bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a medium/long-haul reference aircraft
Authors: Fröhler Benjamin M. H. J. , Häßy Jannik , Abu-Zurayk Mohammad
Published: May 2023

For the evaluation of future aircraft architectures or novel technologies, a well-understood and sound reference to compare to is essential to prove the impact of intended changes. A reference aircraft serves as a basis for calibration of the aircraft and is used as a starting point for subsequent investigations, sensitivity studies or optimizations. The prime need for such a reference arose from the European Clean-Sky-2 project HLFC-Win (Hybrid Laminar Flow Control—Wing), where no industrial reference data for a conventional aircraft were available. The project investigates a HLFC system integrated into the wing aiming to reduce the wing drag and consequently reducing the fuel consumption. Therefore, this paper presents the D300-XRF1 designed by DLR, which is based on the AIRBUS research aircraft XRF1 (eXternal Research Forum). It is intended to be used as a reference aircraft database representing aircraft for medium- and long-range missions. A variable fidelity multidisciplinary design analysis and optimization (MDAO) aircraft design environment is set up to provide a consistent estimate of the geometry, mass breakdown, propulsion system, aerodynamics and aircraft performance. A conceptual aircraft design tool is utilized in the aircraft design environment to initialize the process, and higher-fidelity modules are used to enhance the results. The presented results describe the overall aircraft characteristics of the D300-XRF1 based on 2010 entry into service technology level and is offered to be used as a reference within the aviation research community, hopefully reducing similar design efforts in other research projects.The aircraft operates at a design cruise Mach number of 0.83, has a design range of 5500 NM and transports a payload of 31.5 t (300 PAX at 105 kg/PAX). The D300-XRF1 serves as a consistent reference aircraft database and provides a holistic overview of the aircraft’s performance that has been presented to and approved by AIRBUS. Therefore, this reference aircraft design can be used for future studies and to assess new technologies on a sophisticated level.
Management of surgical diseases of thyroid gland indications of the United Italian Society of Endocrine Surgery (SIUEC)
Authors: Del Rio P. , Polistena A. , Chiofalo M. G. , De Pasquale L. , Dionigi G. , Docimo G. , Graceffa G. , Iacobone M. , Medas Fabio , Pezzolla A. , Sorrenti S. , Spiezia S. , Calò P. G.
Published: May 2023

A task force of the United Italian society of Endocrine Surgery (SIUEC) was commissioned to review the position statement on diagnostic, therapeutic and health‑care management protocol in thyroid surgery published in 2016, at the light of new technologies, recent oncological concepts, and tailored approaches. The objective of this publication was to support surgeons with modern rational protocols of treatment that can be shared by health-care professionals, taking into account important clinical, healthcare and therapeutic aspects, as well as potential sequelae and complications. The task force consists of 13 members of the SIUEC highly trained and experienced in thyroid surgery. The main topics concern clinical evaluation and preoperative workup, patient preparation for surgery, surgical treatment, non-surgical options, postoperative management, prevention and management of major complications, outpatient care and follow-up.
Association of chronic statin use, myopenia, myosteatosis and major morbidity in surgical patients with upper gastrointestinal cancer
Authors: Cereda Marco , Bernasconi Davide Paolo , Uggeri Fabio , Ippolito Davide , Di Lucca Gabriele , Maino Cesare , Gandola Davide , Braga Marco , Sandini Marta , Gianotti Luca
Published: May 2023

Derangements of body composition affect surgical outcomes. Chronic statin use may induce muscle wasting and impair muscle tissue quality. Aim of this study was to evaluate the association of chronic statin use, skeletal muscle area (SMA), myosteatosis and major postoperative morbidity. Between 2011 and 2021, patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy or total gastrectomy for cancer, and using statins since at least 1 year, were retrospective studied. SMA and myosteatosis were measured at CT scan. The cut-off for SMA and myosteatosis were determined using ROC curve and considering severe complications as the binary outcome. The presence of myopenia was defined when SMA was lower that the cut-off. A multivariable logistic regression was applied to assess the association between several factors and severe complications. After a matching procedure (1:1) for key baseline risk factors (ASA; age; Charlson comorbidity index; tumor site; intraoperative blood loss), a final sample of 104 patients, of which 52 treated and 52 not treated with statins, was obtained. The median age was 75 years, with an ASA score ≥ 3 in 63% of the cases. SMA (OR 5.119, 95% CI 1.053–24.865) and myosteatosis (OR 4.234, 95% CI 1.511–11.866) below the cut-off values were significantly associated with major morbidity. Statin use was predictive of major complication only in patients with preoperative myopenia (OR 5.449, 95% CI 1.054–28.158). Myopenia and myosteatosis were independently associated with an increased risk of severe complications. Statin use was associated with a higher risk of having major morbidity only in the subgroup of patients with myopenia.
Generalisability of sleep stage classification based on interbeat intervals: validating three machine learning approaches on self-recorded test data
Authors: Kranzinger Stefan , Baron Sebastian , Kranzinger Christina , Heib Dominik , Borgelt Christian
Published: May 2023

Classifying sleep stages is an important basis for neuroscience, health sciences, psychology and many other fields. However, the manual determination of sleep stages is tedious and time consuming. Therefore, the development of automatic sleep stage classifiers based on data collected with low-cost sensor systems is an important research area. This study aims to analyse the generalisability of different machine learning approaches for sleep stage classification. We train three different models (random forest, CNN-LSTM and seq2seq) for classifying three as well as four sleep stages, with the MESA data set. For validation, we use a fivefold cross-validation and further validate the models with one new self-recorded test data set to analyse the models’ generalisability to a completely new cohort with different characteristics with regard to age and health status. Our results show that the two deep learning approaches performed better than the random forest. Moreover, all models are generalisable and therefore suitable for sleep stage classification on a new three-stage classification data set. However, generalisability for the four-stage classification task shows poorer performance, and therefore requires new approaches such as transfer learning or a larger data set to train the models.
Hegemony in Postmodernity: Lifeworld Colonization and the Instrumentalization of Leisure
Authors: Spracklen Karl
Published: May 2023

This paper synthesizes Gramscian and Habermasian perspectives on new conditions of life and hegemonic struggle that the postmodern initiated in the closing decades of the 20th Century (Jameson, 1984). Drawing from Habermas, it discusses the decline of the public sphere and the colonization of lifeworlds in advanced capitalism, and, focusing on leisure as a bundle of practices (Spracklen, 2009, 2015), explores the implications of these developments for the organization of bourgeois hegemony and the prospects for transformative alternatives.
Understanding Policy and Technical Aspects of AI-enabled Smart Video Surveillance to Address Public Safety
Authors: Ardabili Babak Rahimi , Pazho Armin Danesh , Noghre Ghazal Alinezhad , Neff Christopher , Bhaskararayuni Sai Datta , Ravindran Arun , Reid Shannon , Tabkhi Hamed
Published: May 2023

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have seen the emergence of smart video surveillance (SVS) in many practical applications, particularly for building safer and more secure communities in our urban environments. Cognitive tasks, such as identifying objects, recognizing actions, and detecting anomalous behaviors, can produce data capable of providing valuable insights to the community through statistical and analytical tools. However, artificially intelligent surveillance systems design requires special considerations for ethical challenges and concerns. The use and storage of personally identifiable information (PII) commonly pose an increased risk to personal privacy. To address these issues, this paper identifies the privacy concerns and requirements needed to address when designing AI-enabled smart video surveillance. Further, we propose the first end-to-end AI-enabled privacy-preserving smart video surveillance system that holistically combines computer vision analytics, statistical data analytics, cloud-native services, and end-user applications. Finally, we propose quantitative and qualitative metrics to evaluate intelligent video surveillance systems. The system shows the 17.8 frame-per-second (FPS) processing in extreme video scenes. However, considering privacy in designing such a system results in preferring the pose-based algorithm to the pixel-based one. This choice resulted in dropping accuracy in both action and anomaly detection tasks. The results drop from 97.48% to 73.72% in anomaly detection and 96% to 83.07% in the action detection task. On average, the latency of the end-to-end system is 36.1 seconds.
Effectiveness of Interventions Promoting Physical Activity and Reducing Sedentary Behavior in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: An Umbrella Review With Application to Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alessy Saleh A. , Malkin Jesse D. , Finkelstein Eric A. , AlAhmed Reem , Baattaiah Baian A. , Evenson Kelly R. , Rakic Severin , Cetinkaya Volkan , Herbst Christopher H. , Al-Hazzaa Hazzaa M. , Alqahtani Saleh A.
Published: May 2023

Background

As Saudi Arabia is expected to face population aging in the future, the burden of diseases arising from inadequate physical activity (PA) and excess sedentary behavior (SB) may subsequently increase without successful interventions. The present study critically reviews the global literature on the effectiveness of PA interventions targeting community-dwelling older adults to draw on lessons and applications for future interventions in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

This umbrella review of systematic reviews included interventions designed to increase PA and/or reduce SB in community-dwelling older adults. We conducted searches in July 2022 in two electronic databases—PubMed and Embase—and identified relevant peer-reviewed systematic reviews in English.

Results

Fifteen systematic reviews focusing on community-dwelling older adults were included. Several reviews reported that PA- or SB-based interventions, including eHealth interventions (such as automated advice, tele-counseling, digital PA coaching, automated PA tracking and feedback, online resources, online social support, and video demonstrations), mHealth interventions, and non-eHealth interventions (such as goal setting, individualized feedback, motivational sessions, phone calls, face-to-face education, counseling, supervised exercise sessions, sending educational materials to participants’ homes, music, and social marketing programs), were effective in the short term (e.g., ≤ 3 months) but with wide heterogeneity in findings and methodologies. There were limited studies on PA- and SB-based interventions that could be effective for one year or more after the intervention. Most reviews were heavily skewed toward studies carried out in Western communities, limiting their generalizability to Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world.

Conclusion

There is evidence that some PA and SB interventions may be effective in the short term, but high-quality evidence regarding long-term effects is lacking. The cultural, climate, and environmental barriers related to PA and SB in Saudi Arabia require an innovative approach and research to evaluate such interventions in older individuals in the long term.
The Impact of COVID-19 Infection on Patients with Chronic Diseases Admitted to ICU: a Cohort Retrospective Study
Authors: Alammari Farah , Al-Sowayan Batla S. , Albdah Bayan , Alsubait Arwa A.
Published: May 2023

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection is causing significant morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. A comprehensive investigation of the disease characteristics, especially among vulnerable disease groups, could help better manage the disease and reduce the pathogen's effect. This retrospective study examined the impact of COVID-19 infection on three groups of patients with chronic diseases. We investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of 535 COVID-19 patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), chronic kidney diseases (CKD), and Cancer that were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Of the total cases, 433 patients (80.93%) were discharged from the ICU, and 102 patients (19.06%) were declared dead. Patients’ symptoms, their clinical laboratory findings, number and type of medications, length of ICU stay, and outcome were collected and analyzed. Most COVID-19 patients included in our study were associated with other comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and heart disease and failure. Upon ICU admission, the main COVID-19-related symptoms in CVD, CKD, and cancer patients were cough (55.73, 50.42, and 50.5%, respectively), Shortness of Breath (SOB) (59.38, 43.1, and 43.7%, respectively), and fever (41.15%, 48.75%, and 28.2%, respectively). In terms of lab findings, D-dimer, LDH, and inflammatory markers, in particular, were outside the normal range. Treatment options for patients with COVID-19 in ICU were mainly antibiotics, synthetic glucocorticoids, and Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH). Furthermore, CKD patients had a longer ICU stay (13.93 ± 15.87 days) which illustrates the poorer outcome in this group of patients compared with the others. In conclusion, our results highlighted the significant risk factors among COVID-19 patients within the three groups. This can guide physicians in prioritizing ICU admission and help in the management of critically ill patients with COVID-19.
Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant and its subvariants and lineages may lead to another COVID-19 wave in the world? -An overview of current evidence and counteracting strategies
Authors: Sah Ranjit , Rais Mohammed Amir , Mohanty Aroop , Chopra Hitesh , Chandran Deepak , Bin Emran Talha , Dhama Kuldeep
Published: May 2023

The highly contagious Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is a recent cause of concern during the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified SARS-CoV-2 variants into variants of concern (VOCs), variants of interest (VOIs), and variants under monitoring (VUMs). VOCs were categorized as Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), and Delta (B.1.617.2). Omicron (B.1.1.529) was a further modified strain that has a short incubation period; it was called VOC by the WHO, and it became fifth on the list of variants. Omicron has spread faster than any other variant since its emergence in late 2021. Omicron is currently the only circulating VOC. The various subvariants of Omicron are BA.1 (B.1.1.529.1), BA.2 (B.1.1.529.2), BA.3 (B.1.1.529.3), BA.4, BA.5, and descendent lineages. More recently, identified Omicron subvariants and sublineages BQ.1, BQ.1.1, BA.4.6, BF.7, BA.2.75.2, XBB.1, and BF.7 have also attracted global attention. The BA.5 strain of Omicron is the most contagious and dominant subvariant globally. Recent spikes in cases in China are due to the BF.7 subvariant. With the large increase in the number of cases, there has been an increase in hospitalisations in countries worldwide. In many countries, the lifting of infection prevention protocols, such as the use of masks and physical distancing, contributes to the spread of the virus. This article highlights the potential impacts of SARS-CoV-2 variants and subvariants, which have made the pandemic far from over. Effective vaccination remains the safest option to kerb transmission of these variants. Therefore, people must be vaccinated, wear masks, perform regular hand hygiene, and observe social distancing. Additionally, genome sequencing of positive samples can help detect various virus variants; thus, mapping cases in a particular area can be performed.
Constitutional Contagion
Authors: Parmet Wendy E.
Published: May 2023

Constitutional law has helped make Americans unhealthy. Drawing from law, history, political theory, and public health research, Constitutional Contagion explores the history of public health laws, the nature of liberty and individual rights, and the forces that make a nation more or less vulnerable to contagion. In this groundbreaking work, Wendy Parmet documents how the Supreme Court departed from past practice to stymie efforts to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and demonstrates how pre-pandemic court decisions helped to shatter social contracts, weaken democracy, and perpetuate the inequities that made the United States especially vulnerable when COVID-19 struck. Looking at judicial decisions from an earlier era, Parmet argues that the Constitution does not compel the stark individualism and disregard of public health that is evident in contemporary constitutional law decisions. Parmet shows us why, if we are to be a healthy nation, constitutional law must change.
Yahweh and the Origins of Ancient Israel
Authors: Amzallag Nissim
Published: May 2023

In this book, Nissim Amzallag offers new perspectives on the birth of ancient Israel by combining recent archaeological discoveries with a new approach to ancient Yahwism. He investigates the renewal of the copper industry in the Early Iron Age Levant and its influence on the rise of new nations, and also explores the recently identified metallurgical context of ancient Yahwism in the Bible. By merging these two branches of evidence, Amzallag proposes that the roots of YHWH are found in a powerful deity who sponsored the emancipation movement that freed Israel from the Amorite/Egyptian hegemony. Amzallag identifies the early Israelite religion as an attempt to transform the esoteric traditions of Levantine metalworkers into the public worship of YHWH. These unusual origins provide insight into many of the unique aspects of Israelite theology that ultimately spurred the evolution towards monotheism. His volume also casts new light on the mysterious smelting-god, the figure around which many Bronze Age religions revolved.
Voter Backlash and Elite Misperception
Authors: Rosenzweig Steven C.
Published: May 2023

Existing theories of election-related violence often assume that if elites instigate violence, they must benefit electorally from doing so. With a focus on Kenya, this book employs a wide array of data and empirical methods to demonstrate that - contrary to conventional wisdom - violence can be a costly strategy resulting in significant voter backlash. The book argues that politicians often fail to perceive these costs and thus employ violence as an electoral tactic even when its efficacy is doubtful. Election-related violence can therefore be explained not solely by the electoral benefits it provides, but by politicians' misperceptions about its effectiveness as an electoral tactic. The book also shows that violence in founding elections - the first elections held under a new multiparty regime - has long-lasting effects on politicians (mis)perceptions about its usefulness, explaining why some countries' elections suffer from recurrent bouts of violence while others do not.
Green Product Portfolio and Environmental Lobbying
Authors: Eun Jihyun , Lee Minjung , Jung Young Hoon
Published: May 2023

Nowadays, a growing number of firms utilize corporate lobbying to advocate for more environmentally friendly policies and regulations, deviating from the traditional lobbying mainly used to minimize regulatory burdens. In this study, we investigate what motivates firms to engage in such an unusual type of lobbying—environmental lobbying. Focusing on the product strategy of firms, we suggest that firms with greater green product intensity are more likely to engage in environmental lobbying. When environmental lobbying raises environmental hurdles in the market, firms with an intensive focus on green products can bear adjustment costs with little effort, leaving other “less green” firms relatively disadvantaged under the newly regulated market conditions. Moreover, those firms can address demand-side issues more easily by lobbying the government to provide greater incentives for purchasing green products or to request subsidies that can be used to improve their cost structure. Our analyses based on the US light vehicle market indicate that, indeed, the more electric vehicles automakers sell relative to their total sale volumes, the more they will engage in environmental lobbying. We also find that this relationship becomes more salient when a firm has greater market share or originally comes from a foreign country with more stringent environmental regulations than the United States.
Systematic metacognitive reflection helps people discover far-sighted decision strategies: A process-tracing experiment
Authors: Becker Frederic , Wirzberger Maria , Pammer-Schindler Viktoria , Srinivas Srinidhi , Lieder Falk
Published: May 2023

Short-sighted decisions can have devastating consequences, and teaching people to make their decisions in a more far-sighted way is challenging. Previous research found that reflecting on one’s behavior can boost learning from success and failure. Here, we explore the potential benefits of guiding people to reflect on whether and how they thought about what to do (i.e.,systematic metacognitive reflection). We devised a series of Socratic questions that prompt people to reflect on their decision-making and tested their effectiveness in a process-tracing experiment with a 5-step planning task ($N=265$). Each participant went through several cycles of making a series of decisions and then either reflecting on how they made those decisions, answering unrelated questions, or moving on to the next decision right away. We found that systematic metacognitive reflection helps people discover adaptive, far-sighted decision strategies faster. Our results suggest that systematic metacognitive reflection is a promising approach to boosting people’s decision-making competence.
Locating place in variationist sociolinguistics: Making the case for ethnographically informed multidimensional place orientation metrics
Authors: Carmichael Katie
Published: May 2023

Variationist research has much to gain from deepening engagement with theories about place, defined as space imbued with social meaning. One challenge that variationists face is how to adapt the complex and multifaceted aspects of place orientation into a single measure that can be included in models of sociolinguistic variation. In this paper, I advocate for an ethnographic approach to place, providing an example from Greater New Orleans, where post-Katrina displacement has highlighted individual connections to place. Using an ethnographically informed multidimensional place orientation metric (MPOM), I examine two local linguistic features among speakers from the suburban town of Chalmette, Louisiana according to place orientation. Via statistical modeling and case study of individual speakers, I demonstrate the value of MPOMs in quantitative analysis of sociolinguistic variation, arguing for further theorization of place orientation in our research and providing a model for variationist sociolinguists interested in engaging more with place theory.
Food insecurity and sleep health by race/ethnicity in the United States
Authors: Alhasan Dana M. , Riley Nyree M. , Jackson II W. Braxton , Jackson Chandra L.
Published: May 2023

Food insecurity, poised to increase with burgeoning concerns related to climate change, may influence sleep, yet few studies examined the food security-sleep association among racially/ethnically diverse populations with multiple sleep dimensions. We determined overall and racial/ethnic-specific associations between food security and sleep health. Using National Health Interview Survey data, we categorised food security as very low, low, marginal and high. Sleep duration was categorised as very short, short, recommended and long. Sleep disturbances included trouble falling/staying asleep, insomnia symptoms, waking up feeling unrested and using sleep medication (all ≥3 d/times in the previous week). Adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and other confounders, we used Poisson regression with robust variance to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs) for sleep dimensions by food security. Among 177 435 participants, the mean age of 47⋅2 ± 0⋅1 years, 52⋅0 % were women, and 68⋅4 % were non-Hispanic (NH)-White. A higher percent of NH-Black (7⋅9 %) and Hispanic/Latinx (5⋅1 %) lived in very low food security households than NH-White (3⋅1 %) participants. Very low v. high food security was associated with a higher prevalence of very short (PR = 2⋅61 [95 % CI 2⋅44–2⋅80]) sleep duration as well as trouble falling asleep (PR = 2⋅21 [95 % CI 2⋅12–2⋅30]). Very low v. high food security was associated with a higher prevalence of very short sleep duration among Asian (PR = 3⋅64 [95 % CI 2⋅67–4⋅97]) and NH-White (PR = 2⋅73 [95 % CI 2⋅50–2⋅99]) participants compared with NH-Black (PR = 2⋅03 [95 % CI 1⋅80–2⋅31]) and Hispanic/Latinx (PR = 2⋅65 [95 % CI 2⋅30–3⋅07]) participants. Food insecurity was associated with poorer sleep in a racially/ethnically diverse US sample.
The high-pitch notched audiogram: a cohort of patients without causative noise-induced hearing loss
Authors: Moore P J
Published: May 2023

Background

One still encounters opinion that hearing loss with high-pitch notched audiogram is invariably due to noise-induced hearing loss. This paper tests this misapprehension.

Methods

A study was conducted of patients identified in a prospective manner with notched audiograms but no history of noise exposure occurring in an otolaryngological practice over a 20-year period.

Results

A cohort of 26 hearing loss patients, in whom notched audiograms were not associated with historical evidence of noise exposure, was documented.

Conclusion

The findings confirm that a notched audiogram is not pathognomonic of noise-induced hearing loss.
Longitudinal course of endocannabinoids andN-acylethanolamines in hair of mothers and their children in the first year postpartum: investigating the relevance of maternal childhood maltreatment experiences
Authors: Hitzler Melissa , Matits Lynn , Gumpp Anja M. , Bach Alexandra M. , Ziegenhain Ute , Gao Wei , Kolassa Iris-Tatjana , Behnke Alexander
Published: May 2023

Background

Childhood maltreatment (CM) exerts long-lasting psychological and biological alterations in affected individuals and might also affect the endocannabinoid (eCB) system which modulates inflammation and the endocrine stress response. Here, we investigated the eCB system of women with and without CM and their infants using hair samples representing eCB levels accumulated during the last trimester of pregnancy and 10–12 months postpartum.

Methods

CM exposure was assessed with theChildhood Trauma Questionnaire. At both timepoints, 3 cm hair strands were collected from mothers and children (N= 170 resp. 150) to measure anandamide (AEA), 2/1-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG/1-AG), stearoylethanolamide (SEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA).

Results

Maternal hair levels of 2-AG/1-AG increased and SEA levels decreased from late pregnancy to one year postpartum. Maternal CM was associated with lower SEA levels in late pregnancy, but not one year later. In the children's hair, levels of 2-AG/1-AG increased while levels of SEA, OEA, and PEA decreased from late pregnancy to one year later. Maternal CM was not consistently associated with the eCB levels measured in children's hair.

Conclusions

We provide first evidence for longitudinal change in the eCB system of mothers and infants from pregnancy to one year later. While maternal CM influenced the maternal eCB system, we found no consistent intergenerational effects on early regulation of the eCB system in children. Longitudinal research on the importance of the eCB system for the course and immunoregulation of pregnancy as well as for the children's development.
What Does It Mean to Colonise and Decolonise Philosophy?
Authors: Gordon Lewis R.
Published: May 2023

What does it mean for philosophy to be ‘colonised’ and what are some of the challenges involved in ‘decolonising’ it in philosophical and political terms? After distinguishing between philosophy and its practice as a professional enterprise, I explore six ways in which philosophy, at least as understood in its Euromodern form, could be interpreted as colonised: (1) Eurocentrism and its asserted racial and ethnic origins/misrepresentations of philosophy's history, (2) coloniality of its norms, (3) market commodification of the discipline, (4) disciplinary decadence, (5) solipsism, and (6) appeals to redemptive narratives of colonial practice. The remainder of the article examines conditions for decolonising philosophy, which include unlocking its potential as a liberatory practice, identifying its humanistic dimensions, rethinking metaphysical assumptions, and embracing political responsibility wrought from the production of knowledge.
Scoping review of outpatient health services utilization among women
Authors: Alizadeh Mahasti , Zamiran Bahar , Eslamian Ayoub , SoleimanvandiAzar Neda , Mohammadi Gharehghani Mohammad Ali , Karimijavan Gelavizh , Karimi Salah Eddin
Published: May 2023

Background:

Health services utilization, as one of the mechanisms of the health system, guarantees a healthy life and improves well-being for everyone.

Aims:

The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting the use of outpatient health services among women.

Methods/designs:

This scoping review examined the studies related to outpatient health services utilization (OHSU) and its determinants among women. This review was conducted on English language studies published between 2010 and 2023 (All searches were conducted on 20 January 2023). Studies available in databases such as Web of Science, MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Wiley library, Proquest, and Google Scholar were searched manually. Selected keywords and their equivalents were used to search for related articles in each database.

Results:

A total of 18 795 articles were identified, of which 37 met the inclusion criteria. Findings showed that age, marital status, level of education, employment status, income level, socioeconomic status, rape experience, health insurance, health status, ethnicity, living in rural areas, quality of services, area of residence, having a purpose in life and access to health services affect OHSU among women.

Conclusions:

The results of the present review showed that in order to achieve the universal goals of health services coverage and health service utilization, it is necessary for countries to provide insurance coverage to the maximum number of people. Also, policies should change in favor of the elderly, poor and low-income, low-educated, rural, ethnic minority, and chronically ill women and provide them with free preventive health services.
Joint models for cause-of-death mortality in multiple populations
Authors: Huynh Nhan , Ludkovski Mike
Published: May 2023

We investigate jointly modelling age–year-specific rates of various causes of death in a multinational setting. We apply multi-output Gaussian processes (MOGPs), a spatial machine learning method, to smooth and extrapolate multiple cause-of-death mortality rates across several countries and both genders. To maintain flexibility and scalability, we investigate MOGPs with Kronecker-structured kernels and latent factors. In particular, we develop a custom multi-level MOGP that leverages the gridded structure of mortality tables to efficiently capture heterogeneity and dependence across different factor inputs. Results are illustrated with datasets from the Human Cause-of-Death Database (HCD). We discuss a case study involving cancer variations in three European nations and a US-based study that considers eight top-level causes and includes comparison to all-cause analysis. Our models provide insights into the commonality of cause-specific mortality trends and demonstrate the opportunities for respective data fusion.
Marine‐Calibrated Chronology of Southern Laurentide Ice Sheet Advance and Retreat: ∼2,000‐Year Cycles Paced by Meltwater–Climate Feedback
Authors: Wickert Andrew D. , Williams Carlie , Gregoire Lauren J. , Callaghan Kerry L. , Ivanović Ruža F. , Valdes Paul J. , Vetter Lael , Jennings Carrie E.
Published: May 2023

Climatic warming following the Last Glacial Maximum caused the southern Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) to begin ∼2,000‐year cycles of retreat and readvance whose cause remains ambiguous. By developing a marine‐calibrated chronology of southern LIS position, we counterintuitively demonstrate that between 17.6 and 11.3 ka, ice advanced during times of northern‐hemisphere warming and retreated during times of northern‐hemisphere cooling. Here we propose a cyclical feedback: Meltwater from ice retreat cooled the northern hemisphere by weakening the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). This eventually lead to ice‐sheet readvance, which reduced and rerouted meltwater discharge, and thereby allowed the AMOC to strengthen and the northern hemisphere to warm. Our data suggest that this antiphased ice–climate interaction, paced by ice‐sheet response time, was initiated by synchronous warming and ice retreat ∼18.7–17.6 ka (corresponding to the Erie “Interstade”) and reached its apex during the Younger Dryas.
Implications of Sea Breezes on Air Quality Monitoring in a Coastal Urban Environment: Evidence From High Resolution Modeling of NO2 and O3
Authors: Wang Bo , Geddes Jeffrey A. , Adams Taylor J. , Lind Elena S. , McDonald Brian C. , He Jian , Harkins Colin , Li Dan , Pfister Gabriele G.
Published: May 2023

Coastal urban environments face unique challenges associated with air quality‐meteorology interactions. In this study, high resolution chemical transport modeling over the Greater Boston area was performed to improve our understanding of sea breezes impacts on the spatiotemporal variability of primary and secondary pollutants. We perform WRF‐Chem simulations at 3 km resolution over June 22 to 10 July 2019 (a period that included 10 sea breeze occurrences), and use Pandora tropospheric NO2 column, surface air quality monitoring, and vertical meteorological aircraft profiles for evaluation. The model generally reproduces observed spatiotemporal variability of air pollution during sea breezes well. Tropospheric columns of NO2 predicted by the model and observed by the Pandora instrument show that sea breezes are associated with rapid increases and steep gradients in tropospheric NO2 and confirm accumulation of local primary emissions. Spatial heterogeneity in tropospheric NO2 is strongly governed by inland penetration lengths of the sea breeze front. Process diagnostics show that three sea‐breeze days where O3 observations recorded hourly concentrations >70 ppb have both efficient net chemical O3 production in the boundary layer (>10 ppb/hr) and rapid O3 convergence in the near‐surface convergence zone (>20 ppb/hr). During sea breezes, interactions between photochemistry, the convergence zone inland penetration, and urban NOx titration effects, contribute to strong heterogeneity and high O3 inland that is not captured by the current monitoring network. We discuss monitoring needs and model applications for the sea breeze scenarios, with broad implications for air quality monitoring in coastal urban environments.
Profiling and Pairing Catchments and Hydrological Models With Latent Factor Model
Authors: Yang Yang , Chui Ting Fong May
Published: May 2023

Hydrological models are simplified representations of catchments. Finding an appropriate model instance (i.e., a combination of structure and parameter values) for a given catchment is a fundamental problem in hydrological modeling. This study develops a latent factor‐based machine learning method to learn to predict the pairwise association between the behavioral characteristics under climate forcing of a catchment and a hydrological model instance. The underlying assumption is that the behaviors of catchments and model instances can be sufficiently well characterized by sets of latent factors that allow accurate prediction of the associations between observed and modeled behaviors. In this study, the proposed method was applied to learn the latent factor vectors (which are numerical values) of 2,649 catchments worldwide and over 1,000,000 model instances from their pairwise associations (i.e., similarities between observed and simulated catchment behaviors). The model instances were created using 36 conceptual model structures or modeling software, and the their parameter values were randomly sampled. The results show that the learned latent factor vectors are able to accurately characterize the associations between catchments and hydrological model instances. The latent factor vector of a “new” catchment (not seen by the training procedures) can be estimated by running a small number of randomly sampled model instances, from which well‐fitting model instances created using different conceptual models can be recommended. The recommended instances can be of comparable quality to those derived using a calibration algorithm, and the method is useful for catchments outside the regions from which the latent factor vectors of the model instances were derived.
Identification of the Madden–Julian Oscillation With Data‐Driven Koopman Spectral Analysis
Authors: Lintner Benjamin R. , Giannakis Dimitrios , Pike Max , Slawinska Joanna
Published: May 2023

The Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO), the dominant mode of tropical intraseasonal variability, is commonly identified using the realtime multivariate MJO (RMM) index based on joint empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of near‐equatorial upper and lower level zonal winds and outgoing longwave radiation. Here, in place of conventional EOFs, we apply an operator‐theoretic formalism based on dynamic systems theory (the Koopman operator) to extract an analog to RMM that exhibits certain features that refine the characterization and predictability of the MJO. In particular, the spectrum of Koopman operator eigenfunctions, with eigenvalues corresponding to mode periods, contains a leading intraseasonal mode with period of ∼50 days. Moreover, the amplitude of this leading intraseasonal eigenfunction exhibits a seasonal modulation clearly peaked in boreal winter. Finally, the phase space formed by the complex Koopman MJO eigenfunction exhibits a smoother temporal evolution and higher degree of autocorrelation than RMM, which may contribute to enhanced predictive skill.
Electron Dynamics in the Electron Current Sheet During Strong Guide‐Field Reconnection
Authors: Wang H.‐W. , Tang B.‐B. , Li W. Y. , Zhang Y.‐C. , Graham D. B. , Khotyaintsev Y. V. , Gao C.‐H. , Guo X.‐C. , Wang C.
Published: May 2023

In this study, we investigate detailed electron dynamics in strong guide‐field reconnection (the normalized guide field is ∼1.5). This reconnection event is observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft at the center of a flux rope in the magnetotail. With the presence of a large parallel electric field (E‖) in the electron current sheet, electrons are accelerated when streaming into this E‖ region from one direction, and decelerated from the other direction. Some decelerated electrons can reduce the parallel speed to ∼0 to form relatively isotropic electron distributions at one side of the electron current sheet, as the estimated acceleration potential satisfies the relation eΦ‖ ≥ kTe,‖, where Te,‖ is the electron temperature parallel to the magnetic field. Therefore, a large E‖ is generated to balance the parallel electron pressure gradient across the electron current sheet, since electrons at the other side of the current sheet are still anisotropic. Based on these observations, we further show that the electron beta is an important parameter in guide‐field reconnection, providing a new perspective to solve the large parallel electric field puzzle in guide‐field reconnection.
Mass Loss of Glaciers and Ice Caps Across Greenland Since the Little Ice Age
Authors: Carrivick Jonathan L. , Boston Clare M. , Sutherland Jenna L. , Pearce Danni , Armstrong Hugo , Bjørk Anders , Kjeldsen Kristian K. , Abermann Jakob , Oien Rachel P. , Grimes Michael , James William H. M. , Smith Mark W.
Published: May 2023

Glaciers and ice caps (GICs) are important contributors of meltwater runoff and to global sea level rise. However, knowledge of GIC mass changes is largely restricted to the last few decades. Here we show the extent of 5327 Greenland GICs during Little Ice Age (LIA) termination (1900) and reveal that they have fragmented into 5467 glaciers in 2001, losing at least 587 km3 from their ablation areas, equating to 499 Gt at a rate of 4.34 Gt yr−1. We estimate that the long‐term mean mass balance in glacier ablation areas has been at least −0.18 to −0.22 m w.e. yr−1 and note the rate between 2000 and 2019 has been three times that. Glaciers with ice‐marginal lakes formed since the LIA termination have had the fastest changing mass balance. Considerable spatial variability in glacier changes suggest compounding regional and local factors present challenges for understanding glacier evolution.
The Role of the Pacific‐Antarctic Ridge in Establishing the Northward Extent of Antarctic Sea‐Ice
Authors: Ferola A. I. , Cotroneo Y. , Wadhams P. , Fusco G. , Falco P. , Budillon G. , Aulicino G.
Published: May 2023

Monitoring the Antarctic sea‐ice is essential for improving our knowledge of the Southern Ocean. We used satellite sea‐ice concentration data for the 2002–2020 period to retrieve the sea‐ice extent (SIE) and analyze its variability in the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean. Results provide observational evidence of the recurring formation of a sea‐ice protrusion that extends to 60°S at 150°W during the winter season. Furthermore, we discuss how the Pacific‐Antarctic Ridge (PAR) influences this phenomenon. Our findings show that the northward deflection of the southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current front is driven by the PAR and is associated with the enhanced sea‐ice advance. The PAR also constrains eddy trajectories, limiting their interaction with the sea‐ice edge. These factors, within the 160°W–135°W sector, cause an average SIE increase of 61,000 km2 and 46,293 km2 per year more than the upstream and downstream areas, respectively.
Field Gradient Analysis Based on a Geometrical Approach
Authors: Shen C. , Dunlop M.
Published: May 2023

Using multi‐point observations from a spacecraft constellation, the spatial gradients of measured physical quantities can be calculated, and thus other derived parameters for the plasma (e.g., current density, topology of magnetic field lines, and wave vectors) can also be calculated. In this research, a geometrical method based on integral theorems has been applied to deduce estimators of the linear gradients of various fields based on constellation measurements. Integral forms are best suited to the particular case of four‐point measurements and indeed using this geometrical approach, it is very easy to derive the field gradients for observations made by a planar constellation (e.g., as defined by three spacecraft). It is verified here that the method based on integral theorems and the method based on spatial interpolation are equivalent for deriving formulas for the gradients. An error analysis found that the accuracy of the estimators is very high and enters at the second order of the tetrahedron size. This makes the estimates, derived from the integral approach rather stable.
Identification of RAC1 in promoting brain metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma using single-cell transcriptome sequencing
Authors: Chen Mingyu , Li Hanyue , Xu Xiaolin , Bao Xunxia , Xue Lei , Ai Xinghao , Xu Jian , Xu Ming , Shi Yong , Zhen Timing , Li Jie , Yang Yi , Ji Yang , Fu Zhiliang , Xing Kaichen , Qing Tao , Wang Qiubo , Zhong Ping , Zhu Sibo
Published: May 2023

This study aims to give a new perspective to the biomarkers in the lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) brain metastasis, pathways involved and potential therapeutics. We performed a comprehensive single-cell level transcriptomic analysis on one LUAD patient with circulating tumor cells (CTCs), primary tumor tissue and metastatic tumor tissue using scRNA-seq approach to identify metastasis related biomarkers. Further scRNA-seq were performed on 7 patients to validate the cancer metastatic hallmark. with single cells collected from either metastatic or primary LUAD tissues. Pathological and functional studies were also performed to evidence the critical role of RAC1 in the LUAD metastasis. Hallmark gene was verified based on immunohistochemistry staining, cytological experiment, survival information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and staining results from Human Protein Atlas (HPA) databases. PCA analysis revealed that CTCs were in the intermediate place between the metastatic group and primary group. In the unsupervised clustering analysis CTCs were closer to one of the metastatic tumor cells, implying heterogeneity of the metastatic tumor and origin of the CTCs were from metastatic site. Transitional phase related gene analysis identified RAC1 was enriched in metastatic tumor tissue (MTT) preferred gene set functioning as regulated cell death and apoptosis as well as promoted macromolecule organization. Compared with normal tissue, expression levels of RAC1 increased significantly in LUAD tissue based on HPA database. High expression of RAC1 predicts worse prognosis and higher-risk. EMT analysis identified the propensity of mesenchymal state in primary cells while epithelial signals were higher in the metastatic site. Functional clustering and pathway analyses suggested genes in RAC1 highly expressed cells played critical roles in adhesion, ECM and VEGF signaling pathways. Inhibition of RAC1 attenuates the proliferation, invasiveness and migration ability of lung cancer cells. Besides, through MRI T2WI results, we proved that RAC1 can promote brain metastasis in the RAC1-overexpressed H1975 cell burden nude mouse model. RAC1 and its mechanisms might promote drug design against LUAD brain metastasis.
Identification of age-specific gene regulators of La Crosse virus neuroinvasion and pathogenesis
Authors: Basu Rahul , Ganesan Sundar , Winkler Clayton W. , Anzick Sarah L. , Martens Craig , Peterson Karin E. , Fraser Iain D. C.
Published: May 2023

One of the key events in viral encephalitis is the ability of virus to enter the central nervous system (CNS). Several encephalitic viruses, including La Crosse Virus (LACV), primarily induce encephalitis in children, but not adults. This phenomenon is also observed in LACV mouse models, where the virus gains access to the CNS of weanling animals through vascular leakage of brain microvessels, likely through brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs). To examine age and region-specific regulatory factors of vascular leakage, we used genome-wide transcriptomics and targeted siRNA screening to identify genes whose suppression affected viral pathogenesis in BCECs. Further analysis of two of these gene products, Connexin43 (Cx43/Gja1) and EphrinA2 (Efna2), showed a substantial effect on LACV pathogenesis. Induction of Cx43 by 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) inhibited neurological disease in weanling mice, while Efna2 deficiency increased disease in adult mice. Thus, we show that Efna2 and Cx43 expressed by BCECs are key mediators of LACV-induced neuroinvasion and neurological disease.