bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Subtitle D Covers and Exposed Geomembrane Cover for Landfills: Sustainability and Resiliency
Authors: Janga J K , Reddy K R.
Published: May 2024

Exposed geomembrane covers (EGMs) are considered as suitable alternatives to traditional subtitle D soil covers with compacted clay layers (CCL) for landfill cover applications. Compared to CCLs, which comprise various layers, including vegetation, erosion soil layers, and barrier liners, EGMs offer benefits such as reduced resource use. There are several risks associated with cover systems, ranging from climate-related shocks or stressors such as earthquakes, droughts, and floods to local shocks such as excessive differential settlement due to the uneven degradation of waste mass. Hence, their resilience and sustainability must be analyzed, particularly considering the escalating impact of climate change and the growing need to integrate resilience and sustainability principles into engineering designs and operations. This study comparatively assessed the resilience and sustainability of three cover systems: EGM, soil cover with geomembranes, and soil cover without geomembranes. A ((tiered quantitative life cycle assessment of sustainability and resilience) framework was employed. The resilience assessment was performed using a rating system, considering the technical performance of the cover systems, along with the environmental, economic, and social implications of the failures. Subsequently, a comprehensive sustainability assessment encompassing environmental, economic, and social dimensions was conducted. A life-cycle assessment of all cover systems was performed to evaluate environmental sustainability, and a cost-benefit analysis was employed to compare their economic aspects. Social sustainability was evaluated using a rating system. The assessments were combined to develop an integrated sustainability and resiliency index. EGM was the most resilient and sustainable alternative for landfill cover systems compared to traditional soil covers. These insights enable an objective comparison of resilience and sustainability, facilitating informed decision-making.
Sustainable Solution on Desiccation Crack Mitigation with Recycled Glass Sand
Authors: Zhang Bin , Wen Kejun , Li Junjie , Huang Wei
Published: May 2024

Desiccation cracking is a frequent natural phenomenon that occurs in drying soil and has a significant negative impact on the mechanical and hydraulic properties of clay or geomaterials in various engineering applications. In this study, recycled glass sand (RGS) was used to reduce the plasticity of clay soil and mitigate desiccation cracks in clay soils. The effect of the RGS particle size and content was investigated using a desiccation crack observation test. Digital image processing technology was used to evaluate the crack rate, length, width, and area during the observation test. The results reveal that the cracking rate was inversely proportional to the RGS content and directly proportional to the RGS particle size. For instance, the cracking rate of clay soil treated with 25% RGS with a particle size of 0.15 mm was reduced to 0.17% compared with untreated soil. The strengths of the untreated and RGS-treated soils were evaluated through unconfined compression tests. The unconfined compressive strength of the RGS-treated clay soil decreased slightly with the addition of RGS. In general, the addition of RGS has great potential for mitigating desiccation cracks in clay soils.
Optimization for bilevel spatial configuration of underground space surrounding high-speed railway station in China from the perspective of urban morphology
Authors: Du Y , Dong Y H , Wang P , Peng F L
Published: May 2024

The rapid growth of high-speed railways has led to the development of underground spaces surrounding high-speed railway stations (USSHRSs). The evolution of USSHRS has enhanced the space utilization efficiency. As USSHRSs expand, the layout of the underground connectivity network becomes increasingly intricate. Additionally, pedestrian behavior in USSHRSs transitions from mere passing to longer stays, and its spatial configuration becomes more difficult to evaluate. To date, studies have mostly focused on the structural analysis or inner underground space relationship of USSHRSs. A research gap exists in the field of USSHRS spatial configuration from the perspective of urban development. To fill this research gap, this study focused on the spatial configuration of the USSHRS from the perspective of urban morphology and established a quantitative analysis method for USSHRSs at both global and local levels. At the global level, we devised a method for measuring the USSHRS spatial configuration using pedestrian composite accessibility based on a complex network. At the local level, we used space syntax to study the inner spatial configuration problems of USSHRSs. Finally, we used the Shanghai Hongqiao Station (Shanghai, China) as a case study. The results revealed that the spatial configuration optimization of the USSHRS must improve the connectivity efficiency of the USSHRS, and the corresponding functional layout should also be optimized towards a centralized layout. This study aims to provide decision-making support for the planning and layout of complicated USSHRS and to highlight the role of USSHRS in urban sustainable development.
Holding capacity of suction anchors under combined loading
Authors: Wang Yufei , Petter Jostad Hans , Zhou Zefeng
Published: May 2024

This paper introduces a numerical investigation aimed at evaluating the Vertical, Horizontal, and Moment (VHM) yield surface of suction anchors. It employs a generalized elliptical function guided by a predefined fitting strategy. The resulting yield surfaces are then juxtaposed with findings from previous studies, establishing the groundwork for the macro model of suction anchors in clay. This model plays a pivotal role in the integrated analysis of mooring systems for floating wind turbines.
The pull-out capacity of torpedo anchor in clay considering the full opening cavity
Authors: Tang C , Wu XN , Chen JJ , Wang T , Shu J
Published: May 2024

Torpedo anchors are increasingly being considered for mooring floating facilities in deep waters owing to their efficient and economical installation. The anchor was released from a specified height above the seabed to allow it to gain velocity as it fell freely into the water before penetrating the seabed. A cavity was formed above the anchor shaft after the anchor installation. The formation of this post-installation cavity is largely dependent on the soil strength conditions and affects the anchor capacity after installation. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding the formation mechanisms of the cavity and its effect on the bearing capacity of a torpedo anchor. Thus, this study focuses on the effects of the post-installation cavity on the bearing capacity of the torpedo anchor. The impact of a fully open post-penetration cavity on both the vertical and inclined bearing capacity of a torpedo anchor without fins was investigated using the Coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian (CEL) method in ABAQUS with three-dimensional large deformation finite element (LDFE) analysis. A method for evaluating the vertical bearing capacity of a torpedo anchor, considering the effect of a post-installation cavity, was proposed. This study provides insight into the installation effect on the bearing capacity of torpedo anchors.
New method for incorporating foundation damping in time-domain analysis of integrated offshore wind turbine structures
Authors: Guo P , Zhang Y , Bi Q , Di T
Published: May 2024

Foundation damping has significant potential for reducing the loads of monopile-supported offshore wind turbines. However, the contribution of foundation damping is not well understood, primarily because of the absence of suitable methods for incorporating it into the time-domain analysis of wind turbine structures. This paper presents a novel approach for this purpose. In this approach, a dashpot is attached parallel to each of the p-y springs along a monopile, which models the stiffness and damping of soil-pile interactions. Employing this approach, the influence of foundation damping on the structural dynamic response is investigated using the time-domain analysis of a monopile-supported IEA 15 MW reference wind turbine. The results demonstrate that foundation damping has a limited impact on the overall dynamic response and fatigue loads of wind turbines during power production. However, the foundation fatigue loads after an emergency shutdown can be reduced by 29-46% owing to the inclusion of foundation damping. In addition, foundation damping is found to significantly influence the bending moment, horizontal displacement, and angular rotation of the monopile at the mudline under parked conditions, with load reductions of up to 20%.
Wavelength calibration and spectral analysis of vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy in EAST
Authors: JI 计 Huajian 华健 , ZHANG 张 Hongming 洪明 , LYU 吕 Bo 波 , BAE Cheonho , HE 何 Liang 梁 , LIN 林 Zichao 子超 , YIN 尹 Xianghui 相辉 , SHEN 沈 Yongcai 永才 , DAI 戴 Shuyu 舒宇
Published: May 2024

A vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectroscopy with a focal length of 1 m has been engineered specifically for observing edge impurity emissions in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). In this study, wavelength calibration for the VUV spectroscopy is achieved utilizing a zinc lamp. The grating angle and charge-coupled device (CCD) position are carefully calibrated for different wavelength positions. The wavelength calibration of the VUV spectroscopy is crucial for improving the accuracy of impurity spectral data, and is required to identify more impurity spectral lines for impurity transport research. Impurity spectra of EAST plasmas have also been obtained in the wavelength range of 50–300 nm with relatively high spectral resolution. It is found that the impurity emissions in the edge region are still dominated by low-Z impurities, such as carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, albeit with the application of full-tungsten divertors on the EAST tokamak.
Differential reliance of CTD-nuclear envelope phosphatase 1 on its regulatory subunit in ER lipid synthesis and storage
Authors: Carrasquillo Rodríguez Jake W. , Uche Onyedikachi , Gao Shujuan , Lee Shoken , Airola Michael V. , Bahmanyar Shirin
Published: May 2024

Lipin 1 is an ER enzyme that produces diacylglycerol, the lipid intermediate that feeds into the synthesis of glycerophospholipids for membrane expansion or triacylglycerol for storage into lipid droplets. CTD-Nuclear Envelope Phosphatase 1 (CTDNEP1) regulates lipin 1 to restrict ER membrane synthesis, but a role for CTDNEP1 in lipid storage in mammalian cells is not known. Furthermore, how NEP1R1, the regulatory subunit of CTDNEP1, contributes to these functions in mammalian cells is not fully understood. Here, we show that CTDNEP1 is reliant on NEP1R1 for its stability and function in limiting ER expansion. CTDNEP1 contains an amphipathic helix at its N-terminus that targets to the ER, nuclear envelope and lipid droplets. We identify key residues at the binding interface of CTDNEP1 and NEP1R1 and show that they facilitate complex formation in vivo and in vitro. We demonstrate that NEP1R1 binding to CTDNEP1 shields CTDNEP1 from proteasomal degradation to regulate lipin 1 and restrict ER size. Unexpectedly, NEP1R1 was not required for CTDNEP1’s role in restricting lipid droplet biogenesis. Thus, the reliance of CTDNEP1 function on NEP1R1 depends on cellular demands for membrane production versus lipid storage. Together, our work provides a framework into understanding how the ER regulates lipid synthesis under different metabolic conditions.
Prevalence, sociodemographic, and clinical correlates of underweight in a sample of Chinese male alcohol-dependent patients
Authors: Li Huanfen , Zhu Lifang , Zhang Jie , Xue Jun
Published: May 2024

Background

Underweight is a significant symptom in alcohol-dependent patients, yet few studies have examined underweight in Chinese male patients. The current study aimed to identify the prevalence, sociodemographic, and clinical correlates of underweight in Chinese male patients with alcohol dependency.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 405 male inpatients with alcohol dependence and 383 healthy male controls were recruited. Participants’ demographic and clinical data, including anthropometric data, were collected. We first conducted univariate analysis to identify seven variables with significant differences between groups: smoking behavior, hospitalization, alcohol consumption, cerebral infarction, hypertension, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score, and Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptom (SANS) score. Then, binary logistic regression was used to assess their relationship with underweight, with a significance level of .05.

Results

The prevalence of underweight was significantly higher in the study population than in the control group (2.99% vs. 2.87%; P < .001). Patients with underweight had significantly higher rates of smoking behavior and cerebral infarction, as well as higher scores of SANS and HAMD than non-underweight patients. The non-underweight patients had higher daily alcohol consumption and times of hospitalization. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis showed that smoking behavior [odds ratio (OR) = 2.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03–7.80, P = .043)], cerebral infarction (OR = 5.20, 95% CI = 1.13–23.85, P = .036), SANS score (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.16–1.28, P < .001), and HAMD score (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.02–1.11, P = .005) were associated with underweight.

Conclusions

More than 20% of male alcohol-dependent patients in a Chinese sample were underweight. Some demographic and clinical variables independent correlates for underweight in alcohol-dependent patients. We need to focus on alcohol-dependent patients with smoking, cerebral infarction, depression, and more prominent negative symptoms.
Prevalence, incidence, mortality and healthcare resource use for generalized pustular psoriasis, palmoplantar pustulosis and plaque psoriasis in England: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Frysz Monika , Patel Smit , Li Marie Oy Yee , Griffiths Christopher E M , Warren Richard B , Ashcroft Darren M
Published: May 2024

Background

Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) and palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) are chronic inflammatory skin conditions. Accumulating evidence shows that GPP and PPP have different characteristics to plaque psoriasis and are distinct clinical entities.

Objectives

To assess the epidemiology, comorbidities, mortality and healthcare use for patients in England with GPP and PPP versus those with plaque psoriasis.

Methods

We carried out a cohort study involving analyses of longitudinal electronic health record data in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum database and linked hospital and mortality data between 2008 and 2019. The primary study outcome was the incidence and prevalence rates of GPP, PPP and plaque psoriasis in England. Secondary outcomes included survival rates and healthcare resource use (HCRU) by disease type.

Results

We identified 373 patients with GPP, 1828 with PPP and 224 223 with plaque psoriasis. Mean (SD) age was 55.9 (18.6) years for patients with GPP, 51.5 (16.4) years for those with PPP and 48.5 (19.1) years for those with plaque psoriasis; 62.5% and 65.9% of patients with GPP and PPP, respectively, were women, vs. 49.4% of those with plaque psoriasis. About half of patients were overweight or obese at baseline (GPP 48.6%, PPP 56.0%, plaque psoriasis 45.9%). The incidence rates for GPP, PPP and plaque psoriasis were 0.25 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21–0.28], 2.01 (95% CI 1.92–2.11) and 103.2 (95% CI 102.5–103.9) per 100 000 person-years, respectively. From 2008 to 2019, the prevalence rates per 100 000 persons ranged from 1.61 to 3.0 for GPP, from 1.1 to 18.7 for PPP and from 1771.0 to 1903.8 for plaque psoriasis. Survival rates were lower for patients with GPP, particularly those who were > 55 years of age and those with a history of one or more comorbidities in each cohort. HCRU was lower in the cohort with plaque psoriasis and highest in the cohort with GPP, particularly among those who had more than one GPP flare.

Conclusions

Our results provide further evidence that, in England, GPP is a distinct disease with different epidemiology, lower survival and higher HCRU than plaque psoriasis.
Efficacy and safety of irreversible electroporation in unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Scrofani Anna Rita , Valvano Marco , Lancellotta Valentina , Pezzulla Donato , Vinci Antonio , Cornacchione Patrizia , Bonome Paolo , Tagliaferri Luca , Iezzi Roberto
Published: May 2024

Objectives

The prognosis of patients with perihilar-cholangiocarcinoma (PHC) is poor, with the majority presenting with unresectable disease at diagnosis. Palliative chemotherapy (CHT) is the standard treatment for unresectable PHC. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) has been introduced as a novel ablation technique, working predominantly nonthermal. This review aims to analyse the efficacy and safety of IRE in treating unresectable PHC.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed according to a specific protocol designed a priori, and reported according to the PRISMA. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched up to December 2023. Primary Outcome of interest of our meta-analysis was the mean Overall Survival (OS). Secondary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS) and adverse event rate (AE).

Results

The mean OS was estimated at 25.49 months (CI, 21.47-38.72, I2 81.37%), PFS 17.86 (CI, 13.00-22.72, I2 11.42%), with an AE incidence of 12% (CI, 7%-31%, I2 83.57%). High heterogeneity was found among studies, with no single study fully responsible for it, suggesting high variability among facilities/populations.

Conclusion

IRE is effective and relatively safe for unresectable PHC. However, the lack of prospective studies and randomized trials comparing chemotherapy or locoregional treatment with IRE prevents drawing sufficiently robust conclusions.

Advances in knowledge

IRE appears a safe and effective technique for treating unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.
129 PARATHYROID GLAND IDENTIFICATION AND ANGIOGRAPHY CLASSIFICATION USING SIMPLE MACHINE LEARNING METHODS
Authors: Mc Entee P D , Greevy J E , Triponez F , Demarchi M S , Cahill R A
Published: May 2024

Background

Near-infrared indocyanine green (ICG) angiography allows experienced surgeons reliably discern parathyroid gland (PG) vitality during thyroid and parathyroid operations and so predict post-operative function. To facilitate all surgeons perform similarly, we developed an automatic computational quantification method using computer vision that accurately portrays expert interpretation of visualised PG ICG angiographic fluorescence signals.

Methods

ICG-PG angiography video recordings (Fluobeam® LX, Fluoptics, Grenoble – part of Getinge - Göteborg) from patients undergoing endocrine cervical surgery in a high-volume unit were used developmentally. Computation (Matlab, Mathworks, Ireland) included segmentation-identification of PG (by autofluorescence), image stabilisation (by linear translation) and adjusted time-fluorescence intensity profile (TFIP) generation. Relative upslope and maximum intensity ratios then trained a simple logistic regression model grounded in expert interpretation and outcome (including hypoparathyroidism), with unseen testing subsequently.

Results

The model was trained on 37 patient videos (45 glands, 29 judged well perfused by PG angiography experts), achieving feature data separation with 100% accuracy, and tested on 22 unseen videos (27 glands, 15 judged well perfused), including four live in-theatre. Segmentation-guided PG detection correctly identified all PGs during unseen testing along with three additional non-PG regions (90% positive predictive value). Subsequent TFIP extraction with vitality prediction proved feasible in all cases within five minutes, with 96.3% model prediction accuracy (sensitivity/specificity = 93.3/100% respectively) versus expert judgement.

Conclusions

Automatic PG perfusion quantification with simple machine learning computational methods discriminates PG perfusion concordant with expert surgeon interpretation, providing too a means for ICG-PG signal documentation.
152 QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH PERMANENT HYPOPARATHYROIDISM AFTER THYROIDECTOMY FOR BENIGN THYROID DISEASE: A POPULATION-BASED STUDY WITH LONG-TERM FOLLOW UP
Authors: Annebäck M , Wachtmeister S , Hedberg J , Stålberg P , Norlén O
Published: May 2024

Background

In recent years, several studies have shown that permanent hypoparathyroidism has a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, these results could have been affected by short-term follow up, selection bias and confounding factors. The aim of this study was to investigate HRQoL in patients with and without permanent hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disease, using a strict definition of permanent hypoparathyroidism and long-term follow up data.

Methods

All patients who underwent total thyroidectomy in a region of Sweden between 2005 and 2015 were assessed for eligibility. All eligible patients were invited to participate in the study through a letter on August 2021. SF-36 v2 was used to compare HRQoL in patients with and without permanent hypoparathyroidism.

Results

Out of 1636 patients, 1483 patients were invited to participate in the study. In total, 716 (48,3%) patients answered the SF-36 v2 questionnaire and were included in the study cohort. Mean follow-up was 10.9 (SD ±3.2) years. Patients with and without permanent hypoparathyroidism did not differ in baseline characteristics, with the exception that patients with permanent hypoparathyroidism were younger. There were no evident differences in HRQoL between the two groups, encompassing all health domains and summary component scores. (p>0.05).

Conclusions

No difference in HRQoL was found when comparing patients with and without permanent hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disease on long-term follow up. These results challenge previous findings and underscore the importance of comprehensive, long-term investigations, calling for a more nuanced understanding of the condition’s effects on HRQoL.
Stability-Indicating TLC-Densitometric and HPLC Methods for Simultaneous Determination of Teneligliptin and Pioglitazone in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms with Eco-Friendly Assessment
Authors: Akabari Ashok H , Gajiwala Harsh , Patel Sagarkumar K , Surati Jasmina , Solanki Divya , Shah Ketan V , Patel Tejas J , Patel Sagar P
Published: May 2024

The combination of teneligliptin hydrobromide hydrate and pioglitazone hydrochloride in pharmaceutical formulations has improved type 2 diabetes management. Two chromatographic methods TLC-densitometry and RP-HPLC were developed for simultaneous quantification of teneligliptin hydrobromide hydrate and pioglitazone hydrochloride in pharmaceutical formulations, ensuring accuracy and stability assessment. The TLC method uses a mobile phase of methanol, toluene, ethyl acetate and triethylamine (1:7:2:0.1, v/v/v/v) on TLC silica gel plates, scanned at 268 nm. The RP-HPLC method employs isocratic elution with acetonitrile and sodium acetate buffer (adjust pH 3.6 with glacial acetic acid, 60:40 v/v) on a shimpack C18 column (250 × 4.6 mm i.d., 5 μm), detected at 235 nm. Both methods offer high accuracy and reliability, making them valuable for pharmaceutical quality control. Additionally, an environmental impact assessment was conducted using eco-scale, Analytical Greenness Metric Approach, Green Analytical Procedure Index, and national environmental method index to evaluate solvent consumption, waste generation and energy usage. Statistical comparisons (t-tests and F-tests) validate the outcomes of both methods, ensuring their effectiveness in drug formulation analysis. These methods can enhance pharmaceutical quality control while fulfilling environmental responsibilities.
Facial vascular visualization enhancement based on optical detection technology
Authors: Liu Kai , Li Kai , Wang Xudong , Sun Jiuai , Shen Steve G F
Published: May 2024

Objective

This study aims to develop a facial vascular enhancement imaging system and analyze vascular distribution in the facial region to assess its potential in preventing unintended intravascular injections during cosmetic facial filling procedures.

Methods

A facial vascular enhancement imaging system based on optical detection technology was designed, and volunteers were recruited. The system was utilized to detect and analyze vascular distribution in various anatomical regions of the faces. The vascular visualization-enhanced (VVE) images generated by the system were compared with visible light images to validate the vascular visualization capability of the system. Additionally, the reliability of vascular visualization was assessed by comparing the observed vascular patterns in the VVE images with those in near-infrared light images.

Results

Thirty volunteers were recruited. The VVE images produced by the system demonstrated a significant capacity to identify vascular morphology and yielded a higher vessel count compared to visible light images, particularly in the frontal, orbital, perioral, mental, temporal, cheek, and parotid masseter regions (P < .05). The temporal region exhibited the highest vascular density, followed by the cheek region and then the frontal region. Reliability analysis of vascular visualization enhancement indicated that the system’s imaging of facial vasculature not only demonstrated reliability but also enhanced physicians’ visual perception.

Conclusion

Blood vessel distribution varies across facial regions. The facial vascular enhancement imaging system facilitates real-time and clear visualization of facial vasculature, offering immediate visual feedback to surgeons. This innovation holds promise for enhancing the safety and effectiveness of facial filling procedures.
Prevalence and determinants of low QRS voltages and QRS fragmentation in children and adolescents undergoing sports pre-participation screening
Authors: Graziano Francesca , Genta Oscar Edoardo , Manfrin Laura , Corrado Domenico , Brusamolin Laura , Giada Franco , Gerbino Luigi , Compagno Silvia , Zorzi Alessandro
Published: May 2024

Aims

Low QRS voltages (LQRSV) in limb leads and QRS fragmentation (FQRS) are possible electrocardiographic signs of myocardial fibrosis and cardiomyopathy, but they are not listed in current criteria for interpreting athlete’s electrocardiogram (ECG). We investigated the prevalence and determinants of LQRSV and FQRS in a cohort of young apparently healthy athletes undergoing pre-participation screening (PPS).

Methods and results

We analysed a consecutive series of 2140 ECG obtained during PPS of young athletes (mean age 12.5 ± 2.6 years, 7–18-year-old, 49% males). The peak-to-peak QRS voltage was measured in all limb leads, and LQRSV were defined when maximum value was <0.5 mV. Fragmented QRS morphologies were grouped into five patterns. Lead aVR was not considered. Maximum peak-to-peak QRS voltage in limb leads was 1.4 ± 0.4 mV, similar between younger and older athletes, but significantly lower in females than males (1.35 ± 0.38 mV vs. 1.45 ± 0.42 mV; P < 0.001). There was a weak correlation between maximal QRS voltages and body mass index (BMI), but not with type of sport or training load. Only five (0.2%) individuals showed LQRSV. At least one fragmented QRS complex was identified in 831 (39%) individuals but excluding the rSr′ pattern in V1–V2, only 10 (0.5%) showed FQRS in ≥2 contiguous leads. They were older than those without FQRS, but did not differ in terms of gender, BMI, type of sport, or training load.

Conclusion

Low QRS voltages in limb leads and FQRS in ≥2 contiguous leads excluding V1–V2 are rare in young apparently healthy athletes and are not related to the type and intensity of sport activity. Therefore, they may require additional testing to rule out an underlying disease particularly when other abnormalities are present.
The Role of Civil Society in Promoting Corporate Accountability for International Crimes
Authors: Balouziyeh John M B , Rapp Stephen J
Published: May 2024

This article examines the role that civil society has played in pursuing corporate accountability for international crimes. The article is divided into five main parts. Following a general introduction in Section 1, Section 2 sets forth the definitions used throughout this article and the methodology used to carry out the research. Section 3 covers cases at international tribunals, beginning with an overview of prosecutions of corporate executives at the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg and proceeding to an examination of civil society engagement with the International Criminal Court in cases involving corporate actors. Section 4 analyses cases brought by civil society actors in domestic courts, focusing on criminal cases filed in France and civil cases filed in the USA. This section of the article reviews cases from the USA that have narrowed corporate liability for international crimes and compares them with similarly situated cases filed in France, which has become a forum of choice for victims seeking corporate criminal accountability. In Section 5, we conclude that civil society’s pursuit of corporate accountability in domestic courts has ensured that a greater number and a wider range of actors are held to account, thereby complementing the work of international tribunals, which comparatively can try only a small number of cases, and has offered a ray of hope to victims who wish to see accountability for international crimes.
The TRAPUM Small Magellanic Cloud pulsar survey with MeerKAT – I. Discovery of seven new pulsars and two Pulsar Wind Nebula associations
Authors: Carli E , Levin L , Stappers B W , Barr E D , Breton R P , Buchner S , Burgay M , Geyer M , Kramer M , Padmanabh P V , Possenti A , Venkatraman Krishnan V , Becker W , Filipović M D , Maitra C , Behrend J , Champion D J , Chen W , Men Y P , Ridolfi A
Published: May 2024

The sensitivity of the MeerKAT radio interferometer is an opportunity to probe deeper into the population of rare and faint extragalactic pulsars. The TRAPUM (TRAnsients and PUlsars with MeerKAT) collaboration has conducted a radio-domain search for accelerated pulsars and transients in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). This partially targeted survey, performed at L band (856–1712 MHz) with the core array of the MeerKAT telescope in 2-h integrations, is twice as sensitive as the latest SMC radio pulsar survey. We report the discovery of seven new SMC pulsars, doubling this galaxy’s radio pulsar population and increasing the total extragalactic population by nearly a quarter. We also carried out a search for accelerated millisecond pulsars in the SMC globular cluster NGC 121 using the full array of MeerKAT. This improved the previous upper limit on pulsed radio emission from this cluster by a factor of 6. Our discoveries reveal the first radio pulsar-PWN systems in the SMC, with only one such system previously known outside our Galaxy (the ‘Crab pulsar twin’ in the Large Magellanic Cloud, PSR J0540−6919). We associate the 59 ms pulsar discovery PSR J0040−7337, now the fastest spinning radio pulsar in the SMC, with the bow-shock Pulsar Wind Nebula (PWN) of supernova remnant DEM S5. We also present a new young pulsar with a 79 ms period, PSR J0048−7317, in a PWN recently discovered in a MeerKAT radio continuum image. Using the multibeam capability of MeerKAT, we localized our pulsar discoveries, and two previous Murriyang discoveries, to a positional uncertainty of a few arcseconds.
Identification of A-type supergiants from LAMOST DR5
Authors: Huo Zhenyan , Liu Zhicun , Liu Jiaming , Cui Wenyuan , Liu Chao , Ju Jie , Tian Miao , Feng Shuai , Sun Mingxu , Li Linlin
Published: May 2024

We present a new method for selecting A-type supergiants (A-SGs hereafter) in the LAMOST DR5 data set using the line indices, and identify 40 spectra of 30 A-SG candidates. Based on the analysis of the absolute magnitude of Gaia DR3, SIMBAD data base, ZTF light variation data, and spectral characteristics of A-SGs, we classified the 30 A-SG candidates into 18 A-SGs and 12 A-SG candidates with different levels of credibility. We also subclassify spectral types of 18 A-SGs and 12 A-SG candidates by using human eyes and find a good consistency between our results and those of MKCLASS for most of them. The spatial distribution of 18 A-SGs and 12 A-SG candidates indicates that they are located in the Galactic latitude smaller than 20○. In addition, the distribution of 13 A-SGs and 7 A-SG candidates with reliable Gaia DR3 kinematic parameters in the Toomre diagram indicates that they are located in the Galactic disc, which also suggests that they are young, massive stars. Our selection has worked out well, in that only one A-SG candidate and one A-SG appear to exhibit discrepant kinematics.
Dating Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria with Abundant Eukaryotic Fossils
Authors: Liao Tianhua , Wang Sishuo , Zhang Hao , Stüeken Eva E , Luo Haiwei
Published: May 2024

Evolution of a complete nitrogen (N) cycle relies on the onset of ammonia oxidation, which aerobically converts ammonia to nitrogen oxides. However, accurate estimation of the antiquity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) remains challenging because AOB-specific fossils are absent and bacterial fossils amenable to calibrate molecular clocks are rare. Leveraging the ancient endosymbiosis of mitochondria and plastid, as well as using state-of-the-art Bayesian sequential dating approach, we obtained a timeline of AOB evolution calibrated largely by eukaryotic fossils. We show that the first AOB evolved in marine Gammaproteobacteria (Gamma-AOB) and emerged between 2.1 and 1.9 billion years ago (Ga), thus postdating the Great Oxidation Event (GOE; 2.4 to 2.32 Ga). To reconcile the sedimentary N isotopic signatures of ammonia oxidation occurring near the GOE, we propose that ammonia oxidation likely occurred at the common ancestor of Gamma-AOB and Gammaproteobacterial methanotrophs, or the actinobacterial/verrucomicrobial methanotrophs which are known to have ammonia oxidation activities. It is also likely that nitrite was transported from the terrestrial habitats where ammonia oxidation by archaea took place. Further, we show that the Gamma-AOB predated the anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria, implying that the emergence of anammox was constrained by the availability of dedicated ammonia oxidizers which produce nitrite to fuel anammox. Our work supports a new hypothesis that N redox cycle involving nitrogen oxides evolved rather late in the ocean.
Efficacy of golimumab in rheumatoid arthritis patients at high risk of a poor prognosis: Post hoc analysis of GO-FORTH study using cluster analysis
Authors: Asano Teita , Ishii Yutaka , Tsuchiya Hiroaki , Masuda Junya
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Our objective was to assess the efficacy of golimumab (GLM) in patients with poor prognostic factors (PPFs).

Methods

This is a post hoc analysis of GO-FORTH Phase 2/3 study. Cluster analysis was used to determine a patient population with high-risk patterns based on seven PPFs suggested by the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology recommendations and limited physical function. Radiographic progression, disease activity, and physical function and associated factors were evaluated over 52 weeks.

Results

Overall, 261 rheumatoid arthritis patients were classified into three clusters characterised by high disease activity, high C-reactive protein levels, and limited physical function at baseline. GLM showed suppression of progressive modified total sharp score and decreases in Disease Activity Score 28-joint counts with erythrocyte sedimentation rate and Health Assessment Questionnaire – Disease Index, in all the clusters. In Cluster C that showed almost all the PPF characteristics, a higher rate of change in modified total sharp score ≤0 was observed in GLM 100 mg group than in GLM 50 mg group (63.9% versus 46.5%). C-reactive protein concentration and physical limitation were associated with radiographic progression of Cluster C in GLM treatment.

Conclusions

GLM was effective in rheumatoid arthritis patients in a subpopulation at high risk of PPF in GO-FORTH study. A dose of 100 mg may be more beneficial in preventing radiographic progression in this population.
Seneca's Medea
Authors: Busch Austin
Published: May 2024

Lucius Annaeus Seneca (born around 4 bce in the city now known as Córdoba, Spain), was a philosopher, tragedian, and influential figure in the Roman imperial court during the Julio-Claudian dynasty. He served as advisor to Nero, who ordered his suicide in 65 ce. Seneca’s extant corpus consists of works in a range of genres, from philosophical treatises to verse tragedies. The latter are foundational to the Western literary tradition, for the ten Latin plays attributed to Seneca (eight without serious question; the Hercules Oetaeus and Octavia doubtfully) provide a crucial link between Greek drama and the tragedies of Shakespeare, Corneille, and other early modern playwrights. Medea is characteristic of Senecan drama in terms of its stylized portrayal of extreme violence, its complex and ambiguous engagement with Stoic philosophical ideas, and other features as well. Though it may be based on the eponymous Euripidean tragedy, Seneca’s Medea is hardly derivative and, in fact, few studies devote much energy to probing Euripides’ influence. Seneca’s Medea, both on its own and in combination with his other dramas, poses compelling questions about how and whether to integrate passionate emotion into one’s life as well as laying the foundation for Renaissance revenge tragedy. Accordingly, since the second half of the 20th century, critics have focused not only on the role Seneca’s dramas, including Medea, play in the tragic tradition and related issues of early modern reception, but also on how they incorporate and challenge Stoic philosophy, in particular the elusive concept of the self, constructed as much as innate or discovered according to Seneca’s philosophical writings. Scholars have also considered what Medea has to say about gender, social, and political dynamics, especially against the cultural, ideological, and political backdrop of early imperial Rome. With this play, as with all Senecan tragedy, questions about staging, including the metatheatrical and ethical implications of Medea’s self-consciously spectacular violence, remain open, with important work relevant to these problems continuing to be published. Seneca’s Medea has generated eclectic literary interpretations, and many, even those that may at first glance seem dated, remain compelling. Frequently, scholars treat Seneca’s Medea alongside his other tragedies or in the context of broader analysis of his entire oeuvre. For that reason, some of the works listed deal as much with the Senecan corpus as they do with Medea in particular. Where feasible, this bibliography directs readers to sections most relevant to Medea, but it is not always possible to excise treatment of that tragedy from a scholar’s larger argument.
Global Inequalities
Authors: Clark Rob
Published: May 2024

This collection of studies brings together research covering different forms of economic inequality as they exist in a cross-national perspective. Existing work in this area examines income disparities between countries (often characterized by the familiar North-South gap in development), as well as the distribution of income within countries (as is often summarized by the Kuznets Curve or the Great U-Turn). Some of this work is descriptive, examining how levels of development or inequality vary across countries and/or how these levels change over time. Much of it, however, attempts to identify causal factors that contribute to a country’s economic growth, underdevelopment, or changes in its income distribution. Scholars develop models that either focus on internal conditions (institutions, geography, state policy) or external forces (different forms of economic globalization, including international trade, foreign investment, and aid). There has been considerable debate among scholars as to whether income differences between countries are narrowing (i.e., the convergence literature) or not. Less attention is given to whether income distributions among countries are becoming more similar (convergence in inequality levels). In addition, some scholars combine these two pieces of information (i.e., inequality between and within countries) to study world income inequality, with a similar emphasis on description; causal explanation (examining internal and external factors); and debate over whether or not convergence is occurring. Related work examines how national income inequality influences economic growth, intergenerational mobility, poverty, health, violence, and human rights conditions. Theoretically, excessive inequality is thought to slow growth, hinder mobility, and concentrate a greater number of people below the poverty line. A number of scholars design empirical studies that test these assumptions, however, producing results that often confirm these assumptions, but that also offer qualifications to help nuance these arguments. Finally, scholars are now turning their attention to the distribution of wealth, a more immense type of inequality, but one that remains understudied due to the lack of data coverage across time and space. Although this line of research remains in its infancy, scholars should eventually be able to replicate the vast literature on income inequality with a research agenda focused entirely on the global distribution of wealth (and its components parts that exist within and between countries), as well as related work on intergenerational mobility and household poverty as it pertains to asset accumulation.
Cancer
Authors: Lincoln Martha
Published: May 2024

Cancer describes a group of chronic diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell division that is caused by chromosomal mutations in normal cells. When these genetically abnormal cells proliferate, they may ultimately cause tumors or other pathological changes that are characterized as malignant. Cancers can occur in all tissue types and at all points in the life stage. They may be caused by exposures to carcinogens such as ionizing radiation, by viral and other infections, by the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, by occupational exposures to carcinogenic substances, and by exposure to environmental contaminants such as outdoor air pollution or naturally occurring environmental substances like radon gas. Some cancers are also genetically caused. The prevention and treatment of cancer have long represented important objectives in medicine and public health, with significant advances charted in the understanding of cancer’s biology and pathogenesis over recent decades. The primary modern means of medically treating cancer include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy; in recent decades, immunotherapy has become another approved treatment modality, inspiring hope for continued progress in cancer therapies. Preventing cancer at the population level can be accomplished by interventions at all scales, from individual behaviors (tobacco cessation; limitation or cessation of alcohol consumption) to the implementation of policies that reduce population exposure to environmental carcinogens. An increasingly globally prevalent, frequently costly, potentially disabling illness that individuals may live with for years after diagnosis—as patients in active treatment or “survivors” who have completed treatment (or identifying as “survivors” in either case)—cancer is layered with cultural meanings. The often apparently random quality of an individual diagnosis of cancer can prompt attempts at explanation; laypeople (and others) may attribute cancer to fate or chance, to spiritual origins, to unwise or faulty individual conduct, and/or to the actions of powerful entities like states or corporations. Increasingly, anthropologists and other social scientists recognize cancer not only as a medical diagnosis, but as a profoundly social phenomenon whose experience is often imbricated with cultural and moral significance. By studying the illness experiences of patients and survivors, examining the cultural scripts surrounding the experience of cancer, and investigating how cancer is produced and enacted in diverse settings, social scientists have contributed importantly to understandings of this group of highly prevalent and often medically serious diseases. Yet the anthropological literature on cancer remains unbalanced, having historically overrepresented the experience of female reproductive cancers in North America and Europe and dedicating more limited research attention to other types of cancer and the experience of cancer in other world regions.
African Military History and Historiography
Authors: Decker Alicia C. , Macola Giacomo
Published: May 2024

African military history is currently experiencing something of a boom—a phase of exponential growth marked not only by the foundation of a dedicated new journal (Journal of African Military History) and book series (War and Militarism in African History, Ohio University Press), but also by increasing theoretical and methodological reflection. Two main factors account for this flurry of scholarly interest. Firstly, it must be frankly recognized that the analytical advances that underpinned the broader field of Africanist historiography since the 1960s have only recently begun to make their impact felt on the study of African warfare, which has long struggled to shed the legacies of Eurocentric scholarship. The comparatively late “decolonization” of the subdiscipline explains why much African military history is to be found in works not explicitly advertised as such. These latter studies—or at least the most influential among them—are included in this bibliography so as to provide readers with a sense of the complex (and not necessarily linear) development of the field. No less important is the incontestable fact that armed conflict and other forms of violence continue to represent key aspects of the social experience of large sections of the continent’s population. An increasing awareness of the deep, in some cases precolonial, roots of many of these conflicts has meant that historians have been prompted to bring their skills to bear on some of the most pressing problems faced by the continent. This said, the field still suffers from some limitations. African authors—as this bibliography bears out—are still not as widely represented as they should be, and it is also the case that the postcolonial period remains better served in terms of scholarship than earlier periods. This accounts for the decision to subdivide the relevant section of this bibliography, War and Militarism in Postcolonial Africa, into separate thematic subheadings. The other sections, conversely, only comprise one main heading, or limit themselves to distinguishing between Overviews and Regional/Local Studies.