bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimal reimbursement limitation for a health plan
Authors: Baione Fabio , Biancalana Davide , Menzietti Massimiliano
Published: November 2023

The goal of this paper is the assessment of an optimal reimbursement strategy for employer-based health insurance plans (HP), that cover several categories of medical services. Indeed, a health plan may offer several cost-sharing provisions for these categories, and the “Percent Expense Paid” by the plan also known as “Actuarial Value” represents a summary measure of the protection provided. Starting from a wide industrial applied model in insurance for rate-making, the generalized linear models (GLM), we estimate the expected value and variance of the health expenditure for each category. Moreover, different reimbursement rules (e.g. deductibles, co-payments, policy limits, etc.) involve a change of the “Actuarial Value” calculated as the ratio between the benefits paid by the plan (i.e. reimbursement amounts) and the expenses paid by policyholders (i.e. expenditures). The latter is the percentage of expenditure reimbursed by the plan and is sometimes defined in actuarial literature as Indicated Deductible Relativity (IDR); an IDR can be calculated for each category covered by the Health Plan or per policyholder and is a commonly used method for scoring the benefits of health insurance. Hence, we calculate the optimal IDR for each category, using the optimization problem proposed by de by Finetti (Il problema dei pieni, Giornale dell’istituto italiano degli attuari, 1940) in the context of proportional reinsurance. The goal is the minimization of the variance of the total reimbursement of the Health Plan by fixing the total gain. Furthermore, we propose a numerical application to a real dataset, containing observed expenditures of an Italian HP.
A robust route to randomness in a simple Cournot duopoly game where ambiguity aversion meets constant expectations
Authors: Radi D. , Gardini L. , Goldbaum D.
Published: November 2023

In this paper we investigate the dynamics of a duopoly game with ambiguity aversion regarding uncertainty in demand and constant expectations concerning competitor production. The focus is on an asymmetric Cournot game where players engage in robust optimization and have different beliefs about the possible realizations of the random parameters of the price function. The players’ ambiguity aversion introduces multiple equilibria and instability that otherwise would not be present. The investigation of the global dynamics of the game reveals the emergence, through border-collision bifurcations, of periodic and chaotic dynamics.
Tick infestation in spur-thighed tortoise population: a pilot study for unraveling epidemiological patterns and demographic consequences
Authors: Segura Amalia , Rafael Marta , Vaz-Rodrigues Rita , Rodríguez Oscar , Gortázar Christian , de la Fuente José
Published: November 2023

Ectoparasites, such as ticks, modulate host population dynamics by impacting demographic traits. They transmit infectious agents among their hosts, posing a critical threat to animal and public health. This study aimed to characterize and analyze the Hyalomma aegyptium infestation on one of its main hosts, the spur-thighed tortoise, its effects on demographic traits, and to determine the diversity of infectious agents present in both ticks and tortoises in the Maamora forest (northwestern Morocco). Our results show that 100% of the tortoises were parasitized by adult ticks in spring, an infestation intensity of 4 ticks/tortoise (5.1 and 3.6 ticks/tortoise in males and females, respectively; 4.2 and 3.3 ticks/tortoise in gravid and non-gravid females, respectively) and an abundance ranging from 1 to 12. Although without significant differences, male tortoises had higher tick abundances than females. The interaction of tortoise sex and body condition was significantly related to tick abundance, male body condition decreased with higher tick abundance in contrast to females. Nevertheless, the interaction of body condition and reproductive stage of females was not significantly related to tick abundance. Gravid females were significantly associated with tick abundance, showing a slightly higher infestation than non-gravid females. Molecular analysis of pooled tick samples revealed the presence of Ehrlichia ewingii, Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii, and Rickettsia africae, with a minimum infection rate of 0.61 to 1.84%. However, blood sample analysis of the tortoises was infectious agent-free, pinpointing a lack of significant health problems. Given the possible effect on the transmission of zoonotic diseases by spur-thighed tortoises associated with their frequent collection as pets, it should be surveyed to control possible human health problems. In conservation terms, as a long-lived species, the role of tick infestation in demographic traits might be included in the management and conservation programs of spur-thighed tortoises.
Integral Turbulent Length and Time Scales of Higher Order Moments
Authors: Klein Markus
Published: November 2023

Turbulent length and time scales represent a fundamental quantity for analysing and modelling turbulent flows. Although higher order statistical moments have been conveniently used for decades to describe the mean behaviour of turbulent fluid flow, the definition of the integral turbulent scales seems to be limited to the velocity or its fluctuation itself (i.e. the first moment). Higher order moments are characterized by smaller integral scales and a framework is proposed for estimating autocorrelation functions and integral turbulent length or time scales of higher order moments under the assumption that the probability distribution of the velocity field is Gaussian. The new relations are tested for synthetic turbulence as well as for DNS data of a turbulent plane jet at Reynolds number 10000. The present results in particular suggest that the length or time scales of higher order moments can be markedly smaller than those of the turbulent variable itself, which has implications for statistical uncertainty estimates of higher order moments.
Small villages and their sanitary infrastructure—an unnoticed influence on water quantity and a threat to water quality in headwater catchments
Authors: Spill Caroline , Ditzel Lukas , Gassmann Matthias
Published: November 2023

In rural catchments, villages often feature their own, separate urban water infrastructure, including combined sewer overflows (CSOs) or wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). These point sources affect the water quantity and quality of the receiving low order streams. However, the extent of this impact is rarely monitored. We installed discharge and water quality measurements at the outlet of two small, neighbouring headwater catchments, one that includes a village, a WWTP, and two CSOs, while the other is predominantly influenced by agricultural activities. We also deployed electrical conductivity (EC) loggers at the CSOs to accurately detect discharge times. Discharge from the WWTP and CSOs led to higher peak flows and runoff coefficients during events. Less dilution of EC and increasing ammonium-N (NH4 − N) and ortho-phosphorus (oPO4 − P) concentrations indicate a significant contribution of poorly treated wastewater from the WWTP. During CSO events, water volumes and nutrient loads were clearly elevated, although concentrations were diluted, except for nitrite-N (NO2 − N) and particulate phosphorus (PP). Baseflow nitrate-N (NO3 − N) concentrations were diluted by the WWTP effluent, which led to considerably lower concentrations compared to the more agriculturally influenced stream. Concentrations of oPO4 − P, NH4 − N, and NO2 − N, which are most likely to originate from the WWTP, vary throughout the year but are always elevated. Our study shows the major and variable impact rural settlements can have on stream hydrology and water quality. Point sources should be monitored more closely to better understand the interaction of natural catchment responses and effects caused by sanitary infrastructure.
Marginal increase in nitrate leaching under grass–clover leys by slurry and mineral fertilizer
Authors: Fontaine Doline , Rasmussen Jim , Eriksen Jørgen
Published: November 2023

On dairy farms, fertilization of grass-clover swards ensures stable grass yields but may increase the potential for nitrate leaching on light-textured soils. The aim of this study was to quantify the N use efficiency and nitrate leaching under fertilized grass-clover leys. The study was conducted over 2 years at two sites, with increasing applications of mineral fertilizer (0–480 kg available N ha−1) alone or in combination with a basic application of cattle slurry. For plots fertilized with mineral N, the N soil surface balance was independent of the application rate and in the same range as for unfertilized plots (− 11 to 51 kg N ha−1). However, when plots were fertilized with slurry N (+ mineral N), the surplus was substantially increased owing to the fraction of organic N applied in slurry (95–100 kg N ha−1) and higher biological N2 fixation inputs (55–228 kg N ha−1). The type of fertilizer had no effect on nitrate leaching across the full range of application rates. Nitrate leaching increased quadratically as a function of application rate, with a range of 3–117 kg N ha−1 (0.33–17 mg l−1 in soil solution sampled with suction cups) in the first year and less in the second year, when clover proportion was lower due to the self-regulatory nature of grass-clover mixtures. Importantly, the rate of marginal leaching increased with fertilization level: below 150 kg N ha−1 there was no additional leaching from fertilization and at 200 kg N ha−1 around 5% of additional fertilizer-N was leached. This is less than generally found for arable crops and thus even in intensive dairy systems, grass-clover leys are an environmentally favorable crop.
CO2 elevation modulates the growth and physiological responses of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) to progressive soil drying
Authors: Cui Bingjing , Liu Jie , Zhang Manyi , Wan Heng , Wei Guiyu , Wei Zhenhua , Liu Fulai
Published: November 2023

Understanding the impact of future climates on crop performance is essential for sustainable agricultural production. In the current research, the development and biological behavior of soybean plants during gradual desiccation of the soil (from the 100% of pot water holding capacity to the gs of plant decreased to 10% of that of the control plants) at ambient [CO2] (a[CO2], 400 ppm) and elevated [CO2] (e[CO2], 800 ppm) were investigated. The results showed that plants grown under e[CO2] conditions had remarkably higher photosynthetic rate (An) but lower stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration rate (E) compared to plants at a[CO2] conditions, which led to an enhanced water use efficiency at both stomatal (WUEi) and leaf levels (WUEleaf). In addition, the e[CO2]-grown soybeans showed a stunted gs response to progressive soil drying, coinciding with a decrease in the susceptibility of gs to the ABA signaling, though they tended to maintain a better leaf water status under drought than the a[CO2]-grown plants. Although the leaf nitrogen concentration (Nleaf) and the total plant N content were notably lower at the e[CO2] condition, the specific leaf N content (SLN) was similar at different [CO2] conditions. Compared to soybean grown under e[CO2], the greater number of nodules at e[CO2] treatment would lead to an enhanced N-fixation, yet, it did not improve the N nutrition of the plants. Nevertheless, by sustaining the SLN, the soybean plants enhanced An when growing at e[CO2], particularly under dry conditions. This knowledge is essential for sustaining soybean production in future climate change scenarios.
Bisequent Calculus for Four-Valued Quasi-Relevant Logics: Cut Elimination and Interpolation
Authors: Indrzejczak Andrzej
Published: November 2023

We present a uniform syntactical characterisation of the class of quasi-relevant logics which are four-valued extensions of the basic relevant logic B of Meyer and Routley. All these logics are obtained by the addition of suitable quasi-relevant implications to the four-valued logic of First Degree Entailment FDE. So far they were characterised axiomatically and semantically in several ways but did not obtain a special proof-theoretic treatment. To this aim a generalised form of sequent calculus called bisequent calculus (BSC) is applied. In BSC rules operate on the ordered pairs of ordinary sequents. It may be treated as the weakest kind of system in the rich family of generalised sequent calculi operating on items which are some collections of ordinary sequents, like hypersequents or nested sequents. It is shown that all logics under consideration have cut-free characterisation in BSC which satisfies the subformula property and yields decidability. It is also shown that the interpolation theorem holds for these logics if their language is enriched with additional negation.
Dwelling by appropriation: identity and attachment in low-income housing in Monterrey, Mexico
Authors: Elizondo Lucia
Published: November 2023

Mexico's housing policies and institutions have focused on increasing the housing supply over the past 50 years. Despite this, most of the population has been unable to afford it and has been forced to fend for themselves through self-construction in socially produced neighborhoods. This research compares the difference between inhabiting a "turn-key" house provided by the state and a self-constructed house through the lens of appropriation and its effects on identity and place attachment that evidence the co-constitutive nature of the house/resident dynamic. As case studies, thirty houses were analyzed in six neighborhoods, three state-financed and three socially produced. The empirical data collected through the qualitative study was structured through the development of a theoretical model called "dwelling by appropriation" that attempts to describe the practices surrounding the appropriation of the home. The research found that individuals who construct their own homes are prouder of them, more satisfied with them, have a higher sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy, and are more trusting of their neighbors as they are in control of critical decisions regarding their living environment.
Health Technology Readiness amongst Patients with Suspected Breast Cancer Using the READHY-tool - a Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Sollie Martin , Hansen Marianne , Thomsen Jørn Bo
Published: November 2023

Information technologies are increasingly used when informing patients about their disease, treatment and prognosis. These digital platforms have many advantages compared to traditional education interventions. However, there are concerns that some patients may have difficulty with this mode of information delivery. Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients are dependent on understanding their treatment options to make informed treatment decisions. Yet, there is a lack of published material on breast cancer patients and their relationship with technology. We aimed to assess health technology readiness profiles amongst women with a suspected breast cancer diagnosis. Secondly, we wanted to investigate the potential differences between these profiles according to sociodemographic factors and the patients´ current use of technology. This cross-sectional study used the Readiness and Enablement Index for Health Technology (READHY) questionnaire. We included all patients (n = 92) referred to our department with suspected breast cancer. Cluster analysis revealed three distinct profiles: medium (n = 54), high (n = 18), and low (n = 20) health technology readiness. The third profile showed difficulties in health literacy, eHealth literacy, and health insights, along with higher emotional stress. Our study found that most patients had medium to high health technology readiness, but we also identified a group with lower health technology readiness. Based on our results, healthcare personnel dealing with women with suspected breast cancer should be aware of patients struggling with health technology. Age and technology familiarity may indicate vulnerable patients. Future studies should explore optimal methods for information delivery to these distinct profiles and evaluate the long-term impacts.
How foes become allies: the shifting role of business in climate politics
Authors: Vormedal Irja , Meckling Jonas
Published: November 2023

Firms often oppose costly public policy reforms—but under what conditions may they come to support such reforms? Previous scholarship has taken a predominantly static approach to the analysis of business positions. Here, we advance a dynamic theory of change in business policy positions that explains how business may shift from opposing to supporting new regulation over the course of multiple rounds of policymaking. We identify three sets of drivers and causal mechanisms behind business repositioning related to political, policy, and market change. We argue that political mechanisms can shift opposition to “strategic support” for reform, whereas policy and market mechanisms may shift opposition or strategic support toward “sincere support.” We examine the reconfiguration of business interests and policy positions in the context of three decades of US climate politics, focusing on the oil and gas, electricity, and auto sectors. Our dynamic theory of business positions moves beyond the dualism that views business as either opposing or supporting public interest regulation. We thus advance our understanding of why initial business opposition can incrementally turn into strategic or sincere support for policy reform.
Association of Remote Patient Monitoring with Mortality and Healthcare Utilization in Hypertensive Patients: a Medicare Claims–Based Study
Authors: Acharya Mahip , Ali Mir M. , Bogulski Cari A. , Pandit Ambrish A. , Mahashabde Ruchira V. , Eswaran Hari , Hayes Corey J.
Published: November 2023

Background

Hypertension management is complex in older adults. Recent advances in remote patient monitoring (RPM) have warranted evaluation of RPM use and patient outcomes.

Objective

To study associations of RPM use with mortality and healthcare utilization measures of hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) utilization, and outpatient visits.

Design

A retrospective cohort study.

Patients

Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years with an outpatient hypertension diagnosis between July 2018 and September 2020. The first date of RPM use with a corresponding hypertension diagnosis was recorded (index date). RPM non-users were documented from those with an outpatient hypertension diagnosis; a random visit was selected as the index date. Six months prior continuous enrollment was required.

Main Measures

Outcomes studied within 180 days of index date included (i) all-cause mortality, (ii) any hospitalization, (iii) cardiovascular-related hospitalization, (iv) non-cardiovascular-related hospitalization, (v) any ED, (vi) cardiovascular-related ED, (vii) non-cardiovascular-related ED, (viii) any outpatient, (ix) cardiovascular-related outpatient, and (x) non-cardiovascular-related outpatient. Patient demographics and clinical variables were collected from baseline and index date. Propensity score matching (1:4) and Cox regression were performed. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported.

Key Results

The matched sample had 16,339 and 63,333 users and non-users, respectively. Cumulative incidences of mortality outcome were 2.9% (RPM) and 4.3% (non-RPM), with a HR (95% CI) of 0.66 (0.60–0.74). RPM users had lower hazards of any [0.78 (0.75–0.82)], cardiovascular-related [0.79 (0.73–0.87)], and non-cardiovascular-related [0.79 (0.75–0.83)] hospitalizations. No significant association was observed between RPM use and the three ED measures. RPM users had higher hazards of any [1.10 (1.08–1.11)] and cardiovascular-related outpatient visits [2.17 (2.13–2.19)], while a slightly lower hazard of non-cardiovascular-related outpatient visits [0.94 (0.93–0.96)].

Conclusions

RPM use was associated with substantial reductions in hazards of mortality and hospitalization outcomes with an increase in cardiovascular-related outpatient visits.
A mixed-method approach to investigate the public acceptance of drones
Authors: Stolz Maria , Papenfuss Anne , de Albuquerque Richers Georgia Cesar , Bahnmüller Anna , Syed Azeem Muhammad , Gerndt Andreas , Fischer Martin , Wegener Jan , Lieb Teemu Joonas , Biella Marcus
Published: November 2023

Drones may play an essential role in future traffic. As with every innovation, not only is the technical maturity decisive for its success, but also whether the general public will accept it. This paper uses a mixed-method approach combining quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate social acceptance concerning drones. The study included 20 participants and comprised a virtual simulation, a team task, and a group discussion. This way, different aspects of drone acceptance were investigated. On the one hand, a simulative approach was tested to explore the visual perception of drone flights in an urban setting. On the other hand, the acceptance of various drone applications such as civil protection, parcel delivery, and air taxis was studied. Furthermore, this research identified requirements for coordinating and managing future drone traffic. This paper combines two acceptance models from the literature as a theoretical framework: an adoption of Chamata’s and Winterton’s Technical Acceptance Model by Krempel and the Unacceptability–Acceptance Scale by Hofinger.
A bifurcation result for a Keller-Segel-type problem
Authors: Bisci Giovanni Molica , Servadei Raffaella , Vilasi Luca
Published: November 2023

We consider a parametric elliptic problem governed by the spectral Neumann fractional Laplacian on a bounded domain of$$\mathbb {R}^N$$RN,$$N\ge 2$$N≥2, with a general nonlinearity. This problem is related to the existence of steady states for Keller-Segel systems in which the diffusion of the chemical is nonlocal. By variational arguments we prove the existence of a weak solution as a local minimum of the corresponding energy functional and we derive some qualitative properties of this solution. Finally, we prove a regularity result for weak solutions of the problem under consideration, which is of independent interest.
Hospitalizations due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in Germany: a nationwide clinical and direct cost data analysis (2010–2019)
Authors: Niekler Patricia , Goettler David , Liese Johannes G. , Streng Andrea
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Clinical and direct medical cost data on RSV-related hospitalizations are relevant for public health decision-making. We analyzed nationwide data on RSV-coded hospitalizations from Germany in different age and risk groups.

Methods

Assessment of RSV-coded hospitalizations (ICD-10-GM RSV-code J12.1/J20.5/J21.0 as primary discharge diagnosis) from 01/2010 to 12/2019, using remote data retrieval from the Hospital Statistics Database of the German Federal Statistical Office.

Results

Overall, 205,352 RSV-coded hospitalizations (198,139 children < 18 years, 1,313 adults, 5,900 seniors > 59 years) were reported (median age < 1 year, IQR 0; 1; 56% males, 32% with RSV pneumonia). Annual median RSV-coded hospitalization incidence was 24.8/100,000 persons (IQR 21.3; 27.5); children reported a median incidence of 145.8 (IQR 130.9; 168.3). Between 2010 and 2019, hospitalization incidence increased 1.7-fold/15.1-fold/103-fold in children/adults/seniors. Adults and seniors reported higher rates of underlying chronic conditions, complications, and intensive care treatment than children; of 612 in-hospital fatalities, 103/51/458 occurred in children/adults/seniors. Per-patient mean costs varied between 3286€ ± 4594 in 1–4-year-olds and 7215€ ± 13,564 among adults. Increased costs were associated with immune disorders (2.55-fold increase compared to those without), nervous system disorders (2.66-fold), sepsis (7.27-fold), ARDS (12.85-fold), intensive care (4.60-fold) and ECMO treatment (16.88-fold).

Conclusion

The economic burden of RSV-related hospitalizations in Germany is substantial, even when only considering cases with RSV-coded as the primary discharge diagnosis. Children represented the vast majority of RSV-coded hospitalizations. However, adults and seniors hospitalized for RSV were at a higher risk of severe complications, required more costly treatments, and had higher fatality rates; although their RSV-coded hospitalization incidence showed a clear upward trend since 2017, their true hospitalization incidence is still likely to be underestimated due to lack of routine RSV testing in these age groups. Hence, new treatments and vaccines for RSV ideally should also target adults and seniors in addition to children.
Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in bronchoalveolar fluid and blood in critically ill patients—a prospective cohort study
Authors: Reisinger Alexander C. , Hatzl Stefan , Prattes Juergen , Hackl Gerald , Schilcher Gernot , Eisner Florian , Niedrist Tobias , Raggam Reinhard , Krause Robert , Eller Philipp
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a biologically active protein and increased levels are associated with worse outcomes in critically ill patients. suPAR in bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) may be helpful to differentiate between types of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and may have potential for early detection of fungal infection.

Methods

We prospectively investigated levels of suPAR in BALF and serum in critically ill patients who underwent bronchoscopy for any reason at the ICU of the Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.

Results

Seventy-five patients were available for analyses. Median age was 60 [25th–75th percentile: 50–69] years, 27% were female, and median SOFA score was 12 [11–14] points. Serum suPAR levels were significantly associated with ICU mortality in univariable logistic regression analysis. There was no correlation between BALF and serum suPAR. Serum suPAR was higher in ARDS patients at 11.2 [8.0–17.2] ng/mL compared to those without ARDS at 7.1 [3.7–10.1] (p < 0.001). BALF-suPAR was significantly higher in patients with evidence of fungal lung infection compared to patients without fungal infection both in the general cohort (7.6 [3.2–9.4] vs 2.5 [1.1–5.3], p = 0.013) and in the subgroup of ARDS (7.2 [3.1–39.2] vs 2.5 [1.0–5.2], p = 0.022). All patients were classified as putative/probable invasive aspergillosis.

Conclusion

We found significant higher levels of serum suPAR in ARDS patients compared to those not fulfilling ARDS criteria. Serum and BALF-suPAR were significantly higher in those patients with evidence for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. These findings may suggest testing this biomarker for early diagnosis of fungal infection in a greater cohort.
C-sections on the rise: Is there a justification behind the escalating numbers?
Authors: Qureshi Amsal , Ali Anoshia , Alvi Areesha Moiz , Shigri Anum Fatima , Malikzai Abdullah
Published: November 2023

Caesarean section is the operative intervention for the delivery of a fetus that is unable to deliver vaginally due to indications like obstructed labor, cephalo-pelvic disproportion, etc. Recent studies indicate a rising trend in the number of C-sections performed annually and the impact it may have on maternal and fetal well-being.
The United Nations and the Question of Palestine
Authors: Imseis Ardi
Published: November 2023

Contrary to conventional wisdom, there has been a continuing though vacillating gulf between the requirements of international law and the UN on the question of Palestine. This book explores the UN's management of the longest-running problem on its agenda, critically assessing tensions between the organization's position and international law. What forms has the UN's failure to respect international law taken, and with what implications? The author critically interrogates the received wisdom regarding the UN's fealty to the international rule of law, in favour of what is described as an international rule by law. This book demonstrates that through the actions of the UN, Palestine and its people have been committed to a state of what the author calls 'international legal subalternity', according to which the promise of justice through international law is repeatedly proffered under a cloak of political legitimacy furnished by the international community, but its realization is interminably withheld.
Phrenitis and the Pathology of the Mind in Western Medical Thought
Authors: Thumiger Chiara
Published: November 2023

Phrenitis is ubiquitous in ancient medicine and philosophy. Galen mentions the disease innumerable times, patristic authors take it as a favourite allegory of human flaws, and no ancient doctor fails to diagnose it and attempt its cure. Yet the nature of this once famous disease has not been understood properly by scholars. This book provides the first full history of phrenitis. In doing so, it surveys ancient ideas about the interactions between body and soul, both in health and in disease. It also addresses ancient ideas about bodily health, mental soundness and moral 'goodness', and their heritage in contemporary psychiatric ideas. Readers will encounter an exciting narrative about health, illness and care as embedded in ancient 'life', but will also be forced to reflect critically on our contemporary ideas of what it means to be 'insane'. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.
The Ethics of Special Ops
Authors: Baker Deane-Peter , Herbert Roger , Whetham David
Published: November 2023

The field of military ethics has generally been attentive to emerging trends in modern warfare. Cyber, robotics and AI, for example, have inspired an abundant and flourishing literature. One trend, however, has been largely overlooked: the emergence of special operations as a prominent instrument of statecraft. Drawing extensively on historical cases and first-hand experience, the authors of this book call attention to qualities inherent in special operations – and special operators – that challenge the moral framework which has long informed conventional military operations. Moral theorists will find this analysis provocative, while practitioners – those who conduct or oversee special operations and have an interest in the moral wellbeing of special operators – can put the authors' insights to practical use. Those who simply view with fascination the opaque world of special operations will find this book illuminating.
IMF Lending
Authors: Abouharb M. Rodwan , Reinsberg Bernhard
Published: November 2023

This Element argues that governments allocate adjustment burdens strategically to protect their supporters, imposing adjustment costs upon the supporters of their opponents, who then protest in response. Using large-N micro-level survey data from three world regions and a global survey, it discusses the local political economy of International Monetary Fund (IMF) lending. It finds that opposition supporters in countries under IMF structural adjustment programs (SAP) are more likely to report that the IMF SAP increased economic hardships than government supporters and countries without IMF exposure. In addition, it finds that partisan gaps in IMF SAP evaluations widen in IMF program countries with an above-median number of conditions, suggesting that opposition supporters face heavier adjustment burdens, and that opposition supporters who think SAPs made their lives worse are more likely to protest. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Being You
Authors: Markey Charlotte , Hart Daniel , Zacher Douglas
Published: November 2023

From early childhood boys often feel pressured to be athletic and muscular. But what impact does this have on physical and mental well-being through their teens and beyond? Worryingly, a third of teen boys are trying to 'bulk up' due to body dissatisfaction, and boys and men account for 25% of eating disorder cases. What can we tell our boys to help them feel happy and confident simply being themselves? Being You has the answers! It's an easy-to-read, evidence-based guide to developing a positive body image for boys aged 12+. It covers all the facts on puberty, diet, exercise, self-care, mental health, social media, and everything in-between. Boys will find answers to the questions most on their mind, the truth behind many diet and exercise myths, and real-life stories from other boys. Armed with this book, they will understand that muscles don't make a man – it's enough simply being you!
Elizabeth I and the Old Testament
Authors: Norrie Aidan
Published: November 2023

Throughout her reign, Elizabeth I and her supporters used biblical analogies to perpetuate the Queen's claim to be England's providential Protestant monarch. While Elizabeth's parallels with various biblical figures - including Deborah, Esther, Judith, David, Solomon, and Daniel - have all received varying levels of attention in the scholarship, this is the first analysis of how biblical analogy functioned as a religio-political tool for Elizabeth across her reign. Taking both a chronological and thematic approach, this book addresses this gap by analyzing Elizabeth and her supporters' use of the Old Testament to provide justification for decisions (or the lack thereof), to offer counsel to the Queen, and to vindicate both female kingship and the royal supremacy. It argues that biblical analogies were a vital component of Elizabethan royal iconography, and that their widespread use demonstrates their potency as a tool for legitimizing and sustaining her power.
Dual scaling and the n-thirds law in grid turbulence
Authors: Tang S.L. , Antonia R.A. , Djenidi L.
Published: November 2023

A dual scaling of the turbulent longitudinal velocity structure function

$\overline {{(\delta u)}^n}$

, i.e. a scaling based on the Kolmogorov scales (

$u_K$

,

$\eta$

) and another based on (

$u'$

,

$L$

) representative of the large scale motion, is examined in the context of both the Kármán–Howarth equation and experimental grid turbulence data over a significant range of the Taylor microscale Reynolds number

$Re_\lambda$

. As

$Re_\lambda$

increases, the scaling based on (

$u'$

,

$L$

) extends to increasingly smaller values of

$r/L$

while the scaling based on (

$u_K$

,

$\eta$

) extends to increasingly larger values of

$r/\eta$

. The implication is that both scalings should eventually overlap in the so-called inertial range as

$Re_\lambda$

continues to increase, thus leading to a power-law relation

$\overline {{(\delta u)}^n} \sim r^{n/3}$

when the inertial range is rigorously established. The latter is likely to occur only when

$Re_\lambda \to \infty$

. The use of an empirical model for

$\overline {{(\delta u)}^n}$

, which complies with

$\overline {{(\delta u)}^n} \sim r^{n/3}$

as

$Re_\lambda \to \infty$

, shows that the finite Reynolds number effect may differ between even- and odd-orders of

$\overline {{(\delta u)}^n}$

. This suggests that different values of

$Re_\lambda$

may be required between even and odd values of

$n$

for compliance with

$\overline {{(\delta u)}^n} \sim r^{n/3}$

. The model describes adequately the dependence on

$Re_\lambda$

of the available experimental data for

$\overline {{(\delta u)}^n}$

and supports indirectly the extrapolation of these data to infinitely large

$Re_\lambda$

.
Large-scale morphological changes and sediment budget of the Western Scheldt estuary 1955–2020: the impact of large-scale sediment management
Authors: Elias Edwin P. L. , Van der Spek Ad J. F. , Wang Zheng Bing , Cleveringa Jelmer , Jeuken Claire J. L. , Taal Marcel , Van der Werf Jebbe J.
Published: November 2023

In the Western Scheldt estuary, like in many estuaries, safe navigation, flood protection, and ecological targets require a balanced and sustainable sediment management. A thorough understanding of the morphodynamic functioning of the estuary and its response to changes in hydrodynamics (natural sediment transport) and large-scale interventions is imperative. This paper presents a detailed overview of over 65 years of morphological changes and a comprehensive sediment budget of the Western Scheldt estuary that is based on analysis of a unique series of frequent bathymetric surveys and historical data on human–sediment interactions of dredging, dredge disposal and sand mining. Solving the sediment budget reveals an annual sediment import of 2.2 million m3. The highest sediment imports occurred between 1980–1994 and 2005–2020 (2.9 and 3.7 million m3/year). A 1.3 million m3/year net export prevailed between 1994 and 2005. Natural variations in the hydrodynamics (e.g., tidal asymmetry and amplification) and sediment transports cannot explain the derived temporal variations in sediment import rates. Anthropogenic activities play a dominant role. Capital dredging of the main navigation channel has led to channel deepening and significantly increased dredge and disposal volumes. Disposal on tidal flats and in the secondary channel leads to a long-term storage of sand and, consequently, a local increase in bed level and a sand deficit in the remainder of the system that results in increased sediment imports. Large-scale disposal in the western part of the estuary can (temporarily) reverse the sediment exchange between the estuary and its mouth area, as observed between 1994 and 2005. Apparently, large-scale anthropogenic reallocation of sediment by dredging and/or disposal as part of navigation channel improvement, sand mining or nourishment essentially influences the morphological development of the Western Scheldt estuary. This reveals responsibilities as well as opportunities of sediment management for the Western Scheldt and similar estuaries worldwide.
The HOLC Maps: How Race and Poverty Influenced Real Estate Professionals’ Evaluation of Lending Risk in the 1930s
Authors: Fishback Price V. , LaVoice Jessica , Shertzer Allison , Walsh Randall P.
Published: November 2023

During the late 1930s, the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) developed a series of area descriptions with color-coded maps of cities that summarized mortgage lending risk. We analyze the maps to explain the oft-noted fact that black neighborhoods overwhelmingly received the lowest rating. Our results suggest that racial bias in the construction of the HOLC maps can explain at most 4 to 20 percent of the observed concentration of black households in the lowest-rated zones. We also provide evidence that the Federal Housing Administration had its own mapping strategies when evaluating mortgages and relied relatively little on the HOLC maps.
Work-related resources and demands predicting the psychological well-being of staff in children’s hospices
Authors: Bedendo Andre , Papworth Andrew , Taylor Jo , Beresford Bryony , Mukherjee Suzanne , Fraser Lorna K. , Ziegler Lucy
Published: November 2023

Objectives

This study assessed the work-related resources and demands experienced by children’s hospice staff to help identify staff support systems and organizational practices that offer the most potential to prevent staff burnout and enhance well-being at work.

Methods

The relationships between individual and organizational characteristics, work-related resources and demands, and burnout and work engagement outcomes experienced by children’s hospice staff were explored using two surveys: the Children’s Hospice Staff survey, completed by UK children’s hospice staff, and the Children’s Hospice Organisation and Management survey, completed by the Heads of Care. We used structural equation modeling to assess the relationships between the variables derived from the survey measures and to test a model underpinned by the Job Demands-Resource (JD-R) theory.

Results

There were 583 staff responses from 32 hospices, and 414 participants provided valid data for burnout and work engagement outcome measures. Most participants were females (95.4%), aged 51–65 years old (31.3%), and had more than 15 years of experience in life-limiting conditions (29.7%). The average score for burnout was 32.5 (SD: 13.1), and the average score for work engagement was 7.5 (SD: 1.5). The structural model validity showed good fit. Demands significantly predicted burnout (b = 4.65, p ≤ 0.001), and resources predicted work engagement (b = 3.09, p ≤ 0.001). The interaction between resources and demands only predicted work engagement (b = −0.31, p = 0.115). Burnout did not predict work engagement (b = −0.09, p = 0.194).

Significance of results

The results partly supported the JD-R model, with a clear association between resources and work engagement, even when the demands were considered. Demands were only directly associated with burnout. The findings also identified a set of the most relevant aspects related to resources and demands, which can be used to assess and improve staff psychological well-being in children’s hospices in the UK.
Remembering the Cotton Screwmen: Inter-racial Waterfront Labor and the Development of Sailors’ Chanties
Authors: Schreffler Gibb
Published: November 2023

The prevailing white racial frame surrounding discourse on the sailor work songs called chanties (popularly, “sea shanties”) means that discussions tend to ignore or minimize these songs’ African American heritage. Articulating revised and more just historical narratives of chanties is additionally challenged by the normative approach of setting discussions within the spatial frame of the sea. We may overcome these challenges by recentering the frame of discussion on an adjacently situated space of shoreside labor and its actors, cotton screwmen. Throughout the nineteenth century, the United States’ cotton export trade depended upon screwmen's work of stowing cotton bales aboard ships in port. Although all screwmen were Black men during the profession's formative period, by mid-century, white men had joined the profession in complementary proportion. This created an unusual case, not only of both racial groups performing the same labor but also of white men entering and accommodating to an already-established “Black” labor environment. Importantly, from the advent of their profession, screwmen practiced singing to coordinate their labor. I argue that white sailors who came to work seasonally as screwmen were compelled to acculturate to existing African American work singing, and thus acquired the material and conceptual bases to develop the shipboard work songs best remembered as “chanties.” As the first ever sustained exposition of screwmen's forgotten singing, this essay contests both popular narratives’ granting of exclusive agency to white seafaring and academic discussions that tokenize African American heritage as an “influence” rather than the chanty genre's foundation.
The Asymmetric Predictive Power of Indian Ocean Dipole for Subsequent Year's ENSO: Role of Atlantic Ocean as an Intermediary
Authors: Fan Lei , Meng Xing
Published: November 2023

We examined the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)'s predictive ability for El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Our findings indicate that positive IODs have a stronger impact on the subsequent year's ENSO compared to negative IODs. To explain this asymmetry, we proposed the “IOD‐Atlantic‐Pacific” pathway, which involves the Atlantic in boreal winter as an intermediary. The pathway comprises two stages: (a) The asymmetric “IOD‐Atlantic” connection, where positive IODs in autumn trigger winter Atlantic Niño while negative IODs cannot trigger Atlantic Niña. This asymmetry is due to the modulation of the climatological mean state on the IOD‐induced atmospheric anomalies. (b) The “Atlantic‐ENSO” connection, which is symmetric, where winter Atlantic Niño (Niña) promotes the development of La Niña (El Niño), functioning independently of ENSO's self‐oscillation behavior. The Atlantic intermediary mechanism explains the asymmetric connection between IOD and the subsequent year's ENSO and provides the IOD with independent predictive power for ENSO beyond its self‐oscillation.
Body composition in adults born preterm with very low birth weight
Authors: Jussinniemi Laura , Kulmala Maarit K. , Aakvik Kristina A. D. , Benum Silje D. , Jørgensen Anna P. M. , Balasuriya Chandima N. D. , Stunes Astrid K. , Syversen Unni , Indredavik Marit S. , Andersson Sture , Hovi Petteri , Evensen Kari Anne I. , Kajantie Eero
Published: November 2023

Background

Studies on body composition in preterm very low birth weight (VLBW < 1500 g) survivors are inconsistent and trajectories later in life unknown. We assessed body composition and its change from young to mid-adulthood in VLBW adults.

Methods

We studied 137 VLBW adults and 158 term-born controls from two birth cohorts in Finland and Norway at mean age 36 years. Body composition was assessed by 8-polar bioelectrical impedance. We compared results with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements at 24 years.

Results

In mid-adulthood, VLBW women and men were shorter than controls. Fat percentage (mean difference in women 1.1%; 95% CI, –1.5% to 3.5%, men 0.8%; –2.0% to 3.6%) and BMI were similar. VLBW women had 2.9 (0.9 to 4.8) kg and VLBW men 5.3 (2.7 to 8.1) kg lower lean body mass than controls, mostly attributable to shorter height. Between young and mid-adulthood, both groups gained fat and lean body mass (p for interaction VLBW x age>0.3).

Conclusion

Compared with term-born controls, VLBW adults had similar body fat percentage but lower lean body mass, largely explained by their shorter height. This could contribute to lower insulin sensitivity and muscular fitness previously found in VLBW survivors and predispose to functional limitations with increasing age.

Impact

In mid-adulthood, individuals born preterm with very low birth weight had similar body fat percentage but lower lean body mass than those born at term. This was largely explained by their shorter height.

First study to report longitudinal assessments of body size and composition from young to mid-adulthood in very low birth weight adults.

Lower lean body mass in very low birth weight adults could contribute to lower insulin sensitivity and muscular fitness and lead to earlier functional limitations with increasing age.
High state boredom vastly affects psychiatric inpatients and predicts their treatment duration
Authors: Seiler Johannes P.-H. , Zerr Katharina , Rumpel Simon , Tüscher Oliver
Published: November 2023

Boredom is a ubiquitous, aversive human experience typically elicited by low information and monotony. Boredom can occur either as a transient mental state that prompts individuals to adapt their behavior to avoid monotony or as a temporally stable trait, describing a chronic susceptibility to feeling bored. Increased trait boredom was found to correlate with various psychopathologies and indicators of mental burden. However, the role of state boredom in psychopathological conditions and its implications for psychiatric treatment remain elusive. Here, we address this issue by investigating state boredom and trait boredom in a cohort of psychiatric inpatients and a healthy control cohort. We find that in both groups, state boredom, even more than trait boredom, shows remarkable associations with psychopathology. In the inpatient group, state boredom is implicated broadly in multiple mental disorders and shows an association with treatment in closed psychiatric wards. Furthermore, through statistical modeling, we find that high-state boredom during inpatient therapy is predictive of a longer therapy duration. Thus, we show that state boredom constitutes an indicator of mild and severe psychopathology in different mental disorders, affecting the outcome of psychiatric patients. Potential therapeutic interventions are discussed, aiming to enhance information flow in the brain in order to alleviate boredom in clinical settings.