bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Review of the Financial Sector Impacts of Risks Associated with Climate Change
Authors: Zhou Fujin , Endendijk Thijs , Botzen W.J. Wouter
Published: June 2023

This article reviews the literature on the financial sector impacts of natural disasters and physical climate change risks, covering banking, insurance, stock markets, bond markets, and international financial flows. Most studies have applied statistical approaches to historical data from developed countries to identify these impacts, while some have also used theoretical and computational modeling to assess future risks under climate change scenarios. The findings show that natural disasters and climate change risks generally lower insurer profitability and risk-sharing capacity, bank stability and credit supply, returns and stability of stock and bond markets, foreign direct investment inflows, and international lending. Factors such as income levels, rigorous financial regulations, capital abundance, market diversification, and adaptation strategies mitigate the negative effects. Natural disasters increase remittance inflows and financial assistance to low- and middle-income countries. We recommend future research on forward-looking computational modeling to assess the future financial sector impacts of climate change, while accounting for adaptation actions and their drivers. Future research should also consider hazard correlations and the interactions between financial industries and regions to more comprehensively assess the economic effects of natural disasters in general and for vulnerable countries in particular.
A New Wave of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes: Are They Meeting Policy Goals and Can We Do Better?
Authors: Kiesel Kristin , Lang Hairu , Sexton Richard J.
Published: June 2023

Little progress has been made in reducing deaths from chronic noncommunicable diseases associated with being overweight or obese worldwide, prompting the World Health Organization and others to recommend the implementation of taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). In response, SSB taxes have been widely implemented over the last decade, and a burgeoning literature aims at understanding their effects. We assess the state of knowledge regarding the impacts of SSB taxes and provide context for the results reported to date based on the recent consumer behavior literature and incentives of supply-chain intermediaries in modern food markets. Evidence suggests only a portion of a tax on distributors or manufacturers is passed forward to consumers, inducing only mild and highly variable impacts on SSB purchases. We argue that the literature provides no consistent evidence that SSB taxes have incentivized increased purchases of healthier beverages and caused overall SSB consumption to decrease. Finally, we consider the efficacy of SSB taxes, alone or in combination with other policies, as part of jurisdictions’ policy goals, including promoting healthier diets, generating revenue, and improving equity.
A Rare Case of Inguinal Hernia of a Ureter Belonging to a Duplex Kidney
Authors: Dashtkoohi Mohadese , Haghiri Azade , Najafi Mohammad Sadeq
Published: June 2023

Introduction. Inguinal herniation of the ureter is a rare entity that occurs either as a complication of renal transplantation or spontaneously. Patients may suffer from obstructive uropathy or groin pain due to the unusual ectopic course of the ureter. This case report highlights the importance of recognizing a ureteroinguinal hernia. Methods. In this case report, we present a 75-year-old man with a surgical history of a right inguinal hernia repair who was referred to our center with burning left inguinal pain that persisted for two weeks. The patient’s history and physical examination were consistent with an inguinal hernia. The suspected indirect inguinal hernia was found on preoperative imaging to be a tubular structure distinct from the intestine or adjacent organs. An open exploration of the inguinal canal was performed to prevent further hernia development. Results. The unusual structure in the inguinal canal turned out to be an ectopic ureter originating from the left upper pole moiety of the left duplex kidney (i.e., with duplicated ureters) and containing concentrated urine, as confirmed on a postoperative computerized tomography urogram. Conclusion. It is crucial to perform a thorough clinical examination and utilize adequate imaging modalities before surgical procedures when encountering unidentified structures.
Factors Influencing Adoption of IoT and Its Impact on CRM in Banks: Examining the Moderating Role of Gender, Age, and Bank Ownership Type
Authors: Bajaj Parul , Anwar Imran , Yahya Ali Thabit , Saleem Imran
Published: June 2023

Internet is becoming a part of our lifestyle; however, the usage rate and application of the Internet are disparate in different parts of the world. In many emerging countries, the Internet is yet to penetrate ordinary households. The present study focuses on how IoT adoption impacts the banks’ customer relationship management (CRM) in an emerging market context. Furthermore, the moderating roles of gender, age, and bank ownership type on the relationship between the adoption of IoT and CRM have also been tested. Cost, convenience, social context, and privacy were studied as the predicting variables of IoT adoption, while IoT adoption was investigated as the antecedent of CRM. The CRM variable has been operationalized as a second-order latent construct consisting of three first-order latent variables: responsiveness, satisfaction, and assurance. A cross-sectional, non-probability-based survey was conducted from 467 bank customers of three public and three private sector banks in Aligarh city of India. Two CFA models were run to ensure reliability, validity, and model fit. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) on AMOS software, while PROCESS Macro v4.0 by Hayes (2009) was used to test the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between IoT adoption and CRM. The results indicate that cost, convenience, social context, and privacy are positively influencing IoT adoption, which in turn positively affects CRM. Gender and age were found to have a negative moderation effect on the path between IoT adoption and CRM, while bank ownership type positively moderated this link.
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Traditional Healers toward Dosage Forms and Routes of Administration: A Cross‐Sectional Study in Ethiopia
Authors: Limenh Liknaw Workie , Geremew Derso Teju , Kasahun Asmamaw Emagn , Anagaw Yeniewa Kerie , Worku Minichil Chanie , Simegn Wudneh , Ayenew Wondim
Published: June 2023

Background and Objectives. Traditional healers are an integral part of healthcare systems in many countries, including Ethiopia, where traditional medicine is widely practiced. They often employ unique medicinal preparation and route of administration that may differ from modern practices. However, there is a paucity of data on dosage forms and route of administration practice by traditional healers in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of traditional healers towards different dosage forms and route of administration. Methods. A cross‐sectional study design was conducted on 70 traditional healers from June 1, 2022 to July 25, 2022. The data were collected through structured questionnaires. The data were checked for completeness and consistency and then entered into SPSS version 25.0 for analysis. The results were presented with frequencies and percentages. The association between sociodemographic factors and traditional healers’ knowledge of dosage forms and route of administration was determined using the Pearson’s chi‐squares test. A statistically significant difference was declared if the p value was 0.05 or lower. Results. Most (58.1%) traditional healers had information on dosage forms, especially about solid, semisolid, and liquid dosage forms. In addition, 33 (53.2%) traditional healers had information about rectal, nasal, and oral route of administration. All traditional healers had practiced different dosage forms and route of administration both individually and in combination earlier to date. More than half of the participants agreed on the need for different dosage forms and route of administration. This study result also showed that most (72.6%) traditional healers had gaps in sharing experiences and information with other healers and health professionals. Conclusions. The current study revealed that solid, semisolid, and liquid were the most frequently formulated dosage forms with oral, rectal, and nasal route of administration by traditional healers. The practice of checking the status of the formulations was poor. Traditional healers had a good attitude towards the need for different dosage forms and route of administration. The stakeholders should provide continuous training and exchange of experiences between traditional healers and healthcare professionals to improve the knowledge of traditional healers for appropriate use of dosage forms and route of administration.
Performance Evaluation of Three Diagnostic Methods for Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections among Schoolchildren in Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Belay Shegaw , Alemu Getaneh , Hailu Tadesse
Published: June 2023

Background. Soil-transmitted helminths are parasitic nematodes found in the intestine. They are more prevalent in the tropics and subtropics, including Ethiopia. However, low-sensitive direct wet mount microscopy fails to detect soil-transmitted helminths among infected cases. Therefore, more sensitive and cost-effective diagnostic methods are urgently needed to minimize soil-transmitted helminthiasis morbidity. Objective. This study aimed to compare and evaluate the performance of diagnostic methods for soil-transmitted helminths against the “gold” standard. Methods. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 421 schoolchildren from May to July, 2022 in the Amhara Region. Study participants were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Stool samples were processed via Kato–Katz, McMaster, and spontaneous tube sedimentation techniques. Data were entered into epi-data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 25. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated against the combined result as a “gold” standard. The strength of agreement between the diagnostic methods was determined by the Kappa value. Results. The overall prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths was 32.8% (95% CI: 28.2–37.8%) using a combination of methods. The detection rates of Kato–Katz, McMaster, and spontaneous tube sedimentation were 28.5% (95% CI: 24.2–33.2%), 30% (95% CI: 25.6–34.8%), and 30.5% (95% CI: 26.1–35.3%), respectively. Sensitivity and negative predictive values were 87.1% (95% CI: 80.2–92.3%) and 95.1% (95% CI: 92.6–96.8%) for Kato–Katz; 91.7% (95% CI: 85.6–95.6%) and 96.5% (95% CI: 94.1–98.0%) for McMaster; and 93.2% (95% CI: 87.5–96.8%) and 97.1% (95% CI: 94.7–98.4%) for spontaneous tube sedimentation. Kappa values of Kato–Katz, McMaster, and spontaneous tube sedimentation for the diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminths were 0.901, 0.937, and 0.948, respectively. Conclusion. Kato–Katz, McMaster, and spontaneous tube sedimentation techniques had comparable sensitivity with almost perfect agreement for the detection of soil-transmitted helminths. Therefore, the spontaneous tube sedimentation technique can be used as an alternative diagnostic method for soil-transmitted helminth infections in endemic countries.
Workplace Violence: Impact on the Commitment and Involvement of Nurses at Work
Authors: Navarro-Abal Yolanda , Climent-Rodríguez José Antonio , Vaca-Acosta Rosa María , Fagundo-Rivera Javier , Gómez-Salgado Juan , García-Iglesias Juan Jesús
Published: June 2023

Objective. To analyse the relationship between workplace violence and work engagement in nursing professionals. Background. Violence in the workplace has become a phenomenon of growing concern. Nursing professionals are one of the most exposed groups to this type of violence. Method. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on a national sample of Spanish nurses by means of convenience, non-probabilistic sampling. A questionnaire was administered that collected sociodemographic variables, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9), and an “ad hoc” scale on violence in the workplace. Results. 1648 active nursing professionals participated in this study. The participants obtained higher scores in the “dedication” variable. It was observed that 42.17% had personally suffered some type of aggression or violence at work. Verbal aggression was the most frequent type of reported violence. Nurses who experience violence, threat, and psychological harassment showed lower levels of work engagement than those who did not. In the case of those who experience sexual harassment and those who do not, the values for the UWES-9 were similar. Conclusions. Having personally experienced violence, threats or psychological harassment can negatively affect nurses’ work engagement, the most common acts of violence being verbal and often perpetrated by family members and patients. Implications for Nursing Management. Adequate tools are not still being used to ensure that the assaulted professionals are adequately assisted by their institutions.
Protocol of a Combined Cohort and Cross-Sectional Study of Persons Receiving Medical Cannabis in Florida, USA: The Medical Marijuana and Me (M3) Study
Authors: Sajdeya Ruba , Fechtel Hannah J. , Spandau Gabriel , Goodin Amie J. , Brown Joshua D. , Jugl Sebastian , Smolinski Nicole E. , Winterstein Almut G. , Cook Robert L. , Wang Yan
Published: June 2023

Significant knowledge gaps regarding the effectiveness and safety of medical cannabis (MC) create clinical challenges for MC physicians, making treatment recommendations and patients choosing treatment among the growing number of options offered in dispensaries. Additionally, data describing the characteristics of people who use MC and the products and doses they receive are lacking. The Medical Marijuana and Me (M3) Study was designed to collect patient-centered data from MC users. We aim to describe preferred MC use patterns that patients report as “most effective” for specific health conditions and symptoms, identify user characteristics associated with such use patterns, characterize adverse effects, including cannabis use disorder, identify products and patient characteristics associated with adverse effects, describe concurrent prescription medication use, and identify concomitant medication use with potential drug-MC interaction risk. Among MC initiators, we also aim to quantify MC use persistence and identify reasons for discontinuation, assess MC utilization pattern trajectories over time, describe outcome trajectories of primary reasons for MC use and determine factors associated with different trajectories, track changes in concomitant substance and medication use after MC initiation, and identify factors associated with such changes. M3 is a combined study comprised of: (1) a prospective cohort of MC initiators completing surveys at enrollment, 3 months, and 9 months after MC initiation and (2) a cross-sectional study of current MC users. A multidisciplinary committee including researchers, physicians, pharmacists, patients, and dispensary personnel designed and planned study protocols, established study measures, and created survey questionnaires. M3 will recruit 1,000–1,200 participants aged ≥18 years, with ∼50% new and ∼50% current MC patients from MC clinics across Florida, USA. Study enrollment started in May 2022 and will continue until the target number of patients is achieved. Survey domains include sociodemographic characteristics, physical and mental health, cannabis use history, reasons for MC use and discontinuation, MC products and use patterns, concurrent use of prescription medications and other substances, and side effects. Data collected in the M3 Study will be available for interested researchers affiliated with the Consortium for Medical Marijuana Clinical Outcomes Research. The M3 Study and Databank will be the largest cohort of current and new MC users in Florida, USA, which will provide data to support MC-related health research necessary to inform policy and clinical practice and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
Central Retinal Vein Occlusion after mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Ishiguro Kiyona , Hirano Yoshio , Esaki Yuya , Yasukawa Tsutomu
Published: June 2023

A 47-year-old man presented with visual loss in the right eye 8 h after the first dose of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine developed by Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2). The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/200. Fundus examination showed dilated and tortuous retinal veins at the posterior pole, retinal hemorrhages throughout the fundus, and macular edema. Fluorescein angiography showed multiple hypofluorescent spots that appeared to be fluorescent block due to retinal hemorrhages and hyperfluorescent leakage from the retinal veins. The eye was diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). For the treatment of macular edema, intravitreal injection of aflibercept (IVA) was administered and treated with one plus pro re nata regimen. Five IVAs were performed over a 10-month follow-up period, with resolution of macular edema, and the BCVA recovered to 20/20. The patient was young and had no history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or atherosclerotic diseases, and his blood tests showed no abnormal findings. Both antigen test and polymerase chain reaction test for COVID-19 were negative, and the antibody test was positive due to vaccination. The development of CRVO in this patient may have been related to COVID-19 vaccination, and the appropriate IVA treatment resulted in a good visual prognosis.
Association between Physical Activity and Sitting Time Related to Excess Body Weight in Brazilian University Students
Authors: Barros Gerleison Ribeiro , dos Santos Sueyla Ferreira da Silva , Andaki Alynne Christian Ribeiro , Sousa Thiago Ferreira de
Published: June 2023

High exposure to sedentary behavior and lower levels of physical activity can lead to excess body weight (EBW). The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of EBW and the direct association under the condition of sociodemographic, university, and behavioral moderating characteristics, between physical activity and sitting time related to EBW in Brazilian university students. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1,110 university students from a federal public institution in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The outcome was the EBW (body mass index: ≥25.0 kg/m2) and the independent variables were physical activity (insufficiently active and active) and sitting time (<6 h/day; ≥6 h/day). Association analyses were estimated via odds ratio (OR) using binary logistic regression. The significance level was 5%. The prevalence of EBW was 27.8%. No direct association was observed between physical activity and time sitting related to EBW. However, insufficiently active university students were more likely to have EBW (OR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.06–3.47) when they did not consume alcoholic beverages, and university students with a sitting time of ≥6 h/day had lower chances of having EBW (OR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.40–0.95) when they had spent more time at university (3 years or more). It is concluded that the prevalence of EBW in university students was high and there was no direct association between physical activity and sitting time; however, alcohol consumption and university time moderated the association with higher and lower chances of occurrence of EBW in university students, respectively.
Pronounced State-Level Disparities in Prescription of Cannabinoids to Medicaid Patients
Authors: Liu Edward Y. , McCall Kenneth L. , Piper Brian J.
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Dronabinol is approved in the USA for chemotherapy-induced nausea as well as vomiting and HIV-induced anorexia, while cannabidiol is primarily approved for childhood epileptic disorders Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndrome. The use pattern for these prescription cannabinoids in the USA is unknown. This study examined Medicaid claims for two FDA-approved prescription cannabinoids, dronabinol and cannabidiol, approved in 1985 and 2018, respectively, from 2016–2020 to better understand the pharmacoepidemiologic trends and distribution of these drugs in US Medicaid amidst the increasing use of non-pharmaceutical formulations of cannabis. Methods: The longitudinal study analyzed Medicaid prescription claims that were calculated by extracting the prescriptions on a state level from 2016 to 2020 for two cannabinoids, dronabinol and cannabidiol, where outcomes over each year were calculated. Outcomes were (1) the number of prescriptions for each state corrected for the number of Medicaid enrollees and (2) dronabinol and cannabidiol spending. Spending refers to the amount reimbursed by the state Medicaid program. Results: Dronabinol prescriptions per state decreased by 25.3% from 2016 to 2020, while cannabidiol prescriptions increased by 16,272.99% from 2018 to 2020. The spending on these drugs parallels that of their prescription trend with a 66.3% decrease in reimbursement for dronabinol ($5.7 million in 2020), whereas cannabidiol increased by +26,582.0% ($233.3 million in 2020). Dronabinol prescriptions, when corrected for the number of enrollees, in Connecticut were 136.4 times larger than in New Mexico, and seventeen states had zero prescriptions. Idaho’s prescriptions of cannabidiol (27.8/10,000 enrollees) were significantly elevated relative to the national average and were 15.4-fold higher than Washington, DC (1.8/10K enrollees). Conclusions: The prescriptions of pharmaceutical-grade tetrahydrocannabinol decreased while those of cannabidiol increased. This study also identified pronounced state-level variation in cannabinoid prescribing to Medicaid patients. State formularies and prescription drug list variation may contribute to the drug reimbursements in Medicaid, though further research is needed to identify the health policy or pharmacoeconomic origins of these disparities.
Breath Testing in the Surgical Setting: Applications, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
Authors: Walsh Caoimhe M , Fadel Michael G , Jamel Sara H , Hanna George B
Published: June 2023

Background: The potential for exhaled breath to be a valuable diagnostic tool is often overlooked as it can be difficult to imagine how a barely visible sample of breath could hold such a rich source of information about the state of our health. However, technological advances over the last 50 years have enabled us to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in exhaled breath, and this provides the key to understanding the wealth of information contained within these readily available samples. Summary: VOCs are produced as a by-product of metabolism; hence, changes in the underlying physiological processes will be reflected in the exact composition of VOCs in exhaled breath. It has been shown that characteristic changes occur in the breath VOC profile associated with certain diseases including cancer, which may enable the non-invasive detection of cancer at primary care level for patients with vague symptoms. The use of breath testing as a diagnostic tool has many advantages. It is non-invasive and quick, and the test is widely accepted by patients and clinicians. However, breath samples provide a snapshot of the VOCs present in a particular patient at a given point in time, so this can be heavily influenced by external factors such as diet, smoking, and the environment. These must all be accounted for when attempting to draw conclusions about disease status. This review focuses on the current applications for breath testing in the field of surgery, as well as discussing the challenges encountered with developing a breath test in a clinical environment. The future of breath testing in the surgical setting is also discussed, including the translation of breath research into clinical practice. Key Messages: Analysis of VOCs in exhaled breath can identify the presence of underlying disease including cancer as well as other infectious or inflammatory conditions. Despite the patient factors, environmental factors, storage, and transport considerations that must be accounted for, breath testing demonstrates ideal characteristics for a triage test, being non-invasive, simple, and universally acceptable to patients and clinicians. Many novel biomarkers and diagnostic tests fail to translate into clinical practice because their potential clinical application does not align with the requirements and unmet needs of the healthcare sector. Non-invasive breath testing, however, has the great potential to revolutionise the early detection of diseases, such as cancer, in the surgical setting for patients with vague symptoms.
Applicative Recursion and Nominal Licensing
Authors: Nie Yining
Published: June 2023

Languages with applicative morphology vary in whether their applied arguments can stack, or “recurse.” Focusing primarily on Bantu languages, I argue that the availability of applicative recursion in a given language depends on abstract nominal licensing—in particular, on whether the applicative heads responsible for introducing applied arguments are nominal licensers. Applicative recursion therefore provides a novel diagnostic for the presence of abstract nominal licensing, which is argued to be driven not by Case but by ϕ-feature checking. The proposed approach to applicative recursion provides evidence for the role of abstract licensing in Bantu languages and has implications for approaches to double object symmetry as well as for recursion in causatives.
Spatial Scene Memories Are Biased Towards a Fixed Amount of Semantic Information
Authors: Greene Michelle R. , Trivedi Devanshi
Published: June 2023

Scene memory has known spatial biases. Boundary extension is a well-known bias whereby observers remember visual information beyond an image’s boundaries. While recent studies demonstrate that boundary contraction also reliably occurs based on intrinsic image properties, the specific properties that drive the effect are unknown. This study assesses the extent to which scene memory might have a fixed capacity for information. We assessed both visual and semantic information in a scene database using techniques from image processing and natural language processing, respectively. We then assessed how both types of information predicted memory errors for scene boundaries using a standard rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) forced error paradigm. A linear regression model indicated that memories for scene boundaries were significantly predicted by semantic, but not visual, information and that this effect persisted when scene depth was considered. Boundary extension was observed for images with low semantic information, and contraction was observed for images with high semantic information. This suggests a cognitive process that normalizes the amount of semantic information held in memory.
Socioreligious Aspects of 217 Women’s Letters in Egypt, 300 BC–AD 800
Authors: De Luca Luigi M. , Armey Laura
Published: June 2023

Egyptian women’s religious expressions in papyrus letters (Bagnall and Cribiore, 2006) were divided into five categories: None, no god(s) mentioned; Pray, containing “Pray” without gods; Gods, for Greek Gods; Sarapis/local Gods/προσκυνήµα for letters containing prayers in which obeisance before a God is expressed in the Egyptian reverential manner, a προσκυνήµα; Θεός/Κύριος/Χριστός letters to the Christian God. The None category is prevalent during the early 300 BC to 100 AD period followed by an increase in, and then stable, formulaic/religious expressions. The Pray category peaked in the second and third centuries AD, and the Gods category, referring to pagan Gods, showed a steady and significant decline from the first to the fourth century AD inverse to the rise in prevalence of letters in the Θεός/Κύριος/Χριστός category. The shift to monotheism with Christianity is rendered in graphic form, and permits an appreciation of feminine popular sentiment on religion and its Gods in Egypt.
The Investor-State Dispute Settlement Damages Playbook: To Infinity and Beyond
Authors: Boué Juan Carlos
Published: June 2023

The evolution of claimed damages valuation in investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) has raised concerns with States, who are coming to believe that quantum is out of control. The magnitudes keep growing of ISDS claims predicated on speculative assumptions that render the future operations of claimants extremely profitable. Further, the common approach to inflating ISDS by means of discounted cash flow (DCF) calculations, is being boosted by novel and complex methodological approaches beyond the grasp of most arbitrators. Case examples illustrate how claimants and their experts have successfully exploited structural defects of ISDS to exaggerate quantum by overwhelming adjudicators with evidence inadmissible in a court setting. A string of indefensible decisions and exaggerated claims raises the possibility that investors may even be motivated to promote expropriation of projects, because of the prospect of inflated damages claims down the road.
Litigation Finance and the Assetization of International Investment Arbitration
Authors: Davitti Daria , Vargiu Paolo
Published: June 2023

Third Party Funding (TPF) is presented as a tool to help fund the cost of expensive litigation. In the context of Investment Arbitration, however, TPF has instead led to the commodification of justice, and raises concerns around its assetization. Arbitration often comes at a net loss for States, and the extraordinary expenditures required may pique the interest of third party funders who wish to profit from suing States. A two-fold movement contributed to the assetization process of TPF. The first movement was to package TPF as a tool to ensure access to justice, and the second was to assert a ‘funding gap’ in access to justice that ad hoc TPF alone could not address. TPF leads to more claims and riskier claims against States and increases the risk of crippling compensation. This requires States to allocate public funds to the cost of litigation, rather than to other necessary public services.
Two new species of Baetodes Needham & Murphy, 1924 with an updated checklist of Baetidae (Ephemeroptera) of Rondônia state, Brazil
Authors: CRUZ PAULO VILELA , LIMA CLÁUDIA R.T. DE , NASCIMENTO STÊNIO R. S. , SOUZA MARCIA REGINA DE , HAMADA NEUSA
Published: June 2023

Baetidae is one of the most taxon-rich families in the order Ephemeroptera, and the most studied mayfly in Brazil. Despite recent advances, the vast majority of the Brazilian territory has not yet had its diversity well documented. Some of these critical gaps are in the South-Western Amazon, with emphasis on the state of Rondônia due to the high level of environmental threat (especially deforestation). In the state, only one small survey was carried out 11 years ago. Given this scenario, the objective of this study is to describe two new species and provide access to primary biodiversity data of the family Baetidae in Rondônia. As a result, two new species, Baetodes vermelho sp. nov. and Baetodes cerejeiras sp. nov., are described. Baetodes vermelho sp. nov. can be differentiated from other species by the presence of robust and pointed setae on the dorsal margin of the femora and coxal gills with medial constriction; Baetodes cerejeiras sp. nov. can be differentiated from B. liviae Polegatto & Salles, 2008 (in Salles & Polegatto, 2008) and B. capixaba Souza, Salles & Nessimian, 2011 by the absence of a tubercle on the metanotum, the presence of small blunt setae on the dorsal arc of the labrum, and less prominent tubercles on the abdomen. We have documented 50 species across 54 sites in the Rondônia. Among these, 18 species are being reported for the first time in the state, three species are recorded for the first time in the north of Brazil, and two species are new records for Brazil. Rondônia is the most speciose state in Brazil regarding the family Baetidae.
Choice
Authors: Osborne Martin J. , Rubinstein Ariel
Published: June 2023

This chapter develops a formal tool to describe an individual’s behavior. The two concepts, preferences and choice, are building blocks of the economic models we develop later.
Consumer preferences
Authors: Osborne Martin J. , Rubinstein Ariel
Published: June 2023

In this chapter preferences and choice are analysed in a context central to standard economic theory: an individual contemplating and choosing quantities of various goods. Such an individuals referred to as a consumer. In this chapter preferences, without considering choice, are discussed.
A jungle
Authors: Osborne Martin J. , Rubinstein Ariel
Published: June 2023

This chapter studies a society consisting of a set of individuals and a set of houses. Each house can accommodate only one person and each person can occupy only one house. Different people may have different preferences over the houses, but everyone prefers to occupy any house than to be homeless.

This chapter analyzes a model in which the assignment of houses is determined by the individuals’ strengths; the concepts of property and ownership do not exist. A person who wants to occupy a house currently occupied by a weaker person can do so simply by presenting herself to the current occupant. The process is orderly: everyone knows everyone else’s strength, and on seeing that a stronger person wants to occupy her house, a person vacates it without a fight, which she knows she would lose.
An exchange economy
Authors: Osborne Martin J. , Rubinstein Ariel
Published: June 2023

This chapter discusses a market in which the goods can be consumed in any quantity: they are divisible. As in the previous chapter, the ownership of goods is recognized and protected.

Each individual initially owns a bundle of goods. We look for a distribution of the goods among the individuals and a price system with the property that for each good the total amount the individuals want to purchase is equal to the total amount other individuals want to sell: demand and supply are equal.
Variants of an exchange economy
Authors: Osborne Martin J. , Rubinstein Ariel
Published: June 2023

In this chapter we study two variants of the model of an exchange economy that demonstrate the richness of the model. In the first variant we insert into the framework the basic model of supply and demand for a single indivisible good (with which you may be familiar from an introductory course in economics). In the second variant we use the framework to capture a situation in which individuals face uncertainty about the future resources. This variant is used to analyze markets for insurance and bets.
A market with consumers and producers
Authors: Osborne Martin J. , Rubinstein Ariel
Published: June 2023

This chapter describes two models that extend the model of an exchange economy to economies in which goods are produced. We do not analyze the models in detail, but only prove, for each model, one result regarding the Pareto stability of the equilibrium outcome.
Mechanism design
Authors: Osborne Martin J. , Rubinstein Ariel
Published: June 2023

In this chapter, we turn this methodology on its head. That is, we seek a set of rules for the interaction between the individuals that generates specific outcomes. Analyses of this type are called “mechanism design”. This field is huge; we demonstrate some of the basic ideas through a simple model.
Socialism
Authors: Osborne Martin J. , Rubinstein Ariel
Published: June 2023

Consider a society in which each individual can produce the same consumption good, like food, using a single input, like land. Each individual is characterized by her productivity. The higher an ndividual’s productivity, the more output she produces with any given amount of the input.

An economic system can be thought of as a rule that specifies the output produced by the entire society and the allocation of this output among the individuals as a function of the individuals’ productivities. Should individuals with high productivity get more output than ones with low productivity? Should two individuals with the same productivity receive the same amount of output? Should an increase in an individual’s productivity result in her receiving more output?

The design of an economic system requires an answer to such questions. The approach in this chapter (like those in Chapters 3 and 20) is axiomatic. The central result specifies conditions capturing efficiency and fairness that are satisfied only by an economic system that resembles the socialist ideal.
Consumer behavior
Authors: Osborne Martin J. , Rubinstein Ariel
Published: June 2023

In this chapter we apply the model of individual choice presented in Chapter 2 to the behavior of a consumer. The set X of all alternatives the consumer may face is R2+, the set of bundles, and a choice problem is a subset of X. As we discussed in Chapter 2, to completely describe an individual’s behavior we need to specify her choice for every choice problem she may face. Not every subset of X is a choice problem for a consumer. Since we are interested in the connection between prices and the consumer’s choices, we focus on the behavior of a consumer who faces a particular type of choice problem, called a budget set.
A jungle
Authors: Osborne Martin J. , Rubinstein Ariel
Published: June 2023

This chapter studies a society consisting of a set of individuals and a set of houses. Each house can accommodate only one person and each person can occupy only one house. Different people may have different preferences over the houses, but everyone prefers to occupy any house than to be homeless.

This chapter analyzes a model in which the assignment of houses is determined by the individuals’ strengths; the concepts of property and ownership do not exist. A person who wants to occupy a house currently occupied by a weaker person can do so simply by presenting herself to the current occupant. The process is orderly: everyone knows everyone else’s strength, and on seeing that a stronger person wants to occupy her house, a person vacates it without a fight, which he knows he would lose.
Strategic games
Authors: Osborne Martin J. , Rubinstein Ariel
Published: June 2023

The model of a strategic game is central to game theory. In a strategic game, each individual chooses an action from a given set and is affected not only by this action but also by the other individuals’ actions. We study mainly the notion of Nash equilibrium, according to which a profile of actions is stable if no individual wants to deviate from his action given the other individuals’ actions.
Aggregating preferences
Authors: Osborne Martin J. , Rubinstein Ariel
Published: June 2023

When we discuss public decisions, we often talk about the preferences of a group of people, like a nation, a class, or a family. We do so even though the members of the group have different preferences; we say that “the group prefers one option to another” even though the meaning of such a statement is unclear. In this chapter we discuss one model of the aggregation of individuals’ preferences into a social preference relation.
A convergent fabrication of 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38)-loaded cobalt ferrite nanocarrier delivery for lung treatment
Authors: Yang Yu , Alahmadi Tahani Awad , Alharbi Sulaiman Ali , Wainwright Milton
Published: June 2023

The most common cancer-related death is lung cancer, especially non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The low response and survival rates show the inability to treat NSCLC with existing medications effectively. This investigation aimed to establish a new method based on biocompatible
cobalt ferrite (CFNPs) nanoformulation utilizing poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolic) acid and oleic acid with the delivery of 7-Ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38) for the treatment of lung cancer cells. The hydrothermal technique synthesized the CFNPs, which were then conjugated with SN-38 in
a PLGA matrix. The CFNPs were then thoroughly characterized utilizing FTIR, XRD, TGA, FE-SEM, TEM, and DLS analyses. The cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, in vitro drug release, and drug loading were all assessed using the nanoparticles. The CFNPs had excellent crystallinity and were ferromagnetic,
with a particle diameter of ~22 nm. The drug loading efficiency for the SN-38-loaded CFNPs (SN-38@CFNPs) was 81.9%, with a sustained SN-38 release over time of 8.5%. In A549 and H1299 lung cancer cells, effective internalization and anti-proliferative efficiency were reported. The morphological
changes of the lung cancer cell (A549 and H1299) were examined by the acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) and nuclear (DAPI) staining methods. The opportunity for promising SN-38 delivery for lung cancer to treat with the SN-38@CFNPs.
Protective effect of emodin on Streptococcus pneumoniae and matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry for serotype detection
Authors: Zhou Junjie , Zhou Dajin , Xie Hejie , Zhou Yan , Chen Weifeng , Lian Dong
Published: June 2023

This study assessed the impact of emodin on Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype using Matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technology. After establishment of animal models, rats were classified into sham operation group, model group,
low-dose and high-dose emodin group (n = 10, each group). After treatment, the pathology of rat lung tissue was detected along with analysis of the levels of Interleukin-1β, IL-1β(IL-1β), Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α), and IL-6.
MALDI-TOF MS was used to examine the serotype of Streptococcus pneumoniae as NF-κB level in the rat lung tissue and capsular polysaccharide protein levels were detected. Compared with healthy tissues, the lung tissues in the model group exhibited collapse of alveoli and
infiltration of inflammatory cells, which were greatly alleviated in low-dose and high-dose emodin groups, with more significant effect in high-dose emodin group. Additionally, treatment with emodin dramatically decreased the contents of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 (P
<0.05), which were lowest in the high-dose group. 60 representative strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae were divided into 18 mass spectrum types, whilst six serotypes (19F, 19A, 23F, 23A, 3 and 14) were identified. Moreover, 18 strains of serotype 19F accounted for 30% (18/60) and
were distributed in 6 different MALDI-TOF MS types, and another 3 serotypes were distributed in the corresponding MALDI-TOF MS types. NF-κB and capsular polysaccharide protein expressions declined after emodin treatment (P <0.05). Collectively, Emodin effectively alleviated
infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and inflammatory response and improved conditions of patients while decreasing their levels of NF-κB and capsular polysaccharide protein, affecting typing of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Rainy Days in the Arctic
Authors: Boisvert Linette N. , Webster Melinda A. , Parker Chelsea L. , Forbes Richard M.
Published: June 2023

The Arctic is warming faster than anywhere on Earth, and with these warming temperatures, there is likely to be more precipitation falling as rain. This precipitation phase change will have profound impacts on the hydrologic cycle, energy balance, and snow and sea ice mass budgets. Here, we examine the number of rainfall days in the Arctic from three reanalyses, ERA-Interim, ERA5, and MERRA-2, over 1980–2016. We show that the number of rainfall days has increased over this period, predominantly in the autumn and in the North Atlantic and peripheral seas, and the length of the rain season has increased in all reanalyses. This is positively correlated to the number of days with above freezing air temperatures and a lengthening of the warm season. ERA-Interim produces significantly more rainfall days than other reanalyses and CloudSat observations, as well as significantly more rainfall when temperatures are below freezing. Investigation into the cloud microphysics schemes revealed that the scheme employed by ERA-Interim allowed for mixed-phase clouds to form rain at temperatures below freezing following a temperature-dependent phase partitioning function between 250 and 273 K. This simple diagnostic treatment erroneously overestimates rain at temperatures below 273 K and produces unrealistic rainfall compared to ERA5 and MERRA-2. This work highlights the importance of having accurate physics and improving microphysical schemes in models for simulating precipitation in the Arctic and the caution that is warranted for interpreting reanalysis trends.
Displacement Error Characteristics of 500-hPa Cutoff Lows in Operational GFS Forecasts
Authors: Lupo Kevin M. , Schwartz Craig S. , Romine Glen S.
Published: June 2023

Cutoff lows are often associated with high-impact weather; therefore, it is critical that operational numerical weather prediction systems accurately represent the evolution of these features. However, medium-range forecasts of upper-level features using the Global Forecast System (GFS) are often subjectively characterized by excessive synoptic progressiveness, i.e., a tendency to advance troughs and cutoff lows too quickly downstream. To better understand synoptic progressiveness errors, this research quantifies seven years of 500-hPa cutoff low position errors over the globe, with the goal of objectively identifying regions where synoptic progressiveness errors are common and how frequently these errors occur. Specifically, 500-hPa features are identified and tracked in 0–240-h 0.25° GFS forecasts during April 2015–March 2022 using an objective cutoff low and trough identification scheme and compared to corresponding 500-hPa GFS analyses. In the Northern Hemisphere, cutoff lows are generally underrepresented in forecasts compared to verifying analyses, particularly over continental midlatitude regions. Features identified in short- to long-range forecasts are generally associated with eastward zonal position errors over the conterminous United States and northern Asia, particularly during the spring and autumn. Similarly, cutoff lows over the Southern Hemisphere midlatitudes are characterized by an eastward displacement bias during all seasons.

Significance Statement

Cutoff lows are often associated with high-impact weather, including excessive rainfall, winter storms, and severe weather. GFS forecasts of cutoff lows over the United States are often subjectively noted to advance cutoff lows too quickly downstream, and thus limit forecast skill in potentially impactful scenarios. Therefore, this study quantifies the position error characteristics of cutoff lows in recent GFS forecasts. Consistent with typically anecdotal impressions of cutoff low position errors, this analysis demonstrates that cutoff lows over North America and central Asia are generally associated with an eastward position bias in medium- to long-range GFS forecasts. These results suggest that additional research to identify both environmental conditions and potential model deficiencies that may exacerbate this eastward bias would be beneficial.