bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of Guidelines for Edutourism Facilities through Research Instrument Preparation Based on Ecological Architecture
Authors: Jannah Mawar Zahratun , Tazkia Salsabella , Mahfudz Ihsan Nurul , Nuradji Alifia Dewi , Hanifah Sarah Rasyida , Minggra Restu
Published: October 2024

Sustainable tourism development is an important issue in maintaining environmental sustainability and providing economic and social benefits for society. Ecological architecture and educational tourism have similar concepts, namely, complementing each other to create harmony between humans and the environment. This study investigates the integration of environmental architecture principles into sustainable tourism, mainly focusing on educational tourism (edutourism) development in Indonesia. It seeks to establish eco-friendly edutourism standards by analyzing ecological architecture, educational tourism principles, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Utilizing a literature review, questionnaires, and interviews with edutourism managers, the research assesses infrastructure and educational aspects while emphasizing alignment with sustainability, stakeholder collaboration, and environmental awareness. Findings underscore edutourism’s potential in promoting sustainability and community welfare, contributing to setting standards for managers and enhancing visitor experiences. Recommendations include improving stakeholder communication and ongoing research for refined edutourism standards, highlighting the importance of integrating ecological architecture into edutourism for environmental sustainability and responsible tourism practices.
Investigation on Thermal Performance in Japan’s Local Station and Shopping District during Cold Season: Study Case of Kurosaki Arcade
Authors: Sumanti A E , Pipatrattanathaworn S , Dewi S P , Adnan M R , He H , Gao W , Dewancker B
Published: October 2024

This research delves into the spatial and thermal comfort conditions within the Kurosaki Shopping District, a market with a century-long history in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka. Despite the existing uncomfortable thermal conditions during winter, users actively engage in outdoor activities such as selling and opening stores. This research aims to understand the condition that the local user had to frequently withstand in the semi outdoor and outdoor area of Kurosaki District station and market’s urban area. Identifying issues related to thermal comfort in the outdoor areas, the study focuses on measuring and analyzing crucial parameters including air velocity, humidity, temperature, and spatial conditions. The method of data gathering uses Anemometer, Thermal recorder, and Globe Thermometer are utilized in 5 selected public areas that is actively frequented by local users. The research employs a comparative analysis method, juxtaposing the collected data with findings from literature reviews on standards and general comfort temperatures. The analysis reveals that temperature fluctuations are influenced by geographical factors and activity levels. The lack of building density contributes significantly to deviations in temperature and humidity from established standards. The study highlights the importance of addressing climatic conditions to enhance comfort in open spaces, especially in historically significant markets with extended operational histories. This research is expected to help policy makers understand the conditions of the local users and gather data for further research in the future.
Analysis of Embodied Energy and Carbon Emissions of Column Structure by Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Technique - Case study: School of Dentistry Brawijaya University Construction Project
Authors: Hajji Apif M , Pahlevi M Reza , Ariestadi Dian
Published: October 2024

All Concrete contributes to approximately 2/3 of total CO2 emissions in construction, which mostly associated with the large amount of energy consumption required for processing concrete materials. Since a high-rise building has a large volume of concrete work, it will be directly proportional to the energy consumption used. The objectives of this research is to determine the energy consumption used and carbon dioxide emissions during the life cycle of concrete material for the construction of column structure by using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The LCA is conducted by the following steps: determining the dimensions and volume of concrete structure, calculating the energy consumption and CO2 emissions, and analysing the possible improvements to reduce the magnitude of the resulting impacts of concrete works. By using the School of Dentistry Building construction at the Brawijaya University campus in Malang as the case study, the results showed that: the total electrical energy consumption was 13.126 kWh and total fuel consumption was 12.26 litres; the total CO2 emissions produced were 44.4 kg with the highest percentage at the distribution stage (64%), while the production stage produced the lowest percentage (10%). Following the results, the study recommends that the contractors should prioritize using batching plants that are closest to the construction site, and replace diesel fuel with biodiesel for concrete material distribution.
Review and Measure Winter Thermal Performance in CLT Building: A Case Study on Meldia Research Institute for Advanced Wood
Authors: Saputra M R , Sekartaji D , Khidmat R P , Ardiyansah W S , Husna S K , Rizkika S , Kamaruddin M
Published: October 2024

CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) as a building material could help lower the carbon footprint of construction projects. Thermal performance and comfort in CLT buildings as a place to work are very important for optimizing comfort and work quality using CLT buildings. In winter conditions, measure and review is very necessary to optimize the desired building according to the standard level of comfort when working. The aims of this research is to measure and review indoor thermal comfort of CLT building during winter, with the case study Meldia Research Institute for Advanced Wood, Fukuoka, Kitakyushu. This research method involves measuring indoor temperature intensity in winter to understand how CLT buildings can achieve an optimal balance of thermal comfort. The results of measurements using PMV analysis of both rooms with the HVAC on at a temperature of 22 degrees Celsius are that the PMV value tends from a Slightly warm condition (+1) to a Neutral (0) at each measurement time and at all points. Room 1 has the highest PMV value between slightly cool (-0.5) to Slightly warm (+1), while room 2 has the lowest value between Cool (-2) to Slightly warm (+1). These findings can guide building designers in developing architectural solutions that are sustainable and focus on occupant well-being.
Awareness of Campus Building Users to Achieve Energy Efficiency in Facing the Implementation of Green Buildings (Case Study: Politeknik Negeri Pontianak Integrated Lecture Building)
Authors: Yudhiarma  , Prabowo Herry , Hilmy Mochamad
Published: October 2024

Building users’ awareness is a very crucial factor in efforts to achieve efficient energy use in buildings, especially in the green building concept. However, research that examines the awareness of building users specifically in the campus environment is still very rarely conducted, especially in Indonesia. This research, which uses a case study at Politeknik Negeri Pontianak integrated lecture building, investigates the criteria for awareness of building users and their behavior in using energy in the building. This research tries to identify social parameters in achieving building energy efficiency using a quantitative approach. The series of statistical tools used includes ranking of average values. The results of this research show that the focus of improvement can be done by increasing awareness of several things, namely recognizing the problem of decreasing electrical resources, dividing resource use in order to reduce electricity consumption, and understanding efforts and making preparations in the face of reduced electrical energy sources.
Urban Community Perception of The Importance of Sustainable Housing in Greater Tangerang, Indonesia
Authors: Ardiyansah W S , Rizkika S , Tamariska S R , Sekartaji D , Khidmat R P
Published: October 2024

This study explores the perceptions of urban communities regarding the significance of sustainable housing within the Greater Tangerang region. Investigating how residents perceive the importance of sustainable features in their housing environments, the research examines the awareness and attitudes of urban inhabitants toward sustainable housing practices. Employing a survey data quantitative assessment with questionnaire, the study aims to shed light on the urban community’s perspectives on sustainable housing and its potential impact on the overall urban environment. Urban communities in Greater Tangerang show moderate understanding of sustainable housing, requiring improved education and outreach efforts. Despite already exhibiting great caring interest, there’s a need for a large-scale initiative involving all stakeholders to further promote sustainable housing concepts and enhance overall awareness and implementation. The findings contribute valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and developers seeking to enhance sustainable housing initiatives in the Greater Tangerang area.
Changeability, adaptability, and resiliency of Indonesian historic area: a case of Kesawan, Medan
Authors: Ginting S W , Fitri Isnen
Published: October 2024

This paper aims to analyse changes in buildings and plots in a historical area in Medan, Indonesia, in 1875, 1945, and 2023. Change is discussed from the aspect of physical and functional change. The ability of an environment to change and adapt is in line with the concepts of resilience and sustainability. This paper shows that buildings change functionally from hotels and clubhouses to banks. Plots became smaller as previous plots were divided into smaller parts separated by new streets or alleys. This pattern was more pronounced in large, square-shaped plots. Factors that drove these changes were influenced by political factors (lack of government regulation and social movement against Dutch colonialism) and economic factors (Kesawan’s role as a business center).
Universal production of anisotropic bilayer WSe2 nanoscrolls for high-performance photodetector
Authors: Lan Xiang , Zhang Fen , Huang Ziwei , Zhang Xuyang , Chen Zhaolong , Zhong Mianzeng , Cheng Yingliang , Zhang Zhengwei
Published: October 2024

Transition metal dichalcogenide nanoscrolls (NSs) exhibit unique optoelectronic properties due to their spiral tubular structures. In this study, we successfully fabricated WSe2 NSs with various morphologies, illustrating the evolution from planar to NS via an internal strain-driven rolling process. The anisotropic optical properties of the NSs were systematically analyzed by angle-resolve polarized Raman spectroscopy. For NSs with different rollup angles, the strain distribution is manifested by the variation of Raman intensity on the linear axis. In addition, the on/off ratio and detectivity of device based on bilayer NS reach 5.3 × 104 and 2.63 × 109 Jones, caused by the ultralow dark photocurrent. In summary, our study demonstrates a universal method for producing polymorphic products, demonstrating that bilayer WSe2 NSs hold significant potential as a platform for fundamental research and technological applications.
Sintering of copper nanoparticles using intense pulsed light for screen-printed films on flexible substrate
Authors: Manoranjan  , Gupta Ashish , Mohapatra Y N
Published: October 2024

Rapid growth in applications involving large area flexible electronics has led to wide adoption of the technique of sintering printed films using intense pulsed light due to its pulse mode operation and ability to reach high sintering temperatures without affecting the underlying substrate significantly. We study the sintering mechanisms of screen-printed thin films of copper nanoparticles on polyethylene terephthalate plastic substrates by varying the irradiance energy over a wide range to monitor conductivity and associated microstructure changes. We obtain optimized parameters which indicate the existence of a sharp threshold irradiance energy to kickstart sintering, and two distinct regimes beyond that. The low temperature regime has a high energy barrier while the high temperature regime has a substantially reduced energy barrier with a change of phase due to local melting.
Navigating carbon neutrality pathway beyond energy and economic agents: the influence of media liberty across the OECD countries
Authors: Uzar Umut , Eyuboglu Kemal , Alola Andrew Adewale
Published: October 2024

Press freedom is a fundamental aspect of democratic societies, playing a critical role in shaping public discourse, fostering transparency, and holding institutions accountable. Furthermore, its impact extends beyond political and social realms to encompass environmental sustainability, particularly in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. While extensive research has been conducted on the economic, social, and institutional factors that influence environmental outcomes, the role of press freedom in shaping ecological footprint remains underexplored. However, this study aims to address this gap by examining the relationship between press freedom and ecological footprint across 36 OECD countries from 2013 to 2022. Utilizing a system generalized method of moments (GMM) analysis and controlling for economic growth, trade openness, and energy consumption, this research reveals significant findings. Specifically, it demonstrates that press freedom serves as a catalyst for reducing ecological footprint, presenting OECD countries with a unique opportunity for environmental gains and potentially achieving carbon neutrality. In contrast, we find indicators such as economic growth, energy consumption, and trade openness have negative impact on environmental quality. Overall, this study underscores the importance of promoting press freedom as a key strategy for advancing environmental sustainability and calls for concerted efforts to harness its potential for mitigating ecological footprint in OECD countries and beyond.
Green finance, sustainable infrastructure, and green technology innovation: pathways to achieving sustainable development goals in the belt and road initiative
Authors: Mahmood Shahid , Sun Huaping , Iqbal Asifa , Alhussan Amel Ali , El-kenawy El-Sayed M
Published: October 2024

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remains a significant challenge for many countries, particularly in the face of increasing environmental pollution. Balancing social, economic, and environmental sustainability under these conditions is especially complex. This study explores the role of green finance in promoting sustainable infrastructure, innovation in green technology, corporate social responsibility, economic stability, and environmental conservation within the framework of Belt and Road initiative (BRI), with a specific focus on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiatives. Furthermore, the study examines the role of government support in facilitating the issuance of GF, emphasizing its significance in large-scale international development projects like CPEC. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire targeting a diverse group of respondents, including businessmen, CPEC officials, and representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, and Ministry of Planning and Development. Partial Least Squares analysis was employed to test the proposed relationships and hypotheses. The results indicate a significant positive impact of green finance on the development of sustainable infrastructure and the innovation of green technology. Additionally, the results underscore the pivotal role of environmentally friendly technologies and sustainable infrastructure in driving the achievement of SDGs, especially in the social, economic, and environmental dimensions. The study findings offer actionable insights for policymakers, highlighting the critical need to integrate green finance with sustainable practices to foster economic growth and environmental protection. These findings provide a strategic roadmap for nations aiming to align their development goals with global sustainability standards.
Implementation of time-dependent Hartree–Fock in real space
Authors: Panta Uday , Strubbe David A
Published: October 2024

Time-dependent Hartree–Fock (TDHF) is one of the fundamental post-Hartree–Fock (HF) methods to describe excited states. In its Tamm-Dancoff form, equivalent to Configuration Interaction Singles, it is still widely used and particularly applicable to big molecules where more accurate methods may be unfeasibly expensive. However, it is rarely implemented in real space, mostly because of the expensive nature of the exact-exchange potential in real space. Compared to widely used Gaussian-type orbitals (GTO) basis sets, real space often offers easier implementation of equations and more systematic convergence of Rydberg states, as well as favorable scaling, effective domain parallelization, flexible boundary conditions, and ability to treat model systems. We implemented TDHF in the Octopus real-space code as a step toward linear-response hybrid time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT), other post-HF methods, and ensemble density-functional theory methods involving exact exchange. Calculation of HF’s non-local exact exchange is very expensive in real space. We overcome this limitation with Octopus’ implementation of Adaptively Compressed Exchange, and find the appropriate mixing scheme and starting point to complete the ground-state calculation in a practical amount of time, and thus enable TDHF. We compared our results to those from GTOs on a set of small molecules and confirmed close agreement of results, though with larger deviations than in the case of semi-local TDDFT. We find that convergence of TDHF demands a finer real-space grid than semi-local TDDFT. We also present the subtleties in benchmarking a real-space calculation against GTOs, relating to Rydberg and vacuum states.
HyPELS: enhancing li-ion battery remaining useful life prediction with hybrid perspective ensemble learning strategy
Authors: Han Xuewei , Yuan Huimei , Wu Lifeng
Published: October 2024

Remaining useful life (RUL) prediction for Li-ion batteries typically relies on a single perspective, which leads to limited applicability and reduced prediction accuracy. To address the limitations of traditional methods, a hybrid perspective ensemble learning strategy (HyPELS) that integrates HIs and capacity degradation data is proposed. First, for the perspective of battery health indicators (HIs), the block-shuffled OS-ELM (BSOS-ELM) is proposed, which mitigates the issue of early data characteristics being overlooked when applying OS-ELM. Second, for the perspective of capacity degradation data, after decomposition using complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), the obtained high-frequency signals are reconstructed using two reconstruction rules, which accounts for both local and global signal characteristics. Subsequently, during the training of the autoregressive integrated moving average model (ARIMA), we feed early capacity degradation data in reverse order, maximizing the utility of data while deepening the models understanding of the overall capacity degradation process. Finally, the predicted capacity obtained from both perspectives is constructed into a meta-dataset, utilizing BSOS-ELM as the meta-model for ensemble learning. HyPELS not only captures local variations but also learns the overall trend, fully leveraging the strengths of both perspectives to capture the multi-dimensional characteristics of battery aging comprehensively. Experimental results demonstrate that across multiple datasets, HyPELS outperforms other algorithms in various assessment criteria, fully illustrating the effectiveness of HyPELS and validating its advantages in enhancing prediction accuracy and robustness.
Multi-pronged strategies for enhancing building envelopes toward nearly-zero energy in hot climatic regions
Authors: M Ibrahim Mohanad , William Micheal A , A Hanafy Ahmed , F Moussa Mona , Suarez-Lopez María Jose
Published: October 2024

Growing concerns about climate change and rising energy demands necessitate advancements in building energy efficiency. This study investigates the effectiveness of radiative coatings and thermal insulation, both individually and combined, in reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint for buildings in hot and humid climates. This research contributes to a growing body of knowledge by comprehensively evaluating the combined effects of these strategies. A comparative analysis was conducted using data on energy usage and carbon emissions. The research highlights the effectiveness of envelope-enhancing techniques in reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. The application of radiative coating led to a significant 13.1% decrease in energy usage, totaling 681.95 MWh, and corresponding emissions of 482.14 tons of CO2. Radiative coating offers the most cost-effective solution with an LCOS of $0.045 kWh−1. When integrating thermal insulation with radiative coating, there was a substantial 12.0% reduction in energy consumption, amounting to 690.39 MWh, and emissions of 488.11 tons of CO2. The integrated model provides significant energy savings at a slightly higher LCOS of $0.052 kWh−1, making it a balanced choice between efficiency and cost-effectiveness compared to using thermal insulation alone. Moreover, the study emphasizes that the combination of Glazing Integrated Photovoltaic (GIPV) with radiative coating can lead to the creation of nearly zero-energy buildings, resulting in a significant energy savings of 34.9%. These results underscore the efficacy of these technologies in achieving significant energy savings and environmental benefits. This study demonstrates that radiative coatings significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon footprints. The combined method with thermal insulation reduces energy, suggesting further optimization strategies in hot and humid conditions. The results of this investigation recommend utilizing Glazing Integrated Photovoltaic (GIPV) to achieve nearly zero-energy buildings. Such integrated solutions not only improve energy efficiency but also make a substantial contribution to environmental sustainability in the building sector.
Observation impact explanation in atmospheric state estimation using hierarchical message-passing graph neural networks*
Authors: Jeon Hyeon-Ju , Kang Jeon-ho , Kwon In-Hyuk , Lee O-Joun
Published: October 2024

The impact of meteorological observations on weather forecasting varies with the sensor type, location, time, and other environmental factors. Thus, the quantitative analysis of observation impacts is crucial for the effective and efficient development of weather forecasting systems. However, existing impact analysis methods are dependent on specific forecast systems, because system-specific adjoint models are used and the sensitivity of the observation to the forecast is measured. This study investigates the impact of observations on atmospheric state estimation in weather forecasting systems by developing a novel graph neural network (GNN) model specialized for analyzing the heterogeneous relations between observations and atmospheric states. The observation impact can then be assessed by applying explainable methods to the proposed GNN model, which is independent of forecasting systems. Further, we develop a novel application called ‘CloudNine,’ a system that provides impact analysis for individual observations with visualization. Our GNN model comprises hierarchical message-passing modules that separately analyze spatial correlations between observations at close locations and atmospheric states at close locations and then examine correlations between observations and atmospheric states. To consider the different factors influencing these correlations, we utilized geo-coordinates and types of observations in the attention mechanism of the modules with their feature vectors. We then applied gradient-based explainability methods to quantify the significance of the different observations in the estimation. Evaluated using data from 11 satellites and land-based observations, the results highlight the effectiveness of the proposed model and the visualization of observation impacts, enhancing the understanding and optimization of observational data in weather forecasting.
Rapid likelihood free inference of compact binary coalescences using accelerated hardware
Authors: Chatterjee D , Marx E , Benoit W , Kumar R , Desai M , Govorkova E , Gunny A , Moreno E , Omer R , Raikman R , Saleem M , Aggarwal S , Coughlin M W , Harris P , Katsavounidis E
Published: October 2024

We report a gravitational-wave parameter estimation algorithm, AMPLFI, based on likelihood-free inference using normalizing flows. The focus of AMPLFI is to perform real-time parameter estimation for candidates detected by machine-learning based compact binary coalescence search, Aframe. We present details of our algorithm and optimizations done related to data-loading and pre-processing on accelerated hardware. We train our model using binary black-hole (BBH) simulations on real LIGO-Virgo detector noise. Our model has

∼

6

million trainable parameters with training times

≲

24

h. Based on online deployment on a mock data stream of LIGO-Virgo data, Aframe + AMPLFI is able to pick up BBH candidates and infer parameters for real-time alerts from data acquisition with a net latency of

∼

6

s.
Efficient ensemble uncertainty estimation in Gaussian processes regression
Authors: Christiansen Mads-Peter Verner , Rønne Nikolaj , Hammer Bjørk
Published: October 2024

Reliable uncertainty measures are required when using data-based machine learning interatomic potentials (MLIPs) for atomistic simulations. In this work, we propose for sparse Gaussian process regression (GPR) type MLIPs a stochastic uncertainty measure akin to the query-by-committee approach often used in conjunction with neural network based MLIPs. The uncertainty measure is coined ‘label noise’ ensemble uncertainty as it emerges from adding noise to the energy labels in the training data. We find that this method of calculating an ensemble uncertainty is as well calibrated as the one obtained from the closed-form expression for the posterior variance when the sparse GPR is treated as a projected process. Comparing the two methods, our proposed ensemble uncertainty is, however, faster to evaluate than the closed-form expression. Finally, we demonstrate that the proposed uncertainty measure acts better to support a Bayesian search for optimal structure of Au20 clusters.
The Concept of Emotional Disorder
Authors: Sibson Ayob Gloria
Published: October 2024

This book examines judgements about emotional health and pathology, with the aim of understanding the conceptual structure of these judgements. This is essential for adjudicating the debate about whether psychiatry (over)-pathologizes ordinary emotional experiences, and more broadly, for understanding the place of emotions—especially distressing and unpleasant emotions—in a form of life in which flourishing, personal and moral agency, and self-identity matter. This investigation into the concept of emotional disorder promises to enrich our understanding of the value of emotions in human life. It also introduces new considerations that are germane to the debate about the concept of mental disorder.
Setting out the Basic Evaluative Dimensions (BED) Framework
Authors: Sibson Ayob Gloria
Published: October 2024

The central claim in this chapter is that the concept of emotional disorder is meta-evaluative, and thus that judgements of emotional disorder are opaque. This claim is established by means of the ‘Basic Evaluative Dimension’ (BED) analytical framework presented in this chapter. In slightly more detail: the chapter identifies five basic evaluative dimensions along which we appraise our emotional experiences (these are the rationality or otherwise of our emotional responses, the valence quality of our emotional experiences, their existential significance, as well as the roles they play in agential efficacy and interpersonal functioning), and it shows that the judgement of emotional disorder is always rooted in the negative appraisal we make of an emotional experience along one or more of these basic evaluative dimensions. This judgement is constrained and counterweighed by any positive appraisal made of the emotional experience, again along one or more of these basic evaluative dimensions. In this way, the judgement of emotional disorder is a meta-evaluative judgement that signifies a negotiation (either implicitly or explicitly) between the various appraisals made of an emotional experience along these more basic dimensions of evaluation.
The Medicalization of Emotions (I)
Authors: Sibson Ayob Gloria
Published: October 2024

This chapter considers attempts to uphold the direct pathologization of distressing emotions by circumventing the BED framework. This circumvention would likely be attempted by appealing to neurophysiological and phenomenological considerations. I will argue that these appeals to phenomenology and to neurophysiology respectively are insufficient to conclusively establish the pathology status of our distressing emotions. This means that judgements of emotional disorder remain opaque: we can only arrive at these judgements through more basic evaluations of our emotional experiences that do not themselves invoke the concept of pathology. In view of this opacity, those seeking to defend the pathologization of distressing emotional experiences will have no choice but to negotiate these basic evaluative dimensions (as set out in the BED framework).
The Medicalization of Emotions (II)
Authors: Sibson Ayob Gloria
Published: October 2024

This chapter begins to set out what is at stake as we negotiate the BED framework. I do this by comparing two ways of negotiating this framework—one way results in the pathologization of distressing emotions and the other way does not. Mapping out these respective approaches to negotiating the BED framework enables us to appreciate what is occluded, and what is foregrounded, by each approach – therein giving us a clearer understanding of the choices we are presented with as we navigate this basic evaluative space. At this point, however, it isn’t yet clear that it ultimately matters which way we decide to go.
Emotions and Human Flourishing
Authors: Sibson Ayob Gloria
Published: October 2024

This chapter takes up the question, ‘Why does it matter which way we negotiate the BED framework (therein pathologizing distressing emotions or otherwise)?’ Here, I consider two very different conceptions of flourishing: on one conception (which I call the ‘health-based conception of flourishing’ (HF)), it doesn’t make much of a difference either way. However, on an altogether different conception of flourishing (termed the ‘excellence-based conception of flourishing’ (EF)), I argue that it makes all the difference which way we negotiate the BED framework. What the EF conception of flourishing helps us to recover is a distinctly agential dimension in the human experience of emotions—a dimension that is obscured by the pathologization of distressing emotions, and the HF more broadly.
Emotion and the Concepts of Health and Disorder
Authors: Sibson Ayob Gloria
Published: October 2024

Equipped with the BED analytical framework and the excellence-based conception of flourishing (EF), this chapter can now return to the question with which the inquiry began: how to delineate the boundary between normal and disordered emotion. The chapter compares two ways of addressing this question and argues for the strength of the latter approach: Horwitz and Wakefield’s appeal to biological dysfunction vs the BED/EF approach. This question is then situated within the context of the wider trend towards pathologization (the so-called ‘therapeutic turn’), and it is argued that the therapeutic turn does not offer us any good reason to expand the scope of the concept of emotional disorder.
Conclusion
Authors: Sibson Ayob Gloria
Published: October 2024

In this concluding chapter, I recapitulate the analysis of the concept of emotional disorder that has been put forward in this book, namely that this is a meta-evaluative concept that rides upon more primitive appraisals made of our emotional experiences along the basic evaluative dimensions (BEDs), and that our negotiation of this basic evaluative space is shaped from the top down by our conceptions of human flourishing. The discussion concludes by tracing out one implication of this analysis on the broader debate about the nature of mental disorder, an implication that centres upon the sui generis character of the concept of emotional disorder.
Development and validation of a functional ability index for older adults: a multicohort study
Authors: Chang Yi , Sapkota Suman , Thapa Bipin , Ma Lina , Sheng Linghui , Wang Chaodong , Chhetri Jagadish K , Chan Piu
Published: October 2024

Background

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a functional ability index (FAI) that incorporates aspects of intrinsic capacity and environmental factors of older individuals based on the World Health Organization framework of healthy ageing.

Methods

Data of 7016 participants ≥60 years participating in the baseline survey of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study was used for the development and internal validation of the FAI. External validation was performed in a separate cohort of 1295 older individuals aged ≥60 years. Functional independency was considered the primary outcome and additional proxies of healthy ageing were considered as secondary outcomes. Cluster dendrogram was used to identify the distinct hierarchical clusters of all included variables for inclusion in the FAI. Backward elimination logistic regression model was implemented to identify the most significant variables associated with independency to be included in the FAI.

Results

The FAI score ranged from 0 to 19 and individuals having FAI ≥ 12 were more likely to be independent and at lower risk of negative outcomes. For each unit increase in the FAI the risk of having independency increased by 30%–58% cross-sectionally in the two cohorts, whilst the 2-year risk of independency increased by 20%. The FAI demonstrated a C-statistic of 0.73 (95% confidence interval, 0.72 and 0.75) for the primary outcome.

Conclusions

The FAI we developed effectively measured the functional ability status of community dwelling older individuals. FAI could serve as a tool for evaluating older individual’s functional ability in routine health assessment.
COVID-19 and sepsis-related excess mortality in the US during the first three years: A national-wide time series study
Authors: Chen Zhenhu , Tian Yue , Liu Juan , Ran Jinjun , Sun Shengzhi , Zhao Shi , Ge Yang , Martinez Leonardo , Chen Xin , Cao Peihua
Published: October 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic's global impact has been devastating, causing millions of deaths. Our study investigates excess sepsis-related mortality trends over three years during the pandemic. Using CDC's National Vital Statistics System data from January 2018 to March 2023, we projected sepsis-related deaths during the pandemic using a Poisson log-linear regression model. We compared observed versus predicted deaths and analyzed temporal trends by demographics and regions. Among the 753,160 deaths documented between March 2020 and March 2023, a significant downward trend was noted in sepsis-related mortality rates from March 2022 to March 2023, coinciding with the surge of the Omicron variant. The excess mortality rates were 170.6 per million persons (95% CI: 168.2-172.6), 167.5 per million persons (95% CI: 163.6-170.9), and 73.3 per million persons (95% CI: 69.4-76.6) in the first, second, and third years, respectively. Increased sepsis-related mortality was observed across all age subgroups, with the greatest increase noted in those aged 85 years and above compared to middle- and young-aged decedents. Disparities were also observed across racial/ethnic, sex/gender subgroups, and geographic regions. This study highlights the effectiveness of current policies and prevention measures in response to the long-term circulating of SARS-CoV-2 in the community.
Elevated Plasma Level of Arginine and Its Metabolites at Labor Among Women With Preeclampsia: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Akhter Tansim , Hedeland Mikael , Bergquist Jonas , Larsson Anders , Axelsson Ove , Hesselman Susanne , Skalkidou Alkistis
Published: October 2024

BACKGROUND

Preeclampsia is associated with higher levels of asymmetric (ADMA) and symmetric (SDMA) dimethylarginines. Dimethylarginines are inhibitors of nitric oxide, a uterine smooth muscles relaxant. Women with preeclampsia experience a shorter labor duration compared with normotensive women. However, very little is known about the possible biochemical mechanisms behind these differences. We aimed to investigate if women with preeclampsia had higher levels of arginines (ADMA, SDMA, and l-arginine) at labor than controls and also investigate the association between arginines and labor duration.

METHODS

The study was based on data from the Swedish, Uppsala County population-based, prospective cohort BASIC, 2009–2018. Arginines were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography using plasma samples taken at labor from women with preeclampsia (n = 47) and normotensive pregnancy (n = 90). We also analyzed inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-R1, TNF-R2, and growth differentiation factor (GDF-15).

RESULTS

Women with preeclampsia had higher levels of ADMA (P < 0.001), SDMA (P < 0.001), l-arginine (P < 0.001), TNF-R1 (P < 0.001), TNF-R2 (P = 0.03), and GDF-15 (P < 0.01) compared with controls. Furthermore, ADMA and SDMA, not inflammation markers, were negatively correlated to labor duration in preeclampsia. No correlations were observed when comparing arginines and inflammation markers.

CONCLUSIONS

Among women with preeclampsia, our novel findings of higher level of arginines, negative correlation of arginines to labor duration, and absence of correlation of arginines to inflammation markers might support the theory that it is not inflammation but arginines which could be associated with shorter labor duration in preeclampsia.
Percutaneous External Fixation of Redistributed Orbital Fat in Transcutaneous Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty
Authors: Chen Jianwu , Tian Yan , Wu Yanhong , Wang Yuzhi , Li Qi , Zhang Bin , Tang Jianbing , Peng Guang , Cheng Biao
Published: October 2024

Background

Although percutaneous external fixation has gained popularity in transconjunctival blepharoplasty due to its simplicity and minimal incision, internal fixation remains the standard approach in transcutaneous blepharoplasty.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous external fixation specifically in transcutaneous fat repositioning blepharoplasty.

Methods

A consecutive cohort of 97 patients underwent this surgical technique between May 2022 and December 2023. Building upon the principles of transconjunctival fat repositioning, the procedure involved a minimal incision targeting the muscle layer, a conservative release of the tear trough ligament, and the repositioning of fat secured with percutaneous external fixation. Surgical outcomes were evaluated using the Barton grading system and FACE-Q scales for patient-reported outcomes.

Results

Following a mean follow-up of 7.2 months (range, 6-17 months), a resolution of tear trough deformities and eyelid bags was achieved in over 92% of cases. Notably, significant improvements (P < .05) were observed in lower eyelid aesthetics as measured by the FACE-Q scale, with a concomitant enhancement in patients’ social confidence (P < .05). Overall, patients expressed satisfaction with their decision to undergo the procedure (71.0 ± 19.1). Complications necessitating revision surgery included isolated cases of hematoma evacuation, fat injection, excision of excess fat, and skin excision.

Conclusions

External fixation in transcutaneous blepharoplasty is technically less complex and minimally invasive, effectively securing transposed fat pedicles safely, and presents a viable alternative to conventional fixation techniques.

Level of Evidence: 4 (Therapeutic)
Weighted families of contact maps to characterize conformational ensembles of (highly-)flexible proteins
Authors: González-Delgado Javier , Bernadó Pau , Neuvial Pierre , Cortés Juan
Published: October 2024

Motivation

Characterizing the structure of flexible proteins, particularly within the realm of intrinsic disorder, presents a formidable challenge due to their high conformational variability. Currently, their structural representation relies on (possibly large) conformational ensembles derived from a combination of experimental and computational methods. The detailed structural analysis of these ensembles is a difficult task, for which existing tools have limited effectiveness.

Results

This study proposes an innovative extension of the concept of contact maps to the ensemble framework, incorporating the intrinsic probabilistic nature of disordered proteins. Within this framework, a conformational ensemble is characterized through a weighted family of contact maps. To achieve this, conformations are first described using a refined definition of contact that appropriately accounts for the geometry of the inter-residue interactions and the sequence context. Representative structural features of the ensemble naturally emerge from the subsequent clustering of the resulting contact-based descriptors. Importantly, transiently populated structural features are readily identified within large ensembles. The performance of the method is illustrated by several use cases and compared with other existing approaches, highlighting its superiority in capturing relevant structural features of highly flexible proteins.

Availability and implementation

An open-source implementation of the method is provided together with an easy-to-use Jupyter notebook, available at https://gitlab.laas.fr/moma/WARIO.
GCI: a continuity inspector for complete genome assembly
Authors: Chen Quanyu , Yang Chentao , Zhang Guojie , Wu Dongya
Published: October 2024

Motivation

Recent advances in long-read sequencing technologies have significantly facilitated the production of high-quality genome assembly. The telomere-to-telomere (T2T) gapless assembly has become the new golden standard of genome assembly efforts. Several recent efforts have claimed to produce T2T-level reference genomes. However, a universal standard is still missing to qualify a genome assembly to be at T2T standard. Traditional genome assembly assessment metrics (N50 and its derivatives) have no capacity in differentiating between nearly T2T assembly and the truly T2T assembly in continuity either globally or locally. Additionally, these metrics are independent of raw reads, making them inflated easily by artificial operations. Therefore, a gaplessness evaluation tool at single-nucleotide resolution to reflect true completeness is urgently needed in the era of complete genomes.

Results

Here, we present a tool called Genome Continuity Inspector (GCI), designed to assess genome assembly continuity at single-base resolution, and evaluate how close an assembly is to the T2T level. GCI utilizes multiple aligners to map long reads from various sequencing platforms back to the assembly. By incorporating curated mapping coverage of high-confidence read alignments, GCI identifies potential assembly issues. Meanwhile, it provides GCI scores that quantify overall assembly continuity on the whole genome or chromosome scales.

Availability and implementation

The open-source GCI code is freely available on Github (https://github.com/yeeus/GCI) under the MIT license.
Senescence-related genes are associated with the immunopathology signature of American tegumentary leishmaniasis lesions and may predict progression to mucosal leishmaniasis
Authors: Fantecelle Carlos Henrique , Polaco Covre Luciana , Lopes Paola Oliveira , Sarmento Isabela Valim , Decote-Ricardo Debora , Geraldo Freire-de-Lima Célio , de Matos Guedes Herbert Leonel , Pimentel Maria Inês Fernandes , Conceição-Silva Fatima , Maretti-Mira Ana C , Borges Valéria M , Pedreira de Carvalho Lucas , Carvalho Edgar Marcelino de , Mosser David , Falqueto Aloisio , Akbar Arne N , Gomes Daniel Claudio Oliveira
Published: October 2024

The American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) is caused by protozoans of the genus Leishmania and varies from mild localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) form to more severe manifestations such as the diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) form and the mucosal leishmaniasis (ML) form. Previously, we demonstrated the accumulation of senescent cells in skin lesions of patients with LCL. Moreover, lesional transcriptomic analyses revealed a robust co-induction of senescence and pro-inflammatory gene signatures, highlighting the critical role of senescent T cells in orchestrating pathology. In this work we hypothesized that senescent cells might operate differently among the ATL spectrum, potentially influencing immunopathological mechanisms and clinical outcome. We analysed previously published RNA-Seq datasets of skin biopsies of healthy subjects and lesional skin from DCL patients, LCL patients, and LCL patients that, after treatment, progressed to mucosal leishmaniasis (MLP). Our findings demonstrate a robust presence of a CD8 T-cell signature associated with both LCL and MLP lesions. Moreover, both inflammatory and cytotoxic signatures were significantly upregulated, showing a strong increase in MLP and LCL groups, but not DCL. The senescence signature was elevated between LCL and MLP groups, representing the only distinguishable signature of immunopathology between them. Interestingly, our analyses further revealed the senescence signature’s capacity to predict progression from LCL to mucosal forms, which was not observed with other signatures. Both the senescence-signature score and specific senescence-associated genes demonstrated an increased capacity to predict mucosal progression, with correct predictions exceeding 97% of cases. Collectively, our findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of immunosenescence in ATL and suggest that senescence may represent the latest and most important signature of the immunopathogenisis. This highlights its potential value in predicting disease severity.