bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Messy natures: The political aesthetics of nature recovery
Authors: Wartmann Flurina M. , Lorimer Jamie 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Current aspirations for nature recovery to address biodiversity loss and climate change will involve changing what landscapes look like, which can create challenging aesthetic experiences for members of the public.

In this study, we interrogate the role of aesthetics in shaping visions of nature recovery, focussing on the construction and contestation of ‘mess’ and ‘messiness’ in nature recovery.

We examine the political aesthetics of messy natures using a qualitative approach investigating visual and text materials across different sites of production in Britain, from newspapers to social media, paying particular attention to visual materials

Our results show how the mediated debate around ‘rewilding’ urban environments and a beaver‐themed garden winning a horticultural show are examples of a backlash against untidy environments through a politicised discourse, linking messy nature with left‐wing ideologies, in contrast to the perceived orderliness and conservative ideals of good citizenship associated with tidiness.

In contrast, social media imagery of messy and wild gardens demonstrates how mess is consciously framed aesthetically as a desirable ‘look’ for restored nature, symbolising progressive and environmentalist ideals of good citizenship through activities such as nature‐friendly gardening and initiatives such as ‘No Mow May’, which celebrate the aesthetic of a more biodiverse messiness.

And finally, we traced how environmental advocacy organisations are prefiguring the future of nature recovery in Britain through commissioned graphical representations that portray a ‘tamed messiness’ and the return of charismatic megafauna. Although these aesthetics may challenge prevailing pastoral aesthetics, they normalise continued inequality in the form of concentrated land ownership, especially in the Scottish Highlands.

Policy implications. Our analysis shows that aesthetics play an important role in shaping views of what is ‘natural’, ‘normal’ and ‘good’ and therefore desirable in what a future (recovered) nature looks like. We suggest that nature recovery initiatives take aesthetics seriously, by interrogating how idealisations of ‘how nature should look’ may influence decision‐making alongside ecological and other considerations. Taking aesthetics seriously also opens avenues for engaging with social and environmental justice, where alternative aesthetics can help in imagining more socially and environmentally just futures.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Tragacanth Gum/Trimethyl Chitosan‐Derived Polyelectrolyte Complex as Potential Carriers in Drug Delivery Applications
Authors: Babaladimath Gangadhar , Chapi Sharanappa , MV Murugendrappa , Badiger Hanamanta , Raghu Anjanapura V. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTA three‐step procedure described in the literature has been used to create N,N,N‐trimethyl Ct a chitosan derivative that is extremely soluble in water. By combining two polymers in aqueous media, this derivative and tragacanth gum were able to form a new polyelectrolyte complex. The TGA, FTIR, and DSC analysis established the development of TMC/XG‐PEC. SEM was used to describe the TMC/TG‐PEC's surface morphology. The features of diffusion and swelling, such as the theoretical equilibrium ratio, initial swelling rate constant, and the process of water transportation into TMC/TG‐PEC, were established. The TMC/TG‐PEC swelling is seen to be pH‐dependent. It swells in the subsequent order: pH 7.4 > 6.8 > 1.2. At pH 1.2, 6.8, and 7.4, the TMC/TG‐PEC swelling ratio was found to be 6.5, 7.7, and 9.6 g/g, respectively. The second‐order kinetics of the swelling process is indicated by the linearity of the plot “t/SR” versus “t”. The TMC/TG‐PEC's n values under various pH circumstances ranged from 0.12 to 0.16, suggesting the Fickian water transport mechanism. The utility of complex as a matrix for KP formulations for sustained‐release tablets was investigated. It was discovered that 90.5% of KP was loaded into PEC. There is evidence that pH influences how much medicine is released. When the medium's pH was altered from acidic to neutral, the KP release was considerably boosted. The TMC/TG‐PEC demonstrated a maximum drug release of 7% in a pH 1.2 medium and between 85% and 90% in a pH 7.4 medium, demonstrating the TMC/TG‐PEC's potential as a matrix substance for the drug's prolonged release formulations of KP. The Fickian drug transport mechanism was indicated by the release exponent n, which was less than 0.5.
Microstructural optimization of lignin‐based carbon fiber: Effects of purification and high‐temperature heat treatment
Authors: Huang Zhiwei , Jia Guosheng , Yuan Meng , Li Ruyu , Yu Senlong , Hu Zexu , Xiang Hengxue , Zhu Meifang 
Published: November 2024

AbstractLignin is a renewable biomass polymer with a carbon content of more than 60% and has been extensively studied for making lignin‐based carbon fibers (CFs). However, impurities and high carbohydrate content in lignin materials severely limit their molding in melt spinning, and pre‐oxidation and carbonization processes also affect the subsequent preparation of CFs. This paper presents a detailed study of lignin‐based carbon fiber preparation. Pretreatment increased lignin's decomposition temperature to 302.1°C and enabled melt‐spun fiber preparation. Then, pre‐oxidation and carbonization of lignin fibers were further discussed. The pre‐oxidized fibers prepared at 280°C and 0.4°C min−1 have high thermal stability and excellent carbonization performance. The lignin‐based carbon fibers (LCFs) prepared at 1100°C and 3°C min−1 have the highest degree of graphitization, and the surface is smooth without obvious holes. Under these conditions, LCFs have a graphitization degree of 1.50 and conductivity of 62.50 S cm−1, making them suitable for sensors and capacitors.Highlights
Effects of pretreatment on lignin structure and properties have been studied.
Effects of pre‐oxidation and carbonization on the lignin fibers were studied.
Lignin‐based carbon fibers with high conductivity were obtained.
Kinetic and Mechanistic Investigation of L‐Phenylalanine Oxidation by Alkaline Cu(III) Periodate in CPC Micellar Medium
Authors: Srivastava Abhishek , Srivastava Neetu , Dohare Rajeev Kumar 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTAmino acid oxidation is fascinating because different oxidants produce diverse compounds. No research has examined how metal catalysts affect amino acid oxidation by diperiodatocuprate (III) (DPC) in micellar environments. This research is crucial to understanding amino acids in redox processes and identifying active species of Ru(III) and DPC. The study will evaluate how cationic surfactant affects Ru(III)‐facilitated L‐phenylalanine (L‐Pheala) oxidation utilizing DPC in an alkaline medium. The reaction's advancement has been assessed employing the pseudo‐first‐order condition as a gauge for [OH−], [DPC], ionic strength, [L‐Pheala], [Ru(III)], [IO4−], [Surfactant], and temperature. L‐Pheala and DPC interact stoichiometrically in a ratio of 1:4. Across the spectrum of concentrations examined, the reported reaction reflects less than unit order kinematics in relation to both [L‐Pheala] (0.61 in the aqueous medium and 0.58 in the CPC micellar medium) and [OH−] (0.47 in the aqueous medium and 0.51 in the CPC micellar medium), first‐order reliance on the [DPC] and [Ru(III)], and negative fractional‐order for [IO4−] (−0.54 in the aqueous medium and −0.56 in the CPC micellar medium). A zero salt effect is suggested by the observed constancy in oxidation rate with the inclusion of electrolytes. The oxidation rate is significantly enhanced by Ru(III) solution (as a catalyst) at ppm concentration. Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) micellar media facilitate an additional enhancement (four times) in the rate of the reaction. CPC thus exhibits an excellent compatibility with Ru(III) for the L‐Pheala oxidation using (DPC).
Non‐Isocyanate Carbamate Acrylates: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications in UV 3D Printing
Authors: Yin Jiangdi , Zhang Xinqi , Zan Xinxin , Wang Jiaxi 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTIn this paper, two synthetic routes for non‐isocyanate carbamate acrylates (CAs) were explored. Four amino alcohols reacted with ethylene carbonate respectively forming carbamate alcohols. Additionally, carbamate amines were synthesized through the reaction of diethylene glycol with dimethyl carbonate, followed by the reaction of 4‐methylcyclohexane‐1,3‐diamine. Five kinds of CAs were synthesized via oxa‐Michael addition of carbamate alcohols and aza‐Michael reactions of carbamate amines with neopentyl glycol diacrylate (NPGDA), respectively. The resulting intermediates and final CAs were characterized by electrospray ionization high‐resolution mass spectrometry (ESI‐HRMS), 1H NMR, and FT‐IR spectroscopy. The photopolymerization kinetics of the CAs were investigated using FT‐IR spectroscopy. Under UV irradiation and initiation by 1 wt% 2‐isopropylthioxanthone (ITX) for 30 s, the double bond conversion of the CAs synthesized by oxa‐Michael addition were over 95%. The resulting CAs can be UV cured to form a transparent film with a gel content of 90%–95%, a hardness of 4–5 H, and a flexibility of 1 mm. A formulation consisting of 79 wt% CA2, 20 wt% NPGDA, and 1 wt% ITX was applied for 3D printing to produce various models with smooth surfaces, high precision, and excellent flexibility.
Influence of Contaminated Ammonium Nitrate on Detonation Behaviour of Bulk Emulsion Explosives and Numerical Analysis of Detonation‐Induced Damage Zone
Authors: Kumar Arvind , Kumar Vishwakarma Ashish , Mallick Mousumi , Kumari Usha , Kumar Himanshu Vivek , Ali Firoj 
Published: November 2024

AbstractBulk emulsion explosives are widely used industrial explosives for mining and civil infrastructure work. Ammonium nitrate is an important ingredient for bulk emulsion explosives and plays an important role in the detonation behaviour. Considering the growing demand for bulk emulsion explosives, an in‐depth investigation is necessary to understand how the impurities in ammonium nitrate can affect the detonation behaviour and safe handling of bulk emulsion explosives. Herein, we have demonstrated the influence of contaminated ammonium nitrate on the detonation behaviour and characteristics of bulk emulsion explosive. Furthermore, the particle size of the internal phase of the all prepared bulk emulsion explosives was analyzed using optical microscopy to confirm the effect of contaminated ammonium nitrate. Time dependent chemical‐induced gassing behaviour and detonation velocity of prepared bulk explosive samples were also studied. Importantly, numerical modeling was used to stimulate the detonation‐induced rock damage zone and assess the impact of ammonium nitrate contamination. Additionally, a real‐time rock damage pattern of different prepared samples was further investigated to understand the impact of contamination on the detonation induced crack development phenomena of different bulk emulsion samples.
What motivates the choice to custom hire pest management spraying services?
Authors: Van Deynze Braeden , Malone Trey 
Published: November 2024

AbstractBACKGROUNDThis article presents a model of how farmers choose to custom hire for pest control. The decision‐making process is illustrated through a discrete choice experiment conducted via a pilot survey of soybean growers in Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana. Farmers responded to a hypothetical pest infestation by choosing between custom operators, spraying on their own, or leaving the field to its fate.RESULTSAmong farmers who choose to spray, the mean willingness to pay for marginal increases in timeliness (as defined as the chance of late spraying) ranges from 37 to 52 cents per acre. We also find that farmers more averse to risk are more sensitive to custom operator timeliness and that farmers with better‐developed social networks are less sensitive to the risk of delay.CONCLUSIONThe results of this study can motivate future research into the drivers of on‐farm decision‐making, especially as it relates to custom hire behavior in pest control and other field operations. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
The Effect of Spirulina Supplementation on Blood Pressure in Adults: A GRADE‐Assessed Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
Authors: Shiri Hamidreza , Yasbolaghi Sharahi Javad , Alizadeh Sani Maryam , Mousavi Seyyed Mohammad Javad , Nematollahi Mohammad Hadi , Soleimani Ali Akbar , Amri Jamal , Panahi Ghodratollah 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTPrevious studies have yielded controversial results regarding the effect of spirulina on blood pressure (BP), which need updating. So, this updated systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) carry out a more accurate estimation of the effect of spirulina on BP in adults. This systematic searches (in PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science) until April 1, 2024, to identify related RCTs based on PICOS guidelines (population (individuals > 18 years old), the intervention (spirulina), the comparison (control or placebo group), the outcomes (systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP)), the study design (RCTs)), and PRISMA‐checklist (Supporting Information, data S2). We evaluated the impact of spirulina on DBP and SBP. Conventional procedures were employed for analyzing publication bias, heterogeneity, and sensitivity. The GRADE criteria and the Cochrane assessment method were employed to evaluate the risk of bias (ROB) and certainty of evidence across the studies, respectively. The result shows spirulina consumption decreases SBP (WMD: −4.41 mmHg, 95% CI: −6.74 to −2.07, I
2 = 66.1%) and DBP (WMD: −2.84 mmHg, 95% CI: −4.65 to −1.03, I
2 = 62.3%). Subgroup analysis demonstrated SBP and DBP were still lower in individuals with ≥ 120 and ≥ 80 mmHg, hypertension (HTN) individuals, overweight individuals, age > 50 years, and > 8 weeks of intervention. Indeed, we do not observe publication bias, ROB, or interference studies in the overall results of BPs, and based on GRADE, our outcomes have moderate quality. Because of the low number of studies and participants, the dose–response and meta‐regression are not significant. His study demonstrated spirulina intervention decreased SBP and DBP in HTN and overweight individuals, age > 50 years, and > 8 weeks of intervention. So, spirulina intake decreases BP and could be used in clinical practice. Furthermore, more and high‐quality RCTs are needed to establish the clinical efficacy of the spirulina and determine cutoff spirulina interventions based on dose and duration.
Trial Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42024534608
Infection and pulmonary vascular diseases consortium: United against a global health challenge
Authors: Oliveira S. D. , Almodóvar S. , Butrous G. , De Jesus Perez V , Fabro A. , Graham B. B. , Mocumbi A. , Nyasulu P. S. , Tura‐Ceide O. , Oliveira R. K. F. , Dhillon N. K. ,   Infection and Pulmonary Vascular Diseases Consortium
Published: November 2024

AbstractLeveraging the potential of virtual platforms in the post‐COVID‐19 era, the Infection and Pulmonary Vascular Diseases Consortium (iPVDc), with the support of the Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute (PVRI), launched a globally accessible educational program to highlight top‐notch research on inflammation and infectious diseases affecting the lung vasculature. This innovative virtual series has already successfully brought together distinguished investigators across five continents – Asia, Europe, South and North America, and Africa. Moreover, these open global forums have contributed to a comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay among immunology, inflammation, infection, and cardiopulmonary health, especially concerning pulmonary hypertension and related pulmonary disorders. These enlightening discussions have not only heightened awareness about the impact of various pathogenic microorganisms, including fungi, parasites, and viruses, on the onset and development of pulmonary vascular diseases but have also cast a spotlight on co‐infections and neglected illnesses like schistosomiasis ‐ a disease that continues to impose a heavy socioeconomic burden in numerous regions worldwide. Thus, the overall goal of this review article is to present the most recent breakthroughs from infectious PVDs as well as bring to light the scientific and educational insights from the 2023 iPVDc/PVRI virtual symposium series, shaping our understanding of these crucial health issues in this more than ever interconnected world.
First‐Principles Study on Electronic and Optical Properties of Novel Potential Photocatalytic Water‐Splitting Material: Blue‐P/Hf2CO2 vdW Heterostructure
Authors: Wang Zheng , Zhang Zilong , Xie Luogang , Yang Yang , Yuan Chaosheng , Li Junyu , Feng Shiquan 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTIn this work, we set a series of blue‐P/Hf2CO2 vdW heterostructures by stacking blue‐P and Hf2CO2 monolayers together. Then the most stable structure, the AD‐stacking blue‐P/Hf2CO2 vdW structure (the HS), is selected out for further investigation. The electronic and optical properties of the HS are studied for exploring its potential applications. Result of its electronic structure investigation indicates that the HS is a type‐I band arrangement. By applying different biaxial strains parallel to the stacking direction to the HS, we regulate its band gap and band edge positions. Results show a suitable strain not only can adjust the band alignment type of the HS change from type‐I to type‐II but also regulate the band structure to a suitable band edge positions for photocatalytic water splitting. The band edge position of HS (2%) across the oxidation and reduction potential indicates that it is a potential photocatalyst of water splitting at pH = 7. By calculating the absorption coefficient, we found the HS (2%) has a good light‐harvesting ability in visible light and UV region, which further proves it has the potential as the sunlight‐driven photocatalyst for water splitting.
Pulmonary metastasis of giant cell tumour of tibia
Authors: Batool Arshia , Ain Qura‐tul , Khan Allahdad , Siddique Humaira , Islam Muhammad , Kamal Aseel 
Published: November 2024

AbstractGiant cell tumour of the tibia with pulmonary metastasis is very rare and the malignancy usually appears several years after the initial lesion. Imaging at the earliest instance is highly beneficial since surgical resection to remove the metastases raises survival rates; therefore, relentless follow‐up in GCT is vital.
A Hierarchical Bayesian Model for Estimating Age‐Specific COVID‐19 Infection Fatality Rates in Developing Countries
Authors: Pugh Sierra , Levin Andrew T. , Meyerowitz‐Katz Gideon , Soman Satej , Owusu‐Boaitey Nana , Zwi Anthony B. , Malani Anup , Wilson Ander , Fosdick Bailey K. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTThe COVID‐19 infection fatality rate (IFR) is the proportion of individuals infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 who subsequently die. As COVID‐19 disproportionately affects older individuals, age‐specific IFR estimates are imperative to facilitate comparisons of the impact of COVID‐19 between locations and prioritize distribution of scarce resources. However, there lacks a coherent method to synthesize available data to create estimates of IFR and seroprevalence that vary continuously with age and adequately reflect uncertainties inherent in the underlying data. In this article, we introduce a novel Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate IFR as a continuous function of age that acknowledges heterogeneity in population age structure across locations and accounts for uncertainty in the estimates due to seroprevalence sampling variability and the imperfect serology test assays. Our approach simultaneously models test assay characteristics, serology, and death data, where the serology and death data are often available only for binned age groups. Information is shared across locations through hierarchical modeling to improve estimation of the parameters with limited data. Modeling data from 26 developing country locations during the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic, we found seroprevalence did not change dramatically with age, and the IFR at age 60 was above the high‐income country estimate for most locations.
SERS‐Encoded Nanoprobes Based on Silver‐Coated Gold Nanorods for Cell Sorting
Authors: Qi Kang , Zhuang Qiaowei , Zhou Qingsong , Lin Danying , Liu Liwei , Qu Junle , Hu Rui 
Published: November 2024

AbstractOptically‐encoded probes have great potential for applications in the fields of biosensing and imaging. By employing specific encoding methods, these probes enable the detection of multiple target molecules and high‐resolution imaging within the same sample. Among the various encoding methods, surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectral encoding stands out due to its extremely narrow linewidth. Compared to fluorescence spectral encoding, SERS encoding significantly reduces crosstalk between adjacent peaks, thereby achieving a larger encoding capacity and enabling multi‐channel parallel analysis. This article presents the design and construction of two novel sets of SERS‐encoded probes based on noble metal core–shell nanostructures. Two different encoding strategies are successfully applied to encode the SERS spectra of the probes: 1D encoding based on the wavenumber of characteristic peaks in the SERS spectrum, and 2D encoding combining both wavenumber and intensity of characteristic peaks in the SERS spectrum. In addition, this study also demonstrates the potential application of 1D encoded probes in cell sorting. These studies verify the feasibility of applying these two encoding methods to SERS core–shell probes and provide new insights into the construction of optically encoded probes.
Synthesis of Homoallylamine Covalent Organic Frameworks Via Hosomi–Sakurai Reaction Under Mild Conditions
Authors: Zorigt Naranchimeg , Zarei Amin , Auras Florian , Khazdooz Leila , Khosropour Ahmadreza , Abbaspourrad Alireza 
Published: November 2024

AbstractOne‐pot multicomponent reactions (MCRs) are a valuable strategy to synthesize functional covalent organic frameworks (COFs) in a single step. Most reported COF syntheses involve solvothermal processes, and because of the harsh reaction conditions, such as high temperature or high pressure, large‐scale production of COFs has been limited. The synthesis of homoallylamine substituted COFs via a one‐pot Hosomi–Sakurai reaction is reported. At room temperature the reaction of allyltriethylgermane with either terephthalaldehyde or [1,1′‐biphenyl]‐4,4′‐dicarbaldehyde, and 1,3,5‐tris(4‐aminophenyl)benzene (TAPB) is catalyzed by Sc(OTf)3 to produce two COFs: TAPB‐1P‐Allyl COF and TAPB‐BP‐Allyl COF. The allyl functionalized COFs shows high crystallinity, with micropores ranging from 3.2 to 3.9 nm, for TAPB‐1P‐Allyl COF and TAPB‐BP‐Allyl COF respectively, and both COFs are hydrolytically stable at different pH levels. Post‐synthetic modification of these COFs with iodomethane produces methylated cationic COFs that demonstrates >98% adsorption efficiencies below the detection limit of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) from aqueous solutions. After four cycles adsorption efficiency remains high with concentrations of PFOA below the detection limit.