bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Three-dimensional ranging system based on Fresnel incoherent correlation holography
Authors: Zhang Pengwei , Ma Fengying , Li Zekai , Zhao Nan , Gao Fuyou , Su Jianpo , Hu Yongsheng , He Jiuru
Published: May 2024

We proposed a three-dimensional (3D) ranging system based on Fresnel incoherent correlation holography (FINCH). Distinct from the displacement measurement based on coherent digital holography (DH), our system simultaneously achieves a 3D range measurement using incoherent illumination. The observation range is obtained by the holographic reconstruction, while the in-plane range is determined using the two-dimensional digital imaging correlation (2D-DIC) technique. Experimental results on the resolution target demonstrate precise 3D ranging determination and improved measurement accuracy.
Wissensmanagement für Wartung und Instandhaltung im Verteilnetz – Konzeption eines Assistenzsystems basierend auf einem Large Language Model
Authors: zur Heiden Philipp , Kaltenpoth Sascha
Published: May 2024

Verteilnetzbetreiber in Deutschland stehen vor großen Herausforderungen bei dem Management ihres unternehmensspezifischen Wissens: Mitarbeiterengpässe durch den demographischen Wandel, Wissen ist nur implizit vorhanden und nicht in Wissensmanagementsystemen digitalisiert, teilweise gibt es gar keine Wissensmanagementsysteme oder Konzepte und das Verteilnetz wird immer komplexer. Verbunden mit zunehmender Belastung von zentralen Komponenten im Verteilnetz durch die Energiewende bedarf es neuer Lösungen, besonders für die wissensintensiven Wartungs- und Instandhaltungsprozesse. Generative Artificial Intelligence als aufstrebende Technologie, insb. durch Large Language Models, zeigt hier erste Erfolge für die Anleitung, Entscheidungsunterstützung und den Wissenstransfer. Aufbauend auf dem Design Science Research Forschungsparadigma wird in diesem Beitrag ein ganzheitlicher Ansatz des Wissensmanagements konzipiert, welcher als zentrale Komponente auf einem Assistenzsystem basiert. Ein Large Language Model generiert Hilfestellungen für Netzmonteure während der Wartung und Instandhaltung auf Basis von Anleitungen. Neben der Konzeption zeigt dieser Beitrag auch die erarbeitete Strategie zur Demonstration und zukünftigen Evaluation der Ergebnisse. Der Beitrag liefert ein für Verteilnetzbetreiber neuartiges Konzept Large Language Model basierter Assistenzsysteme zum Wissensmanagement und zeigt zudem nachgelagerte Schritte auf, die vor einer Markteinführung notwendig sind.
Spiking activity in the visual thalamus is coupled to pupil dynamics across temporal scales
Authors: Crombie Davide , Spacek Martin A. , Leibold Christian , Busse Laura
Published: May 2024

The processing of sensory information, even at early stages, is influenced by the internal state of the animal. Internal states, such as arousal, are often characterized by relating neural activity to a single “level” of arousal, defined by a behavioral indicator such as pupil size. In this study, we expand the understanding of arousal-related modulations in sensory systems by uncovering multiple timescales of pupil dynamics and their relationship to neural activity. Specifically, we observed a robust coupling between spiking activity in the mouse dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the thalamus and pupil dynamics across timescales spanning a few seconds to several minutes. Throughout all these timescales, 2 distinct spiking modes—individual tonic spikes and tightly clustered bursts of spikes—preferred opposite phases of pupil dynamics. This multi-scale coupling reveals modulations distinct from those captured by pupil size per se, locomotion, and eye movements. Furthermore, coupling persisted even during viewing of a naturalistic movie, where it contributed to differences in the encoding of visual information. We conclude that dLGN spiking activity is under the simultaneous influence of multiple arousal-related processes associated with pupil dynamics occurring over a broad range of timescales.
Gap junctions in Turing-type periodic feather pattern formation
Authors: Tseng Chun-Chih , Woolley Thomas E. , Jiang Ting-Xin , Wu Ping , Maini Philip K. , Widelitz Randall B. , Chuong Cheng-Ming
Published: May 2024

Periodic patterning requires coordinated cell–cell interactions at the tissue level. Turing showed, using mathematical modeling, how spatial patterns could arise from the reactions of a diffusive activator-inhibitor pair in an initially homogeneous 2D field. Most activators and inhibitors studied in biological systems are proteins, and the roles of cell–cell interaction, ions, bioelectricity, etc. are only now being identified. Gap junctions (GJs) mediate direct exchanges of ions or small molecules between cells, enabling rapid long-distance communications in a cell collective. They are therefore good candidates for propagating nonprotein-based patterning signals that may act according to the Turing principles. Here, we explore the possible roles of GJs in Turing-type patterning using feather pattern formation as a model. We found 7 of the 12 investigated GJ isoforms are highly dynamically expressed in the developing chicken skin. In ovo functional perturbations of the GJ isoform, connexin 30, by siRNA and the dominant-negative mutant applied before placode development led to disrupted primary feather bud formation. Interestingly, inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in the ex vivo skin explant culture allowed the sequential emergence of new feather buds at specific spatial locations relative to the existing primary buds. The results suggest that GJIC may facilitate the propagation of long-distance inhibitory signals. Thus, inhibition of GJs may stimulate Turing-type periodic feather pattern formation during chick skin development, and the removal of GJ activity would enable the emergence of new feather buds if the local environment were competent and the threshold to form buds was reached. We further propose Turing-based computational simulations that can predict the sequential appearance of these ectopic buds. Our models demonstrate how a Turing activator-inhibitor system can continue to generate patterns in the competent morphogenetic field when the level of intercellular communication at the tissue scale is modulated.
Data–driven modelling makes quantitative predictions regarding bacteria surface motility
Authors: Barton Daniel L. , Chang Yow-Ren , Ducker William , Dobnikar Jure
Published: May 2024

In this work, we quantitatively compare computer simulations and existing cell tracking data of P. aeruginosa surface motility in order to analyse the underlying motility mechanism. We present a three dimensional twitching motility model, that simulates the extension, retraction and surface association of individual Type IV Pili (TFP), and is informed by recent experimental observations of TFP. Sensitivity analysis is implemented to minimise the number of model parameters, and quantitative estimates for the remaining parameters are inferred from tracking data by approximate Bayesian computation. We argue that the motility mechanism is highly sensitive to experimental conditions. We predict a TFP retraction speed for the tracking data we study that is in a good agreement with experimental results obtained under very similar conditions. Furthermore, we examine whether estimates for biologically important parameters, whose direct experimental determination is challenging, can be inferred directly from tracking data. One example is the width of the distribution of TFP on the bacteria body. We predict that the TFP are broadly distributed over the bacteria pole in both walking and crawling motility types. Moreover, we identified specific configurations of TFP that lead to transitions between walking and crawling states.
A role for the C. elegans Argonaute protein CSR-1 in small nuclear RNA 3’ processing
Authors: Waddell Brandon M. , Wu Cheng-Wei
Published: May 2024

The Integrator is a multi-subunit protein complex that catalyzes the maturation of snRNA transcripts via 3’ cleavage, a step required for snRNA incorporation with snRNP for spliceosome biogenesis. Here we developed a GFP based in vivo snRNA misprocessing reporter as a readout of Integrator function and performed a genome-wide RNAi screen for Integrator regulators. We found that loss of the Argonaute encoding csr-1 gene resulted in widespread 3’ misprocessing of snRNA transcripts that is accompanied by a significant increase in alternative splicing. Loss of the csr-1 gene down-regulates the germline expression of Integrator subunits 4 and 6 and is accompanied by a reduced protein translation efficiency of multiple Integrator catalytic and non-catalytic subunits. Through isoform and motif mutant analysis, we determined that CSR-1’s effect on snRNA processing is dependent on its catalytic slicer activity but does not involve the CSR-1a isoform. Moreover, mRNA-sequencing revealed high similarity in the transcriptome profile between csr-1 and Integrator subunit knockdown via RNAi. Together, our findings reveal CSR-1 as a new regulator of the Integrator complex and implicate a novel role of this Argonaute protein in snRNA 3’ processing.
SLMFNet: Enhancing land cover classification of remote sensing images through selective attentions and multi-level feature fusion
Authors: Li Xin , Zhao Hejing , Wu Dan , Liu Qixing , Tang Rui , Li Linyang , Xu Zhennan , Lyu Xin
Published: May 2024

Land cover classification (LCC) is of paramount importance for assessing environmental changes in remote sensing images (RSIs) as it involves assigning categorical labels to ground objects. The growing availability of multi-source RSIs presents an opportunity for intelligent LCC through semantic segmentation, offering a comprehensive understanding of ground objects. Nonetheless, the heterogeneous appearances of terrains and objects contribute to significant intra-class variance and inter-class similarity at various scales, adding complexity to this task. In response, we introduce SLMFNet, an innovative encoder-decoder segmentation network that adeptly addresses this challenge. To mitigate the sparse and imbalanced distribution of RSIs, we incorporate selective attention modules (SAMs) aimed at enhancing the distinguishability of learned representations by integrating contextual affinities within spatial and channel domains through a compact number of matrix operations. Precisely, the selective position attention module (SPAM) employs spatial pyramid pooling (SPP) to resample feature anchors and compute contextual affinities. In tandem, the selective channel attention module (SCAM) concentrates on capturing channel-wise affinity. Initially, feature maps are aggregated into fewer channels, followed by the generation of pairwise channel attention maps between the aggregated channels and all channels. To harness fine-grained details across multiple scales, we introduce a multi-level feature fusion decoder with data-dependent upsampling (MLFD) to meticulously recover and merge feature maps at diverse scales using a trainable projection matrix. Empirical results on the ISPRS Potsdam and DeepGlobe datasets underscore the superior performance of SLMFNet compared to various state-of-the-art methods. Ablation studies affirm the efficacy and precision of SAMs in the proposed model.
In vivo study on the repair of rat Achilles tendon injury treated with non-thermal atmospheric-pressure helium microplasma jet
Authors: Nakazawa Katusmasa , Toyoda Hiromitsu , Manaka Tomoya , Orita Kumi , Hirakawa Yoshihiro , Saito Kosuke , Iio Ryosuke , Shimatani Akiyoshi , Ban Yoshitaka , Yao Hana , Otsuki Ryosuke , Torii Yamato , Oh Jun-Seok , Shirafuji Tatsuru , Nakamura Hiroaki
Published: May 2024

Non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma (NTAPP) has been widely studied for clinical applications, e.g., disinfection, wound healing, cancer therapy, hemostasis, and bone regeneration. It is being revealed that the physical and chemical actions of plasma have enabled these clinical applications. Based on our previous report regarding plasma-stimulated bone regeneration, this study focused on Achilles tendon repair by NTAPP. This is the first study to reveal that exposure to NTAPP can accelerate Achilles tendon repair using a well-established Achilles tendon injury rat model. Histological evaluation using the Stoll’s and histological scores showed a significant improvement at 2 and 4 weeks, with type I collagen content being substantial at the early time point of 2 weeks post-surgery. Notably, the replacement of type III collagen with type I collagen occurred more frequently in the plasma-treated groups at the early stage of repair. Tensile strength test results showed that the maximum breaking strength in the plasma-treated group at two weeks was significantly higher than that in the untreated group. Overall, our results indicate that a single event of NTAPP treatment during the surgery can contribute to an early recovery of an injured tendon.
Veillonella and Bacteroides are associated with gestational diabetes mellitus exposure and gut microbiota immaturity
Authors: Valdez-Palomares Fernanda , Aguilar Jaqueline Reyes , Pérez-Campos Eduardo , Mayoral Laura Pérez-Campos , Meraz-Cruz Noemi , Palacios-González Berenice
Published: May 2024

Background

Dysbiosis during childhood impacts the configuration and maturation of the microbiota. The immaturity of the infant microbiota is linked with the development of inflammatory, allergic, and dysmetabolic diseases.

Aims

To identify taxonomic changes associated with age and GDM and classify the maturity of the intestinal microbiota of children of mothers with GDM and children without GDM (n-GDM).

Methods

Next-generation sequencing was used to analyze the V3–V4 region of 16S rRNA gene. QIIME2 and Picrust2 were used to determine the difference in the relative abundance of bacterial genera between the study groups and to predict the functional profile of the intestinal microbiota.

Results

According to age, the older GDM groups showed a lower alpha diversity and different abundance of Enterobacteriaceae, Veillonella, Clostridiales, and Bacteroides. Regarding the functional profile, PWY-7377 and K05895 associated with Vitamin B12 metabolism were reduced in GDM groups. Compared to n-GDM group, GDM offspring had microbiota immaturity as age-discriminatory taxa in random forest failed to classify GDM offspring according to developmental age (OOB error 81%). Conclusion. Offspring from mothers with GDM have a distinctive taxonomic profile related to taxa associated with gut microbiota immaturity.
Machine learning for predicting cognitive deficits using auditory and demographic factors
Authors: Niemczak Christopher E. , Montagnese Basile , Levy Joshua , Fellows Abigail M. , Gui Jiang , Leigh Samantha M. , Magohe Albert , Massawe Enica R. , Buckey Jay C.
Published: May 2024

Importance

Predicting neurocognitive deficits using complex auditory assessments could change how cognitive dysfunction is identified, and monitored over time. Detecting cognitive impairment in people living with HIV (PLWH) is important for early intervention, especially in low- to middle-income countries where most cases exist. Auditory tests relate to neurocognitive test results, but the incremental predictive capability beyond demographic factors is unknown.

Objective

Use machine learning to predict neurocognitive deficits, using auditory tests and demographic factors.

Setting

The Infectious Disease Center in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Participants

Participants were 939 Tanzanian individuals from Dar es Salaam living with and without HIV who were part of a longitudinal study. Patients who had only one visit, a positive history of ear drainage, concussion, significant noise or chemical exposure, neurological disease, mental illness, or exposure to ototoxic antibiotics (e.g., gentamycin), or chemotherapy were excluded. This provided 478 participants (349 PLWH, 129 HIV-negative). Participant data were randomized to training and test sets for machine learning.

Main outcome(s) and measure(s)

The main outcome was whether auditory variables combined with relevant demographic variables could predict neurocognitive dysfunction (defined as a score of <26 on the Kiswahili Montreal Cognitive Assessment) better than demographic factors alone. The performance of predictive machine learning algorithms was primarily evaluated using the area under the receiver operational characteristic curve. Secondary metrics for evaluation included F1 scores, accuracies, and the Youden’s indices for the algorithms.

Results

The percentage of individuals with cognitive deficits was 36.2% (139 PLWH and 34 HIV-negative). The Gaussian and kernel naïve Bayes classifiers were the most predictive algorithms for neurocognitive impairment. Algorithms trained with auditory variables had average area under the curve values of 0.91 and 0.87, F1 scores (metric for precision and recall) of 0.81 and 0.76, and average accuracies of 86.3% and 81.9% respectively. Algorithms trained without auditory variables as features were statistically worse (p < .001) in both the primary measure of area under the curve (0.82/0.78) and the secondary measure of accuracy (72.3%/74.5%) for the Gaussian and kernel algorithms respectively.

Conclusions and relevance

Auditory variables improved the prediction of cognitive function. Since auditory tests are easy-to-administer and often naturalistic tasks, they may offer objective measures or predictors of neurocognitive performance suitable for many global settings. Further research and development into using machine learning algorithms for predicting cognitive outcomes should be pursued.
Neuroprotective and immunomodulatory effects of superoxide dismutase on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and RAW264.7 macrophages
Authors: Kim Moon-Beom , Park Su-Min , Lim Ga-Hyun , Oh Yong-Hun , Seo Kyung-Won , Youn Hwa-Young
Published: May 2024

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an antioxidant enzyme that protects the body from free radicals. It has both antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties, inducing macrophage polarization from M1 to M2. Macrophages, key mediators of the innate immune response, are divided into the M1 (pro-inflammatory) and M2 (anti-inflammatory) subtypes. In this study, we aimed to assess the antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of SOD on nerve cells and its immunomodulatory effects on macrophages. We observed that SOD inhibited the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and enhanced the viability of H2O2-treated nerve cells. Furthermore, SOD reduced the degree of necrosis in nerve cells treated with the conditioned medium from macrophages, which induced inflammation. In addition, SOD promoted the M1 to M2 transition of macrophages. Our findings suggest that SOD protects nerve cells and regulates immune responses.
Comparison efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion therapies in breast cancer-related lymphedema: A systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Xu Yawen , Yu Jiangxuan , Shen Rui , Shan Xueqi , Zhou Wenlu , Wang Junjie
Published: May 2024

Objective

Although several acupuncture and moxibustion therapies have been tested in managing breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), there is little consensus regarding the best options for treating this condition. This systematic review and network meta-analysis compared the efficacy of various acupuncture and/or moxibustion therapies for BCRL.

Methods

Seven databases and two clinical registration centers were searched from their inception to December 1st, 2023. The Cochrane Collaboration risk-of-bias assessment tool evaluated the quality of included RCTs. A pairwise meta-analysis was performed in STATA 16.0, while a network meta-analysis was performed in R 4.2.2.

Results

18 studies were included in this analysis. Our results showed that acupuncture and moxibustion methods had great advantages in improving BCRL of patients with breast cancer. In particular, needle-warming moxibustion (NWM) could be the optimal acupuncture and moxibustion method for improving clinical effectiveness and reducing the degree of swelling of affected limbs.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that NWM has great potential in treating BCRL. It may reduce arm circumference, lower swelling levels, and improve clinical effectiveness. Nevertheless, more multi-center, high-quality, and large sample RCTs will be needed in the future.
سنوری گۆڤەری کۆیە بەپێی تیۆریی شەپۆلەکان
Authors: Shams Hemin A.
Published: May 2024

پوختە:
      ناونیشانی توێژینەوەکە (سنوری گۆڤەری کۆیە بەپێی تیۆریی شەپۆلەکان)ە، لە پێشەکی و چوار بەش و ئەنجام و ڕاسپاردە پێکهاتووە. بەپێی تیۆریی شەپۆلەکان و چۆنیەتیی کارکردنی، فۆڕمێک داڕێژرا، کە ئاستە زمانییەکانی دەنگ و ڕێزمان، لەخۆدەگرێت. دوای وەرگرتنی ڕەزامەندیی سێ مامۆستای پسپۆر لە زمانەوانی، کاری لەسەر کرا و توێژەر خۆی ئاخێوەر و دانیشتوی سنوری ناوچەی توێژینەوەیە.       
       فۆڕمەکە چەند دیاردە و تایبەتمەندییەکی گۆڤەری کۆیە لەخۆدەگرێت، بەدوای ئەو تایبەتییانەدا ڕۆیشتوین، لە گۆکردن و یاسا فۆنۆلۆژییەکان و هەندێک مۆڕفیم و چەند یاسایەکی ڕێزمانی، لە هەر شوێنێکی سنوری توێژینەوەکەدا هاوبەشی و جیاوازی (واتە بەردەوامی، یان نەمانی دیاردەکە)، هەستپێکرابێت، دەستنیشان کراوە و داتاکان بە خشتە و شێوە و نەخشە ڕونکراونەتەوە.     
       ئەو کەسانەی داتایان لێ وەرگیراوە، دانیشتو و ئاخێوەری گۆڤەر و سنوری توێژینەوەکەن (شارەدێ و گوندەکان)، تەمەنیان لە نێوان (٢٢ – ٧٠) ساڵدایە، خوێندەوار و نەخوێندەواریان تێدایە، لە هەردو ڕەگەز و پێگە و پیشەی جیاوازیان هەیە، سەرجەمیان توێژەر خۆی پرسیارەکانی ئاراستە کردون و زانیارییەکانی تۆمار کردون.
     نەخشەی ئەم توێژینەوەیە لە سەرۆکایەتیی شارەوانیی کۆیە وەرگیراوە و بە بەرنامەی (Arc GIS)، تازەکراوەتەوە. لە سەردانی ناوچەی توێژینەوەدا بۆمان دەرکەوت (٨)گوند ئاوەدان نین، (٥)گوندی تازە هەن و لە نەخشەدا نین، چەند گوندێکیش ناویان گۆڕاوە. ئەمانە کاریگەرییان لەسەر ڕەوت و ناوەرۆکی توێژینەوەکە نەبوە. داتاکانمان لە (١٣٦) شوێن کۆکردۆتەوە و بە بەرنامەی (SPSS) شیکراونەتەوە:

ز

شوێن

ژمارە

١.

سەنتەری قەزا

١

٢.

سەنتەری ناحیە

٥

٣.

گوند

١٣٠

لە کۆتاییشدا بە چەند ئەنجامێک گەیشتین، لەوانە:

گۆڤەری کۆیە، بەگشتی، گۆڤەرێکی تێکەڵە. واتە شوێنی لێکدان و تێکەڵبونی شەپۆلی گۆڤەرە دراوسێکانیەتی، بەڵام خاوەنی تایبەتمەندیی خۆیەتی.
سنوری کارگێڕیی قەزای کۆیە، کاریگەریی لەسەر جۆراوجۆریی دیاردە زمانییەکانی گۆڤەرەکە نەبوە.
«Не делом, а словом»: дискурс-сетевой анализ парламентских обсуждений закона о повышении пенсионного возраста в России
Authors: Помигуев Илья Александрович , Алексеев Дмитрий Владимирович , Зарипов Никита Андреевич
Published: May 2024

Исследование направлено на выявление в российском парламенте дискурсивных сообществ и механизмов их формирования в ходе рассмотрения инициатив, предполагающих изменение политического курса. Базируясь на теориях легитимации и обоснования политики, авторы выявляют типичные размежевания в речах парламентариев, а также тематические блоки для аргументации их позиций в рамках этих размежеваний. В качестве эмпирических данных в статье использованы материалы парламентской дискуссии о повышении пенсионного возраста ― инициативы, принятой парламентом и подписанной президентом в 2018 г. С помощью метода дискурс-сетевого анализа и соответствующего программного обеспечения авторы собрали и проанализировали значительный массив данных о тематических блоках, в рамках которых наблюдалась поляризация мнений и позиций парламентариев по исследуемому вопросу. Анализ результатов показал, что поляризация позиций парламентариев, несмотря на кажущуюся непримиримость, оказалась не столь значительной. Как парламентская оппозиция, так и фракция большинства действовали и опирались на аргументы в рамках одних и тех же тематических блоков и категорий, различаясь лишь расхождением (порой незначительным) мнений (за/против) по обсуждаемым тематикам. Кроме того, анализ дискурсивных сетей позволил оценить значение парламентских процедур рассмотрения законодательных инициатив для определения дискурса, а также влияние внутрипарламентских структур на высказываемую парламентариями позицию. Авторы обнаружили, что слова, публично произнесенные в парламенте, способны точнее представить политическую позицию выступающего, чем результаты его действий, например голосований по тому или иному вопросу.
Благодарность. Исследование выполнено за счет гранта Российского научного фонда № 22-78-00201, https://rscf.ru/project/22-78-00201/.
Using virtual and augmented reality to study architectural lighting
Authors: Birt James , Manyuru Patricia , Nelson Jonathan
Published: May 2024

This paper presents industry stakeholder insights from the implementation of a dual modality intervention using virtual and augmented reality simulation to study complex lighting theory in architecture design. Using a design based research method the aim is to evaluate these insights and inform a pilot study to educate first year architectural design students on the complexities of lighting the built environment and methods to improve architectural workflow. The aim is to enable learners to experience natural and artificial lighting methods comparatively in real-time through multiple comparative visualisation methods. This is important to make informed evaluations regarding architectural designs in terms of spatial quality, character, performance, and user-comfort levels. This in turn allows architects to rapidly modify their designs to accommodate or mitigate the environmental effects. Outcomes from the initial usability test highlight the ability to switch back and forth between the virtual and augmented reality simulation technology, and between lighting visualisation modes as a huge step forward by the industry stakeholders. Additionally, the idea of representing the physical building where the simulation took place virtually using a detailed mapping gave a real-world anchor that made the simulations easy to navigate, leading to improved satisfaction and engagement. However, the study also highlighted improvements in the delivery of the simulation is required to improve simulation learnability and efficiency.
OER based capacity building to overcome staff equity and access issues in higher education
Authors: Bossu Carina , Willems Julie
Published: May 2024

Open educational resources (OER) have already impacted educational systems around the world. In higher education more specifically, it has benefited learners, and has influenced institutional strategic plans and policies. Additionally, the benefits of OER also extend to staff in higher education, such as academic staff. For this group, OER can provide opportunities for collaboration, promote curriculum innovation and student led content development, as well as contribute to university teachers’ much needed continuing professional development. In this paper, we examine the potential of OER to build capacity of academic staff in higher education, in particular to overcome some equity and access issues that they may face. It also examines some existing activities and strategies for professional development in higher educational institutions and provides some recommendations for academics, academic developers, institutions, and the sector in general.
Enhancing the role of pedagogical beliefs in TPACK-based professional development
Authors: Conde Lis , Corrin Linda , Elliott Kristine , Kennedy Gregor
Published: May 2024

Professional development programs that aim to enhance the use of educational technology in higher education have become a priority in many countries. However, educators’ pedagogical beliefs may present a barrier to the successful outcomes of these programs and are often overlooked. This paper presents a professional development approach designed to make explicit educators’ pedagogical beliefs in regards to educational technology. The outcomes of the study will provide insights into strategies to address educators’ beliefs about teaching, learning and students in general, as a launching pad for improvements in practice to occur.
Key success factors to implementing an active learning platform
Authors: Duffy Megan , James Jenny , Campbell Chris , Williams Jude
Published: May 2024

This study reports on the key success factors when introducing a new lecture capture platform, Echo360 Active Learning Platform (ALP), at an Australian University. This is an interactive platform, designed to actively engage students in their courses including in lectures (online and/or face to face) through a range of interactive tools. A trial of ALP, which is known within the University as the Echo360 ALP Early Adopter Program, was conducted in Semester 2, 2016. The purpose of the Echo360 ALP Early Adopter Program was to identify the key success factors required for implementation of Echo360 ALP at the enterprise level. The study reports data on students’ experience of the interactive tools in Echo360 ALP. In total, over 1250 students, seven academics from across seven courses, Blended Learning Advisors from within each of the University’s four academic groups, and support staff participated in the Echo360 ALP Early Adopter Program. The results of the study show that students were engaged when using Echo360 ALP and with support from professional staff this program can be successfully implemented by academics. Thus, the key success factors to this implementation include the academics themselves and the support staff involved in the implementation. A further success factor was the vendor themselves.
Explaining learning achievement in student experience of blended learning
Authors: Han Feifei , Ellis Robert
Published: May 2024

Drawing on theories of student approaches to learning and sociomaterial perspectives on learning, we investigated how a combination of sociocognitive and sociomaterial variables explain variation in 365 students’ learning achievement in a first year human biology blended learning course in an Australian research intensive university. We used a close-ended questionnaire to measure students’ approaches to learning through inquiry, approaches to using online learning technologies, and their use of on-campus physical learning spaces. We obtained use of online learning tools in terms of frequency and duration through analytics provided by a proprietary learning management system. Students’ learning achievement was evaluated using six assessment tasks in the course. Correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between approaches, use of online learning tools, use of oncampus physical learning spaces, and achievement. Based on the correlation results, we regressed learning achievement on approaches, use of online learning tools and physical learning spaces. The results showed that by introducing sociomaterial variables into the regression model, a significant proportion of learning achievement was explained over and above the explanations offered by sociocognitive factors alone, highlighting the important role of both sociocognitive and sociomaterial factors in blended learning.
A learning analytics view of students’ use of self-regulation strategies for essay writing
Authors: Tresize Kelly , De Barba Paula , Jennens David , Zarebski Alexander , Russo Robert , Kennedy Gregor
Published: May 2024

Essay writing is a fundamental part of higher education. Students’ use of self-regulatory skills, such as time management and planning and writing strategies, while writing essays predicts better writing quality. Current characterisations of the relationship between self-regulation and essay writing are limited by the difficulty of assessing self-regulation in real-life essay writing contexts. This paper reports on a novel approach to examine students’ use of self-regulation strategies in a real-life setting, using learning analytics. Four case studies are presented to illustrate similarities and differences in students’ use of time management, planning and writing strategies. Participants managed their time in very different ways to complete the assignment. They were active over a different number of days, engaged in sessions of different durations, and at different times of the day. The participants used a variety of approaches to their writing: one participant started early and allowed editing time, another typed gradually over a number of days, and two participants waited until the due date to complete the essay, with varying amounts of editing. Findings from this research contribute to a novel detailed empirical evidence of different essay preparation behaviour in real-life settings. After further studies with a variety of essay types and student samples, there may be significant value in using the approached outlined in this paper as the basis of tools they provide students with advice and support in their essay preparation.
Analysing the learning pathways of students in a large flipped engineering course
Authors: Reidsmea Carl , Khosravi Hassan , Fleming Melanie , Kavanagh Lydia , Achilles Nicholas , Fink Esther
Published: May 2024

Recent advancements in educational technologies (learning management systems, online discussion forums, peer-learning tools) coupled with new methods of course delivery (e.g. blended, flipped, MOOCs) provide significant opportunities for universities to deliver challenging, high quality, yet engaging curriculum for students. In this paper, we examine the variations and similarities of student’s approaches to learning (learning pathways) by examining how well they performed in a large (N ~ 1000 student) first year engineering flipped classroom. The analysis focused on student’s performance in their assessment (formative and summative) as well as their online interaction with a range of tools purposely built to support students through peer learning and acquisition of resources and expertise. Analysis using k-means clustering reveals that students do in fact adopt a variety of successful pathways through the course. The unique aspects of this work lie in the use of analytics algorithms that whilst perhaps routinely utilised in data mining, are not as well utilised in better understanding patterns (successful or otherwise) of student interactions within a technology enhanced active learning environment that integrates theory with engineering practice.
Framework for the analysis and comparison of e-assessment systems
Authors: Isaias Pedro , Miranda Paula , Pífano Sara
Published: May 2024

The use of technology within the education sector affects many aspects of the learning process, including assessment. Electronic assessment presents many advantages over traditional paper based methods and it is being widely used by teachers and educational institutions. The progressive acceptance and use of e-assessment has resulted in the development of a panoply of e-assessment systems. This paper aims to propose a framework for the analysis and comparison of e-assessment systems, to support the selection of the most suitable assessment instruments. The proposed framework is composed of eight criteria, variety of design options, scalability, security, access and usability, feedback features, personalisation, cost and interoperability, which were overall validated by the viewpoints of educational experts via an online questionnaire.
Comparison of a two-step Tempus600 hub solution single-tube vs. container-based, one-step pneumatic transport system
Authors: Luginbühl Marc , Frey Kathrin , Gawinecka Joanna , von Eckardstein Arnold , Saleh Lanja
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Efficient and timely transportation of clinical samples is pivotal to ensure accurate diagnoses and effective patient care. During the transportation process, preservation of sample integrity is crucial to avoid pre-analytical aberrations on laboratory results. Here, we present a comparative analysis between a two-step Tempus600 hub solution single-tube and a one-step, container-based pneumatic transport system (PTS) from Airco, for the in-house transportation of blood samples.

Methods

Ten blood samples from healthy volunteers were split in 10 mL collection tubes filled at full or half capacity for transportation with the two PTS (about 250 m). To compare the impact of transportation, markers of hemolysis such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), potassium (K+), and the hemolysis index (HI), were determined. Additionally, differences in HI in routine samples and repeated transportation was investigated. To assess and compare the mechanistic impact profiles, we recorded the acceleration profiles of the two PTS using a shock data logger.

Results

Transportation using the Tempus600 hub solution resulted in 49 and 46 % higher HI with samples filled to total or half capacity, respectively. Routine samples transported with the Tempus600 hub solution showed a higher median HI by 23 and 33 %. Additionally, shock logger analysis showed an elevated amount of shocks (6.5 fold) and shock intensities (1.8 fold).

Conclusions

The Tempus600 hub solution caused an increased number of unreportable LDH or K+ results based on the hemolysis index. However, it was only statistically significant for LDH (p<0.01 and p<0.08) – while the comparisons for K+ were not statistically significant (p<0.28 and p<0.56).
Quality of heart failure registration in primary care: observations from 1 million electronic health records in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area
Authors: De Clercq Lukas , Himmelreich Jelle C.L. , Harskamp Ralf E.
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Proper coding of heart failure (HF) in electronic health records (EHRs) is an important prerequisite for adequate care and research towards this vulnerable patient population. We set out to evaluate the accuracy of registration of HF diagnoses in primary care EHRs.

Methods

In a routine primary care database covering the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, we identified all episodes of care with International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) codes K77 (decompensatio cordis) or K84.03 (cardiomyopathy) up to 31/12/2021. We also performed two text-based searches to identify HF episodes without an appropriate ICPC-code. An expert panel evaluated all ICPC and text matches for congruence between the assigned codes and notes.

Results

From a database of 968,433 records we identified 19,106 patients (2.0 %) with a total of 24,011 ICPC-coded HF episodes. Removal of 1,324 episodes found to concern other or uncertain diagnoses and inclusion of 4,582 validated HF episodes identified through text search led to exclusion of 909 (overregistration: 4.8 %) and inclusion of 2,266 additional patients (underregistration: 11.1 %). The inclusion of miscoded HF episodes advanced the first known date of HF diagnosis in 3.9 % of records, with a median shift of 3.45 years. Episode-level underregistration decreased significantly over time, from 23.8 % in 2006 to 10.0 % in 2021.

Conclusions

While there is improvement over time, there are still substantial levels of over- and underregistration of HF, emphasizing the need for cautious interpretation of ICPC-coded data. The findings contribute to the understanding of HF registration issues in primary care and provide insights for improving registration practices.
On Absolute and Quantitative Subspace Theorems
Authors: Ngo Hieu T. , Quang Si Duc
Published: May 2024

The Absolute Subspace Theorem, a vast generalization and a quantitative improvement of Schmidt’s Subspace Theorem, was first established by Evertse and Schlickewei and then strengthened remarkably by Evertse and Ferretti.
We study quantitative generalizations and extensions of subspace theorems in various contexts.
We establish a generalization of Evertse and Ferretti’s Absolute Subspace Theorem for hyperplanes in general position.
We obtain improved (non-absolute) Quantitative Subspace Theorems for hyperplanes in general position and in subgeneral position.
We show a Semi-quantitative Subspace Theorem for hyperplanes in non-subdegenerate position.
Geochemistry of magnetite from Fe-skarn deposits along the central Loei Fold Belt, Thailand
Authors: Assawincharoenkij Thitiphan , Homchan Kesinee , Hauzenberger Christoph , Keawpaluk Sirawit , Kanjanapayont Pitsanupong , Sutthirat Chakkaphan
Published: May 2024

Fe-deposits in Thailand are mostly located along the Loei Fold Belt in Central Thailand. The study areas, Khao Lek (KL) and Khao Thab Kwai (KTK), have Fe-deposits hosted in contact metamorphized Permian limestone and Permo-Triassic volcanic rocks. Magnetite forms over a wide range of geological conditions and incorporates various trace elements into its cubic spinel structure. The KL and KTK Fe-skarn deposits are mainly composed of massive magnetite. The main discriminator elements for magnetite are characterized by the distribution of Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, and Cu. Thus, this study focused on the chemical characteristics of magnetite to identify the origins of the iron ore deposits. This study investigated the trace element chemistry of the magnetite using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The high Ca + Al + Mn and low Ti + V and Ni/Cr + Mn contents of hydrothermal magnetite in the KL and KTK deposits support a typical skarn origin, and the textural and trace element features of the KL and KTK magnetite are analogous to those of typical calcic-Fe skarn deposits worldwide.
Development and validation of a test facility for bending corrosion fatigue of hybrid laminates
Authors: Delp Alexander , Walther Frank
Published: May 2024

In this article, the development of MoBeMeG, a modular device for bending-corrosion-fatigue investigations and variable specimen geometry in corrosive media with galvanic isolation between the test chamber and the test system, is presented. The main application is the investigation of hybrid laminates with high potential for galvanic corrosion, e.g., aluminum ∪ carbon fiber–reinforced plastics, focusing on the description of failure mechanisms and failure evolution at the interface under the influence of bending-corrosion-fatigue loading. The anvil distances are adjustable for the application of varying specimen geometries while retaining the full functionality of the test chamber and securing a full flexible testing possibility without the necessity of new constructions. The test engineering development results in considerable time savings as well as unparalleled efficiency enhancement in terms of bending-corrosion-fatigue performance assessments.
PRZYSPIESZONE DOJRZEWANIE DESTYLATU PSZENICZNEGO
Authors: BALCEREK MARIA , PIELECH-PRZYBYLSKA KATARZYNA , DZIEKOŃSKA-KUBCZAK URSZULA , KLESZCZ MILENA
Published: May 2024

Background. Maturation, known as aging, is a method of improving the quality of spirit beverages (okovita, brandy) produced from raw (non-rectified) spirits. Traditionally, this process is carried out for at least several months in oak barrels. An alternative solution may be accelerated maturation using oak chips. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a dose and degree of oak chips toasting, as well as the temperature of maturation, on the physicochemical changes in the composition of wheat distillate. The raw material was a distillate from the Khorasan (Kamut) wheat cultivar, which was matured with natural and heavily toasted oak chips. To assess the physicochemical changes in the studied samples of the distillate, methods recommended in the spirit industry were used. Results and conclusions. The maturation of wheat distillate with oak chips caused an increase of the extract content and changes in the color of the distillate, which were correlated with the type and dose of chips, as well as the temperature and time of maturation. In the samples aged with toasted chips, a signifi cant increase in furfural concentration and a decrease in the content of 1-propanol, 2-methylpropanol and 1-butanol were noted in relation to the control sample. Comparing the impact of the type of chips on changes in the content of esters, it was found that the conditions which were more favorable for their synthesis existed in the presence of natural than heavily toasted chips. Moreover, the catalytic effect of the increased temperature of spirit maturation on the formation of esters was observed.
Using vanadium dioxide critical thermistors to protect solar cells from overheating
Authors: Kolbunov V. R. , Tonkoshkur O. S. , Mazurik S. V. , Lyashkov A. Yu. , Nakashydze L. V.
Published: May 2024

The overheating caused by electrical loads is one of the essential factors impairing the reliability of photovoltaic components of solar cells. The most common technical solution to this problem is to use such additional elements as bypass diodes. However, the practice of installing such diodes in parallel with a chain of solar cells has shown that this approach does not eliminate hot spots completely, and thus characteristics of the solar cells deteriorate at a faster pace. One of the possible solutions to this problem is to use critical thermistors based on metal-semiconductor phase transition materials, such as vanadium dioxide. Structurally, such thermal protection is implemented by adding a separate photovoltaic element with a thermistor protection element that is in thermal contact with it. This study investigated the effectiveness of such a solution to prevent local overheating in photovoltaic components of solar cells. Glass-ceramic materials based on vanadium dioxide and vanadium-phosphate glass of the V2O5—P2O5 system were used as thermistor elements, which abruptly change the electrical resistance by 1.5—2.0 orders of magnitude in the temperature range around 700С. The research results showed that the considered protective elements can function as reusable (self-healing) fuses against electrothermal overloads in solar batteries. Considering the relative simplicity and low cost of the manufacturing technology of glass-ceramic materials with a metal-semiconductor phase transition, the described approach to preventing overheating of photovoltaic cells of solar cells in situations with higher reliability requirements appears to be promising.
Alterations of alpha fetoprotein and some liver enzymes, in HIV patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy at federal medical centre, Owerri
Authors: Nnodim Johnkennedy , Tecla Ifesinachi , Ukamaka Edward
Published: May 2024

Aim: This study is therefore aimed at evaluating the serum level of alpha fetoprotein and liver enzymes in HIV patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri. Materials and method: A total of one hundred and fifty subjects which comprised 50 HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy, 50 HIV patients not yet on antiretroviral therapy and 50 healthy subjects as control were used in the study. The liver enzymes and alpha fetoprotein serum levels were determined using colorimetric end-point method and ELISA technique, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed on Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) windows version 20.0.Test of significance was determined using the student’s t-test and the statistical significance was set up at p<0.05.Results:. Results obtained showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in alpha fetoprotein (4.64±4.42ng/ml), Aspartate aminotransferase (13.3±8.10iu/L), Alanine Aminotransferase (7.58±3.56iu/L) and alkaline phosphatase (68.73±54.95iu/L) of the HIV positive patients when compared with to their controls (1.43±1.53ng/ml), (5.75±3.03iu/L), (3.85±2.33iu/L) (25.9±9.17iu/L) respectively. There were no significant difference (P>0.05) in the mean value of the alpha fetoprotein of those already in ART (5.91±5.60ng/ml) when compared with the mean value seen in those not on the therapy (3.36±2.10ng/ml). Also, when compared according to duration of therapy, a significant increase was seen at P>0.05 in all the parameters. This study inferred that long time use of these antiretrovirals has a damaging effect on the liver but can't possibly cause hepatocellular carcinoma except in the presence of other risk factors. Thus, the intake of the drug should be strictly under the doctor's prescription and monitoring.