bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing the thermoelectric properties for hot-isostatic-pressed Bi2Te3 nano-powder using graphite nanoparticles
Authors: Mansour Mohamed Abdelnaser , Nakamura Koichi , AbdEl-Moneim Ahmed
Published: April 2024

Bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) is a promising thermoelectric material produced commercially. However, its poor electrical conductivity and low figure of merit, caused by grain boundaries and high thermal conductivity, limit its effectiveness in powder metallurgy production. Herein, effects of adding Graphite nanoparticles (GTNPs) to Bi2Te3 on thermoelectric properties were studied. Three ratios of GTNPs (0.2, 0.35, 0.5 wt%) were added to ball-milled Bi2Te3 nano-powder. The hot isostatic pressing (HIP) sintering technique was employed to prepare the pristine Bi2Te3 and the BT-xGTNPs samples for testing. The crystallographic measurements showed a reduction in the crystallinity of the BT-xGTNPs samples compared to the pure Bi2Te3, whereas the electron microscopy measurements showed smaller grain sizes. This was also confirmed with an increase in the samples’ relative density implying the formation of nano-sized grains. Full electrical, thermal, and thermoelectric measurements were performed and comprehensively discussed in this report for all samples in the temperature range from room temperature (RT) to 570 K. The measurements demonstrated an enhancement for x = 0.35 wt% GTNPs at 540 K up to 43% in the power factor and 51% in the ZT compared to pristine Bi2Te3, which was attributed to the optimum grain size, the lower grain boundaries, and better electrical and thermal conductivity aroused from the precise addition of GTNPs. The best electrical conductivity of ~ 8.2 × 104 S/m and lowest thermal conductivity of ~ 1 W/m·K for the Bi2Te3-containing 0.35 wt% GTNPs at RT even though the sample with 0.5 wt% attained the highest Seebeck coefficient of 154 µV/T at 540 K.
Sustainable formaldehyde-free copper electroless plating on carbon-epoxy substrates
Authors: Bragaglia Mario , Paleari Lorenzo , Mariani Matteo , Nanni Francesca
Published: April 2024

In this paper, a formaldehyde-free copper electroless plating process was optimized using statistical analysis (Design of Experiment) in order to maximize the adhesion and the electrical conductivity when deposited on carbon-epoxy substrates. The coatings' morphologies, the electrical resistance, and the adhesion vary significantly as function of electroless plating parameters, but among the selected processing parameters, (pH of the electroless solution, temperature, concentration of reducing agent (glyoxylic acid), and concentration of complexing agent (EDTA)) only the temperature and the concentration of the reducing agent resulted to be influencing factors for the deposition process. A multi-objective optimization approach allowed to set the electroless process parameters in order to obtain optimized coatings presenting improved adhesion (scratch test’s critical load CL3 > 30 N) and electrical conductivity (Rs = 1.91 × 10–2 Ω/sq).
Differential Intervention Outcomes Among Fathers Who Commit Domestic and Family Violence: The Influence of Parental Relationship Status
Authors: Gatfield Emma , O’Leary Patrick , Tsantefski Menka , Meyer Silke , Baird Kathleen
Published: April 2024

Background

In Western contexts, the behavior of domestically violent men is largely addressed through legal sanctions and standardised men’s behavior change programs. When domestically violent fathers remain together or in contact with their families, safety is an ongoing concern. However, program evaluations have failed to provide clear evidence for their effectiveness in addressing family violence in relation to parenting status. Part of the problem in developing efficacious programs has been the challenge of targeting them to typologies or socio-cultural needs of participants.

Purpose

The Caring Dads (CD) program supports father-change through leveraging men’s motivation to be positive parents, promoting child-centred fathering and cessation of family abuse. The aim of this study was to investigate whether participating fathers improved their co-parenting interactions, family functioning and wellbeing, and considered father characteristics and relationship statuses that coincided with positive outcomes.

Methods

This mixed method Australian study investigating a CD pilot incorporated psychological measures and semi-structured interviews at pre-, post- and 10 months post-intervention. Participants were fathers who attended CD in South-East Queensland, 2017–2019, and their co-parents.

Results

All fathers experienced improvements in parenting and family functioning by post-intervention, with greatest improvements for partnered fathers’ families. Partnered fathers also experienced improved parental alliance, unlike most separated fathers, although results must be viewed with caution due to small sample size and attrition across the study duration.

Conclusion

This study provides early support for improvements in CD participants’ fathering, parental alliance, and family functioning, most substantially for partnered fathers, though findings should be further investigated with larger cohorts.
Redefining Stockholm: examining the consequences of urban development on socioeconomic factors and affordability
Authors: Ismail Mohammad , Wilhelmsson Mats
Published: April 2024

The city is constantly changing. New buildings are built, new infrastructure replaces old infrastructure, and the city grows with the addition of new areas. This study investigates the impact of new construction projects on the socioeconomic background and affordability of residents in Stockholm, Sweden. Using the difference-in-difference methodology, the authors analyse data from several construction projects in the city from 2009 to 2014. The results suggest a limited effect on the proportion of residents with higher education and young people, that is, no gentrification effect, but a positive effect on income and affordability. However, this could lead to gentrification and displacement over time. This research sheds light on the potential outcomes of urban development and highlights the need for effective policies to ensure sustainable and equitable growth in Stockholm.
Hierarchical Patch Aggregation Transformer for Motion Deblurring
Authors: Wu Yujie , Liang Lei , Ling Siyao , Gao Zhisheng
Published: April 2024

The encoder-decoder framework based on Transformer components has become a paradigm in the field of image deblurring architecture design. In this paper, we critically revisit this approach and find that many current architectures severely focus on limited local regions during the feature extraction stage. These designs compromise the feature richness and diversity of the encoder-decoder framework, leading to bottlenecks in performance improvement. To address these deficiencies, a novel Hierarchical Patch Aggregation Transformer architecture (HPAT) is proposed. In the initial feature extraction stage, HPAT combines Axis-Selective Transformer Blocks with linear complexity and is supplemented by an adaptive hierarchical attention fusion mechanism. These mechanisms enable the model to effectively capture the spatial relationships between features and integrate features from different hierarchical levels. Then, we redesign the feedforward network of the Transformer block in the encoder-decoder structure and propose the Fused Feedforward Network. This effective aggregation enhances the ability to capture and retain local detailed features. We evaluate HPAT through extensive experiments and compare its performance with baseline methods on public datasets. Experimental results show that the proposed HPAT model achieves state-of-the-art performance in image deblurring tasks.
Who’s afraid of common knowledge?
Authors: Sbardolini Giorgio
Published: April 2024

Some arguments against the assumption that ordinary people may share common knowledge are sound. The apparent cost of such arguments is the rejection of scientific theories that appeal to common knowledge. My proposal is to accept the arguments without rejecting the theories. On my proposal, common knowledge is shared by ideally rational people, who are not just mathematically simple versions of ordinary people. They are qualitatively different from us, and theorizing about them does not lead to predictions about our behavior. Nevertheless, models of action that assume common knowledge have a role to play in our understanding of collective rationality.
Customer Recognition and Mobile Geo-Targeting
Authors: Baye Irina , Hanspach Philip , Reiz Tim , Sapi Geza
Published: April 2024

We consider competing mobile marketers that complement geo-targeting with behavior-based pricing and send personalized offers to customers. Firms observe consumers’ locations and can infer their (heterogeneous) responsiveness to discounts from purchase histories. The overall profit effect of behavioral targeting is driven by firms’ discount factor and consumers’ transport cost and can be neutral, positive, or negative. We are the first to show that the profitability of behavioral data may depend on firms’ time preferences. We derive conditions for when firms prefer more rather than less behavioral targeting.
Energy-aware application mapping methods for mesh-based hybrid wireless network-on-chips
Authors: Cakin Alperen , Dilek Selma , Tosun Suleyman
Published: April 2024

The 2D mesh topology-based Network-on-Chip (NoC) is a prevalent structure in System-on-Chip (SoC) designs, offering implementation and fabrication benefits. However, increased NoC scale leads to longer communication paths, more hops, and higher end-to-end latency and energy consumption. To mitigate these issues, Wireless NoC (WiNoC) integrates wireless communication, enhancing data rates, energy efficiency, and routing flexibility. Despite several mapping algorithms for NoCs, optimal techniques for hybrid WiNoCs are underexplored. This study proposes two novel application mapping methods for 2D mesh topology-based hybrid WiNoCs, using quadratic programming (QP) and simulated annealing (SA). Our goal is to minimize communication-related energy consumption. We evaluated these methods across various wireless router configurations, benchmarks, and custom application graphs. The QP-based method excels in smaller problems, while the SA-based approach yields optimal or near-optimal results for larger sizes within practical runtimes.
Impact of food waste addition in energy efficient municipal wastewater treatment by aerobic granular sludge process
Authors: Cicekalan Busra , Berenji Nastaran Rahimzadeh , Aras Muhammed Furkan , Guven Huseyin , Koyuncu Ismail , Ersahin Mustafa Evren , Ozgun Hale
Published: April 2024

Recently, one of the main purposes of wastewater treatment plants is to achieve a neutral or positive energy balance while meeting the discharge criteria. Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) technology is a promising technology that has low energy and footprint requirements as well as high treatment performance. The effect of co-treatment of municipal wastewater and food waste (FW) on the treatment performance, granule morphology, and settling behavior of the granules was investigated in the study. A biochemical methane potential (BMP) test was also performed to assess the methane potential of mono- and co-digestion of the excess sludge from the AGS process. The addition of FW into wastewater enhanced the nutrient treatment efficiency in the AGS process. BMP of the excess sludge from the AGS process fed with the mixture of wastewater and FW (195 ± 17 mL CH4/g VS) was slightly higher than BMP of excess sludge from the AGS process fed with solely wastewater (173 ± 16 mL CH4/g VS). The highest methane yield was observed for co-digestion of excess sludge from the AGS process and FW, which was 312 ± 8 mL CH4/g VS. Integration of FW as a co-substrate in the AGS process would potentially enhance energy recovery and the quality of effluent in municipal wastewater treatment.

Graphical abstract
Composting of recovered rock wool from hydroponics for the production of soil amendment
Authors: Istenič Darja , Prosenc Franja , Zupanc Neva , Turel Matejka , Holobar Andrej , Milačič Radmila , Marković Stefan , Mihelič Rok
Published: April 2024

Due to its fibrous structure and high water holding capacity, rock mineral wool (RMW) has boosted the development of hydroponics. Consequently, the amount of waste RMW has also increased tremendously, which has stimulated the research and development of RMW reuse options. In this study, composting and degradability of RMW from hydroponics (gRMW) were tested in combination with different ratios of biowaste compost, including physical and chemical properties of the starting and final materials, and potential ecological hazards of the final product. gRMW had high water holding capacity and low organic matter content, which was easily degradable. Limits of toxic elements according to EU regulation were not exceeded. Degraded gRMW mixtures with compost did not exhibit toxicity to plants or aquatic bacteria and showed intermediate or limited habitat function for earthworms, which preferred the sole gRMW not mixed with compost. Overall, degraded gRMW exhibited parameters of safe soil amendment.
Investigation of the removal of diclofop methyl herbicide by peroxy electrocoagulation process and kinetic and cost analysis
Authors: Erden Büşra , Sınmaz Gamze Katırcıoğlu , Tanattı Nazire Pınar , Aksu Meryem , Şengil İsmail Ayhan
Published: April 2024

Pesticides containing chlorine, which are released during agricultural activities, are chemical substances that mix with surface and underground waters and have toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic effects on the entire living ecosystem. Due to their chemically stable structure, conventional water and wastewater treatment techniques such as coagulation, flocculation, and biological oxidation do not entirely remove these chemical substances. Therefore, before releasing them into the environmental receptor, these chemical substances must be transformed into harmless products or mineralized through advanced oxidation processes. When we look at the literature, there are not many studies on methods of removing diclofop methyl from aquatic media. Our study on the removal of diclofop methyl herbicide from aquatic media using the peroxy electrocoagulation method will provide the first information on this subject in the literature. In addition, this treatment method will contribute significantly to filling an important gap in the literature as an innovative approach for diclofop methyl removal. Moreover, peroxy electrocoagulation, which produces less sludge, provides treatment in a short time, and is economical, has been determined to be an advantageous process. The effects of conductivity, pH, H2O2 concentration, current, and time parameters on the removal of diclofop methyl were investigated using a GC–MS instrument. Kinetics, energy consumption, and cost calculations were also made. Under the optimum conditions determined (pH = 5, H2O2 = 500 mg/L, NaCl = 0.75 g/L, current density = 2.66 mA/cm2), the peroxydic electrocoagulation process resulted in a diclofop methyl removal efficiency of 79.2% after a 25-min reaction. When the experimental results were analyzed, it was found that the results fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetic model.
Integrated assessment of inhalation health risk and economic benefit of improving ambient targeted VOCs in Petrochemical industrial area
Authors: Malakan Wissawa , Thepanondh Sarawut , Keawboonchu Jutarat , Kultan Vanitchaya , Kondo Akira , Shimadera Hikari
Published: April 2024

The Maptaphut industrial area, one of the largest petrochemical complexes in Thailand, is the major cause of the various air pollutants. The larger concern is that a significant volume of air pollution is emitted and that air quality management needs to be improved. This is in part due to a lack of deeper understanding of how anthropogenic emissions are emitted from different sources in this area— especially volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Moreover, it has complicated relationship results of air pollution, disease mechanisms, and health effects. As a result, its available data can only give a rough indication of them. These factors are often assumed to be associated with economic consequences, but assessing the health-related economic losses caused by air pollution remains limited in many ways.

Four targeted VOCs were analyzed, including benzene, 1,3-butadiene, 1,2-dichloroethane, and vinyl chloride from industrial and non-industrial sources, namely stacks, flares, storage tanks, wastewater treatment plants, transportation and marketing, fugitive losses, slurry/open equipment/vessel, and on-road mobile emissions. Source apportionment can be conducted using emissions inventory (EI) to establish pollution source databases, the dispersion model, and then imported on the risk model by determining receptors. The AERMOD dispersion model coupled with the IRAP-h view model was used to predict the spatial distribution of the ground-level concentration and analyze the inhalation health risk covering cancer and non-cancer risks— as well as the prioritization of pollutants.

The risk assessment results indicated that the highest risk occurred most from 1,3-butadiene for cancer and chronic non-cancer risks contributed to fugitive sources, about 83% and 94%, and most benzenes for acute non-cancer risk contributed to on-road mobile sources, at about 56%.

Consequently, the benzene classified as the most important priority depending on its risk results, comprehensive epidemiological studies, and discharge volumes.

With the economic benefits assessment, BenMAP-CE was further utilized to estimate the health impacts and economic value of multiple scenarios to facilitate decision-making for benzene reduction. Overall, the 10% rollback policy for benzene concentration, monetized value of about 13.13 billion US dollars for all mortalities, gave the best practical scenario for the most economically viable option based on the B/C (benefit/cost) ratio results in Maptaphut. Ultimately, policymakers need to take additional measures to improve air quality and reduce health impacts while also considering economic benefits, especially benzene reduction.
Post-COVID-19 Hyposmia Does Not Exhibit Main Neurodegeneration Markers in the Olfactory Pathway
Authors: Schirinzi Tommaso , Maftei Daniela , Maurizi Riccardo , Albanese Maria , Simonetta Clara , Bovenzi Roberta , Bissacco Jacopo , Mascioli Davide , Boffa Laura , Di Certo Maria Grazia , Gabanella Francesca , Francavilla Beatrice , Di Girolamo Stefano , Mercuri Nicola Biagio , Passali Francesco Maria , Lattanzi Roberta , Severini Cinzia
Published: April 2024

The biological substrate of persistent post-COVID-19 hyposmia is still unclear. However, as many neurodegenerative diseases present with smell impairment at onset, it may theoretically reflect degeneration within the central olfactory circuits. However, no data still exist regarding the post-COVID-19 patients. As the olfactory neurons (ONs) mirror pathological changes in the brain, allowing for tracking the underlying molecular events, here, we performed a broad analysis of ONs from patients with persistent post-COVID-19 OD to identify traces of potential neurodegeneration. ONs were collected through the non-invasive brushing of the olfactory mucosa from ten patients with persistent post-COVID-19 hyposmia (lasting > 6 months after infection) and ten age/sex-matched controls. Immunofluorescence staining for protein quantification and RT-PCR for gene expression levels were combined to measure ONs markers of α-synuclein, amyloid-β, and tau pathology, axonal injury, and mitochondrial network. Patients and controls had similar ONs levels of oligomeric α-synuclein, amyloid-β peptide, tau protein, neurofilament light chain (NfL), cytochrome C oxidase subunit 3 (COX3), and the heat shock protein 60 (HSP60). Our findings thus did not provide evidence for synucleinopathy and amyloid-β mismetabolism or gross traces of neuronal injury and mitochondrial dysfunction within the olfactory system in the early phase of persistent post-COVID-19 hyposmia.
Die gründlich missratene Kindergrundsicherung
Authors: Butterwegge Christoph
Published: April 2024

Durch die Zusammenführung des Kindergeldes, des Bürgergeldes und der Sozialhilfe für Kinder, des Kinderzuschlags sowie Teilen des Bildungs- und Teilhabepakets in Form einer Kindergrundsicherung will die Ampel-Koalition das Problem der wachsenden Armut von Kindern und Jugendlichen lösen. Untersucht wird, ob das Projekt hierzu in der Lage ist, welche Auseinandersetzungen es darum in der Ampel-Koalition gab und was getan werden müsste, um seine Schwachstellen zu beseitigen.
Children’s Moral Evaluations of Inclusion and Exclusion during Play in Regard to Ethnic Background
Authors: Akman Berrin , Yazici Dila Nur
Published: April 2024

The aim of this study was to determine the likelihood of children including a child of a different ethnic origin in their games. In focusing on 359 children aged six, eight, and twelve, the research sought to understand how the children categorized their views on this subject and whether the decision to include or exclude would change at the behest of peers, teachers, or parents. The study was inspired by the work presented by Walker et al. (2019), and five questions related to this topic were used as data collection tools. As a result of the deductive and inductive analyses, it was determined that most of the children believed that those from different ethnic origins should be included in play time. When the reasons for including children in games were examined, the answers given were generally connected the category of "Moral Justifications". For the children more prone to excluding peers of a different ethnicity, responses tended to find themselves in the "Cultural stereotypes/Personal characteristics" sub-category.
Using polymer-alternating-water to maximize polymer flooding performance
Authors: Dong Zhenzhen , Pan Xu , Li Weirong , Wei Xin , Qian Shihao , Hou Bingchen , Zou Lu , Lin Keze , Yi Hongliang
Published: April 2024

Polymer flooding has proved an effective technique to improve development efficiency in heterogeneous reservoirs. Previously, operators usually employed continuous injection of large polymer slugs. However, problems existed including premature injection profile reversal during development, ineffective circulation of polymer solution in low-permeability zones, and excessive polymer consumption in the late development stage. The paper proposed a combination method, named as polymer-alternating-water (PAW), to solve the issues of traditional polymer flooding. The characteristic of this method is injecting water slugs between polymer slugs during the polymer flooding process. At present, research on the PAW technique is limited, with the operational parameters, oil recovery mechanisms, and applicability under various reservoir conditions remaining unclear. In this work, a numerical polymer flooding model is developed using the commercial CMG-STARS reservoir simulation module to investigate the oil displacement performance of PAW. Numerical simulations are performed to determine the optimal parameters for maximizing oil recovery factor. The results indicated compared with continuous polymer flooding, PAW shows multiple peaks in daily oil production rate, with a significantly decreased decline rate, resulting in a 1.47% increase in recovery factor. Under different reservoir conditions including mean permeability, heterogeneity, and crude oil viscosity, PAW can achieve further improvements on the basis of continuous polymer flooding. Polymer adsorption and injection concentration significantly impact the recovery factor, requiring further optimization for field applications. In this study, better polymer flooding performance was achieved when the number of alternating cycles of PAW was 2, and the injected alternating water slug volume was 50%. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the key mechanisms and parameters in PAW enhanced oil recovery process, thereby providing guidance for the further optimization and field application of this technique.
Establishment of a human ovarian clear cell carcinoma cell line mutant in PIK3CB but not PIK3CA
Authors: Hoshino Hitomi , Inoue Daisuke , Shinagawa Akiko , Yoshida Hisato , Shigeto Shohei , Matsuda Kazuyuki , Akama Tomoya O. , Yoshida Yoshio , Kobayashi Motohiro
Published: April 2024

A human ovarian clear cell carcinoma cell line was established from a 46-year-old Japanese woman. That line, designated MTC-22, has proliferated continuously for over 6 months in conventional RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 10% foetal bovine serum and has been passaged over 50 times. MTC-22 doubling-time is ~ 18 h, which is much shorter than most ovarian clear cell carcinoma lines reported to date. Morphologically, MTC-22 cells exhibit polygonal shapes and proliferate to form a monolayer in a jigsaw puzzle-like arrangement without contact inhibition. Ultrastructurally, cells exhibit numerous intracytoplasmic glycogen granules and well-developed mitochondria. G-band karyotype analysis indicated that cells have a complex karyotype close to tetraploid. We observed that the expression pattern of a series of ovarian carcinoma-related molecules in MTC-22 cells was identical to that seen in the patient’s tumour tissue. Notably, MTC-22 cells, and the patient’s carcinoma tissue, expressed low-sulphated keratan sulphate recognised by R-10G and 294-1B1 monoclonal antibodies, a hallmark of non-mucinous ovarian carcinoma, and particularly of clear cell ovarian carcinoma. Moreover, characteristic point mutations—one in ARID1A, which encodes the AT-rich interaction domain containing protein 1A, and the other in PIK3CB, which encodes the catalytic subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase—were seen in the patient’s tumour tissue and retained in MTC-22 cells. Collectively, these findings indicate that MTC-22 cells could serve as a valuable tool for investigating the pathophysiology of ovarian clear cell carcinoma, particularly that harbouring PIK3CB mutations, and for developing and validating new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to this life-threatening malignancy.
The yeast genus Tardiomyces gen. nov. with one new species and two new combinations
Authors: Spruijtenburg Bram , de Souza Lima Bruna Jacomel Favoreto , Tosar Sonia T. Granadillo , Borman Andrew M. , Andersen Cecilie Torp , Nizamuddin Summiya , Ahmad Suhail , de Almeida Junior João Nobrega , Vicente Vânia Aparecida , Nosanchuk Joshua D. , Buil Jochem B. , de Hoog Sybren , Meijer Eelco F. J. , Meis Jacques F. , de Groot Theun
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Rare yeasts species are increasingly reported as causative agents of invasive human infection. Proper identification and antifungal therapy are essential to manage these infections. Candida blankii is one of these emerging pathogens and is known for its reduced susceptibility to multiple antifungals.

Methods

To obtain more insight into the characteristics of this species, 26 isolates reported as C. blankii were investigated using genetic and phenotypical approaches.

Results

Among the 26 isolates, seven recovered either from blood, sputum, urine, or the oral cavity, displayed substantial genetic and some phenotypical differences compared to the other isolates, which were confirmed as C. blankii. We consider these seven strains to represent a novel species, Tardiomyces depauwii. Phylogenomics assigned C. blankii, C. digboiensis, and the novel species in a distinct branch within the order Dipodascales, for which the novel genus Tardiomyces is erected. The new combinations Tardiomyces blankii and Tardiomyces digboiensis are introduced. Differences with related, strictly environmental genera Sugiyamaella, Crinitomyces, and Diddensiella are enumerated. All three Tardiomyces species share the rare ability to grow up to 42 °C, display slower growth in nutrient-poor media, and show a reduced susceptibility to azoles and echinocandins. Characteristics of T. depauwii include high MIC values with voriconazole and a unique protein pattern.

Conclusion

We propose the novel yeast species Tardiomyces depauwii and the transfer of C. blankii and C. digboiensis to the novel Tardiomyces genus.
AI ethics should be mandatory for schoolchildren
Authors: Dabbagh Hossein , Earp Brian D. , Mann Sebastian Porsdam , Plozza Monika , Salloch Sabine , Savulescu Julian
Published: April 2024

As society increasingly integrates artificial intelligence (AI) into its fabric, AI ethics education in primary schools becomes necessary. Drawing parallels between the integration of foundational subjects such as languages and mathematics and the pressing need for AI literacy, we argue for mandatory, age-appropriate AI education focusing on technical proficiency and ethical implications. Analogous to how sex and drug education prepare youth for real-world challenges and decisions, AI education is crucial for equipping students to navigate an AI-driven future responsibly. Our study delineates the ethical pillars, such as data privacy and unbiased algorithms, essential for students to grasp, and presents a framework for AI literacy integration in elementary schools. What is needed is a comprehensive, dynamic, and evidence-based approach to AI education, to prepare students for an AI-driven future.
Increasing heat pump adoption: analysing multiple perspectives on preparing homes for heat pumps in the UK
Authors: Lamb Ned , Elmes David
Published: April 2024

Heat pumps are a solution for decarbonising home heating in the UK. However, the readiness of UK homes for heat pumps is an area of concern regarding the policies aimed at increasing heat pump adoption. This work combines multiple perspectives in evaluating the technical readiness of homes with the market readiness of installers and homeowners to proceed with installing heat pumps. The effectiveness of past heating and energy efficiency policies in the UK are reviewed, along with building regulations, incentives to promote energy efficiency and the effectiveness of heat pump technology in heating homes. Current policies support the cost of a heat pump but home improvements to make homes ‘heat pump-ready’ can be necessary to achieve optimal heat pump system performance.

This paper suggests the UK will face three major challenges. First, analysis highlights an ‘eligibility-readiness gap’ describing the difference between homes ‘eligible’ (50%) for the Government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme—a subsidy for heat pump installations—and the likely level of homes that are heat pump-ready (11%) for successful heat pump installations. Second, semi-structured interviews with heat pump installers identified gaps in capacity to deliver the necessary works to make homes heat pump-ready. As small or medium enterprises, the majority of installers do not currently see adding home improvement services to their existing business model as beneficial. All installers highlighted the need for Government to address the cost of electricity relative to gas. Third, a national survey of homeowners in England with gas boilers (n = 1,021) revealed low awareness of the necessary work to make homes heat pump-ready and low willingness to spend money on them unless supported by Government. This paper shows that the processes and costs involved in making homes heat pump-ready before successful design and installation are underappreciated by homeowners, inadequately served by industry, and insufficiently supported by Government.
Introduction to VLSI Design Flow
Authors: Saurabh Sneh
Published: April 2024

Chip designing is a complex task that requires an in-depth understanding of VLSI design flow, skills to employ sophisticated design tools, and keeping pace with the bleeding-edge semiconductor technologies. This lucid textbook is focused on fulfilling these requirements for students, as well as a refresher for professionals in the industry. It helps the user develop a holistic view of the design flow through a well-sequenced set of chapters on logic synthesis, verification, physical design, and testing. Illustrations and pictorial representations have been used liberally to simplify the explanation. Additionally, each chapter has a set of activities that can be performed using freely available tools and provide hands-on experience with the design tools. Review questions and problems are given at the end of each chapter to revise the concepts. Recent trends and references are listed at the end of each chapter for further reading.
Freedom and Power in Classical Athens
Authors: Campa Naomi T.
Published: April 2024

Athenian democracy was distinguished from other ancient constitutions by its emphasis on freedom. This was understood, Naomi T. Campa argues, as being able to do 'whatever one wished,' a widely attested phrase. Citizen agency and power constituted the core of democratic ideology and institutions. Rather than create anarchy, as ancient critics claimed, positive freedom underpinned a system that ideally protected both the individual and the collective. Even freedom, however, can be dangerous. The notion of citizen autonomy both empowered and oppressed individuals within a democratic hierarchy. These topics strike at the heart of democracies ancient and modern, from the discursive principles that structure political procedures to the citizen's navigation between the limitations of law and expression of individual will to the status of noncitizens within a state. This title is part of the Flip it Open Programme and may also be available Open Access. Check our website Cambridge Core for details.
Clinical Priority for Common Emergency and Urgent Conditions in Neurosurgery
Authors: Lilo Taha , Fouyas Ioannis
Published: April 2024

Emergency Neurosurgery is a constantly evolving specialty, resulting in ever increasing challenges posed on the higher specialty trainee. The focus of this Element is to guide the reader on the application of robust and easily applicable management strategies whilst dealing with the most challenging aspects of their professional workload. The authors have categorised the various subgroups of emergency neurosurgical workload, devised a comprehensive management algorithm, included case scenaria related to the most challenging emergency situations and highlighted easily overlooked clinical information. In summary, this Element will provide robust and easily applicable management strategies whilst dealing with the most challenging aspects of the emergency neurosurgical workload.
The Evolving Role of Electroencephalography in Postarrest Care
Authors: Bencsik Caralyn , Josephson Colin , Soo Andrea , Ainsworth Craig , Savard Martin , van Diepen Sean , Kramer Andreas , Kromm Julie
Published: April 2024

Electroencephalography is an accessible, portable, noninvasive and safe means of evaluating a patient’s brain activity. It can aid in diagnosis and management decisions for post-cardiac arrest patients with seizures, myoclonus and other non-epileptic movements. It also plays an important role in a multimodal approach to neuroprognostication predicting both poor and favorable outcomes. Individuals ordering, performing and interpreting these tests, regardless of the indication, should understand the supporting evidence, logistical considerations, limitations and impact the results may have on postarrest patients and their families as outlined herein.
Gender differences in the prevalence of anxiety and depression and care seeking for mental health problems in Nepal: Analysis of nationally representative survey data
Authors: Shawon Md Shajedur Rahman , Hossain Fariha Binte , Hasan Moushumi , Rahman Mohammad Rifat
Published: April 2024

Background

Assessing gender disparity in mental health is crucial for targeted interventions. This study aims to quantify gender disparities in mental health burdens, specifically anxiety and depression, and related care-seeking behaviors across various sociodemographic factors in Nepal, highlighting the importance of gender-specific mental health interventions.

Methods

Data from the 2022 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey was utilized, employing the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 scale (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scales for anxiety and depression symptoms, respectively. Multiple logistic regression models assessed gender associations with these conditions and care-seeking behaviors.

Results

Women had a higher point prevalence of anxiety (21.9% vs. 11.3%) and depression (5.4% vs. 1.7%) than men. Large variations were noted in gender disparities in the prevalence of anxiety and depression, influenced by age, geographical areas, level of education and household wealth. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, women were more likely to experience anxiety (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.96–2.43) and depression (aOR = 3.21, 95% CI: 2.53–4.07). However, no difference was observed in the rates of seeking care for anxiety or depression (aOR = 1.13, 95% CI: 0.91–1.40).

Conclusions

Our findings show a higher point prevalence of mental health issues among women than men, influenced by sociodemographic factors, underscoring the need for gender-focused mental health interventions in Nepal and globally.
On the generation of near-wall dilatational motions in hypersonic turbulent boundary layers
Authors: Yu Ming , Zhou ZiSong , Dong SiWei , Yuan XianXu , Xu ChunXiao
Published: April 2024

Dilatational motions in the shape of travelling wave packets have been identified recently to be dynamically significant in hypersonic turbulent boundary layers. The present study investigates the mechanisms of their generation and their association with the solenoidal motions, especially the well-recognized near-wall self-sustaining process of the regeneration cycle between the velocity streaks and quasi-streamwise vortices. By exploiting the direct numerical simulation databases and orchestrating numerical experiments, we explore systematically the near-wall flow dynamics in the processes of the formation and transient growth of low-speed streaks. We conclude via theoretical ansatz that the nonlinearity related to the parallel density and pressure gradients close to the wall due to the restriction of the isothermal boundary condition is the primary cause of the generation of the dilatational structures at small scales. In fully developed turbulence, the formation and the existence of healthy dilatational travelling wave packets require the participation of the turbulence at scales larger than those of the near-wall regeneration cycles, especially the occurrence of the bursting events that generate vortex clusters. This is proven by the less intensified dilatational motions in the numerical experiments in which the Orr mechanism is alleviated and the vortical structures and turbulent bursts are weakened.
Refraction of a triple-shock configuration at planar fast–slow gas interfaces
Authors: Zhang Enlai , Liao Shenfei , Zou Liyong , Zhai Zhigang , Liu Jinhong , Li Xinzhu
Published: April 2024

This paper characterizes the refraction of a triple-shock configuration at planar fast–slow gas interfaces. The primary objective is to reveal the wave configurations and elucidate the mechanisms governing circulation deposition and velocity perturbation on the interface caused by triple-shock refraction. The incident triple-shock configuration is generated by diffracting a planar shock around a rigid cylinder, and four interfaces with various

$Z_{{r}}$

(i.e. acoustic impedance ratio across the interface) are considered. An analytical model describing the triple-shock refraction is developed, which accurately predicts both the wave configurations as well as circulation deposition and velocity perturbation. Depending on

$Z_{{r}}$

, three distinct patterns of transmitted waves can be anticipated: a triple-shock configuration; a four-shock configuration; a four-wave configuration. The underlying mechanism for the formation of these wave configurations is elucidated through shock polar analysis. A novel physical insight into the contribution of triple-shock refraction to the interface perturbation growth is provided. The results indicate that the reflected shock in an incident triple-shock configuration makes significant negative contribution to both circulation deposition and velocity perturbation. This investigation elucidates the underlying mechanism responsible for the relatively insignificant contribution of baroclinic circulation to the Richtmyer–Meshkov-like instability induced by a non-uniform shock, and provides an explanation for the decrease in growth rate of interface perturbation amplitude with increasing Atwood number.
The Constitution of Virtual Objects
Authors: Bucchioni Guillaume , Declos Alexandre
Published: April 2024

David Chalmers argues that virtual reality is a genuine kind of reality. In one of its readings, this “virtual realism” states that virtual entities ontologically depend on real digital entities. This article explores that suggestion and offers a novel account of the dependence of the virtual on the digital. Drawing on Lynne Rudder Baker's theory of constitution, we contend that virtual objects should be seen as constituted by digital objects, when these are placed in certain favourable circumstances. We explore the rationale and implications of this view, which we see as a promising form of virtual realism.
Phantoms in and of the Archive: Mary Cudmore’s Encounters with a Ghost in Cork in 1688 and 1689
Authors: Tait Clodagh
Published: April 2024

In October 1688, and again in May 1689, Mary Cudmore claimed to have encountered a ‘spectre’ in her employers’ house in Cork city. The great interest the story aroused among the townspeople is indicated in letters from prominent inhabitants and an examination of Mary by the bishop of Cork and Ross. They allow us access into the homes and heads of the people of Cork at a point when significant challenges were being mounted to the Protestant authorities’ dominance of the city, as the War of the Two Kings loomed, and as memories of other conflicts stirred. As observers weighed questions of scruple and certainty, and balanced concerns about imposture and creditworthiness, we also glimpse shifts in supernatural belief and contemporary debates about the construction of proof and truth. That anything of Mary’s experiences has survived is remarkable, given the loss of most of the contents of the Dublin Public Record Office in 1922. In the context of ongoing deliberate and negligent destruction of archives, this article thus also argues for consideration of and consideration to partial and phantom histories.
Using bycatch data to model sun bear Helarctos malayanus occupancy in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Sumatra
Authors: Sibarani Marsya C. , Ekanasty Intannia , Surya Rikha A.
Published: April 2024

Surveys targeting flagship species frequently record the presence of other species, providing valuable bycatch data to fill knowledge gaps on the ecology of overlooked species. Using bycatch records from camera-trap surveys for the tiger Panthera tigris, we model occupancy of the sun bear Helarctos malayanus, predict its temporal change in occupancy during 2015–2019 and determine its activity patterns in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sumatra, Indonesia. We performed single-season occupancy modelling that considered unequal detection probability from sun bear detection/non-detection records. We found that the sun bear occupancy in the Intensive Protection Zone (i.e. the priority protection area) of the National Park was slightly higher than in the north of the National Park. In the Intensive Protection Zone, sun bear occupancy was estimated to be 0.67 in 2015 and increased to 0.83 in 2019, but this increase was not substantial. The sun bear exhibited a cathemeral activity pattern. Most activity occurred during the day (46.2%), followed by night (21.2%), dusk (20.9%) and dawn (11.7%). We encourage collaboration amongst institutions conducting camera-trap studies in Sumatra to examine the ecology of other threatened yet overlooked species, to assess the broader biodiversity benefits of flagship species conservation and to strengthen science-based conservation efforts.
Liquidating government debt and creating a secondary asset market: trading patterns, market behavior and prices on government liabilities in Sweden, c. 1719–1765
Authors: Ericsson Peter , Winton Patrik
Published: April 2024

This article studies a previously unknown asset market in eighteenth-century Sweden. It emerged as a result of a partial default in 1719, when large amounts of recently released fiat coins were converted into government liabilities. These could only be redeemed as a customs duty on international trade, the licent. As merchants had to acquire such assets to conduct their trade, tens of thousands of transactions were carried out on a secondary market over a period of more than 45 years. Networks of local merchants bought assets from initial holders and sold them on to intermediaries or merchants, who deposited the liabilities with a newly established government agency, the Debt Office. Here, hundreds of account holders could transfer the value of their deposits between them. When a licent payment was due, the amount was deducted from the merchant's account. Prices on the liabilities were low and sometimes volatile, but the long-term trend was rising. We have distinguished three types of market participants: a small group of very active users, most of them professional dealers or brokers; merchants who traded on a regular basis as they needed to pay the licent, or when a favorable opportunity appeared; and finally, those who traded sporadically. The emergence of this market was part of a financial expansion that occurred in many European countries at the same time, the closest equivalent being the segmented default in France after the abolition of John Law's system. This study aims to broaden our understanding of eighteenth-century financial developments, which have rarely been studied in a semi-peripheral European economy.
Consideration of nutrition and sustainability in public definitions of ‘healthy’ food: an analysis of submissions to the US FDA
Authors: Belarmino Emily H , Carfagno Michelle , Kam Lauren , Ifeagwu Kene-Chukwu , Nelson Miriam E , Seguin-Fowler Rebecca A
Published: April 2024

Objective:

To better understand how the public defines ‘healthy’ foods and to determine whether the public considers sustainability, implicitly and explicitly, in the context of healthy eating.

Design:

We conducted a content analysis of public comments submitted to the US FDA in 2016 and 2017 in response to an invitation for feedback on use of the term ‘healthy’ on food labels. The analysis explored the ways in which commenters’ definitions of ‘healthy’ aligned with the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and whether their definitions considered sustainability.

Setting:

The US Government’s Regulations.gov website.

Participants:

All 1125 unique comments from individuals and organisations.

Results:

Commenters’ definitions of ‘healthy’ generally mirrored the recommendations that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans put forth to promote a ‘healthy eating pattern’. Commenters emphasised the healthfulness of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, fish and other minimally processed foods and the need to limit added sugars, sodium, saturated and trans fats and other ingredients sometimes added during processing. One-third of comments (n 374) incorporated at least one dimension of sustainability, mainly the environmental dimension. Commenters who mentioned environmental considerations primarily expressed concerns about synthetic chemicals and genetic modification. Less than 20 % of comments discussed social or economic dimensions of sustainability, and less than 3 % of comments (n 30) used the word ‘sustainability’ explicitly.

Conclusions:

This novel analysis provides new information about the public’s perceptions of ‘healthy’ foods relative to nutrition and sustainability considerations. The findings can be used to advance policy discussions regarding nutrition labelling and guidance.