bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Artificial Intelligence in Anesthetic Care: A Survey of Physician Anesthesiologists
Authors: Estrada Alamo Carlos E. , Diatta Fortunay , Monsell Sarah E. , Lane-Fall Meghan B.
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND:

This study explored physician anesthesiologists’ knowledge, exposure, and perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) and their associations with attitudes and expectations regarding its use in clinical practice. The findings highlight the importance of understanding anesthesiologists’ perspectives for the successful integration of AI into anesthesiology, as AI has the potential to revolutionize the field.

METHODS:

A cross-sectional survey of 27,056 US physician anesthesiologists was conducted to assess their knowledge, perceptions, and expectations regarding the use of AI in clinical practice. The primary outcome measured was attitude toward the use of AI in clinical practice, with scores of 4 or 5 on a 5-point Likert scale indicating positive attitudes. The anticipated impact of AI on various aspects of professional work was measured using a 3-point Likert scale. Logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between participant responses and attitudes toward the use of AI in clinical practice.

RESULTS:

A 2021 survey of 27,056 US physician anesthesiologists received 1086 responses (4% response rate). Most respondents were male (71%), active clinicians (93%) under 45 (34%). A majority of anesthesiologists (61%) had some knowledge of AI and 48% had a positive attitude toward using AI in clinical practice. While most respondents believed that AI can improve health care efficiency (79%), timeliness (75%), and effectiveness (69%), they are concerned that its integration in anesthesiology could lead to a decreased demand for anesthesiologists (45%) and decreased earnings (45%). Within a decade, respondents expected AI would outperform them in predicting adverse perioperative events (83%), formulating pain management plans (67%), and conducting airway exams (45%). The absence of algorithmic transparency (60%), an ambiguous environment regarding malpractice (47%), and the possibility of medical errors (47%) were cited as significant barriers to the use of AI in clinical practice. Respondents indicated that their motivation to use AI in clinical practice stemmed from its potential to enhance patient outcomes (81%), lower health care expenditures (54%), reduce bias (55%), and boost productivity (53%). Variables associated with positive attitudes toward AI use in clinical practice included male gender (odds ratio [OR], 1.7; P < .001), 20+ years of experience (OR, 1.8; P < .01), higher AI knowledge (OR, 2.3; P = .01), and greater AI openness (OR, 10.6; P < .01). Anxiety about future earnings was associated with negative attitudes toward AI use in clinical practice (OR, 0.54; P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS:

Understanding anesthesiologists’ perspectives on AI is essential for the effective integration of AI into anesthesiology, as AI has the potential to revolutionize the field.
Neurovascular Compression in Patients With Trigeminal Neuralgia May Be Associated With Worse Outcomes After Primary Percutaneous Rhizotomy
Authors: Nair Sumil K. , Al-Khars Hussain , Kalluri Anita , Ran Kathleen , Kilgore Collin , Budihal Bhargavi R. , Abdulrahim Mostafa , Yedavalli Vivek , Jackson Christopher M. , Huang Judy , Lim Michael , Bettegowda Chetan , Xu Risheng
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Percutaneous rhizotomy may be an effective primary intervention in patients with trigeminal neuralgia who are poor candidates for microvascular decompression or those who desire a less invasive approach. However, the influence of neurovascular compression on pain-free survival after primary percutaneous rhizotomy is not well understood.

METHODS:

We retrospectively reviewed all patients undergoing percutaneous rhizotomy at our institution from 1995 to 2022. Patients were included if they had no history of surgical intervention, available preoperative MRI imaging, and postoperative follow-up data. Barrow Neurological Institute pain scores were assigned at various time points. We collected baseline patient information, pain characteristics, and perioperative complications for each patient. In addition, we recorded evidence of pain recurrence. Patients were dichotomized into those with evidence of neurovascular compression on preoperative MRI vs those without. The effect of neurovascular compression on pain-free survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier Cox proportional hazards analyses.

RESULTS:

Of the 2726 patients reviewed, 298 met our inclusion criteria. Our study comprised 261 patients with no evidence of neurovascular compression on preoperative MRI vs 37 patients with evidence of neurovascular compression on preoperative MRI. Patients in the compression group had a shorter median duration to recurrence compared with those in the no compression group, P = .01. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients with preoperative evidence of neurovascular compression on MRI imaging demonstrated shorter pain-free survival compared with those without such evidence [hazard ratio = 1.57 (1.03-2.4), P = .037]. Cox proportional hazards analysis demonstrated that evidence of neurovascular compression was associated with poor pain-free survival [hazard ratio = 1.64 (1.06-2.53), P = .03].

CONCLUSION:

Patients with neurovascular compression on preoperative MRI may experience reduced time to recurrence compared with those without after percutaneous rhizotomy. These patients should be counseled on potential reduced efficacy of percutaneous rhizotomy as a primary intervention for their pain.
Η επίδραση της ενδοπεριτοναϊκής έγχυσης της ρεγοραφενίμπης στην περιτοναϊκή διασπορά του καρκίνου του παχέος εντέρου μετά κυτταρομείωση σε επίμυες
Authors: Μπιτσιάνης Στέφανος
Published: December 2023

Εισαγωγή: Οι περιτοναϊκές μεταστάσεις είναι η 3η συχνότερη θέση μετάστασης στον ορθοκολικό καρκίνο, μετά το ήπαρ και τους πνεύμονες και συνδέονται με πολύ χαμηλή πρόγνωση και ποιότητα ζωής. Η κυτταρομείωση σε συνδυασμό με την ενδοπεριτοναϊκή χημειοθεραπεία, συνιστούν την πλέον αποτελεσματική στρατηγική αντιμετώπισης σε επιλεγμένους ασθενείς, με εξαιρέσιμο ορθοκολικό καρκίνο και περιτοναϊκή διασπορά. Η ρεγοραφενίμπη είναι ένας, από του στόματος χορηγούμενος, χημειοθεραπευτικός παράγοντας με πλειοτροπική δράση, που έχει θέση στον καρκίνο του παχέος εντέρου που δεν ανταποκρίνεται στα συνήθη σχήματα. Σκοπός της πειραματικής αυτής μελέτης είναι να ελέγξει την ασφάλεια και αποτελεσματικότητα της ενδοπεριτοναϊκής χορήγησης της στις περιτοναϊκές εμφυτεύσεις σε πειραματικό μοντέλο. Μέθοδοι: Η μελέτη αυτή αφορά τυχαιοποιημένη, προοπτική, διπλή τυφλή δοκιμή σε επίμυες. Ξεκινά με την καλλιέργεια της καρκινικής κυτταρικής σειράς ΗΤ-29 και την εμφύτευση τους στην περιτοναϊκή κοιλότητα 48 επίμυων, την ημέρα 0 (Τ0). Μετά από 28 ημέρες (Τ1), τα πειραματόζωα κατανεμήθηκαν τυχαία και ισόποσα σε 4 ομάδες των 12. Στην ομάδα Α διενεργήθηκε μέση λαπαροτομία και ενδοπεριτοναϊκή έγχυση NaCl 0.9%, στην ομάδα Β κυτταρομείωση (CRS), στην ομάδα Γ ενδοπεριτοναϊκή χημειοθεραπεία (IPEC) με ρεγοραφενίμπη και στην ομάδα Δ συνδυασμός CRS και IPEC. Μετά από ακόμη 28 ημέρες (Τ2), έγινε θυσία των ζώων, εκτίμηση διαφόρων παραμέτρων, όπως το βάρος σώματος (ΒΣ), ο δείκτης περιτοναϊκής καρκινωμάτωσης (ePCI), το βάρος του ασκίτη και λήφθηκαν βιολογικά δείγματα για περαιτέρω εξετάσεις. Αποτελέσματα: Τη χρονική στιγμή Τ1, όλες οι ομάδες επίμυων εμφάνισαν ΒΣ χωρίς σημαντική διαφορά και ανέπτυξαν καρκινωμάτωση περιτοναίου σε παρόμοιο βαθμό. Τη χρονική στιγμή Τ2, ωστόσο, αναδείχθηκαν σημαντικές διαφορές ΒΣ μεταξύ των πειραματικών ομάδων και της ομάδας ελέγχου, αλλά και διαφορά στη σύγκριση της ομάδας Β vs Δ (p<0.05). Ο ePCI ήταν σημαντικά μειωμένος στην ομάδα Β (7±2.1) και Δ (5.7±1.9) σε σχέση με τις άλλες ομάδες, αλλά δεν παρατηρήθηκε στατιστικά σημαντική διαφορά στη σύγκριση μεταξύ τους (p>0.05), παρά μόνο μία τάση για χαμηλότερη τιμή. Ίδιο μοτίβο παρατηρήθηκε και στα επίπεδα IL-6 και TNF-α, ενώ στο βάρος του ασκίτη αναδείχθηκε σημαντική διαφορά μεταξύ όλων των ομάδων (p<0.05). Συμπεράσματα: Η IPEC με ρεγοραφενίμπη δείχνει να είναι εφικτή και ασφαλής, χωρίς ιδιαίτερη τοξικότητα στους επίμυες, ενώ φαίνεται να υπάρχει κάποια αθροιστική δράση όταν συνδυάζεται με την CRS. Περαιτέρω έρευνα χρειάζεται προτού εκτιμήσουμε την επίδραση της στον άνθρωπο.
Εκπαιδευτική-διοικητική προσέγγιση της συν-δημιουργίας στην τριτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση
Authors: Βαρδακώστα Ειρήνη
Published: December 2023

Τα σύγχρονα Ιδρύματα Τριτοβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης αντιμετωπίζουν πολλές και ποικίλες προκλήσεις, οι οποίες καθιστούν επιβεβλημένη την υιοθέτηση νέων εκπαιδευτικών μεθόδων. Μια από αυτές είναι και η συν-δημιουργία. Σε αυτή ο φοιτητής και τα μέλη του ακαδημαϊκού προσωπικού εμπλέκονται αμοιβαία στη διαδικασία της μάθησης καταργώντας κάθε υπάρχουσα σχέση ισχύος. Στην παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή η συν-δημιουργία υλοποιείται μέσω της σχεδιαστικής σκέψης Διπλού Διαμαντιού (Double Diamond), η οποία αποτελεί μια σαφή, περιεκτική και οπτική περιγραφή της διαδικασίας σχεδιασμού. Ομάδες φοιτητών από κοινού με τα μέλη του ακαδημαϊκού προσωπικού επιλύουν στο πλαίσιο μαθημάτων του προγράμματος σπουδών τους προβλήματα της πραγματικής ζωής. Με τη συμβολή εργαλείων ποιότητας όπως τα ερωτηματολόγια και οι συνεντεύξεις διερευνώνται οι απόψεις κυρίως των φοιτητών, αλλά και των μελών του ακαδημαϊκού προσωπικού αναφορικά με τη συν-δημιουργία, καθώς και ο εντοπισμός προβλημάτων, αστοχιών ή παραλείψεων, ώστε να υπάρξει η κατάλληλη παρέμβαση. Από την καταγραφή και την επεξεργασία των απαντήσεών τους, εξάγονται ενδιαφέροντα συμπεράσματα όπως: i) η ύπαρξη ανοικτών εκπαιδευτικών πόρων κατά την εφαρμογή της συν-δημιουργίας προσφέρει ποικίλα οφέλη σε φοιτητές, ακαδημαϊκό προσωπικό και Ιδρύματα, ii) η διερεύνηση της ετοιμότητας των φοιτητών για τη συμμετοχή τους στη συνδημιουργία, διασφαλίζει σε ικανοποιητικό βαθμό την επιτυχή ολοκλήρωση της προσέγγισης καθώς και την καταγραφή των αδυναμιών των συμμετεχόντων, iii) η επιλογή από τους φοιτητές της συν-δημιουργίας ως μεθόδου διδασκαλίας έναντι της παραδοσιακής διδασκαλίας, iv) η συν-δημιουργία και η σχεδιαστική σκέψη είναι κρίσιμες για την προώθηση της ανάπτυξης δεξιοτήτων των φοιτητών στους τομείς της ενσυναίσθησης, της επικοινωνίας, της δημιουργικότητας και της επίλυσης προβλημάτων και v) η αύξηση της ηλικίας φάνηκε να αναστέλλει τη συν-δημιουργία, μεταξύ άλλων. Τέλος, η πρόταση εφαρμογής της συν-δημιουργίας και στον διοικητικό τομέα, όπως αυτή παρουσιάζεται στην παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή, εκτιμούμε ότι θα συμβάλει στην εκπλήρωση σημαντικών προϋποθέσεων για την ομαλή και αποτελεσματικότερη λειτουργία της Τριτοβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης.
Review of health research and data on/with racially minoritised groups: Implications for addressing racism and racial disparities in public health practice and policies in Europe: a study protocol
Authors: Meudec Marie , Affun-Adegbulu Clara , Cosaert Theo
Published: December 2023

Historically, across Europe, data and research on/with racially minoritised groups have not been collected or carried out in a sufficient, adequate, or appropriate manner. Yet, to understand emerging and existing health disparities among such groups, researchers and policymakers must obtain and use data to build evidence that informs decision-making and action on key structural and social determinants of health. This systematic search and review aims to contribute to closing this gap and promote a race-conscious approach to health research, strengthening the utilisation and deployment of data and research on/with racially minoritised groups in Europe. Its ultimate goal is to improve equality and equity in health*. Concretely, the study will do so by reviewing and critically analysing the usage of the concepts of race, ethnicity, and their related euphemisms and proxies in health-related research. It will examine the collection, use, and deployment of data and research on/with racially minoritised groups in this area. The study will focus on Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, three countries with graphical proximity and several similarities, one of which is the limited attention that is given to racism and racial inequalities in health in research and policy. This choice is also justified by practical knowledge of the context and languages. The results of the review will be used to develop guidance on how to use and deploy data and research on/with racially minoritised groups. The review is part of a larger project which aims to promote race-conscious research and data. The project does this by a three-pronged approach which: 1) highlights the need for a race-conscious approach when collecting and using data, carrying out research on/with racially minoritised groups; 2) builds expertise for their effective use and deployment, and; 3) creates a knowledge network and community of practice for public health researchers working in Europe.
The short-, medium-, and long-term prevalence of physical health comorbidities in first-episode psychosis: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Zierotin Anna , Murphy Jennifer , O'Donoghue Brian , O'Connor Karen , Norton Michael , Clarke Mary
Published: December 2023

Background Individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) face an increased risk of physical comorbidities, notably cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, respiratory disorders, and certain types of cancer. Previous reviews report pooled physical health prevalence from chronic psychosis and FEP groups. By contrast, this review will focus on antipsychotic-naïve FEP cohorts and incorporate data from observational longitudinal studies and antipsychotic intervention studies to understand the progression of physical health comorbidities from the onset to later stages of psychosis. This review aims to systematically examine the short-, medium-, and long-term period prevalence of these comorbidities in FEP and variations related to demographic factors. Methods A systematic review will be conducted using the PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL+, as well as Clinical Trials gov.uk, OpenGrey, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, Current Controlled Trials, United States National Institute of Health Trials Registry, and the Irish Health Repository, will be searched from inception. Longitudinal studies exploring physical health outcomes in FEP cohorts and antipsychotic intervention studies monitoring health outcomes in antipsychotic naïve FEP individuals will be eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts, and full-text articles. Bias in individual studies will be assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. A meta-analysis of the short-, medium-, and long-term prevalence of cardiovascular, metabolic, cancer, and respiratory outcomes and a narrative synthesis will be conducted. If possible, a meta-regression on the impact of demographic variables will be conducted. Conclusions This systematic review will clarify the progression of physical health comorbidities in FEP, informing early intervention strategies and policies for this population. Subsequent findings will be submitted to a leading journal, supplemented by a recovery education module for patient groups and a lay summary for wider dissemination. Registration The study was registered in PROSPERO, the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42023431072; 17/06/2023).
TASK-SERVICE AS A WAY TO IMPROVE THE WORK OF STAFF
Authors: Erygina Anna , Samohina E.
Published: December 2023

This paper examines the concept of task-manager (or task-service) and what benefits it has for personnel, especially for HR, its advantages and disadvantages, as well as criteria for choosing the necessary service. In conclusion, examples of five worthy task-service with large internal functionality for effective work were reviewed and analyzed.
BUILDING A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO TRAINING PERSONNEL OF JSC «TRANSNEFT-URAL» IN TERMS OF PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT IMPORT SUBSTITUTION
Authors: Spirina L. , Stepanov I.
Published: December 2023

At the moment, global geopolitical tensions have an impact on all areas of economic activity in the Russian Federation through the introduction of economic sectoral sanctions. Together with the reform of the education system, this entails an additional burden on the system of training qualified specialists in various sectors of the Russian economy. An acute shortage of specialists with the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities hinders the process of import substitution. As a result, to solve the problem of professional training of employees in the current economic conditions, a strategic model of professional training of personnel is proposed. The scientific novelty lies in the proposed model of a systematic approach to personnel training, based on the practical orientation of the proposed solutions and aimed at achieving a strategy for import substitution of production equipment of the JSC «Transneft-Ural» organization. The practical significance is  the developed systematic approach to  personnel training, which ensures the formation of  competencies among the employees of  the organization of JSC «Transneft-Ural», to work on new production equipment in the conditions of its import substitution.
Ensemble Variance Reduction Methods for Stochastic Mixed-Integer Programming and their Application to the Stochastic Facility Location Problem
Authors: Xu Jiajun , Sen Suvrajeet
Published: December 2023

Sample average approximation (SAA), the standard approach to stochastic mixed-integer programming, does not provide guidance for cases with limited computational budgets. In such settings, variance reduction is critical in identifying good decisions. This paper explores two closely related ensemble methods to determine effective decisions with a probabilistic guarantee. (a) The first approach recommends a decision by coordinating aggregation in the space of decisions as well as aggregation of objective values. This combination of aggregation methods generalizes the bagging method and the “compromise decision” of stochastic linear programming. Combining these concepts, we propose a stopping rule that provides an upper bound on the probability of early termination. (b) The second approach applies efficient computational budget allocation for objective function evaluation and contributes to identifying the best solution with a predicted lower bound on the probability of correct selection. It also reduces the variance of the upper bound estimate at optimality. Furthermore, it adaptively selects the evaluation sample size. Both approaches provide approximately optimal solutions even in cases with a huge number of scenarios, especially when scenarios are generated by using oracles/simulators. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of these methods via extensive computational results for “megascale” (extremely large scale) stochastic facility location problems.

History: Accepted by Pascal Van Hentenryck, Area Editor for Computational Modeling: Methods & Analysis.

Funding: This work was supported by The Office of Naval Research [Grant N00014-20-1-2077] and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research [Grant FA9550-20-1-0006].

Supplemental Material: The software that supports the findings of this study is available within the paper and its Supplemental Information ( https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/suppl/10.1287/ijoc.2021.0324 ) as well as from the IJOC GitHub software repository ( https://github.com/INFORMSJoC/2021.0324 ). The complete IJOC Software and Data Repository is available at https://informsjoc.github.io/ .
Shortening Emergency Medical Response Time with Joint Operations of Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles with Ambulances
Authors: Gao Xiaoquan , Kong Nan , Griffin Paul
Published: December 2023

Problem definition: Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) are transforming emergency service logistics applications across sectors, offering easy deployment and rapid response. In the context of emergency medical services (EMS), UAVs have the potential to augment ambulances by leveraging bystander assistance, thereby reducing response times for delivering urgent medical interventions and improving EMS outcomes. Notably, the use of UAVs for opioid overdose cases is particularly promising as it addresses the challenges faced by ambulances in delivering timely medication. This study aims to optimize the integration of UAVs and bystanders into EMS in order to minimize average response times for overdose interventions. Methodology/results: We formulate the joint operation of UAVs with ambulances through a Markov decision process that captures random emergency vehicle travel times and bystander availability. We apply an approximate dynamic programming approach to mitigate the solution challenges from high-dimensional state variables and complex decisions through a neural network-based approximation of the value functions (NN-API). To design the approximation, we construct a set of basis functions based on queueing and geographic properties of the UAV-augmented EMS system. Managerial implications: The simulation results suggest that our NN-API policy tends to outperform several noteworthy rule- and optimization-based benchmark policies in terms of accumulated rewards, particularly for situations that are primarily characterized by high request arrival rates and a limited number of available ambulances and UAVs. The results also demonstrate the benefits of incorporating UAVs into the EMS system and the effectiveness of an intelligent real-time operations strategy in addressing capacity shortages, which are often a problem in rural areas of the United States. Additionally, the results provide insights into specific contributions of each dispatching or redeployment strategy to overall performance improvement.

Funding: This work was supported by the National Science [Grant 1761022].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2022.0166
Decomposing the Train-Scheduling Problem into Integer-Optimal Polytopes
Authors: Barah Masoud , Seifi Abbas , Ostrowski James
Published: December 2023

This paper presents conditions for which the linear relaxation for the train-scheduling problem is integer optimal. These conditions are then used to identify how to partition a general problem’s feasible region into integer-optimal polytopes. Such an approach yields an extended formulation that contains far fewer binary variables. Our computational experiments show that this approach results in significant computational savings. Moreover, this approach scales well when the train-scheduling problem is modeled using smaller time increments, allowing for higher fidelity models to be solved without significantly increasing the required computational time.
Validação do modelo lógico operacional de uma rede nacional de bancos de alimentos: contribuição para avaliação em segurança alimentar e nutricional
Authors: De Castro Lopo Neto René , Arreguy Silva Vitorino Santuzza , Brandão Ana Laura , Pereira Casemiro Juliana
Published: December 2023

Objetivo: Descrever o processo de validação do modelo lógico operacional (MLO) do Programa Mesa Brasil Sesc (MBS) para a promoção da SAN. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal e de validação de instrumento, baseado em documentos legais de SAN, por meio da técnica de consenso Delphi com painel de especialistas. Resultados: O painel para validação foi formado por 12participantes, atores em SAN das cinco macrorregiões geográficas do país,que analisaram a pertinência e relevância das atividades, produtos, resultados e impactos dos seis componentes técnicos do MBS. Os 103 itens, distribuídos nos componentes técnicos, foram consensuados quando alcançaram mais de 85% de concordância entre os participantes, confirmados pelas análises da mediana e intervalo interquartílico. Conclusão: Esse processo proporcionou um espaço rico e horizontal de discussão sobre teoria, prática e resultados, trouxe reflexões e novas percepções sobre o MBS, e o MLO resultante é valiosa ferramenta para o desenvolvimento de estratégias de M&A, tomada de decisões e governança sobre o programa.
Some Problems of Successful Management of a Preschool Education Institution in Modern Conditions
Authors:   SHEI ", Bondarenko Nataliia ,   Donbas State Pedagogical University", Hryboiedova Tetiana ,   SHEI "Donbas State Pedagogical University"
Published: December 2023

The article reveals the essence and task of organizing the management system of a preschool education institution in modern conditions. Special attention has been paid to some aspects of adapting business methods in the management of a preschool education institution, its components, and the role of the educational environment, as a condition of life safety, formation of a creative and independent personality. At the same time, the importance of partnership interaction of educators and parents in creating psychological comfort, managers’ possession of various techniques for solving problem situations through unifying communication in the system of the «educator – parents – children» based on the formed value foundations of the personality has been emphasized. Considerable attention has been paid to disclosure of criteria for assessing the quality of management processes and the need to observe academic integrity in the work of an institution. The need for head of an institution to possess methods of motivating educators to increase the effectiveness of work with educatees and their parents has been emphasized. The importance of compliance by head of an institution with regulatory and legal documents (the basic component, the Law «On Education», the Professional Standard «Head (Director) of a preschool education institution», etc.) and the need to follow the changes announced there have been revealed. These requirements also relate to the principles of organizing the educational process of a preschool education institution, advanced training of pedagogical personnel, planning, and building a system for working with parents of educatees and improving the image of a preschool institution. A selective analysis of the experience of the HEI work system in preparing future managers of preschool education institutions of various types is of practical importance.
Higher Education Quality Assurance System: the Experience of Finland
Authors:   Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Zayachuk Julia , Dziamko Mariya ,   Ivan Franko National University of Lviv
Published: December 2023

The article analyses higher education quality assurance system in Finland, emphasizes the relevance of studying the Finnish experience for Ukraine, which is currently reforming its higher education in extremely difficult conditions. It has been shown that the educational institutions are primarily responsible for quality assurance in Finland. The role of the Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council has been shown and analysed. It has been noted that it is an independent expert body whose basic duty is to develop procedures for evaluating educational programs in higher education institutions throughout the country. It has been emphasized that the main goal of evaluation in Finland is not the need to find shortcomings in the work of a higher education institution, but the opportunity to help it in the further development. It has been shown the features and the main stages of one of the elements of the national system of quality assurance of higher education, that is accreditation of educational programs. It has been noted that in Finland it is interpreted as a process of public recognition or registration of educational programs that meet certain standards and criteria. The obtained theoretical propositions have been supplemented with empirical data from the results of interviews of students at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, participants of the Erasmus+ academic mobility programme in Finnish universities, namely the University of Turku and the University of Jyväskylä.
The Perspective of Pedagogical Research on the Formation of Information and Digital Competence of a Future Teacher
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Tovstuha Olesya
Published: December 2023

The article has been based on scientific research and analysis of regulatory documents. It determines that the information and digital education system is a key component of the information cycle, as it includes the ability to work with information and information sources, as well as the skills of interacting with a computer and multimedia devices. One of the main tasks of higher education system is training of teachers who are capable of overcoming the rapid development of information and communication technologies and the computerization of education. It has been determined that all teachers should be able to navigate in the information space; to receive information and operate it in accordance with one’s own needs and requirements of the modern information society; to form in students a positive attitude towards information, communication and digital technologies and their responsible use; to be ready for changes that require a certain transformation of the usual value system; to be able to differentiate the virtual and real worlds into the corresponding types of responsibility; to stand guard over the development of the ability to critically analyze information and filter out informational noise, advertising, etc.
Case study: the development of specialist nurse roles in Malta
Authors: Ward Corinne Scicluna , Rosser Elizabeth , Norton Liz
Published: December 2023

Specialist nurses play a significant role in healthcare. This study investigated and evaluated the primary and extended roles and the development of specialist nurses in Malta. Methods: A qualitative case study design and purposive sampling techniques were used to gain a deep understanding of the complex issues surrounding specialist nurses from multiple data sets. A survey of the total specialist nurse population in 2013 (n=27), in-depth interviews with a group of specialist nurses (n=9) and four focus groups with key professionals and policy stakeholders (total n=28) were carried out. Data were collected between 2013 and 2015 and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Three themes emerged: the roles and attributes of specialist nurses in Malta; the development of specialist nurses; and the influences on the advancement of specialist nursing practice in Malta. Although these data are nearly a decade old, no further research has been carried out. Conclusions: A legally accepted set of definitions as well as preparation and evaluation of the specialist nurse role from a national policy perspective is needed. Attitudes and systems that limit specialist nurses need to be challenged.
A passion for improving the wellbeing of young families, with a focus on children
Authors: Dyke Nicola
Published: December 2023

Nicola Dyke, Health Visitor, Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust ( nicola.dyke1@nhs.net ), winner of the Silver Award in the Public Health Nurse of the Year category of the BJN Awards 2023
Developing Turfgrass Water Response Function and Assessing Visual Quality, Soil Moisture and NDVI Dynamics of Tall Fescue Under Varying Irrigation Scenarios in Inland Southern California
Authors: Haghverdi Amir , Sapkota Anish , Singh Amninder , Ghodsi Somayeh , Reiter Maggie
Published: December 2023

Highlights

A turfgrass water response function was developed for 'Westcoaster' tall fescue.

The Weathermatic smart controller demonstrated reliable estimations of reference evapotranspiration.

Restricting irrigation frequency did not yield water savings or lead to improvements in turfgrass quality.

Abstract. Efficient landscape irrigation is an important water conservation strategy and reduces strain on limited water resources in inland Southern California. A three-year field irrigation trial was conducted in Riverside, California, to evaluate the response of 'Westcoaster' tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) to a wide range of autonomous irrigation scenarios implemented using a Weathermatic smart controller. The response of the turfgrass was assessed using visual rating (VR) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data collected with a handheld sensor. These experimental data were then used to develop a regression-based turfgrass water response function (TWRF), which was further employed to estimate the response of tall fescue to different irrigation levels during years with varying atmospheric evaporation demands, including extreme conditions. A strong correlation was observed between NDVI and VR (r = 0.88). A minimum NDVI threshold of 0.7 was identified to maintain an acceptable level of tall fescue quality for residential areas. During the trial periods, irrigation application rates below 100% of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) were insufficient to sustain the desired quality of tall fescue. The TWRF estimations suggested that 60% ETo can be applied for short periods (7 to 43 days, depending on the atmospheric evaporative demands) during the summer before the visual quality drops below the minimum threshold. Comparing different irrigation strategies, it was observed that on-demand irrigation, which adjusts irrigation frequency based on ETo demand, resulted in higher NDVI and VR values compared to a limited watering schedule of only a few days per week. Analysis of soil moisture data revealed that the primary root water uptake occurred mainly in the topsoil layer (<33 cm), and the applied irrigation water primarily replenished the shallow soil layer (<20 cm) due to the coarse sandy loam soil characteristics. The Weathermatic controller, equipped with on-site air temperature measurements, provided reliable ETo estimations and can be used for autonomous landscape irrigation scheduling in semiarid regions. Keywords: Keywords., Evapotranspiration, Remote sensing, Smart irrigation controller, Urban irrigation, Water conservation.
The uses of polemic in Ancient Philosophy
Authors: Blyth Dougal
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT: Polemic in ancient philosophy must be understood in terms of the evolution of critical rationality from the Presocratics until the Hellenistic schools. I argue that it takes three forms, of varying importance at different times, that both helped to define philosophy as a distinct social practice and methodologically drove its internal evolution. These forms are criticism of non-philosophical ignorance, attacks on alternative cultural practices, and technical criticisms of other philosophers and schools of thought. Technical criticisms only become more prominent than polemic against ignorance and alternative sources of expertise with the evolution of oral dialectic, while subsequently in the imperial era a textual approach to philosophy subordinated criticisms of other schools to the common rhetorical norms of literary and historiographical polemic.
Plutarch's demiurgic moralism in his Theseus–Romulus
Authors: Roskam Geert
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT: This article deals with the tension between two points of interest in Plutarch's Theseus–Romulus . On the one hand, the pair is part and parcel of the Parallel Lives and should thus be understood in light of their 'zetetic moralism'. On the other hand, Plutarch pays much attention to questions of historical criticism, not only in the two biographies but even in the programmatic proem. These two issues, and their mutual relation and interplay, are examined against the background of Plutarch's Platonism (particularly his reception of the Timaeus ). The task which Plutarch has set himself in this pair indeed bears comparison with that of the Demiurge who brought order to chaos. In that sense, Theseus–Romulus can be characterized as a project of 'demiurgic moralism'.
The Birth of Yamatogoto Culture: Stringed Instruments and the Formation of Complex Society in Pre- and Protohistoric Japan
Authors: STROMBERG Kirie
Published: December 2023

Excavated Japanese zithers are the oldest surviving stringed instruments in East Asia. This article
reviews diachronic changes that occurred in the forms of wood zithers in pre- and protohistoric
Japan over approximately two millennia (ca. 1500 B.C.– A.D. 600). It highlights developments such as
the addition of resonator boxes, average size increase, and inclusion of figural ornamentation.
Results indicate that these formal developments, in addition to the adoption of a seated playing
posture as portrayed in Kofun haniwa musician figurines, were driven by the needs of growing
communities and their leaders. This analysis suggests that examining changes in musical instruments
can be used alongside traditional lines of evidence to research the origins of social complexity and
thereby carves out space for a humanistic approach to the study of prehistory.
Building Global Health Solidarity in a Permacrisis: Legal Impacts of a Pandemic Treaty
Authors: Hosseini Mina
Published: December 2023

Covid-19 has revealed the urgent need for global solidarity in an era of interconnected crises (permacrisis). The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to
improve pandemic prevention, preparedness and response through a ‘convention, agreement or another international instrument under the constitution of
WHO’ (‘pandemic treaty’). This study analyses shortcomings in global health
solidarity during Covid-19, investigates legal impacts of the pandemic treaty
and navigates the arguments for and against a pandemic treaty. The treaty’s
potential legal implications for human rights, intellectual property law, tort law,
global health law, competition law and public procurement are examined, as
well as some challenges to its implementation. The treaty’s success depends on
overcoming differences and learning from global failure in order to prepare
better for the next pandemic. The pandemic treaty must ensure equity, transparency, accountability and human rights while facilitating access to vaccines
and other pandemic-related products, especially for low- and middle-income
countries.
The ‘Lost Book’ of Conor Cruise O’brien
Authors: Hanley Hugh
Published: December 2023

This article reconstructs the context in which the manuscript of Conor
Cruise O’Brien’s ‘lost book’ came to be written and the unfruitful effort to
get it into the public domain. Through an examination of documentary evidence held in the National Archives of Ireland, it is shown that previous
accounts have been wide of the mark. The attribution of sole authorship of
the manuscript to O’Brien is challenged, replacing it with the idea that the
text was a collective endeavour. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that Joseph
Brennan, a counsellor at the Irish Embassy in Washington, DC, rather than
O’Brien was the driving force behind the supposed ‘lost book of O’Brien’,
and especially in later efforts to revive the work. It is hoped that future
scholars will make claims about O’Brien’s ‘lost book’ and its potential
implications for his early thought with greater circumspection than has
hitherto been the case.
Chaucer's Wenches
Authors: Harris Carissa M.
Published: December 2023

Abstract: This essay analyzes the eighteen occurrences of the word wenche in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and argues that the idea of the "wenche" persists today, most notably as implicit justification for the rescinding of the constitutional right to an abortion in the US Supreme Court's monumental decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (June 2022). It takes a Black feminist approach by situating Chaucer's wenches in the context of Black women's history and tracing how the word's resonances continued their pernicious work of making meaning and shaping material realities long after the Middle Ages. It first gives a careful history of wench 's origins and accretion of meaning from the early to the late Middle Ages, paying particular attention to its relationship with the Latin ancilla . It uses the Wycliffite Bible as a lens to explore the term's rapidly accruing connotations of youth, servitude, femininity, and transgressive sexuality, and discusses the connections between "wenche" and reproduction in An Alphabet of Tales and Geoffrey the Grammarian's Promptorium parvulorum before tracing its symbolic freight across the Canterbury Tales and pointing to its underlying role in struggles for reproductive justice in our own time.
Nonlinear compression of few-cycle multi-mJ 5 µm pulses in ZnSe around zero-dispersion
Authors: Bock Martin , von Grafenstein Lorenz , Ueberschaer Dennis , Steinmeyer Günter , Griebner Uwe
Published: December 2023

We present a compact nonlinear compression scheme for the generation of millijoule few-cycle pulses beyond 4 µm wavelength. For this purpose 95 fs pulses at 5 µm from a 1 kHz midwave-IR optical parametric chirped pulse amplifier (OPCPA) are spectrally broadened due to a self-phase modulation in ZnSe. The subsequent compression in a bulk material yields 53 fs pulses with 1.9 mJ energy. The compression succeeds efficiently with only slight beam distortions and an energy throughput of 85%, which results in a peak power of 34 GW. The nonlinear refractive index of ZnSe was derived from the nonlinear compression and self-focusing measurements. Furthermore, we explore to which extent multiphoton absorption affects the nonlinear compression regime.
Sub-100-fs Kerr-lens mode-locked Yb:Lu2O3 laser with more than 60% optical efficiency
Authors: Su Xiancui , Wang Yiran , Yin Yanru , Wang Mengmeng , Zhang Bingyuan , He Jingliang , Zhang Baitao
Published: December 2023

Yb-doped sesquioxides represent one of the most excellent laser crystals applying for high-power ultrafast lasers owing to their very high thermal conductivities and broadband emission spectra. Pumped by a high-brightness Yb-fiber laser at 976 nm, the Yb:Lu2O3 laser delivers a maximum output power that amounts to 3.55 W in the continuous-wave regime with an optical efficiency of 75%. In the mode-locked regime, 90-fs pulses were generated via soft-aperture Kerr-lens mode-locking at 1080.6 nm with an average output power of 2.85 W, which corresponds to an optical efficiency of 60.3% and a slope efficiency of 68.8%. Average output power of the mode-locked Yb:Lu2O3 laser can be further scaled to 3.05 W at the expense of the pulse duration (178 fs), which corresponds to an optical efficiency as high as 64.5%. To the best of our knowledge, it is the highest optical efficiency ever reported from any solid-state Kerr-lens mode-locked Yb lasers.
High-Precision Frequency-Controlled Optical Phase Shifter with Acousto Optic Devices
Authors: Paris-Mandoki Asaf , Ramírez Eduardo Esquivel , Uhthoff-Rodriguez Leonardo , Alonso-Torres Edgar Giovanni , Hernández-López Alberto , Gardea-Flores Carlos
Published: December 2023

A fundamental parameter to determine how electromagnetic waves interfere is their relative phase. Therefore, achieving a fine control over it enables a wide range of interferometric applications. Existing phase control methods rely on modifying the optical path length by either changing the path followed by the light or by altering the thickness or index of refraction of an optical element in the setup. In this work we present a novel method, based on acousto-optic modulators (AOM), which allows adjusting the phase by shifting the frequency of the light in a segment of its path. Given that the amount of phase-shift depends on the length of the segment, an optical fiber is used to realize a 2π shift. Two experimental implementations are described which deal with different sources of phase fluctuations. The first addresses fluctuations resulting from the optical fiber while the second also tackles unwanted variations originating from the AOMs.
Collective production of hydrogen sulfide gas enables budding yeast lacking MET17 to overcome their metabolic defect
Authors: Sonal  , Yuan Alex E. , Yang Xueqin , Shou Wenying
Published: December 2023

Assimilation of sulfur is vital to all organisms. In S. cerevisiae, inorganic sulfate is first reduced to sulfide, which is then affixed to an organic carbon backbone by the Met17 enzyme. The resulting homocysteine can then be converted to all other essential organosulfurs such as methionine, cysteine, and glutathione. This pathway has been known for nearly half a century, and met17 mutants have long been classified as organosulfur auxotrophs, which are unable to grow on sulfate as their sole sulfur source. Surprisingly, we found that met17Δ could grow on sulfate, albeit only at sufficiently high cell densities. We show that the accumulation of hydrogen sulfide gas underpins this density-dependent growth of met17Δ on sulfate and that the locus YLL058W (HSU1) enables met17Δ cells to assimilate hydrogen sulfide. Hsu1 protein is induced during sulfur starvation and under exposure to high sulfide concentrations in wild-type cells, and the gene has a pleiotropic role in sulfur assimilation. In a mathematical model, the low efficiency of sulfide assimilation in met17Δ can explain the observed density-dependent growth of met17Δ on sulfate. Thus, having uncovered and explained the paradoxical growth of a commonly used “auxotroph,” our findings may impact the design of future studies in yeast genetics, metabolism, and volatile-mediated microbial interactions.
Genomics of Preaxostyla Flagellates Illuminates the Path Towards the Loss of Mitochondria
Authors: Novák Lukáš V. F. , Treitli Sebastian C. , Pyrih Jan , Hałakuc Paweł , Pipaliya Shweta V. , Vacek Vojtěch , Brzoň Ondřej , Soukal Petr , Eme Laura , Dacks Joel B. , Karnkowska Anna , Eliáš Marek , Hampl Vladimír
Published: December 2023

The notion that mitochondria cannot be lost was shattered with the report of an oxymonad Monocercomonoides exilis, the first eukaryote arguably without any mitochondrion. Yet, questions remain about whether this extends beyond the single species and how this transition took place. The Oxymonadida is a group of gut endobionts taxonomically housed in the Preaxostyla which also contains free-living flagellates of the genera Trimastix and Paratrimastix. The latter two taxa harbour conspicuous mitochondrion-related organelles (MROs). Here we report high-quality genome and transcriptome assemblies of two Preaxostyla representatives, the free-living Paratrimastix pyriformis and the oxymonad Blattamonas nauphoetae. We performed thorough comparisons among all available genomic and transcriptomic data of Preaxostyla to further decipher the evolutionary changes towards amitochondriality, endobiosis, and unstacked Golgi. Our results provide insights into the metabolic and endomembrane evolution, but most strikingly the data confirm the complete loss of mitochondria for all three oxymonad species investigated (M. exilis, B. nauphoetae, and Streblomastix strix), suggesting the amitochondriate status is common to a large part if not the whole group of Oxymonadida. This observation moves this unique loss to 100 MYA when oxymonad lineage diversified.