bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Country Demographics
Authors: Niohuru Ilha
Published: March 2023

Being the youngest and the fastest growing population, Africa is facing an increasing financial burden on healthcare and education expenditure. This chapter investigates the population, population growth, population density, urbanization rate, life expectancy, median age, fertility rate, gender equality, and economy of the eight sampled countries (Algeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tunisia). The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of factors that contribute to the financial burden while influencing patients’ decisions relating to healthcare, and the performance of the healthcare system. Poverty and gender inequality in Africa negatively affect the education level, which as a result influences the healthcare system, as it constructs an obstacle for the healthcare workers to provide information to the patients, and for the patient to access preventative and medical treatments. This chapter focuses on education and gender equality in education. It investigates the school enrollment rate, drop-out age, literacy rate, and government expenditure on education.
Disease Burden and Mortality
Authors: Niohuru Ilha
Published: March 2023

In the past years, infectious diseases have been major concern in Africa. However the attention now is slowly shifting toward non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are on the rise in many parts of Africa due to pollution, Westernized diets, reduced physical activity levels, urbanization, and increased tobacco and alcohol consumption, to name a few. These increases are expected as a country develops. This chapter reviews the change in the death rate, incident rate, and prevalence in the past decade in both infectious disease and NCDs, as well as the key factors that possess an impact on the disease burden.
Health Resources
Authors: Niohuru Ilha
Published: March 2023

Health resources (hospitals, doctors nurses, and other health professionals) are in noticeable scarcity in African countries. Even in urban areas and major cities, where the health resources are mostly concentrated, the doctor-to-patient, nurse-to-patient, and hospital-to-patient ratios do not meet the WHO standard. This chapter aims at investigating this phenomenon, as well as the reasons behind it, such as the lack of medical students, brain drain in the health professions, and the lack of resources to support people receiving higher education.
Healthcare Affordability
Authors: Niohuru Ilha
Published: March 2023

The cost of healthcare is an enormous financial burden for the government, families, and individuals. When talking about paying medical bills, the common financial resource includes personal income and savings, as well as support from the government. Therefore, this chapter investigates insurance coverage, government expenditure on healthcare, and individual affordability, aiming at understanding the financial burden that the patient may bear when seeking medical services. Among the studied countries, only Algeria managed to provide free healthcare through insurance. The other countries tend to have a complete insurance scheme and have the choice of enrolling in private and public insurance. However, issues like public insurance are often underfunded, the claims take too long to process and the insurance is not reinforced, leaving the patients any choice but to cover the medical bills out-of-pocket upfront. Therefore, individual affordability becomes crucial when people make medical decisions. Thus, in the investigation, individual affordability is further broken down into the cost of a single hospital visit and hospitalization, the average income, and the poverty in the country, trying to understand to what extent a patient is likely to have the financial ability to cover the bills.
Social Media and Technology Use
Authors: Niohuru Ilha
Published: March 2023

The use of social media is an under-studied topic with huge potential to affect healthcare. It can improve access to healthcare by minimizing the need to travel a long distance for costly hospital visits. This chapter reviews the coverage of mobile phones, the internet, the use of social media, and the opportunities, such as virtual meetings and online information portals, it may provide to the healthcare system in the future.
FCNC B and K meson decays with light bosonic Dark Matter
Authors: He Xiao-Gang , Ma Xiao-Dong , Valencia German
Published: March 2023

Abstract

We consider decays of B and K mesons into a pseudo-scalar or vector meson plus missing energy. Within the SM, these modes originate from flavor changing neutral current (FCNC) processes with two neutrinos in the final state. In this paper we consider the experimental upper bounds on these modes and interpret the difference between these bounds and the SM prediction as a window into new light invisible particles. In particular we consider the case where some new symmetry requires the new particles to be produced in pairs. We first construct the general low energy effective Lagrangian coupling an FCNC with two dark sector particles of spin zero, one-half and one. We then present numerical estimates for the constraints that can be placed on these interactions, finding that an effective new physics scale from $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(10)-$$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(1011) GeV can be probed, with the exact value strongly depending on the interaction structure as well as the mass of the invisible particle. For "Image missing" we incorporate into our constraints the effect of using only the signal regions of NA62, and for "Image missing" the q2-dependent efficiency of Belle II.
Dark Matter from freeze-in and its inhomogeneities
Authors: Strumia Alessandro
Published: March 2023

Abstract

We consider generic freeze-in processes for generation of Dark Matter, together with the consequent re-thermalization of the Standard Model fluid. We find that Dark Matter inherits the Standard Model adiabatic inhomogeneities on the cosmological scales probed by current observations, that were super-horizon during freeze-in. Thereby, freeze-in satisfies the bounds on iso-curvature perturbations.
Axion couplings in gauged U(1)′ extensions of the Standard Model
Authors: Kivel Alexey , Laux Julien , Yu Felix
Published: March 2023

Abstract

We explore the effective theory of an axion in a gauged baryon number symmetry extension of the Standard Model (SM), where the axion is realized from a Dine-Fischler-Srednicki-Zhitnitsky (DFSZ) model construction. Integrating out the anomalons realizes a pattern of effective Wilson coefficients reflecting the factorization between the anomalous Peccei-Quinn and gauged baryon number symmetries. We construct and analyze the chiral transformation invariance of the axion effective theory, accounting for possible flavor-violating axion couplings. We calculate and study the unique phenomenology of the axion and Z′ boson, and we present the current collider limits on these particles in the $$ \left\{{m}_{Z^{\prime }},{g}_B\right\} $$

m

Z
′

g
B

, {ma, Gaγγ}, and $$ \left\{{m}_a,{f}_a^{-1}\right\} $$

m
a

f
a

−
1

planes.
Deforming the ODE/IM correspondence with $$ \textrm{T}\overline{\textrm{T}} $$
Authors: Aramini Fabrizio , Brizio Nicolò , Negro Stefano , Tateo Roberto
Published: March 2023

Abstract

The ODE/IM correspondence is an exact link between classical and quantum integrable models. The primary purpose of this work is to show that it remains valid after $$ \textrm{T}\overline{\textrm{T}} $$
T

T
¯

perturbation on both sides of the correspondence. In particular, we prove that the deformed Lax pair of the sinh-Gordon model, obtained from the unperturbed one through a dynamical change of coordinates, leads to the same Burgers-type equation governing the quantum spectral flow induced by $$ \textrm{T}\overline{\textrm{T}} $$
T

T
¯

. Our main conclusions have general validity, as the analysis may be easily adapted to all the known ODE/IM examples involving integrable quantum field theories.
Non-singlet quark helicity PDFs of the nucleon from pseudo-distributions
Authors: Edwards Robert , Egerer Colin , Karpie Joseph , Karthik Nikhil , Monahan Christopher , Morris Wayne , Orginos Kostas , Radyushkin Anatoly , Richards David , Romero Eloy , Sufian Raza Sabbir , Zafeiropoulos Savvas ,   on behalf of the HadStruc collaboration
Published: March 2023

Abstract

The non-singlet helicity quark parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the nucleon are determined from lattice QCD, by jointly leveraging pseudo-distributions and the distillation spatial smearing paradigm. A Lorentz decomposition of appropriately isolated space-like matrix elements reveals pseudo-distributions that contain information on the leading-twist helicity PDFs, as well as an invariant amplitude that induces an additional z2 contamination of the leading-twist signal. An analysis of the short-distance behavior of the space-like matrix elements using matching coefficients computed to next-to-leading order (NLO) exposes the desired PDF up to this additional z2 contamination. Due to the non-conservation of the axial current, we elect to isolate the helicity PDFs normalized by the nucleon axial charge at the same scale μ2. The leading-twist helicity PDFs as well as several sources of systematic error, including higher-twist effects, discretization errors, and the aforementioned z2 contaminating amplitude are jointly determined by characterizing the computed pseudo-distribution in a basis of Jacobi polynomials. The Akaike Information Criterion is exploited to effectively average over distinct model parameterizations and cuts on the pseudo-distribution. Encouraging agreement is observed with recent global analyses of each non-singlet quark helicity PDF, notably a rather small non-singlet anti-quark helicity PDF for all quark momentum fractions.
Solutions to axion electromagnetodynamics and new search strategies of sub-μeV axion
Authors: Li Tong , Zhang Rui-Jia , Dai Chang-Jie
Published: March 2023

Abstract

The Witten effect implies the electromagnetic interactions between axions and magnetic monopoles, and the quantum electromagnetodynamics (QEMD) properly describes interactions of electric charges, magnetic charges and photons. Based on the QEMD, a generic low-energy axion-photon effective field theory was built by introducing two four-potentials (Aμ and Bμ) to describe a photon. More anomalous axion-photon interactions and couplings (gaAA, gaBB and gaAB) arise in contrary to the ordinary axion coupling $$ {g}_{a\gamma \gamma}{a F}^{\mu \nu}{\overset{\sim }{F}}_{\mu \nu} $$

g
aγγ

aF
μν

F
~

μν

. As a consequence, the conventional axion Maxwell equations are further modified. We properly solve the new axion-modified Maxwell equations and obtain the axion-induced electromagnetic fields given a static electric or magnetic field. It turns out that the dominant couplings gaAB and gaBB can be probed in the presence of external magnetic field and electric field, respectively. The induced oscillating magnetic fields are always suppressed compared with the electric fields for the axions with large Compton wavelengths. This is contrary to the situation in conventional experiments searching for the oscillating magnetic fields induced by sub-μeV axions. Thus, we propose new strategies to measure the new couplings for sub-μeV axion in haloscope experiments.
The discrete Green-Schwarz mechanism in 6D F-theory and elliptic genera of non-critical strings
Authors: Dierigl Markus , Oehlmann Paul-Konstantin , Schimannek Thorsten
Published: March 2023

Abstract

We study global anomalies of discrete gauge symmetries in six-dimensional supergravities and their realizations in F-theory. We explicitly construct a discrete Green-Schwarz mechanism that depends on the choice of a coupling constant and on a certain quadratic refinement in differential cohomology. By geometrically engineering theories with G = ℤ3 gauge symmetry and no tensor multiplets, we observe that a particular choice of the quadratic refinement is singled out in F-theory. This implies new Swampland constraints on the discrete charge spectra of 6d supergravities. On the other hand, the discrete Green-Schwarz coupling depends on the geometry of the Calabi-Yau. We use anomaly inflow to relate this to a ’t Hooft anomaly of the induced global symmetry in the worldsheet theories of non-critical strings. Using topological symmetry lines, we further relate this anomaly to the modular properties of twisted-twined elliptic genera. We then argue that the latter are encoded in the A-model topological string partition functions on different torus fibrations that are equipped with a flat torsional B-field. This allows us to derive a geometric expression for the global discrete anomaly in terms of the height-pairing of a multi-section on a genus one fibered Calabi-Yau.
Fast scrambling of mutual information in Kerr-AdS5
Authors: Malvimat Vinay , Poojary Rohan R.
Published: March 2023

Abstract

We compute the disruption of mutual information in a TFD state dual to a Kerr black hole with equal angular momenta in AdS5 due to an equatorial shockwave. The shockwave respects the axi-symmetry of the Kerr geometry with specific angular momenta $$ {\mathcal{L}}_{\phi_1} $$

L

ϕ
1

& $$ {\mathcal{L}}_{\phi_2} $$

L

ϕ
2

. The sub-systems considered are hemispheres in the left and the right dual CFTs with the equator of the S3 as their boundary. We compute the change in the mutual information by determining the growth of the HRT surface at late times. We find that at late times leading up to the scrambling time the minimum value of the instantaneous Lyapunov index $$ {\lambda}_L^{\left(\min \right)} $$

λ
L

min

is bounded by $$ \kappa =\frac{2\pi {T}_H}{\left(1-\mu {\mathcal{L}}_{+}\right)} $$
κ
=

2
π

T
H

1
−
μ

L
+

and is found to be greater than 2πTH in certain regimes with TH and μ denoting the black hole’s temperature and the horizon angular velocity respectively while $$ {\mathcal{L}}_{+} $$

L
+

= $$ {\mathcal{L}}_{\phi_1} $$

L

ϕ
1

+ $$ {\mathcal{L}}_{\phi_2} $$

L

ϕ
2

. We also find that for non-extremal geometries the null perturbation obeys $$ {\mathcal{L}}_{+} $$

L
+

< μ−1 for it to reach the outer horizon from the AdS boundary. The scrambling time at very late times is given by κτ* ≈ log $$ \mathcal{S} $$
S
where $$ \mathcal{S} $$
S
is the Kerr entropy. We also find that the onset of scrambling is delayed due to a term proportional to log(1 − $$ {\mu \mathcal{L}}_{+} $$

μ
L

+

)−1 which is not extensive and does not scale with the entropy of Kerr black hole.
Target space entanglement entropy
Authors: Mazenc Edward A. , Ranard Daniel
Published: March 2023

Abstract

We define a notion of target space entanglement entropy. Rather than partitioning the base space on which the theory is defined, we consider partitions of the target space. This is the physical case of interest for first-quantized theories, such as worldsheet string theory. We associate to each subregion of the target space a suitably chosen subalgebra of observables$$ \mathcal{A} $$A. The entanglement entropy is calculated as the entropy of the density matrix restricted to$$ \mathcal{A} $$A. As an example, we illustrate our framework by computing spatial entanglement in first-quantized many-body quantum mechanics. The algebra$$ \mathcal{A} $$Ais chosen to reproduce the entanglement entropy obtained by embedding the state in the fixed particle sub-sector of the second-quantized Hilbert space. We then generalize our construction to the quantum field-theoretical setting.
TeV-scale leptoquark searches at the LHC and their E6SSM interpretation
Authors: Ali Murad , Khalil Shaaban , Moretti Stefano , Munir Shoaib , Nevzorov Roman , Nikitenko Alexandre , Waltari Harri
Published: March 2023

Abstract

We perform a model-independent search for leptoquarks (LQs) at the Large Hadron Collider through their pair-production and subsequent decay into$$ t\overline{t}\tau \tau $$tt¯ττintermediate states. We show that, assuming full luminosity of the Run 2, a fully hadronic signal emerging from this intermediate state can surpass in sensitivity the established searches relying on leptons in the final state. Our conclusion is supported by a thorough Monte-Carlo analysis, and we advocate the deployment of our proposed search channel in the proper experimental setting of the Run 3. Furthermore, in order to highlight the full scope of this approach for constraining LQ theories, we interpret our results in the context of the string-inspired Exceptional Supersymmetric Standard Model, which naturally predicts theS1-type scalar LQ states that we analyse here.
Loss of Kmt2c in vivo leads to EMT, mitochondrial dysfunction and improved response to lapatinib in breast cancer
Authors: Simigdala Nikiana , Chalari Anna , Sklirou Aimilia D. , Chavdoula Evangelia , Papafotiou George , Melissa Pelagia , Kafalidou Aimilia , Paschalidis Nikolaos , Pateras Ioannis S. , Athanasiadis Emmanouil , Konstantopoulos Dimitris , Trougakos Ioannis P. , Klinakis Apostolos
Published: March 2023

Deep sequencing of human tumours has uncovered a previously unappreciated role for epigenetic regulators in tumorigenesis. H3K4 methyltransferase KMT2C/MLL3 is mutated in several solid malignancies, including more than 10% of breast tumours. To study the tumour suppressor role of KMT2C in breast cancer, we generated mouse models of Erbb2/Neu, Myc or PIK3CA-driven tumorigenesis, in which the Kmt2c locus is knocked out specifically in the luminal lineage of mouse mammary glands using the Cre recombinase. Kmt2c knock out mice develop tumours earlier, irrespective of the oncogene, assigning a bona fide tumour suppressor role for KMT2C in mammary tumorigenesis. Loss of Kmt2c induces extensive epigenetic and transcriptional changes, which lead to increased ERK1/2 activity, extracellular matrix re-organization, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and mitochondrial dysfunction, the latter associated with increased reactive oxygen species production. Loss of Kmt2c renders the Erbb2/Neu-driven tumours more responsive to lapatinib. Publicly available clinical datasets revealed an association of low Kmt2c gene expression and better long-term outcome. Collectively, our findings solidify the role of KMT2C as a tumour suppressor in breast cancer and identify dependencies that could be therapeutically amenable.
A direct proof of the non-existence of a MOL(6)
Authors: Betten Dieter
Published: March 2023

It is well known that a Latin Square of order 6 has no orthogonal mate. Many proofs are known, some of which are very short, see for instance (Betten in Unterricht 36:449–453, 1983; Beth et al. in Design theory, Bibliographisches Institut Mannheim Wien, Zürich, 1985; Tarry in Comptes Rendus Ass Franc Sci Nat 1900(2), 170–203, 1901; Stinson in J Comb Theory A 36:373–376, 1984). This paper provides a short proof of this fact which avoids a case distinction on the isomorphism types of the Latin Square. We observe that any Latin Square of order 6 falls within exactly one of three categories. Either it has two rows which form a permutation whose cycle type is three transpositions. Or it has no subsquare of order 2, or it is a single Latin Square with symmetry group the rotation group of the cube of order 24. In each case, the nonexistence of an orthogonal mate can be seen quickly.
The goals of care in acute setting for geriatric patients in case of a hip fracture
Authors: Nijdam Thomas Marcus Paulus , Laane Duco Willem Pieter Marie , Schiepers Tim Ellen Eloeska , Smeeing Diederik Pieter Johan , Kempen Diederik Hendrik Ruth , Willems Hanna Cunera , van der Velde Detlef
Published: March 2023

Purpose

For geriatric hip fracture patients, the decision between surgery and palliative, non-operative management is made through shared decision making (SDM). For this conversation, a physician must be familiar with the patient’s goals of care (GOC). These are predominantly unknown for hip fracture patients and challenging to assess in acute setting. The objective was to explore these GOC of geriatric patients in case of a hip fracture.

Methods

An expert panel gathered possible outcomes after a hip fracture, which were transformed into statements where participants indicated their relative importance on a 100-point scoring scale during interviews. These GOC were ranked using medians and deemed important if the median score was 90 or above. Patients were aged 70 years or older with a hip contusion due to similarities with the hip fracture population. Three cohorts based on frailty criteria and the diagnosis of dementia were made.

Results

Preserving cognitive function, being with family and being with partner scored in all groups among the most important GOC. Both non-frail and frail geriatric patients scored return to pre-fracture mobility and maintaining independence among the most important GOC, where proxies of patients with a diagnosis of dementia scored not experiencing pain as the most important GOC.

Conclusion

All groups scored preserving cognitive function, being with family and being with partner among the most important GOC. The most important GOC should be discussed when a patient is presented with a hip fracture. Since patients preferences vary, a patient-centered assessment of the GOC remains essential.
Matching method for mutated veneer sheet images using gray-level co-occurrence matrix features
Authors: Savolainen Jyrki
Published: March 2023

This paper studies the tracking of wooden veneer sheets by matching their respective wet and dry colour images. The tracking of veneer sheets has proved to be a challenging task due to random mutations during processing in terms of color changes, the emergence of defects, and, occasionally, lost pieces of the veneer surface. The proposed matching procedure involves image segmentation with five different sizes, followed by segment-wise extraction of Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) textural feature arrays, and their similarity comparisons respectively. A voting mechanism is introduced that allocates the correct match based on the majority. An optional shifting procedure is applied to match candidates with missing areas. The method is demonstrated and benchmarked using a real-world dataset sourced from the industry, comprising 2579 high-quality images of spruce veneer pairs obtained from peeling and drying. In comparison to earlier studies that employed randomized 50 pair sampling on the same dataset, our approach yields a matching accuracy of 99.41%, outperforming the previously reported 84.93%. These findings have relevance for researchers in wood image analytics and carry practical implications for large-scale, automated veneer production facilities seeking innovative ways to optimize their raw material usage.
Long-term cost-effectiveness of implementing a lifestyle intervention during pregnancy to reduce the incidence of gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes
Authors: Lloyd Melanie , Morton Jedidiah , Teede Helena , Marquina Clara , Abushanab Dina , Magliano Dianna J. , Callander Emily J. , Ademi Zanfina
Published: March 2023

Aims/hypothesis

The aim of this study was to determine the long-term cost-effectiveness and return on investment of implementing a structured lifestyle intervention to reduce excessive gestational weight gain and associated incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods

A decision-analytic Markov model was used to compare the health and cost-effectiveness outcomes for (1) a structured lifestyle intervention during pregnancy to prevent GDM and subsequent type 2 diabetes; and (2) current usual antenatal care. Life table modelling was used to capture type 2 diabetes morbidity, mortality and quality-adjusted life years over a lifetime horizon for all women giving birth in Australia. Costs incorporated both healthcare and societal perspectives. The intervention effect was derived from published meta-analyses. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were used to capture the impact of uncertainty in the model.

Results

The model projected a 10% reduction in the number of women subsequently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes through implementation of the lifestyle intervention compared with current usual care. The total net incremental cost of intervention was approximately AU$70 million, and the cost savings from the reduction in costs of antenatal care for GDM, birth complications and type 2 diabetes management were approximately AU$85 million. The intervention was dominant (cost-saving) compared with usual care from a healthcare perspective, and returned AU$1.22 (95% CI 0.53, 2.13) per dollar invested. The results were robust to sensitivity analysis, and remained cost-saving or highly cost-effective in each of the scenarios explored.

Conclusions/interpretation

This study demonstrates significant cost savings from implementation of a structured lifestyle intervention during pregnancy, due to a reduction in adverse health outcomes for women during both the perinatal period and over their lifetime.

Graphical abstract
Achieving batch-size-of-one production model in robot flexible assembly cells
Authors: Jin Ziyue , Marian Romeo M. , Chahl Javaan S.
Published: March 2023

Manufacturing industry is facing new challenges in that fast-changing demands for products and services from customers push manufacturers to be more flexible and adaptive. The concept of batch-size-of-one production is presented in this paper, which defines a fully automated, highly customised, and short lead time production model. The desired batch-size-of-one production model is a promising solution for the above challenges in manufacturing industry, especially for highly customised or families of similar products like in the mobile phone industry. Along with the concept, we introduce a novel control method that enables the desired batch-size-of-one production model in operation of robots in manufacturing and assembly systems. The strategy was developed for robot control based on a distributed system to enable industrial robots to receive job commands on the fly and to conduct different jobs without the need for reconfiguration and reprogramming and without overheads. The aim of the research is to create the basis for a fully automated robot flexible assembly cell to perform batch-size-of-one assembly tasks with minimal human involvement by eliminating interruptions from the reconfiguration and reprogramming processes. The proposed strategy has been validated in practice in a multi-robot, multi-product flexible assembly cell.
Long-term effects of THC exposure on reward learning and motivated behavior in adolescent and adult male rats
Authors: Halbout Briac , Hutson Collin , Hua Leann , Inshishian Victoria , Mahler Stephen V. , Ostlund Sean B.
Published: March 2023

Rationale

The endocannabinoid system makes critical contributions to reward processing, motivation, and behavioral control. Repeated exposure to THC or other cannabinoid drugs can cause persistent adaptions in the endocannabinoid system and associated neural circuitry. It remains unclear how such treatments affect the way rewards are processed and pursued.

Objective and methods

We examined if repeated THC exposure (5 mg/kg/day for 14 days) during adolescence or adulthood led to long-term changes in rats’ capacity to flexibly encode and use action-outcome associations for goal-directed decision making. Effects on hedonic feeding and progressive ratio responding were also assessed.

Results

THC exposure had no effect on rats’ ability to flexibly select actions following reward devaluation. However, instrumental contingency degradation learning, which involves avoiding an action that is unnecessary for reward delivery, was augmented in rats with a history of adult but not adolescent THC exposure. THC-exposed rats also displayed more vigorous instrumental behavior in this study, suggesting a motivational enhancement. A separate experiment found that while THC exposure had no effect on hedonic feeding behavior, it increased rats’ willingness to work for food on a progressive ratio schedule, an effect that was more pronounced when THC was administered to adults. Adolescent and adult THC exposure had opposing effects on the CB1 receptor dependence of progressive ratio performance, decreasing and increasing sensitivity to rimonabant-induced behavioral suppression, respectively.

Conclusions

Our findings reveal that exposure to a translationally relevant THC exposure regimen induces long-lasting, age-dependent alterations in cognitive and motivational processes that regulate the pursuit of rewards.
Population ethics under risk
Authors: Arrhenius Gustaf , Stefánsson H. Orri
Published: March 2023

Population axiology concerns how to rank populations by the relation “is socially preferred to”. So far, population ethicists have (with important exceptions) focused less on the question of how to rank population prospects, that is, alternatives that contain uncertainty as to which population they will bring about. Most public policy choices, however, are decisions under uncertainty, including policy choices that affect the size of a population (such as climate policy choices). Here, we shall address the question of how to rank population prospects by the relation “is socially preferred to”. We start by illustrating how well-known population axiologies can be extended to population prospect axiologies. And we show that new problems arise when extending population axiologies to prospects. In particular, traditional population axiologies lead to prospect-versions of the problems that they are praised for avoiding in the risk-free settings. Moreover, we show how the axiom of State-Wise Dominance allow us to extend any impossibility theorem in population axiology to impossibility theorems for non-trivial population prospects, that is, prospects that confer probabilities strictly between zero and one on different populations. Finally, we formulate impossibility results that only involve probabilistic axioms.
Effect of preoperative pulmonary hemodynamic and cardiopulmonary bypass on lung function in children with congenital heart disease
Authors: Simonato Manuela , Padalino Massimo , Vedovelli Luca , Carollo Cristiana , Sartori Anna , Vida Vladimiro , Gregori Dario , Carnielli Virgilio , Cogo Paola
Published: March 2023

In children with congenital heart disease (CHD), pulmonary blood flow (Qp) contributes to alterations of pulmonary mechanics and gas exchange, while cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) induces lung edema. We aimed to determine the effect of hemodynamics on lung function and lung epithelial lining fluid (ELF) biomarkers in biventricular CHD children undergoing CPB. CHD children were classified as high Qp (n = 43) and low Qp (n = 17), according to preoperative cardiac morphology and arterial oxygen saturation. We measured ELF surfactant protein B (SP-B) and myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) as indexes of lung inflammation and ELF albumin as index of alveolar capillary leak in tracheal aspirate (TA) samples collected before surgery and in 6 hourly intervals within 24 h after surgery. At the same time points, we recorded dynamic compliance and oxygenation index (OI). The same biomarkers were measured in TA samples collected from 16 infants with no cardiorespiratory diseases at the time of endotracheal intubation for elective surgery. Preoperative ELF biomarkers in CHD children were significantly increased than those found in controls. In the high Qp, ELF MPO and SP-B peaked 6 h after surgery and tended to decrease afterward, while they tended to increase within the first 24 h in the low Qp. ELF albumin peaked 6 h after surgery and decreased afterwards in both CHD groups. Dynamic compliance/kg and OI significantly improved after surgery only in the High Qp.

  Conclusion: In CHD children, lung mechanics, OI, and ELF biomarkers were significantly affected by CPB, according to the preoperative pulmonary hemodynamics.

What is Known:• Congenital heart disease children, before cardiopulmonary run, exhibit changes in respiratory mechanics, gas exchange, and lung inflammatory biomarkers that are related to the preoperative pulmonary hemodynamics.• Cardiopulmonary bypass induces alteration of lung function and epithelial lining fluid biomarkers according to preoperative hemodynamics.

What is New:• Our findings can help to identify children with congenital heart disease at high risk of postoperative lung injury who may benefit of tailored intensive care strategies, such as non-invasive ventilation techniques, fluid management, and anti-inflammatory drugs that can improve cardiopulmonary interaction in the perioperative period.
Predictors of age at diagnosis in autism spectrum disorders: the use of multiple regression analyses and a classification tree on a clinical sample
Authors: Hrdlicka Michal , Urbanek Tomas , Rotreklova Adela , Kultova Aneta , Valek Ondrej , Dudova Iva
Published: March 2023

The increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has led to worldwide interest in factors influencing the age of ASD diagnosis. Parents or caregivers of 237 ASD children (193 boys, 44 girls) diagnosed using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) completed a simple descriptive questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the variable-centered multiple regression analysis and the person-centered classification tree method. We believed that the concurrent use of these two methods could produce robust results. The mean age at diagnosis was 5.8 ± 2.2 years (median 5.3 years). Younger ages for ASD diagnosis were predicted (using multiple regression analysis) by higher scores in the ADOS social domain, higher scores in ADOS restrictive and repetitive behaviors and interest domain, higher maternal education, and the shared household of parents. Using the classification tree method, the subgroup with the lowest mean age at diagnosis were children, in whom the summation of ADOS communication and social domain scores was ≥ 17, and paternal age at the delivery was ≥ 29 years. In contrast, the subgroup with the oldest mean age at diagnosis included children with summed ADOS communication and social domain scores < 17 and maternal education at the elementary school level. The severity of autism and maternal education played a significant role in both types of data analysis focused on age at diagnosis.
While educating electrochemists, do not forget we live in a computer era
Authors: Bieniasz L. K.
Published: March 2023

The appearance of computers has led to considerable changes in research practices of natural sciences, including electrochemistry. The current status of the computerization in electrochemistry is briefly discussed, with the conclusion that the progress in this area is not as fast as in other natural science disciplines. Some postulates are formulated, referring to the education of young generations of electrochemists, that might bring improvements.
Specific absorption rate (SAR) simulations for low-field (< 0.1 T) MRI systems
Authors: Parsa Javad , Webb Andrew
Published: March 2023

Objective

To simulate the magnetic and electric fields produced by RF coil geometries commonly used at low field. Based on these simulations, the specific absorption rate (SAR) efficiency can be derived to ensure safe operation even when using short RF pulses and high duty cycles.

Methods

Electromagnetic simulations were performed at four different field strengths between 0.05 and 0.1 T, corresponding to the lower and upper limits of current point-of-care (POC) neuroimaging systems. Transmit magnetic and electric fields, as well as transmit efficiency and SAR efficiency were simulated. The effects of a close-fitting shield on the EM fields were also assessed. SAR calculations were performed as a function of RF pulse length in turbo-spin echo (TSE) sequences.

Results

Simulations of RF coil characteristics and B1+ transmit efficiencies agreed well with corresponding experimentally determined parameters. Overall, the SAR efficiency was, as expected, higher at the lower frequencies studied, and many orders of magnitude greater than at conventional clinical field strengths. The tight-fitting transmit coil results in the highest SAR in the nose and skull, which are not thermally sensitive tissues. The calculated SAR efficiencies showed that only when 180° refocusing pulses of duration ~ 10 ms are used for TSE sequences does SAR need to be carefully considered.

Conclusion

This work presents a comprehensive overview of the transmit and SAR efficiencies for RF coils used for POC MRI neuroimaging. While SAR is not a problem for conventional sequences, the values derived here should be useful for RF intensive sequences such as T1ρ, and also demonstrate that if very short RF pulses are required then SAR calculations should be performed.
Numerical approach to investigate MR imaging artifacts from orthopedic implants at different field strengths according to ASTM F2119
Authors: Spronk Tobias , Kraff Oliver , Schaefers Gregor , Quick Harald H.
Published: March 2023

Objective

This study presents an extended evaluation of a numerical approach to simulate artifacts of metallic implants in an MR environment.

Methods

The numerical approach is validated by comparing the artifact shape of the simulations and measurements of two metallic orthopedic implants at three different field strengths (1.5 T, 3 T, and 7 T). Furthermore, this study presents three additional use cases of the numerical simulation. The first one shows how numerical simulations can improve the artifact size evaluation according to ASTM F2119. The second use case quantifies the influence of different imaging parameters (TE and bandwidth) on the artifact size. Finally, the third use case shows the potential of performing human model artifact simulations.

Results

The numerical simulation approach shows a dice similarity coefficient of 0.74 between simulated and measured artifact sizes of metallic implants. The alternative artifact size calculation method presented in this study shows that the artifact size of the ASTM-based method is up to 50% smaller for complex shaped implants compared to the numerical-based approach.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the numerical approach could be used in the future to extend MR safety testing according to a revision of the ASTM F2119 standard and for design optimization during the development process of implants.
Tower yarder powertrain performance simulation analysis: electrification study
Authors: Leitner Stefan , Perez Estevez Manuel Antonio , Renzi Massimiliano , Spinelli Raffaele , Mazzetto Fabrizio , Vidoni Renato
Published: March 2023

Radical changes are necessary to address challenges related to global warming and pollution. Ever-tightening emission standards for combustion engines have already led to a drastic reduction in the amount of harmful gas and matter emitted. Drivetrain hybridization and electrification, which are becoming increasingly popular in all sectors, are two additional ways to achieve that goal. However, within the forestry sector most of the equipments still rely on conventional mechanic or hydraulic drivetrains. An example of this is tower yarders, the workhorse of the alpine logging industry. This work simulates the duty cycle and energy flow of tower yarders in logging operations, both with conventional diesel–hydraulic configuration and a proposed hybrid configuration. The objective is to determine the potential of hybridized drivetrains for tower yarder applications. Detailed models are developed to describe the cable-based extraction of timber and tower yarder internal processes. Extensive simulations were performed to determine force, power and energy components during the harvesting operation for both the diesel–hydraulic and hybrid drivetrains. Results confirm the large potential of the hybrid configuration for efficiency improvement and emission reduction, with estimated fuel savings of 45% and 63% in the uphill and downhill configurations, respectively. Extensive sensitivity analysis further demonstrates that the hybrid concept remains effective across a wide range of cable setup and transport characteristics. This confirms the large potential of electrified drivetrains, especially in the presence of very dynamic duty cycles, as is the case in cable-based logging equipment.
The vascular gene Apold1 is dispensable for normal development but controls angiogenesis under pathological conditions
Authors: Fan Zheng , Ardicoglu Raphaela , Batavia Aashil A. , Rust Ruslan , von Ziegler Lukas , Waag Rebecca , Zhang Jing , Desgeorges Thibaut , Sturman Oliver , Dang Hairuo , Weber Rebecca , Roszkowski Martin , Moor Andreas E. , Schwab Martin E. , Germain Pierre-Luc , Bohacek Johannes , De Bock Katrien
Published: March 2023

The molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis have been intensely studied, but many genes that control endothelial behavior and fate still need to be described. Here, we characterize the role of Apold1 (Apolipoprotein L domain containing 1) in angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Single-cell analyses reveal that - across tissues - the expression of Apold1 is restricted to the vasculature and that Apold1 expression in endothelial cells (ECs) is highly sensitive to environmental factors. Using Apold1−/− mice, we find that Apold1 is dispensable for development and does not affect postnatal retinal angiogenesis nor alters the vascular network in adult brain and muscle. However, when exposed to ischemic conditions following photothrombotic stroke as well as femoral artery ligation, Apold1−/− mice display dramatic impairments in recovery and revascularization. We also find that human tumor endothelial cells express strikingly higher levels of Apold1 and that Apold1 deletion in mice stunts the growth of subcutaneous B16 melanoma tumors, which have smaller and poorly perfused vessels. Mechanistically, Apold1 is activated in ECs upon growth factor stimulation as well as in hypoxia, and Apold1 intrinsically controls EC proliferation but not migration. Our data demonstrate that Apold1 is a key regulator of angiogenesis in pathological settings, whereas it does not affect developmental angiogenesis, thus making it a promising candidate for clinical investigation.
Impact of relaxing flood policy interventions on fish production: lessons from earthen pond-based farmers in Southwest Nigeria
Authors: Olutumise Adewale Isaac
Published: March 2023

These days, aquatic (fish) welfare is a major issue and a significant component that affects fish output. Although numerous factors can be involved, climate-induced floods are one of the most critical limiting factors in the aquaculture and fisheries industry’s development. Understanding the extent of losses and damages caused by floods at the farm level will thereby exacerbate pre-emptive policy responses. Thus, the impact of floods on fish production by focusing on catfish earthen pond-based farmers in Southwest Nigeria is presented. A survey is conducted for 150 fish farms in the region. A marginal treatment effects (MTE) approach is employed to determine the heterogeneity across the households and the policy-relevant treatment effects (PRTE). The results show significant heterogeneity in the effects of floods on fish production, considering both observed and unobserved characteristics of the farmers. It is shown that flood significantly increases output loss. Furthermore, farmers with high propensity scores to flood tend to have a high likelihood of incurring output loss. The estimates of PRTE reveal that relaxing policy strategies, such as access to climate information and climate-related training and workshops, would significantly exacerbate output loss due to flood incidences. Thus, intensifying awareness and sensitization on climate change policies will address the flood menace and still increase food production.
Experimental study on sand-tire chip mixture foundations acting as a soil liquefaction countermeasure
Authors: Nikitas Georgios , Bhattacharya Subhamoy
Published: March 2023

Soil liquefaction is a phenomenon associated with strong earthquakes and it can affect large areas. High-rise and low-rise buildings, residential structures typically of 1–2 storeys, may be equally prone to the destructive consequences of liquefaction. For the case of high-rise buildings, expensive solutions like well-designed piles with ground improvement can be used. However, in the case of smaller residential structures, this is not economically viable. To this purpose, the current research explores the effectiveness of a novel proposed low-cost liquefaction protection technique, where the soil underneath the foundation is replaced by a sand-tire chip mixture base reaching down to a certain depth. Series of triaxial and shaking table tests were performed for a range of parametric scenarios to, mainly mechanistically, assess the effectiveness of such a mitigation technique, since similar previous studies are extremely limited. The tests have shown that the closest the considered base is to the surface, the thicker it is and with higher tire ratio, the more effective it can become on controlling the pore pressure rise that leads to liquefaction.
The Eurasian beaver range expansion reveals uneven future trends and possible conservation issues: an European assessment
Authors: Serva Davide , Biondi Maurizio , Iannella Mattia
Published: March 2023

The Eurasian beaver is a keystone species and landscape-capable ecosystem engineer, which went close to extinction until the 19th century. Recently, thanks to legal protection and reintroduction programs, the species has recolonized much of its past range. However, in some countries this process did not occur. Objectives. Our objective is to model the potential distribution of the Eurasian beaver for current and future conditions, on a continental scale, at river and sub-basin level. We focus on the protected areas of Italy and Portugal for possible reintroductions. Methods. The study area is Europe, with a subset focusing on Italy and Portugal. We produce species distribution models for current and future conditions using climate change scenarios and predicting changes in river flow, including topographic and human disturbance variables. We then deepen suitability-related issues within Italian and Portuguese protected areas. Results. We find that the Eurasian beaver current suitability is comparable to its known distribution, although some potentially-suitable spots occur in Italy (where there are two occurrences), while the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkan countries host scattered suitable spots. Future scenarios predict a general lowering of suitability in Central and Northern Europe. Portuguese protected areas generally host unsuitable territories, while the Italian ones have reported a tangled scenario, depending on the biogeographical sector. Conclusions. Our results may support the large-scale management of the beaver, both for countries already hosting this species and those planning a reintroduction. The framework used may be applied to other species, and for different topics, from biogeography to conservation.
Witnesses, Deniers and Bourgeois Troublemakers. The Holodomor and Ukrainian-Canadian Collaboration in Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch’s Winterkill (2022)
Authors: Świetlicki Mateusz
Published: March 2023

The article examines Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch’s Winterkill (2022), a recent Holodomor middle-grade historical novel issued by Scholastic, and showcases that Skrypuch explores the implicated position of North Americans – especially Soviet collaborators and journalists – in the context of the famine and Stalin’s collectivization. Most notably, Winterkill brings attention to the actions of Rhea Clyman, a Jewish-Canadian journalist who wrote factual articles about the situation in the Soviet Union but until the mid-2010s was largely forgotten. In the first part of the article, the author briefly introduces the historical background and points to the recent increase of Holodomor-themed Anglophone books. Then, close reading Winterkill, they argue that many characters in the novel, including the ones based on Clyman and Alice, a Ukrainian Canadian girl she met in Kharkiv in 1932, emerge as what Michael Rothberg has called “implicated subjects.” The article demonstrates that at first the foreigners in the novel are enchanted with Stalinism, accept its benefits, and their actions – directly and indirectly – contribute to the destruction of the Ukrainian countryside. Winterkill showcases both the importance of recognizing one’s implication and sharing the testimony of the Holodomor witnesses, hence keeping the memory of the famine and its victims alive.