bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Construction of Rosenbrock–Wanner method Rodas5P and numerical benchmarks within the Julia Differential Equations package
Authors: Steinebach Gerd
Published: April 2023

Rosenbrock–Wanner methods for systems of stiff ordinary differential equations are well known since the seventies. They have been continuously developed and are efficient for differential-algebraic equations of index-1, as well. Their disadvantage that the Jacobian matrix has to be updated in every time step becomes more and more obsolete when automatic differentiation is used. Especially the family of Rodas methods has proven to be a standard in the Julia package DifferentialEquations. However, the fifth-order Rodas5 method undergoes order reduction for certain problem classes. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to compute a new set of coefficients for Rodas5 such that this order reduction is reduced. The procedure is similar to the derivation of the methods Rodas4P and Rodas4P2. In addition, it is possible to provide new dense output formulas for Rodas5 and the new method Rodas5P. Numerical tests show that for higher accuracy requirements Rodas5P always belongs to the best methods within the Rodas family.
Gender differences in alternating-offer bargaining: an experimental study
Authors: Hernandez-Arenaz Iñigo , Iriberri Nagore
Published: April 2023

A laboratory study was carried out to analyze the relationship between ambiguity regarding the sharing norms in structured alternating-offer bargaining and gender differences in bargaining. Symmetric environments, where a 50:50 split emerges as the unique sensible norm, showed the lowest ambiguity and gender differences are absent. We increased ambiguity by introducing asymmetries into the bargaining environment by making one bargaining party get a higher share than the other (due to empowerment, entitlement or informational asymmetries), but without imposing new sharing norms. In these situations, men are less likely to reach an agreement, but, when they do, they obtain a larger share of the pie. As a result, men and women show similar overall earnings but earnings are lower when bargaining with men. We find suggestive evidence that gender differences diminish when we reduce ambiguity regarding the sharing norms by providing information about other participants’ agreements in asymmetric environments.
Applications of Transitiometry: Determination of Thermophysical Properties and Decomposition Kinetics of Peroxide(Mixtures) Under High-Pressure
Authors: Albus Svenja , Nowottny Jonas , Sartorius Jana , Busch Markus
Published: April 2023

Scanning transitiometry is an important calorimetric method co-invented by Jean-Pierre E. Grolier and Stanisław L. Randzio. Transitiometry enables to measure highly sensitive under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions. Nowadays, process modelling is a tool of increasing importance beyond the process of understanding process dynamics. For a valid modelling approach, a reliable data base at process conditions is required. Many processes are carried out at high temperature and pressure. Under such harsh conditions, comparatively few methods can be applied and thus limited kinetic parameters are known. Therefore, extrapolated values from low-pressure data are often utilized. Transitiometry can reduce this data gap for thermophysical properties such as heat capacity, thermal expansion coefficient and isothermal compressibility. In this paper, an overview about the method evaluation to determine thermophysical properties under high pressure using transitiometry is given. Additionally, an oversight is provided of the investigation of the decomposition kinetics of peroxides and their mixtures as another application area of high-pressure calorimetry.
Ergodic Theory of Multi-layer Interacting Particle Systems
Authors: Redig Frank , van Wiechen Hidde
Published: April 2023

We consider a class of multi-layer interacting particle systems and characterize the set of ergodic probability measures with finite moments. The main technical tool is duality combined with successful coupling.
A note on noncompact collectively coincidence point theory
Authors: O’Regan Donal
Published: April 2023

In this paper we present a variety of collectively fixed point and coincidence point results where the maps are not necessarily compact. Our arguments are based on a very general fixed point result in the literature.
The longitudinal relation between executive functioning and multilayer network topology in glioma patients
Authors: van Lingen Marike R. , Breedt Lucas C. , Geurts Jeroen J.G. , Hillebrand Arjan , Klein Martin , Kouwenhoven Mathilde C.M. , Kulik Shanna D. , Reijneveld Jaap C. , Stam Cornelis J. , De Witt Hamer Philip C. , Zimmermann Mona L.M. , Santos Fernando A.N. , Douw Linda
Published: April 2023

Many patients with glioma, primary brain tumors, suffer from poorly understood executive functioning deficits before and/or after tumor resection. We aimed to test whether frontoparietal network centrality of multilayer networks, allowing for integration across multiple frequencies, relates to and predicts executive functioning in glioma. Patients with glioma (n = 37) underwent resting-state magnetoencephalography and neuropsychological tests assessing word fluency, inhibition, and set shifting before (T1) and one year after tumor resection (T2). We constructed binary multilayer networks comprising six layers, with each layer representing frequency-specific functional connectivity between source-localized time series of 78 cortical regions. Average frontoparietal network multilayer eigenvector centrality, a measure for network integration, was calculated at both time points. Regression analyses were used to investigate associations with executive functioning. At T1, lower multilayer integration (p = 0.017) and epilepsy (p = 0.006) associated with poorer set shifting (adj. R2 = 0.269). Decreasing multilayer integration (p = 0.022) and not undergoing chemotherapy at T2 (p = 0.004) related to deteriorating set shifting over time (adj. R2 = 0.283). No significant associations were found for word fluency or inhibition, nor did T1 multilayer integration predict changes in executive functioning. As expected, our results establish multilayer integration of the frontoparietal network as a cross-sectional and longitudinal correlate of executive functioning in glioma patients. However, multilayer integration did not predict postoperative changes in executive functioning, which together with the fact that this correlate is also found in health and other diseases, limits its specific clinical relevance in glioma.
Contemporary Diagnosis and Management of Patients with MINOCA
Authors: Parwani Purvi , Kang Nicolas , Safaeipour Mary , Mamas Mamas A. , Wei Janet , Gulati Martha , Naidu Srihari S. , Merz Noel Bairey
Published: April 2023

Purpose of Review

Myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is defined as acute myocardial infarction (MI) with angiographically no obstructive coronary artery disease or stenosis ≤ 50%. MINOCA is diagnostically challenging and complex, making it difficult to manage effectively. This condition accounts for 6–8% of all MI and poses an increased risk of morbidity and mortality after diagnosis. Prompt recognition and targeted management are essential to improve outcomes and our understanding of this condition, but this process is not yet standardized. This article offers a comprehensive review of MINOCA, delving deep into its unique clinical profile, invasive and noninvasive diagnostic strategies for evaluating MINOCA in light of the lack of widespread availability for comprehensive testing, and current evidence surrounding targeted therapies for patients with MINOCA.

Recent Findings

MINOCA is not uncommon and requires comprehensive assessment using various imaging modalities to evaluate it further.

MINOCA is a heterogenous working diagnosis that requires thoughtful approach to diagnose the underlying disease responsible for MINOCA further.
Easy does it: pressing the right buttons in public access to documents of the EU
Authors: Rossi Leonor
Published: April 2023

This article makes two claims regarding what is relevant in 2022 to the future of Regulation 1049/2001. The first is that an about-turn in the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has partly altered the formal scope of the EU policy concerning public access to documents (PAD) from document to information (PAI). This change in scope affects documents included in digital databases or other documents held in digital form but not the acquis regarding printed-on-paper documents. Second, we observe an uncomfortable stasis currently affecting both the EU judiciary and the Ombudsman. On the one hand, the judiciary remains imprisoned, without an alternative, within the bounds of insufficient remedial depth, i.e., concerning the action for annulment. Conversely, regarding the Ombudsman’s role, classical recommendations have proved insufficient to drive EU access policy. Interestingly, in reaction to suggestions that binding powers be considered for the Ombudsman, even the current head of this institution demurs. Such a proposal carries an inherent serious risk of cognitive dissonance between the EU framework and national frameworks.
Social interaction anxiety, social phobia, and cognitive control: controlled reactions to facial affect during an emotional face flanker task
Authors: du Rocher Andrew R. , Pickering Alan D.
Published: April 2023

Trait social anxiety may predict differences in the cognitive control of emotional distraction when emotional face discrimination is required. This effect can be investigated using an emotional face flanker task. This study addresses an important research gap, as previous studies did not separate the effects of trait social interaction anxiety from the effects of trait social phobia upon emotional face flanker task performance. In this laboratory based behavioural experiment, the 87 participants (mean age 24.3) were university students or staff recruited via departmental adverts. We used an emotional (happy versus fearful) face flanker task, and assessed sub-clinical social anxiety with the SIAS/SPS. Elevated trait social phobia was related to an increased reaction time (RT) congruency effect, whereas trait social interaction anxiety was not. Elevated trait social interaction anxiety was related to a decreased happy face RT advantage for central target faces, but the effect of trait social phobia was very weak. Trait social interaction anxiety and trait social phobia may predict subtle differences when the cognitive control of reactions to emotional facial expressions is required.
Samenvatting van het Kinderdeel van de ‘Richtlijn overgewicht en obesitas bij volwassenen en kinderen. Diagnostiek, ondersteuning en zorg voor mensen met obesitas of overgewicht in combinatie met risicofactoren en/of comorbiditeit’
Authors: Seidell Jaap C. , Halberstadt Jutka
Published: April 2023

Samenvatting

Dit artikel bevat een samenvatting van en achtergrondinformatie over het in 2022 verschenen kinderdeel van de nieuwe overkoepelende multidisciplinaire richtlijn rond diagnostiek, ondersteuning en zorg voor mensen met overgewicht en obesitas. Deze richtlijn, waarvan het deel over volwassenen in 2023 verschijnt, is bestemd voor alle hulp- en zorgverleners die betrokken zijn bij de ondersteuning en zorg voor mensen met obesitas of overgewicht in combinatie met risicofactoren en/of comorbiditeit, en voor degenen die zorgdragen voor de organisatie en bekostiging van de benodigde ondersteuning en zorg.

De kernboodschap van het kinderdeel van de nieuwe richtlijn is in lijn met het Landelijk model ketenaanpak voor kinderen met overgewicht en obesitas uit 2018 en ook met gerelateerde richtlijnen en zorgstandaarden: het behandelaanbod dient aan te sluiten bij de wensen, behoeften en mogelijkheden van kind en gezin. Voorafgaand aan de behandeling is het daarom belangrijk om niet alleen inzicht te krijgen in (bio)medische factoren, maar ook in psychosociale factoren (kenmerken van het kind, het gezin en de context waarin zij leven) en leefstijlfactoren (voeding, bewegen en slapen).

Bij de behandeling van kinderen en volwassenen is het bovendien belangrijk om een ketenaanpak/netwerkaanpak te hanteren die is ingebed in een integrale aanpak en die ook inzet op preventie gericht op een gezonde leefomgeving voor iedereen.
Rehabilitation Exercise Using a Smart-Bar Device with Augmented Reality Guide Function
Authors: Nam Yeon-Gyo , Park Sung Yun , Kwon Bum Sun
Published: April 2023

Background

Smart-bar device (SBD) is a newly developed device to measure the body range of motion (ROM) by a kinetic sensor and to provide an exercise program with augmented reality (AR) guidance of body-frame image and audio feedback by mobile application.

Objective

This study aims to compare the performance of SBD with AR function with a goniometer and to verify the clinical utility of SBD with AR guide function`

Methods

Ten healthy individuals were enrolled and measured the ROM of body lateral flexion, extension, and rotation using a goniometer and SBD simultaneously. To evaluate the accuracy of an AR-guided exercise, we enrolled three patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and measured the ROM of trunk lateral flexion and rotation during stretching exercises using SBD with or without AR guidance.

Results

Concurrent validity between the goniometer and SBD was statistically significant, with a very high correlation coefficient from r = 0.836–0.988 (p < 0.05). All patients with scoliosis showed higher accuracy when we used SBD with AR guidance than when we used SBD without AR guidance (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The SBD could be a valid device to measure the joint angle of neck, shoulder, and trunk. AR guidance increased the accuracy of the stretching exercise, and mobile application of AR-guided stretching exercises with SBD should be useful for scoliosis patients to correct their posture.
Hydrogeological modeling of the Roussillon coastal aquifer (France): stochastic inversion and analysis of future stresses
Authors: Schorpp Ludovic , Dall’Alba Valentin , Renard Philippe , Lanini Sandra , Caballero Yvan
Published: April 2023

Global climate change-induced stresses on coastal water resources include water use restrictions, saline intrusions, and permanently modifying or damaging regional resources. Groundwater in coastal regions is often the only freshwater resource available, so an in-depth understanding of the aquifer, and the aquifer’s response to climate change, is essential for decision-makers. In this study, we focus on the coastal aquifer of Roussillon (southern France) by developing and investigating a steady-state groundwater flow model (MODFLOW 6) and calibrated with PEST++ on a Python interface (FloPy and PyEmu). Model input and boundary conditions are constrained by various scenarios of climate projections by 2080, with model results predicting the aquifer’s response (and associated uncertainty) to these external forcings. Using simple assumptions of intrusion estimates, model results highlight both strong climatic and anthropogenic impacts on the water table. These include aquifer drawdowns reaching several meters locally, and the seawater interface advancing locally several hundred meters inland and rising by several meters. Intrusions of this magnitude risk endangering exploited water wells and their sustainability. Our results demonstrate the critical importance of properly characterizing the geology and its heterogeneity for understanding aquifers at risk because poor predictions may lead to inappropriate decisions, putting critical resources at risk, particularly in coastal environments.
EBUNet: a fast and accurate semantic segmentation network with lightweight efficient bottleneck unit
Authors: Shen Siyuan , Zhai Zhengjun , Yu Guanfeng , Yan Youyu , Dai Wei
Published: April 2023

It has been difficult to achieve a suitable balance between effectiveness and efficiency in lightweight semantic segmentation networks in recent years. The goal of this work is to present an efficient and reliable semantic segmentation method called EBUNet, which is aimed at achieving a favorable trade-off between inference speed and prediction accuracy. Initially, we develop an Efficient Bottleneck Unit (EBU) that employs depth-wise convolution and depth-wise dilated convolution to obtain adequate features with moderate computation costs. Then, we developed a novel Image Partition Attention Module (IPAM), which divides feature maps into subregions and generates attention weights based on them. As a third step, we developed a novel lightweight attention decoder with which to retrieve spatial information effectively. Extensive experiments show that our EBUNet achieves 73.4% mIou and 152 FPS on the Cityscapes dataset and 72.2% mIoU and 147 FPS on the Camvid dataset with only 1.57 M parameters. The results of the experiment confirm that the proposed model is capable of making a decent trade-off in terms of accuracy, inference, and model size. The source code of our EBUNet is available at (https://github.com/Skybird1101/EBUNet).
Biochar Amendment Increases C and N Retention in the Soil–Plant Systems: Its Implications in Enhancing Plant Growth and Water-Use Efficiency Under Reduced Irrigation Regimes of Maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Wan Heng , Chen Yiting , Cui Bingjing , Liu Xuezhi , Hou Jingxiang , Wei Zhenhua , Liu Jie , Liu Fulai
Published: April 2023

Biochar influences soil
biophysicochemical processes and nutrient availability, yet the effects of different biochar and soil water dynamics on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) retention in the soil–plant systems remain unknown. Maize plants were grown in split-root pots filled with clay loam soil amended with wheat straw pellet biochar (WSP) and softwood pellet biochar (SWP) at 2% (w/w) and were either irrigated daily to 90% of water-holding capacity (FI) or irrigated with 70% volume of water used for FI to the whole root-zone (DI) or alternately to half root-zone (PRD) from the fourth leaf to grain-filling stage. Compared to the unamended controls, biochar amendment enhanced plant biomass and water-use efficiency, particularly when combined with PRD. Although the WSP amendment tended to decrease soil net N mineralization rate, it significantly increased C and N retention in the soil–plant systems. Compared to DI, PRD significantly increased soil respiration rate while lowering soil total organic C content. Moreover, PRD increased soil inorganic N content, which might be related to increased mineralization of soil organic C (SOC) and soil organic N (SON). Such effects might implicate that PRD outperformed DI in enhancing the mineralization of soil organic matter. Although PRD alone might not be a sustainable irrigation method because of greater C and N losses, biochar addition could alleviate these undesirable effects via depressing SOC and SON mineralization. Biochar amendment, especially WSP combined with PRD, could be a promising practice to increase maize growth and water-use efficiency while sustaining C and N retention in the soil–plant systems.
Learning by Doing: Insights from Power Market Modelling in Energy Economics Courses
Authors: Hobbie Hannes , Dierstein Constantin , Möst Dominik , Schmidt Matthew
Published: April 2023

Much of energy economics curricula involves the study of techno-economic aspects of energy systems with an increasing focus devoted to fostering an understanding of the interactions between innovative technologies and adaptive markets. As the interplay of these dynamics and their impacts on market equilibria and outcomes is quite complex, optimization models are well-suited to facilitate their study. This paper presents two exemplary model approaches and associated case studies, which can be employed to study market developments driving long-term adaptations in the portfolio of power-generation assets as well as scheduling problems of individual plant owners with a focus on assessing the impact of changing market conditions on the profitability of investments. The combination of these two modelling approaches constitutes an innovative means of facilitating students’ understanding of how individual decisions of different market stakeholders lead to welfare-maximizing market equilibria under the assumption of perfect competition. The models are discussed along with the experiences acquired employing them in various forms as project assignments. In summary, the integration of modelling exercises and assignments into the curriculum of energy economics courses has proven to be a practical means of reinforcing and broadening lecture material that is both interesting and rewarding for students.
Advancing ‘Net Zero Competition’ in Asia-Pacific under a dynamic era: a comparative study on the carbon neutrality policy toolkit in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong
Authors: Liu Yunhong , Dong Liang , Fang Mandy Meng
Published: April 2023

The net zero strategy has created a global competition for carbon finance innovation, with over 50 countries and regions aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050 or 2060. This paper provides a preliminary comparative study of carbon neutrality policy instruments in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong SAR, China: three critical and distinct economies in the Asia-Pacific region. The study examines policies in six categories that support carbon neutrality and compares them based on political economy and market features. The findings reveal that Japan has a rather diverse policy matrix, while Singapore has made rapid progress in carbon finance in a controversial political economy. Hong Kong’s renewable energy policies use a multifaceted approach that emphasizes both carbon emission reduction and environmental quality improvement. Although Hong Kong aspires to become a centre for green finance, it currently lags behind Singapore in this area. The study sheds light on the development and implementation of emerging policies related to carbon neutrality in Asia-Pacific region.
Public perceptions of autonomous lethal weapons systems
Authors: Arai Koki , Matsumoto Masakazu
Published: April 2023

This study attempts to bridge the gap in empirical and philosophical research on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), through a survey of attitudes using experimental methods. “LAWS” refer to “fully autonomous weapons” that can set attack targets without human involvement and are lethal. Based on previous research, we conducted a randomized controlled experiment to create, present, and collect responses to scenarios describing military operations and outcomes that are likely to express awareness of the ethical issues raised by LAWS. First, our hypothesis that LAWS are less likely to be used was rejected, and the opposite trend was observed. Second, the hypothesis that civilian casualties rather than combatant casualties would influence LAWS use was strongly and significantly confirmed. Third, the hypothesis that remote weapons are more likely to be used than LAWS was rejected. Fourth, there was some support for the hypothesis that LAWS are more likely to be used in homeland defense. Fifth, the hypothesis that male and younger individuals are more willing to use LAWS was strongly and significantly confirmed for male, but not on the basis of age. This study highlights the need for further discussion based on these findings.
Trolleys, crashes, and perception—a survey on how current autonomous vehicles debates invoke problematic expectations
Authors: Tolmeijer Suzanne , Arpatzoglou Vicky , Rossetto Luca , Bernstein Abraham
Published: April 2023

Ongoing debates about ethical guidelines for autonomous vehicles mostly focus on variations of the ‘Trolley Problem’. Using variations of this ethical dilemma in preference surveys, possible implications for autonomous vehicles policy are discussed. In this work, we argue that the lack of realism in such scenarios leads to limited practical insights. We run an ethical preference survey for autonomous vehicles by including more realistic features, such as time pressure and a non-binary decision option. Our results indicate that such changes lead to different outcomes, calling into question how the current outcomes can be generalized. Additionally, we investigate the framing effects of the capabilities of autonomous vehicles and indicate that ongoing debates need to set realistic expectations on autonomous vehicle challenges. Based on our results, we call upon the field to re-frame the current debate towards more realistic discussions beyond the Trolley Problem and focus on which autonomous vehicle behavior is considered not to be acceptable, since a consensus on what the right solution is, is not reachable.
Deforestation Drivers Across the Tropics and Their Impacts on Carbon Stocks and Ecosystem Services
Authors: Seydewitz Tobias , Pradhan Prajal , Landholm David M. , Kropp Juergen P.
Published: April 2023

Globally, deforestation produces anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing substantially to climate change. Forest cover changes also have large impacts on ecosystem services. Deforestation is the dominant type of land cover change in tropical regions, and this land cover change relates to distinct causes recognized as direct deforestation drivers. Understanding these drivers requires a significant effort. Further, GHG emissions due to deforestation are quantified only in terms of biomass removal, while linking emissions from soil organic carbon (SOC) loss to deforestation is lacking. A closer picture of associated ecosystem service changes due to deforestation is also needed. We analyze for 2001–2010: (1) the magnitudes of deforestation drivers, (2) the related carbon loss, and (3) the ecosystem service value change. On the global scale, agriculture (90.3%) is the primary deforestation driver, where grassland expansion contributed the most (37.5%). The deforestation drivers differ in magnitude and spatial distribution on the continental scale. The total carbon loss by biomass removal and SOC loss accounted for 8797 Mt C and 1185 Mt C, respectively. Furthermore, tropical deforestation caused the ESV loss of 408 billion Int.$ year$$^{-1}$$

-
1

, while the resulting land cover has the ESV of 345 billion Int.$ year$$^{-1}$$

-
1

. Our findings highlight that agriculture substantially contributes to global carbon loss and ecosystem service loss due to deforestation. The deforestation drivers differ in magnitude and distribution for different continents. Further, we highlight the danger of putting a monetary value on nature.
Mark Twain, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, and the Head Readers
Authors: Finger Stanley
Published: April 2023

Having a phrenological 'head reading' was one of the most significant fads of the nineteenth century – a means for better knowing oneself and a guide for self-improvement. Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) had a lifelong yet long overlooked interest in phrenology, the pseudoscience claiming to correlate skull features with specialized brain areas and higher mental traits. Twain's books are laced with phrenological terms and concepts, and he lampooned the head readers in Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. He was influenced by Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, who also used his humor to assail head readers and educate the public. Finger shows that both humorists accepted certain features of phrenology, but not their skull-based ideas. By examining a fascinating topic at the intersection of literature and the history of neuroscience, this engaging study will appeal to readers interested in phrenology, science, medicine, American history, and the lives and works of Twain and Holmes.
Development and Psychometric Properties of Decision-Making Scale for Emergency Hospital Evacuation in Disasters
Authors: Yaghoubi Tahereh , Ardalan Ali , Ebadi Abbas , Nejati Amir , Khankeh Hamidreza , Safarpour Hamid , Khorasani-Zavareh Davoud
Published: April 2023

Background:

The evidence shows that the need for emergency evacuation in hospitals has arisen. Designing an emergency evacuation decision making tool increases the confidence of hospital managers in the decision made. Therefore, this study was aimed at the development, and the psychometric properties, of the decision-making scale for emergency hospital evacuation in disasters.

Methods:

This study was done in 2 phases of qualitative study and literature review and designing and psychometric properties of the instrument. After development of the primary item pool, the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were evaluated. In this regard, face and content validity, internal consistency (Alpha’s Cronbach), reliability (ICC), and stability were assessed.

Results:

In the validity stage of the instrument, 4 items were removed. Also, 4 items were modified and 2 items were merged. The number of items was thus decreased to 64. After CVI calculation, 5 items were removed, 4 items were modified, and 2 items were merged. As a result of this, the number of items decreased to 58 items. The scale has good reliability and stability.

Conclusion:

It seems that the instrument could be useful in decision-making for emergency hospital evacuation in disasters.
Mitigation of Long-Term Risks and the Role of Insurance: A Behavioural Law and Economics Perspective
Authors: He Qihao , Faure Michael
Published: April 2023

In a world of rising long-term risks and their ensuing syndromes, the mitigation and financing of long-term risks are therefore arguably some of the most critical issues facing society. However, long-term thinking involving future generations draws limited attention in current political and social systems. Private insurance has received increased attention due to its expert role in risk management and its risk transfer mechanisms, and it has played an important role in dealing with some types of long-term risk, such as floods and earthquakes. Increasingly, insurance also contributes to disaster mitigation through regulating the conduct of policyholders by creating incentives for policyholders to counter short-termism and invest in reduction measures regarding long-term risks. In addition, it has been shown that supply-side problems and behavioural anomalies make it difficult to insure against long-term risks. Innovative long-term insurance solutions and a combination of public and private partnerships are proposed to overcome these restrictions.
Condominium to the Country: The Sprawl of Ownership within Private Local Government in British Columbia
Authors: Harris Douglas C. , Patterson Guy
Published: April 2023

As a form of land ownership, condominium enables subdivision and produces local government. Designed to facilitate the production of apartments as distinct parcels of land, ownership within condominium now dominates many urban housing markets. In some jurisdictions, including British Columbia, condominium (labelled strata property) may also be deployed to subdivide land for single-house lots within a structure of private local government. The principal effect of extending condominium to unbuilt land is not to enable subdivision, which is something that was already possible and common, but, rather, to endow groups of single-house lot owners with fiscal capacity and governing authority to assume important aspects of local government. Through an analysis of bare land strata property in British Columbia, we reveal how the condominium form, which brought an architecture of ownership and government from the homeowners association of the American suburbs to the North American city, has spread back from the city into the suburban, exurban, and rural, producing a sprawl of ownership within private local government.
Magnificence, Dignity, and the Sociopolitical Function of Architectural Ornament: Cortesi's Discussion of the Cardinal's Architectural Patronage
Authors: de Raedt Nele
Published: April 2023

By concentrating on Paolo Cortesi's discussion of the cardinal's architectural patronage in “De Cardinalatu Libri Tres” (1510), this article shows how Cortesi considered the construction of a sumptuous residence not as a sign of “magnificence” (“magnificentia”) but as a necessary operation to establish “dignity” (“dignitas”). Cortesi thus distinguished between the ethical and political-aesthetic dimension of magnificence, defining virtuous patronage in terms of honoring God and being of service, and sumptuous display as a means to acquire authority. This distinction also sheds new light on Cortesi's treatment of the exterior architectural ornament that should be applied to the cardinal's residence.
A Common Humanity? From Poetry to Philosophy in Hugo Grotius
Authors: Achinstein Sharon
Published: April 2023

This essay shows how Hugo Grotius (1583–1646) made use of classical poetry and drama, especially that of Lucan, Euripides, and Seneca, in developing his thought on the treatment of captives, prisoners of war, and slaves, and argues that his method was humanist and philological. From his early publishing projects to “The Rights of War and Peace” (De Iure Belli ac Pacis, 1625), Grotius developed an account of common social experience, a formal mechanism to represent dialogue with difference, and a refusal to apply categorical distinctions positing natural difference among peoples. His engagements with classical poetry and drama are thus an important piece of the story of early modern thought.
Purchasing Dunkirk: Commerce, Diplomacy, and Absolutist Empire in England and France
Authors: Gillis Brendan
Published: April 2023

This article considers Louis XIV's purchase of Dunkirk from Charles II in 1662 as a case study in the interwoven histories of monarchy and empire. In France and England, proponents of absolutism sought to broaden definitions of conquest to encompass both diplomacy and commerce. It proved nearly impossible to bring the concept of buying or selling a town into congruence with grand dynastic designs. Analyzing diplomatic correspondence and royal history alongside an array of artistic representations, I contend, underscores the extent to which ideals of kingship collided with imperial and commercial concerns, as early modern states adapted to the realities of an interconnected seventeenth-century world.
Disorganized Political Violence: A Demonstration Case of Temperature and Insurgency
Authors: Shaver Andrew , Bollfrass Alexander K.
Published: April 2023

Any act of battlefield violence results from a combination of organizational strategy and a combatant's personal motives. To measure the relative contribution of each, our research design leverages the predictable effect of ambient temperature on human aggression. Using fine-grained data collected by US forces during the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts, we test whether temperature and violence are linked for attacks that can be initiated by individual combatants, but not for those requiring organizational coordination. To distinguish alternative explanations involving temperature effects on target movements, we examine situations where targets are stationary. We find that when individual combatants have discretion over the initiation of violence, ambient temperature does shape battlefield outcomes. There is no such effect when organizational coordination is necessary. We also find that ambient temperature affects combat-age males’ endorsement of insurgent violence in a survey taken during the conflict in Iraq. Our findings caution against attributing strategic causes to violence and encourage research into how strategic and individual-level motivations interact in conflict.
Taiwanese Public Opinion on the Chinese and US Military Presence in the Taiwan Strait
Authors: Wu Wen-Chin , Sun Mao-Chia , Fu Wen-Cheng , Huang Wen-Jian
Published: April 2023

Since 2016, China has been conducting military flybys around Taiwan, while the US has approved arms sales to Taiwan on several occasions and sent warplanes and battleships through the Taiwan Strait. How does Taiwanese public opinion respond to the Chinese and US military presence in the Strait? Is the public likely to become less supportive of de jure independence for Taiwan on account of China's military deterrence or more supportive owing to a perceived likelihood of US military assistance? In this report, we provide answers to these questions based on evidence from a survey experiment conducted in Taiwan in October–November 2020. We find that Taiwanese are less sensitive to the Chinese military presence in the Taiwan Strait but have become more supportive of de jure independence after seeing the US aircraft in the area. Our findings contribute to studies of cross-Strait relations and US foreign policy on the Taiwan Strait.
Role of latent tuberculosis infection on elevated risk of cardiovascular disease: a population-based cohort study of immigrants in British Columbia, Canada, 1985–2019
Authors: Hossain Md. Belal , Johnston James C. , Cook Victoria J. , Sadatsafavi Mohsen , Wong Hubert , Romanowski Kamila , Karim Mohammad Ehsanul
Published: April 2023

We investigated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk associated with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) (Aim-1) and LTBI therapy (Aim-2) in British Columbia, a low-tuberculosis-incidence setting. 49,197 participants had valid LTBI test results. Cox proportional hazards model was fitted, adjusting for potential confounders. Compared with the participants who tested LTBI negative, LTBI positive was associated with an 8% higher CVD risk in complete case data (adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.08, 95% CI: 0.99-1.18), a statistically significant 11% higher risk when missing confounder values were imputed using multiple imputation (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02-1.20), and 10% higher risk when additional proxy variables supplementing known unmeasured confounders were incorporated in the highdimensional disease risk score technique to reduce residual confounding (HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.01-1.20). Also, compared with participants who tested negative, CVD risk was 27% higher among people who were LTBI positive but incomplete LTBI therapy (HR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.04-1.55), whereas the risk was similar in people who completed LTBI therapy (HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.87-1.24). Findings were consistent in different sensitivity analyses. We concluded that LTBI is associated with an increased CVD risk in low-tuberculosis-incidence settings, with a higher risk associated with incomplete LTBI therapy and attenuated risk when therapy is completed.
Detonating the air: The legality of the use of thermobaric weapons under international humanitarian law
Authors: van Coller Arthur
Published: April 2023

Thermobaric weapons cause damage and harm through overpressure and thermal effects, but secondary harm may also occur due to fragmentation, the consumption and depletion of ambient oxygen, and the release of toxic gases and smoke. Several international instruments prohibit or regulate weapons that generate asphyxiating or toxic gases, poison or poisoned weapons, chemical weapons, and weapons primarily designed to be incendiary. Thermobaric weapons are, however, primarily designed for blast and are not specifically covered by, or excluded from, the application of these instruments. The general customary law principles of international humanitarian law that determine the legality of the use of all weapons, including thermobaric weapons, prohibit causing superfluous injury and unnecessary suffering, and the use of indiscriminate weapons. Thermobaric weapons cause severe suffering but will not be rendered unlawful merely because of this effect. These weapons are also not automatically and inherently indiscriminate when used in their normal or designed circumstances. The use of thermobaric weapons, when directed at a military objective, while considering all feasible precautions to protect civilians and civilian objects and the principle of proportionality, will, as a result, be lawful in most circumstances. However, the use of thermobaric weapons should, in a similar manner to heavy explosive weapons, be avoided in urban or populated areas.
A Localized and Surprising Source of Energetic Ions in the Uranian Magnetosphere Between Miranda and Ariel
Authors: Cohen Ian J. , Turner Drew L. , Kollmann Peter , Clark George B. , Hill Matthew E. , Regoli Leonardo H. , Gershman Daniel J.
Published: April 2023

In situ exploration of Uranus has been limited to a single flyby encounter by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in January 1986. Nonetheless, new investigation has led to significant questions about the origin of energetic ions observed in the region between its moons Miranda and Ariel. Radial and pitch angle diffusion modeling suggests that typical magnetospheric sources cannot explain the observed characteristics of these energetic ions. We suggest that these are likely being introduced by a source from one of these moons and give rise to waves that could result in the observed particle distribution characteristics. This may reveal that internal plasma sources in the system may be important for Uranus' magnetospheric dynamics and may contribute to its unexpectedly strong radiation belts.
Climatologies of Various OH Lines From About 90,000 X‐Shooter Spectra
Authors: Noll S. , Schmidt C. , Kausch W. , Bittner M. , Kimeswenger S.
Published: April 2023

The nocturnal mesopause region of the Earth's atmosphere radiates chemiluminescent emission from various roto‐vibrational bands of hydroxyl (OH), which is therefore a good tracer of the chemistry and dynamics at the emission altitudes. Intensity variations can, for example, be caused by the general circulation, gravity waves, tides, planetary waves, and the solar activity. While the basic OH response to the different dynamical influences has been studied quite frequently, detailed comparisons of the various individual lines are still rare. Such studies can improve our understanding of the OH‐related variations as each line shows a different emission profile. We have therefore used about 90,000 spectra of the X‐shooter spectrograph of the Very Large Telescope at Cerro Paranal in Chile in order to study 10 years of variations of 298 OH lines. The analysis focuses on climatologies of intensity, solar cycle effect (SCE), and residual variability (especially with respect to time scales of hours and about 2 days) for day of year and local time. For a better understanding of the resulting variability patterns and the line‐specific differences, we applied decomposition techniques, studied the variability depending on time scale, and calculated correlations. As a result, the mixing of thermalized and nonthermalized OH level populations clearly influences the amplitude of the variations. Moreover, the local times of the variability features shift depending on the effective line emission height, which can mainly be explained by the propagation of the migrating diurnal tide. This behavior also contributes to remarkable differences in the effective SCE.
Present‐Day Caribbean‐North American Oblique Convergence Through the Ocoa‐Bonao‐La Guacara Fault Zone, Southern Central Hispaniola: A Transition Zone Between Oceanic Subduction and Arc‐Oceanic Plateau Collision
Authors: Escuder‐Viruete J. , Fernández F. J. , Valera F. Pérez , Medialdea A.
Published: April 2023

According to GPS measurements, the Caribbean plate is moving east‐northeastward relative to the North American plate at a rate of ∼20 mm/a. This oblique motion is partly accommodated in southern Hispaniola by northward underthrusting/subduction bellow the Muertos submerged accretionary prism and the Peralta fold‐and‐thrust belt. This work investigates the active transition zone that connects Muertos and Peralta: the Ocoa‐Bonao‐La Guacara fault zone (OBFZ). Combined detailed structural analysis at macroscopic and mesoscopic scales, regional magnetic data and seismicity analysis, geomorphic observations, fault‐slip data inversion and geochronology of Quaternary deposits allow to establish the deformation pattern for the OBFZ along southern central Hispaniola. Distinct tectonic regimes have occurred successively in the Neogene, within a consistent regional NE‐trending horizontal shortening: (a) a lower Miocene to Early Pleistocene D1 regime characterized by SW‐directed thrusting that homogeneously affects the region; and (b) an Early/Middle Pleistocene to Holocene D2 regime of strike‐slip to transpressional faulting mainly located along the OBFZ. The change is coeval with the tectonic indentation of the Beata Ridge in the back‐arc region of the Hispaniola microplate. Finally, a Late Pleistocene to Holocene D3 extensional regime has a local development around the Ocoa Bay. Part of the present‐day stress‐field induced by the Beata Ridge collision is accommodated by the OBFZ within the Hispaniola microplate. This fault zone defines the onland transition between oceanic subduction and arc‐oceanic plateau collision. Due to its length and potential to generate large earthquakes, the OBFZ must be considered in the regional seismic hazard assessment.
Characterizing the Final Stage of Simulated Earthquake Nucleation Governed by Rate‐And‐State Fault Friction
Authors: He Changrong , Zhang Lei , Liu Peixun , Chen Qi‐Fu
Published: April 2023

Previous experiments and modeling on earthquake nucleation reveal accelerating slip and development of a final patch of fixed or expanding length, but whether the nucleation phase is spatially large enough to be detected in real‐Earth conditions with durations long enough to be helpful is unknown. This study performed a suit of simulations of the nucleation process based on the rate‐and‐state friction law on homogeneous faults started from a “locked” state. Our results reveal the development of a weakening‐zone core (WZcore, defined as a region bounded by two outwardly moving shoulders of stress distribution during the early phase, and later bounded by two inwardly shifting edges between the stress‐releasing region and stress‐increasing exterior) where stress releases continuously, which expands first to a dimension less than the half fault length then shrinks to a final length before re‐expanding. The slip rate within the WZcore is above several times of the driving rate, and the high‐rate region expands constantly up to the instability. The WZcore is similar to a strain‐releasing zone in our new experiment. Under the assumption that much higher seismicity rate can be observed within the WZcore due to higher slip rate and stress‐releasing state as augmented driving force for small asperities, these nucleation features, as well as the slip rate levels in our model, are consistent with step‐like increases in seismicity preceding large subduction earthquakes. On the time scale, duration of the WZcore is weeks before large subduction earthquakes under high driving rate, but years on low‐rate continental faults.
Benzo[a]pyrene stress impacts adaptive strategies and ecological functions of earthworm intestinal viromes
Authors: Xia Rong , Sun Mingming , Balcázar José Luis , Yu Pingfeng , Hu Feng , Alvarez Pedro J J
Published: April 2023

The earthworm gut virome influences the structure and function of the gut microbiome, which in turn influences worm health and ecological functions. However, despite its ecological and soil quality implications, it remains elusive how earthworm intestinal phages respond to different environmental stress, such as soil pollution. Here we used metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to investigate interactions between the worm intestinal phages and their bacteria under different benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) concentrations. Low-level BaP (0.1 mg kg−1) stress stimulated microbial metabolism (1.74-fold to control), and enhanced the antiphage defense system (n = 75) against infection (8 phage-host pairs). Low-level BaP exposure resulted in the highest proportion of lysogenic phages (88%), and prophages expressed auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) associated with nutrient transformation (e.g., amino acid metabolism). In contrast, high-level BaP exposure (200 mg kg−1) disrupted microbial metabolism and suppressed the antiphage systems (n = 29), leading to the increase in phage-bacterium association (37 phage-host pairs) and conversion of lysogenic to lytic phages (lysogenic ratio declined to 43%). Despite fluctuating phage-bacterium interactions, phage-encoded AMGs related to microbial antioxidant and pollutant degradation were enriched, apparently to alleviate pollution stress. Overall, these findings expand our knowledge of complex phage-bacterium interactions in pollution-stressed worm guts, and deepen our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary roles of phages.