bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The dispersion of climate change impacts from viticulture in Ticino, Switzerland
Authors: Bardsley Douglas K. , Bardsley Annette M. , Conedera Marco
Published: March 2023

Climate change is having complex impacts on agriculture worldwide, including viticultural systems in mountainous areas such as the canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland. Here, socio-ecological qualitative research is used to examine how vignerons are experiencing and responding to climate change. Even in wealthy Switzerland, with highly developed technical capabilities and support services, the immediate climate change impacts are driving major changes across industry, community, and place. Some change is positive in the short term, such as increased rates of grape development. Negative changes are associated with more extreme droughts, storms, and wet periods, which are increasing disease and pest control requirements. Niche adaptation opportunities exist, but as vignerons adjust their behaviors, more complex socio-ecological impacts are emerging and impacting across landscapes. Professional vignerons are adjusting their phytosanitary management systems: increasing monitoring, optimizing their chemical use, and shifting the susceptible and labor-intensive Merlot variety onto the valley floors to reduce costs. Part-time vignerons are trying to adapt, but are voicing concerns about the difficulties of the new management demands. The result is that changes in climate threaten the established regional niche of high-quality Merlot production in association with terraced landscapes. As decision-makers aim to adapt to climate change, they will need to support local learning to manage the immediate risks to both Professional and Part-time vignerons, as well as the broader risks that are dispersing across society.
Who’s afraid of reverse mereological essentialism?
Authors: Oderberg David S.
Published: March 2023

Whereas Mereological Essentialism is the thesis that the parts of an object are essential to it, Reverse Mereological Essentialism is the thesis that the whole is essential to its parts. Specifically—since RME is an Aristotelian doctrine—it is a claim not about objects in general but about substances. Here I set out and explain RME as it should be understood from the perspective of the Aristotelian-Scholastic tradition, as well as proposing a kind of master argument for believing it. A number of objections (many of which have been raised by Kathrin Koslicki or Robert Koons) are then considered, the replies to which help further to clarify and motivate RME. The final section considers some important questions concerning parts and matter in light of Ross Inman’s recent defence of RME under the guise of what he calls Substantial Priority. Considering these questions further illustrates right and wrong ways of understanding RME. Overall, the case for Reverse Mereological Essentialism is strong albeit with a number of difficulties that need to be resolved through further investigation.
Relevance of body composition in phenotyping the obesities
Authors: Salmón-Gómez Laura , Catalán Victoria , Frühbeck Gema , Gómez-Ambrosi Javier
Published: March 2023

Obesity is the most extended metabolic alteration worldwide increasing the risk for the development of cardiometabolic alterations such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Body mass index (BMI) remains the most frequently used tool for classifying patients with obesity, but it does not accurately reflect body adiposity. In this document we review classical and new classification systems for phenotyping the obesities. Greater accuracy of and accessibility to body composition techniques at the same time as increased knowledge and use of cardiometabolic risk factors is leading to a more refined phenotyping of patients with obesity. It is time to incorporate these advances into routine clinical practice to better diagnose overweight and obesity, and to optimize the treatment of patients living with obesity.
A review of spatial characteristics influencing circular economy in the built environment
Authors: Zhang Ning , Gruhler Karin , Schiller Georg
Published: March 2023

Industrialization, population growth, and urbanization are all trends driving the explosive growth of the construction industry. Creating buildings to house people and operate industry, together with building infrastructure to provide public services, requires prodigious quantities of energy and materials. Most of these virgin materials are non-renewable, and resource shortages caused by the development of the built environment are becoming increasingly inevitable. The gradually evolved circular economy (CE) is considered a way to ease the depletion of resources by extending service life, increasing efficiency, and converting waste into resources. However, the circularity of construction materials shows heavy regional distinctness due to the difference in spatial contexts in the geographical sense, resulting in the same CE business models (CEBMs) not being adapted to all regions. To optimize resource loops and formulate effective CEBMs, it is essential to understand the relationship between space and CE in the built environment. This paper reviews existing publications to summarize the research trends, examine how spatial features are reflected in the circularity of materials, and identify connections between spatial and CE clues. We found that the majority of contributors in this interdisciplinary field are from countries with middle to high levels of urbanization. Further, the case analysis details the material dynamics in different spatial contexts and links space and material cycles. The results indicate that the spatial characteristics can indeed influence the circularity of materials through varying resource cycling patterns. By utilizing spatial information wisely can help design locally adapted CEBMs and maximize the value chain of construction materials.
The effect of shear-dependent flocculation on the multimodality of effective particle size distributions in a gravel-bed river during high flows
Authors: Maltauro R. , Stone M. , Collins A. L. , Krishnappan B. G. , Silins U.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Multimodal effective particle size distributions (EPSDs) develop as flocculation and particle breakage occur dynamically in a fluid shear and such distributions have been previously reported in coastal and estuarine waters to understand flocculation processes. Here, we use time varying multimodal EPSDs and hydraulic parameters (discharge and bed shear stress) to assess freshwater flocculation in a gravel-bed river in southern Alberta, Canada.

Methods

Instantaneous discharge, volume concentration (VC), and EPSD of suspended solids were measured during three high discharge events at four study sites in a 10 km reach of the Crowsnest River. The EPSD and VC of suspended solids (< 500 µm) were measured in the centroid of flow with a LISST-200x. Bed shear stress for measured discharge was obtained using a flow model, MOBED.

Results

Multimodal EPSDs consisted of primary particles, flocculi, microflocs, and macroflocs. Shear dependent flocculation was consistently observed for all sites and events, due to low and high shear stress flocculation, particle breakage, and mobilization of tributary sub-catchment derived particles. Higher shear stress limited flocculation to smaller floc sizes, while lower bed shear stress conditions created higher volumes of macroflocs.

Conclusion

Flocculation and particle breakage processes based on relationships between particle size and hydraulic properties presented herein have implications for advancing fine sediment transport models by a variable cohesion factor as a function of floc size class.
Reimagining Freire: beyond human relations
Authors: Jones Naya
Published: March 2023

By bridging critical pedagogy and environmental praxis, the contributions in this forum build on Freire’s legacy while stretching his work. As the authors attend to more-than-human life, they theorize and enact relational ways of knowing. Through participatory and multisensory pedagogies, they counter dichotomies between nonhuman and human nature, student and teacher. In this response, I consider how this (re)centering of more-than-human relations expands—and counters—Freire’s thinking, including how he articulates humanization as a primary, liberatory aim of teaching and (un)learning. Along with insights from Black geographies and Black feminist ecologies, bell hooks guides my response. hooks critiqued and engaged with Freire’s work with radical care, with space for complexity and accountability. This way of reading feels particularly suited to this forum, as the authors reimagine Freire’s contributions to critical (environmental) pedagogy for the twenty-first century and beyond.
Umgang mit subjektiv erlebten Coronarisiken: Sichtweisen junger chronisch kranker Erwachsener
Authors: Röhnsch Gundula , Flick Uwe
Published: March 2023

Hintergrund

Junge Erwachsene mit chronischen Erkrankungen gelten als Gruppe, die durch Corona gefährdet ist. Ob und wie die Betroffenen sich zu schützen versuchen, welche Risikowahrnehmungen sie verdeutlichen und wie der Lockdown erlebt wird, dazu mangelt es an Erkenntnissen primär im deutschen Sprachraum.

Ziele und Fragestellung

Im Beitrag wird analysiert, welches Coronaschutzverhalten junge chronisch kranke Erwachsene berichten, welche Risikowahrnehmungen sie aufweisen und wie sie den Lockdown erleben.

Material und Methoden

Mit n = 59 jungen Erwachsenen (häufig Studierende oder Auszubildende), die von Typ‑1-Diabetes (n = 16), Krebs (n = 18), chronisch-entzündlichen Darmerkrankungen (n = 21) oder von bestimmten seltenen, komplexen Erkrankungen (n = 4) betroffen sind, wurden episodische Interviews geführt. Die Datenauswertung erfolgt mittels thematischen Kodierens.

Ergebnisse

Wenige Befragte meinen, durch Corona kaum persönlich gefährdet zu sein, so dass auch Schutzmaßnahmen wie Impfungen sekundär sind. Die meisten Interviewten jedoch berücksichtigen Schutzmaßnahmen penibel. Sie können sich hierzu entweder verpflichtet fühlen, um z. B. andere vulnerable Personen zu schützen, oder sie erleben sich als sehr anfällig für schwere Coronainfektionen. Ungeachtet von erlebten Einschränkungen im Lockdown ist dieser für viele Interviewte auch mit neuen Möglichkeiten verbunden. Online-Formate erleichtern ihnen, Studium/Ausbildung trotz chronischer Erkrankung fortzusetzen und Kontakte mit Freund*innen zu halten.

Schlussfolgerung

Coronarisikowahrnehmungen und Schutzverhalten junger chronisch kranker Erwachsener sollten in ihrem subjektiven Sinn verstärkt in der Versorgung und Begleitung dieser Zielgruppen berücksichtigt werden. Hybride Lehre sollte über den Lockdown hinaus beibehalten werden, damit die jungen Erwachsenen trotz ihrer chronischen Erkrankung sozial teilhaben können und zugleich vor Corona- und weiteren Infektionen geschützt sind.
Italobdella bieleckii sp. n. (Hirudinea: Piscicolidae), a new leech species from the Danube in Slovakia
Authors: Cichocka Joanna M. , Košel Vladimír , Świątek Piotr , Hildebrand Joanna , Gajda Łukasz , Lecaplain Benoît , Nieoczym Marek , Bielecki Aleksander
Published: March 2023

Notwithstanding the genus Italobdella has been hypothesized to have doubtful taxonomic value, we decided to update its diagnosis by describing the new species – Italobdella bieleckii sp. n. The leeches were collected from the stony bottom along the shore of the Danube River in Slovakia. In the study, we implemented the model of leech body form and the set of external and internal morphological characters to present the similarity of the new species to the other fish leeches. As a result, we were able to construct the key for determining leeches belonging to the genus Italobdella hoping that the species could be found and determined by other researchers. This would enrich our knowledge about the actual distribution of these leeches and strengthen their systematic position in the genus.
Sevoflurane Preconditioning Alleviates Posttraumatic Stress Disorder—Induced Apoptosis in the Hippocampus via the EZH2-Regulated Akt/mTOR Axis and Improves Synaptic Plasticity
Authors: Gu Tingting , Xu Chang , Meng Xiaozhou , Gao Dapeng , Jiang Guanghao , Yin Anqi , Liu Qingzhen , Zhang Lidong
Published: March 2023

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a persistent and severe psychological and mental disorder resulting from experiences of serious trauma or stress and is suffered by many individuals. Previous studies have shown that pretreatment with sevoflurane is efficient in reducing the incidence of PTSD. However, we require a more comprehensive understanding of the specific mechanisms by which sevoflurane works. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) has been reported to be regulated by sevoflurane, and to improve patient cognition. In this study, we aimed to explore the mechanisms of sevoflurane and the role of EZH2 in PTSD cases. We explored the effects of sevoflurane and EPZ-6438 (inhibitor of EZH2) on rat behavior, followed by an investigation of EZH2 mRNA and protein expression. The effects of sevoflurane and EZH2 on neuronal survival were assessed by western blotting and TUNEL staining, while western blotting was used to examine the expression of PSD95 and the AKT/mTOR proteins. Sevoflurane preconditioning restored EZH2 expression and significantly inhibited apoptosis by regulating phosphorylation of the AKT/mTOR pathway. Synaptic plasticity was also significantly improved. These results suggest that pretreatment with sevoflurane could play an important role in PTSD prevention by regulating EZH2 expression.
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome and Association of AHI Scores with Sensorineural Hearing Loss: An Early Predictor
Authors: Kalathingal Nahas , Vijendra Shenoy S. , Kamath M. Panduranga , Sriperumbudur Susmita , Parvathareddy Navya , Mohan Kumar K. , Acharya Vishak
Published: March 2023

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is a condition that is characterised by frequent apnoea and hypopnoea attacks occurring during sleep. The blood supply to cochlea and acoustic nerves is from terminal arteries, thereby making them susceptible to hypoxia. To compare the audiological profiles in patients with OSAS according to Apnoea Hypopnoea index (AHI) score. Descriptive study was conducted in 32 patients diagnosed to have OSAS in a tertiary referral centre over two year period. The study group was divided into mild, moderate, severe OSAS based on AHI score. The hearing evaluation was done using pure tone audiogram (PTA) and distortion product otoacoustic emission test (DPOAE). Moderate and severe OSAS participants had elevated thresholds at higher frequencies in PTA (4 kHz, 8 kHz), although this was not statistically significant. We also noticed, absent DPOAE responses at higher frequencies (4 k, 6 k, 8 k), with increase in the severity of OSAS at higher frequency, which was statistically significant (p value < 0.05). This study revealed elevated hearing thresholds at higher frequencies (4 kHz, 8 kHz) in PTA and DPOEA with an increase in the severity of OSAS. All OSAS patients, especially with AHI > 30 should be regularly screened for hearing loss.
Migrant and Refugee Retention in Regional Australia at the Intersection of Structure and Agency
Authors: Boese Martina
Published: March 2023

This article examines the question of migrant and refugee retention in small and medium-sized towns referred to as ‘regional towns’ in Australia as a problem at the intersection of structure and agency in migration and settlement processes. Regional settlement pathways typically occur in the context of business interests in a reliable labour supply, government efforts of migration management and, importantly, migrants’ and refugees’ socially embedded life courses that are shaped by aspirations, opportunities and constraints. Rather than reducing the question of retention to one of migrant and refugee choice, this article explores the question whether people with migration backgrounds remain in regional locations through the conceptual lens of structuration and situated learning. Based on an analysis of key policies that have shaped regional migration and settlement in Australia and an analysis of qualitative interviews with migrants in different visa categories in regional Victoria, conducted over the last ten years, the article will explore three key factors influencing retention: migration policies, employment experiences in the context of settlement and migrants and refugees’ situated knowledge emerging from these experiences over time. In conclusion, I will argue that unpacking the policy quandary of migrant and refugee retention sociologically can contribute to advancing both an understanding of mobility and immobility as integral to migration processes and the development of sustainable regional migration policies.
Effects of wheat undersowing and sweet alyssum intercropping on aphid and flea beetle infestation in white cabbage in Germany and Japan
Authors: Köneke A. , Uesugi R. , Herz A. , Tabuchi K. , Yoshimura H. , Shimoda T. , Nagasaka K. , Böckmann E.
Published: March 2023

An undersowing system with additional intercropping of flowering plants was assessed in field trials in Germany and Japan to estimate regulating effects on pests and possible negative effects on white cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata). In particular, we tested cabbage undersown with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and cabbage undersown with wheat plus additional sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima L. Desv.) intercropping. Counts of the aphid species Brevicoryne brassicae (L.) and Myzus persicae (Sulzer), as well as related predators on cabbage plants, were determined. Abundance of Phyllotreta spp. flea beetles and their feeding damage on cabbage plants were recorded and cabbage yield was compared. In both countries, trials showed that wheat undersowing reduced the abundance of M. persicae but not B. brassicae. The occurrence of natural enemies on cabbage plants was not significantly affected by any of the companion plants. Additional sweet alyssum intercropping increased the abundance of adult hoverflies at the German but not at the Japanese location. However, it also significantly increased flea beetle infestation on cabbage plants at both locations. Neither wheat undersowing nor additional sweet alyssum intercropping significantly reduced cabbage harvest weight.

In conclusion, adding companion plants can be a promising method to improve pest control in vegetable crops. However, intercropping crucifer crops with sweet alyssum may not be recommended in regions where flea beetles are a relevant pest because of the observed enhancing effect on them. In contrast, to prove the positive effect of wheat undersowing on white cabbage, results from further years of investigation are needed.
Deformity angular ratio is associated with neuromonitoring changes without a vertebral column resection: spinal deformity is more influential than type of surgery
Authors: Illingworth Kenneth D. , Siddiqui Ali A. , Skaggs David L. , Andras Lindsay M.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the deformity angular ratio (DAR) on intra-operative neuromonitoring (IONM) signal changes during posterior spinal fusion (PSF) without vertebral column resection (VCR).

Methods

Retrospective review of severe pediatric spinal deformity patients treated with PSF without VCR or three-column osteotomy from 2008 to 2018. Exclusion criteria were prior instrumentation, lack of IONM, and incomplete radiographic data. Coronal DAR (C-DAR), sagittal DAR (S-DAR), and total DAR (T-DAR) were calculated and compared between patients with IONM signal loss and those without.

Results

Two hundred and fifty-three patients met inclusion criteria. Forty-seven of two hundred and fifty-three (19%) patients had IONM signal loss. Intra-operative wake-up test was performed in seven cases; three of seven (43%) had a neurological deficit on wake-up test. All neurological deficits resolved at a mean of 41 days postop. IONM loss was associated with increased kyphosis (p = 0.003) and was not associated with Cobb angle (p = 0.16). S-DAR (p = 0.03) and T-DAR (p = 0.005) were associated with IONM signal loss but C-DAR was not (p = 0.06). Increased incidence of IONM signal loss was seen with S-DAR > 7 (p = 0.02) or T-DAR > 27 (p = 0.02). Twenty-four of ninety-two (26%) patients with S-DAR > 7 had IONM signal loss compared to twenty-three of one hundred and sixty-one (14%) with S-DAR ≤ 7 (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1–4.0). Seven of sixteen (44%) patients with T-DAR > 27 had signal loss compared to forty of two hundred and thirty-seven (17%) patients with T-DAR ≤ 27 (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.3–10.9).

Conclusion

Patients with S-DAR > 7 or T-DAR > 27 have a higher risk of IONM loss during pediatric PSF even in the absence of a VCR or three-column osteotomies.

Level of evidence II.
Evaluating urban green and blue spaces with space-based multi-sensor datasets for sustainable development
Authors: Sunita  , Kumar Deepak , Shahnawaz  , Shekhar Sulochana
Published: March 2023

Urban green and blue spaces refer to the natural and semi-natural areas within a city or urban area. These spaces can include parks, gardens, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water. They play a vital role in the sustainability of cities by providing a range of ecosystem services such as air purification, carbon sequestration, water management, and biodiversity conservation. They also provide recreational and social benefits, such as promoting physical activity, mental well-being, and community cohesion. Urban green and blue spaces can also act as buffers against the negative impacts of urbanization, such as reducing the heat island effect and mitigating the effects of stormwater runoff. Therefore, it is important to maintain and enhance these spaces to ensure a healthy and sustainable urban environment. Assessing urban green and blue spaces with space-based multi-sensor datasets can be a valuable tool for sustainable development. These datasets can provide information on the location, size, and condition of green and blue spaces in urban areas, which can be used to inform decisions about land use, conservation, and urban planning. Space-based sensors, such as satellites, can provide high-resolution data that can be used to map and monitor changes in these spaces over time. Additionally, multi-sensor datasets can be used to gather information on a variety of environmental factors, such as air and water quality, that can impact the health and well-being of urban residents. This information can be used to develop sustainable solutions for preserving and enhancing urban green and blue spaces. This study examines how urban green and blue infrastructures might improve sustainable development. Space-based multi-sensor datasets are used to estimate urban green and blue zones for sustainable development. This work can inform sustainable development research at additional spatial and temporal scales.
Using the fuzzy integrals for the ensemble-based segmentation of asphalt cracks
Authors: Cyganov Gleb , Rychenkov Artem , Sinitca Aleksandr , Kaplun Dmitrii
Published: March 2023

Detection and measurement of cracks in asphalt pavement is one of the important tasks in transport industry to determine the quality of the pavement and submit repair requirements. In recent years, computer vision algorithms have been increasingly used to automate the solution of this problem. Therefore, researchers are faced with the acute issue of improving the accuracy of segmentation algorithms, since the safety of people depends on the timely detection of defects on the road. In this paper, ensemble methods based on Choquet and Sugeno fuzzy integrals are proposed to combine the scores of three pre-trained deep learning models: ResNet50, DenseNet169, and InceptionV3. We tested the proposed methods on a public dataset and compared the results with already-used popular ensemble methods.
Inference and Learning from Data
Authors: Sayed Ali H.
Published: March 2023

This extraordinary three-volume work, written in an engaging and rigorous style by a world authority in the field, provides an accessible, comprehensive introduction to the full spectrum of mathematical and statistical techniques underpinning contemporary methods in data-driven learning and inference. This second volume, Inference, builds on the foundational topics established in volume I to introduce students to techniques for inferring unknown variables and quantities, including Bayesian inference, Monte Carlo Markov Chain methods, maximum-likelihood estimation, hidden Markov models, Bayesian networks, and reinforcement learning. A consistent structure and pedagogy is employed throughout this volume to reinforce student understanding, with over 350 end-of-chapter problems (including solutions for instructors), 180 solved examples, almost 200 figures, datasets and downloadable Matlab code. Supported by sister volumes Foundations and Learning, and unique in its scale and depth, this textbook sequence is ideal for early-career researchers and graduate students across many courses in signal processing, machine learning, statistical analysis, data science and inference.
Rockefeller Money, the Laboratory and Medicine in Edinburgh 1919-1930
Authors: Lawrence Christopher
Published: March 2023

This book examines the Rockefeller Foundation's attempts to introduce the laboratory sciences, particularly biochemistry, into the Edinburgh medical world of the 1920s.
The Loss of the Wager
Authors: Bulkeley John , Byron John , Gurney Alan
Published: March 2023

The Loss of the Wager  is an eighteenth-century melodrama set in a ferociously inhospitable climate on one of the world's most remote and dangerous coastlines.
SG-APSIC1066: Costs and surgical-site infection outcomes using ChloraPrep versus aqueous povidone iodine after colorectal surgeries in Australian public hospitals
Authors: Tan Kristin Hui Xian , Ma Yan
Published: March 2023

Objectives: In Australia, the prevalence of SSI is 3.6%, with a particularly high burden in colorectal procedures of 8.7%. ChloraPrep (2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG)–70% isopropyl alcohol formulation) is a preoperative sterile alcoholic CHG solution prefilled in a ready-to-use applicator. We compared the costs and SSI outcomes of adopting ChloraPrep versus a bulk aqueous povidone iodine (PVI) solution for colorectal procedures in a public hospital setting. Methods: We used a budget-impact tool to evaluate the clinical and economic impacts of skin preparation methods. The PVI SSI rate was assumed to be the baseline rate observed in Australia (8.7%). The ChloraPrep SSI rate was derived by applying the demonstrated ChloraPrep SSI reduction versus PVI (41%) to the PVI SSI rate. The cost of ChloraPrep was AU$8 (US $5.50) and the cost of PVI solution was AU$3 (US $2). The PVI equipment cost AU$2.13 (US $1.47). Additional average length of stay was 9.4 days, and the daily average cost was AU$2,347 (US $1,618). The average skin preparation time was 3.5 minutes using ChloraPrep and 8.5 minutes using PVI. The hospital-acquired complication (HAC) penalty for SSI was calculated using the national efficient price (AU $5,797 or US $3,996), national weighted activity unit (4.6261), and adjustment rate for patient complexity levels (high, 4.8%; moderate, 5.9%; and low, 7.9%). Results: The model estimated SSI rates were 5.1% using ChloraPrep and 8.7% for PVI. For every 1,000 patients, skin preparation cost was estimated to be AU$8,100 (US $5.583) using ChloraPrep and AU$5,200 (US $3.585) using PVI. SSI treatment cost was estimated to be AU$449,900 (US $310,127) for ChloraPrep and AU$762,500 (US $525,610) for PVI. In addition, 330 bed days could be avoided and at least 80 operating room hours could be saved with 35 SSIs avoided. With 35 SSIs avoided, a potential reduction of AU$26,500 (US $18,267) in HAC penalty could be expected. This intervention could yield an overall cost savings of AU$336,300 (US $231,820). Conclusions: Using ChloraPrep for skin preparation prior to colorectal procedures could result in lower SSI rates and cost savings from treating fewer SSIs. Operational efficiency might also be improved.
Measures of maximal and full dimension for smooth maps
Authors: CHEN YURONG , LUO CHIYI , ZHAO YUN
Published: March 2023

For a
$C^1$
non-conformal repeller, this paper proves that there exists an ergodic measure of full Carathéodory singular dimension. For an average conformal hyperbolic set of a
$C^1$
diffeomorphism, this paper constructs a Borel probability measure (with support strictly inside the repeller) of full Hausdorff dimension. If the average conformal hyperbolic set is of a
$C^{1+\alpha }$
diffeomorphism, this paper shows that there exists an ergodic measure of maximal dimension.
Methods and tools to assess implementation of mental health policies and plans: A systematic review
Authors: Aliev Akmal Alikhan , Tomaskova Hana , Winkler Petr , Yon Yongjie , Kagstrom Anna , Guerrero Zoe , Lazeri Ledia , Reinap Marge , Redlich Cassie , Tijerino Inestroza Ana Maria , Maurer Jason
Published: March 2023

Mental health policies and plans (MHPPs) are important policy instruments and powerful tools to facilitate development of mental health systems and services across the world. We aimed to map and analyse methods and tools used to assess the extent, process and impact of implementing MHPPs. We systematically searched peer-reviewed and grey literature across seven scientific databases. We extracted and analysed the data on a) the characteristics of included studies (e.g., policy areas, region of origin, income setting) and b) the methodology and evaluation tools applied to assess the extent and process of implementation. We included 48 studies in the analyses. Twenty-six of these studies employed only qualitative methods (e.g., semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, desk review, stakeholder consultations); 12 studies used quantitative methods (e.g., trend analysis, survey) and 10 used mixed-methods approaches. Generally, methods and tools used for assessment were described poorly with less than half of the studies providing partial or full details about them. Only three studies provided assessment of full policies. There is a lack of rigorous research to assess implementation MHPPs. Assessments of the implementation of entire MHPPs are almost non-existent. Strategies to assess the implementation of MHPPs should be an integral part of MHPPs.
The Misogyny Paradox and the Alt-Right
Authors: Llanera Tracy
Published: March 2023

This essay offers a philosophical analysis of the misogyny women experience in the alternative right (alt-right) movement. I argue that this misogyny takes on a paradoxical form: the better alt-right women propagandists promote hate, the greater the hostility they experience from their fellow racists and critics; the more submissive women alt-right members become, the harsher the impact of misogyny on them. I develop this argument in four parts. Part I explores the self-conception of racist white women using the concept of social imaginaries. Part II describes three dominant images in racist propaganda—the goddess/victim, wife and mother, and the female activist—which inform the more popular images of the white power Barbie and the tradwife in the alt-right. Part III explores the misogyny paradox and presents how alt-right women could be seen as both misogynists and victims of misogyny. Part IV reflects on the absurdity of the alt-right's dependence on women's economic labor, a feature that could make the movement vulnerable to political intervention.
Clostridioides difficile dynamic electronic order panel, an effective automated intervention to reduce inappropriate inpatient ordering
Authors: Ziegler Matthew J. , Flores Emilia J. , Epps Mika , Hopkins Kathleen , Glaser Laurel , Mull Nikhil K. , Pegues David A.
Published: March 2023

Background:

Ordering Clostridioides difficile diagnostics without appropriate clinical indications can result in inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and misdiagnosis of hospital onset C. difficile infection. Manual processes such as provider review of order appropriateness may detract from other infection control or antibiotic stewardship activities.

Methods:

We developed an evidence-based clinical algorithm that defined appropriateness criteria for testing for C. difficile infection. We then implemented an electronic medical record–based order-entry tool that utilized discrete branches within the clinical algorithm including history of prior C. difficile test results, laxative or stool-softener administration, and documentation of unformed bowel movements. Testing guidance was then dynamically displayed with supporting patient data. We compared the rate of completed C. difficile tests after implementation of this intervention at 5 hospitals to a historic baseline in which a best-practice advisory was used.

Results:

Using mixed-effects Poisson regression, we found that the intervention was associated with a reduction in the incidence rate of both C. difficile ordering (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63–0.88; P = .001) and C. difficile–positive tests (IRR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.76–0.91; P < .001). On segmented regression analysis, we identified a sustained reduction in orders over time among academic hospitals and a new reduction in orders over time among community hospitals.

Conclusions:

An evidence-based dynamic order panel, integrated within the electronic medical record, was associated with a reduction in both C. difficile ordering and positive tests in comparison to a best practice advisory, although the impact varied between academic and community facilities.
Two-way coupled long-wave isentropic ocean-atmosphere dynamics
Authors: Winn S.D. , Sarmiento A.F. , Alferez N. , Touber E.
Published: March 2023

The events following the 15 January 2022 explosions of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano highlighted the need for a better understanding of ocean-atmosphere interactions when large amounts of energy are locally injected into one (or both). Starting from the compressible Euler equations, a two-way coupled (TWC) system is derived governing the long-wave behaviour of the ocean and atmosphere under isentropic constraint. Bathymetry and topography are accounted for along with three-dimensional atmospheric non-uniformities through their depth average over a spherical shell. A linear analysis, yielding two pairs of gravito-acoustic waves, offers explanations for phenomena observed during the Tonga event. A continuous transcritical regime (in terms of water depth) is identified as the source of large wave generation in deep water bodies, removing the singularity-driven Proudman-type resonance observed in one-way coupled models. The refractive properties, governing the interaction of the atmospheric wave with step changes in water depth, are derived to comment on mode-to-mode energy transfer. Two-dimensional global simulations modelling the propagation of the atmospheric wave (under realistic conditions on the day) and its worldwide effect on oceans are presented. Local maxima of water-height disturbance in the farfield from the volcano, linked to the atmospheric wave deformation (in agreement with observations), are identified, emphasising the importance of the TWC model for any daylong predictions. The proposed framework can be extended to include additional layers and physics, e.g. ocean and atmosphere stratification. With the aim of contributing to warning system improvement, the code necessary to simulate the event with the proposed model is made available.
The Transition to Free Labour in Puerto Rico: Class, Race and Politics in a Nineteenth-Century Colony
Authors: Ayala Diego C.
Published: March 2023

This article analyses the abolition of slavery and the transition to free labour in late nineteenth-century Puerto Rico, seeking to understand the terms and timing of Puerto Rican abolition and the nature of society in its wake. Especially important in Puerto Rico, it argues, was the intertwined nature of slavery and other forms of forced labour as well as the predominance of foreign merchants and planters in the island's economy, which created multi-class alliances between working-class Puerto Ricans and creole elites. These class dynamics interacted with events in the metropole to influence the terms of labour on the island.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022: Can we still cooperate with Russia in the Arctic?
Authors: Koivurova Timo , Shibata Akiho
Published: March 2023

Russia’s war against Ukraine in February 2022 was the end of the Arctic cooperation between states and others as we knew it, despite the fact that Russia’s illegal actions are not occurring in the Arctic region. Russia’s attack on Ukraine caused pronounced security fears and responses, particularly from the European and North American countries, including the other Arctic states. This naturally affected Arctic cooperation because it is precisely in the Arctic region that Russia is such a vastly central actor. For example, the region’s pre-eminent inter-governmental forum, the Arctic Council, is struggling to continue its activities in full, as the seven western Arctic states paused participating in meetings held in and activities involving Russia. On the other hand, the first in-person meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) under the Central Arctic Ocean (CAO) fisheries agreement in late November 2022 successfully adopted its COP Rules of Procedure by consensus, including Russia. The purpose of this article is to investigate how adversely Arctic international cooperation in inter-governmental forums and treaties has suffered due to the Ukraine war, utilising a qualitative research methodology to collect internal and sensitive information from key informants. In particular, the article aims to find an answer to the following question: In which types of Arctic inter-governmental structures have the states been able to continue the cooperation and for what reasons? The hypothesis that will be tested in this article is whether treaty-based cooperation has fared better than cooperation founded on soft law. This article will flesh out the current state of Arctic cooperative frameworks and actual cooperative activities under them, analysing three soft law-based cooperative frameworks, including the Arctic Council and several treaty-based cooperative frameworks, such as the CAO fisheries agreement and Arctic Science Cooperation Agreement. This article is based on the facts as of 22 February 2023.
The Oxford Positive Self Scale: psychometric development of an assessment of cognitions associated with psychological well-being
Authors: Freeman Daniel , Rosebrock Laina , Loe Bao S. , Saidel Simone , Freeman Jason , Waite Felicity
Published: March 2023

Background

Developing, elaborating, and consolidating positive views of the self is a plausible route to increased psychological well-being. We set out to provide an assessment of positive self-beliefs that could be used in research and clinical practice.

Methods

A non-probability online survey was conducted with 2500 UK adults, quota sampled to match the population for age, gender, ethnicity, income, and region. Exploratory factor analysis of a 94-item pool – generated with guidance from people with lived experience of mental health difficulties – was conducted to develop the Oxford Positive Self Scale (OxPos). The item pool was further reduced using regularised structural equation modelling (SEM) before confirmatory factor analysis. Optimal cut-off scores were developed using receiver operating characteristic curves. Additional validations were carried out with two further general population cohorts (n = 1399; n = 1693).

Results

A 24-item scale was developed with an excellent model fit [robust χ2 = 995.676; df = 246; CFI = 0.956; TLI = 0.951; RMSEA = 0.049 (0.047, 0.052); SRMR = 0.031]. The scale comprises four factors: mastery; strength; enjoyment; and character. SEM indicated that the scale explains 68.6% of variance in psychological well-being. The OxPos score was negatively correlated with depression (r = −0.49), anxious avoidance (r = −0.34), paranoia (r = −0.23), hallucinations (r = −0.20), and negative self-beliefs (r = −0.50), and positively correlated with psychological well-being (r = 0.79), self-esteem (r = 0.67), and positive social comparison (r = 0.72). Internal reliability and test–retest reliability were excellent. Cut-offs by age and gender were generated. A short-form was developed, explaining 96% of the full-scale variance.

Conclusions

The new open access scale provides a psychometrically robust assessment of positive cognitions that are strongly connected to psychological well-being.
Dobbs, the Intrusive State, and the Future of Solidarity
Authors: Coughlin Christine Nero , King Nancy M. P.
Published: March 2023

The intrusive state has long viewed women as fetal containers. TheDobbsdecision goes further, essentially causing women to vanish when fetuses are abstracted from their relationships to pregnant persons. The ways in which women are first controlled and then made invisible are clearly connected with the move from obedience to omission that has historically affected black Americans. When personal decisionmaking and participation in democracy are regarded as threats, those threatened restrict decisional freedom and political power, deepening structural injustices relating to sex, race, and poverty. Fear ofDobbshas health effects on conditions unrelated to pregnancy and connects with erasures of human value that are not health-related. We reaffirm solidarity as a countering influence. Taking account of the richly relational context in which issues like abortion and political representation arise should lead to better, more meaningful policies, making so many people impossible to unsee.
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictive and prognostic marker in children with dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Ahmed Mai , El Amrousy Doaa , Hodeib Hossam , Elnemr Shimaa
Published: March 2023

Objectives:

We aimed to evaluate neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in children with acute heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy, to assess the predictive and prognostic values of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and to correlate its levels with brain natriuretic peptide and other various data in these patients.

Method:

We included 50 children with acute heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy as the patient group. Fifty healthy children of matched age and sex served as the control group. Patients were evaluated clinically and by echocardiography. A complete blood count with differentiation to evaluate neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was done, and the serum level of brain natriuretic peptide was also measured. All patients were followed up for death or readmission for a period of one year.

Results:

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher in patient group as compared to the control group. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was significantly increased in patients with higher severity of heart failure. There was a significant increase in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with bad prognoses compared to those with good prognoses. There was a significant positive correlation between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and both brain natriuretic peptide and clinical stage of heart failure while there was a significant negative correlation between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and left ventricular systolic function. The best cut-off of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio to predict adverse outcomes in children with dilated cardiomyopathy was >3.6 with 87% sensitivity and 79% specificity. The cut-off of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio to predict patients who will not respond to conventional treatment was ≥3.85 with 85% sensitivity and 100% specificity.

Conclusion:

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is a cheap good predictive and prognostic biomarker in children with dilated cardiomyopathy.
UK household-sector money demand and Divisia monetary aggregates in the new millennium
Authors: Fleissig Adrian R. , Jones Barry E.
Published: March 2023

We estimate elasticities of substitution between components of the Bank of England’s household-sector UK Divisia monetary aggregate using quarterly data from 1999 to 2019, encompassing the period surrounding the global financial crisis. The demand system includes interest-bearing sight and time deposits at monetary financial institutions as components, since deposit data for banks (excluding mutuals) and for mutuals are no longer published separately. We find that the elasticities of substitution that relate to changes in the user cost of noninterest-bearing monetary assets imply inelastic substitution over all or almost all of the sample and, consequently, a conventional monetary aggregate would be a highly misleading economic indicator relative to a Divisia monetary aggregate.
MULTIPLICATION TABLES AND WORD-HYPERBOLICITY IN FREE PRODUCTS OF SEMIGROUPS, MONOIDS AND GROUPS
Authors: NYBERG-BRODDA CARL-FREDRIK
Published: March 2023

This article studies the properties of word-hyperbolic semigroups and monoids, that is, those having context-free multiplication tables with respect to a regular combing, as defined by Duncan and Gilman [‘Word hyperbolic semigroups’,Math. Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc.136(3) (2004), 513–524]. In particular, the preservation of word-hyperbolicity under taking free products is considered. Under mild conditions on the semigroups involved, satisfied, for example, by monoids or regular semigroups, we prove that the semigroup free product of two word-hyperbolic semigroups is again word-hyperbolic. Analogously, with a mild condition on the uniqueness of representation for the identity element, satisfied, for example, by groups, we prove that the monoid free product of two word-hyperbolic monoids is word-hyperbolic. The methods are language-theoretically general, and apply equally well to semigroups, monoids or groups with a$\mathbf {C}$-multiplication table, where$\mathbf {C}$is any reversal-closed super-$\operatorname {\mathrm {AFL}}$. In particular, we deduce that the free product of two groups with$\mathbf {ET0L}$with respect to indexed multiplication tables again has an$\mathbf {ET0L}$with respect to an indexed multiplication table.
How African Autocracies Instrumentalize Women Leaders
Authors: Tripp Aili Mari
Published: March 2023

Although democratic countries historically have had stronger outcomes in advancing gender equality than other regime types, many authoritarian regimes in Africa have proved rather adept at adopting women’s rights provisions, making extensive constitutional and legislative reforms, and promoting women as leaders. These outcomes are particularly evident when it comes to women’s political representation, where one finds little difference between authoritarian and democratic regimes in Africa. This essay explores how authoritarian regimes in Africa came to promote women leaders and how the instrumentalization of women leaders served to enhance the longevity of their rule.
COVID statt Kita
Authors: Holler Alicia , Maldei-Gohring Tobias , Reiß Franziska , Opdensteinen Kim D. , Kaman Anne , Ravens-Sieberer Ulrike , Hechler Tanja
Published: March 2023

Zusammenfassung: Theoretischer Hintergrund: Die COVID-19 Pandemie führte im Frühjahr 2020 bei Vorschulkindern in Deutschland zu einer Zunahme von Verhaltensauffälligkeiten. Fragestellung: Ziel der vorliegenden Studie ist es, die anhaltenden Auswirkungen der Pandemie auf die psychische Gesundheit von Vorschulkindern zu untersuchen und potentielle Einflussfaktoren zu identifizieren. Methode: In zwei unabhängigen Online-Erhebungen im März und November 2021 befragten wir die Eltern von N = 331 Vorschulkindern in Rheinland-Pfalz hinsichtlich der Verhaltensauffälligkeiten ihrer Kinder. Die Ergebnisse verglichen wir mit Daten einer bevölkerungsbezogenen Stichprobe aus der Zeit vor der Pandemie. Mithilfe von logistischen Regressionen untersuchten wir potenzielle Einflussfaktoren auf die psychische Gesundheit. Ergebnis: Im Verlauf der Pandemie zeigte sich ein erhöhtes Ausmaß an Verhaltensauffälligkeiten bei Vorschulkindern. Als potenzielle Einflussfaktoren identifizierten wir die psychische Belastung und emotionale Kompetenz der Eltern, sowie die Emotionsregulation der Kinder als möglichen Schutzfaktor. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Befunde verdeutlichen die Notwendigkeit von Präventionsprogrammen mit Fokus auf die sozio-emotionale Kompetenzen von Vorschulkindern und ihren Eltern.