bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of weak environmental steering flow on tropical cyclone track predictability
Authors: Ashcroft John , Schwendike Juliane , Griffiths Stephen D. , Ross Andrew N. , Short Chris J.
Published: September 2021

TyphoonsHaiyan(2013) andHagupit(2014) are examples of two tropical cyclones (TCs) for which, despite similarities in the track and intensity, the predictabilities differed greatly. Both TCs made landfall over the Philippines having followed a similar track across the Pacific and both reached intensities in excess of 60 ms−1. Operational global ensemble forecasts showed large uncertainty in the track of , whereas the ensemble spread for was considerably less. Using the Met Office's Unified Model, 5‐day global ensemble forecasts were produced for both storms. Consistent with the operational forecasts produced at the time of the storms, the spread of tracks is greater in the forecasts produced for than . The latter was located on the southern periphery of the subtropical high and embedded in a strong easterly flow. In contrast, the position of between two anticyclones earlier in the forecast is key to the subsequent motion of the storm in determining whether would make landfall over the Philippines or turn to the north. Upper‐level winds contributed the most to the depth‐averaged steering flow. Statistically significant differences in the strength of the upper‐level anticyclone to the east of the storm, the strength and position of the upper‐level ridge downstream of the storm and the location of a detached potential vorticity (PV) streamer appear between two groups of ensemble members – those which turn to the north and those which make landfall. Positional differences of the TC in different ensemble members earlier in the forecasts, particularly in the east to west direction, are correlated to larger northeast to southwest position differences later in the forecast. Ensemble sensitivity analysis suggests that this initial east–west positional variance is linked to the upper‐level geopotential height directly south of the storm. Accurately representing both the steering flow and the position of is vital for an accurate forecast.
Impact of assimilating lidar water vapour and temperature profiles with a hybrid ensemble transform Kalman filter: Three‐dimensional variational analysis on the convection‐permitting scale
Authors: Thundathil Rohith , Schwitalla Thomas , Behrendt Andreas , Wulfmeyer Volker
Published: September 2021

We discuss the analysis impact of the ensemble‐based assimilation of differential absorption lidar observed water vapour and Raman lidar observed temperature profiles into the Weather Research and Forecasting model at convection‐permitting scale. The impact of flow‐dependent background error covariance in the data assimilation (DA) system that uses the hybrid three‐dimensional variational (3DVAR) ensemble transform Kalman filter (ETKF) was compared to 3DVAR DA. The 3DVAR‐ETKF experiment resulted in a 50% lower temperature and water vapour RMSE than the 3DVAR experiment when taking the assimilated lidar data as reference and 26% (38%) lower water vapour (temperature) RMSE when comparing against independent radiosonde observations collocated with the lidar site. The planetary boundary‐layer height of the analyses compared to independent ceilometer data provided additional evidence of improvement. The 3DVAR analysis RMSE showed 140 m, whereas 3DVAR‐ETKF showed 60 m. Although limited to a single case study, we attribute these improvements to the flow‐dependent background error covariance matrix in the 3DVAR‐ETKF approach. The vertical profile measured from a single stationary lidar system established a spatial impact with a 100 km radius. This seems to indicate future assimilation of water vapour and temperature data from an operational lidar network. The assimilation impact persisted 7 hr into the forecast time compared with the ceilometer data and 4 hr with GPS observations.
On the inclusion of cusp effects in expectation values with explicitly correlated Gaussians
Authors: Jeszenszki Péter , Ireland Robbie T. , Ferenc Dávid , Mátyus Edit
Published: September 2021

This paper elaborates the integral transformation technique and uses it for the case of the non‐relativistic kinetic and Coulomb potential energy operators, as well as for the relativistic mass‐velocity and Darwin terms. The techniques are tested for the ground electronic state of the helium atom and perturbative relativistic energies are reported for the ground electronic state of the molecular ion near its equilibrium structure.
Time‐varying formation control of linear multiagent systems with time delays and multiplicative noises
Authors: Jia Ruru , Zong Xiaofeng
Published: September 2021

This article investigates time‐varying formation control problems of linear multiagent systems with time delays and multiplicative noises under the undirected interactive topology. First, the time‐varying formation control problem under time delays and multiplicative noises is transformed into the asymptotic stability problem of a closed‐loop stochastic system. Then, sufficient conditions for formation feasibility under the unstable and stable formation centers are provided by constructing the Lyapunov functional and the Lyapunov function, respectively. For the case of an unstable formation center, we give the formation feasibility conditions and the explicit formation control design. For the case of a stable formation center, it is proved that the formation can be achieved for any given time delay and noise intensity. Finally, numerical simulations on a group of unmanned aerial vehicles are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
Successive minimum spanning trees
Authors: Janson Svante , Sorkin Gregory B.
Published: September 2021

In a complete graphwith independent uniform(or exponential) edge weights, letbe the minimum‐weight spanning tree (MST), andthe MST after deleting the edges of all previous trees. We show that each tree's weightconverges in probability to a constant, with, and we conjecture that. The problem is distinct from Frieze and Johansson's minimum combined weightofkedge‐disjoint spanning trees; indeed,. With an edge of weightw“arriving” at time, Kruskal's algorithm defines forests, initially empty and eventually equal to, each edge added to the first possible. Using tools of inhomogeneous random graphs we obtain structural results including that the fraction of vertices in the largest component ofconverges to some. We conjecture that the functionstend to time translations of a single function.
Training, crowdsourcing key for building a crisis co‐response model
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: September 2021

Police Lieutenant Aaron Landers began running the newly created Community Outreach and Support Team at the University of Illinois, Urbana‐Champaign in December 2020 after earning a master's degree in social work with a concentration in mental health and having worked in law enforcement for nearly 25 years. COAST was created to develop stronger ties with the campus community while creating a safe environment for those in crisis by pairing officers with trained mental health professionals when responding to crisis intervention team calls.
Effective project management calls for crucial skills
Authors: Hodges Dawn Z.
Published: September 2021

During my years working in higher education, I have often led, or been a team member of, a group managing a project. These projects have included preparing for a 10‐year accreditation review; building or furnishing new buildings or even new campuses; creating emergency protocols; writing documents such as the curriculum catalog, faculty manual, and staff handbook; revising the general education curriculum; merging with other colleges; holding a major event on campus; and helping the college system host a state, regional, or national conference. I'm sure you can think of countless projects you've worked on. If you're new to administration, you will receive many project management assignments in the future.
Enrollment strategy helps students engage and plan
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: September 2021

Demands for higher quality and a deep‐seated drive for social justice fuel the efforts of Mildred Lewis, Ed.D., as Dean of Enrollment Services at Laney College in Oakland, Calif. The community college has taken a more strategic approach to enrollment management during the past four years, making sure prospective and incoming students have the tools necessary to know that Laney is a fit and that their journey will go smoothly when they get there.
Partially linear single‐index generalized mean residual life models
Authors: Jin Peng , Liu Mengling
Published: September 2021

Mean residual life (MRL) function defines the remaining life expectancy of a subject who has survived to a time point and is an important alternative to the hazard function for characterizing the distribution of a time‐to‐event variable. Existing MRL models primarily focus on studying the association between risk factors and disease risks using linear model specifications in multiplicative or additive scale. When risk factors have complex correlation structures, nonlinear effects, or interactions, the prefixed linearity assumption may be insufficient to capture the relationship. Single‐index modeling framework offers flexibility in reducing dimensionality and modeling nonlinear effects. In this article, we propose a class of partially linear single‐index generalized MRL models, the regression component of which consists of both a semiparametric single‐index part and a linear regression part. Regression spline technique is employed to approximate the nonparametric single‐index function, and parameters are estimated using an iterative algorithm. Double‐robust estimators are also proposed to protect against the misspecification of censoring distribution or MRL models. A further contribution of this article is a nonparametric test proposed to formally evaluate the linearity of the single‐index function. Asymptotic properties of the estimators are established, and the finite‐sample performance is evaluated through extensive numerical simulations. The proposed models and inference approaches are demonstrated by a New York University Langone Health (NYULH) COVID‐19 dataset.
Redox‐Amphoteric 4,4’‐Dicyclopropyldiphenylnitroxyl Radical: Unexpectedly High Stability
Authors: Dulov Dmitry , Levitskiy Oleg , Bogdanov Alexey , Magdesieva Tatiana
Published: September 2021

Atom‐economy cyclopropyl group turned out to be the substituent of choice for stabilization of diphenylnitroxyl radical in solution (τ1/2=1280 h, i. e., ca. 2 months, in benzene). Though the benzylic H‐atom commonly provokes fast decomposition of nitroxides in solution and the cyclopropyl moiety is prone to the ring opening in substrates with significant spin density at the α‐position, both processes are not implemented in 4,4’‐dicyclopropyldiphenylnitroxide. Instead, the stereoelectronic properties of the cyclopropyl group lead to significant stabilization of the oxidized and reduced states of the nitroxide, making it redox‐amphoteric and suitable for practical application.
Metal–Organic Frameworks for Ammonia‐Based Thermal Energy Storage
Authors: An Guoliang , Xia Xiaoxiao , Wu Shaofei , Liu Zhilu , Wang Liwei , Li Song
Published: September 2021

Recently, the application of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in thermal energy storage has attracted increasing research interests. MOF‐ammonia working pairs have been proposed for controlling/sensing the air quality, while no work has yet been reported on the immense potential of MOFs for thermal energy storage up till now. Herein, the feasibility of thermal energy storage using seven MOF‐ammonia working pairs is experimentally assessed. From ammonia sorption stability and sorption thermodynamics results, it is found that MIL‐101(Cr) exhibits both high ammonia sorption stability and the largest sorption capacity of ≈0.76 g g−1. Compared with MIL‐101(Cr)‐water working pair, MIL‐101(Cr)‐ammonia working pair improves the sorption capacity by over three times with evaporation temperature lower than 8.4 °C. Due to stable ammonia sorption stability and negligible hysteresis, MIL‐101(Cr) and ZIF‐8(Zn) are tested at condensation/evaporation temperature of 30 °C/10 °C. The thermal energy storage density (reaching over 1200 kJ kg−1) and coefficient of performance of MIL‐101(Cr)‐based system are both higher than ZIF‐8(Zn)‐based one due to larger average isosteric enthalpy and cycle sorption capacity. This experimental work paves the way for developing the high efficient and stable thermal energy storage system with MOF‐ammonia working pairs especially for critical conditions with low evaporation temperature and high condensation temperature.
Pathway‐Selection for Programmable Assembly of Genetically Encoded Amphiphiles by Thermal Processing
Authors: Khodaverdi Masoumeh , Hossain Md Shahadat , Zhang Zhe , Martino Robert P. , Nehls Connor W. , Mozhdehi Davoud
Published: September 2021

Engineering the fate of supramolecular assemblies by heat treatment (i. e., using thermal preparative pathways) remains challenging and a largely ad hoc process. The rational design of such trajectories requires precise manipulation of the strength of molecularly encrypted interactions along an assembly path defined by changes in free energy as a function of temperature. Here, we use temperature‐triggered liquid–liquid phase separation of proteins to program the nano‐ and mesoscale assembly of a genetically encoded amphiphile – a post‐translationally lipidated protein – along user‐defined thermal trajectories. This molecularly defined pathway was used to funnel thermal energy into the system to direct building blocks to a previously inaccessible region of the energy landscape, and to synthesize two‐dimensional nanomaterials with sophisticated structures, such as braids and toroids. Because proteins’ phase boundaries and transition are programmable at the sequence‐level, our strategy opens new horizons to expand the structural hierarchy and functional landscape of protein‐based materials.
Optimal design of 3D special steel buckling‐restrained braced structures
Authors: Kaveh Ali , Mahdipour Moghanni Roya , Javadi Seyed Mohammad
Published: September 2021

In the current study, the optimal design of 3D frames equipped with buckling restrained braces is presented. The objective function in the optimization problem is considered as weight minimization subjected to serviceability and strength requirements. Three different metaheuristic algorithms including Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm, Teaching Learning Based Optimization (TLBO) algorithm, and Discrete Firefly Algorithm (DFA) are utalized to solve the optimization problem. Response spectrum analysis is considered to examine the performance of the structures during the optimization process under applied loads. Two real‐size steel structures with buckling restrained braces are selected to perform optimal design. The results demonstrate that the TLBO algorithm has better performance in discrete structural optimization.
The Latin name for Assam tea revisited and the further nomenclatural significance of the three editions of Julius Bosse's Vollständiges Handbuch der Blumengärtnerei – and contemporary compendia
Authors: Mabberley David J.
Published: September 2021

Two early validly published names for Assam tea (Camellia sinensis var. assamica “(Choisy) Kitam.)”) are identified: Thea assamica Royle ex Hook. 1847 and T. assamica Hort. Belg. ex Bosse 1854; an amended synonymy and a neotypification (with D.‐W. Zhao) for the name of Assam tea, C. sinensis var. assamica (Hook.) Steenis, are provided. The three editions (1829–1861) of Bosse's Vollständiges Handbuch der Blumengärtnerei are also the neglected places of publication of some plant‐names (or their basionyms) in current use; Grevillea lawrenceana Bosse (neotype designated here by P.M. Olde) is an earlier name for G. curviloba McGill. (Proteaceae); Hedera algeriensis (Araliaceae), the name used by Bosse for a now much‐cultivated ivy, was first published by Morren in 1853; an early valid, available name for the florist's cineraria (Senecio hybridus Bosse) is Cineraria ×kewensis Rob. (Compositae), here neotypified (with D.J.N. Hind); the basionym for the well‐known garden plant‐name, “Erysimum ×kewense” (Cruciferae) is identified and neotypified (with D.J.N. Hind), the accepted binomial validated. The currently accepted name for commercial fustic, Maclura tinctoria (Moraceae), was first validly published in Loudon's Hortus Britannicus (1830).
Double parton distributions in the nucleon from lattice QCD
Authors: Bali Gunnar S. , Diehl Markus , Gläßle Benjamin , Schäfer Andreas , Zimmermann Christian
Published: September 2021

Abstract

We evaluate nucleon four-point functions in the framework of lattice QCD in order to extract the first Mellin moment of double parton distributions (DPDs) in the unpolarized proton. In this first study, we employ an nf = 2+1 ensemble with pseudoscalar masses of mπ = 355 MeV and mK = 441 MeV. The results are converted to the scale μ = 2 GeV. Our calculation includes all Wick contractions, and for almost all of them a good statistical signal is obtained. We analyze the dependence of the DPD Mellin moments on the quark flavor and the quark polarization. Furthermore, the validity of frequently used factorization assumptions is investigated.
Twist-2 relation and sum rule for tensor-polarized parton distribution functions of spin-1 hadrons
Authors: Kumano S. , Song Qin-Tao
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Sum rules for structure functions and their twist-2 relations have important roles in constraining their magnitudes and x dependencies and in studying higher-twist effects. The Wandzura-Wilczek (WW) relation and the Burkhardt-Cottingham (BC) sum rule are such examples for the polarized structure functions g1 and g2. Recently, new twist-3 and twist-4 parton distribution functions were proposed for spin-1 hadrons, so that it became possible to investigate spin-1 structure functions including higher-twist ones. We show in this work that an analogous twist-2 relation and a sum rule exist for the tensor-polarized parton distribution functions f1LL and fLT, where f1LL is a twist-2 function and fLT is a twist-3 one. Namely, the twist-2 part of fLT is expressed by an integral of f1LL (or b1) and the integral of the function f2LT = (2/3)fLT− f1LL over x vanishes. If the parton-model sum rule for f1LL (b1) is applied by assuming vanishing tensor-polarized antiquark distributions, another sum rule also exists for fLT itself. These relations should be valuable for studying tensor-polarized distribution functions of spin-1 hadrons and for separating twist-2 components from higher-twist terms, as the WW relation and BC sum rule have been used for investigating x dependence and higher-twist effects in g2. In deriving these relations, we indicate that four twist-3 multiparton distribution functions FLT, GLT, $$ {H}_{LL}^{\perp } $$

H
LL
⊥

, and HTT exist for tensor-polarized spin-1 hadrons. These multiparton distribution functions are also interesting to probe multiparton correlations in spin-1 hadrons. In the near future, we expect that physics of spin-1 hadrons will become a popular topic, since there are experimental projects to investigate spin structure of the spin-1 deuteron at the Jefferson Laboratory, the Fermilab, the nuclotron-based ion collider facility, the electron-ion colliders in US and China in 2020’s and 2030’s.
Performance of Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma Following Resuscitative Thoracotomy for Traumatic Cardiac Arrest
Authors: Ghafil Cameron , Matsushima Kazuhide , Guzman Ruben , Owattanapanich Natthida , Reitz Marianne Marchini , Garapati Hemanth , Nwokedi Josephine O. , Inaba Kenji
Published: September 2021

Background

In patients undergoing resuscitative thoracotomy (RT) for traumatic cardiac arrest, focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) is often used to look for intraperitoneal fluid. These findings can help determine whether abdominal exploration is warranted once return of spontaneous circulation is achieved; however, the diagnostic accuracy of FAST in this clinical scenario has yet to be evaluated. The purpose of this study was to assess the performance of FAST in identifying intra‐abdominal hemorrhage following RT.

Methods

We performed a 3‐year retrospective study at a high‐volume level 1 trauma center from 2014 to 2016. We included patients who underwent RT in the Emergency Department. All FAST examinations were performed by non‐radiologists. Operative findings, computed tomography reports, diagnostic peritoneal aspirate (DPA) results, and autopsy findings were used as reference standards to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of the FAST.

Results

A total of 158 patients met our inclusion criteria. The median age was 35 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 23–53), 86.1% were male, and 60.1% sustained blunt trauma. Most patients suffered severe injuries with a median injury severity score of 27 (IQR: 18–38). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of FAST for identifying intra‐abdominal hemorrhage were 66.0%, 84.8%, 68.6%, 83.2%, and 78.5%, respectively. Among the 107 patients with a negative FAST, 22 (20.6%) underwent DPA, which was positive in 5 patients.

Conclusions

FAST can be utilized in the diagnostic workup of trauma patients after RT. In patients with a positive FAST, exploratory laparotomy is warranted, whereas other diagnostic adjuncts such as DPA or mandatory abdominal exploration may be considered in patients with a negative FAST.
An evaluation of the provision of oncology rehabilitation services via telemedicine using a participatory design approach
Authors: Brady Grainne , Ashforth Kate , Cowan-Dickie Siobhan , Dewhurst Sarah , Harris Natalie , Monteiro Alline , Sandsund Catherine , Roe Justin
Published: September 2021

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally impacted the delivery of healthcare services globally. In line with UK government guidelines on social distancing, the use of telemedicine was implemented to facilitate the ongoing provision of cancer rehabilitation.

Purpose

We sought to evaluate and co-design telemedicine services to meet the complex needs of our patients and carers at a tertiary cancer centre.

Methods

Experience-based co-design methodology was adapted to include virtual methods. Staff members (n = 12) and patients (n = 11) who had delivered or received therapies services at our UK cancer centre since March 2020 were recruited to take part in one-to-one virtual interviews. Patient interviews were video recorded, analysed and edited to a 30-min “trigger film”. Patient and staff virtual events were undertaken thereafter. A joint virtual patient and staff event occurred. Staff and patients watched the trigger film and as partners, agreed areas for change and developed groups for service co-design.

Results

Positive aspects regarding telemedicine provision were highlighted including reduced financial and time burden on patients, and increased flexibility for both staff and patients. The key concerns included digital exclusion, safety, communication and patient choice. Four co-design groups have been established to enact changes in these priority areas.

Conclusion

Using a participatory design approach, we have worked in partnership with patients and staff to ensure the safe, acceptable and effective delivery of rehabilitation services with integrated telemedicine.
Hydro-geomechanical characterisation of a coastal urban aquifer using multiscalar time and frequency domain groundwater-level responses
Authors: Patton Ashley M. , Rau Gabriel C. , Cleall Peter J. , Cuthbert Mark O.
Published: September 2021

Hydraulic properties of coastal, urban aquifers vary spatially and temporally with the complex dynamics of their hydrogeology and the heterogeneity of ocean-influenced hydraulic processes. Traditional aquifer characterisation methods are expensive, time-consuming and represent a snapshot in time. Tidal subsurface analysis (TSA) can passively characterise subsurface processes and establish hydro-geomechanical properties from groundwater head time-series but is typically applied to individual wells inland. Presented here, TSA is applied to a network of 116 groundwater boreholes to spatially characterise confinement and specific storage across a coastal aquifer at city-scale in Cardiff (UK) using a 23-year high-frequency time-series dataset. The dataset comprises Earth, atmospheric and oceanic signals, with the analysis conducted in the time domain, by calculating barometric response functions (BRFs), and in the frequency domain (TSA). By examining the damping and attenuation of groundwater response to ocean tides (OT) with distance from the coast/rivers, a multi-borehole comparison of TSA with BRF shows this combination of analyses facilitates disentangling the influence of tidal signals and estimation of spatially distributed aquifer properties for non-OT-influenced boreholes. The time-series analysed covers a period pre- and post-impoundment of Cardiff’s rivers by a barrage, revealing the consequent reduction in subsurface OT signal propagation post-construction. The results indicate that a much higher degree of confined conditions exist across the aquifer than previously thought (specific storage = 2.3 × 10−6 to 7.9 × 10−5 m−1), with implications for understanding aquifer recharge, and informing the best strategies for utilising groundwater and shallow geothermal resources.
Student-faculty interactions within a physiotherapy curriculum in South Africa
Authors: Ramklass Serela S. , Vithal Renuka
Published: September 2021

Interactions between faculty and students in higher education has the potential to influence and shape many aspects of teaching, learning, curricula, student experiences and performance, yet has received little attention as an area of study. This study investigates student-faculty interactions within a physiotherapy curriculum from the perspectives of students, faculty and physiotherapy managers at a South African university. The data, produced through multiple methods, derive from students, faculty and physiotherapy managers underpinned by critical-feminist perspectives. Thematic analysis of the data produced four themes. Two dominant threads emerging from the analysis as characterising student-faculty relationships are the deeply hierarchical relations of power characterised by a lack of caring and concern for students, and the exclusion of wider constructs for interaction; deriving from a particular entrenched medical model. Ironically, while caring relationships with patients are overtly advocated and developed, they appear to be largely absent in the same physiotherapy curriculum spaces in the relationships between faculty and students. These findings raise questions about how the most foundational attribute of a health science professional, that of caring, is being produced through the curriculum in the relationship between faculty and students in the health sciences.
The D-CTC Condition is Generically Fulfilled in Classical (Non-quantum) Statistical Systems
Authors: Tolksdorf Jürgen , Verch Rainer
Published: September 2021

The D-CTC condition, introduced by David Deutsch as a condition to be fulfilled by analogues for processes of quantum systems in the presence of closed timelike curves, is investigated for classical statistical (non-quantum) bi-partite systems. It is shown that the D-CTC condition can generically be fulfilled in classical statistical systems, under very general, model-independent conditions. The central property used is the convexity and completeness of the state space that allows it to generalize Deutsch’s original proof for q-bit systems to more general classes of statistically described systems. The results demonstrate that the D-CTC condition, or the conditions under which it can be fulfilled, is not characteristic of, or dependent on, the quantum nature of a bi-partite system.
A Qualitative Study on Children’s Digital Media Use and Parents’ Self-interest
Authors: Geurts Suzanne M. , Koning Ina M. , Vossen Helen , Van den Eijnden Regina J.J.M.
Published: September 2021

This qualitative study provides insight into the role of parents’ self-interest in digital media use of children in different age groups. We conducted 31 semi-structured interviews with fathers/mothers of children aged 3–16 years who were recruited via targeted sampling. A deductive and inductive content analysis was applied. Results show that parents’ self-interest in letting children use digital media includes being able to do other tasks without being bothered, having some me-time, managing children’s behavior, avoiding discussions, having moments to use digital media themselves and spending quality-time together. In addition, we found that the manner in which parents let children use digital media out of self-interest seems to depend on age. With younger children, parents initiate digital media use or set times at which children are allowed to use digital media. With older children, parents use a passive manner by omitting restrictive responses to their children’s media use. Current findings can be used to inform interventions aimed at reducing children’s screen time.
Overcoming Automaticity Through Meditation
Authors: Maran Thomas , Woznica Martin , Moder Sebastian , Furtner Marco , Jehle Elias , Hörner Stanislaw , Hugger Gregor
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Meditation practice has recently moved into applied research to improve cognitive functions. However, it is a multifaceted practice, with focused attention meditation relying on a sharp focus, and open monitoring meditation relying on a diffuse awareness. This study aims to assess the effects of differential alterations of cognition following distinct meditative training and focuses on practitioners’ tendency to fall victim to erroneous automaticity in responding when faced with cognitive conflict.

Methods

Seventy-three individuals were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups (internally focused attention meditation, externally focused attention meditation, open monitoring meditation) or a wait list control group. The meditation groups were trained over the course of 4 weeks and eight sessions. Changes in proneness to erroneous automatic responding were tested using two cognitive performance tasks that induce learned or instructed automaticity (Dot Pattern Expectancy paradigm, NEXT-paradigm).

Results

Overall, meditation training generally improved overcoming learned automaticity (rs = .26–.36, ps = .002–.031) but not instructed automaticity compared to the control condition. Furthermore, data suggest open monitoring outperformed focused attention in overcoming learned automaticity in one task (rs = .31–.56, ps ≤ .001–.009).

Conclusions

Our results provide evidence for meditative training to facilitate practitioners’ ability to select the most appropriate course of action against overlearned habits in light of the peculiarities of their current situation. Open monitoring meditation is a particularly promising avenue for reducing one’s liability to erroneous habits.
Aeration performance of high-head siphon-shaft spillways by CFD models
Authors: Aydin M. Cihan , Ulu Ali Emre
Published: September 2021

Siphon-shaft spillways are constituted by covering above a shaft spillway with a hood that creates siphonic pressure. This study focused on the aeration the flow through the aerator holes placed on the hood to prevent cavitational damage in high-head siphon-shaft spillways. Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique using finite-volume method to solve Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations for the incompressible viscous and turbulent fluids motion was performed to analyze the full-scaled two-phase numerical models. The volume of fluid (VOF) scheme was used to simulate two-phase (water–air) flow, by defining the volume fraction for each of the fluids throughout the solution domain. The accuracy of the numerical model was tested using a procedure recommended by American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for CFD applications. The numerical results showed that the aeration is highly effective in reducing siphon sub-pressures and cavitation. The optimal relative aeration diameter of 0.45 provided sufficient air entrainment to protect from cavitation and did not decrease the discharge performance too much.
A comparative study on seed physiology and germination requirements for 15 species of Eucalyptus
Authors: Afroze Farhana , Douglas Gerry C. , Grogan Helen
Published: September 2021

Seed physiology of 15 Eucalyptus species of interest for cut foliage plantations was unknown and therefore evaluated. The viability and vigour of seeds and germination potential of 15 Eucalyptus species was determined by using a tetrazolium (TZ) staining test, and the results were compared to a germination test. In a separate experiment, seeds of each lot were subjected to either 0 or 4-week cold stratification at 4 ± 1 °C to investigate their potential stratification requirement. After stratification, seeds were then allowed to germinate at 22 ± 1 °C with 16 h lighting per day for 36 days. Seed viability and vigour were checked by evaluating % root, cotyledon and first true leaves emergence, and the speed of emergence, in the germination test. The germination percentages varied with the species. Seed stratification with the interaction of seed species lots significantly affected both viability and vigour. The seed viability of the different species ranged from 9 to 100% and 2 to 100%, for the TZ test and germination test, respectively, with a high correlation (R2 = 0.89) between the two. Physiology tests revealed that cold stratification of seed was not required for the 15 species to maximise their germination potential and growth in Irish and British climate.
Climate change and mental health: a commentary
Authors: Licinio Julio , Wong Ma-Li
Published: September 2021

Climate change represents a major global challenge. Some hallmarks of climate change that have been connected to human activity include an increase of 0.8–1.2 °C in global temperatures as well as the warming of upper ocean water. Importantly, approximately 500 million people worldwide face the consequences of desertification. Simultaneously, the world population has grown from 1.6 billion in 1900 to 7.7 billion today, greatly exacerbating the human toll of devastating environmental disasters, which result in increasingly larger and more common mass migrations that also fuel human trafficking and modern-day slavery. The mental health outcomes are staggering and include, in the context of chronic stress, addiction, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, major depression, and suicidality. Mental health practitioners, healthcare systems, and governments across the world need to be prepared to address the mental health sequelae of climate change.
Urgent need to standardize labelling of acetaminophen-paediatric liquid drug products in Saudi Arabia
Authors: AlRuwaili Nahar , Zaidan Faten , AlFattani Areej , Alenazi Saud
Published: September 2021

In this study, dosing instructions in package inserts of all 12 paediatric liquid acetaminophen products registered in pharmacies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were analysed to determine the potential for administering a supratherapeutic dose of acetaminophen. Doses in millilitres were calculated as mg/kg for four age groups: three months old, one year old, six years old, and twelve years old, and based on the 3rd, 50th, and 75th weight percentiles of each age group.

Acetaminophen concentrations in the products varied, and only two products included Arabic language instructions. The dosing instructions in eight products included an age overlap. The most affected age group was the 1-year-old group, with 21 supratherapeutic doses across all 12 products. The least affected age group was the 12-year-old group, with 8 supratherapeutic doses in total.

The absence of strict supervision and monitoring of labels of paediatric liquid acetaminophen products increases the risk of liver toxicity in children. Therefore, we call for an immediate standardisation of all dosing instructions regarding the dose per weight and the inclusion of instructions in Arabic.
“An Inside Thing to Live by”: Refusal, Conjure, and Black Feminist Imaginaries among Granny Midwives
Authors: Stewart Lindsey
Published: September 2021

“Granny midwives” often based their authority to practice midwifery on the spiritual traditions of rootwork or conjure passed down by the foremothers who trained them. However, granny midwives were compelled to give up their conjure-infused methods of birthing if they wanted to become licensed (that is, to get a “permit”) or be authorized by the state to continue their practice of midwifery. In response, some granny midwives refused to recognize the authority of the state in the birthing realm, willfully retaining rootwork in their birthing practices. In this article, I contrast the response of granny midwives, a politics of refusal, with another major tradition in African American thought, a politics of recognition, such as gaining citizenship and rights, permits, and licenses from the state. Due to the political stakes of the granny midwife's conflict with the state, I argue that black feminists often endow the figure of the granny midwife (or more broadly, the conjure woman) with the political significance of refusal in our emancipatory imaginaries. To demonstrate this, I will analyze the interventions in black liberation politics that two black feminist writers make through their invocation of granny midwives: Zora Neale Hurston's essay, “High John de Conquer,” and Toni Morrison's novel, Paradise.
THE EAGLE BASKING IN THE LIGHT OF FAME: THE INDO-EUROPEAN POETIC BACKGROUND OF PINDAR,NEMEAN3.80–4
Authors: Meusel Eduard
Published: September 2021

This article contributes to a discussion raised more than forty years ago in this journal by Richard Stoneman on how to interpret the unexpected image of an eagle at Pind.Nem.3.80. Without excluding the possibility of a reference to the poet himself, this article argues, mainly based on a survey on the traditional elements used in that passage, that the eagle also refers—at least partially—to the victorious athlete Aristocleides. This is demonstrated by an internal investigation of the structure of the ode and the use of signal words (–θεν,δέδορκεν,φάος). Moreover, the image of the eagle stands in a series of other ancient and traditional motifs, such as the ‘song of milk and honey’ (77–9) and ‘(far-)shining fame’ (64, 81–4), which can be also found in theRigvedaand therefore can be regarded as an inheritance of the Indo-European (= IE) poetic tradition. Parallels from theRigvedacan be found for the avian imagery too, in which the eagle is compared to someone striving for fame in an athletic contest; this suggests that the image of the eagle is another traditional motif from IE times in Pindar, who uses it as a device to transition from a poetological to a laudatory part of the epinician, perhaps deliberately playing with the ambiguity of the image.
Intermediate levels of wood extraction may facilitate coexistence of an endemic arboreal marsupial and Indigenous communities
Authors: González-Ancín Héctor , Spínola Manuel , Mora-Benavides José M. , Sáenz Joel C. , Paillacar Alberto , Fontúrbel Francisco E.
Published: September 2021

Land-use change is a major driver of biodiversity loss. Large-scale disturbances such as habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are known to have negative consequences for native biota, but the effects of small-scale disturbances such as selective logging are less well known. We compared three sites with different regimes of selective logging performed by Indigenous communities in the South American temperate rainforest, to assess effects on the density and habitat selection patterns of the Near Threatened endemic arboreal marsupial Dromiciops gliroides. We used structured interviews to identify patterns of wood extraction, which was 0.22–2.55 m3 per ha per year. In the less disturbed site only two tree species were logged, in the intermediately disturbed sites eight species were logged at low intensity, and in the most disturbed site seven species were logged intensively. The site with intermediate disturbance had the highest fleshy-fruited plant diversity and fruit biomass values as a result of the proliferation of shade-intolerant plants. This site also had the highest density of D. gliroides. These findings are consistent with Connell's intermediate disturbance hypothesis, suggesting that coexistence of people with nature is possible if wood extraction volumes are moderate, increasing plant diversity. Indigenous communities have sustainably used natural resources for centuries, but current rates of land-use change are becoming a significant threat to both them and their natural resources.
Prehospital Ketamine Administration for Excited Delirium with Illicit Substance Co-Ingestion and Subsequent Intubation in the Emergency Department
Authors: Solano Joshua J. , Clayton Lisa M. , Parks Daniel J. , Polley Shayne E. , Hughes Patrick G. , Hennekens Charles H. , Shih Richard D. , Alter Scott M.
Published: September 2021

Introduction:

Excited delirium, which has been defined as combativeness, agitation, and altered sensorium, requires immediate treatment in prehospital or emergency department (ED) settings for the safety of both patients and caregivers. Prehospital ketamine use is prevalent, although the evidence on safety and efficacy is limited. Many patients with excited delirium are intoxicated with illicit substances. This investigation explores whether patients treated with prehospital ketamine for excited delirium with concomitant substance intoxication have higher rates of subsequent intubation in the ED compared to those without confirmed substance usage.

Methods:

Over 28 months at two large community hospitals, all medical records were retrospectively searched for all patients age 18 years or greater with prehospital ketamine intramuscular (IM) administration for excited delirium and identified illicit and prescription substance co-ingestions. Trained abstractors collected demographic characteristics, history of present illness (HPI), urine drug screens (UDS), alcohol levels, and noted additional sedative administrations. Substance intoxication was determined by UDS and alcohol positivity or negativity, as well as physician HPI. Patients without toxicological testing or documentation of substance intoxication, or who may have tested positive due to ED sedation, were excluded from relevant analyses. Subsequent ED intubation was the primary pre-specified outcome. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to compare variables.

Results:

Among 86 patients given prehospital ketamine IM for excited delirium, baseline characteristics including age, ketamine dose, and body mass index were similar between those who did or did not undergo intubation. Men had higher intubation rates. Patients testing positive for alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, ecstasy, marijuana, opiates, and synthetic cathinones, both bath salts and flakka, had similar rates of intubation compared to those negative for these substances. Of 27 patients with excited delirium and concomitant cocaine intoxication, nine (33%) were intubated compared with four of 50 (8%) without cocaine intoxication, yielding a 5.75 OR (95%, CI 1.57 to 21.05; P = .009).

Conclusion:

Patients treated with ketamine IM for excited delirium with concomitant cocaine intoxication had a statistically significant 5.75-fold increased rate of subsequent intubation in the ED. Amongst other substances, no other trends with intubation were noted, but further study is warranted.
Dietary glycaemic index and glycaemic load in relation to risk of breast cancer
Authors: Rigi Somaye , Salari-Moghaddam Asma , Benisi-Kohansal Sanaz , Azadbakht Leila , Esmaillzadeh Ahmad
Published: September 2021

Objective:

Previous studies on the association between glycaemic index (GI) and glycaemic load (GL) in relation to breast cancer risk are contradictory. The aim of this study was to examine the association between dietary GI and GL and risk of breast cancer in Iranian women.

Design:

Population-based case–control study. Dietary GI and GL were assessed using a validated Willett-format 106-item semi-quantitative FFQ.

Setting:

Isfahan, Iran.

Participants:

Cases were 350 patients with newly diagnosed stage I–IV breast cancer, for whom the status of breast cancer was confirmed by physical examination and mammography. Controls were 700 age-matched apparently healthy individuals who were randomly selected from general population.

Results:

After controlling for potential confounders, individuals in the highest tertile of dietary GI had 47 % higher odds of breast cancer than women in the lowest tertile (OR: 1·47; (95 % CI 1·02, 2·12)). Stratified analysis by menopausal status showed such association among postmenopausal women (OR: 1·51; (95 % CI 1·02, 2·23)). We found no significant association between dietary GL and odds of breast cancer either before (OR: 1·35; (95 % CI 0·99, 1·84)) or after adjustment for potential confounders (OR: 1·24; (95 % CI 0·86, 1·79)). In addition, stratified analysis by menopausal status revealed no significant association between dietary GL and odds of breast cancer.

Conclusions:

Our findings showed a significant positive association between dietary GI and odds of breast cancer. However, we observed no significant association between dietary GL and odds of breast cancer.
The transition to NDC in Italy: assessing distributive and financial effects
Authors: Mazzaferro Carlo
Published: September 2021

Moving from a Defined Benefit (DB) to a Notional Defined Contribution (NDC) pension formula creates significant re-distributive effects. We estimate the amount and the intensity of these effects in the case of the Italian transition to NDC, which began in 1995. Based on administrative data of the main Italian pension scheme (FPLD), we study the evolution of yearly inequality within old-age pension benefits. Furthermore, we study the adequacy and the actuarial fairness of the pension system, by estimating the replacement rates and the Net Present Value Ratio distribution for workers who retired in the period 1996–2019. Our results show that the very generous interpretation of acquired rights determined by the 1995 reform has contributed to maintaining a high level of adequacy and a significant level of intergenerational imbalance. The financial costs of this imbalance are estimated and its extent is significant.
Autonomous Vehicles Could Benefit from Nature
Authors: Kish Stacy
Published: September 2021

A team of researchers at the University of Michigan is looking to animals to find new ways for autonomous vehicles to navigate through the environment.