bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Contentious Origins of Authoritarian Social Protection: China’s “Threat-Driven” Strategy in Redistribution
Authors: Zhu Hongshen 
Published: May 2024

AbstractDespite the lack of electoral accountability, China has built an expanding welfare system that is set to include most citizens. Why does China defy the conventional prediction of an exclusive authoritarian welfare state? This paper looks at the critical time when China first established its social security system in the 1990s and argues that the state adopts a “threat-driven strategy” where the redistribution effort varies with the expected collective action of economic losers. Analyzing an original granular county-level dataset of China’s laid-off workers and social security taxation, the paper finds that a group of newly emerged economic losers, precipitated by state policy, drives the local states’ efforts to redistribute. In particular, the number of laid-off state-owned enterprise workers explains 46% of the variations in social security collection among non-state-owned enterprises. Instrumental variable estimation, with legacy state-owned enterprises established in historical contingencies as the instrument for laid-off workers, shows consistent results. Further analysis on mechanisms demonstrates that layoffs lead to an increase in SOE protests, which in turn foster greater redistribution.
Evaluating the Environmental Impacts of Pretreatment and Nanoparticles in Solid-State Anaerobic Digestion Using Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Ajayi-Banji Ademola , Pourhashem Ghasideh , Rahman Shafiqur , Feng Xiaoyu 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe yield of green energy from solid-state anaerobic co-digestion (SSAD) has recently been enhanced by incorporating innovative pretreatment methods and nanoparticles. However, the environmental consequences of employing new processes have not been fully examined. In this study, the environmental impacts of three high-methane-yielding scenarios including SSAD of corn stover blended with dairy manure (DM) denoted as (SYM1), calcium hydroxide-pretreated corn stover (CpCS) blended with DM (SYM2), and the CpCS blended with DM and nanoparticles (SYM3) were assessed and compared the baselines of solid-state and semi-solid-state anaerobic digestion using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. The approach investigated the best management practices that would result in high methane yield and low environmental impact. Results of the life cycle assessment indicate the inclusion of calcium hydroxide and nanoparticle has minimal negative environmental impact. There was an environmental gain in GWP when corn stover was co-digestion with DM (SYM1) relative to DM mono-digestions (baselines) and the carbon footprint of SYM1 was less by more than 85% compared to SYM2 and SYM3. However, the large volume of untreated corn stover harnessed for SYM1 scenario resulted in over 75% fossil fuel depletion compared to the other scenarios. The surplus methane from the SYM3 (at least twofold of other scenarios and baselines) in conjunction with being the least with the environmental implication makes the scenario the most attractive option for on-farm practice capable of harnessing the growing organic waste volume. These outcomes can guide trade-off between pretreatment and nanoparticle application to reduce solid-state anaerobic digestion’s negative environmental impact.
How Can Citizen Science in a Botanical Garden Enrich the Discipline of Ethnobotany?
Authors: Mulhauser Blaise , Gaille Elodie 
Published: May 2024

AbstractCitizen science is a tool that makes it possible to design large-scale studies while developing dialogues among people. It has developed in many fields, such as ecology, biodiversity studies, climatology, and sociology. Done properly, it can help produce a large amount of data that can later be analyzed using statistical tools. Can ethnobotany also benefit from such investigations? Based on three citizen science projects carried out in a botanical garden, this paper explores the possibility of developing ethnobotanical citizen science research in a context other than that of fieldwork. Examples include a literacy laboratory within a multicultural exhibit (2018), a survey on the uses of medicinal plants during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (2021), and a call for testimonials about and recipes for medicinal plants from around the world (2020–2023). This approach, enriched by the citizens themselves, is in keeping with the aspirations of the ethnobiologists who have called for a paradigm shift following the COVID-19 pandemic, perceived as a tipping point. Citizen science practices implemented in a museum institution, such as a botanical garden, thus make it possible to carry out multicultural surveys and discuss results with people in an open dialogue.
A review on the geotechnical design and optimisation of ultra-long ore passes for deep mass mining
Authors: Salmi Ebrahim F. , Phan Tan , Sellers Ewan J. , Stacey Thomas R. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractEnhancing mine energy efficiency and productivity necessitates the implementation of longer ore passes, exceeding 300 m, to optimise material transport in underground mass mining. This research has revealed sporadic historical use of extremely long ore passes, stretching beyond 500 m and reaching up to 650–700 m, in both surface and underground settings. However, the scarcity of available data related to the primary engineering, geological, and geotechnical risks associated with the design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of long ore passes implies an urgent need for research into strategies to mitigate uncertainties in the design and optimisation of these passes. A comprehensive gap analysis from available ore pass projects worldwide, compiling various geological and geotechnical parameters affecting the ore passes’ design and optimisation, identifies new techniques for designing these critical rock structures, highlights deficiencies in current methodologies, and shows areas for enhancement through expert elicitation techniques and risk assessment methods. Key utilisation scenarios for ore passes exceeding 300 m in length were also identified within the research and categorised into the design phase, emphasising stability, inclination, and gate loading, and the construction phase, including drilling, blasting, raiseboring, and support and lining, and the operational phase, encompassing flow dynamics, hang-ups, and ore fragmentation consequences. Insights gleaned from this comprehensive literature review and gap analysis provide a robust foundation for geotechnical engineers involved in the design of long and ultra-long ore passes for deep mass mining. These findings can empower engineers by enabling them to proactively anticipate, effectively respond to, and continually learn from the challenges inherent in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of ultra-long and long ore passes. Further research is needed to facilitate energy-efficient material transfer in deep mass mining, including proper design and implementation of passes in uncertain geological conditions. This includes techniques for investigating the long-term stability of ore passes, enhancing the understanding of the risk of structural failure, improving characterisation of rock fragments, investigating flow dynamics, identifying better liner materials, methods for determining optimal pass placement, improving surveying and monitoring techniques, quantifying the rheological behaviour of muck and wet muck for flowability assessment, assessing the impact of mining-induced stresses on the stability of long ore passes, and developing safer and more efficient techniques for the mitigation and recovery of hang-ups.
HDRC: a subjective quality assessment database for compressed high dynamic range image
Authors: Liu Yue , Ni Zhangkai , Chen Peilin , Wang Shiqi , Kwong Sam 
Published: May 2024

AbstractEvaluating the quality of high dynamic range (HDR) images has emerged as a challenging and contemporary topic with the proliferation of HDR content. In this work, a new HDR compression (HDRC) database is proposed, aiming to provide a benchmark for the development of full-reference HDR image quality assessment (IQA) algorithms when facing the latest HDR compression distortions. In particular, the proposed HDRC database is the first HDR-IQA database to incorporate Versatile Video Coding (VVC) compression distortions, closely associated with practical application scenarios. Furthermore, the proposed HDRC database is currently the largest HDR-IQA database, including 80 reference images and 400 distorted images. Extensive experiments are conducted by studying the performance compared to existing HDR-IQA databases when evaluating three HDR-specific IQA models and nine IQA models prevalent for low dynamic range (LDR) content, revealing the challenges the proposed HDRC database brings. The results indicate that the existing IQA models demonstrate noticeable decreases in accuracy when assessing new compression distortions, underscoring the need for the development of novel HDR-IQA models. Consequently, the suggested HDRC database can serve as a potential database for HDR-IQA research, fostering a comprehensive exploration of the associated fields.
Worrying with Children and Water in ECEC: Exploring the Pedagogical framing Effects of Actions for Climate Change
Authors: White E. Jayne , Williams Ngaroma , Martin Kaitlyn 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBased on Sustainable Development Goals, a recent flurry of activity has begun concerning the responsibilities of teachers to support young children in recognising and responding to aspects of climate change. Less, however, is understood about the emotional impact of these interventions on children themselves, or the extent to which the way they are framed can impact on the actions that follow. The extent to which children are encouraged to worry about water and their responsibilities concerning its sustainability is of relevance to the children of Aotearoa New Zealand and orients the focus of this paper. Walking with 3–4-year-old children over several days across three early childhood education and care sites located near waterways in the South Island, researchers share examples of worrying that took place for these children as we walked together with water. Utilising Bilandzic et al. (Sci Commun 39:466–491, 2017) goal frames to analyse their significance, the ways children worried are explored in a series of narratives that identify as series of positive and negative frames and their consequences. The paper concludes by highlighting the considerable effects of worrying and their consequences for activating children towards climate action. Teachers are invited to take a nuanced view that ameliorates the counter-productive outcomes of negative frames that can immobilise action, in contemplation of positive frames with water as a relational encounter with potential for empowerment and change. As such, a shift from emphasising activities for climate change to the framings that orient their significance through children’s worrying encounters with and about water.
A simple and unified protocol to purify all seven Escherichia coli RNA polymerase sigma factors
Authors: Kędzierska Barbara , Stodolna Aleksandra , Bryszkowska Katarzyna , Dylewski Maciej , Potrykus Katarzyna 
Published: May 2024

AbstractRNA polymerase sigma factors are indispensable in the process of bacterial transcription. They are responsible for a given gene’s promoter region recognition on template DNA and hence determine specificity of RNA polymerase and play a significant role in gene expression regulation. Here, we present a simple and unified protocol for purification of all seven Escherichia coli RNA polymerase sigma factors. In our approach, we took advantage of the His8-SUMO tag, known to increase protein solubilization. Sigma factors were first purified in N-terminal fusions with this tag, which was followed by tag removal with Ulp1 protease. This allowed to obtain proteins in their native form. In addition, the procedure is simple and requires only one resin type. With the general protocol we employed, we were able to successfully purify σD, σE, σS, and σN. Final step modification was required for σF, while for σH and σFecI, denaturing conditions had to be applied. All seven sigma factors were fully functional in forming an active holoenzyme with core RNA polymerase which we demonstrated with EMSA studies.
Designing specific tools to enhance the numeracy of adults with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Gaunt Lorraine Vera , Visnovska Jana 
Published: May 2024

AbstractNumeracy is important for everyday life. Being numerate has a positive impact on the quality of life of individuals, with positive economic, health, and social outcomes. Despite this, little is known about the role of numeracy in the lives of adults with intellectual disability (ID). Design research has been used to develop ways to support mathematical learning for typically developing students. This study investigates the use of design research to develop context-specific, physical tools to support adults with intellectual disability to improve their numeracy capabilities and engagement in daily tasks. Using observation and interview data, findings demonstrate increased engagement and participation in the numeracy demands of these tasks. Participants reported positive perceptions of improved competence and independence. This study demonstrates the application of design research to the field of numeracy for adults with intellectual disability, and the usefulness of designing context-specific tools to support their numeracy development and independence.
A method to account for diversity of practices in Conservation Agriculture
Authors: Ferdinand Manon S. , Baret Philippe V. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractConservation Agriculture (CA) is actively promoted as an alternative farming system that combines environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Three pillars define CA: (i) minimum mechanical soil disturbance, (ii) permanent soil organic cover, and (iii) species diversification. The local context, constraints, and needs of the farmers influence the translation of the pillars into practices. Currently, there is no method for categorizing this diversity of CA practices, which hampers impact assessment, understanding of farmer choices and pathways, stakeholder communication, and policymaking. This paper presents a systematic method to identify and categorize the diversity of CA practices at the regional level, anchored in the three pillars and based on practices implemented by CA farmers. The classification method is grounded on the intersection of an archetypal analysis and a hierarchical clustering analysis. This method was used to study CA practices in Wallonia, Belgium, based on a survey of practices in a sample of 48 farmers. Combining the two clustering methods increases the proportion of classified farmers while allowing for the distinction between three CA-types with extreme and salient practices, and two intermediate CA-types comprising farmers whose practices fall between these references. The study reveals that three explanatory factors influence the implementation of CA practices in Wallonia: (i) the proportion of tillage-intensive crops and (ii) temporary grasslands in the crop sequence, and (iii) the organic certification. These factors lead to trade-offs that hinder the three pillars of CA from being fully implemented simultaneously. This new classification method can be replicated in other regions where CA is practiced, by adapting input variables according to context and local knowledge.
Interleukin-6 as a critical inflammatory marker for early diagnosis of surgical site infection after spine surgery
Authors: Roch Paul Jonathan , Ecker Carolin , Jäckle Katharina , Meier Marc-Pascal , Reinhold Maximilian , Klockner Friederike Sophie , Lehmann Wolfgang , Weiser Lukas 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Early diagnosis of surgical site infections (SSIs) could prevent surgical revision. Inflammatory markers (IMs), such as procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), seem more accurate in diagnosing SSI than C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) count. The aim was to compare the predictive values of CRP, WBC count, PCT, IL-6, and TNF-α in SSI detection.

Methods
A total of 130 patients undergoing dorsal spondylodesis from 2019 to 2024 were enrolled in a prospective diagnostic study at a maximum care spine center. IMs were measured preoperatively and on the postoperative days (PODs) 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7. Patients with high suspicion of SSI underwent revision surgery. SSI was diagnosed when the microbiological evidence was positive. Patients were divided a posteriori into the non-infection and infection groups.

Results
IMs of 118 patients (66.9 ± 13.0 years, 61.0% females) were measured. Fifteen of the 118 patients (12.7%) developed an SSI. The groups differed with respect to existing hypertension, number of instrumented segments, region of surgery, CRPPOD1,7, PCTPOD7, and IL-6POD3,5,7. Binary logistic regression for SSI detection including these parameters showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.88 (95% CI 0.79–0.98; P < 0.001). The main effect for SSI detection was maintained by IL-6POD7 (odds ratio = 1.13; 95% CI 1.05–1.23; P = 0.001), which itself showed an AUC of 0.86 (95% CI 0.75–0.97).

Conclusion
Compared to CRP, WBC count, PCT, and TNF-α, IL-6 seems to be the critical IM for the early detection of an SSI.

Trial registration
drks.de: DRKS00033773, date of registration: 29.02.2024, retrospectively registered; Postoperative Markers of Inflammation in Spine Surgery (POMIS) Trial.
Ultrafast reversible phase engineering in MoTe2 thin film via polaron formation
Authors: Kim Ji-Hee , Schönhoff Gunnar , Lorke Michael , Wehling Tim O. , Yee Ki-Ju 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe emergence of various polymorphs in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides provides an opportunity for robust phase engineering by temperature, strain, laser irradiation, and external charge doping (Keum in Nat. Phys. 11:482, 2015; Song in Nano Lett. 16:188, 2016; Cho in Science 349:625, 2015; Kim in Nano Lett. 17:3363, 2017). This provides means to develop homojunction of metal–semiconductor, enhance mobility, reduce contact resistance, and observe novel quantum critical phenomena in mesoscopic systems. The rich physics paves the way for ultrafast light-induced switching/memory devices and optical data processing in optoelectronics. However, the fundamental temporal evolution of the laser-driven phase transformation, in particular regarding heat and charge carriers, remains elusive. We report an ultrafast reversible structural transformation in MoTe2 by coherent phonon dynamics through polaron formation at room temperature. At a high photon density, the generated coherent phonons are coupled with excitons to form polarons. The strong exciton–phonon coupling disturbs and dephases the coherent phonons of the semiconducting 2H phase in MoTe2, and generates lattice distortions to further stabilize new coherent phonons of the metallic 1T’-phase, manifested by the emergence of the corresponding phonons in each phase. This structural transformation is fully reversible within a few picoseconds by switching on/off the laser. The nonlinear response of the phonon intensity to the excited carrier density in the intermediate region indicates a gradual structural transformation through coexisting 2H and 1T’ phases.
ALM for insurers with multiple underwriting lines and portfolio constraints: a Lagrangian duality approach
Authors: Castillo Camilo , Serrano Rafael 
Published: May 2024

AbstractWe investigate how an insurance firm can optimally allocate its assets to back up liabilities from multiple non-life business lines. The insurance risks are modeled by a multidimensional jump-diffusion process that accounts for simultaneous claims in different insurance lines with policy limits. We use Lagrangian convex duality techniques to derive optimal investment-underwriting strategies that maximize the expected utility from dividends and final wealth over a finite horizon. We examine how risk aversion, prudence, portfolio constraints, and multivariate insurance risk affect the firm’s earnings retention. We obtain explicit solutions for optimal strategies under constant relative risk aversion preferences. Finally, we illustrate our results with numerical examples and show the impact of co-integration for asset-liability management with multiple sources of insurance risk.
Poisson and Szegö kernel scaling asymptotics on Grauert tube boundaries (after Zelditch, Chang and Rabinowitz)
Authors: Paoletti Roberto 
Published: May 2024

AbstractWe review and elaborate on recent work of Chang and Rabinowitz on scaling asymptotics of Poisson and Szegö kernels on Grauert tubes, providing additional results that may be useful in applications. In particular, focusing on the near-diagonal case, we give an explicit description of the leading order coefficients, and an estimate on the growth of the degree of certain polynomials describing the rescaled asymptotics. Furthermore, we allow rescaled asymptotics in a range $$O\left( \lambda ^{\delta -1/2}\right) $$

O

λ

δ
-
1
/
2

in all the variables involved, where $$\lambda \rightarrow +\infty $$

λ
→
+
∞

is the asymptotic parameter, rather than rescale according to Heisenberg type.