bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Solvent Assisted Linker Exchange (SALE) and De Novo Synthetic Routes on CO2 Uptake and Fixation by Mixed-Linker Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks
Authors: Abraha Yuel W. , Jacobs Francois J. F. , Brink Alice , Langner Ernst H. G.
Published: April 2023

Direct mixing (de novo) and Solvent Assisted Ligand Exchange (SALE) are the main methods used for the synthesis of Mixed-Linker Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ML-ZIFs). ML-ZIFs with combined –NO2 and –Br/–Cl functionalities were prepared via both synthetic routes. Thereafter the CO2 uptake of the ML-ZIFs were compared, as well as their abilities to fixate CO2 with epoxide substrates. The de novo synthesis resulted in ML-ZIFs with SOD topologies, 60: 40 (–NO2: –Br/–Cl) functionality ratios, higher porosities, better thermal stability and higher CO2 uptake than equivalent SALE products. SALE resulted in smaller ML-ZIF crystallites, only ~ 10% incorporation of –Br/–Cl functionalized imidazolate linkers, and phase change during activation. ML-ZIF-7Cl, obtained from direct mixing, resulted in the highest CO2 uptake (90 cm3 g−1), in line with its higher porosity. ML-ZIF-7Cl, in combination with tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB), showed a high catalytic activity (TOF of 446 h−1) for the fixation of CO2 with propylene oxide and was reusable for up to 4 cycles without loss in activity.

Graphical Abstract
Shape Sensitivity Analysis of a 2D Fluid–Structure Interaction Problem
Authors: Calisti Valentin , Lucardesi Ilaria , Scheid Jean-François
Published: April 2023

We study the shape differentiability of a general functional depending on the solution of a bidimensional stationary Stokes–elasticity system with small loads, with respect to the reference domain of the elastic structure immersed in a viscous fluid. The differentiability with respect to reference elastic domain variations is considered under shape perturbations with diffeomorphisms. The shape derivative is then calculated with the use of the velocity method. This derivative involves the material derivatives of the solution of this fluid–structure interaction problem. The adjoint method is then used to obtain a simplified expression for the shape derivative.
A defence of the austere view of nonsense
Authors: Bogucki Krystian
Published: April 2023

The austere view of nonsense says that the source of nonsense is not a violation of the rules of logical syntax, but nonsense is always due to a lack of meaning in one of the components of a sentence. In other words, the necessary and sufficient condition for nonsensicality is that no meaning has been assigned to a constituent in a sentence. The austere conception is the key ingredient of the resolute reading ofTractatus Logico-Philosophicusthat presents a therapeutical interpretation of the work, and rejects a possibility of conveying some ineffable truths by means of nonsensical sentences. In this paper, I defend the austere view against the most important objections. Firstly, I discuss textual sources for ascribing to Wittgenstein the austere view that have not been sufficiently thoroughly discussed yet. Next, I indicate that the apparent occurrence of words out of the context of a sentence on lists of verbs and in definitions is not in conflict with the version of the context principle recommended by austere theorists, since this argument does not sufficiently take into account the distinction between sign and symbol. Furthermore, I argue that the austere conception and the principle of compositionality are jointly tenable, for the former view does not exclude the existence of syntactic and semantic rules, but only shows that they are recognizable conditionally. Finally, I indicate that the austere view of nonsense should be seen as a viable option by a contemporary theorist of nonsense, for it helps us to avoid making controversial assumptions about the nature of meaning and content.
EIF4A3-induced circular RNA SCAP facilitates tumorigenesis and progression of non-small-cell lung cancer via miR-7/SMAD2 signaling
Authors: Zhang Yingqing , Qi Weibo , Wu Yonglei
Published: April 2023

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A (eIF4A) family determines transcription efficiency by directly binding to precursor RNAs. One member, EIF4A3, modulates the expression of circRNAs. Circular RNA SCAP (circSCAP), a newly found circRNA, has been implicated in atherosclerosis. Yet, how circSCAP regulates cancer development and progression remains understudied. Here, we investigated the function of circSCAP and the molecular mechanism in the tumorigenesis and progression of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). CircSCAP was upregulated in both NSCLC tissues and cell lines and was mainly located in the cytoplasm. CircSCAP expression was promoted by EIF4A3, which was associated with poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC. CircSCAP sponged miR-7 to upregulate small mothers against decapentaplegic 2 (SMAD2). CircSCAP knockdown undermined cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities in NSCLC cell lines (SPCA1 and A549), which was rescued by either inhibiting miR-7 or overexpressing SMAD2. Moreover, circSCAP knockdown upregulated E-cadherin, while downregulating N-cadherin, Vimentin, and MMP9 in SPCA1 and A549 cells, which were abolished by either inhibiting miR-7 or overexpressing SMAD2. Additionally, miR-7 was markedly downregulated, whereas SMAD2 was significantly upregulated in NSCLC tissues. MiR-7 expression was inversely correlated with circSCAP and SMAD2 expression in NSCLC tissues. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that circSCAP is significantly upregulated in NSCLC cell lines and tissues and elucidates that circSCAP facilitates NSCLC progression by sponging miR-7 and upregulating SMAD2. The study provides a novel molecular target for early diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC.
Across and Within- Individual Associations Between Everyday Activities and Quality of Life Relevant Measures, in Workers with Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Hernandez Raymond , Schneider Stefan , Pham Loree , Pyatak Elizabeth A.
Published: April 2023

Relationships between activity engagement and health related quality of life (HRQOL) can differ based on the level of analyses. For instance, greater exercise on average may be linked with lower fatigue across individuals (between-person level), whereas the momentary experience of exercise may be associated with increased fatigue within an individual (within-person level). Disentangling the between- and within-person associations between everyday activities and HRQOL outcomes may provide insights for personalized lifestyle-oriented health promotion efforts for individuals with chronic conditions. The purpose of this paper was to examine the between- and within-person relationships between activity engagement and HRQOL relevant measures in a sample of 92 workers with type 1 diabetes (T1D), from whom we collected ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data 5–6 times daily over 14 days. At each EMA prompt, information was collected on the activity participants just engaged in, and HRQOL relevant metrics (e.g. mental health, blood glucose, fatigue, functioning). Momentary reports of “caring for others”, and more frequently “caring for others”, were both associated with decreased HRQOL. Reporting napping 10% or more of the time during a person’s waking hours, but not the momentary experience of napping, was associated with decreased HRQOL. Momentary reports of sleeping were associated with low activity satisfaction relative to other activities, but higher activity importance. Study results provided a quantitative representation of the lived experience of T1D covering multiple types of activity engagement, which potentially has health promotion implications for workers with T1D.
Neural and behavioral effects of parent training on emotion recognition in mothers rearing children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Makita Kai , Yao Akiko , Shimada Koji , Kasaba Ryoko , Fujisawa Takashi X. , Mizuno Yoshifumi , Tomoda Akemi
Published: April 2023

This randomized controlled study examined neurological changes in socioemotional processing skills through parent training in caregivers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Thirty mothers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were stratified into parent training and non-parent training groups. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed during the “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” test, and parenting difficulties were evaluated using the Parenting Stress Index and the Parenting Scale, twice (before and after parent training). Only mothers in the parent training group showed a significant decrease in Parenting Stress Index and Parenting Scale scores. They also demonstrated increased activity in the left occipital fusiform gyrus during the task of estimating emotions from facial pictures. We presumed that these changes might reflect the potential impact of enrollment in parent training in reducing stress, which might have increased activation of the fusiform gyrus.
Strain and process engineering toward continuous industrial fermentation
Authors: Dong Yufei , Zhang Ye , Liu Dehua , Chen Zhen
Published: April 2023

Most current biotechnology industries are based on batch or fed-batch fermentation processes, which often show low productivity and high production costs compared to chemical processes. To increase the economic competitiveness of biological processes, continuous fermentation technologies are being developed that offer significant advantages in comparison with batch/fed-batch fermentation processes, including: (1) removal of potential substrates and product inhibition, (2) prolonging the microbial exponential growth phase and enhancing productivity, and (3) avoiding repeated fermentation preparation and lowering operation and installation costs. However, several key challenges should be addressed for the industrial application of continuous fermentation processes, including (1) contamination of the fermentation system, (2) degeneration of strains, and (3) relatively low product titer. In this study, we reviewed and discussed metabolic engineering and synthetic biology strategies to address these issues.
Efficacy of exercise training for improving vascular dysfunction in people with cancer: a systematic review with meta-analyses
Authors: Vear Natalie K. , Moon Yubin , Mielke Gregore I. , Skinner Tina L. , Coombes Jeff S. , McCarthy Alexandra L. , Abbott Claudia R. , Bailey Tom G.
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Cancer treatments exert vascular toxic effects that can lead to the development of cardiovascular disease. Exercise training has the potential to prevent or reduce cancer treatment–induced damage to vascular structure and function. This systematic review with meta-analyses aimed to determine the isolated effects of exercise training on vascular outcomes in people with cancer.

Methods

Seven electronic databases were searched on 20 September 2021 to identify randomised controlled trials, quasi-randomised trials, pilot and cohort studies. Included studies implemented a structured exercise intervention and assessed vascular structure and/or function in people during or following cancer treatment. Meta-analyses examined the effects of exercise training on endothelial function (via brachial artery flow-mediated dilation) and arterial stiffness (via pulse wave velocity). Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane Quality Assessment tool and modified Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Appraisal tool. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations framework was used to assess the certainty of evidence.

Results

Ten studies (discussed across 11 articles) met the inclusion criteria. Methodological quality of the included studies was moderate (71% average). Exercise improved vascular function when compared to control (standardised mean difference = 0.34, 95% CI (0.01, 0.67); p = 0.044: studies = 5, participants = 171), but not pulse wave velocity (standardised mean difference = − 0.64, 95% CI (− 1.29, 0.02); p = 0.056: studies = 4, participants = 333). The certainty of evidence was moderate for flow-mediated dilation and low for pulse wave velocity.

Conclusions

Compared to usual care, exercise training significantly improves flow-mediated dilation (endothelial function) but not pulse wave analysis, in people treated for cancer.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Exercise may improve vascular health in individuals during and following cancer treatment.
Circular RNA COL1A2 Mediates High Glucose-Induced Oxidative Stress and Pyroptosis by Regulating MiR-424-5p/SGK1 in Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Zhuang Langen , Jin Guoxi , qiong Wang , Ge Xiaoxu , Pei Xiaoyan
Published: April 2023

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) represents a major diabetes-related complication, which could undermine renal function. CircCOL1A2 has been previously reported to show abnormal expression during DN. However, its functional role in the progression of DN, as well as the potential molecular mechanisms, remains unclear. The present work examined the expression of circCOL1A2 in the plasma of DN patients, and employed high glucose (HG)-challenged HK-2 cells as the in vitro cell model of hyperglycemia (HG)-induced DN. CircCOL1A2 was silenced using siRNA in HK-2 cells to clarify the functional engagement of circCOL1A2 in HG-induced DN. We examined the roles of circCOL1A2 in regulating oxidative stress by measuring reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Besides, the effects of circCOL1A2 silencing on pyroptosis were investigated by RT-qPCR, western blot (WB), and ELISA assays. StarBase (version 2.0) was used to identify the downstream effector of circCOL1A2, and their interactions were further verified through dual-luciferase reporter analysis, RNA pull-down assays, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. CircCOL1A2 was highly expressed in DN patients and HG-induced HK-2 cells. Knocking down circCOL1A2 alleviated oxidative stress and pyroptosis upon HG treatment. In addition, we demonstrated that circCOL1A2 knockdown could promote miR-424-5p expression while inhibiting Serum/Glucocorticoid Regulated Kinase 1 (SGK1) level. Furthermore, miR-424-5p inhibitor or SGK1 overexpression impaired the effects of circCOL1A2 knockdown on HG-induced oxidative stress and pyroptosis. Hence, our results demonstrated that the circCOL1A2 mediates HG-exposed pyroptosis and oxidative stress through modulating miR-424-5p/SGK1 axis in diabetic nephropathy, indicating that silencing circCOL1A2 is a potential intervention strategy for DN management.
Population Dynamics and Estimation of Damage of the Spittlebug Aeneolamia varia on Sugarcane in Colombia by Using remote Sensing and Machine Learning Tools
Authors: Ramirez-Gi Joaquin Guillermo , León-Rueda William A. , Castro-Franco Mauricio , Vargas German
Published: April 2023

The spittlebug (Aeneolamia varia) is one of the most important sugarcane pests in Colombia, where a recent increase in population and distribution specially in southwestern Colombia have led to the need for new technologies for integrated pest management. The objectives of this study were to determine the spatial distribution of this pest in commercial sugarcane fields and to validate machine learning (ML) tools for indirect injury detection and impact on yield (damage) using satellite images. This study was carried out in fields grown with the CC 01-1940 variety in El Cerrito, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, where systematic sampling of the populations (number of adults and nymphs per stem) was carried out. The spatial aggregation and distribution were determined using Moran’s index and point patterns, sequence observations, and analysis with distance indicators (Sadie). The indirect injury detection and quantification of the impact on production were carried out with a ML approach using satellite image products with 10 m spatial and five days temporal resolutions, obtained from a Sentinel-2 sensor using Google Earth Engine. The results indicated that spittlebug populations had an aggregate spatial behavior and high spatial dependence. In addition, the ML algorithms predicted spittlebug injury, and the effect on production was estimated at 26.4 tons of cane per hectare, which represented a 17% reduction in the expected yield. The use of spatial analysis and remote sensing tools are an alternative for indirect detection of injury and for understanding population dynamics of the pest in sugarcane, so they can become instrumental for decision-making on an integrated pest management program.
Blockchain-based digital rights management systems: Design principles for the music industry
Authors: Ciriello Raffaele Fabio , Torbensen Alexandra Cecilie Gjøl , Hansen Magnus Rotvit Perlt , Müller-Bloch Christoph
Published: April 2023

Initially designed to protect intellectual property (IP) of digitalized information goods such as music, games, or books, existing centralized digital rights management (DRM) systems mostly serve the interests of major publishers, with scant inclusion of rights owners, creators, and consumers. Although various blockchain-based DRM systems have been proposed, most of them mirror existing counterproductive IP restrictions. Analyzing the music industry as a case in point, this paper proposes design principles for blockchain-based DRM systems that provide an integrated and flexible solution by enabling transparent music licensing structures, consistent and complete rights metadata, and efficient and transparent royalty payout. The solution can be achieved by storing rights metadata on a public distributed ledger, by validating metadata through a consensus mechanism on a permissioned blockchain, and by algorithmically enforcing royalty payout via stablecoin through a smart contract. The design principles were evaluated by industry experts, validating their benefit for the music industry by increasing surplus value that is currently destroyed through previous suboptimal designs.
WDR76 regulates 5-fluorouracil sensitivity in colon cancer via HRAS
Authors: Hu Yunlong , Tan Xiao , Zhang Lin , Zhu Xiang , Wang Xiangyao
Published: April 2023

Background

WD repeat domain 76 (WDR76) has been reported in multiple tumors, while without relation to chemotherapy resistance. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is widely adopted in treating colon cancer. However, the resistance of WDR76 and 5-FU in colon cancer remains unclear.

Methods

Limma package in R software was employed to analyze the differentially expressed genes. Western blot or quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) were run to assessed the gene expression. The cytotoxic effect was determined according to cell viability assay, colony formation assay in vitro. Cell apoptosis was assayed using flow cytometry. GSEA analysis was performed to identify pathways related to the target gene. Xenografted mice model was employed to evaluate the tumor growth.

Results

Bioinformatic analysis revealed the higher expression of WDR76 in 5-FU sensitive colon cancer cells compared to resistant colon cancer cells, accompanied by the decreased mRNA expression of WDR76 in 5-FU resistant colon cancer cells. The overexpressed WDR76 resulted in the apoptosis and the downregulated colony numbers in 5-FU resistant colon cancer cells, leading to the elevated sensitivity of 5-FU. Meanwhile, knockdown of WDR76 enhances the resistance of 5-FU in colon cancer both in vitro and vivo, which was reversed by a specific inhibitor of HRAS, Kobe006. An important molecular mechanism of 5-FU resistance lies the degradation of HRAS induced by WDR76.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrated a role of WDR76 as a promising target for reversing the resistance of colon cancer to 5-FU.
Tying by statutory dominant firms under differentiated (stricter) scrutiny? Insights from economic theory and competition practice
Authors: Wu Qian , Philipsen Niels
Published: April 2023

Statutory dominant firms, different from dominant firms that have gained their market power through competition on the merits, have derived their market position from choices made by the state. From an economic perspective, tying by this kind of firm typically generates significant anti-competitive effects that are likely to outweigh the possible pro-competitive effects. Both in China and the EU, such tying practices have frequently taken place. Nevertheless, the economic findings have not been fully reflected in competition provisions and competition practice in these two jurisdictions. This may lead to error costs and enforcement costs, which is detrimental to consumer welfare. It is thus important for competition authorities and courts to carefully consider the economic findings, while taking into account also the principles of proportionality and legal certainty. To enhance the effectiveness of competition law, this study proposes potential ways of applying a differentiated (stricter) scrutiny of tying by statutory dominant firms to reduce error costs and enforcement costs.
Change in adaptive and maladaptive exercise and objective physical activity throughout CBT for individuals with eating disorders
Authors: Wons Olivia , Lampe Elizabeth , Patarinski Anna Gabrielle , Schaumberg Katherine , Juarascio Adrienne
Published: April 2023

Maladaptive exercise (i.e., exercise that compensates for binge eating or is used to avoid negative consequences of not exercising-like weight gain) is a common eating disorder (ED) behavior, yet, some individuals with EDs only engage in adaptive exercise. CBT for EDs targets reducing maladaptive exercise but does not address adaptive exercise. Thus, research is limited on how adaptive and maladaptive exercise are impacted during CBT for EDs. The current study examined how assessor-rated adaptive and maladaptive exercise and objectively measured physical activity changed over a 12-week CBT treatment among adults with transdiagnostic binge eating and restrictive eating that did and did not engage in maladaptive exercise at the start of treatment (n = 13 non-maladaptive exercise group,n = 17 maladaptive exercise group). The overall amount of adaptive and maladaptive exercise was measured via the Eating Disorder Examination Interview and objectively measured physical activity (e.g., step count, minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA]) was measured via a wrist-worn fitness tracker. Throughout treatment, the overall amount of adaptive exercise did not significantly change for both groups, but the overall amount of maladaptive exercise significantly decreased in the maladaptive exercise group. Step count did not significantly change for both groups, but minutes of MVPA significantly increased over treatment for the non-maladaptive exercise group. Increases in step count and minutes of MVPA were not associated with ED symptom changes in either group. These results enhance an understanding of exercise changes during transdiagnostic CBT-based ED treatment for individuals with varying baseline exercise profiles.

Level of evidence:Level 1, randomized controlled trial
Mutually reinforcing non-local neural networks for semantic segmentation
Authors: Li Tianping , Wei Yanjun , Cui Zhaotong , Li Guanxing , Li Meng , Zhang Hua
Published: April 2023

The ability to capture pixels' long-distance interdependence is beneficial to semantic segmentation. In addition, semantic segmentation requires the effective use of pixel-to-pixel similarity in the channel direction to enhance pixel regions. Asymmetric Non-local Neural Networks (ANNet) combine multi-scale spatial pyramidal pooling modules and Non-local blocks to reduce model parameters without sacrificing performance. However, ANNet does not consider pixel similarity in the channel direction in the feature map, so its segmentation effect is not ideal. This article proposes a Mutually Reinforcing Non-local Neural Networks (MRNNet) to improve ANNet. MRNNet consists specifically of the channel enhancement regions module (CERM), and the position-enhanced pixels module (PEPM). In contrast to Asymmetric Fusion Non-local Block (AFNB) in ANNet, CERM does not combine the feature maps of the high and low stages, but rather utilizes the auxiliary loss function of ANNet. Calculating the similarity between feature maps in channel direction improves the category representation of feature maps in the channel aspect and reduces matrix multiplication computation. PEPM enhances pixels in the spatial direction of the feature map by calculating the similarity between pixels in the spatial direction of the feature map. Experiments reveal that our segmentation accuracy for cityscapes test data reaches 81.9%. Compared to ANNet, the model's parameters are reduced by 11.35 (M). Given ten different pictures with a size of 2048 × 1024, the average reasoning time of MRNNet is 0.103(s) faster than that of the ANNet model.
Coordination and cooperation in asymmetric commons dilemmas: a replication study
Authors: Jarke-Neuert Johannes
Published: April 2023

Janssen et al. (Exp Econ 14:547–566, 2014) studied an asymmetric, finitely repeated common-pool resource dilemma with free-form communication in which subjects made decisions about investments in an infrastructure, and about extraction from a resource made available by this infrastructure. They found that infrastructure provision and joint payoffs converged to high levels because structurally advantaged head-enders tend to behave fairly by restricting themselves voluntarily at the extraction stage, and structurally disadvantaged “tail-enders” reciprocate by investing. This paper reports a fully independent, pre-registered, double-blind replication attempt conducted in a different lab, that also supplies elevated statistical power and adheres to the highest principles of scientific transparency and openness. We find that the key results of Janssen et al. not only re-appear qualitatively but are quantitatively and statistically strengthened. The conclusions drawn from the results are therefore robust, and the basic design can be confidently used for follow-up research.
EU-Erweiterungspolitik in der Zeitenwende: Zäsur oder business as usual?
Authors: Lippert Barbara
Published: April 2023

Nach der „Zeitenwende von 1989“ wurde die Erweiterungspolitik von Politik und Europawissenschaft vor allem als Normentransfer behandelt und bis zur „Zeitenwende 2022“ wurden ihre geopolitischen Implikationen ausgeblendet. Grund dafür waren die günstigen internationalen Bedingungen, die eine Erweiterung der Union in befriedete Räume Mitteleuropas ermöglichten. Die Behauptung, die Erweiterung sei die erfolgreichste Außenpolitik, die die EU je betrieben hat, entpuppt sich als Selbstbetrug. Bislang ist es der EU nicht gelungen, die Erweiterung in Konfliktgebieten wie dem westlichen Balkan durchzusetzen. Sie setzte die Nachbarschaftspolitik in der postsowjetischen Nachbarschaft als eine Art „Erweiterung light“ fort, obwohl die revisionistische und aggressive Politik Russlands außen- und sicherheitspolitische Absicherungen und Ergänzungen erfordert hätte. Während die Erweiterung als außenpolitisches Instrument nach dem Angriff auf die Ukraine plausibler geworden sein mag und in das Narrativ der Kommission von der Europäischen Union als geopolitischem Akteur passt, ist dies aus integrationspolitischer Sicht riskant. Denn die Überdehnung des politischen Systems und des transnationalen Gemeinwesens in einer EU mit mehr als 30 Mitgliedstaaten gefährdet die Funktionsfähigkeit und Legitimität der Union, die alte und neue Mitglieder anstreben.
Supporting User Protection Requirements in Cloud-Based Data Outsourcing
Authors: De Capitani di Vimercati Sabrina , Foresti Sara , Livraga Giovanni , Samarati Pierangela
Published: April 2023

The cloud is nowadays widely used for storing and managing data, and leveraging scalable and flexible IT infrastructures while guaranteeing continuous data and application availability from anywhere at any time. The cloud market is characterized by a rich and diversified offering that usually comes as predefined configurations (plans), which can be adopted to outsource data collections. Such plans exhibit different features and characteristics, which make different plans suitable to different scenarios. Seemingly a trivial problem, selecting a plan that responds well to the needs of a data owner is actually far from easy. In fact, the problem entails a number of challenges that need to be carefully addressed, ranging from representing and reasoning on plans’ characteristics, to permitting data owners to formulate (and have enforced) expressive requirements to identify an optimal (combination of) plan(s) without requiring deep technical knowledge of the cloud technology and jargon. In this paper, we address this problem, discussing some of its main challenges, and illustrating some research directions and state-of-the-art solutions.
Development of hybrid performance-based optimization algorithm for structures equipped with vibration damper devices
Authors: Ayyash Al-jbury Najad Amer , Hejazi Farzad
Published: April 2023

Nowadays, various types of vibration damping systems are being implemented in different buildings to diminish seismic effects on structures. However, engineers are faced with the challenging task of developing an optimum design for structures utilizing a proper type of damping device based on new techniques such as the performance-based design method. Therefore, this research was aimed at developing a multi-objective optimization algorithm by hybridizing the particle swarm optimization (PSO) and gravitational search algorithm (GSA) to obtain an optimum design for structures equipped with vibration damper devices based on the performance-based design method. Then, the developed hybrid algorithm (PSOGSA) would be capable of optimizing the damping system simultaneously with the optimized details of the structural sections, including the steel rebars, by satisfying all the design criteria. For this purpose, a special process for the design of structures equipped with vibration damper devices according to the performance-based design method was developed by considering of a wide range of vibration damping systems. The proposed PSOGSA optimization framework was then implemented to design a 12-storey reinforced concrete structure equipped with different types of dampers to minimize the structural weight while satisfying all the prescribed performance-based design acceptance criteria. The results indicated that the proposed optimization method was able to successfully optimize the details of the structural members as well as the type and properties of the damper, which significantly improved the structural response in terms of the formation of plastic hinges and the structural movements.
An integrative framework and recommendations for the study of DNA methylation in the context of race and ethnicity
Authors: Chan Meingold Hiu-ming , Merrill Sarah M. , Konwar Chaini , Kobor Michael S.
Published: April 2023

Human social epigenomics research is critical to elucidate the intersection of social and genetic influences underlying racial and ethnic differences in health and development. However, this field faces major challenges in both methodology and interpretation with regard to disentangling confounded social and biological aspects of race and ethnicity. To address these challenges, we discuss how these constructs have been approached in the past and how to move forward in studying DNA methylation (DNAm), one of the best-characterized epigenetic marks in humans, in a responsible and appropriately nuanced manner. We highlight self-reported racial and ethnic identity as the primary measure in this field, and discuss its implications in DNAm research. Racial and ethnic identity reflects the biological embedding of an individual’s sociocultural experience and environmental exposures in combination with the underlying genetic architecture of the human population (i.e., genetic ancestry). Our integrative framework demonstrates how to examine DNAm in the context of race and ethnicity, while considering both intrinsic factors—including genetic ancestry—and extrinsic factors—including structural and sociocultural environment and developmental niches—when focusing on early-life experience. We reviewed DNAm research in relation to health disparities given its relevance to race and ethnicity as social constructs. Here, we provide recommendations for the study of DNAm addressing racial and ethnic differences, such as explicitly acknowledging the self-reported nature of racial and ethnic identity, empirically examining the effects of genetic variants and accounting for genetic ancestry, and investigating race-related and culturally regulated environmental exposures and experiences.
A hypothesis of the obliquely subducted Gagua Ridge below Nanao Basin based on uplifted structures in Ryukyu forearc
Authors: Deng Jia-Ming , Wang Tan Kin , Wege Sebastian , Hu Wan Ting , Deng Yi Jie
Published: April 2023

At the southernmost part of the Ryukyu subduction zone, six long-offset multi-channel seismic profiles were collected across three forearc basins and the southern Ryukyu accretionary prism during the TAIGER experiment in 2009 and the TAICRUST project in 1995. These profiles were reprocessed to generate pre-stack depth migration (PSDM) sections. In addition, two velocity-interface models were obtained by reanalyzing active source data recorded from 28 ocean-bottom seismometers during the same TAIGER experiment, in consideration of the PSDM sections and previous tomography models. Due to the northwest convergence of the Philippine Sea Plate (PSP), it is suggested that the Gagua Ridge may have been obliquely subducting northwestward beneath the Ryukyu prism and below the Nanao Basin. The PSDM sections and the velocity-interface models indicate the subducted Gagua Ridge causing the uplift of the sedimentary basement and the lower crustal structure below the Nanao Basin. The sedimentary and crustal structures near ~ 122.5° E beneath the Nanao Basin were also uplifted where shallow earthquakes had occurred by the oblique subduction of the Gagua Ridge depicted in the isopach map of the crust. Furthermore, a recent earthquake (Mw ~ 6.0) occurred near the northeast coast of Taiwan in 2018 at a depth of approximately 12 km below the Hsincheng Ridge. Our study suggests that this earthquake was caused by a thrust fault near the décollement, which might have been formed by the subduction of the PSP.
Factors determining implicit attitudes toward sports and exercise: desirability and enjoyment
Authors: Ohashi Megumi M. , Sawaumi Takafumi , Iume Yumiko , Togo Etsuko
Published: April 2023

Previous studies have found that implicit attitudes, in addition to explicit attitudes, toward sports and exercise can help predict health-related behaviors. This study aimed to explore the factors that determine implicit attitudes toward sports and exercise. Using an online experiment, we investigated two types of implicit attitudes toward sports and exercise: desirability and enjoyment. Implicit attitudes toward sports and exercise were measured using two different Implicit Association Test (IAT) for desirability and for joy. We examined the degree to which “sports and exercise” were perceived to be more strongly associated with positive words than “sedentary behaviors.” We hypothesized that past experiences with sports and exercise affect implicit attitudes, and that desirability and enjoyment (positive implicit attitudes) might differ qualitatively. Participants included 318 students (230 male and 88 female, M = 19.62, SD = 1.78) who completed online questionnaires consisting of one of the two types of IAT. The results indicated that male participants have more positive implicit attitudes for both joy and desirability, and people with sports competence tend to have higher positive implicit attitudes concerning joy, but not desirability. Interest in professional sports was related to both IATs, while only the joy IAT was related to self-reported physical competence and the frequency of playing sports. The contributions of this study show that the two types of implicit attitudes toward sports and exercise—desirability and joy—are associated with different behaviors, and perceiving sports and exercise as joyful leads people to lifelong sports participation.
Lifescapes
Authors: Burchardt Jeremy
Published: April 2023

Why does landscape matter to us? We rarely articulate the often highly individual ways it can do so. Drawing on eight remarkable unpublished diaries, Jeremy Burchardt demonstrates that responses to landscape in modern Britain were powerfully affected by personal circumstances, especially those experienced in childhood and youth. Four major patterns are identified: 'Adherers' valued landscape for its continuity, 'Withdrawers' for the refuge it provides from perceived threats, 'Restorers' for its sustaining of core value systems, and 'Explorers' for its opportunities for self-discovery and development. Lifescapes sets out a new approach to landscape history based on comparative biography and deep contextualization, which has far-reaching implications. It foregrounds family structures and relationships and the psychological dynamics they generate. These, it is argued, were usually a more decisive presence in landscape encounters than wider cultural patterns and forces. Seen in this way, landscape can be understood as a mirror reflecting our innermost selves and the psychosocial influences shaping our development. This is a compelling and original study of the relationship between individual lives and landscapes.
Blue Helmet Bureaucrats
Authors: Tudor Margot
Published: April 2023

This history of colonial legacies in UN peacekeeping operations from 1945–1971 reveals how United Nations peacekeeping staff reconfigured the functions of global governance and sites of diplomatic power in the post-war world. Despite peacekeeping operations being criticised for their colonial underpinnings, our understanding of the ways in which colonial actors and ideas influenced peacekeeping practices on the ground has been limited and imprecise. In this multi-archival history, Margot Tudor investigates the UN's formative armed missions and uncovers the officials that orchestrated a reinvention of colonial-era hierarchies for Global South populations on the front lines of post-colonial statehood. She demonstrates how these officials exploited their field-based access to perpetuate racial prejudices, plot political interference, and foster protracted inter-communal divisions in post-colonial conflict contexts. Bringing together histories of humanitarianism, decolonisation, and the Cold War, Blue Helmet Bureaucrats sheds new light on the mechanisms through which sovereignty was negotiated and re-negotiated after 1945.
Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis for Medical Science
Authors: Twisk Jos W. R.
Published: April 2023

Essential for non-statisticians and researchers working with longitudinal data from medical studies, this updated new edition discusses the most important techniques available for analysing data of this type. Using non-technical language, the book explores simple methods such as the paired t-test and summary statistics as well as more sophisticated regression-based methods, including mixed model analysis. The emphasis of the discussion lies in the interpretation of the results of these different methods, covering data analysis with continuous, dichotomous, categorical and other outcome variables. Datasets used throughout the book are provided, enabling readers to re-analyse the examples as they make their way through chapters and improve their understanding of the material. Finally, an extensive and practical overview of, and comparison between, different software packages is provided. Readers will be able to use this book as a practical manual in their everyday work without needing a strong background in statistics.
Quantifying reef-derived sediment generation: Introducing the SedBudget methodology to support tropical coastline and island vulnerability studies
Authors: Perry Chris T. , Lange Ines D. , Stuhr Marleen
Published: April 2023

Standardised methodologies for assessing reef-derived sediment generation rates do not presently exist. This represents a major knowledge gap relevant to better predicting reef-derived shoreline sediment supply. The census-based SedBudget method introduced here generates estimates of sediment composition and grain-size production as a function of the abundance and productivity of the major sediment-generating taxa at a reef site. Initial application of the method to several reefs in the northern Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean, generated total sediment generation estimates ranging from (mean ± SE) 0.7 ± 0.1 to 4.3 ± 1.3 kg CaCO3m−2 yr−1. Sediment production was dominated by parrotfishes (>90% at most sites), with site-variable secondary contributions from sea urchins (up to 20%), endolithic sponges (~1–7%) and benthic foraminifera (~0.5–3.5%). These taxa-level contributions are predicted to generate sediments that at all sites are coral- (83–94%) and crustose coralline algae-dominated (range ~ 5–12%). Comparisons between these estimates and sedimentary data from proximal reef and island beach samples generally show a high degree of consistency, suggesting promise in the SedBudget approach. We conclude by outlining areas where additional datasets and revised methodologies are most needed to improve rate estimates and hope that the methodology will stimulate research on questions around sediment production, transport and shoreline maintenance.
Probabilistic selection and design of concrete using machine learning
Authors: Forsdyke Jessica C. , Zviazhynski Bahdan , Lees Janet M. , Conduit Gareth J.
Published: April 2023

Development of robust concrete mixes with a lower environmental impact is challenging due to natural variability in constituent materials and a multitude of possible combinations of mix proportions. Making reliable property predictions with machine learning can facilitate performance-based specification of concrete, reducing material inefficiencies and improving the sustainability of concrete construction. In this work, we develop a machine learning algorithm that can utilize intermediate target variables and their associated noise to predict the final target variable. We apply the methodology to specify a concrete mix that has high resistance to carbonation, and another concrete mix that has low environmental impact. Both mixes also fulfill targets on the strength, density, and cost. The specified mixes are experimentally validated against their predictions. Our generic methodology enables the exploitation of noise in machine learning, which has a broad range of applications in structural engineering and beyond.
Luigi Ludovico Pasinetti 12 September 1930–31 January 2023
Authors: Velupillai K. Vela
Published: April 2023

The life and work of Pasinetti is overviewed by the founding scholar of computable economics, who observed this Italian economist’s formative years at Cambridge University. Folding in tributes from three further scholars, the obituary identifies Pasinetti’s contribution to capital theory, his view of the macro foundations of microeconomics, his focus on production rather than exchange, and his separation of theoretical and institutional economic analysis.
Exploring the determinants of ambidexterity in the context of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): A meta-analytical review
Authors: Chakma Rubina , Dhir Sanjay
Published: April 2023

Decades of ambidexterity research have gained huge scholarly attention from diverse research areas like marketing, organizational learning, innovation management, supply chain management, strategy, and entrepreneurship. However, it has been observed that past studies do not provide a quantitative assessment of ambidexterity determinants applicable to small and medium firms. In response, this study attempts to address this gap by providing an extensive list of eight determinants that are significantly related to Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) ambidexterity. We employed Random effects meta-analytical procedure to examine the combined effect sizes of each determinant. The analysis was based on 37 empirical publications from 2004 to 2021, involving 8422 SME observations and 48 correlations. The findings of the meta-analysis revealed that all the considered determinants such as Knowledge management, Entrepreneurial orientation, Formalization, Market orientation, Networking, Technological capability, Organization context, and Environmental dynamism are heterogeneous, and they all exert a significant positive impact on ambidexterity.
Pioneers in pathology and female role models: the Jewish scientists Rahel Rodler, Ruth Silberberg, Lotte Strauss and Zelma Wessely
Authors: Uhlendahl Hendrik , Kaiser Stephanie , Biermanns Nico , Groß Dominik
Published: April 2023

So far, female physicians have played a minor role in scientific studies of Nazi victims; this also applies to specialists in pathology. Against this background, the present study examines the biographies of the outstanding Jewish pathologists Rahel Rodler (1878–1944), Ruth Silberberg (1906–97), Lotte Strauss (1913–85) and Zelma Wessely (1914–2004). The focus is on their roles as women scientists and their fateful careers after the Nazi rise to power, embedded in the context of the position of women in medical studies and the medical profession of their time as well as in the subject of pathology. The study is primarily based on archival sources from various German, Austrian and Swiss state and university archives, from the British National Archives and from the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington DC. The paper provides three key findings: (1) The four female pathologists were rare exceptions in the contemporary pathological scientific community with a quantitative share of less than 5%. (2) They experienced discrimination on two levels (gender and ‘race’). (3) Thanks to professional excellence and continued dedication, three of the four female pathologists were able to escape from Nazi Germany and achieve remarkable careers in emigration. It can be concluded that Rodler, Silberberg, Strauss and Wessely rose to female role models and pioneer scientists in contemporary pathology.
Smallpox and immunisation policies in Argentina from the nineteenth to the twentieth century
Authors: Di Liscia María Silvia
Published: April 2023

This work examines the history of smallpox, a highly infectious and epidemic disease, in Argentina, throughout different governments and public health policies from the nineteenth to the twentieth century. The study focuses on the smallpox vaccine and the social and collective significance of universal immunization. It also analyses the relationship between governments of different political orientations and the international community regarding the production of vaccines and vaccination campaigns from their implementation to the eradication of the disease.
Reassessing Provincial Political Cultures: Evidence from Five Decades of Canadian Public Opinion Surveys (1974–2019)
Authors: Blanchard Maxime
Published: April 2023

In 1974, Richard Simeon and David Elkins published an influential analysis of provincial political cultures. Nearly half a century later, their results still operate as the baseline against which new studies compare their own results. In this article, I re-examine their conclusions, combining five decades of Canadian public opinion survey data (1974–2019). The article replicates their analysis by focusing on three dimensions of political culture examined by Simeon and Elkins: political cynicism, internal political efficacy and external political efficacy. It also expands on their work by accounting for contextual factors that can potentially drive or hinder provincial differences in political culture. The results suggest that Simeon and Elkins’ interpretation of Canadian provincial political cultures needs to be updated, as the patterns they found differ markedly from those identified in this article.