bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Higher education and the public good in Finland
Authors: Brewis Elisa
Published: October 2024

This paper discusses understandings of higher education and the public good in the context of Finland. A lexical-based comparison of public goods terminology reveals that the Finnish translation of public good—julkishyödyke—is used in comparatively recent (post-1970s) scholarship, mainly limited to the fields of economics, forestry and agriculture. It is notably absent in discussions of higher education. Instead, universities’ contribution to the public good is expressed as sivistys, service, social impact and national development. The second half of the paper discusses findings from a qualitative study of university staff and policymaker understandings of public good(s) (n = 21). Participants framed the contribution of universities to the public good as sivistys, service and social impact and also highlighted the dimension of social equality. These goods were viewed as applicable to local, national and global levels, flowing both out of and into Finland, thus benefiting everyone. As such, responses were closely aligned with the UNESCO (2015) definition of higher education as a global common good. Recent higher education policies that are based on the logic of higher education as a private good (education export, tuition fees for international students) threaten this model, revealing a conflict in the role of the state as protector of the public good at the national level and promoter of higher education as a private good at the global level.
Higher education and national and global public good(s) in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Brewis Elisa , Brotherhood Thomas , Yang Lili
Published: October 2024

This paper explores contributions to public good(s) in higher education in Ontario, Canada. In a break from the trend of this special issue, this paper does not offer a comprehensive national study. Rather, it is based on a multiple case study conducted in a single predominantly English-speaking province, Ontario, drawing on 19 semi-structured interviews conducted in 2019 with policymakers and university staff, including those in academic and executive roles. The analysis offers novel insights into contemporary understandings of public good(s) in general, and Ontarian higher education’s contributions to the public good, and its relationship with the state and global community. Participants highlighted three dimensions of the public good: economic, knowledge-based, and social. While participants from the provincial and national spheres focused more on narratives of province- or nation-building through economic development and social mobility, university staff additionally highlighted knowledge-based contributions, emphasizing an educated citizenry, critical debate, and curiosity-driven research.
Ultimate Rationality. Husserl on Critical Position-Taking (Stellungnahme) in the Theoretical and Axiological Spheres
Authors: Delamare Alexis
Published: October 2024

As a fervent rationalist, Husserl placed considerable emphasis on the delineation of the different levels of reason. Its highest form, he contends, is position-taking (Stellungnahme) understood as a critical stance towards a positional act P. Specifically, such a Stellungnahme is a three-step procedure: the subject, possibly motivated by a passive discordance, starts by questioning P (active doubt); she then seeks to validate P by returning to its originary fulfillment (active search for evidence); finally, she ratifies such a fulfillment in an act of acknowledgment (active decision), thereby making P a permanent personal conviction. In the literature, the role of position-taking in the formation of persons has been aptly emphasized, but insufficient attention has been paid to its intrinsic structure and concrete functioning; furthermore, the few existing studies on this topic are limited to the theoretical domain. The aim of this paper is to fill this twofold gap by providing a comprehensive account of critical Stellungnahme in both the intellectual and the axiological spheres, drawing especially on the manuscripts from the Studien zur Struktur des Bewusstseins. The first part examines Stellungnahme in the theoretical realm, underscoring its teleological orientation towards justification and the active role played by the subject in it. The second part shows how this procedure can be extended to rationalize value-experiences, by elucidating the nature of affective evidence and approval (Billigung). Finally, the third part demonstrates how a particular value, that of knowledge, can concretely pass the axiological position-taking and thus be recognized as an actual value.
Ergodic and Chaotic Properties of the Heat Equation
Authors: Rudnicki Ryszard
Published: October 2024

We consider a semiflow generated by the heat equation on the half-line with zero Neumann boundary condition. If the initial functions are from some weighted space X, then we prove that there exists an invariant mixing measure and X is the topological support of this measure. This result implies chaotic properties of the semiflow.
Reciprocal Relationships Between Parental Involvement and Academic Performance in Early Adolescence: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study in China
Authors: Yang Yi
Published: October 2024

Previous literature has focused on the overall influence of parental involvement on adolescents’ academic performance, while less attention has been accorded to the reciprocal relationships between different forms of parental involvement and academic performance across gender. The present study examined the reciprocal associations between different forms of parental involvement and adolescents’ academic performance using nationally representative data. A total of 9449 Chinese adolescents (47.82% girls, Mage = 13.21, SD = 0.65, 91.20% Han Ethnicity) have participated in the two-year and two-wave longitudinal study. Cross-lagged model results indicated reciprocal associations between parent-reported involvement and academic performance. Autonomy-supportive parental involvement in Grade 7 was positively associated with better academic performance in Grade 8, while behavioral control was negatively associated with later academic performance. Parental socialization practices vary by adolescent’s gender. Compared with girls, boys experienced increased parental behavioral control in response to better academic performance. The findings reflect the persistence of stereotypical gender expectations and gender socialization in contemporary China.
Preparation of monolithic silica HPLC columns with truss-structured skeletons and embedded surfactant-templated mesopores
Authors: Detani Takanori , Morisato Kei , Ohira Masayoshi , Nakanishi Kazuki
Published: October 2024

Monolithic macro/mesoporous silica gels have been prepared via a sol-gel process using triblock copolymer Pluronic P123 (EO20PO70EO20) as a structure-directing agent. In this synthesis, P123 not only induces phase separation to form macroporous structure but also acts as a supramolecular template to form mesopores with precisely controlled shape and size. Obtained was a monolithic silica composed of continuous truss-like columnar skeletons in which cylindrical mesopores are arranged in a 2D-hexagonal symmetry. These monolithic silica gels have extremely high porosity approaching 90% and exhibited high specific surface area and sharp pore size distribution as revealed by N2 sorption measurements. Combinations of the initial composition and the post-gelation treatment on wet gels allowed the control of physical properties of meso- and macropore structures. The monolithic HPLC columns prepared using these silica gels surface-modified by ODS (octadecylsilyl) ligands gave as many as 140,000 theoretical plates/m for the separation of alkylbenzenes in a reversed-phase mode. Very weak dependence of height equivalent to theoretical plate, H, on the mobile phase velocity was also recognized in comparison with conventional particle-packed columns.

Graphical Abstract
Learning differentiable logic programs for abstract visual reasoning
Authors: Shindo Hikaru , Pfanschilling Viktor , Dhami Devendra Singh , Kersting Kristian
Published: October 2024

Visual reasoning is essential for building intelligent agents that understand the world and perform problem-solving beyond perception. Differentiable forward reasoning has been developed to integrate reasoning with gradient-based machine learning paradigms. However, due to the memory intensity, most existing approaches do not bring the best of the expressivity of first-order logic, excluding a crucial ability to solve abstract visual reasoning, where agents need to perform reasoning by using analogies on abstract concepts in different scenarios. To overcome this problem, we propose NEUro-symbolic Message-pAssiNg reasoNer (NEUMANN), which is a graph-based differentiable forward reasoner, passing messages in a memory-efficient manner and handling structured programs with functors. Moreover, we propose a computationally-efficient structure learning algorithm to perform explanatory program induction on complex visual scenes. To evaluate, in addition to conventional visual reasoning tasks, we propose a new task, visual reasoning behind-the-scenes, where agents need to learn abstract programs and then answer queries by imagining scenes that are not observed. We empirically demonstrate that NEUMANN solves visual reasoning tasks efficiently, outperforming neural, symbolic, and neuro-symbolic baselines.
Vortices on cylinders and warped exponential networks
Authors: Gupta Kunal , Longhi Pietro
Published: October 2024

We study 3d $$\mathcal {N}=2$$

N
=
2

U(1) Chern–Simons-Matter QFT on a cylinder $$C\times \mathbb {R}$$

C
×
R

. The topology of C gives rise to BPS sectors of low-energy solitons known as kinky vortices, which interpolate between (possibly) different vacua at the ends of the cylinder and at the same time carry magnetic flux. We compute the spectrum of BPS vortices on the cylinder in an isolated Higgs vacuum, through the framework of warped exponential networks, which we introduce. We then conjecture a relation between these and standard vortices on $$\mathbb {R}^2$$

R

2

, which are related to genus-zero open Gromov–Witten invariants of toric branes. More specifically, we show that in the limit of large Fayet–Iliopoulos coupling, the spectrum of kinky vortices on C undergoes an infinite sequence of wall-crossing transitions and eventually stabilizes. We then propose an exact relation between a generating series of stabilized CFIV indices and the Gromov–Witten disk potential and discuss its consequences for the structure of moduli spaces of vortices.
Molecular remodeling in comorbidities associated with heart failure: a current update
Authors: Appunni Sandeep , Rubens Muni , Ramamoorthy Venkataraghavan , Saxena Anshul , McGranaghan Peter , Khosla Atulya , Doke Mayur , Chaparro Sandra , Jimenez Javier
Published: October 2024

Recent advances in genomics and proteomics have helped in understanding the molecular mechanisms and pathways of comorbidities and heart failure. In this narrative review, we reviewed molecular alterations in common comorbidities associated with heart failure such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, systemic hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, coronary artery disease, hypercholesteremia and lipoprotein abnormalities, chronic kidney disease, and atrial fibrillation. We searched the electronic databases, PubMed, Ovid, EMBASE, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and PhysioNet for articles without time restriction. Although the association between comorbidities and heart failure is already well established, recent studies have explored the molecular pathways in much detail. These molecular pathways demonstrate how novels drugs for heart failure works with respect to the pathways associated with comorbidities. Understanding the altered molecular milieu in heart failure and associated comorbidities could help to develop newer medications and targeted therapies that incorporate these molecular alterations as well as key molecular variations across individuals to improve therapeutic outcomes. The molecular alterations described in this study could be targeted for novel and personalized therapeutic approaches in the future. This knowledge is also critical for developing precision medicine strategies to improve the outcomes for patients living with these conditions.
Trend and teleconnection analysis of temperature extremes in New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Laz Orpita U. , Rahman Ataur , Ouarda Taha B. M. J.
Published: October 2024

This study investigates possible trends and teleconnections in temperature extremes in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Daily maximum and minimum temperature data covering the period 1971–2021 at 26 stations located in NSW were used. Three indices, which focus on daily maximum temperature, daily minimum temperature, and average daily temperature in terms of Excessive Heat Factor (EHF) were investigated to identify the occurrence of heatwaves (HWs). The study considered HWs of different durations (1-, 5-, and 10-days) in relation to intensity, frequency, duration, and their first occurrence parameters. Finally, the influences of three global climate drivers, namely – the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) were investigated with associated heatwave attributes for extended Austral summers. In this study, an increasing trend in both hot days and nights was observed for most of the selected stations within the study area. The increase was more pronounced for the last decade (2011–2021) of the investigated time period. The number, duration and frequency of the heatwaves increased over time considering the EHF criterion, whereas no particular trend was detected in cases of TX90 and TN90. It was also evident that the first occurrence of all the HWs shifted towards the onset of the extended summer while considering the EHF criterion of HWs. The correlations between heatwave attributes and climate drivers depicted that heatwave over NSW was positively influenced by both the IOD and ENSO and negatively correlated with SAM. The findings of this study will be useful in formulating strategies for managing the impacts of extreme temperature events such as bushfires, floods, droughts to the most at-risk regions within NSW.
Development of the celiac disease symptom diary version 2.1© (CDSD 2.1©) patient-reported outcome measure
Authors: Howard Kellee , Adelman Daniel , Ghura Sonal , Acaster Sarah , Clifford Sarah , Kelly Ciaran P. , Martin Susan A. , Meckley Lisa M. , Leffler Daniel A.
Published: October 2024

Purpose

For patients with celiac disease (CeD), the only current management option is adherence to a strict gluten-free diet (GFD); however, many patients on a GFD continue to experience symptoms with a significant impact on quality of life. Potential new treatments for CeD are under development and a validated patient-reported outcome measure is required to evaluate their utility in clinical trials. The purpose of this article is to provide a history of the development of the Celiac Disease Symptom Diary (CDSD) 2.1© for use in clinical trials.

Methods

Qualitative and quantitative studies were conducted from 2010 to 2021, including concept elicitation and cognitive debriefing interviews with adult and adolescent participants with CeD (N = 93) diagnosed via biopsy and/or serology and input from eight interviews with CeD clinical experts. During these studies, different iterations of the CDSD were presented to the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency, and modifications were made in line with their feedback.

Results

These studies ultimately led to the development of CDSD 2.1©, a daily diary which focuses on key symptoms of CeD (abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, nausea and tiredness). This patient-reported outcome measure was readily understood by adult and adolescent participants with CeD and content validity was demonstrated in both populations.

Conclusion

CDSD 2.1© is a content-valid patient-reported outcome measure developed in accordance with best practices and regulatory guidance. A thorough exploration of the psychometric properties of CDSD 2.1© for both adult and adolescent participants with CeD is ongoing to support utilization in clinical trials.
Testing the psychometric characteristics of EQ-5D-5L and respiratory bolt-ons using a sample of the Australian population
Authors: Bahrampour Mina , Kochovska Slavica , Currow David C. , Viney Rosalie , Mulhern Brendan
Published: October 2024

Purpose

The EQ-5D has been used to assess health related quality of life (HRQoL) in respiratory conditions. However, the core descriptive system may not be sensitive to all the HRQoL impacts of these conditions. To increase the sensitivity of the descriptive system, two respiratory specific bolt-ons, have been developed. Psychometric assessment of the bolt-ons in comparison to other validated instruments is required to facilitate their use. Therefore, the aim of this study is to test the psychometric characteristics of the EQ-5D-5L + R using a large dataset collected in Australia.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was used to recruit adult respondents (≥ 18 years) representative of the Australian population. Descriptive and psychometric analyses were used to understand the performance of the EQ-5D-5L and bolt-ons in comparison to other validated instruments. The construct validity was estimated using correlations. Known-group validity was tested to determine the sensitivity of the instruments to differences across different severity groups.

Results

Overall 10,033 respondents (52% female) completed the survey, of which 300 had a respiratory condition. There were moderate to high correlation between bolt-ons with EQ-5D-5L and WHODAS. The EQ-5D-5L + bolt-ons slightly reduced the ceiling effect in comparison to the EQ-5D-5L. The effect size was larger for people with respiratory conditions than people who did not have a respiratory condition.

Conclusion

The results show that adding the respiratory bolt-on to the EQ-5D-5L might slightly improve the instruments descriptive sensitivity. The choice of bolt-on may be driven by whether overall problems or limitations are being measured.
Scaffolding Bad Moral Agents
Authors: Jefferson Anneli , Heinrichs Jan-Hendrik , Sifferd Katrina
Published: October 2024

Recent work on ecological accounts of moral responsibility and agency have argued for the importance of social environments for moral reasons responsiveness. Moral audiences can scaffold individual agents’ sensitivity to moral reasons and their motivation to act on them, but they can also undermine it. In this paper, we look at two case studies of ‘scaffolding bad’, where moral agency is undermined by social environments: street gangs and online incel communities. In discussing these case studies, we draw both on recent situated cognition literature and on scaffolded responsibility theory. We show that the way individuals are embedded into a specific social environment changes the moral considerations they are sensitive to in systematic ways because of the way these environments scaffold affective and cognitive processes, specifically those that concern the perception and treatment of ingroups and outgroups. We argue that gangs undermine reasons responsiveness to a greater extent than incel communities because gang members are more thoroughly immersed in the gang environment.
Understanding perioperative risk determinants in carotid endarterectomy: the impact of compromised circle of Willis morphology on inter-hemispheric blood flow indices based on intraoperative internal carotid artery stump pulse pressure and backflow patterns
Authors: Czinege Zsófia , Sándor Ágnes Dóra , Gyürki Dániel , Varga Andrea , Csípő Tamás , Székely Andrea , Ungvári Zoltán , Banga Péter , Sótonyi Péter , Horváth Tamás
Published: October 2024

Carotid artery stenosis (CAS) often requires surgical intervention through carotid endarterectomy (CEA) to prevent stroke. Accurate cerebrovascular risk assessments are crucial in CEA, as poor collateral circulation can lead to insufficient interhemispheric blood flow compensation, resulting in ischemic complications. Therefore, understanding perioperative risk determinants is vital. This study aims to determine the impact of compromised circle of Willis (CoW) morphology on inter-hemispheric blood flow, focusing on indices based on intraoperative internal carotid artery stump pulse pressure and backflow patterns. In 80 CAS patients who underwent CEA, preoperative CT angiography for CoW was conducted. Patients were categorized into five subgroups based on their CoW anatomy and three additional groups based on intraoperative internal carotid artery (ICA) stump backflow patterns evaluated by the surgeon. Continuous blood pressure signals, including systolic, diastolic, mean, and pulse pressure values, were recorded during the procedure. The relationship between CoW anatomical variants and the systolic and diastolic segments of the averaged pressure waveforms, particularly diastolic pressure decay, was analyzed. The correlation between CoW anatomy and stump backflow intensity was also examined. Significant variability in ICA stump backflow and pressure values was evident across CoW variants. Patients with compromised CoW morphology exhibited weaker backflow patterns and lower ICA stump pulse pressure values, consistent with impaired interhemispheric blood flow. Notably, ICA stump diastolic pressure decay was consistent across most CoW variant groups, indicating developed collateral circulation in cases with CoW anomalies. Thus, impaired CoW integrity is associated with compromised interhemispheric blood flow indices based on intraoperative ICA stump pulse pressure and backflow patterns during CEA. Integrating intraoperative pulse waveform analysis with preoperative CT angiography provides a more detailed assessment of cerebrovascular risk, guiding the selective use of shunts. This combined approach may improve surgical outcomes and patient safety by identifying patients at increased risk of perioperative neurological events due to CoW anomalies.
Introducing listening as a weak method for advancing sustainability and interdisciplinary scholarship
Authors: Branny Artur , Maurer Megan , Andersson Erik , McPhearson Timon , Raymond Christopher M. , Faehnle Maija , Olafsson Anton Stahl , Gulsrud Natalie Marie
Published: October 2024

There is now widespread recognition of the need for inter/transdisciplinary (I/TD) approaches to solving global problems like climate change and biodiversity. Yet methods for successfully integrating knowledge across disciplines, and between research and practice, are in need of further development, particularly approaches that can ameliorate epistemological and ontological divides. Here we propose a framework for good listening as a ‘weak method’ that can provide guidance and structure to I/TD collaborations, but does not assume the form and goals a given collaboration will take. Synthesising the results of a scoping, interdisciplinary literature review, we highlight four key components of listening—receiving, processing, interpretation, and feedback/response—and provide a set of normative values regarding ‘good listening’ for each. Our goal is to provide a framework that is grounded in detailed scholarly discussions of listening politics and practice, but that is specifically formulated in response to the needs and concerns of I/TD researchers. We then apply our framework to four commonly encountered challenges in sustainability science, drawing on our collective experience in the field to explore how good listening can aid I/TD collaboration in regards to inclusion, group dynamics, format and pace. In doing so, we hope to inspire those working in sustainability science to approach I/TD collaboration in a new way and provide a tool for facilitating caring and transformational approaches to solving the world’s most pressing sustainability crises.
Spherical Shepard-Bernoulli operator
Authors: Cătinaş Teodora , Malina Andra
Published: October 2024

We consider the problem of interpolating large sets of scattered data on the sphere using Shepard-Bernoulli operators constructed based on two types of basis functions. We study the interpolation properties and the approximation errors of the methods proposed here. We evaluate the efficiency using several test functions and the practical applicability through two real-data problems.
Unusual conditions for the formation of linear discontinuous deformations triggered by underground mining
Authors: Strzałkowski Piotr , Ścigała Roman
Published: October 2024

The occurrence of linear discontinuous deformations, primarily manifesting as ground steps, is becoming increasingly prevalent in mining and post-mining areas. These deformations present a significant hazard to structures, as there are no effective protective measures currently available. An important aspect of these deformations is that they can occur several decades after mining operations have ceased, making it crucial to understand their causes and conditions of formation. This paper presents a detailed case study of ground step formation that resulted in substantial damage to storage halls. Through comprehensive analyses of geological and mining conditions, combined with rigorous calculations, the study identifies the most likely factors that triggered the deformation. Notably, these factors differ from those commonly cited in the existing literature, providing a novel contribution to the research on this issue. The findings underscore the necessity for continuous monitoring and reevaluation of post-mining areas to mitigate potential risks and develop more effective protective strategies.
Acupuncture ameliorates liver injury induced by platinum treatment through the Notch signaling pathway
Authors: Yu Dongdong , Wang Wenzhe , Du Xueyuan , Teng Yingchun , Chao Liqin , Zhang Huanhuan , Fan Shidong , Wei Xingyu , Zhang Chen
Published: October 2024

This work aims to investigate whether acupuncture can ameliorate liver injury caused by platinum-based therapy and relevant mechanism. The liver indices of patients receiving and not receiving acupuncture were analyzed based on the clinical statistics, and it was found that after acupuncture treatment, the aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), albumin (ALB), and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase of the patients were significantly improved. Then, the animal experiments were conducted for verification. After treatment with cisplatin (DDP) modeling and acupuncture, the HE and Masson staining results of the livers of mice showed that the liver injuries were reduced, and the indexes of platelets, AST and ALT became normal after acupuncture treatment. The gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis indicated that acupuncture may ameliorates liver injury through the Notch signaling pathway. Under the effect of blocker γ-secretase inhibitor (DAPT) for the Notch signaling pathway, the expressions of inflammatory factors and the genes and proteins related to the Notch signaling pathway were all up-regulated, while the alleviation of liver injury by acupuncture was inhibited. These results suggest that acupuncture can ameliorate platinum treatment-induced liver injury through the Notch signaling pathway.
On the Diophantine equations of the form $$\lambda _1U_{n_1} + \lambda _2U_{n_2} +\cdots + \lambda _kU_{n_k} = wp_1^{z_1}p_2^{z_2} \cdots p_s^{z_s}$$
Authors: Goedhart Eva , Ha Brian , McBeath Lily , Velasco Luisa
Published: October 2024

In this paper, we consider the Diophantine equation $$\lambda _1U_{n_1}+\cdots +\lambda _kU_{n_k}=wp_1^{z_1} \ldots p_s^{z_s},$$

λ
1

U

n
1

+
⋯
+

λ
k

U

n
k

=
w

p
1

z
1

…

p
s

z
s

,

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

{

U
n

}

n
≥
0

is a fixed non-degenerate linear recurrence sequence of order greater than or equal to 2; w is a fixed non-zero integer; $$p_1,\dots ,p_s$$

p
1

,
⋯
,

p
s

are fixed, distinct prime numbers; $$\lambda _1,\dots ,\lambda _k$$

λ
1

,
⋯
,

λ
k

are strictly positive integers; and $$n_1,\dots ,n_k,z_1,\dots ,z_s$$

n
1

,
⋯
,

n
k

,

z
1

,
⋯
,

z
s

are non-negative integer unknowns. We prove the existence of an effectively computable upper-bound on the solutions $$(n_1,\dots ,n_k,z_1,\dots ,z_s)$$

(

n
1

,
⋯
,

n
k

,

z
1

,
⋯
,

z
s

)

. In our proof, we use lower bounds for linear forms in logarithms, extending the work of Pink and Ziegler (Monatshefte Math 185(1):103–131, 2018), Mazumdar and Rout (Monatshefte Math 189(4):695–714, 2019), Meher and Rout (Lith Math J 57(4):506–520, 2017), and Ziegler (Acta Arith 190:139–169, 2019).
Carbon Storage and Fluxes from Sphagnum Peatlands of the Bogong High Plains, Australia
Authors: Treby Sarah , Gunawardhana Meeruppage , Grover Samantha P P , Carnell Paul E
Published: October 2024

Australian alpine peatlands are critically important ecosystems that deliver a range of valuable services. However, our understanding of these services in Australia, particularly peatland carbon cycling, is lacking. Here, we quantified peat soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations, C:N ratios, and C density in eight Sphagnum-dominated peatlands on the Bogong High Plains, southeastern Australia. Soil C and N concentrations averaged 16.5 ± 13.2% and 0.6 ± 0.4%, respectively. C:N ratios averaged 30.9 ± 20.4, and C density averaged 46.6 ± 20.7 mg C cm− 3. Our findings suggest that (1) peat biogeochemistry is highly variable between sites, even at small spatial scales; and (2) while not a direct focus of the study, peat depths in this area were relatively shallow, ranging from 30 to 60 cm, most likely due to previous disturbance causing peat removal and carbon loss. Additionally, we present preliminary data investigating CO2 and CH4 fluxes at these sites. We recommend that future research includes (1) age dating peat cores to better understand the role of disturbance in rates of peat accumulation and loss; and (2) long-term carbon flux studies at multiple peatland sites.
New emerging market economies and the roles of energy use, financial development and socioeconomic aspects
Authors: Eyuboglu Sinem , Uzar Umut , Alola Andrew Adewale
Published: October 2024

In recent years, emerging market economies have consistently achieved growth rates above the world average. In this study, the nexus among economic growth, energy consumption, industrialization, financial development, trade openness, and urbanization were tested over the period 1995–2019 for selected emerging countries (Colombia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico and Poland). The main findings of this study are as follows: The results showed that energy consumption, industrialization, and financial development positively affected economic growth for the entire panel. While trade openness negatively affected economic growth, urbanization was statistically insignificant. The Dumitrescu and Hurlin causality test results indicate bidirectional causality between energy consumption and economic growth. Economic growth and energy consumption are the causes of industrialization. Thus, it can be concluded that a low-cost energy supply will help maintain economic performance with incentive policies such as tax deductions and credits provided for producers in the examined countries.
Rural–Urban Divide of COVID-19 Fatalities in India—Investigating the Role of Lifestyle Disorder Diseases
Authors: Basu Parantap , Das Susmita , Dutta Choudhury Arnab , Mazumder Ritwik , Sengupta Mahuya
Published: October 2024

Using data on weekly COVID-19 infections and fatalities at the district level for 19 states and 4 union territories of India, we investigate the determinants of COVID-19 deaths focusing exclusively on the second wave of infections. We include several macroeconomic and structural indicators for districts namely, per capita district domestic product, the degree of urbanization, population density, percentage of aged population, share of agriculture, poverty, among several others. Our findings suggest that fatalities have a clear rural–urban divide. Rural agricultural districts with more poor people have experienced less cases and fatalities. Fatalities are more clustered in prosperous and dense industrial districts. Regions having higher COVID-19 fatalities also have a higher proportion of ageing population with urban life-style disorder related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Prevalence of respiratory illnesses further aggravates the effects of some of these life-style disorder diseases on COVID-19 fatalities.
An Efficient Framework for Secure Dynamic Skyline Query Processing in the Cloud
Authors: Chen Peng , Xu Baochao , Li Hui , Wang Weiguo , Peng Yanguo , Bhowmick Sourav S. , Chen Xiaofeng , Cui Jiangtao
Published: October 2024

This study introduces an innovative framework named scale for processing dynamic skyline queries securely in cloud environments. Unlike previous approaches that require complex operations on encrypted data, scale simplifies dynamic skyline domination to mere comparisons, significantly improving query efficiency. Through empirical evaluations over four datasets, we show that scale accelerates query processing nearly 1000-fold compared to existing state-of-the-art methods. Specifically, scale shows significant efficiency improvements by simplifying query interactions to a single round between the user and the cloud, which is validated through empirical studies on multiple datasets. Moreover, we introduce two distributed versions of scale, dist-scale-s and dist-scale-e, which further optimize performance by facilitating parallel processing. This adaptation showcases a substantial reduction in response times and computational overhead, underpinning the scalability and effectiveness of our framework in handling large-scale, secure cloud-based queries.
Deep‐Learning Based Causal Inference: A Feasibility Study Based on Three Years of Tectonic‐Climate Data From Moxa Geodynamic Observatory
Authors: Ahmad Wasim , Kasburg Valentin , Kukowski Nina , Shadaydeh Maha , Denzler Joachim
Published: October 2024

Highly sensitive laser strainmeters at Moxa Geodynamic Observatory (MGO) measure motions of the upper Earth's crust. Since the mountain overburden of the laser strainmeters installed in the gallery of the observatory is relatively low, the recorded time series are strongly influenced by local meteorological phenomena. To estimate the nonlinear effect of the meteorological variables on strain measurements in a non‐stationary environment, advanced methods capable of learning the nonlinearity and discovering causal relationships in the non‐stationary multivariate tectonic‐climate time series are needed. Methods for causal inference generally perform well in identifying linear causal relationships but often struggle to retrieve complex nonlinear causal structures prevalent in real‐world systems. This work presents a novel model invariance‐based causal discovery (CDMI) method that utilizes deep networks to model nonlinearity in a multivariate time series system. We propose to use the theoretically well‐established Knockoffs framework to generate in‐distribution, uncorrelated copies of the original data as interventional variables and test the model invariance for causal discovery. To deal with the non‐stationary behavior of the tectonic‐climate time series recorded at the MGO, we propose a regime identification approach that we apply before causal analysis to generate segments of time series that possess locally consistent statistical properties. First, we evaluate our method on synthetically generated time series by comparing it to other causal analysis methods. We then investigate the hypothesized effect of meteorological variables on strain measurements. Our approach outperforms other causality methods and provides meaningful insights into tectonic‐climate causal interactions.
Permafrost Region Greenhouse Gas Budgets Suggest a Weak CO2 Sink and CH4 and N2O Sources, But Magnitudes Differ Between Top‐Down and Bottom‐Up Methods
Authors: Hugelius G. , Ramage J. , Burke E. , Chatterjee A. , Smallman T. L. , Aalto T. , Bastos A. , Biasi C. , Canadell J. G. , Chandra N. , Chevallier F. , Ciais P. , Chang J. , Feng L. , Jones M. W. , Kleinen T. , Kuhn M. , Lauerwald R. , Liu J. , López‐Blanco E. , Luijkx I. T. , Marushchak M. E. , Natali S. M. , Niwa Y. , Olefeldt D. , Palmer P. I. , Patra P. K. , Peters W. , Potter S. , Poulter B. , Rogers B. M. , Riley W. J. , Saunois M. , Schuur E. A. G. , Thompson R. L. , Treat C. , Tsuruta A. , Turetsky M. R. , Virkkala A.‐M. , Voigt C. , Watts J. , Zhu Q. , Zheng B.
Published: October 2024

Large stocks of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in northern permafrost soils are vulnerable to remobilization under climate change. However, there are large uncertainties in present‐day greenhouse gas (GHG) budgets. We compare bottom‐up (data‐driven upscaling and process‐based models) and top‐down (atmospheric inversion models) budgets of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) as well as lateral fluxes of C and N across the region over 2000–2020. Bottom‐up approaches estimate higher land‐to‐atmosphere fluxes for all GHGs. Both bottom‐up and top‐down approaches show a sink of CO2 in natural ecosystems (bottom‐up: −29 (−709, 455), top‐down: −587 (−862, −312) Tg CO2‐C yr−1) and sources of CH4 (bottom‐up: 38 (22, 53), top‐down: 15 (11, 18) Tg CH4‐C yr−1) and N2O (bottom‐up: 0.7 (0.1, 1.3), top‐down: 0.09 (−0.19, 0.37) Tg N2O‐N yr−1). The combined global warming potential of all three gases (GWP‐100) cannot be distinguished from neutral. Over shorter timescales (GWP‐20), the region is a net GHG source because CH4 dominates the total forcing. The net CO2 sink in Boreal forests and wetlands is largely offset by fires and inland water CO2 emissions as well as CH4 emissions from wetlands and inland waters, with a smaller contribution from N2O emissions. Priorities for future research include the representation of inland waters in process‐based models and the compilation of process‐model ensembles for CH4 and N2O. Discrepancies between bottom‐up and top‐down methods call for analyses of how prior flux ensembles impact inversion budgets, more and well‐distributed in situ GHG measurements and improved resolution in upscaling techniques.
TANAGER: Design and Validation of an Automated Spectrogoniometer for Bidirectional Reflectance Studies of Natural Rock Surfaces
Authors: Rice Melissa , Lapo Kristiana , Hoza Kathleen , Cloutis Ed , Kraft Mike , Mulcahy Sean , Applin Dan , Theuer Samantha
Published: October 2024

Laboratory measurements of reflectance spectra of rocks and minerals at multiple viewing geometries are important for interpreting spacecraft data of planetary surfaces. However, efficiently acquiring such measurements is challenging, as it requires a custom goniometer that can accommodate multiple, bulky samples beneath a movable light source and detector. Most spectrogoniometric laboratory work to date has focused on mineral mixtures and particulates, yet it is also critical to characterize natural rock surfaces to understand the influence of texture and alteration. We designed the Three‐Axis N‐sample Automated Goniometer for Evaluating Reflectance (TANAGER) specifically to rapidly acquire spectra of natural rock surfaces across the full scattering hemisphere. TANAGER has its light source and the spectrometer's fiber optic mounted on rotating and tilting arcs, with a rotating azimuth stage and six‐position sample tray, all of which are fully motorized and integrated with a Malvern PanAnalytical ASD FieldSpec4 Hi‐Res reflectance spectrometer. Using well‐characterized color calibration targets, we have validated the accuracy and repeatability of TANAGER spectra. We also confirm that the system introduces no discernible noise or artifacts. All design schematics and control software for TANAGER are open‐source and available for use and modification by the larger scientific community.
Tracking a Disappearing Mantle Plume in Ancient Samoa
Authors: Scharping Nathaniel
Published: October 2024

A thick portion of Earth’s crust may have capped the Samoan plume and suppressed volcanism for 30 million years, explaining a curious gap along the Samoan chain.
Assessing the Precision and Accuracy of Foraminifera Elemental Analysis at Low Ratios
Authors: Lu Wanyi , Guo Weifu , Oppo Delia W.
Published: October 2024

The minor and trace element compositions of biogenic carbonates such as foraminifera are important tools in paleoceanography research. However, most studies have focused primarily on samples with element to calcium (El/Ca) ratios higher than the El/Ca range often found in benthic foraminifera. Here, we systematically assess the precision and accuracy of foraminifera elemental analysis across a wide range of El/Ca especially at relatively low ratios, using a method on a Thermo Scientific iCAP Qc quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP‐MS). We focus on two benthic foraminifera species, Hoeglundina elegans and Cibicidoides pachyderma, and prepared a suite of solution standards based on their typical El/Ca ranges to correct for signal drift and matrix effects during ICP‐MS analysis and to determine analytical precision. We observe comparable precisions with published studies at high El/Ca, and higher relative standard deviations for each element at lower El/Ca, as expected from counting statistics. The overall long‐term analytical precision (2σ) of the H. elegans‐like consistency standard solutions was 6.5%, 4.6%, 5.0%, for Li/Ca, Mg/Ca, Mg/Li, and 6.4%, 10.0%, 4.2% for B/Ca, Cd/Ca, Sr/Ca. The precision for H. elegans‐like Mg/Li is equivalent to a temperature uncertainty of 0.5–1.1°C. Measurement precisions were also assessed based on three international standards (one solution and two powder standards) and replicate measurements of H. elegans and C. pachyderma samples. We provide file templates and program scripts that can be used to design calibration and consistency standards, prepare run sequences, and convert the raw ICP‐MS data into molar ratios.
Identifying Recycled Materials Using Mo Isotopes in Intraplate Alkali Basalts From the Southeastern Margin of Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Xu Dongjing , Qi Yue , Wang Qiang , Li Jie , Wyman Derek A. , Kerr Andrew C. , Zhang Xiuzheng , Guo Peina
Published: October 2024

Mantle heterogeneity in lithology and geochemistry is often attributed to recycled subducted materials. While distinct mantle end‐members are identified by radiogenic isotopes, the specific recycled materials contributing to this heterogeneity remain debated. This study presents Mo‐Sr‐Nd‐Pb isotopic data for OIB‐like alkali basalts from the Maguan area in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, focusing on slab inputs' role in mantle heterogeneity. The Miocene (ca. 13 Ma) Maguan alkali basalts are divided into two types based on petrographic and geochemical characteristics, showing similar Sr‐Nd‐Pb isotopic signatures but different Mo isotopic compositions. Type I basalts exhibit a wide δ98/95Mo range (−0.31‰ to −1.03‰, average −0.47‰ ± 0.06‰, 2SD = 0.40‰, n = 13), while type II basalts have heavy and constant δ98/95Mo values (−0.11‰ to −0.17‰, average −0.14‰ ± 0.01‰, 2SD = 0.05‰, n = 6). The unique low δ98/95Mo value (−1.03‰) in type I basalts is among the lowest reported in OIB‐like continental basalts. Type I basalts likely originate from an enriched asthenospheric mantle metasomatized by melts from recycled dehydrated oceanic crust and sediments, whereas type II basalts are derived from partial melting of an enriched asthenospheric mantle metasomatized by melts from recycled serpentinized peridotites. The residual Tethys oceanic slabs in the deep mantle significantly contribute to the mantle source of the Maguan basalts. The formation of Maguan Miocene magmas may be linked to mantle upwelling induced by the subduction of the West Burma plate. This study highlights the Mo isotopic system's utility in tracing complex slab fluxes generating mantle geochemical heterogeneity.
Interseismic Locking of the Xiaojiang Fault May Be Controlled by Pore Fluid Pressure
Authors: Zhu Yage , Diao Faqi , Wang Rongjiang , Shao Zhigang , Xiong Xiong
Published: October 2024

Although fault locking state has been widely acquired with space geodetic observations, the mechanisms controlling fault locking are poorly known. Here, we infer the locking state of the Xiaojiang fault with a viscoelastic deformation model and integrated GNSS data, based on which we probe the mechanism that may control the locking pattern of the fault. Our results reveal four highly locked asperities along the Xiaojiang fault, which are separated by weak locking zones. Relying on the inferred locking degree and spring water temperature along the fault, we construct a model to connect the fault hydraulic conductivity with the cooling process of upwelling water. Model results suggest that high spring water temperature correlates with high hydraulic conductivity. Further, we use an experimental law to infer that the obtained high hydraulic conductivity may associate with high pore fluid pressure, which in turn weakens the fault frictional strength and leads to weak locking.
Inhomogeneous Sea‐Salt Aerosols—A New Strengthening Mechanism for the Western North Pacific Subtropical High
Authors: Gu Jiabei , Shu Shoujuan , Bi Lei , Li Wenjuan
Published: October 2024

The western North Pacific Subtropical High (WNPSH) significantly influences East Asian weather. In the Northwest Pacific where sea‐salt aerosols (SSAs) are abundant and the large‐scale environment is dominated by the dry subsidence of the WNPSH during summer, inhomogeneous SSAs form as a product of the environment. However, the extent to which inhomogeneous SSAs affect the WNPSH remains unclear. This study investigates the radiative effects of SSAs through numerical simulations, revealing a novel mechanism for the strengthening of the WNPSH. The results demonstrate that inhomogeneous SSAs enhance the WNPSH by generating diabatic cooling in the upper troposphere and associated unstable subsidence motion. Further considering the radiative hysteresis effects of inhomogeneous SSAs, the WNPSH further strengthens under the combined dynamic and thermodynamic influences associated with upper‐level radiative cooling. Inhomogeneous SSAs not only enhance the WNPSH but also influence the location where the central area of high pressure intensifies.
X‐Raying Neutral Density Disturbances in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere Induced by the 2022 Hunga‐Tonga Volcano Eruption‐Explosion
Authors: Katsuda Satoru , Shinagawa Hiroyuki , Fujiwara Hitoshi , Jin Hidekatsu , Miyoshi Yasunobu , Miyoshi Yoshizumi , Motizuki Yuko , Nakajima Motoki , Nakazawa Kazuhiro , Nobukawa Kumiko K. , Otsuka Yuichi , Shinbori Atsushi , Sori Takuya , Tao Chihiro , Tashiro Makoto S. , Wada Yuuki , Yamawaki Takaya
Published: October 2024

We present X‐ray observations of the upper atmospheric density disturbance caused by the explosive eruption of the Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai (HTHH) volcano on 15 January 2022. From 14 January to 16 January, the Chinese X‐ray astronomy satellite, Insight‐HXMT, was observing the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A. The X‐ray data obtained during Earth's atmospheric occultations allowed us to measure neutral densities in the altitude range of 90–150 km. The density profiles above 110 km altitude obtained before the major eruption are in reasonable agreement with expectations by both GAIA and NRLMSIS 2.0 models. In contrast, after the HTHH eruption, a severe density depletion was found up to 1,000 km away from the epicenter, and a relatively weak depletion extending up to km for over 8 hr after the eruption. In addition, density profiles showed wavy structures with a typical length scale of either 20 km (vertical) or 1,000 km (horizontal). This may be caused by Lamb waves or gravity waves triggered by the volcanic eruption.