bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Case of Hypokalemia Caused by Left Native Renal Artery Stenosis in a Kidney Transplant Recipient
Authors: Shiina Yuki , Kobayashi Akimitsu , Yamamoto Izumi , Koda Nagisa , Miyazawa Kotaro , Kawabe Mayuko , Sugano Naoki , Urabe Fumihiko , Miki Jun , Yamada Hiroki , Kimura Takahiro , Maruyama Yukio , Tanno Yudo , Ohkido Ichiro , Yamamoto Hiroyasu , Yokoo Takashi
Published: March 2023

A 39-year-old woman with end-stage renal failure of unknown origin was on peritoneal dialysis for 10 years. One year ago, she underwent ABO-incompatible living-donor kidney transplantation from her husband. After the kidney transplantation, her serum creatinine level remained around 0.7 mg/dL, but her serum potassium level remained low at around 3.5 mEq/L despite potassium supplementation and spironolactone. The patient’s plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) were markedly elevated (20 ng/mL/h and 868 pg/mL, respectively). A CT angiogram of the abdomen performed 1 year previously suggested stenosis of the left native renal artery, which was considered responsible for the hypokalemia. Renal venous sampling was done on both the native kidneys and the transplanted kidney. Since renin secretion from the left native kidney was significantly elevated, a laparoscopic left nephrectomy was performed. Postoperatively, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system was markedly improved (PRA: 6.4 ng/mL/h, PAC: 147.3 pg/mL), and the serum potassium levels also improved. Pathological examination of the removed kidney showed many atubular glomeruli and hyperplasia of the juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA) in residual glomeruli. In addition, renin staining showed strong positivity in the JGA of these glomeruli. Here, we report a case of hypokalemia caused by left native renal artery stenosis in a kidney transplant recipient. This valuable case study provides histological confirmation of maintained renin secretion in an abandoned native kidney after kidney transplantation.
Ring a bell? Variable recognition of a multicomponent auditory stimulus associated with predation risk by zebrafish responding to full and partial matches
Authors: Johnson Molly I.M. , Hanson Kathryn A. , Simon Jacklyn M. , Shastri Ananda , Wisenden Brian D.
Published: March 2023

Many fishes learn to recognize correlates of predation risk by pairing novel stimuli with injury-released chemical cues released from damaged epidermal tissues. Here, zebrafish were conditioned to associate predation risk with a three-note auditory stimulus C5 (523.25 Hz) + E5 (659.25 Hz) + G5 (783.99 Hz), then tested for responses to either only one tone (C), two of the components (C + G) or the full three-note chord (C + E + G). Zebrafish conditioned with alarm cues and C + E + G responded significantly more intensely to the full C + E + G stimulus or to partial representation of the original mix (C + G) than they did to the single element (C) of the original C + E + G conditioning stimulus. The lack of a response to the single component alone may be a failure to recognize the stimulus or an interpretation that the partial component is an indicator of low risk.
Humanism Contra Post-humanism
Authors: Ahn Sunyoung
Published: March 2023

Post-humanism accuses humanism of inventing a human subject who is domineering and destructive. As a remedy, it redefines the human as a being informed by passivity and finitude and bound by ontological vulnerability. In so doing, it undermines the creative and transformative power of human agency and obliterates politics and history as shaped by human actions. Noting how this intensifies the experience of alienation and de-humanisation, the essay looks to Marxist and socialist humanism to resuscitate the idea of humans as agents of history. Humans are not a problem to be overcome; rather, they are the means through which a more viable world can be achieved, for humans and non-humans alike.
The Future is the Termination Shock: On the Antinomies and Psychopathologies of Geoengineering. Part Two
Authors: Malm Andreas
Published: March 2023

As capitalist society remains incapable of addressing climate breakdown, one measure is waiting in the wings: solar geoengineering. No other technology can cut global temperatures immediately. It would alleviate the symptoms of the crisis, not its causes. But might it be combined with radical emissions cuts? This essay, the final instalment of two, subjects geoengineering to a materialist psychoanalysis and argues that it represents a fantasy of repression, setting itself up for a dreadful return of the repressed.
Environmental Determinism and Mountain Identities in Judith
Authors: Economou Michael
Published: March 2023

This article argues that the book of Judith seeks to define the Jews as a “mountain people.” It suggests that Judith advances this idea through numerous direct statements by prominent characters, particularly Achior during his speech at Jdt 5:5–21, and by redrawing the boundaries of Judea to correspond with the Judean and Samarian hill country. The article further argues, following a consideration of environmental determinism in ancient Greek sources and depictions of mountain peoples in Ancient Near Eastern art, that this definition is used by the author to characterise the Jews as a strong, fierce, and intimidating people as part of its wider discourse on Jewish ethnic identity.
The Rabbinic Movement from Pharisees to Provincial Jurists
Authors: Furstenberg Yair
Published: March 2023

In this article I argue that the rabbinic movement reinvented itself during the second century by expanding the boundaries of Jewish law to include all spheres of private law, and thereby claiming juristic expertise in these matters. A variety of sources from the Second Temple period indicate that Jewish law at this stage included primarily ritual laws, while private law was not considered unique to the Jewish way of life and was not treated by scholars of Torah until the second century CE. This far-reaching change resonates with other concurrent developments in provincial legal culture, primarily the emergence of the local nomikoi (legal experts) and legal profession during this period and the dissemination of legal knowledge in the Roman East. The provincial situation served to reshape the rabbinic movement in the guise of the local jurists, and ultimately to establish their political and social standing.
The Meaning, Spiritual Foundation, and Mythology of African Sacred Landscapes
Authors: Mgaya Edward Simon
Published: March 2023

In various cultures around the world, past and present, many natural and cultural sites are deemed sacred. What are sacred landscapes? What are the spiritual foundations for their formation? How are they formed? How are they protected? The answers to these questions help frame a discussion of sacred landscapes within the context of their meaning, origin, and management processes as lived experiences of specific societies. In Tanzania the linkages between biodiversity and the worldview of a society have partly been acknowledged but remain unexplored. This paper applies a mixed research approach to studying sacred forests among the Bena community of Njombe in Tanzania. Rather than looking exclusively at the sacred forests in themselves as places, the paper underscores the linkage of human-nature-spirituality as key in explaining the history of sacred forests. It establishes that, among the Bena, the sacredness of a place was founded on the relationship between the visible and the invisible worlds – relations that led to the formation of various mystical-religious homelands’ sacred places that are protected through mythologies.
Fairness, Benefits, and Voluntary Acceptance
Authors: Song Edward
Published: March 2023

The principle of fairness suggests that it is wrong for free riders to enjoy cooperative benefits without also helping to produce them. Considerations of fairness are a familiar part of moral experience, yet there is a great deal of controversy as to the conditions of their application. The primary debate concerns whether cooperative benefits need to be voluntarily accepted. Many argue that acceptance is unnecessary because such theories are too permissive and acceptance appears to be absent in a variety of cases where considerations of fairness nevertheless seem applicable. In this paper, I defend the claim that acceptance is necessary by suggesting that these worries can be disarmed, and that theories that deny the necessity of acceptance face deep challenges in articulating an understanding of cooperative benefits that does not also appeal to a person’s acceptance of them.
Using the Clubhouse Platform in Politics
Authors: Al-Kandari Yagoub Y. , Alqahs Khaled H.
Published: March 2023

This study analyses the political aspects of the Clubhouse platform used in Kuwait as an emerging social media. An e-questionnaire considering demographical variables and scales was distributed, and 1,539 social media users in Kuwait were surveyed. SPSS (version 24) was used for data entry and analysis. Data showed a difference in the percentages of males and females using this platform without significantly changing the degree of use. There were variations in the use of the Clubhouse platform regarding political news. Additionally, positive relationships exist between the degree of using the Clubhouse platform and new and traditional media covering political news on related platforms. Results indicated that date of birth, educational level and the use of radio broadcasting, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter were factors impacting activity on the Clubhouse platform. The data in this study demonstrates how new media has been adapted to political affairs and concerns in Kuwait. Although Clubhouse is new, with fewer social media users, it has been characterized by political social media users, and COVID-19 could be one of the reasons.
Equal in Death?
Authors: Sbaihi Yousra
Published: March 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked new perceptions of death—dying has lost its disinterestedness and transpired to be a site of cultural, existential and political struggles, despite efforts to shelve the idea of an unavoidable death from everyday life. Moroccan media, in particular, has centered its focus on mass burials, over-crowded hospitals and spiraling death rates to amplify citizens’ fear of death and thereby coerce them to stay at home in concert with the WHO guidelines. Given their physical and emotional proximity to the virus, this article zooms in on semi-structured narrative interviews with COVID-19 patients from Fez, Morocco, to analyze the implication of their pre-, during- and post-contamination experiences on the novel perceptions of death and dying. It arrives at a pivotal result: the return of symbolic immortality upon recovery when ex-patients become heroes who have succeeded in sidestepping the horror that the media worked untiringly to convey.
Online Strategies of Nonreligious and Atheistic Organizations in Croatia
Authors: Hazdovac Bajić Nikolina
Published: March 2023

Croatian society is traditionally and dominantly religious (Catholic), and there are few organizations that gather together nonreligious people and atheists. Starting from three theoretical perspectives on organized nonreligiosity (identity theory, cultural approach to social movements theory, and mediatization theory) this article’s aim is to analyze various strategies these organizations employ in the context of their online activities. The observed strategies function inwardly (forming identity and strengthening the intragroup solidarity) and outwardly (trying to attract new members and sympathizers and to ‘demystify’ nonreligiosity and atheism). The study is based on the content analysis (deductive and inductive) that included materials posted on web pages and official Facebook pages of nonreligious and atheistic organizations in Croatia. In the first phase materials were analyzed with respect to four predetermined strategies (competitiveness/ cooperation, minority discourse, religious mimicry, exposing religion), while in the second phase inductive analysis revealed three additional strategies (inversion, reclaiming patriotism, and reclaiming spirituality).
The Assignment of Investment Treaty Claims: Doctrinal and Policy Perspectives
Authors: Lafaras Anastasios
Published: March 2023

The breach of an investment treaty vests the covered investor with a treaty claim, i.e. the right to claim reparation vis-à-vis the host State. Typically, the investor itself will bring this treaty claim before an arbitral tribunal. Yet, it might be the case that the investor is unwilling to commence arbitral proceedings against the host State. In this scenario, is the investor permitted to assign its treaty claim to another entity which will then initiate arbitration? In the affirmative, which are the jurisdictional hurdles that an assigned claim might face? And, bottom line, does such an assignment constitute a legitimate practice? It is these questions, that this study attempts to answer. It submits that the assignment of treaty claims is not only doctrinal-wise tenable but also policy-wise desirable, in view of the extensive and – to some extent – opaque third-party funding arrangements, to which the assignment provides an alternative.
A review on nanomaterial-based heterogeneous photocatalysts for removal of contaminants from water
Authors: Parida Vishal Kumar , Srivastava Suneel Kumar , Gupta Ashok Kumar , Rawat Akash
Published: March 2023

The rising concentration of pollutants in the environment due to partially treated or untreated wastewater entering the surface waters has seriously challenged the integrity of the ecosystem and the quality of water for human health. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a productive
and economical process to degrade recalcitrant pollutants from various water matrices owing to the ineffectual removal of these contaminants by conventional treatment methods. In this regard, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), especially photocatalysis, have gained much attention due to
their unique properties, such as low-cost, easy synthesis, and ability to produce reactive radicals under light irradiation with complete mineralization of recalcitrant pollutants. In this review, heterogenous photocatalysts, their fundamental properties, and their working mechanism have been
described, along with their applications in the degradation of contaminants in water. Recent progress on pristine and modified nanomaterial-based photocatalysts for the degradation of various pollutants in water has been discussed. In particular, the removal of toxic heavy metals, pesticides,
dyes, pathogens, pharmaceuticals, and other miscellaneous contaminants from water using a wide variety of nanomaterial-based heterogeneous photocatalysts has been summarized. The effect of temperature, solution pH, and loading of photocatalysts was found to be the most critical factors influencing
the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants. Subsequently, the photocatalyst immobilization process using various support materials including carbon-based materials, glass, zeolites, and polymers in designing the efficient photocatalysts and future perspectives have been outlined.
Has the Opioid Crisis Affected Student Learning? A National Analysis of Growth Rates
Authors: Drescher Jessica , Steyer Lily , Townley-Flores Carrie , Humphreys Keith
Published: March 2023

The potential spillover effects of the United States’ opioid epidemic on children’s educational outcomes have received surprisingly little attention from researchers. Accordingly, this study leverages national datasets of county-level opioid prescription rates and public school students’ third- to eighth-grade academic achievement to provide the first analysis of associations between community opioid prevalence and children’s learning rates. We find that students in counties with higher community opioid presence learn more slowly than peers in counties with low community opioid presence, both in aggregate and across different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups of students. Moreover, within states we observe a small significant negative association between community opioid presence and student learning rates. This association is similar in rural and nonrural communities. These findings underscore the urgency of conceptualizing the opioid epidemic as a community-level crisis, with potentially long-lasting implications for children’s future educational attainment and life outcomes.
Demographic and Geographic Variation in Fatal Drug Overdoses in the United States, 1999–2020
Authors: Monnat Shannon M.
Published: March 2023

The U.S. drug overdose crisis has been described as a national disaster that has affected all communities. But overdose rates are higher among some subpopulations and in some places than they are in others. This article describes demographic (sex, racial/ethnic, age) and geographic variation in fatal drug overdose rates in the United States from 1999 to 2020. Across most of that timespan, rates were highest among young and middle-age (25–54 years) White and American Indian males and middle-age and older (45+ years) Black males. Rates have been consistently high in Appalachia, but the crisis has spread to several other regions in recent years, and rates are high across the urban-rural continuum. Opioids have been the main contributor, but overdoses involving cocaine and psychostimulants have also increased dramatically in recent years, demonstrating that our problem is bigger than opioids. Evidence suggests that supply-side interventions are unlikely to be effective in reducing overdoses. I argue that the U.S. should invest in policies that address the upstream structural drivers of the crisis.
Loss of Life and Labor Productivity: The Canadian Opioid Crisis
Authors: Cheung Alexander , Marchand Joseph , Mark Patricia
Published: March 2023

Opioids were declared a public health emergency in British Columbia, Canada, in 2016, and from that year through 2021, 29,894 Canadians lost their lives to opioid overdoses. More than two-thirds of those victims were employed in the five years prior to their deaths, and this study aims to quantify their lost productivity to the Canadian economy. We apply two human capital model variants in our analysis, projecting forward the future economic output of individuals who died from opioids, from their deaths to what would have been their eventual retirements, based on the industries in which they were employed. The total estimated productivity loss to Canada is at least $8.8 billion, with the equivalent “value of statistical life” calculations an order of magnitude higher; these are based on estimates of the amount of money that individuals would pay to avoid death. Our results challenge the notion that the opioid crisis predominantly affects unproductive members of society.
Investigating Auditory Perception at Europe’s Highest Mountain Lodge
Authors: Prete Giulia , Bondi Danilo , Mammarella Nicola , Verratti Vittore , Tommasi Luca
Published: March 2023

Altitude hypoxia can impair sensory and cognitive functions, from causing slowed responses to sensory hallucinations. In a field study, we tested 12 expeditioners at varied altitudes (low: 1696 m; high: 4556 m) with a simple auditory detection task and a dichotic listening paradigm in which a voice was presented, lateralized, within a binaural white noise stream. Slower reaction times and a reduced right ear advantage might be expected at high (vs. low) altitude, due to hypoxia. The participants’ performances on both tasks did not differ between conditions, revealing that these functions are resistant to short-term hypoxia in young healthy adults.
Spectral labour in the Fens of Eastern England
Authors: Jaines Rowan
Published: March 2023

This article performs a site-specific and critical reading of agricultural labour in the Fen landscape in the East of England to explore lived experiences of class in this landscape. The analysis is based on fieldwork and archival research undertaken between 2017 and 2019. The article disrupts conventional division between migrant and domestic labour through employing the critical theoretical lens of the German Jewish cultural critic Walter Benjamin. The article traces previously obscured narratives of agricultural labour that glimmer in the dark light of the disruption of the distinction between migrant and domestic experiences. In doing so it follows lines of continuity and connectivity through the novel concept of the ‘spectral labourer’. This concept is used to draw out the significance of tenuous and evolving chains of citizenship and state exclusion within the agricultural working classes in the Fen region.
Cationic etherification modification of corn starch and its sizing property
Authors: Liu Mingyuan , Wu Zikai , Meng Yuchen , Wang Zongwen , He Xinyang , Gu Jiatai , Zhang Yue , Wang Liming , Qin Xiaohong
Published: March 2023

In order to solve the difficulty of starch being insoluble under medium and low temperature, a cationic starch slurry modified with etherification was developed. Raw starch was hydrolyzed by sodium hydroxide to improve the dispersion performance, and then the hydrolyzed starch was endowed with cationic groups by N-2,3-epoxy-propyl trimethyl ammonium chloride to improve the dispersion stability. Through various characterization methods, it was found that the quaternary ammonium cationic starch obtained was dissolved in water at medium and low temperature, and the starch structure was changed under the influence of sodium hydroxide and N-2,3-epoxy-propyl trimethyl ammonium chloride. Furthermore, the mechanical properties and abrasion resistance of cotton yarn treated with cationic starch could be significantly improved. Compared with the original yarn, the breaking strength of the yarn treated with cationic starch was increased by 70.05%, the hairiness index of the yarn was reduced by 87.5%, the abrasion resistance was increased by 500.00%, and the stiffness decreased by 276.47%. In addition, the Zeta potential of modified starch was positive, and the degree of etherification substitution of starch ranged from 0.02 to 0.26. The preparation method of etherified starch obtained has the advantages of environmental protection, low cost, and a simple process, which provides a novel way to construct textile size.
Enhanced strength and toughness of polylactic acid by blending with modified natural rubber having acetate pendant group
Authors: Ozbay Ceren , Gumus Omer Yunus
Published: March 2023

Among biobased and biodegradable polymers, polylactic acid (PLA) is most widely used one. However, its poor mechanical properties need to be enhanced. In this study, PLA blend film with improved mechanical properties were developed without compromising any bio-content. For this, natural rubber derivative with acetate pendant group (ANR) and PLA blend films were prepared. First, natural rubber was epoxidized, and then partial acetylation was achieved by the ring-opening reaction of the epoxy groups. The epoxidation and the acetylation were examined by FTIR analysis. 1H-NMR spectrum revealed a 29% epoxidation and 8.25% acetylation degree. The Tg of natural rubber (−66°C) increased to −41°C and −31°C after epoxidation and acetylation, respectively. The compatibility of ENR and ANR with PLA was evident from the DSC results and Molau test. The morphology of PLA blend film containing 25 wt% of ANR (ANR25) was observed as well-dispersed fine droplets by SEM images. The tensile strength, elastic modulus, and yield strength of ANR25 were measured as 11.6 MPa, 397.3 MPa, and 6.9 MPa, respectively. These values are considerably higher than neat PLA film. Compared to reported studies on PLA toughening so far, increments in both the strength and elongation of ANR25 were observed by tensile tests. Moreover, highest toughness among all samples was determined as 18.8 MJm−3 for ANR25, which is 1.8 times higher than neat PLA. Thus, a strong and tough bio-based PLA blend was developed for film application such as packaging and sheeting.
Hitting the “Grass Ceiling”: Golfing CEOs, Exclusionary Schema, and Career Outcomes for Female Executives
Authors: Biggerstaff Lee E. , Campbell Joanna T. , Goldie Bradley A.
Published: March 2023

There are many complex reasons for the underrepresentation of women among executive ranks, both on the supply side (that is, women opting out of the executive track or career experiences that put them on it) and the demand side. To begin to tackle this multifaceted issue and better understand the demand-side drivers of lack of diversity in the upper echelons of organizations, we build on the institutional logics literature to develop the notion of CEO exclusionary schema and argue that it introduces an unconscious bias. To test this notion, we empirically investigate the role that a CEO's participation in a male-dominated, exclusionary sport plays as an obstacle to female advancement in the executive ranks. Specifically, we find that CEOs that play golf are significantly less likely to employ a female on their executive team, across a range of definitions. Further, we show that this relationship is even stronger for CEOs with elite educational backgrounds. In additional analyses, we find that the gender pay gap on the top management team is also much larger at firms where the CEO plays golf. Overall, our study suggests that CEO out-of-the-office experiences and background can support unconscious biases, and there is still significant work to be done to break down demand-side barriers to female advancement in the executive realm.
Human and Person When Life Is Fragile: New Relationships and Inherent Ambivalences in the Care of Dying Patients
Authors: Cohn Simon , Driessen Annelieke , Borgstrom Erica
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we focus on how medical staff care for people who are dying and on the increasing use of diverse technologies to ease the experience of dying. Because it is accepted patients cannot recover, the primary value to preserve life underpinning much of biomedical practice is contrasted by a commitment to make people’s last period of life as fulfilling and meaningful as possible. Drawing on illustrative cases from an ethnography of palliative care in central London, we discuss how these different priorities construct the patient in different ways. We present two different repertoires of practice, the first of which cares for human life, while the second adopts an idea of personhood to support and maintain patients’ social ties with the wider world. The two concepts inscribe different boundaries of the patient and can help guide what might be the best thing for staff, patients, and others to do. Our examples show that while these two repertoires can emerge in tension in end-of-life care, they are never fully opposites. We argue for a reaffirmation of the concept of the person to accompany contemporary posthuman and more-than-human debates in order to think about “more-than” beyond a focus on the material.
Opportunities and Challenges of Theological Education and Missional Formation in the 4IR: A Paradigm Shift
Authors: Knoetze Hannes
Published: March 2023

In discussing the opportunities and challenges of theological education within a ‘glocal’ context, which in the context of this article is focussing on Africa, African Traditional Religions, other living faiths, post-Christendom, illiteracy, traditionalism, secularisation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), are all part of a paradigm shift. Addressing this paradigm shift, the article will at least address the following three issues. First, the re-examining of some methodological aspects of our curriculums. The second aspect I would call human- (student and educator) centred awareness, or it can also be called ‘knowledge-constitutive interest’. The third aspect of theological education has to do with the fact that theological education does not take place ‘out there’ but is a life transforming and very personal issue that has to do with praxis, a way of life.
Procedural Justice, Therapeutic Jurisprudence, and Reoffending: Adjudicating Palestinian Minors in the West Bank’s Military Court
Authors: Farber Shai , Erez Edna
Published: March 2023

The Juvenile Military Court (JMC), established in 2009 in the West Bank, handles offenses perpetrated by Palestinian minors, consisting mostly of security-related violations. With the establishment of the JMC, and a subsequent three-stage legal reform in handling juvenile offenders, Palestinian minor suspects and defendants have been accorded various procedural rights. This study addresses the impact of these rights on the criminal careers of Palestinian minors appearing in the JMC. It first reviews the demographic profile of 8,301 minors handled by the JMC between 2000 and 2018, describes their offenses, and offense transition between their initial and second arrest. Using trend analysis, the study compares minors’ reoffending level in the years before and after the reform. The findings suggest significant differences in minors’ reoffending level between the years preceding and following the legal reform. Possible explanations for the findings are offered, and the article concludes with policy implications and directions for future research.
Investigating the effect of chitosan functionalized graphene oxide on the performance of biodegradable polycaprolactone
Authors: Shahsavar Fahimeh , Babaei Amir
Published: March 2023

The present study explores the effect of chitosan (CS)-assembled graphene oxide (GO) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of polycaprolactone (PCL) nanocomposites. To this end, firstly, CS-assembled GO sheets were synthesized. Subsequently, the effect of adding various amounts of GO-CS nanohybrid and GO sheets on the rheological and mechanical performance of PCL-based nanocomposites was investigated. It was observed that GO-CS nanohybrid exhibited an interesting dual role based on the amount of addition: the motion-limiting role and the lubricating role. Additionally, the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the PCL nanocomposite films containing GO-CS nanohybrid and GO sheets increased as compared to pure PCL, while its influence in terms of elongation at break was the opposite. CS assembly to conventional nanoparticles (e.g., GO) was found as an interesting approach for the simultaneous enhancement of mechanical performance and processability of polymer matrices for a vast range of applications, especially in packaging and tissue engineering.
Built-up edge formation and flank wear evolution in conventional machining of AZ91 magnesium alloy
Authors: Alshibi Assem , Nasreldin Abdelrahman , Pervaiz Salman
Published: March 2023

Magnesium alloys are largely desirable in numerous industries today because of their intrinsically attractive properties. Low density and high strength coupled with significant biocompatibility are the main advantages. Machining of magnesium alloys is challenging as a result of the persistent chip ignition risk as well as material build-up on the tool due to their softness. Therefore, magnesium alloys’ machinability has not been fully assessed in the available literature. The present work aims to address this aperture by assessing flank wear progression and the prevalence of adhesion-driven built-up edge (BUE) and built-up layer (BUL) in different tool coating materials during the dry short-interval conventional orthogonal turning of AZ91 magnesium alloy. A higher and lower combination of feed rates and cutting speeds were utilized for all tools to compare the possible range of maximum flank wear land width, average flank wear land width, and chip contact length while capturing and assessing said parameters through digital and optical microscopy. The data presented a large prevalence of adhesion wear across all tool coating types which is portrayed by the cyclic behaviour of the flank wear land width plots, which resulted from the repeated accumulation and wear of deposited workpiece material. The TiCN-coated tool presented the least amounts of BUL and BUE throughout both levels of testing, while the TiN-coated tool presented the largest amounts of average flank wear land width due to recurrent aberrative local deposition accumulation and extended streak line depositions. TiN-coated, Al2O3-coated, and uncoated tools presented higher average flank wear land width than the TiCN-coated tool by 8.5%, 3.1%, and 27.2% during level 1 cutting conditions and 84.8%, 21.3%, and 37.2% during level 2 cutting conditions. This implies the TiCN coating's increased resistance to elevated cutting temperatures, and in turn, reduced deposition of material through adhesion.
Multi-response optimization on abrasive water jet machining of Aluminum 7075 alloy using Taguchi–DEAR methodology
Authors: Shanmugam Ayyagounder , Mohanraj Thangamuthu , Krishnamurthy Kasilingam , Gur Ali Kaya , Caligulu Ugur
Published: March 2023

This research aims to conduct the multi-response optimization for abrasive water jet machining (AWJM) of Aluminum 7075 metal matrix composites. The experiments were conducted with three levels of AWJM factors such as pressure, standoff distance, and traverse speed. The experiments were designed using Taguchi's L9 orthogonal array. The influence of AWJM parameters was assessed by measuring the outcomes like material removal rate, surface roughness, and taper angle. The single response optimization was obtained through Taguchi's signal-to-noise ratio analysis, and multi-response optimization was achieved with Taguchi–data envelopment analysis-based ranking (DEAR). From DEAR, the optimal AWJM parameter 180 MPa of pressure, 3 mm of standoff distance, and 40 mm/min traverse speed was found. After optimization, the surface roughness and taper angle were reduced by 5.44% and 10.92%, respectively. The influence of cutting parameters on the outcomes was examined through the analysis of variance. It was noted that traverse speed had a significant effect and a contribution of 47.79%. After AWJM, the surface was evaluated using SEM analysis, ploughing marks, ductile rupture, and a small crack were observed.
What is so special about conspiracy theories? Conceptually distinguishing beliefs in conspiracy theories from conspiracy beliefs in psychological research
Authors: Nera Kenzo , Schöpfer Céline
Published: March 2023

In psychological research, conspiracy theories are often defined as explanations of events involving the hidden action of a malevolent group. Such a definition raises a false negative problem, as it does not capture conspiracy theories that are not about events. It also raises a false positive problem because it categorises any conspiracy-based explanation as a conspiracy theory, even though distinguishing conspiracy theories from other conspiracy claims is at the core of many attempts to define this notion. Based on more elaborated definitions and a conceptual reengineering approach, we propose that conspiracy theories can be defined as claims that the public is being pervasively lied to regarding some aspect(s) of reality, to allow some group(s) to enact a harmful, self-serving agenda. Compared to other definitions, ours has the advantage of not taking a position regarding the truth value of conspiracy theories, making it highly operative for psychological research.
Design, testing and implementation of a linear state variable feedback controller for providing tracking/regulation of a large platform of a Maglev vehicle
Authors: Kundu Janardan , Koledov Victor , Stephan Richard M , Deng Zigang , Borah Manashita , Roy Binoy Krishna , von Gratowski Svetlana , Pati Avadh , Kashyap Satadru
Published: March 2023

The basic parameters of an electromagnetic levitation systems are resistance of the coil, inductance of the coil, air-gap between magnet and the object, coil current, mass of the object, controller parameters and so on. The levitation systems are highly unstable and strongly non-linear. In real-life applications, these parameters are supposed to vary. A proportional–integral controller for the inner current control loop and a lead compensator for the position control loop have been designed and tested. The performance study under various parametric effects has been investigated broadly. Finally, both the stability for the proposed levitation system has been achieved with a better operating zone using linear state variable feedback controllers. The system dynamic performances have been recorded for variations of physical system parameters. The sensitivity/robustness of the set-up has been studied. This study will give an insight for designing any corrective measures and an overall idea to develop a levitation system.
Use of Medicare Benefit Scheme mental health services in young people who experienced self-harm and/or suicidal behaviours: Data from the Young Minds Matter survey
Authors: Chitty Kate M. , Sawyer Michael Gifford , Carter Gregory , Lawrence David
Published: March 2023

Objectives

To examine healthcare utilisation patterns in a sample of young people with self-reported experiences of self-harm and/or suicidal behaviours.

Methods

A national survey examining mental health in a nationally representative sample of young Australians aged 12–17 years, linked to routinely collected healthcare and dispensing data. For respondents that self-reported experience of self-harm, suicidal ideation, suicidal plan and/or suicide attempt, we assessed attendance at a Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) subsidised MH service or non-MH general practitioner (GP) attendance at three time periods: 1) ever, 2) in the 12 months prior to completing the survey and 3) after completing the survey until 31 Dec 2015. We also assessed correlates associated with attendance and non-attendance at a MH service.

Results

The study included 311 young people. MH services were attended in the 12 months before the survey by 38.3% with attempted suicide, 28.7% with a suicidal plan, 28.9% with suicidal ideation and 29.4% with self-harm. MH treatment administered by a GP was the most common MH service (25%); followed treatment by psychologist (15%) and psychiatrist (5%). Attendance at a MH service was observed highest alongside more severe self-reported depression.

Conclusions

Potential underutilisation of MBS MH services by young people with self-harm and/or suicidal behaviours.
A Depiction and Classification of the Stolen Data Market Ecosystem and Comprising Darknet Markets: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Authors: Howell C. Jordan , Fisher Taylor , Muniz Caitlyn N. , Maimon David , Rotzinger Yolanda
Published: March 2023

Scant research has investigated the illicit online ecosystem that enables the sale of stolen data. Even fewer studies have examined the longitudinal trends of the markets on which these data are bought and sold. To fill this gap in the literature, our research team identified 30 darknet markets advertising stolen data products from September 1, 2020, through April 30, 2021. We then developed python web scrapers to systematically extract information pertaining to stolen data products on a weekly basis. Using these data, we calculated the number of vendors, listings, sales, and revenue across the markets and at the aggregate, ecosystem level. Moreover, we developed a data-driven market classification system drawing from ecological principles and dominant firm theory. Findings indicate that markets vary in size and success. Although some markets generated over $91 million in revenue from stolen data products, the median revenue across markets during the observational period was only $95,509. Variability also exists across markets in respect to the number of vendors, listings, and sales. Only three markets were classified as financially successful and stable (i.e., dominant firms). We argue resources should be allocated to target markets fitting these criteria.
An implicitly coupled finite element-electronic circuit simulator method for efficient system simulations of piezoelectric energy harvesters
Authors: Hegendörfer Andreas , Steinmann Paul , Mergheim Julia
Published: March 2023

A piezoelectric vibration-based energy harvester (PVEH) consists of an electromechanical structure and an electric circuit, influencing each other. The finite element method (FEM) allows for the simulation of arbitrarily shaped and nonlinear electromechanical structures, while an electronic circuit simulator (ECS) can be applied to simulate arbitrary electric circuits. We propose a novel implicit FEM-ECS coupling method, which combines the advantages of the FEM and the flexibility of an ECS. The Newton-Raphson method is applied to achieve rapid convergence at the interface between the FEM and ECS simulations, so that arbitrary PVEHs can be efficiently analyzed. The new implicit FEM-ECS coupling is validated against explicitly and monolithically coupled FEM-ECS simulations of PVEHs from literature. Moreover, an application example consisting of a nonlinear electromechanical structure and a self-powered SSHI circuit is considered and a shock-like base excitation is applied. The examples demonstrate the practical applicability of the novel coupling method for realistic simulations of PVEHs.
User Perceptions of Actionability in Data Dashboards
Authors: Sorapure Madeleine
Published: March 2023

This article reports on a multiphase study designed to understand how nonexpert users interact with COVID-19 data dashboards, particularly in terms of the dashboards’ actionability, or ability to support decision making. Analysis of the videos and transcriptions of user interviews shows the variable relevance of proposed criteria for dashboard actionability and suggests additional criteria for users’ emotional responses to data and for the presentation of data at degrees of personal and local granularity. These findings advance an understanding of how nonexpert audiences interact with and derive value from complex visualized data.
Skin of Colour Dermatoses Self-Learning Module: Assessing Student Comprehension
Authors: Mardiros Linda , Mahmood Farhan , Colantonio Sophia , Bose Reetesh
Published: March 2023

Background

Dermatology for diverse skin types is a globally growing area of medicine, but the inclusion of skin of color dermatology has not yet been formally included across all Canadian undergraduate medical education curricula. There is also a paucity of representation of diverse skin types in most medical textbooks, research, and clinical trials.

Objectives

The main objective was to develop a concise, Skin of Colour Dermatoses Self-Learning Module (SOCSLM) that could be implemented at an undergraduate medical education level. The secondary objective was to analyze participant responses to improve and add to learning module content.

Methods

From March to May 2022, second-year medical students at the University of Ottawa completed pre- and post-SOCSLM questionnaires which were available in French and English through their online student learning portals. The pre-test consisted of five multiple choice questions relating to images of dermatoses seen in diverse skin types. The post-test repeated the same five questions, rearranged, with an additional five new ones, and responses were analyzed.

Results

Twenty-five participants completed the surveys, and twenty responses were included. Percent correct answers increased between pre- and post-test, 51% vs 87%. In the post-test, questions repeated from the pre-test had a mean score of 95% while the new post-test questions had a mean score of 80%. Interest in dermatology did not have an impact on correct response rates.

Conclusions

Skin of color dermatology self-learning modules may be an effective way to integrate skin of color dermatology into undergraduate medical curricula.
Paediatric gastroesophageal reflux disease and parental mental health: Prevalence and predictors
Authors: Aizlewood Elizabeth GM , Jones Fergal W , Whatmough Rachel M
Published: March 2023

Objective

The current study aimed to estimate the prevalence of common mental health difficulties in parents who have an infant with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD), and to identify psychological predictors of parental anxiety, depression, and well-being, as a platform for subsequent intervention development.

Methods

Parents of infants with GORD ( N = 309) completed online psychometric measures of potential predictors (self-compassion, illness appraisals, and illness uncertainty), potential confounders (sleep quality, relationship satisfaction, social support, and infant feeding satisfaction), and mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, and wellbeing). The outcome measures were repeated eight-weeks later ( N = 103).

Results

At the first time-point, 66% of participants exceed the clinical cut off for generalised anxiety disorder and 63% exceeded that for a depressive disorder. Both had significantly reduced eights-weeks later. Greater self-compassion predicted lower anxiety and depression, and better well-being, in both cross-sectional and longitudinal data, including when all confounders were controlled for. Illness uncertainty and illness appraisals were less consistent predictors. No robust differences were found between parents of infants with silent GORD and those with GORD with visible regurgitation.

Conclusions

Parents of infants with GORD showed high rates of anxiety and depression, which were elevated compared to those that have been found in perinatal and general population samples. Self-compassion was a consistent predictor of better mental health and has promise as a proximal intervention target. Future research could benefit from examining the efficacy of a compassion-focussed intervention in this population.
Research on polygon suppression of resilient wheels under multiple operating conditions
Authors: Tian JH , Dong XL
Published: March 2023

The polygon effect seriously affects the running stability and safety of the vehicle. In order to suppress the wheel polygon, a dynamic model is established that can calculate the force on the resilient wheel's rim and core. With straight lines, curves, and vertical curves as input excitation, combined with wheel–rail force and acceleration, the suppression effect of the resilient wheel on the polygon is analyzed from the perspective of the time domain, frequency domain, and polygon order. The results show that the resilient wheel can effectively reduce the vertical wheel–rail force and restrain the wheel polygon. After 30 Hz, with the increase in frequency, the suppression effect of the resilient wheel on the polygon becomes increasingly significant. The resilient wheel can sufficiently suppress the polygons generated by 50–150 Hz carriage vibration without affecting the dominant frequency of carriage vibration. This study can provide a new idea for the suppression of wheel polygon.
Understanding the motives and values of entrepreneurship with indigenous people: The case of indigenous-led social enterprises in Colombia
Authors: Calvo Sara , Morales Andres
Published: March 2023

Few studies have been conducted on the value and motives of social entrepreneurship with indigenous people. The purpose of this paper is to examine the values and motives of social entrepreneurship and how it is experienced by indigenous groups in Colombia drawing on Structuration Theory theoretical framework. This work draws upon evidence from a multiple case study of five indigenous communities (Curripaco, Puinave, Yanacona, Misak and Wayuu) in three geographic regions. The analysis of the multiple case study using NVIVO.11, discovered internal and external motives and values. The internal drivers identified are Cosmovision, Ancestrality, Knowledge, Identity and Language and Community and Family Wellbeing. The external drivers are Land Rights and Territoriality, Armed Conflict and Violence, Socio Economic Needs: Poverty and lack of employment and Funding Opportunities. This paper brings into attention the importance of understanding the values and motives of social entrepreneurship within indigenous groups in Latin America.