bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analysis of heavy metal contamination in church graveyards with contrasting soil types
Authors: Madden Charles , Pringle Jamie K. , Jeffery Adam J. , Wisniewski Kristopher D. , Heaton Vivienne , Oliver Ian W. , Glanville Helen , Stimpson Ian G. , Dick Henry C. , Eeley Madeleine , Goodwin Jonathan 
Published: March 2022

AbstractHuman remains have been interred in burial grounds since historic times. Although the re-use of graveyards differs from one country, region or time period to another, over time, graveyard soil may become contaminated or enriched with heavy metal elements. This paper presents heavy metal element soil analysis from two UK church graveyard study sites with contrasting necrosols, but similar burial densities and known burial ages dating back to the sixteenth century and some possibly older than 1,000 years. Portable X-ray fluorescence element laboratory-based analyses were undertaken on surface and near-surface soil pellets. Results show elevated levels of Fe, Pb, Mn, Cr, Cu, Zn and Ca in both necrosols when compared with background values. Element concentration anomalies remained consistently higher than background samples down to 2 m, but reduced with distance away from church buildings. Element concentration anomalies are higher in the clay-rich necrosol than in sandy necrosol. Study result implications suggest that long-used necrosols are likely to be more contaminated with heavy metal elements than similar soil outside graveyards with implications for burial grounds management, adjacent populations and where burial grounds have been deconsecrated and turned to residential dwellings.
Low-precision feature selection on microarray data: an information theoretic approach
Authors: Morán-Fernández Laura , Bolón-Canedo Verónica , Alonso-Betanzos Amparo 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe number of interconnected devices, such as personal wearables, cars, and smart-homes, surrounding us every day has recently increased. The Internet of Things devices monitor many processes, and have the capacity of using machine learning models for pattern recognition, and even making decisions, with the added advantage of diminishing network congestion by allowing computations near to the data sources. The main restriction is the low computation capacity of these devices. Thus, machine learning algorithms capable of maintaining accuracy while using mechanisms that exploit certain characteristics, such as low-precision versions, are needed. In this paper, low-precision mutual information-based feature selection algorithms are employed over DNA microarray datasets, showing that 16-bit and some times even 8-bit representations of these algorithms can be used without significant variations in the final classification results achieved.
Assessing the Levels of Functional Adaptation: Finite Element Analysis Reveals Species, Hybrid, and Sexual Variation in the Biomechanics of African Cichlid Mandibles
Authors: McWhinnie Kirsty , Gibson Jeremy , Gislason Magnus , Tanner Elizabeth , Windmill James , Albertson RCraig , Parsons Kevin 
Published: March 2022

AbstractTo understand how adaptive divergence emerges it is essential to examine the function of phenotypic traits along a continuum. For vertebrates, the mandible provides a key link with foraging and other important activities which has made it highly relevant for investigations of biomechanical change. Variation in mandible shape is known to correspond with ecology but its function is often only investigated between distinct species. However, for such divergence to occur and be maintained selection likely draws from many sources of biomechanical variation. African cichlids represent an exemplar model for understanding how such processes unfold with mandible variation existing between species, sexes, and is likely generated in nature by the potential for hybridization. We explored such mandible variation through a finite element modelling approach and predicted that hybrids and females would have reduced functional capabilities, the former in line with disruptive selection and the latter due to potential trade-offs incurred by maternal mouthbrooding in Malawian haplochromines. We revealed evidence of structural adaptations betweenTropheops‘Red Cheek’ andLabeotrophues fuellebornithat impacted the dispersion of mechanical stress in ways that matched the foraging of these species. Also, hybrids showed higher stresses relative to both species across the mandible. Sexual dimorphism in stress handling was evident despite minor differences in shape with males showing enhanced load resistance. However, in hybrids it appeared that males were disadvantaged relative to females, and displayed asymmetry in load handling. Together, these results show evidence of species and sex based biomechanical variation, that could be targeted by divergent selection.
Work status changes and associated factors in a nationwide sample of Norwegian long-term breast cancer survivors
Authors: Bøhn Synne-Kristin Hoffart , Vandraas K. F. , Kiserud C. E. , Dahl A. A. , Thorsen L. , Ewertz M. , Lie H. C. , Falk R. , Reinertsen K. V. 
Published: March 2022

Abstract

Purpose
The study aims to describe work status at diagnosis and 8 years post-diagnosis in a nationwide sample of breast cancer survivors (BCSs), and investigate associated and self-reported factors of reduced work status.

Methods
Women aged 20–65 years when diagnosed with stage I–III breast cancer (BC) in 2011 or 2012 were invited to participate in a questionnaire study in 2019 (n = 2803), of whom 49% (n = 1361) responded. For this sub-study, we included 974 BCSs below the legal retirement age in Norway (< 67 years) at survey and with complete work status data. Reduced work status was defined as being in paid work at BC diagnosis and not working at time of survey. Logistic regression analyses were applied to identify factors associated with reduced work status.

Results
Of BCSs who were in paid work at diagnosis (n = 845), 63% maintained their work status to 8 years later. Reduced work status was associated with not living with children (OR .44, 95% CI .24–.82), age (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.11–1.21), chemotherapy (OR 2.83, 95% CI 1.24–6.61), > 2 comorbid conditions (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.16–4.32), cognitive function (OR .99, 95% CI .98–.99), fatigue (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.03), and neuroticism (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.00–2.46). BC and late effects were reported as reasons for reduced work status and disability.

Conclusions
The majority of BCSs who were in paid work at diagnosis were working 8 years later.

Implications for Cancer Survivors
Our results suggest a need to focus on fatigue and reduced cognitive function among long-term BCSs, with the ultimate aim of improving work sustainability.
Laparoscopic paediatric inguinal hernia repair: lessons learned from 102 cases
Authors: O’Brien Lukas , Hannan Enda , Hassett Sinead 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Introduction
Paediatric inguinal hernias (IHs) are common. The first paediatric laparoscopic hernia repair was described by El-Gohary and colleagues in the United Arab Emirates in 1993. Both laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LIHR) and open repair still exist concurrently with no consensus on gold standard treatment at present. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate our initial experience with LIHR in paediatric patients.

Methods
A retrospective observational cohort study of all paediatric patients that underwent LIHR in our institution was performed. Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were examined.

Results
During the study period, 102 patients were scheduled for LIHR. The majority (76.5%) were male with a median age of 5 months. Thirty two patients (31.4%) were neonates at the time of surgery. The majority of cases (83.3%) were elective procedures. There were no instances of intraoperative vascular or visceral injury. Most patients underwent surgery as a day case. Eighteen patients underwent bilateral LIHR. The recurrence rate was 1.9%. These occurred in the first two patients to undergo LIHR, after which no recurrences were observed following a modification of the technique. The overall complication rate was 7.1%, most of which were managed conservatively.

Conclusion
Paediatric LIHR is a safe, feasible and effective procedure that is associated with a short inpatient length of stay, a low recurrence rate and low postoperative complication rate. The technique is versatile and can be used to treat both elective and emergency presentations with IH in a wide age range.
Does Cannabidiol Have a Benefit as a Supportive Care Drug in Cancer?
Authors: Lord Sarah , Hardy Janet , Good Phillip 
Published: March 2022

Opinion statementCannabinoids have been purported as having a wide range of therapeutic uses although currently, there is minimal evidence to support these claims. Patients with advanced cancer experience many distressing symptoms, with some turning to medicinal cannabis to help alleviate these. Focus has fallen on cannabidiol (CBD) as a potential treatment for a variety of symptoms in advanced cancer due to the lack of psychoactive side effects and the potential molecular mechanisms of action associated with this cannabinoid. Many cannabinoid products are easily available in the community, and more countries are legalizing or allowing over the counter products. Studies show that CBD is generally well tolerated, but there are many potential drug interactions that have not been well studied. Few studies have specifically looked at the role of CBD in treating cancer symptoms, with most focusing on combination cannabinoid products. There are currently many unknowns associated with CBD, including which symptoms it might be best for, appropriate dosing, and route of administration. This is especially important in advanced cancer where patients often have significant organ dysfunction and frailty that could impact on the pharmacology of CBD. A small pilot study has shown promise for a role of CBD in the psychological symptoms associated with advanced cancer. Further research is currently underway to further clarify the role of CBD in this setting and to understand how best it might help our patients. Currently we advocate that CBD be used in supervised clinical trials, so that efficacy and adverse effects can be closely monitored.
Innenansichten des medizinischen Kinderschutzes
Authors: Franzheld Tobias , Eckoldt-Wolke Felicitas 
Published: March 2022

ZusammenfassungIm ersten Teil des Beitrags geht es um die Beschreibung der Thüringer Kinderschutz Ambulanz (TAKS) auf Grundlage von Fallzahlen und Merkmalen zu Kinderschutzfällen. Im zweiten Teil wird auf zentrale Prinzipien der Fallarbeit bei der Aufklärung von Gefährdungen eingegangen. Es wird davon ausgegangen, dass sich spezialisierte Einrichtungen wie die TAKS vor dem Hintergrund eines öffentlichen Interesses am Kinderschutz herausbilden und mit ihrem Angebotsprofil zur Aufklärung von Kindeswohlgefährdungen beitragen.
Characterization and modeling of the temperature-dependent thermal conductivity in sintered porous silicon-aluminum nanomaterials
Authors: Kojda Danny , Hofmann Tommy , Gostkowska-Lekner Natalia , Habicht Klaus 
Published: March 2022

AbstractNanostructured silicon and silicon-aluminum compounds are synthesized by a novel synthesis strategy based on spark plasma sintering (SPS) of silicon nanopowder, mesoporous silicon (pSi), and aluminum nanopowder. The interplay of metal-assisted crystallization and inherent porosity is exploited to largely suppress thermal conductivity. Morphology and temperature-dependent thermal conductivity studies allow us to elucidate the impact of porosity and nanostructure on the macroscopic heat transport. Analytic electron microscopy along with quantitative image analysis is applied to characterize the sample morphology in terms of domain size and interpore distance distributions. We demonstrate that nanostructured domains and high porosity can be maintained in densified mesoporous silicon samples. In contrast, strong grain growth is observed for sintered nanopowders under similar sintering conditions. We observe that aluminum agglomerations induce local grain growth, while aluminum diffusion is observed in porous silicon and dispersed nanoparticles. A detailed analysis of the measured thermal conductivity between 300 and 773 K allows us to distinguish the effect of reduced thermal conductivity caused by porosity from the reduction induced by phonon scattering at nanosized domains. With a modified Landauer/Lundstrom approach the relative thermal conductivity and the scattering length are extracted. The relative thermal conductivity confirms the applicability of Kirkpatrick’s effective medium theory. The extracted scattering lengths are in excellent agreement with the harmonic mean of log-normal distributed domain sizes and the interpore distances combined by Matthiessen’s rule.
Stories you cannot defeat! political myths as cultural integration and legitimation strategies of autocratic regimes
Authors: Rudolf Dennis Bastian 
Published: March 2022

AbstractGiven the worldwide stagnation or even regression of democratization processes, autocratic regimes continue to pose a challenge for political science. In this regard, the merit of an original research on autocracies primarily results from the fact that it has drawn attention to the core elements, modes, and logics of operation, as well as the manifold types of regimes. In explaining autocratic regime persistence and legitimation, however, the dominance of institutionalist and economic approaches has led to a shortening of a complex phenomenon. Especially the lack of cultural variables still represents an open flank, which can be partly attributed to systematic limits of knowledge and implementation problems of quantitative approaches in non-democratic contexts. To address this issue, the article proposes the analysis of political myths as an integration and legitimation strategy of autocratic regimes, which will be formulated conceptually as a qualitative approach to political culture research. As transcultural phenomena, political myths narratively articulate the otherwise abstract ideological foundations of the political community, the regime, and the authorities. Thus, in addition to examining myth as a political science phenomenon, a post-behaviorist reading of David Easton’s concept of political support is offered to relate the ideological aspects of narration to different regime types, power structures, and cultural contexts.
To Waste or Not to Waste: Questioning Potential Health Risks of Micro- and Nanoplastics with a Focus on Their Ingestion and Potential Carcinogenicity
Authors: Gruber Elisabeth S. , Stadlbauer Vanessa , Pichler Verena , Resch-Fauster Katharina , Todorovic Andrea , Meisel Thomas C. , Trawoeger Sibylle , Hollóczki Oldamur , Turner Suzanne D. , Wadsak Wolfgang , Vethaak A. Dick , Kenner Lukas 
Published: March 2022

AbstractMicro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are recognized as emerging contaminants, especially in food, with unknown health significance. MNPs passing through the gastrointestinal tract have been brought in context with disruption of the gut microbiome. Several molecular mechanisms have been described to facilitate tissue uptake of MNPs, which then are involved in local inflammatory and immune responses. Furthermore, MNPs can act as potential transporters (“vectors”) of contaminants and as chemosensitizers for toxic substances (“Trojan Horse effect”). In this review, we summarize current multidisciplinary knowledge of ingested MNPs and their potential adverse health effects. We discuss new insights into analytical and molecular modeling tools to help us better understand the local deposition and uptake of MNPs that might drive carcinogenic signaling. We present bioethical insights to basically re-consider the “culture of consumerism.” Finally, we map out prominent research questions in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
Origin and fate of the greatest accumulation of silver in ancient history
Authors: Blichert-Toft Janne , de Callataÿ François , Télouk Philippe , Albarède Francis 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe capture of the Achaemenid treasuries in 331–330 BCE by Alexander the Great in Persepolis and Susa marked the demise of the 300-year-old Persian Empire and the advent of Hellenistic kingdoms. Alexander seized the equivalent of about 5000 tons of silver, which represented the accumulated tributes paid by subjugated people from the Aegean Sea to the Indus to their Achaemenid rulers. Die studies show that this gigantic amount of silver, the so-called Persian mix, had been used to produce most of the coinage of Alexander the Great himself and to an even greater extent those of the Diadochi, his successors. What remains to be understood is the origin of the silver of this immense treasure. Lead isotope abundances determined on both Persian sigloi and alexanders struck from Achaemenid silver trace the bullion source to the southern Aegean, Macedonia, and Thrace. Lead in pseudo-coinage from early Indian kingdoms is isotopically different from the rest, which attests to a limited Indian contribution to the Achaemenid treasuries. Studies of Iron Age hoards from the Levant leave open the possibility that the making of the Persian mix may have predated the Achaemenid expansion of the seventh century BCE. We speculate on the motivations of such massive hoarding by the Persian kings and on its economic implications.
How does multiannual plastic mulching in strawberry cultivation influence soil fungi and mycotoxin occurrence in soil?
Authors: Meyer Maximilian , Schaumann Gabriele Ellen , Muñoz Katherine 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe production of mycotoxins is often interpreted as fungal response to cope with unfavorable growth conditions induced by toxic substances, environmental and biological factors. Soil covers influence soil environment, which consequently can change the abundance and composition of microbial communities. We investigated how plastic coverage (PC) influence soil fungi and mycotoxin occurrence (deoxynivalenol, nivalenol and zearalenone) compared to the traditional straw coverage (SC) in dependence of soil depth and time in a 3-year field experiment in strawberry cultivation. In total, 300 soil samples, resulting from two treatments, three soil layers, and ten sampling dates (n = 5), were analyzed for mycotoxins and ergosterol (proxy for soil fungal biomass) with liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography with UV-detection, respectively. The modified microclimate under PC had no significant influence on fungal biomass, whereas SC promoted fungal biomass in the topsoil due to C-input. Mycotoxins were detected under both cover types in concentrations between 0.3 and 21.8 µg kg−1, mainly during strawberry establishment period and after fungicide application. Deoxynivalenol had the highest detection frequency with 26.3% (nivalenol: 8.3%, zearalenone: 8.7%). This study confirmed the in situ production of mycotoxins in soil, which seems mainly triggered by field treatment (fungicide application) and plant growth stage (establishment period) rather than on mulching type. Further investigations are necessary to better understand the influence of different agricultural practices and soil types on the production and fate of mycotoxins.
Gendering post-harvest loss research: responsibilities of women and men to manage maize after harvest in southwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Lelea Margareta Amy , Garbaba Chemeda Abedeta , Guluma Abera , Hensel Oliver 
Published: March 2022

AbstractPost-harvest losses are a significant problem worldwide, leading to a waste of resources when they are becoming scarcer. Rather than putting more energy into increasing production volume, addressing post-harvest losses can increase food availability without increasing yields. Using maize in Ethiopia to introduce gendering post-harvest loss research, we analyze the gendered division of labor in post-harvest management and then discuss implications. The study was conducted from 2014–2015 in southwestern Ethiopia as part of a broader research project from 2013–2018. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 208 male and female farmer heads of household. Our results show that although maize post-harvest activities are deemed to be the responsibility of women, the overall management of maize after harvest requires the cooperation of all household members. For example, both women and men contribute to time-sensitive harvest, packing and de-husking activities. Men tend to have the responsibility for ensuring that maize is stored well. Critically, women tend to sell small quantities of maize to pay for everyday household expenses including purchasing other foods to diversify diets. Often recommendations in literature to reduce maize post-harvest losses include building processing centers and formalizing the supply chain. However, as shown in this research, women’s role to decide which maize to consume in the home and which to sell is important for access to quality food. Without gendering post-harvest loss research, it is possible that gender harms are enacted when women’s livelihoods are impacted in the process of reducing post-harvest losses, and this may compromise food security.
Unpacking pathways to diversified livelihoods from projects in Pacific Island coastal fisheries
Authors: Roscher Matthew B. , Eriksson Hampus , Harohau Daykin , Mauli Senoveva , Kaltavara Jeremie , Boonstra Wiebren J. , van der Ploeg Jan 
Published: March 2022

AbstractLivelihood diversification has become an integral focus of policies and investments aiming to reduce poverty, vulnerability, and pressure on fishery resources in coastal communities around the globe. In this regard, coastal fisheries in the Pacific Islands have long been a sector where livelihood diversification has featured prominently. Yet, despite the widespread promotion and international investment in this strategy, the ability of externally funded livelihood diversification projects to facilitate improved resource management and rural development outcomes often remains inconsistent. We argue these inconsistencies can be attributed to a conceptual ambiguity stemming from a lack of attention and awareness to the complexity of livelihood diversification. There is still much to learn about the process of livelihood diversification, both in its theoretical conceptualizations and its practical applications. Herein, we utilize a common diversity framework to clarify some of this ambiguity by distinguishing three diversification pathways. These pathways are illustrated using an ideal–typical Pacific Island coastal household and supported by examples provided in the literature that detail livelihood diversification projects in the Pacific. Through this perspective, we seek a more nuanced understanding of what is meant within the policy and practice goal of livelihood diversification. Thereby enabling more targeted and deliberate planning for development investments that facilitates outcomes in support of sustainable livelihoods.