bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sub-Saharan Africa’s Tragedy: Resource Curse, Democracy and Income Inequality
Authors: Acheampong Alex O. , Dzator Janet , Abunyewah Matthew , Erdiaw-Kwasie Michael Odei , Opoku Eric Evans Osei 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThis study utilized instrumental variable techniques and the Driscoll-Kraay estimator to examine the effect of democracy and natural resources on income inequality using a comprehensive panel dataset from 43 sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The findings from our empirical analysis indicated that natural resources and democracy indices such as electoral, liberal, participatory, deliberative, and egalitarian drive income inequality in SSA. Regional comparative analysis also showed that the democracy indices increase income inequality in West, Central, and Southern Africa while having a neutral effect on income inequality in Eastern Africa. Natural resources were revealed to reduce income inequality in West and Southern African countries while increasing income inequality in Eastern Africa. In the case of Central Africa, natural resources play an insignificant role in income inequality. The interactive effect analysis indicates that the democracy indices interact with natural resources to increase income inequality in SSA. Finally, the democracy indices interacted with natural resources to drive income inequality in Eastern and Southern African countries while exerting an insignificant effect on income inequality in West and Central African countries. The policy implications of the findings are discussed.
Automatically adapting the number of state particles in SMC$$^2$$
Authors: Botha Imke , Kohn Robert , South Leah , Drovandi Christopher 
Published: May 2023

AbstractSequential Monte Carlo squared (SMC$$^2$$

2

) methods can be used for parameter inference of intractable likelihood state-space models. These methods replace the likelihood with an unbiased particle filter estimate, similarly to particle Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). As with particle MCMC, the efficiency of SMC$$^2$$

2

greatly depends on the variance of the likelihood estimator, and therefore on the number of state particles used within the particle filter. We introduce novel methods to adaptively select the number of state particles within SMC$$^2$$

2

using the expected squared jumping distance to trigger the adaptation, and modifying the exchange importance sampling method of Chopin et al. (J R Stat Soc: Ser B (Stat Method) 75(3):397–426, 2012) to replace the current set of state particles with the new set of state particles. The resulting algorithm is fully automatic, and can significantly improve current methods. Code for our methods is available at https://github.com/imkebotha/adaptive-exact-approximate-smc.
Effect of obstructive sleep apnea on prognosis in patients with acute coronary syndromes with varying numbers of standard modifiable risk factors: insight from the OSA-ACS study
Authors: Wang Bin , Zhang Yuekun , Hao Wen , Fan Jingyao , Yan Yan , Gong Wei , Zheng Wen , Que Bin , Ai Hui , Wang Xiao , Nie Shaoping 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Background
Standard modifiable risk factors (SMuRFs) increase the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and are also strongly associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a bidirectional relationship. However, the association of OSA with recurrent cardiovascular events in ACS patients based on the number of SMuRFs remains unclear. Hence, we aimed to elucidate the prognostic implication of OSA in ACS patients stratified by the number of SMuRFs.

Methods
This was a post hoc analysis of the OSA-ACS study (NCT03362385), including 1927 patients admitted for ACS and undergoing portable sleep monitoring. OSA was defined as an apnea hypopnea index ≥ 15 events/h. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina or heart failure, and ischemia-driven revascularization. Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to investigated the relationship between OSA and subsequent cardiovascular events after patients were stratified by the number of SMuRFs.

Results
Among 1927 patients enrolled, 130 (6.7%) had no SMuRF, 1264 (65.6%) exhibited 1–2 SMuRFs and 533 (27.7%) presented 3–4 SMuRFs. With the increase of the number of SMuRFs, the proportion of OSA in ACS patients tended to increase (47.7% vs. 51.5% vs. 56.6%), but there was no significant difference between them (P = 0.08). After the stratification of ACS patients via SMuRF numbers and adjustment for confounding factors, fully adjusted Cox regression indicated that OSA increased the risk of MACCE (adjusted HR, 1.65; 95%CI, 1.06–2.57; P = 0.026) and ischemia-driven revascularization (adjusted HR, 2.18; 95%CI, 1.03–4.65; P = 0.042) in ACS patients with 3–4 SMuRFs.

Conclusions
In hospitalized ACS patients, OSA is associated with an increased risk of MACCE and ischemia-driven revascularization among patients with 3–4 SMuRFs. Therefore, screening for OSA should be emphasized in ACS patients with 3–4 SMuRFs, and intervention trials should be prioritized in these high-risk patients.
Living Alone in the City: Differentials in Subjective Well-Being Among Single Households 1995–2018
Authors: Fritsch Nina-Sophie , Riederer Bernhard , Seewann Lena 
Published: May 2023

AbstractOver the past decades, the number of single households is constantly rising in metropolitan regions. In addition, they became increasingly heterogeneous. In the media, individuals who live alone are sometimes still presented as deficient. Recent research, however, indicates a way more complex picture. Using the example of Vienna, this paper investigates the quality of life of different groups of single households in the city. Based on five waves of the Viennese Quality of Life Survey covering almost a quarter of a century (1995–2018), we analyse six domains of subjective well-being (satisfaction with the financial situation, the housing situation, the main activity, the family life, social contacts, and leisure time activities). Our analyses reveal that, in most domains, average satisfaction of single households has hardly changed over time. However, among those living alone satisfaction of senior people (60+) increased while satisfaction of younger people (below age 30) decreased. Increasing differences in satisfaction with main activity, housing, or financial situation reflect general societal developments on the Viennese labour and housing markets. The old clichéd images of the “young, reckless, happy single” and the “lonely, poor, dissatisfied senior single” reverse reality.
Comparison of image quality of 3D ultrasound: motorized acquisition versus freehand navigated acquisition, a phantom study
Authors: Bekedam N. M. , Karssemakers L. H. E. , van Alphen M. J. A. , van Veen R. L. P. , Smeele L. E. , Karakullukcu M. B. 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Intra-operative assessment of resection margins during oncological surgery is a field that needs improvement. Ultrasound (US) shows the potential to fulfill this need, but this imaging technique is highly operator-dependent. A 3D US image of the whole specimen may remedy the operator dependence. This study aims to compare and evaluate the image quality of 3D US between freehand acquisition (FA) and motorized acquisition (MA).

Methods
Multiple 3D US volumes of a commercial phantom were acquired in motorized and freehand fashion. FA images were collected with electromagnetic navigation. An integrated algorithm reconstructed the FA images. MA images were stacked into a 3D volume. The image quality is evaluated following the metrics: contrast resolution, axial and elevation resolution, axial and elevation distance calibration, stability, inter-operator variability, and intra-operator variability. A linear mixed model determined statistical differences between FA and MA for these metrics.

Results
The MA results in a statistically significant lower error of axial distance calibration (p < 0.0001) and higher stability (p < 0.0001) than FA. On the other hand, the FA has a better elevation resolution (p < 0.003) than the MA.

Conclusion
MA results in better image quality of 3D US than the FA method based on axial distance calibration, stability, and variability. This study suggests acquiring 3D US volumes for intra-operative ex vivo margin assessment in a motorized fashion.
Deep learning-based lightweight radar target detection method
Authors: Liang Siyuan , Chen Rongrong , Duan Guodong , Du Jianbo 
Published: May 2023

AbstractFor target detection tasks in complicated backgrounds, a deep learning-based radar target detection method is suggested to address the problems of a high false alarm rate and the difficulties of achieving high-performance detection by conventional methods. Considering the issues of large parameter count and memory occupation of the deep learning-based target detection models, a lightweight target detection method based on improved YOLOv4-tiny is proposed. The technique applies depthwise separable convolution (DSC) and bottleneck architecture (BA) to the YOLOv4-tiny network. Moreover, it introduces the convolutional block attention module (CBAM) in the improved feature fusion network. It allows the network to be lightweight while ensuring detection accuracy. We choose a certain number of pulses from the pulse-compressed radar data for clutter suppression and Doppler processing to obtain range–Doppler (R–D) images. Experiments are run on the R–D two-dimensional echo images, and the results demonstrate that the proposed method can quickly and accurately detect dim radar targets against complicated backgrounds. Compared with other algorithms, our approach is more balanced regarding detection accuracy, model size, and detection speed.
Transdiagnostic factors in symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress: a systematic review
Authors: Hernández-Posadas Alejandrina , Lommen Miriam J. J. , de la Rosa Gómez Anabel , Bouman Theo K. , Mancilla-Díaz Juan Manuel , del Palacio González Adriana 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
The current systematic review sought to identify quantitative empirical studies that focused on the transdiagnostic factors of intolerance of uncertainty, emotional dysregulation and rumination, and their relation with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The overall research aim was to examine the relationship between these transdiagnostic factors and their relation with depression and PTSD symptoms. The systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Out of the 768 articles initially identified, 55 met the inclusion criteria for the current review. The results determined that intolerance of uncertainty is indirectly related to depression and PTSD symptoms, mainly through other factors including emotion dysregulation and rumination. Additionally, emotional dysregulation is a significant predictor of both depression and PTSD symptoms. Rumination is a robust factor related to depression and PTSD symptoms, this relationship was significant in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. This review provides evidence on the transdiagnostic factors of intolerance of uncertainty, emotional dysregulation and rumination in the relationship with depression and PTSD symptoms.
The Increasing Prevalence of Children Home Alone in Ghana: The Importance of Considering Regional Inequalities
Authors: Iwo René , Ruiz-Casares Mónica , Nazif-Muñoz José Ignacio 
Published: May 2023

AbstractResearch from industrialized settings has linked inadequate child supervision with various negative consequences. Nevertheless, empirical research in lower- and middle-income countries about correlates of inadequate child supervision has been scarce. The few studies that exist tended to focus on individual- and household-level factors, and reported associations that are not significant or in mixed directions depending on the context. Structural factors are left underexplored, but taking a more macro-level lens in settings with high regional disparities can hold the key to explaining increases in prevalence of inadequate child supervision. Exploring the evolution over time of child supervision practices can also enrich this explanation. We use data from two rounds of Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys to examine factors associated with children left home alone, and employ regional analysis using strata-level mixed effects. We found that in Ghana, the prevalence of children left home alone without adult supervision increased by 8.5% between 2011 and 2018 – an increase of more than 500,000 children over seven years. Statistical analyses suggest that variation between regions likely are associated with the growth of inadequate child supervision in this country. Future research should pay closer attention to how structural conditions, proxied by regions, can serve as either barriers or facilitators to adequate child supervision practices, helping shed light on residual variance unexplained by individual- and household-level factors.
Multilevel implications for anti-consumption social marketing within the public policy framework for SDG realization: a systematic literature review
Authors: Pinto Olavo , Casais Beatriz 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
This systematic literature review analyzes the topic of anti-consumption within the framework of public policy and discusses the multilevel implications for social marketing. Previous research provides a broader scope of analysis based on cases suggesting public policy implications of anti-consumption. However, the topic broadens into social issues and calls for the discussion of the social role and the relationship to sustainability. Building on the goal number 12—Responsible Consumption and Production—of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the authors analyzed 42 peer-reviewed papers to assess the relationship quantitatively and qualitatively between public policy and anti-consumption, pointing to future avenues of research. The results show how policymakers can address either disruptive or transitional approaches by considering systemic changes. Public infrastructure and public management are important factors to support policies aiming to achieve sustainable and replacement consumption. However, participatory and transparency mechanisms are needed to effect this social change, which reaffirms the importance of stakeholders and the analysis of their relationships. The impact of anti-consumption on macro and structural changes may be hard to measure, but should not be dismissed. This paper calls for a broad approach to anti-consumption and the mapping of stakeholders – including individuals, organizations, governments, researchers and the media – by applying a social marketing perspective to sustainability concerns. By linking anti-consumption both with social marketing and the contemporary challenge of environmental sustainability reflected on the SDGs, this paper bridges the gap between individual analysis of anti-consumption and its impact and potential to address sustainability challenges.
Isolation and Characterization of Starch from the Purple Yam (Dioscorea alata) Anthocyanin Extraction Residue Obtained by Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction
Authors: Ochoa Susana , Osorio-Tobón J. Felipe 
Published: May 2023

AbstractPurple yam (Dioscorea alata) is a tuber crop found in tropical countries that could be a valuable source of anthocyanins and starch. After anthocyanin extraction, the starch from the extraction residue was isolated using steeping in acid pH (AS), steeping in alkaline pH (KS), and steeping in water (WS). The starch yield was higher in AS (50.86 ± 1.23%), followed by KS (45.90 ± 0.68%) and WS (41.23 ± 4.92%). WS starches presented softer round-oval forms, and AS and KS presented some layers in the spherical structures. Diffractograms showed a characteristic of a B type of starch with crystallinity between 43 and 48% for all isolation methods. Enthalpy of gelatinization was higher in the AS (302.52 ± 29.26 J g−1) than KS (211.40 ± 35.09 J g−1) and WS (265.03 ± 26,58 J g−1). Monomodal distributions with mean volume diameter ranging between 35.58 µm and 36.05 µm were obtained for all isolation methods. As expected, the swelling power (SP) and water solubility index (WSI) increases as temperature increases for starches isolated using AS, KS, and WS. The isolation of starch from the residue of the extraction of anthocyanins from purple yam is suitable using AS, KS, and WS. Although no significant differences among isolation methods were observed in almost physicochemical parameters, AS isolation method produces starches with higher extraction yield and purity.
Graphical Abstract
The stability of mathematics students’ beliefs about working with CAS
Authors: Cameron Scott , Ball Lynda , Steinle Vicki 
Published: May 2023

AbstractIn Victoria, Australia, senior secondary mathematics students are expected to use technology and thus need to make decisions about using pen-and-paper (P&P) or technology when solving mathematics problems. The predominant technology is a Computer Algebra System (CAS). This study investigated the beliefs about CAS held by twelve Year 11 students as they learnt to use CAS and whether these beliefs were stable over time. These students held a range of beliefs related to the usefulness of CAS, speed of CAS compared to P&P, whether CAS is proper mathematics, choice of CAS or P&P, ease of use, the correctness of answers and solving problems in Mathematical Methods (i.e. the mathematics subject studied). Beliefs are often described as being stable (e.g. McLeod, 1992), but some researchers stress stability needs to be determined empirically rather than being seen as a characteristic of beliefs (e.g. Liljedahl et al., 2012). For this sample of students, stability (rather than instability) is a feature of students’ beliefs about CAS.
Multifactorial evolutionary algorithm with adaptive transfer strategy based on decision tree
Authors: Li Wei , Gao Xinyu , Wang Lei 
Published: May 2023

AbstractMultifactorial optimization (MFO) is a kind of optimization problem that has attracted considerable attention in recent years. The multifactorial evolutionary algorithm utilizes the implicit genetic transfer mechanism characterized by knowledge transfer to conduct evolutionary multitasking simultaneously. Therefore, the effectiveness of knowledge transfer significantly affects the performance of the algorithm. To achieve positive knowledge transfer, this paper proposed an evolutionary multitasking optimization algorithm with adaptive transfer strategy based on the decision tree (EMT-ADT). To evaluate the useful knowledge contained in the transferred individuals, this paper defines an evaluation indicator to quantify the transfer ability of each individual. Furthermore, a decision tree is constructed to predict the transfer ability of transferred individuals. Based on the prediction results, promising positive-transferred individuals are selected to transfer knowledge, which can effectively improve the performance of the algorithm. Finally, CEC2017 MFO benchmark problems, WCCI20-MTSO and WCCI20-MaTSO benchmark problems are used to verify the performance of the proposed algorithm EMT-ADT. Experimental results demonstrate the competiveness of EMT-ADT compared with some state-of-the-art algorithms.
Technological Trust Perceptions in Wearable Fitness Technology: A Person-Centred Approach
Authors: Methlagl Michael , Michlmayr Friederike , Perillo Valentina 
Published: May 2023

AbstractTechnological trust is a key element impacting the success of a technology. This study focuses on fitness tracker users and their perceptions of trust towards the device. The aim of the study is to identify distinct subgroups of technological trust perceptions of fitness tracker users (n = 150) adopting a person-centred approach. Furthermore, the role of age, experience with the device and effort expectancy in trust perception subgroup membership are examined. Three distinct subgroups could be identified. The first subgroup is characterised by neutral to low data privacy perceptions and moderate perceptions towards reliability, validity, system capability and system transparency perceptions. The second subgroup is characterised by moderate to high trust perceptions, and the third group shows the highest trust perceptions in comparison to the other subgroups. Age and experience with the device were no significant predictors of trust profile membership; effort expectancy, however, was a significant predictor. Users who perceive that using the device does not require high effort and that using the tracker is easy are more likely to be classified in the high trust subgroup and in the moderate to high trust subgroup than in the low to moderate trust subgroup. Furthermore, differences between two latent profiles regarding their usage of the wearable in their physical activities were found.
An Integrated Assessment of Climate Change Impacts and Implications on Bonaire
Authors: van Oosterhout L. , Koks E. , van Beukering P. , Schep S. , Tiggeloven T. , van Manen S. , van der Knaap M. , Duinmeijer C. , Buijs S. L. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractBonaire’s topographic and geographic characteristics, in combination with the island’s high dependency on economic sectors that are susceptible to the impacts of climate change, make this Caribbean island particularly vulnerable to climatic changes. In this study, biophysical and economic models are combined and complemented with stakeholder consultation to assess and quantify environmental effects and associated socio-economic impacts of climate change on Bonaire. We apply three climate scenarios of the 2021 IPCC report (SSP1-2.6, 2–4.5, and 5–8.5) and combine them with local conditions to conduct a site-specific integrated assessment. The results show that various buildings, critical infrastructure, and identified tangible cultural heritage, especially at the south of Bonaire, are at risk of climate change induced coastal inundation by 2050, even under the least severe climate projection. In addition, the overall health of coral reefs declines under the climate scenarios SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 due to sea level rise, acidification, and increasing temperatures. In the most pessimistic scenario, Bonaire could experience a reduction in dive tourist arrivals of 118,000, which can lead to an economic contraction of 174 USDm (25%) in Bonaire’s GDP. In the absence of timely planning and implementation of adaptation measures, the impacts of climate change may have serious implications for inhabitants’ lifestyles and wellbeing. These results are imperative for various stakeholders, and stress that decision-makers should focus on the development and implementation of effective and feasible adaptation strategies urgently. Moreover, future researchers confronted with data scarcity in comparable contexts can utilise the novel methodologies employed in this study.