bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting Short-Term Intensity Change in Tropical Cyclones Using a Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Griffin Sarah M. , Wimmers Anthony , Velden Christopher S.
Published: November 2023

This study details a two-method, machine learning approach to predict current and short-term intensity change in global tropical cyclones (TCs), “D-MINT” and “D-PRINT.” D-MINT and D-PRINT use infrared imagery and environmental scalar predictors, while D-MINT also employs microwave imagery. Results show that current TC intensity estimates from D-MINT and D-PRINT are more skillful than three established intensity estimation methods routinely used by operational forecasters for North Atlantic and eastern and western North Pacific TCs. Short-term intensity predictions are validated against five operational deterministic guidances at 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-h lead times. D-MINT and D-PRINT are less skillful than NHC and consensus TC intensity predictions in North Atlantic and eastern North Pacific TCs, but are more skillful than the other guidances for at least half of the lead times. In western North Pacific, north Indian Ocean, and Southern Hemisphere TCs, D-MINT is more skillful than the JTWC and other individual TC intensity forecasts for over half of the lead times. When probabilistically predicting TC rapid intensification (RI), D-MINT is more skillful in North Atlantic and western North Pacific TCs than three operationally used RI guidances, but less skillful for yes–no RI forecasts. In addition, this work demonstrates the importance of microwave imagery, as D-MINT is more skillful than D-PRINT. Since D-MINT and D-PRINT are convolutional neural network models interrogating two-dimensional structures within TC satellite imagery, this study also demonstrates that those features can yield better short-term predictions than existing scalar statistics of satellite imagery in operational models. Finally, a diagnostics tool is revealed to aid the attribution of the D-MINT/D-PRINT intensity predictions.

Significance Statement

This study develops a method to predict current and short-term forecasts of tropical cyclone (TC) intensity using artificial intelligence. The resultant models use a convolutional neural network (CNN) that can identify two-dimensional features in satellite imagery that are indicative of TC intensity and future intensity change. The performance results indicate that in several TC basins, the CNN approach is generally more skillful than alternative satellite-based estimates of TC intensity as well as operational short-term forecasts of deterministic intensity change and of similar skill to probabilistic rapid intensification forecasts.
Urban Heat Island Vulnerability in the City of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Authors: Moreira Ayobami Badiru , Nóbrega Ranyére Silva , Wanderley Lucas Suassuna de A. , Matzarakis Andreas
Published: November 2023

This study introduces the urban heat island vulnerability index (UHIVI) for Recife, Brazil, the center of the most populated metropolitan area in the Northeast region. The index, encompassing sensitivity, adaptive capacity, and exposure, integrates demographic data through factor analysis to derive a social vulnerability index (SVI). Urban heat island (UHI) intensity data addresses exposure, enabling a comprehensive analysis of both the physical and social dimensions of the city. Results reveal heightened UHI exposure in the city center and coastal areas, correlating with higher urbanization density. However, populations in most areas of these regions demonstrated higher adaptive capacities, translating to lower UHI vulnerability. Conversely, less-discussed areas in traditional UHI approaches, with limited adaptive capacity and heightened sensitivity, emerge, shedding light on previously overlooked urban vulnerabilities. Regions near the city center featuring irregular settlements prove most susceptible to UHI. Illiteracy, aging demographics, and local environmental conditions emerge as the three main factors contributing to UHIVI. The index’s application unveils spatial complexities and inequalities, offering urban planners a nuanced understanding of the city. This comprehensive insight aids in policy development and decision-making, empowering planners to address urban disparities effectively. The UHIVI thus emerges as a valuable tool for understanding the challenges of urban planning, fostering more resilient and equitable urban development.
NATO's Engagement in the Indo-Pacific: Tokyo's Perceptions and Expectations*
Authors: Tsuruoka Michito
Published: November 2023

The war in Ukraine has raised concerns in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in Japan. Tokyo's December 2022 National Security Strategy states that Russia's aggression has “breached the very foundation of the rules that shape the international order” and warns that a similar situation could happen in the Indo-Pacific. The level of connectivity between the European and Asian security theaters seems to be rising, bringing NATO and Japan closer in strategic terms. NATO has increased its engagement in the Indo-Pacific and is becoming more concerned about China's assertive activities in the region and beyond. Yet, there does not seem to be a consensus within the Alliance on what it should do in the Indo-Pacific region. In the meantime, Japan is focusing more on practical cooperation with individual European countries, first and foremost the United Kingdom, for joint training and exercises and defense equipment cooperation.
The dépôt of the Police Prefecture of Paris During the Occupation: French Collaboration in the Nazi Genocidal Policy
Authors: Lehr Johanna
Published: November 2023

The dépôt of the Police Prefecture of Paris, in the heart of the city, was one of the most important places of anti-Jewish repression in France during the Occupation. It was the hub for the deportation of almost a third of the 38,500 deportees domiciled in Paris who were not arrested by the French police during the round-ups, but even more Jews passed through the dépôt without eventually being deported. These arrests were mostly based on the justification of offences committed by Jews against French laws and German orders. From mid-1942, the dépôt gradually evolved from a platform for sorting those arrested with a view to bringing them before a French judge to the main concentration and transfer point for Jews arrested individually to the Drancy internment camp. Yet, despite its importance, the dépôt remains completely unknown. The aim of this article is to present the central role played by the dépôt in the daily anti-Jewish repression that sealed French collaboration with Nazi genocidal policies until the Liberation.
Adoption of New Technology Vaccines
Authors: Zimmermann Laura , Somasundaram Jeeva , Saha Barsha
Published: November 2023

Extensive research has examined the diffusion of innovations for products that can be trialed, and where the most adverse outcome, if a product fails, is a financial loss. However, less research has explored consumer responses to innovations in highly uncertain contexts characterized by health losses, lack of trialability, and the opportunity to free ride on other's adoption. This research focuses on vaccine decision making as a unique case within such contexts and extends the findings to other domains. Four studies (Ntotal = 1,796; five supplementary studies, Ntotal = 643) test the propositions of a formal model that incorporates uncertainty and others' choices into the adoption decision. The results show that consumers are surprisingly averse to products that are described as employing a new technology (e.g., mRNA technology) and require an “efficacy premium” to compensate for higher perceived uncertainty. However, considerable heterogeneity exists due to individual differences in technology readiness, trust in government, and risk attitudes. Notably, despite the prominent threat of free riding, a social proof nudge (communicating increasing population adoption) effectively reduces aversion to new technology. In this context, social proof information does not merely drive conformity or social learning, but instead increases adoption of new technology by alleviating perceived uncertainty.
Predictors of Intention to Vaccinate or Continue to Vaccinate Children Against SARS-CoV-2 During the Fifth Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the USA
Authors: Lackner Christine L. , Wang Charles H.
Published: November 2023

The Centre for Disease Control recommends vaccination of children against SARS-CoV-2 to reduce the severity of COVID-19 disease and reduce the likelihood of associated complications. Vaccination of children requires the consent of parents or guardians, and levels of consent may ebb and flow over the course of the pandemic. This exploratory study examines predictors of parental intentions to vaccinate their children and the speed with which they would have them vaccinated during the fifth wave of the pandemic when vaccines were just being approved for use in children using a convenience sample of 641 parents reporting on 962 children. Multi-level regression analyses demonstrated regional differences in likelihood, with those in the Northeast reporting higher likelihood than those in the West. Parents with a conservative belief system were less likely to want to have their children vaccinated. Parents were more likely to have their child vaccinated if the child had COVID-19-related health risks, their child had a more complete vaccination history, and COVID-19 was perceived to be a greater threat to oneself and one’s family. Faster intended vaccination speed was associated with regional urbanicity, liberal belief systems, more complete vaccination histories, and parental COVID-19 vaccination history. Higher levels of parental anxiety and lower levels of perceived vaccine danger were associated with increased speed. The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic within one’s county was marginally related to speed, but not likelihood. These results underscore the importance of regular assessment of parental intentions across the pandemic, for practitioners to probe parental anxiety levels when discussing vaccination, to explicitly address risk/benefit analyses when communicating with parents, and to target previously routine unvaccinated parents and those in more rural areas to increase vaccine uptake. Comparisons are made with Galanis et al.’s (2022) recent meta-analysis on the topic.
An Observational Study Quantifying the Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 Among Immigrant Adults, 2021 California Health Interview Survey
Authors: Siddiq Hafifa , Teklehaimanot Senait , Williams James
Published: November 2023

Objective:

Substantial data on COVID-19–related morbidity and mortality among medically underserved populations are available, yet data on the social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among immigrants in the United States are limited. We identified COVID-19–related health and social disparities among US immigrants.

Methods:

We analyzed predictors of COVID-19–related health and social outcomes (including ever had or thought had COVID-19, vaccine uptake, risk-reduction behaviors, job loss, childcare difficulties, and difficulty paying rent) during the pandemic by citizenship status, using data from the 2021 California Health Interview Survey. The overall sample size included 24 453 US-born citizens, naturalized citizens, and noncitizens aged ≥18 years. We examined relationships between sociodemographic variables, including immigration-related factors, and COVID-19–related health and social outcomes using descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results:

When accounting for sociodemographic characteristics, noncitizens had higher odds than naturalized and US-born citizens of experiencing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, including difficulty paying rent (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.54; 95% CI, 1.47-2.42) and job loss (aOR = 1.43; 95%, CI, 1.14-1.79). At the bivariate level, noncitizens had the highest rate of ever had or thought had COVID-19 (24.7%) compared with US-born citizens (20.8%) and naturalized citizens (16.8%; all P < .001). Noncitizens also had a significantly higher likelihood of risk-reduction behaviors (eg, always wearing a face covering, getting vaccinated if available) than US-born citizens ( P < .001).

Conclusion:

These findings reveal the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among noncitizens and reflect limited socioeconomic resources, limited access to health care, and precarious employment among noncitizens in California during the pandemic. Citizenship status should be considered a critical immigration-related factor when examining disparities among immigrant populations.
Modeling thermal energy distribution and transmission networks for household consumption through comparative analysis
Authors: Heidariannoghondar Morteza , Ahmadi Abolfazl
Published: November 2023

The high costs of energy supply and variable energy demands in consumption units, especially domestic consumption in different time frames, have accelerated technological developments for the proper use of energy resources to reduce energy consumption. The design of a distribution network for consumption depends on environmental conditions, equipment locations, consumer demands, consumption simultaneity factor, and some other parameters. These factors can mitigate energy loss in transmission networks. This study analyzes effective factors in the thermal energy distribution and transmission systems from generators to household consumers by considering the energy consumption rates in units based on a mathematical model to increase energy consumption in teams and rely on consumption during transmission. For this purpose, energy demands were evaluated in consumption units in a sample one-year project. The results were employed to design an optimal network for transferring energy from generators to consumers by modeling the distribution system. In this study, the thermal energy distribution and transmission network for domestic consumption was assessed and ranked have been assessed and ranked through single-stage distribution (SSD), multistage distribution (MSD), and MSD with the flow bypass method. The results of simulating the MSD system with the flow bypass method indicated the optimal performance of the proposed system in both consumer and generator sectors. This method also reduced fuel consumption by 6.09% and increased electricity consumption of the transmission network by 95% compared with single-stage transmission networks. Moreover, the method yielded a 6.03% reduction in the total cost of energy consumed to provide the thermal load of the building compared with SSD on a yearly basis.
Purely Penal Law: A Reconsideration
Authors: Skotnicki Andrew
Published: November 2023

The concept of purely penal law, as developed by the Spanish Jesuit Francisco Suárez in the early seventeenth century, argues that promulgated law is neither morally binding upon the citizen nor conceived as a moral requirement by legislators. Rather, the law is strictly punitive in its intent and function. The theory, which grants the individual the right to determine law’s rational and moral significance, touched off a heated debate that has been renewed at various times in history yet has not resurfaced since the mid-twentieth century. This article argues for the veracity and legitimacy of the concept in light of contemporary legal and penal dynamics. It also argues that the Catholic Church should take notice of its insights in its understanding of the relationship between church and state.
Creating the spectacular city in everyday life: A governance analysis of urban public space in China
Authors: Flock Ryanne
Published: November 2023

Chinese cities are making a name for themselves through what Guthman calls an ‘accumulation by spectacle’. Studies elucidate the fast change of the urban fabric and the interconnection of commercial profits with pro-state propaganda during mega-events. The spectacle appears as a once-in-lifetime chance for a city, orchestrated during a specific time and in purpose-built venues. This article, however, argues that efforts of spectacularisation expand to everyday life. I take the marginalisation of the urban poor in Guangzhou, that is, street vendors and beggars, as a starting point to understand governmental ideals, strategies and patterns of controlling public space. The data is based on fieldwork, government documents, yearbooks and newspapers. Engaging in the discussion on what Debord termed the ‘society of the spectacle’, I explain how urban management concentrates on areas serving (1) tourism and commerce, (2) memorial politics, (3) government relations and (4) transport and traffic; and follows the pulse of (1) annual events and seasonal holidays, (2) recurring political dates, (3) exceptional mega-events and (4) regular urban development campaigns. These zones and periods of increased control intertwine and culminate in an ‘ideal’ public space excluding poverty and other elements contesting the city’s success images.
A Systematic Review Investigating Associations Between E-Cigarette Use Among Former Cigarette Smokers and Relapse to Smoking Cigarettes
Authors: Kim Mimi M. , Steffensen Isabella , Miguel Red Thaddeus D. , Babic Tanja , Carlone Julien
Published: November 2023

As e-cigarette use has steadily increased over the recent years, the public health interest in the potential implications of e-cigarette use on cigarette smoking has grown in parallel. With strict adherence to PRISMA guidelines, this systematic review examined the potential associations between e-cigarette use and relapse to cigarette smoking among former cigarette smokers. The protocol was registered on November 06, 2018 (PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018115674). Literature searches were executed from January 01, 2007 to August 20, 2022 and search results were screened according to the PICOS review method. One RCT and 10 adjusted studies examined relapse to cigarette smoking (evidence grade “moderate”) among regular e-cigarette users, reporting mixed and inconsistent findings according to varying definitions of e-cigarette use and relapse. Findings were similarly inconsistent among the 8 adjusted studies examining relapse to cigarette smoking among non-regular e-cigarette users. The inconsistency in findings among studies evaluating regular measures of e-cigarette use, combined with the numerous methodological flaws in the overall body of literature, limit the generalizability of results associated with a causal association between e-cigarette use and relapse to cigarette smoking. Based on findings from this review, more robust studies are required to determine whether a causal association exists between e-cigarette use and relapse to cigarette smoking. Future studies should apply consistent measures of regular e-cigarette use to examine causality with future use patterns, and sufficiently account for known or suspected confounding variables to support inform determinations related to e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking behaviors.
When ChatGPT Gives Incorrect Answers: The Impact of Inaccurate Information by Generative AI on Tourism Decision-Making
Authors: Kim Jeong Hyun , Kim Jungkeun , Park Jooyoung , Kim Changju , Jhang Jihoon , King Brian
Published: November 2023

This study investigates how inaccurate information provided by ChatGPT impacts travelers’ acceptance of recommendations. Six experiments were conducted based on the accessibility-diagnosticity framework. These examined the moderating role of the prominence and type of incorrect information and their effects on decision-making. The results show that participants perceived more accuracy and trustworthiness, leading to stronger intentions to visit when incorrect information was absent. However, there was a decline in their intentions to visit when incorrect information was present and more prominent or in the same domain. This effect diminished when multiple domains were involved or when participants were focused on the initial task. The research highlights that both the prominence and type of incorrect information are boundary conditions and provides insights into AI applications in tourism. Furthermore, it offers practical implications for online travel agencies in terms of user interface and user experience design planning.
Primary Plasmablastic Lymphoma of The Paranasal Sinuses: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Zhang Zhijuan , Ma Zheng , Zhang Liping , Zheng Kaizhi , Hou Li
Published: November 2023

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare and highly invasive type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It is usually associated with immunosuppression and human immunodeficiency virus infection. PBL most commonly occurs in the oral cavity, lymph nodes, and in other extranodal sites. However, it rarely originates from bilateral sinuses. Herein, we report the case of a 59-year-old man diagnosed with primary PBL of the sinuses confirmed by endoscopic biopsy, imaging materials, histopathological examination, and immunohistochemistry. The patient underwent 4 cycles of chemotherapy and 22 rounds of radiation therapy for 8 months. Re-examination by sinus computed tomography revealed no obvious tumor tissue in the nasal cavity and sinuses, suggesting that treatment was effective. No local recurrence or distant metastasis was detected at 6-month follow-up after the end of treatment.
Is Anti-totalitarian Theory Still Relevant? The Example of Claude Lefort
Authors: Howard Dick
Published: November 2023

After asking whether the concept of totalitarianism still has a meaning in today’s world, and whether its critique makes political sense, the author turns to the model provided by the two phases of Claude Lefort’s attempts to understand totalitarianism over the past 60 years. He distinguishes two distinct phases; the first is framed by critical Marxism, the second influenced by the phenomenology of the late Merleau-Ponty. The author stresses Lefort’s major works, including the role of his pathbreaking work on Machiavelli, ‘ La critique du totalitarisme et l’invention de la démocratie’, ‘ Un homme en trop’ (on Solzenhitsyn and the Goulag), and ‘ La complication’ (which rejects the oversimplified interpretation of totalitarianism as simply an ideology).
Triangulating natural language processing (NLP)-based analysis of rater comments and many-facet Rasch measurement (MFRM): An innovative approach to investigating raters’ application of rating scales in writing assessment
Authors: Cai Huiying , Yan Xun
Published: November 2023

Rater comments tend to be qualitatively analyzed to indicate raters’ application of rating scales. This study applied natural language processing (NLP) techniques to quantify meaningful, behavioral information from a corpus of rater comments and triangulated that information with a many-facet Rasch measurement (MFRM) analysis of rater scores. The data consisted of ratings on 987 essays by 36 raters (a total of 3948 analytic scores and 1974 rater comments) on a post-admission English Placement Test (EPT) at a large US university. We computed a set of comment-based features based on the analytic components and evaluative language the raters used to infer whether raters were aligned to the scale. For data triangulation, we performed correlation analyses between the MFRM measures of rater performance and the comment-based measures. Although the EPT raters showed overall satisfactory performance, we found meaningful associations between rater comments and performance features. In particular, raters with higher precision and fit to what the Rasch model predicts used more analytic components and used evaluative language more similar to the scale descriptors. These findings suggest that NLP techniques have the potential to help language testers analyze rater comments and understand rater behavior.
Small-group vocabulary intervention combining elements from shared book Reading and the Lexicon pirate method – A pilot study of multilingual children with speech, language and communication needs
Authors: Sundström Simon , Höglund Moa , Sällberg Rebecca , Walsö Hanna
Published: November 2023

Multilingual children living in areas with low socioeconomic status (SES) are at an increased risk of having speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). Many multilingual children with SLCN in Sweden have insufficient basic vocabulary knowledge in the majority language, preventing them from achieving the school's learning goals. However, there is a lack of studies of interventions that could improve vocabulary development in this group, and that can be delivered in an everyday educational setting. This pilot study evaluates the effect of a school-based vocabulary group intervention, which combines elements from shared book reading and the Lexicon Pirate method, on vocabulary skills. A non-randomised pretest–posttest control group design was used. Eighteen six- to seven-year-old multilingual children attending preschool class in low SES areas either received intervention (n = 9) or were included in a control group (n = 9). The intervention group participated in 12 intervention sessions over six weeks. Word knowledge, semantic fluency, and comprehension of semantic relations were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Results revealed that children in the intervention group demonstrated significant gains in knowledge of both trained and untrained words, compared to the control group. No effects were found on semantic fluency or comprehension of semantic relations.
Application of diffusional kurtosis imaging for insights into structurally aberrant topology in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Zhu Siying , Wang Lijuan , Lv Xiang , Xu Yao , Dou Weiqiang , Zhang Hongying , Ye Jing
Published: November 2023

Background

Parkinson's disease (PD) has been regarded as a disconnection syndrome with functional and structural disturbances. However, as the anatomic determinants, the structural disconnections in PD have yet to be fully elucidated.

Purpose

To non-invasively construct structural networks based on microstructural complexity and to further investigate their potential topological abnormalities in PD given the technical superiority of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) to the quantification of microstructure.

Material and Methods

The microstructural data of gray matter in both the PD group and the healthy control (HC) group were acquired using DKI. The structural networks were constructed at the group level by a covariation approach, followed by the calculation of topological properties based on graph theory and statistical comparisons between groups.

Results

A total of 51 patients with PD and 50 HCs were enrolled. Individuals were matched between groups with respect to demographic characteristics ( P >0.05). The constructed structural networks in both the PD and HC groups featured small-world properties. In comparison with the HC group, the PD group exhibited significantly altered global properties, with higher normalized characteristic path lengths, clustering coefficients, local efficiency values, and characteristic path lengths and lower global efﬁciency values ( P <0.05). In terms of nodal centralities, extensive nodal disruptions were observed in patients with PD ( P <0.05); these disruptions were mainly distributed in the sensorimotor network, default mode network, frontal-parietal network, visual network, and subcortical network.

Conclusion

These findings contribute to the technical application of DKI and the elucidation of disconnection syndrome in PD.
Improvement in post-orthodontic chronic musculoskeletal pain after local anesthetic injections in the trigeminal area: a case series
Authors: Vinyes David , Traverso Paula Hermosilla , Murillo Julia Hartley , Sánchez-Padilla Maider , Muñoz-Sellart Montserrat
Published: November 2023

Orthodontic treatment has been associated with chronic extraoral pain that is often resistant to common treatments such as drugs or physiotherapy, adversely affecting patients’ quality of life. In this case series, we discuss the potential impact of orthodontics on chronic cervical spine pain or gonalgia and explore the long-term effect of local anesthetic injections as a possible therapeutic intervention. Six orthodontic patients with chronic cervical spine pain or gonalgia that substantially affected their quality of life were treated with injections of 0.5% procaine into individual lesions and at palpable points of tissue tension in the oral mucosa and extraoral myofascial areas. All patients in this case series reported significant improvement in their chronic pain, with no residual pain recorded at the 6-month follow-up. Injecting local anesthetic at stress points in the oral mucosal and extraoral myofascial regions may be an effective treatment for post-orthodontic neck and knee pain. Further research is required to better understand the potential benefits of this intervention for patients experiencing orthodontic-related musculoskeletal pain.
Structure–activity relationships and interindividual variability of drug responses: pharmacogenomics with antimicrobial drugs as a paradigm
Authors: Thabet Romany H. , Alshar Bayan Osama Shehadeh , Alabdallah Doaa Habes Saleh , Alhmoud Nour Alhuda Zaid Ahmad , Alslameen Sondos Taher Abdalsalam , Thabet Youssef Romany Helmy
Published: November 2023

Adverse drug reactions represent a major health burden because they cause notable patient morbidity and mortality. From this viewpoint, several strategies have been developed to prevent or reduce adverse drug reactions. One such strategy is the use of pharmacogenomics. Interindividual variability in drug response and adverse effects is mainly attributable to genetic variation in enzymes such as sulfotransferases and cytochrome P450s. The current narrative review discusses the relationship between the structure and activity of drugs. Specifically, the activity of drugs can be increased and/or their adverse effects can be reduced by altering specific positions in their structures.
Using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to selectively modulate the face inversion effect and N170 event-related potentials
Authors: Civile Ciro , Waguri Emika , McLaren I.P.L.
Published: November 2023

We report a large study ( n = 72) using combined transcranial direct current stimulation-electroencephalography (tDCS-EEG) to investigate the modulation of perceptual learning indexed by the face inversion effect. Participants were engaged with an old/new recognition task involving intermixed upright and inverted, normal and Thatcherized faces. The accuracy results showed anodal tDCS delivered at the Fp3 scalp area (cathode/reference electrode placed at Fp2) increased the behavioural inversion effect for normal faces versus sham/control and this covaried with a modulation of the N170 event-related potential component. A reduced inversion effect for normal faces was found on the N170 latency and amplitude versus sham/control, extending recent work that combined tDCS and EEG in circumstances where the behavioural face inversion effect was reduced. Our results advance understanding of the neural mechanisms responsible for perceptual learning by revealing a dissociation between the N170 amplitude and latency in response to the tDCS-induced modulation of the face inversion effect. The behavioural modulation of the inversion effect tracks the modulation of the N170 amplitudes, albeit it is negatively correlated (i.e., reduced inversion effect—larger N170 amplitude inversion effect, increased inversion effect—reduced N170 amplitude inversion effect). For the N170 latencies, the inversion effect is reduced by the tDCS protocol we use irrespective of any modulation of the behavioural inversion effect.
From Buffon to Coleridge: Sociability and Humanity in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Comparative Anatomy
Authors: Page-Jones Kimberley
Published: November 2023

This article investigates the redefinition of human and animal sociabilities in the light of comparative anatomy. Linnaeus's classification questioned and redrew the frontiers of humanity, raising new debates on what makes a being human, who or what is entitled to humanity, what corrupts humanity, and why some beings degenerate. Enlightenment anthropology, as a new science accommodating itself to philosophical inquiry, became an ideological battleground on which two representations of man's degeneracy were fought out. Was human depravity the consequences of consumption, luxury, and social needs that increasingly characterised European cultures in the eighteenth century, or was it to be understood as a result of physical degeneration, that is, alienation from the civilised world? The natural man, whether as an imaginary state or embodied in ‘wild' creatures, crystallised the anxiety about degeneration and natural forces acting upon bodies and organisms. To ring-fence humanity and distinguish it from the lower orders of nature, typically human attributes were constructed in comparative anatomy discourses. Reason, language and sociality came to characterise human behaviours while animals were deprived of any ‘social’ faculties. Through analogy, the human social group was often compared to insect communities or animal herds, clusters or shoals, yet these animal or insect assemblages were systematically studied from an anthropocentric perspective. The article weaves seemingly disparate discourses - the writings of the Comte de Buffon, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Lord Monboddo, Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, William Lawrence and Samuel Taylor Coleridge - into a dialogue and debate that decisively defined the nature of human and animal sociabilities.
Interpersonal and Computer-Mediated Competence for Prejudice Reduction: Learning to Interact Digitally and Physically During the Pandemic
Authors: Bouchillon B. C.
Published: November 2023

As racial and ethnic diversity have increased in America, prejudice too has expanded. Citizens are more wary of immigrants, with attitudes toward Asian immigrants in particular worsening during COVID-19. Yet less is known about the prejudice directed at other immigrant groups during this period, with research suggesting that feeling capable of interacting with new people could reduce misgivings about diversity. A web survey was conducted in April of 2020 to test the potential for digital and physical social competence to improve attitudes toward Mexican immigrants, as the largest immigrant group in the United States ( N = 665). Interpersonal competence was inversely associated with prejudice toward Mexican immigrants, with interpersonal skills such as attentiveness, expressiveness, and mindfulness being especially valuable for prejudice reduction. Computer-mediated communication competence was indirectly associated with feeling less prejudiced, through interpersonal competence, and social presence also moderated the conversion of CMC competence into interpersonal competence, diminishing prejudice even further. Digital social capabilities encourage admiration and sympathy for immigrants by making users feel more capable of interacting with them locally. Networked settings now have the potential to train dissimilar users to interact together in person, as a way of reducing prejudice.
“A different sense of what we do here, who we are and what we deliver”: Provider perspectives on the effects of a change in governance of healthcare services in correctional facilities in British Columbia
Authors: McLeod Katherine E , Buxton Jane A , Martin Ruth Elwood
Published: November 2023

In 2017, British Columbia (BC) transferred responsibility for healthcare services in provincial correctional facilities from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to the Ministry of Health. This study explored how healthcare leadership perceived the impact of the transfer on services, work-life, and job satisfaction. We conducted one-on-one interviews ( n = 8) with healthcare managers and medical and administrative leadership within Correctional Health Services. Using the Two-Factor theory of job satisfaction as a framework, we applied Interpretive Description methodology to analyse interview data. Participants identified changes to four areas of the working environment: (1) staffing, equipment, and resources (2) systems of supervision and support (3) standards, policies, and quality improvement and (4) culture and orientation. These changes predominantly affected motivational factors of job satisfaction and were described as enriching the roles of managers and staff. Participants described improved autonomy and recognition of providers, increased quality of services delivered, and a shift toward patient-centred care. The perspectives of healthcare leaders provide new insight into the potential impact of transferring healthcare services in custody to a public healthcare system. Discussion of changes and their affects also provide practical learning for jurisdictions seeking to improve healthcare under a variety of governance and service-delivery models.
Effects of Renin–Angiotensin System Inhibitors on Atrial Mechanics Parameters in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Peraza-Zaldivar Juan A. , Ponce-Guarneros Juan M. , Cardona-Muñoz Ernesto G. , Esparza-Guerrero Yussef , Saldaña-Cruz Ana M. , González-Vazquez Sergio A. , Gonzalez-Lopez Laura , Gamez-Nava Jorge I. , Rodriguez-Jimenez Norma A.
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with abnormalities in atrial mechanics, atrial remodeling, and an increased risk of heart rhythm disorders. One of the most commonly used approaches to the prevention of cardiac remodeling in arterial hypertension is the administration of renin–angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of RAS inhibitors on atrial mechanics parameters in patients with MS.

Methods and materials

This longitudinal observational study included 55 patients with hypertension and MS, as defined by the ATP III criteria. The patients were evaluated at the start of antihypertensive treatment with an RAS inhibitor. The patients’ clinical characteristics, chosen pharmacological treatment, and transthoracic echocardiography findings were recorded at baseline and 6 months thereafter. A student's dependent sample t-test was used for comparisons between groups. Pearson correlation was used to evaluate the relationships between variables.

Results

Patients with MS had higher peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) values at 6 months than at baseline. Meanwhile, systolic strain and peak late strain rates were lower at follow-up than at baseline. The different antihypertensive treatments had comparable effects on the PALS changes during the follow-up period. Higher high-density lipoprotein levels at baseline were correlated with changes in PALS.

Conclusion

The administration of RAS inhibitors improved atrial mechanics parameters in the early stages of antihypertensive management in MS.
Rent Control for Homeowners? Acquisition-Value Assessments and Housing Costs
Authors: Strickland James M. , Overstreet Dallin
Published: November 2023

We assess the effects of two citizen-initiated proposals on housing costs in California and Florida. In 1978, voters in California approved of Proposition 13. In 1992, voters in Florida approved a similar measure, the “Save Our Homes” amendment. Both proposals instituted acquisition-value assessments: for tax purposes, real property is assessed based on its value at acquisition. We argue that such assessment practices should inflate home costs by spurring demand immediately (via property-tax capitalization) and reducing supply gradually. Effects on supply occur due to the locking-in of residents and land-use fiscalization. Using synthetic-control analyses, we find that Proposition 13 increased home costs in California after 1993 when local costs diverged from national trends, but no effect occurred in Florida prior to 2008. At its peak, the variable effect of Proposition 13 increased California residential value added by more than 50 percent.
Pyometra alters the redox status and expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors in the uterus of domestic cats
Authors: Nascimento Acácia Eduarda de Jesus , Santos Luciano Cardoso , Santos Bianca Reis , Santos Emilly Oliveira , Cunha Maria Clara da Silva Galrão , Snoeck Paola Pereira das Neves , de Lavor Mário Sérgio Lima , Silva Juneo Freitas
Published: November 2023

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression profile of sex steroid receptors and redox mediators in the uterus of domestic cats with pyometra.

Methods

Twelve cats were used and divided into groups: (1) non-gestational healthy diestrus (n = 7) and (2) pyometra (n = 5). The plasma profiles of estradiol and progesterone (P4) as well as uterine expression levels of estradiol alpha (ERα), progesterone (PR) and androgen (AR) receptors, of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), catalase and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1), and of the oxidative damage marker 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were evaluated.

Results

Cats with pyometra showed higher plasma P4 levels and increased uterine messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression of ERα and PR, mainly in the glandular epithelium for ERα and in stromal and myometrial cells for PR. In addition, there was an increase in 8-OHdG immunostaining and GPX1 mRNA and protein expression in cats with pyometra compared with those in non-gestational diestrus, while catalase showed a reduction in endometrial immunostaining in cats with pyometra. There were no differences in uterine AR and SOD1 expression between the groups.

Conclusion and relevance

The findings of this study showed that pyometra is associated with oxidative stress in the uterus of domestic cats and alterations of the profile of sex steroid receptors, especially ERα and PR, and of antioxidant enzymes, suggesting that changes in these mediators may play a role with the etiopathogenesis of this disease.
Untrained Bystanders Administering Drone-Delivered Naloxone: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Adams Nicole , Kong Nan , Tian Renran , Altidor Christelle , Chang Shen
Published: November 2023

Introduction:

Opioid overdose deaths continue to climb in the United States. Administering naloxone to an overdose victim can save their life, but rapid access to naloxone remains a barrier. Delivering naloxone to a bystander using a drone has potential to increase naloxone availability but there are still many uncertainties about this mode of delivery. Can an untrained bystander to an opioid overdose successfully administer drone delivered naloxone after viewing video instructions on the drone and how long does it take?

Methods:

This mixed-methods observational study, conducted in a controlled outdoor environment, simulated an opioid overdose using a mannequin (overdose victim) and panicked bystander. Untrained and medically naïve participants were instructed to call for help, move the drone from the landing spot to the mannequin, and follow the instructions provided by the drone to administer naloxone. Data was collected using video recordings, interviews, and an online survey. Time stamp data was extracted from the video for 2 time points: time for removing the naloxone from the drone and time to administer the naloxone. Interviews were audio recorded and analyzed using an inductive concept analysis approach. One interview question was coded as a binary response of anxiety/no anxiety and added to the demographic data.

Results:

The average time to remove and administer naloxone was 62 seconds. Anxiety during the activity was reported by 59% of the participants but there was no correlation between anxiety and time. The design of our drone and instructional video can be improved.

Conclusions:

We have established baseline times for completing steps in administering naloxone delivered by drone. We were able to successfully induce anxiety and have a baseline measure for what percentage of untrained bystanders may experience anxiety when involved with an emergency situation. Design of instructional materials and drone construction can contribute to anxiety and successful administration of naloxone.
Recovering Individuals’ Feelings About Addict and Alcoholic as Stigmatized Terms: Implications for Treatment
Authors: Hassett-Walker Connie
Published: November 2023

Background:

The current emphasis among addiction treatment providers is to use person-first language, such as “a person with a substance use disorder,” as a way to reduce stigma around addiction and resulting barriers to treatment. This study considers how individuals recovering from substance use feel about the terms “alcoholic” and “addict,” particularly how they self-identify and whether they believe the terms carry stigma.

Method:

Thirty-five individuals were interviewed, recruited primarily, but not exclusively, from 12-step meetings (Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous), from 3 locations throughout a rural New England state. Interviews were transcribed and coded in Atlas Ti qualitative analysis software, and a content analysis of text coded with “stigma” was conducted.

Results:

Some comments reflected a belief that the terms “addict” and “alcoholic” carry a stigma. However, more comments rejected the notion of these being stigmatized terms; or acknowledged the stigma but reflected the subject’s lack of internalizing of any stigma. Comments reflected other themes including a sense of pride, identity and ownership when self-identifying as an addict or alcoholic. Several comments suggested that person-first language is part of a larger movement to “soften everything,” without changing the underlying condition (addiction). The findings may reflect the fact that subjects were recruited from 12-step programs, where the convention is to self-identity using the terms “alcoholic” and/or “addict.”

Conclusions:

Some individuals seeking treatment for addiction may prefer self-identifying using old-school terminology (addict, alcoholic) rather than person-first language, for a variety of reasons (eg, they do not internalize the stigma of such terms).
Effect of Smoking and Grilling on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ghanaian Tilapia
Authors: Dwumfour-Asare Bismark , Dartey Emmanuel , Adherr Nomolox Solomon Kofi , Sarpong Kofi , Asare Emmanuel Agyapong
Published: November 2023

The study assessed 18 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in O. niloticus (Nile tilapia) sampled from an aquaculture cage (farm) and a wild catch. The PAHs in fish samples were analysed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Four PAHs (in order of levels: Indeno [1,2,3-cd] pyrene > Anthracene > Perylene > Pyrene; 100-0.8 µg/kg) and only one PAH (Pyrene: 4 µg/kg) were detected in raw samples from the cage and wild catch respectively. Chargrilling significantly increased Pyrene levels after cooking (wild: 4-11 µg/kg; cage: 5-23 µg/kg, p < .05), and likewise Anthracene levels in cage samples (13-153 µg/kg) but decreased Indeno [1,2,3-cd] pyrene levels from 100 ± 20 to 1.2 ± 0.2 µg/kg in cage samples. Smoking significantly increased 13 to 15 PAH congeners’ levels (from < 1.0 up to 340 µg/kg) and total PAHs (wild: 4 to 840 µg/kg; cage: 110 to 560 µg/kg), and decreased Indeno [1,2,3-cd] pyrene (100 to 1.3 µg/kg) in cage samples but showed no effect on Benzo [g, h, i] perylene and Dibenzo [a, h] anthracene levels in all samples. For smoked samples, Benzo [a] pyrene and PAH4 (Benzo [a] anthracene, Chrysene, Benzo [b] fluoranthene, and Benzo [a] pyrene) exceeded the respective maximum permissible limits of 2 µg/kg and 12 µg/kg, and significantly influenced the levels of carcinogenic PAHs (CPAH, 135-170 µg/kg). Nevertheless, the Excess Cancer Risk (ECR) estimates, from a conservative approach, were far below the threshold (10−4), implying that consuming smoked or grilled tilapia from the study site is safe.