bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Citizen science data validates aerial imagery to track the ‘rise and fall’ of woody vegetation through extremes of climate
Authors: Ling J. E. , Richardson P. , Wiles J. , Darling J. , Dalton R. , Krogh M.
Published: February 2023

Context Ground truthing remotely sensed imagery for detecting changes in wetland vegetation can be time-consuming and costly for monitoring. Harnessing the resources of citizen scientists (CS) using mobile devices has been under utilised in Australia. Aims The project aimed to test the feasibility and practicality of using CS to collect data using mobile devices to ground truth remotely sensed imagery. Methods Using high-resolution aerial imagery, we detected the establishment of woody vegetation over a 20-year dry phase from 2000 to 2020 in Thirlmere Lakes National Park, NSW, Australia. To ground truth these woody species, we engaged with a local community group using a customised, freely available mobile device application. Key results During the dry event of 2020, CS documented well-established woody species, such as Melaleuca linariifolia (flax-leaved paperbark), amongst the Lepironia articulata grey rush. With the La Niña wet events in early 2020–22 and subsequent higher water levels, the CS documented the survival of M. linariifolia but the dieback of eucalypts, and other woody species. Conclusions Observations at higher temporal frequencies by CS using mobile devices, augmented with researchers’ observations, proved to be a valuable, quality-controlled method to ground truth high-resolution aerial imagery. Implications This case study showed that monitoring the phenology of vegetation in a peat wetland can be supplemented by the inclusion of a CS programme. This under-utilised resource can increase coverage and frequency of data observations, lower costs as well as create community awareness, capability and engagement in scientific research.
Orientation estimation of cryo-EM images using projected gradient descent method
Authors: Pan Huan , Lu Jian , Wen You-Wei , Xu Chen , Zeng Tieyong
Published: February 2023

Orientation estimation is an important task in three-dimensional cryo-EM image reconstruction. By applying the common line method, the orientation estimation task can be formulated as a least squares (LS) problem or a least un-squared deviation (LUD) problem with orthogonality constraint. However, the non-convexity of the orthogonality constraint introduces numerical difficulties to the orientation estimation. The conventional approach is to reformulate the orthogonality constrained minimization problem into a semi-definite programming problem using convex relaxation strategies. In this paper, we consider a direct way to solve the constrained minimization problem without relaxation. We focus on the weighted LS problem because the LUD problem can be reformulated into a sequence of weighted LS problems using the iteratively re-weighted LS approach. As a classical approach, the projected gradient descent (PGD) method has been successfully applied to solve the convex constrained minimization problem. We apply the PGD method to the minimization problem with orthogonality constraint and show that the constraint set is a generalized prox-regular set, and it satisfies the norm compatibility condition. We also demonstrate that the objective function of the minimization problem satisfies the restricted strong convexity and the restricted strong smoothness over a constraint set. Therefore, the sequence generated by the PGD method converges when the initial conditions are satisfied. Experimental results show that the PGD method significantly outperforms the semi-definite relaxation methods from a computation standpoint, and the mean square error is almost the same or smaller.
Fused silica microchannel fabrication with smooth surface and high etching selectivity
Authors: Morikawa Kyojiro , Chen Po-yin , Tran Hai Linh , Kazoe Yutaka , Chen Chihchen , Kitamori Takehiko
Published: February 2023

Channel fabrication technology has become increasingly important for microfluidic and nanofluidic devices. In particular, glass channels have high chemical and physical stability, high optical transparency, and ease of surface modification, so that there is increasing interest in glass microfluidic devices for chemical experiments in microfluidics and nanofluidics. For the fabrication of glass channels, especially those with a high aspect ratio (depth/width), lithography using a metal resist and dry etching have mainly been used. However, there are still issues involving the surface roughness of the etched channel and the low etching selectivity. In this study, a microchannel fabrication method with high etching selectivity that produces a smooth etched surface was developed. First, interference during dry etching by remaining Cr particles after the photolithography and Cr etching processes was assumed as the cause of the rough etched surface. Three different dry etching processes were introduced to verify this. In process 1 without removal of the Cr particles, the etched surface was not flat and had a 1 μm scale roughness. In process 2 where a cleaning process was included and high power etching was conducted, a smooth surface with a 1 nm scale roughness and a faster etching rate of 0.3 μm min−1 were obtained. For this high-power etching condition, the etching selectivity (fused silica/Cr) was relatively low at approximately 39–43. In process 3 with a cleaning process and low-power etching, although the etching rate was relatively low at 0.1 μm min−1, a smooth surface with 1 nm scale roughness (10 nm scale roughness deeper than 40 μm in the depth region) and a much higher etching selectivity of approximately 79–84 were obtained. The dry etching method presented in this study represents a significant contribution to microfluidics/nanofluidics for microchannel/nanochannel fabrication.
Quantum identity authentication using a Hadamard gate based on a GHZ state
Authors: Jian Liya , Wang Yuqi , Chen Geng , Zhou Yi , Liu Shiming
Published: February 2023

According to the properties of the Hadamard gate and GHZ state, a quantum authentication protocol with transferable information is proposed. This protocol has higher security and integrity. Specifically, the direct appearance of the key and the transmitted information are not required for both quantum and classical channels. In addition, the protocol realizes the key update in the process of identity authentication, which can automatically generate the key needed for the next information transmission. We expect that our protocol can be extended to many other quantum communication technologies.
Production of magnetic field due to heavy ion collisions around transition energy
Authors: Sharma Dhanpat , Kumar Suneel
Published: February 2023

Isospin quantum molecular dynamics (IQMD) model is a reliable computational tool for the study of various phenomena (multi fragmentation, anisotropic flow, nuclear stopping) from low to intermediate heavy ion collisions (HICs). Here, simulation has been carried out for the magnetic field generated during non-central HICs using the IQMD model. The effect of various parameters, such as centrality, angular momentum, rapidity and incident energy has been thoroughly investigated on the magnetic field with the evolution of time and space. It has been observed that the rapidity bin significantly impacts the magnitude of the magnetic field in different directions. Furthermore, the magnetic field produced during HIC leads to a notable impact on the in-plane momentum of the proton and neutron.
Analysis of critical current inhomogeneity in r–z plane of GdBCO superconducting bulk and simulation of flux jumps during pulsed field magnetization
Authors: Hu J T , Yang W J , Zhou D F , Zhao P , Li X D , Deng F W , Yan J Z
Published: February 2023

In pulsed field magnetization (PFM), the phenomenon of flux jump is capable of driving magnetic flux vortexes into the GdBCO superconducting bulk center to aid full magnetization. Various homogeneous critical current density (J
c) models have been implemented to reproduce flux jumps, but the simulated multi-physical responses differ from experimental observations. This paper proposes a modified J
c model to consider r–z plane J
c inhomogeneity, and simulates flux jumps under experimental conditions by solving a 2D axisymmetric electromagnetic-thermal coupled model. A numerical treatment is developed to reflect the breaking of shielding current during flux jumps. The accuracy of our model is verified by comparisons of the calculated results for trapped magnetic fields (B
T) and the PFM and field-cooling experimental results. On this basis, we investigate the improvement of the inhomogeneous J
c model and obtain multi-physical responses that show better agreement with the experimental results compared to the homogeneous J
c model. Moreover, to further test the ability of the inhomogeneous J
c model to predict the anisotropy of the spatial magnetic field distribution, the simulated B
T profiles at the top and bottom surfaces of the high-temperature superconductor (HTS) bulk at 77 K are compared to the experiments. This study may provide a new approach for modeling the inhomogeneity of J
c characteristics and a useful analysis tool for industrial devices using HTS bulk magnets.
Enhanced xylene sensing performance of hierarchical flower-like Co3O4 via In doping
Authors: Zhang Jing , Ling Jianyu , Gu Kuikun , Levchenko Georgiy G. , Liang Xiao
Published: February 2023

Metal ions doping is a typical approach for tuning sensing properties of metal oxide semiconductors based gas sensors. Herein, hierarchical flower-like pure and In-doped Co3O4 nanostructures assembled by porous two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets are synthesized via a solvothermal method and annealing process. The sensing measurements display that the In@Co3O4-4 based sensor possesses high response value of 55.9 toward 100 ppm xylene at 150 °C, which is nearly 3.8 times larger than that of pure Co3O4 sensor. Furthermore, it possesses good selectivity and anti-humidity properties. Combined with the results of DFT calculations, the mechanism of enhanced gas sensing performance is analyzed systematically.
ARCADIA MAPS process qualification through the electrical characterization of passive pixel arrays
Authors: Corradino T. , Dalla Betta G.F. , Neubüser C. , Pancheri L.
Published: February 2023

The development of novel Monolithic Active Pixel Sensor (MAPS) technologies has been pursued by several collaborations in the last two decades. The ARCADIA project aims to design fully depleted MAPS for medical, space, HEP and X-ray detection applications, that can be produced with a commercial 110 nm CMOS production process. Among the test structures of the first two engineering runs of the project, passive pixel arrays with different pitches and layouts were included. The main characteristics of the produced devices in terms of dark current, depletion voltage, punch through current and pixel capacitance have been evaluated from IV and CV characteristics of the pixel arrays. Groups of four samples have been extracted from as many different positions within each wafer and electrically characterized to obtain information on the variability in the pixel operating voltage range and in the pixel dark current, reflecting variations related to the employed production process. The experimental data demonstrated a good uniformity in the considered parameters for different sample positions within the produced wafers, as well as for samples extracted from different wafers with the same substrate type.
Complete design of maximally-automated self-driven control mechanism for a large scale electronics system and its application to the ATLAS Phase-II TGC system
Authors: Aoki T.
Published: February 2023

Establishing a reliable and efficient method to control electronics system consisting of many circuit boards is critical in the system design. Among unique requirements for the control in high energy physics experiments, we propose a maximally-automated and self-driven scheme for a system that exploits FPGAs, flash memory devices, and high-speed optical links. We have demonstrated our ideas in the ATLAS Phase-II Thin Gap Chamber system as the prototype for this new automated scheme. The method is widely applicable and knowledge and experience can be shared with other experiments using an FPGA-based large-scale electronics system.
A bar-joint model based on the corrected resistive force theory for artificial flagellated micro-swimmers propelled by acoustic waves
Authors: Liu Jinan , Fu Yiqiang , Liu Xiongjun , Ruan Haihui
Published: February 2023

In this work, we proposed a bar-joint model based on the corrected resistive force theory (CRFT) for studying artificial flagellated micro-swimmers (AFMSs) propelled by acoustic waves in a two-dimensional (2D) flow field or with a rectangular cross-section. Note that the classical resistive-force theory for 3D cylindrical flagellum leads to over 90% deviation in terminal velocity from those of 2D fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations, while the proposed CRFT bar-joint model can reduce the deviation to below 5%; hence, it enables a reliable prediction of the 2D locomotion of an acoustically actuated AFMS with a rectangular cross-section, which is the case in some experiments. Introduced in the CRFT is a single correction factor K determined by comparing the linear terminal velocities under acoustic actuation obtained from the CRFT with those from simulations. After the determination of K, detailed comparisons of trajectories between the CRFT-based bar-joint AFMS model and the FSI simulation were presented, exhibiting an excellent consistency. Finally, a numerical demonstration of the purely acoustic or magneto-acoustic steering of an AFMS based on the CRFT was presented, which can be one of the choices for future AFMS-based precision therapy.
Identifying determinants of pesticide use behaviors for effective agri-environmental policies: a systematic review
Authors: Wiedemann Ruth , Inauen Jennifer
Published: February 2023

Environmental problems demand for innovative interdisciplinary research to tackle problem complexity and provide insights for problem-solving. Along these lines, behavioral insights have the potential to improve the effectiveness of policies by identifying which behaviors are best tackled and how. In this paper, we present a systematic review of the literature on small-scale farmers’ pesticide use in the Global South to identify (a) pesticide use behaviors and (b) their behavioral determinants. We defined our body of literature by establishing inclusion criteria and screened studies in a two-step process involving multiple coders. From the selected studies (k = 70), we extracted data about farmers’ pesticide use behaviors. We also extracted the determinants of these behaviors with an established framework of behavioral change, the behavior change wheel. Finally, we show how the behavioral insights thus obtained can provide hypotheses on the suitability and ultimate effectiveness of policy instruments for agriculture and environmental protection. Overall, this systematic approach showcases how behavioral insights can be used to systematically gather new knowledge on what works and why in pesticide policy. Additionally, this paper illustrates that the current literature on pesticide use behavior in the Global South lacks standardized and consistent measures of behavior and determinants to provide valid and robust results. Overall, this hampers evidence synthesis and thus scientific progress in the field.
Oil and natural gas wells across the NASA ABoVE domain: fugitive methane emissions and broader environmental impacts
Authors: Klotz Louise A , Sonnentag Oliver , Wang Ziming , Wang Jonathan A , Kang Mary
Published: February 2023

Arctic-boreal regions are experiencing major anthropogenic disturbances in addition to intensifying natural disturbance regimes as a consequence of climate change. Oil and natural gas (OG) activities are extensive in the Arctic-boreal region of western North America, a large portion of which is underlain by permafrost. The total number and distribution of OG wells and their potential fate remain unclear. Consequently, the collective impacts of OG wells on natural and cultural resources, human health and emissions of methane (CH4), are poorly understood. Using public OG well databases, we analysed the distribution of OG wells drilled between 1984 and 2018 across the Core Domain of the NASA Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (‘ABoVE domain’). We identified 242 007 OG wells drilled as of 2018 in the ABoVE domain, of which almost two thirds are now inactive or abandoned OG wells. We found that annual drilling has increased from 269 to 8599 OG wells from 1984 to 2014 with around 1000, 700 and 1800 OG wells drilled annually in evergreen forest, deciduous forest and herbaceous land cover types, respectively. 65 588 OG well sites were underlain by permafrost in 2012. Fugitive CH4 emissions from active and abandoned OG wells drilled in the Canadian portion of the ABoVE domain accounted for approximately 13% of the total anthropogenic CH4 emissions in Canada in 2018. Our analysis identified OG wells as an anthropogenic disturbance in the ABoVE domain with potentially non-negligible consequences to local populations, ecosystems, and the climate system.
Calculable lower bounds on the efficiency of universal sets of quantum gates
Authors: Słowik Oskar , Sawicki Adam
Published: February 2023

Currently available quantum computers, so called Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum devices, are characterized by relatively low number of qubits and moderate gate fidelities. In such scenario, the implementation of quantum error correction is impossible and the performance of those devices is quite modest. In particular, the depth of circuits implementable with reasonably high fidelity is limited, and the minimization of circuit depth is required. Such depths depend on the efficiency of the universal set of gates

used in computation, and can be bounded using the Solovay–Kitaev theorem. However, it is known that much better, asymptotically tight bounds of the form

, can be obtained for specific

. Those bounds are controlled by so called spectral gap, denoted

. Yet, the computation of

is not possible for general

and in practice one considers spectral gap at a certain scale

r
(
ϵ
)

, denoted

. This turns out to be sufficient to bound the efficiency of

provided that one is interested in a physically feasible case, in which an error ϵ is bounded from below. In this paper we derive lower bounds on

and, as a consequence, on the efficiency of universal sets of d-dimensional quantum gates

satisfying an additional condition. The condition is naturally met for generic quantum gates, such as e.g. Haar random gates. Our bounds are explicit in the sense that all parameters can be determined by numerical calculations on existing computers, at least for small d. This is in contrast with known lower bounds on

which involve parameters with ambiguous values.
Lévy models for collapse of the wave function
Authors: Brody Dorje C , Hughston Lane P
Published: February 2023

Recently there has been much progress in the development of stochastic models for state reduction in quantum mechanics. In such models, the collapse of the wave function is a physical process, governed by a nonlinear stochastic differential equation that generalizes the Schrödinger equation. The present paper considers energy-based stochastic extensions of the Schrödinger equation. Most of the work carried out hitherto in this area has been concerned with models where the process driving the stochastic dynamics of the quantum state is Brownian motion. Here, the Brownian framework is broadened to a wider class of models where the noise process is of the Lévy type, admitting stationary and independent increments. The properties of such models are different from those of Brownian reduction models. In particular, for Lévy models the decoherence rate depends on the overall scale of the energy. Thus, in Lévy reduction models, a macroscopic quantum system will spontaneously collapse to an eigenstate even if the energy level gaps are small.
Model of rough surfaces with Gaussian processes
Authors: Jawaid A , Seewig J
Published: February 2023

Surface roughness plays a critical role and has effects in, e.g. fluid dynamics or contact mechanics. For example, to evaluate fluid behavior at different roughness properties, real-world or numerical experiments are performed. Numerical simulations of rough surfaces can speed up these studies because they can help collect more relevant information. However, it is hard to simulate rough surfaces with deterministic or structured components in current methods. In this work, we present a novel approach to simulate rough surfaces with a Gaussian process (GP) and a noise model because GPs can model structured and periodic elements. GPs generalize traditional methods and are not restricted to stationarity so they can simulate a wider range of rough surfaces. In this paper, we summarize the theoretical similarities of GPs with auto-regressive moving-average processes and introduce a linear process view of GPs. We also show examples of ground and honed surfaces simulated by a predefined model. The proposed method can also be used to fit a model to measurement data of a rough surface. In particular, we demonstrate this to model turned profiles and surfaces that are inherently periodic.
The Civil Rights Movement: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Holt Thomas C.
Published: February 2023

The civil rights movement was among the most important historical developments of the twentieth century and one of the most remarkable mass movements in American history. Not only did it decisively change the legal and political status of African Americans, but it prefigured as well the moral premises and methods of struggle for other historically oppressed groups seeking equal standing in American society. And, yet, despite a vague, sometimes begrudging recognition of its immense import, more often than not the Movement has been misrepresented and misunderstood. For the general public, a singular moment, frozen in time at the Lincoln Memorial, sums up much of what Americans know about that remarkable decade of struggle. The Movement provides an informed and nuanced understanding of the origins, character, and objectives of the mid-twentieth-century freedom struggle, privileging the aspirations and initiatives of the ordinary, grassroots people who made it. Emphasizing the conditions of possibility that enabled the heroic initiatives of the common folk over those of their more celebrated leaders, its narrative conveys a sense of what a social movement looks and feels like. Most of all, it shows how an intense historical moment can shape its participants even as they shape it. This groundbreaking book reinserts the critical concept of “movement” back into our image and understanding of the civil rights movement.
Communities organizing for change: New South cities
Authors: Holt Thomas C.
Published: February 2023

The mid-20 century civil rights movement erupted in urban areas where social and economic changes had made successful black resistance to the Jim Crow regime possible. These “New South” cities had witnessed dramatic population growth during and after the two world wars, which promoted greater public transportation services and accommodations, like lunch-counters, restaurant, and hotels. Meanwhile, enjoying greater personal autonomy than they had known in rural areas, black southerners were able to organize and challenge racially discrimination in these ostensibly public facilities. Black churches and colleges provided physical and social spaces for organizing and supporting militant and sustained protests. Moreover, the impetus for these protests generally emerged around specific points of interracial contact that underscored black people’s sense of experiencing a direct, personal insult. Thus the civil rights movement began in these cities, often initiated by individuals followed later by with broader organizational support.
Legacies: “Freedom is a constant struggle”
Authors: Holt Thomas C.
Published: February 2023

In many ways, the civil rights movement provided a prototype for other social movements that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s. The tactics, strategies, and oftentimes many of the principal organizers and leaders of these movements were modelled on or drawn from the African American struggle for civil rights during that period. Such linkages were most evident in the student movements and the more radical women’s movement that emerged or were transformed in the 1960s and 1970s. Their leaders often had had direct, formative social movement experiences from participation in civil rights mobilizations. Although the leaders of the American Indian Movement and the Chicano movement were more likely to have had contentious relations with African American activists, they, too, drew on a well-developed repertoire of movement tactics and strategies in their respective struggles. What all of these had in common, however, was that such struggles are constant and enduring.
Civilization, race, and the politics of uplift
Authors: Holloway Jonathan Scott
Published: February 2023

This chapter moves from the end of Reconstruction in 1877 through the New Negro Renaissance to the cusp of the modern civil rights movement. During this era, black leaders continued to pursue different pathways to full citizenship. The leaders of the National Association of Colored Women believed that a middle-class racial uplift model was the key to success. Booker T. Washington pushed for racial accommodation, while W. E. B. Du Bois believed that an increasingly assertive insistence upon assimilation and full rights was the proper way to proceed. Meanwhile, the artists of the New Negro Renaissance reminded everyone that the line between culture and politics was permeable.
The making of the modern Civil Rights Movement(s)
Authors: Holloway Jonathan Scott
Published: February 2023

This chapter charts the rise of the modern civil rights movement—a term that expands beyond the idea that the movement began in 1955 when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus. The chapter follows the emergence of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and its legal strategies to eliminate racial segregation. Other political movements are examined as counterweights to the NAACP’s efforts to convince the Supreme Court to take on evermore civil rights cases. The chapter details the emergence of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, respectively, taking care to add important nuances to their evolving activism.
Reasons for lay jurors in early modern and modern societies
Authors: Lerner Renée Lettow
Published: February 2023

This chapter discusses why early modern and modern societies use juries. One of the strongest reasons is to alleviate the problem of bias among judges. In the eighteenth century, the prominent English writer William Blackstone gave this as a key reason for juries, and so did the Anti-Federalists at the founding of the United States. In South Korea and Japan in the 2000s, concern about judicial bias prompted introduction of jurors. In the United States, judicial elections make the problem especially acute. The nineteenth-century French political writer Alexis de Tocqueville best described another major rationale: the jury is representative of the people, a form of democracy. This theory proved persuasive in Europe, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Tocqueville also articulated the novel concept of the jury as a school for democracy. A rationale that is often overlooked is that the jury serves the interest of legal professionals—judges and lawyers.
Jury power to nullify the law
Authors: Lerner Renée Lettow
Published: February 2023

This chapter concerns jury power to nullify the law. In common-law countries, the jury has the power to nullify the law through acquittal. Under the double jeopardy rule, the jury’s decision to acquit is final; the prosecution cannot appeal, no matter how strong the evidence of guilt. Most civil-law countries allow the prosecution to appeal, and also use mixed panels of professional judges and lay jurors, so jurors’ ability to nullify is reduced or eliminated. In England and the American colonies in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, juries tended to nullify laws in cases concerning freedom of the press and religion. The most famous example is the Zenger case in America in 1735. American juries today continue to nullify the law. In the South before the civil rights movement, this could take the form of convicting black defendants on flimsy evidence or acquitting white defendants who had murdered black victims.
The scope and form of the jury
Authors: Lerner Renée Lettow
Published: February 2023

This chapter addresses the questions of when juries are used, the size of the jury, whether the jury must be unanimous, and whether jurors form an all-lay jury or sit on a panel with professional judges. Most countries around the world reserve use of lay jurors for serious criminal cases. The United States is an outlier in using juries for civil cases and for minor criminal cases. The traditional number of jurors in common-law countries is twelve, but many countries allow fewer jurors. The chapter reviews the literature about jury size. Traditionally, the English jury had to be unanimous, a result encouraged by keeping jurors from food, drink, light, or heat until they reached their verdict. The United States now requires unanimity as a constitutional rule, but most other countries permit a majority verdict. One of the most successful innovations is the mixed panel of professional judges and lay jurors.
Limitations of lay jurors
Authors: Lerner Renée Lettow
Published: February 2023

This chapter discusses the limitations and drawbacks of lay jurors. Juries sometimes have difficulty understanding judicial instructions and complicated evidence, are susceptible to emotional appeals, may be biased, deliberate in secret without accountability, and require concentrated trial of all issues at once. Jurors endure hardships, including long trials, financial costs, disruption of work and family life, the mental pressure of responsibility, and sometimes danger. The chapter gives examples, including an Australian jury that organized a Sudoku tournament to get through the tedium of trial testimony, and an Indian jury that acquitted Kawas Nanavati of murdering his wife’s lover in the face of overwhelming evidence. The chapter also draws on the work of writers and artists. Using lay jurors effectively requires consideration of both their advantages and disadvantages.
Jury control and avoidance
Authors: Lerner Renée Lettow
Published: February 2023

This chapter addresses ways that legal systems deal with the limitations of juries, either by controlling them or avoiding them. England had a separate legal system, called equity in the Court of Chancery, that used a juryless procedure to decide complicated cases. In the United States in civil cases, pretrial discovery of evidence encourages parties to settle before jury trial, and sometimes judges can award summary judgment without a jury. Almost all countries have virtually abolished civil juries, except the United States. English and American methods of jury control include the law of evidence, judicial instructions on law, and judicial comment on evidence. Appeal of decisions can be a powerful control. In criminal cases, many countries have developed ways around jurors, including abbreviated procedures such as plea bargaining. In the United States, both civil and criminal jury trials are now rare. Some countries have abolished jury trials in all cases.
The future of the jury
Authors: Lerner Renée Lettow
Published: February 2023

The epilogue explores possible jury reforms and the future of the jury. Potential reforms include abolishing peremptory challenges, adopting mixed panels of professional judges and lay jurors, and setting strict time limits on trials. Some of the most innovative possibilities involve online trials. With remote trials, much larger, more representative juries might be possible, as well as prerecorded evidence. Jurors could go on with much of their regular lives while still participating in decision of cases. With online trials, panels of expert jurors would be easier to assemble. Such reforms would require flexibility and willingness to experiment. Those qualities may be key to preserving lay participation in deciding cases.
The multiple dimensions of peace
Authors: Richmond Oliver P.
Published: February 2023

This chapter introduces and explores the varying dimensions of peace in practice and theory. It recognizes how international relations have long been subjected to geopolitical tensions leading to the growing scale of wars, as well as more recently contributing to the failure of peacebuilding, peacekeeping, and mediation tools in Libya, Yemen, and Syria. While peace practices and theories have made huge advances in recent history, violence remains a political and economic tool for authoritarian governments and powerful states. As such this reflects controversies over whether peace or war is the natural condition of humanity. According to a wide range of scientific and historical sources, the emergence of peace is closely correlated to a variety of political, social, economic, and cultural struggles against war and oppression.
Peace in modernity: the constitutional peace
Authors: Richmond Oliver P.
Published: February 2023

This chapter explores the concept of constitutional peace in more detail, drawing on the thinking of Kant in particular as well as other liberals like Locke and Bentham. It emerged during and after the Enlightenment from the idea that peace could be constructed through law, institutions, rights, and prosperity, rather than solely by military power. The chapter also discusses famous European peace treaties such as the Treaty of Westphalia. The constant religious wars in Europe were eventually concluded by an agreement that involved territorial states and a constitutional understanding of peace. Free trade also emerged as a significant component of constitutional peace. The chapter outlines the journey into the modern era of such thinking about peace.
A radical phase: a civil peace and social advocacy
Authors: Richmond Oliver P.
Published: February 2023

This chapter highlights the significance of social advocacy in establishing the notion of peace. It references the importance of the American Revolution by citing that social mobilization for peace stimulated liberal political declarations. Non-violent resistance of large social interest groups historically has aimed to overcome slavery, imperialism, racism, militarization, inequality, and injustice. New technologies of communication, trade, and transport supported the further development of social and advocacy movements, which also spurred the evolution of civil peace, drawing on such movements and capacities. The chapter then outlines the growing role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which operate within the legal context of humanitarian law, and which have become increasingly interested in conflict resolution, reconciliation, justice, human rights, democratization, and other liberal agendas.
Hybrid forms of peace, peace formation, and counter-peace
Authors: Richmond Oliver P.
Published: February 2023

This chapter covers hybrid forms of peace emerging in the contemporary layers of the international peace architecture. This raises issues of historical injustice, global inequality, and long-term sustainability. Hybrid political order and hybrid peace is formed through political contestation involving a range of actors, their preferences, and security interests. An everyday form of peace is its objective. It raises the question of how local forms of legitimacy, or alternative political, social, and economic systems, and norms of peace can engage with the international system. The chapter then looks at peace formation and counter-peace processes. Counter-peace strategies operate to preserve privileges, access to power, and resources.
Two hundred years and counting
Authors: Abbott Carl
Published: February 2023

This concluding chapter identifies trends in global suburbanization in the twenty-first century. Since the 1990s, American-style suburban housing and suburban development, including gated communities, has been very popular among the growing middle class in the countries of Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The American influence can be seen in the choice of names for new developments that evoke Las Vegas or Orlando. In North America, older inner-ring suburbs are being transformed by ethnic change and by changes in retailing. The result is the repurposing of old malls for new businesses and sometimes their retrofit for new uses, such as housing. Some commentators propose that we have entered a postsuburban era, but this chapter suggests that “postsuburban” characteristics have long been found in suburbs and suburbanization in many parts of the world.
The future of addiction
Authors: Humphreys Keith
Published: February 2023

This chapter looks into the future of the landscape of addiction. It expounds on the rise of synthetic drugs, which posed great challenges to traditional approaches to drug control. Corporate control and regulation of producing and supplying addictive drugs are deemed to shape the future of addiction. The chapter also considers the possibility of increased tailoring of addictive products. A more positive outlook into the future of addiction would involve the public demanding politicians to comply with tighter regulations of addictive products and the corporations that supply them. It is also important to expand effective health and social services for people with addiction.
109 OUTCOMES FOLLOWING NECK OF FEMUR FRACTURES IN A UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL
Authors: Sullivan R , McCauley H , Macgregor B , Mulpeter K
Published: February 2023

Background

Neck of femur (NOF) fractures cause significant morbidity and mortality. Many require off site rehabilitation and it can lead to a new functional baseline with increased care needs. The objective of this study was to explore this impact on patients with NOF fractures in a university teaching hospital.

Methods

This retrospective observational study was performed on admitted patients with NOF fractures in 2019. Using a structured proforma, data was collected from the patients’ electronic record and from follow up telephone consultations at one year. Frailty and functional capacity was assessed at one year using the Clinical Frailty Scale and the Barthel Index.

Results

123 patients had a NOF fracture from January to December 2019. The female to men ratio was 2:1 and the average age was 79 years. The majority of patients were admitted from home (86%). At baseline, 58% mobilised independently without aids. On discharge, 39% were transferred to offsite rehab, 41% discharged home and 13% were discharged to a nursing home.

At one year, the mortality rate was 26% which is comparable with other studies [1]. 30% had a new home care package and 19.4% were in a nursing home. 75% were readmitted with a third due to falls. On average, patients were classified as mild to moderately frail (CFS of 4.84) with moderate dependency (Barthel Index of 76.5).

Conclusion

Hip fractures have a high mortality rate and have a significant impact on patient’s function with a third requiring extra support at home and a fifth requiring a nursing home admission. Frailty tools may be useful to help predict outcomes in the future.

Reference

1. Schell et al., The 1-Year Mortality of Patients Treated in a Hip Fracture Program for Elders, Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2010 Sep; 1(1): 6–14.
155 CHARACTERISTICS AND PREDICTORS OF INPATIENT FALLS IN A GERIATRIC REHABILITATION UNIT
Authors: Smyth H , O'Connor A , O'Connor S , Mello S
Published: February 2023

Background

Falls are one of the most frequent complications on geriatric rehabilitation wards. In addition to having adverse consequences for patients, falls also result in prolonged hospitalisation and increased healthcare costs. Therefore, identification of risk factors and development of successful falls prevention strategies targeted at this population are essential. The aim of this study is to identify predisposing or situational risk factors contributing to falls in older adults completing post-acute inpatient rehabilitation.

Methods

Retrospective review of all inpatient falls on two geriatric rehabilitation units over a one year period identified from incident forms. Chi-squared test was used to calculate differences between fallers and non-fallers.

Results

One in five patients admitted to the unit suffered a fall (average age 81, 52% male) with a total of 95 falls involving 56 patients. Of these, only 77% (n = 43) were identified as high risk on falls screening. 61% (n = 34) had one fall and 39% (n = 22) had two or more falls. Nearly one in three (n = 15) falls resulted in injury. More falls occurred in the single bedded unit (14.8 per 1,000 bed-days) as compared to the multi-bedded unit (6.8 per 1,000 bed days). Use of a Zimmer frame or rollator was associated with more falls than use of other mobility aids. Fallers tended to have a previous history of falls (75%, n = 42) and polypharmacy (average 10 medications). Delirium and dementia were present in one third of fallers. Falls were associated with a higher risk of discharge to long-term care, with 70% of fallers discharged home compared to 89% of non-fallers (p = 0.0006).

Conclusion

Previous falls, single room occupancy, polypharmacy and a medium level of dependency when mobilizing were identified as predictors of falls in our review. Nearly a quarter of fallers were not identified as high falls risk on screening further questioning the utility of falls risk screening assessments.
78 HIGHER NEUROVASCULAR SIGNAL ENTROPY IS ASSOCIATED WITH ACCELERATED BRAIN AGEING
Authors: Knight S , Boyle R , Newman L , Davis J , Rizzo R , Duggan E , De Looze C , Whelan R , Kenny R A , Romero-Ortuno R
Published: February 2023

Background

Often chronological age is not the most accurate marker of an individual’s health status since ageing is a heterogeneous process across individuals. Machine learning can be used to quantify the relationship between structural brain MRI data and chronological age, to estimate an individual’s ‘brain age’, which, when subtracted from chronological age, provides a brain predicted-age difference score (BrainPAD) [1]. BrainPAD reflects the biological ageing of the brain. Increased complexity in neurovascular signals has been shown to be associated with poorer cognitive performance and physical frailty [2]. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between the complexity of frontal-lobe oxygenation (tissue saturation index (TSI)) data and BrainPAD in a cohort of older community-dwelling adults.

Methods

To calculate BrainPAD, machine learning was applied to 1,359 T1-weighted MRI brain scans from various open-access repositories, and this model was subsequently applied to MRI data acquired from the study cohort. TSI was non-invasively measured in the left frontal lobe using near-infrared spectroscopy. TSI data were acquired continuously during five minutes of supine rest and the last minute was utilized in this analysis. The complexity of TSI signals was quantified using sample entropy (SampEn). Multivariable linear regression was employed, controlling for age, sex, education, antihypertensive medications, diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, smoking, alcohol, depression, BMI, physical activity, and blood pressure.

Results

Complete data were available for 397 individuals (age: 67.9 ± 7.7 years; 53.7% female). An increase in TSI SampEn of 0.1 was associated with an increase in BrainPAD of 0.9 years (P = 0.007, 95%CIs: 0.3 to 1.6). Similar results were found with and without the inclusion of chronological age in the models.

Conclusion

This study reports significant associations between higher complexity in peripherally measured frontal lobe oxygenation concentration and accelerated brain ageing.

References

1. Boyle R. et al. Brain Imaging and Behavior. 15,327–345 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-020-00260-3.

2. Knight S. et al. Entropy. 23(1):4 (2021) https://doi.org/10.3390/e23010004.
Burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Attributable to Tuberculosis: A Microsimulation Study
Authors: Sy Karla Therese L , Horváth-Puhó Erzsébet , Sørensen Henrik Toft , Szépligeti Szimonetta Komjáthiné , Heeren Timothy C , Thomsen Reimar W , Fox Matthew P , Horsburgh, Jr. C Robert
Published: February 2023

Tuberculosis (TB) is a risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but COPD is also a predictor of TB. The excess life-years lost to COPD caused by TB can potentially be saved by screening for and treating TB infection. We examined the number of life-years that could be saved by preventing TB and TB-attributable COPD. We compared the observed (no intervention) and counterfactual microsimulation models constructed from observed rates in the Danish National Patient Registry (covering all Danish hospitals between 1995 and 2014). In the Danish population of TB and COPD-naive individuals (n = 5,206,922), 27,783 persons (0.5%) developed TB. Among those who developed TB, 14,438 (52.0%) developed TB with COPD. Preventing TB saved 186,469 life-years overall. The excess number of life-years lost to TB alone was 7.07 years per person, and the additional number of life-years lost among persons who developed COPD after TB was 4.86 years per person. The life-years lost to TB-associated COPD are substantial, even in regions where TB can be expected to be identified and treated promptly. Prevention of TB could prevent a substantial amount of COPD-related morbidity; the benefit of screening and treatment for TB infection is underestimated by considering morbidity from TB alone.
The effect of individual state on the strength of mate choice in females and males
Authors: Dougherty Liam R
Published: February 2023

Animals are thought to gain significant fitness benefits from choosing high-quality or compatible mates. However, there is large within-species variation in how choosy individuals are during mating. This may be because the costs and benefits of being choosy vary according to an individual’s state. To test this, I systematically searched for published data relating the strength of animal mate choice in both sexes to individual age, attractiveness, body size, physical condition, mating status, and parasite load. I performed a meta-analysis of 108 studies and 78 animal species to quantify how the strength of mate choice varies according to individual state. In line with the predictions of sexual selection theory, I find that females are significantly choosier when they are large and have a low parasite load, thus supporting the premise that the expression of female mate choice is dependent on the costs and benefits of being choosy. However, female choice was not influenced by female age, attractiveness, physical condition, or mating status. Attractive males were significantly choosier than unattractive males, but male mate choice was not influenced by male age, body size, physical condition, mating status, or parasite load. However, this dataset was limited by a small sample size, and the overall correlation between individual state and the strength of mate choice was similar for both sexes. Nevertheless, in both males and females individual state explained only a small amount of variation in the strength of mate choice.