bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unravelling urban nesting site selection in an opportunistic gull: an integrated analysis of micro-spatial habitat and litter quantification
Authors: Martín-Vélez Víctor , Domingo Joana , Cardador Laura , Montalvo Tomas , Navarro Joan
Published: June 2024

The proliferation of gull populations in urban areas has led to an increase in human-gull conflicts, especially in highly populated cities where these opportunistic predators are often considered a nuisance. There is a lack of data regarding the selection of nesting sites by gulls, so management measures at nesting level cannot be implemented. Here, we investigated the main environmental factors that explain the nesting preferences of the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) in urban areas, using the population in the city of Barcelona (NE Spain) as study model. We conducted an integrated analysis that combines micro-scale habitat selection assessments of 148 urban nesting sites with a macro-scale assessment of gull movements derived from GPS tracking of breeding yellow-legged gulls. We also analysed the type and abundance of litter in nests and main factors related to this. Nests were mainly found on flat roofs or above a structure on the main roof located at corner placements and situated on gravel substrate. Nest selection showed a negative relation to port distance and a building height beyond 12 m. The presence of litter was detected in more than 80% nests and was related to population density. Understanding the ecology of yellow-legged gulls in urban areas has implications for urban population management to prevent nest establishment.
Deceleration captured by InSAR after local stabilization works in a slow-moving landslide: the case of Arcos de la Frontera (SW Spain)
Authors: Bru Guadalupe , Ezquerro Pablo , Azañón Jose M. , Mateos Rosa M. , Tsige Meaza , Béjar-Pizarro Marta , Guardiola-Albert Carolina
Published: June 2024

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) is a remote sensing tool used for monitoring urban areas affected by geological hazards. Here we analysed the effectiveness of stabilization works on a slow-moving landslide in Arcos de La Frontera (Cádiz, Spain) using a persistent scatterer interferometric approach. The works consisted on jet grouting of cement-based injections and were applied locally to stabilize the most damaged neighbourhood. We processed a large stack of Sentinel-1 SAR satellite acquisitions covering the period January, 2016, to March, 2023, and obtained surface velocity and displacement trends measured along the line of sight (LOS) of the satellite on both ascending and descending orbits. The results show a clear deceleration of the landslide head after mid-2018, suggesting the local stabilization works were effective after that time. Prior to mid-2018, the maximum LOS velocity of the landslide head was 2.2 cm/year in ascending orbit and 1.3 cm/year in the descending orbit, decreasing to 0.43 cm/year and 0.23 cm/year, respectively. The InSAR results were compared to in-situ monitoring data and revealed that the extent of the stabilization has influenced a much larger area beyond the zone of the local interventions. Overall, InSAR has proved a powerful and versatile tool to be implemented in operational geotechnical monitoring.
Ticks and spirochetes of the genus Borrelia in urban areas of Central-Western Poland
Authors: Ciebiera Olaf , Grochowalska Renata , Łopińska Andżelina , Zduniak Piotr , Strzała Tomasz , Jerzak Leszek
Published: June 2024

Due to the extensive use of green urban areas as recreation places, city residents are exposed to tick-borne pathogens. The objectives of our study were (i) to determine the occurrence of ticks in urban green areas, focussing on areas used by humans such as parks, schools and kindergartens, and urban forests, and (ii) to assess the prevalence of Borrelia infections in ticks in Zielona Góra, a medium-sized city in western Poland. A total of 161 ticks representing the two species Ixodes ricinus (34 males, 51 females, 30 nymphs) and Dermacentor reticulatus (20 males, 26 females) were collected from 29 of 72 (40.3%) study sites. In total, 26.1% of the ticks (85.7% of I. ricinus and 14.3% of D. reticulatus) yielded DNA of Borrelia. The difference in the infection rate between I. ricinus and D. reticulatus was significant. Among infected ticks, the most frequent spirochete species were B. lusitaniae (50.0%) and B. afzelii (26.2%), followed by B. spielmanii (9.5%), B. valaisiana (7.1%), B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, (4.8%) and B. miyamotoi (2.4%). No co-infections were found. We did not observe a correlation in the occurrence of Borrelia spirochetes in ticks found in individual study sites that differed in terms of habitat type and height of vegetation. Our findings demonstrate that the Borrelia transmission cycles are active within urban habitats, pointing the need for monitoring of tick-borne pathogens in public green areas. They could serve as guidelines for authorities for the proper management of urban green spaces in a way that may limit tick populations and the potential health risks posed by tick-borne pathogens.
Effect of Enterococcus faecalis infection on some immune parameters, immune genes expression and tissue pathology of Argyrosomus regius
Authors: Aboyadak Ibrahim Mohamed , Ali Nadia Gabr
Published: June 2024

Enterococcus faecalis is a newly emerged fish pathogen affecting many cultured fish species. The present work aimed to determine the cause of mortalities affecting the cultured Meagre farm and study the infectious agent virulence, disease pathology. Also, to determine the influence of infection on complement 3, cyclooxygenase, and lysozyme gene expression and concentrations in fish serum. The internal organs of diseased fish were severely congested with the presence of petechial haemorrhages on the liver, gonads, and all over the elementary tract. Thirty-one bacterial isolates were recovered from naturally infected fish; seventeen were identified biochemically as E. faecalis. Random E. faecalis isolate was verified for pathogenicity in meager fingerlings and was indeed pathogenic with lethal dose-fifty (LD50) estimated by 4.6 × 106 colony forming unit (CFU) fish−1. The posterior kidney and hepatopancreas of experimentally infected fish showed severe inflammation, necrosis, degeneration, and haemorrhage. Detachment of mucosa lining the stomach and intestine (intestinal villi and gastric glands) was prominent. The examined gastric tissues exhibited inflammation, leucocytic infiltration, and congestion. The expression of C3, Cox2, and Lyz was upregulated 24-h post-infection and then decreased near the baseline at 96 h. Serum C 3 and Lyz concentrations peaked at 24 h and 48 h after that decreased. IgM level gradually increased with time and peaked at 96 h. In conclusion, E. faecalis is assumed pathogenic for cultured meager, experimental infection stimulated immune systems and upregulated the expression of some immune-related genes.
Ovarian function recovery in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant anastrozole treatment: updated results from the phase 3 DATA trial
Authors: Lammers Senna W. M. , Geurts Sandra M. E. , Hermans Karlijn E. P. E. , van Hellemond Irene E. G. , Swinkels Astrid C. P. , Smorenburg Carolien H. , van der Sangen Maurice J. C. , Kroep Judith R. , Honkoop Aafke H. , van den Berkmortel Franchette W. P. J. , de Roos Wilfred K. , Imholz Alexander L. T. , Vriens Ingeborg J. H. , Tjan-Heijnen Vivianne C. G. ,   on behalf of the Dutch Breast Cancer Research Group (BOOG) for the DATA investigators
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Patients with chemotherapy-induced ovarian function failure (CIOFF) may experience ovarian function recovery (OFR). Earlier, we showed that OFR during treatment with anastrozole impacted the prognosis of hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC) patients with CIOFF. Here, we present the long-term follow-up results.

Methods

Postmenopausal women with HR+ BC who were 45–57 years of age and received chemotherapy were identified from the phase 3 DATA study (NCT00301457) on the extended use of anastrozole. Eligible patients were categorised into two groups: patients with CIOFF and definitely postmenopausal patients. Patients with CIOFF were monitored for OFR. Disease-free survival (DFS), distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS), and overall survival (OS) were compared between patients with OFR and patients without OFR using multivariable Cox regression analyses, including OFR as a time-dependent covariate. BC-specific mortality (BCSM) was compared between groups using the Fine and Gray method.

Results

This study included 656 patients: 395 patients with CIOFF and 261 definitely postmenopausal patients. OFR occurred in 39 (12%) of 329 patients with CIOFF who were monitored for OFR. The median follow-up time was 13.3 years. Patients with OFR experienced a deterioration in DFS (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.54; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85–2.81), DRFS (HR = 1.51; 95% CI 0.73–3.11), OS (HR = 1.64; 95% CI 0.75–3.55), and BCSM (subdistribution HR = 1.98; 95% CI 0.84–4.63) when compared with patients without OFR.

Conclusion

In patients with CIOFF, OFR during treatment with anastrozole was associated with a deterioration in BC outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of adequate ovarian function suppression in this subgroup of patients.
Judging Gender: The Sentencing of South African Mothers Who Murder Their Children
Authors: Spies Amanda
Published: June 2024

Women who commit filicide are not only judged for their crime but also for their compliance/deviation from societal expectations of motherhood. Motherhood is interpreted through a specific set of socio-cultural norms with mothers needing to be loving, warm, selfless, and protective at all times. Any deviation from these norms can result in harsher sentencing. This article explores the complexity of maternal filicide and, the extent to which gendered constructions of motherhood are used in the South African criminal justice system to sentence women who murder their children. It examines how the dominant narrative identities of the bad/mad/sad mother influence the sentencing of these women and leads to inconsistent sentencing practice within the South African legal framework. By highlighting the disparities in sentencing and the importance of considering contextual information, it calls for reforms to ensure that sentencing aligns with the circumstances of these women, rather than reinforcing stereotypical perceptions of motherhood. It further highlights the need for reform to protect children from filicide.
Enhancing functional thinking in grade 5–6 students through a dynamic mathematics intervention program
Authors: Pittalis Marios , Sproesser Ute , Demosthenous Eleni , Odysseos Eleni
Published: June 2024

The aim of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate an intervention program focusing on developing Grade 5 and 6 students’ functional thinking. The innovative aspect lies in addressing simultaneously various aspects of function—input–output, covariation, correspondence, and object— in terms of manipulating tasks that involve functional relationships. The program adopts promising design principles, including an inquiry-based approach, engaging students in embodied dynamic mathematics learning environments, and making connections to real-world situations. A sample of 104 students took part in the program. The results showed a significant improvement in students’ performance related to functional thinking between the pre- and post-tests. Grade 5 students’ mean value improved from 0.29 to 0.58 and Grade 6 students from 0.37 to 0.60, respectively. Analysis indicated that students with varying performance potential in developing functional thinking are likely to be significantly affected by the program. Regression analysis showed that students’ gender as well as mathematics- and functions-related self-concept and interest did not serve as predictive factors of students’ gain score magnitude. Students' progression goes along with a significant shift in strategies used. While the dominant strategies in the pre-test relied on recursive and single variation, in the post-test, students moved to covariational and correspondence approaches. The findings indicate that upper primary school students are capable of grappling abstract facets of functions. This underscores the potential effectiveness of targeted interventions that adopt innovative design principles, particularly in light of the limitations of conventional curricula in adequately preparing students to explore functional relationships across diverse contexts.
The invasion threat of the emerging alien cactus Cylindropuntia pallida (Rosa), F.M. Knuth in South Africa and the potential for control using herbicides
Authors: Mokotjomela Thabiso Michael , Nelufule Takalani , Scott Zimbini , Vukeya Loyd Rodney , Xivuri Travor , Matsokane King , Mweli Nobuhle , Magqabi Felicia Lerato , Jaca Thulisile
Published: June 2024

The emerging alien cactus Cylindropuntia pallida (Rose) F.M. Knuth originates from northern Mexico and introduced into South Africa in 1940s as an ornamental plant.  Multiple populations of C. pallida have been detected in various areas of South Africa. C. pallida has effective propagule dispersal and rapid recruitment making it a likely key future invader, and thus, is a target for eradication in South Africa. To eradicate C. pallida populations, a foliar spray (i.e. using a 2% concentration of herbicide with fluroxypyr and triclopyr) has been applied to plants in nine populations, with population sizes ranging between 535 and 2701 plants and populations covering areas of 100 –1000 ha. The aims of the study were to investigate the efficacy of the foliar spray method used to eradicate C. pallida; to investigate the impacts of C. pallida invasions on native vegetation integrity; to apply species distribution models (SDMs) to identify suitable climates for C. pallida in South Africa; and to document the biomes vulnerable to the negative impact of C. pallida in South Africa. Results show that foliar spray killed many C. pallida plants (mean percentage of dead plants ± SE, 83.3 ± 6.4; n = 9; range, 70–96%), with adult plants taking about 2 months to die completely. The efficacy of the herbicide was not affected by plant size or the concentration of the herbicide used. The invaded site had significantly greater vegetation cover which persisted across winter compared to the uninvaded site, but the latter site’s vegetation cover significantly dropped in winter. Also, the invaded site had lower plant species diversity than the uninvaded site and was dominated by species in the Poaceae and Asteraceae plant families. Additionally, a normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) analysis shows that the uninvaded site has higher vegetation cover and health than the invaded site wherein a notable decline in vegetation health was observed between 2019 and 2022. A large area (> 15 million hectares) was predicted to be suitable for invasion by C. pallida in provinces with arid and warm temperate climates - the fynbos and grassland biomes are the most vulnerable. Because of the observed negative impacts, high environmental compatibility, and high cost of clearing large infestations, we advocate for considering the biocontrol method for effectively managing C. pallida invasion in South Africa.
Migration, Partner Selection, and Fertility in Germany: How Many Children are Born in Mixed Unions?
Authors: Gawron Annegret , Milewski Nadja
Published: June 2024

For the German context, we investigate whether the number of children ever born differs between mixed unions (exogamous unions between natives and migrants or migrant descendants) and endogamous unions (unions among co-ethnics). Our theoretical considerations are derived from assimilation theories, which view exogamous unions as indicators of assimilation processes, and the framework on migrant fertility. The migrant (or descendant) partner in an exogamous union may adapt to the majority group, both partners may adapt to each other, or both partners may constitute a selected group in their fertility preferences. However, due to the higher likelihood of conflicts within the partnership and of separation, exogamy may disrupt family formation processes and depress couples’ fertility. Drawing on data from the GSOEP (1984–2020), we estimate generalized Poisson regressions. The results reveal that the number of children ever born is higher in exogamous unions than in endogamous native couples. This general pattern largely persists across migrant generations and regions of origin, but we identify gender differences. While fertility in exogamous unions of native women/migrant (descendant) men is not statistically different from fertility in native/native couples, unions of migrant (descendant) women/native men have more children, especially when controlling for socio-demographic confounders. Our results demonstrate that in the German context, exogamy does not lead to fertility disruptions, and is not straightforwardly associated with assimilation to the fertility of the majority group. Instead, differences in gendered partner choice patterns and life-course transitions may influence the number of children exogamous couples have.
Creating a space for them through autoethnography
Authors: Green Eric , Rupnow Theodore J. , Bracewell Lorna N.
Published: June 2024

Researchers in education have begun to address inclusivity for gender-diverse populations, but the authentic experiences of gender-variant students presented directly by the students themselves are largely unheard in the literature of mathematics education. In this co-authored report, we include the experiences of a genderqueer preservice mathematics teacher over the course of a semester at university through their autoethnography and the reflections of a mathematics teacher educator supervising the research. Through this study, we provide educators a window into some ways that gender-variant students may experience the classroom and academia. One goal of this research is to create a space for the authentic voice of gender-variant individuals in the discussion of gender-inclusive education. We highlight implications for mathematics teacher educators involving gender-variant students’ gender journeys as processes instead of moments of coming out, the interdependent process of building relationships of trust, and the importance of trying and failing and trying again as we seek to be more inclusive educators.
Adolescent Cultural Identity Development in Context: The Dynamic Interplay of the Identity Project With Classroom Cultural Diversity Climate in Italy and Germany
Authors: Schachner Maja K. , Hölscher Sophie , Moscardino Ughetta , Ceccon Chiara , Juang Linda , Pastore Massimiliano
Published: June 2024

While both the classroom cultural diversity climate and curriculum-based interventions can promote cultural identity development, they have not been studied together. Drawing on theories of ethnic-racial identity development, the current study aimed to understand the dynamic interplay of a curriculum-based intervention (the Identity Project) with the classroom cultural diversity climate (heritage culture and intercultural learning, critical consciousness socialization and equal treatment) on cultural identity exploration and resolution. Our sample included 906 mid-adolescents in Italy (32.36% immigrant descent, Mage (SD) = 15.12 (0.68) years, 51.73% female), and 504 early adolescents in Germany (53.86% immigrant descent, Mage (SD) = 12.82 (0.89) years, 42.37% female). Bayesian multivariate linear models show that the Identity Project and a stronger critical consciousness climate in the classroom before the intervention promoted cultural identity exploration at post-test in both countries. However, effects of the intervention and facets of the diversity climate on subsequent resolution were only observed in Italy. There was some evidence that the intervention could alter the classroom cultural diversity climate in Germany, while the intervention could compensate for a less positive diversity climate in the slightly older sample in Italy. Thus, it seems promising to systematically build in opportunities to engage with students’ diverse heritage cultures and identities when developing new curricula, as well as to train teachers to implement such curricula.
Conspiracy Theories, Racial Liberalism and Fantasies of Freedom
Authors: Gillespie Liam , Ghumkhor Sahar
Published: June 2024

This article provides a reading of the Truckers’ Freedom Convoy, which emerged in response to Covid-19 related public health measures in 2022. It argues the movement invites an interrogation of the affective structures of modern liberal subjectivity. We first map the social and political configurations of the movement, highlighting its links with white supremacist conspiracy theories, such as QAnon and Great Replacement Theory. We argue these conspiracies were used to frame Covid-19 countermeasures as the continuation of a perceived trend toward the deliberate but surreptitious erosion of freedom qua white freedom. To this end, the notion the pandemic was really a ‘plandemic’ is informative. For adherents of this view, Covid-19 and its freedom-inhibiting countermeasures were merely deliberate steps towards an already occurring conspiracy. Referencing psychoanalytic theory, the article examines how racial liberalism structured the racist fantasies that drove the freedom movement’s attempts to safeguard freedom by flaunting Covid-19 restrictions. We argue the movement provided its members with a pathway towards jouissance that allowed fear to be performatively refused in the name of freedom. This, we argue, allowed members to embody their imagined status as exalted subjects of the white nation.
Exponential Stability of Impulsive Stochastic Neutral Neural Networks with Lévy Noise Under Non-Lipschitz Conditions
Authors: Ma Shuo , Li Jiangman , Liu Ruonan , Li Qiang
Published: June 2024

In this paper, the exponential stability issue of stochastic impulsive neutral neural networks driven by Lévy noise is explored. By resorting to the Lyapunov-Krasovskii function that involves neutral time-delay components, the properties of the Lévy process, as well as various inequality approaches, some sufficient exponential stability criteria in non-Lipschitz cases are obtained. Besides, the achieved results depend on the time-delay, noise intensity, and impulse factor. At the end of the paper, two numerical examples with simulations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the addressed results
A high-performance, parallel, and hierarchically distributed model for coastal run-up events simulation and forecasting
Authors: Di Luccio Diana , De Vita Ciro Giuseppe , Florio Aniello , Mellone Gennaro , Torres Charles Catherine Alessandra , Benassai Guido , Montella Raffaele
Published: June 2024

The request for quickly available forecasts of intense weather and marine events impacting coastal areas is gradually increasing. High-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence techniques are crucial in this application. Risk mitigation and coastal management must design scientific workflow appropriately and maintain them continuously updated and operational. Climate change accelerating increase trend of the past decades impacted on sea-level rise, together with broader factors such as geostatic effects and subsidence, reducing the effectiveness of coastal defenses. Due to this, the support tools, such as Early Warning Systems, have become increasingly more valuable because they can process data promptly and provide valuable indications for mitigation proposals. We developed the Shoreline Alert Model (SAM), an operational Python tool that produces simulation scenarios, ‘what-if’ assumptions, and coastal flooding forecasts to fill this gap in our study area. SAM aims to provide decision-makers, scientists, and engineers with new tools to help forecast significant weather-marine events and support related management or emergency responses. SAM aims to fill the gap between the wind-driven wave models, which produce simulations and forecasts of waves of significant height, period, and direction in deep or mid-water, and the run-up local models, which exstimulate marine ingression in the event of intense weather phenomena. It employs a parallelization scheme that allows users to run it on heterogeneous parallel architectures. It produced results approximately 24 times faster than the baseline when using shared memory with distributed memory, processing roughly 20,000 coastal cross-shore profiles along the coastline of the Campania region (Italy). Increasing the performance of this model and, at the same time, honoring the need for relatively modest HPC resources will enable the local manager and policymakers to enforce fast and effective responses to intense weather phenomena.
English learners learn from worked example comparison in algebra
Authors: Ke Xiaojuan , Newton Kristie J.
Published: June 2024

Comparison is an important mechanism for learning in general, and comparing two worked examples has garnered support over the last 15 years as an effective tool for learning algebra in mainstream classrooms. This study was aimed at improving our understanding of how Modified for Language Support-Worked Example Pairs (MLS-WEPs) contribute to effective mathematics learning in an ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) context. It investigated a novel instructional approach to help English Learners (ELs) develop better understanding in mathematical reasoning, problem solving, and literacy skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking). Findings suggest that MLS-WEPs not only enhanced ELs’ ability to solve algebra problems, but it also improved their written explanation skills and enabled them to transfer such skills to different mathematical concepts. Moreover, when controlling for ELs’ prior knowledge, the effectiveness of the MLS-WEPs intervention for performing and explaining calculations did not vary by their English proficiency.
Increasing the immersivity of 360° videos facilitates learning and memory: implications for theory and practice
Authors: Peney Tom , Skarratt Paul A.
Published: June 2024

Recent years have seen an increase in the use of immersive virtual reality (IVR) technology in education and training. Studies examining the efficacy of IVR-based interventions have shown improved performance compared to traditional training programmes; however, little is known about whether such improvements can be detected at the level of individual cognitive abilities. The present study sought to examine the effect of IVR on memory using an incidental learning paradigm. Undergraduate volunteers viewed a three-minute 360° video clip under immersive and non-immersive conditions—respectively, using a Head Mounted Display (HMD) or a 2D flat screen monitor—followed by a surprise recall task. Although both devices supported active exploration of the scene in 360°, recall was significantly improved for learners in the immersive condition. These findings suggest that IVR has a facilitative effect on cognition, and that learners may naturally engage with IVR-delivered content without any special instruction or preparation.
Outcomes and patient perspectives of a novel virtual spinal referral pathway in a non-specialist centre
Authors: Low Lyndon Yerng Hsien , Clesham Kevin , E.Murphy Susan , MacNiocaill Ruari , Timlin Marcus , Cleary May
Published: June 2024

Introduction

In Irish orthopaedic centres without dedicated spinal services, the care of patients is facilitated through tertiary referral centres in Dublin, Cork & Galway. The outpatient waiting list for elective spinal opinion remains lengthy and challenging. Previous practice in University Hospital Waterford (UHW) necessitated an assessment with a local non-spinal orthopaedic specialist following a GP referral, incurring up to a 2-year wait prior to subspecialist spinal referral. These patients subsequently incurred a further wait for an appointment at the tertiary referral centre. A novel virtual spine clinic in collaboration with the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH) was developed to fast-track this process.

Aims and methods

A retrospective study was performed to audit efficiency by assessing time to initial consultation and time to virtual consultation, treatment outcomes, and patient satisfaction using an adapted patient-satisfaction questionnaire (PSQ-18) and a semi-structured interview. This study reflected the unique nature of patient experience in this pathway.

Results

The median time from referral to being seen in an in-person rapid access physiotherapist combined orthopaedic clinic was 185 days. The median time from initial consultation to virtual consultation was 36 days. The median time interval from virtual consultation to intervention was 110 days. Twenty percent of patients underwent surgery, 14% were further seen in the MMUH outpatients, 7% managed with the trial of physiotherapy, 7% required no follow-up, and 50% planned for radiologically guided spinal injections.

Discussion and conclusion

This novel pathway is efficient for orthopaedic units without a dedicated spinal service. This can easily be replicated across other orthopaedic centres with minimal cost implications.
The MTSK model as a tool for designing tasks for teacher education
Authors: Climent Nuria , Contreras Luis Carlos , Montes Miguel , Ribeiro Miguel
Published: June 2024

This paper studies the knowledge developed by a group of sixty-two pre-service primary teachers during a training session on the definition of a polygon and the mathematical practice of defining. We explore the knowledge developed by pre-service teachers when they carry out a series of training tasks oriented around the practice of defining with primary pupils, within the theoretical framework of the Mathematics Teachers’ Specialised Knowledge model, and using videos of an authentic lesson as prompt. Data were collected by means of video recordings of the implementation of the training tasks, in conjunction with the pre-service teachers’ own written observations as they watched the recorded lesson. A content analysis was carried out on the collected data using the Mathematics Teachers’ Specialised Knowledge model. The results highlight the way in which knowledge of the mathematical practice of defining is constructed, along with the mathematical objects involved in this practice, and pedagogical aspects of defining with young pupils. They also illustrate how a sequence of tasks oriented around a model of teachers’ knowledge can contribute to the development of this knowledge in initial training programmes, and more especially provide orientation about the training of pre-service teachers in the mathematical practice of defining.
Characterization of İscehisar Andesite (Afyonkarahisar-Turkey), Used as a Building Stone Source of Historical Heritages from Ancient Times to the Present
Authors: Çelik Mustafa Yavuz
Published: June 2024

Most historical structures that have survived to the present day are constructed from natural stones. One such natural stone is andesite. This study conducted a series of characterization studies on andesites used as building stones in Afyonkarahisar (Turkey). The building stones in question were determined by the petrographic-mineralogical (polarizing microscope, XRD, SEM), chemical, pore diameter distribution, and physico-mechanical properties. Although the İscehisar andesite is not as well-known as the İscehisar marble, it is a volcanic rock widely used in cultural heritage sites such as mosques, fountains, and bridges that have survived from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods to the present day in Afyonkarahisar. Despite the presence of pink, brown, and gray-black colors in the İscehisar andesite, it is evident that the preference in historical buildings is mainly for gray-black variants. Andesite, marble, and limestone, such as İscehisar Bridge from the Hellenistic period, Kırkgöz Bridge from the Byzantine era, Altıgöz Bridge from the Seljuk period, and Kanlı Göl Bridge from the Ottoman period, were used together in various combinations. Mosques are another group of structures in which andesite and other volcanic rocks are heavily used, such as bridges. While tuff is commonly used in examples of Seljuk and Ottoman architecture that have survived to the present day, andesite and other volcanic rocks along with bricks have also been used to construct dozens of mosques. Andesites found in the İscehisar region continue to be widely extracted, cut, and shaped using different surface processing techniques and are used today.
FUT11 expression in gastric cancer: its prognostic significance and role in immune regulation
Authors: Huang Yanqing , Yang Xiaoying , Wei Mengda , Yang Xi , Yuan Zhenmin , Huang Junjie , Wei Junren , Tian Lei
Published: June 2024

Background

Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant digestive tract tumor with a high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. Fucosylation is important in tumor glycosylation, in which the key enzyme is fucosyltransferase (FUT). FUT11 is a member of the fucosyltransferase family and has been closely associated with the development of multiple cancers. However, the specific relationship between FUT11 and GC prognosis and its molecular mechanism has not been fully studied. This study explored FUT11 expression, clinical correlation, and its role in GC occurrence and development to deepen understanding of its function.

Methods

FUT11 expression in 33 cancers was preliminarily analyzed using the Tumor Immunoassay Resource (TIMER2.0) database. FUT11 expression in GC was evaluated using The Cancer Genome Atlas stomach adenocarcinoma (TCGA-STAD) and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA2) data and verified using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) GSE65801 dataset. Furthermore, we studied the survival prognosis of FUT11 in GC and analyzed its effect on the survival rate of patients with GC using the KM-plotter. We also performed COX regression analysis on TCGA GC clinical data and analyzed FUT11 expression in the pathway using the STRING and LinkedOmics databases. Moreover, the relationship between FUT11 and GC immune infiltration level was examined, and the Kaplan–Meier survival analysis diagram was constructed. The FUT11 genetic variation information was retrieved using cBioPortal, and its drug sensitivity was analyzed using CellMiner. Finally, differential FUT11 expression in GC tissues was verified using immunohistochemistry.

Results

The data mining and analysis demonstrated that FUT11 expression was abnormally elevated in GC tissues and correlated with poor patient prognosis. The FUT11 expression level was an independent prognostic factor for GC. The difference in FUT11 expression level resulted in different degrees of immune cell infiltration in the patients with GC, which might regulate the tumor microenvironment. FUT11 affected GC development by participating in cancer pathways such as PI3K–AKT, neuroactive ligand–receptor, and MAPK. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that FUT11 was highly expressed in GC.

Conclusions

This study revealed that FUT11 expression is significantly increased in GC tissues. This increase is associated with poor prognosis and might affect immune regulation. FUT11 might have immunological and targeted therapeutic value, providing a new approach to GC treatment.
On Integral Representations Involving the Probability Generating Function for Inverse Moments of Positive Discrete Random Variables
Authors: Jones M. C.
Published: June 2024

I simplify and note extensions of results of Shibu et al. Sankhy$$\overline{a}$$

a
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, Ser. A85 (2023a,b) concerning integral representations involving the probability generating function for inverse moments of positive discrete random variables, both univariate and multivariate.
Impact of airtaxi operations in the control zone on air traffic controllers
Authors: Schier-Morgenthal S. , Metz I. C.
Published: July 2024

Urban air mobility is one approach to reduce congested road traffic and door-to-door travel times. Introducing these vehicles into the urban areas challenges air traffic control once the designated corridors interfere with the control zone of an airport. In this paper, it is evaluated how the performance of air traffic controllers is affected by airtaxi operations in the control zone given the example of Hamburg airport. Moreover, it is assessed whether an enhanced airside situation display showing routes and labels is able to counteract adverse impacts on workload and situation awareness. As a method, eight controllers participated in three simulation runs: first with conventional air traffic, second with additional airtaxis, and third with airtaxis, and the enhanced airside situation display. It revealed that workload increases by more than 40% without reaching overload states in the simulation. The enhanced airside situation display is able to reduce some, but not all adverse impacts. Based on the results, further ways to handle UAM vehicles in the control zone are suggested.
The Limits of Calibration and the Possibility of Roles for Trustworthy AI
Authors: Franke Ulrik
Published: July 2024

With increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in high-stakes contexts, a race for “trustworthy AI” is under way. However, Dorsch and Deroy (Philosophy & Technology 37, 62, 2024) recently argued that regardless of its feasibility, morally trustworthy AI is unnecessary: We should merely rely on rather than trust AI, and carefully calibrate our reliance using the reliability scores which are often available. This short commentary on Dorsch and Deroy engages with the claim that morally trustworthy AI is unnecessary and argues that since there are important limits to how good calibration based on reliability scores can be, some residual roles for trustworthy AI (if feasible) are still possible.
Sex and caste effects on the vibrational sensitivity in honey bees (Apis mellifera)
Authors: Chehaimi Sarah , Kirchner Wolfgang H.
Published: June 2024

In the darkness of their nests, most social insect species communicate relying on chemical, tactile, electrical and mechanical signals. In honeybees, vibrational signals play a role not only in worker communication but also in communication among virgin queens in the process of swarming. Whereas the sensitivity to vibrations has been well studied in worker bees, vibrational sensitivity of queens and drones has never been investigated. We therefore studied the sensitivity to vibrations comparatively in workers, virgin and laying queens and in drones, focusing on the frequency range mainly used by virgin queens (350–500 Hz). Bees were tested behaviorally for responses to pulses of substrate borne vibrations in arenas placed on vibrational exciters. Vibrational amplitudes were measured using (LDV-calibrated) accelerometers. Real stimuli and sham stimuli were presented in a pseudorandom order. The threshold was defined as the lowest tested amplitude at which significantly more behavioral reactions were shown to real stimuli than to sham stimuli. Workers and virgin queens respond to amplitudes down to 0.25 m/s2. The thresholds of laying queens are substantially higher and they respond to minimum amplitudes of 0.55 m/s2. Drones show responses to amplitudes down to 0.6 m/s2. We conclude that sex and caste have effects on vibrational sensitivity in honeybees: virgin queens are significantly more sensitive than laying queens, indicating that a high sensitivity is crucial for survival during the process of swarming; workers are likewise highly sensitive to execute efficient everyday work; drones are significantly the least sensitive.
Optimizing open-pit coal mining operations: Leveraging meteorological conditions for dust removal and diffusion
Authors: Wang Zhiming , Zhou Wei , Jiskani Izhar Mithal , Yan Junlong , Luo Huaiting
Published: July 2024

Dust pollution from Chinese open-pit coal mines (OPCMs) threatens the coexistence of resource development and environmental protection. This research introduces a new approach to designing OPCMs based on meteorological indicators for dust removal and diffusion. It analyzes the production, distribution, and dust emission features of large-scale OPCMs in China. The factors affecting dust dispersion and atmospheric pollution characteristics were also examined. The findings reveal a surge in the number and output of OPCMs, intensifying the conflict between resource development and environmental protection. Notably, over 80% of OPCMs are in arid and semi-arid regions, exacerbating the challenge. Microclimate effects, including circulation and inversion effects, further amplify dust pollution. Regional and seasonal dust pollution patterns were identified, with the southern region experiencing the highest pollution levels, followed by the northern and central regions. Seasonally, dust pollution exhibits the following pattern: winter > autumn > spring > summer. An alarming decline in atmospheric self-cleaning capacity over the past two decades underscores the pressing challenges ahead for dust control. The increase in air stagnation days/events highlights the urgency for effective dust prevention and control measures. This research suggests considering meteorological elements in OPCM design for dust control. Optimizing mining operations based on weather forecasts enables the utilization of natural conditions for effective dust prevention and control. The results provide insights for dust prevention and control in open-pit mines to foster green and climate-smart mining.
Rim-Perfect Compactifications of Frames and Zero-Dimensionally Embedded Remainders
Authors: Mthethwa Simo , Nogwebela Gugulethu
Published: July 2024

We introduce zero-dimensionally embedded (ZDE) sublocales as those sublocales S with the property that the ambient frame has a basis, elements of which induce open sublocales whose frontiers miss S. This notion is stronger than the traditional zero-dimensionality of a sublocale. A compactification of a frame is perfect if its associated right adjoint preserves disjoint binary joins. Herein, the class of rim-perfect compactifications of frames is introduced, and we show that it contains all the perfect ones. Indeed, not every rim-perfect compactification is perfect, but compactifications with a ZDE remainder do not distinguish between rim-perfectness and perfectness. The Freudenthal compactification has a ZDE remainder. We show that a frame L is rim-compact if and only if L has a compactification with a ZDE remainder. Several results concerning perfect compactifications and ZDE remainders are provided.
Biocompatible Sugar Beet Molasses Carbon Dots as Potential Elicitor to Improve Bioactive Compounds of Wheatgrass Juice
Authors: Kara Meryem , Dinç Saliha , Altunbaş Osman , Karaşahin Muhammet , Günhan Rabia Serpil
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The enrichment of health-promoting compounds in plants and foods has received significant research attention over the past years, leading researchers to use cutting-edge technologies like elicitation in agriculture and food production systems. Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) have been shown to function as effective elicitors, enhancing the synthesis of secondary metabolites. Although carbon dots (CDs) are at the forefront due to their favorable characteristics, such as being green, biocompatible, and low toxicity, their functions as elicitors have not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate the potential effect of sugar beet molasses carbon dots (SBM-CDs), characterized by their endogenous food-borne nature as elicitors, on the agronomic and bioactive compounds of wheatgrass juice obtained from hydroponically cultivated wheatgrasses.

Methods

Wheatgrasses were grown with and without SBM-CDs extracted from molasses at 50–200 mg L− 1 concentrations through a nutrient solution in a hydroponic system. After 7 days, wheatgrass juice was obtained by squeezing wheatgrass. The effects of SBM-CDs were investigated by assessing the agronomic parameters and bioactive compounds of wheatgrass juice.

Results

The amount of β-carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, and chlorophyll a increased by 150%, 84%, 25%, and 89%, respectively, with the application of 200 mg L− 1 SBM-CDs (p < 0.01) in comparison with the control group (the application without SBM-CDs). Besides, this application resulted in a 34% increase in the total quantity of tested phenolic compounds.

Conclusions

These data suggest that our biomass-derived renewable CDs may be a novel category of elicitors for enhancing the production of bioactive compounds in wheatgrass.
Multimodal electrospray thruster for small spacecraft: design and experimental characterization
Authors: Mallalieu Peter , Jugroot Manish
Published: July 2024

Electrospray thrusters are a promising electric micropropulsion technology which could be used to meet the propulsion needs of nanosatellites, or for fine attitude control of larger spacecraft. Multimodal propulsion is the integration of two or more propulsion modes into a system which utilizes a common propellant. Indeed, spacecraft mission simulations and models have shown that this type of multimode propulsion capacity is exciting because of the flexibility and adaptability it provides mission designers and planners. A single spacecraft would have potential to execute drastically different mission profiles, and the exact mission could even be determined post-launch. The current paper investigates a micro-propulsion system which combines a droplet and ion mode electrospray emitter into a unified multimodal system (using an ionic liquid as the common propellant for both systems). The high relative thrust droplet mode emitter was fabricated from P3 borosilicate glass while the high efficiency ion mode emitter, Carbon Xerogel dense porous substrate, was fabricated in-house. To characterize the multimodal thruster, a full beam and time-of-flight (ToF) experimental setup were developed at the RMC Advanced Propulsion and Plasma Exploration Laboratory (RAPPEL) and experiments were conducted using a custom vacuum chamber. The ion mode emitter, with a beam comprised purely of ions had an onset voltage around 1400 V with an estimated thrust performance of 0.14

$$\mu N$$

μ
N

and specific impulse of 4040 s. For droplet mode, with a mixed beam comprised of around 17

$$\%$$

%

droplets and 83

$$\%$$

%

ions, an onset voltage of 1375 V with an estimated performance of thrust at 14

$$\mu N$$

μ
N

and specific impulse of 140 s were measured. The prototype thruster demonstrates how various electrospray emitters could be combined into a multimodal system to provide flexibility and adaptability in providing effective thrust for small satellites.
A method for visualizing urban road events using distributed acoustic sensing
Authors: Hou Shitong , Li Yaojie , Wu Gang , Wu Dong , Dong Yixuan , Zhang Shuya , Wu Jing
Published: July 2024

This study presents the construction of an urban underground sensing system using distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) technology, which utilizes the existing optical fiber infrastructure around urban roads for communication. To address the challenges posed by the complexity and variability of DAS data in infrastructure monitoring environments such as urban roads, as well as the difficulty and poor effectiveness of raw data visualization, a novel method for visualizing DAS data is proposed. This method involves preprocessing the data through wavelet threshold denoising, combining it with the root-mean-square (RMS) energy index to generate a visualization, and applying the dynamic threshold method to remove and suppress abnormal data indicators. Finally, this paper tested the visualization performance to assess the effectiveness of the proposed method in improving urban road safety management. The study focused on three typical urban road safety risk events: vehicle driving, construction, and road subsurface cavity incidents. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the data visualization method, showing improved visualization of vehicle trajectory directions and numbers, construction segment behaviors, and approximate road subsurface cavity locations in the time domain compared to the original data.