bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Local relaxation of residual stress in high-strength steel welded joints treated by HFMI
Authors: Ono Yuki , Remes Heikki , Kinoshita Koji , Yıldırım Halid Can , Nussbaumer Alain
Published: June 2024

This research studies the influence of high-peak loads on local relaxation of residual stress and fatigue damage in high-strength steel welded joints treated by high-frequency mechanical impact (HFMI) treatment. The joint behavior is simulated with elastic–plastic finite element analyses that account for the combined effect of geometry, residual stress, and material properties. This simulation uses two treated geometry models: with or without surface roughness on HFMI groove, and two material properties: S690QL and AH36 structural steels. The results show that surface roughness and load history, including high-peak loads, significantly influence fatigue response. It is revealed that the model neglecting the surface roughness cannot represent the amount of residual stress change and fatigue damage at less than 100 µm depth from the surface. In addition, the local yield strength in the HFMI-treated zone affects the plasticity behavior near the surface imperfection under the high-peak loads, which provides comparatively different fatigue damage between S690QL and AH36 in some cases. As a result, this study provides the further understanding needed to develop a robust modeling approach to the fatigue life estimation of HFMI-treated welds subjected to high-peak loads.
Examining the Etiology of Asian American Suicide in the United States
Authors: DiBenedetti Cassie , Zimmerman Gregory M. , Fridel Emma E.
Published: June 2024

Research highlights racial and ethnic disparities in suicide, but Asian American suicide receives very little attention in the literature. This is the first comprehensive, large-scale, nationally representative study of completed suicide among Asian Americans in the United States. Descriptive and multilevel regression techniques compared the risk factors for completed suicide across 227,786 Asian American, White, African American, Hispanic, and American Indian suicide decedents from 2003 to 2019. Results indicated that Asian American suicide decedents were significantly less likely than their counterparts to have several risk factors for suicide. Asian Americans were less likely to be male, uneducated, and unmarried. Asian Americans were less likely to use alcohol and drugs, to have mental health problems, and to die by firearm, relative to other suicide methods. Asian Americans were less likely to have a history of prior suicide attempts, to have intimate partner problems, and to have criminal legal problems. Conversely, Asian Americans were more likely to reside in places with higher levels of concentrated disadvantage, residential instability, racial and ethnic heterogeneity, and population density. The results underscore the need for race-specific suicide prevention strategies that, for Asian Americans in particular, take into account cultural values and barriers to help-seeking behavior.
Acromegalia e gravidanza: gestione clinica
Authors: Comune Irene , Cristilli Giulia , Verrienti Martina , Zatelli Maria Chiara , Ambrosio Maria Rosaria
Published: June 2024

Sommario

L’acromegalia si associa frequentemente a ridotta fertilità nelle donne affette, complici più fattori tra cui l’età media alla diagnosi, l’iperprolattinemia, l’ipogonadismo ipogonadotropo e l’effetto diretto dell’eccesso di Growth Hormon/Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (GH/IGF-1) sull’asse gonadotropo e sull’ovaio. Nonostante ciò, negli ultimi anni è in aumento il numero di gravidanze che si verificano in queste donne, grazie a una migliore efficacia dei trattamenti disponibili, permettendo il raggiungimento di un buon controllo di malattia, e grazie al ricorso a tecniche di riproduzione medicalmente assistita. Di conseguenza, aumenta anche la conoscenza riguardo ai rischi potenzialmente connessi a questa condizione. La gravidanza nelle donne acromegaliche ha generalmente un decorso privo di complicanze per madre e feto, tuttavia deve essere pianificata e gestita in maniera adeguata. In questa rassegna, in particolare, vengono esaminati gli effetti della gravidanza sulle dimensioni tumorali e sui livelli di GH e IGF-1, gli effetti dei farmaci GH soppressivi sul feto e l’impatto delle comorbilità cardiovascolari e metaboliche che si associano a malattia non controllata; viene inoltre proposto un modello di gestione alla luce delle evidenze in letteratura.
Monotonic Fuzzy Systems With Goniometric Membership Functions
Authors: Hušek Petr
Published: June 2024

Fuzzy logic-based systems are nowadays commonly used in nonlinear function approximation when incoming data are available. Their main advantage is that the resulting rules can be interpreted understandably. Nevertheless, when the data are noisy an overfitting may occur which leads to poor accuracy and generalization ability. Prior information about the nonlinear function may improve fuzzy system performance. In this paper the case when the function is monotonic with respect to some or all variables is considered. Sufficient conditions for the monotonicity of first-order Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy systems with raised cosine membership functions are derived. Performance of the proposed fuzzy system is tested on two benchmark datasets
Multi-Objective Optimization of the Recovery of Base and Precious Metals from Waste Printed Circuit Boards by Two-Stage Hydrometallurgical Process Using Taguchi-Based Grey Relationship Analysis
Authors: Aral Serdar , Beşe Ayşe Vildan
Published: June 2024

This study focused on determining the optimum conditions for the maximum recovery of base and precious metals from printed circuit boards of end-of-life desktop computer motherboards using Taguchi-based grey relation analysis. In the first stage of the two-stage study, optimum conditions were investigated for the dissolution of base metals (copper and zinc) in waste printed circuit boards under high-pressure leaching. The dissolution of base metals was performed based on the L25 orthogonal array designed by Taguchi method. In the second step, designed according to Taguchi L9 orthogonal array to recover gold and silver from the solid remaining from the pressure-leaching process. Optimum combinations of parameters in both stages were determined using the multi-criteria optimization technique grey relationship analysis. In the experiments carried out in the determined optimum combinations, 99.62% of copper, 98.76% of zinc, 99.15 of silver and 85.82% of gold in waste printed circuit boards were recovered.

Graphical Abstract
Compact spaces homeomorphic to their respective squares
Authors: Dudák Jan , Vejnar Benjamin
Published: June 2024

We deal with topological spaces homeomorphic to their respective squares. Primarily, we investigate the existence of large families of such spaces in some subclasses of compact metrizable spaces. As our main result we show that there is a family of size continuum of pairwise non-homeomorphic compact metrizable zero-dimensional spaces homeomorphic to their respective squares. This answers a question of Włodzimierz J. Charatonik. We also discuss the situation in the classes of continua, Peano continua and absolute retracts.
Conditions for approaching shared value creation management in the Japanese rice flour-related business: application of mixed methods research
Authors: Kiminami Lily , Furuzawa Shinichi , Kiminami Akira
Published: June 2024

This is the second paper on creating shared value (CSV) management in Japanese rice flour-related businesses conducted by the same authors. In the first study, the relationships among business philosophies, business strategies and business outcomes of rice flour-related corporates in Japan were clarified using structural equation modeling (SEM) and cognitive mapping of questionnaire survey results. The management philosophy, effective altruism, influences business strategies (potential head market, tail market, organizational learning, and proposals from stakeholders) of rice flour-related corporates, inducing innovation and determining current business performance and future prospects for shared value creation. The business performance reflects their expectations for the rice flour market, and influences the direction of market development. In addition, we showed a need for policy innovations that strengthen effective altruism and create shared value through organizational learning of the stakeholders in rice flour-related businesses. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify conditions for approaching CSV management in domestic rice flour-related businesses by applying mixed methods research (MMR). Specifically, a latent class analysis (LCA) was introduced to classify the management characteristics of rice flour-related businesses with survey results, and a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) conducted on the CSV management entities extracted from the LCA to clarify the necessary and sufficient conditions for achieving CSV management. The results revealed that there are very few rice flour-related businesses in Japan that have approached CSV management, and sufficient conditions for approaching CSV management in rice flour-related businesses are a combination of effective altruism and various management strategies (long tail/organizational learning/innovation/stakeholder proposals). Therefore, we conclude that to achieve a sustainable regional development of rice flour-related businesses, policy innovations that integrate pull-type and push-type strategies are important.
Total factor productivity and institutional quality in Vietnam: which institutions matter most?
Authors: Ha Van , Andre John , Kim Anh Tran , Thu Hien Nguyen Thi
Published: June 2024

The roles of institutional quality’s impact on firm performance are becoming increasingly prominent in the literature. This is true in the Global North and South. Vietnam has seen less research on this topic than other developing countries, so this paper seeks to rectify this by examining whether or not institutional quality influences firm performance, as measured by total factor productivity (TFP). This paper also digs deeper into the sub-components to see which institutions are the most influential. We applied the General Method of Moments (GMM) approach to a firm-level panel dataset covering the 2010–2020 period to examine institutional quality's impact on firm TFP. Results are explored by firm size and by ownership type (domestic private, foreign and state-owned). Using rich datasets covering institutional quality at the provincial level in Vietnam and also individual firm performance from 2010 to 2020, we found that Time cost (how long it takes firms to deal with the government on various issues) and Labor policy (how easy it is to hire good quality labor) are the most important of the 10 institutions studied. Additionally, while not all institutions influence TFP, institutional quality overall (all 10 institutions combined) clearly has a positive influence on TFP. This study fills a research gap by examining the relationship between institutional quality and firm performance in Vietnam. The findings emphasize the significance of Time cost and Labor policy as influential institutions and highlight the positive overall impact of institutional quality on TFP. The policy recommendations offered provide valuable insights for the government to further enhance firm productivity through targeted measures.
Hybrid photo paper-based microfluidic device for colorimetric detection of iodine in salt
Authors: Chong Arechkang , Sriv Tharith , Chey Chan Oeurn , Khan Sovann , Shin Kwanwoo , Soum Veasna
Published: June 2024

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs) have gained widespread use in various analytical applications because they are low-cost and suitable for onsite testing. The development of µPADs, including fabrication methods, new materials, and enhancement functionality is crucial to advance their practical application in analytical chemistry. In this study, we introduce a new hybrid paper-based analytical device, the hybrid photo paper-based microfluidic device (hPPMD), which combines a photo paper-based microfluidic device (PPMD) with a µPAD. We conducted a systematic study that detailed hPPMD’s characteristics, including surface properties and fluidic transportation. The hPPMD showed two fluidic transportation behaviors: continuous flow and discontinuous flow at the device junction, depending on the orientation of the device combination. Our hPPMD could increase fluidic flow approximately four times the speed when six layers of guided channels were added. The customized hPPMD was used for colorimetric detection of iodine in table salt, and then the result was quantitatively analyzed using a computer and smartphone with color analysis software. The detection zones of the hPPMD showed a flawless circular color signal. Under optimum conditions, the hPPMD was sensitive enough to detect iodine in salt solutions at various concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 ppm. The developed hPPMD should be a simple and low-cost analytical device for onsite qualitative analysis of the iodine and other chemical contaminants in food and the environment.
Synergistic effect between biochar and sulfidized nano-sized zero-valent iron enhanced cadmium immobilization in a contaminated paddy soil
Authors: Zhou Yu , Lv Lu , Yu Zhi , Zhang Jian , Wang Bing , Yang Ruidong , Chen Miao , Wu Pan , Wang Shengsen
Published: June 2024

Biochar-based sulfidized nano-sized zero-valent iron (SNZVI/BC) can effectively immobilize cadmium (Cd) in contaminated paddy soils. However, the synergistic effects between biochar and SNZVI on Cd immobilization, as well as the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, a soil microcosm incubation experiment was performed to investigate the immobilization performance of SNZVI/BC towards Cd in the contaminated paddy soil. Results indicated that the addition of SNZVI/BC at a dosage of 3% significantly lessened the concentration of available Cd in the contaminated soil from 14.9 (without addition) to 9.9 mg kg−1 with an immobilization efficiency of 33.3%, indicating a synergistic effect. The sequential extraction results indicated that the proportion of the residual Cd in the contaminated soil increased from 8.1 to 10.3%, manifesting the transformation of the unstable Cd fractions to the steadier specie after application of SNZVI/BC. Also, the addition of SNZVI/BC increased soil pH, organic matter, and dissolved organic carbon, which significantly altered the bacterial community in the soil, enriching the relative abundances of functional microbes (e.g., Bacillus, Clostridium, and Desulfosporosinus). These functional microorganisms further facilitated the generation of ammonium, nitrate, and ferrous iron in the contaminated paddy soil, enhancing nutrients’ availability. The direct interaction between SNZVI/BC and Cd2+, the altered soil physicochemical properties, and the responded bacterial community played important roles in Cd immobilization in the contaminated soil. Overall, the biochar-based SNZVI is a promising candidate for the effective immobilization of Cd and the improvement of nutrients’ availability in the contaminated paddy soil.

Graphical Abstract
Square-grid sampling to address the vegetation patterns of declined Mediterranean forest ecosystems
Authors: La Montagna Dario , Buffi Francesca , Cambria Vito Emanuele , De Sanctis Michele , Attorre Fabio , Fanelli Giuliano
Published: June 2024

Palo Laziale Wood is a relatively small biotope (129 ha) situated along the coast of the Metropolitan Area of Rome, Lazio region, Italy. Despite being one of the region's remaining patches of an ancient oak floodplain broad-leaved forest, it conserves numerous priority habitats and species of high conservation interest. The vegetation consists mainly of Turkey oak stands with small temporary ponds and flooded meadows. The forest underwent a dieback in 2003, triggered by a significantly hot and dry summer. In 2018, an ecological restoration project (LIFE PRIMED LIFE17 NAT/GR/000511) was initiated to restore Palo Laziale’s ecosystems. This paper presents the methodological approach employed to assess the vegetation ecology of a degraded forest ecosystem. Such an investigation was a key component of the Adaptative Restoration Plan of the Project. It provided the baseline necessary for designing and calibrating the planned direct conservation actions on the target habitat types (91M0: Pannonian-Balkanic turkey oak-sessile oak forests, 3170*: Mediterranean temporary ponds, 5230*: Arborescent matorral with Laurus nobilis, etc.) and establishing reference values to enable long-term monitoring. Plant taxa comparison from 1 ha square-grid sampling and multivariate analyses were carried out to group species and identify environmental and Ellenberg-based drivers. Six ecologically distinct units were found, eventually confirming the distinctive ecological heterogeneity of Mediterranean ecosystems. Amongst these, the hygrophilous vegetation has resulted to be the one mainly affected by the dieback outbreak. Due to the high heterogeneity, introduced by the massive tree mortality, the method of regular 1 ha squares turned out to be a reliable alternative to random vegetation sampling plots (e.g., phytosociological relevés) to disentangle ecological patterns of fragmented and disturbed habitats.
Applications of martingale Hardy Orlicz–Lorentz–Karamata theory in Fourier analysis
Authors: Hao Zhiwei , Li Libo , Weisz Ferenc
Published: June 2024

In this article, we discuss the applications of martingale Hardy Orlicz–Lorentz–Karamata spaces in Fourier analysis. More precisely, we show that the partial sums of the Walsh–Fourier series converge to the function in norm if $$f\in L_{\Phi ,q,b}$$

f
∈

L

Φ
,
q
,
b

with $$1<p_-\le p_+<\infty $$

1
<

p
-

≤

p
+

<
∞

. The equivalence of maximal operators on martingale Hardy Orlicz–Lorentz–Karamata spaces is presented. The Fejér summability method is also studied and it is proved that the maximal Fejér operator is bounded from martingale Hardy Orlicz–Lorentz–Karamata spaces to Orlicz–Lorentz–Karamata spaces. As a consequence, we obtain conclusions about almost everywhere and norm convergence of Fejér means.
Recent progress on catalyst development for ring-opening C-O hydrogenolysis of cyclic ethers in the production of biomass-derived chemicals
Authors: Tomishige Keiichi , Honda Masayoshi , Sugimoto Hiroshi , Liu Lujie , Yabushita Mizuho , Nakagawa Yoshinao
Published: June 2024

Catalytic hydrogenolysis systems of C-O bonds in furan ring, tetrahydrofuran ring and tetrahydropyran ring in biomass-derived cyclic compounds are reviewed. Furfural or its hydrogenation products (furfuryl alcohol and tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol) have been frequently used as substrates for this type of reactions. Ring-opening of furfuryl alcohol over metal catalysts combined with basic components gives a mixture of 1,2-pentanediol, 1,5-pentanediol and other by-products. The selectivity much depends on catalysts and reaction conditions, and good 1,2-pentanediol selectivity can be obtained. For 1,5-pentanediol synthesis, more selective approaches have been reported such as Cu-zeolite catalysts for furfuryl alcohol hydrogenolysis in flow reactor and M-M’Ox-type (M: noble metal; M’: transition metal) supported catalysts or Ni-LnOx (Ln: rare earth element) catalysts for tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol hydrogenolysis. The metal catalysts and M-M’Ox-type catalysts can be applied to ring-opening hydrogenolysis of other furan- and tetrahydrofuran-based compounds, respectively. Among the products of ring-opening hydrogenolysis of biomass-derived compounds, 1,5-pentanediol seems to be the most important because of the potential use as a monomer. The recent progress and reported properties of polymers using 1,5-pentanediol as a monomer are also summarized.
Achievement of Guideline-Recommended Targets for Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in 38 Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries
Authors: Liu Zhiguang , Yan Minghai , Tse Lap Ah , Zhu Yingxuan , Lang Xinyue , Liu Xin , Lin Yang , Hu Bo
Published: June 2024

Background

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of achieving the secondary prevention targets recommended in the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 38 low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods

We pooled nationally representative cross-sectional surveys from 38 LMICs between 2013 and 2020. Treatment, metabolic and lifestyle targets were assessed for individuals with a self-reported history of CVD according to WHO’s recommendations. Associations between the prevalence of guideline adherence and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed using multivariate Poisson regression models.

Results

The pooled sample included 126 106 participants, of whom 9821 (6.8% [95% CI 6.4–7.2]) reported a history of CVD. Overall, the prevalence of achieving treatment targets in patients with CVD was 22.7% (95% CI, 21.0-24.5%) for antihypertensive drugs, 19.6% (17.9-21.4%) for aspirin, and 13.6% (12.0-15.44%) for statins. The prevalence of achieving metabolic targets was 54.9% (52.5-57.3%) for BMI, 39.9% (37.7-42.2%) for blood pressure, 46.1% (43.6-48.6%) for total cholesterol, and 84.9% (83.1-86.5%) for fasting blood glucose. The prevalence of achieving lifestyle targets was 83.2% (81.5-84.7%) for not smoking, 83.1% (81.2-84.9%) for not drinking, 65.5% (63.1-67.7%) for sufficient physical activity and 16.2% (14.5-18.0%) for healthy diet. Only 6.1% (5.1-7.4%) achieved three treatment targets, 16.0% (14.3-17.9%) achieved four metabolic targets, and 6.9% (5.8-8.0%) achieved four lifestyle targets. Upper-middle income countries were better than low-income countries at achieving the treatment, non-drinking and dietary targets. Being younger and female were associated with poorer achievement of metabolic targets.

Conclusion

In LMICs, achieving the targets recommended in the guideline for treatment, metabolism and healthy lifestyles for patients with CVD is notably low. This highlights an urgent need for effective, systematic secondary prevention strategies to improve CVD management.
Atomic force microscopy in the characterization and clinical evaluation of neurological disorders: current and emerging technologies
Authors: She David T. , Nai Mui Hoon , Lim Chwee Teck
Published: June 2024

This review examines the significant role of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in neurobiological research and its emerging clinical applications in diagnosing neurological disorders and central nervous system (CNS) tumours. AFM, known for its nanometre-scale resolution and piconewton-scale force sensitivity, offers ground breaking insights into the biomechanical properties of brain cells and tissues and their interactions within their microenvironment. This review delves into the application of AFM in non-clinical settings, where it characterizes molecular, cellular, and tissue-level aspects of neurological disorders in experimental models. This includes studying ion channel distribution, neuron excitability in genetic disorders, and axonal resistance to mechanical injury. In the clinical context, this article emphasizes AFM’s potential in early detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), through biomarker characterization in biofluids such as cerebrospinal fluid and blood. It also examines the use of AFM in enhancing the grading and treatment of CNS tumours by assessing their stiffness, providing a more detailed analysis than traditional histopathological methods. Despite its promise, this review acknowledges challenges in integrating AFM into clinical practice, such as sample heterogeneity and data analysis complexity, and discusses emerging solutions such as machine learning and neural networks to overcome these hurdles. These advancements, combined with commercial nanotechnology platforms, herald a new era in personalized treatment strategies for management, treatment and diagnosis of neurological disorders.

Graphical Abstract
Delineating petrological feature and geochemical characteristics of volcanic rocks from the Herson-Kilkis Area, Northern Greece
Authors: Kelepertsis Akindynos E. , Alexakis Dimitrios E.
Published: June 2024

The geochemical data of this study confirm a previous suggestion that the Herson—Kilkis rhyolites are the crystallization products of a magma generated by the partial fusion of K-rich schists or para-gneisses and erupted along a dip-slip fault at the western boundary of the Serbo—Macedonian massif. High-K rhyolites occur in the area around Kilkis town along the western boundary of the Serbo-Macedonian massif. The chemistry of the rocks is characterized by high K2O contents (7–12 Wt %), high K2O/Na2O ratios (2–22), low CaO (0.04–0.16%) and Sr (0–83 mg Kg−1) contents and high Rb/Sr ratios (4–40). The trace elements (in mg Kg−1), Nb (Not Detected–41), Nd (5–87), Ce (16–119), La (9–67), Rb (Not Detected–358) and Y (10–87) present higher contents than those of rhyolites derived from a more basic magma by low-pressure fractional crystallization.
Gujarat’s plastic plight: unveiling characterization, abundance, and pollution index of beachside plastic pollution
Authors: Yogi KetanKumar , Rabari Vasantkumar , Patel Krupal , Patel Heris , Trivedi Jigneshkumar , Rakib Md. Refat Jahan , Kumar Rakesh , Proshad Ram , Walker Tony R.
Published: June 2024

Plastic pollution poses a pervasive threat to ecosystems worldwide, jeopardizing marine life, contaminating water sources, and perpetuating a global environmental crisis. Spatial and temporal distribution of beach debris was quantitatively assessed on three recreational beaches in Gujarat State, India. A total of six debris categories were recorded with a mean of 0.9 items/m2 in number and 3.62 g/m2 in weight. A total of Mean debris concentrations and weight per debris item did not vary significantly between study sites. Highest debris concentrations were observed in October 2021 at all sites. Around 90% was macro-debris (2.5–100 cm), with white and transparent colours most frequently encountered. Based on Clean Coast Index findings, all sites were categorized as "dirty". Plastic Abundance Index revealed that all sites had a very high abundance of plastics compared to other beach debris. Recreational activities on beaches, tourism, and extensive fishing can be the possible source of marine debris on Gujarat State. The findings of the current investigation is vital to understanding its pervasive environmental impact, encompassing threats to biodiversity, water quality, and ecosystems, while guiding effective policies to mitigate these repercussions on a global scale. It can be helpful to establish mitigation strategies urgently required to reduce marine debris pollution along the Gujarat Coast. It is recomanded to implement urgently needed mitigation strategies to diminish marine debris pollution along the Gujarat Coast.
Imaging findings in a rare case of alveolar, hepatic and splenic sarcoidosis presenting with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Authors: Vaccarino Federica , Parillo Marco , Perillo Gloria , Beomonte Zobel Bruno
Published: June 2024

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is an acute haematological disorder characterized by severe ADAMTS13 enzyme deficiency, leading to consumptive thrombocytopenia, mechanical haemolysis, and organ damage. Its association with multisystemic sarcoidosis is extremely rare and, to the best of our knowledge, described in only two cases so far. We present the case of a 52-year-old woman with TTP and antibodies anti-ADAMTS13, showing computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of pulmonary, hepatic, and splenic lesions initially reported as ischemic/inflammatory changes. A follow-up MRI of the abdomen revealed increased evidence of the liver lesions, focal intrahepatic bile duct dilatation, splenic lesions, and enlarged hepatic hilar nodes. The follow-up chest CT showed increased evidence of the parenchymal lung consolidations. Given the radiological persistence of those alterations and the history of TTP, the hypothesis of an IgG4-related disease was then made. The IgG4 levels were found to be normal, while the histological examination of the liver revealed non-necrotizing granulomatous chronic inflammation. Elevated levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme were found, and the QuantiFERON-TB Gold test was negative for tuberculosis infection. Thus, the overall clinical picture was consistent with multisystemic sarcoidosis (alveolar, hepatic, and splenic). The diagnosis of sarcoidosis, already challenging due to the variability of its clinical presentation, can become even more complicated when it manifests with uncommon haematological manifestations such as TTP, along with non-specific extra-pulmonary involvement. While imaging aids in documenting organ damage, the definitive diagnosis of sarcoidosis necessitates histologic confirmation of noncaseating granulomas and the exclusion of other possible granulomatous diseases.
Quality of Life Factors and Measurement in Adult Meningioma Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Jonas Kara , Fazari Melissa , Cusimano Michael D. , Ahn Matthew
Published: June 2024

Background:

Meningiomas are common brain neoplasms that can significantly influence health-related quality of life (HRQOL), yet the factors influencing HRQOL in adult patients remain unclear. We aimed to bridge this knowledge gap by determining these key factors.

Methods:

We conducted a systematic review, searching EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus and PsycINFO up to February 2024. We included original, peer-reviewed studies focusing on adult patients (>18 years) with current or past meningioma at any stage of treatment that measured HRQOL or its proxies in relation to patient-, tumour- and treatment-related factors. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and full-texts, selecting studies with an acceptable risk of bias for data extraction and narrative synthesis. The protocol of this review was registered on PROSPERO (# CRD42023431097).

Results:

Of N = 3002 studies identified, N = 31 studies were included. Key factors found to influence HRQOL in adult meningioma patients include surgery, radiotherapy, neurological function, functional status, comorbidities, sleep quality, psychological impairment, age and employment. Factors related to tumour characteristics yielded inconsistent findings. Heterogeneity and inconsistencies in HRQOL measurement across studies hindered definitive conclusions about the impact of factors on HRQOL.

Conclusion:

Our review elucidates the multifaceted influences on HRQOL in meningioma patients, with significant variability due to patient-, tumour- and treatment-related factors. We emphasize the need for standardized, disease-specific HRQOL assessments in meningioma patients. Collaborative efforts towards consistent, large-scale, prospective research are essential to comprehensively understand and improve HRQOL, thereby enhancing tailored care for this population.
Political Dynasties in Canada
Authors: Rivard Alex B. , Godbout Jean-François , Bodet Marc André
Published: June 2024

Using a unique dataset of legislators' electoral and biographical data in the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the federal parliament, this article analyses the extent to which family dynasties affected the career development of legislators since the mid-18th century. We find that the prevalence of dynasties was higher in provincial legislatures than it was in the federal parliament, that the number of dynasties in the Senate increased until the mid-20th century, and that the proportion of dynastic legislators at the subnational level was similar to the numbers seen in the United Kingdom during the early 19th century. Our results confirm the existence of a clear career benefit in terms of cabinet and senate appointments. In contrast to the American case and in line with the United Kingdom experience, we find no causal relationship between a legislator's tenure length and the presence of a dynasty.
A continuum model of discrete granular avalanches
Authors: Liang Min-Chi , Capart Hervé
Published: June 2024

A simple continuum model is proposed for discrete granular avalanches, as observed in slowly rotating drums. Subject to granular transfer across the basal interface, the model evolves the transient surface inclination and mid-slope velocity profile of the avalanches, from failure to arrest. This is done using new boundary conditions that allow entrainment or detrainment contingent on the basal shear rate. For entrainment to occur, the basal shear stress must overcome the erosion resistance of the jammed deposit, while for detrainment to take place the basal shear rate must vanish. The resulting avalanche dynamics is controlled by a single dimensionless number, the ratio of excess slope at failure to excess resistance to erosion, that can be determined from inclination history data. This number provides a measure of slope brittleness, from which the peak flow rate and arrest inclination can be predicted. Analytical techniques are used to derive model solutions, and clarify the resulting behaviour. Finally, the model is tested by comparing solutions with laboratory experiments and discrete particle simulations.
On incident shock wave/boundary layer interactions under the influence of expansion corner
Authors: Guo Yunjie , Tan Huijun , Zhang Yue , Li Xin , Xue Hongchao , Luo Ziqi , Huang Hexia
Published: June 2024

Cowl-induced incident shock wave/boundary layer interactions (ISWBLIs) under the influence of shoulder expansion represent one of the dominant phenomena in supersonic inlets. To provide a more comprehensive understanding of how an expansion corner affects the ISWBLI, a detailed experimental and analytical study is performed in a Mach 2.73 flow in this work. Pressure measurement, schlieren photography and surface oil-flow visualisation are used to record flow features, including the pressure distribution, separation extent and surface-flow topological structures. Our results reveal three types of ISWBLIs influenced by the expansion corner. When the shock intensity is weak, the separation is small scale with the expansion waves emanating from the expansion corner. This is the first type of expansion-corner-affected ISWBLI (EC-ISWBLI). When the incident shock wave is strong, large-scale separation occurs, accompanied by the disappearance of expansion waves, forming the second type of EC-SWBLI. The expansion corner induces a ‘lock-in’ effect in which the separation onset is consistently locked near the expansion corner regardless of the incident shock intensity and impingement position. The third type of EC-ISWBLI occurs when the shock is sufficiently strong and the impingement point is close to the expansion corner. In this interaction, the ‘lock-in’ effect ceases to manifest. Moreover, a shock polar-incorporating inviscid model is employed to elucidate the shock patterns. Two criteria are established by combining free interaction theory with this model. The first criterion provides valuable insights into the evolution of separations with a minimal overall pressure rise and the second criterion determines the threshold for the occurrence of the ‘lock-in’ effect.
The Communal Roots of Mexico’s Maquila Industry: Urbanization, Land, and Inequality in Ciudad Juárez, 1960–2000
Authors: Carrillo Mateo J. , Pérez Jonatan
Published: June 2024

This article analyzes the urbanization and privatization of communal lands (ejidos) in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, via a computer vision model that utilizes Google Street View (GSV) and Geographic Information System (GIS) imagery. Our innovative methodology reveals how processes of ejidal urbanization in Mexico’s northern borderlands contributed to the rise of multinational factories (maquiladoras) and geographies of inequality and violence. Past scholarship on the (d)evolution of ejidal land tenure details how periurban ejidal lands throughout Mexico were often sites of impoverishment and a lack of investment, featuring informal settlement and rapid or chaotic urbanization following the country’s 1960 urban turn. Through its use of novel sources and methods, this article demonstrates that the urbanization process in Juárez’s principal periurban ejidos diverged from this classic model in specific ways. By combining conventional historical sources with visual data like GSV and GIS imagery, Juárez’s former and current ejidal landscapes reveal high levels of investment, formal planning, and infrastructure. We argue that Juárez’s distinctive physical, political, and economic geographies shaped the overwhelmingly industrial, private, and invested character of the city’s (former and current) periurban ejidal lands. This process occurred via a globalized modernization regime that forged disparate landscapes of investment and inequality beginning in the 1950s.
Recognizing “camera cues”: policing, cellphones and citizen countersurveillance
Authors: Alston Brandon
Published: June 2024

Over the past decade, recording technologies have enabled organized activists and ordinary residents to capture and circulate videos of police misconduct. Existing research focuses primarily, however, on organized activists who rely on formal training programs to record police behaviors. If formal programs train organized activists to capture police abuses on camera, how then do ordinary residents determine when they should record police behavior? Drawing on in-depth interviews with Black men who live in a Southside Chicago neighborhood, this study finds that residents’ recurrent interactions with police enable them to interpret officers’ words and actions as symbols of police misconduct, which, in subsequent exchanges, serve as signals to record events with their cellphones – what I term “camera cues.” Camera cues facilitate situated conceptions of legal authority that trigger residents’ distrust of police, reflecting the micro-dynamic connections between individuals’ legal consciousness and legal cynicism. Equipped with cellphones, residents scrutinize officers’ outward displays and police–citizen interactions to challenge police misconduct. While recording police behavior makes it possible at least occasionally to resist the dominance of legal authority, doing so often involves additional risks, including the destruction of their cellphones, verbal and physical threats, and arrests.
Hierarchical hub-filament structures and gas inflows on galaxy-cloud scales
Authors: Zhou Jian-Wen , Davis Timothy
Published: June 2024

We investigated the kinematics and dynamics of gas structures on galaxy-cloud scales in two spiral galaxies NGC5236 (M83) and NGC4321 (M100) using CO (2

$-$

1) line. We utilised the FILFINDER algorithm on integrated intensity maps for the identification of filaments in two galaxies. Clear fluctuations in velocity and density were observed along these filaments, enabling the fitting of velocity gradients around intensity peaks. The variations in velocity gradient across different scales suggest a gradual and consistent increase in velocity gradient from large to small scales, indicative of gravitational collapse, something also revealed by the correlation between velocity dispersion and column density of gas structures. Gas structures at different scales in the galaxy may be organised into hierarchical systems through gravitational coupling. All the features of gas kinematics on galaxy-cloud scale are very similar to that on cloud-clump and clump-core scales studied in previous works. Thus, the interstellar medium from galaxy to dense core scales presents multi-scale/hierarchical hub-filament structures. Like dense core as the hub in clump, clump as the hub in molecular cloud, now we verify that cloud or cloud complex can be the hub in spiral galaxies. Although the scaling relations and the measured velocity gradients support the gravitational collapse of gas structures on galaxy-cloud scales, the collapse is much slower than a pure free-fall gravitational collapse.
Orbital period variation analysis of the HS 0705+6700 post-common envelope binary
Authors: Er Huseyin , Özdönmez Aykut , Nasiroglu Ilham , Kenger Muhammet Emir
Published: June 2024

To detect additional bodies in binary systems, we performed a potent approach of orbital period variation analysis. In this work, we present 90 new mid-eclipse times of a short-period eclipsing binary system. Observations were made using two telescopes from 2014 to 2024, extending the time span of the

$O-C$

diagram to 24 yr. The data obtained in the last seven years indicate significant deviations in the

$O-C$

diagram from the models obtained in previous studies. We investigated whether this variation could be explained by mechanisms such as the LTT effect or Applegate. To investigate the cyclic behaviour observed in the system with the light travel time effect, we modelled the updated

$O-C$

diagram using different models including linear/quadratic terms and additional bodies. The updated

$O-C$

diagram is statistically consistent with the most plausible solutions of models that include multiple brown dwarfs close to each other. However, it has been found that the orbit of the system is unstable on short time scales. Using three different theoretical definitions, we have found that the Applegate mechanism cannot explain the variation in the orbital period except for the model containing the fifth body. Therefore, due to the complex nature of the system, further mid-eclipse time is required before any conclusions can be drawn about the existence of additional bodies.
Consumption of soya isoflavones improved polycystic ovary syndrome-associated metabolic disorders in a rat model
Authors: Xiao Chao-Wu , Carbonel Adriana A. , Lima Patricia D. A. , Hendry Amy , Tsang Benjamin K.
Published: June 2024

Polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with increased risks for certain metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and suppressed ovarian follicular development. This study aimed to examine whether soya isoflavones (ISF) mitigate these polycystic ovary syndrome-associated metabolic disorders in a rat model. Weanling Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly divided into six groups and were treated with either 0 or 83 µg/d dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to induce polycystic ovary syndrome and fed diets containing 0, 0·5, or 1 g ISF/kg diet for 8 weeks. DHT treatment increased food intake, body weight gain (P < 0·001), percentage of primordial follicles (60 % v. 50·9 %, P < 0·05) and accumulation of lipid droplets in the livers. It also elevated serum total cholesterol, free cholesterol, TAG, NEFA and leptin and hepatic total cholesterol and NEFA. Additionally, DHT treatment reduced the percentage of primary follicles (13·8 % v. 30·2 %, P < 0·05), ovary weight and length (P < 0·001), as well as insulin sensitivity (P < 0·01) compared with the Control. ISF intake at 1 g/kg reduced body weight gain, serum total cholesterol, free cholesterol, NEFA, leptin and hepatic TAG and DHT-induced insulin resistance (P < 0·01). ISF intake at both levels decreased DHT-induced lipid droplet accumulation in the livers and changes in the percentages of primordial and primary follicles. Dietary soya ISF alleviated DHT-induced body weight gain, insulin resistance and hepatic lipid droplet accumulation, as well as suppressed ovarian follicular development. This suggests that the consumption of soya foods or ISF supplements may be beneficial for individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome, mitigating the associated metabolic disorders such as diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
The indirect influence of potential mates on survival and reproduction of Tyrophagus curvipenis (Acari: Acaridae)
Authors: Li Guang-Yun , Lam Wendy , Zhang Zhi-Qiang
Published: June 2024

The social-sexual environment is well known for its influence on the survival of organisms by modulating their reproductive output. However, whether it affects survival indirectly through a variety of cues without physical contact and its influence relative to direct interaction remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated both the indirect and direct influences of the social-sexual environment on the survival and reproduction of the mite Tyrophagus curvipenis (Acari: Acaridae). The results demonstrated no apparent influence of conspecific cues on the survival of mites, but the survival and reproduction of mated female mites significantly changed, with the females mated with males having a significantly shortened lifespan and increased lifetime fecundity. For males, no significant difference was observed across treatments in their survival and lifespan. These findings indicate that direct interaction with the opposite sex has a much more profound influence on mites than indirect interaction and highlight the urgent need to expand research on how conspecific cues modulate the performance of organisms with more species to clarify their impacts across taxa.
Τhe Meaning of ἀλληγορέω in Galatians 4.24 Revisited
Authors: Ford J. Jarrett
Published: June 2024

The meaning of the verb ἀλληγορέω stands at the heart of the debate concerning Paul's hermeneutic in Galatians 4.21–31. If by using the term Paul means ‘I am interpreting these things allegorically’, then the question of Paul's interpretive procedure would be all but answered – he would likely be allegorising as the Greeks did before him and the early church fathers did after. However, if he does not mean this, then the question remains open. This article argues that the phrase ἅτινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμɛνα means ‘these things are symbolic’, which would indeed leave this question open. This rendering is best for two reasons: First, the majority of the uses of ἀλληγορέω available in the two hundred or so years surrounding the writing of Galatians mean ‘to speak symbolically’. Second, the contextual clues surrounding Paul's use of the term in Galatians itself, such as his call to hear the law in verse 21, strongly suggest such a reading. To prove this thesis, this article provides detailed exposition of the texts in which ἀλληγορέω occurred around the time Paul wrote Galatians before turning to Paul's own use of the term in Galatians 4.24.
Christianos in CIL iv, 679: The Possibility of an Image
Authors: Cook John Granger
Published: June 2024

There are good warrants for believing that either the word Christianos or the word Christiani, a reference to the Christians, was probably in a graffito on the wall of the atrium of the house now identified as vii.11.11 in Pompeii when Giuseppe Fiorelli excavated it in 1862. Karl Zangemeister edited it in 1871 as CIL iv, 679 and included two divergent transcriptions. In 1995, Paul Berry published a book in which he claimed that he had made an image of the word Christianos using an industrial microscope and high-intensity light. A research project to investigate that claim could be potentially useful for verifying or falsifying Berry's results.