bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparative Analysis of the Indian Lunacy Act 1912 and Pakistan's Mental Health Ordinance 2001
Authors: Younas Arooba , Qureshi Abeeda
Published: December 2024

This study compares the Indian Lunacy Act (ILA) 1912 with the Mental Health Ordinance (MHO) 2001 to demonstrate the (dis)continuity of colonial practices in the context of postcolonial Pakistan. This analysis is informed by Foucauldian power/knowledge nexus making a unique contribution to the broader field of mental health policy. The discursive continuity of the colonial legacy involving the legal structures in the mental health system, where the state uses psychiatric knowledge to legitimize the detention of individuals, echoes the Foucauldian concept of the power/knowledge nexus. Scrutinizing the words used in both legislations, it has been understood that language is not neutral; rather it is suffused with meaning, creating knowledge and truths. This is seen through the offensive words used in the ILA 1912 that denote degradation, disdain, and contempt toward the “insane,” “dangerous,” and “lunatics.” Although MHO 2001 adopted a more neutral language, a continuation of the mechanism of control is seen during the admitting process, in which the opinions and statements of medical professionals play an important role. The marginalization of alternative mental health practices, in the form of indigenous and communal mental health practices in both mental health legislations, showcases the dominance of the biomedical model, enforcing a particular form of epistemic control. Nonetheless, the relative improvement of the MHO 2001, as opposed to the ILA 1912, has been seen in terms of the language used and the inclusion of community‐based mental health services.
Psychological and Brain Development
Authors: Schleim Stephan
Published: December 2024

Age limits play an important role in various areas of law. In this chapter, we look at the psychological, biological and neuroscientific research on puberty, adolescence and adulthood. According to new proposals, adolescence extends from the age of ten to 24. While various studies suggest that cognitive development has reached adult level by the age of 16–20, researchers assume a longer process for emotional and social maturity. These views are compared with new findings on brain development. The question of the extent to which “typical” adolescent behavior is a reaction to psychosocial circumstances is also addressed. A specific “adolescent brain” cannot be identified based on current knowledge.
Brain and Behavior: A Pragmatic Approach
Authors: Schleim Stephan
Published: December 2024

In the final chapter, we draw a general conclusion on brain development and the law. After summarizing the previous results, I make a pragmatic proposal for the connection between psycho-behavioral and neuroscientific knowledge. At the end, important open questions and expected results for neurolaw are described.
A Generalisation of Emerson’s recurrence formulae and the Gray-Williams index
Authors: Beh Eric J. , Lombardo Rosaria
Published: December 2024

When analysing the association between the ordered categorical variables of a contingency table, orthogonal polynomials derived from the recurrence formulae of Emerson (1968, Biometrics, 24: 695 - 701) have been extensively used. The calculation of such polynomials is somewhat limited because they reflect only the univariate structure of each variable. This paper proposes a new generalisation of Emerson’s recurrence formulae that reflects bivariate and, more generally, multivariate, association structures for the construction of orthogonal polynomials for multi-way contingency tables. We shall demonstrate the utility of this generalisation by giving special attention to the Gray-Williams index, a three-way variant of the Goodman-Kruskal tau index.
The last generation: F3 of Echinometra sea urchins under experimental climate change
Authors: Uthicke Sven , Patel Frances , Thoben Femke , Dee Alice , Lamare Miles
Published: December 2024

Ocean warming and acidification are a threat to calcifying marine invertebrates such as Echinoderms. Transgenerational plasticity may allow animals to respond to these conditions, but few studies exposing marine invertebrates to climate stressors over multiple generations exist. Here, data from the final (F2 post-settlement, F3 larvae and juveniles) generations in a long-term (> 6 yrs) experiment on the tropical sea urchin Echinometra sp. A. This commenced with exposing wild collected animals (F0 generation) and subsequent generations (larvae and adults both for F1 and F2) to control (present-day ambient) and climate change (CC) conditions (2 °C above ambient temperatures, 940 ppm pCO2). Survivorship in all F2 treatments (ranging from all generations being held at ambient conditions to all at elevated conditions) was high (> 50%). Some significant differences in survivorship existed among treatments, although there was no apparent relationship to CC conditions exposure time. There was also no difference in size among treatment groups in the F2 sea urchins up to 720d post-settlement. As in previous generations, the largest effect on adults was that males exposed to CC conditions have reduced reproductive potential, and there was a significant negative relationship with the number of generations exposed to future ocean conditions and spawning performance. Effects were extreme, in that we could only raise larvae from the control treatment, or those individuals kept for 0.5 generations (only F2 adults under climate change conditions). Larvae from both parental groups only reached settlement when raised under control conditions. Larval morphology also responded to treatment (reduced arm length under CC conditions) and exhibited negative parental effects (smaller arm and body lengths from parents under CC conditions). Thus, negative parental effects observed in earlier publications did not diminish over the following generations but, in some traits, increased. We therefore detected no evidence of transgenerational acclimation to future ocean conditions.
Sharp quantitative stability of Poincaré-Sobolev inequality in the hyperbolic space and applications to fast diffusion flows
Authors: Bhakta Mousomi , Ganguly Debdip , Karmakar Debabrata , Mazumdar Saikat
Published: December 2024

Consider the Poincaré-Sobolev inequality on the hyperbolic space: for every

$$n \ge 3$$

n
≥
3

and

$$1 < p \le \frac{n+2}{n-2},$$

1
<
p
≤

n
+
2

n
-
2

,

there exists a best constant

$$S_{n,p, \lambda }({\mathbb {B}}^{n})>0$$

S

n
,
p
,
λ

(

B

n

)

>
0

such that

$$\begin{aligned} S_{n, p, \lambda }({\mathbb {B}}^{n})\left( ~\int \limits _{{\mathbb {B}}^{n}}|u|^{{p+1}} \, \textrm{d}v_{{\mathbb {B}}^n} \right) ^{\frac{2}{p+1}} \le \int \limits _{{\mathbb {B}}^{n}}\left( |\nabla _{{\mathbb {B}}^{n}}u|^{2}-\lambda u^{2}\right) \, \textrm{d}v_{{\mathbb {B}}^n}, \end{aligned}$$

S

n
,
p
,
λ

(

B

n

)

∫

B

n

|
u
|

p
+
1

d

v

B

n

2

p
+
1

≤

∫

B

n

|

∇

B

n

u
|

2

-
λ

u
2

d

v

B

n

,

holds for all

$$u\in C_c^{\infty }({\mathbb {B}}^n),$$

u
∈

C
c
∞

(

B

n

)

,

and

$$\lambda \le \frac{(n-1)^2}{4},$$

λ
≤

(
n
-
1
)

2

4

,

where

$$\frac{(n-1)^2}{4}$$

(
n
-
1
)

2

4

is the bottom of the

$$L^2$$

L
2

-spectrum of

$$-\Delta _{{\mathbb {B}}^n}.$$

-

Δ

B

n

.

It is known from the results of Mancini and Sandeep (Ann. Sc. Norm. Super. Pisa Cl. Sci. 7 (4): 635–671, 2008) that under appropriate assumptions on n, p and

$$\lambda $$

λ

there exists an optimizer, unique up to the hyperbolic isometries, attaining the best constant

$$S_{n,p,\lambda }({\mathbb {B}}^n).$$

S

n
,
p
,
λ

(

B

n

)

.

In this article, we investigate the quantitative gradient stability of the above inequality and the corresponding Euler-Lagrange equation locally around a bubble. Our result generalizes the sharp quantitative stability of Sobolev inequality in

$${\mathbb {R}}^{n}$$

R

n

by Bianchi and Egnell (J. Funct. Anal. 100 (1): 18–24. 1991) and Ciraolo, Figalli and Maggi (Int. Math. Res. Not. IMRN (21): 6780–6797, 2018) to the Poincaré-Sobolev inequality on the hyperbolic space. Furthermore, combining our stability results and implementing a novel and refined smoothing estimates in spirit of Bonforte and Figalli (Comm. Pure Appl. Math. 74 (4): 744–789, 2021), we prove a quantitative extinction rate towards its basin of attraction of the solutions of the sub-critical fast diffusion flow for radial initial data. In another application, we derive sharp quantitative stability of the Hardy-Sobolev-Maz’ya inequalities for the class of functions which are symmetric in the component of singularity.
Good practice in lactation counseling for Ukrainian refugee mothers to ensure the health and mental benefits of breastfeeding – an observational study
Authors: Babiszewska-Aksamit Magdalena , Bzikowska-Jura Agnieszka , Kotlińska Anna , Aduła Agata , Chrobak Agnieszka , Domosud Justyna , Drążkowska Izabela , Gaweł Paulina , Jakimiuk Artur , Kołodziej Józefa , Królak-Olejnik Barbara , Lisak-Gurba Katarzyna , Mozdyniewicz Katarzyna , Mołas Aleksandra , Piątkowska Agnieszka , Sinkiewicz-Darol Elena , Wesołowska Aleksandra
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The study presents a cross-sectional analysis of the population of Ukrainian women who received maternity care in 11 Polish hospitals.

Methods

Multidirectional lactation counseling was implemented from March to November 2023 by the Human Milk Bank Foundation in cooperation with UNICEF Refugee Response Office in Poland. Medical data were collected using questionnaires prepared for the study. When the mother indicated that she had mental problems or the health care personnel spotted problems, she was she referred to a psychologist for diagnostics, who used questionnaires appropriate to the patient’s situation such as: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression assessment and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7 for anxiety assessment.

Results

In total, 1203 consultations were carried out, of which 542 were lactation counseling, 305 - were physiotherapy, 227 - were psychological, and 129 - were with speech-language pathologists. Two hours of skin-to-skin contact (SSC) and latching on the breast within the 1st hour postpartum occurred in more than half of the participants. In the rest of the population, shortened or lack of SSC was associated with breastfeeding delayed by at least one day. 53% of the population required lactation counseling, of which 242 were one-time visits. Continued support was 98% effective in achieving breastfeeding goals. 167 mothers required psychological support, of which only 53 women continued treatment beyond one-time counseling. Only about 1% of women experienced mental disorders based on a psychological interview.

Conclusion

The use of lactation counseling more often than psychological counseling by refugee mothers could be related to the beneficial effects of breastfeeding on maternal well-being through hormonal self-regulation and empowerment as a mother. However, focused research is needed on the impact of breastfeeding on the mental health of refugee women.
Examining the presence and effects of coherence and fragmentation in the Gulf of Maine fishery management network
Authors: Katznelson Derek , Sohns Antonia , Kim Dongkyu , Roozee Evelyn , Donner William R. , Song Andrew M. , de Vries Jasper R. , Temby Owen , Hickey Gordon M.
Published: December 2024

Natural resource management networks cohere due to mutual dependencies and fragment, in part, due to the perceived risks of interaction. However, research on these networks has tended to accept coherence a priori rather than problematizing dependence, and few studies exist on interorganizational risk perception. This article presents the results of a study operationalizing these concepts and measuring the distribution of three types of dependence (capital, legitimacy, and regulatory) and two types of perceived risk (performance and sanction) among nearly fifty stakeholder groups and organizations participating in the management of fisheries in the binational Gulf of Maine. The analysis reveals an organizationally diverse network with several stakeholder types participating, with communications clustered binationally, with low levels of perceived risk in interacting, and interdependencies cohering the network. The types of interorganizational dependence present varied across dyadic relationships, but legitimacy dependence, based on shared understandings that organizations should work together, was the most present and had the largest effect on collaboration-oriented network traits. Sanction risk was more common than performance risk but had the most substantial negative effect. The results suggest an opportunity for additional studies of interorganizational dependance and perceived risk to operationalize and measure the sources of network coherence and fragmentation and their effect on collaboration.
Diagnostic accuracy of intraoperative pelvic autonomic nerve monitoring during rectal surgery: a systematic review
Authors: O’Connor A. , Rengifo C. , Griffiths B. , Cornish J. A. , Tiernan J. P. , Khan Jim , Nunoo-Mensah J. W. , Telford K. , Harji D.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Anorectal and urogenital dysfunctions are common after rectal surgery and have a significant impact on quality of life. Intraoperative pelvic autonomic nerve monitoring (pIONM) has been proposed as a tool to identify patients at risk of these functional sequelae. This systematic review aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of pIONM in detecting anorectal and urogenital dysfunction following rectal surgery.

Methods

A systematic review of articles published since 1990 was conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science. Studies describing pIONM for rectal surgery and reporting anorectal or urogenital functional outcomes were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the QUADS-2 tool. The diagnostic accuracy of pIONM was established with pooled sensitivity and specificity alongside summary receiver-operating characteristic curves.

Results

Twenty studies including 686 patients undergoing pIONM were identified, with seven of these studies including a control group. There was heterogeneity in the pIONM technique and reported outcome measures used. Results from five studies indicate pIONM may be able to predict postoperative anorectal (sensitivity 1.00 [95% CI 0.03–1.00], specificity 0.98 [0.91–0.99]) and urinary (sensitivity 1.00 [95% CI 0.03–1.00], specificity 0.99 [0.92–0.99]) dysfunction.

Conclusions

This review identifies the diagnostic accuracy of pIONM in detecting postoperative anorectal and urogenital dysfunction following rectal surgery. Further research is necessary before pIONM can be routinely used in clinical practice.

PROSPERO Registration Details

CRD42022313934.
Tailings Dam Breach Outflow Modelling: A Review
Authors: Sreekumar Uthra , Gildeh Hossein Kheirkhah , Mohammadian Abdolmajid , Rennie Colin , Nistor Ioan
Published: December 2024

Tailings dam breach modelling studies have received considerable attention recently due to the rise in the number of tailings dam failures and catastrophic consequences caused by downstream flooding. Numerical models are useful tools in risk management for assisting urban planners in planning for the safe evacuation of the vulnerable communities located downstream in the so-called “shadow area” of such dams. Several challenges and uncertainties exist when conducting risk assessments of tailings dam failure. In this study, recent advances in modelling approaches for tailings dam breach analysis and downstream flood wave routing are summarized and critically reviewed. This study evaluates different mudflow modelling studies that involve single-phase, quasi-two-phase, and two-phase modelling approaches; dam breach outflow modelling; tailings rheological characterization; and application of geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing to tailings dam breach analysis. Recommendations for further research are provided based on the findings. In addition, this study will help dam engineers and practitioners to maintain industry standards and include state-of-the-art practices in their work.
Patient-Centered Communication: Incorporating Principles of Dialogic Practice and Family Centered Rounds on an Inpatient Psychotic Disorders Unit
Authors: Gerken Adrienne T. , Öngür Dost , Kim Soo Jin , Ren Boyu , Idiculla Thomaskutty , Stoklosa Joseph
Published: December 2024

This study examined the impact of Patient-Centered Communication (PCC), Open Dialogue-inspired changes to rounding practices and culture, on patient perceptions of care on an inpatient psychotic disorders unit. A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted based on medical records, restraint and seclusion records, and hospital Perceptions of Care (PoC) surveys. The analysis compared data from 6-month periods before and after implementation of PCC to quantify whether the implementation of PCC was associated with more positive care ratings. There were trends toward improvement suggestive of an effect on patients’ perception that their care was adequately explained, that they felt involved in care, that they felt respected, and that they were supported during hospitalization, although improvements did not achieve statistical significance. Greater improvement was observed for teams that incorporated a greater number of interventions. Dialogic practice-inspired changes on an acute inpatient unit may improve patient perceptions of inclusion and respect in their care.
SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence in a Delivering Refugee Population: Refugee Status, Payor Type, Race, and Vaccination Status
Authors: Johnston Eleanor U. , Bhattarai Bikash , Johnson-Agbakwu Crista E. , Coonrod Dean V.
Published: December 2024

Underserved communities were disproportionately affected during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Limited data exist on the impact of COVID-19 among refugee populations because refugee status is not often classified in electronic medical record (EMR) systems, unlike race or primary language. The study aim was to evaluate the PCR-based prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in a delivering population over the first 2 years of the pandemic by refugee status, ethnicity, insurance, and vaccination status. A cross-sectional study examined parturient patients admitted to an urban safety-net hospital from May 2020 to May 2022 who were tested for SARS-CoV-2on admission. Percentages and prevalence ratios of SARS-CoV-2 between refugee status, insurance type, vaccination status, and race/ethnicity were calculated across four time periods, corresponding with variant surges of the pandemic. 3,502 patients delivered, 476 (13.6%) were refugees. Self-pay (46.4%) and Medicaid (46.4%) were the most frequent insurance types with a Hispanic predominance (64.5%) by race/ethnicity. Only 12.8% of patients received at least one vaccine before delivery: 13.2% in non-refugees versus 10.3% refugees 192 (5.5%) of the mothers tested positive during the study period with 6.1% refugees positive versus 5.4% among non-refugees, (prevalence ratio, 1.13; P = 0.53, 95% confidence interval [0.77, 1.66]). Positive tests ranged between 4.7% and 6.3% across insurance types and between 4.4% and 7.5% across race/ethnicity categories. The highest prevalence ratio (refugee/non-refugee) of 2.01 was during the Delta Surge (P = 0.12, 95% confidence interval [0.84, 4.82]) and the lowest prevalence ratio of 0.64 was during the Omicron Surge (P = 0.21, 95% CI [0.32, 1.30]). Among refugees when examined by primary language, 51.7% of positive tests were from those speaking languages of the African Great Lakes region (Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Swahili, Kiswahili). We observed only small differences in SARS-CoV-2 prevalence between refugees and non-refugees or in vaccination status. Variations in prevalence ratio were seen by refugee status by variant surge. Subsets of the refugee population, when grouped by language/region, appeared to be more affected. This warrants future research on the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on specific refugee communities, rather than refugee communities as a heterogenous unit.
Non-malignant features of cancer predisposition syndromes manifesting in childhood and adolescence: a guide for the general pediatrician
Authors: Kuhlen Michaela , Weins Andreas B. , Stadler Nicole , Angelova-Toshkina Daniela , Frühwald Michael C.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Cancer predisposition syndromes are genetic disorders that significantly raise the risk of developing malignancies. Although the malignant manifestations of cancer predisposition syndromes are well-studied, recognizing their non-malignant features is crucial for early diagnosis, especially in children and adolescents.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the PubMed database, focusing on non-malignant manifestations of cancer predisposition syndromes in children and adolescents. Key sources included the Clinical Cancer Research pediatric oncology series and ORPHANET. Studies that described clinical signs and symptoms affecting specific organ systems were included.

Results

Non-malignant dermatological features often serve as early indicators of cancer predisposition syndromes, including café-au-lait spots in Neurofibromatosis Type 1 and facial angiofibromas in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. Neurological and developmental anomalies such as cerebellar ataxia in ataxia-telangiectasia and intellectual disabilities in neurofibromatosis type 1 and tuberous sclerosis complex are significant indicators. Growth and metabolic anomalies are also notable, including overgrowth in Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome and growth hormone deficiency in neurofibromatosis Type 1. In addition, facial anomalies, ocular manifestations, hearing issues, and thyroid anomalies are prevalent across various cancer predisposition syndromes. For instance, hearing loss may be significant in neurofibromatosis Type 2, while thyroid nodules are common in PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome and DICER1 syndrome. Cardiovascular, abdominal, musculoskeletal, pulmonary, genitourinary manifestations, and prenatal deviations further complicate the clinical picture.

Conclusions

Recognizing non-malignant features of cancer predisposition syndromes is essential for early diagnosis and management. This organ-specific overview furthers awareness among healthcare providers, facilitating timely genetic counseling, surveillance programs, and preventive measures, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Graphical abstract
Towards an eco-social circular economy: exploring the feasibility study of pyrolysis on agricultural feedstocks
Authors: Allison Thomas , Shivaprasad Kumar Vijayalakshmi , Malik Abdullah , Rafiq Rehman , Wang Yaodong , Roskilly Anthony Paul
Published: December 2024

The agricultural sector is challenging to decarbonise due to its reliance on heavy machinery and fossil fuels, which face issues when decarbonising via methods such as electrification. However, agriculture provides opportunities to generate renewable energy via biomass sources due to their abundance within this sector. This feasibility study used a continuous auger pyrolysis system to assess how straw waste from a medium-scale arable farm could convert energy from an external electrical source into usable chemical potential. Wheat, barley, oil seed rape (OSR), and bean straw have all been processed and pyrolysed under different temperatures and auger feed rates. The syngas product was then analysed, considering its composition and the lower heating value. Results indicate that the percentage of carbon monoxide and hydrogen and the total volume of syngas increased with temperature. In addition, the syngas’ energy quantity increased despite the product’s decreasing heating value. The case study’s annual energy demand was equal to 14.4% of the 3900 GJ maximum potential contained within the syngas, and thus it can be concluded that there is potential for the application of this system towards a circular economy. The system’s cold gas, net, and electrical conversion efficiency were also assessed with maximum values of 37.1%, 30.1%, and 174.4%, respectively. Furthermore, the statistical analysis confirms high predictability for wheat, barley, bean, and OSR feedstocks, with a general linear model showing high accuracy across all.
smCamera: all-in-one software package for single-molecule data acquisition and data analysis
Authors: Lee Kyung Suk , Ha Taekjip
Published: December 2024

In the last decades, biological applications of single-molecule methods have grown rapidly and researchers with expertise in microscopy and instrumentation have adopted these techniques and advanced them even further. However, practicing single-molecule methods is still challenging for most because of the need for expensive equipments and instrumentation demands as well as complicated data acquisition and analysis workflow consisting of multiple steps using different software in each of them. smCamera is an all-in-one software package which aims to alleviate steep learning curves of the data acquisition and analysis. From recording movies through extraction of time series of single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET), everything can be done in a single program without any additional software or programming languages. Although smCamera has not been published before, it has been distributed to facilitate adaption of smFRET experiments and there has been requests for support for this software. We hope that this work answers questions from researchers using smCamera and also provides an opportunity to introduce and distribute smCamera for new users.
Theatres of Autofiction
Authors: Mark Lianna
Published: December 2024

This Element is the first monograph to focus on the presence and popularity of autofiction in contemporary theatre, a mode characterised by its mixture of autobiographical and fictional materials and generally associated with the cutting edge of literary fiction. To do so, it brings frameworks from literary and theatre studies to bear on a recent upsurge in plays that explicitly mobilise lived experience and its fictionalisation to political ends. Considering a comparative corpus of state-subsidised productions in Britain and Europe since the mid 2010s – both adaptations of literary works and plays written for the stage – this Element attends to autofiction's aesthetics and politics through its negotiation on stage of three conceptual binaries, each the focus of a section: fact/fiction, self/other, and inclusion/exclusion. By probing the mode's critical potential and pitfalls, it sheds light on the stakes of self-fictionalising practices in today's cultural markets and on the role of theatre therein.
Staging Witchcraft Before the Law
Authors: Peters Julie Stone
Published: December 2024

While the judicial machinery of early modern witch-hunting could work with terrifying swiftness, skepticism and evidentiary barriers often made conviction difficult. Seeking proof strong enough to overcome skepticism, judges and accusers turned to performance, staging 'acts of Sorcery and Witch-craft manifest to sense.' Looking at an array of demonological treatises, pamphlets, documents, and images, this Element shows that such staging answered to specific doctrines of proof: catching the criminal 'in the acte'; establishing 'notoriety of the fact'; producing 'violent presumptions' of guilt. But performance sometimes overflowed the demands of doctrine, behaving in unpredictable ways. A detailed examination of two cases – the 1591 case of the French witch-demoniac Françoise Fontaine and the 1593 case of John Samuel of Warboys –suggests the manifold, multilayered ways that evidentiary staging could signify – as it can still in that conjuring practice we call law. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Application of an improved TEM-EDS protocol based on charge balance for accurate chemical analysis of sub-micrometric phyllosilicates in low-grade metamorphic rocks
Authors: Sanità Edoardo , Conconi Roberto , Lorenzon Sofia , Di Rosa Maria , Capitani Giancarlo , Mugnaioli Enrico
Published: December 2024

Determining the chemical composition of sub-micrometer rock-forming minerals is still a challenging task. The electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) is considered the most accurate analytical way to obtain chemical data on amorphous and crystalline materials. However, performing EPMA analyses on sub-micrometer-sized grains is uncertain not recommended as the risk of obtaining analyses contaminated from the surrounding phases. A transmission electron microscope (TEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) provides a greater spatial resolution, making it possible to obtain trustworthy chemical information on sub-micrometer-sized material. In this work, we present a fast and cheap data-reduction protocol for TEM-EDS chemical analysis, where k-factors derived experimentally for each element of interest and absorption correction are implemented. The results are compared with those determined using standardless and non-corrected TEM-EDS protocols. The k-factor for oxygen plays a fundamental role and its value should be calculated from compounds similar to the phase of interest. For absorption correction, the contribution of hydrogen during structural formula recalculation is taken into account, like a lower net valence of oxygen. The robustness of this protocol was tested by performing TEM-EDS analyses on white mica grains from metapelites, belonging to the Internal Ligurian Units exposed in the Northern Apennines, the chemical composition of which is well constrained. Such a protocol has proven to provide high-quality results from both statistical and crystallo-chemical perspectives. Remarkably, the tested data-reduction protocol for TEM-EDS analysis provided chemical compositions consistent with the EPMA results previously obtained from the same samples.
Exploring cognitive characteristics and impairments in bipolar disorder: Insights from the BiDiLoS-Ng pilot study
Authors: Adiukwu Frances Nkechi , Adesokun Olufisayo , Amuta-Igwe Chinwendu Maryam , Metu Izuchukwu , Jack Isoboye Charles
Published: December 2024

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a leading cause of disability and is linked to cognitive and functional impairment, increased mortality from cardiometabolic disorders and bipolar disorder suicide. Few studies in sub-Saharan Africa have explored cognitive dysfunction in bipolar disorder. Our study explores the cognitive characteristics in a bipolar patient cohort in Nigeria and assesses its association with clinical and demographic variables.

40 participants from the Bipolar Disorder Longitudinal Study, at baseline, were included in the pilot study of the BiDiLos-Ng. Using a cross-sectional design, cognitive function was assessed using the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry. Multiple linear regression models were used to explore associations between dependent and independent variables.

Cognitive impairment was present in 41% of the bipolar cohort, it was not associated with the frequency of mood episodes, and higher educational level was associated with higher verbal fluency test scores (p = 0.02). Being in employment (p = 0.03), younger age (p = 0.00), and lower YMRS score (p = 0.006) were associated with higher working memory test scores.

The presence of mania symptoms during the euthymic phase of BD was associated with cognitive impairment. Executive function and working memory were linked to better academic and occupational attainment.
The combination of a glucagon-like peptide-1 and amylin receptor agonists reduces alcohol consumption in both male and female rats
Authors: Aranäs Cajsa , Edvardsson Christian E. , Zentveld Lindsay , Vallöf Daniel , Witley Sarah , Tufvesson-Alm Maximilian , Shevchouk Olesya T. , Vestlund Jesper , Jerlhag Elisabet
Published: December 2024

Objective:

Combining different pharmaceuticals may be beneficial when treating disorders with complex neurobiology, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). The gut-brain peptides amylin and GLP-1 may be of potential interest as they individually reduce alcohol intake in rodents. While the combination of amylin receptor (AMYR) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists have been found to decrease feeding and body weight in obese male rats synergistically, their combined impact on alcohol intake is unknown.

Methods:

Therefore, the effect of the combination of an AMYR (salmon calcitonin (sCT)) and a GLP-1R (dulaglutide) agonist on alcohol intake in rats of both sexes was explored in two separate alcohol-drinking experiments. The first alcohol-drinking experiment evaluated the potential of adding sCT to an ongoing dulaglutide treatment, whereas the second alcohol-drinking experiment examined the effect when adding sCT and dulaglutide simultaneously.

Results:

When adding sCT to an ongoing dulaglutide treatment, a reduction in alcohol intake was observed in both male and female rats. However, when combining sCT and dulaglutide simultaneously, an initial reduction in alcohol intake was observed in rats of both sexes, whereas tolerance towards treatment was observed. In both alcohol-drinking experiments, this treatment combination consistently decreased food consumption and body weight in males and females. While the treatment combination did not affect inflammatory mediators, the gene expression of AMYR or GLP-1R, it changed fat tissue morphology.

Conclusions:

Further investigation needs to be done on the combination of AMYR and GLP-1R agonists to assess their combined effects on alcohol intake.
Exposure duration is the main determinant of bilinguals’ vocabulary knowledge
Authors: Segal Dorit , Kavé Gitit
Published: December 2024

The present study examines whether age of second language acquisition, duration of exposure to that language, and chronological age determine vocabulary knowledge in 214 Russian–Hebrew bilinguals (ages 19–80, immigration ages 1–46, and exposure duration 7–63 years). Participants reported their language background and completed a multiple-choice vocabulary test in Hebrew, alongside other objective tests of Russian and Hebrew proficiency. While vocabulary scores were below age-matched norms for native Hebrew speakers, they were similar to those of younger native speakers matching in exposure duration. Raw vocabulary scores were similar whether participants immigrated up to age 15 or after that age, although results indicated a negative association between age of immigration and vocabulary scores. A positive association emerged between exposure duration and vocabulary scores, and when analyzing all measures together, age of immigration did not predict vocabulary scores, whereas exposure duration was its main determinant. We suggest that bilingualism itself does not cause a vocabulary gap, and that bilinguals’ vocabulary knowledge in their second language improves with exposure, as it does in native speakers throughout adulthood. The study emphasizes that learning a foreign language requires extensive exposure and that vocabulary learning is a lifelong process.
An elementary method to generate asymmetric profiles and some applications in X-ray diffraction analysis
Authors: Gutierrez Abraham , Wiessner Manfred
Published: December 2024

We present a versatile method to generate asymmetric profiles and use it to create Gaussian-like, Cauchy-like, and Pseudo-Voigt-like profiles in terms of elementary functions. Furthermore, this method guarantees that the position and magnitude of the global maximum are independent of the asymmetry parameter, which substantially facilitates the convergence of an optimizer when fitting the peaks to real data. This investigation shows that the method developed here exhibits favorable practical properties and is particularly well suited for various applications where asymmetric peak profiles are observed. For example, in X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, the use of asymmetric profiles is essential for obtaining accurate outcomes. This is because diffractometers can introduce asymmetry into the diffraction peaks due to factors such as axial divergence in the beam path. By taking this asymmetry into account during the modeling process, the resulting data obtained can be corrected for instrumental effects. The results of the study show that the evaluation of XRD using nearly defect-free LaB6 allows a precise characterization of the peak broadening caused by the diffractometer itself. Additional size-strain effects of ZnO are determined by considering the asymmetric peak profile of the diffractometer.
Real-time multidimensional detection of longitudinal tears in conveyor belts using FPGA-based parallel acceleration
Authors: Li Fei , Hu Kun , Zheng Hangbin
Published: December 2024

In the continuous transportation process of coal in mining, exploring real-time detection technology for longitudinal tear of conveyor belts on mobile devices can effectively prevent transport failures. To address the challenges associated with single-dimensional detection, high network complexity, and difficulties in mobile deployment for longitudinal tearing detection in conveyor belts, we have proposed an efficient parallel acceleration method based on field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) for the ECSMv3-YOLO network, which is an improved version of the you only look once (YOLO) network, enabling multidimensional real-time detection. The FPGA hardware acceleration architecture of the customized network incorporates quantization and pruning methods to further reduce network parameters. The convolutional acceleration engines were specifically designed to optimize the network’s inference speed, and the incorporation of dual buffers and multiple direct memory access channels can effectively mitigate data transfer latency. The establishment of a multidimensional longitudinal tear detection experimental device for conveyor belts facilitated FPGA acceleration experiments on ECSMv3-YOLO, resulting in model parameters of 6.257 M, mean average precision of 0.962, power consumption of 3.2 W, and a throughput of 15.56 giga operations per second (GOP/s). By assessing the effects of different networks and varying light intensity, and comparing with CPU, GPU, and different FPGA hardware acceleration platforms, this method demonstrates significant advantages in terms of detection speed, recognition accuracy, power consumption, and energy efficiency. Additionally, it exhibits strong adaptability and interference resilience.
Predictive model for genital tract infections among men and women in Ghana: An application of LASSO penalized cross-validation regression model
Authors: Ntumy Michael Yao , Tetteh John , Aguadze Stephen , Swaray Swithin M. , Udofia Emilia Asuquo , Yawson Alfred Edwin
Published: December 2024

To enhance the capacity for early and effective management of genital tract infections at primary and secondary levels of the healthcare system, we developed a prediction model, validated internally to help predict individual risk of self-reported genital tract infections (sGTIs) at the community level in Ghana. The study involved 32973 men and women aged 15–49 years from three rounds of the Ghana Demographic Health Survey, from 2003 to 2014. The outcomes were sGTIs. We applied the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalized regression with a 10-fold cross-validation model to 11 predictors based on prior review of the literature. The bootstrapping technique was also employed as a sensitivity analysis to produce a robust model. We further employed discriminant and calibration analyses to evaluate the performance of the model. Statistical significance was set at P-value <0.05. The mean±standard deviation age was 29.1±9.7 years with female preponderance (60.7%). The prevalence of sGTIs within the period was 11.2% (95% CI = 4.5–17.8) and it ranged from 5.4% (95% CI = 4.8–5.86) in 2003 to 17.5% (95% CI = 16.4–18.7) in 2014. The LASSO regression model retained all 11 predictors. The model’s ability to discriminate between those with sGTIs and those without sGTIs was approximately 73.50% (95% CI = 72.50–74.26) from the area under the curve with bootstrapping technique. There was no evidence of miscalibration from the calibration belt plot with bootstrapping (test statistic = 17.30; P-value = 0.060). The model performance was judged to be good and acceptable. In the absence of clinical measurement, this prediction tool can be used to identify individuals aged 15–49 years with a high risk of sGTIs at the community level in Ghana. Frontline healthcare staff can use this tool for screening and early detection. We, therefore, propose external validation of the model to confirm its generalizability and reliability in different population.
Current state of neurodevelopmental and psychosocial care practices for paediatric patients with ventricular assist devices: an Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network and Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative collaborative survey
Authors: Dusing Catherine R. , Turner Elise , Smyth Lauren , Cassidy Adam R. , Everitt Melanie D. , Graves Riki , Ilardi Dawn L. , Larkins Christina , McQueen Melissa , Roberts Hannah , Bolin Bonnie , Miller Thomas A. , Wright Lydia K. , Wolfe Kelly R. , Cousino Melissa K.
Published: December 2024

Purpose:

Paediatric patients with heart failure requiring ventricular assist devices are at heightened risk of neurologic injury and psychosocial adjustment challenges, resulting in a need for neurodevelopmental and psychosocial support following device placement. Through a descriptive survey developed in collaboration by the Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network and the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative, the present study aimed to characterise current neurodevelopmental and psychosocial care practices for paediatric patients with ventricular assist devices.

Method:

Members of both learning networks developed a 25-item electronic survey assessing neurodevelopmental and psychosocial care practices specific to paediatric ventricular assist device patients. The survey was sent to Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network site primary investigators and co-primary investigators via email.

Results:

Of the 63 eligible sites contacted, responses were received from 24 unique North and South American cardiology centres. Access to neurodevelopmental providers, referral practices, and family neurodevelopmental education varied across sites. Inpatient neurodevelopmental care consults were available at many centres, as were inpatient family support services. Over half of heart centres had outpatient neurodevelopmental testing and individual psychotherapy services available to patients with ventricular assist devices, though few centres had outpatient group psychotherapy (12.5%) or parent support groups (16.7%) available. Barriers to inpatient and outpatient neurodevelopmental care included limited access to neurodevelopmental providers and parent/provider focus on the child’s medical status.

Conclusions:

Paediatric patients with ventricular assist devices often have access to neurodevelopmental providers in the inpatient setting, though supports vary by centre. Strengthening family neurodevelopmental education, referral processes, and family-centred psychosocial services may improve current neurodevelopmental/psychosocial care for paediatric ventricular assist device patients.
Future Pathways of Water, Energy, and Food in the Eastern Nile Basin
Authors: Abdelkader Ahmed , Elshorbagy Amin , Elshamy Mohamed , Wheater Howard
Published: December 2024

The Eastern Nile Basin (ENB) countries of Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, and Ethiopia are subject to pronounced water, energy, and food (WEF) insecurity. There is a need to manage the WEF nexus to meet rapidly increasing demands, but this is extremely challenging due to resource scarcity and climate change. If countries that rely on shared transboundary water resources have contradictory WEF plans, that could diminish the expected outcomes, both nationally and regionally. Egypt as the most downstream Nile country is concerned about ongoing and future developments upstream, which could exacerbate Egypt's water scarcity and affect its ability to meet its WEF objectives. In this context, we introduce a multi‐model WEF framework that simulates the ENB water resources, food production, and hydropower generation systems. The models were calibrated and validated for the period 1983–2016, then utilized to project a wide range of future development plans, up to 2050, using four performance measures to evaluate the WEF nexus. A thematic pathway for regional development that shows high potential for mutual benefits is identified. However, the WEF planning outcomes for the region are sensitive to climate change, but, if social drivers could be managed (e.g., by lowering population growth rates) despite the difficulties involved, climate change impacts on WEF security could be less severe.
Earthquake Iso‐Nuisance and Iso‐Damage Mapping for Alberta: Applications for Choosing Magnitude Thresholds to Manage Induced Seismicity
Authors: Reyes Canales Mauricio , Galloway Elwyn , Pawley Steven , Yusifbayov Javad , Hartman Greg
Published: December 2024

We generate earthquake iso‐nuisance and iso‐damage maps for Alberta. These maps show the spatial distribution of earthquake magnitude required to reach a specific level of nuisance and damage, considering human exposure and surficial geological conditions. We rely on population distribution for the human exposure factor while utilizing Vs30 derived from surficial geological modeling to approximate site amplification effects. By including the trailing seismicity factor, the iso‐nuisance and iso‐damage maps provide the base for the Magnitude Threshold for Acceptable Seismicity maps, which can set a guideline for the upper magnitude boundary, or largest magnitude event permissible, related to industrial activities causing seismicity. The trailing seismicity factor refers to the subsequent seismicity after a substantial change or end of the seismogenic operations; for instance, the cessation of seismogenic hydraulic fracturing activities under a traffic light protocol after a magnitude threshold event (red‐light event). Considering variations in the trailing seismicity factor, we derive different Magnitude Threshold for Acceptable Seismicity maps for various injection‐induced activities, including hydraulic fracturing and fluid disposal activities. Extended versions of the Magnitude Threshold for Acceptable Seismicity maps could allow for safety factors pertinent to critical infrastructure in a particular area, incorporating other factors beyond the population distribution and warranting a different tolerance level. These maps help to define the magnitude threshold from induced seismicity, maintaining the same tolerance levels throughout a region. Thus, they can be highly beneficial in managing current and future cases of induced seismicity related to the energy sector.