bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing classification efficiency in capsule networks through windowed routing: tackling gradient vanishing, dynamic routing, and computational complexity challenges
Authors: Chen Gangqi , Mao Zhaoyong , Shen Junge , Hou Dongdong
Published: November 2024

Capsule networks overcome the two drawbacks of convolutional neural networks: weak rotated object recognition and poor spatial discrimination. However, they still have encountered problems with complex images, including high computational cost and limited accuracy. To address these challenges, this work has developed effective solutions. Specifically, a novel windowed dynamic up-and-down attention routing process is first introduced, which can effectively reduce the computational complexity from quadratic to linear order. A novel deconvolution-based decoder is also used to further reduce the computational complexity. Then, a novel LayerNorm strategy is used to pre-process neuron values in the squash function. This prevents saturation and mitigates the gradient vanishing problem. In addition, a novel gradient-friendly network structure is developed to facilitate the extraction of complex features with deeper networks. Experiments show that our methods are effective and competitive, outperforming existing techniques.
Digitale Mitarbeiterführung
Authors: Rybnikova Irma , Menzel Viktoria , Ebers Sabrina , Klemm-Bax Silke
Published: November 2024

Digitale Mitarbeiterführung hat vor dem Hintergrund der COVID-19-Pandemie neue Aufmerksamkeit erlangt. Die bereits vorliegenden Untersuchungen zur Verwendung digitaler Informations- und Kommunikationsmittel bei Mitarbeiterführung sind oftmals deskriptiv und fokussieren entweder auf die Perspektive der Mitarbeitenden oder der Führungskräfte. Im Unterschied dazu nimmt dieser Beitrag einen expliziten Vergleich der Sichtweisen von Führungskräften und den Mitarbeitenden aus unterschiedlichen Unternehmen und Branchen auf die Herausforderungen digitaler Mitarbeiterführung und den jeweiligen Umgang damit vor. Hierzu wurden qualitative Interviews mit 23 Personen, die als Sachbearbeitende, Kundenbetreuende, Abteilungs- oder Organisationsleitende tätig sind, ausgewertet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Sichtweisen der Führungskräfte und der Mitarbeitenden sich in Bezug auf die Herausforderungen der digitalen Mitarbeiterführung stark ähneln: Als Problemfelder können auf beiden Seiten Technik, Kommunikation sowie Anleitung und Motivation des Personals identifiziert werden. Lösungsansätze, wie eine intensivere Kommunikation, regelmäßigen Austausch und Rückmeldungen, thematisieren hauptsächlich die Führungskräfte.

Praktische Relevanz

Bei der Benennung der Probleme, die mit digitaler Mitarbeiterführung einhergehen, sind sich Führungskräfte und Mitarbeitende nahezu einig. Sie unterscheiden sich aber in Bezug auf die Lösungsansätze dafür: Führungskräfte gehen es mit Hilfe intensiverer Kommunikation und Feedbacks an, wohingegen Mitarbeitende sich bei Lösungen zurückhalten. Um die Akzeptanz derartiger Lösungen unter den Mitarbeitenden zu steigern, sollen Führungskräfte stärker den Sinn dieser Lösungen kommunizieren, u. a. mit Verweis auf die gemeinsamen erlebten Herausforderungen digitalen Führens.
Permafrost Thawing and Estimates of Vulnerable Carbon in the Northern High Latitude
Authors: Nadeem Imran , Nakicenovic Nebojsa , Yaqub Asma , Sakschewski Boris , Loriani Sina , Bala Govindasamy , Tharammal Thejna , Zimm Caroline
Published: November 2024

The degradation of permafrost in the Northern Hemisphere is expected to persist and potentially worsen as the climate continues to warm. Thawing permafrost results in the decomposition of organic matter frozen in the ground, which stores large amounts of soil organic carbon (SOC), leading to carbon being emitted into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide and methane. This process could potentially contribute to positive feedback between global climate change and permafrost carbon emissions. Accurate projections of permafrost thawing are key to improving our estimates of the global carbon budget and future climate change. Using data from the latest generation of climate models (CMIP6), this paper explores the challenges involved in assessing the annual active layer thickness (ALT), defined as the maximum annual thaw depth of permafrost, and estimated carbon released under various Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5). We find that the ALT estimates derived from CMIP6 model soil temperatures show significant deviations from the observed ALT values. This could lead to inconsistent estimates of carbon release under climate change. We propose a simplified approach to improve the estimate of the changes in ALT under future climate projections. These predicted ALT changes, combined with present-day observations, are used to estimate vulnerable carbon under future climate projections. CMIP6 models project ALT changes of 0.1–0.3 m per degree rise in local temperature, resulting in an average deepening of approx. 1.2–2.1 m in the northern high latitudes under different scenarios. With increasing temperatures, permafrost thawing starts in Southern Siberia, Northern Canada, and Alaska, progressively extending towards the North Pole by the end of the century under high emissions scenarios (SSP5-8.5). Using projections of ALT changes and vertically resolved SOC data, we estimate the ensemble mean of decomposable carbon stocks in thawed permafrost to be approximately 115 GtC (gigatons of carbon in the form of CO2 and CH4) under SSP1-2.6, 180 GtC under SSP2-4.5, 260 GtC under SSP3-7.0, and 300 GtC under SSP5-8.5 by the end of the century.
Gravity-assisted Takeoff of Bird-inspired Flapping-Wing Air Vehicle Using Cliff-drop
Authors: Lee Sang-Gil , Yang Hyeon-Ho , Lee Eun-Hyuck , Han Jae-Hung
Published: November 2024

Flapping-Wing Air Vehicles (FWAVs) have been developed to pursue the efficient, agile, and quiet flight of flying animals. However, unlike lightweight FWAVs capable of vertical takeoff, relatively heavy FWAVs face challenges in self-takeoff, which refers to taking off without both external device and energy input. In this study, a cliff-drop method is implemented for an independent takeoff of a heavy FWAV, relying solely on gravity. In the takeoff process using the cliff-drop method, the FWAV moves on the ground to a cliff edge using a wheel-driving motor and then descends from the cliff to achieve the necessary speed for flight. To demonstrate the cliff-drop method, the KAIST Robotic Hawk (KRoHawk) with a mass of 740 g and a wingspan of 120 cm is developed. The takeoff tests demonstrate that the KRoHawk, significantly heavier than the vertical-takeoff capable FWAVs, can successfully take off using the gravity-assisted takeoff method. The scalability of cliff-drop method is analyzed through simulations. When drop constraints are absent, the wheel-driving motor mass fraction for cliff-drop method remains negligible even as the vehicle’s weight increases. When drop constraints are set to 4 m, FWAVs heavier than KRoHawk, weighing up to 4.4 kg, can perform the cliff-drop takeoffs with a wheel-driving motor mass fraction of less than 8%.
A critical analysis on the use of force by law enforcement officials in a correctional setting—an expert witness account
Authors: Fitz Lincoln
Published: November 2024

Police brutality has become a contentious topic in both printed and social media. This has been fuelled by incidents in the United States where police officers were accused of torturing civilians during arrests. The purpose of this study is to provide an expert witness account of the use of force by law enforcement officials in a correctional setting. The study evaluates the effectiveness of the force factor analysis (resistance vs. sequential levels) that is used internationally to measure the appropriate force allowed in each situation. It further measures the force factor analysis against the different regulatory frameworks that provide oversight of the use of force by law enforcement agencies. A hermeneutics strategy was used to construct a criminological view of the incident. An inductive conventional content analytical approach was used for the subjective interpretation of text data content through the systematic classification process of coding and identifying themes or patterns. The finding indicates that the Resistance Force Comparative Scale is only effective if consideration is given to other environmental dynamics that have an impact on the situation at hand. The effects of prisoner resistance on the severity of force used by correctional staff members are explored, along with implications and recommendations.
Reducing urban energy consumption and carbon emissions: a novel GIS-based model for sustainable spatial accessibility to local services and resources
Authors: Rahmati Baran , Rabiei-Dastjerdi Hamidreza , Bibri Simon Elias , Aghajani Mohammad Ali , Kazemi Maryam
Published: November 2024

This study explores the complex interconnections among global population growth, energy consumption, CO2 production, and disparities in service access through the lens of a single case study. Rapid population growth in many major cities has created significant challenges related to equitable access to services and socio-economic development, thereby impacting both their energy consumption patterns and environmental impacts. The case investigated in this study, like many other cases in developing countries, exhibits differences in service provision, infrastructure development, and energy usage, particularly between the northern and southern regions, which significantly affect the quality of life, environmental sustainability, and economic development. Previous efforts to narrow these geographic disparities have yielded limited success and exhibited several shortcomings. By employing a GIS Analytical Network Process method, this study examines service accessibility patterns in a single-case city, with a particular emphasis on green spaces, food services, and educational facilities and services. This GIS-based approach seeks to achieve sustainable levels of access to multiple land uses by evaluating their accessibility and identifying areas of overlap between them. The study endeavors to increase access and density of service standards when planning the placement of new facilities based on these standards in new locations. The method developed in this study represents a critical stride toward achieving these key objectives. The findings reveal that only 47% of city population blocks enjoy high service accessibility, while 40% have moderate accessibility, and 2.6% experience poor accessibility. These insights are of significant value to urban planners, researchers, and policymakers striving to reduce energy shortages and promote sustainable energy and transportation strategies to mitigate environmental impact in urban areas.
A personalized query method for spatial keywords in indoor environments
Authors: Zhang Liping , Li Chunhong , Li Song
Published: November 2024

With the rapid development of indoor Location Based Services (LBS), a growing volume of textual data is being generated in indoor environments. Consequently, indoor spatial keyword query holds significant potential for development in the coming years. However, existing methods for indoor spatial keyword queries often neglect the personalized needs of users. To solve this problem, we propose an Indoor Spatial Keyword Personalized Query (ISKPQ) method. First, a novel index structure called ISKIR-tree has been designed. This index integrates Hilbert encoding techniques and introduces Bloom filters and distance matrices to enhance the efficiency of processing indoor spatial keyword problems. Subsequently, an efficient pruning algorithm based on the ISKIR-tree index is proposed to refine the dataset effectively. Finally, a comprehensive scoring function that considers text similarity, spatial proximity, and user preferences is introduced to score and rank the pruned data points, thereby filtering out the optimal query results that meet users’ personalized requirements. Theoretical analysis and experimental studies demonstrate the outstanding performance of the proposed method in terms of both efficiency and accuracy.
Contributions of urban productive safety net program to enhancing food security and livelihood diversification: an in-depth analysis of household-Level perceptions among urban populations in Ethiopia
Authors: Borku Abraham Woru , Utallo Abera Uncha , Tora Thomas Toma
Published: November 2024

The Urban Productive Safety Net Program is one of Africa’s most ambitious social protection initiatives, and it has achieved measurable successes. However, existing literature focusing on the role of programs in improving people’s lives, especially in ensuring food security and income diversification, gives more focus to rural areas and depends on data from individuals beyond those directly targeted by the program. Hence, this study examines beneficiaries’ perceptions of the program’s contribution to food security and livelihood diversification in the South Ethiopia Regional State. The study used a mixed research approach that included a questionnaire, interviews, observation, and focus group discussions. To select 310 survey household heads, a multistage sampling procedure was employed. We analyzed the quantitative data using SPSS version 27, while the qualitative data was analyzed through narration and summarization. The findings indicate that the selection process for beneficiaries, activities performed by public work groups, and beneficiaries graduating with reliable sources of income are generally positive, whereas negative assumptions exist regarding the adequacy and timeliness of cash transfers and the overall living status of residents. Therefore, the program managers and zonal-level team leaders should collaborate closely to directly engage with beneficiaries, monitor the support system, and raise awareness.
Electrospun silk for biomedical applications
Authors: Dai Shufen , Liang Huarun , Zhu Mengjia , Zhang Yingying
Published: November 2024

Electrospinning technology, capable of creating nanofiber-based materials with large specific surface areas and exceptional breathability, has become an important tool in the biomedical field. Silk, as a well-known natural biopolymer, features good biocompatibility, customizable biodegradability, and superior mechanical properties. The conversion of silk into nanofibers via electrospinning allows for the fine-tuning of its properties, thereby enhancing its suitability for a variety of biomedical applications. Electrospun silk not only inherits the natural advantages of silk but also acquires optimized characteristics such as increased surface area, high porosity, and good air permeability. This review article begins by summarizing the latest advances in the rational design and controlled fabrication of electrospun silk. Then, the biomedical applications of electrospun silk in three main areas: health monitoring, regenerative medicine, and personal protection, are reviewed. Lastly, the existing challenges and future perspectives of electrospun silk are discussed. This review aims to highlight the cutting-edge role of electrospun silk in biomedical applications, potentially revolutionizing traditional healthcare into a personalized model.

Graphical Abstract
Citrus greening, retail fruit prices, and household welfare: A demand system approach
Authors: Dong Diansheng , Stewart Hayden , Byrne Anne T. , Saavoss Monica
Published: November 2024

Pests and diseases like citrus greening that threaten agricultural productivity also pose a risk to consumers. Reductions in food supply due to outbreaks and spread could increase food prices. We model U.S. household fruit demand using a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System and data from Circana’s 2020 and 2021 household panel. Price and income elasticity estimates reveal how household behavior might adjust with shocks to citrus and other fruit prices. Shocks to retail fruit prices can be from either citrus greening or other phenomena such as adverse weather. We also use compensating variation to estimate the impact that changes in fruit prices could have on consumer welfare.
Pilot of a bowel habit assessment tool to enable early identification of Clostridioides difficile infection
Authors: Kon Shelley E. , Gunter Christine , Hough Heidi , Craig Randi , Lane Ashley M. , Bessesen Mary T.
Published: November 2024

Objective:

To develop a symptom assessment tool to assist health care providers with discussing bowel habits in a sensitive and accurate method.

Design:

Pre and Post education survey.

Setting:

180 bed academically affiliated Veterans Affairs Hospital.

Participants:

Nurses, nursing assistants and physicians who participated in a brief educational session.

Methods:

A Bowel Habits Assessment Tool (BHAT) was developed to assist health care providers in learning skills to assess patient bowel habits accurately. The BHAT was introduced at educational sessions. An anonymous pre and post survey employing a 5-point Likert scale was administered to participants.

Results:

Pre-educational session survey results for Question 1 (Q1) “I am comfortable discussing patient’s bowel habits included: 4.6% strongly disagreed or somewhat disagreed, 3% neither agreed nor disagreed, 20% somewhat agreed and 72.3% strongly agreed. After the BHAT education, 100% (n=65) of participants strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that they were comfortable discussing patient’s bowel habits. Q1 pre/post mean difference 0.25 (CI 0.06539 - 0.4269, p = 0.0084). On the pre-survey, only 34% of participants strongly agreed that they were aware of tools to help discuss patients’ bowel habits. This increased to 77% after the BHAT educational session. (Q2). Q2 pre/post mean difference 1.02 (CI 0.7366 - 1.294, p <0.0001).

Conclusions:

The BHAT improved clinicians’ comfort level discussing patient’s bowel habits. Health care providers found the BHAT useful and related to their work. This tool shows promise in improving providers’ comfort discussing bowel habits and diagnosing Clostridioides difficile in a timely manner.
Beyond formal politics: the epistemic facet of business power
Authors: Heinrich Clara
Published: November 2024

This article introduces “epistemic business power” as a distinct facet of corporate influence. Epistemic business power refers to the strategic communication of firms to influence the perceptions and beliefs of policymakers, experts, media, and the public regarding which issues, goals, norms, methods, and instruments to be politically considered. Rather than influencing decision-making and policy formulation directly, this form of power enables firms to intermediate the anticipatory dynamics of structural forms of business power and shape issue salience as well as the definition and recognition of topics as political problems. The article explores the scope conditions of epistemic business power, detailing the interaction of material aspects, corporate communication and issue salience dynamics. Based on quantitative and qualitative content as well as reception analyses, ownership data and interviews, a case study of the world’s largest asset manager BlackRock illustrates how today’s finance capital can use epistemic channels with regard to fundamental questions about the role of state capacity and private enterprise in capitalist democracies. By foregrounding the political nature of corporate public relations, the conceptual endeavor and its empirical illustration contribute to a deeper understanding of corporate power and its multifaceted role in shaping politics in capitalist democracies.
On the use of names and example sentences in the linguistics classroom
Authors: Konnelly Lex , Umbal Pocholo , Sanders Nathan
Published: November 2024

In addition to representing a main source of data in linguistic research, example sentences are a core vehicle for linguists in teaching a wide range of phenomena to our students. However, the content of these sentences often reflects the biases of the researchers who construct them: referents are typically given Anglocentric proper names like John and Mary, reflecting (at least implicitly) dominant white culture and conformity to heteronormative gender roles. To support linguists in shifting these practices, we present the Diverse Names Database, a database of 78 names from a variety of languages and cultures, confirmed with native speakers. We outline the goals for the project, introduce our process of developing and adjusting the design, and present some additional issues and reflections for consideration, such as how to use the database as one component of an affirming, anti-racist, and gender-equitable linguistics pedagogy. We aim to generate meta-level discussions about disciplinary conventions and canons, and to challenge the idea that underlying linguistic structures are, or should be, the only things of relevance when constructing example sentences. How we teach linguistics is part of how we practise it, and how we do both matters to the composition and direction of the field.
Ready or Not? The Emergency Preparedness State-of-art Among Italian Public Health Medical Residents
Authors: Zotti Nunzio , Guicciardi Stefano , Di Serafino Francesca , Bardhi Dorian , Iagnemma Annalisa , Mimmo Riccardo , Sanna Andrea , Granvillano Giuseppa , Rosiello Francesco , Volpi Beatrice , Zichichi Salvatore , Rizzo Caterina , Tafuri Silvio
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Italy often experiences major events, such as earthquakes, floods, and migrant shipwrecks. Current and future global challenges for health workers are made up by climate change, pandemics, and wars. In this work, we will assess the state-of-art of training and interest towards these challenges among Italian post-degree public health schools.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Italy in June 2023 among Italian public health residents. The study investigated training levels and updates regarding emergencies in Italian residencies. It also analyzed interest and importance of topic, impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and sources of information.

Results

Of 289 respondents, 86.2% deemed the topic important and 74.4% expressed interest. 90.1% pointed out the lack of dedicated courses and 93.1% of specialized master’s programs. Perceived importance in the topic was associated with the desire to attend dedicated conferences. As for COVID-19, 24.6% recognized the importance of this topic pre-pandemic, while 50.9% raised awareness during the pandemic.

Conclusions

This survey shows the need for the offer of emergency training programs in Italian public health schools. Professionals in public health can make a great contribution to emergencies, not only in preparedness, but also in response and recovery phases.
Shaping Rights Through European Consensus or Trend
Authors: Martenet Vincent
Published: November 2024

The question of when and how a European consensus or trend contributes to shaping rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights and its Protocols is controversial. The European Court of Human Rights quite often performs an analysis of the laws and practices of the Council of Europe’s Member States or of relevant international material. However, the cases where rights have actually been shaped by a European consensus or trend are quite rare. In the last twenty-five years, some 27 out of 424 judgments on the merits of the Grand Chamber of the Court established a consensus or trend having a “shaping impact” on these rights. Further, only one advisory opinion based on Protocol No. 16 contained comparative law material having such an influence. This Article assesses the intensity of the impact of a consensus or a trend analysis on a judgment’s or an advisory opinion’s ratio decidendi, shows what shaping a right actually means, and suggests that cases that are more prone to a potentially persuasive consensus or trend analysis will typically deal with matters of political or general policy, sensitive moral or ethical issues, or changes in the case law.
Redistribution policies towards poor families in Europe
Authors: Frericks Patricia , Gurín Martin
Published: November 2024

Poverty prevention is a central concern of welfare states, and the redistribution of financial resources has been a major strategy to realise it. The differences in addressees, extent, and conditions of this redistribution have been intensively studied. The relevance of family in poverty prevention policies, though, has hardly been analysed, although all forms of welfare redistribution “factor in” family in one way or another, and particularly so in poverty prevention. We analyse how family membership impacts welfare state redistribution to the poor to identify redistributive logics in terms of family, that is the unequal redistribution of public resources to particular family types. We systematically analyse and present the similarities and differences in these redistributive logics, using the micro-simulation model EUROMOD for the countries of the EU. The results show that poor families benefit from anti-poverty measures in form of additional benefits, but family-related financial obligations often exceed these.
Growing inequality and diverging paths in early childhood education and care: Educational disparities in Europe
Authors: Välimäki Sanni , Lammi-Taskula Johanna , Mesiäislehto Merita , Närvi Johanna
Published: November 2024

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) is among the most important services for children and their parents as it promotes children’s development and enables mothers’ employment. Previous research has shown that there is an educational gradient as children of mothers with a low education level participate less in ECEC services, but less is known about the development of this inequality. This study, using EU-SILC survey data, focuses on the development of inequality in ECEC use of children under 3 years of age during 2004–2019, and on disparities between three categories of education levels among mothers. The results show that, together with increasing ECEC participation rates, overall inequality has increased in Europe. Inequality has increased between low- and other education levels, whereas in a few cases, a decrease has happened between medium- and high-educated mothers. It is important to pay attention to socioeconomic disparities with rising participation rates.
Prevalence of self-harm among children and adolescents in the Republic of Ireland: a systematic review
Authors: Lynch S. , Begley A. , McDonnell T. , Leahy D. , Gavin B. , McNicholas F.
Published: November 2024

Objectives:

Youth self-harm (SH) is viewed as a public health concern and one of the main reasons for urgent psychiatry assessment. This systematic review sought to establish prevalence of SH among youth in Ireland.

Methods:

A systematic review using pre-defined search terms was conducted (Jan 1980–March 2024).

Results:

From a total of 204 papers identified, 18 were included. Significant variation in rates of SH was found. Limiting data to adolescent years (15–18), best estimates for overall lifetime rates of SH ranged from 1.5% (when rates of SH were reported based on a two-stage study design), to 23% (where SH was limited to non-suicidal SH). SH was typically higher in females, impulsive in nature, and occurred in the home setting. Whilst almost half of youth sought help before (43.7%) or after (49.8%) the SH episode, this was most often to a friend or family member. Overall rates of professional help seeking were low.

Conclusions:

Robust studies using clear definitions of terms, separately capturing SH with and without suicidal intent, and distinguishing SH in the context of a mental illness, are required to inform service developments. Given the frequent occurrence of SH among youth accompanied by predominance of help seeking via friends and family, it is imperative that psychoeducation is delivered to families and peers. Out of hours community and specialist mental health services are essential to address this important issue.
Retranslation in Mughal South Asia: The Impressive Failure of a Persian Panchatantra
Authors: Kotler Ayelet
Published: November 2024

This paper explores Muṣṭafá Khāliqdād ʿAbbāsī's 1590s Persian retranslation of the Panchatantra, commissioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar. Examining this text vis-à-vis other translations by Khāliqdād, other court-commissioned Sanskrit-Persian translations from Akbar's time, and the long Kalīla wa Dimna tradition in the Persianate world, this paper argues that retranslations, particularly unsuccessful ones, are where literary traditions and translation norms are most clearly negotiated and contested. Studying retranslations, as shown here, is a useful methodology for revealing tensions between different contemporaneous perspectives on what it takes to fully Persianize a text.
Effect of filter type on the topology of the eigenframe of the subfilter stress tensor and interscale energy transfer
Authors: Fathali Mani , Khoei Saber , Chitsaz Mahzad
Published: November 2024

Effects of different filter kernels, namely, spectral cutoff (

$\mathcal {S}$

-filter) and Gaussian (

$\mathcal {G}$

-filter), on the geometrical properties of the subfilter stress (SFS) tensor and the filtered strain-rate (FSR) tensor are analysed in a forced homogeneous isotropic turbulence. Utilizing the Euler angle–axis methodology, it is observed that despite similar mean behaviour, the eigenframe alignment between SFS and FSR exhibits a non-trivially different statistical distribution for two different filters. Besides the eigenframe alignment, the eigenstructure of these tensors is also investigated. It is found that in contrast to the eigenstructure of the FSR which does not show sensitive dependence on the filter kernel type, the eigenstructure of the SFS tensor is significantly influenced by the filter type. Subsequently, the impact of different filter kernels on the subfilter energy flux (SFEF) is investigated. It is observed that energy transfer in

$\mathcal {G}$

-filtering is preferably distributed over the forward region, whereas for the

$\mathcal {S}$

-filter, the SFEF is more evenly distributed over both forward–backward regions, leading to a heavy energy transfer cancellation. Additionally, by decomposing the SFEF into different partial energy fluxes, it is found that the impact of the

$\mathcal {S}$

-filtering on the eigenstructure of the SFS leads to the amplification of the backward energy transfer. Conversely, the

$\mathcal {G}$

-filtering amplifies the forward energy transfer by producing a more pronounced alignment between the contractive–extensive eigenvectors.
The influence of the shock-to-reshock time on the Richtmyer–Meshkov instability in reshock
Authors: Ferguson Kevin , Jacobs Jeffrey W.
Published: November 2024

Experiments on the Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI) in a dual driver vertical shock tube (DDVST) are described. An initially planar, stably stratified membraneless interface is formed by flowing air from above and sulfur hexafluoride from below the interface location using the method of Jones & Jacobs (Phys. Fluids, vol. 9, issue 1997, 1997, pp. 3078–3085). A random three-dimensional, multi-modal initial perturbation is imposed by vertically oscillating the gas column to produce Faraday waves. The DDVST design generates two shock waves, one originating above and one below the interface, with these shocks having independently controllable strengths and interface arrival times. The shock waves have nominal strengths of

$M_L=1.17$

and

$M_H=1.18$

for the shock wave originating in the light and heavy gas, respectively, with these strengths chosen to result in arrested bulk interface motion following reshock. The influence of the length of the shock-to-reshock time, as well as the order of shock arrival, on the post-reshock RMI is examined. The mixing layer width grows according to

$h\propto t^\theta$

, where

$\theta _H=0.36\pm 0.018$

(95 %) and

$\theta _L=0.38\pm 0.02$

(95 %) for heavy and light shock first experiments, respectively, indicating no strong dependence on the order of shock wave arrival. Volume integrated specific turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) in the mixing layer versus time is found to decay according to

$E_{tot}/\bar {\rho }\propto t^p$

with

$p_H=-0.823\pm 0.06$

(95 %) and

$p_L=-1.061\pm 0.032$

(95 %) for heavy and light shock first experiments, respectively. Notably, the 95 % confidence intervals do not overlap. Analysis on the influence of the shock-to-reshock time on turbulent length scales, transition criteria, spectra and mixing layer anisotropy are also presented.
Three-dimensional simulation of film boiling on a horizontal surface with magnetic field
Authors: Gu Hao-Tao , Sahu Kirti Chandra , Zhang Jie , Ni Ming-Jiu
Published: November 2024

This study conducts a numerical investigation into the three-dimensional film boiling of liquid under the influence of external magnetic fields. The numerical method incorporates a sharp phase-change model based on the volume-of-fluid approach to track the liquid–vapour interface. Additionally, a consistent and conservative scheme is employed to calculate the induced current densities and electromagnetic forces. We investigate the magnetohydrodynamic effects on film boiling, particularly examining the pattern transition of the vapour bubble and the evolution of heat transfer characteristics, exposed to either a vertical or horizontal magnetic field. In single-mode scenarios, film boiling under a vertical magnetic field displays an isotropic flow structure, forming a columnar vapour jet at higher magnetic field intensities. In contrast, horizontal magnetic fields result in anisotropic flow, creating a two-dimensional vapour sheet as the magnetic strength increases. In multi-mode scenarios, the patterns observed in single-mode film boiling persist, with the interaction of vapour bubbles introducing additional complexity to the magnetohydrodynamic flow. More importantly, our comprehensive analysis reveals how and why distinct boiling effects are generated by various orientations of magnetic fields, which induce directional electromagnetic forces to suppress flow vortices within the cross-sectional plane.
Numerical simulation of glacier terminus evolution using the dual action principle for momentum balance
Authors: Shapero Daniel R. , de Diego Gonzalo Gonzalez
Published: November 2024

The momentum conservation equation for glacier flow can be described through minimization of an action functional. Several software packages for glacier flow modeling use this action principle in the design of numerical solution procedures. We derive here an equivalent dual action principle for the shallow stream approximation and implement this model using the finite element method. The key feature of the dual action is that the flow law and friction law are both inverted, which changes the character of the non-linearities. This altered character makes it possible to implement numerical solvers for the dual form that work even when the ice thickness or strain rate are exactly equal to zero. Solvers for the primal form typically fail on such input data and require regularization of the problem. This robustness makes it possible to implement iceberg calving in a simple way: the modeler sets the ice thickness to zero in the desired area. We provide several demonstrations and a reference implementation.
Implementing ‘The Zones of Regulation’ for Autistic Students: Teacher Perceptions and Practices
Authors: Love Abigail M. A. , Gibbs Vicki , Roxburgh Danielle G. , Dorn Elizabeth A. , Cai Ru Ying
Published: November 2024

The Zones of Regulation (The Zones) is an 18-lesson curriculum that is aimed at helping students develop an awareness of emotions and skills for regulation. Although used by schools globally, no peer-reviewed evidence currently exists to support the use of The Zones. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of teachers implementing The Zones curriculum with autistic students. Feedback was gathered from 26 teachers throughout their implementation of The Zones. In this study, we employed a qualitative methodology to analyse the feedback from teachers. Descriptive statistics were used to report on acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility. Our findings revealed that teachers described high levels of acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility when reflecting on the delivery of The Zones. However, teachers reported that The Zones was not suitable for all students and classrooms. For students for whom The Zones was deemed appropriate, teachers modified the lessons and required peer support to deliver these modifications. With modifications, the teachers observed growth in areas such as students’ comprehension of others’ emotions and improved language around emotions. This study highlights the importance of further research to refine and tailor interventions like The Zones to better meet the diverse needs of autistic students in educational settings.
How Does Media Coverage of Corporate Social Irresponsibility Influence Cross-Border Acquisition Completion? Evidence from Chinese MNEs
Authors: Oh Won-Yong , Zeng Rong (Ratchel) , Oh Chang Hoon
Published: November 2024

Previous studies have found that media coverage of a firm's corporate social irresponsibility (CSiR) often delays or blocks the completion of a cross-border acquisition when the acquiror is a multinational enterprise (MNE) from an emerging market. Drawing from the attention-based view, we argue that the effects of Chinese MNEs’ CSiR on deal completion vary depending on several contextual factors, as these factors garner more attention by making the deals more salient to stakeholders. Using a sample of cross-border acquisitions by Chinese MNEs from 2013 to 2020, we find that CSiR media coverage per se does not decrease the likelihood of a deal's completion. However, consistent with attention-based arguments, we find that CSiR media coverage negatively affects the deal's completion when the acquirors are state-owned enterprises and when the target country has high institutional quality. Our findings enhance our understanding of the effects of CSiR on cross-border acquisitions by highlighting the moderating roles of contextual factors related to stakeholder attention. Thus, it is important for MNEs to recognize the boundary conditions that may influence the potential sanctions from local stakeholders. Based on these findings, this study contributes to the literature on CSiR, cross-border acquisitions, and stakeholder attention.
Novel dissolved organic 14C analyses method applied in a case study at a LILW waste repository
Authors: Molnár A , Veres M , Varga T , Turza P , Jull A J T , Janovics R , Molnár M
Published: November 2024

A routine chemical procedure was developed at the Ede Hertelendi Laboratory of Environmental Studies (HEKAL), in Debrecen which can measure the dissolved organic radiocarbon content of groundwater as well as the inorganic and total fraction. The typical background of this non-purgeable dissolved organic radiocarbon preparation is 0.73 ± 0.14 percent modern carbon (pMC), using a carbon contamination correction on fossil dissolved material (potassium hydrogen phthalate) samples.
Older mothers produce smaller eggs without compromising offspring quality: a study of a thelytokous mite predator (Acari: Phytoseiidae)
Authors: Zhang Keshi , Liu Zhenguo , Zhang Zhi-Qiang
Published: November 2024

Negative relationships between the parental age and offspring life history traits have been widely observed across diverse animal taxa. However, there is a lack of studies examining the influence of parental age on offspring performance using mites, particularly phytoseiid predators as subjects. This study explored the influence of maternal age on offspring life history traits in Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant) (Acari: Mesostigmata), a phytoseiid predatory mite reproducing through thelytokous parthenogenesis. We hypothesised that increased maternal age negatively impacts offspring traits, including developmental duration, body size, fecundity and lifespan. Amblyseius herbicolus was reared under controlled laboratory conditions, and the life history traits of offspring from mothers of varying ages were analysed using linear mixed-effect models. Our results showed that the increase in maternal age significantly reduced individual egg volume, but did not significantly affect offspring developmental duration, body size, fecundity or lifespan. These findings indicate that while older A. herbicolus females produced smaller eggs, the subsequent performance (i.e. body size, fecundity and lifespan) of offspring remained largely unaffected, suggesting possible compensatory mechanisms in the offspring or alternative maternal provisioning strategies. The results of this study offer useful insights into the reproductive strategies of phytoseiid predators and asexually reproducing species, enhancing our understanding of how maternal age affects offspring fitness. Further studies can examine how offspring of A. herbicolus from mothers of different ages perform under adverse environmental conditions.
Mythical Mythology: Mythical Objects, Intentional Identity, and Referential Anti-Realism
Authors: Alward Peter
Published: November 2024

I defend a referential anti-realist solution to the problem of intentional identity. I develop Nathan Salmon's referential realist solution to the problem — according to which mythical objects exist and we can refer to them by using mythical-object names — and consider David Braun's objections to it. I argue that Salmon's solution yields the real identity, rather than the intentional identity, of the objects of multiple subjects’ thoughts. And I develop a referential anti-realist variant of Salmon's view — according to which mythical objects do not exist nor are they otherwise real but we can nevertheless refer to them — which avoids this worry.
Product of polynomial values being large power
Authors: Mazumdar Eshita , Roy Arindam
Published: November 2024

Erdös and Selfridge first showed that the product of consecutive integers cannot be a perfect power. Later, this result was generalized to polynomial values by various authors. They demonstrated that the product of consecutive polynomial values cannot be the perfect power for a suitable polynomial. In this article, we consider a related problem to the product of consecutive integers. We consider all sequences of polynomial values from a given interval whose products are almost perfect powers. We study the size of these powers and give an asymptotic result. We also define a group theoretic invariant, which is a natural generalization of the Davenport constant. We provide a non-trivial upper bound of this group theoretic invariant.
Breathing Life into the Law: Achieving Access to Justice in the Modern State
Authors:   The Right Hon Lady Rose of Colmworth DBE
Published: November 2024

The need to provide efficient access to justice has presented challenges for civilised society since such societies came into being.
Prevalence study of Echinococcus granulosus in guanaco (Lama guanicoe) from the Chilean Patagonia unexpectedly reveals the southernmost limit of Taenia omissa
Authors: Alvarez Rojas Cristian A. , Alvarez Juan Francisco , Iglesias Juliana , Koehler Anson V. , Bonacic Cristian
Published: November 2024

This study presents the first detection of Taenia omissa metacestodes in guanaco (Lama guanicoe) within the Chilean Patagonia, marking the southernmost record of natural infection in an intermediate host on the continent. Taenia omissa was found in the continental part of the Magallanes region where the top predators are pumas (Puma concolor). Conversely, all metacestodes found in guanacos collected from Tierra del Fuego Island, where no pumas exist, were identified solely as Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto. Additionally, this research highlights a tissue preference of T. omissa for liver, contrasting with E. granulosus, which predominantly affects the lungs in guanacos. We also report the infection of T. pisiformis in 1 guanaco. Our findings emphasize the need for accurate identification of metacestodes during meat inspection in an area where T. omissa and E. granulosus overlap. This research also contributes to increase the knowledge of parasite–host dynamics in wildlife and underscores the importance of considering broader spectrum intermediate hosts in the epidemiology of parasitic infections.
Functional gradient dysfunction in drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia and its correlation with specific transcriptional patterns and treatment predictions
Authors: Yao Guanqun , Luo Jing , Li Jing , Feng Kun , Liu Pozi , Xu Yong
Published: November 2024

Background

First-episode schizophrenia (FES) is a progressive psychiatric disorder influenced by genetics, environmental factors, and brain function. The functional gradient deficits of drug-naïve FES and its relationship to gene expression profiles and treatment outcomes are unknown.

Methods

In this study, we engaged a cohort of 116 FES and 100 healthy controls (HC), aged 7 to 30 years, including 15 FES over an 8-week antipsychotic medication regimen. Our examination focused on primary-to-transmodal alterations in voxel-based connection gradients in FES. Then, we employed network topology, Neurosynth, postmortem gene expression, and support vector regression to evaluate integration and segregation functions, meta-analytic cognitive terms, transcriptional patterns, and treatment predictions.

Results

FES displayed diminished global connectome gradients (Cohen's d = 0.32–0.57) correlated with compensatory integration and segregation functions (Cohen's d = 0.31–0.36). Predominant alterations were observed in the default (67.6%) and sensorimotor (21.9%) network, related to high-order cognitive functions. Furthermore, we identified notable overlaps between partial least squares (PLS1) weighted genes and dysregulated genes in other psychiatric conditions. Genes linked with gradient alterations were enriched in synaptic signaling, neurodevelopment process, specific astrocytes, cortical layers (layer II and IV), and developmental phases from late/mid fetal to young adulthood. Additionally, the onset age influenced the severity of FES, with discernible differences in connection gradients between minor- and adult-FES. Moreover, the connectivity gradients of FES at baseline significantly predicted treatment outcomes.

Conclusions

These results offer significant theoretical foundations for elucidating the intricate interplay between macroscopic functional connection gradient changes and microscopic transcriptional patterns during the onset and progression of FES.