bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Framework for Solving Parabolic Partial Differential Equations on Discrete Domains
Authors: Mattos Da Silva Leticia , Stein Oded , Solomon Justin
Published: May 2024

We introduce a framework for solving a class of parabolic partial differential equations on triangle mesh surfaces, including the Hamilton-Jacobi equation and the Fokker-Planck equation. PDE in this class often have nonlinear or stiff terms that cannot be resolved with standard methods on curved triangle meshes. To address this challenge, we leverage a splitting integrator combined with a convex optimization step to solve these PDE. Our machinery can be used to compute entropic approximation of optimal transport distances on geometric domains, overcoming the numerical limitations of the state-of-the-art method. In addition, we demonstrate the versatility of our method on a number of linear and nonlinear PDE that appear in diffusion and front propagation tasks in geometry processing.
Adversarial Item Promotion on Visually-Aware Recommender Systems by Guided Diffusion
Authors: Chen Lijian , Yuan Wei , Chen Tong , Ye Guanhua , Hung Nguyen Quoc Viet , Yin Hongzhi
Published: May 2024

Visually-aware recommender systems have found widespread applications in domains where visual elements significantly contribute to the inference of users’ potential preferences. While the incorporation of visual information holds the promise of enhancing recommendation accuracy and alleviating the cold-start problem, it is essential to point out that the inclusion of item images may introduce substantial security challenges. Some existing works have shown that the item provider can manipulate item exposure rates to its advantage by constructing adversarial images. However, these works cannot reveal the real vulnerability of visually-aware recommender systems because (1) the generated adversarial images are markedly distorted, rendering them easily detected by human observers; and (2) the effectiveness of these attacks is inconsistent and even ineffective in some scenarios or datasets. To shed light on the real vulnerabilities of visually-aware recommender systems when confronted with adversarial images, this article introduces a novel attack method, Item Promotion by Diffusion Generated Image (IPDGI). Specifically, IPDGI employs a guided diffusion model to generate adversarial samples designed to promote the exposure rates of target items (e.g., long-tail items). Taking advantage of accurately modeling benign images’ distribution by diffusion models, the generated adversarial images have high fidelity with original images, ensuring the stealth of our IPDGI. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed methods, we conduct extensive experiments on two commonly used e-commerce recommendation datasets (Amazon Beauty and Amazon Baby) with several typical visually-aware recommender systems. The experimental results show that our attack method significantly improves both the performance of promoting the long-tailed (i.e., unpopular) items and the quality of generated adversarial images.
Feasibility of Dark-Field Radiography to Enhance Detection of Nondisplaced Fractures
Authors: Schaff Florian , Jud Christoph , Dierolf Martin , Günther Benedikt , Achterhold Klaus , Gleich Bernhard , Sauter Andreas , Woertler Klaus , Thalhammer Johannes , Meurer Felix , Neumann Jan , Pfeiffer Franz , Pfeiffer Daniela
Published: May 2024

In this proof-of-concept study, x-ray dark-field radiography, an imaging technique based on x-ray scattering, improved observer confidence in detecting nondisplaced fractures in a porcine rib model compared with attenuation-based radiography alone.
Novel PEO-based Solid Polymer Electrolyte with High Elasticity and High Ionic Conductivity for Room Temperature Lithium Metal Batteries
Authors: Chen Shuang , Zhang Yu-Hang , Hu Xue-Tong , Wang Guan-Hua , Lu Kun-Rong , Jiang Xin , Fan Yi-Wei , Chen Ting-Ting , Wang Peng-Fei , Wu Yuhan , Shi Fa-Nian
Published: May 2024

The development and application of polyethylene oxide (PEO) based solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) is severely constrained by its low ionic conductivity and poor tensile resistance. To improve the electrochemical performance of SPE without losing its mechanical properties, a benzene sulfonate-based additive is adopted into crosslinking system composed of -CH2-CH2-O- segments to obtain a membrane with a high ionic conductivity of 1.47 × 10−4 S cm−1 and an ionic transference number of 0.70 at room temperature. The activation energy value of 0.128 eV gives evidence for a favorable migration mechanism of PTH-SPE. Anti-dendrite growth and contact optimization can be realized by molecular structure design with a tensile elongation of 490%. The reversible overpotential of Li||Li symmetric cell within 1000 h demonstrates that the compact PTH-SPE can inhibit the growth of lithium dendrite. This work provides a new strategy for designing high-performance solid electrolytes for room temperature via a green solvent-free method.
Stacked Si Nanosheets Gate-All-Around Transistors with Silicon-on-Nothing Structure for Suppressing Parasitic Effects and Improving Circuits’ Performance
Authors: Li Lianlian , Cao Lei , Zhang Xuexiang , Li Qingkun , Zhang Meihe , Wu Zhenhua , Sang Guanqiao , Jiang Renjie , Wang Peng , Bao Yunjiao , Zhang Qingzhu , Du Anyan , Yin Huaxiang
Published: May 2024

We propose a novel silicon-on-nothing (SON) structure with an air sub-fin for suppressing the parasitic channel effects on stacked Si nanosheets (NS) gate-all-around (GAA) transistors and a systematic investigation is carried out by 3D TCAD simulation. The SON structure could be fabricated using a backside selective etching technique. The proposed SON NSFETs with a designed air sub-fin structure demonstrates systematic advantages, including 40% off-state current reduction in the sub-channel, and 51.37% promotion for on-off current ratio (ION/IOFF) and 7.04% reduction in effective capacitance. Moreover, there is approximately 21.62% power reduction under the same frequency, and about 16.30% energy reduction under the same delay in 17-stage ring oscillators (ROs). The SON NSFETs-based 6T-SRAM exhibits decreased read time and write time by 14.66% and 67.53%, respectively, compared with those of the conventional GAA NSFETs-based 6T-SRAM.
Modeling Cost‐Estimation Factors for Public Building Projects with Hybrid Approach in Addis Ababa
Authors: Habe Behailu Temesgen , Nigussie Lucy Feleke , Belay Mamaru Dessalegn
Published: May 2024

Assessing the most important cost‐influencing factors is essential for enhancing the predictive ability of cost estimation for building construction projects. The goal of this study is to examine and design a valid cost prediction model for assessing factors that impact the cost estimation of public buildings in Addis Ababa. This research solves these issues that typically arise in predictive cost estimation models in two major processes. First, the insights of 133 professionals gathered on the 38 cost‐impacting elements, and 15 top factors design, time or cost, and parties’ experience were determined. The suggested hybrid approach is based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and principal component regression (PCR) employed, coupling a stepwise linear regression model. According to the findings of the study, principal component analysis reduced important factors to 14 and efficiently solved the problem of multicollinearity with a variance inflation factor of less than 2, while stepwise cross‐validation solved the overfitting problem at the lowest AIC. The cost prediction model sorted out five factors: design completion by the public body when bids are invited; completion of the project scope definition when bids are invited; level of construction complexity; importance of project completion within budget; and subcontractor experience and capability have all been identified as the main cost‐determining factors. The study’s contribution is the first approach (PCR–AIC) utilized in this work to explore numerous cost‐estimating components, eliminate those that were related to one another, and identify the most crucial ones that consisted of the majority of the original variables’ attributes.
Impact of Methods of Preparation on Mechanical Properties, Dissolution Behavior, and Tableting Characteristics of Ibuprofen-Loaded Amorphous Solid Dispersions
Authors: Uddin Ajam , Halder Shimul , Deb Nandita , Das Harinarayan , Shuma Madhabi Lata , Hasan Ikramul , Shill Manik Chandra , Haider Syed Shabbir
Published: May 2024

This study aims to improve the biopharmaceutical, mechanical, and tableting properties of a poorly soluble drug, ibuprofen (IBP), by preparing amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) followed by a sustained-release tablet formulation. A suitable polymer to develop an ASD system was chosen by utilizing the apparent solubility of IBP in various polymer solutions. ASDs containing various ratios of IBP and selected polymer were prepared by the melt fusion (MF) method. ASD containing optimized drug-polymer ratio prepared by freeze-drying (FD) method was characterized and compared physicochemically. The solubility of IBP in water increased 28-fold and 35-fold when formulated as ASD by MF and FD, respectively. Precise formulations showed amorphization of IBP and increased surface area, improving solubility. The dissolution pattern of optimized ASD-IBP in pH 6.8 phosphate buffer after 60 min in MF and FD was enhanced 3-fold. In addition, direct compression tablets comprising optimized ASD granules from MF and FD were made and assessed using compendial and noncompendial methods. ASD-IBP/MF and ASD-IBP/FD formulations showed a similar drug release profile. In addition, 12 h of sustained IBP release from the ASD-IBP-containing tablets was obtained in a phosphate buffer with a pH of 6.8. From the dissolution kinetics analysis, the Weibull model fitted well. The drug release pattern indicated minimal variations between tablets formed using ASD-IBP prepared by both procedures; however, pre- and postcompression assessment parameters differed. From these findings, the application of ASD and sustained-release polymers in matrix formation might be beneficial in improving the solubility and absorption of poorly soluble drugs such as IBP.
Characterizing Topologically Dense Injective Acts and Their Monoid Connections
Authors: Hezarjaribi Dastaki Masoomeh , Rasouli Hamid , Barzegar Hasan
Published: May 2024

In this paper, we explore the concept of topologically dense injectivity of monoid acts. It is shown that topologically dense injective acts constitute a class strictly larger than the class of ordinary injective ones. We determine a number of acts satisfying topologically dense injectivity. Specifically, any strongly divisible as well as strongly torsion free S-act over a monoid S is topologically dense injective if and only if S is a left reversible monoid. Furthermore, we establish a counterpart of the Skornjakov criterion and also identify a class of acts satisfying the Baer criterion for topologically dense injectivity. Lastly, some homological classifications for monoids by means of this type of injectivity of monoid acts are also provided.
The Mechanism of Scopolamine’s Effect on Migration Function of Lung Cancer Cells: A Network Pharmacology and Bioinformatics Perspective
Authors: Xiao Yang , Ma Mengcong , Gu Qing , Xiao Yunfeng
Published: May 2024

Background. This study utilized network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis to identify the hub genes influenced by scopolamine in lung cancer. Methods. The effect of scopolamine on lung cancer was investigated by cell invasion assay and cell scratch assay. The analysis involved protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks topology analysis to identify these genes, and subsequent differential analysis and survival analysis were conducted using gene expression profile interaction analysis (GEPIA). Furthermore, the findings were supported by molecular docking experiments for verification. Results. Results from cell invasion and scratch assays suggest that scopolamine inhibits the migration of lung cancer cells. JAK2, JAK3, CCR5, and ACE were identified as the top four hub genes that have an impact on lung cancer. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the scopolamine response in lung cancer is significantly associated with ten pathways, including “neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction in cancer,” “PD-1 checkpoint pathway in cancer,” “chemokine signaling pathway,” “PD-L1 expression,” and others. Additionally, the expression levels of JAK2, JAK3, CCR5, and ACE were found to be correlated with survival in patients with lung cancer. Furthermore, molecular docking experiments demonstrated that scopolamine binds and forms stable complexes with the protein products of all four aforementioned genes. The main targets of scopolamine in the treatment of lung cancer are JAK2, JAK3, CCR5, and ACE. Conclusion. Scopolamine has a significant effect on various cellular functions in lung cancer cells, potentially reducing the likelihood of metastasis. Based on these findings, it is recommended to consider administering scopolamine as part of the preoperative phase for patients with lung cancer.
Factors Influencing Insulin Adherence among Outpatients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and the Impact of Pharmaceutical Intervention: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: He Ting , Wang Hao , Sun Wen , Li Lintong , Li Li , Ji Cheng
Published: May 2024

Aims. This study aimed to identify and analyze the factors significantly influencing long‐term insulin medication adherence among outpatients and to evaluate whether pharmaceutical interventions targeting these factors can improve patient medication adherence and glycemic control. Methods. A cohort of 180 patients was recruited from a tertiary hospital in Nanjing, China. Factors potentially influencing insulin adherence were scrutinized employing the KAP (knowledge, attitude/belief, and practice) health behavior model. Baseline characteristics were extracted from the hospital information system, while patient knowledge of the disease and medication, medication adherence, medication beliefs, and management self‐efficacy were assessed, respectively, using self‐developed questionnaires, MMAS‐8, C‐DMSES, and BMQ scales. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine the impact of these factors on insulin adherence. Following this, participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group received three months of weekly telephone sessions and educational interventions targeting facets such as medication knowledge and beliefs, while the control group received standard care. After the intervention, insulin adherence and glycemic control conditions of both groups were collected and re‐evaluated. Results. After excluding lost‐to‐follow‐up patients, 152 individuals were analyzed (intervention: 75 and control: 77). Multivariate analyses revealed factors influencing insulin adherence, including age, diabetes duration, health insurance status, HbA1c level, disease and medication knowledge, diabetes management self‐efficacy, and medication beliefs (P < 0.05). Before targeted pharmaceutical care, no significant differences existed in insulin adherence, HbA1c levels, management self‐efficacy, knowledge, or medication beliefs between intervention and control groups (P > 0.05). However, subsequent pharmaceutical intervention notably improved adherence, HbA1c levels, self‐efficacy, knowledge, and medication beliefs (P < 0.05). Conclusion. This study examines the impact of glycemic control, health insurance status, management self‐efficacy, level of knowledge, and medication beliefs on improving insulin medication adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Targeted pharmaceutical intervention can enhance medication adherence, improve glucose control, and promote rational insulin use. This trial is registered with ChiCTR2300074444.
Difficulties of Preoperative Diagnosis of Cribriform Morular Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Pan Li-Hsin , Hang Jen-Fan , Chen Jui-Yu , Lee Po-Sheng , Yeh Yun-Kai , Huang Tai-Jung , Hwu Chii-Min , Kuo Chin-Sung
Published: May 2024

Background. Cribriform morular thyroid carcinoma has been recently renamed in the 2022 WHO classification as a thyroid tumor of uncertain histogenesis. The epidemiologic, pathological, and pathophysiological characteristics distinguish it from papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Preoperative genetic testing plays a role in facilitating the differential diagnosis. Methods. This report presents a confirmed case of cribriform morular thyroid carcinoma. Initially, fine-needle aspiration cytology suggested a diagnosis of PTC. However, a genetic analysis did not reveal the typical mutations associated with follicular-cell-derived neoplasms. Results. A 31-year-old woman was found to have a thyroid nodule at the left lobe measuring 11.8 × 10.2 × 12.4 mm. Ultrasonography indicated a hypoechoic, solid nodule with regular margins. Cytology revealed a papillary structure of tall cells, leading to a PTC diagnosis. Nevertheless, the genetic analysis failed to detect mutations such as BRAF V600E, NRAS Q61R, NRAS Q61K, HRAS Q61R, or HRAS Q61K mutation or the fusion of CCDC6-RET, NCOA4-RET, PAX8-PPARG, ETV6-NTRK3, TPM3-NTRK1, IRF2BP2-NTRK1, or SQSTM1-NTRK1 in the aspirated follicular cells. The patient subsequently underwent total thyroidectomy with central lymph node dissection. Pathological examination revealed a cribriform pattern of spindle-shaped cells with morular areas. Immunohistochemical staining showed positive results for β-catenin and TTF-1, except in the morular regions, and negative results for PAX8, thyroglobulin, and BRAF (clone VE1). The diagnosis was confirmed to be cribriform morular thyroid carcinoma. Conclusion. Significant cytological similarity exists between PTC and cribriform morular thyroid carcinoma. Preoperative genetic analysis is important to differentiate these two diseases. Cribriform morular thyroid carcinoma can be differentiated from common follicular-cell-derived tumors by the absence of typical mutations; the presence of nuclear and cytoplasmic expressions of β-catenin; the presence of TTF-1, except in morular areas; and the absence of thyroglobulin.
Meta-Analysis on the Therapeutic Effect of Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization Combined with Portal Vein Embolization
Authors: Liu Xin-Jie , Song Ping-Wei , Wang Li-Gang , Zou Hai-Ning , Zhang Lin-Lin
Published: May 2024

Introduction: The aim of the study was to conduct a systematic review to explore the therapeutic effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with portal vein embolization (PVE) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Chinese and English databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, and VIP database) were searched from database inception to August 15, 2023. Studies comparing TACE combined with PVE versus TACE alone for patients with HCC were included. The degree of heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics and a Q test. The effect size was represented by risk ratio and mean difference (MD), and the effect size range was estimated using a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Eight eligible studies were included in the systematic review, involving 689 participants. The results showed that the future liver residual (FLR) of patients treated with TACE combined with PVE was significantly higher than that of those treated with PVE alone (MD = 3.99%; 95% CI: 1.03–6.94). Furthermore, compared with PVE alone, TACE combined with PVE had a positive effect on disease-free survival (odds ratio [OR] = 2.16; 95% CI: 1.20–3.88), recurrence rate (OR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.07–9.42), and complications (OR = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.30–0.96). There was no statistically significant impact on mortality with TACE combined with PVE treatment. Conclusion: The combination of TACE with PVE can significantly reduce the FLR of patients with HCC, with higher disease-free survival, lower recurrence rate, and fewer complications.
Habermas y la epistemología de la comunicación. Conversación con guillermo hoyos y ángela calvo.
Authors: Augusto Delgado Cesar
Published: May 2024

“En ciencia decide la forma de plantear la pregunta.” Que uno se encuentre en el camino acertado no se reconoce exclusivamente por el hecho de que éste conduzca a una repuesta. Lo contrario puede ser el caso. Quien se encuentra en el camino acertado del preguntar no tiene por qué tener fácilmente a mano una repuesta. Al revés, quien tenga dificultades para responder aprende a ver preguntas nuevas. A pesar de los desvíos y extravíos, este es el camino de la investigación científica. Los caminos de la investigación conforman caminos hechos de preguntas.

Hans-georg Gadamer[1].

El papel de las preguntas en la ciencia es fundamental, afirmar que el cuestionar constante es el nous de la investigación científica es imponer un imperativo a la razón misma, que reclama para sí una reflexión sobre sus posibilidades y límites. En efecto, la razón está dada por principio fundamental, nuevamente como sustancia inmanente que permite al sujeto la facultad de ordenar los datos del entendimiento en ideas[2]. Empero, la razón, al cumplir esta empresa, necesita volcarse sobre sí y reformular el papel que cumple dentro de las estructuras fundamentales de la ciencia, lo cual posibilita acercarse al problema fundamental de la gnoseología: ¿Qué es el conocimiento? De esta pregunta general se desprenden otras: ¿cuáles son las estructuras del conocimiento?, ¿cuál es el origen del conocimiento? Interrogantes que se sintetizan en los siguientes: ¿qué es la realidad? y ¿cuáles son las posibilidades del sujeto de conocer la realidad?

[1] GADAMER, Hans-georg. “Tras las huellas de la hermenéutica (1994).” En: El giro hermenéutico. Madrid, Catedra, 2001. P. 102.

[2] Es necesario volver sobre la diferencia establecida por Kant entre razón y entendimiento, la cual es descuidada por no efectuar un análisis sobre el conocimiento. Del entendimiento puede afirmarse que es la facultad que permite al sujeto aprehender los fenómenos mediante datos de la sensibilidad que son esquematizados en categorías. De la razón se dice tiene por tarea dar unidad a las categorías creadas mediante la sensibilidad y presentarlas en ideas. Empero, debe abordarse la diferencia entre razón y razón pura. La razón debe comprenderse como una facultad mayor del conocimiento obtenido por la mera experiencia, que tiene sus orígenes en los sentidos. La razón pura, por otra parte, se encarga de rastrear las posibilidades y estructura del entendimiento.
Emergence and Criticality in Spatiotemporal Synchronization: The Complementarity Model
Authors: Scirè Alessandro
Published: May 2024

This work concerns the long-term collective excitability properties and the statistical analysis of the critical events displayed by a recently introduced spatiotemporal many-body model, proposed as a new paradigm for Artificial Life. Numerical simulations show that excitable collective structures emerge in the form of dynamic networks, created by bursts of spatiotemporal activity (avalanches) at the edge of a synchronization phase transition. The spatiotemporal dynamics is portraited by a movie and quantified by time varying collective parameters, showing that the dynamic networks undergo a “life cycle,” made of self-creation, homeostasis, and self-destruction. The power spectra of the collective parameters show 1/f power law tails. The statistical properties of the avalanches, evaluated in terms of size and duration, show power laws with characteristic exponents in agreement with those values experimentally found in the neural networks literature. The mechanism underlying avalanches is argued in terms of local-to-collective excitability. The connections that link the present work to self-organized criticality, neural networks, and Artificial Life are discussed.
Rapid dynamics of electrophysiological connectome states are heritable
Authors: Jun Suhnyoung , Alderson Thomas H. , Malone Stephen M. , Harper Jeremy , Hunt Ruskin H. , Thomas Kathleen M. , Iacono William G. , Wilson Sylia , Sadaghiani Sepideh
Published: May 2024

Time-varying changes in whole-brain connectivity patterns, or connectome state dynamics, are a prominent feature of brain activity with broad functional implications. While infraslow (<0.1 Hz) connectome dynamics have been extensively studied with fMRI, rapid dynamics highly relevant for cognition are poorly understood. Here, we asked whether rapid electrophysiological connectome dynamics constitute subject-specific brain traits and to what extent they are under genetic influence. Using source-localized EEG connectomes during resting state (N = 928, 473 females), we quantified the heritability of multivariate (multistate) features describing temporal or spatial characteristics of connectome dynamics. States switched rapidly every ∼60–500 ms. Temporal features were heritable, particularly Fractional Occupancy (in theta, alpha, beta, and gamma bands) and Transition Probability (in theta, alpha, and gamma bands), representing the duration spent in each state and the frequency of state switches, respectively. Genetic effects explained a substantial proportion of the phenotypic variance of these features: Fractional Occupancy in beta (44.3%) and gamma (39.8%) bands and Transition Probability in theta (38.4%), alpha (63.3%), beta (22.6%), and gamma (40%) bands. However, we found no evidence for the heritability of dynamic spatial features, specifically states’ Modularity and connectivity pattern. We conclude that genetic effects shape individuals’ connectome dynamics at rapid timescales, specifically states’ overall occurrence and sequencing.
Food Preparation and Cookbooks as a Medium of Everyday Contact between Jews and Christians in the Habsburg Monarchy and Imperial Germany
Authors: Niedhammer Martina
Published: May 2024

In the early nineteenth century, Jewish cookbooks appeared on the Central European book market for the first time. So far, these manuals have been studied primarily from the perspective of the preservation of Jewish identity, that is, as a marker of the extent to which kashrut could be preserved in the face of increasing acculturation to non-Jewish society. Little attention was paid to aspects of transfer or entanglement between Jewish and non-Jewish foodways despite the central role of food in everyday life. In my paper, I try to map possible encounters between Jews and Christians in the area of food preparation and eating outside one’s home before analyzing several Jewish and general cookbooks appearing in the Habsburg Monarchy and Imperial Germany. The fact that also non-Jewish cooking manuals integrated dishes perceived as Jewish indicates mutual influence and makes it evident that there was more Christian interest in Jewish foodways than assumed.
The Metaverse Flywheel: Creating Value across Physical and Virtual Worlds
Authors: Ritala Paavo , Ruokonen Mika , Kostis Angelos
Published: May 2024

This study presents a metaverse flywheel model providing insights into how the emerging layered modular architecture of the metaverse can enable new types of value-creation opportunities for organizations. Based on interviews with early metaverse adopters and innovators, this article identifies three key metaverse affordances: prospection of future conditions, persistence of editable and evolving virtual spaces, and integration between virtual and physical worlds. The findings enhance the nascent metaverse literature by highlighting that new organizing logics are required for metaverse-specific value creation, which goes beyond the previous generation’s isolated 3D models and other interfaces.
Government Expenditure and Inflation in India: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Srivastava Anshul , Kanaujiya Karuna Shanker , Kannoujia Preeti
Published: May 2024

In any economy, inflation increases with an increase in economic growth and government size. However, when inflation increases beyond a certain undesirable level, it becomes a problem for the economy and hurts economic growth. The central bank uses various techniques to tackle inflation and reduce the possibility of harmful increase in it. Since India is a developing country, the government expenditure plays a crucial role and provides an important stimulus to economic growth. The main focus of this study is on the correlation between government spending and inflation in the country and its impact over the period 1983–2020. Along with that, the impact of gross domestic product and money supply has also been studied for the same time period. The results of the study suggest that in India, increase in an government expenditure causes an increase in inflation, and the other two variables also share a similar relationship with inflation.
An Examination of Socio-economic Well- being in Aspirational and Non-aspirational Districts of Assam: A Comparative Analysis of Their Performance
Authors: Chakrabarty Nilanjana , Konwar Juthika
Published: May 2024

The Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) led by the Government of India (GoI) aims to achieve developmental goals in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The ADP has endeavoured to shift the focus back to development. Post-Independence, India has recorded an upward trend in overall growth and development, but it still has a huge scope for improvement. This initiative of the GoI has generated evidence-based data for guiding policymakers regarding the existing gaps in various developmental parameters. The core approach of ADP has resulted in a data-driven governance system. The performance measurement of districts is vital for tracking and monitoring the progress as well as to compare with the benchmark District. However, measuring the performance of aspirational districts has always been a challenging task for administrators as development is multidimensional in scope and coverage. In this context, this article attempts to compare the performance of the seven aspirational districts with seven non-aspirational districts of Assam. The comparison is done on the basis of economic indicators and human well-being. The aspirational and non-aspirational districts are significantly different in terms of education, health–nutrition and basic infrastructure. The findings of this study advance the way for measuring the progress of a district/state/country in terms of overall development, going beyond the measures of GDP only.
Revisiting the Challenges and Opportunities for Emerging Powers in a Multipolar International System: Lessons from Türkiye
Authors: Nyadera Israel Nyaburi , Ceter Ayten
Published: May 2024

What are the challenges and opportunities facing emerging powers in an increasingly complex international system? While existing studies on emerging powers have looked at their potential impact on the international order, fewer studies have focused on the challenges and opportunities that can negatively or positively impact the progress of emerging powers. This study examines the experiences of Türkiye as an emerging power since the turn of the new millennium and uses it to illustrate the potential challenges and opportunities. The authors adopt five pillars which include: 1) domestic political and international ideological pillars; 2) geopolitical pillars; 3) success in international broadcasting; 4) economic pillars; and 5) institutional pillars (regionalism and international cooperation) to assess how emerging powers navigate the complexities that come with such status. Using a case study approach, the authors argue that emerging powers are likely to remain as “emerging” if they do not capitalize on their strengths and/or reduce the negative effectes of threats that come with the being an emerging power. The findings of the study aim to inform policy and open a new front to assess and understand emerging powers.
Eighty Years after Mystici Corporis Christi: Rereading Mystical Body Theology in the Early Twentieth Century
Authors: Raby Elyse J.
Published: May 2024

Contemporary interpreters of the mystical body movement in the early twentieth century often refer to works therein as mystical body “ecclesiologies” and tend to identify distinctions among them according to the author’s language or nationality. In this article, I argue that the differences among mystical body theologies in that era are better understood according to theological locus—of “mystical body” as either an ecclesiological or a christological-soteriological concept. This framework best explains the paradoxical evaluations of the mystical body movement more broadly, and the encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi in particular, as simultaneously too vague and too juridical.
Pastor Aeternus, Robert Bellarmine, and the Possibility of a Heretical Pope
Authors: Washburn Christian D.
Published: May 2024

In a recent article, Emmet O’Regan has argued that the First Vatican Council not only defined dogmatically that the papal Magisterium is infallible under certain conditions but also “definitively excluded the possibility of a heretical pope” by elevating St. Robert Bellarmine’s “fourth proposition” to the “dignity of a dogma.” This article argues that when Pastor Aeternus is read in light of the official Relatio, it is clear that the council was not intending to exclude the possibility of a heretical pope, that is, the opinion of Albert Pighius. Instead, Gasser makes it clear that the council was intending to define what Bellarmine called the “most common and certain opinion,” which is “whether the pope is able to be a heretic or not, he is not able in any way to define a heretical proposition that must be believed by the whole Church.” O’Regan has misidentified which view of Bellarmine the council intended to define.
Places to be young: The dispossession of public space in Old Havana
Authors: Kocsis Joanna
Published: May 2024

The touristification of Old Havana is resulting in unique patterns of gentrification that rely on a new spatial imaginary, the enforcement of which is resulting in the loss of places for residents to be young. The Cuban state’s preservation of significant proportions of social housing as part of its investments in the heritage tourism industry is disrupting common housing-led displacement in the city. The neighbourhood’s economic transition is concentrated instead in public spaces, as squares and streets are taken over by new tourist-serving businesses. This process of enclosure dispossesses locals of both public and private leisure spaces, as the cost of consumption in said businesses is beyond the purchasing power afforded by Cuban salaries. The dispossession of public space is particularly problematic for local youth who, given the persistence and pervasiveness of Havana’s housing crisis, spend the majority of their free time in streets and squares. This displacement of youth reinforces existing patterns of exclusion and discrimination along lines of race, class and gender. Given the particular value of public space for youth development in communities like Old Havana, this article documents the three main processes through which young people are being displaced from or dispossessed of urban public space in their neighbourhood, enclosure, sanitisation and temporary appropriation, and discusses the impacts on young peoples’ place-related identity.
Local Leaders’ Promotion Pressure and Tourism Development: Evidence From China
Authors: Liu Anyu , Qin Yuan , Lin Vera Shanshan
Published: May 2024

The growing importance of tourism management within local governance highlights the imperative role of local leaders’ involvement. However, the understudied influence of promotion pressure, a key determinant of their behavior, remains largely unexplored. This study employs a novel institutional economics approach to investigate the impact of local leaders’ promotion pressure on tourism development in China. We analyze data from 334 prefecture-level cities spanning 1999 to 2019. Our findings reveal a positive correlation between promotion pressure and tourism development. Notably, this effect is amplified in economically advanced cities and those with a lower dependence on tourism. Further analysis using an instrumental variable-based mediation model suggests that promotion pressure shapes tourism development by influencing the structure of local government fiscal expenditure. These findings shed light on the intricate interplay between political incentives, fiscal policy, and the evolution of the tourism industry, offering valuable insights for crafting effective tourism governance strategies.
Subject–verb agreement: Three experiments on Catalan
Authors: Gavarró Anna , Keidel Alejandra
Published: May 2024

This study delves into the syntactic parsing abilities of children and infants exposed to Catalan as their first language. Focusing first on ages 3 to 6, we conducted two sentence-picture matching tasks. In experiment 1, 3 to 4-year-old children failed in identifying singular third-person subjects within null-subject sentences, although they performed above chance in all other scenarios, including plural third-person subjects and sentences with overt full DP subjects. This is reminiscent of the results of Pérez-Leroux for Spanish. In experiment 2, with the same design but involving numeral distractors, children’s performance was above chance level across all conditions from age 3 to 4. Then, in experiment 3, we moved to a younger age range with the help of eye-tracking techniques. The findings revealed that infants at 22 months had the ability to parse subject–verb agreement in sentences with third-person null subjects, and at 19 months there was evidence of parsing for third-person plural null subjects. These findings are inconsistent with the perception of children grappling with syntactic agreement computation. We argue that instances of underperformance in subject–verb agreement parsing identified in the literature often stem from task-related and pragmatic issues rather than core syntactic delay. If so, the putative asymmetry between early production of verbal inflection and late comprehension disappears; rather, the results suggest early establishment of matching operations and mastery of language-specific agreement properties before production starts.
Using cognitive measures from linguistic relativity research to assess thinking in Yucatec Maya-Spanish bilingual children
Authors: Chi Pech Jaime Inocencio
Published: May 2024

This article uses cognitive measures previously developed within linguistic relativity research to explore the thinking patterns of Yucatec Maya-Spanish bilingual children in the Yucatan peninsula. These measures were designed to detect cognitive patterns associated with specific language patterns. Here, these measures are used to test whether 12 Yucatec Maya-Spanish bilingual children aged 9–11 years old differ cognitively from a similar sample of monolingual Maya children (nine Yucatec Maya-speaking and three Spanish-speaking). The study assesses cognitive associations for two language domains: number marking, a structure-based contrast, and spatial frames of reference, a usage-based contrast. For both number marking and spatial frames of reference, both bilingual and monolingual children provided cognitive responses more like Yucatec Maya monolingual speakers than like Spanish monolinguals. The study also assessed whether the results were affected by factors that have emerged in other studies of bilingual cognition: language status, social community, and language of assessment (‘language mode’). For number marking, there was an effect of the language of assessment, but not of social community or language status. For spatial frames of reference, there were effects of social community and language status but not of the language of assessment. Overall, the results suggest that Yucatec Maya's cognitive habits may continue for some time during the shift from Yucatec Maya monolingualism to bilingualism but with some sensitivity to these other factors. This study offers a positive outlook for efforts to maintain and revitalize the Yucatec Maya language in the Yucatan peninsula.
Angioleiomyoma of the Pterygopalatine Fossa: A Case Report
Authors: Sun Haiyong , Ma Wei , Guan Bing
Published: May 2024

Angioleiomyoma (ALM) is a benign neoplasm marked by the presence of blood vessels and smooth muscle cells, commonly located within the subcutaneous or deep dermal layers. Its manifestation in the pterygopalatine fossa is infrequent, thereby posing difficulties in its diagnosis and distinction from other benign tumors within the same anatomical site. In the present case study, an ALM originating in the right pterygopalatine fossa of a 44-year-old female patient was investigated. The patient underwent surgical intervention for the vascular smooth muscle tumor, and there has been no recurrence noted during the postoperative monitoring period.
Association Between Dietary Factors and Chronic Sinusitis Among Korean Individuals: Insights From a Large Population-Based Study in Asia
Authors: Chen Jiao-Jiao , Sun Jing-Chao , Yu Zhu-Jun , Tan Zhi-Min
Published: May 2024

Objective: Population-based studies on chronic sinusitis have predominantly focused on Europe and the Americas, but research on chronic sinusitis within large Asian populations remains scarce. This study aims to explore the link between dietary factors and chronic sinusitis among ethnic Koreans in Asia. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: Data were collected from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) in 2012. Participants: Participants in the study were included based on a doctor’s diagnosis of chronic sinusitis, as determined through the ear, nose, and throat examination questionnaires. Results: Adolescents [adjusted P value (aP) < .001, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.881, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.380-2.564] and individuals with college and higher education (aP = .042, aOR = 1.298, 95% CI = 1.009-1.669) were more likely to develop chronic rhinosinusitis. In addition, levels of dietary fat [ P = .001, interquartile range (IQR) = 34.085] and energy intake ( P = .004, IQR = 981.106) were associated with an increased risk of chronic sinusitis. Moreover, high dietary inflammatory index (aP < .001, aOR = 0.547, 95% CI = 0.415-0.721), and high intake of fried pork chops (aP = .028, aOR = 1.335, 95% CI = 1.033-1.777), bread (aP = .024, aOR = 1.364, 95% CI = 1.042-1.786), and rice (aP = .021, aOR = 1.382, 95% CI = 1.051-1.818) were risk factors for chronic sinusitis, while cucumber consumption (aP < .001, aOR = 0.547, 95% CI = 0.415-0.721) was a protective factor for chronic sinusitis. Conclusion: This study revealed a significant correlation between diet and development of chronic sinusitis. These findings suggest that promoting an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern and providing guidance on healthy eating habits could help reduce the incidence of chronic sinusitis and enhance its management.
The Trading Zones of Patient Participation: Public Issue Formation in Nondemocratic Situations
Authors: Nikulkin Vlas , Zvonareva Olga
Published: May 2024

This article investigates public issue formation catalyzed by Russian patient organizations (POs) that aim to change healthcare rules and practices following patients’ needs and expectations. Drawing on the socio-ontological approach of science and technology studies, which posits that issues do not exist independently of efforts to address them, we identify three main stages of public issue formation in the studied situation: (1) from individual troubles to systemic problems, (2) from systemic problems to shared concerns, and (3) from shared concerns to public issues. Transforming individual troubles into public issues is neither easy nor straightforward. Yet, as the key actors in the process, POs use events like conferences and roundtables, and consultative spaces like public councils to engage with healthcare experts and state policymakers. We propose to view these events and spaces as trading zones. Facilitating public issue formation through trading zones where collaboration with other healthcare governance actors occurs without consensus over meanings and priorities, POs address suffering among patients in nondemocratic situations where expert knowledge dominates and public participation is generally unwelcome. The resulting issues are public in scope and capability of mobilizing action, yet articulated in a de-publicizing manner that conceals conflicting stakes and commitments.
Dirty dancing: Gender, aging, and sexuality during Hong Kong’s COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Groves Julian M. , Lee Wendy Ka Yin , Yiu Hayley Wing Kiu
Published: May 2024

Why did certain COVID-19 infections in Hong Kong attract more media scrutiny than others during the pandemic? We systematically compare media and social media responses to different clusters of infection that emerged during Hong Kong’s COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on Susan Sontag’s (2009) essay, Illness as Metaphor, we argue that the media preoccupation with Hong Kong’s Fourth Wave COVID-19 infections was not so much concerned with the science and epidemiology of the virus, but instead resonated with deeply held anxieties about gender, aging, and sexuality in the city. Specifically, we describe how women who attended ballroom dance studios during this outbreak were targeted by mainstream and social media for transgressing traditional gender roles: abandoning their husbands and purchasing intimacy with younger and less wealthy male dance instructors. We explore the implications of this “gendering” (and its intersections with social class and ageism) for health communication and public policy in the way that it disproportionately attributed blame for the outbreak on the women and denigrated an important recreation in the city.
The Mediating Effect of Professional Values on the Relationship Between Self-Leadership and Compassion Competence of Community Mental Health Nurses
Authors: Kim Hye Young , Jun Won Hee
Published: May 2024

Background:

Compassion competence is a core nursing skill that is significant in understanding and alleviating the physical and mental distress of individuals. Self-leadership and nursing professional values are also reported as important factors in improving the clinical care practices of nurses and may have a positive effect on improving the compassion competence of nurses. However, there are few studies examining the relationship between these variables in community mental health nurses.

Aim:

This study investigated the mediating effect of professional values on the relationship between self-leadership and compassion competence of community mental health nurses.

Methods:

A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted with 121 community mental health nurses from 30 mental health welfare centers in South Korea. Participants completed self-report scales on self-leadership, nursing professional values, and compassion competence. Baron and Kenny’s regression method and the Sobel test revealed significant mediating effects of nursing professional values on the relationship between self-leadership and compassion competence.

Findings:

Participants’ mean compassion competence scores were 3.57 (SD = 0.45) on a 5-point scale. Compassion competence positively correlated with self-leadership ( r = 0.67, P < .001) and nursing professional values ( r = 0.60, P < .001). Nursing professional values played a partial mediating role in the relationship between self-leadership and compassion competence ( Z = 3.23, P = .001).

Conclusion:

Compassion competence of community mental health nurses can be improved by promoting self-leadership and nursing professional values.