bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cervical Cancer Screening by Refugee Category in a Refugee Health Primary Care Clinic in Calgary, Canada, 2011–2016
Authors: Whalen-Browne Molly , Talavlikar Rachel , Brown Garielle , McBrien Kerry , Wiedmeyer Mei-ling , Norrie Eric , Fabreau Gabriel
Published: March 2022

Newly arrived refugees and refugee claimants experience low cervical cancer screening (CCS) rates in Canada. We investigated CCS at a dedicated refugee clinic. We completed a retrospective cohort study among patients at the Mosaic Refugee Health Clinic in Calgary, Canada, between 2011 and 2016. We investigated CCS offers and completion by refugee category. We then used multivariable logistic regression to estimate the association of CCS screening and refugee category, accounting for sociodemographic and clinical factors. We included 812 refugees. Most were married (71%) and had limited English proficiency (57%). Overall, 88% and 77% of patients were offered and completed screening, respectively. Compared to government assisted refugees, privately sponsored refugees completed CCS more often (OR 1.60, 95% CI [1.02–2.49]). A dedicated refugee clinic may provide effective CCS to newly arrived refugees irrespective of refugee category, insurance status or other barriers.
Low-CP-Rank Tensor Completion via Practical Regularization
Authors: Jiang Jiahua , Sanogo Fatoumata , Navasca Carmeliza
Published: March 2022

Dimension reduction is analytical methods for reconstructing high-order tensors that the intrinsic rank of these tensor data is relatively much smaller than the dimension of the ambient measurement space. Typically, this is the case for most real world datasets in signals, images and machine learning. The CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP, aka Canonical Polyadic) tensor completion is a widely used approach to find a low-rank approximation for a given tensor. In the tensor model (Sanogo and Navasca in 2018 52nd Asilomar conference on signals, systems, and computers, pp 845–849,10.1109/ACSSC.2018.8645405, 2018), a sparse regularization minimization problem via$$\ell _1$$ℓ1norm was formulated with an appropriate choice of the regularization parameter. The choice of the regularization parameter is important in the approximation accuracy. Due to the emergence of the massive data, one is faced with an onerous computational burden for computing the regularization parameter via classical approaches (Gazzola and Sabaté Landman in GAMM-Mitteilungen 43:e202000017, 2020) such as the weighted generalized cross validation (WGCV) (Chung et al. in Electr Trans Numer Anal 28:2008, 2008), the unbiased predictive risk estimator (Stein in Ann Stat 9:1135–1151, 1981; Vogel in Computational methods for inverse problems, 2002), and the discrepancy principle (Morozov in Doklady Akademii Nauk, Russian Academy of Sciences, pp 510–512, 1966). In order to improve the efficiency of choosing the regularization parameter and leverage the accuracy of the CP tensor, we propose a new algorithm for tensor completion by embedding the flexible hybrid method (Gazzola in Flexible krylov methods for lp regularization) into the framework of the CP tensor. The main benefits of this method include incorporating the regularization automatically and efficiently as well as improving accuracy in the reconstruction and algorithmic robustness. Numerical examples from image reconstruction and model order reduction demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm.
Production and characterization of porous magnetic biochar: before and after phosphate adsorption insights
Authors: Tomin Oleksii , Yazdani Maryam Roza
Published: March 2022

The modification process of biochars enables different advantages including enhanced adsorption properties for different pollutants. Herein, porous magnetic biochars (PMB) were successfully produced from softwood biomass through a two-step pyrolysis process together with FeCl3 modification. The effect of production temperature on adsorption was studied at 200 or 300 °C, followed by iron salt modification and subsequent pyrolysis at 600 or 800 °C. Biochars were characterized before and after phosphate adsorption via various characterization methods to acquire structural, elemental, and morphological properties of the adsorbent. The effects of phosphate concentration, contact time, and temperature on the adsorption process were examined in the batch mode. The characterization showed embedded iron oxide crystals of 23 nm within the biochar structure with a magnetic strength of 38.9 emu/g, which can assist the separation process of the powdered adsorbent from the aqueous medium. The surface area of the PMB was measured as 93 m2/g and 0.002 cm3/g pore volume. PMB showed complete removal (100%) of phosphate at the lower concentration (5 mg/l P). At higher concentration (25 mg/l P), the biochar prepared under 200/800 °C showed the highest removal (30%). The adsorption was enhanced with time (optimal 3 h) and temperature, which shows endothermic chemisorption following Langmuir isotherm and Pseudo-second order kinetic models. The desorption study suggested the slow release of phosphate from the spent adsorbent and potential reuse for soil enhancement. These results point towards the sustainable use of PMB as an effective and magnetically recyclable adsorbent for phosphate removal and reclaim.
Paeoniflorin ameliorates cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease via JNK/p53 signaling
Authors: He Zhu-qing , Huan Peng-fei , Wang Li , He Jian-cheng
Published: March 2022

Paeoniflorin (PF) has numerous benefits, including anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis effects. However, it is not clear if it has neuroprotective effects against cognitive impairment (CI) in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Through network pharmacology, we identified probable targets as well as signal pathways through which PF might affect CI in PD. Then, we experimentally validated our findings. The core genes of the protein-protein interactions (PPI) network include MAPK8 (JNK), TP53, CASP3 (caspase-3), postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) and synaptophysin (SYN). Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that genes involved in apoptosis and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling were significantly enriched. Because JNK is a key mediator of p53-induced apoptosis, we wondered if JNK/p53 pathway influences the effects of PF against apoptosis in mouse model of PD. Molecular docking analysis showed that PF had good affinity for JNK/p53. The results of the experiments indicated that PF ameliorated behavioral impairments and upregulated the expression of the dopamine (DA) neurons, suppressed cell apoptosis in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) of PD. Additionally, PF improved 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced neuronal injury by inhibiting apoptosis in hippocampal neurons of the CA1 and CA3, and upregulating PSD-95 as well as SYN protein levels. Similar protective effects were observed upon JNK/p53 pathway inhibition using SP600125. Overall, PF improved CI in PD by inhibiting JNK/p53 pathway.
When normal is normative: The ethical significance of conforming to reasonable expectations
Authors: Breakey Hugh
Published: March 2022

People give surprising weight to others’ expectations about their behaviour. I argue the practice of conforming to others’ expectations is ethically well-grounded. A special class of ‘reasonable expectations’ can create prima facie obligations even in cases where the expectations arise from contingent pre-existing practices, and the duty-bearer has not created them, or directly benefited from them. The obligation arises because of the substantial goods that follow from such conformity—goods capable of being endorsed from many different ethical perspectives and implicating key moral factors such as consent, fairness, respect, autonomy, and reciprocity. Given the innumerable situations where such expectations can arise, their ethical significance is critical both practically and philosophically.
Elucidating Active CO–Au Species on Au/CeO2(111): A Combined Modulation Excitation DRIFTS and Density Functional Theory Study
Authors: Weyel Jakob , Ziemba Marc , Hess Christian
Published: March 2022

In this work we elucidate the main steps of the CO oxidation mechanism over Au/CeO2(111), clarifying the course of CO adsorption at a broad variety of surface sites as well as of transmutations of one CO species into another. By combining transient spectroscopy with DFT calculations we provide new evidence that the active centers for CO conversion are single gold atoms. To gain insight into the reaction mechanism, we employ Modulation Excitation (ME) DRIFT spectroscopy in combination with the mathematical tool of Phase Sensitive Detection to identify the active species and perform DFT calculations to facilitate the assignments of the observed bands. The transient nature of the ME-DRIFTS method allows us to sort the observed species temporally, providing further mechanistic insight. Our study highlights the potential of combined transient spectroscopy and theoretical calculations (DFT) to clarify the role of adsorbates observed and to elucidate the reaction mechanism of CO oxidation over supported gold and other noble-metal catalysts.
Token replacement-based data augmentation methods for hate speech detection
Authors: Madukwe Kosisochukwu Judith , Gao Xiaoying , Xue Bing
Published: March 2022

Hate speech detection mostly involves the use of text data. This data, usually sourced from various social media platforms, have been known to be plagued with numerous issues that result in a reduction of its quality and hence, the quality of the trained models. Some of these issues are the lack of diversity and the diminutive class of interest in the dataset which results in overfitted models that do not generalize well on other or newly collected data. The different ways of handling these issues include augmenting the data with diverse samples, engineering non-redundant features or designing robust classification models. In this study, the focus is on the data augmentation aspect. Data augmentation is a popular method for improving the quality of existing datasets by generating synthetic samples that mimic the distribution of the original samples. There is a lack of extensive studies on how hate speech texts respond to varying textual data augmentation techniques and methods. Specifically, we provide further insight into the token replacement method of textual data augmentation by performing empirical studies that investigate which embedding method(s) is a robust source of synonym for replacement process, what effective method(s) can be used to select words to be replaced, and how to confirm if the label within each class is preserved. Our proposed methods, validated on two commonly used hate speech datasets affected by a known lack of diversity and diminutive class of interest issues, significantly improve classification performance and provides insights into token replacement methods.
Training on Reporting and Data System (RADS) for Somatostatin-Receptor Targeted Molecular Imaging Can Reduce the Test Anxiety of Inexperienced Readers
Authors: Weich Alexander , Higuchi Takahiro , Bundschuh Ralph A. , Lapa Constantin , Serfling Sebastian E. , Rowe Steven P. , Pomper Martin G. , Herrmann Ken , Buck Andreas K. , Derlin Thorsten , Werner Rudolf A.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

For somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), a standardized framework termed SSTR-reporting and data system (RADS) has been proposed. We aimed to elucidate the impact of a RADS-focused training on reader’s anxiety to report on SSTR-PET/CT, the motivational beliefs in learning such a system, whether it increases reader’s confidence, and its implementation in clinical routine.

Procedures

A 3-day training course focusing on SSTR-RADS was conducted. Self-report questionnaires were handed out prior to the course (Pre) and thereafter (Post). The impact of the training on the following categories was evaluated: (1) test anxiety to report on SSTR-PET/CT, (2) motivational beliefs, (3) increase in reader’s confidence, and (4) clinical implementation. To assess the effect size of the course, Cohen’s d was calculated (small, d = 0.20; large effect, d = 0.80).

Results

Of 22 participants, Pre and Post were returned by 21/22 (95.5%). In total, 14/21 (66.7%) were considered inexperienced (IR, < 1 year experience in reading SSTR-PET/CTs) and 7/21 (33.3%) as experienced readers (ER, > 1 year). Applying SSTR-RADS, a large decrease in anxiety to report on SSTR-PET/CT was noted for IR (d =  − 0.74, P = 0.02), but not for ER (d = 0.11, P = 0.78). For the other three categories motivational beliefs, reader’s confidence, and clinical implementation, agreement rates were already high prior to the training and persisted throughout the course (P ≥ 0.21).

Conclusions

A framework-focused reader training can reduce anxiety to report on SSTR-PET/CTs, in particular for inexperienced readers. This may allow for a more widespread adoption of this system, e.g., in multicenter trials for better intra- and interindividual comparison of scan results.
The Contribution of Forest Extraction to Income Diversification and Poverty Alleviation for Indonesian Smallholder Cattle Breeders
Authors: Nugroho Eko , Ihle Rico , Heijman Wim , Oosting Simon J.
Published: March 2022

Smallholder farmers in developing countries often lack resources. They rely mostly on extensive production approaches, such as cattle keeping and resort more to extracting forest resources at no charge. Our objective is to assess the relationship between the diversification of income sources, poverty and livelihood capital for smallholder farm households which combine cattle farming with forest extraction. We collected 600 surveys from Indonesian farmers specialized along the cattle rearing supply chain (464 breeders, 66 feeders and 70 mixed breeder-feeders). We found no correlation between poverty and income diversification. Cattle breeders have been found to rely most on forest resources. Distance to cropland and forest correlated positively, whereas their education level correlated negatively with income diversification. Feeders who were owning other livestock, were a member of a forest user group and owned some modest capital like a motorbike showed increased income diversification. Crops are the most important source of income for farmers, whereas cattle keeping and forest extraction play a role in income diversification. Increasing ecological pressure caused by forest extraction due to expanding cattle production could be best avoided by extending those parts of the cattle sector that use forest resources in a sustainable manner, for instance, through silvopastural systems or agroforestry so that incomes of poor farmers get more diversified and, therefore stabilized.
Postcraniotomy Headache: Etiologies and Treatments
Authors: Bello Corina , Andereggen Lukas , Luedi Markus M. , Beilstein Christian M.
Published: March 2022

Purpose of Review

Postcraniotomy headache (PCH) is a highly underappreciated and very common adverse event following craniotomy.

Recent Findings

Analgetic medication with opioids often interferes with neurologic evaluation in the acute phase of recovery and should be kept to a minimal, in general, in the treatment of chronic pain as well. We provide an update on the latest evidence for the management of acute and chronic PCH.

Especially in the neurosurgical setting, enhanced recovery after surgery protocols need to include a special focus on pain control. Patients at risk of developing chronic pain must be identified and treated as early as possible.
Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Promote Osteoplastic Precursor Differentiation by Activating the Wnt Pathway
Authors: Luo Junchao , Zhu Senbo , Tong Yu , Zhang Yin , Li Yong , Cao Li , Kong Mingxiang , Luo Min , Bi Qing , Zhang Qiong
Published: March 2022

Osteoplastic precursors are critical for fracture repair and bone homeostasis maintenance. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) can promote the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells and secrete vascular endothelial growth factors. However, little is known about its role in precursor osteoblasts; therefore, we further investigated the effect and mechanism of CeO2 NPs in precursor osteoblasts. Cell counting kit-8 analysis was utilized to detect the toxicity of CeO2 NPs on MC3T3-E1 mouse osteogenic precursor cells. Then, alizarin red S staining was employed to assess the degree of extracellular matrix mineralization, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to measure the levels of osteogenesis-related genes. To identify differentially expressed genes, mRNA-sequencing was performed. Subsequently, GO and KEGG analyses were deployed to identify the major downstream pathways, whereas Western blot was used for verification. CeO2 NPs significantly enhanced the ability of MC3T3-E1 precursor osteoblasts to enhance matrix mineralization and increased the expression of osteogenic genes such as runt-related transcription factor 2, collagen Iα1, and osteocalcin. Pathway analysis revealed that CeO2 NPs enhanced the nuclear translocation of β-catenin and activated the Wnt pathway by promoting family with sequence similarity 53 member B/simplet expression, while Western blot analysis indicated the same results. After using a Wnt pathway inhibitor (KYA1797K), the simulative effect of CeO2 NPs was abolished. This study revealed that CeO2 NPs promoted MC3T3-E1 precursor osteoblast differentiation by activating the Wnt pathway.
Human Urine-Derived Stem Cells Improve Partial Bladder Outlet Obstruction in Rats: Preliminary Data and microRNA-mRNA Expression Profile
Authors: Tu Menjiang , Wang Rui , Zhu Pei , Wang Qingqing , Sun Bishao , Lu Keshi , Zhang Jiawei , Xie Weijie , Guo Huan , Li Shulin , Wu Yuqi , Wang Xiangwei
Published: March 2022

Partial bladder outlet obstruction (pBOO) often results in bladder tissue inflammation and remodeling. As human urine-derived stem cells (USCs) have demonstrated therapeutic benefits, we used a rat model to investigate the effect of USCs on bladder function and explore the miRNA and gene expression profiles in bladder tissue using RNA sequencing. Eighteen rats were assigned to a sham surgery group, pBOO group, and pBOO+USC group (six biweekly treatments). Routine urodynamic monitoring, analysis of detrusor muscle strips, and pathophysiology assessments were conducted. Finally, altered miRNA and mRNA expression profiles of bladder tissue were examined using RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. After USC treatment, elevated bladder compliance and maximal voiding pressure, declined end filling pressure and voided volume, and improved detrusor muscle contractility and carbachol sensitivity were found. Histology and TUNEL assay revealed reduced collagen deposition and muscle cell apoptosis in bladder tissue. The differential expression of eight miRNAs was reversed by USC treatment. Two large nodes (miR-142 and miR-9a) were identified in the miRNA-gene interaction network in the USC-treated group. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed enrichment of multiple significant pathways, including those involved in necroptosis and cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions. This is the first study to demonstrate the protective effect of USCs on bladder function and remodeling in pBOO rats. The miRNA and mRNA expression levels differed in the bladder of pBOO rats with and without USC treatment. Although the mechanism underlying these effects has not been fully elucidated, necroptosis and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction-related pathways may be involved.

Graphical abstract
SEOM clinical guidelines for the prophylaxis of infectious diseases in cancer patients (2021)
Authors: Echavarria Isabel , Carrión Galindo J. Rafael , Corral Jesús , Diz Taín María Pilar , Henao Carrasco Fernando , Iranzo González-Cruz Vega , Mielgo-Rubio Xabier , Quintanar Teresa , Rivas Corredor Carlos , Pérez Segura Pedro
Published: March 2022

Infections are still a major cause of morbi-mortality in patients with cancer. Some of these infections are preventable through specific measures, such as vaccination or prophylaxis. This guideline aims to summarize the evidence and recommendations for the prevention of infections in cancer patients, devoting special attention to the most prevalent preventable infectious disease. All the evidences will be graded according to The Infectious Diseases Society of America grading system.
Cooperation and conflict in romantic partners’ personal projects: the role of life domains
Authors: Rosta-Filep Orsolya , Sallay Viola , Carbonneau Noémie , Martos Tamás
Published: March 2022

Personal projects represent a person’s pursuits in different life domains. The present study examines the orientations of adults’ personal projects and how these orientations are embedded in the dynamics of romantic relationships. Cross-sectional data from 249 married or cohabitating Hungarian heterosexual couples were collected (mean age 42 ± 10.76 and 39.64 ± 10.21 years for male and female partners, respectively). An adapted version of the Personal Project Assessment procedure was completed by both partners individually. Four of their chosen projects were evaluated based on perceived cooperation and conflict regarding these projects and other predefined aspects. First, after applying a person-oriented approach, four meaningful content domains emerged from the thematically coded data using cluster analysis: (1) Practical, (2) Work-Life Balance, (3) Relationships, and (4) Learning and Growth orientations. For both genders, people with Learning and Growth orientation were younger than those with Practical orientation, and among women, the Work-Life Balance orientation group was older. Second, we linked the content domains to relationship experiences on the dyadic level. Both partners with Learning and Growth orientation goals perceived less cooperation. Female partners whose spouses had Work-Life Balance or Learning and Growth orientation goals perceived less conflict regarding their own goals. Overall, Learning and Growth-oriented goals can be considered more distant from the dynamics of romantic relationships because they involve fewer joint experiences and less cooperation and conflict.
Disentangling between- and within-person associations of psychological distress and mental well-being: An experience sampling study examining the dual continua model of mental health among university students
Authors: Kraiss Jannis T. , Kohlhoff Martje , ten Klooster Peter M.
Published: March 2022

The dual continua model assumes that psychological distress and mental well-being are two related, yet distinct dimensions of mental health. Previous studies did convincingly show the distinctiveness of these two dimensions using mainly cross-sectional research. Despite the importance to distinguish between- and within-person associations in psychological theories, to date, no study specifically distinguished between- and within-person associations for the relationship between distress and well-being. Therefore, the objective of this study was to validate whether the dual continua model actually holds when examined within individuals. Intensive longitudinal data were collected through experience sampling. The sample included 25 university students (mean age = 23.50 years, 56% female), who completed a baseline questionnaire as well as momentary measures of psychological distress and mental well-being three times per day for two weeks. 1,014 timepoints were analyzed using multilevel models and person-mean centering was applied to distinguish between- and within person associations. A significant moderate negative between-person association was found for the relationship between psychological distress and mental well-being (β = −.363, marginal R2 = 0.15, p < .001). The within-person association was also significant and similar in magnitude (β = −.432, marginal R2 = 0.18, p < .001) at the group level. Individual within-person associations between distress and well-being varied substantially, but were negative for almost all participants. This study is an important step towards validating the applicability and universality of this widely used model. The current findings provide preliminary evidence that the dual continua model does not only hold between people, but also on the level it is actually used for, namely within individual people.
Crabs Go With the Flow: Declining Conductivity and Cooler Temperatures Trigger Spawning Migrations for Female Giant Mud Crabs (Scylla serrata) in Subtropical Estuaries
Authors: Hewitt Daniel E. , Niella Yuri , Johnson Daniel D. , Suthers Iain M. , Taylor Matthew D.
Published: March 2022

Spawning is a key life history event for aquatic species that can be triggered by environmental signals. For estuarine-dependent species, the timing of such triggers can be important for determining future patterns in recruitment. Here, we used acoustic telemetry to identify the potential drivers of spawning migration in female Giant Mud Crabs (Scylla serrata). Eighty-nine mature female crabs were tagged in two subtropical south-east Australian estuaries, the Clarence River (~ 29.4°S) and Kalang River (~ 30.5°S), during the summer spawning season (November–June) over two years (2018/19 and 2020/21), and their movements were monitored for up to 68 d, alongside high-resolution environmental data. Crabs were considered to have ‘successfully’ migrated if they were detected at the mouth of the estuary, a behaviour exhibited by 52% of tagged crabs. The highest probability of migration was associated with relatively low temperatures (< 22 °C) and when conductivity rapidly declined (< -10 mS cm−1d−1) following heavy rainfall. Furthermore, migration coincided with larger tides associated with the new and full moon, and following heavy rainfall, which may aid rapid downstream migration. Oceanic detections of 14 crabs (30% of ‘successful’ migrators) showed that once crabs left estuaries they migrated north. These patterns show that variability in environmental triggers for spawning migrations may contribute to interannual variation in spawning patterns, which may in turn impact fisheries productivity in this region.
The WOEST 2 registry
Authors: de Veer A. J. W. M. , Bennaghmouch N. , Bor W. L. , Herrman J. P. R. , Vrolix M. , Meuwissen M. , Vandendriessche T. , Adriaenssens T. , de Bruyne B. , Magro M. , Dewilde W. J. M , ten Berg J. M.
Published: March 2022

Background

Patients on oral anticoagulants (OACs) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) also require aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor (triple therapy). However, triple therapy increases bleeding. The use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) and stronger P2Y12 inhibitors has increased. The aim of our study was to gain insight into antithrombotic management over time.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of patients on OACs for atrial fibrillation or a mechanical heart valve undergoing PCI was performed. Thrombotic outcomes were myocardial infarction, stroke, target-vessel revascularisation and all-cause mortality. Bleeding outcome was any bleeding. We report the 30-day outcome.

Results

The mean age of the 758 patients was 73.5 ± 8.2 years. The CHA2DS2-VASc score was ≥ 3 in 82% and the HAS-BLED score ≥ 3 in 44%. At discharge, 47% were on vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), 52% on NOACs, 43% on triple therapy and 54% on dual therapy. Treatment with a NOAC plus clopidogrel increased from 14% in 2014 to 67% in 2019. The rate of thrombotic (4.5% vs 2.0%,p = 0.06) and bleeding (17% vs. 14%,p = 0.42) events was not significantly different in patients on VKAs versus NOACs. Also, the rate of thrombotic (2.9% vs 3.4%,p = 0.83) and bleeding (18% vs 14%,p = 0.26) events did not differ significantly between patients on triple versus dual therapy.

Conclusions

Patients on combined oral anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy undergoing PCI are elderly and have both a high bleeding and ischaemic risk. Over time, a NOAC plus clopidogrel became the preferred treatment. The rate of thrombotic and bleeding events was not significantly different between patients on triple or dual therapy or between those on VKAs versus NOACs.
The marbles of the basilica of Ascalon: another example of the Severan building projects
Authors: Anevlavi V. , Cenati C. , Prochaska W. , Ladstätter S. , Ganor S. , Bar-Nathan R.
Published: March 2022

This paper presents the research conducted on the origin of the white marble architecture of the basilica of Ascalon (Israel). The basilica is located in the civic centre of the Roman city of Ascalon and it is one of the relatively few known monumental buildings of Roman Palestine. The various construction phases of the basilica are dated from the first century BC to the third century AD. As Israel has no sources of marble, this paper explores the origin of the white marble that was used for several architectural elements such as bases, columns, capitals, and figurative pilasters to identify their provenance. The methodology includes petrographic studies, chemical and isotopic analyses, and chemical analyses of inclusion fluids and extractable salts (crush-leach analyses) of the marble. The results demonstrate that the imported marble highlights the wide extent of connectivity and interregional trade in the region. Some of the main sources of building materials used in the construction programme of this basilica originate from famous supra-regional quarries such as Prokonnesos and Thasos, and different quarries on the island of Lesbos. The similarities between the Severan basilica in Ascalon and the contemporary building in Leptis Magna are also discussed in this paper. In combination with the absence of a built-up port in the ancient city of Ascalon, these results also provide important information on the economy of Roman Palestine, transportation networks, and the logistical organisation of large-scale building programmes.
Improving Sleep Among Teachers: an Implementation-Intention Intervention
Authors: Schmidt Laura I. , Steenbock Lisa M. , Sieverding Monika
Published: March 2022

Background

Insufficient sleep is common among teachers and is associated with diverse health risks. This study aimed to predict intention and sleep duration by applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and to examine the effectiveness of an implementation-intention intervention to improve sleep duration and quality.

Method

Sixty-nine teachers (M = 36.8 years, SD = 10.4) were assigned to an active control group (CG) or intervention group (IG). At baseline, TPB variables were assessed and participants of the IG received instructions to develop implementation intentions to reach the goal of sleeping 8 h on average. During a 3-week intervention period, all participants wore an activity tracker (Fitbit Charge HR) to measure sleep duration and kept diaries to assess sleep quality, physical activity, and stress. After 1 month, a 1-week follow-up, including a booster for the IG, was conducted.

Results

Forty-two percent of variance in sleep duration were explained by control variables, past behavior, perceived behavioral control, and intention. Mixed ANOVAS with baseline covariates found a large main effect with longer sleep duration in the IG. A time x group interaction suggested that only the IG slept significantly longer in the follow-up period compared to the intervention period. For sleep quality, a medium-sized main effect for study group was found and a time x group interaction indicated higher sleep quality in the IG for week 3 and the follow-up.

Conclusion

The TPB was effective in predicting sleep intention and duration. Implementation intentions accompanied by daily monitoring and a booster appear to be promising for improving sleep.
Loading Mode and Lateral Confinement Dependent Dynamic Fracture of a Glass Ceramic Macor
Authors: Zhang L. , Townsend D. , Petrinic N. , Pellegrino A.
Published: March 2022

A systematic comparison of the tensile and compressive response of glass ceramic Macor, with zero porosity and low density, is carried out by using flattened Brazilian disk and cylindrical specimen from quasi-static to dynamic loading conditions. The experiments were performed on a screw driven Zwick machine and an in-house built split Hopkinson bar synchronized with a high speed photographic system. Likewise, the loading rate dependent fracture toughness is also investigated by using a notched semi-circular Brazilian disk. A digital image correlation technique is adopted to assist in the monitoring of strain field, crack initiation and propagation under dynamic loading conditions. Both tensile and compressive strength show loading rate dependencies, however, the static and dynamic tensile strengths are only 20% of the compressive strengths without confinement and less than 10% of the confined compressive strength. The microstructural characterization reveals the fracture mechanisms in unconfined Macor are predominantly transgranular with mica platelets and cleavage planes, which are influenced by the loading mode and loading rate. However, the Macor with confinement shows ductile fracture micrographs with a shear localization zone consisting of fine particles. With the use of Macor ceramic as a model material, the paper presents an economical approach to investigate the loading mode and pressure dependent failure of ceramic materials. This will support the characterization of dynamic properties of current and future developed advanced ceramics for demanding applications in the aero engine.
Acid–base strength and acido(fluoro)chromism of three push–pull derivatives of 2,6-distyrylpyridine
Authors: Mencaroni Letizia , Cesaretti Alessio , Elisei Fausto , Škorić Irena , Mlakić Milena , Spalletti Anna
Published: March 2022

The acidochromism and acid–base properties of 2,6-distyrylpyridine (2,6-DStP) derivatives bearing on the sides push/pull substituents (namely two dimethylamino, one nitro, and one methoxy and two nitro groups in the case of 2,6-bis[(E)-2-(4-dimetylaminophenyl)ethenyl]pyridine, 2-[(E)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethenyl],6-[(E)-2′-(4′-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]pyridine and 2,6-bis[(E)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethenyl]pyridine, respectively) were investigated by stationary and time-resolved spectroscopies. The sensitivity of the absorption and emission spectrum to the medium acidity was found to enhance in the dimethylamino-derivative relative to the unsubstituted 2,6-DStP, also because of the second protonation by the N(CH3)2 group. Spectrophotometric titrations, also processed by a global fitting approach, gave pKa values, for the protonation of the central pyridine, higher in the derivatives with electron-donor unities and lower in compounds bearing electron-acceptor groups. A fluorometric titration was performed in the case of the dimethylamino-derivative thanks to non-negligible emission efficiencies for both neutral and protonated species, unveiling an attractive naked-eye acido(fluoro)chromism from green to yellow upon pyridine protonation, and then to purple with the second protonation involving the lateral N(CH3)2 substituent. Due to the extremely short excited-state lifetimes, as resulted from femtosecond transient absorption experiments, the pKa values for the excited state (pKa*) were estimated through the Förster cycle, revealing that the monoprotonated species of the dimethylamino-derivative would become upon excitation the only stable form in a wide range of pH.

Graphical abstract
Muon cooling and acceleration
Authors: Otani Masashi
Published: March 2022

Muons, which were discovered in the 1930s and first generated using an accelerator half a century after their discovery, are now widely used in several scientific fields such as particle physics and material science. Recent advancements in cooling techniques have reduced the phase-space volume of muon beams and driven the effort to realize muon acceleration, which has now been demonstrated for the first time. This paper reviews the current state of muon cooling and acceleration technologies.
Delineating springs safeguard zones with DISCO-URBAN index: a valuable tool for groundwater vulnerability mapping in local-scale urban areas
Authors: Meerkhan Helen , Freitas Liliana , Pereira Alcides J. S. C. , Rocha Fernando , Chaminé Helder I.
Published: March 2022

Assessing groundwater vulnerability to contamination is vital worldwide, particularly in sustainable water resources management. That is mainly a concern in fractured media in urban areas due to a large diversity of contaminant sources and the complexity of recharge pathways. Thus, groundwater vulnerability assessment is essential to delineate groundwater protection zones around springs or wellheads. Furthermore, it considers the groundwater system’s heterogeneity and the surrounding hydrogeological conditions, as well as provides suitable solutions to protect the resource and mitigate potential hazards. DISCO-URBAN index focused on urban areas was applied to evaluate the intrinsic vulnerability in fractured media in the surroundings of Penafiel city (NW Portugal). The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to determine the weight of each evaluation factor. Furthermore, multi-criteria indexes were applied: GOD‐S, DRASTIC‐Fm, SI DISCO and DISCO-URBAN. Low to moderate vulnerability classes dominate in the combined approach of the vulnerability indexes. However, very high vulnerability classes occur in DISCO and DISCO-URBAN, corroborated by the water-enriched nitrates. Therefore, the DISCO-URBAN method highlights a better delineation of groundwater safeguard zones. In fact, the DISCO-URBAN index is reliable in urban areas to be integrated as a tool to develop local site hydrogeological investigations related to springs safeguard zones.
The interface of COVID-19, diabetes, and depression
Authors: Steenblock Charlotte , Schwarz Peter E. H. , Perakakis Nikolaos , Brajshori Naime , Beqiri Petrit , Bornstein Stefan R.
Published: March 2022

Comorbid diabetes with depression is a challenging and often under-recognized clinical problem. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, a communicable disease is thriving on the increasing incidences of these non-communicable diseases. These three different health problems are bidirectionally connected forming a vicious cycle. Firstly, depressed individuals show a higher risk of developing diabetes and patients with diabetes have a higher risk of developing symptoms of depression. Secondly, patients with diabetes have a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 as well as of experiencing breakthrough infections. Thirdly, in both patients with type 2 diabetes and in COVID-19 survivors the prevalence of depression seems to be increased. Fourthly, lockdown and quarantine measurements during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in depression. Therefore, it is of importance to increase the awareness of this interface between depression, diabetes and COVID-19. Finally, as symptoms of post-COVID, diabetes and depression may be overlapping, there is a need for educating skilled personnel in the management of these comorbidities.
Parameter Optimization for a Novel Inerter-based Dynamic Vibration Absorber with Negative Stiffness
Authors: Li Jing , Gu Xueqing , Zhu Shaotao , Yu Changlong , Yang Xiaodong
Published: March 2022

A novel dynamic vibration absorber(DVA) model with negative stiffness and inerter-mass is presented and analytically studied in this paper. The research shows there are still two fixed points independent of the absorber damping in the amplitude frequency curve of the primary system when the system contains negative stiffness and inerter-mass. The optimum frequency ratio is obtained based on the fixed-point theory. In order to ensure the stability of the system, it is found that inappropriate inerter coefficient will cause the system instable when screening optimal negative stiffness ratio. Accordingly, the best working range of inerter is determined and optimal negative stiffness ratio and approximate optimal damping ratio are also obtained. At last the control performance of the presented DVA is compared with three existing typical DVAs. The comparison results in harmonic and random excitation show that the presented DVA could not only reduce the peak value of the amplitude-frequency curve of the primary system significantly, but also broaden the efficient frequency range of vibration mitigation.
Effect of Antioxidants Supplementation on Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Su Liang , Yang Zhao-tian , Qu Hua , Luo Cheng-long , Yuan Guo-xing , Wu Jie , Jiao Yong-zheng
Published: March 2022

Introduction

In Erectile dysfunction (ED) patients, phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors are considered as the first-line therapy. However, 30–50% of ED patients fail to follow this therapeutic option because of adverse events, lack of efficacy, or drug costs. Antioxidant supplementation is widely applied in clinical practice and viewed as a potential therapeutic option for ED. Therefore, it is attractive to assess the effect of antioxidants supplementation on ED patients.

Objectives

To evaluate the effects of antioxidants supplementation on ED.

Methods

Published randomized controlled trials of antioxidants in ED were searched in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to October 3, 2021. Meta-analyses were carried out using a random-effects model. The results were presented as standard mean differences (SMDs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Eighteen studies with 1,331 ED patients were included in the study. Compared with placebo, antioxidants alone treatment showed a statistical increase in International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score (SMD = 1.93; 95% CI: 0.15, 3.72; P = .034). Compared with placebo, antioxidants compound treatment elicited a significant increase in IIEF score (SMD = 2.74; 95% CI: 1.67, 3.81; P < .001) as well as sexual satisfaction score (SMD = 1.61; 95% CI: 0.63, 2.59; P = .001). Compared with the PDE5 inhibitors alone, combination of PDE5 inhibitors and antioxidants showed a significant increase in IIEF score (SMD = 1.1; 95% CI: 0.51, 1.68; P < .001) and sexual satisfaction score (SMD = 1.28; 95% CI: 0.06, 2.51; P = .04).

Conclusion

This study found that the effect of antioxidant alone treatment on ED may be limited. However, antioxidant compound treatment, as well as combination of PDE5 inhibitors and antioxidants, were associated with improved ED, and can be considered as an accessary therapeutic option for ED.
Love in Contemporary Technoculture
Authors: Malinowska Ania
Published: March 2022

This Element outlines the environments of loving in contemporary technoculture and explains the changes in the manner of feelings (including the experience of senses, spaces, and temporalities) in technologically mediated relationships. Synchronic and retrospective in its approach, this Element defines affection (romance, companionship, intimacy etc.) in the reality marked by the material and affective 'intangibility' that has emerged from the rise of digitalism and technological advancement. Analysing the (re)constructions of intimacy, it describes our sensual and somatic experiences in conditions where the human body, believed to be extending itself by means of the media and technological devices, is in fact the extension of the media and their technologies. It is a study that outlines shifts and continuums in the 'practices of togetherness' and which critically rereads late modern paradigms of emotional and affective experiences, filling a gap in the existing critical approaches to technological and technologized love.
Limit theorems for critical branching processes in a finite-state-space Markovian environment
Authors: Grama Ion , Lauvergnat Ronan , Le Page Émile
Published: March 2022

Let
$(Z_n)_{n\geq 0}$
be a critical branching process in a random environment defined by a Markov chain
$(X_n)_{n\geq 0}$
with values in a finite state space
$\mathbb{X}$
. Let
$ S_n = \sum_{k=1}^n \ln f_{X_k}^{\prime}(1)$
be the Markov walk associated to
$(X_n)_{n\geq 0}$
, where
$f_i$
is the offspring generating function when the environment is
$i \in \mathbb{X}$
. Conditioned on the event
$\{ Z_n>0\}$
, we show the nondegeneracy of the limit law of the normalized number of particles
${Z_n}/{e^{S_n}}$
and determine the limit of the law of
$\frac{S_n}{\sqrt{n}} $
jointly with
$X_n$
. Based on these results we establish a Yaglom-type theorem which specifies the limit of the joint law of
$ \log Z_n$
and
$X_n$
given
$Z_n>0$
.
KMS states for generalized gauge actions on -algebras associated with self-similar sets
Authors: DE CASTRO GILLES G.
Published: March 2022

Given a self-similar set K defined from an iterated function system
$\Gamma =(\gamma _{1},\ldots ,\gamma _{d})$
and a set of functions
$H=\{h_{i}:K\to \mathbb {R}\}_{i=1}^{d}$
satisfying suitable conditions, we define a generalized gauge action on Kajiwara–Watatani algebras
$\mathcal {O}_{\Gamma }$
and their Toeplitz extensions
$\mathcal {T}_{\Gamma }$
. We then characterize the KMS states for this action. For each
$\beta \in (0,\infty )$
, there is a Ruelle operator
$\mathcal {L}_{H,\beta }$
, and the existence of KMS states at inverse temperature
$\beta $
is related to this operator. The critical inverse temperature
$\beta _{c}$
is such that
$\mathcal {L}_{H,\beta _{c}}$
has spectral radius 1. If
$\beta <\beta _{c}$
, there are no KMS states on
$\mathcal {O}_{\Gamma }$
and
$\mathcal {T}_{\Gamma }$
; if
$\beta =\beta _{c}$
, there is a unique KMS state on
$\mathcal {O}_{\Gamma }$
and
$\mathcal {T}_{\Gamma }$
which is given by the eigenmeasure of
$\mathcal {L}_{H,\beta _{c}}$
; and if
$\beta>\beta _{c}$
, including
$\beta =\infty $
, the extreme points of the set of KMS states on
$\mathcal {T}_{\Gamma }$
are parametrized by the elements of K and on
$\mathcal {O}_{\Gamma }$
by the set of branched points.
Violence and Voting in the United States: How School Shootings Affect Elections
Authors: KHAN ALEENA
Published: March 2022

Since the 1980s over 100 indiscriminate school shootings have taken the lives of dozens of adults and children across 40 states. Each school shooting sparked debates about gun control, with Democrats increasingly advocating for stricter gun laws and Republicans increasingly opposing them. Gun violence has certainly divided the country along partisan lines, but has it influenced the public’s political behavior? Political scientists Laura García-Montoya, Ana Arjona, and Matthew Lacombe investigate this question in their recent American Political Science Review study. In particular, they examine whether people who live in counties that experience school shootings change their voting behavior. García-Montoya, Arjona, and Lacombe find that gun violence in schools does not increase voter turnout, but it does shift the public’s vote in favor of Democrats during presidential elections.
Toward a decolonial quantitative political science: Indigenous self-identification in the 2019 Native Hawaiian Survey
Authors: Phan Ngoc T. , Lee Kevin Lujan
Published: March 2022

Indigenous scholars have much to teach political scientists about recognizing and addressing the ways in which power, politics, and colonialism irrevocably shape the data-generating process. In this article, we present a methodological framework for a decolonial quantitative political science, outlining how it was operationalized in the design and execution of the 2019 Native Hawaiian Survey. We demonstrate the utility of this methodological framework through a descriptive analysis of Native Hawaiian respondents' self-identification. Aligned with the theoretical insights of kanaka (Native Hawaiian) scholars, we provide empirical support for the intertwined political relationship between Native Hawaiian identity and national identity––a finding that demands further empirical study among all Indigenous populations. This article offers two main contributions. First, it provides a methodological framework to guide quantitative political science research on Indigenous populations. Second, it adds empirically to the growing literature on Indigenous self-identification.