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Objectives: Low back pain was the sixth most common reason for an ED visit in 2022–2023 in Australia, one‐third of these patients were subsequently admitted to hospital. Therefore, we have assessed whether some patients could be diverted to alternate clinical pathways, via admission to a virtual hospital (rpavirtual), and be cared for remotely in their own homes. Methods: Ethics approval was granted for protocols X21‐0278 & 2021/ETH10967 and X21‐0094 & 2021/ETH00591. We conducted a mixed‐method process evaluation, using the RE‐AIM framework (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance) to answer key questions regarding the Back@Home model of care. Results: This preliminary evaluation describes a cohort of the first 50 patients who received care between 13 February and 31 July 2023. The service had high levels of reach and adoption, very low levels of ED representation, and no AEs. Virtual care cost a median of AU$2215 (interquartile range = AU$1724–AU$2855) per admission. Patients admitted virtually had the same high satisfaction with care as traditionally admitted patients and reported less pain and better physical function. Conclusions: Preliminary findings suggest that this model of care is a safe, acceptable, and feasible alternative to hospitalisation for non‐serious low back pain, in a select cohort of patients meeting inclusion criteria. Further data collection will inform whether Back@Home has had an impact on length of stay or traditional admission rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the renewed interest in the lunar surface exploration, the European Space Agency is supporting, as part of the Moonlight program, the development of a dedicated Lunar Communications and Navigation Service (LCNS) infrastructure. This should enable to achieve real time positioning and autonomous navigation in the cislunar space, including, among others, lunar landing and surface operations. One of the services proposed, as part of the LunaNet framework (NASA, 2022), is called the Lunar Augmented Navigation Service (LANS) and it is based on a GNSS-like concept. However, compared to Earth-based GNSS, the expected number of available satellites in lunar orbit will initially be limited, which triggers the interest of coupling these technologies at the receiver level with other navigation data sources. In the case of surface rovers, use of digital elevation model (DEM) data has shown to be a potential other source of information to support positioning. The purpose of this contribution is to look at the actual navigation performances achievable when using a simple (four satellites constellation) lunar radio navigation constellation combined with a DEM, through a state estimation filter, for different rover dynamic and different DEM accuracy levels. It is shown that a 5 meter real-time horizontal position accuracy can be achieved, for 99.7% of the time, using a precise enough DEM (5 m/pixel) and a 4 satellite-constellation under different rover's dynamic conditions (i.e. velocities). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cauchy radius of a scalar polynomial is an upper bound on the magnitude of its zeros, and it is optimal among all bounds depending only on the moduli of the coefficients. It has the disadvantage of being implicit because it requires the solution of a nonlinear equation. In this note, simple and explicit upper bounds are derived that are useful approximations to the Cauchy radius. The general approach to obtain the aforementioned bounds is to embed scalar polynomials into the larger framework of their generalization to matrix polynomials and then use bounds on the eigenvalues of the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reports show a high complication rate when starting with the Direct Anterior Approach (DAA) in a supine position for hip arthroplasty. The DAA with the patient in lateral decubitus position may avoid this problem because it supposedly provides better visibility, especially on the femoral side. However, this approach did show a rather high complication rate during the adoption of the approach at 1 year follow up in our previous report. We were interested what the overall 7 year survival estimate would be and whether improvement could be seen with growing experience. Methods: A cohort of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty right from the start of applying the DAA in lateral decubitus position was analysed. Results: In total 175 hip prostheses (162 patients) were evaluated. The 7-year survival estimate was 95.1%, 95 CI: 91.8–98.4%. In 6 of 8 revisions there was aseptic loosening of the stem. By dividing the cohort into 3 consecutive groups in time we did not see a significantly improving revision rate. Conclusions: In our experience, the adoption of the direct anterior approach in lateral decubitus position caused a relatively low 7-year survival estimate without an apparent decrease with growing experience, however given the low number of cases further research is needed to investigate the long-term risk of adopting a new approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cars are increasingly computerized, and vehicle settings such as steering gain (SG) can now be altered during driving. However, it is unknown whether transitions in SG should be adaptable (i.e., triggered by driver input) or adaptive (i.e., triggered automatically). We examined this question for road segments expected to require different SG. Objective: This paper aimed to investigate whether SG mode changes should be made by the driver or automatically. Methods: Twenty-four participants drove under four conditions in a simulator: fixed low gain (FL), fixed high gain (FH), a machine-initiated steering system, which switched between the two SG levels at predetermined locations (MI), and a driver-initiated steering system, in which the SG level could be changed by pressing a button on the steering wheel (DI). Results: Participants showed poorer lane-keeping and reported higher effort for FH compared to FL on straights, while the opposite held true on curved roads. On curved roads, the MI condition yielded better lane-keeping and lower subjective effort than the DI condition. However, a substantial portion of the drivers gave low preference rankings to the MI system. Conclusion: Drivers prefer and benefit from a steering system with a variable rather than fixed gain. Furthermore, although automatic SG transitions reduce effort, some drivers reject this concept. Application: As the state of technology advances, MI transitions are becoming increasingly feasible, but whether drivers would want to delegate their decision-making authority to a machine remains a moot point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Musculoskeletal conditions are the most common health condition seen in emergency departments. Hence, the most effective approaches to managing these conditions is of interest. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of allied health and nursing models of care for the management of musculoskeletal pain in ED. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and LILACS databases were searched from inception to March 2023 for published randomised trials that compared the effectiveness of allied health and nursing models of care for musculoskeletal conditions in ED to usual ED care. Trials were eligible if they enrolled participants presenting to ED with a musculoskeletal condition including low back pain, neck pain, upper or lower limb pain and any soft tissue injury. Trials that included patients with serious pathology (e.g. malignancy, infection or cauda equina syndrome) were excluded. The primary outcome was patient-flow; other outcomes included pain intensity, disability, hospital admission and re-presentation rates, patient satisfaction, medication prescription and adverse events. Two reviewers performed search screening, data extraction, quality and certainty of evidence assessments. Results: We identified 1746 records and included 5 randomised trials (n = 1512 patients). Only one trial (n = 260) reported on patient-flow. The study provides very-low certainty evidence that a greater proportion of patients were seen within 20 min when seen by a physician (98%) than when seen by a nurse (86%) or physiotherapist (77%). There was no difference in pain intensity and disability between patients managed by ED physicians and those managed by physiotherapists. Evidence was limited regarding patient satisfaction, inpatient admission and ED re-presentation rates, medication prescription and adverse events. The certainty of evidence for secondary outcomes ranged from very-low to low, but generally did not suggest a benefit of one model over another. Conclusion: There is limited research to judge the effectiveness of allied health and nursing models of care for the management of musculoskeletal conditions in ED. Currently, it is unclear as to whether allied health and nurse practitioners are more effective than ED physicians at managing musculoskeletal conditions in ED. Further high-quality trials investigating the impact of models of care on service and health outcomes are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapists' ability to accurately assess their clients' emotions is a critical clinical skill across various therapeutic approaches. However, little is understood about the contexts that facilitate or interfere with the effects of this accuracy on therapeutic outcomes. This study investigated the relationship between therapists' empathic accuracy (EA) concerning their clients' emotions and session outcomes, and whether this relationship is moderated by the therapists' use of different intervention types. A sample of 81 clients treated by 50 therapists in a university setting was used for the study. Following each session, clients rated the emotions they experienced during the session, as well as the quality of the session, while therapists rated their perception of their clients' emotions. Findings revealed that therapists' EA for negative emotions (but not positive ones) positively correlated with higher client evaluations of the session. Furthermore, the frequency of exploratory interventions (but not directive ones) moderated this relationship. The results highlight that merely being empathically accurate in assessing clients' negative emotions may not be sufficient; therapists who employ an exploratory approach while being empathically accurate can better facilitate emotional processing, potentially leading to improved outcomes. Public Significance Statement: This study highlights that therapists who employ an exploratory approach while being empathically accurate in assessing clients' negative emotions may achieve enhanced therapy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Journal on Minority and Group Rights has reached a significant milestone of thirty years of publication. This interdisciplinary journal, focused on international human rights law, has not only survived but thrived in a field that has grown over the past three decades. The journal has expanded from print to digital format, increased the number of articles published, and embraced technological advancements. The success and longevity of the journal can be attributed to the dedication and commitment of its editors, board members, publishers, and authors. With over 1000 articles published and an affiliated series of monographs, the journal continues to contribute to the understanding and advancement of minority and group rights. [Extracted from the article]

It is shown how the eigenvalues of sparse matrices, composed of a small number of nonzero block rows and columns, can be obtained from quadratic matrix polynomials with coefficients of a size determined by the number of nonzero rows and columns. This can present advantages, such as revealing eigenvalue properties without the need to compute them, better upper bounds for eigenvalues than those derived directly from the matrix with a smaller computational effort, and lower bounds that cannot otherwise directly be derived from the given matrix. The focus will be on upper and lower eigenvalue bounds, which are useful when eigenvalues are computed iteratively or when an application requires them to be in a particular region of the complex plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professor Yonah Alexander, the "Founding Father" of the International Journal on Minority and Group Rights, passed away at the age of 92. He served as the Journal's first Editor-in-Chief from 1993 to 2000. Throughout his career, Professor Alexander focused on security and terrorism issues, working as a director, senior fellow, and professor at various academic institutions. Despite his other commitments, he remained involved with the Journal and contributed to its 30th anniversary issue in 2023. His dedication and vision were greatly appreciated by the Journal's community. [Extracted from the article]

Background: People with eating disorders experience interpersonal difficulties, but little research explores relational attitudes in this population. We examined sense of relational entitlement towards parents, pathological concern, and psychological distress in adolescent girls with and without anorexia nervosa (AN) or atypical anorexia nervosa (AAN). Methods: Questionnaires assessing sense of entitlement towards parents, pathological concern, and symptoms of depression and anxiety were completed by 85 girls with and 100 girls without AN/AAN (mean age 15.06 ± 1.41). The AN/AAN group also completed a measure of ED pathology. Results: Eating pathology, pathological concern and symptoms of depression and anxiety were positively associated with both restricted and inflated sense of entitlement towards parents. AN/AAN participants scored significantly higher than controls on restricted and inflated sense of entitlement, pathological concern and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Restricted sense of entitlement and pathological concern partially mediation the association between AN/AAN and symptoms of depression and fully mediated the association between AN/AAN and anxiety. Within the AN/AAN group, pathological concern and symptoms of depression explained a large proportion of the variance in ED pathology. Conclusions: Adolescent AN/AAN takes a heavy toll on emotional and social health, perhaps in part because crucial aspects of relational mutuality fail to develop. Teens with AN/AAN tend to over-focus on their parents' needs at the expense of their own needs. They also have impaired capacity to realistically appraise expectations from their parents, tending to feel over- and/or under-entitled to need fulfillment. These relational attitudes are associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety and should be addressed in therapy. Plain English summary: In healthy relationships people trust another person to fulfill some but not all their needs. It is maladaptive to expect the fulfillment of all needs (inflated entitlement) or of no needs (restricted entitlement). Restricted entitlement generally masks frustration and an unconscious wish for need fulfillment, so that restricted and inflated entitlement can co-occur. We examined to what degree 85 adolescent girls with a restricting ED and 100 without an ED felt entitled to need fulfillment by their parents, and to what extent they sacrificed their own needs for their parents'. Girls with an ED reported higher levels of both restricted and inflated entitlement from their parents than the other girls, and reported placing their parents' needs before their own more often. The more restricted and/or inflated their entitlement was, the more they tended to place their parents' needs before their own, to have severe ED symptoms and to feel depressed and anxious. Teens with EDs may over-focus on their parents' needs at the expense of their own and feel they deserve to have all or none of their needs fulfilled by their parents. These relational attitudes are associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety and should be addressed in therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA and hepatitis B core‐related antigen (HBcrAg), reflecting transcriptional activity of covalently closed circular DNA, are gaining traction as important markers to assess viral activity. Whether their expression differs under viral suppression by HIV co‐infection status is unknown. Among adults with chronic HBV on antiviral therapy, we sought to determine if the expression of HBV markers (specialized and well‐established) differs between HBV‐HIV co‐infection vs. HBV mono‐infection. We compared HBV marker levels among 105 participants in the Hepatitis B Research Network (HBRN) HBV‐HIV Ancillary Study and 105 participants in the HBRN mono‐infected Cohort Study, matched for HBeAg status and HBV DNA suppression on therapy. Among HBeAg+ participants (N = 58 per group), after adjusting for age, sex, race, ALT and HBV DNA, viral markers were higher (p <.05) in the HBV‐HIV versus the HBV‐only sample (HBeAg: 1.05 vs. 0.51 log10 IU/mL; HBsAg: 3.85 vs. 3.17 log10 IU/mL; HBV RNA: 5.60 vs. 3.70 log10 U/mL; HBcrAg: 6.59 vs. 5.51 log10 U/mL). Conversely, among HBeAg(−) participants (N = 47 per group), HBsAg (2.00 vs. 3.04 log10 IU/mL) and HBV RNA (1.87 vs. 2.66 log10 U/mL) were lower (p <.05) in HBV‐HIV vs. HBV‐only; HBcrAg levels were similar (4.14 vs. 3.64 log10 U/mL; p =.27). Among adults with chronic HBV with suppressed viremia on antiviral therapy, viral markers tracked with HIV co‐infection status and associations differed inversely by HBeAg status. The greater sensitivity and specificity of HBV RNA compared to HBcrAg allows for better discrimination of transcriptional activity regardless of HBeAg status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Staining for hepatitis B viral antigens is often done in liver biopsies from patients with chronic hepatitis B, but its correlates with clinical phenotypes are not well described. Methods: Biopsies were collected from a large cohort of adults and children with chronic hepatitis B viral infection through the Hepatitis B Research Network. Immunohistochemical staining of sections was done for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) and then centrally read by the pathology committee. The degree of liver injury and pattern of staining were then correlated with clinical characteristics, including the clinical phenotype of hepatitis B. Results: Biopsies from 467 subjects were studied, including 46 from children. Immunostaining for HBsAg was positive in 417 (90%) with scattered hepatocyte staining being the most common pattern. HBsAg staining correlated best with serum levels of HBsAg and hepatitis B viral DNA; the absence of HBsAg staining was often a prelude to loss of HBsAg from serum. HBcAg staining was positive in 225 (49%), and, while cytoplasmic staining was more frequent than nuclear staining, both nuclear and cytoplasmic positivity were often seen in the same specimen. Staining for HBcAg correlated with both level of viremia and liver injury. No biopsies from inactive carriers had stainable HBcAg, while 91% of the biopsies from those with hepatitis B e antigen‐positive chronic hepatitis B stained positively for HBcAg. Conclusion: Immunostaining for hepatitis B viral antigens may yield helpful insights into liver disease pathogenesis but appears to add little to commonly used serological and biochemical blood tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knowledge gaps exist around diagnostic and treatment approaches for patients admitted to hospital with low back pain. Methods: Medical record review of patients admitted to three Sydney teaching hospitals with a provisional emergency department diagnosis of non‐serious low back pain, from 2016 to 2020. Data on demographic variables, hospital costs, length of stay (LOS), diagnostic imaging and analgesic administration were extracted. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of longer hospital stay, advanced imaging, and concomitant use of sedating medicines. Results: Median inpatient LOS for non‐specific low back pain was 4 days (interquartile range [IQR] 2‐7), and for radicular low back pain was 4 days (IQR 3‐10). Older patients with non‐serious low back pain were more likely to stay longer, as were arrivals by ambulance. Plain lumbar radiography was used in 8.3% of admissions, whereas 37.6% of patients received advanced lumbar imaging (computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging). Opioids were administered in ~80% of admissions; 49% of patients with radicular low back pain were given an antiepileptic in addition to an opioid. In all, 18.4% of admissions resulted in at least one hospital‐acquired complication, such as an accidental fall (3.1%) or a medication‐related adverse effect (13.3%). Physiotherapists saw 82.6% of low back pain admissions. Costs of inpatient care were estimated at a mean of AU$ 14 000 per admission. Conclusions: We noted relatively high rates of concomitant use of sedating pain medicines and referrals for advanced lumbar imaging and laboratory tests. Strategies to address these issues in inpatient care of low back pain are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bounds on the moduli of polynomial eigenvalues are typically expressed in terms of norms of the coefficient matrices of the polynomials. It is shown that using the numerical radii of these matrices instead of their norms can lead to improvements of those bounds and also, in special cases, to information on the angular distribution of the eigenvalues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study examined how drivers adapt their behavior when driving with sport mode. • 31 participants drove on a test track with different sport mode components. • Modified throttle mapping caused drivers to accelerate faster. • Artificial engine sound enhancement did not cause a change in driving behavior. • Behavioral adaptation is functional rather than mediated by perceived sportiness or danger. A key question in transportation research is whether drivers show behavioral adaptation, that is, slower or faster driving, when new technology is introduced into the vehicle. This study investigates behavioral adaptation in response to the sport mode, a technology that alters the vehicle's auditory, throttle-mapping, power-steering, and chassis settings. Based on the literature, it can be hypothesized that the sport mode increases perceived sportiness and encourages faster driving. Oppositely, the sport mode may increase drivers' perceived danger, homeostatically causing them to drive more slowly. These hypotheses were tested using an instrumented vehicle on a test track. Thirty-one drivers were asked to drive as they normally would with different sport mode settings: Baseline, Modified Throttle Mapping (MTM), Artificial Engine Sound enhancement (AESe), MTM and AESe combined (MTM-AESe), and MTM, AESe combined with four-wheel steering, increased damping, and decreased power steering (MTM-AESe-4WS). Post-trial questionnaires showed increased perceived sportiness but no differences in perceived danger for the three MTM conditions compared to Baseline. Furthermore, compared to Baseline, MTM led to higher vehicle accelerations and, with a smaller effect size, a higher time-percentage of driving above the 110 km/h speed limit, but not higher cornering speeds. The AESe condition did not significantly affect perceived sportiness, perceived danger, and driving speed compared to Baseline. These findings suggest that behavioral adaptation is a functional and opportunistic phenomenon rather than mediated by perceived sportiness or perceived danger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression affects millions worldwide, thus underscoring the urgent need to optimize health care practices. To better understand the processes involved in psychotherapy gains, studies have emphasized the need to complement subjective reports with objective measures, in particular biological markers. Oxytocin (OT) has been proposed as a potential biomarker in the treatment of depression given its involvement in depression-related psychological and physiological functions and the formation of close relationships. Here, we assessed whether OT reactivity to therapeutic encounters (absolute and/or directional reactivity) is linked to improvements in depressive symptoms from session to session during psychotherapy. A total of 284 saliva samples were collected from30 adult clients who underwent 16 sessions of manualized psychodynamic psychotherapy for depression in a university setting. Salivary OT was measured before and after five preselected sessions distributed evenly throughout the therapy. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) was administered at the beginning of each session. Multilevel growth models indicated that clients exhibiting greater absolute OT reactivity showed greater improvement in depressive symptoms throughout treatment. Directional reactivity was not associated with depressive symptom change. In addition, clients with higher baseline OT levels displayed less change in depressive symptoms. These findings highlight reactivity of the OT system, in either direction, as an important feature of the treatment response. Consistent with recent models of the neurobiology of resilience, OT reactivity appears to serve as an important biomarker of psychotherapy gain in the treatment of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new nano-structured platform for fluorescent analysis using PQQ-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (PQQ-GDH) was developed, particularly using a smartphone for transduction and quantification of optical signals. The PQQ-GDH enzyme was immobilized on SiO2 nanoparticles deposited on glass microfiber filter paper, providing a high load of the biocatalytic enzyme. The platform was tested and optimized for glucose determination using a wild type of the PQQ-GDH enzyme. The analysis was based on the fluorescence generated by the reduced form of phenazine methosulfate produced stoichiometrically to the glucose concentration. The fluorescent signals were generated at separate analytical spots on the paper support under wavelength (365 nm) UV excitation. The images of the analytical spots, dependent on the glucose concentration, were obtained using a photo camera of a standard smartphone. Then, the images were processed and quantified using software installed in a smartphone. The developed biocatalytic platform is the first step to assembling a large variety of biosensors using the same platform functionalized with artificial allosteric chimeric PQQ-dependent glucose dehydrogenase activated with different analytes. The future combination of the artificial enzymes, the presently developed analytical platform, and signal processing with a smartphone will lead to novel point-of-care and end-user biosensors applicable to virtually all possible analytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the renewed interest in lunar surface exploration, the European Space Agency envisions to stimulate the creation of lunar communications and navigation services (LCNS) to enable, among others, autonomous navigation capabilities for lunar rovers. As the number of satellites foreseen in such a service is much smaller compared to Earth-based global navigation satellite systems, different complementary technologies are pursued to improve the attainable navigation accuracy for lunar rovers. One way to improve the position accuracy provided by the LCNS satellites is to constrain their vertical position using a high resolution digital elevation model (DEM). This article presents the results of a variance covariance analysis of an extended Kalman filter implementation in which the LCNS ranging measurements are used together with the altitude provided by a DEM from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter instrument of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Assuming a realistic orbit determination and time synchronization accuracy of the LCNS satellites, the usage of a navigation-grade inertial measurement unit and an oven-controlled crystal oscillator, a 3-sigma position accuracy of less than 10 m can be obtained. Furthermore, the availability is substantially improved as the DEM-aided solution enables a position solution in case of only 3 visible satellites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Standard MOST is not valid inside the roughness sublayer (RSL). • Multiple (simple and complex) methods exist to extend MOST to account for the RSL. • An observational based and a physically based method were compared and evaluated. • Both methods represent the flux well but have different practical usability. • Both methods allow analysis of spatial and seasonal patterns in canopy turbulence. Over tall canopies such as forests the atmospheric surface layer is subdivided into an inertial sublayer (ISL) and a roughness sublayer (RSL). Inside the RSL the classic aerodynamic gradient method using Monin-Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) by itself does not represent the gradient well and is insufficient to calculate fluxes. Over the past decades multiple studies have proposed methods to extend MOST to account for the different turbulent conditions within the RSL, containing a wide range of approaches and complexity. In this study we investigate how much complexity is necessary to calculate the flux more accurately and what we can learn from the respective complexity. A large dataset is required to assess the statistical robustness of the respective complexity during different environmental conditions. To this end, we study and apply the effect of forest roughness and directional heterogeneity in our flux calculations on a two-year dataset (2009-2010) of the sensible heat flux measured over a Douglas fir forest in the Netherlands. We apply standard MOST, an observational based method (the α -factor) and a physically based method (Harman and Finnigan, 2007 , 2008) (hereafter HF07/08) together with a range of methods for the displacement height (d). Our results show that both a simple method (the α -factor) and a complex method (HF07/08) are able to more accurately represent the flux but that, as expected, standard MOST (regardless of the method estimating d) alone is insufficient. Both the α -factor and (HF07/08) allow to analyze large scale patterns in canopy turbulence. Differences between the methods lie in the level of detail and practical usability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A watermarking algorithm is based on a ratio of DCT coefficient sums. • Sum ratio is adjusted using an optimal vector of changes. • Gradient-based optimizer is used for image watermarking for the first time. • An objective function combines a PSNR metric and a sum ratio. Social networks and various websites provide a lot of tools for publishing and sharing digital images. However, publishing digital content online makes it vulnerable to illegal copying and distribution. An effective method for protecting images is watermarking technology, which embeds a logo or some kind of identifier into an image in an invisible way. If necessary, a watermark can be extracted from an image and used to prove authorship and ownership. A major challenge in designing image watermarking schemes is balancing embedding imperceptibility and resistance to various attacks. In this study, we propose a new robust and blind image watermarking algorithm that set a specific ratio of sum of discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficient absolute values for each image block. We provide a balance between imperceptibility and robustness using a modern metaheuristic optimization algorithm called gradient-based optimizer, which finds the best vector of changes for mid-frequency DCT coefficients. An objective function of optimization algorithm is designed in such a way as to control the ratio of the sums of DCT coefficients absolute values to increase robustness and reduce a distortion level of an image block during embedding. Experimental results and comparison with some other image watermarking schemes demonstrate the high efficiency of the proposed algorithm in terms of imperceptibility and resistance to typical image processing attacks, such as changing brightness and contrast, sharpening, cropping, and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the proportion of patients admitted to the hospital for back pain who have nonserious back pain, serious spinal, or serious other pathology as their final diagnosis. The proportion of nonserious back pain admissions will be used to plan for future 'virtual hospital' admissions. Electronic medical record data between January 2016 and September 2020 from three emergency departments (ED) in Sydney, Australia were used to identify inpatient admissions. SNOMED-CT-AU diagnostic codes were used to select ED patients aged 18 and older with an admitting diagnosis related to nonserious back pain. The inpatient discharge diagnosis was determined from the primary ICD-10-AM codes by two independent clinician-researchers. Inpatient admissions were then analysed by sociodemographic and hospital admission variables. A total of 38.1% of patients admitted with a provisional diagnosis of nonserious back pain were subsequently diagnosed with a specific pathology likely unsuitable for virtual care; 14.2% with a serious spinal pathology (e.g., fracture and infection) and 23.9% a serious pathology beyond the lumbar spine (e.g., pathological fracture and neoplasm). A total of 57% of admissions were identified as nonserious back pain, likely suitable for virtual care. A challenge for implementing virtual care in this setting is screening for patients with serious pathology. Protocols need to be developed to reduce the risk of patients being admitted to virtual hospitals with serious pathology as the cause of their back pain. Key Points • Among admitted patients provisionally diagnosed in ED with non-serious back pain, 38.1% were found to have 'serious spinal pathologies' or 'serious pathologies beyond the lumbar spine' at discharge. • Spinal fractures were the most common serious spinal pathology, accounting for 9% of all provisional 'non-serious back pain' admissions from ED. • 57% of back pain admissions were confirmed to be non-serious back pain and may be suitable to virtual hospital care; the challenge is discriminating these patients from those with serious pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early experiences and childhood perceptions of interparental conflict (IPC) have consistently been shown to have detrimental consequences for future psychological adjustment, in particular for attachment and couple relationships during adolescence and adulthood. We hypothesized that 1. IPC would predict anxious and avoidant attachment styles, and three relational attitudes associated with couple relationships: sense of relational entitlement, pathological concern, and authenticity; and 2. Attachment style would mediate the associations between IPC and these three relational attitudes. Measures of perceived IPC, attachment orientations, relational entitlement, pathological concern, and authenticity in romantic relationships were completed online by 280 young adults aged 19–32. IPC was positively correlated with anxious and avoidant attachment styles, restricted and inflated sense of entitlement, and pathological concern and negatively with authenticity. A structural equations model showed that IPC predicted avoidant and anxious attachment styles, which positively predicted an inflated and restricted sense of relational entitlement and pathological concern and negatively predicted authenticity. Attachment styles fully mediated the relationships between IPC and the relational attitudes. IPC therefore seems to be related to imbalanced attitudes in romantic relationships, due in part to a propensity toward insecure attachment orientations. Children with insecure attachment who are exposed to significant levels of IPC may be at high risk for relationship problems later in life because of difficulties exposing their vulnerability, assessing need fulfillment realistically, and caring for themselves as well as others. They should therefore be helped to communicate their relational needs to significant others, in particular to their partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disordered eating has been found to be associated with constructs involving self-repression, such as selflessness (the tendency to relinquish one's needs for others'), and concern for appropriateness (an alertness to information about social comparison and tendency to vary one's behavior in different social situations). This study aimed to examine associations between these self-repression variables and symptoms of general psychopathology for women and men in a community sample. Methods: Two hundred and thirty-six participants (92 men) aged 18–76 (M = 29.11 ± 10.10) volunteered to complete online measures of disordered eating, concern for appropriateness (cross-situational variability and attention to social comparison information), selflessness, and symptoms of depression, anxiety and somatization. Structural equation models were built to assess pathways between the study variables for men and women separately. Results: A MANOVA 2*7 design showed that women scored significantly higher than men on measures of selflessness, disordered eating and depression. For men, selflessness scores were positively and significantly associated only with depression scores. Cross-situational variability scores were positively associated with depression, somatization and anxiety scores. For women, selflessness scores were positively and significantly associated with depression, disordered eating, somatization and anxiety scores. Cross-situational variability scores were positively and significantly associated with depression, anxiety and somatization scores but not with disordered eating scores. Attention to Social Comparison Information scores were positively and significantly associated only with disordered eating scores. Conclusions: Self-repression is more closely linked to psychopathology in women than in men. For men, self-suppression seems to be associated with symptoms of internalizing disorders, but not disordered eating. Even for women, it appears that self-repression is not connected exclusively with disordered eating, but with symptoms of psychopathology in general. Future research should explore why self-suppression plays such a central role in women's psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a straightforward method to obtain a polynomial whose zeros are integer powers of the zeros of a given polynomial. The method uses linear algebra concepts, namely, companion matrices of both scalar and matrix polynomials, and is illustrated by applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our patient, the catheter had already been repositioned successfully when a diagnosis of proximal ureter laceration was made on CT. The catheter was removed and a new Foley catheter was placed. If symptoms of flank pain, unproductive catheter and urgency for micturition occur, incorrect positioning of the catheter should be considered. [Extracted from the article]

Modern computerized vehicles offer the possibility of changing vehicle parameters with the aim of creating a novel driving experience, such as an increased feeling of sportiness. For example, electric vehicles can be designed to provide an artificial sound, and the throttle mapping can be adjusted to give drivers the illusion that they are driving a sports vehicle (i.e., without altering the vehicle's performance envelope). However, a fundamental safety-related question is how drivers perceive and respond to vehicle parameter adjustments. As of today, human-subject research on throttle mapping is unavailable, whereas research on sound enhancement is mostly conducted in listening rooms, which provides no insight into how drivers respond to the auditory cues. This study investigated how perceived sportiness and driving behavior are affected by adjustments in vehicle sound and throttle mapping. Through a within-subject simulator-based experiment, we investigated (1) Modified Throttle Mapping (MTM), (2) Artificial Engine Sound (AES) via a virtually elevated rpm, and (3) MTM and AES combined, relative to (4) a Baseline condition and (5) a Sports car that offered increased engine power. Results showed that, compared to Baseline, AES and MTM-AES increased perceived sportiness and yielded a lower speed variability in curves. Furthermore, MTM and MTM-AES caused higher vehicle acceleration than Baseline during the first second of driving away from a standstill. Mean speed and comfort ratings were unaffected by MTM and AES. The highest sportiness ratings and fastest driving speeds were obtained for the Sports car. In conclusion, the sound enhancement not only increased the perception of sportiness but also improved drivers' speed control performance, suggesting that sound is used by drivers as functional feedback. The fact that MTM did not affect the mean driving speed indicates that drivers adapted their "gain" to the new throttle mapping and were not susceptible to risk compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insecure attachment orientations are disproportionately frequent in child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors and have been found to mediate some of the effects of CSA on adult interpersonal and romantic difficulties, including sexual revictimization (SR). A sense of relational entitlement (SRE) has received growing attention in psychological discourse and research in recent years. It reflects both adaptive (assertive) and pathological (restricted or inflated) attitudes to the assertion of needs and rights and has not been studied in adult CSA survivors. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between CSA, attachment orientations, SR, and SRE. Sixty-seven Israeli women aged 25 ± 3.95 years (30 adult CSA survivors and 37 healthy female controls with no history of CSA) completed a demographic questionnaire and self-reported measures of adult attachment orientations, sense of entitlement in romantic relationships, and adult SR. CSA survivors reported greater attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance, more restricted SRE, and higher revictimization rates than control women. No difference was found between the groups in inflated SRE. In the CSA but not the control group, anxious and avoidant attachment orientations were significantly and negatively associated with assertive SRE. Insecure (anxious and avoidant) attachment fully mediated the association between CSA and restricted SRE. Our findings suggest that the interplay between insecure attachment and CSA is related to a sense of impaired assertive entitlement and elevated restricted entitlement in adult CSA survivors. This entitlement pattern can be destructive to survivors' romantic relationships and should be addressed in therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is demonstrated both algebraically and geometrically that the zeros of a polynomial with nonnegative coefficients cannot lie in a sector around the positive real axis. An example shows how the restriction of nonnegativity may sometimes be circumvented. An extensive generalization of the ideas in this note can be found in Melman, Aaron (2021). Zero exclusion sectors for some polynomials with structured coefficients. Amer. Math. Monthly 128: 322–336. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Eating Disorders Examination–Questionnaire (EDE-Q) is widely used but time-consuming to complete. In recent years, the advantages and disadvantages of several brief versions have therefore been investigated. A seven-item scale (EDE-Q-7) has excellent psychometric properties but excludes items on bingeing and purging. This study aimed to evaluate a thirteen-item scale (EDE-Q-13) including items on bingeing and purging. Method: Participants were 1160 (188 [11.4%] males) community volunteers of mean age 28.79 ± 9.92. They completed the full EDE-Q in Hebrew, as well as measures of positive body experience, social and emotional connection, life satisfaction, positive and negative affect and positive eating. The six EDE-Q items about bingeing and purging, recoded to correspond to the response categories of the other EDE-Q questions, were added to the EDE-Q-7, resulting in the EDE-Q-13. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the hypothesized EDE-Q-13 structure, including the bingeing and purging subscales. Strong positive correlations were found between the EDE-Q-13 and the original EDE-Q scores. The EDE-Q-13 showed convergent validity with related measures. Conclusions: The EDE-Q-13 in Hebrew is a brief version of the EDE-Q that includes bingeing and purging subscales and has satisfactory psychometric properties. Its use in clinical and research contexts is encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polynomial with nonnegative coefficients does not have zeros in a sector around the positive real axis. It is shown that other polynomials with different sign restrictions on their coefficients satisfy similar properties, which is then applied to derive conditions that widen the angle of the zero exclusion sector for polynomials with positive coefficients. A geometric approach is used for all results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several modern vehicles provide the option to select a driving mode. However, the literature contains no empirical studies that investigate how driving modes affect the vehicle's dynamic behaviour in regular on-road driving. We examined for which CAN-bus signals the differences between Renault's Multi-Sense® comfort and sport modes are most apparent. We gathered data on a 26.3 km route containing a rural and highway section. A single person drove the route four times in comfort mode and four times in sport mode. By statistically analysing and ordering 887 CAN-bus signals, we found strong differences between the two modes for rear-wheel angle, engine torque, longitudinal acceleration, and vertical motion. Parameter identification of a quarter car model identified a 3.5 times higher damping coefficient for the sport mode compared to the comfort mode. Due to four wheel steering, compared to the comfort mode, the sport mode yielded a higher lateral acceleration and yaw rate for a given steering wheel angle and driving speed. In conclusion, this study provides quantitative insight into the extent to which the Multi-Sense driving modes impact the vehicle's lateral, longitudinal, and vertical dynamic behaviour. The results and the analysis methods help guide future driving mode designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive a new family of polynomial multipliers that improve the Pellet radii of matrix polynomials, which determine an annulus in the complex plane devoid of eigenvalues, and that generalize and improve previously obtained results, while relaxing the conditions under which these hold. As a special limit case we also obtain an improvement of the Cauchy radius, which is an upper bound on the moduli of the eigenvalues. Results for the special case of scalar polynomials are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Language is a barrier to implementing research evidence into practice. • Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) content is available in 13 languages. • English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, and French PEDro content is used the most. • Region-specific promotion of the underused PEDro content may facilitate global usage. • Awareness and collaboration between stakeholders could reduce the language barrier. Language is a barrier to implementing research evidence into practice. Whilst the majority of the world's population speak languages other than English, English has become the dominant language of publication for research in healthcare. The aim of this study was to quantify the usage of the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) web-site (www.pedro.org.au) and training videos by language, including the use of online translation, and to calculate relative usage of the different sections of the web-site. Google Analytics was used to track usage of the PEDro web-site for July 2017 to June 2018. The number of views of each of the PEDro training videos was downloaded from YouTube for January 2015 to August 2018. The pageviews and videos were categorized by language and, for pageviews, web-site section. 2,828,422 pageviews were included in the analyses. The English-language sections had the largest number of pageviews (58.61%), followed by Portuguese (15.57%), and Spanish (12.02%). Users applied online translation tools to translate selected content of the PEDro web-site into 41 languages. The PEDro training videos had been viewed 78,150 times. The three most commonly viewed languages were English (58.80%), Portuguese (19.83%), and Spanish (6.13%). There was substantial use of some of the translated versions of the resources offered by PEDro. Future efforts could focus on region-specific promotion of the language resources that are underutilized in PEDro. The developers of PEDro and PEDro users can work collaboratively to facilitate uptake and translate resources into languages other than English to reduce the language barrier in using research to guide practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prove that the determinant of a matrix polynomial with Hermitian positive definite (semidefinite) coefficients is a polynomial with positive (nonnegative) coefficients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An original classification of attacks on robust watermarks is proposed. • A review of watermarking schemes designed to counter targeted attacks is presented. • The main methods of countering targeted attacks are noted. • Promising research directions are discussed. Image watermarking is an effective and promising technology. Robust watermarks that are resistant to various attacks allow authors and owners of digital images to protect their rights to digital content, control its distribution and confirm its authenticity. Most of the modern algorithms for robust image watermarking aim to achieve resistance to a large number of different attacks. However, some authors develop algorithms designed to counter targeted attacks. The study of such schemes allows developers of watermarking algorithms to evaluate special means of counteracting various attacks, and then use them to create new robust schemes, both targeted and universal ones. In this paper, we present an overview of robust image watermarking schemes in terms of countering targeted attacks. We review the state-of-the-art in the field of attacking robust watermarks and propose a four-level classification of attacks that includes different levels of attack implementation, including an attacker's intent, characteristics of actions, the main target and an attack type. The proposed classification considers a watermark as an object of attack and summarizes various characteristics of attacks in a hierarchical manner. We analyze the means of countering common attacks such as image processing attacks, geometric attacks, print-scan and screen capture attacks, collusion attacks, and ambiguity attacks. Based on the results of our review, we highlight the most common methods of countering attacks and formulate promising areas of research in the field of methods for improving security of embedding schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demonstrates a sociolinguistic phenomenon known as code-switching in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Purpose of selective use of code-switching; Implication on the relationship between Julius Caesar and Brutus; Framework of the phenomenon.

Little is known scientifically about eating disorders (EDs) in the Haredi (Jewish ultra-Orthodox) community. This paper aims to describe Haredi culture, review available peer-reviewed research on EDs in the Haredi community and discuss possible risk and protective factors for these disorders in a culturally informed way. A literature search for 2009–2019 yielded 180 references of which only nine were studies on ED in the Haredi community. We describe these and use them as a basis for discussion of possible risk and protective factors for ED in Haredi women. Risk factors may include the centrality of food, poverty, rigid dress codes, the importance of thinness for dating and marriage, high demands from women, selflessness and early marriage and high expectations from women. Protective factors may include faith, Jewish laws governing eating and food that encourage gratitude and mindful eating, and body covering as part of modesty laws that discourage objectification. Ways of overcoming the current barriers to research in the Haredi community should be sought to advance ED prevention and treatment in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tillage and stover harvest are common management practices in maize-based cropping systems around the globe. However, frequent soil disturbance and biomass export are likely to have negative long-term impacts on soil biological activity and a range of associated soil properties, and thus, there is great concern surrounding the sustainability of these practices. To address this issue, we examined soil macrofauna communities and a suite of soil chemical and physical properties in a recently established experiment (2.5 yrs. old) in Akron, Colorado. No-tillage and residue retention practices were included in a full factorial randomized block design with the following treatments: no-till + residue retention (NT/R); no-till + residue harvest (NT/RH); conventional tillage + residue retention (CT/R); and conventional tillage + residue harvest (CT/RH). In year three of the experiment, soil health parameters were assessed including: soil macrofauna diversity and abundance, aggregate stability, potential infiltration, and chemical fertility measures. The combined practice of residue retention with no-tillage (NT/R) resulted in greater macrofauna abundance, including a five-fold increase in earthworm abundance and biomass. Greater earthworm populations were associated with an increase in aggregate stability and a trend towards greater water infiltration under NT/R. While univariate tests did not reveal significant treatment differences in arthropod taxa, multivariate analyses indicated clear treatment effects on macrofauna communities, with tillage generally separating communities more than residue management. Soil chemical parameters indicated relatively less dramatic differences between treatments, but with some notable impacts of both residue retention and tillage on soil C and N dynamics. Findings from our study, among the first to examine whole soil macrofauna communities in the semi-arid Great Plains, suggest that no-till and residue retention practices offer promise for improving soil biological activity and soil structural properties of soil, especially when these two practices are employed in combination. • We assessed impacts of no-till and residue retention on soil properties after 2.5 years. • The combination of no-till and residue retention led to a 5-fold increase in earthworm abundance. • Tillage influenced soil macrofauna community composition more than residue management. • Earthworm biomass was positively correlated with aggregate stability. • Both tillage and residue management increased soil C and N pools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This work investigates how a known eigenpair can be used to improve standard eigenvalue inclusion sets for the remaining eigenvalues, and shows the relation of this process to eigenvalue deflation techniques. The results are applied to nonnegative and real symmetric matrices and illustrated by numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show how -ifications, namely, lower order matrix polynomials with the same eigenvalues as a given complex square matrix polynomial, can be used in combination with other recent results, namely, a generalization to matrix polynomials of the Cauchy radius and its enhancement, to produce eigenvalue bounds. In addition, we present a simplified derivation of -ifications for square matrices. We found that reasonably good bounds can be obtained by working with any companion matrix polynomial, and that these bounds were less computationally demanding for higher degree companion matrix polynomials than for such polynomials of degree one (linearizations). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We extend and improve a theorem by T. Hayashi, which establishes an annulus in the complex plane that does not contain any non-real zeros of a polynomial for polynomials belonging to a certain class. In addition, we extend a special case of this theorem that was also considered by A. Hurwitz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the multiple visual presences of antiquity in the first half of the twentieth century and connects visual histories to the history of empires. It shows how archaeology mediated between the newly discovered material civilizations of the ancient Mesopotamian empires and experiences of modernity in the British Empire, the world's largest modern empire. The article demonstrates how the materiality of antiquity enabled its visualization in a variety of forms, from illustrations through black-and-white and color photography to aerial photography, and in threedimensional reconstructions in museums. The article focuses on the spectacular archaeological discoveries at Ur, Tell Al-Muqayyar, in Southern Iraq, which exposed to mass audiences the unknown Sumerian culture. Ur was represented and constructed as the place of origin of monotheism, a site of a rich material culture, and, at the same time, as barbarous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]