bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of the Digital Inclusion Questionnaire (DIQUEST) in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Canoro Vincenzo , Picillo Marina , Cuoco Sofia , Pellecchia Maria Teresa , Barone Paolo , Erro Roberto
Published: October 2023

Background

No tool is currently able to measure digital inclusion in clinical populations suitable for telemedicine. We developed the “Digital Inclusion Questionnaire” (DIQUEST) to estimate access and skills in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) patients and verified its properties with a pilot study.

Methods

Thirty PD patients completed the initial version of the DIQUEST along with the Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire (MDPQ) and a practical computer task. A Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was conducted to define the DIQUEST factor structure and remove less informative items. We used Cronbach’s α to measure internal reliability and Spearman’s correlation test to determine the convergent and predictive validity with the MDPQ and the practical task, respectively.

Results

The final version of the DIQUEST consisted of 20 items clustering in five components: “advanced skills,” “navigation skills,” “basic skills/knowledge,” “physical access,” and “economical access.” All components showed high reliability (α > 0.75) as did the entire questionnaire (α = 0.94). Correlation analysis demonstrated high convergent (rho: 0.911; p<0.001) and predictive (rho: 0.807; p<0.001) validity.

Conclusions

We have here presented the development of the DIQUEST as a screening tool to assess the level of digital inclusion, particularly addressing the access and skills domains. Future studies are needed for its validation beyond PD.
Sexually Transmitted Infection Risks and Symptoms Heightened Among Female Sex Workers who Started Selling Sex Before the Age of 18 in Five Cities in Cameroon
Authors: Grosso Ashley , Bowring Anna L. , Njindam Iliassou Mfochive , Decker Michele R. , Lyons Carrie , Rao Amrita , Tamoufe Ubald , Fako Guy H. , Fouda Ghislaine , Levitt Daniel , Turpin Gnilane , Billong Serge C. , Zoung-Kanyi Bissek Anne Cécile , Njoya Oudou , Baral Stefan
Published: October 2023

Many adolescents under 18 years old who sell sex are at elevated risk for sexually transmitted infection (STI) acquisition, which may persist into adulthood. There has been limited study of the burden of the risks and vulnerabilities among women who started selling sex as adolescents across Sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, a Adult female sex workers (FSW) recruited through respondent-driven sampling in five cities in Cameroon from December 2015 to October 2016 completed a questionnaire and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis testing. Multivariable logistic regression analysis controlling for age was used to identify factors associated with reporting selling sex before age 18. Selling sex before age 18 was reported by 11.5% (256/2,220) of FSW. Initiation of selling sex as an adolescent was positively associated with experiencing dysuria (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]:1.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.08–2.10) or genital warts (aOR:1.78, 95% CI:1.08–2.94) and negatively associated with prior recent testing for HIV (aOR:0.71, 95% CI:0.53–0.96) or STIs (aOR:0.65, 95% CI:0.44–0.96). Consistent condom use with clients was negatively associated with early initiation of selling sex (aOR:0.58, 95% CI:0.42–0.80), while experience of recent sexual violence was positively associated with early initiation (aOR:1.74, 95% CI:1.15–2.63). There were no independent significant differences in HIV (24.5%) or syphilis (8.3%) prevalence. Given the limited use of HIV and STI testing services by women who sold sex as adolescents, the prevalence of forced sex, condomless sex, and STI symptoms were high. Programs serving FSW should more vigorously aim to serve adolescents and adults who began selling sex early.
Isolated hyperthermic perfusions for cutaneous melanoma in-transit metastasis of the limb and uveal melanoma metastasis to the liver
Authors: Huibers Anne , DePalo Danielle K. , Perez Matthew C. , Zager Jonathan S. , Olofsson Bagge Roger
Published: October 2023

Patients with cutaneous melanoma can develop in-transit metastases (ITM), most often localized to limbs. For patients with uveal melanoma that develop metastatic disease, the overall majority develop isolated liver metastases. For these types of metastases, regional cancer therapies have evolved as effective treatments. Isolated limb perfusion (ILP), isolated limb infusion (ILI), isolated hepatic perfusion (IHP) and percutaneous hepatic perfusion (PHP) achieve a high local concentration of chemotherapy with minimal systemic exposure. This review discusses the mechanism and available literature on locoregional treatment modalities in the era of modern immunotherapy.
Preservice teachers' professional knowledge for ICT integration in the classroom: Analysing its structure and its link to teacher education
Authors: Heine Sandra , Krepf Matthias , Jäger-Biela Daniela J. , Gerhard Kristina , Stollenwerk Rebecca , König Johannes
Published: October 2023

As digitalisation is becoming increasingly important in educational settings, teachers' key competencies – in particular, their professional knowledge regarding the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in the classroom – warrant targeted development. Aside from their general pedagogical knowledge (GPK), teachers’ technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) and technological knowledge (TK) are becoming increasingly necessary for mastering professional teaching-related tasks (as outlined in the well-known technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) model). To date, however, the question of whether these knowledge facets are discrete or interrelated – at least, on the basis of standardised assessments – has remained largely unanswered. In the present study, therefore, a sample of 619 preservice teachers (320 bachelor’s and 299 master’s students in their second semesters) were considered via an online survey with three different knowledge tests. In this article, we investigate hypotheses concerning the structures of those knowledge facets and further hypothesise that initial teacher education learning opportunities relate to preservice teachers’ GPK, TPK, and TK. Our findings reveal that the three knowledge facets can be empirically separated. Master’s students outperform bachelor’s students in all three tests, however, with effects varying from strong (GPK) to medium (TPK, TK). As expected, pedagogical learning opportunities – surveyed through students’ self-reports – directly correlate with GPK. By contrast, technological pedagogical and technological learning opportunities are not correlated with TPK and TK, respectively. We discuss the findings’ implications for future initial teacher education design – in particular, the evident need to update the curriculum to meet the needs of the current era of digitalisation.
Investigating the impacts of heavy metal(loid)s on ecology and human health in the lower basin of Hungary’s Danube River: A Python and Monte Carlo simulation-based study
Authors: Saeed Omar , Székács András , Jordán Győző , Mörtl Mária , Abukhadra Mostafa R. , Eid Mohamed Hamdy
Published: October 2023

This study aimed to determine the environmental and health risks of the heavy metal levels in the Danube River in Hungary. The metals, including Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, and As, were measured in the period from 2013 to 2019. The Spearman correlation and heatmap cluster analysis were utilized to determine the origin of pollution and the factors that control surface water quality. Several indices, such as the heavy metal pollution index (HPI), metal index (MI), hazard quotient oral and dermal (HQ), hazard index oral and dermal (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR), were conducted to evaluate the potential risks for the environment and human health. The values of the HPI were between the range of 15 < HPI < 30, which indicated moderate pollution; however, the MI results showed high pollution in Dunaföldvár and Hercegszántó cities. The ecological risk (RI < 30) and HI values (< 1) showed low environmental risks and non-carcinogenic impacts of the existing metals, either on adults or children. The mean CR value of oral arsenic was 2.2E−04 and 2.5E−04 during April–September and October–March, respectively, indicating that children were the most vulnerable to arsenic-carcinogenic oral effects. While lead’s CR oral values for children during April–September exceeded the threshold of 1.0E−04, chromium’s oral and dermal CR values for both adults and children were 2.08E−04, 6.11E−04, 1.97E−04, and 5.82E−04 during April–September and October–March, respectively. These results demonstrate the potential carcinogenic risks related to chromium exposure within the two pathways in Hungary and highlight the need for effective measures to mitigate these risks.
The global distribution of gains from globalization
Authors: Lang Valentin , Tavares Marina M.
Published: October 2023

Global interpersonal inequality is increasingly driven by inequalities within countries while the role of inequality between countries diminishes. Is this due to globalization? To answer this question, we use comprehensive global panel data at the country-decile-group level for the past half century and exploit the geographic diffusion of liberalization policies to identify the effect of globalization. Across countries, we find that income gains are substantial for countries at early stages of the globalization process, but the ‘marginal returns to globalization’ diminish as globalization rises, eventually becoming insignificant for the most globalized countries. Within countries, gains from globalization are largest for the richest ten percent of national income distributions, resulting in substantial increases in national income inequalities. A simple quantitative model is consistent with these empirical results. Over the past half century, globalization has promoted a dual trend of income convergence across countries and income divergence within countries.
Reported baseline variables in transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenoma over a 30 year period: a systematic review
Authors: Layard Horsfall Hugo , Loh Ryan T. S. , Venkatesh Ashwin , Khan Danyal Z. , Lawrence Alistair , Jayapalan Ronie , Koulouri Olympia , Borsetto Daniele , Santarius Thomas , Gurnell Mark , Dorward Neil , Mannion Richard , Marcus Hani J. , Kolias Angelos G.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Heterogeneous reporting in baseline variables in patients undergoing transsphenoidal resection of pituitary adenoma precludes meaningful meta-analysis. We therefore examined trends in reported baseline variables, and degree of heterogeneity of reported variables in 30 years of literature.

Methods

A systematic review of PubMed and Embase was conducted on studies that reported outcomes for transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenoma 1990–2021. The protocol was registered a priori and adhered to the PRISMA statement. Full-text studies in English with > 10 patients (prospective), > 500 patients (retrospective), or randomised trials were included.

Results

178 studies were included, comprising 427,659 patients: 52 retrospective (29%); 118 prospective (66%); 9 randomised controlled trials (5%). The majority of studies were published in the last 10 years (71%) and originated from North America (38%). Most studies described patient demographics, such as age (165 studies, 93%) and sex (164 studies, 92%). Ethnicity (24%) and co-morbidities (25%) were less frequently reported. Clinical baseline variables included endocrine (60%), ophthalmic (34%), nasal (7%), and cognitive (5%). Preoperative radiological variables were described in 132 studies (74%). MRI alone was the most utilised imaging modality (67%). Further specific radiological baseline variables included: tumour diameter (52 studies, 39%); tumour volume (28 studies, 21%); cavernous sinus invasion (53 studies, 40%); Wilson Hardy grade (25 studies, 19%); Knosp grade (36 studies, 27%).

Conclusions

There is heterogeneity in the reporting of baseline variables in patients undergoing transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenoma. This review supports the need to develop a common data element to facilitate meaningful comparative research, trial design, and reduce research inefficiency.
Influence of two agroforestry systems on the nitrification potential in temperate pastures in Brittany, France
Authors: Mettauer Romane , Beule Lukas , Bednar Zita , Malige Margaux , Godinot Olivier , Le Cadre Edith
Published: October 2023

Background and aims

Agroforestry, whereby trees are associated with crops and/or livestock, is expected to mitigate nitrogen (N) losses from agriculture. However, little is known about how nitrification potential, an important process that drives N losses, is affected by agroforestry systems. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different silvopastoral agroforestry systems on soil nitrification potential.

Methods

Nitrification potential was evaluated in two agroforestry systems (hedgerow and alley cropping) associated with temporary grasslands in Brittany, France. In each system, soil was sampled along a transect spanning from the center of the tree row into the grass alley. Soil nitrification potential was determined ex situ and was explained by univariate and multivariate analysis of variables describing vegetation, physicochemical soil properties, and soil organisms.

Results

Nitrification potential differed between the two agroforestry systems and among the positions in relation to the trees. In the alley cropping system, nitrification potential was on average 1.5 times higher in the tree row than at 1.5 and 10 m into the grass alley, while in the hedgerow system, nitrification potential at 1.5 m into the grass alley was on average 40% lower than at 10 m into the grass alley. Nitrification potential was strongly correlated with soil pH, whereas no correlation was observed between nitrification potential and community size of soil nitrifiers.

Conclusion

Our results point out the diverse effects of agroforestry systems on nitrification, a key soil process that is involved in the regulation of N losses.
Acid coating to increase availability of zinc in phosphate fertilizers
Authors: Degryse Fien , Harris Hugh , Baird Roslyn , Andelkovic Ivan , da Silva Rodrigo C. , Kabiri Shervin , Yazici Atilla , Cakmak Ismail , McLaughlin Mike J.
Published: October 2023

Background

Precipitation of Zn phosphates may limit Zn availability in cogranulated P fertilizers. We assessed whether the Zn availability of Zn could be improved by post-granulation acid treatment.

Methods

Uncoated Zn-fortified monoammonium phosphate granules were compared with sulfuric acid-coated granules in which Zn was either cogranulated or dissolved in the acid coating. Spatially resolved XRF and XANES was used to assess the distribution and speciation of Zn in the granules (before and after incubation in soil) and in the exposed soil. The amount of Zn remaining in the granule was determined after incubation in various soils. The effect of acid coating rate on corn yield was determined in a highly Zn-deficient soil in a pot trial.

Results

The speciation of Zn in the untreated granules was dominated by Zn phosphates. In the sulfuric acid treatments, sulfate species accounted for ~ 45% (if cogranulated) or ~ 80% (if coated) of the Zn. After one week incubation in soil, 10–86% of the added Zn remained in the residual granule, mostly as sparingly soluble compounds. The Zn speciation in the soil near the granule was dominated by Zn phosphates irrespective of treatment, but Zn moved further away from the application site in the acid treatments, as more Zn was released from the granule. In the pot trial, the dry matter yield increased by 70% at a coating rate of 0.75% H2SO4 compared to the uncoated control.

Conclusions

Post-granulation acid treatment of Zn-fortified P fertilizers is an effective way to enhance the phytoavailability of fertilizer Zn.
Teacher expectations and their relations with primary school students’ achievement, self-concept, and anxiety in mathematics
Authors: Hollenstein Lena , Rubie-Davies Christine M. , Brühwiler Christian
Published: October 2023

Teacher expectations not only relate positively to student achievement, but also to student beliefs such as their self-concept. Nevertheless, most studies focus on the relations with student achievement, followed by studies on beliefs. Beliefs are a significant determinant of academic success and can include student self-concept or emotions, such as anxiety. The extent to which anxiety can be influenced by teacher expectations has been investigated in very few studies. This paper examined how teacher expectations related to changes in student achievement, self-concept, and anxiety in mathematics within a school year. The data were from a longitudinal study “Outcomes of teacher education”, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and based on 28 teachers and 509 primary school students. Teacher expectations were operationalized using the residual approach. Student mathematics achievement was assessed via a standardized mathematics test and their self-concept as well as their mathematics anxiety via a questionnaire. The multi-level structure was considered in the analyses, because the interclass-correlation of student mathematics achievement exceeded the critical value of 10%. The results showed that teacher expectations were positively related to student achievement as well as self-concept and negatively related to anxiety towards mathematics. The change in the explained variance was small (self-concept and anxiety) to large (achievement). The results extend findings on the expectation effect in the classroom, as they focus not only on student achievement but also on student beliefs and are discussed regarding their significance for academic success.
Evaluating the potential of semi-continuous itaconic acid fermentation by Aspergillus terreus: operational profile and experiences
Authors: Hülber-Beyer Éva , Bélafi-Bakó Katalin , Rózsenberszki Tamás , Komáromy Péter , Nemestóthy Nándor
Published: October 2023

Itaconic acid is an important bio-based chemical. The present study aims to evaluate the applicability of semi-continuous fermentation technique for itaconic acid production by Aspergillus terreus. The fermentation is planned to be connected with bipolar membrane electrodialysis unit for acid recovery. This process allows the reuse of residual glucose from the effluent. Our particular attention was focused on the effect of glucose concentration. Two different glucose supplementation strategies were tested: constant glucose concentration in the refilling medium and adjusted glucose concentration in order to maintain a continuously high – 120 g/L – glucose concentration in the fermentor. The itaconic acid titre, yield and productivity for the 24 h time periods between draining/refilling interventions were investigated. The constantly high glucose concentration in the fermentor resulted in doubled biomass formation. The average itaconic acid titre was 32.9 ± 2.7 g/L. The producing strain formed numerous spores during semi-continuous fermentation that germinated continuously. Yield and volumetric productivity showed a periodic pattern during the procedure.
Aus welchen Gründen wagen Hochschulabsolventinnen seltener den Schritt in die Selbstständigkeit als Hochschulabsolventen?
Authors: Köpke Ulrike , Schmitt-Rodermund Eva
Published: October 2023

Warum wagen Frauen seltener den Schritt in die Selbstständigkeit als Männer? Die vorliegende Untersuchung fokussiert auf die Umsetzung einer Selbstständigkeit durch Hochschulabsolventinnen und -absolventen und untersucht, welche Faktoren mit der Geschlechterlücke einhergehen. Die Auswahl der Prädiktoren basiert auf dem theoretischen Modell von Eccles et al. (1983), welches in der Tradition eines „Erwartung × Wert-Modells“ unter Einbeziehung sozialer, psychologischer, demografischer und ökonomischer Einflüsse die berufliche Wahlentscheidung beleuchtet. Sowohl über die Zeit hinweg stabile Merkmale, wie die Selbstständigkeit der Eltern, der fachspezifische Studienabschluss und das Big Five-Persönlichkeitsprofil, als auch dynamische und durch Lebensumstände beeinflusste Faktoren, wie Arbeits- und Lebensziele, wurden untersucht. Die Datengrundlage bildete die zweite Welle des DZHW (Deutsches Zentrum für Hochschul- und Wissenschaftsforschung) Absolventenpanel 2009 (N = 2465). Um den Einfluss der Prädiktoren auf die Geschlechterdifferenzen zu analysieren, wurden logistische Regressionsmodelle berechnet, die zum einen den Einfluss insgesamt und zum anderen den geschlechterseparierten Einfluss auf die Wahrscheinlichkeit der Umsetzung einer Selbstständigkeit untersuchen. Die Ergebnisse belegen, dass Frauen nach wie vor seltener beruflich selbstständig sind als Männer. Geschlechtsspezifische Auswertungen zeigen weiterhin, dass bei Absolventinnen vor allem Arbeits- und Lebensziele und bei Männern die Vorbildrolle der Eltern dazu führt, unternehmerisch tätig zu sein. Absolventinnen, denen ein sicherer Arbeitsplatz eher unwichtig und eine Vereinbarkeit von Beruf und Familie weder besonders wichtig noch besonders unwichtig ist, zeigen eine höhere Wahrscheinlichkeit, selbstständig tätig zu sein, während diese Arbeits- und Lebensziele für Absolventen weniger entscheidend sind. Die Ergebnisse zeigen aber auch, dass Absolventinnen und Absolventen hinsichtlich ihres unternehmerischen Persönlichkeitsprofils gleichermaßen gut für eine berufliche Selbstständigkeit ausgestattet sind. Das Papier schließt mit Überlegungen, wie die berufliche Selbstständigkeit insbesondere bei Hochschulabsolventinnen gefördert werden kann.
Is poor air quality in day-care centres’ affecting our children’s health? A study of indoor air quality in childcare facilities located in Perth, Western Australia
Authors: Gilbey Suzanne E. , Zhao Yun , Lee Andy , Rumchev Krassi B.
Published: October 2023

Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can adversely affect children’s health; however, limited studies have quantified indoor air pollutants in day-care centres (DCCs) where infants and young children are increasingly spending more time from a younger age. The aim of this study was to investigate seasonal IAQ in Western Australian childcare facilities at both heavy traffic and low traffic locations. In 22 centres, total volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide, particulate matter (PM) measured in six size fractions (total PM, PM10, PM4, PM2.5, PM1, ultrafine particles), and meteorological parameters (temperature and relative humidity), were continuously sampled over a 24-h period, in the cold season and repeated in the warm season. All contaminants (other than formaldehyde) in the summer and/or winter collections, or averaged over both seasons, were found to be above contemporary air quality standards, guidelines, best practice statements, or other available guidelines developed to protect human health. Furthermore, all contaminants were present at higher concentrations indoors where a DCC was located within 100 m of a heavy traffic roadway. The findings of this study suggest that children who attend these facilities on a regular basis may be chronically exposed to a range of health damaging contaminants during critical stages of their development. The findings support the need for measures to reduce concentrations of air pollutants in DCCs. Preventative actions such as attention to DCC siting, selection of appropriate building materials and furnishings, improvement in ventilation, and usage of ‘green’ cleaning products should be considered to reduce children’s exposures to harmful airborne contaminants.
Human Cerebrospinal Fluid Sample Preparation and Annotation for Integrated Lipidomics and Metabolomics Profiling Studies
Authors: Hooshmand Kourosh , Xu Jin , Simonsen Anja Hviid , Wretlind Asger , de Zawadzki Andressa , Sulek Karolina , Hasselbalch Steen Gregers , Legido-Quigley Cristina
Published: October 2023

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a metabolically diverse biofluid and a key specimen for exploring biochemical changes in neurodegenerative diseases. Detecting lipid species in CSF using mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques remains challenging because lipids are highly complex in structure, and their concentrations span over a broad dynamic range. This work aimed to develop a robust lipidomics and metabolomics method based on commonly used two-phase extraction systems from human CSF samples. Prioritizing lipid detection, biphasic extraction methods, Folch, Bligh and Dyer (B&D), Matyash, and acidified Folch and B&D (aFolch and aB&D) were compared using 150 μL of human CSF samples for the simultaneous extraction of lipids and metabolites with a wide range of polarity. Multiple chromatographical separation approaches, including reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), and gas chromatography (GC), were utilized to characterize human CSF metabolome. The aB&D method was found as the most reproducible technique (RSD < 15%) for lipid extraction. The aB&D and B&D yielded the highest peak intensities for targeted lipid internal standards and displayed superior extracting power for major endogenous lipid classes. A total of 674 unique metabolites with a wide polarity range were annotated in CSF using, combining RPLC-MS/MS lipidomics (n = 219), HILIC-MS/MS (n = 304), and GC-quadrupole time of flight (QTOF) MS (n = 151). Overall, our findings show that the aB&D extraction method provided suitable lipid coverage, reproducibility, and extraction efficiency for global lipidomics profiling of human CSF samples. In combination with RPLC-MS/MS lipidomics, complementary screening approaches enabled a comprehensive metabolite signature that can be employed in an array of clinical studies.

Graphical abstract
Seismic interpretation and sequence stratigraphic analysis of the Bahariya Formation in the South Umbaraka oilfields (Western Desert, Egypt): insights into reservoir distribution, architecture, and evaluation
Authors: Shehata Amer A. , Abdel-Fattah Mohamed I. , Hamdan Hamdan A. , Sarhan Mohammad A.
Published: October 2023

The integration of multiscale datasets, including seismic, well-logs and stratigraphy, is providing a precise picture about reservoir evaluation and spatial distribution. This study focuses on the seismic interpretation and sequence stratigraphic analysis of the Bahariya Formation in the South Umbaraka oilfields (Selkit, Khepri, and Sethos), located in the Western Desert of Egypt. Seismic interpretations reveal various structural closures, including anticlinal domes and faulted anticlines in different fields. The study area is divided into northern and southern blocks separated by a major fault, and structural cross sections provide valuable information on reservoir zones regarding lateral extension, thickness variation, and fault distribution. The Bahariya Formation is subdivided into two depositional sequences: Lower Bahariya sequence (BAH.SQ-1) and Upper Bahariya sequence (BAH.SQ-2) with distinct wireline-log characteristics, seismic reflections, and lithofacies variations. BAH.SQ-1 comprises mixed siliciclastic-dominated units with some carbonate units, while BAH.SQ-2 consists of mixed siliciclastic and carbonate units. Multiple sequence boundaries, depositional surfaces, and systems tracts are identified within BAH.SQ-1 and BAH.SQ-2, indicating changes in sedimentary environments and sea-level fluctuations. The petrophysical evaluation reveals promising reservoir zones in both the Lower and Upper Bahariya sequences. However, the Lower Bahariya sequence exhibits superior reservoir characteristics in terms of net-pay thickness, shale volume, effective porosity, and water saturation. Particularly, the sandstone-dominated LST-1 within the Lower Bahariya Formation is identified as a favorable reservoir zone. Conversely, the Upper Bahariya Formation has limited reservoir potential. This study underscores the significance of sequence stratigraphy and reservoir architecture, emphasizing the role of faulting, folding, and depositional environments in the distribution and quality of reservoir zones. The findings contribute valuable insights into the structural and stratigraphic characteristics of the Bahariya Formation, enhancing understanding of hydrocarbon plays and reservoir distribution in the studied area.
Relative strength and foreign direct investment in civil conflicts
Authors: Adelaiye Samaila Oluwatope , Chen Si , Sarwari Mehwish
Published: October 2023

What factors contribute to the differences in foreign direct investment (FDI) levels in environments characterized as high risk? While research shows that armed conflict influences foreign investment decisions, it remains unclear how conflict dynamics, specifically the relative power capabilities of warring parties, affect FDI. This study explores the effects of rebel strength relative to government forces on FDI. We argue that there is a reduction in foreign investments in civil conflict countries as rebels gain a military advantage relative to the government. Stronger insurgents send a signal that the government is losing its strength in the conflict, creating uncertainty regarding conflict outcomes and posing economic and security risks for investors. To avoid facing economic and property losses due to increasing rebel strength, investors are incentivized to decrease their investment in the conflict state. Using data on insurgent troop size relative to government forces and FDI, our findings show that higher military capabilities of rebel forces relative to the government are associated with less FDI inflows in conflict-affected countries.
Seven Recommendations for Pricing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Authors: Fraas Arthur G. , Graham John D. , Krutilla Kerry M. , Lutter Randall , Shogren Jason F. , Thunström Linda , Viscusi W. Kip
Published: October 2023

The social cost of greenhouse gases is important in many regulatory impact analyses. However, calculations of the social cost of greenhouse gases are highly complex and periodically revisited. We offer seven recommendations to improve current estimates. These include recommendations to use both country-level and global measures of the social cost of greenhouse gases, to use country-specific values for monetizing climate damages, to represent uncertainties by reporting distributions instead of using only central values, and to conduct a temporal distributional analysis that shows the magnitudes of climate damages across generations. We also provide recommendations for the discount rates that should be used when estimating the social cost of greenhouse gases, and the appropriate discount rates for regulatory impact analyses that include the social cost of greenhouse gases.
Rules of creative thinking: algorithms, heuristics and Soviet cybernetic psychology
Authors: Babintseva Ekaterina
Published: October 2023

In the 1960s, creativity became an important category for the Soviet state. Soviet educators and policy makers came to define creativity as problem solving in the service of Soviet automation. At the same time, the introduction of cybernetics, information theory and methods of artificial intelligence (AI) to psychology enabled Soviet researchers to perform quantitative studies of human cognition. The state concern with creative thinking and the cyberneticization of Soviet psychology allowed for the first quantitative studies of human problem solving. These shifts in Soviet society and scientific communities created fertile ground for the creation of Lev Landa's algo-heuristic theory (AHT), a pedagogical method of cultivating rule-bound creativity relying on tools and instruments developed and perfected in information theory and AI research. Drawing on scholarship in the history of algorithmic rationality, the Cold War discourse on creativity as a corporate imperative, and the place of cybernetics-inflected methods in the welfare domain, this article analyses the AHT as rule-based instrument of making creative thinking accessible to the lay mind.
When Authoritarian Legacies Matter: Constructive and Blind National Pride and Voter Turnout in New Democracies
Authors: Kim Gidong , Lee Jae Mook
Published: October 2023

In new democracies, what is the role of nationalism in terms of democratic behavior such as voter turnout? Previous studies have found that, in Western democracies, constructive national pride increases voter turnout, while blind national pride decreases it. However, little scholarly attention has been paid to new democracies. Given different political contexts, we argue that blind national pride can boost turnout in some new democracies that have lingering authoritarian legacies. Using the case of South Korea, we offer a theory about the relationship between blind national pride and voter turnout. We show that, in contrast to the West, blind national pride is positively associated with turnout in South Korea, and that the relationship appears more robust among both older cohorts, who experienced authoritarianism directly in the recent past, and those with conservative ideologies.
Business transactions and ownership ties between firms
Authors: Lőrincz László , Juhász Sándor , O’Szabó Rebeka
Published: October 2023

In this study, we investigate the creation and persistence of interfirm ties in a large-scale business transaction network. Business transaction relations (firms buying or selling products or services to each other) are driven by economic motives, but because trust is essential to business relationships, the social connections of owners or the geographical proximity of firms can also influence their development. However, studying the formation of interfirm business transaction ties on a large scale is rare, because of the significant data demand. The business transaction and the ownership networks of Hungarian firms are constructed from two administrative datasets for 2016 and 2017. We show that direct or indirect connections in this two-layered network, including open triads in the business network, contribute to both the creation and persistence of business transaction ties. For our estimations, we utilize log-linear models and emphasize their efficiency in predicting links in such large networks. We contribute to the literature by presenting different patterns of business connections in a nationwide multilayer interfirm network.
The effect of Abelmoschus esculentus L. (Okra) extract supplementation on glycaemic control, inflammation, kidney function and expression of PPAR-α, PPAR-γ, TGF-β and Nrf-2 genes in patients with diabetic nephropathy: a triple-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Nikpayam Omid , Saghafi-Asl Maryam , Safaei Ehsan , Bahreyni Nazgol , Sadra Vahideh , Asgharian Parina
Published: October 2023

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of okra extract supplementation on kidney function, glycaemic control, inflammation and gene expression in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). A total of sixty-four DN patients based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited in this triple-blind placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial. Participants were randomly allocated to receive a 125-mg capsule of dried okra extract (DOE) (n 32) or placebo (n 32) for 10 weeks. At the baseline and endpoint of the trial, kidney function, glycaemic indices, inflammation and gene expression were evaluated. Statistical analysis showed that fasting blood glucose, HbA1c and insulin resistance significantly reduced in the DOE group although between-group analysis did not show any significant difference. Also, no significant difference was observed in urine protein, urine creatinine and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein between the two groups. Furthermore, gene expression of PPAR-α, PPAR-γ, transforming growth factor-beta and Nrf-2 did not affect the end of the trial in comparison with the baseline. According to the present study, DOE did not have impressive effects on kidney function, inflammation, glycaemic management and gene expression in patients with DN.
Association of sarcopenia with rapid kidney function decline and chronic kidney disease in adults with normal kidney function
Authors: Zheng Xiaowei , Ren Xiao , Jiang Minglan , Han Longyang , Zhong Chongke
Published: October 2023

The association between sarcopenia and kidney function remains poorly investigated. We aimed to evaluate the associations between sarcopenia status and kidney function (rapid kidney function decline and chronic kidney disease (CKD)) in middle-aged and older Chinese population. A total of 9375 participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2011 were included in the cross-sectional analyses. A total of 5864 participants with eGFRcr-cys ≥ 60 ml/min per 1·73 m2 at baseline were included in the longitudinal analyses and were followed up in 2015. Sarcopenia status was defined according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria. In the cross-sectional analyses, possible sarcopenia and sarcopenia were significantly associated with an increased risk of CKD. During the 4 years of follow-up, 359 (6·12 %) participants experienced rapid decline in kidney function and 126 (2·15 %) participants developed CKD. After multivariable adjustment of baseline eGFRcr-cys level and other risk factors, possible sarcopenia (OR, 1·33; 95 % CI 1·01, 2·12) and sarcopenia (OR, 1·49; 95 % CI 1·05, 2·12) were associated with an increased risk of primary outcome (composite of rapid decline in kidney function (annualised decline in eGFRcr-cys ≥ 5 ml/min per 1·73 m2) and progression to CKD (eGFRcr-cys < 60 ml/min per 1·73 m2). Individuals with low muscle mass or low muscle strength alone also had an increased risk of rapid decline in kidney function and progression to CKD.
Civilized Barbarism: What We Miss When We Ignore Colonial Violence
Authors: MacDonald Paul K.
Published: October 2023

Colonial warfare has been a frequent and bloody feature of international relations, yet most studies of wartime civilian victimization focus on either interstate or civil wars. In this article I argue that ignoring colonial violence has distorted our understanding of state-directed violence against civilians in wartime. I introduce a new theory of colonial violence, which focuses on the distinctive strategic, normative, and institutional incentives that colonial powers have to harm civilians. To assess this theory, I introduce and analyze a new data set of 193 cases of colonial war from 1816 to 2003. Using a variety of measures of civilian harm, I find that colonial wars are especially brutal. Three-quarters of states in colonial wars targeted civilians, for example, compared to less than a third of states in interstate wars. But some colonial wars are harder on civilians than others. Colonial powers are more likely to harm civilians when their indigenous adversaries employ guerrilla tactics, when their indigenous adversaries come from a different perceived racial background, and when the colonial state relies on settlers or indigenous intermediaries to help compensate for its relative weakness. By ignoring colonial violence in world politics, we misunderstand the scale and scope of state-directed violence against civilians and miss an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the causes of this brutality.
The intimate public as a decolonial lens: “cripping” affect, nationalism and imperial violence
Authors: Tafakori Sara
Published: October 2023

This article brings an intimate perspective to bear upon the violence of economic sanctions, shifting attention away from an exclusive focus on state actors, in order to examine how “‘wounds” enter politics’.1 In this research, I ‘stretch’ Berlant’s notion of the intimate public, reconfiguring it as a decolonial analytic lens on subaltern suffering in conditions of endemic imperial violence. I focus on the Facebook page of the Iranian chief negotiator, Javad Zarif, during Iran’s talks with the P5+1 powers over its nuclear programme, under the pressure of what the Obama administration itself termed ‘crippling’ economic sanctions. Examining Zarif’s audience’s readings of his back injury during the talks as representing the ‘crippled’ nation, I trace how subaltern injury is intimately narrated through a racialised framework of disablement and ‘recovery’, where ‘recovery’ signifies a desanctioned and deracialised national body. I firstly complicate the prevailing conception of the intimate public as oriented around a ‘national fantasy’, theorising it as an affective structure that simultaneously locates imperial power, as well as the nation-state, as sources of complaint and hope; secondly, I draw on a critical disability (‘crip’) lens to understand the intimate public as mediating both the debilitation of racialised underdevelopment, and the fantasy of a normative, ‘developed’ national body in a post-sanctions future. Through examining the intimate politics of economic sanctions, this study contributes to a decolonial perspective on the entanglements of affect, nationalism and imperial violence.
The observation of superiority on multiple movements to the Italian left-periphery: Intervention effects on nested dependencies and the role of information-structure features
Authors: MOSCATI Vincenzo
Published: October 2023

Young Romance speakers can structure their sentences by dislocating multiple constituents to the left periphery, resulting in non-canonical word orders. Production data, however, show that this ordering is rigid: only SOV sequences are attested, an observation reminiscent of Superiority. The first goal of the paper is to replicate this observation in comprehension; the second is to derive the Subject-over-Object pattern in terms of Intervention, with the additional assumption that only nested chains count as interveners. Three experiments are reported here. Experiment 1 and Experiment 2 show that SOVs interpretations are systematically favored over OSV and that not only Number features, but also a [+Topic] feature help to overcome intervention. Experiment 3 addresses a potential confound related to the clitic. These results integrate existing intervention-based accounts, traditionally built on relatives, providing not only new evidence coming from matrix clauses, but also investigating the role of information-structure features.
Three Schur functors related to pre-Lie algebras
Authors: DOTSENKO VLADIMIR , FLYNN-CONNOLLY OISÍN
Published: October 2023

We give explicit combinatorial descriptions of three Schur functors arising in the theory of pre-Lie algebras. The first of them leads to a functorial description of the underlying vector space of the universal enveloping pre-Lie algebra of a given Lie algebra, strengthening the Poincaré-Birkhoff-Witt (PBW) theorem of Segal. The two other Schur functors provide functorial descriptions of the underlying vector spaces of the universal multiplicative enveloping algebra and of the module of Kähler differentials of a given pre-Lie algebra. An important consequence of such descriptions is an interpretation of the cohomology of a pre-Lie algebra with coefficients in a module as a derived functor for the category of modules over the universal multiplicative enveloping algebra.
Associations of dietary and sedentary behaviours of pregnant women with their children’s birth weight: findings from the CHAT trial in Australia
Authors: Xu Huilan , Buchanan Limin , Wang Yong , Phongsavan Philayrath , Baur Louise A , Wen Li Ming
Published: October 2023

Objective:

To examine the associations of pregnant women’s dietary and sedentary behaviours with their children’s birth weight.

Design:

Secondary data analysis was conducted using data from a randomised controlled trial, Communicating Healthy Beginnings Advice by Telephone, conducted in Australia. Information on mothers’ socio-demographics, dietary and sedentary behaviours during pregnancy was collected by telephone survey at the third trimester. Birth weight data were extracted from the child’s health record book. Multinomial logistic regression models were built to examine the associations of pregnant women’s dietary and sedentary behaviours with children’s birth weight.

Setting:

Participating families.

Participants:

Pregnant women and their children.

Results:

A total of 1132 mother–child dyads were included in the analysis. The majority of infants (87 %, n 989) were of normal birth weight (2500 g to <4000 g), 4 % (n 50) had low birth weight (<2500 g) and 8 % (n 93) had macrosomia (≥4000 g). Mothers who ate processed meat during pregnancy were more likely to have macrosomia (adjusted risk ratio (ARR) 1·80, 95 % CI (1·12, 2·89)). The risk of macrosomia decreased as the number of dietary recommendations met by mothers increased (ARR 0·84, 95 % CI (0·71, 0·99)). Children’s birth weight was not associated with mothers’ sedentary time. Children’s low birth weight was not associated with mothers’ dietary and sedentary behaviours during pregnancy.

Conclusion:

Maternal consumption of processed meat during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of macrosomia. Increasing number of dietary recommendations met by mothers was associated with a lower risk of macrosomia. The findings suggested encouraging pregnancy women to meet dietary recommendation will benefit children’s birth weight.
Eating out intensity, ultra-processed foods and BMI among Albanian youth
Authors: Vincze Ferenc , Muka Taulant , Eichelmann Fabian , Llanaj Erand
Published: October 2023

Objective:

Ultra-processed foods (UPF) and eating out of home (OH) are changing nutrition, particularly among youth in constrained settings. We aimed to assess the role of eating OH intensity on the associations of UPF and unprocessed or minimally processed foods (UMPF) with BMI among Albanian youth.

Design:

Cross-sectional.

Setting:

Albania, a south-eastern European country.

Participants:

281 youth, predominantly females.

Methods:

UPF and UMPF were defined based on NOVA, while eating OH intensity based on energy percentage from OH foods. Multivariable models tested associations of UPF and UMPF with BMI stratified by eating OH intensity, controlled for relevant covariates including diet quality, portion size and costs.

Results:

The respondents age ranged between 18 and 23 years with a female predominance (87·5 %). Mean energy from UPF and UMPF was 846 (sd: 573·0) and 802·9 (422·5) kcals, respectively. Among substantial at home eaters UPF intake was not associated (β = −0·07, 95 % CI (−0·13, 0·267)) with BMI; however, UMPF negatively associated with BMI (β = −0·24, 95 % CI (−0·43, −0·06)). Among those defined as substantial OH eaters, UPF (β = 0·24, 95 % CI (0·08, 0·40)) and UMPF (β = 0·18, 95 % CI (0·04, 0·33)) were positively associated with BMI.

Conclusions:

Our findings provide evidence for the hypothesis that eating OH plays an important role in the association of UPF and UMPF with BMI in youth. While causality cannot be established due to cross-sectional design, to the best of our knowledge, we provide the first assessment of UPF and UMPF intake in a south-eastern European setting, while highlighting the need for establishing and integrating youth nutrition into national nutritional surveillance systems for key dietary risk factors in Albania.
The Impact of Mobile Devices on Working Memory
Authors: Huff Kyle
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Mobile devices are believed to require a greater amount of working memory to use than traditional computers. This increase in cognitive load is believed to result in lower scores when cognitive assessments are completed on mobile devices. This paper directly tests this hypothesis using a repeated-measures dual-task design where participants complete parallel working memory tests on both mobile and desktop computers. Significant differences were found between the two modalities in the time to complete the assessments and usability ratings. This suggests that working memory is negatively impacted when completing an assessment on a mobile device.