bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New insights into the catastrophic slope failures at Sau Mau Ping: the role of antecedent rainfall pattern
Authors: Natalia Levinna , Yang Jun
Published: April 2024

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events, which aggravate the threat to the safety of natural and man-made slopes. There is growing interest in the role of rainfall characteristics in these slope failures. Most of previous studies treated the rainfall individually or as cumulative value and used hypothetical rainfall temporal patterns with no association with actual physical failures. In this study, the two deadly landslides in Sau Mau Ping, Hong Kong, in June 1972 and August 1976, which caused 165 casualties, are revisited. An intriguing question that has long been overlooked is posed: why the slopes that withstood the 1972 rainfall failed in the 1976 rainfall, given that the rainfall intensity of the latter event was only half of the former? Based on an extensive review of the forensic reports and relevant studies on the failure events, numerical modeling is carried out by a combination of seepage analysis with stability analysis and unsaturated shear strength theory. Focus is placed on the geological and hydrological settings and the rainfall characteristics, particularly the temporal pattern of the antecedent and main rainfall, to look into the causes and mechanisms for these failures. Implications of the new findings for future research and practice are also highlighted.
Assessing women’s empowerment, participation, and engagement in aquaculture in Bangladesh
Authors: Njogu Lucy , Adam Rahma , Farnworth Cathy Rozel
Published: April 2024

Women’s empowerment and gender equality are key goals for development and human rights. However, a significant gap still exists in achieving these twin goals. Formulating appropriate strategies for women’s empowerment requires first understanding context-specific patterns and sources of disempowerment. We use data collected using a questionnaire survey from 1653 households in Rangpur and Rajshahi districts in Bangladesh. Guided by an analytic tool that measures women’s empowerment, inclusion and agency (the project level Women’s Empowerment in Fisheries and aquaculture Index (pro-WEFI)), and using seven empowerment indicators, we provide findings on the status of women’s empowerment, participation, and engagement in aquaculture in Bangladesh. Results show that women were highly involved in making household decisions, mainly jointly with their husbands. However, data suggest a substantial gap in women’s access to financial services, in participation in aquaculture activities, and in access to and control over productive capital and remuneration for aquaculture labor. Finally, despite some women achieving adequacy on some indicators, most women in fish farming households in Bangladesh lack adequacy on many of the selected indicators.
Strategy to achieve mitral isthmus flutter ablation by radiofrequency: the SHERIFF plan
Authors: Mechulan Alexis , Dieuzaide Pierre , Peret Angélique , Vaugrenard Thibaud , Houamria Sophiane , Pons Frederic , Nait-Saidi Lyassine , Miliani Ichem , Lemann Thomas , Bouharaoua Ahmed , Prévot Sébastien
Published: April 2024

Background

Achieving mitral isthmus (MI) block can be challenging. This prospective study evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of a systematic strategy comprising three consecutive steps to achieve MI block.

Methods

Twenty consecutive patients (mean (± SD) age 71.4 ± 6.98 years) undergoing ablation of perimitral atrial tachycardia (PMAT) between December 2019 and November 2021 were included. MI was ablated using a systematic strategy comprising up to three consecutive steps: (1) endocardial ablation from the superolateral mitral annulus to the left pulmonary veins; (2) additional epicardial ablation in the coronary sinus (CS) on the opposite side of the endocardial line; and (3) ablation of early activation sites between endocardial and epicardial breakthroughs.

Results

MI block was successfully achieved in 19/20 patients (95%). MI block after endocardial radiofrequency ablation alone (step 1) was observed in 7/20 patients (35%). Epicardial ablation within the CS on the other side of the endocardial line (step 2) resulted in bidirectional MI block in three more patients. Endocardial ablation of epicardial conduction was successful for nine additional patients (95% success). At the 12-month follow-up, five patients (25%) displayed recurrence of arrhythmia after a single procedure. One patient had electrical cardioversion for persistent atrial fibrillation. Four patients had a redo procedure for left atrial flutter and only two patients (10%) had conduction across the MI and showed recurrence of PMAT. No complications occurred.

Conclusions

The three-step ablation strategy resulted in a high rate of acute and durable MI block. PMAT recurrence after a single procedure was 10% at 1-year follow-up.

Graphical Abstract

The three-step ablation strategy had a success rate of bidirectional MI conduction block of 95%. Recurrence of PMAT after a single procedure was 10% at 1-year follow-up.
A machine learning algorithm for detecting abnormal patterns in continuous capnography and pulse oximetry monitoring
Authors: Spijkerboer Feline L. , Overdyk Frank J. , Dahan Albert
Published: April 2024

Continuous capnography monitors patient ventilation but can be susceptible to artifact, resulting in alarm fatigue. Development of smart algorithms may facilitate accurate detection of abnormal ventilation, allowing intervention before patient deterioration. The objective of this analysis was to use machine learning (ML) to classify combined waveforms of continuous capnography and pulse oximetry as normal or abnormal. We used data collected during the observational, prospective PRODIGY trial, in which patients receiving parenteral opioids underwent continuous capnography and pulse oximetry monitoring while on the general care floor [1]. Abnormal ventilation segments in the data stream were reviewed by nine experts and inter-rater agreement was assessed. Abnormal segments were defined as the time series 60s before and 30s after an abnormal pattern was detected. Normal segments (90s continuous monitoring) were randomly sampled and filtered to discard sequences with missing values. Five ML models were trained on extracted features and optimized towards an Fβ score with β = 2. The results show a high inter-rater agreement (> 87%), allowing 7,858 sequences (2,944 abnormal) to be used for model development. Data were divided into 80% training and 20% test sequences. The XGBoost model had the highest Fβ score of 0.94 (with β = 2), showcasing an impressive recall of 0.98 against a precision of 0.83. This study presents a promising advancement in respiratory monitoring, focusing on reducing false alarms and enhancing accuracy of alarm systems. Our algorithm reliably distinguishes normal from abnormal waveforms. More research is needed to define patterns to distinguish abnormal ventilation from artifacts.
Optimising Technological Treatments with the Taguchi Approach to Reduce Acrylamide and Improve Colour Properties in Potato Chips
Authors: Koyuncu Dilek , Duran Ayhan
Published: April 2024

Today, consumer demand for food safety, especially in fried foods, is increasing. In the first place, it is demanded to reduce the amount of food toxins, in particular toxins resulting from the thermal process such as acrylamide. This study aimed to examine the effect of different technological treatments on the optimisation of minimum acrylamide and maximum colour properties by applying the Taguchi approach in the production of chips. In this study, design of experiments, signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, analysis of variance, and regression analysis methods were used to optimise the minimum acrylamide and redness (a*), maximum brightness (L*), and yellowness (b*) values. The optimal parameters for acrylamide were found to be 90 °C slice washing temperature, 175 °C frying temperature, and 175 s frying time. The optimal parameters for colour analysis were determined as 30 °C slice washing temperature, 175 °C frying temperature, and 175 s frying time. Analysis of variance showed that frying temperature and time had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on the results. It was determined that a decrease in frying temperature and time led to a decrease in the amount of acrylamide and redness and an increase in brightness and yellowness. According to the results of the analysis of variance, the most effective technological treatments were frying temperature with effect rates of 37.45% and 60.26% for acrylamide and L* values, respectively, and frying time with effect rates of 40.50% and 44.19% for a* and b* values, respectively. As a result of the study, through the Taguchi method, while quality features in chips were preserved, the amount of acrylamide was reduced.
An Improved Model for Molar Volumes of Ti-Carbide, Ti-Nitride and Ti-Carbo-Nitride
Authors: Zhang Huaqing , Du Yong , Kaptay George
Published: April 2024

Molar volume of titanium carbonitride is modelled as function of composition and temperature by two-sublattice model Ti1(C, N, Va)1. Deviations from the ideal solution model in Ti–TiX sections were modelled by regular solution model between X atoms and vacancies in the (X, Va) sublattice. The combined binary models can describe molar volumes of ternary Ti carbonitrides reasonably well without introducing any ternary parameters, proving a good physics behind the binary models.
Your personal choices in transportation and food are important for lowering carbon emissions
Authors: Logan Bruce , Zhang Fang , Yang Wulin , Shi Le
Published: April 2024

There is a global need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit the extent of climate change. A better understanding of how our own activities and lifestyle influence our energy use and carbon emissions can help us enable changes in activities that can lead to reductions in carbon emissions. Here we discuss an approach based on examining carbon emissions from the perspective of the unit C, where 1 C is the CO2 from food a person would on average eat every day. This approach shows that total CO2 emissions in China, normalized by the population, is 22.5 C while carbon emissions for a person in the US is 43.9 C. A better appreciation of our own energy use can be obtained by calculating carbon emissions from our own activities in units of C, for example for driving a car gasoline or electric vehicle a certain number of kilometers, using electricity for our homes, and eating different foods. With this information, we can see how our carbon emissions compare to national averages in different countries and make decisions that could lower our personal CO2 emissions.
Paving the way toward soil safety and health: current status, challenges, and potential solutions
Authors: Chu Chiheng , Zhu Lizhong
Published: April 2024

Soil is a non-renewable resource, providing a majority of the world’s food and fiber while serving as a vital carbon reservoir. However, the health of soil faces global threats from human activities, particularly widespread contamination by industrial chemicals. Existing physical, chemical, and biological remediation approaches encounter challenges in preserving soil structure and function throughout the remediation process, as well as addressing the complexities of soil contamination on a regional scale. Viable solutions encompass monitoring and simulating soil processes, with a focus on utilizing big data to bridge micro-scale and macro-scale processes. Additionally, reducing pollutant emissions to soil is paramount due to the significant challenges associated with removing contaminants once they have entered the soil, coupled with the high economic costs of remediation. Further, it is imperative to implement advanced remediation technologies, such as monitored natural attenuation, and embrace holistic soil management approaches that involve regulatory frameworks, soil health indicators, and soil safety monitoring platforms. Safeguarding the enduring health and resilience of soils necessitates a blend of interdisciplinary research, technological innovation, and collaborative initiatives.
Hydrogels for agronomical application: from soil characteristics to crop growth: a review
Authors: Piccoli Ilaria , Camarotto Carlo , Squartini Andrea , Longo Matteo , Gross Silvia , Maggini Michele , Cabrera Miguel Lorenzo , Morari Francesco
Published: April 2024

In a growing world population scenario, greater demand for food and in turn agricultural input is expected in the coming decades. The development of innovative sustainable amendments and fertilizers such as hydrogels (HGs) relies on this context. HGs are defined as 3D polymeric networks with the ability to absorb and retain a large amount of water (i.e., swellability). HGs swellability makes them ideal platforms for water- and nutrient-controlled release. The literature reflects a notable diversity in HGs composition, properties, and impacts on agroecosystems, resulting in the dissemination of information across multiple publications. Within this context, the primary aim of this scientific review is to systematically compile, critically evaluate, and synthesize the latest findings and relevant literature pertaining to the application of HGs in agroecosystems. We found that this class of materials was consistently found on soil bulk density, crop available water, soil electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity and main cereal or legume crops performances particularly under moderate water deficit conditions, suggesting their effectiveness for arid and semi- arid areas. Encouraging results were also found on pesticide, agrochemicals, and microorganisms delivering. Thus, the delivery of agronomic inputs with loaded-HG may play a key role in forthcoming agriculture that would minimize the agronomic impact on the environment. Nevertheless, some critical issues still remain open, concerning: (i) the decreased of HG effectiveness following wetting and drying cycles, (ii) the impact of Na+ contained in HG on crop cells, (iii) the HG effect on soil saturated hydraulic conductivity and pH, and (iv) HG biodegradability and their fate into the environment. In conclusion, HGs seem a promising technology to reach/maintain food security and soil health, but future research should address the development of well-defined protocols for producing biowaste-derived HG that will ensure their biodegradability and non-toxicity and will disclose new insights into a circular economy approach agronomy. One of the biggest challenges would be the synthesis of “smart” HG able to respond to environmental stimuli triggering molecule(s) release in soil.
Listening to Black Pregnant and Postpartum People: Using Technology to Enhance Equity in Screening and Treatment of Perinatal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
Authors: Witcraft Sara M. , Johnson Emily , Eitel Anna E. , Moreland Angela D. , King Courtney , Terplan Mishka , Guille Constance
Published: April 2024

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), perinatal substance use disorders (PSUDs), and intimate partner violence (IPV) are leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States. Screening and referral for PMADs, PSUDs and IPV is recommended, however, racial disparities are prominent: Black pregnant and postpartum people (PPP) are less likely to be screened and attend treatment compared to White PPP. We conducted qualitative interviews to better understand the experience of Black PPP who used a text/phone-based screening and referral program for PMADs/PSUDs and IPV—Listening to Women and Pregnant and Postpartum People (LTWP). We previously demonstrated that LTWP led to a significant reduction in racial disparities compared to in-person screening and referral, and through the current study, sought to identify facilitators of PMAD/PSUD symptom endorsement and treatment attendance. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 68 Black PPP who were or had been pregnant within the last 24 months, and who either had or did not have a PMAD or PSUD. Participants were enrolled in LTWP and provided feedback on their experience. Using a grounded theory approach, four themes emerged: usability, comfort, necessity, and recommendations. Ease of use, brevity, convenience, and comfort in discussing mental health and substance use via text were highlighted. Need for a program like LTWP in Black communities was discussed, given the reduction in perceived judgement and access to trusted information and resources for PMADs/PSUDs, which may lessen stigma. These qualitative findings illuminate how technology-based adaptations to behavioral health screening and referral can reduce perceived negative judgment and facilitate identification and referral to treatment, thereby more adequately meeting needs of Black PPP.
Potentials of an informational assembly assistance system for persons with cognitive disabilities—Results of a laboratory study
Authors: Bendzioch Sven , Hinrichsen Sven
Published: April 2024

In Germany, individuals unable or not yet able to return to the general labor market due to disabilities are employed in sheltered workshops which are called WfbM (“Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen”). These organizations are required to earn the wages for the aforementioned group of people by offering market services. These services include, in particular, assembly activities. However, WfbM face the challenge that customer orders tend to become more complex, especially as a result of an increased number of product variants. This development not only has an impact on the work in WfbM, but also makes it much more difficult to achieve the desired inclusion of people with disabilities in the general labor market. Bearing this in mind, the research question addressed in this article can be stated as such: How far can the use of an informational assistance system compensate for performance deficits of people with disabilities in the context of assembly? The results of the conducted laboratory study show that the implementation of an assistance system can help to reduce existing barriers and challenges resulting from the mismatch between requirements of the general labor market and the performance characteristics of people with cognitive impairments.

Practical Relevance: For people with disabilities, the use of assistance systems opens up new opportunities for participation in the general labor market and thus makes an important contribution to implementing the requirements of the “Bundesteilhabegesetz” (a law to strengthen participation of people with disabilities in Germany).
Are All Soldiers Ready for Resilience Training? An Initial Examination of Individual Readiness to Change
Authors: Adler Amy B , Cabrera Oscar A. , Britt Thomas W.
Published: April 2024

Employees in high-risk occupations like the military are often provided resilience training as a way to improve mental health and performance. This training typically reflects a one-size-fits-all model, even though employees likely differ in their readiness to receive resilience training. Borrowing from the readiness to change literature, the present study examined whether employees could be categorized in terms of their readiness to receive resilience training and whether this categorization was related to perceptions of the utility of resilience training, as well as self-reported resilience and mental health symptoms. Data were collected with an anonymous survey of 1,751 U.S. soldiers in a brigade combat team. Survey items assessed readiness for resilience training, self-reported resilience, mental health symptoms, and perceptions of unit-based resilience training. Following a factor analysis that identified three categories underlying readiness for resilience training (pre-contemplation, contemplation, and action), a finite mixture analysis resulted in the identification of four classes: receptive (71%), resistant (16%), engaged (9%), and disconnected (4%). In a sub-set of the sample (n = 1054) who reported participating in unit-based resilience training, those in the engaged class reported the most positive evaluations of the program. Relative to the other three classes, soldiers in the engaged class also reported the highest level of resilience and fewest mental health symptoms. Thus, those least receptive to resilience training may have been those who needed it most. These results can be used to tailor resilience interventions by matching intervention approach to the individual’s level of readiness to receive the training.
Balancing the scale: navigating ethical and practical challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) integration in legal practices
Authors: Zafar Ammar
Published: April 2024

The paper explores the integration of artificial intelligence in legal practice, discussing the ethical and practical issues that arise and how it affects customary legal procedures. It emphasises the shift from labour-intensive legal practice to technology-enhanced methods, with a focus on artificial intelligence's potential to improve access to legal services and streamline legal procedures. This discussion importantly highlights the ethical challenges introduced by the integration of Artificial Intelligence, with a specific focus on issues of bias and transparency. These ethical concerns become particularly paramount in the context of sensitive legal areas, including but not limited to, child custody disputes, criminal justice, and divorce settlements. It underscores the critical need for maintaining ethical vigilance, advocating for developing and implementing AI systems characterised by a profound commitment to ethical integrity. This approach is vital to guarantee fairness and uphold transparency across all judicial proceedings. The study advocates for a "human in the loop" strategy that combines human knowledge and AI techniques to mitigate biases and guarantee individualised legal results to ensure AI functions as a complement rather than a replacement, the paper concludes by emphasising the necessity of preserving the human element in legal practices.
An efficient beaconing of bluetooth low energy by decision making algorithm
Authors: Fujisawa Minoru , Yasuda Hiroyuki , Isogai Ryosuke , Arai Maki , Yoshida Yoshifumi , Li Aohan , Kim Song-Ju , Hasegawa Mikio
Published: April 2024

Ongoing research endeavors are exploring the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance the efficiency of wireless communication systems. Nevertheless, complex computational mechanisms, such as those inherent in neural networks, are not optimally suited for applications where the reduction of computational intricacy is of paramount importance. The rise in Bluetooth-enabled devices has led to the widespread adoption of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) in various IoT applications, primarily due to its low power consumption. For specific applications, such as lost and found tags which operate on small batteries, it’s especially important to further reduce power usage. With the objective of achieving low power consumption by optimally selecting channels and advertisement intervals, this paper introduces a parameter selection method derived from the Multi-Armed Bandit (MAB) algorithm, a technique known for addressing human decision-making challenges. In this study, we evaluate our proposed method using simulations in diverse environments. The outcomes indicate that, without compromising much on reliability, our approach can reduce power consumption by up to 40% based on the wireless surroundings. Additionally, when this method was implemented on an actual BLE device, it demonstrated effectiveness in reducing power consumption by about 35% in real environments.
Online Learner Categories Recognition Based on MoE-LSTM Model
Authors: Wang Minghu , Gong Yanhua , Shi Zhikui
Published: April 2024

Online learner behaviour patterns are comprehensive indicators reflecting the learning status and learning outcomes of online learners, which have a guiding role in the design, implementation and improvement of online education in the post-epidemic era, but the methods for their identification still need to be improved. To improve the accuracy of online learner identification, a model of online learner behaviour identification based on improved long and short-term memory networks with deep learning is established. Firstly, the online learner behaviour characteristics are extracted according to the behavioural science theory, secondly, the online learner type is identified based on the "hybrid expert system-long and short-term memory network" model, and then compared with other identification models, and finally, the results are outputted by the progressive gradient regression tree GBRT in the stacking integration framework and validated using The results were validated using a ten-fold crossover. The results show that the method is effective in portraying online learners, and its accuracy and robustness are improved compared to other algorithms.
Between Nation and ‘Community'
Authors: Gautier Laurence
Published: April 2024

This book proposes a political history of Muslim universities in post-independence India, from 1947 to the 1990s. Based on a wide range of sources in English and in Urdu, it highlights the central role that these educational institutions played in the debates on national integration, secularism, minority rights and Muslim backwardness. After independence, Muslim universities found themselves at a critical juncture between central state authorities and India's Muslim population. As public and Muslim institutions, they were to participate in nation-building as much as in the development of the Muslim 'community'. By closely looking at the relation between these institutions and state authorities, the book teases out the ambiguities of the state's Muslim policy. It also examines, in turn, how university members responded to this policy and developed competing conceptions of Muslim identity and citizenship, which structured the wider public debates on Muslims' status in post-partition India.
Knowledge and Global Inequality Since 1800
Authors: Nathan Dev
Published: April 2024

The Element highlights the monopolization and exclusion from high-value knowledge in analysing divergent and, recently, partially convergent income trends across 200-odd years of the global capitalist economy. A Southern lens interrogates this history, in the process showing how developing command over knowledge creation sheds light on the middle-income trap. Overall, it shows a new way of looking at global capitalist economic history, highlighting the creation of, command over and exclusion from knowledge. This forces us to analyse the role of the subjective or agential element in making history; a subjective element that, however, always works from within and transforms existing structures and processes. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Geographical Variation In Medication and Health Resource Use In Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Balcom Erin F. , McCombe Jennifer A. , Kate Mahesh , Vu Khanh , Martins Karen J. B. , Aponte-Hao Sylvia , Luu Huong , Richer Lawrence , Williamson Tyler , Klarenbach Scott W. , Smyth Penelope
Published: April 2024

Background:

Understanding disease-modifying therapy (DMT) use and healthcare resource utilization by different geographical areas among people living with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) may identify care gaps that can be used to inform policies and practice to ensure equitable care.

Methods:

Administrative data was used to identify pwMS on April 1, 2017 (index date) in Alberta. DMT use and healthcare resource utilization were compared between those who resided in various geographical areas over a 2-year post-index period; simple logistic regression was applied.

Results:

Among the cohort (n = 12,338), a higher proportion of pwMS who resided in urban areas (versus rural) received ≥ 1 DMT dispensation (32.3% versus 27.4%), had a neurologist (67.7% versus 63.9%), non-neurologist specialist (88.3% versus 82.9%), ambulatory care visit (87.4% versus 85.3%), and MS tertiary clinic visit (59.2% versus 51.7%), and a lower proportion had an emergency department (ED) visit (46.3% versus 62.4%), and hospitalization (20.4% versus 23.0%). Across the provincial health zones, there were variations in DMT selection, and a higher proportion of pwMS who resided in the Calgary health zone, where care is managed by MS tertiary clinic neurologists, had an outpatient visit to a neurologist or MS tertiary clinic versus those who resided in other zones where delivery of MS-related care is more varied.

Conclusions:

Urban/rural inequalities in DMT use and healthcare resource utilization appear to exist among pwMS in Alberta. Findings suggest the exploration of barriers with consequent strategies to increase access to DMTs and provide timely outpatient MS care management, particularly for those pwMS residing in rural areas.
Relationship Between Severity and Length of Exposure to COVID-19 Parameters and Resulting Government Responses and the Suicide Crisis Syndrome (SCS)
Authors: Cohen Lisa J. , Liang Yinan , Peterkin Devon , McGibbon Kamryn , Rappa Frank , Rogers Megan L. , You Sungeun , Chistopolskaya Ksenia , Enikolopov Sergey , Barzilay Shira , Menon Vikas , Husain M. Ishrat , Dudeck Manuela , Streb Judith , Çinka Elif , Yilmaz Fatma Kantas , Kuśmirek Oskar , Valvassori Samira S. , Blum Yarden , Galynker Igor
Published: April 2024

Objective:

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a globally devastating psychosocial impact. A detailed understanding of the mental health implications of this worldwide crisis is critical for successful mitigation of and preparation for future pandemics. Using a large international sample, we investigated in the present study the relationship between multiple COVID-19 parameters (both disease characteristics and government responses) and the incidence of the suicide crisis syndrome (SCS), an acute negative affect state associated with near-term suicidal behavior.

Methods:

Data were collected from 5528 adults across 10 different countries in an anonymous web-based survey between June 2020 and January 2021.

Results:

Individuals scoring above the SCS cut-off lived in countries with higher peak daily cases and deaths during the first wave of the pandemic. Additionally, the longer participants had been exposed to markers of pandemic severity (eg, lockdowns), the more likely they were to screen positive for the SCS. Findings reflected both country-to-country comparisons and individual variation within the pooled sample.

Conclusion:

Both the pandemic itself and the government interventions utilized to contain the spread appear to be associated with suicide risk. Public policy should include efforts to mitigate the mental health impact of current and future global disasters.
Theory of small-scale self-focusing of spatially partially coherent beams and its implications for high-power laser systems
Authors: Wang Ruifeng , Zhang Xiaoqi , Zhang Yanli , Yang Fanglun , Tang Jianhao , Chen Ziang , Zhu Jianqiang
Published: April 2024

Based on the paraxial wave equation, this study extends the theory of small-scale self-focusing (SSSF) from coherent beams to spatially partially coherent beams (PCBs) and derives a general theoretical equation that reveals the underlying physics of the reduction in the B-integral of spatially PCBs. From the analysis of the simulations, the formula for the modulational instability (MI) gain coefficient of the SSSF of spatially PCBs is obtained by introducing a decrease factor into the formula of the MI gain coefficient of the SSSF of coherent beams. This decrease can be equated to a drop in the injected light intensity or an increase in the critical power. According to this formula, the reference value of the spatial coherence of spatially PCBs is given, offering guidance to overcome the output power limitation of the high-power laser driver due to SSSF.
Heterodoxies of the Body: Death, Secularism, and the Corpse of Raja Rammohun Roy
Authors: Scott J. Barton
Published: April 2024

In 1833, Rammohun Roy, the so-called “Father of Modern India,” died abruptly while traveling in England. Because cremation was then illegal in Britain, he was buried rather than immolated according to brahminical norms. This article situates the micro-history of his colonial corpse within the genealogy of secularism. I take secularism as a formation of the body in the most morbidly literal of ways—fused to embodied formations of race, caste, class, and gender and entangled with the transcolonial networks of nineteenth-century heterodoxy. Roy’s ritually indeterminate flesh was a site for cultural improvisation around a Victorian-colonial secularity formed in and through the body.
Galois points and Cremona transformations
Authors: Abouelsaad Ahmed
Published: April 2024

In this article, we study Galois points of plane curves and the extension of the corresponding Galois group to
$\mathrm{Bir}(\mathbb{P}^2)$
. We prove that if the Galois group has order at most
$3$
, it always extends to a subgroup of the Jonquières group associated with the point
$P$
. Conversely, with a degree of at least
$4$
, we prove that it is false. We provide an example of a Galois extension whose Galois group is extendable to Cremona transformations but not to a group of de Jonquières maps with respect to
$P$
. In addition, we also give an example of a Galois extension whose Galois group cannot be extended to Cremona transformations.
Variance Decomposition and Cryptocurrency Return Prediction
Authors: Lee Suzanne S. , Wang Minho
Published: April 2024

This article examines how realized variances predict cryptocurrency returns in the cross section using intraday data. We find that cryptocurrencies with higher variances exhibit lower returns in subsequent weeks. Decomposing total variances into signed jump and jump-robust variances reveals that the negative predictability is attributable to positive jump and jump-robust variances. The negative pricing effect is more pronounced for smaller cryptocurrencies with lower prices, less liquidity, more retail trading activities, and more positive sentiment. Our results suggest that cryptocurrency markets are unique because retail investors and preferences for lottery-like payoffs play important roles in the partial variance effects.
Confirmation of hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha) in Vietnamese waters: a morphological and genetic analysis
Authors: Giap Vanthu , Rahman Md Rashedur , Li Chenhong
Published: April 2024

One specimen of tropical shad was caught from the Giang Thanh River, Kien Giang province, Vietnam in a survey on 16 October 2022. We identified the specimen as the hilsa shad, Tenualosa ilisha Hamilton, 1822 using morphological analysis, and further validated by its cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence. The specimen was 418 mm long, 1428 g in weight, with a head length of 29.0% and pectoral fin length of 31.1% of its standard length. Notably, the presence of 34 scutes, a higher gill raker count and a caudal fin length within the moderate range for Tenualosa species distinguished it from T. macrura, T. toli and T. reevesii. The COI sequence of the sample matched closely to the T. ilisha. The results confirm that T. ilisha still endures Vietnamese water, where it was thought to be extinct. Climate change and Indo-Pacific Ocean currents may introduce expansion of distribution area of the T. ilisha. Further studies on distribution of the T. ilisha and other Tenualosa species and their dynamics are needed.
How is the path produced and sustained? Path-dependent college education expansion and underlying liberal rule in Korea
Authors: Jang Eunjeong
Published: April 2024

The conventional policy analyses with a path-dependent framework are featured by sequential causation composed of analytically two distinct phases: path production that occurs through a significant policy change at critical junctures and the subsequent path reproduction. This paper explores one policy area where the two-phase framework falls short in explaining path-making and maintenance – college education expansion in Korea. We argue that the shortcomings of the two-phase model can potentially be overcome by incorporating the underlying rule of the countries into the model. We identify the underlying rule relying on Esping-Andersen’s welfare regimes to highlight the political underpinnings of the countries. We show that the underlying liberal rule is a fundamental causal force behind the production and reproduction of college education expansion in Korea, using qualitative comparative analysis. Our framework based on the underlying rule provides a richer understanding of path dependency.
GENERALISED QUADRATIC FORMS OVER TOTALLY REAL NUMBER FIELDS
Authors: Browning Tim , Pierce Lillian B. , Schindler Damaris
Published: April 2024

We introduce a new class of generalised quadratic forms over totally real number fields, which is rich enough to capture the arithmetic of arbitrary systems of quadrics over the rational numbers. We explore this connection through a version of the Hardy–Littlewood circle method over number fields.
Multiband circularly-polarized stacked elliptical patch antenna with eye-shaped slot for GNSS applications
Authors: Abdalrazik Ahmad , Gomaa Ahmed , Afifi Asmaa
Published: April 2024

This paper introduces a tri-band stacked elliptical patch antenna featuring a right-handed circular polarized, designed to operate at the L2, L5, and L1 Global Navigation Satellite System bands. Initially, an elliptic patch is constructed and fed by a probe feed to generate TM110 and TM210 modes at resonance frequencies calculated using Mathieu functions. The probe position is precisely adjusted to excite the quasi-orthogonal mode of TM110 to generate circularly polarized (CP) waves at the L2 and L5 bands. Subsequently, an eye-shaped aperture is engraved into the elliptical patch to enhance the axial ratio (AR) beamwidth in the L2 and L5 bands and stimulate the orthogonal mode of TM210 to produce CP waves at the L1 band. Lastly, a stacked partially elliptical parasitic element is placed beneath the upper slotted elliptical patch to enhance the orthogonality of TM210 surface current versions and thus improve the AR beamwidth at the L1 band. The proposed antenna shows low reflection coefficient values at 1.12–1.33 (L2/L5), and 1.5–1.66 GHz (L1). The AR beamwidths are 133/213∘, 167/163∘, and 36/103∘ at two orthogonal cutplanes at L5, L2, and L1 bands, respectively. The antenna also has decent gains of 6–6.9 dBic across the three bands.
Permanence and Liability: Legal Considerations on the Integration of Carbon Dioxide Removal into the EU Emissions Trading System
Authors: Schuett Lukas
Published: April 2024

This article examines how carbon dioxide (CO2) removal credits can be integrated into the European Union (EU) Emissions Trading System (ETS), focusing on questions of permanence and climate liability. It identifies challenges within the integration process and analyzes approaches from practice and literature to cultivate learning. These approaches apply different strategies to address the issue of permanence, including temporary credit issuance, granting credits once a certain number of carbon tonne-years have been accumulated, or issuing credits at the beginning of the project period and relying on liability instead. Drawing from the findings of this research, the article presents legal considerations that may inform a proposal for an EU legislative act on the integration of carbon removal credits into the EU ETS. It suggests that only credits issued for permanent CO2 removal should be integrated to ensure the environmental integrity of the system. Furthermore, the liability of the project operator should transfer to the Member State under certain conditions to make liability risks more predictable.
A Persian Validation of the Occupational Depression	Inventory
Authors: Kalani Simindokht , Khanlari Payam , Bianchi Renzo
Published: April 2024

Abstract: The present study examined the psychometric and structural properties of the Persian version of the Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI). The ODI focuses on depressive symptoms that employed individuals specifically ascribe to their work. A sample of 355 Iranian schoolteachers was surveyed. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) bifactor analysis indicated that the ODI meets the requirements for essential unidimensionality. ESEM bifactor analysis and scalability analysis supported the use of the ODI’s total score. The instrument exhibited high reliability. Cross-cultural measurement invariance was supported. As for the concurrent validity of the ODI, occupational depression correlated, in the expected direction, with job satisfaction, life satisfaction, well-being, work engagement, sick leave, and antidepressant intake. No association was observed with sex, age, length of employment, and a history of depressive disorders over the past year. The ODI displayed a balance of convergent and discriminant validity vis-a-vis an attribution-free measure of depressive symptoms. The prevalence of occupational depression was estimated at 2.8% in our sample. Our findings endorse the Persian version of the ODI and confirm the instrument’s overall robustness.
Thermal and Physical Properties of Barrovian Metamorphic Sequence Rocks in the Ailao Shan‐Red River Shear Zone, and Implications for Crustal Channel Flow
Authors: Ji Lei , Liu Fulai , Palin Richard , Wang Fang , Sun Zaibo
Published: April 2024

The collisional history between Greater India and the Eurasian plate has been well constrained by the study of exhumed Barrovian metamorphic sequence (BMS) rocks in the Himalayan Range. However, in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, the collisional records have been obscured by intense, regional‐scale strike‐slip overprinting and recrystallization. Here, in BMS rocks from the Ailao Shan–Red River shear zone (ARSZ), we report the first discovery of a >250 km long, high‐pressure (high‐P) granulite belt (>1.0 GPa), identified by the presence of relict kyanite and associated decompression reaction textures. Petrological phase equilibrium modeling showed that exposed micaschists in the region represent exhumed middle crust (20–25 km, 600–670°C), while the high‐P granulite rocks are remnants of thickened lower crust (45–55 km, 800–850°C). This indicates that the northeast edge of the ARSZ experienced an additional ∼25 km of uplift and exhumation compared to the southwest side, facilitated by brittle thrusting/imbrication along the Ailao Shan fault (micaschists) and ductile extrusion along the Red River fault (granulite). Geochronological study shows that the upper portion of the BMS preserves older metamorphic ages (52–34 Ma) than the lower portion (32–29 Ma), which was attributed to spatial variation in cooling rates. Using calculated P–T–t–d paths, we also examined variation in density and seismic wave speeds for BMS in the ARSZ. Our data correlate with fieldwork conducted elsewhere within the Himalayan Range indicating that the kyanite to sillimanite transition zone may serve as a “cap” for the horizontal migration of melt within the lower crust.
Research progress of post-acute sequelae after SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Jiao Taiwei , Huang Yuling , Sun Haiyan , Yang Lina
Published: April 2024

SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly worldwide and infected hundreds of millions of people worldwide. With the increasing number of COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals, the emergence of its associated complications, sequelae, has become a new global health crisis secondary to acute infection. For the time being, such complications and sequelae are collectively called “Post-acute sequelae after SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC)”, also referred to as “long COVID” syndrome. Similar to the acute infection period of COVID-19, there is also heterogeneity in PASC. This article reviews the various long-term complications and sequelae observed in multiple organ systems caused by COVID-19, pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment of PASC, aiming to raise awareness of PASC and optimize management strategies.
Nonlinearity-induced topological phase transition characterized by the nonlinear Chern number
Authors: Sone Kazuki , Ezawa Motohiko , Ashida Yuto , Yoshioka Nobuyuki , Sagawa Takahiro
Published: April 2024

As first demonstrated by the characterization of the quantum Hall effect by the Chern number, topology provides a guiding principle to realize the robust properties of condensed-matter systems immune to the existence of disorder. The bulk–boundary correspondence guarantees the emergence of gapless boundary modes in a topological system whose bulk exhibits non-zero topological invariants. Although some recent studies have suggested a possible extension of the notion of topology to nonlinear systems, the nonlinear counterpart of a topological invariant has not yet been understood. Here we propose a nonlinear extension of the Chern number based on the nonlinear eigenvalue problems in two-dimensional systems and show the existence of bulk–boundary correspondence beyond the weakly nonlinear regime. Specifically, we find nonlinearity-induced topological phase transitions, in which the existence of topological edge modes depends on the amplitude of oscillatory modes. We propose and analyse a minimal model of a nonlinear Chern insulator whose exact bulk solutions are analytically obtained. The model exhibits the amplitude dependence of the nonlinear Chern number, for which we confirm the nonlinear extension of the bulk–boundary correspondence. Thus, our result reveals the existence of genuinely nonlinear topological phases that are adiabatically disconnected from the linear regime.
An RNA-hydrolyzing recombinant minibody prevents both influenza A virus and coronavirus in co-infection models
Authors: Luong Quynh Xuan Thi , Hoang Phuong Thi , Lee Yongjun , Ayun Ramadhani Qurrota , Na Kyungho , Park Seonhyeon , Lin Chengmin , Ho Phuong Thi , Lee Taek-Kyun , Lee Sukchan
Published: April 2024

With the lifting of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions, the resurgence of common viral respiratory infections was recorded in several countries worldwide. It facilitates viral co-infection, further burdens the already over-stretched healthcare systems. Racing to find co-infection-associated efficacy therapeutic agents need to be rapidly established. However, it has encountered numerous challenges that necessitate careful investigation. Here, we introduce a potential recombinant minibody-associated treatment, 3D8 single chain variable fragment (scFv), which has been developed as a broad-spectrum antiviral drug that acts via its nucleic acid catalytic and cell penetration abilities. In this research, we demonstrated that 3D8 scFv exerted antiviral activity simultaneously against both influenza A viruses (IAVs) and coronaviruses in three established co-infection models comprising two types of coronaviruses [beta coronavirus—human coronavirus OC43 (hCoV-OC43) and alpha coronavirus—porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV)] in Vero E6 cells, two IAVs [A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 H1N1 (H1N1/PR8) and A/X-31 (H3N2/X-31)] in MDCK cells, and a combination of coronavirus and IAV (hCoV-OC43 and adapted-H1N1) in Vero E6 cells by a statistically significant reduction in viral gene expression, proteins level, and approximately around 85%, 65%, and 80% of the progeny of ‘hCoV-OC43–PEDV’, ‘H1N1/PR8–H3N2/X-31’, and ‘hCoV-OC43–adapted-H1N1’, respectively, were decimated in the presence of 3D8 scFv. Taken together, we propose that 3D8 scFv is a promising broad-spectrum drug for treatment against RNA viruses in co-infection.