bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combined in situ XRF–LIBS analyses as a novel method to determine the provenance of central Mediterranean obsidians
Authors: Costantini Ilaria , Veneranda Marco , Prieto-Taboada Nagore , De Francesco Anna Maria , Castro Kepa , Madariaga Juan Manuel , Arana Gorka
Published: July 2023

This work presents a new calibration method for determining the provenance of obsidian artefacts based on the combined use of XRF and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). At first, obsidian samples collected from the main Mediterranean sources were characterized using portable XRF and LIBS systems. After data treatment, elemental information was used to carry out principal component analysis (PCA) for each technique. Rb, Sr, Zr, Y and Fe elements, detected by using XRF, were found to be the key parameters enabling obsidians discrimination. Likewise, LIBS data helped differentiating the analysed patterns by the intensity of their main elemental components (Ca, Al, Mg and K). After selecting the key parameters detected by each technique, a new data matrix combining XRF and LIBS data was finally built. According to PCA results, the discrimination of Mediterranean sources based on combined XRF–LIBS data ensured a higher reliability over mono-analytical models, by increasing the Euclidean distance between sources projections over three-dimensional principal components plots. Knowing that the representativeness of elemental data could be compromised by the presence of superficial degradation products or deposition patinas, a shot-to-shot comparison of in-depth LIBS analyses is finally proposed as a method to disclose whether the spot under analysis was superficially contaminated or altered. Thus, the proposed strategy based on the combined use of portable XRF and LIBS spectrometers could be particularly useful for the in situ analysis of obsidian artefacts that underwent superficial alteration or could be covered by patina products.

Graphical abstract
Analytical analysis of silver-water, silver-blood base nanofluid flow over fluctuating disk with the influence of viscous dissipation over fluctuating disk
Authors: Rehman Ali , Inc Mustafa , Salah Bashir , Hussain Shah
Published: July 2023

This work considers the analytical analysis of silver-water, silver-blood base nanofluid flow over fluctuating disk with the influence of viscous dissipation over fluctuating disk. The primary goal of this study is an effort to improve the heat transfer ratio, which is a core part of the engineering and industrial sectors. Following a continuity check, the problem is modeled using the conservation rules of momentum and energy. Nonlinear PDEs are produced through modeling, which are then transformed into ODEs using a similarity transformation and thermophysical characteristics. The resultant ODEs are resolved using the Optimal Homotopy Asymptotic Method (HAM). The outcomes of this method are compared to authenticate the outcomes of the obtained results. The Mathematica software is used to run HAM methods, and graphical interpretations are given to highlight the influence of dissimilar contributing factors on the velocity profile and temperature distribution. Nusselt’s number, and the skin friction are examined through graphical representation. Convergence of the problem is checked with the help of graphs and tables by using dual solution of the problem.
Self-Attention-Based Convolutional GRU for Enhancement of Adversarial Speech Examples
Authors: Jannu Chaitanya , Vanambathina Sunny Dayal
Published: July 2023

Recent research has identified adversarial examples which are the challenges to DNN-based ASR systems. In this paper, we propose a new model based on Convolutional GRU and Self-attention U-Net called [Formula: see text] to improve adversarial speech signals. To represent the correlation between neighboring noisy speech frames, a two-Layer GRU is added in the bottleneck of U-Net and an attention gate is inserted in up-sampling units to increase the adversarial stability. The goal of using GRU is to combine the weights sharing technique with the use of gates to control the flow of data across multiple feature maps. As a result, it outperforms the original 1D convolution used in [Formula: see text]. Especially, the performance of the model is evaluated by explainable speech recognition metrics and its performance is analyzed by the improved adversarial training. We used adversarial audio attacks to perform experiments on automatic speech recognition (ASR). We saw (i) the robustness of ASR models which are based on DNN can be improved using the temporal features grasped by the attention-based GRU network; (ii) through adversarial training, including some additive adversarial data augmentation, we could improve the generalization power of Automatic Speech Recognition models which are based on DNN. The word-error-rate (WER) metric confirmed that the enhancement capabilities are better than the state-of-the-art [Formula: see text]. The reason for this enhancement is the ability of GRU units to extract global information within the feature maps. Based on the conducted experiments, the proposed [Formula: see text] increases the score of Speech Transmission Index (STI), Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ), and the Short-term Objective Intelligibility (STOI) with adversarial speech examples in speech enhancement.
Sibling Species Composition and Susceptibility Status of Anopheles gambiae s.l. to Insecticides Used for Indoor Residual Spraying in Eastern Uganda
Authors: Iga Julius , Ochaya Stephen , Echodu Richard , Opiyo Elizabeth A. , Musiime Alex K. , Nakamaanya Angella , Malinga Geoffrey M.
Published: July 2023

Background. Malaria remains one of the most critical disease causing morbidity and mortality in Uganda. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) and the use of insecticide-treated bed nets are currently the predominant malaria vector control interventions. However, the emergence and spread of insecticide resistance among malaria vectors threaten the continued effectiveness of these interventions to control the disease, particularly in high transmission areas. To inform decisions on vector control, the current study evaluated the Anopheles malaria vector species and their susceptibility levels to 0.1% bendiocarb and 0.25% pirimiphos-methyl insecticides used in IRS intervention program in Namutumba district, Eastern Uganda. Methods.Anopheles larvae were collected between March and May 2017 from different breeding sites in the parishes of Nsinze and Nawaikona in Nsinze sub-county and reared to adults to assess the susceptibility status of populations in the study area. Mosquitoes were identified using morphological keys and species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Susceptibility tests were conducted on 2- to 5-day-old non-blood-fed adult female Anopheles that emerged using insecticide-impregnated papers with 0.1% bendiocarb and 0.25% pirimiphos-methyl following standard World Health Organization (WHO) insecticide susceptibility bioassays. A Log-probit regression model was used to derive the knock-down rates for 50% and 95% of exposed mosquitoes. Results. A total of 700 mosquito larvae were collected from different breeding sites. Morphological identification showed that 500 individuals that emerged belonged to Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.), the main malaria vector. The PCR results showed that the dominant sibling species under the A. gambiae complex was Anopheles arabiensis 99.5% (395/397). WHO bioassay tests revealed that the population of mosquitoes exhibited high levels of susceptibility (24-hour post-exposure mortality 98–100%) to both insecticides tested. The median knock-down time, KDT50, ranged from 6.6 to 81.4 minutes, while the KDT95 ranged from 21.6 to 118.9 minutes for 0.25% pirimiphos-methyl. The KDT50 for 0.1% bendiocarb ranged from 2.8 to 62.9 minutes, whereas the KDT95 ranged from 36.0 to 88.5 minutes. Conclusions. These findings indicate that bendiocarb and pirimiphos-methyl are still effective against the major malaria vector, A. arabiensis in Nsinze sub-county, Namutumba district, Uganda and can be effectively used for IRS. The study has provided baseline information on the insecticide susceptibility status on malaria vectors in the study area. However, routine continuous monitoring program of insecticide susceptibility and malaria vector composition is required so as to guide future decisions on insecticide use for IRS intervention toward malaria elimination and to track future changes in vector population.
A Data-Driven Approach to Estimate Incident-Induced Delays Using Incomplete Probe Vehicle Data: Application to Safety Service Patrol Program Evaluation
Authors: Oh Minsoo , Dong-O’Brien Jing
Published: July 2023

This paper presents a data-driven approach to estimate incident-induced delays (IIDs) using probe vehicle data while accounting for missing data. The proposed approach is applied to evaluate the effectiveness of a safety service patrol (SSP) program. Existing data-driven methods for IID estimation usually rely on complete data sets. The proposed approach employs a random forest-based classification model and an interpolation method to estimate IIDs when real-time data are completely or partially missing during the incident-impacted time period. It also identifies reference profiles from the closest spatial-temporal road segments to improve data availability. The case study shows that the SSP program in the Quad Cities area of Iowa reduces IIDs associated with various incidents by 15%–91%. This data-driven evaluation framework can be applied to other traffic incident management programs, allowing more accurate and objective evaluations of their effectiveness.
Gestational Pseudoangiomatous Stromal Hyperplasia Presenting as Gigantomastia: A Case Report of a Rare Breast Entity with Clinical Recommendations by a Multidisciplinary Team
Authors: Wang S. Jennifer , Maheswaran Shivi , Reiss Rosemary , Portnow Leah H. , Brock Jane , Novak Lara , Erdmann-Sager Jessica , Barbie Thanh U.
Published: July 2023

Introduction. Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) presenting as gigantomastia is rare in pregnancy but can result in severe clinical consequences for both mother and fetus. Case Presentation. A 43-year-old female with a history of biopsy-proven bilateral PASH presented at 22 3/7 weeks gestation with massive bilateral breast enlargement that was symptomatic. After multidisciplinary care, she underwent bilateral mastectomies and delivered at term with no additional complications. Conclusion. Pregnant women who undergo mastectomies for PASH-induced gigantomastia during their second trimesters will likely recover quickly, and fetal risks are low. Given the rarity of this breast entity, management guidelines are sparse. Our case report is an effort to comprehensively review this condition and share the clinical recommendations made by our institution’s multidisciplinary team.
Solar Light Radiometry Calibration Unit for a ScanPol Polarimeter of the Aerosol-UA Space Mission
Authors: Syniavskyi Ivan , Oberemok Yevgen , Danylevsky Vassyl , Ivanov Yuriy , Osypenko Roman , Sosonkin Mikhail , Milinevsky Gennadi
Published: July 2023

The Aerosol-UA space mission will study aerosol microphysical characteristics in the Earth’s atmosphere based on the multispectral scanning polarimeter (ScanPol) and imaging polarimeter (MSIP). Both polarimeters must be precisely calibrated on the ground and in orbit to provide correct measurements. This paper considers the results of developing an experimental device for the radiometric calibration of the ScanPol. We consider the calibration unit design and operation principle to form a luminous flux with unchanged or well-predicted characteristics in a specified direction. The construction of the radiometric calibration unit is based on a sun-illuminated reflective diffuser made from the white opal glass MS20. We evaluated the scattering and polarization characteristics of the diffuser in laboratory experiments at a wide range of wavelengths. The results suggest that the polarization properties of the diffuser are negligible. The diffuser scattering parameters are close to Lambertian for illuminance conditions, which is necessary for radiometric calibration. The calibration unit was manufactured and tested during field observations of solar radiation. The results will be used for its improvement, mainly to reduce the observed stray scattered radiation entering the telescopes of the ScanPol polarization state analyzer.
A new species and two new records of Argyresthia Hübner, [1825] (Lepidoptera: Argyresthiidae) from Hallasan National Park of Korea
Authors: LEE GA-EUN , LEE YEONG-DON , LIU TENGTENG
Published: July 2023

Argyresthia Hübner, [1825] is a genus of small to medium sized glossy moths which comprises more than 200 species worldwide, but the Korean fauna includes only eight previously known species. In this study, we describe one new species, A. (Argyresthia) brevalbella sp. nov., and report A. (A.) angusta Moriuti, 1969 and A. (Blastotere) densa Liu, Wang et Li, 2017 for the first time from the country. The three species were found in Hallasan National Park located in the southernmost province Jeju-do at altitudes between 900–1,300 m. The new species is externally very similar to A. (A.) longalbella Liu, Wang et Li, 2017 in having a fuscous forewing with a white dorsal band, but can be distinguished by the shape of the valva, saccus and phallus of the male genitalia. We provide photographs of adults and genitalia, differential diagnoses and DNA barcodes for the three species.
Asymptotic UMVUE: Asymptotic Moments Matching the UMVUE under the Ewens Sampling Formula
Authors: Hirose Masayo Y. , Mano Shuhei
Published: July 2023

The Ewens sampling formula is a distribution related to the random partition of a positive integer. In this study, we investigate the issue of non-existent solutions in parameter estimation under the distribution. We derive the first and second moments matching estimators to the uniformly minimum variance unbiased estimator (UMVUE) in the asymptotic sense (hereafter referred to as Asymptotic UMUVE) using the Ewens sampling formula. A Monte Carlo simulation study is performed to evaluate the efficiency of the resulting estimators.

AMS Subject Classification: 62F12, 62P25
Un rituel sacrificiel pour refonder l’ordre social : expérimentations contemporaines à Tahiti
Authors: Gagné Natacha
Published: July 2023

This article focuses on an association that is part of the cultural revival movement that began in the late 1960s and has gained momentum since the 1980s in Tahiti, French Polynesia. Te Hivarereata differs from other cultural associations, however, in that its approach is fundamentally religious: its members claim to be “animists” and perform a ritual each year that they describe as “sacrificial” to mark the ripening of the first fruits. The author examines the meaning of this sacrifice for present-day Tahitians in a context of decolonization and self-recovery. More specifically, she examines its transformative capacity and political significance. In doing so, she discusses the ambivalences and discomforts related to the religion of the ancestors among the Tahitians.
Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing Findings in Children With Rett Syndrome
Authors: Sideris Giorgos , Panagoulis Evangelos , Grigoropoulos Christos , Mermiri Despina , Nikolopoulos Thomas , Delides Alexander
Published: July 2023

Feeding abnormalities, swallowing dysfunction, and gastrointestinal issues cause poor weight gain, oral motor dysfunction, and air swallowing in children with Rett syndrome (RTT). Pneumonia is the leading cause of death. Our study describes fiberoptic endoscopic swallowing findings in 11 female RTT children. Each patient was evaluated using the 8-point Penetration/Aspiration Scale (PAS). The average age was 7 years. All patients had tongue dyskinesis and prolonged oral stage. Eight girls exhibited liquid entering the airway without coughing, whereas 6 did well with pureed meal. Three girls had pneumonia. Age was not correlated with pneumonia episodes ( P = .18). Pureed material was related with pneumonia ( P = .006), whereas liquids were not. Pureed PAS was positively correlated with Liquid PAS ( P = .008) and age ( P = .004). All aspiration/penetration incidents occurred before the pharyngeal phase. No patient under 7 years experienced pneumonia episodes. Silent aspiration can occur early in infancy, although pneumonia episodes can occur later.
Does Police Militarization Increase Repression?
Authors: Stavro Martin , Welch Ryan M.
Published: July 2023

Does police militarization influence government use of repression? While comparative work examines police militarization, violence, human rights abuses, and torture, it does not integrate militarized police within existing theories of repression. Connecting police militarization and repression, this article argues that police militarization increases the police’s perception of threat as well as their coercive capacity, thereby increasing their willingness to repress. As such, we hypothesize police militarization increases repression. To evaluate the theory, we conduct an international analysis using existing datasets covering 102 countries from 1994 to 2010. Employing several statistical models, the data supports the conclusion that police militarization increases the likelihood of government repression, specifically through extrajudicial killing and torture. Aside from highlighting a consequence of police militarization policy, the findings point to police militarization as an important omitted variable in cross-national models of repression and human rights.
Testing Assumptions of the Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance Model: A Longitudinal Perspective of the Relationships Between Intentions and Habits on Exercise Adherence
Authors: Rodrigues Filipe , Teixeira Diogo
Published: July 2023

In this study, we aimed to examine empirically the Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance model (PAAM). We collected data on these variables at baseline (T0) and 6-months later (T1). We recruited 119 participants (42 male, 77 female) aged 18–81 years old ( Mage = 44.89, SD = 12.95). who reported, at baseline, that they exercised an average of 3.76 days per week ( SD = 1.33) in training periods lasting 15–60 minutes ( M = 38.69; SD = 23.28). We conducted hierarchical multiple regression analysis to test the association between each determinant (intentions, habits, and frequency) and future exercise adherence. We tested four models by entering blocks of predictors according to PAAM assumptions. The variance change ( R2) between the first and fourth models (Δ R2 = .391) was statistically significant, showing that the fourth model accounted for 51.2% of variance for future exercise adherence, F (6, 112) = 21.631, p < .001, R2 = .73, adjusted R2 = .512. Exercise intention at T1 maintained its significant association ( p = .021) with exercise frequency at T1 in all tested models. Exercise frequency at T0 was the most significant predictor ( p < .01) of future exercise adherence, with past experience the second most significant predictor ( p = .013). Interestingly, exercise habits at T1 and T0 did not predict exercise frequency at T1 in the fourth model. Among the variables we studied, having constantly high exercise intentions and high regular exercise frequency are significantly associated with maintaining or increasing regular future exercise behavior.
Fibrin Sealant TISSEEL Lyo as a haemostatic agent in vascular surgery: Results of randomized, controlled, patient-blinded, multicentre clinical study in the Russian population
Authors: Karpenko Andrey A , Cheban Alexey V , Rabtsun Artem A , Sokurenko German Y , Andreychuk Konstantin A , Kim Igor N , Volf Valentin A , Kuznetsov Maksim R , Prostov Igor I , Sapronova Natalia G , Mzhavanadze Nina D , Kamaev Alexey A , Suchkov Igor A
Published: July 2023

Background:

This phase III, controlled, patient-blinded, multicentre study in two parallel, equal-sized treatment groups compared the efficacy and safety of TISSEEL Lyo, fibrin sealant versus Manual Compression (MC) with surgical gauze pads for use as a haemostatic agent in patients who underwent vascular surgery in Russia.

Methods:

Adult patients, both genders, who received peripheral vascular expanded polytetrafluoroethylene conduits and had suture line bleeding after surgical haemostasis were enrolled. Patients were randomized to be treated with TISSEEL Lyo or MC. The bleeding needed additional treatment and had to be assessed as grade 1 or 2 bleeding according to the Validated Intraoperative Bleeding scale. The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving haemostasis at 4 min after treatment application (T4) at the study suture line, which was maintained until the closure of the surgical wound. The secondary efficacy endpoints included the proportion of patients achieving haemostasis at 6 min (T6) and 10 min (T10) after treatment application at the study suture line, which was maintained until closure of the surgical wound, as well as the proportion of patients with intraoperative and postoperative rebleeding. Safety outcomes included incidence of adverse events (AEs), surgical site infections and graft occlusions.

Results:

A total of 110 patients were screened; 104 patients were randomized: (TISSEEL Lyo: 51 [49%] patients; MC: 53 [51%] patients). T4 haemostasis was achieved in 43 (84.3%) patients in the TISSEEL Lyo group and in 11 (20.8%) patients in the MC group ( p < 0.001). Significantly more patients in TISSEEL Lyo group achieved the haemostasis at T6 (relative risk (RR) of achieving haemostasis 1.74 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.37; 2.35]) and T10 (RR 1.18 [95% CI 1.05; 1.38]) versus MC. No one had intraoperative rebleeding. Postoperative rebleeding was reported only in one patient in the MC group. No treatment-emergent serious AEs (TESAEs) related to TISSEEL Lyo/MC, TESAEs leading to withdrawal and TESAEs leading to death were reported in patients during the study.

Conclusions:

Data demonstrated TISSEEL Lyo had clinically and statistically significant superiority to MC as a haemostatic agent in vascular surgery at all measured time points including 4, 6 and 10 min and had proven to be safe.
Test Participation or Test Performance: Why Do Men Benefit from Test-Based Admission to Higher Education?
Authors: Finger Claudia , Solga Heike
Published: July 2023

This study illuminates the male advantage in test-based admissions to higher education. In contrast to many other countries, admission tests in Germany are optional, and test-free programs are available. This context offers a unique opportunity to investigate whether the male advantage in test-based admissions is caused by gender differences in test performance or in test participation. We use novel register data for the whole population of 300,000 applicants to highly selective and prestigious medical programs in Germany. We find that men perform better in tests and that female applicants are more likely to withdraw from admission tests. Both differences, however, depend on high school grade point average (GPA): The male advantage in test performance emerges only among test-takers with a lower GPA, and female applicants’ stronger test avoidance appears only among women with a medium GPA. Ultimately, both mechanisms contribute to a male advantage in test-based admissions (ceteris paribus of GPA), with better test performance being the major source for male applicants’ higher admission chances. As a consequence, we find the female advantage in school performance and the male advantage in test-based admissions almost neutralize each other.
Rhinofacial Conidiobolomycosis – A rare fungal infection of tropics
Authors: Pal Dipankar , Kumar D Selwyn Selva
Published: July 2023

Fungal sinusitis may be caused by filamentous fungi such as mucorales, aspergillus and entomophthorales. Mucormycosis and aspergillosis have immunocompromised states as specific risk factors, whereas entomophthorales may occur in apparently healthy persons having significant soil contact. This is, nonetheless, a rare condition with involvement of mucosa of the nose, para nasal sinuses and centrofacial soft tissues, without bony or angioinvasion. It grows relentlessly, however, and may mimic soft tissue neoplasm causing facial disfigurement.
Media representations of naturalized athletes: Sentiment variations and trends in Turkish media
Authors: Istif Inci Elçin , Tinaz Cem , Kuvvetli Umit , Turgut Nefise Meltem
Published: July 2023

Turkey has received consistent criticism from international media for having many naturalized athletes in its national squad, both in the Olympic Games and other major international sporting events. Similar criticisms have also been a feature of debates for a long time in domestic media, varying in views toward these athletes. This research focuses on media representations of naturalized athletes in Turkey between 2008 and 2020. We investigated the sentiments of news items from four major Turkish newspapers ( Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Sabah and Fanatik) on their stances toward naturalized athletes over the timespan of 2008–2020. Beside analyzing the sentiment of the media content both cumulatively and fragmentedly, we also identified the yearly trends and most featured sports in this context, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. Our findings showed that sentiments in Turkish media toward naturalized athletes are mostly neutral and negative as well as with differences varying on the basis of the newspapers and news item types. The most criticism underlined pursuing “shortcut” success with naturalized athletes representing Turkey in the international arena. Among the featured sports, basketball, football, and track and field have been the most discussed ones in the naturalization context.
Modelling in engineering: A citation context analysis
Authors: Schweiger Gerald , Thiermeyer Lynn
Published: July 2023

Purely quantitative citation measures are widely used to evaluate research grants, to compare the output of researcher or to benchmark universities. The intuition that not all citations are the same, however, can be illustrated by two examples. First, studies have shown that erroneous or controversial papers have higher citation counts. Second, does a high-level citation in an introduction have the same impact as a reference to a paper that serves as a conceptual starting point? Companions to purely quantitative measures are the so-called citation context analyses which aim to obtain a better understanding of the link between citing and cited work. In this article, we propose a classification scheme for citation context analysis in the field of modelling in engineering. The categories were defined based on an extensive literature review and input from experts in the field of modelling. We propose a detailed scheme with six categories ( Perfunctory, Background Information, Comparing/Confirming, Critique/Refutation, Inspiring, Using/Expanding) and a simplified scheme with three categories ( High-level, Critical Analysis, Extending) that can be used within automatic classification approaches. The results of manually classifying 129 randomly selected citations show that 87% of citations fall into the high-level category. This study confirms that critical citations are not common in written academic discourse, even though criticism is essential for scientific progress and knowledge construction.
Demobilized democracy: Plebiscitarianism as political theology
Authors: Zuckerman Ian
Published: July 2023

Drawing from Marx’s 18 th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte and the work of Carl Schmitt, this article proposes a framework that critically diagnoses the plebiscitary, executive-centered conception of democratic representation as a species of political theology. I reconstruct Marx’s comments on plebiscitarianism in The 18 th Brumaire through his earlier critique of political theology in ‘On the Jewish Question’, in order to contrast two modes of representation. The first, ‘ theological’ representation, is a symbolic incarnation of the unity of the people in the person of the executive. The second, ‘ agonistic’ representation, develops only in the legislative assembly as a forum for translating social antagonisms and divisions into political ones. Turning from Marx to the writings of Carl Schmitt on plebiscitarianism, and to more recent analyses of populism, I show how these logics of political-theological versus antagonistic representation can function in different political contexts than the one Marx diagnosed. In conclusion, I argue that plebiscitarian democracy is neither an innocuous feature of institutions, nor a decisionist democratic alternative to liberal parliamentarism. Rather, it is a contemporary expression of political theology, premised upon depoliticization and the exclusion of social antagonisms from the sphere of democratic representation.
Taste receptors influencing effective modalities in human health – A cutting edge update on TAS1R and TAS2R receptor polymorphisms in taste perception and disease risk
Authors: Shaji Crystal Sara , Saraswathy Radha
Published: July 2023

Background: Taste is the characteristic sensory modality of the gustatory system associated with dietary intake. The ability of humans to perceive different tastes is predisposed by the activity of taste receptors. The expression of TAS1R family of genes enables the detection of sweetness and umaminess, whereas TAS2R enables the detection of bitterness. The varying levels of expression of these genes within different organs of the gastro-intestinal tract, regulates the metabolism of biomolecules including carbohydrates and proteins. Variations in the gene encoding for taste receptors might affect its binding affinity to tastant molecules and thereby pertain to varying degrees of sensation to taste among individuals. Aim: The goal of this review is to highlight the significant role of TAS1R and TAS2R as a potential biomarker to identify the incidence of morbidities and its probable onset. Method: We thoroughly investigated the SCOPUS, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases for literature relating to the association between TAS1R and TAS2R receptors in highlighting the genetic variation during various health morbidities. Results: It has been shown that the abnormalities in taste perception restrain an individual from consuming the adequate amount of food. Taste receptors not only influence the dietary habits but also determine different aspects of human health and well-being. Conclusion: According to the available evidence the dietary molecules conferring varying taste modalities are observed to have therapeutic significance apart from its nutritive value. The taste associated incongruous dietary pattern is a risk factor for various morbidities including obesity, depression, hyperglyceridaemia, and cancers.
Physical functioning factors predicting a return home after stroke rehabilitation: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chevalley Odile , Truijen Steven , Opsommer Emmanuelle , Saeys Wim
Published: July 2023

Objectives

This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to identify the physical functioning factors associated with home discharge after inpatient stroke rehabilitation.

Data sources

A search of PubMed, Embase, CINHAL, The Cochrane Library (Trials), Web of Science, and PEDro were conducted up until May 2023.

Methods

Two independent reviewers selected studies for population (patients with stroke), predictive factors (physical functioning), outcome (discharge destination), setting (inpatient rehabilitation), and study designs (observational and experimental studies). Predictive factors were identified among assessments of the “body function” and “activity” components of the International Classification of Functioning. Methodological quality was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The findings used quantitative and narrative syntheses. Meta-analyses were performed with the inverse variance method and the random-effects model using included studies with sufficient data.

Results

Forty-five studies were included with 204,787 participants. Included studies assessed the association of independence in activities of daily living, walking, rolling, transferring, and balance on admission with a probability of returning home. Motor (odds ratio = 1.23, 95% confidence interval: 1.12–1.35, p < .001) and total (odds ratio = 1.34, 95% confidence interval: 1.14–1.57, p < .001) Functional Independence Measure scores on admission were significantly associated with home discharge in meta-analyses. Additionally, included studies showed that independence in motor activities, such as sitting, transferring, and walking, and scores above thresholds for the Functional Independence Measure and Berg Balance Scale on admission were associated with discharge destination.

Conclusion

This review showed that higher independence in activities of daily living on admission is associated with home discharge after inpatient stroke rehabilitation.
Shared Decision Making for Elective Surgical Procedures in Older Adults with and without Cognitive Insufficiencies
Authors: Valentine K. D. , Vo Ha , Mancini Brittney , Urman Richard D. , Arias Franchesca , Barry Michael J. , Sepucha Karen R.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Older adults are prone to cognitive impairment, which may affect their ability to engage in aspects of shared decision making (SDM) and their ability to complete surveys about the SDM process. This study examined the surgical decision-making processes of older adults with and without cognitive insufficiencies and evaluated the psychometric properties of the SDM Process scale.

Methods

Eligible patients were 65 y or older and scheduled for a preoperative appointment before elective surgery (e.g., arthroplasty). One week before the visit, staff contacted patients via phone to administer the baseline survey, including the SDM Process scale (range 0–4), SURE scale (top scored), and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test version 8.1 BLIND English (MoCA-blind; score range 0–22; scores < 19 indicate cognitive insufficiency). Patients completed a follow-up survey 3 mo after their visit to assess decision regret (top scored) and retest reliability for the SDM Process scale.

Results

Twenty-six percent (127/488) of eligible patients completed the survey; 121 were included in the analytic data set, and 85 provided sufficient follow-up data. Forty percent of patients ( n = 49/121) had MoCA-blind scores indicating cognitive insufficiencies. Overall SDM Process scores did not differ by cognitive status (intact cognition [Formula: see text] = 2.5, s = 1.0 v. cognitive insufficiencies [Formula: see text] = 2.5, s = 1.0; P = 0.80). SURE top scores were similar across groups (83% intact cognition v. 90% cognitive insufficiencies; P = 0.43). While patients with intact cognition had less regret, the difference was not statistically significant (92% intact cognition v. 79% cognitive insufficiencies; P = 0.10). SDM Process scores had low missing data and good retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.7).

Conclusions

Reported SDM, decisional conflict, and decision regret did not differ significantly for patients with and without cognitive insufficiencies. The SDM Process scale was an acceptable, reliable, and valid measure of SDM in patients with and without cognitive insufficiencies.

Highlights

Forty percent of patients 65 y or older who were scheduled for elective surgery had scores indicative of cognitive insufficiencies. Patient-reported shared decision making, decisional conflict, and decision regret did not differ significantly for patients with and without cognitive insufficiencies. The Shared Decision Making Process scale was an acceptable, reliable, and valid measure of shared decision making in patients with and without cognitive insufficiencies.
The box-circle illusion
Authors: Lin Chenyang , Shams Ladan
Published: July 2023

A novel geometrical optical illusion is reported in this article: the horizontal distances of the contextual structures distort the perceived vertical positions of observed objects. Specifically, the illusion manifests in the form of connected boxes of varying widths but equal heights, each containing a circle at the center. Despite identical vertical positioning of the circles, they appear misaligned. The illusion diminishes when the boxes are removed. Potential underlying mechanisms are discussed.
The Most Influential Women Leaders in Health Promotion
Authors: Terry Paul E.
Published: July 2023

This editorial features 13 of the most accomplished female leaders working in health promotion based on their contributions to health science, their mentorship, and their executive leadership for organizations with far reaching health impact. Meeting and far exceeding these criteria, the American Journal of Health Promotion is pleased to honor: Gail Christopher, Michelle Nunn, Karen Moseley, Kerry Evers, Wendy Lynch, Rachel Mosher Henke, Catherine Baase, Carter Blakey, Kinari Webb, Laurie Whitsel, Jessica Grossmeier, Vicki Shepard, and Michelle McMacken. Other renowned experts in the health promotion profession authored biographies of these amazing leaders and offered thoughts on how their influence will be felt in years to come. I offer reflections on the differential impact women leaders are having on the direction of the health promotion discipline.
TikTok and Civic Activity Among Young Adults
Authors: Moffett Kenneth W. , Rice Laurie L.
Published: July 2023

TikTok is known for its lighthearted dance and lip-synch videos, yet videos with the hashtag #politics have garnered nearly 14 billion views. Does young adults’ politically oriented expression on TikTok lead to increased civic engagement offline? TikTok helps incorporate young adults into political social networks that may encourage additional civic activity. In addition, the playful, humorous nature of TikTok-based political expression encourages young adults to develop participatory, political selves. Using data from a 2020 survey of Americans between 18 and 25 years old, we find that posting political videos on TikTok connects with higher offline civic engagement. The results suggest that playful political expression is an important feature for promoting young adult civic engagement.
Accountability as the Ground of Human Flourishing
Authors: Torrance Andrew B.
Published: July 2023

This article argues that human flourishing is grounded in relationships of mutual judgement according to which we live and grow as characters in the stories of others. More specifically, it will make a theological case that true human flourishing emerges in a world governed by the judgement of the triune God who creates us to find fulfilment in Jesus Christ, by the Spirit, according to the will of the Father. In so doing, it contends that human flourishing is both grounded in and brought about by relationships of accountability.
Overcoming Tall Poppy Syndrome in New Zealand Using Moral Foundations Theory and Christian Humility
Authors: Webb Rebecca M.
Published: July 2023

New Zealand has an unspoken commandment: ‘thou shalt not be a tall poppy’. A tall poppy is someone who stands out from the crowd, usually by excelling at one or more pursuits. Sadly, many New Zealanders are all too familiar with this phrase as they have been ‘cut down’ by those around them, taunted for their success and discouraged from celebrating their achievements. This social phenomenon of cutting down tall poppies is called Tall Poppy Syndrome and is present in many areas of New Zealand culture, such as sport, academic achievement, and entrepreneurship. Consequently, the church is not immune to this phenomenon. Tall Poppy Syndrome, whether within or outside the church, discourages excellence and prevents flourishing. This article engages Moral Foundations Theory to understand why Tall Poppy Syndrome exists in New Zealand, and then proposes Christian humility as a remedy for Tall Poppy Syndrome within the church. When humility and excellence can co-exist, then Tall Poppy Syndrome will no longer exist; thus the church could have an important role in enabling New Zealand to be a place where tall poppies can freely flourish.
Establishment of a two-axis commercial vehicle 6DOF prediction model for nonlinear MPC controller
Authors: Zhang Boshi , Shi Shuming , Yu Shuyou , Yu Jianhua , Li YongFu , Meng Fanyu , Lin Nan
Published: July 2023

Most of the commercial vehicle dynamics models used by nonlinear MPC controllers are 3-DOF models, which do not reflect the motion constraints of sprung and unsprung masses, the coupling relationship between translational and rotational motion, and the coupling characteristics of lateral and longitudinal tire forces, so it is difficult to meet the model prediction requirements under extreme working conditions. Therefore, according to the dynamics theory, this paper firstly establishes a 14DOF model which can reflect the movement characteristics of the sprung mass in the lateral, longitudinal, and vertical space, the suspension characteristics and the movement characteristics of the wheels on both sides. Then, in order to reduce the computational burden of the model prediction and make it applicable to the nonlinear MPC controller, the 14DOF model is simplified to the 6DOF model. Finally, the established 6DOF model and the classical 3DOF commercial vehicle model were compared and evaluated based on the error in prediction horizon and performance in trajectory tracking. The results show that the model that, in extreme working conditions, the new 6DOF model has obvious accuracy advantages compared with the classical 3DOF model in the prediction horizon, and can achieve convergence to the reference states faster, so as to obtain a solution efficiency similar to or even higher than 3DOF.
Adding Up Peer Beliefs: Experimental and Field Evidence on the Effect of Peer Influence on Math Performance
Authors: Wu Sherry Jueyu , Cai Xiqian
Published: July 2023

We studied how gendered beliefs about intellectual abilities transmit through peers and differentially impact girls’ academic performance relative to boys’. Study 1 ( N = 8,029; 208 classrooms) exploited randomly assigned variation in the proportion of a child’s middle school classmates who believe that boys are innately better than girls at learning math. An increase in exposure to peers who report this belief generated losses for girls and gains for boys in math performance. This peer exposure also increased children’s likelihood of believing the gender–math stereotype, increased the perceived difficulty of math, and reduced aspirations among girls. Study 2 ( N = 547) provided proof of concept that activating a gender–math performance gap among college students reduces women’s math performance but not verbal performance. Men’s task performance was not affected. Our findings highlight how the prevalence of stereotypical beliefs in one’s ambient and peer environment, even when readily contradictable, can shape children’s beliefs and academic ability.
Unmasking the Behavioural Intention of Social Commerce in Developing Countries: Integrating Technology Acceptance Model
Authors: Khan Abdul Gaffar , Hasan Noman , Ali Md. Rostam
Published: July 2023

Despite the fact that lifestyle of consumers is radically changing, which has a significant impact on business, little attention has been given to the lifestyle of users, which can influence social commerce (S-commerce). To bridge the gap, this study focused on investigating how assorted measures change the behavioural adoption of social commerce in a developing country by integrating the extension of the technology acceptance model (TAM). Data were gleaned using personal-administered structured questionnaires from Bangladesh participants who used social commerce. The developed hypotheses were tested using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Results revealed that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived trust and perceived lifestyle have a positive influence on attitudes towards social commerce. In addition, attitudes towards social commerce have a positive relationship with the intention to adopt social commerce. Furthermore, perceived efficiency and perceived risk have an insignificant positive effect on changing attitudes towards adopting social commerce. Finally, these results’ theoretical and practical implications are discussed at the end. This study first contributes to extending the TAM by incorporating a new construct of perceiving lifestyle.
Data Sharing for Randomized Controlled Trials in Social Work
Authors: Edwards Ashley A. , van Dijk Wilhelmina , Tripodi Stephen J. , Hart Sara A.
Published: July 2023

Sharing data publicly can provide numerous benefits to the data owner, data user, as well as the social work research community as a whole. Given the time and resources required to collect data in randomized controlled trials, gleaning the maximum amount of information from this data is highly desirable. Data sets considered to be exhausted by the primary research team often have valuable information that can be used by researchers with different research interests or analytic skill sets. Sharing these data allows other researchers to use these data to answer their research questions without duplicating the data collection efforts. Sharing data can also increase attention to the work of the primary research team, with papers with open data receiving more citations than those without public data. Engaging in open science practices such as data sharing can lead research to be seen as more trustworthy and reliable.
Who’s Involved? Case Reports on Older Adults’ Alcohol and Tobacco Use in Dutch Residential Care Facilities
Authors: de Graaf Lisette , Janssen Meriam , Roelofs Tineke , Luijkx Katrien
Published: July 2023

Residential care facilities (RCFs) provide 24/7 care to older adults with cognitive and/or physical disabilities and aim to provide person-centered care (PCC). Maintaining residents’ autonomy is important to provide PCC, for example, with shared decision-making (SDM). Residents are largely dependent on multiple stakeholders, which could jeopardize their autonomy, especially regarding unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking tobacco or drinking alcohol. This case study explores the dynamics of multiple stakeholders around four RCF residents regarding their alcohol and/or tobacco use. Four RCF residents who smoke tobacco and/or drink alcohol were selected from a previous study, and their (in)formal caregivers were additionally invited to participate. A qualitative research design was chosen, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The Ethics Review Board from the Tilburg University School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Reference: RP39) and the executive boards of the two participating organizations granted approval. Narrative portraiture resulted in four case descriptions. Two cases focused mostly on tobacco use, and two cases focused mostly on alcohol use. Multiple stakeholders were involved on different levels: family bought alcohol or cigarettes, and team managers supported care professionals. However, little interaction was found between stakeholders. In these cases, limited interaction between the stakeholders, including the resident, jeopardizes SDM and, in this way, PCC regarding residents’ alcohol and/or tobacco use. SDM on this topic could enhance interaction between all stakeholders involved, which could increase PCC. Finally, the cases indicate a constant struggle between protecting residents from adverse outcomes of alcohol and tobacco use and enhancing their autonomy.