bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wetland geomorphology and tidal hydrodynamics drive fine-scale fish community composition and abundance
Authors: Clause Justin K. , Farruggia Mary Jade , Feyrer Frederick , Young Matthew J.
Published: January 2024

Effective restoration of tidal wetlands for fish communities requires clear goals and mechanistic understanding of the ecosystem drivers which affect fish distribution and abundance. We examined fish community responses to abiotic habitat features in two adjacent but dissimilar freshwater tidal wetlands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, CA, USA, each of which represents a potential restoration configuration. The first wetland was characterized by a broad, intertidal basin with relatively high hydrodynamic exchange with surrounding waterways. The second wetland was characterized by a dendritic network of shallow subtidal channels with relatively low hydrodynamic exchange. Fish community composition significantly differed between the two wetlands, based on permutational analysis of variance. Fish abundance within and among the two wetlands was also highly affected by specific geomorphic and hydrodynamic characteristics: distance from connection with the main external waterway, bed elevation, and water surface elevation. The physical configuration of a restored tidal wetland, in conjunction with the way tides move across the restored landscape, has strong implications for local fishes. Manipulating these elements to create a landscape mosaic of habitat configurations can be an effective tool for targeting desired restoration outcomes, such as specific fish communities or target fish densities.
When is Learning “Effortful”? Scrutinizing the Concept of Mental Effort in Cognitively Oriented Research from a Motivational Perspective
Authors: Grund Axel , Fries Stefan , Nückles Matthias , Renkl Alexander , Roelle Julian
Published: January 2024

In the context of instructional design and self-regulated learning research, the notion of mental effort allocation, monitoring, and control has gained increasing attention. Bringing together a cognitive perspective, focusing on Cognitive Load Theory, and a motivational perspective, merging central accounts from Situated Expectancy Value Theory and Self-Determination Theory, we plea for a three-fold conception of effort that clearly distinguishes the different psychological sources of experiencing and allocating effort in learning environments: effort-by-complexity, effort-by-need frustration, and effort-by-allocation. Such a detailed conception has important implications for how effort should be studied and how it can be influenced by instructional support or by the learning individual itself. A first conclusion we draw is that cognitively oriented research needs to be careful when taking students’ self-reports on the “effortfulness” of a task as an indication of the object-level cognitive requirements of the task, as such appraisals may also reflect the affective-emotional requirements of task execution as well as motivational beliefs regarding the likelihood of success and meaningfulness of a task. A second conclusion is that instructional procedures rooted in cognition-oriented theory ideally are complemented by motivation theory to support student learning optimally.
Improving density and strength-to-ductility ratio of a 3D-printed Al–Si alloy by high-pressure torsion
Authors: Muñoz Jairo Alberto , Komissarov Alexander , Avalos Martina , Bolmaro Raúl E. , Zhu Yuntian , Cabrera José María
Published: January 2024

Good combination of strength and ductility in metallic materials is always desired. To this end, this study assesses the combination of two modern manufacturing processes, namely additive manufacturing (AM) and severe plastic deformation, for an AlSi11Cu alloy. Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) produced an alloy with spherical pores with an average size of 42 μm, representing a volume fraction lower than 0.15%. At the mesoscale, the alloy showed a cellular microstructure made up of Al cells and Si-rich boundaries with an average size of 0.69 µm, which were broken down by the high-pressure torsion (HPT) process into ultrafine particles smaller than 0.41 µm. The HPT process transformed the columnar grains of the as-built material into ultrafine-grained grains around the disk edges, while the central zone conserved the as-built characteristics for a number of HPT turns smaller than ¼. HPT processing at room and warm temperatures gave rise to strength–ductility improvements with yield strengths and elongations larger than 400 MPa and 10%, respectively. The good strength–ductility trade-off was related to the porosity decrease, the breakdown of the interconnected network into particles of ultrafine size, the grain size reduction due to the dislocation density increase, and the formation of precipitates and Si-rich particles of different sizes. Thus, AM and HPT improved the grain boundary and precipitation strengthening, giving rise to an Al–Si alloy with superior mechanical properties.

Graphical abstract
A non-invasive continuous and real-time volumetric monitoring in spontaneous breathing subjects based on bioimpedance—ExSpiron®Xi: a validation study in healthy volunteers
Authors: Gatti Stefano , Rezoagli Emanuele , Madotto Fabiana , Foti Giuseppe , Bellani Giacomo
Published: January 2024

Tidal volume (TV) monitoring breath-by-breath is not available at bedside in non-intubated patients. However, TV monitoring may be useful to evaluate the work of breathing. A non-invasive device based on bioimpedance provides continuous and real-time volumetric tidal estimation during spontaneous breathing. We performed a prospective study in healthy volunteers aimed at evaluating the accuracy, the precision and the trending ability of measurements of ExSpiron®Xi as compared with the gold standard (i.e. spirometry). Further, we explored whether the differences between the 2 devices would be improved by the calibration of ExSpiron®Xi with a pre-determined tidal volume. Analysis accounted for the repeated nature of measurements within each subject. We enrolled 13 healthy volunteers, including 5 men and 8 women. Tidal volume, TV/ideal body weight (IBW) and respiratory rate (RR) measured with spirometer (TVSpirometer) and with ExSpiron®Xi (TVExSpiron) showed a robust correlation, while minute ventilation (MV) showed a weak correlation, in both non/calibrated and calibrated steps. The analysis of the agreement showed that non-calibrated TVExSpiron underestimated TVspirometer, while in the calibrated steps, TVExSpiron overestimated TVspirometer. The calibration procedure did not reduce the average absolute difference (error) between TVSpirometer and TVExSpiron. This happened similarly for TV/IBW and MV, while RR showed high accuracy and precision. The trending ability was excellent for TV, TV/IBW and RR. The concordance rate (CR) was >95% in both calibrated and non-calibrated measurements. The trending ability of minute ventilation was limited. Absolute error for both calibrated and not calibrated values of TV, TV/IBW and MV accounting for repeated measurements was variably associated with BMI, height and smoking status. Conclusions: Non-invasive TV, TV/IBW and RR estimation by ExSpiron®Xi was strongly correlated with tidal ventilation according to the gold standard spirometer technique. This data was not confirmed for MV. The calibration of the device did not improve its performance. Although the accuracy of ExSpiron®Xi was mild and the precision was limited for TV, TV/IBW and MV, the trending ability of the device was strong specifically for TV, TV/IBW and RR. This makes ExSpiron®Xi a non-invasive monitoring system that may detect real-time tidal volume ventilation changes and then suggest the need to better optimize the patient ventilatory support.
Exploring the Impact of Safer Sports Betting Promotion on Social Media: An Experimental Study
Authors: Houghton Scott , Moss Mark
Published: January 2024

The current study assessed the effectiveness of delivering safer gambling messaging to regular sport bettors on social media. It also assessed whether the content of the message impacted message effectiveness. A 3 × 2 mixed factorial design was employed, with 281 participants randomly assigned to follow one of three Twitter accounts. The accounts either sent out informational messages, self-appraisal messages or emotional self-efficacy messages. Participants reported betting behaviour from the two weeks prior to following the accounts, in addition to during the two-week intervention period, using information from their online gambling accounts. Participants reported readiness to change gambling behaviour pre and post the two-week intervention period. A significant main effect of intervention stage highlighted reductions in betting behaviour and increased readiness to change behaviour. However, there was no significant main effect of condition and no significant interaction between intervention stage and condition upon betting behaviour or readiness to change. The findings suggest receiving safer gambling messages on social media may lead to a reduction in betting behaviour. However, similar reductions in behaviour were observed in the experimental and control conditions. Further research is needed to clarify whether changes in behaviour observed in the current study would extend over a longer period of time.
Blood flow rate to the femur of extinct kangaroos implies a higher locomotor intensity compared to living hopping macropods
Authors: Hu Qiaohui , Seymour Roger S. , Snelling Edward P. , Wells Rod T.
Published: January 2024

The stocky skeletons and post-cranial anatomy of many extinct kangaroos indicate that they might have engaged in varied locomotor behaviors, rather than bipedal hopping, as their primary mode of locomotion. This study investigates support for this idea by estimating femoral bone perfusion, which is a correlate of locomotor intensity, in extinct kangaroos compared to living hopping species. Femur blood flow rates can be estimated from the sizes of nutrient foramina on the femur shaft of living and extinct species, without preservation of soft tissue. Estimated femur blood flow rates among the extinct Macropus, Protemnodon and Sthenurinae (Sthenurus, Simosthenurus and Procoptodon) are not significantly different from one another but are significantly greater than in living hopping macropods after accounting for the effect of body mass, consistent with their purportedly different locomotor style. The giant sthenurines have more robust femora than extrapolated from data of living hopping macropods, possibly due to the larger sthenurines requiring relatively stronger leg bones to support their heavier body weights, especially if loaded onto a single limb during bipedal striding.
Two New Sub-GLEs Found in Data of Neutron Monitors at South Pole and Vostok: On 09 June 1968 and 27 February 1969
Authors: Poluianov Stepan , Batalla Oscar , Mishev Alexander , Koldobskiy Sergey , Usoskin Ilya
Published: January 2024

Intense solar energetic particle (SEP) events can be observed by neutron monitors (NMs) as so-called ground-level enhancements (GLEs). High-altitude polar NMs have high sensitivity for SEP due to the reduced atmospheric energy cutoff and very low geomagnetic rigidity cutoff compared to other NMs. There is a special class of sub-GLE events, viz. events that are weaker than standard GLEs and can only be observed by high-altitude polar NMs. So far, only one sub-GLE and three candidates are known, all in the period 2012 – 2015. In this work, we inspected the period from March 1964 to December 1969 in the data of the South Pole and Vostok high-altitude polar NMs on the Antarctic Plateau in search of possible sub-GLEs. We found two previously unknown events from 09 June 1968 and 27 February 1969 that formally match the definition of sub-GLE. They were associated with significant enhancements in the integral SEP intensity $J(>60\text{ MeV})$
J
(
>
60
 MeV
)
measured by space-borne particle detectors, as well as with strong X-class solar flares from the western part of the solar disk. The identified sub-GLEs were analyzed and the corresponding SEP characteristics were estimated.
Effectiveness of Instant Messaging-Based Online Group Support for Preventing Smoking Relapse: a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: He Wan Jia Aaron , Wang Qi , Lam Tai Hing , Chan Ching Han Helen , Luk Tzu Tsun , Wang Man Ping , Chan Siu Chee Sophia , Cheung Yee Tak Derek
Published: January 2024

Online group support potentially help prevent smoking relapse. This two-arm, pragmatic, open-label randomized controlled trial assessed the effectiveness of instant messaging (IM) (i.e., WhatsApp) online group support versus text messages for smoking relapse prevention. The intervention group (n = 469) participated in 8-week counsellor-moderated IM-based online discussion groups and receive messages on preventing relapse via WhatsApp. The control group (n = 459) received similar messages via text messaging for 8 weeks. Primary outcome was biochemically validated tobacco abstinence (exhaled carbon monoxide < 4 parts per million; or saliva cotinine < 10 ng/ml) at 12-month follow-up. By intention-to-treat, intervention and control groups showed similar prevalence of biochemically validated abstinence (11.9% versus 11.7%, risk ratio [RR] = 1.01; 95%CI 0.71–1.44; P = 0.93). The interactive IM-based online group support was costly but did not increase smoking abstinence compared to simple text messaging. More interactive digital health interventions are more costly but may not be more effective than simple text messaging. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: # NCT03717051.
Interaction study of L-phenylalanine/glycyl-L-phenylalanine in water-soluble 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C10mim]Br) ionic liquid: thermodynamic/physicochemical approaches
Authors: Sharma Ravinder , Bahadur Indra , Gautam Manu , Abdullah Mahmood M. S. , Singh Sangeeta , Tumba Kaniki
Published: January 2024

Recent times have witnessed notable progress in augmenting the effectiveness of pharmaceutical actions, leading to the creation of novel drug formulations and delivery technologies. A complete understanding of the molecular-level interactions between drug molecules and biological membranes is necessary to achieve optimal design in these processes. Comprehensive understanding of these interactions can be gained through thermodynamic research, which helps pharmaceutical professionals make well-informed decisions about which manufacturing compounds are most suited for a certain application. Because ionic liquids can interact with biological membranes and exert their effects on them, studying ionic liquids in combination with co-solvents in aqueous settings is important for many kinds of research. Using an Anton Paar DSA 5000 M apparatus, the densities, and speed of sound in a liquid mixture comprising L-phenylalanine and glycyl-L-phenylalanine within an aqueous 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C10mim]Br), the ionic solution was measured. This was done across temperature ranges of 288.15 K, 298.15 K, 308.15 K, and 318.15 K and experimental pressure of p = 0.1 MPa with concentrations of “0.000, 0.005, 0.030, and 0.050 mol kg–1”. From the experimental results, various acoustic and physicochemical properties were derived, including apparent molar properties, partial compression, isentropic compression, and transfer properties. These computations provided insights into intermolecular interactions within the combination of 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, water, L-phenylalanine, and glycyl-L-phenylalanine. The mixture’s characteristics were explored through pair and triplet coefficients, taking into account empirical constants and expansibilities, thereby delving into solute–solvent, hydrophilic-hydrophilic, dipole–dipole, and ion-hydrophilic interactions.

Graphical Abstract
April–September minimum temperature reconstruction based on Sabina tibetica ring-width chronology in the central eastern Tibetan Plateau, China
Authors: Li Teng , Peng Jianfeng , Au Tsun Fung , Li Jinbao
Published: January 2024

Minimum temperatures have remarkable impacts on tree growth at high-elevation sites on the Tibetan Plateau, but the shortage of long-term and high-resolution paleoclimate records inhibits understanding of recent minimum temperature anomalies. In this study, a warm season (April–September) reconstruction is presented for the past 467 years (1550–2016) based on Sabina tibetica ring-width chronology on the Lianbaoyeze Mountain of the central eastern Tibetan Plateau. Eight warm periods and eight cold periods were identified. Long-term minimum temperature variations revealed a high degree of coherence with nearby reconstructions. Spatial correlations between our reconstruction and global sea surface temperatures suggest that warm season minimum temperature anomalies in the central eastern Tibetan Plateau were strongly influenced by large-scale ocean atmospheric circulations, such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation.
Analysis of transcriptomics data from COVID-19 patients: a pilot research
Authors: Hadzega Dominik , Babisova Klaudia , Hyblova Michaela , Janostiakova Nikola , Sabaka Peter , Janega Pavol , Minarik Gabriel
Published: January 2024

During SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus transforms the infected host cell into factories that produce new viral particles. As infection progresses, the infected cells undergo numerous changes in various pathways. One of these changes is the occurrence of a cytokine storm, which leads to severe symptoms. In this study, we examined the transcriptomic changes caused by COVID-19 by analyzing RNA-seq data obtained from COVID-19-positive patients as well as COVID-19-negative donors. RNA-seq data were collected for the purpose of identification of potential biomarkers associated with a different course of the disease. We analyzed the first datasets, consisting of 96 samples to validate our methods. The objective of this publication is to report the pilot results. To explore potential biomarkers related to disease severity, we conducted a differential expression analysis of human transcriptome, focusing on COVID-19 positivity and symptom severity. Given the large number of potential biomarkers we identified, we further performed pathway enrichment analysis with terms from Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomics (KEGG) to obtain a more profound understanding of altered pathways. Our results indicate that pathways related to immune processes, response to infection, and multiple signaling pathways were affected. These findings align with several previous studies that also reported the influence of SARS-CoV-2 infection on these pathways.
Decadal Trends in Surface Elevation and Tree Growth in Coastal Wetlands of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia
Authors: Bennion Vicki , Dwyer John M. , Twomey Alice J. , Lovelock Catherine E.
Published: January 2024

Coastal wetlands surrounding urban environments provide many important ecosystem services including protection from coastal erosion, soil carbon sequestration and habitat for marine and terrestrial fauna. Their persistence with sea-level rise depends upon their capacity to increase their soil surface elevation at a rate comparable to the rate of sea-level rise. Both sediment and organic matter from plant growth contribute to gains in soil surface elevation, but the importance of these components varies among sites and with variation in climate over long time scales, for which monitoring is seldom available. Here, we analysed variation in surface elevation, surface accretion and mangrove tree growth over 15 years in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, a period that spans variation in the El Niño/La Niña (ENSO) cycle, which strongly influences rainfall and sea level in the region. Piecewise structural equation models were used to assess the effects of biotic (tree growth, plant cover and bioturbation by invertebrates) and environmental factors on annual surface elevation increments throughout this period. Our model for mangroves identified that surface accretion and tree growth were both positively influenced by rainfall, but surface elevation was not, and thus, higher levels of compaction of the soil profile in high rainfall/high sea level years were inferred. In contrast, our saltmarsh model found that rainfall positively influenced surface accretion and elevation gains. Declines in surface elevation in the mangroves were influenced by the species composition of the mangrove, with higher levels of elevation loss occurring in mangrove forests dominated by Avicennia marina compared to those with a higher proportion of Rhizophora stylosa. Decadal-scale variation in ENSO affected mangrove tree growth, but surface elevation trends were more strongly influenced by variation in environmental conditions than by tree growth, although effects of biotic factors (mangrove species composition and bioturbation) on surface elevation trends were observed. Further research into tipping points with extreme ENSO events (either La Niña with high rainfall and high sea level or El Niño with low rainfall and low sea levels) will help clarify the future of mangrove and saltmarsh distribution within Moreton Bay.
Effect of Rosa damascena Essential Oil Loaded in Nanostructured Lipid Carriers on the Proliferation of Human Breast Cancer Cell Line MDA-MB-231 in Comparison with Cisplatin
Authors: Yari Elham , Sari Soyar , Kelidari Hamidreza , Asare-Addo Kofi , Nokhodchi Ali
Published: January 2024

Purpose

As Rosa damascena essential oils (RDEOs) have antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and insecticidal activity, they could therefore be useful in the treatment of breast cancer. In the current study, an attempt was made to incorporate RDEO in a lipid-based drug delivery system, namely, nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) to boost its anticancer effect compared to cisplatin.

Methods

Gas chromatography (GC) identified the chemical compositions of RDEO. RDEO-NLCs were prepared using the probe ultrasonication method. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized in terms of particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential by dynamic light scattering. The encapsulation efficiency of the formulations and their loading capacity were also determined, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed to evaluate the morphology of the optimal formulation (quoted as RDEO-NLC2). The anticancer effect of RDEO-NLC2 on MDA-MB-231 cells and apoptosis were assessed using MTT and in vitro cellular assays respectively.

Results

TEM result revealed a distinct spherical shape for RDEO-NLC2, with an average particle size of 78.39 ± 1.5 nm obtained by Zetasizer. The results also showed that the obtained particles had a negative surface charge (− 31.0 mV) with a polydispersity index of 0.28 ± 0.01. The chemotherapy drug cisplatin showed more cytotoxicity than RDEO-NLC2 against cancer cells. Cellular data demonstrated that RDEO-NLC2 like cisplatin can decline the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells through apoptosis compared to cells treated with the placebo and free RDEO.

Conclusion

RDEO-NLC2 has the ability to stimulate apoptosis in the human BC cell line MDA-MN-231; hence, it can be beneficial in the treatment of patients suffering from breast cancer.
(Neo)adjuvant approaches in lung cancer—paving the road to a cure
Authors: Wass Romana , Hochmair Maximilian , Lang David , Horner Andreas , Lamprecht Bernd
Published: January 2024

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized the treatment landscape of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). During the past few years the focus of research has shifted toward examining these therapies in patients with early-stage NSCLC to improve long-term overall survival and cure rates. As recurrence rates are high and the relapse pattern in patients with completely resected early-stage NSCLC is predominantly systemic, high expectations rest on the integration of ICI therapy in their treatment approach. A large number of studies with adjuvant or neo-adjuvant ICI are ongoing. The first data from phase III studies have demonstrated improvements in disease-free survival and pathologic remissions, but overall survival data are mostly immature. Additionally, targeted therapies have also been explored in early-stage NSCLC. The first very promising results are available from EGFR-mutant and ALK-translocated NSCLC and have already changed our clinical practice for some patient subgroups. This review discusses the most recent results of phase III trials in the neoadjuvant, perioperative, and adjuvant setting for ICI and targeted therapies in early-stage resectable NSCLC.
Mapping the Technology Transfer Offices in Greece: Initial Outcomes Concerning Medical and Health Technologies and Next Steps
Authors: Sachini Evi , Sioumalas-Christodoulou Konstantinos , Chrysomallidis Charalampos , Siganos Galatios , Megas Giorgos , Androutsopoulou Maro , Tympas Aristotle , Karampekios Nikolaos
Published: January 2024

While the academic debate on how to transfer technology from universities and research centres to the society is not absent in Greece, yet the study of the institutions mediating in this process is not that advanced. Here, we present the results from our first survey on the Technology Transfer Offices of 12 major Greek universities and research centres. We analyse their structure, regulations and classification of services, and report on their industrial (patents, trademarks, etc.) and intellectual (copyright, digital content, etc.) property outputs. Furthermore, we explore potential patterns of collaboration. With a few notable exceptions in a limited number of aspects that formulate the everyday workings and performance indicators of the examined TTOs, findings indicate an underdeveloped ecosystem with significant room for improvement. The research presented here is part of a broader project, which aims to map the entire ecosystem of the Greek higher education institutions and research centres.
Strategies for single base gene editing in an immortalized human cell line by CRISPR/Cas9 technology
Authors: Corrado Alda , Aceto Romina , Miglietta Simona , Silvestri Roberto , Dell’Anno Irene , Lepori Irene , Ricci Benedetta , Romei Cristina , Giovannoni Roberto , Poliseno Laura , Evangelista Monica , Vitiello Marianna , Cipollini Monica , Elisei Rossella , Landi Stefano , Gemignani Federica
Published: January 2024

The use of CRISPR/Cas9 system has rapidly grown in the last years. Here, the optimization of gene editing of a single-nucleotide polymorphism in a human non-malignant somatic cell line of thyrocytes (Nthy-Ori) was described highlighting strategies for overcoming the problems concerning the delivery and off-targets. We employed both lentivirus and chemical lipids as delivery agents and two strategies for creating the double-strand breaks (DSB). The former induced a DSB by a classical Cas9 nuclease (standard strategy), while the second one employed a modified Cas9 creating a single-strand break (SSB). The knock-in was carried out using a single-stranded donor oligonucleotide or the HR410-PA donor vector (HR). The desired cells could be obtained by combining the double nickase system with the HR vector transfected chemically. This result could be due to the type of DSB, likely processed mainly by non-homologous end joining when blunt (standard strategy) and by HR when overhanging (double nickase). Our results showed that the double nickase is suitable for knocking-in the immortalized Nthy-Ori cell line, while the standard CRISPR/Cas9 system is suitable for gene knock-out creating in/del mutations.
‘Very little is done other than the odd reminder’…‘look after yourself’: a mixed-methods evaluation of what Australian teachers need and want from a wellbeing program
Authors: Beames Joanne R. , Roberts Anna , Deady Mark , O’Dea Bridianne , Werner-Seidler Aliza
Published: January 2024

School teachers have demonstrated poor mental health and low levels of wellbeing, globally. Despite the high prevalence of depression, burnout, stress, and anxiety, few programs have been developed in collaboration with teachers that are appropriate for their needs and circumstances. The current mixed-methods study involved consultation with members of the teaching workforce in Australia to understand their preferences for a program to address their mental health and wellbeing. The sample included teachers and other key representatives from the education sector in New South Wales, Australia. There were 47 participants who completed online surveys, with a subset (n = 16) also attending two group workshops (n = 10 in the first workshop, n = 6 in the second workshop). Data were collected between May 2021 and October 2021. Descriptive statistics were calculated to summarise quantitative survey data, and thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Results from surveys and workshops found that a new approach is needed to address teacher mental health and wellbeing in schools. Participants expressed a preference for a strategy that combined a face-to-face approach with a digital component and focused on three areas: staff relationships, supportive leadership, and practical skill development. The results of this study provide guidance about areas to target to improve teacher mental health and wellbeing.
Facile preparation of sulfonated carbon particles with pomegranate peels as adsorbent for enhanced methylene blue adsorption from aqueous solutions
Authors: Genel Yaşar , Genel İlyas , Saka Cafer
Published: January 2024

In this study, in the first stage, activated carbon (AC) is produced from pomegranate peels, which are commonly found in Turkey, by pyrolysis after impregnation with NaOH (PPAC). In the second stage, the surface properties of the obtained PPAC sample are further improved by the sulfonation modification process with sulphuric acid (PPAC-S) for selective MB adsorption. For the characterization of the obtained samples, XRD, FTIR, SEM, nitrogen adsorption/desorption and EDS analyses were performed. Additionally, the zero charge points (pHzpc) of these samples were also determined. The isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic properties of the MB adsorption process with PPAC-S were examined. The qe values obtained for MB adsorption with PPAC and PPAC-S samples were found to be 98.79 mg/g and 199.18 mg/g, respectively. There is an increase of 100% in MB adsorption with the sulfonated PPAC adsorbent. Maximum adsorption capacity values of MB with the Langmuir model at temperatures of 298, 308, and 318 °C were 212.7, 216.9, and 245.1 mg/g, respectively. Additionally, the mechanism of MB adsorption onto PPAC-S was also attempted to be elucidated.
B. Y. Chen-Ricci inequalities for anti-invariant Riemannian submersions in Kenmotsu space forms
Authors: Polat Murat
Published: January 2024

The aim of the present paper is to analyze sharp type inequalities including the scalar and Ricci curvatures of anti-invariant Riemannian submersions in Kenmotsu space forms$$K_{s}(\varepsilon )$$Ks(ε). We give non-trivial examples for anti-invariant Riemannian submersions, investigate some curvature relations between the total space and fibres according to vertical and horizontal cases of$$\xi $$ξ. Moreover, we acquire Chen-Ricci inequalities on the$$\ker \vartheta _{*}$$kerϑ∗and$$(\ker \vartheta _{*})^{\bot }$$(kerϑ∗)⊥distributions for anti-invariant Riemannian submersions from Kenmotsu space forms according to vertical and horizontal cases of$$\xi $$ξ.
Foreign Aid and Corruption: Do Women Make the Difference?
Authors: Carillo Maria Rosaria , Chiariello Valentina , De Siano Rita , Pennacchio Luca
Published: January 2024

The longstanding debate on the effectiveness of foreign aid has largely concluded that corruption is one of the major reasons for the failure of aid to sustain development in recipient countries. This paper investigates whether greater involvement of women in recipient countries' political and economic life enhances the effectiveness of foreign aid by reducing the corruption that usually accompanies massive foreign aid. The hypothesis is tested by cross-country empirical analysis, addressing the potential endogeneity of aid and women’s participation using an IV approach. We provide robust and causal evidence that greater women’s political and labor market participation does reduce the corruption associated with foreign aid, especially when the aid targets sectors that enhance women’s well-being. Moreover, we find that while all the dimensions of women's social participation are effective in reducing corruption, the greatest effect derives from the political dimension.
Incorporating the choice of centralized vs. decentralized resource allocation into sustainability frameworks
Authors: Solberg Runar J.
Published: January 2024

The grand societal challenge of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) puts pressure on firms to improve their sustainability practices. Environmental innovation can improve firms' sustainability practices, depending, in part, on the firm’s dynamic resource allocation capability. However, addressing whether to centralize or decentralize resource allocation has so far received scant attention in sustainability frameworks. This point-of-view article argues that the choice of whether to centralize or decentralize resource allocation will be increasingly more important as a structural lever for firms seeking to implement the SDGs. Linking this choice to the dynamic capability of resource allocation shows that this lever is intricately connected to the strategies of firms seeking to improve their sustainability practices. A practical framework is demonstrated that offers managerial decision support for this choice. Finally, avenues for future promising research are proposed.
Subjective Socioeconomic Status Moderates How Resting Heart Rate Variability Predicts Pain Response
Authors: Tan Jacinth J. X. , Tan Chin Hong , Kraus Michael W.
Published: January 2024

Higher resting heart rate variability (HRV)—an index of more flexible response to environmental stressors, including noxious stimuli—has been linked to reduced perception of experimentally induced pain. However, as stress responses are adapted to one’s chronic environments, we propose that chronic exposure to threats captured by one’s subjective socioeconomic status (SSS) may shape different adaptations that produce distinct pain responses linked to higher resting HRV. Specifically, lower SSS individuals with more threat exposures may prioritize threat detection by upregulating sensitivity to stressors, such as acute pain. Therefore, higher HRV would predict greater perceived acute pain among lower SSS individuals. In contrast, higher SSS individuals with less threat exposures may instead prioritize affective regulation by downregulating sensitivity to stressors, producing lower pain perception with higher HRV. We examined this stress response moderation by SSS in 164 healthy young adults exposed to experimental pain via the cold pressor test (CPT). Resting HRV, indexed by the root-mean-square of successive differences in heart rate, and self-reported SSS were measured at rest. Pain perception indexed by self-reported pain and pain tolerance indexed by hand-immersion time during the CPT were assessed. Results revealed that among higher SSS individuals, higher resting HRV predicted lower pain reports and subsequently greater pain tolerance during the CPT. Conversely, among lower SSS individuals, higher resting HRV predicted higher pain reports and subsequently lower pain tolerance. These findings provide preliminary evidence that environmental stress exposures linked to one’s SSS may shape unique biological adaptations that predict distinct pain responses.
Comparing direct (live-trapping) and indirect (camera-trapping) approaches for estimating the abundance of weasels (Mustela nivalis)
Authors: Hofmeester Tim R. , Mos Jeroen , Zub Karol
Published: January 2024

Information on the presence and abundance of a species is crucial for understanding key ecological processes but also for effective protection and population management. Collecting data on cryptic species, like small mustelids, is particularly challenging and often requires the use of non-invasive methods. Despite recent progress in the development of camera trap-based devices and statistical models to estimate the abundance of unmarked individuals, their application for studying this group of mammals is still very limited. We compared direct (live-trapping) and indirect (an enclosed camera-trapping approach—the Mostela system) survey methods to estimate the population size of weasels (Mustela nivalis) inhabiting open grasslands in Northeast Poland over a period of four years. We also live-trapped voles to determine prey availability. We used a Royle–Nichols model to estimate yearly (relative) abundance from the camera-trapping data in a Bayesian framework. The total number of live-captured weasels showed a similar change over time as the relative abundance of weasels estimated using camera-trap data. Moreover, estimates of weasel abundance increased with the availability of their main prey. Our study is part of a growing body of work showing that camera traps can provide a useful non-invasive method to estimate the relative abundance of small mustelids. Moreover, a combination of data from camera traps with statistical models allowed us to track the changes in weasel number over time. This information could be very useful for the conservation of small mustelids as well as their management in regions where they are invasive.
Pragmatics, (Im)Politeness, and Intergroup Communication
Authors: Blitvich Pilar G.
Published: January 2024

This Element shows the basis for pragmatics/(im)politeness to become intergroup-oriented to be able to consider interactions in which social identities are salient or are essentially collective in nature, such as Cancel Culture (CC). CC is a form of ostracism involving the collective withdrawal of support and concomitant group exclusion of individuals perceived as having behaved in ways construed as immoral and thus displaying disdain for group normativity. To analyze this type of collective phenomenon, a three-layered model that tackles CC manifestations at the macro, meso, and micro levels is used. At the meso/micro levels, problematize extant conceptualizations of CC -mostly focused on the macro level and describe it as a Big C Conversation, whose meso-level practices need to be understood as genre-ecology, and where identity reduction, im/politeness, and moral emotions synergies are key to understand group entitativity and agency.
Concentration of measure for graphon particle system
Authors: Bayraktar Erhan , Kim Donghan
Published: January 2024

We study heterogeneously interacting diffusive particle systems with mean-field-type interaction characterized by an underlying graphon and their finite particle approximations. Under suitable conditions, we obtain exponential concentration estimates over a finite time horizon for both 1- and 2-Wasserstein distances between the empirical measures of the finite particle systems and the averaged law of the graphon system.
Intersectionality, Intersectional Standpoints, and Identity Politics
Authors: Meghani Zahra
Published: January 2024

This article differentiates between standpoints, intersectionality, intersectional standpoints, and identity politics. It argues that although there is no necessary connection between intersectionality and ethics, the intersectional standpoints of the oppressed do epistemic, ethical, and political work. To make this argument it uses a case study that takes the form of an analysis of mainstream arguments for denying public assistance to the working-class undocumented from an intersectional standpoint of that group. This paper also addresses two substantial criticisms of intersectional standpoints, including the charge that identity-politics-based intersectional standpoints foster victimhood politics and undermine class-based struggles.
Value Conflicts Revisited: Muslims, Gender Equality, and Gestures of Respect
Authors: Ivarsflaten Elisabeth , Helbling Marc , Sniderman Paul M. , Traunmüller Richard
Published: January 2024

This is a study on the inclusion of Muslims in liberal democracies in the presence of value conflict. We focus on handshaking controversies that appear to pit gender equality against religious freedom. The possible outcomes seem mutually exclusive: either conservative Muslim minorities must conform to the norms of the majority culture, or non-Muslim majorities must acquiesce to the legitimacy of conservative Muslim ideas. Using a trio of experiments to replicate our results, we demonstrate the efficacy of introducing alternative gestures of respect. Presented with a substitute gesture of respect – placing the ‘hand on heart’ – non-Muslim demands for Muslim conformity drop dramatically. The results of the handshaking experiments call out a general lesson. Thanks to the ingenuity and versatility of cultural customs to signal respect, value conflicts can be open to resolution in everyday encounters without minorities or majorities having to forsake their convictions.
A novel remote assessment pathway to streamline the management of two-week-wait suspected head and neck cancer referrals: a prospective analysis of 660 patients
Authors: Metcalfe Christopher , Oh Soo , Glazzard Nina , Ross Elizabeth , George Ajith
Published: January 2024

Objective

This study analyses outcomes for 660 patients managed via a novel telescopic pathway for suspected head and neck cancer referrals.

Method

Data were collected prospectively between January 2021 and December 2022, capturing all two-week-wait referrals triaged as low risk and managed via a nurse-led clinic for nasendoscopic examination and consultant-led remote assessment.

Results

In total, 660 patients were included. There were six head and neck cancers diagnosed, giving a conversion rate of 0.9 per cent. Mean (standard deviation) time to informing the patient whether they did or did not have cancer (28-day faster diagnosis standard) was 28.6 days (20.2), with no significant difference observed in patients imaged prior to review (p = 0.63). No missed cancers were detected in the follow-up period.

Conclusion

Low-risk head and neck cancer referrals can be safely managed in a nurse-led clinic for recorded examination with asynchronous consultant-led management. Further work is required to ensure adherence to the new faster diagnosis standard.
INFERENCE IN PARTIALLY IDENTIFIED PANEL DATA MODELS WITH INTERACTIVE FIXED EFFECTS
Authors: Hong Shengjie , Su Liangjun , Wang Yaqi
Published: January 2024

In this paper, we develop methods for statistical inferences in a partially identified nonparametric panel data model with endogeneity and interactive fixed effects. Under some normalization rules, we can concentrate out the large-dimensional parameter vector of factor loadings and specify a set of conditional moment restrictions that are involved with only the finite-dimensional factor parameters along with the infinite-dimensional nonparametric component. For a conjectured restriction on the parameter, we consider testing the null hypothesis that the restriction is satisfied by at least one element in the identified set and propose a test statistic based on a novel martingale difference divergence measure for the distance between a conditional expectation object and zero. We derive a tight asymptotic distributional upper bound for the resultant test statistic under the null and show that it is divergent at rate-Nunder the global alternative. To obtain the critical values for our test, we propose a version of multiplier bootstrap and establish its asymptotic validity. Simulations demonstrate the finite sample properties of our inference procedure. We apply our method to study Engel curves for major nondurable expenditures in China by using a panel dataset from the China Family Panel Studies.
An analysis of the dual burden of childhood stunting and wasting in Myanmar: a copula geoadditive modelling approach
Authors: Bhadra Dhiman
Published: January 2024

Objective:

To analyse the spatial variation and risk factors of the dual burden of childhood stunting and wasting in Myanmar.

Design:

Analysis was carried out on nationally representative data obtained from the Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey conducted during 2015–2016. Childhood stunting and wasting are used as proxies of chronic and acute childhood undernutrition. A child with standardised height-for-age Z score (HAZ) below –2 is categorised as stunted while that with a weight-for-height Z score (WHZ) below –2 as wasted.

Setting:

A nationally representative sample of households from the fifteen states and regions of Myanmar.

Participants:

Children under the age of five (

$n$

4162).

Results:

Overall marginal prevalence of childhood stunting and wasting was 28·9 % (95 % CI 27·5, 30·2) and 7·3 % (95 % CI 6·5, 8·0) while their concurrent prevalence was 1·6 % (95 % CI 1·2, 2·0). The study revealed mild positive association between stunting and wasting across Myanmar. Both stunting and wasting had significant spatial variation across the country with eastern regions having higher burden of stunting while southern regions having higher prevalence of wasting. Child age and maternal WHZ score had significant non-linear association with both stunting and wasting while child gender, ethnicity and household wealth quintile had significant association with stunting.

Conclusion:

The study provides data-driven evidence about the association between stunting and wasting and their spatial variation across Myanmar. The resulting insights can aid in the formulation and implementation of targeted, region-specific interventions towards improving the state of childhood undernutrition in Myanmar.
Locally Tight Programs
Authors: FANDINNO JORGE , LIFSCHITZ VLADIMIR , TEMPLE NATHAN
Published: January 2024

Program completion is a translation from the language of logic programs into the language of first-order theories. Its original definition has been extended to programs that include integer arithmetic, accept input, and distinguish between output predicates and auxiliary predicates. For tight programs, that generalization of completion is known to match the stable model semantics, which is the basis of answer set programming. We show that the tightness condition in this theorem can be replaced by a less restrictive “local tightness” requirement. From this fact we conclude that the proof assistant anthem-p2p can be used to verify equivalence between locally tight programs.
The Microbiome in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Authors: Zimmermann-Rösner Alexandra , Prehn-Kristensen Alexander
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Recent research has increasingly emphasized the function of the microbiome in human health. The gut microbiome is essential for digesting food and seems to play a vital role in mental health as well. This review briefly overviews the gut microbiome and its interplay with the central nervous system. We then summarize some of the latest findings on the possible role of the microbiome in psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. In particular, we focus on autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anorexia nervosa, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. Although the role of microbiota in mental development and health still needs to be researched intensively, it has become increasingly apparent that the impact of microbiota must be considered to better understand psychiatric disorders.