bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the association between attitudes towards wife beating and intimate partner violence using a dyadic approach in three sub-Saharan African countries
Authors: Bengesai Annah V , Khan Hafiz T A
Published: June 2023

Objective

The present study examines the association between attitudes towards wife beating and intimate partner violence (IPV) using a dyadic approach in three sub-Saharan countries.

Setting

We use data from the most recent Demographic and Health Survey cross-sectional studies which were conducted between 2015 and 2018 in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Participants

Our sample comprised 9183 couples who also had completed the information on the domestic violence questions and our variables of interest.

Results

Our results indicate that women in these three countries are generally comparatively more inclined to justify marital violence than their husbands or partners. In terms of IPV experience, we found that when both partners endorsed wife beating, the risk of experiencing IPV was twice as likely after controlling for other couple-level and individual factors (OR=1.91, 95% CI 1.54–2.50, emotional violence; OR=2.42, 95% CI 1.96–3.00, physical violence; OR=1.97, 95% CI 1.47–2.61, sexual violence). The risk of IPV was also higher when the women alone endorsed IPV (OR=1.59, 95% CI 1.35–1.86, emotional violence; OR=1.85, 95% CI 1.59–2.15, physical violence; OR=1.83, 95% CI 1.51–2.22, sexual violence) than when the men alone were tolerant (OR=1.41, 95% CI 1.13–1.75, physical violence; OR=1.43, 95% CI 1.08–1.90, sexual violence).

Conclusions

Our findings confirm that attitudes towards violence are perhaps one of the key indicators of IPV prevalence. Therefore, to break the cycle of violence in the three countries, more attention must be paid to attitudes towards the acceptability of marital violence. Programmes tailored to gender role transformation and promote non-violent gender attitudes are also needed.
Long-term health and human capital effects of in utero exposure to an industrial disaster: a spatial difference-in-differences analysis of the Bhopal gas tragedy
Authors: McCord Gordon C , Bharadwaj Prashant , McDougal Lotus , Kaushik Arushi , Raj Anita
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Globalisation and industrialisation can increase economic opportunity for low/middle-income nations, but these processes may also increase industrial accidents and harm workers. This paper examines the long-term, cohort-based health effects of the Bhopal gas disaster (BGD), one of the most serious industrial accidents in history.

Design

This retrospective analysis uses geolocated data on health and education from India’s National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) and the 1999 Indian Socio-Economic Survey by the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO-1999) to examine the health effects of exposure to the BGD among men and women aged 15–49 years living in Madhya Pradesh in 2015–2016 (women n=40 786; men n=7031 (NFHS-4) and n=13 369 (NSSO-1999)), as well as their children (n=1260). A spatial difference-in-differences strategy estimated the relative effect of being in utero near Bhopal relative to other cohorts and to those further from Bhopal separately for each dataset.

Results

We document long-term, intergenerational impacts of the BGD, showing that men who were in utero at the time were more likely to have a disability that affected their employment 15 years later, and had higher rates of cancer and lower educational attainment over 30 years later. Changes in the sex ratio among children born in 1985 suggest an effect of the BGD up to 100 km from the accident.

Conclusions

These results indicate social costs stemming from the BGD that extend far beyond the mortality and morbidity experienced in the immediate aftermath. Quantifying these multigenerational impacts is important for policy consideration. Moreover, our results suggest that the BGD affected people across a substantially more widespread area than has previously been demonstrated.
Effects of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias on dental care usage and economic burden in older adults: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Li Minghui , Donkor Isaac K , Shao Rongjie , Hsieh Stephanie , Jiang Xiangxiang , Hong Liang , Lu Z Kevin
Published: June 2023

Aim

Distinct subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias (RD) might have different effects on dental care usage and economic burden. To determine the effects of AD and RD on specific types of dental care usage (preventive and treatment visits) and dental care costs from different payers (total and out-of-pocket costs).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey in 2016. This study identified 4268 community dwelling older adults with and without Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) from a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries. Dental care usage and costs are based on self-reported data. Preventive dental events included preventive and diagnosis events. Treatment dental events included restorative, oral surgery and other events.

Results

This study identified 4268 (weighted N=30 423 885) older adults, including 94.48% without ADRD, 1.90% with AD and 3.63% with RD. Compared with older adults without ADRD, those with AD had similar dental care usage, but those with RD were 38% less likely to have treatment visit (OR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.41 to 0.94) and had a 40% reduced number of total treatment visits (incidence rate ratio: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.98). RD was not associated with dental care costs, but AD was associated with higher total costs (β: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.14 to 2.01) and higher out-of-pocket costs (β: 1.25; 95% CI: 0.17 to 2.32).

Conclusions

Patients with ADRD were more likely to have adverse dental care outcomes. Specifically, RD was associated with lower treatment dental care usage and AD was associated with higher total and out-of-pocket dental care costs. Effective patient-centred strategies should be used to improve dental care outcomes in patients with distinct subtypes of ADRD.
Data-driven phenomapping for novel classification for cardiovascular outcomes compared with traditional obesity index: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study
Authors: Zare Borzeshi Elahe , Valizadeh Majid , Panahi Mohammad Hossein , Khalili Davood , Mousavizadeh Mostafa , Mehrabi Yadollah
Published: June 2023

Objective

This study aimed to propose a data-driven framework for classification of at-risk people for cardiovascular outcomes regarding obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Design

A population-based prospective cohort study with a long-term follow-up.

Setting

Data from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) were interrogated.

Participants

12 808 participants of the TLGS cohort, aged ≥20 years who have followed for over 15 years were assessed.

Main outcome measures

Data for 12 808 participants, aged ≥20 years who have followed for over 15 years, collected through TLGS as a prospective, population-based cohort study, were analysed. Feature engineering followed by hierarchical clustering was used to determine meaningful clusters and novel endophenotypes. Cox regression was used to demonstrate the clinical validity of phenomapping. The performance of endophenotype compared with traditional classifications was evaluated by the value of Akaike information criterion/Bayesian information criterion. R software V.4.2 was employed.

Results

The mean age was 42.1±14.9 years, 56.2% were female, 13.1%, 2.8% and 6.2% had experienced cardiovascular disease (CVD), CVD mortality and hard CVD, respectively. Low-risk cluster compared with the high risk had significant difference in age, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, 2 hours post load plasma glucose, triglyceride, triglycerides to high density lipoprotein ratio, education, marital status, smoking and the presence of metabolic syndrome. Eight distinct endophenotypes were detected with significantly different clinical characteristics and outcomes.

Conclusion

Phenomapping resulted in a novel classification of population with cardiovascular outcomes, which can, better, stratify individuals into homogeneous subclasses for prevention and intervention as an alternative of traditional methods solely based on either obesity or metabolic status. These findings have important clinical implications for a particular part of the Middle Eastern population for which it is a common practice to use tools/evidence derived from western populations with substantially different backgrounds and risk profiles.
Developing a patient decision aid for Achilles tendon rupture management: a mixed-methods study
Authors: Gan Jan F L , McKay Marnee J , Jones Caitlin M P , Harris Ian A , McCaffery Kirsten , Thompson Rachel , Hoffmann Tammy C , Adie Sam , Maher Christopher G , Zadro Joshua R
Published: June 2023

Objective

To develop and user-test a patient decision aid portraying the benefits and harms of non-surgical management and surgery for Achilles tendon ruptures.

Design

Mixed methods.

Setting

A draft decision aid was developed using guidance from a multidisciplinary steering group and existing patient decision aids. Participants were recruited through social media.

Participants

People who have previously sustained an Achilles tendon rupture and health professionals who manage these patients.

Primary and secondary outcomes

Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were used to gather feedback on the decision aid from health professionals and patients who had previously suffered an Achilles tendon rupture. The feedback was used to redraft the decision aid and assess acceptability. An iterative cycle of interviews, redrafting according to feedback and further interviews was used. Interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Questionnaire data were analysed descriptively.

Results

We interviewed 18 health professionals (13 physiotherapists, 3 orthopaedic surgeons, 1 chiropractor, 1 sports medicine physician) and 15 patients who had suffered an Achilles tendon rupture (median time since rupture was 12 months). Most health professionals and patients rated the aid’s acceptability as good-excellent. Interviews showcased agreement among health professionals and patients on most aspects of the decision aid: introduction, treatment options, comparing benefits and harms, questions to ask health professionals and formatting. However, health professionals had differing views on details about Achilles tendon retraction distance, factors that modify the risk of harms, treatment protocols and evidence on benefits and harms.

Conclusion

Our patient decision aid is an acceptable tool to both patients and health professionals, and our study highlights the views of key stakeholders on important information to consider when developing a patient decision aid for Achilles tendon rupture management. A randomised controlled trial evaluating the impact of this tool on the decision-making of people considering Achilles tendon surgery is warranted.
Caregiver experiences of feeding children with developmental disabilities: a qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis from India
Authors: Samuel Reema , Manikandan Bhuvaneswari , Russell Paul Swamidhas Sudhakar
Published: June 2023

Objective

We aimed to explore caregiver experiences of feeding children with developmental disabilities, in the context of it being influenced by biological, personal and social factors.

Design

This study applied a qualitative study design through focus group discussions (FGDs), using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis.

Setting

This study was conducted at the Child Psychiatry Unit of a tertiary care centre in South India, between March and November 2020.

Participants

Seventeen mothers of children with developmental disabilities, who provided written informed consent, participated in four FGDs.

Results

Three over-arching themes were identified. Feeding experience: (a) a tedious, confusing task; (b) disproportionate onus on mothers; (c) influenced by sociocultural norms.

Conclusion

Feeding can be a stressful activity for both caregiver and child, influenced by family structure and sociocultural belief systems. Considering caregivers’ emotional status, facilitatory and hindering environmental factors, and actively exploring strategies to promote the generalisation of strategies learnt into real-life outcomes are essential in tailoring deficit-specific feeding interventions.
Circulating testosterone levels and health outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: results from ECLIPSE and ERICA
Authors: Pavey Holly , Polkey Michael I , Bolton Charlotte E , Cheriyan Joseph , McEniery Carmel M , Wilkinson Ian , Mohan Divya , Casaburi Richard , Miller Bruce E , Tal-Singer Ruth , Fisk Marie
Published: June 2023

The relationship of circulating testosterone levels with health outcomes in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unknown.

Aim

To determine whether serum testosterone levels predict hospitalised acute exacerbations of COPD (H-AECOPD), cardiovascular disease outcome, and mortality in people with COPD.

Methods

Separate analyses were carried out on two observational, multicentre COPD cohorts, Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate End-points (ECLIPSE) and Evaluation of the Role of Inflammation in Chronic Airways Disease (ERICA), both of which had serum testosterone measured using a validated liquid chromatography assay at the same laboratory. Data from 1296 male participants in ECLIPSE and 386 male, 239 female participants in ERICA were analysed. All analyses were sex-specific. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine associations with H-AECOPD during follow-up (3 years ECLIPSE, 4.5 years ERICA), a composite endpoint of cardiovascular hospitalisation and cardiovascular death, and all-cause mortality.

Results

Mean (SD) testosterone levels were consistent across cohorts; 459 (197) and 455 (200) ng/dL for males in ECLIPSE and ERICA, respectively, and in ERICA females: 28 (56) ng/dL. Testosterone was not associated with H-AECOPD (ECLIPSE: OR: 0.76, p=0.329, ERICA males: OR (95% CI): 1.06 (0.73 to 1.56), p=0.779, ERICA females: OR: 0.77 (0.52 to 1.12), p=0.178) or cardiovascular hospitalisation and death. Testosterone was associated with all-cause mortality in Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage 2 male patients only, in ECLIPSE (OR: 0.25, p=0.007) and ERICA (OR: (95% CI): 0.56 (0.32 to 0.95), p=0.030).

Conclusions

Testosterone levels do not relate to H-AECOPD or cardiovascular outcome in COPD, but are associated with all-cause mortality in GOLD stage 2 COPD male patients, although the clinical significance of this finding is uncertain.
Relationship between social support and 7-year trajectories of cognitive decline: results from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study
Authors: Wang Yuran , Chen Xuanji , Hu Yaoyue
Published: June 2023

Background

Social support is associated with cognitive function at an older age, but how distinct dimensions of social support affect trajectories of cognitive decline in older Chinese adults remains unclear.

Methods

Using longitudinal data (waves 1–4) from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, 7-year trajectories of cognitive decline by various social support markers, including family support, financial support, public support and perceived support, were estimated using latent growth curve modelling for adults aged 60 and over (N=6795).

Results

After adjusting for baseline sociodemographics, behaviours, body mass index and health conditions, all social support markers were associated with baseline cognitive function, except for living with spouse. Participants living with spouse experienced a slower cognitive decline (0.069 per year, 95% CI 0.006, 0.133) than those who were not. A faster cognitive decline was associated with co-residing with children (−0.053 per year, 95% CI −0.104, –0.003), receiving ≥¥5000 from children (−0.095 per year, 95% CI −0.179, –0.011), receiving financial support from others (−0.108 per year, 95% CI −0.208, –0.008) and perceived support (−0.068 per year, 95% CI −0.123, –0.013). When all markers were mutually adjusted for, the associations of living with spouse and receiving financial support from others with cognitive decline disappeared. Stratifying by rural–urban residence, medical insurance and meeting children 1–3 times per month were associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline in urban residents but not in rural residents.

Conclusion

Overall, our findings confirm that the effects of distinct domains of social support on cognitive decline vary. More equally good social security systems should be established in urban and rural China.
Evaluation of the clinical, biochemical, genotype and prognosis ofmut-type methylmalonic acidemia in 365 Chinese cases
Authors: Liang Lili , Ling Shiying , Yu Yue , Shuai Ruixue , Qiu Wenjuan , Zhang Huiwen , Shen Linghua , Wu Shengnan , Wei Haiyan , Chen Yongxing , Yang Chiju , Xu Peng , Chen Xigui , Zou Hui , Feng Jizhen , Niu Tingting , Hu Haili , Gong Zhuwen , Chen Ting , Zhan Xia , Gu Xuefan , Han Lianshu
Published: June 2023

Background

Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA), which results from defects in methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (muttype) or its cofactor, is the most common inherited organic acid metabolic disease in China. This study aimed to investigate the phenotype and genotype ofmut-type MMA in Chinese patients.

Methods

We recruited 365 patients withmut-type MMA; investigated their disease onset, newborn screening (NBS) status, biochemical metabolite levels, gene variations and prognosis; and explored the relationship between phenotype and genotype.

Results

There were 152 patients diagnosed by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) expanded NBS, 209 patients diagnosed because of disease onset without NBS and 4 cases diagnosed because of sibling diagnosis. The median age of onset was 15 days old, with a variety of symptoms without specificity. Urinary levels of methylmalonic acid and methylcitric acid (MCA) decreased after treatment. Regarding the prognosis, among the 152 patients with NBS, 50.6% were healthy, 30.3% had neurocognitive impairment and/or movement disorders and 13.8% died. Among the 209 patients without NBS, 15.3% were healthy, 45.9% had neurocognitive impairment and/or movement disorders and 33.0% died. In total, 179 variants were detected in theMMUTgene, including 52 novel variations. c.729_730insTT, c.1106G>A, c.323G>A, c.914T>C and c.1663G>A were the five most frequent variations. The c.1663G>A variation led to a milder phenotype and better prognosis.

Conclusion

There is a wide spectrum of variations in theMMUTgene with several common variations. Although the overall prognosis ofmut-type MMA was poor, participation in MS/MS expanded NBS, vitamin B12responsive and late onset are favourable factors for the prognosis.
SuperDyna: Unlocking the Potential of Post-Treatment Device Evaluation
Authors: Raz Eytan , Sharashidze Vera , Nossek Erez , Sahlein Daniel H , Rostanski Sara , Chung Charlotte Y , Khawaja Ayaz Mahmood , Nelson Peter Kim , Shapiro Maksim
Published: June 2023

Background

Current imaging algorithms for post-device evaluation are limited by either poor representation of the device or poor delineation of the treated vessel. Combining the high-resolution images from a traditional three-dimensional digital subtraction angiography (3D-DSA) protocol with the longer cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) protocol may provide simultaneous visualization of both the device and the vessel content in a single volume, improving the accuracy and detail of the assessment. We aim here to review our use of this technique which we termed “SuperDyna”.

Methods

In this retrospective study, patients who underwent an endovascular procedure between February 2022 and January 2023 were identified. We analyzed patients who had both non-contrast CBCT and 3D-DSA post-treatment and collected information on pre-/post-blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, radiation dose, and the intervention type.

Results

In 1 year, SuperDyna was performed in 52 (of 1935, 2.6%) patients, of which 72% were women, median age 60 years. The most common reason for the addition of the SuperDyna was for post-flow diversion assessment (n=39). Renal function tests showed no changes. The average total procedure radiation dose was 2.8 Gy, with 4% dose and ~20 mL of contrast attributed to the additional 3D-DSA needed to generate the SuperDyna.

Conclusions

The SuperDyna is a fusion imaging method that combines high-resolution CBCT and contrasted 3D-DSA to evaluate intracranial vasculature post-treatment. It allows for more comprehensive evaluation of the device position and apposition, aiding in treatment planning and patient education.
Rebleeding following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage before ‘endovascular first’ treatment: a retrospective case-control study of published scoring systems
Authors: Dissanayake Arosha S , Burrows Emalee , Ho Kwok M , Phillips Timothy J , Honeybul Stephen , Hankey Graeme J
Published: June 2023

Background

Pre-treatment re-bleeding following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) affects up to 7.2% of patients even with ultra-early treatment within 24 hours. We retrospectively compared the utility of three published re-bleed prediction models and individual predictors between cases who re-bled matched to controls using size and parent vessel location from a cohort of patients treated in an ultra-early, ‘endovascular first’ manner.

Methods

On retrospective analysis of our 9-year cohort of 707 patients suffering 710 episodes of aSAH, there were 53 episodes of pre-treatment re-bleeding (7.5%). Forty-seven cases who had a single culprit aneurysm were matched to 141 controls. Demographic, clinical and radiological data were extracted and predictive scores calculated. Univariate, multivariate, area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROCC) and Kaplan–Meier (KM) survival curve analyses were performed.

Results

The majority of patients (84%) were treated using endovascular techniques at a median 14.5 hours post-diagnosis. On AUROCC analysis the score of Liuet al.had minimal utility (C-statistic 0.553, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.463 to 0.643) while the risk score of Opponget al.(C-statistic 0.645 95% CI 0.558 to 0.732) and the ARISE-extended score of van Lieshoutet al.(C-statistic 0.53 95% CI 0.562 to 0.744) had moderate utility. On multivariate modeling, the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) grade was the most parsimonious predictor of re-bleeding (C-statistic 0.740, 95% CI 0.664 to 0.816).

Conclusions

For aSAH patients treated in an ultra-early timeframe matched on size and parent vessel location, WFNS grade was superior to three published models for re-bleed prediction. Future re-bleed prediction models should incorporate the WFNS grade.
Complex taxonomy in Opuntioideae: is floral morphometry essential to identify Opuntia species?
Authors: Galicia-Pérez Aldanelly , Golubov Jordan , Manzanarez-Villasana Gerardo , Martínez-Ramos Linda Mariana , Arias Salvador , Márquez-Guzmán Judith , Mandujano María C.
Published: June 2023

Correct species identification is critical for studies on biodiversity, ecology, and conservation. Determining Opuntia s.s. species is difficult because they have similar traits and are phenotypically plastic. Taxonomic keys are based on vegetative traits rather than reproductive ones such as flowers, because they are assumed to be too similar. We analyzed morphometric characteristics of flowers and cladodes over 6 years to determine which of these is most useful for differentiating Opuntia species from the Chihuahuan Desert. For each species ( Opuntia robusta H.L. Wendl. ex Pfeiff., O. cantabrigiensis Lynch, O. tomentosa Salm-Dyck, and O. streptacantha Lem.), we tagged 20 hermaphroditic and 40 dioecious plants (totaling 100) from 2014 to 2020 to complete the sample size of flowers and cladodes. Seventeen morphometric characters were measured for new cladodes and 15 for flowers, and discriminant analysis was applied to determine which traits enabled species delimitation. Six of the 17 cladode characteristics combined explained 89% of the variation, while 9 floral characteristics combined explained 94% of the variation. Floral morphometrics proved to be very useful to accurately differentiate species and should be included, in addition to cladodes, in future taxonomic studies. Here, we provide the first taxonomic key that includes floral traits to identify Opuntia and a new description of each studied species.
Feynman checkers: Number-theoretic properties
Authors: Kuyanov F. , Slizkov A.
Published: June 2023

We study Feynman checkers, an elementary model of electron motion introduced by Feynman. In this model, a checker moves on a checkerboard, and we count the turns. Feynman checkers are also known as a one-dimensional quantum walk. We prove some new number-theoretic results in this model, for example, sign alternation of the real and imaginary parts of the electron wave function in a specific area. All our results can be stated in terms of Young diagrams, namely, we compare the number of Young diagrams with an odd and an even number of steps.
Statistical and numerical analysis of unsteady hybrid nanoliquid flows over an elongating surface with oblique Lorentz force: A comparison of Cu–Al2O3/H2O, Cu–Al2O3/CH3OH and Cu–Al2O3/H2O–EG
Authors: Nandi Susmay , Kumbhakar Bidyasagar , Seth Gauri Shanker
Published: June 2023

The current work investigates the effects of oblique Lorentz force and Navier’s slip boundary condition on unsteady hybrid nanoliquid flow with three different base liquids (H2O, CH3OH and H2O–EG) across a nonlinearly elongating surface set in a porous medium. This research considers the effects of viscous–Ohmic dissipation, nonlinearly variable thermal radiation, internal heat source, the Soret effect, first-order chemical reaction and thermal and solutal jump conditions at the boundary. Proper thermo-physical relationships for the hybrid nanoliquid have been established. Rosseland’s estimate for an optically thick regime is used when calculating the heat flow owing to radiation. The dimensional governing equations are translated into nondimensional forms using appropriate similarity transformations. The velocity, energy and concentration fields are numerically solved using a shooting strategy based on the secant iteration and the Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg method. The physical implications of several essential parameters on the hybrid nanoliquid velocity, temperature and concentration are investigated using graphical and tabular representations of numerical data. Furthermore, the multiple (quadratic) regression analysis reveals that physical parameters strongly influence the local skin friction coefficient, Sherwood and Nusselt numbers. For continuously growing values of the unsteadiness parameter, the velocity, thermal and concentration scattering declined everywhere within the boundary layer region.
Punctuated chaos and indeterminism in self-gravitating many-body systems
Authors: Boekholt Tjarda C. N. , Portegies Zwart Simon F. , Heggie Douglas C.
Published: June 2023

Dynamical chaos is a fundamental manifestation of gravity in astrophysical, many-body systems. The spectrum of Lyapunov exponents quantifies the associated exponential response to small perturbations. Analytical derivations of these exponents are critical for understanding the stability and predictability of observed systems. This paper presents a new model for chaos in systems with eccentric and crossing orbits. Here, exponential divergence is not a continuous process but rather the cumulative effect of an ever-increasing linear response driven by discrete events at regular intervals, i.e. punctuated chaos. We show that long-lived systems with punctuated chaos can magnify Planck length perturbations to astronomical scales within their lifetime, rendering them fundamentally indeterministic.
On the inevitable lightness of vacuum
Authors: Freidel Laurent , Kowalski-Glikman Jerzy , Leigh Robert G. , Minic Djordje
Published: June 2023

In this essay, we present a new understanding of the cosmological constant problem, built upon the realization that the vacuum energy density can be expressed in terms of a phase space volume. We introduce a UV-IR regularization which implies a relationship between the vacuum energy and entropy. Combining this insight with the holographic bound on entropy then yields a bound on the cosmological constant consistent with observations. It follows that the universe is large, and the cosmological constant is naturally small, because the universe is filled with a large number of degrees of freedom.
LARGE-AREA FABRICATION OF A HARD AND WEAR-RESISTANT SUPERHYDROPHOBIC MATERIAl
Authors: CAO DONG , ZHU YANXIANG , YANG ZHIGANG
Published: June 2023

Different types of superhydrophobic materials have been fabricated by constructing surfaces with low surface energy and micro-nanostructures, most of which are coatings. Due to the fragile rough structure of the coating, it is very easy to lose its superhydrophobic properties when exposed to friction, corrosion, high temperature, and other effects of the external environment. This has largely hindered the large-scale application of superhydrophobic materials. Here, a rigid superhydrophobic material with polyurethane foam as the substrate, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nanoparticles as the matrix phase, and carbon nanotubes as the reinforcing phase have been reported. The fabricated material showed excellent superhydrophobicity (157∘ ± 1∘) and robustness. The contact angle of the superhydrophobic material surface remained above 150∘ and the rolling angle below 10∘ after 1000 cycles (distance is 40[Formula: see text]m) of abrasion using 800 # sandpaper at pressure of 5[Formula: see text]kPa.
Analytical Formulations for Amplifier-Enhanced VBI Systems
Authors: Yang Judy P. , Wang Ching-Chien
Published: June 2023

In the vehicle scanning method, using the amplifier as the tuned mass damper in the vehicle–bridge system has been shown to be able to scan the higher bridge frequencies clearly in the amplifier spectrum recently. To design a test vehicle enhanced by one or two amplifiers in practice, the analytical approach undoubtedly serves as the guideline. For this purpose, this study is aimed at deriving the analytical formulation for one amplifier-enhanced vehicle–bridge system and the semi-analytical formulation for two amplifier-enhanced vehicle–bridge system, while a miniature three-mass vehicle model is adopted. The correctness of the analytical formulations is verified by the finite element formulations through the dynamic responses of the amplifier, vehicle body, and bridge; good agreement is observed for all responses. The amplifier spectra are further provided to show the distinctly scanned bridge frequencies.
Bearing capacity factors of single- and double-strip footings placed over an embankment
Authors: Talikoti Chaitra , Alzabeebee Saif , Chavda Jitesh T.
Published: June 2023

The rigid pavements and rigid base supporting rails can be considered as a strip footing resting over an embankment. In addition, there can also be single or double-strip footings resting over an embankment. These strip footings are influenced by the properties of the soil, slope angle of an embankment, setback distance, and spacing between the footings and the height of embankment. In this study, the bearing capacity factors for the single- and double-strip footings resting over an embankment are evaluated using the finite element method (FEM). The bearing capacity factors [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are evaluated for different soil friction angles [Formula: see text], slope angles of embankment [Formula: see text], setback distances [Formula: see text], embankment heights [Formula: see text] and spacing between the footings [Formula: see text]. Considering the practical aspect, i.e., the surcharge is not present for footing on an embankment, the [Formula: see text] is not evaluated in the study. Based on the analysis, it is observed that the bearing capacity factors [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] increase with increase in friction angle of the soil and setback distance and reduce with increase in the slope angle of the embankment. The effect of depth of embankment on the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is negligible for smaller friction angles [Formula: see text], whereas it increases marginally for higher friction angles [Formula: see text]. Furthermore, the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are influenced by the spacing between the footings. This study’s results are compared with the results available in the literature. This study’s results are presented as design charts, and these could be adopted in the practice in routine designs of shallow foundations.
Synthetic Generation of Multidimensional Data to Improve Classification Model Validity
Authors: Al–Qerem Ahmad , Ali Ali Mohd , Attar Hani , Nashwan Shadi , Qi Lianyong , Moghimi Mohammad Kazem , Solyman Ahmed
Published: June 2023

This article aims to compare Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) models and feature selection methods for generating synthetic data in order to improve the validity of a classification model. The synthetic data generation technique involves generating new data samples from existing data to increase the diversity of the data and help the model generalize better. The multidimensional aspect of the data refers to the fact that it can have multiple features or variables that describe it. The GAN models have proven to be effective in preserving the statistical properties of the original data. However, the order of data augmentation and feature selection is crucial to build robust and accurate predictive models. By comparing the different GAN models with feature selection methods on multidimensional datasets, this article aims to determine the best combination to support the validity of a classification model in multidimensional data.
Fast GPU-based Two-way Continuous Collision Handling
Authors: Wang Tianyu , Chen Jiong , Li Dongping , Liu Xiaowei , Wang Huamin , Zhou Kun
Published: June 2023

Step-and-project is a popular method to simulate non-penetrating deformable bodies in physically based animation. The strategy is to first integrate the system in time without considering contacts and then resolve potential intersections, striking a good balance between plausibility and efficiency. However, existing methods can be defective and unsafe when using large time steps, taking risks of failure or demanding repetitive collision testing and resolving that severely degrade performance. In this article, we propose a novel two-way method for fast and reliable continuous collision handling. Our method launches an optimization from both ends of the intermediate time-integrated state and the previous intersection-free state. It progressively generates a piecewise linear path and eventually obtains a feasible solution for the next time step. The algorithm efficiently alternates between a forward step and a backward step until the result is conditionally converged. Thanks to a set of unified volume-based contact constraints, our method offers flexible and reliable handling of various codimensional deformable bodies, including volumetric bodies, cloth, hair, and sand. Experimental results demonstrate the safety, robustness, physical fidelity, and numerical efficiency of our method, making it particularly suitable for scenarios involving large deformations or large time steps.
Automatic Skill-Oriented Question Generation and Recommendation for Intelligent Job Interviews
Authors: Qin Chuan , Zhu Hengshu , Shen Dazhong , Sun Ying , Yao Kaichun , Wang Peng , Xiong Hui
Published: June 2023

Job interviews are the most widely accepted method for companies to select suitable candidates, and a critical challenge is finding the right questions to ask job candidates. Moreover, there is a lack of integrated tools for automatically generating interview questions and recommending the right questions to interviewers. To this end, in this paper, we propose an intelligent system for assisting job interviews, namely, DuerQues. To build this system, we first investigate how to automatically generate skill-oriented interview questions in a scalable way by learning external knowledge from online knowledge-sharing communities. Along this line, we develop a novel distantly supervised skill entity recognition method to identify skill entities from large-scale search queries and web page titles with less need for human annotation. Additionally, we propose a neural generative model for generating skill-oriented interview questions. In particular, we introduce a data-driven solution to create high-quality training instances and design a learning algorithm to improve the performance of question generation. Furthermore, we exploit click-through data from query logs and design a recommender system for recommending suitable questions to interviewers. Specifically, we introduce a graph-enhanced algorithm to efficiently recommend suitable questions given a set of queried skills. Finally, extensive experiments on real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our DuerQues system in terms of the quality of generated skill-oriented questions and the performance of question recommendation.
Deconstructing interindividual variability in energy metabolism: implications for metabolic health
Authors: Miles-Chan Jennifer L. , Harper Mary-Ellen
Published: June 2023

A person’s metabolic rate corresponds to the whole body level sum of all oxidative reactions occurring on the cellular level. The energy expenditure (EE) can be categorized into various obligatory and facultative processes. In sedentary adults, basal metabolic rate is the largest contributor to total daily EE, and interindividual variability can be significant. Additional EE is required for digesting and metabolizing food, thermoregulatory adaptation to cold, and to support exercise and nonexercise body movements. Interindividual variability also exists for these EE processes, even after controlling for known factors. The complex mechanisms of interindividual variability in EE can have genetic and environmental origins and require further investigation. Exploration of interindividual variability in EE and its underlying factors holds importance to metabolic health, as it may predict disease risk, and be useful in the personalization of preventative and treatment strategies.
Motor unit firing rates in young and very old adult males during an isokinetic fatiguing task and short-term recovery in the anconeus muscle
Authors: Zero Alexander M. , Kirk Eric A. , Gilmore Kevin J. , Rice Charles L.
Published: June 2023

Maximal motor unit firing rates were recorded during an isokinetic fatiguing protocol and short-term recovery in young and very old adult males. Prior studies were limited to isometric fatiguing tasks. Despite the old being ∼37% weaker and less fatigable, anconeus rates during elbow extension declined with fatigue and recovered similarly to young males. Therefore, it is unlikely that greater fatigue resistance of very old males during isokinetic contractions is related to differences in motor unit rates.
Effect of Beneficial Colonization of Bacillus coagulans NRS 609 on Growth Performance, Intestinal Health, Antioxidant Capacity, and Immune Response of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)
Authors: Zhang Jianxin , Huang Mengyuan , Feng Junchang , Chen Yongyan , Li Meng , Meng Xiaolin , Chang Xulu
Published: June 2023

This study is aimed at exploring the effects of Bacillus coagulans NRS 609 on the growth performance, intestinal health, antioxidant activity, and immune response in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) by colonizing the intestinal tract with the beneficial strain. Gavage B. coagulans with GFP-tag at 109 CFU/mL into common carp for 7 days. Results indicated that B. coagulans were maintained in the intestine for at least 14 days. Four groups fed B. coagulans at different levels of inclusion, including 0 (CK),

1
×

10

7

(A),

1
×

10

8

(B), and

1
×

10

9

(C) CFU/g of feed for 8 weeks. Experimental groups showed significantly better growth performance than the control (

P
<
0.05

). The treatment groups had higher digestive enzyme activity, villus height, and muscle thickness than the control (

P
<
0.05

). Supplementation with B. coagulans also altered the composition of the intestinal flora. In addition, an enhancement of the antioxidant enzyme and a reduction of malondialdehyde in the liver were observed with the addition of B. coagulans (

P
<
0.05

). Moreover, the cytokines of IL-1β and IL-12, IL-10, and TGF-β, significant upregulation in experimental groups (

P
<
0.05

). Based on the results, the optimal level of B. coagulans was 107 CFU/g in diets for common carp.
Evaluation of the Bioactivity of Honey in Combination with Alcoholic Extract of Black Cardamom and Zataria multiflora
Authors: Jafari Sajjad , Sharifi Yaeghob , Akbari Reza , Vardast Mohammad Reza
Published: June 2023

Considering the high rates of global antimicrobial resistance, researchers are looking for new ways to deal with the resistance. Therefore, this study is aimed at analyzing the bioactive compounds and antimicrobial effects of honey and alcoholic extracts of Zataria multiflora and Black cardamom. The mixture of honey (30%) and alcoholic extracts of Zataria multiflora (35%) and Black cardamom (35%) as named F6 revealed the antibacterial activity against three tested bacteria (

MIC
=
1000

 μg/ml). Thymol, resorcinol, and phenol, 2-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl, 3,7-octadiene-2, 6-diol, 2, 6-dimethyl) were identified as potential antimicrobial agents using GC-MS. The F6 toxicity to RBCs and HEK293 human cells was 11.13 and 13.84 times lower for Triton X-100 toxicity (95%), respectively. We concluded that F6 has the best antibacterial activity against E. coli and less toxicity against tested eukaryotic cells due to the presence of chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide, thymol, and resorcinol.
Telerehabilitation for Family Caregivers of Stroke Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Sun Wen-Jing , Song Yuan-Yuan , Wang Cong , Jiang Yan , Cui Wen-Yao , Liu Wen-Jie , Liu Yan
Published: June 2023

Aim. This systematic review aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of telerehabilitation on family caregivers of stroke survivors. Background. After discharge from the hospital, family caregivers of stroke survivors faced physical and psychological stress. Telerehabilitation seems crucial for family caregivers. However, the impact of telerehabilitation on family caregivers’ health outcomes remains to be studied. Evaluation. Six databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) were searched up to June 16th, 2022, without language restrictions. The Revised Cochrane Risk-of-bias Tool for Randomized Trials was used to assess the quality of included studies. The GRADEpro (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation Profile) tools were applied to assess the synthesized evidence quality. The subgroup analysis was performed according to the intervention formats. Statistical analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.3, and the publication bias was calculated by Stata 14.0. Key Issue(s). A total of 16 studies containing 992 caregivers were pooled in this systematic review. Telerehabilitation significantly improved the caregiver burden (SMD = −0.18, 95% CI = −0.35∼−0.02,

P
=
0.03

, moderate-quality evidence), knowledge (SMD = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.03∼1.47,

P
=
0.04

, very low-quality evidence), and competence (SMD = 1.35, 95% CI = 0.82∼1.88,

P
<
0.001

, very low-quality evidence) but not depression (SMD = −0.04, 95% CI = −0.3∼0.21,

P
=
0.74

, moderate-quality evidence), anxiety (MD = 0.68, 95% CI = −0.68∼2.04,

P
=
0.32

, low-quality evidence), and self-efficacy (SMD = −0.30, 95% CI = −1.22∼0.61,

P
=
0.52

, very low-quality evidence) in family caregivers of stroke survivors. The subgroup analysis demonstrated that multi-form telerehabilitation (SMD = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.32∼2.40,

P
<
0.001

) was significantly effective in improving caregiving competence. Conclusion. Telerehabilitation can effectively reduce the caregiver burden as well as improve the knowledge and competence of stroke caregivers. Implications for Nursing Management. The emergence of telerehabilitation can help relieve caregivers’ stress and provide a new form for nursing managers to make discharge plans for stroke.
Mineral Crushing Methods for Noble Gas Analyses of Fluid Inclusions
Authors: Wilske C. , Suckow A. , Gerber C. , Deslandes A. , Crane P. , Mallants D.
Published: June 2023

Noble gases are frequently probed for investigating fluid inclusions in minerals to unravel rock-forming processes through time. Over the last decades, heating and crushing have been the two main methods applied for noble gas extraction from fluid inclusions in ultrahigh vacuum (about 10-9 mBar). The heating of minerals or pieces of bulk rock causes the release of noble gases from both fluid inclusions and the mineral or rock matrix, the latter due to temperature-dependent mineral dehydration. Crushing of minerals only affects fluid inclusions and allows a release of noble gases at room temperature with minor contributions from the mineral matrix. This review describes different ultravacuum crushing techniques for noble gas analysis from fluid inclusions. It examines the technical details and operational conditions of each crushing system as well as methods to prepare samples prior to crushing. Crushing systems were found to have unique designs across the different laboratories reviewed; they include single or multiple sample loadings and manual, magnetic, or hydraulic operation of the crushing pistons. Due to the small amounts of noble gases released, the technology requires several mg to a few grams of rock material to achieve a measurement of all stable noble gas isotopes in a single fluid inclusion. While theoretically all stable noble gas isotopes are of interest, the elements and isotopes reported in different studies vary widely and reference materials as well as laboratory intercomparisons are lacking. The review includes applications on the origins of magmatic rocks and geochemical processes in the Earth’s mantle, the origin and chemical composition of deep crustal fluids and how these contribute to the formation of minerals of economic interest, and paleoclimate studies based on speleothems.
Global Asymptotic Stability of Nonlinear Strict Feedback System via Backstepping Control Approach
Authors: Garagara Kinwi Suka , Ekwueme Aniaku Stephen , Chukwuma Asogwa Christopher , Chukwudi Mbah Emmanuel
Published: June 2023

The design of controller for nonlinear system in strict feedback form in which the equilibrium point is the origin is the focus of the study. Backstepping is the technique applied. Recursive design is used in the backstepping control technique. Using the backstepping approach, we are given a reasonably simple method to design the control law for a system with these properties. The closed‐loop system’s global asymptotic stability is attained by incorporating a Lyapunov function; in this case, a quadratic one was selected for the study. To demonstrate the viability of the technique, we also performed simulations of the system and the designed control with some initial values, and positive results were reported.