bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analyzing the Impact of Tall Building Geometries on Wind Environment in a Hypothetical Urban Context: A Typological and Parametric Study
Authors: Wu Yihan , Li Weifeng , Zeng Ningyi , Bai Xiaoxia
Published: November 2024

Infill development has become a popular strategy for revitalizing old urban districts. However, the construction of new high-rise buildings can cause nuisance issues that are of great concern to indigenous residents. Our study seeks to address three key research questions by examining the impacts of 34 high-rise building typologies within a hypothetical urban context: 1) To what spatial extent does the construction of new high-rise buildings significantly affect their surroundings? 2) How do different tall building typologies modify their surrounding buildings’ outdoor and indoor ventilation potentials? 3) What are the quantitative relations between building geometrical variables and wind performance indicators? The findings reveal that the correlation between building shape and wind behaviors is strongest within a radius of 0.7~1.3H of the target building. Moreover, the study observes that building width, building projected width, frontal area, and shape coefficient can substantially affect indoor and outdoor ventilation potentials of the surrounding spaces, but the influence of these parameters significantly varies depending on the incident wind direction. Certain building typologies can increase the outdoor ventilation potential of the neighborhood by 10–20%. Furthermore, the study employs an elastic net model to investigate the multivariate relations between building geometrical variables and wind performance indicators. The results indicate that the elastic net model outperforms ridge and lasso regression models in predicting wind performance indicators. These findings can enhance our understanding of how to design a tall building within an existing urban configuration.
Health Risk Assessment of PM2.5 in Mianyang City Commercial District
Authors: Li Xuan-Yan , Fu Juanlin , Yan Li , Yu Minghong , Long Yu , Liu Yuzhen
Published: November 2024

PM2.5 is one of the main pollutants of air pollution. Long-term exposure to high concentrations of PM2.5 polluted environment can easily increase the risk of developing various diseases including cardiovascular disease and respiratory diseases. As the main place for people's leisure and entertainment, the exposure level and health risk of PM2.5 in urban commercial districts directly relate to people's health. Based on the principle of exposure assessment, this paper constructs a method for assessing the health risk of urban public space environment and carries out empirical research on the commercial district of Mianyang by using on-site measurement methods. On the basis of collecting PM2.5 concentration data, combined with the type of crowd activity and stay time, important public spaces in the commercial district are selected for health risk assessment and optimization strategies are proposed. Researches Indicate that the change of PM2.5 concentration in commercial areas is affected by traffic flow and wind direction; there is a high health risk in public spaces where crowds gather and stay for a long time. The research results have important practical significance for improving the public disease prevention ability and health management level in cities.
Noise Reduction Performance of Metamaterials Sound Insulation Plate
Authors: Zhang Baoqing , Rao Yubin , Guo Yunyi , Xiao Wangqiang
Published: November 2024

In order to reduce the adverse effects of noise generated by urban vehicles on residents, a super-structured phononic crystals sound isolation plate is designed to enhance the low-frequency noise reduction capability of the plate by utilizing the special acoustic properties of the super-structure. The phononic crystals plate is modeled and analyzed using the finite element method to study its band gap. The energy band and transmission loss patterns of phononic crystals are obtained, and the noise reduction capabilities of traditional sound isolators and phononic crystals plate are compared. Through experimentation, the noise reduction effect of the phononic crystal sound insulation plate was found to be remarkable. This provides theoretical support for the use of phononic crystals sound insulation devices in managing urban noise.
Investigating Urban Resilience Differences and Barriers to Regional Coordinated Development
Authors: Deng Weimin , Zhang Wenjun , Yan Li
Published: November 2024

The article evaluates and analyses urban resilience and constraining factors in 30 provinces in China derived from panel data from 2006–2021 using entropy weighting, Gini coefficient and handicap model. The study shows that the current level of resilience in most cities is relatively low, with an overall upward trend, and the spatial distribution shows a decreasing ‘high east, low west’ pattern, While the majority of the nation's low-resilient communities are found in the west and center, and high resilient towns are mainly found in the east. Concerning the decomposition of regional differences, the eastern region has the largest intra-regional difference and the smallest increase, the central region has a smaller difference and the largest increase, the northern difference shows a decreasing trend and the western difference is increasing year by year; in terms of inter-regional averages, the east-west difference is the largest and the north-central difference is the smallest. When analysing the level of barriers, the level of barriers to business resilience is decreased and the degree of barriers to infrastructural resilience is enhanced.; the number of fixed internet users, revenue from local budgets and local education expenditure emerge as important factors in increasing urban resilience, but the level of barriers varies across regions. Using the conclusions of this paper, the article proposes policy advice for enhancing urban resilience in terms of strengthening the connectivity of regional cities, optimising the allocation of resources in cities, and adhering to multi-system coordination of cities.
Homomorphisms from Functional Equations: The Goldie Equation, II
Authors: Bingham N. H. , Ostaszewski A. J.
Published: November 2024

This first of three sequels to Homomorphisms from Functional equations: The Goldie equation (Ostaszewski in Aequationes Math 90:427–448, 2016) by the second author—the second of the resulting quartet—starts from the Goldie functional equation arising in the general regular variation of our joint paper (Bingham et al. in J Math Anal Appl 483:123610, 2020). We extend the work there in two directions. First, we algebraicize the theory, by systematic use of certain groups—the Popa groups arising in earlier work by Popa, and their relatives the Javor groups . Secondly, we extend from the original context on the real line to multi-dimensional (or infinite-dimensional) settings.
Emotionale Belastung von Medizinstudierenden im Rahmen der universitären Lehre zu psychischen Erkrankungen
Authors: Besse Matthias , Belz Michael
Published: November 2024

Hintergrund

Zahlreiche Studien belegen eine hohe Ausprägung sowie Zunahme stressassoziierter Symptome und depressionsähnlicher Beschwerden bei Studierenden. Im Rahmen der Lehre zu psychischen Erkrankungen an unserer medizinischen Fakultät berichteten Studierende wiederholt emotional belastende Situationen und äußerten den Wunsch nach Unterstützungsangeboten. Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war die Objektivierung des Belastungslevels und des Bedarfs nach Unterstützungsangeboten.

Material und Methoden

Insgesamt 118 Studierende des 9. Semesters (WiSe 22/23) wurden mittels Fragebogen zu ihrer emotionalen Belastung befragt. Der Fragebogen wurde als Onlinebefragung in LimeSurvey (LimeSurvey GmbH, Hamburg, Deutschland) durchgeführt und enthielt insgesamt 18 als Statements formulierte sowie weitere Items. Zu den einzelnen Items konnten die Studierenden auf 11-stufigen numerischen Skalen mit Außenankern Ratings abgeben.

Ergebnisse

Die eigene Belastung im Vergleich zu anderen Modulen wurde als erhöht eingeschätzt – insbesondere für das Fach Psychiatrie (> 5 von 10). Am belastendsten wurde der Unterricht am Krankenbett, gefolgt von Seminaren und Vorlesungen eingeschätzt (alle Paarvergleiche p < 0,001). Inhalte zu Depression erzeugten überwiegend die stärkste Belastung. Etwa die Hälfte der Studierenden wünschte sich unterstützende Angebote; hiervon am häufigsten eine Sprechstunde (78,0 %) sowie feste Ansprechpartner (70,7 %).

Diskussion

Die emotionale Belastung von Studierenden im Rahmen der Lehre zu psychischen Erkrankungen ist insbesondere im Fach Psychiatrie sowie mit ansteigendem Patientenkontakt höher, Unterstützungsangebote werden gefordert. Lehrende sollten hierzu sensibilisiert werden und Angebote wie offene Sprechstunden oder die Benennung fester Ansprechpartner schaffen.
Moderne medikamentöse Schmerztherapie in der Gefäßmedizin – was der Gefäßchirurg dazu wissen sollte anhand einer einrichtungsspezifischen „Standard Operating Procedure“ (SOP)
Authors: Brinkers Michael , Pfau Giselher , Strang Maria Christof , Lodes Uwe , Barth Udo , Meyer Frank , Halloul Zuhir
Published: November 2024

Hintergrund

Bereits vor Jahren wurde von der interdisziplinär besetzten Arbeitsgruppe des Universitätsklinikums Magdeburg A. ö. R. eine „Standard Operating Procedure“ (SOP) zur postoperativen Schmerztherapie in der Allgemeinchirurgie veröffentlicht.

Ziel

Es wurde erweiternd eine Anpassung der „SOP – postoperative Schmerztherapie“ auf die Gefäßchirurgie erforderlich.

Methode

Narrative Kurzübersicht, basierend auf der „SOP – Schmerztherapie in der Gefäßchirurgie“ (als QR-Code im Anhang).

Ergebnisse (Eckpunkte)

Während die Inzidenzen der meisten Gefäßveränderungen aufgrund einer Erkrankung (z. B. rheumatoide Arthritis, Vaskulitiden) in der Bevölkerung im Promillebereich liegen, sind die Gefäßveränderungen aufgrund von „Zivilisationskrankheiten“ (Ulcus cruris, chronische Wunde) und zunehmendem Alter aufgrund gestiegener Lebenserwartung teils im zweistelligen Prozentbereich präsent und steigen in der Inzidenz weiter an. Ihre Behandlung liegt zunächst in der Therapie der Risikofaktoren, erst in höheren bzw. ausgeprägteren Stadien in einer operativen Therapie. Bei den weiteren ischämischen Gefäßveränderungen (Aneurysma, Carotisstenose, akuter Gefäßverschluss) stehen endovaskuläre oder offen-operative Verfahren im Vordergrund.

Schlussfolgerung

Different zu anderen Bereichen der Schmerztherapie sind viele Patienten mit Gefäßerkrankungen nicht zwingend mit Schmerzmitteln auf längere Zeit zu therapieren. Die Schmerztherapie beginnt grundsätzlich bei niedrigen Dosierungen. Schmerztherapie richtet sich nach der Schmerzqualität, der bisherigen Schmerzstärke, nicht nach dem Alter oder Geschlecht.
Job satisfaction declines before retirement in Germany
Authors: Henning Georg , Muniz-Terrera Graciela , Stenling Andreas , Hyde Martin
Published: November 2024

Job satisfaction has been found to increase with age. However, we still have a very limited understanding of how job satisfaction changes as people approach retirement. This is important as the years before retirement present specific challenges for older workers. We employed a time-to-retirement approach to investigate (i) mean levels of change in job satisfaction in the decade before retirement, and (ii) social inequalities and interindividual differences in change in pre-retirement job satisfaction. Data were drawn from the German Socioeconomic Panel Study (n = 2595). Latent growth curve modeling revealed that job satisfaction declined slightly as people approached retirement, with steeper declines in the very last years before retirement. However, the mean-level decline was very small. Education, age, health, region, marital status, and historical time, but not gender or caregiving mattered for level and change in job satisfaction before retirement. The findings demonstrate the importance of taking a time-to-retirement approach when examining experiences of older workers.
Ruminant livestock and climate change: critical discourse moments in mainstream and farming sector news media
Authors: Simmonds Philippa , Maye Damian , Ingram Julie
Published: November 2024

There is ongoing contestation around greenhouse gas emissions from ruminant livestock and how society should respond. Media discourses play a key role in agenda setting for the general public and policymakers, and may contribute to polarisation. This paper examines how UK news media portrayed ruminant livestock’s impact on climate change between 2016 and 2021. The analysis addresses a gap in the literature by comparing discourses in national and farming sector newspapers using a qualitative approach. Four national and two farming sector news outlets were searched for articles published between 2016 and 2021. A corpus of 996 relevant articles was assembled, from which 154 were selected for in-depth examination using Critical Discourse Analysis. Four ‘Critical Discourse Moments’ (CDMs), each signifying a discursive shift in the debate, were identified over the 6-year studied period: 1) Low salience, diverging discourses, 2) We must eat far less meat, 3) Fighting the anti-meat agenda, and 4) Policy (in)action at COP26. There was a large increase in the number of published articles from January 2019 onward, partly associated with publication of the EAT/Lancet Commission report. CDM 2 (We must eat far less meat) occurred mainly in the national media, while CDM 3 (Fighting the anti-meat agenda) occurred mainly in the farming media. Our findings reveal both opinion polarisation and intergroup polarisation between national and farming sector media, and low engagement with food system power imbalances. Addressing polarisation will be important to enhance capacity for collective decision-making regarding methane emissions from ruminant livestock.
Bridging the gap: exploring consumer knowledge, perceptions, and willingness to pay for aquaponics products across the UK
Authors: Davis Joshua , Murray Rose R. , Crichton Rosemary , Starkey Finn , Cammies Christopher
Published: November 2024

Aquaponics (a sub-field of integrated agri-aquacultural practices (IAAS)) has emerged as a novel approach to combat global food security, reduce soil erosion and nutrient loss, and mitigate agronomic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, little remains known of potential consumer markets. Despite recent research throughout Europe, Central America, Australia, and the Middle East, this work represents the first large-scale evaluation of UK consumer understanding, assessment, and willingness to pay (WTP) for aquaponic products. Following analysis of 588 survey responses, we identify environmental awareness and green consumption, recognition of common UK eco-labels and sector-specific certification schemes, and consumer perceptions of aquaponics compared to conventional, locally sourced, and organic food production. Initially, 44% of survey respondents were familiar with aquaponics, with familiarity positively influenced by age and level of education. After presenting a definition of aquaponics (detailing its use and commonly cited socio-environmental benefits), consumer perceptions were mixed, with respondents broadly favourable to the practice despite uncertainty. Over 43% of consumers were willing to pay an associated price premium for aquaponic produce (valued, on average, as a 23% price increase over conventional alternatives). This willingness to pay was statistically in line with the organic market premiums and independent of prior familiarity with aquaponics as a food production system. These findings suggest a sizable consumer market for aquaponic produce and public interest in its sustainability benefits. Tailored marketing strategies could position aquaponic produce competitively alongside organic and environmentally friendly alternatives (irrespective of certification/eco-labelling), ensuring the long-term economic viability of the emerging aquaponics industry.
Stock Market Forecasting Using a Neural Network Through Fundamental Indicators, Technical Indicators and Market Sentiment Analysis
Authors: Arauco Ballesteros Mónica Andrea , Martínez Miranda Elio Agustín
Published: November 2024

The objective of this research is to provide evidence that it is possible to obtain a prediction that better aligns with the future performance of a stock if a neural network model is trained with stock market analysis variables and qualitative variables. As a case study, thirty-three companies’ representative of the S&P 500 are selected, and a multilayer perceptron artificial neural network is built and trained with input parameter indicators of fundamental analysis, technical analysis, and market sentiment. By incorporating the latter as an additional variable, the model's accuracy increases by 1.5% for 66% of the companies analyzed. The results confirm the crucial role played by the selection of the neural network model and its variables depending on the type of company to be analyzed. The main contributions of this research are the identification of the best variables combination to train a neural network model depending on the market sector to be analyzed, likewise it is demonstrated that, by using market sentiment, it is possible obtain a high accuracy or increase the accuracy to an existing model.
Effects of School-led Greenspace Interventions on Mental, Physical and Social Wellbeing in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ly Vi , Vella‐Brodrick Dianne A.
Published: November 2024

Promoting children’s and adolescents’ mental, physical, and social wellbeing is highly important to help them learn, create social connections, and stay healthy. Nature has the potential to restore cognition, reduce stress and mental fatigue, and improve wellbeing, all factors that are conducive to learning. There is growing interest in understanding the effects of nature on the wellbeing of children and adolescents, particularly in the school context. This paper presents a PRISMA-guided systematic review of the literature examining the effects of school-led nature interventions on the mental, physical, and social wellbeing of school children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 years. Examples of school-led nature interventions include outdoor learning, walks in nature and green schoolyards. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies employing quantitative measures were selected, yielding 19 studies from 17 papers. Included studies were rated as being of high (n = 6) and moderate quality (n = 13). The results provide some evidence that nature exposure in the school context can improve the wellbeing of children and adolescents, particularly their positive affect, physical activity, and social relationships/interactions. The wellbeing effects of school-led nature interventions were also examined according to age and gender, with results indicating a gender effect, but inconclusive findings for age. Findings from this review support the integration of nature in schools to enhance the mental, physical and social wellbeing of children and adolescents.
Misattribution stigma and contagion: How did the art auction market react to Australian “Black art scandals”?
Authors: Coslor Erica , Fry Tim R. L.
Published: November 2024

In 1999, two major stories hit the media concerning the authenticity of artworks by two of Australia’s leading Indigenous artists. The incidents were quickly tagged as ‘Black art scandals’, with the artists disavowing production of the artworks in question. We theorize the market impacts using the lens of stigma, given that, in the art market, uncovering fakes and forgeries may create a panic among buyers of an artist. Our proposed mechanism is that negative media attention about works misattributed to an artist stigmatizes the artist’s name and their artworks. We also note the potential stigma transfer to other artists in a style or genre (category-level contagion). Our results show a decline in the clearance rate and some weak evidence of a fall in the value of sales for auctions occurring after the news stories broke. We suggest stigma as a lens for future work in cultural economics.
Morphology and Luminescence Properties of Transition Metal Doped Zinc Selenide Crystals
Authors: Bowman Eric , Scheurer Leslie , Arnold Bradley , Su Ching Hua , Choa Fow-Sen , Cullum Brian , Singh N. B.
Published: November 2024

Zinc selenide is an excellent matrix material to dope with rare-earth and transition metal to achieve mid-infrared luminescence to develop high power lasers. The luminescence, morphology and refractive index is significantly affected by the doping and defects generated due to size and valency of dopants, concentration, growth process and convection during the growth. The aim of the study is to investigate effect of point and line defects generated due to low doping of iron and chromium on the emission and morphology of the zinc selenide. Luminescence and morphological properties of large iron and chromium doped zinc selenide single crystals were studied to evaluate the effect of extremely low residual impurities and defects associated with the doping process. The emission properties following both short wavelength (i.e., ultraviolet; 350–370 nm) excitation and longer wavelength (i.e., near infrared; 850–870 nm) excitation were characterized. Luminescence emission bands were identified in both doped crystals. In addition to the primary emission bands, satellite peaks and intra-center transitions were also observed. Due to local population defects associated with the residual impurities (ppm to ppb) in the Fe-ZnSe and Cr-ZnSe crystals, peak emission wavelengths were observed to shift. The emission bands were found to decrease in intensity due to recombination of residual impurity co-dopants and complex defects generated during growth and fabrication. Cryogenic temperature analyses revealed a very clean emission band due to freezing of some of the point and line defects. An emission band observed at 980 nm for both crystals at room temperature as well as cryogenic temperatures indicates a vibronic peak in ZnSe. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the local morphology support the conclusion that small crystallites in doped crystals are also present.
Factors enhancing residential satisfaction of foreign residents toward settlement: A case study of toshima city, tokyo, japan
Authors: Lim Hwajin , Niwa Yukari , Sunaga Ayaka
Published: November 2024

In recent years, the number of foreign residents in global cities has increased rapidly, and they have become an important demographic for housing development. On the other hand, research on the living environment of foreign residents has not been comprehensive as it should be. There has also been little consideration of how to create a living environment that takes into account the residential satisfaction of foreign residents. This study aimed to investigate the types of environments and support that can enhance residential satisfaction (RS) for foreign residents in Japan. Accordingly, a questionnaire survey was conducted in Toshima City, Tokyo, Japan. In this research, five factors that enhance RS were examined using structural equation modeling: “intercultural and language support” as the initial factor, two factors of public livelihood support (“childcare support” and “procedural support”), and two factors of residential environments (“social association” and “housing environment”). We further examined whether the RS differed depending on the length of residence. We found that intercultural communication support was effective in directly increasing the RS of foreign residents living in Japan and that the residential environment, including social association and housing environment, increased RS with intercultural and language support as a starting point. However, childcare and procedural support were not statistically significant. These factors and the empirical model differ depending on the number of years of settlement in Japan. Additionally, the residential environment, including social association and housing environment, indirectly increased RS with intercultural communication support as the starting point in the case of residents who lived for over 5 years there. However, only social association contributed to increased RS among residents who lived there for less than 5 years. Finally, we derived policy recommendations based on the findings of short-term stay and medium- to long-term settlement.
Ternary Liquid-Liquid Equilibria in a Few Nonaqueous Two-Phase Systems
Authors: Sikorski Patryk , Kosiek Katarzyna , Więckowski Mikołaj , Hofman Tadeusz
Published: November 2024

The composition of coexisting phases for liquid-liquid and solid-liquid-liquid equilibria were measured at 298.2 and 313.2 K and under atmospheric pressure for the following systems: {sodium bromide + formamide + ethyl acetate}, {sodium thiocyanate + ethanol + (R)-limonene}, and {sodium thiocyanate + methanol + dibutyl ether}. These concentrations were determined mainly by chromatography and, for the first system, with the help of argentometric titration. The standard uncertainties in mole fractions varied between 0.001 and 0.008. The tie-line data were reproduced by the NRTL model with medium accuracy. Several empirical equations were used and tested to correlate binodal curves. The rational form of the equation, based on the liquid–liquid–solid tie-line, turned out to be the most adequate.
Bad Local Minima Exist in the Stochastic Block Model
Authors: Coja-Oghlan Amin , Krieg Lena , Lawnik Johannes Christian , Scheftelowitsch Olga
Published: November 2024

We study the disassortative stochastic block model with three communities, a well-studied model of graph partitioning and Bayesian inference for which detailed predictions based on the cavity method exist (Decelle et al. in Phys Rev E 84:066106, 2011). We provide strong evidence that for a part of the phase where efficient algorithms exist that approximately reconstruct the communities, inference based on maximum a posteriori (MAP) fails. In other words, we show that there exist modes of the posterior distribution that have a vanishing agreement with the ground truth. The proof is based on the analysis of a graph colouring algorithm from Achlioptas and Moore (J Comput Syst Sci 67:441–471, 2003).
From deterministic to stochastic: limits of extracting bifurcation diagrams for noisy bistable oscillators with the control-based continuation method
Authors: Sykora Henrik T. , Beregi Sandor
Published: November 2024

Noise limits the information that can be experimentally extracted from dynamical systems. In this study, we review the Control-based Continuation (CBC) approach, which is commonly used for experimental characterisation of nonlinear systems with coexisting stable and unstable steady states. The CBC technique, however, uses a deterministic framework, whereas in practice, almost all measurements are subject to some level of random perturbation, and the underlying dynamical system is inherently noisy. In order to discover what the CBC is capable of extracting from inherently noisy experiments, we study the Hopf normal form with quintic terms with additive noise. The bifurcation diagram of the deterministic core of this system is well-known, therefore the discrepancies introduced by noise can be easily assessed. First, we utilise the Step-Matrix Multiplication based Path Integral (SMM-PI) method to approximate the system’s steady state probability density function (PDF) for different intensity noise perturbations. We associate the local extrema of the resulting PDFs with limit cycles, and compare the resulting bifurcation diagram to those captured by CBC. We show that CBC estimates the bifurcation diagram of the noisy system well for noise intensities varying from small to moderate, and in practice, the amplitudes provided by CBC may be accepted as a ’best guess’ proxy for the vibration amplitudes characteristic to the near periodic solutions in a wide range of experiments.
Revisiting Emotions in Pastoral Care and Counseling: A Scoping Review
Authors: Tjernæs Randi Synnøve , Ringnes H. K. , Stålsett G.
Published: November 2024

The aims of this scoping review were to generate an overview of the existing literature on the role emotions play in pastoral care, to determine what research has been done, and to consider how this knowledge is being applied in pastoral care and counseling. Four databases (Atla Religion Database [Atla RDB], Medline Ovid, PsycINFO Ovid, and Education Resources Information Center [ERIC]) were researched for studies exploring emotions in pastoral care and counseling. Forty-six empirical studies published over a period of 10 years (2010–2021) were included in the scoping review. The authors read and analyzed the articles with a focus on how individuals experience emotions and on how the articles addressed emotions in their studies. Based upon the results of thematic analysis, we identified five themes: (1) aiming for a new PCC praxis, (2) the two main types of pastoral care, (3) a focus on basic emotions, (4) changing emotions in pastoral care, and (5) the development of creative methodologies to approach emotions within PCC. To date, there has been little research in this field regarding connecting conceptualizations and strategies to address emotions in the context of pastoral care. This scoping review addresses this issue and highlights the need for future studies and practical applications.
Personal Wellbeing Amid Pandemic Response: Impacts of Neighborhood Built Environment, Risk Communication and Health
Authors: Guo Chunlan , Wong Kit Fai , Xu Yong , Hung Kevin K. C. , Ho Hung Chak
Published: November 2024

Maintaining personal wellbeing is essential for an effective pandemic response due to its multifaceted impacts on various aspects of society. This study aimed to evaluate personal wellbeing during pandemic response and investigate the effects of built environment in neighborhoods, risk communication, and health indicators. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A sample with 5458 participants was collected in Hong Kong through a self-administered online survey. Personal Wellbeing Index- Adult (PWI-A) was adopted to measure personal wellbeing. This study indicated a more than 20% decrease in personal wellbeing among Hong Kong residents during the pandemic, particularly impacting future security, personal safety, and living standards. Positive influences on wellbeing included more open spaces, using more traditional information channels, seeking reliable media sources, and confidence in information seeking. Conversely, wellbeing was negatively affected by a higher percentage of public residential areas, using more new information channels, increased social media time, smoking habits and chronic health conditions. These findings provide critical insights into the diverse impacts of the pandemic on individuals and communities. They guide targeted interventions and contribute to building resilience against future crises.
Comparing a Model of Augmented Postpartum Primary Care to Usual Care in an Urban Medical Center
Authors: Wainwright Sam , Glassgow Anne Elizabeth , Holicky Abigail , Kim Eric , Wagner-Schuman Melissa , Anjur Kavya , Bellur Shreya , Caskey Rachel
Published: November 2024

Background

The US faces a maternal health crisis and struggles to deliver recommended postpartum care. In some populations, less than half of mothers attend a postpartum visit.

Objective

To determine if a two-generation (Two-Gen) model of interdisciplinary, postpartum primary care was associated with increased visit attendance for postpartum care, primary care, and behavioral health.

Design

Retrospective study of care delivered at a single, urban, academic, safety-net medical center between 2020 and 2023.

Participants

Mothers who received postpartum care in Two-Gen and a comparison group who received usual postpartum care.

Main Measures

Adjusted logistic regression to estimate the effect of Two-Gen participation on the odds of attending an early (birth-to-3 weeks) postpartum visit, later (4-to-12 weeks) postpartum visit, OB/GYN visit, and primary care visit.

Key Results

A total of 247 mothers (98 Two-Gen and 149 usual care) were included for analysis. Most identified as Non-Hispanic Black (55%) or Hispanic (34%) and had Medicaid insurance (74%). On average, Two-Gen mothers were younger and more likely to be primiparous. Compared to usual care, Two-Gen mothers had similar rates of early postpartum visits (79% vs 64%; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.70; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.92–3.14) and were significantly more likely to have a later postpartum visit (92% vs 79%; aOR 2.46; 95%CI 1.06–5.74) in adjusted analyses. Almost all Two-Gen mothers (97%) had a visit with a primary care doctor in the first postpartum year, compared to 19% of mothers receiving usual care (aOR 12.95; 95%CI 6.80–24.68). Of those with behavioral health diagnoses, Two-Gen mothers had higher rates of psychiatrist visits than usual care mothers (49% vs 13%; p = 0.001).

Conclusions

Two-Gen clinic participation was associated with high rates of timely postpartum care in a group of predominantly young, publicly insured, racial, and ethnic minority mothers and compared favorably to usual care across multiple metrics, notably utilization of primary and behavioral health care.
The impact of wildfire smoke exposure on excess mortality and later-life socioeconomic outcomes: the Great Fire of 1910
Authors: Meier Sarah , Strobl Eric , Elliott Robert J. R.
Published: November 2024

The Great Fire of 1910 in the northwestern United States burnt more than 1.2 million hectares in just two days and stands as one of the largest wildfires ever recorded. While it is known for having led to the introduction of a rigorous fire suppression regime that lasted for much of the twentieth century, it also generated a considerable amount of smoke far beyond the burnt areas that is likely to have impacted the health of those exposed. This paper examines the short- and long-term impact of this fire-sourced smoke pollution on children, combining historical data with smoke emission and dispersion modelling. The econometric results indicate a 119% increase in excess mortality during the week of the fire and a decrease of 4–14% in later-life socioeconomic status scores 20 and 30 years after the event. This research offers novel insights into wildfire smoke repercussions on health and long-run human capital formation in a setting where avoidance behaviour was minimal.
AI solutions for overcoming delays in telesurgery and telementoring to enhance surgical practice and education
Authors: Li Yang , Raison Nicholas , Ourselin Sebastien , Mahmoodi Toktam , Dasgupta Prokar , Granados Alejandro
Published: November 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool in surgery, particularly in telesurgery and telementoring. However, its potential to enhance data transmission efficiency and reliability in these fields remains unclear. While previous reviews have explored the general applications of telesurgery and telementoring in specific surgical contexts, this review uniquely focuses on AI models designed to optimise data transmission and mitigate delays. We conducted a comprehensive literature search on PubMed and IEEE Xplore for studies published in English between 2010 and 2023, focusing on AI-driven, surgery-related, telemedicine, and delay-related research. This review includes methodologies from journals, conferences, and symposiums. Our analysis identified a total of twelve AI studies that focus on optimising network resources, enhancing edge computing, and developing delay-robust predictive applications. Specifically, three studies addressed wireless network resource optimisation, two proposed low-latency control and transfer learning algorithms for edge computing, and seven developed delay-robust applications, five of which focused on motion data, with the remaining two addressing visual and haptic data. These advancements lay the foundation for a truly holistic and context-aware telesurgical experience, significantly transforming remote surgical practice and education. By mapping the current role of AI in addressing delay-related challenges, this review highlights the pressing need for collaborative research to drive the evolution of telesurgery and telementoring in modern robotic surgery.
Multi-octave two-color soliton frequency comb in integrated chalcogenide microresonators
Authors: Cheng Huanjie , Lin Guosheng , Xia Di , Luo Liyang , Lu Siqi , Yu Changyuan , Zhang Bin
Published: November 2024

Mid-infrared (MIR) Kerr microcombs are of significant interest for portable dual-comb spectroscopy and precision molecular sensing due to strong molecular vibrational absorption in the MIR band. However, achieving a compact, octave-spanning MIR Kerr microcomb remains a challenge due to the lack of suitable MIR photonic materials for the core and cladding of integrated devices and appropriate MIR continuous-wave (CW) pump lasers. Here, we propose a novel slot concentric dual-ring (SCDR) microresonator based on an integrated chalcogenide glass chip, which offers excellent transmission performance and flexible dispersion engineering in the MIR band. This device achieves both phase-matching and group velocity matching in two separated anomalous dispersion regions, enabling phase-locked, two-color solitons in the MIR region with a commercial 2-μm CW laser as the pump source. Moreover, the spectral locking of the two-color soliton enhances pump wavelength selectivity, providing precise control over soliton dynamics. By leveraging the dispersion characteristics of the SCDR microresonator, we have demonstrated a multi-octave-spanning, two-color soliton microcomb, covering a spectral range from 1156.07 to 5054.95 nm (200 THz) at a −40 dB level, highlighting the versatility and broad applicability of our approach. And the proposed multi-octave MIR frequency comb is relevant for applications such as dual-comb spectroscopy and trace-gas sensing.

Graphical Abstract
The anatomy of the common iliac artery: a meta-analysis based on 5785 cases
Authors: Koziej Mateusz , Toppich Julia , Wilk Jakub , Plutecki Dawid , Ostrowski Patryk , Rams Daniel , Fijałkowska Marta , Ghosh Sanjib Kumar , Mazur Małgorzata , Pacholczak-Madej Renata , Walocha Jerzy , Bonczar Michał
Published: November 2024

The common iliac arteries (CIA) are the main finals branches of the abdominal aorta. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to demonstrate the most up-to-date and evidence-based data regarding the general anatomy of the CIAs, including their length, take-off angles, and diameters. PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched to find all studies considering the anatomy of the CIA. Eligibility assessment and data extraction stages were performed. The results of the measurements in a total of 5785 patients were evaluated and included in the statistical analysis. The prevalence of the origin variations of the CIA has been evaluated. CIA was found to most commonly originate at the level of L4 vertebrae with a pooled prevalence of 59.49% (95% CI 48.00–70.50%). The overall mean length of the CIA was 5.59 mm (SE: 0.13), and the mean diameter of the CIA was 10.52 mm (SE: 0.85). The knowledge of the anatomy and variations of the CIA is crucial in lumbar spine surgery, especially when performing the anterolateral approach to L4 and L5 vertebrae. Furthermore, the level of the aortic bifurcation has significant implications related to vascular surgery in this region. We performed the present meta-analysis to standardize the extensive information on the anatomy of the CIAs.
Lipodystrophiesyndrome – klinische Präsentation und Management
Authors: Beghini Marianna , Scherer Thomas
Published: November 2024

Lipodystrophien umfassen eine heterogene Gruppe seltener Erkrankungen, die durch einen vollständigen oder partiellen Verlust von Fettgewebe gekennzeichnet sind. Die meisten Formen sind genetisch bedingt, und dazu zählen die kongenitale generalisierte Lipodystrophie (CGL) und die familiäre partielle Lipodystrophie (FPLD).

Lipodystrophien sind oft mit schwerer Insulinresistenz, Diabetes mellitus Typ 2, Hypertriglyzeridämie, metabolischer Dysfunktion-assoziierter Fettlebererkrankung (MASLD) und erhöhtem kardiovaskulärem Risiko verbunden, was zu einer erhöhten Morbidität und Mortalität führt. Die klinische Präsentation variiert je nach Form der Lipodystrophie, mit häufigen metabolischen Komplikationen wie Fettlebererkrankung bzw. Fibrose/Zirrhose, Pankreatitis, schwer einstellbarem Diabetes mellitus Typ 2 und kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen bzw. frühzeitigen Ereignissen wie Herzinfarkt und Schlaganfall.

Die Diagnose wird klinisch gestellt und basiert auf Anamnese, körperlicher Untersuchung und laborchemischen Untersuchungen, ergänzt durch bildgebende Verfahren zur Quantifizierung des Fettmangels. Gentests können hilfreich sein, negative Ergebnisse schließen aber eine Lipodystrophie prinzipiell nicht aus.

Die Behandlung umfasst Lebensstilmodifikationen und die Therapie der Begleiterkrankungen, insbesondere des Diabetes bzw. der Dyslipidämie. Zusätzlich kann das humane rekombinante Leptin-Analogon Metreleptin für die Behandlung der generalisierten Lipodystrophie und in ausgewählten Fällen auch für partielle Lipodystrophie eingesetzt werden. Eine multidisziplinäre Betreuung in spezialisierten Zentren ist aufgrund der Komplexität und Vielfalt der möglichen Komplikationen entscheidend.
Education for sustainable development in China: experiences from school teachers’ perspectives and enactments
Authors: Zhou Ronghui
Published: November 2024

Given the rapid development of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the global north and south, the status of ESD in Chinese primary education remains underexplored. Teachers, who play a critical role as education stakeholders in enacting and spreading the influences of ESD, have been largely overlooked in ESD research focusing on China. This paper therefore aimed to narrow this research gap and provide an empirical snapshot illustrating the progress of ESD through the eyes of Chinese primary school teachers. Drawing on an analysis of 151 questionnaires and 25 semi-structured interviews, the study finds that ESD is primarily interpreted as environmental education and often linked through the literal connections of 'sustainability', 'education', and 'development'. ESD is enacted mainly through school activities, policies, curricula, and extracurricular opportunities, though inconsistencies in implementation are evident. The findings provides empirical evidence of ESD in Chinese primary education and build foundations for further investigation into how ESD can be more effectively integrated and practiced within China’s educational system.
Innovative COF@MXene composites for high performance energy applications
Authors: Kuai Yanbing , Wang Yuhua
Published: November 2024

As a new type of composite two-dimensional material formed by the combination of Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs) and two- dimensional (2D) MXenes, COF/MXene heterostructures (COF@MXene) inherit the stable porous two-dimensional structure of COFs and the excellent electrochemical performance and catalytic activity of MXenes, thus attracting widespread attention. Additionally, COF@MXene possesses various elemental affinity sites, efficient ion channels, and the ability to append various functional groups, which endow them with tremendous potential in electrochemical energy storage, energy conversion, and catalysis. Currently, there is a lack of extensive literature discussing the utilization of COF@MXene. The quest for enhanced physicochemical attributes through tailored modifications and composite strategies for COF@MXene is still a noteworthy hurdle. Furthermore, discovering novel application contexts that can harness the exceptional capabilities of these materials presents a formidable task. This review initiates with an exploration of the primary methodologies for synthesizing COF and MXene composites. Subsequently, it outlines the diverse applications of COF and MXene in energy storage, energy conversion, and environmental conservation. Lastly, it discusses the primary obstacles and future trajectories within these domains.
Chemical and sensory quality of citrus-flavored vegetable oils
Authors: Ayustaningwarno Fitriyono , Afifah Diana Nur , Anjani Gemala , Antika Rindi , Septiarini Dyah Rachma , Priciliya Ayu , Purwanti Rachma , Wijayanti Hartanti Sandi , Razaq Arsyila , Ayu Azzahra Mutiara , Katherinatama Aldia , Asikin Yonathan
Published: November 2024

Citrus-flavored vegetable oils (CFVO) demand has grown rapidly in the food industry due to increasing consumer demand for salads as a healthy food choice. Salad dressing has a distinctive taste from sour-tasting citrus that when added to salads to increase acceptance. This study primarily aimed to characterize antioxidant activity, total flavonoid content, and sensory quality by hedonic and organoleptic test between all unflavored oil and CFVO from three different vegetable oils (coconut oil (Cocos nucifera L.), palm oil (Elaeis guineensis L.), sesame oil (Sesamum indicum L.)) and three citruses (key lime (Citrus aurantifolia), kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix), and nasnaran (Citrus ambylcarpa)). One-Way ANOVA with post hoc Tukey were conducted to assess antioxidant and flavonoid differences. ANOVA with Tukey HSD and HSD, PCA and HCA, and a Spearman correlation analysis were conducted to assess the sensory qualities of citrus-flavored vegetable oils. There were different hedonic responses towards citruses in addition to the vegetable oils for each hedonic attribute. There is also a different response to the antioxidant and total flavonoids content of each treatment. The best formula according the multi-attribute decision using a compensatory model and additive weighting technique (MADCAW) score describes key lime (140%) flavored coconut oil as the best formula as having 56.58% antioxidant, 37.00 mg QE/100 g flavonoid and color liking 1.84, aroma liking 3.56, and taste liking 1.88. In conclusion, citrus-flavored vegetable oil has the potential to be a high-antioxidant vegetable oil with good acceptance by consumers.
Assessing COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness and Risk Factors for Severe Outcomes through Machine Learning Techniques: A Real-World Data Study in Andalusia, Spain
Authors: Serrano-Ortiz Álvaro , Romero-Cabrera Juan Luis , Monserrat Villatoro Jaime , Cordero-Ramos Jaime , Ruiz-Montero Rafael , Ritoré Álvaro , Dopazo Joaquín , del Diego Salas Jorge , García Sánchez Valle , Salcedo-Leal Inmaculada , Armengol de la Hoz Miguel Ángel , Túnez Isaac , Guzmán Miguel Ángel
Published: November 2024

Background

COVID-19 vaccination has become a pivotal global strategy in managing the pandemic. Despite COVID-19 no longer being classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, the virus continues affecting people worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate risk factors and vaccine effectiveness on COVID-19-related hospital admissions, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality within the Andalusian population throughout the pandemic.

Methods

From March 2020 to April 2022, 671,229 individuals, out of 9,283,485 with electronic health records in Andalusia, experienced SARS-CoV-2 infection and were included in the analysis. Data on demographics, medical history, vaccine administration, and hospitalization records were collected. Associations between medical history, COVID-19 vaccines, and COVID-19 outcomes were assessed.

Results

Our study identified 48,196 hospital admissions, 5,057 ICU admissions, and 11,289 deaths linked to COVID-19. Age, male sex, and chronic diseases were identified as risk factors, while the COVID-19 vaccine demonstrated protective effects, although with reduced effectiveness during the omicron variant period. However, the risk for these outcomes increased over time after receiving the last vaccine dose, particularly after six months, especially among those aged 60 or older.

Conclusion

The global health challenge of COVID-19 persists, marked by emerging variants with higher virulence and severity, particularly among the unvaccinated and those beyond six months post-vaccination, especially those aged 60 and above. These findings highlight the need for robust surveillance systems targeting new variants and administering booster doses, particularly for individuals aged 60 or older with underlying health conditions, to mitigate the global burden of COVID-19.