bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comparative study of lignin-containing microfibrillated cellulose fibers produced from softwood and hardwood pulps
Authors: Li Huisi , Chen Bin , Kulachenko Artem , Jurkjane Vilhelmine , Mathew Aji P. , Sevastyanova Olena
Published: December 2023

The expanding field of lignin-containing nanocellulose offers a sustainable alternative to fossil-based substances in applications such as packaging, coatings, and composites. This has underscored the importance to explore the impact of raw materials due to the complexities of lignin structures and different raw fiber characteristics, which plays a significant role in determining the properties of the resultant lignin-rich cellulose materials. This study presents a detailed investigation and comparison on the production and structure-property relationships of lignin-containing microfibrillated cellulose (LMFC) fibers prepared from unbleached softwood and hardwood kraft pulps. The microfibrillation process was analyzed for both softwood and hardwood pulps, comparing the results across various stages of fibrillation. Distinguishing features of lignin structures in softwood and hardwood pulps were identified through Py-GC/MS analysis. Additionally, Digital Image Correlation was employed to investigate the varying failure patterns in LMFC films derived from different wood species. Softwood-derived LMFC films demonstrate less strain-concentrated regions and strain variation, attributed to the formation of more physical crosslinking joints by the elongated fibers. Consequently, softwood-origin LMFC films displayed superior load-sharing and enhanced tensile strength (287 MPa) compared to those derived from hardwood. Additionally, the denser lignin structures in unbleached softwood pulp further boosted the stiffness of resultant softwood-derived films. Upon recycling, LMFC films exhibited superior recovery of mechanical properties following drying, suggesting their significant potential for widespread commercial use.
Exploring Factors Shaping Primary Health Care Readiness to Respond to Family Violence: Findings from a Rapid Evidence Assessment
Authors: Montesanti Stephanie , Goveas Danika , Bali Krittika , Campbell Sandra
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Family violence (FV) is defined as any situation where an individual employs abusive behaviour to control and/or harm a former or current spouse, non-marital partner, or a member of their family. The health consequences of FV are vast, including a wide range of physical and mental health conditions for individuals experiencing violence or survivors, perpetrators, and their children. Primary health care (PHC) is recognized as a setting uniquely positioned to identify the risk and protective factors for FV, being an entry point into the health care system and a first, or only, point of contact for families with professionals who can facilitate access to specialist care and support.

Methods

A rapid evidence assessment of empirical studies on FV interventions in PHC was conducted to examine outcomes of effective FV interventions that promote identification, assessment, and care delivery within diverse PHC settings, factors shaping PHC provider and system readiness, and key intervention components that are important for sustaining PHC responses to FV. After completing data extraction, quality appraisal, and a hand search, a total of 49 articles were included in data synthesis and analysis.

Results

Several FV interventions that include multiple components such as, screening and identification of FV, training of PHC providers, advocacy, and referrals to supports, have been rigorously tested and evaluated in diverse PHC settings in rural and urban areas including primary care/family medicine practice clinics and community PHC centers. These interventions have demonstrated to be effective in identifying and responding to violence primarily experienced by women. There is a dearth of FV interventions or programs from empirical studies focused on men, children, and perpetrators. Additionally, provider and system readiness measurement tools and models have been implemented and evaluated in PHC specifically to assess physician or the health care team’s readiness to manage FV in terms of knowledge and awareness of FV. The findings highlight that there is no clear or standardized definition of provider or system “readiness” in the literature related to FV responses in PHC. Further, the findings revealed four key intervention components to facilitate PHC provider and organization readiness to address FV: (1) multidisciplinary teamwork and collaboration, (2) improving provider knowledge on the social and cultural determinants impacting FV, and (3) embedding system-level supports within PHC.

Conclusions

FV is a serious public health concern and PHC providers have a vital role in early detection of FV and the poor health outcomes associated with violence A focus on comprehensive or multi-component FV interventions are more likely to change provider behavior, and would allow for safe, confident, and professional identification and assessment of FV within PHC.
End-to-end 3D CNN for plot-scale soybean yield prediction using multitemporal UAV-based RGB images
Authors: Bhadra Sourav , Sagan Vasit , Skobalski Juan , Grignola Fernando , Sarkar Supria , Vilbig Justin
Published: December 2023

Crop yield prediction from UAV images has significant potential in accelerating and revolutionizing crop breeding pipelines. Although convolutional neural networks (CNN) provide easy, accurate and efficient solutions over traditional machine learning models in computer vision applications, a CNN training requires large number of ground truth data, which is often difficult to collect in the agricultural context. The major objective of this study was to develope an end-to-end 3D CNN model for plot-scale soybean yield prediction using multitemporal UAV-based RGB images with approximately 30,000 sample plots. A low-cost UAV-RGB system was utilized and multitemporal images from 13 different experimental fields were collected at Argentina in 2021. Three commonly used 2D CNN architectures (i.e., VGG, ResNet and DenseNet) were transformed into 3D variants to incorporate the temporal data as the third dimension. Additionally, multiple spatiotemporal resolutions were considered as data input and the CNN architectures were trained with different combinations of input shapes. The results reveal that: (a) DenseNet provided the most efficient result (R2 0.69) in terms of accuracy and model complexity, followed by VGG (R2 0.70) and ResNet (R2 0.65); (b) Finer spatiotemporal resolution did not necessarily improve the model performance but increased the model complexity, while the coarser resolution achieved comparable results; and (c) DenseNet showed lower clustering patterns in its prediction maps compared to the other models. This study clearly identifies that multitemporal observation with UAV-based RGB images provides enough information for the 3D CNN architectures to accurately estimate soybean yield non-destructively and efficiently.
The YouTube Addiction Scale: Psychometric Evidence for a New Instrument Developed Based on the Component Model of Addiction
Authors: Pakpour Amir H. , Jafari Elahe , Zanjanchi Fatemeh , Potenza Marc N. , Lin Chung-Ying
Published: December 2023

Technological advances have created the environment for Internet addiction (IA). A specific form of IA is social media addiction. Moreover, social media addiction may be further classified into general or specific social media addiction, with YouTube addiction among the latter because YouTube is viewed as a video streaming application. The present study aimed to design an instrument assessing YouTube addiction (named as the YouTube Addiction Scale, YAS) for psychometric testing. Guided by the component model of addiction, the YAS included six items corresponding to salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse. Through an online survey, the first sample (N = 530; 50.6% female) completed the YAS together with other measures assessing general social media addiction, psychological distress, and demographic information. Afterward, a second sample (N = 512; 45.5% female) completed the YAS in another period of time. The YAS was found to be unidimensional with strong factor loadings in both exploratory factor analysis (the first sample) and confirmatory factor analysis (the second sample). Internal consistency of the YAS was acceptable for both samples. Using the first sample’s data, Rasch models suggested that the six items in the YAS all fit well in the embedded construct of YouTube addiction. No differential item functioning was displayed for all YAS items across age, gender, and weekly time spent using YouTube. Network analysis results showed that the YAS items grouped together and had a clear distance from all items assessing general social media addiction. In addition, participants with higher levels of YouTube addiction had significantly greater general social media addiction, psychological distress, and time spent on YouTube. The YAS has promising psychometric properties for healthcare providers and researchers to assess individuals’ YouTube addiction levels. Future studies should examine the extent to which with the use of YAS, healthcare providers may monitor the severity of individuals’ YouTube addiction and provide early intervention, if needed.
Colorectal polyp detection in colonoscopy images using YOLO-V8 network
Authors: Lalinia Mehrshad , Sahafi Ali
Published: December 2023

Gastrointestinal tract disorders, including colorectal cancer (CRC), impose a significant health burden in Europe, with rising incidence rates among both young and elderly populations. Timely detection and removal of polyps, the precursors to CRC, are vital for prevention. Conventional colonoscopy, though effective, is prone to human errors. To address this, we propose an artificial intelligence-based polyp detection system using the YOLO-V8 network. We constructed a diverse dataset from multiple publicly available sources and conducted extensive evaluations. YOLO-V8 m demonstrated impressive performance, achieving 95.6% precision, 91.7% recall, and 92.4% F1-score. It outperformed other state-of-the-art models in terms of mean average precision. YOLO-V8 s offered a balance between accuracy and computational efficiency. Our research provides valuable insights into enhancing polyp detection and contributes to the advancement of computer-aided diagnosis for colorectal cancer.
Technical efficiency in banks: a review of methods, recent innovations and future research agenda
Authors: Akdeniz Özlem O. , Abdou Hussein A. , Hayek Ali I. , Nwachukwu Jacinta C. , Elamer Ahmed A. , Pyke Chris
Published: December 2023

Technical efficiency in banking is a critical aspect of the financial industry and has been widely studied using various measurement techniques. This systematic literature review offers a comprehensive examination of 305 studies on the application of technical efficiency measurement techniques in both Islamic and conventional banking sectors from 1989 to 2019. Our comprehensive analysis not only provides a broad view of the efficiency measurement literature but also outlines a future research agenda. Despite the extensive research in this field, several issues remain unresolved, including input–output selection, a comparison of efficiency between Islamic and conventional banks, limited cross-country studies, and a lack of exploration into the impact of regulation and Shariah principles. To address these gaps, this review highlights the most commonly used methods, variables, and findings and provides three key recommendations for future research. Three key themes emerge from our examination. First, there is a need to better understand and the application of new frontier techniques other than the traditional methods, which currently dominate the existing literature. Second, the intermediation approach is the most frequently used in variable selection, thus more studies with comparative findings with applications of production and value-added approaches are suggested. Third, the most frequently used input variables are ‘labor’, ‘deposits’ and ‘capital’, whilst ‘loans’ and ‘other earning assets’ are the most popular output variables. We recommend three vital directions for future research: (i) non-interest expenses to be included amongst the inputs, while non-interest income should be added to the list of outputs, especially when estimating efficiency scores of Islamic banks. (ii) The impact of environmental variables such as, inter alia, Shariah principles, country-specific factors, and management quality is suggested to be considered simultaneously in models measuring and comparing the efficiency of Islamic and conventional banks. (iii) The selection of performance metrics employed should be expanded to include both the standard efficiency scores and the Malmquist Total Factor Productivity Index (TFP). The paper concludes with research needs and suggests directions for future research.
Cognitive, Mental Health, Functional, and Quality of Life Outcomes 1 Year After Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Rass Verena , Altmann Klaus , Zamarian Laura , Lindner Anna , Kofler Mario , Gaasch Max , Ianosi Bogdan-Andrei , Putnina Lauma , Kindl Philipp , Delazer Margarete , Schiefecker Alois J. , Beer Ronny , Pfausler Bettina , Helbok Raimund
Published: December 2023

Background

Patients with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) frequently encounter cognitive dysfunction and mental health issues with negative effects on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL). Here, we aimed to describe the prevalence of cognitive deficits, mental health problems, and HR-QoL impairments 1 year after SAH.

Methods

In this prospective observational study, 177 patients with SAH admitted to our neurointensive care unit over a time span of ten years followed the invitation for an in-person 1-year follow-up, including a standardized neuropsychological test battery. Mental health issues (anxiety and depression) and HR-QoL were evaluated using questionnaires (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; 36-item Short Form questionnaire). Functional outcome was assessed with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score.

Results

Patients were 54 years of age (interquartile range 47–62 years) and presented with a median Hunt and Hess score of 2 (interquartile range 1–3) at admission. Most patients (93%) achieved good functional 1-year outcomes (mRS score 0–2). Seventy-one percent of patients had deficits in at least one cognitive domain, with memory deficits being the most prevalent (51%), followed by deficits in executive functions (36%), visuoconstruction (34%), and attention (21%). Even patients with perimesencephalic SAH (18%) or with full functional recovery (mRS score = 0, 46%) had a comparable prevalence of cognitive deficits (61% and 60%, respectively). Symptoms of depression and anxiety were reported by 16% and 33% of patients, respectively. HR-QoL was impaired in 37% (55 of 147). Patients with cognitive deficits (p = 0.001) or mental health issues (p < 0.001) more frequently reported impaired HR-QoL.

Conclusions

Most patients with SAH have cognitive deficits and mental health issues 1 year after SAH. These deficits impair patients’ quality of life.
Monitoring of anthropogenic impact on the Port Qasim coastal area, Karachi, Pakistan
Authors: Alamgir Aamir , Khan Moazzam Ali , Shaukat Syed Shahid , Kazmi Jamil Hassan
Published: December 2023

The present study was undertaken to investigate the extent of pollution load at Port Qasim coastal area, the second largest port in the country. The samples of sea water were collected from 23 locations, including the samples from Bundal Island situated in the Port Qasim area. Samples were analyzed for physico-chemical characteristics to determine the extent of pollution load. Samples were also analyzed for heavy metals including As, Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb and Ni. The investigation revealed that the Port Qasim Area is grossly polluted from inorganic and organic loads mainly coming from the nearby industrial setup. Extensively high organic load was found at the site receiving the wastewater from the Landhi Cattle colony. PQ-6 receives untreated wastewater from oil industries as exhibited by its high oil content. PQ-14 is receiving untreated industrial discharges from the nearby chemical industries and represents a very high pollution load. The sites closed to Bundal Island are relatively less polluted. The mangroves in the area are constantly under threat owing to the indiscriminate discharge of both domestic and industrial effluents. The concentration of DO although not on higher side but at least prevents the anoxic condition in the area. Out of all the heavy metals the concentration of Cr and Pb was exceptionally higher. The distribution of heavy metals demonstrated a typical diffusion pattern from the land to the sea. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis of the data showed the major gradients, similarities of localities and the variables of importance in terms of overall variability in the pollution characteristics. It is concluded that the level of pollution is increasing at an alarming rate, which is detrimental to the biodiversity of the coastal area.
A comprehensive review on synthesis and application of nanocomposites for adsorption of chromium: status and future prospective
Authors: Katiyar Shakti , Katiyar Rajesh
Published: December 2023

The presence of heavy metals in water bodies can cause major problems for human, plant, and animal life. Excessive amounts or over the prescribed limits of heavy metals in water bodies usually contaminates the water, this type of water is called polluted water and this whole process is known as water pollution. Regular consumption of heavy metal-contaminated water above prescribed limits can cause various diseases and sometimes even lead to death. Heavy metals like chromium, arsenic, lead, mercury etc. are more toxic and are easily found in water bodies due to anthropogenic and natural activities. The presence of these heavy metals in water even in tiny concentrations is dangerous to human and animal health. Due to its highly toxic nature, it is paramount to remove these pollutants from water bodies before human use. Adsorption is the best technique to remove these pollutants from wastewater based on cost, efficiency, and feasibility. For the adsorption process, a variety of adsorbent materials have been synthesized by researchers in the past few decades, and yet it remains a challenge for researchers and scientists to synthesize a cost-effective and highly efficient adsorbent. In this prospect, water treatment by adsorption process, nano-composites are emerging materials that show excellent adsorption characteristics due to their outstanding material properties, manageable and low-cost production, and excellent adsorption capacity for chromium adsorption from wastewater. The various nanocomposite adsorbent material prepared by different types of nanoparticles that are supported or embedded on biomass/biochar/graphene/polymer/etc. and used for chromium adsorption have been incorporated. The physio-chemical and structural characteristics of nanocomposites are covered in this review paper. Furthermore, the impact of various adsorption conditions, together with their benefits and drawbacks, on the effectiveness of water treatment are discussed. This thorough review concludes with a summary and some ideas about novel strategies and difficulties in the investigation of advanced and hybrid nanocomposite materials used to remove Cr(VI) from wastewater.
The Fisher metric as a metric on the cotangent bundle
Authors: Nagaoka Hiroshi
Published: December 2023

The Fisher metric on a manifold of probability distributions is usually treated as a metric on the tangent bundle. In this paper, we focus on the metric on the cotangent bundle induced from the Fisher metric with calling it the Fisher co-metric. We show that the Fisher co-metric can be defined directly without going through the Fisher metric by establishing a natural correspondence between cotangent vectors and random variables. This definition clarifies a close relation between the Fisher co-metric and the variance/covariance of random variables, whereby the Cramér-Rao inequality is trivialized. We also discuss the monotonicity and the invariance of the Fisher co-metric with respect to Markov maps, and present a theorem characterizing the co-metric by the invariance, which can be regarded as a cotangent version of Čencov’s characterization theorem for the Fisher metric. The obtained theorem can also be viewed as giving a characterization of the variance/covariance.
Indoles and the advances in their biotechnological production for industrial applications
Authors: Ferrer Lenny , Mindt Melanie , Wendisch Volker F. , Cankar Katarina
Published: December 2023

Indole is a signalling molecule produced both by bacteria and plants. In this review its signalling role between microbes and in particular in the human gut is discussed. Besides the natural roles, indole also has value for flavour and fragrance applications, for example, in food industry or perfumery. Additionally, indole can be derivatized to several halogenated and oxygenated compounds that can be used as natural colourants or have promising bioactivity with therapeutic potential to treat human diseases. Indole is traditionally obtained from coal tar. Biocatalytic approaches have been developed to convert indole into halogenated and oxygenated derivatives. This review will discuss recent advances in production of indole from glucose or tryptophan by fermentation and the production of derived halogenated and oxygenated derivatives by microbial cell factories.
Representation and Taxation in the American South, 1820–1910
Authors: Jensen Jeffrey , Pardelli Giuliana , Timmons Jeffrey F.
Published: December 2023

We explain and document state-level fiscal developments in American Southern states from 1820–1910, focusing on their main source of revenue, progressive property taxes borne primarily by economic elites. The fourteen states in our analysis were characterized by severe economic exploitation of the enslaved and later politically repressed African-descended population by a small rural elite, who dominated the region both politically and economically. While rural elites are thought to be especially resistant to taxation, we offer a set of conditions that explains the emergence of progressive taxation and provides a coherent account of the fiscal development of these states over this period. Using an original, archival data set of annual tax revenues and select expenditure items, we show that the economic interests of these rural elites and the extent of their formal (over)representation played a critical role in shaping the observed fiscal patterns within and across these states over this period. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Worlds of Uncertainty
Authors: Haldén Peter
Published: December 2023

In recent years we have faced huge uncertainty and unpredictability across the world: Covid-19, political turbulence, climate change and war in Europe, among many other events. Through a historical analysis of worldviews, Peter Haldén provides nuance to the common belief in an uncertain world by showing the predictable nature of modern society and arguing that human beings create predictability through norms, laws, trust and collaboration. Haldén shows that, since the Renaissance, two worldviews define Western civilization: first, that the world is knowable and governed by laws, regularities, mechanisms or plan, hence it is possible to control and the future is possible to foresee; second, that the world is governed by chance, impossible to predict and control and therefore shocks and surprises are inevitable. Worlds of Uncertainty argues that between these two extremes lie positions that recognize the principal unpredictability of the world but seek pragmatic ways of navigating through it.
International Economics and Business
Authors: Beugelsdijk Sjoerd , Brakman Steven , Garretsen Harry , van Marrewijk Charles , Murtinu Samuele
Published: December 2023

Fully updated with the latest theoretical insights, data, and statistics, this third edition combines the dual perspectives of international economics and international business to provide a complete overview of the changing role of nations and firms in the global economy. International Economics and Business covers the key concepts of an introductory course on the global economy. It avoids complicated mathematical theory to ensure accessibility for all disciplines and includes contemporary case studies from the international business world. The result is a practical guide to the world economy for undergraduate students in economics and business, also suitable for students in other social science disciplines. Supported via full suite of online resources including quizzes, data exercises, additional reading lists, lecture slides, as well as color versions of over 150 figures, International Economics and Business is a lively and engaging textbook providing a complete and practical understanding of international economics and globalization through a uniquely integrated lens.
The Conservative Challenge to Globalization
Authors: Kiely Ray
Published: December 2023

The benefits of globalization have long been trumpeted by right-wing and centre-left politicians and is enshrined in the neoliberal consensus of western democracies. However, in recent years, conservative rhetoric has turned increasingly anti-globalization. Ray Kiely examines this new trend, in particular the discourse of 'winners' and 'losers' of globalization that has emerged since the financial crisis, and which has been used by conservative politicians in the United States and the UK to reflect real and imagined threats to domestic economies and national identity.

The book examines new US and UK conservative movements (alongside earlier traditions) and the development of conservative ideas, in particular projects for renewal, that have shaped responses to globalization that challenge neoliberal and third way approaches. The nostalgia for a former supposed age of economic and societal harmony, which has characterized this conservative anti-globalization response is given particular attention. The popular mantras of deregulation and economic nationalism that loomed large in both the election of Donald Trump and the UK's Brexit vote are shown to be potent examples of the success of this new conservative (anti-)globalization rhetoric.

As well as examining the changing nature of Anglo-American conservatism, the book also offers an insightful account of the wider resurgence of populism.
Community scientist program provides bi-directional communication and co-learning between researchers and community members
Authors: Alvarado Jessica , Strong Larkin L. , Buzcu-Guven Birnur , Thompson Leonetta B. , Cantu Erica , Carrier Chelsea C. , Chukwu Chiamaka D. , Harris Cassandra L. , Melendez Luz K. , Roberson Crystal L. , Ross Angela M. , Russell Sophia C. , Sanchez Pablo , Tahanan Amirali , Zdenek Blair C. , Reininger Belinda M. , McNeill Lorna H.
Published: December 2023

Community involvement in research is key to translating science into practice, and new approaches to engaging community members in research design and implementation are needed. The Community Scientist Program, established at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston in 2018 and expanded to two other Texas institutions in 2021, provides researchers with rapid feedback from community members on study feasibility and design, cultural appropriateness, participant recruitment, and research implementation. This paper aims to describe the Community Scientist Program and assess Community Scientists' and researchers' satisfaction with the program. We present the analysis of the data collected from 116 Community Scientists and 64 researchers who attended 100 feedback sessions, across three regions of Texas including Northeast Texas, Houston, and Rio Grande Valley between June 2018 and December 2022. Community Scientists stated that the feedback sessions increased their knowledge and changed their perception of research. All researchers (100%) were satisfied with the feedback and reported that it influenced their current and future research methods. Our evaluation demonstrates that the key features of the Community Scientist Program such as follow-up evaluations, effective bi-directional communication, and fair compensation transform how research is conducted and contribute to reducing health disparities.
“That is why users do not understand the maps we make for them”: Cartographic gaps between experts and domestic workers and the Right to the City
Authors: Montoya-Robledo Valentina
Published: December 2023

A broad gap exists between “God’s eye” transit maps from above that experts draw and how domestic workers map their commutes in Bogotá and Medellín, Colombia, through a street-level approach. Based on fieldwork conducted in both cities between 2017 and 2018, including interviews, participant observation, and social cartography, this translational article brings domestic workers’ understanding of the city they traverse daily vis-à-vis how experts conceive modern and rational public transportation systems. Delving into the literature on cartography, the Right to the City (RtC), and feminist geography, the study analyzes this gap and finds how it limits an effective RtC for this massive group of female commuters. It further provides public policy recommendations to address the gap and ensure RtC for all.
Evaluation of a community-based intervention for youth mental health in rural Ireland
Authors: Corley Emma , Moran Ellen , Heary Caroline , Gardiner Peadar , Donohoe Gary
Published: December 2023

Background:

This study aimed to provide information about pathways to care and clinical response to community-based brief interventions for improving youth mental health through evaluating the Mindspace Mayo service.

Methods:

Participants were 1,184 individuals aged 12–25 years (Mean = 17.92, SD = 2.66) who engaged with the Mindspace service. Demographic information included gender, age and living situation. The Clinical Outcome in Routine Evaluation (CORE) was used to measure psychological distress before and after attending the Mindspace service between February 2015 and 2022.

Results:

On average, individuals received six sessions of therapeutic support. Analyses indicated that most referrals were made by either a parent (40%) or self-referral (38%). The most frequent reason for referral was mood and anxiety-related issues. Across the entire sample, reductions in CORE scores were both statistically and clinically significant. Neither the source of the referral nor living situation significantly predicted intervention response. Complexity of issues presented at referral significantly predicted a reduction in psychological distress post-intervention in young people aged over 17 years.

Conclusions:

This study highlighted the value of primary care mental health services for young people aged 12–25 years, and underlined the importance of recording electronic data to track referral pathways, reasons for referral and the intervention outcomes over time.
Semilinear elliptic equations involving power nonlinearities and Hardy potentials with boundary singularities
Authors: Gkikas Konstantinos T. , Nguyen Phuoc-Tai
Published: December 2023

Let

$\Omega \subset \mathbb {R}^N$

(

$N\geq 3$

) be a

$C^2$

bounded domain and

$\Sigma \subset \partial \Omega$

be a

$C^2$

compact submanifold without boundary, of dimension

$k$

,

$0\leq k \leq N-1$

. We assume that

$\Sigma = \{0\}$

if

$k = 0$

and

$\Sigma =\partial \Omega$

if

$k=N-1$

. Let

$d_{\Sigma }(x)=\mathrm {dist}\,(x,\Sigma )$

and

$L_\mu = \Delta + \mu \,d_{\Sigma }^{-2}$

, where

$\mu \in {\mathbb {R}}$

. We study boundary value problems (

$P_\pm$

)

$-{L_\mu} u \pm |u|^{p-1}u = 0$

in

$\Omega$

and

$\mathrm {tr}_{\mu,\Sigma}(u)=\nu$

on

$\partial \Omega$

, where

$p>1$

,

$\nu$

is a given measure on

$\partial \Omega$

and

$\mathrm {tr}_{\mu,\Sigma}(u)$

denotes the boundary trace of

$u$

associated to

$L_\mu$

. Different critical exponents for the existence of a solution to (

$P_\pm$

) appear according to concentration of

$\nu$

. The solvability for problem (

$P_+$

) was proved in [3, 29] in subcritical ranges for

$p$

, namely for

$p$

smaller than one of the critical exponents. In this paper, assuming the positivity of the first eigenvalue of

$-L_\mu$

, we provide conditions on

$\nu$

expressed in terms of capacities for the existence of a (unique) solution to (

$P_+$

) in supercritical ranges for

$p$

, i.e. for

$p$

equal or bigger than one of the critical exponents. We also establish various equivalent criteria for the existence of a solution to (

$P_-$

) under a smallness assumption on

$\nu$

.
Is evoking fear effective? Exploratory findings from a randomised experiment on the impacts of health warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages
Authors: Malik Shelly , Ong Zoe
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Health warning labels (HWL) have been suggested to be effective in reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB). Yet, the efficacy and acceptability of SSB HWL of different formats (textual/pictorial) and severity remain unclear. This exploratory study aims to examine the extent and mechanism through which HWL of different formats and severity may affect responses towards the HWL and SSB consumption.

Design:

Randomised online experiment. Participants were exposed to images of a hypothetical SSB bearing a HWL of one of three conditions: text-only HWL, moderately severe pictorial HWL and highly severe pictorial HWL. They then responded to theory-based affective, cognitive and behavioural measures.

Setting:

Singapore

Participants:

One hundred and twenty-seven young adult consumers from a public university

Results:

Direct effects were found for fear, avoidance, reactance and acceptability of the HWL, but not attitude, intention or motivation to consume less SSB. Pictorial (moderately severe and highly severe) HWL were associated with greater fear, avoidance, and reactance, and lower acceptability than text-only HWL. There was weak evidence that highly severe pictorial HWL resulted in greater reactance than moderately severe pictorial HWL. Fear mediated the effect of HWL of different severity levels on avoidance, reactance, intention and motivation, but not for attitude or acceptability.

Conclusions:

Exploratory findings indicate that although pictorial HWL were less acceptable, they may still be effective in influencing intention and motivation to reduce SSB consumption through the psychological mechanism of fear. Hence, graphic HWL should not be dismissed too quickly when considering strategies for reducing SSB consumption.
Ours to eat and own: assessing the feasibility of a cooperative meal-kit service to improve food access
Authors: Robinson-Oghogho Joelle N , Gittelsohn Joel , Bowie Janice , Dankwa Lois , Thorpe Roland J
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Although typically serving higher income and younger demographic groups, meal-kit subscription services have the potential to improve food availability and dietary quality in communities experiencing low food access due to systemic discrimination. This study describes the development and characteristics of a pilot community-led meal-kit service (SouthEats) and evaluates key implementation outcomes of adoption, acceptability, and feasibility among households experiencing less income.

Design:

We utilised a mixed methods study design, including data from administrative records, customer surveys and worker interviews. Thematic qualitative analyses and descriptive quantitative analyses were conducted to illuminate the characteristics and extent the pilot meal-kit service was adopted, acceptable, and financially feasible among the target populations.

Setting:

The study took place in Washington DC, USA.

Participants:

Study participants included SouthEats consumers (n 35) and workers (n 3).

Results:

During the pilot period, sixty-seven community members signed up for the meal-kit service, with 52 % making recurring purchases. Our results suggest that the meal-kit service is acceptable among people living in low food access areas. Our feasibility analysis indicates that, although not without challenges, the SouthEats model could be financially feasible.

Conclusion:

These preliminary insights can inform the scalability and potential replication of this service and provide foundational evidence for an approach that may be used to improve food access.
Food tax policies in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: systematic policy review
Authors: Walby Emilee , Jones Amanda C , Smith Moira , Na’ati Elisiva , Snowdon Wendy , Teng Andrea M
Published: December 2023

Objective:

To systematically identify and review food taxation policy changes in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs).

Design:

Food taxation polices, regarding excise taxes and tariffs applied from 2000 to 2020 in twenty-two PICTs, and their key characteristics were reviewed. The search was conducted using databases, government legal repositories and broad-based search engines. Identified documents for screening included legislation, reports, academic literature, news articles and grey literature. Key informants were contacted from each PICT to retrieve further data and confirm results. Results were analysed by narrative synthesis.

Setting:

Noncommunicable diseases (NCD) are the leading cause of premature death in PICTs and in many jurisdictions globally. An NCD crisis has been declared in the Pacific, and food taxation policy has been recommended to address the dietary risk factors associated with. Progress is unclear.

Results:

Of the twenty-two PICTs included in the study, fourteen had food taxation policies and five introduced excise taxes. Processed foods, sugar and salt were the main target of excise taxes. A total of eighty-four food taxation policy changes were identified across all food groups. There was a total of 279 taxes identified by food group, of which 85 % were tariffs and 15 % were excise taxes. Individual tax rates varied substantially. The predominant tax design was ad valorem, and this was followed by volumetric.

Conclusions:

A quarter of PICTs have introduced food excise taxes from 2000 to 2020. Further excise taxes, specifically tiered or nutrient-specific designs, could be introduced and more systematically applied to a broader range of unhealthy foods.
A Latin American Third Way? Juan José Arévalo's Spiritual Socialism, 1916–1963
Authors: Friedman Max Paul
Published: December 2023

Scholars and US officials mocked Juan José Arévalo Bermejo, the first democratically elected president of Guatemala (1945–51), for the opacity and alleged incoherence of his “spiritual socialism.” He was eclipsed by his successor, Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán, who introduced sweeping land reform to Guatemala and whose overthrow in a CIA-orchestrated coup in 1954 launched the Latin American Cold War. But Arévalo's ideology is not only decipherable but potentially of great value—when we trace its origins back to Karl Christian Friedrich Krause, a forgotten philosopher who was Hegel's contemporary, and the Argentine intellectuals who developed Krause's abstract theories into an approach to governance that shaped Argentina's experience in social democracy under Hipólito Yrigoyen, while Arévalo was living in exile there. Arévalo's social reforms, which improved the standard of living for workers and peasants without sacrificing individual liberties or property rights, reflect a Krausean philosophical commitment to harmonious nationalism based on ethical relationships rather than hierarchies. The experiment was foreclosed by the 1954 coup and a lesser known, US-backed coup in 1963 that denied Arévalo a second term in office. This analysis of Arévalo's writings and governing practices shows their relevance to Latin America's search for a third way between revolutionary class struggle and neoliberal authoritarianism.
Very long chain fatty acid–inhibiting herbicides: Current uses, site of action, herbicide-resistant weeds, and future
Authors: Jhala Amit J. , Singh Mandeep , Shergill Lovreet , Singh Rishabh , Jugulam Mithila , Riechers Dean E. , Ganie Zahoor A. , Selby Thomas P. , Werle Rodrigo , Norsworthy Jason K.
Published: December 2023

The herbicides that inhibit very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) elongases are primarily used for residual weed control in corn, barley, oat, sorghum, soybean, sugarcane, certain vegetable crops, and wheat production fields in the United States. They act primarily by inhibiting shoot development of susceptible species, preventing weed emergence and growth. The objectives of this review were to summarize 1) the chemical family of VLCFA-inhibiting herbicides and their use in the United States, 2) the VLCFA biosynthesis in plants and their site of action, 3) VLCFA-inhibitor resistant weeds and their mechanism of resistance, and 4) the future of VLCFA-inhibiting herbicides. After their reclassification as Group 15 herbicides to include shoot growth-inhibiting herbicides (Group 8), the VLCFA-inhibiting herbicides are currently represented by eight chemical families (benzofurans, thiocarbamates, α-chloroacetamides, α-oxyacetamides, azolyl-carboxamides, isoxazolines, α-thioacetamides, and oxiranes). On average, VLCFA-inhibiting herbicides are applied once a year to both corn and soybean crops in the United States with acetochlor and S-metolachlor being the most used VLCFA-inhibiting herbicides in corn and soybean production, respectively. The site of action of Group 15 herbicides results from inhibition of the VLCFA synthase, which is encoded by several fatty acid elongase (FAE1)-like genes in VLCFA elongase complex in an endoplasmic reticulum. The VLCFA synthase is a condensing enzyme, and relies on a conserved, reactive cysteinyl sulfur in its active site that performs a nucleophilic attack on either the natural substrate (fatty acyl-CoA) or the herbicide. As of August 2023, 13 weed species have been documented to be resistant to VLCFA inhibitors, including 11 monocot weeds and two dicot weeds (Palmer amaranth and waterhemp). The isoxazolines (pyroxasulfone and fenoxasulfone) are the most recently (2014) discovered VLCFA-inhibiting herbicides. Although the intensity of VLCFA-inhibitor-directed discovery efforts has decreased over the past decade, this biochemical pathway remains a viable mechanistic target for the discovery of herbicide premixes and a valuable component of them.
Changes in Alcohol-Specific Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 14 European Countries
Authors: Kilian Carolin , Rehm Jürgen , Shield Kevin , Manthey Jakob
Published: December 2023

Abstract: Aim: Exploring trends in 1) alcohol-specific mortality and 2) alcohol sales in European countries in the years before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Complete data on alcohol-specific mortality and alcohol sales were obtained for 14 European countries (13 EU countries and UK) for the years 2010 to 2020, with six countries having mortality data available up to 2021. Age-standardised mortality rates were calculated and descriptive statistics used. Results: When compared to 2019, alcohol-specific mortality rates in 2020 increased by 7.7 % and 8.2 % for women and men, respectively. Increases in alcohol-specific mortality were seen in the majority of countries and continued in 2021. In contrast, alcohol sales declined by an average of 5.0 %. Conclusion: Despite a drop in alcohol consumption, more people died due to alcohol-specific causes during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.
Alkoholkonsum und psychische Belastung im zweiten Lockdown der COVID-19-Pandemie bei medizinischem Personal und Personen aus anderen Bereichen
Authors: Georgiadou Ekaterini , Müller Astrid , Koopmann Anne , Kiefer Falk , Hillemacher Thomas
Published: December 2023

Zusammenfassung: Ziel: Durch die COVID-19-Pandemie lässt sich ein Anstieg von psychischen Erkrankungen und des Alkoholkonsums vermuten. Ebenso zeigt sich in der Literatur, dass medizinisches Personal in der Pandemie deutlichen psychischen Belastungen ausgesetzt war. Ziel unserer Untersuchung war es, in der zweiten Lockdownperiode und somit zu einer späteren Phase der Pandemie, Veränderungen des Alkoholkonsums sowie psychische Belastungen seit Beginn der Pandemie zu erfassen und dies zwischen medizinischem Personal (MP) und Personen aus anderen Bereichen (AB) zu vergleichen. Methode: Die Online-Befragung fand zwischen 01.12.2020 und 27.01.2021 statt und es nahmen insgesamt 353 Personen teil (MP: n=187; AB: n=166). Neben Daten zum Alkoholkonsum (AUDIT-C) vor und seit der Pandemie, wurden auch Depressivität (PHQ-9) und generalisierte Angstsymptome (GAD-7) erfasst. Ergebnisse: Es zeigte sich, dass der Alkoholkonsum seit Beginn der Pandemie bei den Teilnehmenden zurückgegangen ist. Eine Erhöhung des Konsums gaben 15.0 % an, bei 15.5 % lag ein riskanter Alkoholkonsum vor. Bei knapp 20 % der Gesamtstichprobe zeigte sich der Verdacht auf eine depressive Episode und bei 15 % der Verdacht auf eine generalisierte Angststörung. Die Gruppe MP unterschied sich nicht signifikant von der Gruppe AB. Der Anteil an Menschen mit riskantem Alkoholkonsum scheint in unserer Untersuchung niedrig zu sein. Personen, die ihren Alkoholkonsum gesteigert haben, hatten ein höheres Risiko für höhere AUDIT-C Werte für den Zeitraum seit der Pandemie. Die psychische Belastung ist insgesamt auf einem hohen Niveau. Schlussfolgerungen: Daher sind Strategien erforderlich, die Betroffenen schnell zu identifizieren und zu versorgen.
Anwendung der DOS und Delirprävalenz
Authors: Lauffer-Vogt Stefan Urs , Hediger Hannele , Lauener Susanne Knüppel , Schubert Maria
Published: December 2023

Zusammenfassung: Hintergrund: Delirien sind mit einer Prävalenz von 12–64% eine häufige Komplikation im Akutpflegebereich, die mit negativen Ergebnissen, wie erhöhter Mortalität und verlängerter Aufenthaltsdauer verbunden ist. Um das Delirmanagement zu verbessern, verfügen viele Spitäler über Weisungen. Im Studienspital wird bei allen Patient_innen ≥ 70 Jahren, dreimal täglich während drei Tagen der Delirium Observation Screening Scale (DOS) Score erhoben. Die Diagnose Delir wird ärztlich gestellt und mittels ICD-10 codiert. Fragestellung/Ziele: Evaluierung des Delir Screenings mit der DOS gemäß interner Weisung hinsichtlich Anzahl durchgeführter DOS-Einschätzungen und Delir Prävalenz (DOS-Score ≥ 3 Punkte, ICD-10 Code). Methode: Diese retrospektive quantitative Einzelzentrum Längsschnittstudie verwendete Daten von 2017 und 2018 von 10046 Fällen. Für die Analyse der Delir Prävalenz und Subgruppenvergleiche wurden statistische Analysemethoden angewendet. Ergebnisse: Bei 92% der ≥ 70-jährigen Fälle (n = 5038) wurde mindestens ein DOS-Score dokumentiert. Die Umsetzung der DOS-Durchführung variierte zwischen 60% im Frühdienst, 49% im Spätdienst und 38% im Nachtdienst. Die Delir Prävalenz nach DOS-Score ≥ 3 lag bei 12% und nach ärztlicher Delirdiagnose bei 4%. Fälle mit einem DOS-Score ≥ 3 waren signifikant älter, häufiger weiblich, komorbid und depressiv. Schlussfolgerungen: Die DOS wird bei den meisten Patient_innen bei entsprechender Indikation durchgeführt. Die DOS-Durchführungshäufigkeit variiert je nach Schicht.