bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biquaternion ambiguity function and associated uncertainty principles
Authors: Ahmad Owais , Ahmad Dar Aijaz
Published: August 2024

A mathematical tool used to analyze signals in high-dimensional areas is the biquaternion ambiguity function. While typical ambiguity functions deal with time delay and Doppler frequency, biquaternion ambiguity functions extend the concept to rotations and scaling factors. Biquaternion ambiguity functions offer a more thorough representation of signal ambiguity in these high-dimensional spaces, which can help develop better signal processing algorithms for a range of uses. In this paper, we introduce the notion of biquaternion ambiguity function which is formed from conventional ambiguity function by invoking biquaternion algebra. We first establish the various properties, namely dilation, translation, shift, nonlinearity, boundedness, reconstruction formula, Moyal’s formula, and inversion formula. An interesting relationship between the biquaternion Fourier transform and the biquaternion ambiguity function is also established. Furthermore, we establish the various versions of uncertainty inequalities namely, Pitt’s inequality, sharp Hausdorff–Young inequality, sharp Local uncertainty principle and logarithmic uncertainty principle for biquaternion ambiguity function. Some potential applications are also presented at the end.
Investigating the weak gravitational lensing in Starobinsky–Bel–Robinson gravity black hole
Authors: Mushtaq Farzan , Tiecheng Xia , Ditta Allah , Alanazi Yousef Mohammed
Published: August 2024

This paper is motivated to study the weak gravitational lensing of the black hole in the context of Starobinsky–Bel–Robinsion gravity. We deduce the deflection angle of light in the weak field limits. For this purpose, we find the Gaussian curvature and apply the Gauss–Bonnet theorem. We also investigate the deflection angle at which light is deflected by a plasma medium. Furthermore, we analyze the graphical behavior of the deflection angle in the framework of SBR gravity. We also calculate the energy extracted from the black hole in SBR gravity, Einstein ring, and lens equation in the non-plasma and plasma framework. We conclude this study with a discussion of how light beams behave when they approach such a four-dimensional black hole by calculating the deflection angle.
A diffusive intraguild predation model with variable-carrying capacity proportional to the same biotic resource
Authors: Cao Yang , Geng Shuai , Li Qingchun , Qu Chengyuan
Published: August 2024

In this paper, we investigate the initial-boundary value problem of a diffusive three-species intraguild predation model, in which the variable-carrying capacity is proportional to the biotic resource and the biotic resource follows the logistic law. We mainly discuss the stabilities of the constant equilibrium points at different levels of enrichment, including the linear local, global stability and nonlinear stability. Finally, the non-existence of non-constant positive steady states has been shown.
Learning to Listen Properly: Participatory Digital Projects at the German Maritime Museum Based on Iterative Co-Creation
Authors: Hodgson Isabella , Hoffmann Dennis , Junge Luca , Theis Frederic , Dittgen Nicolas
Published: August 2024

At the German Maritime Museum, the user-centered approach of the digitization department has emerged as a driving force for implementing an open and participatory strategy. The department establishes long-term cooperations with various focus groups and partner institutions. These are particularly valuable for the continuous improvement of our digital infrastructures. At the heart of our participatory work lies a Goal-Directed Design approach, which focuses on understanding user needs and motivations. This approach helps us to maintain clarity in complex and heterogeneous projects and to communicate with non-technical users, enabling them to participate in the discussion of future use scenarios. In such co-creative processes, we have found web-based applications—especially Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)—to be particularly valuable due to their accessibility and flexibility. This paper illustrates our interdisciplinary design-led working process through a case study in school education. Additionally, it explores how the German Maritime Museum as a whole has developed further through increased participation: close transdisciplinary collaboration allows us to embed our practical methodological knowledge across the organization. This consistent commitment to participation is already reshaping the museum, giving it new citizen-centered roles.
VAE*: A Novel Variational Autoencoder via Revisiting Positive and Negative Samples for Top-
N
Recommendation
Authors: Liu Wei , U Leong Hou , Liang Shangsong , Zhu Huaijie , Yu Jianxing , Liu Yubao , Yin Jian
Published: August 2024

Due to the easy access, implicit feedback is often used for recommender systems. Compared with point-wise learning and pair-wise learning methods, list-wise rank learning methods have superior performance for top-

\(N\)

recommendation. Recent solutions, especially the list-wise methods, simply treat all interacted items of a user as equally important positives and annotate all no-interaction items of a user as negatives. For the list-wise approaches, we argue that this annotation scheme of implicit feedback is over-simplified due to the sparsity and missing fine-grained labels of the feedback data. To overcome this issue, we revisit the so-called positive and negative samples. First, considering the loss function of list-wise ranking, we analyze the impact of false positives and negatives theoretically. Second, based on the observation, we propose a self-adjusting credibility weight mechanism to re-weigh the positive samples and exploit the higher-order relation based on item–item matrix to sample the critical negative samples. In order to prevent the introduction of noise, we design a pruning strategy for critical negatives. Besides, to combine the reconstruction loss function for the positive samples and critical negative samples, we develop a simple yet effective VAEs framework with linear structure, which abandons the complex non-linear structure. Extensive experiments are conducted on six public real-world datasets. The results demonstrate that, our VAE* outperforms other VAE-based models by a large margin. Besides, we also verify the effect of denoising positives and exploring critical negatives by ablation study.
Resolving Collisions in Dense 3D Crowd Animations
Authors: Gomez-Nogales Gonzalo , Prieto-Martin Melania , Romero Cristian , Comino-Trinidad Marc , Ramon-Prieto Pablo , Olivier Anne-Hélène , Hoyet Ludovic , Otaduy Miguel , Pettre Julien , Casas Dan
Published: August 2024

We propose a novel contact-aware method to synthesize highly-dense 3D crowds of animated characters. Existing methods animate crowds by, first, computing the 2D global motion approximating subjects as 2D particles and, then, introducing individual character motions without considering their surroundings. This creates the illusion of a 3D crowd, but, with density, characters frequently intersect each other since character-to-character contact is not modeled. We tackle this issue and propose a general method that considers any crowd animation and resolves existing residual collisions. To this end, we take a physics-based approach to model contacts between articulated characters. This enables the real-time synthesis of 3D high-density crowds with dozens of individuals that do not intersect each other, producing an unprecedented level of physical correctness in animations. Under the hood, we model each individual using a parametric human body incorporating a set of 3D proxies to approximate their volume. We then build a large system of articulated rigid bodies, and use an efficient physics-based approach to solve for individual body poses that do not collide with each other while maintaining the overall motion of the crowd. We first validate our approach objectively and quantitatively. We then explore relations between physical correctness and perceived realism based on an extensive user study that evaluates the relevance of solving contacts in dense crowds. Results demonstrate that our approach outperforms existing methods for crowd animation in terms of geometric accuracy and overall realism.
Combining Weight Approximation, Sharing and Retraining for Neural Network Model Compression
Authors: Kashikar Prachi , Sentieys Olivier , Sinha Sharad
Published: August 2024

Neural network model compression is very important to achieve model deployment based on the memory and storage available in different computing systems. Generally, the continuous drive for higher accuracy in these models increases their size and complexity, making it challenging to deploy them on resource-constrained computing environments. This article proposes various algorithms for model compression by exploiting weight characteristics and conducts an in-depth study of their performance. The algorithms involve manipulating exponents and mantissa in the floating-point representations of weights. In addition, we also present a retraining method that uses the proposed algorithms to further reduce the size of pre-trained models. The results presented in this article are mainly on BFloat16 floating-point format. The proposed weight manipulation algorithms save at least 20% of memory on state-of-the-art image classification models with very minor accuracy loss. This loss is bridged using the retraining method that saves at least 30% of memory, with potential memory savings of up to 43%. We compare the performance of the proposed methods against the state-of-the-art model compression techniques in terms of accuracy, memory savings, inference time, and energy.
Model Pruning-enabled Federated Split Learning for Resource-constrained Devices in Artificial Intelligence Empowered Edge Computing Environment
Authors: Jia Yongzhe , Liu Bowen , Zhang Xuyun , Dai Fei , Khan Arif , Qi Lianyong , Dou Wanchun
Published: August 2024

Distributed Collaborative Machine Learning (DCML) has emerged in artificial intelligence-empowered edge computing environments, such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), to process tremendous data generated by smart devices. However, parallel DCML frameworks require resource-constrained devices to update the entire Deep Neural Network (DNN) models and are vulnerable to reconstruction attacks. Concurrently, the serial DCML frameworks suffer from training efficiency problems due to their serial training nature. In this paper, we propose a Model Pruning-enabled Federated Split Learning framework (MP-FSL) to reduce resource consumption with a secure and efficient training scheme. Specifically, MP-FSL compresses DNN models by adaptive channel pruning and splits each compressed model into two parts that are assigned to the client and the server. Meanwhile, MP-FSL adopts a novel aggregation algorithm to aggregate the pruned heterogeneous models. We implement MP-FSL with a real FL platform to evaluate its performance. The experimental results show that MP-FSL outperforms the state-of-the-art frameworks in model accuracy by up to 1.35%, while concurrently reducing storage and computational resource consumption by up to 32.2% and 26.73%, respectively. These results demonstrate that MP-FSL is a comprehensive solution to the challenges faced by DCML, with superior performance in both reduced resource consumption and enhanced model performance.
Transient Fault Detection in Tensor Cores for Modern GPUs
Authors: Hafezan Mohammad Hassan , Atoofian Ehsan
Published: August 2024

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have emerged as an effective solution for many machine learning applications. However, the great success comes with the cost of excessive computation. The Volta graphics processing unit (GPU) from NVIDIA introduced a specialized hardware unit called
tensor core
(TC) aiming at meeting the growing computation demand needed by DNNs. Most previous studies on TCs have focused on performance improvement through the utilization of the TC's high degree of parallelism. However, as DNNs are deployed into security-sensitive applications such as autonomous driving, the reliability of TCs is as important as performance.

In this work, we exploit the unique architectural characteristics of TCs and propose a simple and implementation-efficient hardware technique called
fault detection in tensor core
(FDTC) to detect transient faults in TCs. In particular, FDTC exploits the zero-valued weights that stem from network pruning as well as sparse activations arising from the common ReLU operator to verify tensor operations. The high level of sparsity in tensors allows FDTC to run original and verifying products simultaneously, leading to zero performance penalty. For applications with a low sparsity rate, FDTC relies on temporal redundancy to re-execute effectual products. FDTC schedules the execution of verifying products only when multipliers are idle. Our experimental results reveal that FDTC offers 100% fault coverage with no performance penalty and small energy overhead in TCs.
Exploring the Effects of Self-Correction Behavior of an Intelligent Virtual Character during a Jigsaw Puzzle Co-Solving Task
Authors: Choi Minsoo , Guo Siqi , Koilias Alexandros , Volonte Matias , Kao Dominic , Mousas Christos
Published: August 2024

Although researchers have explored how humans perceive the intelligence of virtual characters, few studies have focused on the ability of intelligent virtual characters to fix their mistakes. Thus, we explored the self-correction behavior of a virtual character with different intelligence capabilities in a within-group design (

\(N=23\)

) study. For this study, we developed a virtual character that can solve a jigsaw puzzle whose self-correction behavior is controlled by two parameters, namely,
Intelligence
and
Accuracy of Self-correction
. Then, we integrated the virtual character into our virtual reality experience and asked participants to co-solve a jigsaw puzzle. During the study, our participants were exposed to five experimental conditions resulting from combinations of the
Intelligence
and
Accuracy of Self-correction
parameters. In each condition, we asked our participants to respond to a survey examining their perceptions of the virtual character’s intelligence and awareness (private, public, and surroundings awareness) and user experiences, including trust, enjoyment, performance, frustration, and desire for future interaction. We also collected application logs, including participants’ dwell gaze data, completion times, and the number of puzzle pieces they placed to co-solve the jigsaw puzzle. The results of all the survey ratings and the completion time were statistically significant. Our results indicated that higher levels of
Intelligence
and
Accuracy of Self-correction
enhanced not only our participants’ perceptions of the virtual character’s intelligence, awareness (private, public, and surroundings), trustworthiness, and performance but also increased their enjoyment and desire for future interaction with the virtual character while reducing their frustration and completion time. Moreover, we found that as the
Intelligence
and
Accuracy of Self-correction
increased, participants had to place fewer puzzle pieces and needed less time to complete the jigsaw puzzle. Finally, regardless of the experimental condition to which we exposed our participants, they gazed at the virtual character for more time compared to the puzzle pieces and puzzle goal in the virtual environment.
Mechanism of Damage and Deterioration of Red Sandstone in South China under Different pH Treatments
Authors: Zhang Shuguang , Zhao Shutian , Liu Jiaqi , Liu Zhifeng , Zhu Dipeng , Li Yingbo
Published: August 2024

Groundwater in southern China region contains various chemical compositions. By comparing the effects of acidic, neutral, and alkaline solutions on mechanical properties and internal structure, the changes in mechanical parameters and microstructure of chemical solution etched samples were obtained. The results show that as the pH of the solution increases from 2 to 12, the peak strength and elastic modulus of the rock samples initially increase and then decrease, while axial strain and Poisson’s ratio first decrease and then increase. The degree of deterioration of rock samples by different chemical solutions follows the order strong acid (pH ≤ 4) > strong alkali (pH ≥ 10) > weak acid (4 < pH ≤ 6) > weak alkali (8 ≤ pH < 10) > neutral (pH = 7). Alkaline and neutral solutions mainly corrode the surface of rock samples, with the wave velocity of the rock core higher than that of the surface. The wave velocities of alkaline solutions at different pH values after corrosion are essentially the same as that of pH = 7 neutral solution, ~2,850 m/s. Acidic solutions corrode both the surface and core of rock samples, with the wave velocities of the core and surface being similar. After corrosion by pH = 2 acidic solution, the wave velocity of the rock samples decreases to 2,505 m/s. With increasing acidity or alkalinity of the chemical solution, the internal pores of the rock transition from micropores to mesopores and macropores. Compared to pH = 7 neutral solution, the porosity of rock samples increases by 59.13% and 24.17% after corrosion by pH = 2 and pH = 12 solutions, respectively. Acidic and alkaline solutions exhibit distinct mechanisms: acidic solutions corrode particles and framework to form continuous fractures, whereas alkaline solutions generate new substances filling the fractures through hydration reactions. By introducing chemical damage variables and considering threshold factors, a chemical damage constitutive model is constructed to effectively describe the impact of chemical corrosion on mechanical properties. This systematic study of the chemical environment’s influence on internal structures reveals the erosion mechanisms of acidic, alkaline, and neutral saline solutions, which is crucial for the stability of underground engineering surrounding rocks and geological disaster prevention in southern China.
The Effect of Formulated Dentin Remineralizing Gel Containing Hydroxyapatite, Fluoride, and Bioactive Glass on Dentin Microhardness: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Asadi Mohadese , Majidinia Sara , Bagheri Hossein , Hoseinzadeh Melika
Published: August 2024

Objectives. This study aimed to develop a gel with dentin‐remineralizing properties, integrating nano‐hydroxyapatite (nHA), sodium fluoride (NaF), and bioactive glass (BG). Materials and Methods. The enamel layer of 40 bovine incisors was removed. The samples were allocated into four groups of 10 each, based on varying concentrations of nHA, BG, and NaF in the gel compositions (wt%): (1) 2.5%–7.5%−0.05%, (2) 5%−5%−0.05%, (3) 7.5%–2.5%−0.05%, and (4) a control group with a base gel lacking remineralizing agents. After 8 hr of demineralization, the dentin surface microhardness was measured at depths of 30, 60, and 140 µm. After a 20‐day pH cycling, the percentage of surface microhardness recovery (SMHR%) was measured and compared among the groups using the ANOVA and Tukey HSD post hoc tests (α = 0.05). Scanning electron microscopy analysis evaluated each specimen’s superficial morphology. Results. At all depths, the SMHR% of the Group 2 and Group 3 was significantly higher than the control group (p  < 0.05). The SMHR% Group 1 (67.39% ± 29.34%) was significantly higher than the control group (−21.24% ± 51.72%) only at the depth of 30 μm (p = 0.047). Group 3 had higher SMHR% than Group 2 at all depths; however, the difference was not statistically significant. Moreover, the SMHR% of Group 3 was significantly higher than that of Group 1 at depths of 30 μm (187. 94% ± 68.95% vs. 67.39% ± 29.34%; p = 0.005) and 60 μm (179.55% ± 75.96% vs. 64.34% ± 41.96%; p = 0.043). Surface deposition and tubule occlusion were observed in the Groups 2 and 3 samples, which was more prominent in the latter. Conclusions. Combining 7.5% nHA, 2.5% BG, and 0.05% NaF could potentially remineralize primary carious lesions.
Transanal Intubation for Preventing Colorectal Anastomotic Failure
Authors: Gordiichuk Mykola
Published: August 2024

Introduction. Failure of low colorectal anastomosis remains challenging in surgical oncology, necessitating the exploration of new methods and improvements in existing preventive measures. Materials and Methods. This prospective study was conducted in two stages: intraluminal pressure in the colon was monitored in 32 patients by manometry and sonography over a 5‐day postoperative period; 213 patients who underwent anterior resection of the rectum were analyzed, of whom 126 and 87 underwent diverting stoma (DS) and transanal intubation (TAI), respectively. Results. The effectiveness of the recommended technique for applying and removing transanal intubation (TAI) to prevent pneumo hydro strike (≥15 kPa) on the anastomosis line was analyzed in 87 patients and compared with imposed DS. TAI showed better borderline statistical significance (p = 0.051). The incidence of repeat surgery for anastomotic failure (AL) was seven (5.55%) and four (4.59%) in the DS and TAI groups, respectively. The distance of the anastomosis from the dentate line <60 mm was associated with a higher risk of AL occurrence (odds ratio (OR), 1.012; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.007–1.017; p < 0.001; area under the curve (AUC) = 0.82). DS is recommended for men, as the risk of AL is significantly lower among women (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.16–1.04; p = 0.062; AUC, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.54–0.67). Conclusions. Although TAI is advantageous over DS for preventing AL, surgeons select the method for the preventive approach based on the preoperative and intraoperative results.
Discovery of a Novel Shared Variant Among RTEL1 Gene and RTEL1-TNFRSF6B lncRNA at Chromosome 20q13.33 in Familial Progressive Myoclonus Epilepsy
Authors: Chaudhari Sima , Acharya Lavanya Prakash , Jasti Dushyanth Babu , Ware Akshay Pramod , Gorthi Sankar Prasad , Satyamoorthy Kapaettu
Published: August 2024

Background: Progressive myoclonus epilepsy (PME) is a neurodegenerative disorder marked by recurrent seizures and progressive myoclonus. To date, based on the phenotypes and causal genes, more than 40 subtypes of PMEs have been identified, and more remain to be characterized. Our study is aimed at identifying the aberrant gene(s) possibly associated with PMEs in two siblings born to asymptomatic parents, in the absence of known genetic mutations.

Methods: Clinical assessments and molecular analyses, such as the repeat expansion test for CSTB; SCA1, 2, 3, 6, and 7; whole exome sequencing (WES); and mitochondrial genome sequencing coupled with computational analysis, were performed.

Results: A family‐based segregation analysis of WES data was performed to identify novel genes associated with PMEs. The potassium channel, KCNH8 [c.298T>C; (p.Tyr100His)], a DNA repair gene, regulator of telomere elongation helicase 1 (RTEL1) [c.691G>T; (p.Asp231Tyr)] and long noncoding RNA, RTEL1-TNFRSF6B [chr20:62298898_G>T; NR_037882.1, hg19] were among the candidate genes that were found to be associated with PMEs. These homozygous variations in siblings belong to genes with a loss‐of‐function intolerant (pLI) score of ≤ 0.86, expected to be detrimental by multiple computational analyses, and were heterozygous in parents. Additionally, computational analysis and the expression of RTEL1 and RTEL1-TNFRSF6B revealed that RTEL1-TNFRSF6B may modulate RTEL1 via hsa‐miR‐3529‐3p. In the patient with the severe phenotype, a further deleterious mutation in SLC22A17 was identified. No de novo variants specific to these probands were identified in the mitochondrial genome.

Conclusions: Our study is the first to report variants in KCNH8, RTEL1, and RTEL1-TNFRSF6B among PME cases. These genes when characterized fully may shed light on pathogenicity and have the potential to be used in the diagnosis of PME.
Tracking Deep Meteoric Fluid Circulation Along a Regional Detachment Fault Using Field Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Brikowski Tom , Madubuike Chinomso , McDowell Jeremy , Greywall Greg
Published: August 2024

Abundant evidence exists for deep crustal penetration of meteoric fluids along faults, including emergence of hot, dilute, and isotopically light geothermal fluids in extensional settings; however, the nature of the fluid conduits supporting this rapid circulation from surface to the brittle‐ductile transition and back remains mysterious. Metamorphic core complexes (MCCs) are the sites of rapid exhumation of rocks from that depth, and their associated detachment faults are known loci of fluid migration. This study utilizes spot infrared (IR) spectroscopy of drill core and outcrop to unravel the fluid history of the late‐Neogene Silver Peak‐Lone Mountain MCC and detachment fault (SPLMDF) in SW Nevada. That history begins with Mesozoic regional burial metamorphism of Paleozoic sediments, minor late Mesozoic contact metamorphism by silicic intrusives, followed by upwelling of hot metamorphic fluids after detachment initiation (11 MYA), later circulation of moderate‐temperature meteoric‐geothermal fluids, and young (< 5 MYA) hot epithermal fluids upwelling along detachment‐cutting normal faults. Each of these stages is characterized by distinct changes in sheet silicate mineral crystallinity and hydration. These are conveniently summarized by maturity indicators based on IR absorption peak ratios, for example, illite spectral maturity (ISM). Burial metamorphism up to greenschist facies is indicated by steadily increasing ISM versus depth in core from a detachment‐penetrating geothermal exploration borehole. A sharp decrease in ISM characterizes the detachment damage zone, accompanied by reappearance of smectite, zeolite, and abundant iron oxides, indicating much cooler alteration by meteoric‐origin fluids. Low‐ISM zones are concentrated in the damage zone ± 10 m from the fault, resulting from an accumulation of very narrow alteration bands (10–50 cm wide). About 1/3 of the SPLMDF fault trace exhibits this low‐temperature circulation. Another third of the trace is overprinted by postdetachment epithermal alteration with extreme ISM, often in zones extending along the detachment near cross‐cutting normal faults.
Circularly Polarized Sixteen‐Port Flexible UWB MIMO Antenna Featuring Polarization Diversity for WBAN Applications
Authors: Shailesh  , Srivastava Garima , Kumar Sachin , Desai Arpan , Goyal Bhawna , Almawgani Abdulkarem H. M. , Alsuwian Turki
Published: August 2024

A sixteen‐port circularly polarized (CP) ultrawideband (UWB) multiple‐input−multiple‐output (MIMO) belt antenna is designed and developed for wireless body area network (WBAN) applications. The proposed antenna comprises sixteen modified octagon‐like ring antenna elements with a common ground. These antenna elements are designed on leather material and can be worn as a belt. Each antenna element contains a microstrip line feed and a modified octagon‐like open‐ended ring radiator to generate circular polarization. The belt antenna provides an impedance bandwidth (S11 ≤ −10 dB) of 3.08–11 GHz (112.5%) and a 3 dB axial ratio bandwidth (ARBW) of 4.7–7.07 GHz (40.27%). The envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) amongst the resonating elements is <0.003. Additionally, the bending analysis and specific absorption rate (SAR) of the presented antenna are examined. The overall size of the belt antenna is 30 mm × 574 mm × 1 mm. The designed belt antenna is suitable for WBAN applications due to its leather material, good on‐body performance, and nearly identical simulated and experimental results.
A Rare Case of Small Intestinal Cancer With Uterine Metastasis After Surgery for Ovarian Metastasis, Diagnosed Using Immunostaining
Authors: Nagao Sachiko , Matsuura Motoki , Kurokawa Shoko , Tamate Masato , Akimoto Taishi , Saito Tsuyoshi
Published: August 2024

Uterine metastases from extragenital sites are rare. We present a case of a woman who had undergone surgery for small intestinal cancer and subsequently developed metastases in her left ovary and uterus. A nulliparous woman in her 50s underwent laparoscopic partial small bowel resection with lymph node dissection for small intestinal cancer. Five months later, computed tomography (CT) revealed a left ovarian tumor and ascites. She underwent bilateral adnexectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy, and the ovarian tumor was diagnosed as a small intestinal cancer metastasis. Two years after the small intestinal cancer surgery, a positron emission tomography (PET)‐CT scan revealed a uterine accumulation. Cervical cytology was negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy. Endometrial histology showed an adenocarcinoma of the uterus. The patient underwent total abdominal hysterectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry of the uterine tumor revealed that it was a metastasis of small intestinal cancer (Cytokeratin 7 [CK7] [−], Cytokeratin 20 [CK20] [+], Special AT‐Rich Sequence‐Binding Protein 2 [SATB2] [+], Paired Box Gene 2 [PAX2] [−], and estrogen receptor [ER] [−]). In patients with cancer, histopathology and immunohistochemistry are important for distinguishing between primary and metastatic tumors and for guiding the choice of treatment.
“Matar um homem não é defender uma doutrina, é matar um homem”: notas sobre a estratégia argumentativa de Sébastien Castellion no caso Miguel Servet
Authors: Almeida Leandro Thomaz de
Published: August 2024

The writings of Sébastien Castellion take as the main reason the punishment of Miguel Servet in Geneva in 1553. His arguments turn mainly against the punishment of the called heretic with death and, consequently, against John Calvin, reformer who had important performance in the condemnation of the Spanish doctor. This article presents the arguments present in some Castellion books, considered one of inaugurators the idea of religious tolerance and freedom of expression.
Digital Technologies and Anti-Corruption: Reflections on Public Discourses, Actors’ Interactions, and the Measurement of Corruption
Authors: Mattoni Alice , Bratu Roxana
Published: August 2024

This introduction examines the evolving landscape of digital technologies in the fight against corruption, exploring their potential as powerful levers for anti-corruption efforts and their far-reaching implications for the anti-corruption sector. The introduction argues that three key areas merit further exploration in the context of digital technologies and anti-corruption. First, the role of digital technologies, particularly social media and instant messaging platforms, in shaping public discourse on corruption. These technologies enable the rapid dissemination of information and facilitate collective action while also helping to shape narratives about corruption beyond their practical applications. Second, how the use of digital technologies in the fight against corruption changes the relational dynamics between grassroots actors and institutional bodies. These interactions range from collaborative partnerships to conflictual relationships, often with an element of contention. Third, the potential of digital technologies to profoundly change the measurement, identification, and exposure of corruption, particularly in those grassroots initiatives that may offer novel approaches to data collection on corrupt behavior. The introduction explains that by focusing on these three aspects, the special issue contributes to the growing literature on digital media and anti-corruption and offers new perspectives on the complex interplay between technological innovation and anti-corruption efforts. The introduction concludes with a presentation of the five articles included in the special issue, explaining how they delve deeper into the three areas of investigation outlined above, providing empirical findings and theoretical reflections on the transformative potential of digital technologies in the fight against corruption.
When a Book Makes you Cry: Reader Responses to Stories of the Carceral Child in Indigenous Picturebooks
Authors: Alteri Suzan , Chung Sunah , Zuk Rhoda
Published: August 2024

Indian Residential Schools in Canada and Boarding Schools in the United States are continuous tragedies. The discovery of over 1,300 unmarked graves at the sites of five Catholic-run former schools in Canada in 2021 ignited our investigation of children’s picturebooks using an anti-colonialist lens. This paper discusses public reader responses on Goodreads to 28 picturebooks about residential/boarding schools published from 1993 through 2022. Using inductively developed codes, the authors report adult readers’ responses with implications about readers’ appreciation of the picturebook format as an educational resource and personal reflections and awareness of underrepresented information about the history of Indigenous populations.
Orthostatic Intolerance in Children With Long COVID Utilizing a 10-Minute Passive Standing Test
Authors: Morrow Amanda K. , Villatoro Cindy , Kokorelis Christina , Rowe Peter C. , Malone Laura A.
Published: August 2024

Despite there being a wide variety of symptoms reported in pediatric long COVID, one condition that has become increasingly recognized is orthostatic intolerance (OI), which can cause significant morbidity, limiting activities of daily living. This study examines rates of OI in 92 children with long COVID who underwent a bedside passive standing test in a pediatric post-COVID-19 rehabilitation clinic. Seventy-one percent met criteria for an orthostatic condition, including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), orthostatic tachycardia (OT), classic orthostatic hypotension (OH), delayed OH, and orthostatic hypertension. Our findings suggest that OI is common in pediatric long COVID, necessitating appropriate clinical screening and treatment.
How Education Policies Shape Political Inequality: Analyzing Policy Feedback Effects in Germany
Authors: Garritzmann Susanne , Wehl Nadja
Published: August 2024

Education is one of the strongest predictors of political participation at the individual level. However, the association between education and participation varies across countries, which previous studies attribute mainly to institutions like electoral systems. Drawing on policy feedback and political socialization theories, we suggest an alternative explanation: education policies generate powerful and lasting policy feedback effects in adolescence, which continue to influence patterns of participation among adults. More concretely, we argue that policies aimed at de-stratifying secondary education (i.e., promoting more comprehensive models of education) are associated with a decrease in political inequality. We empirically investigate our argument in Germany, where education policies vary across sub-national units (Länder) and over time. We leverage this variation by combining data on Land-level policies with data on individual’s participation. Our results show that de-stratifying education policies have reduced in inequality in various forms of political participation, interest, and efficacy, but not in turnout.
When the World Falls Apart: How People Make Decisions in the Times of War
Authors: Botchkovar Ekaterina , Kafafian Matthew , Timmer Anastasiia , Antonaccio Olena , Hughes Lorine A. , Johnson Robert J.
Published: August 2024

A sample of 1,247 adults from two Ukrainian cities was analyzed to understand how exposure to the Donbas war in 2017 influenced decision-making related to violent behaviors among civilians. The study seeks to: (a) evaluate perceived rewards and costs as mediators between war exposure and violence; (b) test if war exposure increases the effect of perceived rewards and decreases the influence of perceived costs of crime on violence; (c) assess war exposure’s impact on the interaction between perceived rewards/costs of violence and decision-making moderators. As findings show, high war exposure diminishes the relevance of perceived benefits and alters their interrelationships with other factors in violent decisions. Overall, results suggest a shift toward “hot” reasoning during war.
Rethinking clinical empathy: The relevance of empathy affect in child welfare work in Chile
Authors: Ruiz-Junco Natalia , Garcia-Meneses Javiera
Published: August 2024

This article proposes re-evaluating traditional views of empathy in child welfare work, advocating for recognizing the role of affect in empathic relationships. Traditionally, clinical empathy has been described as a unidirectional relationship where clinical workers must remain neutral, setting aside their perceptual frameworks to become ‘mirrors’ of their clients. Through a grounded theory analysis of data collected in Chile, this article reveals that child welfare workers establish dynamic empathic connections via ‘Empathy Affect’. The study underscores the importance of affective dimensions in social work practice and policy design.
Effects of Mental Visualization on Plyometric Performance and Self-Confidence of Football Players
Authors: Blanco-Ariza Jesús , Reigal-Garrido Rafael E. , Domínguez-González José A. , Morales-Sánchez Verónica , Hernández-Mendo Antonio
Published: August 2024

Plyometric training in football is essential for enhancing athletic performance, as it allows for increasing strength and speed in gameplay. Meanwhile, mental visualization improves players’ technical play and motor performance during both training and competitions, thereby contributing to an overall sports performance enhancement. Collectively, physical and technical training is thought to boost athletes’ confidence in facing competitive demands. Our aim in the present study was to analyze the effectiveness of mental visualization during a plyometric training program for improving strength speed, and competitive self-confidence in young adult football (soccer) players. Our sample consisted of 40 male players aged between 19 and 25 years ( M = 20.82; SD = 1.26). We used a quasi-experimental design with a control group and pretest/posttest measurements. The experimental group participated in an 8-week plyometric training program that incorporated visualization tasks, while the control group underwent the same program but without visualization exercises. We found significant improvements for the experimental group on vertical jump ( p = .047) and speed (50-m sprints) ( p < .034) tests, as well as in their perceived competitive self-confidence ( p < .017). These findings suggest that combining plyometric exercises with visualization tasks may contribute to better motor learning, increased lower limb muscle speed and strength, and self-confidence to face competition.
Back from the dead: the ecology of IR
Authors: Newell Peter
Published: August 2024

Rather than dealing in death, if IR is to retain relevance among the social sciences in seeking to both account for and change a world in the midst of a deepening ‘polycrisis’, it needs to recognise and take its place in the web of life. In this article, I firstly argue for the need to ‘choose life’ by de-centring three key (interrelated) pillars of the discipline: the normalisation of militarism as a means and end of foreign policy; economic growth as the means and end of industrial economies and anthropocentrism and its unstated ideology of human supremacy in world affairs. Secondly, I propose a series of conceptual and methodological innovations by which a more ecological view of IR might take hold in the discipline, as well as concrete political strategies for embedding it in the conduct of IR. I suggest that these moves form the basis of both an improved account of the underlying sources of key threats in world politics such as war, poverty and ecological crises and an alternative source of solutions focussed on transcending dominant features of the discipline through a more than human account of IR and a more global and pluriversal account of world politics and the relations which matter most within it.
Travel Writing as a Tool for Sustainable Initiatives: Proposing a Dialogue Journaling Process Model
Authors: Mansfield Charlie , Séraphin Hugues , Wassler Philipp , Potočnik Topler Jasna
Published: August 2024

This study explores the transformative potential of travel writing, positioning it as a sustainable, dynamic, and adaptable tool crafted through written dialogue. It shows how travel stories, social media, new tech, and digital platforms work together and how they provide valuable data for research and potentially aid sustainability in tourism through a novel method. Introducing a Dialogue Journaling Process Model, we demonstrate the capacity of travel writing to raise awareness about sustainable practices, analyze the environment, and champion pro-environmental initiatives. Drawing from our pilot study in Slovenia, the findings provide a formal platform for dialogue and refinement. In advocating for the pivotal role of travel writing in advancing sustainable tourism, this research presents a method for this proposition.
Black Americans’ Racism-Based Traumatic Stress Reactions Following the January 6 Capitol Insurrection
Authors: Coates Erica E. , McLeod Alison , de Heer Rebecca
Published: August 2024

When insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Black Americans were especially affected by the racial implications of the attack. Guided by research on vicarious institutional racism, researchers sought to understand how Black Americans reacted to and coped with racism-based stress following the Capitol insurrection. Six focus groups were held with Black Americans living in the DC metropolitan area at the time of the attack. The research team generated the following themes using reflexive thematic analysis: beliefs about White privilege, psychological trauma reactions, racial trauma symptoms, and adaptive coping strategies. Participants described experiencing anger, anxiety, desensitization, powerlessness, and distrust following perceptions of the criminal justice system’s disparate response to the January 6th riot in juxtaposition to Black Lives Matter protests. Participants discussed actions to combat institutional racism, namely, through neighborhood cohesion and ethnic-racial socialization practices. Findings on Black Americans’ emotional, cognitive, and adaptive reactions to the Capitol insurrection supported the racism-based traumatic stress model. Policy implications for reducing racial disparities in policing and supporting Black mental health are provided.
Improved adaptive snake optimization algorithm with application to multi-UAV path planning
Authors: Liu Peng , Sun Nianyi , Wan Haiying , Zhang Chengxi , Zhao Jin , Wang Guangwei
Published: August 2024

Metaheuristic swarm-based intelligent algorithms are extensively employed for engineering optimization tasks due to their efficacy in addressing nonlinear and high-dimensional challenges. This study presents an improved snake optimization algorithm (SOEA) to overcome the limitations of the standard snake optimization algorithm (SOA), such as slow convergence, subpar optimization accuracy, and vulnerability to local optima. The integration of elite opposition-based learning strategy enables the adjustment of snake population positions, thereby enhancing the algorithm’s global search capacity and iteration speed. Moreover, the incorporation of the adaptive threshold method enhances its local search performance and convergence speed. Experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed SOEA algorithm in achieving global optimization and accelerating convergence speed. The SOEA algorithm achieves a remarkable 34% reduction in the average number of iterations required compared to the SOA algorithm, and it also exhibits a lower mean squared error. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is validated through its successful application to solving the multi-UAV path planning problem.
Innovation and Spillover Effects of Energy Demand Shocks in Belt and Road Economies
Authors: Lim King Yoong , Morris Diego
Published: August 2024

The induced innovation hypothesis, initially proposed by Sir John Hicks, posits that as the cost of energy rises compared to other input factors, firms are motivated to engage in innovative practices to counteract the increased expenses related to energy consumption. This innovation can manifest through the development and implementation of technologies, processes, or methodologies that enhance energy efficiency or diminish overall energy dependency. In this study, we empirically examine and validate this hypothesis. By theoretically modeling how innovation responds to elevated energy costs, we exploit China’s substantial surge in energy demand as an external shock to global demand, to empirically test the predictions associated with our theoretical framework. We test these predictions using firm level data in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries. Our findings strongly support the induced innovation hypothesis, revealing that, on average, a 1 percent rise in the relative cost of energy corresponds to a 2.1 to 5.1 percent increase in the likelihood of innovation in energy-exporting countries and a 0.5 to 3.6 percent increase in non-energy-exporting countries. These results are robust to various methodological variations and data restriction exercises.

JEL Classification: D22, D24, O13, O14
Book review: Neera Chandhoke, We, the People, and Our Constitution
Authors: Kumar Ashutosh
Published: August 2024

Neera Chandhoke, We, the People, and Our Constitution (New Delhi: Speaking Tiger, 2023), 160 pp.
Book review: Diotima Chattoraj, Displacement among Sri Lankan Tamil Migrants: The Diasporic Search for Home in the Aftermath of War
Authors: Kapur Roshni
Published: August 2024

Diotima Chattoraj, Displacement among Sri Lankan Tamil Migrants: The Diasporic Search for Home in the Aftermath of War (Singapore: Springer, 2022), xv + 180 pp.
Book review: Nalini Iyer and Pallavi Rastogi (Eds), Teaching South Asian Anglophone Diasporic Literature
Authors: Roye Susmita
Published: August 2024

Nalini Iyer and Pallavi Rastogi (Eds), Teaching South Asian Anglophone Diasporic Literature (New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 2024), xii + 308 pp.
Nonpelvic comorbid symptoms of 45 patients with pain of pelvic venous origin, before and after treatment
Authors: Smith Steven J , Smith B Holly , Sichlau Michael J , Chen Brenda , Knight Dacre , Rowe Peter C
Published: August 2024

Objective

To report the prevalence and severity of nonpelvic symptoms for patients with venous-origin chronic pelvic pain (VO-CPP) and to describe outcomes after pelvic vein stenting and embolization.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed outcomes of 45 women with VO-CPP who underwent treatment with iliac vein stenting and/or embolization. Patients completed symptom-severity questionnaires before and after treatment that assessed for pelvic pain, and multiple other symptoms, including brain fog, anxiety, depression, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, migraines and more.

Results

Patient age ranged from 18 to 65 years. The prevalence of common symptoms was as follows: migraines, 69%; brain fog, 76%; anxiety attacks, 58%; excess sweating, 64%; hip pain, 73%; diarrhea, 62%; constipation, 76%; and abdominal bloating, 82%. After treatment, most symptom scores improved by more than 50%; exceptions were excessive sweating (41% improvement) and bloating (47% improvement). Prevalence of individual symptoms that bundle into POTS ranged from 29% to 76%, where symptom improvement ranged from 23% to 59% after treatment. Overlapping individual symptoms characteristic of fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) were present in 64% to 82% of patients and all improved by 49% to 63% after treatment.

Conclusions

Pelvic venous flow abnormality is linked causally to a spectrum of interrelated symptoms, of which many can be bundled into named syndromes of unknown cause. With catheter- based treatment of pelvic venous pooling, nonpelvic symptom and syndrome scores improved.