bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Mechanisms Associated with the Structure and Evolution of Roll Vortices and Coherent Turbulence in the Hurricane Boundary Layer: A Large Eddy Simulation During the Landfall of Hurricane Harvey
Authors: Li Xin , Pu Zhaoxia
Published: January 2023

Roll vortices are a series of large-scale turbulent eddies that nearly align with the mean wind direction and prevail in the hurricane boundary layer. In this study, the one-way nested WRF-LES model simulation results from Li et al. (J Atmos Sci 78(6):1847–1867, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-20-0270.1, 2021) are used to examine the structure and generation mechanism of roll vortices and associated coherent turbulence in the hurricane boundary layer during the landfall of Hurricane Harvey from 00 UTC 25 to 18 UTC 27 August 2017. Results indicate that roll vortices prevail in the hurricane boundary layer. The intense roll vortices and associated large turbulent eddies above them (at a height of ~ 200 to 3000 m) accumulate within a hurricane radius of 20–40 km. Their intensity is proportional to hurricane intensity during the simulation period. Before and during hurricane landfall, strong inflow convergence leads to horizontal advection of roll vortices throughout the entire hurricane boundary layer. Combined with the strong wind shear, the strongest roll vortices and associated large turbulent eddies are generated near the eyewall with suitable thermodynamic (Richardson number at around − 0.2 to 0.2) and dynamic conditions (strong negative inflow wind shear). After landfall, the decayed inflow weakens the inflow convergence and quickly reduces the strong roll vortices and associated large turbulent eddies. Diagnosis of vertical turbulent kinetic energy indicates that atmospheric pressure perturbation, caused by horizontal convergence, transfers the horizontal component of turbulence to the vertical component with a mean wavelength of about 1 km. The buoyancy term is weak and negative, and the large turbulent eddies are suppressed.
Flame-retardant finishing of cotton fabrics using DOPO functionalized alkoxy- and amido alkoxysilane
Authors: Ali Wael , Zilke Olga , Danielsiek Dominic , Salma Alaa , Assfour Bassem , Shabani Valbone , Caglar Seden , Phan Hung Minh , Kamps Leonie , Wallmeier Ruth , Feng Ying , Textor Torsten , Gutmann Jochen S. , Mayer-Gall Thomas
Published: January 2023

In the present study, DOPO-based alkoxysilane (DOPO-ETES) and amido alkoxysilane (DOPO-AmdPTES) were synthesized by one-step and without by-products as halogen-free flame retardants. The flame retardants were applied on cotton fabric utilizing sol–gel method and pad-dry-cure finishing process. The flame retardancy, the thermal stability and the combustion ehaviour of treated cotton were evaluated by surface and bottom edge ignition flame test (according to EN ISO 15025), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and micro-scale combustion calorimeter (MCC). Unlike CO/DOPO-ETES sample, cotton treated with DOPO-AmdPTES nanosols exhibits self-extinguishing ehaviour with high char residue, an improvement of the LOI value and a significant reduction of the PHRR, HRC and THR compared to pristine cotton. Cotton finished with DOPO-AmdPTES reveals a semi-durability after ten laundering cycles keeping the flame-retardant properties unchanged. According to the results obtained from TGA-FTIR, Py-GC/MS and XPS, the major activity of flame retardant occurs in the condensed phase via catalytic induced char formation as physical barrier along with the activity in the gas phase derived mainly from the dilution effect. The early degradation of CO/DOPO-AmdPTES compared to CO/DOPO-ETES, triggered by the cleavage of the weak bond between P and C=O, as the DFT study indicated, provides the beneficial effect of this flame retardant on the fire resistance of cellulose.

Graphical abstract
Behavioural and Welfare Analysis of an Intermediary in Biodiversity Offset Markets
Authors: Kangas Johanna , Ollikainen Markku
Published: January 2023

This paper provides a behavioural and welfare analysis of an intermediary in biodiversity offset markets. These markets are characterised by high information requirements and transaction costs, threatening economic efficiency and even biodiversity outcomes. Specialised intermediaries facilitate trading by providing information and brokering services. By buying, holding and selling offset credits from storage, the intermediary can decrease both financial and ecological risks in the market. As a drawback, the intermediary may exploit market power upstream or downstream due to ecological features of the offset market. Intermediaries decrease the trading parties’ transaction costs by offering specialised information, reduce uncertainty, and decrease the costs of offsetting by increasing liquidity in the market and offering certain offset credits. When the intermediary has market power, selling and buying prices deviate from the competitive equilibrium. This welfare loss may be lower than the loss from transaction costs and trade ratios in decentralised trade, even in the case of the intermediary having both monopoly and monopsony power. The intermediary is the most useful when trade ratios are high and when the intermediary stores mature credits, which eliminates ecological uncertainty and thereby offers cost savings for developers, and may result in a higher level of biodiversity.
Enhanced trends in spectral greening and climate anomalies across Europe
Authors: Kempf Michael
Published: January 2023

Europe witnessed a strong increase in climate variability and enhanced climate-induced extreme events, such as hot drought periods, mega heat waves, and persistent flooding and flash floods. Intensified land degradation, land use, and landcover changes further amplified the pressure on the environmental system functionalities and fuelled climate change feedbacks. On the other hand, global satellite observations detected a positive spectral greening trend—most likely as a response to rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations and global warming. But which are the engines behind such shifts in surface reflectance patterns, vegetation response to global climate changes, or anomalies in the environmental control mechanisms? This article compares long-term environmental variables (1948–2021) to recent vegetation index data (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), 2001–2021) and presents regional trends in climate variability and vegetation response across Europe. Results show that positive trends in vegetation response, temperature, rainfall, and soil moisture are accompanied by a strong increase in climate anomalies over large parts of Europe. Vegetation dynamics are strongly coupled to increased temperature and enhanced soil moisture during winter and the early growing season in the northern latitudes. Simultaneously, temperature, precipitation, and soil moisture anomalies are strongly increasing. Such a strong amplification in climate variability across Europe further enhances the vulnerability of vegetation cover during extreme events.
Vacuum polarization on three-dimensional anti-de Sitter space-time with Robin boundary conditions
Authors: Namasivayam Sivakumar , Winstanley Elizabeth
Published: January 2023

We study a quantum scalar field, with general mass and coupling to the scalar curvature, propagating on three-dimensional global anti-de Sitter space-time. We determine the vacuum and thermal expectation values of the square of the field, also known as the vacuum polarisation (VP). We consider values of the scalar field mass and coupling for which there is a choice of boundary conditions giving well-posed classical dynamics. We apply Dirichlet, Neumann and Robin (mixed) boundary conditions to the field at the space-time boundary. We find finite values of the VP when the parameter governing the Robin boundary conditions is below a certain critical value. For all couplings, the vacuum expectation values of the VP with either Neumann or Dirichlet boundary conditions are constant and respect the maximal symmetry of the background space-time. However, this is not the case for Robin boundary conditions, when both the vacuum and thermal expectation values depend on the space-time location. At the space-time boundary, we find that both the vacuum and thermal expectation values of the VP with Robin boundary conditions converge to the result when Neumann boundary conditions are applied, except in the case of Dirichlet boundary conditions.
The Switch, the Ladder, and the Matrix: Models for Classifying AI Systems
Authors: Mökander Jakob , Sheth Margi , Watson David S. , Floridi Luciano
Published: January 2023

Organisations that design and deploy artificial intelligence (AI) systems increasingly commit themselves to high-level, ethical principles. However, there still exists a gap between principles and practices in AI ethics. One major obstacle organisations face when attempting to operationalise AI Ethics is the lack of a well-defined material scope. Put differently, the question to which systems and processes AI ethics principles ought to apply remains unanswered. Of course, there exists no universally accepted definition of AI, and different systems pose different ethical challenges. Nevertheless, pragmatic problem-solving demands that things should be sorted so that their grouping will promote successful actions for some specific end. In this article, we review and compare previous attempts to classify AI systems for the purpose of implementing AI governance in practice. We find that attempts to classify AI systems proposed in previous literature use one of three mental models: the Switch, i.e., a binary approach according to which systems either are or are not considered AI systems depending on their characteristics; the Ladder, i.e., a risk-based approach that classifies systems according to the ethical risks they pose; and the Matrix, i.e., a multi-dimensional classification of systems that take various aspects into account, such as context, input data, and decision-model. Each of these models for classifying AI systems comes with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. By conceptualising different ways of classifying AI systems into simple mental models, we hope to provide organisations that design, deploy, or regulate AI systems with the vocabulary needed to demarcate the material scope of their AI governance frameworks.
Optical quantum random number generators: a comparative study
Authors: Guillan-Lorenzo Omar , Troncoso-Costas Marcos , Alvarez-Outarelo David , Diaz-Otero Francisco Javier , Garcia-Escartin Juan Carlos
Published: January 2023

Quantum random number generators give the opportunity to, in theory, obtain completely unpredictable numbers only perturbed by the noise in the measurement. The obtained data can be digitalized and processed so that it gives as a result a uniform sequence of binary random numbers without any relation with the classical noise in the system. In this work we analyze the performance of optical QRNGs with three different arrangements: a homodyne detector measuring vacuum fluctuations, a homodyne detector measuring amplified spontaneous emission from an EDFA and a spontaneous emission phase noise-based generator. The raw data from the experiments is processed using a Toeplitz extractor, giving as a result sequences of binary numbers capable of passing the NIST Statistical Test Suite.
Plural harm: plural problems
Authors: Carlson Erik , Johansson Jens , Risberg Olle
Published: January 2023

The counterfactual comparative account of harm faces problems in cases that involve overdetermination and preemption. An influential strategy for dealing with these problems, drawing on a suggestion made by Derek Parfit, is to appeal to plural harm—several events together harming someone. We argue that the most well-known version of this strategy, due to Neil Feit, as well as Magnus Jedenheim Edling’s more recent version, is fatally flawed. We also present some general reasons for doubting that the overdetermination and preemption problems for the counterfactual comparative account can be satisfactorily solved by appealing to plural harm.
After successful fundraising: how overfunding and category spanning affect the release and audience-perceived quality of crowdfunded products
Authors: Weber Clarissa E. , Steigenberger Norbert , Wilhelm Hendrik
Published: January 2023

Overfunding of crowdfunded product-development projects would seem to be a welcome outcome for entrepreneurs, yet initial theory and evidence suggest that overfunding can have both positive and negative consequences. To overcome these contradictory predictions, we develop theory linking research on slack resources, audience expectations, and product category spanning to hypothesize boundary conditions for whether and when overfunding has a positive or negative effect on the product-development outcomes of product release and audience-perceived product quality. Post-crowdfunding data on video-game development projects show that entrepreneurs with high-category-spanning products benefit substantially less from overfunding than entrepreneurs with low-category-spanning products. Our study provides novel insights into the relation between overfunding and product release as well as audience-perceived product quality. It also contributes to our emerging understanding of the role of categories in the context of crowdfunding. We discuss implications for theory and practice.
Higher education policies and interdisciplinarity in Germany
Authors: Leišytė Liudvika , Rose Anna-Lena , Sterk-Zeeman Nadine
Published: January 2023

Universities have increasingly been subjected to policy- and industry demands to produce multi- and interdisciplinary knowledge. This paper explores the extent to which different higher education policy instruments are used to promote interdisciplinarity in teaching and research at universities in the German higher education system comparing them across different federal states. Based on a manifest content analysis of higher education laws and performance agreements with universities in the 16 German states, we were able to distinguish between three types of states: Those a) with a general use of policy instruments aimed at all universities in a state, whereas considerable differences could be observed with regard to the degree of coercion (enabling versus prescriptive provisions) and scope (teaching or research), b) a directed use of policy instrument, targeting specific universities, and c) a hybrid use of policy instruments using both general and directed elements. This paper provides a novel mapping of the promotion of interdisciplinarity in German higher education policies through a variety of policy instruments and hereby contributes to the extant literature on interdisciplinarity in higher education.
Corruption as state -corporate crime: the example of the health sector in Greece
Authors: Stamouli Eirini , Gasparinatou Margarita , Kouroutzas Christos
Published: January 2023

The study analyses the relations and processes underpinning grand corruption in the health sector in Greece. Viewed from a systemic-structural perspective, corruption is examined as a phenomenon emerging from the interactions and interconnections between the organized structures of venture capital and the state apparatus. Applying an integrated theoretical model of state-corporate crime and drawing on extensive empirical qualitative research, this paper traces the processes of normalization and institutionalization of corruption within the context of social networks and organizations. It is argued that corruption is not a deviant response to a normal system but a normal response to a system fostering illicit practice in accordance with capitalist ethos, profiteering, and the distribution of economic resources. In this wide political economy context, existing power relations and structures within the health sector are being reproduced.
Influence of Extraction and Pretreatment Conditions on the Yield, Solubility, and Quality of Rice Bran Oil Extracted with CO2-Expanded Hexane
Authors: Mathias Mathayo Gervas , Okajima Idzumi , Ito Kaichi , Aoki Yusuke , Kong Chang Yi , Sako Takeshi
Published: January 2023

Efficient, low-cost methods are required to produce impurity-free bio-oils with minimal nutrient depletion. This study investigated the effect of extraction and pretreatment conditions on the quality of rice bran oil extracted with CO2-expanded hexane. The extraction conditions considered were temperature (20–30 °C), CO2 mole fraction (0.76–0.94), and pressure (4.2–7.0 MPa). The effectiveness of rice bran hot air drying at 80–100 °C for 0.5, 1, 3, and 5 h for lipase inactivation was also studied. The rice bran oil yield and the content of free fatty acids did not depend significantly on the extraction temperature or pressure. The oil solubility increased significantly (p < 0.05) with every 5 °C increment while decreasing significantly at pressures below 5.0 MPa. The optimum extraction conditions for phosphorus-free rice bran oil (phosphorus concentrations of 9.8, 9.1, and 6.2 ppm) were CO2 mole fraction of 0.82 at 5.1 MPa and 20 °C, CO2 mole fraction of 0.87 at 5.0 MPa and 25 °C, and CO2 mole fraction of 0.92 at 5.1 MPa and 30 °C, respectively. The most effective pretreatment conditions for rice bran before storage for 10 weeks were 100 °C for 1 h. In addition, the phosphorus concentration of rice bran oil extracted with CO2-expanded hexane at a CO2 mole fraction of 0.88, 5.1 MPa, and 25 °C was ≤ 7.00 ppm, regardless of the pretreatment conditions. Therefore, CO2-expanded hexane extraction can be potentially used to produce impurity-free rice bran oil from both treated and untreated rice bran without refining.
Relationship between early nutrition and deep gray matter and lateral ventricular volumes of preterm infants at term-equivalent age
Authors: Toppe Felicia , Rasche Tobias , Weiss Christel , Schock Alexandra , Felderhoff-Müser Ursula , Müller Hanna
Published: January 2023

Background

The survival of preterm infants has improved over the last decade, but impaired brain development leading to poor neurological outcomes is still a major comorbidity associated with prematurity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nutrition on neurodevelopment in preterm infants and identify markers for improved outcomes.

Methods

Totally 67 premature infants with a gestational age of 24–34 weeks and a birth weight of 450–2085 g were included. Clinical parameters and documented diet were collected from medical records. The nutritional analysis comprised the protein, fat, carbohydrate, and energy intake during different time spans. Brain development was assessed by determining deep gray matter (DGM; basal ganglia and thalamus) and lateral ventricular (LV) volumes as measured on cerebral magnetic resonance imaging scans obtained at term-equivalent age (TEA), and potential associations between nutrition and brain volumetrics were detected by regression analysis.

Results

We observed a negative correlation between mean daily protein intake in the third postnatal week and MRI-measured DGM volume at TEA (P = 0.007). In contrast, head circumference at a corrected age of 35 weeks gestation (P < 0.001) and mean daily fat intake in the fourth postnatal week (P = 0.004) were positively correlated with DGM volume. Moreover, mean daily carbohydrate intake in the first postnatal week (P = 0.010) and intraventricular hemorrhage (P = 0.003) were revealed as independent predictors of LV volume.

Conclusion

The study emphasizes the importance of nutrition for brain development following preterm birth.
On the potentials of quantum computing – An interview with Heike Riel from IBM Research
Authors: Alt Rainer
Published: January 2023

In this interview, Dr. Heike Riel, a leading scientist and Fellow at IBM Research, reports on the current state of research in the field of quantum computing. Building on the distinction of gateable quantum computers and quantum annealers, the interview sheds light on how research has evolved on gateable quantum computers, which are the path developed by IBM. These gateable quantum computers are described with their current status as well as the improvements and challenges regarding speed, scale, and quality. All three parameters are important for increasing the performance of these universal quantum computers and for leveraging their potentials compared to classical computers. In particular, complex mathematical problems being present in numerous applications in science and business may be solved. Among the examples mentioned are optimization problems that tend to scale exponentially with the number of parameters, for example, in material and natural sciences or simulation problems in the financial industry and in manufacturing. The interview concludes with a critical assessment of possible risks and expectations for the future.
Distances Between Immersed Graphs: Metric Properties
Authors: Buchin Maike , Chambers Erin , Fang Pan , Fasy Brittany Terese , Gasparovic Ellen , Munch Elizabeth , Wenk Carola
Published: January 2023

Graphs in metric spaces appear in a wide range of data sets, and there is a large body of work focused on comparing, matching, or analyzing collections of graphs in different ambient spaces. In this survey, we provide an overview of a diverse collection of distance measures that can be defined on the set of finite graphs immersed (and in some cases, embedded) in a metric space. For each of the distance measures, we recall their definitions and investigate which of the properties of a metric they satisfy. Furthermore we compare the distance measures based on these properties and discuss their computational complexity.
The CTCN-LightGBM Joint Model for Industrial Balanced Loading Prediction
Authors: Chen Zihua , Wang Chuanli , Jin Huawei , Li Jingzhao , Zhang Shunxiang , Ouyang Qichun
Published: January 2023

Balanced industrial loading mainly relies on accurate multi-adjustment values, including the truck speed and chute flow. However, the existing models are weak in real-time loading prediction because the single-objective regression may ignore the correlation of multi-adjustment parameters. To solve the problem, we propose a joint model that fuses the composited-residual-block temporal convolutional network and the light gradient boosting machine (i.e., called CTCN-LightGBM). First, the instance selection deviations and abnormal supplement methods are used for data preprocessing and normalization. Second, we propose a side-road dimensionality reduction convolutional branch in the composited-residual-block temporal convolutional network to extract collaborative features effectively. Third, the feature re-enlargement method reconstructs extracted features with the original features to improve extraction accuracy. Fourth, the reconstructed feature matrix is utilized as the input of the light gradient boosting machine to predict multi-adjustment values parallelly. Finally, we compare the CTCN-LightGBM with other related models, and the experimental results show that our model can obtain superior effects for multi-adjustment value prediction.
Modern Statutory Interpretation
Authors: Barnes Jeffrey , Dharmananda Jacinta , Moran Eamonn
Published: January 2023

Statutory interpretation is both a distinct body of law governing the determination of the meaning of legislation and a task that requires a set of skills. It is thus an essential area of legal practice, education and research. Modern Statutory Interpretation: Framework, Principles and Practice is an original, clear, coherent and research-based account of contemporary Australian statutory interpretation. Written by experts in the field, the book provides a comprehensive coverage of statutory interpretation law as well as examining related areas such as legislative drafting, the parliamentary process, the modern history of interpretation, sources of doubt, and interpretation techniques. The content is structured in eight parts. Parts I-III introduce foundational matters, Parts IV-VII deal with the general principles of interpretation, and Part VIII examines special interpretative issues. Modern Statutory Interpretation is an essential resource for legal professionals, legal researchers, and students undertaking advanced courses in statutory interpretation in Australia.
Adaptation and validation of a protein intake screening tool for a UK adult population
Authors: Tuttiett Esme R. , Ioannou Elysa , Wijnhoven Hanneke A.H. , Corfe Bernard M. , Williams Elizabeth A.
Published: January 2023

Adequate dietary protein intake is important in human subjects for maintaining muscle turnover, determining the protein content of tissues and thus the preservation of muscle mass and function as we age. A screening tool to assess if an older individual is likely to have a lower dietary protein intake (predicted probability of protein intake ≤1⋅0 g/kg per d), has been developed for a Netherlands dietary profile, but this has not been validated in a UK population. This study aimed to adapt and then validate the protein screening tool for use in a UK population. Amendment of the tool was undertaken using data from UK BioBank and the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey to reflect protein sources in the UK diet. Validation of the amended version of the protein screener screening tool was conducted using protein intake derived from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in a sample of UK adults (n= 184) (age range 18–91 years) as the reference standard. Using the FFQ, 40 % of respondents (n= 74) reported a protein intake of ≤1⋅0 g per kg body mass. The discriminative accuracy of the amended screener was tested using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The area under the curve for the ROC was 0⋅731 (95 % CI 0⋅657, 0⋅805), indicating that the amended screener may be a valid tool to screen for individuals consuming ≤1⋅0 g/kg adjusted BM/d in an adult UK population. This protein screener tool is a potential method to screen individuals with a likelihood of habitually consuming protein intakes of ≤1⋅0 g/kg per d. Further validation is needed using a more robust dietary intake methodology and for specific groups, such as older adults. The screener may be applicable across healthcare, clinical and research applications.
Analysis of a non-reversible Markov chain speedup by a single edge
Authors: Gerencsér Balázs
Published: January 2023

We present a Markov chain example where non-reversibility and an added edge jointly improve mixing time. When a random edge is added to a cycle of n vertices and a Markov chain with a drift is introduced, we get a mixing time of
$O(n^{3/2})$
with probability bounded away from 0. If only one of the two modifications were performed, the mixing time would stay
$\Omega(n^2)$
.
The scientific discourse circulated during a national-populist commemoration: Dannunzian Fiume and the ‘Italo-cosmopolitan’ field of history
Authors: Lamour Christian
Published: January 2023

In today's Europe, commemorations can be times at which to affirm international reconciliation, based notably on the knowledge produced by historians who are becoming progressively cosmopolitan. However, commemorations are also used by national-populist political parties for electoral purposes and can lead to tensions with neighbouring states. This was the case in Trieste in September 2019, when the city council executive (controlled by a right-wing national-populist coalition) decided to erect a statue of Gabriele D'Annunzio, 100 years after he had occupied the nearby city of Fiume (now Rijeka) in Croatia. This commemoration led to a series of debates among historians, especially in Italy. Based on a critical discourse analysis and an interdiscursive approach to narratives produced by historians for colleagues and for the broader society, the current research investigates the use of cosmopolitanism in the field of history when in parallel a commemoration is coordinated by national-populist forces in a public space.
Developmental trajectories of premorbid functioning predict cognitive remediation treatment response in first-episode schizophrenia
Authors: Kuo Susan S. , Ventura Joseph , Forsyth Jennifer K. , Subotnik Kenneth L. , Turner Luana R. , Nuechterlein Keith H.
Published: January 2023

Background

Cognitive development after schizophrenia onset can be shaped by interventions such as cognitive remediation, yet no study to date has investigated whether patterns of early behavioral development may predict later cognitive changes following intervention. We therefore investigated the extent to which premorbid adjustment trajectories predict cognitive remediation gains in schizophrenia.

Methods

In a total sample of 215 participants (170 first-episode schizophrenia participants and 45 controls), we classified premorbid functioning trajectories from childhood through late adolescence using the Cannon-Spoor Premorbid Adjustment Scale. For the 62 schizophrenia participants who underwent 6 months of computer-assisted, bottom-up cognitive remediation interventions, we identified MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery scores for which participants demonstrated mean changes after intervention, then evaluated whether developmental trajectories predicted these changes.

Results

Growth mixture models supported three premorbid functioning trajectories: stable-good, deteriorating, and stable-poor adjustment. Schizophrenia participants demonstrated significant cognitive remediation gains in processing speed, verbal learning, and overall cognition. Notably, participants with stable-poor trajectories demonstrated significantly greater improvements in processing speed compared to participants with deteriorating trajectories.

Conclusions

This is the first study to our knowledge to characterize the associations between premorbid functioning trajectories and cognitive remediation gains after schizophrenia onset, indicating that 6 months of bottom-up cognitive remediation appears to be sufficient to yield a full standard deviation gain in processing speed for individuals with early, enduring functioning difficulties. Our findings highlight the connection between trajectories of premorbid and postmorbid functioning in schizophrenia and emphasize the utility of considering the lifespan developmental course in personalizing therapeutic interventions.
A qualitative investigation exploring neighbourhood environment, risks and fear of falling, and fall prevention strategies among urban-dwelling older adults in a high-density city
Authors: Zhang Chun-Qing , Zhang Ru , Baker Julien S. , Hagger Martin S. , Hamilton Kyra
Published: January 2023

Falls in older adulthood can have serious consequences. It is therefore important to identify ways to prevent falls, particularly from the voice of older adults. Bottom-up qualitative exploration of the perspectives of older adults can provide rich insights that can help inform the development of effective fall prevention programmes. However, currently there is a dearth of such empirical data, especially among urban-dwelling older adults in high-density cities where fall rates are high. The current study aimed to examine qualitatively perceptions of neighbourhood physical environment in relation to falls, perceived risks and fear of falling, and strategies and behaviours for fall prevention in a sample of urban-dwelling older adults in the high-density city of Hong Kong. Face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 50 community-dwelling older adults. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis techniques. Five general themes were revealed: risks and circumstances of falls, consequences of falls, fear of falling and its consequences, neighbourhood environment, and strategies and behaviours of fall prevention. While older adults discussed the risks of falling and held a fear of falling, these beliefs were mixed. In addition to fall prevention strategies (e.g. keep balance), current findings highlighted the importance of establishing protective factors (e.g. flat and even walking paths) and reducing risk factors (e.g. neighbourhood clutter) in neighbourhood environments. For urban-dwelling older adults in high-density cities, current findings highlight the importance of focusing efforts at the built environment level in addition to strategies and behaviours of fall prevention at the individual level.
THEORIZING AREAS OF LAW: A TAXONOMY OF SPECIAL JURISPRUDENCE
Authors: Khaitan Tarunabh , Steel Sandy
Published: January 2023

This paper provides a taxonomy of the different kinds of theory that may be offered of an area of law. We distinguish two basic types of philosophical accounts in special jurisprudence: nonnormative accounts and normative accounts. Section II explains the two central subspecies of nonnormative accounts of areas of law: (i) conceptual and ontological theories and (ii) reason-tracking causal theories. Section III explores normative theories of areas of law. Normative accounts subdivide into detached and committed normative accounts. Detached or committed normative accounts can be subdivided further into the following cross-cutting categories: (i) pro tanto or all-things-considered, (ii) hyper-reformist or practice-dependent, (iii) taxonomical or substantive. Section IV shows that our taxonomy does not presume a prior commitment to any particular school in general jurisprudence. This paper clarifies methodological confusion that exists in theorizing about areas of law, and contributes to the subfield of thinking generally about special jurisprudence.
Changing faces of political women in Tokyo
Authors: Estévez-Abe Margarita
Published: January 2023

This article has two objectives. One is to explain the rise of female political representation in local assemblies in Tokyo's 23 Special Wards. The other is to examine how political women in Japan have or have not changed since the publication of Susan Pharr's Political Women in Japan in 1981. When Tokyo first saw the emergence of a new type of local assembly women in the 1990s, they consisted of well-educated suburban housewives who led the Seikatsusha Nettowaku movement. In the past 15 years, however, Tokyo has witnessed a decline in ‘housewife politicians’ and a further diversification in the types of political women. This article pays special attention to a new type of political women called Mama Giin (literally, mommy politicians). Mama Giin are professional working mothers, who have become local assembly women to address deficiencies in childcare services. Their numbers increased as socio-economic changes and party realignment reshaped supply and demand for female candidates in Tokyo. Most of them accept the gendered responsibilities for childcare very much like Pharr's New Women did in the 1970s. The younger cohorts of highly educated women enjoy greater job options and life choices unavailable to the New Women of their mothers' generation. However, they do not necessarily challenge Japan's patriarchy. This article examines the biographies of female local politicians in Tokyo's 23 Special Ward assemblies to understand the rise of Mama Giin.
UNITARY REPRESENTATIONS OF CYCLOTOMIC HECKE ALGEBRAS AT ROOTS OF UNITY: COMBINATORIAL CLASSIFICATION AND BGG RESOLUTIONS
Authors: Bowman Chris , Norton Emily , Simental José
Published: January 2023

We relate the classes of unitary and calibrated representations of cyclotomic Hecke algebras, and, in particular, we show that for the most important deformation parameters these two classes coincide. We classify these representations in terms of both multipartition combinatorics and as the points in the fundamental alcove under the action of an affine Weyl group. Finally, we cohomologically construct these modules via BGG resolutions.
La luxation métacarpo- phalangienne ouverte
Authors: Praz Elodie , Vostrel Philippe , Coen Matteo
Published: January 2023

Résumé. La luxation d’un doigt est une pathologie souvent rencontrée dans les centres d’urgence. L’exemple du cas suivant permet un rappel sur sa prise en charge et les situations dans lesquelles le patient doit être référé au spécialiste.
Eine transiente hypertrophe Kardiomyopathie?
Authors: Kuzmiakova Silvia , De Boeck Bart , Kobza Richard , Stämpfli Simon F. , Schoenenberger-Berzins Renate
Published: January 2023

Zusammenfassung. Wir berichten über eine 79-jährige Patientin nach stumpfem Thoraxtrauma. Aufgrund der T-Negativierungen im 12-Ableitungs-EKG und einer apikalen linksventrikulären Hypertrophie in der Echokardiografie und in der Herz-MRT-Untersuchung wurde eine apikale hypertrophe Kardiopathie postuliert. In der Folge zeigte sich, dass diese Befunde nur transient vorhanden waren und sich im Verlauf komplett normalisierten. Die apikalen Veränderungen kamen nicht durch eine Hypertrophie der Kardiomyozyten, sondern durch ein myokardiales Ödem zustande. Als Ursache kam sowohl ein Takotsubo-Syndrom als auch eine Contusio cordis in Betracht.
Effects of Sea Spray on the Simulated Tropical Cyclone Development: Dependence on Surface Drag Coefficient Parameterization
Authors: Duan Ziqiang , Wang Yuqing , Li Yuanlong
Published: January 2023

Wave breaking under strong wind conditions in tropical cyclones (TCs) can generate sea spray droplets, which, during their suspension in air, release sensible heat due to the air‐sea temperature difference while absorb sensible heat from the environment when they evaporate and release latent heat to the environment. Since the spray mass flux is a function of surface drag coefficient (CD), the effect of spray on TC evolution should depends on CD parameterization, while this has not been addressed so far. This study examines the effects of sea spray on the simulated TC evolution with two different CD parameterizations (the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) default scheme and the Donelan scheme). Results show that during the primary intensification stage, the TC with spray effect becomes stronger than that without spray when the WRF CD scheme is used, but becomes weaker when the Donelan CD scheme is used. This occurs because CD is maximum outside the radius of maximum wind (RMW) with the Donelan scheme, which produces relatively large spray‐mediated latent heat flux outside the RMW, which is unfavorable for TC intensification. The difference is enlarged by a feedback between spray and TC intensification involving the inertial stability and surface friction‐induced radial inflow. However, in the mature stage, the simulated TCs with spray become stronger no matter which CD scheme is used. In addition, the spray effect on the TC inner‐core size evolution also weakly depends on the drag parameterization. When CD is relatively greater outside the RMW, the inclusion of the spray effect would lead to the inner‐core size increase.
A (Simplified) Biogeochemical Numerical Model to Predict Saturation, Porosity and Permeability During Microbially Induced Desaturation and Precipitation
Authors: Wang Liya , van Paassen Leon , Pham Vinh , Mahabadi Nariman , He Jia , Gao Yunqi
Published: January 2023

Microbially Induced Desaturation and Precipitation (MIDP) through denitrification is an emerging ground improvement method in which indigenous nitrate reducing bacteria are stimulated to introduce biogas, biominerals and biomass in the soil matrix. In this study, a numerical model is developed to evaluate the effect of biogas, biominerals and biomass on the hydraulic properties of soils treated with MIDP. The proposed model couples the biochemical conversions to changes of porosity and water saturation and predicts changes in permeability through two separate power law equations. Experimental studies from the literature are used to calibrate the model. Comparing the results with other studies on bioclogging or biomineralization in porous media reveals that the combined production of biogas, biomass, and biominerals results in efficient clogging, in the sense that only a small amount of products leads to a substantial permeability reduction. Based on this comparison, the authors postulate that biogenic gas bubbles preferably form within the larger pore bodies. The presence of biogenic gas in the larger pore bodies forces calcium carbonate minerals and biomass to be formed mainly at the pore throats. The interaction between the different phases results in more efficient clogging than observed in other studies which focus on a single product only.
Scientists EEAGER-ly Track Beavers Across Western United States
Authors: Tripathy-Lang Alka
Published: January 2023

Efficiently tracking nature's engineers—beavers—at the scale of entire watersheds over time is now possible, thanks to a new artificial intelligence–trained model called EEAGER.
ZBTB7A suppresses glioblastoma tumorigenesis through the transcriptional repression of EPB41L5
Authors: Jeong Ji-Hoon , Park Seung-Ho , Kim Hyunhee , Nam Hae Yun , Kim Sung-Hak , Jeong Minseok , Kong Min-Jeong , Son Jihyun , Jeong Ji-Eun , Song Ji-Hye , Kim Seong Who , Choi Kyung-Chul
Published: January 2023

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most aggressive and malignant glioma, has a poor prognosis. Although patients with GBM are treated with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, GBM is highly resistant to treatment, making it difficult and expensive to treat. In this study, we analyzed the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis dataset, the Cancer Genome Atlas dataset, and Gene Expression Omnibus array data. ZBTB7A (also called FBI1/POKEMON/LRF) was found to be highly expressed in low-grade glioma but significantly downregulated in patients with GBM. ZBTB7A is a transcription factor that plays an important role in many developmental stages, including cell proliferation. The activation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key process in cancer progression and metastasis. Erythrocyte membrane protein band 4.1 like 5 (EPB41L5) is an essential protein for EMT progression and metastasis in various types of cancer. We found that ZBTB7A depletion in U87 cells induced GBM progression and metastasis. Based on RNA sequencing data, ZBTB7A directly binds to the promoter of the EPB41L5 gene, reducing its expression and inhibiting GBM progression. We demonstrated that ZBTB7A dramatically inhibits GBM tumor growth through transcriptional repression of EPB41L5. Thus, both ZBTB7A and EPB41L5 may be potential biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for GBM treatment. Overall, we discovered the role of a novel tumor suppressor that directly inhibits GBM progression (ZBTB7A) and identified EPB41L5 as a therapeutic target protein for patients with GBM.
Stable colonization of Akkermansia muciniphila educates host intestinal microecology and immunity to battle against inflammatory intestinal diseases
Authors: Wang Bin , Chen Xuheng , Chen Zhiyuan , Xiao Huiwen , Dong Jiali , Li Yuan , Zeng Xiaozhou , Liu Jinjian , Wan Guoyun , Fan Saijun , Cui Ming
Published: January 2023

Gut microbial preparations are widely used in treating intestinal diseases but show mixed success. In this study, we found that the therapeutic efficacy ofA. muciniphilafor dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis as well as intestinal radiation toxicity was ~50%, and mice experiencing a positive prognosis harbored a high frequency ofA. muciniphilain the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Stable GI colonization ofA. muciniphilaelicited more profound shifts in the gut microbial community structure of hosts. Coexisting withA. muciniphilafacilitated proliferation and reprogrammed the gene expression profile ofLactobacillus murinus, a classic probiotic that overtly responded toA. muciniphilaaddition in a time-dependent manner. Then, a magnetic-drove, mannose-loaded nanophase material was designed and linked to the surface ofA. muciniphila. The modifiedA. muciniphilaexhibited enhancements in inflammation targeting and intestinal colonization under an external magnetic field, elevating the positive-response rate and therapeutic efficacy against intestinal diseases. However, the unlinked cocktail containingA. muciniphilaand the delivery system only induced negligible improvement of therapeutic efficacy. Importantly, heat-inactivatedA. muciniphilalost therapeutic effects on DSS-induced colitis and was even retained in the GI tract for a long time. Further investigations revealed that the modifiedA. muciniphilawas able to drive M2 macrophage polarization by upregulating the protein level of IL-4 at inflammatory loci. Together, our findings demonstrate that stable colonization of liveA. muciniphilaat lesion sites is essential for its anti-inflammatory function.
Active terahertz beam steering based on mechanical deformation of liquid crystal elastomer metasurface
Authors: Zhuang Xiaolin , Zhang Wei , Wang Kemeng , Gu Yangfan , An Youwen , Zhang Xueqian , Gu Jianqiang , Luo Dan , Han Jiaguang , Zhang Weili
Published: January 2023

Active metasurfaces are emerging as the core of next-generation optical devices with their tunable optical responses and flat-compact topography. Especially for the terahertz band, active metasurfaces have been developed as fascinating devices for optical chopping and compressive sensing imaging. However, performance regulation by changing the dielectric parameters of the integrated functional materials exhibits severe limitations and parasitic losses. Here, we introduce a C-shape-split-ring-based phase discontinuity metasurface with liquid crystal elastomer as the substrate for infrared modulation of terahertz wavefront. Line-focused infrared light is applied to manipulate the deflection of the liquid crystal elastomer substrate, enabling controllable and broadband wavefront steering with a maximum output angle change of 22° at 0.68 THz. Heating as another control method is also investigated and compared with infrared control. We further demonstrate the performance of liquid crystal elastomer metasurface as a beam steerer, frequency modulator, and tunable beam splitter, which are highly desired in terahertz wireless communication and imaging systems. The proposed scheme demonstrates the promising prospects of mechanically deformable metasurfaces, thereby paving the path for the development of reconfigurable metasurfaces.
Anti-BCMA CAR T-cell therapy CT103A in relapsed or refractory AQP4-IgG seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders: phase 1 trial interim results
Authors: Qin Chuan , Tian Dai-Shi , Zhou Luo-Qi , Shang Ke , Huang Liang , Dong Ming-Hao , You Yun-Fan , Xiao Jun , Xiong Ying , Wang Wen , Pang Hao , Guo Jing-Jing , Cai Song-Bai , Wang Di , Li Chun-Rui , Zhang Min , Bu Bi-Tao , Wang Wei
Published: January 2023

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy that targets B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) have great potentials in autoimmune diseases and could be novel therapeutics for relapsed/refractory neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the CT103A, a self-developed BCMA-targeting CAR construct against BCMA, in patients with AQP4-IgG seropositive NMOSD, an ongoing, investigator-initiated, open-label, single-arm, phase 1 clinical trial is conducted at our center. In total, 12 patients were administered with a CAR-BCMA infusion. Ten of the 12 patients dosed were women (83.3%), with a median age of 49.5 years (range, 30–67). were The most common events of grade 3 or higher were hematologic toxic effects. Seven patients (58%) developed infections, but no grade 4 infections occurred. Cytokine release syndrome was reported in all patients with only events of grade 1 or 2 observed. During the follow-up of a median 5.5 months, 11 patients had no relapse; all patients generally reported improvement in disabilities and quality-of-life outcomes; 11 patients’ AQP-4 antibodies in serum showed a downward trend by the cutoff date. CAR T-cell expansion was associated with responses, and persisted more than 6 months post-infusion in 17% of the patients. In summary, CAR T-cell therapy shows a manageable safety profile and therapeutic potentials for patients with relapsed/refractory AQP4-IgG seropositive NMOSD. Another expansion phase is currently underway to determine the safety and efficacy of CAR T-BCMA infusion in patients with other neuro-inflammatory diseases.