bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of intensity of persistent social isolation on mental health in the late middle‐aged and older population: results of the Korea Longitudinal Study of Ageing (2006–2020)
Authors: Yang Jeong Min , Kim Jae Hyun , Hwang Ji Eun
Published: February 2024

Background

Social isolation (SI) was recently identified as a significant public health issue in the United States. Consequently, several studies on the association between SI and mental health were conducted. However, few studies have considered the duration and intensity of SI. In the present study, a longitudinal analysis was conducted to determine the effect of the intensity of persistent SI on the mental health status of late middle‐aged and older Koreans.

Methods

After excluding missing values, data on 6200 participants were analyzed using the group‐based trajectory model (GBTM) from the first to fifth Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA) to categorise the SI trajectory (SIT). The Chi‐square test, t‐test, analysis of variance, and time‐lagged generalised estimation equations were utilised from the fifth to eighth KLoSA to determine the association between SIT and the incidence of cognitive decline (the group with a Korean version Mini‐Mental State Examination score of 23 or lower), cognitive function score, and depression score.

Results

Four SIT groups were identified in the GBTM analysis. These were the non‐SIT (21.7%), mild (46.8%), moderate (21.1%), and severe SIT (10.4%) groups. Compared to the non‐SIT group, the severe SIT group experienced a greater incidence of cognitive decline (odds ratio = 1.57, P < 0.0001) as well as poorer cognitive function scores (B = −0.63, P < 0.0001) and depression scores (B = 0.90, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, stratified analysis by sex and age showed that mental health status was inversely proportionate to the intensity of SIT, particularly in males and patients, aged 65 years and above.

Conclusion

A close association was observed between SIT and mental health. This finding highlighted the need for policies and institutional measures to reduce the incidence of mental health deterioration among vulnerable groups due to the intensity of SI.
Relationship between increased serum neurofilament light chain and glial fibrillary acidic protein levels with non‐motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Yin Peixiao , Niu Xuebin , Guan Chenyang , Zhang Zixuan , Liu Yuning , Li Jinyu , Cui Guiyun , Zan Kun , Xu Chuanying
Published: February 2024

Background

This study set out to investigate the relationship between serum neurofilament light chain (NFL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and various non‐motor symptoms (NMSs) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods

The study included 37 healthy controls (HCs) and 51 PD patients. Clinical assessments of PD symptoms were conducted for all PD patients. The NMSS was utilised to evaluate the NMS burden (NMSB) in individuals. Based on the severity of NMSB, we further categorised the PD group into two subgroups: mild–moderate NMSB group and severe–very severe NMSB group. The amounts of NFL and GFAP in the serum were measured using an extremely sensitive single molecule array (Simoa) method. Statistical analyses were performed on the collected data using SPSS 26.0 and R (version 3.6.3).

Results

Serum GFAP and NFL levels in the PD group with severe–very severe NMSB were significantly higher than those in the mild–moderate NMSB group (GFAP: P < 0.007; NFL: P < 0.009). Serum NFL and GFAP levels had positive correlations with NMSS total scores (GFAP: r = 0.326, P = 0.020; NFL: r = 0.318, P = 0.023) and multiple subdomains. The relationship between the attention/memory domains of NMSS and NFL levels is significantly positive (r = 0.283, P = 0.044). Similarly, the mood/apathy domains of NMSS are also significantly positively correlated with GFAP levels (r = 0.441, P = 0.001). Patients with emotional problems or cognitive impairment had higher GFAP or NFL levels, respectively. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that NMSs play a mediating role in the quality of life of patients with PD. Moreover, the combination of NFL and GFAP has proven to be more effective than using a single component in identifying PD patients with severe–very severe NMSB.

Conclusions

The severity of NMSs in PD patients, particularly cognitive and emotional symptoms, was found to be associated with the levels of serum NFL and GFAP. This study marks the first attempt to examine the connection between NMSs of PD and the simultaneous identification of NFL and GFAP levels.
Efficacy of non‐invasive brain stimulation for post‐stroke dysphagia: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Yao Shan , Wang Xuxia , Sun Jie , Guo Pengfei
Published: February 2024

Background

Given the potential harms of dysphagia after stroke, we noticed the possibility of non‐invasive brain stimulation treatments in the management process.

Methods

The meta‐analysis search for articles published before May 2023 in databases. We used STATA 12.0 software to compute the standard mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

The study showed a greater improvement in swallowing function in post‐stroke dysphagia given transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) immediately after treatment, compared to those given sham tDCS (SMD = 2.99, 95% CI = 1.86–4.11). The study showed a greater improvement in swallowing function in post‐stroke dysphagia given tDCS some days after treatment, compared to those given sham tDCS (SMD = 2.01, 95% CI = 0.87–3.16). The study showed a greater improvement in swallowing function in post‐stroke dysphagia given repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) immediately after treatment, compared to those given sham rTMS (SMD = 4.17, 95% CI = 3.11–5.23). The study showed a greater improvement in swallowing function in post‐stroke dysphagia given rTMS some days after treatment, compared to those given sham rTMS (SMD = 1.77, 95% CI = 0.94–2.60).

Conclusions

In conclusion, our study showed the beneficial effects of non‐invasive brain stimulation on difficulty swallowing for stroke patients and speculated about the potential application of non‐invasive brain stimulation on post‐stroke dysphagia improvement.
Adherence and potential factors of adherence to a resistance, coordination and endurance training in older retirement home residents over 6 months
Authors: Weiß Michael , Mende Esther , Schaller Nina , Krusemark Helge , Spanier Bianca , Zelger Otto , Bischof Jan , Haller Bernhard , Halle Martin , Siegrist Monika
Published: February 2024

Introduction

High exercise adherence is a key factor for effective exercise programmes. However, little is known about predictors of exercise adherence to a multimodal machine‐based training in older retirement home residents.

Aims

To assess exercise adherence and potential predictors of adherence. Furthermore, to evaluate user acceptance of the multimodal training and the change in exercise self‐efficacy.

Methods

In this sub‐analysis of the bestform‐F study, a total of 77 retirement home residents ≥65 years (mean age: 85.6 ± 6.6 years, 77.9% female) participated in a 6‐month machine‐based resistance, coordination and endurance training. Attendance to the training was documented for each training session. To identify potential predictors a multiple linear regression model was fitted to the data. Analyzed predictors included age, sex, body mass index (BMI), physical function, exercise self‐efficacy, and physical activity history. Different domains of user acceptance (e.g. safety aspects, infrastructure) and exercise self‐efficacy were assessed by a questionnaire and the exercise self‐efficacy scale (ESES), respectively.

Results

Mean exercise adherence was 67.2% (median: 74.4%). The regression model (R2 = 0.225, p = 0.033) revealed that the 6‐minute walk test (6‐MWT) at baseline significantly predicted exercise adherence (β: 0.074, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.006–0.142, p = 0.033). Different user domains were rated at least as good by 83.9%–96.9% of participants, reflecting high acceptance. No statistically significant change was found for exercise self‐efficacy over 6 months (mean change: 0.47 ± 3.08 points, p = 0.156).

Conclusion

Retirement home residents attended more than two thirds of offered training sessions and physical function at baseline was the key factor for predicting adherence. User acceptance of the training devices was highly rated. These findings indicate good potential for implementation of the exercise programme.
Is it Antislavic racism, or how to speak about liminality, stigma, and racism in Europe
Authors: Nowicka Magdalena
Published: February 2024

This article discusses the present‐day positionality of Polish immigrants in Germany and the discursive possibilities for articulating their experiences of discrimination as racism. As interviews with these immigrants do not capture explicit accounts of racism, and there is practically no research on racism directed at Eastern Europeans in Germany, this article scrutinizes the epistemological context in which the voicing of discrimination is embedded. They include the imagined liminality of Poland in Europe, the binary and coloured understandings of racism in Poland and Germany, and the socialisation of Poles to lean towards silence on racism. Based on empirical data, the article discusses three intersecting forms of experiences of racism: disappearance through effort, devaluation of experience, and cultural precarity. Finally, the article argues that metaphors of liminality, stigma, stickiness and cultural precarity offer a nuanced understanding of Eastern European positionalities in Western Europe.
Cortical cell size regulates root metabolic cost
Authors: Sidhu Jagdeep Singh , Lynch Jonathan P.
Published: February 2024

It has been hypothesized that vacuolar occupancy in mature root cortical parenchyma cells regulates root metabolic cost and thereby plant fitness under conditions of drought, suboptimal nutrient availability, and increased soil mechanical impedance. However, the mechanistic role of vacuoles in reducing root metabolic cost was unproven. Here we provide evidence to support this hypothesis. We first show that root cortical cell size is determined by both cortical cell diameter and cell length. Significant genotypic variation for both cortical cell diameter (~1.1‐ to 1.5‐fold) and cortical cell length (~ 1.3‐ to 7‐fold) was observed in maize and wheat. GWAS and QTL analyses indicate cortical cell diameter and length are heritable and under independent genetic control. We identify candidate genes for both phenes. Empirical results from isophenic lines contrasting for cortical cell diameter and length show that increased cell size, due to either diameter or length, is associated with reduced root respiration, nitrogen content, and phosphorus content. RootSlice, a functional‐structural model of root anatomy, predicts that an increased vacuolar: cytoplasmic ratio per unit cortical volume causes reduced root respiration and nutrient content. Ultrastructural imaging of cortical parenchyma cells with varying cortical diameter and cortical cell length confirms the in silico predictions and shows that an increase in cell size is correlated with increased vacuolar volume and reduced cytoplasmic volume. Vacuolar occupancy and its relationship with cell size merits further investigation as a phene for improving crop adaptation to edaphic stress.
The perfect storm: Cutaneous leishmaniasis in troops deployed in the Atlantic forest of Argentina
Authors: Lamattina Daniela , Couto Esteban Manuel , Moya Sofía Lorian , Giuliani Magalí Gabriela , Cortés Micaela , Vadell María Victoria , Salomón Oscar Daniel
Published: February 2024

American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is the most prevalent form of leishmaniasis, associated with an ulcerative and stigmatizing mucocutaneous pathology. This study assessed the incidence of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis in members of the Argentine Army who were exposed to sandfly bites in Iguazú National Park (INP), northeastern Argentina, during an outbreak of ACL in 2019, and the presence of Leishmania in rodents, opossums and phlebotomine sandflies collected in the area of exposure. Samples from military personnel, wild animals and phlebotomine sandflies were analysed. A total of 20 (40%) patients among the Army personnel and two Akodon montensis rodents (11%) were positive for the presence of Leishmania sp. genes by PCR, while Nyssomyia whitmani and Migonemyia migonei, competent vectors of Leishmania, were also found at the same site. Sequences of hsp70 DNA fragments obtained from human samples confirmed the identity of L. (V.) braziliensis. The risk to which military personnel carrying out activities in the forest are exposed is highlighted, and this risk extends to any worker and visitor who circulates without protection in the INP, coming into contact with transmission “hot spots” due to the concentration of vectors, reservoirs and/or parasites.
Physical Activity Policies at National and Subnational Levels: A Study in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Mexico
Authors: Mejía Grueso Juliana , Pratt Michael , Resendiz Eugen , Salvo Deborah , Niño Cruz Gloria Isabel , Ruiz Gómez Nubia Yaneth , Leandro Gómez Rafael Alexander , Revuelta Sánchez Inés , Araya Vargas Gerardo Alonso , Ochoa Avilés Angélica María , Pérez Tasigchana Raúl Francisco , Jáuregui Alejandra , Hallal Pedro C. , Varela Andrea Ramírez
Published: February 2024

Background: National physical activity (PA) policy processes are only beginning to be studied in Latin America, and little attention has focused at the subnational level. This study examined national–subnational relations in the policy process (agenda setting, policy formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation) in selected Latin American countries. Methods: The Global Observatory for Physical Activity’s (GoPA!) INTEGRATE-PA-Pol tool was applied in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Mexico. Data were collected in matched pairs of the capital plus one noncapital city among national and subnational policymakers (n = 27), previously identified by the GoPA! Country Contacts. PA policy development and implementation were assessed using descriptive statistics. Results: Twenty-three (response rate = 85.2%) informants provided data, mainly from the health sector (52.2%), followed by the sport (26.1%), transport (13.0%), and education (8.7%) sectors. Most informants reported that their countries had a current PA policy embedded within noncommunicable diseases prevention plans (46.2%), other plans (46.2%), or obesity prevention/management/control plans (7.7%). Respondents at the subnational level rated PA promotion as central (64.3%), while the national-level role was important but not central (75.0%). National and subnational policymakers indicated low-to-little involvement in the other level’s PA policy processes across the 5 policy stages. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that collecting national and subnational PA policy data across countries with the active collaboration of the GoPA! network was feasible. We also successfully identified governmental interactions throughout the PA policy process, suggesting suboptimal engagement between national and subnational levels.
Enhanced or hindered research benefits? A realist review of community engagement and participatory research practices for non-communicable disease prevention in low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Klingberg Sonja , Adhikari Bipin , Draper Catherine E , Bosire Edna , Nyirenda Deborah , Tiigah Priscilla , Mukumbang Ferdinand C
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Community engagement and participatory research are widely used and considered important for ethical health research and interventions. Based on calls to unpack their complexity and observed biases in their favour, we conducted a realist review with a focus on non-communicable disease prevention. The aim was to generate an understanding of how and why engagement or participatory practices enhance or hinder the benefits of non-communicable disease research and interventions in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods

We retroductively formulated theories based on existing literature and realist interviews. After initial searches, preliminary theories and a search strategy were developed. We searched three databases and screened records with a focus on theoretical and empirical relevance. Insights about contexts, strategies, mechanisms and outcomes were extracted and synthesised into six theories. Five realist interviews were conducted to complement literature-based theorising. The final synthesis included 17 quality-appraised articles describing 15 studies.

Results

We developed six theories explaining how community engagement or participatory research practices either enhance or hinder the benefits of non-communicable disease research or interventions. Benefit-enhancing mechanisms include community members’ agency being realised, a shared understanding of the benefits of health promotion, communities feeling empowered, and community members feeling solidarity and unity. Benefit-hindering mechanisms include community members’ agency remaining unrealised and participation being driven by financial motives or reputational expectations.

Conclusion

Our review challenges assumptions about community engagement and participatory research being solely beneficial in the context of non-communicable disease prevention in low- and middle-income countries. We present both helpful and harmful pathways through which health and research outcomes are affected. Our practical recommendations relate to maximising benefits and minimising harm by addressing institutional inflexibility and researcher capabilities, managing expectations on research, promoting solidarity in solving public health challenges and sharing decision-making power.
Excellent response to anti-CD38 therapy with daratumumab in a patient with severe refractory CANOMAD
Authors: Pascual-Goñi Elba , Collet Roger , Tejada-Illa Clara , Martín-Aguilar Lorena , Caballero-Ávila Marta , Lleixà Cinta , Novelli Silvana , López-Pardo Jordi , Sanfeliu Albert Esquirol , Mariscal Anais , Álvaro Gargallo Yolanda , Martínez-Hernández Eugenia , Cocho Dolores , Querol Luis
Published: February 2024

Background

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and rituximab are considered the first-line and second-line treatments for Chronic Ataxic Neuropathy and Ophthalmoplegia with IgM-paraprotein, cold Agglutinins, and anti-Disialosyl antibodies (CANOMAD), with an overall clinical response around 50%. New anti-CD38 daratumumab, targeting long-lived plasma cells, has been reported as a promising therapy for treatment-refractory antibody-mediated disorders. We report the first case of a severe refractory CANOMAD, successfully treated with daratumumab.

Methods

A patient in their 70s with severe relapsing CANOMAD, refractory to IVIG, steroids, rituximab and ibrutinib developed severe tetraparesis and respiratory failure. Plasma exchange (PE) improved motor and ventilatory function; however, after 6 weeks, patient remained PE dependent. Intravenous daratumumab was initiated at 16 mg/kg weekly for 3 weeks, every 2 weeks for the second and third month, and monthly afterwards.

Results

After 3 weeks of starting daratumumab, PE was discontinued and, since then, the patient evolved to complete recovery. Antidisialosyl antibody titres decreased after PE and remained stable during daratumumab. Serum neurofilament light-chain levels were elevated in the exacerbation phase and normalised after daratumumab. The patient remains in clinical remission under monthly daratumumab, 12 months after initiation.

Conclusions

The first patient with aggressive treatment-refractory CANOMAD treated with daratumumab provides proof-of-principle evidence that daratumumab may be an effective treatment in IgM-related neuropathies.
Pain management in trauma: the need for trauma-informed opioid prescribing guidelines
Authors: Baltes Amelia , Horton David M , Malicki Julia , Trevino Colleen , Agarwal, Suresh , Zarzaur Ben L , Brown Randall T
Published: February 2024

Background/objectives

Surgical populations and particularly injury survivors often present with complex trauma that elevates their risk for prolonged opioid use and misuse. Changes in opioid prescribing guidelines during the past several years have yielded mixed results for pain management after trauma, with a limiting factor being the heterogeneity of clinical populations and treatment needs in individuals receiving opioids. The present analysis illuminates this gap between clinical guidelines and clinical practice through qualitative feedback from hospital trauma providers and unit staff members regarding current opioid prescribing guidelines and practices in the setting of traumatic injury.

Methods

The parent study aimed to implement a pilot screening tool for opioid misuse in four level I and II trauma hospitals throughout Wisconsin. As part of the parent study, focus groups were conducted at each study site to explore the facilitators and barriers of implementing a novel screening tool, as well as to examine the current opioid prescribing guidelines, trainings, and resources available for trauma and acute care providers. Focus group transcripts were independently coded and analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach to identify themes related to the facilitators and barriers of opioid prescribing guidelines in trauma and acute care.

Results

Three major themes were identified as impactful to opioid-related prescribing and care provided in the setting of traumatic injury; these include (1) acute treatment strategies; (2) patient interactions surrounding pain management; and (3) the multifactorial nature of trauma on pain management approaches.

Conclusion

Providers and staff at four Wisconsin trauma centers called for trauma-specific opioid prescribing guidelines in the setting of trauma and acute care. The ubiquitous prescription of opioids and challenges in long-term pain management in these settings necessitate additional community-integrated research to inform development of federal guidelines.

Level of evidence

Therapeutic/care management, level V.
A Systematic Literature Review on Maintenance of Software Containers
Authors: Malhotra Ruchika , Bansal Anjali , Kessentini Marouane
Published: February 2024

Nowadays, cloud computing is gaining tremendous attention to deliver information via the internet. Virtualization plays a major role in cloud computing as it deploys multiple virtual machines on the same physical machine and thus results in improving resource utilization. Hypervisor-based virtualization and containerization are two commonly used approaches in operating system virtualization. In this article, we provide a systematic literature review on various phases in maintenance of containers including container image detection, container scheduling, container security measures, and performance evaluation of containers. We have selected 145 primary studies out of which 24% of studies are related to container performance evaluation, 42% of studies are related to container scheduling techniques, 22% of studies are related to container security measures, and 12% of studies are related to container image detection process. A few studies are related to container image detection process and evaluation of container security measures. Resource utilization is the most considered performance objective in almost all container scheduling techniques. We conclude that there is a need to introduce new tagging approaches, smell detection approaches, and also new approaches to detect and resolve threat issues in containers so that we can maintain the security of containers.
Elements of Timed Pattern Matching
Authors: Ulus Dogan , Ferrère Thomas , Asarin Eugene , Nickovic Dejan , Maler Oded
Published: February 2024

The rise of machine learning and cloud technologies has led to a remarkable influx of data within modern cyber-physical systems. However, extracting meaningful information from this data has become a significant challenge due to its volume and complexity. Timed pattern matching has emerged as a powerful specification-based runtime verification and temporal data analysis technique to address this challenge.

In this paper, we provide a comprehensive tutorial on timed pattern matching that ranges from the underlying algebra and pattern specification languages to performance analyses and practical case studies. Analogous to textual pattern matching, timed pattern matching is the task of finding all time periods within temporal behaviors of cyber-physical systems that match a predefined pattern. Originally we introduced and solved several variants of the problem using the name of match sets, which has evolved into the concept of timed relations over the past decade. Here we first formalize and present the algebra of timed relations as a standalone mathematical tool to solve the pattern matching problem of timed pattern specifications. In particular, we show how to use the algebra of timed relations to solve the pattern matching problem for timed regular expressions and metric compass logic in a unified manner. We experimentally demonstrate that our timed pattern matching approach performs and scales well in practice. We further provide in-depth insights into the similarities and fundamental differences between monitoring and matching problems as well as regular expressions and temporal logic formulas. Finally, we illustrate the practical application of timed pattern matching through two case studies, which show how to extract structured information from temporal datasets obtained via simulations or real-world observations. These results and examples show that timed pattern matching is a rigorous and efficient technique in developing and analyzing cyber-physical systems.
Trends of Land Cover Change and Conservation Challenges of Grevy’s Zebra (Equus grevyi, Oustalet 1882) in Hallaydeghe Asebot Proposed National Park, Southeast Ethiopia
Authors: Negesa Tolera Abirham , Simegn Afework Bekele , Tamene Mesele Yihune
Published: February 2024

Large parts of biodiversity in protected areas (PAs) and their ecosystem services have been deteriorated due to land cover change over time. To reverse these effects, analysis of land cover change is essential. One of the protected areas, Hallaydeghe Asebot Proposed National Park (HAPNP), was assumed its land cover change and was undergone from one habitat type to others during the last three decades. As a result, wildlife species particularly Grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi) in HAPNP are facing conservation challenges. Here, we aimed to examine the land cover changes of HAPNP for the period of 1990–2021 and assess Grevy’s zebra conservation challenges so as to improve the protection of the park and conservation of the species. Landsat images for the years 1990, 2006, and 2021 were generated to analyze land cover change of the study area. In addition, ground control points and information from elder and knowledgeable informants were collected to substantiate the result. Household survey, key informant interviews, and field observation checklist were utilized to collect data on conservation challenges. To generate land cover change maps, the satellite image for each period was classified using supervised classification. Content analysis was used to analyze conservation challenges of the species. The findings of this study revealed that 12.2% of grassland cover lost from 1990 to 2021 (i.e., an estimated annual average loss 0.4%). The remaining grassland cover in the HAPNP was aggregated in a small land area. On the other hand, the size of bushland increased by 26.4% during the same year (i.e., an estimated annual average gain 0.9%). These findings have implications for conservation and management of grazers. Major drivers for conservation challenges of Grevy’s zebra were habitat degradation, unintegrated development, and poor law enforcement practices. Grassland restoration program and species conservation challenges’ intervention strategy should be designed and implemented to safeguard the natural habitat and the species that occur in the HAPNP.
Serosurvey and Associated Risk Factors for Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Infection in Dromedary Camels in Egypt
Authors: Selim Abdelfattah , Marzok Mohamed , Abdelhady Abdelhamed , Gattan Hattan S. , Salem Mohamed , Al-Hammadi Mohammed Ali
Published: February 2024

Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) is a disease that affects ruminants globally, including camels, and causing significant financial losses. The epidemiology of BVD in camels in Egypt are not well understood. Thus, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of anti‐BVD virus (BVDV) antibodies in camels and identify the potential variables associated with the infection. A total of 400 camel sera from three Egyptian governorates were examined using commercial ELISA kit. The total seroprevalence was 4.8% in examined camels and the BVDV seropositivity were more prevalent in camels from Giza governorate. The highest seropositivity was found in aged camels more than 8 years (OR = 8.62, 95%CI: 1.03–71.87), camels from herd size less than 30 (OR = 4.20, 95%CI: 0.89–19.78), previously aborted animals (OR = 5.98, 95%CI: 2.12–16.92), and in animals kept in contact with sheep or goats (OR = 7.48, 95%CI: 2.56–21.86). Consequently, the camels may be a significant source of BVD infection for other ruminant animals in the same herd due to their susceptibility to the viral infection.
Carbon Dioxide Corrosion Mechanisms: Historical Development and Key Parameters of CO2-H2O Systems
Authors: Fonseca D. , Tagliari M. R. , Guaglianoni W. C. , Tamborim S. M. , Borges M. F.
Published: February 2024

The recent failures in flexible pipes have motivated the exhaustive research of corrosion mechanisms on high-strength carbon steel armor wires that are the main structural compounds of those structures that mostly operate in seawater environments in the presence of carbon dioxide (CO2) and confined spaces. Recently, the literature reported discoveries about electrolyte properties (as Fe+2(aq)/HCO3-(aq.) ratio) and supersaturation, near neutral pH inside the confined space, multiphase reactions of contaminants present in CO2 gas, the formation and dissolution mechanism of FeCO3 film, and interaction of CO2 gas impurities with the corrosion scale. Therefore, this review is aimed at presenting an up-to-date narrative of the CO2 corrosion phenomenon in carbon steel, connecting background fundamentals with current data studies.
Gemological and Spectral Characteristics of Gem-Quality Blue Gahnite from Nigeria
Authors: Chen Yifang , Zheng Junhao , Lu Mingmei , Liu Ziqi , Zhou Zhengyu
Published: February 2024

Gem-quality blue octahedral crystalline gahnite was produced in Nigeria. This paper investigated gemological and spectroscopic characteristics by basic gemological experiments, electron probes, infrared reflectance spectroscopy, laser Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The results show that the refractive index (RI) of Nigerian gahnite is 1.792∼1.794, and the specific gravity is 4.45∼4.66, with no fluorescence. The main chemical composition is ZnAl2O4, accounting for 93.57%, and the rest is mainly FeAl2O4, which also contains Na, Mg, Co, Mn, Cr, Cu, Si, K, and Ca elements. The infrared spectra showed midinfrared absorption bands near 510 cm−1, 559 cm−1, and 664 cm−1 in the fingerprint region, corresponding to the Zn-O stretching vibration, bending vibration, and Al-O bending vibration, respectively. The Raman spectra showed three of the five Raman active modes of the spinel group, with characteristic Raman absorption peaks located at 418 cm−1, 508 cm−1, and 660 cm−1, corresponding to Eg, T2g(2), and T2g(3) modes, respectively, and the comparison revealed a higher degree of Zn and Al ordering in this paper for gahnite. The photoluminescence spectra show the common Cr3+-activated fluorescence splitting peaks of natural spinel, of which the 686 nm (R-line) fluorescence peak is obvious and sharp. The UV-vis absorption spectra located at 444 nm and 489 nm are the most obvious, which are caused by the d-d electron leap of TFe2+ (5E ⟶ 5T2), and the blue-gray tones of the samples are mainly caused by the spin-forbidden electronic transitions in TFe2+ and MFe2+ ↔ MFe3+; the weak absorption peak at 609 nm was determined to be associated with Co2+ by derivative spectra.
Development of Rapid Isothermal Detection Methods Real‐Time Fluorescence and Lateral Flow Reverse Transcription Recombinase‐Aided Amplification Assay for Bovine Coronavirus
Authors: Li Qingqing , Pan Yan , Wu Cuilan , Ma Chunxia , Li Jun , Li Changting , Bai Huili , Gong Yu , Liu Jing , Tao Li , Yin Yangyan , Teng Ling , Zhong Shuhong , Lan Meiyi , Hu Shuai , Xuan Xiongbiao , Wei Tianchao , Peng Hao
Published: February 2024

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) is a notable pathogen affecting newly born calves and adult cattle, increasing mortality rates among calves and reducing productivity in meat and dairy industries, thereby causing substantial economic losses. Current primary laboratory methods for detecting BCoV include RT‐PCR assay, real‐time RT‐PCR assay, and ELISA. However, these methods are time‐consuming, require specialized technicians, and necessitate a laboratory environment. Consequently, there is an urgent need for a rapid, sensitive, and easy to use diagnostic method to detect BCoV. This study introduces two innovative protocols: the real‐time fluorescent reverse transcription recombinase‐aided amplification (RT‐RAA) and the test strip RT‐RAA (RT‐RAA‐LFD). Our results indicate that real‐time RT‐RAA can complete the reaction in 20 min at 39°C, while RT‐RAA‐LFD can achieve detection in just 17.5 min at 35°C. These new approaches offer higher specificity, with no cross‐reactivity to other viruses, and significantly enhanced sensitivity compared to existing methods (1.46 × 101 and 1.46 × 102 copies/μL, respectively). We evaluated the performance of our methods using 242 clinical samples, and compared with RT‐PCR and RT‐qPCR. Both real‐time RT‐RAA and RT‐qPCR yielded similar detection rates, the detection rate of RT‐RAA‐LFD was better than RT‐PCR. The RT‐RAA methods developed in this study effectively overcome the limitations associated with both RT‐PCR and RT‐qPCR by offering advantages including a single, low reaction temperature that allows for room temperature operation. Both methods boast shorter reaction times, simpler and more portable instrumentation, as well as reduced technical and environmental demands. Generally, both RT‐RAA methods established in this study offer new avenues for the rapid detection of BCoV, contributing significantly to the monitoring, prevention, and control of the disease in global bovine industry.
One-Degree Aerial Device: Control and Experimental Development
Authors: Acho Leonardo , Buenestado Pablo , Pujol-Vázquez Gisela
Published: February 2024

The ball and beam experimental platform is an unstable nonlinear system widely used as a benchmark control setup for testing different controller approaches, especially for beginners on automatic control to improve their control knowledge skills. In this paper, we innovate it by governing the angular position of the beam with a twin-rotor system. Our experiment consists of a beam that rotates through a pivot, in which two propellers are attached to the ends of this beam. Hence, we have a recent one-degree aerial device, and instead of using a ball, we employ a mass moving on the beam, presenting friction on position to its movements on the beam. Then, the control objective is to regulate the mass position at some predefined zone on the beam, ensuring stability and robustness in front of external perturbations and unmodeled uncertainties. To do so, we define a classical PI controller. To assess closed-loop robustness, a mass was introduced to one propeller to induce perturbation, thereby simulating modeling variations or disturbances. The experimental results prove the goodness of our experimental platform for drone applications.
Landscape‐Scale Epidemiological Dynamics of SARS‐CoV‐2 in White‐Tailed Deer
Authors: Hewitt Joshua , Wilson-Henjum Grete , Collins Derek T. , Linder Timothy J. , Lenoch Julianna B. , Heale Jonathon D. , Quintanal Christopher A. , Pleszewski Robert , McBride Dillon S. , Bowman Andrew S. , Chandler Jeffrey C. , Shriner Susan A. , Bevins Sarah N. , Kohler Dennis J. , Chipman Richard B. , Gosser Allen L. , Bergman David L. , DeLiberto Thomas J. , Pepin Kim M.
Published: February 2024

Understanding pathogen emergence in new host species is fundamental for developing prevention and response plans for human and animal health. We leveraged a large‐scale surveillance dataset coordinated by United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and State Natural Resources Agencies to quantify the outbreak dynamics of SARS‐CoV‐2 in North American white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; WTD) throughout its range in the United States. Local epidemics in WTD were well approximated by a single‐outbreak peak followed by fade out. Outbreaks peaked early in the northeast and mid‐Atlantic. Local effective reproduction ratios of SARS‐CoV‐2 were between 1 and 2.5. Ten percent of variability in peak prevalence was explained by human infection pressure. This, together with the similar peak infection prevalence times across many counties and single‐peak outbreak dynamics followed by fade out, suggest that widespread transmission via human‐to‐deer spillover may have been an important driver of the patterns and persistence. We provide a framework for inferring population‐level epidemiological processes through joint analysis of many sparsely observed local outbreaks (landscape‐scale surveillance data) and linking epidemiological parameters to ecological risk factors. The framework combines mechanistic and statistical models that can identify and track local outbreaks in long‐term infection surveillance monitoring data.
Performance of Heat Pump Air Conditioning with R1234ze (HFO) as a Refrigerant
Authors: Kumar Subhash , Raibhole Vaijanath N. , Majumder Himadri
Published: February 2024

The study shows that refrigerants R1234ze (E) and R1234ze (Z), known for their low global warming potential, are likely to become primary choices in heat pump air conditioning for residential and commercial use. The research evaluates the thermodynamic properties of R1234ze (Z) using experimental, thermodynamic, and numerical analyses. It addresses F-gas regulation requirements and aligns with the Paris Agreement goals by exploring various refrigerants, including R227ea, R114, R236fa, R134a, R1234ze (Z), and R245fa, as potential candidates for evolving industry needs. The analysis indicates that R1234ze (Z) outperforms other working fluids in heat pump applications, with an optimized theoretical coefficient of performance (COP) at a condensation temperature 22 K lower than critical temperatures. However, actual COP deviates due to a significant pressure drop, especially with inadequate volumetric capacity. A key finding is that a substantial portion of the pressure reduction is attributed to mitigating irreversible losses, estimated at a condensation temperature of 70–75°C, emphasizing the complex relationship between pressure and performance. The study suggests that R1234ze (Z) is more suitable for high-temperature applications than traditional air conditioning systems. In a parallel assessment, the initial calculation of the coefficient of performance for R245fa evaluates the reliability of a new refrigeration industry arrangement. Test results for heat pump technology reveal that R1234ze (Z) achieves an impressive COP of up to 3.60 at a buildup temperature of 90°C with a temperature differential of 45 K. This positions R1234ze (Z) as a suitable choice for heat pump applications prioritizing simplicity in system design.
Deleting a Signal: Evidence from Pre-employment Credit Checks
Authors: Bartik Alexander W. , Nelson Scott T.
Published: February 2024

We study the removal of information from a market, such as a job-applicant screening tool. We characterize how removal harms groups with relative advantage in that information: typically those for whom the banned information is most precise relative to alternative signals. We illustrate this using recent bans on employers’ use of credit report data. Bans decrease job-finding rates for Black job-seekers by 3 percentage points and increase involuntary separations for Black new hires by 4 percentage points, primarily because other screening tools, such as interviews, have around 60% higher standard deviation of signal noise for Black relative to white job-seekers.
Examining Selection Pressures in the Publication Process through the Lens of Sniff Tests
Authors: Snyder Christopher M. , Zhuo Ran
Published: February 2024

Economics papers increasingly report balance, pre-trend, placebo, and other “sniff tests,” rejection of which is bad news for authors, undermining the credibility of their main results. We derive nonparametric bounds on the latent proportion of significant sniff tests removed by the publication process (whether by p-hacking or relegation to the file drawer) and the proportion whose significance was due to true misspecification, not bad luck. Using a hand-collected sample of nearly 30,000 sniff tests, we estimate a removal rate of over 30% for balance tests in randomized controlled trials and a misspecification rate of over 40% for other tests.
Difference-in-Differences Estimators of Intertemporal Treatment Effects
Authors: de Chaisemartin Clément , D'Haultfœuille Xavier
Published: February 2024

We study treatment-effect estimation using panel data. The treatment may be non-binary, non-absorbing, and the outcome may be affected by treatment lags. We make a parallel-trends assumption, and propose event-study estimators of the effect of being exposed to a weakly higher treatment dose for ℓ. periods. We also propose normalized estimators, that estimate a weighted average of the effects of the current treatment and its lags. We also analyze commonly-used two-way-fixed-effects regressions. Unlike our estimators, they can be biased in the presence of heterogeneous treatment effects. A local-projection version of those regressions is biased even with homogeneous effects.
How Big Is the Media Multiplier? Evidence from Dyadic News Data
Authors: Besley Timothy , Fetzer Thiemo , Mueller Hannes
Published: February 2024

This paper estimates the size of the media multiplier, an easily generalizable model-based measure of how far media coverage magnifies the economic response to shocks. We combine monthly aggregated and anonymized credit card activity data from 114 card issuing countries in 5 destination countries with a large corpus of news coverage in issuing countries reporting on violent events in the destinations. To define and quantify the media multiplier we estimate a model in which latent beliefs, shaped by either events or news coverage, drive card activity. According to the model, media coverage can more than triple the economic impact of an event. We document, through our model, that this effect is highly heterogenous and depends on the broader media representation of countries in each others news. We speculate about the role of the media in driving international travel patterns an.
Lowering the Playing Field: Discrimination through Sequential Spillover Effects
Authors: Kessler Judd B. , Low Corinne , Shan Xiaoyue
Published: February 2024

We document a new way that discrimination operates: through sequential spillover effects. Employers in an incentivized resume rating experiment evaluate a sequence of hypothetical candidates with randomly assigned characteristics. Candidates are rated worse when following white men than when following women or minorities. Exploring the mechanisms, we find that spillover effects are inversely related to direct bias. When reviewing high-quality resumes or recruiting in STEM industries, employers directly favor white men and display no spillover effect. For low-quality resumes or non-STEM industries, we find no direct bias but a strong spillover effect. Results suggest that discrimination arises in subtle ways.
The Unintended Consequences of Infrastructure Development
Authors: Bancalari Antonella
Published: February 2024

I investigate the social costs imposed by poor implementation of public infrastructure. Focusing on the period from 2005 to 2015 in Peru, when the government embarked on a nationwide initiative to expand sewerage systems, I leverage quasirandom variation in initiation of the implementation phase. By combining several sources of administrative data, I find that infrastructure development increased infant and under-5 mortality. These effects are driven by health and safety hazards associated with construction work, leading to increased deaths from accidents and waterborne diseases. The severity of these effects is more pronounced in areas where construction activity was more intense.
Information Transmission in Groups: Peer Influence in High-Stakes, Irreversible Financial Decisions
Authors: Ahn Tom , Cunha Jesse M. , Veith Patrick
Published: February 2024

We study the influence of workplace peers on a high-stakes, irreversible retirement plan choice. Mid-career U.S. military personnel choose between higher future pension pay-outs, or an immediate bonus plus lower future pay-outs. With peers defined as those who have locked-in their choices and personnel assignment rules ensuring that peer groups are exogenously formed, we capture the causal impact of peers. Greater peer take-up of the bonus, which is difficult to compare to the alternative plan but often extremely costly over one's lifetime, discourages choosers from selecting the bonus. Peers are especially impactful within professional, race, and gender groups.
Federal Tax Deductions and the Demand for Local Public Goods
Authors: Ambrose Brent W. , Valentin Maxence
Published: February 2024

The United States tax system allows taxpayers to deduct local taxes from their taxable incomes. Using school district referendum results, we employ a continuous treatment two-way fixed-effects framework to provide causal evidence of a positive relation between the demand for local public goods and the share of residents deducting local taxes. We find that a one-percentage-point decrease in the share of residents deducting property taxes reduces tax and bond referendum approval rates by approximately 0.97 percentage points. Because these federal tax deductions disproportionately benefit higher-income individuals, they potentially widen disparities in public service provision across jurisdictions.
Women and Law in Seventeenth-Century Mughal India
Authors: Hassan Basharat
Published: February 2024

This article examines a collection of notary documents referred to as the ‘Cambay Documents’. The ‘Cambay Documents’ is a collection of around fifty documents, registered between the second half of the seventeenth to the first half of the eighteenth century. These documents were acquired by the National Archives of India from a private collection and are now in the Oriental Section of the National Archives of India, New Delhi. We explored these documents to situate the legal position of women in Mughal India. These documents are of immense importance as they are related to the practice of law rather than theory. There is a dearth of such documents in modern repositories and archives, due to the absence of any centralized archives in Mughal India.