bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Nonwoven Geotextile-Encased Cinder Gravel Column in Improving Load-Bearing and Deformation Characteristics of Soft Clay
Authors: Tefera Narob Kifle , Melese Damtew Tsige , Bafena Habte Tamirat , Negesa Adamu Beyene
Published: February 2023

Application of vertically installed columnar materials made of natural gravels or crushed aggregate is one of the commonly implemented practices to improve the performance of soft clay grounds under footing load. Alternative materials like cinder gravel also plays a reinforcing role when blended with soft clay. However, information on the precise extent to which a vertically installed cinder gravel column is effective in improving the properties of a clay foundation and its potential response to the permanently applied footing load has not been well documented in the literature. Hence, the current study specifically aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of geotextile-encased cinder gravel column in improving deformation and bearing capacity of soft clay ground. The experimental model which considered installation of a single geotextile-encased cinder gravel column into soft clay was considered. A cylindrical steel container was used in designing the experimental test. The container was filled with clay soil and the cinder gravel column was vertically installed through a replacement method. Finding of the study revealed that ultimate load-bearing capacity of the soft clay foundation after being reinforced with conventional cinder gravel was 1.85 times that of the untreated soft clay soil. The load-carrying capacity of the clay soil decreased with increment in diameter of the column whereas it is directly related to the volume replacement ratio. With regard to directional improvement, the vertical reinforcement performs better than the horizontal geotextile strips in cinder gravel column from bearing capacity improvement view point. In lessening settlement, however, application of horizontal geotextile discs at spacing ranging between half- and full-column diameter overweighs performance of the vertical encasement. In summary, application of geotextile encasement to the top 75% of the clay thickness is sufficient to come up with optimum improvement in bearing capacity and encasing the entire thickness is not necessarily required.
Steam Explosion Pretreatment with Different Concentrations of Hydrogen Peroxide along with Citric Acid: A Former Step towards Bioethanol Production
Authors: Shukla Akanksha , Kumar Deepak , Girdhar Madhuri , Sharma Ajit , Mohan Anand
Published: February 2023

The present paper focuses on the utilization of the steam explosion method for efficient pretreatment of rice straw, used as a prominent substrate for bioethanol production. Native rice straw contains abundant chemical compounds in the form of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin 32.4%, 57%, and 12.5%, respectively. Pretreatment with different concentrations of H2O2 (0.05%, 0.1%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1%) was used as efficient impregnating agents at an optimum temperature of 121°C at 130 kPa pressure. After pretreatment, cellulosic content increases up to 54.5% while there was a reduction in the hemicellulose and lignin content up to 46.5% and 6.7%, respectively. The morphological changes were analyzed both before and after pretreatment using FTIR, TGA, and XRD. The reducing sugar estimation was carried out using DNS reagent and the absorbance was measured using a UV spectrophotometer at 540 cm-1 wavelength. Estimated results show a reducing sugar yield of 220.05 g/l from 0.05% (

v
/
v

) H2O2 pretreated sample and 273.21 g/l from sample, pretreated with H2O2, citric acid in the ratio of 1 : 1 with the same previous concentration. The XRD data shows enhancement of cellulose accessibility upon pretreatment to 13.3% and thereafter reduction with an increase in the concentration of H2O2. While pretreatment with H2O2 combined with citric acid in 1 : 1 ratio shows enhanced accessibility of 19.6% than untreated rice straw. This work mainly focuses on the core objective of an efficient pretreatment method for sustainable bioethanol production through a novel approach to the production of fermentable sugar.
Effects of Pond Water Depth and Method of Aeration on Phytoplankton Communities in Macrobrachium rosenbergii Farming Ponds
Authors: Sheng Qiang , Tang Qiongying , Xia Zhenglong , Cai Miaoying , Ibrahim Salifu , Yang Guoliang
Published: February 2023

Recently, profitable Macrobrachium rosenbergii farming has developed rapidly in Asia. The occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms is one of the major environmental problems usually encountered in freshwater prawn farms. This study investigated the effects of pond water depth and aeration mode on phytoplankton communities in selected M. rosenbergii farming ponds in China. We adjusted pond water depth and aeration mode (pond water depth: 1.2 m or 1.8 m; method of aeration: surface or both surface and bottom) to compare and analyze phytoplankton community structure and characteristics between ecological (pond water depth: 1.8 m, both surface and bottom aeration) and traditional (pond water depth: 1.2 m, surface aeration) farming ponds. Water quality parameters were compared in six aquaculture systems, which were measured in situ or lab. The results showed that ecological culture suppressed Cyanophyta abundance and significantly increased the numbers of phytoplankton species leading to a 30.43–136.84% increase in the number of species for ecological ponds compared with that in traditional ponds. In all seasons, ecological culture tended to have decreased total nitrogen and ammonia nitrogen, and significantly lower total phosphorus and reactive phosphate compared with traditional ponds. In conclusion, ponds should maintain deeper water depth (1.8 m) and higher N/P ratio (>3) to promote phytoplankton diversity and suppress blooms; applying optimized culture may resolve planktonic algae problems in aquaculture ponds in Asia.
Perampanel Monotherapy for Focal and Generalized Epilepsy in Clinical Practice
Authors: Chinvarun Yotin , Delgado Rafael Toledano , Astner-Rohracher Alexandra , Wehner Tim , Toledo Manuel , Matricardi Sara , Trinka Eugen , Malhotra Manoj , Shastri Oliver , Villanueva Vicente
Published: February 2023

Objectives. To investigate the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of perampanel (PER) when used as monotherapy to treat focal or generalized epilepsy in everyday clinical practice, using data from the PERMIT study. Methods. PERMIT was a pooled analysis of 44 real-world studies from 17 countries, in which people with focal and generalized epilepsy were treated with PER. This post hoc analysis included people with epilepsy (PWE) from PERMIT who were treated with PER monotherapy at baseline. Retention and effectiveness were assessed after 3, 6, and 12 months. Effectiveness assessments included ≥50% responder rate and seizure freedom rate (no seizures since at least the prior visit). Safety and tolerability were assessed by evaluating adverse events (AEs) and discontinuation due to AEs. Results. Overall, 268 PWE were treated with PER monotherapy at baseline. Retention was assessed for 168 PWE, effectiveness for 183 PWE, and safety and tolerability for 197 PWE. Retention rates were 91.1%, 87.3%, and 73.3% at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. At 12 months, responder rates were 84.2% overall, 82.9% in PWE with only focal-onset seizures at baseline, and 88.0% in those with only generalized-onset seizures at baseline; corresponding freedom rates were 62.9%, 57.7%, and 80.0%, respectively. AEs were reported for 45.2% of PWE. The most frequently reported AEs (≥5% of PWE) were dizziness/vertigo (16.8%), irritability (11.2%), somnolence (9.1%), and depression (6.6%). Over 12 months, 13.7% discontinued due to AEs. Conclusions. PER was effective when used as monotherapy in clinical practice, particularly in those with generalized-onset seizures, and was generally well tolerated.
Creep Behavior and Its Prediction of Saturated Weakly Cemented Medium-Grained Sandstone under Multiaxial Loadings
Authors: Gu Qingheng , Zhao Guangming , Meng Xiangrui , Sun Jian , Cheng Xiang , Xu Wensong , Zhang Ruofei
Published: February 2023

Weakly cemented medium-grained sandstone in Ordos mining area of China is widely distributed under phreatic water. The creep behavior of saturated rock is important for the stability of water-resisting strata. In this paper, creep mechanical properties of saturated medium-grained sandstone were studied by triaxial rheological test. The results showed that medium-grained sandstone only shows attenuation creep and stable creep under low stress level, and accelerated creep occurs when axial load reaches about 75% of instantaneous compressive strength. The rock samples exhibit volume dilatancy under most loading levels and finally shear fracture. The failure mechanism is the dislocation separation of mineral particles. Based on the energy dissipation theory, the damage evolution equation was modified and introduced into the Burgers model, which can accurately describe the rheological behavior of saturated medium-grained sandstone. The modified model was used to predict the crack initiation time under different deviatoric stresses, which can provide guidance for early warning of water-resisting rock stability.
A Mixed-Method Study on the Palliative Care Capacity of Social Workers in Flanders (Belgium): A Call to Expand Their Role
Authors: Taels Brent , Hermans Kirsten , Van Audenhove Chantal , Cohen Joachim , Hermans Koen , Declercq Anja
Published: February 2023

This study explores the palliative care capacity of social workers in Flanders. First, it examines the frequency with which social workers in Flanders are currently performing palliative care tasks. Second, this study assesses their attitudes and competencies regarding the performance of these tasks. Third, as contextual factors also influence this performance, this study explores the level of appreciation experienced by social workers in Flanders. To achieve these objectives, a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design was used. Quantitative data were collected by distributing electronic survey questionnaires on QUALTRICS© to a theoretical sample of social workers in Flemish hospitals, community health clinics, nursing homes, home care, and health insurance services. A total of 499 social workers completed the survey in April and May 2021, of whom 352 met the eligibility criteria and were retained for analysis. Qualitative data were collected based on online focus groups between June and September 2021, in which a total of 24 social workers discussed the main survey results. Transcripts from the focus groups were analysed by using the framework method. The results indicate that the current palliative care capacity of responding social workers in Flanders is limited to tasks related to client assessment and referral, while their potential role extends beyond these tasks. With an expanded role, social workers would be better able to address the social dimensions of care, engage in politicising work, and, in turn, contribute to a holistic and multidimensional approach to palliative care. However, this study illustrates the need to increase the competencies and actual involvement of social workers in tasks associated with this expanded role.
Familiar Road Loyalty Modeling Considering the Effect of Truckers’ Emotional Value
Authors: Wei Panyi , Huang Jianling , Chen Yanyan , Zhou Ronggui , Chen Ning , Zhang Yunchao
Published: February 2023

This paper investigates the internal mechanism of the trucker’s willingness to use familiar roads by constructing a structural equation model of road loyalty, in which the influence of the trucker’s “emotional value” is additionally considered. The proposed method can be used to understand the trucker’s psychological needs to improve the level of road service. Based on questionnaire data, AMOS software was used to analyze the correlations and corresponding parameters among 10 latent variables and 30 explicit variables. The model results show that, in addition to the value of roads as a commodity, the emotional dependence of truckers in the process of using them also has an impact on the perceived value of road services. The results of model index scores show that truck drivers’ loyalty to the road does not represent their satisfaction, and familiarity with the road is still “forced” to be the first choice of most truckers due to the cost and trust in the reliability of unfamiliar roads when the road service quality and experience do not meet truckers’ expectations. The latent variable scores indicate that improvements in “road safety” and “costs” are the key points to improve truckers’ overall satisfaction with road freight access.
A Wideband Transition from Microstrip Line to Microstrip Spoof Surface Plasmon Polariton Line for Microwave/Millimeter-Wave Applications
Authors: Sharma Somia , Singh Rajesh Kumar , Basu Ananjan , Koul Shiban K.
Published: February 2023

In this article, a wideband transition from a microstrip transmission line to a microstrip spoof surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) transmission line is reported. The proposed transition is realized to achieve better performance starting from low frequencies up to 40 GHz. The proposed shape of the unit cell is taken in such a manner that the momentum, impedance, and polarization of the microstrip line can be matched with that of the SSPP transmission line. The wide operating band of the transition can be achieved by perturbing only the shape of the unit cell. Extra care is taken in choosing the shape of the unit cell so that the fabrication of the circuit becomes easier, especially at millimeter-wave frequencies. The proposed transition has a good transition-occupation ratio and transmission efficiency. The achieved transition-occupation ratio and transition efficiency for all three designed cases are excellent, and it is 34.18%, 44%, and 39% for

p
=
1

 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm, respectively. It is a potential candidate for realizing millimeter-wave antennas and devices due to its attractive properties, such as compact layout, low fabrication cost, ease of fabrication even at millimeter-wave frequencies, and good operational characteristics.
The Relationship between Family Doctor Contract Services Policy and Perceived Participation in Primary Health Care among Chronic Disease Patients in China: The Mediating Role of the Patient Trust
Authors: Li Xinru , Li Jinghua , Shao Weiya , Ma Jingyu , Zhou Angdi , Song Yiwen , Zhang Li
Published: February 2023

Participation by patients with chronic diseases under primary health care requires more attention to achieve effective disease management and better health outcomes. In 2016, China proposed accelerating the establishment of a system of family doctors (FDs) and strengthening doctor-patient communication to better meet residents’ health service needs. This study aimed to describe perceived participation in primary health care among patients with chronic diseases in northeastern China and explore the impact of FD contract services and patient’s trust on patients’ perceived participation. A cross-sectional survey of 847 patients with chronic diseases in 16 primary healthcare institutions was conducted in Jilin Province, China. Among all participants, 453 patients reported signing up for FD contract services (62.93%). The perceived participation of patients with chronic diseases was at a low level (mean = 6.71 and SD = 3.35). After controlling for sociodemographic variables and health-related variables, FD contract services directly and indirectly influenced patients’ perceived participation. The patient’s trust was a mediator in the relationship between FD contract services and perceived participation. This study confirmed the valuation of family doctor contract services and provided a theoretical basis for the formulation of primary health service policies. Health organizations should continue to enhance the capacity of primary health services and attract more chronic disease patients to contract with FD teams, thereby enhancing doctor-patient trust and increasing patient’s participation in primary health care.
Prognosis and Outcome of Cerebral Sinus Venous Thrombosis—A Multicenter Cohort Study
Authors: Simaan Naaem , Honig Asaf , Hallevi Hen , Seyman Estelle , Rotschild Ofer , Assayag Einor Ben , Filioglo Andrei , Peretz Shlomi , Mendel Rom , Barnea Rani , Auriel Eitan , Aladdin Shorooq , Orion David , Darawsha Khalil , Shbat Fadi , Leker Ronen R. , Molad Jeremy
Published: February 2023

Objectives. Cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) is a rare stroke subtype and data regarding prognostic factors to predict outcomes are lacking. Thus, we aimed to identify predictors for outcome among CSVT patients. Materials and Methods. Prospective CSVT databases from four academic medical centers were retrospectively studied. Demographics, clinical presentations, risk factors, radiological, and outcome parameters were compared. Results. Out of 508 patients diagnosed with CSVT, 21 patients (4%) died, and 91 (18.6%) had unfavorable outcome (

mRS
≥
2

). Age (55.0 vs. 38.5,

p
<
0.001

), hypertension (26% vs. 6%,

p
<
0.001

), hyperlipidemia (23% vs. 6%,

p
<
0.001

), diabetes (17% vs. 4%,

p
<
0.001

), malignancy (35% vs. 11%,

p
<
0.001

), absence of headache (51% vs. 78%,

p
<
0.001

), focal neurological deficit (54% vs. 19%,

p
<
0.001

), and ICH (28% vs. 13%,

p
<
0.001

) were all associated with unfavorable outcome. After multivariate analysis malignancy (OR 4.2,

p
=
0.003

), the presence of focal neurological deficit (OR 5.2,

p
<
0.001

) and the presence of headache upon presentation (OR 0.334,

p
=
0.018

) remained significant predictors for favorable outcome. Conclusions. Among CSVT patients, malignancy, focal neurological deficits, and absence of headache at presentation were associated with unfavorable outcomes.
Myocardial Infarction-Induced INSL6 Decrease Contributes to Breast Cancer Progression
Authors: Zheng Yue , Gao Wenqing , Wang Song , Qi Bingcai , Qi Zhenchang , Hu Xiaomin , Zhang Qiang , Lang Yuheng , Ning Meng , Luo Zhiqiang , Li Tong
Published: February 2023

Myocardial infarction (MI) induces early-stage breast cancer progression and increases breast cancer patients’ mortality and morbidity. Insulin-like peptide 6 (INSL6) overexpression can impede cardiotoxin-induced injury through myofiber regeneration, playing a significant role in MI progression. To investigate the diverse significance of INSL6 in a variety of malignant tumors, we explored INSL6 through MI GEO dataset and multiple omics data integrative analysis, such as gene expression level, enriched pathway analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, and immune subtypes as well as diagnostic value and prognostic value in pancancer. INSL6 expression was downregulated in the MI group, and overall survival analysis demonstrated that INSL6 could be the prognostic biomarkers in the overall survival of breast cancer (BRCA). INSL6 expression differs significantly not only in most cancers but also in different molecular and immune subtypes of cancers. INSL6 might be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of cancers due to the high accuracy in diagnostic and prognostic value. Furthermore, we focused on BRCA and further investigated INSL6 from the perspective of the correlations with clinical characteristics, prognosis in different clinical subgroups, coexpression genes, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and PPI analysis. Overall survival and disease-specific survival analysis of subgroups in BRCA demonstrated that lower INSL6 expression had a worse prognosis. Therefore, INSL6 aberrant expression is associated with the progression and immune cell infiltration of the tumor, especially in KIRP and BRCA. Therefore, INSL6 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker and the crosstalk between MI and tumor progression.
Characteristics of Flow Development and Boiling Transitions in the Liquid Oxygen Chill-Down Process in a Straight Horizontal Exit-Contracted Pipe
Authors: Chen Lanwei , Zhang Jiaqi
Published: February 2023

Liquid oxygen chill-down in a straight horizontal pipe was studied experimentally. The effect of the entrance corner was excluded, and much denser wall temperature sensors along the pipe have been set compared to the present studies. In this way, the chill-down process, as well as the development of the flow pattern, has been drawn for every test. As a result, the mechanism of LO2 chill-down would be obtained for various pressure sections. For cases with stable pressure below 1.25 MPa, liquid rewetting in the pipe is controlled by the propagation of quenching fronts. For cases with a higher pressure, liquid rewetting in the second half of the pipe is controlled by the sudden liquid fill-in. Based on the transition points obtained, heat transfer coefficients on the Leidenfrost point and critical heat flux have been correlated for various pressure sections using new approaches. Conclusions show that the correlation equations are dependent on the chill-down mechanisms.
Optimization Path and Design of Intelligent Logistics Management System Based on ROS Robot
Authors: Wu Ruijie
Published: February 2023

With the rapid development of the Internet of Things (IoT), the logistics and transportation industry is booming. At the same time, with the advancement of AI technology, intelligent logistics is also gradually emerging, and the purpose of intelligent logistics is to use different types of automatic guided transport machines to replace people to handle and move products. At the same time, with the help of big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, sensor technology, and other technologies, we can achieve logistics automation. However, the current logistics robot creation platforms are diverse, which makes intelligent logistics robots diverse in variety and wide in application and also makes the creation and use of robots more challenging. Robot Operating System (ROS) is an open-source software platform that supports programming in multiple languages and has excellent adaptability. In addition, most of the currently used path planning focuses on a single target point, which is insufficient to support the current needs of multitasking in intelligent logistics. Therefore, this paper aimed to design an intelligent logistics management system based on ROS robot and proposed to use the A-star algorithm to calculate the shortest path of the robot so as to achieve the optimal path. In the simulation experiment, 20 ROS robots were selected and divided into two groups. In the logistics warehouse of different transportation nodes, 20 ROS robots were set up to transport goods of different weights in the experiment, and the transportation data were collected at last. The final simulation results have shown that the power consumption and response delay performance of the ROS robot are good, and the logistics transportation speed is significantly improved. In addition, compared with the traditional transportation method, the daily transportation weight of each robot is up to 310.1% and the monthly profit is up to 171%, which shows that the intelligent logistics management system designed in this paper is more efficient in logistics and transportation and can bring more profits.
Selection of Sustainable Building Material Using Multicriteria Decision-Making Model: A Case of Masonry Work in Lideta Subcity, Addis Ababa
Authors: Tegegne Diriba , Abera Mebratu , Alemayehu Esayas
Published: February 2023

In today’s world, where the need for construction projects is increasing from time to time, especially in developing countries such as Ethiopia, sustainability issues and principles were not exercised by construction professionals during the material selection process. At the initial stage, the designer considers materials he/she is familiar with. However, their assumption may not work because the structure that is going to be developed may be different from the previous one. Thus, the designer shall consider sustainability issues during the design period. This article will guide construction stakeholders in the selection of sustainable building materials, specifically masonry materials in the Ethiopian construction industry. The research was carried out in the Addis Ababa Lideta subcity, to identify sustainable building materials for masonry work. The selection process is not depending on a single factor rather it depends on multifactors. The identification was carried out through exploring factors affecting the selection of sustainable building materials for masonry work. The weights of identified factors were determined by pairwise comparison among the factors under consideration. The research is of the empirical type which uses mathematical formula, matrix concept, and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) as a model. In this method, pairwise comparisons were made among the criteria and subcriteria so that the weights of the criteria or subcriteria/or alternative on the bases of the indicated criteria were computed. Then, prioritization was made on the bases of the weight of the criteria. Finally, an alternative with a high score shall be selected. The article identifies the major factor affecting the selection of sustainable building materials for masonry work as social benefit, performance capability, sustainability of the material to reduce environmental impact, waste minimization, resource efficiency, and life cycle cost of the material. Under each criterion, there are number of subcriteria contributed to them. On the basis of the above criteria, 4 alternatives (stone, brick, CEB, and cement block) were proposed from which compressed Earth block (CEB) was selected.
Green Synthesis of Cobalt Ferrite Nanoparticles: An Emerging Material for Environmental and Biomedical Applications
Authors: Tamboli Qudsiya Y. , Patange Sunil M. , Mohanta Yugal Kishore , Sharma Rohit , Zakde Kranti R.
Published: February 2023

Research and utilization of nanotechnology are growing exponentially in every aspect of life. The constant growth of applications for magnetic nanoparticles, specifically nanoferrites, attracted many researchers. Among them, nanocobalt ferrite is the most crucial and studied magnetic nanoparticle. Environmentally benign synthetic methods became necessary to minimize environmental and occupational hazards. Green synthesis approaches in science and technology are now widely applied in the synthesis of nanomaterials. Herein, we reviewed recent advances in synthesizing nanocobalt ferrites and their composites using various scientific search engines. Subsequently, various applications were discussed, such as environmental (treatment of water/wastewater, photocatalytic degradation of dyes, and nanosorbent for environmental remediation) and biomedical (nanobiosensors for cancer diagnosis at the primary stage, effective targeted drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging, hyperthermia, and potential drug candidates against cancer and microbial infections). This review offers comprehensive knowledge on how to choose appropriate natural resources for the green synthesis of nanocobalt ferrite and the benefits of this approach compared to conventional methods.
Binaural Hearing Using the ADHEAR Bone Conduction System in the Monaurally Occluded Ear
Authors: Canale Andrea , Ndrev Drita , Macocco Francesco , Albera Roberto , Aschero Giulia , Lovallo Silvano , Gragnano Maria , Scozzari Gitana , Albera Andrea
Published: February 2023

Introduction: The study aimed to investigate binaural cues in the rehabilitation of unilateral occluded ears with a bone conduction hearing aid. Methods: The study sample consisted of 40 adult volunteers with normal hearing. Unilateral pseudo-conductive hearing loss was induced by inserting an earplug into the external auditory canal (EAC) and silicone material in the concha for ear impression. The adaptive speech-in-noise test (Italian Matrix test) was performed in three spatial orientations to assess binaural cues (summation, squelch, and head shadow effects). All evaluations were performed in the normal condition, after EAC occlusion, and after application of an adhesive bone conduction hearing aid. Binaural contrast differences were calculated in the three conditions. Results: In the EAC occlusion condition, there was a significant increase in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in both the S0N0 (2.4 dB) and the S90N−90 (7.7 dB) settings, and a slight albeit significant increase in the S0N90 setting (1.35 dB). After fitting the BC hearing aid, there was a reduction of −1.8 dB SNR (p < 0.001) in the S0N0 setting and −2 dB (p = 0.003) in the S90N−90 setting. There was no improvement in the SNR (p = 0.405) in evaluation of the squelch effect (S0N90). These data were corroborated by a better binaural contrast due to a reduction in the summation effect in the monaural occlusion condition and a subsequent reduction in binaural contrast after fitting the hearing aid due to an increase in the summation effect (−2.5 dB vs. 0.3 dB; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Application of a bone conduction hearing aid in unilateral pseudo-conductive hearing loss strengthens speech recognition of noise by improving the summation effect and impeding the shadow effect of the head; however, there appears to be no improvement in speech perception in noise due to spatial release from masking.
Hypoglycemic Encephalopathy Manifesting with Cortical Hemichorea-Hemiballismus Syndrome: A Case Report
Authors: Pasini Francesco , Karantzoulis Aristotelis , Fanella Gaia , Brovelli Francesco , Iacobucci Davide , Aprea Vittoria , Storti Benedetta , Santangelo Francesco , Canonico Francesco , Remida Paolo , Ferrarese Carlo , Brighina Laura
Published: February 2023

Hyper-/hypoglycemic states are rare but well-established causes of hyperkinetic movements, including chorea and ballismus, usually associated with brain lesions in the basal ganglia. We report a case of hemichorea-hemiballismus (HCHB) syndrome that developed after a severe hypoglycemic episode in a 71-year-old man with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus. Uncommonly, brain MRI showed contralateral cortical-subcortical T2 and T2-FLAIR-hyperintense frontoparietal lesions, with cingulate gyrus involved, while the basal ganglia were unaffected. In patients with hypoglycemic encephalopathy associated with cortical lesions, the long-term prognosis is usually poor. Nevertheless, in our patient, the dyskinesias and the cerebral lesions progressively regressed by achieving good glycemic control. After four and 12 months, the patient’s neurological examination was normal. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of hypoglycemic etiology of cortical HCHB syndrome, supporting recent theories that cortical circuitries may independently contribute to the pathogenesis of chorea and ballismus. This is also the first report of cingulate gyrus involvement in hypoglycemic encephalopathy. Finally, this case may indicate that a subset of patients with cortical lesions due to hypoglycemia could present a good clinical outcome, likely depending on the size of the lesions and the duration and severity of the hypoglycemic episode.
Entrevista com Amadou-Mahtar M’Bow
Authors: Mira Vinícius José , Sossai Fernando Cesar , Machado Diego Finder
Published: February 2023

O senegalês Amadou-Mahtar M’Bow teve uma trajetória profissional muito ligada à questão cultural. Geógrafo de formação na Universidade de Sorbonne, M’Bow foi militante pela independência de seu país e se tornou Ministro da Educação no período de governo autônomo do Senegal, em 1956, à época em vias de se tornar independente. Nos anos seguintes, Amadou-Mahtar M’Bow passou a atuar na Organização das Nações Unidas para a Educação, a Ciência e a Cultura (Unesco), como represesentante do seu país no Conselho Executivo. Também presidiu a Comissão do Programa e das Relações Exteriores do Conselho Executivo de 1968 a 1970. Em 1970, tornou-se Diretor Geral Adjunto de Educação, além de ter sido o Diretor-geral da Unesco entre 1974 e 1987. No rico depoimento de M’Bow, vários aspectos da Convenção do Patrimônio Mundial são mencionados. Destacamos o testemunho das primeiras missões da UNESCO para proteção do patrimônio cultural, que acabariam ajudando a amadurecer a noção de um patrimônio cultural que pertence a toda a humanidade. M’Bow também destaca os desafios que a Convenção teve que enfrentar, em particular na conservação de monumentos ameaçados, conforme mencionado no depoimento quanto ao caso da Acrópole de Atenas, da cidade de Veneza e do centro histórico de Varsóvia. No que diz respeito aos sucessos e fracassos da Convenção, M’Bow menciona o caso bem-sucedido da indicação de Brasília, como uma ampliação da noção de patrimônio, e o insucesso no caso dos Estados-membros que não levam tão a sério a conservação dos seus bens.
Representações da ciência e do cientista: uma análise da exposição Quando nem tudo era gelo: novas descoberta no continente antártico, do Museu Nacional/UFRJ
Authors: Pereira Júlia Botelho , Massarani Luisa
Published: February 2023

Inserido em um projeto que tem como objetivo identificar como são representados os cientistas e a ciência nos discursos expositivos das instituições museológicas brasileiras, este estudo de caráter qualitativo exploratório analisa a exposição Quando Nem Tudo Era Gelo: Novas Descobertas no Continente Antártico – primeira iniciativa do Museu Nacional/UFRJ,após o incêndio que acometeu a sede da instituição em 2018. Para tal, utilizamos as metodologias de avaliação técnica e análise de conteúdo qualitativa. Observamos que ciência e cientistas aparecem de uma forma não estereotipada, mas o acervo científico recebe um tratamento classificatório clássico de museus de ciência tradicionais. Os resultados mostram, ainda, uma influência institucional na abordagem proposta para a exposição e a importância dada à comunicação com os públicos não especialistas.
Cardinalidade e Cognição: Edmond Costère em perspectiva
Authors: Baldaia Vinicius Siqueira
Published: February 2023

Neste trabalho, discutiremos a fundamentação de conceitos e mecanismos neurofisiológicos relativos à percepção e processamento do que fora denominado por Edmond Costère “Cardinalidade” e “Estabilidade”. O objetivo de expor e discorrer sobre tais conceitos e mecanismos reside na expectativa de lançar bases teóricas que justifiquem cientificamente a abordagem de organização intervalar com base nos principais pressupostos de Edmond Costère. A bibliografia inclui escritos nas páreas de Psicologia da Música, Neurociência, Psicofísica e Teoria da Informação, além de escritos de teóricos de compositores. Concluiremos que as observações empíricas de Costère encontram respaldo na bibliografia científica, incluindo dados experimentais coletados por pesquisadores contemporâneos. Entenderemos, com isso, que sua abordagem possui validade científica e, portanto, merece tanto continuar sendo discutida em âmbito científico quanto ser aplicada à prática artística.
A Flauta doce em Portinari: uma mirada complexa
Authors: Gifoni Luciana Rodrigues
Published: February 2023

O olhar acerca da temática musical representada nas artes visuais pode contribuir com novas abordagens para se pensar a música e suas práticas culturais. Este artigo ressalta a problemática da flauta doce no século XX enquanto um objeto histórico, simbólico e cultural, a partir da análise de sua representação no Retrato de João Candido, obra de 1943 do pintor Candido Portinari (1903-1962) em que ele retrata seu filho de 04 anos soprando uma flauta doce, com trajes de arlequim. Que sentidos são construídos com a presença deste instrumento musical na obra? Como compreender a flauta doce representada nas mãos da criança frente ao contexto da ausência de sua prática no Brasil na primeira metade do século XX? A discussão dessas questões busca tecer uma aproximação entre os estudos musicológicos sobre o ressurgimento da prática de flauta doce no século XX e uma investigação sobre as características intrínsecas do retrato de Portinari à luz dos contextos profissional e pessoal do artista. As hipóteses são elaboradas e confrontadas a partir de dois caminhos: da existência ou não do instrumento na vida familiar dos Portinari. Como referências principais, a pesquisa se baseia em Josep Català (2005) e Roland Barthes (1984) para a análise da imagem; Patrícia Aguilar (2017) e Robert Ehrlich (2021) para a contextualização da flauta doce; Annateresa Fabris (1990) para a obra de Portinari. As fontes documentais foram obtidas através do acervo do Projeto Portinari (2018).
The Gender Wage Gap in an Online Labor Market: The Cost of Interruptions
Authors: Adams Abi , Hara Kotaro , Milland Kristy , Callison-Burch Chris
Published: February 2023

This paper analyzes gender differences in working patterns and wages on Amazon Mechanical Turk, a popular online labor platform. Using information on 2 million tasks, we find no gender differences in task selection nor experience. Nonetheless, women earn 20% less per hour on average. Gender differences in working patterns are a significant driver of this wage gap. Women are more likely to interrupt their working time on the platform with consequences for their task completion speed. A follow-up survey shows that the gender differences in working patterns and hourly wages are concentrated among workers with children.
Climate Risk and Preferences over the Size of Government: Evidence from California Wildfires
Authors: Coury Michael
Published: February 2023

How does exposure to risk shape individual preferences for an expanded state? I examine this question in the context of climate change-related risk. Using variation in California wildfire activity, I show neighborhoods experiencing large fires increase support by 0.8 percentage points for ballot initiatives which expand the size of government and by 2.4 percentage points for ballot initiatives endorsed by pro-environment interest groups. The effect is stronger in Republican areas and is not driven by shifts in voter registration or turnout, suggesting the mechanism acts through changes in individual preferences rather than compositional changes in the electorate.
Doing More with Less: Predicting Primary Care Provider Effectiveness
Authors: Currie Janet , Zhang Jonathan
Published: February 2023

We use data from the Veterans Administration to examine the efficacy of primary care providers (PCPs). Leveraging quasi-random assignment of veterans to PCPs, we measure effectiveness using ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) and hospitalizations/emergency department (ED) visits for mental health or circulatory conditions. PCPs’ variation along these dimensions predicts future outcomes. For example, a 1 standard deviation improvement in mental health effectiveness reduces patient risk of death by 3.8% and lowers costs by 4.4% over the next three years. More effective PCPs do more with less: their patients have fewer primary care visits, specialist referrals, lab panels, or imaging tests.
Competition and Quality: Evidence from High-Speed Railways and Airlines
Authors: Fang Hanming , Wang Long , Yang Yang
Published: February 2023

The entry of High-Speed Railways (HSR) represents a disruptive competition to airlines. Utilizing a unique dataset of all flights departing from Beijing to 113 domestic destinations in China since January 2009, we employ a difference-in-differences approach to examine the effects of HSR entry on on-time performance and to identify the channels. We document two main findings. First, the entry of HSR leads to significant reductions in the mean and variance of travel delays on the affected airline routes. Second, the reductions in departure delays and taxi-in time at the destination airports are identified as the main channels.
Short and Simple Confidence Intervals When the Directions of Some Effects Are Known
Authors: Ketz Philipp , McCloskey Adam
Published: February 2023

We introduce adaptive confidence intervals on a parameter of interest in the presence of nuisance parameters, such as coefficients on control variables, with known signs. Our confidence intervals are trivial to compute and can provide significant length reductions relative to standard ones when the nuisance parameters are small. At the same time, they entail minimal length increases at any parameter values. We apply our confidence intervals to the linear regression model, prove their uniform validity and illustrate their length properties in an empirical application to a factorial design field experiment and a Monte Carlo study calibrated to the empirical application.
Revision of Chloeia Savigny in Lamarck, 1818 (Annelida, Amphinomidae)
Authors: SALAZAR-VALLEJO SERGIO I.
Published: February 2023

Chloeia Savigny in Lamarck, 1818 is the largest genus in the Amphinomidae by including more species than other genera. Members of Chloeia species thrive in mixed substrates or sediments, mostly in tropical waters, and rarely reach deep water, or cold-temperate environments. A recent revision dealt with the species from tropical American seas and resulted in the redescription of five species, and the description of two other new ones. The objective for this additional contribution was to revise type and non-type specimens deposited in 12 of the largest world collections, and by applying a slightly modified approach from the precedent revision. Species were grouped herein after the type of branchiae, the first chaetiger with branchiae, and the dorsal pigmentation pattern. The results include the redescription of 16 species, with C. flava (Pallas, 1766) and C. fusca M’Intosh, 1885 being restricted, and three others reinstated: C. incerta de Quatrefages, 1866; C. fucata de Quatrefages, 1866, and C. pulchella Baird, 1868; 10 species are regarded as indeterminable: C. ancora Frickhinger, 1916; C. bengalensis Kinberg, 1867; C. candida Kinberg, 1857; C. egena Grube, 1855; C. furcigera de Quatrefages, 1866; C. macleayi Haswell, 1879; C. malaica Kinberg, 1867; C. nuda de Quatrefages, 1866; C. quatrefagesii Baird, 1868; and C. rupestris Risso, 1826. Further, 10 recently described species are being diagnosed and compared to their most similar species, but not redescribed; and 17 species are newly described: C. amoureuxi sp. n. from Madagascar, C. bemisae sp. n. from The Philippines, C. boucheti sp. n. from Indonesia, C. fauveli sp. n. from the Bay of Bengal, C. fiegei sp. n. from the Red Sea, C. gesae sp. n. from the Northeastern Atlantic, C. gilleti sp. n. from Western Africa, C. hutchingsae sp. n. from Australia, C. keablei sp. n. from Papua New Guinea, C. mezianei sp. n. from Western Africa, C. murrayae sp. n. from Australia, C. piotrowskiae sp. n. from The Philippines, C. poupini sp. n. from the French Polynesia, C. richeri sp. n. from New Caledonia, C. slapcisnkyi sp. n. from The Philippines, C wangi sp. n. from The Philippines, and C. zibrowii sp. n. from the French Polynesia. Keys to all archinomin genera and to all species of Chloeia are also included.
Prolonged grief disorder in ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR: Challenges and controversies
Authors: Eisma Maarten C
Published: February 2023

Prolonged grief disorder has recently been added to the International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5, Text Revision. This historical development is often presented as a linear process culminating in the inclusion of valid, clinically relevant prolonged grief disorder criteria in diagnostic handbooks. The present contribution provides an overview of work contradicting this dominant narrative. First, I show that the developmental history of prolonged grief disorder has been nonlinear and that this yields questions on generalizability and problems with measurement of the newest criteria sets. Second, I highlight an important gap in the validity evidence: the distinction of prolonged grief disorder from normal grief. Third, I discuss concerns relating to the societal effects of the inclusion of prolonged grief disorder in diagnostic handbooks, including the medicalization of grief, development and adverse effects of pharmacotherapy and stigmatization. A more realistic, balanced view on the history, validity and societal impact of prolonged grief disorder appears appropriate. I recommend stringent validation of assessment instruments for prolonged grief disorder, convergence of criteria-sets, closing gaps in validity evidence and developing strategies to mitigate the negative effects of grief diagnoses.
Regionalism beyond state-centrism: African regionalism in comparative perspective
Authors: Grant J. Andrew , Issa Abdiasis , Söderbaum Fredrik , Yusuf Badriyya
Published: February 2023

Over the past few decades, regions and regional institutions have gained increased attention in both scholarly literature and policy debates. A fundamental weakness in both debates, however, is the simplified focus on state actors and the official goals and policies of regional international organizations and inter-state frameworks. This article addresses this extant weakness by opening up for a more diverse empirical reality. By drawing on the new regionalism approach and two illustrative, comparative case studies from West Africa and East Africa, we offer new insights about how state and non-state actors interact in both formal and informal domains in order to produce variegated logics of regionalism that are poorly described by other theoretical perspectives. The article concludes by assessing the implications for theory and future research on regionalism in Africa and in other regions.
When Normal is Not Normal: A Theory of the Non-Linear and Discontinuous Process of Desired Change and its Managerial Implications
Authors: Boyatzis Richard E. , Dhar Udayan
Published: February 2023

Desirable change may appear chaotic, slow, or not sustainable. We may expect linear, continuous change, but it eludes us. Measurement and statistical analysis about behavior change often requires data showing continuity and having normal (i.e., Gaussian) distributions. When we encounter phenomenon that does not fit this expectation, we seek to transform the data to render it compatible with our method of analysis. We move from actual behavior to perception of it through surveys or transformations of the data. We believe this ignores “naturally” occurring data and what it says. Such techniques are convenient for statistics but may hide important features of the real phenomenon. Furthermore, desired behavior change is often nonlinear with a power curve distribution of the data. We explain why this occurs. We suggest how research and practice would be improved by using theories and methods that incorporate properties of non-normal distributions and discontinuous emergence.