bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The glymphatic system for neurosurgeons: a scoping review
Authors: Al Masri Mohammad , Corell Alba , Michaëlsson Isak , Jakola Asgeir S. , Skoglund Thomas
Published: January 2024

The discovery of the glymphatic system has revolutionized our understanding of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation and interstitial waste clearance in the brain. This scoping review aims to synthesize the current literature on the glymphatic system’s role in neurosurgical conditions and its potential as a therapeutic target. We conducted a comprehensive search in PubMed and Scopus databases for studies published between January 1, 2012, and October 31, 2023. Studies were selected based on their relevance to neurosurgical conditions and glymphatic function, with both animal and human studies included. Data extraction focused on the methods for quantifying glymphatic function and the main results. A total of 67 articles were included, covering conditions such as idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH), idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), stroke, intracranial tumors, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Significant glymphatic dysregulation was noted in iNPH and IIH, with evidence of impaired CSF dynamics and delayed clearance. SAH studies indicated glymphatic dysfunction with the potential therapeutic effects of nimodipine and tissue plasminogen activator. In stroke, alterations in glymphatic activity correlated with the extent of edema and neurological recovery. TBI studies highlighted the role of the glymphatic system in post-injury cognitive outcomes. Results indicate that the regulation of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) channels is a critical target for therapeutic intervention. The glymphatic system plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of various neurosurgical conditions, influencing brain edema and CSF dynamics. Targeting the regulation of AQP4 channels presents as a significant therapeutic strategy. Although promising, the translation of these findings into clinical practice requires further human studies. Future research should focus on establishing non-invasive biomarkers for glymphatic function and exploring the long-term effects of glymphatic dysfunction.
The impact of local cost-of-living differences on relative poverty incidence: an application using retail scanner data and small area estimation models
Authors: Marchetti Stefano , Giusti Caterina , Schirripa Spagnolo Francesco , Bertarelli Gaia , Biggeri Luigi
Published: January 2024

Estimating economic poverty indicators at the local level is essential for well-targeted data-driven welfare policies. However, Italy is a country characterized by strong geographical heterogeneity represented by unequal price levels among different areas, and computing poverty indicators with a national monetary poverty threshold can be misleading. This work proposes a novel approach to estimate monetary poverty incidence at the provincial level in Italy considering the different price levels within national boundaries. To account for local price variation, Spatial Price Indices (SPIs) are computed using scanner data on retail prices. The SPIs are estimated in two ways, referring to the mean local prices and using the 20th percentile of the prices. These two kinds of SPIs are used to adjust the national poverty line when computing the poverty incidence at the provincial level using Small Area Estimation (SAE) models. Our findings suggest that adjusting the national poverty line using the SPIs to compute a monetary poverty index can modify the poverty mapping results from the map produced with the traditional national poverty line that ignores price differences.
Uncovering the biotechnological capacity of marine and brackish water Planctomycetota
Authors: Vitorino Inês R. , Pinto Eugénia , Martín Jesús , Mackenzie Thomas A. , Ramos Maria C. , Sánchez Pilar , de la Cruz Mercedes , Vicente Francisca , Vasconcelos Vítor , Reyes Fernando , Lage Olga M.
Published: January 2024

An appealing strategy for finding novel bioactive molecules in Nature consists in exploring underrepresented and -studied microorganisms. Here, we investigated the antimicrobial and tumoral anti-proliferative bioactivities of twenty-three marine and estuarine bacteria of the fascinating phylum Planctomycetota. This was achieved through extraction of compounds produced by the Planctomycetota cultured in oligotrophic medium followed by an antimicrobial screening against ten relevant human pathogens including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi. Cytotoxic effects of the extracts were also evaluated against five tumoral cell lines. Moderate to potent activities were obtained against Enterococcus faecalis, methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-sensitive and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. Anti-fungal effects were observed against Trichophyton rubrum, Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus. The highest cytotoxic effects were observed against human breast, pancreas and melanoma tumoral cell lines. Novipirellula caenicola and Rhodopirellula spp. strains displayed the widest spectrum of bioactivities while Rubinisphaera margarita ICM_H10T affected all Gram-positive bacteria tested. LC-HRMS analysis of the extracts did not reveal the presence of any known bioactive natural product, suggesting that the observed activities are most likely caused by novel molecules, that need identification. In summary, we expanded the scope of planctomycetal species investigated for bioactivities and demonstrated that various strains are promising sources of novel bioactive compounds, which reenforces the potential biotechnological prospects offered by Planctomycetota.
Antigen presenting cells in cancer immunity and mediation of immune checkpoint blockade
Authors: Wang Cassia , Chen Lee , Fu Doris , Liu Wendi , Puri Anusha , Kellis Manolis , Yang Jiekun
Published: January 2024

Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are pivotal mediators of immune responses. Their role has increasingly been spotlighted in the realm of cancer immunology, particularly as our understanding of immunotherapy continues to evolve and improve. There is growing evidence that these cells play a non-trivial role in cancer immunity and have roles dependent on surface markers, growth factors, transcription factors, and their surrounding environment. The main dendritic cell (DC) subsets found in cancer are conventional DCs (cDC1 and cDC2), monocyte-derived DCs (moDC), plasmacytoid DCs (pDC), and mature and regulatory DCs (mregDC). The notable subsets of monocytes and macrophages include classical and non-classical monocytes, macrophages, which demonstrate a continuum from a pro-inflammatory (M1) phenotype to an anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotype, and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Despite their classification in the same cell type, each subset may take on an immune-activating or immunosuppressive phenotype, shaped by factors in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this review, we introduce the role of DCs, monocytes, and macrophages and recent studies investigating them in the cancer immunity context. Additionally, we review how certain characteristics such as abundance, surface markers, and indirect or direct signaling pathways of DCs and macrophages may influence tumor response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. We also highlight existing knowledge gaps regarding the precise contributions of different myeloid cell subsets in influencing the response to ICB therapy. These findings provide a summary of our current understanding of myeloid cells in mediating cancer immunity and ICB and offer insight into alternative or combination therapies that may enhance the success of ICB in cancers.
How hydraulic jumps form downstream of a negative step with channel expansion: experimental and numerical investigations of the transitions between wave jumps and submerged jets
Authors: Uchida Tatsuhiko , Kobayashi Daisuke
Published: January 2024

Weirs and sills, particularly negative steps, play a pivotal role in modulating water flow, inducing hydraulic jumps that efficiently dissipate downstream energy. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, these features hold crucial engineering significance. This study combines physical experiments and numerical simulations downstream of a negative step featuring an abrupt width expansion. The spontaneous alteration of water flow conditions upstream and downstream of the step results in distinct flow regimes. By considering the critical Froude number to sustain an undular jump without wave breaking on a flatbed, we establish a framework for evaluating energy loss. Our analysis successfully delineates the transition limit between wave jumps and submerged jets downstream of a negative step. The co-existence regime of both jumps is explained by the analysis showing that the additional energy loss induced by the negative step is larger for the wave jump compared to the submerged jet. The abrupt width expansion at the negative step significantly reduces the transition depth between the submerged jet and wave jump, attributed to energy loss with intricate three-dimensional vortex motions—exceeding losses incurred by the negative step alone. We delve into the detailed mechanisms of these transitions through a three-dimensional numerical simulation of the energy-loss process and water surface profiles downstream of the step with expansion. The maximum energy loss by the undular jump and the minimum energy loss by the submerged jet are defined by the wave steepness at the limit of maintaining the undular jump and the jet plunging angle capable of sustaining the submerged jet, respectively.
Source apportionment of fine atmospheric particles in Bloemfontein, South Africa, using positive matrix factorization
Authors: van der Westhuizen Deidré , Howlett-Downing Chantelle , Molnár Peter , Boman Johan , Wichmann Janine , von Eschwege Karel G.
Published: January 2024

Air pollution is of major health and environmental concern globally and in South Africa. Studies on the sources of PM2.5 air pollution in low- and middle-income countries such as South Africa are limited. This study aimed to identify local and distant sources of PM2.5 pollution in Bloemfontein. PM2.5 samples were collected from June 16, 2020 to August 18, 2021. Trace element concentrations were determined by EDXRF spectroscopy. By use of the US EPA PMF 5.0 program, local sources were determined to be combustion/wood burning (49%), industry (22%), soil dust (10%), base metal/pyrometallurgical and traffic (9.6%) and water treatment/industry (9.4%). The HYSPLIT program was applied to determine distant PM2.5 source areas and the following clusters were identified: Mpumalanga province (52%), Northern Cape province (35%), Indian Ocean (8%) and Atlantic Ocean (6%). The majority of the air was found to come from the Mpumalanga province in the north-east, while the majority of local sources are ascribed to combustion/wood burning. Results from this study can be used to develop an Air Quality Management Plan for Bloemfontein.
Hydraulic Behavior of Fractured Calcite-Rich Sandstone After Exposure to Reactive CO2–H2O Flow
Authors: Dimadis Georgios C. , Bakasis Ilias A.
Published: January 2024

Geological carbon sequestration in jointed reservoirs will require the use of fracture network for the flow of CO2 plumes. However, acidic solution formed at the interface between brine and CO2 can cause chemical erosion of the local rock mass, especially in rocks with high carbonate content. The use of the water alternating gas technique for injection stimulation can exacerbate this issue, as the water–CO2 interface occurs in areas near the injection point. As a result, acidic flow can impact the surrounding rock mass, particularly around the main flow paths where fracture network conductivity is much higher than matrix permeability. To investigate the impact of acidic flow on fracture conductivity, we conducted an experiment on a fractured sandstone sample that was exposed to CO2-saturated water. Our findings revealed a nearly ten-fold increase in post-experimental water-relative permeability, and restriction of flow within established flow channels, which consist one third of the fracture surface. In conclusion, our study sheds light on the dynamic behavior of fractured sandstone under the influence of CO2–H2O flow, revealing significant changes in transmissivity and fracture geometry. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the hydraulic performance of fractures in the context of geological carbon sequestration.
Joint Autoscaling of Containers and Virtual Machines for Cost Optimization in Container Clusters
Authors: Entrialgo Joaquín , García Manuel , García Javier , López José María , Díaz José Luis
Published: January 2024

Autoscaling enables container cluster orchestrators to automatically adjust computational resources, such as containers and Virtual Machines (VMs), to handle fluctuating workloads effectively. This adaptation can involve modifying the amount of resources (horizontal scaling) or adjusting their computational capacity (vertical scaling). The motivation for our work stems from the limitations of previous autoscaling approaches, which are either partial (scaling containers or VMs, but not both) or excessively complex to be used in real systems. This complexity arises from their use of models with a large number of variables and the addressing of two simultaneous challenges: achieving the optimal deployment for a single scheduling window and managing the transition between successive scheduling windows. We propose an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) model to address the challenge of autoscaling containers and VMs jointly, both horizontally and vertically, to minimize deployment costs. This model is designed to be used with predictive autoscalers and be solved in a reasonable time, even for large clusters. To this end, improvements and reasonable simplifications with respect to previous models have been carried out to drastically reduce the size of the resource allocation problem. Furthermore, the proposed model provides an enhanced representation of system performance in comparison to previous approaches. A tool called Conlloovia has been developed to implement this model. To evaluate its performance, we have conducted a comprehensive assessment, comparing it with two heuristic allocators with different problem sizes. Our findings indicate that Conlloovia consistently demonstrates lower deployment costs in a significant number of cases. Conlloovia has also been evaluated with a real application, using synthetic and real workload traces, as well as different scheduling windows, with deployment costs approximately 20% lower than heuristic allocators.
The Application of the Finite Elements Method in the Transient Measurements of Thermophysical Parameters
Authors: Malinarič Svetozár
Published: January 2024

The finite elements method (FEM) is used to improve the extended dynamic plane source (EDPS) method to obtain more accurate values of the thermal conductivity and diffusivity of the specimen. A method of transformation of the FEM-calculated response into an analytical form, which can be used in fitting the measured temperature response, has been described and verified. Furthermore, a modification of the EDPS method designated as EDPS1 is designed, where only one piece of specimen is used. Since there is no analytical formula for the new method, the analytical formula for EDPS is used. Hence, the initial estimates of the specimen parameters for the EDPS1 method are very rough and the FEM numerical evaluations must be repeated several times until the estimates reach relative errors of around 1%.
Exploring the potential of epigenetic chemicals to increase metabolite production in the dinoflagellate microalga Amphidinium carterae
Authors: Kichouh-Aiadi S. , Gallardo-Rodríguez J. J. , Cerón-García M. C. , López-Rosales L. , García-Camacho F. , Sánchez-Mirón A.
Published: January 2024

This study explores the use of chemical epigenetic modifiers to enhance the production of bioactive molecules in the dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae. It was selected for its known ability to produce amphidinols with various pharmacological and agro-industrial applications. Growth inhibition, photosynthetic yield reduction, and stress-related variables were observed in response to different treatments using 5-azacitidine, hydroxamic suberoylanilide acid, metyrapone, tricyclazole, sodium butyrate, and jasplakinolide. Although no evidence of amphidinols overproduction was found, hydroxamic suberoylanilide acid and tricyclazole showed potential for stimulating the synthesis of antioxidant carotenoids such as peridinin and their derivatives. An increase of around 200% and 170% relative to control was observed at the highest non-lethal concentration. More research is required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this response and to optimize production conditions. This pioneering research opens up new avenues for the biotechnological exploitation of dinoflagellate microalgae.
Silent pulmonary veins at redo ablation for atrial fibrillation: Implications and approaches
Authors: Calvert Peter , Ding Wern Yew , Griffin Michael , Bisson Arnaud , Koniari Ioanna , Fitzpatrick Noel , Snowdon Richard , Modi Simon , Luther Vishal , Mahida Saagar , Waktare Johan , Borbas Zoltan , Ashrafi Reza , Todd Derick , Gupta Dhiraj
Published: January 2024

Background

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the cornerstone of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Despite promising success rates, redo ablation is sometimes required. At redo, PVs may be found to be isolated (silent) or reconnected. We studied patients with silent vs reconnected PVs at redo and analysed associations with adverse outcomes.

Methods

Patients undergoing redo AF ablations between 2013 and 2019 at our institution were included and stratified into silent PVs or reconnected PVs. The primary outcome was a composite of further redo ablation, non-AF ablation, atrioventricular nodal ablation, and death. Secondary outcomes included arrhythmia recurrence.

Results

A total of 467 patients were included with mean 4.6 ± 1.7 years follow-up, of whom 48 (10.3%) had silent PVs. The silent PV group had had more often undergone >1 prior ablation (45.8% vs 9.8%; p<0.001), had more persistent AF (62.5% vs 41.1%; p=0.005) and had more non-PV ablation performed both at prior ablation procedures and at the analysed redo ablation. The primary outcome occurred more frequently in those with silent PVs (25% vs 13.8%; p=0.053). Arrhythmia recurrence was also more common in the silent PV group (66.7% vs 50.6%; p=0.047). After multivariable adjustment, female sex (aHR 2.35 [95% CI 2.35–3.96]; p=0.001) and ischaemic heart disease (aHR 3.21 [95% CI 1.56–6.62]; p=0.002) were independently associated with the primary outcome, and left atrial enlargement (aHR 1.58 [95% CI 1.20–2.08]; p=0.001) and >1 prior ablation (aHR 1.88 [95% CI 1.30–2.72]; p<0.001) were independently associated with arrhythmia recurrence. Whilst a finding of silent PVs was not itself significant after multivariable adjustment, this provides an easily assessable parameter at clinically indicated redo ablation which informs the clinician of the likelihood of a worse future prognosis.

Conclusions

Patients with silent PVs at redo AF ablation have worse clinical outcomes.
Data- & compute-efficient deviance mining via active learning and fast ensembles
Authors: Folino Francesco , Folino Gianluigi , Guarascio Massimo , Pontieri Luigi
Published: January 2024

Detecting deviant traces in business process logs is crucial for modern organizations, given the harmful impact of deviant behaviours (e.g., attacks or faults). However, training a Deviance Prediction Model (DPM) by solely using supervised learning methods is impractical in scenarios where only few examples are labelled. To address this challenge, we propose an Active-Learning-based approach that leverages multiple DPMs and a temporal ensembling method that can train and merge them in a few training epochs. Our method needs expert supervision only for a few unlabelled traces exhibiting high prediction uncertainty. Tests on real data (of either complete or ongoing process instances) confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Responsiveness, Social Connection, Hope, and Life Satisfaction in Everyday Social Interaction: An Experience Sampling Study
Authors: Merolla Andy J. , Neubauer Andreas B. , Otmar Christopher D.
Published: January 2024

What are the specific everyday communication experiences—from across people’s social networks—that contribute to well-being? In the present work, we focus on the effects of perceived partner responsiveness in social interactions on various well-being outcomes. We hypothesized that everyday moments of responsiveness indirectly support two key estimates of well-being (hope and life satisfaction) through feelings of social connection. Data were obtained in an experience sampling study collected across ten days (N = 120). Results of dynamic structural equation modeling (DSEM) showed that responsive interaction predicted increases in hope (but not life satisfaction) through social connection. Results also identified reciprocal within-person links between responsive interaction and social connection throughout the day. These findings underscore the importance of responsive everyday communication for fostering social connection across different types of relationships and for supporting people’s capacity for a hopeful life. We discuss the implications of these results for continued research of responsiveness, hope theory, and well-being from a social interaction lens. On a practical level, the mediation pathway involving hope suggests how small changes in our patterns of everyday social interaction can be consequential to the quality of our lives.
Well-Being Contextualism and Capabilities
Authors: Östlund Sebastian
Published: January 2024

Typically, philosophers analysing well-being’s nature maintain three claims. First, that well-being has essential properties. Second, that the concept of well-being circumscribes those properties. Third, that well-being theories should capture them exhaustively and exclusively. This predominant position is called well-being monism. In opposition, contextualists argue that no overarching concept of well-being referring to a universally applicable well-being standard exists. Such a standard would describe what is good, bad, and neutral, for us without qualification. Instead, well-being research is putatively about several central phenomena. If several phenomena are central, a proliferation of concurrently acceptable well-being theories and operationalisations is expected. However, contextualists are challenged to explain how those analysing well-being are not systematically talking past each other. In this paper, I address that challenge. The upshot is that contextualist well-being theories can be justifiably context-sensitive and applied to tailor-made policy-making efforts. I illustrate the benefits by connecting contextualism to the capability approach.
Artificial Intelligence Perceptions and Life Satisfaction
Authors: Hinks Tim
Published: January 2024

The paper estimates whether there is any relationship between life satisfaction and people’s perceptions towards artificial intelligence. Using data from 39 European countries collected in 2021, it is consistently found that people with negative perceptions report lower life satisfaction. This finding is robust across a number of robustness checks. This provides further evidence that people may fear some new technologies, in this case artificial intelligence, which adds weight to governments needing to establish moratoriums to openly discuss what the objectives of new science, technologies and innovations are and how best to manage and steer policy and regulation to achieve these objectives.
Adjuvant convection-enhanced delivery for the treatment of brain tumors
Authors: Kreatsoulas Daniel , Damante Mark , Cua Santino , Lonser Russell R.
Published: January 2024

Background

Malignant gliomas are a therapeutic challenge and remain nearly uniformly fatal. While new targeted chemotherapeutic agentsagainst malignant glioma have been developed in vitro, these putative therapeutics have not been translated into successful clinical treatments. The lack of clinical effectiveness can be the result of ineffective biologic strategies, heterogeneous tumor targets and/or the result of poortherapeutic distribution to malignant glioma cells using conventional nervous system delivery modalities (intravascular, cerebrospinal fluid and/orpolymer implantation), and/or ineffective biologic strategies.

Methods

The authors performed a review of the literature for the terms “convection enhanced delivery”, “glioblastoma”, and “glioma”. Selectclinical trials were summarized based on their various biological mechanisms and technological innovation, focusing on more recently publisheddata when possible.

Results

We describe the properties, features and landmark clinical trials associated with convection-enhanced delivery for malignant gliomas.We also discuss future trends that will be vital to CED innovation and improvement.

Conclusion

Efficacy of CED for malignant glioma to date has been mixed, but improvements in technology and therapeutic agents arepromising.
Higman’s Lemma is Stronger for Better Quasi Orders
Authors: Freund Anton
Published: January 2024

We prove that Higman’s lemma is strictly stronger for better quasi orders than for well quasi orders, within the framework of reverse mathematics. In fact, we show a stronger result: the infinite Ramsey theorem (for tuples of all lengths) is equivalent to the statement that any array $$[\mathbb N]^{n+1}\rightarrow \mathbb N^n\times X$$

[
N
]

n
+
1

→

N
n

×
X

for a well order X and $$n\in \mathbb N$$

n
∈
N

is good, over the base theory $$\mathsf {RCA_0}$$

RCA
0

.
Intraspecific competition hinders drought recovery in a resident but not in its range-expanding congener plant independent of mycorrhizal symbiosis
Authors: Sanders Shareen K. D. , Formenti Ludovico , Fahrni Micha , Thakur Madhav P.
Published: January 2024

Background and aims

Understanding biotic interactions within plant populations and with their symbiotic partners is crucial for elucidating plant responses to drought. While many studies have highlighted the importance of intraspecific plant or mutualistic fungal interactions in predicting drought responses, we know little about the combined effects of these two interactions on the recovery of plants after drought.

Methods

We conducted an experiment to study the recovery after an extreme drought event of a native European plant species (Centaurea jacea) and its range-expanding congener (Centaurea stoebe), across a gradient of plant density and in association with an AM fungal species (Rhizophagus irregularis).

Results

Our results showed strong intraspecific competition in C. jacea, which constrained their post-drought recovery. We further found that AM fungi constrained root biomass recovery of C. jacea after drought under high intraspecific competition. The post-drought recovery in C. stoebe was high potentially due to its greater plasticity in the root diameter under drought conditions.

Conclusion

Strong intraspecific competition can constrain recovery in plants like C. jacea with lesser root trait plasticity after drought, independent of mycorrhizal symbiosis.
On the exponential diophantine equation $$U_{n}^x+U_{n+1}^x=U_m$$
Authors: Batte Herbert , Ddamulira Mahadi , Kasozi Juma , Luca Florian
Published: January 2024

Let $$ \{U_n\}_{n\ge 0} $$

{

U
n

}

n
≥
0

be the Lucas sequence. For integers x, n and m, we find all solutions to $$U_{n}^x+U_{n+1}^x=U_m$$

U

n

x

+

U

n
+
1

x

=

U
m

. The equation was studied and claimed to be solved completely in Ddamulira and Luca (Ramanujan J 56(2):651–684, 2021) but there are some computational bugs in that publication because of the wrong statement of Mignotte’s bound from Mignotte (A kit on linear forms in three logarithms. http://irma.math.unistra.fr/~bugeaud/travaux/kit.pdf, 2008). In this paper, the main result remains the same as in Ddamulira and Luca (Ramanujan J 56(2):651–684, 2021) but we focus on correcting the computational mistakes in Ddamulira and Luca (Ramanujan J 56(2):651–684, 2021), involving the application of Theorem 2.1 from Mignotte (A kit on linear forms in three logarithms. http://irma.math.unistra.fr/~bugeaud/travaux/kit.pdf, 2008).
Identical ratios: a red flag of ratio management
Authors: Ling Qianhua , Roberts Andrea Alston
Published: January 2024

This paper identifies a helpful red flag stakeholders can use to detect whether a nonprofit has managed its financial information. This red flag is reporting an identical program ratio—that is, the nonprofit organization reports the exact same ratio in multiple years—while reporting a large change in total spending. We find nonprofits are more likely to report identical program ratios when resource providers rely on ratios; pay is determined, at least in part, by performance; and the potential for regulatory interference is high. This paper also identifies the cost allocation techniques and the specific expenses nonprofits likely manage. We find most nonprofits alter the allocations of multiple expenses and find the specific expenses most likely manipulated are ones where managers have a high degree of discretion over how much to allocate to programs.
Normalization of direct citations for clustering in publication-level networks: evaluation of six approaches
Authors: Sjögårde Peter , Ahlgren Per
Published: January 2024

Clustering of publication networks is an efficient way to obtain classifications of large collections of research publications. Such classifications can be used to, e.g., detect research topics, normalize citation relations, or explore the publication output of a unit. Citation networks can be created using a variety of approaches. Best practices to obtain classifications using clustering have been investigated, in particular the performance of different publication-publication relatedness measures. However, evaluation of different approaches to normalization of citation relations have not been explored to the same extent. In this paper, we evaluate five approaches to normalization of direct citation relations with respect to clustering solution quality in four data sets. A sixth approach is evaluated using no normalization. To assess the quality of clustering solutions, we use three measures. (1) We compare the clustering solution to the reference lists of a set of publications using the Adjusted Rand Index. (2) Using the Silhouette width measure, we quantity to which extent the publications have relations to other clusters than the one they have been assigned to. (3) We propose a measure that captures publications that have probably been inaccurately assigned. The results clearly show that normalization is preferred over unnormalized direct citation relations. Furthermore, the results indicate that the fractional normalization approach, which can be considered the standard approach, causes specific inaccurate assignments, which we intend to address in this paper. The geometric normalization approach has a similar performance as the fractional approach regarding Adjusted Rand Index and Silhouette width but leads to fewer inaccurate assignments at moderate to high granularity levels. We therefore believe that the geometric approach may be preferred over the fractional approach.
The Nobel family
Authors: Tol Richard S. J.
Published: January 2024

Nobel laureates cluster together. 696 of the 727 winners of the Nobel Prize in physics, chemistry, medicine, and economics belong to one single academic family tree. 668 trace their ancestry to Emmanuel Stupanus, 228 to Lord Rayleigh (physics, 1904). Craig Mello (medicine, 2006) counts 51 Nobelists among his ancestors. Chemistry laureates have the most Nobel ancestors and descendants, economics laureates the fewest. Chemistry is the central discipline. Its Nobelists have trained and are trained by Nobelists in other fields. Nobelists in physics (medicine) have trained (by) others. Economics stands apart. Openness to other disciplines is the same in recent and earlier times. The familial concentration of Nobelists is lower now than it used to be.
Other-Repetition to Convey and Conceal the Stance of Institutional Participants in Chinese Criminal Trials
Authors: Chen Yan , May Alison
Published: January 2024

Based on the examination of 49 Chinese criminal trials transcribed from the audio-visual recordings on the ‘China Court Trial Online’ website (https://tingshen.court.gov.cn/), the institutional participants–prosecutors, defence lawyers, and judges–are found to frequently repeat defendants’ responses (‘other-repetition’), after a question–answer adjacency pair. Other-repetition has been described as a resource for showing participation and familiarity (Tannen 2007), initiating repair and registering receipt (Schegloff 1997), and displaying understanding and emotional stance (Svennevig 2004). However, other-repetition in trial discourse has not been thoroughly researched. Therefore, this article aims to further examine this salient institutional linguistic feature in order to explore stance construction as a third turn. It is common to associate certain prosodic features of a repetition with the stance of the speaker. However, prosody may not be a reliable cue for stance interpretation in Chinese courtrooms, as institutional participants might conceal their stance during a repetition. Though they are more explicit in displaying their stance with turn-initial repeats, the distinction between the prosody of repeats for different functions is not categorical. It is found that defendants are sensitive to the lexicogrammar and multimodal cues for stance interpretation.
Isolation, heterologous expression, and functional determination of an iron regulated transporter (IRT) gene involved in Fe2+ transport and tolerance to Fe2+ deficiency in Vitis vinifera
Authors: Song Zhizhong , Wang Xue , Li Mengyuan , Ning Youzheng , Shi Shengpeng , Yang Guangrong , Zhang Hongxia , Tang Meiling , Peng Bin
Published: January 2024

In plants, iron (Fe) regulated transporters (IRT) play important roles in uptake and transport of Fe that contributes to plant growth and development. However, biological functions of IRT transporters in fruit trees are still unknown. This study isolated 10 VvIRT genes from ‘Marselan’ grape, with varying expression levels across different tissues/organs, particularly enhanced under Fe depletion, especially in roots. Notably, VvIRT7 is the most abundantly expressed IRT gene in grape, beneficially restoring the Fe2+ uptake defect of yeast mutant DEY1453. Furthermore, VvIRT7 showed dominant expression in the roots of irt1/35S::IRT7 complementation lines. Overexpressing of VvIRT7 rescued the retarded growth of irt1 knockout mutant, by increasing the fresh weight, dry weight, total root length, total root surface, lateral root numbers, total leaf chlorophyll, ACO activity, NiR activity, SDH activity, and tissue Fe concentration. This study provides insights for understanding molecular mechanisms of Fe uptake and transport in grape.
Convective Drying of Porous Media: Comparison of Phase-Field Simulations with Microfluidic Experiments
Authors: Maier Lukas , Brosch Sebastian , Gaehr Magnus , Linkhorst John , Wessling Matthias , Nieken Ulrich
Published: January 2024

Convective drying of porous media is central to many engineering applications, ranging from spray drying over water management in fuel cells to food drying. To improve these processes, a deep understanding of drying phenomena in porous media is crucial. Therefore, detailed simulation of multiphase flows with phase change is of great importance to investigate the complex processes involved in drying porous media. While many studies aim to access the phenomena solely by simulations, here we succeed to compare comprehensively simulations with an experimental methodology based on microfluidic multiphase flow studies in engineered porous media. In this contribution, we propose a Navier–Stokes Cahn–Hilliard model coupled with balance equations for heat and moisture to simulate the two-phase flow with phase change. The phase distribution of the two fluids air and water is modeled by the Phase-Field equation. Comparisons with experiments are rare in the literature and usually involve very simple cases. We compare our simulation with convective drying experiments of porous media. Experimentally, the interface propagation of the water–air interface was visualized in detail during drying in a structured microfluidic cell made from PDMS. The drying pattern and the drying time in the experiment are very well reproduced by our simulation. This validation will enable the application for the presented Navier–Stokes Cahn–Hilliard model in more complex cases focused more on applications, e.g., in the field of fibrous materials.
Understanding predictors of mistletoe infection across an urban university campus in Southwest China
Authors: Niu Yuchen , Laffitte Benjamin , Zuoqiu Sophia , Seyler Barnabas C. , Ha Zhengang , Chen Jianan , Chen Lei , Tang Ya
Published: January 2024

Due to the importance of trees in urban ecosystems, it is crucial to understand the distribution, prevalence, and intensity of parasitic mistletoe infection across urban landscapes. In this study, we aimed to understand how various tree-related factors (e.g., tree taxonomy, size, pruning history, nativity, foliage, density, and diversity) might influence mistletoe prevalence and infection intensity across a typical subtropical urban greenspace. We surveyed 6,012 trees representing 96 species, 76 genera, and 44 families across a large, urban university campus in a major Southwest Chinese city. In total, we found 353 mistletoe host trees (prevalence: 5.87%), largely concentrated on the eastern part of campus, partially due to the proximity of waterbodies and a large adjacent greenspace, as well as higher tree density. To understand how predictors affected the prevalence and intensity of mistletoe infection, we used a hurdle model fitting our zero-inflated count data. Four independent variables significantly affected the prevalence of mistletoe infestation, with three demonstrating positive correlations (crown width, tree density, and tree diversity). One variable (evergreen foliage) negatively correlated with mistletoe prevalence. However, only one factor was found to significantly affect mistletoe infection intensity (crown width, positively). Due to the variety of ecosystem services mistletoes provide, more studies are necessary to assess the impact of various mistletoe management strategies, especially on urban biodiversity.
Cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with cognitive performance in 80 + -year-olds: Detangling processing levels
Authors: Fröhlich Stephanie , Kutz Dieter F. , Müller Katrin , Voelcker-Rehage Claudia
Published: January 2024

Cardiorespiratory fitness is known to protect against cognitive decline in older adults. Specifically, it has been shown that physical activity and fitness are beneficial for executive functions that are crucial for independent living up to old age. In this study, 115 individuals aged 80 years and older underwent a cardiorespiratory fitness assessment using the two-minute step test and had their electroencephalogram recorded during a colored flanker task in order to measure executive function performance. Cardiorespiratory fitness was related to quicker responses during the flanker task. A mediation analysis was carried out to determine whether these positive effects were mediated through event-related potentials (N1, N2, or P3) or motor-related cortical potentials (MRCP). Cardiorespiratory fitness was related to better visual discriminative processing as indicated by larger occipital N1 amplitudes. In addition, fitness was associated with larger MRCP amplitudes, which are a correlate of the response generation process. Fitness was not found to have a significant effect on fronto-central N2 or parietal P3, which are thought to capture cognitive control processes such as conflict detection and response inhibition. Moreover, all effects reported were present in all three flanker trial conditions (congruent, neutral, and incongruent). Thus, these results indicate that the quicker response times in fitter people were related to visual processing and motor response generation rather than cognitive control.
Das deutsche Kinderschutzsystem
Authors: Ackermann Timo , Rätz Regina
Published: January 2024

Der vorliegende Beitrag gibt einen Überblick über das deutsche Kinderschutzsystem im Kontext der Sozialen Arbeit. Das System ist in die Gesamtlogik der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe eingebettet und basiert auf einer Vielzahl von Gesetzestexten. Der Beitrag untersucht vor diesem Hintergrund rechtliche Grundlagen, Leistungsformen, Institutionen, akademische Qualifikationen und aktuelle Debatten. Abschließend wird zur Diskussion gestellt, dass das deutsche Kinderschutzsystem einerseits weitgehende Beteiligungsrechte für Nutzer_innen in Aussicht stellt, sich zugleich aber eine zu bewältigende Care-Krise abzeichnet.
The Twin Transformation Butterfly
Authors: Christmann Anne-Sophie , Crome Carlotta , Graf-Drasch Valerie , Oberländer Anna Maria , Schmidt Leonie
Published: January 2024

Complex digitalization and sustainability challenges shape today’s management agendas. To date, the dedication of Information Systems research to both challenges has not been equal in terms of effort and reward. Building capabilities to leverage the synergetic potential of digital and sustainability transformation may enhance organizational performance and imply new value creation for the common good. To uncover such synergetic potential, this work conceptualizes the “twin transformation” construct as a value-adding reinforcing interplay between digital transformation and sustainability transformation efforts that improve an organization by leveraging digital technologies to enable sustainability and to guide digital progress by leveraging sustainability. The twin transformation conceptualization is complemented with a capability framework for twin transformation drawing from dynamic capability theory. This work contributes to descriptive knowledge of the interplay between digital transformation and sustainability transformation, setting a foundation for further theorizing on twin transformation and enabling organizations to twin transform.
Determination of metal fractions and rare earth anomalies in red mud: the case of bauxite mining district of Seydişehir (Turkey)
Authors: Çelebi Emin Ender
Published: January 2024

A three-step sequential extraction was carried out by modified BCR approach for fractionation of metals, including rare earths in red mud. Acetic acid leaching, hydroxylamine hydrochloride + nitric acid leaching, hydrogen peroxide + acid ammonium acetate leaching, and orthophosphoric + nitric acid digestion in microwave were performed to determine ion exchangeable (F1), reducible (F2), oxidizable (F3), and residual (F4) fractions of metals, respectively. Accordingly, the highest readily soluble phases were obtained for Ca, Na, and K, while the reducible were Al, Zn, Cu, and Li. Rare earth elements (REEs) except for Eu were mostly identified in residual fraction. Most of Eu (88.7%) was detected in the reducible fraction, while the negligible part in residual. Chondrite normalization was implemented for obtaining REE anomalies. The remarkable Eu and Gd negative anomaly differences were determined between the red mud and its origin, Mortaş bauxite. The LREE to HREE ratio and LaN/YbN scores of 8.42 and 7.82, respectively indicated the LREE enrichment to HREE. By performing multivariate analysis, six and five-group clusters were obtained for REEs and non-REE metals in terms of fractional distribution, proving the easier release potential of Eu, La, Gd, K, Na, and Ca.
Cost-Effective Single-Step Synthesis of Metal Oxide-Supported Ni Catalyst for H2-Production Through Dry Reforming of Methane
Authors: Al-Fatesh Ahmed S. , Bamatraf Nouf A. , Alreshaidan Salwa B. , Abu-Dahrieh Jehad K. , patel Naitik , Ibrahim Ahmed A. , Fakeeha Anis H. , Jumah Abdulrahman bin , Kumar Rawesh
Published: January 2024

Preparing catalysts from cheap metal precursors in a single pot are an appealing method for reducing catalytic preparation costs, minimizing chemical waste, and saving time. With regards to the catalytic conversion of dry reforming of methane, it offers the prospect of significantly reducing the cost of H2 production. Herein, NiO-stabilized metal oxides like Ni/TiO2, Ni/MgO, Ni/ZrO2, and Ni/Al2O3 are prepared at two different calcination temperatures (600 °C and 800 °C). Catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, surface area-porosity analysis, Temperature program experiments, infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry analysis. The MgO-supported Ni catalyst (Ni/MgO-600), ZrO2-supported Ni catalyst (Ni/ZrO2-600), and Al2O3-supported Ni (Ni/Al2O3-600) catalyst calcined at 600 °C show initial equal H2 yields (~ 55%). The population of CH4 decomposition sites over ZrO2-supported Ni catalyst remains highest, but H2-yield drops to 45% against high coke deposition. The catalytic activity remains constant over the Ni/MgO-600 catalyst due to the enrichment of “surface interacted CO2-species”. MgO-supported Ni catalyst calcined at 800 °C undergoes weak interactions of NiO-M′ (M′ = support), serious loss of CH4 decomposition sites and potential consumption of H2 by reverse water gas shift reaction, resulting in inferior H2 yield. H2-yield remains unaffected over an Al2O3-supported Ni catalyst even against the highest coke deposition due to the formation of stable Ni (which exsolves from NiAl2O4) and proper matching between carbon formation and rate of carbon diffusion.
Greatest common divisor results on semiabelian varieties and a conjecture of Silverman
Authors: Barroero Fabrizio , Capuano Laura , Turchet Amos
Published: January 2024

A divisibility sequence is a sequence of integers $$\{d_n\}$$

{

d
n

}

such that $$d_m$$

d
m

divides $$d_n$$

d
n

if m divides n. Results of Bugeaud, Corvaja, Zannier, among others, have shown that the gcd of two divisibility sequences corresponding to subgroups of the multiplicative group grows in a controlled way. Silverman conjectured that a similar behaviour should appear in many algebraic groups. We extend results by Ghioca–Hsia–Tucker and Silverman for elliptic curves and prove an analogue of Silverman’s conjecture over function fields for abelian and split semiabelian varieties and some generalizations of this result. We employ tools coming from the theory of unlikely intersections as well as properties of the so-called Betti map associated to a section of an abelian scheme.