bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-operative Management and Outcomes of Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome
Authors: Pasculli Rosa M. , Callahan Elizabeth A. , Wu James , Edralin Niam , Berrigan William A.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

To serve as a guide for non-operative physicians in the management of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome and provide an algorithm as to when to refer patients for potential surgical management.

Recent Findings

Supervised physical therapy programs that focus on active strengthening and core strengthening are more effective than unsupervised, passive, and non-core-focused programs. There is promising evidence for the use of intra-articular hyaluronic acid and PRP as adjunct treatment options. Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses have found that in young active patients, hip arthroscopy demonstrates improved short-term outcomes over physical therapy.

The decision for the management of FAIS is complex and should be specific to each patient. Consideration of the patient’s age, timing to return to sport, longevity of treatment, hip morphology, and degree of cartilage degeneration is required to make an informed decision in the treatment of these patients.
Try to See it My Way: Humans Take the Level-1 Visual Perspective of Humanoid Robot Avatars
Authors: Wahn Basil , Berio Leda , Weiss Matthias , Newen Albert
Published: August 2023

Visual perspective taking (VPT) is a fundamental process of social cognition. To date, however, only a handful of studies have investigated whether humans also take the perspective of humanoid robots. Recent findings on this topic are conflicting as one study found no evidence for level 1 VPT (i.e., which object is seen by the agent) and a different study has found evidence for level 2 VPT (i.e., how is the object seen by the agent). The latter study proposed that the human-like appearance of robots triggers VPT and that a mental capacity to perceive the environment is not required (mere-appearance hypothesis). In the present study, we tested whether the mere-appearance hypothesis is also applicable to level 1 VPT. We manipulated the appearance of a humanoid robot by either showing it with a human-like or artificial head, and its mental capacity for perception by presenting it as switched on or off. We found that all manipulations triggered VPT, showing, in contrast to earlier findings, level 1 VPT for robots. Our findings support the mere-appearance hypothesis as VPT was triggered regardless of whether the robot was switched on or off, and also show that the mere-appearance hypothesis is robust with regard to alterations of human-like appearance.
An experimental study of wet-cooking in organic vessels: implications for understanding the evolution of cooking technologies
Authors: Langley Andy , Needham Andy , Kröger Roland , Cifuentes-Alcobendas Gabriel , Adegeest Mette , Cousen Jess , Lance Christopher , Benton Hannah , Mansbridge Amy-Rose , Satchell Amanda , Tomlinson Lewis , Rockall-Birtles Francesca , Lucquin Alexandre , Little Aimée
Published: August 2023

The ability to control and direct fire is a major evolutionary step in the human story. The development of aceramic cooking technologies is less well understood as they rarely survive in the archaeological record. However, inferential evidence such as fire-cracked rocks, earthen pits and heated bones suggest a variety of cooking methods were used prior to the invention of ceramics. Yet there is a paucity of experimental evidence testing the efficacy of perishable organic containers in tasks involving their use with heat. The study presents experimental results of organic containers and their use for heating water related to cooking. Containers were made from deer hide and pig stomach and water was heated using two different techniques: placing the container directly above a fire and placing hot stones into the container. The results suggest that different organic containers and heating types could attain and maintain a sub-boiling cooking temperature; however, not all could reach boiling point. It is argued that these sub-boiling methods may be as, or perhaps more, desirable than boiling, with potential implications for the development of vessels prior to the adoption of ceramics.
Feature dimensionality reduction via homological properties of observability
Authors: Trovati Marcello , Farsimadan Eslam
Published: August 2023

Feature selection and its subsequent dimensionality reduction are significant problems in machine learning and it is at the core of several data science techniques. The ‘shape’ of data, or in other words its related topological properties, can provide crucial insights into the corresponding data types and sources and it enables the identification of general properties that facilitate its analysis and assessment. In this article, we discuss an information theoretic approach combined with data homological properties to assess dimensionality reduction, which can be applied to semantic feature selection.
Occupational health professionals’ experiences with telehealth services: usage, perceived usefulness and ease of use
Authors: Nissinen Sari , Pesonen Sanna , Toivio Pauliina , Sormunen Erja
Published: August 2023

Background

In occupational health care, telehealth services implementation requires the professionals to change their way of working because they have had to incorporate the telehealth services into their daily routines. Understanding how occupational health professionals relate to and experience telehealth services may aid in its implementation. However, an overview of telehealth services’ use in occupational health care is lacking. The aim of this study was to provide insight into the telehealth services that are used in occupational health care and identify their factors related to occupational health professionals’ perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use.

Methods

The present cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in May-June 2022 in Finland. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was run to test the relationships between demographic variables and the rate of usefulness, and ease of use variables. Scheffe test was used to make comparisons among group means in an analysis of variance (ANOVA) experiment.

Results

According to the results that investigated the ease of use of telehealth services, the respondents mostly felt that using telehealth services was easy and easy to learn. Profession, work experience, and information and communication technology skills were determinants related to perceived usefulness of telehealth services, while profession and information and communication technology skills were related to perceived ease of use, respectively.

Conclusions

In this survey, quite a fair agreement was found among occupational health professionals regarding the perceived usefulness and ease of use of telehealth services. However, the study results suggest that occupational telehealth services are most likely to be useful and easy to use when professionals’ information and communication technology skills are at a good level.
Can Sustainable Development Induce Foreign Direct Investment? Analysis of the Complex Inward and Outward Flows of Investment in European Union Countries
Authors: Caetano Rafaela Vital , Marques António Cardoso , Afonso Tiago Lopes
Published: August 2023

The transfer of polluting industries from developed to developing countries and the often-detrimental effects this has on meeting sustainable development goals is well documented, but an analysis of the underlying reasons for this transfer has not been widely examined in the literature. This study seeks to analyse the complexity of Foreign Direct Investment in developed countries and its environmental impacts, by measuring inward and outward investment. A Panel Quantile Regression was undertaken for 14 European Union countries between 1995 and 2018. The results show that, whether countries are recipients or sources of high levels of FDI, the drivers of inward and outward investment are the same, and that sustainable development and renewable energy are both drivers of FDI. The paper also finds that outward Foreign Direct Investment is not driven by environmental regulation, and the regulatory quality of the European Union countries improves its foreign investment balance.
Application of soft computing and evolutionary algorithms to estimate hydropower potential in multi-purpose reservoirs
Authors: Kayhomayoon Zahra , Arya Azar Naser , Ghordoyee Milan Sami , Berndtsson Ronny , Najafi Marghmaleki Sajad
Published: August 2023

Hydropower is a clean and efficient technology for producing renewable energy. Assessment and forecasting of hydropower production are important for strategic decision-making. This study aimed to use machine learning models, including adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), gene expression programming, random forest (RF), and least square support vector regression (LSSVR), for predicting hydroelectric energy production. A total of eight input scenarios was defined with a combination of various observed variables, including evaporation, precipitation, inflow, and outflow to the reservoir, to predict the hydroelectric energy produced during the experimental period. The Mahabad reservoir near Lake Urmia in the northwest of Iran was selected as a study object. The results showed that a combination of hydroelectric energy produced in the previous month, evaporation, and outflow from the dam resulted in the highest prediction performance using the RF model. A scenario that included all input variables except the precipitation outperformed other scenarios using the LSSVR model. Among the models, LSSVR exerted the highest prediction performance for which RMSE, MAPE, and NSE were 442.7 (MWH), 328.3 (MWH), and 0.85, respectively. The results showed that Harris hawks optimization (HHO) (RMSE = 0.2 WMH, MAPE = 10 WMH, NSE = 0.90) was better than particle swarm optimization (PSO) (RMSE = 0.2 WMH, MAPE = 10 WMH, NSE = 0.90) in optimizing ANFIS during the prediction. The results of Taylor’s diagram indicated that the ANFIS-HHO model had the highest accuracy. The findings of this study showed that machine learning models can be used as an essential tool for decision-making in sustainable hydropower production.
Quantitative evaluation of water-alternative-natural gas flooding in enhancing oil recovery of fractured tight cores by NMR
Authors: Liu Baishuo , Yao Chuanjin , Liu Yaqian , Zhao Jia , Lei Zhengdong , Zhou Yiran , Song Yuyuan , Li Lei
Published: August 2023

As the associated gas of tight reservoirs, natural gas is abundant and noncorrosive, which is more suitable for the development of tight oil reservoirs in China. However, the mechanism of gas injection development is unclear, and the gas channeling is serious in tight reservoirs after fracturing. The water-alternating-gas (WAG) flooding is an effective means to delay gas channeling and improve oil recovery. Therefore, it is significant to clarify the mechanism of preventing gas channeling and recovering oil by water-alternation-natural gas (WANG) flooding. The WANG flooding experiments with different water–gas slugs were conducted in non-fracture and fractured tight cores. Besides, the oil distribution of different pore spaces of cores before and after displacement and the main contribution spaces on oil recovery were quantitatively analyzed by using nuclear magnetic resonance and core mercury porosimetry techniques. The results indicate that compared with natural gas flooding, the WANG flooding can retard gas channeling, increase formation energy, and enhance oil recovery by up to 14.1%, especially in fractured cores. Under the resistance of water slugs, the gas was allowed to enter smaller pores and its swept volume was expanded. Oil is mainly stored in mesopores (0.1–1 μm) and small pores (0.01–0.1 μm), accounting for over 90% of the total volume. The oil recovered mainly comes from mesopores, which accounts for over 75% of the total amount. Moreover, the WANG flooding strengthens the recovery of oil in mesopores and macropores (1–10 μm), but it also squeezes oil into small pores and micropores (0.001–0.01 μm).
Amalgamated algebra along an ideal defined by S-noetherian spectrum-like-conditions
Authors: Issoual Mohammed
Published: August 2023

Let $$f:A\longrightarrow B$$

f
:
A
⟶
B

be a ring homomorphism and J be an ideal of B. The subring $$A\bowtie ^{f}J:=\{(a,f(a)+j)/ a\in A\quad \text {et}\quad j\in J\}$$

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f

J
:
=

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f

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∈
A

et

j
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of   $$A\times B$$

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×
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is called the amalgamation of A with B along with J with respect to f. In this paper we investigate a general concept of ring with Noetherian spectrum, called S-Noetherian spectrum property which was introduced by Hamed, on the $$A\bowtie ^{f}J$$

A

⋈
f

J

for a multiplicative subset S of $$A\bowtie ^{f}J.$$

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.
Hardware acceleration design of the SHA-3 for high throughput and low area on FPGA
Authors: Sideris Argyrios , Sanida Theodora , Dasygenis Minas
Published: August 2023

In sensitive communications, the cryptographic hash function plays a crucial role, including in the military, healthcare, and banking, ensuring secure transmission by verifying data integrity and carrying out other vital tasks. Compared to other cryptographic hash algorithms, such as SHA-1 and SHA-2, the Keccak hash function (SHA-3) boasts superior hardware performance and is more resilient to modern cryptanalysis techniques. Nonetheless, hardware performance enhancements, such as boosting speed or reducing area usage, are constantly required. This research focuses on increasing the Keccak hash algorithm’s throughput rate by introducing a novel architecture that reduces the total number of clock cycles required to obtain the result of a hash function. Additionally, the new simplified structure of the round constant (RC) generator design assures a reasonably low area and achieves the highest throughput and efficiency. Thus, when implemented, it achieved the highest throughput of 19.515 Gbps, 24.428 Gbps, 33.393 Gbps, and 36.358 Gbps on FPGA devices with the Virtex-5, Artix-7, Virtex-6, and Virtex-7, respectively. Finally, our approach is compared to recently published designs.
Translation research on testicular germ cell tumors
Authors: Eleveld Thomas F. , Looijenga Leendert H. J.
Published: August 2023

Testicular germ cell tumors are the most common malignancy in men aged 14 to 44 years. Although exceptional cisplatin sensitivity results in cure rates of > 90%, resistance can occur for which there are currently no alternative treatment options. Translational research in recent years has led to various breakthroughs in detection and classification of these tumors. The identification of miRNA-371 expression as a marker of malignant testicular germ cell tumors (with the exception of teratomas) enables significantly more sensitive and specific detection of these cancers in various clinical contexts (primary tumor, residual disease, relapse etc.). Moreover, the identification of several genetic aberrations that are associated with treatment resistance and poor outcome, such as TP53 mutations or copy number gain on chromosome 3p, underlines the necessity of genetic screening for improved risk classification of testicular cancer patients.
Large group decision-making considering multiple classifications for participators: a method based on preference information on multiple elements of alternatives
Authors: Cao Ping-Ping , Zheng Jin , Wang Shuang , Li Ming-Yang , Wang Xin-Yan
Published: August 2023

In large group decision-making, participators with different knowledge structures, backgrounds, and other characteristics are unlikely to accurately evaluate alternatives. For this, it is necessary to decompose alternatives into several elements, and consider the participators’ preferences for elements of alternatives and the multiple classifications for participators according to their characteristics. However, related studies are still scarce. The objective of this paper is to propose a multi-elemental large group decision-making method, in which the desirable alternative(s) are selected from a set of feasible alternatives according to the preference information on multiple elements of alternatives provided by participators from multiple subgroups, and multiple classifications for participators are considered. In the method, according to the strict preference ordering of elements provided by participators, the percentage distributions on preferences of each subgroup concerning each element are firstly presented under each classification for participators. Secondly, the decision weight of each subgroup is determined by three factors, i.e., the consensus of preferences provided by each subgroup, the organizer’s preference for each subgroup, and the number of participators in each subgroup. Then, the comprehensive preference concerning each element is determined by combing the preference information from multiple subgroups and the decision weights of multiple subgroups, the overall preference vector can be obtained under each classification, and the virtual alternatives are determined by normalizing the overall preference vector. Further, considering multiple classifications for participators, the overall dominant degrees of alternatives can be obtained by calculating the similarity degrees between each virtual alternative and each alternative, thus the ranking order of alternatives can be obtained based on the overall dominant degrees of alternatives. Finally, an example is given to confirm the feasibility of the proposed method. The results of the sensitivity and comparative analyses show that the proposed method is applicable and effective. The proposed method can further enrich and improve the theory and approach of large group decision-making with multiple elements considering multiple classifications for participators.
Zinc–Bromine Rechargeable Batteries: From Device Configuration, Electrochemistry, Material to Performance Evaluation
Authors: Alghamdi Norah S. , Rana Masud , Peng Xiyue , Huang Yongxin , Lee Jaeho , Hou Jingwei , Gentle Ian R. , Wang Lianzhou , Luo Bin
Published: August 2023

Zinc–bromine rechargeable batteries (ZBRBs) are one of the most powerful candidates for next-generation energy storage due to their potentially lower material cost, deep discharge capability, non-flammable electrolytes, relatively long lifetime and good reversibility. However, many opportunities remain to improve the efficiency and stability of these batteries for long-life operation. Here, we discuss the device configurations, working mechanisms and performance evaluation of ZBRBs. Both non-flow (static) and flow-type cells are highlighted in detail in this review. The fundamental electrochemical aspects, including the key challenges and promising solutions, are discussed, with particular attention paid to zinc and bromine half-cells, as their performance plays a critical role in determining the electrochemical performance of the battery system. The following sections examine the key performance metrics of ZBRBs and assessment methods using various ex situ and in situ/operando techniques. The review concludes with insights into future developments and prospects for high-performance ZBRBs.
When things go wrong: the recall of AI systems as a last resort for ethical and lawful AI
Authors: Tartaro Alessio
Published: August 2023

This paper presents an initial exploration of the concept of AI system recall, primarily understood as a last resort when AI systems violate ethical norms, societal expectations, or legal obligations. The discussion is spurred by recent incidents involving notable AI systems, demonstrating that AI recalls can be a very real necessity. This study delves into the concept of product recall as traditionally understood in industry and explores its potential application to AI systems. Our analysis of this concept is centered around two prominent categories of recall drivers in the AI domain: ethical-social and legal considerations. In terms of ethical-social drivers, we apply the innovative notion of “moral Operational Design Domain”, suggesting AI systems should be recalled when they violate ethical principles and societal expectation. In addition, we also explore the recall of AI systems from a legal perspective, where the recently proposed AI Act provides regulatory measures for recalling AI systems that pose risks to health, safety, and fundamental rights. The paper also underscores the need for further research, especially around defining precise ethical and societal triggers for AI recalls, creating an efficient recall management framework for organizations, and reassessing the fit of traditional product recall models for AI systems within the AI Act's regulatory context. By probing these complex intersections between AI, ethics, and regulation, this work aims to contribute to the development of robust and responsible AI systems while maintaining readiness for failure scenarios.
A Deep Learning-Based Multi-objective Optimization Model for PM2.5 Prediction
Authors: Xu Wenkai , Fu Fengchen , Zhang Qingqing , Wang Lei
Published: August 2023

Air pollution caused by particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) poses a serious threat to human health and the environment. Predicting PM2.5 concentrations and controlling emissions are crucial for pollution prevention and control. This study proposes a comprehensive solution based on weight-sharing deep learning and multi-objective optimization. The proposed approach first utilizes a model that combines the Convolutional Neural Network and Long Short-Term Memory Neural Network to analyze data from 13 air quality monitoring stations in Xi'an City. By simultaneously inputting data from different monitoring stations, the model can extract highly correlated spatiotemporal features, enabling accurate predictions of PM2.5 concentrations for specific monitoring stations using LSTM. In addition, a multi-objective optimization model is established with the primary goal of achieving maximum total emission reduction. This model takes into account four key factors: the total emission reduction, the task of emission reduction, the government subsidy, and the total cost of emission reduction. To obtain the emission reduction of PM2.5 concentration at 13 monitoring stations, 5 classical intelligence algorithms are employed to solve the model. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed prediction model, with an average Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 12.820 and a fitting coefficient (R2) of 0.907, outperforming all comparison models. The proposed model exhibits strong generalization ability, making it applicable to different time and space conditions. Furthermore, it can be adapted for calculating emission reduction of other air pollutants. Lastly, the multi-objective optimization model achieves significant success in terms of total emission reduction. This study provides a new reference in the field of artificial intelligence and its application to air pollution control. The findings hold great significance for promoting public health and environmental protection.
Partisan Biases among the Unemployed
Authors: Urbatsch R.
Published: August 2023

Unemployed people are relatively rarely studied in political science. Yet, with their economic significance and centrality to many political debates, they can provide insight on many questions, including just how far partisan biases – where opinions and even factual perceptions follow what reflects well on their holder's preferred political party – extend. The economic and emotional costs of joblessness make its evaluation an unlikely seeming case for partisan effects. Surveys in the United States and Great Britain nevertheless show that partisan alignment predicts unemployed individuals' evaluation of their economic situation: unemployed individuals identifying with parties represented in the national executive report more positively on their household finances (and on the national economic situation) than do non-partisans, while those identifying with the opposition report more negatively. These effects are especially substantial among people interested in politics. Even something as personal and affectively intense as unemployment is viewed through a partisan scrim.
The Impact of Government Participation on the Political Trust of Populist Party Supporters
Authors: Juen Christina-Marie
Published: August 2023

Citizens are more trustful of politics if their preferred party is an electoral winner and becomes part of the government. However, there remains the question of whether this positive effect of joining the government also holds for supporters of populist parties. Populists show low levels of political trust, as they strongly criticize the political elite. This study argues that voters of populist parties perceive the political system as more responsive to their concerns when their preferred party becomes part of the government and so they become more trustful of politics. Drawing on the case of Austria, the analyses demonstrate that political trust among populist party voters is higher when their party is in government. In contrast, non-populist voters' level of political trust is more stable, even when their party is not in government.
Eigenmodes and added-mass matrices of hydroelastic vibrations of complex structures
Authors: Korobkin A.A. , Khabakhpasheva T.I. , Shishmarev K.A.
Published: August 2023

The eigenmodes and eigenfrequencies of two-dimensional elastic structures in contact with a liquid are investigated within the linear theory of hydroelasticity. The shapes of the structural vibrations and the hydrodynamic loads acting on the structure are calculated at the same time. The wet modes are obtained as superpositions of the dry modes of the structure, where the coefficients are solutions of a matrix equation with the hydrodynamic loads being represented by an added-mass matrix. The added-mass matrix of a homogenous elastic plate is calculated analytically through Bessel functions. Added-mass matrices of complex structures are obtained using representations of the dry modes through dry modes of the homogeneous plate of the same length. Relations between wet and dry modes and their frequencies depending on parameters of the problems are studied. The structure could be made of several plates, connected or not, completely or partially wetted, and of any variable thickness and rigidity. The main contribution to a wet mode comes from the corresponding dry mode. The wet frequency is below the corresponding dry frequency with their ratios being weakly dependent on the properties of the structure. This finding is new. The obtained added-mass matrices are suggested to use in problems of hydroelastic slamming for any geometry of impacting elastic body and any distributions of its elastic characteristics. The matrices can be also used to design an interface between hydrodynamic and structural solvers in numerical analysis of hydroelastic slamming.
A theory on leading-edge vortex stabilization by spanwise flow
Authors: Xia Xi , Mohseni Kamran
Published: August 2023

Natural flyers are capable of producing excessive lift via a stabilized leading-edge vortex (LEV), which appears to linger above the wing for a longer duration than it could in an equivalent two-dimensional flow. Previous studies found this stabilization behaviour closely related to a spanwise flow along the LEV axis; however, it is still debatable how the spanwise flow influences the LEV stability. In this work, potential flow theory is adopted to model an LEV attached to a flat-plate wing. To account for the spanwise flow effect, we propose a finite-area sink (FAS) model which allows the dynamical interaction between co-located LEV and spanwise flow. Through linear stability analysis of the dynamical system associated with the LEV movement, we arrive at a stable spiral-sink type of equilibrium, which is the first mathematical evidence supporting LEV stabilization by spanwise flow. It is further concluded that the LEV stability can be enhanced by either increasing the strength or decreasing the cross-section area of the spanwise flow.
Can a five-minute meeting improve the wellbeing of students? The Indian school experience
Authors: Kathuria Tripti , Pandya Apurvakumar
Published: August 2023

In India, school psychology is an emerging field of study. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has mandated the appointment of school counsellors to boost mental health through counselling, life-skills education, and career guidance. In the present study, the school counsellor implemented a five-minute meeting to quickly interact with students to promote their wellbeing. Using universal sampling, data were collected from 78 students using a Google survey form at one of the leading private schools in Meerut city of Uttar Pradesh State, India. The findings of the study indicated an improvement in the personal-social and school-career domains of students’ wellbeing. Approximately 72% of students reported being happy, and 58% shared being friendly (personal-social domain). Nearly 68% of students reported doing well in the school (school-career domain). Moreover, 65% of students expressed willingness to meet with the counsellor. The initiative received an overwhelmingly positive response (82%), indicating that it has increased the value of support for these students. This initiative provided an opportunity for both the counsellor and students to get to know each other and allowed the counsellor to plan individual and group counselling sessions as needed. Prospective studies could employ robust methodology with a larger sample size to evaluate the effects of this initiative on mental health outcomes.
Determinates of anemia among Human Immune Deficiency Virus positive children on Anti-retro Viral Therapy in selected health facilities, Northwest Ethiopia: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Tiruneh Misganaw Guadie , Kebede Bizuneh Fassikaw
Published: August 2023

Even though antiretroviral therapy (ART) access for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children increased dramatically, anaemia has continued as a challenge regardless of a cluster of differentiation (CD4) count and viral load. Hence, the present study aimed to assess the determinants of iron deficiency anaemia among children living with HIV after the initiation of ART. An institution-based unmatched case–control study was conducted among consecutively selected 712 children on HIV care from 1 September to 30 October 2022 in the Metekel zone. A pre-tested and structured data extraction checklist was used to collect the data. Data were analysed using STATA version 16 software. Binary logistic regression was used to find the association between independent variables and anaemia. The level of statistical significance was declared at a value of P < 0⋅05. A total of 712 HIV-positive children (178 cases and 534 controls) were included in this study, with a completeness rate of 98⋅8 %. In multivariable analysis, variables that have a statistically significant association with anaemia were as follows: CD4 count <350 (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 2⋅76; 95 % CI 1⋅76, 4⋅34), World Health Organization (WHO) clinical stage III (AOR 7⋅9; 95 % CI 3⋅5, 17⋅91) and stage IV (AOR 7⋅8; 95 % CI 3⋅37, 18⋅1), cotrimoxazole prophylaxis therapy (AOR 0⋅5; 95 % CI 0⋅31, 0⋅8) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) ≤11⋅5 mm (AOR 2⋅1; 95 % CI 1⋅34, 3⋅28). The present study found that CD4 count, WHO clinical stage, cotrimoxazole prophylaxis therapy and MUAC were significantly associated with anaemia in children on ART. Therefore, continuous screening of anaemia and nutritional treatment is essential in these patients.
Middle Visean (Mississippian) conodonts from shallow-water deposits in the Yashui section, Guizhou, South China, and their stratigraphic significance
Authors: Wang Qiulai , Qi Yuping , Yao Le
Published: August 2023

The typical Mississippian shallow-water deposits of the Jiusi and Shangsi formations are well exposed in the Yashui section in southern Guizhou, South China. The strata are composed mainly of platform limestones intercalated with shales and sandstones. Conodonts obtained from the limestones are dominated by two assemblages of cavusgnathids: the Cavusgnathus aff. Cav. unicornis and Clydagnathus windsorensis assemblage from the upper Jiusi Formation and the Cavusgnathus unicornis assemblage from the lowest Shangsi Formation. Vogelgnathus campbelli (Rexroad, 1957) is reported for the first time in Eastern Paleotethys and is characterized by small lateral denticles. The evolutionary first occurrence of Cavusgnathus unicornis Youngquist and Miller, 1949 is recognized as a marker for the regional Shangsian stage. This biostratigraphic datum is interpreted to be correlative with other shallow-water conodont zones marked by Cavusgnathus unicornis s.l. and similar species from North America and Europe.
Rotating periodic solutions for p-Laplacian differential systems
Authors: Ye Tiefeng , Liu Wenbin , Shen Tengfei
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we study existence of rotating periodic solutions for p-Laplacian differential systems. We first build a new continuation theorem by topological degree, and then obtain the existence of rotating periodic solutions for two kinds of p-Laplacian differential systems via this continuation theorem, extend some existing relevant results.
A NOTE ON BRØNDSTED’S FIXED POINT THEOREM
Authors: ZUBELEVICH OLEG
Published: August 2023

We show that for the case of uniformly convex Banach spaces, the conditions of Brøndsted’s fixed point theorem can be relaxed.
The association of diet-dependent acid load with colorectal cancer risk: a case–control study in Korea
Authors: Tran Tao Thi , Gunathilake Madhawa , Lee Jeonghee , Oh Jae Hwan , Chang Hee Jin , Sohn Dae Kyung , Shin Aesun , Kim Jeongseon
Published: August 2023

Acid–base disequilibrium is a contributor to cancer development because it affects molecular activities such as insulin-like growth factor 1 levels and adiponectin production. However, evidence of an association of diet-induced acid–base imbalance with colorectal cancer (CRC) is limited. We examined whether colorectal carcinogenesis is attributable to a diet with a high acid load. We recruited a total of 923 CRC cases and 1846 controls at the National Cancer Center in Korea for inclusion in a case–control study. We collected information on nutrient intake and specific clinical parameters of CRC by using a semiquantitative FFQ and medical records, respectively. Potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAP) were used to estimate diet-dependent acid load. We used an unconditional logistic regression model to analyse the association. Dietary acid load scores had a positive association with the odds of CRC (OR = 2·31 (95 % CI 1·79, 2·99) and OR = 2·14 (95 % CI 1·66, 2·76) for PRAL and NEAP, respectively, Pfor trend < 0·001). A stronger positive association was observed for females (OR = 3·09, 95 % CI 1·93, 4·94) than for males (OR = 1·71, 95 % CI 1·27, 2·31). Furthermore, acidogenic diets appeared to affect rectal cancer more strongly than colon cancer in females. Our study contributes to reinforcing epidemiological evidence regarding a detrimental effect of acidogenic diets on colorectal carcinogenesis. Thus, it is important to pay attention to the balance of acidogenic (e.g. poultry and red meat) and alkalinogenic foods (e.g. fruits and vegetables) in CRC prevention, especially for females.
Peripheral inflammation associated with depression and reduced weight loss: a longitudinal study of bariatric patients
Authors: McLaughlin Anna P. , Lambert Ellen , Milton Rebecca , Mariani Nicole , Kose Melisa , Nikkheslat Naghmeh , Patsalos Olivia , Ferraro Luca , Chamseddine Ghassan , Panagiotopoulos Spyros , Chang Avril , Ramar Sasindran , Patel Ameet , Rubino Francesco , Mondelli Valeria
Published: August 2023

Background

Research implicates inflammation in the vicious cycle between depression and obesity, yet few longitudinal studies exist. The rapid weight loss induced by bariatric surgery is known to improve depressive symptoms dramatically, but preoperative depression diagnosis may also increase the risk for poor weight loss. Therefore, we investigated longitudinal associations between depression and inflammatory markers and their effect on weight loss and clinical outcomes in bariatric patients.

Methods

This longitudinal observational study of 85 patients with obesity undergoing bariatric surgery included 41 cases with depression and 44 controls. Before and 6 months after surgery, we assessed depression by clinical interview and measured serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10.

Results

Before surgery, depression diagnosis was associated with significantly higher serum hsCRP, IL-6, and IL-6/10 ratio levels after controlling for confounders. Six months after surgery, patients with pre-existing depression still had significantly higher inflammation despite demonstrating similar weight loss to controls. Hierarchical regression showed higher baseline hsCRP levels predicted poorer weight loss (β = −0.28, p = 0.01) but had no effect on depression severity at follow-up (β = −0.02, p = 0.9). Instead, more severe baseline depressive symptoms and childhood emotional abuse predicted greater depression severity after surgery (β = 0.81, p < 0.001; and β = 0.31, p = 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

Depression was significantly associated with higher inflammation beyond the effect of obesity and other confounders. Higher inflammation at baseline predicted poorer weight loss 6 months after surgery, regardless of depression diagnosis. Increased inflammation, rather than depression, may drive poor weight loss outcomes among bariatric patients.
Behavioral public policy in practice: Misconceptions and opportunities
Authors: Hallsworth Michael
Published: August 2023

I greatly respect the authors of the target article. However, in contrast to the target article's assertion, practitioners of behavioral public policy are indeed involved in developing and promoting systemic solutions. Its “i-frame”/“s-frame” distinction is incoherent, unhelpful, and obscures promising future directions for behavioral public policy. Its content and presentation undermine its stated goals and encourage sweeping dismissals of the field.
The social sciences are increasingly ill-equipped to design system-level reforms
Authors: Jackson Michelle
Published: August 2023

Our social policy landscape is characterized by incrementalism, while public calls for more radical reform get louder. But the social sciences cannot be relied upon to generate a steady stream of radical, system-level policies. Long-standing trends in social science – in particular, increasing specialization, an increasing emphasis on causal inference, and the growing replication crisis – are barriers to system-level policy development.
Modeling and invariably horizontal control for the parallel mobile rescue robot based on PSO-CPG algorithm
Authors: Chen Wei , Cheng Hao , Zhang Wenchang , Wu Hang , Liu Xuefei , Men Yutao
Published: August 2023

A walking robot consisting of double Stewarts parallel legs was designed by our research team in the past time, which was mainly used for the transportation of the wounded after the disaster. In order to promote stability of control locomotion and ensure invariably horizontal state of the robot platform in the process of motion, the central pattern generator (CPG) based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) is presented to optimize the kinematic model. The purpose of optimization is to solve the hysteresis problem of displacement variation among the electric cylinders. Moreover, the dynamic model of the robot is established, which can provide mechanical basis for the feedback of control signal and make the robot move stably. The simulation results show that the displacement hysteresis problem of the electric cylinders is solved well. Meanwhile, compared with simulation results based on GA-CPG method, it is demonstrated that the robot motion planned using PSO-CPG method has better motion stability and can avoid the impact of legs landing during the transition phase of the motion cycle. The experimental results show that the platform on the robot can maintain an invariably horizontal state, and the locomotion is more stable. It verifies the feasibility of PSO-CPG model and the correctness of the dynamic model of the parallel mobile rescue robot.
Arming Upstanding Citizens: Dynamics of Civilian Disarmament and Rearmament in Restoration Spain
Authors: Castillo Cañiz Assumpta
Published: August 2023

This article examines the state's actions to arm and disarm the civilian population in Spain during the convulsive final years of the Bourbon Restoration period (1917–23). While this topic has received little attention in the abundant literature on the crisis of the liberal regime in Spain, it is crucial to fully understanding the inherent causes and nature of the high levels of political violence which characterised this period. By analysing the ‘selective rearmament’ of part of the population by both legal and illegal means, this article considers the relationship between dynamics of civilian disarmament and rearmament and the evolution of the alleged state monopoly on violence in Spain.
Empowering Through Law: Environmental NGOs as Regulatory Intermediaries in EU Nature Governance
Authors: Kingston Suzanne , Alblas Edwin , Callaghan Micheál , Foulon Julie
Published: August 2023

Private ‘bottom-up’ enforcement has been central to the efforts of the European Union (EU) to promote effective compliance with its ambitious environmental laws. This approach is strengthened by the EU's implementation of the Aarhus Convention, which aims to democratize environmental enforcement by conferring citizens and environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) with legal rights of access to environmental information, rights of public participation, and rights of access to justice (the so-called ‘Aarhus mechanisms’). This article empirically assesses the extent to which the Aarhus mechanisms empower ENGOs to take an active role in the private enforcement of the EU Habitats and Birds Directives. Based on 75 surveys and 30 interviews with ENGOs from three Member States (France, Ireland, the Netherlands), we apply regulatory intermediary theory to show how European ENGOs play a vital role in intermediating between (i) EU Member States and their citizens, (ii) the EU and individual citizens, and even (iii) the EU and its Member States. We bring new empirical insights into the role of law as an enabler of regulatory intermediaries, and its potential as a tool for orchestrating regulatory intermediaries.
At the gymnasium through your football buddy's aunt. Accessibility of classical education in the Netherlands
Authors: van Gils Lidewij
Published: August 2023

How accessible is the field of Latin and ancient Ancient Greek languages in the Dutch education system? In recent years this discussion has resurfaced in the light of societal developments which focus on equality of opportunities.1 Moreover, our field faces the challenge to explain in both international and national discussions what makes its study so relevant in the current times, both in secondary and tertiary education.2 This article provides a short overview of the current situation of Latin and ancient Ancient Greek education within the Dutch secondary education system before looking in more detail at its impact on Dutch students. It ends with directions for improving the accessibility of the field of Classics education. In order to illustrate the functioning and consequences of the current situation, in June 2021 a large-scale survey among 1,700 Dutch students of the gymnasium (secondary education with Latin and ancient Greek) provides us with interesting experiences, biases and thoughts about the accessibility of classical education. If we believe that knowledge of the ancient languages and literatures is a valuable resource for the younger generations of our modern society and in addition we see that our field, as any field, would profit from a more diverse group of researchers and teachers, the direction for future improvements is clear; but concrete steps in that direction should be taken at various levels. With this article, I hope to contribute to such improvements to the educational system and contemporaneously to our field.
Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes of Twin Pregnant Women With Anemia
Authors: Lin Nacheng , Shen Ping , Hu Huilian , Song Wenying , Hu Yali , Dai Yimin , Zhou Yi-Hua
Published: August 2023

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of anemia in twin pregnancies and the influence of anemia on maternal and neonatal outcomes. This retrospective study included twin pregnant women who delivered in a tertiary hospital in China from January 2018 to December 2018. Patients were divided by WHO criteria (hemoglobin <11.0 g/dL): the anemic and nonanemic groups. Patients with anemia were further classified as recovered or unrecovered subgroup after oral iron therapy. Maternal and neonatal outcomes in women carrying twins were compared using Student’sttest and the chi-squared test or the Fisher exact test. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the association of maternal and neonatal characteristics with anemia. Linear regression analysis was used to estimate mean birth weight and gestational week. The prevalence of anemia was 42.6% (182/427) in twin pregnancies. The anemic group had higher rates of low 1-minute Apgar score (4.4% vs. 1.8%,p= .028), perinatal death (1.9% vs. 0.2%,p= .012) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission (27.2% vs. 20.2%,p= .017; adjustedOR, 1.478; 95% CI [1.07, 2.044]). The recovered subgroup had lower NICU admission rate (13.5% vs. 30.3%,p= .006;OR, 0.388; 95% CI [0.186, 0.809]), higher gestational week and birth weight (β, 0.954 week; 95% CI [0.114, 1.794] and β, 171.01 g; 95% CI [9.894, 332.126] respectively). The prevalence of anemia in twin gestation is high. Anemia is associated with adverse neonatal outcomes, and correction of anemia significantly improved the pregnancy outcomes.
Asymmetrical Precipitation Sensitivity to Temperature Across Global Dry and Wet Regions
Authors: Liang Juan , Liu Xianfeng , AghaKouchak Amir , Ciais Philippe , Fu Bojie
Published: August 2023

Global warming is expected to increase precipitation extremes. However, the response of extreme precipitation to global warming in various climates remains unclear. Here, we analyzed changes in the sensitivities of extreme and mean precipitation to temperature across the dry and wet regions of the world during 1960–1999 and 2060–2099 using global climate models. Both extreme and mean precipitation exhibited similar spatial patterns; however, the magnitude of sensitivity for extreme precipitation was approximately three times higher (19%/K) than for mean precipitation (6%/K). A higher precipitation sensitivity to temperature was observed in the dry regions than in the wet regions. Dry regions exhibited a four‐ to five‐fold higher temperature sensitivity for mean precipitation, and marginally higher temperature sensitivity for extreme precipitation than wet regions. These findings highlight the importance of implementing adaptive strategies to alleviate the effects of global warming on dryland ecosystems.