bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Supreme Court's Authority: Judicial Review of Statutes and By-Laws of Political Parties against Laws
Authors: Bachmid Fahri , Rachmitasari Diani Indah
Published: September 2022

The debate about the authority of the Supreme Court to examine the  Statutes and bylaws of Political Parties against the Law has become a problem in the practice of law in Indonesia. This study aims to analyze the nature of the Supreme Court's authority to examine the Statutes and bylaws of political parties against the law. This research is a normative legal research. The data collection technique used in this research is literature study. The analytical technique used in this research is hermeneutic analysis method and interpretation. The results of this study indicate that political parties as public legal entities are present in all aspects of government and have an important contribution in determining the direction of constitutional development in Indonesia. Ratification of the Articles of association and by-laws of Political Parties based on a Ministerial Decree and announced in the State Gazette of the Republic of Indonesia. In this case, the Statutes and bylaws of a political party are statutory regulations under laws and Ministerial Decrees. The Supreme Court must carry out its supervisory function, including testing the Statutes and bylaws of political parties that are in conflict with the Law on Political Parties. This study concludes that the Supreme Court exercises broad powers as judge made law, especially in dealing with complex cases, such as the Statutes and bylaws issues of political parties.
Russian Conflict On Ukraine Based On Humanitarian Law Perspective
Authors: Winaldi Yuanda , Setiyono Joko
Published: September 2022

Russia's conflict with Ukraine which has lasted for a long time has resulted in world commotion and disorder. This problem is certainly an important legal issue to be researched. Based on this, this study aims to examine and analyze the humanitarian law arrangements against Russia's armed attack on Ukraine. The research conducted in this paper is a type of doctrinal research. The conclusion is that based on international humanitarian law arrangements such as the Geneva Conventions, Additional Protocol I 1997 provides protection for civilians and civilian objects in times of war. Russia's act of armed attack is a violation of international humanitarian law. It is hoped that proactive actions from the United Nations will be neutral by carrying out a peaceful settlement. However, if it fails to produce a decision that resolves the conflict, strict sanctions are needed against the violator in accordance with the applicable international humanitarian law regulations.
Verschwörungstheorien zu 9/11
Authors: Butter Michael
Published: September 2022

This article discusses 9/11 conspiracy theories with a focus on the United States and Europe. After defining conspiracy theories – and thus distinguishing conspiracy theories about the attacks of September 11, 2001, from the official version, which also revolves around a conspiracy – the article traces the emergence of these theories and their development over the twenty years since the attacks. As I show, 9/11 conspiracy theories emerged quickly after the events. However, for two years they were far more popular in Germany and France where they were fueled by anti-Americanism than in the United States where they only gained traction with the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Their popularity peaked around 2005 with the release of the Loose Change films online, but they never went out of fashion entirely. As is typical of conspiracy theories revolving around specific events, they were over time integrated in larger conspiracist narratives such as that of the “Great Replacement.” People who believe in 9/11 conspiracy theories – just as those who believe in others – should not be dismissed as mentally ill, as their beliefs can be symptoms of real anxieties and grievances.
Der 11. September 2001 als Epochenbruch
Authors: Schulze Reinhard
Published: September 2022

In world public opinion, the events of September 11, 2001, are often interpreted as the beginning of a new epoch. It seems as if the attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon buildings near Washington were the initial spark for a change not only in the Middle Eastern world, but also intervened in the relations between the Middle East, the Islamic world and the West. We are still far from defining the period in which September 11 took place as a time between two epochs, i.e., as an epochal threshold. However, there are sufficient indicators that justify assuming the process a rupture of an existing epochal order. An approach to the question, which caesura the events of September 11 meant, and in which process of upheaval this caesura took place, requires to visualize again which consequences and which backgrounds had related to the events themselves. For this purpose, I will proceed in six steps, which, however, will be formulated in very different breadth. I will focus on religion, political representation, and social change. There are good reasons to assume that the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, did not define a caesura in the narrow sense, but should be interpreted as part of a profound social, cultural, and political change. We must assume that this change has been part of a global process of rupture and that we can define the period in which the terror of September 11, 2001, took place as an epochal break. This epochal break affects not only epistemic orders, but above all the normative order marked by the balance of society and religion.
Ankle Rehabilitation Robotic Systems for domestic use – a systematic review
Authors: Shah Nazar Peiman , Pott Peter P.
Published: September 2022

Robotic assistance in rehabilitation procedures has gained increasing popularity for both scientists and patients. However, aside from the practicality and safety issues, the ability to motivate patients to pursue rehabilitation therapy is a hindrance and is still limiting the domestic usage of Ankle Rehabilitation Robotic Systems (ARRS). Most of the available ARRS are either applicable under clinical setups, or are dull to operate. New advancements have led to the fusion of virtual realities (VR) and augmented realities (AR) with ARRS. This paper presents a classification of contemporary ARRS based on their usability and practicality along with required modifications to make them befitting for domestic use. A systemic literature search is applied for these systems on Web of Science and PubMed databases and the search is confined to the last twelve years’ research from 2011 to 2022. Among the 219 found systems, 4 use VR, AR, or gamification. Generally, having the rehabilitation therapy equipped with novel interfaces, patients improve their motor function.
Onset Detection of Pulse-Shaped Bioelectrical Signals Using Linear State Space Models
Authors: Waldmann Frédéric , Baeriswyl Christof , Andonie Raphael , Wildhaber Reto A.
Published: September 2022

Bioelectrical signals are often pulse-shaped with superimposed interference signals. In this context, accurate identification of features such as pulse onsets, peaks, amplitudes, and duration is a frequent problem. In this paper, we present a versatile method of rather low computational complexity to robustly identify such features in real-world signals. For that, we take use of two straight-line models fit to the observations by minimizing a quadratic cost term, and then identify desired features by tweaked likelihood measures. To demonstrate the idea and facilitate access to the method, we provide examples from the field of cardiology.
Explaining Machine Learning Predictions of Decision Support Systems in Healthcare
Authors: Polat Erdeniz Seda , Veeranki Sai , Schrempf Michael , Jauk Stefanie , Ngoc Trang Tran Thi , Felfernig Alexander , Kramer Diether , Leodolter Werner
Published: September 2022

Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods, which are often based on Machine Learning (ML) algorithms, are also applied in the healthcare domain to provide predictions to physicians and patients based on electronic health records (EHRs), such as history of laboratory values, applied procedures and diagnoses. The question about these predictions “Why Should I Trust You?” encapsulates the issue with ML black boxes. Therefore, explaining the reasons for these ML predictions to physicians and patients is crucial to allow them to decide whether the prediction is applicable or not. In this paper, we explained and evaluated two prediction explanation methods for healthcare professionals (physicians and nurses). We compared two model-agnostic explanation methods based on global feature importance and local feature importance. We evaluated the user trust and reliance (UTR) for the explanation results of each method in a user study based on real patients’ electronic health records (EHR) and the feedback of healthcare professionals. Based on the user study, we observed that both methods have strengths and weaknesses according to the patients’ data, especially based on the data size of the patient. When the amount of data is small, global feature importance is enough to use. However, when the patient’s data size is big, using a local feature importance method makes more sense. As future work, we will develop a hybrid explanation method (by combining these methods automatically with a smart setting) to obtain higher and more stable performance results in terms of user trust and reliance.
Impact of Annotation Noise on Histopathology Nucleus Segmentation
Authors: Schilling Marcel P. , Ahuja Niket , Rettenberger Luca , Scherr Tim , Reischl Markus
Published: September 2022

Deep learning is often used for automated diagnosis support in biomedical image processing scenarios. Annotated datasets are essential for the supervised training of deep neural networks. The problem of consistent and noise-free annotation remains for experts such as pathologists. The variability within an annotator (intra) and the variability between annotators (inter) are current challenges. In clinical practice or biology, instance segmentation is a common task, but a comprehensive and quantitative study regarding the impact of noisy annotations lacks. In this paper, we present a concept to categorize and simulate various types of annotation noise as well as an evaluation of the impact on deep learning pipelines. Thereby, we use the multi-organ histology image dataset MoNuSeg to discuss the influence of annotator variability. We provide annotation recommendations for clinicians to achieve high-quality automated diagnostic algorithms.
Novel replaceable EEG electrode system
Authors: Fauzhan Warsito Indhika , Fiedler Patrique , Komosar Milana , Haueisen Jens
Published: September 2022

Due to the direct contact between electrode and scalp, dry EEG electrodes are exposed to increased mechanical wear compared to conventional gel-based electrodes. However, state-of-the-art commercial cap systems commonly use permanently fixated electrodes which can lead to downtime of the EEG cap during professional repair and replacement as well as reduced overall lifetime. An easily replaceable EEG electrode would furthermore improve hygiene, especially for newborn and infant applications. We propose a novel replaceable electrode system, consisting of an electrode holder, a snap top, a contact ring fixated inside the electrode holder, and a replaceable electrode. The production process consists of 3D printing, silicone molding, resin casting, and electroless plating. The replaceable electrode system is integrated into a multichannel EEG cap system. A verification study is conducted with 30 volunteers. The operators experienced that the new electrode holder eases adjustment of the electrode to have proper contact with the scalp. During the study, defective electrodes can be replaced without a soldering process. Furthermore, all electrodes stayed in the holder and did not fall off the cap for the whole session. In conclusion, the novel replaceable electrode system is suitable for EEG measurements.
YOLO networks for polyp detection: A human-in-the-loop training approach
Authors: Eixelberger Thomas , Wolkenstein Gabriel , Hackner Ralf , Bruns Volker , Mühldorfer Steffen , Geissler Udo , Belle Sebastian , Wittenberg Thomas
Published: September 2022

Introduction: Early detection of adenomas and polyps is one central goal of colonoscopic screening programs. As the adenoma detection rate (ADR) depends on the experience of the endoscopist, AI-based polyp detection systems can be used for real-time assistance. Hence, to support the physicians such AI-based systems using deep-convolutional neural networks (DCNNS) have been introduced in the past years. One disadvantage of these techniques is the need of a huge amount of labeled training data. Method: We investigate a "human-in-the-loop approach" to minimize the required time to generate labeled training data. The approach is evaluated within the training a YOLOv4 neural network to detect polyps in colonoscopic image data. The performance metrics of the neural network are evaluated on three public datasets. Results: The performance of the YOLO network increased from a precision of 0.88, recall of 0.83, F1 score of 0.86, and a F2 score of 0.86 to a precision of 0.91, recall of 0.87, F1 = of 0.89, and F2 = of 0.88. The interactive labelling of 1,000 images only takes one hours. Conclusion: The proposed "human-in-theloop approach" is capable of generating labelled image data in a minimum of time while increasing the performance metrics as well. For higher performance increase more data can now be labeled within this new approach.
Automatic Localization of an Ultrasound Probe with the Help of Magnetic Sensors
Authors: Bald Christin , Bergholz Robert , Schmidt Gerhard
Published: September 2022

Ultrasound measurements are a widely used instrument in clinical practice. For later traceability of the images, the position (and orientation) of the ultrasound probe must be recorded during the measurement. Until now this has to be done manually by the physician. An easier and more accurate approach would be the automatic tracking of the ultrasound probe. This contribution shows a first approach for automatically localizing the ultrasonic head during measurement. The proposed method is based on coils surrounding the patient bed and a 3D magnetic sensor placed on the ultrasound head. Besides some pre- and postprocessing steps, the proposed localization algorithm is based on trilateration followed by a least mean squares approach for refinement of the estimation. In a first proof-of-concept measurement with fixed positions and orientations of the ultrasound head a mean accuracy of 2.85 cm and 8.94 ◦was achieved. Additionally, a measurement with a moving ultrasound head is presented to demonstrate the real-time capability of the system. Finally, future steps for improving the automatic measurement are discussed, including a graphical user interface for the physician and the use of magnetoelectric sensors for measurement.
Suitability Testing of the LucidGloves Prototype 4 for Extended Reality Medical Teaching
Authors: Burbach Simon , Steiger Annika , Gießer Christian
Published: September 2022

The current information era provides the population with new innovative technologies, including extended reality (XR). These innovations enhance their scope with new opportunities. While extended reality found its way into medical teaching, its application is limmited. Causal is the lack of haptic feedback, which limits the immersive experience. While simulation devices exist, haptic gloves are oftentimes only applicable for enterprise use and not available for everyone, because of their high prices. Therefore Lucas VRTech developed the LucidGloves to allow a widespread use of cheap haptic gloves. In this paper, a suitability test is performed to determine whether the Prototype 4 of the LucidGloves is suitable for use in medical teaching, based on expert interviews with four physicians.
In vitro biostability of cardiac pacemaker lead insulations under static mechanical loading
Authors: Pfensig Sylvia , Arbeiter Daniela , Stiehm Michael , Grabow Niels , Schmitz Klaus-Peter , Siewert Stefan
Published: September 2022

Patients with cardiac arrhythmias are currently treated with conventional transvenous rhythm implants. Complications are frequently associated with intracardiac implanted leads primary insulated by silicone and polyurethane. However, experiences show that polyurethanes in particular are susceptible to various degradation mechanisms including hydrolysis, environmental stress cracking (ESC) and metal ion induced oxidation (MIO). In vivo, pacemaker leads are exposed to a complex thermal, chemical, mechanical and biological loading. The current study focusses on in vitro analyses to assess the biostability of Pellethane 2363 55D and the silicone MED 4765 as cardiac pacemaker lead insulations. Degradation processes were simulated in vitro in a load-free state and under static mechanical loading by subjecting a coaxial lead design to bending radii from 3 mm to 19 mm. Physiological environmental conditions were mimicked using a physiological saline solution and a tempered oxidative solution. Surface morphological and thermal analyses were performed before and after in vitro testing by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry. Melting temperatures of silicones around 40°C were measured, before and after in vitro testing, respectively. Pellethane insulation layers had two endothermal melting regions at 100°C and 170°C before and a third melting region at 45°C after in vitro testing. The additional melting peak may indicate a change of thermal material properties due to degradation. SEM images showed degradation phenomena similar to in vivo studies, varying in severity and depending on the bending radius. Thus, the relevance of mechanical loading for in vitro replication of clinically relevant lead insulation degradation was demonstrated.
Influence of temperature-dependent tissue parameters on monopolar coagulation model
Authors: Busch Christoph , Rupitsch Stefan J. , Moeller Knut
Published: September 2022

The use of high-frequency (HF) generators for HF surgical treatment of biological tissue has become an indispensable part of today's surgical applications of all kinds. Generally, HF alternating electric currents between 300 kHz and 1 MHz are used to induce hemostasis by heating at the cellular level. This effect can be attributed to Joule heating, in which a current dissipated conductor converts the electrical energy into thermal energy. However, sound evidence on the reliability and effectiveness of application-specific HF generator modes is not sufficiently available. Usually, the evidence takes place empirically by means of preclinical or clinical studies. Nevertheless, a corresponding empirical data collection is time- and cost-intensive. Therefore, physiological and statistical modeling provides the opportunity to relate tissue response to the applied electrical energy to obtain a prediction of the tissue reaction. In this contribution, we establish a monopolar coagulation model of an already well-known model approach based on Pennes bioheat equation. Additionally, the vaporization of tissue water at the water boiling point is considered. Furthermore, a variation of temperature-dependent tissue parameters was performed to analyze their impact on the model output. The simulation results demonstrate that the initial electrical conductivity has the greatest influence on the temperature distribution as well as on the time until the tissue temperature reached the boiling point of water. In contrast, the tissue water content has the least impact on the model output. Depending on the desired coagulation effect, HF power control as a function of electrical conductivity or its reciprocal, tissue resistance, must be added next in an improved model.
Robustness evaluation on different training state of a CNN model
Authors: Ding Ning , Möller Knut
Published: September 2022

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have proved to be successful in many applications such as image processing. However, even imperceptible perturbations applied to the images can make the neural network performance unreliable. To guarantee an accurate performance in safety critical fields, it is necessary to assess the robustness of CNN solutions before launching. Adversarial attack is a machine learning approach to generate perturbations on real samples to detect the vulnerability of CNN. In this paper, we will use an adversarial attack technique to evaluate a CNN at different training states. The model was trained to perform surgical tool classification task, which was applied to recognize surgical tool in Cholecystectomy to further analyze surgical process. The experiments demonstrate the relation between training states and robustness, i.e. the robustness improved at higher training states, especially for some particular classes. In future work, additional training with generated adversarial images may improve the robustness of the model.
Validation of a Fluid Structure Interaction Model for TAVR using Particle Image Velocimetry
Authors: Borowski Finja , Ott Robert , Oldenburg Jan , Kaule Sebastian , Öner Alper , Schmitz Klaus-Peter , Stiehm Michael
Published: September 2022

The implantation of a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with severe aortic stenosis improves pathologic blood flow through the aortic valve, but still alters hemodynamics in comparison to a healthy native aortic valve. The hemodynamic characteristics of TAVR are associated with hypo-attenuating leaflet thickening and prosthetic leaflet thrombosis, which may reduce the durability of TAVR. For this reason we developed a numerical model to identify pro-thrombotic regions of TAVR based on the velocity field. In silico models have already been proven to be an effective tool for device optimization in other medical device applications. However, when using an in silico model, it is important to validate the model assumptions with experimental data or analytical solutions to confirm the accuracy of the model. In this study, we present an approach to validate a complex numerical Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) model used to simulate leaflet kinematics and flow in the vicinity of a TAVR. Based on the recommendation of ISO 5840 (2021), a combined validation of the kinematic and fluid dynamic parameters was performed for this purpose. The leaflet kinematic was investigated via high-speed recordings and evaluated based on the Geometric Orifice Area (GOA). The velocity field of the TAVR was determined experimentally using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). The evaluation of the GOA showed a good agreement of the in silico model with the in vitro data for the systolic duration. The occurring velocities were qualitatively compared during peak systole for three planes and showed similar flow characteristics. The maximum velocity was 1.1 m/s in the in vitro and in silico model. Based on the results, it can be assumed that the numerical FSI model of the TAVR can be used for thrombosis risk assessment.
Network Architecture Influence on Facial Emotion Recognition
Authors: Arabian Herag , Wagner-Hartl Verena , Moeller Knut
Published: September 2022

Artificial Intelligence has been blending into daily life by means of many useful applications from voice command to facial recognition. One therapeutic application to be supported by AI solutions is treatment of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. A closed loop feedback system is planned in conjunction with a novel reward system that will encourage the user to express emotions and be rewarded for it in a virtual environment. In this work five popular neural network architectures of VGG16, ResNet50, GoogleNet, ShuffleNet and EfficientNetb0 are studied and compared, with the aim of finding a relation between accuracy and developed features based on the architecture, for the application in Facial Emotion Recognition (FER). Three datasets were used, the OULU-CASIA for training and validation, alongside FACES and JAFFE for robustness analysis. The images were first preprocessed to eliminate background noise. The performance of the model was based on the true positive predictions with Grad-CAM prediction visualizations to visualize the focus of the networks in making decisions for classification. Results showed that deep network architectures with high parameter space performed best, with architecture design showing more influence on the region of focus than on classification results. This is attributed to the different layer combinations as well as parameters used for feature extraction. Shallow depth networks with high parameter space performed better than deep networks with low parameter space for FER application.
Characterization of Using Infused PLA for 3D Printed Radiation Shielding
Authors: Elmoujarkach Ezzat , Seeger Steven , Schareck Constantin , Graaf Leoni de , Barkhausen Jörg , Rafecas Magdalena
Published: September 2022

3D printing has been integrated in various applications in biomedical and medical imaging. A prominent new field is that of radiation protection and shielding, where the introduction of infused filaments makes it possible to manufacture customized 3D printed shielding. In this study we examine the use of a Polylactic Acid (PLA) infused with tungsten to shield a Positron Emission Tomography / Computer Tomography (PET/CT) scanner. The goal is to reduce the effects of the radiation emitted from outside the field-of-view (FOV) on the PET image and to protect the PET electronics against the X-rays from the CT. The shielding properties were examined using the radioactive sources Ba-133, Na-22, and Cs-137, as well as two X-ray sources with energy ranging from 20 to 125 kV. For X-rays below 40 kV, less than 1 cm of the tungsten infused shielding was sufficient to block more than 95% of the X-ray beam intensity. However, only around 30% of the 511-keV rays from Na-22 was attenuated by 3.5 cm of the 3D printed material. Our results support the application of tungsten infused PLA materials to shield the PET electronics. However, further studies are required to determine if shielding the PET crystals with tungsten infused PLA can improve image quality by reducing the contribution of scattered rays from outside the FOV. Additionally, our results show new possibilities for the use of infused filament in the field of Xray imaging. For example, where lead coverings or skirts are excessively bulky or rigid, it could be employed to optimize shielding for radiation-sensitive organs.
Separating Respiration and Perfusion in EIT: Harmonic Analysis on 2D-Thorax Simulation
Authors: Stein Erik , Chen Rongqing , Battistel Alberto , Moeller Knut
Published: September 2022

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has the potential for monitoring perfusion in addition to respiration on the bedside. Several separation methods were reported, e.g. Filtering, ECG-gating and PCA. However, the separation is not trivial, which is why harmonic analysis was introduced in EIT data analysis. It is based on several assumptions and therefore prove of plausibility is necessary. In this contribution a two-dimensional thorax simulation is introduced, which includes simplified lungs and heart with changing shapes and conductivities due to volume variations and lung perfusion. Harmonic analysis was applied on the simulated data. The separation results are in good agreement with the simulation settings. Further investigations will be required due to limitations of the simulation. Nevertheless, harmonic analysis delivered precise results in ideal and strictly defined conditions.
Cholestasis and congenital neuroblastoma in a preterm neonate: a case report
Authors: Puvabanditsin Surasak , Guillermo Melissa , Cheng Yisha , Sudol Olga , Mehta Rajeev
Published: September 2022

Objectives

Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common tumor during perinatal period. The clinical features of NB occurring in fetuses and neonates differ from that in the older age groups. Frequently, Congenital neuroblastomas are incidentally detected prenatally. Clinical presentations of NBs in neonates are highy variable.

Case presentation

A 24-day old preterm 32 weeks’ gestation male neonate developed cholestasis that lead to the diagnosis of stage MS neuroblastoma. There was no NB primary site identified.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of metastatic NB (Stage MS) in a preterm neonate presenting with cholestsis but without any identifiable adrenal or extra-adrenal primary.
The Heaven-Earth Cosmic Faith and the Universality of Confucian Ethics
Authors: Li Cunshan
Published: September 2022

The ritual practice of making sacrificial offerings to Heaven and Earth, named respectively Jiao and She, existed in the Western Zhou period. In classical Chinese culture, Heaven and Earth were paired and named “father” and “mother” of humanity and all things. This points to the “this-worldly” nature—vis à vis “other-worldly” nature—of the highest deity in Chinese faith, who existed in a “continuity of being” with humans on the Earth. “Heaven and Earth are parents of all creatures, and of those, Man is the most highly accomplished.” Such a notion synthesizes the cosmic law of nature and human centric ethics, creating a unity of nature and human society through “oneness of virtue.” The Confucian tenets proposing that human nature is innately good, and the need for the pursuit of moral self-cultivation, are fundamental to the ideology. More importantly, so too are such universal virtues as “being lovingly disposed to people in general, and kind to all creatures and things,” and the affirmation that “all people (are) brothers and sisters of oneself; all creatures and living things one’s equals,” as well as “all under Heaven (is) one family, and the nation, one person.”
Complementary interfaces for visual computing
Authors: Zagermann Johannes , Hubenschmid Sebastian , Balestrucci Priscilla , Feuchtner Tiare , Mayer Sven , Ernst Marc O. , Schmidt Albrecht , Reiterer Harald
Published: September 2022

With increasing complexity in visual computing tasks, a single device may not be sufficient to adequately support the user’s workflow. Here, we can employ multi-device ecologies such as cross-device interaction, where a workflow can be split across multiple devices, each dedicated to a specific role. But what makes these multi-device ecologies compelling? Based on insights from our research, each device or interface component must contribute a complementary characteristic to increase the quality of interaction and further support users in their current activity. We establish the term complementary interfaces for such meaningful combinations of devices and modalities and provide an initial set of challenges. In addition, we demonstrate the value of complementarity with examples from within our own research.
Informed Consent and Deception in Psychological Research?
Authors: Patry Philippe
Published: September 2022

To obtain reliable results, some psychological experiments need to involve the deception of human subjects. This contradicts the ethical principle of autonomy and the process of informed consent that is required to ensure the subjects’ autonomy. Some solutions to this dilemma have been proposed, but all of them have drawbacks. As solution I propose a procedure that combines proxy consent and prior consent.
Wittgensteinian Epistemology and Cartesian Skepticism
Authors: Salvatore Nicola Claudio
Published: September 2022

In this paper, I present and criticize a number of inuential anti-skeptical strategies inspired by Wittgenstein's remarks on `hinges'. Furthermore, I argue that, following Wittgen- stein's analogy between `hinges' and `rules of grammar', we should be able to get rid of Cartesian skeptical scenarios as nonsensical, even if apparently intelligible, combinations of signs
Essentiality without Necessity
Authors: Sandstad Petter
Published: September 2022

It is widely accepted that if a property is essential then it is necessary. Against this I present numerous counterexamples from biology and chemistry, which fall into two groups: (I) A property is essential to a genus or species, yet some instances of this genus or species do not have this essential property. (II) A property is essential to a genus, yet some species of this genus do not have this essential property. I discuss and reject four minor objections. Then I discuss in depth whether a distinction between constitutive essence and consequential essence is able to handle these counterexamples. I conclude that this distinction is better put as one between (1) the essence, which is necessary, and (2) the essential properties, which are not formally necessary. An essence of an object X is the substantial universal expressed by its real definition. An object X has a property P essentially if the property P is explanatory and non-trivial, and P follows from the essence of X.
Another Counterexample to Markov Causation from Quantum Mechanics: Single Photon Experiments and the Mach-Zehnder Interferometer
Authors: Retzlaff Nina
Published: September 2022

The theory of causal Bayes nets [15, 19] is, from an empirical point of view, currently one of the most promising approaches to causation on the market. There are, however, counterexamples to its core axiom, the causal Markov condition. Probably the most serious of these counterexamples are EPR/B experiments in quantum mechanics (cf. [13, 23]). However, these are also the only counterexamples yet known from the quantum realm. One might therefore wonder whether they are the only phenomena in the quantum realm that create problems for causal Bayes nets. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that not only the phenomenon of quantum correlations in EPR/B experiments create problems for causal Bayes nets, but also the temporal evolution of quantum systems, which is described as dualistic by quantum mechanics. For this purpose, it is shown that single photon experiments in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) violate the causal Markov condition as well. It is then argued, however, that the Markov violation does not occur under the de Broglie-Bohm interpretation of Bohmian mechanics.
Why Moral Heuristics can Lead to Mistaken Moral Judgments
Authors: Nadurak Vitaliy
Published: September 2022

Given the lack of generally accepted moral standards, one of the controversial questions for those who investigate moral heuristics is whether we can argue that moral heuristics can lead to mistaken moral judgments. This paper suggests that, even if we agree that moral standards are different and chosen subjectively, deviations from them are possible and we can prove such deviations in a logically correct way. However, in this case, it must be admitted that not every deviation is a mistake. Deviation becomes a mistake only when a person departs from the standard which she or he considers as right. There are cases where it is impossible to establish the fact of a mistake: when a person chooses a moral standard post hoc, in the light of which the decision would be right (only when there is a deviation from all moral standards which a person considers as right, it is possible to recognize the decision as mistaken). Accepting the idea of the subjectivity of a moral standard, it is also necessary to accept the idea of relativity of moral heuristics: the normative standard chosen by a person also determines which method of moral decision making will be considered as a heuristic.
Shooting method in the application of boundary value problems for differential equations with sign-changing weight function
Authors: Yue Xu , Xiaoling Han
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we use the shooting method to study the solvability of the boundary value problem of differential equations with sign-changing weight function:

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Development of a novel heat- and shear-resistant nano-silica gelling agent
Authors: Liu Yunfeng , Tang Yongfan , Chang Qiuhao , Ma Chentao , He Shunhua , Yuan Li
Published: September 2022

The efficient and sustainable development of deep marine carbonate rock reservoirs in the Sichuan Basin has higher technical requirements for reservoir acidizing alteration technology. However, the acidification effect of deep marine carbonate rock reservoirs was hampered by the drawbacks such as uncontrollable acidification rate of the reservoir, the large friction resistance, and the great acid filtration. A novel heat- and shear-resistant nano-silica gelling agent CTG-1 is prepared based on nano-silica and combined with amide compounds. The influence of different factors on the acid filtration performance and heat- and shear-resistant capacity of carbonate rock reservoirs were analyzed, and then the mechanism of nano-silica gelling agent for acid filtration reduction in carbonate rock reservoirs is revealed. The research results showed that the filtration resistance of acid solution decreases slightly with the increase in the content of nano-silica gelling agent and reservoir pressure. The viscosity, fluid loss coefficient, and friction-reducing rate are as high as 25 mPa s, 2.4 × 10−2 m3 min1/2, and 71%, respectively, showing significantly better result than that of commonly used commercial gelling agents. The development of nano-silica gelling agent provides a reliable reference for effectively improving the acidification and stimulation effect of deep marine carbonate rock reservoirs.
When Planning Means No Plan: Bidirectional Subjectification in Peninsular Spanish en plan– From Adverbial Phrase to Discourse Marker Functions
Authors: Abella Fernandez Tania
Published: September 2022

Subjectification is a dynamic category in linguistic change as it triggers both grammaticalization and pragmaticalization. In this line, this study traces the evolution of Spanish en plan ‘in plan’ from its origin in the 13th century to the present. I argue that en plan has undergone a bidirectional process of subjectification. Its internal structure has become more fixed, moving from concrete meanings (una clase de literatura, cuyas producciones se semejan en plan, estilo … ‘a kind of literature, whose productions are similar in plan, style …’), to perform approximate adverbial functions (Sus actuaciones (…) son en plan restringido ‘their performances are like restricted’). Moreover, it developed discourse marker functions (le soltó en plan: “oye no es por nada” ‘she said “hey, just saying”’). This implies that the structure has undergone a bidirectional change, first towards the grammar, through grammaticalization, and away from the grammar and towards discourse through a process of discursivization.
Are Verb-Noun Compounds Syntactically or Lexically Related to Verb Phrases?
Authors: Marqueta Gracia Bárbara
Published: September 2022

This paper explores the links between Spanish verb-noun (VN) compounds and verb phrases (VPs) (limpiabotaslit. ‘clean+boots’ ‘shoe shine’/limpiar botas‘to clean boots’), particularly between those with idiomatic meaning (metepataslit. ‘put+paws’ ‘bungler’/meter la patalit. ‘put the paw’ ‘to put your foot in it’). I discuss the theoretical implications of different accounts of the phrase-compound divide, namely, whether or not compounds are created by rules of a different nature than those for phrases (lexicalist vs. neoconstructionist approaches), and whether or not VN compounds can be derived from phrases through applying any kind of transformation. I show that VN compounds share key properties with VPs which could justify their treatment as syntactic objects. By contrast, the VN compound pattern presents unique restrictions that challenge the empirical adequacy of derivational approaches, which are likely to overgenerate ill-formed compounds from existing phrases. Once stored as lexical objects, however, VN compounds and VP idioms may evidence strong semantic connections as illustrated by the pairmetepatas/meter la pata, which suggests the need to carefully examine lexical associations to ensure a balanced understanding of the phrase-compound divide.
Clustered Autoencoded Variational Inverse Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Chen Yuling Max
Published: September 2022

Variational Auto-Encoder (VAE) is a handy and computationally friendly Bayesian tool for Inverse Reinforcement Learning (IRL) problems, with the native setting of absent reward functions in a Markov Decision Process (MDP). However, recent works mainly deal with single reward, which turn out to be insufficient for complex dynamic environments with multiple demonstrators of various characteristics (hence multiple reward functions). This paper extends the dimensionality of reward (from ℝ to ℝ
K
) by incorporating a latent embedding and clustering step on top of a scalable Bayesian IRL model, which enhances her applicability to multi-reward scenarios. We introduce our method, Clustered Autoencoded Variational Inverse Reinforcement Learning (CAVIRL), which is able to approximate multiple posterior reward functions and learn the corresponding policies for experts of various characteristics and skills. As a by-product, the proposed model also thrives to determine the number of clusters K on her own, as opposed to the competing multi-reward imitation learning models that require K to be prespecified. We trained the proposed model within a grid world with multiple types of players, where we achieved 100% correctness in determining the number of players’ types and 80%-83.9% match between the model-learned policies and the players’ demonstrations from the data.
Consumptive hypothyroidism in a patient with malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney: case report on a newly found association
Authors: Fiore Roberto , La Rosa Stefano , Uccella Silvia , Marchiori Deborah , Kopp Peter A
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Consumptive hypothyroidism is a rare paraneoplastic condition most commonly associated with infantile hemangiomas. It is caused by overexpression of deiodinase type 3 (D3), which leads to preferential conversion of thyroxine to the metabolically inactive reverse triiodothyronine (rT3), paralleled by a decrease of the biologically active T3.

Case presentation

A 46-year-old male patient with previously normal thyroid function was diagnosed with a renal carcinoma with rhabdoid differentiation. He was treated with sunitinib, followed by the immune checkpoint inhibitors ipilimumab and nivolumab, and he developed primary hypothyroidism secondary to thyroiditis. Substitution with unusually high doses of levothyroxine as high as 4.3 µg/kg/day did not normalize his thyroid function. Poor compliance was refuted because there was no improvement after observed administration. He had no malabsorption. Although tyrosine kinase inhibitors can increase the expression of D3, this effect tends to be modest. Therefore, the suspicion of tumor-related consumptive hypothyroidism was raised and supported by low free T3 and elevated rT3 levels. The therapy could not be further modified because the patient opted for palliative care and passed away 12 days later.

Immunohistochemistry of the tumor from a sample obtained prior to systemic therapy documented abundant expression of D3, corroborating the diagnosis of consumptive hypothyroidism.

Conclusions

This observation extends the spectrum of malignancies overexpressing D3. Although rare, increased awareness of this paraneoplastic syndrome is key, if persistent hypothyroidism cannot be explained by compliance issues or malabsorption. Substitution with high doses of levothyroxine, and combination therapy with liothyronine, can correct hypothyroidism in these patients.
Optimization of extraction process of pine needle essential oil by response surface methodology and its chemical composition analysis
Authors: Xie Junkang , Yang Zhangqi , Feng Yuanheng , Chen Hu , Hu La , Jia Jie , Wu Dongshan
Published: September 2022

The extraction of essential oil from pine needles was optimized by response surface methodology, and the following optimal conditions were obtained: a fresh pine needle of 100 g, an extraction time of 2 h, a water dosage of 850 mL, and a NaCl concentration of 2.50%. The extraction yield of essential oil was 0.611% under optimal conditions, which was extremely close to the predicted value. The extraction yields of essential oil from needles of 12 common pines in Guangxi were compared. The contents of essential oil in needles of Pinus massoniana, Pinus crassicorticea, and Pinus taeda were relatively higher than other pines. A total of 44 chemical components were identified by GC-MS, including 12 monoterpenes, 14 sesquiterpenes, and 12 alcohols. The chemical components of essential oil from different pines have their own features, and it is speculated that they have good and diversified application potential in the fields of medicine, food, spices, and so on. The chemical compositions of essential oil with high extraction yield have similar characteristics. This phenomenon can be used as the basis and means for the selection of pines with high content of essential oil in needles.
Neighborhood Child Opportunity and Emergency Department Utilization
Authors: Kaiser Sunitha V. , Hall Matthew , Bettenhausen Jessica L. , Sills Marion R. , Hoffmann Jennifer A. , Noelke Clemens , Morse Rustin B. , Lopez Michelle A. , Parikh Kavita
Published: September 2022

The Child Opportunity Index measures the structural neighborhood context that may influence a child’s healthy development. We examined relationships between the Child Opportunity Index and emergency department utilization.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The Child Opportunity Index (COI) is a multidimensional measure of structural neighborhood context that may influence a child’s healthy development. Our objective was to determine if COI is associated with children’s emergency department (ED) utilization using a national sample.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of the Pediatric Health Information Systems, a database from 49 United States children’s hospitals. We analyzed children aged 0 to 17 years with ED visits from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019. We modeled associations between COI and outcomes using generalized regression models that adjusted for patient characteristics (eg, age, clinical severity). Outcomes included: (1) low-resource intensity (LRI) ED visits (visits with no laboratories, imaging, procedures, or admission), (2) ≥2 or ≥3 ED visits, and (3) admission.

RESULTS

We analyzed 6 810 864 ED visits by 3 999 880 children. LRI visits were more likely among children from very low compared with very high COI (1 LRI visit: odds ratio [OR] 1.35 [1.17–1.56]; ≥2 LRI visits: OR 1.97 [1.66–2.33]; ≥3 LRI visits: OR 2.4 [1.71–3.39]). ED utilization was more likely among children from very low compared with very high COI (≥2 ED visits: OR 1.73 [1.51–1.99]; ≥3 ED visits: OR 2.22 [1.69–2.91]). Risk of hospital admission from the ED was lower for children from very low compared with very high COI (OR 0.77 [0.65–0.99]).

CONCLUSIONS

Children from neighborhoods with low COI had higher ED utilization overall and more LRI visits, as well as visits more cost-effectively managed in primary care settings. Identifying neighborhood opportunity-related drivers can help us design interventions to optimize child health and decrease unnecessary ED utilization and costs.