bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the mechanical properties of anisotropic shale containing bedding and natural fractures with discrete element modeling
Authors: Li Yingjie , Song Lihong , Tang Yuanjun , Zuo Jianping , Xue Dongjie 
Published: March 2022

AbstractNatural fracture data from one of the Carboniferous shale masses in the eastern Qaidam Basin were used to establish a stochastic model of a discrete fracture network and to perform discrete element simulation research on the size effect and mechanical parameters of shale. Analytical solutions of fictitious joints in transversely isotropic media were derived, which made it possible for the proposed numerical model to simulate the bedding and natural fractures in shale masses. The results indicate that there are two main factors influencing the representative elementary volume (REV) size of a shale mass. The first and most decisive factor is the presence of natural fractures in the block itself. The second is the anisotropy ratio: the greater the anisotropy is, the larger the REV. The bedding angle has little influence on the REV size, whereas it has a certain influence on the mechanical parameters of the rock mass. When the bedding angle approaches the average orientation of the natural fractures, the mechanical parameters of the shale blocks decrease greatly. The REV representing the mechanical properties of the Carboniferous shale masses in the eastern Qaidam Basin were comprehensively identified by considering the influence of bedding and natural fractures. When the numerical model size is larger than the REV, the fractured rock mass discontinuities can be transformed into equivalent continuities, which provides a method for simulating shale with natural fractures and bedding to analyze the stability of a borehole wall in shale.
Adsorption Behavior of Asphaltene on Clay Minerals and Quartz in a Heavy Oil Sandstone Reservoir with Thermal Damage
Authors: He Yanlong , Niu Weizhe , Gao Zhanwu , Dong Hao , An Shizi , Han Chunchun , Zhao Liang 
Published: March 2022

AbstractDifferences in the properties of clay minerals cause formation damage under the condition of thermal production in heavy-oil reservoirs; asphaltenes adsorbed on clay minerals exacerbate the formation damage. The purpose of the present study was to reveal the variation in clay minerals and the adsorption behavior of asphaltenes on clay mineral surfaces under thermal recovery conditions. Volume changes and transformations of typical clay minerals were studied under various conditions (80 and 180°C, pH 9 and 11, aqueous and oven-dry conditions). On this basis, the adsorption behavior and mechanism of asphaltenes on the surfaces of clay minerals in various simulated conditions were investigated. The adsorption mechanism was revealed using kinetics and isothermal adsorption models. The results showed that the volume of montmorillonite expanded by up to 159.13% after water–rock interaction at 180°C with pH 11; meanwhile, the conversion rates of kaolinite and illite to montmorillonite were 6.6 and 7.8%, respectively. The water–rock interaction intensified the volume changes and transformations of clay minerals under thermal conditions. The amounts of asphaltene adsorbed on clay minerals at 180°C were greater than those at 80°C. The adsorption process of asphaltenes was inhibited under aqueous conditions. The abilities of the constituent minerals to bind asphaltenes was in order: montmorillonite > chlorite > kaolinite > illite > quartz sand. The adsorption process of asphaltenes yielded high coefficients of regression with both the Freundlich and Langmuir models under oven-dry (>0.99) and aqueous (>0.98) conditions. At 180°C under aqueous conditions, the water film significantly inhibited the adsorption of asphaltene on the clay minerals. The adsorption process of asphaltenes, therefore, could be regarded as the adsorption occurring at lower concentrations under oven-dry conditions.
Taste, intersubjectivity and medical expertise: the correspondence of George Cheyne, Selina Hastings and their patients
Authors: Wragge-Morley Alexander 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThis paper examines the medical correspondence between the physician George Cheyne and the aristocrats Selina Hastings and Susan Keck. Written during the 1730s, these letters reveal that both Cheyne and his patients articulated a model of medical expertise based not on knowledge in any conventional sense, but rather on fellow feeling or intersubjectivity. Drawing on letters sent by Keck to Hastings that have yet to be noticed by historians, this paper tries to understand how Cheyne and Keck sought to convince Hastings that they had felt exactly the same symptoms under which she had suffered. In so doing, it draws on scholarship concerned with the sociology of taste. Whilst it does not claim that the intersubjective form of expertise modelled by Cheyne was a form of taste, it argues that the moves he and his patients made were analogous to the strategies used at other times and places by those concerned with taste. In both cases, the participants sought ways to obtain consensus about the supposedly subjective dimensions of human experience.
Proportional Representation and Right-Wing Populism: Evidence from Electoral System Change in Europe
Authors: Becher Michael , Menéndez González Irene , Stegmueller Daniel 
Published: March 2022

AbstractHow much do electoral institutions matter for the rise of populist parties? Evidence on this question is mixed, with some scholars arguing that the role of electoral rules is small. We provide new evidence for the impact of electoral system change. The UK's adoption of a proportional electoral system for European elections in 1999 provides a unique opportunity to study the link between electoral rules and the ascendancy of right-wing populist parties. Employing both synthetic control and difference-in-difference methods, we estimate that the electoral reform increased the vote share of right-wing populists by about 12 to 13.5 percentage points on average. During a time when populism was rising across Europe, the reform abruptly shifted populist votes in the UK above the European trend and above more plausible comparison cases. Our results also imply that caution is needed when empirical results based on partial reforms are extrapolated to electoral system change.
Catching the ‘Deliberative Wave’? How (Disaffected) Citizens Assess Deliberative Citizen Forums
Authors: Goldberg Saskia , Bächtiger André 
Published: March 2022

AbstractA ‘deliberative wave’, with increasing uses of deliberative citizen forums, is sweeping the globe. Whereas deliberative citizen forum enthusiasts claim that they represent appropriate tools to reconnect citizens with politics and demand a stronger empowerment of deliberative citizen forums, critics argue that they will reduce rather than increase democratic legitimacy. This letter sheds new light on the roles of deliberative citizen forums in democratic systems, with a particular eye on disaffected citizens. Drawing on a conjoint experiment with a representative sample of non-participating German citizens, it shows that citizens in general challenge notions of the strong empowerment of deliberative citizen forums. They prefer deliberative citizen forums that are limited to policy advice, collaborate with legacy institutions and include extra provisions (such as a large size or clear majorities). By contrast, disaffected citizens are more open to the empowerment and decoupling of deliberative citizen forums compared to allegiant citizens, but this not imply that they are generally in clear favour of such design features (in fact, they are mostly indifferent via-à-vis empowerment and decoupling). These findings have important ramifications for democratic designs.
Liberalization of the Rule on Locus Standi before Nigerian Courts: Lessons from India
Authors: Ekeke Alex Cyril 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIn Nworika v Ononeze-Madu, the Nigerian Supreme Court upheld the decision of the lower court, denying the appellant standing to challenge the decision of the Imo State government. This highlighted the position of Nigerian courts on the rule of locus standi, which denies access to justice for many Nigerians who seek a court order to declare a law unconstitutional or to challenge the actions of the government or its agencies. This article examines the context of the application of the rule of locus standi before Nigerian courts and argues that the decision of the Supreme Court in Adesanya v President of Nigeria, which is the classic authority on the strict rule of locus standi in Nigeria, is outdated in the context of contemporary human rights development and that Nigerian courts can learn from the Indian courts that have discarded the strict application of the rule of locus standi through judicial activism.
A contemporary overview on the enigma of managing recalcitrant or intractable post-operative otorrhoea following middle-ear surgery: perspectives, principles and practices
Authors: Pandey A Kumar , Hernot S , ul Haq A , Bansal C , Kaintura M , Bhardwaj A , Varma A , Anjum F , Kumawat A 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundA common problem in otological surgeries is the persistence of ear discharge in a patient who has undergone middle-ear reconstructive surgery, despite an intact graft. There is a dearth of knowledge in the literature on treatment strategies in such post-operative cases of recalcitrant otorrhoea.MethodThis was a retrospective observational descriptive study conducted on 45 patients who fitted the criteria for recalcitrant post-operative otorrhoea. All 45 patients showed no response to conservative treatment for 14 days from onset of discharge. Therefore, these patients were then given antiseptic ear drops.ResultsThirty patients out of 45 showed a good response to antiseptic ear drops and achieved a dry ear at the end of the treatment.ConclusionIn patients with recalcitrant otorrhoea with or without granulations after middle-ear reconstruction surgery, this study found that topical antiseptic ear drops, particularly those using boric acid powder, are more effective than topical antibiotic drops.
Sin and the structure of Anselm's Cur Deus homo
Authors: Whidden David L. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe hypothesis of this article is that Anselm describes two consequences of sin for the human will in De casu diaboli, and these two consequences structure Anselm's later account of human salvation in the Cur Deus homo. First, sin causes us to deserve punishment for injustice; and, second, sin removes the grace by which humans were able to attain the goal of their creation, which is the happiness of heaven. Book 1 of the Cur Deus homo, then, deals with the need for satisfaction in the face of punishment, while book 2 addresses the need for a supererogatory gift that elevates human nature and restores it to its heavenly end. The article argues that, for Anselm, only a God-man can provide both the satisfaction and supererogatory gift necessary to restore humans to their original divine purpose.
Functional theories can describe many features of conscious phenomenology but cannot account for its existence
Authors: Velmans Max 
Published: March 2022

AbstractMerker, Williford, and Rudrauf argue persuasively that integrated information is not identical to or sufficient for consciousness, and that projective geometries more closely formalize the spatial features of conscious phenomenology. However, these too are not identical to or sufficient for consciousness. Although such third-person specifiable functional theories can describe the many forms of consciousness, they cannot account for its existence.
Consciousness is already solved: The continued debate is not about science
Authors: Graziano Michael S. A. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractA logical explanation of consciousness has been known for decades. The brain must construct a specific set of information about conscious feeling (theory-of-mind information), causing people to believe, think, and claim to have consciousness. Theories that propose an actual, intangible feeling are non-explanatory. They add a magical red herring while leaving unexplained the objective phenomena: the believing, thinking, and claiming.
Multidimensional poverty index: a multilevel analysis of deprivation among Iranian older adults
Authors: Mohaqeqi Kamal Seyed Hossein , Basakha Mehdi , Alkire Sabina 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAlthough the older adult population faces a higher risk of poverty compared to others, there is no clear picture of their poverty in Iran. The aim of this study was to measure multidimensional poverty and its related factors among Iranian older adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted from July to November 2019 and collected data by interviewing 1,280 participants in Tehran, Iran. To compute multidimensional poverty, four dimensions were used: health (disabilities), education, housing and standard of living. Single and multidimensional poverty and the joint distribution of deprivation were calculated. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to determine the relationship between predictor variables and outcome (multidimensional poverty). Multidimensional poverty among Tehran's older people was 59.0 per cent. The prevalence of health, housing, education and standard of living deprivations were 15.4, 25.3, 29.5 and 29.9 per cent, respectively. Furthermore, multivariate analysis shows that living with a spouse, being employed, and having health and social insurance coverage were protective factors, while being female was a risk factor for multidimensional poverty. Approximately 21 per cent of multidimensional poverty variance was attributed to the district level and the remaining was assigned to individual-level factors. This study showed that the older adults living in different areas of Tehran experience different aspects of poverty. So paying attention to the dimensions of multidimensional poverty can play an important role in customising the policies of each district. Also, the findings of this study on risk and protective factors of multidimensional poverty can be effective in designing and implementing interventions to mitigate poverty among the older adults.
Diversity of ground-dwelling ants in sugarcane plantations under different management systems
Authors: Souza-Campana Débora Rodrigues de , Silva Rogério R. , Fernandes Odair Aparecido , Futikami Bianca Sayuri , Bueno Odair Correa , Santos Luan Alberto Odorizzi dos , Morini Maria Santina de Castro 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIn this study, we compared the richness of ground-dwelling ants among three different sugarcane management systems (with the application of the insecticide fipronil and the addition of vinasse; with fipronil and no vinasse; and with vinasse and no fipronil, i.e., an organic production system) to evaluate whether the feeding/foraging types vary according to the management system. We tested the hypothesis that organic management increases species diversity because there is no use of chemical inputs. Estimated species richness was significantly higher in the organic management system than in the systems that used fipronil with vinasse. Generalists species were prevalent in all sugarcane fields, regardless of the production system, whereas predatory and fungivorous species were infrequent. However, the organically managed field had many predatory species. Our results suggest that fipronil with vinasse in sugarcane cultivation alters the ant community, possibly disrupting the functions performed by the edaphic fauna, such as control of arthropod crop pests, due to reduced predator species richness.
The Ceraflex and Figulla atrial septal occluders: early and intermediate-term safety and efficacy study
Authors: Leong Ming Chern , Karyostyko Boekhren , Ramli Mohd Nor Hisham , Tan Jason Weng Yew , Alwi Mazeni 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackground:Ceraflex septal occluder and the Figulla atrial septal defect occluder have the advantage of a pivoting mechanism and softer device architecture. This study sought to examine the safety and efficacy of these occluders compared to the Amplatzer septal occluder.Methods:This was a retrospective study. Between January, 2013 and April, 2020, patients with at least 6 months of follow-up were included. Early and late-onset outcomes were examined.Results:Four hundred seven patients (range: 0.17–70.72 years; 53.1% >18 years; male: 29.2%) underwent atrial septal defect occlusion using Amplatzer septal occluder (n = 313), Ceraflex septal occluder (n = 36) and FSO (n = 58). A longer procedure time was observed in the Amplatzer septal occluder group. Early-onset complication rates in Amplatzer septal occluder, Ceraflex septal occluder and Figulla atrial septal defect occluder were 3.83%, 5.56% and 0%. Ten (2.46%) patients developed delayed complications (2.56%, 0% and 1.72% in the Amplatzer septal occluder, Ceraflex septal occluder and Figulla atrial septal defect occluder groups). Device erosion rate was not different between groups. The occlusion rates were comparable among all the devices.Conclusion:There is no significant difference in safety and efficacies between the novel atrial septal defect occluding devices compared to Amplatzer septal occluder.
Generating Arabic TAG for syntax-semantics analysis
Authors: Ben Khelil Cherifa , Ben Othmane Zribi Chiraz , Duchier Denys , Parmentier Yannick 
Published: March 2022

AbstractArabic presents many challenges for automatic processing. Although several research studies have addressed some issues, electronic resources for processing Arabic remain relatively rare or not widely available. In this paper, we propose a Tree-adjoining grammar with a syntax-semantic interface. It is applied to the modern standard Arabic, but it can be easily adapted to other languages. This grammar named “ArabTAG V2.0” (Arabic Tree Adjoining Grammar) is semi-automatically generated by means of an abstract representation called meta-grammar. To ensure its development, ArabTAG V2.0 benefits from a grammar testing environment that uses a corpus of phenomena. Further experiments were performed to check the coverage of this grammar as well as the syntax-semantic analysis. The results showed that ArabTAG V2.0 can cover the majority of syntactical structures and different linguistic phenomena with a precision rate of 88.76%. Moreover, we were able to semantically analyze sentences and build their semantic representations with a precision rate of about 95.63%.
Environmental deterrence in developing countries: evidence from enforcement actions and fines under the toxics monitoring program of Mexico
Authors: Chakraborti Lopamudra 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIn this study we investigate the effectiveness of environmental regulation in a large developing country. We construct a panel of 3,436 major toxics polluters from 2004 to 2015 using detailed plant-specific data on toxics releases, inspections, and fines, across Mexico. Our results show that regulators target polluters who are significantly non-compliant and impose higher fines on them. This has implications for the cost efficiency of monitoring and regulatory enforcement. An additional priority violation increases current toxics inspections, fines, and amount of fines by 7, 5 and 18 per cent, respectively. An additional priority violation followed by fines imposed on the plant results in a reduction in annual toxics releases by more than 50 per cent. Higher fines imposed on other major facilities in the same municipality induce plants to reduce the annual release of toxic pollutants by 0.1 per cent. Finally, inspections and fines increase the likelihood of reporting toxics releases.
Gestational weight gain is associated with childhood height, weight and BMI in the Peri/Postnatal Epigenetic Twins Study
Authors: Ashtree Deborah N. , Osborne Deborah A. , Lee Amelia , Umstad Mark P. , Saffery Richard , Craig Jeffrey M. , Scurrah Katrina J. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractMultifetal pregnancies are at risk of adverse maternal, neonatal and long-term health outcomes, and gestational weight gain (GWG) is a potentially modifiable risk factor for several of these. However, studies assessing the associations of GWG with long-term health in twins are rare, and studies which do assess these associations in twins often do not account for gestational age. Since longer gestations are likely to lead to larger GWG and lower risk of adverse outcomes, adjusting for gestational age is necessary to better understand the association of GWG with twin health outcomes. We aimed to explore long-term associations of GWG-for-gestational-age with twin anthropometric measures. The Peri/Postnatal Epigenetic Twins Study (PETS) is a prospective cohort study, which recruited women pregnant with twins from 2007 to 2009. Twins were followed-up at 18 months and 6 years of age. GWG-for-gestational-age z-scores were calculated from pre-pregnancy weight and weight at delivery. We fitted regression models to assess associations of GWG with twin weight, height and BMI at birth, 18 months, and 6 years. Of the 250 women in the PETS, 172 had GWG measured throughout pregnancy. Overall, higher GWG-for-gestational-age z-scores were associated with higher birthweight (β: 0.32 z-scores, 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI): 0.19, 0.45), BMI (β: 0.29 z-scores, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.43) and length (β: 0.27 z-scores, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.45). However, these associations were not observed at 18 months or 6 years of age. GWG was associated with twin length, weight and BMI at birth but not during childhood. Further research is needed to determine the long-term effects of GWG on twin health outcomes.
Subsurface Mixing Dynamics Across the Salt‐Freshwater Interface
Authors: De Vriendt K. , Le Borgne T. , Pool M. , Dentz M. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractMixing along the salt‐freshwater interface is critical for geochemical reactions, transport, and transformation of nutrients and contaminants in coastal ecosystems. However, the mechanisms and controls of mixing are not well understood. We develop an analytical model, based on the coupling between flow deformation and dispersion, which predicts the mixing dynamics along the interface for steady‐state flow in coastal aquifers. The analytical predictions are compared with the results of detailed numerical simulations, which show that nonuniform flow fields, inherent to seawater intrusion in coastal aquifer, result in a non‐monotonic evolution of mixing width and mixing rates along the interface. The analytical model accurately captures these dynamics over a range of freshwater flow rates and dispersivities. It predicts the evolution of the mixing width and mixing rates along the interface, offering a new framework for understanding and modeling mixing and reaction processes in coastal aquifers.