bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with long-term benzodiazepine and Z-drug use across the lifespan and 5-year temporal trajectories among incident users: a Swedish nationwide register-based study
Authors: Isomura Kayoko , Wang Xinchen , Chang Zheng , Hellner Clara , Hasselström Jan , Ekheden Isabella , Jayaram-Lindström Nitya , Lichtenstein Paul , D’Onofrio Brian M. , Mataix-Cols David , Sidorchuk Anna
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Despite being discouraged by guidelines, long-term use of benzodiazepines and related Z-drugs (BZDR) remains frequent in the real-world. An improved understanding of factors associated with the transition from new to long-term BZDR use and of temporal BZDR use trajectories is needed. We aimed to assess the proportion of long-term BZDR use (> 6 months) in incident BZDR-recipients across the lifespan; identify 5-year BZDR use trajectories; and explore individual characteristics (demographic, socioeconomic and clinical) and prescribing-related factors (pharmacological properties of the initial BZDR, prescriber’s healthcare level, and concurrent dispensing of other medications) associated with long-term BZDR use and distinct trajectories.

Methods

Our nationwide register-based cohort included all BZDR-recipients in Sweden with first dispensation in 2007–2013. Trajectories of BZDR use days per year were built using group-based trajectory modelling. Cox regression and multinomial logistic regression were fitted to assess the predictors of long-term BZDR use and trajectories’ membership.

Results

In 930,465 incident BZDR-recipients, long-term use increased with age (20.7%, 41.0%, and 57.4% in 0–17, 18–64, and ≥ 65-year-olds, respectively). Four BZDR use trajectories emerged, labelled ‘discontinued’, ‘decreasing’, ‘slow decreasing’ and ‘maintained’. The proportion of the ‘discontinued’ trajectory members was the largest in all ages, but reduced from 75.0% in the youths to 39.3% in the elderly, whereas the ‘maintained’ increased with age from 4.6% to 36.7%. Prescribing-related factors, in particular multiple BZDRs at initiation and concurrent dispensing of other medications, were associated with increased risks of long-term (vs short-term) BZDR use and developing other trajectories (vs ‘discontinued’) in all age groups.

Conclusions

The findings highlight the importance of raising awareness and providing support to prescribers to make evidence-based decisions on initiating and monitoring BZDR treatment across the lifespan.
Impact of left atrial appendage occlusion device position on potential determinants of device-related thrombus: a patient-specific in silico study
Authors: Zhong Zhaoyang , Gao Yiting , Kovács Soma , Vij Vivian , Nelles Dominik , Spano Lukas , Nickenig Georg , Sonntag Simon , De Backer Ole , Søndergaard Lars , Sedaghat Alexander , Mela Petra
Published: June 2023

Background

Device-related thrombus (DRT) after left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is potentially linked to adverse events. Although clinical reports suggest an effect of the device type and position on the DRT risk, in-depth studies of its mechanistic basis are needed. This in silico study aimed to assess the impact of the position of non-pacifier (Watchman) and pacifier (Amulet) LAAO devices on surrogate markers of DRT risk.

Methods

The LAAO devices were modeled with precise geometry and virtually implanted in different positions into a patient-specific left atrium. Using computational fluid dynamics, the following values were quantified: residual blood, wall shear stress (WSS) and endothelial cell activation potential (ECAP).

Results

In comparison to an ostium-fitted device position, deep implantation led to more residual blood, lower average WSS and higher ECAP surrounding the device, especially on the device’s atrial surface and the surrounding tissue, suggesting increased risk for potential thrombus. For the non-pacifier device, an off-axis device orientation resulted in even more residual blood, higher ECAP and similar average WSS as compared to an ostium-fitted device position. Overall, the pacifier device showed less residual blood, higher average WSS and lower ECAP, compared to the non-pacifier device.

Conclusions

In this in silico study, both LAAO device type and implant position showed an impact on potential markers of DRT in terms of blood stasis, platelet adhesion and endothelial dysfunction. Our results present a mechanistic basis for clinically observed risk factors of DRT and the proposed in silico model may aid in the optimization of device development and procedural aspects.

Graphical abstract
Gallic acid derivatives as stabilizers in cellulose solutions: analysis by 31P NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Zieher Johanna , Melikhov Ivan , Bacher Markus , Hettegger Hubert , Potthast Antje , Rosenau Thomas
Published: June 2023

Lyocell dopes for cellulosic fiber manufacture, i.e., cellulose solutions in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide monohydrate, are commonly stabilized by propyl gallate, or alternatively by recently proposed gallic acid amide derivatives. In this study, the analysis of the stabilizer and its major degradation products, ellagic acid and ellagoquinone, is investigated. The stabilizer-derived compounds are readily extracted from the dopes with polar aprotic solvents without solvent or cellulose interference. This is followed by the derivatization of the OH groups with a phosphitylation agent and subsequent 31P NMR analysis—an approach frequently used to differentiate and quantify OH groups in lignins. The chemical shifts of the resulting phosphites are reported and structures of the stabilizer derivatives are discussed. The 31P NMR approach offers a straightforward way to analyze the stabilizer chemistry in the Lyocell process.

Graphical abstract
Extremely primitive groups and linear spaces
Authors: Lee Melissa , Verret Gabriel
Published: June 2023

A finite non-regular primitive permutation group G is extremely primitive if a point stabiliser acts primitively on each of its nontrivial orbits. Such groups have been studied for almost a century, finding various applications. The classification of extremely primitive groups was recently completed by Burness and Lee, who relied on an earlier classification of soluble extremely primitive groups by Mann, Praeger and Seress. Unfortunately, there is an inaccuracy in the latter classification. We correct this mistake, and also investigate regular linear spaces which admit groups of automorphisms that are extremely primitive on points.
Effect of construal level on the drivers of online-review-helpfulness
Authors: Chatterjee Swagato
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of purchase context on the relative importance of the drivers of online review helpfulness and also to explore the psychological process behind it. This will help the review management team of online retailers to create a better review ranking system that considers purchase context. Based on the theory of helpful behavior, we propose that review-helpfulness is driven by review characteristics such as review diagnosticity and vicarious expression in the review, and reviewer characteristics such as reviewer-trustworthiness. Moreover, following construal level theory, we explain the relative importance of the review and reviewer characteristics. Using four experimental studies, we find that, at low construal, review characteristics have higher relative importance than high construal, while reviewer characteristics have lower relative importance. The current study contributes to the literature on online review-helpfulness and the application of construal level theory in consumer behavior. The study proposes a unique method of ranking the reviews based on consumers’ purchase context and predicted psychological state while displaying them on the platforms. This is the first paper that explores the impact of construal level on review and reviewer characteristics on review-helpfulness.
Biological Purposes Beyond Natural Selection: Self-Regulation as a Source of Teleology1
Authors: González de Prado Javier , Saborido Cristian
Published: June 2023

Selected-effects theories provide the most popular account of biological teleology. According to these theories, the purpose of a trait is to do whatever it was selected for. The vast majority of selected-effects theories consider biological teleology to be introduced by natural selection. We want to argue, however, that natural selection is not the only relevant selective process in biology. In particular, our proposal is that biological regulation is a form of biological selection. So, those who accept selected-effects theories should recognize biological regulation as a distinctive source of biological teleology. The purposes derived from biological regulation are of special interest for explaining and predicting the behavior of organisms, given that regulatory mechanisms directly modulate the behavior of the systems they regulate. This explanatory power, added to the fact that regulation is widespread in the biological world, makes the idea that regulation gives rise to its own form of teleology a substantial contribution to the debate on biological teleology.
Am I Socially Related to Myself?
Authors: Bengtson Andreas
Published: June 2023

According to relational egalitarianism, justice requires equal relations. The theory applies to those who stand in the relevant social relations. In this paper, I distinguish four different accounts of what it means to be socially related and argue that in all of them, self-relations—how a person relates to themselves—fall within the scope of relational egalitarianism. I also point to how this constrains what a person is allowed to do to themselves.
Multi-adaptive spatial discretization of bond-based peridynamics
Authors: Ongaro Greta , Shojaei Arman , Mossaiby Farshid , Hermann Alexander , Cyron Christian J. , Trovalusci Patrizia
Published: June 2023

Peridynamic (PD) models are commonly implemented by exploiting a particle-based method referred to as standard scheme. Compared to numerical methods based on classical theories (e.g., the finite element method), PD models using the meshfree standard scheme are typically computationally more expensive mainly for two reasons. First, the nonlocal nature of PD requires advanced quadrature schemes. Second, non-uniform discretizations of the standard scheme are inaccurate and thus typically avoided. Hence, very fine uniform discretizations are applied in the whole domain even in cases where a fine resolution is per se required only in a small part of it (e.g., close to discontinuities and interfaces). In the present study, a new framework is devised to enhance the computational performance of PD models substantially. It applies the standard scheme only to localized regions where discontinuities and interfaces emerge, and a less demanding quadrature scheme to the rest of the domain. Moreover, it uses a multi-grid approach with a fine grid spacing only in critical regions. Because these regions are identified dynamically over time, our framework is referred to as multi-adaptive. The performance of the proposed approach is examined by means of two real-world problems, the Kalthoff–Winkler experiment and the bio-degradation of a magnesium-based bone implant screw. It is demonstrated that our novel framework can vastly reduce the computational cost (for given accuracy requirements) compared to a simple application of the standard scheme.
Can protected areas and habitats preserve the vulnerable predatory bush cricket Saga pedo?
Authors: Ancillotto Leonardo , Labadessa Rocco
Published: June 2023

Inconspicuous species challenge conservationists when it comes to delineate long-term conservation planning or assess their status, particularly when their actual distribution is poorly known. Invertebrates in particular feature among the less represented taxa in conservation assessments. Here we follow a multidisciplinary approach for assessing the conservation coverage and address future management of the threatened orthopteran Saga pedo across Europe, shedding light on its ecological preferences and associations with protected habitats at continental and regional scales. When assessing coverage by Natura2000 and Nationally Protected Areas, we found that ca. 30% of the known populations of the species are currently not protected across Europe. However, this value is likely to be an underestimate as our species distribution models showed that ca. 70% of the potential range is not protected. At regional scale, we disclose that the species is more likely to occur in legally protected dry grassland habitat types than in non-protected grassland, yet not all protected habitats seem to represent an effective tool for the species’ conservation.

Implications for insect conservation

Taken together, our results provide an effective framework for addressing knowledge gaps and evaluate the conservation coverage not only of our target species, but more in general of poorly investigated species, at the same time pointing at the urgent need of transnational, coordinated, and increased efforts in monitoring and conserving insects, particularly in the case of threatened species.
Effect of flux activator in reflow process related flux residue on the climatic reliability of surface-mount electronic devices
Authors: Li Feng , Lakkaraju Anish Rao , Jellesen Morten Stendahl , Ambat Rajan
Published: June 2023

This paper investigated the effect of flux activator used in reflow flux formulation on the electrochemical reliability of electronic devices. The focuses were placed on the perspective of surface insulation resistance (SIR), cleanliness, and its morphology transformation and redistribution behavior of flux residue under climatic exposure. Standardized accelerated climatic test on SIR comb-structure pattern was performed to benchmark the humidity interaction of the tested flux formulations used in solder paste. The influence of stand-off height for the surface-mount component on the humidity robustness was analyzed using an in-house designed dummy test rig and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy and conductivity measurement was used to understand the hydrolytic degradation of the flux residue and the release of the conductive ionic residues during climatic exposure. Results indicate the spreading area and the hydrolytic degradation behavior of the flux residue were influenced by the type of flux activators used in flux formulation. The climatic reliability was influenced by the combined effect of the aggressiveness of flux activator and the spreading of the flux residue. However, result also shows that the climatic reliability of the surface-mount device can be improved by increasing the stand-off height of the components together with selected flux formulation.
The Efficacy of Psychosocial Interventions in Minimising the Harm Caused to Affected Others of Problem Gambling: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Vassallo Matthew , DeGiovanni Katya , Montgomery Paul
Published: June 2023

Problem gambling not only impacts gamblers but also protrudes onto several affected others who experience adverse impacts, including financial, health, relationships, and psychological problems. The aims of this systematic review were twofold; to identify the psychosocial interventions to minimise the harm caused to affected others of problem gambling and to assess their efficacy. This study was conducted as outlined in the research protocol PROSPERO (CRD42021239138). Database searches were conducted in CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Social Science Database, CINHAL Complete, Academic Search Ultimate and PsycINFO. Randomised controlled trials of psychosocial interventions that aimed to minimise the harm caused to affected others of problem gambling written in English were eligible for inclusion. Risk of bias for included studies was assessed using the Cochrane ROB 2.0 tool. The identified interventions focused on two approaches to supporting affected others: interventions involving both the problem gambler and affected others, and interventions involving affected others only. As the interventions and outcome measures used were sufficiently similar, a meta-analysis was conducted. The quantitative synthesis revealed that generally, treatment groups were unable to show greater benefits over control groups. The goal for future interventions aimed at affected others of problem gambling should focus primarily on the wellbeing of affected others. The standardisation of outcome measures and data collection time points for better comparison of future research is needed.
Time to Smile: How Onset Asynchronies Between Reciprocal Facial Expressions Influence the Experience of Responsiveness of a Virtual Agent
Authors: Kroczek Leon O. H. , Mühlberger Andreas
Published: June 2023

Human social interactions are highly coordinated in time and involve the reciprocal exchange of facial emotional expressions. While timing has been identified as an important factor in social communication via gaze or speech, so far there has been no systematic investigation on how the temporal delays in the exchange of facial emotional expressions between interactive partners influence the experience of responsiveness. In the present study, 40 participants were cued to direct a facial emotional expression (angry or happy) towards a virtual agent in front of them and the virtual agent would then react with a congruent facial expression. The temporal delay between the cue and the reaction was manipulated as an independent variable. Exact delays between facial expressions were determined based on the onset latencies of participants’ facial expressions measured via facial EMG (M. Zygomaticus and M. Corrugator). Ratings of experienced responsiveness of the virtual agent were collected as a dependent measure. Using a linear mixed effect model in a growth curve analysis revealed that experienced responsiveness peaked at delays around 700 ms. Moreover, experienced responsiveness at shorter temporal delays was higher when happy versus angry facial expressions were exchanged, while the reversed pattern was found at longer delays. Our results demonstrate a crucial role of timing in non-verbal communication, suggesting that temporal relations between facial expressions are processed as social information. Furthermore, our results can inform the implementation of virtual social interactions.
Development of polyimide aerogel stock shapes through polyimide aerogel particles
Authors: Dayarian Shima , Yang Liu , Majedi Far Hojat
Published: June 2023

Polyimide aerogels have excellent thermal and mechanical properties, resulting in various applications, especially in insulation areas. However, the conventional methods for directly producing aerogel blocks can be time-consuming and expensive due to the long-term solvent exchange and drying. This study developed two alternative techniques, adding dimethyl sulfoxide solvent and epoxy into the polyimide aerogel particles and consolidating them to obtain PI aerogel blocks or stock shapes. This approach reduced the cycle time of the process by nearly 60% compared to the directly obtained stock shapes. Samples with epoxy look promising in appearance and mechanical properties compared to the stock shapes made directly. The compression test shows that adding epoxy improves the mechanical property and compressive strength at 10% strain by 18%. In the same context, the samples made using dimethyl sulfoxide as a solvent exhibit higher thermal stability and porosity when compared to directly made stock shapes. These techniques provide a range of good thermal and mechanical properties for polyimide aerogel stock shapes prepared from the particles.
“Won’t you?” reverse-polarity question tags in American English as a window into the semantics-pragmatics interface
Authors: Scheffler Tatjana , Malamud Sophia A.
Published: June 2023

We model the conventional meaning of utterances that combine two distinct clause types: a (positive) declarative or imperative (in rare cases, interrogative) anchor and a (negative) interrogative tag, such as won’t you?. We argue that such utterances express a single speech act, and in fact, a single conventional update of the conversational scoreboard. The proposed model of this effect is a straightforward extension of prior proposals for the semantics of declaratives, imperatives, and preposed-negation interrogatives. Ours is the first unified account of these phenomena that addresses the sentential force of these utterances and outlines how the speech act effects arise from the scoreboard update and contextual factors. We enrich the conversational scoreboard, interpreted as a model of sentential force, to include graded commitments and non-at-issue meanings. A consequence of our model is that modified utterances can create “blended” speech acts which share some, but not all, properties with the unmodified utterances. The proposal has implications for models of other utterance modifiers, as well as for negative interrogatives and negation in general, and for imperative/jussive constructions.
On Properties and Applications of Gaussian Subordinated Lévy Fields
Authors: Merkle Robin , Barth Andrea
Published: June 2023

We consider Gaussian subordinated Lévy fields (GSLFs) that arise by subordinating Lévy processes with positive transformations of Gaussian random fields on some spatial domain. The resulting random fields are distributionally flexible and have in general discontinuous sample paths. Theoretical investigations of the random fields include pointwise distributions, possible approximations and their covariance function. As an application, a random elliptic PDE is considered, where the constructed random fields occur in the diffusion coefficient. Further, we present various numerical examples to illustrate our theoretical findings.
Towards a concept of embodied autonomy: In what ways can a patient’s body contribute to the autonomy of medical decisions?
Authors: Lewis Jonathan , Holm Søren
Published: June 2023

“Bodily autonomy” has received significant attention in bioethics, medical ethics, and medical law in terms of the general inviolability of a patient’s bodily sovereignty and the rights of patients to make choices (e.g., reproductive choices) that concern their own body. However, the role of the body in terms of how it can or does contribute to a patient’s capacity for, or exercises of their autonomy in clinical decision-making situations has not been explicitly addressed. The approach to autonomy in this paper is aligned with traditional theories that conceive autonomy in terms of an individual’s capacities for, and exercises of rational reflection. However, at the same time, this paper extends these accounts by arguing that autonomy is, in part, embodied. Specifically, by drawing on phenomenological conceptions of the experience of autonomy, we argue that, in principle, the body is a necessary component of the capacity for autonomy. Secondly, through the presentation of two different cases, we highlight ways in which a patient’s body can contribute to the autonomy of treatment choices. Ultimately, we hope to encourage others to explore additional conditions under which a concept of embodied autonomy should be employed in medical decision making, how its underlying principles might be operationalised in clinical situations, and its consequences for approaches to patient autonomy in healthcare practice, policy, and law.
Fast template matching and object detection techniques using φ-correlation and binary circuits
Authors: Annaby Mahmoud , Fouda Yasser
Published: June 2023

In this paper, two new accelerated and robust template matching and object detection algorithms are established. The algorithms retain the accuracy measures compared to relevant well-known standard and recent schemes, and remarkably accelerate the execution time simultaneously. Instead of dealing with images in the grayscale or color representations, the proposed methods are established by measuring resemblance on extracted binary images. The two different techniques are based on the φ-correlation coefficient and logical circuits. Both techniques enhance the accuracy, compared to two classical and two recent methods, while giving very efficient running time. The algorithms are carried out on two different datasets used in state-of-the-art methods with performance and comparison analysis. Robustness of the proposed algorithms against normal and artificial noises is examined and assured as well.
Something to Run for: Stated Motives as Indicators of Candidate Emergence
Authors: Green Jon , Conroy Meredith , Hammond Ciera
Published: June 2023

Patterns in candidate emergence affect who voters can choose from, and thus the quality of representative democracy. Despite extensive work considering factors that contribute to political ambition and factors that contribute to candidate emergence separately, we know less about the transition from the former to the latter. We investigate the role of motives using a novel dataset of over 10,000 open-ended statements of interest collected by Run for Something, a progressive non-profit that encourages political amateurs to run for state and local office. We find that politically ambitious future candidates talk about their interest in running differently than politically ambitious future non-candidates, suggesting that stated motives provide meaningful signals of likely candidate emergence. Respondents who articulated their motives in terms of general political interest, core values, and personal background were less likely to run than respondents who emphasized specific issues, political opportunity, or progressive populist sentiments, respectively. We further find that white and male respondents were likelier to articulate their interest in terms negatively associated with candidate emergence, consistent with prior work showing that members of underrepresented groups wait longer, until they are more qualified, before expressing their interest in running for office.
Classification shifting using income-decreasing special items: measurement and valuation issues
Authors: Abdalla Ahmed M. , Clubb Colin D. B.
Published: June 2023

Research suggests that the standard model used to detect opportunistic shifting of core expenses to special items is potentially biased. Such bias has been attributed to the use of accruals, including special item related accruals, as a control for the impact of performance on core earnings in this model. This paper provides an improved classification shifting model which both tests for such accruals-related bias and controls for other sources of error in the measurement of shifting. The paper also modifies conventional market rationality tests in accounting research to examine new dimensions of rationality in relation to measurement and valuation of shifting. The main empirical findings are as follows. First, the improved classification shifting model provides strong evidence of shifting and rejects the hypothesis that inclusion of accruals in the model causes bias. Second, estimates of shifted core expenses generated by the improved model exhibit forecasting properties of shifted earnings. Third, rationality test results are broadly consistent with rationality in relation to shifted core expenses but indicate possible partial (ir)rationality in relation to adjusted special items (i.e., special items excluding shifted core expenses). Further analysis of the latter findings, however, suggests they are more likely related to risk than irrationality. Overall, the paper contributes to improved measurement of shifting and highlights the importance of considering rational expectations when examining stock returns associated with shifting.
The Allocation of Housework in Same- and Different-Sex Partnerships: Recent Evidence from the U.S
Authors: Lazarus Amit , Mandel Hadas
Published: June 2023

Research on the division of housework among same-sex partners is limited. This is because gender-cultural theories – which emphasize the significance of gender identity and motivate many studies on the topic – are implicitly assumed to be less relevant in this case. Attending to admonitions that the division of housework in same-sex households is not free from gendering processes and practices, in this study we use the high-quality data of the American Time Use Survey (ATUS; 2003-2019), to compare the association between housework and relative earnings across partnership types. Since gender-cultural theories are based on the performance of gender identity by different-sex partners, we utilize the differences between same- and different-sex partners to better understand the effect of gender-cultural determinants on the division of housework. Our comparison of the relation across partnership-types validates the power of gender-cultural mechanisms in different-sex partners, provides a better assessment of the differences in housework patterns between different types of households, and serves as a novel quantitative test of gender-cultural mechanisms in same-sex partners.
Tigliane and daphnane diterpenoids from Thymelaeaceae family: chemistry, biological activity, and potential in drug discovery
Authors: Otsuki Kouharu , Li Wei
Published: June 2023

Tigliane and daphnane diterpenoids are characteristically distributed in plants of the Thymelaeaceae family as well as the Euphorbiaceae family and are structurally diverse due to the presence of polyoxygenated functionalities in the polycyclic skeleton. These diterpenoids are known as toxic components, while they have been shown to exhibit a wide variety of biological activities, such as anti-cancer, anti-HIV, and analgesic activity, and are attracting attention in the field of natural product drug discovery. This review focuses on naturally occurring tigliane and daphnane diterpenoids from plants of the Thymelaeaceae family and provides an overview of their chemical structure, distribution, isolation, structure determination, chemical synthesis, and biological activities, with a prime focus on the recent findings.
The Luckiest of All Possible Beings: Divine Perfections and Constitutive Luck
Authors: Rusavuk Andre Leo
Published: June 2023

Many theists conceive of God as a perfect being, i.e., as that than which none greater is metaphysically possible. On this grand view of God, it seems plausible to think that such a supreme and maximally great being would not be subject to luck of any sort. Given the divine perfections, God is completely insulated from luck. However, I argue that the opposite is true: precisely because God is perfect, he is subject to a kind of luck called constitutive luck. In this paper, first I provide an analysis of luck and then explain the concept of constitutive luck. I proceed to defend constitutive luck from charges of incoherence and examine a different approach to make sense of this luck. Furthermore, I distinguish between two kinds of constitutive luck and argue that even if God isn’t subject to one kind, evading the second kind is unsuccessful. I offer two ways that God is constitutively lucky and reach a surprising conclusion: a perfect being is the luckiest of all possible beings.
Large time asymptotics for the fractional modified Korteweg-de Vries equation of order $$\alpha \in \left[ 4,5\right) $$
Authors: Carreño-Bolaños Rafael , Naumkin Pavel I.
Published: June 2023

We study the large time asymptotics of solutions to the Cauchy problem for the fractional modified Korteweg-de Vries equation $$\begin{aligned} \left\{ \begin{array}{l} \partial _{t}w+\frac{1}{\alpha }\left| \partial _{x}\right| ^{\alpha -1}\partial _{x}w=\partial _{x}\left( w^{3}\right) ,\text { }t>0,\, x\in {\mathbb {R}}\textbf{,}\\ w\left( 0,x\right) =w_{0}\left( x\right) ,\,x\in {\mathbb {R}} \textbf{,} \end{array} \right. \end{aligned}$$

∂
t

w
+

1
α

∂
x

α
-
1

∂
x

w
=

∂
x

w
3

,

t
>
0
,

x
∈
R
,

w

0
,
x

=

w
0

x

,

x
∈
R
,

where $$\alpha \in \left[ 4,5\right) ,$$

α
∈

4
,
5

,

and $$\left| \partial _{x}\right| ^{\alpha }={\mathcal {F}}^{-1}\left| \xi \right| ^{\alpha }{\mathcal {F}}$$

∂
x

α

=

F

-
1

ξ

α

F

is the fractional derivative. The case of $$\alpha =3$$

α
=
3

corresponds to the classical modified KdV equation. In the case of $$\alpha =2$$

α
=
2

it is the modified Benjamin–Ono equation. Our aim is to find the large time asymptotic formulas for the solutions of the Cauchy problem for the fractional modified KdV equation. We develop the method based on the factorization techniques which was started in our previous papers. Also we apply the known results on the $${\textbf{L}}^{2}$$

L

2

—boundedness of pseudodifferential operators.
Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak on the Treatment of Myocardial Infarction Patients
Authors: Grundeken Maik J. , Claessen Bimmer E. P. M.
Published: June 2023

Purpose of review

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an overburdened healthcare system. While an increased rate of ACS is expected due to the pro-thrombotic state of COVID patients, observed ACS incidence and admission rates were paradoxically decreased during the (first wave of the) pandemic. In this narrative review, we will discuss potential reasons for this decrease in ACS incidence. Furthermore, we will discuss ACS management during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we will discuss outcomes in ACS.

Recent findings

A reluctance to seek medical contact (in order not to further overburden the health system or due to fear of being infected with COVID-19 while in hospital) and unavailability of medical services seem to be important factors. This may have led to an increased symptom onset to first medical contact time and an increased rate of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. A trend towards less invasive management was observed (less invasive coronary angiography in NSTEMI patients and more “fibrinolysis-first” in STEMI patients), although a large variation was observed with some centers having a relative increase in early invasive management. Patients with ACS and concomitant COVID-19 infection have worse outcomes compared to ACS patients without COVID-19 infection. All of the above led to worse clinical outcomes in patients presenting with ACS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, staffing and hospital bed shortages led to experimentation with very early discharge (24 h after primary PCI) in low-risk STEMI patients which had a very good prognosis and resulted in significant shorter hospital duration.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, ACS incidence and admission rates were decreased, symptom onset to first medical contact time prolonged, and out-of-hospital rates increased. A trend towards less invasive management was observed. Patients presenting with ACS during the COVID-19 pandemic had a worse outcome. On the other hand, experimental very early discharge in low-risk patients may relieve the healthcare system. Such initiatives, and strategies to lower the reluctance of patients with ACS symptoms to seek medical help, are vital to improve prognosis in ACS patients in future pandemics.
Compound from Magnolia officinalis Ameliorates White Matter Injury by Promoting Oligodendrocyte Maturation in Chronic Cerebral Ischemia Models
Authors: Zhang Zhi , Shu Xin , Cao Qian , Xu Lushan , Wang Zibu , Li Chenggang , Xia Shengnan , Shao Pengfei , Bao Xinyu , Sun Liang , Xu Yuhao , Xu Yun
Published: June 2023

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion leads to white matter injury (WMI), which subsequently causes neurodegeneration and even cognitive impairment. However, due to the lack of treatment specifically for WMI, novel recognized and effective therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. In this study, we found that honokiol and magnolol, two compounds derived from Magnolia officinalis, significantly facilitated the differentiation of primary oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) into mature oligodendrocytes, with a more prominent effect of the former compound. Moreover, our results demonstrated that honokiol treatment improved myelin injury, induced mature oligodendrocyte protein expression, attenuated cognitive decline, promoted oligodendrocyte regeneration, and inhibited astrocytic activation in the bilateral carotid artery stenosis model. Mechanistically, honokiol increased the phosphorylation of serine/threonine kinase (Akt) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) by activating cannabinoid receptor 1 during OPC differentiation. Collectively, our study indicates that honokiol might serve as a potential treatment for WMI in chronic cerebral ischemia.
Numerical study of turbulent flow in USBR VI stilling basin
Authors: Behnamtalab Ehsan , Maskani Vahidreza , Sarkardeh Hamed
Published: June 2023

The USBR VI stilling basin is one of the oldest basins designed to dissipate the energy at the outlet of pipes. In this study, the effect of two parameters including the Froude number (Fr) of inlet flow to the basin and the ratio of basin width to equivalent depth of the inlet flow (W/D) on the characteristics of mean and turbulent flow inside the USBR VI stilling basin were investigated, numerically. Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations were solved with Re-Normalization Group (RNG) k-ε turbulence model. Results showed that by increasing W⁄D, from 3.50 to 9.23, decreasing rate of the average velocity at the end of the basin to the average velocity of the inflow increases from 80 to 97% and decreasing rate of the maximum velocity at the end of the basin to the average velocity of the inflow increases from 40 to 87%. Also, by increasing W⁄D, from 3.50 to 9.23, the average turbulent dissipation rate in the whole basin increases to 4.5 times, moderately. Moreover, by increasing W⁄D, from 3.50 to 9.23, the dissipation of turbulent flow energy in the basin becomes four times. Therefore, to design a USBR VI stilling basin based on the existing conditions, W⁄D recommended to increase as much as possible until nearly 10.
Bamboo Winding Composite Utility Tunnels: a case study on mechanical behavior with WSN monitoring and numerical simulation
Authors: Wang Hengdong , Wang Jiawei , Xie Xin , Wang Fei
Published: June 2023

Bamboo Winding Composite Pipes (BWCPs) have many advantages such as good mechanical properties, low cost, low carbon, environmental friendliness, thermal insulation and easy installation et al. At present, BWCP is widely used in urban water supply, drainage, communication cable protection, farmland irrigation etc. It is obvious that the Bamboo Winding Composite materials have good application prospects in the field of utility tunnels. However, considering that the size of utility tunnels is much larger than that of normal pipelines, the wide application of Bamboo Composite Utility Tunnels (BCUTs) is still a challenge. In this paper, the force performance of BCUT in Datong Shanxi Province, was studied using two methods: real time monitoring and numerical simulation. Wireless sensor networks were used for monitoring, and the real time monitoring data of horizontal convergence and strains under the condition of backfill were obtained. The monitoring data indicated that the horizontal convergence can meet the requirement of relevant technical standards. A three-dimensional numerical model of the utility tunnel was established using FEM software. The influence of soil parameters on the deformation and strain of the BCUT was studied using the numerical method. The simulation results were compared with real-time monitoring data. The soil parameters K0 and ksh have significant effects on the deformation, stress and strain of the utility tunnel. This kind of utility tunnel is recommended to use in areas with relatively good geological conditions.
Seeking Justice
Authors: Olsen Tricia D.
Published: June 2023

Seeking Justice: Access to Remedy for Corporate Human Rights Abuse explores victims' varying experiences in seeking remedy mechanisms for corporate human rights abuse. It puts forward a novel theory about the possibility of productive contestation and explores governance outcomes for victims of corporate human rights abuse across Latin America. This foundation informs three pathways that victims can use to press for their rights: working within the institutional environment, capitalizing on corporate characteristics, and elevating voices. Seeking Justice challenges the common assumptions in the governance gap literature and argues, instead, that greater democratic practices can emerge from productive contestation. This book brings to bear tough questions about the trade-offs associated with economic growth and conflicting values around human dignity-questions that are very salient today, as citizens around the globe contemplate the type of democratic and economic systems that might better prepare us for tomorrow.
Experimental wind-tunnel study of the dynamics of inverted foils for energy harvesting
Authors: Flores Salinas M. , Botez R.M. , Tavallaeinejad M. , Païdoussis M.P.
Published: June 2023

This paper describes the methodology used to analyse oscillations of foils of a wide range of aspect ratios, 0.5 ≤ AR ≤ 4, and Reynolds numbers, 104 ≤ Re ≤ 105, for energy harvesting purposes. The foils were fixed at their trailing edge, and their dynamical behaviour was captured as the wind speed was varied. The foil response was then analysed as a function of velocity, Reynolds number, oscillation amplitude and frequency. Additionally, the forces and moments acting on the foils were measured, utilising an aerodynamic scale, designed and built in-house. An empirical power generation equation was derived to determine the foil characteristics for maximum energy harvesting production. The results show that a flexible foil with AR = 3 with oscillations in the large-amplitude regime is the most effective for energy harvesting.
No arbitrage and multiplicative special semimartingales
Authors: Platen Eckhard , Tappe Stefan
Published: June 2023

Consider a financial market with nonnegative semimartingales which does not need to have a numéraire. We are interested in the absence of arbitrage in the sense that no self-financing portfolio gives rise to arbitrage opportunities, where we are allowed to add a savings account to the market. We will prove that in this sense the market is free of arbitrage if and only if there exists an equivalent local martingale deflator which is a multiplicative special semimartingale. In this case, the additional savings account relates to the finite-variation part of the multiplicative decomposition of the deflator.
Barriers and Enablers to Using an Emergency Operations Center in Public Health Emergency Management: A Scoping Review
Authors: Allen Tammy , Spencer Rosalie
Published: June 2023

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to review the role of public health emergency operations centers in recent public health emergencies and to identify the barriers and enablers influencing the effective use of a public health emergency operations center (PHEOC) in public health emergency management.

Methods:

A systematic search was conducted in 5 databases and selected grey literature websites.

Results:

Forty-two articles, consisting of 28 peer-reviewed studies and 14 grey literature sources matched the inclusion criteria. Results suggest that PHEOCs are used to prepare and respond to a range of public health emergencies, including coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Factors found to influence the use of a PHEOC include the adoption of an incident management system, internal and external communications, data management, workforce capacity, and physical infrastructure.

Conclusions:

PHEOCs play an important role in public health emergency management. This review identified several barriers and enablers to using a PHEOC in public health emergency management. Future research should focus on addressing the barriers to using a PHEOC and looking at ways to evaluate the impact of using a PHEOC on public health emergency outcomes.
In Defense of Evidential Minimalism: Varieties of Criticizability
Authors: Hofmann Frank
Published: June 2023

This paper will critically engage with Daniel Buckley's argument against “evidential minimalism” (EM), i.e., the claim that necessarily, bits of evidence (are or) provide epistemic reasons for belief. Buckley argues that in some cases, a subject has strong evidence that p (and fulfills further minimal conditions), does not believe p, but nevertheless is not epistemically criticizable and has no epistemic reason to believe p. I will defend EM by pointing out that Buckley's argument trades on an ambiguity between a strong and a weak notion of criticizability.
Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Dem. Rep. Congo v. Uganda) (Reparations Judgment) (I.C.J.)
Authors: Ventura Manuel J.
Published: June 2023

On February 9, 2022, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) handed down its reparations judgment in the Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Uganda) case. This followed from its December 19, 2005 merits judgment, which found that Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had violated international law vis-à-vis each other and were obliged to make reparations to each other. The ICJ ultimately held that, over five annual instalments of US$65 million from September 1, 2022 until September 1, 2026, Uganda was to pay the DRC a total of US$325 million for damage to persons, damage to property, and damage related to natural resources.
TOWARDS A RADIOCARBON-BASED CHRONOLOGY OF URBAN NORTHERN MESOPOTAMIA IN THE EARLY TO MID-SECOND MILLENNIUM BC: INITIAL RESULTS FROM KURD QABURSTAN
Authors: Webster Lyndelle C , Smith Alexia , Dee Michael W , Hajdas Irka , Schwartz Glenn M
Published: June 2023

Radiocarbon (14C) data for 2nd millennium BC urban sites in northern Mesopotamia have been lacking until recently. This article presents a preliminary dataset and Bayesian model addressing the Middle and early Late Bronze Age (Old Babylonian and pre/early Mittani) strata of Kurd Qaburstan—one of the largest archaeological sites on the Erbil plain of Iraqi Kurdistan. The results place the large, densely occupied and fortified Middle Bronze Age city in the first part of the 18th century BC, an outcome consistent with the site’s tentative identification as ancient Qabra. A long occupation gap (up to two centuries) probably ensued, before a smaller town confined to the high mound and part of the northeastern lower town resumed in the late 16th and early 15th centuries BC, possibly before this region became part of the Late Bronze Age kingdom of Mittani.
THE ILLEGALITY DEFENCE AND SANCTION-SHIFTING: IN DEFENCE OF GRAY V THAMES TRAIN LTD
Authors: Sin Ivan
Published: June 2023

This article considers the rule that a claimant who has been wronged will be denied recovery where the damage flowed from a sanction imposed as a result of their own illegal acts such that compensating the claimant would divert a sanction intended to be imposed on the claimant to the defendant. The article has two purposes. The first aim is to provide a counterweight to the overwhelming body of academic literature critical of Gray v Thames Trains Ltd. in which the House of Lords, in applying the illegality bar found it unnecessary to examine the purpose of the criminal sanction against the claimant, preferring to treat its existence as sufficient to lead to a denial of recovery. The article argues that academic support for adoption of an alternative test of “significant personal responsibility” rests on precarious grounds, depending, as it does, on the “unsatisfactory state of law” and “different policies” arguments. This article reconceptualises the rule in Gray and systematically examines the role played by the theme of consistency between the civil law and criminal law in judicial decision-making. The second aim is to evaluate Gray in light of Patel v Mirza. The article critiques the Supreme Court's inconsistent treatment of deterrence in Henderson v Dorset University NHS Foundation Trust and Stoffel v Grondona, and argues that the way the court in Henderson conceptualised the relationship between Gray and Patel discloses an approach which is more closely aligned with that adopted by the minority in Patel.