bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental study on dynamic response of rock tunnel subjected to train moving load
Authors: Zhang Kai , Xie Heping , Guo Wei , Zhou Changtai , Hu Guibo , Luo Junhan , Qiu Jiadong , Zhu Jianbo
Published: October 2023

The tunnels might be suffered from damage and destruction under the dynamic loads generated by trains moving on the upper railways, which can in turn threaten the safety of the railways. Understanding the dynamic response of tunnel under the train moving load is of significance for maintaining the operation safety of both the tunnel and upper railway. However, there is currently a lack of relevant research on this topic, especially regarding model experiments. To address this gap, this paper conducts physical model experiments on the train-rail-bridge-shaking table test system to investigate the dynamic response of tunnels subjected to train moving load. The experiment results revealed that except for the average peak particle velocity (PPA) at tunnel vault, the average PPAs at other locations and the vibration dominant frequency (f0) at all locations increase as the train moving speed (vtr) increases. With the exception of some special cases, the average PPAs on tunnel spandrels are generally less than that on the tunnel vault and greater than that on the tunnel invert. When the vtr exceeds 7.03 m/s, except for the average PPA at tunnel invert, the average PPAs on the tunnel wall are generally larger than those inside the surrounding rock mass. As vtr increases, the average f0 on tunnel wall changes more obviously compared to average f0 inside the surrounding rock mass. When the vtr exceeds 10.54 m/s, the average f0 on tunnel wall are noticeably larger than those inside the surrounding rock mass. The high coefficients of determination obtained from the nonlinear regression analysis indicates a power relationship between the average PPA and vtr, while the average f0 shows an exponential association with vtr. The research findings hold great importance in ensuring the safe operation of tunnels and railways.
The Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications of Genomics and Disability: Findings from a Scoping Review and Their Human Rights Implications
Authors: Vassos Maria , Faragher Rhonda , Nankervis Karen , Breedt Radostina , Boyle Fran , Smith Simon , Kelly Jo
Published: September 2023

Objectives

Genomic advancements affect people with disabilities. This paper presents the findings of a scoping literature review on the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genomic technologies for people with disability. The human rights implications of the ELSI findings are then discussed briefly with reference to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Methods

A systematic search of the ELSI literature was conducted. Via a process of abstract screening and full-text review, 288 sources of evidence were included in the review. Data extraction involved identifying the ELSI discussed in each source, which were thematically analysed to generate ELSI themes and to identify relevant linkages to the UNCRPD.

Results

Ten ELSI themes were identified as having relevant UNCRPD linkages including reproductive autonomy, issues related to cost and access, the downside of knowing about one’s genetic makeup, lagging legislation in light of the rapid advancement of genomic technologies, genetic discrimination, the stigmatisation and devaluation of people with disabilities, the potential resurgence of eugenics and the medical model of disability, and the involvement of people with disabilities in conversations about genomic technologies. These themes have relevant and direct linkages to several UNCRPD rights including equality, non-discrimination, diversity, accessibility, full participation, identity, and freedom of expression.

Conclusions

The review findings highlight that there is scope for the development of a charter on human rights specific to genomic technologies in the context of disability, which could guide ethical and socially appropriate developments in the field of genomic technologies in future.
Review of the Recent Developments About the Hybrid Propelled Aircraft
Authors: Cardone L. M. , Petrone G. , De Rosa S. , Franco F. , Greco C. S.
Published: September 2023

In the past decades, the exponential rise in fossil fuel consumption has led to a pressing need for sustainable energy solutions. This surge in fossil fuel use has not only caused severe environmental repercussions but has also raised questions about our global dependence on such non-renewable resources. Addressing these detrimental effects, NASA has urged the aeronautic industry to reduce aircraft fuel burn by a substantial 70% before 2025. As a result of comprehensive government and industry studies, electric aircraft propulsion has emerged as a pivotal focus of research. This encompasses various architectures, such as full-electric, hybrid electric, and turbo-electric systems. The aim is to significantly diminish the environmental impact of aviation and make it more sustainable for the future of passenger flight. This paper provides an overview of the latest state-of-the-art innovations in propulsion systems. It delves into the operational principles, technological requirements, ongoing research, and development efforts pertaining to all components essential for effecting this transformation in aviation technology. Additionally, the document will showcase existing commercial products, prototypes, and demonstrators to offer a comprehensive picture of the current scenario. Overall, this research is a vital step toward achieving energy sustainability and reducing the environmental footprint of the aviation industry. By exploring and advancing electric aircraft propulsion, humanity can move closer to a cleaner, greener future for air travel.
Access Security Policy Generation for Containers as a Cloud Service
Authors: Zhu Hui , Gehrmann Christian , Roth Paula
Published: September 2023

The rapid development of containerization technology comes with remarkable benefits for developers and operation teams. Container solutions allow building very flexible software infrastructures. Although lots of efforts have been devoted to enhancing containerization security, containerized environments still have a huge attack surface. Completely avoiding severe security issues have so far not been possible to achieve. However, the security problems due to vulnerabilities in for instance kernels, can be largely reduced if the container privileges are as restricted as possible. Mandatory access control is an efficient way to achieve this using for instance AppArmor. As manual AppArmor generation is tedious and error prone, automatic generation of protection profile is necessary. In previous research, a new tool for tight AppArmor profile generation was presented. In this paper we show how, in a system setting, such tool can be combined with container service testing, to provide a cloud based container service for automatic AppArmore profile generation. We present solutions for profile generation both for centrally collected and generated container logs and for log collection through a local agent. To evaluate the effectiveness of the profile generation service, we enable it on a widely used containerized web service to generate profiles and test them with real-world attacks. We generate an exploit database with 11 exploits harmful to the tested web service. These exploits are sifted from the 56 exploits of Exploit-db targeting the tested web service’s software. We launch these exploits on the web service protected by the profile. The results show that the proposed profile generation service improves the test web service’s overall security a lot compared to using the default Docker security profile. This together with the very user friendly and robust principle for setting up and running the service, clearly indicates that the approach is an important step for improving container security in real deployments.
Development of a Retrospective Measure of Child Abuse for Heterosexual and LGBTQ Mexican Adults
Authors: Valencia Pablo D. , De la Rosa-Gómez Anabel , Enríquez-Negrete David Javier , Serrano-Zárate Berenice , Esquivel-Santoveña Esteban Eugenio , Vazquez-Arevalo Rosalía
Published: October 2023

Child abuse is a phenomenon that affects a large proportion of the world’s population and has important effects on their mental health. Although several instruments exist to measure it, they present some difficulties that require improvement. The present study started from an instrument previously developed for Mexican population (Esparza-Del Villar et al., Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2020) to construct a new retrospective measure of abuse: the Child Abuse Scale for Adults (EAIA, Spanish initials). We worked with a total sample of 810 individuals, consisting mainly of women (> 70%) and young adults (mean age around 23 years). We conducted both traditional (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis) and advanced (exploratory graph analysis, item response theory) procedures to obtain a short self-report measure of child abuse experiences. The EAIA evidenced a clear factor structure (CFI = .96, RSMEA = .06), as well as adequate reliability for its three subscales: sexual (ω = .91), physical (ω = .88) and emotional abuse (ω = .93). In addition, it showed partial scalar invariance between sexes. At the item level, it was observed that the items of the sexual and physical abuse subscales had greater informative capacity at high levels of maltreatment, while the items of the emotional abuse subscale showed better psychometric quality at average levels of the construct. Finally, associations were found in the expected direction between the three subscales of the EAIA and a set of psychopathological variables (depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation). In conclusion, the EAIA constitutes a promising alternative to retrospectively measure child abuse in the Mexican adult population.
Deep edge intelligence-based solution for heart failure prediction in ambient assisted living
Authors: Hossain Md. Ishan Arefin , Tabassum Anika , Shamszaman Zia Ush
Published: October 2023

Heart failure and heart disease prediction in real-time is a highly significant necessity for the patients living under the observation of Internet of Things-based Ambient Assisted Living systems because cardiovascular diseases are the most common fatal chronic diseases. Most of the solutions regarding heart disease prediction in the Internet of Things-based medical systems are relying on server-based predictive analysis which can appear to be complex for generating real-time prediction notifications and unreliable in case of any network interruption occurrences. The suggested edge-based solution for the prediction of heart disease from collected sensor data in real-time using a proposed lightweight deep learning technique called Oversampled Quinary Feed Forward Network (OQFFN) provides a less complex framework and more reliable notification system in case of network failure for the disease prediction which also reduces the need of forwarding all the data to the server resulting in reduced network bottleneck.
Techno-economic and life cycle assessment of the integration of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage in the polygeneration system (BECCS-PS) for producing green electricity and methanol
Authors: Pratama Muhammad Raihan , Muthia Rahma , Purwanto Widodo Wahyu
Published: October 2023

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) has the potential to produce negative emissions. This study assessed the overall energy efficiency and carbon dioxide (CO2) avoidance costs and emission footprint following the integration of BECCS with a polygeneration system (BECCS-PS) for the co-production of green electricity and methanol. The process was simulated in Aspen Plus and Aspen HYSYS v.11. Oil palm empty fruit bunches were used as the feed in a biomass integrated gasification combined cycle power plant. The flue gas, which contained CO2, was captured for methanol synthesis and carbon storage. Green hydrogen for use in methanol synthesis was produced through proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis powered by solar PV (PV-PEM) and geothermal power with double-flash technology (GEO-PEM). The environmental impacts of the process were investigated by a life cycle assessment and the economic aspects were evaluated using the levelized cost method. The overall system efficiency was higher in the PV-PEM scenario than in the GEO-PEM scenario. For any production capacities, the green electricity generated from the BECCS-PS plant resulted in negative emissions. A biomass power plant with a low production capacity generated higher production and CO2 avoidance costs than that with a larger production capacity. The CO2 − eq emissions and costs for methanol production in the PV-PEM scenario were larger than those in the GEO-PEM scenario, with values of -0.83 to -0.70 kg CO2 − eq/kg MeOH and 1,191–1,237 USD/ton, respectively. The corresponding values were − 1.65 to -1.52 kg CO2 − eq/kg MeOH and 918–961 USD/ton, respectively, for the GEO-PEM scenario.

Graphical Abstract
England's Insular Imagining
Authors: Hutson Lorna
Published: September 2023

How have the English conceived of Scotland? Lorna Hutson's book is an essential intervention in the contested narrative of British nationhood. It argues that England deployed a mythical 'British History' in pursuing dominion over its northern neighbour: initially through waging war, and then striving to make the very idea of Scotland vanish in new figurations of sea-sovereignty. The author explores English attempts at conquest in the 1540s, revealing how justifications of overlordship mutated into literary, legal and cartographic ploys to erase Scotland-as-kingdom. Maps, treatises and military propaganda are no less imaginative in their eradicative strategies than river poetry, chorography, allegory, epic, tragedies, history plays and masques. Hutson shows how Spenser's Faerie Queene, Shakespeare's Henry V and King Lear, Plowden's theory of the King's Two Bodies, Camden's Britannia, and the race-making in Jonson's Masque of Blackness are all implicated in England's jurisdictional claim and refusal to acknowledge Scotland as sovereign nation.
Being the Heart of the World
Authors: Vallen Nino
Published: September 2023

In this timely book Nino Vallen tells the story of New Spain's gradual integration into the Pacific Basin and challenges established views about identity formation among the elites of colonial Mexico. It examines how discussions about the establishment and desirability of transpacific connections interacted with more general debates over why some people deserved certain benefits over others. As part of these struggles, New Spain's changing place at the crossroads of transatlantic and transpacific routes became a subject of contention between actors moved by competing notions of a deserving self: the learned councillor, the veteran, the discoverer, the meritorious, the creole and the merchant. Reassessing current historiographical narratives on creole identities and worldviews, Being the Heart of the World contributes to a broader understanding of the early modern self and the ways in which it was shaped by the mobilities of an increasingly globalized world.
Pragmatics in the History of English
Authors: Brinton Laurel J.
Published: September 2023

How were you and thou used in Early Modern England? What were the typical ways of ordering others in Early Medieval England? How was the speech of others represented in the nineteenth-century novel? This volume answers these questions and more by providing an overview of the field of English historical pragmatics. Following introductory chapters which set out the scope of the field and address methods and challenges, core chapters focus on a range of topics, including pragmatic markers, speech representation, politeness, speech acts, address terms, and register, genre, and style. Each chapter describes the object of study, defines essential terms and concepts, and discusses the methodologies used. Succinct and clear summaries of studies in the field are presented and are richly illustrated with corpus data. Presenting a comprehensive and accessible yet state-of-the-art introduction to the field, it is essential reading for both students and academic researchers.
Engaging patients in antimicrobial stewardship: co-designed educational tool to improve periprocedural care through de-implementation of guideline-discordant antimicrobial use
Authors: Al Lawati Hawra , Shin Marlena , Lamkin Rebecca , Thompson Tyler , Epshtein Isabella , Mull Hillary , Basnet Thapa Dipandita , Drekonja Dimitri , Rodriguez-Barradas Maria C. , Xu Teena Huan , Gold Howard , Elwy A. Rani , Strymish Judy , Branch-Elliman Westyn
Published: September 2023

Effective de-implementation models often include replacement of an ineffective practice with an alternative. We co-developed patient education materials as a replacement strategy for inappropriate post-procedural antibiotics in cardiac device procedures. Lessons learned and developed materials may be used to promote infection prevention in other periprocedural settings.
Humanitarian Outpatient Pediatric Endeavor (HOPE): A Novel Specialist Ambulatory Health-Care Concept in Conflict Areas
Authors: Mizrachi Matti , Levy Einat , Dror Amiel A. , Sela Eyal , Kutikov Sergey , Barhoum Masad , Ronen Ohad , Gruber Maayan
Published: October 2023

With the collapse of the medical system in Syria, Israel began providing Syrians with humanitarian aid, first to the war-injured and then general medical treatment. We developed a novel specialist ambulatory care concept to provide medical care for Syrian children. Children with their caregivers were transported by bus across the border from Syria to our medical center in Israel for day-stay outpatient-clinic advanced evaluation and treatment due to coordination between Syrian, Red Cross, and Israeli authorities, including Israeli Defense Forces. This retrospective field report includes 371 Syrian children treated as outpatients at Galilee Medical Center between January 2016 and September 2018. In our experience, this novel pediatric ambulatory care concept has been feasible, efficient, and successful in providing specialist care for children in a crisis region devoid of access to health care. We believe it can also serve adult patients and be implemented in other crises and disasters scenarios.
Evaluation of a mobile disinfection cabinet using ultraviolet-C light and aerosolized hydrogen peroxide for disinfection of medical equipment
Authors: Bolomey Austin C. , Cadnum Jennifer L. , Jencson Annette L. , Donskey Curtis J.
Published: September 2023

In laboratory testing, a mobile enclosed disinfection cabinet using ultraviolet-C light and aerosolized hydrogen peroxide was effective for disinfection of hard and soft surfaces. The addition of aerosolized hydrogen peroxide to ultraviolet-C light resulted in improved disinfection of soft surfaces and Clostridioides difficile spores.
Hydrodynamic permeability of circular-inclusion-doped Brinkman media
Authors: Hill Reghan J.
Published: October 2023

Theory and computations are applied to assess the hydrodynamic permeability of cavity- doped hydrogels, central to a variety range of contemporary technological applications. Direct volume-averaging is undertaken in a two-dimensional, Brinkman-hydrodynamic context to test an ensemble-averaging methodology recently proposed for the ion permeability of such media. In two dimensions, the ensemble-averaging integral furnishes a pre-factor

$2$

linking the pressure dipole strength of a single inclusion in an unbounded continuum to the effective hydrodynamic permeability of a composite with small inclusion area fraction. The factor is verified by direct computations for dilute simple-square arrays of (cylindrical) inclusions. At area fractions up to the close-packing limit, computations address the hydrodynamic interactions. The theory is shown to accurately predict the effective hydrodynamic permeability of physically relevant composites (Brinkman length of the continuous phase

$\ell$

smaller than the inclusion radius

$a$

) for area fractions

$\phi \lesssim {\rm \pi}/ 9 \approx 0.3$

. Computations for random ensembles demonstrate that the dilute theory may be extended to higher area fractions by drawing on Rayleigh's self-consistent approximation when the continuous-phase permeability places the continuous-phase flow well into the Darcy regime (

$a / \ell \gtrsim 10$

). Computations also demonstrate, similarly to Rayleigh theories for scalar diffusion, that microstructural order has a very weak influence on the effective permeability when

$\phi \lesssim {\rm \pi}/ 9$

with

$\ell / a \lesssim 1$

(Darcy hydrodynamic interactions). Finally, a cursory examination is undertaken of the fluid velocity and its fluctuations arising from shear-viscosity heterogeneity in media with perfectly uniform permeability

$\ell ^2$

.
From sheared annular centrifugal Rayleigh–Bénard convection to radially heated Taylor–Couette flow: exploring the impact of buoyancy and shear on heat transfer and flow structure
Authors: Zhong Jun , Wang Dongpu , Sun Chao
Published: October 2023

We investigate the coupling effect of buoyancy and shear based on an annular centrifugal Rayleigh–Bénard convection (ACRBC) system in which two cylinders rotate with an angular velocity difference. Direct numerical simulations are performed in a Rayleigh number range

$10^6\leq Ra\leq 10^8$

, at fixed Prandtl number

$Pr=4.3$

, inverse Rossby number

$Ro^{-1}=20$

, and radius ratio

$\eta =0.5$

. The shear, represented by the non-dimensional rotational speed difference

$\varOmega$

, varies from

$0$

to

$10$

, corresponding to an ACRBC without shear and a radially heated Taylor–Couette flow with only the inner cylinder rotating, respectively. A stable regime is found in the middle part of the interval for

$\varOmega$

, and divides the whole parameter space into three regimes: buoyancy-dominated, stable and shear-dominated. Clear boundaries between the regimes are given by linear stability analysis, meaning the marginal state of the flow. In the buoyancy-dominated regime, the flow is a quasi-two-dimensional flow on the

$r\varphi$

plane; as shear increases, both the growth rate of instability and the heat transfer are depressed. In the shear-dominated regime, the flow is mainly on the

$rz$

plane. The shear is so strong that the temperature acts as a passive scalar, and the heat transfer is greatly enhanced. The study shows that shear can stabilize buoyancy-driven convection, makes a detailed analysis of the flow characteristics in different regimes, and reveals the complex coupling mechanism of shear and buoyancy, which may have implications for fundamental studies and industrial designs.
The different paths to cultural convergence
Authors: Straffon Larissa Mendoza , Papa Aliki , Øhrn Heidi , Bender Andrea
Published: October 2023

Morin envisions the adaptive landscape of graphic codes as an unfertile valley where writing rises as an isolated peak that humans managed to reach only on four occasions throughout all of history. By exploring the different paths to cultural convergence, we suggest an alternative landscape occupied by a mountain range of visual art systems. We conclude that graphic communication through visual art worked well enough to render writing contingent but not necessary in most cases.
Ideography in interaction
Authors: Gandolfi Greta , Pickering Martin J.
Published: October 2023

The standardization account predicts short message service (SMS) interactions, allowed by current technology, will support the use and conventionalization of ideographs. Relying on psycholinguistic theories of dialogue, we argue that ideographs (such as emoji) can be used by interlocutors in SMS interactions, so that the main contributor can use them to accompany language and the addressee can use them as stand-alone feedback.
Bypass language en route to meaning at your peril
Authors: Harris Lindsay N. , Perfetti Charles A. , Hirshorn Elizabeth A.
Published: October 2023

The learning account of the puzzle of ideography cannot be dismissed as readily as Morin maintains, and is compatible with the standardization account. The reading difficulties of deaf and dyslexic individuals, who cannot easily form connections between written letter strings and spoken words, suggest limits to our ability to bypass speech and reliably access meaning directly from graphic symbols.
The feasibility of ideography as an empirical question for a science representational systems design
Authors: Cheng Peter C.-H.
Published: October 2023

The possibility of ideography is an empirical question. Prior examples of graphic codes do not provide compelling evidence for the infeasibility of ideography, because they fail to satisfy essential cognitive requirements that have only recently been revealed by studies of representational systems in cognitive science. Design criteria derived from cognitive principles suggest how effective graphic codes may be engineered.
Visual languages and the problems with ideographies: A commentary on Morin
Authors: Cohn Neil , Schilperoord Joost
Published: October 2023

Morin argues that ideographies are limited because graphic codes lack a capacity for proliferating standardization. However, natural graphic systems display rich standardization and can be placed in sequences using complex combinatorial structures. In contrast, ideographies are not natural, and their limitations lie in their attempts to artificially force a graphic system to behave like a writing system.
Fractals and artificial intelligence to decrypt ideography and understand the evolution of language
Authors: Sueur Cédric , Pelé Marie
Published: October 2023

Self-sufficient ideographies are rare because they are stifled by the issue of standardization. Similar issues arise with abstract art or drawings created by young children or great apes. We propose that mathematical indices and artificial intelligence can help us decode ideography, and if not to understand its meaning, at least to know that meaning exists.
Advanced testing of the LoT hypothesis by social reasoning
Authors: Grüning David J.
Published: September 2023

I elaborate on Quilty-Dunn et al.'s integration of the language-of-thought hypothesis in social reasoning by outlining two discrepancies between the experimental paradigms referred to by the authors and the social world: Self-referential projection and deliberate thinking in experiments. Robust tests of the hypothesis in social reasoning should include observational, natural, and cross-cultural approaches.
Developmental and multiple languages-of-thought
Authors: Demetriou Andreas
Published: September 2023

We agree with the target article that assuming language-of-thought (LoT) is useful for the development of cognitive and developmental theories. We note that the target article is weak in its assumptions about development of LoT and possible existence of multiple LoTs. In response to these weaknesses, we outline several developmental principles for LoT development, showing how a developmental theory of LoT springs from probabilistic LoT. We suggest a system 1.5 of reasoning allowing interchange between Bayesian and logical rules as it fits purposes or domain.
Animal thought exceeds language-of-thought
Authors: Kaufmann Angelica , Newen Albert
Published: September 2023

Quilty-Dunn et al. claim that all complex infant and animal reasoning implicate language-of-thought hypothesis (LOTH)-like structures. We agree with the authors that the mental life of animals can be explained in representationalist terms, but we disagree with their idea that the complexity of mental representations is best explained by appealing to abstract concepts, and instead, we explain that it doesn't need to.
Using the sender–receiver framework to understand the evolution of languages-of-thought
Authors: Planer Ronald J.
Published: September 2023

This commentary seeks to supplement the case Quilty-Dunn et al. make for the psychological reality of languages-of-thought (LoTs) in two ways. First, it focuses on the reduced physical demands which LoT architectures often make compared to alternative architectures. Second, it embeds LoT research within a broader framework that can be leveraged to understand the evolution of LoTs.
The complexities of implementing an LGBT inclusion scheme in residential care: sharing knowledge, overcoming opposition and producing in- and exclusion
Authors: Pijpers Roos , Honsbeek Krystel
Published: October 2023

A growing number of organisations in residential care for older people are working towards safe and inclusive environments for LGBT residents. In the Netherlands, these efforts are supported by an LGBT inclusion scheme called ‘Pink Passkey’. Drawing on critical organisational diversity studies, the paper understands inclusion as ‘accomplished’ in interactions across difference, and as always inherently partial (i.e. exclusion-producing). Qualitative methods are used to study the implementation process of the Pink Passkey in two nursing homes during one year. In sum, the paper contributes evidence of positive change associated with the use of the Pink Passkey as an inclusion scheme characterised by a long-term, open-ended and comprehensive approach. Compared to fixed-term projects and stand-alone measures described in previous LGBT ageing literature, an inclusion scheme helps to gain sustained attention to sexual and gender diversity (despite gaps in the implementation process), to normalise it more and to overcome opposition (though this does not disappear). The inclusion accomplished is, indeed, partial: bisexual, transgender and other gender non-conforming identities are less represented than gay and lesbian identities. Also, there is an emphasis on residents' agency to disclose LGBT identities and preferences, which excludes involuntary same-sex sexual expressions caused by disinhibited behaviour. The paper ends by suggesting disinhibited behaviour in older LGBT adults as an issue of interest to the wider literature on LGBT ageing, given the increasing prevalence of dementia and Parkinson's disease. Here, the role of care professionals who are able to understand and respond to bodily cues that echo struggles with otherness merits further consideration.
Structured Replacement Policies for Offshore Wind Turbines
Authors: Soltani Morteza , Kharoufeh Jeffrey P. , Khademi Amin
Published: October 2023

We consider the problem of optimally maintaining an offshore wind farm in which major components progressively degrade over time due to normal usage and exposure to a randomly varying environment. The turbines exhibit both economic and stochastic dependence due to shared maintenance setup costs and their common environment. Our aim is to identify optimal replacement policies that minimize the expected total discounted setup, replacement, and lost power production costs over an infinite horizon. The problem is formulated using a Markov decision process (MDP) model from which we establish monotonicity of the cost function jointly in the degradation level and environment state and characterize the structure of the optimal replacement policy. For the special case of a two-turbine farm, we prove that the replacement threshold of one turbine depends not only on its own state of degradation but also on the state of degradation of the other turbine in the farm. This result yields a complete characterization of the replacement policy of both turbines by a monotone curve. The policies characterized herein can be used to optimally prescribe timely replacements of major components and suggest when it is most beneficial to share costly maintenance resources.
Mad Pride and the Creation of Culture
Authors: Rashed Mohammed Abouelleil
Published: September 2023

Among the different approaches in mental health activism, there is an ongoing concern with the concepts and meanings that should be brought to bear upon mental health phenomena. Aspects of Mad Pride activism resist the medicalisation of madness, and seek to introduce new, non-pathologizing narratives of psychological, emotional, and experiential states. This essay proposes a view of Mad Pride activism as engaged in no less than the creation of a new culture of madness. The revisioning and revaluing of madness requires transformations in the basic concepts constitutive of current mental health narratives. This process is illustrated with the concept of self and its relation to passivity phenomena (thought insertion). The essay concludes with some of the challenges facing Mad Pride's ambition to enrich the cultural repertoire.
The Predictive Effects of Resting-State and Task-Related Prefrontal and Vagal Activity on Cognitive Performances
Authors: Doneda Martina , Borsa Virginia Maria , Brugnera Agostino , Compare Angelo , Rusconi Maria Luisa , Sakatani Kaoru , Lanzarone Ettore
Published: September 2023

Abstract: Performance efficiency in cognitive tasks is a combination of effectiveness, that is, accuracy, and cognitive effort. Resting-state and task-related autonomic and cortical activity, together with psychological variables, may represent effective predictors of performance efficiency. This study aimed to investigate the impact of these variables in the prediction of performance during a set of cognitive tasks in a sample of young adults. The 76 participants (age: 23.96 ± 2.69 years; 51.3% females) who volunteered for this study completed several psychological questionnaires and performed a set of attention and executive functions tasks. Resting-state and task-related prefrontal and autonomic activity were collected through a Time-Domain and a Continuous Wave 2-channel Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and a portable Electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring system, respectively. A set of Machine Learning (ML) approaches were employed to (i) predict the performance of each cognitive task, while minimizing and quantifying the prediction error, and to (ii) quantitatively evaluate the predictors that most affected the cognitive outcome. Results showed that perfectionistic traits, as well as both resting-state and task-related autonomic and cortical activity, predicted performance for most of the tasks, partially supporting previous evidence. Our results add to the knowledge of psycho-physiological determinants of performance efficiency in cognitive tasks and provide preliminary evidence on the role of ML approaches in detecting important predictors in cognitive neuroscience.
Detached Pacific Slab Beneath the Philippine Sea Plate and Its Geodynamical Implications
Authors: Fan Jianke , Zhao Dapeng , Li Cuilin , Dong Dongdong
Published: October 2023

Formation and evolution of the Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) are still highly debated, mainly because the PSP has been surrounded by subduction zones since its inception. Therefore, it is vital to determine a new tomographic model with higher resolution to precisely portray the subducted slabs beneath and around the PSP, in particular, the subducted Pacific slab that has played an essential role in the PSP formation and evolution. In this study, an updated tomographic model is obtained by inverting a large number of P‐wave arrival times of local and regional earthquakes in and around the PSP. Our tomography reveals a detached piece of the Pacific slab in the mantle transition zone beneath the middle PSP, which may be mainly related to the PSP clockwise rotation and transform or strike‐slip faults in this region. The detached Pacific slab may promote the formation and evolution of the Shikoku and Parece‐Vela basins and the Mariana Trough by inducing hot mantle upwelling. Our tomography also reveals isolated high‐velocity anomalies beneath the southernmost PSP, which may reflect remnants of the subducted slab at the beginning of the PSP formation. A high‐velocity gap appears beneath the southern PSP, which may reflect the influence of a mantle plume.
Quantifying Sub‐Seasonal Growth Rate Changes in Fossil Giant Clams Using Wavelet Transformation of Daily Mg/Ca Cycles
Authors: Arndt Iris , Coenen Douglas , Evans David , Renema Willem , Müller Wolfgang
Published: October 2023

Shells of the giant clam Tridacna can provide decade‐long records of past environmental conditions via their geochemical composition and structurally through growth banding. Counting the daily bands can give an accurate internal age model with high temporal resolution, but daily banding is not always visually retrievable, especially in fossil specimens. We show that daily geochemical cycles (e.g., Mg/Ca) are resolvable via highly spatially resolved laser‐ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICPMS; 3 × 33 μm laser slit) in our Miocene (∼10 Ma) specimen, even in areas where daily banding is not visually discernible. By applying wavelet transformation on the measured daily geochemical cycles, we quantify varying daily growth rates throughout the shell. These growth rates are thus used to build an internal age model independent of optical daily band countability. Such an age model can be used to convert the measured elemental ratios from a function of distance to a function of time, which helps evaluate paleoenvironmental proxy data, for example, regarding the timing of sub‐seasonal events. Furthermore, the quantification of daily growth rates across the shell facilitates the evaluation of (co)dependencies between growth rates and corresponding elemental compositions.
Light Mo Isotopes of Post‐Collisional Ultrapotassic Rocks in Southern Tibet Derived From Subducted Indian Continental Crust
Authors: Zhang Miao‐Yan , Huang Cheng‐Cheng , Hao Lu‐Lu , Qi Yue , Wang Qiang , Kerr Andrew C. , Wei Gang‐Jian , Li Jie , Ma Jin‐Long , Ma Lin , Fan Jing‐Jing
Published: October 2023

Recycling of molybdenum isotopes in continental subduction zones remains debated. In this contribution, we re‐visit the Mo isotope compositions of the Sailipu post‐collisional ultrapotassic rocks in the Himalaya‐southern Tibet orogen. These ultrapotassic rocks have very varying δ98/95Mo values of −0.66 to −0.07‰ and Mo/Ce ratios of 0.0008–0.005, which are lower than those of mid‐ocean ridge basalts (MORB; δ98/95Mo = −0.20 ± 0.06‰, and Mo/Ce = 0.03) and oceanic subduction‐related (i.e., mantle source involving fluids, residual slab, or oceanic sediments) magmatic rocks (e.g., modern arc lavas, Cenozoic OIB‐type basalts in eastern China and the central Mariana Trough basalts in the back‐arc basin, syn‐collisional andesitic rocks in southern Tibet). Combined with the light Mo isotopes of the Himalayan schists and gneisses, we suggest that the light Mo isotopic signature of the Sailipu ultrapotassic rocks is derived from subducted Indian continental crust. This is consistent with the extremely low δ11B (−17.4 to −9.7‰) and B/Nb (0.16–1) values and enriched Sr‐Nd‐Pb isotopes of the Sailipu ultrapotassic rocks. Thus, this study reveals the recycling of light Mo‐B isotopes during continental subduction and demonstrates that Mo‐B isotopes can effectively distinguish between continental and oceanic subduction.
Transient Injection of Flow: How Torn and Bent Slabs Induce Unusual Mantle Circulation Patterns Near a Flat Slab
Authors: Liu Xiaowen , Pysklywec Russell
Published: September 2023

Torn and bent slabs are usually associated with flat‐slab subduction where the descending plate develops a horizontal geometry beneath the overlying continent. How such slab dynamics modify the surrounding mantle flow and the overriding plate remains enigmatic. Here, we conduct three‐dimensional subduction numerical experiments to investigate the flat slab to steep‐angle slab transition region and examine the impact of slab geometry changes on mantle flows. The results show that the along‐strike change due to flattening a segment of slab induces oblique flow toward the mantle corner at the transition region where flat slab bends to steep‐subducting slab. Slab tears can occur due to the buoyancy contrast between an oceanic ridge and the surrounding dense oceanic crust and/or presence of weak zones. A vertical tear at the side edge of a flat slab causes toroidal flow around the steep‐angle slab where sub‐slab mantle floods rapidly through the tear. Flow through the tear spreads to all directions including upwelling toward the continental base that may trigger slab and partial melting and thus affect arc magmatism. A horizontal tear that occurs ahead of the flat portion where slab resumes its steep‐angle results in enhanced plate‐motion parallel flow. Notably, the tear‐induced flow behaves as a rapid injection through the slab breach with the peak velocity up to an order of magnitude higher than plate motion, lasting for 1–2 million years after initially tearing. This rapid pulse flow might be recorded in surface tectonics as distinct transient events of topography or metamorphism.
Responses of Phytoplankton Communities to Internal Waves in Oligotrophic Oceans
Authors: Ma Lingqi , Bai Xiaolin , Laws Edward A. , Xiao Wupeng , Guo Cui , Liu Xin , Chiang Kuo‐Ping , Gao Kunshan , Huang Bangqin
Published: September 2023

Understanding the potential impacts of internal waves on phytoplankton communities in oligotrophic oceans remains an important research challenge. In this study, we elucidated the impact of internal waves on phytoplankton communities through a comprehensive 154‐hr time‐series of observations in the South China Sea (SCS). We identified distinctive variations in phytoplankton pigment biomass and composition across the upper, middle, and lower layers of the euphotic zone, which we attributed to the perturbations triggered by internal waves. Phytoplankton other than Prochlorococcus in the lower, nutrient‐replete layer likely benefitted from allochthonous nutrients introduced by internal waves, but their growth rates were constrained by light limitation, and their pigment biomass was held in check by microzooplankton grazing. In contrast, in the upper, nutrient‐depleted layer, the relative abundance of Prochlorococcus increased, likely because of the ammonium regenerated by zooplankton. The middle layer, characterized as the deep chlorophyll maximum layer, exhibited a dynamic equilibrium characterized by nutrient and light co‐limitation. This equilibrium resulted in high nitrate assimilation and growth by phytoplankton. The balancing of those rates by significant grazing losses maintained total chlorophyll a concentrations at a high level. Based on these findings, we proposed a three‐layer euphotic zone structure characterized by distinct physiological conditions, nutrient‐light dynamics, grazing pressure, and phytoplankton responses to internal waves. This three‐layer paradigm elucidated the intricate interplay between internal waves and phytoplankton communities and provided insights into the mechanisms that govern primary production and carbon cycling in oligotrophic oceanic ecosystems.
Extracellular high molecular weight α-synuclein oligomers induce cell death by disrupting the plasma membrane
Authors: Ito Naohito , Tsuji Mayumi , Adachi Naoki , Nakamura Shiro , Sarkar Avijite Kumer , Ikenaka Kensuke , Aguirre César , Kimura Atsushi Michael , Kiuchi Yuji , Mochizuki Hideki , Teplow David B. , Ono Kenjiro
Published: September 2023

α-Synuclein (αS), the causative protein of Parkinson’s disease and other α-synucleinopathies, aggregates from a low molecular weight form (LMW-αS) to a high molecular weight αS oligomer (HMW-αSo). Aggregated αS accumulates intracellularly, induces intrinsic apoptosis, is released extracellularly, and appears to propagate disease through prion-like spreading. Whether extracellular αS aggregates are cytotoxic, damage cell wall, or induce cell death is unclear. We investigated cytotoxicity and cell death caused by HMW-αSo or LMW-αS. Extracellular HMW-αSo was more cytotoxic than LMW-αS and was a crucial factor for inducing plasma membrane damage and cell death. HMW-αSo induced reactive oxygen species production and phospholipid peroxidation in the membrane, thereby impairing calcium homeostasis and disrupting plasma membrane integrity. HMW-αSo also induced extrinsic apoptosis and cell death by activating acidic sphingomyelinase. Thus, as extracellular HMW-αSo causes neuronal injury and death via cellular transmission and direct plasma membrane damage, we propose an additional disease progression pathway for α-synucleinopathies.
Efficacy and complications of single-port thoracoscopic minimally invasive esophagectomy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a single-center experience
Authors: Zheng Fei , Yang Jun , Zhang Jiulong , Li Jiancheng , Fang Weimin , Chen Mingqiu
Published: September 2023

The traditional surgical technique for esophageal cancer is mainly open esophagectomy. With the innovation of surgical instruments, it is necessary to re-optimize the minimally invasive surgery. Therefore, single-port thoracoscopic minimally invasive esophagectomy (SPTE) is an important direction of development. This study retrospectively analyzed 202 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing SPTE. Surgical variables and postoperative complications were further evaluated. All procedures were performed using SPTE. The number of patients who received R0 resection was 201 (99.5%). The total number of resected lymph nodes during the whole operation was on average 32.01 ± 12.15, and the mean number of positive lymph nodes was 1.56 ± 2.51. In 170 cases (84.2%), intraoperative blood loss did not exceed 100 ml (ml), while 1 case had postoperative bleeding. Only 1 patient (0.5%) required reoperation after surgery. Postoperative complications included 42 cases of pneumonia (20.8%), 9 cases of anastomotic leak (4.5%), 7 cases of pleural effusion (3.8%), and 1 case (0.5%) of both pleural hemorrhage and acute gastrointestinal hemorrhagic ulcer. Besides, we also recorded the time to remove the drain tube, which averaged 9.13 ± 5.31 days. In our study, we confirmed that the application of SPTE in clinical practice is feasible, and that the postoperative complications are at a low level.
Decoupling of Arctic variability from the North Pacific in a warmer climate
Authors: Jahfer Sharif , Ha Kyung-Ja , Franzke Christian L. E. , Lee Sun-Seon , Rodgers Keith B. , Lee Dong-Eun
Published: September 2023

The sea level pressure variability in the North Pacific modulates the climate of the Arctic and surrounding continents, substantially impacting ecosystems and indigenous communities. Our analysis based on data from the CESM2 Large Ensemble and different Model Intercomparison Project datasets reveals that the interannual variability of Arctic surface air temperature (SAT) gradually decouples from the contemporaneous atmospheric conditions over the North Pacific as external forcing increases in intensity in the future. Future projections show that the North Pacific-Arctic relationship during the fall season consistently weakens in magnitude until the end of this century, and in the 22nd and 23rd centuries, the relationship is negligible throughout the year. We show that under increased greenhouse gas emissions, the regional heat fluxes extensively control the Arctic temperature variability, and the strength of the projected North Pacific-Arctic relationship is strongly dependent on the Arctic sea ice extent. Our results suggest that under future warming, a strong coupling of Arctic SAT with the underlying ocean and a weakening of the meridional pressure gradient driven by an enhanced rate of sea ice retreat will weaken the interannual footprint of North Pacific variability on Arctic SAT. Therefore, we propose that the alarming rate of sea-ice decline over recent decades and projected in the near future could accelerate the rate of decoupling. Further, we suggest that mitigation strategies for the Arctic should focus on regional mechanisms operating on interannual and seasonal timescales.