bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Rate-Distortion Framework for Explaining Black-Box Model Decisions
Authors: Kolek Stefan , Nguyen Duc Anh , Levie Ron , Bruna Joan , Kutyniok Gitta
Published: April 2022

We present theRate-Distortion Explanation(RDE) framework, a mathematically well-founded method for explaining black-box model decisions. The framework is based on perturbations of the target input signal and applies to any differentiable pre-trained model such as neural networks. Our experiments demonstrate the framework’s adaptability to diverse data modalities, particularly images, audio, and physical simulations of urban environments.
The Basis of Code Theory
Authors: Zheng Zhiyong
Published: April 2022

The channel of information transmission is called channel for short. The commonly used channels include cable, optical fiber, medium of radio wave transmission and carrier line, etc., and also include tape, optical disk, etc. The channel constitutes the physical conditions for social information to interact across space and time. In addition, a piece of social information, such as various language information, picture information, data information and so on, should be exchanged across time and space, information coding is the basic technical means. What is information coding? In short, it is the process of digitizing all kinds of social information.
Shannon Theory
Authors: Zheng Zhiyong
Published: April 2022

According to Shannon, a message x is a random event. Let p(x) be the probability of occurrence of event x. If $$p(x)=0$$

p
(
x
)
=
0

, this event does not occur; If $$p(x)=1$$

p
(
x
)
=
1

, this event must occur. When $$p(x) = 0$$

p
(
x
)
=
0

or $$p(x) = 1$$

p
(
x
)
=
1

, information x can be called trivial information or spam information. Therefore, the real mathematical significance of information x lies in its uncertainty, that is $$0<p(x)<1$$

0
<
p
(
x
)
<
1

. Quantitative research on the uncertainty of nontrivial information constitutes all the starting point of Shannon’s theory, this starting point is now called information quantity or information entropy, or entropy for short. Shannon and his colleagues at Bell laboratory considered “bit” as the basic quantitative unit of information. What is “bit”? We can simply understand it as the number of bits in the binary system. However, according to Shannon, the binary system with n digits can express up to $$2^{n}$$

2
n

numbers. From the point of view of probability and statistics, the probability of occurrence of these $$2^{n}$$

2
n

numbers is $$\frac{1}{2^{n}}$$

1

2
n

. Therefore, a bit is the amount of information contained in event x with probability $$\frac{1}{2}$$

1
2

. Taking this as the starting point, Shannon defined the self information I(x) contained in an information x as
Elliptic Curve
Authors: Zheng Zhiyong
Published: April 2022

In 1985, mathematician v. Miller introduced elliptic curve into cryptography for the first time. In 1987, mathematician N. Koblitz further improved and perfected Miller’s work and formed the famous elliptic curve public key cryptosystem.
Asymptotic Analysis of von Neumann Entropy in Conformal Field Theory
Authors: Tang Xiaomin , Xu Feng
Published: April 2022

Given a QFT net $${{\mathcal {A}}}$$
A
of local von Neumann algebras $${{\mathcal {A}}}(O)$$

A
(
O
)

, we consider the von Neumann entropy $$S_{{\mathcal {A}}}(O, {\widetilde{O}})$$

S
A

(
O
,

O
~

)

of the restriction of the vacuum state to the canonical intermediate type I factor for the inclusion of von Neumann algebras $${{\mathcal {A}}}(O)\subset {{\mathcal {A}}}({\widetilde{O}})$$

A

(
O
)

⊂
A

(

O
~

)

(split property). This canonical entanglement entropy $$S_{{\mathcal {A}}}(O, {\widetilde{O}})$$

S
A

(
O
,

O
~

)

is finite for the chiral conformal net on the circle generated by finitely many free Fermions (here double cones are intervals). The finiteness property is derived by an explicit formula of entropy and an observation that the operators in the definition are closely related to Hankel operators. In this paper we give further analysis of this entropy using a variety of techniques that have been developed in different context, and in particular we show that there is an upper bound given by a positive constant multiply by $$|\ln \eta |$$

|
ln
η
|

, where $$\eta $$
η
is the cross ratio of the underlying system, when $$\eta \rightarrow 0$$

η
→
0

.
Open Versus Laparoscopic Surgical Management of Rectus Diastasis: Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis of Complications and Recurrence Rates
Authors: ElHawary Hassan , Chartier Christian , Alam Peter , Janis Jeffrey E.
Published: April 2022

Background

Rectus diastasis (RD) is defined as widening of the linea alba and laxity of the abdominal muscles. It can be treated via a wide array of both conservative and surgical modalities. Due to the quickly evolving nature of this field coupled with the multiple novel surgical modalities described recently, there is a need for an updated review of surgical techniques and a quantitative analysis of complications and recurrence rates.

Methods

A systematic review of PUBMED and EMBASE databases was preformed to retrieve all clinical studies describing surgical management of RD. Pooled analyses were preformed to assess recurrence and complication rates after both open and laparoscopic RD repairs (after controlling for herniorrhaphy).

Results

A total of 56 papers were included in this review. In patients who underwent both an RD and a herniorrhaphy, there was no significant difference in recurrence rates between open (0.86%) and laparoscopic repairs (1.6%) (p > 0.05). Similarly, in patients who underwent RD repair without a herniorrhaphy, there was no significant difference in recurrence rates between open (0.89%) and laparoscopic repairs (0%) (p > 0.05). The most common complications reported were seroma, skin dehiscence, hematoma/post‐operative bleeding, and infection. After controlling for a herniorrhaphy, there were no significant difference in total complication rates between open and laparoscopic RD repair. The total complication rates in patients who underwent an open RD repair with a herniorrhaphy were 13.3% compared to 14.5% in patients who underwent laparoscopic repairs (p > 0.05). Similarly, the total complication rates in patients who underwent RD repair without a herniorrhaphy were 11.8% in patients who underwent open repairs compared to 16.2% in their counterparts who underwent laparoscopic repairs (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Both open and laparoscopic approaches are safe and effective in repairing RD in patients with and without concurrent herniorrhaphy. Future research should report patient reported outcomes to better differentiate between different surgical approaches.
Fast and ballistic contractions involve greater neuromuscular power production in older adults during resistance exercise
Authors: Mc Dermott Emmet J. , Balshaw Thomas G. , Brooke-Wavell Katherine , Maden-Wilkinson Thomas M. , Folland Jonathan P.
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Neuromuscular power is critical for healthy ageing. Conventional older adult resistance training (RT) guidelines typically recommend lifting slowly (2-s; CONV), whereas fast/explosive contractions performed either non-ballistically (FAST-NB) or ballistically (FAST-B, attempting to throw the load) may involve greater acute power production, and could ultimately provide a greater chronic power adaptation stimulus. To compare the neuromechanics (power, force, velocity, and muscle activation) of different types of concentric isoinertial RT contractions in older adults.

Methods

Twelve active older adult males completed three sessions, each randomly assigned to one type of concentric contraction (CONV or FAST-NB or FAST-B). Each session involved lifting a range of loads (20–80%1RM) using an instrumented isoinertial leg press dynamometer that measured power, force, and velocity. Muscle activation was assessed with surface electromyography (sEMG).

Results

Peak and mean power were markedly different, according to the concentric contraction explosive intent FAST-B > FAST-NB > CONV, with FAST-B producing substantially more power (+ 49 to 1172%, P ≤ 0.023), force (+ 10 to 136%, P < 0.05) and velocity (+ 55 to 483%, P ≤ 0.025) than CONV and FAST-NB contractions. Knee and hip extensor sEMG were typically higher during FAST-B than CON (all P < 0.02) and FAST-NB (≤ 50%1RM, P ≤ 0.001).

Conclusions

FAST-B contractions produced markedly greater power, force, velocity and muscle activation across a range of loads than both CONV or FAST-NB and could provide a more potent RT stimulus for the chronic development of older adult power.
Ultrasonographic reference values and a simple yet practical formula for estimating average kidney length in Japanese children
Authors: Fujita Naoya , Uemura Osamu , Harada Ryoko , Matsumura Chieko , Sakai Tomoyuki , Hamasaki Yuko , Kamei Koichi , Nishi Kentaro , Kaneko Tetsuji , Ishikura Kenji , Gotoh Yoshimitsu ,   the Pediatric CKD Study Group in Japan in conjunction with the Committee of Measures for Pediatric CKD of the Japanese Society of Pediatric Nephrology
Published: April 2022

Background

The assessment of kidney size is essential for treating kidney disease. However, there are no reliable and sufficiently robust ultrasonographic reference values or prediction formulas for kidney length in Japanese children, based on a sufficient number of participants.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed kidney measurements by ultrasonography in children aged 18 years or younger from eight facilities throughout Japan between January 1991 and September 2018. Detailed reference values were developed by aggregating the left and right kidneys of boys and girls separately. Simple and practical reference values were developed by combining all the data from left and right kidneys and boys and girls. The estimation formulas for the average value and lower limit of the normal range for kidney length were developed based on regression analysis.

Results

Based on the aggregated kidney length data of 1984 participants (3968 kidneys), detailed reference values and simple reference values for kidney length were determined. From the regression analysis, the formula for calculating the average kidney length was generated as “kidney length (cm) = body height (m) × 5 + 2”, and that for predicting the lower limit of normal kidney length in children under 130 cm was calculated as “lower limit (cm) = 0.85 × [body height (m) × 5 + 2]”.

Conclusion

Detailed ultrasonographic reference values of kidney length for Japanese children and simple reference values and estimation formulas for daily practice have been established.
Wie die Materialengpässe den Arbeitsmarkt treffen
Authors: Hummel Markus , Hutter Christian , Weber Enzo
Published: April 2022

Although industrial production in Germany picked up again significantly with the recovery from the Corona crisis, supply bottlenecks for raw materials and intermediate products such as semiconductors became increasingly noticeable over 2021. In this article, we examine how these obstacles affect the labor market development. To determine the extent and effects of the material bottlenecks, we use data from the ifo business surveys and from the statistics of the German Federal Employment Agency on manufacturing and construction. The results show that the impact of material shortages on unemployment is noticeable but still relatively limited. In contrast, there is a considerable effect on short-time work announcements. Apparently, short-time work is mainly used to adjust to the material shortages.
Hilbert’s Basis Theorem for Non-associative and Hom-associative Ore Extensions
Authors: Bäck Per , Richter Johan
Published: April 2022

We prove a hom-associative version of Hilbert’s basis theorem, which includes as special cases both a non-associative version and the classical Hilbert’s basis theorem for associative Ore extensions. Along the way, we develop hom-module theory. We conclude with some examples of both non-associative and hom-associative Ore extensions which are all noetherian by our theorem.
Discontinuation of adjuvant endocrine therapy and impact on quality of life and functional status in older patients with breast cancer
Authors: Lemij Annelieke A. , de Glas Nienke A. , Derks Marloes G. M. , Bastiaannet Esther , Merkus Jos W. S. , Lans Titia E. , van der Pol Carmen C. , van Dalen Thijs , Vulink Annelie J. E. , van Gerven Leander , Guicherit Onno R. , Linthorst-Niers Eugenie M. H. , van den Bos Frederiek , Kroep Judith R. , Liefers Gerrit Jan , Portielje Johanneke E. A.
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Side effects are the main reason for discontinuation of adjuvant endocrine therapy in older adults. The aim of this study was to examine geriatric predictors of treatment discontinuation of adjuvant endocrine therapy within the first 2 years after initiation, and to study the association between early discontinuation and functional status and quality of life (QoL).

Methods

Patients aged ≥ 70 years with stage I–III breast cancer who received adjuvant endocrine therapy were included. The primary endpoint was discontinuation of endocrine therapy within 2 years. Risk factors for discontinuation were assessed using univariate logistic regression models. Linear mixed models were used to assess QoL and functional status over time.

Results

Overall, 258 patients were included, of whom 36% discontinued therapy within 2 years after initiation. No geriatric predictive factors for treatment discontinuation were found. Tumour stage was inversely associated with early discontinuation. Patients who discontinued had a worse breast cancer-specific QoL (b = − 4.37; 95% CI − 7.96 to − 0.78; p = 0.017) over the first 2 years, in particular on the future perspective subscale (b = − 11.10; 95% CI − 18.80 to − 3.40; p = 0.005), which did not recover after discontinuation. Treatment discontinuation was not associated with functional improvement.

Conclusion

A large proportion of older patients discontinue adjuvant endocrine treatment within 2 years after initiation, but geriatric characteristics are not predictive of early discontinuation of treatment. Discontinuation of adjuvant endocrine therapy did not positively affect QoL and functional status, which implies that the observed poorer QoL in this group is probably not caused by adverse effects of endocrine therapy.
Standardization of the tumor-stroma ratio scoring method for breast cancer research
Authors: Hagenaars Sophie C. , Vangangelt Kiki M. H. , Van Pelt Gabi W. , Karancsi Zsófia , Tollenaar Rob A. E. M. , Green Andrew R. , Rakha Emad A. , Kulka Janina , Mesker Wilma E.
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) has repeatedly proven to be correlated with patient outcomes in breast cancer using large retrospective cohorts. However, studies validating the TSR often show variability in methodology, thereby hampering comparisons and uniform outcomes.

Method

This paper provides a detailed description of a simple and uniform TSR scoring method using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E)-stained core biopsies and resection tissue, specifically focused on breast cancer. Possible histological challenges that can be encountered during scoring including suggestions to overcome them are reported. Moreover, the procedure for TSR estimation in lymph nodes, scoring on digital images and the automatic assessment of the TSR using artificial intelligence are described.

Conclusion

Digitized scoring of tumor biopsies and resection material offers interesting future perspectives to determine patient prognosis and response to therapy. The fact that the TSR method is relatively easy, quick, and cheap, offers great potential for its implementation in routine diagnostics, but this requires high quality validation studies.
A Critique of Vanishing Voice in Noncooperative Spaces: The Perspective of an Aspirant Black Female Intellectual Activist
Authors: Muzanenhamo Penelope , Chowdhury Rashedur
Published: April 2022

We adopt and extend the concept of ‘noncooperative space’ to analyze how (aspirant) black women intellectual activists attempt to sustain their efforts within settings that publicly endorse racial equality, while, in practice, the contexts remain deeply racist. Noncooperative spaces reflect institutional, organizational, and social environments portrayed by powerful white agents as conducive to anti-racism work and promoting racial equality but, indeed, constrain individuals who challenge racism. Our work, which is grounded in intersectionality, draws on an autoethnographic account of racially motivated domestic violence suffered by our lead author. Our analysis suggests that (aspirant) black women intellectual activists must develop courage to sustain their ‘voice’ within noncooperative spaces. However, the three interlinked dimensions of noncooperative spaces—namely, deceiving design, hegemonic actors’ indifference to racism, and (some assimilated gatekeepers’) false equivalence—may gradually erode a black female scholar’s courage. This forces her ‘voice’ to vanish temporarily, or even permanently. Courage is thus fragile and depletable. Yet, courage can be regenerated, resulting in regaining voice. Consequently, we propose courageous collective action by white allies and black and brown individuals who voluntarily and officially cooperate within and across various spaces to achieve racial equality.
Sustainability evaluation of olive oil mills in Andalusia (Spain): a study based on composite indicators
Authors: Vicario-Modroño Victoria , Gallardo-Cobos Rosa , Sánchez-Zamora Pedro
Published: April 2022

In recent times, the need for food systems that, in addition to being economically viable and socially equitable, use environmentally friendly production processes has made sustainable production one of the olive oil sector's main concerns and priorities. In this context, evaluation of the economic, social and environmental performance of olive oil companies and the design of sustainable management alternatives have become fundamental activities for companies. Thus, this article's main objective is to measure the sustainability of a representative sample of olive mills located in Andalusia (Spain), the leading olive oil-producing region internationally, and to identify its determinants. First, based on data envelopment analysis, synthetic sustainability indices are constructed. Second, truncated regression analysis and bootstrapping techniques are used to identify the determinants of the sustainability of olive oil mills. The results show that factors such as company size, commitment to quality, and manager training and professionalisation are crucial elements for the sustainable development of olive oil mills. These results can be useful for company managers in the design of strategies aimed at improving company sustainability.
Qualification of the thermal stabilization, polishing and coating procedures for the aluminum telescope mirrors of the ARIEL mission
Authors: Chioetto Paolo , Zuppella Paola , Da Deppo Vania , Pace Emanuele , Morgante Gianluca , Terenzi Luca , Brienza Daniele , Missaglia Nadia , Bianucci Giovanni , Spinelli Sebastiano , Guerriero Elisa , Rossi Massimiliano , Grèzes-Besset Catherine , Bondet Colin , Chauveau Grégory , Porta Caroline , Malaguti Giuseppe , Micela Giuseppina ,   the ARIEL Team
Published: April 2022

ARIEL, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey, was selected as the fourth medium-class mission in ESA’s Cosmic Vision program. ARIEL is based on a 1 m class telescope optimized for spectroscopy in the waveband between 1.95 and 7.8 micron and operating in cryogenic conditions. Fabrication of the 1.1 m aluminum primary mirror for the ARIEL telescope requires technological advances in the three areas of substrate thermal stabilization, optical surface polishing and coating. This article describes the qualification of the three procedures that have been set up and tested to demonstrate the readiness level of the technological processes employed. Substrate thermal stabilization is required to avoid deformations of the optical surface during cool down of the telescope to the operating temperature below 50 K. Purpose of the process is to release internal stress in the substrate that can cause such shape deformations. Polishing of large aluminum surfaces to optical quality is notoriously difficult due to softness of the material, and required setup and test of a specific polishing recipe capable of reducing residual surface shape errors while maintaining surface roughness below 10 nm RMS. Finally, optical coating with protected silver must be qualified for environmental stability, particularly at cryogenic temperatures, and uniformity. All processes described in this article have been applied to aluminum samples of up to 150 mm of diameter, leading the way to the planned final test on a full size demonstrator of the ARIEL primary mirror.
The Tragedy of Scientific Culture: Husserl on Inauthentic Habits, Technisation and Mechanisation
Authors: Arnold Thomas
Published: April 2022

Habit and habitualisation play an important role in Husserl's phenomenology, yet one aspect of habituality has been somewhat overlooked, namely the dimension of authenticity/inauthenticity. While authenticity in Heidegger has received a lot of attention, inauthenticity in Husserl is less well researched, although, as I will show, it is of equal importance to his overall theorising. The central aim of this paper is to explore the authenticity/inauthenticity-distinction in the various domains of habitualisation and to establish its fundamental importance for Husserl. In the first, introductory part of this paper I offer a few remarks on how to understand and categorise Husserl's transcendental take on habits; I also introduce the important distinction between authentic and inauthentic habits and authenticity and inauthenticity in general. In the second part I present the problem of mechanisation as a form of inauthentic habitualisation as it appears in Husserl's phenomenologies of ethics and, more importantly, science. The third part concludes the paper with a reflection on how phenomenology is programmatically aimed against any form of inauthenticity, and on how it might or might not achieve this goal.
Lessons learnt from two decades of international environmental agreements: law
Authors: Sand Peter H. , McGee Jeffrey
Published: April 2022

As Patricia Birnie cautiously and prophetically put it in the inaugural issue of this journal (INEA 1, January 2001, p. 74), “we do not know whether States and the tentative regimes they have so far established can withstand the pressures of globalization of trade and degradation and over-exploitation generated by advances in technologies for locating, fertilizing, harvesting, processing and modifying natural resources and biodiversity. This is trulyterra incognitain which such seeds of destruction may already be implanted.” Among the 600 or so papers and reviews published in INEA from 2001 to 2020, more than 70 deal wholly or partly with legal aspects of environmental problems and the international dimensions of environmental justice. While the main focus of INEA has been on issues ofpublic international (inter-state) law, there have also been important inputs drawn fromcomparativelegal analysis (of national legislation and judicial decisions) and from“transnational administrative law”that influence the effectiveness of multilateral treaties and their associated international institutions. Novel concepts and practices emerging from the environmental field (such as recourse to a range of “soft law” principles; flexible delegated standard-setting in the face of global change; and equitable differentiation of compliance duties) have inspired developments in related areas of contemporary international law-making and law-applying. At the same time, the very proliferation of multilateral and bilateral environmental instruments raised new questions and expressions of alarm over “treaty congestion” and “fragmentation” within the international law system. It is not the intention of this paper to explore the general interaction of international environmental law with neighboring disciplines such as international economic law or human rights law, but simply to record the “seismographic” impact of INEA on legal-intellectual discourse over these past two decades. To some extent, the role of the Journal in identifying both new prospects and new risks in this field could indeed be likened to that of a “canary in the coal-mine.” The lessons so learnt may thus offer new insights to help in averting the destruction which Birnie visualized, and to advance inter-generationally and intra- generationally shared values of environmental justice.
Glaucoma surgery during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Longo Rosa , Franzolin Elia , Pedrotti Emilio , Fasolo Adriano , Bonacci Erika , Marchini Giorgio
Published: April 2022

Purpose

To summarize the actions taken to give continuity to the surgical treatment of glaucoma patients and to present the volume and characteristics of glaucoma surgery in the first year of pandemic at the Tertiary Glaucoma Center of the University Hospital of Verona (Veneto, Italy).

Methods

Demographical and surgical features of patients who underwent glaucoma surgery from March 9th, 2020 to March 8th, 2021 have been collected and compared to the same date range of the previous year. The analyzed data included age, gender, region of origin, glaucoma staging, type of anesthesia and surgical procedure.

Results

The surgical volume of glaucoma has dropped by 30.1%. In comparison with the previous year, we found a significant variation in the overall distribution of the performed surgical procedures (p < 0.001). There was a decline in Baerveldt tube implants (− 4.9%), and an increase of non-penetrating surgery (+ 2.6%), cyclo-photo ablative procedures (+ 4.2%) and MIGS (+ 5.7%). Only 24.3% of the procedures were performed under general anesthesia compared to 41.5% in the pre-pandemic period (p < 0.001). The number of procedures performed on eyes affected by advanced or end-stage glaucoma is doubled (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

To give continuity to glaucoma surgery, we prioritized interventions on patients with poorer visual fields, rapidly progressing visual field deficit and elevated IOP uncontrolled by maximal medical therapy. Secondly, we have rescheduled the other interventions following the same priority criteria. Finally, we managed some lower priority cases with MIGS, minimizing the need for close post-intervention follow-up. Considering the negative consequences that a delay in the management of glaucoma can have in terms of visual loss, the closure of the operating rooms in the first quarter of the pandemic was detrimental. It appears that glaucoma surgery deserves urgencies that cannot be overshadowed and the greatest effort must be to give continuity to this type of eye surgery.
Theorising post-truth in the COVID era
Authors: Nally David
Published: April 2022

The focus of this article is on the impacts of COVID-19 related manifestations of post-truth in educational settings in Australia. Within this context, there has been a reorientation of how wellbeing and academic achievement within schools reflect on broader trends within the general public, at local, state and national scales. Individual and communal experiences of adversity have been significantly impacted by phenomena associated with post-truth, particularly misinformation, a climate of anti-intellectualism, as well as fragmented socio-cultural cohesion. In the first section I explore these trends by providing an overview of how post-truth has been construed in Australian contexts, before moving to consider how engagements with post-truth have been shaped by the pandemic. Second, I analyse the close link between educational concerns that emerged from the pandemic era, and the circumstances that have supported the emergence of post-truth. Particular attention will be paid to debates over ‘learning loss’ and the place of teachers within Australian communities as a fulcrum for generating cultural capital and social cohesion. In the final section I consider what lessons these experiences have for education, as a way of cultivating learning communities that are oriented towards generating critical and digital literacy skills
Hybrid prediction-optimization approaches for maximizing parts density in SLM of Ti6Al4V titanium alloy
Authors: Costa A. , Buffa G. , Palmeri D. , Pollara G. , Fratini L.
Published: April 2022

It is well known that the processing parameters of selective laser melting (SLM) highly influence mechanical and physical properties of the manufactured parts. Also, the energy density is insufficient to detect the process window for producing full dense components. In fact, parts produced with the same energy density but different combinations of parameters may present different properties even under the microstructural viewpoint. In this context, the need to assess the influence of the process parameters and to select the best parameters set able to optimize the final properties of SLM parts has been capturing the attention of both academics and practitioners. In this paper different hybrid prediction-optimization approaches for maximizing the relative density of Ti6Al4V SLM manufactured parts are proposed. An extended design of experiments involving six process parameters has been configured for constructing two surrogate models based on response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN), respectively. The optimization phase has been performed by means of evolutionary computations. To this end, three nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithms have been integrated with the prediction modelling structures. A series of experimental tests has been carried out to validate the results from the proposed hybrid optimization procedures. Also, a sensitivity analysis based on the results from the analysis of variance was executed to evaluate the influence of the processing parameter and their reciprocal interactions on the part porosity.
Performance of the bispectral index and electroencephalograph derived parameters of anesthetic depth during emergence from xenon and sevoflurane anesthesia
Authors: McGuigan Steven , Scott David A. , Evered Lisbeth , Silbert Brendan , Liley David T. J.
Published: April 2022

Many processed EEG monitors (pEEG) are unreliable when non-GABAergic anesthetic agents are used. The primary aim of the study was to compare the response of the Bispectral Index (BIS) during emergence from anesthesia maintained by xenon and sevoflurane. To better understand the variation in response of pEEG to these agents, we also compared several EEG derived parameters relevant to pEEG monitoring during emergence. Twenty-four participants scheduled for lithotripsy were randomized to receive xenon or sevoflurane anesthesia. Participants were monitored with the BIS and had simultaneous raw EEG collected. BIS index values were compared at three key emergence timepoints: first response, eyes open and removal of airway. Two sets of EEG derived parameters, three related to the BIS: relative beta ratio, SynchFastSlow and SynchFastSlow biocoherence, and two unrelated to the BIS: spectral edge frequency and the composite cortical state, were calculated for comparison. BIS index values were significantly lower in the xenon group than the sevoflurane group at each emergence timepoint. The relative beta ratio parameter increased significantly during emergence in the sevoflurane group but not in the xenon group. The spectral edge frequency and composite cortical state parameters increased significantly in both groups during emergence. The BIS index is lower at equivalent stages of behavioural response during emergence from xenon anesthesia when compared to sevoflurane anesthesia, most likely due to differences in how these two agents influence the relative beta ratio. The spectral edge frequency and composite cortical state might better reflect emergence from xenon anaesthesia.

Clinical trial number and registry Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Number: ACTRN12618000916246.
Anaphoric Pronouns and the Computation of Prominence Profiles
Authors: Tomaszewicz-Özakın Barbara , Schumacher Petra B.
Published: April 2022

Previous research has investigated anaphoric resolution at the anaphor. Using a self-paced reading study we show that prominence profiles, i.e. the ranking of the referential candidates for anaphoric resolution, are dynamically established as discourse unfolds. We compared four types of context sentences introducing two referents and found that the cost of the computation of the prominence profile depends on the alignment of prominence-lending features, namely ‘left edge’, ‘agent’, ‘subject’. Cost occurs as referents become available. Further downstream, we contrasted two types of pronouns in German, personal pronoun vs. demonstrative pronoun. By the time the pronoun is encountered, profile computation is already complete, as indicated by the lack of interaction between context and pronoun type. An effect of pronoun reveals that resolution is driven by the form-dependent strength with which an interpretation is obtained (demonstrative pronouns being more stable than personal pronouns). The results also indicate that two prominence-lending features – subjecthood and agentivity – compete with each other.
Intention to Stop Bullying following a Condemning, Empathy-Raising, or Combined Message from a Teacher – Do Students’ Empathy and Callous-Unemotional Traits Matter?
Authors: Johander Eerika , Trach Jessica , Turunen Tiina , Garandeau Claire F. , Salmivalli Christina
Published: April 2022

Knowing which intervention strategies work best and for which student is essential for teachers when they intervene in cases of bullying. The effects of teachers’ (1) condemning, (2) empathy-raising, and (3) combined (including elements of both) messages on students’ intention to stop bullying were tested in a between-subject experimental design. A total of 277 seventh grade students (Mage = 12.93, SD = 0.49; 47% female) were asked to imagine they had bullied a peer and were invited to a discussion with a teacher. They saw a video vignette with one of the above messages. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that students’ intention to stop bullying was highest among those who saw the combined message. Callous-unemotional traits were negatively, and affective and cognitive empathy positively associated with intention to stop bullying. Students’ level of cognitive empathy moderated the relative effect of the condemning message on intention to stop bullying. At low levels of cognitive empathy, the condemning message was the least effective, whereas among those with high cognitive empathy, all messages were equally likely to lead to intention to stop bullying. Together, the findings suggest that for educators intervening in bullying among adolescents, an approach involving both condemning and empathy-raising messages is the ‘best bet’, most likely to lead to intention to stop bullying.
Robert Cover as a Radical Democrat
Authors: van Asseldonk Maxim
Published: April 2022

The political philosophy of radical democracy has made innumerable invaluable contributions to theories of democracy. However, while radical democrats tend to focus on the political, a cogent and comprehensive framework of law appropriate to radical democracy has only recently been begun to be developed. Interpreting the vast tradition of radical democracy to be based at least on the fundamental tenets of radical equality, anti-foundationalism, and to a lesser extent conflict, this paper argues that the oft-forgotten work of the American legal philosopher Robert Cover may provide critical resources for a radical democratic theory of law. According to Cover, every agent living under law is embedded, or embeds themselves, within a nomos or normative universe. From this nomos legal texts become imbued with widely different meanings, many of which will be mutually incompatible. Cover’s legal anarchism, moreover, gives way to the argument that no agent or institution has a particularly privileged view of the ‘correct’ law. Accordingly, every legal texts gives rise to a proliferation of normative universes which due to their mutual incompatibility will eventually come into conflict with one another. This paper shows that Cover’s normative commitments are highly congruent with those professed by many radical democrats, and that therefore Cover’s legal philosophy furnishes a fruitful basis on which to further theorise a framework of radical democratic or agonistic law that incorporates struggle while remaining committed to equality and disavowing of any determinate foundations.
Bursting in a next generation neural mass model with synaptic dynamics: a slow–fast approach
Authors: Taher Halgurd , Avitabile Daniele , Desroches Mathieu
Published: April 2022

We report a detailed analysis on the emergence of bursting in a recently developed neural mass model that includes short-term synaptic plasticity. Neural mass models can mimic the collective dynamics of large-scale neuronal populations in terms of a few macroscopic variables like mean membrane potential and firing rate. The present one is particularly important, as it represents an exact meanfield limit of synaptically coupled quadratic integrate and fire (QIF) neurons. Without synaptic dynamics, a periodic external current with slow frequency$$\varepsilon $$εcan lead to burst-like dynamics. The firing patterns can be understood using singular perturbation theory, specifically slow–fast dissection. With synaptic dynamics, timescale separation leads to a variety of slow–fast phenomena and their role for bursting becomes inordinately more intricate. Canards are crucial to understand the route to bursting. They describe trajectories evolving nearby repelling locally invariant sets of the system and exist at the transition between subthreshold dynamics and bursting. Near the singular limit$$\varepsilon = 0$$ε=0, we report peculiarjump-on canards, which block a continuous transition to bursting. In the biologically more plausible$$\varepsilon $$ε-regime, this transition becomes continuous and bursts emerge via consecutive spike-adding transitions. The onset of bursting is complex and involvesmixed-type-like torus canards, which form the very first spikes of the burst and follow fast-subsystem repelling limit cycles. We numerically evidence the same mechanisms to be responsible for bursting emergence in the QIF network with plastic synapses. The main conclusions apply for the network, owing to the exactness of the meanfield limit.
Neural-based formation control of uncertain multi-agent systems with actuator saturation
Authors: Fei Yang , Shi Peng , Lim Cheng-Chew
Published: April 2022

The formation control problem for a group of first-order agents with model uncertainty and actuator saturation is investigated in this manuscript. An algorithm-and-observer-based formation controller is developed to ensure the semi-global boundedness of the formation tracking error with actuator saturation. First, a fully local-error-related cooperative weight tuning procedure is proposed for the adaptive uncertainty estimation of each agent. The effect of actuator saturation on both the cooperative adaptive estimation and the controller design part is then analysed and discussed. A three-layer neural-based observer is further constructed to achieve finite-time uncertainty approximation with actuator saturation. Besides, the reverse effect led by coupled and saturated control inputs is defined and a new control input distribution algorithm is presented to attenuate the potential oscillation in system states. Finally, comparative simulations based on a multiple omnidirectional robot system are conducted to illustrate the performance of the proposed formation controllers and the new algorithm.
Attitudes Toward Dating People with Disability Amongst Young People in Australia and Hong Kong
Authors: Ip Isaac Man Hei , Honey Anne , McGrath Margaret
Published: April 2022

This paper explores attitudes toward dating people with disability amongst young people in Australia and Hong Kong. Data relating to disability were extracted from an e-survey that investigated young people’s (n = 2208) experiences of and attitudes toward dating. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics while open ended responses were subjected to interpretive content analysis. When asked about preferred characteristics for potential dates, young people identified factors that were unlikely to be negatively influenced by disability, such as loyalty, honesty, dedication, humour, and kindness. Yet when asked whether disability would influence their dating choices, most said that it would and expressed an unwillingness to date people with disability. Young adults in Hong Kong expressed less openness to dating people with disability than those in Australia. Physical disability and mental health issues were seen as less of a barrier to dating than intellectual or developmental disability. Despite recent gains in public attitudes toward people with disability, improvements are needed in terms of young people in the general population viewing people with disability as suitable partners and thus, allowing them to enjoy equal rights to relationships and sexuality. Culture is an important determinant, indicating a potential for change.
Patriotism: from Twardowski to Bocheński
Authors: Jadacki Jacek
Published: April 2022

In my paper, I show three concepts of patriotism present in the Lvov-Warsaw School, and try to indicate how these concepts differed and what norms they were involved in, as well as to evaluate the justifications indicated for these norms.
Social-emotional need satisfaction, prosocial motivation, and students’ positive behavioral and well-being outcomes
Authors: Collie Rebecca J.
Published: April 2022

This study investigated the extent to which students’ social-emotional basic psychological need satisfaction (of social-emotional autonomy, social competence, relatedness with students, and relatedness with teachers) is associated with their prosocial motivation and, in turn, behavioral and emotional well-being outcomes. For motivation, autonomous prosocial motivation and controlled prosocial motivation (by way of introjected and external regulation) were examined. Behavioral outcomes comprised prosocial behavior and conduct problems reported by parents/carers, and emotional well-being were positive and negative affect reported by students. With data from 408 secondary school students (and their parents/carers), structural equation modeling showed that perceived autonomy was associated with lower negative affect. Perceived social competence was associated with greater autonomous prosocial motivation, lower external prosocial regulation, greater positive affect, and lower negative affect. Relatedness with teachers was associated with greater autonomous prosocial motivation. In turn, autonomous prosocial motivation was associated with greater prosocial behavior, whereas external prosocial regulation was associated with lower prosocial behavior. Introjected prosocial regulation was only associated with greater negative affect. The results hold implications for promoting social and emotional competence among students.
Usefulness of partial splenic embolization for left-sided portal hypertension in a patient with a pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Matsui Teppei , Nagai Hidenari , Amanuma Makoto , Kobayashi Kojiro , Ogino Yu , Mukozu Takanori , Wakui Noritaka , Okano Naoki , Kikuchi Yoshinori , Matsuda Takahisa , Igarashi Yoshinori
Published: April 2022

Left-side portal hypertension (LSPH) is caused by isolated obstruction of the splenic vein and is associated with esophagogastric varices that extend from the lower esophagus to the greater curvature of the gastric body. Here, we report on a 74-year-old man with a pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) in the pancreatic tail with multiple liver metastases. We decided that partial splenic embolization (PSE) was the best course of treatment to prevent rupture of the gastric varices, which were classified as markedly enlarged, nodular, or tumor-shaped and showed erosion of the mucosa. After PSE, the patient had no major complications and was discharged. At 3 and 6 months after the procedure, esophagogastroduodenoscopy and enhanced computerized tomography showed that the gastric varices had improved. This case demonstrates the usefulness of PSE for LSPH in patients with unresected pancreatic NEN.
Human Exposure Assessment of Mixed Metal/Loids at and Near Mega-Scale Open Beaching Shipwrecking Activities in Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Md. Nazrul , Ganguli Sumon , Tanvir E. M. , Rifat Md. Akter Hosen , Saha Narottam , Peng Cheng , Ng Jack C.
Published: April 2022

Pollution from shipwrecking is growing into a major occupational and environmental health concern worldwide, especially in the lower-middle-income countries where workers and residents may be exposed to potentially high levels of dispersed metal/loids due to decades of improper waste disposal. This study is the first to report the urinary biomarkers estimating the exposure of metal/loids and associated significant determinants in residents working and/or living at and near a major open beaching shipwrecking yard in Bangladesh. The concentrations of 17 elements were measured in urine and drinking water samples (125 each) using a validated ICP-MS method. Hydration variations of urine were best adjusted by specific gravity. Significantly higher (p < 0.001) urinary metal/loids load including cadmium and molybdenum in the occupational (70–80% of shipwrecking workers) and environmental exposure groups (72–75% of the local population) compared to the control site and international reference values suggest a significant health threat. Gender and age effects on the variation of urinary metal/loid concentrations were insignificant. However, fertilizer/pesticide users had higher nickel concentrations. Quantile regression analyses suggested the impacted locations with shipwrecking activities are significant predictors of exposure. The participants from the shipwrecking yards and the adjoining east, north, and south sites experienced significant exposure to metal/loids, which may be largely governed by wind-associated dispersion of contaminants. Water metal/loid concentrations were lower than the guideline values set by WHO and Bangladesh except for manganese in 63% of water samples. However, the elevated urinary concentrations of cadmium and thallium were significantly correlated to their concentration in water. This biomonitoring approach could be used as a background study to facilitate a more detailed exposure and health risk assessment to inform a management strategy for residents exposed to contaminated environmental matrices and dietary sources.
Rechtspopulismus als (komplexe) Problemstellung der Sozialen Arbeit
Authors: Görtler Michael
Published: April 2022

Dieser Beitrag enthält Überlegungen zum Rechtspopulismus als (komplexe) Problemstellung der Sozialen Arbeit. Eine theoretisch-reflexive Analyse pädagogischer und didaktischer Ansätze, eine qualitative Analyse zu Herausforderungen und Bewältigungsstrategien von Fachkräften in der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe sowie eine Analyse aktueller Veröffentlichungen und Stellungnahmen im Kontext des Rechtspopulismus legen die Vermutung nahe, dass sich die Soziale Arbeit aufgrund der Komplexität dieses gesellschaftlichen und politischen Phänomens in einer Suchbewegung befindet.