bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design, cidade e a leitura do sensível: premissas epistemológicas para práticas do design em ambiências urbanas
Authors: Bahia Isabella Pontello , Rezende Edson Carpintero
Published: January 2024

O presente artigo almeja apresentar os fundamentos do design que orientam as práticas de projeto enquanto imersas nas ambiências urbanas. Para tal, perpassa por reflexões no que tange a interface design e cidade de modo a elucidar o conceito de ambiências urbanas e, assim, evidenciar as bases epistemológicas desse design para ambiências. A pesquisa empreende uma investigação qualitativa, na qual a metodologia adotada foi a revisão de literatura. Espera-se construir um diálogo no qual tendo o designer como interlocutor seja possível se pensar e projetar na cidade a partir de uma leitura sensível das ambiências urbanas. Vislumbra, portanto, um espaço para o designer ao se (re)pensar as cidades.
Interdental cleaning: something for everyone!
Authors: Alcraft Tom
Published: January 2024

Tom Alcraft asks why some remain reluctant to embrace interdental cleaning.
Isamu Noguchi's Gardens: Yellow Peril in the Age of Information
Authors: He Huan
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT: The origins of the information and digital age can be traced to Norbert Weiner's wartime document "Yellow Peril," a yellow-bound book of "perilous" statistics introducing his eventual science of prediction (cybernetics). This essay situates the emergence of "prediction science" alongside the growing sentiment of Japanese "unpredictability," two corresponding experiments in perception in 1942. It also examines sculptor Isamu Noguchi's blueprints to transform Poston War Relocation Center into a garden. Highly visible, orderly, and physical, a garden was the externalized proxy of Japanese interior desires, historically aligned with information's foundational premise of unpredictability and chaos. Through the case of Asian racialization, this essay contends that the historical formation of the information age is embedded within the historical formation of racial liberalism.
Responding to Racial Microaggressions: Resilience Among Black Undergraduate Students
Authors: Mills Kristen J. , Stone-Sabali Steven , Parler Bridget A.
Published: January 2024

Abstract: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how Black undergraduates demonstrate resilience in response to experiencing racial microaggressions. Given that racially hostile and unwelcoming campus environments persist and that some response strategies have been associated with mitigating the effects of microaggressions, there is a need to further explicate how Black students resiliently respond to microaggressive environments that assail their beingness. We used resilience theory as a conceptual framework to uncover positive adaptations that contributed to Black undergraduate students’ resilience. Focus group interviews were conducted with 17 Black undergraduates at a public research university in the Midwest. Findings indicated that students engaged in five positive adaptations that contributed to their resilience: (a) making sense of racial microaggressions, (b) increasing awareness of racism and racial microaggressions, (c) focusing on academics, (d) developing assertiveness, and (e) resisting cultural discontinuity. We offer recommendations for supporting Black undergraduates’ resilience and systematically confronting racism and racial microaggressions.
Application of GRIN-lens-based in-line digital holographic microscopy to automatic detection and localization of particles released from a MEMS device
Authors: Khorshad Ali Akbar , Devaney Nicholas , Houlihan Ruth
Published: January 2024

Recently, we developed a compact and easy-to-implement in-line digital holographic microscope (DHM) using a GRIN rod lens, which provides better resolution (1.3 µm) compared with commonly used pinhole-based DHM setups. Here, we employ this microscope to acquire 3D holographically reconstructed images of silica microparticles, within the 10–300 µm size range, launched/released from a microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS) device. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a MEMS device is implemented to store and launch microparticles. The custom-designed MEMS device consists of a 50 µm thick flat circular silicon ultrasonic membrane mounted on an off-the-shelf piezoelectric transducer. Moreover, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a new automatic hybrid detection and localization method for particle field holography that benefits from a combination of well-known minimum intensity and variance of gray level distribution focus metrics. This robust method is fast and provides precise depth/z position of particles. The proposed method is applied for particle testing of the MEMS device, reconstructing 3D visualization, and measuring the size and velocity of released particles. The obtained experimental results show that the velocity of released particles, previously dry-loaded onto the MEMS device, is of the order of a few tens of cm/s.
Multiline molecular tagging velocimetry of nitric oxide at 100  kHz using an injection-seeded burst-mode OPO
Authors: Rodrigues Neil S. , Jiang Naibo , Hsu Paul , Roy Sukesh , Danehy Paul M.
Published: January 2024

An injection-seeded, burst-mode optical parametric oscillator (OPO) operating at a repetition rate of 100 kHz is used to demonstrate the multiline molecular tagging velocimetry of an underexpanded jet using nitric oxide fluorescence. The very narrow linewidth of the OPO system, along with the relatively high pulse energies of the burst-mode system, enables efficient single-photon excitation of nitric oxide along multiple laser beam lines at a high repetition rate. Simultaneous one-dimensional velocity profile measurements were obtained of an underexpanded jet system at six different locations using a reference initial image and single-shot delayed images. A methodology for calculating the uncertainty of single-shot velocity is also described. Mean and root-mean-square velocity profiles are obtained at multiple locations simultaneously over a sampling time of 1 ms. The high-repetition-rate velocity measurements also appear to capture the onset of velocity oscillations and has the potential to reveal velocity frequency content occurring in the tens of kHz. The demonstrated velocimetry technique could be paired with other emerging burst-mode laser capabilities for a quantitative multiparameter gas property or multicomponent gas velocity measurements for supersonic and hypersonic flows, especially within ground test facilities that are limited to very short run durations.
Physically based simulation of focusing schlieren imaging for a hypersonic boundary layer flow
Authors: Chen Mingjia , Liu Bing , Qin Fei , Liu Xiao , Zhou Bo
Published: January 2024

Focusing schlieren systems are more advantageous than conventional schlieren systems in providing a schlieren image with certain spatial discrimination along the light path. The present work employed a hybrid of the optical-transfer matrix and ray-tracing method to faithfully replicate complete physical imaging processes throughout a focusing schlieren optic system. A direct numerical simulation of a hypersonic boundary layer flow was employed to synthesize focusing schlieren images. The influence of various configuration parameters on the properties of focusing schlieren image such as local schlieren structure, brightness, sensitivity, and depth of field were systematically explored. In addition, an approximation method was proposed as a simplified means to facilitate the simulation of a focusing schlieren image.
Phase-shifting determination and pattern recognition using a modified Sagnac interferometer with multiple reflections
Authors: Usman Abdullahi , Bhatranand Apichai , Jiraraksopakun Yuttapong , Sabo Muhammad Khalid , Buranasiri Prathan
Published: January 2024

This work has implemented a diverse modification of the Sagnac interferometer to accommodate various measurement requirements, including phase shifting, pattern recognition, and a morphological analysis. These modifications were introduced to validate the adaptability and versatility of the system. To enable phase shifting using the multiple light reflection technique, a half-wave plate (HWP) was utilized with rotations at 0, π/8, π/4, and 3π/8 radians, generating four interference patterns. It is possible to observe a distinct circular fringe width as the polarized light experiences diffraction at the interferometer’s output as it travels through a circular aperture with various diameters ranging from 0.4 to 1 mm. Further modifications were made to the setup by inserting a pure glass and a fluoride-doped tin oxide (FTO) transparent substrate into the common path. This modification aimed to detect and analyze a horizontal fringe pattern. Subsequently, the FTO substrate was replaced with a bee leg to facilitate morphology recognition. A deep learning-based image processing technique was employed to analyze the bee leg morphology. The experimental results showed that the proposed scheme succeeded in achieving the phase shift, measuring hole diameters with errors smaller than 1.6%, separating distinct transparent crystals, and acquiring the morphological view of a bee’s leg. The method also has successfully achieved an accurate surface area and background segmentation with an accuracy over 87%. Overall, the outcomes demonstrated the potential of proposed interferometers for various applications, and the advantages of the optical sensors were highlighted, particularly in microscopic applications.
Why thermal images are blurry
Authors: Bao Fanglin , Jape Shubhankar , Schramka Andrew , Wang Junjie , McGraw Tim E. , Jacob Zubin
Published: January 2024

The resolution of optical imaging is limited by diffraction as well as detector noise. However, thermal imaging exhibits an additional unique phenomenon of ghosting which results in blurry and low-texture images. Here, we provide a detailed view of thermal physics-driven texture and explain why it vanishes in thermal images capturing heat radiation. We show that spectral resolution in thermal imagery can help recover this texture, and we provide algorithms to recover texture close to the ground truth. We develop a simulator for complex 3D scenes and discuss the interplay of geometric textures and non-uniform temperatures which is common in real-world thermal imaging. We demonstrate the failure of traditional thermal imaging to recover ground truth in multiple scenarios while our thermal perception approach successfully recovers geometric textures. Finally, we put forth an experimentally feasible infrared Bayer-filter approach to achieve thermal perception in pitch darkness as vivid as optical imagery in broad daylight.
High-resolution 3D imaging in light-field microscopy through Stokes matrices and data fusion
Authors: Shi Wenqi , Quan Hongda , Kong Lingbao
Published: January 2024

The trade-off between the lateral and vertical resolution has long posed challenges to the efficient and widespread application of Fourier light-field microscopy, a highly scalable 3D imaging tool. Although existing methods for resolution enhancement can improve the measurement result to a certain extent, they come with limitations in terms of accuracy and applicable specimen types. To address these problems, this paper proposed a resolution enhancement scheme utilizing data fusion of polarization Stokes vectors and light-field information for Fourier light-field microscopy system. By introducing the surface normal vector information obtained from polarization measurement and integrating it with the light-field 3D point cloud data, 3D reconstruction results accuracy is highly improved in axial direction. Experimental results with a Fourier light-field 3D imaging microscope demonstrated a substantial enhancement of vertical resolution with a depth resolution to depth of field ratio of 0.19%. This represented approximately 44 times the improvement compared to the theoretical ratio before data fusion, enabling the system to access more detailed information with finer measurement accuracy for test samples. This work not only provides a feasible solution for breaking the limitations imposed by traditional light-field microscope hardware configurations but also offers superior 3D measurement approach in a more cost-effective and practical manner.
Free space optical link to a tethered balloon for frequency transfer and chronometric geodesy
Authors: Maron Nicolas , Fernandez Sébastien , Esnault François-Xavier , Lévèque Thomas , Muzeau Tepuaonini , Wolf Peter
Published: January 2024

We present the results of an optical link to a corner cube on board a tethered balloon at 300 m altitude including a Tip/Tilt compensation for the balloon tracking. Our experiment measures the carrier phase of a 1542 nm laser, which is the useful signal for frequency comparison of distant clocks. An active phase noise compensation of the carrier is implemented, demonstrating a fractional frequency stability of 8 × 10−19 after 16 s averaging, which slightly (factor ∼ 3) improves on best previous links via an airborne platform. This state-of-the-art result is obtained with a transportable set-up that enables a fast field deployment.
At-focus scanning ptychography for high resolution imaging with a wide field of view
Authors: Ivanic Bojana , Barolak Jonathan , Car Christopher , Clarke Cameron , Goldberger David , Goeckeritz Jeremy , Meier Amanda , Adams Daniel E.
Published: January 2024

From manufacturing to medicine, there is a demand for phase-resolved, high resolution imaging of large samples. Here we present at-focus scanning ptychography (AFSP), a novel ptychographic metrology station designed for high resolution imaging over a large field of view. AFSP builds on scanning ptychography, but samples remain stationary during the imaging process, allowing for in-situ imaging. We demonstrate a resolution of 44.19μm, present images of spherical and freeform optics with a FOV of over 4cm, and validate the fidelity of the AFSP system by comparing it to established commercial instruments. AFSP’s comparable performance underscores its credibility as a valuable addition to quantitative phase imaging technologies.
High accuracy, compact 3D face imaging method based on translational and online-switchable phase-shifting fringe projection
Authors: Guo Yanqiong , You Zhisheng , Lv Kun , Xiong Wei , You Di
Published: January 2024

In this paper, a compact, cost-effective, and fast translational online-switchable phase-shifting fringe (TOPF) projector is designed and fabricated for high accuracy three-dimensional (3D) face imaging. Compared with the conventional mechanical projectors, the main difference is that it utilizes a translational approach instead of a rotational one to achieve a better balance in terms of size, speed, accuracy, and cost. To mitigate the inconsistency of the motor's step size and ensure the stability of phase-shifting, an optical encoder-based feedback control mechanism is employed. Additionally, to address the random phase shift errors induced by mechanical motion, a fast, generalized phase-shifting algorithm with unknown phase shifts (uPSAs) that can calculate arbitrary phase shifts is proposed. Finally, a 3D imaging system consisting of the TOPF projector and two cameras is constructed for experimental validation. The feasibility, effectiveness, and precision of our proposed method are substantiated through the reconstruction of a static facial model and a dynamic real face.
Axial clearance measurement method based on wavelength division multiplexing with all-fiber microwave photonic mixing
Authors: Yu Zhenxin , Duan Fajie , Fu Xiao , Niu Guangyue , Bao Ruijia , Wu Jingxin
Published: January 2024

Rotor-stator axial clearance plays a pivotal role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of major rotating machinery. This paper introduces an innovative clearance measurement method based on wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) combined with all-fiber microwave photonic mixing. The method is distinguished by large measurement range, high accuracy and low drift. The WDM-based common optical path structure is established. A comprehensive theoretical model of axial clearance drift determined by wavelength and temperature is developed based on the thermo-optic effect of optical fiber material. To efficiently separate measurement and reference light at the probe, the optical design for a compact optical bandpass filter (OBPF) fiber sensor probe is proposed. The performance of the method is substantiated by simulations and experiments. The results demonstrate an accuracy of better than 2.8µm over a 23.5 mm range, surpassing existing methods. The method's capability to mitigate temperature-induced drift is further confirmed through high-temperature drift and comparative experiments.
Artifact suppression and improved signal-to-noise ratio by phase-locked multiplexed coherent imaging
Authors: Giamberardino Michael , Krause Tessa J. H. , Fraser James M.
Published: January 2024

Laser additive manufacturing (AM) promises direct metal 3D printing, but is held back
by defects and process instabilities, giving rise to a need for
in situ process monitoring. Inline coherent imaging
(ICI) has proven effective for in situ, direct
measurements of vapor depression depth and shape in AM and laser
welding but struggles to track turbulent interfaces due to poor
coupling back into a single-mode fiber and the presence of artifacts.
By z-domain multiplexing, we achieve phase-sensitive image
consolidation, automatically attenuating autocorrelation artifacts and
improving interface tracking rates by 58% in signal-starved
applications.
High-resolution ptychographic imaging at a seeded free-electron laser source using OAM beams
Authors: Pancaldi Matteo , Guzzi Francesco , Bevis Charles S. , Manfredda Michele , Barolak Jonathan , Bonetti Stefano , Bykova Iuliia , De Angelis Dario , De Ninno Giovanni , Fanciulli Mauro , Novinec Luka , Pedersoli Emanuele , Ravindran Arun , Rösner Benedikt , David Christian , Ruchon Thierry , Simoncig Alberto , Zangrando Marco , Adams Daniel E. , Vavassori Paolo , Sacchi Maurizio , Kourousias George , Mancini Giulia F. , Capotondi Flavio
Published: January 2024

Electromagnetic waves possessing orbital angular momentum (OAM) are
powerful tools for applications in optical communications, quantum
technologies, and optical tweezers. Recently, they have attracted
growing interest since they can be harnessed to detect peculiar
helical dichroic effects in chiral molecular media and in magnetic
nanostructures. In this work, we perform single-shot per position
ptychography on a nanostructured object at a seeded free-electron
laser, using extreme ultraviolet OAM beams of different topological
charge orders ℓ generated with spiral zone plates. By
controlling ℓ, we demonstrate how the structural
features of OAM beam profiles determine an improvement of about 30% in
image resolution with respect to conventional Gaussian beam
illumination. This result extends the capabilities of coherent
diffraction imaging techniques, and paves the way for achieving
time-resolved high-resolution (below 100 nm) microscopy on
large area samples.
WASP: Weighted Average of Sequential Projections for ptychographic phase retrieval
Authors: Maiden Andrew , Mei Wenjie , Li Peng
Published: January 2024

We introduce the Weighted Average of Sequential Projections, or WASP, an algorithm for ptychography. Using both simulations and real-world experiments, we test this new approach and compare performance against several alternative algorithms. These tests indicate that WASP effectively combines the benefits of its competitors, with a rapid initial convergence rate, robustness to noise and poor initial conditions, a small memory footprint, easy tuning, and the ability to reach a global minimum when provided with noiseless data. We also show how WASP can be parallelised to split operation across several different computation nodes.
Speckle reduction for single sideband-encoded computer-generated holograms by using optimized carrier wave
Authors: Min Kyosik , Min Dabin , Hong Jisoo , Park Jae-Hyeung
Published: January 2024

Computer-generated holography (CGH) is an evolving field that facilitates three-dimensional displays, with speckle noise reduction being a pivotal challenge. In hologram synthesis, complex data with random phase distributions are typically employed as carrier waves for wide viewing angles and a shallow depth of field (DOF). However, these carrier waves are a source of speckle noise, which can significantly degrade image quality. In this paper, we propose a novel technique for speckle reduction for single sideband (SSB)-encoded holograms, applicable to any arbitrary 3D object. The proposed method focuses on optimizing the random carrier wave used in the hologram synthesis to achieve a uniform amplitude distribution at the object's location. This optimization results in a carrier wave that consistently exhibits uniform amplitude at specific depth planes, leading to a significant reduction of the speckle occurring from the carrier wave. The proposed method has been validated through simulations and optical experiments.
Storage of telecom wavelength heralded single photons in a fiber cavity quantum memory
Authors: Bonsma-Fisher K. A. G. , Tannous R. , Poitras D. , Hnatovsky C. , Mihailov S. J. , Bustard P. J. , England D. G. , Sussman B. J.
Published: January 2024

We demonstrate the storage and retrieval of heralded single photons in a fiber-based cavity quantum memory. The photons are stored, and retrieved, from the memory using quantum frequency conversion which switches the photon into, and out of, resonance with the cavity. The photons, generated in the telecom O-band with a bandwidth of 81 GHz, are retrieved from the memory with a 1/e lifetime of 1.64 µs, or 32.8 cavity round trips. We show that non-classical photon statistics remain for 70 round trips. The internal memory efficiency after 0.5 µs of storage is 10.9 ± 0.5%; a coupling efficiency of 60% into the memory cavity yields a total efficiency of 6.0 ± 0.3%. These results mark a crucial step forward in the development of fiber-based quantum memories, and high-bandwidth memories operating at telecom wavelengths, with applications to photon source multiplexing and fiber-based quantum networking.
Adaptive foraging of pollinators fosters gradual tipping under resource competition and rapid environmental change
Authors: Terpstra Sjoerd , Marquitti Flávia M. D. , Vasconcelos Vítor V.
Published: January 2024

Plant and pollinator communities are vital for transnational food chains. Like many natural systems, they are affected by global change: rapidly deteriorating conditions threaten their numbers. Previous theoretical studies identified the potential for community-wide collapse above critical levels of environmental stressors—so-called bifurcation-induced tipping points. Fortunately, even as conditions deteriorate, individuals have some adaptive capacity, potentially increasing the boundary for a safe operating space where changes in ecological processes are reversible. Our study considers this adaptive capacity of pollinators to resource availability and identifies a new threat to disturbed pollinator communities. We model the adaptive foraging of pollinators in changing environments. Pollinator’s adaptive foraging alters the dynamical responses of species, to the advantage of some—typically generalists—and the disadvantage of others, with systematic non-linear and non-monotonic effects on the abundance of particular species. We show that, in addition to the extent of environmental stress, the pace of change of environmental stress can also lead to the early collapse of both adaptive and nonadaptive pollinator communities. Specifically, perturbed communities exhibit rate-induced tipping points at stress levels within the safe boundary defined for constant stressors. With adaptive foraging, tipping is a more asynchronous collapse of species compared to nonadaptive pollinator communities, meaning that not all pollinator species reach a tipping event simultaneously. These results suggest that it is essential to consider the adaptive capacity of pollinator communities for monitoring and conservation. Both the extent and the rate of stress change relative to the ability of communities to recover are critical environmental boundaries.
Optimizing CO2 field flooding during sternotomy: In vitro confirmation of the Karolinska studies
Authors: Puthettu Mira , Vandenberghe Stijn , Balafas Spyros , Di Serio Clelia , Singjeli Geni , Pagnamenta Alberto , Demertzis Stefanos
Published: January 2024

Although CO2field-flooding was first used during cardiac surgery more than 60 years ago, its efficacy is still disputed. The invisible nature of the gas and the difficulty in determining the “safe” quantity to protect the patient are two of the main obstacles to overcome for its validation. Moreover, CO2concentration in the chest cavity is highly sensitive to procedural aspects, such suction and hand movements. Based on our review of the existing literature, we identified four major factors that influence the intra-cavity CO2concentration during open-heart surgery: type of delivery device (diffuser), delivery CO2flow rate, diffuser position around the wound cavity, and its orientation inside the cavity. In this initial study, only steady state conditions were considered to establish a basic understanding on the effect of the four above-mentioned factors. Transient factors, such as suction or hand movements, will be reported separately.
The Fit After Baby randomized controlled trial: An mHealth postpartum lifestyle intervention for women with elevated cardiometabolic risk
Authors: Nicklas Jacinda M. , Pyle Laura , Soares Andrey , Leiferman Jennifer A. , Bull Sheana S. , Tong Suhong , Caldwell Ann E. , Santoro Nanette , Barbour Linda A.
Published: January 2024

Background

Postpartum women with overweight/obesity and a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes are at elevated risk for cardiometabolic disease. Postpartum weight loss and lifestyle changes can decrease these risks, yet traditional face-to-face interventions often fail. We adapted the Diabetes Prevention Program into a theory-based mobile health (mHealth) program called Fit After Baby (FAB) and tested FAB in a randomized controlled trial.

Methods

The FAB program provided 12 weeks of daily evidence-based content, facilitated tracking of weight, diet, and activity, and included weekly coaching and gamification with points and rewards. We randomized women at 6 weeks postpartum 2:1 to FAB or to the publicly available Text4baby (T4B) app (active control). We measured weight and administered behavioral questionnaires at 6 weeks, and 6 and 12 months postpartum, and collected app user data.

Results

81 eligible women participated (77% White, 2% Asian, 15% Black, with 23% Hispanic), mean baseline BMI 32±5 kg/m2 and age 31±5 years. FAB participants logged into the app a median of 51/84 (IQR 25,71) days, wore activity trackers 66/84 (IQR 43,84) days, logged weight 17 times (IQR 11,24), and did coach check-ins 5.5/12 (IQR 4,9) weeks. The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted data collection for the primary 12-month endpoint, and impacted diet, physical activity, and body weight for many participants. At 12 months postpartum women in the FAB group lost 2.8 kg [95% CI -4.2,-1.4] from baseline compared to a loss of 1.8 kg [95% CI -3.8,+0.3] in the T4B group (p = 0.42 for the difference between groups). In 60 women who reached 12 months postpartum before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, women randomized to FAB lost 4.3 kg [95% CI -6.0,-2.6] compared to loss in the control group of 1.3 kg [95% CI -3.7,+1.1] (p = 0.0451 for the difference between groups).

Conclusions

There were no significant differences between groups for postpartum weight loss for the entire study population. Among those unaffected by the COVID pandemic, women randomized to the FAB program lost significantly more weight than those randomized to the T4B program. The mHealth FAB program demonstrated a substantial level of engagement. Given the scalability and potential public health impact of the FAB program, the efficacy for decreasing cardiometabolic risk by increasing postpartum weight loss should be tested in a larger trial.
Campo Eletromagnético
Authors: Brito Lucília , Fiolhais Manuel , Providência Constança
Published: January 2024

Destinado a estudantes dos ensinos universitário e politécnico de física e engenharias e a profissionais de áreas ligadas às aplicações do eletromagnetismo, este livro faz uma abordagem de nível intermédio/avançado à teoria do campo eletromagnético e aborda os seguintes tópicos: equações de Maxwell no vazio e em meios materiais, desenvolvimento multipolar, propagação de ondas eletromagnéticas em meios ilimitados, em guias e sua reflexão e refração em interfaces, eletromagnetismo e teoria da relatividade, teoria da radiação. Inclui 130 exemplos e exercícios resolvidos.
The central banking system paradox
Authors: Espinosa Víctor I. , Alonso-Neira Miguel A. , Huerta de Soto Jesús
Published: January 2024

The conventions of monetary theory assume the central banking system (CBS) as the starting point for achieving the stability and efficiency of the financial system. This paper stresses the stability-efficiency thesis based on the Austrian business cycle theory (ABCT). It argues that the stability-efficiency thesis under CBS poses a paradox for two main reasons. First, central banks' interest rate handling causes business cycles, yielding the intertemporal discoordination of the money and goods markets. Second, a central bank's lender-of-last-resort role is an incentive to call for further interest rate handling, making the chance of smooth business cycles difficult or impossible. This paradox is empirically analyzed and discussed through the True Money Supply (TMS) performance in the United States's business cycle phases between 1975 and 2022. Consistent with the ABCT, the research results unlock the paradox by showing that CBS causes business cycles. Some policy implications are outlined for further research and revision of monetary theory.
Do socially responsible companies use earnings management more rarely and (or) less aggressively? Evidence from Lithuania
Authors: Bachtijeva Diana , Tamulevičienė Daiva , Tvaronavičienė Manuela
Published: January 2024

This paper examines the problem of (in)compatibility between the performance of socially responsible enterprises and the use of earnings management, as well as the extent to which earnings management is likely prevalent in Lithuanian socially responsible enterprises. Although it seems that socially responsible companies make value-based commitments, the use of earnings management is incompatible with them, and various research studies have produced contradictory results. In Lithuania, there has been no research conducted on accounting manipulation in socially responsible enterprises, so it has not been possible to evaluate whether and how Lithuanian socially responsible enterprises manipulate financial information. Therefore, this study aims to compare the spread of earnings management’s use among Lithuanian socially responsible companies and other companies in order to reveal the prevalence of opportunistic or conceptual approaches to social responsibility in these companies. The study compared two groups of companies for the period 2017-2021: one group of companies that disclose information on socially responsible performance in their reports and a control group of companies that do not disclose information on socially responsible performance. The Jones (1991) model, modified by Dechow et al, chosen to investigate whether companies use accrual-based earnings management, is the most commonly adopted one for such studies. In order to determine if companies use real earnings management, Roychowdhury's (2016) model, which consists of three elements: sales manipulation, overproduction, and reduction of discretionary expenditures, was applied. The results showed that Lithuanian socially responsible companies use both accrual-based and real earnings management less frequently and/or less aggressively than other companies do. Therefore, it can be concluded that they follow a conceptual approach and pursue social responsibility for the sake of the idea and the concept, not to gain an advantage and to be able to influence the decisions of stakeholders in the market.
A new wave of migration in Ukraine on the background of Russian invasion: dynamics, challenges and risks
Authors: Chugaievska Svitlana , Wisla Rafal
Published: January 2024

The large-scale Russian military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 led to a significant increase in the indicators of migration flows of the Ukrainian population, the absolute values of which increased by 10 or more times compared to previous periods. The authors evaluated the dynamics of indicators of population migration in the state, both internal and external, and found a number of similarities and differences between subsequent migration waves. Based on the study, the indicators of migration flows were grouped into three waves disaggregated by time. The first group is from the obtaining the country's independence to the first stage of the military invasion of Ukraine, as a period of peace in the state (1991–2014). The second one begins with Russian aggression (2014–2022) and the third group is a large-scale invasion of the Russian army into Ukraine (from 2022). The use of statistical and economic methods (scientific abstraction, analysis and synthesis, descriptive statistics’ methods, econometric modelling, regression point and interval estimates) and SWOT analysis provided a basis for determining a number of challenges, threats and opportunities for the countries of origin and destination regarding the prospects for the development of migration processes.
New Power MOSFET and their use in Intermediate Bus Converters
Authors: Siemieniec Ralf , Braz Cesar , Mazzer Simone , Nöbauer Gerhard
Published: January 2024

This work investigates the performance of our latest trench power MOSFET technology in an Intermediate Bus Converter as widely used in telecom and data centre power supplies. Based on the advantages of a revolutionary new cell design combined with the benefits of an advanced manufacturing technology, the new devices combine the benefits of low conduction losses and superior switching performances with an extended SOA and good ruggedness. These features make the devices an ideal fit especially for high switching frequency applications. The recent release of 80 V and 100 V devices offers the potential for further optimization.
Novel Constant Surface Concentration Depletion Mechanism and Its Experiments in Homogenization field LDMOS
Authors: Zhang Wentong , Cai Shiyao , Wu Lingying , He Nailong , Zhang Sen , Qiao Ming , Li Zhaoji , Zhang Bo
Published: January 2024

A novel constant surface concentration depletion (CSD) mechanism for the homogenization field (HOF) LDMOS is proposed and experimentally demonstrated in this paper. Because the depletion of the HOF LDMOS is independent on the P-substrate, the surface doping concentration of the HOF LDMOS can keep constant and thus the total doping dose of the N-drift region can increase with the junction and trench depths. Based on the CSD mechanism, a CSD HOF LDMOS with 15 μm trench depth was designed and experimentally fabricated. The doping dose of the N-drift region is increased up to 8 × 1012 cm-2. As a results, a measured low specific on-resistance Ron,sp of 15.6 mΩ·cm2 was observed under a breakdown voltage VB of 420 V, realizing a high figure of merit FOM = VB2 / Ron,sp of 11.3 MW/cm2 and a reduction of 53.3% compared with the theoretical limit of the triple RESURF technology under the same VB. Ron,sp of the CSD HOF LDMOS also realizes a reduction of 20.8% when compared with that of the best-in-class HOF LDMOS.
Do We Need Autistic Autism Researchers to Understand Autism?
Authors: Kędra Agnieszka
Published: January 2024

The assumption that autistic individuals do not have the theory of mind – the social-cognitive ability to understand other people by attributing mental states to them – has been widespread in the psychological literature. However, the empirical evidence from the original research and its replications failed to prove and support autistic mind-blindness. Yet, it is still present in literature on autism spectrum. Meanwhile, convincing research, that has been conducted among autistic researchers and their allies, is often overlooked by non-autistic specialists. This paper focuses on how autistic autism researchers have been influencing their field of study and how academy can benefit from their work.
Assessing the Online Scientific Community’s Support for Various Reasons for Article Retraction: A Preliminary Survey
Authors: Namuth August , Brown Mitch , Macchione Alicia , Sacco Donald
Published: January 2024

A prevailing lay understanding of retraction in the scientific literature is to correct for misconduct and honest errors. Nonetheless, though historically rare, retractions to limit the spread of results deemed socially harmful (i.e., information hazards), have gained increasing traction and become increasingly common. This study sought primarily to determine the extent to which information hazard-based retraction is supported in the scientific community and as a secondary goal whether individual difference variables moderate receptivity. We tasked a diverse sample of researchers across various disciplines who use social media to evaluate scenarios in which a paper was retracted for misconduct, honest errors, and information hazards. Overall, support for retraction on the basis of information hazards was low, suggesting that researchers overwhelmingly support academic freedom as a concept. Nonetheless, left-leaning ideologies predicted slightly greater defensibility of the practice among individuals early in their careers. We provide training suggestions to mitigate reactance toward controversial scientific findings.
The Problem with Longtermism
Authors: Hyde B.V.E.
Published: January 2024

Moral circle expansion has been occurring faster than ever before in the last forty years, with moral agency fully extended to all humans regardless of their ethnicity, and regardless of their geographical location, as well as to animals, plants, ecosystems and even artificial intelligence. This process has made even more headway in recent years with the establishment of moral obligations towards future generations. Responsible for this development is the moral theory – and its associated movement – of longtermism, the bible of which is What We Owe the Future (London: Oneworld, 2022) by William MacAskill, whose book Doing Good Better (London: Guardian Faber, 2015) set the cornerstone of the effective altruist movement of which longtermism forms a part. With its novelty comes great excitement, but longtermism and the arguments on its behalf are not yet well thought out, suffering from various problems and entailing various uncomfortable positions on population axiology and the philosophy of history. This essay advances a number of novel criticisms of longtermism; its aim is to identify further avenues for research required by longtermists, and to establish a standard for the future development of the movement if it is to ever be widely considered as sound. Some of the issues raised here are about the arguments for the moral value of the future; the quantification of that value with the longtermist ethical calculus – or the conjunction of expected value theory with the ‘significance, persistence, contingency’ (SPC) framework; the moral value of making happy people; and our ability to affect the future and the fragility of history. Perhaps the most significant finding of this study is that longtermism currently constitutes a shorterm view on the longterm future, and that a properly longterm view reduces to absurdity.
The Effects of an Early Algebra Intervention on Third-Grade Students’ Algebraic Thinking Skills
Authors: İŞLER BAYKAL Işıl , ÖZTÜRK TAVŞAN Nejla , GÜZELLER Gizem , SAYGILI İlkay
Published: January 2024

The importance of early algebra has been emphasized in international literature, and it has been discussed in many studies that students who are involved in a comprehensive intervention improve their algebraic thinking skills. The aim of this study was to test the effects of an early algebra intervention on the algebraic thinking skills of 3rd-grade students. The 3rd-grade intervention and control groups were included in the study, and both groups were given pre-test and post-test. In the findings, although there was no statistical difference between the 3rd-grade intervention and control group performances in the pre-test, a statistically significant difference was found in the post-test. Analysis of the students' strategies revealed that the students in the intervention group used algebraic thinking strategies more in the post-test than the control group in three big ideas, which are equality, expressions, equations and inequalities, generalized arithmetic, and functional thinking.
Investigation of Risk Situations of Special Learning Disability in Preschool Period in Terms of Various Variables
Authors: ATA Nursel , YILMAZ BOLAT Emine
Published: January 2024

Children with specific learning difficulties are known to show risk indicators during the preschool period. In this sense, it is stated that preschool period is a critical period in early diagnosis and intervention of specific learning disabilities. However, it is seen that there are few studies on early diagnosis and intervention of specific learning disabilities in preschool period. Therefore, the aim of this research is determined as the examination of the risk situations of specific learning difficulties in the preschool period in terms of parent, teacher, and child-specific characteristics. This study is a mixed-methods research conducted on the assessment of the skills of preschool children as indicators of specific learning difficulties through different variables from the perspectives of the child, teacher, and parent. The study group of the research consists of 160 children receiving preschool education in the 2021-2022 academic year in the province of Mersin. In this study, the "Teacher Demographic Information Form," "Parent Demographic Information Form," and "Specific Learning Disability Screening Scale for 60-72-month-old children with specific learning difficulties" developed for this study, along with the "Observation Form," were used as data collection tools. In the research, the "Specific Learning Disability Screening Scale" was applied to 160 children, and these children were observed by the researchers. By comparing the scale and observation results in the research, the indicators of specific learning difficulties in children were evaluated, and it was determined that the children showed signs of a risk of specific learning difficulties. Additionally, in this study, it was found that the characteristics of the child, teacher, and parent have an impact on specific learning difficulties. Since preschool children cannot read and write, it is thought that observation, which is a planned and systematic technique, is important in identifying the risk signs of specific learning disabilities.
Quotative uses of Polish similative demonstratives
Authors: Guz Wojciech
Published: January 2024

This article presents a corpus-based overview of strategies of direct quotation that employ two similative demonstratives, tak ‘so’ and taki ‘such/like this’, in colloquial spoken Polish.  It will be shown that the ways in which Polish tak and taki encode, respectively, manner and quality in exophoric, endophoric, and cataphoric uses are also reflected in their quotative uses. Further, special emphasis is placed on two verbless quotative strategies: (Conj) NP tak and (Conj) NP taki, to offer two grammaticalization-related accounts: one for tak and another for taki. As will be argued, (Conj) NP tak is a reduced clause (originally NP VERB
tak), while (Conj) NP taki is a stacking of two independent quotative strategies: (Conj) NP on the one hand, and taki on the other. The study thus contributes to our understanding of how manner/quality expressions are recruited in clause-combining tasks involving the integration of direct quotes into speakers’ utterances.
Seismic vulnerability signal analysis of low tower cable-stayed bridges method based on convolutional attention network
Authors: Chen Dingbo , Lai Liangjun
Published: January 2024

Due to the particularity and complexity of sedimentary environments, the wave impedance differences between different reflection interfaces in underground media may vary greatly. Therefore, an encoder–decoder neural network is proposed to enhance erroneous seismic weak reflection signals. The convolutional neural network (CNN) has the problem of difficulty in parallel computing, resulting in slow network training and computational efficiency. Considering that attention has an innate global self-attention mechanism, can compensate for long-term dependency deficiencies, and has the ability to perform parallel computing, which greatly compensates for the shortcomings of CNNs and recurrent neural networks, a seismic impedance inversion method based on convolutional attention networks is proposed. To improve the ability to extract noise, residual structure and convolutional attention module (CBAM) were introduced. The residual structure utilizes residual jump to weaken network degradation and reduce the difficulty of feature mapping. The CBAM uses a mixed attention weight of channel and space, which can enhance features with high correlation and suppress features with low correlation. In the decoder, in order to improve the dimension recovery ability of feature fusion, bilinear interpolation is selected for upsampling. The application results of the model and actual data indicate that this method can effectively enhance the weak reflection signals caused by the formation itself and improve the reservoir identification ability of seismic data.
The BET inhibitor apabetalone decreases neuroendothelial proinflammatory activationin vitroand in a mouse model of systemic inflammation
Authors: Wasiak Sylwia , Fu Li , Daze Emily , Gilham Dean , Rakai Brooke D. , Stotz Stephanie C. , Tsujikawa Laura M. , Sarsons Chris D. , Studer Deborah , Rinker Kristina D. , Jahagirdar Ravi , Wong Norman C. W. , Sweeney Michael , Johansson Jan O. , Kulikowski Ewelina
Published: January 2024

Brain vascular inflammation is characterized by endothelial activation and immune cell recruitment to the blood vessel wall, potentially causing a breach in the blood – brain barrier, brain parenchyma inflammation, and a decline of cognitive function. The clinical-stage small molecule, apabetalone, reduces circulating vascular endothelial inflammation markers and improves cognitive scores in elderly patients by targeting epigenetic regulators of gene transcription, bromodomain and extraterminal proteins. However, the effect of apabetalone on cytokine-activated brain vascular endothelial cells (BMVECs) is unknown. Here, we show that apabetalone treatment of BMVECs reduces hallmarks ofin vitroendothelial activation, including monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and RANTES chemokine secretion, cell surface expression of endothelial cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1, as well as endothelial capture of THP-1 monocytes in static and shear stress conditions. Apabetalone pretreatment of THP-1 downregulates cell surface expression of chemokine receptors CCR1, CCR2, and CCR5, and of the VCAM-1 cognate receptor, integrin α4. Consequently, apabetalone reduces THP-1 chemoattraction towards soluble CCR ligands MCP-1 and RANTES, and THP-1 adhesion to activated BMVECs. In a mouse model of brain inflammation, apabetalone counters lipopolysaccharide-induced transcription of endothelial and myeloid cell markers, consistent with decreased neuroendothelial inflammation. In conclusion, apabetalone decreases proinflammatory activation of brain endothelial cells and monocytesin vitroand in the mouse brain during systemic inflammation.