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Correction to: Systematic Literature Review of Access Pathways to Drugs for Patients with Rare Diseases (Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, (2025), 23, 2, (209-229), 10.1007/s40258-024-00939-4)
No full textSome information was missing from the Funding statement of this article. The statement, which read: “This research was conducted under the doctorate program in health economics at the University of Technology Sydney with funding from the UTS Research Excellence Scholarship. No other funding was provided.” should have read: “This research was conducted under the doctorate program in health economics at the University of Technology Sydney with funding from the UTS Research Excellence Scholarship. This research received partial funding support from Agencia Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo (ANID-Chile) grants Fondecyt 1211411.” The original article has been corrected.link_to_subscribed_fulltex
From heat resilience to sustainable co-benefits: Adaptive urban morphology generation based on multimodal data fusion and a novel generative framework
No full textRapid urbanization and global climate change have intensified the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. However, practical implementation is often constrained by limitations in data availability and computational capacity, overlooking the influence of socioeconomic factors and spatial heterogeneity. This study proposed an end-to-end urban 3D morphology generation framework that leveraged multimodal datasets, including Local Climate Zones (LCZ), Land Surface Temperature (LST), and Population Density (POPH) through a novel CycleGAN-Pix2pix (CP-GAN) model chain. Using six representative LCZ areas in Guangzhou as case studies, the research evaluated the Urban Morphology Indicators (UMI), Land Use and Land Cover Change (LUCC), and Points of Interest (POI) across various responsive generation scenarios to identify urban morphologies that balanced cooling effects with socioeconomic and ecological benefits. The results showed that:(1) The CP-GAN achieved robust performance in urban morphology generation, demonstrating stable convergence and high precision, with an average structural similarity index exceeding 0.811, along with high signal-to-noise ratios and low error metrics. (2) Rising temperatures reshaped urban morphology, with every 3°C increase reducing green space by 5.47% while raising commercial activity and impervious surfaces by 2.38% and 2.84%, respectively; (3) Population density drove POI clustering but exhibited weaker morphological control than temperature gradients. (4) LCZ4, LCZ5, and LCZ6 exhibited spatial heterogeneity in UMI, LUCC, and POI responses to temperature and population density variations, necessitating LCZ-specific adaptive strategies. This generative system offers fine-grained 3D morphological solutions to mitigate UHI effects while establishing a transformative framework for sustainable urban development.published_or_final_versio
Synergistic role of audio-visual perceptions in promoting bikeshare for active travel
No full textThis study examines factors beyond macroscale built environments (BE) influencing cycling behavior, integrating both microscale visual and auditory perceptions, especially soundscapes, while their impacts on cycling have not been explicitly investigated. Leveraging massive bikeshare trip data in Shenzhen, China, this study employs spatial explainable machine learning to uncover the associations among these three dimensions and cycling behavior using a multi-scale analytical framework. The results show that: (1) Macroscale BE remains dominant, while micro-scale soundscapes outweigh visual perceptions in explaining cycling usage. (2) Both perceived streetscape and soundscape indicators exhibit significant nonlinear effects on cycling behavior. (3) Synergistic interactions between visual streetscape and soundscape are observed, where maintaining audio-visual consistency (e.g., high perceived safety with high natural sounds perception) can positively affect cycling more substantially. Our findings encourage planners to prioritize strategic micro-level modifications targeting perceived street visual and auditory aspects over conventional macroscale BE interventions as cost-effective alternatives.</p
Antidepressant use during pregnancy and risk of obstetrics and neonatal outcomes: A propensity score-weighted population-based cohort study in 2003–2018
No full textGestational antidepressant exposure may be associated with increased risks of adverse obstetric and neonatal complications, but many earlier studies inadequately addressed confounders and were conducted in Western countries. This population-based cohort study identified women aged 15–50 years who delivered first/singleton child in 2003–2018, using data from electronic health-record database of public healthcare services, with an aim to examine the risks of a comprehensive range of adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes associated with gestational antidepressant use in a predominantly Chinese population in Hong Kong. Propensity-score fine-stratification weighted logistic-regression analyses were performed to assess the risks following gestational exposure to any antidepressant, specific drug classes and individual antidepressants. Sensitivity analyses addressing exposure-misclassification, confounding by underlying condition and treatment indication were conducted. Our results showed that, of 466,139 women, 2699 redeemed ≥1 antidepressant prescription during pregnancy. Any antidepressant exposure was associated with increased risk of somatic admission ≤90 days after index-delivery discharge (adjusted odds-ratio: 1.29 [95 % CI: 1.11–1.50]), low 1-minute Apgar score (1.31[1.08–1.60]), and special-care-baby-unit (SCBU) admission (1.41[1.30–1.54]). Selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic-antidepressants were associated with elevated risk of post-delivery somatic admission and SCBU admission. SSRIs were associated with low 1-minute Apgar score, serotonin-and-norepinephrine-inhibitors were related to SCBU admission. Significant associations were not consistently affirmed across sensitivity analyses. Most individual antidepressants were not associated with most adverse outcomes, albeit limited by a reduced sample size. In conclusion, antidepressants are generally not associated with most adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes except transient neonatal symptoms. Further research clarifying comparative reproductive safety of individual antidepressants is required.</p
Awareness and attitudes towards children’s cigarette card gaming behaviour among adults aged 15 and above in Shenzhen, China: a population representative cross-sectional study
No full textIntroduction Repurposing cigarette packs for flip-and-win games (cigarette card (CC) gaming) is increasingly popular among Chinese children. We examined adults’ awareness and attitudes towards this.Methods A population representative survey was conducted in Shenzhen, China, from September to October 2023, involving 4800 adults (aged 15 and above) with a 94.3% response rate. The sample was weighted to represent all Shenzhen residents older than 15. Respondents aware of the game reported their perceived risk of smoking initiation and their tolerance towards CC gaming. In households with children aged 7–12, respondents also reported whether children had played the game within the past week and identified perceived reasons and sources of CCs. Factors associated with low-risk perception and tolerance were analysed using multivariable logistic regression.Results The weighted adult awareness rate was 15.6% (95% CI 13.8% to 17.5%), while an estimated 3.9% (1.3 to 6.5%) of children played the game. Peer influence (76.8%) and curiosity (20.7%) were the main perceived reasons for participation, with peers (73.2%), trash bins/ground (46.3%) and smoking parents (18.3%) cited as primary sources. 21.5% of adults perceived the game as low risk, and 44.3% expressed tolerance towards it. Low-risk perception was associated with living with children (adjusted OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.37 to 3.13) and tolerance (2.92, 1.95 to 4.36). Tolerance was associated with male sex (1.59, 1.12 to 2.27), older age (65+ vs 15–24 years old, 0.26, 0.08 to 0.89) and low-risk perception (2.86, 1.92 to 4.27).Conclusions The high tolerance towards the CC game highlights the urgent need to shift adult attitudes in order to prevent its further spread.</p
Provenance of legacy-compatible data in the decentralized world and its applications
No full textA novel identity management concept known as decentralized identity (or self-sovereign identity) has drawn significant interest and extensive development within both academic and industrial circles. Decentralized oracles empower users to demonstrate the origin of data accessed through TLS from a specific website and verify statements concerning that data. This system operates without the reliance on trusted hardware or requiring modifications on the server side. In DECO (CCS 2020), the first decentralized oracle within TLS 1.2 was introduced. It also investigates the methodology of optionally proving statements about this data in a zero-knowledge setting, preserving the confidentiality of the data itself. Furthermore, a separate study proposed an attribute-based anonymous credential system incorporating a commitment scheme (ASIACRYPT 2020), introducing show proofs to verify a set of attributes in a credential to verifiers without disclosing attribute specifics. Building upon these research findings, this thesis presents a series of optimizations and expansions aimed at advancing self-sovereign identity solutions.
First, we present DIDO and DIDO+ (decentralized identification oracle), which expands DECO to TLS 1.3. In DIDO, we address several unresolved challenges, encompassing the incorporation of X25519 key exchange, the creation of a round-optimal three-party key exchange, the structuring of a 2PC system for TLS 1.3 key scheduling, and the optimization of circuit design for 2PC protocols.
Furthermore, we expand upon DIDO to create DIDO+, which introduces a protocol named selective disclosure. This protocol facilitates the extraction of particular plaintext substrings from websites, enhancing the functionality and flexibility of the system.
Our implementation is verified against real-world websites, and a security proof is furnished to validate its integrity.
Next, we introduce DEVS (decentralized verification service), the first generic decentralized verification service built on a decentralized oracle. DEVS enhances the traditional single-verifier oracle by incorporating a multi-verifier mechanism. Our aim is to streamline the protocol for reduced communication and computation costs while enabling reusable proofs and maintaining security. DEVS comprises three key components: a reconstructed decentralized oracle to bolster data trust, secure storage for share retention, and a verification process tailored to the needs of verifiers and authorities. Considering 10 verifiers, the reconstruction reduces the running time (approximately 89.1% or 89.6%) in WAN settings and communication bandwidth (approximately 89.1% or 87.8%) of TLS 1.2 or 1.3, it provides a significant improvement when working with multiple verifiers.
Lastly, we introduce a unified attribute-based anonymous credential system where users consistently receive credentials in a standardized format from the issuer. This system allows users to opt for efficient multi-use or single-use show proofs, offering a more user-centric perspective compared to current schemes. Technically, we suggest an interactive method for the credential issuance protocol utilizing two-party computation with additive homomorphic encryption. This approach maintains crucial security features such as impersonation resilience, anonymity, and unlinkability. In addition to the interactive protocol, we develop show proofs tailored for efficient single-use credentials that uphold user anonymity throughout the process.published_or_final_versionComputer ScienceDoctoralDoctor of Philosoph
Essays on China's control over courts
No full textWhile some studies suggest that authoritarian regimes can emulate democracies by granting greater authority to courts to assist autocrats in achieving specific goals, the use of courts to oversee the bureaucracy presents a dilemma. On the one hand, the effectiveness of such internal oversight is questionable, given that courts in authoritarian states are often embedded within the very bureaucracy they are meant to supervise. On the other hand, autocrats must be wary of the expansion of judicial power, as establishing courts requires dictators to nominally adhere to certain rules, potentially limiting their authority. In other words, can leaders in authoritarian states effectively control the bureaucracy through the courts? And how do they control the courts themselves, which might constrain their power? This dissertation addresses the question of court control in authoritarian states through case studies spanning imperial to modern China.
The three essays in this dissertation examine different levels and forms of courts, addressing both political control through courts and political control over courts. The first essay explores how Qing Dynasty emperors balanced bureaucratic routines with ad hoc interventions in criminal cases. This essay treats the Ministry of Punishments as a specialized bureaucratic department with legal expertise and finds that it played a significant role in monitoring bureaucratic behavior. The second essay focuses on grassroots courts in contemporary China, specifically examining how political campaigns influence judicial decision-making. It shows that judges respond to informal control by imposing harsher sentences to demonstrate compliance, rather than improving consistency in rulings. The third essay explores agenda-setting by the Supreme People's Court and the Communist Party. It reveals that courts under more centralized autocratic rule exhibit greater agenda diversity and punctuation.
The findings contribute to the understanding of authoritarian governance and the role of courts in non-democratic contexts. Specifically, it sheds light on the autocrat's toolbox for controlling the judiciary and the strategies for using these tools, stressing the enduring importance of informal control mechanisms and the bounded nature of judicial independence in authoritarian regimes.
The dissertation also introduces several novel methodological approaches to analyzing legal texts, such as large language models, word embedding propensity score matching, and virtual judge simulation. These innovative methods demonstrate the potential for applying cutting-edge computational techniques to the study of legal institutions and judicial behavior, opening up new avenues for research in the field of law and social science.published_or_final_versionPolitics and Public AdministrationDoctoralDoctor of Philosoph
Development of an adhesive hydrogel sealant for annulus fibrosus post-discectomy repair
No full textpublished_or_final_versionOrthopaedics and TraumatologyDoctoralDoctor of Philosoph
