bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Zn Loading Effects on the Selectivity of PdZn Catalysts for CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol
Authors: Lawes Naomi , Aggett Kieran J. , Smith Louise R. , Slater Thomas J. A. , Dearg Malcolm , Morgan David J. , Dummer Nicholas F. , Taylor Stuart H. , Hutchings Graham J. , Bowker Michael 
Published: August 2023

AbstractPdZn/TiO2 catalysts have been investigated for the hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol. Varying the ratio of Pd and Zn using TiO2 as a support has a dramatic effect on catalytic performance. Chemical vapour impregnation was used to produce PdZn alloys on TiO2 and X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy revealed changes in the structure at varying total PdZn molar ratios. Compared to monometallic Pd/TiO2, introducing a low loading of Zn drastically changes product selectivity. When Pd is alloyed with Zn above a total Zn/Pd = 1 molar ratio, methanol selectivity is improved. Therefore, for enhanced methanol productivity, it is crucial for the Zn loading to be higher than that required for the stoichiometric formation of the 1:1 β-PdZn alloy.
Graphical Abstract
Is there a generational shift in preferences for forest carbon sequestration vs. preservation of agricultural landscapes?
Authors: Liu Xiaozi , Lindhjem Henrik , Grimsrud Kristine , Leknes Einar , Tvinnereim Endre 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAfforestation and reforestation are considered important measures for climate change mitigation. Because the land area available for tree planting may serve multiple purposes, striking the right balance between climate goals and other objectives is crucial. We conducted a survey of the Norwegian population to investigate potential land-use conflicts that may arise from executing a large-scale afforestation programme. Respondents were presented with three land-use alternatives to replace formerly grazed agricultural land. We used manipulated landscape photos to elicit their underlying value orientations. We combined multiple correspondence analysis with latent class regression models to reveal preference heterogeneity. Our models grouped respondents into three latent classes, with 24%, 24% and 52%, respectively, expressing a preference for forest carbon sequestration, recreation or agriculture as the most crucial land-use function to be retained. Birth year emerged as a strong predictor of class membership. Specifically, generations born before 1970 were more inclined to support the continuation of agricultural landscapes, while those born in 1980 and later showed a stronger inclination towards natural forest succession for carbon sequestration or recreational purposes. Quantitatively, every 10-year reduction in age increased the odds of a respondent belonging to the forestation or recreation class (relative to the agricultural class) by a factor of 2. Interestingly, even among respondents who were classified as most climate concerned, natural forests were 50% more likely to be preferred over monoculture spruce plantation as a policy option. This suggests that there may be public resistance to spruce planting for climate mitigation purposes in Norway.
Laboratory Investigations on the Mode of Failure in Frictional and Low-Cohesive Materials Under the Load of a Ground Anchor
Authors: Høgset Hanna Margrete , Høien Are Håvard , Li Charlie Chunlin 
Published: August 2023

AbstractGround anchors are widely used in many types of construction works, such as stabilization of rock slopes, wind turbines, concrete dams and bridge towers. Some of the modes of failure for these anchors still have an insufficient scientific basis, and that applies especially to what happens in the ground when overloaded. This paper presents investigations on the failure development in frictional and low-cohesive materials which are subjected to loading by an embedded anchor with a free length towards the surface. The failure development is demonstrated through a series of small-scale physical model tests performed in the laboratory. The physical model setup consists of a transparent PVC test chamber, a rigid «anchor block», and a hydraulic jack. The model is instrumented with a camera, an extensometer and a load cell to continuously record the failure development and resistance from the material as the anchor block is pushed through the sample material. The main question investigated is how the failure appears, as a failure along the whole pull-out body at once or as an advancing fracture along the plane, where in the first case the shear capacity of the material will be the main input in calculations, and for the second case, one also needs to take failure propagation into account.
Involvement of Protein Kinase R in Double-Stranded RNA-Induced Proteasomal Degradation of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α
Authors: Hotani Takuma , Nakagawa Kanako , Tsukamoto Tomohito , Mizuguchi Hiroyuki , Sakurai Fuminori 
Published: August 2023

AbstractHypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a crucial therapeutic target in various diseases, including cancer and fibrosis. We previously demonstrated that transfection with double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), including polyI:C and the dsRNA genome of mammalian orthoreovirus, resulted in significant reduction in HIF-1α protein levels in cultured cells; however, it remained to be elucidated how dsRNA induced down-regulation of HIF-1α protein levels. In this study, we examined the mechanism of dsRNA-mediated down-regulation of HIF-1α protein levels. We found that among the various cellular factors involved in dsRNA-mediated innate immunity, knockdown and knockout of protein kinase R (PKR) significantly restored HIF-1α protein levels in dsRNA-transfected cells, indicating that PKR was involved in dsRNA-mediated down-regulation of HIF-1α. Proteasome inhibitors significantly restored the HIF-1α protein levels in dsRNA-transfected cells. Ubiquitination levels of HIF-1α were increased by transfection with dsRNA. These findings indicated that degradation of HIF-1α in a ubiquitin–proteasome pathway was promoted in a PKR-dependent manner following dsRNA transfection. Expression of not only HIF-1α but also several proteins, including CDK4 and HER2, was down-regulated following dsRNA transfection. These data provide important clues for elucidation of the mechanism of dsRNA-mediated cellular toxicity, as well as for therapeutic application of dsRNA.
May It Be a Little Bit More of Market Power? On Productivity Growth and Competition
Authors: Steinbrunner Philipp R. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractIn its heart, competition represents an important driver of productivity growth that has slowed in European countries since the financial crisis. This study examines the non-linear relationship between productivity growth and market power, using data on Central European manufacturing firms, from 2009 to 2017. The results show concave relationships between both variables, and that firms in competitive industries respond more sensitively to market power. This study contributes to the literature by applying not only the standard firm-level measure of Lerner indexes, but also by calculating them from production functions and checking robustness with country-industry-level concentration measures.
Multidimensional WENO-AO Reconstructions Using a Simplified Smoothness Indicator and Applications to Conservation Laws
Authors: Huang Chieh-Sen , Arbogast Todd , Tian Chenyu 
Published: August 2023

AbstractFinite volume, weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) schemes require the computation of a smoothness indicator. This can be expensive, especially in multiple space dimensions. We consider the use of the simple smoothness indicator $$\sigma ^{\textrm{S}}= \frac{1}{N_{\textrm{S}}-1}\sum _{j} ({\bar{u}}_{j} - {\bar{u}}_{m})^2$$

σ
S

=

1

N
S

-
1

∑
j

(

u

¯

j

-

u

¯

m

)

2

, where $$N_{\textrm{S}}$$

N
S

is the number of mesh elements in the stencil, $${\bar{u}}_j$$

u

¯

j

is the local function average over mesh element j, and index m gives the target element. Reconstructions utilizing standard WENO weighting fail with this smoothness indicator. We develop a modification of WENO-Z weighting that gives a reliable and accurate reconstruction of adaptive order, which we denote as SWENOZ-AO. We prove that it attains the order of accuracy of the large stencil polynomial approximation when the solution is smooth, and drops to the order of the small stencil polynomial approximations when there is a jump discontinuity in the solution. Numerical examples in one and two space dimensions on general meshes verify the approximation properties of the reconstruction. They also show it to be about 10 times faster in two space dimensions than reconstructions using the classic smoothness indicator. The new reconstruction is applied to define finite volume schemes to approximate the solution of hyperbolic conservation laws. Numerical tests show results of the same quality as standard WENO schemes using the classic smoothness indicator, but with an overall speedup in the computation time of about 3.5–5 times in 2D tests. Moreover, the computational efficiency (CPU time versus error) is noticeably improved.
Teaching and Assessing Thinking Skills and Applying Educational Technologies in Higher Education
Authors: Dori Yehudit Judy , Lavi Rea 
Published: August 2023

AbstractIntegrating thinking skills into higher education pedagogy requires suitable models, methods, and tools for both instruction and assessment. Some of these tools apply one or more educational technologies. The articles in this special issue focus on higher education with four common themes: online or virtual courses and modules, science and engineering education, active learning methods, and critical thinking. This special issue sheds light on the critical importance of thinking skills development and assessment in higher education and underscores the need for continued research and innovation in the realm of educational technology.
A Maximum Principle for Optimal Control Problems Involving Sweeping Processes with a Nonsmooth Set
Authors: Pinho Maria do Rosário de , Ferreira Maria Margarida A. , Smirnov Georgi 
Published: August 2023

AbstractWe generalize a maximum principle for optimal control problems involving sweeping systems previously derived in de Pinho et al. (Optimization 71(11):3363–3381, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1080/02331934.2022.2101111) to cover the case where the moving set may be nonsmooth. Noteworthy, we consider problems with constrained end point. A remarkable feature of our work is that we rely upon an ingenious smooth approximating family of standard differential equations in the vein of that used in de Pinho et al. (Set Valued Var Anal 27:523–548, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11228-018-0501-8).
A fair exchange: why living kidney donors in England should be financially compensated
Authors: Rodger Daniel , Venter Bonnie 
Published: August 2023

AbstractEvery year, hundreds of patients in England die whilst waiting for a kidney transplant, and this is evidence that the current system of altruistic-based donation is not sufficient to address the shortage of kidneys available for transplant. To address this problem, we propose a monopsony system whereby kidney donors can opt-in to receive financial compensation, whilst still preserving the right of individuals to donate without receiving any compensation. A monopsony system describes a market structure where there is only one ‘buyer’—in this case the National Health Service. By doing so, several hundred lives could be saved each year in England, wait times for a kidney transplant could be significantly reduced, and it would lessen the burden on dialysis services. Furthermore, compensation would help alleviate the common disincentives to living kidney donation, such as its potential associated health and psychological costs, and it would also help to increase awareness of living kidney donation. The proposed system would also result in significant cost savings that could then be redirected towards preventing kidney disease and reducing health disparities. While concerns about exploitation, coercion, and the ‘crowding out’ of altruistic donors exist, we believe that careful implementation can mitigate these issues. Therefore, we recommend piloting financial compensation for living kidney donors at a transplant centre in England.
A classification of S-boxes generated by orthogonal cellular automata
Authors: Mariot Luca , Manzoni Luca 
Published: August 2023

AbstractMost of the approaches published in the literature to construct S-boxes via Cellular Automata (CA) work by either iterating a finite CA for several time steps, or by a one-shot application of the global rule. The main characteristic that brings together these works is that they employ a single CA rule to define the vectorial Boolean function of the S-box. In this work, we explore a different direction for the design of S-boxes that leverages on Orthogonal CA (OCA), i.e. pairs of CA rules giving rise to orthogonal Latin squares. The motivation stands on the facts that an OCA pair already defines a bijective transformation, and moreover the orthogonality property of the resulting Latin squares ensures a minimum amount of diffusion. We exhaustively enumerate all S-boxes generated by OCA pairs of diameter $$4 \le d \le 6$$

4
≤
d
≤
6

, and measure their nonlinearity. Interestingly, we observe that for $$d=4$$

d
=
4

and $$d=5$$

d
=
5

all S-boxes are linear, despite the underlying CA local rules being nonlinear. The smallest nonlinear S-boxes emerges for $$d=6$$

d
=
6

, but their nonlinearity is still too low to be used in practice. Nonetheless, we unearth an interesting structure of linear OCA S-boxes, proving that their Linear Components Space is itself the image of a linear CA, or equivalently a polynomial code. We finally classify all linear OCA S-boxes in terms of their generator polynomials.
Geometric bloch vector solution to minimum-error discriminations of mixed qubit states
Authors: Rouhbakhsh N Mahdi , Ghoreishi Seyed Arash 
Published: August 2023

AbstractWe investigate minimum-error (ME) discrimination for mixed qubit states using a geometric approach. By analyzing positive operator-valued measure (POVM) solutions and introducing Lagrange operator $$\Gamma $$
Γ
, we develop a four-step structured instruction to find $$\Gamma $$
Γ
for N mixed qubit states. Our method covers optimal solutions for two, three, and four mixed qubit states, including a novel result for four qubit states. We introduce geometric-based POVM classes and non-decomposable subsets for constructing optimal solutions, enabling us to find all possible answers for the general problem of minimum-error discrimination for N mixed qubit states with arbitrary a priori probabilities.
Monitoring health related quality of life in survivorship care of young adult survivors of childhood cancer using web-based patient-reported outcome measures: survivors’ and health care practitioners’ perspectives on the KLIK method
Authors: Maas Anne , Maurice-Stam Heleen , van den Heuvel Marloes H. , Koopman Maria M. W. , den Hartogh Jaap G. , Kremer Leontien C. M. , Grootenhuis Martha 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Purpose
The KLIK method is a tool to systematically monitor and discuss Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in clinical practice. It has been successfully used in clinical practice in The Netherlands, and has recently been implemented in survivorship care for young adult childhood cancer survivors (CCSs). This study evaluates implementation fidelity and satisfaction of CCSs and healthcare practitioners (HCPs) with the KLIK method in survivorship care.

Methods
CCSs’ HRQOL was monitored using the KLIK questionnaire (PedsQL generic 18–30 years). In a mixed-methods design, implementation fidelity was based on registrations, and user satisfaction was assessed with evaluation surveys (CCSs) and semi-structured interviews (CCSs, HCPs). Descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis methods were used.

Results
A total of 245 CCSs were eligible for the study. Fidelity was 79.2% (194/245) for registration in the KLIK PROM portal, 89.7% (174/194) for completed KLIK questionnaires, 74.7% (130/174) for its discussion during consultation. Of the eligible CCSs, 17.6% (43/245) completed the study evaluation survey. Five CCSs and HCPs were invited for an interview and participated. CCSs (7.7/10) and HCPs (7.5/10) were satisfied with the KLIK method. Reported facilitators included increased insight into CCSs’ functioning, improved preparation before, and communication during consultation, without lengthening consultation duration. Barriers included CCSs not always completing KLIK questionnaires, incomplete content of the KLIK questionnaire, and the need for customization for CCSs with cognitive disabilities.

Conclusion
The KLIK method is a feasible and valuable tool to systematically monitor and discuss HRQOL in survivorship care. Integration of the KLIK method within the organization is essential, with structural support in reminding CCSs to complete questionnaires.
SMEs Circular Economy Practices in the European Union: Multilevel Implications for Sustainability
Authors: Tritto Nunzio , Dias José G. , Bassi Francesca 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThis paper examines the willingness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union (EU) to implement Circular Economy (CE) practices, i.e. re-planning the use of water to reduce consumption and maximize reuse, using of renewable energy sources, re-planning energy consumption to reduce its use, reducing waste by recycling or reusing waste or selling it to another company, redesigning products and services to reduce the use of materials or using recycled materials. These aspects are conceived as indicators of the willingness to implement CE practices, which is explained by factors at the company and country levels.The dataset comes from a unique survey involving more than 10,000 SMEs in the EU. This hierarchical structure – companies within countries – was analyzed using a multilevel factor model that takes into account the heterogeneity between countries. The variables at the company-level are: company size (number of employees and total turnover in 2015), company foundation, sector of economic activity, type of clients and goods, and percentage of the turnover invested in R&D. Country-level covariates cover different dimensions of sustainability: per capita GDP, illiteracy rate, waste generation, and corruption perception index.At the levels of company and country, there are factors that explain the attitude towards CE. Finally, factor scores at both levels show a split between Western and Eastern European countries (with few exceptions) regarding the willingness of SMEs to implement CE activities that define the regional implications of EU policies towards CE, in particular in the context of the European Green Deal.
Multilevel selection 1, multilevel selection 2, and the Price equation: a reappraisal
Authors: Bourrat Pierrick 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe distinction between multilevel selection 1 (MLS1) and multilevel selection 2 (MLS2) is classically regarded as a distinction between two multilevel selection processes involving two different kinds of higher-level fitness. It has been invoked to explain evolutionary transitions in individuality as a shift from an MLS1 to an MLS2 process. In this paper, I argue against the view that the distinction involves two different kinds of processes. I show, starting from the MLS2 version of the Price equation, that it contains the MLS1 version if, following the assumption that a collective constitutively depends (i.e., mereologically supervenes) on its particles, one considers that a necessary map between fitness at two levels exists. I defend the necessity of such a map, making the distinction between MLS1 and MLS2 a matter of perspective and limited knowledge (i.e., epistemic limitations) rather than objective facts. I then provide some reasons why the MLS1/MLS2 distinction nonetheless has some pragmatic value and might be invoked usefully in some contexts, particularly within the context of explaining evolutionary transitions in individuality.
The effects of radiation on myeloid lineage immune cells within the rodent urinary bladder: a systematic review
Authors: Smith Jessica , Toto Rimaz , Moro Christian 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Radiotherapy is a prominent therapy for many malignant and non-malignant disorders, though it can cause side effects such as radiation-induced cystitis. Current research has highlighted a role for mast cells and macrophages in the prognosis of such radiation-induced toxicities. However, the prognostic value of these immune cells in the pathophysiology of radiation-induced cystitis is not clear. As such, a systematic review was conducted to assess myeloid-lineage immune cells for their prognostic value in radiation-induced cystitis to address this gap in literature.

Methods
The protocol was registered in PROSPERO, and searches were performed in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases for pre-clinical rodent studies on radiation-induced cystitis.

Results
After de-duplication, 153 articles were screened for relevancy by title and abstract. Title and abstract screening deemed 64 studies irrelevant. The remaining 85 studies were full-text screened, yielding seven unique articles for data extraction. Most included studies had an unclear risk of bias. The findings of this systematic review suggest that the prognostic value of myeloid-lineage immune cells in radiation-induced cystitis is still unclear, indicating a need for further research in this field.

Conclusion
Although the studies reviewed provide some insight into the role of these immune cells in disease pathology, the limited number of studies and unclear risk of bias further highlights a need for additional, high-quality research in this area. In summary, this systematic review highlights a need to understand the involvement of immune cells in radiation-induced cystitis pathophysiology and lay the groundwork for further research in this area.

Trial registration
PROSPERO registration: CRD42022345960
Enhanced DV-Hop using shuffled shepherd algorithm for localizing sensor nodes in 3-D space
Authors: Gouda Ahmed El. , Abouelseoud Yasmine , Abd El-Malek Ahmed H. , Osman Radwa Ahmed 
Published: August 2023

AbstractFor many wireless sensor networks applications, a powerful localization algorithm is required to determine the exact positions of sensor nodes. In this paper, a new localization algorithm is presented which combines the distance vector hop (DV-Hop) algorithm with the shuffled shepherd optimization algorithm to determine the position for each unknown node within 3-D space. Studying the localization problem in 3-D space is more realistic, but more challenging due to the enlarged search space. Comparison of our proposed algorithm with its alternatives in literature shows that it offers improved accuracy and more stable performance with respect to changes in nodes density and communication range.