bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An investigation into the efficacy of therapy dogs on reading performance in 6-7 year old children
Authors: Wohlfarth Rainer , Mutschler Bettina , Beetz Andrea , Schleider Karin
Published: October 2022

There is scientific evidence that the presence of a therapy dog can positively impact on the performance of cognitive tasks (e.g.
Gee et al., 2010
). The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a therapy dog on reading performance. Twelve children in second grade, aged 6 to 7 years old, were randomly assigned to two groups in a cross-over design. Six boys and six girls read a text in the presence of a dog and, in another session, a similar text in the presence of a human confederate. Several parameters of the reading performance and human-dog interaction were assessed. In our study a therapy dog rather than a friendly female student improved the reading performance of children in three out of four task parameters: correct word recognitions, correct recognitions of punctuation marks, and correct line breaks. There was no significant influence of the dog on reading time. The four reading parameters did not show significant correlations with the total length of eye or body contact with the dog. Results in this study are consistent with previous research that documented a positive impact on the performance of cognitive tasks in preschoolers due to the presence of a therapy dog (e.g.
Gee et al., 2012
). Our results add two new aspects. Firstly, data indicate that the presence of a dog can also be beneficial for older children. Secondly, the promotion of performance also applies to reading.
His Bark is Worse than His Bite: Perceptions and Rationalization of Canine Aggressive Behavior
Authors: Orritt Rachel , Gross Harriet , Hogue Todd
Published: October 2022

Qualitative methods are increasingly used to investigate the complexities of the dog-human relationship. In order to inform a larger study of human dog interaction, a focus group study was carried out to address the question ‘How is aggressive behavior in dogs perceived and rationalized by people who have experience of dog behavior?’ Six focus groups, including three ‘non-professional’ groups (two groups of dog owners and one group of amateur trainers) and three ‘professional’ groups (a behaviorist group, veterinary group and academic group) were carried out, involving participants who were recruited opportunistically. The focus group transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings indicated that participants who do not work with dogs in a professional capacity are largely defensive of dogs when discussing aggressive behavior. However, these participants also discussed factors that make a dog ‘risky’ and how responsible owners manage that risk and the characteristics of ‘dangerous dogs’. For the professional groups, aggressive behavior in dogs presents a barrier to everyday work. They considered working with the owners of dogs showing aggressive behavior and battling anthropogenic stereotypes and misconceptions to be part of the professional challenge. Professionals also contributed views on the nature of ‘dangerous dogs’ and demonstrated awareness of how perceptions could be distorted by the media and propagation of stereotypes. This research highlights the variability of perceptions about canine aggressive behavior. Findings can inform the critical interpretation of quantitative results, and offer a foundation for quantitative study of human directed aggressive behavior in dogs.
Enactive Anthrozoology: Toward an integrative theoretical model for understanding the therapeutic relationships between humans and animals.
Authors: Verheggen Theo , Enders-Slegers Marie-Jose , Eshuis Jannes
Published: October 2022

Anthrozoology continues to advance forward in research and in professionalization of animal assisted interventions. What the discipline is still lacking, however, is a unified theoretical framework “explaining how and why relationships between humans and animals are potentially therapeutic” (Kruger & Serpell, 2010). We propose such a framework, inspired by enactivism (Varela, Thompson, & Rosch, 1992), to integrate the most prominent psychological constructs and biological facts that are currently known in anthrozoological research. Mutual, fully embodied attunement of behavior between living systems is the central concept we put forward in this paper. We address how, in the context of humans and many other animals, meaning production, communication, reflexivity, as well as the shaping of affectivity and behavioral routines all follow from this central principle. The interconnection of key anthrozoological issues and theories—including attachment theory, social support theory, and the biophilia hypothesis— are discussed in direct relation to the mutual, embodied attunement of behavior between humans and animals. We also sketch how this theoretical model may open new domains for doing research.
Homelessness and Animal Companionship in Bloomington, Indiana
Authors: Kim Christine H.
Published: October 2022

This study is the first to examine Bloomington, IN’s subpopulation of people experiencing homelessness with animals. To understand this subpopulation’s basic demographics, social service needs, and existing resources, eight families were recruited for the study from a service fair offering free veterinary care, pet supplies, and grooming to companion animals of people experiencing homelessness. The event was intended to be an isolated kick-off for a pilot year of capacity building programming in partnership with local homeless service providers. This article presents information which was collected from the first service fair through semi-structured interviews and the administration of the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale. The data from this study reveal participants’ high attachment to their animals and a need for more pet-friendly overnight shelters. Other themes that emerge include homeless animal guardians’ restricted access to day-time services, a struggle to find temperature controlled places to sleep in extreme weather, and an absence of documentation supporting emotional support animal claims. Bloomington’s homeless advocates, direct service professionals, and program developers can ground efforts to assist people experiencing homelessness with companion animals using findings from this study.
No Pets Allowed: Landlord Attitudes Towards Pets in a Small Canadian City
Authors: Krachun Carla , Wilson McLennon J. G. , Hoddinott Joshua
Published: October 2022

Pet ownership is associated with greater mental and physical well-being, but it can also make some aspects of life more difficult. For example, many landlords have a ‘no-pets’ policy, which is especially problematic in areas where rental units are already in short supply. We examined landlord attitudes towards tenants with pets in a small Canadian city with a consistently low vacancy rate. Sources of data included classified advertisements over a 15-year period and telephone interviews with 32 landlords currently advertising rental units. Questions examined included: has the proportion of landlords adopting a no-pets policy increased over time; which specific concerns do landlords have about pets; and what factors, if any, might increase landlords’ willingness to allow pets? Our analyses indicated an increase over time in the proportion of ads explicitly stating a no-pets policy, from less than a third in the early 2000s to more than half in the most recent years examined. These proportions were related to fluctuating vacancy rates. Interviews with landlords revealed concerns about pets that focused mostly on potential damage to rental units, with their concerns sometimes based upon past experiences. However, landlords also reported encountering similar problems when renting to tenants without pets, and of the 18 landlords who had initially posted ads explicitly stating a no-pets policy, 8 said that they would nevertheless consider pets under some conditions. Pet owners may be able to increase their ease of finding housing by addressing these factors.
The Impact of a Care Recipient’s Pet on Caregiving Burden, Satisfaction, and Mastery: A Pilot Investigation
Authors: Bibbo Jessica , Proulx Christine M.
Published: October 2022

Older adults who require assistance with their own self-care most likely need assistance with pet care. These pet care tasks are likely taken on by their family caregivers (i.e., informal caregivers). However, the potential impact of an older adult’s pet on caregivers’ emotional experiences has not been explored. Role theory was used to model the impact of a care recipient’s pet (i.e., number of pet care tasks performed and the perceived costs of care recipients’ pet ownership) on caregivers’ levels of caregiving burden, satisfaction, and mastery. The moderating role of the perceived bond between the care recipient and their pet, the caregiver’s closeness to the pet, and mutuality in the caregiver-care recipient relationship were also examined. Forty-nine caregivers who did not consider themselves to be co-owner of their care recipients’ pet completed a one-time on-line survey. Path analyses controlling for perceptions of inadequate help were conducted separately for each outcome variable using the maximum likelihood for missing values. The perceived costs of the care recipients’ pet ownership were directly associated with lower caregiving mastery. The perceived bond between the care recipient and their pet moderated the association between the number of pet care tasks and satisfaction. The caregivers’ closeness to the pets moderated the association between the perceived costs and satisfaction. Caregiver-care recipient mutuality moderated the relationships between pet care tasks and burden, pet care tasks and mastery, and costs and mastery. Care recipients’ pets are likely to have an impact on the subjective experiences within the role of caregiver. These impacts are likely qualified by the human-animal bond, and to a larger extent, the caregiver-care recipient relationship.
‘Thriving Through Relationships’ as a useful adjunct to existing theoretical frameworks used in human-companion dog interaction literature
Authors: Gravrok Jennifer , Bendrups Dan , Howell Tiffani , Bennett Pauleen C.
Published: October 2022

The relationship formed between a human and a dog can be transformative. Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) research aims to understand why these relationships are so important. Within this field, human-dog relationships have been explained through various theoretical constructs, of which the ‘biophilia hypothesis’, ‘attachment theory’ and ‘social support’ are the most common. However, none of these constructs completely explain the benefits that human-dog relationships can provide. In this paper, a new theory, the Thriving Through Relationships (TTR) theory, is applied to human-dog relationships, in order to ascertain its capacity to further explain the benefits that dogs can provide to humans. The TTR theory proposes mechanisms for immediate and long-term indicators of thriving, which may add new insight into how human-dog relationships are beneficial. Multiple dimensions of thriving are used to explain how a supportive other could assist an individual to thrive, both in the face of adversity and during times of relative normalcy. The TTR theory may, therefore, enhance understanding of the transformative potential of human-dog relationships.
Accuracy of Canine vs. Human Emotion Identification: Impact of Dog Ownership and Belief in Animal Mind
Authors: Hawkins Roxanne D. , Hatin Bianca D.M. , Revesz Eszter O.
Published: October 2022

Humans are adept at extrapolating emotional information from the facial expressions of other humans but may have difficulties identifying emotions in dogs. This can increase risk for compromised dog and human welfare. Experience with dogs, and beliefs in animal minds, may influence interspecies emotional communication, yet limited research has investigated these variables. In this study, participants (n = 122 adults) were asked to identify human and dog emotional facial expressions (happiness, fearfulness, anger/aggression) through an online experimental emotion recognition task. Experience with dogs (through dog ownership and duration of current dog ownership), emotion attribution (through beliefs about animal mind), and demographics were also measured. Results showed that fear and happiness were more easily identified in human faces, whereas aggression was more easily identified in dog faces. Duration of current dog ownership, age, and gender identity did not relate to accuracy scores, but current dog owners were significantly better at identifying happiness in dog faces than non-dog owners. Dog ownership and duration of ownership related to increased beliefs about, and confidence in, the emotional ability of dogs. Additionally, belief in animal sentience was positively correlated with accuracy scores for identifying happiness in dogs. Overall, these exploratory findings show that adult humans, particularly current dog owners and those who believe in the emotionality of dogs, can accurately identify some basic emotions in dogs but may be more skilled at identifying positive than negative emotions. The findings have implications for preventing negative human-animal interactions through intervention strategies that target animal emotionality.
The Anodyne-Agent Model: A Framework for Conceptualizing the Animal’s Role in Animal-Assisted Intervention
Authors: Fournier Angela K. , Letson Elizabeth A. , Berry Thomas D. , Laitala Jennifer , Proels Lauren , Kavanaugh Kelli
Published: October 2022

This research introduces the anodyne-agent model as a framework for conceptualizing the animal’s role in animal-assisted interventions. The model suggests animals assist interventions aimed at human health and well-being by (a) enhancing positive emotion and decreasing negative emotion, and/or (b) serving as agents in the therapeutic process. An experiment is described to demonstrate the anodyne-agent model. This investigation engaged 45 women and men in a between-groups, posttest-only experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (i.e., a horse, a dog, or a no-animal control condition). Dependent measures included quantity of human-animal interaction measured with the Human-Animal Interaction Scale, positive and negative emotion measured with the Modified Dimensional Emotions Scale, and psychosocial learning measured via participant qualitative report. Results showed positive emotion was higher following sessions with an animal and correlated with quantity of human-animal interaction. Psychosocial learning differed by condition and was also associated with human-animal interaction. Findings illustrate the utility of the anodyne-agent model. Replication with larger, more diverse samples is warranted.
The Loss of a Service Dog Through Retirement: Experiences and Impact on Human Partners
Authors: Currin-McCulloch Jennifer , Bussolari Cori , Packman Wendy , Kogan Lori , Erdman Phyllis
Published: October 2022

This study describes the experiences of service dog partners (N=22) whose service dog had retired within the previous five years. The participants were service dog partners who participated in a larger quantitative study (N=56) and agreed to a follow up interview. Guided by bereavement and human-animal bond theories and prior research, researchers coded the interviews using directed content analysis to identify prevalent themes. Findings underscore that the retirement of a service dog is poorly understood by others, and often results in disenfranchised grief about this ambiguous loss. The retirement process is difficult and often partners struggled with the need to quickly acquire another service dog and the subsequent impact this had on their ability to grieve. These results suggest that, given the unique nature of service dogs and the relationship between dog and partner, it is important that service dog organizations, mental health counselors and veterinarians are aware of the challenges and losses associated with the retirement of a service dog and offer appropriate tools and support to their clients during this challenging time.
Neuromuscular changes after a Long Distance Triathlon World Championship
Authors: Cuba‐Dorado Alba , Álvarez‐Yates Tania , Carballo‐López Javier , Iglesias‐Caamaño Mario , Fernández‐Redondo Diego , García‐García Oscar
Published: October 2022

This study aimed to determine the neuromuscular changes in muscle contractile properties and countermovement jump (CMJ) performance after a long distance (LD) triathlon, inquiring to what extent it is influenced by gender and the evaluated muscle, and to explore for response differences. Four elite (2 females and 2 males) and 18 well‐trained triathletes (3 females and 15 males) who competed in the 2019 LD Triathlon World Championship undergone, prior and post‐race, a CMJ and a muscle contractile properties assessment in vastus lateralis (VL) and biceps femoris (BF) using tensiomyography. A mixed ANOVA was carried out to detect triathletes’ neuromuscular changes after the competition. A large decrease in jump height and flight time was found in CMJ (p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.767) with gender differences (ηp2 = 0.308). contraction (Tc), delay (Td) and sustain times (Ts) also showed a large decrease (p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.174–0.413). However, maximum radial muscle belly displacement was not altered by the competition, but did greatly increase radial displacement velocity (p = 0.031; ηp2 = 0.212). No gender differences were found in contractile properties. Correlation analysis between race performance and the jumping and tensiomyography parameters only showed a moderate negative correlation with Tc of the BF in pre‐ and post‐competition (r = −0.44; −0.43; p = 0.05). In conclusion, triathletes after a LD World Championship suffer a sharp drop in jump performance and variations in VL's and BF's contractile properties, showing decreases in Tc, Td and Ts without gender differences. The regular use of these parameters can allow the monitoring of triathlete's neuromuscular fatigue and aid in the distribution of more efficient loads in their training cycles.
Testing regular black holes with X-ray and GW data
Authors: Riaz Shafqat , Shashank Swarnim , Roy Rittick , Abdikamalov Askar B. , Ayzenberg Dimitry , Bambi Cosimo , Zhang Zuobin , Zhou Menglei
Published: October 2022

The presence of spacetime singularities in physically relevant solutions of the Einstein Equations is normally interpreted as a symptom of the breakdown of classical general relativity at very high densities/curvatures. However, despite significant efforts in the past decades, we do not have yet any robust theoretical framework to solve the problem of spacetime singularities. In this context, the past few years have seen an increasing interest in the study of phenomenological scenarios to describe singularity-free black holes, gravitational collapses, and cosmological models. In the present work, we consider the recent proposal by Mazza, Franzin & Liberati for a rotating regular black hole and we measure their regularization parameter l from the available X-ray and gravitational wave black hole data. For l = 0, we recover the singular Kerr solution of general relativity, while for l ≠ 0 we can have a regular black hole or a regular wormhole. Our analysis shows that the available data are consistent with a vanishing regularization parameter l and we can constrain its value. From a NuSTAR spectrum of the Galactic black hole in EXO 1846-031, we find l/M < 0.49 (90% CL). From the gravitational wave event GW190707A, we find l/M < 0.72 (90% CL).
Study of solute dispersion under linear sorption in a semi-infinite porous formation
Authors: Paul T , Mahato N K , Singh R K
Published: October 2022

Solute dispersion in a porous formation is Mathematically expressed by partial differential equation well known as advection-dispersion equation (ADE). The present study deals with the solute transport governing equation in a semi-infinite homogeneous porous formation under linear sorption. A constant background solute concentration is assumed initially throughout the solute transport domain. Dirichlet and Neumann type boundary conditions are considered to examine the solute concentration distribution profile in the semi-infinite porous medium. The analytical and numerical solutions of the model problem are derived by Laplace transform technique and Crank-Nicolson method, respectively. Solute dispersion behaviour is studied for various form of flow velocities. Solutions obtained by analytical and numerical techniques are illustrated graphically with the help of MATLAB software. Also, the numerical solution is compared with the analytical solution and found great similarity between them.
Impact of accretion disk on the gravitational wave profile emitted from binary merger
Authors: Chatterjee Sangita , Mondal Soumen , Basu Prasad
Published: October 2022

In the present work, we study the emission of the gravitational wave from the extreme mass ratio inspiral containing an accretion disk around the central compact object. The disk exerts a hydrodynamic drag on the companion black hole. The emitted gravitational wave from such systems may be modified due to the modified motion of the companion by the influence of the hydrodynamic drag of the disk. In the present work, we investigate this issue using full general relativistic formalism and calculate the possible error introduced in the estimation of the mass of the black holes.
Localization phenomena in a one-dimensional phononic lattice with finite mass modulation: Beyond nearest-neighbor interaction
Authors: Chakraborty Srija , Maiti Santanu K.
Published: October 2022

One-dimensional phononic systems beyond conventional nearest-neighbor interaction have not been well explored, to the best of our knowledge. In this work, we critically investigate the localization properties of a 1D phononic lattice in presence of second-neighbor interaction along with the nearest-neighbor one. A finite modulation in masses is incorporated following the well known Aubry-Andre-Harper (AAH) form to make the system a correlated disordered one. Solving the motion equations we determine the phonon frequency spectrum, and characterize the localization properties of the individual phononic states by calculating inverse participation ratio (IPR). The key aspect of our analysis is that, in the presence of second-neighbor interaction, the phonon eigenstates exhibit frequency dependent transition from sliding to the pinned phase upon the variation of the modulation strength, exhibiting a mobility edge. This is completely in contrast to the nearest-neighbor interaction case, where all the states get localized beyond a particular modulation strength, and thus, no mobility edge appears. Our analysis can be utilized in many aspects to regulate phonon transmission through similar kind of aperiodic lattices that are described beyond the usual nearest-neighbor interaction.
Application of geometrical irregularities identification using the cubic phase masks
Authors: Chatterjee Joydeep
Published: October 2022

The geometrical analysis of the healthy and the deformed biological cells is a very helpful aide to the generally more expensive and complicated pathological methods for disease detection. The methods demonstrated in this paper have successfully identified the healthy and the distorted cells using the cubic phase masks as the Fourier domain filters and a 4-f setup architecture of the Fourier Optics principles and the orientation wise weighted tuning of the edges of the cell. For two orthogonal arrangements of the mask, two images are generated. For the healthy and regular shaped cells, the maximum intensity values of these two images are the same whereas they are different for a distorted cell – for example, an ellipse or a sickle cell. Moreover, the maximum intensity values of the two halves of an image frame for a particular arrangement of the mask will be different for a tear-drop cell. These maximum brightness values are automatically read and the appropriate marking of these recognized cells has been done in an automated process.
Design of a passive optical network test scenario
Authors: Alvarado-Jaimes R , Rincón-Quintero A D , Sandoval-Rodriguez C L , Tarazona-Romero B E , Ascanio-Villabona J G
Published: October 2022

Passive optical networks with gigabit ethernet speeds aim to bring internet and communications technologies using fiber optics to the end user. A test scenario for passive optical networks with gigabit ethernet speeds has been implemented. In this test scenario, practices are carried out from the installation of a manager for the administration, operation and maintenance of the active equipment, to the configuration of different types of services over this technology. Unicast and multicast traffic transport tests have been carried out. This test scenario of passive optical networks with low-cost gigabit ethernet speeds allowed simulations with different topologies and network configurations to be carried out and then transferred to real metropolitan networks. The design of the test scenario has been used to simulate the implementation of new technologies on this type of networks before they are implemented in the commercial networks of an Internet service provider. This test scenario has also been used for training in the design and implementation of passive optical networks with gigabit ethernet capabilities.
Innovative component positioning method for thermoformed electronics
Authors: Madadnia Behnam , Bossuyt Frederick , Vanfleteren Jan
Published: October 2022

This research presents an innovative method to accurately and repeatedly position electronic components in thermoformed electronics. The paper focuses on 3D shaped electronics, which are made up of stretchable metal structures integrated into thermoformable material. We used the degree of freedom theory to develop a design method that allows us to build the circuit in 2D in such a way that there is only one possible position for electronic components in the final 3D shape after thermoforming the sample. As a result, we have a reproducible design process for thermoformed electronics. We have assessed the result of the fabricated samples by measuring the 3D coordinates of the components on the 3D shaped design using a 3D scanner. The results proved that we have a repeatable component positioning methodology.
Projections of 21st century sea level rise for the coast of South Africa
Authors: Allison Lesley C , Palmer Matthew D , Haigh Ivan D
Published: October 2022

As a result of planetary heating, global mean sea level has increased since the end of the 19th century. Sea level rise is accelerating and will continue to rise over the 21st century and beyond. On top of the global mean signal there are large regional variations in the magnitude of sea level rise. At a local level, reliable projections of probable and possible future sea level change are vital for coastal management planning. In this work we present an observational analysis of recent sea level variations at locations around the coast of South Africa using tide gauge records and satellite altimetry data. In recent decades, sea level around South Africa has increased at a rate of around 3 mm year−1, consistent with estimates of global mean sea level rise over that time. We apply existing methods (that are rooted in the methods of the 5th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, but with a number of methodological innovations) to produce sea level projections for eight locations around the coast of South Africa under low (RCP2.6) and high (RCP8.5) emissions scenarios. In the year 2100 locations around South Africa are projected to experience sea level rise (relative to 1986–2005) of approximately 0.5 m (0.25–0.8 m) following RCP2.6, or around 0.85 m (0.5–1.4 m) following RCP8.5. These increases are around 7%–14% larger than projections of global mean sea level, due to the local amplification of increases in several components of the sea level budget. The results from this work suggest that successful mitigation efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions would have a clear benefit in limiting 21st century sea level rise for South Africa.
Experimental study of quality respones during Gas metal arc welding in industrial welding robots by using Response surface method
Authors: Vignesh S , Udaiyakumar K C
Published: October 2022

Input parameters of GMAW can vary continuously at any point of time when used in an industrial welding robot and thus have a huge influence at output quality responses of the weld joint. In advent of welding automation, Industrial robots are used by most manufacturers to boost production rate & reduce operational cost. This publication tries to establish an optimum process parameter band for quality weld joint during continuous robot welding. To establish a relationship between both parameters RSM method has been used in an empirical approach. Input parameters of GMAW which are considered for this study are current, wirefeed rate and industrial robot arm speed, and the corresponding output response in form of weld bead geometry which defines the quality of the process. These all-input parameters have different effect on welding quality independent to each other. Stainless steel material (SUS409) has been used as experiment material.
Chemical transformer compression for accelerating both training and inference of molecular modeling
Authors: Yu Yi , Börjesson Karl
Published: October 2022

Transformer models have been developed in molecular science with excellent performance in applications including quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and virtual screening (VS). Compared with other types of models, however, they are large and need voluminous data for training, which results in a high hardware requirement to abridge time for both training and inference processes. In this work, cross-layer parameter sharing (CLPS), and knowledge distillation (KD) are used to reduce the sizes of transformers in molecular science. Both methods not only have competitive QSAR predictive performance as compared to the original BERT model, but also are more parameter efficient. Furthermore, by integrating CLPS and KD into a two-state chemical network, we introduce a new deep lite chemical transformer model, DeLiCaTe. DeLiCaTe accomplishes 4× faster rate for training and inference, due to a 10- and 3-times reduction of the number of parameters and layers, respectively. Meanwhile, the integrated model achieves comparable performance in QSAR and VS, because of capturing general-domain (basic structure) and task-specific knowledge (specific property prediction). Moreover, we anticipate that the model compression strategy provides a pathway to the creation of effective generative transformer models for organic drugs and material design.
Eigenvalue problems in 𝐿^{∞}: optimality conditions, duality, and relations with optimal transport
Authors: Bungert Leon , Korolev Yury
Published: October 2022

In this article we characterize the

L

∞

\mathrm {L}^\infty

eigenvalue problem associated to the Rayleigh quotient

‖
∇
u

‖

L

∞

/

‖
u

‖
∞

\left .{\|\nabla u\|_{\mathrm {L}^\infty }}\middle /{\|u\|_\infty }\right .

and relate it to a divergence-form PDE, similarly to what is known for

L

p

\mathrm {L}^p

eigenvalue problems and the

p
p

-Laplacian for

p
>
∞

p>\infty

. Contrary to existing methods, which study

L

∞

\mathrm {L}^\infty

-problems as limits of

L

p

\mathrm {L}^p

-problems for

p
→
∞

p\to \infty

, we develop a novel framework for analyzing the limiting problem directly using convex analysis and geometric measure theory. For this, we derive a novel fine characterization of the subdifferential of the Lipschitz-constant-functional

u
↦
‖
∇
u

‖

L

∞

u\mapsto \|\nabla u\|_{\mathrm {L}^\infty }

. We show that the eigenvalue problem takes the form

λ
ν
u
=
−
div
⁡
(
τ

∇
τ

u
)

\lambda \nu u =-\operatorname {div}(\tau \nabla _\tau u)

, where

ν
\nu

and

τ
\tau

are non-negative measures concentrated where

|

u

|

|u|

respectively

|

∇
u

|

|\nabla u|

are maximal, and

∇
τ

u

\nabla _\tau u

is the tangential gradient of

u
u

with respect to

τ
\tau

. Lastly, we investigate a dual Rayleigh quotient whose minimizers solve an optimal transport problem associated to a generalized Kantorovich–Rubinstein norm. Our results apply to all stationary points of the Rayleigh quotient, including infinity ground states, infinity harmonic potentials, distance functions, etc., and generalize known results in the literature.
Move–Bundle Connection in Conclusion Sections of Research Articles Across Disciplines
Authors: Deng Liming , Liu Jing
Published: October 2022

This study explores how lexical bundles link smaller functional units (steps) in research article (RA) conclusions in hard and soft science knowledge fields by using corpus-based and corpus-driven approaches. RA conclusion corpora from the hard and soft sciences were compiled and four-word lexical bundles were extracted from each corpus. Conclusions containing lexical bundles were then imported into the UAMCorpus tool for manual tagging of functions, structures, moves, and steps associated with lexical bundles. It has been found that the four-word bundles play an important role in realizing the communicative purpose of the functional units in RA conclusions in both the hard and soft sciences. The results demonstrate that the resultative lexical bundle (e.g. the findings of the) is a strong indicator of the conclusions in both soft and hard sciences. Specific bundle structures and functions are identified as signalling different steps of the conclusions. The findings of this study add to the growing body of knowledge regarding the bundle–move connections and contribute to the construction of the RA conclusions in different disciplinary cultures.
Left ventricular unloading with Impella versus IABP in patients on VA-ECMO for cardiogenic shock
Authors: Aggarwal D , Bhatia K , Lopez P , Bohra C , Joshi A , Daibes J , Mahmood K , Fox A
Published: October 2022

Background

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) use for circulatory support in shock is limited by increased left ventricular afterload. Impella and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) can be used in conjunction with VA-ECMO to help unload the left ventricle. Data comparing the two strategies are limited.

Purpose

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published data to compare outcomes of patients with shock supported by VA-ECMO in conjunction with Impella versus IABP.

Methods

We conducted a search of Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases to identify studies comparing the use of Impella versus IABP in patients on VA-ECMO. The primary outcome of interest was all-cause mortality (in-hospital or 30-day). Secondary outcomes included transition to destination therapy with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or transplant, stroke, need for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), bleeding, and hemolysis. Risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence interval and the heterogeneity statistic I2 were reported for each outcome.

Results

Six observational studies with a total of 629 patients were included in the analysis. Of these, 205 (33%) and 424 (67%) patients were supported by Impella and IABP respectively, in addition to VA-ECMO. All six studies reported the primary outcome. No difference was observed in all-cause mortality between VA-ECMO with Impella and VA-ECMO with IABP (RR 1.02 [0.74–1.40], I2=74%). Similar rates were observed for transition to LVAD or transplant (RR 0.75 [0.45–1.27], I2=0%), stroke (RR 1.50 [0.80–2.83], I2=0%), and need for CRRT (RR 1.04 [0.82–1.32], I2=0%). However, use of VA-ECMO with Impella was associated with a higher risk of bleeding (RR 1.91 [1.28–2.86], I2=68%) and hemolysis (RR 4.61 [1.24–17.17], I2=66%) as compared with use of VA-ECMO with IABP.

Conclusion

In patients with shock requiring VA-ECMO, concurrent use of Impella and IABP had similar risk of mortality, transition to LVAD/transplant, stroke, and need for CRRT. However, Impella use was associated with higher risk of bleeding and hemolysis. Randomized trials are needed to identify the optimal strategy for left ventricular unloading in patients with cardiogenic shock on VA-ECMO.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Effect of supervised high-intensity interval training on haemostasis in patients with coronary artery disease: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Kristiansen J , Grove E L , Sjurdarson T , Rasmussen J , Mohr M , Kristensen S D , Hvas A M
Published: October 2022

Background

Regular exercise training is recommended for patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), because it improves quality of life and reduces cardiovascular mortality and hospital admissions. CAD patients benefit from anti-thrombotic therapy and may have a pro-coagulant condition compared to healthy individuals. Long-term exercise training may reduce platelet aggregation and coagulation and increase fibrinolysis.

Purpose

We aimed to investigate if supervised high-intensity interval training affects haemostasis in patients with stable CAD.

Methods

We randomised stable CAD patients to supervised high-intensity interval training or standard care. High-intensity exercise training was performed on rowing ergometers three times weekly for 12 weeks. Blood samples were obtained in all patients prior to randomisation (baseline) and after 6 and 12 weeks. We evaluated platelet aggregation with the Multiplate® Analyzer, thrombin generation using the Calibrated Automated Thrombogram and fibrinolysis employing an in-house clot lysis assay. Between group differences were evaluated with mixed model analysis using SPSS. According to our sample size calculation, we have a statistical power of 88% to detect a difference of 25% in clot lysis time.

Results

A total of 142 patients with stable CAD (mean age 67±9 years, 83% males) completed the study; 64 in the exercise group and 78 in the control group. The weekly average active training duration was 54 min, and adherence to training was 97%. When comparing the two groups (exercise vs. standard care) from baseline to post intervention, we found no significant changes in ADP-induced platelet aggregation (difference between baseline and 12 weeks (Δ) 11 AU·min, 95% confidence interval (CI): −46–68 in the exercise group and Δ24 AU·min, 95% CI: −28–77 in the standard care group, p=0.52), thrombin generation (endogenous thrombin potential Δ45 nM·min, 95% CI: −77–166 in the exercise group and Δ103 nM·min, 95% CI: −7–212 in the standard care group, p=0.18) or fibrinolysis (50% clot lysis time Δ62 sec, 95% CI: −136–261 in the exercise group and Δ215 sec, 95% CI: 38–391 in the standard care group, p=0.39).

Conclusion

High-intensity interval training did not have major effects on platelet aggregation, thrombin generation nor fibrinolysis in patients with stable CAD.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): Aarhus UniversityThe Faroese Health Research Foundation (Sjúkrakassagrunnurin)
Media use and trust during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from eight cross-sectional surveys in Sweden
Authors: Winters Maike , Biermann Olivia , Bohlin Gustav , Bergman Martin , Brounéus Fredrik , Zeebari Zangin , Nordenstedt Helena
Published: October 2022

Background

While a lot has been written about Sweden’s COVID-19 control strategy, less is known about Swedish residents’ media use during the pandemic and trust in and perceived agreement among key stakeholders commenting in the media.

Methods

Eight online, nationwide surveys were fielded between March and August 2020, during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic in Sweden, with 8146 responses. Questions were asked on media usage, perceived tone of media, trust in key pandemic stakeholder groups commenting in the media (politicians, journalists, government officials, doctors/healthcare professionals and researchers) and perceived agreement among these key stakeholders about how the pandemic was handled in Sweden.

Results

Using five or more information sources was associated with increased perceived alarmism in the media. Women and those with tertiary education were more likely to trust key pandemic actors. Trust in doctors/healthcare professionals and researchers remained high over the course of the study, trust in politicians and journalists was relatively low throughout the study period, with a slight increase in April 2020. Trust in key stakeholders was strongly associated with perceived agreement among the key stakeholders.

Conclusions

Our results show that trust in stakeholders was strongly associated with perceived consistency of messages from those stakeholders. The inverse also holds: perceived conflicting messages among stakeholders was associated with low trust in them. Taken together, this could point to the importance of building trust before a crisis. Trust-building efforts could be targeted to men and those with lower educational attainment, as they had lower trust in key stakeholders.
Revealing spatiotemporal dynamics of forest plantation harvesting practices at landscape level using satellite time series data
Authors: Cortés Lissette , Hernández Jaime
Published: October 2022

Forest landscapes dominated by commercial plantations are managed using intensive silvicultural schemes that involve a harvesting-replanting cycle, with clearcutting being one of the most used harvesting methods. Clearcutting has several negative effects, both biotic and abiotic, and to control them, many countries have established exclusion periods and restrictions regarding the amount and distribution of clearcutting areas at landscape level. However, Chile still does not have such restrictions. The main purpose of the study was to analyse forest area trends and to identify the spatiotemporal scales at which clustering of clearcutting areas occurred, between 1999 and 2017. The study area was the coastal zone of the Region of Maule, Chile, dominated by Monterey pine (Pinus radiate D. Don) plantations. We used Landsat 5, 7 and 8 to produce yearly land cover maps to differentiate clearcutting areas from other classes. By using Emerging Hot Spot Analysis, we calculated the spatiotemporal trends of these clearcut areas. We found that harvest clusters have an oscillatory behaviour, ranging from Hot to Cold Spots over the time with an average size of 46.8 km2 and being active for 2 years (±1.7). Our results support the claim to introduce new regulations to the current Chilean legislation regarding explicit exclusion periods and multiscale forest management.
Induction of Remission With Exclusive Enteral Nutrition in Children With Crohn’s Disease: Determinants of Higher Adherence and Response
Authors: Cuomo Marialaura , Carobbio Alessandra , Aloi Marina , Alvisi Patrizia , Banzato Claudia , Bosa Luca , Bramuzzo Matteo , Campanozzi Angelo , Catassi Giulia , D’Antiga Lorenzo , Di Paola Monica , Felici Enrico , Fioretti Maria Teresa , Gatti Simona , Graziano Francesco , Lega Sara , Lionetti Paolo , Marseglia Antonio , Martinelli Massimo , Musto Francesca , Sansotta Naire , Scarallo Luca , Zuin Giovanna , Norsa Lorenzo
Published: October 2022

Background

Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is the first choice to induce remission and promote mucosal healing in pediatric Crohn’s disease (CD). However, full adherence to EEN treatment may be problematic for children with CD.

Methods

The goal of the current multicenter retrospective study was to define predictive factors of nonadherence to treatment and nonremission at the end of induction treatment. Those data together were analyzed with the ultimate goal of trying to define an individualized induction treatment for children with CD.

Results

Three hundred seventy-six children with CD from 14 IBD pediatric referral centers were enrolled in the study. The rate of EEN adherence was 89%. Colonic involvement and fecal calprotectin >600 μg/g at diagnosis were found to be associated with a reduced EEN adherence. Exclusive enteral nutrition administered for 8 weeks was effective for inducing clinical remission in 67% of the total cohort. Factors determining lower remission rates were age >15 years and Pediatric Crohn’s Disease Activity Index >50.

Conclusion

Although EEN is extremely effective in promoting disease remission, several patients’ related factors may adversely impact EEN adherence and response. Personalized treatments should be proposed that weigh benefits and risks based on the patient’s disease location, phenotype, and disease activity and aim to promote a rapid control of inflammation to reduce long-term bowel damage.
Poisson Generic Sequences
Authors: Álvarez Nicolás , Becher Verónica , Mereb Martín
Published: October 2022

Years ago, Zeev Rudnick defined the Poisson generic real numbers by counting the number of occurrences of long blocks of digits in the initial segments of the expansions of the real numbers in a fixed integer base. Peres and Weiss proved that almost all real numbers, with respect to the Lebesgue measure, are Poisson generic, but they did not publish their proof. In this note, we first transcribe Peres and Weiss’ proof and then we show that there are computable Poisson generic instances and that all Martin–Löf random real numbers are Poisson generic.
Effects of glucose availability on αS1-casein synthesis in bovine mammary epithelial cells
Authors: Sun Mei , Li Zinan , Xing Yuanyuan , Mu Xiaojia , Cao Yue , Hao Yihong , Yang Jing , Li Dabiao
Published: October 2022

Glucose has been demonstrated to affect milk protein synthesis in dairy cows. However, its potential mechanisms has not been thoroughly studied. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of glucose availability on αS1-casein synthesis, glucose uptake, metabolism, and the expression of proteins involved in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC). BMEC were treated for 24 h with different concentrations of glucose (0, 7, 10.5, 14, 17.5, and 21 mM). The results showed that 10.5 and 14 mM glucose supply increased the expression of αS1-casein, glucose uptake, cellular ATP content, and the phosphorylation of mTOR and P70S6K, but repressed AMPK phosphorylation in BMEC. Compared with 10.5 and 14 mM glucose supply, 17.5 and 21 mM glucose decreased the expression of αS1-casein, P70S6K phosphorylation as well as the activity of hexokinase (HK) and pyruvate kinase (PK), but increased the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). These results indicate that 10.5 to 14 mM glucose supply is the proper range for αS1-casein synthesis, and the promotion effects may be related to the increase of glucose uptake, ATP content and the changes of key proteins’ phosphorylation in AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. However, the inhibition of the expression of αS1-casein by 17.5 and 21 mM glucose may be associated with the changes of key enzymes’ activity involved in glucose metabolism.
Physiological Signatures of Changes in Honeybee’s Central Complex During Wing Flapping
Authors: Ding Haojia , Yan Shaoze
Published: October 2022

Many kinds of locomotion abilities of insects-including flight control, spatial orientation memory, position memory, angle information integration, and polarized light guidance are considered to be related to the central complex. However, evidence was still not sufficient to support those conclusions from the aspect of neural basis. For the locomotion form of wing flapping, little is known about the patterns of changes in brain activity of the central complex during movement. Here, we analyze the changes in honeybees’ neuronal population firing activity of central complex and optic lobes with the perspectives of energy and nonlinear changes. Although the specific function of the central complex remains unknown, evidence suggests that its neural activities change remarkably during wing flapping and its delta rhythm is dominative. Together, our data reveal that the firing activity of some of the neuronal populations of the optic lobe shows reduction in complexity during wing flapping. Elucidating the brain activity changes during a flapping period of insects promotes our understanding of the neuro-mechanisms of insect locomotor control, thus can inspire the fine control of insect cyborgs.