bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Bayesian Group-Sequential Predictive Evidence Value Design for Phase II Clinical Trials with Binary Endpoints
Authors: Kelter Riko , Schnurr Alexander
Published: April 2024

In clinical research, the initial efficacy of a new agent is typically assessed in a phase IIA study. Bayesian group-sequential designs are often based on predictive probability of trial success. In this paper, the novel Bayesian group-sequential predictive evidence value design is introduced, and we prove that the predictive probability approach is a special case of it. A comparison with Simon’s two-stage and competing Bayesian designs based on phase IIA cancer trials is provided. Results show that the novel design can improve operating characteristics such as the false-positive rate, probability of early stopping for futility and expected sample size of the trial. Given these advantages, the predictive evidence value design constitutes an important addition to the biostatistician’s toolbelt when planning a phase IIA trial the Bayesian way, in particular, when small sample sizes and a large probability for early termination under the null hypothesis are desired.
Terminological discrepancies and novelties in the histological description of the female genital system: proposed amendments for clinical-translational anatomy
Authors: Varga Ivan , Hammer Niels , Pavlíková Lada , Poilliot Amelie , Klein Martin , Mikušová Renáta
Published: April 2024

Histological terminology of the female genital organs is currently a part of the internationally accepted nomenclature Terminologia Histologica (TH), the latest edition of which dates back to 2008. Many new discoveries have been documented within 16 years since then, and many discrepancies have been found. This paper aims to revise the terminology from clinical and educational perspectives comprehensively. The authors thoroughly searched the current edition of “Terminologia Histologica: International Terms for Human Cytology and Histology,” focusing on missing and controversial terms in the chapter Female genital system. The authors identified six controversial and ambiguous terms and four missing important histological terms. The authors also discussed the addition of less used eponymic terms in the histological description of female genital organs like Hamperl cells, Popescu cells, Kroemer lacunae, Balbiani bodies, Call–Exner bodies, membrane of Slavianski, nabothian cysts, or anogenital sweat glands of van der Putte. We expect the second and revised edition of the TH to be published soon and hope that the Federative International Program on Anatomical Terminology will approve and incorporate all these propositions and suggestions. We also strongly recommend using the official internationally accepted Latin and English histological nomenclature—the TH, either in oral or written form, both in theoretical and clinical medicine.
Structure and optical properties of Si thin film improved by metal Cd nanolayers
Authors: Rabiea E. A. , AboGhazala M. S. , Zadia M. M.
Published: April 2024

Enhancing the characteristics of amorphous semiconductor thin films is imperative for a multitude of applications. The present study examines the impact of Cd nanolayers deposited on a thin film of amorphous Si. The X-ray test showed that the thin silicon film had less of an amorphous structure after a nanolayer of cadmium was added. There has also been the appearance of new phases, and as the thickness of the Cd nanolayer increases, so does the intensity of these phases. Using a field emission scanning electron microscope, it was seen that nanoparticles were developed and subsequently transformed into clusters as the thickness of the Cd nanolayer grew. The absorbance was maximized at 750 nm and near-infrared region after depositing Cd nanolayers, while transmittance was reduced, especially at 100 nm thicknesses. The energy gap was reduced, with a decrease from 5.1 to 1.8 electron volts (eV). However, an increase in the band tails was also noted, rising from 0.7 to 4.9 eV. An increase in the values of the refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k) was observed following the deposition of Cd nanolayers of different thicknesses.
A class of models for large zero-inflated spatial data
Authors: Lee Ben Seiyon , Haran Murali
Published: April 2024

Spatially correlated data with an excess of zeros, usually referred to as zero-inflated spatial data, arise in many disciplines. Examples include count data, for instance, abundance (or lack thereof) of animal species and disease counts, as well as semi-continuous data like observed precipitation. Spatial two-part models are a flexible class of models for such data. Fitting two-part models can be computationally expensive for large data due to high-dimensional dependent latent variables, costly matrix operations, and slow mixing Markov chains. We describe a flexible, computationally efficient approach for modeling large zero-inflated spatial data using the projection-based intrinsic conditional autoregression (PICAR) framework. We study our approach, which we call PICAR-Z, through extensive simulation studies and two environmental data sets. Our results suggest that PICAR-Z provides accurate predictions while remaining computationally efficient. An important goal of our work is to allow researchers who are not experts in computation to easily build computationally efficient extensions to zero-inflated spatial models; this also allows for a more thorough exploration of modeling choices in two-part models than was previously possible. We show that PICAR-Z is easy to implement and extend in popular probabilistic programming languages such as and .
Micro-macro modeling of tensile behavior of a friction stir welded hybrid joint of AlSi10Mg parts produced by powder bed fusion and casting
Authors: Nammalvar Raja Rajan Aravindh , Krochmal Marcel , Wegener Thomas , Hartmaier Alexander , Niendorf Thomas , Moeini Ghazal
Published: April 2024

Additive manufacturing (AM) has gained considerable interest due to its ability to produce lightweight parts with hierarchical microstructures. However, the current constraints on the build chamber size in powder-bed fusion type AM processes limit its industrial application. A hybrid welded joint, consisting of an AM-processed and a conventionally manufactured part, can be employed to produce larger components. Due to the varying processing conditions, these hybrid welded joints contain a wide range of microstructural heterogeneities, which influences the mechanical properties of the joint. Using a numerical model to predict the mechanical behavior of welded joints by considering the microstructural variations is essential for the safe and reliable implementation of hybrid welded joints. This study aims to predict the local tensile behavior of each region of a hybrid friction-stir welded joint of AlSi10Mg produced by laser-based powder bed fusion and casting using a microstructure-sensitive model as well as the global tensile behavior by considering the properties of each region using a joint macroscopic model. The results from this modeling approach agree well with the experimental results. Therefore, this method can predict the mechanical behavior of hybrid welded joints and can establish the structure–property relationship in each weld region.
The Use of Nonmonetary Outcomes in Health-Related Delay Discounting Research: Review and Recommendations
Authors: Rasmussen Erin B. , Camp Lillith , Lawyer Steven R.
Published: April 2024

Delay discounting (DD) refers to the tendency to devalue an outcome as a function of its delay. Most contemporary human DD research uses hypothetical money to assess individual rates of DD. However, nonmonetary outcomes such as food, substances of misuse, and sexual outcomes have been used as well, and have advantages because of their connections to health. This article reviews the literature on the use of nonmonetary outcomes of food, drugs, and sexual outcomes in relation to health and reinforcer pathologies such as substance use disorders, obesity, and sexual risk behaviors, respectively, and makes a case for their use in discounting research. First, food, substances, and sex may be more ecologically valid outcomes than money in terms of their connections to health problems and reinforcer pathologies. Second, consistent trends in commodity-specific (i.e., domain) effects, in which nonmonetary outcomes are discounted more steeply than money, enhance variation in discounting values. Third, commodity-specific changes in discounting with treatments designed to change health choices are described. Finally, methodological trends such as test–retest reliability, magnitude effects, the use of hypothetical versus real outcomes, and age-related effects are discussed in relation to the three outcome types and compared to trends with monetary discounting. Limitations that center around individual preferences, nonsystematic data, and deprivation are discussed. We argue that researchers can enhance their DD research, especially those related to health problems and reinforcer pathologies, with the use of nonmonetary outcomes. Recommendations for future directions of research are delineated.
Improved overall survival in patients developing endocrine toxicity during treatment with nivolumab for advanced non-small cell lung cancer in a prospective study
Authors: Albertelli M. , Rossi G. , Nazzari E. , Genova C. , Biello F. , Rijavec E. , Dal Bello M. G. , Patti L. , Tagliamento M. , Barletta G. , Morabito P. , Boschetti M. , Dotto A. , Campana D. , Ferone D. , Grossi F.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) disrupting PD-1/PD-L1 axis have revolutionized the management of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Some studies identified the development of endocrine toxicity as predictor of better survival in cancer patients treated with ICPIs. The aim of study was to evaluate survival and new onset of immune-related endocrine adverse events (irAEs) in patients treated with nivolumab for advanced NSCLC.

Methods

In a prospective study, 73 patients with previously treated advanced NSCLC received nivolumab in monotherapy. Blood samples were collected at each cycle to monitor thyroid autoimmunity, thyroid, adrenal and somatotroph axes, while thyroid morphology was evaluated by ultrasonography.

Results

An impaired thyroid function was recorded in 23.4% of patients (n = 15). Eight patients developed asymptomatic transient thyrotoxicosis (ATT) evolving to hypothyroidism in 50% of cases. In addition, seven patients developed overt hypothyroidism without ATT and with negative autoantibodies. Patients who developed hypothyroidism proved to have better overall survival (OS) as compared with non-developers at both univariate (p = 0.021) and multivariate analyses (p = 0.023). The survival curve of patients with reduced IGF-I at baseline, or displaying its reduction during the follow-up, showed significantly reduced median survival compared to patients with normal/high IGF-I levels (p = 0.031).

Conclusions

Thyroid function abnormalities are the major irAEs in patients treated with nivolumab, and hypothyroidism onset is associated with prolonged survival. Our findings indicate that the development of hypothyroidism is a positive predictive biomarker of nivolumab antitumor efficacy in patients with NSCLC. Low IGF-I levels could represent a negative prognostic factor during nivolumab therapy.
Advanced Digital Technologies in Unionized Firms
Authors: Berton Fabio , Dughera Stefano , Ricci Andrea
Published: April 2024

This work examines how workplace employee organizations causally affect the adoption of advanced digital technologies in Italy. It does so by using information from the survey “Rilevazione Imprese e Lavoro” conducted by the National Institute for Public Policy Analysis on a nationally representative sample of Italian firms in the non-agricultural private sector in 2018. It shows that workplace employee organizations increase the probability of advanced digitalization by around 15 percentage points per year, and the number of different technologies adopted by 0.41. The empirical strategy follows an IV approach that eliminates simultaneity bias and builds upon a lagged internal instrument combined with a NUTS-3 measure of altruism—namely, per capita blood donations. Results survive when cybersecurity is excluded from the analysis and prove robust when the internal instrument is left alone, combined with an index of tolerance or with propensity score matching.
Challenging Externalization by Means of Article 4 ECHR: Towards New Avenues of Litigation for Victims of Human Trafficking?
Authors: Tammone Francesca
Published: April 2024

The externalization of migration control undermines the protection of victims of trafficking in human beings. Pushbacks and pullbacks at sea, as well as simplified or accelerated identification procedures, exacerbate the risk of trafficking and retrafficking and prevent victims from accessing the protection to which they may be entitled in European States. In this scenario, the European Court of Human Rights can play a crucial role among international bodies and courts in ensuring effective remedies for victims in case of repatriation to their countries of origin and transit. This study examines the applicability of the prohibition of slavery, servitude and forced labour enshrined in Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights—whose scope now undisputedly includes trafficking in human beings—in the context of the externalization of migration control. It demonstrates that litigating unlawful refoulements under Article 4 ECHR might be very worthwhile to raise awareness of migration-related risks for victims, to strengthen the legal framework of positive obligations in trafficking cases, and to ascertain violations of anti-trafficking international obligations by European States.
The Global ESG Stewardship Ecosystem
Authors: Bowley Tim , Hill Jennifer G.
Published: April 2024

Institutional investors are increasingly pushing their investee companies to address environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues—a phenomenon commonly called ESG stewardship. Scholars have put forward various reasons for investors’ enthusiasm for ESG stewardship. They include the financial materiality of ESG issues, a desire to appeal to ESG-conscious customers, and the scope for fund operators to charge higher fees for funds that pursue ESG strategies. There is, however, another critical factor at play. ESG stewardship is also underpinned by a transnational development—what this article calls the ‘global ESG stewardship ecosystem’. This global ecosystem is comprised of various ESG-focused actors, including United Nations agencies, institutional investors, investor networks, service providers to institutional investors, and NGOs and activist organizations. These actors operate in a highly networked manner at the transnational level to develop and disseminate norms of ESG stewardship throughout global markets, and encourage and coordinate investors’ ESG stewardship activities on the ground. This article highlights the scale, complexity and influence of the global ESG stewardship ecosystem, revealing it to be a significant facilitator of institutional investors’ ESG stewardship. This insight calls into question important contemporary assumptions and theories about institutional investors, including claims that they are ‘rationally reticent’, under-invest in corporate governance activities, and are incapable of overcoming collective action challenges. The global ESG stewardship ecosystem is also a remarkable example of the transnational influences shaping contemporary corporate governance. The ecosystem underpins the development and dissemination of norms of ESG stewardship and also assists institutional investors to undertake ESG stewardship ‘on the ground’ in the various markets in which they operate. The transnational influence of the ecosystem has important implications for national law makers and regulators who are focused on ESG investing and investor participation in public company corporate governance.
Investigation of the effects of volume fraction, aspect ratio and type of fibres on the mechanical properties of short fibre reinforced 3D printed composite materials
Authors: Gonabadi Hassan , Chen Yao , Bull Steve
Published: April 2024

Mechanical behaviour of 3D-printed composite parts is affected by the volume fraction, aspect ratio and type of fibre reinforcement. Although in the literature experimental approaches have been used to characterise the effects of the above factors on the mechanical properties of 3D printed parts, time and cost of the manufacturing process as well as the uncertainty associated with a large number of experimental techniques are the key issues. This study aims to address these challenges by developing a methodology based on a multi-scale Finite Element (FE) analysis of representative volume element (RVE) of 3D printed composite parts to predict the effective orthotropic properties. To account for the effects of fibre features, RVEs were modelled considering variables of volume fraction, aspect ratios and type of short fibres. To study the main and interaction effects of the above variables on the mechanical properties of 3D printed composite parts, a structured approach based on the Design of Experiments is used. The FE stress analysis of the RVE provides an understanding about the potential failure modes such as interfacial debonding between fibres and matrix, interlayer and intralayer delamination that may occur in load-bearing 3D printed composite parts. The FE computed mechanical properties are validated against experimental data through a series of mechanical testing of flexure, Iosipescu, and short beam shear which were conducted in conjunction with the Digital Image Correlation technique. As a result, certainty is obtained in using the proposed approach for a fast iterative design of 3D printed composite parts prior to industrial applications.
Frequency and Variability in the Use of Modal Verbs in Zimbabwean English
Authors: Chapwanya Faith Chiedza , Nel Joanine Hester
Published: April 2024

This corpus-based exploratory study examines modal verbs in Zimbabwean English (ZimE), and British English, to determine whether there are variations in use between the two varieties. Data from the ZimE corpus and the International Corpus of English Great Britain (ICE-GB) were analysed quantitatively and statistically to gain insights into how the usage patterns of modal verbs might be influenced by the usage context. Results show variations in the frequency of can and will, with the ZimE corpus registering more frequencies compared to the ICE-GB. The frequencies of could, may, might, and would were higher in the ICE-GB compared to the ZimE corpus. Overall, the ICE-GB contained more modal verbs than the ZimE corpus. In the spoken registers, results indicate that could, may, might, shall, and would occurred more in the ICE-GB, while can and will were attested more in the ZimE corpus compared to the ICE-GB. In the written registers, the ICE-GB recorded more occurrences of could, may, might, and would. A qualitative analysis was done by means of semantic interpretations of the modal verbs in different contexts. Results show the use of can be able to occurring as a modal phrase. The effects of language contact also lead to code-switching. Both results serve as possible motivations for variation. Furthermore, the use of can and will in past time contexts, and the use of the habitual will in past contexts, account for the higher overall frequencies of can and will in the ZimE corpus.
Cultural Dynamics in the Levantine Upper Paleolithic, ca. 40–33 ky BP: Insights Based on Recent Advances in the Study of the Levantine Aurignacian, the Arkov-Divshon, and the Atlitian
Authors: Shemer Maayan , Barzilai Omry , Marder Ofer
Published: April 2024

The chrono-cultural sequence of the Levantine Upper Paleolithic went through several major revisions during approximately a century of focused research, each revision contributing to shedding light on the mosaic of cultural entities and the complex social and cultural dynamics composing the Levantine Upper Paleolithic. The current state of research suggests the co-inhabitance of two cultural groups: the Early Ahmarian and the Levantine Aurignacian. Two other cultural entities, the Arkov-Divshon and the Atlitian, are regarded as younger manifestations and were tentatively suggested to relate to the Levantine Aurignacian. This paper presents a research synthesis of two case studies: Manot Cave, located in western Galilee, Israel, and Nahal Rahaf 2 Rockshelter in the Judean Desert. The application of high-resolution excavation methods, alongside detailed documentation of the stratigraphy and site-formation processes and wide-scale radiocarbon-based absolute dating, marked these sites as ideal for chrono-cultural study through the analyses of flint industries. The results indicate a clear distinction between the Levantine Aurignacian and the Arkov-Divshon/Atlitian industries and a chronological overlap between the Arkov-Divshon, Levantine Aurignacian, and possibly with the Early Ahmarian. Subsequently, we suggest another revision of the currently accepted chrono-cultural model: not two, but at least three cultural entities co-inhabited the Levant at ca. 40–30 ky cal BP. This study further suggests an evolvement of the Atlitian flint industries from the Arkov-Divshon and stresses the foreign cultural features of the Levantine Aurignacian. These results were used to construct an updated model of migration and possible interaction patterns.
Differences in emergency department visits and hospitalization between German and Dutch nursing home residents: a cross-national survey
Authors: Fassmer Alexander M. , Zuidema Sytse U. , Janus Sarah I. M. , Hoffmann Falk
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Assessing and comparing German and Dutch nursing home perspectives on residents’ hospital transfers.

Methods

Cross-sectional study among German and Dutch nursing homes. Two surveys were conducted in May 2022, each among 600 randomly selected nursing homes in Germany and the Netherlands. The questionnaires were identical for both countries. The responses were compared between the German and Dutch participants.

Results

We received 199 German (response: 33.2%) and 102 Dutch questionnaires (response: 17.0%). German nursing homes estimated the proportion of transfers to hospital during 1 year to be higher than in Dutch facilities (emergency department visits: 26.5% vs. 7.9%, p < 0.0001; hospital admissions: 29.5% vs. 10.5%, p < 0.0001). In German nursing homes, the proportion of transfers to hospital where the decision was made by the referring physician was lower than in the Dutch facilities (58.8% vs. 88.8%, p < 0.0001). More German nursing homes agreed that nursing home residents are transferred to the hospital too frequently (24.5% vs. 10.8%, p = 0.0069). German nursing homes were much more likely than Dutch facilities to believe that there was no alternative to transfer to a hospital when a nursing home resident had a fall (66.3% vs. 12.8%, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

German nursing home residents are transferred to hospital more frequently than Dutch residents. This can probably be explained by differences in the care provided in the facilities. Future studies should, therefore, look more closely at these two systems and examine the extent to which more intensive outpatient care can avoid transfers to hospital.
An optimized microstrip antenna to generate intense localized heating at target sites for maximum effect
Authors: Rajebi Saman , Pedrammehr Siamak , Al-Abdullah Kais I. Abdul-Lateef , Asadi Houshyar , Lim Chee Peng
Published: April 2024

Nowadays, the use of electromagnetic waves in medical applications has become common, and hyperthermia is one of the popular areas. Nonetheless, designing effective antennas for electromagnetic hyperthermia poses a key challenge. In designing of hyperthermia antennas for medical applications, factors such as appropriate resonant frequencies and appropriate antenna sizes are important. Another critical aspect in the design of useful and usable hyperthermia antenna is the heat on the target body area, since a proper depth setting for heating is normally neglected. In this paper, using the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm, we focus on the heat on the target area when designing a hyperthermia antenna that operates at the frequency of 432 MHz. The antenna is analyzed using the finite difference time domain method, while the PSO fitness function is selected in such a way as to maintain the optimal frequency characteristics of the antenna, along with optimization of its heating performance. A series of simulation studies in MATLAB and the associated laboratory results confirm accuracy of the designed antenna. With minimal influence on healthy tissues, the temperature of approximately 42 degrees Celsius is achieved steadily after about 12 min from the start of heating in the target area, where the tumor is located. We observe minor differences between simulation and laboratory results, owing to not being able to use living tissue in the laboratory and lack of precision in the construction of antenna with optimized parameters.
Long-term reoperation rates following spinal fusion for neuromuscular scoliosis in nonambulatory patients with cerebral palsy
Authors: Seaver Christopher D. , Morgan Sara J. , Legister Candice S. , Palmer Casey L. , Beauchamp Eduardo C. , Guillaume Tenner J. , Truong Walter H. , Koop Steven E. , Perra Joseph H. , Lonstein John E. , Miller Daniel J.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

To describe the incidence of reoperation and factors contributing to surgical revision within a minimum of 10 years after spinal fusion for scoliosis in patients with nonambulatory cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of consecutive nonambulatory patients with CP who underwent primary spinal fusion at a single specialty care center with a minimum of 10 years from their index surgery (surgery dates 2001–2011). Causes of reoperation were classified as implant failure/pseudoarthrosis, surgical site infection (SSI), proximal junctional kyphosis, prominent/symptomatic implants, and implant removal. Reoperation rates with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each time interval, and an actuarial survival curve was generated.

Results

144 patients met inclusion criteria (mean age = 14.3 ± 2.6 years, 62.5% male); 85.4% had 5 years follow-up data; and 66.0% had 10 years follow-up data. Estimates from the actuarial analysis suggest that 14.9% (95% CI: 10.0–22.0) underwent reoperation by 5 years postsurgery, and 21.7% (95% CI: 15.4–30.1) underwent reoperation by 10 years postsurgery. The most common causes for reoperation were implant failure/pseudoarthrosis, SSI, and prominent/symptomatic implants.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this study is the largest long-term follow-up of nonambulatory patients with CP and neuromuscular scoliosis who underwent spinal fusion. Approximately 22% of these patients required reoperation 10 years after their index surgery, primarily due to implant failure/pseudoarthrosis, SSI, and prominent/symptomatic implants. Complications and reoperations continued throughout the 10 years period after index surgery, reinforcing the need for long-term follow-up as these patients transition into adulthood.

Level of evidence

III.
Electrocatalytic properties of Ni–Cu structures fabricated by electrodeposition of Cu on Ni cones
Authors: Skibińska Katarzyna , Elsharkawy Safya , Kutyła Dawid , Boryczko Bożena , Marzec Mateusz M. , Żabiński Piotr
Published: April 2024

Ni–Cu alloys are a suitable candidate as a catalyst in Hydrogen Evolution Reaction due to their catalytic performance and good stability. To enhance this activity more, the active surface area of the material should be enhanced. It is commonly achieved by the synthesis of metals and alloys in the form of nanostructures. In this work, Ni cones fabricated by the one-step method were applied as a substrate for the deposition of thin Cu layers. Then, these materials were annealed in an ambient atmosphere to obtain Ni–Cu structures. The investigation of changes in morphology and chemical composition, as well as roughness and wettability before and after the annealing process was performed. Moreover, the measurements of catalytic properties were carried out in 1 M NaOH. The values of the Tafel slope and the electrochemical active surface area were studied. The proposed method can be successfully applied to fabricate structures of other alloys for the desired properties.
Navigating Hurdles: A Review of the Obstacles Facing the Development of the Pandemic Treaty
Authors: Sheerah Haytham A. , Alzaaqi Shouq M. , Arafa Ahmed , AlSalamah Shada , Muriungi Nelly G. , Sampaio Barbara Fialho C , Tromp Jasper , Liu Keyang , Shirai Kokoro , Withers Mellissa , Al-Jedai Ahmed
Published: April 2024

Introduction

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a call for enhanced global cooperation and a more robust pandemic preparedness and response framework. As a result of this pressing demand, dialogues were initiated to establish a pandemic treaty designed to foster a synchronized global strategy for addressing forthcoming health emergencies. In this review, we discussed the main obstacles to this treaty.

Results

Among several challenges facing the pandemic treaty, we highlighted (1) global cooperation and political will, (2) equity in access to resources and treatments, (3) sustainable financing, (4) compliance and enforcement mechanisms, (5) sovereignty concerns, and (6) data sharing and transparency.

Conclusion

Navigating the hurdles facing the development of the pandemic treaty requires concerted efforts, diplomatic finesse, and a shared commitment to global solidarity. Addressing challenges in global cooperation, equitable access, transparency, compliance, financing, and sovereignty is essential for forging a comprehensive and effective framework for pandemic preparedness and response on the global stage.
Landslide monitoring and prediction system using geosensors and wireless sensor network
Authors: Chaulya Swades Kumar , Mishra Pankaj Kumar , Kumar Naresh , Kumar Vikash , Rawani Vijay Kumar
Published: April 2024

Landslides in hilly regions are a frequently occurring natural phenomenon which takes a heavy toll of human lives and causes damage to different properties. Hence, prediction of landslide is essential for averting its deleterious effects by providing early warning to neighboring residents about the impending hazard of landslide. A landslide monitoring system has been designed using geosensors and high-range wireless network for on-line monitoring and prediction of landslides with the application of multivariate statistical analysis of prevailing site parameters. The system consists of various geosensors, wireless sensor network, server, and landslide monitoring and forecasting software. Crackmeter, in-place inclinometer, raingauge, tiltmeter, piezometer and other sensors are set up in the selected hill slope prone to landslide for continuous monitoring of influencing parameters. The system measures real-time landslide parameters using the said geosensors connected with wireless nodes and establishing a dynamic wireless network to overcome redundancy issue using wireless nodes of around 1200 m communication range using a high performance low power microcontroller, integrated solar panel and additional external omni-directional antenna for monitoring landslide in a large and hazardous hilly region from a distant safer location. The application software consists of different modules, namely data monitoring, analysis, storing, viewing, prediction, and generation of audio-visual, SMS and email alerts for 3 levels of landslides situations. The paper enumerates the system architecture and the application software details.

Graphical Abstract
Analysis of performance limits in optical communications due to fiber nonlinearity and third order dispersion
Authors: Sultana Nasrin , Islam M. S.
Published: April 2024

In this study, an analysis is conducted to treasure the expressions of the pulsation expansion factor, in addition to the standardized output, and solve the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE), reflecting the impact of XPM on third order dispersion. Using large effective area fiber (LEAF) and standard single-mode fiber (SSMF), the effects of transmission distances and varying input powers are assessed at various transmission speeds. The first and second order GVD XPM effects are the only factors influencing the pulse’s propagation. The second-order effects of GVD are not noticeable at short distances and low bit rates, but they become noticeable and impact system performance as the bit rate increases. The study discovered that input dominance has less of an impact on pulse width than data rate and fiber length. Methodical derivation and numerical simulation using the split-phase Fourier method at the same data rate and input power yield the SSMF and LEAF consequences. In comparison to LEAF fibers, XPM has a greater beneficial impact on second and third order dispersion in SSMF fibers.
The IndagApp mobile app: an inquiry-based science teaching resource: usability evaluation with pre-service teachers
Authors: Yánez-Pérez Iraya , Toma Radu Bogdan , Meneses-Villagrá Jesús Ángel
Published: April 2024

Virtual laboratories and simulations have emerged as innovative solutions for science teaching. However, existing resources have various limitations and constraints including cognitive load/mental burden and limited coverage of all necessary steps in scientific inquiry, focusing mainly on the experimental simulation. To bridge this gap and address these challenges, the present study introduces the design and usability evaluation of IndagApp, an innovative educational resource explicitly developed to support inquiry-based science teaching. A convergent mixed methods design and a convenience sampling of 90 pre-service teachers were used. The findings indicate that IndagApp exhibits a high level of technological and pedagogical usability. Feedback from the users was incorporated to improve the app, resulting in its final version, which incorporates best practices from existing literature on authentic inquiry-based science teaching. IndagApp is freely accessible in the Spanish language, and compatible with Android 5.0 + smartphones and tablets, as well as PCs running Windows 7 or above operating systems. This research provides a timely and significant educational resource that may assist educators in enacting reform-oriented teaching practices.
Where There Is No Child Psychiatrist
Authors: Eapen Valsamma , Graham Philip , Srinath Shoba
Published: April 2024

Mental health problems and worries are common among infants, children and adolescents in every part of the world. This book is a practical manual for primary healthcare professionals, teachers and anyone who works with children - especially in places where specialist psychiatric care is not available. After giving the reader an overview of child mental health problems, the manual goes on to deal with the various developmental, behavioural and emotional problems that arise in as many as 10% of the youth population. For each problem it first provides a case study and then describes how to find out more about a child with this problem. It suggests what can be done to help the child and their family. It also examines the mental health aspects of childhood maltreatment and exposure to natural or man-made disasters. The only comprehensive book on mental healthcare in young people for those with no access to specialist medical advice, this book is intended for anyone who works with children or young people, but who does not have specialist training in mental health problems, which includes primary care doctors and nurses, community health workers and teachers. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Experimental analysis of noise disturbances generated by reaction wheel
Authors: Mankour A. , Smahat A. , Bensikaddour E.H. , Roubache R.
Published: April 2024

Microvibrations originating from onboard disturbance sources can lead to a range of issues, including a decrease in satellite pointing accuracy, image distortion and blurring. Therefore, reaction wheels emerge as the primary sources of disturbance noise. This paper employs an experimental approach based on the real dynamics of rotating reaction wheel assembly, closely simulating on-orbit configurations to measure noise responses transferred to the satellite structure. An assessment of noise response behaviour, incorporating a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing the levels, was conducted on a proto-flight satellite for three reaction wheels. Initially, reaction wheel assemblies underwent individual iterative balancing to reduce mass deviations. Subsequently, amplitude-time responses at different rotational speeds of reaction wheel assemblies (RWA) disturbance noise were measured. The experimental results demonstrate that each individually balanced reaction wheel generates independent perturbation noise level due to manufacturing imperfections. Hence, the necessity of wheels testing for accurate prediction and mitigation of disturbance levels is crucial, especially for payloads sensitive to microvibrations. Furthermore, increasing wheel speeds proportionally amplify disturbance noise levels. Therefore, implementing an optimised mission attitude control profile with lower rotation speeds of reaction wheels effectively reduces microvibration levels which minimises risks to payload performance and reduce power consumption.
“Once more, with feeling”: no difference in outcomes between patients discharged on oral versus intravenous antibiotics for orthopedic infections in a propensity score matched cohort at a US medical center
Authors: Gray Julie , Benefield Russell J. , Gallagher Chanah K. , Cummins Heather , Certain Laura K.
Published: April 2024

Objective:

To compare outcomes between patients discharged on intravenous (IV) versus oral (PO) antibiotics for the treatment of orthopedic infections, after creation of an IV-to-PO guideline, at a single academic medical center in the United States.

Methods:

This was a retrospective, propensity score matched, cohort study of adult patients hospitalized for orthopedic infections from September 30, 2020, to April 30, 2022. Patients discharged on PO antibiotics were matched to patients discharged on IV antibiotics. The primary outcome was one-year treatment failure following discharge. Secondary outcomes were incidence of 60-day treatment failure, adverse drug events (ADE), readmissions, infectious disease clinic “no-show” rates, and emergency department (ED) encounters.

Results:

Ninety PO-treated patients were matched to 90 IV-treated patients. Baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups after matching. There was no significant difference in the proportions of patients on PO versus IV antibiotics experiencing treatment failure at one year (26% vs 31%, P = .47). There were no significant differences for any secondary outcomes: treatment failure within 60 days (13% vs 14%, P = 1.00), ADE (13% vs 11%, P = .82), unplanned readmission (17% vs 21%, P = .57), or ED encounters (9% vs 18%, P = .54). Survival analyses identified no significant differences in time-to-event between PO and IV treatment for any of the outcomes assessed.

Conclusions:

There were no appreciable differences in outcomes between patients discharged on PO compared to IV regimens. Antimicrobial stewardship interventions to increase prescribing of PO antibiotics for the treatment of orthopedic infections should be encouraged.
The multifaceted functions of long non-coding RNAHOTAIRin neuropathologies and its potential as a prognostic marker and therapeutic biotarget
Authors: Ahmad Faraz , Sudesh Ravi , Ahmed Atheeq Toufeeq , Arumugam Mohanapriya , Mathkor Darin Mansor , Haque Shafiul
Published: April 2024

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are progressively being perceived as prominent molecular agents controlling multiple aspects of neuronal (patho)physiology. Amongst these is the HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA, often abbreviated asHOTAIR.HOTAIRepigenetically regulates its target genes via its interaction with two different chromatin-modifying agents; histone methyltransferase polycomb-repressive complex 2 and histone demethylase lysine-specific demethylase 1. Parenthetically,HOTAIRelicits trans-acting sponging function against multiple micro-RNA species. Oncological research studies have confirmed the pathogenic functions ofHOTAIRin multiple cancer types, such as gliomas and proposed it as a pro-oncological lncRNA. In fact, its expression has been suggested to be a predictor of the severity/grade of gliomas, and as a prognostic biomarker. Moreover, a propound influence ofHOTAIRin other aspects of brain heath and disease states is just beginning to be unravelled. The objective of this review is to recapitulate all the relevant data pertaining to the regulatory roles ofHOTAIRin neuronal (patho)physiology. To this end, we discuss the pathogenic mechanisms ofHOTAIRin multiple neuronal diseases, such as neurodegeneration, traumatic brain injury and neuropsychiatric disorders. Finally, we also summarize the results from the studies incriminatingHOTAIRin the pathogeneses of gliomas and other brain cancers. Implications ofHOTAIRserving as a suitable therapeutic target in neuropathologies are also discussed.
Compression and acceleration processes of spherical shells in gold cones
Authors: Wei Huigang , Yuan Dawei , Wang Shaojun , Cui Ye , Yang Xiaohu , Ma Yanyun , Zhang Zhe , Yuan Xiaohui , Zhong Jiayong , Hua Neng , Li Yutong , Zhu Jianqiang , Zhao Gang , Zhang Jie
Published: April 2024

Double-cone ignition [Zhang et al., Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 378, 20200015 (2020)] was proposed recently as a novel path for direct-drive inertial confinement fusion using high-power lasers. In this scheme, plasma jets with both high density and high velocity are required for collisions. Here we report preliminary experimental results obtained at the Shenguang-II upgrade laser facility, employing a CHCl shell in a gold cone irradiated with a two-ramp laser pulse. The CHCl shell was pre-compressed by the first laser ramp to a density of 3.75 g/cm3 along the isentropic path. Subsequently, the target was further compressed and accelerated by the second laser ramp in the cone. According to the simulations, the plasma jet reached a density of up to 15 g/cm3, while measurements indicated a velocity of 126.8 ± 17.1 km/s. The good agreements between experimental data and simulations are documented.
Instability mechanisms initiating laminar–turbulent transition past bioprosthetic aortic valves
Authors: Bornemann Karoline-Marie , Obrist Dominik
Published: April 2024

Bioprosthetic heart valves create turbulent flow during early systole which might be detrimental to their durability and performance. Complex mechanisms in the unsteady and heterogeneous flow field complicate the isolation of specific instability mechanisms. We use linear stability analysis and numerical simulations of the flow in a simplified model to study mechanisms initiating the laminar–turbulent transition. The analysis of a modified Orr–Sommerfeld equation, which includes a model for fluid–structure interaction (FSI), indicates Kelvin–Helmholtz and FSI instabilities for a physiological Reynolds number regime. Two-dimensional parametrized FSI simulations confirm the growth rates and phase speeds of these instabilities. The eigenmodes associated with the observed leaflet kinematics allow for decoupled leaflet oscillations. A detailed analysis of the temporal evolution of the flow field shows that the starting vortex interacts with the aortic wall leading to a secondary vortex which moves towards the shear layer in the wake of the leaflets. This appears to be connected to the onset of the shear layer instabilities that are followed by the onset of leaflet motion leading to large-scale vortex shedding and eventually to a nonlinear breakdown of the flow. Numerical results further indicate that a narrower aorta leads to an earlier onset of the shear layer instabilities. They also suggest that the growing perturbations of the shear layer instability propagate upstream and may initiate the FSI instabilities on the valve leaflets.
Spectral proper orthogonal decomposition of harmonically forced turbulent flows
Authors: Heidt Liam , Colonius Tim
Published: April 2024

Many turbulent flows exhibit time-periodic statistics. These include turbomachinery flows, flows with external harmonic forcing and the wakes of bluff bodies. Many existing techniques for identifying turbulent coherent structures, however, assume the statistics are statistically stationary. In this paper, we leverage cyclostationary analysis, an extension of the statistically stationary framework to processes with periodically varying statistics, to generalize the spectral proper orthogonal decomposition (SPOD) to the cyclostationary case. The resulting properties of the cyclostationary SPOD (CS-SPOD for short) are explored, a theoretical connection between CS-SPOD and the harmonic resolvent analysis is provided, simplifications for the low and high forcing frequency limits are discussed, and an efficient algorithm to compute CS-SPOD with SPOD-like cost is presented. We illustrate the utility of CS-SPOD using two example problems: a modified complex linearized Ginzburg–Landau model and a high-Reynolds-number turbulent jet.
Dialectometry-based classification of the Central–Southern Italian dialects
Authors: Sciarretta Antonio
Published: April 2024

This paper provides a new classification of Central–Southern Italian dialects using dialectometric methods. All varieties considered are analyzed and cast in a data set where homogeneous areas are evaluated according to a selected list of phonetic features. Using numerical evaluation of these features and the Manhattan distance, a linguistic distance rule is defined. On this basis, the classification problem is formulated as a clustering problem, and a k-means algorithm is used. Additionally, an ad-hoc rule is set to identify transitional areas, and silhouette analysis is used to select the most appropriate number of clusters. While meaningful results are obtained for each number of clusters, a nine-group classification emerges as the most appropriate. As the results suggest, this classification is less subjective, more precise, and more comprehensive than traditional ones based on selected isoglosses.
Shabbat and Shattered Dreams: Religious Accommodations for Public Exams in South Korea
Authors: Nam Soojin , Park Juhyun
Published: April 2024

Today in South Korea, individuals of certain faiths are unable to take a wide range of state-administered qualifying examinations due to their religious convictions. The Constitutional Court of Korea has repeatedly refused their request for religious accommodations, such as an alternative test date for Sabbath or holy day observers who are unable to take exams on their original dates. The authors analyze the series of Constitutional Court decisions rejecting the need for such accommodation by focusing on the court’s use of its main analytical tool, the proportionality principle. These decisions reveal important shortcomings in the court’s application of the proportionality principle, including challenges inherent to proportionality and more specific deficiencies in the court’s application of the general principle. The article thus sheds light on how the proportionality principle is applied in the context of Korean constitutional jurisprudence and the resultant deprivation of protection for certain fundamental rights in Korea. The authors compare the court’s approach with that of courts in Spain, Switzerland, and the United States. They then propose a number of ways to improve the court’s proportionality analysis and its constitutional reasoning.