bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial distribution of poultry farms using point pattern modelling: A method to address livestock environmental impacts and disease transmission risks
Authors: Dupas Marie-Cécile , Pinotti Francesco , Joshi Chaitanya , Joshi Madhvi , Thanapongtharm Weerapong , Dhingra Madhur , Blake Damer , Tomley Fiona , Gilbert Marius , Fournié Guillaume
Published: October 2024

The distribution of farm locations and sizes is paramount to characterize patterns of disease spread. With some regions undergoing rapid intensification of livestock production, resulting in increased clustering of farms in peri-urban areas, measuring changes in the spatial distribution of farms is crucial to design effective interventions. However, those data are not available in many countries, their generation being resource-intensive. Here, we develop a farm distribution model (FDM), which allows the prediction of locations and sizes of poultry farms in countries with scarce data. The model combines (i) a Log-Gaussian Cox process model to simulate the farm distribution as a spatial Poisson point process, and (ii) a random forest model to simulate farm sizes (i.e. the number of animals per farm). Spatial predictors were used to calibrate the FDM on intensive broiler and layer farm distributions in Bangladesh, Gujarat (Indian state) and Thailand. The FDM yielded realistic farm distributions in terms of spatial clustering, farm locations and sizes, while providing insights on the factors influencing these distributions. Finally, we illustrate the relevance of modelling realistic farm distributions in the context of epidemic spread by simulating pathogen transmission on an array of spatial distributions of farms. We found that farm distributions generated from the FDM yielded spreading patterns consistent with simulations using observed data, while random point patterns underestimated the probability of large outbreaks. Indeed, spatial clustering increases vulnerability to epidemics, highlighting the need to account for it in epidemiological modelling studies. As the FDM maintains a realistic distribution of farm location and sizes, its use to inform mathematical models of disease transmission is particularly relevant for regions where these data are not available.
Impact of COVID-19 on emergency medical services utilization and severity in the U.S. Upper Midwest
Authors: Shalom Moshe , Boggust Brett , Rogerson M. Carson , Myers Lucas A. , Huang Shuo J. , McCoy Rozalina G.
Published: October 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed over one million lives in the United States and has drastically changed how patients interact with the healthcare system. Emergency medical services (EMS) are essential for emergency response, disaster preparedness, and responding to everyday emergencies. We therefore examined differences in EMS utilization and call severity in 2020 compared to trends from 2015–2019 in a large, multi-state advanced life support EMS agency serving the U.S. Upper Midwest. Specifically, we analyzed all emergency calls made to Mayo Clinic Ambulance, the sole advanced life support EMS provider serving a large area in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and compared the number of emergency calls made in 2020 to the number of calls expected based on trends from 2015–2019. We similarly compared caller demographics, call severity, and proportions of calls made for overdose/intoxication, behavioral health, and motor vehicle accidents. Subgroup analyses were performed for rural vs. urban areas. We identified 262,232 emergent EMS calls during 2015–2019 and 53,909 calls in 2020, corresponding to a decrease of 28.7% in call volume during 2020. Caller demographics shifted slightly towards older patients (mean age 59.7 [SD, 23.0] vs. 59.1 [SD, 23.7] years; p<0.001) and to rural areas (20.4% vs. 20.0%; p = 0.007). Call severity increased, with 95.3% of calls requiring transport (vs. 93.8%; p<0.001) and 1.9% resulting in death (vs. 1.6%; p<0.001). The proportion of calls for overdose/intoxication increased from 4.8% to 5.5% (p<0.001), while the proportion of calls for motor vehicle collisions decreased from 3.9% to 3.0% (p<0.001). All changes were more pronounced in urban areas. These findings underscore the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacted healthcare utilization, particularly in urban areas, and suggest that patients may have delayed calling EMS with potential implications on disease severity and risk of death.
Changes in health-related quality of life in young-old and old-old patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery: A systematic review
Authors: Chen Yun Jin , Lau Justine , Alhamdah Yasmin , Yan Ellene , Saripella Aparna , Englesakis Marina , He David , Chung Frances
Published: October 2024

Background

There is a significant gap in research exploring changes in postoperative health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients aged 65 years and older undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty.

Objectives

To investigate the variations in HRQoL improvement, as evaluated by patient-reported outcome measures following total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, and partial knee arthroplasty between the young-old and old-old adults.

Methods/Design

We searched six online databases (including MEDLINE, Embase) from their inception dates to May 15, 2023. We included studies using a validated HRQoL assessment tool to evaluate changes in HRQoL in patients aged ≥65 years undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty. These include the EuroQol five-dimension (EQ-5D), Short Form 36 (SF-36) and Short Form 12 (SF-12). The primary outcomes were postoperative HRQoL changes between young-old (65–74 years) and old-old groups (≥75 years). The secondary outcomes included complications, length of stay, and mortality.

Results

The search yielded 12,229 articles; twelve studies (n = 103,613) were included. Studies using EQ-5D found no significant differences between young-old and old-old patients after hip and knee arthroplasty. Analyses of SF-36 and SF-12 scales showed no significant age-related differences in postoperative improvements in physical and mental health. Our review of four studies that included multivariable analyses revealed inconsistent associations between age and EQ-5D. Comparisons between the young-old and old-old age groups in postoperative complications, hospital length of stay, and mortality revealed no associated age-related changes in HRQoL.

Conclusions

The young-old and old-old patients exhibited comparable improvement in HRQoL following hip or knee arthroplasty. The older patients did not have higher postoperative complications rates, longer hospital length of stay, and increased mortality. While chronological age should be considered when planning hip and knee arthroplasty, greater emphasis should be placed on assessing the comorbidities and functional status of patients.
Enhancing the energy level of regional digital innovation ecosystems: A configuration perspective
Authors: Huang Rong , Mao Shuai
Published: October 2024

This study introduces the concept of "energy level" into the analysis of innovation ecosystems. Drawing on the theory of "architects", we have identified the key architects of regional digital innovation ecosystems. By integrating Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) and Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), we examined the configuration effects of internal architects, external architects, and digital innovation habitats on the energy level of these ecosystems, utilizing data from 30 provinces in China as case studies. The results indicate that the contribution of a single architect to achieving a high energy level in a regional digital innovation ecosystem is limited and cannot be regarded as a necessary condition for driving a high energy level. However, core innovation actors and digital infrastructures emerge as more significant core conditions. The architects of regional digital innovation ecosystems exhibit multiple concurrent causal relationships. The configuration paths of high and non-high energy levels of ecosystems display a causally asymmetric “multiple paths to the same outcome” relationship. The three identified paths for driving high energy levels are categorized as "core actor-infrastructure"-driven paths. The findings of this paper hold substantial theoretical and practical significance for fostering the healthy development of regional digital innovation ecosystems.
Cost effectiveness of a vascular access education and training program for hospitalized emergency department patients
Authors: Bahl Amit , Xing Yuying , Gibson S. Matthew , DiLoreto Emily
Published: October 2024

Objective

Education and training in vascular access is a critical component to delivering quality vascular access care. Given that organizations must invest resources to implement and sustain high-quality vascular access programming, we aimed to demonstrate the cost effectiveness of a program (Operation STICK (OSTICK)) in the emergency department (ED).

Methods

This was an observational cohort study conducted at a tertiary care academic center with 120,000 ED visits. Consecutive hospitalized adults with ultrasound-guided (DIVA) and traditionally-placed (non-DIVA) peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVC) in the ED were included in the analysis. Two groups (OSTICK and non-OSTICK) were compared in the analysis: OSTICK PIVCs were inserted by clinicians with formal, standardized training in peripheral venous access while non-OSTICK PIVCs were inserted by staff with basic departmental training in PIVC care. Cost factors included number of procedures, wait time to establish a PIVC, complications, and training. Effect was complication-free PIVC functionality. Multiple linear regressions were used to estimate incremental cost (ΔC), incremental effect (ΔE), and incremental net benefit (INB) of the OSTICK program.

Results

From 10/1/2022 thru 3/31/2023, 21,259 PIVCs including 1681 OSTICK and 19,578 non-OSTICK PIVCs were included in the analysis. Average age was 64.8 and 53.7% were female. The estimate of incremental cost (ΔC) for each patient was -$83.175 (95% CI: -$103.953 to -$62.398; p<0.001), indicating that the OSTICK group saves money compared to the non-OSTICK group. The OSTICK group is also more effective at increasing the proportion of catheter dwell time relative to hospital length of stay (ΔE), with an estimate of 0.037 (95% CI: 0.016 to 0.059; p<0.001), compared to those in the non-OSTICK group. The estimated incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for the OSTICK group compared with the non-OSTICK group was −$221.964 (95% CI: -$177.400 to -$381.716) per ten percentage points of PIVC dwell time to hospital length of stay increase.

Conclusions

Strategic investment in vascular access education and training can yield impressive financial returns while simultaneously enhancing vascular access outcomes. It is imperative for organizations to recognize the significant impact of such initiatives and prioritize the implementation of comprehensive programs.
Practice variation in induction of labor: A critical document analysis on the contribution of regional protocols
Authors: Zondag Dirkje C. , Offerhaus Pien M. , Keulen Judit K. J. , van Haaren–ten Haken Tamar M. , Nieuwenhuijze Marianne J.
Published: October 2024

Rationale

Despite national guidelines with recommendations on induction of labor (IOL), large variation in the use of this intervention exists between regions in the Netherlands. Guidelines are translated into protocols, which give a contextual description of medical practice provided in a given region. Possibly, protocols developed by regional multidisciplinary maternity care networks (MCNs) contribute to the regional variation in IOL.

Aims and objectives

The aim of this study was to assess the variation between regional protocols and national guidelines regarding recommendations on IOL and the extent to which this contributes to practice variation.

Method

We performed a systematic document analysis using the Ready materials, Extract data, Analyze, Distil (READ) approach. National guidelines (n = 4) and regional protocols (n = 18) from six MCNs on topics linked to IOL were assessed between October 2021 and April 2022. An analytical framework was used to extract data for the comparison of regional protocols.

Results

Some MCNs followed all the recommendations of national guidelines in their regional protocols, others developed their own recommendations, and for some this varied per topic. When developing their own recommendations, MCNs with a high percentage of IOL added additional risk factors and stricter cut-off values. In contrast, MCNs with a low percentage of IOL added more care options for continuing midwife-led care. No clear relationship was observed between the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE) scores of the national guidelines and the extent to which regional protocols complied with the recommendations.

Conclusion

The translation of national guidelines to regional protocols seemed arbitrary and not very systematic. To reduce unwarranted practice variation in the use of IOL, guidance is needed to better align regional protocols with national guidelines, while including appropriate contextual factors and allowing women’s preferences. Additionally, healthcare providers should be trained in practicing evidence-based medicine instead of using evidence.
Performance replication of the Hospital Mental Health Risk Screen in ethnoracially diverse U.S. patients admitted through emergency care
Authors: Carlson Eve B. , Barlow M. Rose , Palmieri Patrick A. , Shieh Lisa , Mellman Thomas A. , Cooksey Erika , Parker Jada , Williams Mallory , Spain David A.
Published: October 2024

Background

Patients admitted to hospitals after emergency care for injury or acute illness are at risk for later mental health problems. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma Standards for care of injured patients call for mental health risk screening, and the Hospital Mental Health Risk Screen (HMHRS) accurately identified at-risk patients in a developmental study that included patients from five ethnoracial groups. Replication of these findings is essential, because initial positive results for predictive screens can fail to replicate if the items were strongly related to outcomes in the development sample but not in a new sample from the population the screen was intended for.

Study design

Replication of the predictive performance of the 10-item HMHRS was studied prospectively in ethnoracially diverse patients admitted after emergency care for acute illness or injury in three hospitals across the U.S.

Results

Risk screen scores and follow-up mental health outcomes were obtained for 452 of 631 patients enrolled (72%). A cut score of 10 on the HMHRS correctly identified 79% of the patients who reported elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms two months post-admission (sensitivity) and 72% of the patients whose symptoms were not elevated (specificity). HMHRS scores also predicted well for patients with acute illness, for patients with injuries, and for patients who reported an Asian American/Pacific Islander, Black, Latinx, Multirace, or White identity.

Conclusions

Predictive performance of the HMHRS was strong overall and within all five ethnoracial subgroups. Routine screening could reduce suffering and health care costs, increase health and mental health equity, and foster preventive care research and implementation. The performance of the HMHRS should be studied in other countries and in other populations of recent trauma survivors, such as survivors of disaster or mass violence.
The psychometric properties of the Pearlin Mastery Scale in persons living with restless legs syndrome
Authors: Hellström Amanda , Pakpour Amir , Odzakovic Elzana , Björk Maria , Ulander Martin , Knutsson Susanne , Sandlund Christina , Broström Anders
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by an urge to move arms and legs, commonly combined with distress, pain and motor restlessness. It can cause fragmented sleep, daytime symptoms, and decreased quality of life. Pharmacological treatment can suppress symptoms, but not cure. When challenged with illness, people may turn to their inner psychological resources such as self-esteem and mastery. The Pearlin Mastery scale was developed to study stress and coping, is commonly used in people with chronic illnesses, however, not yet validated in people with RLS.

Aim

The aim was to test reliability and construct validity of the Pearlin Mastery Scale in persons with RLS.

Methods

A cross-sectional postal survey including the Pearlin Mastery Scale, Restless Legs Syndrome-6 Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Patient Health Questionnaire was sent out to members (n = 1500) of the national RLS association and 788 (52.5%) agreed to participate. Data were analyzed using classical test theory, Confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch measurement theory analysis. Hypothesis testing for construct validity was done by bivariate correlation analyses.

Results

Most respondents were women (65%), retired (71%) and had a mean-age of 70.8 years (SD 11.4). The 7-item version of the Pearlin Mastery Scale showed poor fit to the one factor model. After omitting the two positively worded items (i.e., item 4 and 6), the 5-item version was found to be unidimensional, with satisfactory internal consistency. However, all items showed considerable ceiling effects. No measurement variance was seen regarding age-groups or sex. Higher level of mastery was moderately correlated with less depressive symptoms but only weakly correlated to RLS-related sleep problems.

Conclusion

The 5-item version of the Pearlin Mastery Scale is suggested to be used in persons with RLS due to its acceptable psychometric properties. The instrument could be applied as an outcome measure for behavioral change interventions aiming to support mastery in RLS.
Ecogothic Interpretations of the Anthropocene
Authors: Horvath Mark
Published: October 2024

The so-called nonhuman turn has a great role to play in theoretical elaborations of the Anthropocene. This broad tendency of thought incorporates contemporary non-anthropocentric schools of thought such as Actor-Network-Theory (ANT), Object-Oriented Ontology (OOO) and posthumanism. These various sociological and philosophical directions have one thing in common: the rejection and transcendence of anthropocentrism, as well as a new sensitivity to the heterogeneous, irreducible and multiple nature of reality. Openness to post-anthropocentrism is a general characteristic of authors who work in Anthropocene theory today. However, posthumanist philosophy, while it decenters and deconstructs the human, is also committed to an aesthetic of uncertainty, fear, and even horror. Simon C. Estok, in his highly important article “Theorising the EcoGothic,” shows that during the ecological crisis philosophical thought must traverse unknown terrain, while also emphasizing the darker aspects of sociocultural constructs. Posthumanism must, by its very nature, prepare for the unthinkable in a quite literal sense according to Stefan Herbrechter. The Anthropocene constitutes an opening to what Nick Land calls “Outsideness”. A future condition “after” the human can be understood as a condition that opens onto a dark, monstrous, threatening or, in a word, hybrid future beyond any anthropic measure.
Afetos na escolha profissional: a percepção de jovens do Ensino Médio
Authors: Teixeira Kalyne Jeuken , Tassoni Elvira Cristina Martins
Published: October 2024

As experiências vivenciadas pelos jovens, em diferentes momentos da vida, têm relevante influência em suas escolhas profissionais. Este estudo objetivou investigar os indícios relacionados aos modos de afetar de professores e da família percebidos por estudantes do 3º ano do Ensino Médio em seus processos de escolha profissional. O material empírico foi produzido por questionário respondido por 289 estudantes do 3º ano do Ensino Médio, matriculados em 10 escolas localizadas em quatro cidades no estado de São Paulo. O cruzamento entre as respostas possibilitou análises quantiqualitativas, por meio de resposta fechadas e abertas. Os resultados evidenciaram que as formas de afetar de professores e da família são diferentes. Enquanto os primeiros afetam as escolhas profissionais pela didática, domínio que têm do conhecimento e pelas atitudes de apoio e esclarecimentos; na família destacam-se as expectativas de sucesso, de remuneração e a relação que tem com a própria profissão.
Impact of Blowing Location on the Aerodynamic Characteristics Over the Delta Wing
Authors: Gupta Sugandh , Kumar Sanjeev , Kumar Rakesh
Published: October 2024

The performance of an aircraft can be enhanced by altering the flow field favourably by adopting flow control techniques. The present study deals with the application of the active flow control methods on a sharp-edged delta wing with a wing sweep of 65°. The concept of blowing was employed as an active flow control technique. The blowing technique is applied on the suction surface of the delta wing by varying its location. The various identified locations of the blowing holes are 1.62 %, 3.24 % and 4.86 % of root chord from the leading edge to the centre of the blowing holes. The computation is performed using the commercial software ANSYS Fluent. An unsteady, incompressible Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equation and the shear-stress transport k-ω turbulence model are employed. The angles of attack varied in the range of 0°<α<35° and Reynolds number is 2.64×106 and the jet momentum coefficient is fixed at 0.05. The blowing of air from the injection region enhances the strength of the leading-edge vortices, resulting in a delay in the vortex breakdown. The performance of the delta wing is greatly improved while using the blowing method specifically for the blowing holes located at 3.24 % of root chord from the leading edge compared to without the blowing method.
Impact of Solid Rocket Propellant Grain Manufacturing Limitations on Launch Vehicle Capability
Authors: Krishnan Anish B. , Thakur Dineshsingh G.
Published: October 2024

It is examined if any limitations in existing solid rocket propellant grain manufacturing methods adversely affected the payload capability of recent space launch vehicles. It is seen if the transition from heavy, segmented metal rocket motor casings to lightweight monolith composite casings is possible without loss of ability to design and realize high-performance grain configurations using simple and safe methods. Considering payload fraction as the comparative performance metric, recently flown solid rocket-propelled, small-lift launch vehicles were surveyed and ranked. Solid rocket boosters of underperforming launch vehicles were investigated for manufacturing factors influencing payload fraction by comparing them to boosters of better-performing launch vehicles in their weight class. Relationships between payload fraction and the solid boosters’ mass fractions, casing construction, shape of thrust profile, propellant grain configuration and method employed to manufacture the grain were analysed. It is shown that those launch vehicles that did not possess or use the technology necessary to manufacture high-performance grain configurations like undercut finocyl in monolith composite casings ended up having boosters delivering poor thrust profiles with high inert mass ultimately leading to low payload fractions.
Village Watershed Management: the Best Approach to Handle Potential Conflicts Due to Gas Flow Contaminating Agricultural Soil
Authors: Sriyana Ignatius , Sangkawati Sri , Roselyn Melfina , Kusmiyati Florentina , Ramadan Bimastyaji Surya
Published: October 2024

Gas emissions occurring in the agricultural land of Nglobo Village, Blora Regency, Indonesia, have led to land contamination, resulting in worsened of watershed health over time. The evidence is apparent in the water and soil quality exceeding water quality standard. Consequently, conflicts have arisen in the community due to failed harvests of rice and corn, impacting crops failed. The aim of this research is to restore the health of the contaminated watershed, addressing both agricultural land and water quality. The methodology in this research involves a micro watershed management approach, which includes discussion activities with the community and other parties, remediation efforts, field schools and monitoring and evaluation. The study findings suggest that the addition of organic fertilizers to restore soil fertility, particularly enhancing soil organic carbon, is crucial. This is achieved by applying 29.58 tons/ha to 30.14 tons/ha of fertilizer on the affected land. Post-remediation water quality shows values below the threshold, indicating the health of the Nglobo river basin. The results of the planting test evaluation showed that rice and corn were in good condition, as evidenced by the absence of crop failure, and the fertility of agricultural land could be restored.  Micro watershed management approach, of measurable, with real action together with the affected communities and related parties, can resolve social conflicts that occur due to pollution of community agricultural land.
Traktoristky a Jedlíci ptáků
Authors: Klimešová Marie
Published: October 2024

At the end of 1947, a small book was published, taking stock of the controversial reception of the exhibition of national artists of the Soviet Union, which in May of that year introduced Soviet socialist realism to Czechoslovakia for the first time. Zbyněk Sekal, a young student of the Academy of Arts and Crafts in Prague, also purchased the book. From a school trip to Paris in September 1947, he brought back Jean Dubuffet’s rare lithograph Mangeurs d’oiseaux [Bird Eaters] from 1944. The sheet was created as part of the album Matiere et Mémoire ou Les Lithographies a l’école [Matter and Memory or Lithographers at School] with text by Francis Ponge, and was published by Fernand Mourlot in January
1945. The album has been hailed as a turning point in Jean Dubuffet’s work, both because he was working on it to familiarize himself with the technique of lithography and because of the fundamentally new concept of the figure. Zbyněk Sekal then created a drawing and exceptional painting The Supper – loosely based on Dubuffet, cheerfully and confidently poking fun at Dubuffet’s Bird Eaters. My text will seek to answer the question, how does Sekal’s Czech paraphrase, a promising individual free artistic act, differ from Dubuffet’s program?
Tizian a Josefina. Českost, světovost a modernost Josefa Mánesa
Authors: Machalíková Pavla
Published: October 2024

The portrait of a young woman named Josefina is a paraphrase of a famous model in the work of Josef Mánes – Titian’s Toilette of a Young Woman from the collections of the Prague Castle Picture Gallery. In this context, it is possible to consider what models Mánes himself professed and why and how his work was influenced by the constant ideological-theoretical effort to define Czechness, but at the same time the worldliness of domestic painting. In this paper I deal with the development of the idea of such models (medieval and baroque) and the contemporary idea of their Czechness. In Mánes’ case, I focus on the connection between the idea of Czechness and the folk elements defined in 1848 thanks to Ludvík Rittersberg, but also with the valued examples of the anti-academic approach to colour as a key means of painting. Another tendency can be observed in the appreciation of Baroque artists and is also reflected in the selection of works for the very first major public exhibition of domestic art held in Kutná Hora in 1867. The aim of the paper is therefore to reflect on how the idea of defining Czechness and the worldliness of domestic painting changed in the third quarter of the 19th century and what role the work of Josef Mánes played in this. The second level is to ask which of these phenomena stood out as the current painting theme of his time and which of the idea of the Czechness, worldliness and modernity of Mánes’s work is a projection of later interpretations.
Avoidance of the Lavrentiev gap for one-dimensional non-autonomous functionals with constraints
Authors: Mariconda Carlo
Published: October 2024

Consider a positive functional

F
⁢

(
y
)

:=

∫
t
T

L
⁢

(
s
,

y
⁢

(
s
)

,

y
′

⁢

(
s
)

)

⁢

𝑑
s

{F(y):=\int_{t}^{T}L(s,y(s),y^{\prime}(s))\,ds}

, defined on the space of Sobolev functions

W

1
,
p

⁢

(

[
t
,
T
]

;

ℝ
n

)

{W^{1,p}([t,T];{\mathbb{R}}^{n})}

, where

p
≥
1

{p\geq 1}

. This functional is minimized among functions y that may satisfy one or both endpoint conditions. The Lagrangian L is allowed to assume the value

+
∞

{+\infty}

.
In numerous applications minimizers may not be explicit or even may not exist. In such circumstances, it is crucial to know that the infimum of F can be approximated using a sequence of Lipschitz functions that meet the given boundary conditions.
However, there are instances where this approximation is not feasible, even with polynomial Lagrangians that meet Tonelli’s existence conditions: this situation is referred to as the Lavrentiev phenomenon.
Some results are present in the literature if one requires the Lipschitz approximations to preserve just one endpoint constraint or when the Lagrangian is finite valued.
The present paper deals with problems with two endpoint constraints and Lagrangians that are allowed to take extended values. As a byproduct, our Lipschitz approximations may preserve given state constraints.
The extended-valued case is challenging since the phenomenon may occur even when the Lagrangian is constant on its effective domain, whose topology becomes relevant.
Once assumed that the Lagrangian is radial convex on the rays of the last variable, our findings offer new insights, even when the Lagrangian L is real-valued, autonomous, and there are no state constraints.
On prescribing the number of singular points in a Cosserat-elastic solid
Authors: Hüsken Vanessa
Published: October 2024

In a geometrically non-linear Cosserat model for micro-polar elastic solids,
we prove that critical points of the Cosserat energy functional with an arbitrary large (finite) number of singularities do exist, whereas Cosserat energy minimizers are known to be locally Hölder continuous. To reach that goal, we first develop a technique to insert dipole pairs of singularities into smooth maps while controlling the amount of Cosserat energy needed to do so. We then use this method to force an arbitrary number of singular points into (weak) Cosserat-elastic solids by prescribing smooth boundary data. The boundary data themselves are given in such a way, that they contain no topological obstruction to regularity. Throughout this paper, we often exploit connections between harmonic maps and Cosserat-elastic solids, so that we are able to adapt and incorporate ideas of R. Hardt and F.-H. Lin for harmonic maps with singularities, as well as of F. Béthuel for dipole pairs of singularities.
The Three Forms of Dostoevsky’s Philosophy
Authors: Xu Fenglin
Published: October 2024

Dostoevsky’s novels contain rich and profound philosophical ideas that can be broadly categorized into three forms: moral philosophy, existential philosophy, and tragic philosophy. The core of moral philosophy is the doctrine of love, emphasizing selfless dedication and self-sacrifice. Existential philosophy opposes psychology to reason, declaring the legitimate rights of individual psychological freedom. Tragic philosophy further explores the deep ethical and moral question of whether individuals have the right to oppose the world in critical situations.
Hausdorff dimension of removable sets for elliptic and canceling homogeneous differential operators in the class of bounded functions
Authors: Biliatto Victor , Moonens Laurent , Picon Tiago
Published: October 2024

In this note, we give an upper bound on the Hausdorff dimension of removable sets
for elliptic and canceling homogeneous differential operators with constant coefficients
in the class of bounded functions, using a simple extension of Frostman’s lemma in Euclidean space with an additional power decay.
Die stásis im Lykischen Bund. Folge eines inneraristokratischen Konkurrenzkampfes?
Authors: Pinazza Rick
Published: October 2024

Die lykische stásis, deren Anlässe und Ursachen sowie die darauffolgende Epoche der römischen Provinzialisierung stoßen bis heute in der Forschung auf ein nur untergeordnetes Interesse. Dieses Forschungsdesiderat aufgreifend, wird unter Hinzuziehen epigraphischer Quellen sowie durch Zurückgreifen auf einen soziologischen Ansatz gezeigt, dass dem inneren Krieg zuvorderst ein Konflikt innerhalb der lykischen Oberschicht zugrunde lag. Begünstigt durch das Fehlen verbindlicher Kriterien, die eine Zugehörigkeit zur politischen Führungsriege gewährleisteten, führte auch in Lykien die römische Expansion zu einer Verschiebung der Kräfteverhältnisse: Politische Macht hielten fortan nicht mehr die Bürger in Händen, die über das größte ökonomische Kapital verfügten, oder diejenigen, die einen möglichst ausgeprägten aristokratischen Habitus besaßen, sondern jene, die die besten Kontakte zu führenden römischen Amtsträgern aufweisen konnten. Diese Perspektive auf das dysfunktionale Streben nach politischer Macht bildet auch einen Ansatz zur Deutung der Einführung bzw. Umstrukturierung des lykischen Bundesrates: Dessen Zusammensetzung aus ehemaligen Amtsträgern des Bundes – ähnlich wie im Falle des römischen Senats – ermöglichte es einerseits der exklusiven lykischen Aristokratie, ihr Streben nach dauerhafter Herrschaft zu verwirklichen; andererseits besaß diese neue, übergeordnete Instanz durch die Aufnahme aller ehemaliger Amtsträger aber auch integrativen Charakter.
Modelling geoid height errors for local areas based on data of global models
Authors: Savchuk Stepan , Fedorchuk Alina , Marjanska Dorota
Published: October 2024

The development of global geoid models became feasible following the launch of specialised satellite missions. Today, the root mean square deviation of the heights in global models of high degree & order varies from centimetres to decimetres across different countries. In countries where the accuracy of such models is lower, there is potential to enhance their precision by applying specific corrections. This study presents a novel methodology for locally modelling the height errors of high degree & order global geoid models using levelling sub-benchmarks for GNSS stations. The methodology is based on a combination of optimal interpolation methods, filtering, and the concept of data weighting by gravity anomaly differences. The methodology is aimed at creating a hybrid model that aligns with the local characteristics of the geoid (or quasi-geoid) derived from the traditional levelling network. The advantage of this methodology lies in its ability to reduce the residual height errors of the EGM2008 and EIGEN6C4 models to less than 1 cm when using only four control points. Such results exceed the initial values of the systematic height errors of these models by 90–96 %. For the GECO model, the residual errors are around 2 cm, while for the XGM2019e_2159 model, they reach 3 cm. These results indicate that this methodology can be applied to all global models of high degree & order, although its effectiveness may vary depending on the specifics of a particular model.
Markov chain Monte Carlo methods applied to the stochastic inversion of 1D viscoelastic parameters
Authors: Azevedo Juarez S. , Borges Marcio R.
Published: October 2024

The characterization of the subsurface profile properties that are susceptible to liquefaction during earthquakes is of great importance in accident prevention.
Field data can be used in a stochastic inverse problem to estimate the material properties using Markov chain Monte Carlo Methods (McMC) that incorporates prior knowledge about the unknown parameters as well as the data available.
Here, we numerically study the Random Walk (RW) and Differential Evolution (DE) variations of the Metropolis algorithm in the context of seismic modeling considering the viscoelastic wave equation.
The algorithms are tested with data from the 1987 Superstition Hills earthquake recorded at the Wildlife Site.
The results show the effectiveness and accuracy of these algorithms, with emphasis to DE which reached convergence earlier compared to RW.
Crystal structure of (E)-6,8-dimethoxy-4-(4-morpholinobenzylidene)-3,4-dihydro-1-benzoxepin-5(2H)-one, C23H25NO5
Authors: Xia De-Li , Wang Ji-Peng , Yu Wen-Xiao , Wang Mei-Dan , Gao Hao-Xue , Cui Yao-Tian , Hou Gui-Ge
Published: October 2024

C23H25NO5, monoclinic, Cc (no. 9), a = 21.2548(2) Å, b = 20.4713(1) Å, c = 16.7944(1) Å, β = 126.267(1)°, V = 5,891.79(10) Å3, Z = 12, Rgt
(F) = 0.0240, wRref
(F
2) = 0.0649, T = 293 K.
Waren Österreicher unter nationalsozialistischen Tätern überrepräsentiert?
Authors: Bauer Kurt
Published: October 2024

1966 richtete Simon Wiesenthal ein Memorandum an die österreichische Bundesregierung. In diesem Papier behauptete er – freilich ohne dies empirisch zu untermauern – eine starke Über¬re¬präsentation von Österreichern unter NS-Tätern. Es ging Wiesenthal darum, verstärkte Be-mü¬hungen zur Strafverfolgung belasteter Personen in Österreich zu bewirken. Das gelang ihm nicht. Allerdings setzte sich Wiesenthals These von der österreichischen Überrepräsentation in der Wissenschaft und Publizistik durch und zog sich wie ein roter Faden durch die Fachliteratur und populärhistorische Darstellungen. In dem vorliegenden Beitrag überprüft und bewertet Kurt Bauer anhand der Analyse verschiedener Tätergruppen und Tatkomplexe die Validität dieser Aussage. Er kommt zu dem Ergebnis, dass der Anteil an Österreichern unter NS-Tätern ungefähr dem Bevölkerungsanteil der sogenannten Ostmark am Deutschen Reich entsprach.
„Ein Stachel im Fleisch der Christdemokraten“
Authors: Preißler Josefine
Published: October 2024

Das Studienzentrum Weikersheim (SZW) ist heute weitgehend vergessen, obwohl es ein wichtiger Stichwortgeber im politischen Diskurs um die sogenannte geistig-moralische Wende war. 1979 auf Initiative von Hans Filbinger und Günter Rohrmoser gegründet, verstand sich das SZW als „Stachel im Fleisch der Christdemokraten“, für die es konservative Denkimpulse liefern wollte. Auf der Basis weitgehend neu erschlossener Quellen zeichnet Josefine Preißler die Gründung und Entwicklung des Studienzentrums bis zum Jahr 1985 nach. Sie führt aus, warum dessen Ideen kaum Eingang in die Politik der christlich-liberalen Regierung unter Helmut Kohl finden konnten, und zeigt auf, inwiefern dieses Enttäuschungsmoment zur Radikalisierung des SZW führte, das fortan einen zentralen Ort im „Brückenspektrum zwischen Konservativismus und Rechtsextremismus“ (Armin Pfahl-Traughber) bildete.
Wilhelm Treue und der Weg zur „Geschichtlichen Darstellung der gewerblichen Wirtschaft“
Authors: Roelevink Eva-Maria
Published: October 2024

Der Historiker Wilhelm Treue (1909–1992) gilt als prägende Figur für die Konstituierung der Unternehmensgeschichte in Westdeutschland nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg. Eva-Maria Roelevink unternimmt den Versuch, den bisher rein auf Treues Veröffentlichungen begrenzten Wissensstand quellenfundiert und insbesondere für die Zeit vor 1945 zu erweitern. Auf diese Weise lässt sich zeigen, dass sein vermeintlich gebrochener Karriereverlauf ausschlaggebend für seine Konzeption einer modernen Unternehmensgeschichte war. Treue wechselte gezwungenermaßen von der Universität in die amtliche Militärgeschichtsschreibung; hier entwickelte er seine spätere Konzeption und von hier aus knüpfte er die Netzwerke in die Wirtschaft, von denen er nach 1945 erheblich profitierte.
In silico DFT and molecular modeling of novel pyrazine-bearing thiazolidinone hybrids derivatives: elucidating in vitro anti-cancer and urease inhibitors
Authors: Khan Shoaib , Hussain Rafaqat , Khan Yousaf , Iqbal Tayyiaba , Anwar Saeed , Aziz Tariq , Alharbi Metab
Published: October 2024

In the present work, one of the leading health issues i.e. cancer was targeted by synthesizing and biologically investigating the potential of pyrazine-based thiazolidinone derivatives (1–13). The basic structure of the synthesized compounds was determined using a variety of spectroscopic techniques, including 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HREI-MS. These scaffolds were studied for their biological profiles as anti-cancer as well as anti-urease agents. The biological effectiveness of these compounds was compared using the reference tetrandrine (IC50 = 4.50 ± 0.20 µM) and thiourea (IC50 = 5.10 ± 0.10 µM), respectively. Among novel compounds, scaffold 3, 6, 7 and 10 demonstrated an excellent potency with highest inhibitory potential (IC50 = 1.70 ± 0.10 and 1.30 ± 0.20 µM), (IC50 = 4.20 ± 0.10 and 5.10 ± 0.30 µM), (IC50 = 2.10 ± 0.10 and 3.20 ± 0.20 µM) and (IC50 = 2.70 ± 0.20 and 4.20 ± 0.20 µM), respectively, out of which scaffold 3 emerged as the leading compound due to the presence of highly reactive –CF3 moiety which interacts via hydrogen bonding. Molecular docking investigations of the potent compounds was also carried out which revealed the binding interactions of ligands with the active sites of enzyme. Moreover, the electronic properties, nucleophilic and electrophilic sited of the lead compounds were also studied under density functional theory (DFT).
The influence of urban green and recreational areas on the price of housing in Zagreb
Authors: Turk Cerovečki Mirela , Stiperski Zoran
Published: October 2024

Urban green and recreational spaces are important for residents and one of the foundations for the functioningof cities. They offer numerous benefits, including the influence on the price of real estate as an economic benefit.In this paper, the influence of green and recreational areas in Zagreb on the price of apartments in residential buildings is analysed using the hedonic pricing model. The data for the study was processed and analysed using a geographic information system. A local hedonic price model was developed. The results show that some of the observed green and recreational areas increase the price of housing due to their proximity, while others decrease it. Some areas have no influence on the price of housing. The influence of the observed areas on housing prices was heterogeneous. Spatial differences were also found in the influence of the observed areas on housing prices. The most attractive factors when choosing a place to live are Jarun and the parks in the city centre. The price of apartments that near the Jarun increases by 41 EUR/m2 if the apartment is 100 m closer to the Jarun. The price of the apartment increases by 91 EUR/m2 the closer the apartment is to the parks in the city centre (per 100 m). Apartments near Jarun and the parks in the city centre are not available for residents with lower socio-economic status. The forest areas, Maksimir Park and the banks of the Sava river are not favoured when choosing a place to live. Neighbourhoods near these areas are available to the lower socioeconomic status population. Bundek raises the price of one part of the apartments and lowers the price of the other. The results of this study can contribute to the study of green gentrification in Zagreb, but further research is needed on socio-economic indicators and other changes in the region.
A systematic literature review of slow tourism
Authors: Balaban Eylül , Keller Krisztina
Published: October 2024

This systematic literature review focuses on slow tourism, which grew in popularity during COVID-19. It highlights the gaps in the literature for future researchers by compiling the papers published on slow tourism between 2010 and 2021. In addition, the managerial suggestions we make serve as lessons for practitioners. Developed as a systematic literature review, we used different selection criteria including papers published in English in Q1 or Q2 journals between 2010 and 2021 in the sample. This study identified the following parameters: the number of publications, the most preferred research methodology and data collection methods, and the geographical coverage of slow tourism papers. The relationship between slow tourism and sustainability is strengthened by our analysis. We identified qualitative studies, particularly in-depth interviews, as the most popular data collection method for slow tourism studies. Australia, the United Kingdom, and Poland were the most popular destinations in terms of the geographical context of these studies, followed by Italy. As the literature is missing a unified definition of slow tourism, we propose one based on the four-pillar model.
Orbitofrontal Cortex Mediates Sustained Basolateral Amygdala Encoding of Cued Reward-Seeking States
Authors: Ottenheimer David J. , Vitale Katherine R. , Ambroggi Frederic , Janak Patricia H. , Saunders Benjamin T.
Published: October 2024

Basolateral amygdala (BLA) neurons are engaged by emotionally salient stimuli. An area of increasing interest is how BLA dynamics relate to evolving reward-seeking behavior, especially under situations of uncertainty or ambiguity. Here, we recorded the activity of individual BLA neurons in male rats across the acquisition and extinction of conditioned reward seeking. We assessed ongoing neural dynamics in a task where long reward cue presentations preceded an unpredictable, variably time reward delivery. We found that, with training, BLA neurons discriminated the CS+ and CS− cues with sustained cue-evoked activity that correlated with behavior and terminated only after reward receipt. BLA neurons were bidirectionally modulated, with a majority showing prolonged inhibition during cued reward seeking. Strikingly, population-level analyses revealed that neurons showing cue-evoked inhibitions and those showing excitations similarly represented the CS+ and behavioral state. This sustained population code rapidly extinguished in parallel with conditioned behavior. We next assessed the contribution of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), a major reciprocal partner to the BLA. Inactivation of the OFC while simultaneously recording in the BLA revealed a blunting of sustained cue-evoked activity in the BLA that accompanied reduced reward seeking. Optogenetic disruption of BLA activity and OFC terminals in the BLA also reduced reward seeking. Our data indicate that the BLA represents reward-seeking states via sustained, bidirectional cue-driven neural encoding. This code is regulated by cortical input and is important for the maintenance of vigilant reward-seeking behavior.
Dynamics of Saccade Trajectory Modulation by Distractors: Neural Activity Patterns in the Frontal Eye Field
Authors: Ramezanpour Hamidreza , Kehoe Devin Heinze , Schall Jeffrey D. , Fallah Mazyar
Published: October 2024

The sudden appearance of a visual distractor shortly before saccade initiation can capture spatial attention and modulate the saccade trajectory in spite of the ongoing execution of the initial plan to shift gaze straight to the saccade target. To elucidate the neural correlates underlying these curved saccades, we recorded from single neurons in the frontal eye field of two male rhesus monkeys shifting gaze to a target while a distractor with the same eccentricity appeared either left or right of the target at various delays after target presentation. We found that the population level of presaccadic activity of neurons representing the distractor location encoded the direction of the saccade trajectory. Stronger activity occurred when saccades curved toward the distractor, and weaker when saccades curved away. This relationship held whether the distractor was ipsilateral or contralateral to the recorded neurons. Meanwhile, visually responsive neurons showed asymmetrical patterns of excitatory responses that varied with the location of the distractor and the duration of distractor processing relating to attentional capture and distractor inhibition. During earlier distractor processing, neurons encoded curvature toward the distractor. During later distractor processing, neurons encoded curvature away from the distractor. This was observed when saccades curved away from distractors contralateral to the recording site and when saccades curved toward distractors ipsilateral to the recording site. These findings indicate that saccadic motor planning involves dynamic push–pull hemispheric interactions producing attraction or repulsion for potential but unselected saccade targets.