bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ground-state cooling of the mechanical oscillator in a two-cavity optomechanical system
Authors: Chang Rui , Liu Ni , Zhang Suying
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we theoretically study the ground-state cooling of the mechanical oscillator by an electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT)-like cooling mechanism in a two-cavity optomechanical system, with a quarter-wave plate placed inside, which plays a linear coupling role in the two cavities. Based on the perturbation theory and quantum Langevin equation, we derive the rate equation of the mechanical oscillator and the fluctuation spectrum of the effective optical force. We find that the maximum value of optical fluctuation spectrum corresponds to the cooling process of the mechanical oscillator, and the minimum value of optical fluctuation spectrum corresponds to the heating process of the mechanical oscillator. With the help of the quarter-wave plate, the heating process can be greatly suppressed due to the quantum interference effect. The ground-state cooling of the mechanical oscillator via such an EIT-like cooling mechanism can be implemented beyond the resolved sideband regime.
Mathematical modelling of the partial differential equations in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and its applications
Authors: Khan Muhammad Naveed , Haider Jamil Abbas , Wang Zhentao , Gul Sana , Lone Showkat Ahmad , Elkotb Mohamed Abdelghany
Published: August 2023

This paper presents a model of a doubly clamped electrically actuated microbeam, which is a commonly used structure in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The model is based on Euler–Bernoulli beam theory and includes the effect of electrostatic forces on the beam’s deflection. The electric field is modeled using the parallel plate capacitor model, and the deflection of the beam is calculated using the Galerkin method. The behavior of a microbeam subjected to the van der Waals force, which is a weak intermolecular force that arises from the interaction between the beam and a nearby surface. The microbeam is modeled using the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, and the van der Waals force is modeled using the Lennard–Jones potential. At the last we study the model of MEMS based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). MWCNTs have unique mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties, which make them ideal for use in MEMS applications. The approximate solution of the developed models is found by using homotopy perturbation based Aboodh transformation (HPATM). HPATM is a mathematical method used to solve nonlinear equations by converting them into linear forms. This approach involves introducing a small parameter and applying perturbation theory to obtain a solution in a series form. The method’s accuracy is defined based on the existing literature because its solution matched the variation iteration-based Laplace method. Also, we compared its results with the finite difference method. The validity of the stability analysis is further established by examining the stability in the vicinity of the fixed points. Sketches are made of the phase portraits close to the equilibrium points.
Influence of power-law index and hybrid-nanoparticles concentrations on the behavior of non-Newtonian hybrid nanofluid inside water solar collector
Authors: Mabrouk S. M. , Mahmoud Tarek A. , Kabeel A. E. , Rashed A. S.
Published: August 2023

Nowadays, there is great attention given to solar collectors (SCs) for their important applications based on the advantages of nanotechnology and solar radiation. Hybrid nanofluid (HNF) is our first option due to its thermophysical properties that help in improving the overall performance, unlike other nanofluids. This paper gives a detailed novel analysis of SCs with the existence of Newtonian, power-law HNF in unsteady conditions and a three-dimensional model under the consideration of Brownian motion and thermophoresis parameter. In this research, the group transformation method (GTM) and similarity transformation steady state fluid dynamics are used to transform the mathematical model into a simpler system. This coupled system of ordinary differential equations with the related functions, dimensionless entropy generation and Bejan number is achieved at two cases of power-law index. The impact of involved parameters on velocity profile, temperature distribution, concentration field, entropy output of the system and Bejan number is depicted prominently by various graphs. The fluid velocity shows improvement with higher values of power-law index and shape factor, while it diminishes with magnetic parameter and Prandtl number. Enhancing the values of magnetic field and shape factor, results in increase of temperature characteristic which decreases with Prandtl number and power-law index. Increment in the concentration ratio parameter leads to maximize the entropy generation, whereas entropy generation diminishes with higher values of temperature ratio and magnetic parameter. The obtained results and the previously published work are compared qualitatively and quantitatively to each other to validate that the applied method is more efficient. It is predicted that the Nusselt number improves by 28.18% when the Prandtl number is taken range [Formula: see text]. The percentage of increasing in Sherwood number is noted to be 18.61% for range [Formula: see text] of Brownian motion parameter.
Moving mirror-field dynamics under intrinsic decoherence
Authors: Urzúa Alejandro R. , Moya-Cessa Héctor M.
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we study the decaying dynamics in the mirror-field interaction by means of the intrinsic decoherence scheme. Factorization of the mirror-field Hamiltonian with the use of displacement operators allows us to calculate the explicit solution to Milburn’s equation for arbitrary initial conditions. We show expectation values, correlations, and Husimi functions for the solutions obtained.
Similarity reductions and new exact solutions for (3+1)-dimensional B–B equation
Authors: Gaber Ahmed A. , Wazwaz Abdul-Majid , Mousa Mohamed M.
Published: August 2023

The main objective of this investigation is to obtain new closed form solutions for the (3+1)-dimensional Bateman–Burgers equation (B–B equation) by the symmetry method and developed Exp-function method (DEFM). The symmetry method is utilized to infer the infinitesimal generators and build the commutation relations. The similarity reductions of the governing partial differential equations are obtained. The governing partial differential equations are reduced to different ordinary differential equations. The ordinary differential equations are solved by using DEFM. The solutions are analyzed numerically to show the behaviors of the solutions. Solution behaviors include the solitary wave solution, the singular wave solution, the kink wave solution, and the anti-kink wave solution.
Analysis of traveling wave solutions of two space-time nonlinear fractional differential equations by the first-integral method
Authors: Behera Sidheswar
Published: August 2023

The intent of this work to implement first-integral method to study traveling wave solutions of some space-time nonlinear fractional differential equations (FDEs) and present their graphical simulations for analyzing different wave profiles. We show how a specific properties of Gamma functions and wave transformation can be used to reduce a FDE to an ordinary one. This method works well and reveals distinct exact solutions which are classified into two different types, namely trigonometric function and hyperbolic function solutions. The results are also depicted graphically in both 3D and 2D for different values of associated parameters. The obtained results may be useful to understand ion-acoustic waves in plasma, shallow water waves in seas and the evolution of a wave packet in three dimensions with finite depth on water under weak nonlinearity by the space-time-fractional regularized long wave equation and space-time-fractional Davey–Stewartson equation, respectively.
Multi-Objective Optimization for the Sustainable Machining of Metal Matrix Composites Using Wire Electric Discharge Machining
Authors: Singh Dhirendra Pratap , Mishra Sanjay
Published: August 2023

Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM) is an electrothermal machining process used to produce complex profiles electrically conductive materials. In this investigation, multiobjective optimization using hybrid approach of Taguchi method (TM) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) has been performed to find the optimal input process parameters like pulse-on time ([Formula: see text]), pulse-off time ([Formula: see text]), peak current (I), wire speed (WS) for output parameters, namely, cutting velocity (CV), power consumption (PC), and surface roughness (SR). Three different Aluminum based Metal Matrix Composites (AMMC) were fabricated using three different reinforcements i.e. 10[Formula: see text]wt.% Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3), 10[Formula: see text]wt.% Silicon Carbide (SiC), and combining 5[Formula: see text]wt.% Al2O3with 5[Formula: see text]wt.% SiC through the stir casting process. The experiments were conducted based on the L9orthogonal array approach of Taguchi methodology and regression equations were developed based on the experimental data for the prediction of output parameters. The results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows that WS and I are the two most significant factors for CV of all three developed composites whereas for SR, [Formula: see text] and I play critical role. The optimal results show that for machining of Al6061/Al2O3and Al6061/SiC optimal input parameters are [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]s, [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]s, [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]A, and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m/s. For hybrid MMC (Al6061/Al2O3/SiC), optimized input parameters are [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]s, [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]s, [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]A, and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m/s. At optimal input parameters though the CV decreases by 1.53% the PC and SR decreases by 8.95% and 15.47%, respectively, in case of hybrid composite. The machined surface at optimal input parameters were examined by the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). This study will help to identify the input parameters for sustainable machining of AMMC for different reinforcements with WEDM.
MMAE-loaded PLGA nanomedicine with improved biosafety to achieve efficient antitumor treatment
Authors: Xie Changqiang , Wang Yan , Cai Zhenzhen , Du Jianghai , Chen Zhengyu , Wang Junjie , Peng Xingzhou
Published: August 2023

Monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) is a derivative of the marine peptide Dolastatin 10, which has therapeutic effects against various cancers according to its antimitotic activity in multiple clinical trials. The antibody drug conjugate (ADC) of MMAE is currently used in clinical practice. However, the safety issues of MMAE-based ADC, such as high drug toxicity and poor bioavailability, still exist when using it for anticancer therapy. A sustained release of drug delivery approach should be used to reduce toxicity and achieve sufficient anticancer effects. Herein, PLGA-b-PEG[Formula: see text] with excellent biocompatibility and slow degradation ability was adopted to construct MMAE-loaded nanoparticles for safe and effective chemotherapy. The sustained release effect and the immunogenic cell death (ICD) effect of PLGA-MMAE nanoparticles were assessed by in vitro experiments. The PLGA-MMAE nanoparticles effectively accumulated in the tumor through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, inducing cell apoptosis and causing a certain degree of immune response. The sustained drug release of PLGA-MMAE improved the bioavailability and effectively reduced the toxicity and development of the tumor compared to the effect of free MMAE or ADC. Overall, this study provides a safe and effective chemotherapeutic approach, as well as a simple and effective synthetic process for MMAE-based nanoparticles, improving their therapeutic efficacy and safety.
Guidelines for Best Practice for Staffing of ART Laboratories and Professional Development of IVF Scientists
Authors: Lee Yee Shan Lisa , Catt Sally , Cooke Simon , Fisk Kylie , Mackenzie Jeanette , Mullen Jayne , Pohl Nyssa , Rabbitt Tim , Rutherford Taneeka , Tully Cathy
Published: August 2023

Research Question: To establish recommendations for optimal staffing levels, training, and professional development in assisted reproductive technology (ART) laboratories in Australia and New Zealand.

Design: Exploration by Scientists in Reproductive Technology (SIRT) subcommittee representing 10 different ART centers of the time requirements and complexity of ART procedures and to define training and continuing professional development (CPD) requirements.

Results: The Staffing Model for ART (smART) “plug and play” calculator was developed by the SIRT subcommittee. Twelve routine procedures were examined IVF, ICSI, ICSI + PGT, ICSI + TESE, FET, FET from PGT, oocyte vitrification, oocyte warming, intrauterine insemination (IUI), semen freeze, TESE with semen freeze, and semen analysis. Based on a cycle with 10 eggs, the average time taken to do each procedure was considered as well as the complexity of the task. Laboratory quality control (QC), other administrative tasks, and leave days are reflected in the calculator. Recommendations for years of experience were determined as a trained scientist (24 months), a senior scientist (5 years), and Scientific Director (10 years). CPD is strongly recommended to improve the skills, knowledge, and ability of scientific staff.

Conclusions: The risks in the IVF laboratory primarily associated with lower staffing levels have been reviewed, and the smART calculator is designed to assist clinics to tailor adequate staffing levels for their specific needs. The smART calculator is an invaluable tool for clinics to use going forward.

Key Message

We have reviewed the risks in the IVF laboratory primarily associated with lower staffing levels, and created the smART calculator designed to assist clinics in being able to tailor adequate staffing levels for their specific needs. We believe the smART calculator will be an invaluable tool moving forward for all ART clinics and accreditors.
Experimental Concerns of Current Collector Interference and Electrolyte Creep During Zinc-Air Battery Testing
Authors: Labbe Matthew , Ivey Douglas G.
Published: August 2023

Evaluating the electrochemical performance of catalysts towards the oxygen reduction and evolution reactions in zinc-air batteries is a routine process often conducted using a two-electrode cell. At the air electrode, a current collector is necessary if a carbon paper-based gas diffusion layer (GDL) is employed. The catalytic properties of the current collector may interfere with the studied catalyst on the GDL if flaws in cell design allow electrolyte contact to be made with the current collector. At the zinc electrode, highly alkaline electrolytes (e.g., KOH), with high surface tension, can easily climb up the electrode and accumulate at the interface between the cell and the surrounding atmosphere. An oxygen concentration cell is then enabled by the deposited electrolyte and the zinc electrode is rapidly corroded until failure, prematurely ending a long-term cycling test.
Relation of forward and backward traveling pressure waves with subclinical carotid artery wall remodeling and central pulse pressure
Authors: Armstrong Matthew K. , Nuckols Virginia R. , Gimblet Colin J. , Holwerda Seth W. , DuBose Lyndsey E. , Luehrs Rachel E. , Lane Abbi D. , Chirinos Julio A. , Voss Michelle W. , Pierce Gary L.
Published: August 2023

The present study contributes to the growing body of evidence highlighting the physiological and clinical insight provided by the pulsatile hemodynamic components of central artery pulse pressure. The notable findings of this study are: 1) The reflected (backward) pressure wave is associated with carotid intima-media thickness independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, including systolic blood pressure and aortic stiffness. 2) The incident (forward) pressure wave, and not the reflected pressure wave, is associated with greater central pulse pressure.
Relative hypoxemia at depth during breath-hold diving investigated through arterial blood gas analysis and lung ultrasound
Authors: Paganini Matteo , Moon Richard E. , Giacon Tommaso Antonio , Cialoni Danilo , Martani Luca , Zucchi Lorenzo , Garetto Giacomo , Talamonti Ennio , Camporesi Enrico M. , Bosco Gerardo
Published: August 2023

During breath-hold diving, arterial partial pressure of oxygen ([Formula: see text]) and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide ([Formula: see text]) are believed to increase progressively during descent, as explained by theory, previous end-tidal alveolar gas measurements, and arterial blood gas analysis in hyperbaric chambers. Recent experiments in real underwater environment found a paradoxical [Formula: see text] drop at depth in some divers. This work confirms that some breath-hold divers can experience hypoxemia at depth. The hypothesized explanation for such a discrepancy is lung atelectasis, as suggested by lung ultrasound findings.
Hysteresis and the Unobserved Congestion Branch in the Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram: Theoretical Considerations and Modeling
Authors: Yuan Kai , Knoop Victor L.
Published: August 2023

The macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD) is developed to describe traffic operations aggregated over an area. The MFD is defined by network traffic states as a relationship between the accumulation of vehicles and flow or speed of vehicles. The concept of the MFD has been applied to model traffic dynamics and to design control strategies. For various applications (e.g., routing and departure time choices), the MFD is often assumed to be of a particular shape, consisting of two branches—a free-flow branch and a congestion branch. However, empirical observations show some inconsistencies between the theoretical and the empirical MFD. First, the empirical MFD only presents free-flow branch, i.e., the congestion branch is missing. Second, the MFD presents as hysteresis loop(s). This paper explores these differences, providing insights into urban network traffic dynamics. This work takes the travelers’ departure time choices and user equilibrium (UE) as starting points. We consider demand to be in UE in terms of departure time choices. Using this property of the demand profile, the paper proposes a closed-form expression for average density and outflow. Finally, we show some insights in the urban traffic dynamics: (i) an explanation of the hysteresis phenomenon solely from the perspective of departure time choices and UE and (ii) an explanation of why we hardly observe the MFD congestion branch in real life even in heavily congested networks. Our study shows that, for management purposes, the missing of congestion branch is a result of UE, rather than an indicator of congestion severity.
Atezolizumab plus Magrolimab, Niraparib, or Tocilizumab versus Atezolizumab Monotherapy in Platinum-Refractory Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma: A Phase Ib/II Open-Label, Multicenter, Randomized Umbrella Study (MORPHEUS Urothelial Carcinoma)
Authors: Drakaki Alexandra , Powles Thomas , Bamias Aristotelis , Martin-Liberal Juan , Shin Sang Joon , Friedlander Terence , Tosi Diego , Park Chandler , Gomez-Roca Carlos , Joly Lobbedez Florence , Castellano Daniel , Morales-Barrera Rafael , Moreno-Candilejo Irene , Fléchon Aude , Yuen Kobe , Rishipathak Deepali , DuPree Kelly , Young Fiona , Michielin Francesca , Shemesh Colby S. , Steinberg Elizabeth E. , Williams Patrick , Lee Jae Lyun
Published: August 2023

Purpose:

The MORPHEUS platform was designed to identify early efficacy signals and evaluate the safety of novel immunotherapy combinations across cancer types. The phase Ib/II MORPHEUS-UC trial (NCT03869190) is evaluating atezolizumab plus magrolimab, niraparib, or tocilizumab in platinum-refractory locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). Additional treatment combinations were evaluated and will be reported separately.

Patients and Methods:

Patients had locally advanced or mUC that progressed during or following treatment with a platinum-containing regimen. The primary efficacy endpoint was investigator-assessed objective response rate (ORR). Key secondary endpoints included investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Safety and exploratory biomarker analyses were also conducted.

Results:

Seventy-six patients were randomized to receive either atezolizumab plus magrolimab (n = 16), atezolizumab plus niraparib (n = 15), atezolizumab plus tocilizumab (n = 15), or atezolizumab monotherapy (control; n = 30). No additive benefit in ORR, PFS, or OS was seen in the treatment arms versus the control. The best confirmed ORR was 26.7% with atezolizumab plus magrolimab, 6.7% with atezolizumab plus niraparib, 20.0% with atezolizumab plus tocilizumab, and 27.6% with atezolizumab monotherapy. Overall, the treatment combinations were tolerable, and adverse events were consistent with each agent's known safety profile. Trends were observed for shrinkage of programmed death-ligand 1–positive tumors (atezolizumab, atezolizumab plus magrolimab, atezolizumab plus tocilizumab), inflamed tumors, or tumors with high mutational burden (atezolizumab), and immune excluded tumors (atezolizumab plus magrolimab).

Conclusions:

The evaluated regimens in MORPHEUS-UC were tolerable. However, response rates for the combinations did not meet the criteria for further development in platinum-experienced locally advanced or mUC.
KEBERHASILAN OPERASI TRABEKULEKTOMI PADA GLAUKOMA SUDUT TERBUKA PRIMER PERIODE 2019-2021
Authors: Radilia Fasya , Rifada R. Maula , Kartiwa R. Angga
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Glaucoma represents a group of diseases defined by a characteristic optic neuropathy that is consistent with remodeling of the connective tissue elements of the optic nerve head and with loss of neural tissue associated with the eventual development of distinctive patterns of visual dysfunction. The most common surgery for glaucoma treatment is trabeculectomy, which in principle is done by creating a new channel that drains the aqueous humor, and return the intraocular pressure to normal levels.
Objective: This study aimed to know the success rate of trabeculectomy in primary open-angle glaucoma.
Methods: This study used a retrospective descriptive research method and was conducted in the Medical Records Center of the Cicendo National Eye Hospital, Bandung City with a data collection period of 21 July 2022 – 6 September 2022. The data collection process was carried out by looking at secondary data from medical records of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma for the period January 2019 – December 2021.
Results: Mean IOP decreased from 32.6±12.9 before surgery, to 19.8±10 one week after surgery, and 18.8±7.3 one month after surgery. The overall success rate reaches 82.1%.
Conclusions: The success rate for open-angle glaucoma treated with trabeculectomy at Cicendo National Eye hospital is considered good with a total success rate of 82.1% with or without anti-glaucoma medication to control IOP after surgery.
KARAKTERISTIK PENDERITA KELAINAN REFRAKSI DAN PRESBIOPIA YANG TERJARING PROGRAM PEMERIKSAAN MATA BERBASIS KOMUNITAS
Authors: Sriyanti Nurjanah , Rini Mayang , Ratnaningsih Nina
Published: August 2023

Pendahuluan: Kelainan refraksi dan presbiopia masih menjadi salah satu penyebab utama gangguan penglihatan dan kebutaan yang berdampak pada penurunan kualitas hidup.
Tujuan: Untuk mengetahui karakteristik penderita kelainan refraksi dan presbiopia yang terjaring program pemeriksaan mata berbasis komunitas. 
Metode: Penelitian dilakukan dengan metode deskriptif melalui pendekatan cross sectional. Data penelitian berupa data sekunder hasil program pemeriksaan mata berbasis komunitas oleh Rumah Sakit Mata Cicendo tahun 2022. Subjek penelitian adalah penderita kelainan refraksi dan presbiopia yang mengikuti program pemeriksaan mata berbasis komunitas dari Januari-Desember tahun 2022. Penentuan sampel menggunakan metode total sampling.
Hasil: Sebanyak 810 (35,62%) dari 2.274 orang mengalami kelainan refraksi dan presbiopia. Mayoritas penderita kelainan refraksi dan presbiopia adalah perempuan (67,53%). Kelainan refraksi dan presbiopia paling banyak terjadi pada rentang usia 44-51 tahun (23,46%). Mayoritas subjek mengalami presbiopia (49,38%). Sebanyak 65,19% subjek mengalami gangguan penglihatan dekat akibat presbiopia dan presbiopia disertai kelainan refraksi lain. Presbiopia paling banyak terjadi pada perempuan (32,35%). Mayoritas penderita presbiopia berada pada rentang usia 44-51 tahun (15,8%). 
Kesimpulan: Proporsi penderita kelainan refraksi dan presbiopia dalam penelitian ini adalah 35,62%. Mayoritas subjek adalah perempuan dengan diagnosis yang paling banyak ditemukan adalah presbiopia. Mayoritas subjek mengalami gangguan penglihatan dekat akibat presbiopia dan presbiopia disertai kelainan refraksi lain.
Tão perto, tão longe, de diferenças somos feitos
Authors: Buitoni Dulcilia Helena Schroeder , Bagolin Luiz Armando , Marras Stelio
Published: August 2023

Editorial da RIEB 85 - Tão perto, tão longe, de diferenças somos feitos.
A branquitude em discussão: formas de exclusão e de manutenção de privilégios
Authors: Bertin Enidelce
Published: August 2023

O livro apresenta as evidências do funcionamento de um acordo tácito não declarado de preservação das pessoas brancas em lugares de poder. O pacto da branquitude desmistifica qualquer discurso meritocrático e revela as profundas raízes do racismo nas corporações, universidades e organizações.
New Therapeutic Targets for the Prevention and Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism With a Focus on Factor XI Inhibitors
Authors: Chan Noel C. , Weitz Jeffrey I.
Published: August 2023

FXI (factor XI) and FXII (factor XII) have emerged as targets for new anticoagulants that have the potential to be both more efficacious and safer than the currently available direct oral anticoagulants for the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism. In this review, we discuss the role of FXI and FXII in the pathogenesis of venous thromboembolism, explain why FXI is a better target, and explain why FXI inhibitors have potential advantages over currently available anticoagulants. Finally, we describe the FXI inhibitors under development and discuss their potential to address unmet needs in venous thromboembolism management.
Implementation Strategies to Improve Blood Pressure Control in the United States: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association and American Medical Association
Authors: Abdalla Marwah , Bolen Shari D. , Brettler Jeffrey , Egan Brent M. , Ferdinand Keith C. , Ford Cassandra D. , Lackland Daniel T. , Wall Hilary K. , Shimbo Daichi ,   on behalf of the American Heart Association and American Medical Association
Published: August 2023

Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors that contribute to incident cardiovascular events. A multitude of US and international hypertension guidelines, scientific statements, and policy statements have recommended evidence-based approaches for hypertension management and improved blood pressure (BP) control. These recommendations are based largely on high-quality observational and randomized controlled trial data. However, recent published data demonstrate troubling temporal trends with declining BP control in the United States after decades of steady improvements. Therefore, there is a widening disconnect between what hypertension experts recommend and actual BP control in practice. This scientific statement provides information on the implementation strategies to optimize hypertension management and to improve BP control among adults in the United States. Key approaches include antiracism efforts, accurate BP measurement and increased use of self-measured BP monitoring, team-based care, implementation of policies and programs to facilitate lifestyle change, standardized treatment protocols using team-based care, improvement of medication acceptance and adherence, continuous quality improvement, financial strategies, and large-scale dissemination and implementation. Closing the gap between scientific evidence, expert recommendations, and achieving BP control, particularly among disproportionately affected populations, is urgently needed to improve cardiovascular health.
“The King Whom Yahweh Your God Chooses”: Deuteronomic Kingship in a World of Sacral Kingship
Authors: Hwang Jerry
Published: August 2023

Hebrew Bible scholars tend to dismiss Deuteronomy’s “Law of the King” (17:14–20) as a utopian construct that was never realistic and/or historical. Underlying these views, however, are certain assumptions about what is culturally plausible in a world dominated by sacral kingship. Since this is the most common form of government in human history, generalizations about the historicity of Deuteronomic kingship requires an intercultural analysis of theopolitics, divine right of kings, and separation of powers. This article sets Deuteronomic kingship in the larger context of sacral kingship in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. What then emerges is the bridging of a notable false dichotomy in scholarship – Israel’s form of sacral kingship is both distinctive as well as realistic in nature. This suggests that skepticism about the historicity of the “Law of the King” is beholden to a Eurocentric frame of reference which is also skeptical of Western-style absolute monarchy.
South African Literature and the “Strange Seductiveness” of the Fantastic
Authors: Ben Salem Lobna
Published: August 2023

In Postcolonial literature, magic realism and science fiction are two sub-genres that have worked diligently to contest realism as a western novelistic tradition. In the South African context, the fantastic initiates a process of psychic liberation from old (White) world narrative domination and its cognitive codes. It recapitulates problems of historical consciousness in (post)apartheid cultures and interrogates inherited notions of imperial history. This paper reads two “fantastic” texts that belong to a similar post-colonial culture—South Africa—and strives to explain the ways in which these texts recapitulate, in both their narrative discourse and their thematic content, the “real” social and historical context in which (post)apartheid South African culture existed and thrived. Zakes Mda’s Ways of Dying and Lauren Beukes’ Zoo City use magic realism and science fiction respectively to re-view and debunk inherited literary modes of colonial discourse and to work towards more authentic yet challenging “codes of recognition”. By so doing, they offer positive and liberating responses to new emerging cultural forms.
William Moorcroft, Potter
Authors: Mallinson Jonathan
Published: August 2023

William Moorcroft (1872-1945) was one of the most celebrated potters of the early twentieth century. His career extended from the Arts and Crafts movement of the late Victorian age to the Austerity aesthetics of the Second World War. Rejecting mass production and patronised by Royalty, Moorcroft’s work was a synthesis of studio and factory, art and industry. He considered it his vocation to create an everyday art, both functional and decorative, affordable by more than a privileged few: ‘If only the people in the world would concentrate upon making all things beautiful, and if all people concentrated on developing the arts of Peace, what a world it might be,’ he wrote in a letter to his daughter in 1930.

'William Moorcroft, Potter: Individuality by Design' is a pioneering study by Jonathan Mallinson, Emeritus Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford. It follows the career of William Moorcroft through a wealth of private papers, letters and diaries, business correspondence and published reviews in newspapers, trade magazines and art journals. Richly illustrated with examples of his pottery, it explores what lay behind the unique impact of work sought by museums and treasured in homes the world over. The book examines an artist’s very individual response to the turbulent half century in which he worked. It will appeal to both specialists and general readers with an interest in pottery, the decorative arts, and the cultural history of the times.
12. 1932–35: Individuality and Industrial Art
Authors: Mallinson Jonathan
Published: August 2023

The chapter explores Moorcroft’s creative principles against the background of the Gorrell report and the continuing debate about industrial design, energised by high-profile exhibitions at Dorland Hall (1933), Harrod’s (1934) and the Royal Academy (1935), each with its own priorities. Moorcroft continued to promote the value of individuality, craft and ornament, as opposed to the functionalist machine aesthetic championed by Pevsner or Read, but he overlapped in significant ways with modernist thinking. He was no less critical of contemporary industrial design, often characterised by angular shapes and strident ornament, and he shared the belief that good design should be judged by its coherence and suitability to the manufacturing process, that it should reflect inner conviction rather than commercial opportunism, and that it gives to everyday objects an essential and uplifting beauty. This overlap was exemplified in the widespread admiration for the formal purity of his Powder Blue tea ware which, although launched in 1914, already anticipated modern design values of the 1930s, ‘undatedly perfect’ in Pevsner’s words. These principles also informed Moorcroft’s decorative pottery which continued to attract critical attention, not from the perspective of industrial design (as was now often the case in reviews of studio pottery), but as art work singled out for its expressiveness. But in a letter to The Times he provocatively disowned the label ‘artist’, applied to him by the British Pottery Manufacturers Federation, rejecting the implication that (his) art was elitist, or affordable only by connoisseurs. All his work was seen to have the same quality of design and production, whatever its cost or function, and he presented himself as a fusion of artist and industrialist, a position particularly significant at a time when modern critical thinking was encouraging the collaboration of designers and manufacturers. Amid an ongoing debate about the nature and importance of a national design tradition, Moorcroft’s work was often regarded as English on account of its individuality, irreducible to a (mere) style. Mussolini’s purchase of a flambé vase at the Milan Triennial Exhibition of 1933, reported in the national press, was seen as evidence of the international appeal of this pottery.
Precipitation Vertical Structure Characterization: A Feature-Based Approach
Authors: Arulraj Malarvizhi , Petkovic Veljko , Ferraro Ralph R. , Meng Huan
Published: August 2023

The three-dimensional (3D) structure of precipitation systems is highly dependent on hydrometeor formation processes and microphysics. This study aims to characterize distinct vertical profiles of precipitation regimes by relying on the availability of a high-quality, spatially dense radar network and its capability to observe the 3D structure of the storms. A deep-learning-based framework, coupled with unsupervised clustering methods, is developed to identify types of precipitation structures irrespective of their physical properties. A 6-month period of 3D reflectivity profiles from the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) network is used to identify different regimes and investigate their properties with respect to the underlying environmental conditions. Dominant features retrieved from radar reflectivity profiles using convolutional neural-network-based autoencoders are employed to identify similar-looking vertical structures using coupled k-means and agglomerative clustering algorithms. The k-means method identifies distinct groups, while the agglomerative clustering visualizes intercluster relationships. The framework identifies 18 clusters that can be broadly combined into five groups of varied echo-top heights. The 18 clusters demonstrate variability with respect to structural features and precipitation rate/type, implying that profiles in each group belong to a physically different precipitation regime. An independent analysis of the regime properties is conducted by matching the MRMS reflectivity profiles with environmental parameters derived from the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model forecasts. The distribution of the environmental variables confirms cluster-specific feature properties, confirming the physics-based regime separation across the clusters and their dependence on the vertical structure. The identified precipitation regimes can assist in developing physics-guided retrievals and studying precipitation regimes.

Significance Statement

This study proposes a systematic model to identify precipitation profiles of distinct vertical structures and evaluate their dependence on environmental conditions. The model was developed using ground-based radar observations; however, there is potential to extend this model to reflectivity profiles from both ground- and satellite-based sensors. In addition, the identified precipitation regime clusters could be a proxy for the vertical structure of precipitation systems and assist in determining the structural variability within traditional precipitation type classification (e.g., convective versus stratiform). Moreover, identifying the precipitation regimes could also be used to improve satellite-based precipitation retrievals. Finally, a better understanding of precipitation structure would also help improve the initialization of climate models.
On the Pattern and Attribution of Pan Evaporation over China (1951–2021)
Authors: Wang Hong , Sun Fubao , Wang Tingting , Feng Yao , Liu Fa , Liu Wenbin
Published: August 2023

Pan evaporation (Epan) serves as a monitorable method for estimating potential evaporation, evapotranspiration, and reference crop evapotranspiration, providing crucial data and information for fields such as water resource management and agricultural irrigation. Based on the PenPan model, the monthly Epan was calculated over China during 1951–2021, resulting in an average R2 of 0.93 ± 0.045 and an RMSE of 21.48 ± 6.06 mm month−1. The trend of Epan over time was characterized by an initial increase before 1961, followed by a decrease from 1961 to 1993, and a subsequent increase from 1994 to 2021. However, the sustained duration and magnitude of the decreasing trend led to an overall decreasing trend in the long-term dataset. To better understand the drivers of Epan trends, the Epan process was decomposed into radiative and aerodynamic components. While radiation was found to be the dominant component, its trend remained relatively stable over time. In contrast, the aerodynamic component, although smaller in proportion, exhibited larger fluctuations and played a crucial role in the trend of Epan. The primary influencing factors of the aerodynamic component were found to be wind speed and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Wind speed and VPD jointly promoted Epan before 1961, and the significant decrease in wind speed from 1961 to 1993 led to a decrease in Epan. From 1994 to 2021, the increase in VPD was found to be the main driver of the observed increase in Epan. These results show the complex and dynamic nature of Epan and underscore the need for continued monitoring and in-depth analysis of its drivers.

Significance Statement

The primary objective of this study is to explore the spatiotemporal patterns and potential driving factors of pan evaporation in China based on constructing a comprehensive dataset of pan evaporation. This is important because pan evaporation is an important indicator of the water cycle, which is currently undergoing modifications and is expected to become more pronounced as the climate continues to warm. Our findings showed that the patterns of pan evaporation were characterized by its drivers. As the drivers are numerous and continuously changing under climate change, it is necessary to pay attention to the pattern and attribution of pan evaporation.
Charles Tilly’s Elegant Theories About the Origins of European Nation-States, Social Movements, Contentious Politics, and Democracy
Authors: Castañeda Ernesto
Published: August 2023

The oeuvre of Charles Tilly provides a helpful model of how to conduct social science. Nevertheless, most readers are familiar only with a subset of his works. Consequently, Tilly’s contributions are often understood as being limited to a few hypotheses or statements, often cited out of context or in an over-simplified manner. This article aims to provide a more extensive overview of Tilly’s work and its continued relevance. It introduces some of his key concepts, such as state formation, superior stories, relational realism, trust networks, categorical inequality, contentious politics, and democratization. This article makes a case for a broader application of these concepts in social sciences research, theorizing, and contemporary political analyses.
Book review: Cho-yun Hsu, The Transcendental and the Mundane: Chinese Cultural Values in Everyday Life
Authors: Gvili Gal
Published: August 2023

Cho-yun Hsu, The Transcendental and the Mundane: Chinese Cultural Values in Everyday Life (Hong Kong: Chinese University of Hong Kong Press, 2021), 330 pp. $55, ISBN: 978-9882372122 (Hardcover).
Development and Validation of the Model Minority Stereotype-Response Scale
Authors: Suh Han Na , Rice Kenneth G. , Osborne Alexis
Published: August 2023

The model minority stereotype (MMS) has had a direct and significant impact on Asian Americans and their internal processes, like other stereotypes attributed to a group of people (e.g., stereotype threat; Steele & Aronson, 1995). In this article, we describe the development and validation of a measure named the Model Minority Stereotype-Response Scale (MMS-RS), which is designed to assess the responses Asian Americans experience when faced with the MMS to unveil how the stereotype impacts them. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) supported a two-factor structure of the MMS-RS, namely negative responses to and positive endorsement of the MMS. Alongside the reliability estimates, the evidence for construct validity demonstrated that the MMS-RS has good psychometric properties. Interestingly, both negative reaction to and the positive endorsement of the MMS were found to coexist. Overall, the MMS-RS is a useful instrument for scholars who are interested in researching, intervening, and advocating for Asian Americans’ experiences with the MMS.
Investigating the Determinants of Foreign Institutional Investor Inflows in Indian Equity Market: An Application of the Augmented Autoregressive Distributed Lag Bounds Testing Approach
Authors: Kumari Madhu , Bhattacharjee Animesh , Debnath Prallad , Das Joy
Published: August 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the determinants of foreign institutional investors (FIIs) in the Indian equity market. For this purpose, the study has chosen country-specific push and pull factors for the period from January 2011 to December 2019. The beginning of the concerned period is marked by increased FII flows in the Indian market after the global financial crisis of 2008. The study has identified the stock market index of India, interest rate differential between India and the USA, inflation rate, and exchange rate as possible determinants of FII inflows in India and used the augmented autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach based on the statistical properties of variables selected. The study found that in the long-run Indian stock market index, appreciating exchange rate, inflation, and interest rate differential are positively related to FII inflows in the Indian equity market whereas the US stock index is negatively related to FII inflows in India.

JEL Codes: F30, G1
The AUKUS umbrella: Australia-US relations and strategic culture in the shadow of China's rise
Authors: Cox Lloyd , Cooper Danny , O’Connor Brendon
Published: August 2023

In September 2021, Australia, the US, and the United Kingdom entered into a new trilateral security pact, AUKUS. Central to AUKUS is Australia acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, scheduled to begin delivery in the 2030s. AUKUS was announced by Australia's previous conservative government, but it has also won the strong support of the new Labor government. The rationale behind AUKUS emphasizes growing security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and the advantages of joint capabilities and interoperability in the context of China's growing assertiveness in the region. This article examines AUKUS through the lens of China's rise and the contradictory economic and security imperatives that the agreement poses for Australia. We argue that AUKUS is the latest expression of Australia's strategic culture, which is premised on a fear of abandonment and a conviction that Australia's core security interests can only be guaranteed by the support of the US. Yet this position harbours risks that are not widely acknowledged. These include risks to Australia's sovereignty and other risks arising from the uncertainties of the US position in Asia and the volatility of US domestic politics.
United we stand, and divided we fall: A call to action for the decolonisation of social work in Africa
Authors: Kurevakwesu Wilberforce
Published: August 2023

In this article, I discuss the need for African social workers to unite if the decolonisation of the social work profession is to be successful. This unity can come through the creation of a strong regional association of social work, which can then promote research, social work regulation and the creation of national associations of social work across Africa – and these can provide the necessary structures for collective action. Such a move will promote unity of purpose and provide a basis for decolonisation. For as long as we are divided, we will continue to lose relevance and recognition.
Death Anxiety in the Context of Religion, Personality and Life Meanings
Authors: Mavrogiorgou Paraskevi , Akinci Burhan , Murer Norbert , Efkemann Simone , Akinci Erhan , Turmes Luc , Juckel Georg
Published: August 2023

Previous studies on the context between death anxiety and religion do not provide any clear evidence regarding “anxiety buffer” function. In this explorative study, death anxiety and attitude to death were determined in the context of mood, personality and meaning of life among groups of Muslims ( n = 60) and Christian Protestants ( n = 60). Death anxiety and attitude to death were assessed using the Bochum questionnaire for recording death anxiety and attitudes to death. Death anxiety was mild to moderate in our healthy Participants of Muslim and Christian faith. Attitude towards death was therefore much more pronounced among Muslim members than Christians. The influence of religious beliefs on the fear of death does not appear to be direct and linear. Sources that provide meaning in life and emotional stability can contribute to a reduction in death anxiety and a less problematic attitude towards death.
The Relationship of Intensive Care Nurses' Attitudes Towards Organ Donation With Their Attitudes Towards Euthanasia and Moral Sensitivity
Authors: Erden Melikoğlu Seçil , Köktürk Dalcalı Berna , Aydoğan Semine
Published: August 2023

Determination of the relationship between nurses' attitudes towards issues, such as end-of-life care that is specific to intensive care, euthanasia, and organ donation and their moral sensitivity levels is one of the important points for working out ethical problems encountered in intensive care units and increasing the quality of care. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between the attitudes of intensive care nurses towards organ donation, euthanasia, and terminal patients and their moral sensitivity. The study was completed with 175 nurses who agreed to participate in the study. Informed consent of the participants was obtained. While nurses' attitudes towards euthanasia, death, and caring for the dying patient did not correlate with their moral sensitivities, their attitudes towards organ donation did.