advantages, and challenges, along with the advancements in the development of GBM vaccines.
Climate risk assessment of the fisheries in Namibia
Authors: Engelhard Georg H. , Bova Chris , Gusha M. Natanah C. , Harrod Olivia L. , Kadhila Timoteus , Kanyimba Alex , Khan Usman , Kreiner Anja , Nghipangelwa Sandy , Olwage Elsemi , Pinnegar John K. , Potts Warren , Rivers Nina , Shakalela Elize , Snow Bernadette , Tshiningayamwe Sirkka , Unengu Ursula , Veii Angelika , Warikandwa Tapiwa V. , Wilhelm Margit R. , Hyder Kieran
Published: August 2024

In Namibia, fisheries are important for food security and protein provisioning, income generation and trade; but they are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Not only does climate change impact the marine living resources crucial to fisheries; but changes in weather, currents and storminess are affecting the safety and effectiveness of fishing. Here we ask: What are the key risks from climate change to the eight large-scale fishery sectors of Namibia, and for the recreational and small-scale (artisanal) fisheries? For each fishery sector, we assessed three main risk components: (1) climate hazard exposure; (2) fish species sensitivity; and (3) socio-economic vulnerability. In combination, these three risk components are then used to calculate the overall climate risk for each fishery. Climate hazard exposure was assessed as highest for the small-scale, recreational, and rock lobster fisheries. Species sensitivities were highest for the rock lobster and crab fisheries, followed by monkfish trawlers, hake liners and hake trawlers. Socio-economic vulnerability was highest for the small pelagic fishery (linked to the collapse of pilchard). The overall climate risk emerged as greatest for the rock lobster fishery, followed by the (highly marginalised) small-scale artisanal fishery. The key risks by sector emerging from this assessment, informed five stakeholder workshops held across Namibia in 2023, attended by representatives of each sector and aimed at exploring options for climate adaptation. Based on these, we discuss potential adaptation measures that could reduce risk and minimise consequences, in support of improved climate resilience in Namibian fisheries.
Determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor work environments by solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
Authors: Marchesiello Wadir Mario Valentino , Spadaccino Giuseppina , Usman Muhammad , Nardiello Donatella , Quinto Maurizio
Published: August 2024

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are continuously emitted into the atmosphere from natural and anthropogenic sources and rapidly spread from the atmosphere to different environments. A large group of VOCs has been included in the class of air pollutants; therefore, their determination and monitoring using reliable and sensitive analytical methods represents a key aspect of health risk assessment. In this work, an untargeted approach is proposed for the evaluation of the exposure to volatile organic compounds of workers in an engine manufacturing plant by GC–MS measurements, coupled with solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The analytical procedure was optimized in terms of SPME fiber, adsorption time, desorption time, and temperature gradient of the chromatographic run. For the microextraction of VOCs, the SPME fibers were exposed to the air in two different zones of the manufacturing factory, i.e., in the mixing painting chamber and the engine painting area. Moreover, the sampling was carried out with the painting system active and running (system on) and with the painting system switched off (system off). Overall, 212 compounds were identified, but only 17 were always present in both zones (mixing painting chamber and engine painting area), regardless of system conditions (on or off). Finally, a semi-quantitative evaluation was performed considering the peak area value of the potentially most toxic compounds by multivariate data analyses.
Biochar-mediated bioremediation: a sustainable strategy to increase Avena sativa L. tolerance to crude oil soil contamination
Authors: Fedeli Riccardo , Celletti Silvia , Alexandrov Dmitry , Nafikova Elvira , Loppi Stefano
Published: August 2024

The present work investigated the effects of different doses of biochar (2.5%, 5%, 10%), a by-product of the pyrolysis of woody biomass, on the growth of oat plants (Avena sativa L., cv “Danko”) grown under different crude oil concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 6%) added to the soil, evaluating both biometric (i.e. fresh weight) and biochemical (i.e., content of malondialdehyde and proline, and total antioxidant power) parameters. The findings indicate that biochar positively influences the fresh weight of oat plants across all concentrations of crude oil investigated. On the other hand, regarding oxidative stress, measured by malondialdehyde and proline content, biochar led to a significant reduction, with statistical significance observed at biochar concentrations > 2.5% and crude oil levels > 2% (malondialdehyde: ranging from -25% to -38%; proline ranging from -33% to -52%). Soil amendment with biochar increased the total antioxidant power, particularly at biochar concentrations > 2.5% and crude oil levels > 2% (ranging from + 20% to + 98%). These results suggest that biochar has a great potential in mitigating the negative effects of crude oil contamination on plant growth and oxidative stress levels, thereby highlighting its value as a conditioner in contaminated soils.
Weighting factors for LCA—a new set from a global survey
Authors: Bayazıt Subaşı Ayşe , Askham Cecilia , Sandorf Erlend Dancke , Dias Luis Cândido , Campbell Danny , Taş Elçin Filiz , Itsubo Norihiro , Nagawa Christine Betty , Kyarimpa Christine Mugumya , Djerma Mamadou , Bazie Bazoin Sylvain Raoul , Cinelli Marco
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This paper provides global weights (weighting factors) for the three endpoint impact categories (areas of protection (AoPs)) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Life Cycle Initiative’s “Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicators and Methods” (GLAM) project, namely human health, ecosystem quality, and natural resources and ecosystem services.

Methods

A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted to elicit the preferences of respondents on the GLAM AoPs, and they were then used to calculate the respective weights. Responses were obtained from a subset of countries pertaining to each income level defined by the World Bank (i.e. low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high). The adimensional (between 0 and 1) weights were derived using two different approaches: econometric and multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA). The econometric approach obtained weights by transforming the estimated preference parameters from a multinomial logit model. The MCDA approach obtained weights representing the vectors that best reconstitute the choices of each individual, using linear programming to fit an additive value function.

Results

When considering responses from all income groups, the weights from the econometric approach are 0.42, 0.31, and 0.26 for human health, ecosystem quality, and natural resources and ecosystem services, respectively. Following the same order for the AoPs, the weights from the MCDA approach are 0.41, 0.32, and 0.27. For high-income countries, ecosystem quality has the highest weight; for upper-middle-income countries, ecosystem quality and human health have the same weights using the econometric approach, while in the MCDA approach, human health is weighted higher than ecosystem quality. For the two lower income country groups, the priority is given to human health with both approaches. Recommendations for the use of these weights are also provided, as well as a comparison with other existing weights.

Conclusion

The two methods obtained similar weights overall, although with some differences when disaggregated by income groups. The weights proposed in this paper are suitable for decision-makers or users who want to use survey-derived weights for endpoint-based LCA when using the AoPs of GLAM. These weights can be used in projects where the decision-makers do not want to or have no resources to identify a set of weights themselves, or when decision-makers are not involved.
3D printing for ultra-precision machining: current status, opportunities, and future perspectives
Authors: He Tao , Yip Wai Sze , Yan Edward Hengzhou , Tang Jiuxing , Rehan Muhammad , Teng Long , Wong Chi Ho , Sun Linhe , Zhang Baolong , Guo Feng , Zhang Shaohe , To Suet
Published: August 2024

Additive manufacturing, particularly 3D printing, has revolutionized the manufacturing industry by allowing the production of complex and intricate parts at a lower cost and with greater efficiency. However, 3D-printed parts frequently require post-processing or integration with other machining technologies to achieve the desired surface finish, accuracy, and mechanical properties. Ultra-precision machining (UPM) is a potential machining technology that addresses these challenges by enabling high surface quality, accuracy, and repeatability in 3D-printed components. This study provides an overview of the current state of UPM for 3D printing, including the current UPM and 3D printing stages, and the application of UPM to 3D printing. Following the presentation of current stage perspectives, this study presents a detailed discussion of the benefits of combining UPM with 3D printing and the opportunities for leveraging UPM on 3D printing or supporting each other. In particular, future opportunities focus on cutting tools manufactured via 3D printing for UPM, UPM of 3D-printed components for real-world applications, and post-machining of 3D-printed components. Finally, future prospects for integrating the two advanced manufacturing technologies into potential industries are discussed. This study concludes that UPM is a promising technology for 3D-printed components, exhibiting the potential to improve the functionality and performance of 3D-printed products in various applications. It also discusses how UPM and 3D printing can complement each other.
Artificial intelligence facilitates the potential of simulator training: An innovative laparoscopic surgical skill validation system using artificial intelligence technology
Authors: Fukuta Atsuhisa , Yamashita Shogo , Maniwa Junnosuke , Tamaki Akihiko , Kondo Takuya , Kawakubo Naonori , Nagata Kouji , Matsuura Toshiharu , Tajiri Tatsuro
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The development of innovative solutions, such as simulator training and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tutoring systems, has significantly changed surgical trainees’ environments to receive the intraoperative instruction necessary for skill acquisition. In this study, we developed a new objective assessment system using AI for forceps manipulation in a surgical training simulator.

Methods

Laparoscopic exercises were recorded using an iPad®, which provided top and side views. Top-view movies were used for AI learning of forceps trajectory. Side-view movies were used as supplementary information to assess the situation. We used an AI-based posture estimation method, DeepLabCut (DLC), to recognize and positionally measure the forceps in the operating field. Tracking accuracy was quantitatively evaluated by calculating the pixel differences between the annotation points and the points predicted by the AI model. Tracking stability at specified key points was verified to assess the AI model.

Results

We selected a random sample to evaluate tracking accuracy quantitatively. This sample comprised 5% of the frames not used for AI training from the complete set of video frames. We compared the AI detection positions and correct positions and found an average pixel discrepancy of 9.2. The qualitative evaluation of the tracking stability was good at the forceps hinge; however, forceps tip tracking was unstable during rotation.

Conclusion

The AI-based forceps tracking system can visualize and evaluate laparoscopic surgical skills. Improvements in the proposed system and AI self-learning are expected to enable it to distinguish the techniques of expert and novice surgeons accurately. This system is a useful tool for surgeon training and assessment.
Solution-Free Melt-Grown CsGeI3 Polycrystals for Lead-Free Perovskite Photovoltaics: Synthesis, Characterization, and Theoretical Insights
Authors: Panjikaran Mariot Jose , Pramitha A. , Mishra Vikash , Hegde Ganesh Shridhar , Prabhu Ashwatha Narayana , Choudhari Nagabhushan Jnaneshwar , Timoumi Abdelmajid , Raviprakash Y.
Published: August 2024

Inorganic lead-free metal halide perovskites are being rigorously explored as a substitute for organic lead-based materials for various energy device applications. Germanium as a replacement for lead has been proven to give exemplary results theoretically, and there have been promising results. The current work presents the investigation of CsGeI3 (CGI) polycrystals grown using a solution-free melt-growth technique with low-cost precursors. A soak-ramp profile was designed to synthesize polycrystalline powders, which were evaluated for stability. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy analysis suggest the formation of CsGeI3 perovskite powders, matching the reported literature. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy measurements showed the bandgap of the polycrystals to be around 1.6 eV. A prominent photoluminescence peak was obtained at 767 nm. The powders were examined using thermogravimetric analysis to assess the thermal degradation pathways. The as-grown inorganic perovskite polycrystals were relatively stable during storage under ambient conditions. Theoretical studies were also carried out to support the experimental data. Calculations were performed with different approximations, including local density approximation (LDA), generalized gradient approximation (GGA), and Heyd–Scuseria–Ernzerhof (HSE) approximation, out of which the HSE approximation yielded the most accurate results that matched the experimental findings. Moreover, for the CGI device with Ag electrodes simulated using SCAPS-1D software, highest incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency was observed. The obtained optical and structural properties indicate the suitability of the synthesized CsGeI3 perovskite polycrystals for photovoltaic applications, specifically solar cells and light-emitting diodes.
Use of Legume Wastewater Extracts on the Storage Stability of Freeze-Dried Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WCFS1
Authors: Martins Gonçalo Nuno , Guerrero Sánchez María , Carboni Angela Daniela , Cenard Stéphanie , Fonseca Fernanda , Gómez-Zavaglia Andrea , Castilho Paula Cristina
Published: August 2024

Chickpeas and lentils contain prebiotic carbohydrates, including galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), that confer health benefits but can also lead to undesirable effects like bloating and flatulence. Legume processing reduces these disadvantages and usually consists of the soaking and cooking of the legume seeds. In their industrial production, the processing water is considered waste. As different carbohydrates have recognized stabilization properties on lactic acid bacteria during dehydration processes, this study aimed to investigate the protective effect of GOS-containing wastewater extracts from cooking chickpeas and lentils, as well as fructo-oligosaccharides, and sucrose (used for comparative purposes), on the stability of freeze-dried Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WCFS1, by measuring biological (culturability, storage stability, acidifying activity), chemical (pH), and physical (water content) properties. The best storage stability was observed for mixtures with GOS-containing wastewater legume extracts. Protection of lactic acid bacteria strains with GOS-containing wastewater legume extracts would limit their spoilage in food production, positively impacting the environment.
Downregulation of Fidgetin-Like 2 Increases Microglial Function: The Relationship Between Microtubules, Morphology, and Activity
Authors: Smith Austin N. , Gregor Alison , Baker Lisa , Sharp David J. , Byrnes Kimberly R.
Published: August 2024

The microtubule cytoskeleton regulates microglial morphology, motility, and effector functions. The microtubule-severing enzyme, fidgetin-like 2 (FL2), negatively regulates cell motility and nerve regeneration, making it a promising therapeutic target for central nervous system injury. Microglia perform important functions in response to inflammation and injury, but how FL2 affects microglia is unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of FL2 in microglial morphology and injury responses in vitro. We first determined that the pro-inflammatory stimulus, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), induced a dose- and time-dependent reduction in FL2 expression associated with reduced microglial ramification. We then administered nanoparticle-encapuslated FL2 siRNA to knockdown FL2 and assess microglial functions compared to negative control siRNA and vehicle controls. Time-lapse live-cell microscopy showed that FL2 knockdown increased the velocity of microglial motility. After incubation with fluorescently labeled IgG-opsonized beads, FL2 knockdown increased phagocytosis. Microglia were exposed to low-dose LPS after nanoparticle treatment to model injury-induced cytokine secretion. FL2 knockdown enhanced LPS-induced cytokine secretion of IL-1α, IL-1β, and TNFα. These results identify FL2 as a regulator of microglial morphology and suggest that FL2 can be targeted to increase or accelerate microglial injury responses.

Graphical Abstract
A life dedicated to research and ideal: Johannes Müller between empirical universality and idealistic vitalism mirrored in lecture notes from 1851
Authors: Zeller Ulrich , Werneburg Ingmar
Published: August 2024

Until the mid-nineteenth century, "physiology" was a comprehensive theory of life, expounded and shaped by Johannes P. Müller (1801–1858). Biologists and medical doctors still refer to him today. In the summer term of 1851, Müller gave a lecture on the Comparative Anatomy of animals. This lecture was attended and recorded by Ernst Zeller (1830–1902), a future physician and zoologist, and has recently been published together with a German transcript. In this paper, we situate Johannes Müller within the intellectual history of his time. Through his "empirical idealism," we show how he opposed the speculative tendencies of the romantic understanding of nature, the emerging evolutionism, and the growing splits in the natural sciences. Müller focused on recognizing living nature as a whole and realizing ideal "phenomena" through his empirical research. He considered the notion of the soul of the world. Müller's lecture transcript serves as a poignant testament to German scientific culture in the mid-nineteenth century, a few years before the publication of Darwin's Origin of Species. It also provides valuable insights into the self-contained epistemological foundations of morphology.
Clinical predictive factors of the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors and kinase inhibitors in advanced hepatocellular cancer
Authors: Lu Yunyun , Lu Yi
Published: August 2024

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive tumor associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and kinase inhibitors has emerged as a promising strategy for liver cancer treatment in recent years. However, the clinical factors predicting the outcomes of combination therapy in patients with advanced liver cancer remain uncertain. Therefore, this study investigated the relationships between clinical predictors and the efficacy of ICI plus kinase inhibitor therapy to personalize treatment plans.

Methods

We retrospectively enrolled 98 patients who received combination treatment with ICIs and kinase inhibitors for advanced HCC. Based on blood lipid levels and other clinical factors prior to treatment, we investigated potential biomarkers that could predict treatment responses in this patient population.

Results

Mean progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in this cohort were 10.1 and 17.2 months, respectively. Via multivariate analysis, the absence of extrahepatic metastasis, the absence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) < 3.225, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) < 140.75, and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) ≥ 37.25 were identified as independent predictors of improved PFS. Factors associated with better OS included PLR < 140.75 and total cholesterol (TC) < 3.46 mmol/L. Univariate analysis identified significant associations of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels, Child–Pugh classification, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), TC, and the receipt of regorafenib with PFS. Additionally, ECOG PS, Child–Pugh classification, AFP, PVT, NLR, PNI, and the receipt of regorafenib were significantly associated with OS.

Conclusions

PLR and TC were potential clinical predictive factors for survival outcomes in patients with advanced HCC who received ICI/kinase inhibitor combination therapy. It is important to know the clinical characteristics of patients prior to treatment initiation to optimize outcomes.
Exploring the dynamics of virtual value co-creation in tourism: an analysis of social factors, mindful approach, and technological stress over time
Authors: Escandon-Barbosa Diana , Salas-Paramo Jairo , Caicedo Luis Fernando
Published: August 2024

This research aims to analyze the relationship between social factors (social comparison orientation, loneliness, emotional support, and instrumental support) and the quadratic effects of the mindful approach and technological stress in co-creating virtual value for the tourism sector. Using a dynamic structural equation model, we analyzed data collected from a cohort of 400 tourists who actively participated in virtual tourism services between 2011 and 2022. Using this methodology, we investigate the long-term correlations between different elements and their impact on participants' participation in virtual value co-creation. Our research indicates a distinct correlation between the mindful approach and virtual value co-creation, exhibiting a positive quadratic effect that gradually decreases, implying the necessity of consistent mindfulness practices in the face of technological stress. Interestingly, we also find that technological stress has a positive quadratic role over time. As people become more adept at technology and accustomed to it, its favorable effects on virtual value co-creation diminish. In the current scenario characterized by collaborative innovation and interaction through digital platforms, they are of great importance for companies, especially in adapting to new social dynamics characterized by new technologies. Using the Mindful Approach in the digital context becomes necessary, emphasizing mainly conscious awareness to optimize the level of commitment, increasing the results of interactions. On the other hand, new technologies in value co-creative processes increase concern about technological stresses, especially in exposure to these new environments over time. In this way, achieving more excellent stability between digital interaction and reducing potential stressors becomes a critical business strategy for sustaining collaboration dynamics over time, thus ensuring individuals’ well-being and maximizing the concretion processes’ positive impact at both the individual and social levels.
3D Printed Metamaterials for Energy Absorption in Motorsport Applications
Authors: Tilley Rachel , Holmes David , Pickering Edmund , Woodruff Maria
Published: August 2024

In this study, various 3D printed metamaterials are investigated for application in energy absorbing structures in motorsports. Impact attenuating structures are used to decelerate vehicles and protect drivers in the event of a crash. Additive manufacturing enables complex plastic structures which can facilitate improved angular resistance and reduced weight and cost compared with traditional approaches. Metamaterials were 3D printed from PLA using commercially available equipment and include gyroid structures, a novel reinforced gyroid design and a lattice designed using finite-element analysis-based topology optimization. Compression testing was used to measure stress–strain response, compressive modulus, and energy absorption. This demonstrated gyroids and reinforced gyroids have ideal compressive behavior for high energy absorption under impact. The topology optimized metamaterial was found unsuitable for this application due to its high stiffness, revealing a weakness in traditional topology optimization approaches which are not catered to maximize energy absorption. The reinforced gyroid demonstrated the highest specific energy absorption and was used to manufacture an impact attenuator which demonstrated the potential to safely stop a hypothetical 300 kg vehicle crash. This work supports that gyroid-based structures can reduce weight, volume and cost over current materials in all motorsport categories, with improved safety from oblique crashes.
First Record of Conotrachelus quadrilineatus Champion, 1904 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae) Damaging Beans in South America
Authors: Baron-Ortiz Daniel A. , Rodriguez-Cruz Fredy A. , Santos-Amaya Oscar F.
Published: August 2024

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important legume used for direct human consumption in Latin America, with an increasing expansion of cultivated areas in recent years. Here, we report the first occurrence of Conotrachelus quadrilineatus Champion, 1904 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae) feeding on bean in South America. Larvae and adults of C. quadrilineatus were observed during the first half of 2022, severely affecting the plantations of 20 bean farmers in the municipality of Garcia-Rovira, Santander Colombia. It is necessary to describe and quantify the damage of C. quadrilineatus in bean crops, as well as to study its bioecology.
A Democracy-Friendly Theory of the Rule of Law
Authors: Webber Jeremy
Published: August 2024

The dominant way of thinking about the rule of law is that it is a constraint, a limit, on government. On this view the limitation applies with full force to all forms of government, democratic and undemocratic, and to both the executive and the legislative branches. The privileged institution for enforcing those limits is the courts. Democracy and the rule of law are, in effect, portrayed as though they were in opposition to one another. That, I claim, is a mistake (a) historically (for, in the Anglo-American tradition, the rule of law developed first as a restriction on an undemocratic executive, with a less undemocratic Parliament acting in concert with the courts to institute the rule of law); (b) in principle (for there is a strong argument that democracy needs the rule of law for its fullest expression, and the rule of law needs democracy); and (c) strategically (because it hinders us from mobilizing our full resources to protect both principles; this paper began its life as a response to populist movements, many of which, wrongly, are conceded to be democratic). In this paper I make that case, especially focusing upon its most controversial claim, namely that the rule of law needs democracy. This paper forms part of a larger project on democratic constitutionalism in which I reconsider key concepts in constitutionalism in a manner that takes democratic decision-making to be fundamental to contemporary constitutionalism.
The ‘glass ceiling’ of Germany’s socio-ecological transformation: Citizen, expert, and local stakeholder perspectives on responsibility for change
Authors: Kreinin Halliki , Mamut Pia , Fuchs Doris
Published: August 2024

The IPCC (2022) underscores the urgent need to transform economic and social systems to stay within the ~1.5 °C warming threshold, with the pressure placed on states to lead the processes of transformation. Germany’s market economy is currently neither socially nor ecologically sustainable, requiring a socio-ecological transformation towards sustainable consumption and production systems. As the imperatives of the modern democratic welfare state require high levels of material welfare, economic growth and legitimation through (over)consumption, there is currently a “glass ceiling” to any such transformation. Through a combination of empirical research methods, including 11 expert interviews, a gamified citizen workshop with 22 citizens, and a local stakeholder workshop with 27 stakeholders, this paper explores the readiness and perspectives of German citizens, experts, and local stakeholders for a socio-ecological transformation. The findings highlight the contradictory role given to the state in the transformation, the difficulties of transforming “imperial modes of living”, and the collective evasion of responsibility, which suggests a “glass ceiling” to transforming the German market economy into a genuinely social and ecological model.
The Challenges of Reducing Educational-Developmental Gaps Among Status-less Children in Israel
Authors: Klebanov Bella , Gill Adi , Golan Noah
Published: August 2024

Israel today is home to 34,000 documented asylum seekers, with most of them living under a group protection policy (2A5 visas) which shields them from deportation (National Population and Emigration Authority of Israel, 2023; 2024). This diverse population includes about 23,000 citizens from Eritrea and Sudan, as well as over 10,000 Ukrainian citizens who arrived in Israel post-February 24, 2022. Although the 2A5 status protects them from deportation, it fails to provide them with basic rights and services. While adults possess this status, their children live in Israel without official status or an identification number, effectively rendering them “status-less” as they do not fit into any legally recognized category (HCJ 6312/10). These children do not belong to a civil category, which leads to inconsistent documentation, lack of identity or resident number, and a lack of monitoring across different government systems. This bureaucratic fragmentation hinders their ability to access even the basic rights they are entitled to by law. As a signatory to the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), Israel is committed to upholding three fundamental rights for children: health, well-being, and education. This commentary will focus on the right to education, particularly the obstacles professionals encounter in narrowing the educational and developmental gaps experienced by status-less children in Israel. Key challenges include segregation policies, inadequate allocation of resources, and the tension between integration and cultural inclusion. These challenges are assessed by examining legal documents, evaluating the existing services available in Israel, and gaining insights from the authors’ professional expertise. Finally, the commentary will suggest up-to-date interpretations of the challenges discussed. The conclusions derived from the current commentary may be relevant to educators and social workers, as well as policymakers seeking to formulate consistent policy that provides adapted services to children from diverse communities.
Fast-acting antidepressant-like effects of ketamine in aged male rats
Authors: Hernández-Hernández Elena , Ledesma-Corvi Sandra , Jornet-Plaza Jordi , García-Fuster M. Julia
Published: August 2024

Background

The aging process causes anatomical and physiological changes that predispose to the development of late-life depression while reduces the efficacy of classical antidepressants. Novel fast-acting antidepressants such as ketamine might be good candidates to be explored in the context of aging, especially given the lack of previous research on its efficacy for this age period. Thus, the aim of the present study was to characterize ketamine’s effects in older rats.

Methods

The fast-acting (30 min) and repeated (7 days) antidepressant-like effects of ketamine (5 mg/kg, ip) were evaluated in 14-month-old single-housed rats through the forced-swim and novelty-suppressed feeding tests. In parallel, the modulation of neurotrophic-related proteins (i.e., mBDNF, mTOR, GSK3) was assessed in brain regions affected by the aging process, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, as well as possible changes in hippocampal cell proliferation.

Results

Acute ketamine induced a fast-acting antidepressant-like response in male aged rats, as observed by a reduced immobility in the forced-swim test, in parallel with a region-specific increase in mBDNF protein content in prefrontal cortex. However, repeated ketamine failed to induce antidepressant-like efficacy, but decreased mBDNF protein content in prefrontal cortex. The rate of hippocampal cell proliferation and/or other markers evaluated was not modulated by either paradigm of ketamine.

Conclusions

These results complement prior data supporting a fast-acting antidepressant-like effect of ketamine in rats, to further extend its efficacy to older ages. Future studies are needed to further clarify the lack of response after the repeated treatment as well as its potential adverse effects in aging.
Circular Economy Business Models, Value Creation and Humane Entrepreneurship: A Micro-Sized and Social Enterprise Perspective
Authors: De Angelis Roberta , Vesci Massimiliano
Published: August 2024

The circular economy is currently championed across different quarters as a potential solution to contemporary and multiple sustainability challenges. Academically, the concept has witnessed a substantial increase in scholars’ interest. Yet the locus of current literature is mainly conceptual, and there is a dearth of contributions from business and management studies. Drawing on the circular business models and the nascent humane entrepreneurship literature, and an exemplary, micro-sized social enterprise, we find that circular business models generate multiple forms of social value beyond the creation of job opportunities only, and that they are characterised by a humane entrepreneurship orientation. As a result, we contribute to the limited literature on circular economy implementation and to the emerging literature at the intersection between entrepreneurship and the circular economy.
Slope stability assessment and landslide susceptibility mapping in the Lesser Himalaya, Mussoorie, Uttarakhand
Authors: Mandal Swati , Mani Ashish , Lall Anugrah Rohini , Kumar Dharmendra
Published: August 2024

The present study aims to assess slope stability and landslide susceptibility mapping of road-cut slopes along Mussoorie road in the Lesser Himalayan region. A total of 18 suspected unstable slope sites were selected for the investigation, and performed geo-mechanical classification techniques, including Rock Mass Rating (RMR), Slope Mass Rating (SMR), Geological Strength Index (GSI), and kinematic analysis. For the Landslide susceptibility mapping, the Frequency Ratio (FR) method was employed using the weightage of various causative factors which includes slope, aspect, curvature, elevation, distance from streams, distance from lineaments, lithology, and rainfall. The finding indicates that out of 18 selected slopes, 4 slopes are bad slope or unstable, which includes slope 3,4 and 6 in the lower part of the Mussoorie area near Jharipani, while slope 10 near Hathi Paon-Mussoorie Road is also unstable. The slopes around Junu waterfall are stable. Partially unstable slopes may vulnerable to slope failure in the future due to heavy rainfall and unstructured construction. Additionally, the Area Under Curve (AUC) and predictive rate curve values are 61% and 78% respectively, indicating acceptable overall accuracy. This study highlights the landslide issues in Mussoorie region due to rapid urbanization & climate change and demonstrates the effectiveness of the employed methods for future risk analysis.
The Future Is History: Restorative Nationalism and Conflict in Post-Napoleonic Europe
Authors: Cederman Lars-Erik , Pengl Yannick I. , Girardin Luc , Müller-Crepon Carl
Published: August 2024

As illustrated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the recent revival of nationalism has triggered a threatening return of revisionist conflict. While the literature on nationalism shows how nationalist narratives are socially constructed, much less is known about their real-world consequences. Taking nationalist narratives seriously, we study how past “golden ages” affect territorial claims and conflict in post-Napoleonic Europe. We expect nationalists to be more likely to mobilize and initiate conflict if they can contrast the status quo to a historical polity with supposedly greater national unity and/or independence. Using data on European state borders going back to 1100, combined with spatial data covering ethnic settlement areas during the past two centuries, we find that the availability of plausible golden ages increases the risk of both domestic and interstate conflict. These findings suggest that specific historical legacies make some modern nationalisms more consequential than others.
The Long Red Summer on the Railroads: Labor, Race, and Exclusion in Appalachia
Authors: O’Neal Matthew C.
Published: August 2024

This essay examines the relationship between race, work, and exclusion during the Long Red Summer of 1919. I focus on several “transportation towns” of railroad employees in Appalachia to argue for the combined importance of labor history and racial ideology in attempts to understand wartime violence. Academic and federal government investigations inform my analysis, as does the robust body of scholarship on railroad labor. After examining racism embedded in railroad work, unions, and community life, the essay then turns to the Wilson administration’s nationalization of the roads during the war. Wartime changes resulted in higher wages for Black workers and many perceived threats to the racialized labor hierarchy. What was once white railroaders’ effort to exclude African Americans from certain jobs became one to expel them from the industry entirely. In several transportation towns that experienced wartime migration, however, this impulse transformed into a campaign to remove Black people from their communities once and for all. I cite testimony from a grand jury trial of an expulsion, railroad union journals, and newspaper accounts of mob violence that made it clear that the transportation towns belonged to white labor at the end of the Long Red Summer.
The Key Role of Temporal Stratification for GCM Bias Correction in Climate Impact Assessments
Authors: Vásquez Nicolás A. , Mendoza Pablo A. , Knoben Wouter J. M. , Arnal Louise , Lagos‐Zúñiga Miguel , Clark Martyn , Vargas Ximena
Published: August 2024

Characterizing climate change impacts on water resources typically relies on Global Climate Model (GCM) outputs that are bias‐corrected using observational data sets. In this process, two pivotal decisions are (a) the Bias Correction Method (BCM) and (b) how to handle the historically observed time series, which can be used as a continuous whole (i.e., without dividing it into sub‐periods), or partitioned into monthly, seasonal (e.g., 3 months), or any other temporal stratification (TS). Here, we examine how the interplay between the choice of BCM, TS, and the raw GCM seasonality may affect historical portrayals and projected changes. To this end, we use outputs from 29 GCMs belonging to the CMIP6 under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway 5–8.5 scenario, using seven BCMs and three TSs (entire period, seasonal, and monthly). The results show that the effectiveness of BCMs in removing biases can vary depending on the TS and climate indices analyzed. Further, the choice of BCM and TS may yield different projected change signals and seasonality (especially for precipitation), even for climate models with low bias and a reasonable representation of precipitation seasonality during a reference period. Because some BCMs may be computationally expensive, we recommend using the linear scaling method as a diagnostics tool to assess how the choice of TS may affect the projected precipitation seasonality of a specific GCM. More generally, the results presented here unveil trade‐offs in how BCMs are applied, regardless of the climate regime, urging the hydroclimate community to carefully implement these techniques.
Turbulence Embedded Into the Ionosphere by Electromagnetic Waves
Authors: Ivarsen Magnus F. , Gillies Megan D. , Huyghebaert Devin R. , St‐Maurice Jean‐Pierre , Lozinsky Adam , Galeschuk Draven , Donovan Eric , Hussey Glenn C.
Published: August 2024

When charged particles are accelerated from Earth's magnetosphere and precipitate into the atmosphere, their impact with neutral gas creates the aurora. Structured electric fields drive the acceleration processes but they are also passed down to the ionosphere, meaning that turbulence can in part be embedded into the ionosphere rather than emerge through instability processes locally. Applying a point‐cloud analysis technique adapted from observational cosmology, we show how observed turbulence in the ionosphere matches electrical current signatures in the pulsating aurora in a series of conjunctions between space‐ and ground‐based instruments. We propose that the temporal spectrum of pulsations in the pulsating aurora is the driver of a clearly observed energy injection into the ionosphere's unstable bottomside. Precipitating electrons produce electric fields through charge deposition, and we observe wave characteristics that are present in this pattern. Next, the relative electron‐ion drifts excite the Farley‐Buneman instability, the distribution of whose waves are organized according to the local electric field. It is the temporal characteristics of chorus wave interactions in the magnetosphere that is imparted, via precipitating electrons, to the pulsating aurora, and so we propose that chorus wave interactions are capable of embedding turbulent structure into the ionosphere. This structure (now pressure gradients) dissipate energy in the E‐region through turbulent processes, observed by the icebear coherent scatter radar.
Quantifying the Effect of Pore‐Size Dependent Wettability on Relative Permeability Using Capillary Bundle Model
Authors: Yu Siqin , Kang Qinjun , Mehana Mohamed
Published: August 2024

Relative permeability is a key parameter for characterizing the multiphase flow dynamics in porous media at macroscopic scale while it can be significantly impacted by wettability. Recently, it has been reported in microfluidic experiments that wettability is dependent on the pore size (Van Rooijen et al., 2022). To investigate the effect of pore‐size‐dependent wettability on relative permeability, we propose a theoretical framework informed by digital core samples to quantify the deviation of relative permeability curves due to wettability change. We find that the significance of impact is highly dependent on two factors: (i) the function between contact angle and pore size (ii) overall pore size distribution. Under linear function, this impact can be significant for tight porous media with a maximum deviation of 1,000%.
Advanced Mathematical Model for the Transport of Aggregating Nanoparticles in Water Saturated Porous Media: Nonlinear Attachment and Particle Size‐Dependent Dispersion
Authors: Katzourakis Vasileios E. , Chrysikopoulos Constantinos V.
Published: August 2024

A conceptual mathematical model was developed to describe the migration of aggregating nanoparticles in water saturated, homogeneous porous media with one‐dimensional uniform flow. Nanoparticles can be found suspended in the aqueous phase or attached reversibly and/or irreversibly onto the solid matrix. The Smoluchowski population balance equation (PBE) was used to model the process of particle aggregation and was coupled with the advection‐dispersion‐attachment equation to form a nonlinear transport model. Furthermore, an efficient and accurate solver for the PBE, and an iterative solver for the linear or nonlinear attachment equations were employed. The new numerical model was applied to nanoparticle transport experimental data available in the literature. Although, conventional transport models can be used to describe nanoparticle migration at low ionic strength conditions, such models might not be applicable for high ionic strength conditions, where aggregation becomes a dominant process. Aggregation is significantly affecting the transport characteristics of nanoparticles. Under high ionic strength conditions, the mass retention in the solid matrix of the porous medium increases, and a nonlinear particle attachment behavior may be observed. The proposed model performed remarkably well, successfully capturing numerous physical processes associated with nanoparticle transport, including particle‐size‐dependent dispersion. Ignoring the aggregation process and using conventional colloidal transport models to model nanoparticle transport may lead to erroneous results.
Microstructural investigation of Au ion-irradiated Eu-doped LaPO4 ceramics and single crystals
Authors: Gilson Sara E. , Svitlyk Volodymyr , Bukaemskiy Andrey A. , Niessen Jonas , Lender Theresa , Murphy Gabriel L. , Henkes Maximilian , Lippold Holger , Marquardt Julien , Akhmadaliev Shavkat , Hennig Christoph , Winkler Bjoern , Tonnesen Thorsten , Peters Lars , Fischer Cornelius , Huittinen Nina
Published: August 2024

Ceramics and single crystals of LaPO4 monazite doped with Eu(III) were irradiated with 14 MeV Au5+ ions at three different fluences. Changes to crystallinity, local coordination environments, and topography were probed using grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), vertical scanning interferometry (VSI), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman, and luminescence spectroscopy. GIXRD data of the ceramics revealed fluence dependent amorphization. A similar level of amorphization was detected for samples irradiated with 5 × 1013 ions/cm2 and 1 × 1014 ions/cm2, whereas the sample irradiated with the highest fluence of 1 × 1015 ions/cm2 appeared slightly less amorphous. VSI showed clear swelling of entire grains at the highest ion fluence, while more localized damage to grain boundaries was detected for ceramic samples irradiated at the lowest fluence. Single crystal specimens showed no pronounced topography changes following irradiation. SEM images of the ceramic irradiated at the highest fluence showed topological features indicative of grain surface melting. Raman and luminescence data showed a different degree of disorder in polycrystalline vs. single crystal samples. While changes to PO4 vibrational modes were observed in the ceramics, changes were more subtle or not present in the single crystals. The opposite was observed when probing the local Ln-O environment using Eu(III) luminescence, where the larger changes in terms of an elongation of the Eu-O (or La-O) bond and an increasing relative disorder with increasing fluence were observed only for the single crystals. The dissimilar trends observed in irradiated single crystals and ceramics indicate that grain boundary chemistry likely plays a significant role in the radiation response.