bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DRL-based dependent task offloading with delay-energy tradeoff in medical image edge computing
Authors: Liu Qi , Tian Zhao , Wang Ning , Lin Yusong
Published: January 2024

Task offloading solves the problem that the computing resources of terminal devices in hospitals are limited by offloading massive radiomics-based medical image diagnosis model (RIDM) tasks to edge servers (ESs). However, sequential offloading decision-making is NP-hard. Representing the dependencies of tasks and developing collaborative computing between ESs have become challenges. In addition, model-free deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has poor sample efficiency and brittleness to hyperparameters. To address these challenges, we propose a distributed collaborative dependent task offloading strategy based on DRL (DCDO-DRL). The objective is to maximize the utility of RIDM tasks, which is a weighted sum of the delay and energy consumption generated by execution. The dependencies of the RIDM task are modeled as a directed acyclic graph (DAG). The sequence prediction of the S2S neural network is adopted to represent the offloading decision process within the DAG. Next, a distributed collaborative processing algorithm is designed on the edge layer to further improve run efficiency. Finally, the DCDO-DRL strategy follows the discrete soft actor-critic method to improve the robustness of the S2S neural network. The numerical results prove the convergence and statistical superiority of the DCDO-DRL strategy. Compared with other algorithms, the DCDO-DRL strategy improves the execution utility of the RIDM task by at least 23.07, 12.77, and 8.51% in the three scenarios.
Evolutionary stability strategies of tacit collusion in supervised container terminals
Authors: Liu Zongtuan , Dong Gang , Shang Shaopeng
Published: January 2024

To investigate the long-term effects of the Port Authority’s supervision strategies on the container terminal’s collusion strategies, this study constructs a two-sided evolutionary game model consists of the Port Authority and a container terminal based on evolutionary game theory which usually examine a game’s long-term trends. Under the premise that the container terminal’s net profits from collusion strategy are greater than those from non-collusion strategy, the stability analysis demonstrates that the container terminal tend to choose collusion strategy, and the Port Authority tends to choose lax supervision strategy when the fine received by the container terminal is less than the Port Authority’s cost; the container terminal tends to choose collusion strategy, and the Port Authority tends to choose strict supervision strategy when the fine received by the container terminal is greater than the Port Authority’s cost and the sum of the fine and subsidy is less than the difference in the container terminal’s profits from collusion strategies. Finally, the numerical simulation results confirm the robustness of the stability analysis. These results can guide and benefit relevant stakeholders in the sustainable development of the container shipping supply chain.
Analysing Instrumented Justification: Unveiling Student’s Tool Use and Conceptual Understanding in the Prediction and Justification of Dynamic Behaviours
Authors: Gregersen Rikke Maagaard
Published: January 2024

The study advances the instrumental approach to mathematics education (Drijvers et al., 2013; Trouche, 2003), aiming to elucidate the interplay between students’ reasoning competency, conceptual knowledge and tool utilisation in dynamic digital geometry and algebra environments. The dynamic properties of these environments pose a nuanced predicament, as the outsourcing of translation between visual and algebraic representations raises concerns regarding students’ conceptual development and reasoning competency. To mitigate this issue, a prediction task is proposed, focusing on the dynamic behaviour of variable points in GeoGebra. I introduce a comprehensive framework adapting Toulmin’s argumentation model into the instrumental approach, emphasising processes of justification. This is complemented by the application of components of Vergnaud’s (1998) scheme concerning generative and epistemic ways to approach how students’ conceptual knowledge has played a part in these processes. Through a case study of a student pair solving a prediction task, I explore the links between instrumented justification, students’ mathematical reasoning competency and conceptual understanding, and how students’ use of GeoGebra tools is intertwined with their justification processes. The analysis reveals the intricate interplay between data production and interpretation, and it is grounded in inference drawn regarding students’ implied theorems about concepts, dynamic behaviour and progression in terms of techniques. The results indicate that the progression of technique is driven by the experience of the inefficiency of techniques and artefacts related to the goal of justification. Essentially, the framework links students’ reasoning competency to their use of tools and conceptual knowledge, as well as demonstrates that predicting dynamic behaviour can enhance knowledge-based justification.
Prediction of Cross-Section-Dependent ADI Microstructures by Experimental Heat Treatment Simulation
Authors: Lachart P. , Tonn B. , Stolz E. , Esderts A. , Masendorf R.
Published: January 2024

Heavy section Austempered Ductile Iron (ADI) components may contain pearlitic or a mixed microstructure (mixture of pearlite and ausferrite) in their centres besides ausferrite. As a result, mechanical properties are not homogeneously distributed across the thicknesses of the components. The oversizing of the components therefore leads to unnecessary material expenses in foundries. In order to avoid the complex manufacturing process of heavy section ADI components and subsequent investigations, preliminary tests were performed with smaller test samples. Here, temperature-time curves were detected during heat treatment at different depths. Material samples of the customised composition were heat treated in a dilatometer under the same heat treatment conditions according to different sections of the cast component. A variation of the quenching rates was conducted to investigate the influence on the mixed microstructure formation and ratio of pearlitic and ausferritic microstructures. A comparison of the conventionally heat-treated and dilatometer produced microstructures proved the successful application for heavy section parts and enables microstructure predictions with small samples only. In this way, there is no requirement of expensive tests with high-mass components.
Optimizing germination performance of Lamiaceae family seeds: insights from research
Authors: Ekren Sıdıka , Gökçöl Adem , Yıldırım Keskinoğlu Aliye , Paylan İsmail Can
Published: January 2024

The Lamiaceae family comprises herbaceous to woody plants that can thrive in a wide range of habitats and are cosmopolitan in distribution. In Turkey, there are 45 genera and 586 species belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Among these species, 239 taxa are endemic, making it the third-largest family in Turkey in terms of endemic individuals. In this study, seeds of three species from the Lamiaceae family, Izmir oregano (Origanum onitesL.), French lavender (Lavandula stoechasL.), and basil (Ocimum basilicumL.), were used as test materials. The research aimed to overcome heterogeneous and low germination issues observed in these seeds, which were determined to be seed-related through preliminary studies, and to achieve the highest germination percentage and average germination time. Various pre-sowing treatments were applied to improve the germination performance and quality of Izmir oregano, French lavender, and basil seeds. For this purpose, the effects of treatments including control, KNO3, GA3, polymer coating, priming, priming + polymer coating, priming + polymer coating + KNO3, and priming + polymer coating + GA3 on seed germination rate and average germination days were investigated in comparison to the control. Prior to the treatments, molecular analyses were conducted on all seed samples to detect viral agents. As a result of the research, the highest germination percentage of 94% was found in Izmir oregano with the priming + polymer coating + KNO3 treatment. In contrast, for French lavender and basil seeds, the germination performance with a 92% and 94% germination rate, respectively, was achieved with the priming + polymer coating + GA3 treatment. Molecular analyses conducted on seed samples did not detect any viral agents.
Effect of pediatric drugs on the color stability of dental restorative materials currently used in pediatric dentistry
Authors: Çapan Belen Şirinoğlu , Birant Sinem
Published: January 2024

The purpose of this in vitro study was to assess the color stability of esthetic restorative materials after immersion in different pediatric drugs. Three different restorative materials namely composite resin, alkasite and high-viscosity glass ionomer cement(HVGIC) were used to prepare total 96 (32 from each) disc-shaped specimens(2mmx5mm). A spectrophotometer was used to record the color of each sample after sample preparation and 7 days following the staining technique. After 1-week period, ΔE ∗ values were calculated. The average color changes(ΔE) for all drugs/restorative materials ranged from 1.81 to 8.08. The most prominent alteration was found in Cough syrup-Alkasite(8.08 ± 2.62) and the least one was found in Cough syrup-HVGIC(1.81 ± 0.74) pairwise. The color change observed in Cough syrup-Alkasite group was statistically significantly higher than in Cough syrup-HVGIC (p < 0.05). Alkasite showed greater color alteration with all drugs compared to other materials and HVGIC showed better color stability with all drug formulations.
Can ChatGPT write radiology reports?
Authors: Biswas Som , Khan Salman , Awal Sandeep Singh
Published: January 2024

These case examples exemplify the utility of ChatGPT in augmenting the radiology report drafting process, thereby contributing to the efficiency of report generation.
One-Pot Biopreparation of Trimetallic ZnO–MgO–CuO Nanoparticles: Enhanced Cytotoxicity, Antibacterial Activities and Molecular Docking Studies
Authors: Orshiso Temesgen Achamo , Zereffa Enyew Amare , Murthy H. C. Ananda , Demissie Taye B. , Ghotekar Suresh , Pagar Khanderao , Pardeshi Onkar
Published: January 2024

Nowadays, metal oxide nanoparticles (MO NPs) are powerful tools for biological applications due to their distinctive features. Moreover, the biological efficacy of multimetallic NPs is more fascinating because of their structural modifications and synergistic effects. This study utilized the one-pot green route to fabricate trimetallic ZnO-MgO-CuO (ZMC) NPs employing a greener reducing agent from Artemisiaabyssinica leaf extract (AALE). The crystal structure, size, compositions, shapes, and external topology of ZMC NPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV–Visible (UV–vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy combined with selected area electron diffraction (TEM/HRTEM-SAED). The outcomes suggested that the bio-prepared ZMC NPs are highly crystalline and have hexagonal structures lattice with monoclinic symmetry and spherical morphology with average crystalline and particle sizes of 14.67 and 15.13 nm, respectively. Using MTT assay, the bio-prepared ZMC NPs demonstrated high inhibition percentage (94.37 ± 0.14 at 250 mg/mL) with an IC50 value of 24.83 mg/mL for MCF-7 cell lines. The in-vitro antibacterial potential of ZMC NPs has been evaluated against four bacterial (Gram-positive and Gram-negative) strains and has demonstrated the highest inhibition zone (35 ± 0.03 mm) against the S. aureus strain and the lowest inhibition zone (31 ± 0.11) against the E. coli strain. Moreover, ZMC NPs have also shown strong molecular binding interactions with amino acids of estrogen receptor (ERα), S. aureus, and E. coli with binding energies of − 9.85, − 12.31, and − 6.04 kcal/mole, respectively.

Graphical Abstract
Thomson Effect on an Initially Stressed Diffusive Magneto-thermoelastic Medium via Dual-Phase-Lag Model
Authors: Eraki Ebtesam E. M. , Fathy Rania A. , Othman Mohamed I. A.
Published: January 2024

Objective

This study investigates the influence of the Thomson effect on the behavior of a diffusive magneto-thermoelastic medium with initial stress and the dual-phase-lag (DPL) model.

Methods

The normal mode analysis is utilized for solving the problem. The copper material was chosen for numerical assessments. The results are presented graphically for various physical quantities.

Results

A comparison is made between the DPL model and the Lord and Shulman (L-S) theory, both in the absence and presence of the Thomson effect parameter as well as at two different values for the phase lag of heat flux.

Conclusions

The findings provide insights into the impact of the Thomson effect on the behavior of the magneto thermoelastic medium, highlighting the differences between the DPL model and the L-S theory in different scenarios. This type of work has many applications in rock mechanics, geophysics, and petroleum industries. This work may be helpful for those researchers who are working in material science, smart materials, and new material designers.
Emerging Methods for the Evaluation of Sensory Quality of Food: Technology at Service
Authors: Rodrigues Sandra S. Q. , Dias Luís G. , Teixeira Alfredo
Published: January 2024

Purpose of Review

Sensory evaluation holds vital significance in the food sector. Typically, humans conduct sensory analysis. Humans, being the ultimate consumers, assess food traits effectively. However, human judgment is influenced by various factors. Hence, countering subjectivity is crucial for objective evaluation while retaining hedonic insights.

Recent Findings

Food’s sensory assessment primarily employs humans. Various techniques differentiate, depict, or rank food. Modern sensory tools, aiming to enhance objectivity and reliability, are emerging to supplement or supplant human assessment. This advance can bolster quality, consistency, and safety by mimicking human senses such as smell, taste, and vision, mitigating risks tied to human assessors.

This paper provides a review about sensory analysis of food using technological methodologies. A review of different technological tools to analyze sensory characteristics of food, as well as a discussion of how those technological tools can relate to humans’ perception of food is presented.
Predicting Gross Domestic Product (GDP) using a PC-LSTM-RNN model in urban profiling areas
Authors: Shams Mahmoud Y. , Tarek Zahraa , El-kenawy El-Sayed M. , Eid Marwa M. , Elshewey Ahmed M.
Published: January 2024

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is significant for measuring the strength of national and global economies in urban profiling areas. GDP is significant because it provides information on the size and performance of an economy. The real GDP growth rate is frequently used to indicate the economy’s health. This paper proposes a new model called Pearson Correlation-Long Short-Term Memory-Recurrent Neural Network (PC-LSTM-RNN) for predicting GDP in urban profiling areas. Pearson correlation is used to select the important features strongly correlated with the target feature. This study employs two separate datasets, denoted as Dataset A and Dataset B. Dataset A comprises 227 instances and 20 features, with 70% utilized for training and 30% for testing purposes. On the other hand, Dataset B consists of 61 instances and 4 features, encompassing historical GDP growth data for India from 1961 to 2021. To enhance GDP prediction performance, we implement a parameter transfer approach, fine-tuning the parameters learned from Dataset A on Dataset B. Moreover, in this study, a preprocessing stage that includes median imputation and data normalization is performed. Mean Square Error, Mean Absolute Error, Root Mean Square Error, Mean Absolute Percentage Error, Median Absolute Error, and determination coefficient (R2) evaluation metrics are utilized in this study to demonstrate the performance of the proposed model. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed model gave better results than other regression models used in this study. Also, the results show that the proposed model achieved the highest results for R2, with 99.99%. This paper addresses a critical research gap in the domain of GDP prediction through artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. While acknowledging the widespread application of such algorithms in forecasting GDP, the proposed model introduces distinctive advantages over existing approaches. Using PC-LSTM-RNN which achieves high R2 with minimum error rates.
On Multi-image Random Grids by Arbitrary Transformations
Authors: Buckley Neil , Nagar Atulya Kumar , Secco Emanuele Lindo
Published: January 2024

Random grids are a method for visual secret sharing, whereby a secret image is encoded into a number of shares, each of which is maximally entropic. There has been growing interest in hiding multiple images in a scheme, such that additional images are revealed by stacking the shares in different ways. This paper proposes a metaheuristic method for generating schemes that allow for a wide range of transformations, or even combinations thereof, to reveal an arbitrary number of secret images. Up to 10 multi-secrets are shown in this paper, as well as hiding multiple secrets in a general access structure. To remove noise from these schemes an algorithm is proposed to extract the information from the noise, and in all cases, relative contrasts are given. In one example, six images are hidden in two shares, such that the mean relative contrast under OR-stacking is 0.152, under XOR-stacking 0.278, and with noise removed, it is 0.74. In an example hiding 10 images in two shares, the values are respectively 0.136, 0.206 and 0.679, respectively.
TCRSCANet: Harnessing Temporal Convolutions and Recurrent Skip Component for Enhanced RUL Estimation in Mechanical Systems
Authors: Wahid Abdul , Breslin John G. , Intizar Muhammad Ali
Published: January 2024

Estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) of critical industrial assets is of crucial importance for optimizing maintenance strategies, enabling proactive planning of repair tasks, enhanced reliability, and reduced downtime in prognostic health management (PHM). Deep learning-based data-driven approaches have made RUL prediction a lot better, but traditional methods often do not look at the similarities and differences in the data, which lowers the accuracy of the estimates. Previous attempts to use Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks for RUL prediction have failed because they depend on learned features for regression at the very end of the time step. The single objective function for estimation also constrains the learned representations, which has an impact on RUL estimation. The goal of this study is to find out how to predict the RUL of mechanical systems using complex sensor data. To do this, we present a data-driven framework called temporal convolution, along with a recurrent skip component and an attention mechanism network called TCRSCANet. It uses a combination of temporal convolution, recurrent skip parts, and an attention mechanism to make RUL estimation more accurate. The recurrent skip component finds long-term patterns in time series data, while temporal convolution pulls out high-level features from longer sequences. Finding hidden representations and degradation-development interactions between features at each window position in the input matrix is what the attention layer does to focus on the most important information for RUL estimation. The proposed methodology is tested and validated against the well-established C-MAPSS dataset, which focuses on aircraft degradation. The TCRSCANet model is better at predicting RUL as compared to other state-of-the-art methods because it uses the root mean square error (RMSE) and a scoring function to measure performance. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of the recurrent skip component and attention mechanisms for determining how long an industrial asset will be valuable.
Employing toehold-mediated DNA strand displacement reactions for biomedical applications
Authors: Souza Keziah Jacob , Agrawal Deepak K.
Published: January 2024

Dynamic DNA nanotechnology belongs to a larger umbrella of DNA nanotechnology that primarily uses DNA as a nanoscopic material to build mobile structures and cascaded reaction networks powered by DNA oligonucleotides. A widely used mechanism to construct a dynamic DNA system is toehold-mediated strand displacement reactions (TMSDRs). TMSDRs are easy to engineer because of the known base-pairing rules that follow the Watson–Crick model of DNA, sequence-dependent binding rates, and energies of DNAs, whose secondary structure is predictable. Due to these attributes, TMSDRs have been used to develop enzyme-free isothermal reaction networks with remarkable applications in diagnostics, therapeutics and DNA computing. In this review, we briefly introduce the working principle of TMSDRs, in silico design considerations, and diverse input and output signals that can be processed through TMSDRs. We then summarize recent applications where TMSDRs are successfully employed in detecting clinically relevant targets such as single nucleotide polymorphisms and variants, microRNAs and whole cells and to develop programmable drug delivery vehicles and regulation therapies including transcriptional and protein regulations. We also discuss TMSDRs driven biomedical applications of DNA hydrogels and DNA computing. Finally, we discuss the challenges in each of these applications and the prospects of TMSDRs in biomedical engineering.
Beyond informality: ‘Nimble peri-urban land transactions’ - how migrants on the margins trade, access and hold land for settlement
Authors: Bhanye Johannes
Published: January 2024

How do migrants on the margins trade, access, and hold land for settlement? This ethnographic inquiry based on a case study of Malawian migrants in peri-urban Zimbabwe revealed the practice of ‘Nimble peri-urban land transactions’—encompassing not only the extralegal and informal aspects of land transactions but also emphasising flexibility, agility, conviviality and invisibility in land acquisition. What sets ‘Nimble peri-urban land transactions’ apart from the characterisation of conventional informal land transactions is the profound role played by ‘conviviality’ in creating a congenial atmosphere for acquiring and securing land rights. Individuals in convivial connections act as essential intermediaries, witnesses, and mediators in land deals. Their contributions are instrumental in maintaining spatial orderliness within the community, demonstrating that informal land transactions are not always chaotic or disorderly as perceived but can adhere to a well-structured set of ‘nimble’ norms and mechanisms that regulate land access and ownership. Nimble peri-urban land transactions not only provide a lifeline to individuals and families seeking a place to call home but also contribute to the overall urbanisation and development of peri-urban areas. Thus, the study challenges prevailing notions of land governance by emphasising the importance of recognising and comprehending not only the ‘informality’ but also the ‘nimble transactions’ that characterise land markets in peri-urban areas. It calls for a more holistic approach to land governance, acknowledging that rigid formalities alone may not adequately address the unique needs and realities of marginalised populations in these contexts.
Changing the culture: impact of a diagnostic stewardship intervention for urine culture testing and CAUTI prevention in an urban safety-net community hospital
Authors: Mena Lora Alfredo J. , Hua Jessica , Ali Mirza , Krill Candice , Takhsh Eden , Bleasdale Susan C.
Published: January 2024

Cultures from urinary catheters are often ordered without indication, leading to possible misdiagnosis of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), increasing antimicrobial use, and C difficile. We implemented a diagnostic stewardship intervention for urine cultures from catheters in a community hospital that led to a reduction in cultures and CAUTIs.
Evaluation of a Disaster Preparedness Curriculum and Medical Students’ Views on Preparedness Education Requirements for Health Professionals
Authors: Schilly Kayla , Huhn Madelyn , Visker Joseph D. , Cox Carol
Published: January 2024

Objective:

In general, medical students perceive themselves as inadequately prepared to assist in disasters. This study evaluated the impact of a disaster preparedness curriculum and medical students’ views toward required preparedness education for health care professionals.

Methods:

A comprehensive disaster preparedness curriculum was evaluated on its effect on medical students’ views on preparedness education requirements, preparedness, and prior disaster training using self-report survey methodology.

Results:

Results provide evidence to support curricular effectiveness in significantly increasing initial participant views of health professionals’ education requirements, perceived preparedness for integrating professional roles into the emergency response system, and confidence in exposure risk assessment and triage skills. Most participants possessed limited recent prior disaster training and drill experience. Most interestingly, the majority consistently believed throughout the study that disaster preparedness training should be a medical license mandate.

Conclusions:

For those instructing current medical students in disaster preparedness, it is suggested that a curriculum be chosen that can create participant initial anticipation, awareness, and belief in the importance of and need for disaster preparedness training. Further investigation is recommended into the relationship between students’ perceived training importance and any future curriculum delivery efforts on behalf of required or mandatory preparedness offerings in continuing professional development.
When Law Is Silent: How to Compensate for the Harm to the Health or Property in the Absence of a Particular Harm-Doer?
Authors: Ryzhenkov Anatoliy , Anisimov Aleksey
Published: January 2024

Legal rules aimed at compensation for the harm caused by a particular state, individual, or legal entity (for example, oil pollution of the sea due to a tanker accident) are well studied and constantly used in scientific literature and international law practice. Meanwhile, every year, the number of cases of harm when the particular guilty party cannot be established grows; this is why it is almost impossible to compensate for the harm caused. Such cases include collisions of satellites causing space debris; the consequences of climate change for agriculture, forestry, and the health of citizens; and the pollution of the World Ocean with plastic debris, ballast water, and abandoned nets.

There are more such cases at the national level. After studying acts of international environmental law, national legislation, and several examples from judicial practice, we show that compensation for the harm caused to life, health, or property in the absence of a particular harm-doer is difficult or impossible to prove. This is why actions that can prevent subjectless environmental harm are taken at the national level in certain countries by developing measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change, licensing space activities, and taking preventive measures against the formation of plastic debris and its pollution of the seas, etc. This trend should be continued, and the experience gained by certain states should be used in developing new acts of international environmental law. This will ensure the next step towards preventing environmental harm where it is impossible to establish the doer’s name.
The Role of the Clergy in the Establishment and Consolidation of Pahlavi I (1925–1941)
Authors: Kojuri Gashniani Yunos , Bagheri Dolatabadi Ali , Fattahizadeh Abouzar
Published: January 2024

In Iran, the writing of history has consistently been intertwined with political decisions, and official historiography written after the Islamic Revolution is no exception. The majority of books and articles on Pahlavi I have inherited this historiographic tradition, and are thus highly politicized, particularly around the topic of the role of the clergy during this era. Official narratives of this period are based on two representations: portraying intellectuals and Britain as the sole forces involved in bringing Reza Shah to power and consolidating his rule, while concealing the role of the clergy, or depicting this social group as the sole opposition to his government. This article aims to assess this binary narrative and answer the following question: What role did the clergy play in establishing and consolidating Reza Shah's reign? Research findings indicate that neither of these claims are accurate, as the clergy played a key role in the transfer of power from the Qajar to Pahlavi dynasties by supporting Reza Khan during his ministry, participating in the coup on February 22, 1921 (3 Esfand 1299), and supporting him in the Constituent Assembly. Further, the majority of clergy not only did not play the role of opposition, but indeed actively participated in the governmental institutions of the era. This research utilizes a historical-documentary approach to examine the subject.
Religious Dissociation and Liberal Separation: Inside a Christian Brotherhood and a Masonic Lodge
Authors: Hill Graham
Published: January 2024

Recent years have seen a flourishing of everyday experimentations with the category of religion: the “spiritual but not religious,” “religionless” Christians, and many more. Why is there such proliferation of popular experimentation with—and often distancing from—the category of religion? This article explores two such cases of experimentation, a religion-disavowing evangelical Christian brotherhood in Mexico and a Masonic lodge in Switzerland, and shows how, in these two cases, disavowing religion is in part a response to problems associated with a founding principle of liberalism, the separation of private conscience from public citizenship. Subjects of liberal separation are vulnerable to feelings of cloistered conscience and hollow citizenship, problems that are inherent to liberal separation, as evidenced by Freemasonry’s age-old experimentations. These problems are also, however, exacerbated by dwindling popular faith in the institutions of religion and liberal democracy, as evidenced by contemporary evangelical trends of which the Christian brotherhood is exemplary. Such experimentations can be distinguished between those that collapse conscience and citizenship and those that defend the separation while still looking for indirect connections. This contrast is also highlighted by the comparison of religion-disavowing evangelical Christians and Freemasonry.
ON THE CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION OF THE VARIANCE-GAMMA DISTRIBUTION
Authors: GAUNT ROBERT E.
Published: January 2024

We obtain exact formulas for the cumulative distribution function of the variance-gamma distribution, as infinite series involving the modified Bessel function of the second kind and the modified Lommel function of the first kind. From these formulas, we deduce exact formulas for the cumulative distribution function of the product of two correlated zero-mean normal random variables.
MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS FOR -LAPLACIAN EQUATIONS WITH NONLINEARITY SUBLINEAR AT ZERO
Authors: LIU SHIBO
Published: January 2024

We consider the Dirichlet problem for
$p(x)$
-Laplacian equations of the form
$$ \begin{align*} -\Delta_{p(x)}u+b(x)\vert u\vert ^{p(x)-2}u=f(x,u),\quad u\in W_{0}^{1,p(x)}(\Omega). \end{align*} $$

The odd nonlinearity
$f(x,u)$
is
$p(x)$
-sublinear at
$u=0$
but the related limit need not be uniform for
$x\in \Omega $
. Except being subcritical, no additional assumption is imposed on
$f(x,u)$
for
$|u|$
large. By applying Clark’s theorem and a truncation method, we obtain a sequence of solutions with negative energy and approaching the zero function
$u=0$
.
The Image of God and Immediate Emancipation: David Walker’s Theological Foundation of Equality and the Rejection of White Supremacy
Authors: Haspel Michael
Published: January 2024

In the 1820s it was predominantly Black abolitionists who opposed gradualist abolitionism and the concept of colonization, while, in general, White abolitionists opposed slavery, viewing it as seductive or as sin in itself, but did not want full emancipation for Blacks. Therefore, David Walker’s Appeal from 1829 is a central document in that it calls for immediate and full emancipation as well as opposition to racism and White supremacy. This article argues that the shift in political aim of Black radical abolitionists correlates with an innovation in theological foundation. Walker grounds his quest for immediate and full emancipation in an egalitarian concept of imago Dei. It is this theological foundation that became influential in radical abolitionist discourse and was employed by Maria M. Stewart as well as William Lloyd Garrison. As a result of research on Walker’s theological innovation, it comes to the fore that he most likely was influenced by Black Freemasonry, especially Prince Hall.
Efendilik: Civility, Urbanity, and Homohistoricism in Contentious Istanbul
Authors: Erol Onursal
Published: January 2024

This paper forwards the concept of homohistoricism as a historicism that narrativizes the nation's past as the site of illicit or authentic relations/affections that have the power to pervert or rescue the public sphere in the present-now. In the case of contemporary Turkey, I identify republican, Islamist, and queer homohistoricisms as divergent political projects with interconnected rationales. I analyze two sets of primary materials on queer contention from Istanbul's Gezi Park uprising: Protest records (fliers, brochures, zines, pictures, banners, posters) from Kislak Center's “Gezi Park Protests 2013” collection and the meeting minutes from 657 neighborhood forums produced and archived by the protestors. I argue that queer homohistoricism in Turkey as a contentious repertoire of invoking nostalgic visions of Ottoman cosmopolitanism and urban civility may succeed in authenticating a certain kind of queer politics, but would do so at the expense of perpetuating just as authentic mechanisms of oppression.
Factor Model Comparisons with Conditioning Information
Authors: Ferson Wayne E. , Siegel Andrew F. , Wang Junbo L.
Published: January 2024

We develop methods for testing factor models when the weights in portfolios of factors and test assets can vary with lagged information. We derive and evaluate consistent standard errors and finite sample bias adjustments for unconditional maximum squared Sharpe ratios and their differences. Bias adjustment using a second-order approximation performs well. We derive optimal zero-beta rates for models with dynamically trading portfolios. Factor models’ Sharpe ratios are larger but standard test asset portfolios’ maximum Sharpe ratios are larger still when there is dynamic trading. As a result, most of the popular factor models are rejected.
Saturated fat and CVD: importance of inter-individual variation in the response of serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
Authors: Griffin Bruce A , Lovegrove Julie A
Published: January 2024

The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the history in support of the role of dietary saturated fatty acids (SFA) in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the controversy and consensus for the evidence in support of guidelines to remove and replace SFA with unsaturated fatty acids. The review will also examine the existence, origins, and implications for CVD risk of variability in serum LDL-cholesterol in response to these guidelines. While the quality of supporting evidence for the efficacy of restricting SFA on CVD risk has attracted controversy, this has helped to increase understanding of the inter-relationships between SFA, LDL-cholesterol and CVD, and reinforce confidence in this dietary recommendation. Nevertheless, there is significant inter-individual variation in serum LDL-C in response to this dietary change. The origins of this variation are multi-factorial and involve both dietary and metabolic traits. If serum biomarkers of more complex metabolic traits underlying LDL-responsiveness can be identified, this would have major implications for the targeting of these dietary guidelines to LDL-responders, to maximise the benefit to their cardiovascular health.
Limited evidence of autocorrelation signaling upcoming affective episodes: a 12-month e-diary study in patients with bipolar disorder
Authors: Ludwig V. M. , Reinhard I. , Mühlbauer E. , Hill H. , Severus W. E. , Bauer M. , Ritter P. , Ebner-Priemer U. W.
Published: January 2024

Background

Increased autocorrelation (AR) of system-specific measures has been suggested as a predictor for critical transitions in complex systems. Increased AR of mood scores has been reported to anticipate depressive episodes in major depressive disorder, while other studies found AR increases to be associated with depressive episodes themselves. Data on AR in patients with bipolar disorders (BD) is limited and inconclusive.

Methods

Patients with BD reported their current mood via daily e-diaries for 12 months. Current affective status (euthymic, prodromal, depressed, (hypo)manic) was assessed in 26 bi-weekly expert interviews. Exploratory analyses tested whether self-reported current mood and AR of the same item could differentiate between prodromal phases or affective episodes and euthymia.

Results

A total of 29 depressive and 20 (hypo)manic episodes were observed in 29 participants with BD. Self-reported current mood was significantly decreased during the two weeks prior to a depressive episode (early prodromal, late prodromal), but not changed prior to manic episodes. The AR was neither a significant predictor for the early or late prodromal phase of depression nor for the early prodromal phase of (hypo)mania. Decreased AR was found in the late prodromal phase of (hypo)mania. Increased AR was mainly found during depressive episodes.

Conclusions

AR changes might not be better at predicting depressive episodes than simple self-report measures on current mood in patients with BD. Increased AR was mostly found during depressive episodes. Potentially, changes in AR might anticipate (hypo)manic episodes.
Reconstruction and analysis of the transmission network of African swine fever in People’s Republic of China, August 2018–September 2019
Authors: Akhmetzhanov Andrei R. , Jung Sung-mok , Lee Hyojung , Linton Natalie M. , Yang Yichi , Yuan Baoyin , Nishiura Hiroshi
Published: January 2024

Introduction of African swine fever (ASF) to China in mid-2018 and the subsequent transboundary spread across Asia devastated regional swine production, affecting live pig and pork product-related markets worldwide. To explore the spatiotemporal spread of ASF in China, we reconstructed possible ASF transmission networks using nearest neighbour, exponential function, equal probability, and spatiotemporal case-distribution algorithms. From these networks, we estimated the reproduction numbers, serial intervals, and transmission distances of the outbreak. The mean serial interval between paired units was around 29 days for all algorithms, while the mean transmission distance ranged 332 –456 km. The reproduction numbers for each algorithm peaked during the first two weeks and steadily declined through the end of 2018 before hovering around the epidemic threshold value of 1 with sporadic increases during 2019. These results suggest that 1) swine husbandry practices and production systems that lend themselves to long-range transmission drove ASF spread; 2) outbreaks went undetected by the surveillance system. Efforts by China and other affected countries to control ASF within their jurisdictions may be aided by the reconstructed spatiotemporal model. Continued support for strict implementation of biosecurity standards and improvements to ASF surveillance is essential for halting transmission in China and spread across Asia.
Maternal cognitive functioning and psychopathology predict quality of parent-child relationship in the context of substance use disorder: A 15-month longitudinal study
Authors: Porreca Alessio , De Carli Pietro , Filippi Bianca , Bakermans-Kranenburg Marian J. , van IJzendoorn Marinus H. , Simonelli Alessandra
Published: January 2024

This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the role of maternal cognitive functioning and psychopathology in parent-child relationship quality during residential treatment for mothers with Substance Use Disorder (SUD), in order to identify factors that may enhance or limit intervention effects.

We assessed cognitive functioning (Esame Neuropsicologico Breve-2 [ENB-2]) and psychopathology (Symptom Checklist-90 Revised [SCL-90-R]) in 60 mothers diagnosed with SUD (Mage = 30.13 yrs; SD = 6.79) at treatment admission. Parent-child relationship quality was measured during free-play interactions using the Emotional Availability Scales every three months from admission (Child Mage = 17.17m; SD = 23.60) to the 15th month of the residential treatment.

A main effect of maternal psychopathology and an interaction effect of time and cognitive functioning were found. More maternal psychopathology predicted lower mother-child relationship quality. Mothers with higher cognitive functioning presented a better treatment trajectory, with an increase in mother-child relationship quality, whereas mothers with lower cognitive functioning showed a decrease in relationship quality after initial improvement.

These findings suggest that maternal psychopathology and cognitive functioning may influence the treatment of parent-child relationships in the context of SUD, although causality is not yet established. Implications for assessment and intervention are discussed.
Has the concept of polyspermy prevention been invented in the laboratory?
Authors: Dale Brian
Published: January 2024

There is no evidence, nor need, for a fast block to polyspermy in animal oocytes. The idea that oocytes have evolved a mechanism to allow the entry of one spermatozoon and repel all others has, however, gained consensus over the last century. The main culprit is the sea urchin, which has been used for over a century in in vitro studies of the fertilization process. Images of sea urchin oocytes with thousands of sperm attached to the surface are commonplace in textbooks and appeal to the nature of the reader implying an intriguing surface mechanism of sperm selection despite these oocytes being fixed for photography (Figure 1). The abundance of gametes in this marine invertebrate and the ease of experimentation have given us the possibility to elucidate many aspects of the mechanism of fertilization, but has also led to ongoing controversies in reproductive biology, one being polyspermy prevention. Kinetic experiments by Rothschild and colleagues in the 1950s led to the hypothesis of a fast partial block to polyspermy in sea urchin oocytes that reduced the probability of a second spermatozoon from entering the oocyte by 1/20th. In the 1970s, Jaffe and colleagues suggested, with circumstantial evidence, that this partial block was due to the sperm-induced depolarization of the oocyte plasma membrane. However, the fate of supernumerary spermatozoa is determined well before the plasma membrane of the oocyte depolarizes. Transmembrane voltage does not serve to regulate sperm entry. Scholastic texts have inadvertently promulgated this concept across the animal kingdom with no logical correlation or experimentation and, as of today, a molecular mechanism to regulate sperm entry in oocytes has not been identified.
Impact of early postoperative haemodynamic and laboratory parameters on outcome after the Fontan procedure
Authors: Di Padua Chiara , Osawa Takuya , Waschulzik Birgit , Balling Gunter , Schaeffer Thibault , Staehler Helena , Piber Nicole , Hager Alfred , Ewert Peter , Hörer Jürgen , Ono Masamichi
Published: January 2024

Objective:

To identify early postoperative haemodynamic and laboratory parameters predicting outcomes following total cavopulmonary connection.

Methods:

Patients who underwent total cavopulmonary connection between 2012 and 2021 were evaluated. Serial values of mean pulmonary artery pressure, mean arterial pressure, peripheral oxygen saturation, and lactate levels were collected. The influence of these variables on morbidities was analyzed. Cut-off values were calculated using the receiver operating characteristic analysis.

Results:

A total of 249 patients were included. All patients had previous bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt. Median age and weight at total cavopulmonary connection were 2.2 (1.8–2.7) years and 11.7 (10.7–13.4) kg, respectively. All patients were extubated in the ICU at a median of 3 (2–5) hours after ICU admission. Postoperative pulmonary artery pressure, around 12 hours after extubation, was significantly associated with chest tube drainage (p = 0.048), chylothorax (p = 0.021), ascites (p = 0.016), and adverse events (p = 0.028). Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed a cut-off value of 13–15 mmHg for chest tube drainage and chylothorax and 17 mmHg for ascites and adverse events. Mean arterial pressure 1 hour after extubation was associated with prolonged chest tube drainage (p = 0.015) and adverse events (p = 0.008). Peripheral oxygen saturation 6 hours after extubation (p = 0.003) was associated with chest tube duration and peripheral oxygen saturation 1 hour after extubation (p < 0.001) was associated with ascites. Lactate levels on 2nd postoperative day (p = 0.022) were associated with ascites and lactate levels on 1st postoperative day (p = 0.009) were associated with adverse events.

Conclusions:

Higher pulmonary artery pressure, lower mean arterial pressure, lower peripheral oxygen saturation, and higher lactate in early postoperative period, around 12 hours after extubation, predicted in-hospital and post-discharge adverse events following total cavopulmonary connection.
Development of robust normative data for the neuropsychological assessment of Greek older adults
Authors: Arampatzi Xanthi , Margioti Eleni S. , Messinis Lambros , Yannakoulia Mary , Hadjigeorgiou Georgios , Dardiotis Efthimios , Sakka Paraskevi , Scarmeas Nikolaos , Kosmidis Mary H.
Published: January 2024

Objective:

Normative data for older adults may be tainted by inadvertent inclusion of undiagnosed individuals at the very early stage of a neurodegenerative process. To avoid this pitfall, we developed norms for a cohort of older adults without MCI/dementia at 3-year follow-up.

Methods:

A randomly selected sample of 1041 community-dwelling individuals (age ≥ 65) received a full neurological and neuropsychological examination on two occasions [mean interval = 3.1 (SD = 0.9) years].

Results:

Of these, 492 participants (Group 1; 65–87 years old) were without dementia on both evaluations (CDR=0 and MMSE ≥ 26); their baseline data were used for norms development. Group 2 (n = 202) met the aforementioned criteria only at baseline, but not at follow-up. Multiple linear regressions included demographic predictors for regression-based normative formulae and raw test scores as dependent variables for each test variable separately. Standardized scaled scores and stratified discrete norms were also calculated. Group 2 performed worse than Group 1 on most tests (p-values < .001–.021). Education was associated with all test scores, age with most, and sex effects were consistent with the literature.

Conclusions:

We provide a model for developing sound normative data for widely used neuropsychological tests among older adults, untainted by potential early, undiagnosed cognitive impairment, reporting regression-based, scaled, and discrete norms for use in clinical settings to identify cognitive decline in older adults. Additionally, our co-norming of a variety of tests may enable intra-individual comparisons for diagnostic purposes. The present work addresses the challenge of developing robust normative data for neuropsychological tests in older adults.