bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Robustly Inorganic Solar Steam Generator Derived from Hollow Glass Microspheres Based Composites for Desalination
Authors: Wang Shuo , Niu Ye , Ye Xingyun , Liu Fang , Su Min , Zhu Zhaoqi , Sun Hanxue , Li Jiyan , Liang Weidong , Li An
Published: October 2021

Solar steam generation (SSG) offers a clean and sustainable way to produce freshwater from seawater or polluted water by harvesting solar energy. However, it remains a great challenge to integrate all the desired functions in a single evaporation system by using low‐cost materials and simple methods. Herein, we report the design and fabrication of a novel inorganic solar steam evaporator (PPy‐HGMAM) through binding the building block of hollow glass microspheres (HGM) and pore‐forming material of melamine sponge (MS) with interconnection network structure by aluminum dihydrogen phosphate adhesive followed by coating of polypyrrole (PPy) as light absorption layer for efficient SSG. With the merits of high porosity, low thermal conductivity both in the wet (0.107 W m−1 k−1) and dry (0.056 W m−1 k−1) states, super‐hydrophilicity, and strong light absorption (92%), the as‐prepared porous PPy‐HGMAM shows high energy conversion efficiency (92.9%) and evaporation rate (1.56 kg m−2 h−1) under 1 sun (1 kW m−2) illumination, as well as excellent salt‐resistance performance. Combined with its high mechanical strength, self‐floating ability, environment‐friendly, and low cost, along with simple and scalable preparation method, our inorganic PPy‐HGMAM evaporator may hold the great potential for practical large‐scale application in SSG.
A metaheuristic‐based data replica placement approach for data‐intensive IoT applications in the fog computing environment
Authors: Taghizadeh Jaber , Ghobaei‐Arani Mostafa , Shahidinejad Ali
Published: October 2021

Over the past few years, Internet of Things (IoT) applications have grown rapidly. The data‐intensive IoT applications that take advantage of cloud servers for computations and data storage will result in higher latency and other network traffic in the Internet core. IoT applications are characterized by their sensitivity to latency. As an example, delays will result in irreparable damage in the medical and healthcare industries. Cloud servers are no longer necessary because cloud computing utilizes fog nodes that are closer to users. Nodes with different hardware capabilities pose a significant challenge since they differ significantly in latency and traffic reduction. This article presented a metaheuristic‐based method using the non‐dominated sorting genetic algorithm II for data‐intensive IoT applications in fog infrastructure. Besides, we provide a new automatic method for managing data replica transmissions, including deploying them in a fog cloud environment. The proposed solution was evaluated in the iFogSim simulator and compared with two other data replica placement methods in different scenarios. The results showed a decrease in latency and cost for data access and an increase in data availability.
Effects of compatibilizers on microstructural and viscoelastic properties of polypropylene/polybutadiene thermoplastics vulcanizates
Authors: Rafiei Somayeh , Soudbar Davood , Sadri Minoo , Shafiei Fatemeh
Published: October 2021

Compatibilized thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) based on polypropylene (PP) and polybutadiene rubber (PBR) were developed through the melt‐mixing method, and their morphological, rheological, and dynamic mechanical properties were investigated. The composition of PBR/PP blends (30/70 and 40/60) was designed in a way to study the interrelationship between the compatibilizer content and blend composition. In this study, a hydrocarbon resin (MS 40) was employed as the compatibilizer. Based on morphological analysis, the addition of compatibilizer in both blend compositions led to a finer and more uniform distribution of rubber domains; however, only for 40/60 composition, the higher content of compatibilizer caused the formation of a co‐continuous morphology. Both dynamic and static rheology results were highly susceptible to the compatibilizer content and blend composition. According to the storage and loss modulus curves, the incorporation of PBR into PP resulted in a significantly enhanced elastic response with 30/70 composition showing lower elasticity. The viscosity upturn in complex viscosity curves indicated the formation of a three‐dimensional network of dispersed rubber domains within the matrix, which led to the appearance of a highly elastic response. Based on the dynamic mechanical analysis, the highly restricted macromolecular motions upon the addition of a compatibilizer confirmed the enhanced compatibility of TPVs.
Science in Transition Reduced to Practice
Authors: Miedema Frank
Published: October 2021

In the true spirit of Dewey and pragmatism, knowledge, insights and experience have to be translated into interventions and actions. Only when knowledge is ‘reduced to practice’ its social robustness and value will be determined. In light of the conclusions of the previous Chapter, to be able to have more impact and to hold up our promise to society we have to reflect who our science is organized and how it could be improved. From these reflections, several interventions in the practice of research have been proposed. When we, the Science in Transition Team, started to make public our critical accounts of the practice of science, I was ‘friendly advised’ by influential older scientists to first clean up the mess in my own institution, instead of pointing to others and to the system. As a matter of fact, that is what we have been doing at University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMC Utrecht) since 2009. In this chapter I present a brief outline of our actions ‘on the ground’ in UMC Utrecht and some early actions to promote these activities abroad.
Vanishing or non-vanishing rainbow? Reduction formulas of electric dipole moment
Authors: Fujiwara Motoko , Hisano Junji , Toma Takashi
Published: October 2021

Abstract

In this paper, we derive a simplified formula of electric dipole moments (EDMs) of a fermion. In the Standard Model, it is well-known that non-trivial cancellations between some rainbow-type diagrams induced by W boson exchanges occur in the calculation of the neutron EDM at the two-loop level due to the gauge symmetry. The fermion self-energy and the vertex correction are related through the Ward-Takahashi identity, and this relation causes the exact cancellation of the EDM. We derive EDM formulas for a more general setup by introducing the form factors for the fermion self-energy and the vertex correction so that the derived formulas can be applicable to a larger class of models. We conclude that the non-zero EDM contributions are induced from rainbow-type diagrams with the chirality flipping effects for internal fermions. We also discuss the other possible generalization of the EDM calculation which is applicable to the other classes of models.
Machine learning to guide clinical decision-making in abdominal surgery—a systematic literature review
Authors: Henn Jonas , Buness Andreas , Schmid Matthias , Kalff Jörg C. , Matthaei Hanno
Published: October 2021

Purpose

An indication for surgical therapy includes balancing benefits against risk, which remains a key task in all surgical disciplines. Decisions are oftentimes based on clinical experience while guidelines lack evidence-based background. Various medical fields capitalized the application of machine learning (ML), and preliminary research suggests promising implications in surgeons’ workflow. Hence, we evaluated ML’s contemporary and possible future role in clinical decision-making (CDM) focusing on abdominal surgery.

Methods

Using the PICO framework, relevant keywords and research questions were identified. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a systemic search strategy in the PubMed database was conducted. Results were filtered by distinct criteria and selected articles were manually full text reviewed.

Results

Literature review revealed 4,396 articles, of which 47 matched the search criteria. The mean number of patients included was 55,843. A total of eight distinct ML techniques were evaluated whereas AUROC was applied by most authors for comparing ML predictions vs. conventional CDM routines. Most authors (N = 30/47, 63.8%) stated ML’s superiority in the prediction of benefits and risks of surgery. The identification of highly relevant parameters to be integrated into algorithms allowing a more precise prognosis was emphasized as the main advantage of ML in CDM.

Conclusions

A potential value of ML for surgical decision-making was demonstrated in several scientific articles. However, the low number of publications with only few collaborative studies between surgeons and computer scientists underpins the early phase of this highly promising field. Interdisciplinary research initiatives combining existing clinical datasets and emerging techniques of data processing may likely improve CDM in abdominal surgery in the future.
Selektion zum Wohl des zukünftigen Kindes?
Authors: Denkhaus Ruth
Published: October 2021

Der Beitrag setzt sich kritisch mit dem Prinzip des prokreativen Wohltuns (principle of procreative beneficence, PB) von Julian Savulescu und seinen Implikationen für den Umgang mit der Präimplantationsdiagnostik (PID) auseinander. PB fordert angehende Eltern dazu auf, aus mehreren möglichen zukünftigen Kindern dasjenige auszuwählen, dessen Leben voraussichtlich am besten verlaufen wird. Paare mit Kinderwunsch sind danach zumindest unter bestimmten Umständen (z. B. wenn im Rahmen einer unabhängig indizierten IVF mehr Embryonen entstehen, als übertragen werden können) moralisch verpflichtet, eine PID in Anspruch zu nehmen, um die Weitergabe genetisch bedingter Krankheiten zu verhindern. Die Auswahl von Embryonen im Rahmen einer PID kann jedoch nur dann mit dem Wohlergehen des zukünftigen Kindes begründet werden, wenn man die entsprechende Wohltunspflicht mit Savulescu und Kahane als „unpersönliche“ moralische Pflicht versteht. PB wirft daher die Frage nach der Relevanz unpersönlicher Erwägungen für Entscheidungen über Fortpflanzung und Familiengründung auf. Gegen Savulescu und Kahane argumentiere ich dafür, reproduktive Verantwortung als einen integralen Aspekt elterlicher Verantwortung und damit als personenbezogene Verantwortung zu deuten, und verteidige diese Konzeption reproduktiver Verantwortung gegen Einwände, die sich aus einem von Savulescu und Kahane konstruierten hypothetischen Szenario – dem Röteln-Beispiel – ergeben.
Hydrologic Setting Dictates the Sensitivity of Ecosystem Metabolism to Climate Variability in Lakes
Authors: Oleksy Isabella A. , Jones Stuart E. , Solomon Christopher T.
Published: October 2021

Global change is influencing production and respiration in ecosystems across the globe. Lakes in particular are changing in response to climatic variability and cultural eutrophication, resulting in changes in ecosystem metabolism. Although the primary drivers of production and respiration such as the availability of nutrients, light, and carbon are well known, heterogeneity in hydrologic setting (for example, hydrological connectivity, morphometry, and residence) across and within regions may lead to highly variable responses to the same drivers of change, complicating our efforts to predict these responses. We explored how differences in hydrologic setting among lakes influenced spatial and inter annual variability in ecosystem metabolism, using high-frequency oxygen sensor data from 11 lakes over 8 years. Trends in mean metabolic rates of lakes generally followed gradients of nutrient and carbon concentrations, which were lowest in seepage lakes, followed by drainage lakes, and higher in bog lakes. We found that while ecosystem respiration (ER) was consistently higher in wet years in all hydrologic settings, gross primary production (GPP) only increased in tandem in drainage lakes. However, interannual rates of ER and GPP were relatively stable in drainage lakes, in contrast to seepage and bog lakes which had coefficients of variation in metabolism between 22–32%. We explored how the geospatial context of lakes, including hydrologic residence time, watershed area to lake area, and landscape position influenced the sensitivity of individual lake responses to climatic variation. We propose a conceptual framework to help steer future investigations of how hydrologic setting mediates the response of metabolism to climatic variability.
Shifting the focus of research on effective professional development: Insights from a case study of implementation
Authors: Patfield Sally , Gore Jennifer , Harris Jess
Published: October 2021

Globally, teacher professional development is heralded as a key mechanism for educational reform. With governments investing heavily in PD programs, the aim of these interventions is not only enhanced teacher knowledge and practice but, ultimately, improved student outcomes. A substantial body of research has attempted to identify characteristics of effective PD, generating a growing list of features that ostensibly ‘work’. As such, program design has become the dominant analytic focus. In this paper, we shift attention squarely to program implementation as necessary in conceptualising and evaluating effective PD. We apply the lens of implementation science to a case study of how one regional secondary school in NSW, Australia, implemented a robust PD program called Quality Teaching Rounds that has strong evidence of effectiveness. Despite the school’s attempts to remain true to the spirit of the PD, a combination of remoteness, lack of casual relief teachers, high teacher turnover, and negative perceptions of peer observation result in a form of QTR that is almost unrecognisable from its intended design. We argue greater attention must be given to understanding and supporting successful implementation within and across diverse school contexts in order to take effective forms of PD to scale.
Immersive landscapes: modelling ecosystem reference conditions in virtual reality
Authors: Chandler Tom , Richards Anna E. , Jenny Bernhard , Dickson Fiona , Huang Jiawei , Klippel Alexander , Neylan Michael , Wang Florence , Prober Suzanne M.
Published: October 2021

Context

Understanding the variability and dynamics of ecosystems, as well as their responses to climate or land use change, is challenging for policy makers and natural resource managers. Virtual reality (VR) can be used to render virtual landscapes as immersive, visceral experiences and communicate ecosystem dynamics to users in an effective and engaging way.

Objectives

To illustrate the potential and believability of VR, a team of landscape ecologists and immersive visualisation researchers modelled a reference Australian Box Gum Grassy Woodland landscape, an endangered eucalypt woodland ecosystem that is difficult to observe in its pre-European colonisation form.

Methods

We document considerations for designing the immersive virtual landscape, including the creation of animated three-dimensional (3D) plants that alternate between the seasons, and soundscapes that change through the course of a simulated day. We used a heuristic evaluation with experts to assess the potential of immersive VR landscape modeling.

Results

This cross disciplinary collaboration resulted in a VR experience that was evaluated in a series of meetings by 27 ecologists and managers in biodiversity conservation, many of whom were familiar with Box Gum Grassy Woodlands. 88% of participants stated that the simulation was believable and participants thought that virtual landscapes held great potential for education, public engagement and land management.

Conclusions

Possible future directions include open-source libraries of ecological 3D models, and the visual simulation of historic landscapes and future climate change scenarios.
A dataset of regressions in web applications detected by end-to-end tests
Authors: Soto-Sánchez Óscar , Maes-Bermejo Michel , Gallego Micael , Gortázar Francisco
Published: October 2021

End-to-end tests present many challenges in the industry. The long-running times of these tests make it unsuitable to apply research work on test case prioritization or test case selection, for instance, on them, as most works on these two problems are based on datasets of unit tests. These ones are fast to run, and time is not usually a considered criterion. This is because there is no dataset of end-to-end tests, due to the infrastructure needs for running this kind of tests, the complexity of the setup and the lack of proper characterization of the faults and their fixes. Therefore, running end-to-end tests for any research work is hard and time-consuming, and the availability of a dataset containing regression bugs, documentation and logs for these tests might foster the usage of end-to-end tests in research works. This paper presents a) a dataset for this kind of tests, including six well-documented manually injected regression bugs and their corresponding fixes in three web applications built using Java and the Spring framework; b) tools for easing the execution of these tests no matter the infrastructure; and c) a comparative study with two well-known datasets of unit tests. The comparative study shows that there are important differences between end-to-end and unit tests, such as their execution time and the amount of resources they consume, which are much higher in the end-to-end tests. End-to-end testing deserves some attention from researchers. Our dataset is a first effort toward easing the usage of end-to-end tests in research works.
Diversity-orientierte Führung – Erfolgsfaktor im Mint-Bereich?
Authors: Genkova Petia , Schreiber Henrik
Published: October 2021

Diese qualitative Studie untersucht explorativ MINT-Führungskräfte hinsichtlich ihrer Erfahrungen, sozialer Einflüsse und Kompetenzen, die für den Umgang mit kultureller Vielfalt relevant sind. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich nur ein kleiner Teil der Befragten der Chancen und Risiken kultureller Vielfalt und der spezifischen Herausforderungen für Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund bewusst ist. Dabei scheinen für die Ausbildung der Einstellungen sowohl die eigenen Erfahrungen und die Sensibilität, die eigene Identifizierung mit dem Unternehmen vor dem Hintergrund der jeweiligen Position des Unternehmens und bisherige Maßnahmen relevant zu sein und miteinander zu interagieren.
Körper und politische (An‑)Ordnungen. Zur Bedeutung von Körpern in der modernen westlichen Politischen Theorie
Authors: Ludwig Gundula
Published: October 2021

Die moderne westliche Politische Theorie befasst sich kaum mit Köpern; diese werden zumeist privatisiert und als natürlich bzw. vorpolitisch gesetzt. Der Text zeigt, dass Körper in der modernen Politischen Theorie allerdings nicht schlicht abwesend sind, sondern eine gewichtige politische Rolle einnehmen, denn Körper legitimieren politische Anordnungen in subtiler Weise. Durch eine Auseinandersetzung mit zentralen Denkfiguren bei Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, Hannah Arendt, John Rawls und Jürgen Habermas werden drei Weisen sichtbar gemacht, wie Körper die moderne westliche Politische Theorie prägen: erstens werden Körper zur Legitimation der politischen Ordnung herangezogen, zweitens dienen sie der Bestimmung des politischen Subjektstatus und drittens wird über Körper Politik definiert. Der Text verdeutlicht, wie eine körpertheoretische Perspektive, die Körper nicht als präpolitisch, sondern als politisches Konstrukt begreift, den machtanalytischen Radius der Politischen Theorie zu erweitern in der Lage ist.
Quantitative trait locus mapping and genomic selection of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) based on high-density genetic map
Authors: Tong Zhijun , Xiu Zhihui , Ming Yao , Fang Dunhuang , Chen Xuejun , Hu Yafei , Zhou Juhong , He Weiming , Jiao Fangchan , Zhang Chi , Zhao Shancen , Jin Han , Jian Jianbo , Xiao Bingguang
Published: October 2021

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is an economic crop and a model organism for studies of plant biology and genetics. As an allotetraploid plant generated from interspecific hybridization, tobacco has a massive genome (4.5 Gb). Recently, a genetic map with 45,081 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers was constructed using whole-genome sequencing data for a tobacco population including 274 individuals. This provides a basis for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and genomic selection, which have been widely applied to other crops but have not been feasible in tobacco. Based on this high-density genetic map, we identified QTLs associated with important agronomic traits, chemical compounds in dry leaves, and hazardous substances in processed cigarettes. The LOD values for major QTLs were highest for agronomic traits, followed by chemical compounds and hazardous substances. In addition to the identification of molecular markers, we evaluated genomic selection models and found that BayesB had the highest prediction accuracy for the recombinant inbred line population. Our results offer new insights into the genetic mechanism underlying important traits, such as agronomic traits and quality-related chemical compounds in tobacco, and will be able to support the application of molecular breeding to tobacco.
Relevance of Objective Measures in Psychiatric Disorders—Rest-Activity Rhythm and Psychophysiological Measures
Authors: Moon Eunsoo , Yang Michelle , Seon Quinta , Linnaranta Outi
Published: October 2021

Purpose of Review

We present a review of recent methods of objective measurement in psychiatry and psychology with a focus on home monitoring and its utility in guiding treatment.

Recent Findings

For individualized diagnostics and treatment of insomnia, actigraphy can generate clinically useful graphical presentations of sleep timing and patterns. Psychophysiological measures may complement psychometrics by tracking parallel changes in physiological responses and emotional functioning, especially during therapy for trauma symptoms and emotion regulation. It seems that rather than defining universal cut-offs, an individualised range of variability could characterize treatment response.

Wearable actigraphy and psychophysiological sensors are promising devices to provide biofeedback and guide treatment. Use of feasible and reliable technology during experimental and clinical procedures may necessitate defining healthy and abnormal responses in different populations and pathological states. We present a “call for action” towards further collaborative work to enable large scale use of objective measures.
Successful endoscopic closure with an over-the-scope clip for sigmoid colon perforation due to bile duct stent migration
Authors: Yamaguchi Daisuke , Nagatsuma Goshi , Jinnouchi Azuki , Hara Yumi , Shimakura Akane , Jubashi Amane , Yoshioka Wataru , Tanaka Yuichiro , Hino Naoyuki , Ario Keisuke , Tsunada Seiji
Published: October 2021

An 86-year-old woman presented with a history of endoscopic papillary sphincterotomy for bile duct stones and diverticulitis. The patient was admitted as an emergency case of acute cholangitis due to choledocholithiasis, underwent endoscopic bile duct stenting, and was discharged with a plan for endoscopic lithotripsy. One month later, the patient was readmitted owing to abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomography at admission showed that the bile duct stent had migrated to the sigmoid colon and the presence of a small amount of extraintestinal gas, suggesting a colonic perforation. Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy showed adhesions and intestinal stenosis in the sigmoid colon, probably after diverticulitis, and the bile duct stent that had perforated the same site. The stent was removed and endoscopic closure of the perforation was performed using an over-the-scope clip. Abdominal computed tomography 8 days after the closure showed no extraintestinal gas. The patient resumed eating and was discharged on the 14th day of admission. There was no recurrence of abdominal pain. Endoscopic closure of sigmoid colon perforation due to bile duct stent migration using an over-the-scope clip has not been reported thus far, and it may be a new treatment option in the future.
Carbon dioxide adsorption and interaction with formation fluids of Jordanian unconventional reservoirs
Authors: Samara H. , Ostrowski T. V. , Abdulkareem F. Ayad , Padmanabhan E. , Jaeger P.
Published: October 2021

Shales are mostly unexploited energy resources. However, the extraction and production of their hydrocarbons require innovative methods. Applications involving carbon dioxide in shales could combine its potential use in oil recovery with its storage in view of its impact on global climate. The success of these approaches highly depends on various mechanisms taking place in the rock pores simultaneously. In this work, properties governing these mechanisms are presented at technically relevant conditions. The pendant and sessile drop methods are utilized to measure interfacial tension and wettability, respectively. The gravimetric method is used to quantify CO2 adsorption capacity of shale and gas adsorption kinetics is evaluated to determine diffusion coefficients. It is found that interfacial properties are strongly affected by the operating pressure. The oil-CO2 interfacial tension shows a decrease from approx. 21 mN/m at 0.1 MPa to around 3 mN/m at 20 MPa. A similar trend is observed in brine-CO2 systems. The diffusion coefficient is observed to slightly increase with pressure at supercritical conditions. Finally, the contact angle is found to be directly related to the gas adsorption at the rock surface: Up to 3.8 wt% of CO2 is adsorbed on the shale surface at 20 MPa and 60 °C where a maximum in contact angle is also found. To the best of the author’s knowledge, the affinity of calcite-rich surfaces toward CO2 adsorption is linked experimentally to the wetting behavior for the first time. The results are discussed in terms of CO2 storage scenarios occurring optimally at 20 MPa.
Mechanical analysis on cement sheath integrity under asymmetric load
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyu , Wang Lei , Bi Zhenhui , Guo Yintong , Yang Chunhe , Yang Hanzhi , Chang Xin
Published: October 2021

In large-scale multi-section hydraulic fracturing, the stress environment of wellbore is extreme complex, often causing the unbalanced stress distribution around the wellbore. That poses great challenges to the integrity of the sheath. In this paper, firstly, triaxial compression test and triaxial cyclic test are carried out at 130 °C to study the deformation characteristics of the cement under high temperature. Then based on that, an appropriate plastic mechanics model is established. Finally, the shakedown theory is applied to analyze the model and acquires a maximum cyclic loading under asymmetric stress. The result shows that (1) the well cement, with the increase of load, shows the plastic flow characteristics and can be regarded as an ideal elastic–plastic material under high temperature. (2) During the cyclic loading and unloading process, the "hysteresis loop" becomes denser, which indicates that the accumulation rate of plastic deformation is continuously declining. The main plastic strain appears in the phase of the first loading. (3) The external pressure Pz plays a positive role in the deformation control of the sheath. With the growth of Pz, the maximum cyclic loading Pmax will also increase. (4) Asymmetric stress distribution can significantly affect the bearing capacity of the sheath. If stress difference coefficient λ = 0.3, the Pmax tends to decrease nearly by 50%. With the growth of λ, the negative influence of stress asymmetry reduces gradually. High external pressure is beneficial to reduce the negative impact of the asymmetry. With the growth of λ, the benefit tends to enhance. (5) In engineering practice, if the geology around wellhole showcases the strong asymmetry (the value of λ is large), some steps need to be adopted to reduce the stress concentration.
Optimisation of reaction parameters for a novel polymeric additives as flow improvers of crude oil using response surface methodology
Authors: Elganidi Ibrahim , Elarbe Basem , Ridzuan Norida , Abdullah Norhayati
Published: October 2021

In recent years, polymeric additives have received considerable attention as a wax control approach to enhance the flowability of waxy crude oil. Furthermore, the satisfactory model for predicting maximum yield in free radical polymerisation has been challenging due to the complexity and rigours of classic kinetic models. This study investigated the influence of operating parameters on a novel synthesised polymer used as a wax deposition inhibitor in a crude oil pipeline. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to develop a polynomial regression model and investigate the effect of reaction temperature, reaction time, and initiator concentration on the polymerisation yield of behenyl acrylate-co-stearyl methacrylate-co-maleic anhydride (BA-co-SMA-co-MA) polymer by using central composite design (CCD) approach. The modelled optimisation conditions were reaction time of 8.1 h, reaction temperature of 102 °C, and initiator concentration of 1.57 wt%, with the corresponding yield of 93.75%. The regression model analysis (ANOVA) detected anR2value of 0.9696, indicating that the model can clarify 96.96% of the variation in data variation and does not clarify only 3% of the total differences. Three experimental validation runs were carried out using the optimal conditions, and the highest average yield is 93.20%. An error of about 0.55% was observed compared with the expected value. Therefore, the proposed model is reliable and can predict yield response accurately. Furthermore, the regression model is highly significant, indicating a strong agreement between the expected and experimental values of BA-co-SMA-co-MA yield. Consequently, this study’s findings can help provide a robust model for predicting maximum polymerisation yield to reduce the cost and processing time associated with the polymerisation process.
Deceleration Training in Team Sports: Another Potential ‘Vaccine’ for Sports-Related Injury?
Authors: McBurnie Alistair J. , Harper Damian J. , Jones Paul A. , Dos’Santos Thomas
Published: October 2021

High-intensity horizontal decelerations occur frequently in team sports and are typically performed to facilitate a reduction in momentum preceding a change of direction manoeuvre or following a sprinting action. The mechanical underpinnings of horizontal deceleration are unique compared to other high-intensity locomotive patterns (e.g., acceleration, maximal sprinting speed), and are characterised by a ground reaction force profile of high impact peaks and loading rates. The high mechanical loading conditions observed when performing rapid horizontal decelerations can lead to tissue damage and neuromuscular fatigue, which may diminish co-ordinative proficiency and an individual’s ability to skilfully dissipate braking loads. Furthermore, repetitive long-term deceleration loading cycles if not managed appropriately may propagate damage accumulation and offer an explanation for chronic aetiological consequences of the ‘mechanical fatigue failure’ phenomenon. Training strategies should look to enhance an athlete’s ability to skilfully dissipate braking loads, develop mechanically robust musculoskeletal structures, and ensure frequent high-intensity horizontal deceleration exposure in order to accustom individuals to the potentially damaging effects of intense decelerations that athletes will frequently perform in competition. Given the apparent importance of horizontal decelerations, in this Current Opinion article we provide considerations for sport science and medicine practitioners around the assessment, training and monitoring of horizontal deceleration. We feel these considerations could lead to new developments in injury-mitigation and physical development strategies in team sports.
The Irish Expatriate Novel in Late Capitalist Globalization
Authors: Cleary Joe
Published: October 2021

This study of contemporary Irish expatriate fiction offers a boldly original world-facing rather than nation-focused overview of the contemporary Irish novel. Chapters examine how Irish narrative deals with the United States in a time of declining global hegemony, a rising China and Asia, a thwarted and turbulent Global South, and a European Union that has decisively reshaped Ireland in the last half century. The author argues that in a late capitalist world defined by volatile economic and cultural globalizations, the Irish novel is struggling to imagine new ways to narrate the country's relationship to the world capitalist system and to find new place for Irish writing in the world literary system. Looking at a rapidly-changing Ireland in a rapidly-changing international order, Joe Cleary offers new readings of novels by Colm Tóibín, Anne Enright, Joseph O'Neill, Deirdre Madden, Mary Costello, Naoise Dolan, Aidan Higgins, Colum McCann, Ronan Sheehan and Ronan Bennett.
Founders without Limits
Authors: Reddy Bobby V.
Published: October 2021

Big Tech has flourished on the US public markets in recent years with numerous blue-chip IPOs, from Google and Facebook, to new kids on the block such as Snap, Zoom, and Airbnb. A key trend is the burgeoning use of dual-class stock. Dual-class stock enables founders to divest of equity and generate finance for growth through an IPO, without losing the control they desire to pursue their long-term, market-disrupting visions. Bobby Reddy scrutinises the global history of dual-class stock, evaluates the conceptual and empirical evidence on dual-class stock, and assesses the approach of the London Stock Exchange and ongoing UK regulatory reforms to dual-class stock. A policy roadmap is presented that optimally supports the adoption of dual-class stock while still protecting against its potential abuses, which will more effectively attract high-growth, innovative companies to the UK equity markets, boost the economy, and unleash the true potential of 'founders without limits'.
Human-Lion Conflict and the Reproduction of White Supremacy in Northwest Namibia
Authors: Heydinger John
Published: October 2021

Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, colonial governments used human-lion interactions to further their efforts to reproduce white supremacy in northwest Namibia. Drawing on archival, oral, and published sources, Heydinger presents this “animal-sensitive history,” which examines the central role of livestock in antagonistic human-lion interactions. The government has historically played a major role in securing European dominance over lions, while African pastoralists have suffered from human-lion conflict. Government interventions had lasting effects on human livelihoods and the geography of lion survival. Lions were eradicated on white farms, but they thrived in Etosha—where livestock were prohibited—and yet maintain a tenuous presence in Kaokoveld. Heydinger examines the ways in which human livelihoods and lion survival remain linked to one another to this day.
An abundance- and morphology-based similarity index
Authors: Dick Daniel G. , Laflamme Marc
Published: October 2021

Classic similarity indices measure community resemblance in terms of incidence (the number of shared species) and abundance (the extent to which the shared species are an equivalently large component of the ecosystem). Here we describe a general method for increasing the amount of information contained in the output of these indices and describe a new “soft” ecological similarity measure (here called “soft Chao-Jaccard similarity”). The new measure quantifies community resemblance in terms of shared species, while accounting for intraspecific variation in abundance and morphology between samples. We demonstrate how our proposed measure can reconstruct short ecological gradients using random samples of taxa, recognizing patterns that are completely missed by classic measures of similarity. To demonstrate the utility of our new index, we reconstruct a morphological gradient driven by river flow velocity using random samples drawn from simulated and real-world data. Results suggest that the new index can be used to recognize complex short ecological gradients in settings where only information about specimens is available. We include open-source R code for calculating the proposed index.
Combined paleohistological and isotopic inferences of thermometabolism in extinct Neosuchia, usingGoniopholisandDyrosaurus(Pseudosuchia: Crocodylomorpha) as case studies
Authors: Faure-Brac Mathieu G. , Amiot Romain , de Muizon Christian , Cubo Jorge , Lécuyer Christophe
Published: October 2021

The evolution of thermometabolism in pseudosuchians (Late Triassic to the present) remains a partly unsolved issue: extant taxa (crocodilians) are ectothermic, but the clade was inferred ancestrally endothermic. Here we inferred the thermometabolic regime of two neosuchian groups, Goniopholididae (Early Jurassic to Late Cretaceous) and Dyrosauridae (middle Cretaceous to late Eocene), close relatives of extant crocodilians, in order to elucidate the evolutionary pattern across Metasuchia (Early Jurassic to the present), a clade comprising Neosuchia (Early Jurassic to the present) and Notosuchia (Middle Jurassic until the late Miocene). We propose a new integrative approach combining geochemical analyses to infer body temperature from the stable oxygen isotope composition of tooth phosphate and paleohistology and phylogenetic comparative methods to infer resting metabolic rates and red blood cell dimensions. †Dyrosaurusand †Goniopholisshare with extant crocodilians similar lifestyles, body forms, bone tissue organization, body temperatures, metabolic rates, and red blood cell dimensions. Consistently, we infer ectothermy for †Dyrosaurusand †Goniopholiswith the parsimonious implication of neosuchians and metasuchians being primitively ectothermic.
Association of plasma lead, cadmium and selenium levels with hearing loss in adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2012
Authors: Tu Yaqin , Fan Guorun , Wu Nan , Wu Hao , Xiao Hongjun
Published: October 2021

To determine the association between hearing loss and environmental Pb, Cd and Se exposure, a total of 1503 American adults from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2011–2012) were assessed. The average of four audiometric frequencies (0·5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz) was used to identify speech-frequency hearing loss (SFHL), while the average of 3 audiometric frequencies (3, 4 and 6 kHz) was used to identify high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL). HFHL adjusted OR determined by comparing the highest and lowest blood Pb and Cd quartiles were 1·98 (95 % CI: 1·27, 3·10) and 1·81 (95 % CI: 1·13, 2·90), respectively. SFHL was significantly associated with blood Cd with the OR = 2·42 for the highest quartile. When further stratified by age, this association appeared to be limited to adults aged 35–52 years. After stratified by gender, except for Pb and Cd, we observed that blood Se showed a dose-dependent association with SFHL in men. In women, only Cd showed a dose-dependent association with speech and high-frequency hearing loss. Hearing loss was positively associated with blood levels of Pb and Cd. Additionally, our study provided novel evidence suggesting that excessive Se supplement would increase SFHL risk in men.
Effect of managed transition on mental health outcomes for young people at the child–adult mental health service boundary: a randomised clinical trial
Authors: Singh S. P. , Tuomainen H. , Bouliotis G. , Canaway A. , De Girolamo G. , Dieleman G. C. , Franić T. , Madan J. , Maras A. , McNicholas F. , Paul M. , Purper-Ouakil D. , Santosh P. , Schulze U. M. E. , Street C. , Tremmery S. , Verhulst F. C. , Wells P. , Wolke D. , Warwick J. ,   the MILESTONE Consortium
Published: October 2021

Background

Poor transition planning contributes to discontinuity of care at the child–adult mental health service boundary (SB), adversely affecting mental health outcomes in young people (YP). The aim of the study was to determine whether managed transition (MT) improves mental health outcomes of YP reaching the child/adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) boundary compared with usual care (UC).

Methods

A two-arm cluster-randomised trial (ISRCTN83240263 and NCT03013595) with clusters allocated 1:2 between MT and UC. Recruitment took place in 40 CAMHS (eight European countries) between October 2015 and December 2016. Eligible participants were CAMHS service users who were receiving treatment or had a diagnosed mental disorder, had an IQ ⩾ 70 and were within 1 year of reaching the SB. MT was a multi-component intervention that included CAMHS training, systematic identification of YP approaching SB, a structured assessment (Transition Readiness and Appropriateness Measure) and sharing of information between CAMHS and adult mental health services. The primary outcome was HoNOSCA (Health of the Nation Outcome Scale for Children and Adolescents) score 15-months post-entry to the trial.

Results

The mean difference in HoNOSCA scores between the MT and UC arms at 15 months was −1.11 points (95% confidence interval −2.07 to −0.14,p= 0.03). The cost of delivering the intervention was relatively modest (€17–€65 per service user).

Conclusions

MT led to improved mental health of YP after the SB but the magnitude of the effect was small. The intervention can be implemented at low cost and form part of planned and purposeful transitional care.
Time trends in depression prevalence among Swedish 85-year-olds: repeated cross-sectional population-based studies in 1986, 2008, and 2015
Authors: Jonson Mattias , Sigström Robert , Hedna Khedidja , Rydberg Sterner Therese , Falk Erhag Hanna , Wetterberg Hanna , Fässberg Madeleine Mellqvist , Waern Margda , Skoog Ingmar
Published: October 2021

Background

Octogenarians of today are better educated, and physically and cognitively healthier, than earlier born cohorts. Less is known about time trends in mental health in this age group. We aimed to study time trends in the prevalence of depression and psychotropic drug use among Swedish 85-year-olds.

Methods

We derived data from interviews with 85-year-olds in 1986–1987 (N = 348), 2008–2010 (N = 433) and 2015–17 (N = 321). Depression diagnoses were made according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Symptom burden was assessed with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Information on psychotropic drug use, sociodemographic, and health-related factors were collected during the interviews.

Results

The prevalence of major depression was lower in 2015–2017 (4.7%, p < 0.001) and 2008–2010 (6.9%, p = 0.010) compared to 1986–1987 (12.4%). The prevalence of minor depression was lower in 2015–2017 (8.1%) compared to 2008–2010 (16.2%, p = 0.001) and 1986–1987 (17.8%, p < 0.001). Mean MADRS score decreased from 8.0 in 1986–1987 to 6.5 in 2008–2010, and 5.1 in 2015–2017 (p < 0.001). The reduced prevalence of depression was not explained by changes in sociodemographic and health-related risk factors for depression. While psychoactive drug use was observed in a third of the participants in each cohort, drug type changed over time (increased use of antidepressants and decreased use of anxiolytics and antipsychotics).

Conclusions

The prevalence of depression in octogenarians has declined during the past decades. The decline was not explained by changes in known risk factors for depression. The present study cannot answer whether changed prescription patterns of psychoactive drugs have contributed to the decline.
Lifestyle differentiation among older adults: exploring the links between individuals’ behaviours, socio-demographic characteristics, health and wellbeing in later life
Authors: Jarosz Ewa
Published: October 2021

The association between everyday activities, health and subjective wellbeing in older adults has mostly been examined using different activities as separate variables. Which activities are likely to come together in individuals’ daily time-use patterns, or in what context, has not yet been analysed. This study looks at a broad range of spontaneously reported activities, their location and social context to identify latent behavioural classes. The data used in the study came from a sample of 200 non-institutionalised adults aged 65 and above. Activity data were collected using the Experience Sampling Method. Generalised structural equation modelling was used to identify the classes. Three distinctive behavioural classes, representing different lifestyles, emerged: passive domiciliary, active functional and social recreational. They constituted 30, 53 and 17 per cent of the sample, respectively. Class membership was related to individuals’ age, education and selected dimensions of health measured using the Nottingham Health Profile: energy levels and emotional response. There was consistency between the objectively measured class and an individual's subjective assessment of their physical and emotional health. While both class membership and subjective wellbeing were associated with health, the relationship between class and wellbeing was weak and fully explained by socio-demographic and health-related variables.
Adaptively robust filtering algorithm for maritime celestial navigation
Authors: Li Chong-hui , Chen Zhang-lei , Liu Xin-jiang , Chen Bin , Zheng Yong , Tong Shuai , Wang Ruo-pu
Published: October 2021

Celestial navigation is an important means of maritime navigation; it can automatically achieve inertially referenced positioning and orientation after a long period of development. However, the impact of different accuracy of observations and the influence of nonstationary states, such as ship speed change and steering, are not taken into account in existing algorithms. To solve this problem, this paper proposes an adaptively robust maritime celestial navigation algorithm, in which each observation value is given an equivalent weight according to the robust estimation theory, and the dynamic balance between astronomical observation and prediction values of vessel motion is adjusted by applying the adaptive factor. With this system, compared with the frequently used least square method and extended Kalman filter algorithm, not only are the real-time and high-precision navigation parameters, such as position, course, and speed for the vessel, calculated simultaneously, but also the influence of abnormal observation and vessel motion status change could be well suppressed.
A new electrically small antenna for on-demand 3.6/5.8 GHz wireless applications
Authors: Ahmad Salamin Mohammad , Zugari Asmaa
Published: October 2021

This article presents a highly miniaturized dual-band electrically small antenna (ESA) for on-demand 3.6 and 5.8 GHz wireless applications. A partial rectangle-shaped structure is printed on the back face of the dielectric material, forming the antenna's ground (GND) plane. The radiating structure of the antenna consists of a C-shaped structure and a U-shaped ring connected to it, which is printed on the dielectric material's front face. The overall dimensions of the designed antenna are 0.160λo × 0.160λo × 0.02λo at the lowest operating frequency. The proposed antenna has a ka value of 0.56 at the lowest operating frequency, which is 3.59 GHz. Thus, the proposed antenna is considered as electrically small. The characteristic mode analysis is adopted to provide a clear understanding of the antenna's resonance behavior. The antenna has been fabricated and the simulation results were validated through measurements. Good agreement between simulated and measured results was obtained. Dual-band operation at 3.62 and 5.75 GHz was achieved, according to the measured reflection coefficient. The proposed antenna offers an adequate performance in terms of gain and efficiency, based on simulation and measurement results. Because of these characteristics, the antenna is well-suited to new wireless applications.