bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantum Design and Synthesis of a Gasoline Marker Based on a Phenol‐Functionalized Supramolecular Quaternary‐Salt Complex
Authors: Soto‐Castruita Enrique , Cisneros‐Dévora Rodolfo , Cerón‐Camacho Ricardo , Ramírez‐Pérez Jorge‐Francisco , Servín‐Nájera Ana‐Graciela , Oviedo‐Roa Raúl , Martínez‐Magadán José‐Manuel , Beltrán Hiram‐Isaac , Zamudio‐Rivera Luis‐S.
Published: September 2023

We present the development of supramolecular surfactants (SSs) based on MR⋅⋅⋅OA⋅⋅⋅(PhOH)i complexes among methylene red (MR), oleyl amine (OA) and stoichiometric amounts
of phenol (PhOH), aimed at obtaining markers for the identification of gasolines by harnessing their supramolecular interactions‐mediated stability and homogeneous distribution within gasoline, as well as their very‐characteristic nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR), and UV‐visible (UV‐vis) signals. Density functional theory (DFT), together with the conductor‐like screening model (COSMO), reveal that the supramolecular interactions are due to a non‐ionic to ionic reaction under which the carboxylic proton is transferred from MR to OA, and that PhOH confers solubility to SSs withing gasoline by hiding their ionic heads. The proton transference was confirmed by 1H NMR and 13C NMR, FTIR, and thermogravimetric analysis spectroscopies, whereas the solubility in gasoline through UV‐vis absorbance measurements that, together with viscosity measurements, also revealed that the maximum content of PhOH for adequate performance is
3, in agreement with DFT‐COSMO calculations, which predict that for
3 the SSs’ interaction energy per additional PhOH becomes weaker. All theoretical and experimental results support the viability of MR⋅⋅⋅OA⋅⋅⋅(PhOH)i complexes as gasoline markers due to their full compatibility with gasoline and their well‐defined spectroscopic‐fingerprints.
Organocatalysts for the Asymmetric Neber reaction: Synthesis of Chiral 2‐(Tetrazol‐5‐yl)‐2H‐Azirines
Authors: Alves Cláudia , Sase Terver J. , Gadelho Cristina , Murtinho Dina , S. Serra M. Elisa , Cardoso Ana L. , Pinho e Melo Teresa M. V. D.
Published: September 2023

‐ Several novel organocatalysts derived from β‐ and γ‐lactam‐fused thiazolidines and L‐phenylalanine‐based thiazolidines were efficiently synthetized. These organocatalysts, as well as other previously developed thiazolidine‐derived thioureas, were tested in the asymmetric one‐pot Neber reaction of β‐ketoxime‐1H‐tetrazoles towards chiral 2‐(tetrazol‐5‐yl)‐2H‐azirines. The results obtained when using thioureas only differing in the lactam ring size demonstrate that the presence of the 6β‐lactam ring in the catalysts is a requirement to achieve high enantioselectivity in the studied transformation. The new 6β‐aminopenicillanic acid‐derived thiourea afforded the R enantiomer of 3‐phenyl‐2‐(tetrazol‐5‐yl)‐2H‐azirine with >99 % ee.
Nanofiber‐Reinforced Composite Gel Enabling High Ionic Conductivity and Ultralong Cycle Life for Zn Ion Batteries
Authors: Hu Wei , Zhang Yixuan , Ju Jingge , Wang Yuanyuan , Zhang Zehao , Kang Weimin
Published: September 2023

Despite the impressive merits of gel electrolytes for aqueous Zn‐ion batteries, it remains a significant challenge to design and develop the gel electrolyte with high ionic conductivity, excellent dimensional stability, and long cycle life. Herein, a composite electrolyte (PTP) with thermolastic polyurethane ‐poly(m‐phenylene isophthalamide)  nanofiber‐reinforced polyvinyl alcohol gel strategy is proposed for highly reversible Zn plating/stripping. Mechanically robust and ultrathin PTP contains functional groups for building ion migration channels and immobilizing water molecules, which accelerates Zn2+ migration and mitigates water‐related side reactions. Thus, the Zn anodes exhibit excellent electrochemical performance involving high cycling stability (6500 h at 5 mA cm−2, 5 mA h cm−2) and achieving an exceptional cumulative capacity of more than 16 000 mA h cm−2. This enhancement is well maintained when combined with MnO2 cathode. This work provides a reasonable solution for stabilizing Zn anodes and also provides new ideas for the modification of nanofiber‐reinforced gel electrolytes.
Equilibrium and Non‐equilibrium Reaction Schemes for Prebiotic Polymerization of Ribonucleotides
Authors: Kitson Varun , Sanders Quentin , Dass Avinash V. , Higgs Paul G.
Published: September 2023

The RNA World theory for the origin of life requires polymers to be generated initially by abiotic reactions. Experiments have studied polymerization of 5′‐monophosphates, 2′,3′‐cyclic phosphates, and 5′‐triphosphates. We consider theoretical models of polymerization in solution illustrating the differences between these cases. We consider (i) a basic model where all monomers undergo reversible joining and breaking; (ii) a model where 2′,3′‐cyclic phosphates can join, and breaking regenerates the cyclic phosphate; (iii) a model where 5′‐triphosphates can join irreversibly, in addition to the joining and breaking of 2′,3′‐cyclic phosphates. In cases (i) and (ii) there is an equilibrium steady state with balance between making and breaking bonds. In case (iii) there is a circular reaction flux in which monomers are activated by an external phosphate source, activated monomers form polymers, and polymers break to release non‐activated monomers. The mean length can be calculated as a function of concentration. In case (iii), the mean length switches from a low‐concentration regime controlled by the 5′‐triphosphates to a high‐concentration regime controlled by the 2′,3′‐cyclic phosphates. The circular reaction flux is reminiscent of a metabolism. If formation of 5’‐triphosphates was already in place for RNA synthesis, ATP could subsequently been coopted for metabolism.
Development of an eco‐friendly technology for biodiesel production by Spirulina sp. isolated from pond water
Authors: Mahendran Shunmugiah , Sethuraman Mariswaran , Wilson Jeyaraj John , Muniasamy Samuthirapandi , Sivakumar Thangavel , Ponmanickam Ponnirul
Published: September 2023

Biodiesel made from renewable energy sources is gaining popularity due to its environmental and economic benefits. In this work, the effect of the most important reaction variables was investigated during the acid‐catalyzed of Spirulina sp. microalgae oil to biodiesel. Results showed that the biodiesel was obtained at 60°C for 8 h using 30 g of dry Spirulina sp. powder in 300 mL of n‐hexane. Physical characteristics of the biodiesel produced from Spirulina sp. were confirmed using, evaporation temperature, flash point, freeze point, and fire point. The presence of bonds of CH3, ROH, RC≡C‐H, ‐CH = CH‐CH2)n, R‐CH2‐X, and ArOH in the biodiesel 1H NMR spectrum. Further, the biodiesel produced from the Spirulina sp. subjected to FT‐IR and GC MS which revealed the aliphatic hydrocarbons and the list of compounds such as Oleic acid, 9‐octadecenal etc.
Opinions of Turkish veterinarians on the termination of unwanted pregnancies in dogs
Authors: Özen Abdullah , Yerlikaya Şaşmaz Onur , Çavuş Alan Seda
Published: September 2023

Background

No time constraints exist in Turkish veterinary law regarding the termination of unwanted pregnancies in dogs. Having undergone limited ethical debate, opinions on this issue vary among veterinarians. This study aimed to determine appropriate indications accepted by veterinary practitioners for the termination of unwanted pregnancies in dogs and the cut‐off point preferred by these professionals for performing this medical and surgical intervention.

Methods

A qualitative methodology was used for the collection of the data. Interviews were conducted with 40 veterinarians (13 practitioners and 27 academics).

Results

The main reasons for performing pregnancy termination were ‘institutional obligations’ and ‘demand of the animal owner’. Meanwhile, the cut‐off points for veterinarians were ‘possibility of pregnancy’, ‘implantation/diagnosability/visibility’, ‘heartbeat’ and ‘viability’.

Limitations

The inclusion of ethics experts among the authors may have caused bias in the comments of the participants on ethical issues.

Conclusion

The fact that animals are legally relegated to the custody of humans not only adds a unique character to the veterinary ethical debate but also creates a comfort zone for veterinarians not willing to examine compelling ethical issues.
Developing a career…versus careering through your professional life
Authors: Johnson Jeremy
Published: September 2023

Vet Jeremy Johnson's career journey went from large animal ‘grunt’, through a world of pharmaceuticals, to embracing consultancy and then becoming director of new SQP training and registration body Vetpol.
Survival to discharge and outcome of a dog following out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest due to asphyxiation
Authors: Lang Kathrin , Crawford Abbe H. , Hall Georgina B. F. , Humm Karen
Published: September 2023

A 7‐month‐old dog presented with a 10‐minute history of upper respiratory tract obstruction and secondary loss of consciousness in the minute before its arrival to the hospital. The dog was found to be dead on arrival. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated, which led to successful return of spontaneous circulation 20 minutes later, with subsequent regain of consciousness. Symptomatic therapy and supportive care were provided for 3.5 weeks before discharging the dog into the care of its owners. Despite having made an initial improvement, it was subsequently euthanised 4 weeks later due to persistent severe neurological deficits. Although the neurological improvement was not deemed sufficient for the dog to have a good quality of life, this case report highlights that return of spontaneous circulation after out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest and a prolonged period of cardiopulmonary resuscitation is feasible, and neurological improvement thereafter is possible.
First report of intestinal intussusception in Western European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus)
Authors: Jota Baptista Catarina , Gonzalo‐Orden José M. , Casero María , Oliveira Paula A. , Seixas Fernanda
Published: September 2023

A debilitated adult female Western European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), rescued in Quarteira (South Portugal), died 2 days after its admission to Wildlife Rehabilitation and Research Centre (RIAS). At the postmortem examination, this animal had a dilated stomach with small punctiform ulcers on the mucosa, bloody faeces, a full urinary bladder and an 8 cm intussusception in the jejunal portion of the intestine. This is the first description of intestinal intussusception in E. europaeus, which contributes to a better knowledge and understanding of the lesions that affect this species and may interfere with its recovery in rescue centres.
Orange/red light emitting iridium(III) organometallic complexes containing 2,3‐di(pyridine‐2‐yl)quinoxaline as ancillary ligand and their anticancer properties
Authors: Pradhan Kahnu Charan , Jadab Madhusmita , Rout Smrutirekha , Dandela Rambabu , Mandal Deepa , Parija Tithi , Barik Sahadev , Kumar Jagadish , Pal Satyanarayan
Published: September 2023

A π‐electron rich ligand, 2,3‐di(pyridine‐2‐yl)quinoxaline, was introduced in Ir(III) coordination sphere along with four different cyclometallating ligands to obtain four new complexes (Ir1–Ir4) of formula [Ir(C N)2(pyrquinox)]PF6 {where C N is monoanionic cyclometallating ligand; 2‐phenylpyridine (ppy), 2‐(2,4‐difluorophenyl)‐5‐(trifluoromethyl)pyridine (F2CF3ppy), 2,5‐diphenylbenzoxazole (phox), 2,3‐diphenylquinoxaline (phquinox) and pyrquinox=2,3‐di(pyridine‐2‐yl)quinoxaline}. Structure of Ir1 was determined from single crystal X‐ray structure analysis and found it to be a bis‐heteroleptic Ir(III) mononuclear octahedral complex of formula [Ir(ppy)2(pyrquinox)]PF6. A very same structural formulation of Ir2–Ir4 was supported by different spectroscopic and analytical data. Theoretical calculations were helpful in understanding the optical and electrochemical properties of Ir1–Ir4. The effect of rich π‐electrons ancillary ligand (pyrquinox) was observed on luminescence properties of the complexes, which on irradiation produced emissions in the orange and red spectral regions. The cytotoxic behaviours of Ir1–Ir4 were explored against MCF‐7 cell line through MTT assays. The obtained IC50 values were found in low micromolar region (5–8 μM) and displayed comparatively higher cytotoxicity behaviour to cis‐platin.
Singapore’s Endemic Approach to Education: Re-Envisioning Schools and Learning
Authors: Tan Oon Seng , Chua Jallene Jia En
Published: September 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact lives worldwide, long beyond its initial wave of infection and emergency responses. Alongside health concerns are impacts to education pertaining not just to learning loss but also to paradigm shifts and other social and psychological effects. These include long-term shifts to curriculum and pedagogy, disproportionate effects on vulnerable populations, and ripple effects on mental health and wellness. Policymakers are prompted to rethink perspectives in education to accommodate the aftermath of the pandemic. This chapter will address Singapore’s endemic approach to public health and education, a couple of years after the start of the pandemic. The nature of our chapter is to share the Singaporean experience, which represents an Asian perspective that is someone unique in its context. Singapore continues to draw from the principles of science and social responsibility, which were the bedrock of its effective response efforts in early pandemic times. This resulted in high vaccination rates and strong research and development efforts to cushion the impact of growing infection rates, allowing citizens to continue with their daily routines with as much normalcy as possible. In education, Singapore experienced two rounds of home-based learning for students in April 2020 (lasting 28 days) and May 2021 (lasting 9 days), in tandem with national lockdowns. In-person lessons resumed after each round of home-based learning, alongside growth in digital innovation in a ground-up manner, due to the autonomy afforded to schools by ministry leadership. This helped optimize learning in the increasingly digital environment where blended learning models became commonplace. On the other hand, prominent issues related to inequity and mental health became forefront concerns and areas of development. Our chapter will discuss how educational policy will benefit from shifting priorities moving forward. We propose that an ecological perspective will be advantageous for the education sector, helping us to understand education and learning beyond school walls. We conclude the chapter by discussing future challenges and insecurities that Singapore will have to overcome.
What Japan’s Education Has Lost and Gained After Almost Succeeding in Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 Infection and Guaranteeing Academic Achievement
Authors: Suzuki Kan Hiroshi
Published: September 2023

In Japan, the first wave of the Covid19 pandemic began in the spring of 2020 and almost all schools were closed. Thereafter, vaccinations and infection prevention efforts progressed, and most schools did not close entirely after the second wave. Many schools shortened their summer vacations significantly and held classes, the MEXT distributed one information terminal to each elementary and junior high school student, and the MEXT opened the “Children’s Learning Support Website”. As a result, learning delays were almost recovered. On the other hand, the repeated waves of COVID-19, the prolonged wearing of masks, and the lack of normalization of relationships with friends had a significant negative impact on the mental health of junior and senior high school students. The silver lining of COVID-19 was the progress made in ICT in education, which had not been well spread.
Protected and uniformly transcendental
Authors: Bianchi Marco S.
Published: September 2023

Abstract

We show that the two-point function of protected bi-scalar operators in $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 SYM evaluated in dimensional regularization exhibits a uniform transcendental weight up to three-loop order. We conjecture that this property holds for the whole perturbative series and leverage the explicit results to postulate a prediction for the leading, order ϵ, correction to all loop orders. We also consider the soft limit of three-point functions of such operators in momentum space and point out a simple and surprising perturbative relation to two-point functions, which we also extrapolate to all loop orders.
Discrete analogue of the Weil-Petersson volume in double scaled SYK
Authors: Okuyama Kazumi
Published: September 2023

Abstract

We show that the connected correlators of partition functions in double scaled SYK model can be decomposed into “trumpet” and the discrete analogue of the Weil-Petersson volume, which was defined by Norbury and Scott. We explicitly compute this discrete volume for the first few orders in the genus expansion and confirm that the discrete volume reduces to the Weil-Petersson volume in a certain semi-classical limit.
Effective gravitational couplings of Kaluza-Klein gauge theories
Authors: Ashok Sujay K. , John Renjan Rajan , Layon T. J. , Mahato Sujoy , Raman Madhusudhan
Published: September 2023

Abstract

We study the effective gravitational couplings of four-dimensional gauge theories with eight supercharges. The class of theories we analyse are arrived at via Kaluza-Klein compactification of five-dimensional gauge theories. We consider both pure SU(N) Yang-Mills theories with Chern-Simons couplings and the conformal gauge theories with 2N fundamental flavours. The resolvent of the gauge theory plays a crucial role in the calculation of these gravitational couplings. The results obtained from the Seiberg-Witten geometry are matched against independent computations using localisation.
Dialog-Anpassung an den Charakter des Benutzers – Anwendung der Methoden des Charakter Computing
Authors: Hundertmark Sophie , Hafner Nils , Portmann Edy
Published: September 2023

Automatisierung mithilfe von Conversational AIs ist in der Finanzwelt keine Seltenheit mehr. Banken und Versicherungen stehen vor der großen Herausforderung, trotz Automatisierung ein möglichst individuelles Kundenerlebnis zu bieten. Character Computing ist eine Methode, die aufzeigt wie Conversational AIs zur Steigerung der Customer Experience jedes einzelnen Nutzers, gestaltet werden sollten. Mithilfe von Character Computing sollen sich Conversational AIs individuell auf die Wünsche des einzelnen Kunden anpassen können. Doch Character Computing allein reicht nicht aus, wie die Ergebnisse dieses Experiments zeigen. Das Paper zeigt, wie mithilfe von Experimenten Regeln für die Anwendung von Character Computing erstellt werden können. Es wird aber auch gezeigt, wie andere Methoden, wie beispielsweise die Conversational Theory oder mehrdimensionale Fuzzy Classifications, integriert werden müssten.
Diagnostik und Therapie der Minimal Change Glomerulopathie beim Erwachsenen – 2023
Authors: Gauckler Philipp , Regele Heinz , Eller Kathrin , Säemann Marcus D. , Lhotta Karl , Zitt Emanuel , Neumann Irmgard , Rudnicki Michael , Odler Balazs , Kronbichler Andreas , Windpessl Martin
Published: September 2023

Die Minimal Change Glomerulopathie ist eine glomeruläre Erkrankung, die sich klinisch typischerweise als akut auftretendes nephrotisches Syndrom manifestiert. Die Diagnose wird bei fehlenden lichtmikroskopischen Veränderungen, jedoch typischem elektronenmikroskopischem Befund eines meist vollständigen Verlustes der podozytären Fußfortsätze mittels Nierenbiopsie gestellt. Das zumeist gute Ansprechen auf immunsuppressive Maßnahmen, insbesondere Glukokortikoide, lassen eine autoimmune Krankheitsgenese annehmen. Trotz allgemein guter Prognose können steroid-abhängige, steroid-resistente und häufig relapsierende Verläufe den Krankheitsverlauf komplizieren und den Einsatz alternativer Immunsuppressiva erforderlich machen. Die Österreichische Gesellschaft für Nephrologie (ÖGN) stellt hier einen gemeinsamen Konsens darüber vor, wie erwachsene PatientInnen mit Minimal Change Glomerulopathie am besten diagnostiziert und behandelt werden können.
Association between adverse childhood experiences and perinatal depressive symptoms: a cross-sectional analysis of 16,831 women in Iceland
Authors: Bränn Emma , Vaina Alexandra , Daníelsdóttir Hilda Björk , Thordardottir Edda Bjork , Yang Qian , Jakobsdóttir Jóhanna , Aspelund Thor , Hauksdóttir Arna , Valdimarsdóttir Unnur A. , Lu Donghao
Published: September 2023

Emerging data suggest that certain adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with perinatal depression (PND). However, few studies have comprehensively assessed the cumulative number and types of ACEs and their association to PND. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis among 16,831 female participants from the Stress-And-Gene-Analysis (SAGA) cohort in Iceland, 2018. ACEs were surveyed with the World Health Organization ACE—International questionnaire, while PND symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (lifetime version). We, while adjusting for confounding factors, estimated the prevalence ratio (PR) of PND in relation to total number of ACEs using the Poisson quasi-likelihood model and further performed analyses for type-specific ACEs. At a mean age of 44 years (SD ± 11.1), 6,201 (36.8%) participants had experienced probable PND. Total number of ACEs was positively associated with PND (PR 1.11 per ACE, 95% CI: 1.10–1.11), also among women without any psychiatric comorbidities (PR 1.13, 95% CI: 1.11–1.14). PRs increased in a dose–response manner with the number of ACEs (P for trend < 0.001); women that endorsed 5 or more ACEs were twice as likely to have experienced PND (PR 2.24, 95% CI: 2.09–2.41). All ACE types (n = 13) were associated with PND, with most pronounced association for emotional neglect by a guardian (PR 1.53, 95% CI: 1.47–1.59). Our findings suggest a positive association between number of ACEs and PND symptoms. If our results are confirmed with prospective data, healthcare providers need to be alert of the risk of PND among expecting mothers with history of ACEs.
Sex differences in schizophrenia-spectrum diagnoses: results from a 30-year health record registry
Authors: Ferrara Maria , Curtarello Eleonora Maria Alfonsina , Gentili Elisabetta , Domenicano Ilaria , Vecchioni Ludovica , Zese Riccardo , Alberti Marco , Franchini Giorgia , Sorio Cristina , Benini Lorenzo , Little Julian , Carozza Paola , Dazzan Paola , Grassi Luigi
Published: September 2023

This study investigated sociodemographic and clinical differences between the sexes in individuals affected by schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (SSD) who accessed outpatient mental health services. Within a retrospective cohort of 45,361 outpatients receiving care in Ferrara (Italy) from 1991 to 2021, those with a SSD diagnosis were compared between the sexes for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics before and after the index date (when the ICD-9: 295.*diagnosis was first recorded) to assess early trajectory, age and type of diagnosis, and severity of illness indicated by medication use, hospitalization, and duration of psychiatric care. Predictors of discharge were also investigated. Among 2439 patients, 1191 were women (48.8%). Compared to men, women were significantly older at first visit (43.7 vs. 36.8 years) and at index date (47.8 vs. 40.6) with peak frequency at age 48 (vs. 30). The most frequent last diagnosis recorded before the index date was delusional disorder (27.7%) or personality disorder (24.3%) in men and depression (24%) and delusional disorder (30.1%) in women. After the index date, long-acting antipsychotics and clozapine were more frequently prescribed to men (46.5% vs. 36.3%; 13.2% vs. 9.4%, p < 0.05) and mood stabilizers and antidepressants to women (24.3% vs. 21.1%; 50.1% vs. 35.5%; p < 0.05). Women had fewer involuntary admissions (10.1% vs. 13.6%) and were more likely to be discharged as the time under care increased (p = 0.009). After adjusting for covariates, sex was not a significant predictor of discharge. Our study confirmed that sex differences exist in clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of outpatients with SSD and that gender considerations might influence the rapidity of diagnosis and medications prescribed. These findings highlight the need to implement a women-tailored approach in specialist care programs for psychoses.
Parkinson-ALS with a novel MAPT variant
Authors: Ferrari Camilla , Ingannato Assunta , Matà Sabrina , Ramat Silvia , Caremani Luca , Bagnoli Silvia , Bessi Valentina , Sorbi Sandro , Nacmias Benedetta
Published: September 2023

The mutations on microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT) gene manifest clinically with behavioural frontotemporal dementia (FTD), parkinsonism, such as progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration, and rarely with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). FTD-parkinsonism and FTD-ALS are clinical overlaps included in the spectrum of MAPT mutation’s phenotypes. The mutations on MAPT gene cause the dysfunction of tau protein determining its accumulation in neurofibrillary tangles. Recent data describe frequently the co-occurrence of the aggregation of tau protein and α-synuclein in patients with parkinsonism and Parkinson disease (PD), suggesting an interaction of the two proteins in determining neurodegenerative process. The sporadic description of PD-ALS clinical complex, known as Brait–Fahn–Schwarz disease, supports the hypothesis of common neuropathological pathways between different disorders. Here we report the case of a 54-year-old Italian woman with idiopathic PD later complicated by ALS carrying a novel MAPT variant (Pro494Leu). The variant is characterized by an amino acid substitution and is classified as damaging for MAPT functions. The case supports the hypothesis of tau dysfunction as the basis of multiple neurodegenerative disorders.
Die Kormoranverordnungen der Länder insbesondere im Lichte des EU-Rechts – Eine (Neu-)Bewertung unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Rechtsprechung des EuGH
Authors: Gerhold Sönke Florian , Mittag Vincent
Published: September 2023

Dass der Kormoran derzeit in den meisten Flächenstaaten Deutschlands nach den Vorgaben sogenannter
Kormoranverordnungen jagdbar in einem weiten Sinne ist, obwohl er dem Tötungsverbot der Vogelschutzrichtlinie
(RL 2009/147/EG) unterfällt, wurde nebst den tatsächlichen und rechtlichen Hintergründen
dieser Praxis bereits in dem Beitrag ,,Die tatsächlichen und rechtlichen Hintergründe der Kormoranverordnungen
der Länder‘‘ (NuR 2023, 527) dargestellt. In dem hieran anschließenden vorliegenden Beitrag wird
nun die Vereinbarkeit der die Tötungen rechtfertigenden Kormoranverordnungen mit höherrangigem
Recht untersucht. Im Mittelpunkt steht dabei die Frage, ob die Verordnungen den Maßstäben genügen,
die der EuGH für den Ausnahmetatbestand des Art. 9 V-RL entwickelt hat. Ebenso nimmt der Beitrag
die Vereinbarkeit der Kormoranverordnungen mit dem BNatSchG in den Blick und geht abschließend noch
kurz auf das Straf- und Bußgeldverfahren ein.
EOR Displacement Characteristics from Cluster Analysis and Fractional Pore Occupation
Authors: Borji Mostafa , Kharrat Ahmad , Ott Holger
Published: September 2023

The in situ saponification of crude oil lowers the interfacial tensions of oil–water systems in chemical-enhanced oil recovery (cEOR). When the interfacial tension is sufficiently low, emulsion phases occur, and the fluid phase distribution in the pore space changes, affecting oil displacement efficiency. This change in capillarity allows the injection water to penetrate different classes of pores, which must be reflected in the distribution of fluids in the pore space. This issue still needs to be adequately researched and is not reflected in the classic analyses of oil cluster size. We have performed μCT-based coreflood experiments to study the displacement efficiency of crude oil by alkaline solutions acting as cEOR agents for in situ saponification. The measured fluid distributions were analyzed using oil-cluster size statistics. In addition, the pore classes from which the oil was preferentially displaced and the degree of displacement as a function of alkali concentration were determined. Despite ultralow interfacial tension and emulsion formation, a clear separation of the oil and aqueous phases was observed over a wide range of alkali concentrations, allowing a two-phase analysis of the microscopic fluid distribution. It was found that (a) a Lorentz analysis of the cluster volume distribution is useful to characterize the cEOR displacement efficiency. It shows the tendency of oil clusters toward a more uniform size distribution toward optimal alkali concentration. (b) the additional oil recovery toward optimal displacement conditions comes from the fraction of smaller pores; at optimal conditions, all pore classes are flooded almost equally and to a high degree, equivalent to miscible displacement, i.e., extremely low interfacial tension.
From payday to payoff: Exploring the money laundering strategies of cybercriminals
Authors: Nazzari Mirko
Published: September 2023

Cybercriminals are commonly assumed to engage in cybercrime for monetary rewards. Like traditional offenders, they must launder their illicit proceeds to obscure the permanent trails in online environments. The mainstream narrative argues that these offenders engage in complex money laundering schemes because of the use of new technologies. However, empirical research on the money laundering activities associated with cybercrime has been scarce. To address this knowledge gap, the present study analyzes money laundering transactions from 182 Bitcoin addresses belonging to 56 members of the Conti ransomware group using blockchain analysis. The results show that offenders are quite unsophisticated when laundering their illicit proceeds. Most of the addresses transact directly with an entity (52%) and concentrate 80% or more of the illicit proceeds in one singular service (69%). In terms of destinations, exchanges and dark web services are the preferred choices, being involved in 71% and 30% of the transactions respectively. Conversely, the use of mixers is more limited (8%). There are significant differences in money laundering strategies used by offenders based on the amounts of illicit proceeds to launder. Implications for research and policy are discussed.
A nonlocal type problem involving a mixed local and nonlocal operator
Authors: Biroud Kheireddine
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we consider the nonlocal elliptic problem involving a mixed local and nonlocal operator, $$\begin{aligned} (P)\left\{ \begin{array}{rcll} \left( \displaystyle \int \limits _\Omega f(x,u)dx\right) ^{\beta }\mathfrak {L_{p,s}}(u)&{}= &{} f^\alpha (x,u) &{} \text { in }\Omega , \\ u &{}> &{} 0 &{} \text {in }\Omega , \\ u &{} = &{} 0 &{} \text {in }{\mathbb {R}}^N \setminus \Omega , \end{array} \right. \end{aligned}$$

(
P
)

∫
Ω

f

(
x
,
u
)

d
x

β

L

p
,
s

(
u
)

=

f
α

(
x
,
u
)

in

Ω
,

u

>

0

in

Ω
,

u

=

0

in

R

N

\
Ω
,

where $$\Omega \subset {\mathbb {R}}^N$$

Ω
⊂

R

N

is a bounded regular domain, $$\mathfrak {L_{p,s}}\equiv -\Delta _p+(-\Delta )^s_p$$

L

p
,
s

≡
-

Δ
p

+

(
-
Δ
)

p
s

, $$0<s<1<p<N$$

0
<
s
<
1
<
p
<
N

, $$\alpha ,\,\beta \in {\mathbb {R}}$$

α
,

β
∈
R

and $$f: \Omega \times {\mathbb {R}}\rightarrow {\mathbb {R}}$$

f
:
Ω
×
R
→
R

be a nonnegative function which is defined almost everywhere with respect to the variable x. Using Schauder and Tychonoff fixed point theorems, we get two existence theorems of weak positive solutions under some hypothesis on $$\alpha , \beta $$

α
,
β

and f.
Construction and application of urban mobility diagnosis model
Authors: Ye Zhongnan
Published: September 2023

The scientific diagnosis of urban mobility is beneficial to urban planning to solve urban problems appropriately, especially traffic problems. The existing models for urban accessibility or mobility are confined by data sources and operation conditions. They stay on the level of the static and local analysis but lack of quantitative description of the overall mobility of the city. A standard model of urban mobility covering the node-to-node accessibility relation among all nodes in a city is proposed based on the Internet data and algorithm programs. On this basis, a reference system model is established which is based on the city center, the nearest commercial center, the nearest park and the nodes of the external traffic facilities. In the end, the downtown area of Shanghai is taken as an example and the overall mobility and spatial layout of the city are analyzed and diagnosed by using the reference system model and the network map data. The structural characteristics of the overall accessibility of the downtown area of Shanghai are revealed, such as high inside and low outside, the east–west differences, the finger radiation and other structural features. Besides, the main nodes that require to be improved for the liquidity are indicated.
Decoding Human Biology and Disease Using Single-Cell Omics Technologies
Authors: Shi Qiang , Chen Xueyan , Zhang Zemin
Published: September 2023

Over the past decade, advances in single-cell omics (SCO) technologies have enabled the investigation of cellular heterogeneity at an unprecedented resolution and scale, opening a new avenue for understanding human biology and disease. In this review, we summarize the developments of sequencing-based SCO technologies and computational methods, and focus on considerable insights acquired from SCO sequencing studies to understand normal and diseased properties, with a particular emphasis on cancer research. We also discuss the technological improvements of SCO and its possible contribution to fundamental research of the human, as well as its great potential in clinical diagnoses and personalized therapies of human disease.
One Step Closer to Zero Chemical Pollution: The Legal Adoption and Implications of the Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Restriction Proposal
Authors: Obolevich Viktoria
Published: September 2023

This paper focuses on the legal adoption and possible implications of the proposed per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) restriction. In the case of PFAS, this restriction puts value on the regulatory efforts to implement far-reaching and ambitious targets amid a high level of scientific uncertainty. The purpose of this paper is to present a report rather than conducting an in-depth analysis of the mentioned field. Overall, the paper argues that such a daring decision might be justified by the precautionary principle. However, the implementation might raise opposition from the stakeholders’ side and might take longer than initially anticipated, most likely with additional derogations concerning essential goods that do not currently have safe alternatives.
Interpolatory input and output projections for flow control
Authors: Herrmann Benjamin , Baddoo Peter J. , Dawson Scott T.M. , Semaan Richard , Brunton Steven L. , McKeon Beverley J.
Published: September 2023

Eigenvectors of the observability and controllability Gramians represent responsive and receptive flow structures that enjoy a well-established connection to resolvent forcing and response modes. However, whereas resolvent modes have demonstrated great potential to guide sensor and actuator placement, observability and controllability modes have been leveraged exclusively in the context of model reduction via input and output projections. In this work, we introduce interpolatory, rather than orthogonal, input and output projections, that can be leveraged for sensor and actuator placement and open-loop control design. An interpolatory projector is an oblique projector with the property of preserving certain entries in the vector being projected. We review the connection between the resolvent operator and the Gramians, and present several numerical examples where we perform both orthogonal and interpolatory input and output projections onto the dominant forcing and response subspaces. Input projections are used to identify dynamically relevant disturbances, place sensors to measure disturbances, and place actuators for feedforward control in the linearized Ginzburg–Landau equation. Output projections are used to identify coherent structures and place sensors aiming at state reconstruction in the turbulent flow in a minimal channel at$Re_{\tau }=185$. The framework does not require data snapshots and relies only on knowledge of the steady or mean flow.
Liberalism versus Liberalism: An Analysis of Muslim-American Amicus Curiae Arguments Concerning Complicity-Based Conscience Claims
Authors: Bajwa Kamran S. , Miller Samuel E.
Published: September 2023

In 2015, Douglas NeJaime and Reva Siegel identified complicity-based conscience claims as a subcategory of religious liberty claims, which feature objections to generally applicable laws based on religious convictions that harm third parties. Here, we observe that Muslim-Americans have filed or joined amicus curiae briefs in support of litigants on both sides of the recent complicity-based conscience cases of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado (2018), Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), and Fulton v. City of Philadelphia (2021). This divergence of legal views within the Muslim-American community points to a broader rift in society generally toward issues involving the navigation of identity and faith in the context of American liberalism. In this article, we show that opposing arguments by Muslim-Americans in these complicity-based conscience cases presuppose two different conceptions of liberalism: (1) liberalism as the pursuit of broad religious, cultural, and value pluralism (modus vivendi), and (2) liberalism as the pursuit of social cohesion, assimilation, and fraternité among diverse constituencies (vivre ensemble). Muslim-Americans who advance a modus vivendi vision of liberalism base their arguments mainly on the view that Islam and other minority religions involve specific beliefs, doctrines, and moral injunctions regarding, inter alia, rules of personal conduct in society that deserve distinctive legal protections. Muslim-Americans who support a vivre ensemble conception of liberalism prioritize the uniform enforcement of civil rights laws over religion-based objections and, in doing so, seek an overlapping consensus between their beliefs and prevailing conceptions of expansive civil liberties.
The code of the streets in Beijing: Style-shifting and changing personae in the performance of Beijing male rappers
Authors: Wang Tianxiao
Published: September 2023

This study explores the link between stylized forms of language and the construction of social identities in performance in the Beijing hip hop community. It focuses on the indexical process by which rappers rely on existing characterological figures and local linguistic variables in Beijing Mandarin (i.e. rhotacized syllable finals, lenited retroflexes, interdentalized dental sibilants, and fronted palatals) to construct hip hop affiliated identities. A variationist analysis provides evidence of style-shifting between two generations of Beijing male rappers, who employ these socially salient linguistic features to different degrees, but always in a semiotically coherent package, in their performance. The analysis further demonstrates how the rappers maintain street credibility through a cultural alignment between hip hop and local social types. By examining the indexicality of these variables, the study highlights the interplay of hip hop ideology, local linguistic features, and local social types in stylistic practices and personae construction. (Hip hop, indexicality, iconicity, performance, Mandarin Chinese)*
Exploring the Access and Use of Social Technologies by Older Adults in Support of Their Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Rapid Review
Authors: DesChâtelets Joelle R. , Khowaja Asif R. , Mechelse Kristin , Koning Henriette , Ventresca Dominic
Published: September 2023

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdowns disproportionately affect older people where most suffer from social isolation and loneliness, which translate into higher rates of depression and anxiety. This study aimed to explore the accessibility, outcomes, and challenges of social technology use among community-dwelling older adults, older adults in long-term care, older adults with neurocognitive disorder, and older adults with pre-frailty and frailty, to help guide future research in this area. A rapid review was conducted, and articles were retrieved from four online databases, including Medline, AgeLine, EconLit and CINAHL, and grey literature from Google Scholar. Of the 131 articles retrieved, 24 were included in this review. The positive outcomes of social technology use include improved mental and physical health, reduced health disparities, and increased autonomy. Adverse outcomes include furthering the digital divide. More research surrounding the economic impacts of social technologies is warranted.
‘A more human approach … I haven’t found that really’: experiences of hoarding difficulties and seeking help
Authors: McGrath Megan , Russell Amy M. , Masterson Ciara
Published: September 2023

Background and aims:

People with hoarding behaviours often struggle to engage in treatment. This study aimed to explore the experiences of a sample of people who identify as engaging in hoarding behaviours and who are seeking support. Exploring motivation to seek help, the barriers those who hoard face in accessing support and what facilitates accepting help, can aid understanding of how best to intervene.

Method:

Eight individuals who self-identified as seeking help in relation to hoarding behaviours were recruited via social media and support groups. Interviews were conducted by telephone or video call, before being transcribed and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Results:

Participants described complex help-seeking narratives and reported continued ambivalence about addressing their hoarding behaviours. The four group experiential themes identified were Wrestling with identity; Who can I trust?; Services don’t fit; and Being overlooked: ‘they’re too busy looking at the thing, not the person’. Difficulties trusting others and services were identified; services were experienced as rejecting and many participants sought help for problems other than their hoarding. Problems accessing appropriate help for hoarding were predominant in the narratives, although participants who had accessed peer support described this as valuable.

Conclusions:

There are both internal (e.g. fear of judgement; feeling overwhelmed) and external (e.g. service gaps) barriers that make finding useful help for hoarding behaviours very difficult. Services may facilitate those seeking help by taking a compassionate and person-centred approach to hoarding problems.
The Process of Revolutionary Protest: Development and Democracy in the Tunisian Revolution
Authors: Barrie Christopher
Published: September 2023

Revolutionary protest rarely begins as democratic or revolutionary. Instead, it grows in a process of positive feedback, incorporating new constituencies and generating new demands. If protest is not revolutionary at its onset, theory should reflect this and be able to explain the endogenous emergence of democratic demands. In this article, I combine multiple data sources on the 2010–2011 Tunisian Revolution, including survey data, an original event catalogue, and field interviews. I show that the correlates of protest occurrence and participation change significantly during the uprising. Using the Tunisian case as a theory-building exercise, I argue that the formation of protest coalitions is essential, rather than incidental, to democratic revolution.
There and Back Again: Asteroid Samples Return to Earth
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: September 2023

OSIRIS-REx will help reveal Bennu’s detailed carbon chemistry and history of space weathering and unlock a key piece of the solar system’s early history.
Marine Sediments Reveal Past Climate Responses to CO2 Changes
Authors: Ho Sze Ling , McClymont Erin
Published: September 2023

Climate records stored in marine sediments reveal different ice sheet and ocean responses to falling atmospheric CO2 concentrations from the warm Pliocene to the ice ages of the Pleistocene.
Observation of the Aerosol Plume From the 2022 Hunga Tonga—Hunga Ha'apai Eruption With SAGE III/ISS
Authors: Duchamp Clair , Wrana Felix , Legras Bernard , Sellitto Pasquale , Belhadji Redha , von Savigny Christian
Published: September 2023

The Tonga eruption of 15 January 2022 has released a long‐lived stratospheric plume of sulfate aerosols. More than 17 months after, we focus on the high quality data series of SAGE III (Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment) on board the International Space Station (ISS) to determine the mean radius and size distribution of the aerosols and their total mass. The persisting volcanic aerosols—with a mode width of 1.25 and an effective radius of 0.4 μm—differ from the significantly smaller background aerosols and from those measured during recent stratospheric eruptions. The sulfuric acid mass between 50°S and 30°N is estimated to be very stable in spite of considerable redistribution in latitude at a value of 0.66 ± 0.1 Tg, corresponding to an initial sulfur dioxide emission of 0.44 Tg. Such properties are expected to facilitate the persistence of a climate warming due to the volcanic water vapor.
Drivers of δ18O Variability Preserved in Ice Cores From Earth's Highest Tropical Mountain
Authors: Weber A. M. , Thompson L. G. , Davis M. , Mosley‐Thompson E. , Beaudon E. , Kenny D. , Lin P.‐N. , Sierra‐Hernández R.
Published: September 2023

In 2019, four ice cores were recovered from the world's highest tropical mountain, Nevado Huascarán (Cordillera Blanca, Peru; 9.11°S, 77.61°W). Composite hydroclimate records of the two Col cores (6,050 masl) and the two Summit cores (6,768 masl) are compared to gridded gauge‐analysis and reanalysis climate data for the most recent 60‐year. Spatiotemporal correlation analyses suggest that the ice core oxygen stable isotope (δ18O) record largely reflects tropical Pacific climate variability, particularly in the NINO3.4 region. By extension, the δ18O record is strongly related to rainfall over the Amazon Basin, as teleconnections between the El Niño Southern Oscillation and hydrological behavior are the main drivers of the fractionation of water isotopes. However, on a local scale, modulation of the stable water isotopes appears to be more closely governed by upper atmospheric temperatures than by rainfall amount. Over the last 60 years, the statistical significance of the climate/δ18O relationship has been increasing contemporaneously with the atmospheric and oceanic warming rates and shifts in the Walker circulation. Isotopic records from the Summit appear to be more sensitive to large‐scale temperature changes than the records from the Col. These results may have substantial implications for modeling studies of the behavior of water isotopes at high elevations in the tropical Andes.