bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Family abuse targeting queer family members: An argument to address problems of visibility in local services and civic life
Authors: Donovan Catherine , Magić Jasna , West Sarah
Published: August 2023

Purpose

To draw attention to the invisibility of family abuse victimisation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or trans folk and its impacts; and the lack of appropriate, confident, skilled, formal responses to family abuse victimisation. In addition to argue that local strategic commitment is required to address structural discrimination faced by queer folk and to positively invite those victimised to seek help from local services.

Method

A multi-method local study in a Central Bedfordshire, a County in England was conducted with an online survey, interviews and focus groups with local LGBT+ communities and practitioners.

Results

The data suggests worryingly high reporting of family abuse particularly for trans participants. At the same time our data, in line with others, shows help-seeking to be low other than to informal sources of help especially friends. In addition professionals appear underconfident about how to respond appropriately.

Conclusions

Family abuse targeting queer folk is a significant problem and under-recognised. This is in part due to the mainstream domestic abuse sector associating family abuse with racially minoritised and/or faith communities and particular forms of violence such as “honour” abuse, forced marriage and female genital mutilation. Family abuse victimising queer folk is relatively invisible despite profound social, mental and physical health impacts. Practitioners in this study describe a lack of confidence, skills and knowledge about their practice responses to queer folk which needs to be addressed through training. However, we also conclude that the wider civic context can also play a part in sending messages to local queer folk that local services are for them and that there is a role for civic leaders to improve the visibility and confidence of local queer folk as citizens.
A Basis for AGM Revision in Bayesian Probability Revision
Authors: Hansson Sven Ove
Published: August 2023

In standard Bayesian probability revision, the adoption of full beliefs (propositions with probability 1) is irreversible. Once an agent has full belief in a proposition, no subsequent revision can remove that belief. This is an unrealistic feature, and it also makes probability revision incompatible with belief change theory, which focuses on how the set of full beliefs is modified through both additions and retractions. This problem in probability theory can be solved in a model that (i) lets the codomain of the probability function be a hyperreal-valued rather than the real-valued closed interval [0, 1], and (ii) identifies the full beliefs as the propositions whose probability is either 1 or infinitesimally smaller than 1. In this model, changes in the probability function will result in changes in the set of full beliefs (belief set), which constitutes a submodel that can be conceived as the “tip of the iceberg” within the larger model that also contains beliefs on lower levels of probability. The patterns of change in the set of full beliefs in this modified Bayesian model coincides with the corresponding pattern in a slightly modified version of AGM revision, which is commonly conceived as the gold standard of (dichotomous) belief change. The modification only concerns the marginal case of revision by an inconsistent input sentence. These results show that probability revision and dichotomous belief change can be unified in one and the same framework, or – if we so wish – that belief change theory can be subsumed under a modified version of probability revision that allows for iterated change and for the removal of full beliefs.
Single-stage object detector with attention mechanism for squamous cell carcinoma feature detection using histopathological images
Authors: Prabhu Swathi , Prasad Keerthana , Lu Xuequan , Robels-Kelly Antonio , Hoang Thuong
Published: August 2023

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of cancer that occurs in squamous cells of epithelial tissue. Histopathological evaluation of tissue samples is the gold standard approach used for carcinoma diagnosis. SCC detection based on various histopathological features often employs traditional machine learning approaches or pixel-based deep CNN models. This study aims to detect keratin pearl, the most prominent SCC feature, by implementing RetinaNet one-stage object detector. Further, we enhance the model performance by incorporating an attention module. The proposed method is more efficient in detection of small keratin pearls. This is the first work detecting keratin pearl resorting to the object detection technique to the extent of our knowledge. We conducted a comprehensive assessment of the model both quantitatively and qualitatively. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach enhanced the mAP by about 4% compared to default RetinaNet model.
Recognition of trace element hyperaccumulation based on empirical datasets derived from XRF scanning of herbarium specimens
Authors: Purwadi Imam , Erskine Peter D. , Casey Lachlan W. , van der Ent Antony
Published: August 2023

Background and aims

Hyperaccumulation is generally defined as plants exhibiting concentrations of metal(loid)s in their shoots at least an order of magnitude higher than that found in ‘normal’ plants, but this notional threshold appears to have limited statistical underpinning. The advent of massive (handheld) X-ray fluorescence datasets of herbarium specimens makes it increasingly important to accurately define threshold criteria for recognising hyperaccumulation of metal(loid)s such as manganese, cobalt, nickel, zinc, arsenic, selenium, and rare earth elements.

Methods

We use an extensive dataset of X-ray fluorescence elemental data of ~ 27,000 herbarium specimens together with Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) elemental data of 1710 specimens to corroborate threshold values for hyperaccumulator plants. The distribution of elemental data was treated as a Gaussian mixture model due to subpopulations within the dataset and sub-populations were clustered in ‘normal’ and ‘hyperaccumulator’ classes. The historical hyperaccumulator thresholds were compared to the concentrations corresponding to the value for which the cumulative distribution function of the Gaussian model of the hyperaccumulator class reaches a probability of 99%.

Results

Our analysis of X-ray fluorescence data indicates that the historical thresholds for manganese (10,000 µg g−1), cobalt (300 µg g−1), nickel (1000 µg g−1), zinc (3000 µg g−1), arsenic (1000 µg g−1), and selenium (100 µg g−1) are substantially higher than then the concentrations required to have a 99% probability of falling in the hyperaccumulator class at 1210 µg g−1 for manganese, 32 µg g−1 for cobalt, 280 µg g−1 for nickel, 181 µg g−1 for zinc, 8 µg g−1 for arsenic, and 10 µg g−1 for selenium. All of the historical hyperaccumulation thresholds exceed the mean concentration of the hyperaccumulator populations and fall in the far-right tail of the models.

Conclusions

The historical thresholds for manganese, cobalt, nickel, zinc, arsenic, and selenium are considerably higher than necessary to identify hyperaccumulators. Our findings provide a more precise understanding of the statistical underpinnings of the phenomenon of hyperaccumulation, which will ensure consistency in reporting on these plants.
Gender, Masculinity, and the Perception of Vegetarians and Vegans: A Mixed-Methods Investigation
Authors: Adamczyk Dominika , Modlińska Klaudia , Maison Dominika , Pisula Wojciech
Published: August 2023

Research shows that women and men have different attitudes toward food and eating habits, which may stem from societal gender roles. In most societies, eating meat is associated with masculinity, and choosing healthy and smaller meals is perceived as feminine. These stereotypes may affect eating behaviors, which may have an impact on health and well-being as well as on the environment and economy. We conducted two studies that focused on the perceptions and experiences of vegans and vegetarians (veg*ns) using a gender lens. The first study (N = 1048) used a quantitative design to investigate the association of a vegan/ vegetarian diet with gender stereotypes and the quality of personal relationships. The second study used a qualitative design with six 6-person focus groups (N = 36) to examine the experience of vegetarians with stereotypes associated with their diet and the possible links to gender roles. Results suggest that men following a vegan diet are not perceived as masculine, and vegans/ vegetarians themselves experience gender stereotypes related to diminished masculinity. Our research confirms that the interplay of diet, the role of meat in society, and gender stereotypes have consequences both for the social perception of people who follow a vegan/ vegetarian diet and for the experiences of the vegan/ vegetarian community.
Seasonal characterization of mercury contamination along the Portuguese coast: human health and environmental risk assessment
Authors: Cardoso Patrícia Gonçalves , Morais Hugo , Crespo Daniel , Tavares Daniela , Pereira Eduarda , Pardal Miguel Ângelo
Published: August 2023

A seasonal characterization of mercury (Hg) accumulation in three different estuaries along the Portuguese coast (i.e. Ria de Aveiro, Tagus estuary and Ria Formosa) was done. For that, it was evaluated: (1) Hg concentrations in abiotic (water) and biotic matrices (flora and fauna); (2) the risk of consumption of local seafood species (e.g. bivalves) to human health; and (3) the environmental risk to Hg exposure. During 1 year, water and biological samples were collected during low tide, in each system for Hg quantification. Our findings revealed that total Hg concentrations in surface waters were higher in Ria de Aveiro and Tagus estuary than in Ria Formosa. In Ria de Aveiro, a particular attention should be given in autumn periods, where Hg levels (≈ 100 µg L−1) were considered quite high according to European quality parameters. The same was observed for the Tagus estuary during spring time. Regarding macrofauna Hg levels, no clear seasonal trend was observed. Also, total Hg concentrations in edible species (< 0.5 µg. g−1 ww) represent no risk for consumption. However, considering the environmental risk, in Ria de Aveiro, there is a moderate risk (RQ > 0.1) in autumn periods, which can be a matter of concern.
Effect of Nitrogen Pressure and Substrate Bias Voltage on Structure and Mechanical Properties of Vacuum Arc Deposited VN Coatings
Authors: Kuprin A. S. , Gilewicz A. , Tolmachova G. N. , Klimenko I. O. , Kolodiy I. V. , Vasilenko R. L. , Warcholinski B.
Published: August 2023

The binary vanadium–nitrogen (V–N) coatings were formed using cathodic arc evaporation. Two sets of coatings were produced using: (a) nitrogen pressure (pN2) from 0.001 Pa to 3 Pa at a constant substrate bias voltage (UB) of − 100 V and (b) a substrate bias voltage from − 50 to − 300 V at a constant nitrogen pressure of 1.5 Pa. The influence of the above parameters on the coating properties, in particular on the insufficiently investigated and described adhesion of the coatings to the substrate, was demonstrated. The phase transformation V → V + V2N → V + c-VN → h-VN → h-VN + c-VN and c-VN → h-VN occurs for coatings formed with increasing nitrogen pressure and substrate bias voltage, respectively. With the increase in pN2 and UB, an increase in coating hardness and adhesion to the substrate is observed, as well as an improvement in wear resistance.
Microstructure and Elevated Temperature Flexure Testing of Tungsten Produced by Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Zhang Haozhi , Carriere Paul R. , Amoako Emmanuel D. , Rock Chris D. , Thielk Seiji U. , Fletcher Colin G. , Horn Timothy J.
Published: August 2023

Due to their superior high-temperature thermomechanical capabilities, sputter erosion durability, and excellent resistance to hydrogen isotopes, tungsten materials have garnered significant interest in fusion nuclear applications. However, low room-temperature ductility and complex machining strategies present significant challenges for traditional fabrication. Electron beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF) shows promise in manufacturing pure tungsten via high thermal energy input, elevated build temperature, and a tightly controlled high-vacuum environment. This work explores the process, structure, and property relationship of pure tungsten fabricated by EB-PBF, where 99.8% relative density was achieved with reduced cracking by isolating the build substrate and optimizing the print parameter suite. Optical and electron imaging revealed that the microstructure contained equiaxed grains along the build direction, with subgrains present in all inspected grains. Flexural testing at ambient and elevated temperatures demonstrated high ductility at 900°C and flexural strength of 470 MPa at room temperature of additively manufactured tungsten.
Experimental Study and Thermodynamic Modelling of Equilibrium Distributions of Ni, Sn and Zn Between Slag and Black Copper for E-Scrap Recycling Applications
Authors: Sineva Svetlana , Shishin Denis , Prostakova Viktoria , Lindgren Mari , Starykh Roman , Chen Jiang , Jak Evgueni
Published: August 2023

The recycling of waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) and other secondary copper-containing materials through the "black copper" process relies on the selective distribution of metals among the gas, slag, and copper-rich liquid phase. This distribution is controlled by the effective oxidation/reduction potential, often expressed in terms of oxygen partial pressure. Separation of Ni and Sn presents a certain challenge in recycling though black copper route due to similar distribution coefficients over a wide range of oxygen partial pressures and possibly can be improved by optimizing the slag chemistry. This study provides experimental information on the distribution of Ni, Sn, and Zn between fayalite slags or calcium ferrite slags and copper-rich metal at 1250°C. The study uses high-temperature equilibration, quenching, and electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) techniques along with laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) for selected measurements of low concentrations. The oxygen partial pressure is controlled by the CO/CO2/Ar gas flow or by measuring the concentration of copper oxide in the slag. The effect of slag composition in terms of Fe/SiO2 or Fe/CaO ratio is studied by using different holding materials, such as silica (SiO2) ampoule, solid spinel (Fe3O4), wüstite (FeO), or dicalcium ferrite (Ca2Fe2O5). The experimental results are compared with literature data and used to optimize thermodynamic models for FactSage® software. The results demonstrate an opportunity for more effective separation of Ni and Sn using at oxidizing stage by using calcium ferrite slag promoting the formation of Sn4+.
Microstructure and Early-Stage Oxidation Behavior of Co-Cr-Cu-Fe-Mn-Ni High-Entropy Alloys
Authors: Apell Jonathan , Wonneberger Robert , Pügner Marc , Lampke Thomas , Lippmann Stephanie , Undisz Andreas
Published: August 2023

The microstructure and early-stage oxidation behavior of the equiatomic CoCrCuFeMnNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) and its six sub-alloys, obtained by omitting one element each, were investigated. Alloys were prepared using induction levitation melting, cold rolled, and oxidized for 1 h at 800°C in air. The Ni-free and Co-free HEAs showed an inhomogeneous microstructure associated with liquid phase separation. The other alloys were either single-phase (Cu-free HEA) or contained two face-centered cubic phases, one Cu-rich and one Cu-poor. The Cu and Mn-containing two-phase alloys showed preferential oxidation of the Cu/Mn-rich phase, leading to Mn-rich oxides that are prone to spallation. The Mn-free alloy exhibited a thicker oxide (~ 5 µm) on the Cu-rich phase, whereas the Cu-poor phase was covered by a thin base oxide (< 1 µm). The single-phase Cu-free (‘Cantor’) alloy formed an approximately 1-µm-thick oxide of the crystal structure types of Mn3O4, Mn2O3, MnCr2O4, and Cr2O3. For prospective high-temperature applications, reducing the Cu and Mn content and thus avoiding formation of a second Cu-rich phase is a promising route to facilitate formation of a protective oxide.
Fighting drift sands with pine trees: Reforestation of coastal areas of NW Portugal at the end of eighteenth century
Authors: Lopes Ana Isabel
Published: August 2023

From the late Middle Ages until the end of the nineteenth century, the northwest coast of Portugal was severely affected by drift sands, which led to the disappearance of villages or forced the population to migrate or suffer several losses. Along the northern European Atlantic coast, the most effective response to the drift sands was the reforestation of coastal areas, starting from the end of the eighteenth century and in the nineteenth century. In the northwest coast of Portugal, until the end of the nineteenth century, coastal planning and management was mainly the responsibility of local civil, manorial, and religious institutions. Based on historical sources, monastic institutions' forest management actions will be analyzed, and whether these initiatives successfully made communities in north-western Portugal less vulnerable to drift sands. This study will also allow a comparison of how the coastal landscape in the Portuguese Northwest has been reshaped and managed over two centuries, the profound impacts caused by tourism activities in the second half of the twentieth century, and the implementation of coastal management plans by the Portuguese State from 1993 onwards.
Cellular Therapy in NSCLC: Between Myth and Reality
Authors: Imbimbo Martina , Wetterwald Laureline , Friedlaender Alex , Parikh Kaushal , Addeo Alfredo
Published: August 2023

Purpose of Review

In this paper, we review the current state and modalities of adoptive cell therapies (ACT) in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). We also discuss the challenges hampering the use of ACT and the approaches to overcome these barriers.

Recent Findings

Several trials are ongoing investigating the three main modalities of T cell-based ACT: tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), genetically engineered T-cell receptors (TCRs), and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. The latter, in particular, has revolutionized the treatment of hematologic malignancies. However, the efficacy against solid tumor is still sparse. Major limitations include the following: severe toxicities, restricted infiltration and activation within the tumors, antigen escape and heterogeneity, and manufacturing issues.

ACT is a promising tool to improve the outcome of metastatic NSCLC, but significant translational and clinical research is needed to improve its application and expand the use in NSCLC.
Novel Insights Into the Recovery and Stabilization of Rosmarinus officinalis Volatile Aroma Compounds Using Green Solvents
Authors: Vladić Jelena , Kovačević Strahinja , Aladić Krunoslav , Rebocho Silvia , Jokić Stela , Podunavac-Kuzmanović Sanja , Duarte Ana Rita C. , Jerković Igor
Published: August 2023

In this study, the integrated application of supercritical CO2 and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) was investigated in order to establish a green procedure that enables obtaining and stabilizing the aroma volatile constituents of Rosmarinus officinalis L. Supercritical CO2 was used to obtain rosemary extracts that possessed an abundance of terpenes, particularly monoterpenes 68.97–88.08% and sesquiterpenes 5.38–21.22%. The obtained extracts were further dispersed in different NADES (betaine/glycerol (Bet/Gly), betaine/ethylene glycol (Bet/EG), and betaine/glycerol/sucrose/water (Bet/Gly/Suc/W) and their stability was assessed at room temperature. The headspace profile of the samples and their antioxidant activity were monitored for 6 months. Changes in the chemical profile of the extract were detected, which corresponded to terpene transformation reactions. In the control (CO2 extract), the development of non-terpene components such as acetic acid was detected, which make the product unsuitable for use. Conversely, the accumulation of acetic acid was not observed in the NADES samples. The antioxidant activity of the control was the most significantly decreased during 6 months, while among the NADES samples, the reduction of activity occurred only in Bet/Gly sample. In Bet/EG and Bet/Gly/Suc/W samples, activity remained the same during the same period. The results suggest that the NADES could serve as stabilization media for CO2-extracted rosemary volatile components. Furthermore, this represents a simple, green process of obtaining readily applicable products with extended stability at room temperature.
Analysis of the prognostic value of uric acid on the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with primary liver cancer
Authors: Rao Hui , Wang Qi , Zeng Xiaoli , Wen Xuejiao , Huang Li
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Uric acid (UA) plays a dual role as an antioxidant and a prooxidant in patients with malignant tumors; however, the relationship between serum UA and malignancy is currently unclear. This study aims to investigate the prognostic value of serum uric acid level before immunotherapy on the efficacy of primary liver cancer (PLC) immunotherapy, which might provide a basis for optimizing the comprehensive treatment scheme.

Methods

Patients with PLC who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical College from January 2019 to June 2022 and underwent immunotherapy were collected retrospectively. The difference between serum UA levels in patients with PLC, the correlation between serum UA levels, and the clinical characteristics of patients with PLC were analyzed using the chi-square test, and the survival was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier analysis. To further assess the prognostic significance of UA concentrations, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed.

Results

Ninety-nine patients were included in this study cohort. The median follow-up was 7 months (range: 1–29 months), and 76 (76.8%) of the 99 patients with PLC died as of December 31, 2022. Serum UA concentrations ranged from 105 to 670 μmol/l, with a median of 269 μmol/l. The results showed that the serum UA level of patients with PLC was higher than that of healthy subjects (P < 0.001). After subgroup analyses, only male patients with liver cancer had higher serum UA levels than healthy men (P = 0.001). The results of the Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that higher UA levels were associated with poor overall survival (OS) (P = 0.005). In univariate analysis, the OS rate of patients with elevated serum UA levels was significantly lower than the cut-off value (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.191, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.456–6.993, P = 0.004), with a median survival time of 151 and 312 days in the high and low serum UA groups, respectively. The results of multivariate analysis showed that the UA level was an independent prognostic factor for immunotherapy in patients with PLC (HR: 3.131, 95% CI: 1.766–5.553, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The serum UA level is a reliable biomarker for predicting the prognosis of patients undergoing immunotherapy for PLC, and might provide a basis for the individualized treatment of these patients. Dynamic monitoring of the serum UA level may compensate for the deficiency of the current liver cancer staging system.
Classification of Pulmonary Nodules in 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT Images with a 3D Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Alves Victor Manuel , dos Santos Cardoso Jaime , Gama João
Published: August 2023

Purpose

2-[18F]FDG PET/CT plays an important role in the management of pulmonary nodules. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) automatically learn features from images and have the potential to improve the discrimination between malignant and benign pulmonary nodules. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a CNN model for classification of pulmonary nodules from 2-[18F]FDG PET images.

Methods

One hundred thirteen participants were retrospectively selected. One nodule per participant. The 2-[18F]FDG PET images were preprocessed and annotated with the reference standard. The deep learning experiment entailed random data splitting in five sets. A test set was held out for evaluation of the final model. Four-fold cross-validation was performed from the remaining sets for training and evaluating a set of candidate models and for selecting the final model. Models of three types of 3D CNNs architectures were trained from random weight initialization (Stacked 3D CNN, VGG-like and Inception-v2-like models) both in original and augmented datasets. Transfer learning, from ImageNet with ResNet-50, was also used.

Results

The final model (Stacked 3D CNN model) obtained an area under the ROC curve of 0.8385 (95% CI: 0.6455–1.0000) in the test set. The model had a sensibility of 80.00%, a specificity of 69.23% and an accuracy of 73.91%, in the test set, for an optimised decision threshold that assigns a higher cost to false negatives.

Conclusion

A 3D CNN model was effective at distinguishing benign from malignant pulmonary nodules in 2-[18F]FDG PET images.
A new approach for real-time prediction of stick–slip vibrations enhancement using model agnostic and supervised machine learning: a case study of Norwegian continental shelf
Authors: Elahifar Behzad , Hosseini Erfan
Published: August 2023

Efficient and safe drilling operations require real-time identification and mitigation of downhole vibrations like stick-slip, which can significantly diminish performance, reliability, and efficiency. This pioneering research introduces a robust machine learning approach combining model-agnostic regression techniques with Bayesian Optimized Extra Trees (BO_ET) to accurately predict stick-slip events in real-time using downhole sensor data. The model is rigorously tested and validated on a substantial offshore dataset comprising over 78,000 data points from a Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) oil field. The key input features encompassing real-time downhole and surface drilling parameters are carefully selected, including critical variables such as collar rotational speed, shock risks, annular pressure, torque, mud flow rate, drill string vibration severity, and other relevant measurements. These parameters offer significant insights into the occurrence of harmful stick-slip vibrations. Among several sophisticated machine learning models, the Extra Trees (ET) algorithm demonstrates superior performance with the lowest errors of 5.5056 revolutions per minute (r/min) Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and 9.9672 r/min Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) on out-of-sample test data. Further hyperparameter tuning of the ET algorithm via Bayesian Optimization dramatically reduces errors down to 0.002156 MAE and 0.024495 RMSE, underscoring the significant innovation and advantages of the proposed approach. By seamlessly incorporating real-time downhole sensor data and drill string mechanics, the model enables reliable identification of stick-slip events as they occur downhole. This grants opportunities to optimize critical drilling parameters including revolutions per minute (RPM), weight-on-bit (WOB), mud flow rates, and more to effectively mitigate stick-slip severity and improve the rate of penetration (ROP). Integrating the approach into automatic driller systems on offshore rigs offers immense benefits for drilling operations through substantially increased efficiency, fewer premature failures, lower costs, and significantly improved productivity and safety. Overall, this research strongly emphasizes the immense transformative potential of advanced data analytics and machine learning in enabling more efficient, economical, and sustainable drilling practices. The proposed model demonstrates clear superiority over existing methods and establishes a robust and reliable platform for real-time stick-slip prediction and mitigation, maximizing drilling performance.

Graphical abstract
Crossing the Fictional Line: Moral Graveness, the Gamer’s Dilemma, and the Paradox of Fictionally Going Too Far
Authors: Montefiore Thomas , Formosa Paul
Published: August 2023

The Gamer’s Dilemma refers to the philosophical challenge of justifying the intuitive difference people seem to see between the moral permissibility of enacting virtual murder and the moral impermissibility of enacting virtual child molestation in video games (Luck Ethics and Information Technology, 1:31, 2009). Recently, Luck in Philosophia, 50:1287–1308, 2022 has argued that the Gamer’s Dilemma is actually an instance of a more general “paradox”, which he calls the “paradox of treating wrongdoing lightly”, and he proposes a graveness resolution to this paradox. In response, we argue for four key claims. First, we accept Luck’s expansion of the Gamer’s Dilemma to be applicable to a wider set of media, but give a novel recasting of this in terms of the Paradox of Fictionally Going Too Far. Second, we develop a novel criticism of Luck in Philosophia, 50:1287–1308, 2022 graveness resolution to this broader paradox. Third, we argue that the Paradox of Fictionally Going Too Far helps to expose an implicit moralism in the Gamer’s Dilemma literature when compared to relevant nearby literatures about other forms of media. Fourth, we consider a range of non-moral, cultural and media conventions that plausibly help to dissolve the intuitive moral gap between non-sexual and sexual violence that is central to this paradox.
Guillain-Barré syndrome as clinical presentation of a recently acquired hepatitis C
Authors: Boccia Filomena , Florio Letizia Lucia , Durante-Mangoni Emanuele , Zampino Rosa
Published: August 2023

About 40% of the Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) cases are associated with prodromal infections; occasionally, it has been associated to chronic hepatitis C or its reactivation. A 38-year-old man came to our attention after transaminase elevation occurred during recovery from GBS. All the possible causes of acute hepatitis were excluded except for the positivity of HCVRNA, and a diagnosis of new onset hepatitis C was made. Recalling patient history, we observed that (i) anti-HCV antibodies were negative and liver enzymes were normal 7 weeks before GBS onset; (ii) in the early stages of ICU admission, liver enzymes started to rise, but the elevation remained mild under steroid treatment; (iii) serum aminotransferase peak occurred 11 weeks after GBS onset; and (iv) HCV RNA was already significantly high when anti-HCV antibodies became positive, consistent with an acute hepatitis. Furthermore, anti-HCV seroconversion was likely delayed or blurred by steroids and immunoglobulin infusions. The interval of time between GBS onset and transaminase elevation compared with the patient clinical history allows us to establish a cause-effect relationship between the two diseases. All patients with GBS should be tested for hepatitis C, or its reactivation if already present, and followed up for an early diagnosis and treatment.
AYA-zorg onmisbaar in de zorg voor patiënten met zaadbalkanker
Authors: Vliem-van Doorn Daphne , Zweers Daniëlle
Published: August 2023

Samenvatting

Per jaar worden zo’n 3.900 adolescenten en jongvolwassen in de leeftijd van 18 tot en met 39 jaar, AYA’s, geconfronteerd met de diagnose kanker. Samen vormen zij 3,5% van het totaal aantal patiënten met kanker. Deze patiëntengroep behoeft extra aandacht door de unieke fysieke, psychische en maatschappelijke uitdagingen waar jongvolwassenen met kanker mee te maken krijgen. Zaadbalkanker is de meest voorkomende vorm van kanker onder jonge mannen. Uit de praktijk blijkt dat voeding en beweging, familie, gezin en vrienden, werk/opleiding en re-integratie, hypotheken en verzekeringen, emoties en seksualiteit veel voorkomende thema’s in deze patiëntengroep. Leeftijdspecifieke AYA-zorg dient dan ook integraal onderdeel te zijn van de zorg voor patiënten met zaadbalkanker.
Anxiety and depression in patients aged 80 years and older following aortic valve therapy. A six-month follow-up study
Authors: Eide Leslie S. P. , Fridlund Bengt , Hufthammer Karl Ove , Haaverstad Rune , Packer Erik J. S. , Ranhoff Anette H. , Thompson David R. , Norekvål Tone M. ,   The CARDELIR Investigators
Published: August 2023

Background

Little is known about mental health following advanced cardiac procedures in the oldest patients.

Aims

To study changes in anxiety and depression from baseline to one- and six-month follow-up in older patients following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR).

Methods

Prospective cohort study of patients ≥ 80 years undergoing elective TAVI or SAVR in a tertiary university hospital. Anxiety and depression were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Differences between TAVI/SAVR were analyzed using Welch’s t test or chi-squared. Changes over time and group differences were established with longitudinal models using generalized least squares.

Results

In 143 patients (83.5 ± 2.7 years), 46% (n = 65) received TAVI. Anxiety was identified in 11% of TAVI patients at baseline. One- and six-months later, percentages were 8% and 9%. In SAVR patients, 18% had baseline scores indicating anxiety. One and six-months later, percentages were 11% and 9%. Depression was identified in 15% of TAVI patients. One- and six-months later, percentages were 11% and 17%. At baseline, 11% of SAVR patients had scores indicating depression. One- and six-months after SAVR, percentages were 15% and 12%. Longitudinal analyses showed reductions (P < 0.001) in anxiety from baseline to one-month, and stable scores between one- and six-months for both treatment groups. There was no change over time for depression among treatment groups (P = 0.21).

Discussion and conclusions

SAVR or TAVI in patients ≥ 80 years was associated with anxiety reduction between baseline and follow-up. For depression, there was no evidence of change over time in either treatment group.

Graphical abstract
Study on the disaster caused by the linkage failure of the residual coal pillar and rock stratum during multiple coal seam mining: mechanism of progressive and dynamic failure
Authors: Tan Yunliang , Ma Qing , Liu Xiaoli , Liu Xuesheng , Elsworth Derek , Qian Ruipeng , Shang Junlong
Published: August 2023

Multi-seam mining often leads to the retention of a significant number of coal pillars for purposes such as protection, safety, or water isolation. However, stress concentration beneath these residual coal pillars can significantly impact their strength and stability when mining below them, potentially leading to hydraulic support failure, surface subsidence, and rock bursting. To address this issue, the linkage between the failure and instability of residual coal pillars and rock strata during multi-seam mining is examined in this study. Key controls include residual pillar spalling, safety factor (fs), local mine stiffness (LMS), and the post-peak stiffness (kc) of the residual coal pillar. Limits separating the two forms of failure, progressive versus dynamic, are defined. Progressive failure results at lower stresses when the coal pillar transitions from indefinitely stable (fs > 1.5) to failing (fs < 1.5) when the coal pillar can no longer remain stable for an extended duration, whereas sudden (unstable) failure results when the strength of the pillar is further degraded and fails. The transition in mode of failure is defined by the LMS/kc ratio. Failure transitions from quiescent to dynamic as LMS/kc < 1, which can cause chain pillar instability propagating throughout the mine. This study provides theoretical guidance to define this limit to instability of residual coal pillars for multi-seam mining in similar mines.
SSTP: Social and Spatial-Temporal Aware Next Point-of-Interest Recommendation
Authors: Wu Junzhuang , Zhang Yujing , Li Yuhua , Zou Yixiong , Li Ruixuan , Zhang Zhenyu
Published: August 2023

The expansion of available information in location-based social networks (LBSNs) has led to information overload, making it urgent to discover users’ next point-of-interest (POI). Some existing works only consider certain modal information in LBSNs and do not transform them into high-dimensional structures, which hinders the alleviation of the data sparsity problem. Moreover, many approaches rely solely on social relationships, making it difficult to recommend POIs to new users without association information. To tackle these challenges, we propose a social- and spatial–temporal-aware next point-of-Interest (SSTP) recommendation model. SSTP uses two feature encoders based on self-attention mechanism and gate recurrent unit to model users’ check-in enhancement sequence hierarchically. We also design a random neighborhood sampling approach to mine user social relationships, thus alleviating the user cold start problem. Finally, we propose a geographical-aware graph attention network to learn the sensitivity of users to distance. Extensive experiments on two real-world datasets show that SSTP outperforms state-of-the-art models, improving Hit@k by 2.26–6.55$$\%$$
%
and MAP@k by 3.49–6.55$$\%$$
%
. Moreover, SSTP has better performance on sparse data, with an average improvement of 6.09$$\%$$
%
on the Hit@k. The code can be downloaded at https://github.com/Rih0/sstp.
Die (Neu‑)Ordnung des Feldes
Authors: Rose Dirk
Published: August 2023

Der vorliegende Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit den Sammelrezensionen in der Gründungsphase der DVjs und fragt danach, welche Rolle sie bei der Durchsetzung des Forschungsparadigmas ›Geistesgeschichte‹ gespielt haben. Dafür wird zunächst die Textsorte Sammelrezension im Kontext der Zeitschrift näher bestimmt sowie ihr strategisches Potenzial bei der (Neu‑)Ordnung größerer Forschungsgebiete analysiert. Im Anschluss wird nach der polemischen Funktion gefragt, die solchen Sammelrezensionen innewohnt, und welche Relevanz das für die DVjs in ihrer Gründungsphase hatte. Abschließend werden diese Überlegungen am Beispiel der Barockforschung exemplifiziert.
Relationship between the tensile modulus and the thermal conductivity perpendicular and in the fiber direction of PAN-based carbon fibers
Authors: Bard Simon , Tran Thomas , Schönl Florian , Rosenfeldt Sabine , Demleitner Martin , Ruckdäschel Holger , Retsch Markus , Altstädt Volker
Published: August 2023

A thorough knowledge and understanding of the structure–property relationship between thermal conductivity and C-fiber morphology is important to estimate the behavior of carbon fiber components, especially under thermal loading. In this paper, the thermal conductivities of different carbon fibers with varying tensile modulus were analyzed perpendicular and parallel to the fiber direction. Besides the measurement of carbon fiber reinforced polymers, we also measured the thermal conductivity of single carbon fibers directly. The measurements clearly proved that the thermal conductivity increased with the tensile modulus both in fiber and perpendicular direction. The increase is most pronounced in fiber direction. We ascribed the increase in tensile modules and thermal conductivity to increasing anisotropy resulting from the orientation of graphitic domains and microvoids.

Graphical abstract
Regulation of 20α-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Expression in Term Pregnant Human Myometrium Ex Vivo
Authors: Paul Marina , Barreda Anna Paredes , Gregson Amy , Kahl Richard , King Madeline , Hussein Waleed M. , Walker Frederick R. , Smith Roger , Zakar Tamas , Paul Jonathan W.
Published: August 2023

Metabolic inactivation of progesterone within uterine myocytes by 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20α-HSD) has been postulated as a mechanism contributing to functional progesterone withdrawal at term. In humans, 20α-HSD is encoded by the gene AKR1C1. Myometrial AKR1C1 mRNA abundance has been reported to increase significantly during labor at term. In spontaneous preterm labor, however, we previously found no increase in AKR1C1 mRNA level in the myometrium except for preterm labor associated with clinical chorioamnionitis. This suggests that increased 20α-HSD activity is a mechanism through which inflammation drives progesterone withdrawal in preterm labor. In this study, we have determined the effects of various treatments of therapeutic relevance on AKR1C1 expression in pregnant human myometrium in an ex vivo culture system. AKR1C1 expression increased spontaneously during 48 h culture (p < 0.0001), consistent with the myometrium transitioning to a labor-like phenotype ex vivo, as reported previously. Serum supplementation, prostaglandin F2α, phorbol myristate acetate, and mechanical stretch had no effect on the culture-induced increase, whereas progesterone (p = 0.0058) and cAMP (p = 0.0202) further upregulated AKR1C1 expression. In contrast, culture-induced upregulation of AKR1C1 expression was dose-dependently repressed by three histone/protein deacetylase inhibitors: trichostatin A at 5 (p = 0.0172) and 25 µM (p = 0.0115); suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid at 0.5 (p = 0.0070), 1 (p = 0.0045), 2.5 (p = 0.0181), 5 (p = 0.0066) and 25 µM (p = 0.0014); and suberoyl bis-hydroxamic acid at 5 (p = 0.0480) and 25 µM (p = 0.0238). We propose the inhibition of histone/protein deacetylation helps to maintain the anti-inflammatory, pro-quiescence signaling of progesterone in pregnant human myometrium by blocking its metabolic inactivation. Histone deacetylase inhibitors may represent a class of agents that preserve or restore the progesterone sensitivity of the pregnant uterus.
An Optimization-Based Decision Support Tool for Incremental Train Timetabling
Authors: Kloster Oddvar , Luteberget Bjørnar , Mannino Carlo , Sartor Giorgio
Published: August 2023

We consider the typical workflow of a route planner in the context of short-term train timetabling, that is, the incremental process of adjusting a timetable for the next day or up to the next year. This process usually alternates between (1) making rough modifications to an existing timetable (e.g., shifting the departure of a train by half an hour) and then (2) making small adjustments to regain feasibility (e.g., reduce or increase the dwell time of some trains in some stations). The most time-consuming element of this process is related to the second step, that is to manually eliminate all conflicts that may arise after a timetable has been modified. In this work, we propose a mixed-integer programming model tailored to solve precisely this problem, that is to find a conflict-free timetable that is as close as possible to a given one. Previous related work mostly focused on creating complex models to produce “optimal” timetables from scratch, which ultimately resulted in little to no practical applications. By using a simpler model, and by trusting route planners in steering the process towards a timetable with the desired qualities, we can get closer to handle real-life instances. The model has been integrated in a user interface that was tested and validated by Norwegian route planners to plan the yearly timetable of a busy railway line in Norway.
Medico-legal issues related to emergency physicians’ documentation in Canadian emergency departments
Authors: Smith Jeffrey D. , Lemay Karen , Lee Shirley , Nuth Janet , Ji Jun , Montague Kim , Garber Gary E.
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Physician documentation plays a central role in the delivery of safe patient care. It describes a physician’s clinical decision-making and supports essential communication between healthcare providers within the patient’s circle of care. Good documentation can potentially also decrease a physician’s medico-legal risk. This study provides examples of documentation issues attributed to physicians practicing emergency medicine as identified by peer experts in civil legal actions, regulatory authority complaints (College) and hospital complaints (collectively, medico-legal cases) in Canada.

Methods

We conducted a descriptive study and content analysis of medico-legal cases involving emergency department physicians from a national repository at the Canadian Medical Protective Association. Cases with peer expert criticism of an emergency physician’s documentation, which were closed between 2016 and 2020, and occurred in an emergency department were included in our analysis.

Results

Of the 1628 cases involving emergency medicine, our inclusion criteria identified that absent or insufficiently detailed documentation was present in 24% of cases (391/1,628). A detailed review of 20% of the cases (79/391), selected randomly, found that documentation issues were most often associated with the assessment and investigation stage of care. This pertained to documenting details of the clinical examination, relevant medical history, diagnosis, and differential diagnosis.

Conclusions

For physicians practicing emergency medicine, criticism of documentation was frequently observed in medico-legal cases. Based on the findings of this study and the expert criticism related to documentation, emergency medicine physicians may consider reflecting upon their documentation of the care provided to determine if their documentation provides a clear and accurate chronicle of the care and the rationale for their clinical decisions.
Ferromagnetic and insulating behavior in both half magnetic levitation and non-levitation LK-99 like samples
Authors: Wang Pinyuan , Liu Xiaoqi , Ge Jun , Ji Chengcheng , Ji Haoran , Liu Yanzhao , Ai Yiwen , Ma Gaoxing , Qi Shichao , Wang Jian
Published: August 2023

Finding materials exhibiting superconductivity at room temperature has long been one of the ultimate goals in physics and material science. Recently, room-temperature superconducting properties have been claimed in a copper substituted lead phosphate apatite (Pb10-xCux(PO4)6O, or called LK-99) (Lee et al. in J. Korean Cryst. Growth Cryst. Technol. 33:61, 2023; Lee et al. in The first room-temperature ambient-pressure superconductor, 2023; Lee et al. in Superconductor Pb10-xCux(PO4)6O showing levitation at room temperature and atmospheric pressure and mechanism, 2023). Using a similar approach, we have prepared LK-99 like samples and confirmed the half-levitation behaviors in some small specimens under the influence of a magnet at room temperature. To examine the magnetic properties of our samples, we have performed systematic magnetization measurements on the as-grown LK-99 like samples, including the half-levitated and non-levitated samples. The magnetization measurements show the coexistence of soft-ferromagnetic and diamagnetic signals in both half-levitated and non-levitated samples. The electrical transport measurements on the as-grown LK-99 like samples including both half-levitated and non-levitated samples show an insulating behavior characterized by the increasing resistivity with the decreasing temperature.