bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance Evaluation of Inerter-Based Dampers for Bridge Flutter Control: A Comparative Study
Authors: Feng Zhouquan , Jing Haokun , Wu Qiangqiang , Li Yashuai , Hua Xugang
Published: June 2023

As the number of long-span bridges continues to grow, wind-induced vibration issues have become increasingly intensified. Among them, flutter is a serious wind-induced vibration that can lead to bridge collapse. To address this problem, this paper proposes inerter-based dampers as a solution for flutter control and compares their performance to traditional tuned mass dampers (TMDs). Firstly, eight distinct inerter-based dampers were proposed, based on various combinations of mass-inerter-spring-damper (MISD) components. Secondly, the equations of motion of the bridge-MISD system were derived based on the two-mode coupled flutter theory and the mechanical impedance analysis method. Thirdly, the flutter control performance of the eight proposed MISDs is examined using a simply supported beam, with the six better-performing dampers further evaluated using the Jiangyin Bridge. The results show that inerter-based dampers can effectively improve the critical flutter wind speed of bridges, with performance sensitive to frequency. Additionally, incorporating an inerter decreases the static displacement of the mass block, while increasing the mass of MISD and the distance between the damper and the section center improves flutter control performance. The optimal spring stiffness ratios for the six MISDs are identified, largely dependent on the damper’s inertance and mass. In conclusion, this paper offers a promising solution to addressing flutter in long-span bridges and provides insights into the design and optimization of inerter-based dampers.
A Pseudo-Lower Bound Solution of Structural Bearing Capacity by Bézier Extraction-Based Isogeometric Analysis
Authors: Do Hien V. , Ho Phuc L. H. , Le Canh V. , Nguyen-Xuan H.
Published: June 2023

This study proposes a pseudo-lower bound method for direct limit analysis of two-dimensional structures and safety evaluation based on isogeometric analysis integrated through Bézier extraction. The key idea in this approach is that the stress field is separated into two parts: fictitious elastic and residual, and then the equilibrium conditions are recast by the weak form. Being different from the displacement approach which employs the kinematic formulation, the approximations based on the stress field satisfy automatically volumetric locking phenomena. Dealing with optimization problems, a second-order cone programming, providing significant advantages of the conic representation for yield criteria, is employed. The examination of various numerical benchmark problems shows an efficient and reliable method for the proposed approach.
On a family of Siegel Poincaré series
Authors: Žunar Sonja
Published: June 2023

Let [Formula: see text] be a congruence subgroup of [Formula: see text]. Using Poincaré series of [Formula: see text]-finite matrix coefficients of integrable discrete series representations of [Formula: see text], we construct a spanning set for the space [Formula: see text] of Siegel cusp forms of weight [Formula: see text]. We prove the non-vanishing of certain elements of this spanning set using Muić’s integral non-vanishing criterion for Poincaré series on locally compact Hausdorff groups. Moreover, using the representation theory of [Formula: see text], we study the Petersson inner products of corresponding cuspidal automorphic forms, thereby recovering a representation-theoretic proof of some well-known results on the reproducing kernel function of [Formula: see text]. Our results are obtained by generalizing representation-theoretic methods developed by Muić in his work on holomorphic cusp forms on the upper half-plane to the setting of Siegel cusp forms of a higher degree.
On the number of even values of an eta-quotient
Authors: Zanello Fabrizio
Published: June 2023

The goal of this note is to provide a general lower bound on the number of even values of the Fourier coefficients of an arbitrary eta-quotient [Formula: see text], over any arithmetic progression. Namely, if [Formula: see text] denotes the number of even coefficients of [Formula: see text] in degrees [Formula: see text] (mod [Formula: see text]) such that [Formula: see text], then we show that [Formula: see text] is unbounded for [Formula: see text] large.

Note that our result is very close to the best bound currently known even in the special case of the partition function [Formula: see text] (namely, [Formula: see text], proven by Bellaïche and Nicolas in 2016). Our argument substantially relies upon, and generalizes, Serre’s classical theorem on the number of even values of [Formula: see text], combined with a recent modular-form result by Cotron et al. on the lacunarity modulo 2 of certain eta-quotients.

Interestingly, even in the case of [Formula: see text] first shown by Serre, no elementary proof is known of this bound. At the end, we propose an elegant problem on quadratic representations, whose solution would finally yield a modular form-free proof of Serre’s theorem.
Duality for finite/symmetric multiple zeta values of fixed weight, depth, and height
Authors: Sakurada Kosuke
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we prove a duality formula for the sum of the finite/symmetric multiple zeta-star values of fixed weight, depth, and height, which was conjectured by Kaneko. This result is a generalization of “height-one duality” proved by Hoffman and an analogue of the duality formula for the sum of the multiple zeta-star values proved by Li.
S-unit equation in two variables and Padé approximations
Authors: Hirata-Kohno Noriko , Kawashima Makoto , Poëls Anthony , Washio Yukiko
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we use Padé approximations, constructed in [Kawashima and Poëls, Padé approximations for shifted functions and parametric geometry of numbers, J. Number Theory 243 (2023) 646–687] for binomial functions, to give a new upper bound for the number of the solutions of the [Formula: see text]-unit equation in two variables. Combining explicit Padé approximants with a simple argument relying on Mahler measure as well as the local height, we refine the bound due to Evertse [On equations in [Formula: see text]-units and the Thue-Mahler equation, Invent. Math. 75 (1984) 561–584].
Semantics-Aware Document Retrieval for Government Administrative Data
Authors: Kulkarni Apurva , Ramanathan Chandrashekar , Venugopal Vinu E.
Published: June 2023

The process of data analytics on large-scale government administrative data — that belong to various domains like education, transport, energy, and health — can be enhanced by retrieving pertinent documents from diverse data sources. Without a supporting framework of metadata, big data analytics can be daunting. Even though statistical algorithms can perform extensive analyses on a variety of data with little help from metadata, applying these techniques to heterogeneous data may not always result in reliable findings. Recently, semantics-aware (or semantic search) search techniques received much attention as they utilize implicit knowledge to enhance the search. Similarly, traditional search engines rely on the inherent linkages within the underlying data model to improve their search quality. In the case of general-purpose information retrieval systems, to gather information from the internet (open access data) or to access open government administrative data, a domain agnostic ontology shall be employed to supply background knowledge. This paper draws on research undertaken by the authors at IIIT Bangalore Center for Open Data Research (CODR) in developing a semantics-aware data lake framework to host and analyze government administrative data. In this study, we present an ontology-based document retrieval solution where an ontology serves as an intermediary to close the gap between what the user seeks and what the search retrieves. Although our study settings are based on the Government of Karnataka (GoK, India), we believe the findings have wider resonance. Our experimental results based on agricultural data from the GoK look promising.
Towards Gesture-Based Cooperation with Cargo Handling Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Authors: Brenner Marvin , Stütz Peter
Published: June 2023

This work provides the fundament for a gesture-based interaction system between cargo-handling unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ground personnel. It enables novice operators to visually communicate commands with higher abstractions through a minimum number of necessary gestures. The interaction concept intends to transfer two goal-directed control techniques to a cargo-handling use case: Selecting objects via deictic pointing communicates intention and a single proxy manipulation gesture controls the UAV’s flight. A visual processing pipeline built around an RGB-D sensor is presented and its subordinate components like lightweight object detectors and human pose estimation methods are benchmarked on the UAV-Human dataset. The results provide an overview of suitable methods for 3D gesture-based human drone interaction. A first unoptimized model ensemble runs with 7 Hz on a Jetson Orin AGX Developer Kit.
Exploring Water Use in Mildly Water-Scarce Regions: A Structural Decomposition Analysis for Anhui Province in China
Authors: Li Qianqian , Deng Guangwei , Wu Huaqing , Ding Tao , Chen Ya
Published: June 2023

Because of severe water scarcity, it is crucial to quantify water use in China’s water-scarce regions and to analyze the factors driving its use. In this paper, we analyze the driving factors behind the water footprint from 2007 to 2017 in the mildly water-scarce region of Anhui Province, using regional input–output models and structural decomposition analysis. The results show the following: (1) Although the average virtual water intensity of Anhui Province decreased by 52.58% from 2007 to 2017, the water-use efficiency was still low; (2) During the study period, the total water footprint of Anhui Province increased by 25.06%, with an obvious upward trend; (3) From 2012 to 2017, the net export volume of virtual water in Anhui Province was positive, and the flow volume decreased by 78.87%; (4) Technological progress contributed the most to reducing the water footprint of Anhui Province, followed by the increased counter-urbanization rate as the second-largest driving force. The expansion of the scale effect, including the size of the economy and the size of the population, was the main negative driving force for the increase in Anhui’s water footprint. However, the proportion of economic scale in the water footprint drivers gradually decreased.
Molecular Dynamics Studies of Mixtures of a Deep Eutectic Solvent and Cosolvents
Authors: Panda Deepak Kumar , Bhargava B. L.
Published: June 2023

All-atom molecular dynamics simulations have been performed on mixtures of tetrabutylammonium chloride-based deep eutectic solvent and two cosolvents — methanol and acetonitrile. Water, a highly polar protic solvent, strongly interacts with the DES components. Herein, we have chosen methanol, a protic solvent but less polar than water, and acetonitrile, an aprotic solvent, to investigate the structural modifications in DES and new interactions arising after the addition of cosolvent based on both polarity and the presence or absence of labile hydrogen. Of the two cosolvents, methanol is found to affect the interactions present in DES significantly. Strong hydrogen bond interaction occurs between the chloride anion and methanol, leading to changes in the behavior of the mixture at the microscopic level. The self-diffusivity of components of the DES increases with the addition of methanol and acetonitrile; however, the increase is relatively more significant in the latter due to fewer average numbers of H-bonds. The amplitudes of the peaks of the structure factor decrease with an increase in the cosolvent concentration, thereby confirming that cosolvent affects the long-range correlations.
Understanding Concurrent Transmissions: The Impact of Carrier Frequency Offset and RF Interference on Physical Layer Performance
Authors: Baddeley Michael , Boano Carlo Alberto , Escobar-Molero Antonio , Liu Ye , Ma Xiaoyuan , Marot Victor , Raza Usman , Römer Kay , Schuss Markus , Stanoev Aleksandar
Published: June 2023

The popularity of concurrent transmissions (CT) has soared after recent studies have shown their feasibility on the four physical layers specified by BLE 5, hence providing an alternative to the use of IEEE 802.15.4 for the design of reliable and efficient low-power wireless protocols. However, to date, the extent to which physical layer properties affect the performance of CT has not yet been investigated in detail. This article fills this gap and provides an extensive study on the impact of the physical layer on CT-based solutions using IEEE 802.15.4 and BLE 5. We first highlight through simulation how the impact of errors induced by relative carrier frequency offsets on the performance of CT highly depends on the choice of the underlying physical layer. We then confirm these observations experimentally on real hardware and with varying environmental conditions through an analysis of the bit error distribution across received packets, unveiling possible techniques to effectively handle these errors. We further study the performance of CT-based data collection and dissemination protocols in the presence of RF interference on a large-scale testbed, deriving insights on how the employed physical layer affects their dependability.
The Dynamic Fungal Genome: Polyploidy, Aneuploidy and Copy Number Variation in Response to Stress
Authors: Vande Zande Pétra , Zhou Xin , Selmecki Anna
Published: June 2023

Fungal species have dynamic genomes and often exhibit genomic plasticity in response to stress. This genome plasticity often comes with phenotypic consequences that affect fitness and resistance to stress. Fungal pathogens exhibit genome plasticity in both clinical and agricultural settings and often during adaptation to antifungal drugs, posing significant challenges to human health. Therefore, it is important to understand the rates, mechanisms, and impact of large genomic changes. This review addresses the prevalence of polyploidy, aneuploidy, and copy number variation across diverse fungal species, with special attention to prominent fungal pathogens and model species. We also explore the relationship between environmental stress and rates of genomic changes and highlight the mechanisms underlying genotypic and phenotypic changes. A comprehensive understanding of these dynamic fungal genomes is needed to identify novel solutions for the increase in antifungal drug resistance.
Cooperative Energy Transfer between Two Neighboring Eu3+ Ions and Energy Transfers from Eu2+ to Eu3+ and from Eu3+ to Yb3+ in Crystals for Quantum Cutting
Authors: Tsuboi Taiju , Qiao Xuebin
Published: June 2023

Energy transfer between Eu2+ and Eu3+ ions is examined in CaF2 crystal at not only room temperature but also 12 K. Energy transfer from Eu2+ to Eu3+ is confirmed. The reverse energy transfer from Eu3+ to Eu2+, however, is confirmed to be undetectable. Cooperative energy transfer between two neighboring Eu3+ ions in Eu3+-doped LiYb1−xEux(MoO4)2 crystal, which is combined with Eu-O charge transfer complex resonantly, is found to be responsible for the 1000 nm near infrared broadband emission from Yb3+ ions through the quantum cutting from the 5D2 excited state of Eu3+.
Effects of Masks Containing 0.5% Tranexamic Acid‐Loaded Ethosomes on Melasma in the Asian Skin: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Guo Qige , Hu Daorun , Pei Qing , Wang Shen , Yan Min , Dong Jiying , Yao Min
Published: June 2023

Background. Tranexamic acid (TA) has emerged as a promising treatment for melasma without serious adverse effects. Ethosomes have been reported as the carriers for transdermal drug delivery systems to increase the amount of drug permeation through the skin. However, few studies of the local usage of TA‐loaded ethosomes exist. Objectives. To evaluate the efficacy of a mask containing 0.5% TA‐loaded ethosomes in the treatment of melasma in the Asian skin. Methods. In a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, randomized, prospective study, 88 Asian participants with melasma were randomized 1 : 1 to two groups as follows: the TA or control. The TA group was treated with moisturizing masks with 0.5% TA‐loaded ethosomes, and the control was treated with moisturizing masks only. Masks were applied once daily for the first two weeks and once every other day for the third and fourth weeks. The primary outcome was measured by the modified melasma area and severity index (mMASI) and a visual analog scale (VAS) for vessels. The secondary outcomes were VAS for skin texture and satisfaction. Results. The reduction of VAS vessel scores at the end of treatment in the TA group was significantly greater than that in the control group (P  <  0.001). The mMASI scores and skin texture scores decreased over time in both groups, but no significant differences were found between the two groups (P  >  0.05). The score of participant satisfaction in the TA group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P  <  0.01). Conclusions. Masks containing TA‐loaded ethosomes appear to be an effective treatment for Asian melasma in terms of angiogenesis and skin texture. It improves the pigmentation to some extent but has no significance. This trial is registered with ChiCTR1900024257.
Fibroblast Activation Protein Expression in Sarcomas
Authors: Crane Jacquelyn N. , Graham Danielle S. , Mona Christine E. , Nelson Scott D. , Samiei Alireza , Dawson David W. , Dry Sarah M. , Masri Marwan G. , Crompton Joseph G. , Benz Matthias R. , Czernin Johannes , Eilber Fritz C. , Graeber Thomas G. , Calais Jeremie , Federman Noah C.
Published: June 2023

Objectives. Fibroblast activation protein alpha (FAP) is highly expressed by cancer-associated fibroblasts in multiple epithelial cancers. The aim of this study was to characterize FAP expression in sarcomas to explore its potential utility as a diagnostic and therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker in sarcomas. Methods. Available tissue samples from patients with bone or soft tissue tumors were identified at the University of California, Los Angeles. FAP expression was evaluated via immunohistochemistry (IHC) in tumor samples (n = 63), adjacent normal tissues (n = 30), and positive controls (n = 2) using semiquantitative systems for intensity (0 = negative; 1 = weak; 2 = moderate; and 3 = strong) and density (none, <25%, 25–75%; >75%) in stromal and tumor/nonstromal cells and using a qualitative overall score (not detected, low, medium, and high). Additionally, RNA sequencing data in publicly available databases were utilized to compare FAP expression in samples (n = 10,626) from various cancer types and evaluate the association between FAP expression and overall survival (OS) in sarcoma (n = 168). Results. The majority of tumor samples had FAP IHC intensity scores ≥2 and density scores ≥25% for stromal cells (77.7%) and tumor cells (50.7%). All desmoid fibromatosis, myxofibrosarcoma, solitary fibrous tumor, and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma samples had medium or high FAP overall scores. Sarcomas were among cancer types with the highest mean FAP expression by RNA sequencing. There was no significant difference in OS in patients with sarcoma with low versus high FAP expression. Conclusion. The majority of the sarcoma samples showed FAP expression by both stromal and tumor/nonstromal cells. Further investigation of FAP as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target in sarcomas is warranted.
Effect of Broad-Spectrum Hemp Extract on Neurobehavioral Activity on the Immobilization Stress-Induced Model in Sprague Dawley Rats
Authors: Shanmugasundaram Devanand , Roza James Martin
Published: June 2023

Background. Broad-spectrum hemp extract is expected to be a promising new intervention for managing stress and anxiety. Research has shown that the cannabinoids found in Cannabis sativa, such as cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and cannabigerol (CBG), possess anxiolytic properties that can positively impact mood and stress. Methods. In the current study, a broad-spectrum, nondetectable THC hemp extract with other minor cannabinoids (broad-spectrum hemp extract) was administered at 28 mg/kg·bw to evaluate its anxiolytic properties. This was performed using various behavioural models and biomarkers for oxidative stress. In addition, a 300 mg/kg·bw of Ashwagandha root extract was also incorporated to compare its effects on relieving stress and anxiety. Results. The decreased levels of lipid peroxidation were measured in broad-spectrum hemp extract (36 nmol/ml), Ashwagandha (37 nmol/ml), and induction control (49 nmol/ml) treated groups of animals. The levels of 2-AG decreased in the broad-spectrum hemp extract (1.5 ng/ml), Ashwagandha (1.2 ng/ml), and induction control (2.3 ng/ml) treated groups of animals. The levels of FAAH decreased in broad-spectrum hemp extract (1.6 ng/ml), Ashwagandha (1.7 ng/ml), and induction control (1.9 ng/ml) treated groups of animals. The levels of catalase increased in broad-spectrum hemp extract (35 ng/ml), Ashwagandha (37 ng/ml), and induction control (17 ng/ml) treated groups of animals. Similarly, increased levels of glutathione were found in broad-spectrum hemp extract (30 ng/ml), Ashwagandha (27 ng/ml), and induction control (16 ng/ml) treated groups of animals. Conclusion. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that broad-spectrum hemp extract inhibited the biomarkers for oxidative stress. Also, certain behavioural parameters showed improvements with respect to both the ingredient administered groups.
Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant, and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities of Extracts from Polygonatum sibiricum
Authors: Shi Rujie , Gong Min , Li Yanxin , Zhou Nong
Published: June 2023

As a traditional Chinese medicine and functional food, Polygonatum sibiricum contains many bioactive compounds with multiple biological activities. Presently, we obtained three extracts from Polygonatum sibiricum by different solvents and comparably analyzed their total phenols, flavonoids, and chemical compositions. Meanwhile, the antioxidant activity and the attenuation of palmitic acid (PA)-induced hepatic oxidative stress of these extracts were further investigated. The results showed that the active substances in Polygonatum sibiricum were inclined to dissolve in ethanol (EE), and twenty compounds were identified. EE exhibited the best antioxidant activity to scavenging DPPH and ABTS free radicals, as well as reducing power. Meanwhile, extracts from Polygonatum sibiricum, especially EE, could significantly increase the activity of SOD and HO-1 and ameliorate PA-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells through Nrf2-related pathways. Furthermore, EE could significantly inhibit the activity of α-glucosidase and effectively reduce the rapid rise of blood glucose induced by sucrose loading.
Keeping It in the Family: HER3 as a Target in Brain Metastases
Authors: Kabraji Sheheryar , Lin Nancy U.
Published: June 2023

In 180 patients with metastatic breast cancer and non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), HER3 expression was found in >70% of brain metastases (BM). HER3-targeting antibody–drug conjugates have demonstrated efficacy in HER3-expressing metastatic breast cancer and NSCLC. Thus, HER3 expression by IHC may be a biomarker for development of HER3-targeting BM-specific therapeutics.

See related article by Tomasich et al., p. 3225
Icariside II-Loaded Calcium Phosphate Cement Scaffolds Combined with Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Osteogenesis
Authors: Luo Guangming , Yao Zhangshun , Yang Yan , Chai Jiachuan , Fu Lilin
Published: June 2023

Purpose:Previous studies have demonstrated the osteogenic effects of icariside II (ICSII), which is a metabolic product of the prenylated active flavonol icariin (ICA) from the roots of Epimedium. However, thein vivoosteogenic effects of ICSII remain unclear. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the osteogenic effects of ICSIIin vivo.Methods:Complexes of calcium phosphate cement (CPC) and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) with or without ICSII were subcutaneously implanted into nude mice (ectopic osteogenesis test) and into tooth sockets in beagles after maxillary canine tooth extraction (in situosteogenesis test). The samples were harvested at different time points, and thein vivoosteogenic effect of the ICSII on the BMSCs was evaluated by histology, microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) and the bone mineralization apposition rate (MAR).Results:The proliferation and viability of BMSCs in the ICSII-loaded CPC scaffold were significantly increased (P< 0.01). The new bone area and MAR in the CPC+BMSC+ICSII group were greater than those in the CPC+BMSC group (P< 0.05), but there was no significant difference in markers evaluated by immunohistochemistry and integrated optical density (IOD) analysis (P> 0.05), with the exception of Runx-2 expression in the CPC+BMSC+ICSII group. After 2 months, the bone mineral content (BMC) and specific bone surface (bone surface divided by bone volume, BS/BV) were significantly increased (P< 0.05) in the CPC+BMSC+ICSII group compared with the CPC+BMSC group. The bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume divided by total volume (BV/TV), and trabecular number (Tb.N) were increased in the CPC+BMSC+ICSII group, but the differences were not significant (P> 0.05).Conclusions:Our results suggest that ICSII can likely induce bone formation by BMSCs and be used as a promising factor for building scaffold composites in bone tissue engineering.
Gender Disparities in General Surgery Resident Subspecialization
Authors: Wilson Danielle , Engstrand Erica , Schoel Leah , Goldblatt Matthew I. , Higgins Rana M. , Dream Sophie
Published: June 2023

Background

There are an increasing number of women entering medical school and general surgery residency. Despite this, there remains an underrepresentation of women in some surgical specialties. The purpose of this study is to examine gender differences in fellowship subspecialization of recent general surgery graduates.

Methods

Graduating residents from general surgery residencies from 2016 to 2020 were identified. Referring to each residency’s graduating resident website, we noted whether or not listed alumni were reported to have entered a fellowship. If applicants were listed as having completed a fellowship, the fellowship was noted along with each applicant’s expressed gender. Differences across groups were analyzed using SPSS.

Results

The majority (82.4%) of graduates pursued a fellowship after residency training. Men were more likely to enter fellowships in Cardiothoracic Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and practice than women. Women were more likely to enter fellowships in Breast Surgery, Acute Care Surgery/Trauma Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, and Endocrine Surgery than men.

Conclusions

The majority of general surgery residency graduates pursue fellowship training. Gender disparities continue for a minority of subspecialties for both men and women.
Does Right-Wing Violence Affect Public Support for Radical Right Parties? Evidence from Germany
Authors: Krause Werner , Matsunaga Miku
Published: June 2023

This article examines whether citizens’ political preferences toward radical right parties (RRPs) change after right-wing extremist violent attacks. It investigates this question in two ways. First, it presents a time-series study on public support for the RRP Alternative for Germany (AfD) between 2013 and 2019. Second, the article employs a quasi-experimental research design to examine the effect of a right-wing terrorist attack on citizens’ attitudes toward immigrants. Both studies indicate that public support for the AfD and its programmatic core positions increased after right-wing extremist attacks. Subsequent analyses suggest that former voters of the mainstream right, in particular, drive this effect. These findings shed light on the determinants of radical right party support, contributing to the long-standing debate on the consequences of political violence.
Relationship Between Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Emotion Dysregulation Among Male and Female Young Adults
Authors: Thomas Daphnée , Bonnaire Céline
Published: June 2023

Over recent years, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has been associated with emotion dysregulation. However, only a few quantitative studies have empirically investigated differences in emotion dysregulation among people who self-harm, while none have explored gender differences in this regard. Thus, this research study aimed to further examine the association between NSSI and emotion regulation deficits and strategies in young adults. A total of 201 participants (mean age = 21.82 years) were recruited from different support groups dedicated to NSSI and from health care centres and were divided into two groups: a control group (CG, n = 100, mean age = 21.92 years, comprised of 30% males) and an NSSI group (NSSIG, n = 101, mean age = 21.72 years, comprised of 16% males). All participants completed the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The results showed that compared to the CG participants, those from the NSSIG had increased emotion regulation deficits, higher expressive suppression scores, and lower cognitive re-evaluation scores. Within the NSSIG, females had higher impulse control difficulties and limited access to emotion regulation strategies, while males had higher expressive suppression scores. Factors associated with NSSI also differed by gender. These results indicate the necessity to take gender into account when planning treatment, since treatment protocols must be adapted to the specific emotion regulation difficulties concerned.
Multiobjective optimization of roadheader shovel-plate parameters based on improved particle swarm optimization and grey decision
Authors: Li Qiang , Gao Mengdi , Ma Zhilin
Published: June 2023

The development of tunneling equipment still lags behind, limiting rapid and accurate tunneling and restricting efficient production in coal mines. Thus, improving the reliability and design of roadheaders becomes essential. As the shovel plate is an essential part of a roadheader, improving its parameters can increase the roadheader performance. The parameter optimization of roadheader shovel plate is multi-objective optimization. Because of conventional multiobjective optimization requires strong prior knowledge, often provides low-quality results, and presents vulnerability to initialization and other shortcomings when used in practice. We propose an improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm that takes the minimum Euclidean distance from a base value as the evaluation criterion for global and individual extreme values. The improved algorithm enables multiobjective parallel optimization by providing a non-inferior solution set. Then, the optimal solution is searched in this set using grey decision to obtain the optimal solution. To validate the proposed method, the multiobjective optimization problem of the shovel-plate parameters is formulated for its solution. Before optimization shovel-plate most important parameters l is the width of the shovel plate [Formula: see text] = 3.2 m, [Formula: see text] is the inclination angle of the shovel plate and β = ,19°. When doing optimization, set accelerated factor [Formula: see text], population size N  =  20, and maximum number of iterations [Formula: see text]   =  100. In addition, speed V was restricted by [Formula: see text], and inertia factor W was dynamic and linearly decreasing, [Formula: see text], with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. In addition, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] were set randomly in [0, 1], while optimization degree η was set to 30%. And then we executed the improved PSO, obtaining 2000 non-inferior solutions. Apply grey decision to find the optimal solution. The optimal roadheader shovel-plate parameters are l  =  3.144 m and β = 16.88°. Comparative analysis is made before and after optimization, the optimized parameters were substituted into the model and simulated. Obtained that the optimized parameters of shovel-plate can reduce the mass of the shovel plate decreases by 14.3%, while the propulsive resistance decreases by 6.62%, and the load capacity increases by 3.68%. Thus jointly achieving the optimization goals of reducing the propulsive resistance while increasing the load capacity. The feasibility of the proposed multiobjective optimization method with improved particle swarm optimization and grey decision is verified, and the method can provide convenient multiobjective optimization in engineering practice.
Current Treatment of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
Authors: Lin Yang , Peng Shunlin
Published: June 2023

Objectives: Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is a complex syndrome characterized by the reflux of gastroduodenal contents into the pharynx or larynx, resulting in a range of symptoms, including chronic cough, throat clearing, pain, dysphagia, hoarseness, and dysphonia. Despite the lack of a gold standard for diagnosis or treatment, various strategies have been proposed to manage LPR. However, the effectiveness of these treatments is compromised by the lack of a uniform treatment protocol, which places a burden on patients, physicians, and the healthcare system. This study aims to systematically review the treatments of LPR and provide updated and useful clinical information to clinical physicians. Methods: The literature with an emphasis on LPR and related keywords is searched and reviewed in PubMed. Results: Treatment of LPR includes health education, lifestyle modification, dietary changes, medications, and surgery, as well as the emergence of a novel treatment method involving external upper esophageal sphincter compression devices. Conclusions: Currently, medication is the main treatment, supplemented with lifestyle and dietary changes, but there is still a lack of effective means for patients with drug-resistant or intolerant LPR. More high-quality and rigorous trials must continue to be conducted to determine the best treatment options and find novel treatments. Taking into account the complexity of LPR, this study proposes a simple algorithm to help clinicians with the initial management of this disease.
Adaptive error injection for robustness verification of decision-making systems for autonomous vehicles
Authors: Xing Xingyu , Liu Lihao , Chen Junyi , Xiong Lu , Huang Yanjun , Yu Zhuoping
Published: June 2023

Robustness of the decision-making system is essential to safe driving, especially under the environment with inevitable defective information due to the limitations of the perception and positioning modules. The traditional fault-injection approach is widely used in robustness tests, but it mainly focuses on the endogenous fault instead of the exogenous errors of systems. In this paper, a robustness verification method based on error injection is proposed for the decision-making system against exogenous data errors. First, an error model is designed to generate potential data errors for different environment information. Then, an error injection framework with high versatility is proposed to support different decision-making systems and virtual test platforms. In addition, an optimization algorithm called LAMBDA is introduced to adaptively design experiments aiming to realize a quick search of safety-critical errors. Furthermore, an error injection tool is developed to conduct the verification test automatically. The proposed approach is verified on a city autopilot system under typical hazardous scenarios by the error injection tool, and the tolerance boundary of the system can be obtained as well. Compared to random-based and traditional optimization algorithms, the LAMBDA algorithm is able to quickly achieve a higher coverage for safety-critical errors. Although the approach is proposed for the decision-making module, it is can be easily extended to others, such as planning and control.
Adjoint optimization of a multi-row transonic compressor based on an extended free-form method
Authors: Li Xin , Meng Tongtong , Li Weiwei , Zhou Ling , Ji Lucheng
Published: June 2023

The adjoint method plays an important role in the aerodynamic design of turbomachinery. However, most optimization objects are only local parts of the fluid domain in turbomachinery, such as blade or end-wall. In this study, a novel parameterization method is adopted in the adjoint optimization framework to merge all design spaces together and then a typical multi-row compressor, Stage 35, is optimized by the in-house adjoint optimizer, TurboSim_un. The adiabatic efficiency of STAGE 35 is improved by 1.7%. Results show that the intersection of shock wave and boundary layer is weakened and the performance in mainstream is significantly improved.
Accruing career capital: How party leaders with more political experience survive longer
Authors: Claessen Clint
Published: June 2023

As some of the most experienced political actors, party leaders usually have extensive careers spanning multiple decades, competencies, and institutions. The literature on party leaders, however, has not yet incorporated the wealth of information that these careers have. Therefore, this article introduces career capital as a new continuous measure of political experience and hypothesizes that more career capital leads to longer tenure. In contrast to findings from previous studies, I show that career capital does contribute to party leaders’ survival in office in several analyses of party leader duration in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland in the postwar period (1945–2023). In addition, because career capital is accumulated in three separate institutions, I examine the differences between these descriptively and show in the analysis that especially previous experience in legislative office is conducive for party leaders to remain longer in office. Lastly, the results indicate that the relationship between career capital and party leader duration is non-linear and subject to the effect of attrition, signifying that political experience acquired shortly before entering party leader office is more important for political survival.
Factors Associated with Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Migrant Men: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ayubi Matin , Satyen Lata
Published: June 2023

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most widespread form of violence against women and the most common perpetrators are male partners. Immigration can involve stressors and barriers that are linked to male IPV perpetration. The objective of this systematic review was to identify the factors associated with IPV perpetration among migrant men. Four electronic databases, MEDLINE Complete, Embase, PsycInfo, and SocINDEX with full text, were searched up to August 2021. Studies were selected that examined factors associated with IPV perpetration among first-generation migrants who identified as men/males and were aged 18 years or older. In all, 18 articles met the eligibility criteria for the review, representing a total of 12,321 male participants, including 4,389 migrant men. A wide range of factors associated with IPV perpetration were found at the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels. Unique risk factors for migrant men’s IPV perpetration were exposure to political violence, deportation experiences, and minimal legal sanctions for perpetration in some countries of origin. Societal factors explored among Latino immigrants were traditional gender roles such as machismo and norms of violence. All identified factors should be considered in the cultural contexts of the relevant samples and should not be generalized to all migrant men. The findings of modifiable and culture-specific factors have important implications for strategies aimed at reducing IPV perpetration. Future research should explore factors associated with IPV perpetration within specific cultures rather than across broad cultural groupings.
Delayed tezampanel and caramiphen treatment but not midazolam protects against long-term neuropathology after soman exposure
Authors: Figueiredo Taiza H , Aroniadou-Anderjaska Vassiliki , Apland James P , Rossetti Katia , Braga Maria FM
Published: June 2023

Prolonged status epilepticus (SE) can cause brain damage; therefore, treatment must be administered promptly after seizure onset to limit SE duration and prevent neuropathology. Timely treatment of SE is not always feasible; this would be particularly true in a mass exposure to an SE-inducing agent such as a nerve agent. Therefore, the availability of anticonvulsant treatments that have neuroprotective efficacy even if administered with a delay after SE onset is an imperative. Here, we compared the long-term neuropathology resulting from acutely exposing 21-day-old male and female rats to the nerve agent soman, and treating them with midazolam (3 mg/kg) or co-administration of tezampanel (10 mg/kg) and caramiphen (50 mg/kg), at 1 h postexposure (~50 min after SE onset). Midazolam-treated rats had significant neuronal degeneration in limbic structures, mainly at one month postexposure, followed by neuronal loss in the basolateral amygdala and the CA1 hippocampal area. Neuronal loss resulted in significant amygdala and hippocampal atrophy, deteriorating from one to six months postexposure. Rats treated with tezampanel–caramiphen had no evidence of neuropathology, except for neuronal loss in the basolateral amygdala at the six-month timepoint. Anxiety was increased only in the midazolam-treated rats, at one, three, and six months postexposure. Spontaneous recurrent seizures appeared only in midazolam-treated rats, at three and six months postexposure in males and only at six months in females. These findings suggest that delayed treatment of nerve agent–induced SE with midazolam may result in long-lasting or permanent brain damage, while antiglutamatergic anticonvulsant treatment consisting of tezampanel and caramiphen may provide full neuroprotection.
Double-Barrel Technique With Reversed Gore Excluder Stent Graft Limb for Common Iliac Aneurysm Exclusion in a Patient With Prior Aortic Surgical Repair
Authors: Agostinucci Andrea , Peretti Tania , Data Stefano , Lazzaro Davide Mario , Moniaci Diego
Published: June 2023

Surgical repair of a common iliac artery aneurysm (CIA) after previous open aortic reconstruction is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Endovascular repair is considered less invasive than surgery. However, if preservation of the internal iliac artery (IIA) is required, the applicability of endovascular techniques may represent a challenge and a limitation to the use of standard aortic endografts or iliac branch devices. In these cases, the off-label use of endovascular devices may be an effective alternative. Herein, we report a successful hybrid approach to treat CIA using a reversed iliac limb endograft coupled with a double-barrel technique with femoro-femoral crossover bypass in a patient who had previously undergone open aortic reconstruction.
An ERP study on the certainty of epistemic modality in predictive inference processing
Authors: Jiang Jiaxing , Fan Lin , Liu Jia , Liang Muhan , Wang Yu
Published: June 2023

Previous psychological experiments have shown that predictive inference processing under different textual constraints is modulated by the directionality function of epistemic modality (EM) certainty within the context. Nevertheless, recent neuroscientific studies have not presented positive evidence for such a function during text reading. Consequently, the current study deposited Chinese EMs “也许” (possibly) and “一定” (surely) into a predictive inference context to examine whether a directionality of EM certainty influences the processing of predictive inference via the ERP technique. Two independent variables, namely textual constraint and EM certainty, were manipulated, and 36 participants were recruited. The results revealed that, in the anticipatory stage of predictive inference processing while under a weak textual constraint, low certainty evoked a larger N400 (300–500 ms) in the fronto-central and centro-parietal regions, indicating the augmentation of cognitive loads in calculating the possibility of representations of the forthcoming information. Meanwhile, high certainty elicited a right fronto-central late positive component (LPC) (500–700 ms) associated with semantically congruent but lexically unpredicted words. In the integration stage, low certainty resulted in larger right fronto-central and centro-frontal N400 (300–500 ms) effects in the weak textual constraint condition, associated with the facilitation of lexical-semantic retrieval or pre-activation, and high certainty successively elicited right fronto-central and centro-parietal LPC (500–700 ms) effects, associated respectively with lexical unpredictability and reanalysis of the sentence meaning. The results support the directionality function of EM certainty and reveal the complete neural processing of predictive inferences with high and low certainties under different textual constraint conditions.
From the ‘shop floor’ to the interview: Using metaphors to uncover invisible emotional labour in emergency department nurses
Authors: Kirk Kate
Published: June 2023

This paper aims to offer methodological insight into the reflexive use of metaphors that assist in revealing the emotional labour of health care staff to themselves and to the researcher. It focusses on the method utilised for these semi-structured interviews, targeting the engrained and emotive experiences of emotional labour using metaphors. Taking metaphors from the ethnographic observation, ‘to’ the interview setting, proved a stimulating tool for lively discussion and narrative sharing. This approach offered an invaluable and enlightening tool for exploring the nurse’s experiences, it gave them a point of reference to discuss their challenging and personal experiences. It can offer other researchers, and particularly those studying ‘invisible’ labour (by subconscious nature or lack of physicality) a novel approach to data collection. The empirical study underpinning this article set out to explore, in particular, the ‘invisible’ emotional labour undertaken by nurses working within the emergency department (ED) setting. This is a clinical and nursing speciality facing sustained pressure in the English National Health Service (NHS) – a challenging and distinctive environment to nurse. Two EDs were used as the case studies for an in-depth ethnography (one District General Hospital and one University Teaching Hospital and Trauma Centre). As part of this, the 18 semi-structured, formal interviews were completed with ED nursing staff (to explore their experiences of emotional labour) and data was collected over a 6 month period.
Telocytes response to cardiac growth induced by resistance exercise training and endurance exercise training in adult male rats
Authors: Choobineh Siroos , Borjian Fard Mahboobeh , Soori Rahman , Mazaheri Zohreh
Published: June 2023

Telocytes are interstitial cells found in different tissues, including cardiac stem cell niches. The purpose of this study was to investigate the response of the telocytes to the cardiac growth that occurs in response to resistance and endurance exercise trainings using rats distributed into control, endurance, and resistance training groups. Results revealed that the ratio of heart weight to body weight, cardiomycyte number, cardiomyocyte area, thickness of the left ventricular wall were significantly higher in the training groups compared to the control group. We observed increment in the cardiomyocytes surface area and thickness of the left ventricular wall in the resistance-training group than endurance-training group. We conclude that both resistance and endurance exercise trainings will lead to an increased number of cardiac telocytes, consequently, promote activity of the cardiac stem cells, and results in physiological cardiac growth, and this response does not seem to depend on the type of exercise.