bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Bowtie for a Beast: Overloading, Eta Expansion, and Extensible Data Types in F⋈
Authors: Rioux Nick , Huang Xuejing , Oliveira Bruno C. d. S. , Zdancewic Steve
Published: January 2023

The typed
merge operator
offers the promise of a compositional style of statically-typed programming in which solutions to the expression problem arise naturally. This approach, dubbed
compositional programming
, has recently been demonstrated by Zhang et al.

Unfortunately, the merge operator is an unwieldy beast. Merging values from overlapping types may be ambiguous, so
disjointness relations
have been introduced to rule out undesired nondeterminism and obtain a well-behaved semantics. Past type systems using a disjoint merge operator rely on intersection types, but extending such systems to include union types or overloaded functions is problematic: naively adding either reintroduces ambiguity. In a nutshell: the elimination forms of unions and overloaded functions require values to be distinguishable by case analysis, but the merge operator can create exotic values that violate that requirement.

This paper presents
F
⋈
, a core language that demonstrates how unions, intersections, and overloading can all coexist with a tame merge operator. The key is an underlying design principle that states that any two inhabited types can support either the deterministic merging of their values, or the ability to distinguish their values, but never both. To realize this invariant, we decompose previously studied notions of disjointness into two new, dual relations that permit the operation that best suits each pair of types. This duality respects the polarization of the type structure, yielding an expressive language that we prove to be both type safe and deterministic.
Kater: Automating Weak Memory Model Metatheory and Consistency Checking
Authors: Kokologiannakis Michalis , Lahav Ori , Vafeiadis Viktor
Published: January 2023

The metatheory of axiomatic weak memory models covers questions like the
correctness of compilation mappings from one model to another and the
correctness of local program transformations according to a given model---topics
usually requiring lengthy human investigation.
We show that these questions can be solved by answering a
more basic question: "Given two memory models, is one weaker than the other?"
Moreover, for a wide class of axiomatic memory models, we show that this
basic question can be reduced to a language inclusion problem between regular
languages, which is decidable.

Similarly, implementing an efficient check for whether an execution graph is
consistent according to a given memory model has required non-trivial manual
effort. Again, we show that such efficient checks can be derived automatically
for a wide class of axiomatic memory models, and that incremental consistency checks
can be incorporated in GenMC, a state-of-the-art model checker for concurrent
programs. As a result, we get the first time- and space-efficient bounded
verifier taking the axiomatic memory model as an input parameter.
The Path to Durable Linearizability
Authors: D'Osualdo Emanuele , Raad Azalea , Vafeiadis Viktor
Published: January 2023

There is an increasing body of literature proposing new and efficient
persistent versions of concurrent data structures ensuring that a consistent
state can be recovered after a power failure or a crash.
Their correctness is typically stated in terms of
durable linearizability
(DL),
which requires that individual library operations appear to be executed
atomically in a sequence consistent with the real-time order and, moreover,
that recovering from a crash return a state corresponding to a prefix of that
sequence.
Sadly, however, there are hardly any formal DL proofs, and those that do exist
cover the correctness of rather simple persistent algorithms on specific
(simplified) persistency models.

In response, we propose a general, powerful, modular, and incremental proof technique that
can be used to guide the development and establish DL.
Our technique is
(1)
general
, in that it is not tied to a specific persistency and/or consistency model,
(2)
powerful
, in that it can handle the most advanced persistent algorithms in the literature,
(3)
modular
, in that it allows the reuse of an existing linearizability argument, and
(4)
incremental
, in that the additional requirements for establishing DL
depend on the complexity of the algorithm to be verified.
We illustrate this technique on various versions of a persistent set,
leading to the link-free set of Zuriel et al.
Higher-Order Leak and Deadlock Free Locks
Authors: Jacobs Jules , Balzer Stephanie
Published: January 2023

Reasoning about concurrent programs is challenging, especially if data is shared among threads. Program correctness can be violated by the presence of data races—whose prevention has been a topic of concern both in research and in practice. The Rust programming language is a prime example, putting the slogan fearless concurrency in practice by not only employing an ownership-based type system for memory management, but also using its type system to enforce mutual exclusion on shared data. Locking, unfortunately, not only comes at the price of
deadlocks
but shared access to data may also cause memory
leaks
.

This paper develops a theory of deadlock and leak freedom for
higher-order locks
in a shared memory concurrent setting. Higher-order locks allow sharing not only of basic values but also of other locks and channels, and are themselves first-class citizens. The theory is based on the notion of a
sharing topology
, administrating who is permitted to access shared data at what point in the program. The paper first develops higher-order locks for
acyclic
sharing topologies, instantiated in a λ-calculus with higher-order locks and message-passing concurrency. The paper then extends the calculus to support
circular
dependencies with
dynamic
lock orders, which we illustrate with a dynamic version of Dijkstra’s dining philosophers problem. Well-typed programs in the resulting calculi are shown to be free of deadlocks and memory leaks, with proofs mechanized in the Coq proof assistant.
A Compositional Theory of Linearizability
Authors: Oliveira Vale Arthur , Shao Zhong , Chen Yixuan
Published: January 2023

Compositionality is at the core of programming languages research and has become an important goal toward scalable verification of large systems. Despite that, there is no compositional account of linearizability, the gold standard of correctness for concurrent objects.

In this paper, we develop a compositional semantics for linearizable concurrent objects. We start by showcasing a common issue, which is independent of linearizability, in the construction of compositional models of concurrent computation: interaction with the neutral element for composition can lead to emergent behaviors, a hindrance to compositionality. Category theory provides a solution for the issue in the form of the Karoubi envelope. Surprisingly, and this is the main discovery of our work, this abstract construction is deeply related to linearizability and leads to a novel formulation of it. Notably, this new formulation neither relies on atomicity nor directly upon happens-before ordering and is only possible because of compositionality, revealing that linearizability and compositionality are intrinsically related to each other.

We use this new, and compositional, understanding of linearizability to revisit much of the theory of linearizability, providing novel, simple, algebraic proofs of the locality property and of an analogue of the equivalence with observational refinement. We show our techniques can be used in practice by connecting our semantics with a simple program logic that is nonetheless sound concerning this generalized linearizability.
Top-Down Synthesis for Library Learning
Authors: Bowers Matthew , Olausson Theo X. , Wong Lionel , Grand Gabriel , Tenenbaum Joshua B. , Ellis Kevin , Solar-Lezama Armando
Published: January 2023

This paper introduces
corpus-guided top-down synthesis
as a mechanism for synthesizing library functions that capture common functionality from a corpus of programs in a domain specific language (DSL). The algorithm builds abstractions directly from initial DSL primitives, using syntactic pattern matching of intermediate abstractions to intelligently prune the search space and guide the algorithm towards abstractions that maximally capture shared structures in the corpus. We present an implementation of the approach in a tool called Stitch and evaluate it against the state-of-the-art deductive library learning algorithm from DreamCoder. Our evaluation shows that Stitch is 3-4 orders of magnitude faster and uses 2 orders of magnitude less memory while maintaining comparable or better library quality (as measured by compressivity). We also demonstrate Stitch’s scalability on corpora containing hundreds of complex programs that are intractable with prior deductive approaches and show empirically that it is robust to terminating the search procedure early—further allowing it to scale to challenging datasets by means of early stopping.
Statically Resolvable Ambiguity
Authors: Palmkvist Viktor , Castegren Elias , Haller Philipp , Broman David
Published: January 2023

Traditionally, a grammar defining the syntax of a programming language is typically both context free and unambiguous. However, recent work suggests that an attractive alternative is to use ambiguous grammars,thus postponing the task of resolving the ambiguity to the end user. If all programs accepted by an ambiguous grammar can be rewritten unambiguously, then the parser for the grammar is said to be resolvably ambiguous. Guaranteeing resolvable ambiguity statically---for all programs---is hard, where previous work only solves it partially using techniques based on property-based testing. In this paper, we present the first efficient, practical, and proven correct solution to the statically resolvable ambiguity problem. Our approach introduces several key ideas, including splittable productions, operator sequences, and the concept of a grouper that works in tandem with a standard parser. We prove static resolvability using a Coq mechanization and demonstrate its efficiency and practical applicability by implementing and integrating resolvable ambiguity into an essential part of the standard OCaml parser.
Inductive Synthesis of Structurally Recursive Functional Programs from Non-recursive Expressions
Authors: Lee Woosuk , Cho Hangyeol
Published: January 2023

We present a novel approach to synthesizing recursive functional programs from input-output examples. Synthesizing a recursive function is challenging because recursive subexpressions should be constructed while the target function has not been fully defined yet. We address this challenge by using a new technique we call block-based pruning. A block refers to a recursion- and conditional-free expression (i.e., straight-line code) that yields an output from a particular input. We first synthesize as many blocks as possible for each input-output example, and then we explore the space of recursive programs, pruning candidates that are inconsistent with the blocks. Our method is based on an efficient version space learning, thereby effectively dealing with a possibly enormous number of blocks. In addition, we present a method that uses sampled input-output behaviors of library functions to enable a goal-directed search for a recursive program using the library. We have implemented our approach in a system called Trio and evaluated it on synthesis tasks from prior work and on new tasks. Our experiments show that Trio outperforms prior work by synthesizing a solution to 98% of the benchmarks in our benchmark suite.
Context-Bounded Verification of Context-Free Specifications
Authors: Baumann Pascal , Ganardi Moses , Majumdar Rupak , Thinniyam Ramanathan S. , Zetzsche Georg
Published: January 2023

A fundamental problem in refinement verification is to check that the language of behaviors of an implementation is included in the language of the specification. We consider the refinement verification problem where the implementation is a multithreaded shared memory system modeled as a multistack pushdown automaton and the specification is an input-deterministic multistack pushdown language. Our main result shows that the
context-bounded
refinement problem, where we ask that all behaviors generated in runs of bounded number of context switches belong to a specification given by a Dyck language, is decidable and coNP-complete. The more general case of input-deterministic languages follows, with the same complexity. Context-bounding is essential since emptiness for multipushdown automata is already undecidable, and so is the refinement verification problem for the subclass of regular specifications. Input-deterministic languages capture many non-regular specifications of practical interest and our result opens the way for algorithmic analysis of these properties. The context-bounded refinement problem is coNP-hard already with deterministic regular specifications; our result demonstrates that the problem is not harder despite the stronger class of specifications. Our proof introduces several general techniques for formal languages and counter programs and shows that the search for counterexamples can be reduced in non-deterministic polynomial time to the satisfiability problem for existential Presburger arithmetic. These techniques are essential to ensure the coNP upper bound: existing techniques for regular specifications are not powerful enough for decidability, while simple reductions lead to problems that are either undecidable or have high complexities. As a special case, our decidability result gives an algorithmic verification technique to reason about reference counting and re-entrant locking in multithreaded programs.
AI-augmented Business Process Management Systems: A Research Manifesto
Authors: Dumas Marlon , Fournier Fabiana , Limonad Lior , Marrella Andrea , Montali Marco , Rehse Jana-Rebecca , Accorsi Rafael , Calvanese Diego , De Giacomo Giuseppe , Fahland Dirk , Gal Avigdor , La Rosa Marcello , Völzer Hagen , Weber Ingo
Published: January 2023

AI-augmented Business Process Management Systems (ABPMSs) are an emerging class of process-aware information systems, empowered by trustworthy AI technology. An ABPMS enhances the execution of business processes with the aim of making these processes more adaptable, proactive, explainable, and context-sensitive. This manifesto presents a vision for ABPMSs and discusses research challenges that need to be surmounted to realize this vision. To this end, we define the concept of ABPMS, we outline the lifecycle of processes within an ABPMS, we discuss core characteristics of an ABPMS, and we derive a set of challenges to realize systems with these characteristics.
Ontology-aware Prescription Recommendation in Treatment Pathways Using Multi-evidence Healthcare Data
Authors: Yao Zijun , Liu Bin , Wang Fei , Sow Daby , Li Ying
Published: January 2023

For care of chronic diseases (e.g., depression, diabetes, hypertension), it is critical to identify effective treatment pathways that aim to promptly update the medication following the change of patient state and disease progression. This task is challenging because the optimal treatment pathway for each patient needs to be personalized due to the significant heterogeneity among individuals. Therefore, it is naturally promising to investigate how to use the abundant electronic health records to recommend effective and safe prescriptions. However, prescription recommendation needs to consider multiple aspects of life-critical evidence, such as the information relevance in terms of medical concepts, the health condition in terms of diagnosis history, and the further constraint in terms of side information (e.g., patient demographics and drug side effects). To this end, in this article, we propose a novel prescription recommendation framework named OntoPath to predict the next drug in disease treatment pathways, by building an ontology-aware hierarchical-attention model that integrates multiple medical evidence from domain knowledge guidance, medical history profiling, and side information utilization. Specifically, our method can be characterized from three aspects: (1) by incorporating the longitudinal diagnosis history, we enrich the profiling of patients in terms of comprehensive health conditions, which can largely influence a drug’s outcome on individual patients; (2) using the hierarchical disease and drug ontology structures, we are able to model the domain-specific relevance between patients and drugs at multiple levels of granularity and achieve in-depth collaborative filtering; (3) we introduce a pre-training stage to enhance the discriminativeness of network representations, which helps us obtain a premium model initialization to further boost the final recommendation training. We perform extensive experiments on a large-scale depression cohort with over 37,000 patients from a real-world medical claims database. The quantitative and qualitative results demonstrate the effectiveness of OntoPath through the consistent outperformance over state-of-the-art prescription recommendation baselines and the interpretation of model mechanism in case studies.
A New Conformable Fractional-Order Time-Delay Grey Bernoulli Model with the Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm and Its Application in Rural Regional Economy
Authors: Wang Ran , Liu Hui , Yang Qinwen , Du Hongmei
Published: January 2023

To further promote the development of the grey system theory, this paper develops a novel conformable fractional-order grey Bernoulli model with a time-delay effect, namely, the CFTDNGBM (1, 1) model. In addition, the arithmetic optimization algorithm (AOA) is incorporated into the system of the model to solve the hyperparameters existing in the model. Compared with the previous grey prediction models, the CFTDNGBM (1, 1) model with a conformable fractional-order accumulation operation (CFAO), time-delay factor, and Bernoulli parameter has stronger compatibility in structure. The proposed model and its nine competitive models with excellent performance are used to predict and analyze the consumption level and per capita consumption expenditure of rural residents in China to verify the feasibility of the proposed method. The case results show that in both cases, the seven descriptive indicators of the CFTDNGBM (1, 1) model are higher than those of its competing models. Therefore, the CFTDNGBM (1, 1) model has a certain application value.
Effectiveness Study of Artificial Intelligent Facility System in Maintaining Building Fire Safety (Case Study: Typical Public Building Cases of Fire-Fighting Facilities Management in China)
Authors: Xu Weijie , Chan S. C. , Leong W. Y.
Published: January 2023

Artificial intelligence plays a decisive role in the healthy and sustainable development of society. The rapid development of the economy and society has put forward higher standards and requirements for fire supervision. The development of science and technology has advanced the intelligence on fire protection. Through the application of intelligent fire control, the fire department can better supervise the fire control of various units and further improve the pertinence and effectiveness of fire control supervision. Artificial intelligence technology is widely used in all stages of construction projects, which brings many conveniences to the construction and use of projects. Based on the analysis of the current situation and existing problems of the basic maintenance of fire-fighting facilities, this project analyzes the effect of the application of artificial intelligence technology in the management of fire-fighting facilities. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to study the role and effectiveness of artificial intelligence technology in the management of fire-fighting facilities and further verify this conclusion with questionnaires and interviews.
Reciprocal REGγ-Nrf2 Regulation Promotes Long Period ROS Scavenging in Oxidative Stress-Induced Cell Aging
Authors: Kibreab Solomon , Wang Zimeng , Zhu Xiangzhan , Ren Yuping , Jing Yiming , Li Xiaotao , Li Lei , Zhang Bianhong
Published: January 2023

Increased accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decline of adaptive response of antioxidants to oxidative stimuli has been implicated in the aging process. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation is a core event in attenuating oxidative stress-associated aging. The activity is modulated by a more complex regulatory network. In this study, we demonstrate the proteasome activator REGγ function as a new regulator of Nrf2 activity upon oxidative stress in cell aging model induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). REGγ deficiency promotes cell senescence in primary MEF cells after H2O2 treatment. Accordingly, ROS scavenging is accelerated in WT cells but blunted in REGγ lacking cells during 12-hour recovery from a 1-hour H2O2 treatment, indicating long-lasting antioxidant buffering capacity of REGγ. Mechanistically, through GSK-3β inhibition, REGγ enhances the nuclear distribution and transcriptional activity of Nrf2, which is surveyed by induction of phase II enzymes including Ho1 and Nqo1. Meanwhile, Nrf2 mediates the transcriptional activation of REGγ upon H2O2 stimulation. More interestingly, short-term exposure to H2O2 leads to transiently upregulation and gradually descent of REGγ transcription, however sustained higher REGγ protein level even in the absence of H2O2 for 24 hours. Thus, our results establish a positive feedback loop between REGγ and Nrf2 and a new layer of adaptive response after oxidative stimulation that is the REGγ-GSK-3β-Nrf2 pathway.
Real‐Valued Weighted Subspace Fitting Algorithm for DOA Estimation with Block Sparse Recovery
Authors: Li Liangliang , Wang Xianpeng , Shi Jinmei , Lan Xiang
Published: January 2023

In this paper, the problem of direction‐of‐arrival (DOA) estimation for strictly noncircular sources under the condition of unknown mutual coupling is concerned, and then a robust real‐valued weighted subspace fitting (WSF) algorithm is proposed via block sparse recovery. Inspired by noncircularity, the real‐valued coupled extended array output with double array aperture is first structured via exploiting the real‐valued conversion. Then, an efficient real‐valued block extended sparse recovery model is constructed by performing the parameterized decoupling operation to avoid the unknown mutual coupling and noncircular phase effects. Thereafter, the WSF framework is investigated to recover the real‐valued block sparse matrix, where the spectrum of real‐valued NC MUSIC‐like is utilized to design a weighted matrix for strengthening the solutions sparsity. Eventually, DOA estimation is achieved based on the support set of the reconstructed block sparse matrix. Owing to the combination of noncircularity, parametrized decoupling thought, and reweighted strategy, the proposed method not only effectively achieves high‐precision estimation, but also efficiently reduces the computational complexity. Plenty of simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method.
The Effectiveness of Infusion Learning Model in Linear Algebra Course
Authors: Tristanti Lia Budi , Nusantara Toto
Published: January 2023

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of applying the learning model in linear algebra at a university in the city of Jombang, Indonesia, which is indicated by looking at student learning outcomes, student learning activities, and the ability of lecturers to manage to learn. The quasi-experimental research method was carried out for 3 months involving two classes of students consisting of an experimental class (infusion learning model) and a control class (conventional learning). Data were collected through test sheets (pretest and posttest), student activity observation sheets, and lecturers’ ability observation sheets in managing to learn. Data were analyzed using two techniques, namely, inferential statistical analysis and descriptive statistical analysis. Based on inferential statistical analysis, it shows differences in students’ argumentation abilities between the control and experimental groups. In addition, based on the results of the descriptive analysis, student learning outcomes in the infusion learning model obtained more than the minimum standard value, students were active in learning activities, and lecturers’ abilities were good and very good in managing to learn. Thus, the infusion learning model effectively learns linear algebra with vector subspace topics. These findings indicate that students are enthusiastic about solving problems, building arguments not in dialog and arguments in dialog, and actively discussing with other students in class. We suggest that lecturers apply infusion learning to other math topics so that students can be enthusiastic about learning mathematics in class. Alternatively, lecturers can use the infusion learning model with technology-assisted learning to make learning more interesting for students.
Effect of a Multi-Strain Probiotic Supplementation to Manage Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over Clinical Trial
Authors: Nobile Vincenzo , Puoci Francesco
Published: January 2023

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic strongly affected every aspect of the modern society, from health to socioeconomics, leading people to experience high levels of stress. Methods: A double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled clinical study was performed to investigate the ability of a food supplement containing two probiotic strains, Limosilactobacillus reuteri PBS072 and Bifidobacterium breve BB077, in supporting 33 healthy adults, working at a university, in stress management. The efficacy of the tested strains in influencing the stress response, in terms of mood and sleep behavior, was assessed using the following validated questionnaires: Profile of Mood State (POMS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results: Outcomes of the POMS and the PSQI demonstrated a significant reduction of the questionnaire’s scores both versus baseline and placebo after 30 days of probiotic intake. Conclusions: According to the results, the probiotic food supplement investigated showed a remarkable effect on stress management by improving the quality of sleep and the mood.
Tissue Engineering of Vascular Grafts: A Case Report From Bench to Bedside and Back
Authors: Breuer Thomas , Jimenez Michael , Humphrey Jay D. , Shinoka Toshiharu , Breuer Christopher K.
Published: January 2023

For over 25 years, our group has used regenerative medicine strategies to develop improved biomaterials for use in congenital heart surgery. Among other applications, we developed a tissue-engineered vascular graft (TEVG) by seeding tubular biodegradable polymeric scaffolds with autologous bone marrow–derived mononuclear cells. Results of our first-in-human study demonstrated feasibility as the TEVG transformed into a living vascular graft having an ability to grow, making it the first engineered graft with growth potential. Yet, outcomes of this first Food and Drug Administration–approved clinical trial evaluating safety revealed a prohibitively high incidence of early TEVG stenosis, preventing the widespread use of this promising technology. Mechanistic studies in mouse models provided important insight into the development of stenosis and enabled advanced computational models. Computational simulations suggested both a novel inflammation-driven, mechano-mediated process of in vivo TEVG development and an unexpected natural history, including spontaneous reversal of the stenosis. Based on these in vivo and in silico discoveries, we have been able to rationally design strategies for inhibiting TEVG stenosis that have been validated in preclinical large animal studies and translated to the clinic via a new Food and Drug Administration–approved clinical trial. This progress would not have been possible without the multidisciplinary approach, ranging from small to large animal models and computational simulations. This same process is expected to lead to further advances in scaffold design, and thus next generation TEVGs.
From Undermining to Strengthening:
Authors: Klerk Bastiaan Ewoud
Published: January 2023

Among the most pressing issues that remain unresolved in the process of negotiating a new international legally binding instrument (ILBI) on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) are the institutional arrangements, as they underpin the treaty as a whole. This article seeks to shed new light on the question of what institutional shape the ILBI should take, by closely analysing the pluralistic governance model that is reflected in the BBNJ Draft text and exploring its potential normative and institutional interactions with the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR Convention), under which a vast network of marine protected areas (MPAs) has been put in place. The BBNJ ILBI has great potential to strengthen regional bodies in their endeavours to establish MPAs as opposed to ‘undermine’ them.
The Fifth Hilding Eek Memorial Lecture
Authors: Corell Hans
Published: January 2023

The rule of law can be defined as having four elements: (1) democracy; (2) proper legislation respecting international human rights standards; (3) the institutions to administer this law, including independent and impartial courts; and (4) the individuals with the integrity and the knowledge necessary to administer these institutions. The UN has come to an understanding that the rule of law is indispensable for international peace and security, for example in the resolution adopted by the General Assembly in 2012 entitled “Declaration of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the rule of law at the national and international levels”. The Security Council with its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security is the most powerful UN organ. A special responsibility weighs heavily upon high-level politicians in states members of the Council to contribute to establishing the rule of law at the national and international levels.
Early Modern Variations on the Theme of Complicity: How Jesuits Came to Be Linked with Regicide
Authors: McKenzie-McHarg Andrew
Published: January 2023

In the long history of anti-Jesuitism, the accusation that the Society of Jesus endorsed assassination and used it as a means to pursue its goals hardened into one of the recurring topoi that were repeatedly invoked to malign the order. However, the Society was clearly not born with this stigma. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how in the late sixteen and early seventeenth centuries an interplay of political events and doctrinal statements arose whose cumulative effect was to brand the Society with a reputation for approving the principle and abetting the practice of killing kings.
The Challenges to Prohibition: Opium Law, Opium Smuggling, and Chinese in the Philippines, 1910–1935
Authors: Ramos Dondy Pepito G.
Published: January 2023

Opium was one of the issues that had to be resolved by the Americans upon their colonization of the Philippines. The debate on the potentialities of opium dates back to the Spanish colonial period, when the colonial government framed the opium issue as both economic and moral in nature. In the end, the economic potentialities of opium outweighed its moral repercussions because the Spanish colonial government allowed its regulated use among the Chinese. In contrast, the American officials in Manila crafted a progressive prohibitionist policy based on the recommendation of the investigative Opium Committee in 1905. In terms of opium in the Philippines, the majority of research has focused on the American policies on opium and their international consequences. This study focuses on the aftermath and challenges of the American prohibitionist policy from 1910 to 1935, particularly as they related to smuggling. Using archival documents such as annual reports from the governor-general of the Philippines and other government records, the paper aims to demonstrate how and in what ways opium was smuggled in the Philippines and to analyze the various motivations, reasons, and methods used by smugglers. Furthermore, the paper explores the involvement of the Chinese in various notable opium-related cases in the Philippines. I also argue that an increase in the smuggling of opium was an unwanted aftermath of the American prohibitionist policy. The present study hopes to contribute to the growing body of literature on narcotics, drug policies, and empire building.
Resilience and Survival in the Twentieth Century of a Chinese School in Iligan City, Philippines
Authors: Ngo Michael Anthony R.
Published: January 2023

This study explores the causal elements of resiliency and continuity in a Chinese school located on the southern island of the Philippines, Mindanao. Established by the Huaren community in Iligan City in the 1930s, the changing political, economic, and socio-cultural landscape of the country over the years since 1948 has brought about challenges and changes to the school. The presence of an “alien” minority whose: (1) commercial endeavors were perceived to be gaining control of the country’s economy, (2) strong cultural ties from their country of origin creates a degree of social separateness from the native population, and (3) political loyalty was questioned (as exemplified during the “Red Scare” Syndrome) were among the concerns that coincided with the resurgence of Filipino nationalism, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s. The passage of “nationalization” laws placed restrictions and curtailments on foreign control in the country, and the Chinese school in Iligan was not exempted from the measures instituted by the Philippine government. But despite such measures, the school has continued to serve its purpose as an academic institution that not only educates young minds with basic educational training but also contributes to the preservation of the Chinese language and culture in the community. It remains and continues to serve the community as the only foreign-language school in the city.
A re-assessment of diversity among Philippine gymnures (Mammalia: Erinaceidae: Podogymnura), with a new species from eastern Mindanao
Authors: BALETE DANILO S. , HEANEY LAWRENCE R. , RICKART ERIC A. , QUIDLAT ROSELYN S. , ROWSEY DAKOTA M. , OLSON LINK E.
Published: January 2023

Podogymnura, a Philippine endemic genus of gymnures (“soft-furred hedgehogs”), has been known previously only from the highlands of central Mindanao (P. truei truei and P. t. minima) and from two small islands off the northeast tip of Mindanao (P. aureospinula). Based on a combination of mitochondrial genetic and qualitative and quantitative morphological data, we recognize P. minima, formerly considered a subspecies of P. truei, as a distinct species. We also recognize specimens from two little-studied montane regions of southeastern Mindanao, Mt. Hamiguitan and Mt. Kampalili, as a distinctive new species, P. intermedia n. sp. We estimate that dispersal of a common ancestor from Borneo to Mindanao ca. 1.9 to 3.5 Ma gave rise to Podogymnura, followed by speciation within Mindanao beginning 0.53 to 0.97 Ma. These results further increase the rich diversity of mammals on Mindanao, and underscore the importance of the eastern Mindanao highlands as a likely important but little-studied center of Philippine mammalian diversity.
Integrative approach reveals the identity of Brazilian specimens previously recognized as Anastrepha dissimilis Stone, 1942 (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: ARAÚJO ALEXANDRE S. , ZUCCHI ROBERTO A. , NORRBOM ALLEN L. , NANINI FREDERICO , CORRÊA ALBERTO S. , ALVARENGA CLARICE D. , SOUZA-FILHO MIGUEL F. , NAVA DORI E. , SAVARIS MARCOANDRE
Published: January 2023

Anastrepha dissimilis is currently considered to be widely distributed in Brazil, occurring in 20 of 27 states. However, morphological differences between the holotype (from Plaisance, Haiti) and a paratype (from Pernambuco, Brazil) suggest that the Brazilian specimens are not A. dissimilis, because their aculeus tip is similar to the paratype not to the holotype. Therefore, considering the importance of integrative taxonomy for species delimitation, we used geometric and linear morphometrics and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences integrated with the morphology of the aculeus tip to clarify the identity of populations previously identified as A. dissimilis from multiple Brazilian localities. Morphological data show a uniform pattern among the Brazilian populations, with some variation among specimens from the south and northeast. In addition, the geometric and linear morphometrics suggest considerable geographic variation among these populations, suggesting the existence of at least two morphs. The molecular analysis revealed that specimens from Brazil previously identified as A. dissimilis belong to Anastrepha chiclayae Greene, with a genetic distance ranging from 0.00 to 0.015%. According to our integrative analyses, specimens from Brazil formerly identified as A. dissimilis actually are A. chiclayae. Therefore, this is the first record of A. chiclayae in Brazil, and we also report that A. dissimilis does not occur in Brazil.
Moored Observations of the Currents and Transports of the Maluku Sea
Authors: Yin Xueli , Yuan Dongliang , Li Xiang , Wang Zheng , Li Yao , Corvianawatie Corry , Wardana Adhitya Kusuma , Surinati Dewi , Purwandana Adi , Ismail Mochamad Furqon Azis , Budiman Asep Sandra , Bayhaqi Ahmad , Avianto Praditya , Kusmanto Edi , Santoso Priyadi Dwi , Dirhamsyah  , Arifin Zainal
Published: January 2023

The mean circulation and volume budgets in the upper 1200 m of the Maluku Sea are studied using multiyear current meter measurements of four moorings in the Maluku Channel and of one synchronous mooring in the Lifamatola Passage. The measurements show that the mean current in the depth range of 60–450 m is northward toward the Pacific Ocean with a mean transport of 2.07–2.60 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1). In the depth range of 450–1200 m, a mean western boundary current (WBC) flows southward through the western Maluku Sea and connects with the southward flow in the Lifamatola Passage. The mean currents in the central-eastern Maluku Channel are found to flow northward at this depth range, suggesting an anticlockwise western intensified gyre circulation in the middle layer of the Maluku Sea. Budget analyses suggest that the mean transport of the intermediate WBC is 1.83–2.25 Sv, which is balanced by three transports: 1) 0.62–0.93 Sv southward transport into the Seram–Banda Seas through the Lifamatola Passage, 2) 0.97–1.01 Sv returning to the western Pacific Ocean through the central-eastern Maluku Channel, and 3) a residual transport surplus, suggested to upwell to the upper layer joining the northward transport into the Pacific Ocean. The dynamics of the intermediate gyre circulation are explained by the potential vorticity (PV) integral constraint of a semienclosed basin.

Significance Statement

The Indonesian Throughflow plays an important role in the global ocean circulation and climate variations. Existing studies of the Indonesian Throughflow have focused on the upper thermocline currents. Here we identify, using mooring observations, an intermediate western boundary current with the core at 800–1000-m depth in the Maluku Sea, transporting intermediate waters from the Pacific into the Seram–Banda Seas through the Lifamatola Passage. Potential vorticity balance suggests an anticlockwise gyre circulation in the intermediate Maluku Sea, which is evidenced by the mooring and model data. Transport estimates suggest northward countercurrent in the upper Maluku Sea toward the Pacific, supplied by the Lifamatola Passage transport and upwelling from the intermediate layer in the Maluku Sea. Our results suggest the importance of the intermediate Indonesian Throughflow in global ocean circulation and overturn. More extensive investigations of the Indo-Pacific intermediate ocean circulation should be conducted to improve our understanding of global ocean overturn and heat and CO2 storages.
Development of a Novel Inflammatory Index to Predict Coronary Artery Disease Severity in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Mangalesh Sridhar , Dudani Sharmila , Mahesh Nalin K.
Published: January 2023

The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) have previously demonstrated predictive value in coronary artery disease (CAD). We developed on an expanded, novel systemic immune-inflammation response index (SIIRI), calculated as peripheral neutrophil × monocyte × platelet ÷ lymphocyte count. We assessed 240 patients with an acute coronary syndrome that subsequently underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. CAD severity was measured using the SYNTAX score. Laboratory measurements, including cell counts, were obtained on admission. On multivariate analysis, the SIIRI was an independent predictor of severe CAD with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.666 [1.376-2.017] per 105-unit increase. The SIIRI had the highest area under the receiver operator curve of .771 [.709-.833] compared to the SII, SIRI neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-lymphocyte ratio, and platelet-lymphocyte ratio. The optimal cut-off for SIIRI was 4.3 × 105, with sensitivity = 69.9% and specificity = 75.8%. Increment in model performance resulting from adding SIIRI versus other inflammatory indices was assessed using discrimination, calibration, and goodness-of-fit measures. When added to a baseline model, the SIIRI resulted in a significant increase in the c-statistic and significant net reclassification index (.808, P < .0001) and integrated discrimination index (.129, P < .0001), and a decrease in Akaike and Bayesian information criteria.
Big Profits, Big Harm? Exploring the Link Between Firm Financial Performance and Human Rights Misbehavior
Authors: Giuliani Elisa , Nieri Federica , Vezzulli Andrea
Published: January 2023

We examine whether, relative to their global peers, the financial performance of firms from developing countries leads to increases in human rights abuses. We also study the institutional conditions that qualify this relationship. Based on a combination of behavioral and neo-institutional theories, we suggest there is a positive relationship between financial performance and human rights misbehavior as home country liabilities motivate firms to misbehave to achieve their primary goal of economic leadership. We also suggest that strong regulatory and normative pressures attenuate the abovementioned positive relationship, as failure to comply with norms endangers such firms’ secondary goal of achieving international legitimacy. Our analysis, based on a sample of 245 large companies from eight developing countries studied over a 20-year period, supports our hypotheses. Our empirical results suggest that such companies misbehave when they endeavor to strike a balance between maintaining their global economic leadership and sustaining their social legitimacy.
The Good Behaviour Game: Maintaining students’ physical distancing in physical education classes during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Tounsi Olfa , Koubaa Abdessalem , Trabelsi Omar , Masmoudi Liwa , Mkaouer Bessem , Trabelsi Khaled , Jahrami Haitham , Clark Cain CT , Bahloul Mourad
Published: January 2023

Background:

Maintaining physical distancing is one of the most important steps to enforce in educational institutions to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19. However, close proximity and physical contact between students are often considered ‘normal’ during physical education (PE) classes, making it challenging for PE teachers to ensure physical distancing.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the implementation of the Good Behaviour Game (GBG) in maintaining physical distancing in PE settings in times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method:

In a quasi-experimental design, two groups were separately designated as an experimental group (20 classes involving 220 students) and a control group (20 classes involving 231 students). They were all enrolled in the eighth grade of the Tunisian education system. In the experimental group, the PE teacher managed physical distancing by administering the GBG. Physical distancing was evaluated by direct observation of videos of filmed PE sessions using a code grid. It was measured twice for the two groups using Kinovea software.

Results:

Quantitative data analyses showed that the level of maintaining physical distancing increased after the GBG intervention in the experimental group ( p < .001). Furthermore, greater percent changes between pre- and post-intervention were identified in the experimental group compared to the control group (120% vs 1%, respectively).

Conclusion:

The GBG was effective in ensuring students’ physical distancing when implemented in PE settings.
Acute Postoperative Pain Due to Dental Extraction in the Adult Population: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis
Authors: Miroshnychenko A. , Ibrahim S. , Azab M. , Roldan Y. , Martinez J.P.D. , Tamilselvan D. , He L. , Little J.W. , Urquhart O. , Tampi M. , Polk D.E. , Moore P.A. , Hersh E.V. , Claytor B. , Carrasco-Labra A. , Brignardello-Petersen R.
Published: January 2023

This study compares the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments to develop guidelines for the management of acute pain after tooth extraction. We searched Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and US Clinical Trials registry on November 21, 2020. We included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of participants undergoing dental extractions comparing 10 interventions, including acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and combinations to placebo. After duplicate screening and data abstraction, we conducted a frequentist network meta-analysis for each outcome at 6 h (i.e., pain relief, total pain relief [TOTPAR], summed pain intensity difference [SPID], global efficacy rating, rescue analgesia, and adverse effects). We assessed the risk of bias using a modified Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool and the certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. We implemented the analyses in RStudio version 3.5.3 and classified interventions from most to least beneficial or harmful. We included 82 RCTs. Fifty-six RCTs enrolling 9,095 participants found moderate- and high-certainty evidence that ibuprofen 200 to 400 mg plus acetaminophen 500 to 1,000 mg (mean difference compared to placebo [MDp], 1.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06–2.31), acetaminophen 650 mg plus oxycodone 10 mg (MDp, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.85–1.54), ibuprofen 400 mg (MDp, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.17–1.45), and naproxen 400–440 mg (MDp, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.07–1.80) were most effective for pain relief on a 0 to 4 scale. Oxycodone 5 mg, codeine 60 mg, and tramadol 37.5 mg plus acetaminophen 325 mg were no better than placebo. The results for TOTPAR, SPID, global efficacy rating, and rescue analgesia were similar. Based on low- and very low-certainty evidence, most interventions were classified as no more harmful than placebo for most adverse effects. Based on moderate- and high-certainty evidence, NSAIDs with or without acetaminophen result in better pain-related outcomes than opioids with or without acetaminophen (except acetaminophen 650 mg plus oxycodone 10 mg) or placebo.