bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of surface heterogeneity on the diurnal cycle of deep convection
Authors: Harvey Natalie J. , Daleu Chimene L. , Stratton Rachel A. , Plant Robert S. , Woolnough Steven J. , Stirling Alison J.
Published: September 2022

Despite some recent improvements, major deficiencies remain in model simulations using parameterised convection in capturing both the phase and amplitude of the daily cycle of precipitation in tropical regions. The difficulties are particularly acute in regions of heterogeneous surface conditions, since the simulations need not only to respond appropriately to the local forcing from surface fluxes but also to capture the interactions with near‐surface mesoscale circulations. Here, we examine such a situation by means of idealised cloud‐resolving simulations of deep convection over a heterogeneous surface, performed using the cloud‐resolving simulation known as the Met Office NERC Cloud model (MONC). In these simulations, we show that precipitation forms preferentially over dry and warm patches (“DRY”) compared with wet and cold patches (“WET”), with the peak precipitation rates differing by a factor of approximately 4. The initiation of precipitation occurs approximately 1.5 hr earlier in the DRY patches compared with the WET patches. Moreover, within the WET and DRY patches there are marked differences in the spatial distribution of the precipitation. These cloud‐resolving simulations are then used as a benchmark to assess the behaviour of simulations using parameterised convection, performed using the idealised configuration of the Met Office Unified Model (MetUM). The MetUM simulations produce a response with some qualitative similarities to the cloud‐resolving simulations. In particular, although the simulations with parameterised convection initiate precipitation too early, they are capable of capturing the relative amounts of daily‐mean precipitation in the DRY and WET patches. We propose that the cloud‐resolving simulations could be used further to investigate the impact of fully interactive surface schemes and as benchmark simulations to evaluate new parameterisation schemes.
Do green innovation and financial globalization contribute to the ecological sustainability and energy transition in the United Kingdom? Policy insights from a bootstrap rolling window approach
Authors: Ramzan Muhammad , Razi Ummara , Quddoos Muhammad Umer , Adebayo Tomiwa Sunday
Published: September 2022

Environmental sustainability and energy transition, especially the renewable energy transition, have become critical concerns of nations throughout the world in recent decades. The sustainable and eco‐friendly technologies have led to more sustainable methodologies, substantial stewardship of our natural resources, and the conversion to renewable energy sources, all of which have been demonstrated to benefit the environment significantly. However, prior studies have overlooked the ecological sustainability and energy transition effects of green technology innovation. Therefore, this study endeavored to investigate the role of green innovation (lnGRN) and financial globalization (lnFIG) on the sustainability of the environment (lnEFT) and energy transition (lnENT) in the United Kingdom using quarterly data for the period from 1995 to 2020. The study applied the time‐varying (bootstrapping) rolling window technique, which can retrieve casual associations among variables at different periods of sub‐samples. Besides this, the method is advantageous for addressing the non‐consistency of parameters and eliminating the pre‐test distortion. The novel Bootstrap Rolling‐Window full‐sample causality technique results demonstrate that lnGRN and lnFIG have unidirectional causality toward lnEFT and lnENT. Furthermore, the bootstrap rolling‐window subsamples in the final stage indicate that lnGRN and lnFIG mitigate lnEFT, whereas lnGRN and lnGDP enhance energy transition. On the other hand, lnGDP and lnETX contribute to environmental deterioration, while lnFIG hinders the energy transition. Several important policy implications are derived from the results to encourage financial globalization, green innovation technologies, renewable energy resources consumption, and environmental taxes.
Financing water investment for global sustainable development: Challenges, innovation, and governance strategies
Authors: Jiang Yong
Published: September 2022

Water is central to sustainable development as established in the official report of the High Level Panel on Water of the United Nations and World Bank. Such strategic importance of water justifies global demand for investment from all sources in the water sector to not only provide much needed infrastructure but also enhance the capacity of management and governance necessary to cope with complex water problems and risks, particularly under changing conditions characterized by climate change, urbanization, and environmental degradation. Yet, how to finance the investment need to build a strong water sector for sustainability is a practical question that has been gaining wide attention globally. This paper synthesizes current knowledge and understanding of water investment finance. It examines and characterizes water finance and challenges, encompassing economics and practice of financing water investment needs, the commonly considered finance model, and barriers for water finance in relation to the unique features of water investment needs and the water sector. It introduces some promising practices adopted or advocated to address the financing challenges, and highlights key governance and institutional strategies to help bridge the funding gap in the water sector. Based on the synthesis, the paper offers some discussion on the water finance issue in the end. This paper hopes to connect academia and development practice to stimulate communication while informing policy and management reform to better promote financing water investment for sustainability.
Iodine‐Catalysed Synthesis of β‐Carboline Tethered α‐Amino Amidines Through Ugi‐Type Multicomponent Reaction
Authors: Singh Manpreet , Vaishali  , Jamra Rahul , Deepika  , Kumar Sunit , Singh Virender
Published: September 2022

A simple and efficient iodine catalysed protocol has been unfolded for the synthesis of novel β‐carboline C1‐linked α‐amino amidines via one‐pot assembly of 1‐formyl β‐carbolines (Kumujian C analogues), anilines and isocyanides. This domino strategy proceeds through the formation of three C−N bonds in a single operation. The advantageous features of the developed methodology include one‐pot synthesis, operational simplicity, high atom economy, broad substrate scope, multicomponent character, easy purification procedure (no column chromatography) and applicability towards gram scale synthesis. The scope of strategy has been demonstrated with the construction of a library of 32 novel β‐carboline tethered α‐amino amidines having three points of diversity.
Quantitative Evaluation of the Hydrogen‐Donating Abilities ofAmines and Amides in Acetonitrile
Authors: Fu Yan‐Hua , Wang Zhen , Zhang Yanwei , Shen Guang‐Bin , Zhu Xiao‐Qing
Published: September 2022

In this article, the thermo‐kinetic parameter ΔG≠°(XH) was used to evaluate the H‐donating ability of amine and amide. The second‐order rate constants of 41 HAT reactions from amines and amides to CumO⋅ in acetonitrile at 298 K were researched. The thermo‐kinetic parameters of 28 amines and 13 amides XH were obtained by the kinetic equation as ΔG≠°(CumO⋅)=−41.63 kcal/mol was available in previous work. The scales of the H‐donating abilities of these 28 amines and 13 amides were determined by using the thermo‐kinetic parameters ΔG≠°(XH). The H‐donating abilities of amines are stronger than amides, except for two amines without α‐C−H. The influencing factors of hydrogen donation abilities and the explanation for the HAT reaction sites for amides and amines are discussed from the direction of thermodynamics and kinetics in detail.. The hydrogen donation ability is determined by the combination of thermodynamic bond dissociation free energy ΔGo(XH) and kinetic intrinsic resistance energy ΔG≠XH/X, that is the thermo‐kinetic parameter ΔG≠°(XH). The H‐donating abilities of these amines and amides were compared with four bioactive antioxidants, NADH coenzyme analogue BNAH, F420H and Vitamin C and E. The results showed that these amines and amides are all weak H‐donors.
Ancillary Services via Flexible Photovoltaic/Wind Systems and “Implicit” Storage to Balance Demand and Supply
Authors: Pierro Marco , Barba Mario , Perez Richard , Perez Marc , Moser David , Cornaro Cristina
Published: September 2022

Achieving the European Union renewable energy source penetration 2030 targets requires an increase in flexible resources to compensate for the variability/intermittency of solar and wind generation to ensure system safety and balancing. Herein, two readily deployable flexibility solutions to balance demand/supply as an alternative to building additional thermoelectric reserves are proposed. How the transmission system OPERATOR can use the ancillary services provided by a flexible photovoltaic (PV) fleet (solar regulation) or PV/wind fleet (variable renewable energy (VRE) regulation) together with a suitable underforecast and proactive curtailment of variable renewable generation (aka, implicit storage) to reduce current and future Italian imbalances is shown. How these flexibility solutions can become even more effective when combined with a strengthening of the transmission grid is shown. The imbalance reduction achievable by 2030 through solar/VRE regulation strategies would be of the order of 20–50% with zonal balancing and 27–80% with nationwide balancing is found. Imbalance costs would remain comparable with the business‐as‐usual (thermal generation) costs. A proactive curtailment of 5–17% of the total VRE generation is the environmental cost of stabilizing the system using VRE plants, avoiding the construction of thermoelectric reserves.
Prognosis of compressive strength of fly‐ash‐based geopolymer‐modified sustainable concrete with ML algorithms
Authors: Kumar Aman , Arora Harish Chandra , Kapoor Nishant Raj , Kumar Krishna
Published: September 2022

Sustainable concrete is the demand of the present era to reduce carbon emissions. Fly‐ash‐based geopolymer (FLAG) concrete has been used in the construction industry for more than one and a half decades. The compressive strength (CS) of concrete plays a crucial role in the mechanical properties of concrete. Laboratory experiments take a huge amount of time and cost to estimate the CS of concrete. Although analytical methods exist to estimate the CS of concrete, but these models cannot forecast the CS of concrete with better precision due to the complexity of the design mixes. The machine learning (ML)‐based models have been helpful in estimating the CS of concrete with high accuracy and reliability. In this article, four ML algorithms (support vector machine [SVM], linear regression [LR], ensemble learning [EL], and Gaussian process regression [GPR]) and three optimized ML algorithms (EL, SVM, and GPR) have been used to estimate the CS of FLAG concrete. The R‐value of LR, EL, SVMR, GPR, optimized EL, optimized SVMR and optimized GPR models are 0.8916, 0.9172, 0.9313, 0.9529, 0.9459, 0.9348 and 0.9590, respectively. The accuracy of the optimized GPR model with an R‐value of 0.9590 and RMSE value of 1.7132 MPa outperformed all other ML models. The performances of all the developed models have been illustrated through Taylor diagram and error plot. The feature importance of the input parameters has been explained with the explainable ML technique. The developed, optimized GPR model can be reliable tool to estimate the CS with greater accuracy and also reducing time and cost.
Predicting student science achievement using post‐unit assessment performances in a coherent high school chemistry project‐based learning system
Authors: He Peng , Chen I‐Chien , Touitou Israel , Bartz Kayla , Schneider Barbara , Krajcik Joseph
Published: September 2022

Student science proficiency development demands sustainable and coherent learning environment support. Scholars argue that project‐based learning (PBL) is an efficient approach to promoting student science learning, compared to conventional instructions. Yet, few studies have delved into the learning process to explore how a coherent PBL system consisting of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional learning promotes student learning. To address the gap, this study investigated whether students' science proficiency on the three post‐unit assessments predicted their achievement on a third‐party‐designed end‐of‐year summative science test in a coherent high school chemistry PBL system aligned with the recent US science standards. The study employed a cluster randomized experimental design to test an intervention using our PBL system and only used data from the treatment group. The sample consisted of 1344 treatment students who participated in our PBL intervention and underwent the pretest and end‐of‐year summative test. Students' responses to the three post‐unit assessments were selected and rated to indicate their science proficiency. Two‐level hierarchical linear models were employed to explore the effects of students' performances of three post‐unit assessments on their end‐of‐year summative achievement, considering and controlling for student prior knowledge (i.e., pretest and prior post‐unit assessments). This study suggests two main findings. First, students' science proficiency in the three units could cumulatively and individually predict their summative science achievement. Second, students' performances on the two types of tasks (i.e., developing and using models) in the three post‐unit assessments could also be used to predict their summative science achievement. This research contributes to the field by showing that a coherent standards‐aligned PBL system can significantly and sustainably impact student science proficiency development.
Ulcerative colitis: Impact of early disease clearance on long‐term outcomes ‐ A multicenter cohort study
Authors: D’Amico Ferdinando , Fiorino Gionata , Solitano Virginia , Massarini Eugenia , Guillo Lucas , Allocca Mariangela , Furfaro Federica , Zilli Alessandra , Bonovas Stefanos , Magro Fernando , Peyrin‐Biroulet Laurent , Danese Silvio
Published: September 2022

Background

Clinical remission and endoscopic mucosal healing are the main treatment targets in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Recently, the concept of disease clearance has been proposed as a potential target in UC.

Objective

We aimed to evaluate the impact of disease clearance on long‐term outcomes in UC patients.

Methods

A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Humanitas Research Hospital‐IRCCS (Italy) and at the Nancy University Hospital (France) between 2014 and 2021. Disease clearance in UC was defined as simultaneous clinical (partial‐Mayo score ≤2), endoscopic (endoscopic‐Mayo score = 0), and histological (Nancy index = 0) remission, and patients were monitored over a long‐time follow‐up (≥12 months), to compare the occurrence of negative outcomes.

Results

A total of 494 patients with UC was included in the study (269, 54.4% males). Disease clearance was present in 109 patients (22.1%) at baseline. Median follow up was 24 months. Patients with disease clearance were associated to a significantly lower risk of UC‐related hospitalization compared with the control group (5.5% vs. 23.1%; p < 0.001) at last observation. Similarly, a lower rate of surgeries was detected in patients with disease clearance at baseline compared with those without (1.8% vs. 10.9%; p = 0.003). The Kaplan Meier curves confirmed that patients with disease clearance at baseline had a lower risk of hospitalization (log‐rank p < 0.0001) and surgery (log‐rank p < 0.00095).

Conclusion

In UC patients with early disease clearance are at significant lower risk for hospitalization and surgery. Disease clearance should be considered as a new composite outcome.
Entomological survey of the potential vectors of Rift Valley fever virus and absence of detection of the virus genome from the vectors in various niches in the southern half of the Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia
Authors: Jaleta Megarsa Bedasa , Tefera Mehari , Negussie Haileleul , Mulatu Tesfaye , Berhe Tsega , Belete Fasika , Yalew Bekele , Gizaw Oda , Dabasa Golo , Abunna Fufa , Regassa Fikru , Amenu Kebede , Leta Samson
Published: September 2022

Background

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is the cause of one of the most important mosquito‐borne emerging diseases negatively affecting the health of humans and animals, particularly in Africa. In Ethiopia, the status of RVFV and the existence of potential vectors are unknown.

Objectives

This study aimed to survey the mosquito vectors of RVFV and the detection of the virus in selected sites (Batu, Hawassa, Arba Minch and Borana) in Ethiopia.

Methods

CDC light traps baited with the sugar‐yeast solution were set up at various locations for a total of 29 trap nights. Mosquitoes identification were made morphologically using a stereomicroscope and for RVFV detection by reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR).

Results

Among a total of 132 trap efforts conducted, 60 (45%) captured the mosquitoes. A total of 1576 adult mosquitoes were collected and identified. Including Aedes (n = 407; 25.8%), Anopheles (n = 493; 32.3%), Culex (n = 466; 29.6%) and Mansonia (n = 210; 13.32%). The genome material of RVFV was not detected by RT‐PCR.

Conclusions

The existence of a potential Aedes species may pose a risk for the occurrence of the RVF outbreak in Ethiopia. Based on the current study, we recommend further monitoring for potential mosquito vectors of RVFV, particularly with a view to targeting the seasons during which the mosquitoes can be abundant along with a serological survey of susceptible hosts.
Consumer Ratings and Their Role in Improving Vehicle Safety
Authors: van Ratingen Michiel R.
Published: September 2022

Safety ratings for cars, published by New Car Assessment Programmes (NCAPs) around the world, have mobilized consumers and enabled them to make a more intelligent, better-informed buying decision based on a car’s crash test performance. Consumer ratings involve comprehensive, objective, and realistic crash testing of cars, and the application of best-practice, consumer-oriented criteria and thresholds to promote safety enhancements beyond the legal requirements. Over time, the New Car Assessment Programmes have tailored their crash tests to focus on real-world priorities in the protection of car occupants and vulnerable road users. They have also successfully incorporated the assessment of new crash avoidance technologies, such as autonomous braking systems, in the ratings. All of this has made NCAP a driving force behind many improvements in the safety of vehicles throughout the world and a key instrument in reaching vision zero.
Analysis of the Future Change in Frequency of Tropical Cyclone-Related Impacts Due to Compound Extreme Events
Authors: Harr Patrick A. , Jordi Antoni , Madaus Luke
Published: September 2022

Tropical cyclone-related hazards are often comprised of compound, connected events that individually amplify the total impacts. Often, hazard risk assessments focus on one factor rather than the compound nature of multiple forcing mechanisms. It is possible that extreme event analysis in a univariate context may underestimate the probabilities and impacts of extreme events. In this study, a framework addresses multivariate analysis of risk due to compound hazards related to tropical cyclone characteristics. Combinations of observations and simulations are used to identify possible frequencies of annual chance extreme events forced via connected individual events. The framework emphasizes the statistical dependence of multiple physical variables that contribute to extreme compound events when individual events are not extreme.

To make the analysis clear, specific locations are analyzed using both univariate and a joint analysis. The joint analysis is conducted using copula functions to remove the restriction that marginal distributions need come from the same family of probability functions. The primary results suggest that univariate and joint return periods for key tropical cyclone-related hazards could shorten in the future and univariate frequency analysis may underestimate the magnitude of the extreme events because the univariate analyses do not account for the dependence structure between the paired environmental factors.
Development of a Simple, Open-Source Hurricane Wind Risk Model for Bermuda with a Sensitivity Test on Decadal Variability
Authors: Loizou Pinelopi , Guishard Mark , Mayall Kevin , Vidale Pier Luigi , Hodges Kevin I. , Dierer Silke
Published: September 2022

A hurricane-catastrophe model was developed for assessing risk associated with hurricane winds for Bermuda by combining observational knowledge with property value and exposure information. The sensitivity of hurricane wind risk to decadal variability of events was tested. The historical record of hurricanes passing within 185 km of Bermuda was created using IBTrACS. A representative exposure dataset of property values was developed by obtaining recent governmental Annual Rental Value data, while Miller et al. (Weather Forecast 28:159–174, 2013) provided a vulnerability relationship between increasing winds and damage. With a probabilistic approach, new events for 10,000 years were simulated for three different scenarios using (1) the complete record of annual TC counts; (2) two high-frequency periods and; (3) two low-frequency periods. Exceedance probability curves were constructed from event loss tables, focusing on aggregating annual losses from damaging events. Expected losses of low-frequency scenarios were less than losses of high-frequency scenarios or when the whole historical record was used. This framework suffers from uncertainties due to different assumptions and biases within IBTrACS. Small data sizes limit our ability to conduct a formal model validation and results should be interpreted in this context. In the future, sensitivity tests on the different components of the model will be performed.
The new progress in cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Shimu Ajmeri Sultana , Wei Hua-xing , Li Qiangsheng , Zheng Xucai , Li Bofeng
Published: September 2022

The cross talk between immune and non-immune cells in the tumor microenvironment leads to immunosuppression, which promotes tumor growth and survival. Immunotherapy is an advanced treatment that boosts humoral and cellular immunity rather than using chemotherapy or radiation-based strategy associated with non-specific targets and toxic effects on normal cells. Immune checkpoint inhibitors and T cell-based immunotherapy have already exhibited significant effects against solid tumors and leukemia. Tumor cells that escape immune surveillance create a major obstacle to acquiring an effective immune response in cancer patients. Tremendous progress had been made in recent years on a wide range of innate and adaptive immune checkpoints which play a significant role to prevent tumorigenesis, and might therefore be potential targets to suppress tumor cells growth. This review aimed to summarize the underlying molecular mechanisms of existing immunotherapy approaches including T cell and NK-derived immune checkpoint therapy, as well as other intrinsic and phagocytosis checkpoints. Together, these insights will pave the way for new innate and adaptive immunomodulatory targets for the development of highly effective new therapy in the future.
Comparison of single tree detection methods to extract support trees for cable road planning
Authors: Ramstein Laura , Bont Leo G. , Ginzler Christian , Schweier Janine
Published: September 2022

For the provision of various ecosystem services in steep terrain, such as protection against natural hazards, a forest must be managed, which often requires the use of cable yarders. The design of a cable road is a complex and demanding task that also includes the search for appropriate support and anchor trees. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether and with what reliability potential support trees for cable yarding can be detected using remote sensing data. The detection of potential support trees was tested using 48 method combinations on 10 test plots of the Experimental Forest Management project in cable yarder terrain in the Swiss Alps in the Canton of Grisons. The most suitable method combinations used a Gaussian filter and a local maxima algorithm. On average, they had an extraction rate of 108.9–124.5% (root mean square, RMS) and a mean commission error of 66.0–67.2% (RMS). The correctly detected trees deviated horizontally by an average of 1.8 to 1.9 m from the position of the reference trees. The difference in tree heights was 1.1 to 1.6 m. However, for the application of single tree detection to support cable road planning in steep and complex terrain, too few potential support trees were detected. Nonetheless, the accuracy of the extracted tree parameters would already be sufficient for cable road planning.
Bringing Excitement to Empirical Business Ethics Research: Thoughts on the Future of Business Ethics
Authors: Babalola Mayowa T. , Bal Matthijs , Cho Charles H. , Garcia-Lorenzo Lucia , Guedhami Omrane , Liang Hao , Shailer Greg , van Gils Suzanne
Published: September 2022

To commemorate 40 years since the founding of the Journal of Business Ethics, the editors-in-chief of the journal have invited the editors to provide commentaries on the future of business ethics. This essay comprises a selection of commentaries aimed at creating dialog around the theme Bringing Excitement to Empirical Business Ethics Research (inspired by the title of the commentary by Babalola and van Gils). These editors, considering the diversity of empirical approaches in business ethics, envisage a future in which quantitative business ethics research is more bold and innovative, as well as reflexive about its techniques, and dialog between quantitative and qualitative research nourishes the enrichment of both. In their commentary, Babalola and van Gils argue that leadership research has stagnated with the use of too narrow a range of perspectives and methods and too many overlapping concepts. They propose that novel insights could be achieved by investigating the lived experience of leadership (through interviews, document analysis, archival data); by focusing on topics of concern to society; by employing different personal, philosophical, or cultural perspectives; and by turning the lens on the heroic leader (through “dark-side” and follower studies). Taking a provocative stance, Bal and Garcia-Lorenzo argue that we need radical voices in current times to enable a better understanding of the psychology underlying ethical transformations. Psychology can support business ethics by not shying away from grander ideas, going beyond the margins of “unethical behaviors harming the organization” and expanding the range of lenses used to studying behavior in context. In the arena of finance and business ethics, Guedhami, Liang, and Shailer emphasize novel data sets and innovative methods. Significantly, they stress that an understanding the intersection of finance and ethics is central to business ethics; financial equality and inclusion are persistent socio-economic and political concerns that are not always framed as ethics issues, yet relevant business policies and practices manifest ethical values. Finally, Charles Cho offers his opinion on the blurry line between the “ethical” versus “social” or “critical” aspects of accounting papers. The Journal of Business Ethics provides fertile ground for innovative, even radical, approaches to quantitative methods (see Zyphur and Pierides in J Bus Ethics 143(1):1–16, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3549-8, 2017), as part of a broad goal of ethically reflecting on empirical research.
Prenatal exposure to trans fatty acids and head growth in fetal life and childhood: triangulating confounder-adjustment and instrumental variable approaches
Authors: Zou Runyu , Labrecque Jeremy A. , Swanson Sonja A. , Steegers Eric A. P. , White Tonya , El Marroun Hanan , Tiemeier Henning
Published: September 2022

Dietary trans fatty acids (TFAs) are primarily industrially produced and remain abundant in processed food, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Although TFAs are a cause of adverse cardiometabolic outcomes, little is known about exposure to TFAs in relation to brain development. We aimed to investigate the effect of maternal TFA concentration during pregnancy on offspring head growth in utero and during childhood. In a prospective population-based study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with 6900 mother–child dyads, maternal plasma TFA concentration was assessed using gas chromatography in mid-gestation. Offspring head circumference (HC) was measured in the second and third trimesters using ultrasonography; childhood brain morphology was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging at age 10 years. We performed regression analyses adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle confounders and instrumental variable (IV) analyses. Our IV analysis leveraged a national policy change that led to a substantial reduction in TFA and occurred mid-recruitment. After adjusting for covariates, maternal TFA concentration during pregnancy was inversely related to fetal HC in the third trimester (mean difference per 1% wt:wt increase: − 0.33, 95% CI − 0.51, − 0.15, cm) and to fetal HC growth from the second to the third trimester (− 0.04, 95% CI − 0.06, − 0.02, cm/week). Consistent findings were obtained with IV analyses, strengthening a causal interpretation. Association between prenatal TFA exposure and HC in the second trimester or global brain volume at age 10 years was inconclusive. Our findings are of important public health relevance as TFA levels in food remain high in many countries.
Achromatic Quarter-Waveplate for the Terahertz Frequency Range Made by 3D Printing
Authors: Jäckel Alexander , Ulm David , Kleine-Ostmann Thomas , Castro-Camus Enrique , Koch Martin , Ornik Jan
Published: September 2022

Here we propose a 3D printed form-birefringent achromatic quarter-waveplate targeting the lower terahertz frequency range. The monolithically fabricated waveplate consists of three individual layers of different thickness and orientation of the stratified structure resulting in the achromatic response. The experimental results show that the performance of the fabricated waveplate fits the optimal behaviour within 5 % in terms of ellipticity and phase shift for frequencies between 75 GHz and 110 GHz.
Focal dissection and rupture of left atherosclerotic subclavian artery: a rare cause of haemothorax
Authors: Tse Rexson , Thompson Melissa , Han Issac , Olumbe Alex
Published: September 2022

We report a rare case of a focally dissected and ruptured atherosclerotic left subclavian artery leading to haemothorax. A man in his 50 s who suffered from hypertension and gout was found dead in bed unexpectedly. Postmortem examination showed a focally dissected and ruptured atherosclerotic left subclavian artery with relatively disease-free aorta and major branches. Although theoretically possible, focal atherosclerosis of left subclavian artery compounded by hypertension causing focal dissection and rupture is not previously reported in literature.
Optimizing monitoring of an endemic terrestrial salamander (Speleomantes ambrosii): comparing cost-effectiveness of different methods for abundance estimation
Authors: Rosa Giacomo
Published: September 2022

In order to correctly plan conservation and management of animal populations, it is fundamental to obtain reliable information on population abundance using cost-effective monitoring methods. In the case of small terrestrial vertebrates, capture–mark–recapture, removal sampling and counts of unmarked individuals have proven to be reliable techniques to estimate population abundance. In the present study, we applied a multinomial N-mixture modelling approach, performed through a double-observer sampling protocol, to estimate population size of the endemic terrestrial salamander Speleomantes ambrosii. We aimed at comparing cost-effectiveness of this protocol with those of other estimation methods (i.e., capture–mark–recapture and removal sampling), with particular attention to management and monitoring guidelines. The double-observer multinomial N-mixture protocol was the most cost-effective among the different methods: given its ease of application and cost-effectiveness, we encourage its employment for long-term monitoring and conservation plans of the near-threatened plethodontid salamander Speleomantes ambrosii.
Sustained inhibition of CC-chemokine receptor-2 via intraarticular deposition of polymeric microplates in post-traumatic osteoarthritis
Authors: Ozkan Huseyin , Di Francesco Martina , Willcockson Helen , Valdés-Fernández José , Di Francesco Valentina , Granero-Moltó Froilán , Prósper Felipe , Decuzzi Paolo , Longobardi Lara
Published: September 2022

Abstract

Posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is mostly treated via corticosteroid administration, and total joint arthroplasty continues to be the sole effective intervention in severe conditions. To assess the therapeutic potential of CCR2 targeting in PTOA, we used biodegradable microplates (µPLs) to achieve a slow and sustained intraarticular release of the CCR2 inhibitor RS504393 into injured knees and followed joint damage during disease progression. RS504393-loaded µPLs (RS-µPLs) were fabricated via a template-replica molding technique. A mixture of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and RS504393 was deposited into 20 × 10 μm (length × height) wells in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) square-patterned template. After physicochemical and toxicological characterizations, the RS504393 release profile from µPL was assessed in PBS buffer. C57BL/6 J male mice were subjected to destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM)/sham surgery, and RS-µPLs (1 mg/kg) were administered intraarticularly 1 week postsurgery. Administrations were repeated at 4 and 7 weeks post-DMM. Drug free-µPLs (DF-µPLs) and saline injections were performed as controls. Mice were euthanized at 4 and 10 weeks post-DMM, corresponding to the early and severe PTOA stages, respectively. Knees were evaluated for cartilage structure score (ACS, H&E), matrix loss (safranin O score), osteophyte formation and maturation from cartilage to bone (cartilage quantification), and subchondral plate thickness. The RS-µPL architecture ensured the sustained release of CCR2 inhibitors over several weeks, with ~ 20% of RS504393 still available at 21 days. This prolonged release improved cartilage structure and reduced bone damage and synovial hyperplasia at both PTOA stages. Extracellular matrix loss was also attenuated, although with less efficacy. The results indicate that local sustained delivery is needed to optimize CCR2-targeted therapies.

Graphical abstract
Computation of Artificial Meteors Trajectory and Ablation
Authors: Raposo-Pulido V. , Lemal A. , Urrutxua H. , Peláez J. , Kimura N. , Sahara H. , Kamachi K. , Okajima L.
Published: September 2022

This work has been motivated by the lack of meteor data, which hinders the determination of the mass and composition of natural meteors. To advance the knowledge of meteors science, the Japanese start-up ALE Co. Ltd. (standing for Astro Live Experiences) designed hundreds of 1-cm diameter particles composed of materials representative of natural meteors, which will be release at an altitude of 300 km by an original payload in 2023. During entry, the light emitted by the particles will be analyzed by spectrometers and cameras on the ground to characterize the thermal and optical properties of the materials. This paper carries out a sensitivity analysis and aims to discuss the modeling parameters predicting full disintegration of the particles before touching ground. This paper presents the efforts undertaken to compute the trajectory of artificial meteors during their entry into Earth’s atmosphere. Various materials representative of natural meteors and their thermal response were modeled. The trajectory of artificial meteors was computed by solving the equation of motion including mass conservation. The influence of the drag coefficient, heat transfer coefficient, and geometric parameters was evaluated through the statistical analysis of Grid Sampling and Monte Carlo simulations. They were shown to have a sizeable effect on the trajectory, mass loss, latitude and altitude of demise. The computations demonstrate full demisability of the artificial meteor above 60 km, which is compliant with international safety regulations.
Fully Safe Rendezvous Strategy in Cis-Lunar Space: Passive and Active Collision Avoidance
Authors: Bucchioni Giordana , De Benedetti Matteo , D’Onofrio Fabio , Innocenti Mario
Published: September 2022

The future assembly of the Lunar Orbital Platform Gateway, on a near 9:2 resonant Rectilinear Halo Orbit, requires the necessity of designing safe and reliable strategies to perform rendezvous and docking with the station. The paper describes and tests a strategy to guarantee the safety of an entire rendezvous manoeuvre in the proximity of the Moon L2 Lagrangian point with respect to a specific set of failures. The safety in the far range is guaranteed through the automatic allocation of selected hold-points, whereas during close range rendezvous the safety is actively guaranteed in the presence of selected failures. The main goal of the paper is to contribute to the very limited literature about autonomous design of the guidance for rendezvous in presence of a non negligible third body influence, where safety considerations are paramount. The proposed approach is based on the exploitation of the manifold theory used in the circular restricted three body problem model to guarantee the passive safety in the far-range section, and on an optimal and reliable active collision avoidance manoeuvre to guarantee the safety for the close range approach.
Reviewing the Origins of You: How Childhood Shapes Later Life (2020)
Authors: Petillo Laura
Published: September 2022

The Origins of You; How Childhood Shapes Later Life (2020) explores the results of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, a longitudinal look at 1,000 participants since 1970. This review examines the works’ significant correlations between health and delinquency in adulthood based on childhood experiences, neighborhoods, family dynamics, and genetic predispositions. The Dunedin Study discoveries regarding childhood personality disorders, ADHD, bullying, puberty, and parenting styles offer bold statements that challenge generally accepted ideas. With over 1,200 publications on the findings of the Dunedin Study—several appearing in peer-reviewed journals—this book accomplishes in its purpose what many others have not: sharing the study’s results in a way that is meaningful and enjoyable in a reference-book format. This book review discusses why The Origins of You (2020) is a great resource for parents, educational professionals, teachers, and school administrators.
Relationship between education and well-being in China
Authors: Liu Sijia , Heshmati Almas
Published: September 2022

Well-being is often quantitatively measured based on individuals’ income or health situation but the relationship between education and well-being has not been fully investigated. It is also important to compare well-being using different individual characteristics especially gender. This paper analyzes well-being using a unique dataset from the Chinese General Social Surveys in 2012, 2013, and 2015. Two measures of well-being are used: self-assessed unidimensional subjective well-being and parametrically estimated multidimensional objective well-being. Objective well-being is a composite parametric index with contributions from different domains of education influenced by identity, capability, and material well-being. These help in understanding the differences between and compare subjective and objective well-being. The results of our descriptive and regression analysis suggests that the multidimensional well-being index differs from subjective well-being in ranking individuals grouped by important common characteristics. These differences are captured by our study which helps to broaden the measurement and analysis of the multidimensionality of the well-being index. Education influences well-being positively, conditional on controlling for identity, capability, material and marital status, and Confucianism. Investments in education and female empowerment which target well-being measures will help reduce the dimensionality of the gender gap in rural China, in particular those attributed to Confucianism.
For Our World Without Sound: the Opportunistic Debitage in the Italian Context—a Methodological Evaluation of the Lithic Assemblages of Pirro Nord, Cà Belvedere di Montepoggiolo, Ciota Ciara Cave and Riparo Tagliente
Authors: Carpentieri Marco , Arzarello Marta
Published: September 2022

The informative potential taken on by lithic artefacts has increased over the years. They gradually grew into proxies to detect the most relevant features of human material culture, including cognitive abilities to realise stone tools or, in other words, to track down the delineation of behavioural complexity. Consequently, notions like predetermination, standardisation (morphologically likewise) and hierarchisation have been intensely used in lithic technology as markers of such complexity, leading to ruling out contexts lacking any trace of these traits. Within the present state of the art, the use of the terms expedient and opportunism has characterised, in a negative way, the dichotomy between complex and simple within prehistoric contexts. Even if a requalification of expedient technologies has been recently observed, opportunistic behaviours still connote the complete absence of planning and complexity (even in terms of the mental scheme) within lithic industries. This background often prevented a consideration as relevant, from a technological and methodological perspective, these assemblages, primarily when Lower Palaeolithic contexts were addressed. With the definition and use of the term opportunistic debitage, this work questions the possible methodological implications of assemblages known as complexity- and planning-free and that can be found throughout different chronological and cultural phases.
Ingredients for Responsible Machine Learning: A Commented Review of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Responsible Machine Learning
Authors: Marmolejo-Ramos Fernando , Ospina Raydonal , García-Ceja Enrique , Correa Juan C.
Published: September 2022

InThe hitchhiker’s guide to responsible machine learning, Biecek, Kozak, and Zawada (here BKZ) provide an illustrated and engaging step-by-step guide on how to perform a machine learning (ML) analysis such that the algorithms, the software, and the entire process is interpretable and transparent for both the data scientist and the end user. This review summarises BKZ’s book and elaborates on three elements key to ML analyses: inductive inference, causality, and interpretability.
Lichen Sclerosus and Sexual Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Pope Rachel , Lee Min Ho , Myers Anna , Song Junmin , Abou Ghayda Ramy , Kim Jong Yeob , Hong Sung Hwi , Lee Se Bee , Koyanagi Ai , Jacob Louis , Smith Lee , Shin Jae Il
Published: September 2022

Background

Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a common autoimmune dermatological condition that is often under-diagnosed in women and has been documented to affect quality of life and sexual function.

Aim

To determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among women with vulvar lichen sclerosus.

Methods

The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing research on LS and sexual function in database including PubMed using search terms: lichen sclerosus OR vulvar lichen sclerosus OR vulvar lichen sclerosus et atrophicus OR kraurosis vulvae) AND (sexual function OR sexual functions OR sexual disorder OR sexual disorders OR sexual activity OR sexual activities OR sexual dysfunction OR sexual dysfunctions OR dyspareunia OR vaginismus).

Outcomes

Nearly 60% of women with lichen sclerosus suffer from sexual dysfunction.

Results

Two hundred and ten studies were initially identified. Twenty-six articles met inclusion criteria and 3 were excluded as they did not relate to sexual function, were regarding a surgical or medical intervention and sexual dysfunction and one was a review article. Therefore, 23 studies were included in the final analysis resulting in a cumulative 486 participants with LS with 208 patients experiencing any kind of sexual dysfunction. Meta-analysis presented prevalence of sexual dysfunction among LS patients as 59% (95% CI: 48 – 70%). Dyspareunia or generalized pain with intercourse was the most commonly reported type of dysfunction.

Clinical Implications

Discussing sexual concerns with women with LS could empower them to seek treatment.

Strengths and Limitations

Few articles met criteria for inclusion.

Conclusion

A large proportion of women with LS experience sexual dysfunction. More research is needed, especially that which includes biopsy-proven LS and validated tools on sexual function.
Parenting through Cancer
Authors: Rodriguez Leonor
Published: September 2022

Experiencing a parent or guardian with cancer is extremely difficult for children and adolescents with healthcare professionals and cancer support centres often lacking the specialised knowledge needed to also support these individuals. This practical guide provides a comprehensive and current understanding of the impact of parental cancer on children, young people and families. It offers a longitudinal account of the impact of cancer through the different stages of the illness and explores the impact of culture and international contexts on how families experience parental cancer. The book also crucially focuses on how to support children, young people and families by examining existing interventions. Important chapters on death and bereavement, and on self-care for practitioners also supplement the book. A valuable handbook for healthcare practitioners from a range of specialities working with patients and families affected by cancer, including clinical psychology, counselling, nursing, oncology, palliative care and social work.
Joint and Several Liability in EU Competition Law
Authors: Sadrak Katarzyna
Published: September 2022

Contribution claims in antitrust are controversial and under-researched in the legal literature. This book provides the first comprehensive analysis of contribution claims in EU competition law. By drawing on the historical and current practice of EU and national courts, as well as national laws of major EU jurisdictions, it explains contribution claims in antitrust law in concrete and practical terms. It also provides much needed clarity on the relationship between competition law and joint and several liability, as well as guiding those concerned by contribution claims through the issues that are likely to arise. Topics examined include the requirements competition law sets for contribution claims; the criteria for dividing antitrust liability between individual co-infringers; the impact of EU Directive 2014/10; and whether liability sharing agreements can resolve the problems joint and several liability brings to EU competition law.