bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rehabilitation project of Quang Tri Old Citadel in Vietnam: integrated analytical approach from material characterization to architectural heritage valorization
Authors: Carlorosi Cecilia , Giosuè Chiara , Le Ngoc Van Anh , Mobili Alessandra , Nguyen Vu Trong Thi , Nguyen Huu Long Phung , Pugnaloni Fausto , Tittarelli Francesca
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper presents the outcomes of the international project “Protecting Landscape Heritage: a requalification project as an instrument for the re-birth of Quang Tri Old Citadel in Vietnam”, achieved with scientific cooperation between the Università Politecnica delle Marche (Italy) and Hue University of Sciences (Vietnam) funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam. The research focuses on the Quang Tri Citadel, founded in 1809 and now in an advanced state of degradation.

Design/methodology/approach

For the purpose of rehabilitation, the wide multidisciplinary project first examined the historical context of the military model, the architectural aspects of the structure, the characterization of the existing materials, the degradation levels of different parts, and, finally, a proposal of the suggested interventions.

Findings

The original structure and geometry were extrapolated and studied. Building materials were produced with nearby raw materials. Firing temperatures of bricks ranged from 800 to 1,000 °C, hydraulic lime was supposed the binder of the mortar with a calcination temperature lower than 1,000 °C. Damage assessment was provided and after these analyses a requalification project was proposed so the cultural heritage can play a role for the future in the dialog between different cultures.

Originality/value

The requalification project achieved by an integrated analytical approach defines aspects in relation to the restoration of the structures, enabling compliance with the geometry, techniques, building materials used in the original construction and allowing its guardianship and management to align with the historical context of the architectural heritage.
Why were most wealth taxes abandoned and is this time different?
Authors: Perret Sarah
Published: October 2021

Wealth taxes are increasingly being considered as an option in policy and academic circles to collect additional revenue and address inequality. One objection that is often raised, however, is that they seem to have failed in countries that tried them, with most OECD countries abandoning their wealth taxes in recent decades. This paper gives an overview of OECD countries’ experiences with wealth taxes and explores the different factors that have led to their repeal in most countries. The paper also discusses whether the situation might be different today and what the implications for tax policy might be.
Reproductive responses of rice field rats (Rattus argentiventer) following treatment with the contraceptive hormones, quinestrol and levonorgestrol
Authors: STUART Alexander M. , HERAWATI Nur ‘Aini , RISNELLI  , SUDARMAJI  , LIU Ming , ZHANG Zhibin , LI Hongjun , SINGLETON Grant R. , HINDS Lyn A.
Published: October 2021

The rice field rat, Rattus argentiventer, is a significant pest of rice in Southeast Asia. Fertility control methods have the potential to provide safe and effective alternatives to control methods that often include indiscriminate use of rodenticides or electric barriers. The aim of this laboratory study was to assess uptake of bait coated with different concentrations of the contraceptive hormones, quinestrol (E) and levonorgestrel (P), delivered alone and in combination (i.e. EP‐1) and determine the short‐term effects on reproductive parameters of adult male and female R. argentiventer. In Experiment 1, 2 concentrations of E, P, and EP‐1 (10, 20 ppm) were fed to groups of wild‐caught rats for 7 days. In females, both E and EP‐1 induced uterine edema. In males, EP‐1 reduced epididymis and seminal vesicle weights and lowered sperm motility. However, these responses were inconsistent due to low bait acceptance, especially with increasing concentrations. In Experiment 2, EP‐1 (0, 20, 50, 100 ppm) was administered by oral gavage daily for 7 days to male R. argentiventer. There were significant reductions in epididymal and seminal vesicle weights for all oral doses of EP‐1, in sperm counts for the 50 ppm dose, and in sperm motility for the 20 and 50 ppm doses compared to the control group. To select the optimum dose of EP‐1, we must address the poor acceptance of contraceptive‐coated baits by rice field rats. Further research is required to improve the palatability of EP‐1 and to test its uptake under field conditions.
What to expect from alternative management strategies to conserve seabirds? Hints from a dynamic modelling framework applied to an endangered population
Authors: De la Cruz A. , Bastos R. , Silva E. , Cabral J. A. , Santos M.
Published: October 2021

The worldwide decline of seabird populations due to the combined effects of global and regional changes is creating immense challenges for managers and conservationists. Predicting population responses to proposed management strategies could provide the most effective tools to prevent, halt and reverse ongoing declines. System dynamic modelling frameworks are considered particularly relevant to interrelate biological, ecological and environmental characteristics and to predict population trends. A system dynamics model was designed, compiling diverse information concerning a relict population of the European Shag located in western Iberia, to outline the most effective management options for its conservation. The simulations demonstrate that mortality caused by invasive animals and bycatch mortality were the main reasons for the current population decline. Without management interventions, a decrease of 8% was projected for the next decade, which could be mitigated by specific conservation actions. The results show the usefulness of dynamic modelling frameworks to understand local cause‐effect relationships and species responses to ecosystem management under changing environmental conditions. We highlight that the framework proposed, after specific parameterization, could be easily adaptable to other species within similar socio‐ecological systems.
Understanding ideational fluency as a survival process
Authors: Dumas Denis , Dong Yixiao , Grajzel Katalin , Forthmann Boris , Doherty Michael
Published: October 2021

Background

When students generate ideas, important inter‐individual variance exists both in the quantity and the quality of ideas they are able to produce (e.g., perfectionists who have few highly creative ideas or mass producers who produce a lot of uncreative ideas). In educational psychology research on creativity, the relation between the quantity and quality of ideas has not been well understood, limiting progress in this area.

Aims

We conceptualized Ideational Fluency as a phenomenon that requires participants to ‘survive’ to produce more ideas, and where dropping out of the ideational process was analogous to ‘dying’. Using this novel paradigm, we aimed to test the relations among Fluency (as a dependent variable); and creative Expertise, Originality and self‐reported Personality attributes (as independent variables).

Sample and method

Participants were drawn from three groups: those with demonstrated expertise in stage or screen acting (n = 104); undergraduates being trained in the same domain (n = 100), and adults with no acting training or experience (n = 92). Participants responded to the Alternate Uses Task; Non‐parametric and semi‐parametric survival models were fit to their Ideational Fluency; and average and maximum Originality scores, as well as self‐reported Personality attributes, were used as covariates.

Results

Across all participants, the Ideational Fluency survival function showed an S‐shape, but the Expertise grouping interacted with that pattern. The survival rate of professional actors decreased more rapidly during the first few ideas, but after the 5th idea, professional actors displayed a clear advantage in survival rate. Participants who were less original on average but who showed a high maximum Originality, as well as those participants who reported more Assertiveness and less Industriousness, also survived further into the Ideational process.

Conclusions

Contrary to our hypothesis, professional actors’ advantage in Fluency did not manifest in the survival model until after the 5th idea generated. A quantity‐quality trade‐off was observed with average Originality being associated with shorter survival, but that trade‐off was not observed with maximum Originality, which was associated with longer survival.
Mechanical and thermophysical model of date palm fiber and beet pulp composite as natural thermal insulant
Authors: Farrokh Seyedeh Asal , Honarvar Masoud , Ahmadi Chenarbon Hossein
Published: October 2021

For the transport of frozen products, it is necessary to preserve their quality and enhance their longevity. It aimed to assess the insulation performance of the composite containing date palm fiber and beet pulp in maintaining low temperature during the transport of frozen products. Therefore, this study investigated the physical, thermal, and mechanical properties of date palm fiber and beet pulp composites for different mass fractions of 0, 2.5, 7.5, and 10%, both as stand‐alone and as compounds added to hemihydrate gypsum by using the response surface method to state an optimized system. Results showed that by increasing the fractions of date palm fiber and beet pulp, the density of composite samples reduced from 880.02 kg/m3 to 785 kg/m3; however, water absorption increased significantly (by 101.39%). The highest flexural and compressive strengths of the control were, respectively, 4.6 and 26.67 MPa, whereas the lowest of said strengths were, respectively, 3.5 and 42.91 MPa in samples containing 10% palm fiber and 10% beet pulp. Additionally, for the same fiber ratios, the thermal conductivity of composite samples was reduced by 67% compared to the control sample. After optimization, the best mass ratios for palm fiber and sugar beet bagasse were, respectively, 3.05% and 10%. For these samples, water absorption was 96.69%; flexural and compressive strengths were, respectively, 6.27 and 3.87 MPa; thermal conductivity was 0.51 W/mK; and density was 844.15 kg/m3. These properties show that a composite insulant containing date palm fiber and beet pulp are a good candidate for developing thermal insulants.

Practical applications

Reducing microbic growth and delaying fat and protein oxidation during the storage can increase the durability of food and agriculture products, particularly different types of meats and dairies. To this end, a safe cold cycle is necessary for proper preservation during transport and storage. Cold transport is the main part of the cold chain required for preserving the quality of freshly frozen degradable products. Therefore, in addition to cold storages and refrigerated transport vehicles, the packages are also important. The goal of this research is the progressing of a natural biocomposite that is used as thermal insulant.
The reliability and validity of triceps surae muscle volume assessment using freehand three‐dimensional ultrasound in typically developing infants
Authors: Williams Sîan A. , Bell Matthew , Kim Hyun K. , Salim Al Masruri Ghaliya , Stott N. Susan , Fernandez Justin , Mirjalili S. Ali
Published: October 2021

This study assessed the intra‐acquirer, intra‐ and inter‐processor reliability, and validity of the in vivo assessment of the medial gastrocnemius (MG), lateral gastrocnemius (LG) and soleus (SOL) muscle volumes using freehand 3D ultrasound (3DUS) in typically developing infants. Reliability assessments of freehand 3DUS were undertaken in infants across three ages groups: three, six and twelve months of age, with validity testing completed against magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in infants at 3 months of age. Freehand 3DUS scanning was carried out by a single acquirer, with two independent processors manually segmenting images to render volumes. MRI images were segmented independently by a separate processor, with the volumes compared to those obtained via freehand 3DUS. Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation (ICC), coefficient of variance (CV) and minimal detectable change (MDC) across each assessment time point. Validity was assessed using the limits of agreement. ICCs for intra‐acquirer reliability of the acquisition process for freehand 3DUS ranged from 0.91 to 0.99 across all muscles. ICCs for intra‐processor and inter‐processor reliability for the segmentation process of freehand 3DUS ranged from 0.80 to 0.98 across all muscles. Acceptable levels of agreement between muscle volume obtained by freehand 3DUS and MRI were found for all muscles; however, freehand 3DUS overestimated muscle volume of MG and LG and underestimate the SOL compared with MRI, with average absolute differences of MG = 0.3 ml, LG = 0.3 ml and Sol = 1.2 ml. Freehand 3DUS is a reliable method for measuring in vivo triceps surae muscle volume in typically developing infants. We conclude that freehand 3DUS is a useful tool to assess changes in muscle volume in response to growth and interventions in infants.
Infrared thermometers and infants: The device is hot the baby maybe not
Authors: Tham Doris , Davis Conor , Hopper Sandy M
Published: October 2021

Aim

The risk of serious illness in febrile infants (<60 days old) is high, and so fever often warrants aggressive management. Infrared thermometers are unreliable in young infants despite their ubiquity. We aim to describe the: (i) frequency of infrared thermometer usage; (ii) progression to documented fever in the emergency department (ED) and (iii) rate of serious illness (meningitis, urinary tract infection and bacteremia).

Methods

In this single‐centre retrospective chart review at The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, we audited medical records of infants (<60 days old) presenting to the ED with pre‐hospital fever on history over a 12‐month period. We described the type of thermometer used at home (tympanic or forehead, ‘infrared’ vs. axillary or rectal, ‘direct’) correlated to peak temperature in ED, investigations, treatment and diagnosis. The primary outcome was subsequent fever in ED.

Results

Of 159 infants, two of three had infrared temperature measurement at home. Fifty‐one (32.1%) developed fever in ED (direct 28/54, 52% vs. infrared 23/105, 22% RR 2.36 (95% CI 1.52–3.69)). Investigations (75%) and admission (60%) were common. Pre‐hospital fever alone was less likely to be associated with serious illness, with fever in ED a much stronger predictor.

Conclusions

In young infants, infrared thermometer use is common and less likely to predict subsequent fever. Twenty‐two percent of infants with fever via infrared measurement had fever in ED. History of fever without confirmation is less likely to signal serious illness. Education to public and health‐care providers is required to avoid usage of infrared devices in this population.
A field experiment reveals seasonal variation in the Daphnia gut microbiome
Authors: Hegg Alexander , Radersma Reinder , Uller Tobias
Published: October 2021

The gut microbiome is increasingly recognized for its impact on host fitness, but it remains poorly understood how naturally variable environments influence gut microbiome diversity and composition. We studied changes in the gut microbiome of ten genotypes of water fleas Daphnia magna in submerged mesocosm enclosures in a eutrophic lake over a period of 16 weeks, from early summer to autumn. The microbial diversity increased when Daphnia were reintroduced from the laboratory to the lake, and the composition of gut microbes drastically changed. Both gut microbiome diversity and composition continued to change over the 16‐week period, with alpha diversity peaking in late summer. The gut microbiome community was clearly distinct from that of the surrounding water, and temporal changes in the two communities were independent of each other. There were no consistent differences in the gut microbiomes among Daphnia genotypes in the lake environment. The change in gut microbiome over the season was accompanied by a decline in reproductive output and survival. There were weak, but statistically supported, effects of microbiota composition on Daphnia fitness, but there was no evidence that natural variation in microbiome diversity or composition was associated with tolerance to the cyanotoxin microcystin. We conclude that the gut microbiome of Daphnia is highly dynamic in a natural lake environment, but that host genetic effects on microbiome diversity and composition between genotypes within a population can be vanishingly small. These results emphasize that establishing the ecological effects of gut microbiota will require large‐scale experiments under natural conditions.
Clarifying and Defining the Concept of Liquid Democracy
Authors: Valsangiacomo Chiara
Published: October 2021

Liquid Democracy (LD) is a recent phenomenon that could radically affect our understanding of democracy. Yet, there remains significant semantic confusion surrounding this concept, and researchers in the social sciences, as well as in political theory, currently lack a general definition that is broadly accepted as a standard reference. Therefore, this article addresses the following question: What is LD and how can we best define it? Following a classical, semantic approach to concept formation in the tradition of Giovanni Sartori and John Gerring, the article advances a new, minimal definition: LD is a decision‐making scheme characterized by liquidity—that is the systemic and flexible mix of direct and representative democracy—and essentially based on the principles of voluntary delegation and proxy voting. This definition can serve as a starting point from which further theoretical and normative studies of LD could be conducted in the future.
Optimization of pyrolysis regime for chicken manure treatment and biochar production
Authors: Kuryntseva Polina , Galitskaya Polina , Selivanovskaya Svetlana
Published: October 2021

Pyrolysis processes and products have yet to be studied fully, and information about chicken‐manure (CM) pyrolysis is especially poor. In the present study, biochar obtained from two CM samples at different residence times (1–4 h) and peak temperatures (400–800°C) was investigated. It was found that pH ranged between 6.8–10.3 and 6.6–11.6; EC between 1.8–3.9 and 1.2–11.9 mSm/cm; CEC between 30.0–65.6 and 15.2–146.9 cmol/kg; C, N, P, and K contents between 9.5–25.6% and 15.7–61.2%, 0.7–2.8% and 1.5–6.4%, 1.7–2.7% and 2.5–5.6%, 0.9–2.1% and 1.3–3.6%, respectively; ecotoxicity (LID10) towards aquatic organisms between 1–40 and 1–66; germination indices between 189–353% and 54–265%; and surface areas between 0.1–0.7 and 0.1–0.3 m2/cm3 for the second and first samples of CM, correspondingly. The multiobjective optimization method was used to analyse the results obtained and to choose the pyrolysis regimes that result in the biochar with the highest fertilizing ability.
Exploration of the Pharmacodynamics for Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Eradication by Tobramycin
Authors: Sindeldecker Devin , Prakash Shaurya , Stoodley Paul
Published: October 2021

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is a Gram-negative, opportunistic pathogen which is involved in numerous infections. It is of growing concern within the field of antibiotic resistance and tolerance and often exhibits multidrug resistance.
Supplemental Material: Constraining the timing of Arabia-Eurasia collision in the Zagros orogen by sandstone provenance (Neyriz, Iran)
Authors: GholamiZadeh Parisa , al. et
Published: October 2021

Table S1: Detrital zircon U-Th-Pb age and Th/U ratio result from Cenozoic sandstones of Zagros Orogeny.
Prospective, multicentre, randomised controlled trial comparing the seroclearance of HBsAg between combination therapy of peg-interferon alpha and tenofovir with tenofovir monotherapy in nucleos(t)ide analogue-experienced patients with HBV-related liver fibrosis: a study protocol
Authors: Zhu Shu , Wu Lina , Mei Yongyu , Liu Zhihua , Lin Luping , Yuan Jing , Li Jianguo , Li Xuejun , Peng Liang
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Combination antiviral therapy of nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) and pegylated interferon alpha (peg-IFN alpha) decrease hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) levels to achieve functional cure and improve long-term prognosis in chronic hepatitis B patients. However, for hepatitis B-related liver fibrosis, studies on combination of these two medicines are limited. This study was designed to compare the efficacy between peg-IFN alpha combined with tenofovir (TDF) and TDF monotherapy for the clearance of HBsAg in NA-experienced patients with HBV-related liver fibrosis.

Methods and analysis

This study was designed to be a prospective, multicentre, open, randomised controlled study. A total of 272 patients with HBV-related liver fibrosis will be randomised into the combination therapy group or the monotherapy group at a 1:1 ratio. Participants in the combination group will receive subcutaneous injections of peg-IFN alpha 180 µg per week for 48 weeks combined with oral TDF 300 mg daily. Participants in the monotherapy group will receive 300 mg oral TDF daily alone. All participants will undergo long-term treatment with TDF and will be followed up at the outpatient department for 144 weeks after randomisation. Clinical symptoms, laboratory tests and examination indicators will be collected at each follow-up time point, and adverse events will be recorded. The primary endpoint is serological clearance rate of HBsAg at 48 weeks.

Ethics and dissemination

The ethics committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital at Sun Yat-sen University approved this study (Approval Number: (2020)02-183-01). The results of the study will be presented at relevant meetings and published in an appropriate journal after the completion of the trial and the analysis of the data.

Trial registration number

NCT04640129.
School reintegration following hospitalisation for children with medical complexity and chronic disease diagnoses: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Burns Samantha , Doering Katie , Koller Donna , Stratton Catherine
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Schools play a significant role in children’s social, emotional and intellectual well-being. For children with medical complexity (CMC) and chronic disease diagnoses (CDD), an absence from school due to prolonged hospitalisation places them at risk for greater social exclusion and poorer academic outcomes than their healthy counterparts. Processes that support the school reintegration of children with complex and chronic medical conditions currently lack consistency and identified evidence-based practices. This scoping review aims to integrate the relevant literature on current reintegration procedures as well as assess stakeholders’ perceived challenges related to children with CMC and CDD’s return to school following hospitalisation. Finally, information will be synthesised regarding parental and child involvement in reintegration strategies.

Methods and analysis

The current scoping review follows the five-stage framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005). The search syntax will be applied in Medline, Web of Science, PsycInfo, Education Resource, ERIC, CINAHL and SocIndex. Peer-reviewed journal articles will be included without the restriction of publication year or language. However, only children and adolescents aged 4–18 with CMC and CDD, who have been out of school for 2 weeks or more and reintegrated into a non-hospital school setting will be included. Articles will be screened by two authors based on the outlined eligibility criteria. Data will be summarised qualitatively and where applicable, visualisation techniques such as tables, graphs and figures will be implemented to address approaches, strategies and outcomes related to reintegration to school following hospitalisation.

Ethics and dissemination

The current study comprises available publications and does not collect primary data. For this reason, ethics approval is not necessary. The results of this scoping review will be prepared and submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at future conferences to key stakeholders focusing on educational accessibility and inclusion.
Factors associated with the time to return negative RT-PCR from COVID-19 in paediatric patients: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Shao Jianbo , Xu Hong , Liu Zhixi , Ying Xiaohua , Xu Hua , Wang Xianfeng , Lu Jinmiao , Huang Yidie , Wang Guangfei , He Yanling , Chen Jie , Ma Shuli , Zou Shangrong , Cui Yuxia , Chen Ruijie , Lu Jin , Li Xuyuan , Li Zhiping , Huang Guoying , Wang Weibing
Published: October 2021

Objective

This study aimed to describe the epidemiological and clinical features and potential factors related to the time to return negative reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR in discharged paediatric patients with COVID-19.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Unscheduled admissions to 12 tertiary hospitals in China.

Participants

Two hundred and thirty-three clinical charts of paediatric patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 admitted from 1 January 2020 to 17 April 2020.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Primary outcome measures: factors associated with the time to return negative RT-PCR from COVID-19 in paediatric patients. Secondary outcome measures: epidemiological and clinical features and laboratory results in paediatric patients.

Results

The median age of patients in our cohort was 7.50 (IQR: 2.92–12.17) years, and 133 (57.1%) patients were male. 42 (18.0%) patients were evaluated as asymptomatic, while 162 (69.5%) and 25 (10.7%) patients were classified as mild or moderate, respectively. In Cox regression analysis, longer time to negative RT-PCR was associated with the presence of confirmed infection in family members (HR (95% CI): 0.56 (0.41 to 0.79)). Paediatric patients with emesis symptom had a longer time to return negative (HR (95% CI): 0.33 (0.14 to 0.78)). During hospitalisation, the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and antiviral drugs at the same time is less conducive to return negative than antiviral drugs alone (HR (95% CI): 0.85 (0.64 to 1.13)).

Conclusions

The mode of transmission might be a critical factor determining the disease severity of COVID-19. Patients with emesis symptom, complications or confirmed infection in family members may have longer healing time than others. However, there were no significant favourable effects from TCM when the patients have received antiviral treatment.
Factors affecting adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions for COVID-19 infections in the first year of the pandemic in the UK
Authors: Ding Xuejie , Brazel David M , Mills Melinda C
Published: October 2021

Objective

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), including wearing face covering/masks, social distancing and working from home, have been introduced to control SARS-CoV-2 infections. We provide individual-level empirical evidence of whether adherence reduces infections.

Setting and participants

The COVID-19 Infection Study (CIS) was used from 10 May 2020 to 2 February 2021 with 409 009 COVID-19 nose and throat swab tests nested in 72 866 households for 100 138 individuals in the labour force aged 18–64.

Analysis

ORs for a positive COVID-19 test were calculated using multilevel logistic regression models, stratified by sex and time, by an index of autonomy to abide by NPIs, adjusted for various socioeconomic and behavioural covariates.

Results

Inability to comply with NPIs predicted higher infections when individuals reported not wearing a face covering outside. The main effect for inability to comply was OR 0.79 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.92), for wearing face covering/masks was OR 0.29 (95% CI 0.15 to 0.56) and the interaction term being OR 1.25 (95% CI 1.07 to 1.46). The youngest age groups had a significantly higher risk of infection (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.82) as did women in larger households (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.06). Effects varied over time with autonomy to follow NPIs only significant in the pre-second lockdown May–November 2020 period. Wearing a face covering outside was a significant predictor of a lower chance of infection before mid-December 2020 when a stricter second lockdown was implemented (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.73).

Conclusion

The protective effect of wearing a face covering/mask was the strongest for those who were the most unable to comply with NPIs. Higher infection rates were in younger groups and women in large households. Wearing a face covering or mask outside the home consistently and significantly predicted lower infection before the 2020 Christmas period and among women.
Disformal transformations and the motion of a particle in semi-classical gravity
Authors: Chowdhury Sandip , Pal Kunal , Pal Kuntal , Sarkar Tapobrata
Published: October 2021

The approach to incorporate quantum effects in gravity by replacing free particle geodesics with Bohmian non-geodesic trajectories has an equivalent description in terms of a conformally related geometry, where the motion is force free, with the quantum effects inside the conformal factor, i.e., in the geometry itself. For more general disformal transformations relating gravitational and physical geometries, we show how to establish this equivalence by taking the quantum effects inside the disformal degrees of freedom. We also show how one can solve the usual problems associated with the conformal version, namely the wrong continuity equation, indefiniteness of the quantum mass, and wrong description of massless particles in the singularity resolution argument, by using appropriate disformal transformations.
Random resampling numerical simulations applied to a SEIR compartmental model
Authors: Morillas Francisco , Valero José
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we apply resampling techniques to a modified compartmental SEIR model which takes into account the existence of undetected infected people in an epidemic. In particular, we implement numerical simulations for the evolution of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain in 2020. We show, by using suitable measures of goodness, that the point estimates obtained by the bootstrap samples improve the ones of the original data. For example, the relative error of detected currently infected people is equal to 0.061 for the initial estimates, while it is reduced to 0.0538 for the mean over all bootstrap estimated series.
Calorimetry at FCC-ee
Authors: Aleksa Martin , Bedeschi Franco , Ferrari Roberto , Sefkow Felix , Tully Christopher G.
Published: October 2021

With centre-of-mass energies covering the Z pole, the WW threshold, the HZ production, and the top-pair threshold, the FCC-ee offers unprecedented possibilities to measure the properties of the four heaviest particles of the standard model (the Higgs, Z, and W bosons, and the top quark) and also those of the b and c quarks and of the $$\tau $$
τ
lepton. At these moderate energies, the role of the calorimeters is to complement the tracking systems in an optimal (a.k.a. particle-flow) event reconstruction. In this context, precision measurements and searches for new particles can fully profit from the improved electromagnetic and hadronic object reconstruction offered by new technologies, finer transverse and longitudinal segmentation, timing capabilities, multi-signal readout, modern computing techniques and algorithms. The corresponding requirements arise in particular from the resolution on reconstructed hadronic masses, energies, and momenta, for example, of H, W, Z, needed to reach the FCC-ee promised precision. Extreme electromagnetic energy resolutions are also instrumental for $$\pi ^0$$

π
0

identification, $$\tau $$
τ
exclusive decay reconstruction, and physics sensitivity to processes accessible via radiative return. We present state of the art, challenges and future developments on some of the currently most promising technologies: high-granularity silicon and scintillator readout, dual readout, noble-liquid and crystal calorimeters.
Double Degeneracy in the Immiscible Wilton Ripple Phenomenon: A Three Perturbation Parameter Problem in Bifurcation Theory
Authors: Jones M. C. W.
Published: October 2021

A study is made of the waves which may occur at the interface of two fluids and which arise from an interaction between the two lowest adjacent harmonics of the motion. The problem is studied by reformulating it, via a conformal mapping transformation, into a pair of coupled nonlinear functional differential equations which are invariant under the action of the group [Formula: see text] The classical method of Lyapunov–Schmidt is then employed to replace this formulation by a pair of algebraic equations, known as the bifurcation equations. Throughout our analysis we impose a physical condition which essentially means that the densities and phase speeds in each fluid are approximately equal. This means that the bifurcation equations assume a cubic form rather than the quadratic form which they generically possess in problems of this type. The bifurcation equations are then analyzed by means of singularity theory by which means we are able to draw the solution curves of the system. A large variety of solution diagrams are found to exhibit such behavior as multiple primary bifurcations, secondary bifurcations and bifurcation from infinity.
Scientific Evidence of Xuebijing Injection in the Treatment of Sepsis
Authors: Tian Sa , Qin Defang , Ye Yixuan , Yang Huawei , Chen Shuguang , Liu Tao , Hu Luming , Li Huiming , Niu Qian , Zhang Xingzhan
Published: October 2021

Objectives. To systematically collate, appraise, and synthesize the current evidence on the Xuebijing injection (XBJI) for sepsis. Methods. Eight databases were searched for systematic reviews (SRs) or meta-analyses (MAs) on XBJI for sepsis. Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews-2 (AMSTAR-2), Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methods were used to assess the methodological quality, reporting quality, and evidence quality of the enrolled studies, respectively. Results. Out of the 13 studies that were included, all studies were rated critically low quality based on AMSTAR-2 results. Based on the results obtained from PRISMA, all studies were reported to be over 80%, while the GRADE system yielded three outcome measures rated high-quality, 16 were of moderate quality, and the rest were of low or critically low quality. Conclusions. The combination of XBJI and Western medicine (WM) showed significant synergy for the treatment of sepsis compared to WM alone. However, this conclusion should be treated with caution since the quality of the SRs/MAs providing the evidence was relatively low.
Heritable Thrombophilia in Venous Thromboembolism in Northern Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Khan Maria , Altaf Chaudhry , Saeed Malik Hamid , Abdul Naeem Muhammad , Latif Aamna
Published: October 2021

Background. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is referred to as formation of clots in a deep vein or lodging of thrombus towards the lungs which could be fatal yet preventable. The risk of developing VTE can be increased by various factors. Where there are innumerable acquired causes, the possibility of inherited thrombophilia cannot be ignored. In view of this, we have evaluated all patients with venous thromboembolism for inherited thrombophilia. Objective. To evaluate the frequencies of antithrombin (AT) deficiency, protein C and S deficiencies, Factor V Leiden, and prothrombin gene mutations in patients harboring venous thromboembolism. Materials and Methods. A study comprising of 880 patients who were presented with manifestations of venous thromboembolism was conducted from July 2016 to June 2017. A blood sample collected from patients was screened for thrombophilia defects encompassing AT, protein C and S deficiencies, Factor V Leiden, and prothrombin gene mutations. All acquired causes of thrombosis were excluded. Results. Of 880 patients who underwent screening for thrombophilia, 182 patients demonstrated VTE history. Their age ranged from 1 to 58 years. Males constituted a predominant group. About 45 (24.7%) patients had evidence of heritable thrombophilia. Of these, 20 (10.9%) had AT deficiency, 9 (4.9%) had Factor V Leiden mutation, 6 (3.2%) had protein C deficiency, whereas protein S deficiency and prothrombin gene mutation both were found in 5 (2.7%) patients. Conclusion. Our study illustrated the highest frequency of antithrombin deficiency among other investigated thrombophilia defects.
Results of Parallel-Machine Scheduling Model with Maintenance Activity considering Time-Dependent Deterioration, Delivery Times, and Resource Allocation
Authors: Sun Li , Zhang Xiao-hong , Ning Lei
Published: October 2021

This paper investigates parallel-machine scheduling models with maintenance activity, delivery times, time-dependent deterioration, and resource allocation. We consider two forms of the problem: the first is to minimize the sum of total completion times, total machine loads, the total absolute deviation of job completion times, and the total resource allocation; the second is to minimize the sum of total waiting times, total machine loads, the total absolute deviation of job waiting times, and the total resource allocation. The problems are proved to be solvable in polynomial time.
Design of High‐Power High‐Efficiency Wireless Charging Coils for EVs with MnZn Ferrite Bricks
Authors: Zhu Yuyu , Wang Zuming , Cao Xin , Wu Li
Published: October 2021

In wireless power transmission systems, the inductance, equivalent resistance, and quality factors of the coils are the main factors that influence the system’s transmission efficiency. When designing high‐power wireless charging coils for electric vehicles (EVs), ferrite bricks that increase magnetic flux can be selected to increase the self‐inductance of the coils, improving the wireless transmission distance and transmission efficiency. In this paper, the effects of the ferrite bricks, the size of the coils, the charging distance, and many other factors in real applications have been extensively studied. After theoretical analysis and simulation, the wireless transmission system has been fabricated and measured. The measured and simulated results are in good agreement. High‐power high‐efficiency wireless power transmission has been achieved for EVs compared with many other previous literatures.
DLG2 Mutations in the Etiology of Pubertal Delay and Idiopathic Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism
Authors: Turan Ihsan , Demir Korcan , Mengen Eda , Kotan Leman Damla , Gürbüz Fatih , Yüksel Bilgin , Topaloglu Ali Kemal
Published: October 2021

Introduction: Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is caused by dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. DLG2 was recently implicated as a gene associated with delayed puberty and which may also contribute to IHH. The confirmation of the candidate puberty genes in independent IHH cohorts has become crucial due to the lack of proper genotype-phenotype segregations in reported pedigrees. Therefore, we aimed to screen DLG2 in patient variants in a large cohort of IHH patients. Methods: The present study included a total of 336 IHH patients from 290 independent families. The coding and flanking regions of DLG2 were screened for potentially important variants in the WES data. Candidate variants were evaluated in the ­gnomAD and GME databases according to their allele frequencies, and only those with a frequency <0.0001 were considered rare. Detected variants were classified according to the ACMG/AMP criteria. Results: We found 1 homozygous and 2 heterozygous missense variants in 3 independent pedigrees. Identified variants were found extremely rare or not reported in gnomAD. Two variants were categorized as “uncertain significance,” and the other one was “likely pathogenic” according to the ACMG criteria. All patients were normosmic, and in 2 of the 3 families, there were no causal variants in other IHH-related genes. Conclusion: We detected 3 rare sequencing variants in DLG2 in 5 patients with IHH or delayed puberty in a large IHH cohort. Our results support the contention that the DLG2 mutations are associated with IHH in human puberty.
Identification key, checklist and new species of Loneura Navás (Psocodea: ‘Psocoptera’: Ptiloneuridae) from Brazil
Authors: CUTRIM MARCELO , DA SILVA NETO ALBERTO MOREIRA , ALDRETE ALFONSO N. GARCÍA , RAFAEL JOSÉ ALBERTINO
Published: October 2021

Four Brazilian species of Loneura are described and assigned to infrageneric groups: L. digitiformis n. sp., L. manauara n. sp., and L. marinonii n. sp, to Loneura group I, and L. duckei n. sp. to Loneura group II. This genus now comprises 45 species, of which 8 (18%) are from Brazil. Of these species, 19 are known only from males, 4 known only from females, 21 are known from both sexes, with one species of unknown sex. The infrageneric classification is based on the number of hypandrium sclerites, either one or three, and is based on the 40 species for which males are known, with 20 species in Group I and 20 species in Group II. An identification key to species from Brazil based on male characters is provided, together with a checklist.
Modeling safety challenges journalists faced in reporting anti-police brutality protests (ENDSARS protests) in Nigeria
Authors: Talabi Felix Olajide , Nwokolo Peter N. , Oloyede David , Ayodeji Boluwatife Aiyesimoju , Adefemi Victor Oluwole , Celestine Gever Verlumun
Published: October 2021

Limited studies exist on the safety challenges that journalists face in reporting conflict related issues within their localities. This study extends literature in this direction by providing a model that explains the safety challenges that journalists faced in reporting the 2020 END SARS protests in Nigeria. The study is a survey of 470 journalists with questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. Results were analysed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). It was found that legal limitations, lack of training on safety and absence of safety motivational measures constitute the safety challenges that journalists faced in reporting the ENDS SARS protests. This information could be beneficial for policy formulation and advocacy within the context of safety of journalists.
The “Well-Being” and “Ill-Being” of Online Impulsive and Compulsive Buying on Life Satisfaction: The Role of Self-Esteem and Harmony in Life
Authors: Olsen Svein Ottar , Khoi Nguyen Huu , Tuu Ho Huy
Published: October 2021

The antecedents and implications of shopping are relevant to impulsive and compulsive buying behaviour, because both tendencies can be harmful to an individual’s well-being, ill-being, and for society as regards overconsumption and sustainability. Most studies investigating either impulsive or compulsive buying have used different definitions and operationalisations of the two constructs. It is unclear whether impulsive buying and compulsive buying are both parts of shopping ill-being. This study defines and measures impulsive buying tendency (IBT) and compulsive buying tendency (CBT) in terms of distinctive core features: impulse versus urge or addiction. It compares their antecedents and consequences in one integrated empirical study, with self-esteem (SE) an antecedent, and satisfaction with life (SWL) a consequence of these two shopping tendencies. To our knowledge it is also the first study to investigate how harmony in life (HIL) is associated with the relationship between SE and IBT/CBT. A survey of 384 consumers indicates that online IBT and CBT differ from a bottom-up consumer well-being perspective. IBT contributes to life satisfaction, but CBT does not. Positive and negative SE have opposite effects on online IBT and CBT, confirming that both can act as self-regulation mechanisms. HIL moderates the relationship between SE and IBT/CBT.
Perception of the usability of music-genre labels for the assessment of musical tastes
Authors: Brisson Romain , Bianchi Renzo
Published: October 2021

To identify and classify musical tastes, researchers have extensively relied on the use of music-genre labels. However, the validity and reliability of such a method remain unclear. In this study, we examined the extent to which 873 high school students felt able to assess their musical tastes based on music-genre labels. Participants were expressly asked to evaluate the usability of such labels. Results showed that a majority of respondents were uncomfortable with the use of music-genre labels, mainly because of music-genre labels’ complicatedness and internal heterogeneity. Sex and social milieu predicted the perception of the usability of music-genre labels only weakly. Overall, our findings suggest that the reliance on music-genre labels in research on musical tastes might be problematic. We recommend that complementary indicators of musical tastes be more widely employed in the future.
Obesity Impairs Enthesis Healing After Rotator Cuff Repair in a Rat Model
Authors: Bolam Scott M. , Park Young-Eun , Konar Subhajit , Callon Karen E. , Workman Josh , Monk A. Paul , Coleman Brendan , Cornish Jillian , Vickers Mark H. , Munro Jacob T. , Musson David S.
Published: October 2021

Background:

Being overweight or obese is associated with poor outcomes and an increased risk of failure after rotator cuff (RC) surgery. However, the effect of obesity on enthesis healing has not been well characterized.

Hypotheses:

Diet-induced obesity (DIO) would result in inferior enthesis healing in a rat model of RC repair, and a dietary intervention in the perioperative period would improve enthesis healing.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 weight-matched groups (n = 26 per group): control diet (CD), high-fat diet (HFD), or HFD until surgery and then CD thereafter (HF-CD). After 12 weeks, the left supraspinatus tendon was detached, followed by immediate repair. Animals were sacrificed, and RCs were harvested at 2 and 12 weeks after surgery for biomechanical and histological evaluations. Metabolic end points were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and plasma analyses.

Results:

DIO was established in the HFD and HF-CD groups before surgery and subsequently reversed in the HF-CD group after surgery. At 12 weeks after surgery, the body fat percentage ( P = .0021) and plasma leptin concentration ( P = .0025) were higher in the HFD group compared with the CD group. Histologically, the appearance of the repaired entheses was poorer in both the HFD and HF-CD groups compared with the CD group at 12 weeks after surgery, with semiquantitative scores of 6.20 ( P = .0078), 4.98 ( P = .0003), and 8.68 of 15, respectively. The repaired entheses in the HF-CD group had a significantly lower load to failure ( P = .0278) at 12 weeks after surgery compared with the CD group, while the load to failure in the HFD group was low but not significantly different ( P = .0960). There were no differences in the biomechanical and histological results between the groups at 2 weeks after surgery. Body mass at the time of surgery, plasma leptin concentration, and body fat percentage were negatively correlated with histology scores and plasma leptin concentration was correlated with load to failure at 12 weeks after surgery.

Conclusion:

DIO impaired enthesis healing in this rat RC repair model, with inferior biomechanical and histological outcomes. Restoring a normal weight with dietary changes after surgery did not improve healing outcomes.

Clinical Relevance:

Obesity is a potentially modifiable factor that impairs RC healing and increases the risk of failure after surgery. Exploring interventions that improve the metabolic state of obese patients and counseling patients appropriately about their modest expectations after repair should be considered.