bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tuning of Generalized K-Omega Turbulence Model by Using Adjoint Optimization and Machine Learning for Gas Turbine Combustor Applications
Authors: Klavaris George , Xu Min , Hill Chris , Menter Florian , Patwardhan Saurabh , Verma Ishan
Published: December 2023

Turbulence modeling plays a crucial role in swirl-stabilized gas turbine combustors, typically relying on scale-resolved simulations (SRS) such as large eddy simulations (LES). However, LES is computationally expensive due to the need for fine mesh resolution and small time-steps required to capture the combustor's large-scale turbulence motion accurately. On the other hand, Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) models while computationally efficient, lack fidelity in predicting complex flow characteristics such as swirl accurately. In this study, the GEKO model is used for simulating RANS predictions of turbulence in a swirling flow scenario, whereas high-fidelity LES predictions serve as target data enabling field inversion via gradient-based optimization using the Adjoint solver in ansysfluent. Machine learning via neural network (NN) Training is employed to establish correlations between turbulent flow features and optimal GEKO parameters, enabling the trained model's generalization. This approach allows computationally faster simulations of swirling flow using an optimized GEKO model matching the predictions of LES. This methodology is tested on the DLR PRECCINSTA burner considering a nonreacting, isothermal flow scenario. The velocity field variance between LES and GEKO-RANS solutions is defined as the objective function, with the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) source coefficient serving as the tuning parameter. Results using the optimized GEKO model demonstrate qualitative and quantitative agreement with LES and experiments. The trained neural network (NN) model's generalization is tested on various flow conditions, including six additional Reynolds numbers and a reacting flow scenario, showcasing significant improvements over the baseline model solution. This optimized workflow holds promise for future studies involving different geometries with similar flow fields.
Sport Participation for Academic Success: Evidence From the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children
Authors: Owen Katherine B. , Foley Bridget C. , Smith Ben J. , Manera Karine E. , Corbett Lucy , Lim Michelle , Phongsavan Philayrath , Qualter Pamela , Ding Ding , Clare Philip J.
Published: December 2023

Background: We aimed to identify long-term patterns of sport participation (overall, team, and individual sport) from childhood into adolescence, and to examine the association between these patterns and academic outcomes. Methods: This cohort study used data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children in wave 3 (4–5 y) to wave 9 (20–21 y). The participants were a nationally representative sample of 4241 children. We conducted latent class analyses to identify sport participation trajectories and assessed the association between these trajectories and academic outcomes. Results: Continued sport participation was associated with lower odds of being absent from school (OR = 0.44; 95% confidence intervals [CIs], 0.26 to 0.74), better performance on attention (B = −0.010; 95% CIs, −0.019 to −0.002) and working memory (B = −0.013; 95% CIs, −0.023 to −0.003), higher numeracy (B = 20.21; 95% CIs, 14.56 to 25.86) and literacy scores (B = 9.42; 95% CIs, 2.82 to 16.02), higher end of school academic performance (B = 3.28; 95% CIs, 1.47 to 5.09), and higher odds of studying at university (OR = 1.78; 95% CIs, 1.32 to 2.40). Team sport participation was associated with reduced absenteeism, better performance on attention and working memory, and being awarded the Higher School Certificate. Whereas individual sport participation was associated with higher literacy scores and end of school academic performance. Conclusions: Team and individual sport participation both benefit academic outcomes, but differently. Given the decline in sport participation during adolescence, these findings highlight the need to develop educational policies to establish an environment that promotes sport participation, which in turn could improve academic outcomes.
Metal–Insulator Transition and Other Electronic Properties of AB-Stacked Bilayer Graphene Deposited on a Ferromagnetic Substrate
Authors: Gobelko I. E. , Rozhkov A. V. , Dresvyankin D. N.
Published: December 2023

Using a simple theoretical model, AB-stacked bilayer graphene deposited on a ferromagnetic insulating substrate is studied. In addition to the exchange Zeeman field induced by the substrate, the model allows one to take into account the effective external electric field perpendicular to the graphene sample plane (such field arises due to the contact with the substrate and can also be induced by applying a gate voltage). It has been demonstrated that AB-stacked graphene in zero electric field is in a metallic state. As the field increases, a transition to the insulating phase occurs. The spectrum of electron states, the band gap, and other characteristics of the phases on both sides of the metal−insulator transition have been calculated. Our results are consistent with density functional theory calculations and can be useful for spintronics.
Influence of Gravitational Unloading on the Dynamics of Blood Redistribution during Orthostasis: The Study by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Zhedyaev R. Yu. , Tarasova O. S. , Puchkova A. A. , Shpakov A. V. , Vinogradova O. L. , Borovik A. S.
Published: December 2023

We studied the effects of long-term anti-orthostatic hypokinesia (head-down bed rest—BR, a model of gravitational unloading) on the dynamics of orthostasis-induced changes in the content of total (THb), deoxygenated (HHb), and oxygenated (OHb) hemoglobin in the calf at the level of the gastrocnemius muscle medial head using near-infrared spectroscopy. In seven young men, 2–4 days before and on the 19th day of BR, a passive head-up tilt test was performed (15 min in the supine position, then 15 min at 65°). After BR, there was an increase in heart rate and a decrease in stroke volume in the supine position, as well as more pronounced changes in these parameters during orthostasis. Blood pressure in the supine position and orthostasis did not change after BR. THb content increased gradually during orthostasis and reached a plateau by the end of the test; after BR, an increase in the half-rise time and a twofold increase in the plateau level were observed. Tissue HHb content by the end of the tilt test also increased after BR. The dynamics of OHb before BR was more complicated: this indicator grew, reached a maximum during a minute, and then gradually decreased to half of the maximum by the end of the test. After BR, the dynamics of OHb changed drastically: the signal increased gradually and reached a level that was twice the peak value of OHb content before BR. The results allow us to conclude that exposure to BR weakens the compensatory constriction of calf vessels during tilt test; consequently, it is followed by higher blood accumulation in calf vascular bed, which, in turn, leads to smaller SV during orthostasis.
Erratum to: Association of the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Gene (BDNF) Val66Met Polymorphism with Individual Alpha Peak Frequency and Alpha Power in Adults
Authors: Privodnova E. Yu. , Volf N. V.
Published: December 2023

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0362119723970017
Amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) use and association with concurrent use of benzodiazepines, barbiturates and THC in the West Bank among male Palestinians: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Damiri Basma , Mousa Adnan , Helou Maroun Amin
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATSs) are becoming a growing concern in the West Bank. Despite the focus on marijuana, statistics show that ATS seizures and clandestine laboratories indicate increased use of this highly addictive chemical among Palestinians. Shifting from marijuana to ATS can have severe clinical and social consequences, yet insufficient studies have been conducted. Our study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of ATS use and its correlation with other drug use in male Palestinians living in the northern West Bank.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among Palestinian men aged ≥18 years from the north of the West Bank in 2022–2023. A self-administered questionnaire and urine analysis test were used to determine drug use. ATS users in this study tested positive for at least one of the following: amphetamines, ecstasy or methamphetamines.

Results

Out of 787 participants, 129 (16.4%) were drug users. The prevalence of drug use among drug users was as follows: benzodiazepines (55.8%), amphetamines (41.1%), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (38.8%), methamphetamines (38.0%), barbiturates (9.3%), phencyclidine (1.6%) and ATS (48.8%); 84.1% were amphetamine and 77.7% were methamphetamine users. Most ATS users (68.3%) were polydrug users; 57.1% were benzodiazepine, 30.2% were THC and 12.7% were barbiturate users. The adjusted binary logistic regression revealed that ATS users were more likely to be benzodiazepine (OR=11.059, p<0.001), THC (OR=5.520, p<0.001) and barbiturate users (OR=17.109, p=0.01).

Conclusion

The study found that ATS use is widespread among Palestinian men and is associated with other drug use, including benzodiazepines, barbiturates and THC. The study recommends implementing better strategies and policies for controlling and confiscating illicit substances to address the severe medical and sociological problems that can arise from drug dependence. Additionally, the study highlights the risks associated with transitioning from marijuana to ATS, which can have severe clinical and social consequences.
Children in street situations’ access to healthcare: qualitative findings from the Street Child World Cup 2022
Authors: Macleod Shona Lindsay , MacRae Pia , Pimenta Júlia
Published: December 2023

Background

Children in street situations (those who live or work on the street) are known to face barriers in accessing healthcare.

Methods

The study combined a remote survey with 33 adult non-governmental organisation (NGO) staff members, in-depth interviews with staff members of 11 NGOs and 4 formerly street-connected adult young leaders and a questionnaire with 30 street-connected children from 15 countries participating in the Street Child World Cup event in Qatar in 2022. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

The participating children have strong connections with supportive organisations and do tend to seek adult assistance when they are ill or injured, refuting the assertion of adult participants and the literature that children in street situations only seek healthcare in emergencies. Some barriers that children in street situations face when seeking healthcare are likely shared by other disadvantaged groups, including the cost of care, long waiting times, the quality of public healthcare and discrimination based on socioeconomic status. Children in street situations may face further discrimination based on assumptions about their lives, their appearance or hygiene levels. Identity documents are highlighted in the literature as a major barrier but seemed less important to the participants. Both adult and child participants emphasised the need for an accompanying adult to find appropriate services and be treated.

Conclusions

This study highlights the important work of organisations supporting street-connected children to access healthcare both during and after their time working or living on the street. It concludes that while some of the barriers to accessing healthcare that children in street situations face are not specific to this group, the absence of an adult caregiver differentiates many street-connected children from other disadvantaged groups. This also signals differences among children in street situations, with those with connections to family or organisations having more support.
Dispatcher: Resource-aware Nakamoto Blockchain via Hierarchical Topology and Adaptive Incentives
Authors: Jin Hai , Dong Shuohua , Dai Xiaohai , Cai Yuandi , Xiao Jiang
Published: December 2023

Mainstream blockchain systems such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are revolutionizing the financial industry by adopting the Nakamoto consensus protocol, i.e.,
Proof-of-Work
(PoW). Only nodes with sufficient computing resources can work out the PoW difficulties, thereby increasing the mining cost of malicious attackers and ensuring the security of blockchain systems. Such an assumption of having abundant resources leads to drawbacks of low throughput and risk of centralization. In this article, we present Dispatcher, a novel distributed consensus protocol that takes resource heterogeneity into account to ensure
resource-aware
PoW with high efficiency. Dispatcher introduces a hierarchical topology to offer flexible PoW difficulties tailored for different nodes’ resources. In particular, it utilizes the limited resource of each node to jointly maximize the performance by concurrent mining. Moreover, we design an adaptive incentive mechanism to fit the available resource of blockchain nodes to rewards. Our experiments show that Dispatcher enjoys a substantial performance margin over the state-of-the-art. We can achieve a 50% throughput improvement compared with OHIE.
Current Status of Metabolic Compliance and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in the Zhuang Population in China
Authors: Xu Danqing , Dai Xia , Yang Qiong , Li Xueying , Xiao Ying , Huang Qiuhong , Qingqing Lou
Published: December 2023

Introduction. This study aimed to investigate the blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipid status in Zhuang patients with T2DM and to analyze the correlation between compliance with metabolic monitoring and cardiovascular risk factors. Methods. A total of 1975 Zhuang patients with T2DM were evaluated in four Class III Grade A hospitals in three prefecture-level cities in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region between January and August 2022. Laboratory indicators, lifestyle, and demographic characteristics were collected. Results. The compliance rates for blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids were 26.08%, 45.77%, and 30.58%, respectively, and only 5.06% of the patients reached the standard in all three indices. The compliance rates for blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids in the CVD group were 32.92%, 21.74%, and 9.94%, respectively. In the CVD group, the usage rates of hypoglycemic, antihypertensive, and lipid-lowering drugs were 77.54%, 3.17%, and 4.11%, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that older age (OR = 1.033, 95% CI [1.016, 1.050]), female (OR = 0.402, 95% CI [0.260, 0.621]), smoke (OR = 1.994, 95% CI [1.361, 2.922]), blood pressure noncompliance + use of antihypertensive drugs (OR = 0.348, 95% CI [0.230, 0.527]), and blood lipid noncompliance + use of lipid-lowering drugs (OR = 0.244, 95% CI [0.142, 0.417]) were risk factors for CVDs, and moderate-intensity exercise (OR = 0.439, 95% CI [0.300,0.640]) was protective against CVD. Conclusions. Older age, female, smoke, blood lipid levels, and blood pressure noncompliance were risk factors for CVD while moderate-intensity exercise was observed to be protective.
Reduction of SO2 to Elemental Sulfur in Flue Gas Using Copper-Alumina Catalysts
Authors: Mousavi Seyyed Ebrahim , Pahlavanzadeh Hassan , Khalighi Reza , Khani Masoud , Ebrahim Habib Ale , Abbasizadeh Saeed , Mozaffari Abbas
Published: December 2023

This study aims to propose an advanced catalyst for the selective catalytic reduction of SO2, as a sustainable process to mitigate the emission of this toxic gas, which is a significant environmental concern. The conversion of SO2 through catalytic reduction with CH4 to elemental sulfur was investigated using Al2O3-Cu catalysts. The reaction was conducted under atmospheric pressure and at a temperature range of 550–800°C. A remarkable 99.9% SO2 conversion rate and 99.5% sulfur selectivity were achieved using the Al2O3-Cu (10%) catalyst at 750°C. The highest conversion rates of SO2 to elemental sulfur, with minimal production of undesirable by-products such as H2S and COS, were obtained when the SO2/CH4 molar feed ratio was set at 2, which is the stoichiometric ratio. Furthermore, the optimal catalyst exhibited excellent long-term stability for SO2 reduction with methane.
A Primer on Underwater Quantum Key Distribution
Authors: Paglierani Pietro , Fahim Raouf Amir Hossein , Pelekanakis Konstantinos , Petroccia Roberto , Alves João , Uysal Murat
Published: December 2023

The growing importance of underwater networks (UNs) in mission-critical activities at sea enforces the need for secure underwater communications (UCs). Classical encryption techniques can be used to achieve secure data exchange in UNs. However, the advent of quantum computing will pose threats to classical cryptography, thus challenging UCs. Currently, underwater cryptosystems mostly adopt symmetric ciphers, which are considered computationally quantum robust but pose the challenge of distributing the secret key upfront. Post-quantum public-key (PQPK) protocols promise to overcome the key distribution problem. The security of PQPK protocols, however, only relies on the assumed computational complexity of some underlying mathematical problems. Moreover, the use of resource-hungry PQPK algorithms in resource-constrained environments such as UNs can require nontrivial hardware/software optimization efforts. An alternative approach is underwater quantum key distribution (QKD), which promises unconditional security built upon the physical principles of quantum mechanics (QM). This tutorial provides a basic introduction to free-space underwater QKD (UQKD). At first, the basic concepts of QKD are presented, based on a fully worked out QKD example. A thorough state-of-the-art analysis of UQKD is carried out. The paper subsequently provides a theoretical analysis of the QKD performance through free-space underwater channels and its dependence on the key optical parameters of the system and seawater. Finally, open challenges, points of strength, and perspectives of UQKD are identified and discussed.
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NKK20 Increases Intestinal Butyrate Production and Inhibits Type 2 Diabetic Kidney Injury through PI3K/Akt Pathway
Authors: Sun Xiaohong , Xi Yue , Yan Man , Sun Chang , Tang Jianjun , Dong Xueyun , Yang Zhengnan , Wu Liang
Published: December 2023

Nephropathy injury is a prevalent complication observed in individuals with diabetes, serving as a prominent contributor to end-stage renal disease, and the advanced glycation products (AGEs) are important factors that induce kidney injury in patients with diabetes. Addressing this condition remains a challenging aspect in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NKK20 strain (NKK20) which protects against diabetic kidney disease (DKD) based on animal and cell models. The results showed that the NKK20 can significantly reduce renal inflammatory response, serum oxidative stress response, and AGE concentration in diabetic mice. After treatment with NKK20, the kidney damage of diabetic mice was significantly improved, and more importantly, the concentration of butyrate, a specific anti-inflammatory metabolite of intestinal flora in the stool of diabetic mice, was significantly increased. In addition, nontargeted metabolomics analysis showed a significant difference between the metabolites in the mouse serum contents of the NKK20 administration group and those in the nephropathy injury group, in which a total of 24 different metabolites that were significantly affected by NKK20 were observed, and these metabolites were mainly involved in glycerophospholipid metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism. Also, the administration of butyrate to human kidney- (HK-) 2 cells that were stimulated by AGEs resulted in a significant upregulation of ZO-1, Occludin, and E-cadherin gene expressions and downregulation of α-SMA gene expression. This means that butyrate can maintain the tight junction structure of HK-2 cells and inhibit fibrosis. Butyrate also significantly inhibited the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway. These results indicate that NKK20 can treat kidney injury in diabetic mice by reducing blood glucose and AGE concentration and increasing butyrate production in the intestine. By inhibiting PI3K pathway activation in HK-2 cells, butyrate maintains a tight junction structure of renal tubule epithelial cells and inhibits renal tissue fibrosis. These results suggest that NKK20 is helpful to prevent and treat the occurrence and aggravation of diabetic kidney injury.
Evaluation of a Surgical Navigation System for Localization and Excision of Nonpalpable Lesions in Breast and Axillary Surgery
Authors: Carlson Kjirsten A. , Checka Cristina , Hunt Kelly K. , Jung Jennifer , Bridges Christian , Singh Puneet , Refinetti Ana , Moseley Tanya , Perez Frances , Mayo Cody , Tamirisa Nina
Published: December 2023

Introduction. Elucent Medical has introduced a novel EnVisio™ Surgical Navigation system which uses SmartClips™ that generate a unique electromagnetic signal triangulated in 3 dimensions for real-time navigation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of the EnVisio Surgical Navigation system in localizing and excising nonpalpable lesions in breast and axillary surgery. Methods. This pilot study prospectively examined patients undergoing breast and nodal localization using the EnVisio Surgical Navigation system. SmartClips were placed by designated radiologists using ultrasound (US) or mammographic (MMG) guidance. The technical evaluation focused on successful deployment and subsequent excision of all localized lesions including SmartClips and biopsy clips. Results. Eleven patients underwent localization using 27 SmartClips which included bracketed multifocal disease (n = 4) and clipped lymph node (n = 1). The bracketed cases were each localized with 2 SmartClips. Mammography and ultrasound were used (n = 8 and n = 19, respectively) to place the SmartClips. All 27 devices were successfully deployed within 5 mm of the targeted lesion or biopsy clip. All SmartClip devices were identified and retrieved intraoperatively. No patients required a second operation for margin excision. Conclusion. In a limited sample, the EnVisio Surgical Navigation system was a reliable technology for the localization of breast and axillary lesions planned for surgical excision. Further comparative studies are required to evaluate its efficacy in relation to the other existing localization modalities.
Characterization of Cocoa Butter Replacer Developed from Agricultural Waste of Mango Kernel and Rice Bran
Authors: Mokbul Mansura , Cheow Yuen Lin , Siow Lee Fong
Published: December 2023

The unique physicochemical properties of cocoa butter (CB) provide the desired physical properties in chocolate. Due to its high demand, increasing price, and limited supply, people are looking for cocoa butter alternatives (CBAs). In this study, CBA was prepared using enzymatic acidolysis on mango kernel fat stearin with rice bran oil blend. Reaction parameters (time (4-8 h), temperature (50-70°C), and enzyme load (6-10%, w/w)) were optimized using response surface methodology to produce similar triacylglycerol (TAG) composition as CB, and the properties of different proportions of CBAs with CB were assessed. Triacylglycerol content, melting behavior, solid fat content, crystal morphology, and polymorphism were investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, pulse nuclear magnetic resonance, polarized light microscopy, and X-ray diffraction, respectively. The optimum reaction condition to produce comparable percentages of monounsaturated TAGs in the final product was 8 h time, 8% enzyme load, and 50°C. After blending of CBA with CB in different proportions, no significant differences in terms of polymorphism, melting profile, and solid fat content were observed up to 20% CBA replacement. However, the TAG profile was similar up to 10% replacement of CB with CBA. In summary, the enzymatically produced CBA can potentially be used as a cocoa butter replacer up to 20% in the confectionery industry.
CAN CRYPTOCURRENCY MARKETS BE BEATEN? CALENDAR ANOMALIES ASPECT
Authors: İmre Süreyya , Özaydın Orhan
Published: December 2023

The cryptocurrency market is so recent and emerging. As done for every financial market, the participants of this market act to beat it by using historical price data. In literature, traditional financial markets, e.g. stock and exchange, are non-effective due to calendar anomaly, by period. This study applied to a comprehensive empirical research including 5 calendar effect anomaly on top 9 cryptocurrencies. Thanks to GARCH model, not returns only but also variances were examined. Generally, cryptocurrencies have weak form and non-efficient market. In detail, every cryptocurrency has at least one calendar anomaly.
NARCISSISM IN BUSINESS SCIENCE: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS WITH VOSVIEWER SOFTWARE
Authors: Özdemir Fulya
Published: December 2023

Narcissism appears as a concept of great importance in many disciplines. In the organizational behavior literature, narcissism is a multifaceted study subject that is addressed in interpersonal relations, organizational outcomes and an organizational identity. This study aims to analyze the studies on narcissism in organizations and to reveal the course of studies on narcissism in organizations. In this context, the words "narcissist" and "narcissism" were searched as "All Fields" in the Web of Science database. In the Web of Science Categories, search is limited to "Management" and "Business". 693 studies are analyzed with VOSviewer and the results are discussed. While the intensive use of keywords such as leadership, dark triad and personality draws attention in the analysis results, another striking point is the intense increase in the course of narcissism studies in recent years and the fact that the subject is discussed in different contexts.
Exploiting fall foliage by-products to optimize Tenebrio molitor nutraceutical value
Authors: Brai A. , Provenzani M.P. , Pasqualini C. , Poggialini F. , Vagaggini C. , Tarchi F. , Frosinini R. , Francardi V. , Simoni S. , Dreassi E.
Published: December 2023

Tenebrio molitor larvae (TML) are a novel smart food recently declared safe by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). These edible insects are a complete source of digestible proteins, and their farming requires limited space and resources. With the purpose to increase the sustainability of their farming, different nursery wastes produced during fall foliage were used as feed supplements. Punica granatum (PL), Castanea sativa (CSL) and Robinia pseudoacacia fallen leaves (AL), and the leaves of two plants used in traditional medicine, Laurus nobilis (LL) and Mentha arvensis leaves (MAL), which are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins were added to the TML standard diet as sources of antioxidant compounds. The fortified diets were administered to TML for their entire life cycle, and mean weight and survival rate analysed every 15 days, without observing a negative impact. After 45 days, when pupation exceeded 50%, the experiment was interrupted. TML accumulated antioxidant compounds from leaves, important to prevent inflammation and oxidative stress. Accordingly, we observed an increment of the antioxidant and radical scavenging activities respect to the TML fed with the standard diet (STDSL). Differently from STDSL, total fat content remained constant during development, while the quality of fat ameliorated, with a beneficial reduction of SFAs and an improvement of nutritional indexes associated with cardiovascular disease prevention. In addition, we observed an important reduction in n6/n3 ratio and the accumulation of linolenic acid. Taken together, our results strongly support the use of nursery wastes to fortify TML and improve their nutraceutical value.
On the Role of Speech In Psychoanalysis: Revisiting Lacan’s “Function and Field”
Authors: Hook Derek
Published: December 2023

A number of underutilized concepts in Lacan’s “Function and Field of Language and Speech in Psychoanalysis” are examined with an eye to rendering them accessible and practicable to analysts from outside the Lacanian tradition. The concepts of empty and full speech are discussed, along with the notions of the subject of the unconscious, and speaking as itself a mode of intersubjectivity. Attention is afforded the future-oriented mode of psychic temporality that Lacan argues pertains to psychoanalytic practice (that of the future anterior tense, the standpoint from which analysands situate themselves in respect of what they “will have been”). These concepts are then linked to technical initiatives—such as punctuation (the “editorial” role the analyst plays in reference to the analysand’s speech) and scansion (the use of suspension, interruption, or cutting to highlight facets of that speech). These techniques can be read as extensions of Freud’s fundamental rule of free association insofar as they aim to disrupt defensive ego narratives, engage unconscious processes, and draw analysands’ attention, in a potentially transformative manner, to their speech and what it does.
Determination and verification of reference intervals of serum immunoglobulin G at birth
Authors: Ikuta Toshihiko , Iwatani Sota , Yoshimoto Seiji
Published: December 2023

Background

To accurately assess hypogammaglobulinemia at birth, it is essential to determine the reference intervals of serum immunoglobulin (IgG) levels in newborns. In the present study, we determined the gestational age (GA)-/birth weight (BW)-dependent percentile-based reference intervals of serum IgG levels and converted them into simple formulas for practical use.

Methods

Serum IgG levels were measured in cord blood from 2902 newborns delivered at 22 to 41 weeks of GA or 264 to 4642 g of BW after exclusion of those with congenital disorders. Linear regression analysis was used to correlate GA and UC-IgG levels and BW and UC-IgG levels. After calculation of the percentile values of UC-IgG levels for each GA or BW, the distributions were approximated by the least-squares method. Fitness was evaluated by the coefficient of determination ( R 2).

Results

Significant positive correlations were found both between GA and UC-IgG levels ( r s = 0.790, P < 0.001) and BW and UC-IgG levels ( r s = 0.626, P < 0.001). The distribution of the 5%ile of UC-IgG levels (Y) by GA or BW (X) was approximated as a straight line (Y = 37.5 *X – 775.8; Y = 0.161 *X + 95.34, respectively). The fitness was stronger in the GA-derived formula than the BW-derived formula ( R 2 = 0.973 vs 0.913).

Conclusions

We established GA-/BW-dependent reference percentile-based intervals for serum IgG levels using cord blood from 2902 newborns without congenital disorders. Using GA-dependent reference intervals may be useful for assessing hypogammaglobulinemia at birth.
Newborn Screening of 6 Lysosomal Storage Disorders by Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Chen Yao , Yang Yan , Zeng Yinglin , Lin Qingying , Zhao Peiran , Mao Bin , Qiu Xiaolong , Huang Ting , Xu Liangpu , Zhu Wenbin
Published: December 2023

This study was designed to screen 6 lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) in neonates using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), and establish cutoff values for these LSDs with 3000 dried blood spots (DBS) samples. Cutoff values for α-L-iduronidase (IDUA), α-galactosidase (GLA), acid beta glucosidase (ABG), β-galactocerebrosidase (GALC), acid sphingomyelinase (ASM), and acid alpha glucosidase (GAA) were as follows: GLA, > 2.06 μmol/L·h; ABG, > 1.78 μmol/L·h; ASM, > 0.99 μmol/L·h; IDUA, > 1.33 μmol/L·h; GALC, > 0.84 μmol/L·h; and GAA, > 2.06 μmol/L·h. There were 30 positives in initial MS/MS screening test, and 15 samples were still positive with repeat testing. Their parents/guardians were recontacted and DBS samples were collected again for test. Only 1 child showed abnormal GAA enzyme activity after recontacting process, and was diagnosed with Pompe disease after genetic screening. Eventually, cutoff values of 6 specific enzyme activities were established and MS/MS is effective for early LSDs screening.
Did Immigrant Arrest Rates Change During the Trump Administration? Evidence From California and Texas
Authors: Light Michael T. , Boisten Laura , Kim Jungmyung
Published: December 2023

Despite substantial legal and policy debates, whether immigrant arrest rates changed during the Trump presidency remains surprisingly understudied. This is partially because immigration status is rarely available in crime data. We address this gap by applying difference-in-differences (DD) and difference-in-difference-in-differences (DDD) estimations to detailed arrest data from Texas and California from 2015 to 2018. We find little evidence, descriptive or otherwise, to suggest that the transition from the Obama to the Trump administration had a meaningful impact on immigrant arrests, whether measured as violence, property, drug, or traffic offenses. These results suggest that the immigration enforcement initiatives under President Trump did not deliver on their crime reduction pledges, but they also provide little evidence of over-policing of immigrants in discretionary actions such as traffic arrests.
Separation of Traits and Extreme Response Style in IRTree Models: The Role of Mimicry Effects for the Meaningful Interpretation of Estimates
Authors: Merhof Viola , Böhm Caroline M. , Meiser Thorsten
Published: December 2023

Item response tree (IRTree) models are a flexible framework to control self-reported trait measurements for response styles. To this end, IRTree models decompose the responses to rating items into sub-decisions, which are assumed to be made on the basis of either the trait being measured or a response style, whereby the effects of such person parameters can be separated from each other. Here we investigate conditions under which the substantive meanings of estimated extreme response style parameters are potentially invalid and do not correspond to the meanings attributed to them, that is, content-unrelated category preferences. Rather, the response style factor may mimic the trait and capture part of the trait-induced variance in item responding, thus impairing the meaningful separation of the person parameters. Such a mimicry effect is manifested in a biased estimation of the covariance of response style and trait, as well as in an overestimation of the response style variance. Both can lead to severely misleading conclusions drawn from IRTree analyses. A series of simulation studies reveals that mimicry effects depend on the distribution of observed responses and that the estimation biases are stronger the more asymmetrically the responses are distributed across the rating scale. It is further demonstrated that extending the commonly used IRTree model with unidimensional sub-decisions by multidimensional parameterizations counteracts mimicry effects and facilitates the meaningful separation of parameters. An empirical example of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) background questionnaire illustrates the threat of mimicry effects in real data. The implications of applying IRTree models for empirical research questions are discussed.
Manto and the Mad Muselmann
Authors: Chaudhry Sana R.
Published: December 2023

In Sa’adat Hasan Manto’s short story “Toba Tek Singh”, readers are introduced to Sikh inmate Bishan Singh living in an asylum in pre-Partition India.1 The disfigured, swollen, babbling body of Bishan Singh is redolent of Giorgio Agamben’s representation of the “ Muselmann”, the abject camp prisoners of Auschwitz, in his Remnants of Auschwitz: The Witness and the Archive. Drawing on Agamben’s insights, this article reads the figure of Bishan Singh as the Agambenian “ Muselmann” and Partition witness, caught in the space of the camp under the guise of an asylum for the mentally ill. This article also traces this space or holding centre for the mentally ill as a site of production of an ab-humanity marked not so much by a lack of speech, but by its provocative disorder. The figure of Bishan Singh as “ Muselmann” emerges as marked out by his garbled, traumatized language that signals both his ab-humanity and his exposure to the violence that attends the making of the human subject. This study argues that Bishan Singh’s wounded body and speech constitute traces of the unsayable, and that what is perceptible emerges from what is not.
Algorithm to determine local basis weight of random fibrous networks with X-ray microtomography and SEM images
Authors: Hewavidana Yasasween , Balci Mehmet , Gleadall Andrew , Pourdeyhimi Behnam , Silberschmidt Vadim , Demirci Emrah
Published: December 2023

Analysis of the basis weight for random fibrous networks is important to understand their microstructure, properties and performance. Two-dimensional microscopical images show in-plane fibers without giving any information on their distribution in three dimensions. This research introduces a fully parametric algorithm for computing the local basis weight of random fibrous networks using three-dimensional images because out-of-plane fiber orientation is important, especially for high-density or thick networks. Voxel models of real nonwoven webs were generated by an X-ray micro-computed tomography system. The developed algorithm could accurately estimate a local basis weight value for random fibrous networks produced with various manufacturing parameters. Numerical results computed with the developed method were compared with those obtained with a physical weight measurement technique. The algorithm was tested and validated for various nonwoven fabrics with different densities. It was observed that the developed method can be used to examine and/or compare the basis weight of a wide range of random fibrous networks. In addition, it can be used to predict the basis weight for fabrics, especially in a new product development process.
Comparison of ketamine with buprenorphine as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of comorbid major depressive disorder and opium use disorders: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ahmadi Jamshid , Mansoori Arash , Mosavat Seyed Hamdollah , Bazrafshan Amir
Published: December 2023

Background

Comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) and opium use disorder (OUD) are known to increase the risk of suicide. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of adjunctive therapy with either ketamine or buprenorphine in patients with comorbid MDD and OUD.

Methods

This was a randomized double-blind controlled trial in adults admitted to a hospital in Iran. Sixty-six participants were enrolled and received either ketamine or buprenorphine, along with current antidepressant therapy. The primary outcome was change in depressive symptoms assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) after 2 hours, 24 hours, and 7 days following initiation of treatment. Secondary outcomes included changes in suicidal ideation, evaluated by the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI).

Results

Both groups experienced a significant decrease in the severity of depression following the interventions ( p < .05). However, there was no significant difference in the between-group comparison ( p > .05). Both groups also exhibited a significant reduction in suicidal ideation compared to before the study, with the decrease in severity being over 85% in both groups ( p < .05).

Conclusion

Both ketamine and buprenorphine appear to be equally effective in reducing symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation among individuals with MDD and OUD.
A Qualitative Exploration of Shifts to Community Supervision Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Lockwood Ashley , Alward Lucas , Viglione Jill
Published: December 2023

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, community supervision agencies were forced to incorporate drastic changes to traditional supervision techniques, which shifted the daily roles of probation officers (POs). Research on the pandemic identifies rapid adaptations to supervision strategies and increased demands on POs during the pandemic. Using qualitative data from interviews with POs across the United States, the goal of this study was to examine the experiences of POs working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results suggest POs had to alter their supervision approach, both physically and ideologically. POs discussed shifts to both remote supervision in place of in-person work coupled with a need to use an “agent of change” approach given limited access to formal, punitive responses to noncompliance, with a priority on the highest risk/need clients. Findings suggest several implications for practice, including factors to consider regarding community correction reform efforts in a post-pandemic world.
‘I’m also slightly conscious of how much I’m listening to something’: Music streaming and the transformation of music listening
Authors: Walsh Michael James
Published: December 2023

Drawing on Erving Goffman’s microsociology, this article explores the networking of music streaming technologies and their convergence with social media. Acts of privatized music listening that were once seamlessly secluded in back regions like the home and therefore removed from the view of others can now become presented more widely in front region contexts. Reporting on in-depth qualitative interviews with users of music streaming and how they perceive their musical listening has been altered, I investigate some of the affordances of streaming as it contributes to an unravelling or collapsing of demarcations between front and back region activity. As a result, users of streaming services describe how they become mindful of how they undertake their music listening and how these technologies consequently require careful management.
The habitus of misogyny: Bourdieu and the institutionalization of sexist abuse in the video games industry
Authors: Foust Joshua
Published: December 2023

Sexism in video games is widespread, but most studies focus on sexism in representation and/or in play. Few studies examine sexism as a practice of production. The 2021 lawsuit by California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) against Activision Blizzard for pervasive sexual harassment and abuse highlighted several misogynist practices at one of the largest video game companies in the world. This study uses a directed qualitative analysis of the DFEH lawsuit to understand the practice of misogyny and sexism in the video game industry, using Activision Blizzard as an exemplar. Informed by Pierre Bourdieu’s theories about cultural fields of production, it argues that sexism is a core value, a habitus, of the industry, and suggests areas for further research.
Techniques of Finitude: On the Pastoral Matrix of Economic Care
Authors: Rossi Andrea
Published: December 2023

Building and expanding on Foucault’s work, this essay interprets pastoral power as a turning point within the long-term history of the care of the self. Through an analysis of early Christian monasticism, it claims that the pastorate emerged out of a re-conceptualization of ancient understandings of human finitude and a correlative transformation of the techniques revolving around it. Pastoral power instantiates a specific way of framing institutionally the subject’s opening to the limits. The argument thus suggests how, and to what extent, this matrix of government still determines, albeit under a different guise, the current political phase, especially in as far as economic governmentality and its call to the indefinite self-enhancement of subjectivity are concerned.
In Excess of Decolonization: The Sovereignty of Childhood in The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon
Authors: Bujon Hugo
Published: December 2023

This article questions the place of the child in the metaphysics and imaginary of Western colonization, racialization, and decolonization. In the last chapter of The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon, children appear not only as victims but also as a problem for which Fanon struggles to account as a theorist of decolonization as much as a psychiatric practitioner. Through a reading of one of the cases, this article interrogates the ways in which colonization attempts to infantilize colonized populations while erasing childhood, and the ways in which decolonization meets colonization by regarding childhood in the end as a misfortune. The work of decolonization, to proceed, thus would demand us to rethink childhood, and in doing so break free of Western metaphysics.
Isoflurane lowers the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen and prevents hypoxia during cortical spreading depolarization in vitro: An integrative experimental and modeling study
Authors: Schoknecht Karl , Maechler Mathilde , Wallach Iwona , Dreier Jens P , Liotta Agustin , Berndt Nikolaus
Published: December 2023

Cortical spreading depolarization (SD) imposes a massive increase in energy demand and therefore evolves as a target for treatment following acute brain injuries. Anesthetics are empirically used to reduce energy metabolism in critical brain conditions, yet their effect on metabolism during SD remains largely unknown. We investigated oxidative metabolism during SD in brain slices from Wistar rats. Extracellular potassium ([K+]o), local field potential and partial tissue oxygen pressure (ptiO2) were measured simultaneously. The cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) was calculated using a reaction-diffusion model. By that, we tested the effect of clinically relevant concentrations of isoflurane on CMRO2 during SD and modeled tissue oxygenation for different capillary pO2 values. During SD, CMRO2 increased 2.7-fold, resulting in transient hypoxia in the slice core. Isoflurane decreased CMRO2, reduced peak [K+]o, and prolonged [K+]o clearance, which indicates reduced synaptic transmission and sodium-potassium ATPase inhibition. Modeling tissue oxygenation during SD illustrates the need for increased capillary pO2 levels to prevent hypoxia. In the absence thereof, isoflurane could improve tissue oxygenation by lowering CMRO2. Therefore, isoflurane is a promising candidate for pre-clinical studies on neuronal survival in conditions involving SD.
Religion, Accountability, and the Risk of Aggressive Misconduct Among Prisoners: Preliminary Evidence of Restorative Rehabilitation
Authors: Joon Jang Sung , Johnson Byron R. , Witvliet Charlotte V. O. , Evans C. Stephen
Published: December 2023

Prior research has found inverse relationship between religious involvement and misconduct among prisoners. In this study, we examined the mediating role of accountability as welcoming responsibility for one’s actions with respect to the transcendent (e.g., God or a higher power) and other people. We applied structural equation modeling to analyze data from surveys with 339 individuals (108 females and 231 males) incarcerated at three facilities in Texas. We found that prisoner religiosity was positively related to transcendent accountability, which was in turn positively associated with human accountability. Human accountability was then positively associated with empathy and negatively associated with impulsivity. Via impulsivity, human accountability was indirectly and inversely related to anger, depression, and anxiety. Further, the other-directed negative emotion (anger) was positively associated with the risk of other-directed, aggressive misconduct. The results suggest that accountability as forward-looking, active responsibility may play an important role in the restorative rehabilitation of prisoners.