bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-surgical management in children with non-refluxing primary megaureter: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Buder Kathrin , Opherk Kathrin , Mazzi Sara , Rohner Katharina , Weitz Marcus
Published: March 2023

Background

Children with non-refluxing primary megaureter are mostly managed by a watchful approach with close follow-up and serial imaging.

Objectives

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to support the current non-surgical management strategy in these patients.

Data sources

A comprehensive search including electronic literature databases, clinical trial registries, and conference proceedings was performed.

Data synthesis methods

Outcomes were estimated as pooled prevalence. If meta-analytical calculations were not appropriate, outcomes were provided in a descriptive manner.

Results

Data from 8 studies (290 patients/354 renal units) were included. For the primary outcome, differential renal function estimated by functional imaging, meta-analysis was impossible due to reported data not being precise. Pooled prevalence for secondary surgery was 13% (95% confidence interval: 8–19%) and for resolution 61% (95% confidence interval: 42–78%). The risk of bias was moderate or high in most studies.

Limitations

This analysis was limited by the low number of eligible studies with few participants and high clinical heterogeneity, and the poor quality of the available data.

Conclusions

The low pooled prevalence of secondary surgical intervention and high pooled prevalence of resolution may support the current non-surgical management in children with non-refluxing primary megaureter. However, these results should be interpreted cautiously due to the limited available body of evidence. Future studies should overcome existing limitations of imaging methods by using standardized, comparable criteria and report outcome parameters in a quantitative manner. This would allow more sufficient data synthesis to provide evidence-based recommendations for clinical decision-making and counseling.

Systematic review registration

The protocol was registered on PROSPERO under CRD42019134502.
What motivates and hinders municipal adaptation policy? Exploring vertical and horizontal diffusion in Hessen and Finland
Authors: Schoenefeld Jonas J. , Hildén Mikael , Schulze Kai , Sorvali Jaana
Published: March 2023

Municipalities across the globe are seeking to adapt to increasing climate change impacts, such as heavy rainfall, drought, heat waves, and floods. An important question is how to support the diffusion of innovations in local adaptation policy-making. Responses often lack consideration of the diversity of municipalities and their varying needs and capacities. This article addresses this gap by analysing how internal and external motivations for and barriers to adaptation policy and diffusion vary across municipalities of different sizes in the federal State of Hessen in Germany and in Finland. Hessen and Finland have comparable population sizes and settlement structures, but their municipalities are embedded in different multilevel governance architectures and climatic geographies. The analysis builds on quantitative data from two independent surveys among Hessian and Finnish municipalities. The results show that while there are similarities and some differences among the motivations, with municipalities in Hessen focusing more on extreme weather events and Finnish municipalities more on well-being, the barriers are strikingly similar, focusing on lack of resources as well as unclear responsibilities of different governance levels and within municipalities. Size is an important factor determining the adaptation needs and capacities of municipalities in both surveys. The findings highlight the need for a clearer adaptation governance framework, support from the closest governance level and more resources, but also context-sensitive policy support that has been discussed in theory and practice.
A spatial semiparametric M-quantile regression for hedonic price modelling
Authors: Schirripa Spagnolo Francesco , Borgoni Riccardo , Carcagnì Antonella , Michelangeli Alessandra , Salvati Nicola
Published: March 2023

This paper proposes an M-quantile regression approach to address the heterogeneity of the housing market in a modern European city. We show how M-quantile modelling is a rich and flexible tool for empirical market price data analysis, allowing us to obtain a robust estimation of the hedonic price function whilst accounting for different sources of heterogeneity in market prices. The suggested methodology can generally be used to analyse nonlinear interactions between prices and predictors. In particular, we develop a spatial semiparametric M-quantile model to capture both the potential nonlinear effects of the cultural environment on pricing and spatial trends. In both cases, nonlinearity is introduced into the model using appropriate bases functions. We show how the implicit price associated with the variable that measures cultural amenities can be determined in this semiparametric framework. Our findings show that the effect of several housing attributes and urban amenities differs significantly across the response distribution, suggesting that buyers of lower-priced properties behave differently than buyers of higher-priced properties.
Can acid produced from probiotic bacteria alter the surface roughness, microhardness, and elemental composition of enamel? An in vitro study
Authors: Saha Swagata , Chopra Aditi , Kamath Shobha Ullas , Kashyap Namita N.
Published: March 2023

Probiotics are live microorganisms that upon administration in adequate amounts provide various health benefits to the host. Probiotics are “lactic acid-producing bacteria” as they release large amounts of organic acids, particularly lactic acids, in their surrounding environment. Although the acids produced by probiotics are beneficial for gastrointestinal and vaginal health, the acidogenic nature of probiotics has raised concerns among dental professionals, especially concerning their effect on the enamel and dentin. Previous studies have found that probiotics can lower the pH of the saliva and cause essential elements like Calcium and Phosphorus to leach from the enamel. This can alter the surface topography of enamel and increase the risk of enamel defects. Studies have also noted that probiotic bacteria can replace cariogenic bacteria and lower the risk of tooth decay. However, the effect of acid produced by probiotics on the enamel surface remains unclear. Hence, the present study aims to evaluate the effect of probiotics on the surface roughness, microhardness, and elemental composition of enamel compared to 0.1 M Lactic acid (demineralizing agent). Twenty enamel sections were randomly divided into groups and subjected to a pH cycling model using a probiotic suspension and 0.1 M lactic acid. The changes in the surface roughness, microhardness, surface morphology, and elemental composition of the enamel with regard to Carbon, Oxygen, Sodium, Hydrogen, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Fluoride, Chlorine, and Calcium of the enamel were evaluated before and after the emersion in both the groups. The results showed a significant increase in the mean surface roughness in the probiotic group before and after the exposure. The microhardness of the enamel decreased along with altered arrangement of the enamel prisms, increased striations, scratch marks, and pitting after exposure to the probiotic group. A decrease in the atomic/weight% for Calcium, Phosphorous, Fluoride, Aluminium, and Oxygen and an increase in the weight/atomic% for Carbon, Nitrogen, and Sodium were noted compared to the baseline in the probiotic solution. The results in the probiotic group were comparable to the 0.1 M lactic acids. The pH changed from 5.78 to 3.06 at the end of 24 h in the probiotic group. Based on these findings, we conclude that exposure to probiotics can affect microhardness and surface roughness and cause leaching of essential elements like Calcium and Phosphorous from the enamel.
Subclinical systolic dysfunction detected by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography in adults with diabetes mellitus: systematic review and meta-analysis of 6668 individuals with diabetes mellitus and 7218 controls
Authors: Ghoreyshi-Hefzabad Seyed-Mohammad , Jeyaprakash Prajith , Vo Ha Q. , Gupta Alpa , Ozawa Koya , Pathan Faraz , Negishi Kazuaki
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) can help to identify subclinical features of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). There is, however, significant heterogeneity in the reported strain values in literature. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare cardiac systolic strain values assessed by 2D-STE in asymptomatic adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) and healthy controls.

Methods

Five databases were searched, and a total of 41 valid studies (6668 individuals with DM and 7218 controls) were included for analysis. Pooled mean in each group and mean difference (MD) for left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS), LV global circumferential strain (LVGCS), LV global radial strain (LVGRS), LV longitudinal systolic strain rate (LVSR), left atrial reservoir strain (LARS) and right ventricular GLS (RVGLS) were assessed.

Results

Patients with DM had overall 2 units lower LVGLS than healthy subjects 17.5% [16.8, 18.3], vs 19.5 [18.7, 20.4], MD = − 1.96 [− 2.27, − 1.64]. Other strain values were also lower in patients with DM: LVGCS (MD = − 0.89 [− 1.26, − 0.51]); LVGRS (MD = − 5.03 [− 7.18, − 2.87]); LVSR (MD = − 0.06 [− 0.10, − 0.03]); LARS (MD = − 8.41 [− 11.5, − 5.33]); and RVGLS (MD = − 2.41 [− 3.60, − 1.22]). Meta-regression identified higher body mass index (BMI) as the single contributor to worse LVGLS, LVGCS and LVSR. Those with higher Hemoglobulin A1c had worse RVGLS.

Conclusion

Myocardial strains were reduced in whole heart in patients with DM. The largest reduction was observed in LA reservoir strain, followed by RVGLS and LVGLS. Higher BMI in patients with DM is associated with worse LV strain values.
Indigenous LGBTIQSB + People’s Experiences of Family Violence in Australia
Authors: Soldatic Karen , Sullivan Corrinne T. , Briskman Linda , Leha John , Trewlynn William , Spurway Kim
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This article uses an Indigenous concept of family violence as a frame to interrogate interviews held with Indigenous LGBTIQSB + people in Australia. The article reorients family violence away from Western heteronormative framings and aims to contribute towards a new conversation about family violence.

Methods

A qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyse 16 interviews with Indigenous LGBTIQSB + people in the state of New South Wales, Australia. This is one of a series of articles that provide preliminary findings from a research project into the social and emotional wellbeing of Indigenous LGBTIQSB + young people living in New South Wales.

Results

The interviews highlight the complex impact family violence on Indigenous LGBTIQSB + youth. The article shows differences in reactions between family and community in urban settings with those experienced in rural settings highlighting intergenerational differences, with older family members such as grandparents, more likely to exhibit negative reactions and behaviours. These experiences are interconnected as many young people were living in urban areas while extended family often lived in rural or remote communities.

Conclusions

The findings of this study demonstrate the intersectional nature of family violence highlighting the fact that Indigenous LGBTIQSB + young people are integral parts of extended kinship networks, families and communities and are deeply impacted by any acts of family violence. The study’s findings also support current research into family and community violence for LGBTIQ + people that shows the differential behaviours and actions of rural and urban families as well as the different reactions between generations within families.
Estimating the energy consumption of model-view-controller applications
Authors: Guamán Daniel , Pérez Jennifer , Valdiviezo-Diaz Priscila
Published: March 2023

For information and communication technology to reach its goal of zero emissions in 2050, power consumption must be reduced, including the energy consumed by software. To develop sustainability-aware software, green metrics have been implemented to estimate the energy consumed by the execution of an application. However, they have a rebound energy consumption effect because they require an application to be executed to estimate the energy consumed after each change. To address this problem, it is necessary to construct energy estimation models that do not require the execution of applications. This work addresses this problem by constructing a green model based on size, complexity and duplicated lines to estimate the energy consumed by model-view-controller applications without their execution. This article defines a model constructed based on 52 applications. The results were accurate in twelve applications, which showed that the joule estimation was very close to reality, avoiding the energy consumed by the execution of applications.
Multiple Scratching: An Atomistic Study
Authors: Alabd Alhafez Iyad , Kopnarski Michael , Urbassek Herbert M.
Published: March 2023

Using molecular dynamics simulation, we investigate multiple scratching processes in which a tip moves through a groove that has already been formed during a previous scratch. We use a conical indenter such that the friction coefficient is independent of the scratch depth. First, a single scratch to a depth of 4 nm is compared with a 2-cycle scratch in which a scratch at depth 2 nm is followed by a second scratch to the full depth of 4 nm. We observe that the second cycle shows a smaller friction coefficient as long as the tip moves through the pre-formed groove without touching the front end. In addition, we studied 5 cycles of scratching, in which the scratch depth was increased by 2 nm in each cycle. These results confirm and generalize the findings for the 2-cycle scratch. A constant-load 2-cycle scratch simulation emphasizes that the reduction in transverse load—and, consequently, in the friction coefficient—is caused by the fact that, despite a large normal area supporting the normal load, only a thin area is available to resist the transverse movement of the scratch tip. The work done during scratching is in good approximation proportional to the scratch volume showing that the transverse hardness is approximately constant in all scratch processes investigated here.
High spatial resolution assessment of air quality in urban centres using lichen carbon, nitrogen and sulfur contents and stable-isotope-ratio signatures
Authors: Niepsch Daniel , Clarke Leon J. , Newton Jason , Tzoulas Konstantinos , Cavan Gina
Published: March 2023

Air pollution and poor air quality is impacting human health globally and is a major cause of respiratory and cardiovascular disease and damage to human organ systems. Automated air quality monitoring stations continuously record airborne pollutant concentrations, but are restricted in number, costly to maintain and cannot document all spatial variability of airborne pollutants. Biomonitors, such as lichens, are commonly used as an inexpensive alternative to assess the degree of pollution and monitor air quality. However, only a few studies combined lichen carbon, nitrogen and sulfur contents, with their stable-isotope-ratio signatures (δ13C, δ15N and δ34S values) to assess spatial variability of air quality and to ‘fingerprint’ potential pollution sources. In this study, a high-spatial resolution lichen biomonitoring approach (using Xanthoria parietina and Physcia spp.) was applied to the City of Manchester (UK), the centre of the urban conurbation Greater Manchester, including considerations of its urban characteristics (e.g., building heights and traffic statistics), to investigate finer spatial detail urban air quality. Lichen wt% N and δ15N signatures, combined with lichen nitrate (NO3−) and ammonium (NH4+) concentrations, suggest a complex mixture of airborne NOx and NHx compounds across Manchester. In contrast, lichen S wt%, combined with δ34S strongly suggest anthropogenic sulfur sources, whereas C wt% and δ13C signatures were not considered reliable indicators of atmospheric carbon emissions. Manchester’s urban attributes were found to influence lichen pollutant loadings, suggesting deteriorated air quality in proximity to highly trafficked roads and densely built-up areas. Lichen elemental contents and stable-isotope-ratio signatures can be used to identify areas of poor air quality, particularly at locations not covered by automated air quality measurement stations. Therefore, lichen biomonitoring approaches provide a beneficial method to supplement automated monitoring stations and also to assess finer spatial variability of urban air quality.

Graphical abstract
The added value of the visual analysis of DWI in post-surgery follow-up of soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities: do we really need ADC?
Authors: Zampa Virna , Aringhieri Giacomo , Tintori Rachele , Rossi Piercarlo , Andreani Lorenzo , Franchi Alessandro
Published: March 2023

Introduction

MRI has a fundamental role in the follow-up of soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). However, the differentiation of recurrences/residual disease from post-surgical changes is a complex task, with a central role for the radiologist.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively evaluated 64 post-surgery MRI for extremities STSs. MR protocol included DWI (b = 0, 1000). Two radiologists were asked to consensually evaluate: presence/absence of tumoral nodules, lesion conspicuity, imaging diagnostic confidence, ADC values, and DWI overall image quality. The gold standard was histology or MR follow-up.

Results

Thirty-seven lesions in 29/64 patients were confirmed as local recurrence or residual disease (n = 16 ≤ 1 cm) with 1 MR false positive. On DWI, the conspicuity of the proved tumor lesions resulted excellent in 29/37, good in 3/37 and low in 5/37, higher than conventional imaging. A statistically significant higher diagnostic confidence of DWI compared to conventional imaging (p < 0.001) and DCE (p = 0.009) was observed. In the 37 histologically confirmed lesions, mean ADC value was 1.31 × 10–9 m2/s. Overall scar tissues mean ADC was 1.70 × 10–9 m2/s. DWI quality resulted adequate in 81% and unsatisfactory in 5%.

Conclusions

In this highly heterogeneous group of tumors, the role of ADC seems to be limited. Based on our experience, looking at DWI images makes the lesions promptly and easily detectable. This technique gives less deceptive findings making the reader more confident in detecting/excluding tumoral tissue; the main drawback is the image quality and the lack of standardization.
The Ethical Status of Germline Gene Editing in Future Space Missions: The Special Case of Positive Selection on Earth for Future Space Missions
Authors: Szocik Konrad
Published: March 2023

There are good theoretical rationales for considering germline gene editing (GGE) as a recommended and perhaps even necessary procedure for future long-term human space missions. This paper examines the arguments for applying GGE in a hypothetical future scenario where future parents living on Earth make decisions about applying GGE to their future children with the goal of allowing them to participate in space missions. The paper presents an ethical rationale for GGE. The paper also recognizes an area of potential moral controversy that is not so much related to the application of GGE itself, but to the risk of different perceptions of well-being by parents and children that may result in the need for genetically modified children to leave Earth against their will.
The European Parliament and inclusion of persons living with disabilities
Authors: Tamburini Chiara
Published: March 2023

Within a specific institutional context and through dedicated human resources structures, the European Parliament is developing the rights and principles highlighted in the UNCRPD, in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, in the Staff Regulations and in a set of internal high-level documents in a way to change the organisational culture and build an inclusive workplace. Parliament is not only willing to abide by international conventions and EU strategic documents, but furthermore wishes to play a leading role and propose new measures that are not yet included in the applicable regulations. The article explains the different policies in this area.
Symptom similarities and differences in social interaction between autistic children and adolescents with and without ADHD
Authors: Piltz Veronica Jones , Halldner Linda , Markus Jansson-Fröjmark , Fridell Anna , Bölte Sven , Choque Olsson Nora
Published: March 2023

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are two often co-occurring neurodevelopmental conditions. Nevertheless, there is limited research about symptom differences between ASD and ASD + ADHD groups. This study examined differences in social interaction and communication between children and adolescents with ASD and with ASD + ADHD. A total of 112 participants were identified from two clinical trials. Fifty-six children and adolescents with ASD aged 8–17 years were matched for age, gender and general intelligence quotient with fifty-six children and adolescents with ASD + ADHD. Group differences in scores on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule were analysed. Our results showed that participants with ASD and with ASD + ADHD had similar profiles of social communication interaction challenges and restricted behaviour. However, items assessing gestures: Conventional, Instrumental or Informational Gestures and Empathic or Emotional gestures showed significant differences between the groups suggesting that the ASD + ADHD group used descriptive gestures to communicate to a greater extent than the ASD group. These findings suggest that children and adolescents in both groups have similar difficulties in social communication and interaction with observed differences in the use of gestures. Possible reasons and implications for the differences in the use of gestures are discussed.
Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Dyadic-Familial Relationship Satisfaction Scale
Authors: Magallares Alejandro , Matera Camilla , Recio Patricia , Molero Fernando
Published: March 2023

The Dyadic-Familial Relationship Satisfaction Scale (DFRSS) is a valid and reliable instrument to assess dyadic and familial dimensions of relationship satisfaction in cohabitant couples with children. The main goal of this research was to validate the Spanish version of the DFRSS (Sp-DFRSS) following the guidelines for cross-cultural adaptations. Three studies were conducted. In Study 1 (n = 151), an exploratory factor analysis using principal axis factoring and oblimin rotation was performed to examine the factor structure of the Sp-DFRSS. In Study 2 (n = 500), a confirmatory factor analysis showed that a two factor model (dyadic and familial) provided the best fit to the data. In Study 3 (n = 100), we examined relationship satisfaction using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. The Sp-DFRSS as a whole and its subscales presented adequate reliability in the three studies, with Cronbach’s alphas ranging from 0.87 to 0.95. Moreover, convergent and divergent validity of the Sp-DFRSS was analyzed in Studies 1, 2 and 3, and significant correlations between the Sp-DFRSS’ subscales, life satisfaction, negative and positive affect, attachment (anxiety and avoidance), and psychological well-being were found. The Sp-DFRSS has good psychometric properties in terms of validity and reliability, so that it may be used by the Spanish-speaking scientific community to measure relationship satisfaction.
A trailer car dynamics model considering brake rigging of a high-speed train and its application
Authors: Wang Zhiwei , Yang Linchuan , Mo Jiliang , Zhu Song , Jin Wenwei
Published: March 2023

Brake systems are essential for the speed regulation or braking of a high-speed train. The vehicle dynamic performance under braking condition is complex and directly affects the reliability and running safety. To reveal the vehicle dynamic behaviour in braking process, a comprehensive trailer car dynamics model (TCDM) considering brake systems is established in this paper. The dynamic interactions between the brake system and the other connected components are achieved using the brake disc–pad frictions, brake suspension systems, and wheel–rail interactions. The force and motion transmission from the brake system to the wheel–rail interface is performed by the proposed TCDM excited by track irregularity. In addition, the validity of TCDM is verified by experimental test results. On this basis, the dynamic behaviour of the coupled system is simulated and discussed. The findings indicate that the braking force significantly affects vehicle dynamic behaviour including the wheel–rail forces, suspension forces, wheelset torsional vibration, etc. The dynamic interactions within the brake system are also significantly affected by the vehicle vibration due to track irregularity. Besides, the developed TCDM can be further employed to the dynamic assessment of such a coupled mechanical system under different braking conditions.
A high-performance framework for personal protective equipment detection on the offshore drilling platform
Authors: Ji Xiaofeng , Gong Faming , Yuan Xiangbing , Wang Nuanlai
Published: March 2023

In order for the offshore drilling platform to operate properly, workers need to perform regular maintenance on the platform equipment, but the complex working environment exposes workers to hazards. During inspection and maintenance, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as helmets and workwear can effectively reduce the probability of worker injuries. Existing PPE detection methods are mostly for construction sites and only detect whether helmets are worn or not. This paper proposes a high-precision and high-speed PPE detection method for the offshore drilling platform based on object detection and classification. As a first step, we develop a modified YOLOv4 (named RFA-YOLO)-based object detection model for improving localization and recognition for people, helmets, and workwear. On the basis of the class and coordinates of the object detection output, this paper proposes a method for constructing position features based on the object bounding box to obtain feature vectors characterizing the relative offsets between objects. Then, the classifier is obtained by training a dataset consisting of position features through a random forest algorithm, with parameter optimization. As a final step, the PPE detection is achieved by analyzing the information output from the classifier through an inference mechanism. To evaluate the proposed method, we construct the offshore drilling platform dataset (ODPD) and conduct comparative experiments with other methods. The experimental results show that the method in this paper achieves 13 FPS as well as 93.1% accuracy. Compared to other state-of-the-art models, the proposed PPE detection method performs better on ODPD. The method in this paper can rapidly and accurately identify workers who are not wearing helmets or workwear on the offshore drilling platform, and an intelligent video surveillance system based on this model has been implemented.
Determining the mix design method for normal strength concrete using machine learning
Authors: Alghamdi Saleh J.
Published: March 2023

There exist many empirical data-based methods that facilitate the process of concrete mix design. The output of mix design methods are the proportions of concrete constituents that when mixed together produce hardened concrete, taking into account the required strength, workability and durability requirements. Based only on the proportions of the mix, it can be challenging to determine the designing method. Therefore, in this work, computer-generated data was used to train a simple machine learning model to determine the method by which a normal strength concrete mix was designed. The developed machine leaning model only requires knowledge of the mix’s proportions, i.e., the amounts of cement, water, sand, and gravel to accurately determine the method by which the mix was designed. It was found that a simple machine learning model (decision tree) was able to determine the mix design method with high accuracy. Moreover, via principal components analyses, and other similar techniques, it was found that amount of cement is the best predictor of the mix design method. Findings of this work provide a method for determining mix design methods and promote the use of machine learning in the field of civil engineering.
Modern Jewish Philosophy and the Politics of Divine Violence
Authors: Weiss Daniel H.
Published: March 2023

Is commitment to God compatible with modern citizenship? In this book, Daniel H. Weiss provides new readings of four modern Jewish philosophers – Moses Mendelssohn, Hermann Cohen, Franz Rosenzweig, and Walter Benjamin – in light of classical rabbinic accounts of God's sovereignty, divine and human violence, and the embodied human being as the image of God. He demonstrates how classical rabbinic literature is relevant to contemporary political and philosophical debates. Weiss brings to light striking political aspects of the writings of the modern Jewish philosophers, who have often been understood as non-political. In addition, he shows how the four modern thinkers are more radical and more shaped by Jewish tradition than has previously been thought. Taken as a whole, Weiss' book argues for a fundamental rethinking of the relationship between Judaism and politics, the history of Jewish thought, and the ethical and political dynamics of the broader Western philosophical tradition.
The Babylonian Talmud and Late Antique Book Culture
Authors: Amsler Monika
Published: March 2023

In this book, Monika Amsler explores the historical contexts in which the Babylonian Talmud was formed in an effort to determine whether it was the result of oral transmission. Scholars have posited that the rulings and stories we find in the Talmud were passed on from one generation to the next, each generation adding their opinions and interpretations of a given subject. Yet, such an oral formation process is unheard of in late antiquity. Moreover, the model exoticizes the Talmud and disregards the intellectual world of Sassanid Persia. Rather than taking the Talmud's discursive structure as a sign for orality, Amsler interrogates the intellectual and material prerequisites of composers of such complex works, and their education and methods of large-scale data management. She also traces and highlights the marks that their working methods inevitably left in the text. Detailing how intellectual innovation was generated, Amsler's book also sheds new light on the content of the Talmud. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Large-eddy simulations to define building-specific similarity relationships for natural ventilation flow rates
Authors: Hwang Yunjae , Gorlé Catherine
Published: March 2023

Natural ventilation can play an important role towards preventing the spread of airborne infections in indoor environments. However, quantifying natural ventilation flow rates is a challenging task due to significant variability in the boundary conditions that drive the flow. In the current study, we propose and validate an efficient strategy for using computational fluid dynamics to assess natural ventilation flow rates under variable conditions, considering the test case of a single-room home in a dense urban slum. The method characterizes the dimensionless ventilation rate as a function of the dimensionless ventilation Richardson number and the wind direction. First, the high-fidelity large-eddy simulation (LES) predictions are validated against full-scale ventilation rate measurements. Next, simulations with identical Richardson numbers, but varying dimensional wind speeds and temperatures, are compared to verify the proposed similarity relationship. Last, the functional form of the similarity relationship is determined based on 32 LES. Validation of the surrogate model against full-scale measurements demonstrates that the proposed strategy can efficiently inform accurate building-specific similarity relationships for natural ventilation flow rates in complex urban environments.
Pulse repetition-rate effect on the intensity inside a femtosecond laser filament in air
Authors: Yin Fukang , Long Juan , Liu Yaoxiang , Wei Yingxia , Zhu Bin , Zhou Kainan , Wang Tie-Jun , Leng Yuxin , Li Ruxin
Published: March 2023

As intense, ultrashort, kHz-repetition-rate laser systems become commercially available, pulse cumulative effects are critical for laser filament-based applications. In this work, the pulse repetition-rate effect on femtosecond laser filamentation in air was investigated both numerically and experimentally. The pulse repetition-rate effect has negligible influence at the leading edge of the filament. Clear intensity enhancement from a high-repetition pulse is observed at the peak and tailing edge of the laser filament. As the repetition rate of the laser pulses increases from 100 to 1000 Hz, the length of the filament extends and the intensity inside the filament increases. A physical picture based on the pulse repetition-rate dependent ‘low-density hole’ effect on filamentation is proposed to explain the obtained results well.
Separation length scaling for dual-incident shock wave–turbulent boundary layer interactions with different shock wave distances
Authors: Li Xin , Zhang Yue , Tan Huijun , Sun Shu , Yu Hang , Jin Yi , Zhou Jie
Published: March 2023

In this study, the length scaling for the boundary layer separation induced by two incident shock waves is experimentally and analytically investigated. The experiments are performed in a Mach 2.73 flow. A double-wedge shock generator with two deflection angles (

$\alpha _1$

and

$\alpha _2$

) is employed to generate two incident shock waves. Two deflection angle combinations with an identical total deflection angle are adopted: (

$\alpha _1 = 7^\circ$

,

$\alpha _2 = 5^\circ$

) and (

$\alpha _1 = 5^\circ$

,

$\alpha _2 = 7^\circ$

). For each deflection angle combination, the flow features of the dual-incident shock wave–turbulent boundary layer interactions (dual-ISWTBLIs) under five shock wave distance conditions are examined via schlieren photography, wall-pressure measurements and surface oil-flow visualisation. The experimental results show that the separation point moves downstream with increasing shock wave distance (

$d$

). For the dual-ISWTBLIs exhibiting a coupling separation state, the upstream interaction length (

$L_{int}$

) of the separation region approximately linearly decreases with increasing

$d$

, and the decrease rate of

$L_{int}$

with

$d$

increases with the second deflection angle under the condition of an identical total deflection angle. Based on control volume analysis of mass and momentum conservations, the relation between

$L_{int}$

and

$d$

is analytically determined to be approximately linear for the dual-ISWTBLIs with a coupling separation region, and the slope of the linear relation obtained analytically agrees well with that obtained experimentally. Furthermore, a prediction method for

$L_{int}$

of the dual-ISWTBLIs with a coupling separation region is proposed, and the relative error of the predicted

$L_{int}$

in comparison with the experimental result is

$\sim$

10 %.
Primary Dealer Systems in the European Union
Authors: Preunkert Jenny
Published: March 2023

States require money to function and therefore every government has to continuously raise new funds. On the financial markets, governments cannot be sure that auctions of their debt will be sufficiently attractive to financial investors, which is why they usually enter into cooperative agreements with selected banks. The best known and most widespread form of cooperation is the primary dealer system. A primary dealer is a bank that commits to purchasing a certain percentage of government debt at each auction and to intervene as a formalized market maker in the debt market if necessary. Most of the primary dealer systems involve the banks being financially neither remunerated nor compensated for their activities, and if there is some kind of financial compensation, it is on a low level. The article analyses European primary dealer systems and asks why banks are willing to participate in these systems. I will show that both domestic and foreign banks use their status as primary dealers to build long-term relationships with one or more European governments and to gain an advantage on the global stage. In Bourdieu’s terms, primary dealer banks use their financial capital to accumulate social and symbolic capital.
Constructing Proletarian Nation(s): PSOE Internationalism in the Second Republic (1931–1932)
Authors: Bataller Aurelio Martí
Published: March 2023

This article seeks to enhance our understanding of the nature of socialist internationalism, in particular by considering the place of the nation in its functioning and essence. For this purpose, the concept of inter-nationalism is used to study the particular case of the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) during Spain's Second Republic. In the first section, we focus on the meeting of the executive of the International Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) in Madrid in 1931, and the subsequent May Day celebrations in the city. In the second, we analyse the use of internationalism by the PSOE in the debates on the decentralization of the Republican state. This article will argue that the PSOE made use of internationalist events to further the internal and external consolidation of the Republic, and its own position in government. Furthermore, internationalism served to uphold the unity and unique qualities of Spanish politics and culture. These considerations enable us to point to both the political and cultural dimensions of the PSOE's identification with Spanish nationalism, and to assert both the nation's importance in socialist internationalism and its role in socialist political culture during the interwar period.
Turkey's Extraterritorial Use of Force against Armed Non-State Actors
Authors: Bagheri Saeed
Published: March 2023

The use of force in foreign territories has been contained in the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey, with the authorisation of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, in ‘cases deemed legitimate by international law’ and where required by international treaties to which Turkey is a party. Yet Turkey's extraterritorial use of force against armed non-state actors lead to the most important question of identifying the circumstances under which the Turkish authorities have long justified military intervention in foreign territories. This article aims to assess whether Turkey's use of force and alleged extraterritorial self-defence contravenes international law. In order to address how Turkey interprets the right to use armed force and the right of self-defence, and to bring clarity to the state's approach to international law on the use of force (jus ad bellum), the article explores Turkey's practice based on the assessment of the Turkish military intervention in Syria, in line with both bilateral security or defence treaties to which Turkey is a party and the use of force in self-defence. The aim is to determine whether Turkey's justifications are compatible with the jus ad bellum criteria.
Informing ENT training bootcamps – operating out-of-hours: a multicentre prospective evaluation
Authors: Dunne Henry , Bowles Philippe , McGilligan J Anthony
Published: March 2023

Objective

ENT specialty trainees are invited to national bootcamps to prepare for critical events to which they may have never been exposed. Here, we evaluate the frequency of out-of-hours ENT operations and the level of supervision provided to inform aspiring trainees and the national bootcamps.

Methods

Information on all ENT operations performed out-of-hours was prospectively recorded by trainees in Kent, Surrey and Sussex over seven months.

Results

There was a 100 per cent response rate. The trainee was the most senior surgeon present for 48.4 per cent of out-of-hours operations. Four of the six most frequently performed out-of-hours operations are not included in the ENT indicator procedures, and two are not included in the national ENT bootcamps.

Conclusion

Trainees should be aware of the most common procedures they may be expected to perform out-of-hours. Training in these should be provided prior to the commencement of specialty training. The audit design can be replicated across surgical specialties.
Westerners, Western Power and Polish Society in the Mid-Twentieth Century: The Poznań International Trade Fair as a Complex Frontier
Authors: Babiracki Patryk
Published: March 2023

Drawing on Polish, US, French, British and German archival documents, this article examines the encounters between Western and Polish participants at the International Trade Fair in the Polish city of Poznań in the 1950s and 1960s. Challenging the predominant Cold War framework, it shows that Westerners who came to Poznań drew on power and privilege while pursuing personal interests. Consequently, the author both highlights the self-indulgence of the well-known story about the largely emancipatory motivations of Westerners who became involved with Eastern European affairs in the second half of the twentieth century and demonstrates that the resulting patterns of interactions are only tangentially related to Cold War political struggles. Instead, the article shows that these encounters are best seen in the context of a relationship between Westerners and East Europeans that spans decades, and even centuries, and that involved encounters fraught with contestation over economic power and cultural dominance.
Jurisdiction and the Moral Impact Theory of Law
Authors: Green Michael S.
Published: March 2023

Positivists and interpretivists (Dworkinians) might accept that conceptual facts about the law—facts about the content of the concept of law—can obtain in the absence of communities with law practices. But they would deny that legal facts can obtain in such communities’ absence. Under the moral impact theory, by contrast, legal facts can precede all communities with law practices. I identify a set of legal facts in private international law—the law of jurisdiction—that concerns when a community's law practices can, and cannot, have the legal effects that the practices claim to have. This law is noncommunitarian, in the sense that it precedes the communities to which it applies. In this law's light, the legal effects of communities’ law practices are legally coordinated (or, at the very least, can be shown to legally conflict). Although interest in, and even commitment to, a noncommunitarian law of jurisdiction has receded among private international law theorists, I argue that some well-placed questions can elicit from all of us a commitment to this law. And this commitment is a reason to believe that the moral impact theory is correct.
A measure of last resort: Pseudo-constitutionalism and the persistence of a self-restraint slogan in Argentina
Authors: González Bertomeu Juan F
Published: March 2023

This article addresses the bastardization of constitutional law in Argentina and the corrosive power of legacies of authoritarianism. It offers a genealogy of the use by Argentina’s Supreme Court of self-restraint canons from the time when they were borrowed from the US Supreme Court in the late nineteenth century. Partly resulting from the country’s experiences with military rule, the court transformed or expanded these canons, which entailed a gradual depreciation of statutes as the (uneasy) cornerstone of constitutionalism. Based on a fresh dataset and employing narrative and network analysis, the article focuses on a slogan the court has invoked since the 1960s: invalidating a rule is a matter of extreme institutional gravity and hence a strategy of last resort. Under the 1976–83 dictatorship, the court applied the slogan to various rules, including those passed by the military. It thus invoked familiar canons outside its scope conditions, conveying an illusion of constitutional regularity by masking the abnormal in acceptable garb and contributing to the regime’s legitimation. While the democratic court abandoned the most blatant expressions of authoritarianism, connections persisted, manifesting in the frequent citations to the dictatorship court’s use of the slogan and its extension to any rule. Authoritarian legacies die hard.
Convection Cells With Accumulating Crust: Models of Continent and Mantle Evolution
Authors: Whitehead J. A.
Published: March 2023

Numerical calculations of two component cellular convection with a lighter component diffusing down from the top are a simple model of the convection of rocky planets with a crust. The crust either is mixed down, floats along the top as blobs (continents separated by ocean basins), or forms layers. The calculations are for very viscous fluid with density variations from temperature and the lighter component representing the crust. If variations are approximately the same size, the lighter component collects along the top into H‐shaped blobs/clusters that have a flat midsection with two lobes on each end. Elevations are calculated for a free upper surface and the shape resembles continent and ocean floor topography with level interiors and thickening (mountains) at the edges produced by sinking at the margins. Between each pair of clusters, thermal and concentration boundary layers resemble ocean basins with spreading centers. Convection is unsteady but introducing internal decay of the lighter concentration produces steady flow. Internal heating produces similar results along with periodic drifting and merging of blobs like some geological cycles. The fact that these features arise without phase changes or viscosity variation implies that blobs of continent‐like crust might be widely found on rocky planets.
Response of Surface Ocean pCO2 to Tropical Cyclones in Two Contrasting Basins of the Northern Indian Ocean
Authors: Bhattacharya Trishneeta , Chakraborty Kunal , Ghoshal Prasanna Kanti , Ghosh Jayashree , Baduru Balaji
Published: March 2023

This study examines the impact of two very severe tropical cyclonic events, Phailin (over the Bay of Bengal) and Ockhi (over the Arabian Sea), on surface ocean pCO2 and the associated changes in the upper ocean structure using a coupled biogeochemical ROMS model. The primary productivity averaged over the mixed layer is increased from 6.9 to 12.0 (7.2–45.6) mgCm−3d−1 in response to Phailin (Ockhi). A decomposition analysis reveals that the mean contribution of temperature‐driven changes in inducing pCO2 variability in response to pre‐ and post‐cyclonic conditions, in case of Phailin (Ockhi), are 5.4 (−8.8) and −7.6 (−58.8) μatm whereas dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) driven changes are 23.6 (19.5) and 27.8 (78.0) μatm. Although salinity and total alkalinity have a relatively lesser control in inducing pCO2 variability, salinity's response to the post‐Phailin conditions is significant owing to strong salinity stratification in the Bay of Bengal. The enhancement of DIC is more in the near‐surface waters than its removal by net biological processes resulting in the dominance of cyclone‐induced upwelling and associated vertical mixing driven changes over the enhanced biology‐driven changes in controlling pCO2 variability during both cyclones. Despite comparable magnitudes of environmental forcing during both cyclones, the oceanic response to Phailin is comparatively short‐lived and subdued due to stronger stratification in the Bay of Bengal. A relatively large ratio of DIC to total alkalinity in the upper layers of Arabian Sea facilitates a higher pCO2 response to Ockhi. This makes Ockhi a greater source of CO2 to the atmosphere.