bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mismatched disturbance compensation enhanced robust H∞ control for systems with nonvanishing uncertainties/disturbances
Authors: Cao Mengying , Li Shihua , Yang Jun , Zhang Kanjian
Published: October 2023

This article proposes a robust control method based on disturbance observer techniques for systems subject to mismatched uncertainties/disturbances. In the existing composite robust control methods with disturbance compensation, only matched uncertainties/disturbances, that is, the uncertainties/disturbances acting on the same channels as the control inputs, are feedforward compensated, while the mismatched ones are only attenuated in a conservative manner. It should be highlighted that if the mismatched uncertainties/disturbances are nonvanishing, the controller generally requires excessive control energy to suppress the effects of uncertainties/disturbances, where the control gains must be designed to ensure robust properties at the expense of sacrificing nominal tracking and/or stabilization performances. To address this problem, this article further introduces the compensation of mismatched uncertainties/disturbances into the robust control. Moreover, to attenuate the effects of observation errors, sufficient conditions for the asymptotic and robust stability of error systems are established. Finally, the proposed controller is applied to a DC–DC buck converter system feeding constant power load. Experimental results confirm its feasibility and efficiency.
Rainbow subdivisions of cliques
Authors: Jiang Tao , Letzter Shoham , Methuku Abhishek , Yepremyan Liana
Published: October 2023

We show that for every integer and large , every properly edge‐colored graph on vertices with at least edges contains a rainbow subdivision of . This is sharp up to a polylogarithmic factor. Our proof method exploits the connection between the mixing time of random walks and expansion in graphs.
Sustainable development practices in public higher education: A new conceptual framework for nurturing student satisfaction and reinforcing attractiveness to international students
Authors: Pedro Eugénia , Alves Helena , Leitão João
Published: October 2023

Using a multi‐layer review based on stakeholder, institutional and legitimacy theories, the current study presents and empirically analyses a novel conceptual framework addressing the relationship between sustainable development practices, internationalization and students' satisfaction in public higher education institutions. Based on participants' self‐perception, a questionnaire was distributed to 738 students at seven Portuguese public higher education institutions. Structural equation modeling was utilized to estimate the multivariate causal relationships. The evidence shows that SDP are positively, directly, and significantly related to internationalization and students' satisfaction. Students' satisfaction is directly and significantly associated with internationalization, also revealing a moderating effect on the relationship between sustainable development practices and internationalization. To achieve legitimacy among their stakeholders, public higher education institutions must build an institutional commitment to sustainability by adopting and disseminating sustainable development practices with actions on a livable campus.
Corrosion Prevention of Biomedical Implants: Surface Coating Techniques Perspective
Authors: Daniyan Ayodele Abeeb , Akpomejero Tobore Lucky , Ige Oladeji Oluremi , Olubambi Peter Apata
Published: October 2023

No doubt, the use of biomedical implants in the world has been of tremendous benefit to humans (animals as well), still gaining much relevance today, and commands greater prospects in the future. Developments in this field have been from the progression of the use of materials like wood, iron and gold as external limb support and indental applications, to more sophisticated materials today like biodegradable metal alloys, polymers, ceramics and composites materials capable of replacing damaged or worn‐out organs (eye, heart, lungs, liver, kidney, etc.), mimicking the bone, or for boosting other physiological features as in cosmetology.

Appropriate applications of these implants in the human body still remain a challenge today due to several post‐surgical issues like cytotoxicity, thrombogenicity, allergenicity, carcinogenicity and inflammations all of which could be attributed to factors like biocompatibility, osseointegration, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of these biomedical implants during service. The aspect of implants’ corrosion is of much concern in the biomedical industry of which there have been several methods used to tackle it viz ‐use of corrosion resistant materials and inhibitors, metal plating, environmental and design considerations and protective coating techniques. This paper reviews five different surface coating techniques for preventing corrosion in biomedical implants, their descriptions and working principles.
Dual‐Mode Nanoprobes Based on Lanthanide Doped Fluoride Nanoparticles Functionalized by Aryl Diazonium Salts for Fluorescence and SERS Bioimaging
Authors: Chen Huan , Nizard Philippe , Decorse Philippe , Nowak Sophie , Ammar‐Merah Souad , Pinson Jean , Gazeau Florence , Mangeney Claire , Luo Yun
Published: October 2023

The design of dual‐mode fluorescence and Raman tags stimulates a growing interest in biomedical imaging and sensing applications as they offer the possibility to synergistically combine the versatility and velocity of fluorescence imaging with the specificity of Raman spectroscopy. Although lanthanide‐doped fluoride nanoparticles (NPs) are among the most studied fluorescent nanoprobes, their use for the development of bimodal fluorescent‐Raman probes has never been reported yet, to the best of the authors knowledge, probably due to the difficulty to functionalize them with Raman reporter groups. This gap is filled herein by proposing a fast and straightforward approach based on aryl diazonium salt chemistry to functionalize Eu3+ or Tb3+ doped CaF2 and LaF3 NPs by Raman scatters. The resulting surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)‐encoded lanthanide‐doped fluoride NPs retain their fluorescence labeling capacity and display efficient SERS activity for cell bioimaging. The potential of this new generation of bimodal nanoprobes is assessed through cell viability assays and intracellular fluorescence and Raman imaging, opening up unprecedented opportunities for biomedical applications.
Magnetic Removal of Micro‐ and Nanoplastics from Water—from 100 nm to 100 µm Debris Size
Authors: Gaß Henrik , Kloos Tonya M. , Höfling Anna , Müller Lukas , Rockmann Linda , Schubert Dirk W. , Halik Marcus
Published: October 2023

Clean water is one of the most important resources of the planet but human‐made contamination with diverse pollutants increases continuously. Microplastics (<5 mm diameter) which can have severe impacts on the environment, are present worldwide. Degradation processes lead to nanoplastics (<1 µm), which are potentially even more dangerous due to their increased bioavailability. State‐of‐the‐art wastewater treatment plants show a deficit in effectively eliminating micro‐ and nanoplastics (MNP) from water, particularly in the case of nanoplastics. In this work, the magnetic removal of three different MNP types across three orders of magnitude in size (100 nm–100 µm) is investigated systematically. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) tend to attract oppositely charged MNPs and form aggregates that can be easily collected by a magnet. It shows that especially the smallest fractions (100–300 nm) can be separated in ordinary high numbers (1013 mg−1 SPION) while the highest mass is removed for MNP between 2.5 and 5 µm. The universal trend for all three types of MNP can be fitted with a derived model, which can make predictions for optimizing SPIONs for specific size ranges in the future.
Determining the dimension of weighted inverse regression ensemble
Authors: Chen Yinfeng , Li Lu , Yu Zhou
Published: October 2023

Sliced inverse regression (SIR) has propelled sufficient dimension reduction (SDR) into a mature and versatile field with wide‐ranging applications in statistics, including regression diagnostics, data visualisation, image processing and machine learning. However, traditional inverse regression techniques encounter challenges associated with sparsity arising from slicing operations. Weighted inverse regression ensemble (WIRE) presents a novel slicing‐free approach to SDR. In this paper, we establish the asymptotic test theory to determine the dimension as estimated by WIRE. Moreover, we propose a permutation‐based method for determining the order. Extensive numerical studies and real data analysis confirm the excellent performance of the proposed order determination method based on WIRE.
Characterization and stability assessment of Ocimum gratissimum leaves extract loaded nanostructured lipid carrier
Authors: Nasir Najaa Fadhilah Mohd , Hasham Rosnani , Sabtu Rahimah , Ali Fathilah , Adrus Nadia , Jamaluddin Jamarosliza , Rahman Roshanida Abdul , Hamid Mariani Abdul , Yaakob Harisun
Published: October 2023

In the last few decades, several nanoparticles technologies of actives delivery systems have emerged in the formulation of personal care products. The purpose of this study is to formulate the nanostructured lipid carrier loaded with Ocimum gratissimum leaves extract (OGNLC) and to characterize the chemical and physical properties of the OGNLC formulation. Ultrasound‐Assisted Extraction (UAE) method are used in this study to obtain O. gratissimum extract with the determination of the TPC, while melt emulsification homogenization conjoined with ultrasonic homogenization method are used to prepare OGNLC samples. Two types of surfactants (Tween 80 and soy lecithin) are incorporated in the formulation to form OGNLC with various compositions (%) to determine the best formulation. The effect of varying compositions of surfactants in OGNLC samples on the mean particle size (MPS), polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP) and encapsulation efficiency (EE%) of OGNLC are characterized. The best formulation also was analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy, and the encapsulation efficiency are determined. The stability of OGNLC particle size was also assessed after 30 days of exposure under low and room temperature (4°C, 25°C). An optimal OGNLC consists of 2.0% O. gratissimum extract, 2.0% GMS, 10.0% VCO, and varying surfactant compositions of 2.0% of Tween 80, and 1.0% of soy lecithin by a mean particle size of 155.73 ± 1.53 nm, a PDI value of 0.203 ± 0.007, zeta potential of |−37.2| ± 0.95 mV, and encapsulation efficiency (%) of 95.70% ± 6.256%. The stability assessment of OGNLC showed that the obtained formulation is at least stable for more than 30 days. This study concludes that the composition of surfactants are important factors affecting the size and stability of the OGNLC. This is the first study to report on the synthesis of nanostructured lipid carrier loaded with O. gratissimum.
Effect of air pollution on plant secondary metabolites in selected trees of Delhi
Authors: Lahiri Milinda , Krishna Kalyani
Published: October 2023

Air pollution is emerging as one of the most important stresses, particularly in urban areas, of both developed and developing countries. It severely affects plant growth and development besides being a health hazard to humans and animals. Delhi has the dubious distinction of being one of the most polluted cities in the world. Incidentally, it is also one of the greenest cities with ongoing programs to increase the already considerable forest cover and biodiversity parks. Plants often act as a sink for airborne pollutants, including particulate matter. Hence it is important to evaluate their efficacy in absorbing pollutants and use the promising species for urban plantation. In the present study, the stress tolerance of four common trees of Delhi (Psidium guajava, Alstonia scholaris, Murraya koenigii, and Moringa oleifera), growing in three areas with varying pollution levels, was estimated by measuring Plant Secondary Metabolites (PSMs: total phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and tannins) along with the total chlorophyll content of the leaves. P. guajava showed significant increase in the contents of phenols, tannins, and alkaloids with higher Air Quality Index (AQI). Increased amounts of phenols and flavonoids were observed in A. scholaris, those of phenols and alkaloids in M. koenigii, and only of alkaloids in M. oleifera. There was a decrease in the total chlorophyll content of the leaves of all four species investigated. P. guajava and A. scholaris can be recommended for plantation along the sides of roads with heavy traffic movement. Since PSMs are seen to accumulate as a defense mechanism against air pollution too, as in various abiotic and biotic stresses, they can be used as biomarkers for stress tolerance in plants.
Synergistic flame retardant modification of bio‐based nylon 56 by graphitic carbon nitride and melamine cyanurate
Authors: Wang Zihao , Wang Jinheng , Zhang Jianting , Guo Weihong
Published: October 2023

To address the flammability drawbacks of nylon 56 and expand the application range of bio‐based nylon 56, melamine cyanurate (MCA) was employed through self‐assembly in a solvent with graphitic carbon nitride surface treatment. Modified MCA (CNMCA)composition and morphology were investigated. CNMCA created with surface treatment and polyamide 56 (PA56) prepared with unmodified MCA had their flame retardant functions and mechanical properties investigated and compared. x‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy confirmed the successful microencapsulation of g‐C3N4 on the MCA surface. Further characterization of the unmodified MCA and CNMCA was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM images revealed a significant reduction in the degree of agglomeration in CNMCA compared to conventional MCA, resulting in a more uniform dispersion in the PA56 matrix. Additionally, PA56/CNMCA achieved a UL94 V‐0 rating and a limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of 30.1%. Notably, compared to pure PA56, PA56/CNMCA30 exhibited the most promising synergistic effect, leading to a separate reduction of 45.45% in the total heat release rate (THR) and 13.62% in the total smoke release (TSR). Consequently, with the same flame retardant addition (10 wt%), the CNMCA flame retardant showed superior dispersion in the bio‐based nylon 56 matrix compared to traditional MCA. Due to the physical isolation of g‐C3N4, the synergistic effect of MCA and graphitic carbon nitride imparted better mechanical properties and flame resistance to nylon 56.

Highlights

MCA/g‐C3N4 hybrids were prepared and applied in bio‐based nylon 56 for the first time.

The MCA/g‐C3N4 hybrid has better dispersion than MCA.

PA56/MCA/g‐C3N4 flame retardant composites have better flame retardant and smoke suppression properties than PA56/MCA.
Estimation of soil moisture using environmental covariates and machine learning algorithms in Cathedral Peak Catchment, South Africa
Authors: Kibirige Daniel Murungi Kironde , Gokool Shaeden , Mkhize Zama Nosihle
Published: October 2023

Soil moisture (SM) is a fundamental constituent of the terrestrial environment and the hydrological cycle. Owing to its significant influence on catchment hydrological responses, it can be utilized as an indicator of floods and droughts to aid early warning systems. This study aimed to develop a field‐scale method to estimate SM using parametric and machine learning‐based methods to compare whether advanced artificial intelligence methods can give similar results as traditional methods. Considering this, monthly observed SM data (from the top 10 cm), environmental covariates, and remotely sensed data from March 2019 to July 2021 for the Cathedral Peak Research Catchments VI and IX in South Africa were obtained. From the 241 observations obtained across 12 sites, 160 (∼66%) were used for model training, while the remaining 81 (∼34%) were used for model testing. Employing 10‐fold cross‐validation, the individual machine learning models (viz., support vector machine [SVM], random forest (RF), k‐nearest neighbor, classification and regression trees [Rpart], and generalized linear model) displayed a satisfactory performance (R2 = 0.52–0.79; root mean square error = 3.79–5.80). In the validation phase, the RF model displayed a superior performance, followed by the SVM. Subsequent SM estimation using the hybrid model produced satisfactory results in training (R2 = 0.90) and testing (R2 = 0.45). The results obtained from this study can aid in predicting SM variations in catchments with limited monitoring. Furthermore, this model can be applied in drought monitoring, forecasting, and informing agricultural management practices.
Effect of four eggshell repair materials on weight loss during incubation of white leghorn chicken eggs
Authors: Byrne Patricia , Jensen Thomas , Kristan William , Theule Jessica , Durrant Barbara
Published: October 2023

Egg weight loss during incubation is a key indicator used to monitor successful egg development and is closely related to hatchability and chick survival. Artificial incubation is one of the most important captive breeding techniques used in conservation efforts to bolster avian populations. To repair damage to the eggshell and ensure embryonic viability during incubation, a variety of repair coverings can be applied. This study tested the impact of four repair materials (nail polish, synthetic glue, medical dressing, and molten wax film) on egg weight loss during incubation. We found no impact on weight loss for coverings smaller than 35% of the eggshell surface, nor did we find any differences between covering types. The average egg weight loss decreased as the coverage area increased, and the weight loss did not differ when blunt versus sharp‐end coverings were compared. Given the relative insensitivity of egg weight loss and survival to the type of patch material used, we concluded that the selection of material for the purpose of weight loss management could be based on practical considerations, such as ease of application and availability.
De Rham prismatic crystals over $$\mathcal {O}_K$$
Authors: Liu Zeyu
Published: October 2023

We study de Rham prismatic crystals on "Equation missing". We show that a de Rham crystal is controlled by a sequence of matrices $$\{A_{m,1}\}_{m \ge 0}$$

{

A

m
,
1

}

m
≥
0

with $$A_{0,1}$$

A

0
,
1

“nilpotent”. Using this, we prove that the natural functor from the category of de Rham crystals over "Equation missing" to the category of nearly de Rham representations is fully faithful. The key ingredient is a Sen style decompletion theorem for $$B_{{\textrm{dR}}}^+$$

B

dR

+

-representations of $$G_K$$

G
K

.
Is there a role for aromatic plants in blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) nests? Results from a correlational and an experimental study
Authors: Garrido-Bautista Jorge , Ramos Jaime Albino , Arce Sofía Irene , Melero-Romero Pablo , Ferreira Rafael , Santos-Baena Carolina , Guímaro H. R. , Martín-Villegas Carlos , Moreno-Rueda Gregorio , Norte Ana Cláudia
Published: October 2023

The utility of fresh green material in avian nests is still not fully understood. Potential explanations include the effects of plants’ volatile compounds on parasite reduction (nest protection hypothesis) or direct beneficial effects on nestling condition (drug hypothesis). We used correlative data collected during 2020 and 2021 in a Mediterranean population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) as well as experimental data (aromatic nest content manipulation) to assess the effects of aromatic plant use on nestling physiological condition and survival, nest-dwelling ectoparasitic pressure and its relationship with breeding parameters. We found that aromatic plants were disproportionally used in relation to their abundance in the environment and that their use was positively related to egg mass (but only in 2020). Blowflies and facultative parasitic mites were more frequent in nests with aromatics compared to nests without aromatics, but obligatory parasitic mites were less abundant in nests with aromatics. However, no effects of aromatic plants were observed on nestling haemoglobin levels nor erythrocyte sedimentation rate or other physiological health metrics, but the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio was higher in nests with the highest quantity of aromatics. The artificial addition of mint reduced the flea abundance, but 7-day old nestlings showed significantly lower colour saturation and brightness in the mouth flange. Nestling survival to fledging was not related to aromatic plant use. Therefore, our results partially support a beneficial effect of aromatic plants in blue tit nests because some ectoparasite groups were reduced. Immediate effects on nestling physiology or survival could not be established.

Significance statement

Some avian species place fresh aromatic plant material in their nests, and several non-mutually exclusive hypotheses have been proposed to explain its potential functions. In this study, we use both correlational and experimental data from a blue tit population to test two hypotheses, namely the ‘nest protection hypothesis’ and the ‘drug hypothesis’. The first one proposes that aromatic plants have direct repellent effects against ectoparasites, while the latter poses that these plant components benefit nestling condition through the stimulation of some components of the immune system. Our results suggest that some ectoparasites, such as fleas and obligatory parasitic mites, were less abundant in nests where aromatic plants were artificially or naturally added, respectively, but no relationships were detected with nestling physiology or survival, which could be partially explained by our small sample size. Our study partially supports a beneficial effect of aromatic plants in avian nests.
Representing and extending ensembles of parsimonious evolutionary histories with a directed acyclic graph
Authors: Dumm Will , Barker Mary , Howard-Snyder William , DeWitt III William S. , Matsen IV Frederick A.
Published: October 2023

In many situations, it would be useful to know not just the best phylogenetic tree for a given data set, but the collection of high-quality trees. This goal is typically addressed using Bayesian techniques, however, current Bayesian methods do not scale to large data sets. Furthermore, for large data sets with relatively low signal one cannot even store every good tree individually, especially when the trees are required to be bifurcating. In this paper, we develop a novel object called the “history subpartition directed acyclic graph” (or “history sDAG” for short) that compactly represents an ensemble of trees with labels (e.g. ancestral sequences) mapped onto the internal nodes. The history sDAG can be built efficiently and can also be efficiently trimmed to only represent maximally parsimonious trees. We show that the history sDAG allows us to find many additional equally parsimonious trees, extending combinatorially beyond the ensemble used to construct it. We argue that this object could be useful as the “skeleton” of a more complete uncertainty quantification.
Water mixing processes in a complex multi-layer hydrosystem in southwestern Madagascar: a combined isotopic and piezometry approach
Authors: Carrière Simon D. , Rakotomandrindra Pascale F. M. , Heath Thomas , Chalikakis Konstantinos , Gillon Marina , Leblanc Marc , Tweed Sarah
Published: October 2023

Water transfers through a multilayered aquifer system are difficult to characterize. This study explores whether the conceptual model of water mixing at depth can be extrapolated over a hydrosystem extended across several tens of kilometers and including multiple aquifer layers. The processes are investigated using a combination of isotope tracers and piezometric monitoring over 10 years. The goal of this approach is to better understand how water transfer occurs throughout a complex and poorly documented hydrosystem of the Mahafaly Plateau in southwestern Madagascar. The results show a clear smoothing of isotopic variability with depth, associated with a smoothing of the recharge peaks. Isotopic values are strongly variable in the near surface (from -6.8 to -2.5‰ 18O) and stabilize at a critical depth (near 20 m) at around -4.7‰ 18O. These results indicate high vertical flows through the aquifer system, where there is neither obvious dominant recharge via preferential pathways nor lateral mixing. Such a strong smoothing effect on groundwater isotopic variability with depth has been rarely observed so clearly over a large spatial scale. These results provide information on a remote groundwater flow system at a scale pertinent to groundwater resource assessment. The results also indicate that the Neogene aquifers of the Mahafaly Plateau are poorly connected with other water resources (rivers, old sedimentary formations) except for the percolation of water towards the deep Eocene karst. This means that groundwater resources in the Ankazomanga Basin are limited and that it is essential to understand and quantify recharge for sustainable groundwater management.
Can wells in the vadose zone be backflushed to regain infiltration capacity? Concept and laboratory test
Authors: Kalwa Fritz
Published: October 2023

Vadose zone wells (VZW), or drywells, allow for high infiltration rates combined with small area demand. Nevertheless, they are rarely used for managed aquifer recharge, since turbid water leads to gradual clogging and a reduction in infiltration capacity. Established redevelopment measures require backflushing, which is commonly considered impossible for VZWs, making them “non regenerable”. In this study, the possibility of backflushing a VZW is discussed. Key to the underlying approach is isolating the lower (clogged) section of a well and saturating its surrounding with water by infiltration via the upper (unclogged) screen. Subsequently, underpressure sucks water from the surrounding soil into the isolated section. The approach was tested with and without a gravel pack, on laboratory scale, showing a successful reversal of flow direction in both cases. The degree of redevelopment was quantified by measuring the drainage time of the well, which increased from initially 45 s without gravel pack and 40 s with gravel pack to 9,500 and 11,000 s, respectively, after clogging. After backflushing, the well with gravel pack showed a median drainage time of 95 s, which remained stable over ten cycles of clogging and backflushing. In contrast, drainage time of the well without gravel pack increased continuously to >170 s, even after vibrator application. In conclusion, it can be stated that the backflush of a VZW with the presented approach is possible and has an effect on the well’s infiltration capacity, though it seems more effective for wells with gravel pack.
Deep neural network techniques for monaural speech enhancement and separation: state of the art analysis
Authors: Ochieng Peter
Published: October 2023

Deep neural networks (DNN) techniques have become pervasive in domains such as natural language processing and computer vision. They have achieved great success in tasks such as machine translation and image generation. Due to their success, these data driven techniques have been applied in audio domain. More specifically, DNN models have been applied in speech enhancement and separation to perform speech denoising, dereverberation, speaker extraction and speaker separation. In this paper, we review the current DNN techniques being employed to achieve speech enhancement and separation. The review looks at the whole pipeline of speech enhancement and separation techniques from feature extraction, how DNN-based tools models both global and local features of speech, model training (supervised and unsupervised) to how they address label ambiguity problem. The review also covers the use of domain adaptation techniques and pre-trained models to boost speech enhancement process. By this, we hope to provide an all inclusive reference of all the state of art DNN based techniques being applied in the domain of speech separation and enhancement. We further discuss future research directions. This survey can be used by both academic researchers and industry practitioners working in speech separation and enhancement domain.
Asymptotics for the infinite Brownian loop on noncompact symmetric spaces
Authors: Papageorgiou Effie
Published: October 2023

The infinite Brownian loop on a Riemannian manifold is the limit in distribution of the Brownian bridge of length T around a fixed origin when $$T \rightarrow +\infty $$

T
→
+
∞

. The aim of this note is to study its long-time asymptotics on Riemannian symmetric spaces G/K of noncompact type and of general rank. This amounts to the behavior of solutions to the heat equation subject to the Doob transform induced by the ground spherical function. Unlike the standard Brownian motion, we observe in this case phenomena which are similar to the Euclidean setting, namely $$L^1$$

L
1

asymptotic convergence without requiring bi-K-invariance for initial data, and strong $$L^{\infty }$$

L
∞

convergence.
Memories in the Service of the Hindu Nation
Authors: Kohli Pranav
Published: October 2023

This book is based on fourteen months of ethnographic fieldwork with Partition survivors from west Punjab and the North-West Frontier Province, in Delhi and its surroundings between 2017–18. It locates the global rise of far-right nationalism within globalisation and memories of victimhood. Focussing on Hindu nationalism in India, this book is an important and timely contribution to the literature on South Asian Partition Studies that shows how tragedy begets tragedy. It tries to answer an urgent, provocative but nevertheless necessary question: 'What does it mean to remember the Partition in the time of fascism?' The author shows what makes up cycles of violence by connecting the reinscription of trauma in Partition memories to the self-serving justifications of the contemporary violence of Hindu nationalism. It analyses how the hegemony of Hindu nationalism has structured the narratives of Hindu Partition survivors and recruited them in service of a putative Hindu nation.
A Brief History of the History of Capitalism, and a New American Variety
Authors: Schakenbach Regele Lindsay
Published: October 2023

Since the new history of capitalism (NHOC) trend received national publicity in 2013, American historians have enthusiastically pursued the complexities and varieties of capitalism, producing a body of scholarship that offers a plethora of capitalism-modifying adjectives yet leaves capitalism undefined. “A Brief History of the History of Capitalism, and a New American Variety” asks how historians developed these varieties and interpretations, and whether any gaps or limitations remain. To answer these questions, the essay begins with a survey of the many histories of capitalism, from the first use of the term, to America’s first business histories in the early twentieth century, to world systems theory, and up to the NHOC. It then makes the case for continued attempts at redefinition and specification by offering a new variety.

This new variety, martial capitalism, has its roots in the early national and antebellum eras and influenced the evolution of capitalism in the United States. It is a system of political economy in which concealed military power, rather than abstract market forces, serves as an invisible (“invisible,” at least, to those not subjected to it) hand and bestows economic opportunity upon some individuals. Under this system, government officials and private citizens coercively acquired resources, knowledge, territory, and “free trade” agreements in the service of aggressive economic opportunism. Steady military conflict, along with scattered and localized violence, intersected with honor, a mainstay in early American politics and culture, to engender a set of masculinized economic relations that shaped both the what/where and the how of capitalism in the United States.
Comparative antimicrobial use in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and non–COVID-19 inpatients from 2019 to 2020: A multicenter ecological study
Authors: Santos Carlos A.Q. , Tseng Marion , Martinez Ashley I. , Shankaran Shivanjali , Hodgson Hayley A. , Ahmad Faraz S. , Zhang Huiyuan , Sievert Dawn M. , Trick William E.
Published: October 2023

Objective:

We sought to determine whether increased antimicrobial use (AU) at the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was driven by greater AU in COVID-19 patients only, or whether AU also increased in non–COVID-19 patients.

Design:

In this retrospective observational ecological study from 2019 to 2020, we stratified inpatients by COVID-19 status and determined relative percentage differences in median monthly AU in COVID-19 patients versus non–COVID-19 patients during the COVID-19 period (March–December 2020) and the pre–COVID-19 period (March–December 2019). We also determined relative percentage differences in median monthly AU in non–COVID-19 patients during the COVID-19 period versus the pre–COVID-19 period. Statistical significance was assessed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.

Setting:

The study was conducted in 3 acute-care hospitals in Chicago, Illinois.

Patients:

Hospitalized patients.

Results:

Facility-wide AU for broad-spectrum antibacterial agents predominantly used for hospital-onset infections was significantly greater in COVID-19 patients versus non–COVID-19 patients during the COVID-19 period (with relative increases of 73%, 66%, and 91% for hospitals A, B, and C, respectively), and during the pre–COVID-19 period (with relative increases of 52%, 64%, and 66% for hospitals A, B, and C, respectively). In contrast, facility-wide AU for all antibacterial agents was significantly lower in non–COVID-19 patients during the COVID-19 period versus the pre–COVID-19 period (with relative decreases of 8%, 7%, and 8% in hospitals A, B, and C, respectively).

Conclusions:

AU for broad-spectrum antimicrobials was greater in COVID-19 patients compared to non–COVID-19 patients at the onset of the pandemic. AU for all antibacterial agents in non–COVID-19 patients decreased in the COVID-19 period compared to the pre–COVID-19 period.
Droplet absorption and spreading into thin layers of polymer hydrogels
Authors: Etzold Merlin A. , Fortune George T. , Landel Julien R. , Dalziel Stuart B.
Published: October 2023

From biological tissues to microactuators and absorption of solvents into layers of paint, macroscopically non-porous materials with the capacity to swell when in contact with a solvent are ubiquitous. In these systems, owing to strong solid–fluid interactions, chemically driven flows can yield large geometric changes. We study experimentally and theoretically the canonical problem of the swelling of a thin hydrogel layer by a single water drop. Using a bespoke experimental set-up, we observe fast absorption leading to a radially spreading axisymmetric blister. We use a fully three-dimensional linear poroelastic framework with nonlinear kinematic equations to obtain governing equations, which we then reduce with thin-layer scalings to a one-dimensional nonlinear diffusion equation for the evolution of the blister geometry. In the limits of large and small deformations, the evolution of the blister characteristic height and radius are self-similar, following power laws in time. Our experimental measurements show that the evolution of the blister is broadly within the theoretical predictions in the large and small deformation regimes. In the general intermediate deformation regime, the measurements are well captured by our reduced one-dimensional diffusion model, which does not require the sophisticated and computationally expensive numerical approaches necessary for the original two-dimensional nonlinear coupled transport problem. By adapting modelling techniques from the fluid dynamics of thin porous elastic layers to a polymer swelling problem, our modelling framework extends the range of polymer swelling problems that can be treated with semi-analytical methods. Moreover, our detailed experimental data can serve as a test case for future nonlinear poroelastic frameworks of swelling polymer materials.
Simulation study of the influences of beryllium on the tokamak start-up process
Authors: Peng Yanli , Qiu Yan , Zhao Shiqiu , Yang Shali
Published: October 2023

Tokamak start-up is strongly dependent on the state of the initial plasma formed during plasma breakdown. To acquire a better understanding of the process and to estimate the influence of the impurity of beryllium on the ohmic heating tokamak start-up process, one-dimensional particle-in-cell coupled with a Monte Carlo collision method has been developed. The main aim is to investigate the plasma performance under various amounts of beryllium with different discharge parameters. Tokamak breakdown with the impurity of beryllium in the ohmic heating strategy has been simulated. The simulation results show that with the impurity of beryllium, the increase of plasma density is suppressed compared with the case without beryllium. The breakdown time is delayed by the impurity. Moreover, the successful breakdown has a much higher requirement on discharge parameters with a low electric field operational scenario, since in the low electric field discharge the influence of beryllium impurity is greater. As the plasma density increases, the effect of beryllium impurity on plasma becomes more critical. It indicates that impurities cannot be neglected in the high plasma density.
Regulating free speech in a democracy: Lysias 10Against Theomnestosand the law on slander
Authors: Livingstone Niall
Published: October 2023

Lysias 10Against Theomnestosis the only surviving example of a classical Greek speech on a charge of slander (dikē kakēgorias). The case turns on establishing communal consensus in evaluation of meta-discursive claims: assertions as to what the law says about what citizens can say about their fellow citizens. I adapt Marmor’s account of the pragmatics of legal discourse to illuminate the litigants’ strategies as they seek to control interpretation of the legal question in this much-discussed case from 380s BC Athens. We see how each party used different assumptions about the law’s implicatures as well as its declarative meaning and presented these assumptions as grounded in common sense. The persuasive methods used by Lysias’ client are illuminated by means of cognitive narratology’s application of Lewisian possible-world logic to the creation of story-worlds and the relationships they generate between narrator and reader/audience. So understood, Lysias’ speech helps answer questions about the role and limits of free/frank speech (parrhēsia) in democratic Athens and about the relationship between individual agency and the collective agency of thedēmos, questions crucial to an understanding of the place of legal discourse and legal conflict in the ideology and day-to-day praxis of the democratic city.
Application of Telemedicine in the Ambulance for Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Sarpourian Fatemeh , Ahmadi Marzaleh Milad , Fatemi Aghda Seyed Ali , Zare Zahra
Published: October 2023

Introduction:

The use of telemedicine for the prehospital management of emergency conditions, especially stroke, is increasing day by day. Few studies have investigated the applications of telemedicine in Emergency Medical Services (EMS). A comprehensive study of the applications of this technology in stroke patients in ambulances can help to build a better understanding. Therefore, this systematic review was conducted to investigate the use of telemedicine in ambulances for stroke patients in 2023.

Methods:

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, ProQuest, Science Direct, and Web of Science from 2013 through March 1, 2023. The authors selected the articles based on keywords and criteria and reviewed them in terms of title, abstract, and full text. Finally, the articles that were related to the study aim were evaluated.

Results:

The initial search resulted in the extraction of 2,795 articles. After review of the articles, and applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, seven articles were selected for the final analysis. Three (42.85%) studies were on the feasibility and intervention types. Also, randomized trials, feasibility, feasibility and prospective-observational, and feasibility and retrospective-interventional studies were each one (14.28%). Six (85.71%) of the studies were conducted in the United States. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and RP-Xpress were the most commonly used tools for neurological evaluations and teleconsultations.

Conclusion:

Remote prehospital consultations, triage, and sending patient data before they go to the emergency department can be provided through telemedicine in ambulances. Neurological evaluations via telemedicine are reliable and accurate, and they are almost equal to in-person evaluations by a neurologist.
9-1-1 Activations from Ambulatory Care Centers: A Sicker Pediatric Population
Authors: Heyming Theodore W. , Knudsen-Robbins Chloe , Shelton Shelby K. , Pham Phung K. , Brukman Shelley , Wickens Maxwell , Valdez Brooke , Bacon Kellie , Thorpe Jonathan , Kwon Kenneth T. , Schultz Carl
Published: October 2023

Background:

Pediatric patients transferred by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) from urgent care (UC) and office-based physician practices to the emergency department (ED) following activation of the 9-1-1 EMS system are an under-studied population with scarce literature regarding outcomes for these children. The objectives of this study were to describe this population, explore EMS level-of-care transport decisions, and examine ED outcomes.

Methods:

This was a retrospective review of patients zero to <15 years of age transported by EMS from UC and office-based physician practices to the ED of two pediatric receiving centers from January 2017 through December 2019. Variables included reason for transfer, level of transport, EMS interventions and medications, ED medications/labs/imaging ordered in the first hour, ED procedures, ED disposition, and demographics. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, X2 test, point biserial correlation, two-sample z test, Mann-Whitney U test, and 2-way ANOVA.

Results:

A total of 450 EMS transports were included in this study: 382 Advanced Life Support (ALS) runs and 68 Basic Life Support (BLS) runs. The median patient age was 2.66 years, 60.9% were male, and 60.7% had private insurance. Overall, 48.9% of patients were transported from an office-based physician practice and 25.1% were transported from UC. Almost one-half (48.7%) of ALS patients received an EMS intervention or medication, as did 4.41% of BLS patients. Respiratory distress was the most common reason for transport (46.9%). Supplemental oxygen was the most common EMS intervention and albuterol was the most administered EMS medication. There was no significant association between level of transport and ED disposition (P = .23). The in-patient admission rate for transported patients was significantly higher than the general ED admission rate (P <.001).

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates that pediatric patients transferred via EMS after activation of the 9-1-1 system from UC and medical offices are more acutely ill than the general pediatric ED population and are likely sicker than the general pediatric EMS population. Paramedics appear to be making appropriate level-of-care transport decisions.
Feasibility, acceptability and clinical benefit of a trauma-focused stabilisation group for post-traumatic stress disorder patients with complex presentations on primary care waitlists
Authors: Wells Michelle , Karl Anke , Handley Rachel
Published: October 2023

Background:

Large numbers of people showing complex presentations of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the NHS Talking Therapies services routinely require multi-faceted and extended one-to-one National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommended treatment approaches. This can lead to longer waits for therapy and prolong patient suffering. We therefore evaluated whether a group stabilisation intervention delivered to patients on the waitlist for individual trauma-focused psychological treatment could help address this burden.

Aims:

The study aimed to ascertain a trauma-focused stabilisation group’s acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary clinical benefit.

Method and results:

Fifty-eight patients with PTSD waiting for trauma-focused individual treatment were included in the study. Two therapists delivered six 5-session groups. The stabilisation group was found to be feasible and acceptable. Overall, PTSD symptom reduction was medium to large, with a Cohen’s d of .77 for intent-to-treat and 1.05 for per protocol analyses. Additionally, for depression and anxiety, there was minimal symptom deterioration.

Conclusions:

The study provided preliminary evidence for the acceptability, feasibility and clinical benefit of attending a psychoeducational group therapy whilst waiting for one-to-one trauma therapy.
Beyond the Mere Ownership and Endowment Effects
Authors: Gärling Tommy , Hansla André
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Do owned objects become more valued if lost and found? In Experiment 1, Prolific participants ( n = 128) imagined having lost a laptop. The results showed a preference for finding the laptop instead of replacing it with a new at no cost. The preference was even stronger if the laptop had been used longer (2 months instead of 2 days) and was certain to be found without any cost. Experiment 2 recruited additional Prolific participants to investigate the role of positive affect evoked by finding or expecting to find a lost object. In a Lost condition ( n = 50), participants imagined having lost an expensive pair of gloves which later was found. Compared to a No Loss condition ( n = 50), preference to keep the gloves was higher. Increased value and positive affect partially mediated this preference.
Timing the Hegenshan Suture in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt: New Paleomagnetic and Geochronological Constraints From Southeastern Mongolia
Authors: Ren Qiang , Zhang Shihong , Sukhbaatar Turbold , Hou Mingcai , Wu Huaichun , Yang Tianshui , Li Haiyan , Chen Anqing
Published: October 2023

The timing of formation of the Hegenshan suture is crucial to understanding the evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). Here we present a well‐dated paleomagnetic pole (103 samples from 15 sites, 36.7°N/29.2°E, A95 = 3.3°) that passed a positive fold test, a reversal test, and a conglomerate test from the ∼250 Ma upper Gunbayn Formation andesites in the southeastern Mongolia Block (MOB). The high‐quality paleomagnetic database may demonstrate that the MOB drifted rapidly southward and collided with the Xilinhot–Songliao Block between 256 and 250 Ma, resulting in the closure of the Hegenshan Ocean at ∼250 Ma. The Hegenshan suture and the Solonker suture were formed almost simultaneously and marked the final closure of the Paleo‐Asian Ocean.
A novel evolutionary method for parameter-free MEMS structural design and its application in piezoresistive pressure sensors
Authors: Meng Qinggang , Wang Junbo , Chen Deyong , Chen Jian , Xie Bo , Lu Yulan
Published: October 2023

In this paper, a novel simulation-based evolutionary method is presented for designing parameter-free MEMS structures with maximum degrees of freedom. This novel design method enabled semiautomatic structure evolution by weighing the attributes of each segment of the structure and yielded an optimal design after multiple iterations. The proposed method was utilized to optimize the pressure-sensitive diaphragm of a piezoresistive pressure sensor (PPS). Finite element method (FEM) simulations revealed that, in comparison to conventional diaphragms without islands and with square islands, the optimized diaphragm increased the stress by 10% and 16% and reduced the nonlinearity by 57% and 77%, respectively. These improvements demonstrate the value of this method. Characterization of the fabricated PPS revealed a high sensitivity of 8.8 mV V−1 MPa−1 and a low nonlinearity of 0.058% FS at 20 °C, indicating excellent sensor performance.