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This article delves into populist communication based on the analysis that Vox's -- a radical right political party -- uses the press in its official X (Twitter) account. This is an exploratory work on how this political party uses the press to develop its postulates, based on quantitative content analysis. We analyzed messages that include material identified as proceeding from journalistic media and do not refer exclusively to the actions or members of the party itself. The corpus (n = 100) brought together all entries published between June 11th and July 22, 2022, with these characteristics. Based on Patrick Charaudeau (2021), we studied interpretive frameworks and intertextuality. Results: (a) a high presence of the press identified with a similar ideology; (b) extensive domain of interpretive frameworks that point out conflicts; and (c) tendency to grant the press to reinforce the desired interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses a series of articles published in Portuguese and Indian newspapers concerning the business trips of Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa to India in January 2017 and December 2019. It aims to scrutinise how, on the one hand, India and his Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, are presented in the Portuguese press and, on the other, how Portugal and António Costa are portrayed in the Indian press. What are the media frameworks and the language used by political actors and journalists during these trips? What are the affinities and the contrasts in the texts which circulate in the printed press in the colonial and in post-colonial periods? Does the coverage in the Portuguese and Indian presses at the beginning of the 21st century give us any indication of some post-colonial resentment in the current relations between India and Portugal? Or are commercial and technological interests overshadowing this past of Portuguese imperial rule in the Indian subcontinent? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse events suffer from poor reporting within randomised controlled trials, despite them being crucial to the evaluation of a treatment. A recent update to the CONSORT harms checklist aims to improve reporting by providing structure and consistency to the information presented. We propose an extension wherein harms would be reported in conjunction with effectiveness outcome(s) rather than in silo to provide a more complete picture of the evidence acquired within a trial. Benefit-risk methods are designed to simultaneously consider both benefits and risks, and therefore, we believe these methods could be implemented to improve the prominence of adverse events when reporting trials. The aim of this article is to use case studies to demonstrate the practical utility of benefit-risk methods to present adverse events results alongside effectiveness results. Two randomised controlled trials have been selected as case studies, the Option-DM trial and the SANAD II trial. Using a previous review, a shortlist of 17 benefit-risk methods which could potentially be used for reporting RCTs was created. From this shortlist, three benefit-risk methods are applied across the two case studies. We selected these methods for their usefulness to achieve the aim of this paper and which are commonly used in the literature. The methods selected were the Benefit-Risk Action Team (BRAT) Framework, net clinical benefit (NCB), and the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) 3 × 3 table. Results using the benefit-risk method added further context and detail to the clinical summaries made from the trials. In the case of the SANAD II trial, the clinicians concluded that despite the primary outcome being improved by the treatment, the increase in adverse events negated the improvement and the treatment was therefore not recommended. The benefit-risk methods applied to this case study outlined the data that this decision was based on in a clear and transparent way. Using benefit-risk methods to report the results of trials can increase the prominence of adverse event results by presenting them alongside the primary efficacy/effectiveness outcomes. This ensures that all the factors which would be used to determine whether a treatment would be recommended are transparent to the reader. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ichnos has developed a multi-specific antibody platform based on the BEAT® (Bispecific engagement by antibodies based on the T-cell receptor) interface. The increased complexity of the bi- and multi-specific formats generated with this platform makes these molecules difficult-to-express proteins compared to standard monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). This report describes how expression limitations of a bi-specific bi-paratopic BEAT antibody were improved in a holistic approach. An initial investigation allowed identification of a misbalance in the subunits composing the BEAT antibody as the potential root cause. This misbalance was then addressed by a signal peptide optimization, and the overall expression level was increased by the combination of two vector design elements on a single gene vector. Further improvements were made in the selection of cell populations and an upstream (USP) platform process was applied in combination with a cell culture temperature shift. This allowed titer levels of up to 6 g/L to be reached with these difficult-to-express proteins. Furthermore, a high-density seeding process was developed that allowed titers of around 11 g/L for the BEAT antibody, increasing the initial titer by a factor of 10. The approach was successfully applied to a tri-specific antibody with titer levels reaching 10 g/L. In summary, a platform process for difficult-to-express proteins was developed using molecular biology tools, cell line development, upstream process optimization and process intensification. • Holistic development overcoming expression limits in bi-/multispecific antibodies via mol. bio., cell line dev, process opt. • Molecular constructs in article enable very high expression levels, particularly beneficial for challenging proteins. • Report of a process allowing titers > 10 g/L (product) for bi- and multi-specific antibody formats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical trials investigating acetabular fractures are heterogeneous in their investigated outcomes and their corresponding measurements. Standardization may facilitate comparability and pooling of research results, which would lead to an increase in knowledge about the optimal treatment of acetabular fractures, resulting in long-term evidence-based treatment decisions and improvements in patient care. The aim of this systematic review is to identify the reported outcomes and their measurements from studies on treatments for acetabular fractures to develop a core outcome set which contains the most relevant outcome measures to be included in future studies. Methods: Studies published in English and German including patients aged 16 years and older, with a surgically treated acetabular fracture, will be included. Studies with nonsurgical treatment, pathologic fractures, polytraumatized patients, and patients younger than 16 years of age will be excluded because other outcomes may be of interest in these cases. Any prospective and retrospective study will be included. Systematic reviews will be excluded, but their included studies will be screened for eligibility. The literature will be searched on MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and WHO ICTRP. Risk of selective reporting of outcomes will be assessed using the Outcome Reporting Bias in Trials classification system. Heterogeneously defined outcomes that measure the same outcome will be grouped and subsequently categorized into outcome domains using the taxonomy of the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials Initiative. Discussion: It is expected that a high number of studies will be included, and many outcomes will be identified using different definitions and measurement instruments. A limitation of this systematic review is that only previously investigated outcomes will be detected, thus disregarding potentially relevant outcomes. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42022357644 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The China Railway Express stands as a crucial facilitator of trade across the land routes of Eurasian countries. During its initial developmental phase, the China Railway Express heavily relied on subsidies to establish a market presence. This dependency hindered its independence and sustainability. Hence, there exists a paramount need to regulate the subsidy market and institute more rational operation strategies. This study focuses on the dynamics of the subsidies and operations in the market for the China Railway Express under different types of development models. It uses evolutionary game theory and the Activity-Based Costing (ABC) method to describe the dynamic evolution of four cases between local governments and operating-platform enterprises. Four corresponding lines were selected as instances: from Xiamen, Wuxi, Changsha, and Zhengzhou to Malaszewicze, Poland. The findings conclude that the optimal conditions for the development of the China Railway Express market exist when operating-platform enterprises possess higher assets and the local government's supervision and punishment of the market are relatively weaker. This study offers valuable insights for guiding subsidy and operational decision-making processes for the China Railway Express. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses the problem of imaginative resistance in science, that is, why and under what circumstances imagination sometimes resists certain scenarios. In the first part, the paper presents and discusses two accounts concerning the problem and relevant for the main thesis of this study. The first position is that of Gendler (Journal of Philosophy 97:55–81, 2000), (Gendler, in: Nichols (ed) The Architecture of the Imagination: New essays on pretence, possibility and fiction, Oxford University Press, New York, 2006a), (Gendler & Liao, in: Gibson, Carroll (eds) The routledge companion to philosophy of literature, Routledge, New York, 2016), according to which imaginative resistance mainly concerns evaluative scenarios, presenting deviant moral attitudes. The second account examined is that of Kim et al. (in: Cova, Réhault (eds) Advances in experimental philosophy of aesthetics, Bloomsbury, London, 2018), who insisted on the link between imaginative resistance on the one hand and counterfactual and counterdescriptive scenarios on the other. In the light of both theories, this paper discusses the importance of addressing the problem of imaginative resistance in the scientific enterprise in the light of some mechanisms of embodied simulation, based on the activity of mirror neurons and investigated within the framework of the Embodied Simulation Theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, disruptive media events, such as major terrorist attacks, have gained increasing relevance in news coverage around the world. Despite the growing importance of such globally broadcast media events, little research to date has examined cross-national variation in event coverage or the predictors of this variation. This study examines news coverage about the 9/11 terror attacks in the United States across 51 countries to analyze whether the topical focus and emotional tone of news coverage about the attacks varied according to a country's proximity to the United States and the dominant role perceptions of its journalistic culture. We show that these macro-level predictors are associated in varying degrees with the country-level topical focus and emotional tone of reporting over the 30 days following this salient event. Moreover, our analysis also suggests that temporal developments may have uniformly structured much of this worldwide coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The airport line plays an important role in the airport landside traffic connection, which greatly relieves the urban road pressure. Studying the characteristics and laws of the time and space distribution of the airport line passenger flow will provide basic support for the airport line's capacity configuration, passenger flow control, and air‐track coordinated operation, and will also provide quantitative basis for the layout of urban terminal buildings. This paper proposes a method to analyse the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of airport line passenger flow based on AFC card swiping data. By mining and extracting the travel behaviour data of subway airport line air passengers, the distribution characteristics of airport line passenger flow are analysed and visualized from two aspects of passenger travel time and space. Finally, a case study is carried out based on the actual data of Daxing airport express. The results show that: (1) the travel time of departure and return passengers is concentrated in 60–90 min; (2) The departure and arrival points of passengers are concentrated within the Fourth Ring Road, and a large number of air passenger flows are gathered and evacuated at hubs such as Beijing South Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the improvements in the completeness of reporting of randomized trial protocols after the publication of the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trial (SPIRIT) guidelines, many items remain poorly reported. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of using SPIRIT-tailored templates for trial protocols to improve the completeness of reporting of the protocols that master's students write as part of their master's theses. Methods: Before and after experimental study performed at the University Master's Degree in Orthopaedic Manual Physiotherapy of the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain). While students in the post-intervention period were instructed to use a trial protocol template that was tailored to SPIRIT, students in the pre-intervention period did not use the template. Primary outcome: Difference between the pre- and post-intervention periods in the mean number of adequately reported items (0–10 scale). The outcomes were evaluated independently and in duplicate by two blinded assessors. Students and their supervisors were not aware that they were part of a research project. For the statistical analysis, we used a generalized linear regression model (dependent variable: number of adequately reported items in the protocol; independent variables: intervention period, call, language). Results: Thirty-four trial protocols were included (17, pre-intervention; 17, post-intervention). Protocols produced during the post-intervention period (mean: 8.24; SD: 1.52) were more completely reported than those produced during the pre-intervention period (mean: 6.35; SD: 1.80); adjusted difference: 1.79 (95% CI: 0.58 to 3.00). Conclusions: SPIRIT-based templates could be used to improve the completeness of reporting of randomized trial protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the mediation role of muscle quantity in the relationship between physical fitness and cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) in adolescents. This cross-sectional study conducted with 120 adolescents of both sexes, aged between 10 and 17 years. Body mass, height, fat mass (FM), lean mass, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and 1 repetition maximum strength (1-RM) with evaluation of the leg press 45° (RM-leg), bench press (RM-bench) and arm curl (RM-arm). Body mass index z-score, appendicular skeletal muscle mass, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index, lean mass index (LMI), muscle-to-fat ratio (MFR), age at peak height velocity, and CMRF z-score were calculated. The direct relation between FM and CMRF was mediated by the LMI (26%) and inverse relation between CRF and CMRF was mediated by the LMI (26%). For girls, the direct relation between FM and CMRF was mediated by the LMI (32%); the inverse relation between CRF, RM-leg, RM-arm and CMRF was mediated by the LMI (32%, 33%, and 32%, respective). For boys, the indirect effect was not significant, indicating that LMI is not a mediator in the relation between FM, CRF, 1-RM with CMRF. The direct relation between RM-leg and CMRF was mediated by the MRF (16%). This finding evidenced the importance of promoting a healthy lifestyle to improve physical fitness levels and the quantity of muscle mass in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of quantum processing units (QPUs) in a heterogeneous high-performance computing environment requires solutions that facilitate hybrid classical–quantum programming. Standards such as OpenCL facilitate the programming of heterogeneous environments, consisting of CPUs and hardware accelerators. This study presents an innovative method that incorporates QPU functionality into OpenCL, standardizing quantum processes within classical environments. By leveraging QPUs within OpenCL, hybrid quantum–classical computations can be sped up, impacting domains like cryptography, optimization problems, and quantum chemistry simulations. Using Portable Computing Language (Jääskeläinen et al. in Int J Parallel Program 43(5):752–785, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10766-014-0320-y) and the Qulacs library (Suzuki et al. in Quantum 5:559, 2021. https://doi.org/10.22331/q-2021-10-06-559), results demonstrate, for instance, the successful execution of Shor's algorithm (Nielsen and Chuang in Quantum computation and quantum information, 10th anniversary edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2010), serving as a proof of concept for extending the approach to larger qubit systems and other hybrid quantum–classical algorithms. This integration approach bridges the gap between quantum and classical computing paradigms, paving the way for further optimization and application to a wide range of computational problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2021, a new surge in discrete aurora detections at Mars has been observed by the Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) onboard the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) Hope Orbiter as EMUS started to regularly obtain synoptic auroral images with a high sensitivity. Here we report on a fortuitous conjunction between EMM and Mars Express (MEX) using far ultraviolet (FUV) imaging of discrete aurora by EMM EMUS, in situ measurements of suprathermal electrons by the MEX Analyzer of Space Plasma and Energetic Atoms Electron Spectrometer (ELS), and topside radar sounding of the nightside ionosphere by the MEX Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS). In this event, EMM EMUS imaged a clear discrete aurora signature around moderately strong crustal magnetic fields on the nightside near the dusk terminator, 11 min before which MEX MARSIS measured a prominent local enhancement of the peak electron density in the nightside ionosphere and MEX ELS observed an in situ enhancement of suprathermal electrons at the corresponding location. A remarkable geographic agreement is found between the enhancements of the aurora, ionosphere, and suprathermal electrons, suggesting that the enhanced ionization and auroral emission are caused concurrently by precipitating suprathermal electrons. Subsequent images indicate that the discrete aurora slightly changed its shape in 15 min and mostly disappeared in a few hours. The MEX MARSIS measurements of the auroral ionosphere display overlapping ionospheric and surface echoes indicative of horizontal gradients of the peak electron density. Analysis of the overlapping echoes implies that the auroral ionosphere and electron precipitation could be highly structured with horizontal spatial scales on the order of several tens of km. MEX MARSIS also observed a non-auroral ionospheric enhancement with a wider spatial extent than the local auroral enhancement, suggesting alternative sources of the enhanced nightside ionosphere such as plasma transport. The comparison between the ionospheric structures measured by MEX MARSIS, suprathermal electron flux measured by MEX ELS, and discrete auroral emission imaged by EMM EMUS underscores the complexity of the auroral and non-auroral nightside ionospheres. This motivates further investigations of their sources, transport, and connections to the magnetotail dynamics of Mars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the development of implant-supported prostheses, there are still patients for whom conservative treatments such as resin-bonded fixed dental prostheses (RBFDPs) are more appropriate. This study's objective was to analyze the available research on full-ceramic RBFDPs. In this study, Web of Science, MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were searched for articles published in English between 2010 and 2020. A total of 14 studies were reviewed based on the eligibility criteria. The results showed that using a cantilever design with one abutment had an advantage over two abutments. Additionally, it was proposed that preparations designed with retentive aids, such as a proximal box, groove, and pinhole, could improve RBFDP survival rates. IPS e.max ZirCAD, In-Ceram alumina, and zirconia CAD/CAM were the most commonly used framework materials. Most studies used air abrasion, salinization, or hydrofluoric acid for surface treatment. Adhesive resin cements were the most frequently used type of cement. The survival rate of In-Ceram ceramics (85.3%–94.8%) was lower than that of In-Ceram zirconia and IPS e.max ZirCAD. Debonding, followed by framework fracture, was the leading cause of failure. Following 3–10 years follow-up, the survival percentage of all-ceramic RBFDPs ranged from 76% to 100%. Although RBFDPs have demonstrated satisfactory success as a conservative treatment, long-term follow-ups and higher sample sizes in clinical research are required to gain more reliable outcomes on the clinical success rate of various RBFDP designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the conflict of task scheduling and data exchange between multiple embedded AI(Artificial Intelligence) processors and improving the reliability and efficiency of stack expansion of multiple AI processors, a high speed data exchange technology and data frame structure of multiple embedded AI processors with wormhole switching structure are proposed in this study. Based on the PCIE(PCI Express) high-speed data interface, the data is transmitted in the form of data unit, and the multi-weight decision algorithm is designed to avoid the conflict in data transmission and realize the concurrent multi-threading of the task.The FPGA(Field Programmable Gate Array) platform is designed and tested. The results show that the transmission bandwidth utilization efficiency of PCIE reaches more than 85%, the data exchange delay is less than 20 μs, and the average maximum delay time of interrupt task response is 8.775 μs. The technology is suitable for high-speed switching circuits with multi-processor collaboration and can be extended to hybrid PCIE and RapidIO switching circuit architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research deals with the editorial positioning of 15 Spanish and Portuguese newspapers and magazines on Marcelo Caetano's official visit to Spain in 1970. The editorials and opinion articles are analysed using a quantitative, qualitative and comparative methodology. We identify different ideological orientations. The paper concludes that the official newspapers and some moderate ones were triumphalist in the opinions expressed; few opinions distanced themselves from the official political slogans; and the opposition press oscillated between keeping silent and expressing reservations about both regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodontitis is a dysbiosis‐driven inflammatory disease affecting the tooth‐supporting tissues, characterized by their progressive resorption, which can ultimately lead to tooth loss. A step‐wise therapeutic approach is employed for periodontitis. After an initial behavioral and non‐surgical phase, intra‐bony or furcation defects may be amenable to regenerative procedures. This review discusses the regenerative technologies employed for periodontal regeneration, highlighting the current limitations and future research areas. The search, performed on the MEDLINE database, has identified the available biomaterials, including biologicals (autologous platelet concentrates, hydrogels), bone grafts (pure or putty), and membranes. Biologicals and bone grafts have been critically analyzed in terms of composition, mechanism of action, and clinical applications. Although a certain degree of periodontal regeneration is predictable in intra‐bony and class II furcation defects, complete defect closure is hardly achieved. Moreover, treating class III furcation defects remains challenging. The key properties required for functional regeneration are discussed, and none of the commercially available biomaterials possess all the ideal characteristics. Therefore, research is needed to promote the advancement of more effective and targeted regenerative therapies for periodontitis. Lastly, improving the design and reporting of clinical studies is suggested by strictly adhering to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2010 statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the political and social role of the peasantry in Veracruz during the Mexican post-revolution. The historical importance of the peasant sector in the region and its evolution in terms of agricultural techniques and relationships with governments are highlighted. The book examines the formation of the League of Agrarian Communities in Veracruz and the influence of the press on the perception of peasants during the 1920s. The importance of testimonial literature written by those who participated in the struggle for land is also addressed. Finally, the agrarian movement and the governments that make agrarianism a political agenda are criticized. [Extracted from the article]

Boron carbide is a notable ceramic, with its high hardness and low density. However, it suffers a sudden loss in strength under high shear stress. Doping boron carbide with Si/B is widely used to increase its resistance to amorphization. High purity boron and silicon hexaboride precursor powders are used for doping boron carbide, but these materials have high costs and supply chain constraints. This research investigated the effect of substituting lower purity B or using pure Si powder instead of SiB6 on materials' properties such as elastic and mechanical properties, microstructure, and amorphization resistances. It was observed that using lower‐purity boron or pure Si powder instead of SiB6 did not significantly affect critical properties, such as fracture toughness, hardness, or amorphization resistance. However, Young's modulus values decreased as B purity decreased and as Si was used instead of SiB6. These findings demonstrate that substituting precursor materials in Si/B co‐doped B4C is possible with little change in the material's properties. This facilitates the use of easier‐to‐access, cheaper production routes to be used for silicon‐doped boron carbide products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, oil was extracted from black cumin (Nigella sativa) seed (BCS) by press, and oil was extracted from the obtained cake with a solvent. The changes in the quality of both crude oils obtained by pressing and by solvent were investigated during refining. Findings revealed that the p‐anisidin value (p‐AV) and fatty acid profile did not change significantly, but there were significant differences (p <.05) in the peroxide value (PV), reflective index, pigment contents, free fatty acid content (FFA%), and antioxidant activity (total phenol content (TPC), thymoquinone, and DPPH inhibition) of BCS oils obtained by the two different methods. PV and FFA decreased to less than 15 meqO2/kg and 0.3%, respectively, in the refined oil. The TPC (65%), thymoquinone (45–97%), carotenoids (86–89%), and chlorophyll (75–85%) were removed from BCS oil, but the DPPH value was raised by about 33%. The current study gives a clear picture of the changes during refining in BCS oil, which can be a useful guide in food applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cupressus gigantea W. C. Cheng & L. K. Fu is an endemic conifer tree species that is distributed widely along the northern portion of the deep gorge of the Yarlung Tsangbo River on the Tibetan Plateau. However, as a key plant species growing on the Tibetan plateau, C. gigantea has since become an endangered species due to habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation, and other factors. It has been listed as a first-grade national protected wild plant species in China. Accordingly, to conserve this plant species, we should obtain more information on its genetic structure. In this study, the genetic diversity and structure among 67 samples were evaluated by the inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) technique. Overall, 78 bands were produced with a molecular length of 200 bp to 3100 bp using 10 ISSR primers. The mean values for the average number of alleles (Na), effective number of alleles (Ne), Nei's gene diversity (H), and Shannon's information index (I) were 1.529, 1.348, 0.199, and 0.293, respectively. Additionally, the number of polymorphic loci (NPLs) and percentage of polymorphic loci (PPLs) averaged 41.25 and 52.90, respectively. Further, total variation among populations was 14.2%, while that within populations was 85.8%; accordingly, the within-population genetic differentiation was found to be significant (p < 0.001). These results demonstrated that a genetic structure model with K = 3 fitted the data best, which agreed with the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA) cluster and the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). These findings are beneficial for ensuring the development and genetic protection of C. gigantea populations in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, activated carbon cloth (ACC) derived from cypress fruit was employed to investigate the adsorption of Pb2+, Cd2+, and Co2+ from synthetic aqueous systems. The correlation between adsorption features (pH, adsorbent dosage, temperature, initial ion concentration, and contact time) and adsorbent removal efficiency was investigated. Analysis by FT-IR, SEM, and EDS was employed to confirm the adsorption of metal ions onto the ACC. Results revealed the best adsorption efficiencies for heavy metal ions were attained at pH = 7, 11, 6; the adsorbent dosage of 0.06, 0.08, and 0.04 g for Pb2+, Cd2+, and Co2+, respectively; the ion initial concentration of 50 mg·L−1 for Pb2+ and 70 mg·L−1 for both Co2+ and Cd2+; and contact time of 90 minutes for both Pb2+ and Co2+ and 120 minutes for Cd2+. Kinetic studies exposed the second-order adsorption of all aforementioned heavy metal ions. Additionally, the equilibrium data were fitted by Langmuir and Freundlich's isotherms, while the former performed better than the latter. The maximum adsorption capacity values for Pb2+, Co2+, and Cd2+ were attained to 81.87, 55.30, and 117.3 mg·g−1, respectively. Considering the thermodynamic data, the studied processes were exothermic and spontaneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the heat insulation winding molding process of solid rocket motors, the pressure applied by the press roller directly affects the quality of the winding molding. Insufficient pressure can result in poor bonding quality and may cause defects. This paper aims to provide an optimal design of the press roller to improve the winding molding quality of the heat insulation. The effect of the cylindrical press roller on the pressure distribution was analyzed using the elastic foundation model and a finite element (FE) model, which was assessed by Hertz theory. Subsequently, the press roller was optimized to an elliptical concave design. The effect of the radius of the elliptical concave press roller on the pressure distribution was analyzed. A comparison of the effect of the elliptical concave press roller and the cylindrical press roller on the pressure distribution was conducted using the FE model. The results show pressure uniformity is significantly improved when the elliptical concave press roller is employed on the mandrel with the smallest radius. Additionally, the elliptical concave press roller increases the pressure at the edge of the tape, which reduces the risk of lifted edges and, thereby, improves the winding molding quality of the heat insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populism’s increasing prominence in politics raises questions about its definition and usage. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative text analysis, this article addresses how populism is portrayed in the Portuguese press, its associations, and discrepancies with academic discourse. Over a ten-year period (2012-2021), this study examines two media outlets to assess populism’s presence in the press before Chega’s parliamentary entry. Populism is often tied to international figures, in opinion pieces, under a negative tone, and typically associated with ideological positioning. The haziness and conceptual imprecision of populism extend beyond academia halls, although the media is significantly aligned with scholarly definitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the Jesuits' significant contributions to China's modernization through their involvement in textbook publication. It analyzes a recently discovered historical Catalogus of 1934 written in Latin to uncover insights. Specifically, it explores how the Jesuit T'ou-sè-wè Press in Shanghai responded to changes in education, society, and the interplay of religious and political forces. By investigating the Jesuits' strategic adaptations in their educational and cultural pursuits, revised compilation and publishing methods, and proactive engagement with the dynamic environment, this study aims to provide a deeper understanding of their approach. Additionally, it investigates the nuanced accommodation strategies employed by the T'ou-sè-wè Press to navigate the complex challenges of the era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our press history, the Second Constitutional Era is a period in which the number of periodicals literally exploded. However, most of the periodicals that started broadcasting in this period were short-lived. The Hande magazine, which is the subject of the review, was published between April 4 and April 25, 1910 as only four issues, reflecting the characteristics of the period. On the cover page, Hande introduced itself as "a weekly literary humor newspaper." The editor of the magazine was Hüseyin Nazmi, and the editorin-chief was Cevdet Maşuk. Although Hande introduced itself as a humor newspaper, when compared to humor magazines in our press history such as Karagöz and Akbaba, it seems to be a magazine whose literary aspect outweighs the humor aspect. As a matter of fact, the magazine mostly included stories, poems, riddles and telegrams from readers rather than humor elements such as cartoons and jokes. Although Hande had a short publication life, its importance in terms of our press history is that it is a continuation of Eşref/Musavver Eşref magazine. In this article, Hande magazine was analyzed by qualitative content analysis method. If the literature is scanned, it can be seen that there is no academic study about Hande magazine. This article is the first academic study on Hande magazine. Issues of the journal were obtained from the National Library-Digital Periodicals section and Hakkı Tarık Us Digital Library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite policies aimed at ensuring gender equality in the scientific community, women are underrepresented in various fields of science in many countries. While there is a complex set of social, cultural, economic and structural factors behind women's disadvantage, the media has a prominent place among these factors. This is because the media are one of the main sources of information that play a role in shaping attitudes and beliefs about science and scientists, especially in the absence of real-life role models. In this context, the media can encourage women and girls to turn to science, but it can also exclude them from scientific endeavors or limit their participation. Based on this potential of the media, this study analyses how women scientists are represented in science news in Turkey. The main purpose of this study is to determine the level of visibility of women scientists in the print media in Turkey, where women's participation in the world of science is high compared to many countries in the world. In this context, the problematic of the study is to determine whether the science news published in the newspapers BirGün, Hürriyet, and Yeni Şafak, which have different political orientations, serve to protect and reinforce gender inequalities in the world of science or to challenge these inequalities. In the study, a total of 527 science news items published on the websites of the aforementioned newspapers in January, May, and September 2019 were examined through content analysis. The study concluded that the proportion of women scientists in the newspapers is well below the proportion of women scientists in Turkey; although there are small differences between newspapers with different political orientations regarding their level of visibility and participation in different fields of science, they all underrepresent women scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the challenges and opportunities facing communication in Latin America towards the year 2030. Aspects such as technology and digitalization, social and political challenges, environmental sustainability, cultural diversity, freedom of the press and participation are examined. citizen. The implications of the UN's 2030 agenda are discussed and the social metamorphosis driven by events such as the pandemic and climate change is reflected on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: In today's society, preparing healthy food has become challenging due to the variety of food production methods. Oil is produced in several ways in our country. In the cold pressing method, there is insufficient monitoring of the manufactured product. The aim of the present study is to investigate the physicochemical characteristics and the levels of heavy metals of industrial oil compared to cold-pressed oil. Materials and Methods: In this research, 54 samples of sunflower, sesame, and canola oil produced by both cold pressing and industrial refiningmethods were prepared. Their physicochemical characteristics, including refractive index, acid value, iodine value, saponification value, peroxide value, anisidine value, as well as the concentrations of lead, iron, arsenic and copper were determined. Additionally, the effect of storage time on these characteristics was investigated. Results: The Iodine number showed the highest deviation from the standard (61%), with an average of 136.70 gI/100g for the cold-pressed oil and 134.48 gI/100g for industrially refined oiland. The average value of the physicochemical characteristics, except for the saponification value, were higher in the cold-pressed oil samples compared to the industrially refined oil samples, but the observed difference was not statistically significant. An investigation into the effect of storage time on physicochemical properties revealed a significant increase in peroxide value (p<0.01) and anisidine (p <0.05) in both oil groups over a two-month period. The average concentration of arsenic, lead, iron and copper in the studied oils was 0.03, 0.78, 0.05 and 0.05 mg/kgoil, respectively. A deviation from the standard was observed only in one sample of cold-pressed sunflower oil, with an arsenic concentration of 0.11 mg/kgoil). Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, the refined industrial oils exhibited more favorable chemical characteristics and stability. It is suggested that cold-pressed oils should be consumed within a short period of time. For frying purposes, refined industrial oils are preferable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel double-stage hydraulic system incorporating a hydraulic controllable accumulator (HCA) was proposed to simultaneously improve the energy and working efficiency of the hydraulic fineblanking press. Within this system, an innovative controller was proposed to orchestrate the HCA's operations, allowing it to adeptly adapt to abrupt pressure fluctuations and the energy demands from the external load. Within this study, a meticulous analysis was conducted to assess the energy demands of the fineblanking process and the function requirements of the hydraulic system. Subsequently, the energy consumption model based on the energy conservation law was established to analyze the supply–demand relationship of each stage and the energy conversion characteristic of capacitive energy, inertial energy, and resistive energy, thereby calculating these key parameters of the HCA. Then, an accurate simulation model was meticulously established and ultimately validated by the 1000-ton hydraulic fineblanking press, enabling a comprehensive assessment of the system's working performance and energy consumption characteristics. The simulation and experimental results showed that within this proposed system, the main cylinder circuit accounted for a big part of energy consumption, three times higher than that of the fast cylinder circuit. In the fast cylinder circuit, both resistive and capacitive energy were prominent, whereas in the main cylinder circuit, capacitive energy took precedence. Compared to the traditional system, the proposed system performed better with lower system pressure fluctuation and higher working efficiency increased by 10%. Moreover, the energy efficiency of the proposed system reached 45.9%, 20.35% higher than that of the traditional system, resulting in a reduction in energy consumption of 169.4 kJ per duty cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exotic species have been introduced in afforestation and reforestation initiatives worldwide. Climate change, including increased aridity and extreme events, can promote the spread of exotic species used in forest plantations while hampering the performance of natives. Evaluating whether climate change may affect the success of biological invasions is key to project dominance shifts in forest ecosystems, yet it requires a comprehensive approach that integrates main demographic rates driving tree population dynamics. Here, we evaluated the performance of co-occurring native pine species (Pinus pinaster, P. nigra and P. sylvestris) and the exotic Cupressus arizonica in mixed forests in Mediterranean mountains by comparing their main demographic rates (regeneration, mortality and growth) and radial growth response to extreme droughts and to climate change scenarios. Overall, the exotic C. arizonica showed less growth dependence to climatic variability, higher growth resilience to drought, lower mortality and higher regeneration capacity than P. sylvestris and P. pinaster. However, P. nigra showed higher regeneration and similar growth response to extreme droughts than C. arizonica. In addition, growth models pointed to better performance of the exotic species under future climate change scenarios than co-occurring natives. Our results suggest that C. arizonica can increase its dominance (relative presence within the forest area), which can enhance its invasive potential and range expansion. Thus, attention is needed to better control the invasive potential of this exotic species in Mediterranean forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning (ML) methods are increasingly being applied to analyze biological signals. For example, ML methods have been successfully applied to the human electroencephalogram (EEG) to classify neural signals as pathological or non-pathological and to predict working memory performance in healthy and psychiatric patients. ML approaches can quickly process large volumes of data to reveal patterns that may be missed by humans. This study investigated the accuracy of ML methods at classifying the brain's electrical activity to cognitive events, i.e., event-related brain potentials (ERPs). ERPs are extracted from the ongoing EEG and represent electrical potentials in response to specific events. ERPs were evoked during a visual Go/NoGo task. The Go/NoGo task requires a button press on Go trials and response withholding on NoGo trials. NoGo trials elicit neural activity associated with inhibitory control processes. We compared the accuracy of six ML algorithms at classifying the ERPs associated with each trial type. The raw electrical signals were fed to all ML algorithms to build predictive models. The same raw data were then truncated in length and fitted to multiple dynamic state space models of order n x using a continuous-time subspace-based system identification algorithm. The 4 n x numerator and denominator parameters of the transfer function of the state space model were then used as substitutes for the data. Dimensionality reduction simplifies classification, reduces noise, and may ultimately improve the predictive power of ML models. Our findings revealed that all ML methods correctly classified the electrical signal associated with each trial type with a high degree of accuracy, and accuracy remained high after parameterization was applied. We discuss the models and the usefulness of the parameterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers news briefs related to environmental health as of March 2024. Topics mentioned include the release of updated practice exam for the Registered Environmental Health Specialists/Registered Sanitarian credential, the launch of application for the Samuel J. Crumbine Consumer Protection Award, and the availability of updated Professional Food Handler course.

Background: Iatrogenic injury of the parathyroid glands is the most frequent complication after total thyroidectomy. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) in reducing postoperative hypocalcemia following total thyroidectomy. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were searched. Randomised trials reporting at least one hypocalcemia outcome following total thyroidectomy using NIRAF were included. Results: The qualitative data synthesis comprised 1363 patients from nine randomised studies, NIRAF arm = 636 cases and non-NIRAF arm = 637 cases. There was a statistically significant difference in the overall rate of hypocalcemia log(OR) = −0.7 [(−1.01, −0.40), M-H, REM, CI = 95%] and temporary hypocalcemia log(OR) = −0.8 [(−1.01, −0.59), M-H, REM, CI = 95%] favouring the NIRAF. The difference in the rate of permanent hypocalcemia log(OR) = −1.09 [(−2.34, 0.17), M-H, REM, CI = 95%] between the two arms was lower in the NIRAF arm but was not statistically significant. Conclusions: NIRAF during total thyroidectomy helps in reducing postoperative hypocalcemia. Level of evidence—1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The probabilistic topic model imposes a low-rank structure on the expectation of the corpus matrix. Therefore, singular value decomposition (SVD) is a natural tool of dimension reduction. We propose an SVD-based method for estimating a topic model. Our method constructs an estimate of the topic matrix from only a few leading singular vectors of the data matrix, and has a great advantage in memory use and computational cost for large-scale corpora. The core ideas behind our method include a pre-SVD normalization to tackle severe word frequency heterogeneity, a post-SVD normalization to create a low-dimensional word embedding that manifests a simplex geometry, and a post-SVD procedure to construct an estimate of the topic matrix directly from the embedded word cloud. We provide the explicit rate of convergence of our method. We show that our method attains the optimal rate in the case of long and moderately long documents, and it improves the rates of existing methods in the case of short documents. The key of our analysis is a sharp row-wise large-deviation bound for empirical singular vectors, which is technically demanding to derive and potentially useful for other problems. We apply our method to a corpus of Associated Press news articles and a corpus of abstracts of statistical papers. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While religious dogma and science are often viewed at odds, scientific knowledge is increasingly integrated into religious journalism. This challenges the epistemic tenets that underlie the worldviews of religious readers. In this study, we aim to investigate the role of religious journalists as science gatekeepers and, more specifically, uncover their ethos in advocating science communication to their audience, amid widespread ambivalence. To this end, we focus on the ethical gaze of ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jews in Israel. An enclaved religious group that has a history of challenging scientific precepts and has of late demonstrated various levels of ambivalence and resistance to scientifically inspired policies made during the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 Haredi editors, radio and print/online journalists, engaged with science reporting before and during the COVID-19 outbreak. The findings unveil several ethical facets employed by Haredi journalists: care, community, professionalism, and religion. The findings also outline the interaction between professional, religious, and communal codes of conduct, as they play out in bounded mediascapes. Accordingly, religious journalists' role breaches traditional boundaries as they respond and strive to integrate multiple sources of knowledge for what they see as the betterment of their devout readers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Fourth Industrial Revolution, journalism cannot remain oblivious to the innovations brought about by the socio-technological reality. Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the technologies on the rise, although the Spanish media have incorporated it little, experimentally and in specific sections. This research has two objectives: 1) to know the state of development of AI in the Spanish digital media and the industry's perception of the impact of this technology on the profession; 2) to explore a human vs synthetic text generation detection method to assess whether generative AI is being used in media. A comparative study was carried out between two media of reference in Spain, one matrix and conservative ideology (El Mundo), and another digital native and progressive trend (eldiario.es). The methodology was based on methodological triangulation and included a survey and an experiment with ChatGPT to detect whether a sample of texts published in these two media was created by humans or machines. The results diagnose that none of these newspapers apply AI, although they are designing plans to do so, and that there seems to be a lack of AI experts in the newsrooms, although a significantly higher predisposition towards AI in the native media is not confirmed as opposed to the matrix. The analyses carried out confirm that generative AI is not used to create texts. The method applied can be used in other studies because its validity is confirmed to provide clues about the human or artificial origin of journalistic texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

News media and journalists must adapt to emerging platforms in order to respond to changing news consumption habits. This article addresses the trend of Social Media Live Streaming on Twitch, a platform that has experienced significant growth since 2020. The research pursues the main objective of finding out how Spanish media and journalists are adapting to this platform and what possibilities it offers to the journalistic profession, in terms of business model as well as in communicative style, formats and relationship with the audience. An exploratory analysis made it possible to identify 55 channels and to establish, in the first phase of the research, two categories of study: channels driven by journalists --with a background in digital or legacy media-- or by news media --digital natives or legacy ones--. In a second phase, seven representative cases were studied through content analysis of their profiles and streams, as well as interviews with the promoters. The results reflect an initial stage in the development of news initiatives on Twitch, characterized by experimentation and diversity of projects. In general, there is no great innovation in content and formats, which are based on conversation. There is a hybridization of information and entertainment in live broadcasts which, although providing rigorous information and featuring experts, maintain a relaxed tone and make use of humor. The relationship with the audience is built through the chat, a central element during broadcasts, and subscriptions from viewers, which are the main source of income for the channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The war in Ukraine has grabbed headlines around the world. This analysis asks who is covering it and what this says about war reporting. The advent of the Web and the subsequent polarization of the media pits the constant demand for information against the journalistic expectation of calm analysis. While traditional media seem to guarantee credibility, more and more people are turning to alternative information providers. To explore these changes' repercussions on war correspondents, this study analyzes 11,268 bylines of the news on Ukraine published digitally by the most widely read newspapers in Spain (El País, El Mundo, El Correo, and La Vanguardia) and the USA (The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today and New York Post), during the first week of the conflict, from February 24 to March 2, 2022. Through these, the authors' working relationship with each newspaper is investigated, employing LinkedIn or Twitter when necessary. While relevant literature suggests that freelancers and agencies dominate international news, this analysis concludes that most of the war coverage (65,64%) has been generated in newsrooms, away from the frontline. While confirming the significant contribution of agencies and a decreasing presence of freelancers, it also confirms the survival of foreign bureaus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most of the shrimp side streams are discarded due to the lack of appropriate processing techniques/methodology for their utilization, which is not only a loss of potentially valuable compounds, but also leads to environmental pollution. The study aimed to employ a mechanical filter press to separate the liquid called press juice (PJ) and the solid named press cake (PC) fraction from shrimp head and shell (H&S). Results: The proximate composition was performed, including amino acids analysis, protein content, fatty acids, and the main volatile compounds. In the whole shrimp (WS), the average values of protein, lipid, dry matter, and ash content were recorded at 14.7%, 2.9%, 21.1%, and 4.8%, respectively. The protein percentage reached 10.1% in H&S, indicating considerable amount of protein leftover in the shrimp side streams (p < 0.05). The major PUFAs in WSs' sample were Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (8.8%) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (7.8%). Furthermore, the values of EPA and DHA a showed nearly two‐folded increase after peeling and filter‐pressing, PC sample. Total amino acids in the WS, H&S, PJ, and PC samples were found to be 94.6, 67.7, 22.2, and 76.6 mg/g, respectively. From the nutritional point of view, non‐essential amino acids represented higher values (13.2%–56.9%) compared to essential amino acids (9.0%–37.6%). The major components of 5′‐neucleoitides in WS sample were in order of guanosine‐5′‐diphosphate (GDP) ≫ hypoxanthine (HYP) > inosine‐5′‐monophosphate (IMP) ≫ adenosine‐5′‐monophosphate (AMP) > adenosine‐5′‐diphosphate (ADP) with values of 684.4, 293.6, 201.4, 25.6 and 16.2 μg/g sample, while no inosine (INO), guanosine‐5′‐monophosphate (GMP), and guanosine‐5′‐triphosphate (GTP) were detected. Equivalent umami concentration (g MSC/100 g) was recorded as 0.63, 0.07 for WS and H&S samples and 0.015 for PJ sample, which indicates a significant drop from the shrimp raw material toward the side streams. Most volatile compounds belonged to alkenes followed by alkanes groups. Conclusion: This work showed the possibility to employ the filter press machine to obtain PJ and PC from shrimp H&S, after peeling processing. The fractions present an interesting nutritional composition and value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the benefits of different Machine Learning (ML) approaches in production systems, with respect to the given use case of considering the forming process and different friction conditions on hydraulic press response in between the phases of the sheet metal bending cycle, i.e. bending, levelling and movement. A framework for enhancing production systems with ML facilitates the transition to smarter processes and enables fast, accurate predictions integrated into decision-making and adaptive control. Comparative ML analysis provides insights into predictive regression models for hydraulic press condition recognition, enhancing process improvement. Our results are supported by performance evaluation metrics of predictive accuracy RMSE, MAE, MSE and R2 for Linear Regression (LR), Decision Trees (DT), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) and Neural Network (NN) models. Given the remarkable predictive accuracy of the regression models with R2 values between 0.9483 and 0.9995, it is noteworthy that less complex models exhibit significantly shorter training times, up to 437 times shorter than more complex models. In addition, simpler models have up to 36 times better prediction rates, compared to more complex models. The fundamentals illustrate the trade-offs between model complexity, accuracy and computational training and prediction rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abraham Olivier, M. John Lamola and Justin Sands, Eds., Phenomenology in an African Context: Contributions and Challenges, 2023. State University of New York Press, 353pp. ISBN: 9781438494876 (hbk) Elias Opongo and Tim Murithi, Eds., Elections, Violence and Transitional Justice in Africa Elections, Violence and Transitional Justice in Africa, 2022. Routledge, 202 pp. ISBN: 9780367655280 (hbk) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Supreme Court has constructed key parts of First Amendment law around two underlying assumptions. The first is that the press is a powerful actor capable of obtaining government information and checking government power. The second is that the executive branch is bound by various internal and external constraints that limit its ability to keep information secret. Judges and legislators have long assumed that these twin forces--an emboldened press and a constrained executive--maintain a rough balance between the press's desire to uncover secrets and the executive's desire to keep information hidden. Landmark First Amendment cases such as the Pentagon Papers decision embody this view. Professor Cass Sunstein has described these cases as establishing a "First Amendment equilibrium," one that arises out of the structural competition between the press and the executive. Today, judges and legislators continue to treat the press and the government as equal combatants in these disputes. Yet whatever equilibrium might once have existed between the press and executive branch has been destabilized. The institutional press has been eviscerated in recent years--hemorrhaging talent, expertise, resources, and legitimacy. Wide swaths of the country now qualify as "news deserts," lacking any local press presence at all. Public trust in the mainstream media has also plummeted. At the same time, many internal checks no longer constrain the ability of the executive branch to guard its secrets. This combination of a hollowed-out press and an insufficiently checked executive has given rise to a First Amendment disequilibrium, unsettling the foundations of this critical segment of constitutional law. This Article describes the causes and consequences of this disequilibrium and argues that recalibration is essential to fostering effective democratic self-governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste plywood containing phenol–formaldehyde (PF) resin is one of the materials that are difficult to use in the production of particleboards based on UF resin. Therefore, the aim of this research was to analyze the possibility of using this type of waste in the production of particleboards bonded with melamine-urea-phenol-formaldehyde (MUPF) resin in order to determine their suitability for particleboard production. The pressing process and density profile of three-layer particleboards were presented. The press closing time for mats containing only recovered particles in the core layer (100%), produced with a face layer ratio of 50%, a resin load for a face layer of 12%, and a core layer of 10%, at a unit pressure of 3 MPa, was 29% shorter than for the industrial particle mats. Regardless of the level of variability of independent factors, the heating time of the mats containing recovered particles was 10–20% shorter than the heating time of the mats with industrial particles. The greatest impact on the maximum density of the face layer of particleboards was observed for the content of the recovered particles and then the resin load. The maximum density area of the face layer was located closer to the surface in particleboards produced with a higher (80%, 100%) content of the recovered particles, a higher (i.e., 12% and 10%, respectively, for face and core layers) resin load, a lower (35%) face layer ratio, and a higher (3 MPa) unit pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biodiversity and structure of woody plants of HGs in the Basona Worana district (BWD). For this, six kebeles and 138 HGs from three agroecologies of BWD were selected using various sampling techniques. The plot size used per HG was 400 m2. Diversity and important value indices (IVIs) were computed. For their structural analysis, the diameter at breast height (DBH) and height were also measured for trees and shrubs fulfilling the standards (diameters at breast height (DBH) ≥2.5 cm and height >2 m). Thus, a total of 42 woody species belonging to 37 genera and 26 families were identified. Fabaceae was the most abundant family, followed by Euphorbiaceae. Trees were the dominant habit. The richness in Kola HGs (33) was higher than Dega (14) and Woinadega (19) HGs, with an overall mean richness of 4.14 per HG of BWD. The Shannon, Simpson, and evenness indices for HGs in the district were 1.05, 0.55, and 0.75, respectively, showing their moderate diversity with even distribution. The Sorenson's similarity of HGs between Dega and Woinadega, Kola and Dega, and Kola and Woinadega were 40%, 28%, and 32%, respectively. The multiple site similarities of woody species among three ecological zones (36%) were still <50%, showing no similarity. The overall DBH and height classes' patterns of the woody species individuals abruptly decreased towards their highest classes. Similar DBH and height classes' patterns of woody species individuals were also observed in Kola and Woinadega agroecologies, indicating their selective tree cutting. The mean values of DBH, height, basal, and crown areas of the woody species in the district were ∼14 cm, ∼6 m, ∼29 m2·ha−1, and 5 m2, respectively. Based on IVI, most of the HGs were dominated by Eucalyptus globules (93.35), followed by Eucalyptus camaldulensis (45.04), Rhamnus prinoides (22.4), and Cupressus lusitanica (22.33). Hence, actions should be taken to promote the diversity and managing of HGs' woody species of BWD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the public relations challenges faced by the United States Supreme Court, which have resulted in a decline in public trust. It discusses various controversies involving the justices, including financial ties to wealthy donors, failure to disclose gifts, and potential conflicts of interest. The author argues that a free and active press is essential in holding the justices accountable and regulating their behavior. The article also examines current ethical standards for the Court and proposes alternative reforms. It suggests that media-based approaches, such as transparency and public accountability, may be more effective in promoting an ethical Court than traditional legal solutions. [Extracted from the article]

Single-phase converters are commonly used in small and medium power supply systems, but their inherent 2ω-ripple power has a significant impact on system performance, including maximum power point fluctuations in photovoltaic systems, low-frequency light flicker in light-emitting diode lighting systems, and the efficiency and lifetime of fuel cell systems. In this paper, we review the single-phase converter topologies with 2ω-ripple suppress and provide a comprehensive summary and comparison of power decoupling topologies. Power decoupling topology can be divided into passive power decoupling topology (PPDT) and active power decoupling topology (APDT). Among them, the PPDT does not need to add switching devices and has simple structure and convenient control. However, due to the volume and life of the energy storage element, the application place is also limited. The APDT needs to add an active power buffer to suppress the 2ω-ripple power. According to the different working modes of the active power buffer switch, the APDT can be divided into independent APDT and dependent APDT. The former operates independently in the original converter, while the latter needs to share switching devices or energy storage elements with the original converter. This paper systematically summarizes the existing single-phase converter circuit topologies for suppressing 2ω-ripple and their development process, aiming to provide classification and comparison for researchers and engineers to select the circuit topologies suitable for their specific applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Murthy et al. (Commun Comput Phys 2:23, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.4208/cicp.OA-2016-0259) and Escande et al. (Lattice Boltzmann method for wave propagation in elastic solids with a regular lattice: theoretical analysis and validation, 2020. arXiv.doi:1048550/ARXIV.2009.06404. arXiv:2009.06404) adopted the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) to model the linear elastodynamic behaviour of isotropic solids. The LBM is attractive as an elastodynamic solver because it can be parallelised readily and lends itself to finely discretised simulations of dynamic effects in continua, allowing transient phenomena such as wave propagation to be modeled efficiently. This work proposes simple local boundary rules which approximate the behaviour of Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions with an LBM for elastic solids. The boundary rules are shown to be consistent with the target boundary values in the first order. An empirical convergence study is performed for the transient tension loading of a rectangular plate, with a Finite Element (FE) simulation being used as a reference. Additionally, we compare results produced by the LBM for the sudden loading of a stationary crack with an analytical solution from Freund (Dynamic fracture mechanics. Cambridge Monographs on Mechanics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1990. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511546761). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the educational outcomes of siblings of childhood leukemia survivors, explore determinants of school difficulties, and compare the rates of repeating grades between siblings and the general population. Methods: A cross‐sectional study of childhood leukemia survivors' siblings recruited through the Leucémies de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent cohort, a French long‐term follow‐up program, was conducted, and education‐related data were obtained via self‐report questionnaires. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to identify variables associated with school difficulties and time since diagnosis. Rates of repeating a grade in middle school were compared between siblings and the general population of the same generation. Results: A total of 564 siblings with a mean time from diagnosis of 14.1 ± 6.4 years were included, among whom 139 (24.6%) repeated a grade, at an average of 6.4 ± 4.5 years after diagnosis. In multivariate analysis, the risk factors for repeating a grade were older siblings (odds ratio [OR] 2.3, p = 0.006), family financial difficulties (OR 2.8, p = 0.008), and history of repetition in survivors (OR, 2.5, p = 0.001). Sibling hematopoietic stem cell donors were at greater risk of repeating a grade long‐term after diagnosis (p = 0.018). Overall, siblings did not have a higher risk of educational delays at the end of middle school than the general population. Conclusion: Although the results are reassuring, socioeconomic and cancer‐related factors may have an impact on siblings' schooling long after diagnosis. Paying attention to siblings contributes to identifying the most vulnerable families, allowing more attention and appropriate resources to avoid long‐term repercussions. Additionally, supportive and targeted interventions can be developed to improve the organization of education and the health care system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]