bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Volumetric segmentation in the context of posterior fossa-related pathologies: a systematic review
Authors: Kobets Andrew J. , Alavi Seyed Ahmad Naseri , Ahmad Samuel Jack , Castillo Ashley , Young Dejauwne , Minuti Aurelia , Altschul David J. , Zhu Michael , Abbott Rick
Published: April 2024

Background

Segmentation tools continue to advance, evolving from manual contouring to deep learning. Researchers have utilized segmentation to study a myriad of posterior fossa-related conditions, such as Chiari malformation, trigeminal neuralgia, post-operative pediatric cerebellar mutism syndrome, and Crouzon syndrome. Herein, we present a summary of the current literature on segmentation of the posterior fossa. The review highlights the various segmentation techniques, and their respective strengths and weaknesses, employed along with objectives and outcomes of the various studies reported in the literature.

Methods

A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science up to November 2023 for articles on segmentation techniques of posterior fossa. The two senior authors searched through databases based on the keywords of the article separately and then enrolled joint articles that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results

The initial search identified 2205 articles. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 77 articles were selected for full-text review after screening of titles/abstracts. 52 articles were ultimately included in the review. Segmentation techniques included manual, semi-automated, and fully automated (atlas-based, convolutional neural networks). The most common pathology investigated was Chiari malformation.

Conclusions

Various forms of segmentation techniques have been used to assess posterior fossa volumes/pathologies and each has its advantages and disadvantages. We discuss these nuances and summarize the current state of literature in the context of posterior fossa-associated pathologies.
Evaluation of the relationship between Human Papilloma Virus knowledge level and vaccination in adult individuals: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Gencturk Nuran , Uncu Betul , Karaahmet Aysu Yıldız
Published: April 2024

Aim

The study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge levels of sexually active individuals about Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), HPV screening test, and HPV vaccine and raise awareness.

Subject and methods

A cross-sectional descriptive design was adopted. The data were completed with 150 sexually active participants between the ages of 18–49. The “Personal Information Form” and “HPV Knowledge Scale” were used to collect data. The data were collected on the online platform via Google Surveys using snowball sampling between September 19 and October 19, 2022.

Results

The average sexual age of the participants was 21.16 ± 2.2 years for women and 21.16 ± 2.2 years for men. The education levels of the participants were 47 (62.66%) of the women and 56 (74.66%) of the men, respectively, university graduates, and 58 (77.33%) of the women and 66 (88.00%) of the men stated that they were public employees. It was found that the average HPV Knowledge Scale (HPV-KS) score of the participants was 16.09 ± 6.11 in women and 12.26 ± 6.34 in men, respectively, and the level of HPV knowledge in women was significantly higher than in men (p = 0.017). Women were determined to be more knowledgeable about HPV vaccine administrations than men, which was statistically significant (p = 0.003). However, men were revealed to be administered more HPV vaccines than women, and the result was statistically significant (p = 0.042). The analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between knowledge scores between those who had received the vaccine and those who had not and HPV awareness (p = 0.000).

Conclusion

The results indicated that individuals who had their first sexual experience at an earlier age and possessed a higher level of education were more likely to be receptive to the HPV vaccine.
Decompositions of Infinite-Dimensional $$A_{\infty , \infty }$$ Quiver Representations
Authors: Gallup Nathaniel , Sawin Stephen
Published: April 2024

Gabriel’s Theorem states that the quivers which have finitely many isomorphism classes of indecomposable representations are exactly those with underlying graph one of the ADE Dynkin diagrams and that the indecomposables are in bijection with the positive roots of this graph. When the underlying graph is $$\varvec{A_n}$$

A
n

, these indecomposable representations are thin (either 0 or 1 dimensional at every vertex) and in bijection with the connected subquivers. Using linear algebraic methods we show that every (possibly infinite-dimensional) representation of a quiver with underlying graph $$\varvec{A_{\infty , \infty }}$$

A

∞
,
∞

is infinite Krull-Schmidt, i.e. a direct sum of indecomposables, as long as the arrows in the quiver eventually point outward. We furthermore prove that these indecomposable are again thin and in bijection with both the connected subquivers and the limits of the positive roots of $$\varvec{A_{\infty , \infty }}$$

A

∞
,
∞

with respect to a certain uniform topology on the root space. Finally we give an example of an $$\varvec{A_{\infty , \infty }}$$

A

∞
,
∞

quiver which is not infinite Krull-Schmidt and hence necessarily is not eventually-outward.
Isolation, small population size, and management influence inbreeding and reduced genetic variation in K’gari dingoes
Authors: Miller Susan M. , Behrendorff Linda , Allen Benjamin L. , Andrew Rose L. , Ballard Guy , Ballard J. William O. , Cairns Kylie M. , Conroy Gabriel C. , Fleming Peter J. S. , Grueber Catherine E. , Oakey Jane , Smith Deane A. , Stephens Danielle , Wade Claire , Bishop Jacqueline M.
Published: April 2024

Small island populations are vulnerable to genetic decline via demographic and environmental stochasticity. In the absence of immigration, founder effects, inbreeding and genetic drift are likely to contribute to local extinction risk. Management actions may also have a greater impact on small, closed populations. The demographic and social characteristics of a species can, however, delay the impact of threats. K’gari, a ~ 1 660 km2 island off the Australian east coast and UNESCO World Heritage Site (Fraser Island 1842–2023), supports an isolated population of approximately 70–200 dingoes that represent an ideal opportunity to explore the small island paradigm. To examine temporal and spatial patterns of genetic diversity in this population we analysed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype data (72 454 SNPS) for 112 K’gari dingoes collected over a 25-year period (1996 to 2020). Genetic diversity was lower in K’gari dingoes than mainland dingoes at the earliest time point in our study and declined significantly following a management cull in 2001. We did not find any spatial genetic patterns on the island, suggesting high levels of genetic connectivity between socially discrete packs. This connectivity, combined with the social structure and behaviour of dingoes, may act in concert to buffer the population from the impacts of genetic drift in the short term. Nevertheless, a general decline in genetic variation via inbreeding and drift has occurred over the past 20 years which we suggest should be considered in any future management planning for the population. Monitoring patterns of genetic variation, together with a clearer understanding of the social ecology of K’gari dingoes, will aid in the development of measurable genetic targets set over ecologically meaningful timelines, and help ensure continued survival of this culturally important population.
Central nervous system embryonal tumors with EWSR1-PLAGL1 rearrangements reclassified as INI-1 deficient tumors at relapse
Authors: Bielamowicz Kevin J. , Littrell Mary Beth , Albert Gregory W. , Parker Lora S. , Jayappa Sateesh , Aldape Kenneth , Gokden Murat
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Central nervous system (CNS) embryonal tumors are a diverse group of malignant tumors typically affecting pediatric patients that recently have been better defined, and this paper describes evolution of a unique type of embryonal tumor at relapse.

Methods

Two pediatric patients with CNS embryonal tumors with EWSR1-PLAGL1 rearrangements treated at Arkansas Children’s Hospital with histopathologic and molecular data are described.

Results

These two patients at diagnosis were classified as CNS embryonal tumors with EWSR1-PLAGL1 rearrangements based on histologic appearance and molecular data. At relapse both patient’s disease was reclassified as atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) based on loss of INI-1, presence of SMARCB1 alterations, and methylation profiling results.

Conclusion

CNS embryonal tumors with EWSR1-PLAGL1 rearrangements acquire or include a population of cells with SMARCB1 alterations that are the component that predominate at relapse, suggesting treatment aimed at this disease component at diagnosis should be considered.
Advanced Nursing Practice im europäischen Raum
Authors: Schirmer Anne-Marie , Golz Christoph , Eissler Christian
Published: April 2024

Hintergrund

Im internationalen Raum hat sich die Rolle der Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) aufgrund von Veränderungen des Gesundheitssystems und der Patientenbedürfnisse herausgebildet. Dabei fehlt es an europaweiten Übersichten bezüglich der Masterpflegestudiengänge, welche die bildungstheoretische Grundlage von Advanced Nursing Practice (ANP) bilden. Um einen Einblick in die Pflegeausbildung auf Masterstufe zu erhalten, ist das Ziel dieser Studie, eine Bestandsaufnahme der aktuellen Studiengangslage in Europa zu schaffen.

Methoden

Im Rahmen einer sequenziellen Mixed-method-Studie wurden die Masterstudiengänge in der Pflege in Europa identifiziert. Daten dieser mittels einer online Fragebogenerhebung erfasst, dann deskriptiv und inhaltsanalytisch ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse

Insgesamt wurden 391 Masterstudiengänge in 32 europäischen Ländern in der Pflege identifiziert. Die Inhalte, Schwerpunkte und der Umfang der Studiengänge variieren dabei erheblich. Die Daten zeigen sowohl die Tendenz zur Weiterentwicklung der Studiengänge als auch einen gesteigerten Bedarf an ANP und deren politischer Relevanz auf.

Diskussion

Aus den verschiedenen politischen und rechtlichen Gegebenheiten sowie unterschiedlichen Bildungswesen der Länder, resultieren erhebliche Unterschiede in der Ausbildung von ANP.

Schlussfolgerungen

So ergibt sich ein Handlungsbedarf in Richtung europaweiter Ausbildungsstandards und Reglementierungen, um bildungstheoretische Kernelemente der Masterstufe hinsichtlich der APN-Rolle aufbauen zu können.
Urban Life Affects Differentiation and Phenotypic Variation but not Asymmetry in a Fully Terrestrial Salamander
Authors: Alarcón-Ríos Lucía , Kaliontzopoulou Antigoni , Álvarez David , Velo-Antón Guillermo
Published: April 2024

The environmental transformations associated with cities are expected to affect organisms at the demographic, phenotypic, and evolutionary level, often negatively. The prompt detection of stressed populations before their viability is compromised is essential to understand species’ responses to novel conditions and to integrate urbanization with biodiversity preservation. The presumably stressful conditions of urban environments are expected to affect organisms’ developmental pathways, resulting in a reduction of the efficacy of developmental stability and canalization processes, which can be observed as increased Fluctuating Asymmetry (FA) and Phenotypic Variance (PV), respectively. Here, we investigated whether patterns of phenotypic variation of urban populations of a fully terrestrial salamander, Salamandra salamandra bernardezi, are affected by urban settings compared to surrounding native forest populations. We sampled populations within and around the city of Oviedo (northern Spain) and used geometric morphometrics to compare morphological differentiation, head shape deviance from the allometric slope, PV, and FA. We also compared morphological patterns with neutral genetic and structure patterns. We observed increased levels of differentiation among urban populations and in PV within certain of them, yet no differences in allometric deviance and FA were detected between habitats, and no morphological measures were found to be correlated with genetic traits. Our results do not support a clear negative impact of urban conditions over salamander populations, but rather suggest that other ecological and evolutionary local processes influence morphological variation in this urban system.
Childhood traumas and emotional eating: The mediating role of self-esteem, and emotion dysregulation
Authors: Koçak Zeynep , Çağatay Safiye Elif
Published: April 2024

Emotional eating is a very multi-dimensional behavior that involves consuming food in response to emotional triggers such as stress, sadness or happiness. It is also known that this behavior can arise from stressful events in childhood. Childhood trauma can cause various psychopathologies by affecting the emotional processes of individuals throughout their lives. Traumatic life events, low self-esteem and coping with negative emotions may play a role in the development and maintenance of emotional eating behaviour, which may manifest as an emotional response. Although there are studies in the literature that consider these variables separately, there is no study that evaluates these variables as a whole. The aim of the current study is to examine the role of self-esteem and emotion dysregulation in the relationship between childhood trauma and emotional eating behaviour. The sample of the study consisted of 400 participants (260 females, 140 males) in the age group of 24–50 years (M = 42.00, SD = 6.91) residing in different provinces of Turkey. Sociodemographic information form, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were administered to the participants. In the current study, the mediating role of self-esteem and emotion dysregulation in the relationship between childhood traumas and emotional eating behavior was tested with 2 different models in SPSS 29 software with PROCESS plug-in. The results of the study revealed that childhood traumas predicted emotional eating behavior and emotion dysregulation. In addition, childhood traumas and emotional eating behavior were found to negatively predict self-esteem. In this context, it was seen that emotional eating behavior revealed emotion dysregulation. When the mediation analysis results were analyzed, it was seen that similar results emerged. The results of the current study showed that emotion dysregulation and self-esteem mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and emotional eating behaviour. Childhood traumas negatively predicted self-esteem, while low self-esteem led to emotional eating behavior. Similarly, it was found that individuals who experienced childhood traumas had emotion dysregulation and emotional eating behavior. The results of the present study highlight the importance for clinicians to assess childhood experiences, emotion regulation processes and self-esteem levels, to consider these variables together, and to provide cognitive and behavioural interventions when emotional eating is identified.
Parents’ and professionals’ views on autistic motherhood using a participatory research design
Authors: Sutcliffe-Khan Farzana , Larkin Fionnuala , Hamilton Lorna
Published: April 2024

Research on autistic women’s experience of parenthood is lacking. In this paper, two studies are presented. Study 1 comprised a small-scale qualitative study with autistic mothers (n = 9) in which their experiences of motherhood were explored using thematic analysis. The findings showed that participants identified a range of strengths, including connection with their children, high knowledge about childhood, a reflective style of parenting, good coping strategies, identifying with their autism diagnosis, and not caring what others thought. They also identified difficulties, including sensory challenges, coping with uncertainty and change, having to socialise, managing exhaustion, and not being taken seriously by professionals involved with their children. Guided by the findings of Study 1, and in collaboration with an advisory panel of autistic mothers, an online survey using mixed methods was completed by education and social professionals (n = 277) to investigate their understanding of, and attitudes towards, autism in women and mothers. Results showed high awareness and positive attitudes towards autism, but low levels of self-efficacy in working with autistic adults. Qualitative content analysis of open-ended questions shed light on challenges and rewards of working with autistic parents. The findings are discussed with reference to the double empathy problem (MiltonDisability & Society, 27(6), 883–887, 2012) and implications for training of professionals.
The current status and future perspectives of clinical boron neutron capture therapy trials
Authors: Karihtala Peeter
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Several hundreds of patients have been so far treated in clinical trials with boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT).

Methods

This is a non-systematic review of clinical trials with BNCT, with special emphasis on the more recent trials.

Results

The conducted trials have been relatively small single-arm studies and included mostly the patients with head and neck carcinomas resistant to traditional treatment modalities and glioblastomas. In general, the efficacy results have been promising and BNCT has been relatively well tolerated, even in the patients who have already been treated with conventional radiotherapy or chemoradiation. The most frequent adverse events have been similar to those associated with the conventional radiotherapy. At present, there is no evidence how the efficacy of BNCT would compare to the standard treatment modalities in earlier treatment lines.

Conclusions

Most of the existing studies have been performed with reactor-based facilities, but there is now a rapidly increasing number of linear accelerator-based BNCT sites, and the clinical research is apparently activating again. This, combined with the increased knowledge on cancer biology and novel types of oncological therapies, opens possibilities to study innovative boron carriers and to combine BNCT with modern oncological therapies in the future clinical trials. To conduct larger phase III trials, multicenter approaches are encouraged to be applied, keeping in mind the importance of joint instructions and quality control measurements.
Bright optical solitons for the dispersive concatenation model with power-law of self-phase modulation by Laplace-Adomian decomposition
Authors: González-Gaxiola O. , Biswas Anjan , Yildirim Yakup , Alshomrani Ali Saleh
Published: April 2024

The current paper addresses dispersive concatenation model having power-law of self-phase modulation numerically by Laplace-Adomian decomposition scheme. The numerical scheme is accurate and the surface plots are well within the error threshold.
HO-CR and HOLL-CR: new forms of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) with altered fatty acid composition and resistance to selected pathotypes of Plasmodiophora brassicae (clubroot)
Authors: Spasibionek Stanisław , Mikołajczyk Katarzyna , Matuszczak Marcin , Kaczmarek Joanna , Ramzi Noor , Jędryczka Małgorzata
Published: April 2024

The priority in oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) research and breeding programs worldwide is to combine different features to develop cultivars tailored to specific applications of this crop. In this study, forms with a modified fatty acid composition of seed oil were successfully combined with a source of resistance to Plasmodiophora brassicae Wor., a harmful protist-causing clubroot. Three HO-type recombinants in F6–F12 generations with oleic acid content of 80.2–82.1% and one HOLL-type F6 inbred mutant recombinant (HOmut × LLmut), with a high oleic acid content (80.9%) and reduced linolenic acid content (2.3%), were crossed with the cultivar Tosca, resistant to several pathotypes of P. brassicae. The work involved genotyping with the use of DNA markers specific for allelic variants of desaturase genes responsible for the synthesis of oleic and linolenic fatty acids, CAPS (FAD2 desaturase, C18:1), and SNaPshot (FAD3 desaturase, C18:3), respectively. Of 350 progenies in the F3 generation, 192 (55%) were selected for further studies. Among them, 80 HO (≥ 72%) lines were identified, 10 of which showed resistance to at least one up to four P. brassicae pathotypes. Thirty lines in the selected progeny contained high oleic acid and less than 5% linolenic acid; eight of them belonged to the HOLL type conferring resistance to at least one pathotype. Two HO lines and two HOLL lines were resistant to four pathotypes. The resulting HO-CR and HOLL-CR inbred lines with altered seed oil fatty acid composition and resistance to P. brassicae represent unique oilseed rape material with the desired combination of valuable traits.
Intelligent Sinter Machine Speed Control System Using Optimized Fuzzy Logic Controller: An Experimental Study in Iron and Steel Plant
Authors: Erkınay Özdemir Merve , Beşkardeş Ahmet , Hameş Yakup
Published: April 2024

Intelligent control systems developed for production facilities significantly contribute to production efficiency and quality. Using intelligent control systems has now become a necessity in iron and steel sintering plants that produce millions of tonnes annually. Automatic control of the sinter machine speed, which directly affects production efficiency and quality, is one of the first issues to be addressed. The complexity of the sintering process, being affected by many variables, and the nonlinearity of these variables make it difficult to control the machine speed. This study demonstrates that we have overcome this challenge using a fuzzy logic controller (FLC), which is optimized with an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). The FLC we have designed operates with the characteristic point of the thermal state, the mixture level, the vacuum average, and the current speed parameters. We achieved an average success rate of 95%. The developed system automatically controls the speed of the sinter machine with high accuracy, independent of the operator. The system we have developed is used continuously at the Iskenderun Iron & Steel Co. sinter plant. The results obtained from the production facility show that the developed system captures the thermal change in the sinter pallet and manages the machine accordingly, increases the sintering efficiency by at least 10%, and ensures process safety. These results revealed that the developed system can be used effectively in the iron and steel industry and the use of the system will increase efficiency.
Genetic diversity among the present Japanese population: evidence from genotyping of human cell lines established in Japan
Authors: Kasai Fumio , Fukushima Makoto , Miyagi Yohei , Nakamura Yukio
Published: April 2024

Japan is often assumed to have a highly homogeneous ethnic population, because it is an island country. This is evident in human cell lines collected from cell banks; however, these genotypes have not been thoroughly characterized. To examine the population genotypes of human cell lines established in Japan, we conducted SNP genotyping on 57 noncancerous cell lines and 43 lung cancer cell lines. Analysis of biogeographic ancestry revealed that 58 cell lines had non-admixed Japanese genotypes, 21 cell lines had an admixture of Japanese and East Asian genotypes, and the remaining 21 cell lines had East Asian genotypes. The proportion of non-admixed Japanese genotypes was similar between lung cancer and noncancerous cell lines, suggesting that patients in Japan may not exclusively have Japanese genotypes. This could influence the incidence of inherited diseases and should be taken into account in personalized medicine tailored to genetic background. The genetic makeup of the present-day Japanese population cannot be fully explained by the ancestral Jomon and Yayoi lineages. Instead, it is necessary to consider a certain level of genetic admixture between Japanese and neighboring Asian populations. Our study revealed genetic variation among human cell lines derived from Japanese individuals, reflecting the diversity present within the Japanese population.
Disaster Awareness and Preparedness Among Older Adults in Canada Regarding Floods, Wildfires, and Earthquakes
Authors: Bogdan Evalyna , Krueger Rachel , Wright Julie , Woods Kyle , Cottar Shaieree
Published: April 2024

Older adults are significantly impacted by natural hazards and disasters that are exacerbated by climate change. Understanding their awareness and preparedness is essential for enhancing disaster resilience. This study investigated the attitudes, actions, and recommendations of older adults regarding natural hazards that pose risks in their geographic area—specifically floods, wildfires, and/or earthquakes in Canada. Methods for this study included survey and focus groups with older adults (n = 161 and n = 10, respectively) and other high-risk groups from across Canada, that are vulnerable to these natural hazards. The main findings from this study are that current awareness and preparedness among older adults is low, though stronger perceptions of risks are associated with risks specific to geographic locations where respondents live. Several barriers, such as hazard vulnerability misperceptions, cost-related reasons, and lack of hazard awareness have resulted in low awareness and preparedness among these populations. The two main recommendations arising from this research are: (1) improve awareness and preparedness with tailor-made emergency preparedness materials for older adults; and (2) adopt community-based approaches to disaster preparedness through existing community groups to strengthen social connections with a focus on locally specific hazards. The findings from this research can be applied to other hazards, including heatwaves and pandemics.
Factors affecting interface bonding in multi-material additive manufacturing
Authors: Delia Sarah , Rochman Arif , Curmi Albert
Published: April 2024

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is the process of depositing material layer-by-layer to create 3-dimensional products. When creating 3D-printed products from two or more materials, multi-material additive manufacturing processes are used which eliminate the need for assembly operations. Fused filament fabrication multi-material additive manufacturing permits the production of a single printed item employing multiple materials in fused filament fabrication. This work studied the factors affecting fused filament fabrication multi-material additive manufacturing, by reviewing existing works, designing part(s), conducting design of experiments, and carrying out parts’ performance test. An E3D multi-material filament 3D printer was utilised throughout this study. The chosen polymer combination was polycarbonate (PC) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), whilst the design and testing of the multi-material parts was limited to lap-shear testing. Results showed that the interface bonding of the PMMA/PC (PMMA printed first and followed by PC) specimens was stronger than the one of the PC/PMMA specimens. Furthermore, to investigate the effect of the contact or overlapping area on the interface bonding strength, PMMA/PC specimens with varying dimensions were designed, printed, and tested. When the contact area was reduced, a strong interface bonding between the PMMA and PC layers was still maintained.
Evaluating Sea Level Rise Impacts on the Southeastern Türkiye Coastline: a Coastal Vulnerability Perspective
Authors: Aykut Fahri , Tezcan Devrim
Published: April 2024

Coastal areas are inherently sensitive and dynamic, susceptible to natural forces like waves, winds, currents, and tides. Human activities further accelerate coastal changes, while climate change and global sea level rise add to the challenges. Recognizing and safeguarding these coasts, vital for both socioeconomic and environmental reasons, becomes imperative. The objective of this study is to categorize the coasts of the Mersin and İskenderun bays along the southeastern coast of Türkiye based on their vulnerability to natural forces and human-induced factors using the coastal vulnerability index (CVI) method. The study area encompasses approximately 520 km of coastline. The coastal vulnerability analysis reveals that the coastal zone comprises various levels of vulnerability along the total coastline: 24.7% (128 km) is categorized as very high vulnerability, 27.4% (142 km) as high vulnerability, 23.7% (123 km) as moderate vulnerability, and 24.3% (126 km) as low vulnerability. Key parameters influencing vulnerability include coastal slope, land use, and population density. High and very high vulnerability are particularly prominent in coastal plains characterized by gentle slopes, weak geological and geomorphological features, and significant socioeconomic value.
AI-based technology to prognose and diagnose complex crack characteristics of railway concrete sleepers
Authors: Kaewunruen Sakdirat , Adesope Abdullah Abimbola , Huang Junhui , You Ruilin , Li Dan
Published: April 2024

Railway concrete sleepers are key safety-critical components in ballasted railway tracks. Due to frequent high-intensity impact loadings from train-track interaction over irregularities together with hostile environmental conditions, complicated characteristics of various crack patterns can incur on railway concrete sleepers, which will decrease their durability and service life overtime. Early warning of those cracks can help railway engineers to plan and schedule for renewal and maintenance timely and effectively. This study thus explores the artificial intelligence application of YOLOv5OBB (YOLOv5 with Oriented Bounding Box output) in the identification and classification of cracks in railway sleepers into three distinct types: longitudinal, transverse, and inclined, based on their specific crack angles, which have not been investigated in the past. The identification of crack angles is the novelty of this study. Recognising the various types of cracks is critical, given their varying causes and degrees of severity. Current corrective maintenance methods pose considerable safety risks to workers and exhibit low efficiency, underscoring the need for a more autonomous and efficient solution. This study marks a significant stride towards revolutionising railway maintenance, evidenced by an impressive mAP (Mean Average Precision) of 0.72 for crack detection and a 92% accuracy rate for angle detection. These promising results substantiate our study's potential to pioneer advancements in railway infrastructure maintenance.
Post fire performance of galvanized cylindrical shells for buckling failure
Authors: Maali Mahyar , Ağcakoca Elif , Nasery Mohammad Manzoor , Macit Fatih , Aydin Abdulkadir Cüneyt
Published: April 2024

This study examines the impact of anti-fire paint with different thicknesses of 100, 200, and 400 microns on the post-fire behavior of cylindrical tanks under external pressure. For this purpose, we investigate the buckling modes of the cylindrical tank specimens after they are exposed to fire. Different fire temperatures of 300, 450, and 600 ℃ were investigated. A total of 22 specimens were fabricated in the laboratory. The specimens have been divided into three groups, the first group without any anti-fire, the second group include the anti-fire paint on their inner skin and the last group have the anti-fire paint both on inner and outer faces of the tank. In the second part of the study, to determine the effects of anti-fire paint numerically, the finite element models were created in Abaqus software. Numerical models were verified by Experimental data, with an error rate at initial buckling 5.4%, overall buckling 6.17% and collapse 7.88%. The results showed that the samples with 100-micron-thick anti-fire paint on both outer and inner surfaces did not show any significant difference compared to unpainted specimens under buckling load. However, the cylindrical specimen with 200-micron-thick anti-fire paint on both outer and inner surfaces was found to be fire resistant up to 450 ℃ and displayed similar behaviors with the perfect one (unpainted and not exposed to fire). Moreover, the specimens with 400-micron-thick anti-fire paint were also found to be resistant to fire up to 450°; however, the collapse loads of these specimens were greater than the overall buckling load of the specimens with 200-micron thick anti-fire paint. Numerical and experimental results show a good agreement, the stress distribution and plastic equivalent strain values were parallel with the buckling load capacity of the specimen. As a result, the thickness of the anti-fire paint directly affects the fire resistance of cylinder steel, and with a validated finite element model, it is possible to predict the paint thickness that can withstand specific fire temperatures in large shell structures.
Evaluating the Israeli Community Courts: Key Issues, Challenges and Lessons
Authors: Gal Tali , Dancig-Rosenberg Hadar
Published: April 2024

The last decade has seen the establishment of eight community courts (CCs) in Israel, representing a significant shift from the mainstream criminal justice approach. Inspired by the Red Hook Community Justice Center in Brooklyn, New York, the Israeli CCs reflect an understanding of the links between local communities, crime and rehabilitation. The authors have evaluated the CCs since their inauguration, first in a formative study and then in an evaluation study. The present article focuses on three research modules that were utilized in these studies: the process characterization, which was based on structured observations of court hearings during the formative study; the subjective experiences of court participants, which were collected via in-depth interviews with programme participants; and the recidivism module, which compared the repeat offending patterns of programme participants with those of mainstream court defendants. Rather than detailing the findings of these modules, the paper uses them as examples, offering an open discussion about the process of conducting such studies: the selection of research questions that go beyond the traditional question of repeat offending and their possible theoretical contribution; the methodological, logistical and ethical choices that are made and their underlying considerations; and the obstacles that researchers face en route.
Forensic Science – Believe It or Not? Public Attitudes toward Forensic Evidence in Israel
Authors: Kaplan-Damary Naomi , Jonathan-Zamir Tal , Perry Gali , Itskovich Eran
Published: April 2024

Forensic science is undergoing an unprecedented period of reform. Wrongful convictions and errors of impunity have been attributed largely to forensic evidence, and concerns over the scientific foundations of many forensic disciplines have been raised in key official reports. In these turbulent times, it becomes particularly interesting to understand how forensic evidence is understood by the general public. Is it idealized? Are its inherent limitations recognized? The present study seeks to contribute to this growing body of work by addressing two main questions: (1) How does the general public perceive forensic science?; (2) How correct are individuals in their evaluations of specific types of forensic evidence? A survey of the Israeli public reveals considerable trust in the ability of forensics to reliably identify the perpetrator of a crime, although less trust is expressed when questions lead respondents to consider specific stages in the forensic process. Furthermore, respondents were often incorrect in their evaluations of the reliability of specific types of forensic evidence. The implications of these findings for police legitimacy, the practice of the criminal justice system, and the future study of attitudes toward forensic evidence, are discussed.
Schmidt games and Cantor winning sets
Authors: BADZIAHIN DZMITRY , HARRAP STEPHEN , NESHARIM EREZ , SIMMONS DAVID
Published: April 2024

Schmidt games and the Cantor winning property give alternative notions of largeness, similar to the more standard notions of measure and category. Being intuitive, flexible, and applicable to recent research made them an active object of study. We survey the definitions of the most common variants and connections between them. A new game called the Cantor game is invented and helps with presenting a unifying framework. We prove surprising new results such as the coincidence of absolute winning and

$1$

Cantor winning in metric spaces, and the fact that

$1/2$

winning implies absolute winning for subsets of

$\mathbb {R}$

. We also suggest a prototypical example of a Cantor winning set to show the ubiquity of such sets in metric number theory and ergodic theory.
The effect of flight on a turbulent jet: coherent structure eduction and resolvent analysis
Authors: Maia Igor A. , Heidt Liam , Pickering Ethan , Colonius Tim , Jordan Peter , Brès Guillaume A.
Published: April 2024

We study coherent structures in subsonic turbulent jets subject to a flight stream. A thorough characterisation of the effects of a flight stream on the turbulent field was recently performed by Maia et al. (Phys. Rev. Fluids, vol. 8, 2023, 063902) and fluctuation energy attenuations were observed over a broad range of frequencies and azimuthal wavenumbers. The Kelvin–Helmholtz, Orr and lift-up mechanisms were all shown to be weakened by the flight stream. Here we expand upon that study and model the changes in the dynamics of jets in flight using global resolvent analysis. The resolvent model is found to correctly capture the main effects of the flight stream on the dynamics of coherent structures, which are educed from a large-eddy simulation database using spectral proper orthogonal decomposition. Three modifications of note are: the damping of low-frequency streaky/Orr structures that carry most of the fluctuation energy; a degradation of the low-rank behaviour of the jet in frequencies where modal instability mechanisms are dominant; and a rank decrease at very low Strouhal numbers. The latter effect is underpinned by larger gain separations predicted by the resolvent analysis, due to a reduction in the wavelength of associated flow structures. This leads to a clearer relative dominance of streaky structures generated by the lift-up mechanism, despite the fact that the lift-up mechanism has been weakened with respect to the static jet.
Inclusive meritocracy: ability and descriptive representation among Danish politicians
Authors: Dahlgaard Jens Olav , Pedersen Rasmus T.
Published: April 2024

Can democracies attract and elect politicians who are both high-ability and from diverse backgrounds? Using data covering the entire Danish population, including every candidate for local and national elections in 1990–2015, we explore the selection of political candidates. We show that Danish candidates and elected politicians have higher ability than the voters they represent, that selection on ability reflects individual skills rather than social background, that politicians are selected from economically diverse backgrounds, and that there is no substantial trade-off between ability and representation. Furthermore, we utilize a major structural reform, which significantly reduced the number of municipalities in Denmark, to show that increased political competition did not affect politicians’ ability, economic background, or the trade-off between the two.
Carotenoid pattern intake and relation to metabolic status, risk and syndrome, and its components – divergent findings from the ORISCAV-LUX-2 survey
Authors: Bouayed Jaouad , Vahid Farhad
Published: April 2024

Carotenoids are generally associated with health-beneficial effects; however, their intake patterns related to the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components remain controversial. This cross-sectional study investigated associations between dietary intakes of individual carotenoids, fruits and vegetables, and the MetS and its components. Dietary intakes of 1346 participants of the Observation des Risques et de la Santé Cardio-Vasculaire au Luxembourg (ORISCAV-LUX-2) study were investigated by a 174-item FFQ, and carotenoid intake was determined by linking findings using mainly the USDA food databases. Components of MetS and complementary variables, including anthropometric (BMI, waist circumferences and waist:hip ratio) and biological parameters (TAG, HDL-cholesterol, fasting blood glucose and blood pressure), were measured. Logistic (for MetS) and linear multivariable regression models (including assessing MetS as scores) adjusted for various confounders were created. α-and β-Carotene, as well as lutein + zeaxanthin, were inversely associated with MetS (also when it was measured on a continuous scale), reducing the odds for MetS by up to 48 %. However, lycopene, phytoene and phytofluene were rather positively associated with MetS scores and its components, though these adverse effects disappeared, at least for lycopene, when controlling for intakes of tomato-based convenience foods, in line with indicating a rather unhealthy/westernised diet. All these associations remained significant when including fruits and vegetables as confounders, suggesting that carotenoids were related to MetS independently from effects within fruits and vegetables. Thus, a high intake of carotenoids was bidirectionally associated with MetS, its severity, risk and its components, depending on the type of carotenoid. Future investigations are warranted to explore the inverse role that tomato-based carotenoids appear to suggest in relation to the MetS.
Effects of feeding pasteurized waste milk or saleable milk to calves on weight, health and fecal Escherichia coli antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Cellone Ivana , Russi Norma , Calvinho Luis F. , Signorini Marcelo , Molineri Ana
Published: April 2024

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of feeding pasteurized waste milk or saleable milk to calves on weight, health and emergence of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli strains isolated from those calves. An experimental study under field conditions on a commercial pasture-based Argentinian dairy farm was carried out. Forty Holstein calves were assigned randomly to either pasteurized waste milk (PWM) or non-pasteurized saleable milk (SM). The antimicrobial agents (AM) used on the farm, both to treat or prevent diseases, were recorded. The passive immunity level, calf live weight, AM presence in milk, clinical examination of calves, and E. coli isolation and identification, were performed. A total of 258 E. coli strains were isolated from fecal samples (132 isolates from SM calves and 126 from PWM calves at six sampling times). All E. coli isolated were used to perform AM susceptibility tests (disc diffusion and agar dilution). No differences were observed between groups in health parameters, average daily gain or prevalence of resistant E. coli strains to any AM evaluated throughout the study. Peaks of trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole and enrofloxacin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were observed at 30 d in E. coli from both groups of calves, whilst additional peaks to tetracyclin and ampicillin were observed only in SM calves. All MIC apart from gentamicin decreased at 75 and 90 d of age (during the weaning period). Gentamicin MIC behaved differently, having no peaks and increasing at 90 d only in PWM group. In conclusion, we found no evidence that emergence of antibiotic resistance is related to the consumption of pasteurized waste milk.
Radial basis function neural networks for formation control of unmanned aerial vehicles
Authors: Bui Duy-Nam , Phung Manh Duong
Published: April 2024

This paper addresses the problem of controlling multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) cooperating in a formation to carry out a complex task such as surface inspection. We first use the virtual leader-follower model to determine the topology and trajectory of the formation. A double-loop control system combining backstepping and sliding mode control techniques is then designed for the UAVs to track the trajectory. A radial basis function neural network capable of estimating external disturbances is developed to enhance the robustness of the controller. The stability of the controller is proven by using the Lyapunov theorem. A number of comparisons and software-in-the-loop tests have been conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed controller. The results show that our controller not only outperforms other state-of-the-art controllers but is also sufficient for complex tasks of UAVs such as collecting surface data for inspection. The source code of our controller can be found at https://github.com/duynamrcv/rbf_bsmc.
Introduction: crossing urban legal boundaries in northern Europe: merchants and the law, 1350–1600
Authors: Frankot Edda , Tveit Miriam
Published: April 2024

The main question of this special issue is how international traders were able to manage their activities and conflicts successfully when they regularly had to cross legal boundaries and were operating in different and overlapping jurisdictions in northern Europe in the period c. 1350–1600. The contributions in this issue approach this central question from a range of perspectives. This introduction identifies these perspectives, as well as common themes and findings, and indicates why it is particularly pertinent to discuss the topic of crossing legal boundaries in the context of urban history. It also discusses relevant historiographical debates and key concepts of urban jurisdiction and jurisdictional boundaries in late medieval northern European towns.
Pension fund shareholding and voting right value
Authors: Kang Hyo-jung , Kim Suk-hwan , Park Keun-woo , Kang Hyoung-goo
Published: April 2024

Our study investigates the influence of the Korean National Pension Fund's equity ownership on voting premiums, revealing a statistically significant reduction. In particular, we establish the liquidity pathway as the primary factor among the three channels previously suggested in the literature. Analysis of the COVID-19 era and the VKospi index underscores this predominance. These findings enrich the literature on public pension funds and capital markets, providing policymakers in emerging economies with a deeper understanding of the dynamics involved in establishing pension investment institutions.
Chemodiversity Could Indicate Freshwater Ecosystem Health
Authors: van Deelen Grace
Published: April 2024

High-resolution mass spectrometry provides innovative analyses of dissolved organic matter.
From First Continents to Fancy Countertops
Authors: Metcalfe Tom
Published: April 2024

A new study suggests melting gabbros may have helped form Earth’s first continents, riling a long-standing debate.