bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Foucault and Hayek on public health and the road to serfdom
Authors: Pennington Mark 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThis paper draws on the work of Michel Foucault and Friedrich Hayek to understand threats to personal and enterprise freedom, arising from public health governance. Whereas public choice theory examines the incentives these institutions provide to agents, the analysis here understands those incentives as framed by discursive social constructions that affect the identity, power, and positionality of different actors. It shows how overlapping discourses of scientific rationalism may generate a ‘road to serfdom’ narrowing freedom of action and expression across an expanding terrain. As such, the paper contributes to the growing literature emphasising the importance of narratives, stories and metaphors as shaping political economic action in ways feeding through to outcomes and institutions.
The Differential Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Small-Scale Development Initiatives, a Cross-Country Comparison
Authors: Kinsbergen Sara , Pijnenburg Marieke , Merlevede Tom , Naus Luca , Koch Dirk-Jan 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic presents Northern-based development organisations with unprecedented difficulties. They are challenged in fundraising opportunities in their home countries and in finding ways to continue their work in the Global South. As the first study to present a systematic mixed method, cross-country study of small-scale, voluntary development organisations in four different European countries, this study provides insight into the role of these private development initiatives (PDIs) in the COVID-19 crisis and sheds light on the differential impact of the crisis on these organisations. Whereas most PDIs are involved in long(er)-term development interventions, the COVID-19 crisis was for most organisations their first experience of emergency aid. Overall, we see strong resilience among PDIs and also find that the organisations which relied more exclusively on traditional methods of fundraising (offline) received a greater funding hit than organisations—often with more younger members—that had already moved to online fundraising.
First Record of Lagerstroemia (family Lythraceae) Wood from the Deccan Intertrappean Beds of India
Authors: Shukla Anumeha , Srivastava Rashmi , Mehrotra R.C. , Chandra Kajal 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
A permineralized wood from the Deccan Intertrappean beds of central India is identified as a member of the family Lythraceae. The fossil wood found is similar to the modern genus Lagerstroemia and is characterized by diffuse porous to semi-ring porous wood, growth rings marked by marginal parenchyma, simple perforations, scanty paratracheal axial parenchyma, exclusively uniseriate homo to heterocellular rays and septate fibres with chambered crystals. This wood, Lagerstroemioxylon sp., is considerably older than the earlier known fossil records of this genus and confirms the presence of Lagerstroemia on the Indian subcontinent~66 million years ago.
Evaluation of Water Quality Based on a Machine Learning Algorithm and Water Quality Index for Mid Gangetic Region (South Bihar plain), India
Authors: Gupta Amar Nath , Kumar Deepak , Singh Anshuman 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Water quality index (WQI) is an indicator of the quality of any ground water storage in the form of a single number representing a combination of different water quality parameter. Different parameters like that pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (ECE), nitrate, sulphate, total hardness, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness, etc. are critical to assess the WQI. Additionally, the precision in the prediction of this parameter affects the quality of the result. In this research, Extreme Learning Model (ELM) and three hybrid variants of the same model, namely, RBF-ELM, Online Sequencing-ELM (OS-ELM), Biogeography-based optimization-ELM (BBO-ELM) were tested for the prediction of WQI for ground water quality. A time series river water quality dataset was used to develop and test the models. The performance of the proposed models are evaluated using various fitness indices such as, the correlation of coefficient (r), root mean square error (RMSE), Kling-Gupta Efficiency (KGE), the index of agreement (d). Based on the comparisons, BBO-ELM was indicated as a possible alternative or substitute to assist the water quality assessment for the groundwater and can be readily applied an efficient data-driven methodology. BBO-ELM emerged as the better generalized hybrid model for calculating WQI.
Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability Zone in Mandideep Industrial Area using DRASTIC Model
Authors: Anshumala Kumari , Shukla J.P. , Patel Shiv Singh , Singh Ajai 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Modelling of groundwater movement may prove to be a tool for policymaking, management of land-use and surface water resources, and for future prediction of groundwater contamination level. The DRASTIC model was applied to determine the vulnerability index for the groundwater potential zone by using spatial thematic layers for Mandideep located in the district of Bhopal and Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, India. The model combines the environmental and geological properties of the area under consideration. Further, the sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the impact of each thematic layer. The model was later validated by comparing its final result against the observed nitrate concentration (NO3-N). The DRASTIC Index was found within the range of 80 -193 which was further divided into three vulnerable zones. An area of 65 km2 comes under the low vulnerable zone (80-122), 110 km2 of the area comes under the moderate vulnerability zone. The high vulnerable zone was spread over an area of about 92 km2. The nitrate concentration (NO3-N) was observed as below 2 mg/L in the areas of low vulnerable zone and increased to 2-10 mg/L in the moderate zone, whereas in high vulnerability zones, it was found to be above 10 mg/L which was beyond the permissible limit of 10mg/L as per WHO. Therefore, high vulnerability zones need immediate attention to manage the nitrate concentration in drinking water. Geospatial techniques and analysis of data are quite useful for reaching such a decision.
GIS Based Spatial and Temporal Investigation of Groundwater and Soil Quality along Noyyal River, Tiruppur, India
Authors: Raman Chandra Devi , Mkandawire Martin 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Soil and water quality crisis owing to industrialization is massive at present due to the illegal discharge of wastewater to the environment. Textile is one such industry, discharges untreated wastewater into nearby environment and poses major threats worldwide. Similar situation was observed for the last three decades (1980-2013) along Noyyal river in Tiruppur, India. Since 2013, zero liquid discharge (ZLD) has been adopted by the textile industries in Tiruppur to reduce further deterioration of environment. The groundwater from open wells and soil from agricultural land was examined continuously for three years (2015, 2016 and 2017) in order to assess the existing environment status along Noyyal river basin in Tiruppur. The GIS study reveals that 71% of groundwater remains unsuitable for drinking and also 54% are unfit for irrigation use. The findings further reveal that 61% of surface and 20% of subsurface soils are not suitable for agriculture. The detailed investigations established that the open wells located in the downstream of textile industries and near to Orathupalayam reservoir are highly contaminated with organic and inorganic contaminants associated with textile processing activities. The temporal variation of groundwater in these open wells indicated that the dilution by rainwater is very slow. It is also identified that soils near to the contaminated open wells are extremely affected and soil of 15 cm depth is extremely contaminated. Thus, implementation of ZLD somewhat reduced discharge of wastewater into the basin; however the recovery of groundwater to potable quality and soils for agriculture production needs immediate remediation.
Quantifying the structure of residential water demand in the United States: a Generalized Exact Affine Stone Index demand framework
Authors: Bakhtavoryan Rafael , Hovhannisyan Vardges 
Published: September 2021

AbstractWe utilize a Generalized Exact Affine Stone Index system to evaluate the structure of residential water demand that recognizes demand interrelationship between residential and bottled water in the United States, allowing for precommitted consumption. Further, we address expenditure and price endogeneity by accounting for the supply side of the price determination mechanism. A significant substitutability relationship between residential and bottled water is found, while substantial precommitments are established in both residential and bottled water consumption. Residential demand becomes price-elastic once the precommitted level is reached. Finally, ignoring substitutability, precommitments, or endogeneity distorts the demand structure, resulting in erroneous policy implications.
A GREEN SKY AND A GREEN SUN? (PLINY, HN 17.74 AND MANILIUS 2.941)
Authors: Kayachev Boris 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThis article considers two passages in which either the sky (Plin. HN 17.74) or the sun (Manilius 2.941) is described as ‘green’; it argues that in both cases such a colour epithet is out of place and proposes to correct uiridi caelo to nitido caelo in the former case, and uiridis … Phoebus to rutilus … Phoebus in the latter.
VIRGIL'S CALLIMACHEAN PINDAR: KINGSHIP AND THE BABY IAMUS IN ECLOGUE 4.23–5
Authors: Adorjáni Zsolt 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThis article argues for an allusion in Virgil's Eclogue 4 to one of Pindar's victory odes (Olympian 6). It will be suggested that this Pindaric pretext is viewed by the Latin poet through a Callimachean perspective which adds to it further layers of significance. Consequently, the evidence will be discussed for reading the allusion in terms of royal ideology which places Virgil's poem in the tradition of Hellenistic ruler-encomia.
Changing sex differences in undernutrition of African children: findings from Demographic and Health Surveys
Authors: Garenne Michel , Thurstans Susan , Briend André , Dolan Carmel , Khara Tanya , Myatt Mark , Seal Andrew , Wells Jonathan C. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe study investigates sex differences in the prevalence of undernutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. Undernutrition was defined by Z-scores using the CDC-2000 growth charts. Some 128 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) were analysed, totalling 700,114 children under-five. The results revealed a higher susceptibility of boys to undernutrition. Male-to-female ratios of prevalence averaged 1.18 for stunting (height-for-age Z-score <−2.0); 1.01 for wasting (weight-for-height Z-score <−2.0); 1.05 for underweight (weight-for-age Z-score <−2.0); and 1.29 for concurrent wasting and stunting (weight-for-height and height-for-age Z-scores <−2.0). Sex ratios of prevalence varied with age for stunting and concurrent wasting and stunting, with higher values for children age 0–23 months and lower values for children age 24–59 months. Sex ratios of prevalence tended to increase with declining level of mortality for stunting, underweight and concurrent wasting and stunting, but remained stable for wasting. Comparisons were made with other anthropometric reference sets (NCHS-1977 and WHO-2006), and the results were found to differ somewhat from those obtained with CDC-2000. Possible rationales for these patterns are discussed.
Powers, possibility, and the essential cosmological argument
Authors: Cook Ben 
Published: September 2021

AbstractOne classical version of cosmological argument, defended famously by Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus, deduces the existence of a First Cause from the existence of a particular sort of causal series: one that is ‘essentially ordered’. This argument has received renewed defence in recent work by Feser (2013), Cohoe (2013), and Kerr (2015). I agree with these philosophers that the argument is sound. I believe, however, that the standard defence given of the ECA in these philosophers can be complemented by a formulation that appeals to the powers theory of possibility. This approach to possibility has been defended in recent years by, for example, Pruss (2002), Jacobs (2010), and Vetter (2015). In this article, I show how this modal theory allows us to defend the ECA in a way that is dialectically advantageous as well as clarifying.
Rolling Sisyphus’ Stone Uphill? Plato’s Philosophy of History and Progress Reappraised
Authors: Vassallo Christian 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThis paper addresses the following questions about Plato’s concept of ‘history’: (a) is there a ‘philosophy of history’ in Plato’s thought?; (b) if this concept exists, do the dialogues lay out a single, cohesive understanding of ‘history’ or does it vary from text to text?; (c) how does Plato understand the word ‘history’? This inquiry also addresses the role of ‘progress’ in some of the main Platonic dialogues. An in-depth analysis of these texts can also help us find a solution to the problem of the end of ‘history’, when a civilization either physically collapses (due to a catastrophic event) or morally decays (because of the corruption of its citizens and politicians). I argue that Plato’s ‘philosophy of history’ is not necessarily Sisyphean, but that it attempts to work out how to avoid the entropic decay of civilization and to preserve cultural – almost ‘genetic’ – ‘memory’ in order to counter the danger of cyclical regression.
Exoskeleton acceptance and its relationship to self-efficacy enhancement, perceived usefulness, and physical relief: A field study among logistics workers
Authors: Siedl Sandra M. , Mara Martina 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Objective
This field study aimed to explore the effects of exoskeleton use on task-specific self-efficacy beliefs of logistics workers and to relate these effects to usefulness perceptions and technology acceptance.

Background
A growing number of industrial companies have shown interest in having employees wearing exoskeletons to support their physical health. However, psychological consequences of exoskeleton use and mechanisms associated with workers’ acceptance or rejection of exoskeletons are not yet sufficiently understood.

Methods
A total of 31 logistics workers of a vehicle manufacturing company reported on their work-related self-efficacy, that is, how capable they felt of performing tasks related to their job well, before partaking in half-hour trials of a passive lift-assistive exoskeleton (Laevo V2.5) during their normal work. Afterward, they completed a questionnaire on their exoskeleton-supported self-efficacy and indicated how useful they found the exoskeleton, how much physical relief they felt from wearing it, and how willing they were to continue with its use.

Results
Overall, wearing the exoskeleton did not lead to increased work-specific self-efficacy. However, indications of interaction effects were found between baseline self-efficacy, perceived physical relief, and perceived usefulness in such a way that workers who experienced the exoskeleton as more strain-relieving or more useful were also more likely to report a post-trial growth in their self-efficacy beliefs. A positive change in self-efficacy, in turn, was associated with a greater willingness to further use the exoskeleton at the workplace.
Terrestrial Water Storage Anomalies Emphasize Interannual Variations in Global Mean Sea Level During 1997–1998 and 2015–2016 El Niño Events
Authors: Kuo Yan‐Ning , Lo Min‐Hui , Liang Yu‐Chiao , Tseng Yu‐Heng , Hsu Chia‐Wei 
Published: September 2021

AbstractInterannual variations in global mean sea level (GMSL) closely correlate with the evolution of El Niño‐Southern Oscillation. However, GMSL differences occur in extreme El Niños; for example, in the 2015–2016 and 1997–1998 El Niños, the peak GMSL during the mature stage of the former (9.00 mm) is almost 2.5 times higher than the latter (3.72 mm). Analyses from satellite and reanalysis data sets show that the disparity in GMSL is primarily due to barystatic (ocean mass) changes. We find that the 2015–2016 event developed not purely as an Eastern Pacific El Niño event but with Central Pacific (CP) El Niño forcing. CP El Niños contribute to a stronger negative anomaly of global terrestrial water storage and subsequent higher barystatic heights. Our results suggest that the mechanism of hydrology‐related interannual variations of GMSL should be further emphasized, as more CP El Niño events are projected to occur.
Yellowstone Plume Drives Neogene North American Plate Motion Change
Authors: Stotz Ingo L. , Vilacís Berta , Hayek Jorge N. , Bunge Hans‐Peter , Friedrich Anke M. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractPlate motion changes provide powerful constrains on plate tectonic forces. North America is ideal to explore these forces. We use recently published high‐temporal resolution plate reconstructions of North America, which reveal a velocity slow‐down at 17 Ma, roughly coeval with the eruption of the Yellowstone plume, together with a stratigraphic analysis of hiatus surfaces across the continent, which provides proxy information for paleotopography. Using a simple Couette/Poiseuille flow models we estimate asthenosphere flow beneath North America and its impact on Neogene plate motion. We find that North America's Neogene plate motion change can be explained by Poiseuille flow in the asthenosphere generated upon the arrival of the Yellowstone plume and that the flow length‐scale matches the extent of hiatus surfaces. While plume driven upper mantle flow constitutes a geodynamically viable model to explain North America's Neogene plate motion change it provides an intrinsic link between vertical and horizontal plate motions.
Indium-contacted van der Waals gap tunneling spectroscopy for van der Waals layered materials
Authors: Choi Dong-Hwan , Min Kyung-Ah , Hong Suklyun , Kim Bum-Kyu , Bae Myung-Ho , Kim Ju-Jin 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe electrical phase transition in van der Waals (vdW) layered materials such as transition-metal dichalcogenides and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x (Bi-2212) high-temperature superconductor has been explored using various techniques, including scanning tunneling and photoemission spectroscopies, and measurements of electrical resistance as a function of temperature. In this study, we develop one useful method to elucidate the electrical phases in vdW layered materials: indium (In)-contacted vdW tunneling spectroscopy for 1T-TaS2, Bi-2212 and 2H-MoS2. We utilized the vdW gap formed at an In/vdW material interface as a tunnel barrier for tunneling spectroscopy. For strongly correlated electron systems such as 1T-TaS2 and Bi-2212, pronounced gap features corresponding to the Mott and superconducting gaps were respectively observed at T = 4 K. We observed a gate dependence of the amplitude of the superconducting gap, which has potential applications in a gate-tunable superconducting device with a SiO2/Si substrate. For In/10 nm-thick 2H-MoS2 devices, differential conductance shoulders at bias voltages of approximately ± 0.45 V were observed, which were attributed to the semiconducting gap. These results show that In-contacted vdW gap tunneling spectroscopy in a fashion of field-effect transistor provides feasible and reliable ways to investigate electronic structures of vdW materials.
Impact of electrical grounding conditions on plasma–liquid interactions using Thomson scattering on a pulsed argon jet
Authors: Slikboer Elmar , Walsh James 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe interaction between an argon plasma jet excited using microsecond duration voltage pulses and a liquid target was examined using Thomson scattering to quantify the temporal evolution of the electron density and temperature. The electrical resistance between a liquid target and the electrical ground was varied from 1 to $$680\, \text {k}\Omega $$

680

k
Ω

to mimic different conductivity liquids while the influence of the varying electrical properties on the electron dynamics within the plasma were examined. It was demonstrated that the interaction between the plasma jet and a liquid target grounded via a high resistance resulted in typical dielectric barrier discharge behaviour, with two discharge events per applied voltage pulse. Under such conditions, the electron density and temperature reached a peak of $$1\cdot 10^{15}\, \text {cm}^{-3}$$

1
·

10
15

cm

-
3

and 3.4 eV, respectively; with both rapidly decaying over several hundreds of nanoseconds. For liquid targets grounded via a low resistance, the jet behaviour transitioned to a DC-like discharge, with a single breakdown event being observed and sustained throughout the duration of each applied voltage pulse. Under such conditions, electron densities of $$2{-}3 \cdot 10^{15}\, \text {cm}^{-3}$$

2
-
3
·

10
15

cm

-
3

were detected for several microseconds. The results demonstrate that the electron dynamics in a pulsed argon plasma jet are extremely sensitive to the electrical characteristics of the target, which in the case of water, can evolve during exposure to the plasma.
Plasma levels of D-dimer and fibrin degradation products correlate with bullous pemphigoid severity: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Wang Sijia , Lu Mei , Zhao Zijun , Peng Xueting , Li Liang , Cheng Chuantao , Fang Min , Xia Yumin , Liu Yale 
Published: September 2021

AbstractBullous pemphigoid (BP), the most frequent blistering dermatosis in the elderly, is associated with increased mortality. The severity of BP can be assessed by detecting the anti-BP180 immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration, but the lab test is not available in many community clinics. BP patients are usually in a hypercoagulable state with increased levels of D-dimer and fibrin degradation products (FDPs). We aimed to evaluate the use of D-dimer and FDPs in assessing BP severity. We compared the levels of plasma D-dimer, plasma FDPs, eosinophil counts, eosinophil cationic protein, and serum anti-BP180 IgG concentration between 48 typical BP patients and 33 Herpes zoster (HZ) patients (control group). Correlational analyses were conducted to determine the relationships between the lab values and common BP severity markers. The plasma D-dimer and FDP levels were higher in BP patients than in HZ controls (D-dimer: 3297 ± 2517 µg/L vs. 569.70 ± 412.40 µg/L; FDP: 9.74 ± 5.88 mg/L vs. 2.02 ± 1.69 mg/L, respectively,P < 0.0001). Significant positive correlations were found between D-dimer/FDP levels and BP severity markers (i.e. anti-BP180 IgG concentration [D-dimer:r = 0.3928,P = 0.0058; FDP:r = 0.4379,P = 0.0019] and eosinophil counts [D-dimer:r = 0.3625,P = 0.0013; FDP:r = 0.2880,P = 0.0472]) in BP patients. We also found an association between FDP and urticaria/erythema lesions (r = 0.3016,P = 0.0372), but no other BPDAI components. In 19 BP patients with complete remission after systemic glucocorticoid treatment, D-dimer and FDP levels decreased post-therapy (D-dimer: 5559 ± 7492 µg/L vs. 1738 ± 1478 µg/L;P < 0.0001; FDP: 11.20 ± 5.88 mg/L vs. 5.13 ± 3.44 mg/L;P = 0.0003), whereas they did not in BP patients with treatment resistant. Plasma D-dimer and FDP are convenient markers to evaluate BP severity assistant on BPDAI and eosinophil counts. FDP is also helpful for inflammatory lesions in BP patients.