bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
University teachers' perspectives on synchronous in-person and distance teaching and learning (SynPaD hybrid)
Authors: Shephard Kerry , Luong Hoa , Connelly Sean , Tewari Vidusha
Published: October 2024

Although most teaching in higher education may still involve either in-person teaching or online distance teaching, various forms of hybrid teaching are becoming more common. Maturity of hybrid teaching has been limited by the lack of research-based development and poor definition of teaching practices in the literature. This article is about a particular variant of hybrid teaching (SynPaD hybrid) involving learners in the physical presence of one or more teachers with other learners attending synchronously via videoconferencing, in situations where all participants can, or should be able to, interact both verbally and visually with all other participants. The article applies a recognised qualitative research approach to gather potentially important insights into the perspectives of university teachers in capacities as teachers and as learners about SynPaD hybrid teaching, and interprets its findings using self-determination theory. Notable insights from this research suggest that university teachers in the role of learners are able to appreciate SynPaD hybrid and may insist that university teachers tasked with supporting learning in this context should rise to the challenges of teaching in this way. University teachers, acting in the role of teacher, may question the practicality of teaching in SynPaD hybrid and their motivation to teach in this way. This article describes and comments on the difficult decisions faced by higher education institutions as SynPaD hybrid emerges as an alternative to more orthodox in-person and online teaching situations.
Back to basics: the coagulation pathway
Authors: Park Seonyang , Park Joo Kyung
Published: October 2024

The classic coagulation cascade model of intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation pathways, i.e. contact activation pathway and tissue factor pathway, has been widely modified. The cascade can be categorized as follows: 1) initiation by tissue factor (TF), 2) amplification by the intrinsic tenase complex, and 3) propagation on activated platelets. TF-FVIIa forms an extrinsic tenase complex and activates FX to FXa and FIX to FIXa. FXa-FVa forms a prothrombinase complex that converts prothrombin into thrombin. At this initial stage of coagulation, only small amounts of thrombin are generated owing to the low circulating levels of FVa. The generated thrombin, although in minor quantities, is sufficient to prime the subsequent coagulation reactions. Platelets and in turn FV, FVIII, and FXI are activated. Subsequently, FVIIIa binds to FIXa to form the intrinsic tenase complex, which is aided by a cofactor, FVIIIa, and activates FX at a rate 50-times higher than that of the extrinsic tenase complex, thereby amplifying thrombin generation. Thrombin cleaves fibrinogen into one fibrin monomer and two fibrinopeptides. Fibrin monomers aggregate, crosslink, and branch into an insoluble fibrin network structure. The contact activation system is initiated by FXII, which is activated upon exposure to negatively charged surfaces. Coagulation is driven by FXIIa-mediated FXI cleavage. FXIa activates FIX, which forms an intrinsic tenase complex, eventually leading to thrombin formation. The contact activation system is considered to contribute to thrombosis but is not required for hemostasis in vivo.
Towards a Politics of Transgression in Environmental Education Research: Meta-review of a T-Learning Research ‘Archive’
Authors: Lotz-Sisitka Heila
Published: October 2024

The need for more radical forms of learning-centred transformation is increasingly recognised in transformations to sustainability. Yet these approaches to learning remain under-developed and undertheorised especially from a politics and environmental education research perspective. This paper offers a review of an emerging politics of transgression in environmental education research, as developed through an extensive T-learning (transgressive learning in times of climate change) knowledge co-production research programme, spanning eight years, and continuing. The ongoing problem that the research programme seeks to address is how to do transgressive learning in/as environmental education research in times where the fall out of coloniality and fossil capital collide in an increasingly regressive political landscape which Akomolafe and Ladha (2017, pg. 820) describe as “the deadening ideology of late-stage capitalism and its corollaries of patriarchy, rationalism, white supremacy and anthropocentrism.” Through the paper, I seek to highlight a “low theory” (Wark, 2021) of transgressive politics in environmental education research, embodied in practices of transgressive politics as movement in co-engaged T-learning research, which I illuminate through a meta-reflective curational process from the ‘archive’ or T-learning knowledge commons collection.
Impact of waterborne E. coli outbreaks on local communities: evidence from housing transactions in Michigan
Authors: Graziano Marcello , Liu Pengfei , Meyer Kevin , Zhang Wendong
Published: October 2024

Waterborne Escherichia coli (E. coli) represents a pervasive water quality problem across the United States. In Michigan, the presence of E. coli has become problematic for many areas where agricultural run-off and ineffective policies have made these outbreaks endemic. Combining the universe of housing transaction datasets from 2009 to 2017 with the State of Michigan water sampling dataset, we investigate and quantify the negative impacts of E. coli outbreaks on local housing prices. Our difference-in-differences model estimates an overall impact of −8.94% for houses in the treatment group relative to the control group. However, this effect is only short term, as sales prices recover after the outbreak has ended.
Advancing and strengthening the study of social networks in community-level dissemination and implementation research: A narrative review
Authors: Korn Ariella R. , Cruz Jennifer L. , Smith Natalie R. , Jacob Rebekah R. , Carney Megan , Slater Wallis , Ramanadhan Shoba
Published: October 2024

The dissemination and implementation (D&I) of evidence at the community level is critical to improve health and advance health equity. Social networks are considered essential to D&I efforts, but there lacks clarity regarding how best to study and leverage networks. We examined networks in community-level D&I frameworks to characterize the range of network actors, activities, and change approaches. We conducted a narrative review of 66 frameworks. Among frameworks that explicitly addressed networks – that is, elaborated on network characteristics, structure, and/or activities – we extracted and synthesized network concepts using descriptive statistics and narrative summaries. A total of 24 (36%) frameworks explicitly addressed networks. Commonly included actors were implementers, adopters/decision-makers, innovation developers, implementation support professionals, and innovation recipients. Network activities included the exchange of resources, knowledge, trust, and norms. Most network-explicit frameworks characterized ties within and across organizations and considered element(s) of network structure – for example, size, centrality, and density. The most common network change strategy was identifying individuals to champion D&I efforts. We discuss opportunities to expand network inquiry in D&I science, including understanding networks as implementation determinants, leveraging network change approaches as implementation strategies, and exploring network change as an implementation outcome.
The intersection of community engagement and team science research: A scoping review
Authors: Hohl Sarah D. , Abu-Rish Blakeney Erin , Carter-Edwards Lori , Ramirez Magaly , Wright Sarah Towner , Zierler Brenda K. , van Rensburg Dillon , Jewell Teresa , Ko Linda K.
Published: October 2024

Introduction:

Integrating community expertise into scientific teams and research endeavors can holistically address complex health challenges and grand societal problems. An in-depth understanding of the integration of team science and community engagement principles is needed. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify how and where team science and community engagement approaches are being used simultaneously in research.

Methods:

We followed Levac’s enhancement of Arksey and O’Malley’s Scoping Review Framework and systematically searched PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, ERIC, and Embase for team science and community engagement terms through January 2024.

Results:

Sixty-seven articles were reviewed. Publications describing integrated team science and community-engaged research have increased exponentially since 2004. Over half were conducted outside of the U.S., utilized qualitative methods, included community-researcher co-development of research question and study design, and described team partnership goals, roles, and management. Fewer studies evaluated partnership, built community capacity, described financial compensation to communities, or described team dynamics facilitation.

Conclusion:

As researchers continue to integrate community engagement and team science, common criteria and strategies for integrating the approaches are needed. We provide 19 recommendations for research teams, research institutions, journals, and funding bodies in service of advancing the science and practice of this integration.
Call for Action for a Disaster Literacy Course for Disaster Risk Management Process
Authors: Kınık Kerem , Çalışkan Cüneyt
Published: October 2024

There is a need to utilise formal education to ensure and support the effective participation of communities in the disaster risk management process. The negative outcomes of disasters occurring as a result of various disasters in Turkiye show that the society is inadequately prepared. Therefore, the best fight against disasters can be carried out within the scope of formal education activities. In this study, the content and infrastructure of a curriculum for the management of disaster risks at the university level is presented at the conceptual level. Disaster literacy curriculum can contribute to the management of current and future disaster risks. However, there is a need to expand the implementation and measurement of the effectiveness and feasibility of the curriculum as a public health intervention tool. Finally, the support of the national education system needs to be ensured.
The Nusselt number of a hot sphere levitated by a volatile pool
Authors: Morris S.J.S.
Published: October 2024

When placed at the surface of a volatile liquid, a sphere of hot dense non-volatile material remains suspended until it cools sufficiently. The duration of this ‘inverse Leidenfrost’ phenomenon depends on the Nusselt number

$Nu$

of the sphere, itself determined by flow in the film of vapour separating particle and liquid. It is shown that provided the Nusselt number is large, it can be calculated numerically using only the Laplace relation and the equations governing the thin film; patching to a solution for the outer thick film is not necessary. This method is demonstrated by using it to determine

$Nu$

for a sphere sufficiently small that in the governing equations, the acceleration due to gravity is negligible except where multiplied by the density of the sphere. Numerical results giving

$Nu$

as a function of a dimensionless measure of sphere weight are supplemented with analysis showing that, when the weight is of the order of the maximum supportable by surface tension alone, the film consists of a spherical bubble cap bounded by its contact rim. The solutions for these regions are coupled: although the apparent contact angle

$\chi$

for the cap is determined within the rim, its value depends on the flow rate arriving from the cap as well as on the additional evaporation from the rim. The latter acts to reduce

$\chi$

from the value it would otherwise have, thereby reducing the thickness of the entire cap. For the example treated here, the value of

$Nu$

is doubled by this mechanism.
Onset of global instability in a premixed annular V-flame
Authors: Wang Chuhan , Douglas Christopher M. , Guan Yu , Xu Chunxiao , Lesshafft Lutz
Published: October 2024

We investigate self-excited axisymmetric oscillations of a lean premixed methane–air V-flame in a laminar annular jet. The flame is anchored near the rim of the centrebody, forming an inverted cone, while the strongest vorticity is concentrated along the outer shear layer of the annular jet. Consequently, the reaction and vorticity dynamics are largely separated, except where they coalesce near the flame tip. The global eigenmodes corresponding to the linearised reacting flow equations around the steady base state are computed in an axisymmetric setting. We identify an arc branch of eigenmodes exhibiting strong oscillations at the flame tip. The associated eigenvalues are robust with respect to domain truncation and numerical discretisation, and they become destabilised as the Reynolds number increases. The frequency of the leading eigenmode is found to correspond to the Lagrangian disturbance advection time from the nozzle outlet to the flame tip. The essential role of this convective mechanism is also supported by resolvent analysis, which finds that the same flame-tip disturbance structure and frequency are optimally amplified when the flame is subjected to external white noise forcing. Strong non-modal effects in the form of pseudo-resonance are not found. Nonlinear time-resolved simulation further reveals notable hysteresis phenomena in the subcritical regime prior to instability. Hence, even when the flame is linearly stable, perturbations of sufficient amplitude can trigger limit-cycle oscillations and higher-dimensional dynamics sustained by nonlinear feedback. A Monte Carlo simulation of passive tracers in the unsteady flame suggests a nonlinear non-local instability mechanism. Notably, linear analysis of the subcritical time-averaged limit-cycle state yields eigenvalues that do not match the nonlinear periodic oscillation frequencies. This mismatch is attributed to the fundamentally nonlinear dynamics of the subcritical V-flame instability, where the dichromatic, non-local interaction between the heat release rate along the flame surface and the vortex dynamics in the jet shear layer cannot be approximated as a simple distortion of the mean flow.
Treatment of the ice-shelf backpressure and buttressing in two horizontal dimensions
Authors: Sergienko Olga
Published: October 2024

The ice discharge from the grounded parts of marine ice sheets into the ocean is modulated by their floating extensions – ice shelves. The ice-shelf impact on the grounded ice is typically described as ‘backpressure’ or ‘buttressing’. Theoretical analyses of their effects have been restricted to one horizontal dimension. This study revisits the concepts of ‘backpressure’ introduced by Thomas (1977) and ‘buttressing’ numbers and ratios introduced by Gudmundsson (2013) and extends their theoretical analysis to two horizontal dimensions. Using the integral form of the momentum-balance formulation suitable for fast-flowing ice streams and ice shelves, our analysis provides a natural definition for the total backpressure force exerted by an ice shelf to the grounded ice upstream of its grounding line. The results of numerical analyses suggest that ice shelves whose second principal stress component is compressional over larger areas may provide more buttressing compared to ice shelves with smaller areas of compressional stresses or to ice shelves with both principal stresses being tensile.
The relationship between anxiety and diet quality in adolescent populations: a cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Campisi Susan C. , Savel Katarina A. , Korczak Daphne J.
Published: October 2024

Globally, more than 13 % of adolescents have clinically significant mental health problems, with anxiety and depression comprising over 40 % of cases. Despite the high prevalence of anxiety disorders among youth, dietary research has been focused on youth with depression, resulting in a significant knowledge gap regarding the impact of anxiety on adolescent diet quality. Adolescents with diagnosed anxiety disorders and healthy controls were included in this study. Anxiety symptoms were measured using the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Disorders. Diagnosis of anxiety disorder was determined using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia interview. Five diet quality indices were scored from FFQ. Diet quality indices associated with anxiety symptoms in the correlation matrix were interrogated using multiple linear regression modelling. All models were adjusted for depression. One hundred and twenty-eight adolescents (mean age 14·8 years (sd: 2·1); 66·4 % female) were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Although healthy controls and outpatient participants had similar unhealthy dietary index subscale scores, outpatient participants had lower healthy index scores. Higher anxiety symptoms were associated with lower healthy dietary indices in univariate analysis; after adjusting for comorbid depression; however, anxiety symptoms were no longer associated with dietary indices following adjustment for multiple testing (P = 0·038 to P = 0·077). The association between anxiety symptoms and a poor diet is attenuated by depression. The results of this study support the need for an integrated approach to the assessment of mental and physical well-being and further research aimed at understanding the unique contribution of depression to healthy dietary patterns.
Effects of nitrogen fertilization and micro-sprinkler irrigation on soil water and nitrogen contents, their productivities, bulb yield and economics of winter onion production
Authors: Banik Madhurima , Patra Sanmay Kumar , Datta Ashim
Published: October 2024

Onion is sensitive to soil water stress and nitrogen limitations, causing a marked reduction in yield and bulb quality. A field trial was set in the winter seasons of 2016–17 and 2017–18 to evaluate the effects of three micro-sprinkler irrigation levels at 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 ratios of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and four nitrogen levels at 0, 75, 100 and 120% of the recommended nitrogen dose (RDN), including surface irrigation at 40 mm cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) with 100% RDN (SN) using an augmented strip plot design on water and N distribution in soil, their productivities, onion yield and economics. Results indicated that the root zone water content increased by 5.2% for 1.2 ETc, and 1.4% for 0.9 ETc over the cropping period, but declined by 1.5% for 0.6 ETc with micro-sprinkler irrigation compared to surface irrigation with nitrogen fertilization (SN). The largest total root zone water depletion was in 1.2 ETc (16.7%), followed by SN (15.3%) and 0.9 ETc (15.0%). The high irrigation regime produced the maximum yield and nitrogen productivity, whereas deficit irrigation displayed the greatest water productivity. However, the coupling of micro-sprinkler irrigation at 1.2 ETc and 120% RDN led to an increase of onion bulb yield (22.6%), water productivity (42.7%), plant N uptake (29.0%) and net income (30.6%) with maximum benefit-cost ratio (3.19) compared to SN. However, as this study was only based on two seasons, more field trials will be needed to confirm the optimum amount of water and nitrogen for winter onion.
Genetic variation in leaf photosynthesis and associated traits in elite and landrace-derived genotypes in wheat
Authors: Kareem Shadia H. S. , De Silva Jayalath , Weerasinghe Minuka , Hawkesford Malcolm J. , Griffiths Simon , Howell Phil , Foulkes M. John
Published: October 2024

There is an increasing emphasis worldwide on breeding wheat cultivars with higher biomass and grain yield, whilst reducing excessive input of N fertilizers. Modern plant breeding has narrowed the genetic base of bread wheat, so exploring new sources of genetic variation for leaf photosynthesis traits and biomass to underpin grain yield improvement has become necessary. Our objectives were to quantify the genetic variability in a range of landrace-derived lines and elite bread wheat genotypes in flag-leaf photosynthesis traits, biomass and N-use efficiency for potential application in pre-breeding. Sixteen bread wheat genotypes including elite spring wheat cultivar Paragon × landrace crosses were tested in two field experiments in the UK. Averaging across years, pre-anthesis flag-leaf photosynthesis rate ranged amongst genotypes from 26.0 to 31.5 μmol/m2/s (P < 0.001) and post-anthesis from 14.2 to 18.6 μmol/m2/s (P < 0.001). Two landrace-derived lines had greater post-anthesis flag-leaf photosynthesis rate (P < 0.001) than their elite parent Paragon. There was a trend for a positive correlation among genotypes between post-anthesis flag-leaf photosynthesis rate and biomass (r = 0.47, P = 0.06). Two landrace derivatives showed higher post-anthesis flag-leaf stomatal conductance than Paragon. Our results indicated that introgression of traits from wider germplasm into elite UK modern wheat germplasm offers scope to raise flag-leaf photosynthetic rate and biomass.
Ecosystem services provided by silvopastoral systems: a review
Authors: de Macêdo Carvalho Chrislanne B. , de Mello Alexandre C. L. , da Cunha Márcio V. , de Oliveira Apolinário Valéria X. , Dubeux Júnior José C. B. , da Silva Valdson J. , Silva Medeiros Aurielle , Izidro José L. P. S. , Bretas Igor L.
Published: October 2024

Silvopastoral systems (SPSs) constitute a modality of agroforestry systems in which trees or shrubs, pastures and animals mutually grow, interacting with the environment, and providing several ecosystem services. This review aims to comprehensively discuss the ecosystem services provided by SPSs in different countries, highlighting the diverse ways these systems can contribute to human well-being and environmental sustainability, also emphasizing the importance of management strategies, the differences among systems and the main shortcomings and challenges to optimizing ecosystem service delivery from SPSs. The review focused on global studies, mainly those published between 2010 and 2024, directly relevant to the topic. We used Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science databases for literature screening. SPSs have demonstrated worldwide potential to enhance human food and forage production, nutrient cycling, soil fertility, biological nitrogen fixation, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas mitigation, erosion control, microclimate regulation, pollination, control of pests and diseases, biodiversity, residue absorption, water quality, spiritual enrichment, recreation and aesthetic experiences. However, most ecosystem services provided by SPSs depend on climate conditions, soil type, choice of species, system design and management practices to ensure that such benefits are not provided at the cost of other important services. Interaction among components is a major challenge for system management and evaluations. Adopting SPSs has the potential to promote sustainable agriculture. Long-term studies are needed to elucidate the implications of multiple interactions within the system and their impact on ecosystem service delivery. Public policies, including evaluating ecosystem services, should be developed to promote the adoption of SPSs.
Living the first years in a pandemic: children’s linguistic development and related factors in and out of the COVID-19 lockdowns
Authors: Cadime Irene , Santos Ana Lúcia , Ribeiro Iolanda , Viana Fernanda Leopoldina , Martín-Aragoneses María Teresa
Published: October 2024

This retrospective study provides insights on linguistic development in exceptional circumstances assessing 378 children (between 2;6 and 3;6) who lived their first years during the COVID-19 pandemic and comparing it with normative data collected before this period (CDI-III-PT;Cadime et al., 2021). It investigates the extent to which linguistic development was modulated by a complex set of factors, including sex, maternal education, book reading, language-promoting practices, COVID-19 infection, parental stress and sleeping problems, considering three periods (during lockdowns, out of lockdowns and at present). The results show a substantial negative effect of the pandemic on both lexical and syntactic development. Considering individual variation, structural equation modelling unveiled a complex scenario in which age, sex, book reading, language-promoting practices, sleeping problems and COVID-19 infection showed a direct effect on linguistic development. Maternal education and parental stress had an indirect effect on children’s language, mediated by book reading and sleeping problems, respectively.
Prediction of depressive symptoms in young adults by polygenic score and childhood maltreatment: Results from a population-based birth cohort
Authors: Scardera Sara , Geoffroy Marie-Claude , Langevin Rachel , Perret Lea C. , Collin-Vézina Delphine , Voronin Ivan , Gouin Jean-Philippe , Meng Xiangfei , Boivin Michel , Ouellet-Morin Isabelle
Published: October 2024

Childhood maltreatment is linked with later depressive symptoms, but not every maltreated child will experience symptoms later in life. Therefore, we investigate whether genetic predisposition for depression (i.e., polygenic score for depression, PGSDEP) modifies the association between maltreatment and depressive symptoms, while accounting for different types of maltreatment and whether it was evaluated through prospective and retrospective reports. The sample included 541–617 participants from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development with information on maltreatment, including threat, deprivation, assessed prospectively (5 months–17 years) and retrospectively (reported at 23 years), PGSDEP and self-reported depressive symptoms (20–23 years). Using hierarchical linear regressions, we found that retrospective, but not prospective indicators of maltreatment (threat/deprivation/cumulative) were associated with later depressive symptoms, above and beyond the PGSDEP. Our findings also show the presence of gene–environment interactions, whereby the association between maltreatment (retrospective cumulative maltreatment/threat, prospective deprivation) and depression was strengthened among youth with higher PGSDEP scores. Consistent with the Diathesis-Stress hypothesis, our findings suggest that a genetic predisposition for depression may exacerbate the putative impact of maltreatment on later depressive symptoms, especially when maltreatment is retrospective. Understanding the gene–environment interplay emerging in the context of maltreatment has the potential to guide prevention efforts.
SPANNING TREES IN
$\mathbb {Z}$
-COVERS OF A FINITE GRAPH AND MAHLER MEASURES
Authors: PENGO RICCARDO , VALLIÈRES DANIEL
Published: October 2024

Using the special value at
$u=1$
of Artin–Ihara L-functions, we associate to every
$\mathbb {Z}$
-cover of a finite connected graph a polynomial, which we call the Ihara polynomial. We show that the number of spanning trees for the finite intermediate graphs of such a cover can be expressed in terms of the Pierce–Lehmer sequence associated to a factor of the Ihara polynomial. This allows us to express the asymptotic growth of the number of spanning trees in terms of the Mahler measure of this polynomial. Specialising to the situation where the base graph is a bouquet or the dumbbell graph gives us back previous results in the literature for circulant and I-graphs (including the generalised Petersen graphs). We also express the p-adic valuation of the number of spanning trees of the finite intermediate graphs in terms of the p-adic Mahler measure of the Ihara polynomial. When applied to a particular
$\mathbb {Z}$
-cover, our result gives us back Lengyel’s calculation of the p-adic valuations of Fibonacci numbers.
Optimising Dynamic Traffic Distribution for Urban Networks with Answer Set Programming
Authors: CARDELLINI MATTEO , DODARO CARMINE , MARATEA MARCO , VALLATI MAURO
Published: October 2024

Answer set programming (ASP) has demonstrated its potential as an effective tool for concisely representing and reasoning about real-world problems. In this paper, we present an application in which ASP has been successfully used in the context of dynamic traffic distribution for urban networks, within a more general framework devised for solving such a real-world problem. In particular, ASP has been employed for the computation of the “optimal” routes for all the vehicles in the network. We also provide an empirical analysis of the performance of the whole framework, and of its part in which ASP is employed, on two European urban areas, which shows the viability of the framework and the contribution ASP can give.
Atomic and Molecular Gas Outflows in FIR Bright QSOs at High-z
Authors: Butler Kirsty M.
Published: October 2024

Feedback and outflows associated with a quasar phase are expected to be critical in quenching the most massive galaxies at high-z. Observations targeting the cool molecular and atomic phases, which dominate the mass and momentum budget of massive galaxy outflows and remove the direct fuel for star formation are, however, severely limited in high-z QSO hosts. We discuss two recent ALMA programs: one targeting molecular outflows in 3 z ∼ 6 QSO hosts using the OH 119 μm absorption line and another targeting the diffuse, predominantly atomic gas in the halos surrounding 5 QSO host between z ∼ 2 – 4 using the OH+(11 – 10) absorption line. Outflows are successfully detected in both samples and compared with outflows driven by high-z star-forming galaxies observed in the same lines. Both studies indicate that observing QSOs during the blow-out phase is crucial for studying the impact of the active nucleus on the ejection of gas from the host galaxy.
Radio WISSH: tuning on the most luminous quasars in the Universe
Authors: Bruni Gabriele , Moldón Javier , Piconcelli Enrico , Panessa Francesca , Pérez-Torres Miguel , Bischetti Manuela , Feruglio Chiara , Vietri Giustina , Vignali Cristian , Zappacosta Luca , Saccheo Ivano
Published: October 2024

In the past years, the results obtained by the WISSH quasar project provided a novel general picture on the distinctive multi-band properties of hyper-luminous (Lbol > 1047 erg/s) quasars at high redshift (z ∼ 2-4), unveiling interesting relations among active galactic nuclei, winds and interstellar medium, in these powerful sources at cosmic noon. Since 2022, we are performing a systematic and statistically-significant VLA study of the radio properties of WISSH. We carried out high-resolution VLA observations aiming at: 1) identifying young radio source from the broad-band spectral shape of these objects; 2) sample an unexplored high redshift/high luminosity regime, tracking possible evolutionary effects on the radio-loud/radio-quiet dichotomy; 3) quantifying orientation effects on the observed winds/outflows properties.
Challenges in using data on fathers/partners to study prenatal exposures and offspring health
Authors: Easey Kayleigh E. , Gkatzionis Apostolos , Millard Louise A.C. , Tilling Kate , Lawlor Deborah A. , Sharp Gemma C.
Published: October 2024

Paternal exposures (and other non-maternal factors) around pregnancy could have important effects on offspring health. One challenge is that data on partners are usually from a subgroup of mothers with data, potentially introducing selection bias, limiting generalisability of findings. We aimed to investigate the potential for selection bias in studies using partner data.

We characterise availability of data on father/partner and mother health behaviours (smoking, alcohol, caffeine and physical activity) around pregnancy from three UK cohort studies: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), Born in Bradford and the Millennium Cohort Study. We assess the extent of sample selection by comparing characteristics of families where fathers/partners do and do not participate. Using the association of parental smoking during pregnancy and child birthweight as an example, we perform simulations to investigate the extent to which missing father/partner data may induce bias in analyses conducted only in families with participating fathers/partners.

In all cohorts, father/partner data were less detailed and collected at fewer timepoints than mothers. Partners with a lower socio-economic position were less likely to participate. In simulations based on ALSPAC data, there was little evidence of selection bias in associations of maternal smoking with birthweight, and bias for father/partner smoking was relatively small. Missing partner data can induce selection bias. In our example analyses of the effect of parental smoking on offspring birthweight, the bias had a relatively small impact. In practice, the impact of selection bias will depend on both the analysis model and the selection mechanism.
How R4D projects interact with the SDGs: an analysis of the links between sustainable land use projects across the Global South and the SDG targets
Authors: Ehrensperger Albrecht , Adoyo Beatrice , Bekele Ketema , Dray Anne , Feurer Mélanie , Ingalls Micah , Kiteme Boniface , Lavrenciuc Svitlana , Mboringong Fideline , Mbwambo John Richard , Fakhrizal Nashr , Ngo Dung Tri , Pham-Truffert Myriam , Tchindjang Mesmin , Rakoto Rasimbola Harifidy , Ramamonjisoa Bruno , Roldan Ortiz Ana Maria , Tun Nwenwe , Vongvisouk Thoumthone , Zaehringer Julie G.
Published: October 2024

Non-technical summary

Research for development (R4D) projects are designed to enhance the research community's contribution to implementation of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations. We studied seven R4D projects that specifically addressed Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 (life on land) in 14 contexts across Asia, Africa, and South America. We then analyzed how these projects interacted with other SDGs. Our findings reveal that the positive and negative interactions between project objectives and SDG targets vary significantly across contexts, highlighting the importance of considering local conditions when designing and implementing R4D initiatives.

Technical summary

We analyze how the objectives of research for development (R4D) projects that focus on a particular Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) – SDG 15 (life on land) – interact with the targets of other SDGs. We studied seven R4D projects in 14 contexts across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, comparing expert judgement of interactions between project objectives and SDG targets. Our findings indicate that the success of these projects depends largely on whether they are also working toward SDG targets other than those contained in SDG 15. In particular, working toward targets contained within SDGs on poverty, hunger, water, energy, production and consumption, and global partnerships – was often considered indivisible from the project objectives. Further, while all of the projects focused on SDG 15, our findings suggest that addressing only this goal is not sufficient. A range of other targets that were a priori not the immediate focus of the projects were revealed as ‘crucial’ to the project objectives across contexts. Finally, we list several implications, such as the need for policies to integrate local realities and the need for environmental R4D projects to adopt a holistic scope, particularly in terms of (a) securing social foundations, (b) building enabling institutions, and (c) negotiating competing claims on land.

Social media summary

What can we learn from land-related research for development projects and their links to the SDGs in concrete contexts?
Effect of postharvest sugarcane straw amount and herbicides on Digitaria spp. control and green cane yield
Authors: de Castro Rosilaine Araldi , de Castro Sérgio Gustavo Quassi , Santos Menandro Lauren Maine , Kuva Marcos Antônio , Nunes Carvalho João Luis
Published: October 2024

New agronomic practices are emerging in the green cane system to utilize sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) straw for energy cogeneration, which necessitates its removal from the soil surface. This study has three main objectives: (1) evaluate the population dynamics and composition of Jamaican crabgrass (Digitaria horizontalis Willd.) and large crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.] under different sugarcane straw amounts, with and without herbicide treatment; (2) assess the development of sugarcane under different straw amounts; and (3) determine the amount of sugarcane straw that should be kept on the soil surface after harvest to ensure that it does not compromise the chemical control for Digitaria spp. in ratoon cane in a green cane system. We conducted this research at two experimental sites, one at the beginning and the other during the middle of the harvest season, over a span of 2 yr. Our primary treatments consisted of different amounts of sugarcane straw after harvest on the soil surface (0, 5, 10, and 15 Mg ha−1), while secondary treatments included the herbicide application (sulfentrazone + tebuthiuron for the beginning of harvest season and isoxaflutole + tebuthiuron for the middle of harvest season). The Digitaria spp. exhibited higher density (four times more) and dry matter (two times more) in scenarios with a lower sugarcane straw amount (5 Mg ha−1) on the soil surface and no herbicide application. However, a higher straw amount (15 Mg ha−1) contributed to reduced Digitaria spp. infestation and to improved sugarcane yield. According to this research, it is essential to maintain at least 10 Mg ha−1 of sugarcane straw on the soil surface and remove only 5 Mg ha−1 for energy cogeneration.
Confirmation of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) populations in New York and responses to alternative chemistries
Authors: Butler-Jones Aleah L. , Maloney Elizabeth C. , McClements Melissa , Kramer William B. , Morran Sarah , Gaines Todd A. , Besançon Thierry E. , Sosnoskie Lynn M.
Published: October 2024

Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson, AMAPA) is one of the most troublesome weeds in North America due to its rapid growth rate, substantial seed production, competitiveness and the evolution of herbicide-resistant populations. Though frequently encountered in the South, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, A. palmeri was recently identified in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] fields in Genesee, Orange, and Steuben counties, NY, where glyphosate was the primary herbicide for in-crop weed control. This research, conducted in 2023, aimed to (1) describe the dose response of three putative resistant NY A. palmeri populations to glyphosate, (2) determine their mechanisms of resistance, and (3) assess their sensitivity to other postemergence herbicides commonly used in NY crop production systems. Based on the effective dose necessary to reduce aboveground biomass by 50% (ED50), the NY populations were 42 to 67 times more resistant to glyphosate compared with a glyphosate-susceptible population. Additionally, the NY populations had elevated EPSPS gene copy numbers ranging from 25 to 135 located within extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA). Label rate applications of Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) Group 2 herbicides killed up to 42% of the NY populations of A. palmeri. Some variability was observed among populations in response to WSSA Group 5 and 27 herbicides. All populations were effectively controlled by labeled rates of herbicides belonging to WSSA Groups 4, 10, 14, and 22. Additional research is warranted to confirm whether NY populations have evolved multiple resistance to herbicides within other WSSA groups and to develop effective A. palmeri management strategies suitable for NY crop production.
Integrating Values to Improve the Relevance of Climate‐Risk Research
Authors: Helgeson Casey , Keller Klaus , Nicholas Robert E. , Srikrishnan Vivek , Cooper Courtney , Smithwick Erica A. H. , Tuana Nancy
Published: October 2024

Climate risks are growing. Research is increasingly important to inform the design of risk‐management strategies. Assessing such strategies necessarily brings values into research. But the values assumed within research (often only implicitly) may not align with those of stakeholders and decision makers. These misalignments are often invisible to researchers and can severely limit research relevance or lead to inappropriate policy advice. Aligning strategy assessments with stakeholders' values requires a holistic approach to research design that is oriented around those values from the start. Integrating values into research in this way requires collaboration with stakeholders, integration across disciplines, and attention to all aspects of research design. Here we describe and demonstrate a qualitative conceptual tool called a values‐informed mental model (ViMM) to support such values‐centered research design. ViMMs map stakeholders' values onto a conceptual model of a study system to visualize the intersection of those values with coupled natural‐human system dynamics. Through this mapping, ViMMs integrate inputs from diverse collaborators to support the design of research that assesses risk‐management strategies in light of stakeholders' values. We define a visual language for ViMMs, describe accompanying practices and workflows, and present an illustrative application to the case of flood‐risk management in a small community along the Susquehanna river in the Northeast United States.
Haasttse‐baad Tessera Ring Complex: A Valhalla‐Type Impact Structure on Venus?
Authors: López I. , Bjonnes E. , Hansen V. L.
Published: October 2024

Venus preserves ∼1,000 impact craters, yet to date no impact basins larger than 300 km in diameter—common in the oldest terrains on Mercury, Mars and the Moon—are recognized on Venus. The tessera terrain is Venus' oldest recognized terrain. We describe a ∼1,500 km‐diameter concentric ring‐graben complex preserved on Haasttse‐baad Tessera, Venus that we identify as the Haasttse‐baad Tessera Ring Complex (HTRC). Based on geologic relations and numerical modeling, we propose that the HTRC may represent a Valhalla‐type multiring impact basin formed late during the evolution of its host ribbon‐tessera terrain (rtt). Formation of Valhalla‐type impact basins could involve a unique three‐layer target rheology with a thin elastic layer above a low viscosity layer above a deep strong layer. This multi‐layer rheological sandwich is consistent with crustal rheology previously proposed for the formation of Venus' rtt. If the HTRC is a Valhalla‐type impact basin, it would be Venus' oldest, and currently largest, impact structure, providing a rare window into Venus' ancient past and with implications for early crustal processes on Venus.
Changes in Global Heatwave Risk and Its Drivers Over One Century
Authors: Wang Chuan , Li Zhi , Chen Yaning , Li Yupeng , Ouyang Lin , Zhu Jianyu , Sun Fan , Song Shiran , Li Hongwei
Published: October 2024

Heatwaves represent a significant and growing threat to natural ecosystems and socio‐economic structures, making heatwave risk mitigation and prevention an important area of research. In exploring heatwave frequency and intensity from 1901 to 2020, the present study finds a sharp increase in both. The study also finds that the spatial distribution of heatwaves is unequal, the volatility of intensity characteristics has become more prominent over time, and the Gini coefficients of four key heatwave indictors have become larger due to increasing dryness. Although heatwaves occur more frequently in drylands, there is greater cumulative heat in humid areas, resulting in a higher heatwave risk in those areas. The global heatwave risk over the past three decades (1991–2020) has increased nearly five‐fold compared to the early 20th century (1901–1930). Furthermore, GeoDetector analysis indicates that the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) and downward surface shortwave radiation (Srad) contributing the most in drylands and humid areas (0.29 and 0.41, respectively). The contribution of relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS), soil moisture (SM), and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is also significant in humid areas, but is much smaller in drylands. Composite analysis shows that the years with anomalously high heatwave risk correspond to positive anomalies of 500hPa geopotential height and surface pressure. The inhibition of cloud formation due to sinking air and the resulting increase in temperature in the atmosphere may be increasing the risk of heatwave occurrence. This study emphasizes the urgent need to address worsening climate change impacts.
Geodynamics of Super‐Earth GJ 486b
Authors: Meier Tobias G. , Bower Dan J. , Lichtenberg Tim , Hammond Mark , Tackley Paul J. , Pierrehumbert Raymond T. , Caballero José A. , Tsai Shang‐Min , Weiner Mansfield Megan , Tosi Nicola , Baumeister Philipp
Published: October 2024

Many super‐Earths are on very short orbits around their host star and, therefore, more likely to be tidally locked. Because this locking can lead to a strong contrast between the dayside and nightside surface temperatures, these super‐Earths could exhibit mantle convection patterns and tectonics that could differ significantly from those observed in the present‐day solar system. The presence of an atmosphere, however, would allow transport of heat from the dayside toward the nightside and thereby reduce the surface temperature contrast between the two hemispheres. On rocky planets, atmospheric and geodynamic regimes are closely linked, which directly connects the question of atmospheric thickness to the potential interior dynamics of the planet. Here, we study the interior dynamics of super‐Earth GJ 486b ( , ,  K), which is one of the most suitable M‐dwarf super‐Earth candidates for retaining an atmosphere produced by degassing from the mantle and magma ocean. We investigate how the geodynamic regime of GJ 486b is influenced by different surface temperature contrasts by varying possible atmospheric circulation regimes. We also investigate how the strength of the lithosphere affects the convection pattern. We find that hemispheric tectonics, the surface expression of degree‐1 convection with downwellings forming on one hemisphere and upwelling material rising on the opposite hemisphere, is a consequence of the strong lithosphere rather than surface temperature contrast. Anchored hemispheric tectonics, where downwellings und upwellings have a preferred (day/night) hemisphere, is favored for strong temperature contrasts between the dayside and nightside and higher surface temperatures.
A Drosophila-inspired intelligent olfactory biomimetic sensing system for gas recognition in complex environments
Authors: Yue Xiawei , Wang Jiachuang , Yang Heng , Li Zening , Zhao Fangyu , Liu Wenyuan , Zhang Pingping , Chen Hong , Jiang Hanjun , Qin Nan , Tao Tiger H.
Published: October 2024

The olfactory sensory system of Drosophila has several advantages, including low power consumption, high rapidity and high accuracy. Here, we present a biomimetic intelligent olfactory sensing system based on the integration of an 18-channel microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor array (16 gas sensors, 1 humidity sensor and 1 temperature sensor), a complementary metal‒oxide‒semiconductor (CMOS) circuit and an olfactory lightweight machine-learning algorithm inspired by Drosophila. This system is an artificial version of the biological olfactory perception system with the capabilities of environmental sensing, multi-signal processing, and odor recognition. The olfactory data are processed and reconstructed by the combination of a shallow neural network and a residual neural network, with the aim to determine the noxious gas information in challenging environments such as high humidity scenarios and partially damaged sensor units. As a result, our electronic olfactory sensing system is capable of achieving comprehensive gas recognition by qualitatively identifying 7 types of gases with an accuracy of 98.5%, reducing the number of parameters and the difficulty of calculation, and quantitatively predicting each gas of 3–5 concentration gradients with an accuracy of 93.2%; thus, these results show superiority of our system in supporting alarm systems in emergency rescue scenarios.