bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pattern of psychedelic substance use: a comparison between populations in Spain and South America using the Psychedelic Use Scale (PUS)
Authors: Rojas-Hernández Jaime , Borkel Lucas F. , Quintana-Hernández Domingo J. , del Pino Ángelo Santana , Henríquez-Hernández Luis Alberto
Published: November 2024

Psychedelic use has increased in the last decade. However, it is unclear whether the cultural background of the consumers exerts any influence. The aim of the present study was to determine the pattern of psychedelic use in Spain and Spanish-speaking populations in South America and compare these consumption patterns to understand the use of these substances in two culturally distinct populations. The Psychedelic Use Scale (PUS) was administered via the Google Surveys platform between September and November 2022. 735 participants were selected using a non-probability purposive sampling technique. The study received ethics approval from the local ethics committee. Psilocybin was the most used substance. MDMA was more frequently consumed in the Spanish population (78.5 vs. 37.1%), while mescaline was more commonly used among participants from South America (31.9 vs. 24.0%), mainly among males (P < 0.05). Among the Spanish population, MDMA was the most commonly combined psychedelic; for the South American population, LSD was the substance most frequently combined, highlighting the predominant recreational use of this substance. DMT predicted the most adverse effects during consumption, whereas MDMA predicted the most adverse effects after consumption. Age was as a risk factor for the development of adverse effects, with a significant increase in risk observed in individuals under 30 years of age (OR = 2.01, CI95% 1.1–3.6). In conclusion, the pattern of psychedelic substance use differed between both populations, highlighting the necessity for comprehensive studies. This is especially crucial in light of the social shifts stemming from the ongoing psychedelic renaissance.
In Search of the Lost Link: The Fascinating Platinum Host Rock of Chocó, Colombia
Authors: Salazar Gabriel , Salazar Susana , Ochoa Andrés , Bedoya Álvaro
Published: November 2024

In Colombia, after nearly 500 years of the quest for the platinum source rock, a remarkable discovery of a fossiliferous limestone with gold and platinum now resides under the watch of the Geological Survey’s Museum in Medellín, registered as RS 2.2.1.1.3. Platinum group minerals, long sought after in Colombia’s placer deposits since the 19th century, typically found in the form of nuggets, have received special attention due to the missing link that exists between authigenesis in mafic/ultramafic rocks to detrital alluvium associations. Consequently, this finding unveils an entirely new environment hosting platinum. In this article, we delve into the historical context and the heritage value of a sample boasting $$\sim $$
∼
200-300 g/ton of platinum and $$\sim $$
∼
30 g/ton of gold found by atomic absorption spectroscopy, embedded in a dolomitized biosparite. Various analyses, encompassing X-ray diffraction, micropetrographic characterization, and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, were performed on the sample. The sample baffled experts due to its unassuming sedimentary rock appearance and the unusual circumstances of its arrival at the museum. Hence, it stands as one of those uncommon scientific curiosities with an unforeseen origin, accessible only through a stroke of chance and an unbiased perspective regarding its origin. Beyond its historical and geological significance, this specimen, safeguarded within the museum’s collection, encourages education and awareness regarding geosites, advocating for the preservation of one of the planet’s most biologically diverse regions, where platinum was first discovered.
Direct Photolithography of WOx Nanoparticles for High-Resolution Non-Emissive Displays
Authors: Gu Chang , Yang Guojian , Wang Wenxuan , Shi Aiyan , Fang Wenjuan , Qian Lei , Hu Xiaofei , Zhang Ting , Xiang Chaoyu , Zhang Yu-Mo
Published: November 2024

High-resolution non-emissive displays based on electrochromic tungsten oxides (WOx) are crucial for future near-eye virtual/augmented reality interactions, given their impressive attributes such as high environmental stability, ideal outdoor readability, and low energy consumption. However, the limited intrinsic structure of inorganic materials has presented a significant challenge in achieving precise patterning/pixelation at the micron scale. Here, we successfully developed the direct photolithography for WOx nanoparticles based on in situ photo-induced ligand exchange. This strategy enabled us to achieve ultra-high resolution efficiently (line width < 4 µm, the best resolution for reported inorganic electrochromic materials). Additionally, the resulting device exhibited impressive electrochromic performance, such as fast response (< 1 s at 0 V), high coloration efficiency (119.5 cm2 C−1), good optical modulation (55.9%), and durability (> 3600 cycles), as well as promising applications in electronic logos, pixelated displays, flexible electronics, etc. The success and advancements presented here are expected to inspire and accelerate research and development (R&D) in high-resolution non-emissive displays and other ultra-fine micro-electronics.
A Systematic Review of Social Media Use and Adolescent Identity Development
Authors: Avci Hamide , Baams Laura , Kretschmer Tina
Published: November 2024

Social media have become a new context for adolescent identity development. However, it is challenging to build a thorough understanding of how social media and identity development are related because studies refer to different facets of social media engagement and use diverse concepts related to identity. This review synthesizes research on the relationships between quantity and quality of social media use and different dimensions of identity development, including identity exploration and commitment, self-concept clarity, and identity distress. The search conducted across four databases yielded 4,467 records, of which 32 studies were included in the analysis, comprising 19,658 adolescents with a mean age of 16.43 years (SD = 1.81) and an age range of eight to 26 years. Active participation in social media, rather than the amount of time spent on it, was associated with more identity exploration. Authenticity on social media, not idealized self-presentation, correlated with higher self-concept clarity. Additionally, adolescents who engaged in comparisons on social media demonstrated higher levels of identity exploration and identity distress. Overall, it seems to matter more for identity development what young people do on social media than how much time they spend on it.
Optimising Insider Threat Prediction: Exploring BiLSTM Networks and Sequential Features
Authors: Manoharan Phavithra , Hong Wei , Yin Jiao , Wang Hua , Zhang Yanchun , Ye Wenjie
Published: November 2024

Insider threats pose a critical risk to organisations, impacting their data, processes, resources, and overall security. Such significant risks arise from individuals with authorised access and familiarity with internal systems, emphasising the potential for insider threats to compromise the integrity of organisations. Previous research has addressed the challenge by pinpointing malicious actions that have already occurred but provided limited assistance in preventing those risks. In this research, we introduce a novel approach based on bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) networks that effectively captures and analyses the patterns of individual actions and their sequential dependencies. The focus is on predicting whether an individual would be a malicious insider in a future day based on their daily behavioural records over the previous several days. We analyse the performance of the four supervised learning algorithms on manual features, sequential features, and the ground truth of the day with different combinations. In addition, we investigate the performance of different RNN models, such as RNN, LSTM, and BiLSTM, in incorporating these features. Moreover, we explore the performance of different predictive lengths on the ground truth of the day and different embedded lengths for the sequential features. All the experiments are conducted on the CERT r4.2 dataset. Experiment results show that BiLSTM has the highest performance in combining these features.
Pediatric Care Proximity in Germany: A Comparative Study of Regional Accessibility
Authors: Neumeier Stefan
Published: November 2024

In Germany, healthcare provision is governed by the Bedarfsplanungs-Richtlinie (Needs Planning Directive), which sets national guidelines for determining regional treatment capacities based on population-to-physician ratios and morbidity rates. Despite these regulations, spatial imbalances persist, resulting in physician oversupply in attractive and undersupply in peripheral areas, impacting pediatric care accessibility. This study examines changes in the distribution, accessibility, and capacity of pediatricians nationwide using official location data from 2011 and 2021. Utilizing Kernel Density Estimate, Raster-Based Accessibility Analysis and Enhanced Two-Step Floating Catchment Area Analysis methods, disparities in pediatrician accessibility, particularly between rural and non-rural areas as well as between the individually available means of transport car, bicycle, foot, and foot plus public transport are identified. The analysis results suggest that disparities in pediatrician accessibility exists especially between rural and non-rural areas. Generally, throughout all analyzed means of transport, non-rural regions tend to have higher rates of pediatrician accessibility, whereas rural areas and especially the rural hinterland experience the opposite, often with significantly lower accessibility levels or even inaccessibility, especially when it comes to the means of transport bicycle, foot, and foot plus public transport. This suggests that rural regions face distinct challenges in accessing pediatric healthcare, closely related to the availability of individually usable modes of transportation, warranting targeted interventions.
AI-based removal of hate speech from digital social networks: chances and risks for freedom of expression
Authors: Dietrich Frank
Published: November 2024

Given the enormous number of posts, major digital social networks, such as Facebook, must rely on artificial intelligence (AI) systems to regulate hate speech. This article explores the risks for free speech that the automated deletion of posts entails and discusses how AI systems can be subjected to human control. In a first step, the article examines the relevance of the individual right to freedom of expression for privately operated Internet platforms. It then highlights the specific risks that arise when AI systems are entrusted with the task of identifying and removing hate speech. The recently passed EU AI Act represents the most ambitious attempt to date to regulate high-risk AI applications. The article examines whether and, if so, to what extent the various forms of human oversight mentioned in the EU AI Act are feasible in the area of hate speech regulation. Three core theses are put forward: First, the deletion of hate speech by AI systems constitutes a high-risk application that requires an extension of the regulatory scope of the EU AI Act. Second, ex-post monitoring is the only feasible kind of human supervision but fails to guarantee full protection of the individual right to freedom of expression. Third, despite this shortcoming, the implementing of ex-post monitoring is necessary and legitimate to curb hate speech on digital social networks.
The Hamas Intelligence War against Israel
Authors: Flamer Netanel
Published: November 2024

Since its founding in 1987, the political and ideological dimensions of the terror organisation Hamas have been well discussed by scholars. In contrast, this innovative study takes a new approach by exploring the entire scope of Hamas's intelligence activity against its state adversary, Israel. Using primary sources in Arabic, Hebrew and English, Netanel Flamer analyzes the development of Hamas's various methods for gathering information, its use of this information for operational needs and strategic analysis, and its counterintelligence activity against the Israeli intelligence apparatus. The Hamas Intelligence War against Israel explores how Hamas's activity has gradually become more sophisticated as its institutions have become more established and the nature of the conflict has changed. As the first full-length study to analyze the intelligence efforts of a violent non-state actor, this book sheds new light on the activities and operations of Hamas, and opens new avenues for intelligence research in the wider field.
Hearings on the Hill
Authors: Ban Pamela , Park Ju Yeon , You Hye Young
Published: November 2024

Good public policy in a democracy relies on efficient and accurate information flows between individuals with firsthand, substantive expertise and elected legislators. While legislators are tasked with the job of making and passing policy, they are politicians and not substantive experts. To make well-informed policy, they must rely on the expertise of others. Hearings on the Hill argues that partisanship and close competition for control of government shape the information that legislators collect, providing opportunities for party leaders and interest groups to control information flows and influence policy. It reveals how legislators strategically use committees, a central institution of Congress, and their hearings for information acquisition and dissemination, ultimately impacting policy development in American democracy. Marshaling extensive new data on hearings and witnesses from 1960 to 2018, this book offers the first comprehensive analysis of how partisan incentives determine how and from whom members of Congress seek information.
Structural sizing and mass estimation of transport aircraft wings with distributed, hydrogen, and electric propulsions
Authors: Taflan M. , Smith H. , Loughlan J.
Published: November 2024

Current literature offers limited mass estimation methodologies and their application in the conceptual or preliminary design stages of moderate to high aspect ratio wings with electric, hydrogen or distributed propulsions. This study presents the development and application of a quasi-analytical wing mass estimation method to address this limitation. The proposed method is distinguished from the existing mass estimation methods by its expanded realistic load cases, sensitivity to several design parameters, improved accuracy with short computational time and capabilities for future applications. To achieve these features, new geometric models are introduced; 483 load cases including symmetric manoeuvre, rolling, and combined cases are covered following airworthiness requirements; the structural elements are idealised and sized with strength and buckling criteria; existing methods are evaluated and integrated cautiously for secondary structures and non-optimum masses. A computation time of 0.1s is accomplished for one load case. The developed method achieved the highest accuracy with an average error of -2.2% and a standard error of 1.8% for wing mass estimates compared with six existing methods, benchmarked against thirteen wings of different aircraft categories. The effects of engine numbers with dual- to 16-engine setups and the dry wing concepts on the wing mass are investigated. The optimised number of engines and their locations decreased the wing mass of the high aspect ratio wing significantly. In contrast, the dry wing design increased the wing masses of all baseline aircraft. The future applications and improvements of the presented method in novel configurations and multidisciplinary designed optimisation studies are explained.
Depression, Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cognitive Impairment (DOC) Screen Completion Time Reflects Executive Function, Speed of Processing and Fluency
Authors: Sujanthan Sajeevan , Southwell Alisia , Armel Tera , Xing Elaine , Kapoor Arunima , Liu Xiao Yu Eileen , Lanctot Krista L. , Herrmann Nathan , Murray Brian J. , Thorpe Kevin E. , Cayley Megan L. , Sicard Michelle N. , Lien Karen , Sahlas Demetrios J. , Swartz Richard H.
Published: November 2024

Background:

The depression, obstructive sleep apnea and cognitive impairment (DOC) screen assesses three post-stroke comorbidities, but additional information may be gained from the time to complete the screen. Cognitive screening completion time is rarely used as an outcome measure.

Objective:

To assess DOC screen completion time as a predictor of cognitive impairment in stroke/transient ischemic attack clinics.

Methods:

Consecutive English-speaking stroke prevention clinic patients consented to undergo screening and neuropsychological testing (n = 437). DOC screen scores and times were compared to scores on the NINDS-CSC battery using multiple linear regression (controlling for age, sex, education and stroke severity) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Results:

Completion time for the DOC screen was 3.8 ± 1.3 minutes. After accounting for covariates, the completion time was a significant predictor of the speed of processing (p = 0.002, 95% CI: −0.016 to −0.004), verbal fluency (p < 0.001, CI: −0.012 to −0.006) and executive function (p = 0.004, CI: −0.006 to −0.001), but not memory. Completion time above 5.5 minutes was associated with a high likelihood of impairment on executive and speed of processing tasks (likelihood ratios 3.9–5.2).

Conclusions:

DOC screen completion time is easy to collect in routine care. People needing over 5.5 minutes to be screened likely have deficits in executive functioning and speed of processing – areas commonly impaired, but challenging to screen for, after stroke. DOC screen time provides a simple, feasible approach to assess these under-identified cognitive impairments.
Outcomes of Elderly Patients on Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) Versus Warfarin After Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Pedro Karlo M. , Guberman Guido , Scotti Pasquale , Lafleur Ludovic , Hua Melissa , Troquet Jean-Marc , Saluja Rajeet Singh , Marcoux Judith
Published: November 2024

Background:

Although evidence supports the improved safety profile of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) over warfarin (WF), outcomes among elderly traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients on this regimen remain unclear. This study describes the association between anticoagulation status (DOAC vs. WF use) and the rates of occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), hematoma progression, need for surgical intervention and mortality in elderly TBI cases.

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study from 2014 to 2019 included all trauma patients > 65 years on either WF or DOACs at the time of injury. The primary outcome was the rate of ICH after TBI. Multivariable regression analysis identified independent predictors of functional dependency and mortality.

Results:

A total of 501 elderly TBI patients (mean age = 82 years old) were included. WF users had higher CT Marshall scores (p = 0.007), more severe TBI (GCS < 8) (p = 0.003) and higher rates of subdural hematomas compared to the DOAC group (p = 0.003). Patients on DOACs had lower rates of ICH (42% vs. 57%, p = 0.001) and hospitalization (30% vs. 41%, p = 0.013) and better Glasgow outcome scale-extended scores at hospital discharge (mean 6.98 vs. 6.41, p = 0.005). Multicompartment ICH (OR 2.30, p = 0.027) and longer hospitalization (OR 0.04, p < 0.001) were associated with higher functional dependency rates, while higher CT Marshall scores (OR 1.09, p < 0.001) and poorer baseline frailty status (OR 0.62, p = 0.026) predicted increased mortality risk.

Conclusion:

Elderly TBI patients on DOACs have lower rates of ICH, lower need for hospitalization and better functional outcomes at discharge compared to those taking WF. These findings need further confirmation using prospective multicenter studies.
INSPIRE: Readiness, a Dynamic Innovation Platform to Address New and Long-standing Public Health Challenges
Authors: Christian Sidnie , Haviland Margaux
Published: November 2024

Objective

INSPIRE: Readiness is a dynamic innovation platform where innovative approaches, advanced methods, state-of-the-art tools, and modern resources are aggregated and contextualized and where information is shared can be turned into action.

Methods

ASTHO conducted an environmental scan to assess initiatives across the organization. Disciplinary groups convened to reflect on experiences during the COVID-19 response, identify tools, model practices from the workforce, data systems management, and training utilized/adapted during the pandemic. ASTHO also completed a literature review to track and highlight areas of congruity and help identify gaps in information previously collected.

Results

In the evolving landscape of the post-COVID-19 era, a stagnant document would not adequately illustrate the challenges, lessons learned, and innovative resources used by health agencies. From this assessment, INSPIRE: Readiness was designed as an ever-evolving discovery hub where the ASTHO community can learn from their peers about successful strategies for overcoming similar gaps and challenges and apply those insights to their health agency needs.

Conclusion

By facilitating a way for professionals to learn from each other’s experiences, be inspired by success stories, discover new methods, act, and inspire others, we can contribute significantly to enhancing public health preparedness and response.
Random walks on groups and superlinear-divergent geodesics
Authors: CHAWLA KUNAL , CHOI INHYEOK , HE VIVIAN , RAFI KASRA
Published: November 2024

In this paper, we study random walks on groups that contain superlinear-divergent geodesics, in the line of thoughts of Goldsborough and Sisto. The existence of a superlinear-divergent geodesic is a quasi-isometry invariant which allows us to execute Gouëzel’s pivoting technique. We develop the theory of superlinear divergence and establish a central limit theorem for random walks on these groups.
Patterns of inpatient antibiotic utilization by race and ethnicity at US children’s hospitals
Authors: Wattles Bethany A. , Campbell Jeffrey I. , Kluthe Theresa , Feygin Yana B. , Jawad Kahir , Stevenson Michelle D. , Davis Deborah Winders , Porter Jennifer , Jones V. Faye , Hall Matt , Smith Michael J.
Published: November 2024

Background and Objectives:

Racial and ethnic variations in antibiotic utilization are well-reported in outpatient settings but little is known about inpatient settings. Our objective was to describe national inpatient antibiotic utilization among children by race and ethnicity.

Methods:

This study included hospital visit data from the Pediatric Health Information System between 01/01/2022 and 12/31/2022 for patients <20 years. Primary outcomes were the percentage of hospitalization encounters that received an antibiotic and antibiotic days of therapy (DOT) per 1000 patient days. Mixed-effect regression models were used to determine the association of race-ethnicity with outcomes, adjusting for covariates.

Results:

There were 846,530 hospitalizations. 45.2% of children were Non-Hispanic (NH) White, 27.1% were Hispanic, 19.2% were NH Black, 4.5% were NH Other, 3.5% were NH Asian, 0.3% were NH Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) and 0.2% were NH American Indian. Adjusting for covariates, NH Black children had lower odds of receiving antibiotics compared to NH White children (aOR 0.96, 95%CI 0.94–0.97), while NH NHPI had higher odds of receiving antibiotics (aOR 1.16, 95%CI 1.05–1.29). Children who were Hispanic, NH Asian, NH American Indian, and children who were NH Other received antibiotic DOT compared to NH White children, while NH NHPI children received more antibiotic DOT.

Conclusions:

Antibiotic utilization in children’s hospitals differs by race and ethnicity. Hospitals should assess policies and practices that may contribute to disparities in treatment; antibiotic stewardship programs may play an important role in promoting inpatient pharmacoequity. Additional research is needed to examine individual diagnoses, clinical outcomes, and drivers of variation.
The centrality of reasoning in moral judgments: First- and third-party evaluations of cheating
Authors: Waltzer Tal , Samuelson Arvid , Dahl Audun
Published: November 2024

What role does reasoning about moral principles play in people’s judgments about what is right or wrong? According to one view, reasoning usually plays little role. People tend to do what suits their self-interests and concoct moral reasons afterward to justify their own behavior. Thus, in this view, people are far more forgiving of their own violations than of others’ violations. According to a contrasting view, principled reasoning generally guides judgments and decisions about our own and others’ actions. This view predicts that people usually can, and do, articulate the principles that guide their moral judgments and decisions. The present research examined a phenomenon at the center of these debates: students’ evaluations of academic cheating. Across three studies, we used structured interviews and online surveys to examine first- and third-party judgments and reasoning about cheating events. Third-party scenarios were derived from students’ own accounts of cheating events and manipulated based on the reasons students provided. Findings supported the view that reasoning is central to evaluations of cheating. Participants articulated reasons consistent with their judgments about their own and others’ actions. The findings advance classic debates about reasoning in morality and exemplify a paradigm that can bring further advances.
Linear dynamics in turbulent stratified plane Poiseuille flow
Authors: Lloyd C.J. , Dorrell R.M.
Published: November 2024

We investigate a turbulent stratified plane Poiseuille flow using linear models and nonlinear simulations. We propose the first complete explanation for the prolific and coherent backward (BWs)- and forward-propagating waves (FWs), which have been observed in these flows. We demonstrate a significant presence of oblique waves in the channel core, particularly for the FWs. Critically, we show that neglect of spanwise structure leads to a distorted dispersion relation due to its strong dependence on the angle of obliquity. Interestingly, solutions to the Taylor–Goldstein equations show that wave dynamics is strongly dependent on shear, with only a weak dependence on buoyancy for the BWs at low and order-one wavenumbers, when the wavenumber is scaled by the channel half-height. As the wavenumber increases, waves transition from a shear-dominated regime to a buoyancy-dominated regime, with their dispersion relation tending towards that of idealised internal waves subject to a shear-free and constant-buoyancy-gradient flow, with a characteristic velocity and buoyancy frequency corresponding to respective centreline values in the channel. Finally, we show that the dominance of the BWs arises due to the external forcing of the system, whereby turbulent fluid ejected into the core has a lower momentum when compared with the local flow, therefore preferentially generating BWs in the channel. Qualitatively, channel-core dynamics can be reproduced with low-momentum forcing to a velocity profile with a velocity maximum and a corresponding negative second derivative intersecting a region of strong buoyancy gradient. This structure is inherent to a wide variety of jet-like environmental, atmospheric and industrial flows, suggesting that BWs are a critical control on dynamics of such flows.
On Lagrangian properties of turbulent Rayleigh–Bénard convection
Authors: Weiss Stephan , Schanz Daniel , Erdogdu Ahmed Oguzhan , Schröder Andreas , Bosbach Johannes
Published: November 2024

We report on Lagrangian statistics of turbulent Rayleigh–Bénard convection under very different conditions. For this, we conducted particle tracking experiments in a

$H=1.1$

-m-high cylinder of aspect ratio

$\varGamma =1$

filled with air (Pr = 0.7), as well as in two rectangular cells of heights

$H=0.02$

m (

$\varGamma =16$

) and

$H=0.04$

m (

$\varGamma =8$

) filled with water (Pr = 7.0), covering Rayleigh numbers in the range

$10^6\le {\textit {Ra}}\le 1.6\times 10^9$

. Using the Shake-The-Box algorithm, we have tracked up to 500 000 neutrally buoyant particles over several hundred free-fall times for each set of control parameters. We find the Reynolds number to scale at small Ra (large Pr) as

$ {\textit{Re}} \propto {\textit{Ra}}^{0.6}$

. Further, the averaged horizontal particle displacement is found to be universal and exhibits a ballistic regime at small times and a diffusive regime at larger times, for sufficiently large

$\varGamma$

. The diffusive regime occurs for time lags larger than

$\tau _{co}$

, which is the time scale related to the decay of the velocity autocorrelation. Compensated as

$\tau _{co} {\textit {Pr}}^{-0.3}$

, this time scale is universal and rather independent of

$ {\textit {Ra}}$

and

$\varGamma$

. We have also investigated the Lagrangian velocity structure function

$S^2_i(\tau )$

, which is dominated by viscous effects for times smaller than the Kolmogorov time

$\tau _\eta$

and hence

$S^2_i\propto \tau ^2$

. For larger times we find a novel scaling for the different components with exponents smaller than what is expected in the inertial range of homogeneous isotropic turbulence without buoyancy. Studying particle-pair dispersion, we find a Batchelor scaling (

${\propto }\,t^2$

) on small time scales, diffusive scaling (

${\propto }\,t$

) on large time scales and Richardson-like scaling (

${\propto }\,t^3$

) for intermediate time scales.
Vapour bubbles produced by long-pulsed laser: a race between advection and phase transition
Authors: Zhao Xuning , Ma Wentao , Chen Junqin , Xiang Gaoming , Zhong Pei , Wang Kevin
Published: November 2024

Vapour bubbles produced by long-pulsed laser often have complex non-spherical shapes that reflect some characteristics of the laser beam. The transition between two commonly observed shapes, namely, a rounded pear-like shape and an elongated conical shape, is studied using a new computational model that combines compressible multiphase fluid dynamics with laser radiation and phase transition. Two laboratory experiments are simulated, in which a holmium:YAG or thulium fibre laser is used to generate bubbles of different shapes. In both cases, the predicted bubble nucleation and morphology agree reasonably well with the experimental observation. The full-field results of laser irradiance, temperature, velocity and pressure are analysed to explain bubble dynamics and energy transmission. It is found that due to the lasting energy input, the vapour bubble's dynamics is driven not only by advection, but also by the continued vaporisation at its surface. Vaporisation lasts less than

$1~{\rm \mu}$

s in the case of the pear-shaped bubble, compared with over

$50~{\rm \mu}$

s for the elongated bubble. It is thus hypothesised that the bubble's morphology is determined by competition. When the speed of advection is higher than that of vaporisation, the bubble tends to grow spherically. Otherwise, it elongates along the laser beam direction. To test this hypothesis, the two speeds are defined analytically using a model problem, then estimated for the experiments using simulation results. The results support the hypothesis. They also suggest that when the laser's power is fixed, a higher laser absorption coefficient and a narrower beam facilitate bubble elongation.
Human Rights in Japanese Prisons: Reconsidering Segregation as a Disciplinary Measure
Authors: Sawanobori Bunji
Published: November 2024

This article discusses the legitimacy of solitary confinement in prisons in Japan, which is still used despite the spread of modern international human rights norms in the twentieth century. The article examines the disciplinary measures provided for in the Act on Penal Detention Facilities and the Treatment of Inmates and Detainees (2006), which is a revision of the Prison Law (1908), and argues that although the legal revisions appear to have been made, the discretionary power of prison wardens remains unrestrained, wardens retain decision-making power for disciplinary measures. The article then critiques this approach on two grounds: first, there is an overuse of solitary confinement (over 85%) among other means of disciplinary measures; and, second, this violates both the spirit and the provisions of the Mandela Rules. International standards are based on the idea of human dignity with the established principle that solitary confinement should be imposed only as a last resort. The article ends with practical suggestions to make a more serious move forward to comply with international standards.
Results on the non-vanishing of derivatives of L-functions of vector-valued modular forms
Authors: Lim Subong , Raji Wissam
Published: November 2024

We prove the existence of a vector-valued cusp form for the full modular group for which the nth derivative of its L-function does not vanish under certain conditions. As an application, we generalize our result to Kohnen’s plus space and prove an analogous result for Jacobi forms.
The Colonial African: Godwin Mbikusita-Lewanika and His Struggle For and Against Zambian Nationalism
Authors: Sishuwa Sishuwa , Money Duncan
Published: November 2024

Godwin Mbikusita-Lewanika, the founding president of Zambia’s first nationalist organisation, is now remembered as a staunch supporter of colonial rule. Such figures are not uncommon and are often termed “loyalists,” a term that is usually understood in the literature as a fixed category that either dwindled in the face of racial oppression or was a choice shaped and hardened by conflict. Lewanika, however, moved easily between different sides, reinventing himself as an anticolonial nationalist, trade unionist, colonial loyalist, and Lozi traditional monarchist as circumstances warranted. The tumult of the mid-twentieth century opened up new opportunities and Lewanika seized roles that were not previously available. Biographies of anticolonial nationalists often argue they turned to political action when their education and ambitions clashed with the highly-circumscribed roles available under colonialism. Lewanika’s life was the opposite. He carved out a prominent place for himself in the colonial order and then in independent Zambia.
Non-Conceptual Normative Pluralism and the Dualism of Practical Reason
Authors: Hambly Jesse
Published: November 2024

According to normative pluralists there are no truths about what one ought simpliciter to do, only truths about what one ought to do according to some normative system or standpoint. In contrast with conceptual normative pluralists who argue for this conclusion on the basis that the concept of an ought simpliciter is somehow defective, non-conceptual normative pluralists defend this conclusion on first-order grounds. Non-conceptual normative pluralism has recently received a book-length defence by Mathea Slåttholm Sagdahl. In this article I critique Sagdahl's defence of non-conceptual normative pluralism. Firstly, I challenge Sagdahl's attempt to motivate non-conceptual normative pluralism by appealing to Henry Sidgwick's work on the dualism of practical reason. Secondly, I criticise her response to the most prominent argument against non-conceptual normative pluralism in the philosophical literature, the argument from nominal-notable comparisons. Thirdly, I explore the possibility of a view similar to Sagdahl's position but which accepts the ought simpliciter.
Effects of active compounds and their metabolites associated with coffee consumption on neurodegenerative disease
Authors: Koníčková Dorota , Menšíková Kateřina , Plíhalová Lucie , Kaňovský Petr
Published: November 2024

Coffee is one of the most known and consumed beverages worldwide. Only three species are used in commercial coffee production, that is, Coffea arabica L. (Arabica coffee), Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner (Robusta coffee) and Coffea liberica Hiern (Excelsa coffee). The world population consumes approximately two billion cups of coffee per day, making it an important commercial resource of bioactive compounds in world markets. High interest in coffee consumption described in the literature is due not only to its organoleptic properties (for example, desirable bitterness, amount of flavours and aromas) but also to its ability to stimulate the central nervous system.

It is now known that there are more than 1000 compounds in coffee beverages, several of which have a bioactive activity. Recent studies show that consuming three to four cups of coffee per day, that is, moderate consumption according to the European Food Safety Authority, may be beneficial for health.

The main objective of the proposed review is to provide a comprehensive overview of bioactive compounds in coffee and other caffeine-containing beverages and their effects on neurodegenerative proteinopathies.
Characterising the lipid profile of paediatric patients with anomalous aortic origins of a coronary artery
Authors: Przybycien Thomas S. , Gray Kimberly , Sidiq Sameer , Mihail Sandra , Doan Tam T. , Sachdeva Shagun , Reaves-O’Neal Dana , Binsalamah Ziyad , Molossi Silvana
Published: November 2024

Background:

Lipid levels in paediatric patients with anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA) have not previously been explored. Patients with CHD have an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease later in life compared to the general population. We aim to characterise the lipid profiles in paediatric patients with AAOCA and explore its relation to diagnosis, race/ethnicity, and exercise.

Methods:

Single institution retrospective cohort of 180 AAOCA paediatric patients (median age 13.7 years interquartile range 9.7–15.6, 66% male). Total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol to HDL ratio, and non-HDL cholesterol were evaluated across race/ethnicity, sex, type of AAOCA, documented ischaemia on imaging, exercise level, and surgery status. Normality of the data distribution for each lipid parameter was evaluated using Kolmogorov–Smirnov testing. Accordingly, Mann–Whitney U and t-tests were used to compare variables. The proportion of abnormal lipid levels by sex and race/ethnicity was calculated.

Results:

Total cholesterol was elevated in 29%, (51/177) of patients, HDL 37% (64/174), triglycerides 44% (72/165), LDL 16% (28/170), total cholesterol-HDL ratio 29%, (48/163), and non-HDL cholesterol 28% (47/165). Across subgroups categorised on the basis of surgery status, exercise level, AAOCA type, and sex, the mean and median levels for individual lipid parameters were normal. By race/ethnicity, Hispanic patients had significantly higher triglyceride (median 99, interquartile range 71–136.5, p = <0.001) and total cholesterol to HDL ratios (median 3.2, interquartile range 2.7–4.5, p = 0.014) versus non-Hispanic White and Black patients. Two-thirds of patients exercise recreationally.

Conclusion:

Hispanic patients have significantly elevated triglycerides and total cholesterol to HDL ratios compared to others. Longitudinal follow-up evaluating differences in long-term lipid status in patients with AAOCA and risk for cardiovascular events is warranted.
Fenestrated closure of an atrial septal defect for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in an early infant with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Hayashi Ken , Hasegawa Tomomi , Tanaka Toshikatsu
Published: November 2024

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction is associated with poor prognosis in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and CHD. We report the case of an infant concomitant with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an atrial septal defect, and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, who was successfully managed with fenestrated closure of the atrial septal defect.
A Machine Learning-Based Approach for Solving Recurrence Relations and Its use in Cost Analysis of Logic Programs
Authors: RUSTENHOLZ LOUIS , KLEMEN MAXIMILIANO , CARREIRA-PERPIÑÁN MIGUEL Á. , LOPEZ-GARCIA PEDRO
Published: November 2024

Automatic static cost analysis infers information about the resources used by programs without actually running them with concrete data and presents such information as functions of input data sizes. Most of the analysis tools for logic programs (and many for other languages), as CiaoPP, are based on setting up recurrence relations representing (bounds on) the computational cost of predicates and solving them to find closed-form functions. Such recurrence solving is a bottleneck in current tools: many of the recurrences that arise during the analysis cannot be solved with state-of-the-art solvers, including computer algebra systems (CASs), so that specific methods for different classes of recurrences need to be developed. We address such a challenge by developing a novel, general approach for solving arbitrary, constrained recurrence relations, that uses machine learning (sparse-linear and symbolic) regression techniques to guess a candidate closed-form function, and a combination of an SMT-solver and a CAS to check whether such function is actually a solution of the recurrence. Our prototype implementation and its experimental evaluation within the context of the CiaoPP system show quite promising results. Overall, for the considered benchmark set, our approach outperforms state-of-the-art cost analyzers and recurrence solvers and can find closed-form solutions, in a reasonable time, for recurrences that cannot be solved by them.
Zimmern, Athens, and the British Empire: Ancient and Modern Imperialism in The Greek Commonwealth
Authors: Rood Tim
Published: November 2024

This article offers a reading of the intersections of ancient and modern imperialism in Alfred Zimmern's 1911 monograph The Greek Commonwealth: Politics and Economics in Fifth-Century Athens. The first section looks at Zimmern's use of ancient and modern comparisons and shows that, far from modernizing the ancient Greeks, as scholars have argued, he in fact insistently drew attention to the differences between the ancient and modern worlds. The second section examines the complexities of Zimmern's narrative of the Athenian empire, in particular the tension between politics and economics intimated by the book's subtitle and foregrounded by its structure. The article as a whole sets Zimmern's account in the context of Edwardian reflections on ancient and modern imperialism and shows, with the help of his own reflections, that his use of historical parallels was designed to encourage thought about modern political and economic problems as well as action to remedy them.
Architects of the Mixed Economy: Assar Lindbeck, Ingemar Ståhl, and Gösta Rehn
Authors: Andersson Jenny
Published: November 2024

At what point can a social democrat be described as neoliberal? In 1982, Swedish economist Assar Lindbeck (1930–2020) left the Social Democratic Party, although he claimed to remain a social democrat by principle. Lindbeck was a central representative of the neo-Keynesian turn in economics after 1970. At the same time, he was a principled believer in the welfare state. This essay places Lindbeck, somewhat asymmetrically, in the context of two other Swedish economists: social democrat, eventually libertarian, Ingemar Ståhl, and trade union economist Gösta Rehn. My purpose in comparing these three economists is to examine the boundaries between an evolving social-democrat project and emergent neoliberal ideas. There were important connections of conversation, collaboration and friendship between these three actors. Yet they took different paths. The article proposes that understanding the relationship between social democracy and neoliberalism can be productively done through an emphasis on three things: the relationship between egalitarian objectives and economic instrumentalities in the social-democrat project, specific meeting points between social-democrat and neoliberal repertoires of ideas as proposed in the problem of the mixed economy, and the interplay of personal biographies and economic expertise.
Deep learning–based detection and quantification of weed seed mixtures
Authors: Ahmed Shahbaz , Revolinski Samuel R. , Maughan P. Weston , Savic Marija , Kalin Jessica , Burke Ian C.
Published: November 2024

Knowledge of weed seeds present in the soil seedbank is important for understanding population dynamics and forecasting future weed infestations. Quantification of the weed seedbank has historically been laborious, and few studies have attempted to quantify seedbanks on the scale required to make management decisions. An accurate, efficient, and ideally automated method to identify weed seeds in field samples is needed. To achieve sufficient precision, we leveraged YOLOv8, a machine learning object detection to accurately identify and count weed seeds obtained from the soil seedbank and weed seed collection. The YOLOv8 model, trained and evaluated using high-quality images captured with a digital microscope, achieved an overall accuracy and precision exceeding 80% confidence in distinguishing various weed seed species in both images and real-time videos. Despite the challenges associated with species having similar seed morphology, the application of YOLOv8 will facilitate rapid and accurate identification of weed seeds for the assessment of future weed management strategies.
Anthropogenic Aerosols Have Significantly Weakened the Regional Summertime Circulation in the Northern Hemisphere During the Satellite Era
Authors: Kang Joonsuk M. , Shaw Tiffany A. , Sun Lantao
Published: November 2024

Reanalysis data show a significant weakening of summertime circulation in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) midlatitudes in the satellite era with implications for surface weather extremes. Recent work showed the weakening is not significantly affected by changes in the Arctic, but did not examine the role of different anthropogenic forcings such as aerosols. Here we use the Detection and Attribution Model Intercomparison Project (DAMIP) simulations to quantify the impact of anthropogenic aerosol and greenhouse gas forcing. The DAMIP simulations show aerosols and greenhouse gases contribute equally to zonal‐mean circulation weakening. Regionally, aerosol dominates the Pacific storm track weakening whereas greenhouse gas dominates in the Atlantic. Using a regional energetic framework, we show why the impact of aerosol is the largest in the Pacific. Reduced sulfate aerosol emissions over Eurasia and North America increase (clear‐sky) surface shortwave radiation and turbulent fluxes. This enhances land‐to‐ocean energy contrast and energy transport via stationary circulations to the ocean. Consequently, energy converges poleward of oceanic storm tracks, demanding weaker poleward energy transport storm tracks, and the storm tracks weaken. The impact is larger over the Pacific following the larger emission decrease over Eurasia than North America. Similar yet opposite, increased aerosol emissions over South and East Asia decrease shortwave radiation and weaken land‐to‐ocean energy transport. This diverges energy equatorward of the Pacific storm track, further weakening it. Our results show aerosols are a dominant driver of regional circulation weakening during the NH summertime in the satellite era and a regional energetic framework explaining the underlying processes.
Creeping Faults May Have Simpler Geometries
Authors: Martin-Jones Erin
Published: November 2024

A recent study offers an alternative perspective on why some fault segments slide smoothly, whereas others get stuck and produce earthquakes.