bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Gentle Introduction to Controlled Query Evaluation in DL-Lite Ontologies
Authors: Cima Gianluca , Lembo Domenico , Marconi Lorenzo , Rosati Riccardo , Savo Domenico Fabio
Published: March 2024

Controlled query evaluation (CQE) is an approach for confidentiality-preserving query answering where a function called censor alters query answers so that users can never infer data that are protected by a policy given in terms of logic formulae. In this paper, we review some foundational results we have recently found in the context of CQE over Description Logic ontologies. In more detail, we discuss the main characteristics of two notions of censor, CQ censor and GA censor, focusing on the computational complexity of query answering and on the notion of indistinguishability. The latter is a desirable property imposing that a censor always makes a user believe that the underlying data instance might not contain confidential data. As for computational aspects, we characterize the data complexity of answering conjunctive queries for the relevant and practical case of$$\text {DL-Lite} _{{\mathcal {R}}}$$DL-LiteRontologies. Since neither CQ censors nor GA censors enjoy both indistinguishability and tractability of query answering in the analyzed setting, we finally recall the notion of IGA censors, a sound approximation of GA censors which instead enjoys both properties, thus paving the way for robust and practical CQE for$$\text {DL-Lite} _{{\mathcal {R}}}$$DL-LiteRontologies.
“Making It Remarkable”: Teaching Professional Youth Work Values in a UK Higher Education Institution
Authors: Purcell Martin E. , Cantali Di , Colville Tracey
Published: March 2024

Abstract

This paper reports on the findings of a study exploring the role of values in professional qualifying courses taught at a Scottish University. The study aimed to enhance understanding of the way in which these courses draw on values-based pedagogy to incorporate professional values laid out in formal standards by external professional bodies. The paper reports on the findings relating specifically to values teaching on a professionally qualifying youth work programme, drawing on contributions uploaded to an online survey by students and lecturers engaged with the programme. It explores the themes to emerge from the survey data, including the centrality of values in practice and teaching; how these align with students’ personal values and are shaped by wider societal influences; lecturers’ pedagogical approaches; and the importance of supervised placements and dialogue between students, their supervisors, and lecturers in building their understanding and helping them to navigate the complexities of enacting values-based practice. The study concludes that youth worker education programmes, in which professional values are thoroughly embedded, offer the potential to deliver a transformative educative experience to students, and to potentially disrupt the reductionist values systems that have permeated the neo-liberal university.
Species richness of living foraminifera in Sepetiba Bay (SE Brazil): a species checklist
Authors: Soares Maryane Filgueiras , Alves Martins Maria Virgínia , Castelo Wellen Fernanda Louzada , Saibro Murilo Barros , de Oliveira Ana Beatriz Ramos , Damasceno Fabrício Leandro , Lima Diego Soares Lopes , Laut Lazaro , Vilela Claudia , Sequeira Cristina , Rocha Fernando
Published: March 2024

There is a gap in knowledge about the biodiversity of living foraminifera (protozoa) in Brazil, particularly in coastal environments. In Sepetiba Bay (SE Brazil), a coastal system highly impacted by anthropogenic activities, several previous studies have been carried out on foraminifera based on total (living + dead) assemblages and sub-fossil records. Thus, this study intends to analyze for the first time the species richness of living foraminifera (stained with Rose Bengal) in Sepetiba Bay. Based on the morphological characteristics, 214 living species were identified in 50 samples collected in Sepetiba Bay in May 2022. The number of living specimens was counted as 6548. Living foraminifera density was < 252 specimens per gram of sediment and the species richness (S) ranged from 15 to 61 (mean 16.9 ± 15.5) in the analyzed stations. The main taxonomic classes found were Globothalamea and Tubothalamea. The main Globothalamea taxa belonged to the genus Ammonia, with Ammonia tepida, Ammonia buzasi, and Ammonia rolshauseni standing out, as well as the Bolivina, Buliminella, and Elphidium, represented mainly by Bolivina striatula, Buliminella elegantissima, and Elphidium excavatum. A non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (nMDS) and cluster analysis based on a presence-absence matrix and Bray–Curtis similarity index allowed the identification of two main groups of stations: 1. Located in the innermost areas of Sepetiba Bay and surrounding the mainland and Marambaia Barrier Island, at shallower depths, with lower diversity; 2. an outermost group of stations with higher diversity in areas with greater oceanic influence. Compared with previous studies, the results of this work suggest an enlargement of the “innermost” zone with less diversity towards the oceanic region of Sepetiba Bay. This work shows that even using a matrix of presence/absence of living foraminifera and species richness, it is possible to distinguish environments in coastal systems. Data based on the living foraminifera is needed to understand current biodiversity to better characterize coastal environments and carry out biomonitoring studies.
Governing AI through interaction: situated actions as an informal mechanism for AI regulation
Authors: Papyshev Gleb
Published: March 2024

This article presents a perspective that the interplay between high-level ethical principles, ethical praxis, plans, situated actions, and procedural norms influences ethical AI practices. This is grounded in six case studies, drawn from fifty interviews with stakeholders involved in AI governance in Russia. Each case study focuses on a different ethical principle—privacy, fairness, transparency, human oversight, social impact, and accuracy. The paper proposes a feedback loop that emerges from human-AI interactions. This loop begins with the operationalization of high-level ethical principles at the company level into ethical praxis, and plans derived from it. However, real-world implementation introduces situated actions—unforeseen events that challenge the original plans. These turn into procedural norms via routinization and feed back into the understanding of operationalized ethical principles. This feedback loop serves as an informal regulatory mechanism, refining ethical praxis based on contextual experiences. The study underscores the importance of bottom-up experiences in shaping AI's ethical boundaries and calls for policies that acknowledge both high-level principles and emerging micro-level norms. This approach can foster responsive AI governance, rooted in both ethical principles and real-world experiences.
A comprehensive review on phytochemicals as potential therapeutic agents for stress-induced gastric ulcer
Authors: Shahzad Naiyer , Ibrahim Ibrahim Abdel Aziz , Alzahrani Abdullah R. , Al-Ghamdi Saeed S. , Alanazi Ibrahim Mufadhi M. , Ahmad Md. Parwez , Singh Ambrish Kumar , Alruqi Mohammed Ayad , Shahid Imran , Equbal Asif , Azlina Mohd Fahami Nur
Published: March 2024

Gastric ulcers are the most common chronic gastrointestinal tract disorders, marked by an inflamed break of the mucus membrane covering the alimentary tract. According to recent research, stress-induced ulcers are widespread in our society. A stress ulcer is a mucosal defect that may become complicated due to upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding. The underlying cause of this condition is pH. Physiological stress leads to severe sickness by triggering the excessive secretion of peptic juices or gastric acid. There is a never-ending quest for safe and affordable medication for this disorder. Nature offers many medicinal plants that can be used to treat a wide range of human ailments. Due to their relatively harmless and comparatively free of harmful effects, health-promoting features, pharmacological practices, and affordability to common people to regulate various diseases, medicinal plants, and herbal preparations are gaining a lot of interest in scientific communities these days. Many studies have recently been performed to classify extracts and their constituents that may have a therapeutic effect on peptic ulcers. Therefore, this review aims to address the molecular mechanisms and pharmacological effects of various phytochemicals related to stress-induced gastric ulcers. Combining phytochemical constituents with modern drugs and treatment methods can lead to the development of therapeutic drugs for gastric ulcers. Gastric ulcers and other related diseases may be treated permanently with this approach.
Soil organic carbon pools under long-term mineral and organic amendments: a multisite study
Authors: Liu Yiping , Zhang Limin , Lou Yilai , Hu Ning , Li Zhongfang , Zhang Huimin , Zhu Ping , Li Dongchu , Gao Hongjun , Zhang Shuiqing , Lu Shunbao , Bhattacharyya Ranjan , Kuzyakov Yakov , Wang Yidong
Published: March 2024

Soil organic carbon (SOC) has various pools with different stabilization mechanisms. It is unclear how these SOC pools respond to various mineral and organic amendments depending on a large climate-soil gradient. Here, we studied in three zonal soils: Ferralic Cambisol (subtropic), Calcaric Cambisol (warm-temperate) and Luvic Phaeozem (mid-temperate) under 23-year mineral, straw and manure amendments. Six SOC sub-pools were isolated: unprotected, physically, chemically, biochemically, physico-chemically and physico-biochemically protected pools. Compared to initial level, SOC and most sub-pools increased in the three soils under manure application (p < 0.05), but little under straw and mineral amendments. The Luvic Phaeozems had much higher sequestration efficiencies of bulk SOC (27%) and its five sub-pools (5–7%) more than the Calcaric Cambisol (9%, 1–2%) and Ferralic Cambisol (9%, 0.5–1%). In contrast, Ferralic Cambisol had highest sequestration efficiency of unprotected pool (7%). The Calcaric Cambisol had divergent patterns of the six SOC pools compared with Luvic Phaeozems and Ferralic Cambisol, due to the low clay content. With the build-up of bulk SOC, the building-up abilities of non-protected, physically-, chemically- and biochemically-protected pools depended on soil type, while the building-up abilities of physico-chemically- and physico-biochemically-protected pools were convergent (12–19%) among soils. In conclusion, the Luvic Phaeozems had much higher build-up ability of bulk SOC and most sub-pools than the other two soils. With the build-up of SOC, the physico-chemically- and physico-biochemically-protected pools (most stable) had convergent response rates among soils, while the other pools had divergent response rates.

Graphical Abstract
Built environment and active transportation to school in the west: latest evidence and research methods
Authors: Galán Alicia , Ruiz-Apilánez Borja , Macdonald Elizabeth
Published: March 2024

This literature review identifies, analyses, and discusses research methods and findings regarding environmental correlates of active transportation to school (ATS) in the Western world. It reviews 41 research articles studying 5-to-18-year-old school trip choices published since 2010 until 2020. The identified publications focus on two topics. First, the urban environment around the schools and the students’ homes, and the route between them. And second, personal and external factors affecting mode choice, that are related to the built environment. Main findings and academic gaps include: (1) a growing interest on the topic outside North America, especially in Europe; (2) a methodological shift on how to measure distances between homes and schools, and buffer areas around them, moving from straight line distances to those measured along the street network; (3) a lack of consensus about buffer sizes and threshold distances, which may depend on cultural factors; and (4) differences in methodologies: area definition and characteristics and route characteristics. Finally, there is an overview and discussion about the effect of individual and external factors on the use of active modes in children. Parents’ attitudes and perceptions of the built environment were found very relevant, so as their concerns about traffic safety. The influence and extent of school programs to promote ATS or traffic calming solutions require not only the participation of the centre of studies, but also the engagement of the families and the community. The conclusion includes suggestions for future academic research, like the need for interdisciplinary teams and the observation of walkability aspects of infrastructure.
Destroyer HNLMS Kortenaer
Authors: van Zinderen-Bakker Rindert
Published: March 2024

HNLMS Kortenaer was torpedoed by the Japanese cruiser Haguro in the Battle of the Java Sea on February 27, 1942. An eyewitness recorded that 'Kortenaer, about 700 yards bearing 80° relative, was struck on the starboard quarter by a torpedo, blew up, turned over, and sank at once leaving only a jackknifed bow and stern a few feet above the surface.'.
Type 42 Destroyer Southampton
Authors: Mulder Jantinus
Published: March 2024

The primary role of the Type 42 destroyers was providing air defense for the fleet. With their long-range sensors, the ships could also act as radar pickets, sailing ahead of a task group. HMS Southampton was the eighth ship originally destined to be a 16-ship class - two of these ships have been exported to Argentina. The type 42 comprised eight Batch 1 vessels, four Batch 2 and four Batch 3 Stretched Type 42.
Type 47B Destroyer Drenthe
Authors: Mulder Jantinus , Visser Henk
Published: March 2024

After World War II, the Royal Netherlands Navy ordered new ships to counter the growing threat coming from the Soviet submarines. These ships were classified as ASW destroyers (onderzeebootjagers), but close to contemporary destroyers in terms of specifications. The national industry designed and constructed two classes of these ships. Drenthe was of the more capable Type 47B series.
Age-Specific Association of Co-Morbidity With Home-Time After Acute Stroke
Authors: Joundi Raed A. , King James A. , Stang Jillian , Nicol Dana , Hill Michael D. , Yu Amy Y.X. , Kapral Moira K. , Smith Eric E.
Published: March 2024

Objective:

To examine the association of co-morbidity with home-time after acute stroke and whether the association is influenced by age.

Methods:

We conducted a province-wide study using linked administrative databases to identify all admissions for first acute ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage between 2007 and 2018 in Alberta, Canada. We used ischemic stroke-weighted Charlson Co-morbidity Index of 3 or more to identify those with severe co-morbidity. We used zero-inflated negative binomial models to determine the association of severe co-morbidity with 90-day and 1-year home-time, and logistic models for achieving ≥ 80 out of 90 days of home-time, assessing for effect modification by age and adjusting for sex, stroke type, comprehensive stroke center care, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, year of study, and separately adjusting for estimated stroke severity. We also evaluated individual co-morbidities.

Results:

Among 28,672 patients in our final cohort, severe co-morbidity was present in 27.7% and was associated with lower home-time, with a greater number of days lost at younger age (−13 days at age < 60 compared to −7 days at age 80+ years for 90-day home-time; −69 days at age < 60 compared to −51 days at age 80+ years for 1-year home-time). The reduction in probability of achieving ≥ 80 days of home-time was also greater at younger age (−22.7% at age < 60 years compared to −9.0% at age 80+ years). Results were attenuated but remained significant after adjusting for estimated stroke severity and excluding those who died. Myocardial infarction, diabetes, and cancer/metastases had a greater association with lower home-time at younger age, and those with dementia had the greatest reduction in home time.

Conclusion:

Severe co-morbidity in acute stroke is associated with lower home-time, more strongly at younger age.
A Real-World Study of Nusinersen Effects in Adults with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2 and 3
Authors: Côté Isabelle , Hodgkinson Victoria , Nury Marianne , Bastenier-Boutin Louis , Rodrigue Xavier
Published: March 2024

Background:

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a progressive genetic disorder characterized by muscle weakness ultimately leading to pulmonary impairments that can be fatal. The recent approval of nusinersen, a disease-modifying therapy, substantially changed the prognosis for patients, particularly in children. However, real-world evidence about its long-term effectiveness in adults remains limited. This study aimed to document longitudinal data on motor function, pulmonary function and patient-reported outcome measures of Canadian adults with SMA type 2 and 3 treated with nusinersen.

Methods:

Outcomes from 17 patients were collected at the Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec during routine clinical visits over 36 months post nusinersen treatment, using the Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale Expanded for SMA (HFMSE), Revised Upper Limb Module (RULM), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Adult Test of Neuromuscular Disorders (CHOP-ATEND), SMA functional rating scale (SMAFRS), pulmonary function testing and subjective changes reported by patients.

Results:

After 36 months, 9 patients showed motor function improvement. Changes beyond the minimal clinically important difference were seen for four patients on the HFMSE, four patients on the RULM and five patients on the 6MWT. Pulmonary function remained stable for most subjects. Subjective positive changes were reported in 88% of patients and five patients showed improvement in the SMAFRS.

Conclusion:

This real-world study demonstrates the positive effects of nusinersen in adults with SMA types 2 and 3. Although stabilizing the patient’s condition is considered therapeutic success, this study shows an improvement in motor function and subjective gains in several patients.
Education, Equality, and Proto-Feminism in Maria Gaetana Agnesi
Authors: Costa Emanuele
Published: March 2024

In this paper, I analyse the works of Maria Gaetana Agnesi, an Italian mathematician of the eighteenth century. I specifically focus on the themes of proto-feminism, equality, and educational rights as persistent threads of her philosophical and scientific production. I emphasize her continuous efforts to highlight the place of women in the history of philosophy, presenting three chief texts in which these efforts are expressed. In her first work, the Academic oration, in which it is demonstrated that the studies of the liberal arts by the female sex are by no means inappropriate, I show how she articulates a rhetoric defence of women's educational rights. In her second work, the Philosophical propositions, I highlight how she combines Cartesian metaphysics and philosophy of mind to justify women's belonging to the history of philosophy. In analysing her final masterpiece, the Analytical institutions, I interpret the dedication to the Austrian empress Maria Theresa as a proto-feminist text, vindicating the leading role of women in history and society.
Healthcare personnel with laboratory-confirmed mpox in California during the 2022 outbreak
Authors: Bailey Allison E. , Chai Shua J. , Snyder Robert E. , Bui David P. , Lewis Linda S. , Saadeh Kayla , Bertumen J. Bradford , Epson Erin , Siegel Jane D.
Published: March 2024

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reviewed 109 cases of healthcare personnel (HCP) with laboratory-confirmed mpox to understand transmission risk in healthcare settings. Overall, 90% of HCP with mpox had nonoccupational exposure risk factors. One occupationally acquired case was associated with sharps injury while unroofing a patient’s lesion for diagnostic testing.
On the linear stability of the Lamb–Chaplygin dipole
Authors: Protas Bartosz
Published: March 2024

The Lamb–Chaplygin dipole (Lamb, Hydrodynamics, 2nd edn, 1895, Cambridge University Press; Lamb, Hydrodynamics, 3rd edn, 1906, Cambridge University Press; Chaplygin, Trudy Otd. Fiz. Nauk Imper. Mosk. Obshch. Lyub. Estest., vol. 11, 1903, pp. 11–14) is one of the few closed-form relative equilibrium solutions of the two-dimensional (2-D) Euler equation characterized by a continuous vorticity distribution. We consider the problem of its linear stability with respect to 2-D circulation-preserving perturbations. It is demonstrated that this flow is linearly unstable, although the nature of this instability is subtle and cannot be fully understood without accounting for infinite-dimensional aspects of the problem. To elucidate this, we first derive a convenient form of the linearized Euler equation defined within the vortex core which accounts for the potential flow outside the core while making it possible to track deformations of the vortical region. The linear stability of the flow is then determined by the spectrum of the corresponding operator. Asymptotic analysis of the associated eigenvalue problem shows the existence of approximate eigenfunctions in the form of short-wavelength oscillations localized near the boundary of the vortex and these findings are confirmed by the numerical solution of the eigenvalue problem. However, the time integration of the 2-D Euler system reveals the existence of only one linearly unstable eigenmode and since the corresponding eigenvalue is embedded in the essential spectrum of the operator, this unstable eigenmode is also shown to be a distribution characterized by short-wavelength oscillations rather than a smooth function. These findings are consistent with the general results known about the stability of equilibria in 2-D Euler flows and have been verified by performing computations with different numerical resolutions and arithmetic precisions.
Trilobites of the Cranbrook Lagerstätte (Eager Formation, Cambrian Stage 4), British Columbia
Authors: Webster Mark , Caron Jean-Bernard
Published: March 2024

The Eager Formation (Cambrian Stage 4) of the Cranbrook area, British Columbia, contains abundant, sometimes beautifully preserved, trilobites and rare non-biomineralized taxa. Trilobites were first reported just over a century ago but have received little research attention, resulting in uncertainty in the number and identity of species within the assemblage and ambiguity in the age of the fauna. The trilobites of the Eager Formation in the Cranbrook area are described herein based largely upon material collected in 2015. A minimum of eight (and perhaps up to 11) trilobite species are recognized. The four species of olenelloids (Olenellus santuccii Webster n. sp., Olenellus? schofieldi, Mesonacis eagerensis, and Wanneria cranbrookense Webster n. sp.) are by far the most abundant elements of the fauna. At least two, and perhaps as many as five, species of dorypygid are present, as are two species of “ptychoparioids”. Paucity and poor preservational quality of specimens mean that the various dorypygid and “ptychoparioid” species are left in open nomenclature. Trilobite diversity in the Cranbrook Lagerstätte is comparable to that within other Lagerstätten from Cambrian Stage 4 (Series 2) of Laurentia. The diversity and abundance of trilobites, combined with biostratinomic and trace fossil data, suggest that the assemblage is autochthonous and/or parautochthonous, and that the local environment was at least periodically able to support a “typical” benthic trilobite community. The age of the Cranbrook Lagerstätte is constrained to lie within the middle Dyeran Stage of Laurentia, within what was a substantial stratigraphic gap in the distribution of Burgess Shale-type Lagerstätten.

UUID: http://zoobank.org/5beab9df-6b6a-4d6d-95e8-57057cd47a66
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is not an independent risk factor for breech presentation among singleton term births in Vienna, Austria
Authors: Bartsch L. , Hämmerle M. , Putschögl S. , Hartmann B. , Kirchengast S.
Published: March 2024

Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are still discussed critically, as there is no consensus on whether these treatments could be the cause of risk factors for obstetric problems such as breech presentation. The aim of this study was to test the association between ART and breech presentation among 11920 singleton term births taking place in Vienna from 2010 to 2020. In this single-centre medical record-based study, data concerning the conception mode (spontaneous versus IVF or ICSI), child presentation, birth mode, newborn sex and size as well as age, height, weight, and reproductive history of the mother were included. Three hundred twenty-six newborns (2.7%) were conceived by IVF or ICSI, and 527 newborns (4.4%) were delivered in breech presentation. Breech presentation occurred in 7.6% of IVF/ICSI children but only in 4.3% of spontaneously conceived children (P = 0.019). ART increased the crude risk of breech presentation significantly (OR = 1.67; 95% CI 1.71 – 2.38). After adjusting for maternal age, height, number of previous births, smoking, and newborn sex, however, ART had no longer a significant impact on the risk of breech presentation. In contrast, breech presentation was significantly associated with higher maternal age as well as a lower number of previous births, but not with ART. This study shows that the adverse outcomes of IVF and ICSI pregnancies may not be due to the ART treatment alone but might also be due to the mostly higher age and lower parity of the mothers using ART.
A trocar puncture robot for assisting venipuncture blood collection
Authors: Yang Zhikang , Wen Shikun , Qi Qian , Lv Zhuhai , Ji Aihong
Published: March 2024

The venous blood test is a prevalent auxiliary medical diagnostic method. Venous blood collection equipment can improve blood collection’s success rate and stability, reduce the workload of medical staff, and improve the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment. This study proposed a rigid-flexible composite puncture (RFCP) strategy, based on which a small 7-degree-of-freedom (DOF) auxiliary venipuncture blood collection (VPBC) robot using a trocar needle was designed. The robot consists of a position and orientation adjustment mechanism and a RFCP end-effector, which can perform RFCP to avoid piercing the blood vessel’s lower wall during puncture. The inverse kinematics solution and validation of the robot were analyzed based on the differential evolution algorithm, after which the quintic polynomial interpolation algorithm was applied to achieve the robot trajectory planning control. Finally, the VPBC robot prototype was developed for experiments. The trajectory planning experiment verified the correctness of the inverse kinematics solution and trajectory planning, and the composite puncture blood collection experiment verified the feasibility of the RFCP strategy.
Replies to commentators
Authors: Mahtani Anna
Published: March 2024

I’m so grateful to the commentators for their insightful and constructive responses! Below I continue this exchange with a brief note of reply.
Introduction
Authors: Bradley Richard , Thoma Johanna
Published: March 2024

As readers of this journal can attest to, although philosophers and economists are somewhat used to talking to and learning from each other, it tends to be the subset of philosophers working in decision theory, philosophy of science, and particular areas of ethics and political philosophy that contribute to our interdisciplinary field of research. The book that is the subject of this review symposium, Anna Mahtani’s The Objects of Credence (Oxford University Press, 2024), is a wonderful exemplar of what can be learned when a different branch of philosophy is brought to bear on central questions in this field. Both philosophers and economists talk about and work with credences, or degrees of belief, all the time. These are usually modelled as probabilities, which are in turn usually thought of as attaching to propositions. But it has long been argued by philosophers of language that propositions cannot be the objects of credence. Mahtani’s book is an investigation into all that begins to unravel once we accept this insight. The results have profound implications both for rational choice modelling and for welfare economics.
Isolationism, instrumentalism and fiscal policy
Authors: Verbeek Bruno
Published: March 2024

When reading contemporary theories of distributive justice, one could easily get the impression that questions of fiscal design are normatively speaking merely instrumental for realizing the distributive ideal. Once the overall conception of justice is settled upon, questions of how the state should arrange its institutions and policies are settled if they effectively and efficiently promote the preferred distribution. I argue that such pure instrumentalism is mistaken in the context of fiscal policy. As a result, there is nothing problematic or morally arbitrary about accepting domain-specific principles of fiscal justice.
Seeking victim-centred accountability for violence against persons with disabilities at the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry for Ukraine
Authors: McInnes Kate
Published: March 2024

Persons with disabilities suffer disproportionately in every armed conflict, and Russia’s war in Ukraine is no exception. The atrocities committed against persons with disabilities in this conflict, however, are in part a consequence of the state’s longstanding policy of institutionalization, which heightens existing vulnerabilities and places persons with disabilities at an unacceptable risk of acute harm. The Independent International Commission of Inquiry for Ukraine must investigate the extensive and varied acts of violence that have been committed against persons with disabilities in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion, with a focus on persons with disabilities who are institutionalized. In recommending future action, the Commission must be driven by a victim-centred approach to accountability that contributes both to the criminal prosecutions of individual perpetrators, and to systemic reforms that contribute to the project of deinstitutionalization. This article can assist the Commission’s analysis by: (i) canvassing the reports of violence against persons with disabilities during the war in Ukraine, particularly those persons in institutions; (ii) reviewing the Commission for Ukraine’s mandate and explaining its primary purpose – that is, to ascertain the facts of the conflict, through an intersectional lens, with the aim of promoting accountability – with reference to the work done by United Nations commissions of inquiry in the past; and (iii) providing concrete examples on how the Commission’s investigations and report can further both legal accountability and systemic accountability for violence against persons with disabilities in Ukraine.
Paramedics’ Success and Complications in Prehospital Pediatric Intubation: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: AlGhamdi Faisal A. , AlJoaib Nasser A. , Saati Abdulaziz M. , Abu Melha Mishal A. , Alkhofi Mohammad A.
Published: March 2024

Background:

Prehospital pediatric intubation is a potentially life-saving procedure in which paramedics are relied upon. However, due to the anatomical nature of pediatrics and associated adverse events, it is more challenging compared to adult intubation. In this study, the knowledge and attitude of paramedics was assessed by measuring their overall success rate and associated complications.

Methods:

An online search using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane CENTRAL was conducted using relevant keywords to include studies that assess success rates and associated complications. Studies for eligibility were screened. Data were extracted from eligible studies and pooled as risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results:

Thirty-eight studies involving 14,207 pediatrics undergoing intubation by paramedics were included in this study. The prevalence of success rate was 82.5% (95% CI, 0.745-0.832) for overall trials and 77.2% (95% CI, 0.713-0.832) success rate after the first attempt. By subgrouping the patients according to using muscle relaxants during intubation, the group that used muscle relaxants showed a high overall successful rate of 92.5% (95% CI, 0.877-0.973) and 79.9% (95% CI, 0.715-0.994) success rate after the first attempt, more than the group without muscle relaxant which represent 78.9% (95% CI, 0.745-0.832) overall success rate and 73.3% (95% CI, 0.616-0.950) success rate after first attempt.

Conclusion:

Paramedics have a good overall successful rate of pediatric intubation with a lower complication rate, especially when using muscle relaxants.
The Authentic Liar
Authors: Leuenberger Muriel
Published: March 2024

Among the people who have been hailed for being particularly authentic are notorious liars. But this seems like a contradiction. Can you be authentic if you lie about what you value, believe, or feel? This brief article explores this question and the unique stances on honesty that different notions of authenticity take.
Religious Miracles versus Magic Tricks
Authors: Nenu Theodor
Published: March 2024

This short article aims to strengthen Hume's case against the rationality of believing in religious miracles by incorporating certain lessons borrowed from the growing literature on the history and psychology of magic tricks.
On Grief and Griefbots
Authors: Voinea Cristina
Published: March 2024

Griefbots are chatbots designed to assist individuals in coping with the loss of a loved one by offering a digital replica of the departed. Navigating grief is a deeply transformative and vulnerable journey intricately tied to one's well-being. Do griefbots aid in the grieving process, or do they complicate it? To address these questions, this article blends insights from philosophy and neuroscience to explore the nature of grief as a means to clarify the ethical dimensions surrounding the use of griefbots.
Intersectional Motherhood and Candidate Evaluations in the United States
Authors: Sweet-Cushman Jennie , Bauer Nichole M.
Published: March 2024

In the United States, emphasizing their families and talking about parenthood can be a potent strategy for political candidates as voters use information about a candidate’s family life to make assessments of the candidate’s personal attributes and issue competencies. We nonetheless know little about how a candidate’s race affects these assessments. We thus consider how Black women use and benefit from politicizing motherhood, and we argue that the unique intersectional identities of Black women shaped jointly by their race and gender can give Black women a stronger strategic advantage from highlighting motherhood compared to white women. Using both observational and experimental data, we apply this intersectional framework by examining motherhood messages. We identify the extent to which Black women rely on messages about motherhood and how voters respond. Our results show that Black women are just as likely to use motherhood messages relative to white women, and that Black women receive positive evaluations from voters from a message emphasizing motherhood. White and minority voters are equally likely to positively rate Black women who emphasize motherhood.
Emergency department presentations for deliberate self-harm and suicidal ideation in 25–39 year olds following agency-notified child maltreatment: results from the Childhood Adversity and Lifetime Morbidity (CALM) study
Authors: Kisely S. , Bull C. , Trott M. , Arnautovska U. , Siskind D. , Warren N. , Najman J. Moses
Published: March 2024

Aims

To compare prospective reports of child maltreatment (CM) with emergency department (ED) presentations for deliberate self-harm (DSH) and suicidal ideation in individuals aged between 25 and 39 years old.

Methods

Linked records between the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy birth cohort and Queensland administrative health data were used, which included notifications to child protection agencies for CM. ED presentations for individuals aged between 25 and 39 years of age for suicidal ideation, suicidal behaviour or poisoning by paracetamol or psychotropic medications where the intention was unclear were examined using logistic regression analyses.

Results

A total of 609 (10.1%) individuals were the subject of one or more CM notifications for neglect or physical, sexual or emotional abuse before the age of 15 years. Of these, 250 (4.1%) presented at least once to ED for DSH and/or suicidal ideation between 25 and 39 years of age. In adjusted analysis, any notification of CM was associated with significantly increased odds of presenting to ED for these reasons (aOR = 2.80; 95% CI = 2.04–3.84). In sensitivity analyses, any notification of CM increased the odds of the combined outcome of DSH and suicidal ideation by 275% (aOR = 2.75; 95% CI = 1.96–4.06) and increased the odds of DSH alone by 269% (aOR = 2.69; 95% CI = 1.65–4.41).

Conclusions

All CM types (including emotional abuse and neglect) were associated with ED presentations for DSH and suicidal ideation in individuals between 25 and 39 years of age. These findings have important implications for the prevention of DSH, suicidal ideation and other health outcomes. They also underscore the importance of trauma-informed care in ED for all individuals presenting with DSH and suicidal ideation.
Venous disorders as an occupational disease – a systematic	review on epidemiology, pathophysiology, and modification	strategies
Authors: Hirsch Tobias , Wahl Uwe , Rabe Eberhard
Published: March 2024

Summary: Forced postures are common in the workplace. Work in the primary economic sector is characterised by a high degree of physical activity and movement; however, activities in the secondary and tertiary sectors commonly require workers to stand or sit. An expansion of the tertiary sector in recent decades has meant that people in industrialised and emerging economies primarily sit or stand at work. The aim of the systematic review was to identify occupational factors relating to the presence of chronic venous disease (CVD), to place these in the context of developments in the workplace, and to determine whether measures are in place to prevent CVD. We performed a systematic literature review to analyse studies assessing work-related risk factors for CVD. We searched for publications in the PubMed database, the clinic library of BG Hospital Bergmannstrost Halle, and the registry of the German Statutory Accident Insurance. Using occupation-specific keyword combinations, we identified 27,522 publications. The publications underwent an automatic and manual filtering process according to the PRISMA guidelines and 81 publications qualified for the review. Ultimately 25 studies were included in the systematic review. All of the subjects of the studies worked in the secondary and tertiary sectors. No studies looked at the relationship between venous disorders and primary sector occupations. Standing at work for more than four hours a day, repeated heavy lifting, and cumulative time working in a sitting or standing position are risk factors for the development of CVD. Sitting is less of a risk factor than standing or walking. Occupational history and the patient’s activity profile are important diagnostic tools which can help confirm a diagnosis and justify treatment when findings are inconsistent. Compression therapy is the primary form of secondary and tertiary prevention. There continues to be a lack of primary preventive measures related to workplace design.
Converging Crowds and Tied Twins
Authors: Schmälzle Ralf , Lim Sue , Wu Juncheng , Bezbaruah Subhalakshmi , Hussain Syed Ali
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Recent work using neuroimaging has shown that brain responses to a movie are similar across viewers. These similar responses emerge because the movie recruits brain systems involved in sensory (e.g., responding to the flickering lights on screen), perceptual (e.g., identifying the characters’ faces), and social-cognitive processing (e.g., following and understanding the story, social, and affective responses) – separately in each individual brain, but collectively across the audience. Here we compare brain response similarities during an engaging, social, and nonverbal 5-minute Pixar movie across two levels: First, we show that at a macro-level, the movie-evoked brain responses among the current audience from Australia are correlated with the brain responses to the same movie watched by an audience from the USA. Second, we investigate whether twins, who maximize the preexisting similarity two individual audience members can have, exhibit more similar brain responses to the same movie. We find that shared responses measured in an audience from Australia were highly correlated with responses from an audience watching the same movie in the USA. Second, we find that twins (who are genetically more similar and usually raised in a similar environment) exhibit more strongly aligned brain responses compared to non-twin participants. These results support our predictions about the role of pre-existing similarities among audiences for brain-to-brain coupling during movie reception. Moreover, they suggest that brain-to-brain similarities in response to movies contain information about similarities at the social level.
Ross Ice Shelf Displacement and Elastic Plate Waves Induced by Whillans Ice Stream Slip Events
Authors: Wiens Douglas A. , Aster Richard C. , Nyblade Andrew A. , Bromirski Peter D. , Gerstoft Peter , Stephen Ralph A.
Published: March 2024

Ice shelves are assumed to flow steadily from their grounding lines to the ice front. We report the detection of ice‐propagating extensional Lamb (plate) waves accompanied by pulses of permanent ice shelf displacement observed by co‐located Global Navigation Satellite System receivers and seismographs on the Ross Ice Shelf. The extensional waves and associated ice shelf displacement are produced by tidally triggered basal slip events of the Whillans Ice Stream, which flows into the ice shelf. The propagation velocity of 2,800 m/s is intermediate between shear and compressional ice velocities, with velocity and particle motions consistent with predictions for extensional Lamb waves. During the passage of the Lamb waves the entire ice shelf is displaced about 60 mm with a velocity more than an order of magnitude above its long‐term flow rate. Observed displacements indicate a peak dynamic strain of 10−7, comparable to that of earthquake surface waves that trigger ice quakes.
Burial of Organic Carbon in Swedish Fjord Sediments: Highlighting the Importance of Sediment Accumulation Rate in Relation to Fjord Redox Conditions
Authors: Watts Emily G. , Hylén Astrid , Hall Per O. J. , Eriksson Mats , Robertson Elizabeth K. , Kenney William F. , Bianchi Thomas S.
Published: March 2024

Fjords are net carbon sinks with high organic carbon (OC) burial rates; however, the key drivers of OC burial in these systems are not well constrained. To study the role of water column redox condition and OC composition on OC preservation in fjord sediments, we determined OC accumulation rates (OCAR), OC source, and OC degradation in three Swedish fjords with variable redox conditions (long‐term oxic, seasonally hypoxic, and long‐term anoxic). Average OCARs were variable between and within the fjords studied (2–122 g OC m−2 yr−1), but highest rates were at the mouth for each fjord. Based on a δ13C mixing model, Swedish fjords bury predominantly marine‐derived OC (∼83% of the total OC burial) likely because of relatively gentle slopes, low riverine discharge, and high marine inflow. Using a multi‐biomarker approach (lignin, photosynthetic pigments, and total hydrolyzable amino acids) we found, terrestrially‐ and marine‐derived OC were moderately degraded under the various redox conditions sampled, suggesting water column redox and OC source are not primary drivers of OC burial in these fjords. Rather, high sediment accumulation rates, common to fjords globally, lead to low oxygen exposure times, thus promoting efficient burial of OC regardless of its chemical composition.
Calorie restriction-induced leptin reduction and T-lymphocyte activation in blood and adipose tissue in men with overweight and obesity
Authors: Travers Rebecca L. , Trim William V. , Motta Alexandre C. , Betts James A. , Thompson Dylan
Published: March 2024

Background

T-Lymphocyte activation is modulated by the adipokine leptin and serum concentrations of this hormone can be reduced with short-term calorie restriction. The aim of this study was to understand whether leptin per se is important in determining levels of T-lymphocyte activation in humans, by investigating whether the reduction in leptin concentration following calorie restriction is associated with a decrease in T-Lymphocyte activation in blood and adipose tissue.

Methods

Twelve men with overweight and obesity (age 35–55 years, waist circumference 95–115 cm) reduced their calorie intake by 50% for 3 consecutive days. Blood and subcutaneous adipose tissue were obtained for isolation of immune cells and cytokine analysis. CD4+ and CD8 + T-Lymphocytes were identified and characterised according to their expression of activation markers CD25 and CD69 by flow cytometry.

Results

Serum leptin was reduced by (mean ± SEM) 31 ± 16% (p < 0.001) following calorie restriction. The percentage of blood CD4 + CD25 + T-lymphocytes and level of CD25 expression on these lymphocytes were significantly reduced by 8 ± 10% (p = 0.016) and 8 ± 4% (p = 0.058), respectively. After calorie restriction, ex vivo leptin secretion from abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue explants was not changed, and this corresponded with a lack of change in adipose tissue resident T-Lymphocyte activation.

Conclusions

Serum leptin was reduced after calorie restriction and this was temporally associated with a reduction in activation of blood CD4 + CD25 + T-Lymphocytes. In abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue, however, leptin secretion was unaltered, and there were no observed changes in adipose resident T-Lymphocyte activation.
Methylation analysis of DCC gene in saliva samples is an efficient method for non-invasive detection of superficial hypopharyngeal cancer
Authors: Hirai Ryosuke , Kinugasa Hideaki , Yamamoto Shumpei , Ako Soichiro , Tsutsumi Koichiro , Abe Makoto , Miyahara Koji , Nakagawa Masahiro , Otsuka Motoyuki
Published: March 2024

Background

Advances in upper gastrointestinal endoscopic technology have enabled early detection and treatment of hypopharyngeal cancer. However, in-depth pharyngeal observations require sedation and are invasive. It is important to establish a minimally invasive and simple evaluation method to identify high-risk patients.

Methods

Eighty-seven patients with superficial hypopharyngeal cancer and 51 healthy controls were recruited. We assessed the methylation status of DCC, PTGDR1, EDNRB, and ECAD, in tissue and saliva samples and verified the diagnostic accuracy by methylation analyses of their promoter regions using quantitative methylation-specific PCR.

Results

Significant differences between cancer and their surrounding non-cancerous tissues were observed in the methylation values of DCC (p = 0.003), EDNRB (p = 0.001), and ECAD (p = 0.043). Using receiver operating characteristic analyses of the methylation values in saliva samples, DCC showed the highest area under the curve values for the detection of superficial hypopharyngeal cancer (0.917, 95% confidence interval = 0.864–0.970), compared with those for EDNRB (0.680) and ECAD (0.639). When the cutoff for the methylation values of DCC was set at ≥0.163, the sensitivity to detect hypopharyngeal cancer was 82.8% and the specificity was 90.2%.

Conclusions

DCC methylation in saliva samples could be a non-invasive and efficient tool for early detection of hypopharyngeal cancer in high-risk patients.