bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Method for assessing the potential of miscanthus on marginal lands for high temperature heat demand: The case studies of France and Belgium
Authors: Colla Martin , Tonelli Davide , Hastings Astley , Coppitters Diederik , Blondeau Julien , Jeanmart Hervé 
Published: January 2023

AbstractEnergy crops on marginal lands are seen as an interesting option to increase biomass contribution to the primary energy mix. However, in the literature there is currently a lack of integrated assessments of margin land availability, energy crop production potential and supply chain optimisation. Assessing the potential and the cost of these resources in a given region is therefore a difficult task. This work also emphasises the importance on a clear definition and discussion about marginal lands and the related ethical issues embedded in the concept to ensure positive societal impacts of the results. This study proposes a methodology to estimate and analyse, in terms of economic costs, the potential of miscanthus grown on marginal lands from the production to the final point of use. Different datasets are assembled and a supply chain optimisation model is developed to minimize the total cost of the system. Miscanthus is used as a representative energy crop for the Belgian and French case studies. High temperature heat demand is considered as final use. The miscanthus can be traded by truck either in the form of chips or pellets. The results show that the miscanthus on marginal lands could supply high temperature heat up to 38 TWh in France and 1.4 TWh in Belgium with an average cost of around 50 €/t. The different sensitivity analyses showed that the yield variation has the strongest influence on the final cost, together with the distances and the cost of production of miscanthus. The main pattern observed is the local consumption of miscanthus chips and export of the surplus (if any) to the neighbouring regions. Pellets are only of marginal interest for France and are never observed for Belgium. Distances and availability of sufficient feedstocks are the two main parameters impacting the production of pellets.
Evaluation of genetic diversity and production adaptability in different germplasms of Paspalum dilatatum
Authors: Xie Wen‐Hui , Yu Qing‐Qing , Zhang Yu‐Jun , Zhao Li‐Li , Wang Pu‐Chang 
Published: January 2023

AbstractPaspalum dilatatum is an excellent warm‐season forage grass and soil conservation plant in subtropical regions. However, information on P. dilatatum cultivation in southwestern China is limited. A preliminary evaluation of the genetic diversity and adaptability of six P. dilatatum germplasms was conducted in Guizhou based on inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers and field trials. Fifteen polymorphic primers were screened from 50 ISSR primers. A total of 141 bands were generated, 124 of which were polymorphic, yielding 88.63% polymorphic bands. The number of polymorphic loci detected for the different germplasms ranged from 23 to 61, and the percentage of polymorphic loci was 40.67%. The mean number of alleles was 1.23, and the effective allele number was 1.15. Nei's genetic diversity index was 0.08. The Shannon information index was 0.12, and the genetic similarity coefficient (GSC) ranged from 0.6002 to 0.8955, indicating a relatively rich genetic base among the germplasms. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean approach was used to construct the clustering map. Using a GSC of 0.83 as the threshold value, the six germplasm materials were divided into four clusters, indicating that ISSR molecular markers can be effectively applied to analyze the genetic diversity of P. dilatatum germplasms. Cluster analysis of 12 growth characteristics of the germplasms of P. dilatatum showed that germplasm 4 exhibited strong tillering ability and a high crude protein content. Germplasm 3 showed high plant height, fresh yield and hay yield. Germplasm 1 showed the lowest forage yield and crude protein content. Germplasms 2, 5 and 6 showed excellent crude protein and crude fat contents; the remaining indicators showed intermediate performance. This study provides important references for the utilization and variety selection of introduced P. dilatatum resources in the karst areas of Guizhou.
Negotiating masculinities at the expense of health: A qualitative study on men working in long‐term care in the Netherlands, from an intersectional perspective
Authors: van Wees Martine , Duijs Saskia E. , Mazurel Casper , Abma Tineke A. , Verdonk Petra 
Published: January 2023

AbstractWhile some areas of care work show increased recruitment of men, the care‐gap remains, especially in low paid occupations. Questions arise how masculinities play a part in this, and if caring masculinities obscure gender inequities while at the same time perpetuating them. This qualitative study focusses the negotiation of hegemonic and caring masculinities of men working in residential long‐term care in the Netherlands, and its consequences for health. Semi‐structured interviews (N = 16) were analyzed thematically, drawing upon gender and intersectionality theory to understand inequities between respondents. Findings describe how men move through long‐term care. On entry, men negotiated hegemonic and caring masculinities to gain access, with black men having to work harder. Once inside, men experienced status‐loss and performed hegemonic masculinity, materializing in financial and sexual rewards, especially for white heterosexual men. In time, this performance of hegemonic masculinity backlashed with respect to their own health; herein racialized and homosexual men were hit harder. Consequently, all the men in this study aspired to move out or up from low‐paid care work, with white heterosexual men doing so more successfully. Our study illustrates the importance of an intersectional perspective on caring masculinities at work, showing how caring masculinities perpetuate male privilege for some men more than for others, creating health and labor market inequities among men. In terms of health, this study shows that gender, racism and sexual discrimination need be on the occupational health agenda.
Direct microwave heating of alumina for different densities: experimental and numerical thermal analysis
Authors: Ghorbel Inès , Ganster Patrick , Moulin Nicolas , Meunier Christophe , Bruchon Julien 
Published: January 2023

AbstractMicrowave heating of pure alumina is studied experimentally and numerically, in a 2.45 GHz single‐mode cavity, for different density levels. Even considering a constant incident power, the results show a complex evolution of the alumina temperature: first a two‐step increase, then a maximum, and finally a cooling stage. In addition, a density dependence of the heating efficiency is observed: a more efficient heating occurs for lower densities. Using the effective medium approximation (EMA) to derive the physical data as functions of density, the numerical simulations are in contradiction with the experiments, proving that the EMA approach is not able to correctly predict the imaginary part of the permittivity. Furthermore, the simulations do not accurately describe the first moments of the heating, nor the long‐term evolution of the temperature (cooling). We then explain the origin of this discrepancy: the need to adjust the movable stub on the one hand, and to account for heat exchange between the cavity and its surroundings on the other.
“Worth it if you could afford it”: Patient perspectives on integrating real‐time benefit tools into drug cost conversations
Authors: Mattingly T. Joseph , Everson Jordan , Besaw Robert J. , Whitmore Christine C. , Henderson Sarah C. , Dusetzina Stacie B. 
Published: January 2023

AbstractBackgroundMedication costs can lead to financial burdens for patients, creating barriers to effective medication use. Health care provider use of real‐time benefit tools (RTBTs) may facilitate cost conversations with patients. We sought to explicate patient views on how RTBTs could be used to improve cost considerations in prescribing decisions.MethodsWe conducted focus groups to characterize patient perspectives on holding cost conversations with their physicians and to identify factors that would influence the value of RTBTs. We focused on adults aged 50+ who reported trouble paying for their prescriptions. Three groups included patients with conditions requiring high‐cost treatments and one group included lower‐income patients independent of their medical conditions. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, coded, and categorized to salient themes employing inductive and deductive approaches using the Health Equity Implementation Framework.ResultsFocus groups were conducted from 09/2020–12/2020 including 18 participants representing cancer (n = 6), diabetes (n = 6), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 3), and lower income (n = 3). Participants were between 50–74, eight self‐identified as Black, 10 as White, and eight reported earning <$50,000/year. We identified five themes regarding cost conversations (medication cost importance, past experiences with cost/cost conversations, perception of physician's role and knowledge, knowledge of existing resources, and influence on decision‐making) and four RTBT‐use‐specific themes (advantages/disadvantages, perceived relevance, data quality concerns, and implementation considerations).ConclusionApproaches that envision RTBTs as one‐size‐fits‐all technological interventions may underestimate the complexity of incorporating price information into prescribing decisions. Nevertheless, patients highlighted the potential value of accurate, real‐time information on medication costs to inform decision‐making.
Factors influencing compliance with Hepatitis C treatment in patients transitioning from prison to community—A summary scoping review
Authors: McKeever Anna , O'Donovan Diarmuid , Kee Frank 
Published: January 2023

AbstractIt is well‐established that prevalence of Hepatitis C (HCV) infection in prisoners is disproportionately higher than in the general population. While developments in screening and treatment for HCV have enabled greater detection and treatment in prison, release is a high‐risk time for HCV infected prisoners returning to the challenges of community living. A scoping review was conducted to examine the evidence on individual, provider and system level factors that influence compliance with HCV treatment in patients transitioning from prison to community. Retrieved articles were screened and those eligible were selected for data extraction. Quantitative and qualitative studies were included. Electronic peer‐reviewed databases were searched in February 2022: 140 articles were initially identified of which seven were included in the final review. Six key themes characterized the literature: education, case management and discharge planning, hepatology in‐reach nurses, transition clinics, primary care providers and system wide approach. This summary scoping review highlights the paucity of research in this area. There is a need for experimental research to investigate specific interventions, and to understand HCV care‐specific barriers and facilitators. A multi‐pronged approach is needed to address barriers to healthcare services in general but also specific barriers relating to HCV. Factors that facilitate compliance should also be recognized and amplified across regional HCV elimination strategies.
Statistical and topological summaries aid disease detection for segmented retinal vascular images
Authors: Nardini John T. , Pugh Charles W. J. , Byrne Helen M. 
Published: January 2023

AbstractObjectiveDisease complications can alter vascular network morphology and disrupt tissue functioning. Microvascular diseases of the retina are assessed by visual inspection of retinal images, but this can be challenging when diseases exhibit silent symptoms or patients cannot attend in‐person meetings. We examine the performance of machine learning algorithms in detecting microvascular disease when trained on statistical and topological summaries of segmented retinal vascular images.MethodsWe compute 13 separate descriptor vectors (5 statistical, 8 topological) to summarize the morphology of retinal vessel segmentation images and train support vector machines to predict each image's disease classification from the summary vectors. We assess the performance of each descriptor vector, using five‐fold cross validation to estimate their accuracy. We apply these methods to four datasets that were assembled from four existing data repositories; three datasets contain segmented retinal vascular images from one of the repositories, whereas the fourth “All” dataset combines images from four repositories.ResultsAmong the 13 total descriptor vectors considered, either a statistical Box‐counting descriptor vector or a topological Flooding descriptor vector achieves the highest accuracy levels. On the combined “All” dataset, the Box‐counting vector outperforms all other descriptors, including the topological Flooding vector which is sensitive to differences in the annotation styles between the different datasets.ConclusionOur work represents a first step to establishing which computational methods are most suitable for identifying microvascular disease and assessing their current limitations. These methods could be incorporated into automated disease assessment tools.
Effectiveness and Accuracy of a Patient‐Specific Instrumentation System for Total Hip Arthroplasty
Authors: Zhang Teng , Jia Zhao , Han Wei , Wang Junqiang , Li Jinqi , Gong Maoqi , Jiang Xieyuan 
Published: January 2023

ObjectiveTraditional total hip arthroplasty (THA) is often performed by visual inspection due to the lack of reliable reference, which results in inappropriate position of prosthesis and poor outcomes. This study attempts to introduce a novel patient‐specific instrumentation (PSI) system and assess its effectiveness and accuracy compared with freehand operation and robot system through bone model experiments.MethodsEqually divide 30 sawbone models into the freehand group, PSI group, and robot group. Ten sets of prosthesis parameters were randomly generated as planning, and the three groups underwent simulated THA depending on these parameters. After the placement of the femoral prosthesis, the acetabular anteversion plan was adjusted in the PSI and robot groups so that the combined anteversion was maintained before and after adjustment. After the surgery, the actual prosthesis parameters of all bone models were measured and analyzed statistically.ResultsNo statistically significant difference was found in femoral anteversion error among the three groups (p = 0.951). The errors of acetabular cup anteversion, acetabular cup abduction, and combined anteversion in PSI group were 3.92° (2.94°, 4.62°), 5.65° (4.63°, 6.70°), and 3.93° (2.94°, 4.62°), respectively, which were significantly smaller than those in the freehand group [11.84° (9.92°, 13.87°), 13.54° (9.81°, 15.21°), 16.04° (8.18°, 19.25°), respectively, p < 0.05], but significantly larger than those in the robot group [1.34° (0.98°, 1.70°), 1.80° (1°, 2.02°), 1.34° (0.98°, 1.70°), respectively, p < 0.05].ConclusionCompared with the traditional freehand operation, the patient‐specific instrumentation system is feasible in total hip arthroplasty because it improves the accuracy of prosthesis placement. In addition, the rapid measurement of intraoperative femoral prosthesis parameters can help surgeons optimize preoperative planning.
Numerical study of high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in fat reduction
Authors: Mortazavi Sare , Mokhtari‐Dizaji Manijhe 
Published: January 2023

AbstractIntroductionThis study aimed to investigate the effect of fat‐layer thickness and focal depth on the pressure and temperature distribution of tissue.MethodsComputer simulations were performed for the skin–fat layer models during high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment. The acoustic pressure field was calculated using the nonlinear Westervelt equation and coupled with the Pennes bioheat transfer equation to obtain the temperature distribution. To investigate the effect of the thickness of the fat layer on pressure and thermal distributions, the thickness of the fat layer behind the focal point (z = 13.5 mm) changed from 8 to 24 mm by 2 mm step. The pressure and temperature distribution spectra were extracted.ResultsThe simulated results were validated using the experimental results with a 98% correlation coefficient (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference between the pressure amplitude and temperature distribution for the 8–14 mm thickness of the fat layer (p < 0.05). By changing the focal point from 11.5 to 13.5 mm, the maximum acoustic pressure at the focal point increased 66%, and the maximum temperature was 56%, respectively.ConclusionConsidering the specific treatment plan for each patient, according to the skin and fat layer thicknesses, can help prevent side effects and optimize the treatment process of HIFU.
Corruption, tax reform and fiscal space in emerging and developing economies
Authors: Yohou Hermann D. 
Published: January 2023

AbstractSeveral studies have demonstrated that corruption hinders efforts in enhancing public revenue and fiscal space through different channels. This paper assesses the effect of tax reform on fiscal space conditional on corruption control for a large panel of developing and emerging economies from 1990 to 2016. Using a threshold approach, our findings indicate that the tax reform effect on fiscal space is not monotonic and depends on corruption control. Tax reform enhances fiscal space and tax revenue when corruption control is better. The results also suggest that heterogeneity across countries and time does matter. Individual estimates of the elasticity of fiscal space to tax reform support evidence that countries that benefit most from tax reform are those that prove enough ability to control corruption.
Evaluation of serum interleukin 2 receptor and beta‐2‐microglobulin as prognostic factors for canine lymphoma: A pilot study
Authors: Im Jae‐Hyeon , Park Su‐Min , An Ju‐Hyun , Kim Tea‐Hee , Chae Hyung‐Kyu , Oh Ye‐In , Seo Kyoung‐Won , Youn Hwa‐Young 
Published: January 2023

AbstractInterleukin 2 receptor (IL‐2R) is released from activated T cell lymphocytes and related to proliferation of B cells and T cells. Beta‐2‐microglobulin (B2M) is synthesized from all nucleated cells and constitutes a major histocompatibility complex class I antigen. In human medicine, high concentrations of these two factors have been found to be related to prognosis in aggressive non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. In this pilot study, we aimed to assess the correlation between the serum concentration of IL‐2R and B2M and the diagnosis and prognosis of canine lymphoma. This study included 8 healthy dogs and 17 dogs with lymphoma. To measure the serum concentration of IL‐2R and B2M, a commercial enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay was used. In dogs with lymphoma, IL‐2R concentrations were significantly high at the time of diagnosis, but B2M concentrations were not. In relapsed dogs, both IL‐2R and B2M concentrations were significantly higher than those in the control and chemotherapy response groups. When the serum concentrations of IL‐2R and B2M during chemotherapy were monitored in four relapsed dogs, B2M levels were more closely related with relapse. This study demonstrated that serum IL‐2R and B2M concentration can be a diagnostic or prognostic tool for canine lymphoma. Monitoring of serum B2M concentration seems to be useful for predicting relapse.
Factors influencing the integration of planetary health topics into undergraduate medical education in Ireland: a qualitative study of medical educator perspectives
Authors: Brady Bates Oisin , Walsh Aisling , Stanistreet Debbi 
Published: January 2023

AimsPlanetary health is a transdisciplinary field that explores the relationship between the escalating climate and environmental crises and human health. In light of the human health cost arising from planetary health issues, there is a need to educate future medical practitioners accordingly. This study investigates the factors influencing the integration of planetary health into undergraduate medical education at an Irish university and makes recommendations for future practice.MethodsA qualitative descriptive study design was employed. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with academic staff actively involved in teaching on the undergraduate medical curriculum at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences. Both barriers and facilitators to integrating planetary heath into the curriculum were explored. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis was used to analyse the findings.ResultsBarriers to integration include: a lack of curricular space, a perceived lack of awareness among students and educators and a potential lack of knowledge among educators and senior management in relation to these issues. These barriers were tempered by significant facilitators suggesting a shifting paradigm within institutions, innovative approaches to content delivery and an increasing demand from undergraduate medical students.ConclusionThis study found a demand from medical educators for the integration of planetary health topics into the medical curriculum. It is suggested that significant adaptation of existing medical curricula is required both in Ireland and further afield, to meet this need. Recommendations based on the barriers and facilitators that emerged during the analysis include: emphasising the clinical relevance of these topics, as suggested by the current evidence base; promoting senior and departmental leadership; and emphasising the potential for improvements in institutional prestige.
Weyl covariance, second clock effect and proper time in theories of symmetric teleparallel gravity
Authors: Pala Caglar , Sert Ozcan , Adak Muzaffer 
Published: January 2023

AbstractJust after Weyl’s paper (Weyl in Gravitation und Elektrizität, Sitzungsber. Preuss. Akad., Berlin, 1918) Einstein claimed that a gravity model written in a spacetime geometry with non-metricity suffers from a phenomenon, the so-called second clock effect. We give a new prescription of parallel transport of a vector tangent to a curve which is invariant under both of local general coordinate and Weyl transformations in order to remove that effect. Thus since the length of tangent vector does not change during parallel transport along a closed curve in spacetimes with non-metricity, a second clock effect does not appear in general, not only for the integrable Weyl spacetime. We have specially motivated the problem from the point of view of symmetric teleparallel (or Minkowski–Weyl) geometry. We also conclude that if nature respects Lorentz symmetry and Weyl symmetry, then the simplest geometry in which one can develop consistently alternative gravity models is the symmetric teleparallel geometry; $$Q_{\mu \nu }\ne 0, \; T^\mu =0, \; R^\mu {}_\nu =0$$

Q

μ
ν

≠
0
,

T
μ

=
0
,

R
μ

ν

=
0

. Accordingly we discuss the proper time, the orbit equation of a spinless test body and the Lagrangian for symmetric teleparallel gravity.