bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pancreaticoduodenectomy with preoperative total embolization of the hepatic arteries (PD-HAE)—a novel treatment with sacrifice of the hepatic arterial blood supply without the need for arterial reconstruction
Authors: Storkholm JH , Burgdorf SK , Larsen PN , Hansen CP
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Tumors with involvement of common hepatic and gastroduodenal arteries (CHA and GDA) or GDA and the proper hepatic artery (PHA) are traditionally considered nonresectable. We have devised a new procedure that includes pancreaticoduodenectomy with preoperative hepatic artery embolization (PD-HAE) to facilitate an R0 resection of tumors involving the hepatic arteries without vascular anastomoses and complete sacrifice of normal hepatic arterial blood supply.

Methods

To allow resection of the hepatic arteries, preoperative embolization of the PHA was performed to induce an increased collateral arterial blood flow from the periphery of the liver, far from the hepatic hilum 10–14 days prior to the operation. Between May 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019, eight patients with ductal adenocarcinoma were operated with the PD-HAE procedure.

Results

The embolizations were uneventful apart from a transient marginal elevation of alanine aminotransferase in three patients.

All patients had N disease with perineural invasion of tumor cells around the adventitia of the artery and severe perivascular inflammation.

An R0 resection (> 1.0 mm to all resection margins) was obtained in six patients (75%). Mean hospital stay was 12 days. Median survival was 23 months (95% CI: 19.5–26.5 months).

Six patients (75%) are still alive 11 to 36 months after the operation. There was perioperative fatality, and morbidity was comparable to standard pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Conclusion

PD-HAE is a safe procedure and may provide the opportunity for curative resection in otherwise unresectable patients. However, larger studies are needed to evaluate this procedure.
Effects of aurantiamide on a rat model of renovascular arterial hypertension
Authors: Aslan Mutay , Basralı Filiz , Ülker Pınar , Barut Zerrin , Yılmaz Çağatay , Çeker Tuğçe , Özen Nur , Öztüzün Aleyna , Elpek Özlem
Published: August 2023

Asperglaucide (ASP) is an aurantiamide, an effective constituent of purslane (Portulaca oleraceaL.), a safe to eat greenery. Effects of ASP on endothelial function, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression, vascular fluidity, renal and vascular reactive oxygen, and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) production was examined in the two-kidney one-clip (2 K-1C) rat model of renovascular arterial hypertension. ASP toxicity, dose dependent eNOS gene expression and protein levels were also analyzed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The 2 K-1C model of hypertension was created via surgery and mean blood pressure (MBP) was measured by tail-cuff method during four weeks of ASP treatment. Erythrocyte deformability was monitored by rotational ektacytometry, while vascular constrictor and dilator responses were determined in organ baths. eNOS gene expression and protein levels were assessed in thoracic aorta and HUVEC. MBP was significantly decreased in hypertensive rats treated with ASP. Endothelium dependent vascular dilator and constrictor responses were also considerably improved following ASP treatment. There was a notable increase in red blood cell deformability in hypertensive rats treated with ASP as compared to hypertensive rats alone. A significant increase was observed in eNOS gene expression and protein levels in both normotensive and hypertensive rats treated with ASP. Treatment of HUVEC with 3 µM ASP notably increased eNOS mRNA and protein levels. In conclusion, ASP lowered blood pressure, improved endothelium-mediated relaxation, decreased renovascular ROS/RNS production in hypertensive rats. ASP also increased eNOS protein expression in aorta and HUVEC at nontoxic doses. ASP may have future potential as an anti-hypertensive agent.
Priming and eruption of andesite magmas at Taranaki volcano recorded in plagioclase phenocrysts
Authors: Shane Phil , Costa Fidel , Cronin Shane , Stirling Claudine , Reid Malcolm
Published: August 2023

Plagioclase phenocrysts in pre-historic andesites provide insight to the dynamics of magma formation and eruption at Taranaki volcano, New Zealand. The phenocryst population has a diversity of relic cores and a total in situ 87Sr/86Sr range of 0.70440–0.70486. Within-sample 87Sr/86Sr variations of 0.00018 to 0.00043 indicate that many phenocrysts are antecrysts and/or xenocrysts, derived from multiple crystal mush bodies. The Sr-isotopic differences in the phenocrysts of consecutive eruptions indicate that different magmas were tapped or formed on a centennial timescale. Most phenocrysts have multiple resorption/calcic regrowth zone(s) with elevated FeO* but invariant MgO zonation profiles. They likely record mafic melt inputs, and subsequent storage at elevated temperature caused re-equilibration of the Mg gradient. However, distinct rim types record different final pre/syn-eruptive magmatic conditions. Those in magmas erupted at 1030–1157 CE, 1290–1399 CE and 1780–1800 CE are characterised by resorption and calcic regrowth with sharp MgO and FeO* gradients. They record the entry of mafic melt into the system a few days or less before eruption based on Mg diffusion chronometry. In contrast, most phenocrysts erupted at 1755 CE, 1655 CE, and a few pre-1 ka events, have texturally uniform rims, compositionally consistent with closed-system crystallisation. This suggests alternating external and internal eruption triggers. Alternatively, the rate of magma reactivation via intrusion may dictate whether there was sufficient time for a mineralogical response to be recorded in part or all of the system. With respect to anticipating future eruptions, the plagioclase phenocrysts suggest multi-stage magma priming but rapid onset of the final trigger.
A benchmark for variably saturated variable-density variable-viscosity flow and solute transport in porous media
Authors: Guevara Morel Carlos R. , Graf Thomas
Published: August 2023

In natural environments, fluid density and viscosity can be affected by spatial and temporal variations of solute concentration, for example, due to saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers, leachate infiltration from waste disposal sites, and upconing of saline water from deep aquifers. Potentially unstable situations may arise in which a dense fluid overlies a less dense fluid. This situation can produce instabilities manifested by dense plume fingers moving vertically downwards counterbalanced by vertical upward flow of the less dense fluid. The resulting free convection increases solute transport rates over large distances and times relative to constant-density flow. Unstable brine flow is further complicated if the porous medium is variably saturated. The results from a laboratory experiment of variably saturated variable-density flow and solute transport from Simmons et al. (2002) are used as the physical basis to define a new mathematical benchmark. This benchmark aims at realistically reproducing the experimental fingering patterns. Random hydraulic conductivity fields were used in the simulations as a numerical perturbation method to realistically mimic the observed dense plume fingering. The HydroGeoSphere code coupled with PEST are used to calibrate the parameter set that defines the benchmark. A grid convergence analysis is performed to obtain the adequate spatial and temporal discretizations. The new mathematical benchmark is useful for model comparison and testing of variably saturated variable-density flow in porous media. Simmons CT, Pierini ML, Hutson JL (2002) Laboratory investigation of variable-density flow and solute transport in unsaturated–saturated porous media. Transp Porous Media. 47(2): 215–244, 10.1023/A:1015568724369.
Case report: PRES associated with fruquintinib in a patient with metastatic colon cancer
Authors: Wang Lu , Zeng Zhaohao , Wu Zhiqiang
Published: August 2023

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a rare, reversible neurological disease that is frequently associated with the use of targeted therapy agents. In this case study, we examine the development of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in a 44-year-old woman with metastatic colon cancer following 1 month of treatment with the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitor, fruquintinib. The occurrence of PRES after 1 month of VEGFR inhibitor administration is a common phenomenon. However, it is noteworthy that this is the first reported case of PRES associated with fruquintinib. The patient’s neurological function improved upon discontinuing the drug for a week, but worsening was observed following a lower-dose fruquintinib treatment. This patient’s experience highlights the potential for neurological deterioration in those treated with fruquintinib, prompting physicians to consider the possibility of PRES. Notably, this may be the first reported case linking fruquintinib to the syndrome, underscoring the importance of recognizing the association between PRES and fruquintinib.
Identities of Inverse Chevalley Type for the Graded Characters of Level-Zero Demazure Submodules over Quantum Affine Algebras of Type C
Authors: Kouno Takafumi , Naito Satoshi , Orr Daniel
Published: August 2023

We provide identities of inverse Chevalley type for the graded characters of level-zero Demazure submodules of extremal weight modules over a quantum affine algebra of type C. These identities express the product $$e^{\mu } \text {gch} ~V_{x}^{-}(\lambda )$$

e
μ

gch

V

x

-

(
λ
)

of the (one-dimensional) character $$e^{\mu }$$

e
μ

, where $$\mu $$
μ
is a (not necessarily dominant) minuscule weight, with the graded character gch$$V_{x}^{-}(\lambda )$$

V

x

-

(
λ
)

of the level-zero Demazure submodule $$V_{x}^{-}(\lambda )$$

V

x

-

(
λ
)

over the quantum affine algebra $$U_{\textsf{q}}(\mathfrak {g}_{\textrm{af}})$$

U
q

(

g
af

)

as an explicit finite linear combination of the graded characters of level-zero Demazure submodules. These identities immediately imply the corresponding inverse Chevalley formulas for the torus-equivariant K-group of the semi-infinite flag manifold $$\textbf{Q}_{G}$$

Q
G

associated to a connected, simply-connected and simple algebraic group G of type C. Also, we derive cancellation-free identities from the identities above of inverse Chevalley type in the case that $$\mu $$
μ
is a standard basis element $${\varepsilon }_{k}$$

ε
k

in the weight lattice P of G.
A multi-depth spiral milli fluidic device for whole mount zebrafish antibody staining
Authors: Ye Songtao , Chin Wei-Chun , Ni Chih-Wen
Published: August 2023

Whole mount zebrafish antibody staining (ABS) is a common staining technique used to localize protein information in a zebrafish embryo or larva. Like most biological assays, the whole mount zebrafish ABS is still largely conducted manually through labor intensive and time-consuming steps which affect both consistency and throughput of the assay. In this work, we develop a milli fluidic device that can automatically trap and immobilize the fixed chorion-less zebrafish embryos for the whole mount ABS. With just a single loading step, the zebrafish embryos can be trapped by the milli fluidic device through a chaotic hydrodynamic trapping process. Moreover, a consistent body orientation (i.e., head point inward) for the trapped zebrafish embryos can be achieved without additional orientation adjustment device. Furthermore, we employed a consumer-grade SLA 3D printer assisted method for device prototyping which is ideal for labs with limited budgets. Notably, the milli fluidic device has enabled the optimization and successful implementation of whole mount zebrafish Caspase-3 ABS. We demonstrated our device can accelerate the overall procedure by reducing at least 50% of washing time in the standard well-plate-based manual procedure. Also, the consistency is improved, and manual steps are reduced using the milli fluidic device. This work fills the gap in the milli fluidic application for whole mount zebrafish immunohistochemistry. We hope the device can be accepted by the zebrafish community and be used for other types of whole mount zebrafish ABS procedures or expanded to more complicated in situ hybridization (ISH) procedure.

Graphical Abstract
Social Acceleration: A Challenge for Companies? Insights for Business Ethics from Resonance Theory
Authors: Hollstein Bettina , Rosa Hartmut
Published: August 2023

In modern capitalist societies, companies are exposed to enormous pressure to accelerate. However, it has increasingly become apparent that the social and economic acceleration which is the result of systemic imperatives tends to produce conflict both on the micro-level of personal temporal patterns and rhythms and on the macro-ecological level, where it tends to undermine the proper times for natural regeneration and reproduction. Corporations are increasingly called upon as corporate citizens to fulfil their responsibilities to stakeholders such as employees or ecosystems. Business ethics approaches therefore seek to develop strategies for fulfilling this responsibility in view of these conflicts created by social acceleration. In this contribution, we first present a diagnosis of acceleration imperatives for companies based on a sociological analysis of social acceleration. Then we examine the normative aspects of conflicts created by acceleration for employees and the ecosphere using the sociological conception of resonance. We attempt to articulate conceptually the normative requirements for a business ethics which are capable of dealing with the problems of social acceleration in corporations with a particular focus on a resonant stakeholder approach.
Mixed reality training application to perform obstetric pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound
Authors: Nylund Maria Emine , Jain Shubham , Tegnander Eva , Jensen Eva Johanne Leknes , Prasolova-Førland Ekaterina , Linsdeth Frank , Kiss Gabriel
Published: August 2023

Pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound is a widely used technique for monitoring pregnancies. As ultrasound equipment becomes more advanced, it becomes harder to train practitioners to be proficient in the procedure as it requires the presence of an expert, access to high-tech equipment as well as several volunteering patients. Immersive environments such as mixed reality can help trainees in this regard due to their capabilities to simulate real environments and objects. In this article, we propose a mixed reality application to facilitate training in performing pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound when acquiring a spectrogram to measure blood velocity in the umbilical cord. The application simulates Doppler spectrograms while the trainee has the possibility of adjusting parameters such as pulse repetition frequency, sampling depth, and beam-to-flow angle. This is done using a combination of an optimized user interface, 3D-printed objects tracked using image recognition and data acquisition from a gyroscope. The application was developed for Microsoft HoloLens as the archetype of mixed reality, while a 3D-printed abdomen was used to simulate a patient. The application aims to aid in both simulated and real-life ultrasound procedures. Expert feedback and user-testing results were collected to validate the purpose and use of the designed application. Design science research was followed to propose the intended application while contributing to the literature on leveraging immersive environments for medical training and practice. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that mixed reality can be efficiently used in ultrasound training.
Shifts in student attention on algorithmic and creative practice tasks
Authors: Norqvist Mathias , Jonsson Bert , Lithner Johan
Published: August 2023

In mathematics classrooms, it is common practice to work through a series of comparable tasks provided in a textbook. A central question in mathematics education is if tasks should be accompanied with solution methods, or if students should construct the solutions themselves. To explore the impact of these two task designs on student behavior during repetitive practice, an eye-tracking study was conducted with 50 upper secondary and university students. Their eye movements were analyzed to study how the two groups shifted their gaze both within and across 10 task sets. The results show that when a solution method was present, the students reread this every time they solved the task, while only giving minute attention to the illustration that carried information supporting mathematical understanding. Students who practiced with tasks without a solution method seemed to construct a solution method by observing the illustration, which later could be retrieved from memory, making this method more efficient in the long run. We discuss the implications for teaching and how tasks without solution methods can increase student focus on important mathematical properties.
Performance efficiency of some biocontrol agents on controlling Cercospora leaf spot disease of sugar beet plants under organic agriculture system
Authors: Ahmed M. F. A. , Mikhail Sherin P. H. , Shaheen S. I.
Published: August 2023

This investigation was carried out on commercial organic field in the Fayoum Governorate of Egypt under conditions of natural infection, 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 to evaluate the effectiveness of four commercial biocides—Blight Stop (Trichoderma harzianum), Bio Zeid (T. album), Root Guard (Bacillus subtilis), and Bio ARC (B. megaterium)—as well as, four biocontrol agents (T. harzianum, T. album, B. subtilis, and B. megaterium) in controling Cercospora beticola Sacc, the main causal of Cercospra leaf spot (CLS) disease on sugar beet in an organic farming systems. All biocontrol agents and commercial biocides sprayed at the recommended dose in a two spray regime with 15 days between sprays, were significantly reduced Cercospora beticola, total amino acid and juice impurities (K, Na and α-a N %) in comparison to control treatment. All bioagents and biocides put to the test resulted in a significant rise in phenolic compound values, total chlorophyll, sucrose (%), purity (%), root, top and sugar yield quality of sugar beet during both seasons. Spraying Blight Stop was the most effective treatment followed by T. harzianum. B. megaterium was the least effective biocide treatment compared with the control treatment during the two growing seasons.
The economics of the global minimum tax
Authors: Schjelderup Guttorm , Stähler Frank
Published: August 2023

This paper shows that OECD’s Pillar Two may increase employment and investment in low-tax countries due to the Substance-based Income Exclusion (SBIE). The SBIE allows to tax-deduct payroll costs and user costs of tangible assets twice from the tax base of the top-up tax owed by subsidiaries in low-tax countries. Consequently, it implies that a 15% minimum corporate tax for low-taxed subsidiaries is not achieved if the SBIE is positive. We show that Pillar Two dampens tax-motivated transfer pricing, but changes the employment, investment and import incentives, and that for a sufficiently large cost share of labor and/or capital, the SBIE is equivalent to a production subsidy.
Too complex to digest? Federal tax bills and their processing in US financial markets
Authors: Bennani Hamza , Neuenkirch Matthias
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we analyze whether the textual complexity of tax bills affects financial markets. Based on the Flesch-Kincaid grade level of the 32 tax bills identified by Romer (Am Econ Rev 100(3):763–801, 2010)in the period 1962–2003, we assess the relationship between tax bills’ textual complexity and financial markets in various windows around the signing of a bill. Our results show a negative (positive) and significant relationship between the present value of tax bills and changes in the 10-year government bond yields (S &P 500 returns). The magnitude of this relationship increases over time, suggesting that market participants underreact at first and need a couple of days to digest the information contained in the tax bills. This delay can be explained by the textual characteristics of the bills in the case of the 10-year yields as a lower readability partly counteracts the negative relationship for up to three days after the signing of a tax bill. In the case of the stock market, we find similar evidence, but only for a part of the readability measures employed in this paper.
High Performers = Better Leaders? Evidence From 55 Years of Professional Soccer on the Validity of Performance-based Promotion to Leader Positions
Authors: Schleu Joyce Elena , Krumm Stefan , Zerres Alfred , Hüffmeier Joachim
Published: August 2023

Promoting high-performing employees to leadership positions is a pervasive practice and has high face validity. However, little is known about the actual link between employee and subsequent leader performance as prior results are inconsistent. Given the prevalence of this performance-based promotion strategy, we conducted a study to address this inconsistency. To account for prior diverging results, we (a) competitively tested predictions from different theoretical perspectives (i.e., the performance requirements perspective, the follower-centric perspective, and the Theory of Expert Leadership), (b) considered possible changes in the predictive validity of this strategy over time, and (c) included job complexity as potential moderator of the link between employee and subsequent leader performance. In a high stakes context (i.e., the first German soccer league), we tested the predictive validity of employee performance for leader performance. Our results suggest a low validity of performance-based promotion, as we could not find evidence for a link between employee performance and leader performance—neither initially following the promotion nor over time, which is most in line with the performance requirements perspective. We, thus, caution against the (sole) application of performance-based promotion principles.
Mono No Aware: How Conservatives Should do Change
Authors: Jenkins David
Published: August 2023

In this paper, I describe a conservative disposition to change which is capable of operating alongside three other dispositions: First, a disposition to accept a degree of epistemic humility with respect to the kinds of change that count as an ‘intimation’ or continuation of the value contained in some given situation. Second, a disposition to acknowledge the legitimacy of democratic majorities, even when these are not always expressions of those ‘intimations’ or continuations. Third, the disposition to help alleviate recognizable injustices as these might be suffered—and understood—by minorities. A conservative disposition to preserve the value of some given status quo operates in tension with these other three, and can sometimes give way to those other dispositions. An important part of managing tensions between these dispositions is an additional practice of reconciliation, one that helps conservatives treat change in properly conservative ways. I develop an account of this practice through a reading of Junichiro Tanizaki’s In Praise of Shadows and the Japanese concept of mono no aware. I argue Tanizaki’s work offers an approach to change that is conservative in spirit while still being capable of accommodating itself to change which will reduce—and even eliminate—things of value that were possible prior to that change.
Farm-level Hydroeconomic Analysis of Alternative Water Tariff Charges Using a Hybrid Solution Method
Authors: Grové Bennie , Bezuidenhout Johannes Jacobus , Matthews Nicolette
Published: August 2023

This paper's main objective is to develop a farm-level water programming model to realistically model extensive margin and intensive margin responses resulting from deficit irrigation to the implementation of volumetric water charges. The highly complex programming model that uses the FAO56 water budget calculations to simulate crop water use while using relative evapotranspiration to estimate crop yield is solved using a hybrid procedure. The hybrid solution procedure uses a genetic algorithm to simplify the optimization model by fixing the irrigation schedule of each crop and then solving for the optimal water allocation amongst crops subject to water constraints. The area-based charges results showed that when irrigation application efficiency is low, irrigators could apply more water per hectare to sustain high crop yields without being held accountable if water quotas are exceeded. In contrast, irrigators with higher application efficiency could use less water than the area-based estimated water use. The results also showed that volumetric water charges cause both intensive margin and extensive margin responses. The conclusion of whether a volumetric-based water charging system will be better than area-based water charges is not straightforward because of differentiated impacts on profitability and hydrology. While irrigators will use irrigation water more efficiently and adopt more efficient irrigation technologies, their changed behavior could impact the hydrology of the water system through reduced return flows.
Energy Recovery Optimization by Means of a Turbine in a Pressure Regulation Node of a Real Water Network Through a Data-Driven Digital Twin
Authors: Sinagra Marco , Creaco Enrico , Morreale Gabriele , Tucciarelli Tullio
Published: August 2023

In recent years, various devices have been proposed for pressure regulation and energy recovery in water distribution and transport networks. To provide a real net benefit, they require a dedicated long-distance management system in order to carry on both hydraulic regulation and electricity production without direct human manual operations. This work presents a new proposal for the management of a pressure regulation system based on the PRS turbine. The proposal is applied to a real water distribution network, named Montescuro Ovest pipeline, at the San Giovannello station. The Real Time Control (RTC) logic currently applied at San Giovannello station is first presented and discussed. A new Advanced Real Time Control (ARTC) logic is then proposed, based on direct configuration of the turbine and the surrounding valves as computed by the solution of an optimization problem. In ARTC a digital twin, including the hydraulic model of the surrounding network, provides a one-to-one relationship between the configuration parameters and the state variables, i.e. flow rates and pressures. The digital twin model equations are continuously updated on the basis of the recorded measures. Besides providing almost identical performance to the current RTC logic in the current operational scenario, the improved ARTC is more robust, in that it guarantees better hydropower generation in modified operational scenarios, as shown in specific tests. The proposed methodology constitutes a new approach to regulating the valves in hydroelectric plants which are currently regulated with traditional automation algorithms.
Automated assessment system for programming courses: a case study for teaching data structures and algorithms
Authors: Barczak Andre L. C. , Mathrani Anuradha , Han Binglan , Reyes Napoleon H.
Published: August 2023

An important course in the computer science discipline is ‘Data Structures and Algorithms’ (DSA). The coursework lays emphasis on experiential learning for building students’ programming and algorithmic reasoning abilities. Teachers set up a repertoire of formative programming exercises to engage students with different programmatic scenarios to build their know-what, know-how and know-why competencies. Automated assessment tools can assist teachers in inspecting, marking, and grading of programming exercises and also support them in providing students with formative feedback in real-time. This article describes the design of a bespoke automarker that was integrated into the DSA coursework and therefore served as an instructional tool. Activity theory has provided the pedagogical lens to examine how the automarker-mediated instructional strategy enabled self-reflection and assisted students in their formative learning journey. Learner experiences gathered from 39 students enrolled in DSA course shows that the automarker facilitated practice-based learning to advance students know-what, know-why and know-how skills. This study contributes to both curricula and pedagogic practice by showcasing the integration of an automated assessment strategy with programming-related coursework to inform future teaching and assessment practice.
Magnetic Fields to Enhance Tuned Liquid Damper Performance for Vibration Control: A Review
Authors: Vázquez-Greciano Andrea , Aznar López Antonio , Buratti Nicola , Ortiz Herrera Jesús María
Published: August 2023

Tuned Liquid Dampers (TLDs) are dissipative devices whose distinguished features like low cost in installation and maintenance or their multidirectional and multifrequency application to new and already existing structures make them an attractive damping option. Their working principle is similar to that of a Tuned Mass Damper but in this case the relative movement comes from a fluid that provides with mass, damping and stiffness. Moreover, TLDs can mitigate both horizontal and vertical vibrations. All these make TLDs worth deeply studying. TLD utilization in civil vibration control arose in the 1980s. From early years, different improvements have been implemented to achieve a better performance. Some of these modifications include passive variations in the geometry or the fluid. The use of smart materials applied on TLDs has also been of great interest since the 1990s and comprehends different configurations in which magnetic fields are used to passively or semi-actively improve the TLD performance. A lack of review is detected in this field. For this reason, a state-of-the-art review is presented in this paper. Its aim is to help researchers find a thorough, up-to-date classification of the different possibilities, configurations, numerical evaluation, materials used and also found limitations and future development in the application of magnetic fields on TLDs.
Instrumentation and Data Interpretation in Transportation Geotechnics
Authors: Indraratna Buddhima , Malisetty Rakesh Sai , Nair Lakshmi , Rujikiatkamjorn Cholachat
Published: August 2023

Transportation networks on the eastern coast of Australia are often built on or traverse coastal flood plains and marine clays with unfavourable soil conditions. In the past two decades, a significant number of laboratory investigations were carried out in soft soil improvement using Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVDs) combined with vacuum-assisted surcharge preloading. In addition, significant research efforts were made to reduce the maintenance costs of railway tracks and increase their longevity by using synthetic inclusions such as geocomposites, geogrids and shock mats. These research outcomes were implemented and validated in practice through several field investigations along the eastern coast of Australia. This paper demonstrates the significance of instrumentation and data interpretation in geotechnical field investigations through 6 case histories. Field trials including Port of Brisbane Land Reclamation, Ballina Bypass Upgrade and Sandgate Rail Separation Projects were presented highlighting innovative ways of monitoring the performance of PVDs with vacuum and non-vacuum surcharge preloading. Also, railway track design improvements using geosynthetic and shock mats were discussed through Bulli and Singleton trial track case studies. Further, the heavy haul track testing facility at Russell Vale, New South Wales, was discussed as an alternative for expensive and time-consuming field trials.
Methods in Public Health Environmental Justice Research: a Scoping Review from 2018 to 2021
Authors: Casey Joan A. , Daouda Misbath , Babadi Ryan S. , Do Vivian , Flores Nina M. , Berzansky Isa , González David J.X. , Van Horne Yoshira Ornelas , James-Todd Tamarra
Published: August 2023

Purpose of Review

The volume of public health environmental justice (EJ) research produced by academic institutions increased through 2022. However, the methods used for evaluating EJ in exposure science and epidemiologic studies have not been catalogued. Here, we completed a scoping review of EJ studies published in 19 environmental science and epidemiologic journals from 2018 to 2021 to summarize research types, frameworks, and methods.

Recent Findings

We identified 402 articles that included populations with health disparities as a part of EJ research question and met other inclusion criteria. Most studies (60%) evaluated EJ questions related to socioeconomic status (SES) or race/ethnicity. EJ studies took place in 69 countries, led by the US (n = 246 [61%]). Only 50% of studies explicitly described a theoretical EJ framework in the background, methods, or discussion and just 10% explicitly stated a framework in all three sections. Among exposure studies, the most common area-level exposure was air pollution (40%), whereas chemicals predominated personal exposure studies (35%). Overall, the most common method used for exposure-only EJ analyses was main effect regression modeling (50%); for epidemiologic studies the most common method was effect modification (58%), where an analysis evaluated a health disparity variable as an effect modifier.

Based on the results of this scoping review, current methods in public health EJ studies could be bolstered by integrating expertise from other fields (e.g., sociology), conducting community-based participatory research and intervention studies, and using more rigorous, theory-based, and solution-oriented statistical research methods.
A Scoping Review: Identifying Targeted Intervention Strategies for Workers with Occupational Hearing Loss
Authors: Liebenberg Adelle , Gardner Melinda , Nie Valerie M , James Carole L , Reed Sue
Published: August 2023

An apparent disconnect exist in workplaces regarding identification of occupational hearing loss (OHL) and implementation of specific strategies to prevent progression of OHL, evident through continued high incidence of OHL. This scoping review aimed to identify evidence regarding targeted intervention used by industry, specifically to prevent the progression of OHL for workers. The scoping review was undertaken using the PRISMA-ScR methodology. Search terms were based on three broad categories, hearing loss, workplace, and intervention. Initially 1309 articles were identified for screening and 1,207 studies not meeting the criteria were excluded. Full text reviews of 102 articles were completed and a further 93 studies excluded. The scoping review produced nine studies which were quantitatively analysed. All interventions focused primarily on lower order controls, specifically administrative and personal protective equipment. Eight studies focused on awareness training, health monitoring, mandating hearing protection device use and fit testing, and using personal attenuation ratings as a predictor to OHL. Only one study mentioned isolation of workers from noise sources, and this was an interview study with workplace managers, not a specific intervention at a workplace. The result of the review highlights the lack of published literature on targeted interventions for workers with OHL. There is insufficient evidence to inform effective, impactful change in practice to prevent the progression of OHL. It is recommended that a system of collecting and assessing specific interventions and controls for workers with OHL be developed to better inform industry on strategies that will provide adequate protection for these workers.
A sufficient condition for the lower semicontinuity of nonlocal supremal functionals in the vectorial case
Authors: Gargiulo Giuliano , Zappale Elvira
Published: August 2023

We present a sufficient condition ensuring lower semicontinuity for nonlocal supremal functionals of the type "Equation missing"where $$\Omega $$
Ω
is a bounded open subset of $${\mathbb {R}}^N$$

R

N

and $$W:\Omega \,{\times }\, \Omega \,{\times }\, {\mathbb {R}}^{d \times N}{\times }\, {\mathbb {R}}^{d \times N} \rightarrow {\mathbb {R}}.$$

W
:
Ω

×

Ω

×

R

d
×
N

×

R

d
×
N

→
R
.
Incorporating mesopelagic fish into the evaluation of conservation areas for marine living resources under climate change scenarios
Authors: Liu Shuhao , Liu Yang , Teschke Katharina , Hindell Mark A. , Downey Rachel , Woods Briannyn , Kang Bin , Ma Shuyang , Zhang Chi , Li Jianchao , Ye Zhenjiang , Sun Peng , He Jianfeng , Tian Yongjun
Published: August 2023

Mesopelagic fish (meso-fish) are central species within the Southern Ocean (SO). However, their ecosystem role and adaptive capacity to climate change are rarely integrated into protected areas assessments. This is a pity given their importance as crucial prey and predators in food webs, coupled with the impacts of climate change. Here, we estimate the habitat distribution of nine meso-fish using an ensemble model approach (MAXENT, random forest, and boosted regression tree). Four climate model simulations were used to project their distribution under two representative concentration pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) for short-term (2006–2055) and long-term (2050–2099) periods. In addition, we assess the ecological representativeness of protected areas under climate change scenarios using meso-fish as indicator species. Our models show that all species shift poleward in the future. Lanternfishes (family Myctophidae) are predicted to migrate poleward more than other families (Paralepididae, Nototheniidae, Bathylagidae, and Gonostomatidae). In comparison, lanternfishes were projected to increase habitat area in the eastern SO but lose area in the western SO; the opposite was projected for species in other families. Important areas (IAs) of meso-fish are mainly distributed near the Antarctic Peninsula and East Antarctica. Negotiated protected area cover 23% of IAs at present and 38% of IAs in the future (RCP8.5, long-term future). Many IAs of meso-fish still need to be included in protected areas, such as the Prydz Bay and the seas around the Antarctic Peninsula. Our results provide a framework for evaluating protected areas incorporating climate change adaptation strategies for protected areas management.
Operationalising AI ethics through the agile software development lifecycle: a case study of AI-enabled mobile health applications
Authors: Amugongo Lameck Mbangula , Kriebitz Alexander , Boch Auxane , Lütge Christoph
Published: August 2023

Although numerous ethical principles and guidelines have been proposed to guide the development of artificial intelligence (AI) systems, it has proven difficult to translate these principles into actionable practices beyond mere adherence to ethical ideas. This is particularly challenging in the context of AI systems for healthcare, which requires balancing the potential benefits of the solution against the risks to patients and the wider community, including minorities and underserved populations. To address this challenge, we propose a shift from one-size-fits-all ethical principles to contextualized case-based ethical frameworks. This study uses an AI-enabled mHealth application as a case study. Our framework is built on existing ethical guidelines and principles, including the AI4People framework, the EU High-Level Expert Group on trustworthy AI, and wider human rights considerations. Additionally, we incorporate relational perspectives to address human value concerns and moral tensions between individual rights and public health. Our approach is based on ”ethics by design,” where ethical principles are integrated throughout the entire AI development pipeline, ensuring that ethical considerations are not an afterthought but implemented from the beginning. For our case study, we identified 7 ethical principles: fairness, agility, precision, safeguarding humanity, respect for others, trust and accountability, and robustness and reproducibility. We believe that the best way to mitigate and address ethical consequences is by implementing ethical principles in the software development processes that developers commonly use. Finally, we provide examples of how our case-based framework can be applied in practice, using examples of AI-driven mobile applications in healthcare.
Modeling the local geography of country music concerts in U.S. urban areas: insights from big data analysis of live music events
Authors: Li Tianyu
Published: August 2023

Music cities leverage live music as a tool for urban revitalization. Identifying influential industries in U.S. urban areas that have shaped the country music landscape can provide valuable insights into the role of the music industry in urban development. The ‘big data’ of country music concerts obtained from Spotify were examined to discern the relative importance of food and transportation services in explaining the spatial distribution of country music concerts from 2009 to 2019. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) analyses show that both food and transportation services have a positive relationship with country music concerts. The analysis also reveals that the majority of country music concerts occurred in urbanized areas. Although country music has successfully spread throughout the entire country, there are distinctive regional clusters in large cities such as Nashville, Dallas, New York City, and Austin. The result also indicates the strength of GWR in improving and sustaining the explanatory power of models. The GWR was implemented to execute four models separately considering different explanatory variables and a comparative analysis of the model performance then suggested that food service appears to perform best, whilst bus service performs better than train service and air service. These findings highlight the roles of food and transportation service facilities that have made country music — a form of Southern culture visible in the urban landscape. This study encourages music cities to harness the potential of big data's power to foster vibrant industrial ecosystems in urban environments.
Wheel-tracking performance of recycled concrete aggregate with recycled glass and brick in unbound pavements under elevated loads
Authors: Senanayake Muditha , Arulrajah Arul , Maghool Farshid , Horpibulsuk Suksun
Published: August 2023

As natural quarry materials become increasingly scarce and uneconomical, the construction industry has turned to sustainable alternatives such as construction and demolition (C&D) wastes and recycled glass for road construction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of mixtures consisting of recycled glass (RG), crushed brick (CB) and recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) under varied traffic conditions. This assessment was conducted through wheel-tracking (WT) tests under simulated high-traffic conditions, which involved subjecting the mixtures to elevated vertical loads and an increased number of load cycles compared to previous studies. The study revealed that both RCA + 20%RG and RCA + 20%CB blends displayed comparable or slightly greater mean surface deformations than natural crushed rock under default conditions. The default conditions specified by the local road authority include an 8 kN wheel load and 40,000 loading cycles. The study further revealed that both blends displayed a consistent increase in rut depth as the number of cycles increased up to 100,000 while being subjected to a 20 kN wheel load. The maximum rut depth of RCA + 20%RG was close to the lower end of the maximum allowable rut depth range specified by road authorities. This suggests that these blends are at the limits of carrying heavier loads on highly trafficked roads.
Range-based risk measures and their applications
Authors: Righi Marcelo Brutti , Müller Fernanda Maria
Published: August 2023

We propose a family of range-based risk measures to generalize the role of value at risk (VaR) in the formulation of range value at risk (RVaR) considering other risk measures induced by a tail level. We discuss this type of measure in detail and its theoretical properties and representations. Moreover, we present a score function to evaluate the forecasts of these measures. In order to present the proposed concepts in an applied way, we performed illustrations using Monte Carlo simulations and real financial data.
How are milk substitutes labelled in the UK? Should the term ‘milk’ be added to milk substitute labelling?
Authors: De-loyde Katie , Pilling Mark A. , Munafò Marcus R. , Attwood Angela , Maynard Olivia M.
Published: August 2023

Existing regulation in the UK states that the term ‘milk’ can only be used in labelling to describe products that originate from animals. We conducted an observational study, which surveyed the availability and labelling of milk substitutes in UK supermarkets, and an online experimental study, which assessed the impact of using the term ‘milk’ on milk substitute labelling. In the experimental study, 352 UK adults were randomised to one of the two conditions where they saw milk substitutes that were either labelled with UK regulations (e.g., soya drink) or using the term ‘milk’ (e.g., soya milk). Our primary aims were to assess whether adding the term ‘milk’ to labels would (1) more accurately communicate the uses of milk substitutes or (2) confuse consumers about which products come from an animal source. In our observational study, milk substitutes were readily available and labelling varied significantly. In our experimental study, labelling products with the term ‘milk’ increased understanding of the product's use. However, participants who saw the term ‘milk’ on milk substitute labelling misidentified more milk substitutes as coming from an animal source. Future policy should consider the clarification of such labelling.
Deposit? Yes, please! The effect of different modes of assigning reward- and deposit-based financial incentives on effort
Authors: Lipman Stefan A. , Boderie Nienke W. , Been Jasper V. , van Kippersluis Hans
Published: August 2023

The effectiveness and uptake of financial incentives can differ substantially between reward- and deposit-based incentives. Therefore, it is unclear to whom and how different incentives should be assigned. In this study, the effect of different modes of assigning reward- and deposit-based financial incentives on effort is explored in a two-session experiment. First, students’ (n = 228, recruited online) discounting, loss aversion and willingness to pay a deposit were elicited. Second, an incentivized real-effort task was completed (n = 171, 25% drop-out). Two modes of assigning reward- or deposit-based financial incentives were compared: random assignment and ‘nudged’ assignment – assignment based on respondent characteristics allowing opting out. Our results show that respondents receiving nudged assignment earned more and persisted longer on the real-effort task than respondents randomly assigned to incentives. We find no differences in effectiveness between reward-based or deposit-based incentives. Overall, 39% of respondents in the nudged assignment mode followed-up the advice to take deposit-based incentives. The effect of deposit-based incentives was larger for the respondents who followed-up the advice than for respondents that randomly received deposit-based incentives. Overall, these findings suggest that nudged assignment may increase incentives’ effect on effort. Future work should extend this approach to other contexts (e.g., behaviour change).