bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive optimal formation control for unmanned surface vehicles with guaranteed performance using actor‐critic learning architecture
Authors: Chen Lin , Dong Chao , He Shude , Dai Shi‐Lu
Published: February 2023

In this article, an optimized formation control algorithm is presented for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) with collision avoidance and prescribed performance. The prescribed formation geometry is designed in the leader‐follower formation architecture, in which each vehicle tracks its intermediary leader with preserving a desired separation. A prescribed performance control design technique is introduced to guarantee the transient and steady‐state performance specifications on formation errors. Radial basis function neural networks (NNs) are employed to approximate modeling uncertainties including damping terms and unmodeled dynamics. Based on an actor‐critic learning strategy, a reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm is proposed to ensure the optimality of formation control and the specified tracking accuracy simultaneously, in which actor NNs take appropriate control behaviors by interacting with the external environment, and critic NNs evaluate the control performance and generate a reinforcement signal to actor NNs for facilitating the improvement of subsequent behaviors. Stability analysis shows that the proposed optimal formation controller achieves semi‐global uniform ultimate boundedness of closed‐loop adaptive systems with prescribed performance. Comparative simulation results illustrate the effectiveness and superiority of the presented control algorithm.
Adaptive fuzzy fixed‐time control for non‐triangular structural stochastic switching nonlinear systems
Authors: Xu Ke , Wang Huanqing , Liu Peter Xiaoping
Published: February 2023

In this article, the problem of adaptive fixed‐time tracking control is addressed for non‐triangular structural stochastic switching nonlinear systems. Fuzzy logic systems are used to compensate for unknown nonlinearities, and in the meantime, to avoid the algebraic loop problem, which exists in traditional backstepping controller design processes for non‐triangular structural nonlinear systems. The unknown control gain problem is addressed by the construction of proper Lyapunov function candidates. By employing Lyapunov stability theorem, all the closed‐loop signals can be ensured to be semi‐globally practical fixed‐time stable, the output signal can track the desired signal, and the tracking error can converge to a small zone around the origin. The effectiveness of the developed control approach is verified through simulation results.
Validation of the harmonized partial factor method for design and assessment of concrete structures as proposed for fib model code 2020
Authors: Caspeele Robby , Van Den Hende Karel
Published: February 2023

When considering the assessment of concrete structures, a consistent approach to assess the safety level of existing structures in an objective and well‐founded way is currently still lacking in practice. As such, fib TG3.1 has developed proposals for the quantification of adjusted partial factors for the assessment of existing structures and has harmonized these proposals with partial factors for design. This resulted in a set of equations and tabulated values for the determination of partial factors for the design of new structures as well as the assessment of existing structures, currently under consideration for the fib Model Code 2020 (MC2020). In this contribution, the equations and tabulated values for partial factors as proposed for MC2020 are briefly summarized and applied in a full‐probabilistic first order reliability method (FORM) analysis in order to assess the accuracy of the proposal with respect to reaching chosen target reliability levels. The proposals appear to lead to a consistent and adequate framework for both design and assessment, that enables targeted safety levels to be achieved.
Nanomaterials for Fluorescence and Multimodal Bioimaging
Authors: Sobhanan Jeladhara , Anas Abdulaziz , Biju Vasudevanpillai
Published: February 2023

Bioconjugated nanomaterials replace molecular probes in bioanalysis and bioimagingin vitroandin vivo. Nanoparticles of silica, metals, semiconductors, polymers, and supramolecular systems, conjugated with contrast agents and drugs for image‐guided (MRI, fluorescence, PET, Raman, SPECT, photodynamic, photothermal, and photoacoustic) therapy infiltrate into preclinical and clinical settings. Small bioactive molecules like peptides, proteins, or DNA conjugated to the surfaces of drugs or probes help us to interface them with cells and tissues. Nevertheless, the toxicity and pharmacokinetics of nanodrugs, nanoprobes, and their components become the clinical barriers, underscoring the significance of developing biocompatible next‐generation drugs and contrast agents. This account provides state‐of‐the‐art advancements in the preparation and biological applications of bioconjugated nanomaterials and their molecular, cell, andin vivoapplications. It focuses on the preparation, bioimaging, and bioanalytical applications of monomodal and multimodal nanoprobes composed of quantum dots, quantum clusters, iron oxide nanoparticles, and a few rare earth metal ion complexes.
Optimization of phosphorus recovery using electrochemical struvite precipitation and comparison with iron electrocoagulation system
Authors: Bhoi Gyana P. , Singh Kripa S. , Connor Dennis A.
Published: February 2023

A batch monopolar reactor was developed for total phosphorus (TP) recovery using electrochemical struvite precipitation. This study involves the optimization of factors using response surface methodology to maximize the TP recovery. The optimal parameters for this study were found to be a pH of 8.40, a retention time of 35 min, a current density of 300 A/m2, and an interelectrode distance of 0.5 cm, resulting in 97.3% of TP recovery and energy consumption of 2.35 kWh/m3. A kinetic study for TP removal revealed that at optimum operating conditions, TP removal follows second‐order kinetics (removal rate constant(K) = 0.0117 mg/(m2·min)). The system performance was compared to the performance of an iron electrocoagulation system. The composition of the precipitate obtained during the optimal runs were analyzed using X‐ray diffraction and EDS analysis. X‐ray diffraction analysis of the magnesium precipitate revealed the presence of struvite as the only crystalline compound.

Practitioner Points

Electrochemical struvite precipitation has the potential to recover total phosphorus from anaerobic bioreactor effluent.

Optimum conditions for phosphorus recovery was found at a pH of 8.4, retention time of 35 min, current density of 300 A/m2, and interelectrode distance of 0.5 cm.

The quadratic model predicted complete (100 %) TP recovery under optimized conditions, whereas 97.3 % recovery was observed under experimental conditions.

TP removal under optimum conditions followed second‐order rate equation (removal rate constant(K) = 0.0117 mg/(m2·min)).

XRD analysis of the precipitate revealed struvite as the only crystalline compound.
The three major themes of women's birthing experiences: A qualitative study in Saudi National Guard hospitals
Authors: Almahmoud Hanin , Al‐Bsheish Mohammad , Cozad Melanie , Shams Taghreed , Almahmoud Hadeel
Published: February 2023

Childbirth is the most significant interaction between pregnant women and the health system. Women's satisfaction during the birthing process is an essential indicator of care quality because satisfaction reflects the gaps between expected and actual care and services. In‐depth studies of women's birthing experiences and maternity services provided in public and private sectors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are needed to improve the health system. Such studies are particularly critical because ongoing privatization policies continue to change Saudi Arabia's approach to childbirth. This qualitative study drew on 78 semistructured interviews to better understand the key themes that arose regarding women's satisfaction with their birthing experiences. The study compared women's birthing experiences in public and private sections of two selected National Guard hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The findings yielded three major themes as follows: Hospitals, Doctors, and Nurses. Overall, women in the public sections of hospitals were less satisfied with their quality care due to a lack of privacy, and the respondents reported receiving mediocre attention from nurses when compared with that received by women in private sections. The study's findings stand to inform policymakers about the current situation of the Saudi Arabian health‐care system and the services rendered. Thus, leaders implementing strategic plans should pay careful attention to the three revealed themes to create better care quality and increase women's satisfaction during privatization.
An Eshelby inclusion in a nonlinearly coupled thermoelectric bi‐material and tri‐material
Authors: Wang Xu , Schiavone Peter
Published: February 2023

We first derive an analytic solution to Eshelby's problem concerning a circular inclusion within one of two perfectly bonded nonlinearly coupled thermoelectric half‐planes. The inclusion undergoes a prescribed uniform electric current‐free thermoelectric potential gradient and a prescribed uniform energy flux‐free temperature gradient. Closed‐form expressions for the six analytic functions characterizing the thermoelectric fields of electric current density and energy flux in all three phases of the composite are obtained primarily with the aid of analytic continuation. A general method is then proposed for the analytic solution of Eshelby's problem of an inclusion of arbitrary shape in a nonlinearly coupled thermoelectric bi‐material. Finally, we extend our ideas to the case of a tri‐material by developing an analytic solution to the thermoelectric problem associated with a circular Eshelby inclusion in a nonlinearly coupled thermoelectric tri‐material composed of two semi‐infinite thermoelectric media bonded together through an intermediate thermoelectric layer of finite thickness.
Soft theorems for boosts and other time symmetries
Authors: Hui Lam , Joyce Austin , Komissarov Ilia , Parmentier Klaas , Santoni Luca , Wong Sam S. C.
Published: February 2023

Abstract

We derive soft theorems for theories in which time symmetries — symmetries that involve the transformation of time, an example of which are Lorentz boosts — are spontaneously broken. The soft theorems involve unequal-time correlation functions with the insertion of a soft Goldstone in the far past. Explicit checks are provided for several examples, including the effective theory of a relativistic superfluid and the effective field theory of inflation. We discuss how in certain cases these unequal-time identities capture information at the level of observables that cannot be seen purely in terms of equal-time correlators of the field alone. We also discuss when it is possible to phrase these soft theorems as identities involving equal-time correlators.
The Association between Religiosity and Fertility Intentions Via Grandparenting: Evidence from GGS Data
Authors: Dantis Charalampos , Rizzi Ester Lucia , Baudin Thomas
Published: February 2023

Although the literature concerning the association between religiosity and fertility in European countries is already quite extensive, studies exploring the mechanisms of action of religiosity are rare. The main aim of this article is to investigate whether grandparental childcare is a mediating or moderating variable in the association between attendance at religious services and the intention to have a second or third child. Building on previous literature, we assume that parents who are more religious might put more effort into establishing a positive relation with the grandparents of their child/children. Consequently, compared to parents who are less religious, those who are more religious could be more receptive to possible encouragement from grandparents to have another child and may be more optimistic regarding grandparents’ involvement with an additional child. Using Generations and Gender Survey (GGS) data for eleven European countries, we find evidence of a strong and positive effect of attendance at religious services on fertility intentions. Receipt of regular or weekly help from grandparents positively moderates the association between attendance at religious services and fertility intentions, albeit only for male respondents and mainly for the intention to have a second child.
Ultradiscrete hard-spring equation and its phase plane analysis
Authors: Isojima Shin , Suzuki Seiichiro
Published: February 2023

Ultradiscretization enables us to construct a piecewise linear equation which approximates a given subtraction-free difference equation. Recently proposed “ultradiscretization with parity variables” (pUD) can treat an equation with subtraction. However, its solution may have an infinite number of branches under some specific conditions. In this paper, solutions of pUD for the hard-spring equation is investigated. The pUD equation is reinterpreted as the mapping which maps a set on the phase plane to another one, and the behaviour of the solutions are analyzed through approximative transition diagrams.As a result, the infinite branches are translated into a few finite branches and allowed easier understanding.
Benchmarking automotive nonwoven composites from date palm midrib and spadix fibers in comparison to commercial leaf fibers
Authors: Elseify Lobna A. , Midani Mohamad , El-Badawy Ayman A. , Seyam Abdel-Fattah M. , Jawaid Mohammad
Published: February 2023

In an attempt to increase the biodiversity of natural fibers, new sources of natural fibers should be discovered. Long textile-grade date palm (DP) fibers were used in the manufacturing of 50:50 polypropylene nonwoven composite. DP fibers are considered newcomers to the natural fiber library. The main aim of this work was to benchmark different types of DP fiber composites in comparison to other commercial leaf fiber composites, namely, sisal, abaca, and banana, in addition to FlexForm automotive composites. The composites were mechanically and physically characterized in order to determine their properties. The results showed that the void content in DP composites was lower than that in sisal and abaca by 33% and 40% respectively. DP composites have tensile strength within the same range as sisal composites and higher than that of banana by nearly 33%. The modulus of elasticity and failure strain of DP composites were nearly 3 GPa and up to 3% respectively. The flexural strength of DP composites (35 MPa) was in the same range as that of sisal and abaca. The normalized impact energy of DP composites was higher than that of banana by 50%. The dynamic mechanical analysis of the six composites showed similar behavior with a glass transition temperature around 10 °C. Finally, the water absorption behavior of DP composites was better than the other composites (lower than sisal by 63%). The results showed that DP fibers are good candidates for applications in automotive interior composites, given their competitive performance and high potential availability.
Moderate Stability among Delay, Probability, and Effort Discounting in Humans
Authors: Escobar Gisel G. , Morales-Chainé Silvia , Haynes Jeremy M. , Santoyo Carlos , Mitchell Suzanne H.
Published: February 2023

The stability of delay discounting across time has been well-established. However, limited research has examined the stability of probability discounting, and no studies of the stability of effort discounting are available. The present study assessed the steady-state characteristics of delay, probability, and effort discounting tasks across time with hypothetical rewards in humans, as well as whether response characteristics suggested a common discounting equation. Participants completed delay, probability, and effort discounting tasks on three occasions. We found moderate relative stability of delay and probability tasks, and similar evidence for absolute stability across time for all tasks. The interclass correlations coefficient showed some correspondence across time points and tasks, and higher levels of between subject variability, especially for the effort discounting task, suggesting trait level variables has a stronger influence on performance than state level variables. Performance on the delay and probability tasks were moderately correlated and similar mathematical functions fit choice patterns on both tasks (hyperbolic), suggesting that delay and probability discounting processes shared some common elements. Lower correlations and different function fits suggested that effort discounting involves more unique features.
A note on properly discontinuous actions
Authors: Kapovich M.
Published: February 2023

We compare various notions of proper discontinuity for group actions. We also discuss fundamental domains and criteria for cocompactness.
A Galvin–Hajnal theorem for generalized cardinal characteristics
Authors: Lambie-Hanson Chris
Published: February 2023

We prove that a variety of generalized cardinal characteristics, including meeting numbers, the reaping number, and the dominating number, satisfy an analogue of the Galvin–Hajnal theorem, and hence also of Silver’s theorem, at singular cardinals of uncountable cofinality.
Prediction of Prednisolone Dose Correction Using Machine Learning
Authors: Sato Hiroyasu , Kimura Yoshinobu , Ohba Masahiro , Ara Yoshiaki , Wakabayashi Susumu , Watanabe Hiroaki
Published: February 2023

Wrong dose, a common prescription error, can cause serious patient harm, especially in the case of high-risk drugs like oral corticosteroids. This study aims to build a machine learning model to predict dose-related prescription modifications for oral prednisolone tablets (i.e., highly imbalanced data with very few positive cases). Prescription data were obtained from the electronic medical records at a single institute. Cluster analysis classified the clinical departments into six clusters with similar patterns of prednisolone prescription. Two patterns of training datasets were created with/without preprocessing by the SMOTE method. Five ML models (SVM, KNN, GB, RF, and BRF) and logistic regression (LR) models were constructed by Python. The model was internally validated by five-fold stratified cross-validation and was validated with a 30% holdout test dataset. Eighty-two thousand five hundred fifty-three prescribing data for prednisolone tablets containing 135 dose-corrected positive cases were obtained. In the original dataset (without SMOTE), only the BRF model showed a good performance (in test dataset, ROC-AUC:0.917, recall: 0.951). In the training dataset preprocessed by SMOTE, performance was improved on all models. The highest performance models with SMOTE were SVM (in test dataset, ROC-AUC: 0.820, recall: 0.659) and BRF (ROC-AUC: 0.814, recall: 0.634). Although the prescribing data for dose-related collection are highly imbalanced, various techniques such as the following have allowed us to build high-performance prediction models: data preprocessing by SMOTE, stratified cross-validation, and BRF classifier corresponding to imbalanced data. ML is useful in complicated dose audits such as oral prednisolone.
5-Hydroxymethylfurfural synthesis from fructose over deep eutectic solvents in batch reactors and continuous flow microreactors
Authors: Ruan Chencong , Heeres Hero Jan , Yue Jun
Published: February 2023

In this work, a deep eutectic solvent (DES) composed of choline chloride (ChCl) and ethylene glycol (EG) was prepared and applied for the conversion of fructose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), catalyzed by HCl in both laboratory batch reactors and continuous flow microreactors. The effects of reaction temperature, batch time, catalyst loading and molar ratio of ChCl to EG on the fructose conversion and HMF yield were first investigated in the monophasic batch system of ChCl/EG DES. To inhibit HMF-involved side reactions (e.g., its polymerization to humins), methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) was used as the extraction agent to form a biphasic system with DES in batch reactors. As a result, the maximum HMF yield could be enhanced at an MIBK to DES volume ratio of 3:1, e.g., increased from 48% in the monophasic DES (with a molar ratio ChCl to EG at 1:3) to 63% in the biphasic system at 80°C and 5 mol% of HCl loading. Based on the optimized results in batch reactors, biphasic experiments were conducted in capillary microreactors under slug flow operation, where a maximum HMF yield of ca. 61% could be obtained in 13 min, which is similar to that in batch under otherwise the same conditions. The slight mass transfer limitation in microreactors was confirmed by performing experiments with microreactors of varying length, and comparing the characteristic mass transfer time and reaction time, indicating further room for improvement.

Highlights

• The efficient fructose conversion to HMF in deep eutectic solvents was achieved in batch reactors and microreactors.

• An HMF yield over 60% could be obtained at a fructose conversion above 90% in both reactors at 80°C within 14 min.

• The HMF yield was enhanced from 48% in the monophasic ChCl/EG system to 63% in the DES-MBIK biphasic system in batch.

• A slight mass transfer limitation was found in the biphasic slug flow microreactor.

Graphical Abstract
3D-printed sound absorbers: compact and customisable at broadband frequencies
Authors: Setaki F. , Tian F. , Turrin Michela , Tenpierik M. , Nijs L. , van Timmeren A.
Published: February 2023

This paper discusses a novel, compact sound absorption solution with high performance at various frequencies, including low frequencies, achieved through the effective use of Computational Design and Additive Manufacturing (AM). Sound absorption is widely applied for reducing noise and improving room acoustics; however, it is often constrained by conventional design, material properties and production techniques, which offer limited options for customising performance. This research highlights that AM, in combination with computational design tools, can support the development of novel sound-absorbing products with high performance based on the principle of viscothermal wave propagation in prismatic tubes. The potential of these designs was explored via two studies of customised sound-absorbing panels whose performance was measured in a reverberation room. A custom measurement technique was used based on logarithmic sweeps with high-resolution FFT analysis. A comparison of the measurement results with the theory of viscothermal wave propagation indicated good agreement; thus, this study demonstrates the possibility of developing new concepts and design methods for novel room acoustic devices.
Queering Medieval Latin Rhetoric
Authors: Townsend David
Published: February 2023

This book reflects on what medieval Latin authors don't say about the sex nobody had-or maybe some had-and about how they don't say it. Their silences are artfully constructed, according to a rhetorical tradition reaching back to classical practice and theory. The strategy of preterition calls attention to something scandalous precisely by claiming to pass over it. Because it gestures toward what's missing from the text itself, it epitomizes a destabilizing reliance on audience reaction that informs the whole of classical rhetoric's technology of persuasion. Medieval Latin preterition invites our growing awareness, when we attend to it closely, that silence is not single, but that silences are multiple. Their multiplicity consists not in what preterition is, but in what it does. Preterition's multiple silences enabled subversive interpretations by individuals and communities marginalized under dominant regimes of sexuality-as they still do today.
The State of Post-Conflict Reconstruction
Authors: Badiey Naseem
Published: February 2023

Traces the dynamics of state-building in Juba, Southern Sudan 2005-2011, revealing how underlying ties of ethnicity and land dominated the actions of the various parties in post-conflict reconstruction and how these may continue to influence power and resource-sharing in the newly independent state of South Sudan.
Analysis of COVID-19 Infection Chains in a School Setting: Data From a School-Based rRT-PCR–Gargle Pool Test System
Authors: Gruendl Magdalena , Kheiroddin Parastoo , Althammer Michael , Schöberl Patricia , Rohrmanstorfer René , Wallerstorfer Daniel , Ambrosch Andreas , Kabesch Michael
Published: February 2023

Background:

School testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was implemented in some countries to monitor and prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmissions. Here, we analyze infection chains in primary schools and household members of infected students based on systematic real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase-chain-reaction (rRT-PCR)–gargle pool testing.

Methods:

Students and school staff (N = 4300) of all 38 primary schools in the rural county of Cham, Germany, were tested twice per week with a gargle pool rRT-PCR system from April to July of 2021. Infection chains of all 8 positive cases identified by school testing were followed up.

Results:

In total, 8 positive cases were found by gargle pool PCR testing based on 96,764 school tests. While no transmissions occurred in the school setting, 20 of 27 household members of the 8 cases tested positive. The overall attack rate was 74.1% in families.

Conclusions:

No school outbreaks occurred during the study period. All cases but 1 were initially picked up by school testing. No transmission from school to families was observed.
A Scoping Review of Pediatric Mass-Casualty Incident Triage Algorithms
Authors: El Tawil Chady , Bergeron Amy , Khalil Elene
Published: February 2023

Objective:

For the pediatric population, there is no consensus on which triage system to use for mass-casualty incidents (MCI). A scoping review was conducted to identify the most accurate triage system for pediatric patients in MCIs.

Methods:

MEDLINE (NLM, Bethesda, MA, USA), Embase (Elsevier Inc., Amsterdam, Netherlands), CINAHL (EBSCO Information Services, Ipswitch, MA, USA), and The Cochrane CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials (John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ, USA), as well as Scopus (Elsevier Inc., Amsterdam, Netherlands), Global Health (Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International, Wallingford, UK), Global Health Archive (Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International, Wallingford, UK), and Global Index Medicus (World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland) were searched for relevant studies that were divided into 3 categories: accuracy of a single system, comparison of 2 or more primary triage system and comparison of secondary triage systems. Grey literature was also searched.

Results:

996 studies were identified from which 18 studies were included. Systems studied were found to have poor inter-rater reliability, had a low level of agreement between providers, had missed critically ill patients or were not externally validated. 11 studies compared pediatric MCI triage algorithms using different strategies and the most accurate algorithm was not identified. A recently developed secondary triage system, specifically for pediatric patients, was found to perform better than the comparison triage system.

Conclusion:

Although some algorithms performed better than others, no primary triage algorithm was accurate enough for the pediatric population. However, only 1 secondary triage algorithm was found to be superior to the others.
Spatio-temporal dynamics of a two-layer pressure-driven flow subjected to a wall-normal temperature gradient
Authors: Patne Ramkarn , Chandarana Jaikishan
Published: February 2023

The present study investigates the linear spatio-temporal and weakly nonlinear stability of a pressure-driven two-layer channel flow subjected to a wall-normal temperature gradient commonly encountered in industrial applications. The liquid–liquid interface tension is assumed to be a linearly decreasing function of temperature. The study employs both numerical (pseudo-spectral method) and long-wave approaches. The general linear stability analysis (GLSA) predicts shear-flow and thermocapillary modes that arise due to the imposed pressure and temperature gradients, respectively. The previous stability analyses of the same problem predicted a negligible effect of the pressure-driven flow on the linear stability of the system. However, the GLSA reveals stabilising and destabilising effects of the pressure-driven flow depending on the viscosity ratio (

$\mu _r$

), thermal conductivity ratio (

$\kappa _r$

), interface position (

$H$

) and the sign of the imposed temperature gradient (

$\beta _1$

). The analysis predicts a range of

$H$

for given

$\mu _r$

and

$\kappa _r$

, which can not be stabilised by the thermocapillarity. The numerically predicted long-wave instability is then captured using the long-wave asymptotic approach. The arguments based on the physical mechanism further successfully explain the role of

$\mu _r$

,

$\kappa _r$

,

$H$

, the sign of

$\beta _1$

and the interaction between the velocity and temperature perturbations in stabilising/destabilising the flow. The spatio-temporal analysis reveals the dominance of the spanwise mode in causing the absolutely unstable flow. The weakly nonlinear analysis reveals a subcritical pitchfork bifurcation without shear flow. However, with the shear flow, the streamwise mode undergoes a supercritical Hopf bifurcation.
Local, democratic community justice in the Mental Health Act 1983
Authors: Webb Thomas E
Published: February 2023

Associate Hospital Managers (AHMs) are members of the local community with a power under section 23 of the Mental Health Act 1983 to discharge people from compulsory mental health care against medical advice. They provide scrutiny of professional decisions and, in so doing, protect patient liberty by providing review of compulsory care. Abolition of the AHMs has been contemplated on numerous occasions, most recently by the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983 (December 2018), the White Paper on ‘Reforming the Mental Health Act’ (January 2021) and the Government's response (July 2021). Through an historical and contemporary consideration of the section 23 power spanning 1808–2022, this paper argues that removal of the AHMs would be detrimental to the legitimacy of the 1983 Act. This is because the abolition of the AHMs would undermine the principles of local, democratic, community oversight entailed by section 23, and found nowhere else in the Act. The Draft Mental Health Bill (June 2022) does not address these concerns.
Development and validation of the Male Post-coital Affect Scale for heterosexual men
Authors: Pérez Marta , Hoppe Jørgen , Landau Anne M. , Winterdahl Michael
Published: February 2023

Objective:

The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Male Post-coital Affect Scale (MPAS), which was developed to assess positive post-coital feelings in men.

Methods:

After a pilot study, we validated our scale on a sample of American heterosexual men, who answered our questionnaire on the internet through Amazon Mechanical Turk. We tested the reliability using internal consistency. The validity was examined by assessing content, face and construct validity by testing the association between our scale, the Experience in Close Relationships Scale and other instruments.

Results:

A total of 484 volunteers were included in the study. Cronbach’s α for the scale was 0.83. Our scale was negatively correlated with attachment avoidance, r(482) = −0.36, p < 0.001) and Perceived Stress Scale, r(482) = −0.18, p < 0.001, and positively correlated with sexual satisfaction, r(482) = 0.18, p < 0.001.

Conclusion:

The MPAS is a reliable and valid tool to assess positive post-coital feelings in men.
Happy birthday: you get to vote!
Authors: Seljan Ellen , Gronke Paul
Published: February 2023

This paper estimates the effect of automatic voter registration (AVR) on voter turnout in California and Oregon. AVR systems register to vote all eligible individuals who transact with proscribed government agencies, most commonly the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMVs). The article isolates one part of the causal impact of AVR on turnout by taking advantage of a temporal feature of license renewals. Many individuals interact with the DMV periodically due to the need to renew drivers' licenses. Because licenses in both California and Oregon expire on birthdays, an individual's birth date can be treated as an exogenous variable discriminating between some individuals who are registered to vote in time for the election, while others are not. Our instrumental variable analysis compares registration and voting rates for individuals with birth dates prior and subsequent to the voter registration deadline. After calculating a causal effect of AVR on turnout at the individual level, we extrapolate this AVR “birthday” effect to overall voter turnout for these states.
Eat Your Way to Health: A History of Ability in the Progressive Era
Authors: MACKERT NINA
Published: February 2023

The article introduces the approach of a critical ability history by analyzing Progressive Era diet advice. It shows how calorie counting reframed health as an ability resulting from individuals’ responsible self-conduct. At that time, novel understandings of bodies and health, techniques of measuring them, and hopes of improving them in the name of eugenics and industrial capitalism suggested that bodies and health were malleable and that it was the duty of individual citizens to care for and shape them. As such, health as ability became a terrain of exclusion as well as of struggles for citizenship recognition.
The lasting impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on head and neck cancer services: a UK tertiary centre study
Authors: Taylor R , Khan A , Omakobia E , Sood S
Published: February 2023

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic led to increased pressure on health services, which, combined with variable social restrictions, led to decreased referrals for head and neck cancer. This study assessed whether there were lasting changes to head and neck cancer referrals during different stages of the pandemic response in 2020 and 2021.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted of all cases referred for suspected head and neck cancer to our institution in January 2020, April 2020, April 2021 and June 2021.

Results

There was a rebound 91 per cent increase in referrals between April 2020 and April 2021 following the 59 per cent decrease in referrals between January 2020 and April 2020. Males made up 47.1 per cent of referrals in January 2020, 40 per cent in April 2020 and 37.82 per cent in April 2021.

Conclusion

Further research is recommended to investigate the reasons why there is a continued decline in male referrals and the effect this has on their outcomes.
Shearless bifurcations in particle transport for reversed-shear tokamaks
Authors: Grime G.C. , Roberto M. , Viana R.L. , Elskens Y. , Caldas I.L.
Published: February 2023

Some internal transport barriers in tokamaks have been related to the vicinity of extrema of the plasma equilibrium profiles. This effect is numerically investigated by considering the guiding-centre trajectories of plasma particles undergoing

$\boldsymbol {E}\times \boldsymbol {B}$

drift motion, considering that the electric field has a stationary non-monotonic radial profile and an electrostatic fluctuation. In addition, the equilibrium configuration has a non-monotonic safety factor profile. The numerical integration of the equations of motion yields a symplectic map with shearless barriers. By changing the safety factor profile parameters, the appearance and breakup of these shearless curves are observed. The shearless curve's successive breakup and recovery are explained using concepts from bifurcation theory. We also present bifurcation sequences associated with the creation of multiple shearless curves. Physical consequences of scenarios with multiple shearless curves are discussed.
Research on effects of different internal structures on the grasping performance of Fin Ray soft grippers
Authors: Yao Jiaqiang , Fang Yuefa , Li Luquan
Published: February 2023

Fin Ray soft grippers, as a notable passive compliant structures, can be easily actuated by external devices to adapt their shape to conform to a grasped object. Their unique ability is aided by their V-shaped structure and morphable material utilized by the Fin Ray finger. Thus, when the internal structure changes, the adaptability and grasping abilities also change. However, related works focus on the effects of changing key parameters on the grasping performance based on the Festo structure, and few works have explored the effects of changing the internal structure. To close the research gap, four different Fin Ray structures are presented in this article, and a parameter determination process was carried out by maximizing their adaptability by investigating the key parameters of each structure through finite element analysis. Then, the force responses of four selected Fin Ray structures are analyzed and experimentally validated. The results show that the No Internal Filling structure obtained by omitting the crossbeams is ideal for grasping delicate targets with the best adaptability and the minimum resultant force. The cross structure attained by adding vertical beams connected to crossbeams decreases the adaptability of the Fin Ray finger but significantly increases the contact force. The unsymmetric design of the branched structure significantly enhances the final contact force while improving the passive adaptation to objects. Thus, the application of the Fin Ray finger ranges from adaptive delicate grasping tasks to high-force manipulation tasks.
A validation study of ISM Code's continual effectiveness through a multilateral comparative analysis of maritime accidents in Korean waters
Authors: Mok Ick-soo , D'agostini Enrico , Ryoo Dong-keun
Published: February 2023

This study investigates whether the International Safety Management (ISM) Code remains an effective regulatory tool for the shipping industry by analysing maritime accident statistics published for the last 32 years by the Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal, 24 years by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and seven years by the European Maritime Safety Agency. For this purpose, the data were divided into four groups: pre-ISM Code, in-transit, post-1 and post-2 periods, and tested by multilateral comparative analysis. The results show that the Korean merchant fleet has no improvement over the periods, whereas the world merchant fleet has a continual decrease in serious casualties. This study confirmed a trend of maritime accidents in recent years: fewer in number but heavier in damage. Conclusively, the results suggest that IMO and decision-makers in the maritime industry must review the ISM Code again and seek solutions to achieve the goal of continual improvement, as specified in the code.
Eating Disorders In weight-related Therapy (EDIT) Collaboration: rationale and study design
Authors: Lister Natalie B. , Baur Louise A. , Paxton Susan J. , Garnett Sarah P. , Ahern Amy L. , Wilfley Denise E. , Maguire Sarah , Sainsbury Amanda , Steinbeck Katharine , Braet Caroline , Hill Andrew J. , Nicholls Dasha , Jones Rebecca A. , Dammery Genevieve , Grunseit Alicia , Cooper Kelly , Kyle Theodore K. , Heeren Faith A. , Hunter Kylie E. , McMaster Caitlin M. , Johnson Brittany J. , Seidler Anna Lene , Jebeile Hiba
Published: February 2023

The cornerstone of obesity treatment is behavioural weight management, resulting in significant improvements in cardio-metabolic and psychosocial health. However, there is ongoing concern that dietary interventions used for weight management may precipitate the development of eating disorders. Systematic reviews demonstrate that, while for most participants medically supervised obesity treatment improves risk scores related to eating disorders, a subset of people who undergo obesity treatment may have poor outcomes for eating disorders. This review summarises the background and rationale for the formation of the Eating Disorders In weight-related Therapy (EDIT) Collaboration. The EDIT Collaboration will explore the complex risk factor interactions that precede changes to eating disorder risk following weight management. In this review, we also outline the programme of work and design of studies for the EDIT Collaboration, including expected knowledge gains. The EDIT studies explore risk factors and the interactions between them using individual-level data from international weight management trials. Combining all available data on eating disorder risk from weight management trials will allow sufficient sample size to interrogate our hypothesis: that individuals undertaking weight management interventions will vary in their eating disorder risk profile, on the basis of personal characteristics and intervention strategies available to them. The collaboration includes the integration of health consumers in project development and translation. An important knowledge gain from this project is a comprehensive understanding of the impact of weight management interventions on eating disorder risk.
Prevalence and morphological subtype distributions of anaemia in a Chinese rural population: the Henan Rural Cohort study
Authors: Zheng Yiquan , Liu Xiaotian , He Yaling , Yuchi Yinghao , Zhao Hongfei , Li Linlin , Huo Wenqian , Mao Zhenxing , Hou Jian , Wang Chongjian
Published: February 2023

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the recent prevalence and the distributions of morphological subtypes of anaemia in the rural population.

Design:

Anaemia was defined according to the WHO and the Chinese criteria, and the morphological subtypes of anaemia were classified based on the erythrocyte parameters. The age-standardised prevalence was calculated according to the data of the Population Census 2010 in China.

Setting:

A cross-sectional study in Henan Province.

Participants:

33 585 subjects aged 18–79 years old.

Results:

The standardised prevalence of anaemia across the WHO and the Chinese definitions was 13·63 % and 5·45 %, respectively. Regardless of which criteria was used, the standardised prevalence of anaemia was higher among women than among men and that increased with age in men, while markedly decreased after menopause in women. There were shifts in morphological patterns of anaemia using the WHO and the Chinese criteria that the standardised prevalence of microcytic anaemia was 3·74 % and 2·97 %, normocytic anaemia was 9·20 % and 2·34 %, and macrocytic anaemia was 0·75 % and 0·14 %, respectively. Besides, there were differences in the influencing factors of anaemia according to different criteria or gender. However, age, education level and renal damage were consistently significantly associated with anaemia in all participants.

Conclusions:

Anaemia may still be a serious health problem in rural China. It is necessary to reformulate prevention and management strategies to reduce the disease burden of anaemia.
Discrimination of morningglory species (Ipomoea spp.) using near-infrared spectroscopy and multivariate analysis
Authors: Braga Andreísa Flores , Chiconi Leandro Aparecido , Bacha Allan Lopes , Teixeira Gustavo Henrique de Almeida , Cunha Junior Luis Carlos , Alves Pedro Luis da Costa Aguiar
Published: February 2023

The occurrence of weeds is one of the main factors limiting agricultural productivity. Studies on new techniques for the identification of these species can contribute to the development of proximal sensors, which in the future might be coupled to machines to optimize the performance of species-specific weed management. Thus, the objective of this study was to use near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and multivariate analysis to discriminate three morningglory species (Ipomoea spp.). The NIR spectra were collected from the leaves of the three weed species at the vegetative stage (up to five leaves), within the spectral band of 4,000 to 10,000 cm−1. The discrimination models were selected according to accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and Youden’s index and were analyzed with a validation data set (n = 135). The best results occurred when the selection of spectral bands associated with the use of preprocessing was performed. It was possible to obtain an accuracy of 99.3%, 98.5%, and 98.7% for ivyleaf morningglory (Ipomoea hederifolia L.), Japanese morningglory [Ipomoea nil (L.) Roth], and hairy woodrose [Merremia aegyptia (L.) Urb.], respectively. NIR spectroscopy associated with principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis (PC-LDA) or partial least-squares regression with discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) can be used to discriminate Ipomoea spp.
Thumping Cycle Variations of Doublet Pool in Yellowstone National Park, USA
Authors: Liu Cheng‐Nan , Lin Fan‐Chi , Manga Michael , Farrell Jamie , Wu Sin‐Mei , Reed Mara H. , Barth Anna , Hungerford Jefferson , White Erin
Published: February 2023

Doublet Pool is an active hydrothermal feature in Yellowstone National Park, USA. Approximately every half hour, it thumps for about 10 min due to bubbles collapsing at the base of the pool. To understand its thermodynamics and sensitivity to external factors, we performed a recurring multiple‐year passive seismic experiment. By linking recorded hydrothermal tremor with active thumping, we determine the onset and end of thumping, and the duration of silence between each thumping cycle. The silence interval decreased from around 30 min before November 2016 to around 13 min in September 2018. This change followed unusual thermal activity on the surrounding Geyser Hill. On a shorter time scale, wind‐driven evaporative cooling can lengthen the pre‐thumping silence interval. Based on energy conservation, we determine the heating rate and heat needed to initiate thumping to be 3–7 MW and ∼6 GJ, respectively.
Quantifying Flow Velocities in River Deltas via Remotely Sensed Suspended Sediment Concentration
Authors: Donatelli Carmine , Passalacqua Paola , Wright Kyle , Salter Gerard , Lamb Michael P. , Jensen Daniel , Fagherazzi Sergio
Published: February 2023

Deltas are fragile ecosystems threatened by sea‐level rise, sediment starvation, and subsidence. Erosional/depositional processes in these systems mainly depend on the sediment supply and the spatial divergence in bed shear stress induced by hydrodynamic forces. Thus, quantifying the spatiotemporal variability of the flow velocity field is essential for forecasting their fate. To calibrate/validate models, field measurements alone are not sufficient because such data only characterize the hydrodynamic conditions in localized areas. Remote sensing has potential to fill this data gap. We developed a methodology to estimate flow velocities from a map of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) measured by the NASA airborne spectrometer AVIRIS‐NG within the Wax Lake Delta, Louisiana. We extracted streaklines from remotely sensed SSC estimates, and quantified water fluxes and velocities based on the distance between them. Our study demonstrates that the velocity field in deltas can be estimated by leveraging the synoptic information offered by remote sensing.