bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of human behaviour change in companion animal management: A case study of Praia de Faro, Portugal
Authors: Eckman Harry , Hiby Elly
Published: August 2024

Humane dog and cat population management has relied on Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) projects in an attempt to control or reduce free-roaming populations and improve the welfare of dogs and cats. It has been recognised that the root cause of dog and cat population and welfare issues is people and their attitudes and behaviours towards dogs and cats – whether this is through lack of responsible ownership leading to loss or abandonment, or programs that focus on single tools such as sterilisation. Failing to recognise the interdependency that exists between individual and community responsibility means that projects that rely solely on the actions of an individual or a small group, and do not involve the wider community, risk limiting their impact and sustainability. Typically, sterilisation projects regularly fail to address this issue. The concept of human behaviour change is beginning to be used in dog population management programs but is still largely unused and untested in cat population management programs. In 2013, a 4-year project in Praia de Faro, Portugal, started to explore how communities respond to a local program using community engagement tools to measure and evaluate changes in attitudes and behaviours towards owned and un-owned dogs and cats. The research question is: ‘does community involvement and participation in a project increase its chances of success in relation to improved welfare for animals?’ Results suggest improved dog and cat welfare, positive changes in attitudes and behaviours of the community, and increased community involvement.
On-machine inspection and compensation for thin-walled parts with sculptured surface considering cutting vibration and probe posture
Authors: Hao Yanpeng , Zhu Lida , Qin Shaoqing , Pei Xiaoyu , Yan Tianming , Qin Qiuyu , Lu Hao , Yan Boling
Published: August 2024

On-machine inspection has a significant impact on improving high-precision and efficient machining of sculptured surfaces. Due to the lack of machining information and the inability to adapt the parameters to the dynamic cutting conditions, theoretical modeling of profile inspection usually leads to insufficient adaptation, which causes inaccuracy problems. To address the above issues, a novel coupled model for profile inspection is proposed by combining the theoretical model and the data-driven model. The key process is to first realize local feature extraction based on the acquired vibration signals. The hybrid sampling model, which fuses geometric feature terms and vibration feature terms, is modeled by the lever principle. Then, the weight of each feature term is adaptively assigned by a multi-objective multi-verse optimizer. Finally, an inspection error compensation model based on the attention mechanism considering different probe postures is proposed to reduce the impact of pre-travel and radius errors on inspection accuracy. The anisotropy of the probe system error and its influence mechanism on the inspection accuracy are analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Compared with the previous models, the proposed hybrid profile inspection model can significantly improve the accuracy and efficiency of on-machine sampling. The proposed compensation model is able to correct the inspection errors with better accuracy. Simulations and experiments demonstrate the feasibility and validity of the proposed methods. The proposed model and corresponding new findings contribute to high-precision and efficient on-machine inspection, and help to understand the coupling mechanism of inspection errors.
Enhancement of mechanical strength in lightweight EPS geopolymer composites using coconut fiber
Authors: Kant Lakshmi , Kumar Shashi , Kumar Sanjeet , Singh Amit Kumar , Sharma Sushila
Published: August 2024

This study examines the effect of coconut fiber (CF) on the mechanical properties of a sustainable building material known as lightweight ambient-cured geopolymer composites (CFLWGC). Coconut fibers, with mean diameter 0.4 mm and lengths of 2, 4, and 6 cm, were incorporated into the composite at varying contents (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% by binder mass) to study their effect on CFLWGC. The resulting CFLWGC was thoroughly charaffigcterized for its physical and mechanical attributes, including density, workability, compressive strength, and splitting tensile strength. Results showed that incorporating coconut fibers significantly improved mechanical properties with optimal compressive strength of 11.265 MPa (30% increase) and highest split tensile strength of 1.464 MPa (35% improvement) at 4 cm fiber length and 1% content. However, excessive fiber volume or length reduced compressive strength to 7.821 MPa (25% decrease) and split tensile strength to 0.548 MPa (62.5% reduction). Longer fiber lengths (6 cm) and higher fiber contents generally decreased tensile strength, indicating that while moderate fiber addition enhances performance, excessive fiber volume or length negatively impacts the composites’ mechanical properties.
Effect of brass slag particles on the microstructure and hardness of Al-Si alloy matrix composites
Authors: Sharma Mahesh , Dwivedi Vijay Kumar
Published: August 2024

The current study investigated the effects of brass slag particles on the microstructure and hardness of Al-Si alloy (LM30) matrix composite. Stir casting was used to fabricate a composite with brass slag particles of finesize (i.e. 100–215 μm), coarse size(i.e. 215–350 μm) and three different concentrations of 3 wt%, 6 wt%, and 9 wt%. The dynamic shear force generated by stirring prevents brass slag particles from sinking into the melt which result in uniform particle dispersion throughout the melt. Optical microscopy analysis reveals a uniform distribution of reinforcement particles in cast composites, accompanied by silicon refinement. The findings suggest that the incorporation of industrial waste (brass slag as a reinforcement) in the fabrication process enhances microstructure and mechanical characteristics of composites. 9 wt% concentration of brass slag reinforced of fine size composite demonstrated an impressive ∼60.7% improvement in hardness compared to base alloy (LM30). It was also observed that theoretical density (ρth) and experimental densities (ρex) approximately 25% and 18.4% greater than that of the base alloy (LM30).
Virtual reality for understanding artificial-intelligence-driven scientific discovery with an application in quantum optics
Authors: Schmidt Philipp , Arlt Sören , Ruiz-Gonzalez Carlos , Gu Xuemei , Rodríguez Carla , Krenn Mario
Published: August 2024

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) models can propose solutions to scientific problems beyond human capability. To truly make conceptual contributions, researchers need to be capable of understanding the AI-generated structures and extracting the underlying concepts and ideas. When algorithms provide little explanatory reasoning alongside the output, scientists have to reverse-engineer the fundamental insights behind proposals based solely on examples. This task can be challenging as the output is often highly complex and thus not immediately accessible to humans. In this work we show how transferring part of the analysis process into an immersive virtual reality (VR) environment can assist researchers in developing an understanding of AI-generated solutions. We demonstrate the usefulness of VR in finding interpretable configurations of abstract graphs, representing Quantum Optics experiments. Thereby, we can manually discover new generalizations of AI-discoveries as well as new understanding in experimental quantum optics. Furthermore, it allows us to customize the search space in an informed way—as a human-in-the-loop—to achieve significantly faster subsequent discovery iterations. As concrete examples, with this technology, we discover a new resource-efficient 3-dimensional entanglement swapping scheme, as well as a 3-dimensional 4-particle Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger-state analyzer. Our results show the potential of VR to enhance a researcher’s ability to derive knowledge from graph-based generative AI. This type of AI is a widely used abstract data representation in various scientific fields.
The Fruits of the LOA
Authors: Duvall John N
Published: August 2024

The marketing claims of the Library of America (LOA) reveal that this institution functions within the tradition of such middlebrow publishing ventures as The Harvard Classics and the Modern Library. All such ventures assure consumers that cultural cache can be theirs through brand loyalty. LOA’s brand identity, however, is fraught with contradictions. While claiming to continue the legacy of highbrow literary critic Edmund Wilson, LOA increasingly publishes volumes devoted to pulp genres that would have been anathema to Wilson. While English departments have been questioning notions of the canon throughout LOA’s history, the publisher, founded in 1980, insists that its books define the canon of US literature. The professoriate, however, has largely ignored LOA’s claims regarding great literature because the publisher also claims to uphold the standards of great scholarship. These brand contradictions serve as a context for assessing a recent addition to LOA’s core collection, William Faulkner: Stories, edited by Theresa M. Towner. I contrast Towner’s editorial methods with those of Joseph Blotner and Noel Polk, who edited LOA’s five volumes of Faulkner’s novels between 1985 and 2003, in order to address what we mean when we say a text is authoritative and corrected.
Evangelical Time, Separatism, and the “Spiritual Travels of Nathan Cole”
Authors: Trocchio Rachel
Published: August 2024

This essay intercedes in our understanding of the temporal formations that characterized New England’s Great Awakening (1730s-1740s). It takes as its case study the Connecticut farmer Nathan Cole, whose spiritual new birth scholarship has been seen as prototypical of both the instantaneity and the affect of evangelical conversion. This essay contests the predominance of these figurations of the awakenings. Offering literary criticism’s first full engagement with Cole’s archive, rather than keeping to well-known short extracts from his “Spiritual Travels,” it posits the interval as the temporal and literary form that structures Cole’s writing. The essay thus reads Cole’s narrative as something more than a lay account that testifies to evangelical feeling, arguing that his writing instead exhibits continuities with seventeenth-century habits of thought. Particularly, it traces how Cole’s writing carries into the eighteenth century Puritan labors to apprehend doctrines (such as predestination) that were, fundamentally, matters of time. In treating Cole’s text as a document of theological heft and temporal consciousness, as well as spiritual encounter, this essay also asks scholars to consider how turning toward cognitive aspects of devotion provokes our field’s understanding of genre, time, and evangelical experience.
Bigger’s Thing
Authors: Tuhkanen Mikko
Published: August 2024

This essay argues that, in Richard Wright’s Native Son (1940), Boris Max’s pronouncement to his client, “This thing’s bigger than you,” indicates not only the aporetic status of Black being—and ultimately, all singularities—in modernity but also the process through which this hard knot can begin to be unraveled. The communist lawyer at once identifies his client with Mary Dalton’s murder and its aftermath (“This thing’s Bigger”) and, through the identification, seems to miss the singularity of his being (“bigger than you”). The double gesture repeats Karl Marx’s identification of the proletariat as the particularity that encompasses the “concrete universal.” Condensed in Max’s speech act, Wright’s argument turns Marx’s characterization of capitalist modernity into one of diasporic modernity. In several of his texts, Wright indicates that, while the modern era promised the emergence of this self-determining, rational being, the birth was aborted by the “tragic error” of the African slave trade and the consequent forms of bad faith that are characteristic of modern racial identities. This history of bad faith has prevented the actualization of modernity’s promise; with Boris Max’s formula for Bigger’s aporetic being, Wright seeks to precipitate modernity’s second coming.
Impact of Stimulation Frequency on Verbal Fluency Following Bilateral Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Busteed Laura , García-Sánchez Carmen , Pascual-Sedano Berta , Grunden Nicholas , Gironell Alexandre , Kulisevsky Jaime , Pagonabarraga Javier
Published: August 2024

Objective

The effects of stimulation frequency on verbal fluency (VF) following subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are not well understood. The present study examines the impact stimulation frequency has on VF following bilateral STN-DBS in PD.

Methods

Prospective study of 38 consecutive patients with PD with low frequency STN-DBS (LFS) (n = 10) and high frequency STN-DBS (HFS) (n = 14), and a non-operated PD control group consisting of patients with fluctuating response to dopaminergic medication (n = 14) homogeneous in age, education, disease duration, and global cognitive function. Patients were evaluated on VF tasks (letter, semantic, action verbs, alternating). A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to assess distinctions between groups. Pre- and post-surgical comparisons of fluencies were performed for operated groups. A mixed ANOVA was applied to the data to evaluate the interaction between treatment (HFS vs. LFS) and time (pre- vs. post-surgery). Strategy use (clustering and switching) was evaluated.

Results

Semantic and letter fluency performance revealed significant differences between HFS and LFS groups. Pre- and post-surgical comparisons revealed HFS negatively affected letter, semantic, and action fluencies, but LFS had no effect on VF. No interaction effect or main effect of treatment was found. Main effect of time was significant for semantic and action fluencies indicating a decrease in postoperative fluency performance. Patients with LFS produced larger average cluster sizes than patients with HFS.

Conclusion

LFS may be less detrimental to VF, but these findings suggest that VF decline following STN-DBS is not caused by stimulation frequency alone.
Interactive visualization of nanopore sequencing signal data with Squigualiser
Authors: Samarakoon Hiruna , Liyanage Kisaru , Ferguson James M , Parameswaran Sri , Gamaarachchi Hasindu , Deveson Ira W
Published: August 2024

Motivation

Nanopore sequencing current signal data can be ‘basecalled’ into sequence information or analysed directly, with the capacity to identify diverse molecular features, such as DNA/RNA base modifications and secondary structures. However, raw signal data is large and complex, and there is a need for improved visualization strategies to facilitate signal analysis, exploration and tool development.

Results

Squigualiser (Squiggle visualiser) is a toolkit for intuitive, interactive visualization of sequence-aligned signal data, which currently supports both DNA and RNA sequencing data from Oxford Nanopore Technologies instruments. Squigualiser is compatible with a wide range of alternative signal-alignment software packages and enables visualization of both signal-to-read and signal-to-reference aligned data at single-base resolution. Squigualiser generates an interactive signal browser view (HTML file), in which the user can navigate across a genome/transcriptome region and customize the display. Multiple independent reads are integrated into a ‘signal pileup’ format and different datasets can be displayed as parallel tracks. Although other methods exist, Squigualiser provides the community with a software package purpose-built for raw signal data visualization, incorporating a range of new and existing features into a unified platform.

Availability and implementation

Squigualiser is an open-source package under an MIT licence: https://github.com/hiruna72/squigualiser. The software was developed using Python 3.8 and can be installed with pip or bioconda or executed directly using prebuilt binaries provided with each release.
ExpOmics: a comprehensive web platform empowering biologists with robust multi-omics data analysis capabilities
Authors: Li Douyue , Min Zhuochao , Guo Jia , Chen Yubin , Zhang Wenliang
Published: August 2024

Motivation

High-throughput technologies yield a broad spectrum of multi-omics datasets, which offer unparalleled insights into complex biological systems. However, effectively analyzing this diverse array of data presents challenges, considering factors such as species diversity, data types, costs, and limitations of the available tools.

Results

Herein, we present ExpOmics, a comprehensive web platform featuring 7 applications and 4 toolkits, with 28 customizable analysis functions spanning various analyses of differential expression, co-expression, Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), feature selection, and functional enrichment. ExpOmics allows users to upload and explore multi-omics data without organism restrictions, supporting various expression data, including genes, mRNAs, lncRNAs, miRNAs, circRNAs, piRNAs, and proteins and is compatible with diverse gene nomenclatures and expression values. Moreover, ExpOmics enables users to analyze 22 427 transcriptomic datasets of 196 cancer subtypes sourced from 63 projects of The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) to identify cancer biomarkers. The analysis results from ExpOmics are presented in high-quality graphical formats suitable for publication and are available for free download. A case study using ExpOmics identified two potential oncogenes, SERPINE1 and SLC43A1, that may regulate colorectal cancer through distinct biological processes. In summary, ExpOmics can serves as a robust platform for global researchers to explore multi-omics data, gain biological insights, and formulate testable hypotheses.

Availability and implementation

ExpOmics is available at http://www.biomedical-web.com/expomics.
Age grade association: a non state actor in the sustainability of community development projects in Southeast, Nigeria
Authors: Uche Okala A , Uche Ijeoma B , Okafor Agnes E , Ituma Ezichi A
Published: August 2024

Age grade association is a pattern through which members of the community are grouped into batches according to date of birth. The associations comprise people of equal or about the same age operating within a given community with the aim of individual and collective development. The age grade associations articulate and mobilize resources for the execution of community development projects. They are grassroots agents that serve as an organ for the maintenance of peace, law and order in the community. Some past attempts at community development failed due to the non-involvement of the community members in decision–making processes. This study explored age grade association as a non state actor in sustainability of community development projects in Southeast, Nigeria. Data was drawn from 56 respondents. The instruments for data collection were Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and In-depth interviews (IDIs). Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were employed in selecting the study participants. The study sample was drawn from four communities in four local government areas of Abia and Ebonyi States. The study examined the nature of age grade associations; the contributions of age grade associations and the challenges of age grade associations in sustainability of community development projects. It established that age grade associations are grass root agents that executed and sustained community development projects. The study also found that project site selection is sometimes problematic and this has implications for project sustainability. The study recommends adult literacy education for the social and political empowerment of members of age-grade associations.
Rapid Implementation of Blood Culture Stewardship: Institutional Response to an Acute National Blood Culture Bottle Shortage
Authors: Humphries Romney M , Wright Patty W , Banerjee Ritu , Dulek Daniel E , Champion John C , Gaston David C , Talbot Thomas R
Published: August 2024

We describe our approach to addressing a nationwide supply issue for blood culture bottles. Aerobic blood culture bottles received from our distributor during 1–15 July 2024 were <1% of typical usage. Through education and ordering restrictions of blood culture, designed to minimize risk, orders were reduced by 49% over a 1-week period.
Identification of missing higher-order interactions in complex networks
Authors: Zhang Chengjun , Suxun Wang , Yu Wenbin , Zhao Peijun , Chen Yadang , Gu Jiarui , Ren Zhengju , Liu Jin
Published: August 2024

Link prediction has always played a crucial role in unveiling the structural patterns and evolutionary rules of networks. However, as research on complex networks has progressed, the limitations of solely exploring low-order structures have become increasingly apparent. The introduction of high-order organizational theories has not only enriched the conceptual framework of network dynamics but also opened new avenues for investigating the mechanisms of network evolution and adaptation. The complexity and richness of high-order networks pose challenges for link prediction. This study introduces two novel approaches to forecast links in higher-order networks. The first one is to predict links directly in higher-order networks (LPHN), which directly predicts missing links within the higher-order network based on its structure; the other one is to predict higher-order links via link prediction in low-order networks(PHLN), which starts by predicting absent links in a low-order network. Subsequently, the inferred low-order structure is employed as a foundation to extrapolate and reconstruct the predicted higher-order network. Upon comparing the higher-order networks generated by both LPHN and PHLN with the original higher-order networks constructed directly from low-order networks, we discovered that the higher-order networks produced by PHLN exhibit greater accuracy and exhibit a more similar scale of giant components to the original higher-order network. Consequently, the PHLN demonstrates enhanced precision in forecasting the structure of higher-order networks while preserving networks’ structural integrity. Moreover, PHLN exhibits superior performance in the context of large-scale and sparsely connected networks.
Sex-related differences among patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement—a propensity score matched study
Authors: Zierer Andreas , De Paulis Ruggero , Bakhtiary Farhad , Ahmad Ali El-Sayed , Andreas Martin , Autschbach Rüdiger , Benedikt Peter , Binder Konrad , Bonaros Nikolaos , Borger Michael , Bourguignon Thierry , Canovas Sergio , Coscioni Enrico , Dagenais Francois , Demers Philippe , Dewald Oliver , Feyrer Richard , Geißler Hans-Joachim , Grabenwöger Martin , Grünenfelder Jürg , Kueri Sami , Lam Ka Yan , Langanay Thierry , Laufer Günther , Van Leeuwen Wouter , Leyh Rainer , Liebold Andreas , Mariscalco Giovanni , Massoudy Parwis , Mehdiani Arash , Pessotto Renzo , Pollari Francesco , Polvani Gianluca , Ricci Alessandro , Roussel Jean-Christian , Salamate Saad , Siepe Matthias , Stefano Pierluigi , Strauch Justus , Theron Alexis , Vötsch Andreas , Weber Alberto , Wendler Olaf , Thielmann Matthias , Eden Matthias , Botta Beate , Bramlage Peter , Meuris Bart
Published: August 2024

OBJECTIVES

We investigated the sex-related difference in characteristics and 2-year outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) by propensity-score matching (PSM).

METHODS

Data from 2 prospective registries, the INSPIRIS RESILIA Durability Registry (INDURE) and IMPACT, were merged, resulting in a total of 933 patients: 735 males and 253 females undergoing first-time SAVR. The PSM was performed to assess the impact of sex on the SAVR outcomes, yielding 433 males and 243 females with comparable baseline characteristics.

RESULTS

Females had a lower body mass index (median 27.1 vs 28.0 kg/m2; P = 0.008), fewer bicuspid valves (52% vs 59%; P = 0.036), higher EuroSCORE II (mean 2.3 vs 1.8%; P < 0.001) and Society of Thoracic Surgeons score (mean 1.6 vs 0.9%; P < 0.001), were more often in New York Heart Association functional class III/IV (47% vs 30%; P < 0.001) and angina Canadian Cardiovascular Society III/IV (8.2% vs 4.4%; P < 0.001), but had a lower rate of myocardial infarction (1.9% vs 5.2%; P = 0.028) compared to males. These differences vanished after PSM, except for the EuroSCORE II and Society of Thoracic Surgeons scores, which were still significantly higher in females. Furthermore, females required smaller valves (median diameter 23.0 vs 25.0 mm, P < 0.001). There were no differences in the length of hospital stay (median 8 days) or intensive care unit stay (median 24 vs 25 hours) between the 2 sexes. At 2 years, post-SAVR outcomes were comparable between males and females, even after PSM.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite females presenting with a significantly higher surgical risk profile, 2-year outcomes following SAVR were comparable between males and females.
Old tools for the new economy? Counterfactual causation in foreclosure assessment and choice of remedies on data-driven markets
Authors: von Ingersleben-Seip Nora , Georgieva Zlatina
Published: August 2024

Under the Digital Markets Act, gatekeeper platforms abide by numerous ex-ante rules, including narrow data-sharing obligations that address data-driven market tipping. Gatekeepers also remain subject to ex-post competition interventions. While interventions under both ex-ante and ex-post (antitrust) mandates are not novel, they must be approached with extra care in data-driven digital markets, where uncertainty and error costs are high. Therefore, we argue that post-DMA competition enforcement against gatekeepers requires rigorous ex-post economic effects analysis at two levels: foreclosure assessment and devising appropriate remedies. Regarding foreclosure assessment, we propose a ‘multiple-counterfactual-causation-test’ for establishing anticompetitive effects, which should ensure a nuanced analysis of the competitive landscape on data-driven digital markets in the post-DMA world. Regarding remedies, a fine-grained, proportionality-driven assessment of the need for ex-post data-related obligations is vital.
Isolated diaphragmatic hydatid cyst: a rare entity in the paediatric population
Authors: Mani Salma , Joya Habib Ullah , Alansari Amani N , Youssef Sabrine Ben , Ksia Amine , Al-Zoubi Raed M
Published: August 2024

Isolated primary diaphragmatic hydatid disease (HD) occurs in approximately 1% of adult cases. However, this unique presentation of a pediatric diaphragmatic cystic mass has not been previously described in the literature. This study reports a rare case of a 12-year-old girl who was diagnosed with a diaphragmatic hydatid cyst. Surgical exploration via subcostal incision revealed an isolated cyst, free from the thoracic and abdominal viscera. Cystotomy, removal of daughter cysts, and excision of the pericyst cavity were performed, followed by diaphragmatic repair. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient completed an 8-week mebendazole regimen with no recurrence at 3 months’ follow-up. This paper recommends including HD in the differential diagnosis for pediatric patients presenting with diaphragmatic lesions, particularly in regions endemic for echinococcosis.
Correction of a severe post-surgical iatrogenic class II anterior open bite with lingual appliances and mini-screws: a case report
Authors: Anh Nguyen Viet , Ly Nguyen Thi Khanh , Viet Hoang , Marya Anand
Published: August 2024

An iatrogenic open bite after orthognathic surgery is an uncommon malocclusion, with only one documented case reported in the literature. However, the open bite in this case report was not a true open bite, as it resulted from the interferences between the maxillary second molars and mandibular retromolar bones. This case report aims to present the management of a true iatrogenic open bite with posterior teeth in centric occlusion, occurring after mandibular setback surgery. The anterior open bite accompanied a severe class II malocclusion and increased lower anterior facial height. The patient was treated with fixed lingual appliances and mini-screws to distalize the entire maxillary arch and close the open bite. After treatment, a positive overbite and dental class I relationship was achieved. The treatment outcomes were stable at the 2-year follow-up. Lingual appliances combined with mini-screws may offer effective non-surgical management of iatrogenic open bite after orthognathic surgery.

Clinical and Surgical Implications: Iatrogenic open bites can develop from various causes that include surgical options such as orthognathic surgery or in patients treated with occlusal splint therapy. These may be treated with the help of skeletal anchorage options such as orthodontic mini-screws.
Discussion of the 2023 Hansen Lecture: “Model Selection and Its Important Roles in Surveys”
Authors: Erciulescu Andreea Luisa
Published: August 2024

The 31st Morris Hansen Lecture gave a broad overview of some fundamental issues regarding the roles of statistical models in surveys, with an emphasis on a method of model selection known as the fence. This discussion provides some general lecture remarks and expands on the possible applicability of the fence methods in small area estimation. Unit-level and area-level small area estimation modeling illustrations are provided. A general variable selection framework for small area estimation is presented, along with recent application studies and ideas for expansion to include the fence methods.
Rejoinder to Discussion of Morris Hansen Lecture 2023: Model Selection and its Important Roles in Surveys
Authors: Jiang Jiming
Published: August 2024

This is a rejoinder to Dr Erciulescu’s discussion of Morris Hansen Lecture 2023: Model Selection and Its Important Roles in Surveys.
Morris Hansen Lecture 2023: Model Selection and Its Important Roles in Surveys
Authors: Jiang Jiming
Published: August 2024

We discuss some fundamental issues regarding the roles that statistical models play in surveys. Many survey applications “borrow strength” from statistical models such as regression models and mixed effects models, even though these popular statistical models rarely hold exactly, if at all, in the real world. Yet, the idea of borrowing strength carries on, and the practice proves to be useful in many cases. We discuss basic ideas of borrowing strength via a statistical model and suggest practical criteria for evaluating a model, knowing that it is likely to be incorrect in a strict sense. Furthermore, we discuss a model selection strategy, known as the fence methods, which can incorporate practical interests into the selection criterion. Examples are used for illustration. Further remarks on challenging problems are offered.
Isolation and identification of antimicrobial multicyclic terpenoids from the medicinal plant Salvia officinalis and development of a formulation against clinical Staphylococcus aureus strains
Authors: Purgato Gislaine Aparecida , Píccolo Mayra Soares , Moreira Maria Aparecida Scatamburlo , Pizziolo Virgínia Ramos , Diaz-Muñoz Gaspar , Rossi Ciro César , Diaz Marisa Alves Nogueira
Published: August 2024

Staphylococcus aureus, particularly multi-drug resistant strains, presents significant challenges in dairy farming due to its role in causing bovine mastitis, which leads to substantial economic losses and limited treatment options. Seeking alternative therapies, we investigated the potential of a topical formulation derived from the medicinal herb Salvia officinalis to combat S. aureus growth and biofilms associated with bovine mastitis. Through systematic extraction in different solvents and fractionation by column chromatography, we isolated and identified three key multicyclic terpenoids—ferruginol, sugiol, and sclareol—exhibiting significant antimicrobial activity. The formulation effectively inhibited biofilm formation, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.09 to 0.74 mg ml−1 against clinical S. aureus strains, comparable to or lower than those of the pure compounds. Moreover, it displayed robust anti-adhesive properties, reducing biofilm formation by 20%–79% at subinhibitory concentrations. Furthermore, the formulation successfully disrupted pre-existing biofilms, achieving reductions ranging from 30% to 82%. Cytotoxicity assays confirmed the safety of the formulation on mammary epithelial cells, with cell viability maintained at 100% at MIC. Our findings underscore the therapeutic potential of Sa. officinalis-derived compounds in managing bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus, emphasizing their antimicrobial efficacy and safety profile.
Two successive EUV waves and a transverse oscillation of a quiescent prominence
Authors: Zhang Q M , Lin M S , Yan X L , Dai J , Hou Z Y , Li Y , Qiu Y
Published: August 2024

In this paper, we carry out multiwavelength observations of two successive extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) waves originating from active region (AR) NOAA 13575 and a transverse oscillation of a columnar quiescent prominence on 2024 February 9. A hot channel eruption generates an X3.4 class flare and the associated full-halo coronal mass ejection (CME), which drives the first EUV wave front (WF1) at a speed of $\sim$835 km s$^{-1}$. WF1 propagates in the south-east direction and interacts with the prominence, causing an eastward displacement of the prominence immediately. Then, a second EUV wave front (WF2) is driven by a coronal jet at a speed of $\sim$831 km s$^{-1}$. WF2 follows WF1 and decelerates from $\sim$788 to $\sim$603 km s$^{-1}$ before arriving at and touching the prominence. After reaching the maximum displacement, the prominence turns back and swings for 1–3 cycles. The transverse oscillation of horizontal polarization is most evident in 304 Å. The initial displacement amplitude, velocity in the plane of the sky, period, and damping time fall in the ranges of 12–34 Mm, 65–143 km s$^{-1}$, 18–27 min, and 33–108 min, respectively. There are strong correlations among the initial amplitude, velocity, period, and height of the prominence. Surprisingly, the oscillation is also detected in 1600 Å, which is totally in phase with that in 304 Å.
Optimal Resilience in Multitier Supply Chains
Authors: Grossman Gene M , Helpman Elhanan , Sabal Alejandro
Published: August 2024

Forward-looking investments determine the resilience of firms’ supply chains. Such investments confer externalities on other firms in the production network. We compare the equilibrium and optimal allocations in a general equilibrium model with an arbitrary number of vertical production tiers. Our model features endogenous investments in protective capabilities, endogenous formation of supply links, and sequential bargaining over quantities and payments between firms in successive tiers. We derive policies that implement the first-best allocation, allowing for subsidies to input purchases, network formation, and investments in protective capabilities. The first-best policies depend only on production function parameters of the pertinent tier. When subsidies to transactions are infeasible, the second-best subsidies for resilience depend on production function parameters throughout the network, and subsidies are larger upstream than downstream whenever the bargaining weights of buyers are nonincreasing along the chain.
Local IPOs and household stock market participation
Authors: Jiang Feng , Lowry Michelle , Qian Yiming
Published: August 2024

The decrease in companies going public has received widespread attention, and the associated costs are widely debated. We document that high local initial public offering (IPO) activity leads to increases in stock market participation of 5–6 percent. This is striking, given that such participation represents a key factor toward building wealth. Local IPOs increase both households’ propensity to own stock and their percent equity holdings. The attention channel drives effects: local IPOs attract attention to the market, through increased information production and publicity. The wealth channel has little influence, consistent with local IPOs not generating wealth shocks for most households.
Sex-specific age-related worsening of pathological endotypic traits in patients with obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Hang Liang-Wen , Tsai Yi-Chen , Finnsson Eysteinn , Ágústsson Jón S , Sands Scott A , Cheng Wan-Ju
Published: August 2024

Study Objectives

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is more prevalent in men and older adults. Few studies have explored variations in pathological endotypic traits by age and sex using a large patient sample, offering insights into the development of the disease. Our study aims to examine how endotype characteristics of OSA vary across ages in different sex.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling 2296 adult patients referred for in-laboratory diagnostic polysomnography at a single sleep center in Taiwan. Among them, 1374 had an apnea–hypopnea index ≥5. Using the “Phenotyping Using Polysomnography” method, we estimated four endotypic traits—arousal threshold, upper airway collapsibility, loop gain, and upper airway muscle compensation. Demographic and polysomnographic characteristics were compared between sexes and age groups. Generalized linear regression and generalized additive models were employed to explore the associations of sex and age with endotypic traits.

Results

Men with OSA exhibited higher collapsibility and lower compensation than women (difference: 4.32 %eupnea and 4.49 %eupnea, respectively). Younger patients with OSA had a higher prevalence of obesity, more snoring symptoms, and lower loop gain compared to older patients. For men, age was correlated with increased collapsibility, increased loop gain, and decreased arousal threshold after 37 years old. Whereas in women, endotypic traits were not associated with age, except for an increase in loop gain with advancing age.

Conclusions

Personalized treatment options for OSA should take into consideration age and sex. Reducing loop gain could be a treatment objective for older patients with OSA.
Electronic enforcement in the digital era: Themis without a sword
Authors: Lozada Nicolás , Talero Diana
Published: August 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation, prompting businesses to expedite the digitization of customer interactions. However, enforcing digital obligations faces challenges in judicial systems, with courts hesitating due to public policy concerns and issues related to unconscionability. This article explores the landscape of enforcing digital obligations, providing an explanation of the types of enforcements that can be used to this purpose. The article questions the suitability of the judicial stage and explores alternative external mechanisms like online dispute resolution (ODR) systems and specifical cases of study. Lastly, the article analyses internal solutions for enforcement that can be encompassed into contractual, social, or State-sponsored solutions and delivers a practical example of these types of systems.
The update obligation for smart products under the EU Sale of Goods Directive: the seller’s right of redress and the CISG
Authors: Kryla-Cudna Katarzyna
Published: August 2024

This article examines the issue of the overlap between the 1980 UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) and the rules governing the final seller’s right of redress adopted in the European Union’s (EU) 2019 Sale of Goods Directive (SGD). In this context, the article focuses on the seller’s update obligation introduced by the SGD. Under the SGD, the final seller has an obligation to ensure that the consumer who purchases goods with digital elements is supplied with the updates that are necessary for the goods to perform their functions. This update obligation has been imposed on the final seller even though they are normally not the party responsible for the supply of updates. It has been assumed that the interests of the final seller are sufficiently protected if they are granted a right of redress against the persons liable in the distribution chain. However, this article argues that the right of redress may not be available to the final seller in cases in which the CISG applies to the contract based on which they purchased the goods from their supplier. Still, this article argues that, even though the text of the CISG was finalized in 1980, the Convention can accommodate the seller’s update obligation as understood under the SGD. Nevertheless, the interests of the final seller cannot be satisfactorily protected because of limits imposed by Article 39(2) of the CISG.
“When You’re in It, It Feels Like It’s Everything”: Medical Students’ Experience of Failure and Remediation in the United States and the Netherlands
Authors: Mills Lynnea M. , Stenfors Terese , Duffy Melissa , Young John Q. , Boscardin Christy , ten Cate Olle , O’Sullivan Patricia S.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Medical training institutions worldwide must be prepared to remediate struggling learners, but there is little empirical evidence around learners’ perspectives on remediation efforts. Research shows that emotion has a significant effect on learning, but it has not been well studied in remediation in medical education. Given the high stakes of remediation, understanding more about learners’ emotional experience could lead to improvements in remediation programs. This study aimed to explore medical students’ emotional experience of failure and remediation to offer opportunities to improve remediation.

Method

This study is a thematic analysis of data collected from July to September 2022 from one-to-one interviews with students from 4 institutions (2 in the United States and 2 in the Netherlands) who had not met expectations on 1 or more medical school assessment(s). Interview questions explored students’ experiences with learning of and responding to a performance that was below expected standards, with probes around any mentions of emotions.

Results

Fourteen students participated: 9 from schools in the United States and 5 from schools in the Netherlands. The students perceived the failure and remediation event to be highly significant, reflecting negatively on their suitability for a career as a physician. We identified 5 themes: (1) shame was pervasive and only retrospectively perceived as unwarranted; (2) self-doubt was common and weighty; (3) resentment, blame, and other external-facing emotions were present but softened over time; (4) worry and stress related to perceived career effect differed across countries; and (5) students had mixed emotional reactions to the remediation process.

Conclusions

Medical students have strong emotional responses to failure and remediation. Expecting and considering emotions such as shame, self-doubt, and anger could help educators design better remediation programs. Differences across countries may be at least partially explained by different degrees of time variability and flexibility within the curricula.
Ophthalmologic Symptoms in a Patient With Autosomal Dominant Multicentric Carpotarsal Osteolysis
Authors: Nijs Jeffrey , Debeuf Valérie , Van Eijgen Jan , Delbeke Heleen
Published: August 2024

Purpose:

The purpose of this case report was to provide a detailed description of the ocular manifestations, in a patient with multicentric carpotarsal osteolysis (MCTO), with particular emphasis on bilateral corneal opacities.

Methods:

A 43-year-old woman with a history of MCTO was followed with visual acuity assessment and slit-lamp examination at the Department of Ophthalmology in the University Hospitals of Leuven.

Results:

The patient was found to have bilateral subepithelial haze, along with anterior stromal corneal opacities, and small central lens opacities upon examination. There was a slight corneal thickening. A progression of the corneal opacities was observed, without a further drop in visual acuity.

Conclusions:

This case report shows a rare association between MCTO and corneal opacities in adulthood. Interdisciplinary care involving an ophthalmologist is beneficiary for patients with MCTO.
Recurrence of spinal schwannomas in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1: a case report
Authors: Bhandari Hardik , Dahal Alok , Khadka Grishma
Published: August 2024

Introduction and importance:

Spinal schwannomas are benign tumors usually attached to peripheral nerves, consisting of a clonal population of Schwann cells. Neurofibromatosis type 1 is an autosomal dominant neurocutaneous disorder that predominantly affects the skin, bone and nervous system. Neurofibromatosis type 1 is a clinically and genetically distinct from neurofibromatosis type 2. This case report highlights the rare association between spinal schwannoma and neurofibromatosis type 1.

Case presentation:

The patient with a past medical history of spinal schwannoma, operated 1 year back, presented with back pain, weakness of lower limbs and urge incontinence. On examination, she had cutaneous features suggestive of neurofibromatosis type 1 and there was impairment of all sensory modalities below hip region. MRI revealed spinal schwannoma at D9 level for which laminectomy with removal of schwannoma was performed.

Clinical discussion:

The occurrence and recurrence of spinal schwannoma in neurofibromatosis type 2 is a common finding. But such an association has not been established between spinal schwannoma and neurofibromatosis type 1. In this case, the recurrence of spinal schwannoma has been linked to neurofibromatosis type 1 in the absence of other well-defined etiologies.

Conclusion:

The occurrence of spinal schwannoma can be genetic or sporadic. The recurrence is usually associated with familial tumor syndrome. The available literature has not established association between neurofibromatosis type 1 and spinal schwannoma, thus, emphasizing the need of more focused studies.
Lung carcinoma with adrenal metastasis and inferior vena cava thrombosis in an elderly patient with decompensated chronic liver disease: a case report
Authors: Yadav Pramodman Singh , Dev Abinash , Shah Leeza , Khadka Ashish , Adhikari Pratik , Pyakurel Arash
Published: August 2024

Introduction:

Managing patients with complex comorbidities poses significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This case report details a 65-year-old male with a history of decompensated chronic liver disease (CLD) and portal hypertension, who presented with symptoms suggestive of liver disease exacerbation. He was later diagnosed with primary lung malignancy and extensive thrombosis, including the inferior vena cava (IVC) and heart chambers, a rare finding.

Case presentation:

A 65-year-old man with a history of smoking, alcohol consumption, and chronic liver disease presented with severe pain in the upper right quadrant, dyspnea, weakness, loss of appetite, and unintentional weight loss. Medical assessments revealed decompensated CLD with elevated bilirubin levels, low albumin, and an elevated INR. Imaging showed lung cancer with metastasis to the adrenal gland and a large IVC thrombus extending to the heart chambers. The patient decided to pursue palliative care.

Discussion:

When dealing with primary lung cancer and adrenal metastasis, it’s important to thoroughly assess atypical presentations for IVC thrombus. Even with advances in imaging and treatments, managing IVC thrombus related to cancer is still difficult and requires a team approach. This case highlights underdiagnosis in areas with limited resources, emphasizing the need for timely advanced diagnostics such as CT and MR imaging.

Conclusion:

This case highlights the complexities of diagnosing and managing patients with multiple conditions. It emphasizes the need for patient-centered care and the importance of ongoing research to develop effective diagnostic and treatment strategies for conditions like IVC thrombus in the context of malignancy.